A line in the Sand X

Revelation17:16,17ASV"And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire.

17 For God did put in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished."

Indiana's anti-LGBT law a preview for 2016?

By LZ Granderson, CNN Contributor

Updated 2259 GMT (0659 HKT) March 27, 2015

CNN)Barney Frank, to say the least, knows his way around politics. In a Chicago appearance recently, the retired congressman had the sold-out crowd at the Center on Halsted well entertained as he detailed his 45-year journey in public service.

Frank, you'll recall, was the first member of Congress to marry someone of the same-sex while in office, and among other things, he had some choice words for closeted politicians who vote against LGBT rights.

And when someone in the audience asked his thoughts about a current ballot proposal in California that would legalize killing gay people, he said he wasn't aware of the measure but told the young man not to "worry yourself about the crazy people.""We're winning," he said before joking that the name of the California proposal -- "The Sodomite Suppression Act" -- sounded like a porno.

"We're winning" is a phrase I've heard a lot recently as it pertains to LGBT rights. And I guess if you look at where the country was 10 years ago, we definitely are. That's assuming you are part of the "we" that believes LGBT people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts.

Or at least not "be put to death by bullets to the head or by any other convenient method" as the California proposal suggests. (It's unclear whether Matt McLaughlin, the Huntington Beach lawyer who submitted the proposal, is being sincere or just an ass, but the fact remains that if he collects enough signatures there appears to be no legal way of stopping it from going on the ballot.)Frank's "we're winning" declaration was oddly timed, too. Less than 24 hours after his talk, the governor in the next state over signed an anti-LGBT "religious freedom" bill into the law -- one that allows businesses to challenge in court local laws that forbid discriminating against customers based on sexual orientation.

"Many people of faith feel their religious liberty is under attack by government action," Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said. Not to be outdone, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he would sign a similar bill that is expected to reach his desk shortly.

So we have: A fledgling proposal to kill the gays out West, laws to deny us goods and services in the heartland, and if the rhetoric of 2016 hopeful Ted Cruz is a barometer, a federal ban on same-sex marriage still on the GOP table.

Like others, I had foolishly hoped the upcoming general election would be one defined by bold ideas.

Instead, it looks like it's going to be dragged down to a replay of Pat Buchanan's "cultural war" speech, during which he told the 1992 Republican National Convention: "We stand with (George H.W. Bush) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women" and later followed with "There is a religious war going on in this country. It is a cultural war, as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the Cold War itself. For this war is for the soul of America."

Progressives enjoyed poking fun at Cruz, the tea party darling when he announced his presidential bid, but according to the American Civil Liberties Union, "the Indiana RFRA [Religious Freedom Restoration Act] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate. Numerous other bills specifically single out the LGBT community for unequal treatment."It's not just lawmakers. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore made headlines for telling state officials and judges to disregard a federal court ruling that overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage.

And this week. a federal judge in Cruz's home state of Texas blocked a federal rule that would have granted married, same-sex couples access to the Family and Medical Leave Act, a law that helps employees stay home to take care of a severely ill spouse.

It seems clear that even if Cruz doesn't capture the GOP nomination, whoever does will undoubtedly make some concessions to appease LGBT rights backlash currently underway in conservative states.

That could include one of Cruz's agenda items: a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, usurping whatever ruling comes out of the Supreme Court in June, when the court is expected to rule on whether such marriage is constitutionally protected.

And the NCAA can issue strongly worded statements, as it did over Indiana's new anti-LGBT law, and -- along with others in corporate America -- can threaten financial repercussions for discriminatory laws.

But at the end of the day, it's about votes. Frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets, and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls. If that holds true in 2016, "winning" is going to feel very strange.

Indeed, most 2016 hopefuls on the right have been reluctant to express support for same-sex marriage.

According to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, "it's like asking someone who's Jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli."

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said, "I certainly will support Ted Cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage."Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has a long history of fighting against same sex marriage and civil unions.

And Ben Carson said jail turns people gay, so there's that. (He later apologized)

Gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly, but the trend on the state level tells a different story. Perhaps we're witnessing the final gasp of a long-ago biases.

Or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated.

Barney Frank said he believes Republicans want the Supreme Court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the GOP primary. That may be true, but it's doubtful that will allow a candidate to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called "religious freedom" bills currently snaking through red-state legislatures.

Or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop -- especially with Republicans controlling both the House and the Senate.

Once again, our democracy is vexed by a woefully inadequate two-party system. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative independent voters may want to consider the full depth of a candidate's policies before making a decision, but ultimately it may come down to a single-question: to discriminate against LGBT people or not.

Unfortunately, the pending 2016 "cultural war" does not allow for much wiggle room beyond that.

I know Frank and others have said "we're winning" but sitting here, watching the life being sucked out of democracy year in and year out feels more like a defeat than a victory.

Plagiarising the original technologist.

Nature Credits Evolution for Biomimetics Revolution

Evolution News & Views March 27, 2015 11:35 AM | 

If you could just strip out the superfluous evolution-talk in Nature's special Outlook feature on biomimetics, you'd be left with a showcase of intelligent design. The series, "Biomaterials: inspired by the natural world," focuses on amazing traits of various living things that inspire scientists and engineers, but evolution keeps trying to steal the credit. Herb Brody begins the overview:

Millions of years of evolution have made the biological world into a supremely effective materials-development laboratory. This Outlook examines the ways in which substances found in the natural world are inspiring imitations that might eventually endow humans with superhuman powers. [Emphasis added.]

Each of the nine articles except the last mentions evolution at least once, but evolution contributes nothing to the scientific substance. The word is used just as a narrative gloss, as Dr. Philip Skell used to say: such-and-such "has evolved" to do this-or-that.

Setting evolution aside, look at the biomaterials listed in the series that are inspiring imitators, and see what applications are coming from these natural designs. (Brody's lead article contains links to the other articles.) Some of the plants and animals are already the stars in biomimetics, but others are new, providing more inspiration for "practical and durable" materials.

Spider silk is inspiring strong, durable materials. "The silk that these arthropods use to spin webs is extraordinarily tough," Brody says. "Indeed, the scene from Spider Man 2 in which a New York City subway train is stopped by a spiderweb is not far removed from the realms of reality. Scientists are learning how to fabricate synthetic versions of these fibres." Applications: artificial tendons, fighter pilot helmets, Spiderman-like climbing ropes, and anything that needs to be lightweight but strong.

Silkworm silk, though not as tough as spider silk, is simpler and easier to work with. Applications: medical devices and biodegradable sutures; drug-releasing implants, artificial corneas, "silk orthopaedic hardware strong enough to screw into bone and then degrade over time, and squishy scaffolds for growing neurons from the brain's cerebral cortex."

Shark skin is made of V-shaped scales called denticles. Aligned with the local water flow, they reduce drag. Application: swimsuits that allow a swimmer to go 7 percent faster.

Pine cones are made of two layers that respond differently to temperature and humidity (like a bimetallic strip in a thermostat). This allows them to drop their seeds after a fire. Applications: smart clothing fabric that responds by "breathing" with the humidity and temperature.

Lotus leaves are super-waterproof due to two layers that trap air. The layer of papillae traps air under a waxy secretion, such that water rolls off, catching dust on the way. Application: waterproof clothing that is stain resistant.

Hydrogels are common in nature. They are "materials comprising networks of polymer chains that can absorb or release water as conditions change." Applications: high-absorbency diapers, medical devices that avoid rejection and help wounds heal.

Gecko toes are covered with microscopic setae that can cling to almost any surface by atomic forces. "Geckos' feet are so sticky that, in theory, they could support the weight of a 130 kg person hanging from the ceiling." Application: Hand pads that allow a man to walk up glass.

Ivy stems produce "one of nature's strongest adhesives," combining strength with elasticity. Applications: surgical glue, new type of sunscreen, tissue that regenerates. "And the veins onnasturtium leaves have led to the development of a synthetic surface that could prevent rain from freezing on aeroplane wings or keep grimy fingerprints off smartphone screens."

Green tea, cacao and red wine contain polyphenols that resist oxidants and bacteria. Applications: coatings for medical instruments or food-preparation surfaces.

Morpho butterfly wings shine bright blue not from pigment, but from "structural color" made by nanoscopic patterns that intensify reflected light at certain wavelengths. Application: unfading fabric colors.

Squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses rapidly change skin color. Application: the US military is looking into this for more effective camouflage techniques.

Mussel shells create adhesives from protein that fasten underwater and cling tightly in the waves. Similar waterproof adhesives have been found in starfish and barnacles. Applications: marine adhesives, spacecraft glues, filters for wastewater treatment and desalination plants, and new ways to target cancer cells.

Sea cucumber skin is soft and pliable but can stiffen in less than a second when a predator is near. The reaction is reversible. Applications: better microelectrodes for brain implants.

Capadona explains that fine control over the changes in stiffness and degree of swelling is crucial, rather than just a simple issue of changing between soft and stiff states. "This is why we looked to nature for a unique design to inspire ours," he says.

Pitcher plant interior walls are extremely slippery. Application: SLIPS technologies, imitating the pitcher plant's properties, has made stain-resistant lab coats.

Nacre, or mother-of-pearl found in oysters, is "extraordinarily fracture-resistant." So is the dentinin teeth. Application: shatterproof glass.

Armadillo skin's armored plates are "models of materials that are flexible, puncture-proof, and water-resistant." Graphene is an up-and-coming super-material that can substitute for some proteins, but "The difficult part is to first understand nature."

Fish scales offer "tough armour for the animal even as it is flexing, flipping and squirming." Application: protective clothing, body armor for vulnerable joints.

Bone is made up of two weak materials: hydroxyapatite, a chalky substance, and collagen, "very similar to gelatin." Yet "from these weak raw materials, nature produces a strong, flexible, self-healing structure." Applications: bone and joint replacements.

Living cells guide the growth of a complex, rigid frame that houses blood vessels and supports the entire body. Trying to better understand this complex structureand how it works has kept teams of scientists busy for many years.

What Has Evolution Done for You Lately?

Design inspiration comes from all over the animal and plant kingdoms. The focus here is on design-- a word used more often in the articles than evolution. Perhaps the most instructive reference to evolution is in Katherine Bourzac's article, "Spiders: Web of Intrigue." Following six useless references to evolution, we learn that "bioinformatics" is where the action is:

Tara Sutherland, a bioengineer at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Canberra, Australia, is looking to silks that are less well known than those from spiders and silkworms. Sutherland's analysis has uncovered 23 groups of independently evolved types of silk in 100,000 different insect species. [Note the lateral pass to "convergent evolution."] In common with Kaplan, Sutherland has medical applications in mind. She zeroed in on one insect from thousands of options: the honeybee. Honeybees use silk to provide thermal insulation and structural support for their hives.

Sutherland approached the problem of picking the right silk from a bioinformatics point of view, not an evolutionary one. She wanted to make the most of what biopolymers offer. Unlike plastics and other materials, proteins can sense and respond to the environment. Sutherland wants to make tissue-engineering scaffolds that release cell-attracting signals on cue, or silk bandages that release antibiotics when they sense an infection. She has funding from the clothing firm Nike and NASA, among others....

For Sutherland and others, the fibres produced by silk makers in the wild areendlessly fascinating and full of design ideas. "Silk is the best stuff on Earth," says Kaplan. "There's nothing like it."

A narrative gloss to fit the Darwinian worldview inspires no one. "Design ideas": that's what the world needs. What has intelligent design done for you lately? The list above is just a taste of the useful knowledge a focus on design provides.