Saturday, Looking Like Sunday

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/08/upshot/chores-girls-research-social-science.html  This is from The Upshot, which was based on American Time Use Survey diaries from 2003 to 2014 by 6,358 high school students ages 15-19. Maybe this is even too late (this writer's opinion). Boys ages 15-19 do about half and hour of housework and girls about 45 minutes. According to the article, girls' chores take a little less time than a decade ago, but boys' allocation hasn't changed. This also varied with parents' education but the difference was mostly seen in girls. Boys were also paid more allowance for their time, based on an APP called BusyKid, twice what girls earned. The gender gap in pay for chores and time spent was worldwide. In terms of caring for other family members, boys ans girls spend the same amount of time; researchers expect that this could result in these boys becoming more engaged fathers.




https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/opinion/stem-girls-math-practice.html
A commentary from the NYT about STEM and girls and the importance of math skills. Not practicing math, even if you are good at it, can turn into a lack of competence, according to several research studies. Becoming an expert at anything, according to K. Anders Ericsson, requires developing neural patterns and honing them (my addition here) through practice and repetition. The commentary critiques modern methods that attempt to "make learning more fun" by avoiding drill and practice. In the international PISA study  the US ranks near the bottom of the 35 industrialized nations in math and that's not just girls. All learning shouldn't be "fun" (a quote).  I agree but it is hard to convince the students that there is something in it for them when the screens stop flashing and the equations appear.


https://njenvironmentnews.com/2018/07/23/n-j-finds-pfnas-chemicals-of-emerging-concern-in-some-recreational-fishing-waters/ This is an article from the NJ Environment News about PFAs, including PFOA, PFOS and PFNA, compounds that were used to make non-stick cookware, in NJ recreational waters.  Exposure to PFAs can lead to adverse health effects in humans, including high cholesterol.
The report was by theAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The DEP sampled water, fish tissue and sediment.  The DEP cautioned anglers to eat very limited amounts of certain species found in waters where PFAS was detected.