Evolution of Whales Essay Example for Free

Evolution of Whales Essay Since historical time’s organisms gradually undergo change in all body aspects for example body size, shape, complexity of organs and slight changes in genetic material. The changes are minor in a generation; accumulate with the continuity of generations with the overall differences producing major changes. In most cases a group of organisms arise from a common ancestor for example whales, dolphins and porpoises evolved from mammals that lived on land for instance pakicetids and mesonychids. Whales are also thought to have a common ancestor with hippopotamus, deer and camels. Whale ancestors were terrestrial which as a result of modification in the body parts and organs gave rise to the present day whales. There are many theories that explain the evolution of whales and the most embraced is that of whales evolving from small aquatic animals. The rule of natural selection by Charles Darwin dictates that only the fit organisms survive. This rule has applied to the evolution of whales since those that were unable to cope with competition became extinct. Most of the ancestors of whales were obtained through fossil study (paleontological evidence) of both terrestrial and aquatic organisms’ remnants excavated from Australia and Pakistan. Some of the examples of whale ancestors are sinonyx, pakicetids, ambulocetids, rhodocetids, basilosaurus, dorudon, squalodon, mammalodon colliveri, janjucetus hunderi and Harrison’s whale. Statement on whales Whales are the largest living mammals that inhabit aquatic environment. Whales can dive to depths of about 3000 meters and have to go back to the surface to breath. Like most terrestrial mammals whales give birth, suckle and nurse their young ones for around six months. They do not have skin glands, tear glands and olfactory senses. They receive signals through vibrations to the periodic and auditory bullae formed by fusion of skull bones. The blue whale; one of the whale species is the largest creatures that has ever lived on earth. The whale is subdivided into several species namely; sperm whale, blue whale (mentioned above), orcas (killer whales), and pilot whales. Some of these whale species have become extinct through natural selection as postulated by Charles Darwin in his theory â€Å"the origin of species by means of natural selection†. The blue whale is in the sub- order baleen whale and has long slender body shaded blue at some parts of the body. They feed on krill and only hunt in areas with concentration of krill. They mostly mate during autumn. Blue whales give birth to young whales in water weighing about two tones. The blue whales suckle their young ones till they are six months old. These whales are sexually mature at the age of around ten years. They are known to attain the age of about eighty years and their only predator is the orca or the killer whale. The population of whales has been decreasing in the recent years because of large scale whale hunting. Blue whales communicate to other whales especially during courtship, locating prey, maintenance of individual territory and maintenance of social organization by making some sounds about 165 decibels.

Peter Voulkos Ceramist Essay -- Essays Papers

Peter Voulkos Ceramist The exhibition of recent stoneware vessels by Peter Voulkos at Frank Lloyd Gallery featured the sort of work on which the artist established reputation in the 1950s. The work was greeted with stunned amazement. However now it is too, but it's amazement of a different order -- the kind that comes from being in the presence of effortless artistic mastery. These astonishing vessels are truly amaising. Every ceramic artist knows that what goes into a kiln looks very different from what comes out, and although what comes out can be controlled to varying degrees, it's never certain. Uncertainty feels actively courted in Voulkos' vessels, and this embrace of chance gives them a surprisingly contradictory sense of ease. Critical to the emergence of a significant art scene in Los Angeles in the second half of the 1950s, the 75-year-old artist has lived in Northern California since 1959 and this was his only second solo show in an L.A gallery in 30 years.†These days, L.A. is recognized as a center for the production of contemporary art. But in the 1950s, the scene was slim -- few galleries and fewer museums. Despite the obscurity, a handful of solitary and determined artists broke ground here, stretching the inflexible definitions of what constitutes painting, sculpture and other media. Among these avant-gardists was Peter Voulkos.† In 1954, Voulkos was hired as chairman of the fledgling ceramics department at the L.A. County Art Institute, now Otis College of Art and Design, and during the five years that followed, he led what came to be known as the "Clay Revolution." Students like John Mason, Paul Soldner, Ken Price and Billy Al Bengston, all of whom went on to become respected artists, were among his foot soldiers in the battle to free clay from its handicraft associations. By the late 1950s, Voulkos had established an international reputation for his muscular fired-clay sculptures, which melded Zen attitudes toward chance with the emotional fervor of Abstract Expressionist painting. Some 20 works -- including five "Stacks" (4-foot-tall sculptures) as well as giant slashed-and-gouged plates and works on paper -- recently went on view at the Frank Lloyd Gallery. This non single show is his first at a Los Angeles gallery in 13 years, although a survey of his work was seen at the Newport Harbor Art Museum (presently carries a different... ... office of Tishman Realty. Despite this two-decade foray into bronze, Voulkos remained committed to pushing the boundaries of possibility in ceramics. From 1979 to 1984, he concentrated on firing plates and then the vessel-shaped "stacks" in an anagama, a Japanese wood-burning kiln. Inspired by the Haniwa figures and Momoyama period ceramics of Japan, Voulkos let the ash and soot from the firing process in the kiln decorate the irregular surface of the clay. "There was a certain kind of casualness about some of the Japanese ceramics that I liked. There can be a big crack in the pot caused by the kiln, and the piece becomes a national treasure," he says. The 1980s brought about a serious personal challenge, however. By mid-decade, he was forced to confront his addiction to cocaine and enter a rehabilitation facility. In 1989, he returned to his ceramic sculpture with a sense of renewed purpose and a more incisive and controlled sense of composition. During the '90s, he has regaine d the confidence in the process. Although retired from UC Berkeley, Voulkos still thrives as a teacher, spending about four months of each year on the road doing seminars. Bibliography: Peter Voulkos

American Immigrants and Literacy Essay

Language is very important in the society because it enables people to communicate with each other and for them to participate meaningfully in the affairs of the society. For first generation immigrants to the United States, however, the problem of literacy and language becomes more pronounced. These people migrate to the United States for a variety of reasons. It could be because of economic need. Or it may be because the country they came from is in political trouble and there are outright hostilities and war. In this regard, the education needs of these immigrants may not be congruent with what is in the United States. Since these immigrants entered the US as adults, the challenge to become literate and become expert in the English language is greater than for children. What usually happens is that the parents work incessantly to provide for the family while the children go to school and literate and adjusted to the culture of the US. For adults, however, this is a challenge. This issue could be addressed using a two-step strategy. The first would be the establishment of non-formal English as second language classes that are based in the communities and would be facilitated by the literate members of the society. This way, there would be greater acceptance and they would be more receptive to a member of their community . Alongside the non-formal teaching of English as second-language, there should be a functional literacy program. These adult immigrants would be taught specific matters and subjects that they need for their daily lives. They might not need to study calculus and advance literature, but what they need is a working knowledge of the society they are in and how they can make their lives more meaningful in this society.

Essay about The Impact Media has During War - 3254 Words

The Impact Media has During War â€Å"Spanish-American War of 1898† It was late in the evening and the battleship the Maine drifted calmly through the water of Havana to â€Å"protect Americas interests† stated be Fitzhugh Lee. Everything seemed to be looking bright with a new Spanish ruler in Cuba. Even many of the officers were entertained by the Spanish and thoughts of going home were in the air. The small battleship was second-class to that of its counterparts in the Pacific. It was the biggest battleship to enter the Havana harbor. As soon as the calm night appeared, roaring explosions and blinding flashes filled the air. Could the battleship Maine be under attack while on such great terms? Captain Sigsbee as he was writing a letter†¦show more content†¦The media was the cause of such an uproar from the general public. Soon after the explosion and before the investigations, the newspapers already wrote about Spain attacking and for the people to be ready for the war. This wasn’t the first time the newspaper started such pandemonium. It all started with Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst starting a form of writing called yellow journalism. These two people brought media into a war and may have even started the Spanish-American War of 1898. To get an idea of what truly happened, the background of this war must be stated. At this time Cuba was trying to gain independence form Spain. Spain was trying to so anything in their power to control this. So the decided to hire General Valeriano Weyler to do all of their dirty work for them. He had a past that was very violent when it came to wars. He decided to establish a system called the reconcentrado. This was a system where they decided to take all the Cubans that lived in the country side and put them in camps where they did not have a possibility to join the revolution. With all of these things happening in Cuba, President Cleveland and President McKinley wanted to stay neutral. 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