Monday, May 25, 2020

Penguin Facts

Penguins (Aptenodytes, Eudyptes, Eudyptula Pygoscelis, Spheniscus, and Megadyptes species, all in the Spheniscidae family) are perennially popular birds: chubby, tuxedo-clad creatures that waddle charmingly across the rocks and ice floes and belly flop into the sea. They are native to oceans in the southern hemisphere and in the Galapagos Islands. Fast Facts: Penguins Scientific Name: Aptenodytes, Eudyptes, Eudyptula Pygoscelis, Spheniscus, MegadyptesCommon Name: PenguinBasic Animal Group: Bird  Ã‚  Size: range from 17–48 inchesWeight: 3.3–30 poundsLifespan: 6–30 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Oceans in the southern hemisphere and the Galapagos IslandsConservation Status: Five species are listed as Endangered, five are Vulnerable, three are Near Threatened. Description Penguins are birds, and although they may not look like our other feathered friends, they are, indeed, feathered. Because they spend so much of their lives in the water, they keep their feathers slicked down and waterproofed. Penguins have a special oil gland, called a preen gland, that produces a steady supply of waterproofing oil. A penguin uses its beak to apply the substance to its feathers regularly. Their oiled feathers help keep them warm in the frigid waters, and also reduce drag when theyre swimming. Although penguins have wings, they cant fly at all. Their wings are flattened and tapered and look and function more like dolphin fins than bird wings. Penguins are efficient divers and swimmers, built like torpedoes, with wings designed for propelling their bodies through the water instead of air. Of all the recognized species of penguins, the largest is the Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), which can grow to four feet in height and 50–100 pounds in weight. The smallest is the little penguin (Eudyptula minor) which grows to an average 17 inches in length and weighs about 3.3 pounds. Jurgen Christine Sohns/Getty Images Habitat Dont travel to Alaska if youre looking for penguins. There are 19 described species of penguins on the planet, and all but one of them lives below the equator. Despite the common misconception that all penguins live among the icebergs of the Antarctic, thats not true, either. Penguins live on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere, including Africa, South America, and Australia. Most inhabit islands where they arent threatened by large predators. The only species that lives north of the equator is the Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), which, in line with its name, resides in the Galapagos Islands. Diet Most penguins feed on whatever they manage to catch while swimming and diving. Theyll eat any marine creature they can catch and swallow: fish, crabs, shrimp, squid, octopus, or krill. Like other birds, penguins dont have teeth and cant chew their food. Instead, they have fleshy, backward-pointing spines inside their mouths, and they use these to guide their prey down their throats. An average-sized penguin eats two pounds of seafood per day during the summer months. Krill, a small marine crustacean, is a particularly important part of the diet for young penguin chicks. One long-term study of the diet of gentoo penguins found that breeding success was directly related to how much krill they ate. Penguin parents forage for krill and fish at sea and then travel back to their chicks on land to regurgitate the food into their mouths. Macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolphus) are specialist feeders; they depend on krill alone for their nutrition. Ger Bosma/Getty Images Behavior Most penguins swim between 4–7 mph underwater, but the zippy gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) can propel itself through the water at 22 mph. Penguins can dive hundreds of feet deep, and stay submerged for as long as 20 minutes. And they can launch themselves out of the water like porpoises to avoid predators below the surface or to return to the surface of the ice. Birds have hollow bones so theyre lighter in the air, but a penguins bones are thicker and heavier. Just as a SCUBA divers use weights to control their buoyancy, a penguin relies on its beefier bones to counteract its tendency to float. When they need to make a quick escape from the water, penguins release air bubbles trapped between their feathers to instantly decrease drag and increase speed. Their bodies are streamlined for speed in the water. Reproduction and Offspring Nearly all penguin species practice monogamy, meaning a male and female mate exclusively with each other for the breeding season. Some even remain partners for life. The male penguin usually finds itself a nice nesting site before attempting to court a female. Most species produce two eggs at a time, but emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri, the largest of all the penguins) raise just one chick at a time. The emperor penguin male takes sole responsibility for keeping their egg warm by holding it on his feet and under his folds of fat, while the female journeys to the sea for food. Penguin eggs are incubated between 65 and 75 days, and when they are ready to hatch, the chicks use their beaks to break the shell, a process which can take up to three days. Chicks  weigh about 5–7 ounces at birth.  When chicks are small, one adult remains with the nest while the other forages. The parent tends to the chicks, keeping them warm until their feathers develop in about 2 months, and feeding them regurgitated food, a period which varies between 55 and 120 days. Penguins reach sexual maturity between three and eight years of age. Sylvain Cordie/Getty Images Conservation Status Five species of penguins are already classified as endangered (Yellow-eyed, Galapagos, Erect Crested, African, and Northern Rockhopper), and most of the remaining species are vulnerable or near threatened, according to the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red List. The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is the most endangered species on the list.   Threats Scientists warn that penguins worldwide are threatened by climate change, and some species may soon disappear. Penguins rely on food sources that are sensitive to changes in ocean temperatures, and dependent on polar ice. As the planet warms, the sea ice melting season lasts longer, impacting krill populations and penguin habitat. Sources Barbraud, Christophe, and Henri Weimerskirch. Emperor Penguins and Climate Change. Nature 411.6834 (2001): 183–86. Print.BirdLife International. Spheniscus demersus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22697810A132604504, 2018.Bradford, Alina. Penguin Facts: Species Habitat. Live Science, September 22, 2014.Cole, Theresa L., et al. Ancient DNA of Crested Penguins: Testing for Temporal Genetic Shifts in the World’s Most Diverse Penguin Clade. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 131 (2019): 72–79. Print.Davis, Lloyd S. and John T. Darby (eds.). Penguin Biology. London: Elsevier, 2012.  Elliott, Kyle H., et al. High Flight Costs, but Low Dive Costs, in Auks Support the Biomechanical Hypothesis for Flightlessness in Penguins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110.23 (2013): 9380–84. Print.Lynch, Heather J., William F. Fagan, and Ron Naveen. Population Trends and Reproductive Success at a Frequently Visited Penguin Colony on the Weste rn Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Biology 33.4 (2010): 493–503. Print.Lynch, H. J., and M. A. LaRue. First Global Census of the Adà ©lie Penguin. The Auk: Ornithological Advances 131.4 (2014): 457–66. Print.Species Profile for African penguin (Spheniscus demersus). ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System, 2010.Threats to Penguins, Defenders of Wildlife.Waluda, Claire M., et al. Long-Term Variability in the Diet and Reproductive Performance of Penguins at Bird Island, South Georgia. Marine Biology 164.3 (2017): 39. Print.Waters, Hannah. 14 Fun Facts About Penguins. Smithsonian, April 25, 2013.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Tirer - to Pull - French Verb Conjugations

The  French verb  tirer means to pull.  It is also sometimes used to mean  to take. The tables below contain the various conjugations of this regular -er verb.   Conjugations of Tirer Present Future Imperfect Present participle je tire tirerai tirais tirant tu tires tireras tirais il tire tirera tirait nous tirons tirerons tirions vous tirez tirerez tiriez ils tirent tireront tiraient Pass compos Auxiliary verb avoir Past participle tir Subjunctive Conditional Pass simple Imperfect subjunctive je tire tirerais tirai tirasse tu tires tirerais tiras tirasses il tire tirerait tira tirt nous tirions tirerions tirmes tirassions vous tiriez tireriez tirtes tirassiez ils tirent tireraient tirrent tirassent Imperative tu tire nous tirons vous tirez Verb conjugation patternTirer  is a  regular -ER verb

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Declaration of Independence - 9744 Words

National Archives and Records Administration -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence by Stephen E. Lucas The Declaration of Independence is perhaps the most masterfully written state paper of Western civilization. As Moses Coit Tyler noted almost a century ago, no assessment of it can be complete without taking into account its extraordinary merits as a work of political prose style. Although many scholars have recognized those merits, there are surprisingly few sustained studies of the stylistic artistry of the Declaration.(1) This essay seeks to illuminate that artistry by probing the discourse microscopically--at the level of†¦show more content†¦When, a year later, Congress decided the colonies could no longer retain their liberty within the British empire, it adhered to long-established rhetorical convention by describing independence as a matter of absolute and inescapable necessity.(6) Indeed, the notion of necessity was so important that in addition to appearing in the introduction of the Declaration, it was invoked twice more at crucial junctures in the rest of the tex t and appeared frequently in other congressional papers after July 4, 1776.(7) Labeling the Americans one people and the British another was also laden with implication and performed several important strategic functions within the Declaration. First, because two alien peoples cannot be made one, it reinforced the notion that breaking the political bands with England was a necessary step in the course of human events. America and England were already separated by the more basic fact that they had become two different peoples. The gulf between them was much more than political; it was intellectual, social, moral, cultural and, according to the principles of nature, could no more be repaired, as Thomas Paine said, than one could restore to us the time that is past or give to prostitution its former innocence. To try to perpetuate a purely political connection would be forced and unnatural, repugnant to reason, to the universal order of things.(8) Second, once it is granted that Americans and Englishmen are twoShow MoreRelatedThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence1501 Words   |  7 PagesThe Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important document in U.S history that helped led to this country s independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence helped us earn our freedom to become an independent nation with our own rules. However, without Thomas Jefferson and the rest of their concerns and reasons for separating this wouldn t have been possible. The writing alone wouldn’t have made this document memorable.The use of rhetoricalRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence877 Words   |  4 PagesThe Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is without a doubt one of the most important documents ever to be written in American history so far. It was signed by fifty-six different men, all who were representatives from different states. The person who wrote the Declaration of Independence is someone who we all know and grew up learning about, the famous Thomas Jefferson. The purpose of it was to declare the 13 colonies in America free and independent from Great Britain, getRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence969 Words   |  4 PagesThe US Constitution, The Declaration of Independence as well as the Letter to the Danbury Baptist are not just historical documents, but some of if not the most important documents of the history of our nation. Although, similar in many facets the intentions and the goal pursued by each highlight their individuality. The fact that the Declaration of Independence was the first to be implemented and signed is of significant importance as it set the pace and put in motion the proceeding documents thatRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence1972 Words   |  8 PagesThe Declaration of Independence brought America its independence, and it self, as well as our constitution. The declaration of independence had many positive effects on America. The Declaration of Independence is the usual name of a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. This stated that the thirteen American colonies, called themselves the thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and that they were no longer a part of the British Empire. Instead of staying in the BritishRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence3280 Words   |  14 PagesWho were the writers of the Declaration of Independence? Who are our founding fathers and where did they receive these great ideas? I will examine the main writer of the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson and look at the sources he used to begin our count ry. If Thomas Jefferson was a student at the United States Sergeant Major Academy, and he submitted his Declaration of Independence to turn it in would he pass? Were our founding fathers even great thinkers or were they just takingRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And Its Independence1765 Words   |  8 PagesThe Declaration of Independence remains a sacred but a poorly understood document to numerous people. To understand the most significant issue found in the document itself, we must first observe the historical context behind the text itself. Commonly, the text itself represents a range of America’s efforts to create a new and independent society but what made Americans so prone to declare itself its independence? As the document reveals a list of issues that ultimately led civilians to free themselvesRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence1330 Words   |  6 Pagesparagraph of the most significant of all American historical documents, the Declaration of Indep endence. The very theory of natural rights dramatically influenced the conception of this starting paragraph. Natural rights is a political theory that strongly asserts that each individual who enters into any society possesses certain rights that no government can deny. The Declaration of Independence is a full and formal declaration adopted on July 4, 1776 by the representatives of the thirteen coloniesRead MoreThe Declaration of Independence1200 Words   |  5 Pages The Declaration of Independence is one of the most remarkable documents of the United States of America. The elaborate document contains almost fourteen-hundred words including a basic structure divided into two parts and within the two divided parts contains four main ideas within seven components. The declaration is not just any standard written document; it is a work of art painted by colonists who are driven by rage because of King George III of Great Britain injustices’ toward the coloniesRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence857 Words   |  4 PagesThe Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, has been interpreted and used many times by people throughout the 20th Century. The three most dominant are the Progressive, dominant during the first half, Neo-Whig, dominant during the middle half,and variant of the Neo-Whig, dominated during the last half. The interpretation that makes the most sense to me is the Neo-Whig. I agree with Neo-Whig because in that it is a â€Å"logical culmination of a decade-long pamphlet war† because if I were treatedRead MoreComparing The Declaration Of Independence926 Words   |  4 Pages 2 The US Constitution, The Declaration of Independence as well as the Letter to the Danbury Baptist are not just historical documents, but are some of if not the most important documents of the history of our nation. Although, similar in many facets the intentions and the goal pursued by each highlight their individuality. The fact that the Declaration of Independence was the first to be implemented and signed is of significant importance as it set

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Ghost Stories by Coldplay free essay sample

Coldplay is a British group that became popular at the start of the 21st century with their first album, â€Å"Parachutes,† which included the massive, melodic hit â€Å"Yellow.† Since then, the group has gone on to produce â€Å"A Rush of Blood to the Head,† â€Å"XY,† and â€Å"Mylo Xyloto.† From their albums have come chart-topping songs like â€Å"Fix You,† â€Å"Viva La Vida,† and â€Å"Paradise.† Now the group, which consists of Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, and Will Champion, has released a sixth studio album, â€Å"Ghost Stories.† When Coldplay released the single â€Å"Magic† from â€Å"Ghost Stories,† the song became an instant hit, as it contained all of the elements of the most popular Coldplay songs – a melodic beat, meaningful lyrics, and lead singer Chris Martins soothing voice. With the second single, â€Å"Midnight,† Coldplay continued to give fans more of what they love. Recently, the band released a third single, â€Å"A Sky Full of Stars,† which was also an instantaneous hit. We will write a custom essay sample on Ghost Stories by Coldplay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Much to the delight of loyal fans and listeners, the three singles provided a solid sampling of what fans could expect from the album. The variety in the songs showed Coldplays wide variety of talents. This past spring, Martin divorced Gwyneth Paltrow, his wife of 10 years. Some label this album Martins â€Å"divorce album.† The lyrics to the song â€Å"Magic† reflect these events with the lines, â€Å"I call it magic when Im with you / And I just got broken, broken into two / Still I call it magic, when Im next to you.† The song continues, â€Å"And if you were to ask me / After all that weve been through / ‘Still believe in magic? / Yes, I do.† Coldplays sixth studio album has received much criticism due to its new sound. Some diehard fans are upset over the bands decision to work with electronic dance DJ Avicii to produce â€Å"A Sky Full of Stars,† which is very up-tempo and strays from the typical Coldplay sound. However, the upbeat tone and melody of this track provide a nice break for listeners amid the redundant, slow songs on â€Å"Ghost Stories.† Ironically, â€Å"A Sky Full of Stars† has proven to be very popular; it claimed a spot in the American iTunes Top Ten when Coldplay released it as a single, even reaching number one. That the four musicians have decided to venture into a different type of music is made especially clear in the song â€Å"O.† Like the others on this album, this song is slow and accompanied by mellow music, with Martins voice almost whispering to us. However, what makes this song different is that it is nearly eight minutes long – and after about four, the music ceases. With about a minute left, a faint melody is heard in the background with an almost indistinguishable voice accompanying it. Coldplays newest album appears to be very successful; it sold over 300,000 copies in its first week. Personally, my favorite song on it is â€Å"Ink,† since it is a nice balance between the slow tracks and the up-tempo â€Å"A Sky Full of Stars.† It is also the closest match to their past hits. â€Å"Ghost Stories† proves that Coldplay still has an extensive range of skills and great potential for the future.