I HATE HOMEWORK!!!!!!! ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S AN ESSAY OR A RESEARCH PAPER!!!! Here's what I have for my evolution paper so far.

Evolution

Evolution is the study of the changes and adaptations in species over millions of years.  This is a theory by Charles Darwin after years of research and analyzing the evidence he discovered.  In this paper several topics will be discussed.  These topics are the following: Isn’t Evolution just a theory, who was Charles Darwin, how do we know evolution happens, how does evolution really work, did humans evolve, why does evolution matter now, and why is evolution controversial anyway.

Evolution is not just a theory because of the constant new evidence that arises.  There is evidence within our genetic code and the genetic code of other species on our planet. These codes may be similar in many ways. For example, the DNA of certain primates such as orangutans, chimpanzees, and gorillas show that 90% to 99% of the genetic code is similar to us humans.  Fossils are another source of evidence. Fossils from many different time periods show organisms that have changed or adapted over time because of their environmental needs to survive.  New evidence has been discovered over the past years, contributing to the proof that evolution is not just a theory.

            Just by dropping an apple, you can see what gravity is or is not.  Gravity is a force on all planets that may or may not hold objects on its surface or in its atmosphere. You cannot see gravity or even prove that it is not a “higher power”.  What you can do though is prove that it is an existing force.  Men and women have gone into space and landed on the moon, and witnessed that the gravity on the moon is less than on earth. The theories of evolution and gravity cannot be disproven just because they are theories, thus meaning they are “hunches”.  In a scientific case, a theory is taking facts and principles and putting them together to explain phenomena.

            Charles Darwin is known as the “Father of Evolution.” He came up with the theory that all living things adapt and evolve to survive in their environments.  He set out on a voyage on the HMS Beagle.  He went on this voyage to collect data and to collect fossils. He delayed in publishing his ideas because they went against the Bible and the belief in creation.

            Darwin did not come up with his theory until 23 years after his voyage.  He took all the evidence he had found and the evidence he specifically looked for and put it together to form the idea that all living things were part of a “Tree of Life.” Each new species evolved from another in this tree, all of which descended from a common ancestor. He published this theory in his book, “The Origin of Species.”

            We know evolution happens because of the evidence that has been discovered and the new evidence that is being discovered today.   Phil Gingrich found a skull of a wolf-like creature in 1978.  He discovered that this wolf-like creature, named Pakicetus, had ears very similar to a whale’s. 

            After this discovery, Gingrich traveled to the Valley of the Whales in Egypt.  There he made another discovery.  He discovered that Basilosaurus had legs.  Scientists believe that whales evolved from a creature called Sinonyx over a period of 10 million years.

            Natural selection is the survival of individuals who are best adapted to their surroundings.  Genetic variations, over production of offspring, struggle for existence, and differential survival and reproduction are the basic factors of natural selection.  Genetic variations help an organism to change in order to survive in its environment.  The over-population of offspring helps because not all survive and the number of those survivors aids in the development of the species.

            The hummingbird population is effected by natural selection. Genetic variations can affect this species because if hummingbirds lived in an environment where long flowers grew, then only the hummingbirds with longer beaks would survive.  All organisms are in a struggle for existence against their changing environments and other members of their species.  Only the individuals that are genetically better adapted would survive.

Ow. It even hurts to type. lol. I have spent the weekend cleaning my room, and sleeping on the lumpy and uncomfortable couch this week.  Now that I'm finally done most of it I can actually sleep in my bed again!! Yay!

We had a class meeting yesterday during Advisor period and they had a presentation over Foster Tech. which is this program thing that allows high school juniors and seniors to do certain programs in order to get credit at the high school, credit for college, and get an idea of what it's like to work for a job they're interested in. So I got an application and decided that I may do it next year. Also, I've decided to sign up for the read-a-thon that benefits the elementary school's reading program. Something to do to help out, plus I love to read, so it's kind of a two way thing. 

We did pretty well at our math meet on Wednesday. I didn't get any points personally because..honestly... I had no clue what the heck the problems we were doing were. It was trigonometry, which I knew nothing about yet... and then Mr.Jewett taught us it in class the day after... kind of too late...  The State math meet is schedualed for April 10. Better start practicing if I want to get anywhere...

CANADA HERE WE COME!!! lol Ryan and I are all set to go to Canada on our French class trip next month. 2 days, 1 night and......A 20 MILE LONG UNDERGROUND MALL!!!!  HECK YEA! WE'RE SO GOING SHOPPING!!! lol. Need spending money though... that may be a problem seeing how I'm broke. hehe...

Anyways that's about it for me... been too long since I last updated.

Well. I don't know what to say to this.

Every single one of my friends, except Miranda and Mike, went to dance on Friday night. When I asked some of them during the week if they were going, they told me they weren't. They lied to me. All of them.  I don't know what the reasons are for this, but I'll leave it at I'm not happy. Why would they lie to me? Aren't we friends? Well I thought we had been, seeing how I'm with them alot, and we have fun together. So why, when I ask them about a simple little dance, do they lie to me, and I end up home, by myself, eating junk food and watching tv with my sister, while everyone else is out having fun at the school winter carnival dance?. Doesn't really matter. They don't want to be truthful, okay. I won't be truthful either. I could go up to them and just tell it to their faces that they are liars and fakes, but I won't. I'm the kind of person who just sits back and takes it. I don't like being that way, but I am. Too bad.

Today= royal pain.

First off, I got to school late because I wanted to sleep longer.

Second, I nearly froze my butt off walking there.

Third, gym class= rude, annoying, people who don't seem to get that you can actually be a useful team member. I had volleyball in class today and I always ended up on the tem with the two worst team players around. They didn't seem to get the fact that the rest of us were there and fully capable of hitting a ball over the net.

Fourth, I've had a major headache for the better part of the day. Since this morning until now pretty much.

Fifth, I don't know, but there's always something else to complain about.

That's it for the day. Hopefully tommorow is much better. At least I'm not babysitting. Nope instead I have a math meet.

Ever felt like you've just wanted to scream your loudest? Or to just sit in the middle of your room and cry for hours? For reasons unknown to me, today just makes me feel like that. Maybe the stress of school and friendships disintegrating? This headache that has been bugging me all day, maybe? Or maybe just exhaustion from babysitting and the school day? Or maybe the constant low temps outdoors are getting to me? I don't know, but whatever it is, I wish it would get over with.

Let's see. Kayla for some reason wants nothing to do with me. I haven't figured out exactly her reasons, but whatever they are I'd like to know. Maybe I said something stupid that got her angry? Something for me to contemplate tonight. Raymond and Justin don't want anything to do with me either. I know their reasons though. It's because I'm still best friends with Miranda and refuse to side with them against her. What else am I to do? I know she has anger issues, but she is still my best friends....for 8 years!!! Dan has moved to some town that I can't even pronounce and has't bothered to contact any of us, he doesn't even know what happened with Miranda and Raymond yet. Now the only people that actually talk to me are Chris and Mike which are okay. Mike's a royal pain in the butt though. Celeste also talks to me, but she's the worst person to be around because she thinks she's better than everyone, and she manages to point it out every time she talks to me!! ARGH! I'm so stressed out right now.

My head hurts like crazy today too, I think I should just go lay down on my bed and sleep until Monday. Yeah. That sounds good. Too bad it doesn't happen like that. Eventually I've got to get up and do homework, and other meaningless things.

So far the only good thing I see coming is that it's the weekend, and February vacation is coming up, and next week is winter carnival.

I need a vacation!!!! Florida sounds nice about now.

My newest poem:  http://danekalapoint.bravehost.com/glimpse.html

One of these days I'm going to get it right. Jazz band music is 10 times harder than normal band. Not to mention that my piano playing.....well... I'll just say it's not the greatest.  

In other news. Miranda has been suspended for another 10 days and then she can come back. I'm glad she didn't get expelled again. She can't afford that, she's already behind us by a year.

I've got most of my homework so far finished, but not all. I still need to finish my history essay, study for my english vocabulary test, and finish my biology questions. At least my french letter is finished, that was the worst of it because of all the new words we learned. I have my french test over unit 4 next class. Greeeeat.

No new poetry as of yet because of this stupid writer's block that seems to never end. Hopefully that changes.

_{Updated Midterm Grades:
English- 88
Band- 99
French 1- 100(yay!)
Honors World History- 82
Honors Geometry- 86
Biology- 92
Health- 90}

Well with those midterm grades, here's my grades for the first semester:

_{English- 78
Band- 99
French 1- 89
Honors World History- 84
Honors Geometry- 80
Biology- 84
Health- 66}

_{My health grade isn't great at all. I passed, but only by 2 points. At least that's the end of health class for me. No more health for ever, unless I go for a medical degree or something. I probably won't since I want to be a journalist or an English teacher.}