Life in the Fast Lane

Bizarre and Extinct Thylacine Creatures

Deborah — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:14:33 +0000

The little internationally-known Thylacine resembled a large, short-haired dog with distinctive dark stripes across its back, rump and the base of its tail, which earned the animal the nickname “Tiger,” dating back as far as the early Miocene, and thought to have become extinct in the 20th century, although sightings are still allegedly reported in current times.

Thylacine “Benjamin” yawning in 1933. Photo author unknown, license expired.

Thylacines — Greek for dog-headed pouched one — were the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times, top-level predators native to continental Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea.

They were 1 of only 2 marsupials to have a pouch in both sexes — the other is the Water Opossum. The male Thylacine had a pouch that acted as a protective sheath, protecting the male’s external reproductive organs while running through thick brush.

Commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger due to its striped back, the Tasmanian Wolf, and colloquially the Tassie (or Tazzy) Tiger, or simply the Tiger, they were the last extant member of their genus, Thylacinus. Their closest living relative is thought to be either the Tasmanian Devil or Numbat.

These creatures became extinct on the Australian mainland thousands of years before European settlement of the continent, but survived on the island of Tasmania. It’s thought that intensive hunting encouraged by bounties to be blamed for their extinction, but other contributing factors may have been disease, the introduction of dogs, and human encroachment into their habitat.

Photo E.J. Keller, from Smithsonian Institution archives 1906

About Thylacines
Thylacines bore a resemblance to a large, short-haired dog with a stiff tail which smoothly extended from the body similar to that of a kangaroo, but many Europeans compared them to the Hyena.

Their yellow-brown coat varied from light fawn to a dark brown with a cream-colored belly, with dense and soft body hair up to .6 inches (15 millimeters) in length. In juveniles the tip of the tail had a crest.13 to 21 distinctive dark stripes ran across the back, rump and the base of the tail — 1 of which extended down the outside of the rear thigh, and were more marked in younger animals which faded as they got older. Their rounded, erect ears were about 3 inches (8 centimeters) long and covered with short fur.

Mature Thylacine ranged from 39 to 51 inches (100 to 130 centimeters) long, plus a tail of about 20 to 26 inches (50 to 65 centimeters). The largest measured specimen was 9.5 feet (290 centimeters) from nose to tail. Adults stood about 24 inches (60 centimeters) at the shoulder and weighed 40 to 70 pounds (20 to 30 kilos).

The female Thylacine had a pouch with 4 teats, but unlike many other marsupials, the pouch opened to the rear of its body. Males had a scrotal pouch, unique amongst the Australian marsupials.

Photo National Archives of Australia 1933

These creatures had an unusual capability to open their jaws to an extent of up to 120 degrees — which can be seen in David Fleay’s short black and white film of a captive Thylacine from 1933 — and had 46 teeth with muscular and powerful jaws.

The Thylacine’s footprint is easy to distinguish from those of native and introduced species. Image Yomangani. Thylacine footprints could be distinguished from other animals — unlike foxes, dogs, wombats or Tasmanian Devils, they had a very large rear pad and 4 obvious front pads, arranged in almost a straight line. The hind feet were similar to the forefeet but had 4 digits rather than 5, with non-retractable claws.

Early scientific studies suggested they possessed an acute sense of smell which enabled them to track prey, but analysis of their brain structure revealed that their olfactory bulbs were not well developed, and likely to have relied on sight and sound when hunting instead. Some described them having a strong and distinctive smell, others described a faint, clean, animal odor, and some no odor at all. It’s possible that these animals gave off an odor when agitated, similar to their relative the Tasmanian Devil.

Thylacines were noted to have a stiff and somewhat awkward gait, making them unable to run at high speed. They could also hop in a similar manner as a kangaroo, which was depicted various times by captive specimens. Guiler speculates that this was used as an accelerated form of motion when they became alarmed. They were also able to balance on the hind legs and stand upright for brief periods.

Although there are no recordings of Thylacine vocalizations, observers of the animal in the wild and captivity noted that it would growl and hiss when agitated, often accompanied by a threat-yawn. During hunting they would emit a series of rapidly repeated guttural cough-like barks, likely for communication between the family pack members. They also had a long whining cry, probably for identification at distance, and a low snuffling noise used for communication between family members.

Life expectancy in the wild is estimated to have been 5 to 7 years, although captive specimens survived up to 9 years.

2 Tasmanian Tigers before their extinction in the 1930’s (female in foreground) in Hobart Zoo
prior to 1921. Photo author unknown, license expired.

Behavior and Habitat
Little is really known about the behavior or habitat of the Thylacine. A few observations were made of the animal in captivity, but only limited evidence exists of the animal’s behavior in the wild, mainly based on hearsay. Most observations were made during the day, but these creatures were naturally nocturnal. Some behavioral characteristics have been derived from the behavior of their close relative, the Tasmanian Devil.

They likely preferred the dry eucalyptus forests, wetlands, and grasslands in continental Australia. Indigenous Australian rock paintings indicate that these animals lived throughout mainland Australia and New Guinea. Proof of their existence in mainland Australia came from a desiccated carcass that was discovered in a cave in the Nullarbor Plain in Western Australia in 1990. Carbon dating revealed its remains to be about 3,300 years old.

In Tasmania they preferred the woodlands of the midlands and coastal heath. Their striped pattern may have provided camouflage in woodland conditions, but it may have also served for identification purposes. They appear to have kept to their home range without being territorial, and groups too large to be a family unit were occasionally observed together.

As a nocturnal creature they primarily hunted during twilight at dawn and dusk, spending the daylight hours in small caves or hollow tree trunks in a nest of twigs, bark or fern fronds. They tended to retreat to the hills and forest for shelter during the day and hunted in the open heath at night. It was said that they were typically shy and secretive, with awareness of the presence of humans and generally avoided contact, though they occasionally showed inquisitive traits.

There is evidence for year-round breeding, although the peak breeding season was in winter and spring, producing up to 4 cubs per litter (typically 2 or 3), carrying the young in a pouch for up to 3 months and protecting them until they were at least half adult size. Early pouch young were hairless and blind, but they had their eyes open and were fully furred by the time they left the pouch. After leaving the pouch until they were developed enough to assist, the juveniles would remain in the lair while the female hunted.

The modern Thylacine first appeared about 4 million years ago, with species of the Thylacinidae family dating back to the beginning of the Miocene. Since the early 1990’s, at least 7 fossil species have been uncovered at Riversleigh, part of Lawn Hill National Park in northwest Queensland. Dickson’s Thylacine is the oldest of the 7 discovered fossil species, dating back to 23 million years ago.

Thylacine showed many similarities to the members of the dog family — sharp teeth, powerful jaws, raised heels and the same general body form — but they were unrelated to them. They are easy to tell from a true dog because of the stripes on the back, but the skeleton is harder to distinguish — the easiest way is by the 2 prominent holes in the palate bone, which are generally characteristic of marsupials.

Thylacine with 3 cubs, Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart, 1909. Photo author unknown, license expired.

The Thylacine family a year later, in 1910. Photo author unknown, license expired.

Diet
The Thylacine was solely carnivorous. The stomach was muscular with an ability to distend to allow them to eat large amounts of food at one time, likely to compensate for long periods when hunting was unsuccessful and food scarce. Trappers reported them as an ambush predator — some studies conclude that they may have hunted in small family groups, with the main group herding prey in the direction of an individual waiting in ambush, or a single Thylacine pursuing the animal until it was exhausted.

Prey included kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, birds and small animals such as possums, and their favorite prey may have been the once-common Tasmanian Emu which was hunted to extinction around 1850, possibly coinciding with the decline in Thylacine numbers.

Thylacine from the Natural History Museum at Oslo. Photo L. Shyamal

Thylacine’s Extinction
The Thylacine is likely to have become extinct in mainland Australia about 2,000 years ago, and possibly earlier in New Guinea, being attributed to competition from indigenous humans and invasive dingoes. The adoption of the dingo as a hunting companion by the indigenous peoples would have put the Thylacine under increased pressure.

Thylacine survived in Tasmania into the 1930’s. From the early days of European settlement they were rarely sighted but slowly began numerous attacks on sheep, which led to relentless bounty schemes to control their numbers. The Van Diemen’s Land Company introduced nearly 2,200 bounties on these animals from as early as 1830, and between 1888 and 1909 the Tasmanian government paid a lucrative £1 per head and 10 shillings for pups.

Their extinction is popularly attributed to these unrelenting efforts by farmers and bounty hunters. It’s also likely that other factors led to their extinction, including competition with wild dogs introduced by settlers, erosion of habitat, the parallel extinction of prey species, and a distemper-like disease that also affected many captive Thylacine at the time.

Whatever the reason, the animal had become extremely rare in the wild by the late 1920’s. Several efforts to save them from extinction include records of the Wilsons Promontory management committee dating 1908 with recommendations to be reintroduced to several suitable locations on the Victorian mainland. In 1928, the Tasmanian Advisory Committee for Native Fauna had recommended a reserve to protect any remaining Thylacines, with potential sites of suitable habitat including the Arthur-Pieman area of western Tasmania.

This 1921 photo by Henry Burrell of a Thylacine with a chicken was widely distributed and may have helped secure the animal’s reputation as a poultry thief. The image is cropped to hide the fenced run and housing, and analysis by one researcher has concluded that this Thylacine is a mounted specimen, posed for the camera.

The last known wild Thylacine to be killed was shot in 1930 by farmer Wilf Batty in Mawbanna, which had been seen around his hen houses for several weeks.

The last captive Thylacine, later referred to as “Benjamin,” was thought to actually have been female despite the name, based on photographic evidence. Ben was captured in 1933 and sent to the Hobart Zoo where it lived for 3 years, and died on September 7 1936. It’s believed to have died as the result of neglect — locked out of its sheltered sleeping quarters, and exposed to a rare occurrence of extreme Tasmanian weather of high heat during the day and freezing temperatures at night.

National Threatened Species Day has been held annually since 1996 on September 7th in Australia to commemorate the death of the last officially recorded Thylacine.

Although there had been a conservation movement pressing for the Thylacine’s protection since 1901, political difficulties prevented any form of protection coming into force until 1936. Official protection by the Tasmanian government was introduced on July 10 1936, 59 days before the last known animal died in captivity.

Results of subsequent searches indicated a strong possibility of the survival of the species in Tasmania into the 1960’s. Searches by Dr. Eric Guiler and David Fleay in the northwest of Tasmania found footprints and scats that may have belonged to the animal, heard vocalizations matching the description of the Thylacine, and collected unsupported evidence from people reported to have sighted the animal. No conclusive evidence was ever found to prove their continued existence in the wild.

Thylacine held the status of endangered species until 1986. International standards state that any animal for which no specimens have been recorded for 50 years is to be declared extinct. Since no definitive proof of the Thylacine’s existence had been found since Benjamin died in 1936, it was declared officially extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is more cautious, listing them as “possibly extinct.”

Bagged Thylacine, 1869. This iconic image featuring Mr. Weaver in a studio portrait is repeatedly published, yet it is not attributed. It may have been taken by Victor Prout who sojourned briefly in Tasmania in the late 1860’s.

Unconfirmed Sightings
Although the Thylacine is considered extinct, many believe the animal still exists. Sightings are regularly claimed in Tasmania, other parts of Australia and in the Western New Guinea area of Indonesia near the Papua New Guinea border.

The Australian Rare Fauna Research Association reports 3,800 sightings on file from mainland Australia since the 1936 extinction date, while the Mystery Animal Research Centre of Australia recorded 138 up to 1998, and the Department of Conservation and Land Management recorded 65 in Western Australia over the same period. Researchers Buck and Joan Emburg of Tasmania report 360 Tasmanian and 269 mainland post-extinction 20th century sightings. On the mainland, sightings are most frequently reported in Southern Victoria.

Some sightings have generated a large amount of publicity. In 1973, Gary and Liz Doyle shot 10 seconds of 8mm film showing an unidentified animal running across a South Australia road, but attempts to positively identify the creature as a thylacine have been impossible due to the poor quality of the film.

In 1982 Hans Naarding, a researcher with the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, observed what he believed to be a Thylacine for 3 minutes during the night at a site near Arthur River in northwestern Tasmania, which led to an extensive year-long government-funded search. In January 1995, a Parks and Wildlife officer reported observing a Thylacine in the Pyengana region of northeastern Tasmania in the early hours of the morning. In 1997, it was reported that locals and missionaries near Mount Carstensz in Western New Guinea had sighted Thylacines.

In February 2005, German tourist Klaus Emmerichs claimed to have taken digital photographs of a Thylacine he saw near the Lake St Clair National Park, but the authenticity of the photographs has not been established. The photos were not published until April 2006, 14 months after the sighting, which showed only the back of the animal, and said by those who studied them to be inconclusive as evidence of their continued existence.

Stuffed specimen at National Museum of Australia in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
Photo Bidgee

Discovery of Thylacine
The indigenous peoples of Australia made first contact with the Thylacine, with numerous examples of Thylacine engravings and rock art dating back to at least 1000 BC. Petroglyph images of the Thylacine can be found at the Dampier Rock Art Precinct on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia.

By the time the first explorers arrived, the animal was already rare in Tasmania. Europeans may have encountered them as far back as 1642 when Abel Tasman first arrived in Tasmania, and his shore party reported seeing the footprints of “wild beasts having claws like a Tyger.” The first definitive encounter was by French explorers on May 13 1792, noted by the naturalist Jacques Labillardiere, in his journal from the expedition led by D’Entrecasteaux.

But it wasn’t until 1805 that William Paterson, Lieutenant Governor of Tasmania, sent a detailed description for publication in the Sydney Gazette. The first detailed scientific description was made by Tasmania’s Deputy Surveyor-General, George Harris in 1808, 5 years after first settlement of the island.

Several studies support the Thylacine as being a basal member of the Dasyuromorphia and that the Tasmanian Devil is its closest living relative. However, research published in Genome Research in January 2009 suggests that the Numbat may be more basal than the Devil and more closely related to the Thylacine.

Photo Henry Constantine Richter after John Gould, colorist Gabriel Bayfield 1863, which shows what’s regarded as the most famous and reproduced image of the then extant species.

Modern Research and Projects
The Australian Museum in Sydney began a cloning project in 1999, with a goal to use genetic material from specimens taken and preserved in the early 20th century to clone new individuals and restore the species from extinction. Several microbiologists have dismissed the project as a public relations stunt and its chief proponent, Professor Mike Archer, received a 2002 nomination for the Australian Skeptics Bent Spoon Award for “the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal or pseudo-scientific piffle.”

Thylacine skeleton, Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, Paris. Photo FunkMonk

Analysis of the skeleton suggests that when hunting, the Thylacine relied on stamina rather than speed in the chase. Photo Beatka Brehms Thierleben Verlag des Bibliographischen Instituts, 1883.

The skulls of the Thylacine (left) and the Timber Wolf are almost identical although the species are unrelated. Studies show the skull shape of the Red Fox is even closer to that of the Thylacine. Photo Fritz Geller-Grimm

In late 2002 the researchers had some success as they were able to extract replicable DNA from the specimens. On February 15 2005, the museum announced that it was stopping the project after tests showed the DNA retrieved from the specimens had been too badly degraded to be usable. In May 2005, Professor Michael Archer, the University of New South Wales Dean of Science, announced that the project was being restarted by a group of interested universities and a research institute.

In what they describe as a world first, researchers from Australian and U.S. universities extracted a gene from a preserved specimen of the doglike marsupial, and revived it in a mouse embryo.

In 2008 researchers Andrew J. Pask and Marilyn B. Renfree from the University of Melbourne and Richard R. Behringer from the University of Texas reported that they managed to restore functionality of a gene Col2A1 enhancer obtained from 100 year-old ethanol-fixed thylacine tissues from museum collections. The research enhanced hopes to eventually restore the population of thylacines.

That same year, another group of researchers successfully sequenced the complete thylacine mitochondrial genome from 2 museum specimens. Their success suggests that it is feasible to sequence the complete thylacine nuclear genome from museum specimens, and their results were published in the journal Genome Research in 2009.

The International Thylacine Specimen Database was completed in April 2005 and is the culmination of a 4-year research project to catalog and digitally photograph all known surviving Thylacine specimen material held within museum, university and private collections.

One of only 2 known photos of a Thylacine with a distended pouch, bearing young, Adelaide Zoo, 1889. Photo author unknown, license expired.

National Symbols
The Thylacine has been used extensively as a symbol of Tasmania, and is featured on the official Tasmanian Coat of Arms. Since 1998, it has been prominently displayed on Tasmanian vehicle number plates, and has appeared in postage stamps from Australia, Equatorial Guinea, and Micronesia.

The plight of the Thylacine was featured in a campaign for The Wilderness Society entitled, “We used to hunt Thylacines.” Tiger Tale is a children’s book based on an Aboriginal myth about how the Thylacine got its stripes. The Thylacine character ‘Rolf’ is featured in the extinction musical, Rockford’s Rock Opera.

Possible Aboriginal cave painting of a Thylacine and its cub in the Pilbara region of
West Australia dating back 6,000 years. Photo author unknown, license expired.

Illustration of the Powerful Thylacine, which existed during the Miocene, the Thylacine’s largest known relative. It preceded the modern thylacine by 4 to 6 million years, and was 5% larger, was more robust and had a shorter, broader skull. Its size is estimated to be similar to that of a grey wolf – the head and body together were around 5 feet long, and its teeth were less adapted for shearing compared to those of the modern thylacine. Created by Michael Ströck on January 17, 2006.

Image edited to add color.

Ben – Last Captive Thylacine

This Thylacine features in the last known motion picture footage of a living specimen – 62 seconds of black-and-white footage showing it pacing backwards and forwards in its enclosure in a clip taken in 1933 by naturalist David Fleay.

Source: Wikipedia

Post from: Life in the Fast Lane

Bizarre and Extinct Thylacine Creatures

When Art and Freedom of Expression go Horribly Wrong – Jay Lonewolf Morales Colorblind Artist

Deborah — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:08:34 +0000

Numerous artists and the works they create have sparked much controversy in recent past, be it for their contentious, discordant methods, jarring and outlandish pieces, or simply for making a statement to create awareness. One such artist, Jay Lonewolf Morales — a humble, spiritual, and colorblind painter — has garnered disquieting attention from activists for his recent conflict-ridden series which depict the greed of America, and has even received death threats from these militants.

“Humility Holds on Flesh Falls,” one of LFL’s favorite picks of Jay’s works.
Photo Frank Acosta

Freedom of speech and expression is the right of every citizen in the Western world, provided that we aren’t breaking laws, or harming human or animal life, and the art world is no exception.

“The Summit of Reality,” another of LFL’s favorite picks of Jay’s works.
Photo Frank Acosta

“Solomon’s Eyes,” yet another of LFL’s favorite picks of Jay’s works.
Photo Frank Acosta

Life in the Fast Lane has had the opportunity to speak with Jay Lonewolf Morales in an interview regarding this divisive controversy from some of these radicals:

LFL: Jay, we had featured you here in an article nearly 2 years ago. Your artwork and spirituality has captured the hearts of countless people world-wide, and has achieved global recognition. We have kept in touch since we first published the article; the story receives many comments to this date.

So I was very surprised to learn that such a humble artist as yourself who has done so much for the less fortunate would have been receiving such a storm over your current works — to the point of receiving death threats. Please tell us how this all began, what has happened to you as a result, and why.

Exhibit at the Zoo Gallery of the Wall Street Totems series.
Photo Frank Acosta

Jay: On October 1st 2008 there was a press release stating, “Painter Jay Lonewolf shall be unveiling a new series entitled ‘Wall Street Totems.” It is a series depicting the greed of Wall Street, CEO’s, and their elite.

Well, leading on to that day of the show, I was receiving threats from various groups. They did not want me to depict the United States as a selfish and greedy country. As if the world did not have an idea this was happening, but at what level?

Leading to the day of the show we continually received threats — phone calls saying, “if we go on with the show there will be a price to pay, and that will be the last appearance you will ever make!”

My manager and I decided to go ahead with the gallery showing. We were not going to let anyone silence or censor my work. I believe I live in a country that is free, and can say or express what I want as long as I do not break any laws. We decided to hire extra security for the show, so we brought in 5 security personnel.

The next time this happened was on the December 5th 2008 show at The Zoo Gallery. A week before the show we received phone calls, and a note placed on the wind shield stating that something will happen if we continue showing Americans as greedy. We went ahead and doubled security for the show. We had all exits covered and 4 security personnel that were personally assigned to me.

Most recently at an appearance at the museum on April 22nd 2009 there were many threats made on my life. That is were we are at this moment.

“Wall Street Totem,” the first piece in the series. “It is the mother of them all.”
Photo Frank Acosta

“The piece depicts the intestines and internal organs of Wall Street asphyxiating humanity, the middle class, Fannie Mae, and also shows and represents the greed of CEO’s, large corporations, poverty, high society, and Welfare. It has 42 laminated American government large bills attached which are bleeding because they have been stretched too far.”

Photo Frank Acosta

“The painting brings reality close to home to those who would rather keep things in the closet. I also attached 3 solid silver coins to it dated 1796, 1792, and 1882, which is symbolic of ‘what would our forefathers think?’ There are also parasites eating away at the intestines to depict how the greedy eat away at this country.

Photo Frank Acosta

“It is very textured and needs to be seen live to totally appreciate the message and feeling one gets when standing in front of her.”

LFL: Now that your series “Wall Street Totems” is out and in the public eye, do you regret creating them?

Jay: No I do not! That series is based on the greed of a President and selfishness of Wall Street, CEO’s, and corporations. It is no great secret, although some go through painstaking efforts to cover certain things up.

LFL: What has happened as a result of bringing your art into the public eye?

Jay: Where do I start? Since bringing my art to the public there have been many threats made on my life by several groups that believe we should not air our dirty laundry internationally by depicting the greed of some Americans in high places.

Some have taken it to mean that Americans are being portrayed as greedy and have taken it upon themselves to attempt to silence me permanently.

“Lady Recession,” of the Wall Street Totems series. Photo Frank Acosta

“She is a strong representation of the poverty and starvation America is suffering as a result of the greed of the very few elite in our society. There are roaches and parasites all around this piece along with written messages suggesting they shall inherit America if this does not stop.”

Photo Frank Acosta

LFL: What type of precautions have you taken to ensure your safety?

Jay: Management has hired security for all the exhibits and gallery shows. There is substantial security staff at each exit, and 3 off-duty police officers working the shows.

LFL: Why did you choose such a touchy subject? You must have known there would be mixed emotions, and you would possibly invite controversy. Why not simply play it safe?

Jay: We live in a world where the few attempt to silence the many. That should never be! When I had the dream about that series, it was decided there and then. I paint my dreams — that is all I paint. Did I consider the consequences? I paint truth and only truth! If there is a consequence for truth, then so be it. As a society we carry two things on our shoulders — truth and lies.

Truth weighs but a feather, so it does not break our stride. However, a lie weighs ten thousand pounds, thus many have to live with the weight of their burden and sin. I walk straight and simply paint truth. If those that threaten me feel they must because they do not want Americans to suffer in the international eye and press, then they must allow for the truth to cleanse all the lies told by greedy banks, CEO’s, corporations, and even a former president.

Why bathe in lies when doing so in truth has a most pleasantly exquisite scent. If the truth shall cost me my life, then the liars shall elevate my station in life to a greater level in my death.

LFL: Tell us about a few of the pieces.

Jay: The first and mother of the series is called “Wall Street Totem.” It is a most abstract in-your-face depiction of greedy CEO’s, banks, Fannie Mae, and our former president who I feel I should not mention because he was not good enough to give light in this conversation.

It is a piece that shows the intestines of Wall Street and all the excrement it releases; a profound journey into the total and complete greed of the few affecting the many in such a highly impactive manner that it shall take many years to recover.

Another piece is called “Lady Recession,” which speaks of the hunger left behind as a result of the greed — a mother’s pain and the families’ impact on something they had nothing to do with, nonetheless, they shall have to eventually pay for in the long run.

“Nessun Dorma,” of the Wall Street Totems series. Photo Frank Acosta

“Nessun Dorma expresses what would happen if New York City went broke as a result of the Wall Street greed. The opera would lose Radio City Music Hall and it shall be preformed in the Ghetto.”

LFL: Do you feel the message will get through and impact those you wish to reach out to with your message?

Jay: It already has — as you can see by the attention the work has garnered. If some are going through pain-staking effort to attempt to silence my message, it must be because it is hitting too close to home, and maybe they’re feeling somewhat of the guilt.

Whatever the reason, some feel they must threaten me. They do not realize that I am not the problem. Why kill the messenger? Listen to the message and collectively get the right people together and make them listen, because there is no way to solve a problem until we admit there is a problem.

Rather than addressing the possible solutions, simply threatening those that speak truth about the matter serves no purpose in bringing about a solution for something worse than war, the usual cause of war — “Greed.” There is where the truest enemy resides!

If my series serves only to create controversy which brings much light to this problem, then I feel that the truth has served it’s true purpose.

LFL: Do you feel that the team of security you have been forced to employ at your exhibits has affected or inhibited attendance, or the perspective of your artwork in any way?

Jay: Like all changes in life there must be an effect. In the case of the heavy security in my exhibits, I have been asked by many people why we have so much security. After a while it seems like most things — they adapt and get into the exhibit and music. There are moments when I feel the perspective may shift a bit from time to time, however, I make a painstaking effort to stay on point with my message.

“Who Shall Hear the Drums if We Do Not,” of the Wall Street Totems series.
Photo Frank Acosta

“It expresses the face of someone waiting to hear the warning drums of what is about to happen, but no one sounded the warning. It is a strong reminder to all in all countries to very simply listen and pay attention to what is occurring around you, otherwise you shall be deaf to what shall occur!”

LFL: As quoted from a visitor at your last show, “The one and only issue I had and maybe it wasn’t an issue but I was uncomfortable for a little bit was all the security in the show. There was just too much security every where. What was that all about? After we got use to them we started to party for hours.”

Have you found the sentiment of this visitor to be the general reaction, or was this more of an exception?

Jay: I have found there are mixed emotions to various reactions from the public. Nonetheless, they seem to overcome their reservations and join in the festivities; however, I am not blind to their concerns, which is why we attempt to field all questions asked.

When they are told the reason for such heavy security, some visitors are excited instead of afraid, and it peaks their curiosity. Subsequently, they are more apt to view the entire exhibit so they may find out what all the cloak and dagger is all about. You might call it their need to know.

I personally do not take joy in having to take so many precautions, however, the safety of the public is paramount to me and that they have a very positive experience.

“Lord of the Flies,” of the Wall Street Totems series. Photo Frank Acosta

“It suggests a hard look at oneself and their values — it screams of the injustice committed each day by the greedy and that one day the Flies shall inherit the earth.”

LFL: Your paintings are very ‘textural.’ What mediums and other materials do you use in your artwork?

Jay: I use mixed medium for some; oil, latex, acrylics, melted plastic, sand glued on, coins, and acostic finishing.

Exhibit at the Zoo Gallery of the Wall Street Totems series.
Photo Frank Acosta

LFL: Where can this exhibit be seen?

Jay: The Cummings Group is putting together the exhibit for a future date, and yes there shall be a lot of security and off-duty police on hand to ensure a good and safe viewing experience for Americans, and all their brothers and sisters from other nations that wish to view the results of lies given to a nation.

Exhibit at the Zoo Gallery of the Wall Street Totems series.
Photo Frank Acosta

LFL: Is that collection up for sale to anyone?

Jay: Yes it is up for sale to anyone from any country. Half of the proceeds shall not go to Wall Street and the others that created this mess, but to those who this mess has affected. I believe in taking care of the poor and hungry. That has always been my quest!

No one should be allowed to go to bed hungry; let me be the only one to go without food. If by my starving it would cure world hunger, then I would gladly starve. It hurts me so much when I come across a hungry child in a world with so many resources.

LFL: You have done work in the past to help children in the arts. Could you please enlighten our audience as to what you have done, why you have done so, and what plans you might have in the future?

Jay: First I shall start with my efforts for kids in the arts. I have always been an advocate for kids learning more about the arts. Often I make appearances in schools, libraries and museums to both show kids what could be accomplished with positive thinking, and a lot of hard work and study.

The reason I do so is because someone is always waiting for someone else do it! Well, I did not want to be one of those who stood along the sidelines and waited for someone to do what we all should as adults participate in doing — i.e. educating, teaching, and helping kids experience the arts through participation and accomplishment.

We should never wait for someone else to do what is both our duty and responsibility for the youth of all countries. Imagine if one day a child is waiting to be taught and that day never comes. Then imagine that being your child and how you would feel. I never want to imagine that!

My plan for the future is to get a larger studio and take in 10 or 12 apprentices a year so I may spend quality time teaching a few who shall one day teach the many.

“Genesis,” of the Wall Street Totems series. Photo Frank Acosta

“In Genesis, the hands at the top are bleeding blood in the beginning, however, the hands at the bottom are bleeding gold, symbolizing the greed of many.”

LFL: You have also helped the homeless in the past. Could you please explain?

Jay: I have a bracelet I wear on my right wrist. It has no clasp, as it was crimped on permanently. It shall remain with me till I expire!

It is my eternal promise of humility and helping the poor. Every time I shave, wash my face, or do anything that involves my hands, I am reminded of my promise, thus I give money to the poor on an on-going basis. Every time we have a big showing where there is a lot of revenue made, my staff and I rent a truck and go out and buy sneakers, T-shirts, towels, toothbrushes, and many essentials needed to survive on the street, and go hand them out in front of homeless shelters.

We attempt to make life just a bit more comfortable for those who have had bad luck and have ended up without a home or shelter. It is important to me to make those less fortunate feel better about themselves, if but for a moment.

Many in society in all countries have forgotten those that once had parents as they did, and as they did once have dreams. I cannot tell the rich how to spend their money. I could only suggest however I could do with mine, what my heart and soul moves me to do.

“Hippie Chick” Photo Frank Acosta

“Hippie Chick is a piece which was dedicated to my friend Marsha Lamas which depicts a lady who opens many windows to humanity in her soul when she is composing poetry.”

LFL: Let Jay’s recent experience be an example and inspiration to you in the rights to freedom of speech and expression. Oppression of those who do good for others has no place in our world — stand tall, stand proud, and stand brave in your convictions. Be true unto yourself and to others along the way, and in so doing, one can move mountains.

Check out our first article on Jay Lonewolf Morales if you would like to see more of his works and read up about his life story.

All images property of Jay Lonewolf Morales.

Post from: Life in the Fast Lane

When Art and Freedom of Expression go Horribly Wrong – Jay Lonewolf Morales Colorblind Artist

Intriguing and Bizarre Art of Bubbles in Photography and Nature

Deborah — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 07:01:09 +0000

The ethereal phenomena of bubbles have captivated people for hundreds of years. The fragile nature and beauty of colors that shimmers and swirls in soap bubbles enchants kids throughout the world, and brings out the child in most any adult. Let’s take a look at the fleeting, transient existence of bubbles of all sorts that have been captured by images in the art of photography and Mother Nature — the greatest artist above all.

Photo The 5th Ape

Photo Moonjuice

The Bubbleboy. Photo Ukaaa

See no evil. Photo Ucumari

Photo Ucumari

Photo Greatestdancer

Soap Bubbles
A soap bubble is a very thin film of soap water that forms a sphere with an iridescent surface, usually lasting mere moments before bursting. Soap bubbles can help to solve complex mathematical problems of space, as they will always find the smallest surface area between points or edges.

Harbor in a bubble. Photo Johnnieb

Soap bubble capturing reflection of the Golden Gate Bridge. Photo Mila Zinkova

Reflection of a cloud in a soap bubble. Photo Mila Zinkova

A soap bubble can exist due to the surface layer of a liquid (usually water) that has a certain surface tension which causes the layer to behave somewhat like an elastic sheet. However, a bubble made with a pure liquid alone is not stable and a dissolved surfactant such as soap is needed to stabilize a bubble.

Soap does not strengthen bubbles — it stabilizes them by an action known as the Marangoni effect. As the soap film stretches the surface concentration of soap decreases, which in turn causes the surface tension to increase. So soap selectively strengthens the weakest parts of the bubble and tends to prevent them from stretching further.

Their spherical shape is also caused by surface tension. The tension causes the bubble to form a sphere, as a sphere has the smallest possible surface area for a given volume. The soap reduces the water’s surface tension to approximately one third, but it is effectively doubled since the film has an inner and an outer surface.

Photo Jeff Kubina

Photo Mila Zinkova

Interference and Reflection of Bubbles
The iridescent colors of soap bubbles are caused by interfering light waves and determined by the thickness of the film. They are not the same as rainbow colors, but rather more similar to colors in an oil slick on a wet road.

Thin film interference in a soap bubble. Notice the golden yellow color near the top where
the film is thin and a few even thinner black spots. Photo Threetwoone

Photo Lovingshiva

Bubbles on the beach. Photo Lance and Erin

As light encroaches on the film, some of it’s reflected off the outer surface while some of it enters the film and reemerges after being reflected back and forth between the 2 surfaces. The total reflection is determined by the interference of all these reflections.

A change in color can be seen while the bubble is thinning due to evaporation. Thicker walls cancel out red (longer) wavelengths, causing a blue-green reflection. Later, thinner walls will cancel out yellow (leaving blue light), then green (leaving magenta), then blue (leaving a golden yellow). Finally, when the bubble’s wall becomes much thinner than the wavelength of visible light, all the waves in the visible region cancel each other out and no reflection is visible at all. At this point it’s probably about to pop.

Photo Jurvetson

Photo Jason Ooo

Life and death of a soap bubble. Photo Giuseppe Bognanni

Interference effects also depend upon the angle at which the light strikes the film, called iridescence. Even if the wall of the bubble were of uniform thickness, one would still see variations of color due to curvature or movement. However, the thickness of the wall is continuously changing as gravity pulls the liquid downwards, so bands of colors that move downwards can usually also be seen.

Different patterns of soap bubbles. Photo Mila Zinkova

The colors are caused by Interference and reflection. Photo Mila Zinkova

Photo The Russians are Here

Bubbles Merging
When two bubbles merge, the same physical principles apply, and the bubbles will adopt the shape with the smallest possible surface area. Their common wall will bulge into the larger bubble, as smaller bubbles have a higher internal pressure — known as Ostwald ripening — which is caused by pressure differences in bubbles of different radii as predicted by the Young–Laplace equation. If the bubbles are of equal size, the wall will be flat.

At a point where 3 or more bubbles meet, they sort themselves out so that only 3 bubble walls meet along a line. Since the surface tension is the same in each of the 3 surfaces, the angles between them must be equal angles of 120°. This is the most efficient choice, which is why the cells of a beehive use the same 120° angle which forms hexagons.

Photo Fdecomite

Photo Jurvetson

Bubbles Just for Fun
17th century Flemish paintings show children blowing bubbles with clay pipes, revealing that bubbles as playthings date back at least 400 years. The London based firm of A & F Pears created a famous advertisement campaign for its soaps in 1886 using a painting by Millais of a child playing with bubbles.

2 boys in a tub. Photo Ernst Moeksis

Bubble monster. Photo Audi Inspiration

Photo Toronja Azul

Chemtoy in Chicago began selling bubble solution in the 1940’s, captivating children ever since. According to one industry estimate, retailers sell around 200 million bottles annually, perhaps more than any other toy.

Photo Krikit

Wall-E takes a bubble bath. Photo Bunnyrel

Photo Katiya Rhode

Photo Bunnyrel

Bubbles in Performance Art
In 1984 New York architect David Stein invented the Bubble Thing to amuse his daughter. It uses a very large flexible loop of cotton fabric and a bucket of soap suds to create enormous spherical bubbles up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) in diameter and tubular bubbles 50 feet (15 meters) long and more. Since 1985 the Bubble Thing has been marketed worldwide by David Stein Inc and Klutz Press.

Soap bubble performances combine entertainment with artistic achievement, requiring a high degree of skill and perfect bubble suds. Some artists create giant bubbles or tubes, often enveloping objects or even humans. Others manage to create bubbles forming cubes and other shapes or sculptures.

To add to the visual experience, they’re sometimes filled with smoke or helium and combined with laser lights or fire. Soap bubbles can be filled with a flammable gas such as natural gas and then ignited, but this of course destroys the bubble.

Bubbles in Nature

Photo FotoDawg

Photo Dawnzy

Photo Niffty

Photo Dragon

Freezing Bubbles
Soap bubbles blown into air below a temperature of 5 °F (−15 °C ) will freeze when they touch a surface. The air inside will gradually diffuse out, causing the bubble to crumple under its own weight.

At temperatures below about −13 °F (−25 °C), bubbles will freeze in the air and may shatter when hitting the ground. When a bubble is blown with warm air the bubble will freeze to an almost perfect sphere at first, but when the warm air cools and a reduction in volume occurs there will be a partial collapse of the bubble. It will freeze quickly and continuing to increase the bubble will shatter it.

Bubbles in Liquid

Photo Marky Bon

Photo Woodywonderworks

Photo ButterflySha

Photo Lepiaf.geo

Photo Woodywonderworks

Photo Clip Works

Photo Kevin Dooley

Photo Tearoom

Photo Aussiegall

Rose champagne. Photo Gaetan Lee

Photo Ordinary Guy

The illusionist David Blaine, spending a week in a water bubble in the Lincoln Centre Plaza
in New York. Photo Imaji

Photo Darkmatter

Photo Bunnyrel

Miscellaneous Bubbles

Photo Eddi

Photo Conor Withonen

Photo Keemz

Bubble wrap. Photo Osbock

Bubbles, a painting by Sir John Everett Millais; the subject his grandson.

Bubbles, originally entitled A Child’s World, is a painting by Sir John Everett Millais that became famous when it was used over many generations in advertisements for Pears soap. During Millais’s lifetime it led to widespread debate about the relationship between art and advertising.

It was modelled by his 5 year old grandson William Milbourne James and was based on 17th century Dutch precursors in the tradition of vanitas imagery, which commented upon the transience of life. These sometimes depicted young boys blowing bubbles, typically set against skulls and other signs of death.

The painting portrays a young golden-haired boy looking up at a bubble, symbolising the beauty and fragility of life. On one side of him is a young plant growing in a pot, and on the other is a fallen broken pot, emblematic of death.

Antibubbles
An antibubble is a droplet of liquid surrounded by a thin film of gas, formed when liquid drops or flows turbulently into the same or another liquid. They can either skim across the surface of a liquid such as water, or they can be completely submerged into the liquid.

Antibubbles

Antibubbles are a common but widely unrecognised phenomenon, in part because of their resemblance to air bubbles, and in part because of their typically transient nature. With certain soapy solutions they can be made to last much longer.

The behavior of antibubbles differs from that of air bubbles in 3 primary ways:

• Antibubbles are held in place by surface tension, and move rapidly across the surface of the water. They can also be seen to ricochet off other objects in the water (such as air bubbles) and off the sides of a container in a manner similar to that of billiard balls.
• Under ordinary circumstances, antibubbles are short-lived. An air bubble with a soap skin may last several minutes. They frequently have lifetimes of a few seconds or less.
• Antibubbles refract light in a different manner than air bubbles — light entering them is refracted back toward its source in the same manner as rainbows are produced, and have a bright appearance.

Photo Mitzy Boots

You can easily create them by allowing a tap to drip into a container of water to which a drop or two of soap has been added. The soap reduces the water’s surface tension and allows the skin of air surrounding the droplet to remain in place for more than just a fraction of a second.

Using a drinking straw to drop droplets of sugar solution onto soapy water will produce antibubbles that sink.

Antibubbles usually pop when they touch the bottom or the side of the vessel containing the liquid. This can be prevented by tipping a few teaspoons of sugar into the soapy water and giving it some time to dissolve (but without stirring it). Made this way they can last for several minutes.

Bubble World Records

The “World’s Largest Free Floating Soap Bubble” made the Guinness World Records on October 9, 2005, measuring 105.4 cubic feet — if filled with water it would hold 788 gallons and weigh 3.2 tons.

Photo Beeboo Big Bubbles

The largest bubble ever blown to make the Guinness World Records was created by David Stein of New York — a whopping 50 feet by 2 feet in diameter (15 by .6 meters) in 1998.

The world’s largest bubble wall is credited to Fan Yang of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada at 156 feet (47.4 meters) long and 13 feet high with a surface area of about 4000 square feet (370.4 sq meters) on August 11, 1997, at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington.

Photo Fan Yang

Fan Yang also holds a World Record on April 12 2006 by linking 15 pairs of people in a ‘bubble cage’ at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, California.

The world record for the most people inside a bubble was burst by Sam Heath a.k.a. “Sam Sam the Bubble Man” at Chessington World of Adventures outside London in Surrey, UK on March 27 2006, using a 23 foot (7 meter) wand to encapsulate 19 children over 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, standing upon a 60 inch (152 centimeter) wooden platform.

Photos left BBC, right INS

It took a mere few seconds for ‘bubbleologist’ Sam Heath to encase 50 children in an iridescent, glistening bubble of soap and water to break his own Guinness World Record at the Science Museum in London at 11 feet (3.3 meters) across and more than 5 feet high. He dipped a metal wand hoop with a 36 foot (11 meters) circumference into the solution before raising it above their heads.

Photo Daily Mail

The largest bubblegum bubble ever blown was 23 inches (9 centimeters) in diameter by Susan Montgomery Williams of Fresno, California, set on July 19 1994, to make the Guinness World Records.

Dolphins Making Bubbles

Dolphins Play Bubble Rings

Source: Wikipedia

Recommended Reading:
Art of Miniature: 10 Uncanny Ultra-Small Artworks by WebUrbanist
Minitecture: Awesomely Artistic Tiny Paper Buildings by Dornob
Spring Cleaning of the Mind: Surreal Art Update by Dark Roasted Blend
3 Reasons to Take Your Clothes Off in the City by Deputy Dog
5-year-old Gets Racing Legs by Neatorama
Don’t Be An Ash: Japan Tobacco’s ‘Smoking Manners for Adults’ Ads by InventorSpot
In the Bay by Been Seen
Mouse Mod Made of Stone by Walyou

Post from: Life in the Fast Lane

Intriguing and Bizarre Art of Bubbles in Photography and Nature

Baby Ox with Whopping HUGE Heart-Shaped Marking

Deborah — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:41:22 +0000

More of Mother Nature’s love messages are revealed to the world with her spectacular creatures that have captivate humankind, as a baby ox born with a whopping huge heart pattern on his forehead was brought to life just ahead of Valentine’s Day.

Photo Junko Kimura / Getty Images

Named “Ha-chan” — meaning “heart” in Japanese — was born at the Yamakun dairy farm 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Tokyo in Fujisawa, Japan, a mere 20 days ago.

Japanese farmer Kazunori Yamazaki was astonished when he discovered the baby ox the morning after he was born on his farm complete with a love-heart-shaped marking on his forehead.

Photo Junko Kimura / Getty Images

Amazingly enough, the curious creature was also born in the year of the Ox. He has become a local celebrity, with people flocking from all over the country to see the almost near-perfect pattern on his forehead.

“Good timing for Valentine’s Day.” said Kazunori.

Photo Junko Kimura / Getty Images

An appeal has been made in Japan to save the baby “Valentine” bull from the butcher’s chop.

The farmer hopes that someone will buy him as a romantic gift for Valentine’s Day — otherwise his days are sadly numbered according to Kazunori, who says he can’t keep the male bull at his farm.

Kazunori hopes that a zoo or a tourism farm will volunteer to take care of him.

Ha-chan may be a local celebrity, but if no-one can give him a home he will have to be sold for meat.

But Ha-chan won’t have to go to the slaughterhouse quite yet, as young bulls are normally sold for meat at the age of 2 years. If a new owner isn’t found before then, “even Cupid would find it difficult to protect him.”

Photo Junko Kimura / Getty Images

Ha-chan the Baby Ox

Penguin Looking for Love
She’s young, footloose, fancy-free and single — and looking for love in all the right or wrong places, even on MySpace.

Roxy the Rockhopper penguin is sadly the only one at the London Zoo without a mate or date, but she’s hopeful she’ll find a suitor this Valentine’s Day.

And she has plenty of admirers — her handlers have set up a red post box in the penguin enclosure to receive her plentiful Valentine’s Day cards.

Roxy’s so popular she even has her own MySpace page and has unruffled 431 friends on the social networking site.

Once penguins find a love interest they hook up for life, so Roxy won’t settle for any old bird — this lovely little lady is only interested in Rockhoppers from European breeding programs.

Roxy the Rockhopper Penguin

Wishing you a heart-filled day on Valentine’s to spend with your favorite love, family, and / or furry friend.

Post from: Life in the Fast Lane

Baby Ox with Whopping HUGE Heart-Shaped Marking

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