Mangroves in Australia Essay -- Plants Botany Essays

Mangroves in Australia The mangrove communities of Australia are some of the most highly adaptive plant communities in the world. These plants live in an environment that is often engulfed with seawater. This environment is considered an arid environment due to the lack of fresh water. The plants of the mangrove community must develop several adaptations to deal with the environment. The environment these plants often inhabit is referred to as an intertidal zone. The intertidal zone is the transition between the salty ocean to the fresh water of the interior of the continent or island. To deal with the salty environment, mangrove plants have developed modified roots. In some species, the roots filter the incoming seawater. These modified roots also help to support the tree in the muddy substrate. The roots are considered a xeromorphic feature, a display feature that tends to conserve or retain water. These roots also provide oxygen intake by structures call pneumatophores. This ability is importa nt in times of low soil aeration. The leaves are covered with a waxy cuticle that helps retain water. In some species, the leaves are responsible for salt secretion, while others store excess salt in leaves until they fall off the tree. The mangrove species also have modified reproductive structures. Most seeds develop while still attached to the parent tree. This enhances their chance of survival. These seeds are also buoyant, which allows them to float to a less shady spot, away from the parent tree and start growing. Some species seeds shed their seed coat at particular water temperature and water salinity. Mangrove species produce different types of pollen for different plants. These different types of pollen ... ...e land (Maguire 2000). Mangroves are endangered by human development. Conservation and management techniques need to become an important issue to preserve these unique and highly advance communities. Summar The mangroves are some of the most highly evolved plant communities in the world. These plants have overcome the harsh conditions from which they live in. One of the most obvious adaptations is the modified root structures that not only help support the plant in the muddy substrate, but may aid in oxygen intake in some species. Another notable adaptation that mangrove plants exhibit is their modified reproductive structures called propagules. These seeds actually begin development while still attached to the parent tree. Mangroves also provide important services such as filtering out toxins in outgoing streams that would normally damage coral reefs.

Analysis of Goodwill International Essays -- Nonprofit Analysis

Goodwill International is a not-for-profit organization whose main objective is to offer job trainings, employment placements, and other community-based projects to individuals with disabilities. The organization also extends its services to veterans who include people who lack the necessary job experience, education, or face challenges in securing employment. The non-profit organization is financed by a chain of retail thrift stores, which also operate as not-for-profit entities in places where they are situated. Goodwill is constituted by a system of 165 community based independent organizations operating in 15 countries, including the United States, Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay, Panama, and Canada among others. The organization uses the most part of its revenues to provide training, employment, and other relevant support to its dependants who are currently more than 6 million. This paper assesses Goodwill International based on key concepts such as volunteerism, accountabilit y, strategic planning, and fundraising in relation to its mission, vision, and purpose. In addition, the paper suggests several recommendations that could bring various benefits to Goodwill if implemented. Although Goodwill International is successful, it is not efficient and needs to implement additional strategies to improve its efficiency. There are a number of recommendations made in this paper to assist Goodwill International to enhance its efficiency. Some of the strategies include: improvement of its communication strategy, enhancement of its fiscal health, implementation of new marketing strategies, introduction of employee performance measurement techniques, and changing its donation policies to include more items. Goodwill was founded... ...ngs from a national survey of nonprofit social services agencies. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 39(4), 571-587. Michalski, G. (2011). Operating cycle and nonprofit organization efficiency. Journal of Academic Research in Economics, 3(3), 584-598. Taylor, B. E., Ryan, W. P., & Chait, R. P. (2013). Governance as leadership: Reframing the work of nonprofit boards. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Waters, R. D., Burnett, E., Lamm, A., & Lucas, J. (2009). Engaging stakeholders through social networking: How nonprofit organizations are using Facebook. Public Relations Review, 35(2), 102-106. Weerawardena, J., McDonald, R. E., & Mort, G. S. (2010). Sustainability of nonprofit organizations: An empirical investigation. Journal of World Business, 45(4), 346-356. Worth, M. J. (2013). Nonprofit management: Principles and practice. Washington, DC: Sage Publications.

Macy’s Inc

There is not an iota of doubt that Macy’s Inc. is still the leading retail store in the United States.   Nevertheless, this business and marketing achievement of the firm is on for a tough competition given the evolving realities in the retail industry. Basing alone from the financial report of the company as of February 2008, the big store’s net income was down by 10.2% or $893 million compared with the previous fiscal year (Mammarella, 2008). The company has to shape up to parry the business strategies thrown before its doors by rivals in the business. One of the business strategies that the firm has an option to embrace is the lucrative and attractive opportunity given by expanding internationally. Since this business maneuver has been applied by the company several years ago, it can exploit this well-proven strategic move by furthering its presence in the international retail arena. Given that Macy’s Inc. has already set up stores in different countries, adding additional stores in several well-placed territory around the globe can boost its sales and opportunity to increase its financial portfolio. The countries where Macy’s Inc. can apply this strategy are the countries of China and Russia. These two countries basically hold a huge number of population which promises bigger consumer market for the big store. In China alone, there are already several cities that are economically growing at an exponential rate. The company can grab this opportunity by setting up stores in these cities considering that in the dynamics of a healthy economic state the purchasing power and surplus cash of the population is certainly high. As a second alternative for the company, it can pursue a joint venture with rival competitor in the market to consolidate its strength in the industry, both at its home base in United States and internationally. The advantage of negotiating for a partnership with another player in the retail market is the promise of higher percentage of cornering the large portion of the sales in the market. In regards to the company’s dominance at its home base, United States, one business strategies that is being employed right now, through the leadership of the firm’s Chief Marketing Officer Peter Sachse, is to give more focus and attention on the local market (Zmuda, 2008). Since the company is already a Goliath in the industry, it has somehow alienated most of its consumer based. As a reaction to this observation, Macy’s Inc. makes the strategic business move of re-connecting with the local consumers. This deft business maneuver from the perspective of marketing strategy, will guide the company in making a program that ensures advertising campaigns closely reflect the local tastes and needs. A good example of this initiative to focus on local consumers is the marketing and selling of coats. Macy’s can create a sale more of this kind of product in Minneapolis than, say, in Miami. If the high school prom is approaching, the company in turn can run an ad tailored according to this situation. If the local cheerleading squad for example wins the championship, the firm can place ads on TV, newspapers, magazines, and Internet congratulating them (Znuda, 2008). In the end, the big store can reinforced its brand name in the local community. Another alternative for the company is to slow down on its program of building new stores (Ryan, 2008). This business move will enable the company to speed-up â€Å"same-store sales growth.† At the same time, this will reduce the operational expenses of the company since the strategy will free up 2,550 positions. Moreover, this strategy will give a savings of several million dollars from unnecessary expenses. The alternatives business strategies therefore that are open for Macy’s Inc. are to exploit the opportunity of expanding globally, merging with a rival competitor, a more focus on the local market to reinforce its brand name at its home base and the strategy to slow down on setting up stores in order to free it from unnecessary expenses and at the same time give existing stores the opportunity to boost their sales. Bibliography Mammarella, J. (2008). Macy's to Slow Store Growth, Boost Interaction. Home Textiles Today.   Vol. 29 (8), p20-20 Ryan, F. (2008). Macy's P.R. not affected by cutbacks. Caribbean Business. Vol. 36 (6), 10-10, Zmuda, N. (2008). Now a Goliath, Macy's seeks localized focus. Advertising Age. Vol. 79 (12), 3-29         

Political Stupidity

Amanda Ortiz, Swetaben Ahir, Nga Le, and Shantel Palmer Professor McDade English 1302 October 15, 2012 Political Stupidity, U. S. Style In E . J. Dionne’s essay, â€Å"Political Stupidity, U. S. Style† he wants to address the political stupidity that the government is making. To start his argument, he raises an emotional question, â€Å"Can a nation remain a superpower if its internal politics are incorrigibly stupid? † The author is saying are we letting politics, irrational ideas on fiscal policy and an antiquated political structure undermine our power.He divides political stupidity into three parts: stupid tax policies, irrational ideas on fiscal policy and antiquated political structure. In his essay, â€Å"Political Stupidity, U. S Style,† Dionne employs ethos, connotation and an emotional appeal. In paragraph sixteen, Dionne uses ethos. He writes, â€Å"I’m a chronic optimist about America. † E. J. Dionne is confident about the future to get better but we need well intentioned republicans who care about the nation interest to realize something has gone fundamentally wrong with their party and work to help bring it back.To get rid of political stupidity, he wants to form a senate, a new conservatism that is worthy of our name, liberals willing to speak out on the threat our daft politics poses to our influence in the world, and moderates. However the readers might have complete trust of the government of the United States and so they might not like someone questioning their credibility. In paragraph number seventeen, Dionne uses connotation saying â€Å"We need moderates who do more than stick their fingers in the wind to calculate the halfway point between two political poles. Dionne is hoping to make people aware of the political stupidity and the need to bring change in the system of politics. Sticking their fingers in the wind, means a person putting his finger in the wind is unlikely to come up with original solutions, and decisions are made without backing evidence. It says that the politicians are making blind decisions without even thinking about its consequences. It also makes them look like fools running the country. However, if some people think that the politicians were fools, the United States would not have been a super power.In paragraph seven, Dionne uses a strict emotional appeal as a mean to persuade his audience. He writes, â€Å"The simple truth is that the wealthy in the United States- the people who have made almost all the income gains in recent years- are under taxed compared with everyone else. † Consider two reports from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. One, issued last month, highlighted findings from the Congressional Budget Office showing that, â€Å"The gaps in after-tax income between the richest 1 percent of Americans and the middle and poorest fifths of the country more than tripled between 1979 and 2007. The other, from February, used Int ernal Revenue Service data to show that the effective federal income tax rate for the 400 taxpayers with the very highest incomes declined by nearly half in just over a decade, even as their pre-tax incomes have grown five times larger. He writes this, hoping that by using the reports from the Congressional Budget Office, he would be able to prove his point that the United States is politically stupid. It seems as if he is trying to bring awareness among the people of the United States about the decisions made by politicians.Although he has demonstrated his evidence very convincingly and it seems that he would get his readers attention and they would listen to his concerns but some of his readers think that he is being blunt and through his essay he is making direct acquisitions on the politicians of the United States. The United States is falling behind and the public seems not to notice. In paragraph number fourteen, Dionne talks about the structure of our government. He talks abo ut how the ratio between the largest and smallest state was 13 to 1. Now it’s 68 to 1.He writes,† because of the abuse of the filibuster, 41 senators representing less than 11 percent of the national population can, in principle, block action supported by 59 senators representing more than 89 percent of our population. And you wonder why it’s hard to get anything done in Washington? ’’ Dionne gives convincing evidence to support his claim which is the politics of the United States is stupid. He uses ethos and shows his concerns by saying he is a chronic optimist about America. He also uses reports to prove his point and persuade the audience. However he seems blunt and tells it like it is without any fear.

Asthma Essay With Conclusions

Asthma Essay With Conclusions Asthma is one of the major chronic respiratory conditions which alter the respiratory function of the body. The World Health Organisation or WHO (2012) defines asthma as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterised by frequent episodes of breathlessness and wheezing. This difficulty in breathing is caused by the swelling and constricting of the airways. Exposure to allergens, pollutants, cold air, infection and exercise can increase the risk of asthmatics having an attack (Funnel, Koutoukidis and Lawrence 2009). This essay will discuss on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, medical management and clinical manifestations of asthma. It will also cover the client education needed to provide for those with asthma, asthma’s risk factors and its prognosis. According to the National Asthma Council of Australia or NACA (2006) more than 2.2 million Australians are suffering from asthma. This essay will therefore also describe how asthma impacts on its victims and their life style. Kaufman (2011) describes the pathophysiology of asthma as a pathologic condition which affects the lower respiratory tract by narrowing the airways as a result of epithelial damage, excessive mucus production, oedema, bronchoconstriction and muscle damage. In asthma the cells in the epithelium layer can be destroyed and peel away, making the respiratory tract more susceptible to allergens and infections, thereby contributing to airway hyper-responsiveness (Kaufman 2011). Asthma also triggers the development of mucus cells and mucus glands. This increases mucus production, thus forming mucous plugs which can obstruct the airways (Monahan et al. 2007). Airway oedema is another change that occurs in the respiratory tract due to asthma. It involves the dilation and leaking of capillaries in the airway walls which limits airflow (Kaufman 2011). Monahan et al. (2007) add that increased capillary permeability and leakage can obstruct the airways due to swelling. They also explain t hat the inflammatory agents such as histamine, tryptase, leukotriences and prostaglandins act on smooth muscles of airway walls and cause bronchoconstriction which restricts the airflow to alveoli. Brown and Edwards (2012) write that wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and cough are the most common clinical manifestations of asthma. They can occur especially at night and in the early morning and can vary from person to person. It is not necessary to have all the symptoms at once as different symptoms can occur at different times. According to NACA (2006) frequent cough, feeling weak, wheezing after exercise, shortness of breath and sleeping difficulties can be early signs of asthma while severe wheezing, continuous cough, rapid breathing, anxiety, chest pain, blue lips and fingernails are the symptoms of severe asthma attacks. Diagnosing asthma can be done by obtaining a detailed history, performing physical examinations, pulmonary function testing, and laboratory assessments (Ignatavicius and Workman 2010) According to Ignatavicius and Workman (2010) it is important to ask patients about any experiences of having shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness, wheeze and increased mucus production as well as about their smoking habits and any family history of asthma. The same source write that physical examinations can be performed by listening to the patient’s chest for any wheezing sounds and observing respiratory effort by assessing the respiratory rate and examining whether the patient is using any accessory muscles to breathe. They add that the shape of the chest also needs to be examined, as a barrel-shaped chest can be a sign of prolonged asthma. In addition, the oral mucosa and nail beds need to be examined for any bluish tinge (Ignatavicius and Workman 2010).

Opera and Singing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Opera and Singing - Assignment Example This is a feeling that makes a singer to enjoy his or her performance while on stage and it also produces the best sound and full concentration. Singing opera requires high vocal technique and the teachers normally test the ability of a young singer to absorb the kinesthetic understanding (Terry, n.p). The training enables a singer to grasp the different elements that make a good opera singer like mastering the important notes and keys to hit. The interview inspires me to venture into other genres of art in order to fit in the foreign theatre experience across Europe and America. I have gained knowledge about opera singing and this has inspired me. I think a person needs to explore his or her talents and concentrate on it to be the best. It is encouraging that Zajick was to be a medical student when she discovered her talent in opera and later changed her career. Being a Chinese, I knew nothing about opera music and the interview has exposed to this new revelation. The interview is also educative because it reveals different aspects about opera singing in which Zajick shares her experiences (Terry, n.p). The singer also educates the audience on various elements that make a good opera singer, body language, pitch levels and the kinesthetic awareness. The interview can help upcoming singers to acquire new skills and insights about the industry and the performances. However, the discussions do not apply to me and my attitude towards opera and singing. This is because opera is not a common genre in my country and people know very little about the songs. I think singing and opera is an exciting experience because of the numerous notes involved when performing. According to Zajick, a singer to dedicate time to master the notes in order to make an electrifying performance and this requires those who are fans of the genre. It is apparent that before watching the interview, I had no knowledge or experience about opera and singing, but

Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Immigration - Essay Example 1). â€Å"Immigration is driving America's demographic change, demographers and others who work with immigrants and refugees reported at the APA Expert Summit on Immigration held in San Antonio in early February† (Farberman, 2006). Immigration does not provide the immigrants with a high standard of living until many years after settlement in the host country. Most of the immigrant families fall below the poverty line in terms of living and their children are disadvantaged in terms of poor educational opportunities. This can be estimated from the fact that 30% of the children belonging to the Mexican immigrant families, 29% children of the Dominican Republic immigrants, 34% children of the Cambodian immigrants, and 29% children of the Afghan immigrants in the USA live below the poverty line (Farberman, 2006). While the initial few years are tough for the immigrants, they yield many economic benefits for the nationals of the host country. ... Nevertheless, â€Å"the total gains accruing to some U.S.-born workers are larger than the total losses suffered by others† (Peri, 2010). According to Hirschman (n.d., p. 1), the social perceptions towards immigration are shaped by its economic outcomes as well as an emotional dimension that a vast majority of the Americans feel more comfortable socializing with people they know than with strangers. There is an inherent fear that the immigrants would show reluctance to give up their original values and culture for the sake of integrating in the American society and culture. This fear might be a potential hurdle in the way of native Americans extending the hand of help to the new immigrants to help them overcome the obstacles of assimilation in the new culture. â€Å"This trend in immigration has and will continue to have a significant impact on all U.S. institutions, from schools to the labor force, to media and politics, to health care† (de las Fuentes cited in Farberm an, 2006). To date, most of the research discussing the factors affecting the immigrants or the natives of the host countries is either about old immigrants or their children or the immigrants in general. There is gap in literature about the effects of immigration on the life of new immigrants and the factors affecting the new immigrants’ integration in the host country. This research will particularly focus the population of new immigrants to study these factors. Knowledge of the factors affecting the new immigrants is fundamental to the development and implementation of strategies to remove the hurdles in their way so that they can settle as quickly as possible and start