Twig Anatomy for Tree Identification

Twig Anatomy for Tree Identification To use a tree twig key means learning a twigs botanical parts. A key can help you identify a tree to the specific species by asking two question where you can affirm one and eliminate the other. This is called a dichotomous key. Here  is one of the best online twig keys. Terms You Must Know Opposite or Alternate Twigs: Most tree twig keys start with the arrangement of leaf, limb, and buds. It is the primary first separation of the most common tree species. You can eliminate major blocks of trees just by observing its leaf and twig arrangement. Alternate leaf attachments have one unique leaf at each leaf node and typically alternate direction along the stem. Opposite leaf attachments pair leaves at each node. Whorled leaf attachment is where three or more leaves attach at each point or node on the stem. The opposites are maple, ash, dogwood, paulownia buckeye and boxelder (which is really a maple). The alternates are oak, hickory, yellow poplar, birch, beech, elm, cherry, sweetgum, and sycamore. The Terminal Bud: There is a bud on the tip of every twig where growth occurs. It is often larger than the lateral buds and some can be absent. Trees easily identified by their terminal buds are yellow poplar (mitten or duckbilled shaped), dogwood (clove-shaped flower bud) and oak (clustered bud ends). The Lateral Buds: These are buds on each side of the branch. The trees easily identified by a lateral bud is beech (long, pointed scaled bud) and elm (buds off center over leaf scar). The Leaf Scar: This is a scar of leaf attachment. When the leaf drops, a scar is left just under the bud and it can be unique. The trees easily identified by its leaf scars are hickory (3-lobed), ash (shield-shaped)and dogwood (leaf scar encircles the twig). The Lenticel: There are cork-filled pores on most trees that permit the living inner bark to breathe. I use the narrow, long and light lenticels to partly identify just one species that can be tricky - black cherry. The Bundle Scar: You can see scars within the leaf scar that are a big help in identification. These visible dots or lines are cork filled ends of tubes that supply the leaf with water. The trees easily identified by its bundle or vein scars are ash (continuous bundle scars), maple (three bundle scars), and oaks (numerous scattered bundle scars) The Stipule Scar: This is the scar of a leaf-like attachment just off the leaf stem. Since all trees do not have stipules the presence or absence of stipule scars is often helpful in identifying a winter twig. The trees easily identified by its stipule scar is magnolia and yellow poplar. The Pith: The pith is the soft inner core of the twig. The trees easily identified by its pith are black walnut and butternut (both with chambered pith) and hickory (tan, 5-sided pith). One bit of caution when using the above markers. You need to observe an average-looking and maturing tree and stay away from root sprouts, seedlings, suckers and juvenile growth. Rapidly growing young growth can (but not always) have atypical markers that will confuse the beginning identifier.

5 Tips for Avoiding the First Day Freakout

5 Tips for Avoiding the First Day Freakout I don’t care how far you are from your last first day of school- everybody gets nervous on their first day of work at a new job. Will my coworkers like me? Where will I sit at lunch? Is my outfit too formal? Not formal enough? What if I get stuck in the elevator with the CEO? Take a deep breath and set yourself some priorities: 1. Make a good impression on your boss. 2. Don’t make a bad impression on your colleagues. 3. Accomplish one relevant work task. There. Not too bad, right?Now, in order to calm down enough to tackle your to-do list, try these techniques from Joanne Troppello at CareerAddict!1. Remind Yourself You Were ChosenOn every sweepstakes I used to enter as a kid, I always noticed the â€Å"many will enter, few will win† fine print at the bottom. It’s true for jobs too- probably a ton of people applied for the position you’ve just landed, and they picked YOU. Remind yourself why you thought you were qualified for this job to begin with. A tip that seems silly but really works: reread your resume and cover letter if you have to!2. Remember a Past Professional SuccessThink back to your last job, or your favorite class in school, or a time you triumphed when the going got tough. Odds are you had to adjust to a new situation first, or had to confront obstacles in your path- even if it wasn’t easy, you got through it and accomplished something awesome on the other side. Trust that the muscle memory of succeeding is inside you somewhere, and it’ll kick in when you need it.3. Focus on the PositiveTry to embrace the fact that you feel nervous. Accept it as proof that you want to do well at this new gig! If you let it take you down a negative spiral, it can be hard to turn back towards the light. Decide to be optimistic, decide to feign confidence until you feel it, and hold your head up on the tedious office tour or HR presentation that will kick off your first day.4. Take the Initiative to InteractI always get nervous at new jobs because I am not a schmoozer. I’m an introvert who would happily work side by side in silence with other introverts or my dog- but that’s not how offices work. If social interaction at the workplace doesn’t come easily to you either, have a plan for you. Greet everyone you’re introduced to with a smile or a handshake, jot names down and sketch out a seating chart to remember where their desks are, and have some innocuous questions about where to get lunch or coffee ready to go in case there’s a pause for conversation.â€Å"It’s nice to meet you!† â€Å"I look forward to working together!† Really, that’s all you need to get started.5. See Your Manager as a CollaboratorOnce you’ve had a micromanage-y or overly critical boss it’s easy to go into a new job situation bracing for conflict. But see this job as a fresh start and remember that your boss is invested in your success- theyâ€⠄¢re on your team! Ask questions when you have them, share your enthusiasm for a particularly great project, and work smoothly with your colleagues, and they’ll appreciate you just as much.And last but not least, lay out your outfit ahead of time. That one’s not from CareerAddict, that’s from my mom.  5 Ways to Avoid â€Å"First Day† Nerves When Starting a New Job  Read More at www.careeraddict.com

Reflection in Gynaecology Emergency Care Case Study

Reflection in Gynaecology Emergency Care - Case Study Example Reflection in nursing is within the context of practice (Burns and Bulman, 2000). Burton (2000) states reflective practice is designed to raise more questions as threads that may extend into future but on lived experiences (Burton, 2000). Cotton (2001) called it a process of dynamic evolution to examine appropriateness of action (Cotton, 2001). Johns (2007: 8) states reflection to be an intellectual effort on the part of the professionals that incorporates thinking, feeling, and action that essentially arise from practice (Johns, 2007: 8). Therefore exploration of self through reflection on experiences would develop self-awareness and ability to evaluate actions. McKenna (1999) stated that philosophical assumptions serve as contexts in reflection (McKenna, 1999). Teekman (2000) wrote reflection to be a system intended for actions based on philosophy in nursing (Teekman, 2000). Valuable learning can take place within clinical nursing practice, often using reflection as the key strategy. Reflection offers an opportunity for practitioners to enlighten the essential nature of the care (Fejes, 2008). This reflective account is about an incident on my placement in the gynaecology unit in an NHS Hospital. ... This reflective practice would also help me to identify my strength areas and weaknesses in competence, so I can understand better the importance of maintaining and developing professional competence. Description Molly is a 23-year-old married lady admitted to the Gynaecology ward from the Emergency Unit with the diagnosis of severe left sided lower abdominal pain, nausea, and weakness and fainting suspected to be left sided tubal ectopic pregnancy. Molly had a past history of pelvic inflammatory disease following an induced abortion 6 months ago. She had missed a period which is 2 weeks overdue, and two days back, she had just a slight spotting. Her problems of abdominal discomfort started yesterday which she terms as vague soreness on the left lower abdomen. Today this vague discomfort was replaced by sharp, colicky pain in the left lower abdomen accompanied by vaginal spotting. In the Emergency Room, a vital sign record revealed tachycardia and a low blood pressure. She had demonstrated some air hunger, and the emergency department physician detected cyanosis and started her on mask ventilation on 100% oxygen (Edwards, 1997). An intravenous fluid infusion was started, and a FBC drawn revea led severe anaemia in the range of 7 g percent (Adam and Osbourne, 2005). When the patient stabilized in the emergency room, an ultrasonography revealed an ectopic pregnancy in the left utero-ovarian tube with imminent rupture. She was immediately admitted to the inpatient Gynecology ward where emergency management was started and a considerable extent of care was delivered by me under guidance of my mentor. While the patient was decided to be prepared for an emergency surgery, I had to monitor her vital signs,

Element of Literature (theme, character, setting, conflicts, etc Essay

Element of Literature (theme, character, setting, conflicts, etc - Essay Example This paper examines all the similarities between these three works and establishes the commonality between the characters and their presentations. Tragedy has been a theme for playwrights since the beginning of literature, well explored by Greek poets like Sophocles, medieval English writers, and Elizabethan playwrights, of which Shakespeare is prominent. The most prominent cause of the tragedy in these plays would be the tragic hero fighting against his/her impending doom. ‘The tragic hero is divided "between imperative and impulse, between moral ordinance and unruly passion . . . between law and lust" (Heilman 207).’ (Brown, 2009). If we explore the similarities between the two Elizabethan dramas, Macbeth, Hamlet and the ancient Greek tragedy, Oedipus, we find that the protagonists have that fatal flaw which draws them to their downfall and all other elements that make a tragedy. When these protagonists live, they teach us many lessons with the mistakes that they commit in their life. They seem to exist to attain the ultimate goal of death.† We admire the daring, uncompromising spirit of the tragic hero wh ile recognizing that what he gains in intensity of life, he often pays for with its brevity.† (Brown, 2009). Shakespeare’s tragedies â€Å"follow a basic pattern of complication, crisis, and conclusion but with multiple variations.† (Brown, 2009). If we compare and seek similarities between the characters of the three works, we find that as mentioned above, all protagonists unconsciously seek their own fall. Hamlet muses far too much over his father’s death and even when his father has shown him the path of revenge, he fails to kill Claudius when he has the chance. Macbeth on the other hand, blinded easily by ambition and avarice, kills Duncan in haste without pondering over the consequences. Oedipus’s flaw is his colossal ego or Hubris. It does not bring about his misery directly but does lead to

The hound of the Baskervilles Essay Example for Free

The hound of the Baskervilles Essay This type of secrecy suggests that he didnt trust Watsons judgement or theory and decided to spy on him, but that is not the case he was merely getting a better perspective on the whole mystery, he felt he needed an unclouded judgement, un-tampered from everyones views. From his temporary residence he witnessed Mr Stapleton rush out of his house when he heard that Sir Henry was dead and the disappointment when he found out that it actually wasnt Sir Henry. This is interesting because most people would be relieved if a neighbour/friend was actually alive, but instead this shows Mr Stapleton has a hidden agenda/motive. No dont tell me that it is our friend Sir Henry! this line is really ironic as he believes that Sir Henry is the one enemy he has. Stapleton turned a ghastly face upon us, but by a supreme effort he had overcome his amazement and his disappointment. Holmes reveals some astounding news that Miss and Mr Stapleton are actually married and that he is a Baskerville. These family secrets bring more intrigue into the story. Making it more like real life as every family has something they dont share with the outside world. The suspense of the mystery has now been dissolved, but the suspense of how to catch the culprit is at its peak. Holmes being the secluded man he is keeps his plans to himself, but tells Sir Henry to dine at the Stapletons and to let them know that he intends to walk home. Holmes also has some more news: he and Watson will be returning to London. This seems slightly peculiar as you wonder why he would leave at such a crucial time. But again it is a cover; he wants to make the criminal feel un-pressured and more relaxed, so that he is more likely to leave some clues. Sir Henry dines at the Stapletons house, while outside Watson, Holmes, Mortimer and Lestrade (a resident policeman who has power of authority in that area), wait for Henry to leave. However they do not see Miss Stapleton, which could be a key variable in Holmes plan as well as the ever thickening fog that is drawing closer by the minute. As the moment draws nearer Watson seems to be growing more agitated, at one point demanding that they get Sir Henry out. However Holmes believes that he is not harm while at the house. Their next reactions are delayed as the fog has hindered their eyesight white fog It was drifting slowly in our direction, Holmes plan did not foresee this and it causes them to loose valuable time. The only sense they can rely on is sound, and the next thing they hear is the slavering and howling of a Hound. Holmes is quick on his feet and rushes to where the sound is coming from, with his pistol at his side. The others have trouble keeping up but manage to come to his aid, just in time to see a massive hound fall upon Sir Henry. The description of the hound is so vivid and detailed, that you can actually imagine every inch of it enormous coal black hound, but not such a hound as mortal eyes have ever seen fire burst from its open mouth, its eyes glowed with a smouldering glare. This particular description seems something out of a nightmare and immortal suggests that it cannot be killed. However the imagination plays tricks and can perceive different images from what they really are. They do manage to kill the hound with a couple of pistol shots, which suggests how strong the hound was seeing as it could withstand at least one shot. Sir Henry was badly hurt which wasnt something Holmes had wanted but nevertheless apologised for. Dr Mortimer announced that there was only superficial damage, but there may also be psychological damage from facing something that ferocious and shocking. Holmes and Watson go to Stapletons house but they are too late and he has disappeared out on to the moor. So they instead start a search for Miss Stapleton, they search the house until they find a locked door. Holmes barges through it which shows his strong masculine side and that he is capable both mentally and physically. Miss Stapleton is found tied and gagged with red weals from whip lashes, this shows that domestic violence was an occurrence then as it is now. Her first words are that of concern for Sir Henry which shows her emotions were genuine. Holmes searches for Stapleton but he is never found, that is sort of a cliff hanger as you dont know if he will strike again. But his hound is dead so he has no weapon, and also not even an expert like him would have been able to navigate his way through a bog at that time of night. Sherlock Holmes concludes another one of his cases with the wit and sharp thinking as always. But how he does it, most of the great detective fans know him so well, that they feel they have actually met him. It would therefore be presumptuous to try and define him, as many admirers may each have very different views about this legendary character. But you can compare Sherlock Holmes to many of the nowadays detectives as they have their personality shown through before we even get to know them, that is true for Holmes because the first we see of him is his sharp attitude and judgemental ways. For example, we can now see Dalziel and Pascoe on our screens. Dalziel being the Detective Superintendent is obviously the superior to his young sidekick Detective Inspector Pascoe, his mentor even. Dalziel is blunt-talking, politically incorrect and can be very intense at times. Compared to his subordinate Pascoe who is university educated and well mannered, they are complete opposites. A bit like Watson and Holmes, Holmes is more educated and has been in the trade longer, he also cuts straight to the point even if he does draw it out slightly. Watson is from a different era of education and treats people with a bit more respect, he is more compatible with other people, while Holmes is recluse from others. The reasons that we find detective stories so enthralling are that we enjoy playing the detective as well as watching the real one. It gives us a sense of power and a feeling that we are above others. It also gives us a chance to step into someone elses shoes. We find enrapturement for a while but then reality consumes us again and makes us realise that it will never happen, but it also gives us a small comfort that another offender has been caught although it is only a story, it gives us hope that people are out there helping others and protecting us from criminals. Those same beliefs have been carried from Victorian times to our time. And the fact that good almost always triumphs over evil. This makes Detective novels such as the Hound of the Baskervilles so enjoyable to read. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.

appearance vs reality Essay -- essays research papers

Appearance vs. Reality   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Things are not always as they appear. You may think someone is a certain way because of how they dress and carry themselves this is called stereotyping. Many people stereotype without even noticing that they are doing it. Everyone has his or her right to first impressions, but stereotyping is wrong. There are many examples of this topic in literature as well as in our society today. The main population accused of stereotyping is teenagers; they are seen as rude and judgmental. For example, in high school the people are divided into groups by how they dress and whom they hang out with. There are the skaters, freaks, preps, snobs, cheerleaders, jocks and nerds. No one person set up these different groups, they came along as the years went by. It is not fair to automatically say someone is a prep or freak by just looking at them; the people in different groups have many of the same characteristics and the same friends. So, how can they be stereotyped if all the groups mingle anyways? Although the teenagers are usually accused of stereotyping, it occurs no matter what age you are. For example, if an adult sees another one dressed in cheaper clothes, they might assume they are poor. Or if someone sees another with real expensive clothes, they assume they are rich. This is a false accusation, because one cannot tell if another is rich or poor by how they dress or what kind of house they live in. Some people like to save money ...

Staying Informed: Old News

There was a time when news information was disseminated by a select few who had access to the relevant reports, files, and statistics.   When this was the case, the world gathered around a radio, shared a newspaper, or turned on the television—one that had fewer than ten channels).   This â€Å"news† was often like a leftover meal in terms of value: by the time it was released, the world had moved forward, and something new was hot. Progress was made, and television news programs began to delve deeper into stories; reporters suddenly began delivering â€Å"breaking† news reports, and the information was at least lukewarm when the public got its hands it.   It was the era of reporters like Paul Harvey who took what the world knew, dug more deeply, and presented â€Å"the rest of the story† (Radio Legend Paul Harvey Biography, 2003). Today, a cell phone can alert its owner of breaking news stories from around the world; reporters deliver broadcasts live from battlefields; and the internet has made it possible to receive information almost instantly.   Most consumers now get their news online, via one of hundreds of television channels, or through a variety of print media.   Unfortunately, the days of print media and even local reporting seem to be dying, and while their loss may not even create a ripple, what they have to offer the consumer is irreplaceable. It is true that the average printed report cannot provide the live-action, emotionally packed footage of a series of photographs or a streaming video, but words do matter, and while one’s brain struggles to capture the intricacies of backgrounds, sounds, and images that flash in front of the eyes in photographs and videos, the thought-process of the viewer is overwhelmed by the visual imagery. MSNBC online featured a written report and a series of videos and slide shows on October 16, 2006 that captured the story surrounding the earthquake in Hawaii the previous day. When compared, the headline video and headline print report reveal some very interesting trends in the ways in which the news is disseminated. The headlining video report â€Å"Powerful Earthquakes Shake Hawaii† is two and one-half minutes long and features a variety of images that show damage to a local woman’s home, the picture of a landslide caught by a photographer, various tourists being inconvenienced, file footage of volcanic eruption, the Hawaiian coastline, people buying gas, and shoppers at a grocery store. These pictures are accompanied by interview sound bites or voiced-over by reporter Howard Dashefsky, but the entire report is devoid of real information.   What might one expect as the aftermath of an earthquake on a populated island that is also a tourist attraction?   If I had guessed at the â€Å"aftermath,† I would have imagined almost everything I saw in Dashefsky’s report.   Although the images were fascinating and even engaging at times, I left the report with virtually no residual caring and no remnant thoughts: nothing of value had been added to my brain. The headline print report begins with â€Å"officials fanned out across Hawaii early Monday to inspect bridges and roads following the strongest earthquake to rattle the islands in more than two decades, a 6.6-magnitude quake that caused blackouts and landslides, but no immediate reports of fatalities† (Associated Press).   In the opening paragraph of the print report, I found out what happened; I felt sorrow and relief; and I was driven to consider the after-effects of the earthquake in ways not even broached by the video report.   It took me less than one minute to read the print report, but in that minute I learned about what had happened, where it had happened, that no tsunami was expected, what was being done, what would be done—the list is almost endless. Those who watch the video report will stand around water coolers discussing benign elements of the event.   The will recall the semi-ravaged home of one resident and the fight to get gas and groceries; moreover, they will congratulate themselves on not having wasted their own money on a spoiled Hawaiian vacation.   This is the kind of thinking that is being fostered in the United States: superficial, image-based, self-centered, and desensitized. Those who take (less) time to actually read about the earthquake will stand around the water cooler discussing factual details.   They will likely be amazed by the good fortune of such a historically large earthquake resulting in no fatalities; they will wonder if the roads and bridges where they live would be damaged after such an event; they may ponder how long the state of disaster will remain in effect; they will think about how happy they are not to be there on vacation, but it will most likely not be the first thing on which they comment.   This is the kind of thinker that is in danger of dying in the United States: one who craves facts and the chance to critique them while expanding his/her knowledge base. The ability to receive immediate information is a boon to the news consumer; however, the availability of instant images, facts, and reports must be combined with words that are as stimulating, powerful, and informative as the visual clues—or a numbing of the mind and the senses is bound to occur.   Reports that are piping hot can be delivered to the public as a combination of the best of what can be seen, what can be heard, and what can be read.   Like a dinner filled with the necessary food groups, communication needs to combine its sources and resources for the most palatable and healthiest results. References Associated Press, The.   (October 16, 2006).   Hawaii checks bridges, roads after quake: Landslides and power outages but no reports of deaths.   MSNBC.   Retrieved October 16, 2006, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15286294/. Dashefsky, H.   (October 16, 2006).   Powerful earthquakes shake Hawaii.   MSNBC Video.   Retrieved October 16, 2006, from http://video.msn.com. Radio Legend Paul Harvey Biography.   (2003).   Paul Harvey: The Voice of the New Millennium.   paulharvey.com: ABC Radio Networks.   Retrieved October 16, 2006, from http://www.paulharvey.com/bio.shtml.