Kalahari Desert Plants

The word 'Kalahari' is derived from the Setswana (a language spoken in southern Africa) word kgala, meaning great thirst. The Kalahari desert covers the central part of southern Africa, and covers large areas of South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. It is surrounded by the Kalahari basin, and the only major river flowing through the area is the Okavango.

The terrain in the Kalahari is dotted with ancient lake beds, that have now run almost dry. This semi-arid desert is covered with red sand and lacks a permanent source of surface water. Rainfall is scanty, and parts of the desert are drained by the salt pans of Makgadikgadi and Etosha. In spite of harsh weather conditions, Kalahari desert exhibits a wide variety of plant and animal species. The vegetation mainly consists of dry grasses and shrubs, and a few species of Acacia and thorned trees, which have adapted well to the arid landscape. Described below in greater detail are the most commonly found plants in the Kalahari desert.

Kalahari Desert Plants

Hoodia Gordonii
Sometimes referred to as Hoodia cactus, the actual name of the plant is Hoodia gordonii. Though it shares many similarities with cactus, it does not belong to the cactus family. Very well adapted to dry climate, this barbed succulent is leafless, and is widely used in southern Africa for its medicinal purposes. Pollination of flowers is usually carried out by flies, and its flowers have an unpleasant, decaying meat odor. The natives of the region, mainly the San Bushmen, make use of this plant to treat a variety of digestive and gastrointestinal problems and to suppress appetite and thirst.

Camel Thorn Tree
Belonging to the genus Acacia, camel thorn tree (Acacia erioloba) is endemic to southern Africa. This spiny tree can grow as high as 17 meters, and hence it's a favorite with giraffes, which are found abundantly in the Kalahari. With their long necks and specially adapted tongues and lips, they can easily reach up to and eat the succulent, fleshy leaves of the camel thorn, which other animals cannot. The sharp thorns of the tree prevent animals from over-grazing. Weaver birds build large over-sized nests in these trees, even as big as 2 meters. The tree also bears gray, kidney-shaped, seed-bearing pods, which are a staple diet for cattle. The pods are collected and the seeds are used commercially to feed livestock because of their high nutritional value. The seeds can also be used as a substitute for coffee beans, after crushing and roasting them. The dark reddish-brown wood of this tree also has many uses, being very strong and drought-resistant. It is used in constructing poles, fences, and houses, and it is also used as firewood. The root system is also well-developed and reaches deep into the earth.

Shepherd's Tree
Known locally as matoppie and witgatboom, shepherd's tree (Boscia albitrunca) can attain a length of 8 meters. This slow-growing tree is commonly found in the Bushveld and Lowveld regions of southern Africa, and thrives in the dry and salty, low-lying areas. The trunk is sturdy and white, and may have patches of gray or black bark. The wood is used in the preparation of kitchen utensils by the native people. The tree bears a dense evergreen foliage, with the leaves forming a big canopy over the top, with intertwining twigs and leaves. The leaves are thin, narrow, and stiff with a leathery texture, and taper towards the base. The veins of the leaf are quite indistinct, except for the midrib. They are a source of nutrition for antelopes, giraffes, and other animals, being very high in vitamin A and protein content. The shepherd's tree produces small, star-shaped yellow flowers, with a sweet scent, which are also a food source for animals. The tree also has round fruits, which turn yellow on ripening, and measure even less than an inch. It is used to treat patients who suffer from epilepsy. Like the camel thorn, the roots of this tree also reach deep into the ground. The root powder is considered edible and used to make coffee and porridge.

Horned Melon Tree
Known by various names like gemsbok cucumber, African horned cucumber, hedged gourd, and kiwano, the horned melon tree belongs to the cucumber and melon families. Native to southern Africa, this tree is famous for its fruit, the kiwano, which resembles a spiny, oval melon. The plant is an annual creeper and thrives in warm climates. A single creeper can produce several fruits, and these in turn act as support for the vine and tendrils to spread further. The leaves and stems have a layer of fuzz. The fruit is considered a delicacy, and can be eaten both raw and ripe, and is also used in cooking. Its taste is a blend of cucumber and banana. It is beneficial for health with a high content of fiber and vitamin C.

The Kalahari desert has a diverse ecology. But plants like the Hoodia gordonii are threatened by illegal trade since there is ongoing research about its medicinal properties all over the world. The dry seasons see a rise in drawing water from the earth by boring deep underground holes, which adversely affects the plant life. These plants can survive in very specific conditions, and care must be taken to see that human actions do not disturb the delicate balance of nature so that the biological diversity of the desert is maintained, and continues to flourish.

Positive Jobs Report Likely Not Enough to Calm Plummeting Global Markets

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that employers added about 117,000 jobs in the month of July, with all of the gains coming from the private sector. And with some tricky accounting, the overall unemployment rate fell to an adjusted rate of 9.1% from 9.2%, with somewhere around 14 million Americans currently out of work. Another interesting number, the Labor Force Participation Rate fell to 63.9%, which is the lowest number since 1984.

With the exception of the somewhat alarming labor participation rate figure, the numbers on job growth and unemployment looked decent for July. And the report was also quick to add the fact that May and June employment numbers had been revised slightly upward from their dismal reports. Now the question remains whether or not this small piece of positive news will be enough to quell fears that the global economy - and the entire global financial system - is simply not fundamentally sound.

The debt crisis in Europe is only getting worse and its ultimate resolution is as uncertain as ever. Quantitative Easing has proven wholly ineffective in sustainably boosting the U.S. economy and the prospects for a short-term recovery are non-existent. Most macro-economic data points to the fact that double dip recession is pretty likely, if we're not already in one at the moment. It seems unlikely that a modestly positive jobs report is going to do enough to sustain any sort of recovery from yesterday's global sell-off.

And moving forward, it's hard to envision anything other than downward volatility for the global markets as everyone comes to terms with the fact that the overall situation is pretty bleak. Debt-driven economic models are unsustainable at a certain point, and we appear to be rapidly approaching that point.

How to Set Up a Dairy Farm Business

Dairy farming business is growing by leaps and bounds in developing and developed countries. United States is the second largest producer in dairy production and has around 70,000 dairy farms. This business requires long man hours in which a typical day of a dairy farmer is from 4 a.m to 6:00 p.m where supervision and cleaning is important. Even understanding the current scenario where the dairy business is volatile because of high supply and low demand, has diverted the dairy farmers to move into other avenues.

Factors to Consider while Setting up a Dairy Farm Business

Land Facilities
While starting an animal husbandry business, it's essential to evaluate land requirement wherein the farmer has to calculate land required in constructing shed, equipment storage and availability for raising fodder. While deciding on location other factors like constructing facilities for cows, having a source of water and proximity to the market are necessary points to be considered while purchasing a land. It's always better to purchase land rather than lease it as the leasing costs can contribute to increased costs.

Machinery
With advent of technology in dairy farming, equipment used in this business are different than they were for past couple of years. Machines for milking, sterilizing and milk storage tanks are available. It's up to the owner to compare the cost of purchasing or leasing it. Also, automatizing the operations with the help of computers is preferred as it simplifies the task of record keeping.

Cattle
After deciding on land and equipment requirement, another aspect is number of cows which the farmer wants to purchase. Deciding on the costs and cow breeds to be purchased will be helpful in understanding the financial costs involved. Starting with healthy cows will certainly help to recover long term costs. Also, while deciding on the numbers consider other factors like medical costs related to cows, feeding costs, cleaning and insemination costs too.

Competitors
It's very important to know about your competitor's working. Getting into a business with the knowledge of competitor's strength and weakness will help you to eliminate future problems. If you are starting a small business setup, it's important to know your local competitors. This information can help you in customizing your strategic plan of exploiting your competitor's weakness and converting it into your strength.

Legal Rules
For any business that you start, you need to comply with the rules and regulations of the particular state. Similarly, while setting up your dairy business it's important to find out about licensing rules, taxes levied on your business and laws about bottling the milk in your premises. Here, it's better to consult an attorney who can guide you or browse the government website for further details. Also, try and get a ballpark figure for the costs involved in insuring your assets. Do understand the terms and conditions attached while insuring, as some costs might have to be borne by the owner.

Franchising
Even though many want to start their independent venture but with excess costs and less return on their investment, franchising is a better option. Franchising helps the new dairy owner to gain experience and expert knowledge on the new technology used. Also, as the franchise is already an established name in the market, the dairy owner will be saved from the hassle of building a brand name. Also, the costs involved in starting a franchisee business is less as compared to starting a new business.

Financial Aspect
As costs of starting a firm is of prime importance, it's necessary for the owner to understand the bifurcation of costs. Typically, an owner will face two types of costs: Fixed and Variable. Fixed are going to be constant and nothing can be done to reduce it but variable costs are going to vary according to the production. Examples of fixed costs like loan repayments, lease payments and insurance premium payments. Variable costs on the other hand include fodder, labor and utility bills. The key for earning profit is that the revenue should be more than costs. There are external factors like economic conditions which regulate the price of the milk. Like in recent times, the price of milk was low and this hurt the revenue of the milk producers. So, financial planning in terms of regulating the costs and increasing the revenue is always a better option.

After considering all these aspects, it's important for the new owner to thoroughly research the business environment so as to start a successful dairy farm. As the dairy industry has already some big players which easily dominate the market supply, it's more crucial for the new entrant to plan strategically for the future.

Ways to Handle a Spoiled Child

Self centered behavior, demands of instant gratification of material wants (not needs), tantrums on failing to get what they want, attention seeking and narcissistic behavior, manipulation by making you, the parents, feel guilty, etc., are some of the characteristic traits of a spoiled child. A spoiled child is the product of overindulgent parents, who assume that money can substitute for their time and attention towards their children, or sometimes you just cannot say, "No!", because you 'love your child so much'! Don't get me wrong though! I know how it can really break your heart, to refuse something to someone you love more than anything else in the whole wide world, and you also have the best intentions at heart, when you buy things for your children. But the problem arises, when the child has not been taught the value of these things, or if these things have been given to him too easily in spite of the child displaying less than satisfactory behavior lately. In such a case, the child begins to take these things for granted, and even begins to expect them for no particular reason, and you end up spoiling your child, which now puts you in a pickle, because you didn't predict/expect this. What you have on your hands is a spoiled child, and you have to deal with this in the best possible way, to avoid guilt trips, fits of anger, tantrums and the like. Here are a few tips to help you.

Keep Your Temper in Check
First and most important, is to keep your temper under control. Shouting at your child is not going to get him to listen to you, and it will simply increase your stress levels. Keep your voice even, and when your child begins to increase his/her voice, firmly tell them to lower their voice. If they refuse to listen to you, do not stand and continue listening to them. Ignore their behavior, and tell them you will listen to them only when they are ready to talk reasonably.

Random Facts about Tree Kangaroo

Many species of tree kangaroos are spotted in the rain forests, mountainous area and even in the lowlands. They are spread over Indonesia, Australia and Papua New Guinea. Tree kangaroos belong to Macropodidae family, that spend their life on trees. These animals are marsupials, who give birth to undeveloped young ones. There are around 12 subspecies of tree kangaroos and each one varies in color, pelage (fur) and size. Of these Grizzled Tree-kangaroo, Ursine Tree-kangaroo, Matschie's Tree-kangaroo, Doria's Tree-kangaroo, Seri's Tree-kangaroo, Goodfellow's Tree-kangaroo, Golden-mantled Tree-kangaroo, Lowlands Tree-kangaroo, Dingiso, Tenkile are from New Guinea and Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo and Bennett's Tree-kangaroo are from Australia. It is believed that the tree kangaroos descend from animals that were similar to kangaroos, wallabies and pademelons. Among the many species of Macropodidae family, some adapted themselves to live on the ground, while some went back to live in the trees.

Tree Kangaroos are typically built for living on trees. These macropods have shorter and wider feet, with longer claws. This allows them to move faster on trees. Tree kangaroos are slow and clumsy and tend to walk awkwardly on ground. Their long tail is heavy and makes balancing difficult, when they come on ground. However, they are agile and fast on trees. They have big hind legs and small forelimbs, which makes climbing easy for them. They also have the ability to jump from one tree to another and their long tail provides a great support while moving around on trees. It is very interesting to learn and understand the amazing adaptations of a Tree Kangaroo. Given below are a few facts of this agile arboreal animal.

Facts about Tree Kangaroo

• Tree Kangaroos are excellent leapers and can jump up to 9m from one tree to another. They can even jump from 18m of height in order to land on the ground.
• It is 4 feet tall and weighs up to 30 pounds.
• Tree Kangaroos have a reddish brown pelage, which has a dark stripe that runs down its back. The ears, stomach and feet are red while the face is pale in appearance.
• The length of the tail is equal to the length of the body. The tail helps to maintain balance while climbing and moving from one tree to other.
• These Kangaroo has a rubbery sole that helps them climb the trees swiftly.
• As this kangaroo specie is even found in lowlands, they are named as lowland tree kangaroos.
• Tree kangaroos are frugivores and herbivores.
• Sap, eggs, grains, flowers, barks are the other favorite food items of Tree Kangaroo.
• Tree kangaroos prefer living alone. They only come together for the purpose of mating.
• The gestation period lasts for 32 days after which the female gives live birth to one joey, which stays in the pouch till it completely develops to be able to survive in the wild.
• The young one takes up to 10-12 months to develop. After it has grown well, it remains close to its mother until it becomes independent.
• Males go on to bond with other females, who are quiet independent themselves. However, females only share a strong bond with their young ones.
• An adult male and female weighs around 15-30 pounds. They live up to 20 years.
• The young ones of the Kangaroo are very playful and stay in the vicinity of their mother.
• The Tree Kangaroos are Australia's largest arboreal animals.
• This specie of macropods, lick themselves to keep themselves cool during the hot whether.
• Among the many Tree Kangaroo species, the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo are threatened while the Dingisco specie has suffered a major decline in their population.

Tree Kangaroos can only survive well on trees, but due to the cutting down of forests and other developments in their habitat area has causing a major decline in Tree Kangaroo species. The Tree Kangaroos are majorly hunted for their meat and fur. As they are slow on ground they often get preyed on by dogs and other animals. Certain conservation programs are working on conservation of Tree Kangaroos and protecting their dwindling population.

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