The term ‘zoo’ is a shortened form of zoological park or zoological garden. It contains different kinds of animals including fun-to-watch but highly dangerous wildlife species such as crocodiles, gorillas and snakes. Aside from being a very good form of recreation and entertainment, such facility also serves a variety of other important purposes. Let’s look at these highly significant functions and know why zoos are important.

The Importance of Zoos

Why are zoos important? The most popular reason for this is recreation. Some people who own such facility use it to entertain guests and visitors. In exchange for this kind of experience, viewers must pay certain amounts of money just to witness all the featured animals from a relatively close but very safe distance. Many individuals find this practice quite relaxing and a very fun experience. Adults usually bring their children with them whenever they go to this kind of place. Furthermore, it is very enjoyable to visit zoos because they bring people closer to a natural environment, which is a very rare thing nowadays considering the impact of urbanization on society in general.

Aside from recreation, people also use this facility as an efficient means of educating people in terms of highly relevant issues like conservation and other ecological concerns. Today, there are educational officers, classrooms and education departments available in order to accomplish these noble aims. People can enroll in special courses or conduct field trips inside this kind of facility. Furthermore, children can also benefit from this because they can familiarize themselves with the different kinds of animal species.

Another good reason for establishing a zoo is research. The practice of using such facility for research started in the nineteenth century. Within a contained and artificial environment, scientists and experts observed the various important aspects of animals including their behaviors, physiology and anatomy. Today, this specific kind of facility is very much important to various kinds of fields including animal psychology, ecology and zoo biology. Moreover, some of the most recent researches focus on conservation breeding as well as ethology.

Lastly, people continue to establish, maintain and develop this kind of facility for the purposes of conservation. Throughout history, a number of contributing factors have led to the extinction of some animal species. To protect endangered animals, scientists simulate a natural setting where animals can live safely while in captivity. Likewise, they can also breed and increase their numbers significantly while they are protected from these harmful factors.

Many people love cats because they serve as excellent human companions. Furthermore, these domesticated animals also help in hunting and controlling the population of unwanted creatures and pests like scorpions, snakes and vermin. Furthermore, these gentle pets have unique behaviors that make them very interesting and endearing to many individuals. In order to understand them better, here is a quick look at their different behaviors including the reason why cats purr.

The Importance of Purring to Cats

Why do cats purr? These loveable and friendly creatures purr for various reasons, the most important of which is for communication. They also do this act when people pet them, putting them in a relaxed state and position. Furthermore, they also do this when eating. According to animal experts, female cats also do such act when giving birth.

Nursing cats also use this kind of sound to communicate with their kittens. When communicating with people, feline creatures usually purr in order to show love and express friendship. Moreover, purring cats are sending people signals that they are not posing any kind of threat.

Aside from the positive meaning of purring, it can also mean something bad for cats. Some studies show that cats create such sound when they are in pain, sick or injured. Worse, this can even serve as a signal that they are about to die.

Additional Information and Other Interesting Facts About Cats

In addition to purring, these creatures also produce other important sounds for the purpose of communication. These include grunting, squeaking and trilling. They also produce other sounds such as growling, hissing and meowing. The typical weight for this kind of animal is somewhere around 2.5 kilograms up to 7 kilograms. In terms of height, the average cat can grow as tall as 23 to 25 centimeters.

Just like many other mammals, the skeletal system of cats is made up of 3 sacral vertebrae, 7 lumbar vertebrae, 13 thoracic vertebrae and 7 cervical vertebrae. Their mouth is powerful, which has the capacity to tear meat and kill their prey. They are also highly sensitive, which provide them edge especially when hunting. Their night vision is extremely good although they have inferior vision at daylight.

Compared to other animals, they tend to sleep more as a means of conserving energy. On a daily basis, they sleep at an average 12 to 16 hours. Their body temperature normally runs at an average 38 to 39 degrees Celsius. They use symbiotic social adaptation in order to interact with people. There are numerous reasons why they fight against each other. Some of the most common reasons include dominance, reproduction and territory. Likewise, they tend to fight for the purpose of self-defense.

To this day, the reasons why China invaded Tibet are still being debated and argued. There are differing opinions and some background information is necessary for forming an opinion.

The British and Chinese Agreement

During the 12th century, Russia and Britain were battling for control of Central Asia. In 1904 the British sent thousands of troops to Tibet. Hundreds, if not thousands of civilians were killed. Shortly afterwards the British took control of the land.

In 1906 Britain and China entered into an agreement. The Chinese agreed to pay Britain 2 million rupees. In exchange London recognized China’s right to annex the country, which they said has always belonged to them anyway. To this day, the reason why China invaded Tibet is its belief that it rightfully belongs to the mainland.

1912 to 49: Independence for Tibet

In 1912 the Dalai Lama, the leader of Tibet, made his return to the country after years in exile. During this period, China was in chaos as the Qing dynasty had collapsed. The few Chinese troops that were stationed in Tibet where easily defeated. The Dalai Lama proclaimed independence.

The Invasion in 1950

In 1949 under Mao Zedong, China launched an invasion of Tibet. On October 1950, the Chinese Army took over the country, starting at Chamdo. A year later the Dalai Lama through his representatives, signed a treaty with the Chinese.

In it they recognized the authority of China over their country. When looking at the reasons why China invaded Tibet, the importance of this agreement (the 17 Point Treaty) cannot be overlooked. While the Chinese say it verifies their claim, the Dalai Lama states that they were forced to sign it.

Tibetan Viewpoint

Since the 1990s, the Dalai Lama has been governing in exile. Along with his supporters they claim that under Chinese rule the local population has been subjected to economic, social and racial inequalities. According to their supporters, over half a million Tibetans have died since the Chinese occupation.

They also pointed out that the entire country is being absorbed into the mainland. The reason why China invaded Tibet was to turn it into a home for its own people. The time will come when Tibet and its culture will disappear as it gets assimilated into he Chinese culture.

Chinese Viewpoint

The People’s Republic of China disputes this claim. The authorities in Beijing say that from 1912 to 1949, the economic situation in the country had deteriorated. What the Chinese Army did was to liberate the people from suffering and inept leadership.

With help from the mainland, the economic and individual status of the people had improved. The government also releases statistics saying GDP figures have risen tremendously since the occupation.

They also point out that workers there are paid high and infrastructure has improved. The Chinese authorities have also stated that they have embarked on a mission to preserve historical sites in the country.

There is no easy answer to the question of why China invaded Tibet. It is bound to provoke passionate and heated responses. To this day, the issue has yet to be settled.

One of the most successful natural gas merchants in North America, Enron Creditors Recovery Corporation was established by Kenneth Lay in 1985 from the merger of big natural gas pipeline firms InterNorth and Houston Natural Gas. The approval of legislation in the U.S. concerning the deregulation of natural gas sale is one of the events that affected the outstanding financial performance of the company in the 1990s. The development of the online business model known as EnronOnline also contributed to the popularity of the company in November 1999. However, stockholders were alarmed by the sudden decision of the firm to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2001.

History of the Company

Why did Enron go bankrupt? There are several reasons for the bankruptcy of the firm. One of the reasons is the faulty and alleged fraudulent financial reports released by the natural gas company since 1997. Arthur Andersen, the firm’s auditor, announced that the profits posted by Enron before the 30th day of June in 2001 were overstated by almost $600 million or 16 per cent. After the release of the official statement of the firm regarding the fraudulent financial activities, its stock value decreased from $83.13 to $0.10.

Another reason for the bankruptcy of Enron is the poor performance of its investments in South America and India. According to the firm, this is caused by several factors like the improving world energy crisis and the alleged declining performance of the Internet broadband market.

The company also blamed its bankruptcy to the irrevocable resignation of CEO Jeffrey Skilling in August 2001. Skilling’s resignation alarmed the shareholders of the firm, which led to the decision of the U.S. Securities and Exchanged to investigate the declining financial performance of Enron in October.

The company reduced Enron’s stockholder profits by $1.2 billion. The move was caused by the losses incurred by the firm from its international subsidiaries, broadband division as well as partnerships with Chewco and LMJ. Days before November 2001, the company fired chief financial officer Andrew Fastow due to the failing and deceptive partnerships with energy firms.

In the mid November 2001, Enron was faced with troubling financial performance when the Securities and Exchange Commission forced the company to pay its debts to stockholders immediately. Because of the declining performance of the firm, Dynegy Inc. did not agree with the proposed merger with Enron. Before 2001 ends, the collapse of the largest energy company in North America was officially announced.

Aspirin is a common term for the salicylate drug called acetylsalicylic acid, which has numerous medical uses. Some people use it as an anti-inflammatory agent, while others use it as antipyretic to lower high body temperature that is commonly associated with fever. Furthermore, it can also be used to relieve individuals from minor pains and aches because it serves as a good analgesic. Here is a look at the various important aspects of this important drug including why old aspirin smells like vinegar.

The Different Components of Aspirin

Why does old aspirin smell like vinegar? The primary reason behind the vinegar-like smell of old aspirin is the presence of acetic acid and salicylic acid, which are yielded when an aspirin undergoes hydrolysis. Moist conditions contribute to its decomposition, especially when people stock it for a very long period. Its acid dissociation constant stands at 3.5 at 25 degrees Celsius.

Additional Details and Other Useful Information About Aspirin

In addition to its aforementioned purposes, physicians also use this medicine as an anti-coagulate or anti-platelet agent. This is probably the reason why the low-dose long-term use of this drug can eventually limit the possibility of certain individuals to have blot clot formation, strokes and heart attacks. Cardiologists even use it immediately on patients who have recent heart attacks in order to lower the risk of cardiac tissue death as well as to prevent another attack.

Just like other medicines, this drug has several undesirable side effects. When people take it on higher doses, there is a possibility for them to develop tinnitus, stomach bleeding and gastrointestinal ulcers. Add to that, it must never be used to treat viral illnesses such as chickenpox and flu-like symptoms because it can somehow lead to the development of a fatal disease called Reye’s syndrome.

This useful medicine can be classified under the label NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Annually, people consume approximately about 40,000 metric tons of aspirin worldwide. Throughout the years, this drug has been proven safe and effective for treating mild to moderate levels of pain such as fever and migraines. When used in relatively high doses, it can be effective against inflammatory joint conditions such as rheumatic arthritis and rheumatic fever.

In some other cases, aspirin can help a lot in treating various kinds of diseases like acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease as well as pericarditis. Today, its use is not only limited to humans. Instead, veterinarians also use it to treat dogs of arthritis and pain.