Are the united nations peace operations an appropriate tool for Essay

Are the united nations peace operations an appropriate tool for preventing the abuse of human rights during violent internal conflicts - Essay Example What is the meaning of people who are not combatants? which kind of protection is available in times of civil wars?. To answer these questions, it is wise if one understood why United Nations Peace Operations were put into place. The first step towards this is to understand the term peace operations. As such, it is a broad term in regard to its scope. It covers operations associated with peacekeeping as well as operations designed purposely to enforce peace. Such operations are usually conducted such that they support the efforts of the diplomats aimed towards peace maintenance. To be precise, the term is constituted of; peace building, peacemaking and peace enforcement (Solis 2010). The following discussion thereby, will critical evaluate the role that the law plays in situations of armed conflicts and further, it will illustrate how law gives guidelines on the conducts associated with hostility as well how it mitigates the fatal ends following the armed conflicts. Moreover, it will demonstrate how the law provide protection to civilians not only in international conflicts but also to non-international conflicts. In most cases, the main organization mandated to establish and implement peace operations is the United Nations. In regards to the last six years, the UN peace operations has gone through evolvement and thus lately integrated to the most important and main tool by which the international community uses to manage those crises that can be said to be complex and which pose as a threat to global security as well as peace (Solis 2010). The beginning of the new millennium saw the number of police, military and the civilian recruited in the peace keeping operation of the United Nations across the world adding up to the existing ones to exceptional levels. United Nations is a vital and efficient organization in dealing with the contemporary issues. It deals with issues such as; cease-fires, where they are called upon to monitor; Political

Occupational Therapist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Occupational Therapist - Essay Example Education: The child has lower participation levels in education, especially school activities, with a reduced academic achievement plus attention. Thus, he is at a higher threat of experiencing learning difficulties since his aversive-evasion sensory behaviors produces lower grades in most of his school function, like spelling, reading, or writing. Social participation: His loneliness and social dissatisfaction can be attributed to his deficits in physical coordination. His minimal physical skill or coordination has exposed him to increased social isolation, particularly in natural environments like school playground Minimal participation in school tasks and this can be due to his developmental delays and aversive-avoidance behaviors. In particular, his poor hand preference is a result of loss of his cognitive functions, along with gross and fine motor deficits (Poulsen, Ziviani, Cuskelly, & Smith, 2007). Child is from culturally and linguistically diverse family, and the family is reluctant to have their son identified as having autism. Family feels that their son has been cursed and they lack confidence to discern what questions to ask. The child speaks repetitively while avoiding eye contact, and displaying hyperactivity behaviors, like self-injurious behaviour. The boy has recurrent negative outbursts coupled with odd comments plus crying fits. He lacks social skills along with social cognition notable by his lack of emotion recognition, such as facial recognition or gestures. He also lacks interest or rendezvous with others, and he has not developed normal relationships with his peers due to difficulty in discerning others perspectives. He experiences temper tantrums with aggression, when there are adjustments in daily routine and environment. He has major problems when processing time and does not perform well when the instructions are not accessible within the movement setting. Even though he has weak

Hip Fracture Treatment in Older Patients

Hip Fracture Treatment in Older Patients 1.1 Background Hip (neck of femur) fractures are a common, serious and well-defined injury affecting mainly older people. As global populations age, projections for hip fracture numbers over the coming decades will rise. Delays to surgery are associated with increased post-operative complications, prolonged recovery and length of stay (LOS), and with increased morbidity and mortality (Trpeski, Kaftandziev, and Kjaev, 2013). In addition, the cost burden of hip fractures is substantial. The process of caring for people with hip fractures is complex, long, and involves several diagnostic, therapeutic and administrative activities. These activities occur in AE and orthopaedic departments, operating theatres, and in the community. They involve a range of health professionals and support staff. When this coordination fails, patients may suffer from avoidable delays and suffering. In the United Kingdom (UK), the bed occupancy rate for hip fractures was more than 1.5 million days, which represent 20% of th e total orthopaedic beds (Compston et al., 2009). The lifetime risk of sustaining a hip fracture in the UK from age 50 is around 11% for women and 3% for men (Van Staa et al., 2001). Many of those who recover suffer a loss in mobility and independence: approximately half of those previously independent become partly dependent, while one-third become totally dependent (Myers et al., 1996). 1.2 Current Process Watford General Hospital (WAT) treat 450 patients for hip fractures every year. Hip fractures are one of the most common complex trauma problems orthopaedic surgeons face. Patients are often seriously ill, elderly and frail, which can result in poor outcomes. Hip fractures generally result from a fall, patients present at AE where imaging tests are used to make a diagnosis and pain medication is administered (Appendix A). When possible, patients are moved from the emergency department to a ward. Ideally, patients will have surgery within 72 hours of arrival at hospital, provided they are in a stable condition. A pre-operative assessment is carried out to establish the patients overall health to make sure they are ready for surgery. They also have an anaesthetic assessment. Two main types of anaesthesia are used: general anaesthetic and spinal or epidural anaesthesia. A team of healthcare professionals will perform the surgery, including an orthopaedic surgeon. The National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) produce an annual report that includes an analysis of 30-day mortality rates for hip fracture patients who are over 60 years old within the UK. WAT were alerted by the NHFD that they were an outlier, with 12% mortality over 3 years. In the UK the overall mortality rate within 30 days of hip fracture in 2014 was 7.5%   (Johansen, 2016). High mortality rates are a signal to hospitals that they should investigate to identify and resolve quality issues. Figure 1Funnel Plot of Crude and Adjusted Mortality Rates 2014 (Source: Johansen, 2016) Effective strategies are needed to reduce the burden on healthcare providers and to improve patient quality of life and outcomes after a hip fracture. Staff at WAT want to develop an action plan to analyse performance and instigate improvement programmes. This included questioning what elements of care could have been delivered better to ensure that high-quality care is delivered throughout the patients treatment, to improve 30-day mortality rates and functional outcomes for patients. 1.3 Perceived Issues with the Current Process In the present study, the incidence and mortality and functional outcomes in hip fracture patients was studied. The relationships between admission and treatment times, pain management drugs and anaesthesia, and their effect on the patients length of stay (LOS) in hospital were assessed and the following issues were found: Admission time from AE to treatment is high High level of opiate usage to manage pain Routine use of general anaesthesia 1.4 Value Adding Activities Admission to surgery times Pain management Days spent in hospital 1.5 Scope Older people with hip fractures aged 60 or over are in scope for this project.       1.6 Problem Statement 30-day mortality rates for older hip fracture patients at Watford General Hospital have been 12% for 3 consecutive years, 4.5% higher than the national average (NHFD). 1.7 Goal Statement Reduce 30-day mortality rates in older hip fracture patients to 8.5% by the end of June 2017. 2.1 Process Map Figure 2 Process Map 2.2 Process Narrative      Ã‚   The person arrives at the AE department by ambulance or car. The triage nurse assesses the patients condition. Patients are classified by severity of injury (red, yellow, or green). Patients presenting with suspected hip fractures are commonly assigned a yellow classification, which indicates an emergency but not of a life-threatening nature. An AE doctor or nurse checks the patients vital signs, records their pre-fall health condition, and administers pain medication (generally opiates). Subsequently, in consultation with an AE doctor (if available), several basic tests (blood tests) and X-rays (hip and often chest) are ordered and performed. The patient is transferred to the radiology department for x-ray. The AE doctor or nurse then reviews the test results. If a hip fracture is diagnosed, the patient is deemed admissible and an intravenous (IV) drip is started. The patient is transferred to the orthopaedic ward for admission when a bed becomes available. Admission times are curre ntly 13.4 hours. On admittance to the orthopaedic ward an orthopaedic surgeon will review the test results. If the patient is deemed suitable for treatment the medical assessment team will assess if the patient has any existing medical issues that may affect treatment. If pre-existing medical conditions with the potential to affect treatment are found patients are referred to palliative care and discharged. If no pre-existing conditions are found patients are assessed by the anaesthesia team. Patients deemed suitable for surgery are placed on the trauma list, surgery generally takes place within 72 hours. Patients deemed unsuitable are referred to palliative care and discharged. Patients go to theatre, they are anesthetised using general anaesthetic and receive surgery. They are subsequently transferred back to the orthopaedic ward for ward-based management. Patients are discharged once they are mobile. 2.3 Identification of Problems, Weaknesses, and Change Areas High level of opiate use by AE staff for pain management Admission times of 13.4 hours Surgery wait times of up to 58.6 hours Routine use of general anaesthetic in surgery 3.1 Key Strategic Elements for Improvement Patients with hip fractures often require complex and challenging care, this is provided by a number of professionals in several departments, crossing a number of service boundaries. These patients are often frail, and their outcomes depend on how effectively their care pathway is managed. Pain management medications, avoidable delays, anaesthesia choices and post-operative care affect functional outcomes and mortality. The key strategic elements towards improving outcomes for older hip fracture patients are: Reducing morbidity and mortality rates Achieving better functional outcomes for patients Increasing discharge rates to original place of residence Increased value from the healthcare budget They can be achieved by: Altering pain management practices Altering anaesthetic management Reducing admission and treatment times 3.1.1 Pain Management Despite recent advances in the care of hip fracture patients, significant morbidity and mortality persists. Some of this is attributable to the pain medication administered in hospital. Opiates are the preferred pain management drug at WAT currently (Appendix A). Opiate use can cause nausea, constipation, and confusion (delirium) in the older patients (Coruhlu and Pehlivan, 2016). Effective pain management is a primary goal in hip fracture treatment. Research suggests fascia iliaca compartment blocks (FIB) is an alternative for pain management in hip fractures. Intravenous opioid therapy is used frequently (Appendix A). However, opioid side effects, such as nausea, vomiting and delirium, are common. Regional analgesic techniques have been shown to provide similar analgesia to opioids. FIB is reported to effectively block cutaneous lateral femoral and femoral nerves in adults (Nie et al., 2015). Studies have suggested superior analgesic effect with pre-operative FIB. They provided superior analgesia to intramuscular morphine in a randomised controlled trial of hip fracture patients (Callear et al., 2016). FIB is a safe and simple technique that can be administered by junior doctors and specialist nurses with training (Hanna et al., 2014). FIB administered in AE provided significant decreases in pain when compared to opiates. Post block analgesic requirements for patients in the FIB group were minimal. A study conducted by Callear and Shah (2016) concluded that a single dose of FIB given in the pre-operative period significantly reduced the post-operative and total analgesic requirements in the hip fracture patient. Patients also experience lower rates of delirium and were discharged faster. This reduces the cost of providing inpatient hospital beds and improves quality of life for older patients. 3.1.2 Anaesthetic Management Anaesthetists have an essential role in the preoperative, operative and postoperative management of hip fracture patients. Complications arising from anaesthesia in hip fracture surgery is influenced not only by the type of anaesthetic used, but also by patient comorbidities and the delays between admission and surgery. Approximately 25% of hip fracture patients display at least one episode of cognitive dysfunction during hospitalisation (Heyburn et al., 2012). A systematic review published by SIGN (2009), suggests that the use of spinal anaesthesia may reduce the incidence of postoperative confusion. 3.1.3 Time to Surgery At present admission times are 13.4 hours (NHFD statistics show the national average is 9.3 hours) and surgery wait times are 58.6 hours. Current guidelines recommend surgery to be carried out within 24 hours of injury (BOA, 2014). Observational studies suggest better functional outcomes, shorter hospital stays, duration of pain, and lower rates of complications and mortality are achieved by performing surgery earlier. Pre-operative delays increase mortality and, in those who survive, prolongs post-operative stay. For every additional 8 h delay to surgery after the initial 48 h, an extra day in hospital results (Colais et al., 2015). Currently WAT fall far short of the ideal to provide optimal care for hip fracture patients. 3.1.4 Multidisciplinary Approach The management of hip fractures requires complex, connected care from presentation at AE, through all departments. A study of 116 patients found that dedicated nurse specialists are effective at fast-tracking hip fracture patients to surgery by securing hospital beds, organising care, operating theatre lists and acting as a liaison with all other relevant departments (Larsson and Holgers, 2011). Many published guidelines recommend a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of hip fractures, in addition to, a good care environment to promote best outcomes. The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN, 2009), the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2013), and the British Orthopaedic Association in cooperation with the British Geriatric Society (BOA, 2014), have all produced guidelines supporting a multidisciplinary team approach to deal with hip fractures in older people. Figure 3 Multidisciplinary Team (Source: Orthopaedics and Trauma) Rieman and Hutichson, (2016) It is recognised that a team approach with excellent communication between all the members is essential. The multidisciplinary team looking after hip fracture patients is large (Figure 2), and each role is important in the jigsaw of care. 3.1.5 Clinical Pathway Clinical pathways should be used to aid the multidisciplinary team. They provide a description of the expected interventions and outcomes throughout the patient journey following a hip fracture. The use of clinical pathways ensures everyone knows the next step in the process and this minimises unnecessary variations in practice (Chudyk et al., 2009). A study of 1193 older hip fracture patients conducted at 6 hospitals in the Limburg trauma region of the Netherlands concluded that the use of a multidisciplinary clinical pathways (MCP) for patients with hip fractures tends to be more effective than usual care (UC). Time to surgery was significantly shorter in the MCP group when compared to the UC group. The mean length of stay was 10 versus 12 days. In addition, the MCP group had significantly lower rates of postoperative complications (Kalmet et al., 2016). 3.2 Proposed Strategy Establish a designated Hip Fracture Unit within the main orthopaedic unit. Appoint a multi-disciplinary team to be based on the ward comprised of: Physio /Occupational Therapist Orthopaedic /Orthogeriatric Doctor Specialist Hip Fracture Nurse Nursing staff Establish a Hip Fracture Pathway. Establish a protocol-driven, fast-track admission of patients with hip fractures through AE AE bleep specialist hip fracture nurse FIB administered by nurse for pain management and patient centred care Patients are admitted to the hip fracture ward within 6 hours Appropriate, medically fit patients receive surgery within 24 hours Use of spinal anaesthesia when appropriate Continuous tracking/live data systems that regularly update patient and logistical data may improve management by identifying patients location, delays in treatment and relevant clinical information. 3.3 Potential Process Improvement Tools 3.3.1 Continuous Quality Improvement Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is a quality management tool that encourages all members of the health care team to continuously ask, How are we doing? and Can we do it better? (Edwards et al., 2008). It focuses on improvement for the patient and the practice by asking questions like, can we do things more efficiently? Can we be more effective? Can we do it faster? CQI uses a structured planning approach to evaluate the current processes and improve those processes to achieve the desired outcomes. Tools commonly used in CQI help team members identify the desired clinical or administrative outcome and the evaluation strategies that enable the team to determine if they are achieving that outcome. The team can adjust the CQI plan based on continuous monitoring of progress through an adaptive, real-time feedback loop (NLC, 2013). A CQI approach can help improve patient care. There is a strong link between organisations with explicit CQI strategies and high performance (Levin, 2016). Figure 4 CQI Framework Model (Adapted from NLC) Structure examines the characteristics of resources, staff and consultants, physical space, and financial resources. Process -   the activities, workflows, or tasks carried out to achieve an output/outcome. Output the immediate predecessor to a change in the patients status. Not all outputs are clinical e.g. business or efficiency goals. Outcome the end result of care. Can be change in the patients current and future health status. Feedback Loop represents its cyclical, iterative nature. 3.3.2 Lean Management Lean is a process improvement method developed by Toyota in the 1950s. Lean management principles have been used in manufacturing for many years, however, these principles can be used in healthcare too. According to Womack and Jones, there are five key lean principles: value, value stream, flow, pull, and perfection. Lean drives out waste so that all work adds value from a customer perspective. Lean thinking focuses on how efficiently resources are being used, it looks at each step in the process and asks what value is being produced? Value from a patients perspective can be defined as timeliness of treatment, reduced stress, or better functional outcomes. The NHS defines value as anything that helps treat the patient. Everything else is waste (Jones and Mitchell,2006). Figure 5 Lean Principles Identify customer value in healthcare value is any activity that improves the patients health. Manage the value stream the value stream is the patients journey. Identify process that deliver value to patients. Create Flow align processes to facilitate the smooth flow of patients and information Establish Pull provide care on demand and utilising resources effectively. Seek Perfection optimise the process through continued development and adjustment to meet patients needs. Optimal delivery of high-quality care to reduce mortality in hip fracture patients is an achievable goal. There are numerous opportunities to enhance the quality of care: reduced length of stay, reduced institutionalisation, reduced mortality and better functional outcomes for patients. Better quality care minimises treatment delay, promotes recovery and facilitates a speedier discharge. Cost and quality are not in conflict providing high quality hip fracture treatment is a lot cheaper than poor quality treatment. Lean inspired and clinical pathway related process improvement efforts make inconsistent and inefficient practices in health care more visible. The implementation and adherence to evidence based standards will considerably improve the care and management of older patients with hip fractures, this will result in significantly improved outcomes for patients and the healthcare system. 5.1 Appendix A References       BOA (2014) BOA standards for trauma (bOASTs). Available at: http://www.boa.ac.uk/publications/boa-standards-trauma-boasts/ (Accessed: 5 December 2016). Callear, J., Shah, K., Hospital, J.R. and Oxford (2016) Analgesia in hip fractures. Do fascia-iliac blocks make any difference?, BMJ Quality Improvement Reports, 5(1), pp. 210130-4147. doi: 10.1136/bmjquality.u210130.w4147. Chudyk, A., Jutai, J., Petrella, R. and Speechley, M. (2009) Systematic review of hip fracture rehabilitation practices in the elderly, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation., 90(2), pp. 246-62. Colais, P., Di Martino, M., Fusco, D., Perucci, C.A. and Davoli, M. (2015) The effect of early surgery after hip fracture on 1-year mortality, BMC Geriatrics, 15(1). doi: 10.1186/s12877-015-0140-y. Compston, J. (2009) Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and men from the age of 50 years in the UK, Maturitas., 62(2), pp. 105-8. Coruhlu, O. and Pehlivan, S. (2016) Worst pills. Available at: http://www.worstpills.org/includes/page.cfm?op_id=459 (Accessed: 5 December 2016). Edwards, P., Huang, D., Metcalfe, L. and Sainfort, F. (2008) Maximizing your investment in EHR. Utilizing EHRs to inform continuous quality improvement., JHIM, 22(1), pp. 7-12. Hanna, L., Gulati, A., Graham, A. and Corporation, H.P. (2014) The role of Fascia Iliaca blocks in hip fractures: A prospective case-control study and feasibility assessment of a junior-doctor-delivered service, International Scholarly Research Notices, 2014. doi: 10.1155/2014/191306. Heyburn, J., Holloway, G., Leaper, E., Parker, M., Ridegway, S., White, S., Wiese, M. and Wilson, i (2012) Management of proximal femoral fractures 2011, Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland, 67(1), pp. 85-98. Jones, D. and Mitchell, A. (2006) Lean thinking for the NHS. Available at: http://www.nhsconfed.org/~/media/Confederation/Files/Publications/Documents/Lean%20thinking%20for%20the%20NHS.pdf (Accessed: 11 December 2016). Kalmet, P.S.H., Koc, B.B., Hemmes, B. and ten Broeke, R.H.M. (2016) Effectiveness of a Multidisciplinary Clinical Pathway for Elderly Patients With Hip Fracture: A Multicenter Comparative Cohort Study, Geriatric Orthopaedic Surgery Rehabilitation, 7(2), pp. 81-85. Levin, D. (2016) Using continuous quality improvement to improve patient experience. Available at: http://bivarus.com/using-continuous-quality-improvement-improve-patient-experience/ (Accessed: 7 December 2016). Myers, A.H., Palmer, M.H., Engel, B.T., Warrenfeltz, D.J. and Parker, J.A. (1996) Mobility in older patients with hip fractures: Examining Pre: Journal of Orthopaedic trauma, Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma, 10(2), pp. 99-107. NICE (2013) Falls in older people: Assessing risk and prevention. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg161 (Accessed: 5 December 2016). Nie, H., Yang, Y.-X., Wang, Y., Liu, Y., Zhao, B. and Luan, B. (2015) Effects of continuous fascia iliaca compartment blocks for postoperative analgesia in patients with hip fracture, 20(4). NLC (2013) Continuous quality improvement (CQI) strategies to optimize your practice Primer provided by. Available at: https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/nlc_continuousqualityimprovementprimer.pdf (Accessed: 7 December 2016). Rieman, A.H.K. and Hutichson, J.D. (2016) The multidisciplinary management of hip fractures in older patients. Available at: http://www.orthopaedicsandtraumajournal.co.uk/article/S1877-1327(16)30025-2/fulltext (Accessed: 5 December 2016). Scottish intercollegiate guidelines network part of NHS quality improvement Scotland SIGN management of hip fracture in older people (2009) Available at: http://www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign111.pdf (Accessed: 5 December 2016). Simunovic, N., Devereaux, P. and Bhandari, M. (2011) Surgery for hip fractures: Does surgical delay affect outcomes?, 45(1). Trpeski, S., Kaftandziev, I. and Kjaev, A. (2013a) Fast-track care for patients with suspected hip fracture. Available at: http://www.injuryjournal.com/article/S0020-1383(11)00002-7/fulltext (Accessed: 10 December 2016). Trpeski, S., Kaftandziev, I. and Kjaev, A. (2013b) The effects of time-to-surgery on mortality in elderly patients following hip fractures, Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)., 34(2), pp. 115-21. Van Staa, T.P., Dennison, E.M., Leufkens, H. and Cooper, C. (2001) Epidemiology of fractures in England and Wales. Available at: http://www.thebonejournal.com/article/S8756-3282(01)00614-7/fulltext (Accessed: 5 December 2016). Verhelst, J., Dawson, I., Paul T. P. W. Burgers, Esther M. M. Van Lieshout and Piet A. R. de Rijcke (2013) Implementing a clinical pathway for hip fractures; effects on hospital length of stay and complication rates in five hundred and twenty six patients, 38(5).

Anesthetics :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every thing in life has a question, every question in life has an answer, and every answer in life has a reason. My question is, why be an anesthesiologist? Well why be anything, why be parents, why be young, why is the world getting more and more violent. Because we want to be, we have to be, and that's just where the world is taking us. I want to help people I want to make a difference in the way that people feel. I could very easily be a psychologist but it takes one to know one and I don't want to do that. Being a doctor I have the chance to help people of all ages and I won’t be compromising my physical and mental health.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Going into surgery knocked out by an anesthetic is like stepping on to an airplane, because you are temporarily putting your life into what you hope are trained professionals. Anesthesia has revolutionized the way we look at surgery. Hundreds of new, better and safer anesthetics have been introduced in the past 40 years. Just think of how it would be to be one of the doctors to bring one those new advances into the world. How many millions of people would you be helping?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Science is rapidly growing in the medical field every day their is a new discovery of a drug, or a procedure that works better than the old, so their for to be a part of the advancing age would be more gratifying than many other things that I can think of. An estimated 15 million people undergo anesthesia each year with only the rarest of complications. The most interesting thing about this miracle is that their is not a person on the face of this earth that can tell you what it is about the drugs we use that makes them do what they do. We don't even know how they work, or understand how they work. Yes this is a very scary thing but just think of the rewards and benefits that you could have if you could come with the answer to all those questions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fact is, is that we don't know any more now about anesthetics now than we did 150 years ago when we first started using them. Like many revolutions in medicine, anesthesia was first discovered by chance in the early 1900’s.

How the Writers Shape or Craft Each Text to Meet the Expectations

Examine how the writers shape or craft each text to meet the expectations of their respective audience, purpose and context Excerpt from Weblog and extract from Vernon God Little by DCB Pierre Text B is in the form of a blog, which is an online diary updated regularly by its author. Text C is an extract from the novel Vernon God Little by DCB Pierre. Both authors target a young adult audience through use of a casual tone to engage the reader and gain empathetic response. The weblog writer uses colloquialisms such as ‘gutted’, and elision; ‘Whatcha’DCB Pierre engages a young audience through use of a teenage protagonist. The weblog starts in medea res with use of the discourse marker ‘So after another†¦ ’ creating an informal ambience. This also suggests that the audience are regular readers of this particular blog, as they are expected to understand what the conversation is referring back to. The writer uses contractions; ‘Isn’ t’ which reassures the informal tone. A similar tone is used in Vernon God Little, as the protagonist directly addresses the reader throughout; ‘You’d remember Clarence somebody’. nd uses the present tense to further engage the reader; ‘I sit waiting†¦ ’ The weblog writer uses parenthesis to convey to the reader a further thought on the previous statement; ‘On the plus side (a very small plus size)’ This further engages the reader and makes them feel as though they are directly involved with the writer. The main purpose of both texts is to entertain, however both also inform the reader of the protagonist’s current situation; the weblog writer has just received news informing them that they have not been successful in a job application.JCB Pierre’s protagonist is currently in prison; ‘I sit waiting between shafts of light from a row of doorways†¦ looks like I’m the only one they rounded up so fa r’ This suggests that perhaps the protagonist is innocent, or there were more people involved in the crime as he is evidently waiting for them to be arrested. The context of the weblog is that the writer has recently received a job rejection and is reaching out to his readers to gain perhaps sympathy and empathy from them.The writer uses language such as; ‘Back at square one’ Emphasising to the reader that they are disheartened by the rejection. The simile, ‘Like a punch in the stomach’ reiterates the sadness the writer is feeling and the intention was to possibly gain a sympathetic response from readers to help him feel better about himself. The context of the novel extract is that a fifteen year old Texan boy (the protagonist) has been arrested and is recalling a man who was previously arrested for a similar crime.It contains slight sarcasm or black humour, as the protagonist mentions the news coverage of the man mentioned previously, lacking any d etails of the crime he committed; ‘The news said how little he cares about the effects of his crimes. By ‘effects’ I think they meant axe-wounds. ’ This sarcastic humour entertains the reader whilst informing them of events prior to the arrest of the main voice in this story. The narrator’s final sentence is almost foreboding, as he states; ‘They sentenced him to death. ’

Politics in Modern Film (V for Vendetta)

The film I focused on for this essay, V for Vendetta, was filmed and produced in 2006 by Warner Brothers. The plot of the film circulates around a mysterious and charismatic masked freedom fighter being hunted down by the totalitarian British government in the near future. Although his full identity is kept a mystery throughout the film, audiences learn he was a victim of a cruel scientific experiment involving â€Å"unwanted† British citizens and hormonal drugs.He spends decades planning out his revenge on those involved. While making preparations for both his revenge and a nation-wide revolution, the character known only as V has a run-in with a young woman working for the broadcasting station he later taking hostage. The day he takes the station hostage, the woman named Evey recognizes him as the same man who rescued her one night from crooked British patrolmen prowling the streets. Evey comes to his aid as V is almost caught and she is knocked unconscious in the process.Th e rest of the film leads audiences into the ever-thickening plot as a detective investigates and attempts to track down the â€Å"terrorist† only to discover an even more sinister power behind the deaths of thousands of British citizens: their own government. Putting this film into a category based on its intended audience was a challenge. The film expresses values both of the mass and subgroup categories. The values shown are ones that indirectly praise American government for its constitutional rights of religion, press and speech, but it also promotes ideas of anarchy.Although both views have their strong arguing points in the film, I believe this film expressed more mass values. This is because the criteria for subgroup values demands that the public must be largely portrayed as being stupid and counter-active to the goal at hand. However, in this film, V must rely solely on the public‘s participation in order to carry through his vision of freedom. In a televised s peech to the populace, V makes claims that have resounding similarities to our Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Fairness, justice and freedom are more than words. They are prospectives. † He says. This is, in my mind, one of the most profound quotes in the film, behind his other statement that †people should not be afraid of their governments; governments should be afraid of their people. † The timing of the film and its statements on war point directly to America’s involvement in the war on terror and to President George Bush. The movie was filmed in 2005, only two years after the official war in Iraq was launched.The High Chancellor in the film, Adam Suttler, is described as being an ultra-conservative man with no understanding of political process. This parallel seems to encourage a commonly debated political theme pointed out in the White House by Americans opposed to the invasion and the war overseas. The film even makes a blatant statement about America being in an on-going war that deprived it of its wealth and resources. A line reads: â€Å"They were a country who had everything, absolutely everything; and now, 20 years later is what?The world’s biggest leaper colony. † There are still many Americans today who have strong aversion to the presence of American military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. â€Å"The Voice of England†, the a man revered as the biggest spokesperson in the English broadcasting sector, delivers a line in the film as he goes down the list of people unwanted and banished from the country’s boarders. This list, in addition to teens with sexually transmitted diseases and homosexuals, names Muslims specifically.In 2005, there was still unease in America about Muslim-Americans and risks they might pose to national security, much like the unrest about American-Japanese citizens that marked the time after the onset of World War II. Detective Finch, the detective working the V case to track him down before the revolutionary date, has a discussion with his partner after unearthing facts about the government. â€Å"If your government was responsible for the deaths of almost a hundred thousand people, would you really want to know? This observation has striking similarity to theories voiced by a small portion of society who claim the attacks on the World Trade Center were carried out by our own government. The number 5 is a common theme in the film: the number of V’s cell in the concentration camp, the fifth of November being the date of the revolution, and the number of branches to the British government [they call the branches the nose, eyes, finger, ear and mouth]. This is also the number of branches of our military: The Army, the Marine Corps, the Navy, the Air force and Homeland Security Coast Guard.Whether or not this parallel is intentional, it is one I noticed. A blacklist is also mentioned in the film after Chancellor Suttler demands the 1812 Overture, which played during the Old Bailey Statue’s explosion, be added to the back list so he may â€Å"never hear it again. † This is the only Cold War reference in the film which tells me is was intended to be a more general statement about government censorship and control of information made available to the public.One political, or even social, statement made in the film that I agree with is Finch’s statement about how this †terrorist† still has human emotions, shown by his taking and protection of Evey after she rescues him. I believe one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter and people will always be at odds with each other. It is important to remember that even the most violent people do have passions and concerns. When one fights that hard for something, it obviously means a great deal to them. People are quick to forget about the humanity element in wars.During the investigation, Finch and his partner watch V on a video monitor as he stands over Evey’s unconscious body. Finch’s partner says, â€Å"He’s a terrorist. You can’t expect him to act like you or me. † Finch, who sees that V took the girl to protect her out of compassion, responds with â€Å"some part of him is human†. Another statement made that I agreed with was one that also amused me. Detective Finch is searching for records of the concentration camp that supposedly imprisoned V years ago, but has little luck finding any.He says, â€Å"One thing is true of all governments; the most reliable records are tax records. † Isn’t that true? This movie used many effective avenues of media to reach its audience. It included and alluded to several other pieces of literature and music within the film itself, which was a very clever device used to influence audience members to explore those hints individually. Literature seen in the film like â€Å"The Count of Mote Cristo† and the theatrical play â€Å"Faust† may also hold clues to political statements made even more subliminally in the film if evaluated within the context.

Common English Sports Idioms for ESL Learners

Common English Sports Idioms for ESL Learners Have you ever read an article in Newsweek or Time magazine? If you have, I am sure that you noticed what an important role sporting events play in the creation of idiomatic language in American English. It is quite common to read statements like, President Clinton informed reporters that he felt his environmental program was in the home stretch and that he had hit a home run with his appointment of Mr. X as the ambassador to Y. This language can confuse speakers of English as a second language. Therefore, this feature concerns such language because of the importance it plays in everyday usage in both spoken, and written English in the United States. Below is a fictional conversation chock full of (idiomcontaining many examples of) idioms taken from sporting events. In the repeat of the conversation, the idioms are highlighted and explained. Closing a Deal (In a typical office somewhere in New York) Bob: Well, is Trevisos going to play ball or are we going to strike out on this deal?Pete: The latest locker talk is that our game plan is a real contender for the contract.Bob: Yeah, the other team has two strikes against it after they fumbled last week.Pete: They had a great chance of scoring but I think Trevisos thought they werent up to scratch on some of the details.Bob: They pretty much put themselves into a no win situation by stalling for time on the figures from Smiths and Co. If we can get to home at the next meeting I think that we should be able to take the ball and run.Pete: If our numbers are right, we should be able to call the shots from here.Bob: We just need to jockey ourselves into position to close the deal.Pete: Make sure that you take along your team players next week. I want to be sure that everyone is playing with a full deck and that everyone can field any question asked.Bob. Ill take Shirley and Harry along. They are no second stringers, they can present the ballpark figures and then I will bring it on home. Pete: Great, good luck with the pitch! It seems almost impossible to understand if you dont understand sports idioms! However, these and other idioms are common in daily usage. It is well worth your time to learn these idioms, especially if you work or live with Americans. Now, let me help you with the above passage. Each idiom is explained in its sports context, and in its idiomatic usage in everyday language. Bob: Well, is Trevisos going to play ball (baseball-play a game, idiom-do business with) or are we going to strike out (baseball-go out, idiom-fail) on this deal (idiom-contract)?Pete: The latest locker talk (general sports-talk among the players, idiom-gossip, rumors) is that our game plan (American football-plan which plays to make, idiom-plan of action) is a real contender (boxing- very possible winner, idiom-person with a good chance of success) for the contract.Bob: Yeah, the other team has two strikes against it (baseball-one step from going out or loosing, idiom-close to not succeeding) after they fumbled (American football-lose possession of the ball, idiom-make a serious mistake) last week.Pete: They had a great chance of scoring (any sport-to make a point, idiom-to succeed) but I think Trevisos thought they werent up to scratch (horseracing-not capable of winning, idiom-not having the right qualities) on some of the details.Bob: They pretty much put themselves into a no-win situation (baseball-impossible to win, idiom-impossible to succeed) by stalling for time (American football-to delay the game, idiom-to delay information or a decision) on the figures from Smiths and Co. If we can get to home (baseball-score a run, idiom-complete the desired action) at the next meeting I think that we should be able to take the ball and run (American football-continue to go forward, usually a long distance, idiom-continue in the right direction). Pete: If our numbers are right, we should be able to call the shots (basketball-to decide who shoots, idiom-to make the decisions) from here.Bob: We just need to jockey ourselves into position (horseracing-put yourself into a good position to win the race, idiom-to move into position to succeed) to close the deal.Pete: Make sure that you take along your team players (general sports players who work together with other players, idiom-people who work together with other staff) next week. I want to be sure that everyone is playing with a full deck (cards-having all the necessary cards, idiom-having the correct mental abilities, not stupid) and that everyone can field (baseball-to stop a hit ball, idiom-to handle or deal with) any question asked.Bob. Ill take Shirley and Harry along. They are no second stringers (team sports-second class members of the team, idiom-less important workers), they can present the ballpark figures (baseball-the place where the game is played idiom-general fin ancial numbers) and then I will bring it on home (baseball-to score a run, idiom-to finish with success) Pete: Great, good luck with the pitch (baseball-to throw the ball to the batter, idiom-to present the subject)! For more work on vocabulary related to sports visit: Verbs Used with SportsEquipment Used with SportsPlaces Used with SportsMeasurements Used with Sports

Research Concerning the Most Essential Layette Items and Equipment needed for a New Born Baby Essays

Research Concerning the Most Essential Layette Items and Equipment needed for a New Born Baby Essays Research Concerning the Most Essential Layette Items and Equipment needed for a New Born Baby Essay Research Concerning the Most Essential Layette Items and Equipment needed for a New Born Baby Essay spend much time in it* Where to be stored /folding up* Outings /foot, car, public transport* Combined pram pushchair required* Needed for one baby or two* Good suspension important /comfy ride* Swivel front wheels /easy pushing* Should seat be detachable /use as a car seat or baby seat* Family budget /new or second handBottles* Need a wide neck for easy cleaning* Made of clear material so you can check it is clean inside* Graduated measurements on the sides in millimetres or fluid ounces* A cap to keep the teat clean* must be designed so the teat can be placed upside down in bottle for storage or travelling* Sealing disc included so it can be placed in the bottle to prevent spilling of milk.Teat* Hole should be just right. Too big the baby could choke on the milk. Too small the baby could get wind because they swallow air.* Must be checked before every feedSteriliser* A bottle brush must be used to clean the bottle before han d then rinse* Steriliser must be big enough for bottle sizeConvenient and easy to use. Electrical cycle takes all equipment and takes 10 15 minutesBuying Equipment: The Consumer LawThe sale and supply of goods act 1994 gives customers (consumers of goods and services) certain rights. Any goods, which you buy, must be:* Of satisfactory quality this means they must be fit for their normal purpose, bearing in mind the price, which was paid.* As described on the package, on a display sign or by the seller* Fit for any particular purpose known to the sellerIf these conditions are not met, the customer may be entitled to a refund.The consumer protection act 1987 covers:* Product liability if damage or injury has been caused by faulty goods, the consumer can complain compensation.* Misleading price indications it is an offence to give any misleading indications to consumers about the price of goods or services.The general product safety regulations 1994 makes it an offence to sell uns afe goods.If you wish to make a complaint:* Stop using the item* Tell the shop at once* Take it back with the receiptAdvice on consumer matters can be obtained from your local trading standards or consumer protection department.

Bilingual Education and Bilingualism

Discusses the spread and decline of various languages. This paper discusses the pros and cons of bilingualism focusing on the homogenizing of the worlds languages and the struggle to keep some languages and cultures alive. It mentions the effects of colonial powers, the necessities of learning other languages for trade purposes and the reluctance of younger members of minority groups to learn their original tongue. Contains information such as the top nine countries language wise contain 3,300 languages. The paper also discusses the gradual process of change in a language. From the paper: ?Bilingualism is a reality today and it will become a greater reality as time goes. The extent to which it is prevalent is evidenced by the presence of bilinguals in every country today, as well as in every social class and every age group. International travel, communication and the mass media, emigration and planetary economics have created a so-called global village whereby inhabitants speak more than their own native language.

Financial Accountancy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Accountancy - Essay Example The paper will also address the limitations of financial reporting. The concept of corporate governance has evolved from olden days and undergone considerable changes from time to time. According to Solms and Solms (2008), corporate governance can be defined as â€Å"the set of processes, customs, policies, laws, and institutions affecting the way a corporation (or company) is directed, administered or controlled† (p.2). Organisational managements are always eager to update their corporate governance policies in accordance with the needs of the current business environment, because corporate governance principles influence the relationship between different stakeholder groups and the objectives of the organisation (OECD, 2004). Firms mainly focus on their corporate governance strategies to enhance economic efficiency, operational transparency, and shareholder values. As a series of corporate failures and bank collapses over the last decade were attributed to accounting fraud and poor internal check systems, today business enterprises give par ticular emphasis to improving their corporate governance policies. In addition to stating the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors, corporate governance strategies give emphasis to the rights and privileges of stockholders. As per the ICA document A history of corporate governance in the United Kingdom (2009), corporate governance developments began in UK in late 1980s and early 1990s as a result of the corporate scandals such as Polly Peck and Maxwell. Those scandals were resulted from financial reporting irregularities, and hence the government established the ‘Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance Committee’ chaired by Sir Adrian Cadbury. The Cadbury Report published in 1992 recommended a number of measures for increasing the transparency of financial reporting. In

Evaluate the claim that we should seek to abolish imprisonment Essay

Evaluate the claim that we should seek to abolish imprisonment - Essay Example orms of punishment are introduced, according to jurisprudential rational, to control such rate of crime and protect the basic rights of common people within a socio-cultural context. According to the varying degrees regarding seriousness of crime commission, various types of punishments are offered to offenders, namely, â€Å"condemnation, fines, probation, imprisonment, or death† and legislative system of a particular society provides actual directives that what type of punishment can be offered for a specific form of crime. Imprisonment is widely regarded, perhaps, as the â€Å"strongest form of punishment† after death penalty and mostly offered to people accused of culpable offences (Coughlin, 1991, p. 54). Tony Lawson and Joan Garrod have attempted to define imprisonment in the book Dictionary for Sociology, as, â€Å"†¦the incarnation of those convicted of certain types of crime. Also in prison are those held â€Å"on remand,†- i.e. accused of a serious crime and awaiting a trial. Different societies hold different views regarding the purpose of imprisonment, with the result that the proportion of the population in prison at any one time varies widely among different societies† (Lawson, and Garrod, 2001, p. 117-118). This definition becomes important in the context of discussion as it encompasses within its scope both legal and social perspectives. In the first part, the authors have defined what imprisonment is from legal perspective. Second part of the definition focuses on social aspects that purpose and reason for imprisonment differs in different societies; thus, society has an important role to play when it comes to nature of imprisonment or establishing the criteria regarding magnitude of crime so that a person is sentenced for imprisonment. According to magnitude of crime, punishment can be categorized in several forms, namely, capital punishment, imprisonment, probation, fines, restitution and community service, and restorative justice (Gaines, and

Online entertainment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Online entertainment - Research Paper Example Rather, the following analysis will explore, discuss, review, and evaluate some of the major trends, segmentation, business models, business practices, as well as perspective challenges that face the online entertainment segment. Seeking to analyze online entertainment as such would necessarily be a monolithic task which could consume the space of several dissertations. However, for purposes of this analysis, three of the major players within online entertainment will be discussed and analyzed. These players are as follows: Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, and Blizzard Software’s World of Warcraft. Through such a level of discussion, it is the hope of this author that the reader will be able to come away with a more informed and actionable level of understanding with regards to some of the best practices and constraints that defined the way in which online entertainment is presented to the end consumer. ... As half the years have noted, a dynamic shift has taken place and individuals are no longer as willing to go to the movie theater or to view television shows in their traditional format; through regular broadcast (Graham, 2012). Taking advantage of this industry shipped, Netflix is able to edit the original format; removing a litany of advertisements that had previously helped to pay for the respective entertainment’s production costs, and replace this via standardized monthly subscription fee (Vance, 2013). Although an entire section will be devoted within this analysis to key challenges facing the Netflix level of service provision, it must be noted within this introductory level of approach that Netflix has recently been faced with a series of difficulties negotiating the level of fees with both the primary service providers and the end consumer (with respect to the actual amount of money which they charge for the service). However, due to the name recognition and previous levels of consumer utility that Netflix was able to provide, it appears as if the cost structure difficulties that were faced previously will be weathered by the firm without severe loss of income (LaPorte, 2013). YouTube Overview Since its inception in 2005, YouTube has experienced a meteoric rise to prominence and has become a global leader in online entertainment. Conceived originally as an effective means of storing and sharing media content, YouTube now represents over 10% of global Internet traffic. However, regardless of its overall level of success, YouTube shares a very different business model as compared to Netflix, which has briefly been discussed above (Kelley et al., 2012). Whereas Netflix seeks to reduce and outright removed the many advertising spots and

Religion #4 African American Spirituals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion #4 African American Spirituals - Essay Example The religious life included ring shouts spirituals and chanted sermons. The spirituals in particular resemble an amalgam of evangelical hymns, black traditional songs and black southern folk music. As the spirituals can not be attributed to any specific author, they represent the communal voice of the slaves who trust their faith in God. The call-and-response pattern followed in the spirituals, speaks that there is a dialogue between them and God. This indicates their innermost hopes for spiritual as well as physical freedom. The interpretational meaning of the spirituals is a decoded message for freedom from slavery. The author provides several examples to prove his argument, showing the Biblical connotations that most of the spirituals have. With the spirituals the African Americans are looking for awakening, to keep the faith both in God and in their hopes for freedom at last. In the article Harvey has listed several spirituals, illustrating the direct relationship between the slave who is singing and God. In the example of spirituals a double meaning can be felt. The word â€Å"home† can be interpreted as safe place, however it may also mean â€Å"Heaven†. He aven is the place where everyone is free, thus the meanings of the spirituals is converted to reinforce the dream for a free country. The African American spirituals can be related to other humanitarian course materials such as anthropological, ethnographical and sociological. The emergence of spiritual churches combines purely ethnographic description together with the song texts and other ritual, religious gestures. One of the general questions that anthropology seeks to answer is â€Å"Why people behave the way they do?† So we can relate this anthropological quest and why to explain why African Americans found shelter for their minds and souls in the spirituals. On another note, cultural anthropology studies the beliefs and cultural practices of people.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lincoln-Douglas Debates - Essay Example He also insisted that he would be happy to abolish slave trade and slavery â€Å"I should be exceedingly glad to see slavery abolished in the District of Columbia.† His lack of support for the slavery was however not that passionate and he would not put in personal effort to see it end unless Congress as a whole made that decision based on the power the constitution had accorded them. He made this position very clear in his speech when he said â€Å"†¦I should not with my present views be in favor of endeavoring to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia†¦ (Henretta and Kevin 333)† His position on slavery was legal as he based everything on the constitution. This is evident for example when he said that he would abolish slavery because he was a member of the Congress and the Congress had the constitutional power to abolish it through changing or amending the slavery laws that were currently present. He also gave a number of legal conditions in which he would abolish slavery including if the majority of the voters in the District of Columbia voted for it to be abolished and also if the owners of those slaves were to be compensated for having to part with their slaves who were their laborers. An individual watching this speech would expect that once Lincoln becomes the president, he would honor his words by using his constitutional power to abolish slavery or influence the Congress to amend the constitution and especially the clauses that allow slavery as a way to abolish slavery. These expectations are based on the fact that Lincoln was a man who knew law very well and followed it to the letter and he was also a man of actions and especially when it is something he desired. If his desires were therefore on abolishing slavery, he would have made that happen as soon as he became president. His desires to abolish slavery

Organization behavior class in the news report Essay

Organization behavior class in the news report - Essay Example The author pointed out the openness of Grove to learn from his audience, his students. Being an educator at Stanford University, Grove have laid down a realistic case, very truthful indeed because it pertains to the future of his very own company. Tedlow used this incident to show his readers the leadership style of Grove. He wrote a brief biography of the CEO by accident, how, from being an engineer, he strove to become one of the most admired corporate leaders using his past experiences to as guides and educational tools. Tedlow also highlighted Grove's reliance on data during decision-making. He finally pointed out Grove's advocacy in independent thinking. Thinking for one's self using data and previous experiences (and mistakes) as references are cornerstones of Grove's leadership style. In the other article, "Peter Drucker On Leadership" Forbes author Rich Karlgaard used his personal interview with the management guru in plotting out the latter's basic leadership principles. The first point that the author raised is Drucker's emphasis on the question "What needs to be done" For Drucker, knowing what a leader needs to do, as opposed to the asking one's self "What do I want to do," is the key for successful management. Checking one's performance based on the things they ought to do is the next success factor of effective leaders. Drucker further emphasized that effective leaders are mission driven and are willing to turn down other irrelevant tasks to their mission. They also make clear what their current priorities are to their subordinates. A unique leadership style is also required. Focusing on strengths and delegating tasks you are weak at. To save time and money, Drucker also advised leaders to refrain from too much travelling and instead use the power of modern technologies to facilitate communication with subordinates. Karlgaard further warned leaders that misuse of charisma is detrimental to one's leadership. Better be a reliable silent leader than a deceitful charismatic one. Google's CEO Eric E. Schmidt narrowly focused strategy is what author Ben Elgin examines in his article "Google: A $50 Billion 'One Trick Pony'" in Business Week. Elgin showed how the search engine giant preferred to stick with its existing method of generating income than to diversify its advertising product line by exploring other income opportunities. The author commented that Google's singularity in its focus to its text advertisements might hurt the company in the future. Article Comparison These articles show three different perspectives on leadership. The first one is about the hands-on leadership principles accumulated by Andrew Grove. As a practicing business leader, Grove pointed out his first-hand wisdom on how to drive an organization to the top. Based on his past experiences of Grove's failures and successes, Tedlow gave us a picture on how the CEO riskily responded to the leadership problems that he encountered. The second article is more conservative and theoretical. It concerns more on the wisdom gained by an academe and business book writer, Peter Drucker. Drucker based his writings on his researches about CEO's. Being a business professor he gives us theoretical pointers rather than practical wisdom in leading an organization. Karlgaard's article is more of a commentary concerning the soundness of Schmidt's strategy. By limiting is focus on a single product line, Google has become a towering leader in that particular market. Despite these contrasts

Lincoln-Douglas Debates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lincoln-Douglas Debates - Essay Example He also insisted that he would be happy to abolish slave trade and slavery â€Å"I should be exceedingly glad to see slavery abolished in the District of Columbia.† His lack of support for the slavery was however not that passionate and he would not put in personal effort to see it end unless Congress as a whole made that decision based on the power the constitution had accorded them. He made this position very clear in his speech when he said â€Å"†¦I should not with my present views be in favor of endeavoring to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia†¦ (Henretta and Kevin 333)† His position on slavery was legal as he based everything on the constitution. This is evident for example when he said that he would abolish slavery because he was a member of the Congress and the Congress had the constitutional power to abolish it through changing or amending the slavery laws that were currently present. He also gave a number of legal conditions in which he would abolish slavery including if the majority of the voters in the District of Columbia voted for it to be abolished and also if the owners of those slaves were to be compensated for having to part with their slaves who were their laborers. An individual watching this speech would expect that once Lincoln becomes the president, he would honor his words by using his constitutional power to abolish slavery or influence the Congress to amend the constitution and especially the clauses that allow slavery as a way to abolish slavery. These expectations are based on the fact that Lincoln was a man who knew law very well and followed it to the letter and he was also a man of actions and especially when it is something he desired. If his desires were therefore on abolishing slavery, he would have made that happen as soon as he became president. His desires to abolish slavery

In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and in The Fifth Child Essay Example for Free

In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and in The Fifth Child Essay In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and in The Fifth Child an outsider is progressively released into an existing society destroying peace and goodness as it comes In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson the outsider is Mr Hyde. Dr Jekyll is a very clever person who does not like having to be a good, respectable member of society and trying to live up to his reputation all the time. After living his life like this for a while and becoming ever more frustrated by living like this he uses his knowledge of drugs and medicine and Mr Hyde is born as the evil side of Jekylls personality. In The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing the outsider is a boy called Ben the fifth of five children from a couple called David and Harriet. David and Harriet wanted a happy family life with many children and a big house. This dream world was going fine until the outsider Ben is introduced. This essay is going to look at the similarities and differences between the two books and the two outsiders. The reader from the first time they are met views both Ben and Hyde as outsiders. Harriet just after she has given birth to Ben describes him as a troll or goblin This is certainly not the usual reaction a mother gives her new born child or creature as Harriet describes him. Ben was not like other new born babies he was muscular, yellowish, long his forehead sloped from his eyebrow to his crown. His hair grew in an unusual pattern from the double crown where started a wedge or triangle that came low on his forehead, the hair laying forward in a thick yellowish stubble. He did not look like a baby at all. The first time we meet Mr Hyde he is attacking a small child in the street trampled calmly over the childs body which is not normal practice for the normal man in the street. Stevenson makes this more horrific by saying it sounds nothing to hear but I think it does sound quite nasty to hear but it was hellish to see implying that it is much worse than it sounds. Mr Hydes appearance made the doctor who would usually have nothing to hold against Hyde turn sick and white with the desire to kill him. Later in the book Mr Utterson tries to describe Hyde there is something wrong with his appearance, something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked and yet I scarce know why. He must be deformed somewhere, he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldnt specify the point. All this suggests that Mr Hyde is not normal. Stevenson then goes to describe Hyde through his house and his front door. Mr Hydes house lies just past a market that is described as having an air of invitation, like rows of smiling sales women. Mr Hydes house is nothing like this being situated in a court and is one of a sinister block of buildings this description immediately makes you imagine a dark house with dark anti-social inhabitants. Stevenson then goes on to say the house showed no windows, nothing but a door on a lower story and the door which was equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained all of this is not actually just describing the house but Hyde as well. It says Hyde is a dark anti-social man that does not like visitors and does not generally fit in. In The Fifth Child there is also an object like Mr Hydes door used to describe, but this time peoples feelings and what is going on. This is the big table; it is used to show the state of the family and relationships. The table near the beginning of the book before Ben is born is full of people at Christmas who are all happy and Christmassy but when Ben is born less and less people come around until at the end of the book the table is totally empty apart from Harriet. Harriet is imagining what it used to be like before Ben was born with many people all enjoying themselves and how much better it would have been without him. Mr Hyde and Ben are both violent people. Mr Hyde had trampled over a small child in the street and killed an MP with a walking stick; both of these people were people that someone of Hydes age should have been stronger than, an old man and a small child. Ben had sprained his older brothers arm and attacked an older girl in the playground, both of these people should have been able to overpower someone of Bens age but Ben seems to be abnormally strong. When Ben was a small baby his mother did not breast-feed him like she did with her others because it hurt too much the child looked at her and bit, hard. This may suggest that Ben is more evil than Hyde in being able to attack people that should be stronger than him. Stevenson describes the event of Hyde trampling a small child in a different way to the way Lessing describes how Ben attacks a girl in the playground. Stevenson tells the story through Mr Enfield who is talking to Mr Utterson but Lessing uses Harriets thoughts to tell the story of Ben. Stevenson doesnt just describe what Hyde did to the girl he goes on and makes the incident more realistic and tries to compare Hyde with other things such as a juggernaut to provoke more feeling in the reader it sounds nothing to hear but it was hellish to see. Lessing on the other hand describes Bens actions almost as a series of bullet points, stating what he did and nothing else he had pulled her down, bitten her and bent her arm back until it broke. For this reason, that Stevenson used more description in parts of his book I can find parts of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde more believable and mare memorable. These parts of the two books also show how far apart they were written. In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Stevenson uses the word juggernaut, which then meant a large unstoppable force but in todays world has become to be associated with large lorries. Also in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde there are few women and the ones we do hear about are servants or maids but in the Fifth Child there are many women and one of the most important people in the book, Harriet, is a woman. We also do not hear many people called by their first names in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde but in the Fifth Child last names are seldom used. The title of this essay I agree with most of except for the part that says, progressively released. This part of the statement is true for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, as Mr Hyde is only really understood at the end of the book he is not easy to describe. In the Fifth Child Ben is thrown into the middle of everything suddenly and can even be different before he was bourn David felt a jolt under his hand. The second part of this statement destroying peace and goodness as it comes I totally agree with. In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Hyde causes Jekyll so much pain that eventually he commits suicide. In the Fifth Child Ben scares Harriet and David off having any more children and breaks the family apart by making some of Harriets other children go to boarding school and by making them go and live with relatives.

Cattle breeding: Sanitary practices and perceptions

Cattle breeding: Sanitary practices and perceptions Chapter 1: Introduction Cattle are raised mainly for meat and dairy products in Mauritius. Cattle breeding are an essential component of modern agriculture. According to norms, safe food of animal origin must be free from pathogens and contaminants. There is a need to reduce the risk and if possible, eliminate it at the on the farm stage. Cattle disease compromise animal welfare, reduce productivity and can also infect human beings. Sanitary conditions and perceptions in cattle breeding farms are very important to ensure a better health of the cattle and consumers of the products. The main reason for disease prevention and management for breeders is the gain in productivity. Sanitary conditions are very crucial in the disease prevention and management. The health of the cow and its environment, improperly cleaned and sanitized milk handling equipment, and workers who milk cows and come in contact with milk due to a number of reasons could serve as sources of microbial contamination of milk (Yirsaw A.W,2004). Contaminants in the form of chemical residues are also of concern to public. Controlling the safety of food of animal origin at the primary production stage therefore involves all the measures (implemented at the farm or production unit level) necessary to ensure that these contaminants do not end up in animal products, or, if they do, that their levels do not exceed the maximum permissible levels, notably the maximum residue limits and microbiological criteria set by Codex Alimentarius Commission (OIE, 2008). Many factors influence milk composition and hence the nature and abundance of the microbial load. The conditions of raw milk production, in particular the hygienic practices of farmers (e.g washing of milking equipment an d pre and post milking udder preparation), determine the contents in useful products and spoilage microorganisms (lafarge V et al, 2004). Henceforth, this case study of dairy cattle breeders, help in meeting the following objectives of the project. The main objective of the study is to assess sanitary practices and perceptions in dairy cattle breeding farms. The specific objectives are: To assess the sanitary milking practices in dairy cattle breeding farm through pre-milking teat disinfection, foremilk rejection and post-milking teat disinfection. To investigate on sanitation practices in dairy cattle breeding farm through practices of cleaning and sanitizing milking equipment. To assess level of awareness on mastitis and sanitary conditions at farmers working place. To evaluate responses based on survey questionnaire on sanitary practices and perceptions on dairy cattle breeding farms. Chapter 2: Literature Review Evolution of dairy cattle breeding Mauritius is categorized as a net food importing country. The dairy production contributes negligibly to the countrys economy with only 2% local milk production (AREU, 2007). According to Milliken (1986), there were about 22,000 milch cattle in 1914, representing a little more than 50% of the total cattle herd at this time (Heera MK, 2008). However the number of cattle head and farmers has been steadily declining over the years, leading to the current situation of only 7150 heads for 1758 breeders (CSO, 2008). Traditionally, the dairy industry in Mauritius was dominated by backyard producers, mostly women. But many of them abandoned farming in the 1980s to take higher paid jobs in the textile and clothing manufacturing industry (Ackbarally N, 2009). Simultaneously the sanitary problems (number of complaints due to lack of sanitation) and diseases, poor management also accounts for the decline. Food crisis in relation to dairy cattle rearing The food crisis which has hit with alarming speed and force the planet over the past recent years has showed how vulnerable net importing countries, like Mauritius, are against such situation. The milk (UHT and powdered) import bill has increased from Rs 975 M in 2001 to Rs 1.8 billion in 2007, representing a 85 per cent rise, while the import volume has remained unchanged (around 17,500 tonnes) (Anon, 2009a). Since the early 1980s milk consumption has grown more than 3 percent per year in developing countries and is projected to grow even faster through 2020. Meat consumption has been growing about 5 percent per year and is expected to grow 2.7% per year through 2020 compared to a low 0.6% per year in rich countries (Zessin K.H, 2002). Hence in response to the global rising food prices and shortages, the government is implementing measures to foster local production of milk and meat to mitigate, in short and medium term, the dependency of the country on imported food commodities. To stimulate dairy production, the government has introduced a battery of grants and loans to purchase equipment, import improved genetic breeds and acquire land for grazing (Ackbarally N, 2009). Importance of Sanitation in dairy cattle breeding farm Sanitary condition is defined as the state of sanitation whereby sanitation is the formulation and application of measures designed to protect public health (wikipedia). The cattle breeding are often viewed as a lucrative opportunity. There are nevertheless a series of complications which may arise during such an event if proper hygiene and sanitation is not maintained. When it comes to sanitation at farm, it is closely linked with Food safety which is now universally recognized as a public health priority. There are a series of precaution that can be taken by farmers, right at the first stage of the food chain, to optimise the food safety control of products of animal origin (OIE, 2006). This inevitably means controlling the health status of the animals from which food products are derived. World organization for animal health (OIE) In this age of globalisation, ensuring healthy, hazard-free food is one of the key issues for international organisations working in this field. To this end, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) work closely together, each in its area of competence (OIE, 2008). Since 2002, the OIE has had responsibility for animal production food safety. The renewed importance conferred by the Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS Agreement) to the OIE and to WHO/FAO has spurred the interest of countries around the globe (Zessin K.H, 2002). Preliminary Environmental report Cattle rearing do have certain direct and indirect impacts on the environment which require special attention while setting up a farm. Those impacts are mostly associated with solid and liquid waste originating from the farm such as; wastewater from cleaning activities, urine, and manure. Other problems such odour nuisance and flies nuisance are not to be omitted. In case the farm is near residential areas, consultation with neighbours and all other bodies who are likely to be affected by the farm is compulsory. According to Environmental Protection Act 2002, livestock rearing on a scale of up to 20 heads require a Preliminary Environmental Report in which all the environmental and socio-economic parameters are addressed and their impacts are identified and taken into account in the project design (Anon, 2009b). Dairy cattle breeding There are mainly three types of farms in Mauritius. These are: Small Scale farms Locally cattle breeding are more of a family business. Cattle rearing are carried out in a traditional manner in the backyard as a part time activity. The small cattle breeders also known as cowkeepers mostly live in the country side and they own on average two to three lactating cows that are kept in enclosed shed(RATES, 2004). The level of inputs and management vary greatly among the farmers and they are generally low because of limited facilities and lack of financial resources. Medium Scale farms Medium scale farm is quite similar to small scale farm. However they have slightly better management practices in terms of inputs (e.g. better feeding system) and modern techniques are applied e.g. use of milking machine ( Ackbarally N, 2009). Large Scale farms Presently there are two private farms namely Golden Cream Dairy farm ltd at Salazie and SKC Surat Co Ltd at Rose-Belle who are operating at large scale for commercial milk production. Another type of large scale farms which have almost ceased to exist is the Government Dairy farm. In the past there were three Government dairy farms that would keep around 200 head of cattle. Richelieu Livestock Breeding Station (RLPU) has been converted into a quarantine station and recently the Palmar Livestock Breeding Station has been closed. Presently there exists only the Curepipe livestock Research station where other species of livestock are also reared with the main objective to carry out research and development activities in livestock production and training for the benefit of farmers. Guiding objective for good dairy farming practice The guiding objective for good dairy farming practice is that milk should be produce on-farm from healthy animals under generally accepted conditions. This is achieved by applying good agricultural practice in the five areas. Health Management Cows that produce milk need to be healthy and an effective health care programme should be in place. Animal health care includes different veterinary treatments given to the animals for early detection of diseases, prevention of disease spread among healthy animals, prevention of transmission of zoonoses and to ensure traceability (FAO/IDF, 2004). It is important to have strict control of any animal introductions to prevent the movement of the infectious diseases onto the farm. Sick animals are liable to be a major source of disease to healthy animals and hence need to be segregated to reduce the chances of diseases spreading. In case where animals are imported or brought from other local farms, they need to be kept in isolation from the existing herd for about 30 days. This is done again to prevent contamination of existing herds by parasites and pathogens (AREU, 2004). Other activities such as vaccination and deworming schedules, hoof management and routine health assessment form p art of a good Health Management. Guidelines to be followed for effective housing of cows Dairy housing systems have a substantial impact on the overall health and longevity of dairy cattle (Barberg A.E et al, 2007). In addition to keeping animals healthy, a critical part of husbandry is also to make sure they are kept visibly clean. It is of particular importance, to reduce the possibility of contamination of the food, for milking animals and for animals destined for slaughter not to have dirty outer coats. A major influence on the cleanliness of the animals is the type of housing, the material used as bedding and the underfoot conditions if the animals are kept outside (A M Johnston, 2000). Where cows are kept indoors it is important that suitable and adequate buildings be provided if the cows are to be fully productive. Good dairy farm buildings are extremely important in considering any of the hygienic aspects of milk handling (WHO, 1962). The design of the housing system is also important so that there is adequate space and facilities to optimize feeding, collection of manure, cleaning, washing, artificial insemination. The housing system can be either loose or tied system with adequate space and facilities to optimize feeding, collection of manure, cleaning, washing, artificial insemination and milking (AREU, 2007). Layout The general layout of a dairy farm should be according to the number and category of animals to be housed. The cowhouse is a specialized building which should be carefully designed and constructed so as to provide comfortable and healthy housing for the cows and at the same time to enable them to be milked in clean conditions. Housing must be managed hygienically to avoid soiling of animal. A standing of 1.5m long has been found most suitable to enable cows to lie clean, but with the smaller breeds of cow 1.4m or less may be sufficient (WHO, 1962). Moreover it should be free of obstruction and hazards; dead ends, and steep and slippery pathways should be avoided. It should be resistant to adverse weather conditions and consequences thereof especially cyclones, unseasonal change causing cold or heat stress (FAO/IDF, 2004). The windows should be fitted with hinged shutters to be used in case of cyclonic conditions. Floor The floor should be non-slippery to minimize slipping and bruising due to rough uneven floors. Unsuitable floors may inhibit mounting or lead to injuries during mating. The floor should be preferably sloping 10 cm above surrounding ground to enable drainage of urine in a canal leading to a suitable point of disposal as required by the Sanitary Authority (AREU, 2007). Wall Plastering of the wall to a height of at least 1.5m is recommended to prevent accumulation of dirt, disease germs and to facilitate cleaning (WHO, 1962). Cowshed should be provided with at least two doors, one opening on the feeding passage and the other one on the manure cum milking passage. Ventilation and lighting The regular renewal of the air in a cowshed is essential for the maintenance of the health of the cows and prevention of contamination of milk (WHO, 1962). The cowshed should have sufficient openings to allow natural ventilation and adequate sunlight. This will enable proper supply of fresh air to remove humidity, allow heat dissipation and prevent build-up of gases such as carbon dioxide, ammonia or slurry gases (FAO/IDF, 2004). Direct sunlight helps to keep the shed dry and would act as a germ killer. Water Supply Water supply plays an imminent role in maintaining a proper sanitary balance in breeding farms. Besides being used for drinking purpose, efficient water supply helps in cleaning and other activities leading to part of proper sanitation. The cow needs a lot of water (up to 50L daily) to be able to produce saliva for rumination and milk production. It is best to allow the animal continuous access to ample fresh and clean water (AREU, 2004). Water is an obvious potential source of pathogens because it can contain nutrients from feed or manure and be contaminated with pathogens, thereby serving as a vehicle to contaminate or infect animals on consumption (CAST, 2004). E. coli 0157:H7 is found commonly in water troughs on farms and feedlots and persists in these environments for as long as four months (Lejeune J.T et al, 2001). Water supplies should be clear and free of excrement (FAO/IDF, 2004). Feed Management For healthy living and proper growth, reproduction and milk production, dairy cattle require a daily balanced diet. The feed contains nutrient namely carbohydrates, fat, proteins, minerals (e.g. calcium, phosphorus) and vitamins (A, D, E, K). Moreover, foodstuffs which are fed to animals must be free from both pathogens and undesirable residues. Since Mauritius is mainly based on a zero-grazing system, breeders have to make provision for forage based on a cut-and-carry fodder system. The source of forages varies among breeders; they are collected from Sugar Cane Estates or along roadsides, fallow lands, riverbanks, and state lands or vegetable fields (Heera M.K, 2008). Withholding periods should be applied to forage crops if they have been treated with agricultural chemical, prior to use as feed. Control storage conditions of feed The different control measures in relation to feedstuffs and its storage are as follows: Feeds intended for different species should be separated. No animal material should be included in dairy cattle feed rations. Appropriate storage conditions should be ensured to avoid feed contamination. It should be ensured that animals are not able to come into contact with contaminants in areas where these feed products are stored and mixed. Hay and dry feeds should be protected from a moist environment, silage and other fermented crops should be kept under hermetically sealed conditions(AREU,2004) Moldy feed should be rejected (FAO/IDF, 2004); feeding of any moldy stock feed to milking cows should be avoided. Particular care should be taken with wheat bran, silage, hay, bagasse, cotton seed cake as these contain poisonous fungal toxins that can be transferred to milk. Fungal mycotoxins may also be present in pasture. In New Zealand, the ingestion of saprophytic fungus containing the toxin, sporidesmin, causes the disease facial eczema with impaired liver function, photosensitivity, decreased milk production and sometimes death (Ferraud C, 1995). Although the disease is uncommon in other temperate countries, it is important to realize that increased forage use carries the risk of an increased incidence of pasture borne mycotoxicoses. Milk Milk plays an important role in our daily diet. Cows milk contains a wide array of key nutrients that help support human health. It is an excellent source of protein, calcium, potassium and phosphorus. Apart from being a nutritional food, milk has a high water activity, moderate pH of 6.4 to 6.6 and ample supply of nutrients, making for an excellent medium for microbial growth. There is wide spectrum of bacteria present in nature which can contaminate milk rendering it unsafe for human consumption or unfit for further processing. Human pathogens known or likely to contaminate raw milk Microorganisms are widely present in animals and in their environment. Disease in animals is inevitable on farms, no matter how good the husbandry (Johnston, 2000). The diseases that form the greatest threat to animals are caused by microorganisms that invade the body. Diseases could be infectious (of viral or bacterial origin), non-infectious (caused by parasites) or metabolic (caused by imbalanced diet). Specific infectious diseases are generally restricted to the large farms and metabolic diseases are more commonly seen in cattle belonging to small breeders (Sibartie D, 2001). Healthy dairy cattle are considered a reservoir for several of the most important food borne human disease pathogens (Tauxe, 1997). Nontyphoidal Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter jejuni are considered important treats to food safety because of the enormous number of illness they cause. Cattle have been shown to carry Salmonella at rates as high as 64% (CAST, 2004). Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli 0157:H7 are priority pathogens because of the severity of symptoms associated with infection and because of the number of deaths that occur in infected people. All of these pathogens are shed in cattle feces and can contaminate dairy farm premises including unpasteurised bulk tank milk (Ruegg P.L, 2003). Milk borne diseases Human-health threats from livestock come in two basic forms: (i) zoonotic diseases, and (ii) food-borne illnesses. Zoonotic diseases are those that arise in animals but can be transmitted to humans. Potentially pandemic viruses, such as influenza, are the most newsworthy, but many others exist, including rabies, brucellosis and anthrax (FAO 2009). A joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee (1970) on milk hygiene classified milk-borne diseases: infections of animals that can be transmitted to man: Primary importance: Tuberculosis, Brucellosis, Streptoccocal infections, ;Staphyloccocal enterotoxin poisoning, Salmonellosis, Q fever. Lesser importance; cowpox, Foot and mouth disease, Anthrax, Leptospirosis and Tick-borne encephalitis infections primary to man that can be transmitted through milk: Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers, Shigellosis, Cholera, Enteropathogenic Escherchia coli, Non-diarrhoeal diseases, Streptococcal infections, Staphylococcal food poisoning, Diphtheria, Tuberculosis, Enteroviruses and Viral hepatitis (Kamalam S, 2005) Outbreaks associated to milk Warnings to consumers about the risks of drinking raw milk have been stepped up over recent years because health professionals are trying to protect health and have seen a resurgence in milkborne diseases that had dropped dramatically with pasteurization, as raw milk has become trendy and its marketing has increased (Szwarc S, 2009). Mastitis Worldwide, mastitis is the most common disease in dairy cattle (Tan et al, 2009). Mastitis is defined as an infection of the udder, caused by bacteria entering the quarter through the teat end. According to the US national mastitis council(1996); mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland in response to injury for the purpose of destroying and neutralizing the infectious agents and to prepare the way for healing and return to normal function ( Fadlelmoula A.A, 2007). This results in physical, chemical and microbial changes in the milk. It can be caused by a variety of bacteria or even fungi, the most common in Mauritius being Staphylococcus epidermidis (Sibartie D, 2001). Mastitis in dairy cattle represents a disease problem which is difficult to prevent or control effectively, since so many different workers have pointed out special instances which indicate that the susceptibility to mastitis manifested by related animals might have genetic basis: various studies have given heritability estimates for mastitis resistance ranging from 0.05 to 0.38 (Warwick E J et al, 1979). Principles of mastitis control Worldwide, farmers have achieved tremendous success in reducing the incidence of contagious mastitis by adopting five basic principles of mastitis control (Ruegg P.L, 2003): Postmilking teat disinfection Universal dry cow antibiotic therapy Appropriate treatment of clinical cases Culling of chronically infected cows Regular milking machine maintenance Sources of contamination of raw milk There are several principal sources of contamination of milk. From the time the milk leaves the udder, until it is dispersed into containers, everything with which it comes into contact is a potential source of more microorganisms. Within the udder Healthy Udder For many years, it was believed that milk drawn directly from the udder of a healthy cow was a sterile fluid, that is, it contained no living microorganisms (Yirsaw A.W, 2004). In healthy cows, many microorganisms resides in the teat cistern, teat canal and teat apex. Natural flora within the udder of healthy animals is not considered to contribute significantly to the total numbers of microorganisms in the bulk milk, nor the potential increase in bacterial numbers during refrigerated storage (Murphy S.C et al, 2000). The first few streams of milk from each teat should be collected, separated, discarded. This flushes out the organisms that entered the teat through the teat opening (FSA, 2006). Unhealthy Udder In cows having mastitis, the infected udders can shed lots of microorganisms into the milk. Selim and Culor (1997) found that Streptococci and coliforms are the most dominant isolated bacteria from milk followed by Staphylococcus spp (Yagoub S.O et al, 2005 ; Murphy S.C et al, 2000). Exterior of the udder Usually the microorganisms from the skin of the animals and the microorganisms from the environment where the cow is kept and milked cause contamination to the exterior of the udder. Common organisms associated with the bedding materials are staphylococci, streptococci, coliforms, spore formers, and other gram-negative organisms (Murphy et al, 2000; Elmoslemany A.M, 2009). Surface of milk handling and storage equipment The most important factor affecting the total bulk milk bacteria count is the cleanliness of the milking system. Utensils and equipment are known to be the greatest sources of contaminants. They may account for as much as 100,000 to billion organisms per milliliter (Murphy S.C et al, 2000). Pails, strainers, milking machines, cans, pipes bottles, and other equipment used for the handling of milk are sometimes not properly washed and sanitized. Organisms survive in the cracks, corners, crevices, dents, scratches and other irregularities of the utensils. Such neglect affords ideal conditions for the growth of microorganisms before the utensils are being used again. Refrigeration is also essential to prevent or slow the growth of bacteria in raw milk. Sanitary practices The consumers are nowadays well conscious about food hygiene and they demand high standards of milk quality. Hence it is fundamental that breeders respect the quality criteria of their product to satisfy the demand and to remain in competition. Milking performed under strict hygienic conditions, with strict attention to sanitary practices, will reduce the entry of microorganisms into the milk. Naturally the fewer the organisms that get into the milk, the fewer have a chance to grow. Personal hygiene of milk handler At all stages hygiene is necessary to prevent contamination of milk. This starts from the person first handling the milk that is the milker and all throughout its handling. It is the responsibility of the milker to follow strict level of personal hygiene to prevent direct contamination of the milk. Personal hygiene of milk handler includes the following (CAC, 2004): The milker should be in good health; those with an open wound or suffering from any skin disease or any other contagious disease should not come in contact with the milk. Any injury on hands or forearms must be covered with a water-resistant bandage. He should possess a valid food handler certificate issued by Sanitary Authority Effective washing of hands and arms with proper means; adequate clean water, soap, nail brush, and thereafter drying hands and arms with a clean cloth or disposable paper towel. He should properly trim nails and must not wear ring or any other jewelry so as not to injure the udder or teats. Neat appearance; wearing clean clothes, hair cap to cover hair. Smoking is not permitted in areas for milking, and milk storage (FSA, 2006). Pre-milking practices A good milking technique is essential for the production of safe raw milk. Cleaning of teats before milking is important to remove both visible soiling (e.g. feces, bedding, mud, residual post milking disinfectant) and bacteria which could contaminate the milk. Washing with water gives the cleanest udder, teat and flank. The water should be between 200C to 400C. Long hairs from the flank and udder should be removed regularly. The wet udder should be dried with paper towel which should be used only once to prevent the spread of bacteria and other pathogens to other cows. If paper towels are not available, sterilized cloth can be used but should be replaced regularly. Thorough washing and drying may be followed by treating with disinfectant (e.g. sodium hypochlorite solution or Dipal), an approved pre-dip solution which must be effectively removed before hand milking or cluster attachment. The use of predipping using iodine has demonstrated to reduce standard plate count and coliform c ounts in raw milk by five- and six-fold respectively as compared to other methods of premilking udder preparation (Galton et al, 1986). The overall reduction of microbial loads in raw milk through the use of predipping should result in reduced numbers of zoonotic pathogens. Predipping has been shown to reduce the risk of listeria monocytogenes in milk filters by almost four-fold (Ruegg, 2003). Foremilk rejection Before the real milking can start each quarter should be inspected for physical/chemical/organoleptic abnormalities by checking the foremilk. The first milk should be spread on a dark surface, a foremilk cup or a dark tile. Abnormal milk shows discoloration, flakes, shreds, clots, blood spots and/or wateriness (Bonnier et al, 2004). If the milk shows such warning signs then the milk should be kept aside because of the risks to humans. The examination of milk must also be done before attaching milking units. Fore-milking assists early detection of mastitis removes potentially contaminated milk from the teat canal and stimulates milk let down. Cows with infected udder (mastitis) and those under treatment with antibiotics should be milked last and the contaminated milk disposed of properly (FSA, 2006). Post-milking practices After fore-milking the milker will be aware if milk quality is satisfactory or not. If milk is free from warning signs, milking of the healthy udder can carried out for human consumption. To milk the cow clean, dry hand must be used and the whole hand should be used instead of only thumb and forefinger because the latter grip is considered bad for udder health and flow rate (Bonnier et al, 2004). Equipment used during milking As soon as milk comes out from the udder it gets into contact with the surface of the recipient vessel for example bucket/pail or aluminium can. Surfaces are usually metal, stainless steel, tinned steel or plastic and they should all be kept in good hygienic conditions. Nowadays Stainless Steel is used as the material of construction for Dairy and Food processing equipments world over to achieve the most exact requirements for easy maintenance, sanitation, product preservation, corrosion resistance and to avoid health hazardous effects of aluminium and plastic (http://www.busiverse.com/dairyproducts). The design of milking equipment, where used, and cans, should ensure there are no crevices or recesses that can interfere with proper cleaning (CAC, 2004). Chapter 3: Methodology Data collection Data collection was done by carrying out a questionnaire based survey. The questionnaire assessed the various sanitary practices and perceptions on the dairy farms. Desk study of recent reports on cattle breeding sector was also conducted to get relevant information on the topic. Moreover key informants like the Agricultural Research Extension Unit situated at St Pierre and the Veterinary Service Division at Reduit were approached. An appointment was fixed through contacts by email and phone call. After interviewing the concerned party, an idea of the current situation as concerned the cattle breeding of the livestock sector was obtained. The names, contact numbers and addresses of the dairy cattle breeders around the island were obtained. Statistical data was obtained from the government website of central statistic division. Questionnaire design The study was based on questionnaire survey among the dairy cattle breeders. While designing the questionnaire, the data collected was considered. The survey covered both management practices used on the farm and it was also composed of questions regarding beliefs and opinions about selected dairy breeding farm issues. The questionnaire consisted of different parts namely the sanitary condition of the cowshed, Pre-milking practices, post milking practices, and animal health. The types of questions used were mainly close ended type and only a few open ended. Sample size The sampling population was the dairy cattle breeders in Mauritius. It is obvious that the whole population cannot be surveyed, thus a total of 26 breeders were randomly selected using random numbers from a sampling frame that included addresses of all dairy cattle breeders registered by AREU. The her