Free Essays on Causes Of The Spanish American War

Causes of the Spanish American War Yellow Journalism Joseph Pulitzer – The World Wm. Randolph Hearst – The Journal These newspapers printed slanted and sensationalized articles about the war to attract readers. Cubans revolt against Spanish rule in Cuba Jose Marti – Cuban patriot who wrote newspaper articles about the struggle for freedom. Lola Rodrigvez ditio – Puerto Rican poet who wrote poems for Puerto Rican Independence. The U.S. wanted to protect their business interests in Cuba. Entrepreneurs saw natural resources and cheap labor. Expansionists saw new territories to conquer. The Yellow Press influenced decisions made in Washington, and the â€Å"jingoistic† attitude of national assertiveness made the plight of the Cubans something to fight for. General â€Å"Butcher† Weyler, nicknamed by Hearst’s Journal, was the commander of the Spanish forces in Cuba. He began a policy of â€Å"reconcentrado† where Cubans were forced into camps under the notion of being defended from the US. Rather this was done so that Cubans could not aid or join US forces. These people suffered greatly at the Butcher’s hands, and any sympathizers were executed. The U.S. wanted to enforce/expand the Monroe Doctrine. The battleship Maine exploded in Havana Harbor. The DeLome Letter The NY Journal published a letter from the Spanish Minister to the US, Dupuy de Lome, to Jose Canalejas, a Spanish editor and politician, which contained derogatory references to Pres. McKinley. The public was outraged. The Teller Amendment Demanded that Spain relinquish its authority and government in Cuba, and gave the president the authority to use land and navel forces to enforce this resolution.... Free Essays on Causes Of The Spanish American War Free Essays on Causes Of The Spanish American War Causes of the Spanish American War Yellow Journalism Joseph Pulitzer – The World Wm. Randolph Hearst – The Journal These newspapers printed slanted and sensationalized articles about the war to attract readers. Cubans revolt against Spanish rule in Cuba Jose Marti – Cuban patriot who wrote newspaper articles about the struggle for freedom. Lola Rodrigvez ditio – Puerto Rican poet who wrote poems for Puerto Rican Independence. The U.S. wanted to protect their business interests in Cuba. Entrepreneurs saw natural resources and cheap labor. Expansionists saw new territories to conquer. The Yellow Press influenced decisions made in Washington, and the â€Å"jingoistic† attitude of national assertiveness made the plight of the Cubans something to fight for. General â€Å"Butcher† Weyler, nicknamed by Hearst’s Journal, was the commander of the Spanish forces in Cuba. He began a policy of â€Å"reconcentrado† where Cubans were forced into camps under the notion of being defended from the US. Rather this was done so that Cubans could not aid or join US forces. These people suffered greatly at the Butcher’s hands, and any sympathizers were executed. The U.S. wanted to enforce/expand the Monroe Doctrine. The battleship Maine exploded in Havana Harbor. The DeLome Letter The NY Journal published a letter from the Spanish Minister to the US, Dupuy de Lome, to Jose Canalejas, a Spanish editor and politician, which contained derogatory references to Pres. McKinley. The public was outraged. The Teller Amendment Demanded that Spain relinquish its authority and government in Cuba, and gave the president the authority to use land and navel forces to enforce this resolution....

Chemistry Scavenger Hunt Clues and Answers

Chemistry Scavenger Hunt Clues and Answers One of the more popular chemistry assignments is a scavenger hunt, where students are asked to identify or bring in items that fit a description. Examples of scavenger hunt items are things like an element or a heterogeneous mixture. Are there additional items you would add to a scavenger hunt or that you have been asked to find for an assignment? Chemistry Scavenger Hunt Clues First, lets start with the clues. You can print this page out to start your own chemistry scavenger hunt or try to find the answers. These same clues plus possible answers are found at the bottom of this page. An elementA heterogeneous mixtureA homogenous mixtureA gas-liquid solutionA malleable substanceA solid-liquid solutionA substance which has a volume of 1 cm3An edible example of a physical changeAn edible example of a chemical changeA pure compound which contains ionic bondsA pure compound which contains covalent bondsA mixture that can be separated by filtrationA mixture that can be separated by some other method than filtrationA substance with a density of less than 1g/mLA substance with a density of more than oneA substance which contains a polyatomic ionAn acidA metalA non-metalAn inert gasAn alkaline earth metalImmiscible liquidsA toy which demonstrates a physical changeThe result of a chemical changeA moleA substance with tetrahedral geometryA base with a pH greater than 9A polymer Possible Scavenger Hunt Answers An element: Aluminum foil, copper wire, aluminum can, iron nameA  heterogeneous mixture: Sand and water, salt and iron filingsA homogenous mixture: Air, sugar solutionA gas-liquid solution: SodaA malleable substance: Play-doh or modeling clayA solid-liquid solution: Maybe  an amalgam of silver and mercury? This is definitely a tough one.A substance which has a volume of 1 cubic centimeter: Standard sugar cube, cut a cube of soap the proper sizeAn  edible example of a physical change: Melting  ice  creamAn edible example of a chemical change: Seltzer tablet (barely edible), candies that fizz or pop when dampA pure compound which contains  ionic bonds: SaltA pure compound which contains  covalent bonds: Sucrose or table sugarA mixture that can be separated by filtration: Fruit cocktail in syrupA mixture that can be separated by some other method than filtrationSaltwater- salt and water can be separated using  reverse osmosis  or  an ion exchange columnA substance wi th a density of less than 1g/mL: Oil, ice A substance with a density more than one: Any metal, glassA substance which contains a  polyatomic ion: Gypsum (SO42-),  Epsom  saltsAn acid: Vinegar (dilute  acetic acid),  solid citric acidA metal: Iron, aluminum, copperA non-metal: Sulfur, graphite (carbon)An inert gas: Helium in a balloon, neon in a glass tube, argon if you have access to a labAn alkaline earth metal: Calcium, magnesiumImmiscible liquids: Oil and waterA toy which demonstrates a physical change: A toy steam engineThe result of a chemical change: AshesA mole: 18 g of water, 58.5 g of salt, 55.8 g of ironA substance with tetrahedral geometry: Silicates (sand, quartz), diamondA base with a pH greater than 9: Baking sodaA polymer: A piece of plastic

Hepatitis C Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hepatitis C - Research Paper Example Transplantation of organs from infected people also spreads the hepatitis C virus. But in 1992 the health professional formulated a blood donation test which detects the presence of hepatitis C virus. After 1992 the blood of donor is tested for the hepatitis C virus before transfusion of blood or transplanting organs due to which the chance of transmission of hepatitis C virus is lowest nowadays. Hepatitis C virus is also transmitted by sexual contact with an infected partner or one having many sex partners. Transmission of virus also occurs from infected mother to baby during birth but the ratio of transmission by this way is low (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Anatomy: The liver is one of the main organs of digestive system which is reddish brown in color. Liver is the largest gland of the body which produces different hormones. Liver is divided into two lobes right and left lobe on the anterior and posterior surface. On the inferior surface the liver has two small lo bes quadrate lobe and caudate lobe between the right lobe and the left lobe. In between the caudate lobe and the quadrate lobe is porta hepatis which receives hepatic portal vein, hepatic artery proper and common bile duct. Liver receives blood by two blood vessels hepatic artery and portal vein. The parenchyma of liver is made up of epithelial cells called hepatocytes. Blood sinusoids are present in between hepatocytes which are known as hepatic sinusoids. Portal area is a space which contains three tubular structures collectively called portal triad. The portal triad contains a branch of portal vein, a branch of hepatic artery and bile duct. A delicate covering is present around the parenchyma of liver known as Glison’s capsule. The liver performs different metabolic functions. Liver helps in protein synthesis like albumin which helps in regulating osmotic pressure. Liver synthesize fibrinogen which helps in blood clotting. Liver produces globulin which helps in immunity. I n fat metabolism liver plays important role. It synthesizes cholesterol and also performs lipogenesis. On the other hand liver produces bile which is necessary for the emulsification of fat which is breakdown of fat so liver plays role in synthesis and breakdown of fat. Bile is then transported to gall bladder for storage. From gall bladder the bile goes to the duodenum for fat emulsification when fat reaches the duodenum for digestion. Liver also plays important role in carbohydrate metabolism as gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis and glycogenesis occur in liver. Liver also stores the extra glucose in form of glycogen. Thrombopoietin is hormone which is also produced in liver. The function of thrombopoietin is the regulation of platelets production in bone marrow. The liver helps in the breakdown of different substance like insulin, hemoglobin, different drugs and ammonia etc. During the first three months of fetal life the liver produces red blood cells. Liver also plays role in bloo d pressure regulation because it produces angiotensin hormone (Robbins et al 2005). Abnormality: By attacking liver cells the hepatitis C virus make morphological changes in the tissues of liver. The hepatitis C virus starts necrosing the liver cells and causes the shrinkage of the liver. The liver becomes wrinkled and red in color. Cross sectional examination of the necrosed liver shows muddy red appearance and blotchy bile staining. There is complete destruction of

Solicitors and Barristers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Solicitors and Barristers - Essay Example eyes, ears, hands or legs - and they either work in unison or complement each other in such a way that the result or consequence is seen as a perfect acceptance by a single receptor. This perfect, clock-like arrangement of the human organ pairs prove the point that in order to achieve greater, faster, easier and more accurate results, sometimes it becomes necessary to break up functions or decentralize so that there is greater efficiency in performance. Law, a study and practice followed by both, solicitors and barristers, has a great historical origin. (Symmetry in homes)1. The legal code began to take shape and take roots as early as the 8th century BC when the Greeks first became a world power and a with a firm, military discipline, laid the foundations of a system of law which was initially draconian. However, it was superseded by a more methodical and humane system by Solon. Finding themselves in confusion due to violent revolt by the people, the oligarchy called upon Solon, known for his wisdom and uprightness, to establish a rule of law. Following a course of a difficult, bloody period of wars and dissension, Solon drafted an all-encompassing legal code which found favor with the oligarchy. (A History of Ancient Greece)2 The Romans were responsible for improving upon the Spartan laws and many of our modern legal concepts were founded by them. They were the first to acknowledge that the citizenry had certain rights and actively pursued means to voice these rights to their people. Civil laws, contract laws, property and personal rights, use of evidence in a court of law, use of a legal will, are some of the legal concepts brought into being by the Romans. (Legal Concepts Based on the Ancient Romans)3. Lawyers Lawyers are called by many names - notably advocates, attorneys, barristers, counselors, solicitors, notaries. A lawyer or attorney at law is an individual licensed by the state to advise clients in legal matters and represent them in courts of law and other legal agencies. Most countries today require professional law advisors in their juridical systems. Different countries have different systems and practices based on which the lawyers are classified. For instance, lawyers are invariably referred to as attorneys or counselors in the USA. In England, the system is more elaborately laid out where the functions for barristers and solicitors are specified. Elsewhere too, the functions are divided and laid out in such manner as is beneficial for speedier and fairer dispensation of justice. Many countries also follow the law system where a person who is not a qualified lawyer could be empanelled as a member of the jury on the strength of his or her social and professional standing. In countries like India, persons with a good history of social service, irrespective of his educational qualificatio ns, are designated as "special magistrates" and allowed to settle certain local disputes. Of course, these are only so at the lower levels where it would be otherwise very difficult to cope with pending cases. (Lawyers, Nature of the work)4. Coming back to the United States, almost anyone can be an attorney. And in this situation, an attorney is similar to an agent, a person who has been formally empowered by someone else to act on behalf of the principal. Lawyers are "attorneys at

Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Food Manufacturing Management Essay Example for Free

Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Food Manufacturing Management Essay Introduction Audit objectives Why Audit? The intentions of this Audit are as follows: Using a recognised GMP standard (UNIDO/BRC) assess and quantify the effectiveness of the current quality system that is in place. Recommend, upon review, strategies for improvement that can be made to meet, and potentially exceed, the minimum retail requirements. * Upon completion, allow the business to set attainable goals and objectives in order to drive the business forward. This is in an efficiency, production and legal capacity. Company Profile Shetland SeaFish (Hull) limited started trading in 1922 as a specialist manufacturer of frozen fish products. The company employs 50-60 staff on site and has a total of 80-100 employees working throughout the group. The group has three factories. The other two are involved in primary processing and fish farming in the Shetland isles. The company supplies supermarkets, discounters, fish wholesalers, frozen food distributors and food service companies. The main market is the UK but the company also has a small export trade. Shetland SeaFish (Hull) limited has implemented a tightly controlled system of operational procedures including a fully documented HACCP system and quality manual. Business Environment The food industry is one under pressure. The fishing industry in particular is an area with its own particular problems which have a direct impact on this company as fish is its primary raw material. Over the past few years, environmental concern over diminishing fish stocks has contributed to increased governmental interdiction to manage fishing quotas. Although this may be the case for the national fishing industry, the world wide catch (up until recently) has been on a steady rise. This company sources raw material from worldwide locals (Particularly the Asiatic areas such as China and Scandinavian Seas) so the impact has been minimal. The way in which the company sources fish may change in the future, as internet auctions are on the increase, and this makes the market more of a volatile entity as prices can fluctuate as events affect fishing procurement. The other main problem with the food industry is the strength of the major multiples over the manufacturers. The major supermarkets to whom most food manufacturers supply, aim to maintain a constant gross profit margin which is typically quite large. To reflect this, the multiples like to pass down on-costs to the suppliers. Offers such as buy one, get one free are fuelled by the manufacturer, and come straight from their bottom line. By running a BOGOF offer, it is affectively selling the product at half the unit price for the duration of the offer. One supermarket that this company has dealt with also deducts (on their own accord) a set price to go towards advertising and marketing. For example, a deduction of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 might be deducted from an invoice to them for product, with the reasoning being that even if that amount is not being used to directly promote that particular product, just by advertising the stores in general, the increased amount of customers flowing through the store, should they say, increase sales to the companys product. This deduction from the invoice is imposed by the supermarket, and because you do not know how often they are going to do this, it makes costing for business more difficult. Combine this with the fact that at every price review by the supermarket buyers, they demand higher quality products, for a reduction in unit price, depresses margins lower than ever. The margin depression brings with it a set of problems. Because a company has to reduce its costs to meet the price points per units, so as to maintain the business with the supermarket, it makes it for a business to remain as profitable as what it would like to be. A smaller margin means that a company does not have the same amount of free capital available to it to make necessary re-investments which would help to procure more sales and increase throughput. In section four of the overview, a specific study of this is discussed in relation to an OEE study on one of the factories lines. There are several technological resolutions available which if purchased would go a long way to increase productivity. Unfortunately there are several financial constraints which place barriers to the procurement of these technological improvements. A brief discussion of Chicken and Egg barriers is briefly explained in section four of the overview. The problem lies in the fact that if a new piece of equipment is needed to continue, or to improve production, then the company does not have enough liquid capital available to be able to purchase it outright. This means that the company would have to investigate borrowing facilities. The problem with this is that the company would like to have a secured amount of business from one of, or a combination of customers, in order to take on the risk of borrowing large amounts of money. The reason for this is that a company has to account for a payback period into their costing to cover borrowing and interest as well as machine depreciation. With shortened product placement tenures, the guarantee of continued business for this period is not there, inhibiting the business from wanting to take a risk of this magnitude. Eventually a company has to bite the bullet and take a risk in order to increase turnover and throughput. Smaller margins also mean that there may not be enough of an increase in net profits to cover staff requirements. Each year there is a general staff appraisal to discuss the terms of wages and conditions. If the company is reduced in its profit capacity, then this trend is often relayed onto the workforce. f the company has diminished available finances then money is not possible to give staffs the annual increase in wages or to be able to invest in communal facilities. This has a knock on effect on staff morale and motivation if the annual increase is postponed or if it has to be cancelled. It manifests itself in some individuals in a revenge motivation mentality. As the individuals feel aggrieved because the company cannon comply with what the workers feel is a basic right, then they may wish to get back at the company. At best this may just be by reducing their amount and quality of work, therefore their loyalty is affected. At worst, it could be resignation, dissention or even some form of industrial sabotage. Without the increase in wages rates it also lessens the difference between that and what the government sets as the national minimum wage. This poses a problem in relation to retaining, and gaining new employees. At one point, working in a factory used to attract a premium, but over time that has decreased to the point to where wage levels between shop workers and factory workers are almost the same. With the current work ethos among new employees (particularly young people) the dilemma of where would I like to work arises. Either a (usually) smelly, shift work system, hard work inducing factory, or a shop, where they can go straight out from without having to go home for a shower and change, is less hard work and usually has a set nine until five work pattern. For the same, or similar, wage, most people appear to want to work in a shop. This displays a distinct shift from employment trends from primary or secondary employment to a majority of employment in the tertiary, or services, sector. If a company has a high turn-over of staff, then generally the quality of staffs decreases. This may then affect production output and efficiencies. One way that this can be combated is though an increase in staff training. This not only acts to both increase staff quality, but it also helps to improve the individuals job satisfaction. This is through increased competency, increased knowledge (i.e. making an individual more multi-skilled) and the feeling that they are not in a dead-end job. In the industry sector to which this company falls, there is an increased amount of governmental grants available for staff training programmes. Within this factory, all of the employees of first tier level have all been through NVQ level 2 training in Food hygiene and handling. Production supervisors have received additional training to NVQ level three in this area. There is also a range of other courses that are being studied that are part funded, or reimbursed by, governmental policies. It is clear that there are some relatively easy ways to increase the efficiency and line throughputs of production. Unfortunately limiting factors come into play to inhibit potential growth as long as margins are squeezed smaller and smaller. This is a self perpetuating cycle. If allowed to make a little bit more profit then this can be channelled back into the business to increase production efficiency and overall turnover making the business more successful. Legal Issues There is a complex mine field of legislation that comes into play when dealing with a food unit operation. There is a whole plethora of acts and regulations which help to control the food industry which helps to protect the consumer from dubious practices and ensure that the final product that is consumed is of the expected substance, nature and quality demanded. There are several levels of legislation: * Acts, which are statutes passed down by parliament. * Regulations which are made under specific acts * E.C. directives which are passed down from the E.E.C. The Food safety enforcement officers have various enforcement powers which enable them to ensure that all of the legislation is correctly adhered to. These can be servicing notices, sampling and seizing foodstuffs, and also to instigate criminal proceedings if an offence is made. The main legislation affecting this business are to be listed as following; Food Safety Act, 1990 This act is in relation to the sale of food for human consumption and is applicable to all food premises. This act makes it an offence to: * Render food injurious to health * Sale or possession of food injurious to health, or that is unfit for, or is contaminated. * Sale of food that is not of the correct nature, substance and quality demanded by the consumer. * Give any false or misleading descriptions. The Food Premises (Registration) Regulations, 1991 (SI No. 2825) amended 1997 This regulation requires all food premises to register with the local, or port authority, in the area that they are situated. Every registration authority must keep a register, which can be accessed by the public for inspection. Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulation, 1995 (SI. No. 1763) This act provides general requirements for all food handlers and premises (with specific requirements for preparation areas, moveable and temp. premises, transport, equipment and the like) to be kept clean, facilitate cleaning, and prevent the accumulation of dirt. It also specifies a requirement for all food premises to identify all steps in the business that is critical to food safety, and to minimise these risks. The Food Safety (Temperature Controls) Regulations, 1995 (SI. No. 2200) This determines any matter involving a risk to food safety, in relation to the nature of the food, manner in which it is handled and packed, and processes and conditions under which it has been displayed or stored. No person should keep food that is likely to support the growth of pathogenic bacteria or the accumulation of their toxins. Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations, 1996 These regulations govern the origins of animal foodstuffs from countries outside the EEC. Since 1993, foodstuffs imported from other members of the EEC are not liable for inspection due to the open border policy, but they are still subject to the Food Safety Act 1990. Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (SI. No. 1499) These require most foodstuffs that are to be sold for human consumption be labelled with: * The name of the food. * List of ingredients (Quantifying ingredients mentioned in the name of the food). * Best before dates, which indicate minimum durability or perish ability of the food in relation to microbial or product degradation beyond being fit for human consumption. * Any specific storage conditions required. * Name and address of the manufacturer The Quick-Frozen Foodstuffs Regulations, 1990 (SI. No. 2615) amended 1994 Food that has undergone quick-freezing (i.e. whereby the zone of maximum crystallization as rapidly as possible) should be labelled as such. It must be suitably packaged so as to protect it from microbial and other contamination and also to protect from de-hydration. Must be labelled with: * BBE * Storage requirements including temps. * Batch reference * A clear message not to refreeze after defrosting. There are also some specific legislation relating to food poisoning: Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1994 The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1988 (SI. No. 1546) National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1986 The National Health Service (Food Premises) Regulations, 1987 (SI. No. 18) The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) These pieces of legislation relate to reports of incidences of food poisoning and food borne illness. It empowers officers to investigate food premises on the basis of risk to increased infection, and to identify the source of food poisoning illnesses. Separate to food related issues there are also a number of other pieces of legislation that apply to most businesses. These are: Health Safety The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, 1994 (SI. No. 3246) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation, 1985 (SI. No. 2023) The Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989 (SI. No. 635) The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2051) The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 3004) The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2966) The Manual Handling Operations Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2793) All of these laws are in relation to keeping equipment in good order; provide all PPE, also in good order, and to report all accidents and medical problems caused by/ at work. There are some new environmental legislation in relation to waste water and effluent, and also the climate change levy. There are also waste land fill laws (After B.S.E. and Foot and Mouth no food wastes can be further processed into animal feeds) It is clear that there are a lot of laws that help to keep the consumer, and employees safe, both in relation to food safety and personal safety. In order to comply with all of these laws, and check with the companys compliance to these, the office of fair trading and the environmental health office audit the factory on a regular basis. Section 2 Key Findings Summations on Audit checklists Section by section review HACCP System: The company has a very detailed and comprehensive HACCP system following the Codex principles and based on risk assessment for each product type. The latest revision is June 2002. The HACCP documentation includes Introduction (Intro, team, product description, intended use, flow diagram, and verification of flow, controls and hazards), Process flow (product, production process), Hazards, Hazard analysis and Hygiene controls. The site technical manager who is qualified in advance food hygiene leads the HACCP team. The other HACCP team members include the production manager, financial director, business consultant, Q.A. supervisor and HS officer. They have all received training in HACCP principles. Eight CCPs have been identified and clearly marked around the site. These include; R.M. intake, band saw room, product storage, packaging storage, coatings, sauce making, sauce buggies, sauce deposition and metal detection. Shetland SeaFish (in conjunction with Cravenglow consultant limited) has produced a handbook for employees entitled Understanding HACCP and the British Retail Consortium Quality Award. This book was issued to all staff before going through their first successful BRC audit, and is issued to new staff during induction. The Handbook explains; HACCP terms and working practices, details the eight CCPs, How to control potential Hazards, How HACCP works, Different types of Hazard, other important HACCP information and an introduction to the BRC standard Quality Management System: The site operations/quality manual has been fully implemented and indexed in the latest revision (Revision 4 October 2002) to the BRC technical standard version three. Policies and procedures referenced to the HACCP manual and currently cover all of the identified critical controls. Each working area has its own handbook that includes some or all of the following: Factory cleaning procedures Technical terms Key staff Safe working practices Factory procedures QA procedures applicable to the area. A specifications file maintained by the company has a programme of internal audits that cover the entire quality system twice per year. The handling of complaints is the responsibility of the Technical manager. Complaints are referenced individually, by customer, and complaint type. Corrective actions arising from complaints are recorded. An approved supplier list is in operation, deliveries assessed at intake, and supplier performance reviewed quarterly. One of the key findings of this audit has been that although the supplier audit plans clearly defined and laid out, it has not been adhered to. This needs rectifying by the time of the next audit. Factory Environmental Standards: The factory is well located just off the main route into Hull, and has a logical process flow. The buildings are well constructed. Walls panelled with false ceiling and smooth concrete floors. Equipment is industry standard and is be well maintained. There is a planned maintenance system administered by a well-resourced engineering department. Staff changing facilities are provided by separate storage of work wear and personnel wear with staff locker rooms situated well away from production. Work clothing situated in changing facilities on the entrance to the production facility. A dedicated night hygiene crew operate a comprehensive cleaning programme, verified using bioluminescence ATP swabs. This form of assessment is under utilised. By conducting more swabs, a more indicative trend analysis can be compiled. This system could also be extended to incorporate hand swabbing, so as to gauge the effectiveness of the staffs hand washing. A comprehensive pest control contract is in place with Rentokil and no infestation reported. The only addition to this regime would be to introduce catch tray analysis. This is not done at present, although Rentokil have been asked to provide a quote for the service. The reason that catch tray analysis is so important is that various indicator species of insect may help to identify a particular problem within the factory. Another option is that the accountant is a qualified entomologist. The suggestion has been made that they complete the catch tray analysis on behalf of the company. Transport and waste removal are both contracted out services. Product Control: There is a product development procedure detailing the process steps and documentation held for customer driven development work. Development work is mainly restricted to crumbs, batters and sauces and as such, the suppliers of these materials carry out a lot of the work. Product is analysed on line hourly by trained QC staff External chemical and microbiological analyses are carried out at a UKAS accredited external laboratory. The result turn around is typically ten days. There is an investigation into the possibility of bringing the microbiological testing into a feasible in-house solution. The testing procedures preferred are the rapid methods that are now available on the market. These allow for rapid enumeration and identification in unprecedented speeds compared to traditional plating methods. Because of the simplicity of the tests, it reduces the degrees of error that might be entertained in old style methods, and also it helps to simplify the lab quality manual. All of these rapid methods are AOAC accredited methods and are thus suitable for ISO 17025 standards, which is a pre-requisite for the accreditation edicts stated for BRC compliance. Products coded to allow stock rotation, and on-site stock levels kept to a minimum. The cold store has the capacity for approximately 600 pallets, which are on a mobile racking system. Metal detection is carried out on all products at 3.5mm non-fe and 3.5mm fe. Legislation is on the way to incorporate testing using S. Steel rods as well, using the same sensitivity levels. Product is released based on on-line QC testing. A non-conformance procedure is used to prevent the despatch of non-conforming product and its restriction to quarantine. Process Control: Control of sauce cooking and processing is closely monitored by QC and thermographs are in place to verify sauce cooking profiles. QC also regularly verifies process parameters and freezer temperatures. Continuous quantity control monitoring equipment is in place on the coated fish line. Check-weigh systems are calibrated at the start of each day following a detailed calibration procedure. Hourly QC checks and daily taste panels verify process parameters and specifications requirements have been fulfilled and all measuring equipment is calibrated at appropriated frequencies. A small amount of kosher product is processed on site and the delivery processing and despatch of kosher materials is closely monitored. Personnel: Staffs trained to NVQ levels 1 and 2 in hygiene and safe product handling by external consultants. Plans are in place to introduce an in-house training scheme. The Q.A. supervisor holds a CIEH certificate of Advanced Food Hygiene. Once they complete the CIEH professional trainers certificate, it will allow them to train new staffs, and re-iterate to current, basic food hygiene and HS. Hygiene rules are also available in the staff handbook, given at induction. Induction includes hygiene and HS requirements, fire drill procedures including a tour of the facility (highlighting emergency exits), company objectives and the review of the individuals accountability level. Staff and visitors complete a basic medical questionnaire before entering the factory. Protective clothing provided and laundered by Brooks based in Hull and only specialising in laundering of food industry clothing. Supervisory staff and line leaders trained to NVQ levels 3. Detailed training records are in place, but not review on a frequent basis. Section 3 Improvement strategy Recommendations on enhancement Why did it fail? What can be done? The overall result of this audit is promising. The main sections that are in need of improvement are the cleaning and management systems. With regards to the cleaning controls one of the biggest deficiencies is that there were no daily cleaning logs in place at the time of the audit. These are necessary to verify that all of the pieces of equipment that has been used during the course of the production shift have been cleaned effectively. This should also incorporate a list of equipment that needs weekly or monthly cleaning, similar to the engineers protective maintenance system. Provisions are in place to indicate cleaning frequency, but by combining this with a daily cleaning log a system of records can be obtained to help with any Due Diligence defences that might need to be called into play. The preventative step to reduce the microbial and soil loads within the factory are the cleaning schedules, but the due diligence defence are the daily logs. These are a record confirmation that the schedule has been implemented, and also provides accountability of who conducted the particular action that might be in question. It also helps the management team to assess the manning levels required for a particular cleaning regime. By combining these logs with an effective utilisation of the Lightning ATP hygiene verification system it would be possible to more accurately monitor the effectiveness of the cleaning systems that are in place. At present the unit is not used at levels that are going to supply the monitoring team with a set of results that are statistically significant. By increasing the levels of testing with the unit, a better picture of cleanliness levels can be obtained by using the trend analysis software to scrutinize past results and to predict problems that might occur in the future. This system could also be extended to apply to incorporate hand washing checks. This could be done on a random set of checks throughout the week. It might be possible to correlate this to the expected and actual bacterial soap usage rates to see if there is a relationship. This might be an extra way to monitor the effectiveness of the staff in the own personal hygiene in relation to hand washing. The engineers need to keep an inventory of parts as a repair is carried out so that all pieces are accounted for upon completion so as to eliminate the possible physical contamination problem, or at least to identify if there is one. A number of hose pipes were observed around the factory, liberally strewn on the floor. This is not bad GMP; it also creates an impression of untidiness and not caring for not only visitors, but also to other staff. Perhaps the purchasing or some hose reel storage units. If these hoses were kept on one of these units, it would automatically reel in and is then kept neatly on the wall, off the floor and out of the way of people walking around the factory. During the course of the audit the food waste skip was left open. This leaves the door open to many potential problems. The first is that it has a potential to attract pests. By leaving the skip doors open is may provides a food source for advantageous vermin. It was observed that there were some birds on the fence which might have been attracted by the residue surrounding the skip. To eliminate this problem construction of a reaching handle for the skip door should be made. By keeping the skip door closed it prevents vermin from entering the skip to scavenge for food. With the skip door closed, thus stopping pests from gaining a free food store, the area around the skip must be kept clear also; otherwise keeping the door closed is a futile effort. This area not only needs to be swept, but also cleaned down with a detergent to emulsify the fatty residue left from the batter scraps. This would also help to make the area safer for the employees as it would make the area left prone to causing slippages, and this is especially important as there is a small set of steps out there. There is no provision for persons to wash their hands upon re-entering the factory after going to the food skip. There person would have to go to the basins outside the packaging area. A small basin or alcohol station should be installed to prevent this. The main body of the factory was in very good condition. There were a few incidences that need to be rectified in order to improve the grade. Around the sauce making area, the ceiling tiles above them had some signs of mould growth. This is an indication that the ventilation is perhaps inadequate for that area. Some form of steam extraction unit might need to be investigated in that area. In the short term, regular cleaning with a sterilizer (with some form of mould growth inhibitor) would suffice, but this would only deal with the symptoms, and not deal with the route cause. The sauce agitators in this area are in need of recovering. The motors on the agitators have some small areas of paint flaking from them. Even though the paint is blue in colour, it provides a potential physical contamination problem. This needs to be tackled in several ways. The first and easiest to do is to recover the motors. The motors can be covered with a stainless steel covering which would prevent both paint flakes falling into the sauce, but also dirt accumulation on the motor. Another method is to use an alternative agitator motor. There are several on the market, and several of these are not mounted directly above the sauce making kettles. There are also some other methods for sauce production, that if increased production were to be required, then they should defiantly be investigated. Another area in the factory that could benefit from additional extraction/ventilation is directly surrounding the coating line. When the fryer is producing breaded products, then the first stage crumb, which is a fine crumb, causes a lot of dust to be blown in the air. This causes excessive dust accumulation on the pipe works above the fryer line. This needs additional cleaning to remove the dust in this area. Perhaps a form of extraction system should be investigated in this area. As a minor point, there was also a small pool of water surrounding the con-air compressor units. This implies that the floor does not bevel in the right direction. Again this is a situation that has a long term objective, but also has a short term measure. The long term goal is to re-lay the floor in that area to make the floor slope in the right direction (i.e. from the wall to the drain). The short term solution is to have the cleaners regularly squeegee the floor of water. Standing water is a particular problem in that it provides excellent breeding ground for Listeria spp. Bacteria. Listeria is a food borne bacteria that is naturally found in the environment. By providing pools of standing water, it magnifies the problem and opens the potential for increased incidences of Listeria monocytogenes poisoning. It is a strange practice that although there are manager and team leader meetings on a regular basis, there were no supervisor meetings held. This is a gross deficiency, not for GMP, but for the lack of communicational strokes that are missed from these meetings. By conducting these meetings a dialogue can be maintained between the higher levels of management and the junior levels. During these sessions company objectives can be relayed, problems considered, and grievances examined. It is also an excellent opportunity to provide motivation to the staff and to keep them apprised of important happenings within the company, such as potential sales, production turnover, NPD and the direction of the company. These meeting should be implemented effectively immediately. If not in their own right, then try combining the team leader meetings. This may pose a problem with truthful communication if the team leaders feel inhibited by the presence of the supervisors, especially if they have any grievances with them. The omission of the supervisor meetings exacerbates the next point. That is the cross communication of ideas and instructions between departments. This point is discussed in more detail in the second overview of the audit. The job descriptions that are in place for the key positions within the factory are deficient in the totality. I would suggest a review of these be taken with the specific aim to include the individuals main duties and responsibilities, full accountability, and any health and safety requirements that are obligatory to know. By providing a comprehensive description it helps the individual to identify their own progress against what is expected of them. It would also help to identify any training needs by comparing what the individuals actual abilities to what is needed for that position. During an appraisal a gauge of competency can be made against the standard and a measure of feedback can be relayed to the person. This also ties into the fact that no records are kept of personal record reviews. These need to be conducted on a regular occasion, and if they are being conducted at the moment, then they need to be recorded. There are some clear objectives that have been identified and now need to be applied and rectified to improve the factory as a whole. Section 4 Conclusions Overview of progression stratagems Step by step guide Structure and Fabric * Hand washing basin/ alcohol station to be installed by exit to food skip. * Foods skip needs to be looked at and a handle constructed to enable the lid to be closed. * Sauce kettles needs to be looked at for possible installation of extraction units. * Sauce agitator motors needs to be covered to prevent paint flaking into product. * Hose pipes to be placed into self reeling units. * Pool of water needs investigating around con-air units. Floor needs re-laying in that area. * Dust accumulation above fryer area. Additional extraction needed. Pest prevention * Pallet shed door needs to be kept closed. Pallets stored away from walls in storage. * Some drain covers missing and needs replacing. * Catch tray analysis needs to be done. Cleaning systems * Daily cleaning logs introduced. * Engineers inventory of parts during a repair to prevent contamination. * Effective utilisation, and expansion, of ATP hygiene monitoring system. Management Controls * Introduction of supervisor meetings. * Additional training to supplement and increase knowledge of GMP systems, Food hygiene and legislation. * Review of job descriptions. * Record employee appraisals. Section 5 References Background / further reading. Including bibliography Hygiene for Management, Sprenger. R. A. 1998 (8th Ed) Cleaning, Dillion M, et al Inspirational Supervisor, Shaw J. 1999 FdSc Food manufacture management GMP Course work notes, Dillion M. 2002 Log book Overviews Overviews Part 1: Basic findings from two sections of the manual. Section 1 Structure and Fabrication The factory has a logical process flow and the buildings are of sound construction. All internal factory wall surfaces are panelled with a lowered false ceiling and smooth resin floors. Equipment is industrial food grade standard and appears to be well maintained. A preventative planned maintenance system is in operation and resourced by a competent engineering department. The work wear is situated in a separate clean changing area immediate on entrance to the production area. The pest control is out-sourced to Rentokil (initial services) with no signs of infestation problems to report. OBS 1: The floor is made of an impervious material and when combinations of two immiscible liquids (such as oil and water) mix, it causes some sections of the floor around the fryer area are slippery. Recommendation Review the cleaning schedule for this area to include a protocol stating that the floor in that area is to be cleaned as often as required throughout the production day, in addition to the usual scheduled cleans. Another suggestion would be to use a floor covering/mat to make the area more non-slip. Timescale 30days OBS 2: There was a small pool of standing water around the con-air units during production. Recommendation The long-term goal would be to re-lay/repair that section of floor to provide an adequate slope to provide water run-off into the drainage channels. Action to be taken place in the mean while would be to revise the cleaning schedule to include that the area is to be cleared as often as required throughout the production day. Timescale 90 days OBS 3: There was no steam extraction above the sauce making kettles giving rise to N/C1. N/C1: Evidence was noted by observation and noted, audit checklist ref: GMP Section 1 -ref 1.8.2, that there was the beginnings of mould build up on the ceiling tiles above the sauce kettles. Recommendation Investigate the possible methods of fume extraction best suited to the needs of the task. Possible installation of an extractor cowling. Action that can be introduced quickly is that a revision of the cleaning schedule to include weekly/fortnightly/ or as required cleaning to be undertaken in that area using a detergent with mould growth inhibitor. Timescale 90days Section 2 Storage Facilities Storage or R.M, WIP, finished goods, packaging and tainting elements are well segregated with observed codes of practice to prevent cross contamination. Products are coded to allow stock rotation on a FIFO basis and the stock levels that are kept on site are kept to a minimum. There are no contractual off-site storage facilities used. Products are released on the basis of on-line QC testing. Procedures are in place regarding damaged or defective goods segregation and disposal. OBS 1: Only visual checks are made of the contracted out logistics companys vehicles. Recommendation Revise an audit schedule to visit their head office so as to not only audit the vehicles used for the transportation of goods, but also to review the company policies and procedures regarding GMP practices. Timescale 90days Part 2: Area to improve. The area of greatest need is management control, especially in relation to motivation of staffs and inter-departmental communication. A highly motivated workforce can increase the potential output efficiency greatly, without the need for costly capital expenditure. Poor communication is the catalyst for future problems John Shaw, Business consultant The vast majority of problems within the workplace arise due to the lack of or inadequate communication between colleagues. All members of the organisation must develop their verbal and written skills to allow for ease of dialogue between the two parties. Regular dialogue is essential for the pooling together of ideas and suggestions that helps to minimise problems and help to achieve the company objectives. Employees must be able to interpret management edicts and be able to pass on these instructions to other staffs clearly and concisely in order to achieve peak performance. One opinion that might be made is that the companys impersonal uses of memos are substituting important meetings that would be held to discuss some of the key issues. By conducting regular meetings to open up a dialogue for discussion, it would help to eliminate any confusion that might have arisen because of their own interpretation of what is trying to be stressed in the communiquà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. By opening a dialogue between colleagues, it helps to make them feel a part of the team because they are being consulted and being offered to stress their opinions and grievances. During the meetings, it lets the individual know exactly what is being expected of them to do, with little chance for error. Once the individual knows the parameters in which they are expected to perform, and then the individual has some attainable guidelines on how to conduct him or herself around the workplace. Being made part of a team is one essential tool in the motivation of staffs. By including their opinions within any debate, it helps to raise that persons self-esteem. Once a person begins to become motivated, it often leads to greater job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is a combination of hard work and competence. Employees who reflect pride in their work are an infectious source of inspiration to others. This can be seen again in persons whom take personal pride and lead by example. Motivation is a key component to modern businesses. Staffs should take every opportunity to motivate others constantly. One way to encourage your staff is to let them know what is required of them by defining the days objectives. Use of praise and encouragement inspire maximum performance from an individual from a few choice words or phrases. Where an individual or team needs berating if they have made a mistake, remain calm and resolve the problem through constructive criticism. This is where the situation is given an explanation of what went wrong, gentle words to re-enforce the need that it does not re-occur, and gives further guidance on how it can be avoided in the future. It is imperative that if it is an individual involved, then take them to one side to discipline them. This way you are not undermining them and therefore their personal dignity is maintained. Another critical instruction is not to overreact to minor problems. Destructive and unwarranted criticism is harmful to morale and can easily sweep across a work force. It is also a good idea to be receptive to reasonable grievances that they might have and suggestions that they might make. Motivation encourages individuals and teams to continually achieve the companys goals through sustained peak performance. Part 3 Cleaning and the Law Cleaning plays a fundamental part of food hygiene. It is pivotal in preventing contamination of both microbiological and chemical, but it also helps to make the indicator signs of pest infestation easier to spot. All cleaning comprises of four factors: * Heat * Mechanical energy * Chemical energy * Contact time Cleaning is usually a five stage process (although not exclusively). 1) Pre-clean 2) Main clean 3) Rinse 4) Disinfect 5) Final rinse 6) Drying The relative energy and time components of a cleaning programme can differ greatly. This is all dependants on the load of soil age, the chemical properties of the cleaning agent, and the surface to be cleaned. Staffs should receive clear concise instruction on how to correctly conduct the cleaning schedule. The chemicals used within this factory are as follows: Chemical Action Fatsolve Surfactant degreasing detergent Bleach Hypochlorite based disinfectant Sparkle Surfactant degreasing detergent Acid foam Acidic de-scaler Caustic floor cleaner Alkaline (NaOH) floor cleaner Caustic pearls Alkaline (NaOH) fryer cleaner Tego 2001 Biocidal disinfectant/detergent combination All staffs that will be handling these products for use in hygiene must receive full training and monitored for competency and efficiency. All of these products must comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to protect the employee whom is to be using these chemicals. This Act states specific legislation to include: The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs, 1994 (SI. 1994 No. 3246) (COSHH) These regulations require employers to assess the hazards and provide suitable controls. Implementation is by means of risk assessment. COSHH is concerned with chemicals that can be classified as toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant. All of the products used within the body of the factory are supplied with all COSHH safety sheets and are filed in the technical department. Each of these products is mentioned in the company HACCP plan to include the risk assessment of these products. Chemicals (Hazards, Information Packaging) Regs, 1993 (CHIP) Again, this states that all chemicals sold must be supplied with a COSHH safety sheet provided for the purchaser by the supplier. This must include detailed information about the product, its hazard classification under CHIP regulations. It is also prohibited to decant harmful chemicals into unmarked containers. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work Regs, 1992 These regulations enforce the employer to provide all necessary PPE required for a specific task so as to minimise the health and safety risks that the employees might be subjected to. There are several good reasons why effective cleaning is so important besides those mentioned earlier: * It creates a good visual impression for both workers and visitors alike giving a sense that the business cares. * Helps to maximise the efficiency and costing of several types of products. For example, if a sauce is left to build up deposits, then it would restrict the diameter of the pipe work, making the motor have to run harder to pump product through, thus reducing the lifetime of that component. Its also helps to reduce wastege * Legal obligations. It is that final point which needs further explaining. The food safety Act, 1990 This law makes it an offence to contaminate food so that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be used for human consumption in its current state. It also states that a food proprietor and staffs must identify all steps that are critical to food safety and minimise those risks. This is further backed up by the Food Safety (GFH) Regs, 1995 This states: * Premises must be kept clean, designed to facilitate cleaning, and to protect against the accumulation of dirt. * Make it a requirement for all food business proprietors to identify any step in activities of the business which is critical to food safety, and to introduce restrictive controls at those points identified. This law allows an enforcement officer to raise a non-conformance on the actual presence of dirt, and does not have to prove that that soilage poses a risk to health There is a clear legal and moral obligation that wherever there is a risk to food, a business proprietor must ensure that the working premises are kept clean so as to minimise the risks to public health. These responsibilities must be stressed to all employees not only in their induction period, but also sporadically throughout their employment. Part 4: PEST in relation to OEE During the course of this audit, an OEE analysis was conducted on one of the production lines (See OEE exercise workbook). The aim of GMP is to improve the manufacturing performance, and by using OEE calculations it is possible to gain a quantifiable index of performance. Using the precepts behind GMP it is possible to identify areas that could benefit from improvement so as to improve production performance. The identification of the seven wastes which are the non-value added and also the value added sections of a production period are vital. It is the main objective to reduce the first, and increase the latter. With regards to the production run that was studied several strategies can be entertained to help to minimise waste due to the above mentioned wastes. Firstly, fish cakes are products that produce only small amounts of waste due to the fact that defects can often be re-worked during the same production run. Defect cores can be removed from the line by operatives and then deposited back in the koppens former to be re-moulded into another cake. Reducing the throughput can often help reduce the rejects levels. Running at just a few strokes under the maximum for the line might make it more cost effective to reduce the throughput by a minimal amount in order to dramatically decrease the amount of reject product. By doing this the right first time figure could increase to raise overall production efficiency. If speed is the overriding factor, i.e. the faster the speed, the higher the defect rate, then just by reducing the stroke rate of the machine, the amount of over-processing required would be reduced. If however speed were not the decisive factor, then an investigation of the machines capabilities would have to be reviewed, and if it cannot be removed, then do you accept this defect level caused by the machine, or do you evaluate the possibility of purchasing a more efficient piece of kit? With regards to the machine that is in place, the Koppens former is approximately 10-15yrs old and forms cakes by using hydraulic cups and a forming plate. Over the years the maximum output of the machine has dropped by approximately 25% from the max of 40s/m to now 30s/m. Would it be better to buy a new piece of kit. Perhaps the purchasing an AEW forming machine? Unfortunately these are costly pieces of kit. Costing in the range of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½250K. This is a large prohibiting factor in an SME of the size of the company in question, with their limited financial resources. In order to justify a capital expenditure of that magnitude, a significant order would have to be procured to allow for the required payback period to make it a cost effective purchase. It is almost chicken and egg scenario. With a new piece of machinery of this nature the potential for increased throughput of not only this line, but also of others would rise significantly, but monies or orders to cover payback periods would have to be secured before capital expenditure is considered. It is a difficult political climate with retail customers at present. More and more of the major multiples only issue contracts for periods of usually a year (although there has recently been a downward trend to decrease these to six monthly). So a guarantee off continued business is not certain, which prohibits the purchase of the new machinery. The small margins also affect the staff efficiency and retention (thus quality). Because margins are tight, only a small amount on the top of national minimum wage can be applied. This can limit not only the response to job advertisements, but also with staff retention and loyalty. With a higher staff turnover, the quality of staffs employed often reduces, thus affecting the throughputs and efficiencies of the lines. This interplay of factors is what has to be investigated further upon before resolutions can be found. Identification is just the first step in an overall improvement plan. Appendix 1: Summary Sheets GMP Audit Material Enclosed in this booklet are copies of the audit checklists that you can use to audit your site against each element of GMP. You should aim to audit 2 elements of the standard each week and use the techniques discussed in week 1 on problem solving to objectively assess each element of the standard. If you wish to discuss any elements in more detail then contact one of the tutors on the course who will be able to help you clarify any problems or issues that you may have. IMPORTANT You will need to copy the food safety and hygiene audit assessment form each week, as you will need to use this to summarize for each assignment. Using the Sample Assessment Forms for the 10 sections of Good Manufacturing Practice identify: 1. Areas of Strength and Weakness for the GMP sections for your own plant or operation, using the checklists provided. 2. The causes of problems which are inherent with the areas of weakness 3. The barriers and aids which will effect the improvement process 4. Prioritise the actions needed to improve your Good Manufacturing Practice needs, using the assessment forms, which should be included within your weekly assignment. A grading system has been given on each checklist. You may use this grading system to help you to assess your factory, but feel free to modify this. If you do modify the system then you should explain, quite clearly, how the grading or scoring system is used. Key to the ABCD grading system for assessing the sections and elements of the GMP standard: Grade A Excellent Scores 50 points. Grade A scored when there are no safety problems or issues. Requires no further action. Grade B Satisfactory Scores 30 points. Actionable within defined timescale as agreed at audit. Grade C Major Scores 10 points. Actionable within one working week. Grade D Critical Scores 0 points. A Grade D is automatically awarded when a critical safety issue is identified, and is actionable immediately.

Excerpt from Ventilate :: Ventilate Short Stories Essays

Excerpt from Ventilate Virge, waited impatiently, choking on the thick haze of smoke that was created by illegal tobacco cigarettes. Virge hated the stale smell of cigarettes; he remembered the fit that his mother threw when they banned them. "What did they call them?" he wondered out loud. "Cancer Sticks?" But there was no cameras here, very few people even knew about this place, only people like Virge. He remembered pretending he was a spy when he was younger. He and his parents would go out to dinner and he would insist that they had sit near a wall with a view of the door. Virge did this now, but he had a lot more reason too. The bar had low ceilings painted black. Black pyramids of acoustical deadening material occupied the space in-between the concrete I-beams that supported the floor above. Track lighting with tiny halogen fixtures speckled the ceiling, one per table, giving ample light over the tables but keeping the room dark. This reminded Virge of pictures he had seen of stars in the sky. But they were only pictures; he had never been able to see the stars through the thick haze of pollution that held steady vigil above the city. Old music played in the bar, Pearl Jam, Virge recalled. A band his father, used to play in the car during trips. Sometimes the bar keep Doug, a fat old guy, would announce he was going to educate his patrons with some high culture. This would be followed by some classical music he called the blues. Virge always thought Doug was a fuckchop and he never quite understood that music. Virge was waiting for his agent, Pip. Pip was his connection to the cash paying clients, and he was useful in that respect. Virge didn't trust Pip, he didn't trust anyone for that matter, but he found that blackmailing Pip bought him a lot of loyalty and a level of trust for Pip that he didn't have with anyone else. Finally, Pip slithered into the chair opposite of Virge. "Where the hell have you been!" Pip looked around anxiously; sweat glistened on his forehead. "We got trouble Virge. That stuff you hacked last night has pissed of some really big people." Pip took a deep breath and reached under his coat and pulled out a ziploc bag of hand-rolled cigarettes. "No one would touch it. Excerpt from Ventilate :: Ventilate Short Stories Essays Excerpt from Ventilate Virge, waited impatiently, choking on the thick haze of smoke that was created by illegal tobacco cigarettes. Virge hated the stale smell of cigarettes; he remembered the fit that his mother threw when they banned them. "What did they call them?" he wondered out loud. "Cancer Sticks?" But there was no cameras here, very few people even knew about this place, only people like Virge. He remembered pretending he was a spy when he was younger. He and his parents would go out to dinner and he would insist that they had sit near a wall with a view of the door. Virge did this now, but he had a lot more reason too. The bar had low ceilings painted black. Black pyramids of acoustical deadening material occupied the space in-between the concrete I-beams that supported the floor above. Track lighting with tiny halogen fixtures speckled the ceiling, one per table, giving ample light over the tables but keeping the room dark. This reminded Virge of pictures he had seen of stars in the sky. But they were only pictures; he had never been able to see the stars through the thick haze of pollution that held steady vigil above the city. Old music played in the bar, Pearl Jam, Virge recalled. A band his father, used to play in the car during trips. Sometimes the bar keep Doug, a fat old guy, would announce he was going to educate his patrons with some high culture. This would be followed by some classical music he called the blues. Virge always thought Doug was a fuckchop and he never quite understood that music. Virge was waiting for his agent, Pip. Pip was his connection to the cash paying clients, and he was useful in that respect. Virge didn't trust Pip, he didn't trust anyone for that matter, but he found that blackmailing Pip bought him a lot of loyalty and a level of trust for Pip that he didn't have with anyone else. Finally, Pip slithered into the chair opposite of Virge. "Where the hell have you been!" Pip looked around anxiously; sweat glistened on his forehead. "We got trouble Virge. That stuff you hacked last night has pissed of some really big people." Pip took a deep breath and reached under his coat and pulled out a ziploc bag of hand-rolled cigarettes. "No one would touch it.

Proposal to avoid managerial derailment and failure Essay

Southwest Airlines strict adherence to its mission to provide the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit is a key factor to the company’s success (About Southwest Airlines Co, 2013). The airlines ability to commit to employees to provide them with a stable work environment that ensures equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Southwest prides itself on allowing all within the company to be creativity and innovative to help improve the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. The most important benefit, employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer. Southwest uses an unorthodox leadership style created by Herb Kelleher. The basic idea is that the organization works like an upside down pyramid. The upper management is at the bottom and supports the front line employees, who are the experts. This strategy works for Southwest Airlines because management decisions are made by everyone in the organization, not just the head executives. The company’s emphasis on creativity and innovation bodes well for a company that stresses free will over structure and titles (About Southwest Airlines Co, 2013). While Southwest Airlines offers the bare minimum in flight options, it does meet and exceed customer expectations when it comes to service. They base their model on the motto, which states that â€Å"if they’re happy, satisfied, dedicated, and energetic, they’ll take real good care of the customers. When the customers are happy, they come back. And that makes the shareholders happy,† (About Southwest Airlines Co, 2013). Southwest Airlines have managed to keep a happy medium between labor unions and contract employees by maintain a healthy relationship with its employees. It is an added benefit to offer employees longer hours with more than just competitive pay. Southwest has had the ability to succeed because of the vision to realize and obtain its goals in business. The focus on bare essentials for flight is the catalyst for its low cost business model. A low cost plane with short travel between major cities has equally allowed Southwest Airlines to focus on a specific type of consumer. The customer base for Southwest Airlines is largely the business class will take service or luxury when it comes to being efficient and cost effective. The ability to focus that theidea that customers, can be satisfied without having expensive options available for them, Southwest Airlines has successfully lured those consumers away from the bigger airlines. Combined with the influences of the internet, Southwest Airlines can continue to excel in the industry by bypassing travel agents and their fees ensuring to avoid any managerial derailments or failures. Reference About Southwest Airlines. (2011). Retrieved October 12, 2013, from Southwest Airlines: http://www.southwest.com/html/about-southwest/index.html

B2B to C2B Electronic Commerce

Electronic gives companies improved efficiency and reliability of business processes through transactions automation. The two major types of e-commerce these are Business to business (B2B) and Business to Consumer (B2C). In B2C consumer purchase products and services from industry while B2B deals with business dealing with another business. Many businesses today utilize these types of model. Some of the businesses that utilize B2B model includes: operating inputs markets-These deal with unfinished goods such as office supplies, spare parts and airline tickets.There good are referred to as maintenance repair and operating goods. Another type of market that utilizes B2B is manufacturing input businesses; these are raw materials which go directly into the product or processes. In B2C model, it deals with business such as Auction stores which offers electronic implementation of bidding mechanism (Paul Timer1998) and the other example is online stores. B2C has advantages and also disadvan tages. Some of these advantages can be divided into two forms those that benefits the company and customers’ benefit.Those that benefit the company include; Increased demand, due to the convenient way of serving the customers like in online the demand increases which consequently raise the company’s income. Also low cost is encountered because they use online shops which ensure low cost in transportation of good is encountered. Customers can also view the type of goods they need from internet and this enables reduction in the cost of promotion and sales. Generally the company enjoys reduced cost since their advertisement and delivery of their goods are always at least expenditure as possible. Benefits that the customers enjoy in B2C include;Low prices since the company have encountered minimum cost in production and delivery of goods. These low prices encourage the customer to continue using this model. Also customers experience a wider choice of what they want to purc hase, since he/she can be able to view these products before ordering them which enables him or her or make better choice. Better information in regard to product can be obtained from online shopping by going through the information provided by the company. Its also convenient for buyers who are B2C model since the products are delivered by just ordering for them online.Customers also experience flexibility in ordering their products through internet auction. Some of disadvantages experienced in B2C models are things like inspection of goods. This is a great challenge to buyer since its not possible to physically inspect the goods you want to purchase. Bidders always have to rely on information provided or electronic images of goods or auction. Also there is potential for fraud since internet bidder has to actually trust that the buyer will send goods he/she has paid for. B2B model also has advantages and disadvantages which adversely affect purchasing company or company.Some of the advantages include: Hosting of critical supply chain which is available to buyer to help them choose on which chain to use in ordering for their supplies. It also provide market to close enterprise collaboration- This results in synchronized industry coordination which enables the company to synchronize activities like product design, procurement, planning and so on (Peter Dicken,2003. ) It also provides participate with flexible, open, reliable, highly available and scalable environment. Some of disadvantages of using B2B model are based on challenges that are faced by the business.For example, at time buyer, sell and channel partners feel that the market is working against them which eventually result to loss of those companies purchasing their products. Buyers can also result the procedures to be followed when purchasing the products which makes the company to incur extra cost for procedures desired by the other company. Insecurity by the company purchasing the product since the y just trust that the products will be sent to them, once they are paid for. Suppliers of major consumer’s product should consider a number of factors when they decide to shift from B2B to B2C.First they should determine whether supplier has customization by offering capacity to offer goods and services in real time and ability to customize goods to the needs is higher. This is because the suppliers have been dealing with company or businesses and now they want to deal with individual customers. Suppliers should be aware of organizational changes in changing from B2B to B2C this enables successful transformation to a B2C e-business company. There should be a radical organization al change. This is difficult to implement as a result of strong resistance by employees. Also supply should be aware of redesigning business processes.The B2B processes should be redesigned and streamlined in order to suit the new B2C form of business. The system is also integrated because the real po wer of e-business comes up when the systems are integrated. Products that can lead to change from B2B to B2C are finished products which are readily usable by customers. Therefore the company prefers to deal with individual customers for large sales than dealing with company. Also when the industry start manufacturing finished products it can shift its model from B2B to B2C since its selling then to consumers who needs already finished products.Finished products lead to change of marketing model from B2B to B2C since the consumer can not purchase an assembled product unlike other business/industries who can purchase them so that they can assemble them and sell as a finished product. Products that have lead to this change include electronic and local phones and also services such as long distance and wireless telephones, cable television, internet service provider and so on are some of products and services that can be sold directly to consumer instead of selling to industry or other business because consumer can enjoy the benefit of avoiding middle man in the distribution chain.(Gopal Screeraman ,2002. ) Consumer demand can have great effect on suppliers. For example, some things like prompt delivery of goods desired by consumer at time is not met by supplier and this makes supply to deliver products that are not well finished to avoid delay. Consumer demand also enables the supplier to find ways to gain competitive advantages in factors other than just price. Some factors can increase demand of certain products by consumers which the supplier has to meet in order to gain marketability. Consumer demands also leads to expansion of larger services.This is evidenced in demand supply curve whereby the higher the demand the lower the supply and therefore through expansion of services the demand can be met. It also helps to find cost effectiveness ways to increase customer base and generate higher revenues. Therefore these types of electronic commerce have different impacts and while ordering for products one should consider which model suits best. Reference. Paul Timer, (1998), Business model for Electronic market London. Peter Dicken, (2003), Political Science, United Nations. Gopal Screeraman, (2002), Commerce server 2000, New York.

A Biography of the Venerable Bede

A Biography of the Venerable Bede The Venerable Bede was a British monk whose works in theology, history, chronology, poetry, and biography have led him to be accepted at the greatest scholar of the early medieval era. Born in March of 672 and having died on May 25, 735 in Jarrow, Northumbria, UK, Bede is most famous for producing the Historia ecclesiastica (Ecclesiastical History), a source essential for our understanding of the Anglo-Saxons and the Christianisation of Britain in the era before William the Conqueror and the Norman Conquest, earning him the title of the Father of English history. Childhood Little is known of Bedes childhood, other than he was born in March of 672 to parents living on land belonging to the newly founded Monastery of St. Peter, based in Wearmouth, to which Bede was given by relatives for a monastic education when he was seven. Initially, in the care of Abbot Benedict, Bedes teaching was taken over by Ceolfrith, with whom Bede moved to the monasterys new twin-house at Jarrow in 681. The Life of Ceolfrith suggests that here only the young Bede and Ceolfrith survived a plague which devastated the settlement. However, in the aftermath of the plague the new house regrew and continued. Both houses were in the kingdom of Northumbria. Adult Life Bede spent the rest of his life as a monk at Jarrow, first being taught and then teaching to the daily rhythms of monastic rule: for Bede, a mixture of prayer and study. He was ordained as a Deacon aged 19 – at a time when Deacons were supposed to be 25 or over – and a priest aged 30. Indeed, historians believe Bede left Jarrow only twice in his relatively long life, to visit Lindisfarne and York. While his letters contain hints of other visits, there isnt any real evidence, and he certainly never traveled far. Works Monasteries were nodes of scholarship in early medieval Europe, and there is nothing surprising in the fact that Bede, an intelligent, pious and educated man, used his learning, life of study and house library to produce a large body of writing. What was unusual was the sheer breadth, depth, and quality of the fifty plus works he produced, covering scientific and chronological matters, history and biography and, perhaps as expected, scriptural commentary. As befitted the greatest scholar of his era, Bede had the chance to become Prior of Jarrow, and perhaps more, but turned the jobs down as they would interfere with his study. The Theologian: Bedes biblical commentaries – in which he interpreted the bible mainly as an allegory, applied criticism and tried to solve discrepancies – were extremely popular in the early medieval period, being copied and spread – along with Bedes reputation – widely across the monasteries of Europe. This dissemination was helped by the school of Archbishop Egbert of York, one of Bedes pupils, and later by a student of this school, Alcuin, who became head of Charlemagnes palace school and played a key role in the Carolingian Renaissance. Bede took the Latin and Greek of the early church manuscripts and turned them into something the secular elites of the Anglo-Saxon world could deal with, helping them accept the faith and spread the church. The Chronologist Bedes two chronological works - De temporibus (On Times) and De temporum ratione (On the Reckoning of Time) were concerned with establishing the dates of Easter. Along with his histories, these still affect our style of dating: when equating the number of the year with the year of Jesus Christs life, Bede invented the use of A.D., The Year Of Our Lord. In stark contrast to dark age cliches, Bede also knew the world was round, the moon affected tides and appreciated observational science. The Historian In 731/2 Bede completed the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, the Ecclesiastical History of the English People. An account of Britain between the landings of Julius Caesar in 55/54 BC and St. Augustine in 597 AD, its the key source on the Christianisation of Britain, a mixture of sophisticated historiography and religious messages containing details simply not found elsewhere. As such, it now overshadows his other historical, indeed all his other, works and is one of the key documents in the entire field of British history. Its also lovely to read. Death and Reputation Bede died in 735 and was buried at Jarrow before being re-interred inside Durham Cathedral (at the time of this writing the Bedes World museum in Jarrow have a cast of his cranium on display.) He was already renowned among his peers, being described by a Bishop Boniface as having shone forth as a lantern in the world by his scriptural commentary, but is now regarded as the greatest and most multi-talented scholar of the early medieval era, perhaps of the entire medieval era. Bede was sainted in 1899, thus giving him the posthumous title of Saint Bede the Venerable. Bede was declared venerable by the church in 836, and the word is given on his tomb in Durham Cathedral: Hic sunt in fossa bedae venerabilis ossa (Here are buried the bones of the Venerable Bede.) Bede on Bede The Historia ecclesiastica finishes with a short account of Bede about himself and a list of his many works (and is actually the key source about his life that we, much later historians, have to work with): Thus much of the Ecclesiastical History of Britain, and more especially of the English nation, as far as I could learn either from the writings of the ancients, or the tradition of our ancestors, or of my own knowledge, has, with the help of God, been digested by me, Bede, the servant of God, and priest of the monastery of the blessed apostles, Peter and Paul, which is at Wearmouth and Jarrow; who being born in the territory of that same monastery, was given, at seven years of age, to be educated by the most reverend Abbot Benedict, and afterwards by Ceolfrid; and spending all the remaining time of my life in that monastery, I wholly applied myself to the study of Scripture, and amidst the observance of regular discipline, and the daily care of singing in the church, I always took delight in learning, teaching, and writing. In the nineteenth year of my age, I received deacons orders; in the thirtieth, those of the priesthood, both of them by the ministry of the most reverend Bishop J ohn, and by the order of the Abbot Ceolfrid. From which time, till the fifty-ninth year of my age, I have made it my business, for the use of me and mine, to compile out of the works of the venerable Fathers, and to interpret and explain according to their meaning... Source Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Penguin Classics, D. H. Farmer  (Editor, Introduction), Ronald Latham (Editor), et al., Paperback, Revised edition, Penguin Classics, May 1, 1991.

Some or Any for Absolute Beginners to English

Some or Any for Absolute Beginners to English The use of some and any is rather challenging for absolute beginner English learners. You will need to be especially careful and model many times when introducing some and any. Repeating students mistakes while accenting the mistaken word is especially helpful as the student will be prompted to change his / her response. Practicing some and any also offers a perfect opportunity to review the use of there is and there are to introduce countable and uncountable nouns. You will need to bring in some illustrations of both countable and uncountable objects. I find a picture of a living room with many objects helpful. Part I: Introducing Some and Any With Countable Objects Prepare the lesson by writing Some and a number such as 4 at the top of the board. Under these headings, add a list of the countable and uncountable objects that you have introduced - or will be introducing - during the lesson. This will help students recognize the concept of countable and uncountable. Teacher: ​(Take an illustration or picture that contains many objects.) Are there any oranges in this picture? Yes, there are some oranges in that picture. (Model any and some by accenting any and some in the question and response. This use of accenting differing words with your intonation helps students learn that any is used in the question form and some in a positive statement.) Teacher: (Repeat with several different countable objects.)  Are there any  glasses in this picture? Yes, there are some  glasses in that picture. Teacher: Are there any  glasses in this picture? No, there arent ​any  glasses in that picture. There are  some apples. (Repeat with several different countable objects.) Teacher: Paolo, are there any books in this picture? Student(s): Yes, there are some books in that picture. Continue this exercise around the room with each of the students. If a student makes a mistake, touch your ear to signal that the student should listen and then repeat his/her answer accenting what the student should have said. Part II: Introducing Some and Any With Uncountable Objects (At this point you might want to point out the list you have written on the board.) Teacher: (Take an illustration or picture that contains an uncountable object such as water.) Is there any  water in this picture? Yes, there is some  water in that picture. Teacher: (Take an illustration or picture that contains an uncountable object such as water.) Is there  any  cheese in this picture? Yes, there is some  cheese in that picture. Teacher: Paolo, is there any cheese in this picture? Student(s): Yes, there is some cheese in that picture. Continue this exercise around the room with each of the students. If a student makes a mistake, touch your ear to signal that the student should listen and then repeat his/her answer accenting what the student should have said. Part III: Students ask questions Teacher: (Hand out the various images to the students, you can also make a game out of this by turning over the images and having students choose one from the pile.) Teacher: Paolo, ask Susan a question. Student(s): Is there any water in this picture? Student(s): Yes, there is some water in that picture. OR No, there isnt any water in that picture. Student(s): Are there any oranges in this picture? Student(s): Yes, there are some oranges in that picture. OR No, there arent any oranges in that picture. Teacher: (Continue around the room - make sure to repeat students incorrect sentences accenting the mistake so that they may correct themselves.)

LITERATURE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

LITERATURE - Essay Example While generally the end of the First World War can be regarded as the commencement of the modernist tradition in literature, end of the Second World War marked initiation of the postmodernism. The writers of modernist tradition, after experiencing the radical shift from romantic traditions which also was further worsened by great devastation of the First World War, attempted to develop a holistic approach that they considered to be a matter of great importance to solve the prevailing problems. The postmodernists on the other hand adopted quite a different approach than that of the modernists and emphasized on the evaluation as well as analysis of the different aspects that construct life from in a fragmented manner. Irrespective of the fact that postmodernists derived a great deal of their inspiration from modernist traits of writing, however, their attempt to deal with subjects of novels in a fragmented and highly individualized manner developed the core of postmodernism. Such effor ts not only helped in the genesis of different sub-genres in the 20th Century novel writing tradition but also helped readers to receive more accurate understanding of the social, cultural, political and philosophical scenario of the contemporary time. ... to art and aesthetics of modernist literature, development of popular literature and to which extent these two novels, respectively, have helped in understanding the forms of postmodern existence in a better way. In order to establish the criteria for determining the best novel of 20th Century, it is important to understand both modernism and postmodernism as these two literary and philosophical disciplines have played the most important parts in determining the aesthetics of the century, elaborated the socio-cultural aspects and finally help a reader to understand the relevance of texts with both aesthetics as well as socio-cultural dimensions. The term ‘modernism’ has raised a great deal of debate, dilemma and controversies among critics of literature and such vast is its expanse that quite often it becomes difficult to determine the actual literary-philosophical dimension of the discipline. Thus, critics like Malcolm Bradbury and James McFarlane, in their efforts to d etermine modernism, have emphasized on two different â€Å"sets of association† (Gupta, 2005, p. 221). In the first set of association they have opined is linked with â€Å"high aesthetic self-consciousness and nonrepresentationalism, in which art turns from realism and humanistic representation towards style, technique, and spatial form in pursuit of a deeper penetration of life †¦.† (Cited in Gupta, 2005, p. 221). This type of association helps in the genesis of experimental and innovative arts and consecutively deconstructs the traditional forms of artistic perception as well as representation in terms of structure, myth and organization. In the second type of association the critics have attempted to elaborate the reasons that resulted in such changes. While on one hand the intellectual dimension

Equity law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Equity law - Essay Example Practically, Hudson (2009) avers that modern equity is limited by both procedural and substantive rules, with legal writers tending to focus on prevailing technicalities. From these are drawn the twelve ‘vague’ ethical statements, referred to as the maxims of equity. The ethical statements further guide in the application of equity according to civil law (Hudson, 2009:24). The concept elicits criticisms that are traceable to historical conceptualization, during its development. This is mainly based upon its lack of fixed rules, further augmented by the fact that it later on lost a majority of its flexibility. The law on perfectly constituted trusts and perfect gifts has been ‘tolerably clear’ since 1862 (Halliwell, 2003:192). This is traceable to the authoritative statement by Turner during the Milroy v Lord case (4 De G.F. & J. 264; 45 E.R. 1185; [1861-1973] All E.R. Rep. 783). Use of the term ‘tolerably clear’ is necessitated by the presence of exceptions, which were previously articulated by courts previously. Influential in this regard is interpretation of the Privy Council’s advice, during the Court of Appeal’s hearing of the Pennington v *Conv. 193 Waine case (Halliwell, 2003:192). Subsequent interpretation of the court’s ruling was viewed as providing courts of equity the unfettered discretion, concerning whether voluntary trusts or gifts should take effect. This is with regard to the role of ‘un-conscionability in Equity’, which requires principled reasoning. Pundits are thus of the view that courts of law need to utilize principled approaches, as opposed to the exercising of unfettered discretion that is based on individual notions of judges pertaining to what is fair or not (Halliwell, 2003:194). The presence of ‘unfettered discretion’ potentially has far reaching consequences, with regard to voluntary property dispositions. Thus, the presence of voluntary settlement can occur by way of