Compare and Contrast the Role of Lay Personell

Compare and contrast the role of and function of judges, lawyers and lay people within the English courts Lay people are individuals with no legal training from a variety of backgrounds which is said to be used to promote an equal society. The role of Magistrates and Jurors are similar in ways of characteristics needed; for example both must be aged 18-70 and those who are in the police or have previous criminal convictions are ruled out.The selection process is however very different, the Lord Chancellor will appoint lay magistrates on behalf of the queen whereas jurors are selected by an electoral register for the area in which the court is situated and is done by a computer at the Central Summoning Bureau. Lay Magistrates are unpaid, part time volunteers whereas jurors are also unpaid but may be unwilling however failure to attend can result in prosecution or a fine.Magistrates can claim a small allowance and compensation for lost earnings. Both parties make their decision based o n facts, such as guilt or innocence in trials whereby the difference is that Magistrates can sentence the defendant whereas jurors cannot. Both are used in the right for a †trial by our peers†, ordinary people with experience of real life situations. Jurors will serve for a period of usually two weeks as apposed to Magistrates who will serve part time for different periods of time.Although lay magistrates and district judges do a very similar job there are many differences between how they work, their qualifications and employment. Lay magistrates, otherwise known as Justice of the Peace sit in magistrate's courts, generally in groups of three, whereas judges usually sit alone. 1999 there were 90, of whom about 20% were women, whereas there are an almost equal number of men and women magistrates, showing that judges are not a mirror image of trial by ones peers such as lay people.Judges are members of the professional judiciary who are legally qualified and salaried, wor king full time whereas the lay magistrate and jury are not paid and work part time/ a period of two weeks. Judges have practised for at least 7 years as a barrister or a solicitor. One way to become a solicitor is have ‘A' levels and go onto a Law degree then do 1 year on a legal practice course, then do a 2 year training period. One way to be a barrister is to do a Law degree then become a member of an Inn court and dine at the Inn or attend weekend courses, then do a 1 year ocational training course before being called to the bar. No formal qualifications are required for a lay magistrate or jury, but they do need intelligence, common sense, integrity and the capacity to act fairly. Lay magistrates are appointed by the Lord Chancellor (on behalf of the Queen) on the recommendation of the 100 local advisory committee, judges are also appointed by the Lord Chancellor and are appointed from those who have held advocacy qualifications for seven years.Soliciters play a totally di fferent role all together, they tend to work alongside a Legal executive with the Legal executive being the Solicitors assistants, they will deal with the more straight forward cases themselves such as preparing wills or leases and also have limited rights of audience in court, mainly making applications in the County court where cases are not defended. Barristers are the specialists of the court room. However once a barrister receives his/her certificate to practice they undertake a completely different life style.This life requires them to dress in dark black gowns and white woolen wigs whilst they advocate in courts such as the crown court. They also wear this â€Å"uniform† whilst they are in their chamber and when they are giving out legal advice on their specialist subject of higher law unlike lay people who do not require a uniform and soliciters must wear a smart suit. Soliciters will instruct a Barrister for their client, and unlike barristers will establish a compel ling defence for the barrister to then stand up in court and argue it for the client.However both parties must have a comprehesive understanding of law and soliciters can also give Barristers law advice on cases of law. E. g. negligence, wills, conveyancing etc. Unlike lay people and soliciters practicing Barristers are usually self-employed but usually work from sets of chambers with approximately 20 members in order to share administration costs and a clerk. More recent access to Justice act gives solicitors the right to do advocacy so they can also appear in court as advocates but need to gain an advocacy certificate before they can do so, unlike barristers.

Yoga as an ancient spiritual practice

Abstract- This paper examines yoga as an ancient spiritual practice in India, the medical uses for yoga and the practice of it in the United States. This study reveals how yoga can be used to help those suffering from asthma and other pulmonary diseases; in addition, to alleviate constipation. There are a variety of body stretches and breathing exercises performed in yoga; furthermore, yoga has been used as a relaxation technique for many. There is a misconception in the practice of yoga in the United States. It is practiced as a method to relieve one self of the stresses caused by everyday life and meditation is used to temporarily block thoughts to encourage a deeper sense of temporary relaxation. Traditional yogis have been insulted by the interpretation of yoga in the West. Critics argue that yoga as a ‘pop' fitness trend has taken yoga out of its spiritual context and arranged it in a modern health club setting. Ancient yoga that is conducted in India differs greatly in its practices as compared to Western yoga as a fitness trend. The methods used to obtain information for this topic include: participant observation, three interviews were conducted; one with an American Yoga instructor, two were with American Yoga participants, in addition, extensive library research was conducted on Yoga. Introduction: The history of yoga in Ancient India dates back approximately five thousand years. It has been acknowledged in the United States since the early1960's. The many resources I have used to collect the data for this study gave inconsistent information pertaining to yoga's date of origin; therefore, I calculated an estimate. Its place of origin has been verified as India. â€Å"Yoga is an ancient Sanskrit word meaning union† (Harvard Heath Letter 1998:24). â€Å"When a mans union or existential contact with Being becomes [balanced and complete] he is transformed into a dynamic personality. Yoga may be defined as the art of harmonious and creative living. It stresses the need for the balanced growth of personality†¦it warns against extreme tendencies which mislead people into lopsided development.† (Chaudhuri 1974:37) It continues to describe such â€Å"lopsided† personalities as people who are unbalanced. For example, one who is overly social may be suppressing their own emotions, those who overly exercise the muscles may be under developing the brain, and those who over-exercise the brain may be neglecting the body. Yoga is an everyday concept in Indian culture; moreover, Sanskrit is the language of yoga. Yoga has been a source of religious and philosophical movements throughout history. â€Å"The basic issue of human suffering include moral, religious, and psychological problems, has been traced to one ultimate cause†¦self estrangement, alienation from existence, loss of contact with being, emotional conflicts, social discord, political wars, all of these†¦flow from mans loss of contact with the ground of existence.† (Bose 1996:48) Alienation and depression lead to emotional conflict; consequently, it may produce a feeling of restlessness; moreover, stress. Ancient yoga has called out to alleviate such problems and alleviate the anxiety caused by stress. It taught people how to take care of their minds and bodies; in addition, how to relate to other people. It also taught people what to eat and how to exist in nature. The majority of traditional yogis are vegetarian. Ancient yoga's goal was to emphasize complete spirituality and to be all to your human potential. â€Å"It emphasizes the need for balanced integration of the physical, emotional, intellectual, ethical, and religious aspects of personality† (Chaudhuri 1974:38). In the United States yoga is mainly practiced as relaxation therapy. Relaxation therapy has been used as â€Å"a broad term used to describe a number of techniques that promote stress reduction, the elimination of tension through the body, and a calm and peaceful state of mind† (Martin 2002:1). Stress and tensions experienced through everyday life have been linked to many illnesses including but not limited to: heart disease, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, anxiety disorders, insomnia, and substance abuse. â€Å"Stress can also trigger a number of physical symptoms including nausea, headache, hair loss, fatigue, and muscle pain† (Martin 2002:2). In addition to the benefits of yoga â€Å"it can also be tailored to people of different ages and different fitness levels. An athletic person will likely opt to do more [yoga] postures and hold them for longer than someone who is just beginning [in addition] many people use yoga as a complement to a sport or aerobic activity†¦stretches can [also] be done as a warm up [prior to a work out]† (Harvard Health Letter 1998:3). In reference to biomedical effectiveness â€Å"Yoga has been used to alleviate problems associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, migraine headaches, asthma, shallow breathing, backaches, constipation, diabetes, menopause, multiple sclerosis, varicose veins, carpal tunnel syndrome, and many chronic illnesses† (Dupler 2002:2). In this study I chose to focus on asthma and constipation due to the fact, there was more medical evidence established to confirm the practice of yoga assisting those health issues. Methods: The data for this study was obtained by researching the broad topic of yoga. The topic was then broken down into sub-groups including: medical aspects of yoga, ancient history of yoga, American yoga, and yoga for relaxation. In addition, interviews were conducted. One interviewee was an American yoga instructor; two others were American yoga participants. Each interviewee attended the same class. Moreover, I practice yoga and added my opinions and participant observations through the use of it. Paula was the yoga instructor I interviewed. When I asked her the question â€Å"Why did you decided to teach yoga?† she replied â€Å"I like helping people but I don't agree with the practice of biomedicine†. In response to my question â€Å"Why don't you agree with biomedicine?† She replied â€Å"It seems too rigid and rushed, [moreover] people don't seem to get the medical help they really need and most of the help they do receive is only a temporary fix.† Paula was a student at the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States for approximately three years. She has been teaching yoga as a certified teacher for approximately two years. To learn more about the Iyengar School of Yoga I looked it up on the internet and learned that the assessment for certification included: demonstrated practice of Asanas, a written exam, and demonstrated teachings. In the demonstrated practice of Asanas (poses) portion the students are expected to show a working knowledge of all of the poses in the syllabus for the assessment level, the written exam asked questions regarding the required reading on the syllabus as well as theoretical questions regarding teaching such as sequencing concepts, medical modifications etc. Their teaching skills in areas such as understanding of the pose and the knowledge of basic instruction, clarity of instruction, pacing, interaction with and manner toward the students, demonstration skills, observation of class and appropriate corrections, are critically evaluated before certification is granted. After passing the assessment all teachers are required to renew their certification bi-annually (http://www. iynaus.org/). Results: Through participant observation I noted that the environment in which American yoga is practiced is usually quiet, dimly lit, comfortable in temperature, and spacious. Floor mats are provided to comfort the participant during the session. Soft music is played in the background and a candle or incense it burned (depending on the instructor). The instructor speaks softly and verbally guides the group through a variety of asanas (poses). The instructor often moves about the room correcting participants' postures when appropriate. Relaxation and meditation is promoted through verbal suggestions and chants of Om. Moreover, each session last for approximately one hour. Linda was one of the participants I interviewed. She is married, has two school aged children, recently moved to the area, and is not employed. When I asked her who she chooses to participate in Yoga she replied â€Å"I don't work and the children are in school all day so yoga and [the other activities she engages in] gives me something to look forward to. I have also met many nice women that I have become friends with. I am not from the area so it has given me more of a sense of community.† Michelle was the final participant I interviewed. Michelle leads a very busy lifestyle. She is married with no children and works 50 hours per week; moreover, commutes one hour each way to work. In response to the question of why she chooses to practice yoga she responded, â€Å"it helps me clear my mind and forget everything that is going on in my life outside of this room, [it also] gives me an energy boost for the rest of the day or if I take an evening class it helps me sleep better.à ¢â‚¬  I also asked Michelle â€Å"How do you know yoga really helps you?† She revealed that â€Å"I used to suffer from anxiety disorders and had difficulty falling to sleep at night because so much was on my mind, after taking yoga classes for a few months I started to relax more and sleep better.† From my personal participant observations I agreed with much of what Michelle had concluded through her practices of yoga. I am a full time student and own and operate a small business. Moreover, there are additional things that life demands of me. I have been practicing yoga for approximately two years. I began practicing yoga because my fitness facility offered it. As I began to practice it weekly I noticed more movement and flexibility in my body. Then, I began to notice my mind that was once overloaded with stress from deadlines that needed to be met, became more relaxed. Moreover, my sleeping pattern became more regular and my mind and body felt more at ease, all of which I a ttribute to overall stress reduction. Yoga in America has been advertised as a means for relaxation and to free the self of stress. It is practiced in health clubs and spas in groups headed by a yoga instructor. There is no formal training an instructor must undergo to teach yoga in the U.S. There are seminars that can be completed from one week to six months; respectively, to obtain certification; nevertheless, one does not need certifications to teach a yoga class. In contrast, Ancient yoga's idea is that â€Å"of freedom in spiritual self expression, yoga does not believe in any standardized path for all to follow† (Chaudhuri 1974:21). Yoga is practiced in private or with a teacher (a yogi, male or yogin, female). â€Å"A yogi [yogin] is one who does not merely talk philosophy but lives philosophy, he does not simply have faith in God but experiences God† (Chaudhuri 1974:19). One becomes a yogi when his/her teacher gives permission to teach. The teacher (guru) guides the student through a spiritual path to self-realization. It is not until then, a student becomes a yogi. The guru's teachings can last for years before a student is ready to teach the yoga philosophy. Energy is said to be passed from the guru to the student or yogi. This process is the natural conversion practiced in India. â€Å"Yoga is not a matter of belief; it is the inner growth of consciousness which results in direct insight into the heart of reality [it is a] progressive realization of the full freedom of the inner spirit† (Chaudhuri 1974:22). The physical exercises and breathing exercises do not belong to the essence of yoga they are the â€Å"bodily preparation entitling one to take up higher phases of yogic practices such as concentration, meditation, and the like (Chaudhuri 1974:21). In conclusion, it appears that yoga practiced in America is in fact a preparation effort; moreover, the first stage in ancient yoga. In the American practices of yoga the physical exercises and breathing exercises are what is emphasized; resulting, in a relaxed state of mind and body. In addition to American yoga being practiced for relaxation and stress reduction, there has been a discovery that it is also used to help treat chronic illnesses that biomedicine has had difficulty managing. In this study I chose to focus on asthma and constipation due to the fact, there was more medical evidence established to confirm the practice of yoga assisting those health issues. Approximately ten-million Americans have asthma. It usually begins in childhood; although, it may also begin to show its signs in adult life (Dupler 2002:1). â€Å"In most cases asthma is caused by inhaling an allergen that sets off the chain of biomedical and tissue changes leading to airway inflammation, broncho- constriction, and wheezing. â€Å"Studies have shown that yoga significantly helps asthma sufferers, with exercises specifically designed to expand the lungs, promote deep breathing, and reduce stress† (Dupler 2002:2). Breathing exercises will strengthen and relax the muscles of the lungs. Controlling the breathing helps the respiratory muscles and lungs to develop and breathe more slowly reducing stress on the airways; consequently, reducing the chance of an asthma attack. Being able to control and focus breathing patterns also aids in the awareness in a change in regular breathing; in short, the onset of asthma attacks. Yoga has also been useful in the alleviation of abdominal gas; moreover, constipation. â€Å"Constipation is an acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual†¦it is one of the most common medical complaints in the U.S† (Haggerty 2002:1). It can occur to any one at any age, although, it's more common among women. While conducting my interview with Paula, the yoga instructor, I asked her if she was aware of any medical uses for yoga. She informed me of several positions to relieve constipation discomfort. The first position is called a â€Å"knee-chest† position. It involves: * Standing straight with arms at the sides * Lifting the right knee toward the chest * Grasping the right ankle with the left hand * Pulling the legs as close to the chest as possible * Holding the position for about 10 seconds * And repeating those steps with the alternate leg The second position was called â€Å"cobra†. It involves the following steps: * Lying on the stomach with the legs together * Placing the palms just below the shoulders, keeping the elbows close to the body * While inhaling lift the head and chest off of the floor while keeping your face forward, also keep the naval in contact with the floor * The goal is to stretch and look as far upward as possible to elongate the abdomen * The cobra position must be held for about 8 seconds * Exhale as you lower the chest toward the floor In the interview with the yoga instructor, Paula remarked that, â€Å"Too often today when we have a headache we take a pill or something to stop the pain and discomfort. We try killing the pain instead of realizing and coming to an understanding that there's some thing causing the headache. Some people work too hard and try to juggle too much, maybe they ate something wrong for lunch, or are holding in negative emotions. Instead of realizing that stress in life exists we try to numb everything.† In my personal practices with yoga it has assisted me in the following: allowing full concentration, sleeping more soundly, increasing my energy level, and allowing my creativity to flow better. Linda one of the participants revealed that she suffers from asthma and she has tried a variety of medicines and in conjunction with Theophylline, her medication, yoga helps her in controlling her breathing. Her doctor also remarked about how beneficial yoga has been to her condition. Discussion: In terms of the American culture, yoga provides participants with a sense of relaxation that is necessary in such a busy society. Today, people are trying to balance many activities; including but not limited to, work, family, education, and other personal activities. Moreover, yoga helps provide many people with a social system to incorporate within. There is a misconception in the practice of yoga in the United States. It is practiced as a method to relieve one self of the stresses caused by everyday life and meditation is used to temporarily block thoughts to encourage a deeper sense of temporary relaxation. Traditional yogis have been insulted by the interpretation of yoga in the West. Critics argue that yoga as a ‘pop' fitness trend has taken yoga out of its spiritual context and arranged it in a modern health club setting. Ancient yoga that is conducted in India differs greatly in its practices as compared to Western yoga as a fitness trend. Yoga may also be compared with Christian healing groups and metaphysical groups in the following ways: each is practiced within a group setting and there is a call to a higher power. Each believes that â€Å"health and healing come from tapping into a powerful life force†¦this type of healing is based upon a wholly immanent power, fully within the reach of each believer† (McGuire 1998:79). â€Å"They believe that the key to the desired wholeness is mental more than purely spiritual†¦a healthy mind will help you have a healthy body† (McGuire 1998:81). The ancient practices of yoga highlight spirituality. â€Å"A yogi is one who does not merely talk philosophy but lives philosophy, he does not simply have faith in God but experiences God† (Chaudhuri 1974:19). Many Americans think of yoga as a religion and have reacted to it negatively. Some think that if they practice yoga then they would be undermining their personal religious beliefs. â€Å"Instead of undermining their personal faith, Yoga can actually deepen it†¦some yoga instructors are more religious than others, but Yoga itself is a tool for exploring the depth of our human nature†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Feurstein 1996:1).

A last ditch effort to rescue the River Jordan Essay

A last ditch effort to rescue the River Jordan - Essay Example Hence, it has become the most danger to the extreme environmental adversity. Unfortunately, the annual flow o River Jordan has considerably reduced since; Jordan, Syria, and Israel are competing at seizing clean water as much as they can (OBrien 1). This has the result in the annual water decrease, and many people are not aware that the river will soon dry up. Friends from Earth Middle East recently are trying to create awareness of the departure of the Jordan River. Due to habitat damage, the area experiences decreased rainfall with severe climatic conditions as a result of a change in climate. As a result, it will lead to water shortage in the area reducing production of food as well economic instability. Devotion to water concern is intensifying as political, social, and the development urgency (OBrien 1). The international community is debating on the creation of new strategies that will sustenance effort towards the rescue of Jordan River. It has taken years of demanding work and finally definite transformation is beginning to commence in the River

Faith Diversity. Spiritual Healing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Faith Diversity. Spiritual Healing - Assignment Example In the present healthcare stipulation, healthcare providers need to undoubtedly have a wonderful understanding, acceptance and appreciation of the varied religious systems their patients belong to, almost all of which will be different from their beliefs (Ketchell, Pyles, & Canda, n.d). In this paper, three religions that are often met in health care facilities – Baha’ism, Buddhism, and Hinduism will be discussed. All these three religions have many similarities as well as many distinctions. This paper will respond to the following questions about each of the three religions: ‘What is the spiritual perspective on healing of each religion?’ ‘What are the critical components of healing, such as prayer, meditation, belief, etc?’, ‘What is important to people of the particular faith when cared for by a health care provider whose spiritual beliefs differ from their own?’, and â€Å"How do patients view health care providers who are abl e to let go of their own beliefs in the interest of the beliefs and practices of the patient?† Furthermore, these religions will be compared with Christianity and its perspective on faith and healing. In the end, I shall share the knowledge that I gained after researching the spiritual healing perspectives of these three religions. A Research on Spiritual Healing in Buddhism, Hinduism and Baha’ism Spiritual healing is a healing in which the patient is cured through spiritual practices. The perspective of spiritual healing is wide but generally includes meditation and prayers. Spiritual healing is found in all of the world’s major religions though it varies from one religion to another. Most patients belong to different faiths in the health care institutes the world over. In recent times, the health care providers have to deal with patients with varied surroundings and faiths. In this essay, the spiritual concept of health will be explored from the perspective of three major religious perspectives – Buddhism, Hinduism and Baha’ism. Moreover, we shall discuss what is essential for people of all these three beliefs and how do these patients examine health care providers. The spiritual perspective of healing of the three faiths – Buddhism, Hinduism and Baha’ism The Buddhists believe in inner healing and consider their health as the most fundamental asset in their life. Their healing procedure conceptualizes the mind and body as one single element. For instance, the sickness of one’s body has an effect on one’s psychological wellbeing. Therefore, they believe that personal enlightenment is the best way of curing one’s health. Moreover, the principle of karma directs the Buddhist concept of physical health. In other words, they believe that a person’s undesirable acts of harming oneself or others lead to injury or ill heath in this life as well as in future embodiments, therefore one needs t o rectify his karma for one’s wellbeing( Ketchell, Pyles & Canda, n.d). The second religion in discussion is one of the world’s most ancient religions – Hinduism. The Hindus are firm believers of God and religiously offer prayers every day. They too believe in termination of some essentials of human life that ensnares people in the continuous succession of birth and death thereby creating dissonance in life. According to the Hindus, this disharmony of health is the result of improper actions of the mind, body and speech; bad karma; or bad conduct. Furthermore, they believe that the soul has to pass through a series of births and deaths before finally attaining liberty from mortality. Therefore, prayers and meditation are absolutely necessary for healing oneself and for attaining mortality (Kakar, 1989, p.115). The third religion being explored is Baha’

Evidence Management In My Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evidence Management In My Organization - Essay Example It is worth noting that at the same time the hacker skill level is becoming low. Probable reason being the increase in number of loop holes in modern systems and open opportunity for hackers to share information and transfer technology amongst one another. This situation is of prime concern to the information security world. Methodologies are being developed and improved to combat, investigate and prevent such breaches into system boundaries1. Study conducted by the FBI and CSI in the year 2002 revealed alarming increase in system intrusion by hackers. 90% of the respondents identified their systems to be invaded. 80% accepted financial loss. Loss above 450,000,000 $ was reported collectively by about 220 respondents. 74% of the total declared internet as the repetitive point of attack. To cater for the increasing number of attack incidents, an approach must be formulated to respond to such unpleasant events so that the effect of such attacks on the organization is minimized. Minimization of the intrusion impact will lead to un-altered organizational performance and ideally no loss of capital. However, if such incidents are dealt with lightly and casually, the organizational integrity is under serious threat. The response mechanism should be able to manage sufficient information of the breach to assist the decision makers and concerned personnel to determine the actions accordingly, to combat future attacks and to dissuade attacks through investigation and law trial. The methodology to the response to such an attack has to be time optimized because mostly time is the key governing variable to determine organizational performance. Also, the methodology must be efficient emphasizing low resource utilization because finance in an organization is another contingent con trolling variable. The approach towards dealing with the situation must be modular so that the repair and maintain mechanism is refined into manageable chunks. The approach should also emphasize on the most logical sequence of actions for dealing with threats and invasions. Finally, the approach must also incorporate the room for dealing with never-seen-before security situations. It should be kept in mind that the design of the response methodology has linked legal issues as liability limitation and reduction in insurance premiums. Taking into consideration the issues explained above, a multi-step linear feed back model has been developed. Incidence response is generally based upon this model. The sequential steps of the response method proposed by the model are preparation, detection and containment followed by analysis, eradication and recovery. At the end of the linear chain, follow up and feed back is required for the response process completion2. SIGNIFICANCE OF EVIDENCE The evidence of a security breach can be collected in any of the seven steps in the response model described above. It is important that this evidence be managed in an efficient manner as this

Support for hormone replacement therapy Assignment

Support for hormone replacement therapy - Assignment Example ormone replacement therapy is beneficial in the treatment of urogenital atrophy by decreasing vaginal epithelial pH and inducing the maturation of urethral mucosal and vaginal cells. Urogenital atrophy brings psychological trauma and as such, hormone replacement therapy is by extension beneficial in treating such psychological effects. Hormone replacement therapy is helpful in preventing and treating oral bone loss. This is a common problem in postmenopausal women and is associated with estrogen deficiency. There is evidence that hormone replacement therapy can help treat vision problems in elderly persons. Evidence suggests that hormone replacement therapy is important in reducing the occurrence of coronary heart disease (Hodis, 2008). One of the limitations of hormone replacement therapy is that it increases susceptibility to venous and pulmonary thromboembolism. However, this varies with the timing so that the risk of contracting venous thromboembolism is higher in the first year of treatment. Another limitation with hormone replacement therapy is that it increases the risk of developing breast cancer. The therapy also increases susceptibility to stroke especially ischaemic stroke. Evidence suggests that the use of estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy increases the risk of endometrial cancer. Hormone replacement therapy has a limitation of increasing the risk of ovarian cancer. The therapy causes bleeding in its users especially for the first three to six months (Billecia et. al., 2008). In light of the above benefits and limitations of hormone replacement therapy, I would support hormone therapy. I would support this therapy because it is a good treatment option for many medical conditions some of which may not have a better treatment option. Another reason why I would support this therapy is that continued research is increasingly discovering ways of improving its effectiveness and reduces its side effects. I would support the use of hormone replacement

Social Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Bacterial transformation and gene expression Lab Report

Bacterial transformation and gene expression - Lab Report Example This study looks into DNA as the blueprint of our life. Life without these molecules is not possible. DNA are transcribed into RNA and translated into proteins. These proteins are important for the biochemical functions of the cell. In bacteria, apart from DNA, there is extrachromosomal DNA called as plasmids. They are double stranded DNA which forms circles with size ranging from 1 kb to 200kb (kilobase). Plasmids are very advantageous for the genetic engineering. Plasmids code for many antibiotic regions and they have the ability to accept the gene of interest. The transformation of our gene of interest into the plasmid is called recombination and the bacteria are called recombinant bacteria. Thus plasmids can be used as cloning vehicles or vectors. These plasmids are not essential for the survival of bacteria, but in some instances, for survival in the different environments, they can provide some extra advantage. The best example is the survival of the bacterial cell in the prese nce of an antibiotic drug. Antibiotic resistant bacteria like Escherichia coli are used for the transformation of the gene of interest into the host cell. Transformation and cloning are the two important genetic engineering tools used for the expression of the foreign gene of interest in the given bacterial cell. Three conditions required for the transformation are: 1) the host into which the foreign DNA is inserted, 2) a method for the insertion of the DNA into the host cell, and 3) methods to identify the transformed cells and select them.

Technology developments over the past 30 years have had only positive Essay

Technology developments over the past 30 years have had only positive effects on people's health - Essay Example The aim of man has been to pursue such a goal that is everlasting and beneficent for him and the people to come. Technology that is in fact for the sake of betterment of our lives has â€Å"proven to be the best companion of man† during this epoch (Kincaid, 2004). It all started with the invention of â€Å"cotton gin in 1792†, which proved to be a great turn in human history. People were able to turn from Neolithic mode of living to more improved life style. The pinnacle of the era that started off during the late 15th century matured in the mid 1850s. And it was the beginning of industrial revolution where mass production, and social revolution, took place of intensive farming and symbiotic lifestyle. Thus it can be said that late 20th century was the finality of man to realize that his salvage for the sake of longevity and betterment can only be achieved through technological advancement and (Lakwete, 2005). People devised ways for healthy living through the use of te chnology. Impetus for such a move was from the ailment, problematic and contorted living man has been in, throughout his history. Thus science for the sake of technology for better living has proven to be the answer (Intille, 2004). It has caused a great deal of help in achieving physiological or biogenic need of man. It has been able to provide secure lives to people and thus has been able to revolutionise our society. Attending to the negative side of the use of technology, one can see that the use of technology in for increasing the ways for mass production and better crop yield, has brought along with it great problems that pertain to the â€Å"environmental pollution† and deterioration of the ecological balance. However, it is up will of people to pay heed to these issues. Their whimsical moves have, of course, created problems, and to contain unwanted and extravagant life, man should be mindful to the facts about his environment. (library.thinkquest.org) Past 30 years h ave been very much important since they advancement in technology tends to concentrate during this era. The invention of integrated circuits has caused compact designs and miniature devices, available for the general use of man. The important factor that has emerged during this era is the work and field specialization and their integration for the collective working for the man. People have been able to deduce solutions that are based on two or more separate specialized streams of technology, say, use of medical science and the proposals from athletes, and mechanical engineers to form such a device that may help in overcoming obesity (ScienceDaily.com, 2011). Taking this technological facet we can put forward an example which proves the notion that â€Å"mix of technologies† has literally improved and achieved those blessings of science that were not thought of ever before. The technologies used by physiotherapists, engineering scientists and medical scientists in tandem with each other can prove to be of great use. The gym equipment, today, is used for targeting a special slack in human physiology (Mishra, 2010). â€Å"Machines that are operated manually and with electronic aid can help regulating health† concerns like blood flow, tissues development, and cell physiology. Tread mill is one such example that helps in curtailing the mental constrains and extra physical exertion during typical arduous terrain exercises. Specialized weight equipment that concentrates on specific muscle is in common use (Plowman & Smith, 2008).

Professional developement plan nursing career 5 yrs from now Essay

Professional developement plan nursing career 5 yrs from now - Essay Example I am also a person who likes to be hands on. I don’t like paperwork or deskwork because I get bored easily. I prefer to be very active and to have regular direct contact with the patients. This is why I have studied nursing, to have a challenging and very busy job. I would not be happy working in administration or a supervisor role which took me away from the patients and put me in front of a computer. I worked in a free standing surgical centre for the last ten years. I think this might be a barrier to my long term goals in terms of job opportunities because I have been out of hospital nursing. I am doing the BSN and will do a Masters to try to overcome this barrier but I am worried that being out of hospital nursing for ten years might create problems for me in the future as my main career aim is to work as a nurse practitioner in a clinic. I hope that my Masters will help me achieve this. The role of a baccalaureate prepared nurse is as a giver of care both directly and indirectly. The nurse therefore becomes a patient advocate and educator. This style of nursing allows me to develop my holistic philosophy. As a baccalaureate nurse I will also have the skills to coordinate and manage care. I will therefore have the ability to delegate to others and assess their work. I hope this will compensate for my lack of a formal education in management. I will work as part of a team and my preparation means that I can enter the work place at a supervisory level. I am also committed to lifelong learning which is why I intend to take a Masters qualification. A baccalaureate nurse will also have basic computer skills and the ability to apply patient care technologies such as monitors, data gathering devices and other technical equipment. Computers are very important in the future of nursing because they improve efficiency and reduce costs. This is the part of the course which I will struggle with the most as I have limited computer knowledge and

Chicken run Essay Example for Free

Chicken run Essay Executive summary: 1998, Excel Poultry Meat Sdn Bhd (EPM) was a SME located in Kluang, Johor, operating business of chicken farming and supplying chicken throughout Malaysia. This subsidiary of PCK holding since 2005 was managed by Encik Selamat, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). It became one of top 5 chicken suppliers within mid-tier producers in the country due to increasing demand in year 2000 from superstores and fast-food chains, high chicken consumption by Malaysian, and expansion of chicken industry. However, in 2008, cost of poultry production increased. EPM operating cash was low and severe, that it â€Å"had puzzled Encik Selamat† (p. 4). Other problems were also identified. Decision Maker: Credit Controller Ms Choy is the decision maker as she has the responsibility to make the right decision regarding unethical conduct of Encik Selamat, she can convince Board of Directors about En. Selamat. If she failed to convince BOD to take action, she can then reveal the issue to the auditor, besides mentioning to the auditor the lack of segregation of duty in the business operation. She can execute and monitor implementation and performance of employees under her responsibility and convince her friend, Puan Azura to do the same. What should Ms. Choy do? Analysis: 1) SWOT analysis S – STRENGTHS | W – WEAKNESSES | * One of top 5 chicken suppliers * Continuing profitability and growth * Good promotional strategy * Qualified accountant (Encik Kasim) * Reliable Credit Controller (Ms Choy) * Encik Selamat’s reputation in community| * En. Selamat’s lack of expertise in poultry and meat industry * 2008’s operational crisis * Lack of focus of business operation * Cash flow issue * Conflict of interest * Possible error/ fraud/fictitious transaction * En. Selamat’s connection | O – OPPORTUNITIES | T – THREATS | * Malaysians’ highest consumption rates * Popular quick-service restaurants * East Coast Economics Region (ECER) * Emerging of giant superstores * Institutional retailing| * Production cost had risen about 56. 5% * Drop in demand * Credit limit of Cold Gold| The company has strong position in the industry as it is one of top 5 chicken suppliers. This means that EPM has a big portion of the market share in the industry. EPM also is strong for its sustained profit and growth. EPM had been able to maintain its operations and started making profit since the buoyant demand of chicken consumption. Besides, with initial capital of RM3. 6 million and starting with 20 employees, now, EPM had more than 200 employees. Occupied with good promotional strategy, EPM’s management team seized every opportunity in the industry. Moreover, EPM has capable key employees, which two of them are a qualified accountant, Encik Kasim and a reliable Credit Controller, Ms Choy. These employees contribute significantly towards the operation of EPM especially in the finance sector. In addition, Encik Selamat’s reputation in community is a strong influence of EPM towards the society where EPM was based. He was a public figure that will be contested in the local city council. En. Selamat’s lack of expertise in poultry and meat industry contributed a negative element in EPM as En. Selamat need to gain skills and expertise in the industry. Even though he was especially worried about the current unfavorable condition of EPM, his experience in this industry may not be sufficient. Besides, 2008’s operational crisis of EPM placed En. Selamat away from a smooth career track as recorded before 2008. EPM was lack of focus of business operation as it was at the infant stage and yet to mature in a proper method of management. Next, within EPM, there was cash flow issue and the company had to resort to short term borrowing which subjected to higher interest payment obligations. There was conflict of interest between Encik Selamat’s personal deal with Encik Azman, former college mate which was one of the executive of Cold Gold and the company’s interest. Cold Gold was one of EPM’s major customers. This relationship may impair En. Selamat’s judgment. In EPM, a few possible error/ fraud/fictitious transactions were detected, especially the irregularities in debtors’ account. The symptoms lead to a conclusion that it was caused by the former employee of EPM, En. Munir. Another factor that can be considered as EPM’s weakness point is En. Selamat’s connection with parent company of EPM, PCK Holding, where En. Selamat might be able to secure his position in EPM despite the problem he created without facing any punishment. The industry is in quite a potential market where Malaysians’ highest consumption rates of poultry and meat product. Malaysia was having one of the highest per capita consumption rates in the world for chicken (32. 5 kg) and eggs (298 units) and there were no dietary prohibitions (during these years) and religious restrictions against chicken consumption. In addition to household and traditional delicacies demand, the surge of popular quick-service restaurants from outside Malaysia and home-grown fast food chains intensified the market. Besides being the recognized poultry exporter, the industry was supported by the government through the East Coast Economics Region (ECER) as the poultry sector was part of the plan. Emerging of giant superstores and institutional retailing also enhanced the bright future of the industry. Despite the favorable situations in the market, EPM faced threat of chicken feed which resulting the production cost to rise about 56. 5%. Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Associations of Malaysia (FLFAM) made a call for higher chicken prices in order to protect producers’ earning in the face of feed cost hike. However, when the sellers did increase the retail price, some producers complained that they seen a drop in demand. Another threat was the credit limit of Cold Gold Sdn Bhd which had exceeded its level. This has significant effect to the company as Cold Gold is one of EPM’s major customers multiplied with the other issues faced by EPM. Increment in production cost Drop in demand Low cash flow High interest expense INABILITY TO PREDICT ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE FORCAST CONSEQUENCES: LACK OF COORDINATION IN CONTROL AND REPORTING: Credit limit control Debtor confirmation Misstatement Lack of segregation of duty LACK OF COMMITMENT FROM SENIOR MANAGEMENT: Lack of expertise Lack of focus Conflict of interest Unethical behavior Reluctance in taking action LOW PERFORMANCE 2) Fishbone diagram According to Peter Drucker, â€Å"management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things†. Thus, the major issue in this case is unorganized management which leads to bad performance of the company. EPM faced problem as it fails to get commitment from senior management. As a leader, Encik Selamat was lacking of expertise in poultry industry, actively involved in social and community work instead of focusing more on business operation like, had conflict of interest (agency problem) while handling credit limit issue, and had under table deal with the client. Director himself had shown lack of leadership skill and ethical awareness as he kept silent regarding the unethical behavior of Encik Selamat and had more concern on reputation than ethical conduct. Besides, management of EPM is lacking of coordination in control and reporting. This can be seen from the severity of insufficient cash flow which was noticed only when significant borrowings had been made, high expenses, and loss incurred. Lack of segregation of duty also had given wide opportunity for misstatement by employees. Finally, EPM fails to predict environmental change regarding cost of production that leads to low profit making as EMP did not make any preparation or back-up plan to overcome such problems. 3) Financial Evidence on the operation of EPM: Financial Ratio Ratio| Formula| 2006| 2007| 2008| Interpretation| GP ratio (%)| (GP/Sales)*100| 5. 4845| 1. 6542| 1. 0814| Due to increment in COGS, EPM is profiting only 1 cent for every dollar of product sold in 2008| Inventory turnover ratio| COGS/Inventory| 16. 6774| 36. 0667| 28. 4962| EPM is turning over its inventory on average, 3 times per month in 2007 while this reduces to twice per month in 2008. | AR turnover ratio| Net sales/AR| 4. 3071| 3. 3957| 2. 8808| EPM takes around 3 months to collect its debt in 2006, while it takes more than 4 months in 2008. | Days to collect AR| 365/AR turnover ratio| 84. 7441| 107. 49| 126. 702| | Description of case exhibit (Account abstract): %Increase| 06to07| In 2007, cost increased while revenue did not increase much, and operating loss was recorded as retail price was only increased in August 2008. Thus, increment of revenue from in 2008 by 36. 16% corresponds with increment in cost in that year. Expenses took 30% of operating profit in 2006 while it took almost twice the operating profit in 2008. This might be due to interest payment made for short-term borrowing. Increment in trade receivable may not be the true amount as there were cases of misstatement. Stock in 2008 was higher due to lower demand. 07to08| Rev| 0. 57| 36. 16| COGS| 4. 64| 36. 95| Oper profit| -69. 67| -10. 99| Exp| 37. 50| 45. 45| Net| -108. 64| -315. 79| Trade rec| 27. 56| 60. 49| Stock| -51. 61| 73. 33| Trade cr| 62. 16| 50. 00| Alternatives available to the protagonist: Option 1: Ms. Choy can choose not to disclose the issues that she managed to investigate within EPM. This will benefit in saving the reputation of the company in public as well as the General Manager, Encik Selamat to secure his reputation in the coming city council election. Besides, Ms. Choy can justify her action of not bringing the matter up as Encik Selamat is an important staff of EPM and she had done her part by approaching one of the directors who was reluctant to take action against Encik Selamat. The drawbacks of this choice are ethical aspect and long term impact towards the company as a whole. Choosing not to disclose the facts is an unethical behavior on Ms Choy’s part. As for the long term, the public will find out the reality of the company as time goes because the auditors are likely to question the irregularities and Ms Choy will be interrogated. In the end, the company, En Selamat and Ms Choy need to face the huge impact of being nontransparent to the stakeholders. Option 2: Ms Choy has the right to disclose her findings straight to the external auditors as she has no direct authority to take any action towards the misappropriate culture in the company as well as the director which she had approached was hesitated to do so. By this, Ms Choy’s responsibility to report to public is passed to auditors and the problem is most likely will be solved. However, this aggressive decision will affect EPM severely in terms of drop in share price and reputation. Besides, the share price of the parent company will be affected too and the dropping trend will continue for a long time. Furthermore, the reputation of Encik Selamat will be highlighted by the public and media, subsequent of the auditors’ disclosure. Option 3: Ms Choy can opt to disclose the matter internally to the board of directors. Besides, she had found evidences to support her claims about the low performance of EPM. The benefit that EPM will gain from her disclosure is to ratify the problem before the auditors’ visit the following month. If the auditor is not satisfied with EPM’s condition, justification of ratification can be made and EPM will not be punished with qualified financial reports, which is not favorable. This decision may result in impairment of EPM’s and PCK’s reputation and share prices but the impact will be lower than the second option above. Recommendation and action plan: Based on analysis above, it is recommended for Ms Choy to choose Option 3 which is to disclose the matter internally to the board of directors. Suggested steps to follow are: 1. Bring the matter with sufficient evidences and justifications together with possible solution to board of directors 2. Check whether EPM has a written guideline relating to these issues and take proper actions against these issues (e. g. salary cut, not giving bonus etc. ) 3. If no written guideline is established, in case to avoid similar situation in the future, Ms. Choy should suggest for EPM to; a. Set up and appoint an independent committees of directors to monitor the performance and compensation of staffs b. Establish policies for clear ethical conducts, job scopes and management of EPM especially to solve ethical and agency problems c. Establish a whistle-blowing policies to encourage staffs to report any irregularities d. Communicate and implement guidelines and policies across levels of management, and absorb them as the EPM’s corporate culture to be shared within the organization.

Sanitary conditions in Mauritius slaughter houses

Sanitary conditions in Mauritius slaughter houses INTRODUCTION A slaughterhouse, also known as an abattoir is a place where animals are sacrificed for food. It can also be defined as any premises used for the slaughter of animals whose meat is intended for human consumption. The slaughtering of animals for community consumption is inevitable in most nations of the world and dated back to the ancient times (Bello and Oyedemi, 2009). Public slaughter houses had been traced to Roman civilization and in France by 15th and 16th centuries, and were among the public facilities. In Italy, a law from 1890 stipulated that public abattoir should be provided in all communities comprisingof more than six thousand inhabitants. Similar things were reported in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands and Rumania (Jode Loverdo et al. 1906). The animals most commonly killed for food are cattle, sheep (for goat and mutton), pigs (for pork), goats (for chevon), and fowl, largely chickens, turkeys, and ducks, for poultry meat. The most important issue in all meat-processing plants is maintenance of proper hygiene and adequate sanitary conditions to prevent contamination and in this way caters for a product which is safe and sound for the public. An abattoir as defined above is a building approved and registered by the controlling authority for hygienic slaughtering and inspection of animals, processing and effective preservation and storage of meat products for human consumption (Alonge, 1991), as such the sanitation line in a slaughter house must be flawless. Slaughtering animals on a large scale brings about significant technical problems and public health concerns. Furthermore, some religions insist on certain specific conditions for slaughtering practices so that slaughter within slaughter houses may change. As such abattoirs commence the chain of the meat industry, where livestock come from farms for processing and dressing and passes through markets to enter the food chain (Wikipedia Encyclopedia). The values, morals, ethics and regulations ruling slaughter houses changes significantly throughout the world. In several countries the slaughter of animals is delimited by folklore and traditions instead of the law. In the non-Western world, including Muslim countries both forms of meat are obtainable, that is product from modern mechanized slaughter houses, and the other from local meat shops. The situation in Mauritius is typically representative of the conflict between modern processes and religious practices with regards to the slaughtering of animals for the supply of meat to the population. Over the last few decades there have been important developments meat inspection systems in slaughter houses. As compared to the most highly developed countries which have taken the lead in bringing about changes in the meat inspection procedures in slaughterhouses by enacting new legislations (These new laws have been reproduced by the Codex Alimentarius in its Codes of Good Practice and this resulted in the homogenization of the world trade in foodstuffs) (Schnà ¶ller, 2006), we, on the national level, are dealing with a more pious look over the slaughtering industry which is delimited by religious practices. As per the legislation enforced in Mauritius, the Mauritius Meat Authority is the only institution empowered to deal with the slaughtering of animals. Aim The aim of the study is to carry out an assessment on the sanitary conditions prevailing in slaughter houses in Mauritius. Objectives The main purpose of this survey is to know to what extent are the workmen of slaughter houses aware of importance of sanitary practices and what it entails, to see if sanitary practices are respected and analyse the possible route by which contamination by pathogenic micro organisms may occur in slaughter houses. LITERATURE REVIEW Sanitation in the slaughter house Thewordsanitationcomesfromthelatinwordsanitas,whichmeanshealth, it has many different meanings but it can be generally defined as the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Such hazards can be physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease (Wikipedia Encyclopedia). The slaughter house should be constructed in such a way as to respect all the norms and regulations and planned such that all processes runs smoothly without contaminating or hindering the quality of the end product. Primarily there are several key factors that a slaughter house should observe to be able to satisfy the necessary conditions which will contribute to adequate sanitation for the prevention of contamination. PROPER INFRASTRUCTURES AND PLANNING OF THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE Site of building Ideally the slaughterhouse should be located away from residential areas to prevent possible inconvenience to dwelling-places either by way of pollution from slaughter wastes or by way of nuisance from noise (FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 49). There must be free access for animals to the site by road and the slaughterhouse should be situated in areas where flooding is unlikely to happen. If the slaughterhouse is of regular buildings construction the ground should be free of bushes or vegetation in the vicinity of the structure (FAO, 1985). Size The amount of animals to be slaughtered should take into account the the size of slaughter facility and the number of animals to be slaughtered is of great importance to avoid sanitary problems due to overcrowding (Tove, 1985). Building / facility The building or facility of such process has normally been described as places which stands for good sanitation and hygiene. According to the norms stipulating such process the building should normally have clean and unclean processes separated. Walls and Floors The flooring of the facility which is one of the major source of contamination must be hard, free of cracks, evenly leveld and impervious, and sloping adequately towards a drain to allow cleaning with water and disinfection. The walls as well must be smooth enough to be easily cleaned by water, and recommended materials are, for instance, stone, lava blocks, bricks or concrete. To provide shade, a good environment and finally to keep down the internal temperature in the slaughter line, a roof made up of concrete would be ideal (P.J. Eriksen, 1978). lighting system As a matter of hygiene, the slaughterhouse should have a proper lighting system inside the slaughter line to allow proper functioning and avoid accidents and moreover will act as a deterrent to insects and rodents. Ventilation system The internal temperature inside the slaughter house shall be maintained to prevent proliferation of unwanted micro organisms and also to cater for a good working environment. Equipment Equipment for undergoing such process, normally have to follow certain norm and regulation, it has been reported that such equipments have to be of non-corrosive materials, for example stainless steel and structures like tables, hooks and machines should be that they are easy to disassemble to facilitate cleaning and disinfection. The key step for the hygienic handling of carcasses is the equipment for elevating the carcass when slaughtered. In the processing line cranes are preferred to working tables due to hygienic practices. Procedures assuring continuous cleaning of hoists are recommended and should be performed on a periodical basis. However the cleaning and disinfection is usually complicated or simply impossible because of the complexity of the machines (Tove, 1985). Water supply Water is a vehicle for the transmission of several agents of disease and continues to cause significant outbreaks of disease in developed and developing countries (Kirby, 2003). A cholera epidemic in Jerusalem in 1970 was traced back to the consumption of salad vegetables which were irrigated with raw waste water (Shuval, 1986). In Canada, an outbreak of E.coli was reported (Kondro, 2000) and In the USA, Cryptosporidium affected approximately 400,000 consumers and caused 45 deaths and in 1993 due to the consumption of contaminated water (Kramer, 1996, Hoxie, 1997). Since slaughtering is a process which generates a lot of wastes, to cater for the good running of the processes and minimize contamination, there should be a good supply of water of drinking quality to allow processing and cleaning procedures which will assure hygienic quality products. Working routines should be planned in such a way as to economically use the consumption of water because of waste water disposal (Tove, 1985). Sanitary facilities Several water points, sterilizers for hand tools, hoses and cleaning equipment is the key to provide a good standard of hygiene and must be provided sufficiently. The availability of hot water in preference to chemical disinfectants should be supplied with the sterilizers where possible (Tove, 1985). Sanitary facilities must also include an adequate number of toilets and arrangements for hand-washing and even for bathing (showering). Such facilities must be clean and well kept at all times and the toilets should possess hand wash basins along with soap, disinfectants, antiseptics, nailbrushes and clean towels readily available. A mess room for resting and eating should be provided to the staff and as such be separated from the processing line to assure that the carcasses and the food for the personnel cannot be mixed (FAO animal production and health paper; 53). ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE As in all sectors of hygiene, the external and internal environment of the slaughter house should be protected against any infestation. Insects, birds and rodents have been recognized as important carriers of pathogens and other micro organisms (Olsen and Hammack, 2000). To avoid these, a strict control should be exerted over the following: Pests Control Good Hygienic Practices (GMP) should be employed to avoid generating an environment favorable to pests (CAC, 1997). A control system for pest control must include the following: Good Hygienic Practices should be used to avoid creating an environment conducive to pests Pest control programs could include preventing access to principle site, eliminating harbourage and establishing monitoring detection and eradication systems. Physical, chemical and biological agents should be properly applied by suitably qualified personnel. Souce: http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/Y1579E/y1579e02.htm Proper fencing The aim is to prevent access of unauthorized persons, the public in general, dogs and other animals around the slaughterhouse premises. The fencing should have direct contact with the ground and should be sufficiently high to prevent access inside the premises. Bird control The best control is to prevent them from accessing the buildings by placing nets on the openings and windows. Allowing birds to fly inside the slaughter house might cause contamination through its droppings. Bird are often attracted by food supplies, water, special vegetation around buildings, and these attractants should be removed. SLAUGHTERING PROCESSING The hallmark for hygiene principle in processing is that the procedures considered as clean and considered as unclean should be efficiently separated. This requires a well-structured plant layout, where the purpose of any structure should be the protection of the end product against accidental contamination (Tove, 1985). Transport The animals are hauled from pastures or farms to the slaughterhouse. All necessary precautions during transportation should be considered to minimize stress and injury to the animals and as such will cater for the good quality of the end product (Tove, 1985). Road transport is probably the cheaper and more convenient means for conveying animals. Below are some precautions that are worthwhile during road transporting of the animals to slaughter: The transport facility should be designed and modified to convey the stock; they should provide for sufficient ventilation and lighting; for open trucks the top should be covered with a tarpaulin to protect the animals from bad weather conditions, they should be equipped with appropriate loading and unloading mechanisms to prevent injuries, and most importantly; they should be as comfortable as possible for the animals. Source: FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 49, Manual for the slaughter of small ruminants in developing countries, 1985. Lairage Lairage is a place where livestock are kept temporarily (Microsoft Encarta 2008) and in our present situation is a specific area inside the premises of a slaughter house where the animals are conveyed for rest. Rest is an important factor because when animals are stressed, carcasses of lower quality result from slaughter. There should be sufficient space for the animals and a good supply of potable water for drinking purposes. A washing system where the animals can be cleaned before passing to the slaughter house is generally recommended (FAO animal production and health paper; 53). Source: Heinz G, Abattoir development. Options and designs for hygienic basic and medium-sized abattoirs, 2009 (http://www.fao.org, Annex 7). Stunning, slaughtering and bleeding Common methods for stunning consists of: Captive Bolt Pistol (CBP) This stunning method is extensively used for all agrarian animals. Gun powder (cartridge), compressed air and spring under tension propels the bolt through the skull of animals. The name captive means that the bolt is shot out of the barrel but remains in the pistol. Concussion stunning: A mechanically operated instrument which delivers a blow to the brain. Used for cattle, sheep and calves. Another method which consisted of knocking or striking a hammer on the head of the animal is now banned with regards to humane practices in some countries. Free bullets: are generally used on animals which are difficult to handle for instance, wild pigs, bison and deer. Electric Stunning Head-Only Stunning: generally cattle, sheep, pork and are all stunned by the use of this method. The technique involves the application an electric shock using a pair of tongs on either side of the animals head. An electric current is passed through the brain and this leads to the temporary loss of consciousness. Source: The Slaughter of Livestock (part 2): Modern Techniques of Slaughtering by M.Abdulsalam (www.IslamReligion.com). Slaughtering and Bleeding After stunning, the animal is vertically hanged lifting the animal (head down) to a convenient height. The bleeding operation is made by inserting a knife through the neck behind the jaw bone and below the first neck bone. The aim is to sever the carotid artery and jugular vein (Pig slaughtering, www.Hyfoma.com) and let the blood to drain out. The exsanguination process should be as fast and complete as possible due to hygienic norms since insufficient bleeding and slow death could result in blood clotting in the deep tissues and this might be hazardous in the later stages of slaughtering. Elevation bleeding is more hygienic and is preferred other alternatives as it decreases the potential risk of contaminating the carcass (Heinz, 2008). This process is usually separated from the operations which will follow. If the blood is not intended for use it should be drained away into a separate pit and should not be allowed to drain into the waste water (Tove, 1985). Skinning /dehairing The process will vary according to animal (pigs and cattle). Such process consists of removing the skin of animals. Cutting of the skin is made around the leg with the perspective of exposing and loosen the tendon of the animals lower leg joint to be used for hanging the carcass, following which the entire skin is removed and the body is prepared for evisceration (Heinz, 2008). This process is usually meant for cattle, goat, deer and sheep. Whereas dehairing is a process normally done in the slaughter of pigs which consists of releasing the bled animal into a pool of boiling water for a couple of minutes and then pulling it out for removal of the hairs before proceeding for evisceration. Evisceration Evisceration is the process which consists of removing the internal organs of the abdominal and thoracic cavities. The internal organs are also known as offal and they falls into two categories: Red offal such as the heart, liver and lungs (pluck). Grey offal such as the stomach or intestine (paunch). To avoid contamination of the carcass through accidental punctures of the intestines and stomach, it is important that the carcass is placed in the hanging position. The body cavity is severed and the intestinal mass and the stomach (the paunch) are pushed slightly out. The liver is held out care is taken not to spill its bitter contents onto the carcass and as such spoil the taste of the meat. The last stage in evisceration is the removal of the contents from the chest cavity. By cutting the diaphragm which separates the thoracic cavity from the belly, the pluck can be pulled out as a unit (Heinz, 2008). Leakage from the rectum is prevented by tying the anus with a process called bagging. Splitting and trimming The carcass is cut down along the backbone and split into two sides using a brisket saw and is then subjected to inspection from an authorized officer for detection of diseases . Trimming is a process that should be performed by trained employees and consists of the removal of visible contamination. All equipment (hooks and knives) should be sanitized between each use to reduce cross-contamination between areas. Carcasses which have been railed out for visible contamination, such as fecal contamination, should be re-conditioned as quickly as possible to get the carcass through the process and back into the system (Harris and Savell et al., 2003). Delivery After undergoing all processes in the slaughter line, the carcass is weighed and finally labeled for identification and send for delivery on the local markets. PRECAUTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE SLAUGHTERING PROCESS AS PER HEINZ (2008) INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING: Disinfection on entering the premises Every time an authorized officer or member of the staff is to enter the slaughter house, he should undergo a process of disinfection by dipping his boots in a footbath, which is a basin situated at each entrance of the slaughter line, to avoid carrying infectious agents that might stick to the boots via soil particles. Bleeding and exsanguinations The knife used to slaughter each animal should be cleaned and rinsed in hot water. It is known that a contaminated knife can pass on bacteria into the animal tissues during the initial stages of bleeding, that is, when the heart is still in pumping. Skinning Knife skinning and the use of bare hands can similarly hosts contaminating organisms on the surface of the carcass. As such washing of the hands is a must after the passage of each carcass to avoid contamination of same. Evisceration Extreme care should be emphasized on not to puncture the intestines. The slaughtermen should follow the procedure of tying the end part of the intestine and the severed end of the esophagus, then removing intestine and stomach first, followed by the pluck ( heart, liver, and lungs of an animal used as meat, Microsoft Encarta, 2008). The pluck should be hung on a hook while the paunch (stomach) should be dropped in a paunch container. As a matter of hygiene, the stomach and intestines should not be processed while carcass dressing is in operation as any minor splash from same can easily cause contamination of the meat. Washing Is a process by which the carcasses undergoes washing with clean potable water. If water is a problem then a dry slaughter process by trained slaughtermen should be used as alternative as it is more appropriate as a safety measure for carcasses to be dry clean than to contaminate them with polluted water. Offal handling The offals (stomach and intestines) are the organs from the carcass which contains the greatest load of infectious organisms and for preventive measure must be moved to a separated chamber provided for them. At first they should be emptied of their contents, dried, then cleansed with water. Personnel The personal hygiene of the workmen is a primordial factor in slaughtering operations, the reason is simply that contamination of food and disease transmission as such depend equivalently upon the human factor as well as on the tools and mode of operation. Transfer of microorganisms by personnel particularly from hands is of vital importance (Chen et al.2001, Montville, 2001, Bloomfield, 2003). During handling, bacteria are transferred from contaminated hands of workers to the food and subsequently to other surfaces (Montville, 2002). Low infectious doses of organisms such as shigella and pathogenic Escherichia coli have been linked to hands as a source of contamination (Snyder, 1998). Poor hygiene, particularly deficient or absence of hand washing has been identified as the causative mode of transmission (Reji, 2003). Proper hand washing and disinfection has been recognized as one of the most effective ways to control the spread of pathogens, especially when considered along with th e restriction of sick workers (Alder, 1999, Montville, 2001). Moreover persons with unhygienic habits like spitting, coughing and nose-blowing should not be under umployment. As such it is important to allow access only to the staff into the premises at the time of slaughter and they should be wearing the proper attire, e.g. clean trousers and wearing appropriate waterproof aprons. Boots as well should be worn with the trousers neatly folded inside. And the hallmark is that the workers must strictly abide to a formal code of hygiene. Hand-washing As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): It is well-documented that one of the most important measures for preventing the spread of pathogens is effective hand washing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_washing). Fundamentally the good habit of careful and frequent hand-washing will definitely reduce contamination. Therefore hand-washing facilities with sufficient water supply is a must in such a delicate process of this kind. Basically the mess room and the working area is where there should be several hand-washing points. If it is situated away from working places, the risk that they will not be used is higher and would probably result in contamination of the meat (Tove, 1985). Hand-washing should be done by all members if the working staff: before starting slaughter after being to the toilets after being into contact with dirty objects and materials after smoking and eating The staff should understand that hands is prone to contamination if used for scratching the skin, the hair, clothes and picking the nose. Such acts may cause bacteria to be transmitted to the hands and thereafter infect the meat which is handled by the same hands. The management of slaughter house should provide antiseptic soap or germicidal, coupled with the use of brush for washing of hands since bacteria are often under the nails (FAO animal production and health paper; 53). Cleaning Operations For the purpose of sanitation clean water is usually required for the cleaning of equipment, tools floors and walls. Such operation normally starts with removal of solid waste of meat and fat trimmings, pieces of bones, blood clots by scrubbing them off the floor. High pressure water cleaning begins from the walls and finally ends with the floors. Hot water hosing under pressure would be ideal for removing sticky waste from corners and drains. For scrubbing of other surfaces such as tables, and tools, the use of hard fibre brushes and detergents is suggested. Liquid detergents are more effectual than ordinary soaps, since they dissolve easily in water while absorbing dirt, which is finally removed by flushing. Powdered soap may also be dissolved in water and used. Knives also should be sterilized or boiled in water. Source: FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 49, Manual for the slaughter of small ruminants in developing countries, 1985. DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH UNHYGIENIC SLAUGHTERING There are many different ways by which an infectious organism can make its way through the slaughtering process of animals and cause very subsequent diseases. Below is some of the common diseases related to slaughter houses: Anthrax is a naturally-occurring bacterial disease of animals caused by Bacillus anthracis, which forms spores that generally survive for years in the environment. Cattle, sheep, and goats are at the highest risk but humans can also contract the disease. Most animals are infected by oral ingestion of soil contaminated with the spores. People may acquire anthrax when in contact with infected hides or hair of animals. The organism is inhaled from contaminated dust, or is eaten in undercooked meat from infected animals, or even penetrates a wound in the skin. Animals that died of anthrax may have blood secreted from the mouth, nose, and anus (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). In slaughtering process, the bacteria can be transferred from hides of infected animals to the hides of the healthy ones during the immediate pre-slaughter phase in lairage (Small and Buncic, 2009). As such if no particular precaution is taken when removing the hides, the probability of contaminating the carcass is very high. Brucellosis Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by contact with animals carrying bacteria called Brucella which affects a wide variety of animals including dogs, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and horses. The disease has been known as Malta fever, Bangs disease, Mediterranean fever, rock fever, and goat fever (Microsoft Encarta, 2008). Humans can be infected if in contact with infected meat or placenta of infected animals. The slaughter of undetected a diseased animal is a threat since contamination may result if, for instance, blood from the infected carcass came into contact with the knife of the slaughterman and the same knife is being used for processing another uninfected carcass during the slaughtering. In case of ingestion of infected meat, symptoms in humans are undulating fever, headache, joint pain, weakness, and night sweats (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). People who handle meat should wear PPE such as protective glasses and clothing for protection of wounds from infection. Detecting infected animals prior to slaughter controls the infection at its source. Vaccination is actually available for cattle, but not humans (Franco et al, Goldman et al. 2007). Escherichia coli Escherichia coli (E. coli) are bacteria which is normally found as a normal flora in the intestines of people and animals. One can get infected after handling or being exposed to feces of a carrier animal (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). Animals usually carry it without causing disease however when humans are infected, the toxins causes serious illness which ranges from diarrhoea to kidney failure. Personal hygiene is very important, particularly after contact with animal feces, since very few organisms are required to cause infection in humans (Stevenson and Hughes, 1988). E-coli can be easily contaminate the carcass in the slaughtering process if ; for instance the worker does not wash his hands after being to the toilet, the bacteria will be transferred when handling the meat. care is not taken at the evisceration step when disemboweling the carcass, as such if the intestines get perforated and intestinal matter comes into contact with the meat ( Heinz, 2008) Prevention focuses on hand washing and proper hygiene. Hands and all equipments should be properly disinfected after touching or handling raw meat (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). Salmonellosis (Gastroenteritis) Salmonella sp. are bacteria that live in the intestinal tract of carrier animals. The bacteria are shed into the faeces of animals which are particularly stressed during steps such as being yarded and transported (Stevenson and Hughes, 1988). As in E-coli contamination, salmonella can be transferred to the carcass in the slaughtering line by: slaughtermen who are handling meat after being to the toilet without proper hand washing, fecal matter being in contact with the meat at the evisceration process, if the anus is not bagged properly, and also if the intestines get punctured upon removal and intestinal matter is in contact with the meat. If hands are not properly washed after contact with infected feces, the accidental ingestion of bacteria may occur (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). Infection also occurs as a result of equipments that are unsanitary. Symptoms generally includes fever, foul smelling diarrhea, and severe dehydration, especially in young children and infants. Life-threatening diseases like meningitis and septicemia may also occur (Montes and DuPont, 2004). Q-fever (Query fever) Q fever is a bacterial infection that can affect the lungs, liver, heart, and other parts of the body. It is found around the world and is caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii. The bacteria affects sheep, goats, cattle, dogs, cats, birds and rodents as well as some other animals (Goldman and Ausiello, 2007). Humans normally acquire fever, night sweats, and pneumonia and hepatitis in the worst cases (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). Abattoir workers (particularly those dealing with foetuses), veterinarians and farm workers ) are the people who are most at risk of contracting this disease (Stevenson and Hughes, 1988). In slaughtering meat can be contaminated in the process of evisceration whereby feces of contaminated animals have been transferred to the hands of the slaughterman which in turn contaminates other healthy carcasses. To prevent further spread of Q fever, dead fetuses and reproductive tissues should be buried or burned. Wearing of protective equipment such as gloves and eyewear (PPE) when assisting in birthings and washing of hands thoroughly afterward are highly recommended (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). LAWS PERTAINING TO THE SLAUGHTERING INDUSTRY IN MAURITIUS Nowadays not all people are entitled to slaughter animals as it used to be in the past. There are norms and standard which have been set up by the necessary authority to guarantee the safety of the end product to the public. As such in each country there is an institution which is responsible for maintaining this hallmark. In our present situation the regulating body responsible for slaughtering in Mauritius is the MAURITIUS MEAT AUTHORITY (MMA). The main lines of the re

Representations of media in film

Representations of media in film Question 2: Compare and Contrast the Approaches to the Representations of the two different Media in Almost Famous (2000) and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004). Word count: 2305 Almost Famous is a 1998 American film directed by Cameron Crowe, it tells the story of the 1970s American hard rock band Stillwater struggling in the harsh face of stardom from the perspective of a Rolling Stone Magazine journalist William Miller (Patrick Fugit). Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is a 2004 American parody film directed by Adam McKay, it tells the story of how Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), a famous television news anchor in San Diego, descends from fame and later comeback. I choose these two films as both protagonists William Miller and Ron Burgundy are from San Diego and these two different stories happened in the same period of time – mid 1970s. They both portray the media effects on audiences and their reaction to these audiences. In Almost Famous, audiences are portrayed as active to the music industry and have a good knowledge of the entertainment business. In contrast, audiences in Anchorman are presumed as passive receivers of TV news information rig ht at the beginning. It lacks serious critics of events. Females are presented considerably in both films as important but a menace to the male characters. Almost Famous treats women less seriously but females are free to do what they like. On the contrary, female characters in Anchorman are constantly under male power and cannot do what they want but they are treated more justly as a practitioner within the industry. Both films shed light upon the gender inequality in a serious tone. I am going to use theories of ‘reflexivity’ to examine how audiences are portrayed respectively in two different types of media. I will also use the theories of ‘self-reflexivity’ to compare the difference between two industries in terms of the production and competition. I will use ‘intertextuality’ to discuss the genres of two films. Reflexivity, argued by Rosenberg (1990. p3), refers to the process of an entity acting back upon itself. Almost Famous and Anchorman both reflected the media effects on audiences. Almost Famous started its story in the house of the Millers. The first actual audience mentioned in the film is William Miller’s sister Anita Miller (Zooey Deschanel) who is a real fan of rock n’ roll music. She is an inner-directed person and regards rock n’ roll music as an integral part of her life and her future. Elaine Miller (Frances McDormand), mother of William and Anita, is a traditional-minded woman who teaches in a local college. Her ideas would not allow Anita to get involved with the low culture she deemed. Anita angrily leaves her home at the age of 18 and starts her career as an air stewardess. At the very beginning of the film, the notion of ‘audience’ is seriously examined. The first audience of music is portrayed as brave and, most-importantly, fully awar e of their own behaviours and wants. Before Anita leaves home, she holds her brother William and tells him ‘Look under your bed’. Judging from those worn surfaces of records and the notes she made on each one of them, we can speculate here Anita has been a very loyal fan and has spent much time, energy and money on the medium she consumes. William is clearly influenced by her sister as he later grows up to be an even more loyal fan to rock music. It would be hard to imagine that in such a strict household, an obedient young child like William Miller will grow up to be a journalist on rock n’ roll which is against his mother’s will. He often writes for Creem magazine and knows every song from his lyrics. The devotion wins the chance for him to make friends with musicians as he uses the word ‘incendiary’ to describe the ‘Fever Dog’ song of Stillwater right in front of its members. His passion in pursuing his career as a journalist e ven makes him give up the chance of attending his graduation ceremony. Another important character inside the film is Penny Lane (Kate Hudson), the founder of Band Aid. She gathers friends to support bands they love instead of just passively listening to their songs without thinking. Penny and William sometime challenge the thoughts of their idols and will give them some constructive ideas. The sad thing is that they have never been regarded seriously until the very end of the film. Anchorman also examines the media effect on audiences but in a less serious tone. From the beginning, a non-diegetic voice narrates the traits of television audiences in the 1970s – ‘There was a time, a time before cable, when the local anchorman reigned supreme, when people believed everything they heard on TV’. This statement at the very beginning positions TV audiences as passive receivers of information. The first time when Ron Burgundy starts broadcasting, an old rocker-like man yells in a bar ‘hey everybody, shut the hell up, Ron Burgundy is on’. The following scene is a toddler saying her first words ‘Ron Burgundy’. It is a clearly a computer generated scene. However, it is a metaphor of the overwhelming power of television in 1970s. ‘Stay classy San Diego’ is what Ron Burgundy says every time at the end of his broadcasting. Then we see people from different places (home, bar, work place), young or old, white or black , repeat after Ron. This scene fortifies the idea of Television’s manipulation over audiences. In a general case in film, males are often portrayed as heroes who struggle and females are put to a less important position (Mortimer, 1997). In both films, females play a great part of the plot but inevitably become portrayed as sex objects. In Almost Famous, Penny Lane and her band aid claim to be supporters of band only, however, ironically, they failed to escape the fate as groupies. Penny Lane is in a very subtle but intimate relationship with Stillwater’s guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup). In many occasions Penny is braless and wears a very thin top or blouse. When the band Stillwater travels to Cleveland, Penny Lane and Russell Hammond are flirting with each other and Penny only wears her panties. There is even short scene showing her breasts and her full naked back. Other girls, for example, Polexia (Anna Paquin) is one hundred percent a groupie who tried every time to make out with rock stars and even travels all the way from America to Europe to be with Deep Purple. When William Miller is writing his ideas for Rolling Stone magazine in a bathtub, Penny comes straight in to pee just in front of him. Later William is dragged out by three other young women into bedroom. They claim to ‘deflower Opie’ and ‘Opie should die’. Later we see the pace of imaged has been slowed down, the vibe on the screen becomes highly erotic when they start to undress William and themselves. In Anchorman there is only one woman who has been seriously portrayed – Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate). When she enters the Channel 4 News station for the first day, members from Channel 4 News Team try to seduce her and refuse to take her seriously as a journalist or a colleague. Veronica became the object of their sexual imagination when they talk about her good body inside the office. Later Ron tries to date her and succeeds at that night and has sex with her. When Ron talks about her life with Veronica in the future with his teammates, Veronica is only wearing a cook apron. The conversation is highly erotic too and Veronica in his imagination is a full-time housewife without any careerism. The image of women is degraded and the relationship between male and female protagonists becomes obvious. Women are portrayed as men’s most important and shiny ‘accessories’, however, to a certain extent, they are a threat to the career of the male prota gonists. The flight scene in Almost Famous exposes the promiscuous relationships between band members which cause a huge brawl between them. In Anchorman, Veronica, with her talent and hard work, makes Ron out of job and takes over as the Channel 4 New anchor. In both films, ‘women function as erotic objects both for the characters within the story and for the spectator, who identifies with the main male protagonist and derives a sense of omnipotence from this identification’ (Mulvey, 1975. p14). Talking about gender inequality, it is a different landscape between these two films. Women in the music industry are more likely to be themselves. They choose their favourite music, the bands they watch, the food they eat, the place they are and the life they want. Being a journalist in the Television industry, Veronica is not lucky enough to be like them and choose the things she likes to do. As she mentions ‘it is the same everywhere that men make jokes of women. To be the best journalist is the way to get respect’. The good thing is that Veronica achieved success and became the first female anchor in America. And later the configuration of having two anchors, one male and one female, report news is nowadays a fixed form. Females inside television industry are treated more seriously as ‘women’ in contrast to ‘sex objects’ in music industry. ‘Self-reflexivity is used to describe films or texts which self-consciously acknowledge or reflect upon their own status as fictional artefacts or the processes involved in their creation’ (Krenn, 2007. p36). Almost Famous exposes some of the ugliest facts about the rock music industry. Hypocrisy is the most severe problem within the industry and inside people. The first time William meets Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee), Jeff tries to glorify himself by stating ‘rock n’ roll is a way of thinking, a life style. Fame and money are not important but the chicks are great’. He sounds like a rascal who is desperately for staying the spotlight, a hobo who is desperately to be cool. When he says all these things, we can see that Russell is looking at him contemptuously which shows that he knows Jeff is pretending to be someone he is not. Russell, compared to Jeff, has a more honest attitude on music. He tells William what makes a song is actually those tiny mistakes. You need only one in the song, and it is what makes fans remember it. The production process in Anchorman seems not very professional. The film constantly shows the mistakes inside Channel 4 News Studio such as the mistakes on the teleprompter and Ron Burgundy’s grumpy character and his low IQ (e.g. He reads out anything he sees). The sense of responsibility is different in two films. Stillwater gives up a show half way and leaves the venue straight away. In television news industry however, when some emergencies happened, there is always a back-up plan to keep thing going. Mead (1934) and Cooley (1902) showed clearly that ‘reflexivity among human beings is rooted in the social process, particularly the process of taking the role of the other and of seeing the self from the others perspective’ (Rosenburg, M. 1990, p3). The Rolling Stone magazine which trashed Eric Clapton’s ‘Layla’ also ended the career of Stillwater. They hasted too much to be famous but lost themselves. William’s article wakes them up but it is already too late to re-establish a good public image. Ron Burgundy learnt from his failure and realised the hard work of Veronica, he finally got to know who he should be and together they made a huge progress for television news industry. The most hilarious sequence in Anchorman is the fight between five news teams. They fight each other near a factory which make people think of the typical gang fight scenes in other films. The fight is fierce and the casualties are heavy. The siren of the police ends this chaos. This is a satire of the vicious and sometimes illegal competitions for higher ratings inside the television news industry. ‘Intertextuality strongly linked with postmodernism, designates, in its narrow sense, the ways in which a film either explicitly or implicitly refers to others films (e.g. through allusion, imitation, parody or pastiche), or in its broader sense, the various relationships on (film) text may have with other texts’ (Nelmes, 2012. p191). Both films are based on historical events, so they are themselves inherently examples of ‘intertextuality’. Almost Famous is a drama in terms of genre. It vividly retells the stories of a band which failed to become a hit. It tells us a story about chasing dreams and making mistakes. Those pieces of fine music are an intertext of nostalgia for old good times. Anchorman is a parody and this decides it will not analyse events in a more serious fashion, but it shows a historic event of women being recognised in the television broadcasting industry. It is these use of techniques of intertextuality that add power of credibility to the films. Compare and contrast the representation of media in these two films, the media’s effect over audiences has been examined in both films. Almost Famous tends to analyse the audience’s reaction to media effect from the perspective of individuals. Most notably, it uses three characters, William, Anita and Penny, to show audiences’ active reaction to the medium they love and live on. Anchorman tends to present television news audiences as a passive whole group. The individual characteristics are diminished. Both films recognise the importance of females inside the society. Females in Almost Famous have more freedom to do what they like but failed to be taken seriously as ‘women’ by the society. In Anchorman, the gender inequality is a more prominent problem but females are justly treated as ‘women’ with dignity and characteristics. They both used ‘intertextuality’ to create the sense of reality, but one with a more serious tone as a drama and the other less critical as a parody. Bibliography: Cooley, C. H. (1902) Human Nature and Social Order. Charles Scribner’s Sons. Krenn, S. (2007) Oriental and Postmodern Elements in Moulin Rouge!. Università ¤t Stuttgart Deutschland Mead, G. H. (1934) Mind, Self and Society: From the Standpoint of s Social Behaviourist. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Mulvey L. (1975). Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. In: L. Braudy and Marshall Cohen (eds), Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999, pp.6-18. Nelmes, J. (2012). Introduction to Film Studies. 5th Edition. London: Routledge. Rosenberg, M. (1990) ‘Reflexivity and Emotions’ in Social Quarterly, Vol. 53, No. 1. (Mar, 1990), pp 3-12. Fimography: Almost Famous (2000). [Film] Directed by Cameron CROWE. USA: Dreamworks. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004). [Film] Directed by Andy MCKAY. USA: Dreamworks. 1