Archive for November 2011
Public Health: The Nature and Scope!
Public health looks into activities which ensure that public health is maintained and that health of members of the public is not affected in any way. It deals more with preventative rather than curative aspects of health. Therefore, it addresses various issues related to the country’s entire population and does not confine itself to individual health alone. Various sub-fields are behavioral,occupational, social, environmental, biostatistics and also epidemiology.
The role of a public health professional is to examine its levels in various aspects of society, thereby understanding different arenas of personal choice in the community and also look into environmental factors that affect and govern general health to develop proper programs can properly protect family and community health.
Public health professionals can come from varying fields such as teaching, journalism, lab science, social workers, and attorneys and not only do they serve the local community, they also serve the national and international community. Job opportunities for a professional are varied ranging from being food inspectors to health educators to epidemiologists.
Many people consider public health professionals to be the same as clinical professionals such as doctors and nurses. It should be noted that there is a definite difference between them. Professionals are more concerned with implementing educational programs, administering services and carrying out research activities that deal with maintaining health, while clinical professionals deal with the prospect of coping with disparities.
Health professionals play a large role in maintaining and improving the state of health and this can be seen in the kind of achievements that society has witnessed in the 20th century. For example, around life expectancy has increased, child mortality has decreased and the spread of communicable diseases has certainly come down.
Health Care – Right Or Privilege?
Is health care a privilege or right? Ever seen such a simple question trip up so many astute minds? Gosh man, how hard is this to think through.
So I was listening to this liberal talk show host, and she was screaming about what the constitution says about the welfare of the people.. yakity yak. And in her liberal mind, that means health care is a right. Good for her huge liberal conscience. But she is wrong. Well partially.
And as to those who say health care is a privilege, well you too are stricken with bumper-stickermentalitis. Not so.
Here is your cheat sheet for this question.
Health Care is a Right to A Privilege? Does that make sense? Ok, here is your lifeline.
Any economy as advanced as the US economy is, has within it intrinsic value created over decades and even centuries by the vehicles of production. Of course the most important of these being human capital. And so the question is how do you best use this intrinsic value? One way is national security. Another is social security. And another has to be one of the fundamentals that determine your level of productivity and state of living — health management.
See how easy and logical this is? The privilege has been built up over decades; and the right to this privilege kicks in when we decide it’s time for it to kick in.
The problem is our minds are so fried from the heat of political hot air. Ideology trumps common sense, and sadly even values. Like so many areas in the American way of life, we have gone wide and extremely shallow. Prepared to go to the fringes for effect or to salve whatever the hell we think is hurting us, the extent of our thinking on issues that should matter to us and our children goes no further than “fit it on a bumper sticker.”
Its not so hard after all to give a simple answer to a simple question. But do you know why none of our politicians have ever been able to give the correct answer to this right or previlige question? One word. Pandering. Pandering because they themselves lack even that which they come professing to provide – leadership. And so all they can offer is comfort to those whose support they crave in the form of sameness. See I am just like you, even if you are completely wrong. I am just like you.
Then if that is the valid approach for leadership to take, what do we need leadership for? To massage our egos and give us a false sense of security?
A simple issue such as the provision of health care in a highly developed industrialized country resulted in a high level of distaste and flim-flammery partially because we failed to answer a simple question correctly for no other reason that we are more interested in pandering. Are you starting to see how dangerous this pandering can be?
Yeah, sometimes it makes us get stupid.
Home Baking Business Equipment
My mission in this article is to give you a feel for the kind of equipment that’s usually required by the health department and equipment that’s traditionally used in a personal kitchen but can also be used to get your business started. I’ve also included a few helpful tips that can make your work a little easier, less time consuming and more profitable.
Here’s your first money-saving tip: used commercial equipment will more than satisfy your needs. Commercial equipment tends to have a long operating life when it’s taken care of properly.
The following equipment list will be especially helpful if you’re operating on a shoestring budget. It will also be useful if you are uncertain about operating this type of business and want to test the waters.
Ovens – The health department has no requirements concerning the size, type, or make of oven used in your business. You can use the same type of conventional stove that you have in your personal kitchen if it bakes properly and produces the results you need. But you should be aware that conventional ovens limit the quantity you can bake at one time and the speed of baking.
To increase production and keep up with demand, you’ll need a commercial oven, preferably convection. Convection ovens bake fast and efficiently. Before purchasing a commercial electric oven, inquire about wiring and outlets needed for operation. Before purchasing any type of gas oven, make sure you have enough space for a hood fan and proper ventilation.
Mixers – If you have budget concerns, a home-style stand mixer will work perfectly to get you started. I recommend KitchenAid mixers. If you have product demand and the budget, definitely invest in a commercial mixer. A used twelve or twenty-quart commercial mixer will get you off to a great start.
Refrigerators/Coolers – Are you watching the budget? If so, here’s another tip that will save you many dollars. Home-style refrigerators will work perfectly for your start-up and established business. Commercial refrigerators (referred to as coolers) can be expensive, even the used ones. So consider carefully the amount of space you have, the amount of product to be chilled, and your budget for refrigeration. Before purchasing a commercial cooler, inquire about the necessary electrical wiring and outlets needed for operation.
Proofing Cabinets – If you’re making large quantities of yeast breads, you will benefit from having a proofing cabinet. This cabinet maintains a warm temperature that’s perfect for the stage of bread making when the dough needs to rise and double in bulk.
Work Sinks – A stainless-steel compartment sink is usually a requirement of the health department. Even if this type of sink is not required, you should consider buying one. The convenience and ease of washing large sheet pans, large mixing bowls, and other oversized pieces make it well worth the cost.
Work Tables – The health department usually requires a certain kind of work surface for food preparation and protection. Stainless-steel tables are the most popular because they can be easily cleaned and do not absorb germs and other contaminants. There may be other tabletop surfaces that meet approval. Ask your health department for more information. The size table you buy should be determined by available space and the task to be performed. Rolling Pan Racks (Shelves) These heavy-duty metal racks are made to hold both half- and full-size sheet pans. They vary in height and the number of pans they hold. They are excellent space savers. Use them for cookies and cakes (before and after baking), ingredients, supplies, and more. One of the great convenience features is mobility. They can be moved to wherever you’re working. A pan rack is not required by the health department, but it should be near the top of your list of necessities. Used racks will work perfectly.
Storage Shelves – You’ll need lots of storage space for dry ingredients, packaging supplies, and other items. It’s always a great idea to make the most of your work space from floor to ceiling.
Hand Sink – A hand sink is generally a small sink used to wash your hands before and during work. This sink is usually required by the health department. You can save on cost by purchasing a fiberglass sink (called a utility sink) at most building supply stores.
Ingredient Bins – It’s not necessary to buy commercial storage bins for items like flour and sugar. Just go to a building supply store and purchase large thirty-two-gallon trash cans with lids. They must be new, of course. These cans will store a fifty-pound bag of flour or sugar and more. Do not empty the product directly into the trash can. Instead, drop the unopened bag into the can, and then open the top of the bag and dip out the product as needed.
More Tips: Before purchasing any large equipment, measure all doorways that the equipment has to pass through before it can be placed in the work area.
Always ask for a warranty. Most companies offer at least a thirty-day warranty on used equipment.