Experience & self awareness Essay

In addition to my work experience, I have strong communication, customer service, office, and administrative skills and understand with the education theory from some of my modules I completed and have so much passion for the hospitality/tourism field. I am more than happy to learn new skills as this will help me gain experience for my future career and would be thrilled to work for a successful firm like Holiday Inn. Furthermore I can assure you my service will be of benefit ,I certainly look forward to hearing back from you soon. 1. Kathy lacked sufficient emotional intelligence to be effective in her new project manager assignment by Self awareness: Kathy had a deep understanding of her strength not her weakness to have time to talk to her staff. There was also lack of empathy as she failed to have the â€Å"ability to recognise the feelings and expectations of others and take them into consideration† as they were also local residents. Poor relationship with the staff resulted to â€Å"a campaign of passive resistance to her leadership†. 2. The element she exhibit successfully were: †¢Motivation: although the project became quickly bogged due to poor performance she still managed to motivate herself and â€Å"pushed her team hard†. Also by settling goals for staff and senior members of the project to â€Å"work long hours† to accomplish important milestones in order to complete the assignment. B. Main methods of communication include: Verbal communication either through sound, work or speaking to other members of the project or recorded clips of the senior members. Also Written communication either emailing or letters with the use of computers and internet for emails. In addition visual communication through graphs from excel or video clips on YouTube or television therefore contributing to the IT and applications. C. 5 Traits of emotional intelligence me: Self awareness: In high school was given a presentation on Kidneys, a sensitive topic managed to trust my intuition& took control of my emotions as that was my weakness. Self regulation: one of my cousins used my bag without asking, i had to think of how I was going to talk to them instead of fighting. Motivation: When given 2 or more assignments during college treated myself if i finished a day before the deadline& the days increased as the year progressed. Empathy: when my friend lost her job& i had just got a job I helped her with some of her bills as I had been in a similar situation before. Social skills: I managed to build a good relationship with my new workmates as well as maintaining one with my friends and family.

History of Country Music

Velvet Stalnaker UNV 104 January 7, 2012 Professor Salcido History of Southern Music Southern music is now called country music and is popular in many different places. It is for people from all walks of life. But, when we look at country music today and from years ago is it the same? , When did it become popular? and , How has the music changed over the years? Southern music known today as country music became popular in the 1920’s. This was music that was based on folk music of cowboys in the southeast (Collins English Dictionary, 2003). In most of the early music the artist played stringed instruments like fiddles, guitars, banjos and some were even playing harmonicas. When this type of music started some people called it â€Å"hillbilly music† (Tower, 2000). Country music is in my opinion soothing and tells a story. Immigrants came to this world over 300 years ago playing and listening to what they called old world music. Most of the people that were playing this music were playing banjos and guitars. Southern music is still used today in churches all over the world it is called southern gospel. This type of music is used in funerals and also celebrations all over the world. Most people think this type of music is all about people crying about their lives. Many southern country songs tell stories about the singer. Southern music is used today in some schools and churches on a daily basis. Some government groups in the United States also use songs with southern background. â€Å"The south is the cradle of American music. †3 This can be seen through many types of music. Southern music is used in movies. Southern influence help to make popular songs like â€Å"Sweet Home Alabama†, â€Å"Free bird†, and â€Å"Still in Saigon† favorites among many different types of people today. Even though southern music is for hillbillies, southern music is very influential because southern music from the past is still used in lives today and southern music started many famous songs still used today. This is why southern music is not just for hillbillies. Reference Page 1- http://www. urbandictionary. com 2- http://www. wbir. com by Dave Paulson â€Å"The Tennessean† Who listens to Country music? 3- http:www. credoreference. com. library. gcu. edu:2048/entry/abcarcsouth/music Here is the section of the style guide that might help you with your citations. Source Citations All quotations, paraphrases, and summaries must be referenced. Only common knowledge does not need to be cited. When in doubt, cite the material. This is an issue of plagiarism; please reference GCU’s policy on Plagiarism in the University Policy Handbook. In-text citations should note the author(s) and the publication date for a paraphrase. For a direct quotation, citations should include author(s), date, and page number. See the following examples: â€Å"Ethics examines moral values and the standards of ethical behavior† (Ornstein & Levine, 2008, p. 162). Ornstein and Levine (2008) expressed their concern with NCLB and its effect on public education. Reference Examples: Books Book by a Single Author Author, A. A. (Year). Book title: Subtitle after colon. Location, State Abbreviation: Publisher. [Some publication locations do not require a state abbreviation or country. ] Daresh, J. C. (2004). Beginning the assistant principalship: A practical guide fo r new School administrators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Book by More than One Author Author, A. A. , Author, B. B. , & Author, C. C. (Year). Book title: Subtitle after colon. Location, State Abbreviation: Publisher. Black, J. A. , & English, F. W. (1986). What they don’t tell you in schools of education about school administration. Lancaster, PA: Technomic. Hartzell, G. , Williams, R. , & Nelson, K. (1995). New voices in the field: The work lives of first-year assistant principals. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Edited Book Author, A. A. (Ed. ). (Year). Book title: Subtitle after colon. Location, State Abbreviation: Publisher. Feldman, P. R. (Ed. ). (1997). British women poets of the romantic era. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University. Article or Chapter in an Edited Book Author, A. A. , & Author, B. B. (Year). Chapter or article title. In A. A. Editor & B. B. Editor (Eds. ), Book title: Subtitle after colon (pp. ). Location, State Abbreviation: Publisher. Grabe, W. , & Stoller, F. L. (2001). Reading for academic purposes: Guidelines for the ESL/EFL teacher. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed. ), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (3rd ed. ) (pp. 187-203). Boston: Heinle & Heinle. Multiple Editions of a Book Author, A. A. (Year). Book title: Subtitle after colon (2nd ed. . Location, State Abbreviation: Publisher. Parker, F. , & Riley, K. (2004). Linguistics for non-linguists: A primer with exercises (4th ed. ). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Book by an Organization Organization Name. (Year). Book title: Subtitle after colon. Location, State Abbreviation: Publisher. American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed. ). Washington, DC: Author. [Here, the organi zation is both the publisher and the author, so the word â€Å"Author† is noted in place of the publisher’s name. Reference Examples: Periodicals Article in a Journal Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title, Volume(Issue), Page numbers. Chappuis, S. , & Stiggins, R. (2002). Classroom assessment for learning. Educational Leadership, 60, 40-43. Arnold, J. B. , & Dodge, H. W. (1994). Room for all. The American School Board Journal, 181(10), 22-26. [The issue number is in parentheses; no space between the volume and issue. ] Article in a Popular Magazine Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Article title. Magazine Title, Volume(Issue), Page numbers. Mehta, P. B. (1998, June 6). Exploding myths. New Republic, 290(25), 17-19. Article in a Newspaper Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Article title. Newspaper Title, Page numbers. Schwartz, J. (1993, September 30). Obesity affects economic, social status. Washington Post, pp. A1, A4. Online Periodical Article Author, A. A. , Author, B. B. , & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Periodical Title, Volume(Issue), Page numbers. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL Smith, B. M. (2004, June). What will you do on summer vacation? Phi Delta Kappan, 85(10), 722. Retrieved August 18, 2004, from http://www. pdkintl. org/kappan/k0406smi. htm Reference Examples: Electronic Resources Document from University or Government Program Web Site Author, A. A. , Author, B. B. , & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of web site. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from Organization Name, Specific Web Page: URL Woodford, R. (n. d. ). Successful practices for students with disabilities. Retrieved August 24, 2004, from US Department of Education, Improve Student Performance: http://www. ed. gov/teachers/how/tools/initiative/summerworkshop/lincolncounty/edlite-slide001. tml Stand-Alone Document Author, A. A. , Author, B. B. , & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of Web site. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL Black, C. (2011). Women and addiction: From Betty Ford to Amy Winehouse. Retrieved July 27, 2011, from http://www. psychologytoday. com/blog/the-many-faces-addiction/201107/women-and-addiction-betty-ford-amy-winehouse Stand-Alone Document, No Author or Date Title of page. (n. d. ). Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL USA swimming. (n. d. ). Retrieved August 24, 2004, from http://www. usaswimming. org/usasweb/DesktopDefault. aspx

Global prespective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Global prespective - Essay Example The country observes a blend of common and Sharia laws, but the latter are only applied in family law and punishment of various grave crimes. The country has been described as one of the most stable Middle Eastern economies with a relatively good security situation. Since the Gulf War in which the country was involved, Qatar has been a peaceful haven for business activities in the area. The government plays a huge role in the determination of what businesses should or should not run. The government has in recent times executed heavy censorship in the liquor and food businesses to the point of being authoritarian where different liquor businesses have been closed and no explanation offered for the same. Other businesses have, however, been running independently. The country has good bilateral relationships with the United States and there are many US companies operating in the area, hence it will be easy to establish our operations. American workers and companies face a little discrim ination in the country as the country's leadership attempts to maintain a pious image elsewhere while projecting the West as corrupt. There are, however, no incidences of extreme fundamentalism. Economic Systems and Situation Qatar's economy is hugely oil-based. The country has huge oil reserves that are estimated to continue at least for another century. The country has attempted to diversify from petroleum although it still accounts for more than 50% of the country's Gross Domestic Product. The country embraces the ideals of free trade with limitation to business enterprises that have a connection with the Sharia law. The country has an effective tertiary industry with easily accessible banking and insurance services. The Qatar financial center affords financial institutions globally competitive services, capital support and interest free loans (â€Å"World's Richest Countries†). The country has a cheap and efficient road transport owing to the low prices of petroleum and a word-class road network. Communication is as well developed with good Internet and telephone coverage. The country has a good number of local and international media stations. Labor Laws The government prohibits labor unions and industrial strikes. There are also unfair working relations where migrant workers are paid less than citizens for the same job qualification. This has led to issues that affect companies in the region negatively as they follow payment schemes in the same way that the government does. Purchasing Power Qatar is the richest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita. The business magazine Forbes ranked Qatar 1st in 2010 GDP per Capita in 2010 and reported that the country recorded 19 per cent economical growth, which was the highest in the year in the world. Increase in exports of liquefied oil, natural gas, petrochemicals, and diversification of products in related industries are credited for this. In terms of human development, Qatar is the second-highe st in the Middle East and North Africa region, only second to the U.A.E. In 2009, United States made its fifth-largest export in the Middle East in Qatar, surpassing earlier more favorite export markets such as the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Egypt (â€Å"World's Richest Countries†). Cocona Fabrics, established in the late 2005, has come up with fast-drying fabrics that effectively protect against ultraviolet rays and manage sweat and other

International Business - Cultural Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Business - Cultural Issues - Essay Example Culture is the mix of behaviors, thoughts, beliefs, symbols, and artifacts that are conveyed to people throughout an organization over time. Culture may include a belief about desired employee conduct. Keep communication channels open. Because an organization requires the cooperation of its members for survival, managers should encourage employee communication of its members for survival, managers should encourage employee communication. Committees, conferences and networks can all lay an important role in effective communication in organizations (Yvonne, 2000, p- 119). "A socially inherited body of sanctions and directives which define (he 'proper' and 'improper' ways of behavior" could help to highlight on one hand the complex environment to which one has to adjust; on the other, being assimilated by the individual, it functions part of the super-ego and conditions his tendency to autonomy." (Yvonne, 2000, p- 87) The important global pressures impacting International business practices in MNCs have grown in number, variety and complexity in recent times- thanks to the changes in information technology, dismantling of tariffs, differentiated labor laws, cultural and language barriers, bargaining practices etc. getting the right people with requisite skills, motivating them to accept the challenges in a foreign locale and extending family support through cultural orientation, language training and education assistance have become truly demanding. Any systematic study of a new geographic market requires a combination of tough mindedness and generosity. The appreciation of another way of life cannot develop when one is defensive about one's own way of life; it is necessary to be secure in one's own convictions and traditions. In additions, generosity is required to appreciate the integrity and value of other ways of life and points of view-to overcome the prejudices that are natural result of the human tendency toward ethnocentricity. When people from other countries like Chinese are haughty, patronizing, or arrogant, home-country ethnocentricity is probably contributing to the problem. Global marketers need to develop an objective standpoint that recognizes diversity and seeks to understand its origins. There are many paths to the same end in life. The successful global marketer knows this and rejoices in life's rich diversity. 4. High and low context cultures In a low-context culture, messages are explicit; word carries most of the information. In a high context culture, less information is contained in the verbal part of the message. Much more information resides in the context of communication, including the background, associations, and basic values of the communicators. In general, high context cultures function with much less legal paperwork than is deemed essential in low context cultures. Japan, Saudi Arabia, and other high context cultures place a great deal of emphasis on a person's value and

If the research budget is limited, there is no need to conduct Essay

If the research budget is limited, there is no need to conduct marketing research - Essay Example This essay discusses that as marketing research is important in the successful promotion of the products/service of an organisation, it must be given due consideration. It is inevitable for an organization to allot a separate budget for marketing research. Undoubtedly, an organisation that desires to thrive in the field can never say excuse for having not enough funds. As far as an organisation is concerned, market research is conducted not only for learning purpose but also for flawless decision making process. It is on the basis of the information gathered through research an organization decides whether or not to make changes in the existing product line. To illustrate, a well conducted research would propose multiple options for introducing new product line or entering into new markets. Apart from obtaining new customers, more importance must be given for retaining the existing customers. Long term loyalty and relationship between the organisation and the customers are not just d eveloped on a single day. They are the result of strenuous efforts made by the organisation by closely understanding the needs and preferences of the customers. Moreover, the data collected through market research can help marketers to make decision on product quality or services expansion. It may result in introducing more innovative product or redesigning the marketing strategy. Similarly, the potential problems associated with launching a new product can also be identified through marketing research. If the probable difficulties are known in advance, firms can take steps to address them on time. The research conducted after a product launch will help the firm to determine further steps. According to Malhotra & Dash (2009, p.45), Marketing research helps an organisation to know the demographics and psychographics of customers. It reveals the number of persons who buy the products, why they buy, when they buy, the frequency of their buying, and the sources of their buying; and it a lso includes the social status and the regional location of the customers (ibid). As market research bring out information regarding age, sex, population, buying behavior, and location, firms can easily determine whether to change their market segments or business destinations to more favorable ones. In the absence of such a study, taking flawless decisions is unlikely. Marketing research is one of the best ways of knowing the strategies of competitors, their identity, marketing network, scale of focus and many more. It is important for a business firm to observe how its rivals carry out business as it evaluates its own progress or loss. By imitating the competitors on an equal scale, one can retaliate on the same manner as the competitors do. These actions would help the firm not only to improve the product quality but also to obtain prospective customers for the organisation. Marketing research can sometimes be used as an evaluation tool which may help in making comparative studie s so that the organization can track its own progress over a period of time. In addition, in some occasions marketing research helps to explore what went wrong. For example, Johnson & Johnson Company probed into the poisoning of their capsules

Take home essay exam Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Take home exam - Essay Example During my childhood days my dream girl was a princess who helped me comforted me and played games with me. The teen years saw the evolution of the pretty princess into a sensational diva who could set my soul on fire, someone who would attract envious glances from my peers an absolute beauty with a perfect figure and ravishing looks. But as the years progressed and as I passed out of the turbulent teens my mind settled down and now rationality has set in as I realize that the girl who will be my life partner has to have a whole lot more than looks and sex appeal. When the essay topic was announced at first I found the notion quite ridiculous but when my thoughts settled I felt that this was the right time to delve on this issue which has a bearing on my whole life. This essay topic has prodded me into realistically thinking as to what exact attributes am I searching for in my partner, the significant other. I take this opportunity to search my mind, heart and soul to draw a sketch of the girl for me. It is not an easy task especially to name only three aspects when so many flood your mind but this is a great opportunity to mind map, think and analyze an issue which we usually tend to ignore or hope that all the pieces of the jigsaw fall into place by themselves. One of the main and obvious criteria in search of a significant other is obviously looks and the attraction that I would feel for the other person. According to Bailey and Kelly (1984), perceived physical attractiveness of self and others has been shown to be an important dimension in the establishment of interpersonal relationships. I totally agree with this as I mean as a child I wanted Pam Anderson to be my dream girl but when I became older I obviously knew what I wanted in a girl. I do not see how it could change as these are what are most important to me. Looks and physical attraction do mean a lot to me so

Counselling Theory and Practice 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Counselling Theory and Practice 2 - Essay Example session may emphasize on exploration of the clients childhood experiences, which may provide a rightful assessment of the clients reaction to challenging situations. Mostly, after careful analysis of these experiences, the counsellor will consider ways in which the client could adjust these reactions. Effective counselling will allow the client see situations with the much needed clarity essential for making positive steps towards changing their mindset towards challenging situations. The critical aim of counselling is enabling the client arrive at, and make their own decisions and act upon them accordingly, and does not involve any form of advice giving. In understanding the client centred approach, we first have to look at its architect, psychologist Carl Rodgers (1902- 1887) who made enormous steps in expounding his dislike in the way psychology treated people as object of study rather than individuals deserving respect and understanding(Merry, 2002, pg 2). This meant that the counsellor, needed to show attributes such as positive regard, empathy and congruence whenever a client sought help from them. The client centred approach is therefore defined as a precise from of interviewing in which the client only responds to questions asked by the counsellor, more like a direct interview rather than a discussion. Patterson (1985) however outlines a number of characteristics exhibited by the client centred approach that may either promote or limit it as a form of counselling A counsellor must have in mind the face that no two clients are similar or share the same train of thought and capability of handling difficult situations and experiences, owing to the fact that the way they will react to a situation is dependent on their personal experiences in the world. Therefore, it is very essential that the counsellor avoids instances of expecting his/her clients to react in a manner they would when faced with a similar situation. The role of a counsellor is primarily to

Write a letter to a friend what it was like being a 19th century Essay

Write a letter to a friend what it was like being a 19th century worker. involving karl max and Robert Owen odeas - Essay Example As many factories began to emerge, people started to work at factories instead of at farms as it was before industrialization. Children started working for many of factories, Mines, and shops that needed help, and there were not enough men or women to meet the increasing labor demands. Children were seen as cheap, plentiful, and easy to control labor. Orphanages and even parents would give up their children to the cotton mills owners and other operators in exchange for sustenance. As young Children, we had to do the most dangerous and difficult jobs like coal mining, and fixing broken machinery. The coal mines were the worst because young children had to travel through the mines with poor lighting, and often carrying loads. Working from six in the morning to nine at night with no meals and a long distance from home the children suffered. If late for work, the children were often beaten, and if we worked slowly, or fell asleep at the machines, the supervisors could hit us using a strap. Women and children offered cheap labor and could work for less than a man would accept. Spending so many hours a day over factory machines often left us with bowed legs and poorly developed limbs and muscles. If one of us not "lucky" enough to be employed in these mines, he had the unpleasant option of living on the streets, which was accompanied with raw sewage, rotting animals, vegetable wastes, rats, disease, and putrid water. They also had to find food and a place to stay in when it is rainy and cold. Karl Marx was an idealist. He envisaged the cruelties and injustices that children, endured during the period of the industrial revolution. It was from the events that Marx developed the communist idea. Karl Marx was one of those reformers proposing and arguing for the reforms through the Communist Manifesto. His goals of the communist party were to end the exploitation of the working class and create a society with equality and no social classes. Marx has helped

IMC and Customer Satisfaction Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

IMC and Customer Satisfaction - Assignment Example However, from an in depth understanding of the different ways of marketing communication this process would be discussed in detail in this paper in the context of marketing activities of the BERVET. The process of integrated marketing communications fundamentally refers to â€Å"the strategic analysis, choice, implementation and control of all elements of marketing communications which efficiently, economically and effectively influence transactions between an organization and its existing and potential customers, consumers and clients† (Smith, Berry & Pulford, 1999). In simple words it is the way in which an organization manages and controls all its market communications. It is ensured that the messages, personality of the company and its brand positioning in the market is delivered across all the elements of the market by utilizing a single and consistent strategy (Smith, Berry & Pulford, 1999). This process is applicable to any type of company dealing with any type of produ ct or service, however, BERVET can customize each step of this process in order to fit the bill of the goods and services offered by it. Although the concept of marketing communications has been put to use in companies as an all inclusive concept to deal with the different levels of communication since the 1990s, the technique of strategically integrating these diverse functional areas is unique to the approach of integrated marketing communications (FitzGerald, 2000). BERVET should develop a single communications strategy, the basic of which should be followed for each target audience that has been identified from the entire market. This strategy has to be used â€Å"as the basis for executing each communication function† (FitzGerald, 2000) throughout the marketing process by using a wide range of channels of communication. Twelve different strategies have been identified by Smith, Berry and Pulford (1999) to accomplish the process of integrated marketing communications; suc h as, advertising, public relations, sales promotion, point of purchase, packaging, exhibition, sponsorship, internet, direct marketing, personal selling, corporate identity and word of mouth. BERVET has decided to choose advertising as the basic strategy for its integrated marketing communications. Advertising strategy of BERVET Advertising can be made through different channels. BERVET keeps pace with advancement of time and revises its advertising policies and the channels used. Television commercials, print media (newspapers and magazines), bill board signs and event sponsoring have been the most popular methods of advertising for the company since it had started business in 2000. However, recently it has also started to make its presence felt by advertising on the internet. The marketing goal of BERVET is to expand to the European continent and capture the European market. The target audience includes the governments of the different countries in the region, the private sector, the retailers and whole sellers, the individual customers. The different advertising channels have been chosen keeping in mind these different target groups. The internet is the most common form of media in both the developed countries in the region that allows the people to share ideas, communicate, and build network. Hence advertisement on the internet is particularly of immense importance for the company’

Jacques Family Case study Essay Example for Free

Jacques Family Case study Essay Domestic violence has several mitigating approaches, and the health care approach has proved to be fruitful. By gathering feedback from victims of domestic violence in a health care setting, has helped to create awareness as well as demystify the phenomenon eventually helping to create more accurate intervention strategies (Enos et al, 2004.p 4). It has also been noted from studies that children who grow up in homes where they experience domestic violence are likely to be perpetrators of the same in their adult life (National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence, 2002. p 6). The co-occurrence of child abuse and intimate partner violence is an issue that needs to be professionally addressed. The impact on domestic violence on children cannot be explained by one theory. Assumptions about the Jacques family There is a co-occurrence of child abuse and intimate partner violence in the Jacques family. This is seen when Jacques physically abuses Samuel when the boy tries to help his mother from the father’s attack. Jacques verbally abuses Samuel, as seen in the case study. The husband, Jean Jacques is an unstable man, with an inclination towards violence. This is likely to be a medical condition. Jean has a manipulative attitude and domineering towards his family. Marie suffers from depression as a result of the continued violence and a feeling of having wasted her life by not pursuing the nursing course. Marie has had a troubled childhood and early adulthood as is stated in the case study. Her father physically abused her. Samuel’s father actually abused her sexually as evidenced by her feelings to go for an abortion. Marie is basically a responsible and intelligent woman. Marie has not contributed to the violence in the family in any way. The family has lost close ties with their paternal relatives/extended family. The children feel a sense of insecurity towards their father and suffer from various behavioral/ attitudinal disorders (National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence, 2002. p 7). Data, facts, information, and observations about this family Jean Jacques is an unstable man, with an inclination towards violence is evidenced by the fact that when Samuel tries to intervene to save his mother Jean violently throws the boy across the room and ignores the cries of the little children Valerie and Miranda. The fact that jean used a baseball bat to batter his wife proves he has an inclination towards violence as well as being of relatively unstable mind. He does not need to use a base ball bat. The injuries sustained, and the feelings of depression by Marie demonstrate the extent of the violence. Marie has grown to fear her husband and fearing he will come home from jail to kill her demonstrates this. Jean would hit Marie for no reason, yell at the kids and use abusive language towards Sammy who is not his son. He has an alcoholic problem. He even abandons his family and goes away. Has trouble sleeping and claims he hears strange voices. He feels scared of himself. His violent outbursts cause his family to be denied the services of homeless shelters. A social worker had to intervene for the family to get admission to a domestic violence shelter. Jean has a manipulative attitude and domineering towards his family. This is seen when he discouraged Marie from pursuing her dream in nursing. Jean discouraged his wife from visiting her family as well as discouraging her family to visit her. He domineered over her denying her the right and freedom of association by becoming possessive and consequently Marie had no friends. Marie suffers from depression. She has lost motivation to be productive. She has no motivation to seek employment, perform her household chores, and provide quality parenting to her children. Marie has had a troubled childhood and early adulthood. She was physically abused by her father. The father of her first child Samuel sexually abused her at age 19 years. She was vulnerable and hence fell for Jean who promised her a better life and security. Marie is basically a responsible and intelligent woman. She expresses desire to be supportive of her husband as a duty. She desires to pursue nursing to support her family.   Marie has attempted to restore their relationship. She suspects that jean is having a drug problem. This is found to be true when the family comes back from Bahamas. She took Jean back after one year when Jean supposedly went back to his medication and started applying for jobs. Marie graduated from high school with straight A’s. The family has lost close ties with their paternal relatives/extended family. There is no mention in the case study of Jeans relatives and the Child Protective Services Caseworker could not trace any relatives. The children feel insecure about their father. Samuel tries to save his mother from the violent attack while Joshua calls the police.   Samuel does not feel attached to Jean anymore. Jean is not essentially a bad man. In their initial years in marriage Jean was a responsible man and took care of Sammy as his own child. Though he is violent towards his wife he apologizes for the violence. He agrees to seek psychiatric advice upon Marie’s request. Jean makes his family more comfortable when he gets employed. He agrees to let Marie take the children to Bahamas. Concerning the children Samuel is 13 years old and feels like he no longer belongs to this family. He is constantly teased by the siblings as well as Jean for being black. He suffers from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disorder. He is academically average and manages to get C’s and D’s. He is getting into more problems at school including fights and poor academic performance. Molests younger children at school and is physically and verbally aggressive to his younger siblings. He copies Jean’s behavior in that he has physically attacked his mother. He is unfriendly. His accomplishments in karate programs demonstrate his inclination towards violence. Joshua is 11years old, he is obese and reserved. He is academically average and manages to get B’s and C’s. He has one friend Joe, and wishes his friend’s family were his family. He sees Joe’s family as normal people and this means that he sees his family as abnormal. He feels that his father would have killed his mother had he not called in the police. He is having trauma and yet he cares for his father. He is at risk of failing as a result of traumatic experiences. Has personality problems, he refuses to bathe. He loves solitude. He is a responsible child, helpful in the house and loves school. Valerie is 9 years old. She is quiet and withdrawn child. She is kind and eager to please. She is above average and bright. She manages straight A’s. She is well liked by peers and teachers, though she does not socialize with her friends outside school. She is a responsible child and takes care of her younger siblings. She is friendly to Joshua but antagonistic towards Samuel. Miranda is 6 years old, she is a friendly but withdrawn child and does not perform well at school. She seems to be disturbed and disconnected from her immediate surroundings. Has nightmares that proves she is disturbed. Matthew is 4 years old. He does not seem to be doing well at school, he is very active physically with an inclination towards violence. He is basically uncooperative. Interpretation the information about this family  From the observations about the children in the Jacques family it is important to note that they all demonstrate varying degrees of emotional and psychological deficits. This has been found to be the case from studies conducted on children who have been exposed to domestic violence (National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence, 2002. p 6). The children in this family are unable to socialize with their peers as this is demonstrated by their unfriendliness and disability to keep friends. Children are likely to view themselves as the cause of the violence and feel held captive by their inability to stop the violence. This may most likely cause the child to internalize, and this situation is made worse by their inability to acquire social skills (National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence, 2002. p 7). Conclusions about this family The Jacques family needs medical interventions. From the observation in the case study it demonstrates Jacques has a medical condition and having exposed his entire family to the violence the whole family needs the relevant medical intervention for each age bracket. Studies have shown there does not exist a single intervention strategy that fits all cases (National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence, 2002. p 15). Treatment for this family Given that Marie has on several attempts tried to restore their relationship with Jacque it would be appropriate to engage the services of both the Domestic Violence programs (DV) and the Child Protective Services (CPS) more seriously. The CPS’s approach focuses on protecting the children while at the same time propagate the preservation of the family unit while the DV facilitates the safety of the victim. There are several joint programs between DV and CPS that would be helpful in this case (National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence, 2002. p 16). Empirical Studies Case 1; In handling Domestic violence related problems it is important to understand that factors such as age of the child, its gender, and the time that has passed since the last exposure to violence, the child’s attachment to the friendly parent and other important individuals and social supports in its life are the determining factors that influence the impact of the violence on the child (National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence, 2002. p 19). Case 2; The mistreat of children and violence against females are con-current. About 500,000 may be found by police during arrests for domestic violence. An overlap of between 30%-60% exists between violence against women and violence against children in the same families (National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence, 2002. p 20). Case 3; If safety and other pertinent interventions are not available the impact of the exposure to domestic violence and child abuse can spill over into the child’s adolescence. Young people who have been exposed to domestic violence at home are likely to replicate the violence (National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence, 2002. p 20). References Enos V, P., Linden, J, A., Tieszen, L., Bernstein, J. Brown, J. (2004) An Intervention To Improve Documentation Of Intimate Partner Violence In Medical Records. U.S Department of justice. Retrieved February 23, 2009 from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/207146.pdf Kelleher, K., Gardner, W., Coben, J., Barth, R., Edleson, J. Hazen, A., (2002). Co-Occuring Intimate Partner Violence and Maltreatment; Local Policies/Practices and Relationships to Child Placement, Family Services and Residence. U.S Department of justice. Retrieved February 23, 2009 from http;//www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/213503.pdf National Resource Centre on Domestic Violence. (2002). Children Exposed To Intimate Partner Violence. Retrieved February 23, 2009 from http://new.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/NRC_Children.pdf

Nonsom Fermented Fish Rice Biology Essay

Nonsom Fermented Fish Rice Biology Essay Fish is classified according to origin such as seawater fish, shellfish, oily and white fish and freshwater fish. Fish is a rich source of protein and it contains other nutrients such as essential fatty acids, fat soluble vitamins and calcium (Barnett, 1998). In fish, it contains fat soluble vitamin such as vitamin A , D and a number of water soluble vitamin B group. Vitamin A and D are mostly found in the visceral fat, though there are amounts in the flesh for a few species such as lamprey and some species of tuna (Pirie and Swaninathan, 1975). Fish is also low in saturated fatty acids and oily fish in particular is an excellent source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids with ÃŽÂ ±- linolenic acid( ALA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and cocosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to aid in preventing cardiovascular disease(Brunner, 2008). Fish can be rich source of iodine and some magnesium, calcium and iron are also present. However, fish are more perishable due to the surface slime by a mass of ba cteria covering the fish body and the bacteria resides in the digestive tract. In Malaysia, fish is an important food in the Malaysian diet and besides consuming it as a dish itself it can be used as a condiment in various traditional form such as dried, salted and fermented. 1.2 Fermentation Fermentation is the most conventional method in food processing. It is a desirable process of biochemical modification by microorganisms that bring changes to food and enhance properties such as taste, aroma, shelflife and nutritive value. Through fermentation, the safety of food can be enhanced by removing their natural toxin components or by inhibiting the growth of disease-causing microbes (Adams et. al., 2001). Food fermentation can be classified in several groups which is beverages, cereal products, dairy products, fish products, fruit and vegetable products, legumes and meat products. Fermented foods were developed by many cultures for two main reasons, that is to preserve harvested or slaughtered products which were abundant during those times and are scarce and the other reason is to improve the sensory properties of products that are unappealing. In Southeast Asia, fermentation of fish the most common as fish is a major component in the human diet. Freshwater shellfish ,marine fish and crustaceans are processed with salt to produce various type of fermented fish products. Fish fermentation produces a type of savory flavor from marine products by using both endogenous enzymes in fish and salt tolerant microorganisms in the environment. Fish fermentation is also a method of preserving perishable fish and marine products in a high salt concentration (Lee et al., 1993). Lactic acid fermentation plays a major role in preserving perishable vegetables and fishes, ensuring its safety. The organic acids, mainly lactic acid and acetic acid, produced by lactic acid bacteria are effective antimicrobial agents, and they reduce the pH in the foods to prevent the growth of most hazardous food microorganisms (Lee et al., 1994). 1.3 Nonsom Nonsom or bosou is a traditional fermented fish-rice product made among the among the KadazanDusun-Murut community in Sabah. It is served during festival occasions such as Pesta Keamatan. The ingredients used to make this dish includes fish rice, salt and grinded kernel seed of the Pangium edule. The process of producing nonsom is simple. First the fishes are cleaned thoroughly and salted. Rice is added into the conoction and mixed thoroughly. Dried seed of Pangium edule also known as pangi ,with the content that is scraped out are pounded into a powder form and is then sprinkled onto the conoction to be mixed. The mixture is then transferred into a tightly close jar and kept for one month period before consumption. Nonsom can also be cooked by steaming, fry with onions and chili or be eaten just as it is (Vivienne, 2007). One of the ingredients in nonsom is the seeds of Pangium Edule that are said to be poisonous due to presence of hydrocyanic acid which is toxic Pangi seed can only be consumed after treatments such as boiling and soaking in running water(Davidson and Jaine, 2006 ). These seeds are specialty in Indonesia and have been used as spices. It is claimed that the addition of these seeds into the fermented foods helps in controlling the fermentation process and provide unique flavor to the products. The KadazanDusun community eliminates the poison of pangi by soaking and boiling them in water. They use the powdered seed of pangi as food ingredients in the fermented fish product. This gives a nutty aroma on the fermented fish. The flavor source for spices is due to the dominant amino acids that is present in the fermented seed, which is Glutamic acid (Andarwulan et.al., 1999). 2.0 SIMILAR PRODUCTS WORLDWIDE 2.1 Burong dalag. In the Philippines a fermented rice-fish product which involves lactic acid bacteria is served as appetizer, sauce or main dish (Melchor,2007). Burong isda is a traditional fermented fish product in the phillipines that is similar to narezushi in Japan. Burong isda is produced in white and red form. The red is by addition of angkak which is a culture grown in rice. Burong isda is prepared using freshwater fish that is cleaned thoroughly and mixed with salt overnight before mixing with cooled cooked rice. The mixture is left to ferment for 7 to 10 days in room temperature. There are other kinds of burong isda based on the type of fish used. An example is Burong dalag, a fermented rice-fish mixture using mudfish, Phicephalus striatus (Sanchez, 2008). 2.2 Narezushi Narezushi is a fermented fish product by fermented salted mackerel with boiled rice. It was suggested that narezushi was developed as a mean of fish preservation. In the past half century, marine fishes has been substituted with freshwater fishes due to the drastic decrease of harvest. Aji-no-sushi is another form of Narezushi that is made from horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicas). The mackerel is gutted and put in a barrel that has been salted. It is then drained off and placed in a vat filled with vinegar rice. The salting takes 3 days to 2 months and the desalting phase varied. The fish are stuffed and covered with cooked rice, scattered with a small amount of Japanese pepper leaves or red pepper and pickled in a barrel with the lid that is held closed by stone weights. The fermentation period last from 6 weeks to 1 year, depending on the manufacturer (Kuda et. al., 2009). 2.3 Sikhae Sikhae in Korea is the lactic acid fermentation of seawater fish with cooked millet. The process of producing is similar to other fermented fish-rice products but millet is used instead of rice as it is the common carbohydrate source in the northeastern country. Other ingredients added include minced garlic and red pepper powder. Garlic shows antimicrobial effect on most microorganisms in raw material and the product. It also functions as a selective agent which explains that why lactic acid bacteria is dominant in sikhae fermentation (Lee, 1997). Garlic plays dual role in fermented fish products by inhibiting Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts and providing LAB less sensitive to garlic with a carbohydrate source for growth (Puladan-Muller et.al., 1999) . The fermentation last for 2 to 3 weeks at 20 °C. The pH of Sikhae drops quickly due to the organic acids formed from the millet that provide fermentable sugar for lactobacillus. The product can be stored up to one month at 5 °C after fermentation. The foul fish odor disappears and an acceptable flavor is formed during the fermentation process (Lee et.al, 1993). Leuconostoc mesenteroides   and Lactobacillus plantarum   are the lactic acids involved in the fermentation of Sikhae. The role of these acid forming bacteria for the preservation of fish is apparent, but a more important factor is their ability to produce acceptable flavor during the fermentation process. 2.4 Plaa-som. Plaa-som is a Thai fermented fish produced according to family or local geographic preferences, especially in the central, northeastern and northern parts of Thailand. The fermented fish product is composed of freshwater salt, boiled rice or cooked rice and garlic. In Southern Thailand, another local variety of plaa-som is produced. Palm syrup are used to replace garlic and boiled rice, and from time to time by roasted rice resulting in the resembles of another type of fermented Thai fish known as plaa-uan (Paludan Muller et. al., 2002). In processing of plaa-som, all ingredients are mixed and left to ferment at ambient temperature (25-30  °C) for 3-5 days in a covered-lid cooking pot. The fermentation spontaneously occur due to the presence of microflora , mainly lactic acid bacteria that is found in raw materials. Appropriate conditions are important in order for the complete fermentation by lactic acid bacteria. For example the presence of carbohydrate and antimicrobial substanc es containing ingredients like salt and garlic (Kopermsub and Yunchalard, 2008). Garlic is believed to act as an antimicrobial agent against certain gram negative bacteria and stimulating the growth of lactic acid bacteria(Paludan-Muller et. al, 1999). 2.5 Pekasam Another similar product to nomsom is pekasam that is localized in the state of Kedah, Perak and Kelantan of Peninsular Malaysia. Pekasam is made from fermented freshwater fish that is mixed with ingredients such as roasted rice, tamarind and salt. It is prepard by thorough cleaning of the fish and salted overnight with 20-50 per cent of salt. Then the fish are drained before mixing 50 per cent of roasted rice powder and some tamarind. The mixture is packed into an earthenware container in layers and allowed to ferment for 2 to 4 weeks. After fermentation, the fish is consumed deep fried or made into a side dish( Lee et.al., 1993). The table below shows the composition of pekasam and the composition may vary slightly depending on the type of fish use and method practiced. Table 1. Composition of pekasam. Composition Approximate range pH 4.5 6.1 Lactic acid (%) 0.1-0.4 Salt (%) 10.0-16.0 Moisture (%) 57.0-73.0 Protein(%) 15.0- 25.0 Fat (%) 3.0-8.0 Ash (%) 6.0-14.0 Souce Zaiton (1980) During fermentation process, lactic acid bacteria lowers the pH and preserves the product. The presence of the organic acid also contribute to the flavor of the product. The formation of acid combined with the addition of salt eliminate proteolytic and putrefying microorganisms. The carbohydrate source that supports the growth of lactobacilli comes from the roasted rice powder which also aid in masking the fishy odor and colour development of the final product. There is also some breakdown of the fish protein by autolysis to peptides and amines. These compounds together with acids and products formed by microbial fermentation give rise to typical flavor and odor of the pekasam (Lee et.al., 1993; Kuda et.al., 2009). 3.0 WHAT WERE DONE IN THE PAST. Currently there are hardly any studies on the local indigenous fermented fish-rice products of Malaysia such as nonsom. The only studies made so far are the effect of Pangium edule seed in the production of fermented fish by Ajik (1999) and the nutritional content and physiochemical analysis of fermented fish of different species from different areas in Sabah by Joanis (2002). The study done by Joanis (2002) found that nonsom from Tamparuli using Tilapia mossambica contained the highest nutrient and mineral content. Most of the studies were carried out on the seed extract of Pangium edule whereby antioxidant activity were associated with mobilization of lipids and phenolic compound during fermentation (Andarwulan et.al., 1999). According to (Chye and Sim, 2009) report, there is a strong relationship between the phenolic compound of the seed extracts with the antioxidative and antibacterial activities. It was concluded that the phenolic extracts possess good antioxidant and antimicrob ial activities which could be a promising source of natural preservative and be used in pharmaceutical industry. On the other hand, pekasam which is a similar product of nonsom has already been studied on the fermentation process and fast fermentation method has been introduced whereby the product can be ready in 2 to 3 weeks (Che Rohani Bt.Awang, 2001). In other previous work, there were studies done on the microflora and chemical changes in fermented fish products during fermentation. It is found that lactic acid bacteria are the dominant microorganisms involved in the fermentation of fish-rice products such as Plaa-rom, Narezushi, Burong isda, sikhae and in our local indigenous fermented food of Pekasam and Nonsom. The lactic acid bacteria involved for each type of fermented products are listed in the table below. The role of lactic acid bacteria is to ferment available carbohydrates which lead to a decrease in pH that inhibits pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. The combination of low pH and organic acids present is the main factors that preserve fermented fish products (Paludan-Muller et. al., 2002). Table 2 : Type of lactic acid bacteria found in fermented fish-rice product. Country Name of fermented product Findings Journal resource Thailand Plaa-som Parallel growth of yeast and LAB was found. Pediococcus pentosaceus and Zygosaccharomyces rouxii are the predominant lactic acid bacteria and yeast species respectively. Lactic acid bacteria initiates fermentation followed by alcoholic fermentation by Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. Paludan-Muller et.al., 2002 Japan Aji-no-susu It is reported to be a typical traditional lactic acid fermented fish product and the lactic acid concentration was very high as compared to other narezushi products. The predominant bacterial groups were lactobacilli and lactococci. Kuda et.al., 2009 Korea Sikhae Leuconostoc mesenteroides   and Lactobacillus plantarum   are the lactic acids involved in the fermentation of Sikhae Lee et.al.,1997 Phillippines Burong dalag The fermentation is initiated by Leuconostoc mesenteroids and Streptococcus faecalis then followed by Pediococcus cerevisiae and finally Lactobacillus plantarum. Orillo and Pederson, 1968 Besides that, reports on different salt concentrations, presence of amino acids and organic acids and also source of carbohydrates influenced the fermentation process of fermented fish-rice products. In fermentation with salt, the high salt content retards microbial growth, hydrolysis of the fish protein is thought to occur by natural tissue enzymes, cathepsins. For low salt products, halotolerant populations consisting of gram-positive organisms will prevail. I- sushi which is fermented by various strains of lactobacillus has been associated with food poisoning outbreaks from toxin production by C. botulinum type E. (Downes and Ito, 2001). However, different fermented fish products have different salt concentration requirement. The sufficient amount of salt in fermentation is important as it influence the microbial growth and the rate of fermentation which also affects the sensory quality and safety of the product. Padulan-Muller et. al.(2002) studied on the growth of microflora wit h different concentration of salt in Plaa-som, a Thai fermented fish product. It is found that in high salt concentration of plaa-som, the growth of lactic acid bacteria was inhibited and this delayed the fermentation process. This increase the risk of growth for salt-tolerant potentially pathogenic bacteria, example Staphylococcus aureus (Paludan-Muller, 1999).Thus, 6-7% of salt concentration is recommended for Plaa-som to facilitate the growth of LAB and rapid decrease of pH to below 4.5. However, different fermented fish products have different salt concentration requirement. Aside from salt, the taste of fermented fish-rice product is enhanced during fermentation due to the presence of organic acids and amino acids. According to (Itou et. al., 2006) research, it is reported that the marked increase of the extractive components and organic acids is thought to contribute to the umami taste and the sour taste of narezushi. The extractive components such as free amino acids and peptides increased remarkably because of the decomposition of proteins in fish. As for the organic acid, it increased rapidly due to the fermentation of rice and permeation into the fish meat. Same goes the taste of Aji-no-susu where the predominant amino acids of alanine, lysine,leucine,glutamic acid and theronince were found and are important in providing the taste of fermented fish products (Kuda et.al., 2009). Fish contains little carbohydrate and thus rice or millet that is used mainly functions as a carbohydrate source for fermentation by LAB for the reduction of pH in products without indigeneous starter culture. Rice is an important source of carbohydrate to provide fermentable sugar for lactic acid bacteria in the reduction of pH. High buffering capacity of the fish is also reduced by the rice in order to obtain a rapid decrease of pH.The decrease of pH inhibits pathogenic and spoilage bacteria thus preserve the fermented fish. The starch from rice are hydrolyzed by the amylolytic activity found in lactic acid bacteria by which is reported (Olympia et.al., 1995.) that lactic acid bacteria strains isolated from burong isda hydrolyzes soluble starch, amylopectin, glycogen and pullulan. Addition of salt and spices such as garlic or pepper may add to the safety of the product. In another study (Paludan-Muller, 1999) describes the role of garlic that serves as carbohydrate source for lacti c acid bacteria in fermented fish product. In garlic, a garlic fermenting Lb. Plantarum strain was found . This indicated that garlic may be more important than rice starch as a carbohydrate source for fermentation. Moreover, garlic play dual role in fermented fish by inhibiting gram negative bacteria and yeasts and acts as a carbohydrate source for growth of lactic acid bacteria. The traditional method of fermented fish product was based on spontaneous fermentation or by the use of indigenous starter culture. The starter culture serves as a source of a variety of enzyme including amylolytic enzymes. Based on a study (Olympia et. al., 1995) it was found that in strains of L. plantarum contains the L137-amylase enzyme that hydrolyzes both ÃŽÂ ±-1,4 and ÃŽÂ ± -1,6-glucosidic linkages in polysaccharides. The enzyme degrades the starch to fermentable carbohydrates for the growth of lactic acid bacteria in the fermentation process. Recently there has been studies that mentioned the fermentation process could be improved by using a mixed starter culture. In the fish sauce fermentation a report from Yongsawatdigul et al. (2007) found that strain of Staphylococcus sp. SK1-1-5 from proteinases and bacterial starter culture has the potential to be utilized as it can accelerate the fermentation without having great effect on the sensory qualities of the fish sauce. Another research by Saithong et.al (2010) examined the use of lactic acid bacteria as potential started cultures of plaa-som. The scientists discovered that plaa-som inoculated with the mixed starter culture were found to contain higher amounts of lactic acid after 24 h than plaa-som inoculated with single starter culture. This indicated the possible advantage of increased product safety and quality in addition to reduction in fermentation time. Moreover, the combination L. plantarum IFRPD P15 and L. reuteri IFRPD P17 starter cultures could also inhibit th e growth of clostridia during plaa-som. As a conclusion, L. plantarum and L. reuteri have great potential to be used as starter cultures in plaa-som and may possibly reduce fermentation time. 4.0 CHALLENGES The indigenous fermented fish-rice products are mostly produced in household or small factory scale with limited processes to control and ensure the safety and quality of the product. Like other fermented products, it is easily contaminated due to the presence of other harmful microorganisms. Contamination can occur due to exposure to microorganisms from the environment during harvesting, processing, storage and distribution. Besides that, improper food handling and lack of good hygiene practices increases the risk of microbial contamination. For example, fish that is not eviscerated prior to fermentation process are prone to spoilage since the raw materials are not cooked. Nearly all fish bourne botulism outbreaks are associated with the consumption of salted-dried or fermented fish that is consumed without further cooking. Clostridium sp has been reported to contaminate izushi, a fermented preserved fish with rice in Japan (Downes and Ito, 2001). Likewise in the Philippines, Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium sp. which has been isolated from bakasang indicated that practice of hygiene during production was poor ( Salampessy et.al.,2010).The resultant from pathogenic microflora present in the food include negative effects such as spoilage, where the food is unfit for human consumption or risk of health by infectious or toxigenic microorganisms being present. Proteolytic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium botulinum cause microbiological hazards in fermented fish as both of these microorganisms are associated with salt and raw fish used in the processing. Insufficient level of salt concentration also leads to growth of pathogenic m icroorganisms in fermented fish products. At higher salt concentration there is a risk for growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium botulinum type A and B. Besides that, the producers of the fermented fish-rice products are not well educated on importance of proper handling and maintaining good hygiene practice to avoid cross-contamination during fermentation process of the product. They are also not well aware of the undesirable changes on the fermented food may occur during processing and repackaging of the product. Knowledge on the microflora which are involved in the fermentation process of the fermented fish-rice products are limited. 5.0 THE EMERGING NEED OF RESEARCH Currently there are no studies done on the nutritional composition of certain indigenous fermented fish-rice products such as nonsom. Moreover, there is no standardization in the addition of salt concentration since nonsom made from different areas of Sabah are based on personal preferences. Thus, the final product of this fermented fish-rice based product may contain excessive addition of salt. In addition, higher percentage of salt concentration was found to have a slow or no decrease in pH, whereas a rapid decrease of pH was found in low salt concentration (Paludan-Muller et al., 2002). However, Pekasam which is a similar product to nonsoom has already been standardized in Malaysian Food Act 1985 whereby it must not contain less than 10% salt. Because of this, more research on this indigenous fermented product needs to be carried out for the standardization and safety of the product produced. Next is the need of improving knowledge base. Other fermented food such as cheese, bread , beer and wine are well known and well developed. However for indigenous fermented fish-rice products, the knowledge is poor. Therefore, to have a broader spectrum of understanding these indigenous fermented products, microbiological, nutritional and technical investigation should be carried out on each process. The isolation and characterization of each organism should be determined and should not narrowed to only the dominant organisms as other organisms in small numbers may contain important function in the process. Understanding the roles of the microorganisms in these fermented products is important as they largely control the qualities of the fermented products. Also, more research needs to be done on various fermented fish-rice products to accelerate the fermentation time by using mixed starter culture instead of depending on traditional spontaneous fermentation to produce the fermented products. Researches on starter cultures by lactic acid bacteria or commercial proteinase with bacterial starter culture showed that there are great potential for the use of these starter cultures in accelerating fermentation of fish products (Yongsawatdigul et. al.,2007; Saithong et.al.,2010). Thus, more research has to be made on the use of these starter cultures to other fermented fish-rice products to accelerate the fermentation time and without adversely affecting the sensory quality. 6.0 STRATEGIC FOR CONTINOUS IMPROVEMENT. The production indigenous fermented fish-rice product of nonsom has the potential to expand and commercialized as more people are consuming the fermented food and the taste is acceptable. However, the process of fermented fish-rice products are done using traditional method so a more organized and specific method is required to upgrade the way of processing the fermented product. For small scale industries that produce fermented fish-rice products, implementation of quality control of the processing and distribution is required based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point principles. New practices can be added for improvement in Good Manufacturing Practices. Good practices in certain steps and identifying the possible critical control points for example lactic acid bacteria counts, pH and the length of maturation stage, for better production and higher safety standards. Food handlers should also be educated in line with on (HACCP) for controlling safety of the product. Besides that, to combat issues on safety of fermented fish-rice products reseraches on the microbial and chemical changes in these indigenous fermented fish-rice products are necessary in order to ensure the safety and improve the quality of the fermented product produced. Findings from research can be used as an indicator for the producers to understand different stages of fermentation process and precautions to be taken to minimize the risk of contamination and maintain quality consistency of the product. Furthermore, a more safe production can be resulted if starter culture are used. The use of starter culture in the fermentation of fermented fish-rice product could increase product safety and quality as there is a rapid growth of lactic acid bacteria and lower pH to a safe level. In addition, fermentation time is also shorten.

Censorship In Radio Essay -- essays research papers

 Censorship in radio For the past several years Freedom of speech in America has had it’s meaning changed many times. Although the changes have gone unnoticed by most Americans, In the radio business they are felt day in and day out. radio personalities, programmers, and owners have to deal with this everyday but they too have no real idea what the Federal Communications Commission’s idea of free speech is. You see the rule seems to change depending on who you are. If you are tagged by the FCC anything the broadcaster does or says is monitored and picked over and fined.( Howard stern. King Of All Media.165-166 ) The FCC has been picking on Howard Stern for years, they singled Howard for doing â€Å"trash radio†. But according to Stern other programs are saying or doing the same if not worse things than he is. Stern tells of when Geraldo said (Stern Miss America. 526-530.) in a show about the Mennendez brothers being molested for doing something wrong. â€Å"Hel l, I’m not for child molestation, but if I knew anal sex . . . punishment, I’d keep my room clean.† Geraldo goes untouched. but Howard got fined for saying â€Å"lesbian’s filled with lust.† (Howard Stern. Miss America.519). That seems a bit more tame to me but since Stern is tagged he gets fined. The First Amendment states. â€Å"congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech.† This rule, over the years has changed to â€Å"congress shall make . . .† as interpreted by the FCC (king of all. 165) this makes no sense the word freedom, according to Webster’s Dictionary means the state of being free from constraints, possession of political and civil rights, unrestricted access or use yet, the FCC is in charge of what can and can’t be said over the airwaves. The FCC is the god of the broadcasting industry, they do not have to answer to anybody they have all the power to do whatever they want. The basic rule for a deejay is that he/she may not use the seven dirty words, all know them and understand they can not use them, But what nobody knows is, what else can’t a deejay say over the air. The rules are not documented. Most stations go by their own policy, And if their policy is wrong and something goes over the air that isn’t supposed to they can get pulled ( off the air) or fined. Martin Espada is a person who got pulled from the air and his poem censored. ( all things censored. 20-22 ) Espada says, he wr... ...finity finally just got tired of this and paying off the fines â€Å"and were talking millions† said Stern. (miss America.519.). There are ways to stop all the censorship in radio but it most likely wont ever be stopped completely. There are groups and political parties there to help the cause such as the ( Libertarian party ) Libertarian Party, and Freedom For Speech. But neither is very powerful so I propose some easy solutions. The Supreme Court must look over the First amendment remember what it stands for and limit the power of the FCC this organization has way too much power. There is checks and balance in all other government except for the FCC the Supreme Court should set up another origination to balance the power, like congress they would have to vote majority rules on every censorship issue and all other regulations that are set and regulations to be set. This way there would be no overwhelming power to decide what can tell them to do. But the easiest thing that can possibly be done the most simple solution that any one with arm’s can do is. See that dial on your radio? turn it. it really is that simple if you don’t like what you are hearing turn it off. Word Count: 1352

The Quality of the Information in Recruitment Documents :: Business Management Studies

The Quality of the Information in Recruitment Documents I discussed HSBC’s key recruitment documents and came to the conclusion that the recruitment and selection process at the company was of the up most importance. I now plan to look at these documents in greater detail. Ø Job Description The main purpose of a job description at any company is to allow candidates to get a brief view of what the job entails. It also allows candidates to assess whether they think they would be suited in that particular job. Below is an example of a job description at HSBC: Role Title: Transfers and Settlements Administration (Job Number – 1.2.2.5) Location: Client Service Centre Reporting to: Client Administration Manager From looking at the above job description we can see that HSBC include: - What the title of the job will be - Where the job will be located - Who the employee should report to To include the title of the job is obviously an important part of any job description. It allows candidates to know what role they are applying for and if successful, the role they will take on. The location of the job is also important, as candidates need to know where to apply. Also if the candidate is successful they need to know whom they are reporting to and for this reason this information is also included in the job description. The job role title allows candidates to get an insight into the type of duties they will be required to carry out. For the particular job role in the job description above, employees will be expected to carry out the following: - Undertake stock transfers on behalf of HSBC clients with SFA regulations and strict internal and external service legal agreements - Undertake trade settlements and correction on behalf of HSBC clients within SFA regulations and strict internal and external service legal agreement - This requires employees to have effective communication skills in order to correspond with internal and external clients There is a section in the description that outlines the key tasks/outputs that the job will involve. These give the candidate a more detailed view of what is expected from them and allows them to make a more informed decision as to whether they think that the job is for them. This also gives candidates a sight into the background of HSBC and is usually very well detailed and presented. Ø Person Specification The person specification outlines what type of person is needed to carry out the job and specifies any skills or qualifications that they require. Is also details what qualities and competencies are needed.

The Scarlet Letter: My Experience Essay -- Literary Analysis, Nathani

As a child of the age of hyper-information, I am usually introduced to concepts in their rawest possible form. Concepts that are streamlined so that they may glide their way elegantly into my understanding like the 2001: A Space Odyssey union of shuttle and station, backed by strains of the lilting Blue Danube [1]. Digesting Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ultra-dense Scarlet Letter, therefore, felt more properly compared to a Surgeon’s retrieval of his Rolex from the open chest cavity of an ill-fated patient, perhaps to a score of pounding, rapid, multi-tiered baroque fugues. Yes, the ideas and connections were there, and they were fascinating and orchestrated beautifully. But I often found my head aching as I labored through the mounds of florid language and dated syntax they were buried so deeply under, and often found myself making estimates as to the number of Word-A-Day calendars Hawthorne must have owned [2]. It’s tragic though, really, because it is not Hawthorne’s fault that his novel has become the bane of so many high school English students’ existence. The times have a-chang’d, and along with them attention spans have decreased, and many systems for information extraction and condensation have been developed to accommodate them. Just as a surgeon presented the option of retrieving his lost wristwatch from either, A) a hinged jewel box, or B), the innards of a living human being would most likely check the box marked â€Å"A† with much gusto and not so much rumination, a student with the option to circumvent the pain of actually reading Hawthorn’s masterpiece, choosing instead to receive the concepts from the novel in the form of easy-to-digest Sparknotes tidbits, would likely do so [3]. The subject matter of the novel has al... ...f needs [12] and my ability to act upon it and endure far lesser consequences. But the oppression is still there. However, the positives remain as well. The prolific nature of the American college system can be attributed in large part to the Puritan’s value of knowledge and education. Reading The Scarlet Letter was a slog. But it never felt frivolous. The themes have become less groundbreaking and weighty but are still pertinent, and the writing style has been greatly dulled by time, but not to the point of being impenetrable. If nothing else, it expanded my mental lexicon, and gave me a new understanding for why someone would ever be compelled to endeavor in so self torturous an activity as running a marathon. I felt, at the novel’s conclusion, a euphoria of relief akin to that described by sweat drenched long distance runners. And I lost 20 pounds to boot.

Islamic Womens’ Rights Essay

Islam since its inception has maintained the claim of universality – a message and a way of life applicable and appropriate to all peoples in all places and times. Now more clearly than at any other point in the history of the Islamic tradition, this claim seems to be manifested through the presence of Muslim communities literally across the world. The Muslim population is estimated in the range of one billion, approximately half of whom are women representing a great range of cultures, racial-ethnic identifications, interests, attitudes, and aspirations. While it may be rather daunting to attempt to generalize about Muslim women, it is nonetheless true that certain themes emerge with some regularity when one looks across the Islamic world. Muslims struggle with and attempt to reconcile the affirmation of their heritage with the challenges of the modern world and the ongoing legacy of Western imperialism. Muslim women in all societies are key to these discussions, both subjects and objects in a very important and continuing debate about what it means to be a Islamic woman. Women’s rights (both Islamic and constitutional) are under constant debate, as are matters of seclusion and segregation, the relationship of women’s circumstances to fundamentalist religious pressures, and the role of women in political struggles for independence and economic advancement. Some countries such as Egypt have stressed the importance of women’s education for the better part of the century. Others like Saudi Arabia have only recently begun to work toward this goal. It is clear that overall there is increased attention to the importance of education for Muslim females both as a right and a value in and of itself, and as an essential ingredient in the advancement of nations. As in many areas, it is also clear that enormous differences exist educationally for women in urban and in rural areas, a dichotomy that at least in the short run probably will become even more pronounced (Carroll 85). There is also the major concern of women’s employment in Muslim countries and the debate over which occupations are considered proper for women to pursue. In many countries shortages in the labor force are making it imperative for women to work, but the tide of traditionalism tends to mitigate strongly in limiting those opportunities. In many countries increasing numbers of women are engaged as wage earners, but they are limited primarily to such occupations as teaching and medicine (Hussein and Radwan 12). The oil wealth of the Gulf states had led both to better education and to more work opportunities, although the conservative Islamic ethos has severely complicated the situation. Kuwait offers the greatest opportunities for women’s employment, and Bahrain with its economic diversification is opening new doors for female employment (Hussein and Radwan 12). Whether because of or despite Islam or government policies, women across the Islamic world are becoming more economically active. This does not necessarily mean, of course, that they are pressing for increased work opportunities. Many women would prefer not to work, doing so only because of economic necessities and happy that the extra money earned means a more comfortable life for their families. Enhanced professional opportunity for women is not without its down side. Women in a number of cultures have come to realize that along with the societal and familial strains that occur when women work outside the home (including perceptions that men cannot support their families) is the reality of women taking on added responsibilities without the expectation that they will be able to do less in other areas of their lives. And the relationship of economically and politically active women to the advancement of the state adds further strains for many women (Mintjes 17). In Iraq, for example, women’s liberation and full integration into society is a part of the Ba’th party platform. But reforms in personal status laws lag behind the political rhetoric, adding to the burdens of women (Sanasarian 124-125). This is generally true across the Islamic world, and it means that these burdens will continue as long as there is no real resolve in the tension between needing women for national development and not being able to accord them full status in society because of socio-religious restrictions (Rassam 99). The other issue is, undoubtedly, the question of women’s dress which is one of the most pressing concerns of Islamic societies today. Sometimes the government in allegiance with the religious establishment and seeking its support insists on women wearing â€Å"appropriate† covering. In other instances governments are making every attempt to discourage the wearing of Islamic dress precisely because they fear the rising power of extremist fundamentalism (Yeganeh 26-27). Today controversy over the government’s ban on students wearing Islamic dress at the universities has become a major ideological and political issue. Islamic conservatives say that the Quran dictates the wearing of the turban, preferably with a kind of long loose overcoat covering the body to the feet. The government’s supreme educational council has recommended disciplinary action for any female students appearing in such dress. The debate has become a major one in the struggle between secularist ideology and Islamic revivalism in that country (Bahry 502). Besides, the question of birth control is a matter of major concern to many Muslim families. While a few of the ulama, if supported by state efforts, are saying that there is Islamic sanction for some preventive measures, the majority oppose any such control as un-Islamic. When young Iraqi men and boys were being killed in the war with Iran, the government waged a campaign stressing the role of women as mothers. Contraceptives were no longer allowed at the same time that men were encouraged to take second wives for the purpose of having more children. Clearly there are differences in men’s and women’s attitudes on the issue of birth control. In Tunisia, for example, where legislation concerning women is generally seen to be more progressive than in many other countries, a survey showed that far more women than men favored the use of contraceptives. Where official policy does not support the possibility of contraception more subtle measures are sometimes used. In Bahrain housing projects limit the number of bedrooms so that they are available only to families with two children (Bahry 509- 511). Finally, a word needs to be said about Muslim women and the rise of feminism. It cannot perhaps be emphasized too strongly that whatever stand Islamic women may take on issues of education, employment, and equal opportunities in society, they have serious reservations about what they understand to be feminism in the Western context. For the most part they find it too individualistic, too removed from genuine cooperation between males and females, and too much tied to forms of Western colonialism and imperialism. â€Å"Sexual behavior that may strike an American feminist as liberated,† said one young Tunisian woman, â€Å"may strike me as just another form of slavery, and a rather neurotic form at that† (Megademeni 10). Muslim women and men together are still very much in the process of working out ways in which to affirm their Islamic identity as members of societies and nations moving into a new century. The issues they face will not be quickly or easily resolved. Women are not only faced by a number of conflicting pressures and claims on their allegiance, but find themselves speaking to a number of different audiences – their husbands and families, their Islamic sisters, their Western critics, the clerics or government agencies responsible for determining many of the circumstances of their lives, themselves. There is little question that many women across the Islamic world are becoming increasingly aware of the rights that belong to them within the Islamic system, as well as of themselves as key players in the movements that will continue to redefine the Islamic way of life. The responses they give to their own changing circumstances may vary with the different situations to which they are called to respond, and they may change fairly dramatically in the next few years. But it is clear that whatever solutions are found to the issues that they face, for most women they will be discovered in conversation with other females as well as males in the Muslim community, and they will be – in one form or another – Islamic solutions. Works Cited Bahry, Louay. â€Å"The New Saudi Woman: Modernizing in an Islamic Framework.† Middle East Journal. Vol. 34: 4, 2002. Carroll, Lucy. â€Å"Nizan-I-Islam: Processes an Conflicts in Pakistan’s Programme of Islamisation, with Special Reference to the Position of Women. † In Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics. Vol. 20: 1992. Hussein, Freda and Radwan, Kamelia. â€Å"The Islamic Revolution and Women: Quest for the Quranic Model. † Freda Hussein, ed. , Muslim Women. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1994. Megademeni, Negiba. â€Å"Muslim Women Developing a Theory of Islamic Feminism. † Unitarian Universalist World. Vol.16: 8, August 15, 1995. Mintjes, H. â€Å"The Doctor and the Ladies: A New Debate on ‘Women and Islam’ in Pakistan. † al-Mushir. Vol. 25: 1993. Rassam, Amal. â€Å"Revolution Within the Revolution? Women and the State in Iraq. † Iraq: The Contemporary State. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2002. Sanasarian, Eliz. The Women’s Rights Movement in Iran. New York: Praeger, 2001. Yeganeh, Nahid. â€Å"Women’s Struggles in the Islamic Republic of Iran. † Azar Tabari and Nahid Yeganeh, eds. , In the Shadow of Islam: The Women’s Movement in Iran. London: Zed Press, 1982.

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 7-9

CHAPTER 7 The modest dwelling within the Church of Saint-Sulpice was located on the second floor of the church itself, to the left of the choir balcony. A two-room suite with a stone floor and minimal furnishings, it had been home to Sister Sandrine Bieil for over a decade. The nearby convent washer formal residence, if anyone asked, but she preferred the quiet of the church and had made herself quite comfortable upstairs with a bed, phone, and hot plate. As the church's conservatrice d'affaires, Sister Sandrine was responsible for overseeing all nonreligious aspects of church operations – general maintenance, hiring support staff and guides, securing the building after hours, and ordering supplies like communion wine and wafers. Tonight, asleep in her small bed, she awoke to the shrill of her telephone. Tiredly, she lifted the receiver. â€Å"Soeur Sandrine. Eglise Saint-Sulpice.† â€Å"Hello, Sister,† the man said in French. Sister Sandrine sat up. What time is it? Although she recognized her boss's voice, in fifteen years she had never been awoken by him. The abbe was a deeply pious man who went home to bed immediately after mass. â€Å"I apologize if I have awoken you, Sister,† the abbe said, his own voice sounding groggy and on edge. â€Å"I have a favor to ask of you. I just received a call from an influential American bishop. Perhaps you know him? Manuel Aringarosa?† â€Å"The head of Opus Dei?† Of course I know of him.Who in the Church doesn't? Aringarosa's conservative prelature had grown powerful in recent years. Their ascension to grace was jump-started in 1982 when Pope John Paul II unexpectedly elevated them to a† personal prelature of the Pope,† officially sanctioning all of their practices. Suspiciously, Opus Dei's elevation occurred the same year the wealthy sect allegedly had transferred almost one billion dollars into the Vatican's Institute for Religious Works – commonly known as the Vatican Bank – bailing it out of an embarrassing bankruptcy. In a second maneuver that raised eyebrows, the Pope placed the founder of Opus Dei on the† fast track† for sainthood, accelerating an often century-long waiting period for canonization to a mere twenty years. Sister Sandrine could not help but feel that Opus Dei's good standing in Rome was suspect, but one did not argue with the Holy See. â€Å"Bishop Aringarosa called to ask me a favor,† the abbe told her, his voice nervous. â€Å"One of his numeraries is in Paris tonight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  As Sister Sandrine listened to the odd request, she felt a deepening confusion. â€Å"I'm sorry, you say this visiting Opus Dei numerary cannot wait until morning?† â€Å"I'm afraid not. His plane leaves very early. He has always dreamed of seeing Saint-Sulpice.† â€Å"But the church is far more interesting by day. The sun's rays through the oculus, the graduated shadows on the gnomon, this is what makes Saint-Sulpice unique.† â€Å"Sister, I agree, and yet I would consider it a personal favor if you could let him in tonight. He can be there at†¦ say one o'clock? That's in twenty minutes.† Sister Sandrine frowned. â€Å"Of course. It would be my pleasure.† The abbe thanked her and hung up. Puzzled, Sister Sandrine remained a moment in the warmth of her bed, trying to shake off the cobwebs of sleep. Her sixty-year-old body did not awake as fast as it used to, although tonight's phone call had certainly roused her senses. Opus Dei had always made her uneasy. Beyond the prelature's adherence to the arcane ritual of corporal mortification, their views on women were medieval at best. She had been shocked to learn that female numeraries were forced to clean the men's residence halls for no pay while the men were at mass; women slept on hardwood floors, while the men had straw mats; and women were forced to endure additional requirements of corporal mortification†¦ all as added penance for original sin. It seemed Eve's bite from the apple of knowledge was a debt women were doomed to pay for eternity. Sadly, while most of the Catholic Church was gradually moving in the right direction with respect to women's rights, Opus Dei threatened to reverse the progress. Even so, Sister Sandrine had her orders. Swinging her legs off the bed, she stood slowly, chilled by the cold stone on the soles of her bare feet. As the chill rose through her flesh, she felt an unexpected apprehension. Women's intuition? A follower of God, Sister Sandrine had learned to find peace in the calming voices of her own soul. Tonight, however, those voices were as silent as the empty church around her. CHAPTER 8 Langdon couldn't tear his eyes from the glowing purple text scrawled across the parquet floor. Jacques Sauniere's final communication seemed as unlikely a departing message as any Langdon could imagine. The message read: 13-3-2-21-1-1-8-5 O, Draconian devil! Oh, lame saint! Although Langdon had not the slightest idea what it meant, he did understand Fache's instinct that the pentacle had something to do with devil worship. O, Draconian devil! Sauniere had left a literal reference to the devil. Equally as bizarre was the series of numbers. â€Å"Part of it looks like a numeric cipher.† â€Å"Yes,† Fache said. â€Å"Our cryptographers are already working on it. We believe these numbers maybe the key to who killed him. Maybe a telephone exchange or some kind of social identification. Do the numbers have any symbolic meaning to you?† Langdon looked again at the digits, sensing it would take him hours to extract any symbolic meaning. If Sauniere had even intended any.To Langdon, the numbers looked totally random. He was accustomed to symbolic progressions that made some semblance of sense, but everything here – the pentacle, the text, the numbers – seemed disparate at the most fundamental level. â€Å"You alleged earlier,† Fache said,† that Sauniere's actions here were all in an effort to send some sort of message†¦ goddess worship or something in that vein? How does this message fit in?† Langdon knew the question was rhetorical. This bizarre communique obviously did not fit Langdon's scenario of goddess worship at all. O, Draconian devil? Oh, lame saint? Fache said, â€Å"This text appears to be an accusation of some sort. Wouldn't you agree?† Langdon tried to imagine the curator's final minutes trapped alone in the Grand Gallery, knowing he was about to die. It seemed logical. â€Å"An accusation against his murderer makes sense, I suppose.† â€Å"My job, of course, is to put a name to that person. Let me ask you this, Mr. Langdon. To your eye, beyond the numbers, what about this message is most strange?† Most strange? A dying man had barricaded himself in the gallery, drawn a pentacle on himself, and scrawled a mysterious accusation on the floor. What about the scenario wasn't strange? â€Å"The word ‘Draconian'?† he ventured, offering the first thing that came to mind. Langdon was fairly certain that a reference to Draco – the ruthless seventh-century B. C. politician – was an unlikely dying thought. † ‘Draconian devil' seems an odd choice of vocabulary.† â€Å"Draconian?† Fache's tone came with a tinge of impatience now. â€Å"Sauniere's choice of vocabulary hardly seems the primary issue here.† Langdon wasn't sure what issue Fache had in mind, but he was starting to suspect that Draco and Fache would have gotten along well. â€Å"Sauniere was a Frenchman,† Fache said flatly. â€Å"He lived in Paris. And yet he chose to write this message†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"In English,† Langdon said, now realizing the captain's meaning. Fache nodded. â€Å"Precisement.Any idea why?† Langdon knew Sauniere spoke impeccable English, and yet the reason he had chosen English as the language in which to write his final words escaped Langdon. He shrugged. Fache motioned back to the pentacle on Sauniere's abdomen. â€Å"Nothing to do with devil worship? Are you still certain?† Langdon was certain of nothing anymore. â€Å"The symbology and text don't seem to coincide. I'm sorry I can't be of more help.† â€Å"Perhaps this will clarify.† Fache backed away from the body and raised the black light again, letting the beam spread out in a wider angle. â€Å"And now?† To Langdon's amazement, a rudimentary circle glowed around the curator's body. Sauniere had apparently lay down and swung the pen around himself in several long arcs, essentially inscribing himself inside a circle. In a flash, the meaning became clear. â€Å"The Vitruvian Man,†Langdon gasped. Sauniere had created a life-sized replica of Leonardo Da Vinci's most famous sketch. Considered the most anatomically correct drawing of its day, Da Vinci's The Vitruvian Man had become a modern-day icon of culture, appearing on posters, mouse pads, and T-shirts around the world. The celebrated sketch consisted of a perfect circle in which was inscribed a nude male†¦ his arms and legs outstretched in a naked spread eagle. Da Vinci.Langdon felt a shiver of amazement. The clarity of Sauniere's intentions could not be denied. In his final moments of life, the curator had stripped off his clothing and arranged his body in a clear image of Leonardo Da Vinci's VitruvianMan. The circle had been the missing critical element. A feminine symbol of protection, the circle around the naked man's body completed Da Vinci's intended message – male and female harmony. The question now, though, was why Sauniere would imitate a famous drawing. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† Fache said,† certainly a man like yourself is aware that Leonardo Da Vinci had a tendency toward the darker arts.† Langdon was surprised by Fache's knowledge of Da Vinci, and it certainly went a long way toward explaining the captain's suspicions about devil worship. Da Vinci had always been an awkward subject for historians, especially in the Christian tradition. Despite the visionary's genius, he was a flamboyant homosexual and worshipper of Nature's divine order, both of which placed him in a perpetual state of sin against God. Moreover, the artist's eerie eccentricities projected an admittedly demonic aura: Da Vinci exhumed corpses to study human anatomy; he kept mysterious journals in illegible reverse handwriting; he believed he possessed the alchemic power to turn lead into gold and even cheat God by creating an elixir to postpone death; and his inventions included horrific, never-before-imagined weapons of war and torture. Misunderstanding breeds distrust, Langdon thought. Even Da Vinci's enormous output of breathtaking Christian art only furthered the artist's reputation for spiritual hypocrisy. Accepting hundreds of lucrative Vatican commissions, Da Vinci painted Christian themes not as an expression of his own beliefs but rather as a commercial venture – a means of funding a lavish lifestyle. Unfortunately, Da Vinci was a prankster who often amused himself by quietly gnawing at the hand that fed him. He incorporated in many of his Christian paintings hidden symbolism that was anything but Christian – tributes to his own beliefs and a subtle thumbing of his nose at the Church. Langdon had even given a lecture once at the National Gallery in London entitled:† The Secret Life of Leonardo: Pagan Symbolism in Christian Art.† â€Å"I understand your concerns,† Langdon now said, â€Å"but Da Vinci never really practiced any dark arts. He was an exceptionally spiritual man, albeit one in constant conflict with the Church.† As Langdon said this, an odd thought popped into his mind. He glanced down at the message on the floor again. O, Draconian devil! Oh, lame saint! â€Å"Yes?† Fache said. Langdon weighed his words carefully. â€Å"I was just thinking that Sauniere shared a lot of spiritual ideologies with Da Vinci, including a concern over the Church's elimination of the sacred feminine from modern religion. Maybe, by imitating a famous Da Vinci drawing, Sauniere was simply echoing some of their shared frustrations with the modern Church's demonization of the goddess.† Fache's eyes hardened. â€Å"You think Sauniere is calling the Church a lame saint and a Draconian devil?† Langdon had to admit it seemed far-fetched, and yet the pentacle seemed to endorse the idea on some level. â€Å"All I am saying is that Mr. Sauniere dedicated his life to studying the history of the goddess, and nothing has done more to erase that history than the Catholic Church. It seems reasonable that Sauniere might have chosen to express his disappointment in his final good-bye.† â€Å"Disappointment?† Fache demanded, sounding hostile now. â€Å"This message sounds more enragedthan disappointed, wouldn't you say?† Langdon was reaching the end of his patience. â€Å"Captain, you asked for my instincts as to what Sauniere is trying to say here, and that's what I'm giving you.† â€Å"That this is an indictment of the Church?† Fache's jaw tightened as he spoke through clenched teeth. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, I have seen a lot of death in my work, and let me tell you something. When a man is murdered by another man, I do not believe his final thoughts are to write an obscure spiritual statement that no one will understand. I believe he is thinking of one thing only.† Fache's whispery voice sliced the air. â€Å"La vengeance.I believe Sauniere wrote this note to tell us who killed him.† Langdon stared. â€Å"But that makes no sense whatsoever.† â€Å"No?† â€Å"No,† he fired back, tired and frustrated. â€Å"You told me Sauniere was attacked in his office by someone he had apparently invited in.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"So it seems reasonable to conclude that the curator knew his attacker.† Fache nodded. â€Å"Go on.† â€Å"So if Sauniere knew the person who killed him, what kind of indictment is this?† He pointed at the floor. â€Å"Numeric codes? Lame saints? Draconian devils? Pentacles on his stomach? It's all too cryptic.† Fache frowned as if the idea had never occurred to him. â€Å"You have a point.† â€Å"Considering the circumstances,† Langdon said,† I would assume that if Sauniere wanted to tell you who killed him, he would have written down somebody's name.† As Langdon spoke those words, a smug smile crossed Fache's lips for the first time all night. â€Å"Precisement,†Fache said. â€Å"Precisement.† I am witnessing the work of a master, mused Lieutenant Collet as he tweaked his audio gear and listened to Fache's voice coming through the headphones. The agent superieur knew it was moments like these that had lifted the captain to the pinnacle of French law enforcement. Fache will do what no one else dares. The delicate art of cajoler was a lost skill in modern law enforcement, one that required exceptional poise under pressure. Few men possessed the necessary sangfroid for this kind of operation, but Fache seemed born for it. His restraint and patience bordered on the robotic. Fache's sole emotion this evening seemed to be one of intense resolve, as if this arrest were somehow personal to him. Fache's briefing of his agents an hour ago had been unusually succinct and assured. I know who murdered Jacques Sauniere, Fache had said. You know what to do.No mistakes tonight. And so far, no mistakes had been made. Collet was not yet privy to the evidence that had cemented Fache's certainty of their suspect's guilt, but he knew better than to question the instincts of the Bull. Fache's intuition seemed almost supernatural at times. God whispers in his ear, one agent had insisted after a particularly impressive display of Fache's sixth sense. Collet had to admit, if there was a God, Bezu Fache would be on His A-list. The captain attended mass and confession with zealous regularity – far more than the requisite holiday attendance fulfilled by other officials in the name of good public relations. When the Pope visited Paris a few years back, Fache had used all his muscle to obtain the honor of an audience. A photo of Fache with the Pope now hung in his office. The Papal Bull, the agents secretly called it. Collet found it ironic that one of Fache's rare popular public stances in recent years had been his outspoken reaction to the Catholic pedophilia scandal. These priests should be hanged twice! Fache had declared. Once for their crimes against children.And once for shaming the good name of theCatholic Church.Collet had the odd sense it was the latter that angered Fache more. Turning now to his laptop computer, Collet attended to the other half of his responsibilities here tonight – the GPS tracking system. The image onscreen revealed a detailed floor plan of the Denon Wing, a structural schematic uploaded from the Louvre Security Office. Letting his eyes trace the maze of galleries and hallways, Collet found what he was looking for. Deep in the heart of the Grand Gallery blinked a tiny red dot. La marque. Fache was keeping his prey on a very tight leash tonight. Wisely so. Robert Langdon had proven himself one cool customer. CHAPTER 9 To ensure his conversation with Mr. Langdon would not be interrupted, Bezu Fache had turned off his cellular phone. Unfortunately, it was an expensive model equipped with a two-way radio feature, which, contrary to his orders, was now being used by one of his agents to page him. â€Å"Capitaine?† The phone crackled like a walkie-talkie. Fache felt his teeth clench in rage. He could imagine nothing important enough that Collet would interrupt this surveillance cachee – especially at this critical juncture. He gave Langdon a calm look of apology. â€Å"One moment please.† He pulled the phone from his belt and pressed the radio transmission button. â€Å"Oui?† â€Å"Capitaine, un agent du Departement de Cryptographie est arrive.† Fache's anger stalled momentarily. A cryptographer? Despite the lousy timing, this was probably good news. Fache, after finding Sauniere's cryptic text on the floor, had uploaded photographs of the entire crime scene to the Cryptography Department in hopes someone there could tell him what the hell Sauniere was trying to say. If a code breaker had now arrived, it most likely meant someone had decrypted Sauniere's message. â€Å"I'm busy at the moment,† Fache radioed back, leaving no doubt in his tone that a line had been crossed. â€Å"Ask the cryptographer to wait at the command post. I'll speak to him when I'm done.† â€Å"Her,†the voice corrected. â€Å"It's Agent Neveu.† Fache was becoming less amused with this call every passing moment. Sophie Neveu was one of DCPJ's biggest mistakes. A young Parisian dechiffreuse who had studied cryptography in England at the Royal Holloway, Sophie Neveu had been foisted on Fache two years ago as part of the ministry's attempt to incorporate more women into the police force. The ministry's ongoing foray into political correctness, Fache argued, was weakening the department. Women not only lacked the physicality necessary for police work, but their mere presence posed a dangerous distraction to the men in the field. As Fache had feared, Sophie Neveu was proving far more distracting than most. At thirty-two years old, she had a dogged determination that bordered on obstinate. Her eager espousal of Britain's new cryptologic methodology continually exasperated the veteran French cryptographers above her. And by far the most troubling to Fache was the inescapable universal truth that in an office of middle-aged men, an attractive young woman always drew eyes away from the work at hand. The man on the radio said,† Agent Neveu insisted on speaking to you immediately, Captain. I tried to stop her, but she's on her way into the gallery.† Fache recoiled in disbelief. â€Å"Unacceptable! I made it very clear – â€Å" For a moment, Robert Langdon thought Bezu Fache was suffering a stroke. The captain was mid- sentence when his jaw stopped moving and his eyes bulged. His blistering gaze seemed fixated on something over Langdon's shoulder. Before Langdon could turn to see what it was, he heard a woman's voice chime out behind him. â€Å"Excusez-moi, messieurs.† Langdon turned to see a young woman approaching. She was moving down the corridor toward them with long, fluid strides†¦ a haunting certainty to her gait. Dressed casually in a knee-length, cream-colored Irish sweater over black leggings, she was attractive and looked to be about thirty. Her thick burgundy hair fell unstyled to her shoulders, framing the warmth of her face. Unlike the waifish, cookie-cutter blondes that adorned Harvard dorm room walls, this woman was healthy with an unembellished beauty and genuineness that radiated a striking personal confidence. To Langdon's surprise, the woman walked directly up to him and extended a polite hand.† Monsieur Langdon, I am Agent Neveu from DCPJ's Cryptology Department.† Her words curved richly around her muted Anglo-Franco accent. â€Å"It is a pleasure to meet you.† Langdon took her soft palm in his and felt himself momentarily fixed in her strong gaze. Her eyes were olive-green – incisive and clear. Fache drew a seething inhalation, clearly preparing to launch into a reprimand. â€Å"Captain,† she said, turning quickly and beating him to the punch, â€Å"please excuse the interruption, but – â€Å" â€Å"Ce n'est pas le moment!† Fache sputtered. â€Å"I tried to phone you.† Sophie continued in English, as if out of courtesy to Langdon. â€Å"But your cell phone was turned off.† â€Å"I turned it off for a reason,† Fache hissed. â€Å"I am speaking to Mr. Langdon.† â€Å"I've deciphered the numeric code,† she said flatly. Langdon felt a pulse of excitement. She broke the code? Fache looked uncertain how to respond. â€Å"Before I explain,† Sophie said,† I have an urgent message for Mr. Langdon.† Fache's expression turned to one of deepening concern. â€Å"For Mr. Langdon?† She nodded, turning back to Langdon. â€Å"You need to contact the U. S. Embassy, Mr. Langdon. They have a message for you from the States.† Langdon reacted with surprise, his excitement over the code giving way to a sudden ripple of concern. A message from the States? He tried to imagine who could be trying to reach him. Only a few of his colleagues knew he was in Paris. Fache's broad jaw had tightened with the news. â€Å"The U. S. Embassy?† he demanded, sounding suspicious. â€Å"How would they know to find Mr. Langdon here?† Sophie shrugged. â€Å"Apparently they called Mr. Langdon's hotel, and the concierge told them Mr. Langdon had been collected by a DCPJ agent.† Fache looked troubled. â€Å"And the embassy contacted DCPJ Cryptography?† â€Å"No, sir,† Sophie said, her voice firm. â€Å"When I called the DCPJ switchboard in an attempt to contact you, they had a message waiting for Mr. Langdon and asked me to pass it along if I got through to you.† Fache's brow furrowed in apparent confusion. He opened his mouth to speak, but Sophie had already turned back to Langdon. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† she declared, pulling a small slip of paper from her pocket,† this is the number for your embassy's messaging service. They asked that you phone in as soon as possible.† She handed him the paper with an intent gaze. â€Å"While I explain the code to Captain Fache, you need to make this call.† Langdon studied the slip. It had a Paris phone number and extension on it. â€Å"Thank you,† he said, feeling worried now. â€Å"Where do I find a phone?† Sophie began to pull a cell phone from her sweater pocket, but Fache waved her off. He now looked like Mount Vesuvius about to erupt. Without taking his eyes off Sophie, he produced his own cell phone and held it out. â€Å"This line is secure, Mr. Langdon. You may use it.† Langdon felt mystified by Fache's anger with the young woman. Feeling uneasy, he accepted the captain's phone. Fache immediately marched Sophie several steps away and began chastising her in hushed tones. Disliking the captain more and more, Langdon turned away from the odd confrontation and switched on the cell phone. Checking the slip of paper Sophie had given him, Langdon dialed the number. The line began to ring. One ring†¦ two rings†¦ three rings†¦ Finally the call connected. Langdon expected to hear an embassy operator, but he found himself instead listening to an answering machine. Oddly, the voice on the tape was familiar. It was that of Sophie Neveu. â€Å"Bonjour, vous etes bien chez Sophie Neveu,† the woman's voice said. â€Å"Je suis absenle pour le moment, mais†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Confused, Langdon turned back toward Sophie. â€Å"I'm sorry, Ms. Neveu? I think you may have given me – â€Å" â€Å"No, that's the right number,† Sophie interjected quickly, as if anticipating Langdon's confusion.† The embassy has an automated message system. You have to dial an access code to pick up your messages.† Langdon stared. â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"It's the three-digit code on the paper I gave you.† Langdon opened his mouth to explain the bizarre error, but Sophie flashed him a silencing glare that lasted only an instant. Her green eyes sent a crystal-clear message. Don't ask questions. Just do it. Bewildered, Langdon punched in the extension on the slip of paper: 454. Sophie's outgoing message immediately cut off, and Langdon heard an electronic voice announce in French: â€Å"You have one new message.† Apparently, 454 was Sophie's remote access code for picking up her messages while away from home. I'm picking up this woman's messages? Langdon could hear the tape rewinding now. Finally, it stopped, and the machine engaged. Langdon listened as the message began to play. Again, the voice on the line was Sophie's. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† the message began in a fearful whisper. â€Å"Do not react to this message. Just listen calmly. You are in danger right now. Follow my directions very closely.†