Discussion Board 5 - International Relations Essay

Discussion Board 5 - International Relations - Essay Example Keohane argues that the USA is still a hegemon despite its troubled economy because it has what he calls ‘soft power’ – the power to legislate and the power to persuade (Keohane, R. O., & Nye, J. S., 2001) Although the Bush administration has severely damaged the image of the USA as a credible hegemon, there is little doubt about the status of the USA as a hegemon in 2011. Keohane, R. O., & Nye, J. S., (2001). Power and Interdependence, 3rd Ed. New York: Addison–Wesley. 2. What is Comparative Advantage? Given the case studies of Japan, the United States, and Costa Rica, in which products do you feel they have the comparative advantage? Comparative Advantage is a concept developed by David Ricardo during the early 19th century, which refers to trading exchanges between entities, where each entity benefits most if it produces those products where the comparative cost are lowest. In the case of Japan and the United states had a comparative advantage in food pr oducts, aircraft, chemicals and in optical and digital instruments. Japan in turn has a comparative advantage in the high technology area (although for items with low entry capital).

Pikes capture by the Spanish 19th century ( colorado history ) Essay

Pikes capture by the Spanish 19th century ( colorado history ) - Essay Example de him discovered the strengths and weaknesses of the Spanish military, as well as the Spanish dwellers in the area who claimed to be the territorial owner of the place. When they were arrested by Governor Joaquin Del Real Alencaster after intruding a Spanish-owned Conejos River, Pike was able to gather information about the Spanish government and lifestyle in the area as evident by the writings in his memoir. He wrote all the scenery that his team had gone, as well as the distance they travelled from one place to another. His capture enhanced the knowledge of the Americans who bought the land beyond Mississippi River since the land was largely unknown to the Americans. For instance, their journey led them to a peak which he described as a â€Å"small blue cloud† (Ubbelohde, Benson, and Smith 20). History books would tell that Pike never reached the summit of the assumed Mount Miller. Pike’s contribution to the Colorado history is shown in the agreement signed between the United States and Spain in 1819, clearly dividing each territory along the Arkansas River and the Continental Divide. It clearly established the territorial power of the state from the European conquerors; the French colonizers already awarded the land to the Americans through the Louisiana Purchase. His capture, moreover, gave him additional insights into how Mexicans hated the way the Spanish ran the colony. Because of the published manuscript after his journey, Mexico was afforded with independence (Ubbelohde, Benson, and Smith 23). The descriptive account of his expedition also paved way for the transformation of the Santa Fe Trail, a route that links present-day Missouri and Santa Fe in New Mexico. The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 awarded the United States with the northern part of Arkansas River, as well as the eastern part of the Rocky Mountains (Ubbelohde, Benson, and Smith 23). Because of Pike’s expedition and capture, the federal government was filled with enthusiasm and interest

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.

The Test :: Original Writing Personal Narrative

Eyelids drooping, eyes watering from the constant yawns, the birds are not even awake singing their happy songs, but here I am up at four thirty in the morning cracking open my books to study. Why am I doing this? I just went to bed less than seven hours ago after a two hour study session. The reason I put myself through this ordeal is to get promoted. In the Air Force we take test to progress in our careers and get make the next rank or stripe. This time I’m studying to make Master Sergeant, E-7. I usually start out 6 months before the test, this time it’s 8. Last year I missed being promoted by 4 points. I refuse to let that happen again. That is why I’m studying like my life depended on it. My testing date is only a couple of days away and I start to panic. Did I cover all the material? What if I freeze up in the testing room? What if I’m late and they don’t let me test? I was starting to lose my mind. I had studied so much that the things I tho ught I knew started to confuse me. Facts started running together like a race in my mind, useless dates in Air Force history that meant absolutely nothing to me at this point in my exhaustion. â€Å"Why don’t you take a break, honey† my husband said to me as he found me staring into the computer screen. â€Å"It’s still early come back to bed.† I stared at him like he was the devil. Thanks for reminding me, I thought to myself. Only a couple more hours and I’d have to get Lexus out of bed, fix lunches for the day, and get myself together. â€Å"Not yet†, I told him. â€Å"Just let me go over this last section and then I’ll be done†. â€Å"Yeah right†, he said as he left the room. Sleep was something I was not interested in these days. As if I did not have enough to worry about. After I got this test behind me I would be fine. I could get back to being normal and doing some of the things that I had not been able to do. I wanted to get back outside to play with my daughter; the playground was calling my name. I wanted to go to bed at a decent hour.

Astro Boy

Environmental destruction is an important and persistent theme hon. throughout the film Astrology, mainly expressed through the use of technical codes. A number of scenes have displayed an inner meaning through technical codes, such as the scene where the Surface and Metro City are compared with an extreme longest. In this scene, the viewer can tell that there is a large social divide as Metro city is situated directly above the Surface. The extreme longest used, allows the viewer to see the damage caused by the careless, thoughtless and disrespectful actions of Metro City and Its people.This scene Is essential because It proves that the Surface Is Insignificant and Is considered as a Junk yard through the eyes Metro City. Good versus evil Is one of the mall themes explored throughout the entirety of Astrology, shown by using written codes. One of the few obvious instances was found in the scene where a billboard with candidate Logan on it is knocked over by President Stone. When pre sident Stone knocks over the billboard it shows the he feels the need to be in control, and to be the person with the highest level of power. It also proves that he doesn't want peaceful person (Logan) to be in control of the city.This scene is vital in the feature film Astrology as it shows the personalities of both characters, as well as the role that President Stone plays In the film. The father/son relationship Is a theme that is constantly looked at with the helping hand of symbolic codes. There has been a myriad of symbolic codes used In Astrology, one of the most palpable examples being the hologram scene. In the hologram scene, Toby Is seated as far to the left of car and Dir Team as far to the right as possible, In hologram Oromo. The atmosphere is also extremely tense and almost uncomfortable.This scene is so important because it shows the viewer that Taboo's father prefers to be more involved with his work life, more than his own son's life. It also shows the viewer that Dir Team often leaves the responsibility of his child up to that of a robot and is becoming less and less of a father figure to Toby. Equality and inequality is one of the main themes discussed in the film Astrology, and is displayed through the audio code of dialogue. Dialogue is used to show the viewer that the level of education on the Surface is of such a small amount that Zany can't even read a small and simple sentence.In this scene Azans tells Astor that he cannot read by saying â€Å"almost makes me wish I could read. † This scene is significant because It shows the economic disparity between the Surface and Metro City, as well as proving that the education and future of a ‘Surface kid' Is less Important as Metro City has not done anything to change this situation. In conclusion, film codes are vital in forming the viewer†s o show the damage caused by Metro City's actions, and written codes were used to show that President Stone is dependent on control and power, as well as his sinister nature.Symbolic codes were used to prove that Dir Team, Toby father, does not play a major part in his life as he is not there for him physically and emotionally. Audio codes were used to show the large social divide, and that there is almost no form of education on the Surface.

Managing Human Resources in H&SC Essay

Rules and regulations: Plagiarism is presenting somebody else’s work as your own. It includes: copying information directly from the Web or books without referencing the material; submitting joint coursework as an individual effort; copying another student’s coursework; stealing coursework from another student and submitting it as your own work. Suspected plagiarism will be investigated and if found to have occurred will be dealt with according to the procedures set down by the College. Please see your student handbook for further details of what is / isn’t plagiarism. Coursework Regulations 1 You are required to submit your coursework on-line through online e-learning system http://stponline.org.uk. Detailed information about this  is available in the student handbook submission 2 Details of submission procedures and penalty fees can be obtained from Academic Administration or the general student handbook. 3 Late coursework will be accepted by Academic Admin Office and marked according to the guidelines given in your Student Handbook for this year. 4 If you need an extension (even for one day) for a valid reason, you must request one, using a coursework extension request form available from the Academic Admin Office. Do not ask the lecturers responsible for the course – they are not authorised to award an extension. The completed form must be accompanied by evidence such as a medical certificate in the event of you being sick. 5 General guidelines for submission of coursework: a All work must be word-processed and must be of â€Å"good† standard. b Document margins shall not be more than 2.5cm or less than 1.5cm c Font size in the range of 11 to 14 points distributed to including headings and body text. Preferred typeface to be of a common standard such as Arial or Times New Roman for the main text. d Any computer files generated such as program code (software), graphic files that form part of the course work must be submitted either online with the documentation. e The copy of the course work submitted may not be returned to you after marking and you are advised to have your personal copy for your reference. f All work completed, including any software constructed may not be used for any purpose other than the purpose of intended study without prior written permission from St Patrick’s International College. Outcomes and assessment requirements Outcomes Assessment criteria for pass To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: LO1 Understand processes for recruiting individuals to work in health and social care 1.1 Explain the factors to be considered when planning the recruitment of individuals to work in health and social care 1.2 Explain how relevant legislative and policy frameworks of the home country influence the selection, recruitment and employment of individuals 1.3 Evaluate different approaches that may be used to ensure the selection of the best individuals for work in health and social care LO2 Understand strategies for building effective teams for working in health and social care 2.1 Explain theories of how individuals interact in groups in relation to the types of teams that work in health and social care 2.2 Evaluate approaches that may be used to develop effective team working in health and social care LO3 Understand systems for monitoring and promoting the development of individuals working in health and social care 3.1 Explain ways in which the performance of individuals working in health and social care can be monitored 3.2 Assess how individual training and development needs can be identified 3.3 Analyse different strategies for promoting the continuing development of individuals in the health and social care workplace LO4 Understand approaches for managing people working in health and social care. 4.1 Explain theories of leadership that apply to the health and social care workplace 4.2 Analyse how working relationships may be managed 4.3 Evaluate how own development has been influenced by management approaches encountered in own experience. Case Scenario – St – Patrick’s Nursing Home You have recently been appointed as a trainee Human Resources Officer at  St-Patrick’s Nursing Home located in central London. During the first formal meeting with the Board of Directors you were told about the recent expansion of the nursing home by your HR Director. You were also informed about the various problems that St Patrick’s Nursing Home have been experiencing, such as the high rate of employee turnover(caused by low pay, poor working conditions, long hours, not enough benefits or a negative atmosphere from management, fixed/inflexible contracts; inadequate salaries; recruitment based on favoritismetc.). Alsocomplaints from residents and families about the quality of care, and staff errors due toInsufficient knowledge or application of clinical-care standards and protocols; lack ofguidelines; inadequate supervisionthat compromised the safety and efficiency of care. The HR Director is under pressure to increase staff retention in order to reduce future traini ng and recruitment costs. She believes that the current recruitment and selection policies of St-Patrick’s Nursing Home are partly responsible for the turnover problem. The HR Director also suggested that care workers’ performance, satisfaction and commitment to the organisation depend on collaborative team-working. She mentioned that staff members were often blamed for not communicating important messages to one another whilst on shift, not handing over effectively at the end of their shift, and coming to work â€Å"just to do their shift and go home†. As part of your job, you are required to ensure that the recruitment planning and selection approaches are used effectively and that the relevant legislative and policy framework of the home country are implemented during this process; andprepare a comprehensive and appropriate Performance Evaluation Plan for all of the employees working in your organisation; also you should to make some recommendations on the types of training nursing staff will require considering their current level of competence and future development requirements. At the end of the training, the employees will acquire the knowledge and skills to enable them apply the core standards set by the Care Quality Commission. You have been asked by your boss to arrange a training session for the care staff in order to enlighten them about the techniques and leadership skills that you have used and applied over the period of time in managing and leading people at the workplace, and which they can apply to their roles. You r training session also needs to educate them about the relevance and application of different  leadership theories in leading people and managing relationships with peers and subordinates. Finally, make them aware how you have been continuously updating your knowledge and developing yourself throughout, and what the benefits of ‘investing in yourself’ were. A grand party would be organizedby your HR director praising all your hard work and achievements you would have accomplished in a short span of time working at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home. More information can be accessed from the following websites: www.CQC.org.uk., www.legislation.gov.uk, www.acas.org.uk, www.cipd.co.uk Assignment: Based on the scenario above you are required to complete an ESSAY of 3,000 words (this is an indicative word limit).You should refer to the assessment criteria and the relevant unit content, when preparing your evidence of assessment. The essay is formed of the following four sections below which relate to the learning outcomes. Learning Outcome 1 (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) 1.1 Explain the factors that need to be considered when planning the recruitment of individuals to work at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home. (M1) 1.2 Explain how relevant legislative and policy frameworks of the home country influence the selection, recruitment and employment of individuals to work in St-Patrick’s Nursing Home(M1 and D1) 1.3 Evaluate the different approaches that may be used to ensure the selection of the best individuals, and make recommendations for St-Patrick’s Nursing Home (M1 and D1) Learning Outcome 2 (2.1, 2.2) 2.1 Explain the theories of how individuals interact in groups in relation to the types of teams that work in health and social care (M2 and D2) 2.2 Evaluate the approaches that may be used by staff at different levels to develop and promote effective team working at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home (M2 and D2) Learning Outcome 3 (3.1, 3.2, 3.3,) 3.1 Explain the ways in which the performance of individuals working in health and social care can be appraised(M3 and D3) 3.2 Assess of how individual training and development needs can be identified at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home (M3 and D3) 3.3 Analyse the different strategies for promoting the continuing development of individuals in the health and social care workplace (M3 and D3) Learning Outcome 4 (4.1, 4.2, 4.3,) 4.1 Explain theories of leadership that apply to the health and social care workplace (M2 and D2) 4.2 Analyse how working relationships may be managed at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home (M3) 4.3Evaluate how your own development has been influenced by management approaches that you encountered in your own experience (M3 and D3) Formative Submission How and why will formative assessment take place? Formative assessment will take place to advise you on your progress within the term (during 4th and 8th week) and the ways in which you could improve before the final (summative) submission. The feedback is for your benefit and is not part of your final grade for the unit. Formative feedback may however not be as detailed as the final feedback you receive, and may be in verbal and/or written form (at the teacher’s discretion). You will be asked to submit your work for formative feedbackin electronic form to your teacher or as hard copy, to which you will receive verbal and/or written feedback. Final (Summative) Submission You need to submit all of the documents relating to your final assignment covering all learning outcomes i.e. LO1, LO2, LO3 and LO4 via stponline.co.uk on or before 12TH April 2014 latest by 23:55. Merit Descriptors Indicative characteristics Contextualised Indicative characteristics (All the characteristics need to be achieved) M1 Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions Complex problems with more than one variable have beenexplored. Has demonstrated an understanding of therelevant legislation and policies framework of the home country andknowledge of the different approachesthat may be used to ensure the selection of the best individuals to work in health and social careLO 1.1 1.2,1.3 M2 Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques The application of relevant theories, techniques and methods, and also justifying all sources of information. Has shown the understanding of the Leadership and team theories and applied them by developing the effective team and workingrelations.LO2.1,2.2,LO4.1 M3 Present and communicate appropriate findings The appropriate structure and approach has been used Has identified the appropriate method of performance appraisal and evaluated the correct staff training and development needsLO3.1, 3.2 Distinction Descriptors Indicative characteristics Contextualised Indicative characteristics (All the characteristics need to be achieved) D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions Conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas and have been justified Has critically evaluated their work and drawn conclusions with justification on how the conclusions were arrived at in relation to the different approaches used to ensure the selection of the best individuals for work in health and social careLO 1.3 D2 Take responsibility of managing and organising activities Independent thinking has been demonstrated and all activities have been managed. Has applied the different leadership and team theories for team management and workingrelationships.LO4.1 4.2 D3 Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking Self-evaluation has taken place. Has critically evaluatedhow their own development has been influenced by management approaches. LO4.3