Blue-collar Skilled Worker Shortage in Construction Industry

Blue-collar Skilled Worker Shortage in Construction Industry 1.2 Introduction Malaysia is presently experiencing a new era of prosperity. The government formulated and implemented a series of development plans and laid foundation for the development in the country. There is rapid growth especially in construction sector. This bought high demand in construction labour. According to (The Star Online, 22 December 2007), Year 2007 number of reports have highlighted the outflow of construction professional and skilled labour segments of the jobs market. Many skilled workers in the construction sector have moved to Vietnam, Singapore or the Middle East in pursuit of better pay and career prospects. The shortage of skilled labour that the Malaysian construction industry is currently encountering has been perpetuated by several combinations of causes. Governments act to diminish the number of foreign workers in the country will trigger the skilled labour shortage problem get in to even worse situation. (The Star, 3 June 2010) 1.3 Problem Statement When we talk about labour crisis in construction industry, number is not only issue impinging on the manpower development of the industry. Due to certain reasons, local workforce is less interested to work in the construction industry. This phenomena may bought huge impacts to the development of the industry. Local workforce is still thinking that the jobs in this sector are not dignified enough besides being labeled dirty, dangerous and difficult. Therefore as a last result to overcome the acute shortage of manpower, the industry hired foreign workers. The group of foreign workers hired by the industry basically unskilled, acquires their work knowledge while assisting the more experienced workers, and thus is not meeting the industrys skill standards. Malaysia construction sector should encouraged to plan their human resource requirements to progressively reduce their dependence on low- skilled labour, particularly foreign unskilled labour. 1.4 Research Aim To analyze different type causes and effects of construction Blue-Collar skilled worker shortage to construction industry. 1.5 Objectives (1) To identify the causes of Blue-Collar skilled labour shortage in Malaysian construction industry. (2) To identify the effect of Blue-Collar skilled labour shortage in Malaysian construction industry. (3) To assess solutions to Blue-Collar skills labour shortages in the Malaysian construction industry. 1.6 Background of the study Blue color Skill labour shortages are a common problem across construction industry. Skill shortages are most common in times of strong economic growth and low unemployment. The causes of skill shortages are complex. There are many drivers that could be causing a shortage in a region or occupation. Working conditions and wages play an important role in skill shortages. In occupations where there are poor conditions or wages, the problem may not be in the supply of labour, but rather in the willingness of labour to take up positions. Skilled labour shortage bought a lot effects and impacts neither to construction industry nor society. Thus, it is important that to find out the effective ways to chops with skilled labour shortage to avoid this phenomena further affect the economic growth. 1.7 Scope of study The study of this study is narrowed down to simplify the process of information gathering, so it can be analyzed within an appropriate time limit. The aspects being considered are: Focused on cause and effect of Blue- Color skilled labour shortage at construction industry. Focused any solution which able to cope with Blue- Color skilled labours shortage. The area of this study is in Malaysian construction industry only. 1.8 Research Methodology Stage1: Literature research A comprehensive review of the relevant literature including a computer- assisted search will be undertaken in order to develop an understanding of previous work in the field of human resource. Stage 2: pilot study An initial pilot study will be conducted to test the validity of the questionnaire through in- depth interviews with constructions company. Stage 3: main survey questionnaire The feedback from the pilot study should assist in finalizing the questionnaire and prepare the ground for the main survey. The question will centre on the areas mentioned in the above objectives. Stage 4: analyzing the postal questionnaire This stage will bring together and review the information collected. 1.9 References Malaysia Construction facing talented outflow? The Star Online, [internet] 22 December 2007. Available at: = construction +worker+ [ Accessed 17 Jun 2010] Right in the view of builder? The Star Online, [internet] 3 June 2010 Available at: http://archives.thestar.com.my/last365days/default.aspx?query=foreign+worker [ Accessed 17 Jun 2010] Chapter 2: Definition of Skilled Labour Shortage in Construction Industry 2.1 Definition of Skilled Labour As stated under PEMBINAAN MALAYSIA ACT 1994 Section 2 of ACT 520, A skilled construction worker means a person possessing theaccepted level of skill, as determined by the Board, of one ormore trades as listed in ThirdSchedule. The accreditation of a person as a skilled construction worker is through conferment of Sijil Kecekapan Kemahiran (SKK) for local or Perakuan Kecekapan Pekerja Asing Binaan (PKPA) for foreign construction workers. In the more rigidly constructed definition, skilled workers could possess technical or artistic certificates, A.A. degrees, or training up to the bachelors degree level. Skilled workers are contrasted with unskilled workers or labor à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  unskilled labor doesnt necessarily lack a skill set. The main difference is that the skill set required is usually innate (like strength and endurance) or learned with minimal training. (Accessed http://www.wisegeek.com, June 5, 2010) According to CIDB, skilled worker can be defined as personnel who are able to carry out his work according to the set specification based on the national industrial requirements and passed the fixed accreditation test. After successfully accredited (passing the practical skills test), then only CIDB will officially recognize him as a skilled personnel by issuing CIDB Skill Competency Certificate based on the line of work. (CIDB Malaysia, 2010) 2.2 Type of Skilled Workers There is board range for the type of skilled worker in construction industry. According to the PEMBINAAN MALAYSIA ACT 1994 [Section 2 and Subsection 32(2)], there are total 15 type of skilled work as shown in schedule 3. For this chapter only will focused on 10 type of skilled worker. There are Tiler, Bricklayer, Plasterer, Pavour, Plumber, Carpenter, Metal Worker, Construction Plant Operator, Painter, Concretor. 2.2.1 Tiler Tiler is responsible for laying hard tile and marble to floors, decks, and walls throughout any number of construction projects. There were also roof tiler who able to lay roof tiles on the roof frame. Tiler must have training to set their tiles properly the first time, qualified tiler able to ensure the lest risk the project run behind schedule. (Accessed http://dwd.wisconsin.gov, 5 June 2010) However, tilers are susceptible to a number of injuries. The constant straining and bending over a surface can lead to repetitive stress injuries, and heavy tiles can cause serious injuries if handled improperly. (Accessed http://dwd.wisconsin.gov, 5 June 2010) 2.2.2 Bricklayer Bricklayers build walls, partitions, and other structures made of brick. They also work with concrete and cinder blocks, tile, marble, and terra cotta. Bricklayers can do both construction and maintenance work. To build a brick wall, bricklayers construct the corners of the wall first. Normally bricklayers will stretch string from one corner of the wall to the other to used as a guide so that they can build the wall straight. Bricklayers will put the mortar before put bricks in place. Many tools used by bricklayers. For example, trowels, brick hammers, chisels, levels, and rulers. General worker will assist the tiler to do the heavy work, such as carrying materials and mixing the mortar. 2.2.3 Plasterers Plastering is one of the oldest and most respected construction skills. This ancient trade is responsible for applying stucco and plaster to building sites for insulation, support, and aesthetic purposes. (Cited from www.resource4constructionsiteaccidents.com) 2.2.4 Pavour Segmental pavers are responsible for cutting, placing, and arranging a variety of finished masonry such as brick and concrete in order to create paths, patios, driveways, and steps. They work in conjunction with other concrete professionals such as masons, finishers, and terrazzo workers to create the modern society that we so often take for granted. (Cited from www.resource4constructionsiteaccidents.com) 2.2.5 Plumber Plumbers design, install, repair and maintain piping systems such as soil, waste, vent, potable water, wastewater treatment, gas systems (medical, propane, and natural) in residential, commercial, industrial buildings and at utility sites. Plumbing tasks require the ability to assemble, install, maintain and repair pipes, fittings, fixtures, appurtenances, appliances of heating, water, storm and sanitary drainage systems according to specifications and plumbing codes. Plumbers install sanitary fixtures; such as, lavatories, toilets, bathtubs, bathroom accessories, showers, kitchen sinks and appliances, drinking fountains and laundry equipment. (Cited from www.resource4construction siteaccidents.com) 2.2.6 Carpenter In construction industry, the job scope for Carpenters is construct, erect, install or repair structures, fittings or furniture made of wood; building frameworks including partitions, joists, struts and rafters; wood staircase, window and door frames; and hardwood floors using their skills and tools. They build wood framing for houses, roofs, stairs, decks and construct formwork to support concrete work such as footings, columns and stairs. Besides that, they also involves carpentry work to install cabinets, siding, drywall rails, building cabinets and counter tops and may include work on drywall, wood flooring, metal jambs and ceilings. Normally carpenters are skilled in exterior and interior finish work. A different type of carpenters has different skills. Some of them are Cabinet Maker, Construction, Floor Coverer, Interior Systems, Millwright, Pile Driver. (Accessed to www.resource4construction siteaccidents.com) 2.2.7 Metal worker The duty of metal workers in the construction is to maintain, and installs for variety of metal products including siding, signs, and ventilation equipment. This very specialized profession requires many years of training and experience, not only because worked metal must be very precise, but also the level of danger associated with working environment which use the powerful cutting and lifting equipment is higher than most other occupations. (Accessed http://www.resource4constructionsiteaccidents.com, 5 June 2010) 2.2.8 Construction Plant Operators Construction equipment operators use machinery to shift construction materials, earth, and other heavy materials at construction sites. They operate equipment that clears and grades land to prepare it for construction of roads, buildings, and bridges. They use machines such as bulldozer to excavate trenches to place or repair sewer and other utilities, and use tower crane to hoist heavy construction materials. (Accessed http://dwd.wisconsin.gov, 5 June 2010) Besides that, Construction Plant Operators also help make adjustments, set up and inspect the equipment, perform some maintenance and minor repairs. Construction equipment is more technologically advanced than it was in the past. In technology advanced country such as Japan and United Kingdom, such skills worker will use global positioning system (GPS) technology to help with grading and leveling activities. (Accessed http://dwd.wisconsin.gov, 5 June 2010) 2.2.9 Painters Painters are often the last line of construction workers to finish a project before the tenants occupy the structure. The main duty of painter is to provide not only aesthetic considerations for a bare structure, but also enhance the natural shape of a building and provide additional protection from weather, wear and tear, and natural aging process. These skilled workers must have knowledge of not only their crafts, but the appropriate amount of chemicals needed to finish it, how different surfaces need different materials, and finally a bit of creative touch to ensure everything proceeds smoothly. (Accessed http://dwd.wisconsin.gov, 5 June 2010) 2.2.10 Concretor The duty of the concrete finishers is creating the smooth, unbroken appearance in concrete. Although the job seems to be very easy but in fact one that takes years to learn and many more to master it, and experienced concrete finishers are always a welcome sight on any construction project. (Accessed http://dwd.wisconsin.gov, 5 June 2010) ACT 520 Third Schedule Third Schedule [Section 2 and Subsection 32(2)] Skilled Construction Workers No. Skilled Construction Worker 1 Concretor 2 Bar-bender 3 Carpenter 4 Bricklayer/Mason 5 Plasterer/Pavior 6 Tiler 7 Painter 8 Joiner 9 Metalworker 10 Drain-layer 11 Glazier 12 Welder 13 Construction plant operator 14 Plumber 15 Licensed Electrician ( sources from PEMBINAAN MALAYSIA ACT 1994) References LAWS OF MALAYSIA ACT 520 LEMBAGA PEMBANGUNAN INDUSTRI PEMBINAAN MALAYSIA ACT 1994. Wisconsin Department of Workforce Department.2010 [ Online ] Available at: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov [Assessed 5 June 2010] Type of Construction Workers http://www.resource4constructionsite accidents.com/topics/typesofconstructionworkers.html [Assessed 5 June 2010] Chapter 3 Factor that cause skilled labour shortage in Construction industry 3.1 Cause of skilled labour shortage The skilled labour shortage can be attributed not only to the economic boom, but also to the fact that people are choosing more academic type qualifications. (CIDB, 2003)As a result, many companies are now searching for skilled labour to meet their needs. The shortage of skilled labour can result from an increase in the demand for labour. (Liew, Wee Yee, 2005), this can be interpreted as demand is more than supply. There are several diverse factors have contributed to the construction industrys shortages of skilled workers; these factors include local and young generation unwilling to join, wages problem, poor industry image, working environment and condition, government policy, economic factor. 3.1.1 Local and Young generation unwilling to join In Malaysia, local youths would rather be unemployed despite working in the construction industry. This is attributed to the archaic employment practices, outdoor work and prevalence of the temporary and casual labour. (Saleh [emailprotected], 2008). Usually people will feel the construction workers lack superiority, class and respectability. Youngster is not willing to take over the manual techniques from their parent (skilled worker). This will leave to the skills gaps which will leave by old generation who are retirement. Youngster prefers work that is less strenuous with more comfortable working conditions. According to Ng Seing Liong, Now that I sit on the CIDB, I know it is facing a lot of problems. It cant find Malaysians to be trained in the wet trades, such as masonry, carpentry. In comparison, Indonesian workers are so easily available. The statement above meant for the local, its very difficult to find the Malaysian to do as a construction worker compared to foreign worker . 3.1.2 Wages problem Working as construction worker, the wage is usually paid on daily basis. For example, if that construction worker unable to work that particular working day, will cause no income for that day. According to report for Average Daily Wage Rate of Construction Workers and Machine Plant Operator January 2009, the wages for skilled worker will higher compared to unskilled worker and the scale of wage is also different from each state/ area in the Malaysia. Besides that, the poor paymaster (MBAM, 2007) also becomes the major issue in the Construction industry. Income is the major consideration for people to entry the industry. Issues as above mentioned will create a barrier for people choose to work in construction industry. Statement above can be proved by Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) president Datuk Ng Kee Lee, he had mentioned that the Act was vital to protect the interests of all players in the construction industry and the association had appealed to the Malaysia govern ment to bring the Act into force. 3.1.3 Poor industry image Construction industry usually related to 3D, which is dirty, dangerous and difficult. (CIDB, 2005) Local people are not willing to participate into the construction industry. In Malaysia, almost 90% of construction workers whether skilled or unskilled are foreign worker which come from neighboring countries. (CIDB, 2005) The irresponsible employer/ contractor which wish to save the construction cost will usually ignore the safety of workers by provided the worker with minimum insurance. Besides that, appeared of poor paymaster and a great of number of press which report the incident of site accident contributes to the skilled shortage issue. One of the issues of most concern to construction workers throughout the world is the insecurity of income that comes with temporary status. Providing adequate insurance against periods of sickness or unemployment as well as medical and retirement benefits is of critical importance in attracting and retaining workers in the industry (ILO, 2007). In conclusion, every construction party have to work out together to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"wash the image of construction industry. 3.1.4 Working environment and condition Executive director of the Malaysian Employers Federation said that Malaysian workers are not willing to work on a plantation or construction site because it is hard work under the sun. Many of the 26 millions Malaysian workers want white collar jobs (Bloomberg News, 2005). In Malaysia, tough working condition is also is the barrier for people to entry the industry. The construction industry is unique among industries. The activities of construction often take place outdoor risky conditions which not safety and healthy and extremely hot weather. Workers in the construction sites have to face persistent change in the nature of work, the location of work and the mix of workers. The nature of most accidents at construction recurrent and serious shows that the construction industry is unique. As buildings become higher and larger, the possibility of accidents to occur also increases. The danger posed to personal safety by construction work is one of the reasons why Malaysian is unwilling to take up careers in it. According to Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, an average of eighty workers was killed in such accidents. Inspection conducted by Department of Safety and Health (DOSH) found that one of the main contributory factors of accidents at construction sites was the lack of commitment by employers to implement measures to improve occupational safety and health. Construction sites rated as unsatisfactory were not managed in accordance to best practices. And most of the time, were not in compliance with the laws and regulations governing construction activities. Accidents at the construction site do not only involve workers, but may also inflict injury or even cause death to the general public. Such accidents had tarnished the image of construction industry. In conclusion, the poor working environment and condition is also contributed to the skilled labour shortage problem in Malaysia. 3.1.5 Government policy The latest report revealed that there were approximately 1.9 million foreign workers in Malaysia. These foreign workers were dustribute across sectors such as manufacturing (39 %), construction (19 %), plantation (14 %), housemaids (12 %), services (10 %), remainder were in agriculture sector.(accessed to www.themalaysianinsider.com) From the figure above, we can know that 19% of 1.9 million foreign worker is work in construction industry. The government of Malaysia move to diminish the number of foreign workers in the country to 1.5 million by 2010 will even worsen the issues of construction skilled labour shortage as the local already less interested working as skilled worker in the construction industry. The policy will stop the potential construction skilled worker which can come to our country for working. 3.1.6 Economic Factor The strong growth of the Malaysia economy prompt by the influx of investments, job opportunities have increased resulting in the easing of the unemployment rate. (Saleh [emailprotected], 2008) In construction industry, foreign investment had causes the supply of property increase; supply of property increase will also affect the construction skilled workers intensive. Skilled worker play an important roles in construction industry. Without them, construction industry will be affected, thus, it has now become an employees market and therefore, workers can afford to be choosy. Skilled workers wages will increase, then for employer which came from minor financial will not be able to hire skilled worker. 3.1.7 Change in Education More recently, another change that has affected the inflow of new labour in construction industry is the educational change that has impacted younger generation. More people are seeking higher education in an effort to secure a more lucrative profession and consequently live a better life than their parents did. It appears that here, a stigma is being cast upon construction trades as dirty, dangerous and difficult. The term construction worker has negative impact for young people. Most commonly see the construction worker lacks prestige, class and respectability. It is projected that the proportion of the overall labour force with tertiary education to increase to 21.1 per cent in 2006 (20 percent in 2005) in line with the government.s concerted efforts at enhancing the quality of human capital in the country (Bernama, 2001).

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 33-34

33 RIVERA During the drive to Pine Cove, Rivera was nagged by the idea that he had forgotten something. It wasn't that he hadn't reported where he was going; he had planned that. Until he had physical evidence that there was a serial killer in the area, he wasn't saying a word. But when he knocked on the Elliotts' front door and it swung open, he suddenly remembered that his bullet-proof vest was hanging in his locker back at the station. He called into the house and waited for an answer. None came. Only cops and vampires have to have an invitation to enter, he thought. But there is probable cause. The part of his mind that functioned like a district attorney kicked in. â€Å"So, Sergeant Rivera,† the lawyer said, â€Å"you entered a private residence based on a computer data base that could have been no more than a mailing list?† â€Å"I believed that Effrom Elliott's name on the list represented a clear and present danger to a private citizen, so I entered the residence.† Rivera drew his revolver and held it in his right hand while he held his badge out in his left. â€Å"Mr. and Mrs. Elliott, this is Sergeant Rivera from the Sheriff's Department. I'm coming in the house.† He moved from room to room announcing his presence before he entered. The bedroom door was closed. He saw the splintered bullet hole in the door and felt his adrenaline surge. Should he call for backup? The D.A. said: â€Å"And so you entered the house on what basis?† Rivera came through the door low and rolled. He lay for a moment on the floor of the empty room, feeling stupid. What now? He couldn't call in and report a bullet hole in a residence that he had probably entered illegally, especially when he hadn't reported that he was in Pine Cove in the first place. One step at a time, he told himself. Rivera returned to his unmarked car and reported that he was in Pine Cove. â€Å"Sergeant Rivera,† the dispatcher said, â€Å"there is a message for you from Technical Sergeant Nailsworth. He said to tell you that Robert Masterson is married to the granddaughter of Effrom Elliott. He said he doesn't know what it means, but he thought you should know.† It meant that he had to find Robert Masterson. He acknowledged the message and signed off. Fifteen minutes later he was at The Breeze's trailer. The old pickup was gone and no one answered the door. He radioed the station and requested a direct patch to the Spider. â€Å"Nailgun, can you get me Masterson's wife's home address? He gave the trailer as residence when we brought him in. And give me the place where she works.† â€Å"Hold on, it'll be just a second for her address.† Rivera lit a cigarette while he waited. Before he took the second drag, Nailsworth came back with the address and the shortest route from Rivera's location. â€Å"It will take a little longer for the employer. I have to access the Social Security files.† â€Å"How long?† â€Å"Five, maybe ten minutes.† â€Å"I'm on my way to the house. Maybe I won't need it.† â€Å"Rivera, there was a fire call at that address this morning. That mean anything to you?† â€Å"Nothing means anything to me anymore, Nailsworth.† Five minutes later Rivera pulled up in front of Jenny's house. Everything was covered with a gummy gray goo, a mix of ashes, flour, and water from the fire hoses. As Rivera climbed out of the car, Nailsworth called back. â€Å"Jennifer Masterson is currently employed at H.P.'s Cafe, off Cypress in Pine Cove. You want the phone number?† â€Å"No,† Rivera said. â€Å"If she's not here, I'll go over there. It's just a few doors down from my next stop.† â€Å"You need anything else?† Nailsworth sounded as if he was holding something back. â€Å"No,† Rivera said. â€Å"I'll call if I do.† â€Å"Rivera, don't forget about that other matter.† â€Å"What matter?† â€Å"Roxanne. Check on her for me.† â€Å"As soon as I can, Nailsworth.† Rivera threw the radio mike onto the passenger seat. As he walked up to the house, he heard someone come on the radio singing a chorus to the song â€Å"Roxanne† in a horrible falsetto. Nailsworth had shown his weakness over an open frequency, and now, Rivera knew, the whole department would ride the fat man's humiliation into the ground. When this was over, Rivera promised himself, he would concoct a story to vindicate the Spider's pride. He owed him that. Of course, that depended on Rivera vindicating himself. The walk to the door covered his shoes with gray goo. He waited for an answer and returned to the car, cursing in Spanish, his shoes converted to dough balls. He didn't get out of the car at H.P.'s Cafe. It was obvious from the darkened windows that no one was inside. His last chance was the Head of the Slug Saloon. If Masterson wasn't there, he was out of leads, and he would have to report what he knew, or, what was more embarrassing, what he didn't know, to the captain. Rivera found a parking place in front of the Slug behind Robert's truck, and after taking a few minutes to get his right shoe unstuck from the gas pedal, he went in. 34 U-PICK-EM The Pagan Vegetarians for Peace called them the Sacred Caves because they believed that the caves had once been used by Ohlone Indians for religious ceremonies. This, in fact, was not true, for the Ohlone had avoided the caves as much as possible due to the huge population of bats that lived there, bats that were inextricably locked into the destiny of the caves. The first human occupation of the caves came in the 1960s, when a down-and-out farmer named Homer Styles decided to use the damp interior of the caves to cultivate mushrooms. Homer started his business with five hundred wooden crates of the sort used for carting soda bottles, and a half-gallon carton of mail-order mushroom spores; total investment: sixteen dollars. Homer had stolen the crates from behind the Thrifty-Mart, a few at a time, over the period of weeks that it took him to read the pamphlet Fungus for Fun and Profit, put out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. After filling the crates with moist peat and laying them out on the cave floor, Homer spread his spores and waited for the money to roll in. What Homer didn't figure on was the rapid growth rate of the mushrooms (he'd skipped that part of the pamphlet), and within days he found himself sitting in a cave full of mushrooms with no market and no money to pay for help in harvesting. The solution to Homer's problem came from another government pamphlet entitled The Consumer-Harvested Farm, which had come, by mistake, in the same envelope with Fungus for Fun. Homer took his last ten dollars and placed an ad in the local paper: Mushrooms, $.50 lb. U-PICK-EM, your container. Old Creek Road. 9?C5 daily. Mushroom-hungry Pine Covers came in droves. As fast as the mushrooms were harvested, they grew back, and the money rolled in. Homer spent his first profits on a generator and a string of lights for the caves, figuring that by extending his business hours into the evening, his profits would grow in proportion. It would have been a sound business move had the bats not decided to rear their furry heads in protest. During the day the bats had been content to hang out on the roof of the cave while Homer ran his business below. But on the first night of Homer's extended hours when the bats woke to find their home invaded by harshly lit mushroom pickers, their tolerance ended. There were twenty customers in the caves when the lights went on. In an instant the air above them was a maelstrom of screeching, furry, flying rodents. In the rush to exit, one woman fell and broke a hip and another was bitten on the hand while extracting a bat from her hair. The cloud of bats soon disappeared into the night, only to be replaced the next day by an equally dense cloud of landbound vermin: personal-injury lawyers. The varmints prevailed in court. Homer's business was destroyed, and once again the bats slept in peace. A depressed Homer Styles went on a binge in the Head of the Slug. He spent four days in an Irish whiskey haze before his money ran out and Mavis Sand sent him to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. (Mavis could tell when a man had hit bottom, and she felt no need to pump a dry well.) Homer found himself in the meeting room of the First National Bank, telling his story. It happened that at that same meeting a young surfer who called himself The Breeze was working off a court-ordered sentence he had earned by drunkenly crashing a '62 Volkswagen into a police cruiser and promptly puking on the arresting officer's shoes. The farmer's story touched off an entrepreneurial spark in the surfer, and after the meeting The Breeze cornered Homer with a proposition. â€Å"Homer, how would you like to make some heavy bread growing magic mushrooms?† The next day the farmer and the surfer were hauling bags of manure into the caves, spreading it over the peat, and scattering a completely different type of spore. According to The Breeze their crop would sell for ten to twenty dollars an ounce instead of the fifty cents a pound that Homer received for his last crop. Homer was enraptured with the possibility of becoming rich. And he would have, if not for the bats. As the day of their first harvest neared, The Breeze had to take his leave of their plantation to serve the weekend in the county jail (the first of fifty – the judge had not been amused at having barf-covered police shoes presented as evidence in his courtroom). Before he left, The Breeze assured Homer that he would return Monday to help with the drying and marketing of the mushrooms. In the meantime, the woman who had been bitten during the debacle of the bats, came down with rabies. County animal-control agents were ordered to the caves to destroy the bat colony. When the agents arrived, they found Homer Styles crouched over a tray of psychedelic mushrooms. The agents offered Homer the option of walking away and leaving the mushrooms, but Homer refused, so they radioed the sheriff. Homer was led away in handcuffs, the animal-control agents left with their pockets filled with mushrooms, and the bats were left alone. When The Breeze was released on Monday, he found himself in search of a new scam. A few months later, while incarcerated at the state prison in Lompoc, Homer Styles received a letter from The Breeze. The letter was covered with a fine yellow powder and read: â€Å"Sorry about your bust. Hope we can bury the hatchet.† Homer buried the letter in a shoe box he kept under his bunk and spent the next ten years living in relative luxury on the profits he made from selling psychedelic mushrooms to the other inmates. Homer sampled his crop only once, then swore off mushrooms for life when he hallucinated that he was drowning in a sea of bats.

Angels Demons Chapter 82-85

82 At CERN, secretary Sylvie Baudeloque was hungry, wishing she could go home. To her dismay, Kohler had apparently survived his trip to the infirmary; he had phoned and demanded – not asked, demanded – that Sylvie stay late this evening. No explanation. Over the years, Sylvie had programmed herself to ignore Kohler's bizarre mood swings and eccentricities – his silent treatments, his unnerving propensity to secretly film meetings with his wheelchair's porta-video. She secretly hoped one day he would shoot himself during his weekly visit to CERN's recreational pistol range, but apparently he was a pretty good shot. Now, sitting alone at her desk, Sylvie heard her stomach growling. Kohler had not yet returned, nor had he given her any additional work for the evening. To hell with sitting here bored and starving, she decided. She left Kohler a note and headed for the staff dining commons to grab a quick bite. She never made it. As she passed CERN's recreational â€Å"suites de loisir† – a long hallway of lounges with televisions – she noticed the rooms were overflowing with employees who had apparently abandoned dinner to watch the news. Something big was going on. Sylvie entered the first suite. It was packed with byte-heads – wild young computer programmers. When she saw the headlines on the TV, she gasped. Terror at the Vatican Sylvie listened to the report, unable to believe her ears. Some ancient brotherhood killing cardinals? What did that prove? Their hatred? Their dominance? Their ignorance? And yet, incredibly, the mood in this suite seemed anything but somber. Two young techies ran by waving T-shirts that bore a picture of Bill Gates and the message: And the Geek shall inherit the Earth! â€Å"Illuminati!† one shouted. â€Å"I told you these guys were real!† â€Å"Incredible! I thought it was just a game!† â€Å"They killed the Pope, man! The Pope!† â€Å"Jeez! I wonder how many points you get for that?† They ran off laughing. Sylvie stood in stunned amazement. As a Catholic working among scientists, she occasionally endured the antireligious whisperings, but the party these kids seemed to be having was all-out euphoria over the church's loss. How could they be so callous? Why the hatred? For Sylvie, the church had always been an innocuous entity†¦ a place of fellowship and introspection†¦ sometimes just a place to sing out loud without people staring at her. The church recorded the benchmarks of her life – funerals, weddings, baptisms, holidays – and it asked for nothing in return. Even the monetary dues were voluntary. Her children emerged from Sunday School every week uplifted, filled with ideas about helping others and being kinder. What could possibly be wrong with that? It never ceased to amaze her that so many of CERN's so-called â€Å"brilliant minds† failed to comprehend the importance of the church. Did they really believe quarks and mesons inspired the average human being? Or that equations could replace someone's need for faith in the divine? Dazed, Sylvie moved down the hallway past the other lounges. All the TV rooms were packed. She began wondering now about the call Kohler had gotten from the Vatican earlier. Coincidence? Perhaps. The Vatican called CERN from time to time as a â€Å"courtesy† before issuing scathing statements condemning CERN's research – most recently for CERN's breakthroughs in nanotechnology, a field the church denounced because of its implications for genetic engineering. CERN never cared. Invariably, within minutes after a Vatican salvo, Kohler's phone would ring off the hook with tech-investment companies wanting to license the new discovery. â€Å"No such thing as bad press,† Kohler would always say. Sylvie wondered if she should page Kohler, wherever the hell he was, and tell him to turn on the news. Did he care? Had he heard? Of course, he'd heard. He was probably videotaping the entire report with his freaky little camcorder, smiling for the first time in a year. As Sylvie continued down the hall, she finally found a lounge where the mood was subdued†¦ almost melancholy. Here the scientists watching the report were some of CERN's oldest and most respected. They did not even look up as Sylvie slipped in and took a seat. On the other side of CERN, in Leonardo Vetra's frigid apartment, Maximilian Kohler had finished reading the leather-bound journal he'd taken from Vetra's bedside table. Now he was watching the television reports. After a few minutes, he replaced Vetra's journal, turned off the television, and left the apartment. Far away, in Vatican City, Cardinal Mortati carried another tray of ballots to the Sistine Chapel chimney. He burned them, and the smoke was black. Two ballotings. No Pope. 83 Flashlights were no match for the voluminous blackness of St. Peter's Basilica. The void overhead pressed down like a starless night, and Vittoria felt the emptiness spread out around her like a desolate ocean. She stayed close as the Swiss Guards and the camerlegno pushed on. High above, a dove cooed and fluttered away. As if sensing her discomfort, the camerlegno dropped back and lay a hand on her shoulder. A tangible strength transferred in the touch, as if the man were magically infusing her with the calm she needed to do what they were about to do. What are we about to do? she thought. This is madness! And yet, Vittoria knew, for all its impiety and inevitable horror, the task at hand was inescapable. The grave decisions facing the camerlegno required information†¦ information entombed in a sarcophagus in the Vatican Grottoes. She wondered what they would find. Did the Illuminati murder the Pope? Did their power really reach so far? Am I really about to perform the first papal autopsy? Vittoria found it ironic that she felt more apprehensive in this unlit church than she would swimming at night with barracuda. Nature was her refuge. She understood nature. But it was matters of man and spirit that left her mystified. Killer fish gathering in the dark conjured images of the press gathering outside. TV footage of branded bodies reminded her of her father's corpse†¦ and the killer's harsh laugh. The killer was out there somewhere. Vittoria felt the anger drowning her fear. As they circled past a pillar – thicker in girth than any redwood she could imagine – Vittoria saw an orange glow up ahead. The light seemed to emanate from beneath the floor in the center of the basilica. As they came closer, she realized what she was seeing. It was the famous sunken sanctuary beneath the main altar – the sumptuous underground chamber that held the Vatican's most sacred relics. As they drew even with the gate surrounding the hollow, Vittoria gazed down at the golden coffer surrounded by scores of glowing oil lamps. â€Å"St. Peter's bones?† she asked, knowing full well that they were. Everyone who came to St. Peter's knew what was in the golden casket. â€Å"Actually, no,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"A common misconception. That's not a reliquary. The box holds palliums – woven sashes that the Pope gives to newly elected cardinals.† â€Å"But I thought – â€Å" â€Å"As does everyone. The guidebooks label this as St. Peter's tomb, but his true grave is two stories beneath us, buried in the earth. The Vatican excavated it in the forties. Nobody is allowed down there.† Vittoria was shocked. As they moved away from the glowing recession into the darkness again, she thought of the stories she'd heard of pilgrims traveling thousands of miles to look at that golden box, thinking they were in the presence of St. Peter. â€Å"Shouldn't the Vatican tell people?† â€Å"We all benefit from a sense of contact with divinity†¦ even if it is only imagined.† Vittoria, as a scientist, could not argue the logic. She had read countless studies of the placebo effect – aspirins curing cancer in people who believed they were using a miracle drug. What was faith, after all? â€Å"Change,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"is not something we do well within Vatican City. Admitting our past faults, modernization, are things we historically eschew. His Holiness was trying to change that.† He paused. â€Å"Reaching to the modern world. Searching for new paths to God.† Vittoria nodded in the dark. â€Å"Like science?† â€Å"To be honest, science seems irrelevant.† â€Å"Irrelevant?† Vittoria could think of a lot of words to describe science, but in the modern world â€Å"irrelevant† did not seem like one of them. â€Å"Science can heal, or science can kill. It depends on the soul of the man using the science. It is the soul that interests me.† â€Å"When did you hear your call?† â€Å"Before I was born.† Vittoria looked at him. â€Å"I'm sorry, that always seems like a strange question. What I mean is that I've always known I would serve God. From the moment I could first think. It wasn't until I was a young man, though, in the military, that I truly understood my purpose.† Vittoria was surprised. â€Å"You were in the military?† â€Å"Two years. I refused to fire a weapon, so they made me fly instead. Medevac helicopters. In fact, I still fly from time to time.† Vittoria tried to picture the young priest flying a helicopter. Oddly, she could see him perfectly behind the controls. Camerlegno Ventresca possessed a grit that seemed to accentuate his conviction rather than cloud it. â€Å"Did you ever fly the Pope?† â€Å"Heavens no. We left that precious cargo to the professionals. His Holiness let me take the helicopter to our retreat in Gandolfo sometimes.† He paused, looking at her. â€Å"Ms. Vetra, thank you for your help here today. I am very sorry about your father. Truly.† â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"I never knew my father. He died before I was born. I lost my mother when I was ten.† Vittoria looked up. â€Å"You were orphaned?† She felt a sudden kinship. â€Å"I survived an accident. An accident that took my mother.† â€Å"Who took care of you?† â€Å"God,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"He quite literally sent me another father. A bishop from Palermo appeared at my hospital bed and took me in. At the time I was not surprised. I had sensed God's watchful hand over me even as a boy. The bishop's appearance simply confirmed what I had already suspected, that God had somehow chosen me to serve him.† â€Å"You believed God chose you?† â€Å"I did. And I do.† There was no trace of conceit in the camerlegno's voice, only gratitude. â€Å"I worked under the bishop's tutelage for many years. He eventually became a cardinal. Still, he never forgot me. He is the father I remember.† A beam of a flashlight caught the camerlegno's face, and Vittoria sensed a loneliness in his eyes. The group arrived beneath a towering pillar, and their lights converged on an opening in the floor. Vittoria looked down at the staircase descending into the void and suddenly wanted to turn back. The guards were already helping the camerlegno onto the stairs. They helped her next. â€Å"What became of him?† she asked, descending, trying to keep her voice steady. â€Å"The cardinal who took you in?† â€Å"He left the College of Cardinals for another position.† Vittoria was surprised. â€Å"And then, I'm sorry to say, he passed on.† â€Å"Le mie condoglianze,† Vittoria said. â€Å"Recently?† The camerlegno turned, shadows accentuating the pain on his face. â€Å"Exactly fifteen days ago. We are going to see him right now.† 84 The dark lights glowed hot inside the archival vault. This vault was much smaller than the previous one Langdon had been in. Less air. Less time. He wished he'd asked Olivetti to turn on the recirculating fans. Langdon quickly located the section of assets containing the ledgers cataloging Belle Arti. The section was impossible to miss. It occupied almost eight full stacks. The Catholic church owned millions of individual pieces worldwide. Langdon scanned the shelves searching for Gianlorenzo Bernini. He began his search about midway down the first stack, at about the spot he thought the B's would begin. After a moment of panic fearing the ledger was missing, he realized, to his greater dismay, that the ledgers were not arranged alphabetically. Why am I not surprised? It was not until Langdon circled back to the beginning of the collection and climbed a rolling ladder to the top shelf that he understood the vault's organization. Perched precariously on the upper stacks he found the fattest ledgers of all – those belonging to the masters of the Renaissance – Michelangelo, Raphael, da Vinci, Botticelli. Langdon now realized, appropriate to a vault called â€Å"Vatican Assets,† the ledgers were arranged by the overall monetary value of each artist's collection. Sandwiched between Raphael and Michelangelo, Langdon found the ledger marked Bernini. It was over five inches thick. Already short of breath and struggling with the cumbersome volume, Langdon descended the ladder. Then, like a kid with a comic book, he spread himself out on the floor and opened the cover. The book was cloth-bound and very solid. The ledger was handwritten in Italian. Each page cataloged a single work, including a short description, date, location, cost of materials, and sometimes a rough sketch of the piece. Langdon fanned through the pages†¦ over eight hundred in all. Bernini had been a busy man. As a young student of art, Langdon had wondered how single artists could create so much work in their lifetimes. Later he learned, much to his disappointment, that famous artists actually created very little of their own work. They ran studios where they trained young artists to carry out their designs. Sculptors like Bernini created miniatures in clay and hired others to enlarge them into marble. Langdon knew that if Bernini had been required to personally complete all of his commissions, he would still be working today. â€Å"Index,† he said aloud, trying to ward off the mental cobwebs. He flipped to the back of the book, intending to look under the letter F for titles containing the word fuco – fire – but the F's were not together. Langdon swore under his breath. What the hell do these people have against alphabetizing? The entries had apparently been logged chronologically, one by one, as Bernini created each new work. Everything was listed by date. No help at all. As Langdon stared at the list, another disheartening thought occurred to him. The title of the sculpture he was looking for might not even contain the word Fire. The previous two works – Habakkuk and the Angel and West Ponente – had not contained specific references to Earth or Air. He spent a minute or two flipping randomly through the ledger in hopes that an illustration might jump out at him. Nothing did. He saw dozens of obscure works he had never heard of, but he also saw plenty he recognized†¦ Daniel and the Lion, Apollo and Daphne, as well as a half dozen fountains. When he saw the fountains, his thoughts skipped momentarily ahead. Water. He wondered if the fourth altar of science was a fountain. A fountain seemed a perfect tribute to water. Langdon hoped they could catch the killer before he had to consider Water – Bernini had carved dozens of fountains in Rome, most of them in front of churches. Langdon turned back to the matter at hand. Fire. As he looked through the book, Vittoria's words encouraged him. You were familiar with the first two sculptures†¦ you probably know this one too. As he turned to the index again, he scanned for titles he knew. Some were familiar, but none jumped out. Langdon now realized he would never complete his search before passing out, so he decided, against his better judgment, that he would have to take the book outside the vault. It's only a ledger, he told himself. It's not like I'm removing an original Galilean folio. Langdon recalled the folio in his breast pocket and reminded himself to return it before leaving. Hurrying now, he reached down to lift the volume, but as he did, he saw something that gave him pause. Although there were numerous notations throughout the index, the one that had just caught his eye seemed odd. The note indicated that the famous Bernini sculpture, The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, shortly after its unveiling, had been moved from its original location inside the Vatican. This in itself was not what had caught Langdon's eye. He was already familiar with the sculpture's checkered past. Though some thought it a masterpiece, Pope Urban VIII had rejected The Ecstasy of St. Teresa as too sexually explicit for the Vatican. He had banished it to some obscure chapel across town. What had caught Langdon's eye was that the work had apparently been placed in one of the five churches on his list. What was more, the note indicated it had been moved there per suggerimento del artista. By suggestion of the artist? Langdon was confused. It made no sense that Bernini had suggested his masterpiece be hidden in some obscure location. All artists wanted their work displayed prominently, not in some remote – Langdon hesitated. Unless†¦ He was fearful even to entertain the notion. Was it possible? Had Bernini intentionally created a work so explicit that it forced the Vatican to hide it in some out-of-the-way spot? A location perhaps that Bernini himself could suggest? Maybe a remote church on a direct line with West Ponente's breath? As Langdon's excitement mounted, his vague familiarity with the statue intervened, insisting the work had nothing to do with fire. The sculpture, as anyone who had seen it could attest, was anything but scientific – pornographic maybe, but certainly not scientific. An English critic had once condemned The Ecstasy of St. Teresa as â€Å"the most unfit ornament ever to be placed in a Christian Church.† Langdon certainly understood the controversy. Though brilliantly rendered, the statue depicted St. Teresa on her back in the throes of a toe-curling orgasm. Hardly Vatican fare. Langdon hurriedly flipped to the ledger's description of the work. When he saw the sketch, he felt an instantaneous and unexpected tingle of hope. In the sketch, St. Teresa did indeed appear to be enjoying herself, but there was another figure in the statue who Langdon had forgotten was there. An angel. The sordid legend suddenly came back†¦ St. Teresa was a nun sainted after she claimed an angel had paid her a blissful visit in her sleep. Critics later decided her encounter had probably been more sexual than spiritual. Scrawled at the bottom of the ledger, Langdon saw a familiar excerpt. St. Teresa's own words left little to the imagination: †¦ his great golden spear†¦ filled with fire†¦ plunged into me several times†¦ penetrated to my entrails†¦ a sweetness so extreme that one could not possibly wish it to stop. Langdon smiled. If that's not a metaphor for some serious sex, I don't know what is. He was smiling also because of the ledger's description of the work. Although the paragraph was in Italian, the word fuco appeared a half dozen times: †¦ angel's spear tipped with point of fire†¦ †¦ angel's head emanating rays of fire†¦ †¦ woman inflamed by passion's fire†¦ Langdon was not entirely convinced until he glanced up at the sketch again. The angel's fiery spear was raised like a beacon, pointing the way. Let angels guide you on your lofty quest. Even the type of angel Bernini had selected seemed significant. It's a seraphim, Langdon realized. Seraphim literally means â€Å"the fiery one.† Robert Langdon was not a man who had ever looked for confirmation from above, but when he read the name of the church where the sculpture now resided, he decided he might become a believer after all. Santa Maria della Vittoria. Vittoria, he thought, grinning. Perfect. Staggering to his feet, Langdon felt a rush of dizziness. He glanced up the ladder, wondering if he should replace the book. The hell with it, he thought. Father Jaqui can do it. He closed the book and left it neatly at the bottom of the shelf. As he made his way toward the glowing button on the vault's electronic exit, he was breathing in shallow gasps. Nonetheless, he felt rejuvenated by his good fortune. His good fortune, however, ran out before he reached the exit. Without warning, the vault let out a pained sigh. The lights dimmed, and the exit button went dead. Then, like an enormous expiring beast, the archival complex went totally black. Someone had just killed power. 85 The Holy Vatican Grottoes are located beneath the main floor of St. Peter's Basilica. They are the burial place of deceased Popes. Vittoria reached the bottom of the spiral staircase and entered the grotto. The darkened tunnel reminded her of CERN's Large Hadron Collider – black and cold. Lit now only by the flashlights of the Swiss Guards, the tunnel carried a distinctly incorporeal feel. On both sides, hollow niches lined the walls. Recessed in the alcoves, as far as the lights let them see, the hulking shadows of sarcophagi loomed. An iciness raked her flesh. It's the cold, she told herself, knowing that was only partially true. She had the sense they were being watched, not by anyone in the flesh, but by specters in the dark. On top of each tomb, in full papal vestments, lay life-sized semblances of each Pope, shown in death, arms folded across their chests. The prostrate bodies seemed to emerge from within the tombs, pressing upward against the marble lids as if trying to escape their mortal restraints. The flashlight procession moved on, and the papal silhouettes rose and fell against the walls, stretching and vanishing in a macabre shadowbox dance. A silence had fallen across the group, and Vittoria couldn't tell whether it was one of respect or apprehension. She sensed both. The camerlegno moved with his eyes closed, as if he knew every step by heart. Vittoria suspected he had made this eerie promenade many times since the Pope's death†¦ perhaps to pray at his tomb for guidance. I worked under the cardinal's tutelage for many years, the camerlegno had said. He was like a father to me. Vittoria recalled the camerlegno speaking those words in reference to the cardinal who had â€Å"saved† him from the army. Now, however, Vittoria understood the rest of the story. That very cardinal who had taken the camerlegno under his wing had apparently later risen to the papacy and brought with him his young protege to serve as chamberlain. That explains a lot, Vittoria thought. She had always possessed a well-tuned perception for others' inner emotions, and something about the camerlegno had been nagging her all day. Since meeting him, she had sensed an anguish more soulful and private than the overwhelming crisis he now faced. Behind his pious calm, she saw a man tormented by personal demons. Now she knew her instincts had been correct. Not only was he facing the most devastating threat in Vatican history, but he was doing it without his mentor and friend†¦ flying solo. The guards slowed now, as if unsure where exactly in the darkness the most recent Pope was buried. The camerlegno continued assuredly and stopped before a marble tomb that seemed to glisten brighter than the others. Lying atop was a carved figure of the late Pope. When Vittoria recognized his face from television, a shot of fear gripped her. What are we doing? â€Å"I realize we do not have much time,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"I still ask we take a moment of prayer.† The Swiss Guard all bowed their heads where they were standing. Vittoria followed suit, her heart pounding in the silence. The camerlegno knelt before the tomb and prayed in Italian. As Vittoria listened to his words, an unexpected grief surfaced as tears†¦ tears for her own mentor†¦ her own holy father. The camerlegno's words seemed as appropriate for her father as they did for the Pope. â€Å"Supreme father, counselor, friend.† The camerlegno's voice echoed dully around the ring. â€Å"You told me when I was young that the voice in my heart was that of God. You told me I must follow it no matter what painful places it leads. I hear that voice now, asking of me impossible tasks. Give me strength. Bestow on me forgiveness. What I do†¦ I do in the name of everything you believe. Amen.† â€Å"Amen,† the guards whispered. Amen, Father. Vittoria wiped her eyes. The camerlegno stood slowly and stepped away from the tomb. â€Å"Push the covering aside.† The Swiss Guards hesitated. â€Å"Signore,† one said, â€Å"by law we are at your command.† He paused. â€Å"We will do as you say†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The camerlegno seemed to read the young man's mind. â€Å"Someday I will ask your forgiveness for placing you in this position. Today I ask for your obedience. Vatican laws are established to protect this church. It is in that very spirit that I command you to break them now.† There was a moment of silence and then the lead guard gave the order. The three men set down their flashlights on the floor, and their shadows leapt overhead. Lit now from beneath, the men advanced toward the tomb. Bracing their hands against the marble covering near the head of the tomb, they planted their feet and prepared to push. On signal, they all thrust, straining against the enormous slab. When the lid did not move at all, Vittoria found herself almost hoping it was too heavy. She was suddenly fearful of what they would find inside. The men pushed harder, and still the stone did not move. â€Å"Ancora,† the camerlegno said, rolling up the sleeves of his cassock and preparing to push along with them. â€Å"Ora!† Everyone heaved. Vittoria was about to offer her own help, but just then, the lid began to slide. The men dug in again, and with an almost primal growl of stone on stone, the lid rotated off the top of the tomb and came to rest at an angle – the Pope's carved head now pushed back into the niche and his feet extended out into the hallway. Everyone stepped back. Tentatively, a guard bent and retrieved his flashlight. Then he aimed it into the tomb. The beam seemed to tremble a moment, and then the guard held it steady. The other guards gathered one by one. Even in the darkness Vittoria sensed them recoil. In succession, they crossed themselves. The camerlegno shuddered when he looked into the tomb, his shoulders dropping like weights. He stood a long moment before turning away. Vittoria had feared the corpse's mouth might be clenched tight with rigor mortis and that she would have to suggest breaking the jaw to see the tongue. She now saw it would be unnecessary. The cheeks had collapsed, and the Pope's mouth gaped wide. His tongue was black as death.

Mood Ring Colors and Meanings