The Lost Symbol Chapter 107-109

CHAPTER 107 The stone table felt cold beneath Katherine Solomon's back. Horrifying images of Robert's death continued to swirl through her mind, along with thoughts of her brother. Is Peter dead, too? The strange knife on the nearby table kept bringing flashes of what might lie in store for her as well. Is this really the end? Oddly, her thoughts turned abruptly to her research . . . to Noetic Science . . . and to her recent breakthroughs. All of it lost . . . up in smoke. She would never be able to share with the world everything she had learned. Her most shocking discovery had taken place only a few months ago, and the results had the potential to redefine the way humans thought about death. Strangely, thinking now of that experiment . . . was bringing her an unexpected solace. As a young girl, Katherine Solomon had often wondered if there was life after death. Does heaven exist? What happens when we die? As she grew older, her studies in science quickly erased any fanciful notions of heaven, hell, or the afterlife. The concept of â€Å"life after death,† she came to accept, was a human construct . . . a fairy tale designed to soften the horrifying truth that was our mortality. Or so I believed . . . A year ago, Katherine and her brother had been discussing one of philosophy's most enduring questions–the existence of the human soul–specifically the issue of whether or not humans possessed some kind of consciousness capable of survival outside of the body. They both sensed that such a human soul probably did exist. Most ancient philosophies concurred. Buddhist and Brahminical wisdom endorsed metempsychosis–the transmigration of the soul into a new body after death; Platonists defined the body as a â€Å"prison† from which the soul escaped; and the Stoics called the soul apospasma tou theu–â€Å"a particle of God†Ã¢â‚¬â€œand believed it was recalled by God upon death. The existence of the human soul, Katherine noted with some frustration, was probably a concept that would never be scientifically proven. Confirming that a consciousness survived outside the human body after death was akin to exhaling a puff of smoke and hoping to find it years later. After their discussion, Katherine had a strange notion. Her brother had mentioned the Book of Genesis and its description of the soul as Neshemah–a kind of spiritual â€Å"intelligence† that was separate from the body. It occurred to Katherine that the word intelligence suggested the presence of thought. Noetic Science clearly suggested that thoughts had mass, and so it stood to reason, then, that the human soul might therefore also have mass. Can I weigh a human soul? The notion was impossible, of course . . . foolish even to ponder. It was three days later that Katherine suddenly woke up from a dead sleep and sat bolt upright in bed. She jumped up, drove to her lab, and immediately began work designing an experiment that was both startlingly simple . . . and frighteningly bold. She had no idea if it would work, and she decided not to tell Peter about her idea until her work was complete. It took four months, but finally Katherine brought her brother into the lab. She wheeled out a large piece of gear that she had been keeping hidden in the back storage room. â€Å"I designed and built it myself,† she said, showing Peter her invention. â€Å"Any guesses?† Her brother stared at the strange machine. â€Å"An incubator?† Katherine laughed and shook her head, although it was a reasonable guess. The machine did look a bit like the transparent incubators for premature babies one saw in hospitals. This machine, however, was adult size–a long, airtight, clear plastic capsule, like some kind of futuristic sleeping pod. It sat atop a large piece of electronic gear. â€Å"See if this helps you guess,† Katherine said, plugging the contraption into a power source. A digital display lit up on the machine, its numbers jumping around as she carefully calibrated some dials. When she was done, the display read: 0.0000000000 kg â€Å"A scale?† Peter asked, looking puzzled. â€Å"Not just any scale.† Katherine took a tiny scrap of paper off a nearby counter and laid it gently on top of the capsule. The numbers on the display jumped around again and then settled on a new reading. .0008194325 kg â€Å"High-precision microbalance,† she said. â€Å"Resolution down to a few micrograms.† Peter still looked puzzled. â€Å"You built a precise scale for . . . a person?† â€Å"Exactly.† She lifted the transparent lid on the machine. â€Å"If I place a person inside this capsule and close the lid, the individual is in an entirely sealed system. Nothing gets in or out. No gas, no liquid, no dust particles. Nothing can escape–not the person's breath exhalations, evaporating sweat, body fluids, nothing.† Peter ran a hand through his thick head of silver hair, a nervous mannerism shared by Katherine. â€Å"Hmm . . . obviously a person would die in there pretty quickly.† She nodded. â€Å"Six minutes or so, depending on their breathing rate.† He turned to her. â€Å"I don't get it.† She smiled. â€Å"You will.† Leaving the machine behind, Katherine led Peter into the Cube's control room and sat him down in front of the plasma wall. She began typing and accessed a series of video files stored on the holographic drives. When the plasma wall flickered to life, the image before them looked like home-video footage. The camera panned across a modest bedroom with an unmade bed, medication bottles, a respirator, and a heart monitor. Peter looked baffled as the camera kept panning and finally revealed, near the center of the bedroom, Katherine's scale contraption. Peter's eyes widened. â€Å"What the . . . ?† The capsule's transparent lid was open, and a very old man in an oxygen mask lay inside. His elderly wife and a hospice worker stood beside the pod. The man's breathing was labored, and his eyes were closed. â€Å"The man in the capsule was a science teacher of mine at Yale,† Katherine said. â€Å"He and I have kept in touch over the years. He's been very ill. He always said he wanted to donate his body to science, so when I explained my idea for this experiment, he immediately wanted to be a part of it.† Peter was apparently mute with shock as he stared at the scene unfolding before them. The hospice worker now turned to the man's wife. â€Å"It's time. He's ready.† The old woman dabbed her tearful eyes and nodded with a resolute calm. â€Å"Okay.† Very gently, the hospice worker reached into the pod and removed the man's oxygen mask. The man stirred slightly, but his eyes remained closed. Now the worker wheeled the respirator and other equipment off to the side, leaving the old man in the capsule totally isolated in the center of the room. The dying man's wife now approached the pod, leaned down, and gently kissed her husband's forehead. The old man did not open his eyes, but his lips moved, ever so slightly, into a faint, loving smile. Without his oxygen mask, the man's breathing was quickly becoming more labored. The end was obviously near. With an admirable strength and calm, the man's wife slowly lowered the transparent lid of the capsule and sealed it shut, exactly as Katherine had taught her. Peter recoiled in alarm. â€Å"Katherine, what in the name of God?!† â€Å"It's okay,† Katherine whispered. â€Å"There's plenty of air in the capsule.† She had seen this video dozens of times now, but it still made her pulse race. She pointed to the scale beneath the dying man's sealed pod. The digital numbers read: 51.4534644 kg â€Å"That's his body weight,† Katherine said. The old man's breathing became more shallow, and Peter inched forward, transfixed. â€Å"This is what he wanted,† Katherine whispered. â€Å"Watch what happens.† The man's wife had stepped back and was now seated on the bed, silently looking on with the hospice worker. Over the course of the next sixty seconds, the man's shallow breathing grew faster, until all at once, as if the man himself had chosen the moment, he simply took his last breath. Everything stopped. It was over. The wife and hospice worker quietly comforted each other. Nothing else happened. After a few seconds, Peter glanced over at Katherine in apparent confusion. Wait for it, she thought, redirecting Peter's gaze to the capsule's digital display, which still quietly glowed, showing the dead man's weight. Then it happened. When Peter saw it, he jolted backward, almost falling out of his chair. â€Å"But . . . that's . . .† He covered his mouth in shock. â€Å"I can't . . .† It was seldom that the great Peter Solomon was speechless. Katherine's reaction had been similar the first few times she saw what had happened. Moments after the man's death, the numbers on the scale had decreased suddenly. The man had become lighter immediately after his death. The weight change was minuscule, but it was measurable . . . and the implications were utterly mind-boggling. Katherine recalled writing in her lab notes with a trembling hand: â€Å"There seems to exist an invisible `material' that exits the human body at the moment of death. It has quantifiable mass which is unimpeded by physical barriers. I must assume it moves in a dimension I cannot yet perceive.† From the expression of shock on her brother's face, Katherine knew he understood the implications. â€Å"Katherine . . .† he stammered, blinking his gray eyes as if to make sure he was not dreaming. â€Å"I think you just weighed the human soul.† There was a long silence between them. Katherine sensed that her brother was attempting to process all the stark and wondrous ramifications. It will take time. If what they had just witnessed was indeed what it seemed to be–that is, evidence that a soul or consciousness or life force could move outside the realm of the body–then a startling new light had just been shed on countless mystical questions: transmigration, cosmic consciousness, near-death experiences, astral projection, remote viewing, lucid dreaming, and on and on. Medical journals were filled with stories of patients who had died on the operating table, viewed their bodies from above, and then been brought back to life. Peter was silent, and Katherine now saw he had tears in his eyes. She understood. She had cried, too. Peter and Katherine had lost loved ones, and for anyone in that position, the faintest hint of the human spirit continuing after death brought a glimmer of hope. He's thinking of Zachary, Katherine thought, recognizing the deep melancholy in her brother's eyes. For years Peter had carried the burden of responsibility for his son's death. He had told Katherine many times that leaving Zachary in prison had been the worst mistake of his life, and that he would never find a way to forgive himself. A slamming door drew Katherine's attention, and suddenly she was back in the basement, lying on a cold stone table. The metal door at the top of the ramp had closed loudly, and the tattooed man was coming back down. She could hear him entering one of the rooms down the hall, doing something inside, and then continuing along the hall toward the room she was in. As he entered, she could see that he was pushing something in front of him. Something heavy . . . on wheels. As he stepped into the light, she stared in disbelief. The tattooed man was pushing a person in a wheelchair. Intellectually, Katherine's brain recognized the man in the chair. Emotionally, her mind could barely accept what she was looking at. Peter? She didn't know whether to be overjoyed that her brother was alive . . . or utterly horrified. Peter's body had been shaved smooth. His mane of thick silver hair was all gone, as were his eyebrows, and his smooth skin glistened as if it had been oiled. He wore a black silk gown. Where his right hand should have been, he had only a stump, wrapped in a clean, fresh bandage. Her brother's pain-laden eyes reached out to hers, filled with regret and sorrow. â€Å"Peter!† Her voice cracked. Her brother tried to speak but made only muffled, guttural noises. Katherine now realized he was bound to the wheelchair and had been gagged. The tattooed man reached down and gently stroked Peter's shaved scalp. â€Å"I've prepared your brother for a great honor. He has a role to play tonight.† Katherine's entire body went rigid. No . . . â€Å"Peter and I will be leaving in a moment, but I thought you'd want to say good-bye.† â€Å"Where are you taking him?† she said weakly. He smiled. â€Å"Peter and I must journey to the sacred mountain. That is where the treasure lies. The Masonic Pyramid has revealed the location. Your friend Robert Langdon was most helpful.† Katherine looked into her brother's eyes. â€Å"He killed . . . Robert.† Her brother's expression contorted in agony, and he shook his head violently, as if unable to bear any more pain. â€Å"Now, now, Peter,† the man said, again stroking Peter's scalp. â€Å"Don't let this ruin the moment. Say good-bye to your little sister. This is your final family reunion.† Katherine felt her mind welling with desperation. â€Å"Why are you doing this?!† she shouted at him. â€Å"What have we ever done to you?! Why do you hate my family so much?!† The tattooed man came over and placed his mouth right next to her ear. â€Å"I have my reasons, Katherine.† Then he walked to the side table and picked up the strange knife. He brought it over to her and ran the burnished blade across her cheek. â€Å"This is arguably the most famous knife in history.† Katherine knew of no famous knives, but it looked foreboding and ancient. The blade felt razor sharp. â€Å"Don't worry,† he said. â€Å"I have no intention of wasting its power on you. I'm saving it for a more worthy sacrifice . . . in a more sacred place.† He turned to her brother. â€Å"Peter, you recognize this knife, don't you?† Her brother's eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and disbelief. â€Å"Yes, Peter, this ancient artifact still exists. I obtained it at great expense . . . and I have been saving it for you. At long last, you and I can end our painful journey together.† With that, he wrapped the knife carefully in a cloth with all of his other items–incense, vials of liquid, white satin cloths, and other ceremonial objects. He then placed the wrapped items inside Robert Langdon's leather bag along with the Masonic Pyramid and capstone. Katherine looked on helplessly as the man zipped up Langdon's daybag and turned to her brother. â€Å"Carry this, Peter, would you?† He set the heavy bag on Peter's lap. Next, the man walked over to a drawer and began rooting around. She could hear small metal objects clinking. When he returned, he took her right arm, steadying it. Katherine couldn't see what he was doing, but Peter apparently could, and he again started bucking wildly. Katherine felt a sudden, sharp pinch in the crook of her right elbow, and an eerie warmth ran down around it. Peter was making anguished, strangled sounds and trying in vain to get out of the heavy chair. Katherine felt a cold numbness spreading through her forearm and fingertips below the elbow. When the man stepped aside, Katherine saw why her brother was so horrified. The tattooed man had inserted a medical needle into her vein, as if she were giving blood. The needle, however, was not attached to a tube. Instead, her blood was now flowing freely out of it . . . running down her elbow, forearm, and onto the stone table. â€Å"A human hourglass,† the man said, turning to Peter. â€Å"In a short while, when I ask you to play your role, I want you to picture Katherine . . . dying alone here in the dark.† Peter's expression was one of total torment. â€Å"She will stay alive,† the man said, â€Å"for about an hour or so. If you cooperate with me quickly, I will have enough time to save her. Of course, if you resist me at all . . . your sister will die here alone in the dark.† Peter bellowed unintelligibly through his gag. â€Å"I know, I know,† the tattooed man said, placing a hand on Peter's shoulder, â€Å"this is hard for you. But it shouldn't be. After all, this is not the first time you will abandon a family member.† He paused, bending over and whispering in Peter's ear. â€Å"I'm thinking, of course, of your son, Zachary, in Soganlik prison.† Peter pulled against his restraints and let out another muffled scream through the cloth in his mouth. â€Å"Stop it!† Katherine shouted. â€Å"I remember that night well,† the man taunted as he finished packing. â€Å"I heard the whole thing. The warden offered to let your son go, but you chose to teach Zachary a lesson . . . by abandoning him. Your boy learned his lesson, all right, didn't he?† The man smiled. â€Å"His loss . . . was my gain.† The man now retrieved a linen cloth and stuffed it deep into Katherine's mouth. â€Å"Death,† he whispered to her, â€Å"should be a quiet thing.† Peter struggled violently. Without another word, the tattooed man slowly backed Peter's wheelchair out of the room, giving Peter a long, last look at his sister. Katherine and Peter locked eyes one final time. Then he was gone. Katherine could hear them going up the ramp and through the metal door. As they exited, she heard the tattooed man lock the metal door behind him and continue on through the painting of the Three Graces. A few minutes later, she heard a car start. Then the mansion fell silent. All alone in the dark, Katherine lay bleeding. CHAPTER 108 Robert Langdon's mind hovered in an endless abyss. No light. No sound. No feeling. Only an infinite and silent void. Softness. Weightlessness. His body had released him. He was untethered. The physical world had ceased to exist. Time had ceased to exist. He was pure consciousness now . . . a fleshless sentience suspended in the emptiness of a vast universe. CHAPTER 109 The modified UH-60 skimmed in low over the expansive rooftops of Kalorama Heights, thundering toward the coordinates given to them by the support team. Agent Simkins was the first to spot the black Escalade parked haphazardly on a lawn in front of one of the mansions. The driveway gate was closed, and the house was dark and quiet. Sato gave the signal to touch down. The aircraft landed hard on the front lawn amid several other vehicles . . . one of them a security sedan with a bubble light on top. Simkins and his team jumped out, drew their weapons, and dashed up onto the porch. Finding the front door locked, Simkins cupped his hands and peered through a window. The foyer was dark, but Simkins could make out the faint shadow of a body on the floor. â€Å"Shit,† he whispered. â€Å"It's Hartmann.† One of his agents grabbed a chair off the porch and heaved it through the bay window. The sound of shattering glass was barely audible over the roar of the helicopter behind them. Seconds later, they were all inside. Simkins rushed to the foyer and knelt over Hartmann to check his pulse. Nothing. There was blood everywhere. Then he saw the screwdriver in Hartmann's throat. Jesus. He stood up and motioned to his men to begin a full search. The agents fanned out across the first floor, their laser sights probing the darkness of the luxurious house. They found nothing in the living room or study, but in the dining room, to their surprise, they discovered a strangled female security guard. Simkins was fast losing hope that Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon were alive. This brutal killer clearly had set a trap, and if he had managed to kill a CIA agent and an armed security guard, then it seemed a professor and a scientist had no chance. Once the first floor was secure, Simkins sent two agents to search upstairs. Meanwhile, he found a set of basement stairs off the kitchen and descended. At the bottom of the stairs, he threw on the lights. The basement was spacious and spotless, as if it were hardly ever used. Boilers, bare cement walls, a few boxes. Nothing here at all. Simkins headed back up to the kitchen just as his men were coming down from the second floor. Everyone shook their heads. The house was deserted. No one home. And no more bodies. Simkins radioed Sato with the all-clear and the grim update. When he got to the foyer, Sato was already climbing the stairs onto the porch. Warren Bellamy was visible behind her, sitting dazed and alone in the helicopter with Sato's titanium briefcase at his feet. The OS director's secure laptop provided her with worldwide access to CIA computer systems via encrypted satellite uplinks. Earlier tonight, she had used this computer to share with Bellamy some kind of information that had stunned the man into cooperating fully. Simkins had no idea what Bellamy had seen, but whatever it was, the Architect had been visibly shell- shocked ever since. As Sato entered the foyer, she paused a moment, bowing her head over Hartmann's body. A moment later, she raised her eyes and fixed them on Simkins. â€Å"No sign of Langdon or Katherine? Or Peter Solomon?† Simkins shook his head. â€Å"If they're still alive, he took them with him.† â€Å"Did you see a computer in the house?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am. In the office.† â€Å"Show me.† Simkins led Sato out of the foyer and into the living room. The plush carpet was covered with broken glass from the shattered bay window. They walked past a fireplace, a large painting, and several bookshelves to an office door. The office was wood paneled, with an antique desk and a large computer monitor. Sato walked around behind the desk and eyed the screen, immediately scowling. â€Å"Damn it,† she said under her breath. Simkins circled around and looked at the screen. It was blank. â€Å"What's wrong?† Sato pointed to an empty docking station on the desk. â€Å"He uses a laptop. He took it with him.† Simkins didn't follow. â€Å"Does he have information you want to see?† â€Å"No,† Sato replied, her tone grave. â€Å"He has information I want nobody to see.† Downstairs in the hidden basement, Katherine Solomon had heard the sounds of helicopter blades followed by breaking glass and heavy boots on the floor above her. She tried to cry out for help, but the gag in her mouth made it impossible. She could barely make a sound. The harder she tried, the faster the blood began flowing from her elbow. She was feeling short of breath and a little dizzy. Katherine knew she needed to calm down. Use your mind, Katherine. With all of her intention, she coaxed herself into a meditative state. Robert Langdon's mind floated through the emptiness of space. He peered into the infinite void, searching for any points of reference. He found nothing. Total darkness. Total silence. Total peace. There was not even the pull of gravity to tell him which way was up. His body was gone. This must be death. Time seemed to be telescoping, stretching and compressing, as if it had no bearings in this place. He had lost all track of how much time had passed. Ten seconds? Ten minutes? Ten days? Suddenly, however, like distant fiery explosions in far-off galaxies, memories began to materialize, billowing toward Langdon like shock waves across a vast nothingness. All at once, Robert Langdon began to remember. The images tore through him . . . vivid and disturbing. He was staring up at a face that was covered with tattoos. A pair of powerful hands lifted his head and smashed it into the floor. Pain erupted . . . and then darkness. Gray light. Throbbing. Wisps of memory. Langdon was being dragged, half conscious, down, down, down. His captor was chanting something. Verbum significatium . . . Verbum omnificum . . . Verbum perdo . . .

Second Life Ready for Business

1. What problems can Second Life help businesses solve? Second Life provides businesses with tools for online conferencing, online collaboration, knowledge management, and prototyping. Companies can test new products using Second Life’s 3-D rendering programs. They can experiment with new marketing and advertising campaigns to see how people react. They can receive feedback on real-world products or services. 2. Considering what you have learned about Second Life, how could you, as an individual, create a modest start-up business on the Grid? What goods would you sell? Why would this be a good choice of product? What, in simple terms, would your business plan be? Why would it work? One potential new business would be to sell furnishings for online spaces. People inherently want to furnish and decorate their private spaces. The products could be bought and sold using Lindens. The start-up costs could be low since there aren’t any inventory costs. You can create the furnishings as they’re ordered. A business plan would include advertising ideas, marketing ideas, how to deliver the products, customer follow-up ideas, and financial planning. 3. Visit eBay on the Web and see what Second Life items you can find listed for auction. How would you rate the activity surrounding these items? Are you surprised by what you see? Why or why not? Obviously the information for this question will fluctuate. As of this writing, eBay offered 211 items. They included how-to manuals for making money on Second Life, a guide to selling land, and business opportunities on the site. One item in particular was a vending machine business package available for $4.99. The individual offering the item was an eBay Power Seller with 6,483 feedback postings. He was obviously an established eBay seller. Other items for sale include a Gym Workout package for $4.99 and a macro that makes navigating the skies of Second Life easier. It sold for $12.99. Answers to the last three questions will vary by student. The point is to have them realize how advanced and pervasive sites like Second Life have become. 4. How important is interoperability between 3-D worlds like Second Life and other Web sites such as Amazon, MySpace, and YouTube? Do you think that Second Life can survive and prosper on its own? What is the future of these entities? Separate or integrated? Interoperability between 3-D worlds and other Web sites is very important because of the increasing popularity of all the sites. People don’t want to continually learn new and different skills. Rather they want to transport their skills and software from one site to another. It’s doubtful that Second Life could survive and prosper on its own. Demand for the site will increase if it becomes more entwined with other sites and even real life. As people continue to combine offline and online activities, they want easy ways to transition from one to the other. This is where the people component of the three dimensions of information systems becomes apparent. Obviously this leads to more integration in the future. 5. What obstacles does Second Life have to overcome in order to become a mainstream business tool? Does it face fewer or more obstacles to become a mainstream educational tool? To what do you attribute the difference? Second Life needs to overcome the idea and perception that it’s â€Å"just another game site.† Other obstacles include ease-of-use, interoperability between pre-established business systems and Second Life’s proprietary system. It needs to create ways to import and export data between its system and external business systems—don’t require data to be re-input into either system. Second Life faces more obstacles in trying to become a mainstream educational tool. Educators are inherently opposed to online, distance education because it supposedly lacks the face-to-face communication between teachers and students. However, as more education is carried online, Second Life has all the tools in place to make it easy to conduct classes, especi ally its online collaboration tools. 6. What kinds of businesses are most likely to benefit from a presence on Second Life? Why? Retail businesses that are already used to doing business online may have an easier time of establishing a viable presence on Second Life. They are used to advertising and marketing to customers online and have the systems built for taking orders, accepting payments, and shipping products. Other companies, like IBM, that have established online collaboration systems and online knowledge management systems will probably have an easier time using Second Life as another outlet for these activities. 7. would you like to interview for a job using Second Life? Why or why not? Obviously the answers to this question will vary from student to student. Some may prefer interviewing for a job using Second Life since they may see face-to-face interviews as extremely nerve-wracking. Other may prefer a face-to-face interview rather than trying to create an avatar that adequately represents them. 8. Is Second Life a precursor of how business will be conducted in the future or a corporate experiment? Justify your answer. Second Life probably is a precursor of how business will be conducted in the future. Online presence and activity is increasing, not decreasing. Businesses are continually turning to online services to change the way they do business and move many of their offline activities to online ventures.

Biographical and Psychological Strategies Essay

Often, people would resolve into using the biographical strategy when they come into a dead end in trying to interpret a work. This is what I like about this particular strategy because it can provide answers to unanswered questions that are not possible to be derived from the work alone. Sometimes, a look at the life of the author helps in understanding a piece of literature. Some say that is a lazy man’s approach into interpreting a text but that does not mean that it is not an effective way. I believe that in all works, there is always a piece of the author in their writings, making this strategy a valid one. We simply cannot deny the fact that the works of an author are almost always influenced by his experiences. I also like how this approach becomes investigative in nature because of the â€Å"digging† of information for the authors’ lives. What I Don’t Like About Psychological Strategies Unlike biographical strategies, psychological strategies do not quite get me that excited. This strategy urges critics to look for â€Å"symbolic† meanings in every work which just complicate things. Though I understand the importance of symbols in literature, this strategy can sometimes be used too much and give symbolism into things and events that are not even meant by the author to have symbols. Though this might contradict my likeness for biographical strategies, I believe that events should (at least most of the time) stand on their own. Another thing that I do not like about psychological strategies is the Oedipus complex theory; it is just far too taboo for me to think of such things. Speaking of theory, this is what mostly this strategy is based on—theory, which means, it is not as reliable as a biographical approach because the latter is based on the lives of the authors, not on speculated ideas.

Gun Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Gun Violence - Essay Example It is often put that gun violence is brought about by specific factors which to evidently would be untrue basing on findings on the subject (Reese, par. 20-24). Gun violence is attributed to a number of issues. These vary from lifestyle to economic reasons. For instance, social concerns are pinpointed as one of the reasons that yield to the tragedy. Such issues around the society as biases, social classification, just to mention but a few are termed as crucial in dictating gun violence. For instance, ethnic background and history confirm that black Americans are amongst the larger share of the victims involved. The problem is however, this same ethnicity is self targeted; an occurrence that raises question as to whether the issue is inter-ethnic or the contrary. In as much as the historical perceptions may have such a massive influence on the people there is more to the violence than the background can provide (Reese, par 5). The problem also arises with the nature in which the inventories of armories are handled. Evidently, there are approximately 283 million fire arms in the hands of the civilians. However this does not directly guarantee violence. It turns out that of this big number of civilian procession, most of the violence cases accrue from the firearms distributed by individual dealers. Roughly 30,000 firearms are unaccounted for annually from the dealers’ inventories. This makes the control of such distribution difficult especially given the policy guidelines (Reese, par. 4). Another paradigm significant in explaining the gun violence is the family and the society value system. There are several instances in records of homicidal and suicidal cases involving firearms in US. Most of these cases are unaccounted for by the media houses owing to the dynamic debates around them. When for example, a teenage girl indiscriminately shoots at her school mates and

The influences of Chinese culture on leadership style Dissertation

The influences of Chinese culture on leadership style - Dissertation Example It was likewise found that private sector employees experience all leadership styles more than their public sector counterparts. These outcomes are relevant to ensuring the satisfaction and retention of staff. Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background of the Study Cross-cultural research has emphasized how culture can be strongly associated with leadership behaviours. Aside from practical needs, it is also of great importance that the influence of culture on leadership is investigated. The notion on the concept of leadership has now highlighted the fact that attitudes, behaviours, and values of leaders can vary due to national cultures (Liu, Fu, and Wu 2008). Moreover, it has also been asserted that leaders’ effectiveness considerably differs due to the culture with which such leaders function (Fikret-Pasa, Kabasakal, and Bodur 2001). Because strong evidence exists regarding the impact on national culture on the behaviour of leaders, the influence of Chinese culture on their style s of leadership has been widely documented (Wang, Tsui, and Xin 2011). The considerable transformation of the People’s Republic of China with regards to their political, economic and social aspects has caught the world’s interest over the previous years. Due to a planned economy that has become increasingly competitive during the past two decades, the country’s activities have become more incorporated into the global economy and has been observed to be a very significant player in the international market (Tsui and Lau 2002). China also remains to be the world’s largest Communist nation and is committed to function with its cultural influences in controlling and managing businesses. Nonetheless, traditional firms in China have continued to experience major organisational transformations as well as an increased competition due to numerous new and fresh entrepreneurial companies (Tsui and Lau 2002; Moody 2003). Such conditions develop a sense of uncertainty for firms and establishes a setting in which their leaders must possess and demonstrate a high level of good judgment to positively influence organisational outcomes (Boal and Hooijberg 2000). The more effective and cautious leaders are, the better their influence on decisions, and behavioural decisions will be, hence, better outcomes for their firms (Boal 2004). Moreover, traditional Chinese culture allow leaders to have dominant control and authority over their firms and have the main responsibility of making decisions as their subordinates expect guidance and consent from them. Leaders represent important figures in any organisation whose actions and decisions are observed and adopted by others (Farh and Cheng 2000). Chinese leaders were selected as the main topic for the current study as they function in a working environment that is characterized by constant environmental changes (Tsui, Schoonhoven, Meyer, Lau, and Milkovich 2004), yet their commitment to operate in accordance with cultural beliefs and values cannot be overemphasized. In environments characterized by ambiguity and instability, leaders are expected to provide their firms with a vision and direction for the future. China’s major transformation into free market competition has

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication Essay

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication - Essay Example Yet, what we communicate is even more important than how we communicate. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication would give me the deeper knowledge I require to pursue a career in Public Relations and Event Planning. My obligation to the field is to bring a solid foundation rooted in the many issues I will face in tomorrow's world of Journalism and Mass Communication. I have long aspired to work in the field of communications. During the last two years I have worked as an event planner, helping the staff promote and produce events for our clients. This exposure has worked to heighten my dedication to pursue this area as I have found it fascinating as well as enjoyable. I have gotten great self-satisfaction working with people as we crafted the messages and images required to produce a successful event. This experience has taught me the importance of the details that can only be acquired through a continued and quality education. It is the many facets of communication that I hope to gain from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. My previous studies have focused on my eventual attendance in the higher level courses of communications. I have always strived to maintain a high level of academic success and in the fall of 2005 I was recognized by John Cabot University for this achievement.

A Look at the Country of Rwanda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Look at the Country of Rwanda - Essay Example Today, Rwanda, with the densest population in Africa, struggles to bring more prosperity to its approximately 9 million people by attracting investments, promoting tourism and boosting its agricultural output. -- and this distinction is most commonly used in connection with the Rwandan civil war or the genocide in 1994. However, the Rwandan people have historically belonged, using common culture and language as criteria, to one ethnic group called Banyarwanda (people of Rwanda).5 Dr. Anastase Shyaka, a professor at the University of Rwanda writes that prior to European colonization, all the Hutus, Tutsis and Twas were united and swore allegiance to one monarch, "Umwami". Further cementing this bond were the myths and folktales and clan-based identity, in which every Rwandan would trace his genealogy to one ancestor, called "Kanyarwanda". While the first king of Rwanda in the 15th century was identified as a Tutsi - the ethnic identity as explained by Prof. Shaka was more in connection with certain economic activities, and a Tutsi could lose his "Tutsiness" and become a Hutu and be deprived of his possessions. Therefore, the distinction was more economic and social, rather than strictly ge netic - a fact boosted by subsequent intermarriages, making the genetic basis moot and academic. All of Rwandans currently speak the same language (Kinyarwanda), and most are Christians (majority of whom are Catholic), with a sprinkling of Muslims. Political Culture Prior to the coming of European colonizers (first the Germans in 1894 and the Belgians in 1917), Rwanda was under a monarchy and its society was cohesive and stable. Political power was vested i the King who was in turn recognized and respected as protective of the interests of the citizens of Rwanda.6 To ensure checks and balances, three or four ministers were in-charge of different spheres of economic activity - for pasture, agriculture and hunting.7 When the Belgians ruled Rwanda, the political culture built on trust of the monarchical power to ensure fairness and equality was destroyed. Instead of three or four chiefs to oversee the different areas of livelihood, a single chief was installed, bringing the socio-economic foundation in service to the interests of the colonizers and its appointed rulers, while introducing forced labor.8 In 1935, the Belgian Colonial Administration issued identification cards clearly categorizing Rwandans as "Hutu", "Tutsi" and "Twa" on the basis on the number of heads of cattle they owned, with Tutsis classified as those with 10 or more cows. From then on, Rwandans came to see that their ethnicity is linked to opportunities for jobs and positions of power - as if identity comes first and was the primary factor over and above legitimate efforts to achieve success in society. That ethnicity became the crux of achieving or

The Promise of Stem Cell Research for Solving Complex Medical Problems Paper

The Promise of Stem Cell for Solving Complex Medical Problems - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that stem cell research might seem to be a catch-all solution to a myriad of clinical problems. If the public listens to certain corners of the bioethics field, stem cell research might seem to be a scientific solution that comes at a great cost to human life. Of course, most approaches to stem cells contain far more nuance than â€Å"for† and â€Å"against† embryonic cell research; however, it is a polarizing subject that is divisive even among researchers in the field. The purpose of this paper is to define some of the challenges—both ethical and scientific—posed to embryonic stem cell research, which includes looking at possible future directions for clinical practices, research agendas, and ethical systems that might oppose the use of embryonic stem cell lines. Overall, the â€Å"promise† of stem cell research includes not only the potential for benefiting mankind with novel kinds of treatment for painfu l and debilitating diseases, but also the potential for creating these treatments in ways that do not harm human dignity. First, a distinction should be drawn between embryonic and adult stem cells, particularly with regard to differences in their potentials to grow and regenerate tissues. Stem cells in general are a rare subset of primitive cells that, at the single-cell level, can self-renew as well as give rise to mature, differentiating daughter cells. According to the NIH, embryonic stem cells are grown easily in culture, while adult stem cells are rare in mature tissues. Accordingly, isolating these cells from an adult tissue is difficult, and methods to develop more cells in cell culture have not yet been developed. This distinction is significant insofar as large numbers of cells are needed for stem cell replacement therapies. In other words, adult stem cells cannot provide a sufficient level of coverage for stem cell research, let alone stem cell treatments on a public leve l. Therefore, stem cell research is normally biased toward the use of embryonic stem cells. Such stem cells are taken from embryos that are fertilized in vitro. The development of cells in a laboratory setting is known to scientists as â€Å"cell culture.† Embryonic stem cells are grown by transporting cells from a pre-implantation embryo into a culture environment that holds a nutrient-rich base known as a culture medium. Over the process of development, the cells divide and coat the surface of the dish into which they were transported. Once a cell line is developed, the original stem cells can produce millions or perhaps billions of embryonic stem cells for researchers to utilize in making discoveries and potentially treating diseases. Stem cells that proliferate in a cell culture of an extended period of time but have not differentiated into a specific kind of cell are known as â€Å"pluripotent† (meaning, literally, not constrained toward a specific developmental p athway). These cells are truly useful because they can be

New technology development in the primary sector Assignment

New technology development in the primary sector - Assignment Example oned activities, the packaging and processing of raw materials associated with these sectors is also considered to be a component of the primary sector. In developed and developing nations, a decreasing percentage of workers are employed in the primary sector either directly or indirectly. For instance, around 30% of the U.S labor force is involved in primary sector activity at the moment, compared to more than two-thirds in the mid-19th century. Without even knowing it, everybody comes into contact with the products of the primary sector every day. From the food we eat for breakfast, to the train we take to work, each and every part of our day contains things made from products of the primary sector (Peng 2009, pg. 12). Apart from extracting and processing raw materials, the primary sector is also involved in the creation of the basic materials for use in other sectors. For instance, growing and harvesting cotton which can then be turned into clothes which we wear every day, or bags for carrying luggage from the market, or when travelling. In summary, the primary sector produces goods which we cannot do without. Goods which we need to survive and operate, hence the â€Å"primary† part of its name. The terms research and development (R&D) and their synonyms are usually used co-terminously when referring to them in many contexts, and almost as interchangeable terms in some contexts. Terms applied in such close proximity to each other deserve a closer semantic analysis and should also attract interrogation from professional subjects involved with regard to not just their relationship to each other, but also their individual value to several contexts in regard to the quality of evidence that each offers. Research is the first step in new technology development. It starts with a problem and collects, records and tests data to develop a remedy. On the other hand, development involves working out the details of the solution, such as what materials for construction are

Charles Schwab, Company Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Charles Schwab, Company Summary - Essay Example Appendix A shows a graph that illustrates the price movement of the stock during the past year. The stock a year ago was price at $13.86. The price of the firm climbed for six months and then it started a downward spiral to reach the current price of $11.54. The graph that illustrates the movement of the SCHW common stock looks similar to the graph of the normal distribution function. The founder and chairman of the company is Charles Schwab. Walt Bettinger is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company. The enterprise has 13,200 employees worldwide. The corporate headquarters of the company are located in San Francisco. â€Å"Schwab also operates 302 domestic branch offices in  45 states, one branch in  Puerto Rico and one branch in London. Hong Kong clients are served through a Schwab subsidiary† (Aboutschwab). The quality of the human resources of the firm has been a critical success factor that has helped the company achieved tremendous growth during the past 40 y ears. The mission statement of Charles Schwab is to empower individual investors to take control of their financial lives free form the high costs and conflict of traditional brokerage firms (Blogspot). The financial service industry is a multi-trillion dollar industry. The top three stock exchanges in the United States: NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ moved 3899 million shares in 2010 (Plunkett Research). Charles Schwab is a major player in the brokerage industry. The company generated $4.2 billion in revenues in fiscal year 2010. The revenues of the company were 1% higher than in 2009. The firm has a total of 8 million client accounts. The client accounts of Charles Schwab have grown by 14.28% in comparison with 2007. The net income of the firm was $454 million. The net margin of the firm was 10.80%. The net margin is the firm was better than the industry average. The industry standard net margin is 5.8% (Dun & Bradstreet). The earnings per share (EPS) of Charles Schwab in 2010 was $0.38. The EPS is a metric that tends to influence the market price of the common stock. The return on assets (ROA) of the firm was 0.49%. The ROA industry average is 1.7% (Dun & Bradstreet). Return on assets measures how effective a company has been at generating net profits with its assets. The ROA of Charles Schwab in 2010 was 1.2% below the industry average. The return on equity (ROE) metric measures how effective a company has been at generating profits from its equity. The ROE of the company was 7.29%. The industry standard ROE is 12.3% (Dun & Bradstreet). The price earnings ratio (P/E) of the company on December 30, 2010 was 45.13. The P/E ratio is calculated by dividing the market share price by the earnings per share. The price earnings ratio shows whether a stock is relatively cheap or relatively expensive in comparison to its current earnings. There are several competitors that compete directly with Charles Schwab. Five of the top competitors Schwab faces in the marketplace are Merrill Lynch, Scottrade, Morgan Stanley, Ameritrade and ING. One of the things that set apart Charles Schwab from the competition is its brand value. The tremendous brand value of the firm has helped the company maintain high gross margins by charging $29.95 per trade. A lot of online traders receive revenues below $10 a trade. For instance Scottrade charges its customers $7 a trade. Charles Schwab i

The War on Democracy Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The War on Democracy - Movie Review Example The media announced Chavez’s resignation although no such move had been made. On the morning of 12th April 2002, Pedro Comino, a businessman, was sworn in as the new President without any elections. The American media and White House spokespersons supported the anti-Chavez picture. However, the Venezuelan masses took offensively to the new plutocratic government. Massive people protests ensued and hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans surrounded the presidential palace. With the people’s support, the Presidential Guard retook the presidential palace again. Chavez sees the 2002 coup d’Ã ©tat as the acid test of democracy where the poor masses took to the streets in order to defend Chavez and democracy.The US government not only knew about the coup but it also backed the coup through covert funding under the umbrella of U. S. Aid and the National Endowment for Democracy. Some 2 million dollars were distributed in order to make the coup a success. The Venezuelan sit uation makes it clear that the government of the United States protects its interest at the cost of everything else. Latin American politics was and has been the United States centric. Moves in Washington to protect American interests on the South American continent, the Central American region and the Caribbean are undeniable. The United States has benefited from the cheap oil, gas and other mineral wealth from these regions but the people of these regions have suffered without a doubt. The rising poverty levels, the hoards of people living below the poverty line. and the dictatorial governments supported by the United States have all made the situation worse. The intrusion of the United States government in Latin American political affairs is not new by any means. The CIA removed the Albeniz government in Guatemala in the fifties. The CIA and anti-government factions ran an all out political and military campaign to oust and exile the President. After the ouster, U. S. Vice Presid ent Richard Nixon flew into Guatemala to congratulate the new dictator. This is comparable to the Espionage activities diverted against Cuba soon after Castro’s revolution. The four and a half decades long economic war against Cuba by the United States is unquestionable. The ordinary people in Cuba have suffered more than the Castro

Health and Safety in the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Health and Safety in the Workplace Essay Health and Safety play a very important role in the workplace today. Many organizations take the responsibility of their employees’ safety and health seriously due to the various affects that could stem from a lack of providing a safe work environment. During the 20th century our nation has become a world leader in setting an example for the world involving the workers right to a safe and healthy environment. Because of the various laws and research conducted in the United States, there have been countless number of accidents that have been prevented and thousands of lives saved because of awareness. I, being a Safety Coordinator and a workplace accident survivor, know firsthand the importance of safety in the workplace and the negative outcome for employees and organizations that do not practice a safe work environment. I would like to take this time to give a little information on my personal experience on workplace accidents and the importance of safety in that environment. In 2007 I was employed as a bridge carpenter working for a large construction company in Biloxi, MS. As a bridge carpenter is was exposed to many dangerous and high risk situations that put my life at risk on an everyday basis. I felt this company actually cared about the safety of their employees. We were provided with every piece of safety equipment that was needed to perform our job as safely as possible. The equipment was fairly new and OSHA approved. If it was found to be inadequate, it was immediately removed out of service and either fixed or replaced. Not to mention every morning we conducted toolbox safety meeting and equipment inspections. This particular day of my near fatal accident, we were setting rebar cages for columns maybe 30 to 40 feet in height. It was my responsibility to climb the cage, after it was set on the footer with a crane, to unhook the rigging from the crane. I had all the proper PPE (personal protective equipment) on and the cage had been secured at th e bottom by come along rigging devices. As I climbed the cage and Unhooked the rigging from the crane, the cage began to sway from side to side. Before I could start my descent, the cage and myself still attached to it with three different positioning, fell in the water, which by the way was the Gulf of Mexico. As my feet touched the bottom I began to panic and fight to free myself by unhooking myself from the cage. Several of my co workers jumped in the water to rescue me, but they were unable to locate my body. But they were able to locate the cage I was attached to. Thanks to quick thinking they were able to hook the crane cables back to the cage and hoist the cage and I out of the water successfully. But by this time I was not breathing and had no pulse. They lowered me on a crew boat and began to perform CPR. The CPR was unsuccessful so they began to take me to the dock where the ambulance was awaiting my arrival. During the time of the boat ride, I suddenly began to cough up water and slowly came to my senses. I was taken to the hospital and was blessed that I did not sustain any major injuries. During the accident investigation it was found that the cage we were setting was not the correct one for that particular footing and one of the come along holding it in place was functioning properly to catch the cage as it began to fall. This is when I actually began to take workplace safety seriously and start my career in that field. During the course of this paper it is my intent to present key components of workplace safety and health and provide new insight and personal experience that has and will affect my career and personal life and lives of those around me. The Role of Safety and Health in the Workplace Workplace safety is the practice of an employer using preventative measures to prevent hazards to the employees health and personal safety. This practice includes creating plans and procedures for employees and managers in the workplace. In addition, workplace safety involves creating policies and keeping emergency materials available for employee and manager use while at a work site. Workplace safety has caused strikes, contract negotiations and concerns among the different labor unions. These groups have negotiated union contracts and initiated lawsuits on behalf of workers who have an unsafe workplace. The Union Auto Workers created Workers Memorial Day as a day to honor workers who are killed on the job in the United States. David Micheals, the new head of OSHA, made this profound statement â€Å"these catastrophic events are powerful reminders of the risks faced by workers across the country every day. Fourteen workers die on the job each day, far from the headlines, often noted only by their families, friends, and co-workers.† (Markowitz Rosner, 2011, p.26) Manufacturing jobs are heavily mentioned on this day due to the dangers of operating machinery or equipment. Workplace safety in many businesses requires additional training for the employees and management. This can include a lecture by an expert, hand-on training or a tour of the grounds and materials. For example, an employee whose job requires the use of a machine is not only trained to use the machine, but he is typically trained on how to operate machinery to avoid injury, dismemberment or death. The employee can also be trained on what to do if a co-worker injures herself on the job. As I stated in the introduction of this paper, I know firsthand the importance of safety and health in the workplace. By understanding the role of workplace safety and its history, employers and employees are able to apply these safety concepts to their everyday work related routines. I have learned that workplace safety and health reach far beyond the OSHA Act of 1970. Safety involves adopting a way of thinking and a way of functioning in all environments. Organizations such as unions have fought for workers right to a safety and healthy work environment. The campaigns they have fought so diligently to win have proven to be effective in fighting diseases like tuberculosis, typhoid, and smallpox that not only for the workplace but also for the general public. (Markowitz Rosner, 2011, p.27) Occupational Safety and Health Administration In 1970 Congress passed into law The Occupational Safety and Health Act which formed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or (OSHA). This act â€Å"declared that every worker is entitled to safe and healthful working conditions, and that employers are responsible for work being free from all recognized hazards†.(Silverstein, 2008, p.416) Even forty years later, many people still do not believe that OSHA is up holding the standard in workplace safety and health for which it was designed to do. Today a worker still becomes injured or sick from a dangerous job every 2.5 seconds plus a worker dies from a workplace injury or illness every 8 minutes. The National Institute for Occupational Safety, also known as NIOSH, has authority for workplace safety and health matters at federal workplace locations. In the federal workplace environment, NIOSH has an enforcement authority that corresponds to the authority OSHA exercises over workplaces operated by private sector emplo yers. In some instances, state-run programs supersede OSHA authority, and the Occupational and Safety and Health Act of 1970 encourages the development and operation by individual states of workplace safety and health programs. However, to qualify for this exemption to OSHA authority, a state-run program must establish standards and enforcement criteria that match or exceed the effectiveness of the federal OSHA program. As of April 2010, 26 states and U.S. territories have such programs in place with 23 of those 26 covering state and local government workplaces as well as workplaces operated by private sector employers. The Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 established mandatory health and safety standards and directed the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Secretary of Labor to create improved health and safety standards to protect the health and welfare of coal miners in the U.S. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) established a national minimum wage, guaranteed time-and-a-half for overtime in certain types of jobs, and prohibited employers from hiring minors. Today the FLSA helps to enforce and protect the rights and wages of non-exempt employees. I do not have much experience working directly with OSHA but as an OSHA outreach trainer, I have become accustom to understand the importance and impact they can and do have in a workplace environment. Working as a safety coordinator for several different contractors has given me an insight as to how some organizations adhere to OSHA regulations and how other organizations do not. With this insight and from knowledge gained from this course, I see that we still need stay focused on continuous safety awareness and to ensure OSHA enforces the laws and regulations for violators. By understanding the history and the need for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in our society, I have a greater enthusiasm to perform my job functions as a safety coordinator at a higher level and expect the people around me to adhere to the same level of faithfulness. Safety Issues In The Workplace Safety issues are an important topic in todays workplace, especially with the rise in accidents in places of work and business. Accidents may often be small, but they can also lead to life-altering results such as mutilation and even death. The most common type of safety issue in workplaces relates to tripping and falling, however, there are many other causes to be considered. An organization with a superior policy for dealing with safety issues should be considering topics such as ergonomics and the arrangement of the space so that the tasks best fit the people who complete them. In this discussion the focus will be on three in particular which are repetitive stress injuries, workplace stress, and substance abuse. In today’s society, there are many jobs that require sitting at a work station all day. Employees that perform these types of jobs run a higher risk of being injured by chronic and repetitive motion task, like typing on a keyboard, eyestrains, lifting or movement in juries, poor ergonomics or workstation accidents. (Lowe, 2012, p.104) Majority of musculoskeletal injuries and pain affecting office workers are a result of sitting for long periods in the same position performing the same or repetitive motions. I have learned that the key to prevention and treatment of these problems is reducing muscle and tendon overuse. A great method to reduce these injuries from happening would be massage therapy. Massage therapy allows the tendons to release pressure that has built up throughout the day or work hours. Another treatment method would be employees do daily stretches at their workstation. When I began working as a carpenter, every morning we would start the day out by doing a series of stretches to loosen our muscle the same way an individual would if they were preparing to exercise. Work related stress is another major safety issue that affects the workplace. Workplace stressors like interpersonal conflict and work overload can have a profound effect on the health of an organization’s employees. â€Å"Findings indicate that work overload and interpersonal conflict mediate the impact of role stress on emotional exhaustion, job attitudes, and behaviors.† (Boles, Jaramillo, Mulki, 2011, p.329) Interpersonal conflict happens due to the negative social interactions between co-workers in the workplace. Also interpersonal conflict is one of the most important stressors at work due to the effect it has on employees’ emotions and their ability to work as a team. Work overload is the employees’ perception that the job is placing excessive work demands on them. In today’s workforce employees are pressured to deliver greater output while using fewer resources. Overloaded individuals often experience feelings of impatience and being rushed, which in turn affects the quality of their interactions with co-workers. â€Å"Because of rising unemployment rates, layoff survivors are more likely to experience larger workloads because they now perform both their former workload and that of those who left.† (Boles, Jaramillo, Mulki, 2011, p.329) From my experience interpersonal conflict and work overload can have a big impact on the health of all employees with no regard to title, pay grade, or seniority. These stressors can cause emotional, mental, and physical health issues for all they affect. Through newly found knowledge, I have gained a greater understanding of the effects that workplace stress can have on an organization’s employees and how they interact with one another. Organizations can counteract these stressors by providing additional support to individuals who are being affected by these workplace stressors and conducting workload/interpersonal conflict evaluations bi annually. â€Å"Handling problems of substance use and abuse at work are some of the most challenging issue s confronting employers.† (Dwoskin, 2012, p. 32) The law requires employers to provide a safe, healthy and productive work environment to employees, but it also requires employers accommodate the needs of substance abusing employees. This could cause a conflict, because the substance abusing employees may be causing the health and safety issues in the workplace. Employers have the right to insist on a drug and alcohol free workplace and to take disciplinary action against individuals who violate the zero tolerance rules. Under the law â€Å"employers may hold alcoholics and recovering addicts to the same performance standards as other employees.† (Dwoskin, 2012, p.32) This means that employees that abuse drugs and alcohol may be discharged or held to disciplinary action based on tardiness, absenteeism, and poor job performance. But on the other hand, the ADA says they cannot be discriminated against if they are found to be disabled. The ADA defines discrimination as â€Å"not making reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability† (Dwoskin, 2012, p.34) During the course of my research of this particular issue, I learned effect that substance abuse in the workplace can have on the safety of that individual and the people around them. I also learned that in certain situations that a person abusing drugs and alcohol can be protected by the ADA if they are found to be disabled and the employer must accommodate their disability in the workplace. I have known several instances where employees have failed random drug screens and have been able to keep their jobs. But in those instances the employer required the employee to seek professional help in dealing with their addiction. Safety Programs â€Å"A safety program can best be described as a dynamic set of intervention activities implemented at a worksite where the aim is to prevent incidents and accidents at the workplace† (Bjerkan, Olsen, Naevestad, 2009, p.391) These safety programs are usually comprised of activities such as safety training, equipment and housekeeping inspections, safety meetings, and safe behavior observations. There are five key components to a properly structured safety incentive program. The first component involves using an entire campaign to promote your program by building teamwork thru interaction with the employees. The next component is establishing an award vehicle that should be handed out weekly. The third component states to award employees with merchandise rather than money. Usually when employees receive money as a reward they tend to forget the reward and wee the money went to. But when an employee is rewarded with merchandise, they can recall how they received it and this enco urages them to win again. The fourth component says to promote the program using items such as posters, caps, balloons, newsletters, flyers, parties, and company drawings. The last component states to make everyone a winner. It might seem to cost more, but it will pay off in the long run by promoting the idea that everyone that practices safety in the workplace is a winner. Wellness is a lifestyle that encourages good physical and mental health. It is a balanced lifestyle that includes an emphasis on the body, mind and spirit. Wellness Programs were created to encourage all faculty, staff, and retirees to live healthier lifestyles and create a culture of health throughout the organization. Workplace wellness includes organizational policies designed to facilitate employee health including allowing flex time for exercise, providing on-site kitchen and eating areas, offering healthy food options in vending machines, holding â€Å"walk and talk† meetings, and offering financial and other incentives for pa rticipation, among many other options. In the course of researching safety programs, I have learned new techniques that will enhance my knowledge in designing safety programs in the future. Working of several different companies has allowed me to be exposed to different types of safety incentive programs. I have seen what does work and also what does not work. During the course of this paper it was my intention to present key components of workplace safety and health and provide new insight and personal experience that has and will affect my career and personal life and lives of those around me. By exploring the role of safety and health in the workplace I have gained greater understanding of its history. I can now assist employers and employees to apply these safety concepts to their everyday work related routines. In researching OSHA, I discovered a greater knowledge of the importance of the OSHA Act of 1970 and the administrative offices that have developed from the Act. Offices such as OSHA and NIOSH were established to up hold the laws and standards set by the OSHA Act in the workplace. My knowledge has grown during the development of this paper which has allowed me to view different aspects of safety and health that I previously did not have knowledge of. References Dwoskin, L.L. (2012). Substance Abuse in the Workplace: ADA and FMLA Issues to Consider, Part II. Employee Benefit Plan Review, 66(8), 32-38 Jaramillo, F., Mulki, J., Boles, J. S. (2011). WORKPLACE STRESSORS, JOB ATTITUDE, AND JOB BEHAVIORS: IS INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT THE MISSING LINK? Journal of Personal Selling Sales Management, 31(3), 339-356 Lowe, W. (2012). Keying Into Office Worker Injuries. Massage Bodywork, 27(4), 104-107 Markowitz, G., Rosner, D. (20110. FROM THE TRIANGLE FIRE TO THE BP EXPLOSION: A Short History of the Century-Long Movement for Safety and Health. New Labor Forum (Murphy Institute), 20(1), 26-32. Doi10.4179/NLF.201.0000005 Moran, R.E. (2012). WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH: Better OSHA Guidance Needed On Safety Incentive Programs. GAO Reports, 1-46 Olsen, E., Bjerkan, A., Naevestad, T. (2009). Modeling the effects of a large-scale safety Culture programme: a combined qualitative and quantitative approach. Journal Of Risk research, 12 Silverstein, M. (2008). Getting Home Safe and Sound: Occupational Safety and Health Administration at 38: American Journal Of Public Health, 98(3), 416-423 Stanley, J. (2012). Osha’s Warning on Safety Incentive Programs Are Wide of the Mark. EHS Today; Vol. 5 Issue 10, p. 63-64

Influences Of Greek And Roman Theatre

Influences Of Greek And Roman Theatre Desire Under the Elms published in1924 is one of Eugene ONeills American classic plays. This play is written in three parts with each part divided into four scenes. It is based of Greek mythology and Roman tragedy. The setting is farmhouse in New England in 1850s with characters Ephraim Cabot 76 year old father, Simeon and Peter sons of the first wife, Eben son of the second wife, Abbie Putnam 35 year old third wife, young girl, two farmers, the fiddler, a sheriff, and other folk from the neighboring farms. This play portrays many elements of day to day life ambiences passion, betrayal, love, lust, hate, infanticide, tragedy, haunting past, persuasion, and sacrifice for love. Hamlet is a revenge tragedy written in the line of Roman Seneca tragedy. Passion; eroticism; pomposity; persuasiveness; incest; betrayal: partners in sin who go on a redemption, tragic and strong love, forbidden desire, rebellion against a father figure, complex love and hate, sacrifice of a child, the haunting past, determinism of the characters and their inner struggle. The elm serves as a catalyst to sensing, feeling and even seeing that which is not always visible. Elm tree meaning includes strength of will and intuition. During the 18th and 19th centuries, elms were popular as ornamentals by virtue of their rapid growth and variety of foliage and forms. This popularity lasted until World War I when the consequences of hostilities, notably in Germany, and the outbreak of Dutch elm disease saw the elm slide into horticultural decline. Elm wood is valued for its interlocking grain, and consequent resistance to splitting, with significant uses in wheels, chairs and coffins. The wood is also resistant to decay when permanently wet, and hollowed trunks were widely used as water pipes during the medieval period in Europe. Elm trees grow inhardiness zones 2 through 6. Buy an Elm New Horizon tree from Nature Hills Nursery. Elm is thought to be the tree of old Family and family tradition. Elm is often associated with Mother and Earth Goddesses, but it wou ld be completely wrong to say that it represents a female spirit. The main aspect of Elm symbolism is strength; and in that quality it leaves behind even the most powerful trees, such as Oak, Alder or Yew. Elm strength is dark and heavy; it feeds on primary instincts rather than conscious decision. This tree is quite inert and rigid, and its power is not rash; but when Elm gets ready, its strike will completely smash an enemy. Despite such prominent warrior qualities, Elm is not always good in battle. The matter is that this tree has much too passion for classic war activity and in its anger may become totally unmanageable. It personifies a mad berserker, blinded by his rage of blood, who kills everyone on his way, even if it makes no sense. Due to this blindness Elm, though strong and active, is usually not a leader, but a follower (and a very devoted follower!). As appears from the above, Elm is not an easy tree. Nevertheless, it should not be seen as completely evil, and no other tree should either. Some of Elm spiritual qualities are very valuable. For example, rare tree can do better than Elm in defending interests of family or close group. It stands to the last, and will continues to fight even in hopeless situation. Elm loyalty is unquestionable; and it will despise everyone, who shows a sight of weakness or hesitation. Elm is good for any magic workings, which are involving strength; and it also has the ability to add stability and grounding to a spell. Elm does well in dark practices, especially in spells that can bring irreversible material damage. It is known to dull the senses and cause depression or darkness, and is often used in dealing with shadows. Keywords: strength, stability, grounding, foundation, rigid structure, darkness, pressure, blind rage, devotion, loyalty to family, dark passion, fighting to the last. In The monumental tragic consequences of the incest passion that flares between a coquettish, seductive woman and her stepson, and the romantic rhetoric both use while entrapped in their sexual ecstasy. The two infatuated lovers before, while and after they commit the sin of incest, and attempts to measure their romantic rhetoric against such incestuous lust. The two lovers incest takes place in an ominous house teeming with family tensions, intense lust, hatred, and betrayal. In Desire Under the Elms (1924), a domestic peasant tragedy set in New England, Eugene ONeill portrays the grave consequences of the tragic incestuous passion that flares between a coquettish, seductive, young woman and her stepson. Abbie Putnam, a newly widowed young woman and is now old Cabots third wife, is a wicked, lusty, and extremely beautiful woman. ONeill portrays her as a woman who has a captivating and sexy figure full of lust, Abbie is thirty-five, buxom, full of vitality with a sensual face revealing her intense lust, Her round face is pretty, but marred by its rather gross sensuality (Desire Under the Elms 335). Hartman remarks that Abbie embodies the eternal earth spirit in whom all streams of desire converge (361). Abbie is a vivacious woman who lives only on lifes physical level, and once she tries to live on the spiritual level, she destroys others and destroys herself as well. In marrying an old man, the age of her father and maybe against her will, she was plannin g to seize the farmhouse and disinherit her stepsons. It is quite ironical that both Cabot and Eben patronize the same local prostitute. Though Eben hates his father for his immorality and sensuality, he himself is immoral and corrupt. He keeps visiting a whorehouse to sleep with the same prostitute his father sleeps with. He is involved in an incestuous love affair with his stepmother and fathers a son by her, thus disgracing himself and the entire family. Eben even takes after his father in some aspects of his personality. Both are lusty, deceitful, infidel, rash, stubborn, vengeful, and arrogant. Above all they are both the victims of seething animal passions. Their conflict over the possession of both the farm and the mother, the catalyst Abbie, and the incestuous relationship between the son and his stepmother all result in a great tragedy. The stock oedipal conflict between father and son over the possession of the mother runs throughout the course of Desire Under the Elms and takes different shapes, all of which culminate in the tragic destruction of the house and its dwellers. Hartman (1961) views the incestuous love affair that unites Abbie and Eben as a tragic involvement in the mother-image (361). Hartman argues that the oedipal desire for the mother is ruinous, Desire for, and identification with, the mother can cause evil to spread (367). The influence of Greek tragedy on the content of Desire Under the Elms is clearly manifest, however such influence is charged with a mystical view of the forces at work in and through human beings (Gelb 539). In their oedipal complex- based deconstructive analysis of the play script of Desire Under the Elms Murray and Bowman (1987) argue that although the plays locale is quite American, and is spiritually and emotionally tied to the puritan society, it is deeply rooted in structures found in Greek mythology (4). Murray and Bowman maintain that Ebens desire for his stepmother does not subvert his structuring superego and therefore he becomes a victim to his unconscious oedipal complex. the play is not based solely on the Greek Hippolytus myth linking Eben with Hippolytus , Abbie with Phaedra and Cabot with Theseus, but is based on this myth along with the Freudian Oedipus complex and the Nietzschean philosophy (5). Racey classifies Desire Under the Elms as a New England domestic tragedy since the Cabot family is disintegrated in a time and place when family was supposed to be the backbone of love, solidarity and labor (5). According to Racey, The Cabots tragedy is the result of a familial structure that could not sustain their sexual and materialistic desires (5). Despite the fact that Cabot did not commit any horrible sins like those committed by his son Eben and his wife Abbie, Racey argues that Cabot is the tragic hero in the play and its main character (95). Newlyn argues that the mutual physical attraction between the son and his stepmother reflects ONeills heavy reliance on the classical myths of Oedipus and Phaedra as a raw material for his domestic farm tragedy. Cabots tragic flaw that has ultimately lead to his downfall and that of all his family members is his excessive greed for property, hypocrisy, the delusion of his faith and his lust for women. Still he remains the plays only tragic figure. Cabots New England theodicy, as Presley states, gives him a towering tragic stature and an inward reality far greater than that of any other character in the play (27). Like an Aristotelian tragic figure Cabots downfall is the result of his hubris which not only causes his destruction, but also the ruin of the lives of his sons, new wife and even his former dead wives. Cabot, as Presley notes, is materially blessed but morally dissolute, blinded by a cage of greed (25). Ephraim Cabot represents what McVeigh (1990) calls the archetype of the senex amans or ridiculous old lover figure of Roman comedy (qtd. in Saur 106). Miller (1965) states that It is Ephraims self-delusions that drive his family each to their tragic ends ONeills prolix language and describes it as a vehicle for enveloping the extravagant plots and psychological formalism that owed much to Greek drama (22), and Cohn asserts that ONeill was the first American playwright whose dialogue gave his audience a feeling of observed life rather than books read as a result of committing the horrible crimes of incest and infanticide Eben and Abbie will live forever as sexual and social outcasts. They will never be respected in the community where they live, and they will always live under the curse of the crimes they committed, for evil means and deeds always result in evil ends. It is ironical that Abbie in killing the child was thinking that she, as Ditsky puts it, was sacrificing a future generation to ensure the present sensual enjoyment with her lover (qtd. in Hays 436). To prove her genuine love for Eben and to enjoy his crimson love, Abbie murdered the child. However, she did not know that in killing the child, she would be sent to jail, and would therefore no more enjoy her present love. It is also ironical on the part of Eben when he sacrifices his own youth which he would spend in prison for Abbie mistakenly believing that in sharing the guilt with her, he would join her in prison. He failed to realize that both would be sent to different prisons and might both be hanged. Their sacrifice is hopeless and their crimes are so tragic and beyond repentance. Greek tragedy by utilizing Freudian and Jungian psychology mixing them with some elements of Greek and American mythology. love and hatred, attraction and repulsion, desire and murder, incest and faith, and softness and hardness. The two elm trees resemble evil that is haunting the Cabots homestead, and they suggest the likelihood of the coming misfortune. Evil haunts the Cabots farmhouse and tempts its dwellers to commit dreadful sins. Cabot is a sinner and though he keeps praying for God to cruse his disobedient sons, he himself is an unbeliever. The Cabots feel the presence of an evil spirit in the house, but fail to understand the mysterious nature of such a spirit. They fail to unravel the mystery that drives them to their ominous ends. Cabot can feel the curse, but does not know what it is and why it is permeating the farmhouse. Even during the merry making scene, he can feel the presence of evil dominating the entire house. Desire is part of nature which is portrayed as an abiding absolute throughout the play (Carpenter 109).The play abounds with references to nature, and the characters express their admiration of nature on several occasions. The Cabots farmhouse is towered by two elm trees that reflect the image of Ebens dead mother and the entire protective feminine spirit that hovers over and redeems the Cabot farm from its hard masculine rocks (Going 386). In this context, desire, the mother and nature are seen as one entity reflecting the three constituent elements collectively. New England was far from being stereotyped as the new Eden for the puritans, but rather it was disapprovingly depicted as a land of hypocritical faith and greed for property.

History of Indian Energy Sector

History of Indian Energy Sector [1]The power sector in India has undergone significant progress after Independence. When India became independent in 1947, the country had a power generating capacity of 1,362 MW.Hydro power and coal based thermal power have been the main sources of generating electricity. Generation and distribution of electrical power was carried out primarily by private utility companies. Notable amongst them and still in existence is Calcutta Electric. Power was available only in a few urban centres; rural areas and villages did not have electricity. After 1947, all new power generation, transmission and distribution in the rural sector and the urban centres (which was not served by private utilities) came under the purview of State and Central government agencies. State Electricity Boards (SEBs) were formed in all the states.Nuclear power development is at slower pace, which was introduced, in late sixties. The concept of operating power systems on a regional basis crossing the political boundar ies of states was introduced in the early sixties. In spite of the overall development that has taken place, the power supply industry has been under constant pressure to bridge the gap between supply and demand. Development of power sector Development of Power Sector is the key to the economic development. The power Sector has been receiving adequate priority ever since the process of planned development began in 1950. The Power Sector has been getting 18-20% of the total Public Sector outlay in initial plan periods. Remarkable growth and progress have led to extensive use of electricity in all the sectors of economy in the successive five years plans. Over the years (since 1950) the installed capacity of Power Plants (Utilities) has increased to 89090 MW (31.3.98) from meagre 1713 MW in 1950, registering a 52d fold increase in 48 years. Similarly, the electricity generation increased from about 5.1 billion units to 420 Billion units – 82 fold increase. The per capita consumption of electricity in the country also increased from 15 kWh in 1950 to about 338 kWh in 1997-98, which is about 23 times. In the field of Rural Electrification and pump set energisation, country has made a tremendous progress. About 85% of the villages have been electrified except far-flung areas in North Eastern states, where it is difficult to extend the grid supply. Structure of power sector after independence Till December 1950 about 37% of the installed capacity in the Utilities was in the public sector and about 63% was in the private sector. The Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 envisaged the generation, transmission and distribution of power almost exclusively in the public sector. As a result of this Resolution and facilitated by the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948, the electricity industry developed rapidly in the State Sector. In the Constitution of India â€Å"Electricity† is a subject that falls within the concurrent jurisdiction of the Centre and the States. The Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948, provides an elaborate institutional frame work and financing norms of the performance of the electricity industry in the country. The Act envisaged creation of State Electricity Boards (SEBs) for planning and implementing the power development programmes in their respective States. The Act also provided for creation of central generation companies for setting up and operating gene rating facilities in the Central Sector. The Central Electricity Authority constituted under the Act is responsible for power planning at the national level. In addition the Electricity (Supply) Act also allowed from the beginning the private licensees to distribute and/or generate electricity in the specified areas designated by the concerned State Government/SEB. During the post-independence period, the various States played a predominant role in the power development. Most of the States have established State Electricity Boards. In some of these States separate corporations have also been established to install and operate generation facilities. In the rest of the smaller States and UTs the power systems are managed and operated by the respective electricity departments. In a few States private licences are also operating in certain urban areas. From, the Fifth Plan onwards i.e. 1974-79, the Government of India got itself involved in a big way in the generation and bulk transmission of power to supplement the efforts at the State level and took upon itself the responsibility of setting up large power projects to develop the coal and hydroelectric resources in the country as a supplementary effort in meeting the country’s power requirements. The National thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) were set up for these purposes in 1975. North-Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) was set up in 1976 to implement the regional power projects in the North-East. Subsequently two more power generation corporations were set up in 1988 viz. Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) and Nathpa Jhakri Power Corporation (NJPC). To construct, operate and maintain the inter-State and interregional transmission systems the National Power Transmission Corporation (NPTC) was set up in 1 989. The corporation was renamed as POWER GRID in 1992. Policy and regulatory framework The policy of liberalisation the Government of India announced in 1991 and consequent amendments in Electricity (Supply) Act have opened new vistas to involve private efforts and investments in electricity industry. Considerable emphasis has been placed on attracting private investment and the major policy changes have been announced by the Government in this regard which are enumerated below: The Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 was amended in 1991 to provide for creation of private generating companies for setting up power generating facilities and selling the power in bulk to the grid or other persons. Financial Environment for private sector units modified to allow liberal capital structuring and an attractive return on investment. Up to hundred percent (100%) foreign equity participation can be permitted for projects set up by foreign private investors in the Indian Electricity Sector. Administrative Legal environment modified to simplify the procedures for clearances of the projects. Policy guidelines for private sector participation in the renovation modernisation of power plants issued in 1995. In 1995, the policy for Mega power projects of capacity 1000 MW or more and supplying power to more than one state introduced. The Mega projects to be set up in the regions having coal and hydel potential or in the coastal regions based on imported fuel. The Mega policy has since been refined and Power Trading Corporation (PTC) incorporated recently to promote and monitor the Mega Power Projects. PTC would purchase power from the Mega Private Projects and sell it to the identified SEBs. In 1995 GOI came out with liquid fuel policy permitting liquid fuel based power plants to achieve the quick capacity addition so as to avert a severe power crisis. Liquid fuel linkages (Naphtha) were approved for about 12000 MW Power plant capacity. The non-traditional fuels like condensate and orimulsion have also been permitted for power generation. GOI has promulgated Electricity Regulatory Commission Act, 1998 for setting up of Independent Regulatory bodies both at the Central level and at the State level viz. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERCs) at the Central and the State levels respectively. The main function of the CERC are to regulate the tariff of generating companies owned or controlled by the Central Government, to regulate the tariff of generating companies, other than those owned or controlled by the Central Government, if such generating companies enter into or otherwise have a composite scheme for generation and sale of electricity in more than one State to regulate the inter-state transmission of energy including tariff of the transmission utilities, to regulate inter-state bulk sale of power and to aid advise the Central Government in formulation of tariff policy. The CERC has been constituted on 24.7.1998. The main functions of the SERC would be to determine the tariff for electricity wholesale bulk, grid or retail, to determine the tariff payable for use by the transmission facilities to regulate power purchase and procurement process of transmission utilities and distribution utilities, to promote competition, efficiency and economy in the activities of the electricity industries etc. Subsequently, as and when each State Government notifies, other regulatory functions would also be assigned to SERCs. The Electricity Laws (Amendment) Act, 1998 passed with a view to make transmission as a separate activity for inviting greater participation in investment from public and private sectors. The participation by private sector in the area of transmission is proposed to be limited to construction and maintenance of transmission lines for operation under the supervision and control of Central Transmission Utility (CTU)/State Transmission Utility (STU). On selection of the private company, the CTU/STU would recommend to the CERC/SERC for issue of transmission licence to the private company. The Electricity Laws (Amendment) Act, 1998 provides for creation of Central and State Transmission utilities. The function of the Central Transmission Utility shall be to undertake transmission of energy through inter-state transmission system and discharge all functions of planning and coordination relating to inter-state transmission system with State Transmission Utilities, Central Government, State Governments, generating companies etc. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited will be Central Transmission Utility. The function of the State Transmission Utility shall be to undertake transmission of energy through intra-state transmission system and discharge all functions of planning and coordination relating to intra-state transmission system with Central Transmission Utility, State Governments, generating companies etc. The share of hydel generation in the total generating capacity of the country has declined from 34 per cent at the end of the Sixth Plan to 29 per cent at the end of the Seventh Plan and further to 25.5 per cent at the end of Eighth Plan. The share is likely to decline even further unless suitable corrective measures are initiated immediately. Hydel power projects, with storage facilities, provide peak time support to the power system. Inadequate hydel support in some of the regions is adversely affecting the performance of the thermal power plants. In Western and Eastern regions, peaking power is being provided by thermal plants, some of which have to back down during off peak hours. Installed capacity (Fuel wise) Growth of installed power generation capacity given below according to year and percentage of installed capacity growth. Table included conventional and non- conventional resource according to fossil fuel being used. In above figure growth of power sector shown which indicate periodical performance and fossil fuel being used in power generation. In year of 1947, when India got independence the generation capacity was only 1362 MW, in which coal based generation was high after that hydro took place because of absence of high technology and lack of infrastructure.   Problem with Indian Power sector Indian power sector facing lot of problem in all sub-sectors like Generation, transmission and distribution. After unbundling of power sector all those three sector get boosted due to appropriate funds provision by government. From stating of generation to ending of distribution, lack of skilled labour, management, asset management and infrastructure are responsible to low growth in power sector. Apart from technological and managerial in-efficiency few major issue given below some reason to sickness of power sector. Government giveaways such as free electricity for farmers, partly to curry political favour, have depleted the cash reserves of state-run electricity-distribution system. This has financially crippled the distribution network, and its ability to pay for power to meet the demand. This situation has been worsened by government departments of India that do not pay their bills. Shortages of fuel: despite abundant reserves of coal, India is facing a severe shortage of coal. The country isnt producing enough to feed its power plants. Some plants do not have reserve coal supplies to last a day of operations. Indias monopoly coal producer, state-controlled Coal India, is constrained by primitive mining techniques and is rife with theft and corruption; Coal India has consistently missed production targets and growth targets. Poor coal transport infrastructure has worsened these problems. To expand its coal production capacity, Coal India needs to mine new deposits. However, most of Indias coal lies under protected forests or designated tribal lands. Any mining activity or land acquisition for infrastructure in these coal-rich areas of India, has been rife with political demonstrations, social activism and public interest litigations. Poor pipeline connectivity and infrastructure to harness Indias abundant coal bed methane and shale gas potential. The giant new offshore natural gas field has delivered less fuel than projected. India faces a shortage of natural gas. Hydroelectric power projects in Indias mountainous north and north east regions have been slowed down by ecological, environmental and rehabilitation controversies, coupled with public interest litigations. Indias nuclear power generation potential has been stymied by political activism since the Fukushima disaster in Japan. Average transmission, distribution and consumer-level losses exceeding 30% which includes auxiliary power consumption of thermal power stations, fictitious electricity generation by wind generators independent power producers (IPPs), etc. Over 300million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable. Lack of clean and reliable energy sources such as electricity is, in part, causing about 800million (800 million) people in India to continue using traditional biomass energy sources – namely fuel wood, agricultural waste and livestock dung – for cooking and other domestic needs. Traditional fuel combustion is the primary source of indoor air pollution in India, causes between 300,000 to 400,000 deaths per year and other chronic health issues. Indias coal-fired, oil-fired and natural gas-fired thermal power plants are inefficient and offer significant potential for greenhouse gas (CO2) emission reduction through better technology. Compared to the average emissions from coal-fired, oil-fired and natural gas-fired thermal power plants in European Union (EU-27) countries, Indias thermal power plants emit 50% to 120% more CO2 per kWh produced. [1] indianpowersector.com/wpdummy/about/overview/