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 . . .

Argumentative Essay against Capital Punishment Essay

Human life is sacred. This is an ideal that the majority of people can agree upon to a certain extent. For this reason taking the life of another has always been considered the most deplorable of crimes, one worthy of the harshest available punishment. Thus arises one of the great moral dilemmas of our time. Should taking the life of one who has taken the life of others be considered an available punishment? Capital punishment is immoral and a violation of natural rights. It is wrong for everyone involved: the prosecuted innocent, criminals, victims’ families, and our nation. We need to replace the death penalty and capital punishment with life without parole, a safer and more inexpensive option. The death penalty does not guarantee safety for innocent victims, it does not follow the goals and promises of our nation, it does not effectively deter crime, and it does not give closure to victims’ families. Nothing good comes of hate, and nothing good can ever come from capital punishment. It cannot continue to be accepted by a nation that claims to have liberty and justice for all. The death penalty is murder on the sly and it’s dead wrong. Capital punishment must not be implemented because it can lead to the possibility of wrongful execution. It is undeniable that there had already been many people sentenced of death penalty that were eventually executed even if they were truly innocent. Unfortunately, the crucial evidence that would have proven the innocence of these people was only obtained after their execution (McCafferty 71). It is because of wrongful executions that capital punishment must not be implemented in society. They only create doubts into the minds of the people that they cannot rely on the justice system especially once they badly need it. This is also hard to accept on the part of the families who already had members who experienced a wrongful execution as this is something that has a permanent impact. Obviously, the innocent people wrongfully executed can never be brought back to life anymore. Since the courts cannot be expected to make the best decisions all  the time with regard to the people who deserve conviction and acquittal, it is difficult to guarantee that wrongful executions can be completely stopped in countries that have death penalty. This is why capital punishment prevents the wrongfully accused people of the due process that they deserve to have in order to prove their innocence, something that is very unfair to them. There can be instances where the evidence that can prove their innocence is just so difficult to obtain so it takes a long period of time before it gets presented to the Court. However, because there is also a limited period of time to appeal for the death penalty sentence, it is usually the case that the wrongfully accused people are already executed before the evidence that could have set them free is discovered. This would not have happened if there is no capital punishment being implemented. Aside from this, another detrimental impact of capital punishment is that it only helps to send a message to the people that the justice system is an advocate of revenge particularly on the part of the people who got victimized by heinous crimes. The capital punishment sends a message to the people that the justice system is just there to help the families of the victims of the heinous crimes and not for the accused people who could also be innocent (Kronenwetter 36). This can also be interpreted as a punishment that does not provide any opportunity for the offenders to correct their mistakes. In this case, the justice system can be viewed as partial and biased as it only helps the victims and not the accused party. The lawyers of the accused party will then have to work extremely hard to gather evidence to spare their client from capital punishment. Finally, a society that values life does not intentionally kill people. The truth is that capital punishment is a traumatic case of homicide that has been approved by the government. This practically supports killing in order to impose a solution to the problems that are being faced by society (Mandery 58). This is something that is not very good particularly on the part of the youth who will grow up knowing that the government is approved of just killing people who violated the law. The funny thing is that  governments all over the world have tried to validate capital punishment by stating what they think are the advantages of death penalty would provide to the people. The advantages of death penalty can be considered as illusory, but the chaos and the eventual annihilation of the decency of the society are very true. Thus, there is no sense to implement capital punishment.

Creativity and Innovation in Indian Banks

Topic: Innovative products by Indian organizations in the Banking Sector Akshita Shetty Student K J Somaiya Institute of management studies and research PGDM (RM) Roll no: 56 Email id:[email  protected] com Abstract During the past one decade, one of the sectors which underwent visible sea-change through innovative strategies is undoubtedly the banking sector. The sector has been growing at a fast pace in India and is challenged with several aspects like new regulations from time to time, changing customer needs and perceptions, changing technology and changing operations.Technology has been playing a crucial role in the tremendous improvement of banking services and operations. Indian banking industry has moved way ahead both in terms of offering value added services and delivering quality service. It was thought that the world financial crisis would impact the Indian banking sector in a serious manner. But, because of the strong foundations of Indian banking system with the suppo rt from well structured financial systems, the anticipated impact of the world crisis was almost insignificant. Instead, it helped the banks to get strengthened further and become closer to the customer with innovative approaches.Banks appear to be on the path of achieving sustainability and a long-term survival because of innovation. Keywords: Innovation in banking, technology in banking, changes in banking, transformation in banking, IT in banking, Indian banking. Introduction Technology has brought about a complete paradigm shift in the functioning of banks and delivery of banking services. Gone are the days when every banking transaction required a visit to the bank branch. Today, most of the transactions can be done from the comforts of one’s home and customers need not visit the bank branch for anything.Technology is no longer an enabler, but a business driver. The growth of the internet, mobiles and communication technology has added a different dimension to banking. T he information technology (IT) available today is being leveraged in customer acquisitions, driving automation and process efficiency, delivering ease and efficiency to customers. Many of the IT initiatives of banks started in the late 1990s or early 2000 with an emphasis on the adoption of core banking solutions (CBS), automation of branches and centralization of operations in the CBS.Over the last decade, most of the banks completed the transformation to technology-driven organizations. Moving from a manual, scale-constrained environment to a global presence with automated systems and processes, it is difficult to envisage the adverse scenario the sector was in the era before the reforms, when a simple deposit or withdrawal of cash would require a day. ATMs, mobile banking and online bill payments facilities to vendors and utility service providers have almost obviated the need for customers to visit a branch.Branches are also transforming from operating as transaction processing points into relationship management hubs. The change has been very productive for banks bringing in an increase in productivity and operational efficiency to be more competitive. Better risk management due to centralization of information and real time availability of critical data for decision making. With most of the banks being technology-enabled, the focus is shifting to computerizing regional rural banks (RRBs).In addition, banks are moving toward decision making and business intelligence software and trying to optimize the IT infrastructure created The banking system in India has created a niche for itself in the current competitive global arena where adoption of new and innovative technological developments carries the key to expansion of business and its future development. The Indian banking system has come a long way from being a player restricted to domestic boundaries to a leading giant in the world of financial services across the globe.Credit for this progress goes to a mix of factors like, the introduction of various economic reforms which gave a boost to the banking sector, adoption of new technology by banks in order to streamline their line of businesses and increasing profits by improving cost efficiency and offering doorstep banking convenience to their customers. Banking ‘Then' and ‘Now' Indian villages were deprived of various financial products like mutual funds, insurance and equity trading hitherto, which are now accessible through proxy banking in the form of Internet kiosks and ATMs.The alias given to banking which is not routed through branches is ‘Channel Migration'. Through this route, a bouquet of services is at the customers' disposal in today's banking system. This is possible because banking transactions are stored in a centrally located server with which all other branches of a bank are connected. The technological systems in India are considered far more advanced than those of Russian and Chinese banking sy stems but are lagging far behind the UK, USA and Singapore.Connectivity takes root Today almost all scheduled commercial banks are connected to all the branches on a real time basis extending the anywhere banking facility to the customers, which means that it is not necessary for a customer now to visit the branch personally in order to conduct transactions. Now a customer has various other options available with him like internet banking, mobile banking, ATMs (automated teller machines), phone banking which offers 24 X 7 banking, etc.Whenever and wherever a transaction is done in a bank account, the updated status is reflected in all the branches, thus making anywhere banking possible. ATMs have revolutionalized the banking sector by making cash and other banking services available to customers at all times. Future Outlook The future of Indian banking lies in increased investment in technology platforms and a greater focus on end-to-end solutions provided by IT majors like core ban king products, vertical specific CRM and risk management software. Body scopeInnovation by Indian banks in aspects such as: Service banking ATMS’s Net banking Mobile banking ECS/RTGS/NEFT Debit card/credit cards CRM (customer service) Case studies: (for example) South Indian Bank: The salary disbursement of corporates , firms and such others who maintain accounts with any of the 511 CBS branches would be managed by the Bank, hassle-free and free of any bank charges. The employer would be benefited in that the salary could be disbursed to any employees/any single employee who are/is working even in far-off places where SIB has no presence.Dr. V. A. Joseph ,Chairman & CEO of the Bank and Mr. M. P. Gopalakrishnan,President ,CMS Trust jointly launched the product . In his inaugural address Dr. Joseph said, †This convenience banking product, which is designed for the convenience of both employers and employees, leverages the bank's strong technology platform, which connects all the 511 branches and 26 extension counters of the Bank under Core Banking Solutions network offering anytime banking to its customers. GSSA can be opened with zero balance†.The Chairman and CEO of the Bank also stated, â€Å"South Indian Bank, being a customer – oriented Bank is striving hard to render personalized customer service using the latest technological capabilities. The technological capability of the Bank was recognised when the Bank could bag the banking technology excellence award from IDRBT which is the technical arm of RBI. The service quality of the Bank has also been recognized when the Bank was selected in the ‘Outlook Money – C Fore’ survey as the best private sector Bank in India in the service quality segment. . Dr. Joseph also referred to the facility recently started for online booking of offerings, free of bank charges , through South Indian Bank payment gateway-the first bank to go online booking -by the customers of the bank who are devotees of Guruvayur Sreekrishna Temple which is described as the Dwaraka of South India. This facility is being utilized by the NRIs also to effect offerings, hassle –free with greater transparency and security at the click of a button ,either for themselves or their aged parents resident in India.. South Indian Bank had completed on 26. 03. 07 the project ‘SIBertech’ by introducing a centralised Core Banking Solution in technology partnership with Infosys Technologies when many banks had not even started implementation of CBS . SIB, had started this project in 2001 to render personalized customer service. The new product now launched would confirm this belief†, the Chairman concluded his inaugural address.With the following carefully thought-out value additions of this innovative convenience banking product , banking for employers and their employees, is made extremely easy and comfortable: – * ;Free International ATM-cum-Debit Card for which annual maintenance charges are not collected * Online booking of offerings for Lord Sri Guruvayurappan, free of bank charges * O  Withdrawal of cash from the ATMs of other Banks free of bank charges (As charges would be borne by SIB) * O  Free utility payment and e-commerce services * ;No stipulation on minimum balance ;The depositor enjoying many freebies can earn the usual SB interest * ;The depositor can operate his SB account –during his travel/temporary transfer /transfer- hassle-free * ;The account can be closed /transferred to another branch with out any charge * ;Free of cost cheque leaves (subject to limits in each category ) * ;Free fund transfer facility through RTGS/NEFT/Fast Money /DD Customers of this feature-rich Savings Bank account are also provided with facilities to open Depository account and also enjoy mobile banking facility. Indian bank:Indian Bank has won the ‘Golden Peacock Innovative Products/Service Award' for 2011. The award was received by the bank's Chairman and Managing Director, Mr T. M. Bhasin, at the World Congress on Total Quality, held in Bengaluru on Saturday. The award was given to the bank â€Å"in recognition of its contribution to promotion of self help groups (SHGs)†. SHGs have turned out to be major vehicles of women empowerment. In the current year, Indian Bank has so far disbursed Rs 1,360 crore to 55,391 SHGs, taking the total exposure under the SHG portfolio to Rs 2,336 crore, benefiting 175,390 SHGs, says a press release from the bank.State Bank of India: State bank of India, the largest public sector bank in India, offers the following innovative services. 1. SMS Unhappy This innovative idea was initiated by Mr. Siva Kumar, Dy. Managing Director of SBI. Any customer who wants to lodge a complaint sends the message â€Å"Unhappy† to a specified number (8008202020). The Happy Room then calls the customer and records the details of the complaint. The complaint is then forwar ded. SBI has received thousands of such messages since its commencement and this service is a great success.Other banks have also started imitating this service. 2. Crorepati Only Branch SBI has launched first of its kind branch for High Networth Individuals (HNI) where it takes minimum Rs 1 crore to open an account, and that too on invitation only. This branch offers specialized banking facilities like relationship managers, 24/7 lockers, extended banking hours, doorstep pick-up and drop facilities, in addition to pampering customers five-star amenities at the branch. â€Å"We have opened as many as 50 accounts so far.We are confident of opening another 150 by the end of the current fiscal,† as per Mr. Shiva Kumar, Chief General Manager, SBI4. According to SBI, an attractive feature of the branch is 24 hour open lockers. The bank also is providing special dressing rooms for customers to cater to the needs of late night function goers segment. References -Y. Ramakrishna, Serv ice Innovation in Banks for Sustainability, IJMBS Vol. 2, Issue 2, April – June 2012 -Indian banking System: Epitome of continuous innovation, 2008. -Process innovation in the Indian banking industry, 2009 Indian Banking Sector: Challenges and Opportunities -Keertiman Sharma, Innovations in rural financial products and services, VOL. 2(1) – 2011: 35-37 -Outsourcing in the Indian banking sector: gaining momentum, 2008 -Innovation in retail banking -India PRWIRE, South Indian bank launches another innovative convenience product, 2008 -Vortex engineering, Solar power to enable banking and ATM facilities for rural india, 2011 -J U Ahmed, Services Rendered by Commercial Bank: A Customer Oriented empirical Evidence from State Bank of India, Vol. I No. – 2, Jan-2011 ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Service Innovation in Banks for Sustainability [ 2 ]. technology in banking: I nsight and foresight [ 3 ]. Indian banking system: epitome of continuous improvement [ 4 ]. Solar power to enable banking and ATM facilities for Rural  India [ 5 ]. Y. Ramakrishna, Service Innovation in Banks for Sustainability, IJMBS Vol. 2, Issue 2, April – June 2012

The Importance of Training and Development in the Tesco Plc Essay

The Importance of Training and Development in the Tesco Plc - Essay Example The main results of the research highlight the fact that training and development programs are required in every organization including Tesco Plc as it increases the productivity of the organizations. Training and development is the main focus of the research, which is the chosen topic for the study. It is an important part of the business growth that relates to the development of the overall performance of the company. An organization is bound to provide training programs to the employees to inject the culture of the company and develop their skills as per the requirement of the clients. The training programs also help in developing the future of employees and achieve the goal determined by the company. The research aims at elaborating the training and development programs of Tesco Plc and whether the programs can add value to the development of the company. Hence, Tesco Plc is the main target company, whose training and development programs are evaluated and recommendations are giv en pertaining to the best training practices in Tesco Plc that add value to its operation. The main reason for choosing Tesco Plc for the research as it is one of the best retailers in the world, which exercises excellent training system. Though the company is confident regarding its training and development programs the research will help Tesco Plc to access the success of the programs through empirical analysis. It is observed that there are few types of research pertaining to this topic in the past and the researchers do not provide enough information to the readers regarding the success of the practices. Thus, this research will be an important resource for the company as it explains the best way of engaging training and development activities to maximize its overall performance and reach the targeted goal.

Tradition step to get married Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tradition step to get married - Essay Example As such, I find it reasonably important to share and describe the concept of marriage among the Alqemzi community and the UAE in general. As a custom in the UAE, marriage is first sparked by the setting up of the wedding date by the families of the bride and the groom. Even though during the preparation phase of the marriage the groom is required to do a series of arrangements, the bride is usually engaged in even more time consuming and elaborate preparations. Generally speaking, marriages in the UAE are such a glamorous occurrences since they are highly cultural and follow numerous traditions. In many UAE nations, marriage celebrations mostly last for a period of up to one week and they can present a stimulating as well as an exhausting experience for both the bride as well as the groom. Notably important, the women, whether they are getting married or not are always proud in how they appear during weddings. To illustrate, most of them uphold their traditional dressing mode, that is, they are mostly dressed in their shelas (headscarf) and abayas (cloak) throughout the wedding ceremony. Furthermore, they engage in ex cessive make ups and regularly visit salons and beauty shops in order to beautify themselves. More importantly, months before the marriage day, the bride is subjected to a certain diet by her family in order to maintain a good body and weight. Equally important, all through the wedding week, relative and friends of the bride and groom assemble in both homes, even though it is highly uncommon to find both families socializing and coming together before the wedding day. Basically, Laylat al Henna, a traditional name for the Henna Party, is the introduction of the wedding ceremony. Here, the bride, women and other ladies apply the Henna, a colorful substance, on their hands in order to intensify their beauty. Usually, during this occasion, all the female friends and

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe Essay

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe - Essay Example Poe draws this classical connection between the family and the land early on, saying bluntly that the House of Usher is "an appellation which seemed to include, in the mind of the peasantry who used it, both the family and the family mansion" (Poe 45). The future of the House is revealed in the observation that the family "had put forth, at no period, any enduring branch" (Poe 45). It is not a prolific family tree, and neither Roderick nor the Lady Madeleine exhibit the sanguinity to make them fit stewards of the property or likely to bear any descendents. The House of Usher, we are to understand, is dying. Their lands exhibit an atmosphere of death, the family is vulnerable to illness, both physical and mental, and they just don't seem like the kind of people with the inclination to procreate. The very idea of children feels sacrilegious in this somber atmosphere. The bleak surroundings are apparent before any observations are made on the family. The story opens with a long paragraph describing precisely how desolate and disconcerting the landscape is. The house is located in "a singularly dreary tract of country" (Poe 43), the first adjective used to describe it is "melancholy" (Poe 43), and the narrator's first emotional response to its sight is, "a sense of insufferable doom" (Poe 43).

Americans in Poverty Cannot Eat with Integrity Essay

Americans in Poverty Cannot Eat with Integrity - Essay Example Many poor Americans cannot eat food with integrity because they do not like being seen as if they are poor yet they are poor. Even if they wish to eat with integrity, they do not know what to eat that will not affect their health. They want to associate themselves with the food taken by the high and the mighty in the nation (Ikerd). They decline from taking the best food that is free from intoxications brought about by preservation methods, processing and so many other processes food is passed through up to the point of being sold. In the process of transporting the processed food, there are various things done to the food which results in intoxication (Nielsen 31). The methods used to grow food also affect the quality of food hence making it harmful to the human health for instance, if genetically modified organisms were used. There are a lot of wastes from the industrial farming which affects the quality of the food people eat. This affects the conventions of producing integrity fo ods. The quality of food with integrity needs to be produced in consistent with the values of the community, beliefs and principles. This is not possible nowadays because there is a lot of inhumane handling of animal bred for food purposes. There are few people entrusted to handling food growth that is free from chemicals but none is focused to ensure they act upon the needs of the people. Americans shunned the foods with integrity because no fair treatment of food with integrity can be trusted. The people responsible for protesting or become citizen activists become silenced by the emerging giant industries producing such foods (Nielsen 30). The Americans have shown a preference for foods grown in the United States than from other regions. Most of the Americans capitalize on eating organic foods because they do not contain pesticide residues and other effects of farming effects but, it is hard to tell the difference with the GMOs. The genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are known to be harmful to the health or individuals (Ikerd). Whether the Americans are poor or not, they tend to be strict about the food they eat because they do not like contamination of the unhealthy food. They cannot eat food that have been killed humanely because they feel that meat from genetically modified organisms provide a means of maximizing exposure to the growth of antibiotics and hormones that are fed to animals. These antibiotics are given to animals under inhumane conditions and environment which is why they fear the meat even if it is killed in humane procedures (Eating with Integrity). American historical commitments into organic food influence how they consider the organic substances in relation to the inorganic or the genetically modified organism. They are committed to ensuring that the society has a healthy foundation by watching the food they take as well as the drinks (Ikerd). All this is done to build healthy communities and permanence within the society. The organi c movement that is rampant in the country emphasizes of the health more than safety of the food (Ikerd). Because of the fact that people want to watch their health, they advocate for safe eating habits than taking of food with chemicals that can intoxicate their health. There is an international slow food movement which provides tangible evidence of the new global culture of food. The slow food is a worldwide movement that has more than eighty thousand members in one hundred countries.

Communication Styles in Different Cultures Essay

Communication Styles in Different Cultures - Essay Example One major difference between our cultures is knowing when handshaking is appropriate. In Australian culture, this is an acceptable way of greeting both males and females. However, in Saudi culture, there are many restrictions in greeting with regards to gender. Lewis noted this in his interactions with people in the Arab world and concluded that being respectful at all times towards male and female Arabs is the best form of communication ( 2001). Personally, I have been in many uncomfortable situations when I was offered a hand by a female friend and I was not completely certain what I was expected to do. In these situations, I was afraid to offend my close friends but was hesitant to do something that is so taboo in my native land. In Australia, handshaking seems to be appropriate between men and women but in Saudi culture, handshaking between different genders is prohibited from due to religious belief. My Australian friend advised me that if shaking a females hand makes me uncomfo rtable, then I should be open and honest about it. I was assured that this would be acceptable and would not be offensive to most Australians. One of the new things that I learned is how to make refusal in a suitable way. I didn't want to be rude with Jonathan but our cultures differ greatly in this respect. In Australian culture, disagreement can be done in a very direct way and can be confrontational. This is not considered rude. However, in Saudi culture, it is best done in an indirect way avoiding any confrontation because the concept of friendship in Arabic culture is different.

Where will healthcare be in the next five years Term Paper

Where will healthcare be in the next five years - Term Paper Example What is the future of health care in America? This piece seeks to address some of those questions in detail. I believe that health care reform in the United States is still going to be a hotly-contested issue, especially when it comes to the complaints that will be heard by: doctors; insurance companies; and small business owners, especially when it comes to issues like long-term care, walk-in clinics, hospitals, and health care reform bill issues. Doctors are not going to like the new health insurance plan. Since doctors are going to have to treat everyone from now on, regardless of whether they can pay or not, obviously this is going to have a huge effect on how doctors do business. Doctors cannot now turn away patients. They must be willing to see anyone who comes to them with a problem because now everyone will have insurance in order to pay for their doctors’ visits. Doctors are going to most likely be upset with health care reform because of several reasons. Doctors are going to be more in demand now more than ever because they will have to treat so many new patients. They can’t charge whatever they want—they are going to have to receive whatever payment the government gives them. This may upset many doctors because, before now doctors could control much of what their salary was when they regulated the prices for their visits. Since health care is going to be mandated, many doctors will have to receive subsidies from the government for seeing people on the public health care plan, and they are not going to like this establishment for long-term care. Walk-in clinics are most likely going to be overwhelmed. Doctors in hospitals will have to treat whomever walks through their doors, for the most part. They must now treat everyone, regardless of people having had pre-existing conditions. Now doctors must treat whoever comes to them for help; they cannot pick and choose. â€Å"Like insurance companies, physicians and hospitals will

Set Up and Operate a Business in Foreign Country Essay Example for Free

Set Up and Operate a Business in Foreign Country Essay This paper deals with the international business. It emphasizes on the means to start the business and the cost associated with the initiation of the business. It also describes the most important aspect of managing human resource. Because of the competitive environment, the need to do the business internationally has increased. This paper provides the overview of the two countries i. e. china and South Africa. Broad description of the legal processes that were supposed to be followed by the company to initiate business in the China has been explained. Apart from this, the staffing of local and expatriate staff along with the labor organization and legislation of the foreign country has been described. Therefore, the paper provides detailed analysis of the conditions that should be kept in mind while establishing business in the foreign country. Introduction International business is a term, which is used collectively to describe issues relating to the firm’s operations with interests in numerous countries. These firms are sometimes referred as multinational corporations. The main area of concern in the international business is the cultural considerations. These considerations include dissimilarity in law and legal systems, living standards, language barriers, climate and many more (Cherunilam, 2005). All these issues need to be overcome for an MNC in order to obtain success in an overseas venture. Nationwide economic growth and globalization of the economy provide an outstanding background for businesses in China as compared to the South Africa. Nevertheless, the growth of the company and sustainability can be hampered by the factors like industry consolidation, economic reform and globalization. The project of building substantial companies and integrating them effectively into the global marketplace is a complicated task. Reasons: Why Company Going Global Many companies and businesses get into international selling because of the existence of competitive environment. This environment compels the company to move further rather than staying at the same stage and size by just focusing on the quality. Another reason of growth and expansion is the fear of loosing the customers. If the company would not show sustainable growth, competitors would move ahead and chances of loosing of customers will increase (Cherunilam, 2005). Other general reasons for going international are: political changes like changes in the regulation of work and safety and economic changes that include cost of production. If there is an increase in the cost of production at home, company looks for places where cost of production is reasonable. The four major objectives that compel the company to go for international business are: to enlarge the sales, to successfully get hold of the resources, to diversify the sources of sales and to look for the diversifying the supplies (Kazmi, 2002). Overview Population China: China is a socialist republic and the most populous country with population over 1. 3 billion. It is having 90. 9% literacy rate (male: 95. 1% female: 86. 5%). The average educational achievement in China is low. South Africa: South Africa is a nation of diverse origins, languages, cultures and beliefs with population over 47-million. It is having 86. 4% literacy rate (male 87% female 85. 7%) of total population. The average educational achievement in South Africa is very low. Geographical Location  China: China is located in Eastern Asia bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea and South China Sea between North Korea and Vietnam. China has mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west and plains, deltas, and hills in eastern region. The geographic coordinates of China are 35 °00N, 105 °00E. The total area coverage of China is 9,596,960 square kilometers (land area is 9,326,410 square km and water is 270,550 square km). China is the worlds third-largest country in total area after Russia and Canada, and the second largest country by land area. The total land boundary is 22,117 km and the border countries are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Vietnam. China’s coastline is 14,500 km (China, 2008). South Africa: South Africa is located at the southern region of Africa. The geographic coordinates of South Africa are 29 00 S, 24 00 E. The total area is 1,219,912 sq km. The total land boundary is 4,862 km and the border countries are Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Its coastline is 2,798 km. South Africa’s northwest region is desert and eastern is well watered. GDP, Per Capital Income, Current Inflation Rate, Unemployment Rate China: The GDP is $3. 42 trillion and officially recorded GDP growth rate is 11. 4% in 2007, per capital income is $ 2000, inflation rate is 7% in 2007 and it has jumped to 8. 7 percent in February after severe winter storms disrupted the economy and worsened food shortages (Chinas inflation at decade high, 2008). Unemployment rate in urban area is 8%-10% (China Unemployment rate, 2008). South Africa: The GDP is $283 billion, real GDP growth rate is 5. % in 2007, per capita income is $ 5700, inflation rate is 7. 1% and unemployment rate is 23% in Sep. 2007 (South Africa: Profile, 2008). Type of Legal System China: The legal system is based on civil law system. It is derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles. The legislature holds the power to interpret the acts. There are seven categories of laws in china’s legal system; these are: the constitution and related laws, civil and commercial laws, administrative laws, economic laws, social laws, criminal laws, and litigation and non-litigation procedural laws (The Constitution and Legal System, 2008). South Africa: The legal system is based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law. There is an independent judiciary in South Africa. Constitutional Court and Supreme Court are the highest court in the country. Constitutional Court deals with constitutional matters and Supreme Court deals with the final appeals of all the other matters. The bill of rights provides fundamental political and social rights to South Africas citizens (South Africa, 2008). Type of Economic System China: China is a major economic power and it has great potential of the development. Previously, the public sector was in dominant position, but after 2001, a socialistic market economy is taking place in China and the intensive mode is replacing the extensive mode of economic growth (Economic System, 2008). South Africa: The South African economy is an industrialized and productive economy. It has inadequate distribution of income wealth. Labor is divided into formal and informal sector. Formal sector is more developed, which is based on agriculture, manufacturing, services and mining. South Africa is looking forward for privatization along with free arket economy and favorable investment climate (Economy: South Africa, 2008). Type of Political System China: The National People Congress is the highest authority of state power in China. The people congress system is the fundamental political system in China. The representatives are elected by people at all levels. South Africa: The South African Republic is a federal state constituting of a national government and nine provincial governments. The constitution of South Africa was adopted in 1996 and implemented officially on 4 February, 1997. President of South Africa is the executive head of the state and leads the cabinet. He is elected for a two five year terms by the parliament (South Africa, 2008). Estimates of Future Economic Growth General Economic Projects China: China has become the world’s fastest growing economy after the economic reforms in 1979. It has achieved 11. 4% GDP growth rare in 2007. Industrial manufacturing expansion has contributed in China’s rapid economic growth. European Union, Japan, United States, Hong Kong and ASEAN are the major trading partner of China. Rapid economic growth of China results in an increase in income, which in turn makes China a huge market for a variety of goods and services. So it would be beneficial for any company to start operation in China. South Africa: In previous years, South African economy was not doing well. Government was facing the problem of unemployment and poverty. But in recent years, country is seeking to achieve stable growth rate. To promote economic growth, South Africa is making optimal use of available resources and reducing completer dependence on primary sector industries. South African companies are now investing in retail, banking services, telecommunication and shipping industry. Government is seeking to liberalize its economic policies to attract FDI and increase future economic growth and now outsider companies may think to start its operations in South Africa. Social and Cultural Factors Social factor in China: In China, the main focus of the business entities is on the corporate social responsibility. The Chinese region has become the region full of opportunities for MNC’s in these days because of the rapid rise, elaborating receptiveness and growing consumer market. The social factors reflect the true picture of society’s attitude towards the corporate. The symmetrical society structure stimulates forces on businesses for concentrating on corporate social responsibility (Kyoon, 2007). Cultural factors in China: Understanding the culture of a country is one of the important factors in front of modern organizations. The traditions and customs vary among towns, cities and provinces in China. The social network structures in China assist in understanding the information sharing between the people (Kyoon, 2007). The Chinese environment is now open for the outsiders. The cultural values include the belief in God, unity, optimism and readiness to work together according to the rules of law. Social factor in South Africa: The social environment of South Africa is highly imbalanced and not much developed. It suffers from the problems of increasing population, poverty, illiteracy and lack of resources. The population of South Africa was 40. 6 million in 1996, which is growing rapidly at the rate of 2% per year. If the same trend continues, then by the year 2035, the population of South Africa will be approximately 86 million. This will be a problematic situation as the country has limited resources to support its increasing population. There is already a pressure on the resources to meet the needs and requirements of the people (Social Environment, 1999). Many people in the country live in informal and inadequate houses and just half of the population lives in towns and cities. Many people living in rural as well as urban areas even do not have access to water supply, electricity, sanitation and other services. Nowadays, the urban population of South Africa is rapidly increasing because of factors like growing employment opportunities, land reform and restitution and immigration from other countries. Unemployment and poverty are the major problems in South Africa that affect the social life of the people. The poverty level is the highest among the Black population of South Africa. It has reached up to a level of 60%. The education level of the country has increased as compared to the previous year levels, as the country has reformed its educational system. Almost, all South Africans now have access to education but still about 7. 5 million people are functionally illiterate. Such factors contribute to high crime rates in the country that have noticeably increased in the urban areas. These and other factors contribute to the high crime rates currently experienced in many urban centers. To promote sustainable development and reduce social imbalances such as poverty, unemployment and pressure on natural resources, the Government has developed a number of policies and passed a number of laws aiming at some constructive work in this direction. These include the Reconstruction and Development Programme, a White Paper on Population Policy, and the National Crime Prevention Strategy (Social Environment, 1999). Cultural Factor in South Africa: Africa has a diverse cultural environment with about 800 languages spoken all over the continent. Among these, South Africa have 11 official languages of its own, i. e. English, Afrikaans, Tsonga, Xhosa, Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Zulu, Tswana, Venda, Northern Sotho, and Swati. There are many cross-cultural challenges that are critical to success and organizations should be prepared to face these challenges. Analysis  The company has chosen china for its operations as china has successfully emerged as the best suitable market for the consumer products, especially in terms of the growth rate, potential and the market size. China is providing huge benefits to attract the players from the United States. The growth graph of the china depicts that the market of the consumer electronics is growing with a CAGR of 11. 7 percent from the year 2002 to 2006. Future also shows the greater intensity of market growth. There is a greater possibility of bright future in Consumer Products. The Company is willing to start its operation. Another major factor for establishing operation in china is the population as it is regarded the driving factor for any business. Apart from this, there is a well established market of credit card, which has increased the popularity of the consumer products in the country (Windsor Jones, 1999). China is the highly populous country and demands for consumer products are fuelling with greater pace. In china, urban centers are emerging which are called secondary cities, which comprise of 8 to 10 million people. These cities have huge buying power and industrial development. These cities would be best for the company’s operations and are located interiorly away from the cost. Tsingtao is a city, which is suitable for the operation of the company because its urban area is quickly expanding. It is also having excellent connections with the countryside. The disposable income of the people is quite similar to the people in the bigger cities. Another reason for selecting this place is that the people in this city show greater likeability towards the product of the United States and relate the product with greater degree of integrity. People show positive view and experience towards the U. S consumer products. Operations In order to establish operation in china, company’s chairperson should visit these cities, must talk to the local officials and begin networking. Apart from this, the most important thing is to analyze the competitors’ working and strategies. Another step that the company can adopt is subcontracting, which can be done by forming joint ventures with the manufacturers of china. If the company doesn’t possess enough resources for joint venture, company can go for forming the partnership or consortium in the United States. This consortium acts as the legal entity, which can form partnership with the Chinese manufacturer. The advantage of the consortium is that it reduces risk and the cost for the company (Barron, 2006). While selecting the operations, evaluation should be made based on the analysis of cash accounting and not on absorption accounting. As in absorption accounting, the fixed costs are prorated over small volume of production and thus the number obtained can deter company from moving production to a subcontractor. The other operations include: integrity of product and trade safety, fair balanced economic development, financial sector reform, security energy efficiency, sustainability in environment and bilateral investment. All the above mentioned reforms would help the company to establish business opportunities in china. The agreement between the United States and China that relates to conduction of business with extensive cooperation covers the issue of climate change, environmental sustainability and energy security. This type of agreement would advance the innovation in the technology and the acceptance of extremely-efficient and clean energy technology will encourage the development of technology so as to address the changes in the climate and promoting natural resources. Three major factors, which can determine the success in the Chinese market and should be kept in mind, are: †¢Culture: Understanding of Chinese culture and behavior can provide better option to fulfill the demands of the customers. †¢Value Proposition: This includes having the knowledge of technical know how and understanding the level of competitiveness. †¢Negotiation: The Company should implement negotiation technique as per the way of Chinese. Success of doing business in China depends greatly on the extent of adoption to the requirements of he local customs instead of the value proposition of foreign investors. Legal processes In the process of starting a new business, Legal and regulatory processes play a very vital role. Legal processes include several restrictions, intrusive bureaucracy, dissimilar understanding of regulations from place to place even between authorities and recent formulations of policies that are aimed at safeguarding the domestic companies. Therefore, before starting any operation in the foreign country (china) the company should understand regulations and their applications before entering into any agreement. The company should look for legal proposals from experienced professional firms. Due attention should be given to the financial and legal background and also on the reputation of key partners. Apart from this, partners and employees should be educated on the protection of the intellectual property. If required, the rights can be enforced but for this, all the terms and conditions should be well known. Management Organization Structure Organization structure plays a vital role in determining the success of the company in the host country. Therefore, there is a requirement of change in the organization structure in order to accommodate a firm’s internationalization approach in answer to the worldwide competition. Significant research has shown that the structure of the firm must be conducive to the strategy implementation. In simple words, it can be said that the structure should â€Å"fit† the strategy. Managers should work towards achieving the fit between the structure and the strategy (Gupta, 2007). Management organizational structure refers to the representation of a formal structure, which describes relationship inside an organization. The level to which authorization is assigned ascertains centralization and decentralization. Most of the MNC’s in their initial phases of globalization utilized an international section traversing certain regions of the world to manage the functions in those regions. Matrix organizational structure is very effective for the business. The structure of the organization is decentralized, which merge the advantages of being large with the agility and concentration of smaller organizations. The small segments of the business assist in concentrating more on the needs and equirements of the customers and employees effectively. The company’s employees are associated with the goals and objectives for an established global enterprise. The organization is mainly focusing on the way in which the products and services are delivered to the customers. The development and marketing of products and services in an effective provision provide specialized and quality services to external and internal customers. The autonomous operating companies broaden the geographic reach of the associates around the world and provide larger marketplace and product focus. This way, the employees get closer to the customers and business. The employees would be able to gain more sensation of ownership in driving the business. The employees are authorized to aim their business to fulfill the varying needs of customers inside their regions (Mathew, 2003). The decentralized operating companies, associates and business sections are joined in the organization structure, which ensures that the activities are aligned with the overall strategic objectives. All the employees perform their work systematically with the high ethical standards. As the company rises, the structure also develops, assuring the effective growth of the business portfolio. In recent years, the business sections have constituted shared service groups that raise and confirm the capabilities of the individual companies in the elementary domains of responsibility. The corporate headquarters in the U. S. function with the family of companies for producing great synergism and efficiency by collaboration, dispersion of better patterns and organization of shared business information. The corporate headquarters render direction and services in different critical areas, which include human resources, finance, advertising, and law. The consequences of environmental circumstance (instability of technology), industrial circumstance (production technology) and organization structure on the involvement of customer in product development are the main areas of concentration in China (Windsor Jones, 1999). The earlier results demonstrate that for going through customer orientation in the firms at China, the company has to modulate towards market driven economic entities.

How Henry David Thoreaus Influence Is Evident Today Philosophy Essay

How Henry David Thoreaus Influence Is Evident Today Philosophy Essay Henry David Thoreau preached the prospects of being non-violent and described the effects wars have had on humans as a whole. To give some background information, David Thoreau was born on 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts. When he was around the age of sixteen, he enrolled himself in Harvards Latin, Greek, grammar composition, and philosophy classes. While at college he soon became engrossed in Ralph Waldo Emersons famous writings. Unknown to him, Ralph Waldo Emerson would become a leading example in his decision making and overall, his friend. Henry David Thoreau graduated in 1837 and became a school teacher. During the year 1841 he had the pleasure of living with Ralph Waldo Emerson. While with him he grew in knowledge and thus set off on his own voyage. He soon moved to Walden Ponds where he lived for about two years. During a trip into town he was thrown into jail for refusing to pay a poll tax, which went to help war efforts against Mexico. While imprisoned and unbeknownst to him he would be writing one of the most famous and historic essays of that time entitled, Civil Disobedience. A broad margin of leisure is as beautiful in a mans life as in a book. Haste makes waste, no less in life than in housekeeping. Keep the time, observe the hours of the universe, not of the cars. (All quotes are from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/henry_david_thoreau.html#ixzz1KT5xN8ne) A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting. As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may seem, am satisfied that it does not agree with my constitution. Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. I think that there is nothing, not even crime, more opposed to poetry, to philosophy, ay, to life itself than this incessant business. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life youve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler. How did Henry David Thoreau view non-violent resistance? He felt that all of humanity had a right to decide whether to fight or not. He viewed this as much more than actions but as a state of mind. Just not taking part in war wasnt enough. You had to truly understand the principles. He along with Ralph Waldo Emerson thought that each person was entitled to his own opinion and decision making. That government is best which governs least. That quotation was taken from his famous essay entitled Civil Disobedience. Henry David Thoreau wasnt against the government, but just a few laws and mandates. Henry David Thoreau thought that even though America, as a whole was gaining prosperity, it was also losing integrity. As time progressed he witnessed America losing its values and foundation, which had made it such a noble nation. Another thing he noticed about the Government was that they did not keep the country free. They proclaimed many times about America being the land of the free, but h e viewed that as a false statement. Henry David Thoreau was anti-statism. That government is best which governs least; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe,-That government is best which governs not at all; and when men and women are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. He felt strongly about his beliefs and as a result he didnt want to take part in wars. Since he was a scholar and was very knowledgeable, surely he had read about the effects of past wars. He knew that wars only brought about pain, suffering, and more turmoil. Ending One war would bring about 10 fold he stated. You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves. All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours to il. The fight to the finish spirit is the one characteristic we must possess if we are to face the future as finishers. How did Henry David Thoreau practice non-violent resistance? Henry David Thoreau didnt take part in the governments wars. He simply refused no matter the consequences. His example should be commended because he stood by his beliefs no matter what. As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. From this quote we can see that he didnt give up. He also made it clear what he believed not only in his essays but also to government officials. Every man casts a shadow; not his body only, but his imperfectly mingled spirit. This is his grief. Let him turn which way he will, it falls opposite to the sun; short at noon, long at eve. Did you never see it? I am sorry to think that you do not get a mans most effective criticism until you provoke him. Severe truth is expre ssed with some bitterness. Henry David Thoreau did not live in a big city. He knew that only trouble could come from being a non-violent resister. So too make his life easier he never got married and he lived in the woods. I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen. I have never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers. A man thinking or working is always alone, let him be where he will. What Individuals did Henry David Thoreau influence? Unfortunately Henry David Thoreau died of tuberculosis May 6, 1862, at the age of 44. After his death the world changed drastically. As he passed away a new light shined over America. President Abraham Lincoln freed all slaves in the United States. This would lead to a momentous future for African Americans. One in particular was Dr. Martin Luther King. He was an important figure in African American Literature and in history in general. Like Henry David Thoreau he believed you could conquer the evil with the good. Dr. Martin Luther King was not anti-government. All he fought for was true freedom and equality. He felt that black werent being treated fairly. He knew what America motto was, The Land of The Free, and thats what he wanted. He wanted that prospect not only for himself but also for the other millions of other African American in the United States. About half way across the world another individual took a stand for non viol ent resistance. His name was Mohandas Gandhi. During the time he lived in, he too was surrounded by war. The British had taken control of Gandhis nation and their people were prepared to take it back. Gandhi preached about not taking up arms and told his fellow countrymen what war would do to the country and to future generations. Some listened, but many opposed his teachings because they thought of him as not being loyal to the government and to the main religion in India, Hinduism. Loyalty was very during that time because the nation needed to join together in order to become free from the British. It is better to have your head in the clouds, and know where you are than to breathe the clearer atmosphere below them, and think that you are in paradise. Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh. Live the life youve dreamed. Justice is sweet and musical; but injustice is harsh and discordant. It is what a man thinks of himself that really determines his fate. It is the greatest of all advantages to enjoy no advantage at all. Both of these two individuals had an important impact on history, not only in the United States But all over the world. Since Dr. Martin Luther King fought so hard for the rights and freedom of African Americans, everyone today has the privilege of living their dreams and not being held back. We have a prime example of one individual who wasnt held back by anything, and that is President Barack Obama. Many years ago Dr. Martin Luther King spoke about such freedom and how we needed a change, and now we have it. Thanks to him our possibilities in the world are limitless. The Second Individual Henry David Thoreau influenced was Gandhi. We benefit from his actions to day because a lot of our leaders in the world, base their decisions on his way of thinking Being peaceable was truly the right way to take and a lot of our political leaders are that way. What was Henry David Thoreaus Message? Basically Thoreau wanted, not only for himself but for everyone, the prospects of free will. He felt that the government was abusing their right to rule. He also believed that people should decide for themselves whether or not to take another humans life and participate in war efforts. Thoreau wasnt all talk. He too was persecuted for his actions. There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself. Truth is always in harmony with herself, and is not concerned chiefly to reveal the justice that may consist with wrong-doing. We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aid, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn. Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Henry David Thoreau is impacting humans today because he used a logical method of reasoning. The information he wrote in his essay are just as important and beneficial today as it was 100s of years ago. The things he wrote down can help us all to on becoming a better nation and better people. Next we will consider an excerpt from his essay entitled Civil Disobedience. Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient. The objections which have been brought against a standing army, and they are many and weighty, and deserve to prevail, may also at last be brought against a standing government. The standing army is only an arm of the standing government. The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it. Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as theIt does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its way. If tool; for in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure. After all, the practical reason why, when the power is once in the hands of the people, a majority are permitted, and for a long period continue, to rule is not because they are most likely to be in the right, nor because this seems fairest to the minority, but because they are physically the strongest. But a government in which the majority rules in all cases cannot be based on justice, even as far as men understand it. Can there not be a government in which the majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong, but conscience?in which majorities decide only those questions to which the rule of expediency is applicable? Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right. It is truly enough said that a corporation has no conscience; but a corporation on conscientious men is a corporation with a conscience. He who gives himself entirely to his fellow men appears to them useless and selfish; but he who gives himself partially to them in pronounced a benefactor and philanthropist. How does it become a man to behave toward the American government today? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it. I cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slaves government also. I have contemplated the imprisonment of the offender, rather than the seizure of his goodstho ugh both will serve the same purposebecause they who assert the purest right, and consequently are most dangerous to a corrupt State, commonly have not spent much time in accumulating property. To such the State renders comparatively small service, and a slight tax is wont to appear exorbitant, particularly if they are obliged to earn it by special labor with their hands. If there were one who lived wholly without the use of money, the State itself would hesitate to demand it of him. But the rich mannot to make any invidious comparisonis always sold to the institution which makes him rich. Absolutely speaking, the more money, the less virtue; for money comes between a man and his objects, and obtains them for him; it was certainly no great virtue to obtain it. (http://www.transcendentalists.com/civil_disobedience.htm) In conclusion, how can we use his message in our daily lives? Henry David Thoreau would have wanted the Untied States to be a place where people held the power, or in other words the majority rules. It may seem like that today but, if there was a draft, any and everyone the government wanted to fight, would have to fight. We could stand firm against opposition and keep Thoreaus words at the forefront of our minds. We could stop paying our taxes, just like he did but that would lead to calamity on down the road. His being neural in politics and wars could prove to be beneficial in the future, because staying out of wars could save our lives despite some government persecution. So behave that the odor of your actions may enhance the general sweetness of the atmosphere, that when we behold or scent a flower, we may not be reminded how inconsistent your deeds are with it; for all odor is but one form of advertisement of a moral quality, and if fair actions had not been performed, the lil y would not smell sweet. The foul slime stands for the sloth and vice of man, the decay of humanity; the fragrant flower that springs from it, for the purity and courage which are immortal. Only nature has a right to grieve perpetually, for she only is innocent. Soon the ice will melt, and the blackbirds sing along the river which he frequented, as pleasantly as ever. The same everlasting serenity will appear in this face of God, and we will not be sorrowful, if he is not. Our moments of inspiration are not lost though we have no particular poem to show for them; for those experiences have left an indelible impression, and we are ever and anon reminded of them. Politics is the gizzard of society, full of grit and gravel, and the two political parties are its opposite halves sometimes split into quarters which grind on each other. Not only individuals but states have thus a confirmed dyspepsia. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail. The youth gets together his materials to build a bridge to the moon, or, perchance, a palace or temple on the earth, and, at length, the middle-aged man concludes to build a woodshed with them. To read well, that is, to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will task the reader more than any other exercise which the customs of the day esteem. It requires a training such as the athletes underwent, the steady intention almost of the whole life to this object. Work Cited Page http://www.thoreau-online.org/henry-david-thoreau-biography.htm http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/henry_david_thoreau.html#ixzz1KT5xN8ne http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/house-passes-the-13th-amendment http://www.transcendentalists.com/civil_disobedience.htm

Effect of Climate Change on Pollock Population

Effect of Climate Change on Pollock Population The Population of Pollock Under Climate Change as Determined by Age, Distribution, and Prey Energy Content Abstract Pollock, like many other species, respond to the threats of climate change within their home in the Bering Sea. Living in an ecosystem hugely affected by its seasonal ice sheet, pollock are dependent on the timing and extent of its annual movement. The connection examined in this  paper is the relationship between algal blooms, cold water stratification, juvenile pollock predation, and adult pollock fishery recruitment. As the reach and lifespan of the ice sheet fluctuate, so does the amount of cold water habitat and ice algae that juvenile pollock depend on to survive to adulthood. During a year with an earlier retreat of/or less ice a smaller cold water area is established, leaving juvenile pollock open to their cannibalistic adult counterparts. Also, during such a year, ice algae production does not provide the high energy lipids needed to fuel the juvenile pollock population through their growth. This chain effect, while not threatening for the survival of the entire population , does have significant implications for fishery recruitment. Introduction Climate change as a global phenomenon acts uniquely in different environments to a wide range of possible effects on almost every species. In the Arctic, many of these individual systems draw back to the infamous retreating ice sheet, upon which Arctic species live, hunt, reproduce, and die. One Arctic species with major implications to humans may be experiencing difficulties due to climate change as retreating sea ice alters its habitat in the Bering Sea. Walleye pollock, (Gadus chalcogrammus), is a billion dollar industry in the US. This industry depends on the natural seasonal variability of the Bering Sea ice sheet as it annually descends and retreats over the Bering Sea. This is the environmental clock that marks the algal blooms pollock depend on. In this way, as climate change alters the ice landscape the energy content of the lower food chain is also affected, leading to a possible decrease in survival for adult pollock. Physical Oceanography of the Bering Sea There are three hydrographic areas within the southeastern Bering Sea shelf: the coastal shelf, with a depth of less than 50 meters; the middle shelf, with a depth of 50-100 meters; and the outer shelf, with a depth of 100-200 meters (Bering Sea, 2014). Pollock can be found over most of the Bering Sea, but much of the population and studies occur in the Eastern Bering Sea (EBS), where the research is centered. Pollock spend much of their time over the 500 kilometer wide sea shelf, which is generally less than 180 meters deep (Hunt, et. al., 2011; Bering Sea, 2014). The processes that occur within the central shelf are most critical to pollock. (Stabeno, et. al., 2012) A comparison between the -2 degree water in the cold pool during a warm year (2003) and a cold year (Blue) (2007) with depth contours of the EBS marked. Note that the warm year highlight has been  moved down 2 degrees of latitude to show comparison. The middle part of the southeastern Bering Sea shelf is the region within the Bering Sea most affected by climate change. In this area, a well-mixed water column appears in winter due to the strong winds; however, in summer two clearly separated layers appear. The surface layer of the summer water column is mixed by the wind while the bottom layer is mixed by the tide. The nutrient-rich bottom layer is insulated from warming by the surface layer once the water column stratifies. This insulation during the summer months causes the bottom layer to warm only slightly. Because the temperature of the bottom layer, the cold pool, depends on the water column’s temperature during the  time of stratification, the time of ice retreat affects it greatly (Stabeno, et. al., 2012). The cold pool’s temperature stays below two degrees Celsius for the  summer in cold years when extensive spring ice remains through April, while, during warm years with early ice retreat, the cold pool ’s temperature remains above two degrees Celsius during summer. Seasonal Ice Sheet Data According to historical records, the continuous decline of the Arctic sea ice extent began in the late 1800s and has rapidly increased over the last three decades. The rate of ice loss in this period is unequaled by any other sea ice recession in the last thousand years (Polyak et. al., 2010). Additionally, the annual mean temperature in the Arctic is now measured at being more than 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than it was in the period of time between 1971 and 2000. (Overland, et. al. 2013). Compiled historical records relating to Arctic ice margins have shown that a general retreat of seasonal Arctic ice has been occurring since early in the twentieth century. This retreat has particularly accelerated in the last five decades in regards to both seasonal and perennial ice. Though reliable satellite records of ice margins have only been available since 1979, in the three decades of their existence, the recorded data has exhibited generally negative trends in sea-ice extent; the month of September is particularly significant with a decline of 11% per decade. (Polyak, et. al., 2010). Since the 1980s, Arctic sea ice volume has declined by 75% (Overland, et. al., 2013); between 1982 and 2007, perennial sea ice over five years of age decreased by 56%. The general coverage of perennial ice decreased by 88%, and any ice exceeding nine years of age all but disappeared. (Stroeve, et. al., 2008). A seasonally nearly ice free Arctic, an Arctic devoid of almost all perennial ice, should appear within the next fifty years. (Overland, et. al., 2013; Polyak, et. al., 2010; Stroeve, et. al., 2008). This eventuality will increase Arctic warming and may also affect weather systems that range beyond the Arctic. (Polyak, et. al. 2010). Pollock Pollock, (Gadus chalcogramma) was our main species of consideration. These groundfish are a relative of cod that commonly populate the Eastern Bering Sea. During their growth an individual can be expected to reach 30-91cm. Their range of habitat extends from roughly 100 meters below the surface to 300 meters, but they have been spotted at depths as low as 1000 meters. Pollock, with a twelve year life span, go through several life phases based on age that dictate behavior and position on the food chain. These life phases will be referred to as adult; over two years, or juvenile; less than two years. Juvenile can also be broken into age 0, which hatched that year, and age 1. Distribution of pollock is dependant mainly on age and temperature (by season), and predator locations (Benoit-Bird et. al. 2013). Younger fish generally subsist on zooplankton such as copepods, while adults eat euphausiids (krill), tunicates, copepods, shrimp, and other fish as well as sometimes resorting to cannibalism of juvenile Pollock. Juvenile pollock success is dependent on timing and location overlap with their prey copepods, and they enjoy a much greater overlap during cold years than in warm years (Siddon et. al. 2013). Pollock success is also directly linked to the lipid content of copepod prey sources (Heintz et. al. 2013). For age-0 pollock distribution the factors of original spawning ground and subsequent survival, as well as the regular stresses that produce schooling behavior also  determine success (Benoit-Bird et. al. 2013). Overlap of adult and age-0 pollock that allows for cannibalism happens primarily during autumn and winter while cannibalism of age-1 pollock occurs farther Northwest during the summer months (Mueter et, al, 2011). Implications of Climate Change The warm year vs. cold year effect is a key factor in the distribution of pollock based on their age and prey. Earlier sea ice retreat leads to an earlier plankton bloom, juvenile pollock’s main prey and so those pollock move to and feed in those areas where copepods live off that bloom. For juvenile pollock, this creates a spike of surviving juvenile pollock fueled by the temporarily expanded prey source, but later on in the year pollock cannot get enough energy from their food to survive through the winter, and so later age class populations are reduced. In contrast, algal blooms on the ice sheet in cold years create a higher lipid content copepod source, so the population of pollock can be more abundant (Heintz et. al. 2013). There is a 33% increase (Heintz et. al. 2013) in energy of pollock when a cold year produces high-lipid copepods in overlap with juvenile pollock. In this way the success of juvenile pollock determines the success of the species. The success of juvenile pollock during cold vs. warm years also is affected by distribution. Age 1 pollock can take refuge in the cold pool due to their greater temperature tolerance, while the older fish are pushed to outer shelf outside the cold pool. This keeps adult pollock from cannibalizing their juvenile counterparts in excess. The decrease in cold pool size during warm years reduces the availability of this safe habitat, which causes a cannibalism increase as pollock are the best food for other pollock when copepods and other prey have a low energy content (Siddon, personal communication). With more warm years in the Bering Sea due to climate change, the cold pool will be  warmer and lipid content of copepods will decrease. In this way the population recruitment of pollock will suffer. (Stabeno, et. al., 2012). Human Interactions The pollock catch has annually averaged 1.3 million tons ever since the late 1980s when United States vessels first began fishing for pollock. Today, the pollock fishery is the largest in the United States by volume. Since 1998, pollock prices have hovered at approximately one dollar per pound. A table of age two fish caught shows a correlation between year temperature, or previous year temperature and the amount of two-year-old (new adult) fish caught. The pollock fishery is currently the second largest in the world and made up 61.9% of the total Alaskan groundfish catch in 2012 (Walleye Pollock Research, 2012). The U.S. fishery landed roughly 1.26 million tons between 2012 and 2014. In 2012 the products derived from the catch were worth over 1 billion dollars, and the catch itself valued $343 million. This massive resource fuels the imitation crab industry and is the fillet component in fried fillet sandwiches. This use is in part due to the natural oil content which is both higher than the content in similar species and considered more flavorful. (NOAA, 2014) To a much lesser extent, money from the pollock fishery goes  back into native villages on the west coast of Alaska. This happens through jobs, subsidies and money given back to the tribal government (Pollock Provides, 2008). Recommendations As the amount of pollock recruited to adulthood will greatly deteriorate with the increase of warm years in the southeastern Bering Sea shelf, it is to be recommended that fisheries begin to consider the recruitment of other species to serve as a buffer for certain pollock products. Arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), could be a possible alternative to pollock for surimi, which is more commonly known as imitation crab. Though the arrowtooth flounder has not been commercially fished in the past because of an enzyme that quickly breaks down the fish when heated, additives have been developed that can stop the flesh from degrading. These additives will open up opportunities for the arrowtooth flounder’s commercial fishery; its marketability will be greatly benefited as well (Arrowtooth Flounder Overview, 2014; Arrowtooth Flounder Research, 2014). This makes a surimi product that originates from arrowtooth flounder a viable alternative to the current pollock surimi; instituting arrowtooth flounder based surimi products will reduce the human-related strain on the pollock population while also reducing human dependence on the continually deteriorating pollock fishery. Conclusion Pollock is a vital component to the Bering Sea ecosystem, both for the food chain and the humans who fish from it. As the Arctics mean temperature has risen by approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius in the last four decades and the ice sheet volume has decreased by 75% (Overland et. al. 2013), it is reasonable to conclude that the temperature will only rise higher and higher as the Bering ice sheet retreats earlier and earlier. This would greatly affect the southeastern Bering Sea shelf by raising the temperature of the summer cold pool perpetually above 2 degrees Celsius, therefore instituting a repeating cycle of continuous warm years that would be detrimental to pollock population recruitment, as the plankton prey that juvenile pollock depend on would bloom earlier, leaving pollock with less energy during the later months. (Stabeno et. al. 2012; Heintz et. al. 2014). Bibliography Arrowtooth Flounder Overview (2014). Fishwatch.gov. Retrieved from  http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/flounder/species_pages/arrowtooth_flounder.htm Arrowtooth Flounder Research (2014). NOAA. Retrieved from  http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/species/Arrowtooth_flounder.php Benoit-Bird, K. , McIntosh, N. , Heppell, S. (2013) Nested scales of spatial heterogeneity in juvenile walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma in the southeastern Bering Sea. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 484, 219-238. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/BSP_95_BenoitBird_et_al_MEPS_m484p219.pdf Bering Sea. (2014). North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from  http://www.nprb.org/nprb/aboutus/missionresearchprinciples/scientific-foundation/largemarineecosystems/beringsea. Duffy-Anderson, J. , Mueter, F. , Smart, T. , Siddon, E. , Horne, J. (2014) Young Fish in a Warm Bering Sea. North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/B53_Duffy_Anderson_press.pdf Heintz, R. , Siddon, E. (2014) Seasonal Bioenergetics in the Bering Sea. North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/B54_Heintz_press.pdf Heintz, R. Siddon, E. Farley, E. Napp, J. (2013) Correlation between recruitment and fall condition of age-0 pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) from the eastern Bering Sea under varying climate conditions. DeepSea Research II 94, 159-156. http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/BSP_93_Heintz_2013_DSR2.pdf Hunsicker, M. , Ciannelli, L. , Bailey, K. , Zador, S. , Stige, L.C. (2014) Climate, Population Dynamics and Predator-Prey Overlap. North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/BSH_60_Climate,_Population,_Predator-Prey.pdf Hunt, Jr., G. L., Stabeno, P., Walters, G., Sinclair, E., Brodeur, R. D., Napp, J. M., Bond, N. A., (2002). Climate change and control of the southeastern Bering Sea pelagic ecosystem. Deep Sea Research II, 49, 5821-5853. Hunt, G. L., Coyle, K. O., Eisner, L. B., Farley, E. V., Heintz, R. A., Mueter, F., Napp, J. M., Overland, J. E., Ressler, P. H., Salo, S., Stabeno, P. J. (2011). Climate impacts on eastern Bering Sea foodwebs: a synthesis of new data and an assessment of the Oscillating Control Hypothesis. ICES Journal of Marine Science. Mueter, F. Bond, N. Ianelli, J. Hollowed, A. (2011) Expected declines in recruitment of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in the eastern Bering Sea under future climate change. ICES Journal of Marine Science 68(6), 1284-1296. http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/content/68/6/1284.full.pdf+html   NOAA (2014, April 29). Alaska Pollock. Retrieved from  http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/pollock/species_pages/alaska_pollock.htm Overland, J. E., Wang, M., Walsh J. E., Stroeve, J. C. (2013). Future Arctic climate changes: Adaptation and mitigation time scales. Earth’s Future, . Retrieved from http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/future/bib/EarthsFutureJEO.pdf Pollock Provides (2008) Coastal Villages Region Fund, Volume 11, Issue 3. Retrieved from http://www.coastalvillages.org/sites/www.coastalvillages.org/files/documents/pollock_provides_special_edition.pdf Polyak, L., Alley, R. B., Andrews, J. T., Brigham-Grette, J., Cronin, T. M., Darby, D. A, Dyke, A. S., Fitzpatrick, J. J., Funder, S., Holland, M., Jennings, A. E., Miller, G. H., O’Regan, M., Savelle, J., Serreze, M., St. John, K., White, J. W. C., Wolff, E. (2010). History of sea ice in the Arctic. Quaternary Science Reviews, 29. Retrieved from http://bprc.osu.edu/geo/publications/polyak_etal_seaice_QSR_10.pdf Siddon, Elizabeth. Personal communication, October 27, 2014, at Thunder Mountain High school from 4:00-4:40 p.m. Siddon, E. , Kristiansen, T. , Mueter, F.J. , Holsman, K. , Heintz, R. , Farley, E. (2013). Spatial Match-Mismatch between Juvenile Fish and Prey Provides a Mechanism for Recruitment Variability across Contrasting Climate Conditions in the Eastern Bering Sea. Stabeno, P. J., Kachel, N. B., Moore, S. E., Napp, J. M., Sigler, M., Yamaguchi, A., Zerbini, A. N. (2012). Comparison of warm and cold years on the southeastern Bering Sea shelf and some implications for the ecosystem. Deep Sea Research II Stroeve, J., Serreze, M., Drobot, S., Gearheard, S., Holland, M., Maslanik, J., Meier, W., Scambos, T. (2008). Arctic Sea Ice Extent Plummets in 2007. Eos, 89. Uchiyama, T. , Kruse, G. , Mueter, F. (2014) Understanding Bering Sea Groundfish Populations. North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/B75_Kruse_press.pdf Walleye Pollock. (2010). NOAA. Retrieved from  http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Education/factsheets/10_Wpoll_FS.pdf Walleye Pollock Research. (2012, January 1). NOAA. Retrieved from http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/species/pollock.php