English Language Teaching Essay

This paper aims to highlight the importance of teaching sociolinguistic competence to ESL learners in Malaysian schools. Sociolinguistic competence is the knowledge of socio cultural rules of language and of discourse. This type of competence requires an understanding of the socio context in which language is used. It is proposed that carefully designed language activities be carried out by instructors in order to impart sociolinguistic skills to learners. The importance of universal intelligibility should be stressed, as opposed to native accent. Furthermore students should also be taught proper contextual use of English, in accordance to cultural reference and cultural appropriacy should be part of the learners’ core sociolinguistic competence. Keywords: Socio-cultural rules, Sociolinguistic competence, Formal language, Colloquialism 1. Introduction Malaysia is a multi-racial society which is strongly bounded by its system of monarchy. However, Malays form the largest portion of its demography, with Malay as its national language. Though Malay is still the most commonly used lingua franca among Malaysians, English is gaining more importance and relevance in the country. In fact, Malaysians have come to realize that it is no longer necessary, nor desirable to aim at an English native speaker’s speech to achieve their communicative function. However, there has been a strong decline in the levels of English proficiency in the country .This is evident in Malaysians’ everyday speech, which are often marred by grammatical and phonological errors or at times too loaded with â€Å"suffixes† (e.g. lah, lor, meh) and loan words from other languages. English is the second most important language in Malaysia. It is used in  various professions and is an important requirement in Malaysian academic settings. The academic setting is a microcosm of the Malaysian population, which is a mix of interlocutors of different racial and language backgrounds. They may also differ in their English language proficiency levels. Therefore, it could be assumed that in Malaysian schools’ unique language environment, sociolinguistic competence contributes to Malaysian students English language proficiency. 2. Malaysian School Language Policy When Malaysia got its independence in 1957, the government of Malaysia set out on a program to establish Bahasa Melayu as the official language, to be used in all government functions and as the medium of instruction at all levels in the education system. The introduction of a new primary school curriculum which goes by the Malay acronym, KBSR (Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Rendah), and the new secondary school curriculum which goes by the acronym, KBSM (Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah), is an approach to provide holistic, balanced and integrated development of an individual’s potential; intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical aspect. However in 2002, the government announced a reversal of policy, calling for a switch to English as a medium of instruction for Mathematics and Science at all levels in the education system. Since 2003, Science and Mathematics have been taught in English. Therefore, teachers will be forced to code-switch to make pupils understand the su bject matter. 3. Sociolinguistic Competence Sociolinguistic competence is the knowledge of the sociocultural rules of language and of discourse. This type of competence requires an understanding of the social context in which language is used: the rules of the participants, the information they share, and the functions of the interaction. Only in a full context of this kind can judgement be made on the appropriateness of a ‘particular utterance’, as mentioned by Brown (2000). Lyie Bachman’s (1990) sociolinguistic competence comprises aspects, which deal with factors such as politeness, formality, metaphor, registers, and culturally related aspects of language. For students learning English in Malaysia, sociolinguistic competence should take into account those aspects as proposed by Bachman. Broersma (2001) stated that the process of learning sociolinguistic competence is challenging even in one’s first language. He also proposed that evidence of this can be found in the popularity of â€Å"Miss Manners† columns. He claims if we all had perfect sociolinguistic competence, we wouldn’t need advice about the proper way to send wedding invitations or give a dinner party. Having good sociolinguistic competence means knowing how to â€Å"give every person his or her due.† It means knowing when to be quiet, and when to talk, when to give compliments to others, and when to apologize. It also means being able to read situations and know what is the right thing to say or do. There are an infinite number of combinations of roles, tasks, contexts, and feelings that govern what is appropriate in any given encounter. 4. Sensitivity to Dialect or Variety The standard variety of English used in our country is the variety that is taught formally in schools and the Standard British English is the linguistic model in the education system of Malaysia. However in Malaysia, English, being the second language, is learnt for a functional purpose. The most important measure of success when a language is learnt for a functional purpose is communicative effectiveness; that is, whether the language enabled the learners to achieve the purpose of learning. A dialect is a language variation spoken by a particular ethnic, social or regional group and is an element of the group’s collective identity (Ogbu, 1999). Each dialect within a language is just as logical, complex and  rule-governed as the standard form of the language (often called standard variety). Malaysian English (or Manglish) is a non-native variety of English and is one of the most prominent features of Malaysia’s linguistic corpus. Baskaran (1994) has categorized ‘Manglish’ into three sociolects, which are: †¢ Acrolect (‘high’ social dialect) – used for official or educational purposes, considered to be the standard educated sub-variety that approximates native competence and is used in formal speech as well as in written forms by speakers who have been educated in English; †¢ Mesolect (‘middle’ social dialect) – used in semiformal and casual situations, a sub-variety that is used in informal situations among fellow Malaysians. †¢ Basilect (‘low’ social dialect) – used informally and colloquially as a ‘patois’ shades into a pidgin used mostly by village peddlers when talking to tourists and other potential customers. 5. Different English Varieties. There are different varieties of English used here in Malaysia. The important issue here is what would be considered as an acceptable variety of English for Malaysian students? In Malaysia, there is a strong tradition of teaching English when learners are still very young. Also, due to home language interferences and strong media influence, which at times popularises Manglish as a more convenient spoken variety, Malaysian students might not have enough exposure to models of Standard English. Parents might communicate with their children in  strong accented English which is unique to each cultural/racial group, or/and even in broken or grammatically incorrect English. This variety of English could be incomprehensible at times. 5.1 Malaysian English (ME) Some words of ME reflect the multilingual traits of the country. The existence of loan words in the lexis of ME is very rampant and common, especially since Malaysia is a Malay dominated country both in language and culture. Moreover there are no lexical equivalents of certain Malay words in English. Listed below is a list of commonly used borrowed words and phrases which have made their way into the repertoire of speech among speakers of Manglish. At the lexical level, some words of ME used by students reflect the multilingual traits of the country. There exist loan words from contact languages such as Chinese (ta-paw, pu-yao) and Bahasa Malayu (makan). Using substrate lexemes plural in the usual English way is common, e.g. kopios coffees (kop-o, black coffee), Menteri Besar (head of state government) and pengarahs (directors). Other cultural expressions adopted in ME, for instance: †¢ Kadhi (religious judge) impose a fine for khalwat (illicit proximity to the opposite sex) †¢ Don’t act so ulufied (backward, not hip) Wear something more stylo (stylish) †¢ Lets go ngerdate (dating), an Indonesian slang very common among the Malays. †¢ Hello thamby, (boy) one cup of coffee please. An example of a short conversation in colloquial Malaysian English (non-standard English) may sound like this: Housewife: Your fish so flabby, no good one. Fishmonger : Like that already hard †¢what. How hard one you want? You want stone, want wood. I can’t find. Housewife : You half-past six lawyer one. Give little bit cheap la, this fish. Fishmonger : Oh, that’s why you said that kind, said my thing flabby, you want Cheap-cheap. Housewife : You don’t want give, I look other places. Fishmonger : Look, look la, wait you come back look for me also. (Adibah Aroin, New Straits Times, 3V December 1992) 6. Awareness of language differences in the classroom Though the use of Standard English is very much desired, one must not dismiss the significance of other varieties of the language, particularly Manglish. Students must be made to realise the importance of Standard English in academic and formal settings; but at the same time be conscious of the communicative function of Manglish. Manglish helps learners to bridge the gap between the use of acrolect among proponents in an academic setting and the basilect used among their peers to facilitate understanding. More importantly, Manglish has a social function of fostering ties. It motivates students to move from one speech to another level through the opening up of communication channels across the sociolects. Students must realise that the main objective of learning English is not to acquire native speakers’ competency but rather to be intelligible among international English speakers and those within their ‘community’. Students  must be conscious that dialects are not inferior languages and that they should be respected, and that Standard English is necessary only in a formal context. 6.1 Intercultural Media Language The English language and its varieties would make excellent vehicles to create cross-cultural awareness. Students are able to use print and non-print resources of language such to compare the language used in British newspapers and the local dailies. Students will find differences in the use of lexical items and would be able to familiarize themselves with the constructs of ‘Manglish’. They will then proceed to examine larger texts such as novels and plays. This will encourage students to accept their own variety and ‘overcome reluctance to approach another variety once they found that the texts in these other varieties were accessible to them’ (Kachru and Nelson: 1996) 6.2 New English Literatures An excellent method to introduce other varieties of English is through literature. The area of literature opens up multi-traditional aspects of human life, which encourages students to broaden their horizons. By introducing literatures that is very much Malaysian, students will be exposed to new uses and forms of their own language. 6.3 Manglish Discourse Materials, which have features of ‘Manglish’ such as advertisement, obituaries and excerpts from TV and conversations, provide excellent  resources in discussing discourse markers. In this way, students are able to study speech acts such as negotiating, persuading, and apologizing within the structures and cultural context which is most familiar to them. Rather than perceiving it as an obstacle to learning the English language, the recognition of ‘Manglish’ by educational bodies may perhaps be of a great value. 6.4 Importance of Standard Variety I would suggest that students learn to handle formal language in schools. This is because they can easily revert to conversational and colloquial language as and when the context arises. However if one only learns to speak at the colloquial level, one can never rise up to the occasion to speak formal English when the need arises. Formal English requires usage of proper grammar and syntax with appropriate vocabulary. It takes a lot of practice before one can master English at this level. So why short change our students by accepting communication that is only up to the non- native variety level? In fact there is worry in many English speaking countries that teenagers are so used to using colloquial English in their ‘SMS’, that they cannot manage formal English, especially at the written level 7. Sensitivity to Registers The notion of ‘developing a language’ means, adding to its range of social functions. This is achieved by developing new registers. According to Halliday (1978:195), a register is a set of meanings that is appropriate to a particular function of language, together with the words and structures which express these meanings’. Registers are commonly identified by certain phonological variants, vocabulary, idioms and other expressions that are associated with different occupational or socio-economic groups. 7.1 Importance of Registers to Learners The term register includes different aspects of language in various contexts such as field of discourse, modes of discourse, style of discourse and discourse domain. It is important for students to develop styles and registers and recognize how to use them appropriately and be conscious of the need to do so. 7.1.1 Field of Discourse The knowledge of discourse enables students to have the ability to communicate with specialists in a particular field once they’ve understood the use of terminologies used in that field. In The STAR online, 24h March, there was a write up from a concerned parent who felt that teachers needed help in the field of Maths and Science and how crude errors are made such as ‘8 push 4 is 4’ a literal translation from BM (8 tolak 4 ialah 4). Therefore it is important for students to be exposed to mathematical and scientific terminologies because knowledge is power Having knowledge in various fields will help students in their future studies or career such as being proficient in delivering speeches, conducting negotiations, preparing drafts of agreements and in routine business communication. 7.1.2 Modes of Discourse Modes of discourse can be either written or verbal. Students who are not very well versed in their speech may produce ungrammatical, short, incomplete sentences, filled with false starts, fillers and pauses. Tongue (1968:83) has defined ‘fillers’ as a term used to indicate those items of language which communicate no particular denotative meaning but which are used to indicate the emotive, affective attitudes of the speaker, or sometimes simply to fill a pause or a moment of hesitation or reflection in the stream of speech. The most well known is the â€Å"suffix† lah or sometimes pronounced la, which realises different pragmatic functions as illustrated below: †¢ Emphasizing support e.g. I agree lah †¢ Persuading e.g. †¦ .you must do it in a proper way lah †¢ Complementing e.g. that’s a good idea, good lah Other common fillers used are ‘bah’ (by the Sabahans), ‘mah’ (by the Chinese) and â€Å"a?† or â€Å"ah†. â€Å"Ah† serves to function as fillers or breaking points as well as bringing out a question force as shown below. †¢ No point helping friends who are not interested, do you agree with that, ah? Other features of Malaysianess include the use of tag questions in particular the use of â€Å"isn’t it?† and adding the phrase â€Å"or not† to the preceding instead of presenting two alternatives. †¢ We’ve done it, isn’t it? †¢ You want to follow or not? Students must be mindful that usage of such a variety of English is accepted in informal settings. However in a formal setting, the standard variety of English is necessary and is the acceptable norm. With the changing role and the decline in the standard of English in Malaysia, it is found that instances of deviation from Standard English have increased in frequency. Though there is an attempt to use the Standard English, inadequate exposure and lack of knowledge result in the many basic Standard English deviations, which are found even in the speech of educated users of the language. As far as Malaysian students are concerned, these irregularities are usually tolerated and overlooked, as long as they do not interfere too greatly with communicative purposes. At present, indication of these irregularities may be observed in the spoken mode, as many students seem to feel quite free to incorporate features of the local dialect, into their speech, be it in a formal or informal situation . 7.1.3 Style of Discourse An important issue is how students use their verbal repertoire and what are the uses they will put them to. According to Halliday (1978), there are factors, which affect the way people use language. Halliday classifies this as field, mode and tenor. Field refers to ‘why’ and about what a communication takes place, mode is about ‘how’, and tenor is about to whom. For example, in writing a letter, one might start: â€Å"l am writing to inform you that†¦.† but in another letter, the same person might write: â€Å"I just  want to let you know that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  According to Joos (1967), there are five types of formalities: 1) Frozen style is more characteristic of writing than speech e.g. Students should make their way at once to the upper floor by way of the staircase. 2) Formal style uses sentences that show careful planning and logical development of ideas e.g. Students should go up the stairs at once. People who have limited shared background use consultative style; sentences are complete and some background information is given e.g. Would you mind going upstairs right away, please? People who have a shared background use casual style; it is marked by slang, profanity and incomplete sentences e.g. Time you all went upstairs now. Intimate style is the style, which is highly economical and is accompanied by a lot of non-verbal communication; people who know each other very well use it e.g. Up you go, fellows! It seems to me that it is in the area covered by consultative, formal and frozen, that our students need to be competent in. They ought to know which style to use when an occasion arises. Once a student said to his teacher in class: â€Å"Would you be so kind to explain again?† and a moment later, he said, â€Å"I want you to explain this question again†. This shows that the student is not consistent in the level of formality. In a classroom situation, the second one is acceptable but the first one is too formal. Our students fail to take into account the relationship between participants and situations or settings. Students need to be aware that a formal setting requires formal speech and that they may use colloquial words or phrases in an informal setting. They need to be aware that using language often involves how formal one needs to be in a situation. 8. Cultural References and Figures of Speech An overall understanding of the significant role of cultural variables in cross-cultural interactions will act as a bridge to mutual understanding and acceptance in situations of cultural conflict. Students must be aware that in certain cultures, the people are expected to respond to certain  utterances in an appropriate way, which is of the linguistic norm. 8.1 Importance of Cultural Appropriacy A possible way of dealing with varied cultural behaviour is to sensitise students to the unique characteristics of other cultures. Students should develop cultural tolerance and show understanding for other people’s differences. The ability to be tolerant is necessary for anyone hoping to avoid miscommunication. It involves the learner recognizing that every culture has its own logic, its own integrity and that no one culture is any better (or, for that matter, any worse) than any other. Malaysian idiomatic expressions used by learners could only be understood at the local context. Some are even fond of the idea of contextualization these days. It truly gives a Malaysian flavour to our speech. Localised expression appeals to the average man in the street. Having a common speech pattern somehow helps some students to bond quickly and so it helps to establish friendship between like-minded people. 9. Ways of Improving Students Sociolinguistics Competence The lack in cross-cultural understanding or sensitivity on the part of the teacher has serious implications because it affects classroom management and consequently, student’s learning. There are various activities that can be carried out in classrooms to instil cultural understanding. Learning how to perform particular speech acts in both formal and informal settings,  learning particular â€Å"ways of speaking†, like story telling, narratives, joke-telling, simply learning to chitchat, are all important in learning how to speak proficiently. Syaharom Abdullah (1995) believes that students will become conscious of the values and expectations, which are basic in a culture through dialogue practice or role-play. In learning English, the student has to learn how to use and interpret the sociolinguistic rules of English in various contexts. To achieve this, the learner must develop an awareness of areas in which the sociolinguistic system of his own culture differs from those of other cultures. Teachers can design some problem-solving exercises in order to do so. 10. Conclusion It is obvious that sociolinguistic competence offers more insights in learning a language. Problems may arise for students’ who may not be familiar with the various context of language use. By means of getting acquainted with the various cultures of Englishes and updating their knowledge about language learning, students may be better able to accomplish the goals of engaging themselves in the pragmatic, authentic, functional use of language for meaningful purpose. It is important that the second language instructors in Malaysia be familiar with sociolinguistics. Teaching language is not just about learning the rudiments of the language but also various cultural refinements. Students must be made aware of formal and informal language use. They should be knowledgeable as to appropriate expressions for different context. Students must be mindful as to when they can resort to colloquial language and when formality is necessary. Lastly students need to be made aware that mastering English does not mean acquiring native proficiency, but rather having universal intelligibility. References Adibah A. (1992). The New Straits Times, SO†1 December. Bachman, L. (1990). Fundamental Considerations in Language Testing. Oxford University Press. Baskaran,L. (1994). The Malaysia English Mosaic. English Today 37 Vol. 10. Brown H. Douglas, (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, Fourth Edition, Longman. Broersma, D. (2001). â€Å"‘You’re So White, So Fat, and So Hairy!†: Developing Sociolinguistic Competence in a Second Language.† In Helping Learners Develop Second Language Proficiency, L. J. Dickerson (Ed.), pp. 200-205. Colorado Springs: Mission Training International. M.A.K. Halliday. (1978). Language as Social Semiotic: The Social Interpretation of Language and Meaning, Baltimore: University Park Press, 1978; London: Edward Arnold, 1978. Joos, Martin. (1967). The Five Clocks, New York: Harcourt, Brace & World. Kachru. B.B. and Nelson, C.L. (1996). World Englishes. In Sociolinguistics and Language Teaching. USA Cambridge University Press. Morias, Elaine. (1994). Malaysian Business Talk: A Study of Conflict and Non-Conflict in Verbal Interactions. PHD Thesis, University of Malaya. Syaharom Abdullah. (1995). Thai Tesol Annual Conference, January 1995, Universiti Utara Malaysia. Test/cultural kind-html. The Star On Line, 24th March, 2003. Tongue, R.K. (1979). The English of Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore, Eastern University Press. Ogbu, J.U. (1999). Beyond Languages: Ebonies, Proper English and Identity in a Black- American Speech Community. American Educational Research Journal, 36 147-184.

Language Barriers

Language barriers can impede the educational progress of minorities. The United States is facing the challenge of language barriers in the way of educational progress of minorities. There are approximately 3.5 million children who are not proficient in English language due to their different native language. The United States has received maximum number of new arrivals in 1960s. these arrivals included refugees, illegal and legal immigrants and migrants. As a result, number of enrolled students increased significantly and a large number of new comers were admitted in the public schools of the United States. These newly enrolled students were from different nations so they were proficient in their native languages but their proficiency level regarding English language was very low or none. There were not/hardly able to speak English. To overcome this challenge, several educational policies, and legislation and court decisions were made (Berman et al, 1992). The Bilingual Education Act of 1968, Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Act was the first step that was taken to overcome the challenge of language barrier. The purpose of this Act was to make sure that all the Mexican American children learn to speak English to an extent that can enable them to actively participate in their educational activities. The role of this Act was later expanded to overcome the language barrier of all non-English speaking children. It is shown in Chavez, (1991, p. 11-12): â€Å"It is not the purpose of the bill to create pockets of different languages through the country †¦ but just to try to make those children fully literate in English†. Several steps were taken to overcome the language barrier. The purpose of all the steps was to enable all non-English speaking children to speak English fluently. An example of such as decision was made in Lau v. Nichols (1974) when the United States Supreme Court declared that every non-English speaking child has got the right to get special assistance in learning English. It stated: There is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education. †¦ Teaching English to the students of Chinese ancestry who do not speak the language is one choice. Giving instruction to the group in Chinese is another. There may be others. (Chavez, 1991, pp. 14-15) A large number of Limited English Proficient students are enrolling in the 10th grade test. It was also found that the number of Hispanic high school graduates was very less all over the country. This was due to large number of students who were dropped out of the school. Although there have been several efforts to improve the English language of non-English speaking students specially Hispanic students but it is found that despite all these efforts, the drop out rate of Hispanic students has not decreased to a significant extent (Hispanic Dropout Project, 1998). Conclusion English language learners are usually exempted from appearing in the assessments that are done for native English speakers. It is quite unfair because non-English speaking students are left behind. It is suggested that non-English speakers should also be allowed to appear in the same assessment programs that are done for English speakers. This will help the non-English speakers to get out of the feeling of left out and they will progress a breast with native English speakers. References Berman, P., Chambers, J., Gandara, P., McLaughlin, B., Minicucci, C., Nelson, D., Olsen, L, & Parrish, T. (1992). Meeting the challenge of language diversity: An evaluation of programs for pupils with limited proficiency in English. Berkeley, CA: BW Associates. Chavez, L. (1991). Out of the barrio: Towards a new politics of Hispanic assimilation. New York: Basic. Hispanic Dropout Project. (1998). No more excuses: The final report of the Hispanic dropout project. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 563 (1974).                        

Artists and Collective Groups

Magiciens de la terre was staged by the curator Jean Hubert Martin on 14 August, 1989 in Paris. The exhibition portrays the work of hundreds of artists and collective groups from all over the world to create a juxtaposition effect. It aimed to eradicate the culture of ethnocentrism from the minds of people that was prevailing at that time. The European people back then would undervalue the art work of people from other cultures and values and none of the art exhibition would deal with the subject. Jean Martin took up the subject and portrayed over a hundred of artists at an equal level where 50 percent of the artists were non western. The attempt was made through the artistic representation that people cannot be discriminated based on geographical regions and they also deserve to receive equal respect from the society (Rapko, 2014). The curator chose to go for installation view for the exhibition in the gallery and selected the master work of Carl Beam and Richard Long. These works were chosen to signify the geographical regions across the world and renewed questions based on land and place and how the concept of art deals with the other geographical regions. The two works are being put together in a contrasting manner in order to make the audience think over the issues that have been prevailing in the society for such a long period. Richard’s long mud circle was made to hang near the Yuendumu community ground painting Yarla. Yarla is a traditional Australian piece of art that was made in the early centuries. The contrasting effect is created in order to showcase the issues that arise during the work. The exhibition also makes use of the Sarkis through showcases, screens, projections, reading tables and shelving (Friedel, 2016). Apart from that, unlike the traditional exhibitions, this exhibition also displayed how the preparation of the exhibition was carried out through a number of videos which shows that the work was not just taken abruptly and every projection has a reason behind it to be showcased. The exhibition layout and structure was not like a traditional finished exhibition rather the curator made sure to make the exhibition movable as much as he could in order to shed some light on the practices which were deep rooted in the European culture. The exhibition comprised of a number of texts and images to display the views of European people over the non western world. The non western artists were represented on the stage with full respect and dignity equal to their western counterpart. This act demanded their equal rights in artistic world from the European people. The scenarios in the exhibition were staged in a manner so as to show case the inequities of the world. The 113 artist were staged along with their geographical locations, biographies and artistic works from over 50 countries across the world (Africanah.org, 2016). The exhibition is displayed in parts to give a contrasting view of the world through portraying different artists from the world. Every act has a message at the end for the audience to ponder upon. The artists are from different geographical location from all over the world such is Australia, Tibet, China and many more. The exhibition makes extensive use of videos, documentary, images etc to highlight the ethnocentric issue. The exhibition starts with the Australian artists all together working on a painting on the ground. The artists talk to each other but their conversation which cannot be heard is not the focus here rather their art work ground painting is highlighted which is dreaming of rain. The scene depicts the hidden world of Dreamtime. The next part opens with a Chinese guy who first washes newspapers in the washing machine to make a wall installation out of it. At first, he tries to connect himself with the Taoist’s philosophy prevailing in China which does not encourage questions. The inability to seek answer from the philosophy disconnects him from the Chinese culture and he finds himself between the western artists with whom he reconnects himself. The third part shows some monks who are trying to create an art work with the use of dust and metal sticks. They work very hard to make the image and even start sweating in the process of making this complex art work. These people are actually working very hard and dealing with the complexities of the art work. The next part shows the conversation between two women American Indian and African. The African woman asks some questions related to a blanket to the other woman and after hearing the answer the African woman is relieved. The next scene portrays a father and a daughter making a sand painting and the same lady who portrayed as an American woman in the earlier scene is also standing there and watching them. The man erases the painting after showing it to his wife. The scene symbolizes that deletion of something would lead to creation of some other new possibility. The scene leaves a very deep message for the audience to think upon. The exhibition was under preparation for around four years with limited number of curators. The curators travelled across the globe for the exhibition to get themselves acquainted with the different socio culture and psychology of the people across the world. They travelled from North America to Australia, Japan, China, Tibet and other countries to explore the culture (Solal, 2016). The curator chose the installation mode of presenting unlike the traditional exhibitions, because he wanted to have a direct connection with the audience through the show. He did not want the audience to see the immovable objects through the finished objects which gives the feeling that they have been abruptly taken from their original context and the audience does not even get to know the real motive behind the scene. The installation approach gives the audience a different perspective of thinking by engaging it through different acts and scenes. The audience gets to understand the real essence of the different acts that the curator wants to portray. Since the light and technology was not even a close match that of today’s, still the curator made use of best of the technologies that were prevailing at that time. The extensive use of projectors to show the videos demonstrate that the best technologies were chose of that time. The screens were used for the reflection part. Then there was use of reading tables and shelves for the exhibition. The light technology used in the traditional art works of Richard Long ‘Red Earth Circle’ and Yuendumu, an Australian aboriginal community, is mesmerizing and demonstrates the excellent work of the curator. The work displayed by the curator is an excellent presentation of revolutionary art, which has become a global turn phenomenon in the history of the world. Around 300,000 visitors visited the exhibition and were amazed to see the art work by the curator. Though there was intensive criticism for the art exhibition by many critics for the theme being used. The work was criticized for hurting the religious sentiments of a number of people over the world (Modern, 2014). Though the curator clarified that the essence was to give the non western artist the respect they deserve and to not to focus on the mini details of the work and overlook them. Overall, the exhibition was an excellent effort by the curator through the extensive use of films, reference documents, notes and notebooks, films, catalogues and books, which shaped the concept of events. The visitors were enlightened by the field trips, the contact with the artists, the staging and the work of institutions. Rapko, J. (18 May 2014). The Design Isn’t Firm; Or, Why Do Curators Talk Like That?.NYAQ/LXAQ/SFAQ: International Art and Culture. Available at: https://sfaq.us/2015/05/the-design-isnt-firm-or-why-do-curators-talk-like-that/ [Accessed 12 December 2016]. Friedel, J. (12 August 2016). Magiciens de la Terre. Contemporary and Platform for International art from African perspectives. Available at: https://www.contemporaryand.com/magazines/magiciens-de-la-terre/ [Accessed 12 December 2016]. Africanah.org. (2 July 2014). Magiciens de la Terre, a look back at a legendary exhibition. Africanah.org.   Available at: https://africanah.org/magiciens-de-la-terre/ [Accessed 12 December 2016]. Solal, A.C. Revisiting Magiciens de la terre. Stedelijk Studies. Available at: https://www.stedelijkstudies.com/journal/revisiting-magiciens-de-la-terre/ [Accessed 12 December 2016]. Steeds, L. (2013). Making Art Global (Part 2) ‘Magiciens de la terre’ 1989. London: Afterall Books. Modern, T. (18 March 2014). In 1989 The Ambitious Exhibition ‘Magiciens De La Terre’ opened in Paris, presenting the work of over one hundred artists, half of whom were described as non-western. Biennial Foundation. Available at: https://www.biennialfoundation.org/2014/03/in-1989-the-ambitious-exhibition-magiciens-de-la-terre-opened-in-paris-presenting-the-work-of-over-one-hundred-artists-half-of-whom-were-described-as-non-western/ [Accessed 12 December 2016]. Modern, T. Magiciens De La Terre: Reconsidered. Tate. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/magiciens-de-la-terre-reconsidered [Accessed 13 December 2016]. Former West. Magiciens De La Terre Jean-Hubert Martin Editions du Centre Pompidou 1989 ISBN 102858504989. Former West. Available at: https://www.formerwest.org/ResearchLibrary/MagiciensdelaTerre [Accessed 13 December 2016]. Critique d’art. From  Magiciens de la Terre  to the Globalization of the Art World: Going Back to a Historic Exhibition. Critique d’art. Available at: https://critiquedart.revues.org/8308?lang=en Accessed 13 December 2016]. JStor. Bilderstreit' and 'Magiciens de la Terre. Paris and Cologne. JStor. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/884068?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents Accessed 13 December 2016].

Research project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Project - Research Paper Example Do appropriate candidature policies determine the votes a candidate gets? The response to this quiz is necessary for system modelling for a national election candidate’s success in the United Kingdom. If the political candidate’s policies primarily affects the manner in which voters will vote, other political forces such as party euphoria and candidate’s charisma would be irrelevant. It would then be imperative to understand how a nominee’s policies will affect the national legal, political structure in all aspects. On the other hand if policies don’t change the voting patterns, political candidates tend to focus on other significant elements. For instance, political candidate’s previous history and leadership qualities among others. Previous studies indicate that candidates with good policies command higher votes as compared to others. The clearest way of deciding if voting patterns are affected or prefer policy choices is by comparing voter s’ preferred policies and others (Kellstedt and Whitten, 2013). My research question will be: Does appropriate Party policies determine the number of votes a candidate is most likely to get? The research question tries to establish a link between setting down party policies with reference to voter turnout and how this shapes up. In this study, we identify the significance of party systems and its relationship to the number of votes a party’s nominee gets. Political party nominee’s get more votes as a result of appropriate party policies. In this case, the dependent variable is proposed, and the independent variable is party politics. As a result of proper party politics that citizens find appealing tends to attract more votes towards a party for its candidate while non-appealing policies tend to push away votes for a party’s nominee. In the hypothesis framework showing the

Reflective analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflective analysis - Essay Example I believe that this ability to identify one’s mistakes, learning perfection and the ability to rectify them rather than ignoring the fact of being imperfect, makes me a better person and professional having the ability to improve with every step and instance. The learning outcome I really wanted to pursue is the development of â€Å"understanding that grammatical and mechanical errors detract from achieving their communication purposes†. The grammatical mistakes I made in my earlier writings made the content I wrote awkward and confusing for the reader. For instance, the use of punctuation could make this sentence taken from my January 18 submission, better by replacing â€Å"These celebrities all have thousands if not millions of followers on their social media profiles† with â€Å"These celebrities all have thousands, if not millions, of followers on their social media profiles†. Similarly, a sentence in my January 15 submission read â€Å"I think Toulmin model is the most effective for the evaluative rhetorical analysis I am composing, because my theis is "drug free"†; here the word ‘theis’ makes the reader confused and perplexed as to the meaning of it. The correction needed here was with the spelling of ‘thesis’ and it makes the entire message clear for the reader with proper sense. At times, wrong use of writing structures and mechanics make the work incomprehensible for the reader. I have learnt it from a review of my submissions during the course. For instance, my January 21 submission includes that â€Å"Everyone has one partner, then we read draft each other to find somewhere need to improve, like grammar, etc. ,I think this is a great method for revise draft.† The sentence could make more sense and deliver better meanings by an amendment in the structure and formation of it. It could have been better to say â€Å"Everyone has a partner to work with. After writing the draft, we read each other’s work to identify areas for improvement

Bars and Night Clubs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bars and Night Clubs - Essay Example The dance floor is usually lighted by different kinds of lights which spark through out the club. The feel given to a night club is different than that to other clubs and bars in terms of the themes and environment given to the clubbers. The music in night clubs is usually played by a DJ who plays fast music such as pop or dance items. The lighting forms an important aspect in the night clubs as the revolving lights of different colors in the night club gives a charm to the whole night club. Different types of lighting have been arranged for the night clubs which give effect to the whole night club. Flashing of different colored lights is a common sight in these clubs. Similarly the audio system used in night clubs is of immense importance as the whole night club dances to the rhythm of the music. It can be said that night clubs are basically designed to give the clubbers a change in the environment of dancing and a freedom which not all the clubbers can experience in the outer world . The dance floor is usually lit up by flashing lights in which people cannot usually view the faces of each other clearly. Nowadays night clubs also include a bar which provides people with beer and alcohol to drink. The night clubs are usually open in the night and closed in the daylight hours.

The importance of an enterprise resource planning system Essay

The importance of an enterprise resource planning system - Essay Example The three tier architecture of client server is exploited to a great extent by enterprise resource planning. For ERP systems other enabling technologies comprise of Workflow, Group Ware, Work Group, Data Warehousing, Electronic Data Interchange, Intranet, the Internet, etc. There are some important characteristics of ERP that has made this framework beneficial for all contemporary organizations as highlighted in figure 1. Firstly, the flexibility of ERP in terms of responding to any form of organizational changes. The technology of client server supports ERP to access a wide array of database ends. An ERP framework demands an open system architecture. This indicates that any module can be detached as and when required without causing an impact on other modules. ERP system is comprehensive by nature since it needs to support various functions. This system is not just confined to the organizational boundary and needs to deliver best business practices. The major areas benefitting throu gh these systems are inventory management, procurement or supplier management, financial management, customer flexibility or responsiveness and personnel management. In the overall context, ERP provides multi-facility, multi-platform, multi-mode manufacturing, multilingual and multi-currency facilities. ERP also helps to reduce information gap existing between organizations. Business benefits from ERP with examples ERP systems are able to provide a competitive advantage to all organizations in terms of increasing business performance.

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT (EXAM) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT (EXAM) - Essay Example Holding inventory can improve customer service while maintaining independence of the supply chain. The major disadvantage of holding inventory is that it is expensive. The average carrying cost of inventory across all manufacturing is 25-35% of its value. Higher carrying costs result in decreased profits for the firm. In other words, holding inventory is a non-value adding cost. Value of holding inventory is an opportunity cost for the firm where the money is stagnant and not invested. Above all, inventory deteriorates; it becomes obsolete, lost or stolen. Holding inventory increases the firm's risks. The EOQ model minimizes the sum of holding and ordering costs. The model assumes that there is only one product involved. The annual demand is assumed as even and constant throughout the year and the demand requirements are known. Lead time is assumed as fixed and non-varying where each order is received in a single delivery. EOQ further assumes no quantity discounts. c. The inventory control manager of a car factory issues orders for tyres which cost '48 each. He has estimated that stock holding costs about 25% per year while the administration costs about '150 for each order. Given that demand for tyres is reasonable steady throughout the year at 20,000 per month, estimate the EOQ for these tyres. Modelling approach to inventory has advantages in business such as being easy to understand and use, giving good guidelines for order size and easy to implement and automate. Models can find other values such as costs and cycle lengths, encourages stability and allows different circumstances/situations. Question 4 a. Discuss why the design of jobs is an important aspect of operations management. Job design describes the tasks, methods, responsibilities and environment used by individuals to do their work. It finds the best possible way of doing a job. The objectives of job design involves meeting the productivity, quality and other goals of the organisation as well as making the job safe, satisfying and rewarding for the individual. These objectives are extensions of the fundamental task of an operations manager who is responsible for all aspects of the organisation's products and the processes used to make them. Managing operations directly affects performance of an organisation; job design is one of the strategies that would improve performance. b. Chronologically, there has been a series of approaches to job design over the last 100 years. Select any two of the major approaches and discuss the important features of each approach, together with advantages and disadvantages. Job Rotation is an approach of job design where the job each person does is rotated in a certain period so that people do not get into a rut of doing the same specialised job all the time. The advantage of job rotation is that it can give people more varied work and a broader range of skills. The disadvantage of job rotation is that it only gives a temporary improvement as people soon feel they are being switched around a series of equally boring jobs. Job

Quality Transformation of the Veterans Healthcare System Essay

Quality Transformation of the Veterans Healthcare System - Essay Example In the 1990s the VHA had a series of problems that prompted a need for reform. The challenges were with substandard care for older veterans and many of the hospitals were run down and poorly managed. Many doctors lacked the experience to run the hospitals properly and patient needs were not being satisfied (Cannon, 2006). The problem was so great that Congress considered shutting down the hospitals and giving veterans a voucher to go to outside private hospitals (Waller, 2006, p. 1). A restructuring took place in the mid-1990s to focus on taking care of outpatients rather than in keeping them in lengthy hospital stays. Larger hospitals that were not effective were closed in favor of clinics that would concentrate on meeting the needs of the aging veterans. After this time many newspaper reported that the VHA was particularly good for a variety of conditions. The greatest part of the reform was to update their technology and create better systems for managed care. As an example, they created software that would track their patients so they would have access to them as needed instead of having to scramble to find patients information. These measures gave doctors the ability to improve patient care because their records were easily accessible on a laptop computer. The reason this is easy is because the VHA has a system wide database where they keep a total history of each veteran. Within this reform a barcode system was also adopted for prescriptions so that when f illing them a nurse can scan the barcode on the patient and then scan it on the prescription to make sure that there is a match. These changes prompted many veterans to leave private insurance and go back to the VHA which also created more problems for the VHA because the influx of patients created challenges financially that Congress did not provide for in the revamping (Waller, p. 2). In order to deal with the influx they had to limit the amount of people who could take

Journal #1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Journal #1 - Essay Example Michael, the owner of the Biomedical Tissue Services had a business plan where he would pay the funeral directors to be granted the permission to access the dead bodies and later resell spines, bones and other tissues to other firms who needed human spare parts. In the year 2005, Michael was exposed by prosecutors for having gained $4.6 million in just three years. He offered undertakers $1000 for providing access to the dead bodies, paid the cutters $300 to $500 for extracting the wanted organs, and afterwards took home around $7000 per body. Later on, the New York Police interviewed the families of 1077 people whose bodies went missing for bones, spines and other tissues. Kristen E. Schleiter, a senior research associate for the Council on â€Å"Ethical and Judicial Affairs of the American Medical Association†, in his article "DONORS HAVE NO RIGHTS TO DONATED TISSUE" explains that one might have surrendering ownership of donated tissues of himself or herself or the person close to him or her. One of the definitions of Autonomy is that it allows an individual to participate in a clinical research and donate the body tissues towards research purposes with the boundaries unclear when the donated tissues depart the body and the recipient accepts them. However, no law has been passed to clearly establish and govern the ownership rights in donated tissues but researchers and institution have made assumptions that they have the right to study, transfer, collect, or get rid of human tissue specimens and the associated patient data such as genetic testing. There have also been assumptions by researchers that they can use the tissue and other respective body parts to develop a genetic sequence, cell lines and other products that may be rewarded financially. Moore v. Regents of University of California case proved that even if the excised cells initially belonged to a certain individual, the cells were legally and factually distinct from the research

Thesis on video games Essay Example for Free

Thesis on video games Essay A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or modified computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device (a television, monitor, etc. ) to display a video game. The term video game console is used to distinguish a machine designed for consumers to buy and use solely for playing video games from a personal computer, which has many other functions, or arcade machines, which are designed for businesses that buy them and then charge others to play. I. PLAYSTATION 3 The PlayStation family is the worlds highest-selling video game system. Sony Computer Entertainment released the PlayStation in 1995, followed by the PlayStation 2 in 2000, PlayStation Portable in 2004, and PlayStation 3 in 2006. Sonys first foray into the video game market,the PlayStation (codenamed PSX during development, now known as PS one), was initially designed as an add-on for Nintendo’s Super (Super Famicom) video game console as an answer to Segas Sega CD. When the prospect of releasing the system as an add-on dissolved, Sony transformed it into the standalone PlayStation video game console. Sonys follow-up console, the PlayStation 2 (PS2), currently the worlds best-selling console in history, was released in Japan on March 4, 2000 and in North America on October 26, 2000. The PSP or PlayStation Portable is a handheld game console made by Sony Computer Entertainment; a first foray into the handheld gaming market which was previously dominated by Nintendo. Though it has not had as much as of an impact as the PlayStation home consoles, the PSP is noted as being the most successful competitor to Nintendos handheld range yet. The newest console in the PlayStation series is Sonys entry in the seventh generation of consoles, the PlayStation 3 (PS3), which launched in November 2006. It uses a unique processing architecture called the Cell microprocessor, a technology jointly developed by Sony, Toshiba, and IBM. The graphics processing unit, the RSX Reality Synthesizer, was co-developed by NVIDIA and Sony. It is currently behind its competitors, the Xbox 360 and Wii in terms of sales. II. Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is the video game console produced by Microsoft, and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendos Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles. A prominent feature of the Xbox 360 is its integrated Xbox Live service that allows players to compete online and download content such as arcade games, game demos, trailers, TV shows, and movies. Major features of the console include its Windows Media Center multimedia capabilities, mandatory support of high definition in all games, movie rentals and game downloads from its online marketplace and the ability to watch HD DVD movies with an add-on drive. The Xbox 360 was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged later that month at the Electronic. The console sold out completely upon release in all regions except in Japan, and, as of January 5, 2009, 28 million units have been sold worldwide, according to Microsoft. The Xbox 360 is currently available in three configurations: the Arcade, the Pro, and the Elite console, each with its own selection of accessories. III. Nintendo Wii The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsofts Xbox 360 and Sonys PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of both. As of December 31, 2008 the Wii leads the generation over the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in worldwide sales. A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device anddetect movement in three dimensions. Another distinctive feature of the console is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode. The Wii is Nintendos fifth home console, the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube, and able to play all official GameCube games. Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at the 2005 E3. Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show. At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards. By December 8, 2006, it had completed its launch in four key markets. 1. 1. 2 GPU (Graphics Processing Units). A graphics processing unit or GPU (also occasionally called visual processing unit or VPU) is a specialized processor that offloads 3D graphics rendering from the microprocessor. It is used in embedded systems, mobile phones, personal computers, workstations, and game consoles. Modern GPUs are very efficient at manipulating computer graphics, and their highly parallel structure makes them more effective than general-purpose CPUs for a range of complex algorithms. In a personal computer, a GPU can be present on a video card, or it can be on the motherboard. More than 90% of new desktop and notebook computers have integrated GPUs, which are usually far less powerful than those on a dedicated video card. I. NVIDIA NVIDIA a multinational corporation which specializes in the development of graphics processing units and chipset technologies for workstations, personal computers, and mobile devices. Based in Santa Clara, California, the company has become a major supplier of integrated circuits (ICs) such as graphics processing units (GPUs) and chipsets used in graphics cards, and of video-game consoles and personal-computer motherboards. Notable Nvidia product-lines include the GeForce series for gaming, the Quadro series for computer-aided design and for digital content creation on workstations, and the nForce series of integrated motherboard chipsets. II. RADEON ATI Radeon is a brand of graphics processing units (GPU) that since 2000 has been manufactured by ATI Technologies and subsequently AMD and is the successor to their Rage line. There are four different groups, which can be differentiated by the DirectX generation they support. More specific distinctions can also be followed, such as the HyperZ version, the number of pixel pipelines, and of course, the memory andprocessor clock speeds. 1. 2PROBLEM STATEMENT: â€Å"EXTREME GAMERS’ DEMAND PLAYSTATION 3 RATHER THAN PCs† * Is there sufficient demand and awareness for the higher end console like Sony Play station 3 * Is it better to face the competition with previous Play Station 2 and X box that are already in the market * Is there any know how of Blue-ray technology among the young generation that are more towards console gaming. * How difficult is to grab the existing market of PC gamers to feedt them with Game consoles. 1. 3SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY: * This study evaluates all aspects of the economic viability of the business venture including a description and analysis of your business prospects. * It serves as a benchmark against which, actual performance can be measured and reviewed. * It serves as a helpful tool to uncover weaknesses in the planning process for a gaming business. * It helps the management and / or an entrepreneur to clarify, focus and research their business’s or project’s development and prospects. * It serves as a basis for discussion with third parties such as banks, investors, lenders etc. The major focus of investors is on the risk and return on the investments. This research study would increase their awareness of the major factors that directly or indirectly affect the risk and return on their investments. 1. 4SCOPE AND DELIMITATION: The study has been undertaken to explore the potential customers’ preference between Game Consoles or Gaming PCs in Karachi. Primary data would be collected through prospective Gamers residing in Karachi only. I. LIMITING FACTORS: * Bias opinion of the respondents * Time limitation * PC Gamers II. DELIMITATIONS: The factors that delimit the findings of the study are: * The expected fierce competition from existing DVD 9 and DVD supported consoles and other HD-CD consoles * Lack of awareness from Game titles as most of the titles of Playstation 3 are built upon Direct X 10. 0, where as other consoles are using Direct X 9. 0c * 1. 5DEFINITIONS: Sony Computer Entertainment Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a full subsidiary of Sony. The company was established on November 16, 1993 in Tokyo, Japan prior to the launch of the original PlayStation video game system. The logo has been used since 1994. SCE is also a developer and publisher of video game titles, and is comprised of biggest markets in: North America, Europe, Oceania and Asia. DirectX Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay, DirectSound, and so forth. DirectX, then, was the generic term for all of these APIs and became the name of the collection Blu-ray Blu-ray Disc (also known as Blu-ray or BD) is an optical disc storage medium designed by Sony to supersede the standard DVD format. Its main uses are high-definition video and data storage with 50GB per disc. The disc has the same physical dimensions as standard DVDs and CDs. Video game console A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or electronic device that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device (a television, monitor, etc.) to display a video game. The term video game console is used to distinguish a machine designed for consumers to buy and use solely for playing video games from a personal computer, which has many other functions, or arcade machines, which are designed for businesses that buy and then charge others to play. Seventh generation In the history of video games, the seventh generation primarily focuses on the consoles released since 2004 by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. Development of the console was first announced during 2003, and it was unveiled on May 11, 2004 at a Sony press conference. The system was released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in the PAL region on September 1, 2005 Nintendo DSi The Nintendo DSi is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS handheld developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The handheld was unveiled on October 2, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan during the Nintendo Conference. It was released in Japan on November 1, 2008, Australia on April 2, 2009, Europe on April 3, 2009 and North America on April 5, 2009. Nvidia Nvidia is a multinational corporation specializing in the development of units and chipset technologies for workstations, personal computers, and mobile devices. Based in Santa Clara, California, the company has become a major supplier of integrated circuits (ICs) such as graphics processing units (GPUs) and chipsets used in graphics cards, and video-game consoles and personal-computer motherboards. Radeon ATI Radeon is a brand of graphics processing units (GPU) that since 2000 has been manufactured by ATI Technologies and subsequently AMD and is the successor to their Rage line. There are four different groups, which can be differentiated by the DirectX generation they support. More specific distinctions can also be followed, such as the HyperZ version, the number of pixel pipelines, and of course, the memory and processor clock speeds. RSX Reality Synthesizer The RSX Reality Synthesizer graphics processing unit is a graphics chip design co-developed by NVIDIA and Sony for the PlayStation 3 gaming console. Unless otherwise noted, the following specifications are based on a press release by Sony at the E3 2005 conference, slides from the same conference, and slides from a Sony presentation at the 2006 Game Developers Conference E3 The Electronic Entertainment Expo, commonly known as E3, is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). It is used by many video game developers to show off their upcoming games and game-related hardware. The new E3 Expo is run by International Data Group (IDG) instead of by ESA. CHAPTER # 2 RESEARCH- METHODOLOGIES 2. 1RESEARCH DESIGN I. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: An exploratory study is being undertaken for research on â€Å"The intense Gamers’ Demand Game Consoles Rather Then Gaming PCs† which would help in identifying market of the gamers about their preferences and affordability between a Game console and a PC. II. EXTENT OF RESEARCHER INTERFERENCE: Since this study is conducted in the natural environment, the extent of researcher interference is minimal or rather negligible. III. UNIT OF ANALYSIS: Unit of analysis for this research study includes: * Individuals: * PC Gamers * Console Gamers IV. TIME HORIZON: For my research report, data would be gathered just once, therefore the time horizon is cross-sectional study. 2. 2RESPONDENTS OF THE STUDY For this research study, the questionnaire is filled by 100 individuals (University Students, Gamers at Game Arenas) and unstructured interview is taken from two Extreme Gamers. The respondents of the study include: * Potential Gamers: Teenagers and Early 20s, residing at Karachi. * Extreme Gamers: PC and Console preferred. 2. 3RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS Two instruments would be used for this research: * Questionnaires * Unstructured interviewing 2. 4SAMPLING Sampling would be done randomly on basis of users of Console and PC gamers. 2. 5SOURCE OF DATA I. PRIMARY DATA Primary data would be collected through questionnaire filled by potential gamers i. e. the target market and unstructured interviews from intense Gamers. II. SECONDARY DATA Secondary data would be comprised of sources like magazines, newspapers, internet etc, which will help in understanding the topic more. 2. 6TREATMENT OF DATA Data that is collected through the research is analyzed qualitatively as well as quantitatively. The data is shifted and organization is a presentable shape through pie charts and tables, with comprehensive explanatory notes to make it easy to understand. The financial plan contains projected financial statements as well as other financial tools to support the analysis. CHAPTER # 3 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 3. 1FOREIGN LITERATURE 3. 1. 1PC vs. Console By Dave Spohn, About. com Guide Feb 10 2009 It wasnt that long ago that the PC was the only choice you had if you wanted to play games online. The first console that included a modem for online play was the Sega Dreamcast, which launched in Japan in 1998. The Dreamcast wasnt a big success, however, and went out of production in 2001. It wasnt until the second half of 2002 that PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube introduced online capabilities. Naturally, the latest generation of consoles all has features that use the Internet to enhance game play. Today, online console games are quite common, with Microsofts Xbox Live service leading the way. Sony also has big plans for online content for the PlayStation 3, and consoles are now starting to get game downloads and other applications formerly only available on the PC, such as Web browsers. A few titles can now be played across platforms, such as Final Fantasy XI, in which PS2, Xbox 360, and PC users explore the same online world. That said, PCs still offer the largest selection of online games, and some of the most popular online games, such as World of War craft, are exclusive to the PC. Of course, there are many things to consider before deciding on a gaming platform. Foremost among these is deciding which games you want to play, how much money you want to spend, and whether or not you need a PC for other purposes. Ideally I suppose we would all have both a console and a PC, but if thats not an option, here is quick comparison of the two. Console Advantages The most obvious advantage consoles have over PCs is cost. The majority of consoles sell for well under $500, often with a couple games in the bundle. A PC adequate for running the latest games can easily cost twice that much. The second most obvious advantage is simplicity. Lets face it, PC gaming can be a technical nightmare compared to console gaming. People can actually take a console home and be playing a game within minutes. No operating systems to configure or drivers to update, and better still, no purchasing a game only to find out that it isnt compatible with your PC for some obscure reason. Multiplayer gaming is also made easy with companies like Microsoft offering online services for their product. The Xbox, which came equipped with a network card, raised the bar for consoles in this regard, making it a simple matter to hook it up to a DSL or Cable Internet connection and get into a multiplayer game on Xbox Live, complete with voice chat. Another appealing thing about consoles is that many people prefer to play games sitting on the couch, or they want to play with friends in the same room. While these things are possible on a PC, consoles are extremely well-suited for this right out of the box. Console games are more readily rented than PC games, and more easily returned to the retailer if youre not satisfied with them. Generally speaking, it is difficult to return PC games because they are easy to copy. Console games tend to have a relatively low learning curve. You might need fast thumbs, but you certainly wont need to spend hours in a tutorial trying to learn how to operate basic game functions. Console Disadvantages Although sealing everything into one unit does keep it simple, when some of the components inside the box become dated theres no way to solve the problem without replacing the entire console. In most cases, upgrades that could prolong the life of the system are not an option. Consoles perform only one task really well, where PCs can be used for an extremely wide range of things. Some console manufacturers are trying to make them a little more flexible, but it will clearly be a long time before they support the staggering variety of applications that can be found for PCs. There is a distinct lack of inter-connectivity between the different console brands. Many games are available for one type of console but not others, and when it comes to online play, each is typically restricted to its own network. This means that people with Xboxes can usually only play against other people with Xboxes, so, for example, there is no way for console gamers to jump into a fray on one of the countless PC Counter-Strike servers available. The PS2 has made some progress in this area, forging the way for cross-platform gaming between PS2 and PC users, but only a few titles support this right now. While the PS2 network adapter supports both 56K modem and broadband connections to the Internet, broadband is required for Xbox online play. As well, Microsoft charges a yearly fee for use of the Xbox Live service. PC Advantages One of the biggest advantages the PC has over consoles right now is that there are a lot more games available for the PC than there are for consoles, particularly when it comes to multiplayer online games. Not only are the vast majority of MMOGs designed for the PC, but PC gamers also have the option to play MUDs, email games, browser games, and a wide variety of titles that are distributed digitally or available as free downloads. As mentioned above, another clear advantage PCs have over consoles is that you can use them for a lot more than playing games. Furthermore, if you like to modify games or edit maps for them, a PC is essential, and you have to take a break from gaming sometime to read gaming sites. PCs are always on the cutting edge of gaming technology. The current generation of consoles with high-definition capabilities did briefly narrow the gap, but well-equipped PCs continue to offer superior graphics. Computer monitors can be found with considerably higher resolutions than HDTVs, and the latest multi-core processors and dual GPU solutions make it possible to build a remarkably powerful game system. Even if a console offers incredible technology upon its release, there is no way for it to compete with the rapid hardware advancements that have become a way of life in the computer industry. When it comes online gaming, PCs give people a variety of ways to connect to the Internet, and to each other, which arent restricted to proprietary services or software. Different brands of computer and event different operating systems generally communicate very well with one another. This is quite different from services like Xbox Live, for example, which is the only option available to Xbox users that want to play online, and is closed to everyone that doesnt have an Xbox. Finally, as your PC ages, there is a reasonable chance of extending its gaming life with a component upgrade, although it can get a bit messy. PC Disadvantages While PCs have come down considerably in price over the years, they are still quite expensive compared to consoles. There ways to economize on a PC, such as building it yourself, but its not easy to get the cost of a PC down to a price comparable to even the most expensive console. Computers are also getting a little more user friendly, but eventually every PC gamer will encounter some technical complication that interferes with their gaming, be it a device driver that needs updating or components that are simply incompatible. PCs are also much more vulnerable to viruses and other security breaches. The truth is, installing a game on your computer is always a bit of a gamble. You never really know if its going to work until youre actually playing the game, and even then, in the back of your mind, youre expecting it to crash at any moment. Unlike most console games, PC games have the potential to get ridiculously complicated. This can give a game depth, but it can also result in tedious arrays of keyboard commands and lengthy tutorials which one must endure to learn how to play. PC games are often not well-suited for playing on the couch, especially given that the mouse and keyboard are the preferred PC game controllers. Unlike console games, you also wont find many PC games that support two players on one machine at the same time. Final Thoughts The latest round of consoles has a lot to offer online gamers, and if youre into sports and racing titles, consoles are a good way to go. If you like massively multiplayer games and online shooters, there are a great deal more to choose from on the PC. Online play options for consoles are getting better all the time, but proprietary networks and fees for services like Xbox Live make them a bit less attractive. For the most part, PCs are still the dominant platform for online gaming, and that appears likely to continue for a while yet. 3. 1. 23rd Generation Xbox Specs for 2011 Published: November 9, 2009 by Chairman Steve Its early enough to start speculating on the next Xbox (Xbox 3, Xbox 720). Well need a timeframe for the launch before estimating specs. Q4 2010 would be the earliest, while Q4 2011 I think is the most likely. So lets say Q4 2010 to Q4 2012. Anything in that range would have similar specs. The goals should be (1) low-cost reliable hardware with enough performance and (2) great tools for game developers. In other words, dont put a furnace in the box, dont stuff it with costly unnecessary features, and dont expect developers to fumble with a million threads each with its own 1K local memory. Keep it simple on both ends. I think Microsoft will stick with PowerPC CPU and ATI GPU. There is no reason to switch unless another solution allows lower cost for the hardware and/or software. Maybe AMD could offer a nice deal for a CPU/GPU combo, but PowerPC would allow simple backward compatibility with Xbox 360. The Main Processor The CPU will obviously be multi-core and at least triple-core. I think quad-core is enough with 2MB L2 shared cache. Combine that with an array of smaller cores accessed via an API similar to a PPU or GPU. 16MB eDRAM (or Z-RAM) cache may be something to consider to meet the bandwidth requirement of all those cores. The alternative would be 8 main cores, 4MB L2, and no smaller cores. The Graphics Processor An evolution of Radeon HD (R600) and the Xbox 360 GPU (Xenos) would be fine. Add more shader and texture pipes/processors. Increase the clock speed. And update the shader model (6. 0? ). eDRAM should be enough to fit 19201080 32-bit with 2x MSAA without tiling. Thats 32MB. Memory Advancing memory is simple. Increase capacity and bandwidth. Well need 2GB to 4GB of high-speed main memory. 2GB fast GDDR5/GDDR6 plus 512MB (or 1GB) slower RAM could be interesting. Not everything needs blistering speed. A relatively slow auxiliary memory could be a cost-effective way to maximize the use of main memory. Storage Drives Some next generation big budget games could use more space than DVD, and HD-DVD with a speed of 4x or 6x may be economical in 2011, as long as the format still exists. A holographic format is doubtful but would please the tech nerds on the Net. As for disc bandwidth, 6x HD-DVD would be the equivalent of 19. 5x DVD and not a large leap over 12x DVD from Xbox 360. Too slow for the load time nerds? Games may need large RAM, some auxiliary RAM, or a drive cache to help decrease the number of disc accesses. An option to install to the HDD would be nice. A hard disk drive I expect will be optional and swappable again, but all systems may come with some storage, HDD or Flash. HDD sizes may start at 250GB, while an Elite model has 750GB. Communication Ethernet and WiFi for networking should be standard. USB is the obvious choice for wired peripherals. What about wireless devices (controllers, etc. )? They could use the same proprietary protocol from Xbox 360 and/or Wireless USB. Controller Were you waiting for this part? The decision for what will be the standard controller can wait. Microsoft has time to gauge what consumers want. For now, Ill pencil in a wireless traditional game controller with some improvements such as TouchSense Vibration. A motion sensing wand could also be available separately packed with a casual game. Other options are a standard two-piece (or three with headset) motion controller or a standard 3D camera. Spec Summary 32nm Chip Process Technology IBM CPU at 4. 8GHz (4 Main Cores + Many Small Cores) ATI GPU at 800MHz 2GB GDDR5 Main RAM (~80 GB/sec) 512MB Auxiliary RAM HD-DVD 6x Drive (216Mbps) 250GB 2. 5-inch HDD Ethernet, WiFi, USB Flash Memory Unit Slots 3. 1. 3NVIDIA Tegra Provides The Multimedia Muscle In Zune HD World’s First Ultra-Low-Power HD Processor Behind Microsoft’s Next-Generation Portable Digital Media Player Wednesday, May 15, 2009 NVIDIA today announced that Microsoft’s new Zune HD portable media player is powered by the NVIDIA Tegra processor, which gives it exceptional multimedia capabilities. The Zune HD player, which Microsoft recently announced is available for preorder, is the first portable media player to combine HD-compatible video, HD Radio receiver, full-screen Internet browsing, an organic light emitting diode touch screen, and Wi-Fi. These features will connect consumers to a whole new world of entertainment, while delivering excellent battery life. Working closely with Microsoft and optimizing the Tegra processor, NVIDIA has played an important role in helping to bring the next-generation Zune HD portable digital media player to market. â€Å"Tegra provides the multimedia muscle in Zune HD,† said Michael Rayfield, general manager of NVIDIA’s mobile business. â€Å"Users will love the device’s new design, amazing multimedia features and HD video out capability. Zune HD is a must-have for anyone looking for the best portable digital media player on the market. † Key to Tegra’s rich multimedia features are eight independent processors, each designed for a specific class of tasks among them are an HD video processor, an audio processor, a graphics processor, and two ARM cores. The processors can work together or independently to minimize power consumption. The Microsoft Zune HD uses the following NVIDIA Tegra technology to deliver a unique visual experience: * an HD video processor dedicated to HD video, providing unprecedented picture quality and ultra-smooth, vivid movie playback with low power consumption * an ultra-low power graphics processor for a compelling and intuitive user interface. * NVIDIA nPower technology, which optimizes system power use and enables extended HD video and MP3 playback time Based on NVIDIA’s decade of graphics leadership, Tegra processor has been engineered over the past five years to bring high performance and low power capabilities to the next generation of mobile computing devices such as portable media players, smartphones, smartbooks, netbooks and tablets. Tegra processor-based devices are delivering the experiences that today’s mobile consumers demand, with HD video playback, always-on HD Internet, and intuitive 3D user interfaces. There are 50 active Tegra processor-based design projects currently in the works today. SOURCE: NVIDIA 3. 1. 4Xbox 360 First Gaming System to reach 10 Million in U. S. Console Sales Xbox LIVE tops 12 million members globally as Xbox 360 console sales hit more than 19 million worldwide. July 15, 2009 Microsoft today announced that the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system has sold over 10 million units in the U. S. , making it the first current-generation gaming console to break the 10 million mark in the U. S. The U. S. install base contributes to global sales of over 19 million. â€Å"This year will be the largest in the history of the video game industry, with Xbox 360 leading the charge in the U. S. and abroad,† said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. â€Å"History has shown us that the first company to reach 10 million in console sales wins the generation battle. We are uniquely positioned to set a new benchmark for the industry. † This announcement comes on the heels of one of the biggest entertainment launches in history, â€Å"Grand Theft Auto IV,† on April 29, 2008. Gamers eager to experience â€Å"Grand Theft Auto IV† online helped boost Xbox LIVE global membership to over 12 million this month. Fueled by an unparalleled combination of access to friends and family, the best online gaming features, and the best entertainment content, the Xbox LIVE service has doubled in membership in only one year’s time. â€Å"Reaching an installed base of 10 million consoles in the U. S. is a significant achievement and an essential milestone on the road to market leadership,† said Billy Pidgeon, research manager at IDC. â€Å"Perhaps more important is the Xbox 360 worldwide online base — 12 million Xbox LIVE gamers is the largest community in the connected console games sector, which represents the greatest growth opportunity in the console market and where Microsoft has been the leader for two generations. † Xbox 360 leads with the industry’s highest software attach rate, more than any other console this generation, and is home to the best-selling games. With the launch of â€Å"Grand Theft Auto IV† in April, Xbox 360 is now the home to more than 16 platinum titles that have sold through 1 million units or more, including hits such as â€Å"Halo 3,† â€Å"Madden NFL 07† and â€Å"Madden NFL 08,† â€Å"Gears of War,† â€Å"Guitar Hero II† and â€Å"Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock,† and â€Å"Call of Duty 2,† Call of Duty 3† and â€Å"Call of Duty. 4: Modern Warfare,† giving Xbox 360 two times more platinum-selling titles than the Wii and a 16:2 lead over the PlayStation 3 in game titles topping one million in sales. Games not only sell better on the Xbox 360, they play better, too: Xbox 360 has 91 titles with a Metacritic review score of 80 or higher, compared with just 22 titles for Wii and 50 titles for PlayStation 3. SOURCE: Microsoft 3. 1. 5Nintendo Wii Fit Makes Fitness Fun pat

Motivation and Organizational Culture Essay Example for Free

Motivation and Organizational Culture Essay What makes a good manager? What makes an employee motivated? There are different types of leaders and everyone has a place in workplace psychology. What is the role of the managers and employees? In workplace psychology management’s role should be to motivate employees and get the tasks completed. Managers are a key in the workplace; they are role models for the employees. Managers should keep a professional relationship with employees but not be so strict that their employees are scared to ask for help or talk about what they need. The key to being able to talk to managers is a positive for managers and employees. It tells the manager what the employee needs to be motivated and always the manager to know where the employee is. Managers keep some of the pressure of the upper level managers and owners. Motivating employees is a key part of management because it helps get the job done and keep the employees happy. If an employee is not motivated and unhappy with their job then they will not do a good job and their work becomes sloppy, eventually they will quit. In workplace psychology employees have the role of carrying out tasks and helping the company become successful. Employees need a clearly defined task, adequate working environment, motivation, and feedback. I the case of Ayame Nakamura, managers need to talk with her to understand her work style and how she can be motivated to do her best. Each person is different and coming from a non-confrontational culture Ayame needs to work in a non-confrontational environment. Her managers need to give her positive feedback so she knows what she is doing right. Being told what she is doing right and wrong in a positive, non-confrontational way may boost Ayame’s motivation, and she may enjoy work again (Robbins, DeCenzo, Coulter, 2011). Ayame was brought up to avoid being confrontational and always be polite. Japanese are very strict in their business and are very straight forward. If Ayame’s work environment is hostile then she is more likely to think she is doing a bad job. In most cultures, if someone feels they are doing bad then they will try harder, if they never receive the feedback for doing a good job they lose motivation and eventually just stop trying. Ayame comes from a very straight forward culture and does not understand when someone is not straight forward with her. Ayame’s employer needs to change his approach with Ayame to give her more motivation and understand feedback clearly (Robbins, DeCenzo, Coulter, 2011). Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard have a model called situational leadership theory. In Hersey-Blanchard theory there are different types of managers; telling managers tell employees when, where, and how to complete tasks. They also have low relationships with their employees. Selling managers provide detailed tasks and have a high relationship with employees. Participating managers give low detail on tasks and have high level of communication with employees. Delegating managers give little direction and have low level relationships with employees. Ayame’s managers could help make her more motivated by taking time to get to know the way she works. If they talk to her and understand where she is at in her hierarchy of needs then they can come up with a reward system to motivate Ayame. Also, understanding that Ayame needs to have a non-confrontational environment this is another thing that can motivate her. It seems that Ayame has telling manager and she needs a selling or participating manager. Giving Ayame a good relationship and communication will help her know what she needs to do. Ayame relies on feedback from her employer and is not getting it in her current situation (Robbins, DeCenzo, Coulter, 2011). Giving employees what they need and keeping them motivated is the job of the manager. There are many different types of managers and some do not give employees what they need. Managers have responsibility to the company to make it as efficient as possible. Some key things managers should remember is that employees need tasks that are clearly defined, some employees may need more direction then others, and all employees need high level of support. Feedback lets employees know what they are doing well and what they can work on. Having something to work toward keeps an employee motivated. A motivated employee is more likely to be happy on the job and complete tasks efficiently; while, an unhappy employee is more likely to be slower, sloppier, and more likely to quit.

Breast Cancer Gene Mutations Biology Essay

Breast Cancer Gene Mutations Biology Essay Breast Cancer affects nearly 1 in 4 women in the United States each year. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Breast cancer is a form of cancer that originates in the tissues of the breast. Using the latest technology researchers have determined that there is a specific line of genes linked to breast cancer, breast cancer (BRCA) 1 and BRCA 2 genes. The ability to test a patient for these breast cancer genes will help lead to better diagnosis and treatment for those with the gene. Often breast cancer will start from a single abnormal cell that grows into a benign tumor (Mader123). The tumor originates in the milk duct, where an extra lining of cells is formed that fills the ducts, this is known as ductal carcinoma. Another form, lobular carcinoma is when the cancer begins in the lobules, which are the glands that make the milk. Breast cancer is most common in females; however, males can still have breast cancer. In women it is recommended to be screened for breast cancer via self examination or mammograms, depending on age. Women who are over the age of forty are recommended to have a mammogram done every one to two years. Age is another risk because as a person gets older their risk increases. Race and ethnicity is another risk factor; white women are more at risk for breast cancer than African American women. Only about 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary, resulting directly from gene defects inherited from a parent (cancer.org). Breast cancer can be classified by either BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene, which defines the mutation of the breast cancer gene. This form of breast cancer is considered genetic, which is when one dominate gene is passed onto subsequent generations and can result in the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene. There are genes that can help with DNA repair, but in this case it is not a damaged gene it is mutated and cannot be repaired. Females who are heterozygous for the BRCA 1 mutation have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. The gene loci for BRCA 1 gene can be found on the 27th chromosome, it is known as a tumor suppressor gene that provides the blueprint for protein that breaks cellular growth**. Families who have history of breast and ovarian cancer have a strong occurrence of the BRCA1 gene and as a result there is a high risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Individuals that do have a family history of breast and ovarian cancers tend to acquire these cancers at a young age or acquire the more aggressive forms. The gene loci for the BRCA 2 gene is found on the 13th chromosome; although breast cancer is rare in men, this gene tends to affect males at a higher rate. The gene for BRCA 2 is not expressed as often as BRCA 1, and families who carry this gene tend to be at a lower risk for developing cancer. Men who carry the BRCA 2 mutations are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer by age 70. Breast cancer is more commonly found in families with high male and female breast cancer occurrences. Breast cancer can also be related to ethnic background and specifically families who are of Jewish decent tend to be more likely to develop breast cancer due to a high mutation rate. Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in different ethnic groups in the  U.S. BRCA1 Asian American 0.5% African American African American 1.3-1.4% Caucasian Caucasian (non-Ashkenazi Jewish) 2.2-2.9% Hispanic 3.5% Ashkenazi Jewish 8.3-10.2% Adapted from National Cancer Institute materials  [5]. Figure : Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in different ethnic groups in the U.S. (komen.org) This table shows the percentages of the different ethnic groups and their chance of developing the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. Men or women who are considered to be at high risk for breast cancer have the option to be tested. A person is considered to be at high risk if there are two or more family members that have had breast or ovarian cancer. The test for the breast cancer gene is a blood test that checks the DNA to see if there is a mutation in the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene. A positive result of this test means that the patient has inherited the mutated gene. It is not definitive that the patient will get breast cancer as it requires unidentified environmental factors in order for the cancer to develop. However, a positive result means that the patient can pass the mutated gene to their children. If a person receives a negative result of having the breast cancer gene, it does not necessarily mean that they are not at risk for breast cancer, it means that they do not have the gene. In fact, 90 to 95 percent of breast cancer is not a result of BRCA 1 or BRCA 2, and 5 to 10 percent of women have the heredity fa ctor of breast cancer (Schnipper221). Also, The child of a parent who has a positive gene has a 50 percent risk of inheriting the mutation (Schnipper223). Testing for a genetic inheritance of the gene can be very helpful for families to know if they are carrying the mutated gene, and it can also be upsetting to the families who are affected. If a test comes back positive for the gene it will put other members of the family at risk for carrying the gene. Breast cancer heredity is very rare and it does not occur in every family. Age and ethnic background play a huge role in determining if you have a higher risk of carrying the gene. If a Jewish woman younger than 40 has breast cancer, there is about a 33% chance that they will be a carrier of the gene. While those who are not Jewish and have breast cancer before 30 have a 12% chance of having a mutation (Love108). This illustrates that the genetic test is not a good determinant of risk for cancer. Positive results from the breast cancer test have a few options to lower their risk of getting breast cancer. Patients can choose to be monitored closer by their doctors for breast cancer signs by having frequent breast exams, mammograms, MRIs, ultrasounds, blood tests, and also by self examination. A more aggressive step could be having prophylactic surgery, such as a double mastectomy. The surgery is a quite radical surgery and is not a common choice. Research has indicated that those who carry either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation can lower their risk of getting the cancer by keeping up with a physical, healthy lifestyle and by breastfeeding. Although that may not work on everyone, it has shown to help with some patients who carry the mutation. There is not much that can be done to prevent the chances of getting breast cancer besides radical surgery. There are other factors such as carrying the mutated breast cancer gene that can elevate the risk of getting breast cancer, a second primary cancer, which is a second breast tumor that is not related to the first tumor, can also show an increased risk of occurring with patients who carry the mutation. For BRCA1/2 carriers, the chance of a contralateral breast cancer 10 years after diagnosis of the first cancer is about 18 to 30 percent compared to about 10 percent for breast cancer survivors without a BRCA1/2 mutation (komen.org). Surgery, radiation therapy, tamoxifen, and chemotherapy are the most commonly used treatments for breast cancer. The treatment that is used depends on the type and severity of the cancer. A patient will go over the options that work best for them with their doctor to help get the best treatment. Two other surgeries that are performed depending on the patients cancer are Lumpectomy, and Mastectomy. Lumpectomy is a surgery that removes only the cancerous lump from the breast. Mastectomy is removal of the entire breasts to remove the cancer and the tissue that surrounds it. Men and women who have breast cancer as a result of a genetic mutation will go through the same treatments. A patient who has a genetic mutation of breast cancer does not have their own treatment plan. Although they can take precautions to help prevent their chance of developing breast cancer, there is no different treatment if they do have breast cancer. Only five to ten percent of breast cancer patients in the United States are linked to a high risk genetic mutation (komen.org). Men and women who inherited the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene, do not make up the population of those who suffer from breast cancer. Having a genetic mutation is not the only way for a patient to receive breast cancer, there are many other aspects. There are chances that getting breast cancer may be genetically linked, but there is still research being conducted to investigate the occurrence of breast cancer.

Essay on the Importance of Enobarbus in Antony and Cleopatra :: Antony Cleopatra Essays

The Importance of Enobarbus in Antony and Cleopatra   In Shakespeare's play, Antony and Cleopatra, we are told the story of two passionate and power-hungry lovers. In the first two Acts of the play we are educated to the fact that they are entwined in an adulterous relationship, and that both of them are forced to show their devotion to Caesar. Along with being introduced to Antony and Cleopatra's strange love affair, we are introduced to some interesting secondary characters. The secondary character most important to the theme of the play is Enobarbus. Enobarbus is a high-ranking soldier in Antony's army who it seems is very close to his commander. We know this by the way Enobarbus is permitted to speak freely (at least in private) with Antony, and often is used as a person to whom Antony confides in. We see Antony confiding in Enobarbus in Act I, Scene ii, as Antony explains how Cleopatra is "cunning past man's thought" (I.ii.146). In reply to this Enobarbus speaks very freely of his view of Cleopatra, even if what he says is very positive: ...her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love. We cannot call her winds and waters sighs and tears; they are greater storms and tempests than almanacs can report. This cannot be cunning in her; if it be she makes a shower of rain as well as Jove. (I, ii, 147-152) After Antony reveals that he has just heard news of his wife's death, we are once again offered an example of Enobarbus' freedom to speak his mind, in that he tells Antony to "give the gods a thankful sacrifice" (I.ii.162), essentially saying that Fulvia's death is a good thing. Obviously, someone would never say something like this unless they were in very close company. While acting as a friend and promoter of Antony, Enobarbus lets the audience in on some of the myth and legend surrounding Cleopatra. Probably his biggest role in the play is to exaggerate Anthony and Cleopatra's relationship. Which he does so well in the following statements: When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed up his heart, upon the river of Cydnus. (II.ii.188-189) The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne, Burned on the water: the poop was beaten gold; Purple the sails, and so perfumed that The winds were lovesick with them; the oars were silver, (II.