Lack of Communication in a Relationship Essay Example

Lack of Communication in a Relationship Essay Example Lack of Communication in a Relationship Essay Lack of Communication in a Relationship Essay Name: Course: Instructor: Date: Lack of Communication in a Relationship Every relationship requires fostering in order to facilitate its growth. Various factors contribute to the nurturing of a relationship. For instance, relationships require trust, honesty, commitment, dedication, patience, tolerance, love and above all, communication. Communication is the most important feature that enables relationships to grow. The factor allows couples to convey and express their thoughts and emotions regarding any particular aspect that affects or does not affect them. Lack of communication in a relationship only creates misapprehension among couples. Hence, it is appropriate to assess the causes and effects of lack of communication in a relationship. Causes Various factors lead to lack of communication in relationships. These factors vary from one relationship to another. However, there are common causes that amount to suppressed communication among couples in relationships. One factor that represses communication in relationships is work related stress. Stress is a common factor in the present age that affects most relationships. Usually, people suffering from stress become withdrawn. They decide to reserve their thoughts to themselves. Stress also causes the individual to become reserved. The person is also susceptible to irritation. Such reasons attributed to stress force the affected partner in the relationship to abhor from discussing any matter with their spouses. This is because the partner is too fatigued to talk. Mistrust is also another causal factor leading to lack of communication in relationships. In this instance, a partner may be contemplating doubts about the other spouse. Usually, mistrust is created whereby one partner engaged in a dishonest act such as an affair. Such dishonest acts only compromise trust between couples such that despite resolution, the level of trust exhibited in the relationship decreases. Hence, mistrust in relationships is characterized by a spouse doubting the other partner’s loyalty to the relationship. The doubting partner commences with silent observation of the other spouse’s actions. However, lack of communication becomes evident where the doubting spouse does not convey the doubts he or she contemplates regarding their spouse. This only leads to wrong judgments regarding a partner’s actions that will lead to an unhealthy relationship. Effects The effects of lack of communication in a relationship are considerable. These effects are mainly drawn from the long-term effects of the causes of suppressed communication among couples. One effect of suppressed communication in relationships is misunderstanding. Misunderstanding results from arguments between couples. Such arguments are usually based on lack of communication between the partners. This is because the issues argued on were no discussed foremost. Instead, reserving such thoughts on the given issue without talking about it serves as an ingredient for contentious arguments between couples. The arguments cause partners to become susceptible to negative emotions, which induce to hurt each other and thus do not provide a solution to the issue in question. Another effect arising from repressed communication is lack of intimacy and romance. Usually, intimacy and romance are matters that couples prefer not to communicate about regularly. Failure of lack of communication on such a matter can eventually lead to the destruction of the relationship. The reasons attributed to lack of communication regarding such a determinant issue in relationships are based on differences between men and women. Women usually think that communicating such a need will lead to her being disrespected. On the other hand, men feel that not communicating his wants results from the partner not willing to satisfy the needs. Communication is essential for relationships. It forms the basis for the growth and development of any relationship. Some people are not used to this particular fact since they are not able to express themselves. However, communication can be encouraged by understanding the affected partner since communication does not necessarily border on expression but also on support, respect and understanding of the other partner.

Dwarf Elephant Facts and Figures

Dwarf Elephant Facts and Figures Name: Dwarf Elephant; genus names include Mammuthus, Elephas, and Stegodon. Habitat: Small islands of the Mediterranean Sea Historical Epoch: Pleistocene-Modern (2 million-10,000 years ago) Size and Weight: About six feet long and 500 pounds Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Small size; long tusks About the Dwarf Elephant Few prehistoric mammals have been as baffling to paleontologists as the Dwarf Elephant, which didnt comprise just one genus of prehistoric elephant, but several: the various Dwarf Elephants that lived on various Mediterranean islands during the Pleistocene epoch were made up of stunted populations of Mammuthus (the genus that includes the Woolly Mammoth), Elephas (the genus that includes modern elephants), and Stegodon (an obscure genus that seems to have been an offshoot of Mammut, aka the Mastodon). Further complicating matters, its possible that these elephants were capable of interbreedingmeaning the Dwarf Elephants of Cyprus may have been 50 percent Mammuthus and 50 percent Stegodon, while those of Malta were a unique blend of all three genera. While the evolutionary relationships of Dwarf Elephants are a matter of dispute, the phenomenon of insular dwarfism is well understood. As soon as the first full-sized prehistoric elephants arrived on, lets say, the small island of Sardinia, their ancestors began evolving toward smaller sizes in response to limited natural resources (a colony of full-sized elephants eats thousands of pounds of food every day, much less so if the individuals are only one-tenth the size). The same phenomenon occurred with the dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era; witness the shrimpy Magyarosaurus, which was only a fraction of the size of it continental titanosaur relatives. Adding to the mystery of the Dwarf Elephant, it hasnt yet been proved that the extinction of these 500-pound-beasts had anything to do with the early human settlement of the Mediterranean. However, there is a tantalizing theory that the skeletons of dwarf elephants were interpreted as Cyclopses (one-eyed monsters) by the early Greeks, who incorporated these long-gone beasts into their mythology thousands of years ago! (By the way, the Dwarf Elephant shouldnt be confused with the Pygmy Elephant, a smaller relative of African elephants that exists today in very limited numbers.)

Energy Conservation Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Energy Conservation - Lab Report Example The gravitational potential energy of an object refers to the energy an object possesses due to its location relative to a reference point. Considering an object close the Earth’s surface the gravitational potential energy is given as (Cutnell et al. 18) Where g is the gravitational acceleration, m is the mass if the object and y are the vertical position of the object relative to an arbitrary reference point. The following graphical plot illustrates the variation of kinetic and potential energy of the oscillating systems studied in this lab For a swinging pendulum (oscillatory system) there is the constant conversion of energy to kinetic energy, potential energy and back to kinetic energy however the total energy at any given time is always a constant. The energy stored in compressed springs or elastic objects is another form of potential energy that is mathematically given as (Cutnell et al. 25). Notably, when there is no energy input into the system, the total mechanical energy will remain constant. The linear plot shown in the printout shows the constancy of mechanical energy with time defined by same slope over given time. Using the K/m and y values shown in the table of results above the following graphical plot was obtained that shows the relationship between the K/m and the vertical displacement Using the Excel graphical plot above the gravitational acceleration was evaluate because for an oscillating system like a pendulum maximum potential energy (maximum displacement) is experienced when the kinetic energy is at a minimum. Equally maximum kinetic energy for a simple pendulum corresponds to the point where there is minimum vertical displacement. At the point where K/m is equal to zero, the potential energy of the system is at a maximum this corresponds to the point where the value of the arbitrary displacement is 0.1089. The potential energy per unit mass at this point

Muslims and Islam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Muslims and Islam - Research Paper Example It was once the religion of a sophisticated and powerful world empire, but is today the religion of some of the least dynamic parts of the world, often found in countries that have deliberately avoided integration into an increasingly globalized world.' Muslims finds their basic teachings explained through the Holy Scripture, The Qur’an, revealed to the final prophet of God, Muhammad, over a period of forty years. However Muslims believe that Islam was revealed to many generations and prophets before this as well, and consider it being the true religion of many prophets that are mentioned in other religions as well, such as Moses, Abraham and Jesus. The basic fundamentals of Islam lie on five basic tenants, or the Five Pillars of Islam as they are referred to. These are Shahada, or testament, Salat, or Prayer, Sawm, or Fasting, Zakat, or Alms and Hajj, or holy pilgrimage. The first pillar of Islam is Shahada. Shahada is to bear witness or testify to the fact that Allah is the One and the only entity worthy of worship as God, and furthermore, that Muhammad is his last prophet. This is the first and fundamental pillar, and is considered the most important one, as all other beliefs arise from this basic belief, that is the oneness of Allah. The Muslims also testify to Muhammad as being the last prophet of Allah so as to rule out the possibility of any future claims to prophet-hood and thereby eliminating any further amendments to the religion. Prayer is the second Pillar of Islam and is fairly straightforward: prayer at five designated times a day, in a designated manner, to Allah. Its purpose is to instill in the believer a sense of scheduled division of time and to keep with the believer a constant reminder of Allah and their beliefs throughout the day. Sawm, or fasting, is observed in the holy month of Ramadan (The ninth month of the Islamic Calender) and involves fasting until sunset for the month, so as to instill patience and perseverance into the Mus lim observing the fast, as well as have them understand how those less fortunate than them live every day of the year, without food or water. It is to instill in the believer a sense of patience and steadfastness, through sacrifice for Allah. The fourth pillar of Islam is Zakat, the practice of giving a designated amount of alms to the poor, which is based on a fixed percentage on the possessions of the believer. It is so the rich can help the less privileged, as well as instilling in them a sense of generosity and teaching the positive use of money rather than encouraging it to be hoarded or kept without being given away to others. Finally, the last pillar of Islam is Hajj, or pilgrimage to the sacred land of Mecca, which every able Muslim must complete at least once in their lifetime, so as to show their devotion to their Lord and offer a pilgrimage to the place that is considered the root of their religion. Nonetheless, even though these are the five most basic and important poin ts of belief, the fundamental 'pillars' on which the religion of Islam stands, one can say that this is what basically gives a base to the religion. In actuality, there are many other beliefs and doctrines that are also considered with fundamental importance. For example, Muslims place significant importance on the lessons taught by Muhammad, almost as much importance as they place on the words of the Qur'an, which they believe to have come from Allah directly through an angel, revealed to Muhammad. The lessons taught

The Effect of the Internet on Music Essay Example for Free

The Effect of the Internet on Music Essay There has been much ink spilled over the supposed death of the music industry. While this worry may be a bit premature, the most pressing economic issue facing the music industry today is the slow but steady push toward a complete restructuring of itself. Downloadable music, in the form of mp3s, has revolutionized the way we think about and consume music. With the increased prominence of independent labels, file-sharing websites, and innovative artists who are creating their own methods for releasing albums, the traditional record business is becoming increasingly irrelevant. In economic terms, this has so far meant declining record sales among the major labels, a recent spate of firings, and the loss of big artists, who are moving either to concert promoters like LiveNation, independent labels, or their own recording studios. Over the past year, artists from Radiohead to Coldplay to Trent Reznor have released songs and entire albums for free over the internet. They have almost universally been a success, although some less well-known artists, as well as various industry insiders, have argued against this being a workable model. Michael Laskow, CEO of an independent AR company, TAXI, argued that Radiohead allowing consumers to pay what they choose for a digital album is not indicative of the future of the music industry: While the band, its fans and artists alike are celebrating what looks like a success for Radioheads bold move in releasing their new album using the ‘pay what youd like’ model, I think everybody has overlooked one very important aspect of this, and it doesnt bode well for the future of the music industry. Radiohead has been bankrolled by their former label for the last 15 years. Theyve built a fan base in the millions with their label, and now theyre able to cash in on that fan base with none of the income or profit going to the label this time around. The question is: how will new artists be able to use this model in the future if they havent built a fan base in the millions in the years leading up to the release of their album under the pay what youd like model (Lipsman)? The worry that new artists won’t be able to give their music away for free (disregarding the 40% or so of people who voluntarily paid from one to twenty dollars for the album), is a valid one. However, Laskow seems to view major labels as the only answer to new artists looking for an audience and a way to make a living with their music. On the contrary, the rising prominence of independent labels over the past several years has proven that it doesn’t take millions of dollars to create an album and promote it. Labels like Kill Rock Stars, Bloodshot Records, and Rounder Records have all seen their profits rise over the past few years, at the same time that major labels have seen their sales dip or stagnate. Cameron Strang, founder of New West Records, points out the economic advantages in not having the huge overhead of major labels. Thats the difference between us and them. Artists on our label who sell 200,000 copies make a very good living (Margolis). Artists like Aimee Mann and Michelle Shocked are releasing albums on their own. (Dare I even mention Ani Difranco? ) Clearly, independent labels as well as individual artists are capable of doing the work that major record labels have been doing for years. With the advent of webcasting and podcasting, along with XM and Sirius radio networks, traditional radio doesn’t have the same hold on the music buying public’s imagination that it once did. Increasingly, new artists are discovered by getting their songs played on television shows like The Hills and Grey’s Anatomy. The music industry is attempting to do to webcasting what it did to Napster, which is to essentially strangle it through lawsuits in the hopes of being able to squeeze money out of the webcasters. Instead of viewing web-based radio as a unique promotional opportunity, the mainstream music industry only sees profits being taken out of its pocket. At the same time, artists, like the ones discussed above, are realizing which way the wind is blowing. Digital Music News publisher Paul Resnikoff notes that: A growing number of superstars are or soon will be grazing in post-major pastures. And for them, the bigger basket touring, merchandising, publishing, relevance, and even album sales remains more important than a paid download, protected or otherwise (Resnikoff). These additional streams of revenue are often the more lucrative for musicians than album sales. It only makes sense that artists would look at digital music, including webcasting and file-sharing, as ways to gain fans that will purchase concert tickets and merchandise. File-sharing continues almost unabated, although the popularity of iTunes despite much of its music being DRM-protected has provided a model for money-making in the digital era. Despite iTunes and growing copyright protection on albums and songs, paid downloads account for, at most, five percent of all music downloads. Even ringtones, which are currently a substantial slice of the digital revenue pie, aren’t turning a profit. Labels are considering raising prices, but it is unknown whether customers will pay for them, or that a single line of revenue will pull record labels through financially. Warner Music Group and EMI have had massive layoffs over the past year in an effort to restructure and shore up the companies financially. Minimum Advertised Pricing, or MAP, is the setting of minimum prices by manufacturers for retailers. In the case of the music industry, the major labels colluded in the mid-1990’s to require discount retailers to advertise higher prices or give up joint marketing funding, which could mean giving up millions of dollars (Menn 152). The history of MAP, at least in the music industry, appeared to end on September 30, 2002, when the five major labels settled a lawsuit brought by 30 states in an effort to end the practice (Menn 152). In 2000, the Federal Trade Commission investigated price-fixing by major labels and the majors signed a consent decree getting rid of minimum-advertised pricing policies (Christman, Pricing). The FTC has estimated the cost to consumers in the years when MAP was practiced to be at half a billion dollars (Menn 152). For nearly the past 100 years, since the passage of the Sherman Act, mandatory pricing restraints were deemed to violate antitrust laws. It wasn’t until the summer of 2007, when the Supreme Court overturned the law against setting mandatory minimum pricing in a case brought by an accessories manufacturer, that the practice was made legal (Christman, Why Labels). This has potentially enormous ramifications for the music industry and music fans alike; it remains to be seen whether those ramifications will be for the benefit of music fans or to their detriment. The music industry has argued that requiring discounters to sell CDs at the same price as specialty stores will lead to greater selection and a halt to the bleeding that independent record stores have experienced (Christman, Why Labels). At the same time, music fans have bemoaned the high price of CDs for years, and raising prices unilaterally could drive down music sales even further. The major label system, which requires millions of dollars in overhead to promote certain artists, is at least partly to blame for the rising prices. At Salon. com Scott Rosenberg argues that: Even more than the artists, the victims of this system are music fans who end up paying exorbitant prices for CDs to fund bloated recording-company marketing budgets. That money gets spent manufacturing a handful of superstars, leaving serious music lovers to fend for themselves in ferreting out unusual new music that the business considers too niche-y to be worth promoting (para. 6). In this view, the pricing system set by the majors is inherently unfair to both fans and the majority of artists who aren’t â€Å"superstars†. Rather than setting minimum pricing restraints for discount stores, major labels could lower wholesale prices to ensure that independent record stores could stay in business. This would largely be to the labels’ benefit; over the last five years, their reliance on big-name stars to sell huge amounts of records has been a losing proposition. Titles from unknown artists and back catalogs are often nowhere to be seen at discount stores. The personal service and deep selection at independent stores creates an opportunity to sell these types of titles. The $9. 99 price point set by discount stores and iTunes has surely contributed to declining album sales, but the burden of maintaining that price point has been shouldered almost entirely by independent music retailers, while the major labels continue to raise list prices (Christman, Why Labels). Majors are contributing to declining sales while preserving their own profit margins. Mike Dreese, quoted in Billboard, also points a finger at discount stores that lure customers in with low CD prices: Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy have succeeded in almost destroying the specialty-music account base and are now setting the rules for the industry. If minimum pricing were implemented, it would keep the discounters from finishing the job. Those discounters, which have limited selection, have such dominance that labels now spend more money on supporting low retail prices and much less advertising the availability of the product (Christman, Why Labels). The tide of public opinion seems to be turning toward the use of minimum pricing restraints. When price-fixing in the music industry was first being investigated, still-new stores like Best Buy maintained a relatively deep catalog of music, knowing that it was competing directly with independent music stores. Now that discounters have succeeded in putting many small stores out of business, their catalog consists largely of the Billboard Top 100. What seemed revolutionary in 2000 – music priced at a reasonable amount over cost – has had unforeseen consequences. The prominence of discount stores in the music industry has contributed to the lack of choice and variety so unappealing to music fans. Wal-mart has surpassed Apple to become the number one music retailer in this country. The driving down of CD price points to $9. 99 has been salutary for customers, but may have longer-lasting effects by eliminating space for new artists and broad selection. Furthermore, even the $9. 99 price point has been artificially constructed by discounters hoping to entice customers and labels hoping to propel all-important first week sales (Deutsch). Noting the possible risks of this new low price point in Billboard, Ed Christman points out that â€Å"After all, at $9.99 the U. S. music industry currently has the lowest CD pricing at retail since the format was introduced here in 1983. † It is unclear whether imposing minimum advertised pricing at this point would even make a difference in terms of independent music stores. Many have already closed, and those that have stayed open have diversified or moved to a location free of big box discounters. The music industry may impose mandatory minimum pricing again, but low CD price points and the decreasing number of brick and mortar music stores will likely continue unabated. The internet has changed the distribution of music in ways we are only just beginning to imagine. The old models – for promotion, distribution, and sales – aren’t working in the age of the mp3. Clearly, continuing to hold on to past business models and attempting to fit new trends and technology into it has not worked out well for the major labels. A fear of competition and new technology accounts for the manner in which the industry attempted to deal with Napster. Afraid of lost profits, music industry executives from the top five record labels chose to batten down the hatches and lock away any possibility of negotiation with Napster. According to Joseph Menn, the author of All the Rave: the Rise and Fall of Shawn Manning’s Napster, this is partially due to a generational divide within the individual labels. Top-level executives are often â€Å"old-school leaders who turn purple with rage at the very idea of an MP3† (Menn 153), while younger up-and-comers saw the possibilities of this new technology. With the advent of webcasting and podcasting, along with XM and Sirius radio networks, traditional radio doesn’t have the same hold on the music buying public’s imagination that it once did. Increasingly, new artists are discovered by getting their songs played on television shows like The Hills and Grey’s Anatomy. The music industry is attempting to do to webcasting what it did to Napster, which is to essentially strangle it through lawsuits in the hopes of being able to squeeze money out of the webcasters. Instead of viewing web-based radio as a unique promotional opportunity, the mainstream music industry only sees profits being taken out of its pocket. At the same time artists are realizing which way the wind is blowing. Touring, merchandising, and publishing remain large chunks of income for both individual artists and music labels. The traditional record industry has become increasingly outdated and unable to keep pace with the digitized, connected world of the 21st century. Music downloading is hugely popular around the world, but particularly in places as diverse as Ghana and Brazil, where poverty is widespread and cheap mp3s have spread like wildfire. Maintaining the expensive overhead of a bloated recording industry through high price points for CDs means that music is only available to a certain class of consumer. Peer-to-peer file sharing has made music more widely available, and helped raise the profile of independent and unsigned bands. Clearly these benefits have to be taken into account while also denouncing outright piracy as clearly illegal. It is up to the music industry to come up with easy to use, innovative ways to incorporate the changes mp3s have made to their business, with successful ventures like iTunes leading the way. The specter of music piracy and lost profits have led the music industry into a premature grave, when they should be welcoming the opportunity to promote music in new ways and to new communities. WORKS CITED Christman, Ed. â€Å"Pricing Perils for Record Labels. † Billboard 26 May 2007. Lexis-Nexis. 15 May 2008 http://www. lexisnexis. com. Christman, Ed. â€Å"Why Labels Should Set Minimum Price Restraints. † Billboard 1 September 2007. Lexis-Nexis. 15 May 2008 http://www. lexisnexis. com. Deutsch, Claudia. â€Å"Suit Settled Over Pricing of Music CDs at Three Music Chains. † New York Times: NYtimes. com. 1 October 2002. 11 May 2008 http://query. nytimes. com/gst/ fullpage. html? res=9C05E5D91238F932A35753C1A9649C8B63.

Harley Davidson Essay -- essays research papers

Harley-Davidson Case Study Introduction of the Company In 1903 William Harley and Arthur Davidson produced the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle for sale to the public. The first year’s production was only three motorcycles with one dealer. In 1909, Harley-Davidson introduced the first? V-twin engine, which is still the company standard today. Harley-Davidson rapidly grew to the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world by early 1920s, with 2,000 dealers in 67 different countries. By the 1930s all of the American competition was gone. Harley-Davidson suspended production of civilian motorcycles during World War II, and only built motorcycles for the military, exclusively. When the war was over, Harley-Davidson converted back to civilian production. Harley-Davidson's growth was fueled by acquisitions as well as capitalizing on new technologies. In 1969 Harley-Davidson merged with American Machine and Foundry (AMF). By the 1970s other competitors were entering the global market, and many of them were from overseas. In an attempt to transform the company, in 1981,a senior executive of Harley-Davidson bought the company from AMF and turned the company around dramatically. Harley-Davidson emerged with new products and innovations along with a new commitment to quality, creating the dynasty Harley-Davidson has become today. Harley-Davidson's success continued to grow as they received tariff relief from the International Trade Commission on 700cc motorcycles. Another event contributing to Davidson's renewed success was the formation of the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.). This company sponsored club consisted of riders who transformed motorcycling into a family-oriented social sport. It continues to be very successful with 600,000 owners and 1,200 chapters worldwide. Economic Indicators Internationally, Harley-Davidson revenue has exceeded $816 million, which accounts for 18% of the net revenue for motorcycles. The Harley-Davidson emblem is an international icon and the sound of V-twin engine is unmistakable. Harley-Davidson is the number one motorcycle manufacturer and is also the number one seller of heavyweight bikes in the U.S. They also sell a line of clothing and accessories as well as make bikes under the Buell nameplate. Harley-Davidson’s attire has attitude and rightfully so, there is no other motorcycle as classy as the â€Å"Harley†. One Harley-Davidson ... ... and strong brand recognition, it may appear as if they can’t improve much more than they already have. As with any business, the one thing Harley-Davidson can do wrong is be too confident in their success. They have to search for new markets and continuously improve their current products. They need to remain flexible and knowledge of their internal and external strengths and weaknesses. As with any company in the lead, competitors will seek to copy what they have or improve upon their technologies. Harley-Davidson’s loyal market is aging and they have not been successful in tapping into the female riders or the African American riders. Recently Harley-Davidson commercials have begun appearing on certain networks targeted for these markets. The new commercials also feature the female rider. If Harley-Davidson is successful is attracting these new markets, they will also have to expand their products to meet the demands of the new demographic. Harley-Davidson appears to be poised to go after this market and if history repeats itself, Harley-Davidson will continue to stay in front on their strategies and continue to remain a force to be reckoned with in this industry.

Relflection Paper on Interpreter as an Gatekeeper in Medical Discourse

Reflection Paper of Critiquing Translating and Interpreting Presentation Name: Rizqi Fauziah Std Number: 0807532 Class: 7B The Interpreter as Institutional Gatekeeper: The Social-Linguistic Role of Interpreters in Spanish-English Medical Discourse This reflection essay will discuss the written report of the group presentation on chapter entitled The Interpreter as Institutional Gatekeeper: The Social-Linguistic Role of Interpreters in Spanish-English Medical Discourse written by Brad Davidson. This will include how to build group discussion, the material presented, class discussion, and the conclusion. The data are taken from the work of Baker (2010). A couple weeks before the presentation was held, the group which consists of four members started to discuss the material that will be presented. The discussion was conducted three times meetings. Each member of the group should read all the material before the first meeting was held. In the first meeting, the group divided the material to each member of the group, thus, every member would have more focus on the material given. The second meeting, we discussed our understanding on the each material given, then, we made power point slide presentation. In the last meetings, still, we shared our understanding about the topic and had a rehearsal presentation. This chapter talks about how the interpreter’s role is in medical discourse based on Brad Davidson’s study and detailed analysis entitled The Social-Linguistic Role of Interpreters in Spanish-English Medical Discourse. In the Davidson’s study, there were found examples of the way in which the interpreters tend to align themselves with the institutions and to strengthen institutional voice, often at the expense of the voice of participants (Baker, 2010). In this case, the institutional setting is hospital and participant is the patient. I’m interested in the quotation ‘interpreters are the most powerful people in medical conversation’ which is made by head of interpreting service at a major private U. S. hospital in May 1999. What I understand from this quotation is that the interpreters who have control in the conversation. They are as a key in conversation because they connect the doctor and the patient in order to gain the conversational goals. As mentioned by Davidson (Baker, 2010 p. 154): â€Å"Interpreter acts as he point of negotiation and exchange between the social context inhabited by the physician and the patient† Historically, most analysis has been based on oral model of translation which most analysis of interpretation has focused on monologues as suggested by Davidson in Baker (2010, p. 155). Furthermore, the interpreters are seen as conduits, not conversational participant. In contrast, rece ntly, the interpreters do not only conveying the message, but they shape and, and in some very real sense, create those messages in the name those for whom they speak (Baker, 2010 p. 56). Moreover, the interpreter is always placed in contested are between being provides of a service and being agent of authority and control (Baker,2010 p. 156). The structured interaction between the patients, the physician, and the interpreter is called medical discourse or medical interview. Davidson’s study of medical discourse was conducted at General Medicine Clinic (GMC) of Riverview General Hospital in spring and summer 1996. According to Davidson in Baker (2010), the data collection concerned on the way in which the hospital-based interpreters were used in clinic, the interpreter’s presence in helping to shape the course and content of interview and the way interpreter mediated the clash of goals between the achievement of institutional goals and goals held by the patient. The data are collected from observation of over 100 patients’ visits, 50 of which were observed and audio taped. The research questions that are asked by Davidson are: 1. What the role of interpreter within the goal-oriented? . What is the interpretative habit? And how does one engage in the practice of interpreting? 3. If the interpreters are not neutral, do they challenge the authority of the physician judge, and act as patients’ ambassadors, or do they reinforce the institutional authority of physician? During the study, Davidson said that the scarcity of time become the factor of the patient in medical intervie w. It is because the patients who used interpreter often were left alone for sometimes an hour while they waited for the interpreter to arrive (Baker, 2010 p. 60). Moreover, Davidson said that the interpreters are possibly conducted the interview with the patient before the physician arrived (Baker, 2010 p. 160). They took a charge of physician’s position by asking questions the patient about the illness before they convey it to the physician. This affects the process of elaborating a Chief Complaint from patient which becomes shorter. Besides, the interpreters also would occasionally go so far as to conduct the initial portions of the interviews itself. According to Davidson in Baker (2010, p. 64) the interferences of interpreter in medical interview create harms for the physician. For instance, in case of English-speaking physician who had a Spanish speaking patient, most the direct questions that directed to physician were answered by the interpreter. This treatment is app arently an attempt to keep the patient ‘on track’, but this makes a threat to the physician’s authority within the interview. This habitual action done by the interpreter might be viewed as a move to insulate the physician. Keeping the patient on track also led a loss of patient complaint in conversational. It affects that patient’s complain will left undiagnosed and untreated. In contrast with the patient without interpreting, their complaints were diagnosed and treated because there was no interference from the interpreter. In this case, the interpreter sometimes edited the wholesale complaint of the patient in order to keep the interview ‘on track’ and sometimes to protect the physician and the institution of hospital. However, this makes un-tracks the achievement of the institutional goals (diagnosis and treatment) of interview itself. After explaining the material, 3 classmates asked some questions. The first question came from Riska K. R who asked ‘ is there any justification for medical interpretation to have a tendency to support a medical institution instead of the patient? ’ we agreed to answer that yes, there is justification in which the interpreter supports the medical institution. It is because the role of the interpreter itself is as an institutional gatekeeper. The interpreters are paid by the hospital (the institution), thus, they support the institutional. The second question came from Rendriawan who asked ‘please explain the sentence â€Å"the interpreter also interpret selectively, and appear to do so in a patterned (non-random) fashioned† ‘. Then, we answered that the interpreter should filter what utterance that is told by the patient before we convey it to the doctor in order to protect the physician and the institution of the hospital from the critique of the patient. The last question is from Lalitya P who asked ‘are there any differences of the role of interpreter in colonial and post colonial codition? How the interpreter reacts in the interview? ’. we agreed to answer that yes, we think that there is difference in colonial and post colonial condition. For example in post colonial the interpreter is always placed in contested are between being providers of a service and being agents of authority and control. To sum up, the answer of research question has been answered in this study. The interpreters have a role as ‘advocates’ or ‘ambassadors’ for interpreted patients as suggested by Davidson (Baker, 2010 p. 172). Besides, they also act as informational gatekeepers who keep the interview ‘on track’ and the physician on schedule. The interpreters who attempt to keep the interview ‘on track’, sometimes, lead the habitual actions such as answering the patient’s questions which are directed to the doctor, editing the wholesale patient complaint in order to protect the institutional of the hospital, and etc. According to Davison in Baker (2010, p. 73) it can be outlined that interpreters are not, and cannot be ‘neutral’ machines of linguistic conversion. Moreover, it is because they are faced with the reality that linguistic systems are not ‘the same’ in how they convey information contextually. Besides, they are themselves also social agents and participant in the discourse. Davidson said in his article that the interpreters and the physicians at Riverview have to have training (Baker, 2010, p. 173) Bibliography Baker, M. (2010). Critical Reading In Traslation Studies . New York: Routledge. ‘

Importance of IT measurements for an organization Essay

The performance of a business is a strategic issue which depends greatly on IT contribution. IT is crucial for any business to grow as it enables efficient and effective communication between the employees and with the customers. Similarly, in collaboration with internet, IT provides means of networking, marketing and communication. It provides storage capacity for the company’s data, data protection, data processing, transmission and retrieval of data as required (Alexandrou, 2009). Furthermore, it saves space which would have been used for storage of many paper works. IT has many advantages to a business but it can also have disadvantages. It is therefore important for businesses to evaluate it before adopting it within its structure. IT offers different features and since different businesses have different needs it is therefore important for a business to lay down its objectives before adopting it. In most of the big organizations IT has been adopted entirely in most of their operations while the small ones use it in performing a number of operations. Adopting IT for the entire business operations requires much financial investment and analysis of the technology. According to Myers (2004), few organizations have put in place measures that ensure their corporate strategies and IT are aligned. In other words, few organizations have put in place rigorous systems for measuring the value brought about by IT to their business. In some organizations tools for the management and measurement of IT spending are present and these include IT steering committee, activity based costing, annual budgets, tightly controlled systems of purchasing, benchmarking among others (Myers, 2004). However, these tools do not measure its impacts on the business. Measurement of IT in an organization is vitally important but there are difficulties which hamper the evaluation processes. In most organizations the IT managers lack full understanding of the business and are therefore not included in the decisions made by the senior management personnel. The senior management personnel lack the knowledge of conducting IT measurement processes thus many organization do not measure their IT effectively. To add to that most of the IT managers lack the fully understanding of the measurement of IT processes and will therefore not conduct them (Williams, n. d. ). In Curley’s (n. d. ) view, for IT to deliver business value, its measurement should be done in terms of revenue growth, profitability and customer satisfaction. The performance of the IT system in business is normally evaluated by checking how the business operations are improved. A good system should be able to improve the operations of the business. The performance of an IT system should be directly proportional to its contribution to customer satisfaction. With improvements in the business operations, more customers will become satisfied with services provided by the business. Moreover, the measurement of IT performance is a complement to the measurement of IT contribution to customer satisfaction. The performance of IT is evaluated by the operations of the business while its contribution is evaluated by the increase in the number of customers and thus business growth. The measurement of IT in an organization is vital as it is useful in justifying the existing or the proposed system, comparing different systems, providing tools for system management and in providing a learning experience (Bjork, 2000). When evaluating an IT system in a business several things are usually considered; effectiveness, efficiency and performance benefits. It is important for organizations to develop a framework for evaluating the potential costs and benefits of new IT systems, and the performance of these systems after being implemented. Benefits of measuring IT By measuring and evaluating the IT system, its efficiency, effectiveness and performance benefits can be fully determined and this will be helpful in making decisions concerning the adoption of a new IT system. To add to that, the organization will gain an understanding of the existing IT and will therefore have the capability to determine whether it is beneficial to the current needs of the business or not. With IT measurements, the organization will be saved from wastage of monetary resources in purchasing low quality systems. An organization might purchase IT systems which are not useful in meeting the objectives of the organization thereby leading to wastage of funds which would have been used for other important needs. Consequently, the business will be able to purchase a system which will be of much benefit to the organization. With an efficient IT system the business planning times will be greatly reduced, the cost of marketing will be greatly reduced and more inquiries will be handled within a short time. Similarly, there will be a reduction in the communication cost and paperwork. Furthermore, an effective IT system will minimize business risks, increase the flexibility and competitiveness of the business, increase sales and will provide a sustainable increase in the market share. Furthermore, the performance benefits from the IT system include improvements in strategic intelligence for new markets, provision of capacity and space for business growth, overcoming obsolescence, provision of more relevant and reliable data, among others (Bjork, 2004). The measurements will be helpful in evaluating the weaknesses in the system and in providing guidelines on the ways of improving the system for the better. In other words, they will provide an opportunity to evaluate the loopholes in the technology. As time goes the needs of an organization changes or increases and thus improvements in technology are required. The goals of most organizations is to grow and become competitive in business and as it grows its IT should also grow with it otherwise it will become a hindrance in achieving its goals. The measurement of IT is therefore essential as it provides an opportunity for further advancements in this technology. In conclusion, IT measurements provide many benefits to an organization and are therefore essential. However, in many organizations, the success of IT in a business is measured in terms of the IT parameters which include capacity, processing speed and up time. This therefore shows that many businesses do not measure IT with regard to customer satisfaction or profitability. Customers are one of the most important assets of a business and should be included in IT measurements to ensure a sustainable business growth. Similarly, organizations should invest more funds in IT measurements. In measuring the impacts of IT in organizations knowledge and understanding is a necessity and thus funds are required. Measurement of IT is not an easy task and cannot be done by anyone; IT professionals are threfore needed and should have much experience in IT measurements. Since in many organizations the IT professionals have little experience in IT measurements, IT experts from outside will be helpful in ensuring IT measurements are conducted in an efficient and effective manner.

When Ethan Frome lost control of his life, from Edith Whartons novel

When Ethan Frome lost control of his life, from Edith Whartons novel I believe Ethan Frome lost control of his life when his mother died.After his mother's funeral, Ethan did not want to be left alone on the farm,so he asked Zeena to stay with him. At first, Ethan enjoys her company.However, Zeena soon becomes a nuisance to Ethan, and prevents him frombecoming an engineer in a large city. After being married a year, Zeenabecomes sick herself, and the only time she talks to Ethan is to complain orshow her discontent.After Mattie comes to the farm, Ethan does not love Zeena at all. Hethinks the only pleasure she has left is to inflict pain on him. Since Zeenais a burden on Ethan, he naturally wants to improve his life. The reason hedoes not have control of his life is because he is married to Zeena, and heis not brave enough to go away with Mattie.English: Ethan HigbeeThe reason he is married to Zeenais because his mother died. Since Zeena is why Ethan does not have control ofhis life, and Ethan married her because his mother died, the point in timewhen Ethan lost control of his life is when his mother died.I believe Ethan could have changed the direction of his life if he hadgone away from the farm to marry Mattie. The reason he did not have controlof his life was because he was married to Zeena. If he would have marriedMattie and left Zeena, he would not have been in the sled accident, andconsequently, he would have lived a much happier life with Mattie.The second way Ethan could have changed the direction of his life is ifhe would have sold the farm and never have married Zeena. This would havesaved him many years of problems and unhappiness. He would never have metMattie, which means he would never have injured himself in the sled accident.If he would have lived in another town besides Starkfield, he might have beenan engineer and married a woman who would treat him better than Zeena everdid.

Lycopene Chemistry and How It Protects Against Cancer

Lycopene Chemistry and How It Protects Against Cancer Lycopene (see chemical structure), a carotenoid in the same family as beta-carotene, is what gives tomatoes, pink grapefruit, apricots, red oranges, watermelon, rosehips, and guava their red color. Lycopene is not merely a pigment. It is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to neutralize free radicals, especially those derived from oxygen, thereby conferring protection against prostate cancer, breast cancer, atherosclerosis, and associated coronary artery disease. It reduces LDL (low-density lipoprotein) oxidation and helps reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. In addition, preliminary research suggests lycopene may reduce the risk of macular degenerative disease, serum lipid oxidation, and cancers of the lung, bladder, cervix, and skin. The chemical properties of lycopene responsible for these protective actions are well-documented. Lycopene is a phytochemical, synthesized by plants and microorganisms but not by animals. It is an acyclic isomer of beta-carotene. This highly unsaturated hydrocarbon contains 11 conjugated and 2 unconjugated double bonds, making it longer than any other carotenoid. As a polyene, it undergoes cis-trans isomerization induced by light, thermal energy, and chemical reactions. Lycopene obtained from plants tends to exist in an all-trans configuration, the most thermodynamically stable form. Humans cannot produce lycopene and must ingest fruits, absorb the lycopene, and process it for use in the body. In human plasma, lycopene is present as an isomeric mixture, with 50% as cis isomers. Although best known as an antioxidant, both oxidative and non-oxidative mechanisms are involved in lycopenes bioprotective activity. The nutraceutical activities of carotenoids such as beta-carotene are related to their ability to form vitamin A within the body. Since lycopene lacks a beta-ionone ring structure, it cannot form vitamin A and its biological effects in humans have been attributed to mechanisms other than vitamin A. Lycopenes configuration enables it to inactivate free radicals. Because free radicals are electrochemically imbalanced molecules, they are highly aggressive, ready to react with cell components and cause permanent damage. Oxygen-derived free radicals are the most reactive species. These toxic chemicals are formed naturally as by-products during oxidative cellular metabolism. As an antioxidant, lycopene has a singlet-oxygen-quenching ability twice as high as that of beta-carotene (vitamin A relative) and ten times higher than that of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E relative). One non-oxidative activity is regulation of gap-junction communication between cells. Lycopene participates in a host of chemical reactions hypothesized to prevent carcinogenesis and atherogenesis by protecting critical cellular biomolecules, including lipids, proteins, and DNA. Lycopene is the most predominant carotenoid in human plasma, present naturally in greater amounts than beta-carotene and other dietary carotenoids. This perhaps indicates its greater biological significance in the human defense system. Its level is affected by several biological and lifestyle factors. Because of its lipophilic nature, lycopene concentrates in low-density and very-low-density lipoprotein fractions of the serum. Lycopene is also found to concentrate in the adrenal, liver, testes, and prostate. However, unlike other carotenoids, lycopene levels in serum or tissues do not correlate well with overall intake of fruits and vegetables. Research shows that lycopene can be absorbed more efficiently by the body after it has been processed into juice, sauce, paste, or ketchup. In fresh fruit, lycopene is enclosed in the fruit tissue. Therefore, only a portion of the lycopene that is present in fresh fruit is absorbed. Processing fruit makes the lycopene more bioavailable by increasing the surface area available for digestion. More significantly, the chemical form of lycopene is altered by the temperature changes involved in processing to make it more easily absorbed by the body. Also, because lycopene is fat-soluble (as are vitamins, A, D, E, and beta-carotene), absorption into tissues is improved when oil is added to the diet. Although lycopene is available in supplement form, it is likely there is a synergistic effect when it is obtained from the whole fruit instead, where other components of the fruit enhance lycopenes effectiveness.

Global Warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Global Warming - Research Paper Example As the report explores Earth and are now responsible for the fact that the surface of the planet seems to be warming because of trapped gases. Our fossil fuel use is the main reason those gases are present. Every time we drive a car to school or work, use electricity, or heat our houses, we are releasing carbon dioxide into the air and making our planet hotter. Another important source of greenhouse gases is caused by deforestation, mainly in the Amazon. There is a lot of money to be made in cutting down trees and planting land for animals to use so the animals can be made into hamburgers at the end of the day. Cattle itself is said by some people to be in part responsible for increasing the amount of methane in the atmosphere. A the essay stresses some scientists have stated on the record that this increase in trapped heat changes may be responsible for a change in the climate, not only making the surface of the Earth hotter, but altering weather patterns. The patterns and even currents we have known for centuries are changing and changing our patterns of trade and they we lead our lives. There will be more monsoons and hurricanes as seen by the terrible storms of recent years including Hurricane Katrina. With rising water levels and more storms coastal countries will be powerfully affected by climate change. Countries like the Maldives, which already are barely above the water level may vanish entirely, becoming a new lost city of Atlantis.