Operations Management of Ladbrokes Plc - 3988 Words

Introduction Ladbrokes plc is one of the leading bookmakers in the high street in UK. It was established in 1886. Currently Ladbrokes plc operating with over 2200 branches across the UK and also operates in Ireland, Belgium and Spain. In this assignment we are focusing on the operational activities of the Ladbrokes plc. Task 1 a) The role of operations management The operations management can be defined as the systematic processes which convert inputs in to finished goods or service by adding the value. The operations management is very important in modern days as the competitiveness among the businesses very high. Therefore most of the organizations do have a special functional unit for manage the operational activities of†¦show more content†¦* Create competitive pricing and trading management to improve product range and optimise margin. The betting industry in UK is dominated by few companies in the market. The competition among them is very high in order to gain new customers and to retain the existing customers. Therefore to implement best strategy to achieve their strategic objectives the company need to have knowledge of its environment. In order to analyse the business environment the following tools can be used. * SWOT Analysis * Porter’s five forces analysis SWOT Analysis of Ladbrokes plc This analysis will help to identify the internal environment against the external environment. The internal environment analysis identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the company and the external environment identifies the opportunities and threats to the company. According to the Ladbrokes plc internal environment analysis the following strengths and weaknesses can be highlighted. Strengths * Brand image * Advance technology * Low operational cost compared to its rivals as call center tasks allocated to some retail shops. * Use of the loyalty card * Quality of the customer service Weaknesses * High labour turnover. * Lack of modern gambling machine to attract new customers. * Limitations of offers available to the customers. The external environment of Ladbrokes plc highlighted the following opportunities andShow MoreRelatedWilliam Hill s Biggest Competitor1970 Words   |  8 Pageson the financial data, indicate that William Hill is a company worth investing for those who are conservative investor and who are able to take a risk in order to achieve higher return from investment. Introduction The chosen company William Hill PLC is one of the best known brand in the world. It was originally created by William Hill in 1934, and it has been playing an important role in the development of the UK’s market for gaming and betting services. During all these years, it has built anRead MoreSwot Analysis Report1228 Words   |  5 PagesSince 1994 Hilton acquired all of Bally Entertainment, making the largest gaming company in the world. In 1997 they founded an alliance with Ladbroke Group PLC in (now Hilton Group, owner of Hilton International and the rights to the Hilton name outside the US) to unify the Hilton brand worldwide. With a downturn in the gaming industry translating into sluggish results in Hilton’s gaming segment, the company spun off its gaming interests as Park Place Entertainment. In 1999 Hilton made a massiveRead MorePaddy Power Essay8261 Words   |  34 Pages.................................... 15 Online Marketing Group:....................................................................................................... 16 Online Operations: .................................................................................................................. 16 Operations .................................................................................................................................... 17 Licensed Betting Shops: ..................Read MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pageson the Companion Website. These are a selection of cases from recent editions of the book which remain relevant for teaching. The case studies are intended to serve as a basis for class discussion and not as an illustration of either good or bad management practice. They are not intended to be a comprehensive collection of teaching material. They have been chosen (or speciï ¬ cally written) to provide readers with a core of cases which, together, cover most of the main issues in the text. As such, they

Increased Rates of Teen Pregnancy among Minorities

Increased rates of teen pregnancy among minorities The incidence of teen births in the United States has reached a historic all time low throughout the last couple of years but teen girls are still giving birth to 1700 babies a week. However, minorities are still amongst the highest group of teenagers having children among the age group between 15 and 19 years of age. The highest ethnic groups were comprised of Hispanics and Non-Hispanic blacks making up 57% of all US teen births in 2011, according to a study done by the CDC in 2011. American Indians and Alaskan Natives had the third highest birth rates at about 36 births per 1000 females. The smallest occurrence of teen births per 1000 came from the Asian/Pacific Islander population. However, the continuously low population group with teen pregnancies involved White individuals so the question remains, why are most minority groups more likely to give birth within their teenage years? Research shows that about 80 percent of all the t eenagers between the age group of 15-17 had no formal sexual education before their first sexual experience. Regardless of their ethnicity, all students can be affected by the lack of sexual education at their respected school. Interestingly enough, President Obama has recently cut the budget for abstinence only sex education. However, this was done because current research indicates that abstinence only programs do not prevent or delay teen sex. Many teens say that their schools tend to useShow MoreRelatedAdverse Health Effects of Adolescent Pregnancy Essays1451 Words   |  6 PagesAdolescent pregnancy is a very important health issue worldwide. When adolescents who, are often physically and mentally unprepared to bear a child are become mothers it has astoundingly negative outcomes for the mother. Including bad personal outcomes adolescent mothers often give birth to children with increased health issues when compared to a healthy adult mothers. Because of the negative outcomes associated with adolescent pregnancy, the issue should be addressed worldwide. Adolescent mothersRead MoreTeenage Moms That Are Still In High School Get Pregnant1391 Words   |  6 Pagestheir child. There were just under a quarter million pregnancies in women ages fifteen to nineteen in 2014. About eighty-five percent of these pregnancies are unplanned, which in any population can increase the risk for problems. The biggest risk for teen mothers is delaying prenatal care or worse, about seven percent received no care at all. According to CDC, In 2014, almost 250,000 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years, for a birth rate of 24.2 per 1,000 women in this age group. This is anotherRead MoreThe Teenage Epidemic Of Texas756 Words   |  4 Pagesmovements: a 20-year period of high rates of pregnancy involving teenagers, and a more recent surge in limiting reproductive health care access through state legislative actions over the past 5 years. Texas has the third highest number of unplanned pregnancies in the United States. Most of these unintended pregnancies are greatly concentrated among unmarried teenagers from low socioeconomic areas. In 2014, there were 35,000 teen pregnancies in Texas for a rate of 73 per a thousand women ages 15-19Read MoreTeen Pregnancy Is Associated With Negative Consequences For Both Adolescents Essay1181 Words   |  5 Pages10/19/2015 Teen Pregnancy Teen pregnancy is associated with negative consequences for both adolescents, and, when pregnancy is carried to term, their children. The great majority of teen pregnancies (82 percent in 2006) are unintended. In 2006, approximately 37 percent of unintended pregnancies to teens ages 15-19 ended in abortion, and almost 60 percent ended in a live birth. Overall, as of 2010, 26 percent of teen pregnancies end in abortion. Even after accounting for the fact that teen mothers tendRead MoreThe Issue Of Sex Education1613 Words   |  7 Pagesargue why students in the United States need a more comprehensive sex education class in their curriculums in school for the following reasons: higher rates of pregnancy in teenagers, higher rates of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, and the negative aspects of the aftermath of teenage childbirth. My first area of discussion is teenage pregnancy due to inadequate sex education programs in school. We can safely assume there aren’t any human beings ages 12 to 17 in this world who are ready, mentallyRead More The Increase of Teenage Pregnancy Essay example1337 Words   |  6 PagesThe Increase of Teenage Pregnancy Teenage parenthood is by no means a new social phenomenon. Historically, women have tended to begin childbearing during their teens and early twenties. During the past two decades the U. S. teenage birthrate has actually declined (Polit and others, 1982). In the late 1950s, 90 out of 1000 women under 20 gave birth as compared with 52 out of 1000 in 1978. Several factors contribute to the current attention focused on teenage pregnancy and parenthood. ThereRead MoreLow Income Black And Hispanic Adolescent Females Essay1532 Words   |  7 Pagesunplanned pregnancy. Increased utilization of dual contraception is of great importance in these communities. Adolescent females in general are less likely to use dual forms of protection from STD’s and unplanned pregnancy. Young women, due to their anatomy tend to be more susceptible to STD’s than are young men. Black and Hispanic females are 4.9x and 2.1x, respectively, more likely to contract chlamydia (which is a common STD) than their white counterparts. When it comes to pregnancy 3 in 10 adolescentRead MoreThe Rates Of Teen Pregnancy Essay3072 Words   |  13 PagesINTRODUCTION Throughout the United States, rates of teen pregnancy are significantly high. In 2013, there were 26.5 births for every 1,000 adolescent females ages 15-19, or 273,105 babies born to females in this age group.1 Young, minority women between the ages of 15 and 24 appear to be at greater risk for becoming pregnant. Minority populations are also linked with low socioeconomic status, whether in terms of education or income, or both. Having low income and lower levels of education (the mostRead MoreThe Issue Of Teen Pregnancy1722 Words   |  7 Pagesbroken many barriers and achieved great accomplishments, there are still some deep rooted issues which continue to affect her in a most insidious manner. One of the issues that women face in the United States is teen pregnancy which is still an enormous problem that needs to be addressed. The rates are still higher than they were only a decade ago. Becoming a parent permanently and profoundly alters a teenager s life. Most of the girls forg et about their dreams of happy marriage, and become mothers atRead MoreTeenage Pregnancy Rates And The United States3104 Words   |  13 PagesEven though teenage pregnancy rates have decreased in the U.S. in recent years, the rates are far behind European countries. Studies have shown that U.S. teenagers have (a) high rates of sexual intercourse at a younger age, (b) high rates of sex without contraceptives, (c) high rates of pregnancy, (d) and high number of multiple sex partners in comparison to European countries like Sweden, France, Netherland (Bell, 2009). One of the main reasons for high rates of teenage pregnancy in the U.S. is the

We Are Blessed to Have Trees Plants Free Essays

This poem is written by Ruskin Bond. In this poem the poet shares the thoughts of his grandmother who was of the opinion that the house that has trees around is blessed. For this purpose the poet planted a tree which is six months old and is growing fast. We will write a custom essay sample on We Are Blessed to Have Trees Plants or any similar topic only for you Order Now He believes that in six years time the tree would grow and give shade so that his house will also be blessed. I think the world and its inhabitants are blessed to have trees and plants. Trees are important, valuable and necessary to our very existence. It’s not too hard to believe that, without trees we humans would not exist on this beautiful planet. In fact, some claim can be made that our mother’s and father’s ancestors climbed trees – another debate for another site. Still, trees are essential to life as we know it and are the ground troops on an environmental frontline. Our existing forest and the trees we plant work in tandem to make a better world. Below are the reasons why trees are important for us. Trees Produce Oxygen Let’s face it; we could not exist as we do if there were no trees. A mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year. What many people don’t realize is the forest also acts as a giant filter that cleans the air we breathe. Trees Clean the Soil The term phytoremediation is a fancy word for the absorption of dangerous chemicals and other pollutants that have entered the soil. Trees can either store harmful pollutants or actually change the pollutant into less harmful forms. Trees filter sewage and farm chemicals, reduce the effects of animal wastes, clean roadside spills and clean water runoff into streams. Trees Control Noise Pollution Trees muffle urban noise almost as effectively as stone walls. Trees, planted at strategic points in a neighborhood or around your house, can abate major noises from freeways and airports. Trees Slow Storm Water Runoff Flash flooding can be dramatically reduced by a forest or by planting trees. One Colorado blue spruce, either planted or growing wild, can intercept more than 1000 gallons of water annually when fully grown. Underground water-holding aquifers are recharged with this slowing down of water runoff. Trees Are Carbon Sinks To produce its food, a tree absorbs and locks away carbon dioxide in the wood, roots and leaves. Carbon dioxide is a global warming suspect. A forest is a carbon storage area or a â€Å"sink† that can lock up as much carbon as it produces. This locking-up process â€Å"stores† carbon as wood and not as an available â€Å"greenhouse† gas. Trees Clean the Air Trees help cleanse the air by intercepting airborne particles, reducing heat, and absorbing such pollutants as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Trees remove this air pollution by lowering air temperature, through respiration, and by retaining particulates. Trees Shade and Cool Shade resulting in cooling is what a tree is best known for. Shade from trees reduces the need for air conditioning in summer. In winter, trees break the force of winter winds, lowering heating costs. Studies have shown that parts of cities without cooling shade from trees can literally be â€Å"heat islands† with temperatures as much as 12 degrees Fahrenheit higher than surrounding areas. Trees Act as Windbreaks During windy and cold seasons, trees located on the windward side act as windbreaks. A windbreak can lower home heating bills up to 30% and have a significant effect on reducing snow drifts. A reduction in wind can also reduce the drying effect on soil and vegetation behind the windbreak and help keep precious topsoil in place. Trees Fight Soil Erosion Erosion control has always started with tree and grass planting projects. Tree roots bind the soil and their leaves break the force of wind and rain on soil. Trees fight soil erosion, conserve rainwater and reduce water runoff and sediment deposit after storms. How to cite We Are Blessed to Have Trees Plants, Essay examples

Marcel Duchamps invention of the readymade

Marcel Duchamp is a French artist born in the Haute-Normandie region of France in the year 1887. He is described as a both revolutionary and avante garde artist because of his invention of readymade art in 1915 and also because his works were often associated with Surrealist movements. Duchamp’s readymade art influenced the art movement during the post World War I period.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marcel Duchamp’s invention of ‘the readymade’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He invented challenged the conventional line of thinking that was used during art processes and the creation of art marketing by using subversive actions like when he called a urinal a fountain. In his invention of readymade art, Duchamp based his artwork on the belief that creative art was not made from the perspective of the artist but from the point of view of the spectator who has the ability to provide a link between the work and the external world (Masheck 1). Duchamp’s early works were mostly focused on post-impressionist styles where he experimented on classical techniques of art work and art processes. One of his first paintings that included post impressionism was the Coffee Mill painting which he drew in 1911. During the same year he also developed the Portrait of Chess Players which included his two brothers Raymond Duchamp and Jacques Villon where the art style was mostly Cubism because of the multiple perspectives of the two chess players and also because of the overlapping frames of the portrait. Other works produced by Duchamp that were heavily post impressionist art forms included the Nude Descending Staircase which he did in 1912, the Thicket which he produced in 1911, Young Man and Girl in Spring which he also produced in 1911 and Yvonne and Magdeleine Torn. All these paintings had a heavy influence of both Cubist and Favism styles of painting which were predomi nantly viewed as post impressionist styles (Masheck 3). Duchamp created readymade art objects in 1913 with his first invention being the Wheel of a Bicycle which was basically an inverted bicycle that was installed on a stool. The term readymade was not however coined until 1915 and it referred to prefabricated art forms and objects that were isolated from their functional purpose and settings where the objects were instead given an elevated status by the artist. Duchamp’s readymade art forms became a product of mass production as readymade art presented the message on its own without any form of mediation and assistance. Duchamp got his idea for readymade art from the clothing industry in New York that was mostly focused on the mass production of clothes that were unique and stylish (Gale 1).Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Duchamp’s vision for readymade art was mostly focuse d on producing art forms that had an aesthetic value as well as producing art objects that questioned the meaning of art itself. According to the Duchamp, the decision made by an artist to make readymade art should be governed by the artist’s indifference to the art form rather than the beauty of the object. The developments in both Futurism and Cubism greatly influenced Duchamp’s readymade works together with the poetry works of the great poet Guillame Apollinaire. His first readymade works included the Bottle Rack which he produced in 1914. The next readymade art form produced by Duchamp was done in 1915 which was the Prelude to a Broken Arm which was basically a snow shovel. His most recognisable readymade art object was the Fountain which was basically a urinal that had slight physical interventions like the pseudonym R. Mutt. The Fountain was described as the most influential piece of art work in the 20th century because of its boldness and provocativeness (Gale 2 ). The Fountain also revolutionised 20th century art work more than any other piece of work produced during the same period. Other readymade art forms produced by Duchamp included his 1920 reproduction of the Mona Lisa portrait by Leonardo da Vinci where he included a moustache and a beard in his reproduction. This led to his coining of the portrait as a rectified readymade piece of art work. In his inventions of readymade art forms, Duchamp continued to emphasize that the selection of readymade art should never be based on the perspective of the artist but on the artist’s reaction to visual indifferences that are presented in the art object (Mattick 124). Duchamp’s invention of readymade art reduced the dominance of paintings and sculptures during the 20th century where they became the most autonomous pieces of artistic art forms during the 1960s and 80s. Readymade art later revolutionised to become industrially produced art objects that achieved the status of art as a result of presentation and selection by the artists. Duchamp’s invention of readymade art was mostly based on designs of pieces of art that he viewed to be art by definition. His readymade art works were therefore based on designs that were made by others which meant that he was not the original designer of the art forms (Elger and Grosenick 80).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marcel Duchamp’s invention of ‘the readymade’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More His approach to producing readymade art was mostly focused on assuming that any art object can be equipped with physical attributes and characteristics that can be used to elevate the status of the art form. He believed that an art object was defined by its context which was then used to perceive the various environments in which the art object would fit in. Duchamp’s pioneering work on readymade art helped to shape the work of contemporary artists such as Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Joseph Cornell, Tony Cragg and Robert Rauschenberg and Michael Martin. Contemporary artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Damien Hirst utilised Duchamp’s preference for artistic ideas rather than visual effects in their works during the 1950s. Rauschenberg went on to produce art work that was focused on non-traditional materials which gave rise to Combines abstract expressionism. Some of his most common art forms included the canyon which he produced in 1959 and the Riding Bikes sculpture which he made in 1998 (Bossy et al 154). Damien Hirst on the other hand focused on the use of dead animals that were preserved to create artistic sculptures such as the Golden Calf, which was a cow that had its horns and hooves emersed in 18-carat gold and the Physical Impossibility of Death which involved a sculpture of a tiger shark that was preserved in formaldehyde. During the 1970s and 1980s, readymade art featured heavily in c onceptual art works as well as Arte Povera art forms. Contemporary artists who incorporated Duchamp’s readymade art perspective in their work during this time included Tony Cragg and Joseph Cornell. Tony Cragg incorporated the use of discarded construction materials and other siposed materials to create sculptures such as the Britian Seen from the North and Terris Novalis which he created in 1981. The 1980s marked the emergence of commodity art sculptures where mass produced art forms were placed in galleries and presented as sculptures. One of the artists who created commodity art sculptures during the 80s included Jeff Koons who is an American artist well known for his reproduction of banal objects. Koons produced the Two Ball 50/50 tank commodity sculpture in 1985 also known as the Equilibrium Series. The sculpture which had an influence from the work of Damien Hirst was made of two basketballs that were floating in a distilled water tank and it demonstrated the readymade aspect of commodity art sculptures. His other sculptured art forms included the Statuary which was composed of a large stainless steel blow-up of various toys and the Banality Series that was made up of a series of three life-size statues of Michael Jackson and his pet chimpanzee, Bubbles that were plated with gold (Bossy et al vi)Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Joseph Cornell was another contemporary artist in the 70s who incorporated Duchamp’s readymade art in his art sculptures. Cornell is well known for his artistic forms that incorporated aspects of assemblage and collage where he created art forms from found objects. These found objects were usually boxes that he used to assemble several collections of photographs in both a surrealist and constructive way. An example of his assembled art work is the Medici Slot Machine that had an interactive design to it which was meant to encourage the audience to handle the sculpture. His other assembled art forms that borrowed from Duchamp’s readymade art included the Soap Bubble Sets, the Space Object Boxes and the Pink Palace Series (Bossy et al vi). Another contemporary artist who still utilises Marcel Duchamp’s readymade artistic inventions and techniques is Michael Craig-Martin. He involved detached conceptualism in his sculptures that were made of commonly used household objects and other materials to create artistic art structures that were based on multimedia objects. In the year 1970, he came up with one of his most famous works that incorporated the use of four buckets made of metal that had been suspended on a table. This sculpture demonstrated the effect that conceptualism and minimalism had on Martin which later saw him producing another sculpture in 1973 known as An Oak Tree. This sculpture was made up of an ordinary glass of water that was placed on a plain shelf to demonstrate his superiority over the object in the sculpture itself. This line of thinking led to the development and formation of conceptual art that would revolutionise commodity art sculptures in the 20th century (Bossy et al vi). Duchamp’s readymade inventions and art forms paved the way for many of the above mentioned contemporary artists and other modern artists who involved the use of various objects both animate and inanimate. His readymade art has advanced the g eneral view of artistic objects by changing the process of how art forms and objects are created. Duchamp shaped the creation of artistic forms by exposing the nominalist character of pictorial events that led to Dadaism or Dada works which was a major movement that helped to form the artistic expressions of various contemporary and modern artists. Duchamp’s readymade inventions also helped to shape the avante garde artistic movement in the 19th century which was mostly concerned with expressing the view of the object rather than the view of the artist. Works Cited Bossy, Michael-Andre, Thomas, Brothers and John, McEnroe. Lives and legacies: an  encyclopedia of people who changed the world. Westport, Connecticut: The Oryx Press, 2001. Print. Elger, Dietmar and Grosenick, Uta. Dadaism. Berlin, Germany: Taschen, 2004. Print Gale, Matthew. Readymade. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print. Masheck, Joseph. Marcel Duchamp in perspective. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da C apo Press, 2002. Print. Mattick, Paul. Art in its time: theories and practices of modern aesthetics. London: Routledge, 2003. Print. This essay on Marcel Duchamp’s invention of ‘the readymade’ was written and submitted by user Amanda Mcgee to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to Write a Speech

How to Write a Speech How to Write a Speech When it comes to public speaking – in the student’s case, giving a speech to a classroom of their peers and their instructor – one’s success lies in preparation. Which means that delivering a good speech ultimately depends on the writing a  speech. After all, a speech is like a spoken essay. Some people are natural-born public speakers who can entertain an entire room without a second of planning; however, the student in higher education who is to give a speech (who is also most likely a novice public speaker) should follow these 10 speech writing steps. 10 Speech Writing Steps 1. Plan the speech according to the occasion. The student required to give a speech will probably be speaking in an academic setting, where a serious, informative or persuasive tone will serve them best. Most times, the student will be given a time limit, which should be strictly followed. 2. Recognize the theme/message or purpose of the speech. This will help the student identify which direction they are going to take in the writing/planning/researching of the speech, helping them develop a sort of formula to achieve that purpose. 3. Be creative with the speech’s introduction. Once the student knows what they are going to say, they should consider a brief, interesting way to get their audience’s attention – whether with a joke, an interesting anecdote, famous quote, even a thought-provoking question. 4. Learn how to write a speech outline. This helps the student visualize all the points they need to cover in their speech. 5. Expand on the points in the speech outline. If they’re given a speech in a persuasive manner, they will need a solid thesis statement defended by strong evidence to support their argument. If giving an informative speech for an assignment, the student should incorporate solid, research-based information. In either case, the student must center their speech on the theme, issue, or subject they are discussing, arguing, or analyzing. 6. Incorporate transitional phrases to cover various points. Words like â€Å"First of all,† â€Å"Secondly,† â€Å"Next,† and â€Å"Lastly† help the speaker better transition from point to point, for their own sake and the audience. 7. Don’t forget about the conclusion. Just like with an essay or written assignment, a proper conclusion allows the speaker to tie in all the points of their speech, leaving the audience with a comprehensive understanding of what they just discussed. 8. Write the speech out in full, in essay form. Include the introduction, the points to be covered, as well as transitional phrases, and a conclusion – and then evaluate its effectiveness. Edit if needed. Writing more than one draft helps the student add or remove pertinent information. 9. Ask a friend to revise the written speech; revise the draft based on their feedback. Once the student feels their written speech is nearly completed, seeking the help of another person is beneficial. They will see things the writer may not notice, which will ultimately improve the speech. 10. Read the speech aloud. Before the student rehearses their speech first for familiarization, then memorization, they should read the speech aloud to compare how it sounds with how it reads; this could be the difference in an awkward, boring speech or one that is interesting and gets a higher grade. Read also: How to Write a Persuasive Essay | How to Write an Argumentative Essay In case you are working on a speech, and are having difficulties with it, would be happy to assist. Feel free to contact our writers and they will help you to work through the assignment. Our staff will assign writers with suitable backgrounds and adequate experience. This will result in a paper that is properly written and formatted, with thorough background research and a solid literature base.  Feel free to contact us anytime. Place an order to get your individual discount now.

Whens the last time you were bored Maybe its been too long.

Whens the last time you were bored Maybe its been too long. â€Å"I’m boooorrrrrrrrrrred!† Early on a Saturday evening, I admitted to a friend that I had watched a Netflix movie the night before and was likely going to watch another one that night. For many people, watching videos two nights in a row would not be a remarkable occurrence. But for me, it was an anomaly- a rare sign of boredom. â€Å"I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that before,† said my friend. Indeed, it is not unusual for me to go a month without finding a single 2-hour block of time to sit and watch a video. What did it mean that I had two such blocks of time to fill in one weekend? Had I failed in some way by not scheduling something more â€Å"important†? In fact, I think my unexpectedly empty time meant that I had gotten enough done and was sufficiently on top of my schedule that I felt unpressured to fill that time with productive activities. A success, not a failure! Yet my inner voice was saying, â€Å"Brenda, you’re bored. You had better do something to occupy your brain.† I considered my options. Should I watch my Netflix video, The Blind Side? Or find something on my business task list to tackle on this Saturday night? Surely there must be something for me to write or edit! I let the wheels in my brain spin for a while. And, after a few minutes of â€Å"boredom,† I settled on a new idea: a blog article about this very topic. I wondered if other people had identified boredom as a positive emotion or event, and if so, what factors were at work in our bored brains? The Value of Boredom Not long ago, I heard someone complain of being bored and explained to him that I celebrate boredom despite the discomfort it may entail. I see boredom as an opportunity to rest my brain- an empty place that is necessary for the spark of creativity to take hold. I discovered quite a bit of interesting material that supported my opinion. First was a TED talk by Genevieve Bell. Ms. Bell explained that the experience of boredom is a moment when, neurochemically, the brain lights up. The bored brain is almost as active as the engaged brain! Boredom is an opportunity for the brain to reset itself, and this reset is apparently a very active process. Ms. Bell also referenced Heidegger, who argued in 1929 that being bored is a fundamental state of being human- and that we should spend less time putting it at bay and more time embracing it. The Quest for Boredom Nowadays, it’s hard to be bored. A text message or facebook update awaits us at every moment. If we don’t like one thing, we move on to the next. We are more likely to be overloaded than bored. For me, this overload shows up as the inability during most months to find time to watch the Netflix video sitting on my desk. Yet those times of disconnection, when the brain gets a rest, are often the most pleasurable times in life. As Peter Bregman stated in his Harvard Business School blog article, Why I Returned My iPad: Being bored is a precious thing, a state of mind we should pursue. Once boredom sets in, our minds begin to wander, looking for something exciting, something interesting to land on. And that’s where creativity arises. My best ideas come to me when I am  unproductive. When I am running but not listening to my iPod. When I am sitting, doing nothing, waiting for someone. When I am lying in bed as my mind wanders before falling to sleep. These â€Å"wasted† moments, moments not filled with anything in particular, are vital. They are the moments in which we, often unconsciously, organize our minds, make sense of our lives, and connect the dots. They’re the moments in which we talk to ourselves. And listen. To lose those moments, to replace them with tasks and efficiency, is a mistake. What’s worse is that we don’t just lose them. We actively throw them away. An Astonishing Feat!! Finally, I discovered a June 13, 2011   â€Å"On Point† episode with Tom Ashbrook, featuring guest Peter Toohey who wrote an entire book about boredom (Boredom: A Lively History). Callers largely agreed that boredom is the key to creativity. And neuroscientist Jonah Lehrer jumped on to share that boredom is the precursor to daydreaming, an â€Å"astonishing mental feat† wherein, he confirmed, just as much brain activity occurs as when we are focused on something. I suppose the daydreaming phenomenon occurs whether boredom comes from having â€Å"nothing† to do or from disinterest in whatever we are doing. From my cursory research, I found that there is a clear connection between boredom and the birth of new ideas. Reportedly, many of the best ideas arise when we can untether ourselves from the constant stream of information that bombards us in every minute. I’m glad I chose not to put that DVD in my computer. It’s still there when I want it, and I found a friend who asked to watch it with me. In the end, by allowing boredom to set in for just a few short minutes, I created a fascinating, brain-lit-up Saturday evening.

O'Brien and Szeman Critical Insight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

O'Brien and Szeman Critical Insight - Essay Example O’Brien and Szeman The concepts of O’Brien and Szeman show that there is a direct correlation between cultural expressions and the new possibilities within contemporary art. This begins with the understanding of techniques that are used with art and how this is beginning to transform. The first concept is related to ideas of language. In popular culture, this is beginning to transform, break down and alter into new expressions and ideologies. The approach taken is one which is defined specifically by new expressions that are combining disciplines. The idea of language is one which begins to move into concepts of how language can be expressed in visual arts, multimedia, dance and other concepts. Integrating this into artistic forms and developing a sense of hybridity allows individuals and the languages to move forward with specific concepts and to create a sense of understanding that moves outside of the traditional ideas of language and into something that is understoo d within popular culture. O’Brien and Szeman continue this concept with the ideas of signs, representation and discourse. The ideas of hybridity and ways in which these theories turn into new expressions lead into different areas of exploration. ... Instead of creating a representation that is based on a medium, the medium becomes a tool that is used with the representation or discourse that is being expressed. With this concept, one is able to combine different types of artistic works to move a step further with the representations that are being created. Critical Insight The concepts which are associated with O’Brien and Szeman are one of the leading changes that are occurring within the arts create questions based on how the popular culture and contemporary art turn into hybrid and interdisciplinary approaches. The concepts of hybridity that come from the main tools recognized by the two authors are only one of the components that are a part of creating interdisciplinary approaches to art. This is further transformed with ideas and representations which are based on exploration. The idea of exploration with the mediums and the arts as well as popular culture, is one of the defining points of art work. Without this, art ists wouldn’t be able to create and express what is needed. The tools discussed then become a way to experiment and interchange the ideas of discourse, signs or language used with the techniques that are related to O’Brien and Szeman. The main concept which is associated with the theories is one which is based on ideas of expression and creation. The most important challenge that is created is one that is based on how art can move forward in both terms of experimentation and in popular culture. Using techniques, such as certain mediums, as well as combining this with different concepts of practices, is one that is now becoming secondary. The question which is being