Smoking Should Be Completely Prohibited From College Campuses Essay Example for Free

Smoking Should Be Completely Prohibited From College Campuses Essay This paper focuses on why smoking should be completely prohibited from college campuses. It explores the effects of smoking and tries to give the rationale for prohibiting it. It also explores the views of those who support smoking. This topic has attracted a number of heated debates and a consensus has not yet been reached on whether or not smoking should be prohibited in college. The diversity of opinion can almost be equated with the number of people who comment on the topic. Even those who agree that it should be banned; their reasons are so varied. Ayn Rand argues that smoking cigarettes signifies the power human beings have over nature1. Others feel smoking is morally wrong and the government ought to prohibit it. For some, smoking would be wrong and self-destructive, for other it would not be the case. Actually, a moderate degree of smoking is morally unobjectionable. Here, morality comes in and this makes the argument against smoking a subjective one. What is morally acceptable to one individual may be objectionable to another. A focus on the moral persuasions of the majority reflects that they see no big deal in tobacco smoking itself but have a problem with smoking in college. Majorities also agree that smoking, for instance of bhang and cocaine should be prohibited be it in college or in the wider society: this is because of the moral difference between smoking tobacco and the rest. However, it is not obvious for one to find a moral justification in this and we can only question the moral leanings of the majority. Some argue that in the ethics if virtue, there is the moral imperative to care for one’s health one should use his mind. They should ask themselves if smoking is justice/injustice to self? But then, a number of issues may trigger neglect of personal health, inter alia; sports, and career. Such things may subject their health and lives in serious risk. Is this morally right? Is smoking one such risk? What is the ultimate goal of smoking? For pleasure? If yes, is pleasure the highest good there is? Yet it is not uncommon for people to take reasonably serious risks to celebrate life, for instance, to attend sport, or a wedding an accident is possible. Human beings would have to live morally disputable lives if we were to consider all risks taking to be morally objectionable. We will agree that we are responsible to live well. Man is a rational creature and should be able to make his own decision. â€Å"Human nature is characterized by reason and tolerance†2 John Locke argued. One can argue that if one wants to smoke, he should go a head but remember that he will bear the consequences dearly. Rigid rules to prohibit man from doing this and that do not allow him to live best. Spontaneous regulation and restraint would make him live better. Our conduct should always and pari passu be monitored and supervised by reason. Some people consider it essential to encourage independent decision making on the part of their, say adolescent children, who then decide to smoke, this could be seen as no less morally justifiable than encouraging them to play ice hockey for enjoyment. But are such parents doing a morally acceptable thing? Lets consider the effects of two substances (smoking).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Smoking tobacco has both short-term and long-term effects. The nicotine in tobacco causes a short-term heart rate, blood pressure and possibly increases in the flow of blood from the heart. It has the devastating effects of making the arteries narrow. The oxygen-holding capacity of the blood is undermined by carbon monoxide. â€Å"We think smoking is widespread and too little has been told about its danger.3† It is documented that smoking tobacco can cause coronary heart diseases, cancer of the lungs, esophagus, bladder, mouth, cervix, kidney among others. Research findings reveal that there are more than 40 chemicals in tobacco that cause cancer in both animals and humans. It is argued that smoking tobacco does increase the likelihood of almost every other pregnancy-related health risk to both mother and child, and is the single most preventable causes of illness and death among mothers and infants in the developed world.4Then, why accept to be haunted by a problem that we could easily fling into the dustbins of forgetfulness? Are we morally justified in legalizing something that is fatal to ourselves? We have lost or deformed loved ones because of this very monster! Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) adversely affects nonsmokers â€Å" each year, exposure to ETS causes as estimated 3,000 non-smoking American to die of long cancer and causes up to 300,000 children to suffer from lower-respiratory-tract infections† says American heart association (AHA) centers of disease control and prevention. Smoking of tobacco may cause accidental fires in school residential halls usually linked with careless smoking of tobacco treated with chemicals to allow it to smolder indefinitely. This list of the downsides of tobacco smoking is reminiscent of the real harm that tobacco slaps on its users. With all these downsides, the authorities should not turn a deaf eye on those who bemoan its smoking. Others argue that smoking (tobacco) has some beneficial effects, which can be identified especially on certain medical grounds and are thought to emanate from the biological effects of nicotine5. For instance, because most patient with Alzheimer’s diseases are likely not to have smoked, this is interpreted to mean that smoking protects against the disease6. But research hasn’t proved anything so far so specialists are at odds with such a conclusion. They term it erroneous as some studies show the reverse. Research findings depict that tobacco smokers are only half as likely as non-smokers has a protective effects of current smoking increases the risk of Crohn’s diseases, a form of inflammatory bowel diseases7. Some preliminary data from 1996 suggested that reduced incidence of uterine fibroids but overall the evidence is unconvincing. One would argue that if it were true that tobacco prevents some diseases, we have no rights in preventing anyone from smoking it as it would be no difference between this and preventing one from using any other preventive medicine. Cocaine has both short-term and long-term effects. Short-term effects include dilated pupils, increased heart rate, blood pressure, irritability and constricted peripheral blood vessels. Cocaine has an immediate euphoric effect, which affect energy and mental clarity. Cocaine’s effects are short-lived and once the drug leaves the brain, the user experiences a ‘coke crash’ that includes irritability and depression. Cocaine too has long-term effects. It is believed that high doses and/or prolonged use can trigger paranoia-it can produce particularly aggressive paranoid behavior in users. Prolonged snorting can result in ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose.8 It is documented that smoking has been associated with suicidal tendencies. College students who are daily smokers are more than five times more likely to have either seriously thought about or attempted suicide than non-smokers (Halperin and Eytan). Mental health disorders have been strongly associated with smoking, especially among adolescents and young adults. College students who smoke are more likely to participate in the risky behaviors that pose some of the greatest health threats to18-24 year olds. Smokers have lower grade point averages (GPA) than nonsmokers. The Harvard College Alcohol Study found that smokers are 27.0% less likely than nonsmokers to have an above B grade average (Rigotti, 2000). Lower individual performance among students results in lower academic overall standings for colleges. Of the 15 million college students in the United States today, it is estimated that 1.7 million will die of smoking-related illnesses, most prematurely (Halperin, 2002). That amounts to over 10.0% of current college students. Smoking is addictive therefore denying students sober time to learn; may also cause conflict in college as students become unruly and may lead to larceny and arson in colleges. Then, Allowing smoking in college would adversely affect learning as it undermine the college administration’s effort to provide both security and learning environment that is conducive to the students. Why permit smoking while studies evidence that 20% of all US deaths are due to smoking. From such statistics, one can conclude that the number of the deaths, which were caused, can easily be compared to casualties of genocide or a war 9. Therefore if we permit smoking, we have no reason in not accepting genocide.   However, the government may not want to control everything man does especially if it does not put at risk any one’ safety. If one wants to eat a monkey or live like one he should go ahead and do it. One person is quoted saying: Protecting me from myself is not the governments job. Protecting me from others is, however, the governments job.10 From the overview of the effects of both tobacco and cocaine, their devastating effects compel anyone to challenge both the legality and morality of accepting smoking. Well it’s almost universally agreed that life-preserving acts are superior to life destroying ones but mankind has failed to agree on smoking as a life-destroying act. Again, one would successfully argue that smoking of bhang and cocaine makes people to rape, kills, and steals despite the fact that those things are illegal. If the government goes ahead and legalize, inter alia, cocaine, bhang it would not make any difference in not legalizing those behaviors in college. Tobacco may not drive one into these but instead it has more risk on one’s health. Permitting tobacco again is no different from allowing suicide for it is a means of killing one-self. Whoever permits smoking is at least morally guilty of causing it ailment and effects? For sure, J.Rousseau was right when he said, â€Å"man is inherently good but become corrupted by the evils of the society†. Work cited Rand A, Atlas Shrugged (New York: Random House, 1957 p61 Locke, J. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Ed. Roger Woolhouse.   New York: Penguin Books (1997), 307 Schwartz, S.M Marshall, L.M, Baird, D.D Epidemiologic Contribution   To Understanding An Etiology Of Uterine. Leiomyota. Eviron Health Perspective 2000,Oct’ 108 Sopp15: 821-7 P.M 11035989. 4.Maternal and infant health smoking during pregnancy. (www.drugfree.org/partal/drug-guide/tobaccohtml) Accessed online on 29th Nov.2007.12: 45: 35 GMT Barron JA, Benefits Effects Of Nicotine And Cigarette Smoking: The Real, The Possible And The Spurious. Br Med Bill, 1996 Jan 52(1): 58-72 PMID 6..Almeida, O.P, Hulse, G.K., Lawrence. And Flicke, L Smoking As A Risk Factor   For Alzheimer’s Diseases, Contrasting Evidence From A Systematic Review Of Case Control And Cohort Studies: Addiction 97: 15.   2002 Mahid, S.S. Et Al. Smoking And Inflammation Bowed Diseases: A Meta-Analysis. Mayo Clin proc. 2006. Nov 81 (11): 1462-71 PMID 17120402 8.National institute on drug abuse.   www.drugfree.org/portal/drug-guide/cocaine. Corbett, B. Contemporary moral problems, 2001   www.webster.educarbetre/philosopy/moral/contemp/smokinghtml Accessed online on 27 Nov 2007 at 16:23:45.GMT Legalize Pot (Canada only) http://forum.quoteland.com/75095 as retrieved on 31 Oct 2007 05:58:57 GMT. 11. Rigotti, (2000) and Halperin and Eytan,(2002) were gotten from http://www.ttac.org/college/facts/top/negative.effects/html

α-glucosidase Inhibitory Effect of Coffee

ÃŽ ±-glucosidase Inhibitory Effect of Coffee Abstract The activity-based fractionation of coffee solutions by a series of chromatography techniques led to the isolation of an active compound I which exhibited a strong inhibitory activity against ÃŽ ±-glucosidase. The structure of compound I was established as norharman (9H-pyrido[3.4-b]indole) on the basis of HR-FAB-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and 1H-1H COSY spectra. Compound I potently inhibited ÃŽ ±-glucosidase in a concentration dependent manner but it did not exhibit any significant activity against other glycosidases. A Lineweaver-Burk plot revealed that its inhibition mode of enzyme was uncompetitive with a Ki value of 0.13 mM. Keywords: ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitor, ÃŽ ²-carboline, norharman, coffee, uncompetitive inhibitor Introduction Coffee is the most commonly consumed beverages in the world and the health benefits of coffee consumption have been extensively studied [10]: coffee has strong antioxidant properties in vivo [16, 18] and also reduces the risk of Parkinson’s [11] and Alzheimer’s diseases [4]. Recent studies have demonstrated that habitual coffee consumption is related to a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes [17, 19], but it remains unclear what mechanisms and what coffee constituents are responsible for the observed association. Animal and in vitro studies have suggested several plausible mechanisms for a beneficial effect of coffee on glucose metabolism: increase in insulin sensitivity [14], inhibition of glucose 6-phosphatase [2], an increase of glucagon-like peptide I concentration [15], and decreases the rate of intestinal absorption of glucose [12]. The ÃŽ ±-glucosidase is essential for carbohydrate digestion because carbohydrates must be degraded enzymatically in the intestine before they can be absorbed. The inhibition of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase slows down the process of dietary carbohydrates digestion and avoids postprandial hyperglycemia that plays a central role in the development of chronic diabetes associated complication [8]. Thus, ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitors have exhibited high promise as therapeutic agents for the treatment of metabolic disorders, such as type II non insulin dependent diabetes, obesity, and hyperglycemia [3]. This work was intended to evaluate ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitory effect of coffee previously reported as hypoglycemic and characterize the active principle isolated from coffee. Materials and Methods General p-Nitrophenyl (PNP)-ÃŽ ±-D-glucopyranoside, PNP-ÃŽ ±-D-mannopyranoside, PNP-ÃŽ ²-D-glucopyranoside and PNP-ÃŽ ²-D-galactopyranoside were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). Yeast ÃŽ ±-glucosidase, almond ÃŽ ²-glucosidase, E. coli ÃŽ ²-galactosidase, jack beans ÃŽ ±-mannosidase, rat intestinal acetone powders, and norharman were also obtained from Sigma-Aldrich. Unless stated otherwise, all further chemicals were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. All the reagents were of analytical grade. The UV spectrum was recorded on a Shimadzu model UV-160 spectrophotometer. High- resolution FAB mass spectra were obtained with a JEOL model JMS-AX505 HA spectrometer. 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectra were obtained on a Brucker AV 500 spectrometer operating at 500 and 125 MHz, respectively. (CD3)2CO was used as the solvent. Enzyme inhibition assay The intestinal ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitory activity was determined as described previously with a slight modification [5]. The rat intestinal acetone powder was suspended in 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 15 min. The resultant supernatant was used as the source of the small intestinal ÃŽ ±-glucosidases. For the assay of inhibitory activities of maltase and sucrase, the reaction mixture consisted of crude enzyme solution, 20 mM maltose or 200 mM sucrose, 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and a given amount of inhibitor (50% dimethyl sulfoxide solution) in a total volume of 0.5 ml. After the reaction mixture was incubated for 15 min at 37 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™, reaction was stopped by heating the mixture at 100 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 5 min. The ÃŽ ±-glucosidase activity was estimated by measuring the liberated glucose amount using the glucose oxidase method. Prior to measuring the glucose amount, the interfering agent, phenolic compounds were r emoved from reaction mixture by passing through a basic alumina column (1 x 3 cm). Acarbose was used as the positive control. The enzymatic activities of the various glycosidases were determined spectrophotometrically by monitoring the release of p-nitrophenol from the appropriate p-nitrophenol glycoside substrate [13]. The assay solutions and the potential inhibitors were added to a 96-well plate as follows: 20 L of 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), 20 L inhibitor, 10 L enzyme (1 U/mL), 10 L of 25 mM substrate and 40 L of methanol. Following incubation at 37  °C for 15 min, the assay solution was stopped by adding 300 L of 1 N NH4OH solution. The glycosidase activity was determined by measuring the amount of 4-nitrophenol released from p-nitrophenol glycoside substrate was determined with a microplate reader model 550 (Bio-Rad, CA, USA) at 405 nm. All of the analyses were performed in triplicate. The concentration of the inhibitor required for inhibiting 50 % of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase activity (IC50) was calculated by adjusting the experimental data (% inhibition versus the concentration of the inhibitor) to non-linear regression curves. The mechanism of enzyme inhibition was assessed by analyzing the double- reciprocal Lineweaver-Burk plot. Isolation of inhibitory compound from coffee Filtered brewed coffee was prepared in a household coffee maker: 75 g of ground roast coffee of Columbian Supremo (Arabica variety) and 500 ml water to give a brewed coffee. Commercial instant coffee (Tasters’ choice, Nestle) was made by dissolving 75 g instant coffee in 300 ml of hot water. Filtered brewed coffee and instant coffee solutions were separately centrifuged at 12,000 rpm and room temperature for 15 min, and used for isolation of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitor. The supernatant was adjusted to pH 9 with 1 N NaOH and extracted with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate layer was then extracted with 0.1 N HCl solution. This acidic solution was again adjusted to pH 10 with aqueous ammonia and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer containing basic components was subsequently evaporated in vacuo. Forty batches of the above ethyl acetate extracts (total 3 kg each of ground coffee and instant coffee) were concentrated and subjected to silica gel column chromatography with an isocratic solvent system of chloroform-acetone (70:30). Fractions containing the active compound (F3-F6) were combined, evaporated, and subjected to a Sephadex LH-20 column (3 x 35cm) with MeOH as an eluent. Fraction number 10-12, which showed a high inhibition and a similar TLC profile (silica gel 60 F254, Merck, chloroform:acetone = 1:1, rf 0.2) were combined and further purified. The final purification of the active compound was achieved through semi-preparative HPLC separation on a reversed phase C18 column (ÃŽ ¼Bondapak, Waters, Milford, MA, USA) eluting with 75 % MeOH and detected through absorption at 254 nm. The retention time was 14.5 min. After removing the HPLC solvent in rotary evaporator, the active compound was obtained as a white powder by crystallization from cold acetone. Results and Discussion Both instant coffee and ground brewed coffee solutions inhibit ÃŽ ±-glucosidase enzyme activity. Instant coffee showed a slightly higher degree of inhibition than brewed coffee (Data not shown). The activity-based fractionation of coffee solutions by a series of chromatography techniques led to the isolation of an active compound I (2.24 ÃŽ ¼g/ g of roasted ground coffee; 3.85 ÃŽ ¼g/ g of instant coffee) which exhibited a strong inhibitory activity against ÃŽ ±-glucosidase. The isolated compound I was shown to be chromatographically pure by TLC and HPLC with various solvent systems and deduced to be a nitrogen-containing compound based on a positive reaction to Dragendorff’s reagent. The UV spectrum of the compound in methanol exhibited absorption maxima at 230, 285 and 348 nm. The molecular formula of compound I was determined to be C11H8N2 (M+ m/z 168.0736; calcd. 168.0688) by high resolution mass analysis. 1H NMR spectrum of compound I showed 7 aromatic proton signals (ÃŽ ´7.2-8.9 ppm) and one free proton signal (ÃŽ ´10.63 ppm). 13C NMR spectrum showed 11 carbon signals around 110-145 ppm (Table 1). Taken together, the structure of compound I was deduced as ÃŽ ²-carboline, norharman (9H-pyrido[3.4-b]indole, Fig. 1) with 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and 1H-1H COSY spectra and confirmed by comparison of physical data with those of the authentic specimen. Compound I potently inhibited ÃŽ ±-glucosidase in a concentration dependent manner, but it did not display any significant inhibitory effects against ÃŽ ²-glucosidase, ÃŽ ±-mannosidase, and ÃŽ ²-galactosidase when tested at a concentration of 10 mM (Table 2). The inhibitory profile demonstrated that the activity of compound I was greater against maltase compared with sucrase (IC50 values: 0.27 mM for maltase and 0.41 mM for sucrase). Although the inhibitory potency was weaker than that of therapeutic drug acarbose (IC50 value: 0.18 mM for maltase and 0.02 mM for sucrase), observed data clearly indicated the potential of compound I as an ÃŽ ±- glucosidase inhibitor. The pre-incubation of compound I with the enzyme increased the inhibition of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase activity, implying that this compound reacted with the enzyme slowly. The ÃŽ ±-glucosidase activity was fully restored when the enzyme was incubated with an amount of compound I which could inhibit enzyme activity up to 90 % follo wed by eliminating the compound I with a PD 10 desalting column (Pharmacia, Piscataway, NJ, U.S.A). This result demonstrated that compound I was a reversible inhibitor. A double-reciprocal Lineweaver-Burk plotting under various amounts of compound I showed linear lines intercepting on 1/V axis in parallel. The kinetic data suggested that the compound I was an uncompetitive inhibitor, with a Ki value of 0.013 mM (Fig. 2). As a result, compound I, a reversible uncompetitive inhibitor of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase, was isolated from coffee and identified as an active principle. When compound I was given in combination with a carbohydrate-rich diet orally, the postprandial plasma glucose levels were significantly dropped in non-diabetic rats (unpublished data). Compound I, a tricyclic indole ÃŽ ²-carboline alkaloid norharman is distributed widely in biological systems and exhibits a wide spectrum of pharmacological and neurological effects: antidepressant and antianxiety effects in rats [7], inhibitory activities of monoamine oxidase and nitric oxide synthase [9], as well as an increase of insulin secretion two- to threefold from isolated human islets of Langerhans [6]. However, ÃŽ ±- glucosidase inhibitory activity of norharman has not previously reported. Coffee has been noted as the primary exogenous source of norharman. A high variability in ÃŽ ²-carboline content of coffee samples was observed between coffee species (arabica, robusta) and also depended on roast degree and instant coffee production process. An average of 3 cups of coffee per person per day could account for an ingestion of up to 72 ÃŽ ¼g of norharman [1], although this will depend on the coffee strength. Coffee contains numerous substances. However, little is known regarding the effects of individual constituents on glucose metabolism. The cohort study has supported that the most prominent coffee compound caffeine is irrelevant to risk of type 2 diabetes [20]. Chlorogenic acid, the most abundant polyphenol in coffee, has been shown to reduce glucose concentrations in rats, caused by increasing insulin sensitivity as well as reducing hepatic glucose output through inhibition of glucose 6-phosphatase [12]. Without excluding any other possible mechanism, this report observes ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitory activity as a possible mechanism of hypoglycemic effect of coffee and assigns ÃŽ ²-carboline alkaloid norharman as one of active principles in coffee. Coffee appears to contain active principles other than norharman as evidenced by several active peaks in chromatography systems. It may be possible that various active constituents in coffee act synergistically against ÃŽ ±-glucosidase acti vity. Characterization of other active principles is under progress. Figure legends Fig. 1. Structure of compound I (ÃŽ ²-carboline alkaloid norharman). Fig. 2. A Lineweaver-Burk plot analysis of rat intestine ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibition by compound I. 4-Nitrophenol-ÃŽ ±-D-glucopyranoside was used as a substrate. The concentration of compound I was 0 mM () or 0.25mM (). The values are expressed as means of triplicate reactions. Table 1. 1H and 13C NMR data for compound I in (CD3)2CO (ÃŽ ´ in ppm and J in Hz) position ÃŽ ´C ÃŽ ´H multiplicity, J 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 NH 10 11 12 13 134.8 139.5 115.1 122.3 120.1 128.9 112.4 122.1 112.6 137.2 141.6 8.90 8.33 8.0 8.28 7.21 7.53 7.60 10.63 (1H, br, s) ( 1H, d) J=5.5 (1H, d) J=5.5 (1H, d) J=8.0 (1H, ddd) J=8.0, 7.0, 1.0 (1H, ddd) J=7.5, 7.5, 1.0 (1H, dd) J=8.2, 1.0 (1H, br. s) Table 2. Inhibitory effects of compound I against various glycosidases Enzyme IC 50 ( ÃŽ ¼M) ÃŽ ±-glucosidase (yeast) 180  ± 3.2 Maltase (rat intestine) 270  ± 4.5 Sucrose (rat intestine) 410  ± 11.3 ÃŽ ²-glucosidase (almond) >1.0 x 104 ÃŽ ±-mannosidase (jack bean) >1.0 x 104 ÃŽ ²-galactosidase (E. coli) >1.0 x 104 Values are expressed as the means of triplicate reactions  ± standard deviation.

Similarities Between Dick Diver and Abe North in Tender is the Night Es

Similarities Between Dick Diver and Abe North in Tender is the Night      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dick Diver and Abe North are characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, Tender is the Night. As presented in the beginning of the novel, Dick Diver and Abe North did not seem to have much in common.   As the character of Dick Diver developed, the reader found the characters to be parallel to each other. There were numerous unexpected similarities as the novel progressed. The presentation of Abe North's character â€Å"served as a preview to the fate of Dick Diver†(Stern, 117). The characters' deterioration, relationships with their wives, and their effects on the other characters were some of the main similarities between Dick Diver and Abe North.    At the start of the novel the characters of Dick Diver and Abe North seemed to contrast. Dick was hospitable and admired by many. Meanwhile, Abe had already deteriorated in character. The first thing that was said about Abe was negative. When Abe first appeared Mrs. McKisco conveyed her opinion of him to Rosemary, "Well, he's a rotten musician." (Fitzgerald, 8). This statement was related to the lack of progress in Abe's profession as clarified by Brady, "he was a musician who after a brilliant and precocious start had composed nothing for seven years." (Fitzgerald, 33). Proceeding from these descriptions, Abe character was reduced to a pitiful drunkard. However, Abe was not always the "loser" as Nicole pointed out, "Abe used to be so nice... So nice. Long ago-when Dick and I were first married. If only you had known him then." (Fitzgerald, 99).    At this point of the novel it seems that Dick has control of his life in comparison to Abe North. Yet, Dick's own career was stagnant. Unlike Abe howe... ...gradation were parallel. A comment made by Nicole in the beginning of the novel now appears to be a forecast on the fate of Dick and Abe, "So many smart men go to pieces nowadays." (Fitzgerald, 99).    Works Cited and Consulted: Bruccoli, Matthew J. The Composition of Tender Is the Night. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1963. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. Tender is the Night. New York: Collier Books. 1982. Grenberg, Bruce L. "Fitzgerald's 'Figured Curtain': Personality and History in Tender Is the Night." In Critical Essays on F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night, ed. Milton R. Stern. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1986. LaHood, Marvin J., ed. Tender Is the Night: Essays in Criticism. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1969. Stern, Milton R., ed. Critical Essays on F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night. Boston: Hall, 1986.      

The Similarities Between Classical Music and Ellingtons Jazz Essay

One of the greatest tragedies in the 20th century can be seen in the debasing of the Jazz genre as a unworthy equal to it’s predecessor, European Classical music. This can be seen in various statements about Jazz, such as Boris Gibalin commit, â€Å"The â€Å"Jazz Mania† has taken on the character of a lingering illness and must be cured by means of forceful intervention.†1 This conflict can be traced through out the history of Jazz, as Classical composers have relatively disregarded this new type of music. Before Duke Ellington’s Cotton Club performances, Jazz play on the radio was delegated for late night audience only. This sub-culture treatment has led many critics to disregard the Jazz movement as a dance craze, or unsuccessful recreations of Classical pieces. This slandering of Jazz has not only created a false image of the music, but it has also lead to a full disconnection between the two genres. It is for this reason that I propose in my pap er to show the relationship between these two musical categories. My hopes in demonstrating these similarities is to disassemble the schism of ignorance built between the two, and place both Jazz and Classical music on equal footing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Critics of Jazz have always perpetuated this schism by utilizing the reasoning behind Jazz, that of it being a free form interpretation, to question the legitimacy of calling a Jazz leader a composer. For how can one be styled as a proper composer and still remain true to the Traditional Jazz concepts? The classic composer has at their disposal highly skilled musicians who are trained to work within professional bodies, such as a symphony orchestra or string quartet, and who then relies on the efficiency of these professionally trained bodies to interpret his scores as he sees fit. On the surface this appears to run contradictory to the Jazz composer whom, â€Å"Has to write for specific combinations which do not exist until he brings them into being, and to rely on highly individual executants whose personal style must be blended together to give expression to his own ideas without†¦losing their individuality†.2 Yet to interpret this blending of highl y individualistic sounds as proof of a schism between this and the rigidly structured Classical composer is a false impression. This fallacy can be attributed to overemphasizing the sporadic and improvisational aspects of Jazz and refusi... ...usical category. From Bach to Mozart, Beethoven and even Tchaikovsyky employed it as a stylistic feature in their pieces.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, one can see the shared characteristics of the two musical styles. Yet I find myself pressing again the reasoning for this paper, for I must submit that I am in no way declaring that Classical music equates Jazz. The two musical categories are different in numerous ways, but one must wonder does this difference justify the mistreatment of Jazz. Throughout history great innovations have been created not thought the passive means, but through the torrent fires of dissent. Classical music has born the scars of numerous dissenting musicians, all of who now stands as pinnacles of their craft. Yet now we have arrived at a time in which this reverent originality has become cause for scorn, and it is this debasement that I am addressing. By showing the similarities of the two genres, I had hoped in quenching this distaste for Jazz. This musical elitism that is being perpetuated can lead only to a disastrous finale for all who engage in it. Duke Ellington has it right when he stated, â€Å"There are only two types of music, good music and the rest.†18

Improving Student Perception of Grammar Essay -- English Writing Teach

Its time to come clean, face the facts and admit the truth - students are scared of grammar. From the days of crayons and nap time straight through high school they always hope and pray that a random fire drill, a.k.a. a gift from God, will disrupt the dreaded grammar lessons and exercises. As the semesters continue to pass by students become elated as grammar turns into nothing more than a minute beep on the radar screen that is the weekly lesson plan. However, nearly every student walks into English class dealing with the fear that he will be called on to explain even the simplest rules of possession or number. So why do most students fear and loathe the perplexities of grammar? Perhaps this trepidation has something to do with the fact that most teachers treat grammar like the ‘redheaded step son’ of the English curriculum; hiding its study somewhere between spelling exercises and vocabulary worksheets. While most teachers avoid discussing grammar, or discuss it incor rectly, they still threaten students with low marks if such mistakes rear their ugly little heads in class assignments. The way we, as scholars, view the discussion, acquisition and knowledge of grammar must be modified to suit the realities of the modern classroom and world. Grammar should be seen through the lens of the entire writing process to make the students use of grammar seem completely natural and easy. Although every coin has two sides, the research arguing against the formal teaching of grammar in the classroom appears stronger than that which supports the old regime’s strict approach to grammar. However, logic dictates that this argument will not be settled merely by choosing sides. Perhaps some middle ground can be found between the militantly form... ...rt with some creative planning. Perhaps a weekly prize contest can be held to see what student can pick out a grammar mistake in a newspaper or magazine. Then this mistake can be turned into a mini lesson without becoming boring or overbearing. Teachers simply need to remember that it’s ok to throw away the worksheets from 1975 and put down the trusty textbook for a fresh approach to grammar. Bibliography Hartwell, Patrick. "Grammar, Grammars, and the Teaching of Grammar." In Cross Talk in Comp Theory. Edited by Victor Villanueva. National Council of Teachers of English. Urbana: 1997. Weaver, Constance. Teaching Grammar in Context. Boyton/Cook Publishers. Portsmouth: 1996. Whorf, Benjamin Lee. "The Relation of Habitual Thought and Behavior to Language." In Critical Theory Since 1965. Edited by Hazard Adams. Florida State University Press. Tallahassee: 1986.

Rubber Company

Atlas Tire and Rubber Company 1) What were Atlas’ major challenges prior to the promotion of Walter Harrison as CEO? The main challenges faced by Atlas’ were competitive and financial challenges. As for the first time from 1905 the company was facing losses for consecutive 2 years in row as the company was facing a severe downturn. This was all because of the new challenges, which the company was facing due to their growth and expansion policiesThe company was also facing the competitive challenges from the low prices import products which were affecting their price strategy resulting in low profits, heavy slump in the automotive market in America also pulled back Atlas to regain its flagship. Due to all these the stock prices dropped down to 20 years low resulting in cutting down of credit rating to junk – bond status. So during this declining phase, the company needs some major transformational changes so that Atlas can regain its position and pride back. 2) Wh y did Harrison focus on an integrated supply chain as a significant element of Atlas’ new strategic plan?As Harrison and his team found that Atlas lacked integrated supply chain capabilities due to which disjointed distribution network was there and various third – partly logistic companies were used which lead to many problems and challenges. And logistics was only considered as a storage and distribution function rather than a strategic supply chain process. As Harrison came out with a strategic plan â€Å" Seven Principle of Growth† for turning around the Atlas’s fate. Harrison special focused on a superior and integrated supply chain.He focused on Integrated Supply Chain because he strongly feels that this would streamline the order and its fulfillment process so that they can be more accurate and easy to use because of their simplicity. The main focus was to deliver â€Å"the right tire to the right place at the right time while keeping costs and in ventories low. † Harrison wants to create an extra edge over the other tire manufacturers by creating the much better service capabilities. 3) What did the UST President, Michael Brogran, do to better understand customer needs? UST business defines Atlas’ s U. S.Tire business, which has the worth of producing, and selling 100 million tires per year and was generating approximately 50 percent of Atlas Revenue. Michael Brogran strongly feels that the superior supply chain was a vision that existed only on paper so he just made a team to understand customer needs in a better way. The main step the team had taken was to work across customer verticals, which were Consumer tires, Commercial Tires and Off Highway Tires. This structure help Atlas to better understand the customer needs in different segment and to meet them in different ways as needs were also different.As the part of this new alignment to understand consumers needs better Brogran facilitates cross company colla boration to identify interactions and collaboration and to share the best practices so that every department can better understand their customer needs for better visibility and control. 4) How did USTSC address the talent gap that they had in the organization? U. S. Tire Supply chain organization’s main objective was to integrate the planning and functional operations which included the responsibilities of contact centers, order management, pricing administration, distribution and delivery, billing and accounts receivable.USTSC was structured so that Atlas can understand & meet the needs of its customers that are classified under various segments likes consumer, commercial and off highway tires. The key goals of USTSC were – Lower the supply chain costs, – Boosting the customer services, – Improvement in the inventory management and associated working capital, – Simplifying the supply chain processes & management of the business. Initially USTSC c ame across major challenge with regards to talent gap.Reduction in headcount from several years impacted the internal supply chain analytical and execution capabilities. Moreover with five different 3PL (third party logistics) the focus was emphasized in managing the suppliers rather than the operations. After a thorough evaluation USTSC concluded that SCM (Supply Chain Management) was never a core competency of Atlas. In order to bridge the gap USTSC obtained assistance from organization that had expertise in planning and managing the complex supply chains.The synergy of these organizations was mutually beneficial to all the parties. Collaboration in supply chain planning, process development and service execution fetched superior results. Due to this synergy Atlas was able to leverage the expertise of Global’s supply chain & Global was in a position to gain a broader insight of Atlas’s requirements and supply chain capabilities. USTSC experienced a synergistic effect because of the Atlas-Global team and experienced more effective customer-supplier 3PL working model. Thus the talent gap was bridged by USTSC . Comment on the effectiveness of Atlas’ efforts to improve team-based strategic collaboration ? With the synergy of Global and Atlas, Atlas was in a position to leverage the expertise of Global’s supply chain & Global was able to derive a broader insight of Atlas’s requirements and supply chain capabilities. Alas-Global USTSC was able to develop team-focused, strategy-driven relationships that were unique in the 3PL industry. The organizations consistently maintained an active & effective coordinated participation across the supply chain sphere.Interactive teams from the three organizations facilitated the planning, developed and executed the key supply chain activities in order to achieve superior supply chain. The collaboration in team was very effective and was result oriented. The SCM team and the steering committee used to do brainstorming sessions to figure out new supply chain initiatives & at the other end the operations team and the SCM team evaluated and ensured the potential projects that could be implemented effectively and are favorable.The relationship building between the organizations was effective and there was a strong executive support from the top management. The organizations attained mutual benefits and they experienced more effective customer-supplier 3PL working model. There was effective synchronization in the strategies with regards to process design and execution. Allocation of resources was well planned and the responsibilities were well defined. More focused on the opportunities available. The integration of the team performance was able to create superior supply chain capabilities within the industry. . As O’Brien, what strategies would you recommend to Atlas to: A) Gain greater control over inventory; B) Optimize the flow of products in the supply chain. In ord er to gain control over inventory & to optimize the flow of products in supply chain: Implementing a centralized system within the 33 company owned regional distribution centers so that the information regarding supply chain, any innovations and critical information are accessible to everyone at one single point of time.Effective integration of the 4 third party logistics providers’ services would generate superior results. Forecasting should be done collaboratively by the Atlas sales group and manufacturing group in order to arrive at accurate estimates. Implementation of the ERP system like SAP would make it easy to figure out inventory analysis.A centralized system like SAP would also create transparency, easy availability of data, accessible to concerned department in a timely manner, constant flow of information, demand and supply of inventory can be balanced and can avoid instances like stock outs or over inventory carrying costs, more reliable and realistic, helps in d ecision making process, implementing a centralized approach in the transportation system, a well defined standard service parameter should be set and should get authorized by the compliance, regular audits and inspections should be done in order to check if there are any violations.

Children’s Play and Their Physical Health

With the presence of the media, transport patterns, and the physical environment of today, it has been suggested that the current conditions of the society have reduced the consistency and opportunities for children’s play, harming their play health and physical development as a result. Because of this, it was noted that such reduction has been a significant concern in terms of health perspective for children (â€Å"Play Health and Physical Development for Children,† 2009). Play is often associated with childhood, a phase that stresses the concepts of natural creativity and the liberty to play. Hence, it is highly important to encourage children to engage in plays with a creative format channeled towards learning. The purpose of play for children may not be explicitly expressed. However it should be taken into consideration that plays are something that actually children feel; an avenue where they can express themselves. It is an activity where they gain skills and experiment. Most importantly, play, especially the physical ones, provides positive outcomes that could be beneficial for the children in the long run (Jambor & Van Gils, 2007). According to researches, physically active children are more likely to develop their sensori-motor skills and physical health at a higher level compared to children who do not play at all. Because physically active children learn how to use their body parts in order to experience the sense of play, they develop more of their gross motor skills, agility, strength, and coordination. Hence, active playing, especially outdoor games, serves as children’s physical exercise and promotes their health welfare (Jambor & Van Gils, 2007). To further strengthen such claim, studies on children’s play in relation to physical health reveal that physically active children are less likely to develop chronic health conditions over a lifetime. Compared to sedentary children who are prone to hypertension and obesity, physically active ones have a lower risk of acquiring premature illness or death (Roberts, 1992). Other than the physical health benefits of children’s play, it was also found to contribute to a child’s emotional and psychological development, cognitive and learning stances, as well as their socialization and self awareness (Jambor & Van Gils, 2007). Based on the evidences presented, it can be inferred that promoting children’s play, most especially outdoor and physical play, is beneficial for the physical health of children. Aside from this, such activity is also seen as a child’s social arena and an imperative process of learning things outside the book. In this regard, the benefits of play do not only restrict itself to physical heath, but it also contributes to the emotional and cognitive maturity of the children which can help them become better adults in the future.