Monday, January 27, 2020

Bebop, Free Jazz And Fusion

Bebop, Free Jazz And Fusion First of all, there are various differences between the styles of bebop, cool, hard bop, free jazz, and fusion. Bebop seems to be the most intricate with its erratic tempos, while cool is the most soothing and relaxing. On the other hand, hard bop is the most brassy and dynamic with its horns, trumpets, and rhythm section, while free jazz is the less restricted. Free jazz exhibits no boundaries, no form, and no newly established rules. Fusion is a combination between jazz and rock, in other words, fusion exhibits extreme electronic use, effects, and synthesizers, in addition to jazz elements. Bebop transformed jazz from fashionable dance music to creative art music. In the early 1940s, bebop seemed to have emerged all of a sudden, but it had actually been developing for several years. When Art Pepper, an alto saxophonist, initially heard a bop recording, it completely overwhelmed him. The notes of a typical bebop piece are quick, technical, more elaborative, and swung. The characteristics of bebop include erratic tempos, reharmonization and chord substitution, as well as arbitrary melodies. Bebop put more emphasis on extensive, improvised solos. Manteca, a recording by Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra, contains a few characteristics of bebop. However, the tempos of Manteca are not excessively fast or too slow. In this recording, Gillespie created the Afro-Cuban style alongside Chano Pozo, a Cuban percussionist of the conga. Manteca contains phenomenal improvised trumpet solos and shout-like but subtle vocals of the word Manteca. The Manteca shouting in various random parts of the recording is quite amusing. In the introduction, multiple instruments begin its playing in unison, such as the bass, bongos, saxes, and brass. In particular, the bongos sound very intriguing and high-pitched. Dizzy Gillespies trumpet solos are exceptionally fantastic. Evidently, there is call-and-response between the brass section and other instruments. There are improvised solos in the connection to each chorus. This recording sounds blissful, jungle-like, and jubilant. The arrangement in Manteca is quite spectacular. Manteca sounds Cuban-like, fi ery, and passionate. Another bebop recording, Koko, by Charlie Parkers Reboppers is regarded as one of the first bebop recording. The recording, Koko is baffling and aggressive, in which displays attributes and chords that are built on a swing recording called Cherokee. Like a typical bebop recording, Koko displays significant improvised solos. The arrangements are straightforward. Charlie Parker exhibits an extraordinary talent on his alto saxophone solos that only few saxophonists can match. The piano playing is not quite noticeable, but it plays gently and leisurely in the background. The drums merely accompanies alongside Parkers alto sax playing and Gillespies trumpet mutes/piano playing. Parker plays in such a lightening manner in his alto sax, its unbelievable. The tempos in Koko are erratic, which makes it especially difficult to follow. The virtuosity of Koko sounds uncontrolled. In fact, the melodies are very unpredictable, but creative. The snare and bass drum playing by Max Roach at 2:07 is a typical because it plays in solitary. Overall, Koko is an uplifting recording that exhibits prominently rapid tempos and erratic sounding melodies. Moving along, Boplicity is a cool/west coast style recording by the Miles Davis Nonet. Boplicity contains hardly any blues influence or any dynamic contrasts. Unlike bebop, Boplicity is much more relaxed and comforting. The solos are significantly expressive and vivid. The tempos of a typical cool/west coast style are moderate with a sedative attitude. The horn section in Boplicity is nimble and soft, not like the brassiness of a hard bop recording. At :59, a contrast from delicate ensembles of the horn moves to a tone that is a bit more adequate from the saxophone; the baritone saxophone exhibits a poignant sound. The melody and arrangement of Boplicity is moderately intricate. The horn ensemble is rich and heavy in texture. Boplicity exhibits an improvised sound, although its significance is on the arrangements. At 1:36, Davis trumpet solos with clarity. The overall tone and melody of Boplicity is light and uplifting, not at all volatile and explosive. Boplicity is the most soothin g of them all. Hard bop is a style that exhibits a hard-ridden and volatile sound from brass instruments, such as the horns and trumpets. Hard bop characteristics is a contrast to cool/west cool style. Hard bop bears influences from blues and gospel and puts more emphasis on virtuoso improvisation. Unlike the intricacy of bebop, hard bop is simpler. Backstage Sally, a recording by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers is a hard bop piece that displays a dynamic groove and brassy sound. The beginning starts with horns playing together with drums in a shuffle-like beat. The dynamics of the drums is very enthralling; in particular, drums are heavy hitting. The drums contrasts from hard hitting to moderate. Unlike the other songs, the drum in this hard bop recording is especially noticeable. At 1:03, tenor sax solos play in an expressive manner. The trumpet, trombone, and other brass instruments play in an especially brassy way, even the background riffs are noticeable brassy. Evidently, there is call-and -response between the rhythm section and front line instruments. Overall, Backstage Sally is heavily brassy, vibrant, and bluesy. Therefore, hard bop is predominantly brassy and dynamic-feel style. Much like Backstage Sally, Boogie Stop Shuffle, a hard bop piece by the Charles Mingus Septet is brassy as well. The beginning is predominantly brassy with the horns. Boogie Stop Shuffle exhibits 12-bar blues in a fast playing manner. The bass plays ostinato riffs, while piano plays in a bluesy manner. The horns play in a sharp, but dissonant sound; the horns will vary and contrast from sounding like a bebop-style to hard bop. The bass line is particularly predominantly played throughout. At 2:24, there are high-pitched solos from the drum. At 3:20, the alto saxophone lets out a poignant squeal. Although, this recording does not sound nearly as brassy as Backstage Sally, it still exhibits brass-like sounds, especially the beginning. Boogie Stop Shuffle is a hasty played 12-bar blues piece with exceptional horns and bass riffs. Free jazz style is based on breaking musical rules, rather than establishing new rules; the impression of playing without boundaries in Free Jazz is significant. Unlike the other styles, free jazz exhibits atonality, dissonance, collective improvisations like that of New Orleans jazz, and no form, in the case of blues abandonment. Free Jazz contains rich-texture, great energy, and untraditional playing. Two impressive free jazz recordings are Civilization Day recorded by the Ornette Coleman Quarter and Hat and Beard recorded by the Eric Dolphy Quintet. The recording, Civilization Day, is extremely energetic, amusing, and fast-paced. Coleman exhibits passion and enthusiasm in his playing of the alto saxophone. Nearly all the instruments utilized in Civilization Day plays in a hasty manner and not very swing-like. At :24, there is unaccompanied collective improvisation from the alto sax and trumpet, generating an expressive sound. The alto sax and trumpet seems to be communicating with each other in squall-like sound. More significantly, the alto sax and trumpet play in wail-like, unusual manner. At :27, Cherry plays his trumpet with expressiveness and eccentricity. The rhythm section sounds twinkling especially because of the constant crisp ride cymbals generated from the drums. The cymbals are persistent throughout producing an ostentatious-like sound. At 1:20, the drums halt playing for a moment, while the alto sax plays improvised solos with accompaniment from non-walking bass line. From 1:35 to the end of Civilization, the crisp ride cymbals from drums will re-emerge and play persistently; at 1:57, a walking bass line emerges as well. Overall, Civilization is a very spirited and energetic free jazz recording. Similarly, in Hat and Beard, the pace is hasty. In Hat and Beard, multiple instruments were employed, including Dolphys tense solos from the bass clarinet. However, the piano was discarded in this recording. Vibes were utilized in Hat and Beard to make up for the absence of the piano. The vibes is capable of generating a melodious sound or percussive sound. The improvisation is quite appealing and impressive. Dolphy exhibits expressiveness and creativeness with an obvious appreciation of musical arrangements. Its influence on hard bop and experimental jazz is distinguishable in the recording. The tempo is relatively swing-like. At :47, the vibes enter with a walking bass line that sounds amusing. The bass plays persistently throughout the recording in a persistent pattern. The vibes and drums plays alongside each other in cooperation. The vibes is significant to the sound of this recording; the vibes definitely adds to the appeal. At 1:26, Dolphy displays eccentric solos on bass clar inet generating a peculiar, wail-like, and entertaining sound. The vibes are consistent throughout as it pops up once in awhile. At 3:14, the trumpet solos are mild and soothing with the bass playing two notes concurrently. The trumpet solos sound similar to a those employed in a typical cool/jazz west coast style. Evidently, free jazz does not employ a music form. In my opinion, free jazz sounds very peculiar and interesting. Free jazz musicians seem to play however they feel. Free jazz exhibits awkward playing from various instruments, for instance, the wail-like sound of horn players. Free jazz generates awkward, dissonant sounds and prominently retains collective improvisation. Unlike hard bop, free jazz contains little brass sound. The electrifying recording, Bitches Brew, is an ideal example of a jazz and rock fusion. Miles Davis assembled a large group for this recording, which is approximately a 12 talented group. Fusion style is quite distinct from previous styles, mainly because of the use of electronics. In this recording, there is apparently heavy use of electronic instruments and effects with a slight reduction and blend of jazz elements. Some of the electronic instruments employed in this recording were the electric bass guitar, keyboards, and electric piano. The beginning of Bitches Brew is quite spectacular, specifically playing from the electric pianos and percussionists. A rock-like rhythm and beat is employed in place of a swing-like jazz rhythm. The drums play in a funky and vigorous manner. The shaker generates an extremely vibrant sound persistently throughout, as well as the conga. At :41, Daviss trumpet playing contains studio effects, which generates an echo-like sound. My first thought when I first heard this trumpet echo-sound is that it sounds like a war horn blowing simultaneously, but in a more eccentrically way. This trumpet echo-like effect is loud and generates an especially alluring sound. At 1:31, nearly every instrument seems to collide together, creating an even more dramatic sound; this collision among the various instruments seems to be a recurring pattern. At 1:49, trumpets play in a brief, simultaneous manner. Various other effects can be heard in this recording, including Daviss finger snapping at the 2:51 mark. In addition, the bass ostinato is played at the 2:51 mark, similar to the ostinato utilized in Miles Davis Quintets Footprints. The ostinato generates a firm, concise and rhythmic musical phrase. It is evident that the effects immensely enhanced Daviss horn playing. The bass clarinet does not seem to solo with success, but instead plays merely for its tone color. A blend of instrumental effects generates an intriguing sound. There is an extensi ve, improvised solo part by Miles at 3:54, while other instruments will steadily rise to its peak with increased tension. At this point, the instruments take an entirely different turn, as the instruments seem to play altogether simultaneously in a more relaxed way. In Bitches Brew, Miles objective seems to undertake a polyrhythmic approach, since multiple percussionists were employed. Bitches Brew, definitely generates an electric feel, like that of the fusion style characteristic. Overall, these styles are very intriguing. I am most intrigued by fusion and free jazz. The sounds of a free jazz recording sound unusual, but interesting. Fusion is the most stirring and energizing. The most comforting style to listen to would be cool/west coast jazz because of its soft tone and playing. The most dynamic and danceable style would be hard bop because of the hard hitting drums, bluesy, and thunderous brass instrument sound. Each of these styles is distinct and unique in its own way.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Professional Products Essay

Case Study 1 1. How does Accenture People site help Accenture better serve its customers? a. It helps in the sense that it makes the other people who are working in other countries to help with getting information easier. They are able to share information easily of different projects and are able to communicate directly rather than waiting. This will help consumers with their output and they will receive things on time or even early. 2. How successful do you think Accenture will be at getting its employees to create their profiles? b. I think Accenture will be very successful in getting their employees to create their profiles. This social network will be an easy use for all employees and will play a major role in communication between all the employees in all the different countries. 3. Can you see any drawbacks related to employees creating their own profiles? c. One drawback that I see with employees creating profiles is lack of time. They will spend a lot of time just like people spend on Facebook and that can take time away from doing important things. This can delay production and projects. Case Study 2 1. How would you describe Professional Products’ growth strategy? a. I think that there strategy is very good. They hire enough people to get the job done and don’t have to deal with the hardship of laying people off. They work enough so they don’t overwork their employees. 2. Why would Professional Products’ commit to no layoffs in its expansion? Is this a positive move, or could it be detrimental to the company? b. Because if the company is expanding in other countries then there needs to be workers that can look after the work of those workers and make sure the work is being done right. It will not be detrimental to the company because if they layoff employees and they are loaded with more work then they will let go of experienced employees which can be harmful to them 3. In addition to training employees for other jobs, what other HR strategies might the firm employ to maintain its relationship with its domestic employees? c. They might try and send trained employees from the U.S.A. to the other countries; outsource them and work with them to make domestic employees more comfortable at what they do and need to be doing. They can also try holding annual meetings at a center location and doing focus groups in order for all the employees around the world communicate with one another and learn everything together.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Motocross

Good morning class. The theme of my IA is motocross but today I will speak specifically on the topic â€Å"The development of motocross as an established sport†. What is motocross?†¦. Motocross is defined as a timed motorcycle race over a closed outdoor course consisting of a winding dirt trail with hills, jumps, sharp turns, and often muddy terrain. This sport originated in Britain as an off-road event called scrambling. The first known scramble took place at Camberley, Surrey in 1924. The earliest motorcycles were little more than bicycles with small internal combustion engines attached. During these early years people sometimes, used the tracks built for bicycle racing for scrambling events. These early scrambling events were used to show case motorcycles entered by manufacturers to publicize their brand in much the same way they do today. By the late 1920’s â€Å"Scrambling† had become very popular in both Britain and France. The French added new dimensions to the sport, they shortened the tracks added laps and man made obstacles such as jumps. They also changed the name to what it is known as today†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Motocross which is a combination of motorcycle and cross country. The bikes used for motocross during the late 1920’s were very similar to those used on the streets at that time such as Harley Davidson’s and Indians, which had rigid frames. By the 1930’s these then gave way to frames containing suspension and more advanced swinging fork rear suspension by the early 1950’s. According to the FIM motocross went international in 1947 when the Dutch national motorcycle federation hosted a competition called the motocross des nations for national teams on an estate in the Netherlands. Three countries were entered in the first year of the competition they were Great Britain, The Netherlands, and Belgium. The riders competed in races consisting of two heats each of eight laps, over a two mile circuit. Scoring was done by computing the total times of the top three riders from each national team. The British who were represented by, Bill Nicholson, Fred Rist, and Ray Scovell riding 500cc bikes manufactured by the British Small arms company won the competition, beating the Belgians by only 9 seconds. The popularity of the event was shown to have greatly improved as the second staging of the event in Belgium attracted thirty thousand spectators. The British continued to show their dominance in the sport as they went on to win the motocross des nations 15 times in the first twenty years of the event. In 1952 the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme), the motorcycling’s international governing body, created an individual European Championship, and then upgraded it to a World Championship title in 1957. In 1962 a young engineer in East Germany Walter Kaaden, made a technological breakthrough that greatly improved the two-stroke engine and its usefulness which in turn â€Å"revolutionized† the motorcycle industry. His discovery was that of the principle of the expansion chamber, which when properly shaped, instantly increased the power of a two stroke engine by over 25 percent. This gave the 2 stroke engine a power to weight ratio that easily exceeded the 4-stroke engine. Another benefit of the 2 stroke engine was that it was less complicated and much cheaper to mass produce. As a result of this many industrial nations including Germany, Czechoslovakia, Great Britain, Sweden, Spain, and Japan quickly embraced the new technology. As engine design and power improved competition for 250cc motorcycles the class in which 2 strokes performed their best, began to gain in popularity and in 1962 the FIM created a 250cc world championship. As a result of the introduction of the 250cc class the growth of motocross during the 1970s was nothing less than a motorsport revolution. The growth of motocross when measured by the number of American motorcycle association sanctioned events grew one hundred fold between 1965 and 1975. In the 1980’s the sport developed even more in the US, the 250cc class went through the decade and in 1985 the East/West 125cc class which was created for the younger less experienced riders was formed. During the 1990’s the 250 class remained in the spotlight, with the main focus now moving from Europe where motocross had been more popular, to the USA, where riders such as Jeremy McGrath and Jeff Stanton consistently dominated the sport. Today, as a result of the advancements and achievements in the world of motocross it has allowed for the world to recognize it as an established sport in which many have excelled and shown greatness †¦. persons such as Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, and James Stewart are some of the greatest names associated with the sport of motocross. Motocross Good morning class. The theme of my IA is motocross but today I will speak specifically on the topic â€Å"The development of motocross as an established sport†. What is motocross?†¦. Motocross is defined as a timed motorcycle race over a closed outdoor course consisting of a winding dirt trail with hills, jumps, sharp turns, and often muddy terrain. This sport originated in Britain as an off-road event called scrambling. The first known scramble took place at Camberley, Surrey in 1924. The earliest motorcycles were little more than bicycles with small internal combustion engines attached. During these early years people sometimes, used the tracks built for bicycle racing for scrambling events. These early scrambling events were used to show case motorcycles entered by manufacturers to publicize their brand in much the same way they do today. By the late 1920’s â€Å"Scrambling† had become very popular in both Britain and France. The French added new dimensions to the sport, they shortened the tracks added laps and man made obstacles such as jumps. They also changed the name to what it is known as today†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Motocross which is a combination of motorcycle and cross country. The bikes used for motocross during the late 1920’s were very similar to those used on the streets at that time such as Harley Davidson’s and Indians, which had rigid frames. By the 1930’s these then gave way to frames containing suspension and more advanced swinging fork rear suspension by the early 1950’s. According to the FIM motocross went international in 1947 when the Dutch national motorcycle federation hosted a competition called the motocross des nations for national teams on an estate in the Netherlands. Three countries were entered in the first year of the competition they were Great Britain, The Netherlands, and Belgium. The riders competed in races consisting of two heats each of eight laps, over a two mile circuit. Scoring was done by computing the total times of the top three riders from each national team. The British who were represented by, Bill Nicholson, Fred Rist, and Ray Scovell riding 500cc bikes manufactured by the British Small arms company won the competition, beating the Belgians by only 9 seconds. The popularity of the event was shown to have greatly improved as the second staging of the event in Belgium attracted thirty thousand spectators. The British continued to show their dominance in the sport as they went on to win the motocross des nations 15 times in the first twenty years of the event. In 1952 the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme), the motorcycling’s international governing body, created an individual European Championship, and then upgraded it to a World Championship title in 1957. In 1962 a young engineer in East Germany Walter Kaaden, made a technological breakthrough that greatly improved the two-stroke engine and its usefulness which in turn â€Å"revolutionized† the motorcycle industry. His discovery was that of the principle of the expansion chamber, which when properly shaped, instantly increased the power of a two stroke engine by over 25 percent. This gave the 2 stroke engine a power to weight ratio that easily exceeded the 4-stroke engine. Another benefit of the 2 stroke engine was that it was less complicated and much cheaper to mass produce. As a result of this many industrial nations including Germany, Czechoslovakia, Great Britain, Sweden, Spain, and Japan quickly embraced the new technology. As engine design and power improved competition for 250cc motorcycles the class in which 2 strokes performed their best, began to gain in popularity and in 1962 the FIM created a 250cc world championship. As a result of the introduction of the 250cc class the growth of motocross during the 1970s was nothing less than a motorsport revolution. The growth of motocross when measured by the number of American motorcycle association sanctioned events grew one hundred fold between 1965 and 1975. In the 1980’s the sport developed even more in the US, the 250cc class went through the decade and in 1985 the East/West 125cc class which was created for the younger less experienced riders was formed. During the 1990’s the 250 class remained in the spotlight, with the main focus now moving from Europe where motocross had been more popular, to the USA, where riders such as Jeremy McGrath and Jeff Stanton consistently dominated the sport. Today, as a result of the advancements and achievements in the world of motocross it has allowed for the world to recognize it as an established sport in which many have excelled and shown greatness †¦. persons such as Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, and James Stewart are some of the greatest names associated with the sport of motocross.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Summary Of Minds, Brains And Programs - 1763 Words

In â€Å"Minds, Brains And Programs.† John Searle responds to the question, â€Å"Could a machine think?† by stating that only a â€Å"machine could think† we as human produce thinking, therefore we are indeed thinking machines. However, he rejects the idea of digital computers having the ability to produce any thinking or intelligence. In this paper, I will summarize and analyze Searle’s claims with supporting examples from his famous ‘Chinese Room Argument’ relating it to Alan Turing’s example of artificial intelligence. Why understanding cannot be defined based on the instantiation of a computer program, as understanding requires intentionality that only occurs in the brain. I will conclude with my view on the most compelling objection towards his argument and how Searle chooses to respond to it. In relationship to Alan Turing’s ‘Can a machine think’ question, he proposed an operational definition of intelligence applicable to both humans and machines on the same level. 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Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Drinking Age Should Be Lowered From 21 - 950 Words

We do not hand teenagers car keys without teaching them how to drive first, so why do we expect 21-year-olds to know how to drink responsibly for the first time. Law passed by congress in 1984 leaves America to being one of four countries left in the world with its drinking age at 21, while the rest of the country s drinking ages are 16 or 17 or has no age limit at all. As a part of turning 18 you are now considered a legal adult and are allowed to make the decision to vote, marry, buy tobacco products, buy guns and join the military. With all the freedom you gain all at 18 year olds, you are cut short of being able to make the decision to drink an alcoholic beverage. So are you really a legal adult? With many American citizens’ starting to change their views on the drinking age there has become more positive views than negative. With these opportunities given to us it is believed that the drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18. There is so much controversy on whether o r not the drinking age should be lowered. This idea of lowering the drinking ages really comes when into play when kids turn 18 and are now seen as a legal adult in society. At the beginning of their adulthood, the first real taste of being an adult starts when they pack up all their things and move away from the family for the first time and start to get a glimpse of what life is going to be like living on your own. This comes with making your own decisions because no matter how close mom and dadShow MoreRelatedThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered From The Age Of 21 Essay980 Words   |  4 Pagesconsidered â€Å"adults† cannot even make their own decisions? The drinking age on alcohol is a controversial social and cultural issue in today’s society; all fifty states have a minimum drinking age of 21. 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If there is not an issue with age now, would it make sense to lower the age and create unnecessary problems? In this case, the negative effects outweigh the positive. Simply because there is no good in lowering the age. The legal drinking age has been set at 21 for 30Read MoreShould The Drinki ng Age Be Lowered?995 Words   |  4 Pages Should the legal drinking age be lowered to age 18? Recently people have been debating whether If the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Some people think 18 is a better age but others think it’s outrageous to lower the drinking age to 18. After much reading and observing, I myself think the drinking age should be kept at 21 years old,because young adults who drink while they re underage make poor decisions and majority of the young adults are in college lacking in classes. The legal drinkingRead MoreLegalizing the Drinking Age to 181624 Words   |  7 PagesLegalizing the Drinking Age to 18 When people turn to the age of eighteen, they are finally considered an adult. They can join the army, have the right to vote, buy cigarettes or tobacco products, get a tattoo and even die for our country, but they aren’t allowed to buy alcohol? A person can be responsible enough to live on his or her own, make money, pay bills, and yet they are not old enough to purchase or consume any type of alcohol. Underage drinking has been a major controversial issue forRead MoreShould the Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18? Essay1236 Words   |  5 Pagesargument amongst Americans is determining that the current legal drinking age which is 21 should be lowered to eighteen or not. Researching the following propaganda made me understand the dangers to the youth and people in America if the drinking age were to lower. Therefore i will argue with whoever disagrees with me that the drinking age should be lowered. Id like to explain six reasons to why the drinking age should not be lowered beginning with the strongest reasons. First reason being is thatRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered1253 Words   |  6 Pages Minimum Legal Drinking Age Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age? Ever since the end of prohibition in 1933 the United States government has placed the issue of minimum legal drinking age sensitively in the hands of the states, letting each decide for itself what the minimum age should be. At that time all agreed that the minimum legal drinking age should be 21, where it remained for all states until 1970Read MoreLowering The Minimum Drinking Age1380 Words   |  6 PagesOnce a person reaches the age of 18, they are allowed to tattoo their bodies, smoke tobacco, gamble and even enlist if they wanted to! As an adult, they want to be treated as one but how can they feel like an adult if hanging around with their friends and drinking beer while watching TV is illegal? Of course, that does not stop them, though. The United States is one of the few countries in which still have such a high minimum drinking age. Although most people think young adults (18-year olds) areRead MoreBang! A Soldier Just Got Shot, And Most Likely P Never1676 Words   |  7 Pagesfreedom of drinking? The drinking age was moved to the age of 21 in 1984 due to many drunk drivers. Now I think everyone gets the point not to drink and drive due to the serious consequences. If we lowered the drinking age underage drinking wouldn’t be as big. More money for our government will be made, therefore we can buy and reproduce more goods. The drinking age should be lowered, because it will stop binge drinking, you are considered an adult at age 18, and it helps colleges. Binge Drinking is when

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Shylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Essay

Shylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice I am a Jew a famous saying from Shylock in Merchant of Venice that clarifies the merchant brotherhood of a wealthy city. Merchant of Venice contains rascals and heroes. The audiences will soon realise that Shylock, the Jewish money lender, is shown as a villain within the wealthy city. Is this really what Shakespeare had intended? This testimony given proposes that Shylock is more of a deceitful character than what the Christian colony wants us to comprehend. In my essay I intend to explore if Shylock is really a villain or a victim of his society. Shylock is a Jew, which is why the Christians of Venice dislike him. This is shown†¦show more content†¦This is going to bring shame on Shylock in front of everyone. This is shown by Jessica saying Our house is hell (Act 2 Scene 3 Line 2) and Shylock saying She is damnd for this (Act 3 Scene 1 line 29). These quotations tell you that Jessica thinks that the rivalry of Jews and Christians is tedious. While Shylock is telling Salanio and Salarino that if Jessica runs away with Lorenzo, a Christian trader, it will bring shame on the Jewish people. The reason for this is because Shylock believes in his Jewish roots that Jews will be Jews and Christians will be Christians. A further reason why Shylock is shown as a villain is because he is intending on revenge against Antonio. The reason for this is because of the loan Shylock gave Antonio. I know that Shylock wants revenge by saying The pound of flesh which I demand of him (Act 4 Scene 1 line 99) and Ill have my bondà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Act 3 Scene 3 line 4). I choose these quotations because it shows you that Shylock set a three-month deadline to pay back three thousand ducats, and then he could have a pound of flesh from Antonio if he did not pay it back. The reason for taking Antonios bond its to do with the ill-treated manner Shylock had received from the Christians. This had made Shylock become bitter towards Christians of Venice, but instead Shylock decided toShow MoreRelatedShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1401 Words   |  6 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice The play begins in Venice where the wealthy merchant Antonio is talking to his young friends about the reasons for the depression. Antonio claims not to understand himself his sad nature. Bassanio arrives with the news that he wishes to court a wealthy, beautiful heiress named Portia. In order to present himself to Portia he wants to borrow 3000 ducats. Bassanio is in terrible debt and he sees marriage to PortiaRead MoreShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1694 Words   |  7 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Introduction One of the most interesting and dramatic characters in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is the rich, despised money-lending Jew Shylock. It is impossible to judge Shylock’s character by our own modern Standards, simple because Shakespeare wrote this play for play goers in Elizabethan times. This was very different to modern times for two reasons. Firstly, people watching the play would not find itRead MoreShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1385 Words   |  6 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Through time there have been many successful individuals in literature writers, poets, and play writers. But many would argue that one individuals work and character has stood out from the rest and this special illustrious person being William Shakespeare. In the many dramatic pieces of theatrical production written and the diverse individuality he ahs been able to write about many characters created through greatRead MoreEssay Shylock of William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice781 Words   |  4 PagesShylock of William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Shylock is one of the main characters in Shakespeares play The Merchant of Venice, he starts in the play as an outcast of society because he is Jewish. Shylock has been forced to become a banker in his life as an inhabitant of Venice, for the fact that his religion is seen as wrong. Although Shylock is forced to become a banker he plays a vital role in the city of Venice, without Shylock the city would struggleRead MoreEssay on Shylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1877 Words   |  8 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice The Merchant of Venice, a tragic- comedy written in the late 16th century by the greatest known English author, William Shakespeare. This is a tale set in the heart of Venice, amongst the Venetian Christians and Jews. The history of the Jews is marked by terrible hardship and atrocities; Jewish people kept up their customs and religion formed tight knit communities and became known for their intelligent hard workRead MoreCharacterizing Shylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1893 Words   |  8 PagesCharacterizing Shylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice The ‘Merchant of Venice’ was written at a time when there was great prejudice towards the Jewish race. They were known for their intelligence, hard work and business acumen, which later led them to be mistreated and resented. They were made to wear distinctive clothing in order to be identified, and citizens of Venice could treat Jews in any way they wished. The Christian church also taught that JewsRead MoreShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Essay1158 Words   |  5 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice A key feature of the play The Merchant Of Venice is the issue of whether Shylock is a victim or a villain. This issue is raised at many crucial points most of which can be separated into the categories victim or villain. Act 1 Scene 3 displays Shylock as a sensible business man. This is our first introduction of Shylock and therefore produces our first impressions. The first point where Shylocks character isRead MoreEssay Shylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice2094 Words   |  9 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice By the end of Act 4 scene 1, my view of Shylock is a man who wishes to get revenge at society by trying to take the flesh of a Venetian merchant because of the prejudices that are thrown at him. Shylock is a rich Jewish moneylender and a widow whose daughter has eloped with a Christian, Lancelot. Shylock is treated with the lowest kind of integrity and respect in Venice this was normal for Jews in the VictorianRead MoreSympathizing with Shylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1596 Words   |  7 PagesSympathizing with Shylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice In the Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare creates an atmosphere throughout the play, which causes the audience to sympathize with Shylock. Shakespeare uses key events, and dialogue to influence the audience. At the time Shakespeare wrote his plays, and they were performed, the contemporary audience would have mainly consisted of Christians. Jews were often persecuted, as they were the minority.Read MoreShylock as the Villain in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1948 Words   |  8 PagesShylock as the Villain in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice William Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice in about 1597. It was first performed by The Chamberlains Men at the Theatre Shoreditch. The Merchant of Venice was in the repertory of Shakespeares company before they took up residence at the Globe in 1599. The play was written as a comedy, but has become a serious drama. In order to answer the question it is vital to look at the pervading

Monday, December 9, 2019

Obesity Falls Essay Example For Students

Obesity Falls Essay A growing epidemic is sweeping through the developed world, threatening millions with disability and death: obesity. Epidemic may sound exaggerated, but the facts speak for themselves: 154 million people worldwide are obeseor more than 20% are over their ideal body weightincluding more than 50% of all Americans. More disturbing is the prevalence of childhood obesity, which has jumped dramatically over the past 20 years and now accounts for a doubling in the incidence of diabetes, a 5-fold increase in sleep apnoea and a 3-fold increase in gall bladder disease. The World Health Organization and the US Surgeon General have already warned that obesity is a serious, life-threatening disease. Indeed, as a major risk factor for hypertension, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and possibly certain forms of cancer, obesity exacts a greater toll on health and healthcare costs than either smoking or drinking. In the USA alone, the direct medical costs of obesity-related diseases account for 6% of the nations entire healthcare budget. Obesity is, in short, a great deal more than a lifestyle or cosmetic problem. This has not been lost on the pharmaceutical industry. Companies know that the worldwide market for an effective treatment for obesity is gargantuan: analysts estimate that an effective and safe drug could generate as much as US$26 billion per year in the USA alone. It is probably the largest pharmaceutical market ever, and carries with it 27-30 dangerous co-morbidities, said Louis Tartaglia, Vice President of metabolic diseases at Millennium Pharmaceuticals (Cambridge, MA), who estimates the current annual worldwide market conservatively at US$10-15 billion. If one adds the patients who are obese and diabetic, the number soars even higher, as obesity and diabetes are linked diseases. The sudden rise in obesity is mainly a result of lifestyle changes, particularly the ready availability of calorie-laden, refined food and a decrease in physical activity. Genes have not changed in the past 50 years, but our eating and exercising habits have, said George Yancopoulos, Chief Scientific Officer and President of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (Tarrytown, NY), one of many companies working on drugs to treat obesity. But it cannot be lifestyle alone. Certain ethnic groups have a higher prevalence of obesity, and the discovery of a number of genes that regulate fat storage point to an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Indeed, research on fat metabolism has made large strides forward over the last decade and has challenged some established views. One of the most important advances in obesity research is the realisation that fat is an endocrine tissue, said Barbara Kahn, Professor of Endocrinology at Harvard Universitys School of Medicine. Another step forward was the discovery of a number of peptides that function as central regulators of food intake and energy homeostasis. These findings point to a complex involvement of the neuroendocrine system, where the central nervous system and fat interact through hormones and neurotransmitters, and affect other organs, most notably the liver and the pancreas. Given the complexity of this system, it is no surprise that most treatments have been relatively ineffective or fraught with serious health risks, such as addiction to amphetamine diet pills, heart valve damage and hypertension. Furthermore, only a few drugs have reached the market recently. Xenical (Orlistat), a pancreatic lipase inhibitor developed by Hoffmann-LaRoche (Geneva, Switzerland), works by blocking the absorption of fat in the intestine, but can cause uncomfortable side-effects and has been linked to an increased incidence of cancer. Meridia (known as Reductil in the UK), originally developed by Knoll AG (Ludwidgshafen, Germany), is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that is thought to act on the appetite centre of the hypothalamus. However, it often causes elevated blood pressure, and its produ cer, Abbott Labs (Abbott Park, IL) admitted in March that 34 patients in the USA have died after taking the drug. Italy suspended sales of the drug after receiving 50 reports of adverse reactions, including two deaths. The anti-depressant Wellbutrin (GlaxoWellcome, Research Triangle Park, NC) acts in the same way as Meridia but has only a very mild weight-reduction effect. But recent findings on fat metabolism open new avenues for developing effective drugs. Body weight is regulated through a series of feedback systems that provide targets for effective drug treatment and strategies for drug development, Peter Kopelman from Queen Marys School of Medicine ; Dentistry at the University of London (UK) said. Food intake can be reduced either by amplifying anorexigenic (anti-appetite) signals or blocking orexigenic (pro-appetite) factors. Other strategies aim at increasing energy expenditure by uncoupling fuel metabolism from the generation of ATP. It is also possible to modulate fat met abolism by regulating fat synthesis or lipolysis or by moderating the fixed internal reference point maintained by the central controller of body weight. An effective anti-obesity treatment must target a number of these regulatory points. New drugs must ultimately affect both energy intake and energy expenditure, to have a significant and long-lasting impact on body weight, according to Kopelman. Drugs that work purely on one side of the energy balancethat is, energy intake or expenditureare unlikely to achieve long-term efficacy because of compensatory adjustments ensuring the maintenance of body fat homeostasis. Thus, the major leap in the development of more effective drugs has come through a better understanding of fat metabolism. In particular, the discovery and cloning of the adipocyte-derived hormone leptin and its receptor proved to be major breakthroughs. Leptin is essential for normal body weight regulation and scientists had thought that the obese need leptin in a similar way to diabetic patients who need insulin to process glucose. However, they soon discovered that like most diabetics who are actually insulin-resistant, most obese patients produce plenty of endogenous leptin, but are, in fact, leptin-resistant. Recent research has also begun to uncover the mechanisms of insulin- and leptin-resistance, and the link between obesity and diabetes. And the pipeline for new drugs is bulging. The most promising, now in phase III clinical trials, is Regenerons Axokine, an engineered version of ciliary neurotrophic factor, originally developed to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Serendipitously, Regeneron discovered that it led to unexpected and substantial weight loss in patients. The ALS patients given the factor were not getting weaker because they were losing fat, not muscle, Yancopoulos said. In April 2002, his group demonstrated in mice that the drug reduces fat by activating the leptin pathway and does not cause rebound weight gain even in a leptin-resistant model of obesity. Axokine mimics the ability of leptin to generate fat loss by enabling the patient to be satisfied with less food. The problem with dieting is that the body compensates by slowing down its metabolism and sending strong messages to the dieter to eat; the weight is regained because the body preserves its fat reserves and tells one to eat more, Yancopolous noted. Axokine sidesteps these mechanisms. It also works in diet-induced obesity, where there is sufficient leptin but resistance to the hormonethis represents the lions share of cases of human obesity. Leptin was only intended to act as a satiety signal, not as a means to deal with too much body fat. Axokine works by super-activating the leptin pathway, including 5-10 neuropeptides, and turning on the satiety signal, Yancopoulos said. But there is more to leptin than just inducing satiety. Harvards Kahn demonstrated that it acts on another component of the metabolism. Leptin stimulates the oxidat ion of fatty acids and the uptake of glucose, and prevents the accumulation of lipids in non-adipose tissues, she said. Specifically, leptin inhibits the activity of acetyl co-enzyme A carboxylase (ACC), which stimulates the oxidation of fatty acids in skeletal muscle. ACC provides a pivotal step in fuel metabolism as it links fatty-acid and carbohydrate metabolism through the shared intermediate acetyl co-enzyme A, the researchers wrote. Kahn thus thinks that the ACC pathway might provide new drug targets. Millennium is working on a small molecule that will move more freely across the blood-brain barrier than leptin, and which super-stimulates the leptin receptor. It is also examining the little-understood downstream targets in the leptin-signalling pathway, which could help prevent leptin resistance. It is a hotly debated subject which is the best target, Tartaglia said. Discovering which proteins generate resistance to leptin and which activate the receptor could, taken together, prove to be the magic bullet for obesity, he thinks. Biovitrum in Stockholm, Sweden, is also aiming at the neurological component of obesity and testing a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, BVT.933, in phase II clinical trials. Rather than hitting on all 14 human serotonin receptors by increasing the serotonin levels, only one, the 2C receptor, gets activated by BVT.933, Johan Kordel, Senior Vice President of research, explained. Patients treated with BVT.933 achieved a statistically significant and clinically relevant weight reduction compared with placebo. Recent research points to another interesting target besides leptinPTP1B, a protein-tyrosine phosphatase. Barbara Kahn and her colleague Benjamin Neel, from Harvard Medical School together with Millenniums Tartaglia showed that PTP1B regulates leptin signal transduction. Transgenic, PTP1B-deficient mice have decreased leptin/body fat ratios and leptin hypersensitivity; in short, these mice were insulin-sensitive and lean. We also found that lowered levels of PTP1B increased energy expenditure, and conversely, elevated levels of PTP1B in both muscle and fat, which contributes to insulin resistance, Kahn said, calling PTP1B an outstanding drug target. Michel Tremblay of the Department of Biochemistry at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, who is also working on PTP1B, estimated that at least 20 companies are now pursuing this drug target, including Merck (Rahway, NJ), NovoNordisk (Bagsvard, Denmark), Ely Lilly (Indianapolis, IN) together with Ceptyr, a new Seattle-based company focusing on phosphatases, Akros (Princeton, NJ), the US arm of Japan Tobacco and Pharmacia (Peapack, NJ). The problem has been in designing a molecule that specifically inhibits PTP1B. Isis Pharmaceuticals (Carlsbad, CA) is confident that it has found one. Brett Monia, Isiss Vice President of antisense drug discovery and his colleagues have developed an antisense nucleotide to selectively block PTP1B gene expression. A year a go, it licensed the drug, Isis-113715 to Merck. The group also published a proof of principle paper in April 2002, in which they demonstrated that the antisense construct inhibited PTEN, another lipid phosphatase that is involved in the insulin signalling pathway. The antisense oligonucleotide normalised blood glucose concentrations in diabetic and obese mice and lowered serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations. Antisense technology has an advantage of being able to block the production of a protein, in this case, PTP1B, rather than just inhibiting it once it is produced, Frank Bennett, Isiss Vice President of antisense research, said. To date, no adverse effects have been seen with the use of Isiss antisense drugs in small and large animal models of diabetes and obesity, he added. Another target receiving serious attention is the enzyme fatty acid synthase. Daniel Lane from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, and colleagues have shown that a specific inhibitor, dubb ed C75, reduces both food intake and body weight in mice, and interrupts fasting-induced hunger signals in lean mice. In obese mice, C75 suppresses food intake, reduces body weight, and normalises obesity-associated high blood sugar and high insulin levels. Johns Hopkins University, which holds the patent to C75, has licensed it to FASgen, a new company in Baltimore. Finally, older substances may yield new drugs as well: a small region of the human growth hormone appears to have a specific effect on fat without any effect on either growth or insulin resistance, according to Frank Ng of Monash University (Melbourne, Australia). With the support from Metabolic Pharmaceuticals, Ng has developed it into an orally administered drug, which is now in phase IIa testing. Basic research to uncover fat metabolism and applied research to find effective treatments against obesity have received a lot of attention over the last years both in terms of media coverage and funding. And even if the int erest in developing effective treatments against being overweight has a strong lifestyle component, it is increasingly crucial to public health. New treatments are needed to help those millions of people suffering from obesityespecially the dramatically rising number of overweight children who are at risk of lifelong diabetes and the accompanying risk of heart disease and disability. Michael Jackson Essay