Gambling as an Addiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Gambling as an Addiction - Essay Example 76 By some standards, including those of the present writer, it is unfortunate that many persons now without them are apt to develop gambling difficulties under legalized systems. But it is suggested that if this problem becomes particularly serious then the society might care to discover techniques to handle the situation that are a good deal more effective than those hit-and-miss, haphazard approaches now in fashion when gambling flourishes undercover. It is claimed that psychologically gambling serves as a ritualistic flirtation with an unknown fate. Gambling has been called "a kind of question addressed to destiny," and it has been maintained that the fascination of gambling is that it is "a simulation of life itself." Success at gambling is supposed to be transposed by the gambler into a general sign of favor from otherwise inscrutable gods, somewhat in the manner of, for instance, the prize fighter who traces his success to the fact that "Somebody Up There Likes Me," rather than to a fast right hand and an unusual ability to withstand punishment. It was this mental transposition, as Max Weber has shown while tracing the purported origins of capitalism, that led financially successful persons in early Calvinistic societies to credit their wealth to divine approval of their total person and thus to regard it as an indication of a future place in heaven. Gambling shows an elaborate history through the annals of civilization. Stone-Age people are known to have tossed painted pebbles and to have cast knucklebones, though it is not certain whether their attempt was to win somebody else's stone axe or to invoke magic and to facilitate prophecy. We have records from India from as early as 321 B.C. showing the existence of a governmental department that regulated gambling, with a Superintendent of Public Games who supplied dice for a fee of 5 percent of the receipts. 10 Public lotteries were common in the United States from early colonial times until the 1830's. Many institutions of higher learning, including Columbia, Harvard, and Yale, were financed by public lotteries. Reactions against State-sponsored gambling were due to numerous scandals connected with its operation as well as to a growing sense of moral outrage. (Richard McGowan, 1994). Major concern in the United States today centers about four kinds of gambling operations: (1) numbers; (2) casino-style gambling; (3) lotteries; and (4) parimutuel betting at race tracks and its extension, offtrack betting. Numbers remain illegal throughout the United States; casino gambling is legal only in the State of Nevada; lotteries have recently been started in New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts; and offtrack betting was inaugurated in New York City in April 1971, in a move that has been watched with special care by other jurisdictions, particularly those and there are but few which do

Salt Marsh and Mangroves (for Coastal Defence) Essay

Salt Marsh and Mangroves (for Coastal Defence) - Essay Example Mangroves provide a good site for fisheries as the nursery grounds for young fish (fingerlings) and for laying their eggs. Mangrove forest cover is a crucial part of the bio-diversity of a locality such as giving a good habitat for a host of marine life. This is proven by the presence of three types of fauna found in mangroves which are resident species (living primarily among the mangroves), the seasonal migrants and the occasional species which visit the mangrove stands once in a while. The scientific study of mangroves and salt marsh as part of the conservation efforts is now a recognized field in engineering and of studies in ecology and oceanography. Mangrove forests are natural ecosystems in many coastal areas around the world and provide a natural coastal defence system which is often overlooked by country planners. Mangroves are a good deterrent against erosion caused by higher sea levels due to global warming and a changed wind pattern from various directions and velocities. Unfortunately, mangroves are under threat today from human activities and expansion. This paper will discuss how mangroves and salt marsh are crucial components in the coastal defence of areas threatened with erosion from tides and strong winds. It will then also tackle other issues concerning mangrove forests such as clearing them for firewood, charcoal and the other human needs such as for certain coastal developments like resorts. (Crossland & Kremer 47). Humans today are increasingly seen as major catalysts for change among coastal processes which had not been examined very closely before. Human interventions in areas of the coast form part of the larger anthropocene in which larger ecosystems are impacted. Various threats to Mangrove Forests – mangroves are under pressure from us humans especially in developed mangrove areas of the world such as those located along the Niger and delta areas of the Ganges-Brahmaputra and the Irrawaddy in Burma (Kathiresan 476). Other threats identified are degradation and destruction of the mangroves, plant disease and glo bal warming from climate changes. Some 90% of identified global mangroves are located in developing countries which make these mangrove forests particularly vulnerable to human exploitation and expansion of human activities. The estimated 18 million kms2 of mangroves in 1997 has since been reduced to a mere 15 million square-kilometres; it takes a long time for mangrove forests to recover once these are destroyed. Human Encroachments – this is perhaps the greatest threat to mangroves due to the various activities of humans such as urbanization (like in Singapore), Bangkok, Rangoon and in India (Calcutta and Bombay). Another is agricultural expansion from reclamation activities and for aquaculture purposes such as building ponds for shrimps. Other reasons are cutting the mangroves for firewood, charcoal and lumber (mangrove timber is highly resistant to the usual deterioration of wood because of high phenol content). The mangrove areas are usually drained of their salt water c ontent using rain water and protected from salt water intrusions. Degradation – this results when the health and productivity of the mangrove areas had deteriorated significantly from various causes. Among identified causes are oil pollution, dumped

Effect of Mad Cow Disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Effect of Mad Cow Disease - Research Paper Example The key events that formed the world meat market in the last decade include the change in trade policy regimes ushered in by the 1995 Uruguay Round Agreement in Agriculture, the macroeconomic crises in Asia and the Former Soviet Union in 1998 and the series of animal disease outbreaks in major livestock producing regions in Asia and the European Union. However, these challenges have aided in stringent policies and regulations in this industry.  Mad Cow Disease is the common name for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) that was first recognized in the United Kingdom in the year 1986. In simple terms it the name "mad cow disease" came because it affects a cattle's nervous system. It is a chronic, degenerative disorder affecting the central nervous system of cattle. The main culprit of the cause of this disease is the rogue proteins, known as prions that reproduce inside the brain of the infected cow. Once the disease progresses, the brain attains a sponge nature and hence it is al so termed as "spongiform". In fact, BSE is categorized to a group of progressive, degenerative neurological diseases known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies or TSEs. The other disease in this group includes scrapie, which affects sheep and goats and has symptoms similar to BSE. As of now, there is no cure for BSE (Department of Primary Industries and Water, 2008).  If we look at how BSE can have an impact on human. In humans, this disease is known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or in short vCJD. The scientific community has still not found a cure for this disease and is fatal in nature (Department of Primary Industries and Water, 2008). In the food industry, this disease has posed a significant threat and could seriously affect both export and domestic markets for cattle and cattle products. Additionally, it is also possible that it can have a serious impact on jobs and businesses in the meat industry and its various support industries. It could also have a consid erable effect on the tourism and hospitality industries. Since there is no cure for this disease, the only options are slaughtering the affected animal. Since its initial outbreak, the food industry has formulated various policies (Department of Primary Industries and Water, 2008). One of the major problems with this disease is the identification of the affected animals. Contrasting the Foot and Mouth Disease that spreads rapidly if not controlled, BSE spreads comparatively slowly. Besides it is found that both BSE and its human counterpart, vCJD, have an unusually long incubation period. In other words, if a human is diagnosed with vCJD, it might be the result of eating infected animal probably up to twenty years earlier. This makes tracking the disease source much more difficult (Department of Primary Industries and Water, 2008). Mad Cow Disease is possibly one of the most significant food-safety-related issues to have troubled the hospitality industry in recent years. In the Unit ed Kingdom, where the disease was first identified and had extensive effects, the consequence for this industry has been characterized as catastrophic-yet little experiential facts support this.

Effects of graduating from college in a bad economy Essay

Effects of graduating from college in a bad economy - Essay Example dual works in the long run as compared to the number of working hours and probability of gaining employment during good economic conditions in the long run (Liu 2). The immediate to short term effects are that fresh graduates fail to obtain positions that are highly desired by them if they graduate in a recession and shifting between jobs is even quite difficult (Oreopoulos 23). They even fail to bargain for higher paying jobs as they fail to gain employment in high paying positions. For example: Kahn figured out that those who graduate during recessionary period earn around 3 to 5 percent less over a period of 20 years (Kahn 310). Those individuals who gain graduation during recessionary sessions do not face difference in gaining job opportunities and working hours in the long run as compared to their peers who graduate during booming conditions. In the short run they experience failure to find high paying jobs, desirable positions, failure to switch jobs and demand low wage rates. Oreopoulos, Philip, Andrew Heisz, and Till . Wachter. The Short and Long-Term Career Effects of Graduating in a Recession: Hysteresis and Heterogeneity in the Market for College Graduates. Cambridge, Ma: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2005. Internet resource. SABLIK, TIM. "Are New Graduates Left Behind in a Recession?." Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.

Virtual Tours vs. Written Word Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Virtual Tours vs. Written Word - Assignment Example One can only explore the virtual world to the extent of seeing the physical features of the place. This limits the experience compared to actual visits. For this reason, virtual tours are very good in the marketing of a place to other people. The rough feel of a place can be. Travel agencies and countries can, therefore, manipulate the technology and use it to promote their own country’s tourism industry (Griggs 2014).  There are different companies whose version of virtual reality is as precise as Sony’s 3D glasses. Google maps, for example, has a classic simulation of the United States of America. A person that has not been to the continent can easily search a state, and get a precise version of the place. It is important to note that the difference in the way that the company has simulated the place on the ground is different from the actual reality. However, the features that are on the ground are very accurate.   The technology is far from completion. Scientist s are working on n audio version of virtual reality to complement the video functionality. The technology is called binaural audio. One of the most impressive features of this technology is that the sound that one hear is produced by simulating the process that humans have when hearing their reality. The resulting a replication of the sound that is in the real world. One of the most impressive features of this technology is its ability to capture the sound in the same way that the human ear capture sound. It is by far the most important and technologically advanced means of hearing things.

Finance coursework Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Finance coursework - Research Paper Example According to Gustav Cassel, the purchasing power parity is the appropriate level at which the foreign exchange rate should be set. The rate is measured by calculating the relative departures or deviations of price levels from a chosen base period in which the balance of payments of the concerned countries had been in equilibrium. If countries X and Y were in reasonable adjustment in time period 0, then these countries should choose an exchange rate in time period 1 (R1) which reflects the changes in their prices between time period 0 and time period 1. So, the formula is: The inflation rate has risen by 5% in US from 1993 to 1995, while it has risen by 12% in Zeal during the same period. Taking these rates into account and calculating at the old exchange rates of GP20 for $1, we calculate the new rate of exchange at GP33.6 for $1. The peso is not likely to fall any further. It has overadjusted. The rate would finally be set near the above calculated level. 2. The peso float could have been forecast due to a number of reasons. First, the exchange rate that was set and maintained by the Zeal authorities was clearly overvalued. The purchasing parity theory of exchange rates predicted a rate of GP33.6 for $1, while it was being pegged at the rate of GP20 for $1. Second, the balance of payments was running in deficit for a number of years as can be seen in Table1. The current account deficit was constantly increasing over the years and it was being funded by capital flows from abroad, putting pressure on the currency to depreciate. Thirdly, Inflation was consistently rising and was at 12% in 1995. The money supply was rising at a greater rate than the price level, again placing peso under pressure. Fourth, Zeal central bank was continuously losing international reserves in an attempt to hold the exchange rate. Fifth, the country had to borrow capital to fill the gap in balance of payments. And lastly, a sustainability of a particular level of current account deficit depends on how the capital flows are used and if the country has the appropriate debt servicing capability. A large and persistent current account deficit in the balance of payments of Zeal shows the employment of unsustainable macroeconomic policies. The exchange rate would have finally fallen victim to those policies. So, from the above reasons we can say that the peso float could have been anticipated. (Beenhakker, 2000) 3. Many wealthy individuals of the country have shifted their money out of the country through the dollarization of their assets. This is indicated from the unilateral transfers shown in Table1. The table indicates that the trade balance deficit has been increasing since 1973 and currently it stands at a very high $400,000,000.00. The current account deficit has similarly been increasing constantly over the years to reach $387 million. The international reserves have also been depleting as the current account deficit is increasing. There are still positive figures in unilateral transfers. The transfers have increased from a very minuscule $1 million in 1973 to reach $13 million in 1995. From 1973 to 1993 there was any increase of $6 million in unilateral transfers overall. But in the two years from 1993 to 1995 the country has seen an increase in unilateral tra

Virtue in Frankenstein Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Virtue in Frankenstein - Research Paper Example These  characters  encompass powerful associations with nature; whenever they felt unhappy, they were able to discover comfort in nature. Both of them are also are crammed with a fiery revenge, which is demonstrated throughout the final chapters of the  book. In spite of their considerably dissimilar appearances and lives, the monster and Victor own many resemblances. A major personality feature of the monster and victor Frankenstein is their adoration and association with nature. Both characters make use of the nature to comfort them once their moods are sad or low. One of the favorite nature retreats for Victor is the lovely lake in Geneva. After William’s death, He boated out there and thought in what way the â€Å"heavenly scenery restored him† (Shelley). The beauty of nature is able to please victor and form a feeling of contentment. Similarly the monster takes pleasure in this similar delight of nature even as he is into his emotional banishment. He decides to reside in the wilds as becoming familiar with human beings. The wilds all-around him â€Å"was enough to maintain his spirits, even through the persecution†( Shelley). Exactly as it maintained for his creator, victor, nature is adept to bind the monster composed during his tussles. This affiliation for nature is common most fervently among these two characters. At times they put forth their fondness for nature subconsciously. For instance as soon as Victor has to free himself of the ruins of a female monster, he selects a lake for the location. Although this is not a contented instant in his existence, his adoration for nature is the factor that pulls him to this venue, in spite of the ongoing situations. ‘ the lake refreshed him and filled him with agreeable sensations† (Shelly) relating with the calmness of nature not just assists to compose and please both characters other than that it is utilized as a location to satisfy any wants and needs. The monster and Victor wish for familial ties greater than everything else. Victor desires company with Elizabeth whereas the monster wishes to be cherished from the De Lacey. Victor’s youth was extremely joyful and pleasant. Obviously, his childhood companion turns out to be his grown-up love, Elizabeth. He feels affection for her and desires nothing greater than to live with her during the remaining of his life. Elizabeth is his â€Å"sweet and beloved† who conveys him â€Å"softened feelings of love and joy† (Shelley 167). He needs to be with her to such a great extent that he makes a decision to not allow anything to cross his way, not even his own creation the monster. Sadly, the monster achieves to get in Victor’s way; however that was due to Victor’s negligence. The monster is not dissimilar in his needs for company. While becoming knowledgeable from his cottage and while he turns out to be more conscious of the surrounding world, the monster desires love, approval, and kindness from the De Laceys. While he pondered in his hut, he â€Å"longed to join them† (Shelley 91). He noticed them every day and plans to decide the best way to come close to them. It appears as actually it is not affection that these characters long, but just a connection. When deprived of this tie, which they both crave for, they don’t grieve, but more willingly swore revenge against whatsoever was the reason. Victor and the monster are nearly the same in their want for these