Propositions on Poker Machine Addiction Essay Example for Free

Propositions on Poker Machine Addiction Essay The American Gaming Association (AGA) is a group which represents its members who come from the commercial casino industry. Formed in 1995, the goal of the group is to create awareness and factual understanding of the casino world. The main purpose of the group is to educate the public and its stakeholders about casinos. In the process, it also benefits its members by giving support to them in terms of legislations that affect them and the industry, rules and regulations that they need to be familiar about, and several other assistance while operating their respective enterprises. The AGA also acted as a trusted source of information for media personnel and other industry partners. (About the AGA, 2003, n. p. ) As part of its advocacy, the AGA also highlights responsible gaming as an important element in enjoying casinos. It partners with schools and encourages its members and employees to create awareness on responsible gaming, and identifies the results of irresponsibility within casinos. The AGA started the orange wristband campaign under the â€Å"Keep It Fun† slogan, encouraging gamers to keep casino playing fun and never destructive. The wristband campaign continues to be part of the Responsible Gaming Education Week and Lecture Series, both hosted by the AGA. (Responsible Gaming, 2003, n. p. ) Propositions on Poker Machine Addiction The American Gaming Association submits this document to the Federal Government in response to the inquiry on propositions regarding the community effects of poker machines. Poker machines have been traditional entertainment tools. Since the creation of the first poker machine in the late 1800s, it has become widely identified with bars and liquor shops. (Poker machines history, n. d. , n. p. The availability of poker machines in public places has raised concerns that it might affect family structure. Coleman (1999, n. p. ) reports that in Australia efforts have been made to study the link between family issues and gambling. Poker machines have been pointed out to be the major culprit among all gambling devices. The same issues are present. Noting that poker machines are readily available to all and that getting addicted to it is not impossible, and with an existing statistics of gamblers whose family life has been put at stake because of their addiction to the game, an inquiry has been made on how the issue can be resolved. The first option for many would be to restrain the availability of poker machines. At the most, the machines can even be totally banned. While this is an efficient way to address the issue, there are many considerations that may affect this. Casinos around the world employ thousands of workers, and a deep cut in their revenues may mean an unforeseen increase in unemployment. Also, poker machines and other gambling entertainments remit big tax revenues. In New Orleans, for instance, video poker machines accounted over $200 million in taxes. With such a price tag at stake, it is difficult for the local governments to surrender into banning poker machines. (The Associated Press, 2008, n. p. ) Poker Machines and the World The issues besetting poker machines are not isolated. The same concerns happen all around the world. Actor Russell Crowe moved to ban poker machines in Australia though lost in the voting. (Poker machine ban effort a bust, 2008, n. p. ) The Australian senate, on the other hand, also created the Poker Harm Minimization Bill of 2008, which aims to restrict, limit, and monitor poker machine activities in the country. The dilemma crosses other continents. Poker machines are big hits across Asia too. Thus, poker machines are often blamed to many social problems. (Man vs. Machine, 2008, n. p. ) However, coinciding with this is the fact that poker machine players often have to deal with other problems, as a study of 43,000 Americans have found. It is therefore concluded that making the game unavailable to gamblers with interrelated problems will not solve their addiction. The same is true with thousand of other gamblers around the world. (Man vs. Machine, 2008, n. p. ) Gambling and the Family Considering that a big percentage of 43,000 poker-machine playing Americans who underwent the study have other behavioral problems while addicted to the game, it cannot be disclosed that the family problems are caused by playing poker machines. There is the possibility that poker is their way of escaping from the other stresses in their lives. It can also be said that poker is their way of solving their problem—a player whose family is undergoing financial turmoil may think that poker may give him the luck he has been waiting for to ease his family of financial burdens. (Man vs. Machine, 2008, n. p. ) However, it is acceptable to say that there are many players who have become addicted to the game, and at which point became disconnected with their families, begun failing to judge their finances properly, and miscalculated many personal and financial decisions for the sake of playing. The actual percentages of players who belong to these groups are difficult to tell. Yet, in crediting the existence of these two facets, it is easier to recognize the proper solutions to be carried out by the government. Individual choices Before any legislation, legislators must closely study the profile of poker machine players. In Australia, 62. % of casino players gamble in poker machines. This is a majority of all other casino games and gambling devices. Of these poker machine players, 98% play mainly in casinos and betting clubs. 85. 4% knows that playing the poker machine is a game of chance. Still, 73. 4% can play the machine for up to an hour. (Hing and Breen, 2002, 192) Here, the behavior of players can be seen. It also shows that the wide availability of poker machines elsewhere does little to affect the betting behavior of players, as majority plays mainly on betting clubs. It can be alarming, though, that gamers can sit and bet in the machine for up to an hour. Thus, this requires a close look. Gamers also have different reasons for playing. For the majority, playing the poker machine is purely to entertain themselves. It was a way to let time pass. A small percentage of the respondents (21. 4%) played for hopes to win. (Hing and Breen, 2002, 192) This dispels the second facet presented herein, where it has been theorized that some players play poker machines for money. It can be associated that because majority of the players see poker machines as a game of luck, there is no certainty of winning or gaining money with it. In a personal level, respondents who play poker machines have been found to be between 18 and 34 years old. They are singles in the sense that they have never married. Thus, they may have relationships. Majority of them do not have dependents. (Hing and Breen, 2002, 192) This questions the validity of the argument that poker machines break families. With a majority of players without families or living under circumstances of broken families already, it is notable to discuss that poker machines may not be causing the family problems to begin with. The other issues besetting the players should likely be causing the complications, and thus should be addressed as well. Proposed Implementations The Australian study is a comprehensive view of the profiles of poker machine gamers. However, it is difficult to pattern implementations in other counties with this single study. A rigorous study for each country or state is needed, for which solutions should be patterned. On the other hand, given that these findings are also true elsewhere, the AGA proposes the following strategies for implementation. With these, it is expected that the Federal Government will be able to find ways to decrease or eliminate the claimed probable causes of poker machines as destructive agents to families. Bet and Time limit Hills (n. d. , n. p. ) assert that a player can bet up to $2 per spin and play up to 200 spins per hour. Finding that majority of poker gamers can sit and bet for up to an hour, it is recommended that time restriction be implemented. A player can bet on a machine for up to the approved maximum time only. This ensures that the player will not be too absorbed in the game and will remain conscious about his betting behavior and betting practices. Coinciding with this, there should also be a limit on the bets that one can play in a specific set. If the maximum bet for the day has been reached, the player should stop even if the game is less than the maximum allowed. Support for Gaming Advocacies Currently, the American Gaming Association has education drives to combat gaming addiction. While the program has been successful in places where it has been introduced, the group needs the additional mileage that the Federal Government can provide. The support will also mean more people knowing about the campaign and educated about the ill effects of addictive gambling. It covers both prevention of gaming addiction and cure. Conclusion Many studies have associated gambling with breakage in family ties. With majority of gamblers playing poker machines, the device has become a point of contention. The local government, however, cannot decide on the proper move considering that a bog percentage of community revenues come from the machines. The Federal Government’s inquiry helped assess the situation. It paved the way to reconciling the benefits of poker machines in terms of the financial help that it is offering and the pre-meditated bad effects that it is highly addictive and that it affects families. A thorough study of gamers is necessary. From their profiles, proper actions can be made. Limits on betting and play can help, as well as support in the education drives such as that of the American Gaming Association. This way, the machines can continue helping the community while avoiding any destructive effect it may have with families.

The Misunderstood Message of Aime Cesaires A Tempest Essay examples --

The Misunderstood Message of Aime Cesaire's A Tempest      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Tempest, by Aime Cesaire, has been the center of controversy for over twenty years now.   The argument is not concerning whether the play has substance, or whether its themes are too racy; the criticism is about its parallel to another work.   The work in question is that of The Tempest by William Shakespeare.   Cesaire has been bluntly accused of mirroring, misrepresenting, and misinterpreting Shakespeare's last play.   I challenge these critics to research Cesaire and his works, rather than pick apart this most insightful play.   It is pertinent to understand a few key ideas when examining A Tempest because Cesaire was not attempting to mirror Shakespeare; he was merely using him as a reference.   Cesaire, who understood that Shakespeare is an icon of the Western world, himself is iconoclastic.   He knew by adapting The Tempest to his own voice, he would draw attention from the West and raise awareness of his intended audience, the oppressed bla cks of the world.   But valuing this idea requires the reader to be aware of who Aime Cesaire is, what ideas he embraces, and the message he wishes to convey to his readers.    Aime Cesaire was born in Martinique, that time an island under the rule of the French.   He was heavily involved in the politics of his colony, being mayor of Fort-de-France, a member of the French Communist Party, and later founder of his own party, the Parti Progressiste Martiniquais (Davis).   Cesaire grew up in the 1960's, a time when his country was fighting for independence, many African nations were doing the same, and blacks in America were pushing for the equality of races.   He was a strong advocate for independence, and understood the effe... ...uld take another look before rejecting one of the most profound works in Caribbean literature.    Works Cited: Achebe, Chinua. "The Novelist as Teacher." Commonwealth Literature: Unity and Diversity in a Common Culture. Ed. John Press. London: Heinemann, 1965. 201-05. Allison, William "A Legacy of Greed, Slavery, and Racism" Available at http://www.cas.ilstu.edu/English/Strickland/215/f96/allison.htm Cesaire, Aime. A Tempest. Trans. Richard Miller. New York: UBU, 1992 Davis, Gregson.   Aime Cesaire.   United Kingdom : Cambridge Univ. Press, 1997. Hirsch, E. D. "Objective Interpretation." PMLA 75 (1960): 463, 470-79. Rpt. in Contexts for Criticism. Ed. Donald Keesey. 3rd ed. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1998. Sarnecki, Judith Holland, "Mastering the Master: Aimà © Cà ©saire's Creolization of Shakespeare's The Tempest" in The French Review The Misunderstood Message of Aime Cesaire's A Tempest Essay examples -- The Misunderstood Message of Aime Cesaire's A Tempest      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Tempest, by Aime Cesaire, has been the center of controversy for over twenty years now.   The argument is not concerning whether the play has substance, or whether its themes are too racy; the criticism is about its parallel to another work.   The work in question is that of The Tempest by William Shakespeare.   Cesaire has been bluntly accused of mirroring, misrepresenting, and misinterpreting Shakespeare's last play.   I challenge these critics to research Cesaire and his works, rather than pick apart this most insightful play.   It is pertinent to understand a few key ideas when examining A Tempest because Cesaire was not attempting to mirror Shakespeare; he was merely using him as a reference.   Cesaire, who understood that Shakespeare is an icon of the Western world, himself is iconoclastic.   He knew by adapting The Tempest to his own voice, he would draw attention from the West and raise awareness of his intended audience, the oppressed bla cks of the world.   But valuing this idea requires the reader to be aware of who Aime Cesaire is, what ideas he embraces, and the message he wishes to convey to his readers.    Aime Cesaire was born in Martinique, that time an island under the rule of the French.   He was heavily involved in the politics of his colony, being mayor of Fort-de-France, a member of the French Communist Party, and later founder of his own party, the Parti Progressiste Martiniquais (Davis).   Cesaire grew up in the 1960's, a time when his country was fighting for independence, many African nations were doing the same, and blacks in America were pushing for the equality of races.   He was a strong advocate for independence, and understood the effe... ...uld take another look before rejecting one of the most profound works in Caribbean literature.    Works Cited: Achebe, Chinua. "The Novelist as Teacher." Commonwealth Literature: Unity and Diversity in a Common Culture. Ed. John Press. London: Heinemann, 1965. 201-05. Allison, William "A Legacy of Greed, Slavery, and Racism" Available at http://www.cas.ilstu.edu/English/Strickland/215/f96/allison.htm Cesaire, Aime. A Tempest. Trans. Richard Miller. New York: UBU, 1992 Davis, Gregson.   Aime Cesaire.   United Kingdom : Cambridge Univ. Press, 1997. Hirsch, E. D. "Objective Interpretation." PMLA 75 (1960): 463, 470-79. Rpt. in Contexts for Criticism. Ed. Donald Keesey. 3rd ed. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1998. Sarnecki, Judith Holland, "Mastering the Master: Aimà © Cà ©saire's Creolization of Shakespeare's The Tempest" in The French Review

Mean temperatures are rising these may result in physiological and ecological effects on living organisms

Mean temperatures are rising – these may result in physiological and ecological effects on living organisms. Describe and explain these effects. Rising global temperatures, due to an increased concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, are likely to have enormous consequences on many, if not all, species. Although the effects may not be direct potential outcomes include: loss of habitat, reduced species diversity, disturbed food chains and weather cycles, denaturation of enzymes. One of the biggest potential issues of global warming is causing a rise to sea levels. Low-land countries and cities (e.g: Venice) are likely to become frequently flooded. This means the habitat changes and organisms whose niche is not specific to the new conditions are likely to either move away from these environments or die – this is most likely to happen to terrestrial animals. This is likely to have a massive consequence on both the ecology and the economy in that location. The loss of species could have wide-spread effects on food chains. Reduced food for some organisms means those lower on the trophic level will die out (the effects of rising sea water will affect smaller organisms the most!). Therefore, the numbers of top predators will also fall. In terms of the economy, many countries are famous for specific dishes or nature reserves. If the beauty of these nature reserves, or the availability of the animals for the specific dishes is affected this could significantly reduce the number of tourists to that country. Rising temperatures could have a more permanent effect on food webs world-wide. Most organisms are adapted to a specific niche and will be unable to adapt to changing environments. Organisms living in extreme environments will be affected most. The loss of their habitat could lead to species extinction. It is a known that if air currents above the sea are above 25oC (or thereabouts) then hurricanes and tornadoes are more likely to occur. These hurricanes and tornadoes could have devastating effects on the economy of many countries. Increasing global temperatures, however, can also affect the ability to grow crops in certain areas. Plants that require cold conditions could die out completely and plants requiring warm (but not hot) conditions will be able to be grown in countries not thought possible! Pathogens such as bacteria and viruses thrive at higher temperatures (they reproduce fastest at high temperatures). As global temperatures rise, the spread of disease is likely to increase. If the disease spreads to crops this is likely to adversely affect yield. Despite all this bad news, photosynthesis and respiratory rates are likely to increase due to increased activity of enzymes. This could result in an increased yield of crop which is a great bonus. These increased rates will be matched by faster diffusion and active transport rates. Thus plants will be able to take up the required nutrients and minerals more quickly, again increasing the yield! A major physiological effect will be on proteins. All proteins have an optimum temperature. As temperatures rise, ectothermic organism who are unable to control their core temperature, are the most likely to be affected first. Rising temperatures could cause Hydrogen bonds to break thus the tertiary structure of these proteins will change. These changes could render the proteins useless as they are no longer specific to their original needs. Thus organisms could have difficult in digestion (enzymes denatured), cell division (controlled by proteins) and hormonal control (hormones are proteins).

Nutritional Prevention in Alzheimers Disease - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1089 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/02/20 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: Nutrition Essay Did you like this example? Alzheimer’s disease is a very complicated disorder and it is not completely understood yet. There have been very few studies in relation to dietary intake and nutritional prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Some recent researchers have been geared towards finding out what preventions would best combat Alzheimer’s disease or cognitive depression in general. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Nutritional Prevention in Alzheimers Disease" essay for you Create order Some people recommend a specific diet, while others suggest to raise or lower just a few specific nutrients. There is varying opinions as to what the best method for prevention is, but the general consensus was to eat a healthy diet and stay active throughout the aging process. Some researchers have attempted to get more specific and determine which nutrients are important for Alzheimer’s prevention. There are some different organizations and groups with interest in helping prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. BrightFocus is a foundation that currently funds research for Alzheimer’s prevention. A long with funding a researcher, Alzheimer’s Prevention: Nutrition lifestyle (2016) also discusses some strategies that could be taken immediately, and potentially decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The people at BrightFocus say that cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity can all contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s. They believe that someone should maintain active, both mentally and physically, as well as eat an appropriate diet to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The only Dietary advice given is to eat healthy fats like Omega-3’s, and generally have a low-glycemic diet (Alzheimer’s Prevention: Nutrition lifestyle, 2016). The website does not list any evidence for their claims, but it is presented in a simple manor for the average person to understand. There are other organizations and people who want to spread the information about Alzheimer’s disease and possible prevention strategies. Another website discusse s similar ideas for prevention of Alzheimer’s; (About dementia/Alzheimer’s disease, n.d) gets into more detail about the healthful food options and the reasons for making the dietary changes. They suggest a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamin E and a few others for the antioxidant behaviors. The most important dietary influence to Alzheimer’s disease in the harmful protein compound homocysteine (About dementia/Alzheimer’s disease, n.d). They then discuss a couple studies that associate low levels of homocysteine with high levels of the vitamins B12, B6, and folate. Lowering levels of the protein homocysteine can reduce or slow cognitive decline, and can be lowered with B12, B6 and folate supplements (About dementia/Alzheimer’s disease, n.d). Some other people recommend specific diets in order to highlight the good nutrients and limit the harmful ones. Murad from Mayoclinic.org (2018) has a few suggestions for the average person. She recommends a type of Mediterranean diet called the MIND diet; this diet is meant to highlight the beneficial nutrients while limiting the harmful ones. The diet is higher in green veggies, with minimal red meat, and fish frequently as with other healthy fats like oils and nuts. This diet emphasizes on reducing risks for other health problems like cardiovascular disease and hypertension, which can be risks for cognitive decline. While the diet cannot reverse anything that has already been done, it is seen with reducing the cognitive decline or delaying it (Murad, 2018). On the other hand, the actual researchers suggest that Omega-3 fatty acids, found mostly in fish, is an invaluable source for Alzheimer’s prevention. The intake of Omega-3 fats was inversely associated with the risk for Alzheimer’s disease (Morris, Evans, Bienias, 2003). Morris et al. (2003) claims that one or more fish meal per week can reduce Alzheimer’s risk by over half. The people who consumed more Omega-3’s a 70% reduction of risks, as compared to the people who hardly consumed the Omega-3’s. In general, Morris et al. (2003) claims that Omega-3’s and fish consumption is associated with lowering the risks of Alzheimer’s disease or cognitive decline. According to this study, DHA was the main Omega-3 having the strongest effects on Alzheimer prevention (Morris et al., 2003). Other researc hers have been interested in the association of omega-3 fats, eating fish, and the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease. Another study by Devore et al (2009) has findings of no benefit in increasing Omega-3 intake or fish consumption. Their study shows that someone still has the same amount of risk for getting Alzheimer’s with high fish consumption or not. At the same time, other studies have found associations between the fish, omega-3 fats, and Alzheimer’s risk. Fish consumption is associated with less cognitive decline in 5-years (Gelder, Tijhuis, Kalmijn, Kromhout, 2007). This still coincides with the study from Devore et al (2009), because they found some benefits to fish consumption, but for only about 8 years. Fish consumption is a major source of the fatty acids, and protects in limiting cognitive decline in older men (Gelder et al., 2007). Fish consumption was consistent throughout each of the articles or studies; the only difference is the length of time for the protection against cognitive decline. The MIND diet suggested by Murad (2016) highlights the key nutrients from the other studies performed. This is helpful for the average person, because it gives them ideas of the foods they should eat. In general, the information geared for the consumers was similar to the information found from the studies. Each of the we bsites recommended consuming fish regularly, while watching other risk factors such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension. In Morris et al., (2003) and Gelder et al., (2007) fish consumption was associated decreased risk for Alzheimer’s; furthermore, Devore et al., (2009) goes the furthest out in timespan for the study. Devore et al., (2009) found that the benefits only last about 8 years before cognitive abilities are about the same as people who consume less fish. Overall, the studies seem to support the evidence that was presented in the websites. The studies and the website all shared similar information, with the websites being in a much simpler format for the average adult concerned with their cognitive abilities. Alzheimer’s prevention still is not completely clear, but researchers are starting to learn more about it in the recent years. Some websites and blogs relay the information, at the same time they try to push their specific products or diets. The websites suggested their solutions as the answer to the question, while the studies still require more data to completely prove the association. There is some evidence for this nutritional prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, but it is not as sure as the websites are claiming it to be.