Tort Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Tort Law - Essay Example Because of the combined efforts of the county hospital staff, and Dr. Andrews the disability that will make Bobby’s life more difficult now will be doubly worse. Ace Sports might argue that Bobby shares comparative negligence because he should not have dunked the ball. However, had it not been Bobby who cut up his wrists dunking a ball, it would have eventually happened to some kid with the metal dangerously positioned as it was. Ace Sports had a contractual agreement with the school and a social duty to install a safe product. Gary Owen defines the five components of negligence as duty, breach, cause in fact, proximate cause and harm. Duty involves choices. â€Å"Negligence law assesses human choices to engage in harmful conduct as proper or improper. . . .Serving in this manner as the foundational element of a negligence claim, duty provides the front door to recovery for the principal cause of action in the law of torts† (Owen, 2010, p. 1674). Ace Sports had a duty to install a safe basketball hoop and breached that duty by leaving harmful metal sticking out around the rim. Bobby just happened to be the first to encounter the piece s of jagged metal. The school, of course, shares no liability because they relied on the competency of the people they hired to install the rims and presumably had no knowledge of the sharp rims. The first hospital, City General, where Rachel took Bobby, has some responsibility in Bobby’s hands being amputated. Their staff had a duty to treat Bobby at least to a point where no further damage would have been caused by a delay. Obviously, from City General’s point of view, they could have treated Bobby and then not been paid because he had no insurance. Their policy implies they had the right to refuse service based on a patient’s uninsured status and therefore his ability to pay for treatment. Paul H. Rubin calls medical care a commodity, specifically an â€Å"ambiguous product.† Rubin

Internet gambling Essay Example for Free

Internet gambling Essay Gambling online is growing exponentially, without the protection of reliable regulatory structures that ensure age and identity verification, the integrity/fairness of the games, or that responsible gaming features are included on a site. In a poorly regulated Internet environment, this study investigates gambling on twenty online sites. Content analysis was utilised to evaluate whether the sample displayed responsible gambling features. In the absence of established, agreed, regulatory evaluation criteria, the researchers constructed their own, based on examples of good practice on available websites and following the recommendations of the Gambling Review Report 2001 and the Gambling Act 2005. The primary findings suggest that most online gambling sites are responsible and most show elements of good practice, which is of interest given the unregulated environment and absence of policing. While some features are derived from conventional gambling policies and regulatory influences, some are unique to the special ethical risks of gambling on line. Web designers and commissioning organisations appear to have anticipated social criticisms by incorporating guards against unethical outcomes before regulatory controls have been imposed. As the impossibility of regulating/controlling the Internet is a common cliche in many commentators’ analysis, this self regulation and willingness to refrain from taking revenue from vulnerable punters, is intriguing. The authors recommend further research to establish an accurate picture, including the size and characteristics of the UK online gambling market. Secondly, to study and compare online gambling with more traditional forms of gambling in terms of underage and problem gambling. More studies need to investigate which forms of responsible gambling are most effective in reducing underage and problem gambling. Lastly, the response of the industry to legislation and micro regulation would be a guide for policy makers and responsible industry practitioners. Introduction Since the increased popularity of Internet access into homes and workplaces in the early nineties, Internet gambling opportunities have expanded at a surprisingly swift pace and more people are gambling online (Wood, Williams and Lawton, 2007). The unregulated nature and uncontrollability of the Internet, with low or no tax gambling, have created a perfect environment for the proliferation of gambling (Crist and Yeager, 1998). Anyone, anytime, anywhere with a computer, a connection, and a credit card can gamble at hundreds of different online gambling websites. Recent statistics state there are as many as 2,500 gambling websites currently operating; consisting of 1,083 online casinos, 592 sports and race-books, 532 poker rooms, 224 online bingo sites, 49 skill game sites, 30 betting exchanges, 25 lottery sites and 17 backgammon sites (Casino City, 2006). Gamcare (2008) state that the number of Internet gambling websites is approximately 3,000. By 12 September 2007, the Gambling Commission had received only 146 applications for operating licences that include provision for online gambling, a minute proportion of the 2,500 sites worldwide. Internet gambling revenues in a single year were $651 million in 1998, more than double the estimated $300 million from 1997 (Sinclair,1999). Further, the global Internet gambling industry is forecast to grow from about $9,000 million in 2004 to $25,000 million in 2010 (European Commission, 2006). If the estimated figures are accurate, then the importance of Internet gambling will continue to rise. Gambling presents a large set of negative social consequences and online gambling has its own challenges beyond those of gambling in general; introducing many new potential problems and rekindling many old ones (Griffiths,1999). Internet and land based casinos have problems detecting and deterring addicted gamblers. Even with the opportunity presented to physically verify age in conventional gambling outlets, no gambling jurisdiction is 100% effective in keeping out underage gambling (Gambling Online Magazine, 2004). It is feared that the anonymity offered by the Internet will exacerbate this problem. Computer-based systems allow gamblers to self-exclude or establish loss limits and may stand a better chance of being effective than the current systems in most conventional casinos. Whilst a determined gambler can move from site to site, reports of players’ activities can be made readily available with contact details for bodies that aim to assist those with problem gambling issues. However, offline and online operators other than those regulated in the UK, do not collect information about a customer’s financial situation, spending or habits, for both practical and protection of privacy reasons. A person who has developed a problem must identify it themselves and take their own constructive steps to deal with it. Operators only train staff to help those who believe they have a problem and approach customer services. Presently there is no comprehensive research or definitive standard as to how to identify someone who has developed a gambling problem. The prevailing view is that it is the minority of players who develop gambling problems. The current regulatory response to this issue is influenced by this perspective (EGBA, 2007). The Growth of Internet Gambling Several factors have contributed to the growth of online gambling. †¢ Internet access has increased globally and technologies that drive the Internet have improved. Confidence in conducting financial transactions online has increased and some governments have licensed online operators within their borders. †¢ The personal computer extends the range of choice. Land-based casinos dictate which games are available to players. Online gambling lets players move through cyberspace to play the games they prefer. †¢ The Internet provides the highest level of anonymity for conducting gambling. The more pervasive concern has been that the Internet attracts people away from person-to-person contact, fostering alienation and real-world disconnection (Boase, 2006). †¢ The costs of establishing online sites are considerably less than those of land-based gambling operations. Flatt (1998) has estimated as little as $135,000. Problem Gambling The ability to gamble anonymously provides problem gamblers with a safe haven without physical scrutiny or surveillance (Scharf and Corrin, 2002). Problem gambling is categorised as an addiction. A severe disorder characterised by obsessive thoughts of gambling, a loss of control, often involving lying and stealing in order to recover gambling losses. As well as other negative consequences (Netemeyer,1998). Specific to Internet Gambling is the role that technology contributes to alteration in gambling habits (Griffiths, 1999). There are no regulated opening times, as exercised by terrestrial operations. It has been argued that there is an ‘exodus from reality’, in the sense that gambling online does not involve ‘real cash’. A gambler may lose control as he or she cannot see a money balance and does not suffer a physical loss. Online gambling loses the social aspect of gambling creating the disadvantage that there are no friends or peers to discourage a gambler from going too far (Griffiths, 1999). Underage Gambling. There is a high priority of protecting children from online gambling, considered more addictive than conventional forms of gambling, because of young people’s familiarity with and access to computer-based technologies (Conway and Koehler, 2000). They have a perception of control resulting from their skills honed playing PlayStation or interactive video games, and may have a false sense of security boosted by their fluency (Mackay, 2004). Another concern is that underage gamblers have easy access to sites and to forms of gambling, from which they otherwise would be excluded by conventional outlets. Many sites offer a ‘demo’ mode, i.e. play without wagering money. It is suspected that ‘demo’ games may give very good odds. Adolescents who are successful on these games could develop a habit which continues when they reach adulthood and are legally permitted to gamble for money, when the odds are no longer so favourable (Mackay, 2004). Regulation Gambling in its various forms is often seen as a deeply-rooted trait of the human activity, which although a source of gratification for many and not innately immoral, can cause harm to individuals. Gambling has long been subject to regulation by governments, reflecting moral, religious and political mores. A pragmatic motivation for such regulation is to generate revenue, which might result in a conflict of interest in regulatory regimes, as the industry grows. The objective of regulation can vary from protecting consumers by ensuring the probity and integrity of the gambling operators and the purging of fraud and abuse of criminal activities, such as money laundering, to reduction of the social cost of problem gambling. There is a gap in the literature concerning the efficacy of regulation. Regulation of online gambling is a comparatively new phenomenon and it is too early to measure its effectiveness. There are debates about appropriate licensing frameworks, legal and technical standards for operators and cover issues, such as protection of customer funds, continuous and repetitive play and intervention to tackle problem gambling. Methodology Content analysis, adopted for this study, has been defined as a systematic, replicable technique for compressing many words of text into fewer content categories based on explicit rules of coding (Krippendorff, 1980). Content analysis has four key advantages: †¢ it is unobtrusive †¢ it is flexible and applicable to unstructured materials †¢ it is context sensitive. †¢ it can be applied to large amounts of data. The lack of research applying content analysis to websites is partially a result of the complexity of Internet information, in particular; the definition of a website, the unit of analysis and the method of sampling. A major problem in conducting Internet content analysis is related to defining the term ‘website. ’ With a large volume of information on a website, it becomes unworkable to analyse the whole website. Therefore, parts of the website, the units of analysis, must be chosen for evaluation. In addition to size, websites differ in purpose, structure and content, therefore selecting a unit of analysis consistently across all samples is highly problematic (Ha and James, 1998). Coding an entire website is difficult and can introduce bias based on size. Selecting the unit of analysis is not an easy task as the volume of data can overwhelm the researcher. In this study the first step was to decide on the sample. The sample consisted of the top twenty most popular online gambling sites visited in Britain, according to: †¢ www. gambling. com, †¢ www. cam-orl. co. uk. Internet-betting-online. html and †¢ www. ukcasinoguide.org. uk . The sites were accessed and coded during a period of three days, in February 2006. The term website was applied on a general level, defined as a collection of pages or files linked together and available online. The unit of analysis was the homepage, plus drill downs. The study attempted to limit the analysis to the homepage. However, it was decided that the content available on a homepage was too limited and did not necessarily reflect the breadth and scope of content available on the whole website. The study experimented with gambling sites. A commonality of approaches indicated prima facie industry norms. The study observed evidence of good practice. The content of the websites was evaluated by characteristics providing factual information and of responsible gambling. The coding template was based on possible features associated with each of the two categories and was used to record the content of each website, within the unit of analysis. Ratings were based on how difficult it was to locate information. More drill downs meant the information was harder to find and scored a lower rating. It was believed that the more easily located and extensive the information, the more an online gambling operator was committed to responsible gambling. Reliability and Validity The reliability of a study involving content analysis refers to the stability and reproducibility of the results (Stemler, 2001). Stability requires researchers to code the data consistently. According to Weber (1990), concerns regarding reliability often stem from the ambiguity of word meanings, category definitions, or other coding rules. The validity of a study involving content analysis is determined by the extent to which the definitions (included in the tool) reflect the sub-categories. The validity of categories is enhanced by the inclusion of many words to arrive at the same judgment. For example, the words gambling and betting were considered interchangeable. One of the primary reasons to conduct content analysis is to collect objective information. Therefore, the study ensured that the procedure was clearly laid out and defined. It was consistently applied to the sample. The following three steps were taken to enhance the reliability and validity of the study’s findings and to ensure that the information gathered was objective. First, to enhance the reliability of the results, after the tool was applied to the website, the coder re-coded the website on the same day to ensure accuracy. Second, the coding scheme was tested to ensure the suitability of the categories and the overall reliability of the tool. It was important that the list of variables was exhaustive and mutually exclusive in order to avoid any confusion. Lastly, to improve the validity of the results, the definitions were reviewed and expanded to ensure that there was an exhaustive list of words for each sub-category where applicable. For example, for the sub-category ‘Addiction Help,’ words such as ‘problem gambling,’ ‘concerns about gambling,’ were included in the coding guidelines to broaden the category, allowing the coder to capture the data. Findings Considering the large amount of data collected, only the criteria of responsible gambling were analysed intensively. These are illustrated in Table 1. The key areas of concern, underage gambling and problem gambling are expanded in Tables 2 and 3 respectively. Sample characteristics Security Online gambling security is as good as most other e-commerce sites. There are no reported any security-related fraud (Turner, 2002). Online gambling sites know that cheating their customers is bad for business and therefore tend to be honest. The market is so competitive that the reputation of market leaders is paramount. Players are likely to switch to rival sites if practices are questionable. Payment systems are critical to the success of any online business and online gambling operators have their own particular challenges to face. The integrity of systems must be assured. [pic] Table 1 Voluntary Initiatives Systems must be secure from hackers and crackers, from both outside and from within. There are readily available codes to ensure security such as the use of encryption and digital signatures. These technologies are already in use. All sites accessed displayed secure transaction information. The ‘dot com boom’ followed by the ‘dot com crash’ has had Internet gambling casualties. Several Internet gambling operators have gone bankrupt. For example Netbetsports and Luvbet folded owing their customers money (Barker, 2007). These firms had a relatively high profile within the industry. Luvbet was one of the first bookmakers to promote an Internet site offering tax free betting. Netbetsports offered Internet customers high bet limits and tax free betting, when UK tax rates were still nine per cent. Internet gambling is expanding in ever-changing and unregulated websites (Hartman, 2007; Holahan, 2006). It is uncertain whether as an unintended consequence of domestic regulation; risk taking clients might be challenged to gamble with unscrupulous vendors. This could represent an extra excitement factor, perhaps generating worse personal consequences, than in an unregulated environment. Responsible gambling The concern with responsible gambling is the rationale of this study. It was intended to measure how online sites recognise that gambling can cause problems for customers and to investigate and record the measures to offer checks. The websites were evaluated according to how helpful responsible gambling information was. The study found no consistency in the responsible gambling information. British legislation requires mandatory procedures promoting socially responsible gambling. This should be clear and prominent on their homepage, if it is to be effective. Eleven sites displayed responsible features on the home page or easily accessible links. Most of the remaining sites contained these features, but access was difficult, hence their lower rating. Fair Gaming and Independent Audits Fair gaming refers to sites operating honestly and responsibly, ensuring monetary deposit safety and winning bets paid in a timely manner. Fifty-five per cent of sites accessed contained information stating that they were independently audited. Independent audits confirm the percentage of payouts of games, review the output and validity of the software, that it consistently produces random results and fair outcomes of games. For example Price Coopers Waterhouse at www. roxypalace. com. The Gambling Review Report (2001) recommends that online gambling software systems must be random-operated and tested by the Gambling Commission. Online sites must make payments only to the credit card used to make deposits or by cheque to the player. The study looked for evidence of these recommended features. Security and honesty of transactions are as important to the supplier as the customer. A bad reputation for online gambling sites could be commercially crippling (Griffiths, 2003). Therefore the responsible features recorded here do have an economic payoff. Ethical Statement An ethical code was a key criterion to be assessed when visiting each site. Only one ‘ethical code’ which covered policies on compliance and data protection, measures restricting minors and the risks of compulsive gambling, was observed. This might be seen as a ‘narrow’ interpretation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) focussing on legal/rule based elements. Legal safeguards are problematic, since any Internet relationship questions which law should be complied with. Smeaton and Griffiths (2004) found two-thirds of the sites they visited displayed no evidence of social responsibility and concluded that social responsibility was a low priority for online sites. Problem Gambling Social responsibility can be evidenced by attempts to offer services in a way that does not encourage repetitive play or by supporting a client with a problem. Sixty per cent of the websites provided problem gambling information. InterCasino UK |Ethics drill down finds the website is committed to detecting and reducing compulsive gambling with |Med | | |procedures including monthly deposit limits and analysis of gambling patterns (this information was not | | | |verifable for the study). | | |Coral Casino |Link to GamCare and facilities for daily/weekly deposit limits, self exclusion periods and access to customer|High | | |accounts. | | |Platinum Play Casino |Link to gambling support agencies and facilities for self-assessment tests, daily/weekly deposit limits, self|High | | |exclusion periods, access to customer accounts and filtering programmes. | | |Spin Palace Casino |Link to gambling support agencies and facility self exclusion periods. |Med | |City Club Casino |Link to a statement of encouraging sensible gambling and link to Gamblers Anonymous. |Low | |Roxy Palace Online Casino |Link to Gamblers Anonymous website. |Low | |32 Vegas Red |Link to Gamblers Anonymous website. |Low | |Victor Chandler |No link or message to be found. |Nil | |Crazy Vegas Casino |Link to gambling support agencies and facilities for self-assessment tests, daily/weekly deposit limits, self|High | | |exclusion periods and filtering programmes. | | |English Harbour |Link to Gamblers Anonymous website. |Low | |Casino Tropez |No link or message to be found. |Nil | |Vegas Red Casino |No link or message to be found. |Nil | |Ruby Fortune Casino |Link to gambling support agencies and facilities for self-assessment tests, daily/weekly deposit limits, self|High | | |exclusion periods, access to customer accounts and filtering programmes. | | |Eurobet Casino |Link to GamCare and facilities for daily/weekly deposit limits, self exclusion periods and access to customer|Med | | |accounts. | | |UK Casino Club |About Us link leads to a Responsible Gaming Policy which offers a self-assessment test, cooling off |Med | | |periods and exclusion options. | | |Golden Riviera |Link to Gamblers Anonymous website. |Low | |William Hill Casino |Link to GamCare and facilities for daily/weekly deposit limits, self exclusion periods and access to customer|Med | | |accounts. | | |Hammers Casino |No link or message to be found. |Nil | |King Solomons Casino |No link or message to be found. |Nil | |www. 888. com |Link to Gamblers Anonymous website. |Low | Table 3 Problem Gambling Information UK legislation requires training of gambling operators’ employees to identify problems and to have procedures to sensitively deal with these. Fifteen sites had problem gambling information. Five linked to the Gamblers Anonymous website. Four sites offered assessment tests. It was not within the parameters of this study, to determine if online gambling sites follow up on tests, when a result indicated a problem. Three of the sites accessed provided information relating to filtering programmes, which can block underage users. These could be found through links to other sites and there was a free trial download facility available. Self-exclusion and Deposit Limits A player who feels that he or she is losing control of play and requires help in restricting access to online gambling were served by eight sites in this study that provided the facility for self-exclusion. This option was never located on the homepage and accessed only through drill downs. The study could not determine if applications were processed immediately or if self-exclusion from one site meant exclusion from multiple sites. It was unclear if these schemes required the gambler to undergo counseling assessments prior to re-admission, or if after the self-exclusion period had lapsed; the player automatically was included again. The study was also not able to clarify if players who request self-exclusion were given information about problem gambling counseling services. Computer-based systems can allow gamblers to self-exclude or establish loss limits and may stand a better chance of being effective than the current systems in most conventional casinos today. Whilst a determined gambler can move from site to site, reports of a player’s activities can be made readily available, with contact details for bodies that aim to assist those with problem gambling issues. Internet gambling operators are equipped to collect adequate data and information to be able to identify patterns of problem gambling (DCMS, 2006). There is the technological ability for operators to collect enough data to be able to identify patterns of problem gambling. This is a requirement of the 2005 Act. However, this is a prescription only for operators with a British licence and the position of the European Gambling and Betting Association (EGBA, 2007) is that it is extremely difficult to monitor and identify when someone has begun to gamble irresponsibly. Therefore according to EGBA, offline and online gambling operators should not collect information about a customer’s financial situation, spending or habits, for both practical and privacy issues. Operators that act on this aim to establish a responsible reputation and may see it as a competitive advantage factor. Yet they may infringe the principle of privacy. An issue for regulators is whether to acquire the power to compel operators to intervene in the event of identifying a problem gambler. The technical provisions in Britain for socially responsible Internet gambling have been drafted and are in the process are being applied. Assessment of the effectiveness of regulations in curbing problem gambling has yet to be done. Some sites permit customers to limit the amount of money that they are able to deposit into their account on both a daily and/or a weekly basis. It was noted that amounts may be revised downwards at any time, but increases are implemented after twenty-four hours. The online gambling operators are unable to override limits set by customers. Some sites allow access to a player’s full history of transactions, withdrawals and deposits. The Gambling Review Report (2001) recommends online sites should be required to set up facilities that enable players to set maximum stakes, limits and to self-ban. Protection of Underage Gamblers In order to ensure child safety online sites were evaluated for identity verification and exclusion facilities, such as the use of filtering software. The Gambling Review Report (2001) offers guidelines to ensure that identification standards are comparable to those of off-line casinos. It asserts that all players who register to play online should be properly identified before they are permitted to play. Age Verification Most sites studied required a prospective gambler to only complete a registration form in order to play. These sites rely on the player to disclose their correct age and do not verify the accuracy of the information. Underage gamblers can use their parents’ credit cards or even their own to register and set up accounts (Schroeder and Versch, 1998). The Gambling Review Report (2001) recommends that players who register online should be properly identified, before they are permitted to play. All sites displayed an age warning on their homepage. 32 Vegas Red alone stated it had taken steps to ensure that their site did not attract young people and used software that stops the underage from joining. Smeaton and Griffiths (2004) have investigated underage gambling and found poor standards of verification. The concern is that many sites are not employing identity verifications systems to check the age of players and therefore allow underage play. Verification systems work by searching available government and financial databases, to find evidence to support the personal information supplied by the player. For example, credit ratings or inclusion on the electoral roll can verify that the player is of the required age. However such searching again might threaten individual privacy. InterCasino UK |Logo displayed on homepage. Ethics drill down reveals site requires customers to declare that |Low | | |they are of legal age. | | |Coral Casino |Logo linked to statement that the company reserves the right to request proof of age. |Med | |Platinum Play Casino |Logo linked to statement defining the customer as adult and sane as per laws of country of |Med | | |residence. | | |Spin Palace Casino |Logo linked to statement relying on responsible parenting. |Med | |City Club Casino |Terms of Use drill down states customer must be adult as per country of residence. |Low | |Roxy Palace Online Casino |Terms Conditions drill down states customer must be of legal age. |Low | |32 Vegas Red |About Us drill down leads to Responsible Gaming drill down stating it is illegal for anyone |High | | |under 18 to open an account or to play and that they have taken steps to ensure that the website| | | |does not attract young people and our website uses software that stops under 18s joining (this | | | |could not be verified by the study). Also requests responsible parenting. | | |Victor Chandler |Logo linked to statement defining the customer as adult as per laws of country of residence. |Med | |Crazy Vegas Casino |Logo linked to statement relying on responsible parenting. |Med | |English Harbour |Terms Conditions drill down states customer must be of legal age. |Low | |Casino Tropez |Terms of Use drill down states customer must be of legal age. |Low | |Vegas Red Casino |Terms of Use drill down states customer must be of legal age. |Low | |Ruby Fortune Casino |Logo linked to statement relying on responsible parenting. |Med | |Eurobet Casino |Logo linked to statement stating the company reserves the right to request proof of age. |Med | |UK Casino Club |Responsible Gaming drill down leads to downloadable Children Protection Software and urges |High | | |responsible parenting. | | |Golden Riviera |Terms Conditions drill down states customer must be of legal age. |Low | |William Hill Casino |Responsible Gaming drill down leads to statement that the company reserves the right to request|Med | | |proof of age. | | |Hammers Casino |Terms of Use drill down states customer must be adult as per country of residence. |Low | |King Solomons Casino |Logo linked to statement defining the customer as adult and sane as per laws of country of |Low | | |residence. | | |www. 888. com |Link leads to statement that it is illegal for anyone under 18 to play and that they have taken |High | | |steps to discourage and track young people (this could not be verified by the study). Website | | | |recommends software supporting responsible parenting. | | Table 2 Age Verification Telephone Betting The Gambling Review Report (2001) states that aspects of online gambling should be more heavily regulated than conventional gambling. However, the Internet’s characteristics make it more difficult to regulate. This study looked for evidence of telephone betting and considered implications of this facility. The three sites that offer the player the facility of telephone betting have a UK High Street presence. It could be argued that the reason why these organisations have added online sites to their operations is to expand opportunities. Using the BCG Matrix, the shops could be considered ‘cash cows,’ well-established with high market share. The new online sites could be ‘stars. ’ The prospect of growth is exciting as are the opportunities (McDonald, 2002). Land-based operators provide an online presence, giving extra services for the player, the anonymity of play compared to their shops, higher levels of usibility, and possibly even more security, simply to grow their businesses, rather than to offer player protection in this feature (Johnson, 1997). Ultimately this criterion failed to help evaluate the concept of responsible on line gambling, given the ‘virtual’ existence of most sites. Technical Support All sites provide ‘24-7’ telephone and technical support, with free numbers, player-to-technician online chatroom and email support. Every channel of communication is available to guarantee full access for a player. This measure is clearly very important to the site operators and customers. The sites are very competent in not losing customers through technical problems and offer very many points of contact. Yet the same form of in house supportive ‘counseling’ service is not offered to problem gamblers. Licenses It is not illegal for British residents to gamble online, nor is it illegal for overseas operators to offer online gambling to British residents. However, the Gambling Act 2005 requires an operator to obtain a licence if they site any piece of equipment, for example a database, presentation device, or determining device in the UK, regardless of whether other devices are outside the country (DCMS, 2005). Gibraltar |Canada |Caribbean |UK |Unknown | |5 |7 |6 |1 |1 |. Table 4 Sources of Licenses As an example the City Club Casino is licensed by the Island of Curacao, but displays US and UK freefone numbers, in prominent positions on their website, which may mislead the player into thinking that the site is American or British. Another disingenuous feature is when ‘UK’ appears.

Political and Economic Causes of the Great Depression

Political and Economic Causes of the Great Depression The Great Depression: Political and Economic Causes in the Americas The Great Depression was a big economic slump in the 1930’s. Many Americans lost their jobs, their savings, and their homes. However, the United States was not the only affected country. The business slump affected the entire world. Many attribute Black Tuesday, when the New York Stock Exchange crashed in 1929, as the major cause, but one can not overlook the fact that there was not just one single factor causing this economic downfall. Most historians and economists agree that the stock market crash was just one of many contributors to the slump. In reality, it was more of a sign that things had already gone wrong. To understand the Depression’s causes, one must go further back. The Great Depression resulted from a combination of economical and political causes that had been building up since months prior to the crash. After World War I ended, American farmers had a difficult time making profits. The farm depression of the 1920’s was a contributing economic factor to the Great Depression. Farmers were producing a surplus and well over what American consumers were purchasing. Prices of agricultural products fell about forty percent by 1921 and remained low for the rest of the decade (Causes of the Great Depression). Some farmers were in so much deficit they couldn’t even pay off the mortgage on their farm and had to rent the land or even leave. Hard times had hit other major parts of the economy, as well, including energy, coal mining, railroads, shipbuilding, and textiles. Businesses had too much inventory and too few buyers. In addition, high tariffs and war debts were political causes of the Great Depression. America had lent money to the United Kingdom and other European nations in World War I reparations. This caused many other economies to become reliant on the U.S. economy. As the United States experienced this economic downturn, many other nations were affected as America insisted on repayment. European countries couldn’t afford to repay their debts. Tensions were further exacerbated when the Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act was passed in 1930. Based on the ideals of protectionism, this act raised import duties to protect American farmers and businessmen, resulting in world trade decline by 66% from 1929 to 1934 and international economic strain (5 Possible Causes of the Great Depression). The 1920’s were a time of great economic and technological growth in America. World War I had just ended, and Americans were ready to take a break from the anxiety of world politics. During this time, known as the Roaring Twenties, Americans were focused on making money and having fun. Factories built to make weapons and ammunition for the war were reestablished to churn out consumer products. But, overproduction in industry resulted in an economic cause of the Great Depression. America was actually more productive than ever, but the gap between the rich and the poor kept growing. Many manufacturers were turning huge profits, but most of that was going to the management, not the workers. Too few workers could afford to buy what the factories were producing. Also, the surplus products could not be sold to foreign countries because of the high tariffs. Still, people rushed to spend their money on cars, radios, telephones and other new technologies.This uneven distribution of inc ome was one of the many economic causes of the Great Depression. â€Å"The top one percent of the wealthy Americans owned over a third of all American assets† (The Great Depression). â€Å"Ninety-nine percent of the population received a nine percent increase in their income, while the top one percent saw their income rise by seventy-five percent† (5 Main Causes of the Great Depression). One of the major infamous events that led to the Great Depression was the Stock Market Crash of 1929. Without the cash to buy of those neat new gadgets like cars and radios, consumers relied on another new invention: credit. Americans were saving less and spending money they didn’t have. They were even borrowing money to invest in the stock market. Stock brokers readily agreed to sell shares on margin, where they would lend citizens money to buy stock. The savings were not insured. Through speculation, these investors figured that the stock prices were bound to go up, allowing them to pay back the stock’s original price ten-fold. This helped inflate stock prices well above what they were actually worth. On October 29, 1929, reality finally caught up to the stock market. Panic spread as the prices dropped. Investors began to sell stock, causing prices to drop. In response, brokers called back their loans. However, investors did not have enough money to payoff the loans. Then, brokers demanded the sale of stocks to payoff the loans. This unending cycle caused alarm and money to vanish. Economies naturally go through periods where there is more supply of products than demand. When that happens on a widespread level, there is a recession, a period where the economy shrinks. There are lots of possible reasons for why the 1929 slowdown turned into a full-fledged depression, which is a longer, more severe recession. When borrowers were unable to repay their loans, banks failed. â€Å"In 1929, there were 25,568 banks in the United States; by 1933, there were only 14,771. Personal and corporate savings dropped from $15.3 billion in 1929 to $2.3 billion in 1933.† (5 Possible Causes of the Great Depression). People everywhere started losing it. They rushed to local banks to withdraw their money while they still could. When that happened, banks across the country went under and had to close– causing thousands of people to lose their life savings. â€Å"As banks went bankrupt, both consumer spending and investment fell into a downward spiral. Output fell while unemployment rose resulting in the negative multiplier effect† (Economics Essays: Causes of Great Depression). Many historians also fault Herbert Hoover, the President in 1929, for making things even worse. He thought the key to ending the panic was balancing the government’s budget, so he raised taxes. That made consumers even less likely to spend, and businesses less likely to risk money on expansion. Finally, a 10-year drought hit the Great Plains in 1930, putting even more pressure on farmers. The Dust Bowl further exacerbated problems caused by the Great Depression. Millions of acres of farmland were rendered useless and infertile. The drought added thousands of farmers to the already growing number of unemployed workers. Reaching its zenith in 1933, unemployment was twenty-five percent (Causes Of The Great Depression | What Happened And How It Compares With Today?). Although some facts are clear-cut, the exact causes of the Great Depression are still being debated. Some of the mainstream theories include the Monetarists view, Austrian view, Keynesian view, and Marxist view. Monetarists believe that the Great Depression was an ordinary recession, but that it degenerated into the Great Depression as a result of the policies implemented by monetary authorities, especially the Federal Reserve. One of the major mistakes was that the Fed did not increase the supply of money to combat deflation. (What Happened During The Great Depression of 1929?). The Austrian view states that the unsustainable credit boom in the 1920’s was the major cause. Particularly, the decision in inflate the U.S. economy to try and help the United Kingdom remain on the Gold standard rate was an indelible mistake (Economics Essays: Causes of Great Depression). They argue that the loss of trust in the banking system was the major harm. The Keynesian theory claims that the problem was the lack of aggregate demand. Based on classical economics, this theory believed that real output would naturally return to equilibrium. However, the Great Depression showed that this was not the case. Keynes argued that governments should intervene in the economy to stimulate demand and fix the problem (Economics Essays: Causes of Great Depression). Lastly, the Marxist View saw the Great Depression as a symbol of the failure of capitalism. Contrary, economies with state-sponsored economic planning, such as the Soviet Union, were more successful as they overcame the Great Depression (Economics Essays: Causes of Great Depression). To this day, economists are still debating the exact causes of the Great Depression. Contrary to popular belief, the Great Depression did not result directly from Stock Market Crash of 1929, but instead from political and economical causes that were building up months prior to the crash. Most historians agree that the Great Depression had devastating effects on the international economy. In order to prevent another catastrophic event from reoccurring, the government generally spends whenever the economy slows. It gives money back to Americans through tax cuts and financial support. Additionally, the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, making it cheaper for people to borrow money. When people and businesses can borrow money easily, they’re more likely to spend it and keep the economy humming along. This policy has kept recessions from turning into depressions ever since. Works Cited 5 Main Causes of the Great Depression. 5 Main Causes of the Great Depression. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Sept. 2014. . 5 Possible Causes of the Great Depression. About. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Sept. 2014. . Causes Of The Great Depression | What Happened And How It Compares With Today?. The Great Depression. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Sept. 2014. . Causes of the Great Depression. Causes of the Great Depression. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Sept. 2014. . Economics Essays: Causes of Great Depression. Economics Essays: Causes of Great Depression. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Sept. 2014. . The Great Depression. ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 5 Sept. 2014. . What Happened During The Great Depression of 1929?. About. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Sept. 2014. .

The Principal Characters of Shakespeares Sonnets :: William Shakespeare, Sonnets

One of the many intriguing aspects of Shakespeare's Sonnets is the identity of the principal characters within them, of which there are three: - The Young Man - The Dark Lady - The Rival Poet Nowhere in the Sonnets are these people explicitly identified and their anonymity has spawned much debate as to who these people could have been. The content of the Sonnets that refer to these people however, undoubtedly show that these were indeed real, living people and not imaginary inventions by the author for the sake of literary exercise. Many poets of the Elizabethan and Jacobean age wrote verse to others and did not refrain from identifying who they were addressing. Some poems were clearly dedicated to the addressees, such as Spenser's Prothalamion which is dedicated "in honovr of the dovble marriage of the two Honorable & vertuous Ladies, the Ladie Elizabeth and the Ladie Katherine Somerset, Daughters to the Right Honourable the Earle of Worcester and espoused to the two worthie Gentlemen M. Henry Gilford, and M. William Peter Esquyers". And Spenser makes clear that the poem is about the Somerset ladies within the poem itself by punning on their names in the 4th. stanza: "But rather Angels or of Angels breede: Yet were they bred of Somers-heat they say". Where poems were not explicitly dedicated to the addressee their identity could still be found in the poem's verse, such as in Sidney's Astrophel and Stella: "Doth euen grow rich, meaning my Stellaes name" and "Rich in all beauties which mans eye can see; Beauties so farre from reach of words that we Abase her praise saying she doth excell; Rich in the treasure of deseru'd renowne, Rich in the riches of a royall heart, Rich in those gifts which giue th'eternall crowne; Who, though most rich in these and eu'ry part

Coyote :: essays research papers

The Coyote (canis latrans) ? Sharp fangs, mean growl, shrill cry. You may think I am talking about a new werewolf movie, but I am really talking about the coyote. It is not as fierce as it may sound, They are quite unique animals. Their ability to adapt to almost any enviorment is astounding. The Name The name coyote is a Spanish alteration of the original Aztec name coyotl. The Latin name Canis latrans, meaning barking dog, was given to it by Thomas Say, who published a description of the species in 1833. Since 1967, its official name in the U.S. has been coyote. In some parts of the U.S. coyotes are called "brush wolves.† Wolves are much larger and hunt in packs. Description The coyote's ears are wide, pointed, and stick out. It has a tapering muzzle and a black nose. Unlike most dogs, the top of the muzzle on coyotes forms an almost continuous line with the forehead. The yellow, slightly slanting eyes, with their black round pupils, give the coyote a characteristic expression of slyness. The canine teeth are remarkably long and can inflict serious wounds. The neck is well furred and looks oversized for the body. The long tongue often hangs down between the teeth. The coyote regulates its body temperature by panting like most dogs. The paw, more elongated than that of a dog the same size, has four toes withfixed claws. The claws are not used in attack or defense. They are typically blunted from constant contact with the ground and do not leave deep marks. The male coyote is about the same size as medium German Shepard. It weighs from 9 to 23kg, has an overall length of 120– 150cm (including the tail), and stands 58– 66cm high at the shoulder. The female is usually smaller. The fur is generally a medium grey, darker on the hind part of the back where the black-tipped hair becomes wavy. Legs, paws, and the back of the ears are more yellowish in color; the throat, belly, and the inside of the ears are whiter. The tail, is darker on top and lighter on the underside. The color also depends of the season, and healthiness of the coyote. The coyote's fur is long and soft and well suited to protect it from the cold. Habitat The Coyote prefers to be in a brushy wet area like a bog, or swamp, Because of the high amount of food found in such places. Coyote :: essays research papers The Coyote (canis latrans) ? Sharp fangs, mean growl, shrill cry. You may think I am talking about a new werewolf movie, but I am really talking about the coyote. It is not as fierce as it may sound, They are quite unique animals. Their ability to adapt to almost any enviorment is astounding. The Name The name coyote is a Spanish alteration of the original Aztec name coyotl. The Latin name Canis latrans, meaning barking dog, was given to it by Thomas Say, who published a description of the species in 1833. Since 1967, its official name in the U.S. has been coyote. In some parts of the U.S. coyotes are called "brush wolves.† Wolves are much larger and hunt in packs. Description The coyote's ears are wide, pointed, and stick out. It has a tapering muzzle and a black nose. Unlike most dogs, the top of the muzzle on coyotes forms an almost continuous line with the forehead. The yellow, slightly slanting eyes, with their black round pupils, give the coyote a characteristic expression of slyness. The canine teeth are remarkably long and can inflict serious wounds. The neck is well furred and looks oversized for the body. The long tongue often hangs down between the teeth. The coyote regulates its body temperature by panting like most dogs. The paw, more elongated than that of a dog the same size, has four toes withfixed claws. The claws are not used in attack or defense. They are typically blunted from constant contact with the ground and do not leave deep marks. The male coyote is about the same size as medium German Shepard. It weighs from 9 to 23kg, has an overall length of 120– 150cm (including the tail), and stands 58– 66cm high at the shoulder. The female is usually smaller. The fur is generally a medium grey, darker on the hind part of the back where the black-tipped hair becomes wavy. Legs, paws, and the back of the ears are more yellowish in color; the throat, belly, and the inside of the ears are whiter. The tail, is darker on top and lighter on the underside. The color also depends of the season, and healthiness of the coyote. The coyote's fur is long and soft and well suited to protect it from the cold. Habitat The Coyote prefers to be in a brushy wet area like a bog, or swamp, Because of the high amount of food found in such places.

Foreshadowing and Irony in “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston

The short story â€Å"Sweat,† by Zora Neale Hurston, seems to exemplify the epitome of a bad marriage. Hurston uses foreshadowing and irony to demonstrate the disintegrated relationship between the abusive husband and the diligent wife. Throughout the story, it becomes obvious that the husband does not oblige by the motto, â€Å"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. † Hurston’s use of irony and foreshadowing helps reveal the fact that â€Å"the good will prevail† and Sykes will finally get what he deserves. From the very beginning, the reader notices the psychological and verbal abuse that Sykes puts on Delia. It was a Sunday and Delia decided to get ahead on her work for the week by separating piles of clothes by color. Fear then came upon her when â€Å"†¦something long, round, limp, and black fell upon her shoulder and slithered to the floor beside her† (355). Sykes’ bull whip, mistaken for a snake, invokes â€Å"great terror† (355) and extreme fear in Delia, foreshadowing an event that is to come in the future. It also demonstrates the distant relationship between Sykes and Delia. With full knowledge of Delia’s fear of snakes, Sykes continues to haunt her with them throughout the story. While Delia falls to the oppression of her husband, Sykes almost commits these acts as torture. Because of Hurston’s strong use of irony, it is evident that one day Delia will prevail and a clue to Sykes’ fate is provided: that one day he will be haunted by a snake as well. Delia is obviously the breadwinner of the family and works hard to support both herself and Sykes. Unfortunately, Sykes takes this for granted by taking advantage of the free housing while saving his rarely earned money to spend on other women. Fully aware of this, Delia mentions that â€Å"†¦whatever goes over the Devil’s back is got to come under his belly. Sometime or ruther, Syke, like everybody else, is gointer reap his sowing† (357). The use of irony here demonstrated that â€Å"what goes around, comes around† and once again alludes to Sykes’ fate. Many more indications throughout the story seem to allude to Sykes’ death. The other men in the town seem to disrespect Sykes and even suggest that he should die. While Delia started to deliver the clean laundry in town one ay, the men talked about how Delia is too good for Sykes and that she deserves better, They also despise Sykes for running around with an ugly and fat woman, ultimately cheating on his hardworking wife. Finally, one man says, â€Å"Syke Jones ain’t wuth de shot an’ powder hit would tek tuh kill ‘em. Not to huh he ain’t† (357) while another man adds, â€Å"†¦an’ we ough ter kill ‘im† (358). It seems like Hurston portrays this hostility to reiterate to the reader that Sykes will fall victim to a well deserved death. Perhaps the most important event in the story occurs when Sykes brings home a huge six-foot living snake. Fear once again overcomes Delia and she pleads, â€Å"Syke! Syke, mah Gawd! You take dat rattlesnake ‘way from heah! You gottuh. Oh, Jesus, have mussy† (360). Sykes, on the other hand, stands in amusement almost as if he loves to see Delia psychologically abused. His cockiness unravels as he acts like he is invincible and like anyone and anything should and will comply with him. In regards to the enormous snake, Sykes boasts, â€Å"†¦He wouldn’t bite me cause Ah knows how tuh handel ‘im† (360). He makes sure to instill fear into Delia by telling her to be careful because the snake would have no problem coming after her. Hurston also has Sykes portray his own death. In this same scene, Sykes’ reply to Delia’s request of getting rid of the snake is, â€Å"Ah ain’t got to do nuthin’ uh de kin’ – fact is Ah ain’t got tuh do nothin’ but die† (360). This statement only means that Sykes will not listen to Delia at anytime and enjoys torturing her in any way possible. He admits that he would rather die than give Delia the pleasure of control at any moment. This scenario is perhaps the most ironic because it is this same snake that takes Sykes’ life once and for all.

Journey

My life has been very interesting, living In Morocco and then moving to California and now I'm in Massachusetts and the Journey continues. Throughout the years I lived in so many houses and picked up so many memories. Each house had Its own design that made it some how special and unique. But after all they're all places that I spent my everyday at and had fun with family and friends. The first time I entered Oakland, I felt the vibe of the city and It was Like love at first sight. The city was so energetic and so much different than my hometown.So I went to my ether's neighborhood and It was In a very quiet area which I really liked because I'm not used to the city and all Its noise. Walked In home and looked around and knew that place going to be so fun to live In, the best place In the inure house was my bedroom which was so big you could open a super market in it. Then I walked out to the back yard that had all the essentials to a great barbeques party with all the seats and the grills and thanks to the weather the sun was there everyday.Because of my dad's job we had to move from place to place. So we moved to Malden ND it was a big move because the area and the city was so different from what I'm used to. We moved to a house near the Malden river and I really liked the fact that it was in a quite area and the house itself was big enough for both of us. I spent my entire first day exploring the house from the first floor down to the basement. T was a really clean house and because it was renovated everything was basically brand new, but of course what really mattered to me was my bedroom which I wasn't Disappointed about at all because it met all my needs with the really comfortable bed ND the big windows that showed the river and let sunshine light up my room. The best room in the house was the kitchen even though I don't know how to cook. But after all I really spent great days at my house and IM really grateful that its close to school. Rooney By amine- mean ENG 111 My life has been very interesting, living in Morocco and then moving to years I lived in so many houses and picked up so many memories. Each house had its own design that made it some how special and unique. But after all they're all places time I entered Oakland, I felt the vibe of the city and it was like love at first sight. The father's neighborhood and it was in a very quiet area which I really liked because I'm not used to the city and all its noise.Walked in home and looked around and knew that place going to be so fun to live in, the best place in the entire house was my Because of my dad's Job we had to move from place to place. So we moved to Malden used to. We moved too house near the Malden river and I really liked the fact that it but of course what really mattered to me was my bedroom which I wasn't best room in the house was the kitchen even though I don't know how to cook. Journey Area of Study Essay- Journeys The Oxford Dictionary defines Journey as â€Å"an act of traveling from one place to another†; this could, of course, be taken literally. Instead, why not think of â€Å"places† as emotional or mental situations? So you take a Journey between different emotional states. â€Å"The journey, not the arrival, matters. † This statement is correct for all four texts I will be discussing. The Journey is more important than the arrival because it is the Journey that makes people who they are.On a life Journey there are tipping points that define who we become. On our life Journey, what Is the end, death or meeting beyond? What significance does death have to the person you have become? Nothing: in death we look back at who we've become, but we have become like that, not because of the situation that you are in at that moment in time, but the choices or paths that we took on our life Journey. A life Journey has bumps and dips that can sometim es feel like mountains or craters as deep as hell, but the Journey will always continue.It could be argued that we never really have a specific arrival point in the Journey, but have multiple points of arrival and departures. Does a life Journey ever really end? The journeys that are shown in the texts are inner journeys (spiritual, mental and emotional) that revolve around certain significant points in the subject's life Journey. The four texts that will be compared are; â€Å"God's Grandeur†-Gerald Manley Hopkins, â€Å"l wake and feel the fell and dark. To day-Gerald Manley Hopkins, â€Å"Reign Over Me† written and directed by Mike Binder and a visual representation of Journey. â€Å"God's Grandeur† contains a significant inner Journey. In the flirts four lines of the octet Hopkins describes a natural world through which God's presence runs like an electrical current. Alternatively in the last four lines of the octet he talks about how humans are robbed of t heir sensitivity to the beauty of what is left in nature, people have become unaware of the wonders of the world around them.The sestets shifts In argument again, even though humans do not realize It, nature continuously offers the potential of power and re-blurt. Hopkins Is In awe of the beauty of God's presence all around him. Hopkins uses a metaphor of God's grandeur as an electric force. This suggests an undercurrent that is not always seen, but which builds up as a tension r pressure that occasionally flashes out in ways that can be both brilliant and dangerous. In this moment Hopkins is amazed at how rich and full of life God can make him, Hopkins emotions peak at a high at this point in time.Hopkins uses repartition of the word â€Å"trod† and triple rhyming words; have trod, have trod, have trod, all is seared with trade blared and smeared with toil† to emphasis the struggle of humans, continuous Journey, they have been on a journey for so long that they can't s ee God clearly anymore, and the use of the word â€Å"smeared† is to exaggerate he same thing again, the screen between God and humans is getting murky and dirty, not easy to see through, so they are losing contact.. Hopkins is disappointed that humans have destroyed the land by building factories.Seeing this makes that man does not recognize His power and the beauty of nature; â€Å". †¦ The soil is bare now, nor foot can feel, being shod. † This may mean that because humans are wearing shoes we are disconnected to nature, and we cannot feel God's presence because we have a barrier between us and the earth. Humans have been cutting down trees and ruining the Earth for centuries, we have made the soil bare. Once Hopkins realizes that humans have stopped being one with nature, it made him almost annoyed that we can Just ignore God's presence.Hopkins spirits are finally lifted again when he notices that there will always be the promise of re-birth, new life and â₠¬Å"dearest freshness†. In the last four lines of the sestets Hopkins employs imagery from nature to convey rejuvenation by saying â€Å"†¦. Last lights off the black West went Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs†¦. Ah! Bright wings† meaning; that even though the sun goes down in the west he knows that God will bring it back up in the East, he as faith that God will keep the Earth surviving long enough that a similar cycle will happen with nature; that things will go back to how they were, fresh and rejuvenated.Also, Hopkins believes that eventually if God keep the Earth turning someone will eventually notice the beauty and wonder that God's presence makes. In this poem Hopkins is on an emotional Journey, he first starts by being amazed at God's presence, then his emotions change to almost angry at how human can be so ignorant, then when he realizes that God will always be there his emotions transform to astonishment at Gods persistence. WSDL it m atter that he was astonished at the end of the poem, if you didn't know how what occurred to redder him this way?The second text that I will be discussing is â€Å"l wake and feel the fell of dark, not day', this is a terrible sonnet by Gerald Manley Hopkins this poem, is an emotional Journey also. In this poem Hopkins is suffering from insomnia, he longs for the brightness of the day time. The darkness of night makes Hopkins feel claustrophobic, the poem emphasis his feelings of loneliness and isolation. The sonnet finishes with the consolation of sleep, while it opens with its impossibility. Hopkins starts this poem by stating that he wake up expecting day light, but unfortunately he is still stuck in the fall of darkness.The clever use of â€Å"fell of dark†, relates back to the fall of Adam and Eve, or how the Lucifer (the devil) is a â€Å"fallen† angel. Hopkins is trying to get across the meaning that darkness is cruel or the equivalent to â€Å"Lucifer†, compared to the brightness of daylight. Hopkins is exhausted and he feels as though the night time is endless â€Å"But where I say Hours I mean years, mean life†. The last four lines of the octet describe how Hopkins is wondering where God really is, â€Å"†¦ Eke dead letters, to dearest him that lives alas! Away. Hopkins has been trying to get a response from God for all the hours of the night, but he feels like pleading with God for sleep is pointless. He thinks that God is Just ignoring him. The first line of the sestets has a metaphor â€Å"l am gall, I am heartburn. † Hopkins is now feeling so terrible that is feels like he is the pain; the darkness is so overwhelming that he feels that he himself has become the insomnia. â€Å"The lost are like this†¦. As I am mine, their sweating selves; but worse† Hopkins now feels like he can understand how â€Å"the lost† (damned) feel, hat they too; are trapped in never ending darkness.Hopkins emot ional Journey in this poem moves from a pleading state with God, through self-pity then to an his suffering of insomnia, but disappointed with himself for being so. Between the two poems Hopkins emotions change of emotions from the Joyfulness of ‘Gods Grandeur† to the despair of â€Å"l wake and feel the fell of dark, not day' is a journey in itself. Hopkins must have experienced a pivotal moment in his life for his emotions to change so dramatically. â€Å"Reign Over Me† written and directed by Mike Binder has a very powerful inner journey (both mental and emotional).It is the story of a man named Charlie and his struggle to deal with the loss of his family in the tragedy of 9/1 1, Charlie suffers from Postgraduates Stress Disorder (PETS) and is helped through the struggle by his former college roommate Alan. In the movie, Charlie starts off weaving through the traffic on this motorists scooter, symbolizing that he is in his own world. Charlie is stuck in a loop the whole way through the movie, every day is a struggle to Just get up out of bed. He lost his family and he is constantly trying to shut that out, he pretends he doesn't remember any of that pivotal moment in time. He Just shut down.Quit work. He stopped wanting to talk about her. Then he acted like he didn't remember them. Then he pretended like he didn't remember us. † Charlie's in-laws are constantly trying to talk to him, while Charlie is Just trying to forget. He is in a state of denial for most of the movie, until Alan gets him to talk to someone. First he tries a therapist, but Charlie refuses to talk. Eventually Charlie confides in Alan and tells him the story of how he lost his whole world â€Å"†¦.. And I felt them burning. † This is the beginning of a new Journey for Charlie; he has finally realized that he must member them to enable himself to move on.Charlie's emotions peak at amazing highs and drop so low at times that he doesn't know if he can liv e with the pain of losing his family, but with the help of his in-laws and his friend Alan, Charlie's journey has gotten back on a more stable path. What Charlie went through, made his mind and soul so distressed that his Journey to recovery will never end, it will be a constant struggle to stay on the stable path. So this particular example of Journey has no arrival, but the process of his emotional peaks and falls has made his Journey a lot ore important than where he will end up.Again, does a life Journey ever really end? Will Charlie ever arrive at a point where is can Just stop? No, he must always continue The final text in a visual representation of a Journey, in the middle of the frame you are looking at a set of steps (outside) leading up to darkness with a caption above reading â€Å"Life is a Journey-EnJoy the Journey. † The steps in the visual are not perfect or straight, they are rough and uneven. This is a symbol meaning that life may not be easy; it will have pa rts that are unstable and scary.Also, the steps are leading up to rankness, this represents that we do not know where life will lead us, and it is unknown. If we knew where we were going what would be the point of the Journey? Why wouldn't we Just Jump around the hard parts and go straight to our destination? No one knows where life will take us; each decision has a separate path leading us to another choice. It doesn't matter where we end up if there was no story of how we the place where we are standing at a certain moment in time is lit up, we can only see so far ahead of us. Once that light ends it is unrevealed where the path will lead.The caption above the image reads â€Å"Life is a Journey-EnJoy the Journey. † A life Journey has multiple inner Journeys; each inner Journey is important and significant. There would be no point to the Journey if we didn't not enjoy each moment. Enjoy life; it is the only real Journey we ever undertake. Each inner Journey is experience di fferently by the main subject of the individual texts. In both of Hopkins poems he experiences two vastly opposing emotional states. One is admiration for God's presence, while the other is disappointment at how God can Just ignore Hopkins suffering.Neither one of his poems bring him to any kind of conclusion, therefore his Journey continues and does not arrive anywhere. In â€Å"Reign Over Me† Charlie's grief moves through the seven stages but does not conclude. He will always grieve but is stable enough for his life Journey to continue. Like Hopkins, Charlie's Journey is not over when our involvement is over. In the visual representation we cannot see the end of the path so the only option is to persist up the steps, even though it is scary and unknown still the Journey continues. So what is the arrival without each separate step of the Journey? Journey Each person’s life is a journey on a contorted road dotted with bumps and craters. At certain points, the bumps could seem as high as mountains and the pits as deep as hell, making this journey called life appear quite despondent. Although occasionally, your predicaments are entirely fate’s blunders, but perchance, they are your own. Your personal characteristics roughly resemble a steering wheel for your journey. They could be positive traits, which could steer you on a more decent path; or negative traits, which could steer you to a path that’s, well†¦ not so decent.Although you have no control over fate, you have power over your own â€Å"driving skills†, and could thus widen or narrow your chance for a smooth, prosperous journey. Also, it is beneficial to remember that you are not alone, for there are many other roads that coincide with yours, where others are conducting through their own journeys and floundering through their own bumps and crater s as well. Drive together, and you could purvey support and encouragement for one another, and thus institute milder paths for all of you.Most prominently, no matter how harsh the terrain of your road becomes, just remember that you will pull through and be transformed for the better because of it. This optimistic philosophy that I’ve adopted had been much solace to me in my own journey in becoming a successful high school student. It was not at all easy. Although fate has been overall lenient to me, it was my â€Å"driving skills† that tended to direct my course towards huge bumps. Despite my awareness of my own flaws and omissions, I still compulsorily reproached others and sought ways to exonerate myself.This was one of the worst traits I retain. It precluded me from obtaining responsibility for my choices and learning from past oversights, thus impeded my maturing process. For example, my projects were oftentimes undone till the last minute (including this one). I would think to myself, â€Å"I don’t feel like doing it today, so I’ll work on it tomorrow†. Thus the project was delayed further and further until there was no â€Å"tomorrow† for it anymore, and then I would end up working well over midnight while secretly scowling at the teacher for giving out such a tedious and inane assignment.Immaturity and refusal to admit my errors caused me to plunge into countless pits in my journey. The one positive trait that had proved to be highly efficient in boosting me out of these pits is ambition. I know that too much of it could corrupt a person, but so far it had only empowered my spirit with much-needed optimism. My greatest ambition is to become a renowned novelist; therefore every hardship and pain to me befits an inspiration for a potential novel. It is a most optimistic perception of things, and it had succoured me through many phases of emotional turmoil.Although my own choices and personal characteristics had p rompted many of my dilemmas, a certain number of large bumps on this road did bluntly materialise without my causing them. An example of that would be my kindergarten teacher. Back then, I was excessively shy and timid. (I still am, but not as much). I mainly kept to myself and was far too apprehensive to participate in class activities. Consequently, I might have appeared to be rather slow or mentally challenged. That was exactly what my teacher assumed.She would openly denounce me as a retarded child in front of myself and all my peers, and I was at that stage in my life of accrediting whatever adults told me. Thus for a long time, I subconsciously retained the impression that I was somehow less than other kids. The lack of self-esteem had often induced me to fail before I even try. The other major obstacle that I’ve contended with was during my first years in the States. I had moved to Philadelphia, PA at the age of nine with primitive English comprehension.In addition, we were coerced to dwell in one of the most delinquent and precarious districts in West Philadelphia due to our low budgets. The despicable socio-economic status of my neighbourhood could be seen from the school I attended, which had metal detectors installed at its doors. I underwent a great deal stress both academically and socially due to problems of communication. Plus there were a number of students that discriminated against me because I had the lightest skin colour in my school. As a result, I developed paranoia towards my peers, which ensues me even now.Nevertheless, everybody undergoes their own adversities, shed their own tears, and abide their own pains. At these times of needs, friends, family, and other favourable resources are to be treasured more highly. I was never alone on this road, for many other roads that coincided with mine have brought much joie de vivre upon my journey. One of which who was always there behind me was my dad. I am not abashed to say that he is m y best friend. There was a period in my childhood when he was not there for me. However, he made up for it by being the best father one could have.Not only did he did take the time to assist me with my homework when needed and spent plenty of quality time with me, he was always there with wisdom, encouragement, and consolation. The other momentous source of benefit is Canada. Moving across the Atlantic Ocean was undoubtedly the best thing that ever happened to me. The reason is that the education system in China is not only relentlessly harsh; it is sadistically cruel. Society has deemed that if you failed to attain a university degree, you’d be a disgrace. Your career and marital opportunities would be despicably downtrodden.In addition, China possesses an enormous population and too few universities to match, thus eliciting nervous breakdowns among many high school students, some were even impelled to commit suicide due to the immense pressure. I, on the other hand, am inde scribably glad to be here in Canada, where I am much more likely to do well in high school and thus hold a promising future. Now here I am in grade 10 with a tolerable grade average and a healthy attitude towards school and life in general. Although this journey had been difficult and even toilsome at times, I pulled through.One of the merits that I have acquired from my past experiences is strength. (I’m not referring to muscles, of which I have none). Strength in mind and spirit is like steel, and the most sublime of its quality can only be heated through suffering. I do not mean to pity myself, but I do believe that I’ve suffered more than many other teenagers have. There are certain things that I have not mentioned in this assignment, deeper pits in the hidden trails of my memory. Nonetheless, each time I fall, I was obliged to obtain strength in order to rise.Thus each time I rose, I was a little stronger than before. My kindergarten teacher’s abuse, for ex ample, had brought me much self-loathing, but not anymore. What’s left is a searing urge within me to spite her by proving her wrong. Another lesson that I’ve learned through my journey up to this point is to appreciate all that life has to offer. Life is short, and my road could abruptly come to a halt at anytime. Thus it is prominent to savour each and every moment of it by focusing on the positive things. My struggles and desolation have procured me to value what I have in order to overcome depression.My family, friends, and other fortunate events in my life have been lights in times of darkness, reminding me that the world is not completely forlorn and bleak. Optimism, along with strength, is all that I need to carry on. And thus I go forth on this journey with the memories of all the people and places I’ve left behind. I know that as long as I possess a goal, I will never be lost. My goal as a successful high school student had been so far adequately accomp lished, however, as always, there is much room for enhancement. It had been a most arduous but rewarding journey.My friends and family, especially my father, had made this journey much easier. Also, I would not overlook Canada, which is such an enlightening and lenient learning environment. All of these allies and resources have presented me with guidance in the right course. However, some of my personal characteristics, like irresponsibility, were inclined to steer me astray. Then again, other traits that I possess, like ambition, succoured me in the continuance of my journey. The bumps and craters that I’ve met along my journey held a large role in constituting the person that I am now.I have fallen so many times into the seemingly abyss of despair and struggled against the mirror for just a speck of self-esteem, but I have survived. I understand that there will be greater obstacles and barriers in the future, but I personally believe that pain is a thing to be prized. Some one who does not know pain would not appreciate joy, nor would he obtain the strength to make his journey worthwhile. You can also order a custom research paper, term paper, thesis, dissertation or essay on journey from our professional custom essay writing company which provides students with high-quality custom written papers at an affordable cost.