History of gambling Essay Example for Free

History of gambling Essay ?In modern day America, gambling is seen everywhere. Whether it is gambling on a sporting event, a horse race, a game of cards, or any other event, it is seen as a common practice among many American citizens. The most popular place for one to gamble is a casino. There are many casinos throughout the country, and despite the many critics of such venues, these casinos are here to stay for quite some time to come. Starting in 1931, Nevada took control of the casino gambling market and held a monopoly within this industry. It was the first state to have legalized commercial casino gambling, and it was the only state to have such legislation until 1976 (Morse, Goss 13-14). During the 1950’s, Las Vegas started to develop rapidly, opening many casinos within the city. Throughout the 1960’s most of these top-end casinos were purchased by Howard Hughes, which led to an ending of organized crime in the Las Vegas area. Corporations then began building and purchasing casino properties. The profitability of such properties made entering the casino industry quite attractive. This was the beginning of the transition of casinos from a simple form of gaming to a legitimate business (History of US Gambling). In 1976, commercial casino gaming was legalized in New Jersey, and Atlantic City began to thrive in ways similar to Las Vegas. This was the outcome that was hoped for, because it was done in an effort to revitalize Atlantic City. Casinos started to be built in Atlantic City, and a popular location for these casinos was the city boardwalk, along with in the marina district (Morse, Goss 14). More than a decade later, several states began to legalize commercial casino gambling. There are currently fifty-seven counties in the United States that allow commercial casino gambling. In states other than Nevada, a good majority of commercial casino gaming takes place adjacent to a river or some form of a body of water that creates a geographic border dividing states. This promotes the idea of riverboat gambling, along with the competition between each state and their neighbors for their gambling supporters (Morse, Goss 14-15). Soon after the rapid expansion of legal gambling locations throughout the country, tribal casino gambling became an important part of today’s casino industry. Tribal casino gambling is a practice that came to place after the 1987 Supreme Court decision in California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. This case determined that the state of California did not have the proper authority to use its regulatory statutes for the gambling activities that took place on Indian reservations. The only institution that had complete authority over the issue was the federal government; therefore congressional authorization was necessary for state power to enact regulations. In 1988, Congress responded by passing and enacting the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). This was done for the purpose of balancing both the interests of the states and those tribes that resided within them (Morse, Goss 18-19). There were many policy goals that the IGRA aimed to accomplish. The first was to promote economic development and self-sufficiency amongst tribes. The second goal was to create a regulatory base that protected Indian gaming from organized crime, to make sure that the only beneficiary of the gaming operations is the tribe itself, and to ensure that the gaming operations are both fair and honest. The final goal was to establish an organization that would assist in these purposes, thus the creation of the National Indian Gaming Commission. Basically, the IGRA allowed tribes the right to build and run gaming facilities, or casinos, on their reservations to the same extent as the gaming allowed by state law (Morse, Goss 19). Tribal gaming has proven to be quite beneficial for Indian tribes in the United States. The tribes that have benefited the most are those that have exclusive rights to owning and operating casinos within their state. That means that specific states have an agreement with the tribes in their state that there will not be any commercial casinos within the state, just tribal casinos on tribal territory. This creates endless opportunities for tribal members, allowing them to generate large revenues and provide jobs for many members of their tribe (Morse, Goss 20-21). More recently, a new type of casino has emerged quickly into the gambling business, that being racetrack casinos, or racinos. These casinos are essentially a horse-racing track, along with many other casino features, such as slot machines, video gambling terminals, card tables, etc. This brings in a diverse crowd of people, for a lot of people only like to gamble on live racing events. It also helps states contain gaming expansion to their current racing grounds, and the economic benefits have quite a positive effect for the state (Morse, Goss 22). Each type of casino benefits the state in different ways. By a slight margin, there are more commercial casinos in the United States than tribal casinos, but tribal casinos are being built more rapidly (192 built between 2004-2007, as opposed to 175 commercial casinos built), so it is expected they will pass up commercial casinos in the near future. States benefit most from commercial casinos, receiving on average 16. 4% of revenues, as opposed to just 6. 1% of revenue from the tribal casinos (Morse, Goss 23). One factor that has led to major success for casinos in the United States is the great amount of promotion and advertising. The average casino spends 2. 5% of all revenues on promotion and advertising, which is a heavy amount compared to many other business industries. Throughout the years of the existence of legalized gambling, casinos have been figuring out the secret to generating the highest possible revenue, and that is through promotion. Promotions for casinos originally started out pretty basic, offering a patron a free bet if they come to the casino, or a free drink or meal. With the addition of hotels to many casinos, casinos began offering free night stays to customers, and sometimes even free transportation both to and from the casino for the time of their stay. Since then, there has been such an intense competition between casinos to attract gamblers to their establishment, so more and more promotions started to come into place and be offered by casinos around the country (Morse, Goss 27-28). Some casinos found their best strategy was to pay their patrons to play. This came in either the form of simply handing the patron money upon walking in the door (usually between 5-$20, but sometimes upwards of $100), or paying the person for the amount of time they spent in the casino. This is done by activating a â€Å"player card†, and every time that player sits down to play a game, they scan their card at that station and the system keeps track of how much time the player has spent gambling. Their account is then credited with however much money they earned during their time spent at the casino (Ogwyn). Competition between casinos continued to grow every year, and still does to this day. Promotions have become a necessity in order for a casino to succeed, and many amenities have become expected by patrons upon entering a casino. For one, soft drinks are expected to be complimentary at every casino. Many casinos have waiters and waitresses walking around taking orders, so there is a convenience of receiving a soft drink without needing to get up from your chair. It is seen as courteous to tip the servers, and is also seen as good karma for the gambling that is done after. The most intense promotion competitions take place in the major casino markets. Harrah’s is a major casino corporation, and it is one of the highest spenders when it comes to promotions. In 2005, it initiated possibly the biggest promotion in casino history, and that was the $1,000,000 Treasure Hunt. To partake in the hunt, customers had to go to one of the many Harrah’s Casino locations in the country, and depending how much time the customer spent at the casino, they earned an entry (or multiple entries, depending on the frequency of visits) into the contest. These entries represented an opportunity to partake in the actual treasure hunt, which took place in Las Vegas on November 10, 2005. A treasure chest containing $1,000,000 was placed in a remote desert location, and whoever found it first kept it all. This created an uproar of hype for Harrah’s Casinos, and has helped increase revenues in the following years since as well. Many other casinos learned from that, and started similar promotions to help boost their own revenues. This is a good example of how casinos have been learning from each other throughout time, and adjusting quickly to whatever is necessary for maximum business. The bottom line when it comes to casino promotions: do whatever it takes to get customers through the door; revenues will generate from there (Morse, Goss 28). Many studies have been done to find the effect of legalized casino gambling in an area on the residents who reside in that area. A study done by Morse and Goss in 2005 had surprising results, finding that counties that legalized casino gambling experienced lower personal bankruptcy rates in the first several years of having a casino operating in the county. After those years, however, it was found that the personal bankruptcy rates began to rise, eventually becoming higher than the rates from before the legalization of casino gambling (Morse, Goss 53). Casinos have been growing and expanding ever since their first existence. It is a unique industry in that, unlike many other large industries, it is not that crucial to focus on cutting costs, while instead it is best to just focus on generating revenues. As said before, this industry has a history of experiencing great success, and it is only getting greater and greater each year. Looking at some statistics from 1998-2003 is a good way to show an example of this growth; the average number of employees for stand-alone casinos in the United States went from 201 in 1998 to 265 in 2003, and in casino hotels it grew from 988 to 1,208 employees. Average pay for these employees grew as well. In 1998, stand-alone casino employees earned on average $21,700 a year, while in 2003 they earned $25,100 a year. It was a similar jump in salary for casino hotel employees, going from earning on average $23,700 a year to $26,100 a year (Morse, Goss 55). Today, the United States has an incredibly large market for casino gambling. There was an estimated 147 billion U. S. dollars in global revenue from casino gaming, and 60 billion of those dollars was from United States gambling. In the twenty states with legalized commercial gambling, there are about 450 commercial casinos in the United States (CASINO GAMBLING HISTORY). Gambling has been around since the beginning of United States history, and the creation and expansion of gambling centers that we call casinos has led to many opportunities for both growth and decline for citizens in this country. Whether viewed as positive or negative, casinos are here to stay for some time.

Effect of Alcohol on Human Sperm In Vitro

Effect of Alcohol on Human Sperm In Vitro EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON HUMAN SPERMATOZOA IN VITRO: SPERM CHROMATIN DISPERSSION TEST AND ROS. Omkar Pokharkar, Dr. Himanshu Patel, Madhuri Patel, Vidisha Bhatt. Abstract: This study was carried out to find the detrimental effect on human spermatozoa when exposed to alcohol/ethanol in vitro. For this study semen samples obtained from 12 healthy individuals were washed using the sperm preparation technique and each washed samples were divided into equal aliquots. Then ethanol at various concentrations of 60 mm and 120 mm were added to the aliquots labeled as test samples and samples without ethanol were considered as control samples. All samples with or without ethanol were incubated for 1 hour (60 minutes) at 370C. These samples when subjected to semen analysis after exposure to ethanol, it was found that samples added with 60 mm ethanol showed a decrease in motility and vitality, sperms in samples with 120 mm ethanol were almost static with minimum motility. Sperms in both test samples revealed degraded vitality. DNA fragmentation test or SCD when carried out it was revealed that ethanol caused DNA fragmentation in sperms and as the concentr ation of ethanol increased, DNA fragmentation also increased, motility of sperms decreased and morphology was affected to some extent such as the head and tail defects which was less in the control samples. The sample aliquots with 120 mm ethanol showed morphological abnormalities. The ROS test performed using Agarose-N-gel tubes on the unwashed/raw samples exposed to ethanol in different concentrations revealed the highest oxidative stress displaying dark purple color and unexposed samples showed light pink color indicating low oxidative stress. Reactive oxygenspeciescan damage DNA bases and can cause lesions that block the progression ofreplication. This study proved that, alcohol when consumed can destroy sperm mobility, vitality and causes high fragmentation levels. Keywords: Ethanol, sperms, DNA fragmentation, motility, vitality, ROS. INTRODUCTION: Alcohol is a drug which is classified as depressant, when consumed in low/controlled volume it can induce the stimulant effect, but if an individual consumes excess alcohol then he experiences the depressant effect. Alcohol is produced by fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches. Alcohol gets absorbed rapidly from the stomach and small intestine into the bloodstream. Once alcohol enters the stomach, up to 20% of it gets absorbed and directly enters the bloodstream. Within minutes, alcohol reaches to the brain. Even various nutrients are not capable to pull this off. The remaining alcohol enters into the intestines and is absorbed along with the nutrients. Only a small amount of alcohol is excreted from the body through urine, sweat etc which is not enough to get rid of alcohol in the blood stream.When the alcohol is consumed, the human body is hardwired to metabolize alcohol immediately that means the body stops metabolizing all other things just to metabolize alcohol first becaus e protein, carbohydrates, and fat, can be stored whereas alcohol cannot be stored in the body so it has to be metabolized first and excreted as soon as possible. Alcohol can affect every organ in the consumer’s body and can damage the developing fetus in woman who is pregnant. Also alcohol has the potential to severely damage sperms. If alcohol consumption is fairly regular then it will affect sperm motility and vitality in men. Heavy alcohol consumption lowers the sperm count leaving the person infertile and the levels of free radicals generated due to alcohol can break DNA strands in the sperm cells. The aim of this study was focused on the effects of alcohol on sperms and mainly on the level of DNA fragmentation and oxidative stress caused in sperm samples due to alcohol in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the study of alcohol effects on sperms in vitro, Semen samples from 12 healthy men (non-alcoholic) aged 21 – 27 were collected in wide mouthed sterile collection containers and Sperm samples were obtained during 3-4 days of sexual abstinence and liquefied for 20-30 minutes at room temperature. The quality of the sperm is judged on the basis of its morphology and movement patterns or motility and vitality. For in vitro study, sperm samples from healthy individuals were washed by swim up from pellet method, which is a very common method for retrieval of viable sperms and has a high success rate. All the washed samples were divided in 3 equal aliquots of 0.5ml. Ethanol in different concentrations of 60mm and 120 mm respectively were added to 2 sample aliquots labeled as test samples and 1 aliquot was un-exposed to alcohol labeled as control sample. These samples were incubated for 60 minutes at 370C and subjected to semen analysis according to the guidelines set by world heal th organization. Sperm count and motility evaluation was done under bright field microscope, morphology was studied by making smears of sperms on the slides and was stained using Giemsa stain. pH was observed by using a pH strip and vitality of the sperms were noted by staining sperms with eosin and nigrosin stain. Morphology was judged by referring the types of sperm deformities proposed by WHO (World Health Organization., 2010). Motility was calculated by using a formula: 100 X (number of motile spermatozoa)/ (total number of spermatozoa counted). Also for calculating vitality percentage: 100 X (number of viable spermatozoa)/ (total number of spermatozoa counted). More than 500 spermatozoa per ejaculate were evaluated for estimation of sperm motility and vitality. The outcome of this analysis was noted. The rest of the control and test samples were used for DNA fragmentation test. SPERM CHROMATIN DISPERSION TEST: The test aliquots were added with various concentrations of alcohol (60mm and 120mm respectively) to see what concentration of alcohol will affect the DNA of the sperms. The control sample (0.5 ml) with no ethanol and 2 test samples (0.5 ml each) mixed with ethanol incubated at 370 C for 60 minutes were subjected to DNA fragmentation test. Requirements per sample were 3 coated slides, 1 for control and other 2 for test. The procedure involved addition of sperm samples of both test and control to agarose tubes which were previously boiled for 2 minutes. After adding and mixing the 40 Â µl droplets of sperms from both control and test samples in the agarose tubes, a total of 150 Â µl droplets of sperm samples from each tube was extracted using micropipette and was laid on pre-coated slides. Cover slips were placed on the droplets for even distribution of sperm sample immersed in agarose matix on the slide. The 3 slides of 1 control and 2 test samples were kept inside a fridge for 6 m inutes to solidify the agarose gel in which sperms were added. After this step, cover slips were removed in such a way that the gel integrity was not disturbed. Acid denaturant (1 ml) was laid on the slide for 7 minutes and was drained. Then 1ml of lysis solution was overlaid on the slide for 20 minutes and was drained. Then both test and control slides were washed with 20 ml of distilled water and were overlaid with 1 ml each of dehydrating solutions 1, 2, 3 for 2 minutes each. After disposing or draining the dehydrating solutions, the slides were air dried for few minutes. Stain was prepared by mixing stain solution and stain diluting solution. The slides prepared for each of the 12 samples were stained for 3 minutes and were washed in a beaker filled with tap water to remove excess stain. Slides were again air dried for few minutes before observing under bright field microscope for halos. For calculating percentage of DNA fragmentation: 100 X (Number of spermatozoa with fragmente d DNA)/ (Total number of spermatozoa counted). More than 450 spermatozoa per ejaculate were evaluated for estimation of sperm DNA fragmentation (Omkar pokharkar et al., 2015). For this study, A Sperm DNA Fragmentation Detection Kit called ‘CANfrag’ [REF No.CA-001], provided by ‘CANdORE Bioscience’, Ahmedabad, Gujarat was used to assess the levels of sperm DNA fragmentation in the samples. This entire procedure was followed for all 12 samples and it took around 18 days (10th February –27th February, 2015) for completion of the study and to arrive at results. ROS (reactive oxygen species) test: A Reactive Oxygen Species detection kit called ‘CANros’ [REF NO.CA-002] also provided by ‘CANdORE Bioscience’ was employed for mapping oxidative stress in exposed and un-exposed samples. Along with washed samples of test and control, 2 aliquot (test) of raw samples of 0.5 ml each was also added with ethanol in various concentration of 60mm and 120 mm respectively and control raw sample of 0.5ml was un-exposed to alcohol. After incubation of both control and test samples for 60 minutes in an incubator at 370C, ROS test was conducted by heating the Agarose N-Gel tubes in boiling water at 90-100Â ºC for 2 minutes to melt the gel. The tubes were cooled down for 2 minutes at room temperature before addition of the sample. 0.2 ml of semen sample was added and mixed thoroughly with the melted agarose gel and air bubbles were avoided. The Agarose-N-gel tubes were then placed in an incubator at 37Â ºC for 60 minutes. After incubation the color changes were observed immediately and were compared with the color code mentioned in the ROS kit to determine the level of oxidative stress present in the sample (Omkar pokharkar et al., 2015). The results of this test were noted. RESULTS: The pH of both exposed samples (60mm and 120 mm) was in the abnormal range. Alcohol affected the pH of the samples in which it was added and increased with the increase in the concentration of alcohol. Morphology of sperms was affected by alcohol to some extent only in samples with 120 mm ethanol/ 0.5 ml of sperm sample. The sperm count in all the samples remained in normal range at these concentrations. The average sperm count for all samples throughout the study was in the range of 60 to 70 million sperms/per ml. The average percentages of motility and vitality obtained for all 12 samples were calculated and framed in the table below. Results are mentioned in the chart and table form below: Table I. Semen parameters for both alcohol exposed and un-exposed samples Chart I. Effect of alcohol on sperm motility The motility in sperm samples was decreased due to alcohol exposure. Motility in samples un-exposed to alcohol showed excellent motility and samples exposed to the alcohol showed a decrease in the motility as the concentration of alcohol increased. Chart II. Effect of alcohol on sperm vitality The chart mentioned above indicates that, the sperm un-exposed to the alcohol showed an excellent range of vitality percentage while the exposed samples at various concentration of alcohol showed a constant drop in the vitality percentage. The table mentioned below represents the average DNA fragmentation percentages obtained for all 12 samples. Table II. DNA fragmentation in exposed and un-exposed samples Chart III. Sperm DNA fragmentation due to alcohol Figure I. Original picture of DNA fragmentation slide un-exposed to alcohol (control slide) It is evident from the picture above that, the samples un-exposed to ethanol showed maximum sperms with intact DNA displaying large halos. On the other hand, the samples exposed to ethanol in concentrations of 60mm and 120mm showed maximum sperms with fragmented and degraded DNA and revealed minimum sperms with intact DNA displaying small and no halos. Below is the picture showing fragmented and degraded sperms. Figure II. Original picture of DNA fragmentation slide exposed to alcohol [60mm and 120mm (test slide)] ROS (reactive oxygen species) TEST. ROS test were performed using freshly collected semen samples. Test aliquot of core samples exposed to alcohol at concentration of 60mm/0.5 ml and the 2nd test aliquot exposed to alcohol at concentration of 120mm/0.5 ml of semen sample produced dark purple colour. On the other hand control aliquot un-exposed to alcohol showed light pink colour. Low levels of ROS (un-exposed samples). light pink Table III. Reactive oxygen species result for alcohol Dark purple color was obtained for both test samples which indicated that highest level of oxidative stress was induced in the sample due to alcohol. Whereas samples un-exposed (control) to alcohol showed light pink color. Alcohol, at even low concentrations can achieve highest levels of ROS. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that alcohol in high concentrations can damage the sperms in every possible way and make it non-viable. The results mentioned above point out to the fact that as the alcohol/ethanol concentration increases, the sperm quality decreases. Motility in control samples was greater as compared to both the test samples (see Chart I). Vitality in sperm samples went on degrading as the ethanol concentration increased (see Chart II). Morphological abnormalities were mostly scored on the test slides with 120 mm ethanol and samples with 60 mm ethanol and control samples with no ethanol showed a normal range of morphological defects and pH of samples also increased with the increase in concentration of alcohol (see Table I). This indicated that the alcohol in high concentrations can damage the physical appearance of sperms. The number of sperms with fragmented DNA was most prominent in the test samples with 120 mm ethanol and 60 mm ethanol. On the other hand, control samples sho wed fewer fragmentations (see Table II and Chart III). The sperms with fragmented DNA disperse small halos and most of the time no halos were observed (see Figure II) and sperms with intact DNA disperse big halos (see Figure I). By this method, it becomes easy to map the fragmented and non-fragmented DNA of the sperms. ROS test was conducted to evaluate the findings and it gave the further evidence of fragmentation caused due to alcohol in vitro by achieving dark purple color in the Agarose-N-gel tubes by reduction of nitro blue tetrazolium and un-exposed samples managed to display light pink color indicating low levels of free radicals (see Table III). Reactive oxygenspecieshas the potential to damage DNA bases and can cause lesions that blocks progression ofreplication. Damaged sperm chromatin contains base adducts and the prominent adducts found in human sperm DNA are 8OHdG (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine or 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2–deoxyguanosine) present in nuclear and mitochondr ial DNA is one of the predominant forms of free radical-induced oxidative lesions, and is widely used as a biomarker for oxidative stress and carcinogenesis also two ethenonucleosides such as 1,N6-ethenoadenosine and 1,N6-ethanoguanosine are found in sperm DNA. Single strand breaks are the direct consequences of oxidative attacks on sperm DNA. DISCUSSION: As the coin has 2 sides, alcohol too have a good and a bad side. It depends how the individual use the alcohol and for what purpose. Alcohol is in use for scientific purposes as well as for production of beverages such as beer and wine for centuries. Applications of Alcohol in the field of science date back to 18th century when it was used for dressing up the wounds and to sterilize the equipment for surgery (civil war in U.S. 1850’s). Today along with these applications, alcohol is also used as antifreeze, preservatives, fuels, and also as solvents. But high consumption of alcohol is not beneficial in any way; Addiction to alcohol could severely damage the reproductive system of that individual making him infertile. A few studies around the world indicated that consumption of alcohol every day can effectively reduce the sperm count and quality of the sperm degrades as the consumption of alcohol increases. The people with disorders such as ‘auto brewery syndrome’ (gut fermentation syndrome) have very less reproductive capabilities. In this type of syndrome body produces alcohol through endogenous fermentations within the digestive system. A fungal infection of ‘Saccharomyces cerevisiae’ in gastrointestinal tract is responsible for this condition. This constant production of alcohol leads to several other body problems such as kidney failure, liver dysfunction and leydig cells in the testes are damaged which are responsible for production of testosterone and the levels of testosterone in blood drops and also Sertoli cells present in the testes are affected which interferes with sperm maturation. Immature sperms present in the ejaculateare not capable to move and fertilize the egg. The aim of this study was focused on in vitro effects of ethanol which involved direct exposure of ethanol to sperms which caused more damaging effect. However, in vivo study of effects of alcohol on sperms would produce more promising and accurate resu lts as compared to in vitro study because alcohol undergoes elimination by various metabolic mechanisms that occur in the body. The enzymes involved are aldehyde dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, cytochrome P450 and catalase. The interaction occurring between alcohol byproducts obtained after metabolism and other cell components, leads to the formation of dangerous compounds such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Alcohol metabolism occurs primarily in the liver. Alcohol undergoes detoxification procedure and gets eliminated from the blood by the process termed as oxidation. Oxidation inhibits accumulation of alcohol and prevents destruction of cells and other organs in the body to some extent. So the in vivo results would be much different than in vitro study as the alcohol undergoes metabolic paths. In in vitro study direct exposure of ethanol caused high fragmentations and more damage was inflicted to the sperm parameters (motility, vitality, morphology, and pH). It can be con cluded that, consumption of alcohol is associated with degradation of sperm quality which can be reversed to some extent upon alcohol consumption discontinuation which would reduce the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and intake of antioxidants on a regular basis would maintain low concentration of free radicals and will protect the DNA of sperms from damage. AKNOWLEDGEMENT: Authors would like to thank the entire team of stem cure pvt ltd, center for reproductive medicine and stem cell development – Ahmedabad, India, for their contribution whenever needed. Authors would also like to thank Komal Patel for providing laboratory equipments to carry out this study. REFERENCES: [1] World Health Organization. (2010). WHO laboratory manual for the Examination and processing of human semen (5 ed.). (D. T. Cooper, Ed.) geneva, Switzerland. [2] Omkar pokharkar et al. (2015). Effect of Wi-Fi radiations on sperms in vitro:Sperm DNA fragmentation test and ROS. International journal of healthcare sciences, III(1), 26-30.

Essay --

The PlayStation 3 is one of the world’s most sophisticated videogame consoles to date. The PlayStation 3 has some of the most complex hardware which works quickly and efficiently. It also has many accessories to make the gaming experience much more enjoyable for users. On top of all these great characteristics, the PS3 also has the PlayStation Network. With all these different functions, it is necessary for the PS3 to have such suitable hardware and technology. â€Å"The heart of the PS3 is the Cell Broadband Engine, developed jointly by Sony, Toshiba, and IBM (Wildstrom, 2006, p1)†. The PlayStation 3 has a Cell Processor which is essentially nine microprocessors on one chip. This allows the system to perform multiple operations at once. The graphics card, which provides some of the sharpest graphics, was made by Nvidia. There are two different versions of the PS3. One has a 60GB hard drive, WiFi capabilities, and the ability to read various flash ram cards. The other version has a 20GB drive, but does not have WiFi capabilities or the ability to read various flash ram cards. The 60GB PS3 is shiny black with a silver accent plate that protects the Blu-ray drive and the 20GB PS3 is clear black and has no silver plate. The PS3 has a built-in Blue-ray disc player which is High-Definition. It can play Blue-ray movies, PS3 games, CDs, and DVDs. The PS3 has many different types of accessories. Some of the most common accessories are the controllers and headsets. The Sixaxis Wireless Controller was the official wireless controller for the PlayStation 3 until the DualShock 3 became available. The DualShock 3 replaced the Sixaxis as the standard PS3 controller. It features the same functions and design as the Sixaxis, ... ...s and restrictions. An account holder for the Master Account must be 18-years-old or older. A Master Account must be made before a Sub Account can be made and there are additional requirements in order to complete registration for sub accounts for children under 13. A Master Account holder must be the Sub Account holder’s parent or legal guardian. The PlayStation 3 is one of the world’s most sophisticated videogame consoles to date. Not only does it have a great amount of hardware installed in it, but it also has many great accessories. These accessories include, but are not limited to, videogame controllers and headsets. On top of that, the PlayStation 3 has a PlayStation Network where users can play games online and access the multitudes of games located in the library. The PlayStation 3 enables users to meet and play with users from all across the world.

San Andrea Fault Essay example -- science

San Andrea Fault Introduction The San Andreas Fault is a geologic fault zone between two tectonic plates that runs from San Francisco south to San Diego in California. It is an area of frequent earthquakes caused by the plates sliding past each other. It is so called because it runs along the San Andreas Valley. The San Andreas fault was brought dramatically to world attention in 1906 when sudden displacement along the fault produced the great San Francisco earthquake and fire. This earthquake was but one of many that have resulted throughout its life of about 15-20 million years. Body The entire San Andreas fault system is more than 800 miles long and extends to depths of at least 10 miles within the Earth. The fault is a complex zone of crushed and broken rock from a few hundred feet to a mile wide. Many smaller faults branch from and join the San Andreas fault zone. The Pacific plate is moving northwest in relation to the North American plate, and it is believed that the total displacement along the fault since its formation more than 30 million years ago has been about 350 mi. Movement along the fault causes earthquakes; several thousand occur annually The basic science is pretty straightforward. The earth lurches from time to time because its outer shell is broken into huge, solid plates floating on a layer of molten rock that has the consistency of Silly Putty. These tectonic plates are constantly jostling each other, like rafts crowded into a...

Free Admissions Essay - The Dance of Life :: Medicine College Admissions Essays

Admissions Essay -  The Dance of Life    For the dancer, music and choreography are paramount. The music guides the dancer, and the moves express the music. However, the dance has to start from somewhere.    Similar to planning a career in medicine, the dance has a beginning. It starts with an idea of what the final creation will be. The music, which is the background for the dance, must be chosen carefully because it controls the mood and direction of the dance. Education is the music for the dance of a doctor. For this reason I chose to attend Xavier University of Louisiana because I felt it would provide me with the right music to guide my movements. Attending Xavier has helped keep me on the path to my goals by providing support, guidance, and opportunities to learn and grow. With this foundation I am prepared for the rigors of medical school and the challenges of adjusting to new people, situations, and responsibilities.    The dance cannot exist with music alone; the choreography helps complete the dance. Choreography often involves learning dance from other dancers, or learning a new type of dance to make the existing one more exciting. Going beyond the normal boundary increases the chance that the dance will effectively intertwine the music and choreography, so the dance will go beyond the original idea. Shadowing neurosurgeon Dr. Norgran in high school and pulmonologist Dr. Yaeger in college, has given me a new perspective on going into a career in medicine. These people helped me to see that I would have to be willing to alter the music of my life in order to finish the dance of a medical career.    The best expression of dance comes from a skilled and experienced dancer. Ultimately, I want to dance the dance of medicine in a way that fully expresses the essence of the dance, which is a dance of knowledge and compassion. A dancer that can take the music and choreography and express the essence of the dance, has an indefinable quality that only those with a pure love for their calling can possess. In dance, that special quality is what separates the average dancer from Baryshnikov or Pavlova. That aspect is one that intertwines unsurpassable skill with a focused relentless devotion to the task. Although I have danced since the age of three, I know I do not have this prima ballerina quality, but as a future doctor, this same kind of quality is what drives me.

Returning to College Essay

At the beginning of 2013 I had a discussion with my co worker about returning back to school, and the I was indecisive on what I wanted to major in. So she suggested that I do online courses, and major in Organizational Management since I wanted to become a manager within the company I am currently employed. She referred me to Ashford University, and I must say that I am very happy that she referred me to this university because it works perfectly with my work schedule. In 2002 I was accepted into Lemoyne Owens University back in Memphis,  Tennessee to major in Child Development and Education because I wanted to be a elementary school teacher. I did not attend the university because the university wanted my parents to pay more in tuition than what they were offering me in Financial Aid. At the time student loans was not an option for me for I decided to attend a Junior College instead. My first year and a half at Laney Junior College I took cosmetology classes because Laney did not offer Child Development courses and the other junior colleges classes were full. I graduated with my Associates Degree in Cosmetology in 2004, and  returned to receive my Associates Degree in Business Administration. Although I started off taking business courses I ended up switching my major to receive my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, because it would have taken 3 years to receive my degree in business admin. Once I graduated in 2006 with my Liberal Arts degree I decided not to go back to school after that although I wanted to. I decided to put all of my effort into my 3 job, until 7 years down the line one of my co workers who is also a student at Ashford University convinced me to return to school to get my Bachelor’s Degree. Returning back to school was frequently on my mind but I did not know how to fit it in with my busy work schedule, and I felt that my writing skills were not up to the college level like they should be. Obtaining a higher degree is very important to me because it can possibly help me in the long run career wise. I would love to own my own business some day, particularly my own day care center. I also would like to be an accountant and possibly have my own accounting business. There are times that I feel that my job gets in the way of me completing my school work. So I try to set time aside each day to complete at least one discussion each day and try to complete my assignments and responses over the weekend. There are things that tend to get in the way of those plans so I just end up staying up late to complete my work. I try my hardest not to let any obstacles get in my way but I can’t predict my life and each step as much as I wish that I could. I plan on graduating next year with my Bachelor’s in Organizational Management and then try to obtain my degree in Accounting. Returning back to school has so far been one of my best life decisions thus.

My Personal Accomplishment version 2

There are two experiences, which are very important to me. The first is being part of the Leland High School Speech and debate Team. The second is doing volunteer work at the World Children’s Fund (WCF). These experiences make me proud because they help me develop myself and give back to society at the same time. Through these experiences, I am able to enrich others as I enriched myself. Debate has always been my favorite subject. Engaging in a debate incorporates two distinctive life-learning skills. They are public speaking and problem solving. Most people are afraid of speaking in front of many people. However, I do not seem to be like â€Å"most people†. I do not fear public speaking. Instead, I enjoy it. I relish the feeling of standing in front of many people and being free to express myself. I savor the exhilaration of knowing that people listen to what I say. This makes me feel important and fulfilled. However, it is not only the feeling that matters. The skills, values and knowledge I acquire are also important. Through debating, I am able to develop my critical thinking and my creativity. I learn to examine arguments carefully and quickly to be able to retort wisely and on time. Debating also helps me improve my focus. A problem to be debated has certain limits. Relevant issues and controversies should not be ignored. Similarly, irrelevant issues and controversies should not be introduced. Lastly, debate exposes me to a wide range of topics- from international issues to national issues. Many facts I learned through debating, such as the Jenna 6 incident, has helped me a great deal during my high school years. I also learned a lot from seminars and trainings such as the Parliamentary Debate Camp held by the Stanford University National Forensic Institute. Another reason debate is important to me is that it helps me develop a sense of fulfillment. It helps me believe that I am capable of doing something. In the Parliamentary Debate Camp, I became a quarter-finalist in the Parliamentary Debate Varsity Division. I was also awarded the Super Distinction of National Forensic League this fall. I am able to prove my leadership skills by being the Chairman of the Parliamentary Debate Team. As the leader, I am responsible for around thirty freshman students and some older members. It is my responsibility to give lectures about debating and help others develop the capability to compete in upcoming tournaments. I run two classes a week and had completed over 100 PowerPoint lectures, by the end of the second semester last year. I also hold mock debates and private tutorial sessions to help other students to catch up. As the Chair, it is also my responsibility to communicate with other schools that are interested with debating, and give advice and information to administrators, students, and parents. For example, just last year, I assisted Bret Harte Middle School in creating a debate team. I confer with parents and students at the Bret Harte Middle School Cafeteria and give them tips on how to create a successful debate team. Knowing that people trust me with these responsibilities and that I am able to perform these responsibilities gives me a sense of accomplishment and allows me to believe in my own abilities as a debater, a thinker, a team member, a teacher and a leader. Another experience that I value the most is doing volunteer work for the WCF. It is a non-profit organization engaged in giving humanitarian aid to help and rescue children in need in developing countries, including those who are abandoned, distressed, endangered, exploited, homeless, hungry, sick or suffering. I coordinate production of humanitarian packages for distribution. We place stuffed animals, drinking water, MREs, antibiotics, band-aids, medical equipments, and other essential items into boxes and ship them to countries such as the Philippians, Africa, Vietnam and other developing nations. I consider helping in the WCF as one of my community obligations. It is an â€Å"obligation† because I believe that it is my duty as a member of society to always give back. Even though I cannot carry out more demanding roles like going directly to other countries, my contribution is also important. I feel that I am actually changing the world little by little. Through these experiences, I am able to give kindness and aid to others the same way that I received kindness and aid when I needed them most. Like these children, there was a time in my life when I was in need of help and attention too. This happened when I first came to the United States in 1996. I was then a foreigner who does not know how to speak English and communicate with the people around me. This made my assimilation into the American culture difficult. However, a few individuals took initiative to help me fit in. These individuals inspired me and my assimilation happened faster. Looking back, I still remember a 7-year-old child on his first day of school as a foreign exchange student sitting on a bench alone. He is bewildered with the English language and is too afraid to try to speak. He cried all night that night in bed. The next day, he expected to be alone again, but someone reached over and stuck a cookie in his mouth- a chocolate chip cookie. This led to a conversation and, by the time lunch break ended, the two children were already best friends. This initiated his acceptance into the society that he did not yet fully understand. It is a wonder how this foreign exchange student grew up to be me, not anymore alone and afraid of not being understood. It is also a wonder how, after eleven years, Corey Tucker, the boy with the cookie, is still my true and best friend. Yesterday, I proudly recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Even though I do not fully understand the meaning of â€Å"America†, I understand that America is the place where I belong. This feeling of acceptance was made by the kind efforts of the friends I made that day, most especially by Corey. Through the years, many other Corey Tuckers came into my life. This time, I want to be a Corey Tucker too. I want to be able to help others and give back the kindness I have received before. At present, knowing that I am able to do this through my debate class and the WCF gives me a feeling of calmness, peace and satisfaction that money cannot buy.