Gambling Research Essay Example for Free

Gambling Research Essay Gambling refers to the play of any game where there is money, or something of value at stake. There are many different forms of gambling including horse races, lotteries, casinos, scratch cards, stock market betting, and even more recently internet gambling. Although these games are meant for recreational use, the thrill of gambling causes some people to become so involved in it that they become dependent on gambling. The effects of gambling can cause damage psychologically, be very harmful to one’s social life and can also cause many physical damages. Gambling addiction and pathological gambling is not always seen as dangerous as other addictions like substance abuse but it can in fact be a very damaging addiction to many aspects of life and should be considered a major health problem. Not everyone who gambles has a gambling addiction or even has the capability of being addicted to gambling. The majority of people who gamble do not have an addiction and simply do it for recreational purposes. But there is a small percentage of people who gamble who are considered problem gamblers or pathological gamblers. Pathological gamblers is described as, â€Å"Pathological gambling is characterized by chronic and irresistible impulses to gamble, with consequent gambling compromises and disruptions to family, personal and vocational pursuits.† (Coman, Burrows Evans, 1997) This addiction causes the gambler to gamble very frequently, often times they will begin to make bigger and bigger bets and receiving feelings of anxiety or depression when they are not gambling. Pathological gambling can also include gambling to recover losses from previous gambling episodes, lying to family members to try and hide their habits, committing criminal acts to obtain money for gambling and relying on others to provide money to relieve them from their financial situation. This is a very serious addiction and should be considered a major health problem because it can negatively affect many serious aspects of an individual’s life. There are many different influences and gateways that can lead to gambling and even a gambling addiction. Although things like scratch cards may not seem like much of a threat to becoming an addiction, they can intrigue the thought of winning money purely by chance which is a dangerous mindset to have. Another factor that can lead to a gambling addiction is the link between the proximity from the casino and gambling participation. Living close to a casino causes much more accessibility and can add to the possibility of gaining an addiction, â€Å"additional gambling opportunities due to the presence of a casino increase the prevalence of gambling-related problems for people who live close to a casino, as compared with people who live far from one.†(Sevigny, Ladouceur, Jacques Cantinotti, 2008)People who live closer to the casino are much more likely to just â€Å"drop by† and play a few hands rather than people who live farther and have to make an evening of it. Accessibility can have a large impact on gaining an addiction to gambling. Also, the recent popularity of poker has a huge impact on the view of gambling for younger people. Poker has become very popular in our society today and is televised quite frequently showing these players not only making a living from this game of chance, but becoming millionaires. Some of these players are seen as celebrities who can cause some younger audiences to look up to them and strive to be like them. These aspects do not directly lead to a gambling problem but they can definitely help lead to one. Technology has become a large contributory factor to problem gambling. As stated earlier, accessibility can have a large impact on gaining an addiction to gambling and the technology of internet has brought accessibility of gambling to a whole new level. Gambling over the internet should be a major concern because the increase in gambling opportunities gives the potential for an increase in problem gamblers . Research evidence in other countries has clearly shown that: â€Å"where accessibility of gambling is increased there is an increase not only in the number of regular gamblers but also an increase in the number of problem gamblers.† (Griffiths, 1999) Internet gambling websites has dramatically increased this accessibility which will in turn increase the number of people gambling. Not everyone is susceptible to becoming a problem gambler, but the more people gambling, the more people who have the chance of becoming addicted. The popularity of internet gambling is on the rise with its easy accessibility and quickness. This popularity itself cannot lead to a gambling addiction but a number of the more popular poker players on television often promote different gambling websites where anyone of any age can play poker online. The websites allow someone to play in tournaments, play with friends and play with fake money or even real money. They are very appealing to people of all ages and easily accessible all the time which makes them a threat to contributing to problem gamblers and youth gambling. When someone suffers from problem gambling, it is not only that individual that is affected but their family, friends and community as well . There can be some positive aspects of gambling in terms of the social effects of gambling. Gambling can be seen as a recreation, a break from their problems of everyday life and a nice night out. Yet these positive effects only exist if gambling is done in moderation. Once gambling becomes a habit and a necessity is where the negative impacts arrive. Often, it’s those close to the pathological gambler that suffer the most. Constant gambling takes time away from family, friends and other activities. If gambling becomes a problem, it can cause loss of trust between individuals and family members which can lead to family related problems and even divorce. Generally, the social problems begin with borrowing of money to support their addiction. At this point, many friends and family may lose touch with the gambler. Being distanced from those who are closest can cause desperation which may lead to criminal activity. Pathological gambling can become so severe that they can resort to criminal activity in a last effort to support their financial needs. People are more likely to commit crime without thinking of the consequences when they are in a desperation mindset which is what can happen after a big loss due to gambling. Supporters for the spread of legalized gambling make claims about economic growth and more jobs but opponents have a strong case saying, â€Å"various forms of street crimes, such as robberies and automobile thefts, come with gambling, as well as problems with connections to organized crime The majority of Wisconsin problem gamblers in treatment that were interviewed in Thompson et al. (1999) admitted to crimes as a result of their gambling activity, primarily property crimes.† (Gazel, Rickman Thompson, 2001) Pathological gamblers reach a point where there are no options left so they have to resort to illegal means to support themselves displaying the severity and control that a gambling addiction can have. Having a gambling addiction does not just affect someone economically or socially but it can deeply affect them psychologically. Once a pathological gambler is down money, they will make bets to try and regain that money that they have lost. Instead of cutting their losses, they get deeper into debt, preoccupying themselves with gambling, determined to win big to repay their loans and solve all their problems (Griffiths, 2001). A very dangerous way of thinking is the â€Å"what if I win† mentality. This way of thinking is especially dangerous because then they are more prone to make bigger bets with money they may not have to lose so they can receive bigger rewards. A large factor for whether someone develops this addiction has a lot to do with their personality. The type of personality someone has can have on whether or not someone develops a gambling addiction or not. Gambling is characterized by an â€Å"unrealistic optimism by the gambler† (Griffiths, 2001). For the most part people believe that optimism is a good way to live life by always seeing the positive things instead of dwelling on the negatives. Optimists are known to be less likely to suffer from depression symptoms following a stressful event and seem to have more psychological benefits when compared to pessimists. Although in terms of gambling, optimism can be counterproductive, â€Å"Optimists may be especially susceptible to maintaining illusory gambling expectations. Because of their generalized expectations for success, optimists may approach gambling with the belief that they can win.† (Gibson Sanbonmatsu, 2004) Optimists may also have a tendency to look at the positive aspects in a situation which may prolong their gambling thinking that they will win it all back. Also, people who are risk takers are more prone to gambling addiction than someone who is more conservative. Not everyone is susceptible to becoming a pathological gambler and a great deal of the matter has to do with their personality type and how they look at different negative situations. Having a gambling addiction not only affects one’s social life but it can have a great impact on your mind and even cause physical difficulties. Pathological gamblers often suffer from stress-related disorders such as depression, insomnia, intestinal disorders and migraines. Health problems do not only occur from the gambling itself but a significant amount of people suffer problems from the withdrawal, â€Å"Rosenthal and Lesieur (1992) found that at least 65 percent of pathological gamblers reported at least one physical side-effect during withdrawal including insomnia, headaches, upset stomach, loss of appetite, physical weakness, heart racing, muscle aches, breathing difficulty and/or chills.† (Griffiths, 2001) It was also found that pathological gamblers experienced more physical withdrawal effects when attempting to stop than substance abusers who are attempting to quit. This is quite astonishing and again proves why gambling addiction is a very serious matter and should be considered just as much of a health problem as addiction to alcohol or other substances. Pathological gambling can cause great psychological damage and can cause people to do irrational things after a big loss which can sometimes even lead to suicide. Pathological gambling and suicide have been known to have a link to each other. Suicidal attempts among pathological gamblers are much more frequent than among the general public. The American Psychiatric Association did a study that with these results, â€Å"Of individuals in treatment for Pathological Gambling, 20% are reported to have attempted suicide, (American Psychiatric Association (APA))† (Penfold, Hatcher, Sullivan Collins, 2006) For many gamblers, coping with the negative emotions relating to their issues in their life can be overwhelming. Feelings of shame, hopelessness and failure may be hard to bear which sometimes makes suicide seem like the best solution for their problems. The damage to the mental aspects is one of the reasons that make pathological gambling so dangerous. The act of gambling and casinos is a very controversial topic. There are some positive aspects to the casino and gambling that include a source of jobs and economic development. Gambling is meant to be for recreational use on occasion but it can also be very dangerous. Certain people with certain personality types and lifestyles may be prone to becoming a pathological gambler. The effects of pathological gambling can cause a lot of harm psychologically, destroy someone’s social and family life, cause physical damage to themselves which can even lead to their death. Gambling addiction may not be seen as dangerous or likely to happen as other addictions but the results from being a pathological gambler can be just as harmful as other addictions and should be considered just as much as a serious health issue as everything else. References: Griffiths, M. (1999). Gambling Technologies: Prospects for Problem Gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, vol.15, no.3, p.265-283. Griffiths, M. (2001). Gambling: An Emerging Area of Concern for Health Psychologists. Journal of Psychology, vol.6, no.5, p.477-479. Gibson, B., Sanbonmatsu, D. (2004). Optimism, Pessimism, and Gambling: The Downside of Optimism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 149-160. Coman, J., Burrows, G., Evans, B. (1997). Stress and Anxiety as Factors in the Onset of Problem Gambling: Implications for Treatment. Stress Medicine, Vol.13, no.4, p.235-244. Sevigny, S., Ladouceur, R., Jacques, C., Cantinotti, M. (2008). Links between Casino Proximity and Gambling Participation, Expenditure, and Pathology. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, vol. 22, no.2, p.295-301. Penfold, A., Hatcher, S., Sullivan, S., Collins, N. (2006) Gambling Problems and Attempted Suicide. Part 1. High Prevalence amongst Hospital Admissions. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, vol.4, no.3, p.265-272. Gazel, R., Rickman, D., Thompson, W. (2001) Casino Gambling and Crime: a Panel Study of Wisconsin Counties. Managerial and Decision Economics, vol.22, no.1-3, p.65-75.

Coping With Stress Among University Students Education Essay

Coping With Stress Among University Students Education Essay Abstract Stress is purely a fact of nature to anyone in this world. Stress is the impact of forces from the outside or inside world heartwarming the individual (Dryden, 1996, p.52). Different individuals react to stress in ways that touch the individual, in addition to, their environment. This paper will seek to investigate how the use of exercise affects the level of stress among university students. Respondents for the study will be University students from all faculties. University students are famous to have a high propensity to stress experience. Background Overview University education system has been changing every day due to emerging needs of higher education. For instance, most public universities are regarded as research universities due to the amount of research being undertaken in those universities. University students, therefore, bump into high pressure with the modification of the education system. Consequently, the exam-oriented scheme in many universities lead to anxiety among scholars since the students is forced to ascertain that getting good grades in the examination aids them to be a decent frontrunner and acquire a respectable job in the future. Problem Statement The researches which have been done in the past were conducted to investigate the factors that influence the level pressure among scholars. However, there has been no any study that verified and compared the designated important aspects towards selecting the foremost aspect that sway the level of anxiety (Dryden, 1996, p.34). In addition, the study carried before has been piloted only other levels of education other than university education. Therefore, this research will try to successfully investigate the effect of exercise in coping with stress to university students. Therefore, the problem statement for this investigation can be spawned as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“how does the use of exercise help in coping up with stress among university students?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Research Problem This study will be done to scrutinize and understand how exercise can be used in coping with stress to university scholars. Besides that, the study will also be inquisitive to how well exercise can be used to influence the level of pressure among university learners. This study will focus to discover the importance of exercise in coping with the level of stress among the students in the institution of higher education. Consequently, the research problem can be formulated as: Use of exercise in coping up with stress among university students. Research Objectives The following are the objectives of this study: To investigate the use of exercise (independent variables) in coping with stress among university students (dependent variable). To find out the influence of exercise to the level of stress among university student. Research Questions Since the research problem is extremely broad to be studied openly, the following are the research questions that will help to attain the research purpose for this investigation: 1. What are the effects of exercise to the level of stress among university student? 2. Is exercise helpful in coping with stress among university student? 3. How well can exercise be used in coping with stress among university students? Literature Review Stress is the attitude of strangeness between environmental necessities (stressors) and individual capability to achieve these necessities. According to (Dryden, 1996, p.45), stress is the nasty reaction from individuals who have to dangerous pressure. Pressure takes place when a person is handled with a situation that they recognize as overwhelming and cannot handle. Stress is recognized as a response shown by a diversity of peripheral happenings and can be treated as a positive or negative experience. Dryden (1996) defines stress as an order focused to the adaptive capabilities both bodily and emotionally. If these abilities can succeed the demand and take inclination in the stimulus concerned, then anxiety will become an optimistic force of incentive and vice versa is true. Stress is likely to hinder scholastic performance and influence nearly millions of students per year. According to Dryden (1996), stress is problematic to control due its random consequence on persons. Dryden (1996), through his research realized that students come across indication of desperateness, anxiety, and matter use. Stress in educational institutions can affect student negatively and positively if not well administered. Educational institutions have diverse job surroundings, as opposed to nonacademic. It is forecasted to have alterations in signs, aspects, and consequences of stress to students (Dryden, 1996, p.67). It is very beneficial to the society that learners be educated and gain the vital knowledge and proficiencies. This ensures that they make them add positively to the growth and development of the collective economy of any given country. Nevertheless, the complex academic environment rarely generates serious health difficulties to the scholars life. This tends to go contrary to the confirmatory gains that one would forestall after advancing from University. These students must, therefore, pay close attention to the various university atmospheres and frame an effective and proficient pressure management in the institution of higher education. University also ought to keep fit and stable academic atmospheres beneficial for improved learning, which is suitable, with regard to the students distinct requirements. Temperament of students poses diverse level of outlooks to students (Dryden, 1996, p.75). Methodology This section will focus on methods that were used to collect data needed to answer the research questions. This section focus majorly on: research design, sampling techniques and procedures, data collection tools and method of data analysis. Research Design According to Dryden (1996), a research design is the organization outline or a plan that is used to create answers to research problems. Research design is intended to produce arithmetical information about the feature that policy makers and investigators are interested in (Dryden, 1996, p.115). This research will use a descriptive design to collect information and carry out the survey. This kind of design is highly suitable to the kind of information to be collected in this research. Advantage Descriptive research offers investigators the prospect to use both finite and qualitative data in order to discover data and features about the phenomenon that is being investigated. Disadvantage Descriptive research usually has a subjectivity and error which is disadvantageous to descriptive research. From the subjectivity and error, investigator may pick what facts to use and snub data that do not follow to their hypothesis. Participants and recruitment The study cluster will include students from different faculties who were contacted via email to take part in the study project. The choice of students will be convenience sample of 130 university student. All students will be eligible to be selected for participation. The cluster will also have equal gender representation which is equal to 65 male students and 65 female students. This is accordance to the principle of equal representation in collections (Dryden, 1996, pp.115-117). The cluster will also try to have equal representation in all faculties. Sample In this investigation, the simple random sample will be performed as a methodology for this research paper. Data will be collected from a review of the population of scholars from every single faculty within the University (Dryden, 1996, p.111). The participants who will be filling in the survey will be from various backgrounds for instance race, gender and educational level. The cluster will include students who will be studying in an extensive variety of educational disciplines and those who achieved a normal range of grade point averages. This survey will be entirely voluntary; nevertheless, it will be completed by all sampled students in the class. Advantage Sample random method is extremely representative if all issues participate. Disadvantage This method is not likely without whole list of population participants. It is also possibly uneconomical to accomplish. Not forgetting that it can be troublesome to isolate some participants from a group. Data collection Data will be gathered using self-administered 10 entries questionnaire which will seek to discovers the importance of exercise in coping with stress among university students. The questionnaire will also seek to find out how well exercise can be used in reducing the level of stress among university students (Dryden, 1996, p.117). It will take each participant a roughly 5- 10 minute to complete. The questions will be easy to answer, but there will be guidance to the respondents. This will ensure that they provide the required information and also provide accurate and relevant information. Ethical Implications Prior to any undertaking of the study, behavior research ethics committee application should be completed (Dryden, 1996, p.119). While doing this research, this form will be filled. At the time, of recruitment participant will be given the required information allowing them to decide whether to participate in study using a standard verbal script. If the respondents will be willing to learn more about the study they will be given a letter of introduction. An information sheet describing the study and what would be expected of them will also be provided. They will be made aware that any information provided is strictly confidential and in no way will they be identified in the research (Dryden, 1996, p.121). Individuals wishing to participate in the study will sign a consent form. It will be made known to them that if they feel at all affected or disturbed by the study; they are welcome to contact the researcher with their concern for further investigation. While doing publication of results obtained in the research, ethical integrity will be essential. Important ethical distresses will be considered while writing a document. Although there are risks of false publication, duplicate publication, plagiarism, writing, and probability for conflict of interest. Strategies will be established to prevent or discover ethical damages, and use of these approaches will heighten ethical honesty when preparing a final document for publication. Information therefore, given by the respondent in this subject will not be subjected to the above stated risk. Thus, respondents should feel free while giving out information. They are being protected from any risk.

To Autumn, Autumn and October Dawn that each of the poets has different

To Autumn, Autumn and October Dawn that each of the poets has different opinions and feelings on Autumn and they also interpret Autumn in their poems in different ways too. The three poets John Keats, John Clare and Ted Hughes Compare the presentation of Autumn in the three poems We see after reading the poems: ‘To Autumn’, ‘Autumn’ and ‘October Dawn’ that each of the poets has different opinions and feelings on Autumn and they also interpret Autumn in their poems in different ways too. The three poets John Keats, John Clare and Ted Hughes write about the season with admiration and its beauty. All of the poets mentioned above led amazing and bizarre lives living on the edge of brilliance and insanity. With John Keats and John Clare both experiencing breakdowns and having their lives turned upside down and Ted Hughes having troubled marriages, the three of them still managed to come through and write such great and fantastic poems which have become so popular and are still around today. We also see that all the poets had a connection or fascination with the country and although John Keats was the only one who didn’t live in the country but he was still able to write great poems on wildlife and the seasons and the countryside. In all three of the poems weather is a key part in all of the poems and is stated often. In the poem ‘To Autumn’ the sun is mentioned as a ‘close bosom-friend of the maturing sun’ by this I believe he is saying that the sun and autumn work together to make it look beautiful and grow all the fruit to perfection. John Keats mentions a lot about the wind in his poem and says ‘thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind’ I think this means that the wind is gentle and it lightly ... ... it leaves it with a way of a cliff-hanger but I believe the poet has wrote that ending line because he is a optimistic person because at the start of the poem, Ted Hughes says a glass of wine which was left out was ‘half full’ suggesting he is an optimistic person and believes that the earth and the wildlife and all the greens will survive through the cold. In the poems ‘to autumn’ and ‘autumn’ they both are similar as they put life and energy into their poems and they also go into more detail about the weather and the surroundings and animals. In the two poems just mentioned they just describe how beautiful Autumn is but in ‘October dawn’ the poet Ted Hughes mentions how October which is the one of the months when Autumn is and he says it is beautiful but it has its downside as it is a danger and threat to greenery and is a fight until autumn is over.

Health Care Reform: Losing More Than You Think Essay -- Health Care

President Obama has made healthcare reform a priority since the beginning of his presidency. Obama wants to implement a system similar to Medicare. As defined by Dictionary.com Medicare is: â€Å"a U.S. government program of hospitalization insurance and voluntary medical insurance for persons aged 65 and over and for certain disabled persons under 65†. This government based health insurance would still allow private insurance companies to stay in business. Another way Obama wants to change the health insurance companies is to expand coverage and improve the care given. What this means is people with cancer could possibly get health insurance in a case where no one else would cover them. This will also help to lower insurance plan costs. There are pros and cons to Obamas healthcare plan, but it might not be worth the cost or the problems to try and enact it. Under the government plan, businesses would be required to pay a fee for subsidizing insurance, or they would be required to supply mandatory healthcare for employees. If mandatory healthcare laws were required, it would raise the cost of hiring new employees and would possibly limit employers from hiring new prospects. Every American would be required to buy insurance based on the government’s idea of â€Å"acceptable insurance.† Even if people were happy with their current insurance, they could be forced to change policies if their current insurance policies do not meet the government’s â€Å"acceptable† standards. This could put Medicare in competition with private insurance companies. People would be able to choose taxpayer-subsidized plans or private insurance, but subsidies and cost-shifting would make the government plans ultimately have more appeal. Through government research st... ...people will suffer the consequences of an inferior health system if the government enacts Obamas proposed healthcare system. Works Cited Coffin, Bill. "Bad Medicine." National Underwriter / Life & Health Financial Services 115.4 (2011): 16. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. Jeffrey B. English, M.D. "2011: Health Insurance Increases, Obamacare Responsible." Basil & Spice 14 Sept. 2010: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. "Medicare." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 08 Apr. 2012. . "Mitt Romney Says 'Flawed' Obamacare Should Be Rejected. (Cover Story)." Human Events 65.28 (2009): 1. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. Tanner, Michael. "OBAMACARE: Seven Bad Ideas For Health Care Reform." USA Today Magazine 138.2770 (2009): 14. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.

Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow vs. The 1980s Televisi

When we compare Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to the 1980 television movie The Legend of Sleepy Hollow starring Meg Foster, Dick Butkus, and Jeff Goldblum, we find that while there are several similarities between the two, there are also some key differences. When we look at various characters as well as the storyline, we see those similarities and differences. Washington Irving’s depiction of Katrina Van Tassel is that she was â€Å"a little of a coquette† and liked to mix older and modern fashions—â€Å"she wore the†¦stomacher of the older time; and withal a provokingly short petticoat, to display the prettiest foot and ankle† (Irving 325)—because they accentuated her best features. Add in her beauty—â€Å"a blooming lass of fresh eighteen; plump as a partridge; ripe and melting and rosy cheeked†Ã¢â‚¬â€and it seems that she is a good candidate for being a tease. Her immense grasp of her sex is illustrated by the fact that she plays Ichabod Crane against her other suitor, Brom Bones. The true nature of Katrina’s character comes through when we see Ichabod leave the party â€Å"quite desolate and chop-fallen† (Irving 334-35) and we have to wonder as Irving did: â€Å"was her encouragement of the poor pedagogue all a mere sham to secure her conquest of his rival?† ( Irving 335). It seems that all evidence points to the affirmative in Irving’s story; Ichabod is not seen again, and Katrina marries Brom. In comparison, the movie’s version of Katrina Van Tassel is somewhat altered. Meg Foster’s Katrina seems to be a spirited woman; unlike the story, she is (eventually) quite taken with Ichabod but not interested in Brom Bones in the slightest. One example of her spiritedness is shown in the first few minutes of her introduction: Jeff Go... ...rbidden love, whereas Irving’s tale is a tale of possible unrequited love. The characters are vaguely similar in both the written story and the movie, but the glaring difference is that while Ichabod possibly flees from Sleepy Hollow because he was frightened beyond his limits, the movie allows him to denounce any superstition in order to wed his beloved. There are many conclusions we can draw from the characters as well the storylines from the book and movie. It is up to each of us to decide what kind of characters we want to see; just as it is our own choice in deciding how the story ends. Katrina Van Tassel, Brom Bones, and Ichabod Crane will always be central to the story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, just as they are important to the nuances of the story, but it is up to us, the readers and viewers, to draw our own conclusions about the headless horseman. Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow vs. The 1980's Televisi When we compare Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to the 1980 television movie The Legend of Sleepy Hollow starring Meg Foster, Dick Butkus, and Jeff Goldblum, we find that while there are several similarities between the two, there are also some key differences. When we look at various characters as well as the storyline, we see those similarities and differences. Washington Irving’s depiction of Katrina Van Tassel is that she was â€Å"a little of a coquette† and liked to mix older and modern fashions—â€Å"she wore the†¦stomacher of the older time; and withal a provokingly short petticoat, to display the prettiest foot and ankle† (Irving 325)—because they accentuated her best features. Add in her beauty—â€Å"a blooming lass of fresh eighteen; plump as a partridge; ripe and melting and rosy cheeked†Ã¢â‚¬â€and it seems that she is a good candidate for being a tease. Her immense grasp of her sex is illustrated by the fact that she plays Ichabod Crane against her other suitor, Brom Bones. The true nature of Katrina’s character comes through when we see Ichabod leave the party â€Å"quite desolate and chop-fallen† (Irving 334-35) and we have to wonder as Irving did: â€Å"was her encouragement of the poor pedagogue all a mere sham to secure her conquest of his rival?† ( Irving 335). It seems that all evidence points to the affirmative in Irving’s story; Ichabod is not seen again, and Katrina marries Brom. In comparison, the movie’s version of Katrina Van Tassel is somewhat altered. Meg Foster’s Katrina seems to be a spirited woman; unlike the story, she is (eventually) quite taken with Ichabod but not interested in Brom Bones in the slightest. One example of her spiritedness is shown in the first few minutes of her introduction: Jeff Go... ...rbidden love, whereas Irving’s tale is a tale of possible unrequited love. The characters are vaguely similar in both the written story and the movie, but the glaring difference is that while Ichabod possibly flees from Sleepy Hollow because he was frightened beyond his limits, the movie allows him to denounce any superstition in order to wed his beloved. There are many conclusions we can draw from the characters as well the storylines from the book and movie. It is up to each of us to decide what kind of characters we want to see; just as it is our own choice in deciding how the story ends. Katrina Van Tassel, Brom Bones, and Ichabod Crane will always be central to the story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, just as they are important to the nuances of the story, but it is up to us, the readers and viewers, to draw our own conclusions about the headless horseman.

Early childhood education Essay

Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel (1782-1852) was a German educator born in Oberweisbach. He is known as the founder of â€Å"Kindergarten† and was one of the most influential educational reformers of the 19th century. Froebel had a difficult childhood. His mother died when he was still young, and his father, a pastor, and stepmother neglected to care for him. Finally, an uncle took over his care and ensured that he receive a high school education. It was there that young Froebel grew up with a love for nature and strong Christian faith, which led him to seek happiness and unity in all things. Froebel’s faith also led him to think as an educationalist. Froebel studied at the University of Jena for a short time. In 1805, while studying architecture in Frankfurt, he was persuaded to become a teacher by the model school at Frankfurt. He then studied with Pestalozzi at Yverdon, before returning to the University of Gottigen and Berlin in Germany. Froebel believed that there was something missing in Pestalozzi’s theory- the ‘spiritual mechanism’. According to Froebel, this was the basis of early childhood education. â€Å"Pestalozzi takes man existing only in appearance on earth,† he said, â€Å"but I take man in his eternal being, in his eternal existence. † (Shapiro, 1983, p. 20. ) Froebel took a break from studying to join the army for a year from 1813-1814. Afterwards, he received a position at the mineralogical museum in the University of Berlin. Two years later, he founded a school at Greisheim (which later mover to Keilau) which he called the Universal German Educational Institute. It was there that he taught his methods to other teachers. Froebel opened the first Kindergarten in the year of 1837 in Bad Blankenburg. Later, he also founded a Kindergarten training school at Liebenstein. Froebel felt that children, like plants in a garden, need to be cared for and shielded from outside influences. Froeble believed that children need to imitate a teacher’s values and morals. Therefore, teachers need to be respected, receptive, and easily approachable. Among Froebel’s subordinates, however, there were constant disputes, which he was unable to control. He encountered more problems when the Prussian government did not approve of his ideas. In 1851, an edict was issued, which forbade the establishment of Kindergartens. This decree was repealed almost 10 years later- in 1860. Froebel was not alive at that time and had no idea of the impact he left on the school system worldwide, and especially in the United States. The philosophers of his times, Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762-1814) and Friedrich Wilhelm Schelling (1775-1854), also influenced Froebel’s educational ideas. He placed an emphasis on self-activity, physical training, and pleasant surroundings in the development of children. His most important work was the book he wrote in 1826 called Menschenerziehung (tr. The Education of Man, 1877). References: Lilley, Irene M. , (1967). Friedrich Froebel: A Selection from His Writings. Kilpatrick, William H. , (1916). Froebel’s Kindergarten Principles Critically Examined. Retrieved from http://www. uv. es/EBRIT/micro/micro_221_12. html Froebel, Friedrich. (1896). The Education of Man, trans. W. H. Hailman. New York: Appleton. Retrieved from http://www. answers. com/topic/friedrich-wilhelm-august-fr-bel.

Kentucky Fried Chicken Case Study Essay

The case focuses on four major topics: (1) analysis of the fast-food industry from both a domestic and an international point of view; (2) the development of KFC’s business strategy from 1992 to 1996; (3) an analysis of KFC’s investment strategy in Mexico and Latin America; and (4) the Mexican peso crisis of 1995. This case begins by analyzing the strategic changes that took place in Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation (KFC) as it moved through a variety of ownership changes from the 1950s through the 1980s: (1) KFC’s founding by â€Å"Colonel† Harland Sanders in 1954; (2) the sale of KFC to Jack Massey and John Young Brown, Jr., in 1964; (3) Heublein’s acquisition of KFC in 1971; (4) the acquisition of Heublein by R. J. Reynolds in 1982; and (5) PepsiCo’s acquisition of KFC in 1986. As such, the case provides an opportunity to examine issues related to corporate diversification/ acquisition strategy and business portfolio management. The case also discusses the U.S. fast-food industry and its international dimension. It also examines KFC’s international strategy with a particular focus on Mexico, providing a vehicle for discussion of risks and opportunities of doing business in a foreign country. Some of the Strategic Issues and Discussion Questions for This Case Include: 1. How did different corporate parentage-under Heublein, R. J. Reynolds, and PepsiCo-affect KFC? 2. What motivated the three international corporations to buy KFC? 3. Can you identify any added value that each of these three firms brought to KFC? 4. What are the driving forces in the fast-food industry? 5. Using the five forces model, assess the strength of each force within the fast-food industry. 6. Complete a SWOT analysis for KFC.  7. In what ways is KFC positioned to take advantage of the industry’s key success factors? 8. What are the major strategic issues surrounding KFC’s decision to expand or freeze growth in Mexico?