Abstract The paper discusses the pros and cons of sports gambling, the problems with the betting - such as players receiving gifts from betting agents and the demoralization of the players and the game. The paper also studies the effect of sports betting on the economy.
From the Paper "Gambling and betting on sports can be traced back to the Greeks and Roman days, if not before. Risk is the essence of sports, and so is gambling. So it isn?t surprising to find the two hand in hand. But there are loud cries from politicians to pass bills against sport betting. The motivation for the bill can be traced to the Conservative Right and you can trace their thinking all the way back to the colonial period and the Puritans who tried to forbid gambling in New England. "The arguments we"re hearing in 2001 are exactly what moral leaders argued about in 1700? "
Abstract This paper discusses Brett Pulley's book, "The Billion Dollar BET," a rags-to-riches biographical story of Robert Louis Johnson. The paper takes the reader on a journey along with Robert Johnson from Mississippi and the little that he had to 'Black Entertainment Television' and the success that came about with it, along with the controversies that made Johnson a billionaire.
From the Paper "Brett Pulley is a Senior Editor at Forbes magazine and has written the book titled The Billion Dollar BET: Robert Johnson and the Inside Story of Black Entertainment Television. The Billion Dollar BET is an unauthorized biography of the founder of Black Entertainment Television, Robert Louis Johnson. The author traces the blazing path of Robert Johnson through social and economic barriers with his charm and intelligence to firmly ensconce himself into the politics of Washington and the media business. This rag to riches story should have been inspiring, but then the author has painted the methods employed by Robert Johnson as anything but noble. The sale of Black Entertainment Television to Viacom in 1999 made Robert Johnson a billionaire and many consider him the first black billionaire. (Editorial Review: The Billion Dollar BET: Robert Johnson and the Inside Story of Black Entertainment Television)"
Abstract This paper explains that gambling has always been part of the United States; even in the original colonies, lotteries were used to raise money, so that playing lotteries even became a civic responsibility. The author points out nine ways to manage money while gambling in a casino, such as using a progressive method of betting by setting a predetermined percentage increase for each winning bet and sticking stick to that. The paper relates that, in the past, casinos gave away rooms and served foods to attract new guests, especially the high rollers; today, non-gaming areas, including rooms, food, shows, retail space, and other aspects or features of their property, are increasingly a focus of potential profit opportunities.
From the Paper "Casino businesses know that they must put their guests first, otherwise, these businesses are behind and fumbling. They need not only to catch up with the trend but to make giant leaps in order to remain in competition. The lesson to learn is that the casino is in business for the loyalty of each guest; therefore, that guest is at the center of it. If the guest can be made to feel like a royalty, he or she will remember it when he or she leaves, and then come back.
Abstract This paper explains that, through logical analysis based on a punishment-reward premise, Pascal shows that believing in God is preferable to not believing. The author points out that the argument is called a "wager" because Pascal phrases it as a sort of bet: The individual has a better chance of being rewarded through belief than through denial; therefore, Pascals' wager defends belief in God through reason and appeal to basic self-interest rather than through theological or mystical proofs. The paper states that, although Pascal's theory is compelling and cleverly worded, the wager has several rhetorical and logical flaws: For example, Pascal's vision is overtly monotheistic and his worldview is essentially dualistic; however, Pascal would not admit to the possibility of multiple Gods because the philosopher's stance was rooted in Christian apologetic literature.
From the Paper "Ironically, to promote belief in a Christian God, Pascal avoids a direct discussion of Christian theology. Doing so strengthens the appearance of logic and underscores the statistical evidence that Pascal uses to promote theism. However, the absence of any real appeal to mysticism or to matters of the heart ends up weakening the wager. Pascal neglects what could be powerful appeals to emotion, which are essential to most compelling arguments. Also, although Pascal avoids a direct discussion of Christian theology, the philosopher cannot help but insert phrases like "eternal life and happiness," which are written to stimulate an emotional response in the reader. Betting on God brings "eternal life and happiness," according to Pascal, and therefore, no reasonable sane person would not believe in God."
Tags: punishment-reward, bet, self-interest, flaws, statistical
Abstract A specific answer to a scenario set by a teacher regarding online commerce and how it works. This paper provides a scenario of on-line commerce where someone bets on a horse race on-line. The paper explains how the law could work to accept this postal bet as a real bet. Included are a number of scenarios to show how the bet would have to take place in order to meet the time and legal constraints.
From the Paper "When looking at the legalities of the Boniface betting scenario, it is important to define what is understood by the technical terms involved. It is a complicated process going through servers and ISP?s, one that can be defined by breaking the links down and analyzing where the individual links are. When using computers connected to ISP's and using betting webpages and their related servers, definitions must be made as to the process of the transaction."
Abstract This paper examines one of the most profound and best-known of all the psychological phenomena in the stock market: The January effect. It discusses this trend, asking if it is a real phenomena or simply a mass marketing campaign. It provides an extensive look at the psyche of the stock market junkie. Many graphs are displayed.
From the paper:
"Nothing is a sure bet in the world of investing in stocks ? maybe even not death and certainly not taxes, as revelations about Enron have recently reminded us. And it is precisely this high level of insecurity that prompts people ? even against all possible rational reasons ? to look for patterns in the stock market that will help them invest, just as a person desperate to have a winning day at the track will bet on every fifth horse, or every horse wearing green and white, or every jockey whose name begins with K. One essential difference between horse-racing and the stock market, however, is that the actions of those ?betting? ? i.e. buying and selling shares ? can have a real effect on the end result."
Abstract This paper discusses a creative story written about an old saying by Charles Dickens, "A Loving Heart is the truest wisdom." The writer describes that the story is about two men who make a bet to see who would ask the girl, Joanna, out first. The writer explains that Dustin asks Joanna out first and they have a great time, only that later, Joanna finds out that it was a bet. The writer concludes by noting that Dustin tells her that a loving heart is the truest wisdom and wisdom would have been not betting.
From the Paper "Two men stood looking at a young lady with brown hair and brown eyes. She stands 5'0" tall and weighs about 140 pounds. The men, Jackson and Dustin, make a bet with one another to see who gets a date with her. The loser will pay all the expenses of the date. Now, Joanna knows the men are looking at her. In fact, she gives them a smile once in a while. Finally, the men's order is ready to take to them."
Abstract This paper represents the North American Free Trade Agreement and its involvement in the corporate community. The author answers the questions of what NAFTA does for big business, and how it sometimes can interfere with other regional pacts signed in Latin America.
From the Paper:
"Back when trade between two nations was mainly influenced by special interests, the experts and lobbyists agreed there could be no other way to trade. This is no longer the case in today's global market. Corporations must now compete globally and adhere to stringent rules of trade. The reason for this is back in the 1950's the Gross Domestic Product was just four percent, in comparison today it is at a staggering thirteen percent. Another reason for this climb is because of international capital flows, which then can range from a production standpoint, for example, building factories, to pursuits of very speculative ventures of betting against a country's own currency. These areas have to a point, grown even more robustly. Although still another is that all areas covered under trade agreements have broadened from mainly traditional concerns with numerous tariffs, taxes, and quotas to cover labor, outside environmental problems, and state regulated health regulations. This is where NAFTA came into play."
Tags: agreements, business, corporation, economics, trade, latin, america, north
Abstract This paper reviews the novel "Rocking-Horse Winner" by D.H. Lawrence about the devastating effects that money can have on a family. In particular it looks at how Lawrence uses the rocking-horse to symbolize not only the lost innocence of childhood but also the lost innocence of a world gone mad with greed. It examines how the meanings of the rocking-horse evolve through the story. The object first emerges as a symbol of the type of monetary greed expressed by a family attempting to live beyond their means in the form of a Christmas present. Later the horse becomes the avenue for which young Paul attempts to find the luck that his mother feels she and his father are missing. Further on in the novel, images of the horses at the races become superimposed over the idea of a little boy growing too large for his new, then old and worn, rocking-horse and this is the imagery that really influences the reader into the idea of the rocking-horse as a real sweating and shackled racer. It attempts to put forward the message that people living in a corrupt environment imagining that the bridle of a horse can bring them salvation can only receive salvation at a high price.
From the Paper "Paul steps away from innocence and embraces the faith that embodies the world of horse racing. The track representing almost a poor mans modern cathedral. His cohorts look upon the manner in which Paul receives the knowledge of the name of the winner as a mystical occurrence. When Paul's Uncle Oscar questions the servant Basset about just how the whole betting process occurs with his young nephew, he still thinks it rather comical and is not quite sure how much to believe."
Tags: childhood, greed, races, racer, winnings, debt, bet
Abstract This paper looks at the idea of the Anthrax immunisation problem and the philosophies of Kant and Mills along with a Utilitarian approach as to whether it is bets to inoculate or not. The paper discusses Kant along side Mills and concludes that in personal views Mills would be the best approach to take.
Abstract Examines athletes as problem gamblers. Provides a history of gambling. Discusses mob-connected, organized control of sports betting and the growing link between organized crime and college athletics.
From the Paper ""If there's competition involved, you can bet that you can bet on it" is a quote from Henry J. Hyde (R, Ill). Hyde is chairman of the United States House of Representatives and Chairman of the committee ..."
This paper analyzes Viacom and MTV Networks, which owns and operates many of the most popular basic cable television programming services, including MTV: Music Television, the world's most widely distributed television network.
Abstract The paper explains that Viacom, the leading global media company with pre-eminent positions in broadcast and cable television, radio, outdoor advertising, and online, owns well-known brands, includingCBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, BET, Paramount Pictures, Viacom Outdoor, Infinity, UPN, Spike TV, TV Land, CMT: Country Music Television, Comedy Central, Showtime, Blockbuster, and Simon & Schuster. The author believes that MTV is an active industry monopoly and that the FCC should attempt to remove some of the monopolistic powers enjoyed by both Viacom and MTV. The paper relates that MTV was one of the first networks to begin to vocalize the political might of its young viewers. Charts.
Table of Contents
Introduction
History
Corporate
Audience
Industry Influences
Future
News and Politics
Conclusion
From the Paper "It is quite apparent that because Viacom's MTV is so powerful a monopoly, they wield great strength and influence in the video production areas. ?MTV has become a powerful force in popular music today, shaping trends in music and providing invaluable exposure for recording artists through play of their video clips.? (Banks) In the past, record labels to pick which artists were promoted through the additional advertisement and or video production. This "gate keeping" process has been greatly influenced by the likes of MTV. For example, MTV's programming which only includes certain musical genres and artists continues to hurt the careers of the majority of recording artists."
Abstract This paper discusses the illegal and legal business activities that organized crime/Mafia partakes in. It includes bookmaking, loansharking, gambling, and stock fraud. It gives historic examples of each business, as well as recent events.
From the Paper "Organized crime has been involved in business ventures both legitimate and illegal since the very beginning. In the early days they were involved in prohibition; selling liquor illegally and running speak easys. However time has evolved and prohibition ended. Nowadays the members of OC are into things like bookmaking, loan sharking, gambling, stock frauds, sex and much more. Though certain laws have been put in place to help control these activities, such as RICO, they still exist throughout the syndicates."
Abstract This paper discusses the many differences between male and female gamblers. It points out that more women gravitate to less competitive games where there is a larger element of luck such as bingo, casino slots, or video poker machines. It discusses how gambling problems have long been explored by psychologists as impulse control disorders characterized by an inability to resist impulses to gamble. Yet, gender differences among gambling preferences indicate that areas other than psychology, such as a sociological point of view, would prove helpful in explaining the gambling habits of women. This paper explores these social issues and describes implications for the need to incorporate social factors in the treatment of female gambling addicts. The findings indicate that women warrant both psychological and social considerations in their recovery process.
From the Paper "The male problem gambler usually has an outgoing, talkative, and gregarious personality. He often seems self-assured and in control. In sharp contrast, the female problem gambler is more often withdrawn, socially isolated, and suffering from extreme feelings of guilt, shame, and low self-worth. As a devastating consequence, women progress through the gambling continuum more rapidly than men. A man may gamble for years or decades before experiencing negative consequences directly related to gambling. But, a woman may have gambled for only a short time, perhaps just a few months and yet have already reached the desperation stage."
