Relationships in Second Life and how they can affect Real Life Essay

Relationships in Second Life and how they can affect Real Life - Essay Example These immersive 3D environments, also known as Multi User Virtual Environments (MUVE) (Mennecke et al. 373) or Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs), allow large numbers of users from diverse backgrounds and locales to interact via the Internet (Ducheneaut, Wen, Yee, and Wadley 1151). However, for many inhabitants of Second Life, it is not just a 3D online game, but another world that â€Å"†¦has its own economy and millions of residents who own and create property, make friends and even get married† (CNN Living, 2008). These virtual worlds (VWs) have become conduits for socialization, collaboration, entertainment, social networking, and business development (Mennecke et al. 371). Second Life vs. Real Life In VWs like Second Life, users must build virtual representations of themselves through creation of customizable avatars, which gives them a 3D body that they control and provides a â€Å"tangible embodiment of their identity† (Ducheneaut, Wen, Yee, and Wadl ey 1151). Through the avatars, users can discover an ever-growing assortment of virtual sites, fabricate all sorts of items, from clothing to buildings, and create businesses to sell their goods or services, forge relationships with other players through their interactions with their avatars, and buy virtual property (Hayes 154). According to Dell, as many as 13 million people have logged on to Second Life at least one time and about 450,000 subscribers are from more than 50 countries are online in any given week, ranging in age from 18 – 72, 27% of which are female (Hayes 154). Researchers have begun to conduct studies to analyze the way self-perception formed through interactions in VWs affects behaviors in the real world (Dell). According to Ducheneaut, Wen, Yee, and Wadley, "the choices users make when creating and customizing their avatar will have repercussions on their interactions with other users† (1151), which can cause users to create online personas that are sometimes the complete opposite of who they are in real life. The ability to â€Å"†¦do, create or become just about anything you can imagine† (Hayes 154) in the VW can result in people adapting qualities that spill over and change their demeanor in the real world (Dell). This reaction frequently occurs without the person being aware of the shift and research has determined that as little as 90 seconds spent interacting with avatars online is sufficient to bring forth behavioral changes offline due to augmentation to the individual’s self-perception and self-confidence (Dell). Additionally, researchers have determined that physical characteristics, like height and appearance, can have significant effects on the online behavior of the person as well as how they interact with others offline (Dell). Studies conducted regarding behaviors determined that individuals that used avatars considered to be physically attractive tended to display a higher degree of self-assu rance than they normally did after inhabiting the avatar (Dell). This was also true for people that used tall avatars, with these individuals displaying behaviors more aggressive than their usual demeanor and the converse being true for people using short avatars (Dell). VWs can potentially be used to improve health for some adults by allowing them to watch avatars that closely resemble their own likeness exercise, which, in studies, resulted in the individuals also exercising within 24-hours of the interaction (Dell). More recently,

Position paper - What does it mean to compute Essay

Position paper - What does it mean to compute - Essay Example It was decades ago that he presented the concept of a machines that would be able to calculate input variables in accordance with a function that would be provided to it. The much acclaimed Turing Test then evolved that distinguished a man from a computing machine and narrated that the better a computing machine is to the conceptual understanding of a man the batter it is. Later on, based on Turing’s principles, modern day computers were evolved from a simple calculator where the function that required to be executed is now replaced by a program. A program in itself is a series of steps that need to be executed so as to calculate or rather ‘compute’ something. â€Å"The fact is the notion of computing is a generalized concept which is essentially divorced from any physical or biological mechanism. There are two models of computation which are widely used today-both are exactly equivalent in power. One is a purely function and logic based formalism invented by the mathematician Alonzo Church called the Lambda Calculus. The other is an abstract device formalism invented by the mathematician Alan Turing called the Turing Machine.† (University of New Mexico, n.d.) The above is an excerpt from a document at the University of New Mexico Department of Computer Science website.  The models of computation discussed in the statement above were discovered in those early times when mathematicians were busy finding out ways to automate their mathematical calculations. It was then that Turing Machine became the first device that was actually attempting to compute something. It was made up of an extremely long tape. The tape was being read by a single head. There were either 0s or 1s inscribed on the tape. The concept of finite states could also be incorporated into the machine. To date, so far, no machine has been able to compute better than done on the principles of the Turing Machine. This is meaning to say that though the modern

Integral Quantity Data types Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Integral Quantity Data types - Essay Example Yes, we can represent integers bigger than what int allows. Basically, integers have limit up to 2,147,483,647, and if we want to show number greater than this we have two options. We can use long or BigInteger. In this scenario, the limit for long is 9,223,372,036,854,775,807. For storing space and increasing the time of execution of program Java provides two data types (TutorialPoints, 2014; Oracle Corporation, 2014). Yes, for representing arbitrarily large integers we can use two other options: BigInteger and BigDecimal. However, it is not default because we write small programs in which our integer values can easily store and take less space. Hence, if BigDecimal or BigInteger becomes default it will require more space and the program execution will require additional time. Due to this reason there is not a single representation of integral quantities (TutorialPoints, 2014; Oracle Corporation,

Criminal Profiling Deductive vs Inductive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal Profiling Deductive vs Inductive - Essay Example Inductive and deductive criminal profiling are different from each other in more ways than one. Deductive criminal profiling is more common because it needs one to have specialized training and education in the field under investigation. This paper will give an in-depth analysis of the differences between deductive and inductive criminal profiling. Profiles work best when the criminal displays psychopathology traits, for example, postmortem mutilation, pedophilia or sadistic torture. A profile usually offers helpful information regarding issues such as age range, education level, and racial identity as well as travel patterns. These demographic variables come in handy when following the trail of the offender and the eventual arrest. Inductive profiling is the case whereby characteristics of offenders who are known are applied to subjects that are unknown. In this case, detectives believe that the two groups have some common features. It is important to note that it is risky owing to the fact that two people can engage in identical behavior but for different reasons. It is challenging to apply data that is relevant to a group of single entities who are members of the group (Turvey, 2011). Inductive profiling id used in the classification of rapists as well as serial killers. Inductive profiling uses all the evidence gathered from police reports, crime scenes, psychological evaluations as well as victimology reports. This is in order to analyze the data empirically and consequently support a theory. On the other hand, deductive profiling is limited to the evidence left at the crime scene. This kind of profiling is very common in the movies. The crime scene is assumed to be the canvas while the criminal deems himself the artist.  

Should Canada, North America, and Central America form an American Essay

Should Canada, North America, and Central America form an American Empire, or super-state, similar to the European Union - Essay Example ree leaders, President Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Martin, and President Fox of Mexico conferred to deliberate upon bringing the North American countries as one. The leaders had agreed to settle for a condition in which both political and economic policies on security and antiterrorism would be integrated encompassing sectors as immigration, energy, transportation, and customs and to be complied with by the nations involved. Combining regulations to such extent might to some point yield the desired results however, since it would eventually expedite border crossing and facilitate an approach that favors ease in clearance of commodities and people at the continental level, one would not afford but imagine how it would give further allowance to entries beyond good cause. Once boundaries become freely movable, there would be huge probability toward illegal trade of goods as in smuggling, drug trafficking, and prostitution. Additionally, the common security perimeter would most likely induce elements that run counter to preservation of culture unique for each nation (Edwards). Super-state formation, on considering adoption of foreign policy, may entail threat to laws or acts made to protect both human health and environment. Just like the initial step by NAFTA, SPP has also targeted to modify certain regulations that enable corporations or private business firms to file charges against provincial and municipal governments. Later on, this would lessen the chance for environmentalists to express and defend their concerns since the new set of standards regard commercial motives more than environmental impact and would thus limit favor on establishing safety measures on humanitarian aspect. As it turns out, the union inhibits a sense of democracy especially when Amero becomes the new currency upon the mergence (Wells). The associated plan to establish a global transportation system is initially difficult to gauge given the complexity of the transportation

Internet Gambling Essay Example for Free

Internet Gambling Essay The technoculture related topic that I am going to explore is the phenomenon of Internet gambling. With the emergence and explosion of gambling on television such as the World Series of Poker of ESPN or The World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel, online gaming has quickly become a major player in the technoculture of contemporary society. I feel it is important to explore this issue because of American societys fascination and obsession with gambling. Gambling can and has become a very serious and damaging activity to many people in this country. According to CNN. com, studies have shown that people who gamble on the Internet tend to have more serious addictions than people who wager through more traditional venues. Through my research, I hope to further explore why Internet gambling has the potential to be more dangerous than traditional casinos and how younger generations of Americans and the government are responding to this ever-growing phenomenon. Literature Review The research I discovered on Internet gambling is fairly recent and comprehensive. Since online gaming is a reasonably new trend, the material written on the matter was rather current. Furthermore, there was a substantial amount of information within these three sources. It was evident that the three authors conducted high-quality research, and it showed with the use of graphs, charts, and case studies. Also, the three sources had a very similar outlook on the present and future situation of online gaming. With that being said, given that online gaming is at the peak of its existence, it is imperative that further exploration and examination within the subject be carried out. Because of the instant access one has to a gambling venue and the privacy factor of the Internet, online gaming has become a risky undertaking for many. According to David Schwartz (2003), Internet gambling presents new problems for individuals and society (p. 214). Instead of driving to an actual physical casino, problem gamblers can enjoy betting in the comforts of their own home. At home, they are not monitored by other gamblers and/or casino personnel which results in the ability to set their own limit. The Internet also allows the gambler to maintain a level of privacy not found in real casinos. If there are no friends or family around to supervise, then the gambler can engage in irresponsible betting without any time constraints. Finally, unlike real casinos, Internet casinos are readily available at the click of a button. If an online gaming organization will not accept ones money, one can bet that there are thousands of others that will be happy to take ones funds. The demographics of gambling are interesting to investigate within the subject. According to Rachel Volberg (2001), adults ages 18 to 29 are substantially more likely than older adults to have gambled privately (p. 34). Young adults are also more likely to gamble for excitement compared to older adults (Volberg, 2001). This is not a difficult concept to grasp. Normally, young adults have a less appreciative concept of money because they do not have as great of a responsibility as older people in regards to providing for family, paying bills, and spending money on expenses that are traditionally not familiar to a younger person. Furthermore, young people are usually unsupervised, especially in the collegiate demographic. Without the approval from mommy and daddy, young adults all across America are enjoying the financial freedom to do whatever they want with the money they have. In addition, according to Thomas Barker and Marjie Britz (2000), many college students have deep pockets ? Mom and Dads (p. 139). With this new found autonomy and fiscal assistance from parents, college kids are engaging in online gaming for fun and excitement. However, if left untreated and unsupervised, the fun and excitement can soon turn into a dangerous addiction with serious consequences and ramifications. With the possibility of Internet gambling becoming a serious problem, the government has been asked to step in and legislate the situation. According to Volberg (2001), The fact that Internet gambling is conducted in a networked, data-intensive environment offers opportunities for regulation and oversight in several critical areas, including licensure, testing for game integrity and site security, auditing and oversight, taxation, and consumer protection (p 97). Basically, Volberg is supporting a regulatory system that will be able to monitor the activities not only of the individual gambler, but of the gambling website as well. If the government actually does get involved, certain problems can be remedied. For example, every transaction made by a player can be closely followed and tracked. If a player indicates behaviors that suggest irresponsible decision-making, the player can be flagged and possibly suspended from a gambling website. However, all in all, Internet gambling will most likely always have its problems. Just like alcohols are with minors, people will get their hands on something they probably should not be touching. Internet gambling is an intensifying activity in American culture. With all the limitless possibility and endless potential of the Internet, online gaming will continue to be a major player in the world of technoculture and the information society. Nevertheless, what is important within this public sphere is to be able to responsibly deal with the world of Internet casinos. We need to come to a positive middle ground between the two sides of the spectrum; the fun and excitement of gambling and the spiraling addiction. Current Trends Like anything in life, when you create stimulus you are going to yield a response. In regards to online gaming, the stimulus that was created was the buzz generated by the constant bombardment of gambling programs on television. ESPN annually televises The World Series of Poker during the summer in which thousands of people descend upon Las Vegas to gamble in all types of events including poker, blackjack, craps, etc Many times they tell the story of some average Joe who enters a tournament and eventually ends up winning thousands of dollars. This false sense of hope has grabbed millions of Americans into thinking that they too, have the ability to win a substantial amount of money. The response to this stimulus has been the emergence of online casinos. However, instead of people winning money, crime has actually been the fallout of this risky behavior. According to ABCnews. com (2006), a Lehigh University student by the name of Greg Hogan Jr. attempted to rob a local bank in order to pay off his gambling debts. He was eventually caught and pleaded guilty to the offense and now faces up to three years in jail. During his interview with Good Morning America, Mr. Hogan blamed his addiction to online gambling websites for his setback, and cautioned the American public to the dangerous power of Internet gaming. In addition to his story, according to ABCnews. com (2006), 2. 9 million Americans between the ages of fourteen and twenty-two gamble with cards online at least once a week, and fifty percent of male college students and twenty-six percent of female college students gamble on cards at least once a month. To combat this growing epidemic, the House of Representatives took a proactive stance on the matter by passing legislation that would make it illegal to use credit cards on gambling websites and make it significantly more difficult to access these sites. Whether it gets passed by the Senate and the Executive Branch is another matter, however, at least the government is recognizing the problem sooner rather than later. In conjunction with this theory of crime, many Internet scammers have found opportunity within this growing trend. An article on ABCnews. com (2006) describes an elaborate scheme where bookies took sports bets through an Internet gambling site. The insecurity of the website allowed these thieves to launder millions of dollars and corrupt the free enterprise system of the Internet gaming business. Fortunately, these criminals were caught. Nevertheless, it makes you wonder how frequent this sort of thing exists in the online world. Some have argued, nonetheless, that Internet gambling has its benefits. According to Tom W. Bell (1998), the inclusion of the Internet has fostered competition to a business that has long enjoyed the sanctuary of restraining licensing practices. Rather than having to fly out to isolated casinos in Vegas or Atlantic City, you can enjoy the experience of gambling in the comforts of your own home. Bell (1998) also supports the belief that gambling in your home allows an individual to escape the traps found in real, physical casinos. A person does not have to be surrounded in a windowless structure while being harassed by cocktail waitresses carrying a tray of free booze. Because of online gaming, the business world has more free enterprise and has given the individual a sense of security not found in traditional locales. In terms of my own personal experience, I actually signed up to one of these gambling websites to investigate how they attract and seize the public. The website was www. gambling. com and in order to register, all I had to give them was a current e-mail address. I found it sort of comforting to know that they pledged that they would not pass any of my information on to any other company and/or website because I did not want my stagweb to become flooded with junkmail from these websites. Immediately after becoming a member, I was granted 400 Ludos. I had no clue as to what Ludos were, but after some probing, I discovered that they were basically a form of Internet currency. For every twenty five Ludos, I received a dollar. That equals sixteen dollars. But, heres the catch. For me to actually receive the Ludos and use them to gamble, I would have to give them my credit card information and pay a montly fee which was actually just about as expensive as the Ludos themselves. Brilliant. Moreover, the website contained links in which I could learn how to play games by reading tutorials, and then, actually play those games. I conducted a little experiment of my own to see how many times I won during one of the games. Out of twenty-five spins on one of the slot machines, I ended up winning sixteen times. That is a sixty-four percent average of winning. Now, anyone who understands anything about gambling knows that the absolute best percentage of winning is fifty percent. However, most of the games are not even close to that percentage. My suspicion leads me to believe that these websites give a false sense of hope to their members. If they succeed in tempting people to try these games, and these games yield a winning percentage better than fifty percent, more often than not, someone is going to believe that they actually have a great chance of making money. It actually is a genius scheme to lure in the public. Make them believe. Once they have accomplished that, these websites have them right where they want them. Conclusions The effects of online gaming are now becoming more clear and transparent to technoculture and the information society. It is apparent that online gaming has become a microcosm of the digital divide that exists within society. According to one of our readings during the semester written by Oscar H. Gandy, Jr. (2002), the differences that make up the digital divide are more than just social constructions. The actual construction is molded due to the new systems of communication that have surfaced within the last twenty years. In relation to online gaming, Internet gaming websites are now competing to display the flashiest, most hypertextual sites in order to attract customers. Due to this competition, better bandwidth and enhanced software will result, thus highlighting the digital divide. Data mining and this notion of surveillance has also entered the conversation regarding online gaming. Because an individual has to present private information about ones self on a website to facilitate gambling, the possibility of gambling website selling personal information in return for financial gain is a distinct possibility. As aforementioned, the site I visited before pledged that they did not engage in data mining. Yet, this seems to suggest that other sites do exercise this right which effectively gives companies useful information about yourself. Moreover, whenever someone uses the Internet, especially in a situation where one willingly submits personal information such as credit card and phone numbers, the possibility of third party surveillance is always present. It really conveys the authentic risks one undertakes when participating in the latest innovation. Another theory that online gaming illustrates is the constant tension between structure and agency. The government represents structure. As a stable entity, it looks to control the path of Internet gambling by establishing rules and regulations in hopes of creating some order. Internet gambling, on the other hand, is the perfect example of agency. Gambling, in and of itself, is the exact definition of what agency represents: the ability of uncertainty and chaos to influence the parameters through which we live. However, as much as these two concepts seem unrelated, there is an interdependence that spurs the creation of new technologies, not only in the world of online gaming, but throughout the technological landscape. Annotated List of Relevant URLS 1. http://www. playwinningpoker. com/resources/sites2. html : This website is a resource for gamblers.It allows the user to learn new games, find new games, and contact certain people involved with gambling. 2. http://www. gambling. com/best/online-gambling-sites. htm : This website directs users to the best gambling websites on the Internet. It has a list on the left hand side with about sixty different links to other gambling sites. 3. http://www. out-law. com/page-6655 : This website is about illegal activities on the Internet. It contains a few articles on illegal mishaps that have occurred through Internet gambling websites. 4. http://www. becker-posner-blog.com/archives/2006/08/on_internet_gam. html : Blog that contains articles about Internet gambling. Website constructed by Gary Becker and Richard Posner. 5. http://www. cardplayer. com/blog/entry/179 : Blog that is pro-Internet gambling. Players write their feelings on why they think Internet casinos are fun and exciting. 6. http://www. istoppedgambling. com/ : Website founded to help people with gambling problems. Includes personal stories, how-to instructions, and negative articles about gambling. 7. http://www. nomoregambling. com/ : Website founded to help people with Internet gambling problems. Has a hotline and other medias to help combat irresponsible Internet betting. Works Cited Barker, Thomas Britz, Marjie (2000). Jokers Wild: Legalized Gambling in the Twenty-first Century. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Schwartz G. , David (2003). Suburban Xanadu: The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis Books, Inc. Volberg A. , Rachel (2001). When the Chips Are Down: Problem Gambling in America. New York, NY: The Century Foundation, Inc. http://www. cato. org/testimony/ct-tb052198. html.

Gas Laws Lab Essay Example for Free

Gas Laws Lab Essay Introduction: In this lab we are going to investigate behavior of gas by working with a molecular model. Factors that effect gas behavior our pressure, temperature, volume and the number of moles. We are going to keep to variables constant and record the relationship or change in the remaining factors. Independent variables: Temperature, number of moles, volume Dependent variable: Pressure Controlled variable: apparatus used (computer program downloaded from the internet), volume and number of moles Question: What is the relationship between pressure and temperature of a gas filled container with constant volume and number of moles? Hypothesis: temperature and pressure are directly related. As temperature increases pressure increases. Pressure is directly proportional to temperature when the number of moles and volume are kept constant. Procedure: Log on to the Internet and visit heinnemann.co.uk/hotlinks and enter the express code 4266S. Click on weblink 3.2 the simulation on the right will appear. In this simulation one can set the parameters as per desire. For this experiment we need to set the volume and number of moles constant. Three trials are done for accuracy. For the first trial, we need to set the volume constant. The volume will remain set to the default value. Then pump 100 heavy species particle in the container and keep them the same until the next trial. The temperature will automatically go to 300K, remove heat to lower the temperature to 150K. Record the pressure produced. Add 50K each time, before taking another reading until the temperature reach 500K. Record the change in pressure with simultaneous temperature in a table. Before starting the next trail hit the reset button. Before starting the second trail change the depth of the container to 3.4nm. Measure the depth with a ruler (the ruler is given as a tool for measurement). Pump 100 more heavy species in the container to make a total of 200 particles. Increase the temperature as done before with similar intervals and record the pressure in form of a table. Hit the reset again and start the final trail. For the third trial, increase the depth of the container to 9nm and pump in a total of 300 heavy species particle. Record the temperature and pressure in a table. The uncertainty in this experiment for temperature is +0.5K and for pressure is +0.5 Pa. Use the tables to graph the data to show the relationship between temperature and pressure. Conclusion and Evaluation: From the data collected and the graphs processed we can make out that pressure is directly related to temperature when the number of moles of particles and the volume of the container is kept constant. We know that as temperature increases the particles gain more energy and collide at a faster rate with each other and the wall of the container. As the number of collisions increases, the more the particles exert force on the walls of the container. The force that the particles have on the walls is known as the pressure. All the 3 graphs have a linear relationship and the slopes of their lines are the coefficient of the temperature because temperature is directly related to pressure. As shown by the graphs temperature is directly proportional to pressure. In other words keep the volume and the amount of gas constant and change the temperature (by heating or cooling) and observe the change in pressure (Pressure law: P=const*T). The lines are not straight and a line of best fit is used. The unevenness of the lines on the graphs shows that there are slight errors involved in the experiment. The errors included are systematic, analytical and random. As the pressure was fluctuating the value noted was randomly chosen. The temperature was sometimes a point higher or lower, which again caused the pressure gauge to give a slight of value. Also the uncertainty in the measurement of volume showed that there were some errors also included while taking the measurement of the container. Suggestions for improvements: The lab was precise because of the number of trials done but it could be accurate by reducing the errors made in the experiment. Try to hit the raise the temperature of the container in the simulation accurately if that is not possible try setting the default temperature to the desired value and record the pressure. This would allow the pressure gauge to be more accurate. When taking measurement of the container for volume with a ruler try to avoid the parallax error, which is created by not looking at the measurement perpendicularly. Take the mode value from all of the values produced by the pressure gauge and wait a minute or two after setting the temperature and before noting the temperature. This helps to get a more accurate reading because the particles get enough time to settle. By recording the pressure value after giving certain breaks in the experiment will help the lines on all the three graph to be less uneven and more accurate.