Friday, May 9, 2008
How I Sent Letters
The Yankees letter and Galaxy letter were sent by e-mail but the NEA letter was mailed.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Timed Writing
When analyzing Campbell’s hero’s journey there are many stories that go hand in hand with the structure that is so widely used. The three main parts of Campbell’s journey are departure, initiation, and return. Although there are many stories that follow this particular structure, two that fit particularly well are Indian Camp and Metamorphosis. The journey that each hero takes is clearly evident when reading carefully, just as the structure is evident in our project three work.
In Indian Camp Campbell’s structure of departure, initiation, and return are clearly visible and evident. The departure takes place when Nick, Uncle George, and the doctor take the boat to the Indian camp. This is when Campbell’s hero leaves the ordinary world and accepts the call to adventure. After he call is accepted the initiation begins where the hero, in this case the doctor, must perform the road of trial he or she faces. In this case Nick’s father, the doctor must help an Indian woman go through labor, which is being born breached. After the doctor performs and completes the road of trials he comes to Campbell’s last stage of the journey, which is return. In Indian Camp return is clearly visible when Nick, the doctor, and Uncle George take the boat back to the ordinary world. They return home without refusal of return or a pursuit of any kind. Although some parts of Campbell’s hero’s journey are missing from Indian Camp, the basis departure, initiation, and return structure is evident.
Another story that follows Campbell’s journey is Metamorphosis. In this story Gregor is a man who inexplicable becomes a bug of some kind over night. When Gregor transforms into a bug he uncontrollably took the departure. He did not have the option of refusing the call because the transformation was done without him knowing it took place until he woke the following morning. Initiation takes place next after Gregor realizes and accepts that he has become a hideous being. His road of trials come with trying to live with his family locked up in a room that is being used as a storage room. The family initially is worried about him but then finds him more of a nuisance than a son or brother. This is when the return takes place but Gregor does not return to the ordinary world. Instead of transforming back to a human Gregor dies and the family returns to an ordinary world. They no longer have to live isolating Gregor away from them; instead they live their lives happily now that Gregor is gone. Although this is a tragedy for Gregor, the family is quite content that they don’t have Gregor burdening them anymore. Tragedy or not, Campbell’s structure is used in Metamorphosis.
Although Campbell’s structure is evident in most stories, it is also used in everyday life. For example, our Project Three Work required us to use the structure as well. The departure took place when we were given the assignment and asked to go on our road of trials of writing to our different organizations. Next was the initiation when we gathered information about our organizations and different articles or stories that relate to our assignments. After sending our letters to the proper organization we were faced with the return. Our assignment was finished and we were faced with the anxiousness of awaiting the organizations replies. This is just one example of man where Campbell’s journey is used not only in stories such as Indian Camp or Metamorphosis, but also in everyday life.
In Indian Camp Campbell’s structure of departure, initiation, and return are clearly visible and evident. The departure takes place when Nick, Uncle George, and the doctor take the boat to the Indian camp. This is when Campbell’s hero leaves the ordinary world and accepts the call to adventure. After he call is accepted the initiation begins where the hero, in this case the doctor, must perform the road of trial he or she faces. In this case Nick’s father, the doctor must help an Indian woman go through labor, which is being born breached. After the doctor performs and completes the road of trials he comes to Campbell’s last stage of the journey, which is return. In Indian Camp return is clearly visible when Nick, the doctor, and Uncle George take the boat back to the ordinary world. They return home without refusal of return or a pursuit of any kind. Although some parts of Campbell’s hero’s journey are missing from Indian Camp, the basis departure, initiation, and return structure is evident.
Another story that follows Campbell’s journey is Metamorphosis. In this story Gregor is a man who inexplicable becomes a bug of some kind over night. When Gregor transforms into a bug he uncontrollably took the departure. He did not have the option of refusing the call because the transformation was done without him knowing it took place until he woke the following morning. Initiation takes place next after Gregor realizes and accepts that he has become a hideous being. His road of trials come with trying to live with his family locked up in a room that is being used as a storage room. The family initially is worried about him but then finds him more of a nuisance than a son or brother. This is when the return takes place but Gregor does not return to the ordinary world. Instead of transforming back to a human Gregor dies and the family returns to an ordinary world. They no longer have to live isolating Gregor away from them; instead they live their lives happily now that Gregor is gone. Although this is a tragedy for Gregor, the family is quite content that they don’t have Gregor burdening them anymore. Tragedy or not, Campbell’s structure is used in Metamorphosis.
Although Campbell’s structure is evident in most stories, it is also used in everyday life. For example, our Project Three Work required us to use the structure as well. The departure took place when we were given the assignment and asked to go on our road of trials of writing to our different organizations. Next was the initiation when we gathered information about our organizations and different articles or stories that relate to our assignments. After sending our letters to the proper organization we were faced with the return. Our assignment was finished and we were faced with the anxiousness of awaiting the organizations replies. This is just one example of man where Campbell’s journey is used not only in stories such as Indian Camp or Metamorphosis, but also in everyday life.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Galaxy Annotated Bib
www.wtopnews.com/?nid=157&sid=1380991
This source is important in showing the unequal salary distribution. David Beckham makes millions of dollars every year to play soccer while teachers make barely enough money to live on. He earns more than 50 times the average MLS salary and twice as much as the second highest paid player. Teachers should earn more money they they currently receive to decrease gap between athletes and teachers.
NEA Annotated Bib
www.nea.org/pay/teacher_pay.html
Teachers are less paid than other professions that require similar education and skills. Teachers deserve higher pay because they are a necessity in society and educate our children. The NEA is proposing a 40,000 starting salary for all k-12 teachers. Many teachers have to quit their job because the money is not enough. This page helps show a teachers perspective and different reasons why they should be paid more money.
Yankees Annotated Bib
This source is about New York Yankees star shortstop Alex Rodriguez. He earns more money than the entire Florida Marlins put together. Earning 28 million dollars a year he is the highest grossing player in the entire MLB. This shows the unequal salary distribution that professional athletes make over teachers. The amount of money that someone makes should reflect the value someone has in society. When athletes make tis much more money than other occupations it sends a mixed message to our children.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Yankees
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/nyy/help/faq.jsp
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=3224138
Monday, April 14, 2008
Companies
NFL - http://www.nfl.com/contact-us
MLB - http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/help/contact_us.jsp
NBA - http://www.nba.com/webAction?actionId=surveyInitialize&target=/email_us/email_form_041027.jsp&surveyId=1511
NHL - http://www.nhl.com/nhlhq/index.html
NEA - http://www.nea.org/aboutnea/contact.html
MLB - http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/help/contact_us.jsp
NBA - http://www.nba.com/webAction?actionId=surveyInitialize&target=/email_us/email_form_041027.jsp&surveyId=1511
NHL - http://www.nhl.com/nhlhq/index.html
NEA - http://www.nea.org/aboutnea/contact.html
Project 2
Conor Allen
Professor Kathleen Robinson
Analytic and Persuasive Writing
2 April 2008
A Closer Look at Professional Athletes’ Salaries
Over the past few decades, a topic that has accumulated much debate is the issue of professional athletes’ salaries. Currently, the trend is for athletes getting paid more and more every year, which is a concern of many, especially people who are employed, because they are the ones being treated unfairly. Athletes who play in the four main sports, consisting of baseball, basketball, football and hockey make quantities of money unheard of for most other profession. The high payment of athletes happens all around the world but is especially prominent in the United States. Because this is such a large-scale issue it has risen much debate. Debaters find many reasons to support or disagree with the high compensation professional athletes receive. Exploring the reasons for or against high salary compensation in professional athletics is best performed by looking at salaries earned by other professions, the services that athletes provide, and the role high salaries have on the integrity of the game.
At one time, professional athletes were paid amounts commensurate with their talent, which is unimaginable considering the salaries earned by some players. Over the past few decades, professional athletes’ salaries have grown exponentially, which makes understanding how an athlete could be worth so much money very difficult. For example, the most expensive contract in sport’s history was given to Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees in 2000. He signed a ten-year contract for 252 million dollars (Woolford). This figure breaks down to 25.2 million dollars a year, which obviously raises public attention, due to the huge salary compensation. Is playing baseball or any other sport worth the amount of money these athletes are being paid? When comparing the salary of an athlete to other professions it is easy to see that these salaries are in fact, unnecessary and unfair to other occupations who are not fairly compensated.
One argument that is usually used when discussing professional athletes’ salaries is evident when comparing the salaries earned by athletes to other professions. For example, “While baseball players make an average of $2.9 million, the average pay for teachers in the United States was $46,597 during the 2003-04 school year” (Woolford). When analyzing this statistic, it is easy to feel as though America is sending the wrong message to its children. Many argue that paying athletes this much more than teachers is telling children that athletics are more important than school and an education. Another example of unfair compensation is Kevin Weaver, a police officer from Concord, North Carolina who earns $64,000 a year (Parade). This says America values athletics more than the safety and protection that police officers provide. This trend of unequal salary distribution is evident with other professions as well. Even doctors who save lives and take care of America’s sick and injured usually earns less in a whole lifetime than some professional athletes make in a single year such as Shaquille O’Neal who made 20 million dollars in his 2005-2006 season (Woolford). This financial distribution is undeniable askew, but with the current trend of high salaries, professional athletes have the upper hand of an unbalanced distribution of wealth due to a low supply of superior athletes and a high demand to see them play.
While athletes provide a service of great entertainment to many people all around the world, their services are as said, entertainment only and not a necessity. Athletics may provide other services such as a unique opportunity for ex-athletes to stay involved with the game they love, but there are many people who would not care if sports were televised. As discussed earlier, there is other professions that arguably deserve higher salaries because the services they provide are a necessity rather than for entertainment purposes. Doctors, police officers, and teachers are needed yet; they make much less money due to America’s love and fascination for sports. These occupations are an absolute necessity and perform their job fully knowing they will not make fortunes doing what is expected of them. Many athletes however have been corrupted by money and crave more for doing a job that used to be a pleasure to them.
Since the rise of salaries has started taking place, many of the major sports, which include baseball, football, hockey and basketball have changed. Strikes have occured, unions, and holdouts because players want more money. Critics of athletes’ high salaries argue that these actions are evidence that money corrupts the game and hurts the integrity of the game. Athletes find many reasons for wanting more money, but their persistence usually comes from jealousy. For example, While Alex Rodriguez makes 25.2 million each year Derek Jeter who also plays for the Yankees gets 20 plus million a year (Woolford). This situation has the potential for Jeter or any other player in the MLB to feel underappreciated and ask for more money. Situations like these start what could be an endless cycle of athletes repeatedly asking for more money, damaging the integrity of the game. Critics of these high salaries constantly argue this point, arguing that the money becomes more important than playing a game that the athlete loves. These critics are usually fans and worry the money gets in the way of “the love of the game” which leads to strikes such as the NHL strike in 2004. Athletes want more and more money to fuel their habitual spending ways. Professional athletes have grown accustomed to a luxurious lifestyle such as multiple homes and cars that are rarely used. While critics say this luxurious lifestyle is undeserved there are supporters of the athletes who believe every penny is earned and some deserve more.
Do athletes truly deserve the amount of money they are being paid to simply play a game? While the practical thinkers say no, many would argue yes due to the commercialization of sports large amounts of money is being made off of the athletes. For example, sports writers, television and radio personalities are all paid six or seven figure salaries simply to describe what the athletes do. Especially owners of sports teams also have the unique opportunity to own their favorite team and then sell them for an enormous profit, which dwarfs the athletes’ salaries. This tendency occurs in many leagues such as the National Football League or Major League Baseball. In 1988 the Baltimore Orioles were purchased for 70 million dollars then sold again in 1993 for 173 million dollars (Morrison). Television advertisers also have the opportunity to make money off of athletes and will pay lots of money to do so. In 1995, advertisers paid an average of 1.2 million dollars for a thirty-second commercial spot during the Super Bowl (Morrision). Athletes attract lots of attention and are the reason why people come to see games. The excitements these athletes provide attract fans, which bring in the funding which pays the owners. This excitement is the reason why many argue athletes do deserve the money they earn. For example, in 1998 the homerun race between Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs. The buzz created to see if these players could beat the home run record brought in record sales and benefited the team (Simmons). Overall, a person who agrees with athletes’ high salaries could easily argue that an athlete is worth the money he or she is being paid, simply by showing the money that is being made off of them.
While many feel that these salaries are unwarranted, Adam Smith gave many reasons in The Wealth of Nations why a particular profession deserves increased wages. One of the reasons Smith gave for higher compensation is due to the special intelligence or special skills that the person possesses (Bok 10). Because few people possess the talents professional athletes have, the demands for their services exceed the supply so they can charge a higher price for their services. The demand to watch professional sports is no doubt high, so athletes are able to ask for high salaries and the owners can easily pay them. For instance, Michael Jordan was paid 36 million dollars to play his last season with the Chicago Bulls (Anderson). The owner know Michael Jordan brings in revenue so he made money off the decision to pay Jordan so much money for only one year. The salaries earned may seem excessive, but due to the demand to see these athletes play, the athlete can continue to ask for high salaries.
Exploring the reasons for or against high salary compensation in professional athletics is best done by looking at salaries earned by other professions, the services that athletes provide, and the role high salaries have on the game. Professional athletes have been receiving more and more compensation for the same service that they provided decades ago and were paid an amount commensurate of their talent. Presently athletes earn huge salaries, which sparks debate among people all over the world. Salaries have skyrocketed for these gifted athletes, which may or may not be deserved. Professional athletes have a unique gift of being the best in the world at their sport. With the low supply of extraordinary athletes and high demand to see them play, economics allows them to be paid the salaries they are fortunate enough to earn. When comparing the salary of a professional athlete to other professions such as doctors or teachers, obviously America and other countries around the world have mixed-up priorities. The service that these athletes provide may not be imperative but the America has shown an addiction to athletics. One could have a strong argument that these high salaries hurt the integrity of the game while others say it embellishes the game. Whether one is for or against the high compensation these athletes are paid seems to be irrelevant. Athletics has taken a firm grip on American culture and athletes will be rewarded as though they were kings.
Professor Kathleen Robinson
Analytic and Persuasive Writing
2 April 2008
A Closer Look at Professional Athletes’ Salaries
Over the past few decades, a topic that has accumulated much debate is the issue of professional athletes’ salaries. Currently, the trend is for athletes getting paid more and more every year, which is a concern of many, especially people who are employed, because they are the ones being treated unfairly. Athletes who play in the four main sports, consisting of baseball, basketball, football and hockey make quantities of money unheard of for most other profession. The high payment of athletes happens all around the world but is especially prominent in the United States. Because this is such a large-scale issue it has risen much debate. Debaters find many reasons to support or disagree with the high compensation professional athletes receive. Exploring the reasons for or against high salary compensation in professional athletics is best performed by looking at salaries earned by other professions, the services that athletes provide, and the role high salaries have on the integrity of the game.
At one time, professional athletes were paid amounts commensurate with their talent, which is unimaginable considering the salaries earned by some players. Over the past few decades, professional athletes’ salaries have grown exponentially, which makes understanding how an athlete could be worth so much money very difficult. For example, the most expensive contract in sport’s history was given to Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees in 2000. He signed a ten-year contract for 252 million dollars (Woolford). This figure breaks down to 25.2 million dollars a year, which obviously raises public attention, due to the huge salary compensation. Is playing baseball or any other sport worth the amount of money these athletes are being paid? When comparing the salary of an athlete to other professions it is easy to see that these salaries are in fact, unnecessary and unfair to other occupations who are not fairly compensated.
One argument that is usually used when discussing professional athletes’ salaries is evident when comparing the salaries earned by athletes to other professions. For example, “While baseball players make an average of $2.9 million, the average pay for teachers in the United States was $46,597 during the 2003-04 school year” (Woolford). When analyzing this statistic, it is easy to feel as though America is sending the wrong message to its children. Many argue that paying athletes this much more than teachers is telling children that athletics are more important than school and an education. Another example of unfair compensation is Kevin Weaver, a police officer from Concord, North Carolina who earns $64,000 a year (Parade). This says America values athletics more than the safety and protection that police officers provide. This trend of unequal salary distribution is evident with other professions as well. Even doctors who save lives and take care of America’s sick and injured usually earns less in a whole lifetime than some professional athletes make in a single year such as Shaquille O’Neal who made 20 million dollars in his 2005-2006 season (Woolford). This financial distribution is undeniable askew, but with the current trend of high salaries, professional athletes have the upper hand of an unbalanced distribution of wealth due to a low supply of superior athletes and a high demand to see them play.
While athletes provide a service of great entertainment to many people all around the world, their services are as said, entertainment only and not a necessity. Athletics may provide other services such as a unique opportunity for ex-athletes to stay involved with the game they love, but there are many people who would not care if sports were televised. As discussed earlier, there is other professions that arguably deserve higher salaries because the services they provide are a necessity rather than for entertainment purposes. Doctors, police officers, and teachers are needed yet; they make much less money due to America’s love and fascination for sports. These occupations are an absolute necessity and perform their job fully knowing they will not make fortunes doing what is expected of them. Many athletes however have been corrupted by money and crave more for doing a job that used to be a pleasure to them.
Since the rise of salaries has started taking place, many of the major sports, which include baseball, football, hockey and basketball have changed. Strikes have occured, unions, and holdouts because players want more money. Critics of athletes’ high salaries argue that these actions are evidence that money corrupts the game and hurts the integrity of the game. Athletes find many reasons for wanting more money, but their persistence usually comes from jealousy. For example, While Alex Rodriguez makes 25.2 million each year Derek Jeter who also plays for the Yankees gets 20 plus million a year (Woolford). This situation has the potential for Jeter or any other player in the MLB to feel underappreciated and ask for more money. Situations like these start what could be an endless cycle of athletes repeatedly asking for more money, damaging the integrity of the game. Critics of these high salaries constantly argue this point, arguing that the money becomes more important than playing a game that the athlete loves. These critics are usually fans and worry the money gets in the way of “the love of the game” which leads to strikes such as the NHL strike in 2004. Athletes want more and more money to fuel their habitual spending ways. Professional athletes have grown accustomed to a luxurious lifestyle such as multiple homes and cars that are rarely used. While critics say this luxurious lifestyle is undeserved there are supporters of the athletes who believe every penny is earned and some deserve more.
Do athletes truly deserve the amount of money they are being paid to simply play a game? While the practical thinkers say no, many would argue yes due to the commercialization of sports large amounts of money is being made off of the athletes. For example, sports writers, television and radio personalities are all paid six or seven figure salaries simply to describe what the athletes do. Especially owners of sports teams also have the unique opportunity to own their favorite team and then sell them for an enormous profit, which dwarfs the athletes’ salaries. This tendency occurs in many leagues such as the National Football League or Major League Baseball. In 1988 the Baltimore Orioles were purchased for 70 million dollars then sold again in 1993 for 173 million dollars (Morrison). Television advertisers also have the opportunity to make money off of athletes and will pay lots of money to do so. In 1995, advertisers paid an average of 1.2 million dollars for a thirty-second commercial spot during the Super Bowl (Morrision). Athletes attract lots of attention and are the reason why people come to see games. The excitements these athletes provide attract fans, which bring in the funding which pays the owners. This excitement is the reason why many argue athletes do deserve the money they earn. For example, in 1998 the homerun race between Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs. The buzz created to see if these players could beat the home run record brought in record sales and benefited the team (Simmons). Overall, a person who agrees with athletes’ high salaries could easily argue that an athlete is worth the money he or she is being paid, simply by showing the money that is being made off of them.
While many feel that these salaries are unwarranted, Adam Smith gave many reasons in The Wealth of Nations why a particular profession deserves increased wages. One of the reasons Smith gave for higher compensation is due to the special intelligence or special skills that the person possesses (Bok 10). Because few people possess the talents professional athletes have, the demands for their services exceed the supply so they can charge a higher price for their services. The demand to watch professional sports is no doubt high, so athletes are able to ask for high salaries and the owners can easily pay them. For instance, Michael Jordan was paid 36 million dollars to play his last season with the Chicago Bulls (Anderson). The owner know Michael Jordan brings in revenue so he made money off the decision to pay Jordan so much money for only one year. The salaries earned may seem excessive, but due to the demand to see these athletes play, the athlete can continue to ask for high salaries.
Exploring the reasons for or against high salary compensation in professional athletics is best done by looking at salaries earned by other professions, the services that athletes provide, and the role high salaries have on the game. Professional athletes have been receiving more and more compensation for the same service that they provided decades ago and were paid an amount commensurate of their talent. Presently athletes earn huge salaries, which sparks debate among people all over the world. Salaries have skyrocketed for these gifted athletes, which may or may not be deserved. Professional athletes have a unique gift of being the best in the world at their sport. With the low supply of extraordinary athletes and high demand to see them play, economics allows them to be paid the salaries they are fortunate enough to earn. When comparing the salary of a professional athlete to other professions such as doctors or teachers, obviously America and other countries around the world have mixed-up priorities. The service that these athletes provide may not be imperative but the America has shown an addiction to athletics. One could have a strong argument that these high salaries hurt the integrity of the game while others say it embellishes the game. Whether one is for or against the high compensation these athletes are paid seems to be irrelevant. Athletics has taken a firm grip on American culture and athletes will be rewarded as though they were kings.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
rhetorical Appeals
Ethos- All professions value money, work that goes into being great at a profession
Ethos/Logos- Logically doctors/teachers deserve more money
Logos- Average NBA salary 4 million dollars average teacher salary 45,000 dollars
Logos/Pathos- Doctors rarely make the amounts of money in their entire career that some athletes make in a single season
Pathos- People who are necessary for a society to function should make more money than entertainment based professions such as professional athletes.
Pathos/Ethos- Teachers and other professions know they wont make loads of money and still they do their job because they love it unlike many profession athletes who consistently ask for more money to play a game.
Pathos/Ethos/Logos- Unfair salary distribution
Monday, March 31, 2008
Welcome to My Blog
Hi everyone, my name is Conor Allen and for project 2 I am discussing professional athletes' salaries. I researched the salaries of many athletes and explore reasons why or why not they deserve the high compensation they receive.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
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