Current Event Article 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Current Event Article 4 - Essay Example Generally, the economic decline in Jamaica is because of the unbalanced tax burdens, insubstantial ineffectual compliance structures and the escalating size of the informal sector. This trend has led the need for Jamaican government officials to develop ways to pinpoint, scrutinize, tax, and impose amenability on individuals and business working in the informal sector. The netted tax revenue from the unexploited tax base would not only contribute to Jamaica’s GDP but also alleviate poverty and improve the living standards of citizens. I think this article is important in accessing the challenges facing Jamaica and how these challenges can be solved. The current state of Jamaican informal economy requires fresh reforms to exploit the informal sector as a resource to the government. Principally instead of giving incentives and subsidies to foreign investors, theJamaican government should bestow them on local workers to boost their confidence in the tax authorities and tax system. The Government of the Jamaica can achieve these goals through fair tax imposition on all businesses, tax reduction rates, tax improvement compliance and enhancement of social platforms on overlooked areas. Once the citizens realize that the taxes are useful to their communities, this will ultimately expedite voluntary compliance and bring about economic growth. Ideally, tax reform is a challenging task to undertake and this could lead to withdrawal of foreign investors from Jamaica. The informal sector can underwrite economic growth in Jamaica if they have substantial incentives to join up the formal

Analyze and asses the economic effects of regulation on passenger vs Essay

Analyze and asses the economic effects of regulation on passenger vs. freight transportation - Essay Example This is when aspects of comparison are enforced in the market and the targeted performance by the airline companies. This paper analyzes and assesses the economic effects of regulation on passenger versus freight transportation. In the field of economics, once supply is reduced the tendency for price increase to be introduced is always very high. Regulations that inhibit airlines from taking a certain route within a timeline result in choked supply of the goods that are required. This means that there are people that want to travel and transport their goods from one area to the next. They are not able to do so because government regulations restrict them. The people and the goods have to be transported within set timelines. This results in so many people wanting to travel. In other cases, the flow of goods is hampered especially if the goods are perishable in nature. At this point, it is the mandate of the airline company to increase the air fares thus reducing the demand for the service. This means that if governments allowed airline companies to travel to regions as many times as they would want to, the demand would be evenly spread. This will also translate to cheaper airfares for anyone using the servic e (Abramowitz & Brown, 1993). In many instances, regulation has been viewed as a form of any government’s effort to reduce the number of people and goods using air transport. This is because many of them do not have the structural capacity to deal with the ever emerging need for transportation. Economically, this results in over congestion of other forms of transport and reduced revenue generation from the air companies. The aspect of coordination and relationships is greatly affected by the fact that regulations have been perceived as a form of dictatorial governance. This is a headache for very many governments and their transport systems. It is necessary to note that regulations affect economic relations between nations by stipulating the terms

Business in India Essay Example for Free

Business in India Essay In order to do business in India, it is necessary ensure that the business is set under the required procedures and regulations of industrial undertaking.   The goods to be manufactured should fall within licensed, relicensed or small scale sector.   A license allows a company to use the property of the licensor.   The properties could either be intangible items like trademarks, patent rights and production techniques. To get the license, one is required to fill an application with the Ministry of Industry. Starting a company in India for the aforesaid involves assessing the commercial opportunity for self, managing business, obtaining legal requirements, money, business premises, obtaining workers and developing the marketing schemes for the products to be produced and the services to be offered. In this case Roger Smith at Prime Pumps has suggested that Maddock Inc and Governor Inc enter the Indian market as a joint venture.   It will be a great idea to take since a joint venture business has the advantage of sharing risks, sharing of technology to increase and improve production and it is possible to conform to government’s regulations.   Also, in a joint venture business internationally, there are quick political connections and distribution channels. Having done business together, it means that the two business associates will experience the converging of their strategic goals while diverging their competitive goal.   In this they will only operate to improve their business by influencing market power and learning from one another while restraining admittance to their personal proprietary skills. Advantages of early entry into a foreign market The company enjoys monopoly since there could be no other companies producing the same products. This increases the profits and hence the company can expand its operations in a very short time limit. A company enjoys reduced labor cost as there are no other firms to compete with in determining wage packages.   The workers will not have options to choose which companies to work for in regard to the pay accorded. Ability to secure a wide market in the absence of other competing companies hence increased sales will be experienced. Disadvantages of early entry into a foreign market Lack of competition could lead to poor production quality of goods or services that a company is dealing with. Poor quality goods could pose a health hazard situation to the consumer and this could also lead to a crisis in the economy A company might not have the power to confront the government when its operating alone in a foreign market pertaining the rights of foreign companies and this could cause oppression on the side of the company for lack of bargaining power. Peter should be careful to consider what the targets are for the business to be set up in India, where to locate the business and the manner in which it should be established.   He should outline how ready is the business to give back to the community in terms of employing the local citizens in India, producing quality services and products.   They should also investigate and learn the interests and requirements of the people of India and provide possible solutions to the same. Peter will have to estimate the potential correctly to avoid underestimation of India’s complexity or overestimation of the probabilities in India. Overestimation or Underestimation may lead to failure and it is necessary to give a due consideration to the factor of the inherent difficulties and uncertainties of operating in the Indian system.   It is worth noting that India is has a large economy in the world and it offers high prospects for development in practically all areas of business. Also the inefficient bureaucracy of the Indian government is moving slowly which calls for reforms. Since Melanie has limited knowledge regarding international law, it will not be appropriate for Peter to share with her what other companions have suggested because she might not even understand.   Lack of knowledge on international law means that Melanie will not have an idea of how to deal with any occurrence in the international field. Conclusion For a business to thrive in a foreign country, the owners should ensure that they comply with federal regulations so that there will be a smooth running of the business without disturbance from the local authorities.   For the joint venture business, the partners should sign up the partnership deed to ensure they conduct themselves as per the requirements. It is important that individual also have a general knowledge of international law and business operations to avoid any inconveniences.

Animals for food and clothing | Debate

Animals for food and clothing | Debate Living things throughout the world have been abused by loved ones and strangers for no reason at all. Abuse has been apart of our world for as long as we can remember. It is a common thing to hear about in the news and is something that should not be so common. There are many types of abuse in the world, such as emotional, physical, and verbal. It is common to think that only humans suffer from those types of abuse but it is not exactly true. Animals in this world suffer from emotional, verbal, and physical abuse just as much as humans do. It is even safe to say that in some cases they suffer much more then humans do from the abuse they deal with. One thing that humans have over animals when it comes to abuse is the ability to ask for help. Humans can ask family members, or any one else to help them get through the abuse they are dealt with. Animals, on the other hand, have no way to communicate and to ask for help. They have to put up what they dealt with which is truly upsetting an d wrong. This paper is designed to broaden ones perspective on the things animal go through when being raised for food, clothing, and in slaughterhouses. It is also designed to explain how places such as factory farms pollute the world. A. Animals Raised for Food Throughout time animals have been seen as companions and a source of food. The only hope of survival for many, especially in the winter, was to eat meat. Meat gave them protein and was a source of food that was always readily available to be hunted. The days of animals being hunted in their natural environment for food are long gone. For the purpose of this paper it is important to understand how animals were killed for food back in the day and now. Animals are going from living in the wild the way they want to before being killed for food to being mutilated and treated poorly so that the best piece of meat can be obtained. Raising animals for food has become a cruel and wrongful event. These animals are put on special diets where they do not get all the nutrients they need to survive. They are neglected and mutilated. They are genetically manipulated, and put on drugs that cause chronic pain and crippling. These animals live in broken down, disease-ridden and filthy sheds. They live in such confined areas that it is impossible to move or get comfortable. They have to travel long distances in any kind of weather imaginable to get to the slaughterhouses. They have to travel these gruesome trips without food or water because it is too much trouble for the owner of the factory farms to supply food and water for the animals before they die (PETA). Cows are one of the animals that are killed most often for their meat. Dairy cows, for example, have to deal with being pregnant for their whole life so that they will always be able to produce milk. They have to basically go through a never ending cycle of being pregnant and giving birth. They are kept chained to the barn stall for the entire time that they are able to give milk. Once they are emptied of all their milk they are sent to the slaughterhouse so that their meat can be used for hamburgers (Global Action Network). Calves have a different fate. Veal calves have the worst life of them all. They have to stand in a 22 by 54 crate which is their permanent home. In this cage they cannot turn around or lay down. The purpose of these crates is to prevent movement so that the calfs muscles are tender. The more tender the muscles, the more gourmet the veal is. These calves are also put on special diets. They are fed milk substitutes that do not contain iron or other essential vitami ns. Up to fourteen weeks after birth these calves are slaughtered and the veal is sent to stores so we can eat it(veal: a cruel meal). Horses are an animal that we humans would never think would be abused for food. Yet people around the world are taking an animal that is meant to be a companion to humans and slaughtering them for their meat. In the United States of America (USA) it is against the law in most states to slaughter horses, but there is still some states that are allowed to do it, Texas and Illinois are examples. These horses are kept in extreme conditions and not cared about. They are sent to the slaughterhouses in trailers that should fit four horses but are stuffed with so many more. The horse meat is used for humans to eat, and is used in dog food. Horses also used to be killed to be used to make glue. Most of the people that live in the areas where slaughtering horses is legal think it is wrong to murder horses and do not want to take part in it. They also find that eating horse meat is repulsive and just wrong (SHARK). In Canada today there is about 18 million pigs being raised for pork. Sows, which are mother pigs, live a life like those of a dairy cow. They endure constant pregnancies and births, reaching a number of about 8 to 10 births in their life time. They live their entire life in farrowing crates which are just bigger then them and that have no bedding. They live on a concrete floor and have to deal with birth and pregnancy on that cold dirty floor. The piglets live in the farrowing crates for 2 weeks then are moved to a feeder pen. Some of the piglets, about 15%, die off due to the poor living conditions they have to deal with. The others are sent to be castrated and have their tails cut off, teeth ground, and ears notched, which is all done without any pain medicine used. The piglets live in stalls that have manure pits underneath them; this means they are basically living in their own feces for their entire life. They live up to they reach market weight which is 250 pounds and then are shipped to slaughterhouses (Global Action Network). Chickens are also commonly raised for food and by-products. Chickens raised for eggs are kept in wired cages measuring 40cm by 45 cm. These cages are not just to hold one chicken, but up to six chickens. The lack of space prevents the chickens from doing anything such as moving or stretching out their wings. Due to the conditions they live in, 1 in 5 chickens die. The other hens are killed after close to 2 years. Broiler chickens live in dark sheds that are extremely crowded. Living in these conditions cause most of the chickens to have hysteria, which causes stampeding and suffocation. The stress the chickens are put under can even bring upon cannibalism. These chickens go through this life for a few years before being sent to the slaughterhouses. (global action network) B. Animals Raised for Clothing Animals have been used for clothing for as long as one can remember. The pioneers of this nation once hunted and killed animals but when they did this they used every part of the animal possible. They ate the meat and they took the fur and used it to make clothing so that they could stay warm. It is important to understand that those days are sadly over. Now animals are being raised just for the purpose of their furs and/or leathers. Millions of animals are killed every year for the clothing industry (PETA). These animals endure great suffering so humans can have that nice leather jacket or fur coat to wear. Fur farms are not a four star place for animals. The animals are kept in wire cages with four to five animals in each cage. These animals live in filthy cages and live lives not much better then those that live in factory farms. The owners of these fur farms do not want to put much money into them. They tend to want to keep the money for themselves and leave all the barns to ruin and fall apart. They also tend to pick the cheapest and cruellest ways to murder the animals for their fur (PETA). There are many fur farms in Canada that have been around since the beginning of the 1900s. These farms raise fox, mink, racoon, marten, and lynx. (Canadian Encyclopedia). Canadian fur farms have to operate under certain Codes of Practice developed by the Provincial and Federal Government. (appendix) (candianà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) The most common and valuable Canadian fur bearer is the mink (The Canadian Encyclopaedia). The mink is a member of the weasel family and was first raised in the Canada during 1866-67 (Canadian Encyc. P.1). Mink are aggressive and have to be held with a certain care because they tend to bite often and have thick leather mitts. At first the mink are housed in wire cages with two or three of them per cage. Once they become adults they are housed one mink per cage (ency p.2). These minks are properly fed their meat based diets and also the vitamins the need to survive (Ency. P. 3). They also receive proper bedding and nesting to survive (ency. P.4). When the time comes the mink are killed by carbon monoxide poisoning and then skinned for their furs. This type of practice, where the animal is given some dignity, is only given in Canada and not all animals are as lucky. Animals in China are not so lucky. Most of the fur that is found in stores comes from Chinese fur farms due to the fact that China is one of the largest distributers of furs. Back in 2005, an investigation was done by the Human Society International in the Hebei province of Eastern China. The investigation by the Human Society International (2005) brought about the following evidence Investigators witnessed a significant number of animals that were still alive when the skinning process began-starting with a knife at the rear of the belly and ending with the fur being pulled over the animals head. After the skin was removed, investigators taped animals being thrown on a pile of other carcasses. These animals were still breathing, had a heartbeat, and continued moving and blinking for between five to ten minutes after their skin had been ripped from their bodies. Before these animals even go through the skinning process they are forced to live in cramped cages with more then one animal in each cage. These cages are tiny enough and the more animals that are in it the more anxiety that builds up in the animals. They pace, nod, and circle their heads in such a way that shows they are helpless and scared.(human international). These animals are forced to live outdoors in all types of weather conditions. The mothers that give birth often kill their litters before they have the chance to live the life that she is going through.(PETA) Leather is one of the most common clothing elements that all humans have. Leather made in Canada and the USA is made in conditions that are healthier for the animals then the farms in India. India is a larger supplier of the worlds leather. Cows in India go through the process of having their throats cut and the skin ripped off their bodies while still alive (PETA). Leather is not a by-product of cows. It is a way of adding to the value of a dead animal at the slaughterhouse and adds support to the industry.(animal equality). Humans do not really understand how much leather is apart of their lives and the pain and anguish that the cows go through to give them that leather, if it is from India that is. Wool is another common element used in clothing from animals. Most people think that the wool from sheep is obtained by shaving the sheep down. That is the proper safe and proper way to take care of the sheep and get the wool but is only done in countries such as Canada. Most of the wool that is used in clothing is from countries such as Australia. The domestically raised sheep are bred in such a way to allow them to produce more wool then needed which causes illness to the sheep (animal equality). The sheep then undergo mulesing which is a form of shearing that causes large amounts of skin and flesh to come off the body with the wool. This is all done without the presence of pain killers for them. These sheep are packed onto ships to from Australia to places such as East India. If they survive the voyage they are dragged off the trucks by their ears and legs and beaten until they dead and then skinned for their wool. (PETA) C. Slaughterhouses The slaughterhouse is the last stop on the journey of life for an animal being raised for food and clothing. It is the end to their suffering in some ways but brings upon a horrific experience for them as well. The animals that painfully made it through the hardships in the factory/fur farms and then the journey to the slaughterhouse without food or water are dealt their last leg here. They go through being skinned and dismembered alive so that their meat and furs can be sold for human use. Slaughterhouses pick the easiest and cheapest ways to kill the animals. These ways include suffocation, electrocution, slicing of throats, and beating. After they go through these methods they are then hung upside down so that all the blood can drain out of their bodies, this is sometimes done even when the animal is still alive. Slaughterhouses have employees quitting left and right because the conditions are so bad and they dont want to torture the animals like that. Because of this there are lo w-paid workers with no experience at all killing the animals. This means the animals are going through more pain then ever because the employees do not clearly know what they are doing (Global Action Network). D. Pollution Caused by Factor Farms Factory farms do a great deals harm on the environment and communities surrounding them. Due to living in small confined areas and having so much live stock in one barn the owners do not want to clean our the manure caused by the animals. Therefore it is funnelled down below into a holding tank until emptied. These holding tanks are usually poorly made and break often leaking the feces into the water system which then harms the citizens in the neighbouring townships (NRDC para1). These factory farms also emit harmful gasses, such as ammonia, into the air so that surrounding townships breathe it in. Factory farms emit greenhouse gasses into the air which cause the ozone to deteriorate and put harm on the whole world. It has been found that towns around factory farms have shown an increase in chronic sickness, brain damage, cancer, poisoned waterways, and death plagues. In conclusion, there is so much that needs to be done to help stop and prevent the terrible things that animals have to go through. It is understandable to wear leather shoes or eat meat but there is an alternative to everything. Having two days a week where meat is cut out of daily meals saves a few more animals and brings down the pollutants released into the atmosphere. Even getting furs and leathers from places such as in Canada where the animal is treated with the dignity they deserve is a step up. When purchasing meats and clothing made from animals be sure to read the labels and know where you are getting it from before purchasing it. Humans can ask for help when being abused, animals cannot. Just looking into what you purchase to make sure the animal was treated with dignity is giving a voice to that animal who could not speak for itself and making a difference. Antigone and The House of The Spirits | Analysis Antigone and The House of The Spirits | Analysis An analysis of the portrayal of social conflicts and political conflicts in Antigone and The House of The Spirits. A conflict is a dispute between thoughts, ideas, principles or people that arises from a difference of opinions. It has been seen throughout the history of this world that there have always been political conflicts and social conflicts amongst people to bring a change in their lives or nation. This is partly the reason why many authors have portrayed political and social conflicts in their books for example in The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende and Antigone by Sophocles. In this essay my aim is to explore how political and social conflicts characterize and develop the themes of both the books. Starting with the book The House of the Spirits, we can clearly see from the beginning that there is a struggle between social classes for example we see conflicts between the patrà ³n and the peasants of Tres Marà ­as since the patrà ³n thinks the peasants are not worth anything and cannot take responsibility of any work. This is shown when Esteban once says, What they dont realize is that poor people are completely ignorant and uneducated. Theyre like children, they cant handle responsibility. How could they know whats best for them? (The House of the Spirits Society and Class quotes) This shows us that there was a social conflict between the two classes namely, the upper class and the lower class. This kind of social conflict was mainly brought out by the author in the book through omniscient narration where the author communicated to the reader about the thoughts and feelings of the characters at a certain point in time. This helped us to understand the feelings and views of t he character better. Another social conflict was Trueba family versus the Garcia family. This conflict is brought out as the cycle of violence in the book. As it is seen in the book that the patrà ³n rapes Pancha Garcia whose grandson rapes the granddaughter of Esteban. This is shown when Alba says; Afterward the grandson of the woman who was raped repeats the geture with the granddaughter of the rapist, and perhaps forty years from now my grandson will knock Garcias granddaughter (Allende) We also see the portrayal of social conflicts in Antigone through the clashes between the family members that is to say the family conflicts. As we know they are differences in opinions between Antigone and her sister, Ismene and also between Antigone and Creon. We also see clashes between Creon and his son Haemon. Firstly the conflict between Antigone and Ismene brought out two contrasting women of that time. Ismene who was portrayed by the author as an ideal woman of that time and while Antigone was portrayed as the exact opposite of Ismene. This can be shown in one of the dialogues where Ismene says, If we break the law and die for it, Our shame will last forever. Women are not made to battle men. (Sophocles) To which Antigone responds by saying, Youve made your choice but I will bury him, And I will welcome death in doing it. (Sophocles) From this we can clearly see that Ismene is timid and is scared to break the laws made by the men who she thinks are superior to her. Whereas Antigone is of an assertive nature and is not scared to break the laws so as to obey the gods and respect the dead. The conflict between Ismene and Antigone was brought out through the structure of the dialogues. Throughout the argument we mostly see long speeches from Antigone while Ismene just speaks her point in one line. This shows us that Antigone was confident of her stand and was not going to back out of her plan but on the other hand Ismene was not interested with what Antigone said and thought she inferior and therefore should not break the law. Likewise we are also aware of another family conflict between Creon and his son Haemon. Haemon who wanted to save Antigone but is opposed by his father Creon and I think this conflict foreshadows the death of Haemon in the play and also it brings pot the theme of love since Haemon goes against his father to save her life. The foreshadowing of Haemons death is brought out through the following quotes in Antigone, Creon: She will die before you marry her. Haemon: If she must die, she will not die alone. (Sophocles) This shows us that Haemon was actually threatening his father, Creon that if he killed Antigone then he would kill himself. According to me the result of this conflict was actually the death of Antigone and eventually Haemon. This is shown when Creon says; Enough. No words. Youll pay for taunting me. Bring her out. Bring the woman here. The bridegroom waits for her to stand beside him. Here she will stand. To die. And we will let you watch. (Sophocles) I believe Creon at that point was angered by Haemon and decided to punish Antigone as soon as possible which eventually also led to the death of Haemon as a result of the conflict. Furthermore there was another social conflict in Antigone which was the dispute between Antigone and Creon. According to me this conflict brought out theme of male chauvinism since Creon couldnt admit that a woman had broken the law and was going against the men. Also I think this conflict brought out the fight between the laws made by Creon and the laws of god. This can be seen in the play when Antigone says; Your law. Not the sacred law. The gods. That rule among the dead have issued no Such proclamation. A man cannot erase The laws unwritten. Cannot change the unchanging (Sophocles) Similarly there is a portrayal of a male chauvinist environment in The House of the Spirits which also brings out a social conflict. As we all know that Nivea used to hold rallies with other fellow women to fight for the right of women. The fact that it was a male chauvinist environment is be proved when Fà ©rula say in the book that, I would like to have been born a man, so I could leave too (Allende) The portrayal of this conflict (male chauvinism) in both books brings out two similar characters in both books and they are Creon and Esteban Trueba. They both believe that women are supposed to look after the house and raise children and should not be include in the so called matters of the men. The authors of both books bring out this conflict through the use of strong emotive language for example; Creon: If I must fall, a man will bring me down, Let no one say, Creon gave his power to a woman (Sophocles) Sophocles brings out strong emotions of Creon through this quote and it shows us that Creon cannot accept defeat from a woman. Their where also political conflicts in both books for example the use of in Antigone the brothers of Antigone died while fighting with each other for power. Also in The House of the Spirits we see a lot of attention drawn towards political conflicts. In The House of the Spirits we see a political conflict between the Conservative party and the socialist. The writer seems to bring out the coup dà ©tat that took place in Chile through this conflict. Political conflicts in The House of the Spirits begin to appear in the second chapter and soon take the central plot in the book. (The House of the Spirits Theme of Politics) The political conflicts in the House of the Spirits were sometimes in the book brought out through the songs of Pedro Tercero for example the song of the hens getting united to defeat the fox which Pedro Tercero used to sing to tell people of Tres Marà ­as. He used this song to explain to the people the power unity has; If the hens can overcome the fox, what about human beings? (Allende) I think the political conflicts in The House of the Spirits led to the family conflicts in the Trueba family because we see Jamie and Alba supporting the socialists and going against their father Esteban. This can be seen when Jamie says, The socialists are going to win (Allende) even after knowing that his father is in full support for the conservative party. In the same way the thirst for power goes back many centuries and can also be seen in Sophocles book Antigone which starts with a background of two brothers dying for power. This brings out the theme of death from the beginning and somehow this foreshadows the tragic end to the lives of the characters in Antigone. According to me another political dilemma was that Creon had to choose between his family members and his political duty. But it can also be argued that Creon was arrogant to accept his mistake and welcome the law of the gods but instead he did not do that and made it a man versus a woman quarrel. Creons arrogance can be shown when he says; Then join them there and love them both in hell. No woman rules this kingdom while I live To sum up I think political and social conflicts both lead to families falling apart in both books and resumes the cycle of violence in both books which bring out the theme of death in both books.

Public Subsidies for Sports Facilities Essay -- Sports Athletics Ameri

Public Subsidies for Sports Facilities America is in the midst of a sports construction boom. New sports facilities costing at least $200 million each have been completed or are under way in Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Nashville, San Francisco, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington, D.C., and are in the planning stages in Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis, New York, and Pittsburgh. Major stadium renovations have been undertaken in Jacksonville and Oakland. Industry experts estimate that more than $7 billion will be spent on new facilities for professional sports teams before 2006. Most of this $7 billion will come from public sources. The subsidy starts with the federal government, which allows state and local governments to issue tax-exempt bonds to help finance sports facilities. Tax exemption lowers interest on debt and so reduces the amount that cities and teams must pay for a stadium. Since 1975, the interest rate reduction has varied between 2.4 and 4.5 percentage points. Assuming a differential of 3 percentage points, the discounted present value loss in federal taxes for a $225 million stadium is about $70 million, or more than $2 million a year over a useful life of 30 years. Ten facilities built in the 1970s and 1980s, including the Superdome in New Orleans, the Silverdome in Pontiac, the now-obsolete Kingdome in Seattle, and Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands, each cause an annual federal tax loss exceeding $1 million. State and local governments pay even larger subsidies than Washington. Sports facilities now typically cost the host city more than $10 million a year. Perhaps the most successful new baseball stadium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, costs Maryland residents $14 million a year. Renovations aren't cheap either: the net cost to local government for refurbishing the Oakland Coliseum for the Raiders was about $70 million. Most large cities are willing to spend big to attract or keep a major league franchise. But a city need not be among the nation's biggest to win a national competition for a team, as shown by the NBA's Utah Jazz's Delta Center in Salt Lake City and the NFL's Houston Oilers' new football stadium in Nashville. Why Cities Subsidize Sports The economic rationale for cities' willingness to subsidize sports facilities is revealed in the campaign s... ...vernments still pay for investments in supporting infrastructure, and Washington still pays an interest subsidy for the local government share. And the Charlotte case is unique. No other stadium project has raised as much private revenue. At the other extreme is the disaster in Oakland, where a supposedly break-even financial plan left the community $70 million in the hole because of cost overruns and disappointing PSL sales. Third, despite greater citizen awareness, voters still must cope with a scarcity of teams. Fans may realize that subsidized stadiums regressively redistribute income and do not promote growth, but they want local teams. Alas, it is usually better to pay a monopoly an exorbitant price than to give up its product. Prospects for cutting sports subsidies are not good. While citizen opposition has had some success, without more effective intercity organizing or more active federal antitrust policy, cities will continue to compete against each other to attract or keep artificially scarce sports franchises. Given the profound penetration and popularity of sports in American culture, it is hard to see an end to rising public subsidies of sports facilities.

Death of the General in O’Connor’s A Late Encounter with the Enemy Essa

Death of the General in O’Connor’s A Late Encounter with the Enemy I did an analysis of the paragraph where the General passes away (page 143 in my edition of The Complete Stories of Flannery O’Connor) The most obvious thing about this paragraph is that is that the General’s death is portrayed as death during battle. The title â€Å"The Late Encounter with the Enemy† is very appropriate because the general views his death as such. The most obvious thing about this paragraph is that it is like a battle. Words are used as bullets in this paragraph. For example, â€Å"He couldn’t protect himself from the words and attend to the procession too and the words were coming at him fast.†(143) makes it really seem like a battle. Since he was a general, it would be appropriate that his death be viewed as a battle. The grim reaper like figure in the black robe immediately identifies the presence of death. It seems pretty clear that death is his enemy in this case. This example indicates that; â€Å"Then he saw the figure in the black robe sit down and there was a noise and the black pool in the front ...

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 24

Mom's Handwriting Emerges The sun bursts through the attic window and lands on my face, warming it, until I open my eyes and greet the day with a squint. After a kiss, I return Nikki to my bedroom dresser and find my mother still asleep in my bed. I notice that the glass of water I left her is now empty, and I am glad to have left it there, even if I am mad at Mom now. As I descend the staircase, I smell something burning. When I reach the kitchen, my father is standing in front of the stove. He is wearing Mom's red apron. â€Å"Dad?† When he turns around, he has a spatula in one hand and a pink oven mitt on the other. Behind him, meat hisses – a thick river of smoke flies up into the exhaust fan. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"Cooking.† â€Å"Cooking what?† â€Å"Steak.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I'm hungry.† â€Å"Are you frying it?† â€Å"I'm cooking it Cajun style. Blackened.† â€Å"Maybe you should turn the burner down?† I suggest, but he returns to his cooking, continuing to flip the sizzling cut over and over, so I go down into the basement to begin my workout. The fire alarm goes off for fifteen minutes or so. When I return to the kitchen two hours later, the pan he used is blackened and still on the now greasy stove; a plate and utensils are in the sink. Dad is watching ESPN on his new television, and his surround sound speaker system seems to shake the house. The clock on the microwave reads 8:17 a.m. My mother has forgotten my meds again, so I take out my eight bottles, remove all the caps, and search for the right colors. Soon I have a half dozen pills lined up on the counter, and I confirm that the colors are what I take every morning. I swallow all of my pills, thinking maybe my mother is testing me again, and even though I am technically mad at her, I am also now very worried about Mom, so I climb the steps to my room and see that she is still sleeping. Downstairs, I stand behind the couch and say, â€Å"Dad?† But he ignores me, so I return to my basement gym and continue my workout, listening to the ESPN commentators recap the college games and forecast the upcoming NFL action. Their voices arrive crisply through the floorboards above. I know from reading the paper that the Eagles are favored to win over San Francisco, which makes me excited to watch the game with my father, who will be in a great mood if the Eagles are victorious, and therefore he will also be more likely to speak with me. Midmorning, Mom descends, which is a relief, because I was starting to worry that she was really sick. I am riding the bike, and – after finding the â€Å"Pat† box last night – I just continue pedaling when Mom says, â€Å"Pat?† I do not face Mom, but using my peripheral vision, I see that she is showered, her hair is done, her makeup is applied, and she is wearing a pretty summer dress. Mom also smells really nice – lavender. â€Å"Did you take your pills last night?† she asks. I nod once. â€Å"What about this morning?† I nod again. â€Å"Dr. Patel told me I should have allowed you to take control over your meds when you first came home, that this was a step toward independence. But I was being a mom when you did not need me to be a mom. So congratulations, Pat.† â€Å"Congratulations† is a strange thing for her to say, especially since I have not won a prize or anything, but I am really only thinking about what happened last night, why Mom came home drunk. So I ask her, â€Å"Where were you last night? Did you go out with friends?† Using the corner of my eye again, I see her look down at the old brown rug beneath us. â€Å"I appreciate your putting me to bed last night. The water and the Tylenol helped. It was a bit of a role reversal, eh? Well, I appreciate it. Thanks, Pat.† I realize she has not answered my question, but I don't know what to say, so I say nothing. â€Å"Your father has been a bear lately, and I'm simply tired of it. So I'm making some demands, and things are going to change a little around here. Both of my men are going to start taking care of themselves a little more. You need to get on with your life, and I'm sick and tired of the way your father treats me.† Suddenly I forget all about the â€Å"Pat† box and face my mother as I continue pedaling. â€Å"Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?† â€Å"I'm not mad at you, Pat. I am mad at your father. He and I had a long talk yesterday when you were running. Things might be a little rough around here for a few weeks, but I think we'll all be better for it in the long run.† A wild thought leaps into my head and terrifies me. â€Å"You're not leaving us, Mom, are you?† â€Å"No. I'm not,† Mom says, looking me in the eyes, which makes me believe her one hundred percent. â€Å"I would never leave you, Pat. But I am going out today because I'm done with Eagles football. You two are on your own for food.† â€Å"Where are you going?† I ask, pedaling faster now. â€Å"Out,† Mom says, and then kisses the little white scar on my sweaty forehead before she leaves. I am so nervous about what Mom has told me that I do not eat anything all day, but simply drink my water and do my routine. Because the Eagles are playing at 4:15, I get in a full workout. The whole time, I secretly hope my father will come down into the basement and ask me to watch the 1:00 NFL game with him, but he doesn't. Midafternoon I climb up out of the basement and stand behind the couch for a second. â€Å"Dad?† I say. â€Å"Dad?† He ignores me and keeps watching the 1:00 game, and I don't even look to see who is playing, because I am so nervous about what Mom told me. I put on my trash bag and hope Tiffany is outside, because I could really use someone to talk to. But after I stretch for fifteen minutes, Tiffany doesn't show, so I run alone, thinking it funny that when I want to run alone, Tiffany is always there, but today she is not. I am very hungry, and the pain in my stomach increases as I run, which I relish because it means I am losing weight, and well, I feel as though I might have put on some extra fat in the past week, especially after drinking beer with Jake last weekend. This reminds me that I have not spoken with Jake since the Eagles lost to the Giants, and I wonder if he is coming over today to watch the game with Dad and me. Since the pain has sharpened, I decide to run farther than usual, pushing myself. Also, I am sort of afraid to go home, now that my mother has left me alone with my father for the day, and I am not sure what she meant by â€Å"changes† anyway. I keep wishing Tiffany was running with me so I might talk to her and tell her how I feel, which is a strange desire since she usually never says much in response, and the last time I tried to talk to her about my problems, she started cursing very loudly in a public place and said some really awful things about Nikki. Still, I am s tarting to feel as though Tiffany is my best friend, which is sort of strange and scary. At the end of my run, I jog down my street, and Jake's silver BMW is nowhere to be seen. Maybe he took the train in from Philadelphia, I think. I am hoping not to be left alone with my father for the game, but somehow I know this is exactly what is going to happen. When I enter the house, my dad is still alone on the couch, wearing his McNabb jersey now and watching the end of the 1:00 game. A small collection of beer bottles stand at his feet like bowling pins. â€Å"Is Jake coming over?† I ask my father, but he ignores me again. Upstairs, I shower and put on my Hank Baskett jersey. When I reach the family room, the Eagles game is just coming on, so I sit down at the end of the couch my father is not occupying. â€Å"What the hell is that noise?† Dad says, and then turns down the volume. I realize my stomach is making crazy gurgling noises, but I say, â€Å"I don't know,† and Dad turns up the volume again. Just as I had hoped, the new television is an experience. The players warming up on the field look life-size, and the sound quality makes me feel as though I am in San Francisco, sitting on the fifty-yard line. Realizing that my brother is not going to make it by kickoff, when a commercial comes on, I jump to my feet and yell â€Å"Ahhhhhhhhh!† but Dad only looks at me like he wants to hit me in the face again. So I sit down and do not say anything else. The announcers state that Donte Stallworth was a late scratch, so I start to hope Baskett will get a few more balls thrown his way, since the Eagles' number one receiver is out of action. The Eagles set up a nice drive and score on their first possession with a shovel pass to Westbrook, at which point my father's emotions morph. He reaches across the couch and repetitively claps his hand against my thigh, saying over and over again, â€Å"Touchdown Eagles! Touchdown Eagles!† I start to feel hopeful for my dad, but when the Eagles kick off, he resumes his negative ways and says, â€Å"Don't celebrate too much. Remember what happened last week.† And it is almost as if he is talking to himself, reminding himself not to be overly hopeful. The defense holds strong, and tight end L. J. Smith scores a touchdown with only a few minutes left in the first quarter, making it 13 – 0. Even though the Eagles have blown big leads before, it seems safe to say the Birds are the superior team today. My thoughts are confirmed after Akers hits the extra point and my father jumps up and starts singing â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly.† So I jump up and sing with him, and we both do the chant at the end, spelling the letters with our arms and legs: â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† Between quarters, my father asks me if I am hungry, and when I say yes, he orders us a pizza and brings me a Bud from the refrigerator. With the Eagles up 14 – 0, he is all smiles, and as we sip our beer, he says, â€Å"Now all we need is your boy Baskett to get a catch or two.† As if my father's words were a prayer answered, McNabb's first completion in the second quarter is to Baskett for eight yards. Dad and I cheer so loudly for the undrafted rookie. The pizza arrives during halftime, and the Eagles are up 24 – 3. â€Å"If only Jake were here,† my father says. â€Å"Then this day would be perfect.† My dad and I have been so happy that I've forgotten Jake is not with us. â€Å"Where is Jake?† I ask, but Dad ignores the question. In the third quarter the San Francisco running back fumbles on the Eagles' one-yard line and defensive tackle Mike Patterson picks up the ball and runs toward the opposite end zone. Dad and I are out of our seats, cheering on the three-hundred-pound lineman as he runs the whole length of the field, and then the Eagles are up 31 – 3. San Francisco scores a few touchdowns late in the second half, but it doesn't matter, because the game is basically out of reach, and the Eagles win 38 – 24. At the conclusion of the game, my father and I sing â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly† and do the chant one last time, celebrating the Eagles' victory, and then Dad simply turns off the television and returns to his study without even saying goodbye to me. The house is so quiet. Maybe a dozen or so beer bottles on the floor, the pizza box is still on the coffee table, and I know the sink is stacked full of dishes and the pan in which Dad cooked his breakfast steak. Since I am practicing being kind, I figure I should at least clean up the family room so Mom won't have to do it. I carry the Bud bottles out to the recycle bucket by the garage and throw away the pizza box in the outside garbage can. Back inside, a few used napkins are on the floor, and when I reach down to pick up the mess, I spot a crumpled ball of paper under the coffee table. I pick up the ball, uncrumple it, and realize it is not one but two pieces of paper. Mom's handwriting emerges. I flatten the papers out on the coffee table. Patrick, I need to tell you I will no longer allow you to disregard the decisions we make together, nor will I allow you to talk down to me any longer – especially in front of others. I have met a new friend who has encouraged me to assert myself more forcefully in an effort to gain your respect. Know that I am doing this to save our marriage. Your options: Return the monstrous television you purchased, and everything will go back to normal. Keep the monstrous television, and you must agree to the following demands: You must eat dinner at the table with Pat and me five nights a week. You must go on a half-hour walk with either Pat or me five nights a week. You must have a daily conversation with Pat, during which you ask him at least five questions and listen to his replies, which you will report to me nightly. You must do one recreational activity a week with Pat and me, such as eating at a restaurant, seeing a movie, going to the mall, shooting baskets in the backyard, etc. Failure to complete either option 1 or 2 will force me to go on strike. I will no longer clean your house, buy or cook your food, launder your clothes, or share your bed. Until you declare which option you wish to take, consider your wife on strike. With best intentions, Jeanie It does not seem like Mom to be so forceful with Dad, and I do wonder if her â€Å"new friend† coached her through the writing of the two-page letter. It is very hard for me to picture Dad returning his new television, especially after watching the Eagles win on the new set. His purchase will be considered good luck for sure, and Dad will want to watch next week's Eagles game on the same television so he will not jinx the Birds, which is understandable. But the demands Mom made – especially the one where Dad has to talk to me every night – also seem incredibly improbable, although I do think it would be nice to eat dinner together as a family and maybe even go out to a restaurant, but not to the movies, since I am now only willing to watch the movie of my own life. Suddenly I need to speak with my brother, but I do not know his phone number. I find the address book in the cabinet above the stove and place a call to Jake's apartment. A woman picks up on the third ring; her voice is beautiful. â€Å"Hello?† she says. I know it is not my brother on the other end, but I still say, â€Å"Jake?† â€Å"Who is this?† â€Å"It's Pat Peoples. I'm looking for my brother, Jake. Who are you?† I hear the woman cover the phone with her hand, and then my brother's voice comes through loud and clear: â€Å"Did you see that ninety-eight-yard fumble return? Did you see Patterson run?† I want to ask about the woman who answered my brother's phone, but I am a little afraid of finding out who she is. Maybe I should already know, but forget somehow. So I simply say, â€Å"Yeah, I saw it.† â€Å"Frickin' awesome, dude. I didn't know a defensive tackle could run that far.† â€Å"Why didn't you come over and watch the game with Dad and me?† â€Å"Truthfully?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I can't lie to my brother. Mom called me this morning and told me not to come, so I went to a bar with Scott. She called Ronnie too. I know because Ronnie called me to make sure everything was okay. I told him not to worry.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Should he be worried?† â€Å"No, why did Mom tell you and Ronnie not to come over?† â€Å"She said it would give you a chance to be alone with Dad. She said it would force Dad to talk to you. So did he?† â€Å"A little.† â€Å"Well, that's good, right?† â€Å"I found a note from Mom to Dad.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"I found a note from Mom to Dad.† â€Å"Okay. What did it say?† â€Å"I'll just read it to you.† â€Å"Go ahead.† I read him the note. â€Å"Shit. Go Mom.† â€Å"You know he won't be taking the television back now, right?† â€Å"Not after the Birds won today.† â€Å"Yeah, and I'm worried that Dad won't be able to meet the demands.† â€Å"Well, he probably won't, but maybe he'll at least try, right? And trying would be good for him – and Mom.† Jake changes the subject by mentioning Baskett's catch in the second quarter, which turned out to be his only catch of the game. My brother doesn't want to talk about our parents anymore. He says, â€Å"Baskett's coming along. He's an undrafted rookie, and he's getting catches. That's huge.† But it doesn't feel huge to me. Jake says he's looking forward to seeing me next Monday night, when the Eagles will play the Green Bay Packers. He asks me to have lunch in the city before we tailgate with Scott and the fat men, and then we hang up. It's getting late, and my mother is still not home. I begin to worry about her, and so I do all the dishes by hand. For a good fifteen minutes – with steel wool – I scrub the pan my father burned. And then I vacuum the family room. Dad had splattered some pizza sauce on the couch, so I find some cleaning spray in the hall cabinet and do my best to remove the stain – dabbing lightly and then wiping a little harder in a circular motion, just like it says on the side of the bottle. My mom comes home as I am on my knees cleaning the couch. â€Å"Did your father tell you to clean up his mess?† Mom asks. â€Å"No,† I say. â€Å"Did he tell you about the letter I wrote him?† â€Å"No – but I found it.† â€Å"Well, then you know. I don't want you to do any cleaning, Pat. We're going to let this place rot until your father gets the message.† I want to tell her I found the â€Å"Pat† box in the attic, how hungry I was today, that I really don't want to live in a filthy house, and I need to take one thing at a time – finding the end of apart time first and foremost – but Mom looks so determined and almost proud. So I agree to help her make the house filthy. She says we will be eating takeout, and when my father is not home, everything will be as it was before she wrote the note, but when my father is home, we will be slovenly. I tell Mom that while she is on strike, she can sleep in my bed, because I want to sleep in the attic anyway. When she says she'll sleep on the couch, I insist she take my bed, and she thanks me. â€Å"Mom?† I say when she turns to leave. She faces me. â€Å"Does Jake have a girlfriend?† I ask. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I called him today, and a woman answered the phone.† â€Å"Maybe he does have a girlfriend,† she says, and then walks away. The indifference Mom shows regarding Jake's love life makes me feel as though I am forgetting something. If Jake had a girl friend Mom did not know about, she would have asked me a million questions. Her lack of interest suggests that Mom is keeping another secret from me, maybe something larger than what I found in the â€Å"Pat† box. Mom must be protecting me, I think, but I still want to know from what.