Split (1)

train · 2.6M rows

text stringlengths 9 72.5k
Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., looks for the sign before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the Boston Red Sox Opening Day baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park in Boston, Tuesday, April 7, 2009. The Sox won, 5-3.
Author Stephen King throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the Boston Red Sox vs St. Louis Cardinals spring training baseball game in Fort Myers, Fla., Friday March 27, 2009. The Sox won, 11-8.
Reggaeton musician Daddy Yankee of Puerto Rico throws out the ceremonial first pitch at a game between Puerto Rico and the USA during the World Baseball Classic in Miami, Tuesday, March 17, 2009.
Actor Richard Gere throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the start of the New York Yankees spring training baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2009. The Yankees won, 4-1.
Actor Richard Gere celebrates after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the start of the New York Yankees spring training baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2009.
Actor Richard Gere, left, holds his son Homer, 9, in his lap while talking with New York Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon, right, as the Yankees took batting practice before their spring training baseball game at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2009.
Entertainer Hilary Duff, right, cheers in the stands as the Ottawa Senators play the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL hockey game in Ottawa on Monday March 9, 2009. Ottawa won, 2-1.
Entertainer Hilary Duff, right, and friends watch the Ottawa Senators take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in NHL hockey game action in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 11, 2009. Ottawa won,4-3.
Actor Anthony Anderson of "Law & Order" break dances on the court during a timeout of an NBA basketball game between the Sacramento Kings and the New York Knicks Friday, March 20, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Sacramento won, 121-94.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, left, yells as movie director Spike Lee, a noted New York Knicks fan, sits nearby during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, March 25, 2009. The Mavs won, 140-135.
Actor Jay Mohr, right, his wife Nikki Cox, left, and actor Ethan Hawke, center, react while watching an NBA basketball game between the New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Nets won, 115-89.
Actors Jack Nicholson, left, and Joe Pesci share a laugh during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles, Thursday, March 19, 2009. The Lakers won, 114-106.
Producer Antonio Viaragosa. left, and actor Mario Lopez attend a Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Tuesday, March 17, 2009, in Los Angeles. The 76ers won, 94-93.
Actress Kate Hudson and her brother, Oliver Hudson, attend the Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Sunday, April 5, 2009, in Los Angeles. The Lakers won, 88-85.
Actor Neil Patrick Harris, left, watches the Los Angeles Lakers play the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 6, 2009, in Los Angeles. The Lakers won the game, 110-90.
From left, Viveca Paulson, her husband, actor Will Farrell, and actress Kate Walsh, react as a ball enters the stands near them during the men's final between Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., Sunday, March 22, 2009. Nadal won 6-1, 6-2.
Kate Walsh, watches the ball soar during Rafael Nadal's match against Juan Martin del Potro at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., Friday, March 20, 2009.
Shakira, the Latin singer from Colombia, left, watches the Rafael Nadal and Frederico Gil match at the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla. Monday, March 30, 2009.
Actress Christine Taylor watches Roger Federer play Fernando Verdasco during a match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., Thursday, March 19, 2009.
Singer Gwen Stefani, left, and Mirka Vavrinec, right, watch from a suite as Roger Federer, of Switzerland, plays against Fernando Verdasco, of Spain, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Thursday, March 19, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif.
Valls will meet with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during his three-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls arrived in Israel Saturday night to promote his country’s international peace initiative and to push for stronger economic ties with the Jewish state and with Palestinians.
As one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and a friend of both the Israelis and Palestinians, France has an important role to play here, Valls told Channel 2 in an interview taped in Paris prior to his arrival.
He will meet with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during his three-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.
In Israel, he will meet with the heads of start-up companies and visit the graves of the Jewish victims of last year’s terrorist attack at the Paris kosher market, Hypercacher. He also will visit the Yitzhak Rabin memorial in Tel Aviv, meet with members of the French Jewish community and speak with students at Tel Aviv University.
Israel is a friend of France, he told Channel 2, saying the visit is not just about politics and diplomacy, but also about strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two countries.
The visit was planned before the June 3 date was set for the launch of the French initiative, though the timing places diplomacy high on the trip’s agenda.
The Palestinians have welcomed the initiative, while Netanyahu, so far, has opposed it, fearing it would give the Palestinians an excuse to avoid direct talks with Israel. Netanyahu has said the Palestinians do not need a conference in Paris to open a dialogue between Ramallah and Jerusalem, given that the two cities are located right next to each other.
But the international community, including the United States, has come out in favor of the initiative, which will begin with a ministerial meeting of more than 20 countries.
The Israelis and Palestinians are not invited to that event, but will be asked to attend the larger conference in the fall, which is the second stage of the initiative.
Valls told Channel 2 the international community wants to see a two-state solution with recognizable and secure borders. Jerusalem will be the capital of both nations, he said.
While he said he appreciated Netanyahu’s position, Valls said the persistent calls for Abbas to return to the negotiating table had yet to bear fruit.
Direct talks in the current situation are very difficult, particularly given the continued settlement building and the violence that occurs almost every day, he said in the interview, adding that every effort must be made to jump-start the talks.
While the Israeli and Palestinians would be the primary beneficiaries of any peace deal, it would also contribute to regional and global stability, Valls concluded.
During a cultural event in Kfar Saba, Herzog said he and the premier had “labored” over plans concerning a regional peace proposal initiated by Saudi Arabia, saying the two considered taking dramatic new steps to normalize relations with Israel’s traditionally hostile neighbors.
“With the launching of a proposed regional peace process, myself, the prime minister and international officials labored over terms” that would have laid out “very favorable conditions toward Israel,” Herzog said during the event.
“The [initiative] would have led to opening up negotiations with the Arab world and undoubtedly change the face of the region,” he added.
The Arab Peace Plan is a Saudi- led proposal constituted in 2002 that calls for a two-state solution on the pre-1967 lines with a just settlement for Palestinian refugees. In exchange, the Arab world would offer Israel normalized relations.
According to a Channel 10 report Friday evening, moderate Sunni governments in the region have communicated to Netanyahu their willingness to engage in negotiations with Israel over possible changes to the Saudi peace initiative so it may serve as the agreed-upon basis of renewed talks with the Palestinians.
The plan possibly would have been enacted on the condition Herzog and his Zionist Union faction join the Netanyahu led coalition.
But Thursday saw a dramatic shakeup within the political echelon, with the pending admission of right-wing nationalist party Yisrael Beytenu into the government with party chairman Avigdor Liberman taking over the Defense Ministry following the abrupt resignation of Moshe Ya’alon on Friday.
It now remains to be seen how these events will affect the Arab peace proposal and whether Netanyahu will continue without Herzog.
Negotiations between Herzog and Netanyahu have ruffled feathers among Zionist Union MKs, who object to joining forces with the premier. As a result, grumbling about a change in leadership has started to emerge from within the party.
In response, Herzog said he had no intention of “going home” and pointed his finger at a number of MKs within his faction who, he said, were provoking dissent “I have no intention of giving pleasure to those who call for my resignation, such as [Zionist Union MK] Shelly Yacimovich... and others,” Herzog said.
Yacimovich is the former head of Labor and Herzog’s biggest political rival inside the Zionist Union.
Before talks broke down, Herzog said the negotiations had been worthwhile and led to number of key agreements between himself and the prime minister, including key ministerial positions and policy demands.
According to Channel 10, officials in Arab capitals are awaiting Netanyahu’s response to their offer of substantive discussions on the Saudi initiative so as to make it more palatable for Israel.
It is a credit to the economics profession that the labor theory of value has largely fallen out of style. There is, however, one sector of the economy in which it continues to be taken seriously: sports.
In her defense, Wilson is a 21-year-old athlete who probably hasn’t thought a great deal about economics. It’s understandable for someone in her position to be envious of the paychecks earned in major professional sports leagues. Unfortunately Wilson’s thoughts reflect a growing trend of sports commentary looking at the plight of the “underpaid” WNBA player. Lisa Borders, president of the WNBA, has even directly pointed to sexism as a driving reason for the discrepancies between the earnings of male and female players.
Of course, the real issue has nothing to do with sexism and everything to do with the fact that the WNBA simply isn’t very popular with Americans.
For example, last month the WNBA averaged 250,000 viewers per game with a high of 378,000. Relative to the history of the league, this was an extraordinary success, up 39% from last year. By comparison, last year’s Professional Bowling League averaged 650,000 viewers for ESPN.1 So even relative to other non-major professional leagues, the WNBA struggles for relevance.
Is it possible, however, that this simply shows an inherent sexist bias by consumers against women’s basketball?
Unfortunately the “blame the patriarchy” narrative doesn’t hold up when you compare the WNBA to the college game. This year’s Women’s NCAA Championship managed 3.5 million viewers on ESPN this year — down 9% from 2017. Meanwhile last year’s WNBA championship series averaged 487,000 viewers, with a high of 597,000 for Game 1. These numbers were promoted by the league as the highest since 2003.
Of course, TV ratings themselves are less important to this topic than dollars attached to their television contracts, and to the WNBA’s credit ESPN doubled the value of their contract with the league to $25 million a year in 2016. This has led David Berri of Forbes to argue that because WNBA salaries make up less than a quarter of league revenue, as opposed to the NBA’s 50% split, the WNBA is clearly exploiting their players. Undermining Berri’s position is the simple observation that revenue is not the same as profit — another measure by which the WNBA has consistently struggled. As the New York Times reported in 2016, only half of WNBA teams have managed to become profitable 20 years after the league’s founding.
A case can actually be made that WNBA players are actually overpaid relative to what consumers actually want. After all, the WNBA is subsidized by the NBA in a variety of ways including direct financial support, free publicity, and the fact that many WNBA franchises are owned by the city’s NBA owner. In fact, the WNBA’s big television contract was itself a byproduct of the channel reworking its agreement with their male counterpart.2 So instead of grumbling about the salaries male basketball players enjoy, perhaps A’ja Wilson should be thankful that the men’s product helps bolster her own paycheck.
At the end of the day, just about any article focusing on how athletes are either under- (or over-) paid stems from the fallacious view that their compensation is an inherent product of their labor, rather than the subjective values of consumers.
The financial success of professional athletes has almost nothing to do with their talent and everything to do with the entertainment the public receives from it. LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in human history, but if his sport of choice generated the public interest the WNBA has, he would not be signing a $154 million dollar contract. This also helps explains why e-sports players are making more money than the best in the WNBA. No pain can still result in financial gain.
Of course consumer preferences can change. Perhaps the American public will come to appreciate the strong fundamentals of the WNBA and, as a result, salaries will improve. Until then, women basketball players should perhaps look for markets that place greater value on their skill. Like Russia.
*Tho Bishop is an assistant editor for the Mises Wire, and can assist with questions from the press.
1. It’s notable to point out that the top PBA salary is roughly twice the amount of the average WNBA player’s. Jason Belmonte earned $238,912 while the top WNBA salary is $110,000.
2. Government interventionism also benefits the sport, as Title IX requirements have forced colleges to maintain women’s basketball programs if they wish to keep their men’s team.
What a ridiculous position you have taken on this matter, you should have done much more homework. I’m personally not a Aja Wilson fan, but your conclusion on WNBA salaries is way off the mark. One thing you should consider is the salaries that players like Wilson command in the European market, not to mention the lessor leagues all over the world that command lessor amounts that are significantly higher than the WNBA. You should also have considered the age of the WNBA vs. the NBA, as this league is still early in its’ development when compared to other sports leagues.
The WNBA is having its’ best year ever in fan attendance and TV coverage, and you should realize that’s what drives the bus! The league includes players who are among the best in the world, and that’s why they play in the WNBA, not for the salaries they receive. $100,000 is not bad for a summer job on one hand, but the risk of injury and the demand the compact schedules put on their bodies is just something they must deal with the get the experience and exposure that comes with playing here in the USA.
You talk about the money the NBA players receive is not about the talent, it’s about how much revenue their sport generates vs. the WNBA. Of course that may be true here in the USA, but how do you explain the huge salaries paid in these other womens’ leagues all over the world. I recall reading how Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird were making around $500 m in their early years playing in places like Russia. Try to explain how the poor economy in Russia can pay American players that kind of money and make sense out of it.
As a volunteer for the Middletown Township Cultural and Arts Council, Inc. (MTCAC), I can say with pride that 2010 was an extraordinary year. MTCAC is a nonprofit organization responsible for programming at the Middletown Arts Center. Working with a very limited staff, our volunteers strive to enhance the quality of life for all area residents by supporting and promoting the arts throughout the community.
During 2010, 738 public activities or events were held at the Center. This included 220 classes for all ages, 73 summer camp offerings, 46 Special Needs programs, 16 art exhibits, 35 theatrical performances, 114 theatrical rehearsals, 39 musical performances, 34 dance events, 7 Auditions, 43 special workshops, 29 community events, 10 Master Class music programs, 48 art parties and 24 other events. These events attracted over 40,000 children, adults and artists.
MTCAC forged significant relationships that increased participation in the arts, reaching new and diverse audiences.
The JINKA Foundation piloted a very successful 2-week Summer Arts Camp program, slated for expansion this year, for children affected by brain tumors.
The Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) presented a series of art classes for adults here.
The New Jersey Theatre Alliance hosted a special program for Individuals with Disabilities.
We offer need-based scholarships that allow families to attend classes and workshops that they could not otherwise afford. Our annual Talent Showcase and Community Art Show Series, both ongoing programs, afford performance and exhibit opportunities to community members who may not otherwise have these experiences. The Summer Concert Series offers quality musical concerts during the summer free of charge.
MTCAC continued growing its financial contribution to the Center’s operating expenses. The township’s annual “Middletown Day” event would have been cancelled had not MTCAC arranged for free entertainment and assisted the Middletown Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs with the event.
I would like to thank and recognize the dedicated staff and the volunteer corps of 150 people at the Arts Center, who so generously donated their time. All of them worked hard to enrich the lives of all area residents by helping to provide inclusive, affordable and innovative arts programming. Come visit this award-winning community resource at 36 Church Street in Middletown, next to the train station. Call (732) 706-4100 or visit us on the web at www.middletownarts.org.
An Oregon initiative which would legalize recreational marijuana use is on the cusp of being placed on the November ballot. The initiative would come at a time when the majority of state residents support pot legalization.
Supporters have submitted more than 83,500 signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office, AP reported Thursday. In order to qualify for the November ballot, New Approach Oregon, the group behind the initiative, need to gather 87,213 valid signatures by July 3.
The initiative, IP 53, seeks to legalize the possession of marijuana for adults 21 and older and to allow for licensed and regulated cultivation and sales which would be taxed.
The measure would legalize the personal possession of up to eight ounces and allow for the cultivation of four plants. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission would oversee and regulate the marijuana industry, with a marijuana tax set at $35 an ounce.
The group says 40 percent of the tax revenue generated by the legalization scheme will go to school funding, 35 percent to state and local police, and 25 percent to drug treatment, prevention and mental health programs.
New Approach has spent more than $620,000 on its campaign so far this year, according to campaign finance reports.
Other financial heavy hitters who were behind the successful 2012 legal initiatives in Colorado and Washington are once again turning out to bankroll the Oregon effort.
Other contributors include New York fragrance company heir Henry van Ameringen, family planning philanthropist Phil Harvey and Cari Tuna, the wife of one of Facebook's co-founders, the Oregonian reports.
David Bronner, the CEO of a California soap company who supports GMO labeling, is also backing the Oregon initiative.
According to the paper, Liz Kaufman, who is managing the Oregon initiative campaign, said her group has also received another $150,000 from New York-based Drug Policy Action, which had earlier given $200,000.
Drug Policy Action, incidentally, has received major support from billionaire George Soros, who offered his financial support to the Washington legalization campaign.
Lewis, who died last year, gave more than $2 million to that campaign.
Meanwhile, with up to three separate initiatives potentially appearing on the November ballot, a SurveyUSA poll released Tuesday shows that a majority of Oregonians support legalization efforts.
Approximately 51 percent of those polled said they support the possession and growth of marijuana for personal use, while 41 percent are opposed.
There is no regional difference on this question, but there is a significant age difference: younger voters back the decriminalization of marijuana by 48 points, while seniors opposed marijuana legalization by 24 points. Attitudes also cut down party lines, with Democrats supporting and Republicans opposed.
Dubai: After serving about 4,500 tonnes of food to the needy since its launch two years ago, the UAE Food Bank is set to feed more disadvantaged people by opening more branches.
The UAE Food Bank’s third branch was opened on Tuesday in Dubai’s Muhaisnah 2 area, providing partner hotels, food trading companies and retail outlets a new option to donate food to residents of worker accommodations in the area.
Dawood Al Hajiri, director-general of Dubai Municipality and deputy chairman of the board of trustees of the UAE Food Bank, inaugurated the new branch located opposite Grand Hypermarket and close to the municipality’s office in Muhaisnah.
After the launch, Al Hajiri and other senior officials donated food packets provided by LuLu Group to dozens of workers in the area.
Al Hajiri said the UAE Food Bank will have more branches in other emirates this year in partnership with food establishments.
“We have also signed agreements with food banks in Saudi Arabia and Sudan for the exchange of knowledge and experience,” he added.
Though the UAE Food Bank had signed another agreement last September with the Food Banking Regional Network that connects 33 food banks in the region, officials confirmed that no food consignments had been donated abroad so far.
Khalid Mohammad Sherif Al Awadhi, CEO of the environment, health and safety control sector at Dubai Municipality, said that the food banks in Saudi Arabia and Sudan can share best practices in safe and hygienic donation of surplus food abroad in a cost-effective way.
He added that the Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman municipalities are almost ready with their UAE Food Bank branches.
Al Hajiri said talks are on with the Abu Dhabi Municipality to open a branch in the capital.
Around 40 food establishments and 13 charity organisations have partnered with the UAE Food Bank to channelise food donations to disadvantaged workers, poor families and orphans.
In January 2017, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the UAE Food Bank as a humanitarian initiative that aims to inculcate the values of generosity and offering food, establishing Dubai as the region’s first city in achieving zero food waste to landfills.

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.