July 18, 2003
FOUR FOR FRIDAY (new questions)
Q: How do you feel about the salaries made by professional athletes in the United States?
Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Q: If the next U.S. presidential election were held today would you vote for George W. Bush or for some other -- as of today "unknown" -- candidate?
Q: What's your favorite thing to cook?
Posted by Mikal at July 18, 2003 3:53 AM
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Q1: Well, it's ridiculous and unethical. The benefit to society is so small and besides that people working their asses off to actually bring humankind a but further usually don't get paid enough to get by. In essence each member of a society is as important, valuable and honorable as another. Without a communal effort things would not work out. An example, a garbarge truck driver is as valuable a person as a university professor...
Q2: I wanted to become a fighter pilot, then an architect, then an engineer which actually worked out, now I want to live in a cool place and just work on my own (software and aerospace-related) projects ...
Q3: Unfortunately I can't vote (yet) in the US so you guys need to make up your minds about this.
Q4: My own recipe, lemon curry chicken with rice and peas......hmmmmmmmmm
Question 1 - The salaries of professional athletes are ridiculous. More money should be given to the people who hold up civilization's infrastructure instead.
Question 2 - In first grade, I wanted to be a teacher. After that, I wanted to be a scientist. Senior year in high school - a doctor. Then, of course, I came to my senses again so it's back to science.
Question 3 - I'm in the same boat as Chris.
Question 4 - I'm a casual cook. I throw things together and never follow recipes to the T so there's nothing that's my favorite. I'm just happy nothing gets burned.
1. I believe that professional athletes make far too much money, in general. Granted, their lives are typically more complicated than the average joe (contstant travel, wear & tear on mind & body, the media, death threats, public pressure to perform, etc.). However, I still think that their compensation is too great.
2. I wanted to be a fighter pilot, then I decided that I didn't like the killing part of that job. I also wanted to be anything that would let me be outside all day.
I grew up to be a call center phone jockey.
3. Ugh...umm...I'd have to say either Howard Dean or John Edwards. This is not a who-do-I-think-can-win statement. Rather, I'm just letting you know who I tend to believe.
4. Something with fewer than 3 steps. Mac-n-cheese barely qualifies.
#1 - Historically, I've held that these salaries are unnecessary. However, with that said, it apears also to be mitigated by market forces which allow ever-increasing salaries, yet create an ever-increasing cost to enjoy a couple of hours or so.
#2 - a fireman. I even drew a picture for Mrs. Finch and it was hung in the hallway (along with everyone else's, of course.
#3 - Unknown. Probably Kerry or Dean.
#4 - I like to cook, from scratch, my own pasta sauce. Years of living in Providence has allowed me to pick up some things not native to me. And . . . I cook a mean gravy at that (as they say in Rhode Island).
Q: Yes. I agree with Chris' statement. The value they bring to society is so minimal compared to the amount of compensation received.
Q: I don't think I ever realized I was going to grow up. I think I thought I would be a kid forever.
Q: Kerry or Dean. I will know after the Democrat convention.
Q: Shrimp Linguini and Schweinebraten.
Q.1. Salaries of professional athletes are no different than salaries of any other professional which are based on mutual negotiation of parties for services or goods provided. The difference between Tiger Woods and a garbage collector is that Tiger could easily sling a Hefty bag into a truck but a garbage collector couldn't drive a golf ball 320 yards consistently.
Should Brad Pitt or Demi Moore get $10M per movie? Absolutely. Their specific talents provide great entertainment to millions of people else the masses wouldn't plunk down the dough to see them.
Newt banked $4.5M for his memoirs and the Dems cried foul. So where are the same Dems now that Hillary got $8M for a book she didn't write?
At least Tiger doesn't have 3 "ghost hitters" driving his golf balls.
Q.2. Musician
Q.3. Between Kerry and Bush, both wealthy Bonesmen, we're sunk either way. Gotta go with the only politico with juevos, Jesse Ventura.
Q.4. Steak, Texas-style.
Good point, Dave, but I have to add one more thought. Obviously Tiger Woods can do a garbage man's work. Can Tiger Woods, however, configure the technology network infrastructure at Chicago O'Hare Airport, for example? The network engineers provide millions of travelers with the advantages of technology, enabling them to check in, view flight information, and provide air traffic controllers with information to ensure safety of all flights. Imagine flying out of an airport without such technology. The network engineers do not earn anywhere near what Tiger Woods earns in a given year.
I would have to argue that a professional athelete/star does not produce a value to society. Nor does a professional athlete/star provide more hours of labor than a network engineer in a given year. Take Adam Smith's Diamond-Water Paradox. He questioned why diamonds, that have so little practical use, command a higher price than water. He determined that "labor" was the driving factor behind such a predicament. At the time, mining for diamonds was much harder work than acquiring water. The problem with professional athletes/stars is the labor they produce is no more harder than that of a surgeon, network engineer, or scientist, yet they command such a higher price for their labor.
Dave and Christina I am with ya....
1. However these jobs are worth what we have made them to be......demand you might even say.
2. I wanted to be a Cop or Math teacher....I am now a Security Forces Instructor with 16 years in the USAF....and tutor allot of my unit in all types of math classes...as well thier kids if need be.
3. Bush.....as a military member I know what and why we are doing around the world and I fully approve. You have to see the big picture and I have been shot at and aimed at ....got the t-shirt
4. Cooking hmmmm.....reminds me of home ec Mike....remember Killingly High was so boring....except the girls. quiche (spell check)
Ed Perreault KHS 84
Q1. It's all about rarity, actually. Diamonds are rarer than water, whether because of actual rarity or imposed rarity. Likewise, Tiger Woods may not be able to configure the technology network infrastructure at Chicago O'Hare Airport. However, that's not really the point. I'd be willing to bet that there are more people that can configure the technology network infrastructure at Chicago O'Hare Airport than can play golf at Tiger's level. And there are far more people who can sling garbage bags than can do either of the other.
Q2. Didn't really know. Still don't.
Q3. I'd vote for a slug over Bush.
Q4. Mexican food. Just about any kind. Something that's just fun about putting those kinds of dishes together
1. Yeah they make too much but I'd rather them with the green than the owners...of course w/ athletes making the millions they're making you know how much more owners must be making. Don't get me wrong, of course owners deserve a return on their investment but the knee jerk liberal cynic socialist part of me thinks owners are making more than they deserve & ruining professional sports.
2. Ever since I was a child I dreamed of being a Real Time Energy trader...to be clear, they were nightmares.
Really, wanted to be a veterinarian. It all started to go wrong when I realized I hate animals.
3. Nader, Nader Nader!!! Anyone else?
If it's a close one I may consider voting for the democrat.
Nader is running isn't he? I need to check the website.
At the least, I want Nader to debate Bush.
4. Italian. I like to eat Italian.
1) does it matter how we feel, none of us own licensing rights or we would not be having this conversation. the american public needs something to love and something to hate. bring it down from a global scale. people cannot point out korea on a map, but thay can tell you where most major sports teams reside (some in amazing detail)
2) never wanted to grow up, as i get older, it only confirms that decesion. teaching is always good (not spellling)
3) would the comettiee for public saftey be in full force? what exactly would be the skittle warning for today if we were to have that election?
4) anything. nothing is my favourite.. it all depends on mood for food and drink and company.
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