Ordinary Research Paper Essay Example

Ordinary Research Paper Essay It certainly seems unfair that WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson, highest paid WNBA player, can make a maximum of $87,000 per year, while perennial NBA disappointment Shawn Bradley is guaranteed a minimum of $1,100,000. Many people believe it isn’t fair that males playing basketball should receive higher pay than the females playing basketball at the professional level. In the USA, employees completing the same job are supposed to have equal pay because the USA is based on gender equality. NBA players are among the highest paid employees on the planet, while WNBA players are earning an average between $46,000 to $60,000 a year. Even though the WNBA has only recently been established, the NBA receives more attention than the WNBA in several different ways. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) will hopefully grow in the next few years (Issaquah Par. 1-3). The National Basketball Association created the Women’s National Basketball Association. The idea behind the WNBA began in 1996 when the Olympics were held in the United States. The United States Women’s Basketball Team traveled across America meeting fans. The women’s team won the gold medal in the Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia. The American people wanted to see these new basketball stars play in there own league in the United States. The NBA decided to start WNBA teams in the cities that already possessed NBA teams. The women would play while the men were on summer vacation (Owens 6). The WNBA began in 1996 and originated with eight teams. One of the first teams in the league was the Los Angeles Sparks. They had Lisa Leslie on their team, who was famous before the Women’s National Basketball Association. She was one of the best United States basketball players. We will write a custom essay sample on Ordinary Research Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ordinary Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ordinary Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There were players from other countries coming to play in the United States in order to take advantage of the opportunity (Owens 9-13). The other WNBA teams formed to start the season in 1997 were the Phoenix Mercury, Utah Starzz, Sacramento Monarchs, Cleveland Rockers, New York Liberty, Houston Comets, Miami Sol, and the Portland Fire (The Associated Press 1-14). There are now 14 teams total in the WNBA. As of 2008, the teams consisted of the Detroit Shock, Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Houston Comets, Indiana Fever, Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Sacramento Monarchs, Phoenix Mercury, San Antonio Silver Stars, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, and, the newest team joining the WNBA, is the Atlanta Dream. The WNBA is split into two conferences the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference consists of 7 teams. Teams in the Eastern Conference are the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Detroit Shock, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, and Washington Mystics. The Western Conference is made up of Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, San Antonio Silver Stars and the Seattle Storm. Having conferences helps decided the top teams in the WNBA (WNBA Enterprises 1-10). The Women’s National Basketball Association began with eight teams in 1997 and expanded to 16 teams in 2002; three franchises folded by the start of the 2004 season. Cleveland, Miami, and Portland no longer exist as WNBA teams. In 2003, the Utah Starzz moved to San Antonio to become the Silver Stars. Chicago became a team in 2006 (The Associated Press 1-14). The Women’s National Basketball Association will tip off its 12 season of play on Saturday, May 17. Twelve of the 14 teams will play on the opening day (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1). The WNBA has established itself since 1996 and with its first season in 1997. There are now higher salaries; the league minimum was $5000 in 1997. Now, everyone in the WNBA makes at least five figures. No one has yet brought home a million dollars. There is a feeling that this milestone is not too far away. There has been a vast move forward in salaries since the league started in 1996 (Harris Par. 2). There are now better players in the WNBA. They began with two of the best women’s basketball players and now have many. When the league started, they suspected that Rebecca Lobo and Lisa Leslie were the best that women’s basketball had to offer. Now there are players like Sacramento ’s Yolanda Griffith, Los Angeles ’ Tameka Dixon, and Houston ’s Tina Thompson who have proven to be forces with which to contend. These players have rallied fans and money with out the help of the WNBA’s marketing machine (Harris Par. 3). National broadcasts air more of the WNBA games on TV now. When previously viewing the broadcast schedule, it seemed as if the league had pre-selected a national champion. The favorite seemed to receive more televised games (Harris Par. 4). In 2008, the WNBA and ESPN announced an eight-year suspension. The suspension was an agreement to have ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 televise WNBA games through 2016. This agreement was reached in a year when the increased attendance to games, enhanced TV viewership, and the number of people visiting WNBA. com rose as well. The agreement guarantees increased promotion of the WNBA on ESPN and will run through the 20 season of the WNBA (WNBA Enterprises Par. 2). Now, today teams that were not in the original line up that created the WNBA are receiving broadcasting time on television (Harris Par. 4). The WNBA has made greater strides over the years. The rivalries are more intense between fans cheering and booing for the team they want to win. There were amazing turnarounds in teams. Teams known as the worst in the WNBA one year made it to the conference finals the next. In every way, the Women’s National Basketball Association is taking steps. However, the WNBA is still not as respected as the NBA. Hopefully, the WNBA still possesses years to expand and make something more of themselves (Harris Par. 1-5). There are requirements that need to be met in order to become a member of the WNBA just like any other job. Females are not allowed to go directly from high school to the WNBA. To be a prospect for the WNBA, females must be at least 22 years old during the calendar year of the season to be played. A female must complete her intercollegiate basketball eligibility, graduate from a four year college or university or play at least two seasons for another professional basketball league. People may believe simply being good at basketball will help get a jersey and a spot to be on a team. However there are requirements to be met (WNBA Media Ventures Par. 1). After meeting the requirements to get drafted to the WNBA, there are different skills in which scouts are interested. The position played, whether it be guard, post, or forward, depends on scouts. Different positions have different skills that need to be mastered. Some things remain the same no matter what position being played. Scouts look at athleticism, knowledge of the game, execution of the plays and sets, work ethic, and poise under pressure. One shouldn’t simply focus on the way they play, but work on other things to help improve there game, too (WNBA Media Ventures Par. 2). It is hard to be recognized in the WNBA. Going to a small school, can mean it is difficult to know how to expose oneself or get invited to the draft camp. Making a high light tape is a good step to get recognized. A prospective player should send the video or film to current teams and the national office. Including a resume is a good idea in order to show stats and achievements. With respect to all divisions of colleges, coaches evaluate players from all conferences and divisions. By reading basketball publications, newspaper articles, updates, watching videotapes, and attending games, they develop background information on various players (WNBA Media Ventures Par. 3). Not everyone gets invited to the WNBA draft camp. To be considered females must meet WNBA requirements. Also the national office must have current game footage and a resume on file. Then, the player will be evaluated. That is how the WNBA determines if players have the skills and ability to play at the next level. It is the WNBA’s best intention to find the best players in the nation to compete at the next level (WNBA Media Ventures Par. 3). The number of draft picks changes depending on the amount of players needed on a team that year. Much depends on how many retire from the WNBA. If there are good players eligible for the WNBA one year and not the next, that also has an effect on how many players the WNBA teams will draft. If there are better players one year that can make it in the WNBA then the WNBA would draft them over someone who can’t. The highest number of draft picks ever in the WNBA was in 2001 and 2002. Sixty four players were drafted. The first round, second draft pick in 2002 plays for the Detroit Shock and is still there today. The lowest number of draft picks since the WNBA started in 1997 was 38 picks in the year of 2004. The first two picks in 2004 are powerhouses in the WNBA still playing strong. Diana Taurasi, who was drafted first in 2004, just won the national championship in 2007. Therefore, the demand for necessary players as well as how the collegiate players performance determines the number of draft picks (Insidehoops. com Par. 1-7). After getting drafted the WNBA has to decide how much money each player will get paid. The salary cap for the WNBA is going up every year but is still not even close to the NBA salary cap. The WNBA team salary cap in 2004 was $647,000, increasing every year in 2005 the cap was at $673,000, in 2006 it increased to $700,000, then in 2007 was up to $728,000 per team. The salary has been making a steady climb up but still has a ways to go to be close to the NBA (Insidehoops. com Par. 4). With the highest team salary in the NBA is $103,100,000 and the lowest team salary is $23,000,000 a year (Insisdehoops. om Par. 14). With 14 teams in the WNBA by adding up all their team salaries it doesn’t even add up to the minimum NBA team salary cap (Insidehoops. com Par. 4). The average salary of an NBA player making $3. 7 million the average salary for a WNBA player is only $50,000 (BlackAthlete Sports Network Par. 6). The maximum pay for players in the WNBA and NBA are not even close. The m aximum salary of a WNBA is $87,000 (Insidehoops. com Par. 3). While the highest paid NBA player is making 22 million dollars (Insidehoops. com Par. 5). The minimum WNBA salary for players of 0-3 years of experience is $30,600. Players with four or more years of experience make an average of $43,700. If on the team that wins the WNBA championship each player receives a bonus of $10,000 each. The runner-up team each player gets a $5,000 bonus. There is a very big difference in pay that the WNBA players and the pay that the NBA players receive (Insidehoops. com Par. 3). Some women in the WNBA have to get another job besides just playing basketball because they are not brining in enough money. Katie Smith is the all-time leading scorer in women’s professional basketball, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, and a four time WNBA all-star. If Katie were a man in the NBA she would never have to work another day in her life but being in the WNBA and not making enough money she decided to go to dental school. Smith being one of the best players in the WNBA is making nearly $90,000 which is a good amount of money but no matter how long or well you play basketball will not pay for your future. Only a few WNBA players have endorsement deals, while others have to get a job in the off-season or they go and play over seas to bring in extra income (BlackAthlete Sports Network Par. -9). The reason the pay could be so different in the WNBA and NBA could depend on the game schedules, price of tickets or game attendance. Comparing the Detroit Pistons an NBA team to the Detroit Shock an WNBA. Their 2007-2008 seasons differ very much. The Shock only has one preseason game (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1). While the Pistons compete in six preseason games. The Pistons season not including the play offs stretches from October 8 2007 through Apr il 16 2008. During that time the Pistons compete in 90 games (NBA Enterprises Par. 1). The Shock season runs from May 12 2008 through September 14 2008 not including play offs. Throughout this time the Shock will perform in 35 games (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1). The NBA has an average of 17,000 people attend their games and the WNBA only bring in about 10,000. Another reason the pay could be so different is because on average the ticket price to go to an NBA game is $45 and to a WNBA it is only $15. The NBA tends to have more games and longer seasons but one day the WNBA may be equal to the NBA (Issaquah Par. 4). â€Å"Its official the WNBA established itself as a real, professional, respectable sport. We’ve still got a ways to go, but the league’s progress since the 1997 inaugural season has been nothing short of a remarkable† (Harris Par. 1). The WNBA has gained teams and publicity over the years (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1-10). With the league going in a positive direction the salaries are also increasing (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1-4). Even though the WNBA has only recently been established, the NBA receives more attention than the WNBA in several different ways. The WNBA will hopefully keep growing and become as established as the NBA someday. Works Cited â€Å"Atlanta Becomes 14th WNBA Franchise In League. † The Associated Press. 2007: 20 Feb. 2008 . Brown, Renee. â€Å"Hoops 101: Renee Brown. † WNBA Media Ventures. 2002: 19 Feb. 2008 Harris, Fran. â€Å"WNBA: The WNBA Is On Its Way. † Buzzle. com. 2008: 12 Feb. 2008 . Issaquah, Rebekah. â€Å"How Much Money Does the Average WNBA Player Make Per Year Compared to an NBA player? † Yahoo! Inc. 2004: 12 Feb. 2008 . â€Å"NBA Salaries. † InsideHoops. com. 2008: 14 March 2008 . Owens, Thomas S. Teamwork: The Houston Comets in Action. New York: Rosen, 1999. Owens, Thomas S. Teamwork: The Los Angeles Sparks in Action. New York: Rosen, 1999. â€Å"Pistons Schedule and Results. † NBA Media Ventures. 2008: 14 March 2008 . â€Å"Shock Schedule 2008. † WNBA Enterprises. 2008: 14 March 2008 . â€Å"WNBA’s 2008 Schedule: Season Tips Off May 17. † WNBA Enterprises. 2008: 22 Feb. 2008 . â€Å"WNBA Draft History. † Insid eHoops. com. 2008: 19 Feb. 2008 . â€Å"WNBA Players Plan Futures. † BlackAthlete Sports Network. 2005: 14 March 2008 . â€Å"WNBA Salaries. † InsideHoops. com. 2008: 14 March 2008 . Ordinary Research Paper Essay Example Ordinary Research Paper Essay It certainly seems unfair that WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson, highest paid WNBA player, can make a maximum of $87,000 per year, while perennial NBA disappointment Shawn Bradley is guaranteed a minimum of $1,100,000. Many people believe it isn’t fair that males playing basketball should receive higher pay than the females playing basketball at the professional level. In the USA, employees completing the same job are supposed to have equal pay because the USA is based on gender equality. NBA players are among the highest paid employees on the planet, while WNBA players are earning an average between $46,000 to $60,000 a year. Even though the WNBA has only recently been established, the NBA receives more attention than the WNBA in several different ways. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) will hopefully grow in the next few years (Issaquah Par. 1-3). The National Basketball Association created the Women’s National Basketball Association. The idea behind the WNBA began in 1996 when the Olympics were held in the United States. The United States Women’s Basketball Team traveled across America meeting fans. The women’s team won the gold medal in the Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia. The American people wanted to see these new basketball stars play in there own league in the United States. The NBA decided to start WNBA teams in the cities that already possessed NBA teams. The women would play while the men were on summer vacation (Owens 6). The WNBA began in 1996 and originated with eight teams. One of the first teams in the league was the Los Angeles Sparks. They had Lisa Leslie on their team, who was famous before the Women’s National Basketball Association. She was one of the best United States basketball players. We will write a custom essay sample on Ordinary Research Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ordinary Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ordinary Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There were players from other countries coming to play in the United States in order to take advantage of the opportunity (Owens 9-13). The other WNBA teams formed to start the season in 1997 were the Phoenix Mercury, Utah Starzz, Sacramento Monarchs, Cleveland Rockers, New York Liberty, Houston Comets, Miami Sol, and the Portland Fire (The Associated Press 1-14). There are now 14 teams total in the WNBA. As of 2008, the teams consisted of the Detroit Shock, Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Houston Comets, Indiana Fever, Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Sacramento Monarchs, Phoenix Mercury, San Antonio Silver Stars, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, and, the newest team joining the WNBA, is the Atlanta Dream. The WNBA is split into two conferences the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference consists of 7 teams. Teams in the Eastern Conference are the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Detroit Shock, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, and Washington Mystics. The Western Conference is made up of Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, San Antonio Silver Stars and the Seattle Storm. Having conferences helps decided the top teams in the WNBA (WNBA Enterprises 1-10). The Women’s National Basketball Association began with eight teams in 1997 and expanded to 16 teams in 2002; three franchises folded by the start of the 2004 season. Cleveland, Miami, and Portland no longer exist as WNBA teams. In 2003, the Utah Starzz moved to San Antonio to become the Silver Stars. Chicago became a team in 2006 (The Associated Press 1-14). The Women’s National Basketball Association will tip off its 12 season of play on Saturday, May 17. Twelve of the 14 teams will play on the opening day (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1). The WNBA has established itself since 1996 and with its first season in 1997. There are now higher salaries; the league minimum was $5000 in 1997. Now, everyone in the WNBA makes at least five figures. No one has yet brought home a million dollars. There is a feeling that this milestone is not too far away. There has been a vast move forward in salaries since the league started in 1996 (Harris Par. 2). There are now better players in the WNBA. They began with two of the best women’s basketball players and now have many. When the league started, they suspected that Rebecca Lobo and Lisa Leslie were the best that women’s basketball had to offer. Now there are players like Sacramento ’s Yolanda Griffith, Los Angeles ’ Tameka Dixon, and Houston ’s Tina Thompson who have proven to be forces with which to contend. These players have rallied fans and money with out the help of the WNBA’s marketing machine (Harris Par. 3). National broadcasts air more of the WNBA games on TV now. When previously viewing the broadcast schedule, it seemed as if the league had pre-selected a national champion. The favorite seemed to receive more televised games (Harris Par. 4). In 2008, the WNBA and ESPN announced an eight-year suspension. The suspension was an agreement to have ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 televise WNBA games through 2016. This agreement was reached in a year when the increased attendance to games, enhanced TV viewership, and the number of people visiting WNBA. com rose as well. The agreement guarantees increased promotion of the WNBA on ESPN and will run through the 20 season of the WNBA (WNBA Enterprises Par. 2). Now, today teams that were not in the original line up that created the WNBA are receiving broadcasting time on television (Harris Par. 4). The WNBA has made greater strides over the years. The rivalries are more intense between fans cheering and booing for the team they want to win. There were amazing turnarounds in teams. Teams known as the worst in the WNBA one year made it to the conference finals the next. In every way, the Women’s National Basketball Association is taking steps. However, the WNBA is still not as respected as the NBA. Hopefully, the WNBA still possesses years to expand and make something more of themselves (Harris Par. 1-5). There are requirements that need to be met in order to become a member of the WNBA just like any other job. Females are not allowed to go directly from high school to the WNBA. To be a prospect for the WNBA, females must be at least 22 years old during the calendar year of the season to be played. A female must complete her intercollegiate basketball eligibility, graduate from a four year college or university or play at least two seasons for another professional basketball league. People may believe simply being good at basketball will help get a jersey and a spot to be on a team. However there are requirements to be met (WNBA Media Ventures Par. 1). After meeting the requirements to get drafted to the WNBA, there are different skills in which scouts are interested. The position played, whether it be guard, post, or forward, depends on scouts. Different positions have different skills that need to be mastered. Some things remain the same no matter what position being played. Scouts look at athleticism, knowledge of the game, execution of the plays and sets, work ethic, and poise under pressure. One shouldn’t simply focus on the way they play, but work on other things to help improve there game, too (WNBA Media Ventures Par. 2). It is hard to be recognized in the WNBA. Going to a small school, can mean it is difficult to know how to expose oneself or get invited to the draft camp. Making a high light tape is a good step to get recognized. A prospective player should send the video or film to current teams and the national office. Including a resume is a good idea in order to show stats and achievements. With respect to all divisions of colleges, coaches evaluate players from all conferences and divisions. By reading basketball publications, newspaper articles, updates, watching videotapes, and attending games, they develop background information on various players (WNBA Media Ventures Par. 3). Not everyone gets invited to the WNBA draft camp. To be considered females must meet WNBA requirements. Also the national office must have current game footage and a resume on file. Then, the player will be evaluated. That is how the WNBA determines if players have the skills and ability to play at the next level. It is the WNBA’s best intention to find the best players in the nation to compete at the next level (WNBA Media Ventures Par. 3). The number of draft picks changes depending on the amount of players needed on a team that year. Much depends on how many retire from the WNBA. If there are good players eligible for the WNBA one year and not the next, that also has an effect on how many players the WNBA teams will draft. If there are better players one year that can make it in the WNBA then the WNBA would draft them over someone who can’t. The highest number of draft picks ever in the WNBA was in 2001 and 2002. Sixty four players were drafted. The first round, second draft pick in 2002 plays for the Detroit Shock and is still there today. The lowest number of draft picks since the WNBA started in 1997 was 38 picks in the year of 2004. The first two picks in 2004 are powerhouses in the WNBA still playing strong. Diana Taurasi, who was drafted first in 2004, just won the national championship in 2007. Therefore, the demand for necessary players as well as how the collegiate players performance determines the number of draft picks (Insidehoops. com Par. 1-7). After getting drafted the WNBA has to decide how much money each player will get paid. The salary cap for the WNBA is going up every year but is still not even close to the NBA salary cap. The WNBA team salary cap in 2004 was $647,000, increasing every year in 2005 the cap was at $673,000, in 2006 it increased to $700,000, then in 2007 was up to $728,000 per team. The salary has been making a steady climb up but still has a ways to go to be close to the NBA (Insidehoops. com Par. 4). With the highest team salary in the NBA is $103,100,000 and the lowest team salary is $23,000,000 a year (Insisdehoops. om Par. 14). With 14 teams in the WNBA by adding up all their team salaries it doesn’t even add up to the minimum NBA team salary cap (Insidehoops. com Par. 4). The average salary of an NBA player making $3. 7 million the average salary for a WNBA player is only $50,000 (BlackAthlete Sports Network Par. 6). The maximum pay for players in the WNBA and NBA are not even close. The m aximum salary of a WNBA is $87,000 (Insidehoops. com Par. 3). While the highest paid NBA player is making 22 million dollars (Insidehoops. com Par. 5). The minimum WNBA salary for players of 0-3 years of experience is $30,600. Players with four or more years of experience make an average of $43,700. If on the team that wins the WNBA championship each player receives a bonus of $10,000 each. The runner-up team each player gets a $5,000 bonus. There is a very big difference in pay that the WNBA players and the pay that the NBA players receive (Insidehoops. com Par. 3). Some women in the WNBA have to get another job besides just playing basketball because they are not brining in enough money. Katie Smith is the all-time leading scorer in women’s professional basketball, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, and a four time WNBA all-star. If Katie were a man in the NBA she would never have to work another day in her life but being in the WNBA and not making enough money she decided to go to dental school. Smith being one of the best players in the WNBA is making nearly $90,000 which is a good amount of money but no matter how long or well you play basketball will not pay for your future. Only a few WNBA players have endorsement deals, while others have to get a job in the off-season or they go and play over seas to bring in extra income (BlackAthlete Sports Network Par. -9). The reason the pay could be so different in the WNBA and NBA could depend on the game schedules, price of tickets or game attendance. Comparing the Detroit Pistons an NBA team to the Detroit Shock an WNBA. Their 2007-2008 seasons differ very much. The Shock only has one preseason game (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1). While the Pistons compete in six preseason games. The Pistons season not including the play offs stretches from October 8 2007 through Apr il 16 2008. During that time the Pistons compete in 90 games (NBA Enterprises Par. 1). The Shock season runs from May 12 2008 through September 14 2008 not including play offs. Throughout this time the Shock will perform in 35 games (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1). The NBA has an average of 17,000 people attend their games and the WNBA only bring in about 10,000. Another reason the pay could be so different is because on average the ticket price to go to an NBA game is $45 and to a WNBA it is only $15. The NBA tends to have more games and longer seasons but one day the WNBA may be equal to the NBA (Issaquah Par. 4). â€Å"Its official the WNBA established itself as a real, professional, respectable sport. We’ve still got a ways to go, but the league’s progress since the 1997 inaugural season has been nothing short of a remarkable† (Harris Par. 1). The WNBA has gained teams and publicity over the years (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1-10). With the league going in a positive direction the salaries are also increasing (WNBA Enterprises Par. 1-4). Even though the WNBA has only recently been established, the NBA receives more attention than the WNBA in several different ways. The WNBA will hopefully keep growing and become as established as the NBA someday. Works Cited â€Å"Atlanta Becomes 14th WNBA Franchise In League. † The Associated Press. 2007: 20 Feb. 2008 . Brown, Renee. â€Å"Hoops 101: Renee Brown. † WNBA Media Ventures. 2002: 19 Feb. 2008 Harris, Fran. â€Å"WNBA: The WNBA Is On Its Way. † Buzzle. com. 2008: 12 Feb. 2008 . Issaquah, Rebekah. â€Å"How Much Money Does the Average WNBA Player Make Per Year Compared to an NBA player? † Yahoo! Inc. 2004: 12 Feb. 2008 . â€Å"NBA Salaries. † InsideHoops. com. 2008: 14 March 2008 . Owens, Thomas S. Teamwork: The Houston Comets in Action. New York: Rosen, 1999. Owens, Thomas S. Teamwork: The Los Angeles Sparks in Action. New York: Rosen, 1999. â€Å"Pistons Schedule and Results. † NBA Media Ventures. 2008: 14 March 2008 . â€Å"Shock Schedule 2008. † WNBA Enterprises. 2008: 14 March 2008 . â€Å"WNBA’s 2008 Schedule: Season Tips Off May 17. † WNBA Enterprises. 2008: 22 Feb. 2008 . â€Å"WNBA Draft History. † Insid eHoops. com. 2008: 19 Feb. 2008 . â€Å"WNBA Players Plan Futures. † BlackAthlete Sports Network. 2005: 14 March 2008 . â€Å"WNBA Salaries. † InsideHoops. com. 2008: 14 March 2008 .

The Cenozoic Era Continues Today

The Cenozoic Era Continues Today Following the Precambrian Time, Paleozoic Era, and Mesozoic Era on the geologic time scale is the Cenozoic Era, which began 65 million years ago and continues to the present. After the Cretaceous-Tertiary, or,  K-T, Extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era, which eliminated 80 percent of all  species  of  animals, the Earth found itself needing to rebuild. Now that all dinosaurs besides birds were extinct, mammals had the opportunity to flourish. Without competition for resources from dinosaurs, mammals had the opportunity to grow. The Cenozoic was the first era that saw humans evolve. Much of what is commonly thought of as evolution has happened in the Cenozoic Era. The Cenozoic Era Begins The first period of the Cenozoic Era called the Tertiary Period has been divided into the Paleogene and Neogene periods. Most of the Paleogene Period saw birds and small mammals become more diverse and grow greatly in numbers. Primates started to live in trees, and some mammals adapted to live part-time in the water. Marine animals didnt have such luck during this period when massive global changes resulted in many deep-sea animals going extinct. The climate had cooled significantly from tropical and humid during the Mesozoic Era, which changed the types of plants that did well on land. Lush, tropical plants were replaced by deciduous plants, including the first grass. The Neogene Period saw continuing cooling trends. The climate resembled what it is today and would be considered seasonal. Toward the end of the period, however, the Earth was plunged into an ice age. Sea levels fell, and the continents came to roughly the positions they hold today. Many ancient forests were replaced with expansive grasslands as the climate continued to dry out, leading to the rise of grazing animals such as horses, antelope, and bison. Mammals and birds continued to diversify and dominate. The Neogene Period is also considered the start of human evolution. During this time the first human-like ancestors, the hominids, appeared in Africa and moved into Europe and Asia. Humans Start to Dominate The final period in the Cenozoic Era, the current period, is the Quaternary Period. It began in an ice age where glaciers advanced and retreated over parts of the Earth that are now considered temperate climates, such as North America, Europe, Australia, and the southern part of South America. The Quaternary Period is marked by the rise of human dominance. Neanderthals came into existence and then went extinct. The modern human evolved and became the dominant species on Earth. Other mammals continued to diversify and branch off into various species. The same happened with marine species. There were a few extinctions over this period due to the changing climate, but plants adapted to the various climates that emerged after the glaciers retreated. Tropical areas never had glaciers, so lush, warm-weather plants thrived all during the Quaternary Period. Areas that became temperate had many grasses and deciduous plants, while slightly colder climates saw the re-emergence of conifers and small shrubs. No End in Sight for the Cenozoic Era The Quaternary Period and Cenozoic Era continue today and likely will remain until the next mass extinction event. Humans remain dominant, and new species are discovered daily. While in the early 21st-century climate is changing once again and some species are going extinct, no one knows when the Cenozoic Era will end.

SAT Historical Percentiles for 2006 and 2007

SAT Historical Percentiles for 2006 and 2007 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you took the SAT in 2006 or 2007, you may be wondering what your percentile score is on the SAT. Is a 1700 on the SAT in 2006 the same percentile score as a 1700 in 2007? Do percentile scores change over time? 2006 was a big year in SAT history; it was the first full year of the Writing section and the maximum score changed from a 1600 to a 2400.Next year, the SAT will be going back to the 1600 maximum score. In this article, I will explain SAT percentile scores, how they change, and I'll provide the percentile scores for SAT composite scores from 2006 and 2007. What Are Percentile Scores? Percentile scores reveal how well you did in relation to other people. If you scored in the 99th percentile, you did better than 99% of test-takers. If you got a 40th percentile score, you did better than 40% of the people who took the test. The College Board determines SAT percentile scores annually from the scores of college-bound high school seniors who took the SAT. The higher your percentile score, the better you did relative to other college-bound high school seniors from that year. Do Percentile Scores Change? Typically, percentile scores for equivalent SAT scores stay roughly the same from year to year.For example, a 2100 was the 97th percentile in 2007 and 2006.However, percentile scores can change very slightly.In 2007, a 1940 was the 91st percentile, but in 2006, it was the 90th percentile. Even if you're comparing percentile scores over a longer period of time, percentile scores will stay the same or only change minimally. In 2006, an 1800 was the 80th percentile, and in 2014, it was the 81st. The College Boardtries to use its scoring systemto ensure that equivalent SAT scores are indicative of the same skill level and percentile scores regardless of when the test was taken.An 1800 in 2006 should be equivalent to an 1800 in 2015. How Should You Use This Data? Why Is It Important? Your percentile score is the most straightforward way to determine if you got a good or badscore.If you did better than the majority of test-takers, then you did well. However, when you apply to a college, you’re being compared with the other applicants to that school. Most schools publicize their 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores. If you want to be competitive for admission, your target score should be the school’s 75th percentile score. Keep in mind that if you took the SAT in 2006 or 2007, for colleges, you may not need your SAT score, or you may have to take the SAT again since SAT score are usually only valid for 5 years. For every college you apply to, check the college’s admission requirements. You can usually find this information on its website. Also, percentile scores help put your scores in context. A small composite score increase can have a huge impact on your percentile score if you received a middle score.A 1500 is roughly the 50th percentile, but a 1750 is the 77th or 78th. Raising your score by 250 points can raise your score from average to among the top quarter of test takers. With enough studying and practice, you can raise your score from average to excellent. Composite Score Percentiles From 2007 and 2006 Score 2007 Percentile 2006 Percentile 2400 99+ 99+ 2390 99+ 99+ 2380 99+ 99+ 2370 99+ 99+ 2360 99+ 99+ 2350 99+ 99+ 2340 99+ 99+ 2330 99+ 99+ 2320 99+ 99+ 2310 99+ 99+ 2300 99+ 99+ 2290 99 99+ 2280 99 99+ 2270 99 99 2260 99 99 2250 99 99 2240 99 99 2230 99 99 2220 99 99 2210 99 99 2200 99 99 2190 98 98 2180 98 98 2170 98 98 2160 98 98 2150 98 98 2140 98 98 2130 97 97 2120 97 97 2110 97 97 2100 97 97 2090 96 96 2080 96 96 2070 96 96 2060 95 95 2050 95 95 2040 95 95 2030 94 94 2020 94 94 2010 94 94 2000 93 93 1990 93 93 1980 92 92 1970 92 92 1960 92 91 1950 91 91 1940 91 90 1930 90 90 1920 89 89 1910 89 89 1900 88 88 1890 88 87 1880 87 87 1870 86 86 1860 86 85 1850 85 85 1840 84 84 1830 84 83 1820 83 82 1810 82 82 1800 81 81 1790 80 80 1780 80 79 1770 79 78 1760 78 77 1750 77 76 1740 76 75 1730 75 75 1720 74 74 1710 73 73 1700 72 72 1690 71 71 1680 70 70 1670 69 68 1660 68 67 1650 67 66 1640 66 65 1630 65 64 1620 64 63 1610 63 62 1600 61 61 1590 60 59 1580 59 58 1570 58 57 1560 57 56 1550 56 54 1540 54 53 1530 53 52 1520 52 51 1510 51 49 1500 49 48 1490 48 47 1480 47 46 1470 46 44 1460 44 43 1450 43 42 1440 42 41 1430 41 39 1420 39 38 1410 38 37 1400 37 36 1390 36 35 1380 34 33 1370 33 32 1360 32 31 1350 31 30 1340 30 29 1330 28 28 1320 27 26 1310 26 25 1300 25 24 1290 24 23 1280 23 22 1270 22 21 1260 21 20 1250 20 19 1240 19 18 1230 18 18 1220 17 17 1210 16 16 1200 15 15 1190 15 14 1180 14 13 1170 13 13 1160 12 12 1150 12 11 1140 11 11 1130 10 10 1120 10 9 1110 9 9 1100 9 8 1090 8 8 1080 7 7 1070 7 7 1060 7 6 1050 6 6 1040 6 5 1030 5 5 1020 5 5 1010 5 4 1000 4 4 990 4 4 980 4 3 970 3 3 960 3 3 950 3 3 940 3 3 930 2 2 920 2 2 910 2 2 900 2 2 890 2 2 880 2 1 870 1 1 860 1 1 850 1 1 840 1 1 830 1 1 820 1 1 810 1 1 800 1 1 790 1 1 780 1- 1- 770 1- 1- 760 1- 1- 750 1- 1- 740 1- 1- 730 1- 1- 720 1- 1- 710 1- 1- 700 1- 1- 690 1- 1- 680 1- 1- 670 1- 1- 660 1- 1- 650 1- 1- 640 1- 1- 630 1- 1- 620 1- 1- 610 1- 1- 600 Gamerscore Blog/flickr Section Score Percentiles Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain percentile scores for each individual section for 2006 and 2007. However, because there are only very minimal changes to percentile scores from year to year, here are the section score percentiles from 2009 for your reference. Score Critical Reading Math Writing 800 99 99 99+ 790 99 99 99+ 780 99 99 99 770 99 98 99 760 99 98 99 750 98 97 99 740 98 97 98 730 97 96 98 720 97 95 97 710 96 94 96 700 95 94 96 690 94 92 95 680 93 91 94 670 92 89 93 660 91 88 92 650 89 85 90 640 88 83 89 630 85 81 87 620 84 79 85 610 82 77 84 600 79 74 81 590 77 72 79 580 75 69 77 570 72 67 74 560 69 63 72 550 66 61 69 540 63 58 66 530 60 55 63 520 56 51 59 510 53 48 56 500 49 45 52 490 46 41 49 480 42 38 46 470 39 35 42 460 36 31 39 450 32 28 35 440 28 26 32 430 26 23 29 420 22 20 25 410 20 17 22 400 17 15 19 390 15 13 17 380 13 11 14 370 11 9 12 360 9 8 10 350 8 6 8 340 6 6 7 330 5 5 5 320 4 4 4 310 4 3 4 300 3 2 3 290 2 2 2 280 2 2 2 270 2 1 1 260 1 1 1 250 1 1 1 2401 1 1 1 230 1 1- 1 220 1 1- 1- 210 1 1- 1- 200 What's Next? If you're interested in comparing percentile scores from more recent years, check out the SAT historical percentiles from 2011-2014. Also, make sure you understand your SAT scores, and learn what SAT scores measure. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Speech Acts in Bilinguals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Speech Acts in Bilinguals - Essay Example According to Levinson, pragmatics is a lot more than mere acquisitions of languages, as it involves the fields which are chiefly concerned with resolving problems in communication, for the reason that the implementation of pragmatics are possible to be of straight sensible significance (Levinson, 1983). As a point in fact, this dissertation is all about pragmatics, speech acts, bilingualism, and acquisitions. Moreover, it efficaciously delineates the profound association between language, culture and society with suitable examples. As suggested by Liu, Pragmatics is a sub-field of linguistics which was developed in the concluding 1970s that analyzes the way individuals and groups comprehend and generate an outgoing or speech act in an efficaciously real speech circumstance which is usually construed as a conversation (Liu, 2007). The study of pragmatics skillfully differentiates between dual intentions or interpretations occurring in each speech or communicative act of the oral communication. As per the views of Leech, whereas, one of the acts may be considered as the educational intention or the statement interpretation, the other is interactive intention or orator interpretation (Leech, 1983). Moreover, Kasper has efficiently pointed out that the competence to understand and generate an interactive act is often referred to as pragmatic competence, as it includes one's know-how regarding the communal coldness and position between the orators that are involved in it, along with the cultural know-how and lingui stic information, both clear and implied (Kasper, 1997). According to Paradis, language analysts conventionally apprehend themselves with the system of language which is often construed as implied linguistic ability, or grammar, that is characteristically ensuing to lacerations in the perisylvian conventional dialect fields of the left cerebral hemisphere (Paradis, 2004). Various studies associated with interpersonal communication have frequently misconceptions as their essential grouping as cross-societal communication is merely as often featured by the accomplishment, and directs to reasonable comprehension as intra-cultural interaction. Whilst, the exploitation of an ordinary language fails to assure reciprocated comprehension, the non-attendance of an ordinary dialect essentially fails to secure it. The effectual understanding with no common language is a recurring subject matter in modern advertising as well. The doctrines of pragmatics that people put up in a particular language are often dissimilar in another. As a point in fact, th ere exists an increasing curiousness in the way people in different dialects construe to a particular pragmatic doctrine (Liu, 2007). As reported by various analyses regarding cross-linguistics as well as cross-cultures, the graciousness in one language does not

Economic environment effect on Build-a-Bear Essay

Economic environment effect on Build-a-Bear - Essay Example When consumers’ income decrease, then it is expected that their purchasing power will fall thus impacting on the brand negatively. For example, after the financial crisis of 2007/2007, consumers’ income fell remarkably in the United States as a result of closure of companies, laying down of workers and reduction of salaries of wages (Nanto Dick). As a result consumers were unable to spend money buying items in the manner they did before the financial crisis. This is what resulted in the decline in sales of the Build-a- bear company thus negatively affecting its brand. According to the company’s press release the company increased its sales remarkably in the first quarter of 2013 (yahoo finance). Other external factors that affected the company’s brand are savings, debts, employment and credit. All these factors were also greatly influenced by the financial crisis of 2007/2008 thus negatively affecting the company’s brand. This is due to the fact thi s industry dependent highly on consumers’ disposable income (Accuval). How Recent Stock Market Movements have Affected the Company Despite the economic crisis of 2007/2008, the United States of America economy has been recovering gradually. This has been as a result of the austerity and stimulus policies that have been adopted by the United States of America government (Weaver, 189). ... At the same time the company’s sales increased by1.4 dollars more than the previous quarter. This is a remarkable improvement considering the company was performing poorly after the financial crisis of 2007/2008. This is because consumers in the united Sates of America opted for imported toys and other commodities in the industry from countries such as china since they were at a cheaper price. Thus it can be concluded that the recent stock market movements have favored the company. Actions Has the Company been Taking in Response to these Developments and Trends In order to cope with the developments and trends in the economy, the company came up with a number of strategies. Firstly, the company introduced a store design that is new where the company introduced 11 stores which were newly imagined. These stores increased sales to 20 percent in the second quarter. The company expects that by 2013 it will have established the new store design in at least 30 locations and 25 more i n 2014. The company decided to reduce on operational costs by closing up 38 stores in 2012 and transferring the sales of these stores to other stores in the market. The company also remodeled it stores in order to save on cost by reducing the square footage occupied by the stores. It also moved to smaller premises in small malls. Build-a Bear also changed its approach to marketing and advertising in order to increase shopping frequency. The company did this by building their brand through television advertising in its markets in the United States of America 2012 mid October. It also rebalanced its marketing mix in Europe in order to retain existing customers and attract more consumers to their products. This has resulted in the company realizing

Ibelemas Identity Crisis and Wilsons Oppositional Dress :: Identity Oppositional

Ibelema's Identity Crisis and Wilson's Oppositional Dress In Minabrere Ibelema's essay "Identity Crisis", Ibelema suggests that the mainstream american culture is so powerful that all cultures conform to it. Ibelema does this by showing how the mass media portrays African Americans in relation to their cultural identity by using situation comedies as a measuring tool. Of the episodes Ibelema uses very few of them look at African Americans cultural identity. However, what they do is briefly address a cultural story line for one episode, but then revert back to the mainstream anglo programming. On the otherhand, Elizabeth Wilson says in her essay "Oppositional Dress" that sub cultures do exist in society and are strong enough to resist assimilation into the mainstream, and still exist on their own terms. Wilson proves her point by giving examples of sub cultures that appeared in society, and she shows that they still thrive today.On example Wilson uses is the hippie culture that evolved in the 1960's. She points out that hippies can be seen t oday in some areas of the United states, proving her point. She also mentions other movements like the Gay Liberation Movement, the Punk movement, and the Skin Heads, who can all be seen in some form today. In mainstream american culture some individual sub cultures do get lost in the mainstream, but are not forgotten, however most oppositional cultures resist assimilation into the main steam and continue to define themselves on their own terms. In Ibelema's essay, he says that the mainstream culture is so strong that individual cultures assimilate into it. This proposition is not completely correct. The examples Ibelema uses are derived from situation comedies that are directed at a cross cultural mainstream audience. His point is that the African American culture is nonexistent, or assimilated because African American cultural values are not expressed fully in these sitcoms, thus they are a part of the assimilation process. Because these sitcoms are directed at a cross cultural audience the assumption Ibelema uses is false. The African American culture is not lost in america, its existence is found in the homes of African Americans throughout america and is passed on through mothers and fathers, and grand mothers and grand fathers. An opposing view to this argument is Elizabeth Wilson's essay "Oppositional Dress". Her belief is that sub cultures exist in the mainstream society, and they dictate their own existence.

Disadvantages and Advantages of Computer

With computer and internet connection, you can have easy access to information. Computers can be use for multiple purposes, word processing, gaming, movies, internet browsing, programming, reading articles, email, faxing, video chat, online chat and more. Organize large and store large amount of data and information such as images, sound, videos and other files. It helps people to communicate with other computer owners, family and friends across the world through the internet. There are free calls from different countries and making the world smaller. Computers run 24 hours 7 days a week. Reduce the use of paper. Computer has more computing and calculating power than human. Computers are more accurate and consistence. Accountant work has become much easier because of the help of computers. Enable you to shop online anywhere and purchase items without commuting. Helps create automatic tasks that human do not want to do. Computer Disadvantage Less human interactions, computer may ruin your social life if you cannot maintain the balance. People who work from home on their computers are likely to feel cut off from the rest of the world. Have to constantly keep up to date with new technology and have to spend time to learn different functions in applications. May caused eyestrains because of the bright screen and radiation. Computer may decrease your physical activities, making someone unhealthy, may caused chronic injury syndrome with pain in the fingers of the hand/radiating pain in the forearm and arm. Shoulder pain – fibromyalgia in shoulder muscles, elbow pain – tennis elbow, golfers elbow, wrist pain – deQuervains disease, ulnar styloiditis. Finger joint pains – usually linked to tenosynovitis, trigger fingers. May cause bad posture and skeletal problems. Children have easy access to pornographic material with internet connection. Children are also easy target for sexual offenders who pretend to chat and pretend to be their friends. Email spam, lead to fraud, hacking, stolen identities, and viruses. People have lost jobs because computers are more efficient than human. Risk of addiction to online gaming and online gambling.