What can possibly account for the strange state of affairs in professional sports today? There are billionaire owners and millionaire players, but both groups are constantly squabbling over money. Many pro teams appear to be virtual "cash machines," generating astronomical annual revenues, but their owners seem willing to uproot them and move to any city willing to promise increased profits. At the same time, mayors continue to cook up "sweetheart deals" that lavish benefits on wealthy teams while imposing crushing financial hardships on cities that are already strapped with debt. To fans today, professional sports teams often look more like professional extortionists. In Hard Ball, James Quirk and Rodney Fort take on a daunting challenge: explaining exactly how things have gotten to this point and proposing a way out. Both authors are professional economists who specialize in the economics of sports. Their previous book, Pay Dirt: The Business of Professional Team Sports, is widely acknowledged as the Bible of sports economics. Here, however, they are writing for sports fans who are trying to make sense out of the perplexing world of pro team sports. It is not money, in itself, that is the cause of today's problems, they assert. In fact, the real problem stems from one simple fact: pro sports are monopolies that are fully sanctioned by the U.S. government. Eliminate the monopolies, say Quirk and Fort, and all problems can be solved. If the monopolies are allowed to persist, so will today's woes. The authors discuss all four major pro team sports: baseball, football, basketball, and hockey. Hard Ball is filled with anecdotes, case studies, and factual information that are brought together here for the first time. Quirk and Fort devote chapters to the main protagonists in the pro sports saga--media, unions, players, owners, politicians, and leagues--before they offer their own prescription for correcting the ills that afflict sports today. The result is an engaging and persuasive book that is sure to be widely read, cited, and debated. It is essential reading for every fan.
Designed specifically for the language learner and for others requiring a description of informal French morphology and syntax, Colloquial French Grammar is the first detailed non-technical survey in English of the many differences between standard and non-standard usage.
Cradled by the hills of east Tennessee, Rogersville is a town of rich history. The second-oldest town in Tennessee, Rogersville has earned its place in history from its birth as a settlement started by the Crockett family, to its days as part of North Carolina, the Lost State of Franklin, and finally Tennessee. Today Rogersville is a beautifully preserved historical town.
This kit contains: Simply Ball with Pilates Principles book with 64 pages of full-color photographs with step-by-step instructions explain how to exercise effectively, to improve muscle tone and strength and to increase your energy. The exercises can easily be carried out at home. The book also includes an introduction to the philosophy and principles of Pilates and an explanation of how using the exercise ball can improve your muscle endurance, coordination and reflexes.Simply Ball with Pilates Principles video, in which Jennifer Pohlman and Rodney Searle take you through the 25 exercises, demonstrating clearly the techniques and correct positions and also show how to focus on the exact techniques for maximum benefit. They guide you through the movements step-by-step so that you can master these exercises and experience a positive lift in your fitness level.
Everyone says they would like to retire early, but Rodney Rothman actually did it—forty years early. Burnt out, he decides at the age of twenty-eight to get an early start on his golden years. He travels to Boca Raton, Florida, where he moves in with an elderly piano teacher at Century Village, a retirement community that is home to thousands of senior citizens. Early Bird is an irreverent, hilarious, and ultimately warmhearted account of Rodney's journey deep into the heart of retirement. Rodney struggles for acceptance from the senior citizens he shares a swimming pool with and battles with cranky octogenarians who want him off their turf. Before long he observes, “I don't think Tuesdays with Morrie would have been quite so uplifting if that guy had to spend more than one day a week with Morrie.” In the spirit of retirement, Rodney fashions a busy schedule of suntanning, shuffleboard, and gambling cruises. As the months pass, his neighbors seem to forget that he is fifty years younger than they are. He finds himself the potential romantic interest of an aging femme fatale. He joins a senior softball club and is disturbed to learn that he is the worst player on the team. Early Bird is a funny, insightful, and moving look at what happens to us when we retire, viewed from a remarkably premature perspective. Any reader who plans on becoming an old person will enjoy joining Rodney on his strange journey, as he reconsiders his notions of romance, family, friendship, and ultimately, whether he's ever going back to work.
This book serves as an introduction to calculus on normed vector spaces at a higher undergraduate or beginning graduate level. The prerequisites include basic calculus and linear algebra, as well as a certain mathematical maturity. All the important topology and functional analysis topics are introduced where necessary. In its attempt to show how calculus on normed vector spaces extends the basic calculus of functions of several variables, this book is one of the few textbooks to bridge the gap between the available elementary texts and high level texts. The inclusion of many non-trivial applications of the theory and interesting exercises provides motivation for the reader.
Delivering the most up-to-date information available in a rich, engaging presentation, Medical Physiology: Principles for Clinical Medicine, 6th Edition, instills a complete understanding of physiology essential to effective clinical practice. This robust text not only details how the human body reacts to internal and external changes but also provides a deep understanding of how physiologic systems coordinate to maintain optimal health, as well as the involvement of altered functions in disease processes. Extensively updated throughout and fully aligned with today’s medical curriculum, the 6th Edition emphasizes the physiologic principles key to understanding human function, places them in their fundamental context in clinical medicine, and provides opportunities for student self-directed and team-based learning through case studies, clinical application exercises, and board-style review questions.
Ali Bacher has commanded a place at the coalface of sport in South Africa during its most turbulent and historic period. His exceptional contribution is reflected in this biography with pace and passion, an important chronicle of momentous events in the contemporary history of the new South Africa. Bacher's story is essentially about the roles he played in cricket, but this new, updated edition reveals his unexpected decision to step into the minefield of South African rugby at the height of the bitter controversy that raged in its corridors of power. It contains several previously unpublished disclosures.
Why would a Japanese millionaire want to buy the Seattle Mariners baseball team, when he has admitted that he has never played in or even seen a baseball game? Cash is the answer: major league baseball, like professional football, basketball, and hockey, is now big business with the potential to bring millions of dollars in profits to owners. Not very long ago, however, buying a sports franchise was a hazardous investment risked only by die-hard fans wealthy enough to lose parts of fortunes made in other businesses. What forces have changed team ownership from sports-fan folly to big-business savvy? Why has The Wall Street Journal become popular reading in pro sports locker rooms? And why are sports pages now dominated by economic clashes between owners and players, cities with franchises and cities without them, leagues and players' unions, and team lawyers and players' lawyers? In answering these questions, James Quirk and Rodney Fort have written the most complete book on the business and economics of professional sports, past and present. Pay Dirt offers a wealth of information and analysis on the reserve clause, salary determination, competitive balance in sports leagues, the market for franchises, tax sheltering, arenas and stadiums, and rival leagues. The authors present an abundance of historical material, much of it new, including team ownership histories and data on attendance, TV revenue, stadium and arena contracts, and revenues and costs. League histories, team statistics, stories about players and owners, and sports lore of all kinds embellish the work. Quirk and Fort are writing for anyone interested in sports in the 1990s: players, players' agents, general managers, sportswriters, and, most of all, sports fans.
In Not My Boy!, Rodney Peete offers not only a heartrending, candid look inside his personal journey with his son's autism but a first-of-its-kind, inspirational road map that will help families facing similar challenges to move forward. Effectively woven throughout Peete's moving account of his life with his son R.J. are the powerful voices, insights, and dreams of other fathers, high-profile figures as well as unsung heroes, who've traveled this difficult path. Autism affects four times as many boys as it does girls. For their fathers, expectations and hopes are drastically changed -- as NFL star Rodney Peete's were when his son R.J. was diagnosed at the age of three. After a period of anger and denial, an all-too-common reaction among fathers, Rodney joined his wife, Holly, in her efforts to help their son. With determination, love, and understanding, the family worked with R.J. to help him once again engage with the world. Eight challenging years later, R.J. has gone from the son one doctor warned would never say "I love you" to a thriving, vibrant boy who scored his first soccer goal while his dad cheered from the sidelines. Praise for Not My Boy! "I wish I had something fancy to say, but this story is simply beyond words--just read it! I vote to make Rodney's book, Not My Boy!, required reading for every first-time, second-time, or any-other-time father." -- Will Smith / actor, producer "Rodney Peete writes a compelling book that will help fathers emotionally deal with the challenge of raising a child with autism. The mental toughness of a man all but disappears when faced with this reality, but Rodney's candid message will encourage anyone who is chosen to be on this journey." -- Alonzo Mourning, former NBA player "Not My Boy is a must-read for parents--especially dads--who have a child on the autism spectrum. It's inspiring, enlightening, and most importantly, truthful. Rodney gives the reader the real story on how autism can cause total dysfunction in the family, and in even the strongest of marriages, if husband and wife don't work as a team. He opens up his heart, and speaks candidly about his mistakes, all the while learning how to best help R.J. in his battle to overcome the challenges of autism. Their fight is by no means over, but the experiences that he shares will help every family, and every couple, to be better advocates, teachers, and parents." --Artie Kempner, lead director for NASCAR/NFL on Fox "A book every father needs to read! Not My Boy is about unconditional love. I read it in one weekend. . . It was and is amazing." -- Cyd Wilson, InStyle magazine
February 2013. Perth, Western Australia. Following his Year 12 school ball, Preston Bridge and his friends consumed synthetic LSD ordered online by a third party through the darknet website Silk Road. Suffering drug-induced psychosis, Preston jumped from a 2nd storey hotel room balcony. Preston lay in hospital in an induced coma and remained on life support for three days before his father Rod and Preston’s mother Vicky made that hard decision to turn off his life support system. What followed was a father’s mission to uncover how his son got his hands on the dangerous research chemical drug. Travelling to China he finds himself at the centre of a dangerous undercover sting operation to expose China’s deadly illegal drug manufacturing and distribution network. On returning to Australia, Rod continued his mission which resulted in the arrest of 21,000 people in China and the closing down of factories, websites and over 5 million social media outlets throughout the country.
Physically unimpressive, intellectually brilliant James Madison had been unlucky in love, heartbroken and betrayed not once but twice. Middle-aged and resigned to a life alone, he never dreamed that fate had something astonishing in store for him and for the country he loved: a young widow of exceptional intelligence and poise who was his equal in many ways and whose warmth and extroversion perfectly complemented his quiet, contemplative nature. She became Dolley Madison, the nation’s “first First Lady,” and this fascinating book proves that truth is more compelling than fiction. Delve into the personal stories of the couple that led their beloved new country safely through its first generation, surviving and thriving despite serious conflicts at home and abroad, weathering the bitter attacks of their enemies and remaining dedicated through it all to each other, to the Constitution that James fathered and to the United States. Facing adversity with unparalleled dignity and civility, they stand as an example worthy of emulation in our times. Their love story, told by a noted constitutional lawyer and historian, is a heart-warming, inspiring, and hopeful tribute to the power of equal partnership in marriage, and a beautiful reminder of what America can be, at its best.
This book traces the history of the Queensland Irish Association, one of the most successful ethnic organisations in Australia. Founded in 1898, it reacted against the divisive religious history of Ireland, enshrining denominational tolerance as a foundational principle. It was an engine of integration, melding evolving Irishness with primary loyalty to Australia. Remarkably resilient, it navigated wars, rebellion in Ireland, economic upheavals, and internal disruptions. The QIA celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, continuing as the chief custodian of Irish heritage and culture in Queensland. The makers of this history were past and present QIA members and officials. Sources included Association records and a rich heritage collection, photographs, and reminiscences.
Routledge English Language Introductions cover core areas of language study and are one-stop resources for students. Assuming no prior knowledge, books in the series offer an accessible overview of the subject, with activities, study questions, sample analyses, and commentaries. Revised and updated throughout, the new edition of Discourse Analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the major approaches to and methodological tools used in discourse analysis. This textbook: introduces both traditional perspectives on the analysis of texts and talk as well as more recent approaches that address technologically mediated and multimodal discourse incorporates practical examples using real data, now revised to include more diverse examples from a wider range of countries includes a revised final section to highlight recent research with case studies showcasing examples of how scholars used the principles illustrated in the book is accompanied by online support material with additional student activities, summaries, explanations, and useful links Other features of the new edition include updated references and a wider range of material from social media that includes TikTok and other more recently popular platforms. Written by an experienced teacher and author, this accessible textbook is essential reading for all students of English language and linguistics.
Rodney Stewart sees his past as a football player at the University of Colorado through the eyes of five players, including himself. Along his journey, he discovers a game called The Truth Is, which allows him to build stronger relationships with his friends. In their battle through experiences, Rodney begins to understand that life is one of Gods lessons. As true love is just a few miles away, he finds himself at a wedding of a friend whom he learned to accept despite their past experiences.
How important is luck in determining labor market outcomes? We address this question using a new dataset of all international test cricketers who debuted between 1950 and 1985. We present evidence that a player’s debut performance is strongly affected by an exogenous source of variation: whether the debut series is played at home or abroad. This allows us to identify the role of luck - factors unrelated to ability - in shaping future career outcomes. We find that players lucky enough to debut at home perform significantly better on debut. Moreover, debut performance has a large and persistent impact on long run career outcomes. We also make headway in empirically distinguishing between competing explanations for why exogenous initial conditions exercise a persistent impact on career performance
With an accessible approach, the third European edition of Principles of Economics provides students with the tools to analyze current economic issues. The book is underpinned by a focus on seven Core Principles, which help students to make the link between economic theory and practice. The 'economic naturalist' approach, supported by exercises, problems and examples, encourages students to employ economics principles to understand and explain the world around them. Developed from the well-regarded US textbook by Frank and Bernanke, it presents an intuitive approach to economics and is suitable for all students taking a Principles of Economics course.
From references to secret agents in The Art of War in 400 B.C.E. to the Bush administration's ongoing War on Terrorism, espionage has always been an essential part of state security policies. This illustrated encyclopedia traces the fascinating stories of spies, intelligence, and counterintelligence throughout history, both internationally and in the United States. Written specifically for students and general readers by scholars, former intelligence officers, and other experts, Encyclopedia of Intelligence and Counterintelligence provides a unique background perspective for viewing history and current events. In easy-to-understand, non-technical language, it explains how espionage works as a function of national policy; traces the roots of national security; profiles key intelligence leaders, agents, and double-agents; discusses intelligence concepts and techniques; and profiles the security organizations and intelligence history and policies of nations around the world. As a special feature, the set also includes forewords by former CIA Director Robert M. Gates and former KGB Major General Oleg Kalugin that help clarify the evolution of intelligence and counterintelligence and their crucial roles in world affairs today.
From the perspective of delivering successful projects, the value of a skilled project sponsor and project manager outweighs many other factors. Projects need leaders who can give them vision, identity, keep the stakeholders and the project team on board and make the difficult decisions that will enable the project to continue (or, if necessary, be terminated). These are human skills that don't necessarily feature large in the project management bodies of knowledge. Ralf Müller and Rodney Turner's Project-Oriented Leadership explains the key leadership models of managerial, intellectual and emotional leadership and shows how they can be applied within projects to lead processes, functions and people, and ensure an ethical and inclusive approach within projects and programs.
Compendium of Scottish Silver II is the most comprehensive catalog of Scottish silver and gold published to date and is an essential reference for readers of art, antiques and history. More than 6,000 descriptions of pieces from the 14th-21st centuries are organized chronologically by category (e.g. bowls, mugs, flatware, teapots, etc.) with 54 photos introducing categories. A timeline aids readers in dating pieces and evaluating rarity, and a glossary defines decorative arts terms. Expanded from the original Compendium, a Cornell University Digital Library project, Compendium II has more than 1,000 new listings of provincial, 19th century and special collections silver. Additionally, there is a guide to interpreting Scottish hallmarks and evaluating Scottish silver designed to help the reader avoid common pitfalls.
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