In 2011, representatives of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association, the labor union representing the league’s players, sat down to renegotiate their collective bargaining agreement (CBA), a contract between the two organizations that sets the rules for player contracts, revenue distribution, and salary caps, among other things. At its core, […]
Archives for November 2016
Equal Athleticism, Unequal Appreciation
Less than a month after the 2016 Rio Olympics, Michael Phelps was on the “Tonight Show” cracking a raw egg on his forehead. Yes, the most decorated Olympian of all time lost to Jimmy Fallon, the show’s host, in a game of “Egg Roulette,” in which contestants pull and crack eggs from a carton containing […]
The Pop Culture Matrix
Disclaimers: Big data might save the world, but this exercise is entirely subjective. Any references from before 2008 come from covers of Us Weekly that we saw in the grocery store. Names that appear on the matrix might more accurately be associated with public perception of the individual rather than with their true character (e.g., […]
Cognitive Dissonance and Minor League Wages
In February 2014, three retired Minor League Baseball players brought a lawsuit against their former teams and Major League Baseball, claiming unfair pay practices. The case, Aaron Senne v. Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, is in the pre-trial phase, with no settlement in sight. The plaintiffs argue that MLB has violated the Fair Labor […]
Making a Place for Financial Literacy in the Liberal Arts
On the first day of class in Financial Economics at Bowdoin College, Professor Matthew Botsch of the economics department prefaced his lecture with an announcement. Anyone taking the course for the purpose of preparing for a career in finance, investment banking, or consulting should leave, he warned. Botsch is not alone in discouraging such an […]
Selling a Tragedy: The Black Eyed Peas Campaign
On September 1, 2016, another artist who has long been off the airwaves and drifting in the tide of nostalgia released a music video. The Black Eyed Peas (BEP) dropped their new single titled “#WHEREISTHELOVE,” a re-release and remix to their 2003 original song “Where is the Love?” The themes of both songs, as one […]
The Intermodal Jungle
The Port of Calais is situated in northern France on the Strait of Dover, the narrowest point on the English Channel, and consequently, the gathering ground for refugees hoping to reach the United Kingdom. The “Jungle” is a sprawling refugee encampment that houses migrants of various origins seeking asylum across the strait. City dwellers and […]
How Bombs Changed Swimsuits
The bikini is a cross-cultural piece of clothing worn all over the world. Supermodels make millions posing in it, which has led to the bikini becoming synonymous with glamour and beauty. Perhaps this ubiquity and association with beauty is why some people question who should wear the bikini (although, according to a poll of men, […]