Gambling Legalization Essay Example for Free

Gambling Legalization Essay Gambling is the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize). (Oxford dictionary) Many have their own opinions about gambling and at this time gambling is not legally practiced here in The Bahamas. â€Å"Such a move would bring an end to an illicit industry that makes tens of millions of dollars a year and which employs hundreds; but which contributes little to the general good of the Bahamian people. † (The Bahama Journal 2008). There are many aspects of gambling that can indeed be looked upon positively. â€Å"Gambling comes in many forms, including betting in casinos, racetracks, sporting events, lotteries, bingo games and even virtual gambling on the Internet† (Oddo 2007) Gambling should indeed be legalized, because it will help our economy and society in many ways. If gambling is practiced it’ll give persons with idle time on their hands, something to do and it can also boost our tourism industry. The legalization of gambling here in The Bahamas will lead to an increase in the Bahamas’ Gross domestic Product (GDP), an increase in employment, and finally it can contribute to our entertainment industry. The legalization of gambling would be of grave benefit for our Government as it relates to the Gross Domestic Product In an article titled ‘Legalizing gambling in The Bahamas’ written by Craig Butler his argument for gambling was that the Prime Minister Rt. Honorable Hubert Ingraham should enforce gambling and put an independent company of auditors to oversee this new development. â€Å"If gambling is to be legalized then he must cause the infrastructure to be put in place that will avoid the inevitable attempts at tampering and manipulation by ingenious persons. † (Butler 2008). Once this takes place the Government will be able to implement a taxing system with our own internal revenue service (IRS) so that a certain percentage of the money i. e. twenty five percent will go to the Government in result more money would be spent on more capital goods, meaning more school’s will be built and more work infrastructure on our roads will be carried out. In America, Statistics show that approximately 92. 27 billion dollars comes from gambling on a yearly basis. If this same scenario would apply to us here in The Bahamas that will mean that gambling would be of benefit to our revenue and finance sector. Some believe that legalizing gambling would only allow the Government a free share of the money, and that share will only be spent on their own needs. They will use this money to purchase more cars for them to be chauffeured around in, to have more ‘business’ dinners for themselves, and to spend on five day trips all around the world and the economy won’t feel a dime of it. They are partially right because most people are used to politicians being voted in the House of Assembly and never coming around to visit their constituents, therefore they lack the trust in believing that the Government will deliver once they start to receive the percentage of winnings. However, they are misguided because the Government forecasts a certain percentage of money to go into capital goods every year during the budget and the normal percentage that is set aside for education and health care can rise and can be use more significantly. â€Å"But the legalization of this habit will not lead to an exponential rise in the number of gamblers. It will, however, allow government to fund programmes that can have a positive impact on our youth, such as community centres, sports and education facilities. † (Butler 2008) Mr. Butler makes it evidently clear in his analysis in the Bahama pundit that if the Government had the extra funds they would use it wisely. For example, there’s now a system set up by National Insurance for the unemployed. The unemployment benefit pays 100 dollars a week to those unemployed and if the Government receives more money this can to go up. Not only Bahamians will be getting taxed but foreigners as well. Therefore all of the foreigners that are here now using our casinos and going back with everything, would have to leave that twenty five percent tax fee for the government. Legalizing gambling would also lead to a decrease in the unemployment rate. In an article entitled ‘Gambling Entertainment’, it states that â€Å"The large percentage of employment provided by the Gambling industry, including the land based casinos as well as the Online casinos, puts gambling industry on the top of society chart straight away. † Having gambling legalized would automatically mean that employment will increase. At present Gambling is in the ‘underground economy’ mark when it comes to calculating the unemployment rate. Since it’s illegal workers are considered to be employed, however legally they’re counted as unemployed when it comes to the unemployment rate. In an article written by Olivia Saunders, Saunders illustrated the unemployment rate in a diagram that showed an unemployment rate of 7. 8 percent. Out of this 7. 8 percent count are the people that are already presently working for number houses, if we legalize gambling that rate would automatically decrease. Many are lead to believe that legalizing gambling won’t decrease the unemployment rate, because there are already a substantial amount of lottery houses opened already and there are still many unemployed, it’s impossible for this to help our unemployed, and even if it does, it won’t completely take care of the problem. They are partially right because legalizing gambling won’t lead to a complete decline in the unemployment rate, and it won’t be able to employ everyone without a job, however they are misguided because it will help tremendously. Legalizing gambling means that more lotto shops will be able to open, not only in Nassau but also on the family islands which will attract more tourists. Therefore they’ll need more staff, this will also lead to more casinos and more people will be hired in many different aspects. For example they’ll need cleaners, cashiers, coupe and hostesses. The real truth is there are many different aspects in our economy that contributes to the unemployment rate both increasing and decreasing and this rate can never be steady. However once gambling is legalized and there are more venues opened then it’s a necessity to hire people to work in them, and these people will then count towards the unemployment rate and it’ll then decrease. Finally the legalization of gambling can be used as a sport and a form of entertainment. The only form of gambling is not purchasing numbers from the lotto shops as some Bahamians are blindsided to believing, however it is also a sport. There was once a horse racing venue that was used as a sport over here in 1976 but had to leave because gambling wasn’t legal. Legalizing gambling would allow this form of entertainment to once again be practiced. In a journal named ‘Gambling The cost of our future,’ it indicates that ‘Those who participate in gambling activities do so voluntarily and, in return, receive intrinsic benefits from their consumption. Furthermore, if consumers are gambling for entertainment purposes, they are purchasing gambling just as they would purchase tickets for the cinema or a symphony. † (Basham, White). This statement raises a thoughtful argument because gambling is indeed a risk however this risk is on the same level of buying a cinema ticket and you’re not sure if the movie will play or a symphony and you’re not sure if you’ll enjoy it. Opponents believe that having gambling as sports can only lead to more financial problems for an unstable financial home. They may argue that gambling is an addictive game and some families aren’t ready for the strain that this addiction entails, and some people may be willing to do anything to satisfy this addiction like commit robbery. Gambling addiction is also referred to as compulsive gambling or pathological gambling. Medical Author Roxanne Dryden-Edwards raise a valuable point in her article ‘Gambling Addiction’ stating that â€Å"The number of people who gamble socially qualify for being diagnosed with a gambling addiction range from 2%-5%, thereby affecting millions of people in the United States alone. † (Dryden- Edwards) Some may debate that If The Bahamas population is only 316,000 compared to the United States, then our percentage will be more harmful if gambling is practice. But they are misguided because this entertainment and sport may not be addictive but relatively fun and exciting and a good family event for most, even though there may be some bad apples the pros may outweigh the cons. The real truth is that almost everything we do as a form of gaming exercise is pleasurable and having more opportunities will make gambling more enjoyable. The Government can also implement a system so that gamblers that develop the addiction can be fully taken care of and receive psychiatric help called Gamblers Anonymous’ (GA). According to the the 12 step recovery program statistics â€Å"Of those in their fourth month of AA meeting attendance (i. e. have stayed beyond 90-days) 56% will still be attending AA at the end of that year. † (Holding all others constant if this system is practiced here with addicts treatment will be beneficial. In conclusion, gambling can contribute to our economy significantly. Many feel as though gambling will cause more harm than good, however if it’s practiced correctly and everyone abide to the laws that would be put in place, gambling will be more than just an easy way to win a substantial amount of money it’ll be a form of entertainment for many, it’ll be a sport that can be family orientated and finally it can be a way for our economy to jump back into the expansionary boom period and no longer claim that we are in a recession. Works Cited Gambling: http://wordnetweb. princeton. edu/perl/webwn? s=gambling Gambling Revenue: Current year data, Fact Sheets Statistics. 2003 American Gaming Associations http://www. americangaming. org/Industry/factsheets/statistics_detail. cfv? id=7 Saunders Olivia. ‘Unemployment in The Bahamas’ Gambling Entertainment. 2006 Royal World Casinos http://www. royalworldcasino. com/gambling_entertainment. html Oddo, Alfonso. The Economics and ethics of casino gambling. Review of Business. March 22, 1997. http://www. allbusiness. com/specialty-businesses/653985-1. html Patrick Basham and Karen White. Gambling with Our Future? The Costs and Benefits of Legalized Gambling. http://oldfraser. lexi. net/publications/digital/gamblingwithourfuture. pdf http://www. bahamapundit. com/2008/02/legalizing-gamb. html http://www. jonesbahamas. com/? c=128a=15872 http://www. medicinenet. com/gambling_addiction/article. htm http://www. 12step. com/statistics. html.

Will - Hobsons Choice Essay Example for Free

Will Hobsons Choice Essay Despite the disliking of the sisters, it is told that Will remarks that he rather likes it. He also adds a long, pleasant comment about kissing nice women. This already shows how his attitude is changing towards making contact with other people. On the other hand, I think the writer hints the presence of dramatic irony in a subtle way. In the times when the play was written, the male in the family were almost always superior; especially because women did not have equal rights. However, throughout the rest of the play, Will is obviously shown to be controlled by Maggie all the time. Just as the couple prepares to leave for their wedding, Maggie asks Will for his honest opinion of their marriage, and if he wants to marry her at all. Will reassures her that his mind is made up, which pleases her; but as he carries on talking, Maggie intercepts as soon as he says the word resigned. I understood the word resigned as that he accepted their marriage with a little reluctance. Moreover, there may be some positiveness to his speech as Will says he will say Yes to the parsons questions at the church. Furthermore, Will answers Maggie by the phrase Yes, Maggie. This reminds us again, the dominance of Maggie over Will. I think that there is a big difference in Will, comparing Act 2 and 3 of the play. At the beginning of Act 3, Will gives a toast to the guests of the dinner after the wedding. In contrast to his usual speeches, he gives an impressively long speech. Although, it is still evident that he has not yet perfectly mastered his reading skills. As Will struggles to read a word in the middle of his speech, Maggie interrupts in an undertone, and he carries on. Moreover, Will is shown to have been stammering all throughout his speech. However, I think that this is an amazing improvement in his educational side, as it is told at the very beginning that Will is not fully literate, and that he cannot write. After his speech, he is complimented by numerous guests, and it is told that Maggie has been educating Will. This can be shown as Wills first change by the influence of Maggie, his wife. Likewise, the major consequence of Will and Maggie moving out of the Hobsons family house would be in the introduction of Act 3. In the first paragraph, the sentence William Mossop, Practical Bootmaker, stands out. It is said that the phrase is shown on each window of their cellars. This shows Will has become a master of a boot shop of his own. Although in a small scale, this is an enormous change in Wills life. As he owns a shop, he is now able to earn how much he deserves as a good boot-maker, and therefore feel confident, and complacent about himself. Following the wedding dinner, Will is left with some male characters alone at the shop. At this point, Wills reluctance of being left with Maggie alone is shown through his speech, fond of company. However, this is later shown as a positive reluctance of his shyness of being with Maggie, which could also mean that he has started to recognize his loving feelings towards Maggie. This is confirmed by the other characters suggesting that he is shy of his wife, and Will admitting it afterwards. There is also a happy laughter in the middle, which suggests that Will has developed socially. Moreover, his phrase above is an enormous difference to Will at the beginning of the play. This is presumably because Will is much less inhibited than he used to be. I think his speech shows a little of his increased interest of interacting with other people as well. A crucial scene to support that Will has changed in his characteristics would be when Henry visits the couples cellar for the first time. As Henry is knocking on the door, Maggie quickly reminds Will that he is the gaffer at their place. In other words, she is encouraging him to have confidence in himself as much as he can, as he is the master at the shop. To acknowledge this to Henry, Maggie asks Will if she could allow him inside the shop, and Will answers loudly and boldly. This is presumably an awkward situation for Henry, as he had been Wills master when he was at the Hobsons boot shop. Those two words indicate how pompous and in-control he sounds, especially to Hobson, as he also speaks very much like a master. In truth, Will may be a little nervous inside, confronting Henry in this way; however he decides to hide his weakness. By the end of Act 3 of the play, the celebrations of their wedding are coming to an end, and it is the couples first night together. Maggie is already in the bedroom, and Will has a little moment alone in the living room. He repeatedly walks back and forth to the bedroom door as he hesitates whether he should go in, or not; also looking shyly at the door. In the end, he decides to lie on the sofa, to sleep in the living room. Nevertheless, Will gives occasional glances at the bedroom door. This indicates his mixed feelings about their first night after marriage. I think it could mean his coyness, but mainly uneasiness of not being brave enough to go into the bedroom. I think the most hilarious part shown in the play, about the couple, is when Maggie brings Will into the bedroom. As Maggie approaches Will, it is said that she grabs him by the ear to return to the bedroom. This shows that Maggie is still the dominant of the couple. Although Will has changed a lot in his personality, it is generally seen that he remains being absolutely obedient to Maggie as much as a loving husband would do to his wife. Henry, the eldest character of the play, is seen to be unwell. As he is rejected by his other daughters, Maggie is left with the responsibility of taking care of him. Moreover, it is decided that the couple will move into the Hobsons house. Because of that, there is an argument between Henry and Will about the boot shop. Although Henry is presently the master of the shop, Will also is the master of his own shop. The typically selfish Henrys character is shown here, as he offers Will the old job and the old wage of 18 shillings a week. Ignoring the ungenerous offer, Will offers Henry a choice of being taken in partnership or not being taken care by the couple. The couple discusses the name for the shop without Henrys agreement, and there is another argument as he interrupts with strong dissatisfaction. Although it does not seem obvious at start, there is a sense of dramatic irony, when Maggie is speaking against Will in order to test if he is brave enough to stand up to Henry. When Henry has gone, Will shows us the innocent side of him, asking Did I sound confident, Maggie? Despite Maggies praises, Will admits that he trembled in his shoes, which makes the readers smile, to see the old Will again. Moreover, it is seen that Will does not call Maggie by the name Miss anymore, which suggests their intimate relationship. Another evidence to support the closeness of Will and Maggie are in the following scene. It is told that Maggie was married to Will with a brass ring. Brass rings, in those days, were very cheap and undecorated, often used by the poorer people. I could describe Maggie as being thrifty, although the wedding ring must still be very meaningful for her. Will mentions that he has some improvements to work on, meaning to surprise Maggie with a new ring. However, Maggie refuses for the reason mentioned above. The following scene of Will, when he kisses her indicates a mutual love between the couple at last. I think this is a significant change in Will, which happened as he gradually recognized Maggies affectionate feelings. From this, you can see how enormously Will have changed, and how he was influenced by other characters and his environment. I have been deeply impressed by how much Will have improved in diverse sides of his characteristics. However, throughout the story, there is one part of him that does not change at all. That would be his typical speech, By Gum! Lower 5 17/05/07 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

The Cold War Causes And Effects History Essay

The Cold War Causes And Effects History Essay The Cold War was not a military conflict, but was an ongoing political conflict involving both military and economic competition. The evolvement of the Cold War began during and after World War I, although the official beginning of the Cold War was in 1945, at the Yalta Conference. The causes of the Cold War were many, but can be summed up as a battle between capitalism and communism, along with President Trumans disliking Joseph Stalin, the desire of Russia to spread communism throughout the world, Russias fear of Americas A bomb, America refusing to share its nuclear secrets, Russias fear of an attack from America, the need for Russia to secure its western border, and the expansion of Russia into Eastern Europe. In the 1920s and on into the 1930s, America stayed its course with non-recognition of the Soviet Union. In addition, spreading word of the Soviet Unions support for anti-American activities in China and in Latin America, was not helping. The situation continued to deteriorate. The containment strategy came about in 1946, when George Kennan, a diplomat at the US Embassy in Moscow, sent a telegram referred to as the Long Telegram, on February 22. He also published an anonymous article from a July 1947 issue of Foreign Affairs. His concluded that the policies of the U.S. in relation to the Soviets, would need to be made with a long term perspective. Kennan felt that President Franklin Roosevelt had based the dealings of the United States with the Soviet Union, on assumptions that, in his mind, were completely off base. President Roosevelt believed that with Joseph Stalin no longer calling all the shots, the Soviet Union would want the same things as America and her allies. Kennan did not agree. He concluded that resolution would be a careful and lengthy process. America would need to be both patient and vigilant where the Soviet Union was concerned. On March 12, 1947, in an effort to stop the continuing spread of communism, President Harry S. Truman gave a speech, in which he presented his foreign policy, supporting Free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. This speech, made before Congress, was a clear expression of the policies of his administration and was known as The Truman Doctrine. In June 1947, in a speech at Harvard, Secretary of State, George Marshall presented the Marshall Plan, offering financial aid from America. The purpose was to help Europes economy recover from damage done by World War II.. This good will offer was immediately rejected by the Soviet Union. Europe was allowed to spend the financial aid however they wanted as long as they did not use it to buy military supplies. The CIA, also created in 1947, was to secretly funnel money to noncommunist parties, labor unions, news publications, and charitable organizations. This effort did help to limit the influence of pro-communist organizations thus hindering the spread of communism to some degree. To ensure European defense resources were safe, the United States formed the articles of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This committed the United States. to military engagement in Europe. The treaty further stated an attack on any member of NATO would be considered an attack against all. The United Nations was created to serve as the peace-keepers and ensure global safety. Other events affected the progression of the Cold War. Beginning in 1945, when the United States dropped the first atomic bomb in Japan. This caused animosity and suspicion from the Soviet Union. America was not only engaged in a nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union but were also not competing in the race for space. In October 1962 the U.S. and the Soviet Union were on the brink of a nuclear war. Cuba housed Soviet missiles which was unacceptable to the United States. President John F. Kennedy had them removed. In order to gain control over Berlin, the Soviet Union blocked the railways of the Western allies in hopes of Berlin being dependent on them for food and resources. Western allies formed and organization to fly food and supplies by aircraft to West Berlin. Soon after the Soviet Union lifted the blockade in May of 1949, resulting in the split of Germany into two states. The unification of Germany was October 1990 due to the Berlin Wall coming down. The Cold War ended in 1991 after the Soviet Union crumbled. I believe The Cold War was inevitable and could not have been avoided because its simply a struggle between two fundamentally different political and economical systems, Capitalism versus Communism.

Essay --

I’ve heard it said that even the greatest of men are wise enough to fear the dark; whether that fear is rational or not, I’m not sure I’m worthy to judge. But until you’ve felt the dark and experienced the cold depths of it enveloping your soul, I’m not really sure you truly know what it is to fear. Manhattan, New York, 1977. The sweltering July summer left the dense city feeling sluggish and apathetic. I’d spent the day switching between my new television set and my open window (of course our a/c would break in the hottest month of the year), and I planned on walking a few blocks over to my friend’s house so I could spend the night in her wonderful air conditioned home. My mom was at work, probably wouldn’t be back until dawn, and so I was alone when dusk came, the sky still aglow from the bright lights of the city and the last remnants of daylight. I grabbed my duffel bag and headed out, eager to get to Jenny’s and relax in the cool air. I had just stepped into the hallway outside the apartment when it happened; there was a sort of jolt in the air. Suddenly, a buzzing noise could be heard, growing louder each passing second, as if someone was turning up the bass on an exponentially-loud amplifier. As the sound grew in decibels, the lights in the hallway flickered and became brighter, brighter, brighter, so bright I had to wince to look up at them. I swung open the door to the apartment to find all the lights on full blast, shining so brightly my skin began to burn. Slamming the door shut, I slid 2 down to the floor in the hallway and shut my eyes tight, too frightened to leave my apartment building. I was scared, sure, but soon I would find out what real fear feels like. A few minutes passed when, finally, the glare behind m... ...e, when I saw a single figure hunched over on the subway bench. Every instinct in my mind told me not to approach the shade before me. I pictured ghosts and spirits around it, waiting to prey on me, the Good Samaritan, very, very, far from Kansas. But I knew that I had to reach out and touch her, my mother had taught me that much. At their darkest hour, the wisest of men are no different than us, the same battery acid pumps through their veins, and the same fear cripples them. What we all feel together remains unanimous. At that moment, when I reached out to that sobbing woman, I saw my mother, and that dark subway tunnel was brighter than any human eye could have observed. There we sat together, until the lights shuttered their return, holding one another in utter darkness, not saying a word or identifying each other, but hearing and seeing the love between us.

Edgar Allen Poe :: essays research papers

He is best known for his poems and short fiction, Edgar Allan Poe, born in Boston, Jan. 19, 1809, died Oct. 7, 1849 in Baltimore, deserves more credit than any other writer for the transformation of the short story from anecdote to art. He virtually created the detective story and perfected the psychological thriller. He also produced some of the most influential literary criticism of his time -- important theoretical statements on poetry and the short story -- and has had a worldwide influence on literature. Poe's parents were David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins, were touring actors; both died before he was 3 years old, and he was taken into the home of John Allan, a prosperous merchant in Richmond, Va., and baptized Edgar Allan Poe. His childhood was uneventful, although he studied (1815-20) for 5 years in England. In 1826 he entered the University of Virginia but stayed for only a year. Although a good student, he ran up large gambling debts that Allan refused to pay. Allan prevented his return to the university and broke off Poe's engagement to Sarah Elmira Royster, his Richmond sweetheart. Lacking any means of support, Poe enlisted in the army. He had, however, already written and printed (at his own expense) his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827), verses written in the manner of Byron. The biography educated me in his life and his works he has written Edgar Allen Poe writes horror stories, melancholy poems that have major impacts on large poets, detective stories which he called the tale of ratiocination or logic, and the finale type of writing was the finest critical mind in his generation. In every persons life there are important events and experiences that people write about. This author also has important events and experiences. Like normal people we do not create tales or short stories or even poems about them and get them published but Poe does. Most of his events and experiences are in a book called The Raven!! It mostly states his events but in a story style so people know his events and at the same time read interesting horror stories. He writes about his childhood times and some adult times that may be fimliar to yours. While I researched about this man I realized that he had an uncommon way of stories and imagination. Such as when he stated in one of his pieces that he killed his cat because he loved it so close to his heart.

Gang membership, Drug Selling, and Violence in Neighborhood Context Ess

Smiley is a man who was released back into the society on a parole. He was sent back to live in his neighborhood. Shinichi Suzuki, a famous Japanese violinist who invented Suzuki Method, got the right idea of Smiley’s situation when he said â€Å"Man is a child of his environment†. It means that Smiley is a product of his environment. His neighborhood is a no picnic. The neighborhood is a basically a graveyard of American dreams. Like everyone else in America, Smiley values individualism, achievement, money, and family unity highly. However he is in a hostile society where his rough background is rejected and regarded as a stigma. He does not have education or an escape from his neighborhood where people are under a great strain. The reason for the strain is because American culture sets the bar for gold standards of an ideal lifestyle that in the reality that social structures in some groups cannot follow (Shelden, Brown, Miller, & Fitzler, 2008). According to strain theory, Smiley’s neighbors all want same things but they cannot get them legally so they decide to find illegal loopholes. They go in this state that Robert Merton would call anomie (Shelden, Brown, Miller & Fritzler, 2008). According to him, the state is when â€Å"social structures exert a definite pressure upon certain persons in the society to engage in nonconforming rather than conforming conduct† ( p.78). A gang in Smiley’s neighborhood pressures Smiley into practicing norms that are considered unacceptable legally . Smiley’s gang approves stealing, violence, abuse of drugs, and organized crimes. Smiley had to adapt by conforming to the gang’s values, follow ritualism like wearing certain colors and speaking gang jargon, and view the world as us ( gang) against them.... ..., T. (2009). Gang membership, drug selling, and violence in neighborhood context. Justice Quarterly, 26(4), 645-669. Opsal, T. (2009). Women on parole: Understanding the impact of surveillance. Women & Criminal Justice, 19(4), 306-328. Shelden, R.G., Brown, W.B., Miller, K.S., & Fritzler, R.B. (2008). Crime and criminal justice in american society. Long Grove, Illinosis: Waveland Press, INC. Stickels, J. (2007). The game of probation. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 22(1), 33-43. Wilkinson, D.L. (2007). Local Social Ties and Willingness to Intervene: Textured Views Among Violent Urban Youth of Neighborhood Social Control Dynamics and Situations. Justice Quarterly : JQ, 24(2), 185-220. (Document ID: 1295281001). http://ezproxy.rit.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.rit.edu/pqdweb?did=1295281001&Fmt=7&clientId=3589&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Air Jordan Essay

Air Jordan is a brand of shoes and athletic clothing designed, owned, and produced by Michael Jordan for Nike’s Jordan Brand subsidiary. The shoes, informally referred to in the plural as Air Jordan’s or simply J’s, were first released for public consumption in 1985 after Michael Jordan wore them in 1984 as a rookie; thereafter, new designs were released annually. Since its introduction into the sports shoe market, the Air Jordan evolved to the original basketball shoes to models for different uses, including I-XXIII). Air Jordan currently sponsors 19 active NBA players, including Chris Paul, Ray Allen, and Carmelo Anthony. They also endorse Nike Air Jordan products. Air Jordan 1 Air Jordan I, first Nike sneakers for Michael Jordan.  The Air Jordan 1 was designed by Peter Moore. The Air Jordan 1 was first released in 1985, in a red and black colorway to match the uniform of the Chicago Bulls, the team for which Michael Jordan played. This red and black color-way was later outlawed by NBA Commissioner David Stern for not having any white on them. Michael Jordan would wear the shoes anyway, and each time he stepped on the court with the Air Jordan 1 he would be fined five thousand dollars. Air Jordan 2 The success of the Air Jordan 1 encouraged Nike to release the New Air Jordan in 1986 for the new basketball season. Designed by Peter Moore and Bruce Kilgore, the original Air Jordan II was unique in that it was made in Italy giving the shoe a luxury feel. The Air Jordan II was originally retailed at $64.99. Air Jordan 3 The Air Jordan III was designed by Tinker Hatfield. By that time Michael Jordan was ready to leave Nike, but the Jordan III changed his mind. It was the first Air Jordan to feature a visible air unit on the heel, the new Jumpman logo, an elephant print trim and tumble leather to give it a luxury look. The Air Jordan III was also famous for the humorous ads depicting Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon, the character he played in his film ‘She’s Gotta Have It’. This campaign was known as the â€Å"Mars and Mike† ad campaign, which was one of Nike’s most successful advertisement campaigns. Air Jordan 4 In 1989 The Jordan IV shoe was released into the public, designed by Tinker  Hatfield. It was the first Jordan shoe released on the global market. Spike Lee, the director and actor helped in the ads for Jordan IV. Spike Lee had featured the Air Jordan IV in his movie Do The Right Thing. The Air Jordan Bordeaux â€Å"Spiz’ike IV† were specifically made for Spike Lee in order to pay respect for advertising the Jordan Cement 4’s. Air Jordan 5 The Air Jordan V was released on February 1990, designed by Tinker Hatfield again. Some elements were carried over from the Air Jordan IV, but overall they were a completely new look. Some of its new features were a reflective tongue, translucent rubber soles and lace locks. Hatfield is believed to have drawn inspiration for the Air Jordan V from World War II fighter planes, which was most notably visible in the shark teeth shapes on the midsole. Air Jordan 6 The Air Jordan VI had a new design by Tinker Hatfield and released in 1991. Later that year the Bulls defeated the Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals, with Jordan named as the most valuable player. That was also the first NBA Championship won by Jordan and the Bulls. The Jordan VI was also seen in the film White Men Can’t Jump, which was produced in 1991 and released one year later. Air Jordan 7 Air Jordan VII sneakers specially released for 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The Air Jordan VII was released in 1992 with a new design by Tinker Hatfield. This shoe introduced the huarache technology which allowed the shoes to better conform to the user’s foot. A few things were no longer featured on the new model, such as the visible air sole, the Nike Air logo, and the yellowing soles. This was the first Air-Jordan in the line that did not have any distinctive â€Å"Nike Air† on the outer portions of the shoe. When Jordan went to compete at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics to play for the US Men’s Basketball Team (also known as the â€Å"Dream Team†), Nike released a special Olympic color combo of the Air Jordan VII model which had Jordan’s Olympic jersey number, 9 even though most of the jordans that were made, especially the Air Jordan VII had a â€Å"23† on the back. Air Jordan 8 The Air Jordan VIII was released to coincide with the 1992–1993 NBA season.  The eighth model of the Air Jordan was noticeably heavier than its predecessors. This shoe had a lot more detail than most of the earlier Air Jordan’s such as two crossover straps on each shoe and a Jumpman. Thus the Air Jordan VIII model became known as the â€Å"Punisher† because of the advanced basketball ankle support and enhanced traction. This shoe contains a full length air sole, polyurethane midsole, polycarbonate shank plate, and two crossover straps (for added support and more custom fit). Air Jordan 9 Originally released in November 1993, the Air Jordan IX model was the first model released after Michael Jordan’s retirement. Jordan never played a full season of NBA Basketball wearing these shoes. This model was inspired by baseball cleats that Jordan wore when playing minor-league baseball. Air Jordan 10 This was released in 1995, It was the first Air Jordan to feature a lightweight phylon midsole. The shoe also featured all of Michael Jordan’s accomplishments on the outsole of the shoe. Air Jordan 11 This model was designed by Tinker Hatfield. When the shoe launched, Michael Jordan (retired from basketball by then) was trying in minor baseball leagues. Hatfield designed the sneaker waiting for Jordan to comeback and hoping he would play in them. The ballistic mesh upper of the sneaker was meant to give the Air Jordan XI lighter and more durable than the past sneakers. Further changes came with the use of a carbon fiber spring plate in the clear out sole, giving the shoe better torque when turning on the court. The highlight and arguably most well-known aspect of the shoe is the patent leather mudguard. Patent leather was lightweight, when compared to genuine leather, and also tended not to stretch as much – a property to help keep the foot within the bounds of the shoe bed during direction changes on the court. The patent leather gave the XI a â€Å"formal† look. When this shoe released, some wore this model with business suits instead of dress shoes. Air jordan 12 The Air Jordan XII was inspired by Nisshoki (the Japanese flag), and a 19th-century women dress boot. However, featuring gold-plated steel lace  loops, embossed lizard skin pattern and zoom air, this model set a new direction in style and technology in shoe design. Though not as light weight as previous models, the construction and firmness of the shoe is widely considered to be the most durable and sturdy shoes from the Air Jordan line. Air Jordan 13 in 1997 Air Jordan XIII’s were released into the public . This model was known for its cushioning along the feet, designed by Hatfield. The Black Panther was the inspiration for the Air Jordan XIII, the sole resembles the pads on a panther’s paw. But also the panther is the hologram on the back of the shoe which imitates a panther’s eyes in the dark when light is shined at them. Air Jordan 14 The Air Jordan XIV was originally released from 1998 to 1999. The Air Jordan XIV co-styled by the famous Tinker Hatfield and Mark Smith was made race ready and equipped with the Jordan Jumpman insignia on a Ferrari shaped badge. In addition, these shoes include breathable air ducts on the outer sole. Air Jordan 15 The Air Jordan XVs were released in 1999–2000. Reggie Miller wore it during the 2000 NBA Finals. This was the first shoe after Jordan’s retirement. The design of the XV’s originated from the aircraft prototype X-15, which was developed by NASA during the 1950s. The sides of the XV were made from woven kevlar fibre. Air jordan 16 Air Jordan XVIs, designed by Nike’s Senior Footwear Designer Wilson Smith, were released in 2001. Unique to the Air Jordan XVI was a gaiter/shroud that covered the shoe and could be removed to give the shoe a new look. Not only was this for fashion purposes, it also had a thermal functionality. Air jordan 17 This pair of Jordan’s come equipped with Keefer, which held the shoes and a compact disc containing the Air Jordan XVII song. The retail price of the shoe was US$200. The defining functional design element of the Air Jordan XVII model, which was later replicated on the Air Jordan XXIII model, was  the reinforced mid-sole which provided a sturdy and stable chassis for the shoe. Air jordan 18 The Air Jordan XVIII shoe was released in 2003, and was the shoe for Jordan’s last season, in which he played for the Washington Wizards. The shoe was designed by Air Jordan Senior Footwear Designer, Tate Kuerbis, The inspiration for the design came from a number of things; sleek racing lines of the auto world, carbon fibre-based monocoque of F1 race cars, race car driving shoes (rubber heel wrap) and Fine Italian dress shoes (bold stitching on the soles). Air Jordan 19 Released in 2004, this is the first Jordan release after his third, and final, retirement which came after the 2002–2003 NBA season. The design was inspired by the Black Mamba snake, The Air Jordan XIX used innovative materials. The upper section of shoe was developed in collaboration with the global materials consultancy Material ConneXion, who sourced Nike a sleeving normally used in architectural applications for protecting PVC pipes from bursting. Air Jordan 20 The Air Jordan XX was also inspired by bicycling shoes. The strap was placed in the center of the shoe over the laces. It also helped to create a tighter fit and increased support.