A conversation with Cupid

A conversation with Cupid

Cupid:

Oh, friend,

What's wrong with you today?

 You seem in decay

 Beyond any possible mend?

Friend:

Cupid, oh cupid!

What have you done to me!

You have made me feel so morbid

With your shot, so pointy!

Cupid:

You love someone tender

Don't you?

May I act as an advice-lender

To comfort you?

Friend:

She is so beautiful, to my eyes

I cannot hope to get anywhere near her

As my heart cries

I feel such a paralysis, kind sir

Why, Cupid, oh why!

Why must I be so different?

Why must I be surrounded by others who lie?

Why can I not jump, like others, in the social current

Cupid:

The Fates have not been kind to you, have they?

Yet I know of your difference

It happens to everyone to lay

Within the somber flow of social penitence

Friend:

I befriended her, the fair one

Yet I cannot speak to her

Through fear of having failure have me done

And have us stay as we were

Cupid:

I know what you live

The burden you must bear

The fact you're not the common olive

And the hardships you must tear

As for shyness, I cannot help you

However if it may uplift you

The prize of going through you pain

Is an immense gain

Friend:

I love her so

I love her so!

Yet I cannot get there

Because of the burden I must bear!

Cupid:

Your disabilty won't stop you

However, you must learn to bring it under your wing

I've shot many people with my golden bow who have your problem, too

Yet, with it, you may sing

Friend:

I've suffered much, Cupid

I've never asked for anything

But to swim in waters more limpid

And yet, with me my burden I still bring

Cupid:

The girl you wish to be by is an excellent choice

Might I say

She's one of the rare one who may perceive your inner voice

If you ever get there, have a good time with her, I pray

Friend:

You aim well

You've hit me with stunning power

I'm having a crush beyond anything I can tell

And it is only the beginning of the blooming of this flower

Cupid:

May it bloom bright and big, my good friend

And of its sweet dew, may you delect 

I see your heart is able to mend

Further than anything I can expect

Friend:

Thank you, noble Son of Love

You have lifted once again my spirits

I will let it fly, the sweet dove

And with it, I will also better my spirits

Cupid:

You know, my double-shots always hit one person

However not always the other

I have configured my arrows' feather

To let mortals control it, and maybe hit their special person

If you need help with controlling that arrow

Go speak with Venus, my mother

She can help you make it barrow

In the person whom which you wish to make your lover!

Sports Teams: The gold mine of public finances

There has recently been an insane mumbo jumbo about taxes. Lawmakers both in Canada, the United States and other first-world countries are looking for ways to balance their governmental budget. Questions like "Should we tax the wealthy?" and "What departments should receive cuts in subsidies?" have been asked over and over again. I have an idea: Go no further than professional sports teams.

In recent years, the field of professional sports has exploded. Yes, it EXPLODED. Through mass media, popular culture and excessive advertising, the popularity of mainstream major leagues like the National Hockey League and various similar organizations have increased enormously. With the exorbitantly excessive profits made from merchandising and revenues from very high ticket prices, these teams have managed to make cash by the hundreds of millions. Where better to spend it than to pay nonsensically high salaries to the players. I mean really! The likes of Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby make millions of dollars per year. For what? To perform well in their sport and please the masses. Whilst police officers, who keep us safe, win low salaries, these stage actors earn thousands, millions per year! An ordinary man or woman with a good, stable job wins in and around 32 000$* (this being the average salary in Canada), whilst its 2 million in the NHL!! 2 million dollars! There's a major problem here. It has multiplied itself by 10 since 1972**.

Thus, here comes my idea. There are about 800 professional athletes*** (whom play in the NHL. The average salary is of around 2 million. If we imposed a 25% tax on this, supplemented to the regular income tax, the state would make an amazing amount of cash! Imagine, 800 x 500 000 makes over 400 million dollars. If this would be placed in university subsidies (in its totality), around 40 000 students could go to college FOR FREE! And that's not all, if we imposed a tax on earnings in professional sports teams, we would make an even bigger amount!

To conclude from this, I petition Mr Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finances, to consider this in his next budget. The 400 million or more could be used anywhere the Conservative government desires. This simple idea is a possible way to help balance the budget, and possibly promote equality.


Sources:
*http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/famil21a-eng.htm

**http://proicehockey.about.com/od/collectivebargainingfaq/f/nhl_salaries.htm

***http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?pg=8