Neutron Stars versus White Dwarfs an Example by

Neutron Stars versus White Dwarfs Neutron stars are extremely dense: they are only 10 kilometers or so in size, but have the mass of an average star (usually about 1.5 times more massive than our Sun). A single [neutron star] can hold the mass of up to 5 suns in a sphere about 12 kilometers across (Krieger 2006). Neutron stars were supergiant stars whose exploded ultradense cores becom[e] neutron stars the size of a small town (Kaler, Jim. Ask Astro. Astronomy, 32, Issue 1. 2004). (This phenomena can also create a black hole.) Need essay sample on "Neutron Stars versus White Dwarfs" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Neutron stars are made of neutrons. Their superdense status is responsible for some of the most exotic phenomenon in the universe, such as pulsars. In 2006, astronomers discovered a densely packed sphere of neutrons spinning so fast that its equator may whirl at 15% the speed of light. The object breaks a 23-year-old record for fastest stellar spin by a sizeable margin (Irion 2006.) Neutron stars have consumed all of their own fuel and so tap into other sources for energy. Thanks to this efficient release of gravitational energy, the temperature at the center of a newborn neutron star can reach 500 billion kelvins Its likely that neutron stars are born magnetized A newborn neutron star is incredibly hot -- it is, after all, the surviving core of a star that has just collapsed and exploded as a supernova. Gravitational energy released during the star's collapse represents almost 10 percent of its rest-mass energy... Rotation offers another energy source for neutron stars. They spin rapidly at birth because the collapsing pre-supernova star "spins up"-- much as a spinning ice skater does when she pulls in her armsSome neutron stars do produce energy by thermonuclear fusion on their surfaces. (Sigg 2005). Both white dwarfs and neutron stars are the remnants of stars about the size of our sun. Neither are sustained via nuclear reactions at the core. The matter in both objects is compressed to extreme densities, and therefore both are useful for studying matter at high energies. White dwarfs are dim; neutron stars are invisible, but they all have masses similar to the sun. Like a neutron star, a white dwarf has no energy source other than what is left over from its birth. White dwarfs are dead stars, and, like neutron stars, are incapable of nuclear reactions. Also like neutron stars, they are incredibly dense. Neutron stars and massive white dwarfs can sometimes, as a result of a close encounter, create an x-ray-emitting binary pair (Morledge, 2002). Both neutron stars and white dwarfs are useful for studying matter at high densities. A typical white dwarf is a little larger than Earth but has 60 percent the mass of the Sun. It forms after a star that is born with less than eight times the Sun's mass expands into a red giant. The red giant eventually casts off its atmosphere, exposing the hot, dense core -- the white dwarf. A white dwarf does not burn nuclear fuel, as the Sun and other stars do; instead, it shines because it is hot. Since white dwarfs no longer generate energy, their evolution resembles the fading fortunes these stars have faced during the 20th century: They start off hot and bright but soon cool and fade (Croswell, 1996.) White dwarfs theoretically turn to black dwarfs, but no such star exists; it takes so long for the process to occur, that all white dwarfs are still evolving. References Ken Croswell, Ken. (1996). White Dwarfs confront the Universe. Astronomy 24, Issue 5. Irion, Robert. (2006). The Speediest Stellar Spinner. Science Now, 2006, Issue 112. Kaler, Jim. (2004). Ask Astro. Astronomy, 32, Issue 1. Krieger, Kim. (2006). Strange Quarks Make for Chunky Stars. Science Now, 2006, Issue 106. Morledge, Paul. (2002). Rocking the Universe. Astronomy, 30, Issue 10. Sigg, Jacob. (2005). Visible Neutron Stars. Astronomy, 33, Issue 3.

Shermans March to the Sea essays

Shermans March to the Sea essays On November 15th, 1864 Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman, commander of the Grand Army of the West, embarked on a raid which would become known as the march to the sea designed to cut a 60 mile wide swath from Atlanta to Savannah. Once in Savannah he would turn north through South and North Carolina and on into Virginia to help Grant defeat Lee at Richmond. As Shermans soldiers were leaving Atlanta, now in flames, they went forward with the intent of shortening the Civil War. Shermans troops accomplished this with a brand of warfare seen only sporadically in the previous four years of battle. Sherman decided to turn his attention on destroying the enemys war economy (Oates, 1998, p.594), going after the infrastructure of the South. Along the way his troops burned, pillaged, stole personal belongings, and confiscate possessions and property of the civilian population. Did the end justify the means and was this a just course of action? By November 1864, the Civil War had seen gruesome days to be sure. By the end of the war the total number of soldiers killed in combat and by disease and other non-combat related causes for both the North and South were 623, 026 (Foote, 1974). The total wounded for both sides were 471,427 (Foote, 1974). These numbers are staggering in that only 2,750,000 soldiers participated in the war. The battles of Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Antietem to name a few, were some of the most bloody of the war. The Union Army had changed commanders many times, among them Meade, Hooker, McClellan twice, Burnside, and Grant. Ulysses S. Grant was there to stay. Grants best subordinate officer was General Sherman. Sherman had taken command of the Western Theater and pushed Joseph Johnston off Lookout Mountain outside of Chattanooga, then maneuvered him out of position after position until Johnston fell back upon Atlanta, where Joe Johnston was reliev...

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 136

Assignment Example This was a leadership position that required that I put up my very best. As the leader, the output of the innovative strategy depended much on my personal characteristics, leadership skills, as well as the level of motivation I gave to the group. Knowing how importantly the manager took this workplace responsibility, I shivered when the role was first assigned to me. To overcome my fears, I decided to consult the best leadership books and leadership mentors I knew. In the course of doing this, I realized that I was becoming too many people at a time. Eventually, my natural self was getting lost and this made me more nervous than calming me down. As a result, I decided to look into my own self and also come up with something innovative that would rather be copied by others. Indeed, this approach worked like magic because through myself motivation, I was able to inspire my colleagues in a democratic leadership style the ensured that we came out with the best strategy for the department . The second scenario was quite similar to the first one but happened in a social context. A friend of mine approached me with a social problem that he wanted me to help him resolve. Immediately, I started looking for mentors around me, with whose life I could set a yardstick for the friend. This was not helping and so I decided to use myself. In the eventual while, I realized that this was a much perfect approach. Because I was therefore for the friend and not the models I tried to use. In fact, I took the problem of the friend to be a personal problem and ensured that I gave social advice that helped the friend to sharp his life for the better. As constantly as possible, I visited the friend to evaluate the progress he was making. Where he was facing challenges, I offered encouragement and support rather than scorning him. With time, the friend could overcome his social problem due to how committed I was towards helping him. The last episode came when I attempted to Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6 Assignment Example Hence it can be seen that country A has a comparative advantage over the production of toys. As for the pineapples, if country A produces 1 pineapple, its opportunity cost would be 0.5 toys and if country B produces 1 pineapple, its opportunity cost would be 0.3 toys. This clearly shows that country B has a comparative advantage over country A over the production of pineapples. Hence it can finally be said that country A should focus on pineapple production while country B should focus on the toys department. This way both the companies would excel at specialization and this would further lead them to gain long-term business advantage with such collaboration (Sloman, 2007). Works Cited Top of Form Sloman, John.  The Economic Environment of Business. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2007. Print. Bottom of Form

Implementation and Analysis Proposition 30 ( increase tax for Essay

Implementation and Analysis Proposition 30 ( increase tax for education ) - Essay Example The policy affects the upper income tax payers because they are the one to pay additional tax for the funding of the state’s budgeted programs. However, the beneficiaries of the policy range from community colleges and schools, universities, department of development services, department of parks and recreation, department of fish and game, city police departments among other funded educational programs (Williams, 2011). The Proposition 30 will increase the rate of Sales Tax from 2013 all the way to 2016 by 9.3%. This policy measure will increase statewide rate of sales tax by almost one quarter for each dollar of purchased goods. The policy will be effective for four years. The Proposition 30 will also increase the rates of Personal Income Tax from 2012 to 2018. The policy measure will increase the already existing 9.3 percent rates on the higher incomes. The supplementary marginal rate of tax will increase with the increase in taxable income. The policy will add state revenue from 2018 through to 2019. Through the fiscal years in which both the personal income tax and sales tax increases as stated above due to phasing in and phasing out of the higher rates of taxes, the smaller increases in revenue are likely to be seen in 2011/2012, 2017/2018, and 2018/2019 (Jeffrey And Aaron, 1984). The revenue could also be seen changing from year to year significantly. This would be so through multibillion dollar swing either below or above the projected revenues. This could be because the majority of extra revenue would result from the increase on rates of personal income tax on the upper income taxpayers. Additionally, the bigger part of the reported income by the upper income taxpayers is associated with their businesses and investments, rather than their salaries and wages. The policy as mentioned before will also benefit schools, because the new tax revenues

The Road#2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Road#2 - Essay Example These readers view the road taken by many as leading perhaps to failure or does not yield anything good. The idea that it leads into the woods shows that there is always uncertainty and risk in choosing the untypical way. It is a readiness to meet and overcome challenges along the way. There is a spirit of hope doing things differently from others or where they have not done well will bring a positive change. Because there are two roads to choose from and one has to confidently choose one and for that matter the one is not taken shows courage. It is a decision made no matter the outcome. The last stanza talks of telling with a sigh perhaps of the outcome of the journey. This is after a long time because it talks of ages and ages. Taking the road less travelled and making the difference that the persona talks about could mean success. The fact that they have persevered to the end is seen to have borne fruit. In the beginning, the future looks bleak riddled with untold expectations. Th e images of the woods and the undergrowth could symbolize the troubles that lay ahead. They paint a picture of insecurity because woods pose dangers like wild animals, bad weather, and rough terrain among others which symbolize problems that human beings encounter in normal lives. There is another group who read this poem from a pessimistic approach. For them, it is about a person who has facing difficulties of choice and throwing himself/herself on mercy of destiny. The presentation of two roads with only one to be chosen paints an image of confusion and hesitation. The idea that one has to make a choice about the best one to use offers enough challenge to such a person. Again, the woods paint a grim picture of what to expect. It has the potential of many dangers ahead that one may be unable to overcome. The road is seen to take a corner deep into the woods. The undergrowth is seen to offer challenges, for a person cannot see what lies

The Paradox Of Omnipotence Philosophy Essay

The Paradox Of Omnipotence Philosophy Essay While tackling free will as a solution to the problem of evil, Mackie who holds that the problem adequately makes the existence of an omnipotent, wholly good God irrational, argues that God in his omnipotence could have made man with a free will to always choose the right thing. Gods failure to intervene in the evil application of free will can only be justified thus: that God gave man the highest liberty that He cannot control mans will. However, herein arises the paradox of omnipotence. If God created men so free that he cannot control their wills, then there is something he cannot do he cannot control mans will and would thus not be omnipotent, but if it be that God has the ability to have control over mans will, then He has failed at something creating a man whose will He has no control over and thus would not be omnipotent. When the query we are considering is phrased as a question: can God create a man who has such freedom that God cannot intervene in his actions, answering e ither yes or no leads to the implication that God fails at doing something and thus cannot be omnipotent. This paper will focus on the paradox of Omnipotence which would in and of itself prove the irrationality of the existence of a God who has a primary component of omnipotence. The mention of the sorounding content of Mackies paper Evil and Omnipotence only serves as background information on how he comes to encounter the paradox to be debated. I will define omnipotence, present the paradox in the common place example of the stone, then recount the paradox of omnipotence as Mackie describes it. The second part of my paper will attempt to solve the paradox of omnipotence by considering a restructured definition of the trouble presented by the paradox of omnipotence where I will categorize degrees of failure in levels. After observing that restrictions to omnipotence defeat the term itself, I will consider if the paradox can be solved rationally if the omnipotent being existed in timelessness. I will use the term omnipotence to mean all powerful. The paradox of omnipotence is commonly exemplified by the riddlelike question that one was told naughty children asked their pastors: whether God can create a stone he cannot lift where he answers in the affirmative, he would be admitting Gods inability to create a stone of certain characteristics, if he answered in the negative he would be admitting that there is something God cannot do lift the stone after creating it, thus each either answer would contradict omnipotence, a central tenement for the God of Western tradition. Mackie defines the God in question as omnipotent, discredits the coherence of omnipotence and therefore discredits the existence of a God defined with a primary characteristic of omnipotence. Like those who ask about the creation of the unliftable stone, Mackie asks whether God can create a being that he cannot control in the case of the man with free will. To the his objectors response (which he had anticipated earlier in the paper) that God creates casual laws or rules of logic which he chooses to follow, Mackie asks whether the omnipotent being can make rules which bind his power. This question plays out like that of creating of an omnipotent God creating man with free will: If God could create casual rules, despite choosing to follow them freely, His powers would be restricted by these rules and after their creation , He could do what these rules restrict Him from. Should the answer be negative, then there is something he cannot do he fails at the ability to create the causal laws. Mackie then says that one cannot respond by saying that his questions are not proper because if the a question of a similar nature was asked about man and machines: whether man can create a machine over which he has no control over, the question would be considered sound. He thus points to the notion of omnipotence as the source of the problem. He appreciates that theological determinists would argue that man in his assembly predisposed the machine to act in certain ways as did God in his creation of man and that being omniscient God was already aware of the specific actions man would take. However, Mackie highlights that the question is not on Gods original influence at creation but His continuos influence. Mackie compares the probability of Gods restriction by the laws of nature to a parliament that creates a law that liquidates its power. Can a parliament create a law that nullifies its power? If one answers yes, they would be considering a as a laws something set by a body that would no longer be valid as the item of governance. Yet if they say no, one would be denying the sovereignty of the body by saying there is a law it cant make. Contrasting actions arrive to the same denial of omnipotence. This implies that omnipotence as a concept is logically incoherent. Mackie solves this paradox by distinguishing between laws that govern the land (which he names first order laws) and laws that govern the law making body( which he calls second order laws). He says we can consider a parliament to have absolute power over the first order laws or a present parliament which has both absolute power over creation of laws for the land and laws governing itself but that we cannot conceive of a parli ament having control over laws that govern parliament yet guarantee that future parliaments will have absolute power over first order laws because the present parliament may remove a parliaments ability to create laws of the land. We can reconcile God and the laws of logic in the same way. If Gods powers were considered in the categories of power over creation and power to create the rules which creation shall follow. Then we can conceive of God always having omnipotence but none of his creation can have free will or that at one instance God could have both first and second order omnipotence in which he creates laws for creation to follow independently thereafter creation would determine its future in accordance with the laws assigned but that God would have relinquished his first order omnipotence of directly determining the actions of all of creation. Mackie reaches the conclusion that God can have omnipotence if it is categorized as above: one eternally or to have one and two at one instant but to forever relinquish 1 but not both powers continuously unless God were to exist outside time. I find Mackies attempt to reconcile omnipotence over eternity by creating orders compelling. It feels more natural to have an omnipotent being who cannot create a stone that he cant lift than it does to have him lack the ability to lift a stone. There is something to be said about that. Perhaps because the latter, yes, he can create a being that he cannot control seems self defeating and would in itself express a limit to his power in a positive sense. I say positive sense because something would exist of which he would not wield power over. That object in that sense would have power over him so to speak. However, in the first case of answering, no an omnipotent being cannot create something that he cannot control, it appears to be in accordance with his power that he does not create an object embedded with a limit to his power. Because no indicates that this object cannot be brought into existence, in its consideration it is an abstract limit to his power, not as real as that being he cannot control when we answer yes because that being already exists. This view would lead to levels of failure where in the first level of failure would be failing to create a stone he cannot lift is considered a comparatively more powerful state than the second level of there existing the being that cannot be controlled. Though the analogy is not exact to Mackies this is to say that I cannot equate my first level to his first order and my second level to his second order, it borrows from Mackie that we would have to put a restriction to explain or have omnipotence. Nevertheless I ran into the same point of the paradox that Mackie runs into: that the existence of the restriction contradicts the concept of omnipotence. Omnipotence is absolute and cannot have exception for this or the other ability. The stanford encyclopedia of philosophy defines omnipotence as maximal power so that the being possessing it only need to have a total power that beats every other beings, not the ability to do everything. This suggests a distinction between power and ability. Such omnipotent being is conceivable but is this really omnipotence? There is the suggestion of an essentially omnipotent being who cannot will Himself out of omnipotent, here again we run into the paradox. How can an all powerful being fail at something willing himself out of omnipotence. But if He could, He wouldnt be omnipotent, thus we would loose the eternity. If the discussion were to halt here, I would agree with Mackie that omnipotence is incoherent. However, there is the suggestion of God existing in timeless which Mackie touches on but immediately dismisses that might yet solve our paradox without proven irrational. Omnipotence as power in an absolute state would entail the ability to influence events which would appear to be beyond influence for being defined as past events. If God existed in time then, time would be his master and this would add to the unfeasibility of omnipotence. However, if we were to consider God to exist outside the frame of time, in timelessness, this would remove the confine of time. Suppose God could posses life all at once, as the Stanford Encyclopedia of philosophy includes in the definition of timelessness. Imagine an instance that was eternal, so that events would not be a sequence within time but one unity as if they were simulteneous this would be the scope of this Gods life. Perhaps as all the time periods of the universe compressed as into one which He would experience as a whole. It is quite challenging to define timelessness without applying terms that refer to finite time because the words are all formed with reference to time and in defining timelessness w ould be negating ie. saying not time. Even the encyclopedias words life all at once use the word once which is itself takes from time. But this does not mean that the something like this supreme being cannot exist in timelessness. If one considers time as a frame, it suggests the possiblilty of factors outside time itself bringing this frame into existence. If we consider defining time in terms of change:We can observe the age of statue by observing it wear Sometimes we define time in terms of the change of the frame so that if we created a statue that did not wear out, we can observe (through the sense of sight) that it has existed for such and such a time by observing the change in its environment. Change around an object that isnt extended in space might be harder to quantify, but perhaps this would serve no purpose for if this being was experiencing all of life simultenously, there would be no change and thus no time. If it was the case that God experienced life all at once and there was happiness and sadness on earth, He would experience them both simulteneously. Perhaps contradiction is a term defined by the rules of our logic just the way there was a time when men laughed at the thought of flying but today we have planes. Ability and contradiction might defined in terms of the realm of possiblity perceived by that generation. Perhaps the contradiction even a frame of the human mind operating in a universe subject to natural laws and logic but just as the universe exists there could exists something other forms ( non universe forms) that follow different laws, perhaps even laws of contradiction if one can envision such a world, Gods form could be one such. The God of contradiction could create a stone that he cant lift, yet as all of life is in an instant, he would (at what would appear to us to be a different time) lift it as well. We can thus not rule out an omnipotent being in timelessness where omnipotence is conceivable. I agree with Mackie that a God who is eternally omnipotent, having absolute omnipotence to both influence events and create laws to govern how events are influenced is incoherent because he could at one instant create the rule that would restrict Himself from further influencing events. However, I disagree with Mackies dismissal of the concept of God in timelessness: if it is conceivable that God can experience life all at once: what to us would appear to be a sequence of events at different times within the frame of time would occur at one eternal instant so contradictions could occur. Perhaps if the definition of a thing is determined by the existence of its opposite, that we only notice red because other colors exist and perhaps if there were no other color we would just never conceive of any color altogether, if time exists, perhaps it is because we can imagine timelessness, or its possibility. Timelessness cannot be ruled out, consequently neither can an omnipotence that Mackie can grant if timelessness existed.

Me And Her :: essays research papers

We have been dating for 1 month and 8 days. Able to have her as a girlfriend is the greatest gift of all. Thinking back, I still can't figure out, what gave me the courage to ask her out, maybe it was my determine mind, which constantly reminds me that i want her. On the first day of our relationship, everything seemed normaly, too normal it made me think that we will never go beyond friends. That thought actually scared me a little, because it was like having something you have always wanted, but you can't hold on to it. We didn't get the chance to speak to each other the next day. I guess she found me too boring, or maybe she too, think that there's no way we are goign to go further than typical friends could. At that point, I did have the thought of letting her go, because I felt very unloved. On the same night I got to talk to Katherine, she was the girl i use to like. "Use to"?? Does that mean I dont' like her anymore? I don't know the answer to that question. At least I believe the answer is not important at that stage. Because what she said later on during our convesation, is what i considered to be most important. She said that she like me more than a friend. I was flattered, when i heard those words. I was happy and sad simultaneously. Happy because I have found someone that might love me. Sad because that person isn't my girlfriend. I did ask myself serveral times, why did those words came out of Katherine's mouth and not her's? But that question didn't stay in my head for long, because another question came up, and I believe this coming question is the most important one, and must be answered immediately. "Should I choose Katherine or my current girlfriend?" I was a confusing situation, even though half an hour ago I said that I was prepared to leave my girlfriend, I guess its true, that you won't know, how important someone or something is to you, until you are at the edge of losing them. A couple of days had gone by, I still haven't decided who i want. During this last couple of days, I didn't talk to Katherine, instead I talked to my girlfriend and told her the whole situation.

AutoZone’s Stock Essay

AutoZone’s shareholders had enjoyed strong price appreciation since 1997, with an average annual return of 11.5%. Over the previous five years, AutoZone’s stock price has increased dramatically. On February 1. 2012 the stock price was $348 compared to the $125 on February 1. 2007. The strong price appreciation resulted from several occurrences; some of them are U.S. economy recession and share repurchase program. Auto-part business was somewhat counter-cyclical. Company’s growth and stock price were directly related to the economy and number of miles a vehicle had been driven. As the age of car increased, more repairs were required. Because of these reasons, AutoZone’s stock price was significantly improving from 2008. AutoZone’s financial statements reflect the stock price performance. Net sales have increased for 30.85% from 2007 to 2011. Cost of sales also increased during that period, but at lower rate of 27.30%, what helped in additional improv ement of gross profit. AutoZone’s increasing operating profit indicates the efficiency and profitability of the company. Further, the increase of operating profit led to the slight increase of operating margin, from 17.10% in 2007 to 18.52% in 2011. One financial measure that is strongly related to the stock price performance is EPS. EPS, a key driver of stock price, have been increasing at an extremely high rate. From 2007 to 2011, basic EPS have increased for 131%, and diluted EPS have increased for 128%. Another important financial measure is PEG ratio. PEG ratio is been constantly decreasing, which is a good sign for the company and investors. Decrease of PEG ratio signals a greater value for AutoZone’s company, because its investors are going to pay less for each unit of earnings growth. How does a stock repurchase work? Why would a company use this tactic? What impact does it have on: EPS? ROIC? Stock repurchase is one of the methods of returning cash back to its investors. A company buys back its own shares either from marketplace or from their own shareholders who want to sell their shares. Buying a shares back, company is reducing the number of shares outstanding, increasing the shareholders’ value and raising the price of the stock. Company can also use this method to: prevent a hostile takeover cover up poor performance create more attractive financial ratios signal the market that the company is strong create tax efficient way to return investors’ money The biggest impact of share repurchasing program is evident in EPS of the company. EPS is calculated as Net Income divided by the average outstanding shares. Since buying back its own shares is reducing the number of shares outstanding, it automatically increases the EPS. In 2007, AutoZone’s Net Income was $595,672 and the number of shares outstanding was 69,844. This resulted in $8.53 EPS. If we suppose that the income is going to stay the same, but the number of shares outstanding is going to decrease for 5,000, then we get a higher EPS of $9.19. This is how a share repurchase work. It reduces the number of shares outstanding, resulting in improved EPS. Share repurchase also affect the ROIC, which is one of the best metrics to evaluate corporates performance. ROIC eliminates much of the non-economic accounting noise and impacts of financial leverage. AutoZone’s management was very focused on this measurement, because ROIC was a primary way to measure value creation fo r the company’s capital providers. On the balance sheet, a share repurchase will reduce a company’s cash holdings, and therefore reducing the total assets and total shareholders’ equity. As a result, ROIC will improve subsequent to a share repurchase. It is noticeable that the growth was accelerated from 2008, when the economy recession occurred. Together with share repurchase program, this two effect had a large impact on creating a desirable ROIC. Taken all of these into account, AutoZone’s ROIC is indicating that the company offers a strong returns for its investors. How much of AutoZone’s stock price performance should we attribute to the share repurchase program? Share repurchase program is strongly related to the increase of AutoZone’s stock price. Share repurchase program, as mentioned above, reduces the number of shares outstanding, and therefore, creates a strong EPS and increases the price of the stock. EPS is one of the most important measures that investors look at because EPS measures company’s performance. In 2007, AutoZone had 69,844 shares outstanding, while in 2011 the number of shares was reduced to 43,603. This led to an increase of 128% in EPS, from $8.53 in 2007, to $19.47 in 2011. Next, the stock price increased from $120 to $298 in the same time period. Given the same capital value for AutoZone Company, more shares outstanding will result in lower share price, while reduced number of shares outstanding will impact the price of a share to grow. Q#4. Assume that AutoZone is planning to stop its share repurchase program. What would be the best alternative use of those cash flows? Why? If we assume that AutoZone is going to quit its share repurchase program, the best alternative to use the cash flows would be to expand its business,  either by opening a new stores or by acquisition. The first proposition considers opening a new stores in domestic and foreign markets. The expansion is necessary to override the competition and to keep its position of leading retailer of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States. Leading retailer position in the U.S. gives AutoZone more motivation to expand overseas. AutoZone already owns some stores outside the U.S., in Puerto Rico and Mexico. Those stores have been operating successfully, giving a company more reasons to continue with its overseas investments. Next AutoZone’s target is Brazilian market. Company’s plan is to expand there over the next several years. Overseas investments can be very profitable for AutoZone, but they also bear a lot of risk. All investments should be developed very carefully, with a high level of cautions and with expertise person for targeted markets in their management. The second proposition is growth by acquisition. U.S. market became oversaturated with auto part stores in the last couple of years. Even though AutoZone’s management was not seeing any signs of oversaturation at that time, that doesn’t mean that they will not see it in the near future. I believe there are still some free attractive locations in the U.S., but at some point, most of the good locations will be covered by the auto parts retail stores, and the remaining locations would not be a profitable investment. Another reason for acquisition is that such stores would be profitable much more quickly than it would be opening of a new stores. The return time for AutoZone would be shorten. So far, AutoZone has acquired over 800 stores from competitors.   What should Johnson do about his holdings of AutoZone shares? Johnson had one of his largest holdings in AutoZone’s company. The fact that Johnson was concerned about is that Lampert, AutoZone’s main shareholder, was rapidly liquidating his stake in the company. Johnson was concerned about the future performance of the stock price. He was not sure what the Lampert’s reason for liquidating his stake was. This can also have a negative influence on other investors. Lumpert’s liquidation is not necessarily a bad sign. The reason for his liquidation might be the need for funds or some other personal reasons. I believe that Johnson should keep his  holdings in AutoZone’s company. AutoZone’s financial measures indicates that the company is been constantly improving. The most important measures for investors, EPS, ROIC and stock price, are been increasing at a desirable rates. AutoZone’s investors have been enjoying strong price appreciation, and I believe they will enjoy it also in the future. Lumpert’s liquidation should not affect the share repurchase program. Company should continue with its share repurchase program even after Lampert liquidates all his stake. There is no signs in financial statements that the company is going to have a decrease in the stock price. AutoZone has created a desirable value for the company over the long time period and I believe in the continuing future growth of this company.

Definition and Examples of Asterismos in Rhetoric

Definition and Examples of Asterismos in Rhetoric Definition Asterismos is a  rhetorical term for an introductory word or phrase (such as behold) that has the primary function of calling attention to what follows. Asterismos is generally regarded as a type of pleonasm.   See Examples and Observations below. Also see: AsteriskEmphasisExclamation Interjection EtymologyFrom the Greek, marking with stars   Examples and Observations Gotham, take control of your city. Behold, the instrument of your liberation!(Tom Hardy as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, 2012)Behold, Nagini, our work is done.(Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, 2011)Behold, I do not give lectures or a little charity,When I give I give myself.(Walt Whitman, Song of Myself)Hey, Ive read all about your accident. That much gamma exposure should have killed you.(Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark in The Avengers, 2012)Hey, this is not First Class.(King Julien XIII in Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted, 2012)We should talk more tomorrow. Listen, I dont take chances anymore.(Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, First Time Again. The Walking Dead, 2015)Now listen people, we are experiencing some kind of disaster.(Andre Braugher as Brent Norton in The Mist, 2007)And Jesus said to his disciples, Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel t o go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.(Matthew 19:23-24, The Bible: Revised Standard Version) Well, looky here, boss, deys sumfn wrong, dey is. Is I me, or who is I? Is I heah, or whah is I? Now dats what I wants to know.(Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain) The Emphatic FigureAsterismos [is the] addition of a logically unnecessary word at the beginning of a phrase, or a phrase at the beginning of a sentence, to emphasize what follows. Pascal states, All human evil comes from this, mans being unable to sit still in a room. The pronoun this interrupts the flow of thought and draws attention to what follows. Beaumarchais is using that as an asterismos in Drinking when we are not thirsty and making love at all seasons, Madam: That is all there is to distinguish us from other Animals. In the Bible the most frequent asterismos is behold: Behold, the Lord God said . . .. In contemporary sports interviews, hey is frequently used as an asterismos.(Arthur Quinn and Lyon Rathbun, Asterismos. Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition: Communication from Ancient Times to the Information Age, ed. by Theresa Enos. Taylor Francis, 1996) Pronunciation: as-ter-IS-mos

Definition and Examples of Linguistic Imperialism

Definition and Examples of Linguistic Imperialism Linguistic imperialism is the imposition of one language on speakers of other languages. It is also known as  linguistic nationalism, linguistic dominance, and language imperialism. In our time, the global expansion of English has often been cited as the primary example of linguistic imperialism. The term linguistic imperialism originated in the 1930s as part of a critique of Basic English and was reintroduced by linguist Robert Phillipson in his monograph Linguistic Imperialism (Oxford University Press, 1992). In that study, Phillipson offered this working definition of English linguistic imperialism: the dominance asserted and maintained by the establishment and continuous reconstitution of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages. Phillipson viewed linguistic imperialism as a subtype of linguicism. Examples and Observations of Linguistic Imperialism The study of linguistic imperialism can help to clarify whether the winning of political independence led to a linguistic liberation of Third World countries, and if not, why not. Are the former colonial languages a useful bond with the international community and necessary for state formation and national unity internally? Or are they a bridgehead for Western interests, permitting the continuation of a global system of marginalization and exploitation? What is the relationship between linguistic dependence (continued use of a European language in a former non-European colony) and economic dependence (the export of raw materials and import of technology and know-how)? (Phillipson, Robert. Linguistic Imperialism. Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics, ed. by Margie Berns, Elsevier, 2010.) The rejection of the linguistic legitimacy of a language- any language used by any linguistic community- in short, amounts to little more than an example of the tyranny of the majority. Such a rejection reinforces the long tradition and history of linguistic imperialism in our society. The harm, though, is done not only to those whose languages we reject, but in fact to all of us, as we are made poorer by an unnecessary narrowing of our cultural and linguistic universe. (Reagan, Timothy. Language Matters: Reflections on Educational Linguistics. Information Age, 2009.) The fact that†¦no uniform British empire-wide language policy developed tends to disconfirm the hypothesis of linguistic imperialism as responsible for the spread of English†¦ The teaching of English by itself†¦, even where it did take place, is not sufficient grounds to identify the policy of the British empire with linguistic imperialism. (Brutt-Griffler, Janina. World English: A Study of Its Development. Multilingual Matters, 2002.) Linguistic Imperialism in Sociolinguistics There is by now a well-entrenched and very respectable branch of sociolinguistics, which is concerned with describing the world of globalization from the perspective of linguistic imperialism and linguicide (Phillipson 1992; Skutnabb-Kangas 2000), often based on particular ecological metaphors. These approaches†¦oddly assume that wherever a big and powerful language such as English appears in a foreign territory, small indigenous languages will die. There is, in this image of sociolinguistic space, place for just one language at a time. In general, there seems to be a serious problem with the ways in which space is imagined in such work. In addition, the actual sociolinguistic details of such processes are rarely spelled out- languages can be used in vernacular or in lingua franca varieties and so create different sociolinguistic conditions for mutual influencing. (Blommaert, Jan. The Sociolinguistics of Globalization. Cambridge University Press, 2010.) Colonialism and Linguistic Imperialism Anachronistic views of linguistic imperialism, which see as important only the power asymmetry between the former colonial nations and the nations of the third world, are hopelessly inadequate as an explanation of linguistic realities. They especially ignore the fact that first world countries with strong languages seem to be under just as much pressure to adopt English, and that some of the harshest attacks on English have come from countries [that] have no such colonial legacy. When dominant languages feel they are being dominated, something much bigger than a simplistic conception of power relations must be involved. (Crystal, David. English as a Global Language, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2003.)

Capital Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Capital Budgeting - Essay Example The management has the option of employing different techniques for evaluating the performance of individual project managers, each of which has its own characteristics. This paper makes a critical analysis of the performance evaluation technique adopted by Brand Neue Corporation and suggests that the project creating positive shareholder value based on Economic Value Added (EVA) calculation is to be accepted for providing overall greater bonus to the project manager. Organizations adopt both financial and non-financial metrics for evaluating the performance of senior managers. Many of the companies use performance measures such as operating income which rely mostly on financial information generated internally within the organization and are therefore are deficient in making the evaluation perfect. In order to overcome this problem firms have started combining both financial and non-financial measures in the form of balanced scorecards specifying different elements such as profitability measures, customer satisfaction measures, internal measures of efficiency, quality and time and innovation measures. The measures incorporate both long-term and short-term horizon in the evaluation. The internal financial measures are normally based on the accounting numbers routinely prepared and reported by the organization. The idea behind evaluating the performance of different projects is not only to judge the profitability of the projects but also to provid e a meaningful basis for compensating and motivating the senior managers. The objective of this paper is to analyze the project performance appraisal techniques adopted by Brand Neue Corporation. This company has been working on three projects, the performance of which was under review. The company was using ROI technique for evaluating the performance of the projects based on which the performance of the project managers was assessed for compensating them. However the evaluation technique was changed to EVA, since the management was convinced that some of the project managers have been accepting or rejecting projects based on their current ROI status in relation to the bonus structure of the firm. One of the projects was in jeopardy as the project evaluation has not considered the cost of clean up to be incurred consequent upon the passing of an environmental legislation. The cleaning cost has made the project unviable. Therefore the management wants to have a relook at the different project performance evaluation techniques. This report will analyze the effectiveness of the capital budgeting and performance evaluation techniques adopted by Brand Neue such as Return on Investment (ROI), Residual Income (RI) and Economic Value Added (EVA) and recommend to the board of directors, the best technique for evaluating the performance of the managers. The report will also substantiate the recommendation of a particular technique and the likely issues the management has to consider in the process of evaluation. This paper is organized to present theoretical aspects of the evaluation techniques, comparison of the performance evaluation under different techniques and finally a recommendation on the technique that the management can adopt. Project Performance Evaluation Techniques The objective of performance evaluation systems is to provide the information feedback loop to the

Educational percptions of studying leisure and tourism Essay

Educational percptions of studying leisure and tourism - Essay Example Research shows that "one reason why young people drop out of college and university is that they haven't chosen a subject that really interests them" (How can parents and careers help to make Vocational education and success 2007). For students within the age range of 14 to 19 understanding Applied Leisure and Tourism, and learning Leisure and Tourism, as a vocational curriculum, offers wider and attractive employment opportunity. Developing awareness and an understanding of general professional issues, in Leisure and Tourism, is crucial in vocational curriculum. Leisure and recreation management is a unique and expansive field for young aspirants of vocational education, which covers many sectors, including sport and fitness, adventure and outdoor tourism, wilderness and national park recreation, even and facility management, and community recreation. As the hotel and hospitality industry moves increasingly from a skill-based to a knowledge-based industry, "higher learning has becom e increasingly critical to opening career doors and helping managers to be fully attuned to the culture, service and competitive aspects of the sector" (Why study Tourism and Leisure Management. 2007). In this perspective whether the educational approach and present curricula meet the requirements of students and employers calls for a critical review. Empowering students to take responsibility for their own learning and personal development is the proper approach of any vocational education. It is also found that "encouragement from parents and carers can make all the difference to a young person's future" as young people drop out of college and university because they haven't chosen a subject that really interests them and parents could help them to choose the subject that motivates them to learn. (How can parents and careers help to make Vocational education and success 2007). To achieve this objective, education modules should be formulated to assess the skills of students, and their attributes the employers look for in such graduates. Major attributes the employers look for are teamwork skills, communication skills, reflection and problem solving skill, giving and receiving feedback, negotiating skills, and responsibility for their own learning. Literary reviews in this respect reveal that "Knowledge and expertise based on exp eriences of combining education, learning and real business activities, are still rarely shared and transferred in modern European education" (Barnes, 2005, p.20). With this realization the government of UK is "considering replacing the current A-level system with an English baccalaureate" with GCSEs as the government's strategy for 14 to 19 year olds. It "will see the cutting back of the curriculum to make space for pupils who want to opt for vocational lessons," so that youngsters disaffected with academic subjects will be able to learn craft skills in an effort to motivate pupils to stay in education. (Vocational options for bored pupils. 2003). The latest proposals for a relevant curriculum envisage that "by offering 14-year-olds the chance to study