Abstract
The paper considers Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" as an exercise in nostalgia. The paper answers the question: What is the price of social progress?

From the Paper
""Rip Van Winkle" The Price of Social Progress. Washington Irving's short story "Rip Van Winkle" is often considered the first truly American folk tale. Indeed while Irving borrows elements from the German tradition, the setting and historical context are so distinctly American that the reader is given a glimpse into the early cultural landscape of the nation. Even within the story itself the idea of the past is central as Rip's slumbers allows for a comparison between the pre and post-Revolutionary worlds."

Tags:rip van winkle, irving, social progress, change, revolutionary war, nostalgia

Abstract
This paper discusses Boston's Big Dig project which was one of the most expansive transportation construction projects undertaken in the United States. The paper explains that the Big Dig project took several years longer than originally planned and experienced severe cost overruns, and, additionally, the project was poorly managed according to the basic project management principles and certainly from the Department of Defense's and other government agency project management guidelines. This research project discusses Boston's Big Dig project from the perspective of a project management purview and offers a series of lessons learned and suggestions for future transportation and construction management projects.

From the Paper
"This document discusses Boston's Big Dig project which was one of the most expansive transportation construction project undertaken in the United States. The Big Dig project took several years longer than originally planned and experienced severe cost overruns. Additionally, the project was poorly managed according to the basic project management principles and certainly from the Department of Defense's and other government agency project management guidelines. This research project discusses Boston's Big Dig project from the perspective of a project management purview and offers a series of lessons learned and suggestions for future..."

Tags:boston's, big, dig

Abstract
This paper compares Big Lots as an Internet and brick and mortar retailer with Overstock.com. The paper looks at both companies' use of closeout items and examines the strategy of Big Lots. The paper discusses how Internet sales of Big Lots is limited to distributors, while Overstock.com sells to retail customers over the Internet.

From the Paper
"The retail industry typically does not deal in perishable inventory. If something does not sell today, it can be reduced in price and sold tomorrow. If it still does not sell, it can be reduced more or returned to the manufacturer. Savvy price-conscious consumers who are willing to wait for goods that perhaps are slightly out of fashion or which have been superseded by technological innovations can often find good deals by looking for retailers who specialize in these overstocked items."

Tags:big lots, overstock.com, internet retailing, e-commerce, e-business, closeout

Abstract
This paper examines two issues. The first involves "Big Hairy Audacious Goals" a concept described are defined in "Success Built to Last" by Jerry Porras. This paper includes a personal mission statement in which a vision and specific goals for the next five to 10 years are defined, described and detailed

From the Paper
"According to an essay published online on the Wikipedia website, Big Hairy Audacious Goals were first proposed by Jerry Porras in a article entitled "Building Your Company's Vision". A BHAG is an audacious 5 to 10 year goal to progress steadily towards an envisioned future. A true BHAG is clear and compelling. It serves to focus effort and acts as a catalyst for personal and professional and spiritual growth and development. Five of my BHAGs are; To become a best-selling author within the next..."

Tags:Business, the World, Big Hairy Audacious Goals, Success, Setting Goals, 10 Year Plan, Personal Mission Statement, Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, Stephen Covey, Seven Habits and beyond, Greatness

Abstract
This paper explores one of the Big Move's ten strategies for enhancing the quality of live, environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness of Greater Toronto; the strategy to be examined is strategy number two or the enhancement and expansion of the city's active transportation. If this strategy is pursued (in conjunction with other strategic initiatives highlighted in the Metrolinx report), then the city of Toronto will solve one of its chief problems - crowded, congested streets - and also cut down (or at least begin the process of cutting down) on pollution and carbon emissions.

From the Paper
Evaluating the Big Move: Expand and Enhance Active Transportation This paper explores one of the Big Move's ten strategies for enhancing the quality of live, environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness of Greater Toronto; the strategy to be examined is strategy number two or the enhancement and expansion of the city's active transportation. If this strategy is pursued (in conjunction with other strategic initiatives highlighted in the Metrolinx report), then the city of Toronto will solve one of its chief problems - crowded, congested streets - and also cut down (or at least begin the process of cutting down) on pollution and carbon emissions. At the same time, adoption of this one strategic investment

Tags:big, move, transportation

Abstract
This paper reviews Daniel Wallace's novel "Big Fish: A novel of Mythic Proportions" and highlights the elements of fantasy that are found in the work. The role of the fantastic is analyzed and it's impact is contrasted with the concrete and realistic outlooks of other characters in the novel. In particular, the paper focuses on the protagonist William and the depiction of his expedition to unravel the truth. The reviewer concludes that Wallace proves that words have the power to transform reality into a group of ideas that leave an impression that does not disappear.

From the Paper
"William's desire to understand his father through a staunch reality is never met in the novel, and there is a reason for this. Edward, even in his last days is trying to compel William to see the world through the eyes of fantasy, to make everything more meaningful. William wishes that Edward would speak the truth, rather than what he, as a boy and as an adult believes are his father's attempts to spin his life into fantasy to impress him, despite his long absence form his son's life. William gives the impression that he believes his father's stories are a fabrication that he has concocted, during long hours in lonely hotel rooms, while he traveled the south as a salesman. He seems not to believe, at first in any truth in the fantasy. "

Tags:Daniel, Wallace, Big, Fish, a, Novel, of, Mythic, Proportions

Abstract
This paper focuses on the rise of big business in the U.S. and examines what allows this to happen. It concentrates on demand related factors as well as the supply side factors.

From the Paper
"In a laisse-faire economy it is strictly hands off for the government. It is an economy in which, there is free trade with no government intervention. In this economy firms share knowledge thus creating a highly competitive market where no firm has "economic power." At least this is the thinking behind Adam Smith's classical economic theory which was the accepted theory in the U.S. This seems self explanatory for a people with a history of tyrannous rule and people whose main reasons for coming to America were for economic freedom. It is what these people fought for against England during the Revolutionary War. "

Tags:big, business, economic, policy, capitalism, management, corporate, finance, industry, technology

Abstract
This paper analyzes Chester Finn's article "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Test?", which concerns national education testing. It explores Finn's view that national educational testing is the solution to the problems confronting education today.

From the Paper
"Chester E Finn Jr has written an article that supports establishing national testing standards for schools. This is not a balanced article that considers the advantages and disadvantages of the issue and ..."

Tags:education, big bad test, finn, national, education, testing

Abstract
This paper examines how in her essay "An American Dream: Rip Van Winkle" Judith Fetterly states that Rip Van Winkle is a character who established the pattern followed by all other heroes in American literature. It attempts to evaluate Winkle's qualities and compare him to other heroes in American literature to clarify whether or not Rip really has served as an example to all other "great men" in the country's fictional world.

From the Paper
"It is not hard to notice that the most appealing, the most popular character in American books would be some gruff, terrible fellow with a horrid reputation and no friends. A perfect example would be Rhett Butler from Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind. He is by no means a well-liked or kind man; on the contrary, he is everything that we would usually be expected to dislike. However, what makes us fond of him is the fact that underneath all that nastiness lies something genuinely beautiful. This beauty we see in his undying love for Scarlett and his few brilliant years of fatherhood. The same can be seen in the wild cowboys of the West who shoot people right and left and are usually on a bloody quest for some long-lost treasure. All of these qualities point to ruthless hunger for wealth and an absolute disregard for those around them."

Tags:butler, gone, hara, rhett, scarlett, stereotype, wind

Abstract
This paper explores the fate of the universe. The writer looks back to the origins of the universe to see how it all started and what has been happening since then. In this article the writer explores some of the predictions for the future, the main one of which is that the universe will go on expanding forever.

From the Paper
"Before one can speculate on the fate of the universe, one must first look back to how it began. The modern version of the 'Big Bang' theory is that a massive explosion created all the mass and energy in the universe and also the fabric of time-space, which inflated rapidly after the big bang but then slowed down and the universe cooled down. The temperature dropped within minutes and free-roaming quarks formed protons and neutrons, some of which coalesced into the nuclei of simple elements."

Tags:Big Bang, Big Splat, Big Rip, cosmological constant, neutrinos, gravity