Abstract In this article, the writer notes that about once a day, somewhere in the universe a burst of gamma rays appears as if out of nowhere. It lasts a very short time, no more than a few seconds, and then disappears. The writer points out that during the event, the level of radiation from the gamma-ray bursts is so high that it overwhelms any other gamma rays coming from other cosmic sources. It has also been observed that most gamma-ray bursts have an afterglow in the x-ray, and sometimes even optical, wavelengths ranges. The writer maintains that the research into gamma-ray bursts will continue until their nature is finally understood. The writer concludes that while this research goes on, the accumulated information and the intermediate hypotheses are already helping astronomers and cosmologists to better understand the universe, particularly the time when it was just beginning to form.
Outline:
Definition and Description
Research Goals
History
Analysis
Future Research
From the Paper "Despite the inconsistent nature of these bursts, some patterns have been identified. One prominent distinction is between long and short bursts, those over 2 seconds and those less than that. Analysis of almost 2,000 gamma-ray bursts recorded by the BATSE device on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory between 1991 and 2000 showed that each falls into one of two groups: the short bursts have closely-spaced high-energy photons; the long bursts' photons appear to have lower energy and are more widely spaced.
"Another pattern that was discovered is related to the degrees of brightening and fading that the bursts exhibit over time in various channels of the measured energy spectra over the life of the burst. This analysis showed that different bursts release their gamma rays at different rates in different energy spectra When plotted, these variations manifested themselves as 5 distinct patterns: flat, crescent (or double-crescent), loop, lobe and island."
This paper focuses on the understanding of the housing market, discussing the price of housing and sudden changes in the prices - so as to explore the sustainability of the argument that there exists a housing bubble that is about to burst.
Abstract In this article, the writer outlines how demand and supply analysis can be used to analyze the housing market, especially in wake of the fact that there is now increased speculation of a housing crash as prices begin to depreciate rapidly within the housing market. With these current changes on the market, the writer notes that it becomes somewhat useful to analyze whether the housing bubble is about to burst, or if other markets are affecting the activities within the housing spectrum. The writer argues that the housing bubble is not going to burst since there is no bubble - and changes in the housing prices are due to changes in market demand and supply conditions.
Outline:
Statement of Problem - Thesis Statement
Introduction
What Has Been Causing The Price of Housing to Appreciate and Depreciate So Rapidly? - An Economic Perspective
Housing Price Appreciation - A Bubble or Changes in Market Conditions?
A Brief Look at the US Housing Policy and Market
Conclusion
From the Paper " With the demand and supply for housing analyzed, then the concept of the equilibrium within the housing market can be examined. It is clear that changes within the economy will affect the price of housing; each of the relevant changes will be analyzed below, so as to test the thesis statement presented. The changes in supply and demand are causing housing prices to increase, even though the change in quantity is unsure. During the historical period analyzed, factors that caused supply and demand to change based on figure 1 and figure 2 were associated with the appreciation of housing prices. Hence the appreciation was due more so to market conditions rather than a bubble due to speculation. A thorough examination of the processes that affect supply and demand is presented in the section below."
Abstract This paper details an asset pricing phenomena that is known as Bubbles. The writer of the paper provides a history of Bubbles with several detailed examples of past Bubble events. In addition the writer uses the Wall Street Journal as a backdrop to discuss a recent Bubble occurrence.
From the Paper "We have witnessed them for many years. The bubbles that cause unbelievable price soaring for reason that nobody seems able to explain and then as suddenly as they started they stop. When they stop they can come crashing to the ground in a heap, as is often the case. Real estate, companies, and industries are subject to the asset pricing phenomena called bubbles and anyone who gets in on the bottom and then sells before it bursts stands to make a financial killing. Unfortunately those who hang on to long or don?t think to jump in when it starts lose all the way around."
Tags: economy, burst, finance, Real, estate, companies, industries, internet
Abstract This paper explains that the relationship between laissez-faire city building and professional city planning is a complex one to examine because city planning is influenced by a combination of sporadic growth and the meticulous planning of professional developers, political leaders and outside forces. The author points out that the most obvious causes of laissez-faire urban growth are sudden bursts of economic culture and political posturing; however, even these cities, experiencing random growth, have been carefully planned or they would not have been able to accommodate the population bursts associated with the history of cities. The paper relates that San Diego is an example of an urban area, which was developed over time without the sporadic growth of industrial centers to conflict with its overall planning; although it is eight times its size since the 1900s, because the development of the city has been slow, urban planners and architects have been able to design it to be the optimum example of modern city growth.
From the Paper "The growth of ancient cities into modern ones entails many chance and random coincidences. The fact that London and Paris has stood as such cultural and economic powerhouses is due in a large part to their status as capitols of major countries, whereas other cities such as Sussex have fallen into relative minority status even though they were once also giants of industrial growth. The concept of city growth is in line with a familiar concept of economic change, therefore when cities suddenly experience an influx of immigration due to industrial growth, city planners are more concerned with accommodating the new residents with space rather than thinking of the future convenience of roads and congestion. Thus in many of these ancient cities that have been modernized in the current era, living conditions are poor and traffic congestion has become an enormous problem".
Abstract This essay discusses Buddhism by looking at Basho's travel diary entries, or stations which contain a haiku poem . The writer reflects on the flashes of enlightenment, called kensho, which are intense forms of those everyday occurrences that surprise us because they seem to reveal a truth.
From the paper:
?Haiku is a momentary, condensed poetic form and its special quality is that it is perfectly adapted to give the reader that little instant of kensho insight. Each of Basho's travel diary entries, or stations, contain a haiku poem, an enigmatic ?kensho.? Each haiku becomes a little burst of awakening.?
The following paper examines why economists predict that although the crisis in East and Southeast Asia has slowed the rate of development, it is not likely to change the ultimate direction of market evolution.
Abstract This paper discusses the current state of Asian economic development; the principles upon which Asian economic recovery depends, and then compares and contrasts several countries, notably China and Japan, in view of their attitudes, development and potential for economic dominance in the region.
From the Paper "In 1997, Thailand floated the baht, marking the beginning of a currency crisis that would eventually spread to other parts of Asia and to emerging markets such as Brazil and Russia. In Asia, the outflow of investment was massive. The five hardest hit economies -- South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines -- saw net capital flows reverse by more than $100 billion in a year. All over Asia, companies went bankrupt, banks loans soured and the number of property repossessions skyrocketed and millions of people lost their jobs. The situation, named the "Asian flu" quickly became the focal point of numerous conferences, editorials and a small library of books as economists and academics debated the causes and the cures."
Abstract This paper analyzes the current economic conditions in the United States and makes speculations on the future. It claims that the bursting of the technology bubble, the terrorist attacks of September 11th and the ensuing war in Afghanistan have impacted negatively on both individuals and the stock markets. The paper explains our current phase for the business cycle, economists? predictions and the latest Gross domestic product (GDP).
Table of Contents
Introduction
What Phase of The Business Cycle are we in?
What Is The Latest GDP (Real And Nominal)? How has this Changed Since 1999?
What are Economists Predicting for the Current Year?
What Three Events Have Occurred or will Soon be Resolved that Likely will Affect the Economy In 2003?
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper "The industrial age was an age of giant, mega corporations that were often bogged down by inefficient and outdated distribution, innovation, and production techniques. By contrast, the information age of the past 20 years or so has brought forth a new business form, a fluid congregation of businesses, sometimes highly structured, sometimes amorphous, that come together on the internet to create value for customers and wealth for their shareholders. This phenomenon has been commonly referred to as ?digital capital,? ?information technology revolution,? or ?new economy.? However, as both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq soared to historic highs and record volatility in just a few short years, a widespread and quite fundamental disagreement emerged concerning whether or not the high-tech boom was nothing more than one huge bubble."
Abstract This paper examines spontaneous human combustion, the claim that human beings from time to time burst into flame and are consumed, usually without much damage to their surroundings, as if the heat from the flame came from inside their bodies. It looks at various claims over the years and evaluates whether such cases are simply a matter of false observation and do have external causes or if they have internal causes and if so what are the mechanisms which cause this to happen? It looks at how scientists have pursued both avenues in some degree and how they are certain that these cases are misreported and misunderstood and are not spontaneous at all.
From the Paper "Cases that are believed to be spontaneous human combustion surface from time to time, such as the report from 1999 that the remains of Diarmuid Brosnan, a single man in his sixties, had been found in the village of Gneeveguilla, County Kerry, in Ireland. The body had been badly burned body when it was discovered in the living room, and the room itself was not itself badly damaged. Someone who saw the body stated, "It was most unusual in so far as there was very extensive damage to the center of the body but that's almost as far as it went" (Sieveking 21). A similar death had been reported the year before in Leytonstone High Road, east London, when the burnt body of a middle-aged woman was discovered in her first floor apartment."
Abstract This paper explains that by viewing the gas that surrounds stars as a dynamic atmosphere, undergoing cycles of materials similar to those that go on in the Earth's own protective gases, astronomers are understanding more and more about the processes involved in the formation of stars. The paper deals with the questions of how the supernova of massive stars affect the formation of stars in the future, why star formation seems to occur in relative bursts, and how long the Milky Way will continue to produce stars.
From the Paper "Beyond applying the atmospheric model to intergalactic gas, astronomers have also been studying more carefully exactly what components make up the gas and at what temperature these components exist. About 90% of the constituents of intergalactic atmosphere are various forms of hydrogen, with close to 10% being helium, and everything else, from lithium to uranium -- the whole spectrum of the periodic chart -- making up less than 0.1%. The majority of the hydrogen is present as neutral hydrogen, termed H I by astronomers. This form of hydrogen gas is identified by the spectral frequency of the light that it emits, namely 1,420 megahertz. Although scattered throughout the galaxy, the majority of H I is located around the galactic midplane, and forms a gaseous disk about 300 parsecs thick (Reynolds, 2002, p. 40)."
Abstract This paper examines how Emily Dickinson is one of the most revered American poets of all time and how her tightly written verse, her perceptions of nature, love and death and her own reclusive lifestyle combine to make her life as fascinating as her poetry. It explores one element of her work which stands out above all the rest as a metaphor for her tightly bound passions, the volcano. It analyzes how although they aren?t mentioned nearly as often as birds, bees and flowers, volcanoes are a natural phenomenon that appear with notable frequency in Dickenson's poetry. It looks at how for women who lived during Dickinson's time, passion ? be it anger or sexual feelings ? were considered so taboo that the release of these feelings was as explosive as a volcano: Trapped just beneath a calm exterior, ready to burst at any moment and possibly destroy anything it touches. It evaluates how in Dickinson's works, the volcano becomes a way of expressing a feeling of fiery dissatisfaction inside a reserved, often mysterious exterior.
From the Paper "Poem 601, ?A Still ? volcano ? life? begins by likening the mighty flickering of a volcano to an intense secret routine. After the speaker associates the still volcano to a living being in the first line, line two mentions that the person ?flicker(s)? at night. The next two lines point out the covertness as well as the habitual nature of the life ? only being able to go about its normal business ?when it was dark enough to do / without erasing sight.? (3-4) The fact that the being knows to shimmer at night to avoid causing blindness suggests that "she" has done it before, and has perhaps already blinded (or otherwise permanently injured) someone by burning too brightly during the day."
Abstract Brazilian economic development has been characterized by a series of boom and bust periods with little to be said in terms of sustainable development. Because of this, governments throughout the latter half of the 20th century have made efforts to guide development via economic diversity through forced industrialization. In relative terms, poverty inequality, foreign debt and inflation remain staggering. As an example, in 1995, Brazil's total outstanding foreign debt was 159 billion dollars. This has had significant repellant effects on foreign investment. During the Latin American Debt crisis in 1995, the pressures that were placed on the Brazilian economy could not be sustained. With an economy that was just starting to really grow, it could not repay the debts that it had accumulated during this crisis period. Like a bubble, the economy burst and Brazil continues to suffer the effects of a high reliance on foreign capital. This paper will look at the record of Brazilian economic development in terms of these and other important indicators.
Abstract This paper examines the causes of the Great Depression in the United States. It begins by outlining Galbraith's theory that a speculative bubble burst and nothing more. It rejects this theory and considers alternatives.
Abstract This paper explains that, throughout history, investors have been caught off-guard by the bursting of one speculative bubble after another. The author believes that investors should be in the market for the long haul to reduce its volatility. The paper suggests the use of the stop-loss orders on every stock purchase, which stop a stock's free fall when things go wrong; the IBD philosophy is to set the stop at 8% below the purchase price.
From the Paper "Like an overzealous clown blowing up balloons, eventually those balloons will not hold any additional helium air and they, well, ?BURST.? We should learn financial history for the sake of avoiding making the same idiotic mistakes from other generations. But, our human nature continues to allow great financial and social losses to occur because speculative bubble investing continues. Some examples of speculative bubbles have colorful names like the Tulip-Bulb craze, the south sea bubble, the Florida real estate craze, the nifty-fifty era and, yes, The Crash of 1987."
Abstract This paper examines how, in June 1943, Juan Domingo Peron suddenly burst onto the Argentine political scene as the new "strongman" behind the military junta that took power and how, although previously unknown, he was to become the pivot around which Argentina's power struggles would revolve for the next three decades. It looks at how Peron represented himself as a leader for the common people, how his administration-embezzled funds, stole from the workers ,and how, with the help of his wife, Eva Peron, who became a spiritual symbol for the nation, he reigned over Argentina until after her death. His government was overthrown by a military coup in 1955.
From the Paper "The rise of Juan Peron was as Vadney put it a "lucky break". As a result of the coup in 1943, ?few of the officers involved had any better ideas about how to manage the new political classes that had been forming over the last several decades. However, one among their number did. This was Juan Peron.? As a member of the War Department, Peron was in a position to influence appointments in the army and thus to increase his personal following among the officer corps. In addition, the Labor Department provided an opportunity to cultivate the masses, mainly by intervening in strikes to win settlements favorable to the working class and by co-opting the trade union leadership."
Abstract Dylan Thomas's poetry is the epitome of lyrical beauty and charged emotion. "?Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" exhibits both these characteristics. This essay describes how the poet uses the structure of the villanelle, a little-known and difficult verse form, and other poetic devices to create a poem that, in the opinion of many critics, is bursting with intensity.
From the Paper "The poem is about life and death and Thomas uses very appropriate imagery for these. Death is denoted by images of darkness. The first image used in line 1 is "good night" signifying that death is a peaceful eternal sleep. Some of the other images are "dying of the light" (line 3), "dark is right" (line 4) and "blinding sight" (line 13). By contrast the images for life are vibrant and simmering. "Lightning" in line 5 creates a powerful picture. Just as lightning dispels darkness and converts night to day, if only for some time, the wise men want to light up or influence the lives of other people for some more time because they have something yet unsaid."
