Ben Mikaelsen’s Countdown :: Mikaelsen Countdown Essays

An Essay on Ben Mikaelsen’s Countdown      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Countdown is a book written by Ben Mikaelsen and was first published in 1996.   It has a total of 248 pages and published by the Hyperion Books for Children company.   This book is mainly about sending the first teenager in space.   And it is also about finding how a young coward becomes a village warrior.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This story takes place in Big Timber, Montana and in Kenya, Africa.   The setting starts off in winter and fourteen-year-old Elliott Schroeder is busy working around his family farm.   On the news, NASA announces the first Junior Astronaut program and youth all around the country will get a chance to become the first teen in space.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meanwhile, in Kenya, Africa, a young fourteen year old Masai, Vincent Ole Tome returns from tending to his family farm also.   Vincent was no ordinary boy either, his father had sent him to the â€Å"wood school† which is similar to regular school in America.   With the education he had received, many boys disliked him and named him a coward for not working as hard in the family farms.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Getting back to Elliott, many things occurred since the announcement of the Junior Astronaut program.   Elliott is chosen to become to first teenager in space and begins his nine month training along with his alternate, Mandy Jane Harris.   This was it, the only chance that Elliott Andrew Schroeder was going to become a national hero and the only thing in his way was Mandy.   Because of that he developed a disliking towards her which almost costed them their privilege to go to space.   Then Elliott realized that his disliking had to reasonable justification and they became the best of friends for the last four months of training.   Then the day came, when Elliott was really going to become the first teen in space and his only duty was to speak to anyone on earth throughout NASA’s space mission.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While all of this was happening in America, in Kenya, Africa, Vincent is now being tested by the elders of his village along with all other young Masai boys to find who is the bravest of them to become a warrior.   Leboo, a not so close friend of Vincent, tries to tear Vincent’s spirits down by naming him a coward.

Clare and Irene Essay

With an African American man running for president, the United States has been more focused on race in the last year than any time in the last several decades, but much of the focus has been on the concept that race doesn’t matter. For the characters in Nella Larsen’s â€Å"Passing†, race was everything and although race relations have improve since 1929 when the book was published, it is impossible to believe that race is not still a major factor in the development of personal identity and in social interactions. In the novel, Clare and Irene choose different paths because of their race and in spite of it. Clare hides her past, and her heritage, â€Å"passing for white† while Irene remains a part of the black community of Harlem. Perhaps because of her own mixed ethnicity, Larsen is able to tell the story from the viewpoint of both women, both ashamed and confused by the impact that their race has on their lives. Clare spends much of the book trying to hide her heritage and Irene revels in hers. Had Larsen written at a different time, she might have had Clare suffer some grand cosmic punishment for her deception, but in â€Å"Passing’ it is more Irene who suffers for her choice. Because she remains a part of the black community, she suffers discrimination and humiliation that would have been spared a white woman. The most interesting facet of this novel is that it still enlightens us today about the impact of race on personal identity. Michael Jackson has long been the brunt of many jokes with tabloid speculation that he was lightening his skin, trying to become more white. On the other side of the argument, many African Americans, especially in the rap recording industry, try to make themselves more racially separated than they truly are. This is even true in the race for the White House as every time Barack Obama’s race is mentioned, someone takes great care to point out that his father was an African, not a black American. The underlying tone of the racism in American society today is well-reflect in Larson’s novel. Much like Clare and Irene, America today is not acknowledging its racial history and how that impacts the way people think and act. The hardest part for Clare and Irene comes in the discovery that Clare has been â€Å"passing† as white. Once she is discovered, she is brutalized by fellow African Americans who think they are giving her what she deserves because she has tried to put on airs and act white. She is assumed guilty of any number of other crimes because she lied about her ethnicity and Irene, who often was jealous of the decision that Clare made, feels that she should do nothing to stop the prejudice on both sides because Clare made the decision to try passing. Historically speaking, the idea of â€Å"passing† is made much more poignant when we recall Plessey v. Ferguson in which a quadroon man, one quarter black but capable of passing for white, challenged the laws about a white only railroad car. He was convicted and the court went all the way to the Supreme Court which ruled, at that time (1896) , that any African blood made you black, whether you could pass for Caucasian or not. Obviously, Larsen understood this ruling and its impact on her own life and the life of her fellow citizens of Harlem.

Baseball: Then and Now Essay

â€Å"The game of baseball has now become beyond question the leading feature of the outdoor sports of the United States†¦It is a game which is peculiarly suited to the American temperament and disposition:†¦ in short, the pastime suits the people, and the people suit the pastime†(Charles Peverelly, 1866). Although baseball is still America’s favorite pastime, the way it is played has changed greatly since it’s founding in the 1800’s. Baseball was originally created so there would be something the boys could do to keep busy during the summer months. Now, baseball has changed greatly because of technological and technique advancements, rule alterations, and the commercialization of the game. Since its origination in the mid 1800’s, baseball has undergone many changes and advancements in technology and technique. When it was first played, there was no such thing as a glove used to help catch the ball. The fielders would play bare-handed, making line drives automatic hits and ground balls even harder to handle. The bat has undergone many changes as well. Batters used to hit the ball with a bat that had a flat side. This was comparable to a cricket paddle except slightly longer and slimmer. Now, players of any age or level use bats that are cylinder shaped with a slightly wider section on the end. In the 1800’s, the general public was not as safety oriented as is today’s society. This is shown by the complete lack of helmets worn by players in the mid 1800’s. Now, helmets are required by rule to be worn by the batter when he is hitting. Helmets are made of a highly durable, shock absorbent outer shell with soft interior padding for comfort. Other advances were demonstrated by the change in pitching style and technique. The first pitchers threw two kinds of pitches: a high pitch and a low pitch. Then, they added outside and inside pitches. After that, change ups and fastballs were developed. Now, sliders, sinkers, curveballs, forkballs, screwballs, and knuckleballs are routine pitches. As a result of today’s pitchers like Pedro Martinez and Greg Maddux – who throw less hittable pitches – hitting techniques have been worked on, and players have become better hitters. For  example, the first great hitters such as Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle would not be able to compete with Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds – the best batters of today. The advancements in technology and style have completely changed the way baseball is played, as have the many changes that were made to the rulebook. Since its early beginning in the mid 1800’s through 1975, baseball has developed and modified many old rules into new rules that keep the game flowing. In 1889, a rule was introduced that if four balls were thrown during the span of one player’s at-bat, the player was allowed to â€Å"walk† to first base. This was an immense change from the old rule, which stated that if nine pitches total were thrown during the at-bat, the hitter would â€Å"walk† to first base. Also that year, the batter could be thrown only three strikes before he was called out. In 1969, a standard strike zone was added that included the area from the batter’s armpits to the top of his knees. These three rules eliminated the lengthy at bats that slowed down the game, standardized play, and made less room for controversial called strikes or balls. Not only were changes made in the playing rules, there were also many changes in the equipment rules. In 1889, the catcher was allowed to wear a padded leather mitt and a chest protector. This rule made being the catcher more bearable. By 1893, bat size and shape was enforced, and in 1975, the last change was made; the baseball could be covered with cowhide because of the shortage of horses. Because of the plethora of changes that were made to the rulebook, baseball today contrasts baseball in the 1800’s. The most explicit cause of the changes in baseball is the amount of commercialization that occurs today. The professional baseball players of today are shown on TV and in newspapers; their replica jerseys are sold at around $70 per item; and the players make an average of $600,000 per year. Compared to the absence of salary until the 1920’s, this is a major difference. In 1922, Babe Ruth made $50,000 in 1989, Kirby Puckett made $3,000,000 and in 2000, Alex Rodriguez made $27,000,000. Many players of today play for money, not for their love of the game like they used to. This shows that baseball is no longer a game, but a job. Another change is the publicity baseball receives. Stadiums today can hold as many as 62,409 people (Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia). The first ball parks did not even have a place for spectators to watch. Not only do professional stadiums attract viewers, but they attract salesmen and the media. For example, Hormel ® does not provide 7th inning stretch entertainment to show their support for baseball; they do it simply to advertise to a very large crowd for a very small price. Baseball today has grown rapidly into a target for cheap advertising and money-making. With the emphasis and importance of baseball on Americans’ lives today, it has rapidly grown into America’s favorite pastime. Through technological and technique advancements, rule alterations, and the commercialization of the game, baseball has changed greatly from the unorganized backyard game into America’s favorite pastime. â€Å"I think Little League Baseball is wonderful. It keeps the kids out of the house.† (Yogi Berra, 1954)

Should I Study One of These Highest Paying College Majors

Should I Study One of These Highest Paying College Majors SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips One of the primary reasons people go to college is to be able to eventually land a stable job that offers a quality income. However, not all college degrees are created equally. Some majors usually lead to jobs that pay extremely well, and some majors often lead to jobs that don't. In this article, I'll go overthe toppaying majors. Additionally, I'll explain how much the pursuit of money should influence your choice of major and how to make a decent living regardless of what you study in college. Why Do Certain Majors Make More Money? Basically, certain majors qualify you for jobs in more lucrative fields. Engineers and pharmacists earn high incomes; therefore, those who major in engineering and pharmacy tend to end up with well-paying jobs. Conversely, teachers and social workers make lower incomes, so those who major in education or social work usually make less money. Certain occupations offer higher incomes for a variety of reasons. There are market influences, where some jobs have a high demand and a low supply of qualified workers. If a job requires highly specialized skills that few people possess, it will also usually pay relatively well. Additionally, if a job is dangerous or demands long hours, it will often offer a higherincome to provide an incentive for people to be willing to do the work. The Highest Paying College Majors In 2015, the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce published an extensive report on the economic value of college majors. My statistics come from that report. The report’s numbers were derived from US Census Data information from 2013. Starting salaries are the median annual wages of college graduates ages 21-24. Mid-career salaries are annual wages for college graduates ages 25-59. Top 13 TopPaying Majors Most of the top 13 highest paying majors are in engineering. The majors are ranked by the median annual wages of college-educated workers (ages 25-59). This petroleum engineer is probably making bank. (Eni/Flickr) Major Mid-Career Salary 1. Petroleum Engineering $136,000 2. Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Administration $113,000 3. Metallurgical Engineering $98,000 4. Mining and Mineral Engineering $97,000 5. Chemical Engineering $96,000 6. Electrical Engineering $93,000 7. Aerospace Engineering $90,000 8. Mechanical Engineering $87,000 8. Computer Engineering $87,000 8. Geological and Geophysical Engineering $87,000 11. Computer Science $83,000 11. Civil Engineering $83,000 11. Applied Mathematics $83,000 Highest Paying Majors by Major Group Here are the top 11 highest-paying major groups ranked by mid-career earnings. Major groups are more general subjects, and multiple majors are within each group. For example, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering all fall under the architecture and engineering major category. Economics, linguistics, sociology, and psychology are considered social sciences. English, art history, and philosophy are examples of humanities and liberal arts majors. Major Group Starting Salary Mid-Career Salary 1. Architecture and Engineering $50,000 $83,000 2. Computers, Statistics, and Mathematics $43,000 $76,000 3. Health $41,000 $65,000 3. Business $37,000 $65,000 3. Physical Sciences $32,000 $65,000 6. Social Sciences $33,000 $60,000 7. Agriculture and Natural Resources $30,000 $56,000 7. Biology and Life Sciences $29,000 $56,000 9. Communications and Journalism $31,000 $54,000 9. Law and Public Policy $31,000 $54,000 11. Humanities and Liberal Arts $30,000 $52,000 If these kids study computer science, they'll be able to support me in my old age. What If You’re Not Interested in Engineering? Are You Destined for Destitution? The short answer is no. You can make a good living regardless of your major. First, no matter your major, you’re likely to earn more than somebody with just a high school diploma. The average education major earns $45,000 annually while the average high school graduate makes $36,000. Also, there is a great deal of variation in the incomes within major groups. Humanities and liberal arts majors have a 25% chance of earning at least $75,000. In fact, the top quarter of humanities and liberal arts graduates earn more than the bottom quarter of architecture and engineering graduates. Additionally, regardless of your major, getting a graduate degree will increase your earning potential. The median wage for a journalism major with a graduate degree is $71,000. That’s only $5,000 less than the median wage of all STEM degree holders. Graduate degree holders who majored in history earn $80,000 annually, $4,000 more than the median wage of all STEM majors. If you want to earn more money, irrespective of your major, you should focus on acquiring work experience in your field, getting good grades, and forming relationships with your bosses and mentors who will be able to provide you with outstanding references. If you make yourself an exceptionally qualified candidate for a job, you'll be able to make a higher salary. How Much Should Potential Future Earnings Impact Your Choice of Major? Personally, I believe it’s fine to consider earning potential when deciding your major, but your passions and interests should primarily determine what you study in college. If you’re deciding between more than one major that interests you, you can use wage statistics to help influence your decision. It's naive to think that money doesn’t matter at all. If, in the future, you want to buy a house, raise a family, go on vacations, and send your kids to college, you’re going to need to make a good living to do those things. In Los Angeles, where I live, the current median home sale price is $593,750. If you want to get a home in LA, you’re going to need to make significantly more than the average humanities and liberal arts major. However, generally, you’re going to be happiest and most successful if you study something you’re good at and enjoy. If you decide to major in petroleum engineering just because you want to make a lot of money, your decision could backfire. If you have no interest in the subject, you may struggle to graduate or advance in your future career. Or you may find the subject boring and end up wanting to switch careers when you're older. Furthermore, if you study something you truly enjoy, you'll be more likely to want to pursue a graduate degree and commit yourself to reaching the highest level in your field. Remember that there's a great deal of income variation within major groups. If you're at the top of your profession, you'll probably make good money, and, undoubtedly, you're going to have a much a better chance to excel in a field you're passionate about. Finally, there are factors other than money that are good reasons to choose a major or career. Many people are willing to sacrifice some money for a sense of fulfillment or to do something they really enjoy. Most education majors are aware they'll probably never be among the wealthiest people, but they feel compelled to teach or influence education policy. They see value in what they're doing and are motivated by more than just money. You have to decide what's most important to you. What's Next? Learn if where you go to college impacts how much money you'll make. Going to college will enable you to make more money, but college can be extremely expensive. If you want to decrease the cost of attending college, check out our articles on how to find scholarships and understand the financial aid process. Do you want to go to college for free? Find out how to get a full ride scholarship. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Nietzsches Concept of the Will to Power

Nietzsche's Concept of the Will to Power The â€Å"will to power† is a central concept in the philosophy of 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. It is best understood as an irrational force, found in all individuals, that can be channeled toward different ends. Nietzsche explored the idea of the will to power throughout his career, categorizing it at various points as a psychological, biological, or metaphysical principle. For this reason, the will to power is also one of Nietzsches most misunderstood ideas. Origins of the Idea In his early twenties, Nietzsche read The World as Will and Representation by Arthur Schopenhauer and fell under its spell. Schopenhauer offered a deeply pessimistic vision of life, and at the heart of it was his idea that a blind, ceaselessly striving, irrational force he called â€Å"Will† constituted the dynamic essence of the world. This cosmic Will manifests or expresses itself through each individual in the form of the sexual drive and the â€Å"will to life† that can be seen throughout nature. It is the source of much misery since it is essentially insatiable. The best thing one can do to reduce one’s suffering is to find ways to calm it. This is one of the functions of art. In his first book, The Birth of Tragedy, Nietzsche posits what he calls a â€Å"Dionysian† impulse as the source of Greek tragedy. Like Schopenhauer’s Will, it is an irrational force that surges up from dark origins, and it expresses itself in wild drunken frenzies, sexual abandon, and festivals of cruelty. His later notion of the will to power is significantly different, but it retains something of this idea of a deep, pre-rational, unconscious force that can be harnessed and transformed in order to create something beautiful. The Will to Power as a Psychological Principle In early works like Human, All Too Human and Daybreak, Nietzsche devotes much of his attention to psychology. He doesn’t talk explicitly about a â€Å"will to power,† but time and again he explains aspects of human behavior in terms of a desire for domination or mastery over others, oneself, or the environment. In The Gay Science he begins to be more explicit, and in Thus Spoke Zarathustra he begins to use the expression â€Å"will to power.† People unacquainted with Nietzsche’s writings may be inclined to interpret the idea of the will to power rather crudely. But Nietzsche is not thinking only or even primarily of the motivations behind people like Napoleon or Hitler who expressly seek military and political power. In fact, he typically applies the theory quite subtly. For instance, Aphorism 13 of The Gay Science is entitled â€Å"The Theory of the Sense of Power.† Here Nietzsche argues that we exercise power over other people both by benefiting them and by hurting them. When we hurt them we make them feel our power in a crude way- and also a dangerous way, since they may seek to revenge themselves. Making someone indebted to us is usually a preferable way to feel a sense of our power; we also thereby extend our power, since those we benefit see the advantage of being on our side. Nietzsche, in fact, argues that causing pain is generally less pleasant than showing kindness and even suggests that cruelty, because it is the inferior option, is a sign that one lacks power. Nietzsche’s Value Judgments The will to power as Nietzsche conceives of it is neither good nor bad. It is a basic drive found in everyone, but one that expresses itself in many different ways. The philosopher and the scientist direct their will to power into a will to truth. Artists channel it into a will to create. Businessmen satisfy it through becoming rich. In On the Genealogy of Morals, Nietzsche contrasts â€Å"master morality† and â€Å"slave morality,† but traces both back to the will to power. Creating tables of values, imposing them on people, and judging the world according to them, is one noteworthy expression of the will to power. And this idea underlies Nietzsche attempt to understand and evaluate moral systems. The strong, healthy, masterly types confidently impose their values on the world directly. The weak, by contrast, seek to impose their values in a more cunning, roundabout way, by making the strong feel guilty about their health, strength, egotism, and pride. So while the will to power in itself is neither good nor bad, Nietzsche very clearly prefers some ways in which it expresses itself to others. He doesn’t advocate the pursuit of power. Rather, he praises the sublimation of the will to power into creative activity. Roughly speaking, he praises those expressions of it he views as creative, beautiful, and life-affirming, and he criticizes expressions of the will to power that he sees as ugly or born of weakness. One particular form of the will to power that Nietzsche devotes much attention to is what he calls â€Å"self-overcoming.† Here the will to power is harnessed and directed toward self-mastery and self-transformation, guided by the principle that â€Å"your real self lies not deep within you but high above you.† Charles Darwin.   Historical Picture Archive/Getty Images Nietzsche and Darwin In the 1880s Nietzsche read and seems to have been influenced by several German theorists who criticized Darwin’s account of how evolution occurs. In several places he contrasts the will to power with the â€Å"will to survive,† which he seems to think is the basis of Darwinism. In fact, though, Darwin does not posit a will to survive. Rather, he explains how species evolve due to natural selection in the struggle to survive. The Will to Power as a Biological Principle At times Nietzsche seems to posit the will to power as more than just a principle that yields insight into the deep psychological motivations of human beings. For instance, in Thus Spoke Zarathustra he has Zarathustra say: â€Å"Wherever I found a living thing, I found there the will to power.† Here the will to power is applied to the biological realm. And in a fairly straightforward sense, one might understand a simple event such as a big fish eating a little fish as a form of the will to power; the big fish demonstrates mastery of its environment by assimilating part of the environment into itself. The Will to Power as a Metaphysical Principle Nietzsche contemplated writing a book entitled â€Å"The Will to Power† but never published a book under this name. After his death, however, his sister Elizabeth published a collection of his unpublished notes, organized and edited by herself, entitled The Will to Power. Some sections of this book make it clear that Nietzsche took seriously the idea that the will to power might be a fundamental principle operating throughout the cosmos. Section 1067, the last section of the book, sums up Nietzsche’s way of thinking about the world as â€Å"a monster of energy, without beginning, without end...my Dionysian world of the eternally self-creating, the eternally self-destroying†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It concludes: â€Å"Do you want a name for this world? A solution for all its riddles?  A light for you, too, you best-concealed, strongest, most intrepid, most midnightly men?––This world is the will to power––and nothing besides!  And you yourselves are also this will to power––and nothing besides!†

Fiscal condition of the federal government today Essay

Fiscal condition of the federal government today - Essay Example The US financial crisis threatens not only its constituent states but also the world at large. The crisis has been around for some time. It started slowly with fears of the worst since 2003. As the years progressed, the fears came to pass with the present financial status leaving more to be desired in the financial markets.The last six months have demonstrated financial volatility (not only in US but world over) that has never been witnessed may be since the great depression (O'Connor, 2001. pp.10-15). This paper seeks to evaluate the present fiscal condition of the US federal government with emphasis on the causes of the crisis and an exploration of the effects of the crisis on both the public and private domain. The federal government fiscal crisis is echoed by the serious struggle by the states and local governments through unfathomable and prolonged fiscal crisis which has since spread from the federal government to haunt them. The states', not mentioning the federal government's , revenues are declining sharply or if they are growing, then this growth is indeed very slow to be noticed. This is made worse by the federal government out spending its revenues. The crisis is likely to continue unless some quick and informed remedial measures are not taken.According to the 2002 financial year report, as at September 2003 the federal government had more than $1 trillion reported assets with slightly more than $8 trillion in liabilities leaving $7 trillion accumulated deficit with a reported $365 billion operating deficit and a $158 billion unified budget deficit. The projection by the general comptroller and CBO was that the situation was headed for worse with the unified budget deficits likely to hit $401 billion and $480 billion in 2003 and 2004 respectively. This means that there was no hope in 2002 and the situation was expected to worsen with time. 2008 was recorded the climax of the financial market redundancy and thus you can imagine the situation in 2008 i f it is worse than the figures projected for 2003 and 2004. The 2008 was marked with acute financial crisis with the financial market feared to be headed for a clash. The cause of the situation was immediately credited to the borrowers who were at the verge of insolvency and thus pulling down the lenders. These borrowers include the auto industry which has since received $15 billion bailout. Based on this insolvency, most lenders declined to lend thus affecting the mortgage industry and the stock market. Apart from the cause mentioned above, the other causes of this sticky financial crisis may be traced down to the weakening economy, the 1990's tax cut policies taken by the federal and state governments, sharp decline in stock markets, and the structural anomalies in the state and federal government tax systems among other seen and unseen causes. Focusing on policy, it is common knowledge how federal policy can impact state finances. Since the 1990's, the federal government set policies to provide subsidies to the state and local governments. The subsidies were to be provided because the federal government asked the states to reduce the cost of taxes on the taxpayers. This tax cut was later to haunt the federal government. The federal government also exempted interests on bonds from the federal taxation. Another tax policy is the fact that the federal government managed the entire estate tax and shared the tax revenues amongst the states. The 2003 Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconcili ation Act (JGTRRA) came with a counter- cyclical fiscal relief or subsidies for the states. The fiscal relief amounted to $20 billion over 2003 and 2004. The fiscal reliefs to cover the tax cuts instituted by the federal government ate significantly into the federal governments financial reserves. This together with the ever increasing demand for better Medicaid and Medicare funding thoroughly utilized the federal finances. The percentage allocation for Medicaid, Medicare and other social welfare programs increased to more than 60% raising concern

Financial Management Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Financial Management Principles - Essay Example There a different capital budgeting valuation method that can be used to calculate how profitable a project will be. Four of these methods are payback period, net present value, internal rate of return and modified internal rate of return. The five basic steps on a capital budgeting model are: The Chief Financial Officer of Strident Marks wants to determine the viability of a project he wants to pursue. He applied the four capital budgeting valuation methods to establish financial metrics to arrive a decision. Exhibit A shows the mathematical calculations he performed to arrive at the results. The data he had from the project was an initial investment of $10,000. The project would generate $7500 each year for three consecutive years. The project’s discount rate was 10%. The revenue projections made the assumption that revenue inflows would be generated at the beginning of the year. The payback period analysis concluded that the return of original investment can be achieved in 1.33 years. The payback method is a simplistic method which only calculates the amount of years it takes to recover the original value of cash or assets invested in the project. If two or more projects are compared the project with the lowest time to recover the initial investment would be chosen. A major drawback of this method is that it does not take into consideration time value of money. The net present value (NPV) method application resulted in a value of $8651. This value is a good sign since the general rule to follow is that only projects whose NPV results in a positive total can be accepted. When comparing various projects a manager chooses the one with the highest NPV total. A firm that undertakes a project with a positive NPV improves the position of the stockholders because the project will increase the value of the company (Besley & Brigham). The internal rate