What are some examples of fossil fuels?

Fossil fuels have their name because they are the remains of organisms that used to be alive.  The main three fossil fuels are oil, natural gas, and coal. These are the only three fossil fuels that are used on a large-scale, worldwide basis.  Peat can also be classified as a fossil fuel, but it is not available in many parts of the world.  Most of the energy produced in the world today is made through the use of fossil fuels. 

Fossil fuels are the fuels that come from the remains of ancient organisms.  For the most part, this means that fossil fuels are made up of the remains of ancient vegetation. Fossil fuels come from a period in Earth’s history when most land in the world was swampy.  Trees and other vegetation would die and sink to the bottoms of swamps.  Over the years (this period lasted over 100 million years), a very thick layer would have been deposited. Between that time and now, the remains of the ancient vegetation was compressed as sediments were deposited over it. The compression eventually turned the ancient plant material into fuels.   Because the fuels come from the remains of ancient plants, they are called fossil fuels.

In Hamlet, what image does Shakespeare present of women? In literature, how is image different from characterization?

In Hamlet, the image of women is one of dependence upon male chivalry and solicitude.

Through characterization, we can learn about a character directly or indirectly. Direct characterization allows the author or narrator to tell us about a character's personality or nature. On the other hand, in indirect characterization, we learn about characters by observing their speech, speech patterns, behavior, idiosyncrasies, habits, and thoughts before forming our opinions about them.

In literature, imagery is textual description that appeals to the five senses; a writer uses imagery to paint a particular image of a character or the main theme. In Hamlet, the image of women is one of subservience and docility. Shakespeare also portrays women as pawns in a masculine universe. Even as queen, Gertrude herself has no personal agency and no autonomy in matters of the state. After her husband's death, she finds herself in a precarious situation.

If she rejects Claudius' suit, both she and Hamlet will find themselves without a home. There can only be one queen, and Gertrude must make sure that she's the one sitting next to Claudius on his throne. A younger queen will likely bear Claudius a new heir, which will leave Hamlet politically and materially disadvantaged. So, by every indication, Gertrude marries Claudius as a matter of convenience as well as survival. Yet, Hamlet, grieved beyond measure by the death of his father, thinks differently about his mother's actions. He thinks that she's actuated by lust, a very unfair judgment on his part.

Here, the image of femininity is one of disloyalty and fickleness. Women are portrayed as having very little devotion; yet, without true personal autonomy, a woman in Shakespeare's time had very little recourse to justice or consideration. She was at the mercy of masculine inclinations and laws.

In the play, Claudius is the chief power player after his brother's death. He orders Gertrude to spy on Hamlet and uses Ophelia to discover what the young prince is thinking. In Act 3, Scene 1, it is clear that both Gertrude and Ophelia have allowed themselves to be used as pawns in Claudius and Polonius' schemes. Gertrude tells Ophelia that she hopes the young girl is the real source of Hamlet's angst, and Ophelia agrees.

When Ophelia tries to return to the young prince what she claims are gifts and love letters from him, Hamlet denounces her. He ends up accusing her of being a whore and castigating her for being a deceptive beauty:

Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny...I have heard of your paintings too, well enough. God has given you one face and you make yourselves another. You jig and amble, and you lisp, you nickname God’s creatures and make your wantonness your ignorance. (Act 3, Scene 1)

Basically, Ophelia is used crudely and mercilessly by the men in her life. On the one hand, her father (Polonius) and Claudius use her as bait to entrap Hamlet. On the other hand, she is denigrated and verbally abused by Hamlet for doing Polonius and King Claudius' bidding. In the play, Ophelia actually harbors romantic feelings towards Hamlet, but she's not even allowed a word in edgewise due to Hamlet's hostility. So, in the play, women are portrayed as persecuted, passive, and docile creatures; their image is one of utter dependence upon the whims of men.

Are Eevee evolutions random in Pokemon Go?

Apparently not! The original anime Eevee Brothers were named Rainer, Pyro, and Sparky. Rainer owned a Vaporeon, Pyro owned a Flareon, and Sparky owned a Jolteon. People have discovered that naming your Eevee either Rainer, Pyro, or Sparky will result in the respective evolution (i.e. name your Eevee Pyro to get a Flareon). Some people have reported that it didn't work consecutively, while others have done multiple evolutions in a row successfully.

Is there any use in calculating IRR if a project wasn't funded by getting a loan?

The question asks if there is any use in calculating IRR if a project wasn't funded by getting a loan. The short answer is yes, this metric can be helpful regardless of the source of funding for the project. 

IRR (Internal Rate of Return) is roughly defined as the discount rate which makes the present value of the project’s cash inflows equal to the present value of the project’s outflows. A simplistic conceptualization looks at a single outflow (investment) followed by a series of inflows (returns); see the attached Investopedia reference for the series-notated formula used. 

IRR calculates the effective rate of return on a set of cashflows, and as such is independent of the cost of capital. It can be used to compare the relative attractiveness of several projects. It can also be compared to the cost of capital, to determine if the project constitutes a good use of that capital. It is here where the role of debt financing versus equity financing enters the decision process, as the balance between the two will be important in determining the firm’s cost of capital.  The Harvard Business Review article referenced below is a nice, simple discussion of some of the nuances to be addressed in actually using IRR in a business setting.

What is the function of a computer?

While the uses and applications of computers and computer-based technology are nearly endless, the core functions of computers can be placed into four main categories. All of the categories revolve around some aspect of data.

1. Input—A computer receives and accepts data that is input by a user. More often than not, that is done with a keyboard and mouse, but it could also be done with webcams, other computers, and various data storage devices.  


2. Storage—A computer can store vast amounts of data in multiple formats.


3. Processing—This is probably one of the most important functions of a computer. Computers can take input data and process it to give a user the desired information or organization of that information.  


4. Output—This is the computer's ability to display processed information to a user. A computer can output information through its monitor, speakers, and/ or printer.  

How does blindness operate in Shakespeare's King Lear?

Blindness is a pervasive theme and device in Shakespeare's King Lear. Both Lear and Gloucester, for instance, are blind to the truth when it comes to their children (Gloucester wrongly believes the treacherous Edmund loves him, while Lear also wrongly believes the scheming Regan and Goneril love him more than Cordelia does). As such, both Lear and Gloucester are blind to the truth of things and fail to see reality as it actually is, a mistake that ultimately leads to both figures' downfalls. In Gloucester's case, metaphorical blindness leads to real, physical blindness, as his inability to recognize Edmund's scheming leads to his eyes being gouged out by Cornwall. Ironically, it is only when Gloucester is physically blind that he is able to understand the truth and recognize Edgar as his loyal child. This irony is one of the most important aspects of the play, as it highlights the ways in which trauma or misfortune can lead to sudden insights and epiphanies.

What is a good quote from Moneyball by Michael Lewis?

A good quote from Moneyball would describe how Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane approached the task of fielding a competitive team.

Beane's emphasis on sabermetric data is a significant reason why he was a successful general manager in Moneyball.  However, I think that his success is also due in part to his approach to organizational management. One quote that shows this is reflected in his view towards trading for athletes:  

No matter how successful you are, change is always good. There can never be a status quo. When you have no money you can’t afford long-term solutions, only short-term ones. You have to always be upgrading.

Beane sought to challenge the existing attitude many held in the baseball community.  One of those beliefs is that changing the makeup of a team should be undertaken with caution.  Beane challenged this idea because he believed that, as a small-market team, he had to continually look for ways to improve.  He knew that he would not be able to purchase the contract of a very high-priced free agent.  Beane understood that the only way his team would be more competitive is through abandoning a fear of change.  His quote shows how he looked for ways to develop a distinctive edge that could distinguish his organizations from anyone else.  His approach to management embraced change.  Working in his organization forced everyone else to accept it, as well.