Easter Uprising in Ireland Essay -- History Historical Irish Essays

Easter Uprising in Ireland On Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, a force of Irishmen attempted to seize Dublin, with the ultimate intention of eliminating British rule and creating a completely independent Ireland. Their leaders, such as Patrick Pearse and James Connolly, knew that they were destined to die, but saw the importance of independence, thus the rebellion was inevitable. In the eyes of many the rebellion was a complete failure, with the loss of lives and damage of buildings, but in the eyes of many Irish patriots the rebellion was a complete success as it promoted Irish nationalism and ultimately lead to an independent Ireland. The circumstances that lead to the rebellion are of an intense complexity, historical, social, political and psychological, and the rebellion itself has lasting impacts on society today. Since 1603, when Ireland was for the first time effectively united under British rule, Irish history has been dictated by the British, and the poor relationship between Ireland and Britain. The root of the problem was that Ireland was a mainly Roman Catholic country ruled by Protestant foreigners, colonial administrators acting on behalf of a Protestant Government far away. During the 18th century, the Irish Catholics were deprived of all rights, as one English judge brutally put it: â€Å"The law does not suppose any such person to exist as an Irish Roman Catholic.† The Irish could only assume that the English did not regard them as human beings at all, and this was clearly seen in the Great Famine of the 19th century. The Great Famine of 1845-1851 was crucial in shaping Ireland’s attitudes towards British rule and leading to the nationalism that provoked the eventual uprising of 1916. The peasants lived on potatoes, it was their only crop, and when the crop was killed by disease famine struck. The potato was primarily grown because it could produce a relatively high yield with little intensive care. Many though relied on the crop and that is why the famine of 1845-1849 was so catastrophic. Ireland had a population of 8 million before the famine, 1 million died from the famine and another 1-2 million immigrated to America. Ireland’s population, which had grown so strongly throughout the 18th century and early 19th century, had been shattered. The impact that the famine had on 1916 was simple: the English were blamed for the famine. Th... ...ellion can be seen to be an utter failure, but the bigger picture shows that the success of the rebellion can not be undermined, as it resulted in a great revival of nationalism and eventually, the establishment of the Republic of Ireland in 1948. In the book, The Modern World since 1870, it is said of Pearse: â€Å"Looking back one can see that his death lit a flame which illuminated Ireland’s path to independence†. It must be understood that the Easter Rising was never designed for military victory, it was in the desire of freedom, and in this regard the rebellion can not be seen as a ‘failure’. The Irish Rebellion, stemming from a history of oppression and neglect by the British, was always inevitable. Although the rising was a clear military failure, the legacy of the rising means that it can be seen as a success – it did achieve many of the aims of the leaders. The purpose of the insurrection was not to win the battle, but to leave the legacy to the Irish people that without struggle there is no progress. New nationalism was inspired, and in 1948, with the establishment of the Republic of Ireland, the rising was finally seen as a politically and socially successful movement.

Kurt Cobain: Collection Of Personal Accounts From Family Relatives :: essays research papers

Kurt Cobain: Collection of Personal Accounts From Family Relatives I would like to share some of the memories and perceptions I have concerning this unique, rare and original human being called Kurt Cobain. I knew Kurt during his teen-age years in the period from about 1979 to 1984. I was in my mid-30s and living in and near Montesano. My sister married Kurt's dad, Don, and also lived in Montesano. My grandfather comprehended the intelligence and individuality in Kurt at a time when Kurt was being beaten down mentally and physically. "Gramps" often told me of his respect for Kurt's tenacity and compassion even though he was in emotional pain. Shortly before Gramps died, he had been talking about Kurt. He looked at me and said words to the effect that he could see a nobility about Kurt that he had never seen in anyone in all his 70 years. One time, Gramps invited Kurt along on one of our steelhead fishing trips. We were spread out a few hundred feet apart along the Wynooche River. All of a sudden, we heard this horrendous combination of screaming, warbling and yodeling from Kurt, who was upstream and out of sight. Gramps told me to run up there and help Kurt, who must have hooked a big fish. When I reached Kurt, he didn't even have his line in the water. When I asked him what was going on, he just looked at me with those piercing eyes and huge grin. He said, "Oh, I'm just trying to thicken my vocal chords so I can scream better!" When I went back to Gramps to tell him, he just grinned and said, "It figures, We'll just let him be!" We can now say, "Thank you, Kurt, for thickening your vocal chords!" Kurt didn't fit the general mold of society in a logging town, and so he was beaten upon by people who didn't understand him. One day I heard that he was in a fight a few blocks away. When I ran to the scene, the fight was over. However, I heard from a friend that Kurt was assaulted by a burly, 250-pound logger type. Evidently, Kurt did not even fight; he just presented the bully with the appropriate hand gesture everytime he was knocked down until the bully gave up. To top it all off, Kurt just had that usual grin on his face! A final footnote to this small remembrance of Kurt: A wonderful picture comes to mind of a rare, sunny day when I peeked out the window into the yard. Kurt Cobain: Collection Of Personal Accounts From Family Relatives :: essays research papers Kurt Cobain: Collection of Personal Accounts From Family Relatives I would like to share some of the memories and perceptions I have concerning this unique, rare and original human being called Kurt Cobain. I knew Kurt during his teen-age years in the period from about 1979 to 1984. I was in my mid-30s and living in and near Montesano. My sister married Kurt's dad, Don, and also lived in Montesano. My grandfather comprehended the intelligence and individuality in Kurt at a time when Kurt was being beaten down mentally and physically. "Gramps" often told me of his respect for Kurt's tenacity and compassion even though he was in emotional pain. Shortly before Gramps died, he had been talking about Kurt. He looked at me and said words to the effect that he could see a nobility about Kurt that he had never seen in anyone in all his 70 years. One time, Gramps invited Kurt along on one of our steelhead fishing trips. We were spread out a few hundred feet apart along the Wynooche River. All of a sudden, we heard this horrendous combination of screaming, warbling and yodeling from Kurt, who was upstream and out of sight. Gramps told me to run up there and help Kurt, who must have hooked a big fish. When I reached Kurt, he didn't even have his line in the water. When I asked him what was going on, he just looked at me with those piercing eyes and huge grin. He said, "Oh, I'm just trying to thicken my vocal chords so I can scream better!" When I went back to Gramps to tell him, he just grinned and said, "It figures, We'll just let him be!" We can now say, "Thank you, Kurt, for thickening your vocal chords!" Kurt didn't fit the general mold of society in a logging town, and so he was beaten upon by people who didn't understand him. One day I heard that he was in a fight a few blocks away. When I ran to the scene, the fight was over. However, I heard from a friend that Kurt was assaulted by a burly, 250-pound logger type. Evidently, Kurt did not even fight; he just presented the bully with the appropriate hand gesture everytime he was knocked down until the bully gave up. To top it all off, Kurt just had that usual grin on his face! A final footnote to this small remembrance of Kurt: A wonderful picture comes to mind of a rare, sunny day when I peeked out the window into the yard.

Basic Military Training

Basic Military Training (BMT) is a rite of passage that every 18-year-old male Singaporean must complete. BMT is in fact an organization, within the Ministry of Defence, where young males are required to participate in rigorous exercise routines and armed combat training at Pulau Tekong, an offshore Singapore island. This compulsory training consists of basic soldiering skills, including weapon handling, individual field craft, and bayonet fighting. This military training helps to prepare these young men for battlefield survival, should the need arise.The organization has its own rules and regulations, culture, and principles. As such, we have shared our experience at BMT, and compare some aspects of it to Henri Fayol’s Classical Approach. New recruits are bombarded with information, directives, orders, and instructions from senior ranking officers. For example, we are told â€Å"Lights off at 10pm! † and â€Å"Everywhere you go, you are to get my permission. † A lso, if any of us want to voice a grievance, we must approach our superiors. They are authorized to decide if anything can or should be done to resolve the matter.These superiors are specialists (sergeants) who are directly in charge of new recruits, and the CO(Commanding officers) generally are not involved in these matters. BMT entails a wide variety of tasks and comprehensive military training, Therefore, the recruits face danger, but with every attempt to avoid life-threatening scenarios. Being in BMT is similar to being in a highly sensitive organization. Recruits are not allowed to divulge any army secrets outside the organization, and they must be wary of any statements they make in public.All recruits must take an oath of allegiance and pledge their loyalty and honesty to Singapore. In accordance with Fayol’s principle of â€Å"subordination of individual interest to general interest†, there is no room for the word â€Å"I† in BMT. Accordingly, every rec ruit works together with the team or company that he is assigned to. If an individual recruit makes a mistake or fails to follow an order, the whole company will be punished. For example, during my second week of BMT, all recruits were to report for physical training at 6 a. m.All reported except for one of my bunkmates, who overslept and was late. As a result, not only was he punished, but all the others from that platoon were punished as well. In BMT, recruits do not focus on their individual wants and needs, but instead they work as a team toward the betterment of their organisation. Hence, based on these illustrations, we can clearly state that communication within BMT is indeed task-oriented. In a high-security government organization like this, a formal style of communication is appropriate and required.Ranks differentiate superiors from subordinates, and usually the higher the rank, the more respect and power you command. For instance, ranks of ‘Cpt’ (Captain), à ¢â‚¬ËœLt’ (Lieutenant), and ‘Sgt’ (Sergeant) tend to increase the distance between individuals and hinders familiarity with each other. A recruit who approaches anyone of higher rank will probably feel some apprehension. All new BMT recruits are required to greet not only their company IC (in-charge), but also anyone else of higher rank. Required salutes and greetings include â€Å"Good morning Sir,† and all answers are to be proclaimed with â€Å"Yes Sir!† or â€Å"No Sir! † The word â€Å"Sir† conveys the respect that is required from fresh recruits toward their superiors. After two years in BMT, I came to realise that it is one’s rank, not one’s age, that determines the level and amount of respect that they receive. BMT’s formal approach becomes immediately apparent as new recruits enter the camp’s gate. Slippers, sandals, and t-shirts are forbidden, and shirts must be tucked into pants or jeans. Bermudas and shorts are banned as well. In short, all recruits are expected to wear proper attire.Hence professionalism, respect for superiors, and self-respect are the hallmarks and defining attributes of this bureaucratic and professional organisation. Fairness is another factor that contributes to BMT’s formal culture, and it affects the style of communication. In keeping with Fayol’s â€Å"principle of organisational reward,† all recruits, whether they be a minister’s son or a national sportsman, are awarded identical pay and receive identical treatment. The army does not discriminate against any background.Everyone in this military organisation shares the same facilities and consumes the same food. In addition, monetary rewards are granted to recruits who have done well in their physical fitness test (IPPT Test). Therefore, these examples demonstrate â€Å"remuneration of personnel† and â€Å"equity† in the classical model. While completing tra ining at BMT, officers’ and superiors’ messages and announcements are usually issued in the form of letters and memos. These letters generally begin with the recruit’s rank or with the simple salutation of â€Å"Mr.† and are issued to the recruit’s home address. Less formal notes or a thank you on a â€Å"post-it† are unlikely. Friends of the same rank are virtually helpless to aid peers during their stint at BMT. Hence, all recruits must rely on their superiors. However, this does not mean that there is no horizontal flow of communication or â€Å"gangplank† in the army. Recruits routinely turn to one another for minor favours, consolation, and motivation. Thus, BMT recruits indeed get to mingle around and talk to fellow trainees.In addition to the usual letters, memos, and emails, face-to-face communication does exist in BMT. For instance, in the middle of my training stint at BMT, three of my platoon mates and others from various c ompanies were selected to meet the Captain for a face-to-face chat. During that meeting with our superior, we received some feedback on how we were coping with issues and situations in the Army. In closing, the army may seem like a very authoritative organization, but there are some exceptions that exclude them from being a total role model for the Classical Approach.

Process Analysis and Capacity Management Essay

1. Dello is a world-class PC company. Management believes that they understand their products and customers better than any outsourcing company; therefore Dello should provide customer service in-house. Ideally, Dello’s customer service department wants to handle all the customer phone calls. During peak hours, however, Dello receives so many customer calls that they ask an outsourcing company, Telemate, to help handle incoming calls. Dello’s switchboard system is programmed in the following way; A customer calls Dello at its 1-800 number. If there are 14 or less callers in the system waiting to speak with one of the customer service representatives, then the call stays within Dello’s system and the customer inquiry will be answered by a Dello customer service representative. If, on the other hand, there are 15 or more calls waiting within Dello’s system, then the incoming call is forwarded to the outsourcer Telemate, and the call will be answered by a Tel emate agent. Draw the process flowchart for Dello’s customer service call handling process. [pic] 2. Getaway is another computer company known for mass customization. Its secret is to always maintain an inventory of base models, and to offer its customers add-on options. The process is as follows: The first step is receiving the order. After receiving an order, the order is checked for add-ons. If needed, add-ons are added to the base model. (Note that base models are held in inventory). Then the computer is packed, and finally shipped. Draw a process flow diagram for the above process. [pic] If you want to be stricter, you can have triangles for add-on parts inventory and work-in-process between packing and shipping. 3. Kate is managing his company’s production facility. Consider the following production process. Note: some triangles may be intentionally omitted. [pic] Raw materials go through machines A, B, and then C, to produce a final product. Capacity, or service rate, of each machine is as follows: Machine A: 200 units per hour Machine B: 180 units per hour Machine C: 120 units per hour (All these numbers are expressed in terms of units of final product.) a) Identify the bottleneck process. Is it A, B, or C? Explain briefly. Machine C, since it’s the slowest process of all. Kate sincerely believes that she must keep high utilization of machines. Every time she sees an operator idle, therefore, she orders the operator to go back to the machine and continue operating. b) What is she doing wrong? What is the most likely result if she manages the factory this way? She doesn’t seem to understand that the bottleneck process defines throughput of the entire system. In other words, the production facility can process just as fast as the bottleneck. If she tells every operator to produce all the time, most likely result is that she will have unnecessarily large WIP built-up between machines. 4. Eastern Coffee follows the flow chart below to serve its customers. Note that some triangles may be omitted intentionally. It takes a worker two minutes to take order and receive payment, two minutes to prepare coffee, and three minutes to clean equipment. Eastern Coffee has two workers: worker A takes order and prepares coffee, while worker B handles the cleaning. a) On average, 10 customers per hour show up and order coffee. What is the utilization rate of worker A? And what is the utilization rate of worker B? Capacity of worker A: 60/(2+2) = 15 customers/hour Capacity of worker B: 60/3 = 20 customers/hour Utilization of A: 10/15 = 0.666 or 66.6†¦% Utilization of B: 10/20 = 0.5 or 50% b) How many customers can Eastern Coffee serve per hour? From the above, Capacity of Eastern Coffee is 15 customers/hour Western Coffee follows the same flow chart above, and each activity takes the same amount of time as Eastern. Western Coffee also has two workers: worker C only takes order and payment, while worker D handles the coffee preparation and cleaning. c) How many customers can Western Coffee serve per hour? Capacity of worker C: 60/2 = 30 customers/hour Capacity of worker D: 60/(2+3) = 12 customers/hour Capacity of Western Coffee is 12 customers/hour d) The manager of Western Coffee notices that cleaning is not a critical activity in the sense that it can be delayed and be finished when there are fewer customers. Therefore, during the peak hour when many customers come in, workers can focus on serving customers and temporarily ignore the cleaning activity. Then how many customers can Western Coffee serve during the peak hour? Capacity of worker D during the peak hour: 60/2 = 30 customers/hour Capacity of Western Coffee is 30 customers/hour 5. At Spotted Cow Coffee Shop, one cashier can take 30 orders per hour and one skilled worker can prepare 20 orders per hour. Assume that the cashier and the worker are not cross-trained. a. Suppose that there are only one cashier and one worker in Spotted Cow. What is the capacity of Spotted Cow? And which resource is the bottleneck? Explain. The worker is the bottleneck as she pushes the smallest amount of job in an hour. The capacity of Spotted Cow is 20 orders per hour, which is decided by the bottleneck. b. Suppose that Spotted Cow hires one more skilled worker who can also prepare 20 orders per hour. What is the capacity of Spotted Cow? And which resource is the bottleneck? Explain. The cashier is the bottleneck as she can take at most 30 orders per hour. While the two workers can prepare in total 40 orders per hour. The capacity of Spotted Cow is 30 orders per hour, which is decided by the bottleneck. 6. Pavich’s Brick Oven Pizza is known for its speedy delivery time of piping hot pizza. Its secret is to always maintain an inventory of uncooked, assembled, cheese pizzas, and to offer its customers only cheese and pepperoni pizza. If a customer orders a cheese pizza, uncooked cheese pizza goes immediately into the oven. If a customer orders a pepperoni pizza, pepperoni is added to the cheese pizza, and then the pizza is cooked, and finally delivered. Draw the process flowchart diagram for Pavich’s Brick Oven Pizza. In your flowchart, use at least two inverted triangles. [pic] You can of course have an arrow from uncooked cheese pizza inventory to cooking process. 7. Campus Credit Union has 5 representatives, 2 of them specialized in business customers and 3 of them specialized in personal customers. On average, each business customer takes 15 minutes, and each personal customer takes 12 minutes to finish the service. During the 4-5pm rush hour, 10 business customers and 10 personal customers show up. a. Does the Credit Union have enough capacity during the rush hour? Each hour, a representative can serve 60/15=4 business customers and 60/12=5 personal customers. During the rush hour, the capacity for business customers is 4*2=810. The Credit Union will have enough capacity for all the customers. 8. The following flow chart describes a simple burger making process. [pic] One stove is available to cook patties. It can cook patties in 3 minutes and holds 40 patties at one time. On average, it takes 45 seconds for a worker to assemble a burger. There are 12 workers available to assemble. The time it takes to deliver can be omitted. Assume that one burger needs only one patty. a. What is the capacity of the cooking stage? What is the capacity of the assembly stage? What is the capacity of the entire process? The stove can cook 40*60/3 = 800 patties per hour. The workers can assemble 12 * 60 / 0.75 = 960 burgers per hour. The stove is the bottleneck. The capacity of the entire process is 800 burgers per hour. b. Suppose that on average 600 burgers per hour are ordered from customers. What is the utilization rate of the stove? What is the utilization rate of the worker, on average? Utilization rate of the stove: 600 per hour / 800 per hour = 75% Utilization rate of the workers, on average: 600 per hour / 960 per hour = 62.5%. 9. A small medical center would like to determine the capacity requirements for the next month. Currently there are 11 doctors working 8 hours a day and 5 days a week. They provide care for three types of patients: patients come for regular check-ups (type A), patients with minor problems (type B), and patients with serious problems (type C). The management had estimated the number of patients for the next four weeks as follows: | |Weekly numbers of patients | | |Week # 1 |Week # 2 |Week # 3 |Week # 4 | |Type A |250 |50 |100 |500 | |Type B |150 |300 |150 |300 | |Type C |200 |150 |250 |150 | All the doctors can provide care for all types of patients. Type A patients require 15 minutes of care, type B patients require 30 minutes of care, and type C patients require 60 minutes of care. a. What are the average utilization rates of the doctors for each of the next 4 weeks? Requirements in # hours | |Number of hours needed | | |Week # 1 |Week # 2 |Week # 3 |Week # 4 | |Type A |62.5 |12.5 |25 |125 | |Type B |75 |150 |75 |150 | |Type C |200 |150 |250 |150 | |Total |337.5 |312.5 |350 |425 | |Utilizations |76.7% |71.0% |79.5% |96.6% | Total available doctors time = 11*8*5 = 440 hours b. Does this medical center have enough capacity? Yes 10. A clothing company produces 5 types of shirts (A, B, C, D, and E). The final manufacturing steps in the shirt production process are to (a) attach a care label to every shirt, and (b) brand the company’s name on every shirt. The company has one machine for attaching care labels, and one machine for branding. For any shirt type, branding requires 8 minutes of processing on the machine. Due to differences between shirt designs, attaching care labels requires the following shirt-dependent processing times (in minutes): Shirt Type Processing Time A 4 B 10 C 5 D 6 E 8 The demand per day for the different shirt types is: Shirt Type Demand A 20 B 5 C 25 D 10 E 15 Assume each machine is available to work 8 hours per day. Does the company have the capacity to satisfy its demand? Explain your answer fully. The demand for the branding machine is: (20 + 5 + 25+ 10 + 15) * 8 = 600 minutes, or 600/60 = 10 hours. There is not enough capacity on the branding machine to satisfy demand. This machine is a bottleneck resource. The demand for the label attaching machine is: 20 * 4 + 5 * 10 + 25 * 5 + 10 * 6 + 15 * 8 = 435 minutes, or 435 / 60 = 7.25 hours. There is enough capacity on the label attaching machine to satisfy demand. 11. InnovB is a call center company. InnovB has a highly sophisticated switchboard system called Virtual Agent that takes customer calls. There are 20 telephone lines and therefore 20 Virtual Agents. Virtual Agent asks a caller some basic questions such as the caller’s preferred language, account number, etc. On average, a customer spends 3 minutes within Virtual Agent system. Depending on the nature of the transaction and customer’s account history, Virtual Agent puts a call through to either a high-skilled or a low-skilled customer service representative (CSR). Virtual Agent is programmed so that all difficult calls are handled by high-skilled CSRs, and all the easy calls are handled by low-skilled CSRs. It takes, on average, 6 minutes for a high-skilled CSR to process a difficult call, and it takes 4 minutes for a low-skilled CSR to take care of an easy call. There are 15 high-skilled and 20 low-skilled CSRs. At the end of the transaction, both difficult and easy cal ls are transferred to the company’s customer satisfaction survey system. It takes on average 2 minutes to take the survey. Since there are 20 telephone lines, there can be up to 20 callers taking the survey at one time. a. Draw the process flowchart diagram for InnovB. Use at least one inverted triangle. Use only one rectangle for the â€Å"survey† process. Use arrows, not lines. Yes No b. Can InnovB handle 125 difficult calls per hour? Explain. Capacity of Virtual Agent= 20*20 = 400 customers/hr Capacity of high skilled = 10*15 = 150 customers/hr Capacity of low skilled = 15*20 = 300 customers/hr Capacity of survey system = 30*20 = 600 customers/hr Yes, 125 is possible. (125

Mandeville Analysis

Defining â€Å"Vice† To understand Mandible's claim that society is vice-driven, one needs to loosely examine The Grumbling Hive which was later included in his larger work, The Fable of the Bees: OR, Private Vices, Public Benefits. Mandible starts off by describing â€Å"A Spacious Hive well stock's with Bees, That lived in Luxury and Ease† (Mandible, 1705, lines 1-2). He states they were a large colony with science and industry and a good government, evidenced by the fact that â€Å"They were not Slaves to Tyranny† (Mandible, 1 705, line 9).The bees worked hard at their trades, which served to make the society (the hive) thrive, but he observes that this was not without consequences. He notes hat although the hive worked hard and â€Å"Millions were employed† (Mandible, 1705, line 35), there was always a separate class or group that worked harder than the rest: â€Å"And some were damned to Scythes and Spades, And all those hard laborious Trades; Where willing Wretches daily sweat, And wear out Strength and Limbs to eat† (Mandible, 1 705, lines 41-44).He also notes that there is always a group of people who will take advantage of those hard workers for their own gain, and that this deceit was wide-spread and affected all groups and trades. As evidence, he points out that people filed needless assists; lawyers would delay hearings and pocket the retaining fees like burglars looking for the best way to break in; physicians valued money and power over the health and well-being of their patients and instead chose to study â€Å"Rules of Art†; the â€Å"Priests of Jove†, although eloquent,† . Al past Muster, that could hide Their Sloth, Lust, Avarice and Pride† (Mandible, 1705, lines 74, 85, 89-90); the Kings were cheated by those who served them, and even Lady Justice dropped her scales so she could grasp her bribe of gold. (Mandible, 1705, line 142). In this description of the flourishing hive, Mandibl e paints us a picture, not of a society flourishing from hard work, sweat, and â€Å"doing the right thing', but of a society getting ahead through tricks, deceit, and greed.This is the entire basis for his concept of ‘Vice†. We do nothing out of pure altruism. In Mandible's eyes, everything is driven by Our own self-interest, our need to fulfill our own wishes, Wants, and desires through selfishness, dishonesty and indulgence on luxury goods. In the Preface of his larger work, The Fable of the Bees: or, Private Vices, PublicBenefits, Mandible clarifies his position further when he states: † so they that examine into the Nature of Man, abstract from Art and Education, may observe, that what renders him a Sociable Animal, consists not in his desire or Company, Good-nature, Pity, Affability, and other Graces of a fair Outside; but that his vilest and most hateful Qualities are the most necessary Accomplishments to fit him for the largest, and, according to the World , the happiest and most flourishing Societies† (Mandible, 1714, p. ). Mandible's views were refuted by Adam Smith in his 1759 work, The Theory f Moral Sentiments when he stated: â€Å"Every thing, according to him, is luxury which exceeds what is absolutely necessary for the support of human nature, so that there is vice even in the use of a clean shirt, or of a convenient habitation† (Smith, 1 759, p. 506). It is Smith's view that there is no vice present or intended when our actions are â€Å"honorable and noble† (Smith, 1759, p. 501).However, even Smith, who was one of Mandible's biggest detractors, later admitted: â€Å"But how destructive sever, this system may appear, it could never have imposed upon so great a number of persons, nor eve occasioned so general an alarm among those who are the friends of better principles, had it not in some respects bordered upon the truth† (Smith, 1 759, p. 508), leaving us to believe that perhaps Mandible's concept (and consequence) of â€Å"vice† is actually true.The Products of â€Å"Vice† In Mandible's hive, the society and it's economy is driven by the vices of the bees. Their wishes, wants, and desires for â€Å"things† drive the production and consumption of these commodities. An increased demand for â€Å"things† will lead to more people working to produce those items, which will lead to a argue supply available to the populace (many times at a lower cost due to mass production), and an increased consumption of those items, which leads us back to higher demand, which equals more work, and so on.Mandible also goes on to say that there is a causal relationship between this â€Å"vice† and the ingenuity of the worker, which leads to prosperity even for the poorest members of the hive (society): â€Å"Thus Vice nursed Ingenuity, Which joined with Time; and Industry Had carry's Life's Conveniences, It's real Pleasures, Comforts, Ease, To such a Height, the very Poor Lived better than the Rich before; And nothing could be added more† (Mandible, 1705, lines 97-103).It is important to pause here a moment and point out that we are not discussing those items required to meet basic, day-to-day needs (food, clothing, and housing). We are discussing those items over and above the basics, I. E. : fine clothing, fancy furniture, and expensive food and drink (what he would call luxury items). This â€Å"conspicuous consumption† (a term first coined by Thorniest Evolve in his 1 899 book entitled, The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of he Evolution of Institutions) still drives our economy today.A large portion of our population lives well above their means. They purchase houses many times larger than they need, drive vehicles marketed to â€Å"upscale† buyers interested in â€Å"brand identification†, and take out second mortgages they can't afford so they can purchase huge Class A motherhood they use on ce a year, or install a pool which sees limited usage, all because of this need to have the â€Å"things† that project a certain image or lifestyle. These luxury items and the markets they drive were huge in our current society, until the bottom fell outOf the market and everything came crashing down. In 2005, Carol Lloyd Of the San Francisco Chronicle noted: â€Å"In the U. S. , a trend in 1 sass toward large houses began, with the average size of a home doubling over the next 50 years. This trend has been compared to the increase in SUB purchases, also often a symbol of conspicuous consumption. People have purchased huge houses even at the expense of the size of their yard, the inability to save funds for retirement, or a greatly increased commute time, up to a couple of hours.Such large homes can also facilitate other forms of consumption, in roving extra storage space for vehicles, clothes, and other objects† (Lloyd, 2005). In The Theory of the Leisure Class, Evolv e argued that social honor was originally based on ownership of private property. In earlier times, wealth was seen as evidence of the instinct of workmanship, but more recently wealth itself is worthy of praise. Originally, the leisure class sought to demonstrate its wealth by not working. But as industrial society evolved, conspicuous consumption became the best way to demonstrate one's wealth.The leisure class is expected to consume the best in food, drink, shelter, argotic, services, ornaments, apparel, amusements, and so on, and because the leisure class stands at the top of this ranking system, it is incumbent on all classes that rank below them to follow their example (Evolve, 1899, Chi. 4). When Vice is Removed So what happens when â€Å"vice† is removed from society? In Mandible's â€Å"hive†, the bees eventually get tired of living in greed and injustice, so they call on Jove to bring virtue to their society. But, Oh ye Gods! What Consternation, How vast and sudden was the Alteration! In half an Hour, the Nation round, Meat fell a Penny in the Pound† (Mandible, 1 705, lines 242-245). Even the lawyers were affected in this new society: â€Å"The Bar was silent from that Day; For now the willing Debtors pay On which, since nothing less can thrive, Than Lawyers in an honest Hive† (Mandible, 1705, lines 250-251 256-257). Justice returned, physicians tended the ill, the clergy ministered, but yet, the hive was still collapsing.Virtue has been restored, but the society begins to self-destruct. With the drive for self-interest gone, economic development dies and the bees become lazy and unmotivated. The bees are now selling off â€Å"Stately Horses by whole sets; And Country Houses to pay Debts† (Mandible, 1705, lines 325-326); they are moving to other trades where they feel they can make a living, only to find that those trades are â€Å"o'er-stocked accordingly† (Mandible, 1 705, lines 342). Their lands and houses aren't worth what they paid for them, work is scarce, all, it seems is lost.So, they resolve to go about everyday life, living as simply as they can to get by: â€Å"And, when they paid the Tavern Score, Resolved to enter it no more† (Mandible, 1705, lines 357-358). The Haughty Chloe has to sell her furniture from the Indies, she goes longer before buying new clothes, and the rare fruits she previously enjoyed are now a thing of the past (Mandible, 1705, lines 367-381). It seems that by seeking honesty and virtue, the society destroyed itself. The bees start to abandon the hive.The few that remain take shelter in â€Å"a hollow tree, Blest with content and Honesty' (Mandible, 1705, lines 407-408), In the last part of the doggerel, Mandible presents ‘The MORAL†: â€Å"Then leave Complaints: Fools only strive To make a Great an honest Hive. Tendon the World's Conveniences, Be Famed in War, yet live in Ease Without great Vices, is a vain Utopia seated in the Brain. Fraud, Luxury, and Pride must live; Whilst we the Benefits receive† (Mandible, 1705, lines 409-416).Mandible commented in the preface to Fable Of the Bees that he wrote The Grumbling Hive â€Å"to show the Vileness of the Ingredients that all together compose the wholesome Mixture of a well-ordered Society†. He further stated that: â€Å"For the main Design of the Fable †¦ Is to she [show] the Impossibility of enjoying all the most elegant Comforts of Life that are to be met with in an industrious, lathe and powerful Nation, and at the same time be bless's with all the Virtue and Innocence that can be wished for in a Golden Age† (Mandible, 1714, p. ). We can apply this notion that vice is the foundation of national prosperity and happiness to the economic mess in the United States today. There came a point in our current economy that people began to realize they were in debt too deep. Many times, applications for credit were â€Å"doctored† so that a consumer could take out more credit than they could really afford. The result was that consumers over-extended and bought multitudes of ‘things† hey did not need and could not pay for in pursuit of â€Å"status†.Once this realization set in, people began to back away from the excesses of the previous decade: they spent less and tried to save more, they started to sell off their expensive purchases, and they tried to cut back, settling for the day- to-day items necessary to sustain life. Some economists say this sudden frugality actually made things worse, because when people stopped spending, the economy shriveled up. The price of land and houses plummeted, new building stopped, workers in all kinds of industries lost their bobs, factories closed, and the unemployment rate skyrocketed.People started defaulting on loans at an alarming rate. The market was flooded with used motor homes and people were stuck with houses they couldn't afford, but couldn't sell. Forec losures were (and still are) at an all-time high. It seems the American dream has vanished. While Mandible believed the ‘Vice† that causes us to buy â€Å"things† in excess is part of the downfall of the hive: â€Å"Great wealth and foreign treasure,† Mandible wrote, â€Å"will ever scorn to come among men unless you'll admit their inseparable companions, avarice and usury: where trade is considerable, fraud will intrude.To be at once well- bred and sincere is no less than a contradiction; and therefore while man advances in knowledge, and his manners are polished, we must expect to see at the same time his desires enlarged, his appetites refined, and his vices increased† (Mandible, 1714, p. 201 it is interesting to note that the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Denmark and Norway) have remained relatively stable. In these countries â€Å"where many people pay 50% of their income in taxes† to support their high-benefit welfare system, these â⠂¬Å"systems eve been acting as stabilizers to their economies.If you lose your job in Sweden, you can expect to receive of your wages for the first 200 days of inactivity, up to 680 kronor (EYE) per day, dropping to 70% for the following 100 days. If you lose your job in Norway, you will receive 62% of your previous salary for up to two years† (Pouches', 2009). Kristin Halverson, Narrator's finance minister, states: â€Å"In these days, we see that a strong welfare state, together with free education and healthcare, has acted as a buffer that stabilizes the economy† (Pouches', 2009).Perhaps this is why the Scandinavian entries were affected much less than the United States during the recent recession. I doubt it's because Scandinavia is much less prone to Mandible's concept of';CE†. It is much more likely that in a country like the United States where the welfare state has such strong disapproval, the competitive, â€Å"get ahead at all costs† and â€Å"ke ep up with the Joneses† mentality of the American consumer is at fault. It is the â€Å"do anything, say anything† mentality that people are willing to employ to get what they want when they want it, whether they can afford it or not.

My life In Hong Kong Essay

Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, had said, â€Å"Ang taong hindi marunong tumingin sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa patutunguhan.†[1]   One must always know how to go back to one’s roots.   The essence of one’s life is greatly reflected by the ability to remember the path taken to get to where one is headed.   One’s achievements are also highlighted by the reflections brought about by the environment that shaped one’s own vision and mission in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At this point in my life, where career opportunities are being shot at me from every direction, indecisiveness slowly creeps in to the corners of my mind:   what do I really want to do?   And one answer always keeps coming up:   I want to change the world.   Clichà ©, yes.   Probably impossible as well.   However, all grand actions in this world began with baby steps.   As for me, this research paper is my very own baby step.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite still being undecided as to what the conclusion to my studies would be, as to what career path I would take, as to which country I would serve, this research paper will aid me in whatever ministry I decide to do. This research paper will lay down the path of understanding diverse professional and career opportunities.   If I decide to enter the corporate world and work under its marketing, sales or any other economics-related division, this research paper will bring about a deeper understanding of the economic policies of Hong Kong – why Chinese products and services are more acceptable to Hong Kong companies, rather than those offered by other countries, especially the United States and Great Britain.   If I do decide to enter a career in the academe, this research will pave the way for a deeper understanding of colonization, state freedom, and shifts in political, economic, social and cultural environments. On a personal level, this paper will help me understand immigrants in a deeper sense.   Just like Hong Kong nationals, immigrants experience a change in environment, and the struggle to balance embracing a brand new culture and holding on to age-old traditions passed from generation to generation. Either way, this research paper will not go to waste as it brought me back to the place that gave birth to my being. It’s been a long time since I’ve lived in Hong Kong.   Many times, I forget what it means to be Chinese – choosing a burger over dumplings and noodles, partying in Times Square on the eve of the new year and yet sleeping through the eve of Chinese New Year, not calling my family during holidays or even just to tell them how I am doing.   Living in a foreign country brings about either one of two things: craving to go back home or completely forgetting what home is like.   This research paper made me go through a journey that I was trying to evade – to remember where I came from. It is not easy to do a paper on a place that had been a part of my life.   And yet the perspective brought into the paper is the perspective of a third person – one who is not a Hong Kong local, Chinese national or British citizen.   This research paper on Hong Kong is done by someone from Hong Kong and yet all information and data are taken in a very objective view in order to report an unbiased analysis.   The need to present all sides of the issue is necessary for a better understanding of the conflict being presented in the paper. And this is what distinguishes this research paper from other research papers. [1] â€Å"A person who does not know how to remember where he came from will never get to where he wants to go.†

Adversities in of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

Adversities in of Mice and Men Essay ? SteinbeckIn the novel Of Mice and Men, the problems experienced by the characters are often over looked in favor of the themes of the book. However, by looking at the adversities of all of the characters, one can see the same adversities expressed in our own lives; by examining these said adversities, one can also learn to face such difficulties in the real world and better determine how to handle them. In the novel, Lennie faces difficulty in explaining himself to the rest of the world. Since he is mentally challenged, most people, even George sometimes, underestimated his intelligence and logic skills. In Weed, the ranchers assumed the worst about him and didn’t stop to think of his motives. They chased George and Lennie out of town with a mob of angry ranchers. At the ranch in Soledad, Lennie is given most of the basic tasks. Everyone assumes he cannot do work like a normal ranch hand. And again, after he kills Curly’s wife, everyone, except George and perhaps Slim, assumes he killed her out of pure spite. This lack of interest in his true motives is similar to the lack of interest the world has for our motives for anything. The world focuses more on what we have done than on why we have done it. If one cannot display ones motives or desires, then the world assumes the worst, and often society labels situations in a less than satisfactory manner. George faces a barrier in achieving his dream of owning a ranch of his own. Partially this is his doing, as shown with the wasting of money on cathouses and booze, but there are other factors as well, like the death of Lennie. Also, George seems to abandon any hope in his dream at the end of the novel. In this case, one can see that if ample efforts are not taken in the right direction one cannot achieve his goal to its entirety. Furthermore, the way the workmen take away Candy’s dog is similar to the way the world takes away the joys experienced by some members of the society. Candy’s dog, symbolic of Candy’s life and livelihood, was more important to him than some of the other ranch hands. Carlson, the representative of the world, took Candy’s dog from him and killed it, just as the world will sometimes take what we hold most dear. One can learn from this to hold on to what is most important to them. One should never let the world dictate how to make decisions on how to live life. In conclusion, the problems of the characters in Of Mice and Men are very similar to the problems in the real world. In the novel, however, the difficulties are more apparent than in the world. By applying the experiences of the characters to one’s own life, one can learn how to better himself for his own benefit. Adversities in of Mice and Men. (2018, Nov 10).