The Myth of Sisyphus :: Myths Greek Essays

The Myth of Sisyphus The gods had condemned Sisyphus to ceaselessly rolling a rock to the top of a mountain, whence the stone would fall back of its own weight. They had thought with some reason that there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor. If one believes Homer, Sisyphus was the wisest and most prudent of mortals. According to another tradition, however, he was disposed to practice the profession of highwayman. I see no contradiction in this. Opinions differ as to the reasons why he became the futile laborer of the underworld. To begin with, he is accused of a certain levity in regard to the gods. He stole their secrets. Aegina, the daughter of Aesopus, was carried off by Jupiter. The father was shocked by that disappearance and complained to Sisyphus. He, who knew of the abduction, offered to tell about it on condition that Aesopus would give water to the citadel of Corinth. To the celestial thunderbolts he preferred the benediction of water. He was punished for this in the underworld. Homer tells us also that Sisyphus had put Death in chains. Pluto could not endure the sight of his deserted, silent empire. He dispatched the god of war, who liberated Death from the hands of the conqueror. It is said also that Sisyphus, being near to death, rashly wanted to test his wife's love. He ordered her to cast his unburied body into the middle of the public square. Sisyphus woke up in the underworld. And there, annoyed by an obedience so contrary to human love, he obtained from Pluto permission to return to earth in order to chastise his wife. But when he had seen again the face of this world, enjoyed water and sun, warm stones and the sea, he no longer wanted to go back to the infernal darkness. Recalls, signs of anger, warnings were of no avail. Many years more he lived facing the curve of the gulf, the sparkling sea, and the smiles of the earth. A decree of the gods was necessary. Mercury came and seized the impudent man by the collar and, snatching him from his joys, led him forcibly back to the underworld, where his rock was ready for him. You have already grasped that Sisyphus is the aburd hero. He is,as much through his passions as through his torture. His scorn of the gods, his hatred of death, and his passion for life won him that unspeakable penalty in which the whole being is exerted toward accomplishing nothing.

Ode on a Grecian Urn Essay

In the poem â€Å"Ode on a Grecian Urn,† Keats took inspiration from a visit to a museum exhibiting artifacts, one of which is an urn with figures on its surface. The urn depicts scenes taken from ancient Greek life. Intrigued by the Urn’s beauty and the figures depicted on its sides, Keats was moved to write a poem expressing wonder, admiration, questions and criticisms. Without knowing who these figures are, what they are meant to reflect and to what purpose were they made for, the poet revels in the mystery they represent. The Ode’s first stanza is filled with wonder and questions; the last stanza has none. Being a piece of art, the urn can speak to its viewers in whatever way it chooses to communicate. In the first stanza of the poem, the writer addresses an ancient urn and reflects on its beauty and what story it can tell. He calls the urn a â€Å"historian† possessing secret knowledge. The writer looks at one group of pictures that seem to be of men pursuing women. He wonders if it was a pursuit among lovers, a struggle between sexes, or a playful episode among the young on a beautiful day. In the next stanza, the poet focuses on another figure on the vase. This time, it portrays a man with his lover, both lying beneath a tree while he plays his pipe. The writer declares that the pipe’s silent music is sweeter than a mortal’s music because the former lives through time. While the man and woman cannot kiss because they are frozen in time, they should not despair because their beauty and youth will forever remain. In one stanza, the poet is able to present two contrasting realities. One is that of unfilled longing through eternity, while the other speaks of unfading glory. The ode’s third stanza reflects the poet’s general feeling of happiness for the things he observed about the couple described in the previous stanza, as well as the trees surrounding them. The poet is glad for the trees’ leaves, which will forever be green and remain attached to the branches. The poet is also happy that the man with the pipe will have his songs forever new. He is also happy that the lovers’ love will last until eternity. Here, the poet laments that mortal love is just the passing of passion. By the time it passes, which it eventually will, there is nothing left. In the fourth stanza of the Ode, the poet turns to examine another picture. This time, it represents villagers leading a young cow, which seems to be a sacrificial offering. He imagines where they have come from and where they are headed for. The poet visualizes empty streets because the citizens have all left to witness the sacrifice. And the streets will forever remain empty for those who have left the town are frozen on their way to the sacrificial place. For the fifth and final stanza, the poet goes back to addressing the urn. He tells the ornamental vase that while it lives and remain forever, the poet’s generation would have long passed. He ends it with the famous quote that equates beauty with truth. By doing this, the author seems to criticize and admire the urn at the same time. While the poet thinks the urn beautiful, he thinks that that is the only thing it will ever possess. This is the same manner of admiration and criticisms that the poet has vested on the characters found on the urn.

Eco Economy Week

Our current economy ND civilization is unstable. The CA emissions, reproduction rates, and food production is alarming. In the lecture it stated that â€Å"estimates are that global demand is now 30% higher than that which is sustainable. † That means we are short food, and it is not looking good for the future. We are unable to produce food quickly, the temperatures are rising, and people are still uneducated about how the things they are doing impact our future. I think in times like these it would only take a small trigger to push people over the edge, which could impact civilization as we know it. ) How feasible Is It to change from â€Å"business as usual† to a more sustainable CEO- economy? How long will this process take? It Is feasible to change the way we do things. How long It takes will be determined by how quickly we can get everybody on board. We can accomplish the four mall things listed In Plan B in regard to securing civilization. To reduce CA emissions, stabilize population growth, reducing poverty and restore the earth's natural systems, it is going to take every individual and every group of people to see it through.A lot of things like changing driving habits, coming p with alternate transportation, recycling, spending money wisely, and being responsible about having children are things we need to do on a personal level, and should be backed up by our governments. In today's world where money rules everything around us, It owns our politicians, and decides what laws are passed, we need to ensure that the decisions that need to be made In our best interest, and not in the best Interest of those who have the most. If we can manage that I think the change will be very feasible. ) What Is meant by the Indirect costs of goods and arrives? What are the consequences of not Including these In the market price? The indirect cost of goods and services is everything that goes into a product or service that does not cost money. This includ es damage to the environment that cannot be restored. The lecture stated that we are using the Earth's resources to meet our demands instead of living off its interest. We are doing a lot of harm to the Earth, and not replenishing it which will end up hurting us in the end. 5) What changes can you make as an individual to help turn things around?I try to implement CEO-friendly ideals, but it is hard to stay at it because it is tiring and too much work. Every day a new study that shows you should not do something you have been doing for years, and it is tiring to keep up with. When the study about how harmful plastic bottles, everything comes In plastic now though. In my workplace we buy high efficiency light bulbs, recycle everything Imaginable, drive CEO-friendly cars, and support local greenhouses. My personal finances are not the same. I try to do most of that, but my and I try to teach my children to do the same.

How to Define Project Success

How to Define Project Success Introduction Projects pose new opportunities and new challenges that are defined by their peculiarities. Projects as a phenomenon could be described by the following words: â€Å"limited, temporary, innovative, unique, and multidisciplinary† (Ika, 2009, p. 6). It is not surprising that a whole branch of management is nowadays devoted to this phenomenon. One of the related aspects that remain unsolved is that of project success and its assessment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to Define Project Success? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the dawn of the project management, it was common to define the success with the help of the â€Å"iron triangle† which consists of time, quality, and costs. However, as the scientific and empirical material accumulated, it became evident that these three characteristics, important as they may be, are not enough, and the perspectives from which a project can be as sessed are extremely numerous (Ika, 2009). Apart from that, some factors of project success can be described as â€Å"implicit†, vague (such as, for example, customer’s satisfaction), and they are particularly difficult to assess (Ika, 2009). As a result, the question of defining projects success remains open. According to Welch-Devine (2012), one of the main problems that prevent scientists from creating valid guidelines for project evaluation is the absence of a clear, consistent definition of success in general. The author proceeds to point out that most works attempting to define success remain vague. Ika (2009) describes similar difficulties and, in fact, proceeds to explain the reasons due to which success as a notion is so challenging to define. At the same time, this problem does not appear to prevent researchers from attempting to suggest frameworks of project success assessment. In fact, recognizing the opinion that the notion of projects success leaves room for interpretation seems to be beneficial for studies: it encourages researchers to take into account a bigger scope of situations. The position of Welch-Devine (2012) is understandable since the vagueness of terms is not appreciated by science, and project success could certainly be defined as a term. However, it should be admitted that the multidimensional, complex nature of the notion makes it especially difficult to provide a valid definition of success (Ika, 2009). At the same time, defining success for particular projects seems to be a more manageable task. Definitely, the results of any project need to be studied from numerous points of view, but the scope of issues that is embraced by the general notion of success is much more extensive and much less assessable. It could be therefore concluded that defining the process of project success measurement may turn out to be more manageable and important than defining the notion of project success in general.Advertising Loo king for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Points to Be Criticized According to Ika (2009), it is not uncommon for project management researchers to assume that the meaning of the notion of success is obvious (p. 6). This means that the problem of its definition is simply ignored. Alternatively, it may be solved by bringing in the notion of failure, which appears to be just as vague and relative as that of success (Ika, 2009). At the same time, it should be pointed out that in the context of project management both the ideas of success and failure are not always sufficient to describe the projects outcome. This happens due to the fact that the success of a project should be regarded from different perspectives (Ika, 2009). The examples for this point of view will be provided further in the paper. Therefore, it is useless to deny that the notion of success is not defined and stays vague the time being. It is also understandable that vagueness is not scientifically appreciated. However, it should also be pointed out that the notion of success is not the only vague term that is used in scientific studies. The attempts at defining the concept are definitely worth attention. At the same time, the attempts at creating a framework for the assessment of the success of particular project can turn out to be just as useful, especially right now, when the general phenomenon is not completely defined. To prove that the studies of the process of project success assessment are just as challenging and important as those of the generalized notion of success, we are going to dwell on the relativity of the issue and the interrelation of the concepts of success and failure. Project Success Definition While the generalized notion of success is indeed extremely broad, the assessment of every project success cannot be limited to the iron triangle as well. Instead, it is a complicated issue that requires extensive research. The Relativity of Failure and Success One of the factors that complicate the process of defining any projects success is the fact that it should be regarded from different perspectives. It is obvious that the various groups of stakeholders have different aims, and the research by Davis (2014) provides a consistent illustration to this fact. According to this research, a project manager is first and foremost interested in the costs of the project, and only then in the quality, while it is of primary concern for the customer. Apart from that, according to the study, the levels of quality which can satisfy the managers do not necessary coincide with those expected by the customer. Besides, while the mentioned factors are the most important for the selected groups of stakeholders, they are not the only ones that matter.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to Define Project Success? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, recent studies have underlined the importance of social and ecological outcomes which corresponds to the modern environmentalist trends and should be respected by a responsible company (Welch-Devine, 2012).  Apart from that, it could be useful to mention the difference between project management success and that of the project itself. Definitely, the two notions are interrelated, but the success of either does not immediately depend on or trigger the success of the other one (Bryde, 2003).  Still, the success of project management is, in my opinion, one of the components of the overall projects success that needs to be taken into account.  In order to provide the examples for this paper, Toyota Camry project is going to be described. Even though in 2008 Toyota officially left General Motors behind, becoming the largest car company in the world, that very year the company recalled more than 4 million vehicles. In 2010, another 2.3 million c ars were recalled, and the company admitted being in a crisis caused by the poor quality of its products (Andrews, Simon, Tian, Zhao, 2011). Technically, this crisis was caused by the mismanagement of a number of failed projects, for example, that of Toyota Camry, one of the models that were massively recalled because of acceleration problems. The first reports about these problems appeared in 1999, but the company denied being responsible for it. From the point of view of managers, at the time the project was a success: it was successfully carried out in accordance with the new cost-saving program (due to which the quality of the constituents was not exactly satisfying) and was being sold, bringing profit to the company (Andrews et al., 2011). However, such a project assessment was valid only in the short-time perspective.  From the point of view of the customers, a car with accelerating problems is a failure. Moreover, given the dangers connected to this particular kind of diff iculties, it is evident that the trust of the customers was reducing, and the reputation of the company was getting damaged. Later, Toyota further decreased customers satisfaction through a remarkably incompetent crisis management strategy. It appears, that the company refused to realize that while the success of a project can be assessed from the point of view of its management, other stages of a products life must also be taken into account. The Interrelation of Failure and Success While some of the aspects of the interrelation of failure and success have been mentioned in the previous section, there is more to be said in this respect.Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The big picture. Taking into account the big picture does not presuppose an unjustified broadening of the studies limits. It is obvious that the contribution of the project to the companys development is an important part of its success. The problem of Camry car project was neglected by Toyota for more than seven years mostly due to the fact that the companys success made its managers overly optimistic (Andrews et al., 2011). The company is still recovering from the damage dealt to its reputation, partially because it failed to assess the level of successfulness of their products and compare the worrisome tendency to the big picture in a proper way. A consolation prize: learning the lesson. Still, as we know, Toyota Camry has not disappeared from the market, and nor did other projects that proved to be unsuccessful from the point of view of the 2007 recall. Having learned its mistakes, Toyota pays more attention to the quality of its products and to the customers satisfaction. It ca n be proved by the fact that last year Toyota recalled more than 6.5 m cars worldwide (Rankin, 2014, para. 2). Even though this does not sound like success, it should be pointed out that the vehicles were recalled because of the problems that have been detected by the company but that had not led to any kind of trouble. To compare, General Motors also has to recall a number of cars, but this companys negligence has allegedly caused 13 deaths (Rankin, 2014, para. 14). Toyota has obviously learned the lessons of its failures and implements the new knowledge for new projects. It should be pointed out that the analysis of a project success is particularly important from the point of view of gaining experience. Scientific Guidelines All the information presented above proves the fact that the notion of project success is an extremely relative and complex issue. At the same time, it does not mean that a projects success cannot be measured. Quite the oppose: a projects success can and shou ld be measured; it is the notion of success as a whole that does not necessarily require a static definition in the context of a particular case study. Such an approach could cause difficulties and vagueness which is never appreciated in the scientific circles. However, it does not prevent researchers from finding generalized and universal frameworks for project success. For example, Todorović, Petrović, Mihić, Obradović, and Bushuyev (2015) suggest a framework that instructs a manager to take into account the key performance indicators that â€Å"represent a set of measurable data used for evaluating and measuring performances in implementation phase† (p. 774). While the authors do provide the examples of such factors, they do not attempt to enumerate them or to define the level of success for them. The resulting framework is not vague; it is schematic indeed, but it offers a structure of assessment for almost any kind of project. Being very flexible, it prov ides guidelines without constricting the researcher and encourages open-minded thinking. Conclusion Upon criticizing certain tendencies in project success assessment, the following points have been presented in this paper.  While the attempts at defining the notion of success have been made throughout the past decades, it appears that this problem has not been solved yet. Technically, the dichotomy of failure and success may be not a suitable framework for the assessment of a projects results. The assessment of every projects success is a complex process that is supposed to incorporate the investigation of its results perceived from numerous perspectives.  This does not mean that the success of a project cannot or should not be assessed. Quite the opposite: a consistent analysis of a projects success can provide the company with invaluable experience. It is obvious that if an existing framework is suitable for any particular case analysis, it should be used. Still, an analysis m ust not be limited to the usual guidelines. In case a company desires to learn and develop, its managers need to be open-minded about everything, including the assessment of project successfulness. References Andrews, A., Simon, J., Tian, F., Zhao, J. (2011). The Toyota Crisis: an Economic, Operational and Strategic Analysis of the Massive Recall. Management Research Review, 34(10), 1064-1077. doi:10.1108/01409171111171474 Bryde, D. (2003). Modelling Project Management Performance. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 20(2), 229-254. doi:10.1108/02656710310456635 Davis, K. (2014). Different Stakeholder Groups and Their Perceptions of Project Success. International Journal of Project Management, 32(2), 189-201. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2013.02.006 Ika, L. (2009). Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal, 40(4), 6-19. doi:10.1002/pmj.20137 Rankin, J. (2014, April 9). Toyota Recalls More Than 6.5m Cars over Steering an d Seat Problems. The Guardian. Web. Todorović, M., Petrović, D., Mihić, M., Obradović, V., Bushuyev, S. (2015). Project Success Analysis Framework: a Knowledge-Based Approach in Project Management. International Journal of Project Management, 33(4), 772-783. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2014.10.009 Welch-Devine, M. (2012). Searching for Success: Defining Success in Co-Management. Human Organization, 71(4), 358-370. doi:10.17730/humo.71.4.y048347510304870

Chemistry Abbreviations Starting With the Letter M

Chemistry Abbreviations Starting With the Letter M Chemistry abbreviations and acronyms are common in all fields of science. This collection offers common abbreviations and acronyms beginning with the letter M used in chemistry and chemical engineering. Abbreviations Starting With M M - concentration (Molarity)m - massM - Megam - meterM - Methylm - milliM - MolarM - MoleculeM3/H - Cubic Meters per HourmA - milliampereMAC - Mobile Analytical ChemicalMADG - Moisture Activated Dry GranulationMAM - Methyl Azoxy MethanolMASER - Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of RadiationMAX - MAXimummbar - millibarMBBA - N-(4-MethoxyBenzylidene)-4-ButylAnilineMC - MethylCelluloseMCA - Multi Channel AnalyzerMCL - Maximum Contaminant LevelMCR - MultiComponent ReactionMCT - Medium Chain TriglycerideMCT - MonoCarboxylate TransporterMd - MendeleviumMDA - MethyleneDiAnilineMDCM - Mechanistically Defined Chemical MixturesMDI - Methylene Diphenyl diIsocyanateMDMA - MethyleneDioxy-MethylAmphetamineMDQ - Minimum Daily Quantityme - mass of an electronME - Materials EngineeringME - MEthyl groupMEE - Minimum Explosive EnergyMEG - MonoEthylene GlycolMEL - MethylEthylLeadMES - MethylEthylSulfateMeV - Million electronVolt or MegaelectronVoltMF - Methyl FormateMF - Micro FiberMFG - Mo lecular Frequency GeneratorMFP - Maximum Freezing PointMFP - Molecular Free PathMFP - MonoFluoroPhosphateMg - Magnesiummg - milligramMGA - Modular Gas AnalyserMH - Metal HalideMH - Methyl HydroxideMHz - MegaHertzMIBK - MethylIsoButylKetoneMIDAS - Molecular Interactions Dynamics And SimulationsMIG - Metal Inert GasMIN - MINimummin - minutesMIT - MethylIsoThiazolinoneMKS - Meter-Kilogram-SecondMKSA - Meter-Kilogram-Second-AmperemL or ml - milliliterML - Mono Layermm - millimeterMM - Molar massmmHg - millimeters of mercuryMn - ManganeseMNT - Molecular NanoTechnologyMO - Molecular OrbitalMo - MolybdenumMOAH - Mineral Oil Aromatic HydrocarbonMOH - Measurement of Hardnessmol - moleMOL - moleculeMP - Melting pointMP - Metal ParticulateMPD - 2-Methyl-2,4-PentaneDiolMPD - m-PhenyleneDiamineMPH - Miles Per HourMPS - Meters Per SecondMr - Relative Molecular massMRT - Mean Radiant TemperatureMS - Mass Spectrometryms - millisecondMSDS - Material Safety Data SheetMSG - MonoSodium GlutamateMt - Me itneriumMTBE - Methyl Tert-butyl EtherMW - MegaWattmW - MilliWattMW - Molecular WeightMWCNT - Multi-Walled Carbon NanoTubeMWCO - Molecular Weight CutOffMWM - Molecular Weight Marker

Chiang Kai-Shek Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Chiang Kai-Shek Leadership - Research Paper Example Chiang Kai-shek passed on in 1975, after living for 88 years. For two decades, Chiang Kai-shek served as the Chinese head of state on the Chinese mainland until 1950 when he served as the president of the Republic of China in Taiwan. He was born on October 30, 1887, in a place known as Chi-Kou, Chiekang. His father was a salt merchant who died in 1886, leaving the burden of Chiang’s upbringing solely to his mother, who was his third wife. In 1905, Chiang Kai-shek went to Ningpo in pursuit of education where he decided to venture into a military career. The following year, Chiang Kai-shek traveled to Tokyo but failed to qualify for military training. This was when he decided to go back to Tokyo, where he studied at the Paoting Military Academy, after which he furthered his education at the Shikan Gakko Military Academy, in Tokyo. Kai-shek was a very close ally to fellow Chekiangese Ch’en Chi-mei, who sponsored Chiang’s entry into the controversial Sun Yat-Sen†™s revolutionary party T’ung-Meng Hui. Chiang returned to Shanghai when a revolution broke out on the 10th of October 1911, in Wuhan. Cheng returned to fight against their adversaries under Ch’en. A sequence of triumphs by the Ch’en, as well as other revolutionists in the Yangtze Valley, set the ball rolling for the installation of Sun Yat-sen as the official provisional ruler of the Chinese Republic. In 1913, there was yet another bungled second revolution in which both Chiang Kai-shek and Ch’en Ch’i-mei also fought.

Civil society and religious figures in Saudi Arabia Literature review

Civil society and religious figures in Saudi Arabia - Literature review Example The conference report stated that in Saudi Arabia, â€Å"all non-governmental organizations are controlled by the state in a way or another, and they do not have their full independence† (p. 3). According to the report, many official authorities supervise CSOs and interfere in the elections of their board of directors; they also oversee the audit and financial accounts of these organizations. 2-4 Nature of civil society, what is it, its history, how did it affect western policy when it was first applied, what changes occurred in the west. Definition and nature of civil society There are several forms of democracy that involve varying levels of citizenship participation. What distinguishes civil society is its role as channel for deliberation, which is essentially different from voting and negotiation. Voting is the mere aggregation of preferences, and negotiation or bargaining involves voluntary coordination across different groups; these are essentially procedural, however, a nd reflect opinions already arrived at and distributions of power already established (Heller, 2013, 1). Deliberation, on the other hand, is â€Å"decision making by discussion among free and equal citizens (Elster 1998, 1 in Heller, 2013, 1). By deliberating, citizens and civil society organisations debate the issues before preferences can be solidified, thus act to inform and evaluate prior to taking positions on any side of the debate, making it a better alternative than voting. Also, deliberation allows participants to adjust their preferences by introducing new information, contexts, conceptualisations and understanding into what is essentially the decision-making process and creates a better coordination process than bargaining. History and development of civil society â€Å"Civil society† as a term originated during the times of the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, although in these contexts the phrase was associated more with the state. The term was however disc ontinued from usage in the mid-1800s because of the shift in the attention of political philosophers to the repercussions and implications of the industrial revolution. In post-World War II, Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci revived the term to mean the society of citizens as the core of autonomous political activity, specifically in rebellion against tyranny. All these notwithstanding, civil society gained a new meaning in the 1990s when the term again resurfaced as globalisation spread throughout the various nations (Carothers, 1999, 19). Effects of civil society on western policy Heller (2013) views civil society as a reaction of grassroots elements to the growing tide of globalisation and marginalisation of representative democracy and bureaucratic organisation, which the author describes as having suffered in terms of legitimacy and effectiveness. There have generally been two responses to this development. First is the push towards â€Å"good governance† whereby the stat e and institutions such as the market are made self-regulating and thus insulated against politics. Under this situation, however, the voice of the people – a.k.a. democracy – is reduced to the ballot every election period, and nothing more. Another response, which the author views as a better alternat