Alexander and Diogenes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alexander and Diogenes - Essay Example Alexander was greeted by everyone when he met Diogenes, except Diogenes himself, who spoke to Alexander rudely when the former asked the latter if he could do anything for him. Highet (10) writes that Diogenese said, â€Å"Stand to one side. You’re blocking the sunlight†. Although the crowd awaited Alexander’s reaction to this rude remark, they were amazed to hear him say that he preferred being Diogenes if he were not Alexander. â€Å"If I were not Alexander, I should be Diogenes† (Highet 10). This meant that he considered Diogenes as a free person, unafraid and bold, not thinking about what effect his saying would have on the listener. He, sort of, saw his own image in the beggar’s style and pride. He came to know that, on earth, it was either Alexander, the King, or Diogenes, the beggar, who were free and independent in their choice of speech and action. Highet made this historical story even more compelling, by giving it the form of an essay. The message that can be extracted through this is that the real human being is one who is bold enough to use his free will. When we say that a person is free, we mean that he lives by his own value system, which is so strong that he is not afraid of whether the people around him approve of or disapprove his speech and actions. The main theme is about simplicity. One must not get indulge in the complexities of life. Simplicity is what makes life beautiful, and also makes one understand his true self, because it is in simplicity that one collides with nature and recognizes his worth. â€Å"He knew that of all men then alive in the world only Alexander the conqueror and Diogenes the beggar were truly free† (Highet, 10), means that even Kings realize the importance of those people whom they consider as inferior, just because of strong values and confidence. It also means that even beggars a re considered as inspirational, if they are free and

Railway Development in Hong Kong Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Railway Development in Hong Kong - Essay Example As the essay declares Hong Kong is a unique urban area with exceedingly high densities and strong commercial core. It cannot rely on automobiles to the same extent as other cities. Thus Hong Kong is the most favorable environment in the world for urban rail. The key to keeping Hong Kong moving will be to provide mobility alternatives that can make extensive automobile use unnecessary. This paper stresses that railways play a central role in the new transport strategy as they serve as efficient and environmentally friendly mass carriers. The location of employment centres within walking distance of rail stations ensures the usage of railways making the reliance on road-based transport minimal. The Government’s policy is to accord priority to railways so that they will form the backbone of a balanced transport system for Hong Kong. The other reasons put forward to the Provisional Legislative Council to request funding for the development of railway infrastructure are the population increase by 8.2 million in 2016, the need to access new areas, the need to redefine cross-boundary passenger and freight rail services. All the reasons can be summed up into one: the rapid changes in the Hong Kong environment in the last three years with the fundamental change being the reverting of Hong Kong to China in 1997. These changes urged the Government to formulate the fir st Railway Development Strategy in 1994.

Advertisements Information Or Manipulation Media Essay

Advertisements Information Or Manipulation Media Essay These are some of the common advertisements that we can see and hear in our everyday life. Advertisement according to oxforddictionaries.com means that a notice or announcement in a public medium promoting a product, service, or event or publicizing a job vacancy. Advertisements are everywhere around us. Whether we noticed it or not, it has been long existed. In fact in Egyptian time, they used papyrus to make sales messages and wall posters to attract the consumers. With todays advancement of the media, the numbers of magazines increasing, newspapers, TVs and radio stations, people are bombarded with thousands of advertising daily. Advertising is in fact important because it creates awareness to the consumers about products that are available in the market. With the presence of the advertisement, it helps to increase the demand for a certain products. It also let the consumer to choose from a number of products available in the market. But does all these advertisement really give the information to the consumers or just plain tactics to manipulate us to buy or use the services? A lot of the advertisements nowadays are actually manipulating us rather than giving us the real information. The advertisers are in fact intelligent people. They know that normal advertisements that only contain facts are plain boring and seem dull. Therefore they created fantasies to make the advertisement look more appealing. We can clearly see that most advertisement created used our desire, such as sports, sexy women and superstars so that we become attracted and intend to purchase them. As an example this one commercial about a deodorant, AXE, that being use by this man. After he uses it, he is able to attract hot and sexy women towards him. People are being trick by such advertisement and they started to buy these products. After they put it on, they feel as they are the same as in the commercial. This clearly shows that they are playing with our emotions. Think wisely why they use such act. Does this have connections with the quality of the product they release to the market? We consumers should be more cautious to the method used in order to prevent us from being manipulated by the advertisers. Be alert that the advertisers worldwide are succeeding in making people change their lifestyle. In this case, they know that popular artist can play their role in making people especially their fans to follow their way. For example popular artist from Japan, Gazette. Their appearances: clothes that they are wearing and their hairstyle, are so cool that many fan decided to follow their style. By using such influence, most people dont mind in spending their money just to be same as their idol. Doing this kind of advertisements is in fact quite expensive. However, they are prepared to spend a lot of money in the advertising so that they can sell their products. It has been estimated that the price of a product may go up over to 40% due to advertisement costs. Still, due to the success of manipulating the consumers, the advertisers get a lot of money. As an example, according to Welt-Online, they reported that the US pharmaceutical industry spent almost double the amount on advertising ( 57.7 billion dollars) than it did on research (31.5 billion dollars). Yet few consumers noticed that they are the ones paying for every cent the US pharmaceutical spent for public relations, advertisements, rebates, packaging since they ordinarily get included in the price calculation. In the end the consumers will pay more to them while the advertisers gain more profits. Another interesting fact is that they also know how to attract people according their age group. In one case, they try to persuade a group of age between below 8 years old. According to American Psychological Association, they found out that young children are unable to understand and interpret televised advertising messages wisely and thus are likely to consider commercials as truthful, accurate and unbiased. This can lead to many problems like unhealthy eating habits as evidenced by todays youth obesity epidemic. The young children also being targeted as they can also persuade their parents to buy the things that they are being attracted to like toys, sweets and ice cream. One successful commercial like the car models from Hot Wheels where they had successfully sell thousands of their toys. As the children are unable to think wisely it is more likely easier to manipulate them by putting more of what they desire in the advertisement rather than supplying information. On one research , it is found that advertisers had spent more than $12 billion a year on messages aimed at the youth market. The average child watches more than 40,000 television commercials a year. This clearly shows just how they are willing to spend money in order manipulate the consumers rather than giving them much more useful information. The young ones are also not the only one being targeted by the advertisers. Todays adolescences are also being seduced by them. Most male adolescence love sports especially football. The advertisers take this chance by using the football stars in their commercial to market their product. It is likely of us nowadays to follow our idol way. No wonder some brands become top in their games as they are able to increase their selling products and gain more profit. One example of one popular brand company, Nike, where they hired Lebron James, a professional NBA player to be one of their ambassadors. The female adolescences also being manipulate by the advertisement. Not being biased but the female is most likely easy to be trick by certain advertisement. Just see how many women are willing to spend their money and time just for shopping. Younger women especially in Malaysia nowadays are attracted and had followed the Japanese style which also known as the Harajuku style that have been started by some of the popular artist like Ayumi Hamasaki and Kumi Koda.It is likely of them to answer like this: Well, this is the latest trend for the season. They buy things like clothes that are being considered popular for the season. Rather than What should I wear today? it has become What trend must I wear for today?. Not only just clothing, even other things like hairstyle, shoes and even skin color are being considered. It makes us set our mind that it is more important to look good rather than the real purpose of wearing clothes. This proves that advertisement manipulate rather than giving information. The advertisers also use tactics like the linking of sporting heroes and smoking through sports sponsorship, the use of cigarettes by popular characters in television programs and cigarette promotions. Like what is happening in India, as the actors smoke, the viewer intend to do the same thing as they feel it is macho to smoke. People rarely think deeply on the effect that might be faced by them on long term side as they think only for short time. Same thing goes to other products like alcohol drinks. The consumption of alcohol is being glamorized and shown without consequences in advertisements, music, magazines, television programs and even in movies. With the media overwhelmed by these kind of advertisements, no wonder more people especially the youngster below aged drink, even though the fact that alcohol bring harmful to the human body. Not all advertisement told the truth. Some of it sometimes hides the real information or facts that are supposed to be told to the consumers. In fact they are just sweet talk so that people will be attracted to what they offer. For example advertisement about shampoo that can make the hair smooth and straight. As nowadays people are eager to have such hair, they are easily influence by these kind of commercial and purchase the product without knowing the fact whether it really do make the hair to be as what they desire for or just bluffing. On top of hiding the real information they also send a blurry fact to the consumers. Just like a fog or mist that we encounter in the early morning, we cant see clearly of what we are facing in front of us. We are not sure whether it is safe or danger in front of us. This implies just the same as the blurry advertisement. It may be good for us and it may be the opposite. In summary, advertisement do contain both information and at the same time trying to manipulate the consumers. However based on the points given earlier, it clearly shows that most advertisement are actually manipulating the consumer rather than giving them full information on certain things. To prevent this from happening, the government should regulate on which advertisements are appropriate to be shown in the mass media so that less consumers are being trick by these kind of advertisement. Still, it is up to the consumers to be alert on what is happening so that they would be cheated easily by some advertisements. Work Cited: Advertising, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising [retrieved 7 September] Criticism of Advertising, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_advertising [retrieved 9 September] ADVERTISING: Information or Manipulation? http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2010/05/advertising-information-or-manipulation/ [retrieved 9 September] Information or Manipulation? Regulators Urged to Further Limit Ads Aimed at Children http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A659-2004Feb23.html [retrieved 12 September] ADVERTISEMENTS:Manipulation of innocent people http://isariamwende.blogspot.com/2005/05/advertisements-manipulation-of.html [retrieved 14 September] Power of advertising http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2010/4/13/lifefocus/6018920sec=lifefocus [retrieved 14 September]

Automated Sorting and Organizing Systems :: Robotics

Background Research Sorting and Organizing Since the birth of civilization, organization has played an essential role in all aspects of life. The seven wonders of the ancient world could not have been built without extensive organization. The Egyptians made an impressive use of organization when they built the Great Pyramids. They had to organize their workers into different groups, each doing a different job. The architects also had to sort the bricks in order to build the pyramids. They sorted the bricks depending upon size and shape in order to reduce the amount of work they had to do shaping the bricks.1 This effectiveness of sorting can be seen today in the modern world. In recent times, sorting systems are automated requiring little human involvement. One company that uses sorting to make its company run faster and more efficient is DHL in Belgium. They have put into practice an automated sorting system called Verastream.2 Verastream can do the whole process of sorting, including weighing, measuring, and shipping without much human interference. Another company named Compac has an extensive sorting system that sorts produce by weight, color, blemish, shape, and density. Compac’s color sorting system uses an InVision 5000 Color and Demension System to sort its produce. This machine can distinguish between up to sixteen user-defined colors. In addition, it can choose the average color of the type of produce. After determining the 1 â€Å"Seven Wonders of the World - Pyramids of Egypt† 2 â€Å"Verastream Helps Automate Package Sorting for DHL† color of the produce passing through the machine, the produce can then be sent down the correct path.3 Compac’s color sorting system is similar to the soda sorting system. The soda sorting system uses a light sensor to sort the soda by color. When the consumer makes a choice of soda by clicking the corresponding button, the light sensor will look for the color of the corresponding soda. Once the light sensor acquires the correct soda, it will then send the information to another RCX. The other RCX will then find the correct type of soda, pick it up, and transport the selected soda to a soda can opener. The major advantage of the sorting machine compared to industrial sorting machines is that the robot sorter is much smaller. It is small enough to fit into a cabinet. Also this product allows an average person to have a remotely operated way of choosing a type of soda and bringing it to him or her. This is useful because a person may not want or be able to get up and get a soda for him or herself without missing part of his or her

Othello Paper: the Effects of Jealousy Essay

Jealousy is a common emotion that everyone shares at one point in life. At most times it is when a person is most vulnerable and insecure that he loses faith in the things he once felt so certain about. Othello, being of a different race, is a man who fights for all he has ever had in life including the marriage to the senator’s daughter Desdemona, who is not a suitable match for a man like him. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, Shakespeare cleverly demonstrates how a man with great honor and respect is driven to insanity by the big green monster of jealousy. Othello is a strong, confident, and trustworthy man who tragically falls from grace due to the idea of Desdemona’s infidelity to another man which ultimately drives him and his loved ones to their graves. In the beginning, Othello shows he is a very intelligent and a well put together man who struggles his whole life to prove that he is better than the stereotype of a colored man. Triumphant in proving his worth, he is able to win over the woman he loves, Desdemona, making her his new wife. His devotion to Desdemona is relevant in depicting how much trust and love he feels for her. An instance of Othello’s affection towards his wife is as follows, It gives me wonder great as my content/ To see you here before me. O my soul’s joy!†¦ / If it were now to die, /‘Twere now to be most happy, for I fear /My soul hath her soul so content so absolute/ That not another comfort like to this succeeds in unknown fate. (Shakespeare, Othello 2. 1. 199-200,205-209). Othello’s words explain his overwhelming happiness for his new wife and that if he were to die tomorrow he would be perfectly content for he will never be as overjoyed as he is in that instant. As the Play progresses Iago, Othello’s â€Å"trustworthy friend† schemes a plan that will ruin Othello’s trust for Desdemona hoping to break him and blind him from reality. However, when hearing Iago’s tale of Desdemona’s unfaithful relations to the Lieutenant, Cassio, he is Skeptical and needs further convincing, he states, Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw /The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt, / For she had eyes and chose me. No, Iago, /I’ll see before I doubt, when I doubt, prove, / And on the proof there is no more but this: / Away at once with love or jealousy! Shakespeare, Othello3. 3. 192-197). Othello’s words clearly show his faith in Desdemona’s love for him, however In the back of his mind he starts to question whether the truthful Iago is right, he thinks aloud, (Aside) Why did I marry? This honest Creature/doubtless/Sees and knows more, much more than he/unfolds. (Shakespeare, Othello 3. 3. 248-251). This quote makes obvious that the seed of jealousy has been planted, and as it starts to grow, the mind of the once sensible Othello will turn foolish leading to catastrophe. Othello’s mind starts to deceive him composing visions of Desdemona’s acts of disloyalty, resulting in outrage and irrational reflection; he starts to downward spiral down the road of no return. Once witnessing the prized handkerchief that belonged to Othello, and given to Desdemona as a gift in the hands of Cassio, Othello becomes livid and is certain the accusations against Desdemona hold true. He confides in Iago saying, Oh, that the slave had forty thousand lives! One is too poor, too weak for my revenge. /Now do I see ’tis true. Look here, Iago, /All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven. / ‘Tis gone. / Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell! /Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne/ To tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with thy fraught,/ For ’tis of aspics’ tongues! (Shakespeare, Othello 3. 3. 452-460). From the dialogue above it shows that Othello no longer holds the fire of love within him and that his heart is running cold with hatred and revenge.

Belonging Related Texts Essay

What do you think the most powerful influences that impact on an individual’s sense of belonging? * Strictly Ballroom by Baz Lurhmann * The Red Tree by Shaun Tan * Who you are by Jessie J You will almost always find where you belong if you search for it. So ultimately a sense of belonging comes down to perception. This starts from places and/ or relationships, which potentially alter your understanding or you and the world around you, so you can accept the person you are and your individual identity by creating this sense of belonging. In strictly ballroom by Baz Lurhmann, The Red Tree by Shaun Tan and who you are by Jessie J the composers use a wide range of techniques to convey the ideas belonging through forcible authority, challenging authority and alienation. These are illustrated through the concept of belonging to a person or place. These three ideas demonstrate what the most powerful influences are that can cause someone to feel a part of something or not. Forcible authority is illustrated in the film ‘Strictly Ballroom’ by Baz Lurhmann. Forcible authority is when a person or group has the power to make you feel a certain way that you may not agree on and make you feel as though you do or don’t belong. This is conveyed in the film when Barry Fife the president of Australian Dance Federation (ADF) forces Scott Hastings to dance a particular way. The forcible authority is demonstrated in Strictly Ballroom with close ups and bright lighting on Barry’s face. This creates attention and power to the audience’s concept on Barry. Scott then feels isolated from the ADF as a result of Barry’s ideas for the ADF. Forcible Authority is also shown in ‘The Red Tree’ by Shaun Tan. This is conveyed through visual techniques of the little girl standing alone in many pages of the book. The concept of a powerful influence is a little red leaf with â€Å"without sense or reason† this demonstrates herself as a symbol of the ‘little red leaf’ with many factors contributing to that idea. E. g. ‘The little girl with the red hair’ The little girl becomes frustrated by society and not being able to find her place or where she feels she belongs without sense or reason. Here the most powerful influences that influence the little girl is her on mind set on other people and how she see’s everyone trying to conform and belong to a place she hasn’t been nor understands. Forcible authority is again conveyed in the song ‘who you are’ by Jessie J through the singers lyrics. Jessie illustrates a strong opinion on society’s sense of belonging when she states â€Å"forget how to fit the mold, yeah! † this informs the audience that society’s conception of belonging is based on a mould and she feels out casted because she doesn’t know how to find her place in society anymore. Jessie feels as though society has clung to a certain way of thinking and living, this is because of the forcible authority, which is the society as a powerful influence on Jessie’s sense of belonging. Challenging Authority is another idea shown in ‘strictly Ballroom’ this can be when you choose to do something about following other rules from a higher authority. This is illustrated when Scott is introduced to Fran’s grandmother Ya Ya. She explains that dancing comes from the heart. The close ups of Ya Ya’s hands beating the traditional rhythm of the Paso Doble on Scott’s chest gives both Scott and Fran the inspiration to dance their own moves which demonstrates to the Audience how they are challenging authority and now have somewhere to belong to. Challenging authority is illustrated in ‘The Red Tree’ when the little girl struggles to find herself in society; this becomes an issue throughout the whole book, always feeling as though she didn’t belong. The very last page is her standing in her room with a large Red Tree filled with lots of red leaves and you can see that she has accepted herself in the society. She has done this because she has a glowing smile on her face. Jessie demonstrates challenging authority in â€Å"Who you are† by giving advice to other people to be yourself instead of living a lie and following society’s rules. This is illustrated when Jessie sings â€Å"Don’t lose who you are in the blur of the stars! †Alienation is the estrangement of somebody who is forced or unforced to distance people from each other or of people from what is important or meaningful to them. Strictly Ballroom demonstrates many moments of alienation, one particularly is Scott feeling as though he doesn’t belong in the ADF because he doesn’t confine with the ballroom dancing rules. This is illustrated when himself and Fran dance their own steps and cause a stir in the ADF judging, this is a powerful impact on belonging because if you don’t follow the rules you are forced to feel neglected. Alienation is also illustrated in The Red Tree through pictures and descriptive language. The visual technique as quoted, â€Å"nobody understands†, It is raining and the brushstrokes are soft but distinctive nd the colours are dull and dark creating the audiences idea of how the girl is feeling. The girl is a seclusion to society showing her being an ‘outsider’, the visual techniques are a powerful influence to belonging and clearly demonstrate how the girl feels alienated by society. Jessie J also shows alienation in ‘Who you are’ b y the visual technique in the film clip, Jessie sings â€Å"Sometimes it’s hard to follow your heart. † In this particular part she is sitting in an empty bathroom with dim lighting, this demonstrates her feelings of loneliness and confusion. Jessie feels confused because she doesn’t know what the right thing to do is and this causes her alienation to the environment she is in, this particular songs provides proof with her excluding herself from society until she makes up her mind. Jessie being the most powerful influence as she is the only one making the decision to alienate herself. Strictly Ballroom by Baz Lurhmann , The Red Tree by Shaun Tan and Who you are by Jessie J all convey powerful influences such as authority to demonstrate people belonging and not belonging . This is conveyed through the techniques of forcible authority, challenging authority and alienation.