ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Virus Attacks While computer viruses are not as formidable as they were in the past decade mostly as a result of strong antivirus software, they still pose significant threat to users. In the near past, there have been a number of viruses that have posed a significant threat to computer users all over the world. Sites such as the McAfee threat center which is dedicated to giving descriptions for the virus threats that may attack users provide an elaborate list of computer threats. Some of these threats include; the W32 virus and the Generic.dx!rwj Trojan. The W32/Trebot virus is an especially troublesome virus that consists of a server editing component. With this component, the virus visits pre determined internet addresses for commands which are executed on a victim’s machine. The damage that this virus does on an individual’s computer includes slowing down the machine by downloading and executing other files which use up the systems memory resources. An even bigger risk that the virus poses is that it uses the host machine to perpetrate denial of service attacks over the internet. While Windows ME and Xp are especially vulnerable to this virus, this virus also affects the Mac Os. The Generic.dx!rwj is a Trojan that purports to be executing some beneficial task but is in fact a malicious program. The Generic.dx!rwj Trojan in particular compromises a user’s system and then seeks out messaging applications that may be installed. From these applications, the Trojan extracts contact information and sends them out to the Trojan creators. The particular damage that this Trojan presents is that it compromises the privacy of a computer user by stealing personal information. This information may then be sold to spammers or marketers who will use it for sending spam mail to the user. This Trojan primarily affects the Windows platform as it compromises the registry keys by including itself as an authorized program. Cell Phone Attacks Over the years, the usage of cell phones has expanded to cover more than just voice communication. With this expansion in functionality, the vulnerability of cell phones has also increased leading to a need for protection from attacks. The most basic protection service offered to mobile phones is the PIN code that makes access to a device hard without authentication. In Japan where mobile phones are utilized in financial transactions, sophisticated security features such as facial recognition are used to safeguard a user’s account. To address the issue of virus infection which mostly occurs as a result of downloads and file transfer, there exist mobile antivirus software which protects the phone from virus attacks by preventing infections. The Symbian OS for example provides antivir
Unemployment rate provides the percentage of the population above the age of 16 years that is not engaged in any form of employment. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2011 data, unemployment rate in the US was 8.8 percent (BLS). The present labor force in the US is divided into people who are above 16 years of age and are employed that constitute 58 percent of the labor force, 6 percent are unemployed, and 36 percent were not in labor force, who constitute those who have started looking for a job. Figure 1: US Employment situation in January 2011, Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics The unemployment rate in the country has been undergoing a seasonal change from 2005 through mid 2008. The unemployment rate every month recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics had shown similar trend in the change in rate and the rate was more or less stable. However, from mid of 2008, the unemployment rate started to increase. This is apparent from figure 1 where there is a distinct increase in the unemployment rate from middle of 2008 through 2010. Figure 2: Unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted), Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics The rise in the unemployment rate in 2008 can be termed as cyclical unemployment rate, i.e. the unemployment that occurs due to changes in business cycle. If the unemployment rate and the GDP growth of the US are compared for a decade, it is observed that there is a distinct negative relation between GDP growth and unemployment rate. Figure 3 shows as the economic condition worsened with declining GDP growth from 2005, there was a gradual increase in unemployment rate. A decline in GDP growth indicates decline in production in all sectors. Therefore, as the production weakens, there is a decline in demand for labor that eventually leads to less employment and greater unemployment in the economy. There was a sharp increase in unemployment rate as the GDP growth declined in 2007. Thus, the unemployment rate in the US had increased considerably since 2008, due to weakening of the GDP. Figure 3: Unemployment rate and GDP Growth compared, Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) An analysis of the unemployment rate in different industries shows that the annual average unemployment rate for the different industries as compared to the US national average for each year (see figure 4). The data demonstrates that unemployment rate in the agriculture and salaried professionals the unemployment rate has been higher than that of the US national average. However, that of manufacturing sector, mining, and financial services sector, the rate has been lower. Nevertheless, the scenario changed for manufacturing sector in post-2008 era, as due to the financial crisis, there was higher
Introduction Despite certain shortcomings, the new e-commerce strategy has been of great importance for both Chemical Industry and its partners. As the company was the second leading business in the world, it is in high demand for consumers. As the production is rather specialized, it requires the engagement of other production chains and transport. Therefore, the integrated e-supply chain industry fostered communication with other business segments and contributed to income annual increase of the company. Further, the company’s wide range of products encourages the establishment of new contacts all over the world as their production is used in various fields of industry. Regarding this, the innovative transformation of their business opened easier access to carrying business successfully. The integrated e-supply chain displayed beneficial options and choices and attracted a greater amount of customers. Due to the innovations, the chemical industry entered the international level based on SAP. Finally, Eastman Chemical Company was the first company to establish the e-brand and to open a Customer center for the consumers. There
In March 2011, the citizens of Syria and some of the government officials began a call for both economic and social change in the administration of the ruling regime. Unfortunately, the calls were ignored by the government, resulting to the escalation of civil unrest in the Southern province of Daras, which spread quickly to the other towns. Consequences of the increased violence were too serious with thousands of people left dead and others seriously injured by the end of the year 2011. These effects have attracted thoughts of a Libyan like intervention in Syria among the international community members to stop the violence (Brown 2001: 254). The resulting unrest has triggered negative consequences on the country, with calamitous consequences being observed in the state’s economy, while alarming levels of hardship continue to be reported among the civilians. The conflict has restricted the movement of people and goods in the country and prevented them from carrying out their economic activities (Gillespie et al 2000: 34). As a result, goods and food have become scarce in the country following the restrictions and reduced level of harvest. Furthermore, the famine in some regions has taken its toll on people leaving some of them in a very sorry state. Sanctions by the west and the League of Arab states has badly complicated the situation as people can hardly access medical or humanitarian help while the government has neglected citizens to concentrate on the conflict (Gleick 1987: 17) There are more reasons that support the necessity of the Libyan like intervention in Syria. For example, the resent massacre activities of 100 people in Houla by the pro-government thugs, identified by the survivors of the attacks as Shabiha. Besides that, there are more indications of the state of Syria’s human rights violations, when the government denounces any links with the atrocities committed by the sponsored militia stating it as a “terrorist massacre”. In the attacks, families were killed from house to house in an operation by the ruling regime against the supporters of the rebel groups (Gleick 1987: 22). According to a statement issued by the US on the massacre, it held the Syrian government responsible for the loss of innocent lives. It described the massacre as the haziest condemnation of the Syrian government’s contravention of its UN Security Council compulsion (Brown 2001: 254). Following those actions, which were believed to have been committed by the Syrian government, some of the EU members’ states exorcised Syrian ambassadors from their countries as a disapproval of the actions of their government (Gleick 1987: 30). The move was preordained by the international community to warn the Syrian regime that its days were limited, and it should implement the peace agreement or face the consequences. In a move to prevent any more atrocities from being committed in Syria, the UN and the Arab League sent Kofi Annan to President Assad to communicate the gre
Introduction As early as the 14 th century an Arab writer described symptoms resembling those of African sleeping sickness . But it was only after the success of European colonization that the disease became well known in the Western world. This medical phenomenon is a vector-borne parasitic disease. The causative agent is a parasite belonging to the Trypanosoma Genus and this is transmitted to humans by tsetse fly bites, which acquired their infection from human beings or from animals who are carriers of the said parasites (WHO, 2009). The African sleeping sickness is the main reason why there is negative socio-economic development in East and West Africa. The World Health Organization, concerned citizens as well as a few pharmaceutical companies are working hand-in-hand to prevent another outbreak and to significantly reduce the number of infections. Causative Agent The causative agent is a parasite called trypanosomes. The said parasite is not airborne or waterborne; they are vector-borne using the Tsetse flies to infect humans and animals alike (CDC, 2009). Both male and female tsetse flies feed on blood and bite during the day (Goddard, 2008). When it infects humans it is called African sleeping sickness and when it infects animals the correct term is Nagana (Krinsky, 2002). There are two forms of African sleeping sickness and are named according to their geographic distribution (Krinsky, 2002). The first type is called the West African trypanosome and named Trypanosoma gambiense ( T. b. gambiense ) for Gambia (Krinsky, 2002). The second type is called the East African trypanosome and named Trypanosoma rhodesiense ( T.b. rhodesiense ) for Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe (Krinsky, 2002). Tsetse flies are only found in Sub-Saharan Africa. There are six species of Tsetse flies that are of primary importance to healthcare and disease prevention in Africa. This is because these are vectors of human trypanosomiasis. In the case of T. b. gambiense , the chief vectors are a) Glossina palpalis ; b) Glossina fuscipes ; and c) Glossina tachinoides (CDC, 2008). The primary vectors of T. b. rhodesiense on the other hand are a) Glossina morsitans ; b) Glossina swynnertoni ; c) Glossina pallidipes (CDC, 2008). Glossina morsitans can be readily found in wooded areas and brush country in eastern Africa while the Glossina palpalis group can be easily found in banks of streams, rivers, and lakes of western and central Africa (Goddard, 2008). Disease History Although the disease was known to Arab scholars as early as the 14 th century it was a surgeon named John Atkins – who was on board a slave-trading ship traveling from West Africa to the West Indies – who first provided a more scientific description of the disease (Krinsky, 2002). Atkins was correct in most of his observations regarding the symptoms but he was greatly mistaken when he made assumptions as to the causative agent of the said disease. He reasoned that it was due to the inherent weakness of the African mind, which he labeled as “Negro lethargy” and Atkins attributed to causing of the disease to the “…natural weakness of the bra
Almost every person from time to time thinks about what the future holds for the world and how far technology can go in five, ten, or forty years. Computers, phones, and search engines make life a lot easier, but at the same time make people think about the issue of privacy. The documentary film In the Age of AI by Frontline provides answers to these questions and talks about the prospect of retaining jobs and professions, the development of technology, rivalry between China and the United States, and artificial intelligence. Interestingly, this documentary movie does not only provide facts and statistics. Instead, it captivates the audience by starting with the description of the oldest abstract strategy board game invented in China. The game of Go is considered the most complex to play as it has more moves than there are atoms in the universe (SkyDesertVids, 2019). In 2016, a computer program known as Google’s AlphaGo managed to teach itself the rules of this board game, create special moves that no one has ever thought of, and won four of the games with the world champion of the Asian Go game Lee Sedol (SkyDesertVids, 2019). From this very moment, it became evident that “artificial intelligence could marshal a vast amount of data, beyond anything any human could handle, and use it to teach itself how to predict an outcome” (SkyDesertVids, 2019). Overall, this shows the power and perspective of AI, but this defeat also demonstrates that artificial intelligence algorithms are entering a new age of both great potential and deepened inequality. The world will be divided into two AI superpowers – China and the U.S. Further, the documentary explores the issue of advanced technologies taking jobs from people. For example, the self-driving truck company Embark delivers freight from California to Arizona, and although there are drivers in the trucks, they do not drive, and the purpose of the company is to eliminate them in the nearest future (SkyDesertVids, 2019). This will prove the power of artificial intelligence but also lead to job loss. According to AI scientist Kai-Fu Lee, “about 50% of jobs will be somewhat or extremely threatened by AI in the next 15 years or so,” and the unemployment rate and inequality in earnings will rise significantly (SkyDesertVids, 2019). Another concern explored by this movie is the problem of privacy violations. Everywhere a person goes, they generate a cloud of data that is then used by computers to personalize and adapt the world for this individual. However, some companies that also get this private information may have other purposes and use the data to harm people, so this is what everyone should be aware of (SkyDesertVids, 2019). Humans use Google and social media, but few of them keep in mind that Google and social media also use and search for them. For example, with its facial recognition, China is on its way to becoming a state of total surveillance. It is possible that in the future, countries will need to choose between an American
Problem Statement The issue of conflicts that ensue in countries that possess valuable natural resources has persisted for years to the extent of capturing the attention of scholars and global commentators who have delved into examining whether any connections exist between such resources and clashes. Various West African countries have been caught up with this menace where conflicts have been observed to arise following the need for particular individuals in the respective countries using all means possible to secure a share of such resources against the wish of other equally interested people. This study narrows down to Libya as one of the West African countries where the issue of ‘presumed’ oil-related clashes has been dominant. Factional and dynastic violent confrontations that occur between leaders of the nations that possess significant oil deposits have also been presumed to be the root of conflicts that are characterized by divided citizens. Brutal killings among individuals who fight to have the slightest share of natural resources typically attract devastating outcomes, which have compromised diplomatic relations not only at the state level but also globally. Over the years, scholars in the fields of political science, international affairs, and security studies have sought to investigate the link between oil and violent conflicts (Ross, 2004, p. 35). Nonetheless, most of the inquiries fail to narrow down the actual association between the two variables, which have a considerable potential of disrupting world peace. In this case, the essence of investigating the mechanisms that define the link between the two variables goes a long way in fostering an understanding of how oil and oil supply contribute to violent conflicts in Libya and the world today (Humphreys, 2005, p. 509). The case of Libya demonstrates how conflicts over oil and natural oil resources can extend beyond the national level as depicted by various inter-state wars where different parties have scrambled for the control of oil-rich zones. In contemporary settings, clashes over the control of natural resources prompted the need for a closer look at the triggers of such conflicts (Schulze, 2007). For this reason, experts unceasingly investigate the associations between different variables by analyzing case studies that have disrupted national and international peace. The notable cases studies that can bolster an understanding of world peace include the scenarios of Iraq, Nigeria, Syria, South Sudan, and the South and East China Seas. Important to note, although the different cases incorporate similar variables such as the case of Libya, they denote some uniqueness regarding the mechanisms, which facilitate the association between fossil fuel
Introduction After the Emancipation , the blacks took charge of their church and made it a center for socialization, communication, entertainment and information, as well as an amusement park (Johnstone). As an amusement park, the church hosted activities and functions like concerts, trade fairs, academic debates, theatre, picnics and general celebrations (Johnstone). This essay seeks to investigate the significance of the church to the African-Americans as a community center, an education center, platform for political expression and a secure refuge for the oppressed. The Church as the Community Center The church was so significant to the black communities. It was the only place for black autonomy and social freedom from the roving eyes of their white counterparts (Johnstone). Further, the church was an avenue to facilities to carry on social activities and acted as an economic platform too (Johnstone). Du Bois emphasized that a proper understanding of economic collaboration among the Negroes had to start with the church assembly (Johnstone). Welfare groups had their roots in the church. Their main aim was to assist followers to go through periods of economic meltdown resulting from death or illness of loved ones with ease (Johnstone). These groups acted as insurance firms though their cover mostly catered for burial expenses (Johnstone). Church as an Avenue for Education The black churches played a critical role in the education field. It was the practice of the church ministers to build schools alongside churches, as they believed such undertakings would enhance the spiritual nourishment of the followers (Johnstone). Wade makes it known that the reason for opposing the establishment of black churches arose from the revelation that most black people became literate through their religious classes (Johnstone). Church as a Platform for Political Expression The Reconstruction period witnessed mass entrance into politics by numerous black ministers (Johnstone). After the end of the Reconstruction period, white supremacy resumed and swept the blacks from public positions and the blacks had no choice but to use the church as a platform for political activities (Johnstone). Many aspiring politicians joined the church to find a following as they tried to prove themselves to the black community through preaching (Johnstone). It was common for black ministers to invite politicians during campaign
Introduction Marijuana is a dangerous drug especially when misused and remains the most widely used illegal drug. Its source is the cannabis sativa plant from which flowers, leaves, and stems are mixed to make up the drug. Just like any other drug, it has some side effects on the consumer’s health for instance it cause difficulty in thinking and hence affecting problem solving, affects the memory and learning, leads to poor coordination and distorted perception. It however has positive medical effects such as its use in cancer chemotherapy. There has been heated debate on the concept of legalization of marijuana especially due to the fact that it has got both positive and negative effects on an individual’s body. I am personally for the legalization of the drug as the negative effects are outweighed by the positive ones. The Pros of Legalization of Marijuana Legalization of marijuana entails granting the American people the permission to legally grow, trade, and even ingest marijuana. Some of the arguments for the legalization of marijuana include the fact that the drug is not as harmful as tobacco or even alcohol especially when taken in moderate quantities and the use of these two substances are legal despite their harm. Marijuana is also an essential drug in respect to the medical benefits accrued to it for instance in diseases like glaucoma, HIV AIDS and cancer especially in the chemotherapy sessions. The step towards prohibiting marijuana in most states in America has also exacerbated the indulgence in criminal activities as people find their way towards the use and trade in marijuana which could be avoided through legalization and campaign for its proper use. Marijuana is also a very important source of income in the United States and the act of legalizing it would therefore result in more tax revenues (White, 2011). The Cons of Legalization of Marijuana Some of the drawbacks associated with the legalization of marijuana in the United States include the perception that the use of marijuana is immoral especially when based on religious and ethical grounds and hence its legalization is viewed to be a promotion of immorality and bad behavior. The use of marijuana is also considered to be an initial step towards the use and addiction to other harder drugs (like cocaine and heroin) and therefore its legalization is deemed to be an enhancement towards the use of all other drugs. The use of marijuana through smoking is also not only harmful to the user but also to the others who may inhale the smoke in the surrounding hence it is considered very harmful to the entire society. Another argument against the legalization of marijuana is the belief that it