ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction The recent economic troubles in the United States as well as the global economy have caught the attention of everyone. Not only have they caused millions of ordinary Americans to lose their savings, they have also contributed to the economic gloom of the present times. They are an indication of the troubled state in which the global economy finds itself. This paper looks at the specific role of corporate greed in exacerbating the crisis. The current crisis To have a brief introduction for the present crisis, the housing market was inflated to a large extent because of loans made to borrowers who had bad or no credit history. These kinds of borrowers were called sub-prime of below the prime required for a good credit history. Once the loans were made arbitrarily, the homeowners went for further capitalization by refinancing their mortgages and borrowing against the houses. All this went on till the housing market corrected itself and the housing prices started to come down. This meant that the bubble started to burst. While the housing market bottoming out does not really make the whole economy go bust, it is the aspect of building up value on top of the mortgages through a form known as securitization that we will discuss later. And then the same were collateralized in the form of instruments known as CDS that gave the whole thing the look of a crisis of epic proportions. Greed The current crisis has been brought about by a combination of factors that can be defined as “Bad in the systemic sense further applies to letting a financial elite elevate, expand, and entrench itself as a country’s GNP-and profits-dominating sector, as has been done in the United States over the last quarter century. Doing this so hurriedly has wound up institutionalizing runaway public and private debt, gross runaway public and private debt, gross speculative biases, tenfold and twenty fold leveraged gambling, unchecked and barely regulated “product” innovation, and a tendency toward periodic panics and instability” (Kevin Philips, p. 63). Thus, as one event led to another, it was the underlying principle of profit making coupled with an insatiable greed that wanted more instead of being content with the profits that they were earning that led to the bubble being inflated. As the corporates began to expand their balance sheets and post extraordinary profits, it became apparent that the rates of return that they were getting on their capital could not be sustained over a long period of time. However, despite warnings to the contrary, there were few of the big corporations that actually took notice of the impending crisis. In a world that was driven by the lubricant of money, the promise of more see
Taking its roots from the heritage of the Goryeo Dynasty, modern Korean music strikes with its authenticity and mystic charm. The indigenous sounds of the instruments, the names of which are associated with elements of nature (Hesselink 167) seem to be the magical element that links the past, the present and the future of the Korean culture, allowing for the evolution of the unique music culture. In his book, SamulNori: Contemporary Korean Drumming and the Rebirth of the Itinerant Performance Culture, Nathan Hesselink provides a detailed overview of one of the most popular music genre of percussion music in Korea. Although the details that the author discloses about the genre of SamulNori seems to concern solely the Korean music, several parallels in the evolution of the Korean and the Western music can be drawn, mainly regarding the reinvention of the old traditions in search for the new ways of expression through music. The combination of the ancient music traditions and the modern sound and the secret of the increasing popularity and the unique sound of the Korean SamulNori music, which is revealed in the very first sentence of the introduction to the SamulNori: Contemporary Korean Drumming and the Rebirth of the Itinerant Performance Culture, is truly fascinating. Indeed, listening to a single composition performed in the SamulNori genre is enough to realize that the music incorporates enough modern elements to appeal to the general XXI century audience and to provide something for the Korean people to relate to. This, however, begs several questions, the first one concerning the time gap between the SamulNori genre and the present-day music. In other words, one may wonder if it is actually possible to create the music that will both speak to the general audience and contain enough references to the authentic culture so that it could remain unique. Another issue worth bringing up concerns music as a marker of the identity of a particular nation or ethnicity. On the one hand, it goes without saying that each nation has a range of unique music traditions that define the specifics of its genres, thus, allowing for the national music to remain unique. Hence, the question of whether national music traditions can coexist with the fast-changing course of popular music. Finally, Hesselink mentions that the SamulNori members have recently been criticized for putting so much emphasis on the traditions that may have worn out their welcome centuries ago and that their music may actually turn out pointless. It seems that the critics’ argumentation pertains to the domain of politics much more than it does to actual culture issue. Therefore, it will be reasonable to ask whether music – or culture in general, for that matter – can ever be possibly separated from politics. Though the link between the two is not obvious, it is clear that music as an impo
Abstract The main theme of our work is an investigation of the main constituents of iron – its physical properties, geological occurrence. The work also describes the usage of the mineral in different industries and its current price. The purpose of that investigation is to enlarge our knowledge about one of the most common and most important minerals of our planet. The results of the investigations prove the importance of this mineral resource in the modern world by showing us its wide range of usage. Properties   * Description: “iron is a lustrous, ductile, malleable, silver-gray metal” (Anonymous, n. d.a para. 1). Pure iron is rather crunchy. Its melting temperature is 1811 °K (or 1538 °C (2800 °F)) (Anonymous, n. db.). Iron is a very good electric conductor. These properties mean that iron can be widely used in industry due to its physical properties. High melting temperature determines the usage under extreme conditions and high conductivity – in electronics.   * Radioactive: the mineral is not radioactive, which means that naturally occurred iron is not dangerous for human health and could be used in the industry.   * Price: the price for the mineral is not high. The native iron and the iron ore should be distinguished. The price per 1 metric ton is 82.38 USD (Anonymous, 2014). This equals to 93.92 Canadian dollars. The price of the steel, which includes iron in its composition, differs from the steel grade. Occurrence   * Geological Occurrence: Iron (Fe) is one of the most widespread elements, composing about 5% of the earth shell (Anonymous, 2012).Though, native iron can be very rarely found because of its tendency to oxidize, forming an iron oxide “the reds, oranges and yellows seen in some soils and on rocks are probably iron oxides” (Anonymous 2013, para. 2). These oxides are known as iron ores. The most widespread ores are hematite, siderite, magnetite and limonite. In his state the iron cannot be used for industrial purposes, that is why it is necessary to extract it from the ore. The current production process needs a lot of equipment (Everett 2010b). The extraction process consists from several stages. The main stage is heating of the iron ore in the blast furnace, removing the oxygen from the oxide. The resulting iron is called pig iron and it is still not pure, thought the purification process is needed.   * Main occurrences world-wide: The worlds total shown resources of iron ore counts160 billions of tons, in the percent composition the 18% of the worlds supply can be found in Russia and Brazil, which have the world’s biggest amounts of iron ore..Then comes Australia with the 14% of the worlds supply, though contributing 20% of all worlds iron ore production (Everett, 2010a).   * Occurrence in Canada: Canada
Introduction Today’s technological advancements have made it possible for TV reality shows to grow exponentially and to be viewed by millions of people across the globe. People are in need of entertainment and information, and reality shows have been used to achieve these purposes. As opposed to films and documentaries, reality shows present to the audience unscripted remarkable or entertaining situations. Most reality shows documents real proceedings, and features regular people instead of expert actors. There are many reality shows screened on our television sets today but perhaps the most striking are the Survival series, Big brother, Oprah Winfrey, and Tyra Banks shows. For the purposes of this discussion, I will use the Survivor reality show. It is a game show which has been produced in numerous countries around the world. The show basically involves contestants being secluded in the wilderness to battle for cash and other prizes. Progressive elimination is used in the show, whereby contestants are allowed to vote off a tribe member. This is continuously repeated until the winner- the “sole Survivor” is known. Below I attempt to describe the Survivor reality show using four major theoretical theories of Conflict, Functionalism, Symbolic Interaction, and Post Modernist (“Survival TV series”, 2008). Conflict theory Conflict theory views society as a cluster of units which comprise the upper, middle, and lower classes of people. These units have varied and differing interests and thus are always in continued conflict with one another. This conflict is only suppressed, temporarily, through the domination of an elite, oppressive and exploitive cluster of people. According to this perspective, change in society, comes about due to this conflict. Change is sudden. The perspective also view social systems as unjust and often cruel upon the “have-nots” of the social order as the systems are repeatedly used by the “powerful” in society to promote their views and defend their assets. Such social systems include the family unit, the education system as well as the political system. Conflict theory proponents believe that power and wealth must be redistributed again through either a revolution or a reform (Ratcliff, 2008). In survival series, the game often involves 16-20 strangers that are then divided to 4 groups, called tribes . The groups are then given minimum survival kits to use in the wilderness. The tribes have different interests and are in continued conflict with one another, as the dominant make a kill, and the weak suffers. The tough rules and regulations are often seen as unjust to the weak as the dominant knows their way around the rules. There is a lot of endurance, willpower, problem-solving skills and teamwork
Abstract Organizations that are committed to high performance recognize that high-performing employees are important for organizations to achieve their targets. In the past, an employee’s performance was based on academic qualifications. Currently, human resource (HR) managers look for talented and technically trained persons to work for their organizations (Rodriguez, Patel, Bright, Gregory & Gowing, 2002; Brewster & Suutari, 2005; Gangani, McLean & Braden, 2006; Dias, 2010). It has been shown that performance in the workplace does not always correlate with passing academic aptitude tests in interviews. Research shows that hiring people with the required competencies and creating for them an enabling organization’s culture go a long way in improving the overall performance of the organization (Le Deist & Winterton, 2005). This paper concentrates on the use of competency models in facilitating HR practices within organizations. The paper analyzes the use of competency models by HR professionals within SHUUA Capital, in the UAE. It discusses the best strategies for competency models that have been developed and tested by various organizations. In addition, the paper analyzes the challenges faced by various organizations across the world as they endeavor to adopt competency models in their HR practices. Case study: SHUUA Capital in the UAE SHUUA Capital is a leading financial services provider in the UAE. The organization has been so essential in helping clients to obtain capital and identifying chances of investment for various investors in the Middle East. The organization, which was started in 1979, has been dedicated to the development of its workers by adopting approaches that aim to adequately prepare workers before they could take on more responsibilities within the organization. The HR professionals within the firm recognize that job promotions involve undertaking more complex duties. Thus, workers need to be prepared well so that they would effectively discharge their duties. In the event that workers are promoted in the workplace without adequate preparations, then they would hardly perform their duties at higher levels within an organization (Gangani et al., 2006). The organization arranges competencies into frameworks that combine various roles and the targeted capabilities that personnel must have or obtain in order to be productive in the workplace. The competencies used by the organization in facilitating HR practices are based on principles that offer a clear guide for what is required from job holders in terms of performance. The firm does not concentrate on formal academic qualifications, but focuses on the capabilities of an individual as proven through past job experiences. In addition, an organization could assess the capabilities of an individual by testing him or her on specific tasks that are related to the job. Competencies consist of the following:  1. Skills  2. Abilities  3. Personal attributes Also, a competency could be a combination of all the above employee features. The organization’s personnel are drawn from a
Several Supreme Court justices, particularly Chief Justice Roger Taney, hoped that the 1857 ruling in Dred Scott v. Sanford would serve as the “final word” on the slavery question that had embroiled American politics for decades. They hoped that the prestige of the Supreme Court would command respect and end the increasing polarization of the country into pro-slavery and anti-slavery camps. However, these hopes were bitterly disappointed. The Dred Scott decision only deepened the divide facing the country. Southerners and pro-slavery Northerners hailed the decision as a complete affirmation of pro-slavery arguments, while previously moderate opinion in the North was radicalized against slavery. Far from being the final defeat of the anti-slavery movement, the decision brought more people into the movement’s ranks. This paper analyzes newspaper reactions in both the North and South to the Dred Scott decision, and also discusses common interpretations of the decision in the press at the time. Naturally, nearly all shades of Southern opinion welcomed the Dred Scott decision. The opinion repeated arguments that supporters of slavery had used for decades to justify the existence of the “peculiar institution” – namely Chief Justice Taney’s statement that African-Americans were not American citizens and had no rights that whites were bound to accept. The Daily Courier of Charleston, South Carolina expressed the hope that the opinion would “settle these vexed questions forever, quiet the country, and relieve it of abolition agitation.”[1] Indeed, one of the striking features of Southern commentary on the Dred Scott decision is the abuse poured on abolitionists. While certainly not unusual in Southern newspapers at the time, it does reflect the increased radicalization of Southern public opinion by 1857. Many Southerners not only wished for an affirmation of their right to hold slaves but sought to silence all Northern criticism of slavery. These Southerners saw Dred Scott as their opportunity to do just that. Southern slave-owners had significant political support from many Northern Democrats. Some of these “doughfaces” actively supported slavery, while others simply sought to finesse the issue and keep it out of national politics as much as possible. In 1857, the ultimate Northern apologist for slavery was President James Buchanan. The rise of the anti-slavery movement threatened the preeminence of the Democratic Party, with its core of Southern support. Not surprisingly, the Buchanan administration’s newspaper endorsed the decision in laudatory term
Abstract The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact on the global economy. The current state of the stock market reflects consumer behaviors and the industrial crisis. There is an evident income reduction among prospective customers, which affects their monetary capabilities and buying preferences. When it comes to production, companies have been forced to transition into online operations and cease any offline processes, which affects the economy at large and employees in particular. Businesses operating in the automotive, banking, and travel industries had to take the hardest hit and generate innovative solutions in order to stay afloat. While some sectors struggled, others have experienced a short-term rise in demand. The health and high tech industries are among the ones that have generated substantial profits during the pandemic. However, they still had to accommodate to a new business climate that required them to make changes in operations, supply chain management, liquidity projections, and brand development. Italy has served as an example of negligence in dealing with the pandemic. The Italian government has fallen victim to cognitive bias and, as a result, flawed decision making. Countries such as South Korea, China, Singapore, and Taiwan have demonstrated the efficiency that can be achieved in the continuous management of the COVID crisis. The United Arab Emirates is among the most successful countries in terms of dealing with the virus. Introduction The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fragility of modern business models and business operation systems. Industrial production froze, employees were laid off, and the stock market has been the lowest since the 2008 financial crisis (Jones et al., 2020). There is no estimate to how long it is going to take for the import cycle to resume since production plants in China, South Korea, and numerous other countries have been inactive since January. Corporations design their operating capabilities and allocate their resources based on the presumption that there is going to be a state of normalcy (Craven et al., 2020). However, it is hard to predict what ‘normal’ will look like in the post COVID era. Businesses around the world have already faced the economic consequences of the pandemic and the imminent government restrictions associated with it. Apple, Starbucks, Nike, and a wide range of luxury fashion brands have closed a number of their shops with no end date in sight (Zaheer, 2020). Christine McCarthy, Disney’s Chief Financial Officer, admits that there is going to be a $175 million reduction in operating inco
Introduction Female migration, slavery, and low-paid labor assume ever greater importance in modern Arab Emirates and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. There is evidence that families of these countries give up their own parenting duties and responsibilities, and employ maids to do this job. Pushed by unfavorable conditions, such as social insecurity, economic problems, poverty, etc., these women migrate and work for low wages, doing hard domestic works, and looking for employers’ children. Sometimes, they even become victims of modern slavery. At the same time, working parents shift their parenting responsibilities to maids who may raise Arabic-speaking children in an appropriate way. In its turn, parenting disregard leads to unfavorable consequences. The aim of this speech is to reveal the nature of the mentioned problem to understand why GCC families load maids with parental duties, and why they should not do this. Main body In the modern world, women may become victims of exploitation, foreign slavery, and jobs with low wages. According to some researchers, about three millions migrant domestic workers and low-paid maids live in a private house of Arab owners (Russeau, 2011, ¶ 1). There exist special legal organizations and recruitment agencies that provide GCC families with a maid who would perform parental duties and offer domestic services on a legal basis. For example, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, established in 1982, export maids to such high demanded areas as the Arab Emirates, Kuwait, etc. (Gibney, 2005, p. 163). Most of the maids come from non-Arabic-speaking countries – the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Ethiopia, etc. The research shows that “this widespread use of domestic workers in GCC countries, rarely seen at such high prevalence in other countries, is due to the affordability of foreign domestic workers and the increasing role of GCC women in the workforce” (Grigorenko, 2009, p. 292). There are certain reasons for employing maids, of course. From a historical perspective, the Arab countries used to have slaves that worked for them. Slavery labor and trade were the essential part of the state economy. Female slaves were exploited in agriculture and at the home of rich householders. Traditionally, women have done domestic and parental jobs. They looked after owners’ children, and raise them as if they were their natural parent. In spite of the English protectorate, slavery was legalized in the United Arabian Emirates (UAE) till