ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Issue A food desert is an area in which the level of availability of nutritious food is low (Li et al. 2014). The concept is based on the recognition that, despite having access to large amounts of diverse food, people living in a particular area may not have access to products that constitute a healthy diet; people who live in such an area have to make extra efforts to obtain products with sufficient levels of vitamin content and nutritious content. The issue is particularly daunting in urban areas; a common situation is the abundance of processed food and the difficulty to find fresh products. The low level of access can be due to various reasons, including logistics (particular products are not delivered to stores so that they can be easily bought) and affordability (fresh products are significantly more expensive than processed ones; also, underprivileged and vulnerable groups or communities may have insufficient income that does not allow them buying such products regularly). It is acknowledged that the lack of nutritious products in one’s diet causes remarkable adverse health effects (Slavin and Lloyd 2012). Higher consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with lowers risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Moreover, consuming processed food instead of fresh food decreases the level of an organism’s protection because necessary antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents fail to be delivered to the body. Therefore, living in a food desert presents considerable health risks. New York City has such areas; according to Li et al. (2014), many measures have been taken by public administrators to make fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible in those parts of the city that report the lowest fruits and vegetable consumption rates and the highest obesity rates. Logistics remains a major concern, which is why those measures were primarily focused on providing additional services so that people could buy nutritious food without having to travel long distances. Climate Component It is recognized that food deserts are largely an urban, societal, and lifestyle-related problem (Burton et al. 2013); however, there is also a connection to climate change. The connection consists of the effects of climate change on agriculture; potential difficulties and challenges associated with growing fresh products and caused by changing climate can contribute to the problem of food deserts, i.e. make fresh products even less accessible in those areas that are currently food deserts. The effects of climate change on agriculture, however, are not sufficiently studied (Climate Education for K-12 2010). On the one hand, the higher lev
McDonald’s was successful throughout the first two decades after it was first introduced to customers. Nonetheless, in the mid-1980s, the company started dragging behind as the business became a bit more dynamic. This situation required McDonald’s to implement a novel approach. This is how the “Made for You” kitchen system appeared. This system was aimed at improving food quality, introducing the menu items in an easier way, and providing exceptional customer service. The key idea of that approach was that each meal was prepared exclusively and the whole order was made on the spot. All of the operational and customer requirements were followed in the new system. McDonald’s administration explored a number of new technologies with the intention of implementing critical changes into the current system. The main objective of the company was to find a way to cook food faster and provide the customer withe high-quality food at the same time. McDonald’s management and staff had to engage into the learning process and find the ways to improve the company’s processes. There were five major key criteria that defined the goals of the “Made for You” kitchen system. Those criteria included service (60-second delivery after the order has been made), food quality, and food preparation (easier cooking patterns allowing the employees to prepare the food much quicker than before). It is also important to take into consideration the staff (increasing job satisfaction among the employees) and profitability (minimizing the costs and increasing customer satisfaction at the same time). Combined, these five criteria turned out to be the custom recipe for McDonald’s success. The company was able to do whatever it took in order to comply with all the essential requirements. The way in which these five criteria of success were followed defined the success of the McDonald’s brand and proved the fact that a JIT technique may be useful in the food industry as well. The new “Made for You” kitchen utilized a computerized approach that allowed the company to identify the customers’ purchasing patterns and helped the new system to predict the upcoming purchases and generate the orders for the best-selling products. This was intended to help the employees to be ahead of schedule during the busy hours. Another important aspect of this forecasting system was the ability to monitor the employees’ output. In other words, the “Made for You” forecasting system was designed to accomplish two key goals: employee efficiency and accurate order prediction. This system boosted all the vital characteristics of the company. McDonald’s administration believes that the forecasting system used by the company is one of the best in the market. Since the first implementation of the McDonald’s forecasting system, the company has been able to seriously improve the quality of their service and enrich McDonald’s customer base. This can be exp
Introduction Prison regimes have evolved over centuries owing to the reforms in the criminal justice system. The recognition of human dignity and rights has prompted reforms in criminal justice systems across the world. Prior to the emergence and refinement of human rights in various legal jurisdictions, prisoners had no dignity and rights in that criminal justice systems accepted torture as a form of punishment and sentence. Given that different countries have undertaken unique reforms in their criminal justice systems, they have employed different psychological theories, sentencing philosophies, and policies in their respective prison regimes. Comparative analysis of Supermax regime in the United States and the prison regime in the United Kingdom indicates some disparities and similarities in terms of psychological theories, sentencing philosophies, and policies. Smith (2006) states that solitary confinement is an important feature of Supermax in the United States. In contrast, the prison regime in the United Kingdom mainly comprises open and closed prisons, which give inmates freedom to interact. Essentially, prison regimes have different correctional approaches, which aim at preventing crimes and rehabilitating criminals effectively. Given that diverse prison regimes exist, this essay aims to compare and contrast Supermax prison regime and prison regime in the United Kingdom by examining aspects such as the nature of regimes, psychological theories, policies, philosophies, psychological effects, and psychological implications. Comparison and Contrast of Prison Regimes Prison Regimes The prison regimes of Supermax and prisons in the United Kingdom are similar in that they classify criminals, according to their age, gender, crimes committed, and the risk they pose to the prisoners, prison guards, and society. This classification of inmates has significant psychological implications because it influences social interactions among inmates. Prisoners, who pose considerable risk to others and are likely to escape, are kept in lonely cells. Forsythe (2004) states that the restriction of interaction and communication among prisoners reinforce loneliness “thereby rendering the prisoners docile and tractable, prone to remorse, and amenable to rehabilitation” (p. 759). Such confinement is similar to Supermax in the United States. However, the confinement of prisoners in Supermax is very stringent and torturous. Although the prison regime in the United Kingdom aims to perform s
Chapter 7 of Introduction to American Deaf Culture discusses the American Sign Language, ASL. The chapter first fights misconceptions that people have about sign language. Thomas Holcomb recognizes the ability of the American Sign Language to express hypothetical and abstract issues. He sees it as a language that does everything that other languages that use the spoken word do. He refutes common dogmas that suggest that sign language is less expressive, and signers cannot express differences in the tenses of different verbs and other impractical issues about language (Holcomb 127). The writer goes further to warn people against taking a restrictive approach towards American Sign Language. He, instead, advises them to adopt a prescriptive approach in order to understand how the American Sign Language works. Therefore, according to Thomas Holcomb, American Sign Language is not a weak language compared to other languages. It is as expressive as the American English Language and all other languages (129). The second major issue that arises from Holcomb’s arguments in this chapter is his assertion that the American Sign Language has a close relationship with the deaf culture. He argues that American Sign Language is the main language that the American deaf community uses. Therefore, it is part of their culture. In the initial chapters of the book, he defines the American Deaf Community as people who share the use of ASL and other common interests (Holcomb 21). He further argues that nobody can separate ASL from the deaf culture (117). I strongly agree with Holcomb’s assertion that the American Sign Language is not limited in scope and vocabulary. It is wrong to argue that the deaf community cannot joke among themselves, talk abo
The well being of a state in measured not only in terms of economic prosperity but also the physical security which the state can provide to its citizens. The incidence of crime is a very good indicator of the overall development of a state. The State of Virginia, like any other state in the US, has its share of crime. Incidences of crime are usually tabulated in the order of severity; as murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. This essay examines the nature of crime in the state of Virginia and attempts to outline the causative factors as also possible remedial measures to reduce the crime rate. The essay makes extensive use of data tabulated by the US Disaster Center (quoting FBI uniform Crime Report), and the Virginia Crime Prevention Association (VCPA) websites. The statistical data of Virginia crime rates for the period 1965 to 2006 published by the Disaster Center provides an insight into the pattern of crime for the state. The murder rate of 8.2 per 100,000 people in 1965 (Disaster Center, 2008), shows a higher than national average till 1974 after which it drops below the national average but maintains closely thereafter as is depicted in the VCPA graph below. Interestingly, in the same period forcible rape shows a consistent increase starting at
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the leading agencies in the United States that track, monitor, and evaluate emerging health problems. It provides timely updates and reports in an attempt to guide other organizations and members of the public accordingly. This paper describes the latest Morbidity and Motility Weekly Report presented by CDC. Weekly Report The latest report by CDC outlines the major health issues that Americans continue to face. From the presented document, it is evident that the agency has not identified new outbreaks within the past week. However, the document goes further to identify various health risks or challenges that all individuals should take seriously (“Morbidity and mortality,” n.d.). The organization reveals that influenza is a major medical condition that continues to affect many citizens. It goes further to encourage more people to consider the benefits of influenza vaccination in order to prevent or control it. Influenza antiviral drugs are also necessary since they can deliver positive health outcomes. CDC encourages social health workers and other responsible organizations to educate and guide more people to embrace the power of vaccinations. Such evidence-based approaches will protect more citizens against the condition and all other potential complications. When members of the community receive such drugs, chances are high that they will record positive health outcomes (“Morbidity and mortality,” n.d.). Influenza is, therefore, a major health risk that requires the coordinated efforts of caregivers, hospitals, and community or social workers. Other Health Issues The latest report by the CDC goes further to identify various health concerns that all epidemiology agencies in the United States should take into consideration. The first one is that of increased use of injection drugs, hero
Introduction The world is fighting to keep global temperatures low as current studies in climatic conditions show that the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is increasing above the normal standard. In this regard, world leaders, environmentalists and scientists are increasing their efforts to reduce the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide below peak. This suggests that the world must reduce consumption of fossil fuel, improve efficient use of energy and reorganize existing economic situations. We can only achieve such changes through committed national and international policies on emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). Consequently, carbon offsetting has experienced a dramatic growth as a way of reducing emission of GHG. This mainly involves paying another party to reduce emission of GHG in other parts of the world. This carbon offset will result into companies and industries seeking to compensate for their own release of GHG. Different entities now seek to offset GHG emissions using different methods such as buying carbon offset to reduce effects of GHG in the atmosphere. This is voluntary carbon trading. In carbon offset markets, there are both voluntary and compliance programs to ensure carbon trading. Compliant markets exist under regional or international carbon reduction policies and schemes like the Kyoto Protocol and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. On the other hand, voluntary carbon market exists and operates outside any compliance. This has created chances for individual entities to buy carbon offsets on voluntary cases. Studies show that the growth in both compliance and voluntary carbon trading are gaining momentum, and are likely to increase in the coming decades and form economic forces (Bayon 2007). According to WWF report, the current voluntary carbon offset can use the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) as the standard for trading. This is because voluntary carbon market plays a crucial role in managing effects of global warming by reducing emissions of GHG (Kollmuss 2008). The project has economic and environmental advantages, which have the potential to deliver sustainable management of concentration of GHG. Therefore, voluntary market gained popularity due to the following benefits. Benefits Voluntary carbon offsets provide environmental, political, and social advantages to individuals directly involved and the world, in general. Carbon offsets enable industry players to contain their costs at low levels. This provides opportunities for players to engage actively in voluntary trading of carbon offsets. There are also investment opportunities available for voluntary entities where they are free to innovate, and create new methods in reducing emission of GHG. Voluntary carbon offset markets also create asset conservation by providing opportunities where industries can buy offsets instead of replacing them before their period end. This conserves materials and provides opportunities for compliance with an effort to reduce effects of GHG emissions on the world. Voluntary carbon offset markets also create asset conservation by providing opportunities where industries can buy off
Executive Summary This report involves a comparative analysis of development and success of cultural heritage tourism propelled by architectural attractions that form essential tourism attraction sites in two heritages sites namely Valletta in Malta and Venice in Italy. The capital of Valletta and Venice are two cities in the republic of Malta and the republic of Italy respectively, which have shown competitive architectural designing, and thus form substantial tourism attractions in the two countries. According to the research findings of this study, the two heritage sites have in common assisted in the Italian and the Republic of Malta’s economic growth. However, Venice seems to be deteriorating in its heritage tourism demand due to historical management malpractices, but Valletta’s demand is surging specifically due to its modernised culture. Introduction Globally, the tourism industry has consistently gained international acceptance with several nations making considerable efforts into improving their tourism department in the unrelenting quest to meet international standards and maintain the prevailing competence. For several past decades, the world has experienced extended growth and development strategies within the tourism sectors. Tourism departments in many nations across the globe have formulated different forms of tourism attractions to fit in the competitive global tourism sector. Italy forms part of the greatest tourism hubs in the globe, with cities in this nation fighting to gain regional and global acceptance in the tourism realm. Republic of Malta is another country, which has proven competitive in the same. For several decades, tourism department in these countries have consistently evolved from traditional tourism sectors into advanced and technologically enhanced tourism. In an attempt to cover this topic by using a SWOT analysis comparative technique, this study seeks to provide an international comparative analysis report on the development and success of cultural heritage tourism in two heritage sites namely the Capital of Malta, Valletta and Venice in Italy. Overview of Cultural heritage tourism Conventionally, tourism industries around the globe form an imperative part of socio- economic development in both developing and developed economies. Cultural heritage tourism popularly known as heritage tourism or Diaspora tourism is among the many types of tourism that have evolved in the globe with different countries making substantial efforts in establishing their cultural heritage sites to attract tourists from the different corners of the globe. Heritage tourism specifically describes the overall traditional or cultural aspects of tourism. Cultural heritage tourism ranges from art works (architecture), historic buildings, and beautiful sceneries, which form part of tourism cantered from inherited tradition (Poria, Butler & Airey 2003). For several past decades, research has concentrated on the heritage tourism industry with the subject becoming an area of interest from a range of disciplines. Moreover, this tourism industry is standing out as a useful element in u
Introduction The culture of fear is a new phenomenon growing among the American citizens. It refers to the tendency to adopt irrational scares, especially when advanced by the media, politicians, and monomaniacal advocacy groups. This qualifies as paranoia associated with issues such as road rage, breast cancer, pedophiles, blacks, immorality, plane crashes, among others. Glassner and Wainwright provide the reader with statistics to debunk most of the misrepresentations advanced by the media. Masquerading ‘experts’ who in reality are phonies with dubious qualifications being trotted up to back the media’s prejudicial notions are exposed with the backing of statistics. An interesting point that Glassner brings to attention is how these journalists seem quick to brush aside genuine experts who seek to discredit their generalizations of solitary incidents into ‘trends’. Glassner’s ‘The Culture of Fear’ is quite a revelation of matters concerning misplaced fears based on delusions by the press. It touches on issues than include fear for airline safety, road rages, teenage pregnancies, monster moms, youth violence, terrorism, crack babies, pedophilia, kidnappings, overemphasis of diseases such as SARS and West Nile Disease, feminists’ banter on silicone breast implants, and racial stereotyping among others (Glassner 2010, p. 3). It also provides an explanation of why people succumb to these ploys by the media, politicians and lobbyists. Finally, Glassner offers suggestions on how to counter these irrational fears propagated by such falsities. Wainwright’s ‘A Sociology of Health’ is a complex text on health issues. For the purposes of this paper, the focus is on chapter two, which discusses ‘Doing Better, Feeling Scared: Health Statistics and the Culture of Fear’. Wainwright’s work is a reflection of Glassner’s many concepts, with more emphasis laid on the statistics, to debunk the paranoia that comes with ignorance. However, he gives a detailed explanation of the nature of ‘actuarial risk’ (Wainwright 2008, p. 91). This paper will discuss both authors’ contributions jointly. The culture of fear is not new: it continues to breed with the sustaining efforts of the opportunistic politicians seeking votes from the public by playing on people’s emotions through mass media. It thrives on sensationalism and exaggerated reports of occurrences to keep people tuned in and single-minded advocacy groups that exaggerate the prevalence of certain diseases and conditions to solicit funding. Unfortunately, these extreme, albeit spectacular depictions are detrimental to society in terms of propagating further hardships and eclipsing the real, and usually less popular problems. For instance, Glassner posits that the widespread anti-breast cancer campaigns spread fear among affected parties, making it less likely for daughters whose mothers had breast cancer to conduct screening tests. He also gives the example of the hype over illegal drug usage, such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroine. Focusing on these abusers shifts our attention from the abuse of legal drugs and the neglig