ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Definition The troubled asset relief program (TARP) of the United States government was signed into law by the former US president George W. Bush on October 3, 2008 (Hillman 16). The program was meant to tackle the subprime mortgage crisis as part of the $700 billion Bank Bailout Bill (Muolo 13). The TARP program initially allowed banks and other financial institutions to propose a bid price to sell their distressed (toxic) mortgage-backed securities to the federal government as part of a reverse auction. While banks would offer to sell their mortgage-backed securities, Treasury would purchase such securities at the lowest offered price in a bid to stabilize the economy in the wake of the 2007-2008 financial crisis (Bonner and Wiggin 34). The initial program was revised following concerns that the government would end up paying too much while banks estimated that they could not get sufficient funds. The alternative was a fund that bought preferred stock and warrants in nine of the largest American banks, making use of the phrase “too big to fail” and other financial institutions. In the announcement by then-president George Bush and Treasury Secretary Paulson, $250 billion would be used to buy the preferred stock of the nine major companies and the other smaller financial institutions. Among other requirements for a company to be eligible for the troubled asset relief program, companies would also face restrictions on their tax benefits and limit compensations paid out to executives in the company in terms of bonuses and golden parachutes. Background The subprime mortgage market started experiencing difficulties in 2006, thereby affecting American financial institutions that relied on them for business. The effect of this was a greater impact on the US economy, which later sent shockwaves around the world, leading to the global recession of 2007-2008. TARP came as a result of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, whereby the US Government sought to exploit ways to protect the economy from further downturns in the markets in response to the subprime mortgage crisis (Vazquez 11, United States Congress et al. 1, CCH Editorial Staff 3). The aim of TARP was to stimulate the economy by freeing up assets of big businesses, thereby allowing them to lend to the economy, and discourage further down-closures in the housing market. T
Thomas LaBrie’s essay is a perfect illustration of how we learn from our mistakes particularly those committed when we are still youthful and obsessed with our own thoughts. LaBrie has managed to show how hastiness often characterized by a serious lack of a sense of moderation and second thought with regard to what a young person wants to do can subject them to serious and regrettable dangers. He has chosen his words well to bring out the picture of what they were engaging in on that day and how their adventure ended up in the froggin sites. His essay begins in a manner that arouses curiosity in the readers. He starts his story by making a phone call from his best friend Marvin who wanted to know if he could accompany him to a froggin’ mission later that night. This opening paragraph together with the title of the story acts to arouse curiosity in the readers who would not only want to find out what froggin’ is and what it entails but also what “Franken-frogs and mushroom bear” was all about. His style of opening up a story makes the reader want to continue reading the story in order to find out what transpired during that night. It also makes the reader to be keener in his or her following the storyline so as to understand what the writer is talking about so that it is only after you have carefully read the story you can understand the title of the story. Thus even if you are a native Cajun and you are well versed with the Cajuns way of life, the title surely leaves you with the natural reader’s desire of finding out what a story with an interesting title is all about. Thomas LaBrie’s story has a puzzling title that is so powerful thereby deserving the reader’s full attention. Froggin’ is a common practice among the Cajun people whose diet comprises of frogs Fry and Posner (399).Mae observes that apart from being a time of harvesting sugarcane, Fall Harvest is a time of year for festivals and cerebrations honoring crops, food, music and a festival known as Mr. Frog ( Monsieur Grenouille ) (210). Mr. Frog revolves around a native legend of a chef known as Donat Pucheu who is said to have started selling juicy delicious bulldogs from Rayne to New Orleans. Rayne is to be found in Louisiana Cajun plains and was in fact named world’s Frog capital during the 1940’s after the townspeople held a frog derby Mae (210). Therefore froggin’ is part and parcel of the people of Cajun to the extent that they have set aside a day to celebrate frogs which is a part of tender diet as illustrated above. Thomas LaBrie explains that froggin’ is Cajun term for catching bulldogs (1). He further elucidates that they (bullfrogs) can be caught with a gig or bare hand but real Cajuns detests being caught giggin so that most of froggin’ is done with bare hands Thomas LaBrie (1). The fact that frogs are important components of the Cajun’s way of life is in perfect harmony with Thomas LaBrie
The situation The Aitken Spencer hotel is a successful project that has achieved its purpose and goals beyond the initial expectations. Like many projects undertaken in ecologically sensitive places, the project initially generated controversy and invoked resistance among the population of Kandalama community. However, the current picture speaks differently about the attitude of the people of Kandalama towards the projects and the awards and recognitions too are a proof that the hotel has lived to its pre construction billing as environmental friendly. The hotel has engaged the surrounding community in different ways which has won their trust and ensured continued support. Corporate social responsibility activities like characterize the current partnership between the people and the project management. First priority job offers to the local youths, scholarships and study centers have ensured the villagers gain first hand from hotel business. Also, the fact that minimal environmental damage has occurred in the environment where the hotel is situated coupled with green waste management techniques have ensured critical support from the stakeholders including employees and even guests. The hotel looks set to continue with the policy of involving the locals in its operations and pursuing green initiatives to conserve the environment and also to cut costs involved in waste disposal. Different location Though there was minimal damage to the environment in Kandalama, the bottom-line remains that the advantages the environment has gained from the project far more exceeds the negative impacts. A different location in Sri Lanka could have undergone changes same way Kandalama did. The time and careful planning that the hotel management ensured minimal damage to the surrounding. The policies that were adopted ensured more merits than demerits for the environment. Given that people anywhere in the country could have raised objections to the environment, Aitken Spencer Hotel management could have made the same adjustments to suit to the community needs and concerns. Therefore, building the hotel anywhere else could have been beneficial to the environment. However, it is difficult to say for sure if the construction in another place could have been better. The current situation in Kandalama is good. The policies and management practices that have been adopted by the hotel leadership could have been applied in another place just like Kandalama. Improved Quality of Life The construction of the hotel came with many advantages for the locals than they had anticipated. The social and community development initiatives that the hotel management put in place helped in greatly turning around the lives of the villagers in Kandalama (Geok & Buche, 2008, p 8). The strategies targeted sustainability by focusing on quality, productivity and corporate social responsibility. The quality of life has further been boosted by the bottom up approach with heavy grassroots involvement. The Social and Environmental committee of the hotel implemented projects that touched on public works, education, healthcare, community projects and the environment. Many locals have
Introduction Photonics is a unit taught in engineering classes as well as physics classes with the aim of studying the generation of light, emission, modulation amplification, and light sensing. We will see how photonics relates to optical sources, mainly high-power lasers. Meanwhile, high-power lasers are a byproduct of a semiconductor diode doped by the injection of charge carriers from N-type material and P-type material. A doped semiconductor forms a final product of a P-N junction, which when biased by electrical energy forms a powerful laser. These lasers are prominent in the industry in many ways ranging from domestic use to industrial use. Photonics Photonics is a field of engineering that teaches those light application, involving light generation, emission, modulation, amplification, and light sensing. It is helpful in sectors like Telecommunication engineering, fiber, and Optical wavelengths, and optical sources. The field of science and technology has been transforming from analogy generation to digital generation, hence; the field has grown on a rapid transformation. Photonics is a high technology electronic unit, which has grown rapidly from the early 18th century. It includes optical communication, optical imaging, computing and data storage, optical detectors, and lasers. Meanwhile, the introduction of electronics has increased due to upcoming innovations and technology from scientific pioneers. All ideas found in the photonics course consider their arguments on photons systems- one of the interdisciplinary fields crossing physics, physical chemistry, and electrical engineering. Technologies in photonics continue to improve the enhancement of people’s lives. Laser photons are one of the optical sources that come in different types according to the material used. They include; Diode lasers, Infrared laser, laser systems, and laser health (Vasan, 56-162). Optical sources Technical optical systems have a combined approach in the field of engineering. This leads to various innovations, hence leading to the provision of digital devices like radiometry, ocul,ar devices and digital receivers. A comprehensive treatment of optical sources combines various modern electronics like digital optics and various digital systems to make a single chip. Medical thermography, fiber optical communications and CCD cameras constitute what optical devices are. Meanwhile, the demand of data transmission increases due to the introduction of Internet applications, which has changed people’s lives, covering and controlling various types of business in the world. The transmission of optical channels at large on a single optical fiber has been easy due to the introduction of multiplexing. Multiplexing is a process of transmitting various data sources within a single channel. The introduction of the multiplexing process, which involves switching and routing of signals on an optical domain led to large demands on the optical sources referred to as lasers, hence; it comes in various systems formation for different purposes. Many engineers in the field of telecommunication employ their professionals basing their interests
Psychology is a part of a social science that tries to explain why humans behave and do what they do. While normal people judge others unfairly, social scientists have been approaching the same matter by conducting experiments and research (Lahey, 2008). This paper will briefly explore the informal psychology, which is as old as man, and the scientific approach of psychology. In the end, this paper will recommend the best approach to psychology. It is normal for us to judge others depending on how they appear to us. This informal type of psychology happens all the time without our concept. For example, when the year begun, a new student named Andrew joined our school. He does not talk much, therefore not so many people know about him. He walks extremely slowly, and he stammers. Last week, the basket ball coach (my coach) announced that Andrew will be joining the team for trial. My team mates could only laugh, it was impossible to imagine Andrew making a basket let alone dribbling. Never before had we seen a man walking at that pace, desire to play basketball. To our surprise, it turned out that Andrew is a pretty good player. We later realized that we had formed an opinion about him without giving him a chance. The scientific method of study in psychology can be divided into 5 steps. In the first step, the researcher observes a certain occurrence and comes up with a theory as to why it has happened. For example, a researcher may observe that 20 minutes afternoon naps are allowed in some offices. There is a probability that afternoon naps increase productivity of workers. The researcher maybe interested in finding out whether the claim is true. The next step in the study is to come up with a hypothesis. In this case the researcher may come up with a hypothesis that says that; workers who take a nap after lunch, are more productive in the afternoon than the ones who do not. After a hypothesis has been formulated, the researcher should design a study that will measure the two parameters to be compared; productivity and presence of 20 minutes nap. Since the productivity of people varies, the researcher will simply compare the level of productivity per subject, and then compare that trend with other subjects. Only when the trend is consistence, a conclusive remark can be made. Productivity can be measured by the number of words the subjects type for 120 minutes. When the subject has taken a nap, he will be required to type for 100 minutes. If he has not taken a nap, he will be required to type for 120 minutes. In short, the test will compare productivity for a period of 120 minutes in 5 days. The researcher will then collect data; in this case, data is the number of words typed. Afterwards, the researcher will deduce whether there was an increase in the number of words typed in the presence of a nap for each subject. If it is found that the majority had more typed words when they took a nap, then he can conclude that his hypothesis was right (Plotnik & Kouy
Introduction The selected company is Damac Properties, which is one of the leading luxury construction companies in the UAE. The company’s main business is located in Dubai, UAE. However, it also operates and carries out construction projects in other parts of the UAE. The company was set up in 2002 by Damac Group, which is owned and chaired by Mr. Hussain Sajwani. The company’s stocks are listed on the Dubai Stock Exchange. It is also the first UAE-based construction company that launched a successful IPO on the London Stock Exchange and raised almost £379 million. The company’s main strategy has been to provide unique and luxurious designs. The company charges a high price for its properties and in return offers excellent quality and services to its customers. The key performance highlights of the company are as follows.  1. The company has undertaken construction of more than 40,000 units since its inception.  2. The company was also awarded the Hospitality Excellence Awards 2017 (Appendix A).  3. It was also awarded at the 11 th Annual World Luxury Awards (Appendix A).  4. The company is listed among the top 100 real estate companies in 2017.  5. The company has a strong brand reputation, and its projects are highly popular among investors.  6. The company also has a strong liquidity position as indicated in Appendix B, which implies that the company is less likely to have financial problems in the coming periods.  7. It is considered to be the market leader in the Dubai region and has several ongoing projects in the country.  8. Customer loyalty is high because of the high quality of construction provided by the company.  9. In recent years, the UAE property market has experienced a slowdown despite the announcement of the 2020 UAE Expo, which has also affected the company’s business. 10. The default on payments by customers has caused a decline in the prices of properties by the company, which is causing problems for sellers. Strategic Posture The company’s current strategic posture is determined by presenting and evaluating its mission statement, objectives, and strategies. Mission Statement The company’s mission statement is “DAMAC Properties, as a leading luxury real estate developer, strives to provide dream homes and unique living concepts to customers from all over the world.” Strategic Positioning The company’s strategic positioning is “DAMAC Properties prides itself on its uncompromising commitment to service excellence, whether we are helping a young couple choose the perfect family home or advising investors on properties offering the best investment returns.” Objectives The company’s objectives include:   * To be the leader in the real estate market of Dubai and UAE.   * To design and develop the architecture that is unparalleled and highly appreciated by property buyers.   * To ensure that the quality of constructions remains uncompromised.   * To match all global standards for commercial construction.   * To adopt new and innovative methods and techniques in its processes to reduce the environmental impact of its business activities and its constructed properties.   * To make an en
Introduction This essay contains a literary analysis of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. It is known as one of the most horrible but still realistic short stories about human life, traditions, and interests inherent to society. From a Marxist perspective, it shows the objectification of social relations. Due to such unusual ideas and attention to violence, Jackson’s story undergoes considerable critics and analyses of many sophisticated writers and thinkers for a long time. For example, Bernice Murphy attempts to evaluate the domestic horror and causality that become the core of violence and the death of innocent people. Main Themes of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson According to this and many other critiques which analyze The Lottery, it is possible to admit that this story is full of symbolism that perfectly describes violence through everyday traditions and human imagination. There are numerous themes in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, but the most evident are the ideas of violence, devotion to traditions, and fear to change something due to the concurrence of circumstances. There are numerous essays on the symbolism of “The Lottery”. Many critics underline the idea that the work by Jackson is “hinged upon the symbolism of the notorious tale” (Murphy 5). It is not very difficult to discover how skillfully and maturely the author can demonstrate a perfect use of symbols to describe all those issues many people are afraid of but still cannot evade. The evident symbol of the story is “a three-legged stool,” and the box that is “made with some pieces of the box that had preceded it” (Jackson 7). It is not only the symbol of something predictable or inevitable; it is also possible to recognize the idea of the trinity that usually has some religious roots. The Lottery itself symbolizes all that cruelty, violence, and death which exist in the world and cannot be avoided by ordinary people. Though the Lottery is something “so-called normal and ordinary” (Murphy 248), this symbol represents some strange, terrible, and even horrible event that is unfair towards the citizens as it is stated by the main character Tessie Hutchinson when “the stone hit her on the side of the head” (Jackson 21). Her sacrificed murder is not supported by the author as well as in some of the literary criticism. Her death is as stupid and unnecessary as many traditions and customs people like to follow and believe in. It causes bewilderment and questions. While the vast majority of people in the story cannot comprehend the necessity of this Lottery, they also cannot understand how miserable and cowardly their faith may be. This violence, inhuman attitude to each other, and the belief that someone’s death may change and improve the current state of affairs and human future are the central ideas in the story. Human weakness is the fact
Introduction I have just finished reading a semi-historical yet fictional book entitled “To Shield the Queen”. The book is a mystery thriller based upon a historical event that took place in the royal court of Queen Elizabeth the 1st. Written by Fiona Buckley, the book was first published in paperback form in 1997 by Pocket Books, a division of Schuster Inc. Fiona Buckley, the author, is a British woman who by actual profession is a former technology journalist and industrial editor, seem to have a fascination for the royal history of Britain and poured countless research hours into ensuring that her novel will not only be based on historical accounts but also have a solid historical platform for all fictional accounts that she incorporated into the story. The main characters and the plot The story introduces us to the main character of what was to become a series of novels from the author. Mistress Ursula Blanchard is a widow with one daughter who is making her way through her new life as a Lady of Presence in the Queen’s court. It was during this time in England that the then Queen Elizabeth the 1st, also known as the Virgin Queen, was embroiled in a highly scandalous rumor that she was having an affair with a married man in her court. This man was Sir Robin Dudley. Sir Robin was married to a woman he no longer loved named Amy Robsart Dudley. The queen, Sir Robin, and Lady Amy are all historical figures of British history and the story of the mystery surrounding the death of Lady Amy, although fictionalized for this novel, is an actual unsolved murder in the history of British crimes. Together with these main characters we also have a host of minor characters in the story such as Dale – Mistress Blanchard’s constantly complaining lady in waiting and Brockley, the mistress’ manservant. These 2 characters serve as Mistress Ursula’s assistants as she investigates the events surrounding the untimely death of Lady Amy and its possible connection to the Queen. Reflections As an avid reader of murder mysteries, I find that this book is highly entertaining, informative, and historically accurate when it comes to the characters being used in the book. It is well written and explains its plotline and succeeding supporting storylines simply that even a reader who is not familiar with British history will be able to follow and understand. The main message of the book is quite clear. Rumors are bad. Rumors can poison a person’s thoughts and isolate them to the point that they deem themselves to be the living dead and that no amount of help can make a difference once a person has resigned himself to a fate of death. In all, I would recommend this book to any mystery thriller buff who wants to change his pace from a heavy mystery to a light-hearted and warm murder mystery.