ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction The silent era started from 1894 to about 1929. Historians say the peak of silent films happened in the 1910s when its level of sophistication escalated to new heights (Loretta & Robert, 2001). In the silent era, silent films were not only an art form, but also a literary form. Although the term “silent” means there was no sound accompanying pictures, evidence shows that most silent films had an accompanying music (Loretta & Robert, 2001). The accompaniment of live music emerged from a strong belief (among film producers) that it was important to incorporate music in motion picture films. Indeed, because of the lack of sound, live music gave audiences a clue about what was happening on the screens. In small towns, pianists played music to accompany silent films, but in big cities, filmmakers used full orchestras to achieve the same purpose (The Times, 2004). Because of the lack of sound, the success of silent films mainly depended on how well the actors would present their facial expressions and emphasize their body language. Arce & Acker (2010) say that silent films may outrage most modern audiences because the actors would be over-acting. Some of the best silent films included the 1915 film, Birth of a Nation , the 1919 film, Broken Blossoms , and the 1922 film, Nosferatu . This paper argues that the development of synchronized dialogues heralded the death of silent films because years of experimentation enabled film producers to include dialogue into motion picture works. Evidence from this paper will show that, except for Charlie Chaplin, most filmmakers made very few silent films in the 1930s (after the development of synchronized dialogue). The final sections of this paper show that the development of synchronized dialogue was a new territory for the motion picture film industry because silent films did not have a sound. Broadly, from this background, this paper argues that the development of synchronized dialogue is one aspect of cinema that greatly distinguishes silent films from modern-day films. Film Aesthetics The earliest infusions of sound in films occurred with the production of the American music film, The Jazz Singer . Although a high commercial success characterized this film, some critics argue that the introduction of synchronized sound in motion picture films changed the entire structure of the film industry because it eroded the value of film experiences (Arce & Acker, 2010). Some film producers like Alfred Hitchcock hold this view because they perceived the introduction of sound as a “whitewash strategy” for covering some film imperfections (Kristin, 2013). For example, Kristin (2013) says scriptwriters often used dialogue to cover cinematic imperfections. Arce & Acker (2010) also say the introduction of synchronized sound minimized the “
The debate whether video games cause violence is raging particularly in the United States where an outstanding 60 percent of Americans play these games habitually, out of which 32 percent are above the age of 35 (Physorg.com). Those in favor of violent video games contend that fantasy and violence are integral parts of our life, which we tend to manifest in the form of storytelling. Video games therefore express our dreams which are purely figments of our imagination. Such games are nothing but communicated thought. For example, a person who dreams of flying will mentally perceive the fantasy quality of video games like ‘Lost Planet’; a person who wakes from a dream involving scary things will mentally perceive the emotionally purging quality of video games like ‘Grand Theft Auto’ . In both cases, the imaginary scenes provide us mental impressions and involvement without compelling us to undertake daring or risky feats such as leaping from a high point. Video games are not tools that have the ability to transport our imagination into the real world; there are merely weak imitations of the genuine, providing help and relief to those who are apprehensive and unable to comprehend this selfsame world. Distorted individuals do not play video games to gain or increase knowledge of violence – the violence is already inherently present in them. Accusing video games of inciting violence is similar to declaring that one who reads the Bible will only do good deeds and is incapable of bad actions. Another argument in favor of video games is that a long-term study conducted in June 2005 by acknowledged expert on the influence of video games playing, Dmitri Williams, found that the players’ “robust exposure to a highly violent online game did not cause any substantial real-world aggression”; the players neither increased their argumentative behaviors after game play, nor were significantly more likely to argue with their friends and partners (Physorg.com). Those who condemn violent video games contend that playing such games stimulates the brain for aggression. A chilling example is the 2003 fatal shooting of 3 persons by 16 year old Devin Moore in Fayette, Alabama – an action reportedly caused by Devin’s unnatural obsession with the GTA video game that he played constantly (Smith). In their first argument, those against violent video games cite a 2001 study of college students in the United States. A group of students who first played an aggressive video game, and then confronted each other in a feigned challenge, showed more aggressive behavior towards each other as compared to another grou
Ever since the activity of watching TV became an integral part of people’s lives, it started to become increasingly clear to sociologists and psychologists that individuals’ exposure to TV programs has a strong effect on their cognitive predispositions and on their behavioral patterns. In its turn, this prompted some researchers to suggest that this particular activity is not only being well capable of affecting the individuals’ sense of self-identity, but also endowing them with the qualitatively new ‘televised’ sense of self-identity. In the light of the recent discoveries in the fields of biology and genetics, however, this suggestion appears conceptually fallacious. This is because, as of today, there can be few doubts as to the fact that the manner, in which people go about constructing their behaviorally observable self-identities, is being rather genetically than environmentally predetermined. Apparently, television can be best discussed in terms of an informational medium, which in turn implies that by watching TV, people are able to gain a better understanding of the surrounding reality. What it means is that the actual content of TV programs is being reflective of viewers’ genetically predetermined mental predispositions to a much greater extent than their existential stances are being reflective of what they get to watch on TV screens. In my paper, I will aim to explore the validity of this thesis at length, while exposing the erroneousness of many classical assumptions about the negative inf
Design Of The Hypothesis And Research Method Research question/ hypothesis The research question includes analysis of the necessity of inclusion of gifted and talented students in a regular classroom and evaluation of advantages, drawbacks, and limitations of such decision. The present research is aimed at identifying the eligibility status of students for gifted and talented programmes and their curriculum achievements in general and in the framework of specific subjects and areas. Should all highly achieving students be considered talented and gifted and enrolled into special acceleration and enrichment programmes? Can special programmes be created in the framework of a regular classroom in order not to segregate students and emphasise racial and socioeconomic disparities? Research method The research method includes literature review of the relevant literary sources on the problem of gifted and talented children, their inclusion in regular classroom, and pros and cons of segregation of gifted children opposed to pros and cons of inclusion of talented children in regular classroom
Introduction The relationship between politics and religion has been painted over the years by political scientists and historians alike. Indeed, the relationship between Christianity and the legal and political institutions stems right to the maiden days of the church (Rosenblum 2004). That being the case, there some Americans are of the opinion that the two ought not to be mixed up, arguing that a line should be drawn between what is political and that which is religious (Wallis 2005). For as long as the United States of America has been independent, religion has always had a major influence on the voting patterns of political candidates. An emerging trend amongst the main political heavyweights in the United States is that the Republicans, who have adopted the politics of conservatism, have also been shown to be increasingly inclined towards embracing conservative theology, then the democrats (Suarez 2006). Main body According to Wallis (2005), the politics of the people of God differs from that of God’s people, but this should not really be the main concern when addressing the issue of faith and power; what should concern us really is how our politics and societies are influenced by our religious faith. Again, Wallis has gone ahead to demonstrate that a majority of the non-church-going voters during the 2004 American presidential elections, overwhelmingly voted for the republican party’s then-presidential candidate; George W. Bush, perhaps due to the party’s stance with regard to matters of sexuality and moral issues. On the other hand, the Democrats have always viewed religion as a private matter, and Wallis argues that God himself is not private, but rather is personal (Wallis, 2005). It is important to note that everyone in the United States is not religious, but this should not mean that a major leeway should be given to secularism. Although it has always been seen like too much power leads to corruption, when used and harnessed with the interest of the common good at heart, then a lot can be achieved, as was witnessed by the resolve by Nelson Mandela to fight for the freedom of South Africans. Closer home, Martin Luther King Jr. serves as a perfect example, over his fight for the civil rights of the then black minority (Wallis 2005). Being faithful to both a political party and a religious group may seem like a daunting task, yet, it is still possible for an individual political candidate to draw a line between his/her religious belief, and those articulated by their political parties. In the case of democrats, for example, Wallis (2005) opines that their view on religion as a private matter denies them a chance to see the role of religion in their political lives. However, this did not prevent Martin Luther king from publicly articulating his faith, against the beliefs of his party. At times, politicians have also left their churches as a result of a clash of their faith with the doctrines of the church. These
Introduction The issues of malnutrition and the healing process are regarded in lots of journals and scientific literature. Mainly, these are related to the healing of wounds, some hardly treatable diseases, and diseases that require a strict diet. (Ghosh, 2004). Nourishment is of vital importance in wound healing, as it offers the raw substances necessary for wound healing and the avoidance of infection. Wound healing depends on the sufficient ingestion and assimilation of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, and calories. Belated or weakened wound healing happens if dietary supplies are lacking due to ingestion (malnutrition), anomalous absorption, and/or augmented metabolic requirements (draining wounds). (Goldstein & Goldstein, 2002) The malnourished patients are at augmented risk for enhancing difficulties while undergoing treatment (for example, diagnostic studies, surgery, and/or other therapies). Such problems include sepsis, abscesses, respiratory failure, decreased wound healing, and death. (Johnston, 2004). Thus, the relations between nutritional state and wound healing were studied in 66 adult surgical patients. The wound-healing response was assessed by gauging the collagen happy (hydroxyproline) of fine tubes of Goretex interleave subcutaneously all along with regulated needle track arm wounds. After 7 days, the tubes were eliminated and it was established that there was a superior hydroxyproline substance in the tubing of 36 normally nourished patients than there was in the tubing of 21 patients with mild protein-energy malnutrition (p less than 0.01) and 9 patients with moderate to severe protein-energy malnutrition (p less than 0.01). There was no difference in the wound-healing response between the two latter groups of patients who had essentially dissimilar degrees of undernourishment. The consequences offer that exact irregularity in the wound-healing response subsists in malnourished surgical patients, but it occurs previously in the route of the sickness than formerly supposed. (Lewis & Schwartz, 2003). Pre-operational nutrition The nutritional status of the patient previous to and after a surgical procedure is significant for speedy and successful healing. Well-nourished patients rise to and get better from sickness and surgical treatment better than malnourished patients. Malnutrition is related to unfavorable results in surgical patients. Undernourishment can interrupt wound healing and immunocompetence and reduce cardiac and respiratory muscle function. (Nayga, 2002). Malnourished patients subjected to surgery have superior rates of morbidity and transience as well as longer sanatorium stays contrasted with sufficiently nourished patients. (Little, Perry, Volpe, 2002). Most patients are not at the optimum nutritional status when they are admitted to a hospital. If surgery is to be performed, the patient’s nutritional status must be improved by an appropriate dietary regimen before surgery. This minimizes surgical risk. Protein shortage is almost universal among these enduring. Low protein storage will incline the patient to upset, augmented edema, and decreased antibody production. The last factor incr
Introduction Mortality is the main theme of the film, ‘The Hours.’ In this film, the main characters have suicidal thoughts because of the problems that they are facing in their lives. To them, suicide is the only way that they can solve the problems that they are facing. This paper will therefore focus on the theme of mortality as presented in the film. It will expound on this theme under the natural law theory, Kantianism, utilitarianism, and the social contract theory. These analyses will bring a clear understanding of the actions taken by the characters of the film and their consequences. Synopsis of the Plot ‘The Hours’ is a film that has three different time settings. The first set of the film focuses on Virginia Wolf in 1921. Suffering from a mental illness and severe nervous breakdown, Virginia is struggling to write her novel, Mrs. Dalloway. Virginia is troubled and thinks that the life that she is living does not conform to her desires. It is at this point that she states that if she is to continue with her life, she has to come up with a decision on how and where she is going to live. However, given her medical condition and the fact that she does not even get the respect of her servants, she is sceptical about this and thus she is in constant fear that she might take away her life. The second setting of the film focuses on Laura Brown in 1951. Laura is a homemaker in suburban America. She is married to Dan, who was a soldier in World War II. At the time, Laura was pregnant and has a son, Richie. Although her neighbours and friends view them as a perfect family, Laura is not contended with the life that she is living. Thus, during Dan’s birthday of her husband, she takes Richie to a friend while pretending that she is going to run errands. However, she checks into a hotel in an attempt to kill herself while reading the book by Virginia Wolf, ‘Mrs. Dalloway.’ However, she falls asleep and after waking up, she decides not to go ahead with her plan. The final set of the movie focuses on Clarissa Vaughan in 2001. Clarissa is on the verge of organizing an award party for her long time friend, Richard who has been in several gay relationships and is suffering from AIDS. Other than their friendship, the two had been lovers during their college days. Richard is not happy about the award he is about to receive since he thinks that he should have received it earlier, when he was much healthier. However, he confesses to Clarissa that she is the only reason why he is alive and compares her with Mrs. Dalloway, the leading character in the book by Virginia Wolf because both of them are distracted from life and themselves. Shorty, Richard commits suicide by jumping out of the window. Detailed Synopsis of the Moral Issue The three characters presented in the film are surrounded by death. Virginia Wolf views death as the only way that she can solve the problems that she is facing in life. She is suffering from bipolar disorder, a condition that gives her severe nervous breakdowns. Additionally, she is of an unstable mind. Due to this fact, she does not command the authority she would want as a
The social media platforms in their current state have a significant influence on public discourse by facilitating the discussion of critical issues in the present-day world. Their role in the process can be clearly seen in the activities related to human rights and the rule of law conducted by users (Bayer, 2019). By serving as resources for citizens’ participation in the life of society, they ensure the access of all people to them and their involvement in the policy-making. However, the increase in their power evokes concerns among political activists who claim that these websites pose a serious threat to the stability of the corresponding organizations (Bayer, 2019). From this perspective, it is reasonable to suggest that the involvement of online media in this field in terms of the scope of provided information should be restricted by the introduction of new rules. The described situation is a relatively new phenomenon, which is already included in the studies of legal scholars. They claim that the necessity to monitor the content stems from the use of third-party data, which are directly connected to the corresponding laws not applicable to this problem (Bayer, 2019). From this perspective, the continuation of their operations under the conditions of free exchange of distorted facts for the benefit of one another stance is unacceptable. The methods proposed for changing the principles of their work include the e-Commerce Directive’ amendments, structuring of reports, the introduction of their selection algorithms, and governance of technological advances (Bayer, 2019). Thus, online platforms should be subject to regulatory controls similar to traditional broadcast media because they deal with large amounts of sensitive information received from reliable sources but used improperly. Reference Bayer, J. (2019). Between anarchy and censorship: Public discourse and the duties of social media. CEPS Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe No. 2019-03 . Web.
Introduction Gun violence has been part of American culture, but it has been increasing significantly over the years, especially after the calls to repeal the Second Amendment emerged in 2013. Both the proponents and opponents of this debate have valid reasons to support their side of the argument. Despite the long-standing debate on gun ownership and violence in the US, there is little potential to move forward and address the issues underlying this widespread public health problem. The major problem is the tendency to think that people make choices on whether to own a gun and how to use it based on rationality instead of probing this issue within its broad social-cultural context. Instead of understanding the reasons that contribute to gun violence, the proponents of gun control focus on banning firearms from the citizenry, and this approach has borne insignificant fruits as Americans continue to suffer and die due to misuse of guns. In the process, the debate on gun control and ownership has become emotional and politicized thus robbing the involved parties of the objectivity needed to address this problem. This paper argues that repealing the Second Amendment would not stop gun violence because the gun does not pull the trigger but the criminal. The attention that the media puts on criminals contributes significantly to the majority of mass shootings as the perpetrators seek to get fame. If the media directed the attention to the victims as opposed to the shooters, it would likely lower the indiscriminate rate of mass shootings in the US. The Second Amendment and Gun Control The proponents of gun control have erroneously accused the Second Amendment of standing in the way of gun reform policies in the US to curb the increasing cases of gun violence. However, this view lacks a solid foundation in law or American history. Regulations on firearms have been in place since the existence of guns in the US. The Second Amendment reads, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (Cornell & Cornell, 2018, p. 868). On the one hand, gun rights groups and other organizations such as the National Rifl