ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The aim of this thesis is to understand the close relationship between the popular Hindu festival, Diwali and efforts being made by the global Indian diaspora to perpetuate their old country’s traditions and culture in a foreign land. It has to be understood here that Diwali is one of the most important religious occasions duringa Hindu calendar year. In America, Indian Hindus have introduced their religious prayers, holidays and other rituals to Americans as a holistic representation of their culture, often in the face of resistance by local city councils and residents in several states who have prevented them from trying to build religious temples in a local environment (Torpey 45). Today, however, Diwali has gained mainstream acceptance and is increasingly celebrated all over the country, no longer being restricted to a pan-Indian activity. Nevertheless, the “festival of lights” occurrence does indicate the best that Indian culture has to offer. In an immigrant context, Diwali is now celebrated by Indians in many different ways: from domestic rituals to large public events. Sweet-giving, here, is an important element of Diwali celebrations. Against this backdrop, theresearch proposaltalks about the “culture of giving”that Hinduism shares with othermajor religious traditions common to different countries. In this way,I will make an attempt to understand the values of one of the most plural, tolerant religions in the world. The objective is to understand the finer aspects of Indian culture through the festive spirit of Diwali. In order to further substantiatemy learning topic, I would look into a select few academic sources that investigate the close relationship between the festival of lights and the initiative of giving sweets which is a significant ritual during Diwali. Torpie, Kate. Diwali. New York: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2008. Print. One of the key aspects of the Diwali tradition is the phenomena of exchanging sweets. The roots of this tradition can be sourced to India’s agricultural season in which farmers would celebrate the gathering of crops as harvest time comes to a close(Torpey 17).Kate Torpie points out that in rural India, holidays such as Diwali are a significant time for eating good quality food, especially for impoverished families (18). This is an occasion for families to gather aroundthe table, making delicious meals for guests while friends and neighbours give a variety of tasty sweets to children and adults alike. On the second day of Diwali, guests arrive early for a traditional breakfast which mainly consists of traditional Indian sweets such as Motichoorladdoo, dried fruits, chocolate barfee, cashew barfee, gulabjamun, coconut barfee and more (23). Torpie’sanalysis is signi
Cheesecake Company has formulated strategies that have enabled the company to effectively carry out production and distribution of its products. Cheesecake restaurants have different segments; the casual dining segment deals with food production, creation of food recipes, distinctive layouts and customer attractions. The factory has increased its production by offering a diverse, attractive and modernized menu for its products. Wide varieties are offered including, pasta, pizza, burgers, salads, sandwiches, seafood and appetizers. The restaurants update their menu twice per year following consumer’s tastes and preferences; this ensures their menus remain competitive. Cheesecake bakeries have facilities capable to produce more than sixty varieties of cheese cakes. The factory produces high quality products that are prepared using high quality ingredients as per the recipe. These products are prepared in the factory’s premises on dairy basis using high quality raw materials. The factory offers an excellent value for its products; it relies on its restaurants to offer outstanding service to complement the value for the products. Cheesecake restaurants offer food at reasonable prices; the company is committed to offering admirable and competitive services. The objective of the company is to reach for each customer’s expectation and satisfaction. The company believes in their employees who are well trained and qualified. The company has programs that attracts employees who are qualified, and motivates them to work at its restaurants. The restaurants reward committed employees by providing them with extensive training to improve their output. The programs they provide have helped their employees to fully commit to company’s core values. The restaurants are designed with modern equipments and operating systems build with modern technology to improve the efficiency in their kitchens. Flexibility in kitchen allow for thriving food preparation and deliveries to multiple locations where their customers are located. Cheesecake factory restaurants have unique designs and decorations for customer attraction. The restaurants are designed in a way that provides comfort and expansion. An outdoor patio seating is designed in these restaurants to provide extra space to cater for extra capacity needs. Cheesecake restaurants are located at strategic locations with high profiles. These locations are highly populated areas, with diverse businesses and residences. Unlike other theme restaurants, Cheesecake restaurants do not over rely on tourists who are occasional visitors. They accommodate the needs of loyal customers who visit their restaurants from urban and suburban areas. They mostly depend on the customers who reside and work at nearby areas where their restaurants are located. The company owns 165 outlets in 35 states of US; of late, it has extended its locations outside the U.S including the Middle East. Cheesecake Factory’s Bakery Café department has explored and succeeded internationally.
The gold rush changed the history of California. The primary purpose of the paper is to discuss the peculiarities of the gold rush and the impact it had on people’s life. On January 24, 1848, James Marshall, built a sawmill for John Sutter on the American River in California (Friedman 34). He found the gold nugget. He told about his discovery Sutter, who tested samples and confirmed that it is almost pure gold. John Sutter wanted to keep everything in secret; he realized that the discovery of gold would cause a stir and prevent him on his way towards developing of the agricultural settlement New Helvetia. He allowed his employees to take gold, but he asked not to inform the world regarding the discovery of precious metal. Very soon the news spread, due to a businessman and journalist Samuel Brennan. On August 19, 1848, the newspaper The New York Herald published the first report on the discovered gold in California and the gold rush transformed to the global stage (Friedman 61). Thousands of immigrants from around the world traveled to California in search of gold. The period from 1848 till 1855 is considered to be the most famous gold rush (Maxwell-Long 81). The majority of the residents of San Francisco gave up their jobs and moved to the American River. Thousands of people aimed to get to California; however, it was not so easy those times. There were two ways to get to California, namely by sea or be land. Those treasure seekers, who decided to come to California by sea, were called the Argonauts. They had to either go around South America (journey lasted from five to eight months) or get to the Isthmus of Panama, cross it and wait for the ship to go to the North. By land people travelled through the California trail, from Oregon or Mexico, however, it is worth noting that these roads were difficult and dangerous. Among those who arrived in Californi
Despite an established presence in the contemporary academic literature, leadership remains a concept that is not defined conclusively. Instead, it is characterized by exhaustive lists of traits. In most cases, they play an equally important role in the stories of personal success. The following paper identifies the leadership skills of Leigh Anne Tuohy, a character from the movie The Blind Side. Leigh Anne Tuohy possesses a multitude of traits and skills that can be considered essential for leaders. These traits can be viewed as belonging to two broad categories. The first category includes skills that deal with the emotional state of the people around her. Throughout the movie, Leigh Anne is noticeably open and honest every time she communicates with someone else. While this is especially noticeable in her conversations with Michael, she retains this trait in most situations. While such a trait may alienate some people who are uncomfortable with certain topics, on most occasions, it serves as a powerful device to garner the sympathy of peers. For instance, in the line scene, after voicing her dissatisfaction with the quality of service, Leigh immedi
Introduction Currently, the car industry is undergoing a major shift in priorities: if earlier, the main stakeholders of a company were rather concerned with stability and profit, nowadays, predictable earnings growth does not suffice. Car building has grown an overwhelmingly competitive sector where innovation reigns supreme. A Japanese multinational company headquartered in Tokyo, Toyota seems to be excelling in both sales numbers and putting forward innovative ideas and projects. On the one hand, the world’s second-largest car manufacturer has succeeded in striking a balance between meeting customers’ needs and making them interested in purchasing new models. For instance, Toyota has produced and introduced the world’s first and best-sold hybrid car, Prius, successfully. Furthermore, year after year, the Japanese manufacturer ranks among the most innovative companies for its thoughtful consideration of fuel efficiency and safety standards. On the other hand, some experts are convinced that the company might be on its way to long stagnation due to its rigid bureaucratic structure. This essay will discuss what an organizational change consultant could suggest Toyota do regarding making meaningful changes and reinventing itself. Planned Change Lewin’s Planned Change Model When a company considers changing its course of action, managers and OD consultants may entertain the idea of applying Lewin’s planned change model. Nothing is as compelling and motivating as soaring sales statistics. In 2018, alongside other large Japanese car manufacturers, Toyota saw a substantial decrease in sales numbers: for instance, there was an 18.6% decline in Camrys sales (Bomey, 2018). All points are taken into consideration, one may conclude that Toyota cannot and should not rely on its reputation as the main driving force behind sales. Instead, launching a change model might be more preferable, which provides a clear rationale for Lewin’s Planned change model. Lewin’s planned change model implementation usually takes three steps. At the first stage, a company needs to do a so-called defreezing in which it makes major changes to the prevailing paradigm and vision among all corporate levels (Hussain et al., 2018). In the case of Toyota, both the managing board and employees should realize that fixing faulty features and avoiding recalls is a short-term solution. Once decision-makers have found a long-term solution, they introduce a change, which constitutes the second stage. Lastly, if the outcome is positive, a company should proceed with refreezing, stabilizing the structure, and making meaningful patterns for future action. Action Research Model Akin to the planned change model, the implementation of the action research model consists of three stages. The action research model goes into detail as to how an organizational change consultant should interact with a company that hired him or her to make the collaboration mutually beneficial. The first stage is communication, during which the clients share what they find troublesome
Property taxes are a necessity for many cities and districts as they fill their budget and allow governments to redirect funds to other essential areas. However, for many owners, the assessment of the property’s value on which the tax is based is unfair. The government should consider not only the current value of the property in the area and state of the evaluated object but also the term of ownership to distribute taxes equitably. The current property assessment system is based both on the value of the object and the area in which it is located, and the government also offers discounts for low-income owners (Martin and Beck, 2016). This decision, at a glance, is suitable; however, the gentrification of areas can significantly raise the value of a property. According to Martin and Beck (2016), the process of improving and modernizing neighborhoods substantially increases the cost of houses. This trend is unfair, since some families who have lived in the house for generations are forced to leave it because they cannot afford to pay new taxes. Consequently, the government should also introduce a system of benefits for citizens, depending on the duration of the property-owning. Besides, according to Kim (2017), the introduction of a system in which taxes are levied only in certain areas with additional services may be more profitable than general taxation. If tax cuts are needed, this approach may be appropriate for maintaining the revenue streams. Another way is increasing or the introduction of taxes on environmental pollution; for example, houses using solar energy will have to pay less. Thus, the state should use the current assessment system and also add to it the possibility of obtaining benefits for a long duration of ownership. This change contributes to fair taxation and long-term use of property, since people will be interested in an excellent state of their houses or territories and their long exploitation. At the same time, redirection of the tax payment sector contributes to the improvement of the environment and preserves government revenue.
Although today Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are often opposed to each, they have many similar elements. Such common features and narratives probably exist because religions developed in the same territory, although they arose at different times, and therefore are closely intertwined. Three sacred tales about Elisha, Jesus, and Muhammad is another confirmation of the similarity of the three religions, although they also demonstrate their differences. The central idea of ​​all three stories is that the prophets of the Lord will perform a miracle by dividing a small amount of food among tens or hundreds of people and help them all satisfy their hunger. In addition, all prophets carry the same message, since a miracle is intended to show people the power of the Lord and help them find faith in him. However, while Jesus and Elisha reach out to all people and offer the path of faith, Muhammad warns his relatives and tries to convince them to join him and spread the words of God. At the same time, forty men see the miracle but do not believe Muhammad and laugh at his words. This distinction is significant for the story, since it makes it more personal and demonstrates that Islam’s spread was a complex process that met with resistance. Although Christianity and Judaism faced similar obstacles, these religions’ stories carry a mood of universal good and the salvation that faith in God brings, rather than the punishment caused by the denial of the Lord. In conclusion, I find these sacred tales understandable and different in mood, albeit similar in context. Although some details, such as the amount of food and people, are different, they describe a similar story. The similarities are probably because of the partly common history of religions and the ideals they preach. However, the difference in the story about Muhammad emphasizes Islam’s peculiarities and its history of development and spread in the world.
Concrete is a composite material consisting of a binder, gravel, and aggregate, mixed with water (Li 3). The history of concrete dates back to ancient Egypt, where builders used straw and clay make building blocks. Their goal was to produce a durable construction material as the basis for building larger structures. Currently, concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. The creation of concrete revolutionized the practice of design and architecture because it gave builders new possibilities. This paper traces the history of concrete, and examines the current application of concrete in construction projects. The paper starts by examining the history of concrete since the time of the Egyptians to the present. It then surveys the types of concrete used in the world today. The paper then explores the concrete framing systems followed by a discussion of the unique attributes of concrete. The final section of the paper deals with modern uses of concrete in architecture and design, and the environmental impacts of concrete production and usage. Historical Methods of Making Concrete The Egyptians were the first people to make a composite material designed to improve its structural qualities as a building material. They mixed straw and clay to make bricks. The Egyptian straw bricks could withstand cracking. This meant that buildings made with straw bricks lasted longer than buildings made from clay bricks. Egyptian straw bricks date back to 3000 BC (Brookes 34). The Romans were the first people to develop durable concrete. Many concrete structures constructed during the Roman era that still stand today. The Romans discovered that a mixture of volcanic ash, quick lime, and pumice dried into a hard substrate suitable for construction (Li 6). They went ahead to use this mixture in the construction of their structures. Many structures from the Roman era that still stand today came up between 300 BC and 400 AD. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, concrete technology disappeared until early in the nineteenth century. During the nineteenth century, a British researcher named James Parker rediscovered hydraulic concrete after conducting research into Roman methods of concrete making. The Industrial Revolution led to resurgence in the use of concrete for construction. In the same period, a British mason named Joseph Aspdin patented Portland cement after inventing a procedure for producing cement from baked lime. Cement became a primary ingredient in the preparation of concrete. After the rediscovery of concrete, architects and engineers continued to experiment with different ratios of the materials used in the production of concrete. The result was a plethora of concrete types available for different uses today. Part of the ideas that came up from these experiments was the reinforcement of concrete. This gave rise to
Introduction Within the framework of the socially oriented model of criminal justice that involves preventive work and resolving problems of meeting the needs of communities and improving their quality of life, matching police objectives with the interests and expectations of the population is central. The issue of Neighborhood Watch was chosen for the research as it creates a range of controversies and, therefore needs to be properly studied (Brewer & Grabosky, 2014). For example, it is important to identify whether it is effective in crime prevention or not. Neighborhood Watch is a partnership between the police and citizens, which helps to reduce the possibility of committing a crime (Siegel, 2015). Neighborhood Watch is based on the idea that when one notices something suspicious, he or she should react by reporting (Reeves, 2012). The thesis statement may be designed as follows: how does the crime rate change after the implementation of the Neighbourhood Watch program. To explore this topic, it is expected to identify crime statistics before and after the program implementation, reveal methods that were used and community members’ attitudes towards the measures that were provided, etc. Main body Among the objectives of the Neighborhood Watch program, there are helping members of communities to protect themselves and their property, reducing fear and preventing violence, improving the quality of communication between the police and society, and maintaining the quality of life through partnership (Worrall, 2014). The mentioned issue was chosen for the research since communities often suffer from crime conducted on the streets. It may be a minor offense such as disorderly conduct or a significant crime such as robbery. At this point, community members are the persons who have the opportunity to contribute to crime prevention by reporting suspicious situations. In future research, it is expected to focus on various methods used by the program and their perceived effectiveness. Currently, the program of Neighborhood Watch is conducted in three directions that are to be investigated:   * uniting groups or communities of citizens residing in a certain area to monitor suspicious persons and inform the police about it;   * marking the property by putting a special number (for example, the postal code of the house and apartment or the owner’s initials) to facilitate the detection of property. Police officers issue stickers for windows warning criminals that the property in the house is under protection;   * organizing visits by police officers to homeowners and residents of the area and the provision of advice in securing the protection of their houses. The participation in Neighborhood Watch program requires the desire to contribute to the creation of safer living conditions. The main activity of the so-called “neighbors” is to bring any information of a criminal nature to the attention of the police. Sometimes this activity involves the creation of civilian guards for patrolling the territory. Today in the US, there are more tha