ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Orientalism is a common concept in international studies. It is used by academicians in reference to the culture of societies in some parts of the world. The regions include Asia and the Middle East. Parties responsible for making the representations include writers, artists, and designers from western countries. Orientalism is common in movies, films, songs, and other artistic expressions. For decades, Hollywood has produced a number of popular movies, series, and children cartoons that depict the stereotypes held by western countries in relation to Muslims and their culture. 1 Some of the films portray a positive picture of inhabitants in the Middle East. However, others illustrate negative, crude, and exaggerated images of the Arab community. In spite of the wide range of depictions, some elements showed in the movies tend to be true. Such aspects include ill treatment of women in the society and the proliferation of terrorism acts that involve kidnapping and killing of individuals from western nations. Since the 9/11 bombing of the United States, majority of films produced in the western world portray Arab communities as terrorists full of ill motives. 2 Some of the most popular blockbusters propagating these themes are based on plots involving attacking and bombing installations in the United States. In addition, some of the scripts are based on kidnapping and rescue missions of citizens from this country. The villains are more often than not militants from the Middle East. The current paper is written against this background of stereotypes propagated about societies in the Middle East by films and other artistic expressions in the west. To this end, the author will use the film “Not Without My Daughter” to examine the various aspects of orientalism promoted by the creators. The movie is a true story that depicts the plight of women in the Middle East. In particular, it portrays the harsh treatment of this group in Iran. Representation of Societies in the Middle East through the Film “Not Without My Daughter” “Not Without My Daughter”: A Brief Synopsis “Not Without my Daughter” is a 1991drama film about the true story of Betty Mahmoody. Betty is an American citizen married to an Iranian husband. The couple has a daughter named Mahtob who is aged four. The movie begins with Betty and Moody at their home in the United States. Life in this western nation is characterised by freedom, beauty, and peace. 3 The home is built near a lake with an evergreen surrounding. The setting is meant to create a good picture of America and the good life of people in society. After staying for some time in the United States, Moody, an Iranian physician, decides to take his American family to Iran. He claims that his relatives wish to meet his wife and daughter. Upon hearing the news, Betty becomes reluctant. 4 The reason behind this is because Iran is considered to be an unpleasant nation, particularly for women of American origin. The negative notion about the country brings out the d
The concept of home is commonly regarded in relation to the process of formation of individual identity, and, in almost every culture, the definition of a home serves as an indicator of a person’s wholeness and the integrity of his/her worldview. It can be considered as a central element of human existence and is related to the psycho-emotional state of self-realization and actualization of personal values. In this way, while the concept of home is correlated with the positive social and ethical implications, the notion of homelessness is commonly perceived as a negative social phenomenon associated with marginality, poverty, lack of clear-cut relations to the past or the future. The concept of homelessness provokes the associations of anti-social, radical forms of behavior and the deviant way of interacting with the society as a whole. While outwardly, homelessness can be manifested in continuous motion from a place to place, social isolation, and the absence of a firm belief in future, it is provoked by internal qualities and experiences which define a homeless person’s actions and ideas. Homelessness is a widespread social issue and it is often employed by authors in their works. William Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor addressed this problem in the novels “Light in August” and “Wise Blood,” but did it in their own unique and artistic way. In their novels, homelessness is referred indirectly and it implicitly and metaphorically unfolds in the story lines driven by the beliefs and actions of the main characters – Joe Christmas and Hazel Motes. Both of the novels’ actors, to some extent, are homeless in term of the material domain of life, but it is possible to say that this homelessness originates from their inner psychological and spiritual space. Joe Christmas The plot of “Light in August” is of Southern origins, and it
A look at the fundamentals by a portfolio manager usually involves aspects of risk, returns, and dividends valuations by a company. Investor needs a growth dividend that compensates for low yield. Dividend growth is usually fairly erratic as the case of Exxon Company between 1998-2002 indicates. There was a dividend growth between 2003 and 2006 touted as the best years so far in the past 10 years. A portfolio manager needs develop a combination of investments (an efficient portfolio that allows investors to maintain a return that reduces the portfolio standard deviation of a portfolio through correlation. Shrewd portfolio manager may wish to consider a large number of portfolios each with different expected deviations between the individual securities. Risk- return indifferences curves show the investors trade off between risk-averse the investor is. Investors must match their own risk- return indifference curve with the best investments available in the market. There are two major types of risk associated with a stock. If the market moves up or down, a stock is assumed to change in value. This risk is referred to as a systematic risk. It may represent the temporary prices or influence of competitor’s new product, changes in raw materials. Unusual economic and government influences on the firm (Exxon). The management has delivered on return on invested capital (ROIC) especially offer the last four years. It has typically been the mid-teens. Exxon corp. is involved in petrochemicals, oil exploration, manufacturing etc. over the last few years the prices of oil have unsteady. Other engagements include transportations and sales of crude oil and natural gas. It also participates in electric power generation. The ROIC reached 32.6% in 2006. Managers also get concerned with return on equity, which in the case of Exxon has been improving with a ten- year average ROE of 24.25. However equity rates have been erratic over the last ten years. Fundamental analysis is the examination of the underlying forces that affect this well being of the economy, industry groups and companies. Most analysis goal is to derive a forecast and profit from future price movements. It involves financial data, management, business concept and competition (company level), at the industry level. It is the examination of supply and demand forces for products of Exxon for the national economy; fundamental analysis might focus on economic data to assess the present and future growth of the economy. To forecast future stock prices, fundamental analysis combines economic industry and company analysis to derive a stocks current fair value & forecast future value. Fundamental evaluation employs a to-down approach that starts with the overall economy & then works down from industry groups to specific companies. The compound annual growth rate is a number that represents a steady level of growth from a beginning value to an ending value away to smooth out uneven returns. Adjusted earnings per share dividend by it predict real return for stocks. Portfolio management involves developing an
The Case Study McCain Foods is a company that has its origins in Canada, and one that specializes in production of chips. The company is among the leading chip producers in the world with a market share of about 33% and presence in several continents. The business is built under the philosophy of good ethics. Consequently, the company’s marketing plan consists of conformity to high quality, transparency in dealings with customers, and good relationship with suppliers. The company is also mindful of the environmental impact of its activities. McCain Foods’ leadership recognizes the need for engaging in activities that foster corporate social responsibility. There are several international marketing aspects in this study. The first aspect touches on market environments in relation to McCain’s international presence. The company’s current market environment is mostly affected by its involvement in more than one stage of development. For instance, the company is involved in the production of potato seeds, transporting raw materials to factories, production, and distribution of finished products. Another concept that applies to this case study involves targeting in context of global markets (“McCain Foods,” 2017). In this case, McCain stands for ethical processes in relation to other competitors within the industry. In terms of the company’s global consumer culture positioning (GCCP), McCain Foods identifies as a symbol of healthy and affordable products. One of the key lessons in this case study is that branding is an important aspect of any company’s marketing plan. In the case of McCain, the brand includes an image that communicates simplicity and straightforwardness. Sustainability is also an issue when it comes to coming up with a viable marketing mix for any product. This concept has been a key strategy for McCain for the few decades that the company has been in operation. Another key lesson in this case study involves supply-chain management. McCain’s strives for simplicity and efficiency in the management of its supply chain. The Case Questions The four Ps that make up the marketing mix include product, place, price, and promotion. Price is related to both the cost of production and profit margins while product has to do with the manner in which the final commodity is presented to the customer. Promotion addresses the vision that the company has for its product and place is about McCain’s positioning in regards to competition for market-share. Within the Boston Matrix there are four product categories including stars, cash cows, question marks, and dogs. Cash cows are those products that have attained a certain status in the market such as McCain Oven Chips. Stars are products that are in a position to become cash cows such as McCain Micro Pizza. Question marks are products that are subject to a lot of uncertainty such as McCain’s curly fries. Dogs refer to products that are on their way out of the market. McCain’s above the line promotional strategies have served to ensure that the big number of potential customers that ‘It’s All Good’. Henceforth, the customers have confidence with the comp
Introduction The following paper presents a marketing plan for Misfit wearable fitness trackers. The current situation on the wearables market is characterized by fierce competition between several well-established brands and ambitious crowd-funded start-up companies, so to retain competitive advantage, it is necessary to create a marketing strategy that would acknowledge the existing and expected trends in the market and differentiate the company from its rivals. Marketplace Situation Analysis Organizational Strengths The current situation on the market is generally favorable for fitness wearables. The latest data indicate consistent growth of demand for consumer wearable devices, with a 3.1 percent growth in the third quarter of 2016 (IDC, 2016). Such a trend is expected to continue for at least three years with the value of the wearable market reaching $25 billion by 2019 (CCS Insight, 2016). It is worth noting that, depending on the definition, different groups of products can be included in the wearables category. However, two product categories – smartwatches and fitness trackers – are currently in the lead, with the former generating a major share of revenues thanks to the combination of popularity and price. The latter, on the other hand, are responsible for more than half of the total number of shipments (Rawassizadeh, Price, & Petre, 2015). These trends are also expected to continue for at least several years, making the wearables segment attractive for new investments. Another important strength is the strong reliance on technology as a selling point, which guarantees Misfit’s leading position on the market in the scenario where the performance and functionality of the product remain the main focus of the audience and/or partnering entities. Weaknesses The biggest weakness currently observed in the market is the tendency towards a decrease in the price of certain types of wearables. The average price of the wearable device declined from $800 in 2012 to around $350 in 2016 (Maida, 2016). The tendency is observed both among the smartwatches and fitness trackers, with the latest releases by major players in the industry, such as Samsung, becoming cheaper by $50 after a hardware update. While the price drop can be partially attributed to the novelty wear, the trend is still observable, although the scale is visibly smaller. Besides, unlike its competitors, Misfit has a fairly small market diversification, which may result in a weak position once the popularity of fitness wearable devices declines. Finally, their brand name is currently recognized for technological innovation but is not readily associated with either active sports or health and wellness, and does not guarantee customer loyalty. Opportunities One of the opportunities that can be utilized by Misfit is the suitability of wearables for gathering data that can be used for statistical analysis. The
The most commonly diagnosed childhood mental health illnesses are depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). According to numerous population-based studies, depression affects 3 percent of children in the United States, and 20 percent display depressive symptoms. It is considered to be a serious mental problem as well. This disorder hurts the energy, mood, sleep, appetite, interest, and overall functioning, as the symptoms, unlike some passing mood conditions, such as grief, sadness, joylessness, tend to be firm and continuous. This means that the adverse effect on the ability to survive at home or school can not be underestimated. For infants, depression is narrowed down to nourishment and sleep disorders. Due to this they do not gain any weight, have a slowed-down development, and demonstrate meticulous behavior. When the child reaches school age, it usually starts to become argumentative and irritable, lacking motivation and the ability to get things done, it may experience mood swings, accompanied by unhappiness and disinterest. The child rarely smiles, has a frozen facial expression, may do a lot of crying, and experiences anxiousness. It looks bored at all times, makes up excuses in order not to participate in general activities, experiences low self-esteem, shame, over-sensitivity, guilt. Boys usually demonstrate physical unrest, aggressiveness, hyperactivity, whereas social withdrawal is more common among girls. There is no such universal template that would fit all children. Through affecting the child’s mood, this mental disorder will also impair behavior, physical condition, the ability to think, do well in school. If depression’s onset occurred early in life, it will surely manifest itself later in adulthood and may lead to more severe mental and somatic disorders. To allow children to exercise their full life potential, and not have any depression-caused impairment in the social, academic, behavioral, and emotional field, it is vital to reveal this disorder as early in life, as possible and treat it accordingly. Depression in children is usually diagnosed if the child had been experiencing the depressive state for at least two weeks, every day. There are a few ways that could be used to help the patient. The most widely used one is group or individual cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, it is only effective during a mild form of depression relapse. If the child is s
Introduction By the early 1980s, Tylenol was a very successful brand of painkillers. Profits from selling Tylenol constituted a significant portion of Johnson & Johnson’s income (Stewart and Paine 157). In 1982, an incident happened that could ruin the brand forever. Several packages of Tylenol in Chicago were found to contain cyanide, a highly poisonous chemical substance. It is assumed that somebody had replaced some bottles of Tylenol with contaminated ones on the shelves of several pharmacies and stores (Bland 9). Seven people fell victim to the crime that was never solved afterwards. Johnson & Johnson had to take emergency measures to ensure safety of its customers and to save the brand—and, possibly, the entire company—from perishing due to the loss of customers’ trust. Apart from extensive media coverage, the incident attracted a lot of academic attention from various spheres and perspectives. A heated debate about the case involved not only crisis management and business ethics theorists and practitioners but also law specialists. The legal aspect of the story is reflected in the concept of product service liability. The concept is about acknowledging that product manufacturers and service providers are responsible for their products and services to a certain degree. The degree, however, is subject to discussion. For example, it is recognized today that a car manufacturer cannot be held responsible for drunk drivers who may hurt themselves or others. Yet, there are more complicated cases. Should Johnson & Johnson have borne responsibility for the deaths of people who took poison while thinking that they were taking Tylenol? What are the responsibilities of the manufacturer under these circumstances? To address these questions, it is necessary to conduct data analysis and present the findings for legal discussion. Data Analysis Johnson & Johnson learned about the poisonings from mass media. The company’s executives had an emergency meeting to decide on the strategy of further action. Two issues were on the agenda: how to ensure safety of people and how to save the product (Kobrak 764). It was concluded that the product would not be saved unless Johnson & Johnson demonstrated dedication to the safety of its customers. For that reason, all Tylenol across the country was withdrawn. It was explicitly communicated to the entire nation that no-one should be taking the painkiller until the end of the investigation. Johnson & Johnson was maintaining a constant connection with media to communicate everything about the investigation and the company’s actions in response to the crisis. Also, there was a telephone number that any American could call to ask questions about Tylenol. From the perspective of product service liability, there is one particularly notable measure taken by the painkiller manufacturer. Within a short period
Introduction It is proved to be a major challenge to face clinicians regarding which treatment to take on a tooth affected by a pulpal or a periapical disease (Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry). They wonder whether to save it through endodontic treatment or extract and replace it with an implant to give peace to the patient. Although dentists may play a role in deciding on which treatment to take, the patient has to be allowed to make his/her final decision. Factors affect treatment/ correction choice Before any of these treatments is arrived at, there are some factors to be considered, which include patient-related issues- (general and oral health, comfort, and patient perceptions on the treatment). Other factors that should be considered are periodontium factors such as pulpal and periodontal conditions, the color of teeth, quality of bone, and the anatomy of soft tissues. It is also required that the clinician consider procedural complications and treatment outcomes that may be related to the type of treatment, as it’s proved that more than 95% of the dental implants and teeth which have undergone endodontic treatments survive and function properly (Lopez and Mathers 49). Treatment Plan The ultimate treatment plan must address the patient major complaints; thus, it should provide lasting, cost-effective treatment and deliver to the patients’ expectations at any time. Whenever deciding the treatment plan, the plan must be always patient-centered. The implication is that it should not be based on stakeholders’ benefits and clinical practitioners’ experience. The treatment must be based on scientific evidence and it should safeguard the biological aspects while restoring comfort and function. The patient, the tooth, and even periodontium are considerations that pertain to the decision making whether a tooth should be extracted or get treated through endodontic treatment (Lopez and Mathers 89). Health status and feelings The patient’s health is the most important aspect, and therefore, it’s important to consider whether the chosen type of treatment is appropriate, if there are risks associated with it, or what can lead to unexpected results such as treatment failure, or even death. A pulpal and periodontal condition indicate that endodontic treatment requires teeth with necrotic pulps and salvageable defects, and it can be contradicted if there are few remaining teeth structures. On the other hand, implants are used when teeth are incapable of being prepared with sufficient retention and resisting form (Naseem 19) There are some patients who experience periodical diseases, or who are frustrated by the recurring tooth problem. In this case, endodontic treatment is highly discouraged, for it results in frustrations to both patient and practitioners, hence, it may be advisable to extract such a tooth and replace it with an implant. Additionally, the implant is the best option for patients who have problems with oral hygiene. To the tooth with unique color, it’s advisable for a practitioner to go f