ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution is the result of burning fuel such as vehicles, power plants, and off-road equipment. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is a highly reactive gas that can easily form acids. This property of the substance leads to the formation of acid rains that damaging sensitive ecosystems such as lakes and forests. Additionally, it contributes to air haziness affecting national parks and other attractions people visit for the view. In summary, NO2 is a dangerous pollutant as it adds to other environmental problems, such as acid rains, water pollution, and lowering biodiversity through disturbance of natural habitat. Exposure to nitrogen monoxide is also associated with adverse effects on human health. According to EPA, NO2 irritates the human respiratory system can be related to aggravation of asthma and other chronic conditions. Long-term exposure to the gas can cause asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections (EPA). Moreover, Hamra et al. state that NO2 may be a reason for the emergence of lung cancer in urban settings (1111). Nitrogen dioxide also reacts with chemicals in the air to form harmful substances, such as ozone, that can cause health issues. In short, NO2 is dangerous both for environmental sustainability and human well-being. Works Cited Hamra, Ghassan B. et al. “Lung Cancer and Exposure to Nitrogen Dioxide and Traffic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Environmental Health Perspectives , vol. 123, no. 11, 2015, pp. 1107-1112. Environmental Health Perspectives , Web. United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Basic Information about NO2.” EPA, Web.
Introduction Emergency response plans are among the most important contingency measures that an airline company should have. Despite the clear importance of a carefully thought-out emergency response plan, many organizations do not have one. This could be caused by the relative rarity of airplane and helicopter accidents. However, when an accident occurs, it is usually too late to create a plan as the first hour is critical during such an occurrence. Furthermore, the mismanagement of an accident could be disastrous for an airline company. The goal of this paper is to provide information about the concepts surrounding this issue and to look into the impact of emergency response on the reputation of an airline and legitimacy based on real-life cases involving different companies. Role of Emergency Response Planning The usefulness of an emergency response plan lies in creating a thorough plan of action to be used during an accident, natural disaster, or any other crisis that occurs outside of the normal plan of operations. This allows a company to seamlessly transition from normal operation to emergency crisis operation and prevent such issues as panic and confusion at critical times. By definition, a crisis is a chain of events with consequences dangerous enough that they may put people in harm’s way, destroy property, pollute the environment, or a combination of these conditions. Crises are almost inevitably unexpected, but even if an event could be foreseen, it is likely to occur at an unexpected time. Since almost every crisis can bring harm to the airline’s stakeholders such as passengers, crew, and others, the company holds a great responsibility to both avoid and respond appropriately to crises. The stakes involved in crises may escalate over time if they are not being addressed by the airline company or any other party responsible for emergency response. Therefore, all problems of this nature should be addressed as quickly as possible to avoid increased damage or harm. To provide this response in a minimal amount of time, each company must have a prepared emergency response plan. Otherwise, the initial chaos and panic of the crisis will waste precious time that could otherwise be used to resolve the issue, address the media, and inform the possible victims. If a company lacks such a plan, the response is likely to come late, and more damage could be done to people and property (Booth 2015). Crises that an airline may encounter are numerous and can vary in their severity. They may include technical accidents, human error, hijackings, terrorist acts, natural disasters, poor weather conditions, crew or customer belligerence or air traffic control error, as well as other occurrences that might not have been previously encountered. Due to the great number of possible situations, emergency response plans are created in such a way that one plan could address multiple situations. Airlines are not always able to provide their side of the story before the first news of an incident is broadcast,
Introduction This paper contains a copy of the lesson plan for teaching classical music in a higher education setting. Key issues that will be highlighted in the document include the approach chosen to implement the lesson plan, a rationale for the selection of key components of the lesson plan, as well as a reflective report highlighting my experiences working on the project. Learning Approach An effective lesson plan is expected to maximize the chances of teachers having a meaningful learning experience with students. The present lesson plan is aimed at achieving the same goal by teaching students about western classical music. The students were taught about this subject area by studying two periods of classical music development – Renaissance and the Middle Ages. Given that the main objective of the lesson plan was to enrich student’s learning experiences, the learning approach combined digital and non-digital techniques. This means that part of the lesson plan was implemented using the digital learning model, while non-digital learning techniques played a supplementary role. The digital learning approach stems from the e-learning trend, which is synonymous with higher education learning. This is why Razzaque (2020) points out that the higher education sector is one of the earliest adopters of technology-based tools in education. In it, the adoption of the digital learning approach is founded on a strong history of proven success in the adoption of e-learning techniques (Alfelaij, 2016). Furthermore, due to current restrictions on in-person learning brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital learning approach comes as a natural selection for the implementation of the lesson plan. In this framework, the use of non-digital means of implementing the lesson plan complements the implementation of the lesson plan itself. Particularly, it is meant to appeal to the n
Human beings have always been interested in understanding how culture influence psychology either through beliefs or customs. There have been studies on the links between culture and psychology since the 19th century. Psychology experts have come to learn that culture has a major role to play in the way psychology is shaped. With people being ethnocentric this is usually a basic reality which reflects that we all grew up in specific cultures and we have learnt to believe that the standards, principles or even expectations that we acquire from our own culture reflects the way we approach the world. The (traditional) psychology tries to first establish the problem and then coming up with ways on how to solve the same. It covers the past as well as the current happenings in an individual’s life. Thus, some cultural aspects of the Asians can be applied to traditional psychology. For example when one looks into the life of many Asians, it is easy to find that there are a large number of people who feel trapped by the oppressive and repressive practices still practiced in their communities as can be reflected by the different castes system and the communist regimes. As a matter of fact, it should be noted that the Asian culture is not homogenous and variations do exist but a good deal of the Asian culture is reactionary and anti-ethical and this has been specifically the cause of widespread socialism in the continent. Much of the Asian culture originates from economically less developed societies with a super culture encompassing mysticism, intense fixation on castes and classes and the oppression of women, lack of individualism and the shunning of critical thinking. What Are The Implications Of These Characteristics For Psychological Theory And Practice? The implications of these cultural aspects of the Asians to the theory and practice of psychology theories are that they make the understanding of the human thought and behavior easily understandable to some degree. For example, in case you want to apply the behavioral theory which is a learning process based upon an idea that all the behaviors were acquired through conditioning it would then be easier to predict the behavior of for example a lowly caste placed Indian to a highly caste placed Indian since their behaviors are different as expected from their own culture. In the aspect of cognitive theories, Asian cultural aspects are better at observing the cognitive theories since they are concerned with the human internal states for example motivation, problem solving, and critical thinking to which we saw most of the Asian cultures not allowing. This theory assumes that human beings are logical beings and thus most make choices that are suitable to them but to most of the Asian cultures, the decisions are usually made by those high in authority for everybody to follow. Everyday we all try to describe and assess the personalities of people who live around us. The psychology tries to look at the patterns of opinions, feelings, and demeanors that sig
My understanding of teacher’s role and duties has greatly evolved with time passing. Now when I am pursuing a career in this field, I think that an educator should achieve a great number of objectives and none of them can be disregarded. The key goal which I try to attain is to give students the knowledge and skills that help them become excellent professionals and morally responsible people. Furthermore, I believe that learning should not be limited only to school, college or university since it must be a life-long activity and I always try to foster such attitude in my students. These tasks are of the highest priority to me and I try to accomplish them on an everyday basis. Being a supporter of such educational approach as progressivism, I usually view myself as a guide, rather than some taskmaster or supervisor who continuously oversees the activities of the students. This theory emphasizes the importance of those activities which are directly related to the development of student’s skills (Ornstein & Levine 2007, p 180). This is why while teaching the students I usually try to give them those assignments that can be applicable to real-life situations. The supporters of progressivism stress the fact that learning becomes much more effective when peers are able to share one’s ideas with each other (Martin & Loomis, 2007). They should not be regarded as separate entities, who interact only with the teacher but not with one another. This idea significantly impacted my teaching practices. In particular, I encourage them to work on group projects that require cooperation and teamwork. Additionally, the theory of progressivism postulates that students must always see the usefulness of knowledge (Martin & Loomis, 2007); in other words, they must know how it can be applied. So, I set students those tasks which are connected with problem-solving. Only in this way learners will see that education is not some obligation imposed on them from outside; more likely, it is a necessity. Most importantly, such an approach allows them to derive enjoyment from learning; they no longer view it some tedious or monotonous activity. Another part of my teaching philosophy is the necessity to question the opinion of others. In my opinion, it is of the crucial importance that students are able to critically evaluate the ideas and views, expressed by other people. For instance, while conducting group discussions with my students I urge them to evaluate the arguments of one another in terms of their validity, relevance to the topic of discussion. This is an inherent part of progressivism educational theory. Apart from that I always warn learners against making foregone conclusions. For example, when they conduct any form of research, I always tell them that they should not twist in order to suit the initial hypothesis or theory. I hope that this approach to learning will avail them in the course of their lives. Finall
Introduction The concept of introducing social networking sites as educational instruments in the broad academic landscape has been growing dramatically over the past decade as institutions of learning recognize the potential to utilize the networks as both marketing apparatuses and learning tools (Gilroy, 2010). Indeed, scholars and educational practitioners are in agreement that social networking and other forms of internet-based communication have fundamentally transformed learning, allowing students and teachers unparalleled access to a world of knowledge and personal contacts that would have been unimaginable some twenty years ago. The social network, according to Brydolf (2007), has emerged to be the public space that has permitted both students and teachers a sphere for their social interaction and development which is inherently comparable to the kind of public space they would have experienced in the traditional learning and teaching environment. By undertaking a critical evaluation of the recent developments in the field of social networking, this paper aims to examine how these sites affect education from a cultural perspective in addition to evaluating their pros and cons to education. Understanding the Concept Social Networking The term “network” has diverse meanings and implications in diverse contexts. In layman’s terms, the word “network” implies any interconnected group, unit or system (Supe, 2008). In technical terms, however, the term may imply a system of multiple computers and other communication devices connected together for the explicit purpose of sharing information. However, this paper will assume a socio-cultural trajectory, defining the term as a directory of interconnected or interdependent individuals maintained for personal, educational or career development,
For some time, during and after Canada’s financial crisis in 2008, it was considered fashionable to refer to the country as a regulatory and fiscal prudence paragon. In the years preceding the crisis, the government in Canada involved in budget surpluses. This enabled the country to grow the economy, while avoiding huge debt loads. Extremely high debt loads are experienced in Spain and Greece. Moreover, the banking system in Canada underwent critical capital requirements. It is also worth noting that they were more averse to risks, as opposed to the counterparts in Europe and America (Von Hagen, Schuknecht & Wolswijk, 2011). Maybe the most vital aspect is that Canada did not engage in the kind of real estate experiences as is the case in Great Britain and the United States. This is as a result of the stringent lending standards. In addition, there is no mortgage interest deductibility. The financial crisis experienced worldwide paralyses financial institutions in the developed countries. In addition, it led to bailouts in countries, as well as banks. It is worth noting that the financial sector in Canada was not greatly affected by the financial crisis, even in the absence of taxpayer- financed bailouts. Moreover, the banking sector in Canada remained extremely well capitalized and stable. There are several measures that Canada took to safeguard the stability in its financial system (Reinhart & Rogoff, 2008). It is worth mentioning that slightly before the crisis, the bank funding structure was extremely favourable. This is because banks depended more on depository as opposed to wholesale funding. The second strategy is that Canada possesses extremely restrictive capital sufficiency regulatory measures globally. This is in regard to the allowed capital deductions, risk- weighting, as well as permissible regulatory capital definitions. Furthermore, the banking system’s structure in Canada is attributable for making the sector more solid. In the country, tight measures as well as heavy regulation upon entry resulted to extremely concentrated banking systems. These were dominated by five of the biggest competitors. Whereas this system is responsible for making the sector slightly less competitive, the sector became more regulatory. This, consequently, reduced the banking sector’s shadow size. The dilemma concerning regulators is a trade- off, which supervisors regularly face as far as stability and competitiveness are concerned. In my opinion, the performance of the economy prior to the crisis, the 2-4 % yearly GDP growth rate in 1999- 2008, as well as the banking sector while the crisis was on going indicate that the country has a perfect balance (Afonso, Kovner & Schoar, 2011). As mentioned earlier, the funding structure in Canada was extremely favourable. This is as a result of the Canadian banks reliance on depository as opposed to wholesale funding. Huang and Ratnovski (2009) argue that in banks where funding was dependent on deposits, there was great resilience during the fi
Management careers offered by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) are those of Banquet Manager, Bartender, Beverage manager, catering manager, counter server, dining room manager, executive chef, food and beverage director, human resources manager, kitchen manager, public relations manager, Sous Chef, wine steward, server, pastry chef, and pantry cook. Responsibilities of the baker are limited to “bakeshop, which is found within the food service establishment, while banquet manager, on the other hand, plans and oversees parties, banquets, and conventions, which the restaurant s/he works for hosts” (Stensson & Salabes, 2012, Para. 8). S/he solicits banquet business and ensures that customers are satisfied. His/her main duty is that of ensuring that clients’ specifications are strictly met. Bartender mixes ingredients for cocktail. S/he also takes orders from the patrons coupled with washing and sterilizing glassware. Beverage managers on their part oversee smooth management of the bars. They have to ensure that the bar is profitable. The catering manager is responsible for catering functions. S/he also works with sales personnel with a view to generating new business together with handling customer complaints and ensuring that such complaints are remedied. The dining room manager coordinates “foods
Introduction Rwanda is an African country, geographically located in the central-eastern part of the continent, in the great lakes region. The country predominantly relies on agriculture, hence more vulnerable to environmental issues and their consequences. Environmental degradation, as well as population pressures leading to social stress, were critical issues that indirectly sparked the violent conflicts which rocked the country in 1994, culminating in genocide (Homer-Dixon & Percival, 1995). The major environmental problems affecting the country and their remedies are discussed hereafter. Land degradation Agriculture is a very important economic sector in the economy of the country, which accounts for 47% of the country’s GDP. Extensive farming, as well as animal husbandry, is a common phenomenon in the country, hence leading to serious environmental degradation on the land. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides used on the farms detrimentally lead to soil pollution, which consequentially results in a decline in land productivity (Twagiramungu, 2006, pg26). Animal husbandry on the other hand has had detrimental effects on the land environment in Rwanda. This practice is extensively carried out on limited pastoral land. Rotative management of pastoral lands is harder to undertake due to land limitations and population pressure. This has resulted in overgrazing, trampling, and disappearance of vegetation cover, all leading to land degradation, a major environmental effect affecting Rwanda (Kabenga & Musabe, 2002). Land degradation as a result of mining activities is a serious environmental problem affecting Rwanda. Quarries are abandoned and concerns for their rehabilitations are not taken. This practice is considered exploitative to the land as it leads to loss of vegetation cover, soil erosion, and water pollution. A national dialogue workshop between the Government of Rwanda and the Global Environmental Facility, in February 2004, recommended that urgent interventions should be carried out to fight against agricultural activities which are harmful to the environment and could be leading contributors of land degradation, whose consequential effects are prolonged droughts. The convention advocated for environmentally friendly activities such as agricultural irrigation, harvesting of rainwater among others (National dialogue workshop, 2004, pg.4). Twagiramungu’s (2006, pg25) suggestion was that mines and quarries should be rehabilitated after the exploitation of minerals. In its five-year strategic plan, the Ministry of Natural Resources of Rwanda cautioned against irresponsible mining activities and maintained that a plan will be in place to make sure that mining activities were carried out in a sustainable manner (Natural resources strategic plan, 2009). Deforestat
Sensuous Level “ Cantabile E valzer”, the classical piece by Paganini has the effect of engulfing nearly all of one’s senses once the piece begins. This classical piece has the ability to make an individual abandon any task just to maintain and sustain a deep connection with the piece. A violin based classical piece, the music is rendered in waves of slowly rising short strokes of the violin that lead to a near climactic rise as the piece progresses, hooking the listener intently with every experienced stroke of the violin. Many of Paganini’s compositions are easily identified because the tone color, or timbre of his pieces is primarily the violin, and this instrument was his signature instrument. The piece captures the senses beginning with hearing, which acts as the first step in appreciating the piece. The melodious and accompanying piano in the piece makes a great combination of musical instruments that carries the listener to a different level of existence dictated purely by the classical violin music in “Cantabile E valzer”. A listener gets the feeling of the sun rising, or the dawn of a new day, when listening to the piece. This particular violin classic by Paganini, the “Cantabile E valzer” , has a great cathartic effect that makes the piece seem like it is slowly rising over one’s body, delightfully consuming the listener in a rising tone of pure surrender. Having a relaxing effect, the piece has been widely used in hospital settings to create a relaxing environment for both doctors and patients especially before commencement of major and minor surgeries. Paganini’s “Cantabile E valzer” makes the listener forgo all the cares of ones’ immediate environment, and be immersed into the sensual ebb and flow of the classical violin used to create the piece. The piece is especially relaxing when listened after the end of a long and tiring day, as it invigorates the listener’s inner soul, creating at once a sense of relation and refreshment. Expressive and Emotional level Paganini’s piece primarily invokes a sense of relaxation, creating an easygoing mode for both the immediate ambience within