ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
An examination of the provided statement makes several mistaken assumptions about street gangs or rather it makes assumptions that were true 30 to 40 years ago but are today largely obsolete. What must be understood is that gangs, like all social groups, have a certain progression in their development wherein overtime they take on more characteristics that further distinguish them from their original incarnations (Venkatesh, 1997). For example, the infamous criminal gang Mara Salvatrucha was originally created to protect Salvadoran immigrants from various well established African American and Mexican gangs in the Los Angeles area (Michele, n.d.). Keeping in mind the fact that social groups tend to change over time, it can be seen in the case of Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13 (an abbreviation for the name of the gang) that they changed from protecting Salvadoran immigrants to more criminal enterprises resulting in their current standing as one of the most proliferate and violent gangs in the U.S. and the world. The same can be said for other gang organizations in the U.S. such as the “Bloods” and the “Crips” who also evolved from being a collection of individuals with minor misdemeanors to being involved in major crimes such as drug trafficking, murder, rape and human trafficking. This type of group progression is thus seen as instances where gangs in the U.S. operate on more than a local level but rather encompass national and international levels of operation. This can be seen in the operations of MS-13 which has aggressively expanded to well over 50,000 members in various states in the U.S. alone and 100,000 globally (Breve, 2007). In this particular case it can be seen that their operations have expanded well beyond local levels and it has also been known that various “branches” do indeed communicate with each other utilizing cellphones or email in order to coordinate killings, shipments of drugs and other forms of criminal activity (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2009). Gangs are no longer isolated to particular neighborhoods but rather through natural progression they have incorporated aspects similar to that of criminal cartels in order to better survive and make money through various criminal enterprises (Abadinsky, 2010). While it may be true that certain subgroups of gangs have certain “spheres of influence” within particular areas the fact remains that a rather informal method of leadership can be seen in various cases involving MS-13, the Crips and the Bloods wherein certain “hits” made against particular law enforcement personnel were ordered by MS-13 leaders located in El Salvador (Sullivan & Logan, 2010). This res
Introduction Homer’s Odyssey is one of the Greek epics. It is also a sequel to Homer’s Iliad . In book 11, Odysseus speaks to numerous ghosts that give him revelations, advice and guidance. Most of these ghosts have an influence on Odysseus’s fate. Throughout the book, Odysseus speaks to numerous ghosts including that of his own mother, Anticleia. These ghosts explain to Odysseus about the past while other give his hope and way forward for his future. Of the numerous ghosts in book 11, my favorite three include Elpenor, Tiresias and Anticleia. The Ghosts of Elpenor, Tiresias and Anticleia After Odysseus travels to the famous River of Ocean, he performs several sacrifices and pours libations as instructed by Circe. “The first ghost to appear is Elpenor (Homer 157)”. The ghost instructs Odysseus to ensure he goes back to the island of Circe and perform a proper burial for his body. From this encounter, Odysseus understands something new and important. “The ghost informs Odysseus that a decent burial was necessary as a sign of respect for those who had died (Homer 162)”. He therefore learns the importance of a burial for someone who is deceased. “After the conversation, Odysseus would go back to the island and give the body a proper burial as requested by the ghost (Homer 162)”. “The second ghost to speak to is that of Tiresias, a prominent Theban prophet (Homer 163)”. I find the ghost one of my favorite because of the hope and information he gives Odysseus. “The ghost reveals to Odysseus that Poseidon was busy punishing and killing the Achaeans (Homer 163)”. More about The Odyssey What does Mentor do for Odysseus in the Odyssey? 5 465 What are some of the apparent values in the Iliad and the Odyssey? 5 1196 Who is Calypso? 5 231 How Performers Memorize an Epic Poem? 5 294 Why does Poseidon hate Odysseus? 5 1906 Why does Odysseus leave home? 5 1585 According to the ghost, Poseidon was punishing them because they had blinded his own son by the name Polyphemus. “The other thing about his conversation with this ghost is that he learns about his fate and future. The ghost foretells Odysseus’s fate (Homer 164)”. According to the ghost, Odysseus would go back home, succeed in reclaiming his own wife. The ghost assures Odysseus that he would reclaim the palace and make a successful journey to Poseidon. Tiresias’ ghost tells Odysseus not to touch the children of the Sun especially after he makes his journey to Thrinacia. “If he touches the flock he would face much hardship and even lose his entire crew during the journey (Homer 164)”. The information is vital and gives Odysseus courage and hope as he faces his future. “The ghost foretells the journey ahead of him and he is warned of the dangers that might fall on his way (Homer 165)”. The ghost of Odysseus’s mother is my third favorite ghost. “Odysseus speaks with Anticleia who informs him about the
Introduction The aim of this paper is to discuss the interrelationship between. Institutional mission, school and educational philosophy, program objectives, organizing framework content, teaching or learning strategies, human and material resources and evaluation of the Florida International University nursing school. Institutional mission The mission of the nursing unit of the Florida international university at masters’ level is to do research, teach and serve the community diligently. This mission statement is based on the idea that training alone is not sufficient in the attainment of a healthy society. The mission is also based on the concept of clinical nursing leadership which is concerned with the management and administration of care through designing, implementation and the evaluation of health care provided to clients through proper coordination, supervision and evaluation of the health care provided by health care teams, which comprises licensed nurses, social workers, physicians, therapists and other professionals in health care provision. School and educational philosophy The nursing school is guided by the philosophy that an effective health intervention must be all inclusive, that is, it must consider not only the training aspect but also the involvement of all stakeholders in the health sector, the reasoning being that an effective health intervention must be sustainable, which is only achieved by involving all the people concerned in the health sector (Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, 2010). Program objectives The masters in nursing program is aimed at producing nursing professionals with an all round knowledge in the field of nursing. It is also aimed at exposing the graduates to specific specialties in the nursing field such as gerontology, child psychiatry among others. Organizing framework content The organizing framework is composed of six key areas of study namely nursing administration, aesthetic nursing, advanced gerontology studies and practice, advanced family nursing, advanced child nursing and advanced mental and psychiatric nursing. A student therefore has to study a first degree in the school of health sciences, then after completion he or she enrolls in any of the above areas of study (Keating, 2011). Teaching-learning strategies The school has laid down nine strategies which are aimed at producing very competent nursing professionals. The strategies include implementation of outstanding educational programs, employment of highly qualified and competent staff and faculty members, increased operational efficiency and effectiveness, expansion of global training initiatives, increasing research work and enhancing scholarships, initiating and developing faculty practice, enhancing financial sustainability of the school, promotion of staff and community engagement and enhancement of the issuance of certificates and licenses at graduation. Human and material resources The school relies both on human and material resources. The human
Imagery often becomes a crucial part of a story, reflecting particular ideas. By describing the surrounding environment, the authors can illustrate a variety of elements essential for the plot. In certain cases, these aspects contribute to the audience’s understanding of the scene or the characters, adding references and descriptive characteristics that allow the reader to become fully involved in the storytelling. However, as Glissant claims, in the Creole novels, such imagery is not used, with the descriptions of the heroes’ surroundings remaining very simple and not detailed. Glissant states, “What is striking is the emphatic emptiness of the landscape in the Creole folktale; in it, the landscape is reduced to symbolic space and becomes a pattern of succeeding spaces through which one journey” (Glissant 129). Therefore, in contrast to the stories where visual representations are an integral part of the storytelling, these illustrations are omitted in the Creole language. The focus on the movement instead of the surrounding environment’s features is a fascinating aspect of Creole tales. Although detailed descriptions of the literary scenes are supposed to aid the reader in perceiving the story easier, Creole novels create a feeling of emptiness that occupies the space around the characters (Glissant 130). Furthermore, its features remain hidden and undescribed even in such instances where a location is indicated (Glissant 130). These patterns suggest that the landscape in Creole folktales does not possess any aspects that could improve the story, remaining uninhabited and lacking any interesting features. In fact, such absence of scenery is closely connected to the passage of time, the way that the time in the story is distributed and managed (Glissant 130). It is expected that attention will be given to such significant events as actions and movements while nature occupies an unessential role in the plot. A contrary situation can be observed in the European literature, which relies heavily on the descriptions of the natural environment. Glissant excellently notes that “In European literature, an intimate relationship with the landscape is primarily established” (Glissant 145). As such, Glissant explains that “From this has evolved a stylistic convention that has for a long time focused on meticulous detail, exposition “in sequence,” highlighting harmony” (Glissant 145). From this perspective, while American literature does not engage scenery and considers it a non-significant story element, European literature adopts a different approach to this matter, highlighting the importance of nature and its qualities. For a European author, the surrounding environment can become a means of expressing the characters’ feelings and traits or creating a more vivid perception of the scene (Glissant 144). However, most importantly, it is vital for the author to establish a sense of harmony between nature and man, expressing how crucial is the connection
Introduction Successful marketing is one of the most important processes within an organization which allows the integration of the elements of a marketing program that will best achieve the objects of a company in a given period. Today, marketing activities are influenced by globalization and internalization of business, new legal rules, and regulations, consumer values, and demands. Company and Industry Background The automotive industry is one of the leading industries in the world. The automotive industry aims to maintain the level of service and product quality and develop strategies to improve its products/services. Ford was established in 1903 as a converted factory. In a century, the company becomes the second-largest automaker in the USA. Today, Ford employs 283,000 employees and operates more than 100 factories around the globe. Its market share in the US auto market is about 17.7%. The market leader is General Motors with about 24.6% of the market share. Ford produces all types of passenger vehicles and trucks. A special offering involves Touring cars, Rally, Sports Cars, busses, tractors, etc. In general, Ford is well-positioned in the market to take on this important global leadership role. It has the global resources and certainly has the technological capability (Ford Home Page, 2007). Marketing Perspectives According to the Annual Report (2006), the company provides a successful marketing activity that allows it to earn $12,613 M (net income). From the report, it is evident that the goal of the company is to provide the opportunity to personalize purchases. In this case, the Internet and e-commerce create great opportunities for the automotive industry (and customers) to hasten the process of purchase. Ford underlines that “growth in whole
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which was released in the U.S. in 2008, is a film whose screenplay is loosely adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald having the same name. David Fincher directs the fantasy, drama, and romance movie while Eric Roth and Robin Swicord take charge of the screenplay. The film stirs Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt, apparent adult) as a man who is born with the look and physical maladies of a very old man and to the disappointment of everyone as he ages backwards (Scott, para. 3; Ebert, para. 1). This is the major conflict in the movie. The movie, starting nicely with greatly marinated food for thought and shifting towards an emotional ending that is as light as a feather, tells the story of Benjamin who is born just after the end of the Second World War in 1918 and lives well into the 21 st century. Benjamin’s time traveler story, set in New Orleans, is about the individuals and locations he comes across as he moves, the loves he misplaces and discovers, the pleasure of life and the sorrow of decease, and what endures beyond time. The visually and emotionally rich film tells the life of Benjamin through his diary read to an old woman named Daisy (Cate Blanchett, adult) by her daughter, Caroline (Julia Ormond). The “curious case” in Benjamin’s life is that he is born as tiny shriveled aged elderly man (Sciretta, para. 2). Nonetheless, he lives like any normal man, as he grows younger and younger until he is a fully-grown person. Surprisingly, he dwindles to a young man and ultimately to an infant once again until he passes on in Daisy’s arms (Plowman, para.1). As a wizened geezer at the start of his weird life, Benjamin bumps into Daisy, a brilliant ballet dancer (Fisher, para. 3). After some encounters, the two establish an instant connection, which cannot be said to be either creepy or paedophilic (Lipovetsky, para. 3). And, as they become of comparable physical age, they have a short passionate love affair. However, the contra-flow of time necessitates their separation and Benjamin departs. Eventually, when he shows up at twelve years of age, Daisy takes care of him until his death as an infant. The technical digital trickery that Fincher uses to create the characters in the film is definitely astounding. Fincher’s technical wizardry to increase the ages of the characters and also the way he makes them to look younger, in their teenage years, is extraordinary. Of particular mention is how Daisy is shown as an aged woman in a New Orleans hospital. The film’s director digitally tweaked Cate Blanchett’s skin so as to appear dissonantly smooth throughout the entire face, including the eyes. This is the same technique used for treating the skins of burns victims. The entire appearances of most of the actors’ skin have a metallic gloss. This makes them to look as though they can ring when tapped. The characters do not look as young people as such. They bear more resemblance to robot-replicants from Planet West world. Thus, this is the ma
ACOs are health care providers who team up to provide coordinated care through Medicare, Medicaid, and contracts with other insurance partners. As part of the Medicare and Medicaid program, the main goal of coordinated care is to optimize services by reducing duplication of services and improving care timeliness. If the savings are successful, ACOs can be reimbursed by Medicare, which keeps the ACO interested in optimizing the healthcare system. Patients who have Medicare can receive ACO services if their doctor is involved in the ACO and has sent them a written invitation. In such a case, ACO is responsible for the quality of patient care and medical costs. Consequently, ACO bears equal responsibility with other service providers and is a motivated party, which creates good prospects for further functioning in the US. Kaufman et al. (2019) note that more than 900 ACOs have entered into payment contracts with public and private insurers since 2010. According to the study, the most common positive outcomes of public and private ACOs were reduced inpatient services, fewer emergency department visits, and improved prevention and management of chronic diseases (Kaufman et al., 2019). On the one hand, this indicates the successful functioning of the ACO. But there are also alarming indicators that have led scientists to believe that attention should be paid to the impact of ACO on patient care and healthcare outcomes. In 2018, Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) worked hard to link at least 50% of reimbursement to alternative payment models (Nathan et al., 2019). One of the payment experiments’ main objectives was to invite providers to accept responsibility for the total cost of treatment, including hospitalization and other expenses. In this way, the CMS set out to create closer relationships with the ACO system participants, but it is not known how successful their intentions were. ACOs have spread rapidly, reaching over 32 million Americans and achieved some success in reducing overall health care costs (Nathan et al., 2019). Initially, ACOs were selected based on their ability to ensure more doctors’ participation and the duration of the ACO’s existence. Currently, the ACO model is incorporated into national health care reform legislation as a demonstration program run by Medicare and Medicaid. There are several types of Medicare ACO programs, including Medicare’s General Savings Program, which aims to improve public health and reduce spending, and the ACO Investment Model, which tests prepayment approaches to support the ACO’s MSSP. There is also the Next Generation ACO Model, allowing providers to take more financial risk, the Vermont ACO All-Payer model, and the Medicare-Medicaid ACO model. Some academics have criticized the ACO for its lower levels of co
Introduction Customer service is a key issue of concerns especially among companies. A company’s customer policies and the general way in which its employees treat customers highly influence the consumer preference. This determines the amount of sales made by the company consequently determining profits. Many corporations spend a lot of resources on policies that promote consumer satisfaction as well as extensive education and promotion of customer care values among the employees. Excellent customer care practices are essential for a business to survive in its industry as the modern market is characterized by competition and differentiated products which provide the consumer with a wide variety to choose from. Background Information The Home Depot is an American retail company for home appliances established in 1978 by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. Over the years, the company has transformed consumer’s perspectives on home improvement and designing and it is presently the world’s leading home improvement specialty retailer with over two thousand retail outlets spread across the United states, Canada, Mexico and China (Home Depot, 2010). One of the major concerns of the company is maintaining the existing customers as well as acquiring new customers. This calls for the need to promote effective customer service in the company. Customer service is a tough standard in most organizations but in Home Depot, the founders of the company ensured that they lived up to it (Roush, 1999). Marcus and Arthur sought grass root opinions on the effectiveness of the services provided by the company. Their commitment to effective customer service is demonstrated as they enquire from associates and customers on the company’s weak and strong points as well as recommendations to the problems. In fact, one of the founders noted how customer service greatly impact on the products that the company sells and highlighted the very important part of their policy which is allowing the customer to provide a yellow brick to success of the company (Roush, 2009). The company ensures that they respond to the customer’s needs and improve the stores as deemed appropriate. However, it is difficult to convince some of the employees to uphold customer service as they are the most crucial determinants for the success of the business. This is because when a customer leaves a store in dissatisfaction, the store will not only lose a customer, but the customer may spread negative information to other customers leading to reduction of sales in that store and the entire company at large. The company’s founders Marcus and Blank invested countless hours in training sessions throughout the outlets emphasizing on customer care as well as employees knowledge of products being sold. (Roush, 2009) Marcus, a founder acknowledged that the customer is the source of everything that he has and attributed his life to the customers. He further urged the Home Depot employees