ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The current economic recession has harmed various sectors of the global economy (Recession, 2009, p.1). One of the sectors that have been greatly impacted is the United States housing industry. The housing industry consists of various sectors which consist of construction, sale, resale, and residential properties. According to the economic impact of the housing sector (Anon., n.d), the US housing industry contributes a significant proportion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is because it provides millions of citizens with jobs. Over the past few decades, the US construction industry has witnessed rampant growth. However, this trend of growth was reverted in 2007 upon the occurrence of the financial crisis. According to Betsy (2009, para.3), this is the first drop in the housing industry since which is the first drop since the 1990s. In 2008, the spending on construction averaged $713.5 billion which represents a 5.9% spending. This is a 1.9% drop in spending compared to the 2007 construction spending. The economic recession has resulted in the loss of employment. This has had affected the housing industry due to an increase in mortgage default rates. This is because the individuals who had purchased houses using a mortgage are not able to service their mortgages. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of foreclosures (Tom, 2009, para.1). According to research by Realty Trac, approximately 1.2% of the housing units in the US faced foreclosure filing. This translates into 1 out of every 84 housing units (‘Market watch’, 2009, Para. 5). Despite the drop, it is expected that the housing industry will recover from 2009 onwards. To achieve, this it is important for the US government to formulate and implement an economic stimulus program about the industry (‘Alternative Insight’, 2009, Para. 3). This paper entails a report analyzing the impact of a national economic stimulus program on the housing industry. Aim The objective of the report is to illustrate the implications of the national economic stimulus program about the globalization of the US housing industry. The report is also aimed at determining whether the economic stimulus plan can result in an increase in homeownership in the US. Scope The paper entails a literature review where the various national economic stimulus programs are considered by the US government. The introduction considers the nature of the US housing industry and the problem that is facing the industry. The various tax programs considered include tax policies such as tax credit and tax relief, weatherization of homes, Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), and Market Home Affordable Program (MHAP). The tax credit will be issued to individuals who purchase homes for the first time and
Sexual misconduct and is a troublingly unresolved problem worldwide, in particular in the United States. According to Alvarez and Bachman (2017), “the rate of rape has not changed much over time, with approximately 150,420 people age 12 and older becoming the victims of rape and sexual assault annually” (p. 185). Rape in prisons remains an issue that is not broadly discussed in society; hence, there are difficulties with tackling the problem. This paper aims to discuss how society should address sexual assault and rape in American prisons. First of all, it is crucial to raise awareness in people and acknowledge the massive problem regarding sexual victimization during incarceration. Few sexual assaults are reported, thus, preventing the estimation of the true scope of the problem. As Lennard (2017) indicates, the media should find ways to reach out to victims who cannot share their stories out of fear of further consequences from inmates and staff. The prison culture is specific, but efforts should be made to reconsider the whole system. The associated structural oppressions take root from the very emergence of prisons. Hence, according to Lennard (2017), lowering “the number of people sent to prisons and detention centers” is pivotal in addressing the issue. Such an objective is rather challenging, and other measures can be taken to reduce sexual misconduct in prisons. Overall, society should cultivate the appropriate culture of mutual respect and ensure an environment that does not tolerate or ignore rape. Prevention programs can be implemented to address the problem and hold offenders accountable (Alvarez & Bachman, 2017). Supporting victims, promoting respect, and incorporating the appropriate preventive systems is crucial. American society should not stay indifferent to sexual violence in prisons, and all offenders must be held responsible for misconduct.
The book, “The Spirit catches you and You Fall Down,” talks about epilepsy. The story explores how people interpret this condition differently and how the different interpretations may affect people negatively. The choice of title is appropriate because I can deduce from it what the book talks about. In the story, there is a sense that people believe in spirits, which is quite true. The choice of the setting for this story is in a rural area where most people are superstitious while the few educated like Dan do not link any happenings with the spirits. This story talks about Lia, an epileptic girl whom her parents and those around her love her so much despite her discouraging condition (Fadiman, 103). People near Lia have linked her condition to an attack by spirits; a misconstrued thinking that has become a common belief until her encounter with Dan, a non-believer in spirits, who performs a series of tests to establish the cause of Lia’s condition. From the circumstances surrounding Lia’s condition, it is worthy to mention that, harmful cultural believes and low living standards are the causes of many problems the society faces. I feel that the way the Lees interpret Lia’s condition as misleading. Those near and around her believe that Lia’s epileptic condition is simply an attack by evil spirits, implying that administration of medication would not cure this condition. The mention of Tony Coelho, another epileptic case, proves this idea. The Catholic Church denied him the right to become a priest because he was epileptic, meaning that he had evil spirits (Fadiman, 103). There is dire need for society to shun these believes because they are demeaning and attract negative consequences. According to my opinion, it was also wrong for the Lees, like the Hmong, to believe that epilepsy denotes a social status. This believe makes them have false pride in Lia and forget that the condition needs medical intervention. Jeanine Hilt, a social worker who has worked with the Lees reveals that they are convinced that Lia’s condition is a blessing rather than a curse. As a result, Lia’s problem does not get timely medical intervention, resulting in worsening of her condition. Had the doctors diagnosed
Introduction About July 8, 1947, some debris including dead bodies were seen from an object which had crashed near Roswell USA. There has been major controversy since the 1970s about the object which crashed between the United States military and the UFO proponents whereby, the latter insisted that a crashed unknown craft and corpses were recovered and the whole issue was concealed by the United States military through a claim that it was a weather-based balloon to detect some of the weather problems as it was light enough to go higher up. This incident has been ranked as the most contentious UFO issue ever. According to the investigations which were done on the same day by the Roswell Army Airfield, they showed that a weather balloon was recovered rather than the flying saucer. A meeting was then called whereby; debris that matched with the weather balloon description was seen. The discovery For more than 30 years, people who were greatly concerned including UFO researchers forgot and ignored. In 1978, Major Jesse Marcel who was in the front line of discovery in 1947 was interviewed by ufologist Stanton Friedman whereby, who insisted on the truth that it’s the US military who covered up the recovery. The National Enquirer also performed an interview with Marcel in 1980 intending to draw attention nationally and worldwide regarding the whole issue. There was an increment in the number of witnesses over the years that followed, who emerged with new important information which suggested a military operation to recover foreign crafts and foreigners from crash sites. The internal investigations which were conducted later came up with two results, one in 1995 and the other one in 1997. The first report suggested that the materials which were recovered in 1947 were as a result of a government secret program whereby, they were trying to investigate sound waves from bombs and missiles. Up to date people, magazines, and periodical journals among other forms of media have been arguing that something foreign crashed in Roswell. Reports Kenneth Arnold was the first person to report what he saw on June 24, 1947; he had seen a high speeding disc, and thereafter several reports of the same were seen in the United States newspapers. William Brazel also presented himself in Roswell in July 1947 to report fragments that were in a large amount over his farm. The base commander sent intelligence officer Marcel together with Sheridan Cavitt to Kenneth’s farm, whereby they took some of the remnants and returned them to Roswell for further investigations. Some remnants were taken for lab research in Ohio. This was followed by an official press release which reported that the flying saucer had been found. Major Marcel with some of his colleagues took the whole issue with a lot of concern and decided to visit the farm again. In Roswell: The only persons who were eyewitnesses of the flying saucer were Mr. and Mrs. Wilmot, but when they saw it they thought it was a flying disk. They both confessed that it was the Wilmot who saw it first and he summoned his wife and they both witnessed for about 40 to
Primary Causes of Economic Slowdown in China Despite China’s prolonged reliance on the cheapness of export, it has slowed drastically. Probably, the complex situation in the major importers’ economy is the major cause of it. Overall, the decline in the Chinese export was not only predictable but also logical since Europe and the U.S. do not accommodate enough resources. On the other hand, within China, the demand to imported goods rose no higher than 0.3% in 2012, which has practically beaten the record of the 2009 crisis (Schramm 89-90). It appears that a wide array of products does not produce significant interest for Chinese enterprises. The strategy, however, seems inefficient to the government, threatening to result in a price increase as a direct consequence of the money flow increase. Inflation produces a tangible threat of social anxiety, which is excluded from the government’s scope of work. In addition, a property bubble cratered the Chinese housing market; the malfunctioning loan systems are concealed by the government but some experts state it is only a question of time before a Chinese Wall Street 2008 occurs. By stating this, they also point out the corruption of the Chinese government. The government officials are constantly urged to conduct some currency reforms and help private enterprises – but fail to do so since it would cause a system reshuffle and a potential loss of revenue (Morrison and Labonte 3-16). Secondary Causes of Economic Slowdown in China The year 2011 marked an investment increase up to an astounding 50% of GDP, a level that no other economy was able to ever reach and sustain (Morrison and Labonte 3-16). The underside of it was that China was more involved in infrastructure than all its major trading partners taken together. Also, the rates of unemployment are still alarming: an estimated 15 million of Chinese people was experiencing unemployment in rural districts alone, as reported in 2011 (Morrison and Labonte 3-16). Still more alarming is that, possibly due to the one-child policy officially established in the 80s and relaxed by now, the Chinese population is aging. Some analysts even surmise that as the main cause of the slowdown, although these assumptions are questionable. What leaves no further questions, though, is the invisible debt that Chinese households and establishments suffer: by 2015, it amounted to 130% of GDP, and has nearly doubled since then if one accounts for the banks as well. The said factors, in turn, trigger the inflation of wages that runs 15% annually (Morrison and Labonte 3-16). Shadow Banking One of the sources of potential risk jeopardizing Chinese financial sector is shadow banking. The reason the danger seems tangible is the outstanding loans summing up to 10-15% of the accounting statements of the official sector. In their turn, the underperforming loans sum up to almost a third of all loans landed by Chinese major banking institutions, equaling in more than two hundred billion USD (“Chinese banks’ new bad loans” par. 1-2). The reason might be that s
Introduction Inasmuch as a single author produces several publications, he/she must feature a significant relationship between or among the publications, regardless of their title differences. John le Carre provides the best illustration of this claim through his three captivating chef-d’oeuvres The Spy who came in from the Cold, The Russia House, and The Little Drummer Girl . The books borrow from each other on various issues and plots. For instance, the novel, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a cold war spy novel addressing the behavior of the British protagonists. These protagonists acted contrary to the expected western values (Serem Para. 3). This story is about the turn of events during the Cold War between the 1950s and 1960s when there were heightened political-military tensions. The novel has its setting in Eastern Germany just after the Berlin wall was constructed. The Little Drummer Girl
Introduction Documentary producers are accountable for what they exhibit in their films (Nichols 12). Unlike fictional movies, these films help the public in acknowledging and understanding their environment. Therefore, the films are very influential. They shape people’s outlook with respect to current and previous occasions (Nichols 15). By doing so, they render their subjects to be scrutinized by the audience. When analyzing a documentary, viewers should not only focus on what they see but also on the purposes of the film (Williams 17). They should scrutinize the impacts of the film and highlight how it depicts its subjects. The article below reviews the truths presented and how they are put forward in Capitalism and Just Eat It. Site of production Grant Baldwin and Jenny Rustemeyer produced Just Eat It the movie in the year 2014(Brownstone 1). In the documentary, the Canadian couple undertakes an experimentation to consume only rejected foodstuff for six months. Through this, they illustrate the ecological catastrophe exhibited by North American eating behaviors. The scenes presented by the two producers leave the audience astonished by their wasteful eating habits (Brownstone 1). It encourages, the viewers, food producers, and food stores to think twice before discarding their food. It should be noted that the two producers are champions in fostering environmental cognizance. Their first documentary also focused on waste management. The film was called The Clean Bin Project (Lee 1). They emphasize the necessity for leftover reduction in the documentary. In the film, they avoided shopping for approximately one year. Through this, they ended up with nothing to dispose of that period. The first documentary was well received by the audience. Following its release, the couple was invited to numerous events to lecture about waste management. As such, the first film encouraged the producers to create Just Eat It . The second film trails the couple as they relinquish cafeteria meals and abandon grocery spending. During this period, they rely on foodstuffs rejected by the food stores, supermarkets, and groceries (Brownstone 1). It was shocking for them to note that truckloads of flawlessly delicious food in North America were predestined for the landfill. On the other hand, Michael Moore produced Capitalism: A Love Story . The film is perhaps his best production so far. For the last two decades, the producer has articulated his contempt for the traditional documentary layout. With the intention of reaching to more viewers, he has endeavored to make this documentary more appealing and attractive as the fictional movies. Apart from utilizing the usual documentary formats, he also uses interviews, archival recording, and voice-over history (McEnteer 79). In the Capitalism: A Love Story , he integrates many thematically pertinent episodes from antique Hollywood and classroom movies, several recorded videotapes, pop music, and every day private on-camera appearances. Concerning site production, a major downside of Moore’s films documentaries is that they have become rote and foreseeable (Douglas 82). As such, Capitalism:
Military Law in the USA has repeatedly been reorganized, but it has always provided reliable legal protection of each soldier and American citizen. Currently, JAG (Judge Advocate General’s Corps) is a complex system of interconnected bodies of Military Justice, which is intended to address a large set of legal and military tasks and activities. First, it ensures the legal support of the troops in peacetime and in wartime in accordance with the US and international law. Second, it facilitates control of the legal activities of the relevant bodies in the field of civil defense tasks ( About the army , n.d.). Third, it oversees the activities of the military and the judiciary, the observance of the disciplinary practices, and the legality of actions in order to determine the legal validity of the decisions taken. Fourth, it is to ensure the legal protection of service members and their families, as well as civil servants, including assistance in matters of civil law procedures. Effective soldiers of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps are not only full-fledged members of the army, but they are excellent professionals in the legal profession as well. The need to be progressive, proactive, and experienced in both areas (military and legal) is mandatory to be a multifunctional member of the Total Army. Each team member must have equal expertise in both areas, and he or she should strive for lifelong education in these areas (Demarest, 2014). The dual profession implies the commitment to standards as both soldiers and lawyers. Every soldier in the Army has practical skills in the use of military technology, is trained to furnish tactical activities effectively, can make appropriate solutions regardless of conditions or setting, and is in impeccable physical and intellectual shape. Each soldier must constantly hone their tactical skills and knowledge and be progressive to improve their competence continuously. All members of the army are committed to education in the field of international politics and foreign affairs in order to be able to respond to the current changes immediately in the most effective way (Pratt, 2014). In addition to military duties, all soldiers have corresponding legal duties. Due to the maneuverability and variability of laws at present, it is necessary for all the soldiers to be flexible and to educate themselves in accordance with the changes of modern norms and social acceptability (Lauritzen, 2013). As lawyers, members of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps react to every change immediately and help to maintain the discipline and order in the country in compliance with the US Constitution. The concept of One Team gets its best expression in the concept and the essence of the dual profession ( One team, one fight , 1998). In this regard, the members maintain discipline through the administration of military justice. Each team member contributes to the preservation of national security and is able to fight, meanwhile providing legal services (Shah, 2014). Needless to say that “One Team, One Fight, One Future is a commitment to
Any idea or system of ideas drawn from life that one conceives as his/her own is regarded as the social self. Hedda (2005) defines social self as the persona which matches the demands of friends, family, society and community which a person develops as a protection. Within the general life, self feeling has its scope and the emotional aspects are well portrayed by personal impressions. The self is one’s true self and expresses one’s thoughts, desires, needs and feelings. It is always a conscious or differentiated aspect of individual’s life for it must be sustained by purpose and endeavor and it is reflected by how the individual’s character is perceived as well as mental contact. As revealed by Berger & Thomas (2003), William Shakespeare (the poet) observed that, “heaven divide the state of man in diverse functions, betting endeavor in continual motion,” and self-feeling is one of the means by which this diversity is achieved. Social self manifests itself where there exist objects of common desire which corresponds to the individual’s need of power to enhance his development. An individual creates a stable environment for his/her conduct and this happens as a result of inherent instability of the human organism. Man must direct and attend to his own drives. (Berger & Thomas, 2003) This strengthens the attentions and affections of other people where plans and ambitions which seem to be part of one’s life can well be understood. Social self and its derivatives should not be restricted to the lower aims of personality. It is difficult or impossible to act without thinking more or less of others. It is believed that the way we act or behave is usually influenced by people we have contact with day in day out. Where there is no interaction, there can be no development of thought and therefore we can argue that self cannot be separated from the general life. Thus social self can be said to be the part of the mind that is living and motivated in life in an effort to impress itself thus impacting upon others mind. It is highly unlikely for people to think about a thing that is not linked to others and which they are aware and incase they do then it