ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Appo’s Life In his memoirs, George Appo made startling revelations about his criminal life and NYC’s criminal underworld in the 19 th Century. Born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1858, Appo’s early exposure to crime and drug abuse in Manhattan turned him into an accomplished pick pocket and a swindler. Appo’s father, Lee Ah Bow, was an immigrant from China, whose violent outbursts saw him in prison for murdering his landlord after a protracted argument (Appo 2000). Around the same time, Appo’s mother and sister perished after their California-bound ship was destroyed by a storm. At age three, Appo found himself destitute. A poor family residing in Donovan’s Lane, a crime-ridden street in Manhattan, accepted to adopt him. Appo describes the Five Points area in Donovan Lane as a multi-cultural, overpopulated and impoverished neighborhood in NYC (2000). While growing in Donovan’s Lane, Appo learnt to steal from unsuspecting people. He joined criminal gangs, and begun abusing drugs (opium) and alcohol. All through his life Appo embraced the ethics of a “good fellow” by being generous to his underworld friends in the opium dens and “dives” he patronized (Appo 2000, p. 4). It is at this point that Appo began his pick pocketing and prison stints at various prisons. In 1891, Appo joined a con game called the “green goods game”, which was very lucrative (Appo 2000, p. 3). It is while participating in this lucrative game that a victim shot him in the face. As a result, he became partially blind after losing an eye. Appo was tried and imprisoned at different institutions for his crimes, but “never howled for the police for satisfaction in the courts” when wronged (Appo 2000, p. 8). At the ‘Sing Sing’ prison, where he served most of his sentences, Appo describes the brutality and torture he and the other convicts experienced at the hands of the guards. He lost his teeth and had several scars on his body because of the beatings. His numerous trials and prison stints brought him a lot of notoriety and fame. In his autobiography, Appo gives insights into the corruption and brutality that characterized the prison system. After his reform, Appo advocated for an overhaul of the justice system as one step towards ending corruption in prisons. His revelations to the Lexow Committee regarding graft that dogged the American justice system underscore his stance towards the American justice system. Why Appo Became a Criminal Appo, at a tender age of 3, was forced to live with a poor foster family, named Allen, after his father was imprisoned and his mother killed in a shipwrecking incident. His foster family resided in Donovan’s Lane (Five Points), an area inhabited by “poor people of all nationalities” (Appo 2000, p. 7). The area where Appo spent his childhood was densely populated and crime-ridden, which exposed him to other delinquents at an early age. He started picking other people’s pockets in this neighborhood at age 15. Thus, the neighborhood’s multi-cultural nature, drug (opium) use in saloons and crime-driven economy influenced Appo’s criminal activities. As Appo writes, as a newspaper vendor, he “learned how to pick p
The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most beloved and popular shows on Broadway. Moreover, it has the longest-running history of any show on Broadway, surpassing even Cats (Gladstone 38). Even though the opening of the musical dates back to the 1980s, today, twenty-five years later, the show still attracts thousands of viewers annually. The Phantom of the Opera has been seen by 15 million people worldwide, and more than 10,000 performances have grossed over $880 million in the United States. Moreover, the show has been translated into thirteen languages, has been performed in 148 cities across 28 countries, and has brought in more than $5 billion all over the globe (Armstrong 22). Such longevity points to the musical’s status as a worldwide phenomenon, and most likely, its days are not over yet. However, what is the key to its success? What helps the show win the hearts and souls of the audience time and time again? This paper will focus on finding the answers to these questions. Specific attention will be paid to the history of the show on Broadway, how it changed over time, and what makes it so appealing. The Phantom of the Opera musical was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe. It tells the story of a disfigured man living in a Paris opera house and his relationship with a young singer, Christina. In fact, the storyline is a classic love triangle ornamented with some mystical and gothic details. The story begins when a musical genius named Erik decides to help Christina develop her voice and become a successful singer. As Erik, who is actually the Phantom, watches Christina become more skillful, he falls in love with her and wants to make her his wife. She appreciates the Phantom’s assistance but, at the same time, is afraid of him and is already involved in a romantic relations
America and pluralist democracy To some extent, America is not a pluralist democracy and to some extent it is. Lowi (1979) affirms that America is not a pluralist democracy because of its adoption of the interest group liberalism ideology. Here, overemphasis is given to processes rather than goals. This implies that public policies are made against a shaky background since no central administration has a say or no standards are followed. This undermines effective politics and democracy because no matter who is elected into power, the devolved agencies will continue having their way. In this light, America is not a pluralist democracy. Conversely, Birnbaum (2001) believes that pluralist societies are an essential part of modernized states and that they provide the means with which individuals can express themselves and hence find unity in diversity. Grieder also echoes these sentiments claiming that there are several ways in which public interest can be protected in pluralist societies since public authority is placed under devolution. Through the insights of both writers, America is indeed a pluralist democracy. De Tocquevile (1945) claimed that the organization of Americans into religious, political, and economic interest groups was an essential manner of ensuring that the public was educated about issues that mattered to them. The interest groups were a critical way of creating common identities since they united diverse groups and made them close their respective governments. From this author’s perspective, America was a pluralist democracy. Congress limitations of the impact of money in political campaigns Congress has tried to limit the impact of money in political campaigns ever since the late nineteenth century. This was through the Pendleton Act in 1883 which was enacted to make the civil service independent such that campaign contributions by public holders would not count towards their parties. After this legislation, corporations began funding parties thus leading to the 1907 Tillman Act which prevented campaign contributions by corporations. This did not lead to substantial reform and therefore caused the 1910 publicity Act. At that time, it was stated that post-election disclosures of high amounts contribution to Senatorial elections needed to be disclosed. However, after it was found that some secret financiers were still creeping in then the Federal Corrupt Practices Act was passed in 1925. It limited spending by candidates and stated that disclosures be made within election times. However, because of no enforcement mechanisms, there was a need for firmer controls that caused the Pendleton Act and Hatch Act 1939; it limited the extent of participation of federal employees in political competitions. The latter legislation was later amended to ban state agency funding through employees. Limitations on national commit
Abstract The objective of the present paper is to review and discuss the present literature on the topic of using AI in medicine, the potential challenges and opportunities for its development, as well as the current applications. The stated goal is achieved through the method of a literature review, focusing on the academic sources published within the last 5 years. As a result of this review, a better understanding of the current state of artificial intelligence in healthcare settings will be acquired, additionally, the review will function as the analysis for the quality of the present body of literature on the subject. The present paper will be beneficial to medical professionals aiming to understand the impact of AI technology on the field, as well as working towards improving the integration of smart technology in the medical field. No financial support or funding was utilized in the writing of this paper, and the author does not state any present financial interest. Introduction The growth and development of technology have moved at an unprecedented pace in the last few decades. With the advent of computers and the internet, an average person has gained access to a processing capacity that people from previous generations could envy. This development also meant that technology has begun a deep integration into the professional sphere, influencing a large variety of industries. Business, accounting, management, sales, production, manufacturing – all of these areas have practically been revolutionized by the use of modern technology. Among all others, however, it is crucial to note healthcare and medicine as fields most intimately connected with contemporary tech. The use of computers and various types of machinery have supported the creation of more effective medicine, diagnostics, treatment, and healthcare organization. Technology can present a multitude of positive outcomes to the medical industry, enhancing the work effectiveness, optimizing processes and improving standards of care. Nowadays, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more prominent, with recognition algorithms and machine learning advancing at a rapid pace. The integration of AI into the healthcare industry has already started, with a number of programs being used for diagnosis purposes, drug development, and finding research candidates, among other things. The use and application of artificial intelligence into the healthcare sphere is a rather recent development, but a considerable body of research currently ex
The remix culture, as we know it, is a unique notion that is placed at the particular period in history. However, a remixed work has much more significance than only the ability to balance on the verge of innovative and derivative work. A remix signalizes a crucial shift in a way people think about their culture. Moreover, a remix points away from the historical framework that focuses on a particular area (music, video, or imagery) as a commodity, and points at the new creation that relates to the area. Copyright According to O’Brien and Fitzgerald, “The exclusive rights of the copyright owner over acts such as reproduction/copying, communication, adaptation, and performance – unless licensed openly – by their very nature reduce the ability to negotiate copyright material without permission” (18). Thus, it is inevitable for a remix to face legal issues when a part of the original piece is copied, adapted, or reproduced without the agreement and permission of the copyright owner through a Creative Commons license. In general, when resolving the issue of copied material, the court considers what is a substantial part of copied material on the basis of quality rather than quantity. Nevertheless, when it comes to this issue within the framework of a remix, there is uncertainty in the Copyright Act that bears very little judicial authority. Thus, it is likely that the remixes are considered on the case-to-case basis to determine whether the violation of copyright has occurred (O’Brien and Fitzgerald 19). However, when it comes to the digital world, the notion of creating content is highly controversial. Thus, arises the question as expressed by Lawrence Lessig in How Creativity Is Being Strangled by the Law : “What should the freedom to write, the freedom to quote, the freedom to remix be?” (“Remix. How Creativity Is Being Strangled by the Law” 157). According to Lessig, a remix has no connections to the technique, because the techniques used for remixes have been available to musicians and filmmakers for decades. The most important issue with remixes is the fact that the necessary techniques are available for anyone who has access to a computer. Anyone with this access can take sounds, images, or video material from another culture or generation and remix it in a way that is closer to the target generation or culture. This can be called writing of the twenty-first century (Lessig “Remix. How Creativity Is Being Strangled by the Law” 160). The issue with remixes is that the law agrees with quoting from a text while the quoting from a visua
The economy and politics in the world are run by the minority of rich and powerful. These are people with the most wealth and control of the country’s or nation’s resources. They own most properties and most luxurious places and businesses. “Occupy Wall Street” was a form of public protest towards the rich and powerful of the world and specifically those in America and the government. It was started by a Canadian magazine called “Adbusters”. It offered people to go out to Wall Street and protest the unequal distribution of economic power between people of higher class and middle class. Also, it was because the government and laws, seem to favor those with the most money, so in reality, money is making money. The taxes are not significant enough for the corporations and businesses that run the majority of the economy, not to mention politics. Morally, people were outraged that 1 percent of Americans own the majority of the country and the other 99 percent are left with nothing, trying their hardest to get from day today. The people were mostly younger but later all ages and ethnicities joined in. They also demanded more jobs to be created for the pe
Voltaire’s novella Candide is a satirical piece of literature that lampoons ideologies, and values that man adopts without critical reflection. The story line adopts mystery, tragedy, irony, satire and the paranormal to challenge the dominant beliefs that existed in eighteenth century Europe. Some of the ideas that the novella challenges are related to wealth, love, and virtue. His criticism on wealth is illustrative in the fate of his rich uncle’s family in German where he first lived as an illegitimate nephew. After his expulsion he comes to learn that the castle was attacked, plundered, most of his relatives killed. Stylistically, the author uses this tragic situation to illustrate the vanity and limits of wealth. The second illustration is in the land of Eldorado where Candide finds the streets littered with gold, treasure and peace (Voltaire 553). Despite the initial fascination he leaves this land of plenty and goes back to his usual lands of strife and struggle. His eventual marriage to Cunegonde despite earlier opposition from her baron father and brother shows the triumph of a commoner over the superstitions of the rich. Voltaire’s lampooning of love expresses itself in the search of love between Candide and Cunegonde. The odds that oppose the relationship have been constructed to destabilize lofty assumptions on love. The novella shows that love should not be hinged on the superficial qualities of beauty, class, and time. The author seems to suggest that love should be tested through difficulties so that only the ideal one survives. Despite the rape ordeals that Cunegonde undergoes Candide does not lose his interest in her. He makes sacrifices and marries her at a time when she has shed off much of her beauty. It is a relationship that lasts through time and distance. The question of God and virtue is brought into focus. At the beginning of the book Pangloss tells Candide that God is entirely good and would not abandon his own. But this teaching falls apart in the harsh experiences of rejection, violence, enslavement which Candide has to endure. In the end Candide learns to emulate the simplicity of some farmer who leads a quiet life and tills his land with undivided attention. Candide realizes that good life is anchored on simplicity and virtue (Voltaire 574). The simple farmer who guides them into this truth appears to challenge the lofty philosophies of life, and religious ideologies that the other characters in the novella have attempted to adopt in their tumultuous lives. The novella Candide is Voltaire creative attempt to reunite humanity to the purpose of reflecting through the dominant ideologies and values that govern their lives. The book might be thought of as a philosophical attempt by the author to create some new order in the world that would rescue
Introduction Advertisements have become more common and can be found in almost all locations in the society; however they vary depending on the content and the medium they use to convey the information. It can be noted that television has become one of the most influential and powerful medium since it gives both visual and hearing attributes. Television is preferred by many organizations among them being Power ads since it gives a leading hand in competition since it basically influences the consumers not because of the unique product qualities but the mode at which the advertisement is made. Advertisement being one of the marketing strategies has to be designed in a way that it will have an appealing and influential role in the society or in the persons who view the commercial or ad and below is the analysis of the appeals the PowerAde has had in its advertisement as an energy drink. The emotional appeal in any advert should basically have the deep lying desire in which the individuals should be yearning for i.e. the advert should be in such a way that it attracts the attention and increases their quest to gather more knowledge thus increasing the communication. In every advertisement, there are emotional appeals that address the emotional vulnerabilities of the audience. This discussion shall focus on these emotional appeals applied in this ad by PowerAde. This discussion shall try to explicate the emotional appeals utilized in this commercial namely: the need for attention, the need for prominence and the need to achieve. The Need for Attention This is the where there is use of some attraction to the consumers and in this case the use of an NBA champion attracts the attention and increases the quest to know more on what he intends to do. In this ad, the main focus and highlight was on Lebron James nailing his four 90-foot shots. Obviously, this was the main attention got from this commercial. As what can be observed, the sportscaster who was previously preparing for his report was suddenly awe-struck by James’ hoops and immediately made sure that his cameraman was capturing the moment on video. In the world of advertising, this appeal for the need for attention was typically observed in ads from cosmetic and clothing companies (Petracca and Sorapure, p. 57). In this commercial of a sports drink, however, this appeal shows up in a way related to how a particular drink can actually give someone incomparable energy, that he or she may be able to do things seemingly impossible for other people to do – such as shooting 90-foot hoops like what James did in this commercial. People are always in need of attention. Without attention,
Introduction After three centuries of slavery, almost one hundred years of Jim Crow, and decades of racial segregation, yet America has still a long way to go regarding the economic equality of its White and Black citizens. It is exceptionally for African Americans to climb the wealth and prosperity ladder. Thus, millions of those of African descent are subjected to restrictions and limitations. There is little to no disagreement regarding the fact that financial inequities, particularly those related to an individual’s or a community’s racial identity, are a complex issue. Despite that, there seems to be a rise in the popularity of public debate surrounding the origins and implications of such an imbalance. Economic inequality among Whites and Blacks has become an especially heated topic of current discussions about race, discrimination, and generational wealth. The following essay focuses on the reasons why it is challenging for the Black community in the United States to accumulate wealth and move upwards on the economic ladder. Systemic structural barriers in the form of government policies and discriminatory regulations serve as the cornerstone of the issue of racial wealth disparity in America. The Myth of Economic Mobility In the United States, there has been a prevailing misconception about economic mobility shared by millions of people. The very notion of the American Dream posits that everything is possible on the U.S. land as long as one works hard and shares American values. Thus, for decades now, the majority of the U.S. population has regarded economic mobility in America as the norm. However, this is certainly not the case for the Black community. Research demonstrates that it is extremely hard for African Americans to move up the ladder in terms of wealth accumulated over generations (White para. 6)., according to Katz and Krueger, “there has been a large decline in the rate of upward mobility across successive U.S. birth cohorts” (382). This statement reveals that the Black community has not been the only one affected by the challenges associated with economic mobility. Even for White and Asian households, which are considered some of the most prosperous in the nation, building wealth and passing it on to the next generation is increasingly hard. Therefore, economic mobility stopped being the norm in the United States long ago, despite common misconceptions and beliefs. Current Realities Before investigating the reasons behind the lack of economic mobility in the Black community, it is crucial to examine its direct outcome. Difficulties in accumulating and passing down wealth generation-to-generation result in low monetary inheritances for African Americans. Such inheritances serve as the foundation of all the current wealth Black people have in their possession nowadays. McIntosh et al. indicate that the most recent statistics demonstrate that “median net worth for white