ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
I agree with the treasurer that banks should pass the rate cuts on to the public. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is tasked with the responsibility of managing Australian economy to keep employment rate, interest rate, and other macroeconomic variables stable. Doing this makes the economy stable and encouraging investments and general confidence in the economy. One way the RBA manages Australian economy is by controlling the interest rates banks charges its customers (Adelaide Now, 2012). It does this by reducing its own lending rates to banks. In the past few months, RBA has lowered the interest rates by 25 basis points many times, but the commercial banks have not reduced their interest rates to match rates cuts. Ideally, banks should follow cue and reduce interest rates they charge customers. The idea behind the RBA action is to lower the cost of credit. A low cost of credit regime is conducive for investment, low inflation, and general economic well being. By refusing to lower the interest rates despite RBA rate cuts, the banks are defeating the purpose of RBA action in lowering interest rate. The banks have supported their decision not to lower interest rates by citing two major reasons: high cost of funding and the effects of 2007 credit crisis. Australian banks source part of their funds from overseas markets (Verrender, 2012). The current debt crisis in Europe has made credit scarce for banks relying on overseas funds. Banks have stated clearly that domestic Australian financial market is partly influenced by what is happening in the rest of the world. Banks have said that they are yet to recover from the 2007 financial crisis. This credit crisis dried up funds, and banks had no choice but to hike interest rate. Since 2008, banks have steadily increased interest rates, or refused to pass on interest rates cuts by the RBA to the consumer. Banking is inherently risky business. Banks in Australia still depend on offshore lending on the short-term basis of 3 to 5 years, and then advance loans to their customers for a longer period of up to 30 years (Adelaide Now, 2012). This difference in time creates the risk. Hence, shock in the global financial markets leaves Australian banks in a precarious position where they have to hike interest rates despite domestic policies by RBA. Despite what banks are saying, their arguments do not seem to stand in the face of facts. Before bank deregulation of 1983, Australian banks relied on deposits from Australians to give out loans. After the 1983 reforms, banks started to rely on cheap offshore financing. This money was largely invested in the mortgage market. As a result, real estate market in Australia boomed from 1983 onwards. Sourcing for offshore finance was not left to the big financial institutions alone; smaller banks and non-bank financiers also started doing the same. The financial crisis froze offshore credit markets. This led to crippling of in
The early stage of the formation of American Republic was riddled with uncertainties and complications. Besides, some of the dilemmas faced by the new government suggested more than one solution, with feasible arguments supporting both sides. As a result, many issues of the era prompted the compromises which catered to the interests of both sides without severing the ties with either. The issue that arose early in the development if the union is that of differences in political approaches. This became evident after the Republican party emerged as a response to the dominant Federalist Party, but was observable from the very beginning of the union conception. The centralized government created as an alternative to then overthrown external ruling power was somewhat questionable, as its existence contradicted the principles that were upheld during and through the Revolution. In addition, the Southern states, which differed greatly from their Northern affiliates, were not initially sympathetic with the New-York based government. Later in the course of events the conflict took form of the opposition between the Federalists and the newly emerged Republicans, which is illustrated best by the gradual distancing of the former friends and companions, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton (Ellis 186). Some of the issues were highlighted during the first meeting of the country’s new government in 1789 in New York City. The concerns voiced during the meeting can be grouped into four broad categories. First, the proliferation of the Republic was challenged by the geographical factor. The sheer volume of the territories under control, as well as the number of people populating them, has put the successful function of the government at risk. The author points to the fact that only one historical precedent of comparable magnitude can be traced, which is the Rome under the Cicero’s reign, but the proof of success by this argument is weak, as his Republic was relatively short-lived. The second issue was the fundamental part of the Constitution which empowered the people to adhere to force in the cases when their rights were violated to the point where this would result in overthrowing an existing governing body. While such condition is thought of today as absolutely necessary in securing the possibility of the abuse of power by the government, at the time it was unclear how such setup will change the ruling principles and whether it will discourage the creation of the political parties. The third concern was based on the diversity of the state’s members. The states were formally united, but at the initial stage, there was no conclusive evidence that they are willing to collaborate. They had more differences than similarities and pursued their own interests, which often diverged, which obviously threatened the union’s integrity. Finally, the slavery was deemed a serious problem, as it both undermined the ethical foundations of the union and posed severa
Episode three of the series Commanding Heights mainly analyzes the relationship between decisions made by the ruling regime and the world economy. The prologue gives us a hint of the coverage of the episode, indicating that the subject of debates is stronger between state controlled economies and those controlled by market forces. In the opening scenes, the video brings us the scenes that preceded the fall of communism in Asia, Europe and some parts of America in favor of free markets. The United States of America led by President Bill Clinton helped to push this agenda by supporting the idea to end organized labor. Eventually, individuals who had left their countries, particularly in Asia, started to return to their home countries hoping to join in the development. This way, countries like China, which had identified themselves as global leaders in the industry, became the major suppliers of all the technology needed by the rest of the world. As the episode unfolds, we are introduced to the advent of the internet and other forms of technology which over time have led to the linking of the world in simple networks. It is revealed that with the growth of the interne
Forced prostitution and the exploitation of women, especially the financially disadvantaged ones, are among social problems with severe long-term consequences. As is clear from human history, the scale of such issues increases with the aggravation of inter-state conflicts. One of the brightest examples of this tendency is the creation of comfort stations under Japanese imperial rule. The bloodcurdling stories of these brothels’ survivors are shown in the Apology , Tiffany Hsiung’s documentary featuring the lives of three victims of Japanese imperialism. The focus on these people’s stories helps to show the long-term psychological consequences of the sex trade and explain current political controversies between Japan and its former occupied territories. The Apology is a documentary that presents a range of strong arguments against the normalization of prostitution. Be it forced or not, the sex trade is always detrimental to its victims, which is shown by Hsiung. The film introduces the stories of Gil, Cao, and Adela, who were kidnapped by Japanese occupants in China, the Philippines, and South Korea (Hsiung). These women live in dissimilar economic conditions, but the thing that unites them is the inability to forget Japanese soldiers’ cruelty and impunity. The things told by the former comfort women who agreed to participate in the project indicate that inequality, violence, and exploitation are the usual satellites of imperialism and militarism. Despite the attempts of some Japanese historians to belittle the number of comfort station victims in the Asia-Pacific region, the characters’ confessions reveal the problem’s enormous size. For instance, Adela from the Philippines mentions that she was among the hundreds of girls raped by foreign soldiers (Hsiung). Grandma Cao, a Chinese village resident, lives not far away from the building where the local comfort station was organized. According to the woman, many of her fellow citizens from the village were forced into prostitution or killed. The former sex slaves’ stories align with more modern estimates of the number of female victims of the military prostitution system that range from two to four hundred thousand people (Hsiung). The problem of military prostitution discussed in the film is inherent in the patriarchal stereotypes about sexuality and the objectification of women. First, judging from the survivors’ messages, they were treated as a type of military equipment that could operate properly or become broken, and no attention was paid to their emotional suffering. Importantly, the system of military brothels was supported by the officially existing policies accepted by the Japanese government prior to the outrage of the Second World War (Sarah Soh 115). In strongly patriarchal societies, inequality in terms of sexual life can reach its peak and be manifested in the normalization of physical violence, one of the ways to stamp the male’s authority. The survivors’ testimonies demonstrate the tendency – apart from being raped up to forty times a day, the w
The Computation-based Science and Technology Research Center of the Cyprus Institute is an organization with several crucial goals. It works with supercomputers, which are at the forefront of modern science and have numerous applications. To that end, it maintains a high-performance computing facility as well as several machines intended for testing on site. It also collaborates with various other centers in Europe, the United States, and the Eastern Mediterranean region. Over time, the CaSToRC has become a prominent institution and helped with numerous research projects. As the director of the facility, I will ensure that it continues fulfilling its purposes and expands to become a regional and global authority on the subject. I will work to expand the facility’s operations locally and in the surrounding region. The center aims to be a catalyst for the growth of computational science in the Eastern Mediterranean region and a regional hub in this field. As such, I will expand its operations internationally, providing support to institutions that require the aid of a supercomputer or want to construct a high-performance computing facility. To accommodate the increased needs of the facility’s partners, I will extend the facility’s staff as well as its equipment. The work the center does to help researchers throughout the area and improve the region’s capabilities should ensure that it receives the funding necessary to do so. My vision for the center’s future is to see it become a prominent institution with significant internal resources and an extensive network of contacts in the region. The research conducted at the facility will be leading in the global computational science environment, and its researchers will collaborate with their colleagues from prominent institutions worldwide. The center will have advanced equipment and assist other facilities that it will help to develop in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean region. Its staff will increase in size to accommodate the new needs, by being bolstered with talented researchers. It will also enhance its role in education, offering courses to students who would like to pursue a career in computational science. I cannot implement the changes that I would like to see alone, and therefore, I will require the assistance of the center’s staff. Under my direction, the facility will offer incentives for researchers and partners to use its resources a
Need for the initiative Currently, several stakeholders in the United Arab Emirates are interested in pursuing sustainability but few have implemented any projects to back this interest. In other words, there is no shortage of rhetoric concerning the environment in Dubai. What organisations require is support to turn their sustainability ideas into reality. Kaye (2012) reports that Dubai city is designed in a way that increases energy consumption. For instance, one would need to make several u-turns on a road in order to get to a destination. Additionally, few residents make use of available railways. Emiratis also rarely recycle their waste, reduce their water consumption or utilise solar energy for their power needs. Nonetheless, expatriates and residents alike are aware of their responsibility towards the environment, and many of them want to do something about it. Several top leaders in Dubai are also showing that a need for sustainable initiatives is necessary. A case in point was the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy of 2030 supported by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. The chairman of this entity, His Excellency Al Tayer, is trying to attract foreign investment in sustainable businesses. Clearly, several stakeholders must step in and support the 2030 vision. Dubai already has a decarbonising initiative managed by the Dubai Carbon Centre for Excellence, and all it requires are partners that can assist in achievement of this goal (Dubai Chronicle 2012). This initiative will be one of the partners. The plan is also needed because businesses stand to save a lot of resources if they participate in it. For instance, they are likely to reduce the materials they and the waste they produce. Furthermore, the amount of oil or water they require for production will reduce, and this will translate into cost savings. Organisations such as BP have saved $650 million as a result of sustainable energy use (Rettab & Rahman 2012). Many firms in the UAE are looking for ways of staying in business by cutting costs; environmental sustainability is one way of achieving it. A description of the business and its objectives The main objective of this business is to assist Dubai companies to meet their sustainability agenda. It will do this through four minor objectives: to help companies minimise use of non renewable resources, increase the use of renewable energy, and reduce carbon emissions or other forms of pollution. This company will be providing support services to Dubai firms that are interested in being environmentally sustainable. It will offer them advise and resources to integrate and hence reduce the environmental impact of their suppliers and partners. The initiative will also assist firms to minimise the effect that their transportation costs have on energy use. Aspects such as packaging will also be examined in order to ascertain that they are recycled, reused or redesigned to utilise fewer materials. Clients will also benefit from waste management assistance as well as energy emission reduction. Water management will also be pa
Introduction The deaf youth in the United States although faced with numerous challenges are striving to achieve social justice in several ways as discussed in this paper. For instance, the Deaf Youth USA is dedicated to social justice through media and activism by organizing workshops where discussions are held on how to strengthen the fight against marginalization. Several workshops have been held where racism topics are discussed to create an anti-racist culture among members so that the organization moves forward stronger and fully inclusive. Main body The discussions are usually difficult, nonetheless; the problems must be acknowledged so that in the process, the organization grows stronger (Dale-Hench, p. 1). To achieve this objective, fascinating and inspirational stories are shared both community and personal stories. The youths could invite guests from organizations such as deafbay.com and CAD to the camps where they talk about the respective organizations and how youths who are deaf can participate actively. In addition, it is important to make the youths believe that before they can change the world, they have to change themselves first. To change positively, the groups have to be taught how media can distort reality (Dale-Hench, p. 1). The youths have to be enlightened on how to capture the mind of audiences using two elements namely beauty and message. The youths have to learn to embrace beauty by opening to receive the messages passed across by other youths. Importantly, the youths could initiate discussions on why they object to racism and critically argue against, or for their propositions. The discussions could be made simple to accommodate all the age groups. The youth groups have to write manifestos that pave way for youth activism, voluntary service, and giving back to the community. Normally, youth activism is crucial in helping the youth to sieve leaders they would want to elect. To ensure active participation in activism, the youths have to develop a functional leadership hierarchy led by chairpersons, assisted by vice-chairpersons and financial officers. Moreover, when the members are allowed to take part in elections, the youth groups would encourage social justice. The Deaf Youth USA (DYUSA) for instance strives to educate, inspire, and empower the deaf youth to make difference in the communities (DeafYouthUSA, p. 1). Such activities would make the youths vibrant, intelligent, and ambitious. The youths ought to embrace media and the internet as powerful tools for fighting prejudices. These channels are crucial in educating the dead youths at all levels on how to develop and own personal media. Through Facebook for example; the DYUSA members would actively participate in topics that touch on redefining the meaning of being deaf, sign language, and deafne
Good writing skills are necessary for enhanced communication in life and this course has enhanced my ability to write and express myself through the medium of writing. When I began the course, I was not able to understand what to write and how I should begin my essays. But now, I have learned that the essay or paper must be divided into three important sections, the introduction, the main body and the conclusion. I have now begun to use this format in writing and have now learned to focus on the opening line or paragraph of the essay or paper to invite the attention and interest of the reader. In my essay relating to the ‘qualities of good parenting’, I have used the techniques which I have learned in writing and have divided my paper into several paragraphs. But first and foremost, I wrote a rough draft with the points which I would be including in my essay. By doing so, I was able to develop various themes around which I would write. My essays are now free of grammatical mistakes to a very large extent, though I still feel the need to improve myself a little more. I have now learned to divide my essays into paragraphs to explain different points and themes by first introducing them at the beginning of the paragraphs and then expanding upon them. However, I do not yet know how to reference and use citations in my essay, something which I have noticed in the essays of some of my friends and colleagues. I have realized that I have yet to learn how to reference and cite these sources in my essay to make it look like an academic paper, which is based on evidence, rather than a personal viewpoint. Most of my essays are personal interpretations of my beliefs in life and rest greatly on my experiences of life, not on references and articles. As such, my papers appear more like school compositions rather than high-quality essays which could benefit other readers as well. While I am using certain references and articles as sources, I have not yet developed the ability to acknowledge my sources through appropriate citation styles, which are missing from all my works, and without which my writing appears more like term papers, rather than appropriately referenced and cited research papers. The b
Introduction Chainlink is one of the most up-to-date technologies that are likely to change the world in the future. Blockchain is a “shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network” (“What is Blockchain Technology?”). Moreover, according to IBM, each object with measurable value can be sold and traced via a blockchain network (“What is Blockchain Technology?”). The paper is devoted to the discussion of Chainlink mechanisms and opinions on their future. More importantly, it concerns the future of cryptocurrency and its expected influence on society in the nearest future. Thus, the topic is timely in connection with the tendency of the world’s switch to informational technology usage in day-to-day life globally and on an individual level. The topic is prevalent due to its growing usage in the world. The previous research in this field touched on such issues as out-sourcing, off-shoring, and foreign direct investment within a system view of international business (Casson and Wadeson 165). The researchers have also examined competition between alternative cryptocurrencies and their differences (Gandal and Halaburda 8) and their integration with fiat-based currencies and direct use for providing citizens with central bank money (Seretakis). Summarized, the results of these and other studies on the topic reflect the condition of the modern economy, the role of blockchain technology in it, and the potential ways of its development. Some of the aspects of Chainlink’s processes and principles, reasons for its importance, and future forecasts are described below. Blockchain Algorithm Explanation Analyzing Chainlink and blockchain technology, in general, requires having a deep and thorough understanding of what they are. Therefore, I would provide a description of the Chainlink scheme and explain its processes, emphasizing the difference from traditional transactions (Nova). Blockchain is a tool that ensures the maximum speed and quality of the information flows, which are especially important for business and governmental processes (Nova). What is more, blockchain technology provides visible transactions without any chance to hide information or interpret it so that it loses the initial meaning. All the details of transactions made via blockchain are unremovable and perfectly traceable, so falsification is not possible. Therefore, its potential implementation on the level of countries and international transactions can be characterized by clarity and consequent trustworthiness of transactions and, as a result, international relations. One mo