ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The notion of aging became especially threatening and stimulating among women in recent years. One of the outcomes of this trend is the creation of blogs. Women post their best photos to show their personality. Rocamora states that “blogs reproduce women’s position as specular objects, but also as a space of empowerment through the control it grants bloggers on their own image” (410). Personally, after visiting the offered website, I felt ambivalent emotions. On the one hand, it is quite new and unusual to see elderly people dressed so brightly. On the other hand, I like this style of their self-expression. Wearing red coats and cocktail dresses, they strive to show that they want to be involved in life to the same extent as others. People acquire more experience and knowledge with age, and often we consider them as old-fashioned and conservative. However, the readings for this essay prove that elderly people tend to remain active and fashionable. In particular, Gibson emphasizes a stylish aging and an “unacknowledged growth in recent years of new fears around aging related specifically to appearance” (382). This phenomenon is explained by Rocamora as a “therapeutic tool” that helps women to project their emotions and feelings, both positive and negative ones (408). Thus, the fashion bloggers act as the mirrors showing them to other people. Moreover, I would like to express my view on the text presented on the blog. Bob Miller, a best-dressed older gentleman, discusses his experience and things related to aging (par. 1). In my opinion, the text is quite interesting and thought-provoking. I agree with the author that there should be no discrimination towards aged people in our society. We should treat them properly avoiding a disrespectful tone. Unfortunately, I observed that adults compare their elderly parents with children. Yes, they can forget some things, but it is not a reason to talk to them inappropriately. In this connection, I support the author’s opinion. The other topic is political involvement of elderly people in different programs. The current situation can destroy one’s self and lead to the insult. I believe that a range of governmental projects can significantly improve this discrimination called ageism. For example, it can be useful to employ a program that would prohibit doctors to talk with assistants about the aged patient’s disease and, instead, would promote direct communication with the patient. Also, I think that these programs should be discussed and resolved at all levels including local, national, and global ones. At the same time, aged people are to be proactive themselves showing their strong desire to live a full life. The appearance plays an important role in this process. I would like to stress that it should be age-appropri
The proposed Chinese restaurant in Eugene will be dealing with fast foods as well as other varieties of meals that will satisfy the target market. Indeed, it will be important to provide myriads of selection in the menu so that all the customers’ tastes and preferences are addressed (Flyvbjerg, Holm and Buhl 85). It is worth to mention that Chinese foodstuffs are known to be rich in nutrition with low calorie content. Some of the dominant meals that tend to attract wide range of customers especially those who are overweight include vegetables, chicken and rice. This location has been chosen because there are a lot of Chinese students who have a higher purchasing power especially for fast foods. In addition, most of the restaurants which are in this location offer low quality services. This paper discusses a brief business plan for the proposed Chinese restaurant in Eugene. Offerings Although most Chinese restaurants always require customers to wait for long when their meals are being prepared, this restaurant has taken a precaution whereby clients will be served promptly. This will be made possible because:  1. The restaurant will deal mainly with fast foods which are easy to prepare.  2. Most of the targeted clients will be students who do not have plenty of time to wait for their meals to be prepared.  3. The supply of raw foods that are used to prepare fast foods will be relatively high. The meat products will be prepared through pre-cooking processes so that they can be made ready within a few minutes after being ordered. In addition, vegetable products will be steamed using special equipment called a wok so that they can be equally prepared and served to customers with minimal delay. In order to improve the speed of serving customers at the cashier’s counter; the restaurant is expected to use a computerized register. This machine will be used to transmit real time data to the cook who will promptly respond to the customer’s order. As a matter of fact, once the cash transaction has been finalized and drinks served, the ordered food will be on the customer’s serving table. On the same note, another attractive feature of the restaurant will be the holistic Chinese menu. In other words, it will not just contain the ordinary sandwiches and burgers. Financing that will work for the business Since this paper only provides an overview of a brief business plan for the restaurant, detailed financial analysis has not been carried out. However, it is understood that the restaurant business will require some substantial amount of funding as a start-up capital (Pinson 20). The business will demand about $40,000 towards acquiring food supplies, building for housing the restaurant, fixings and other necessary machines. Therefore, a loan wil
The article “Science Watch: From the same planet after all” by Benson (2002) explains the dynamics of jealousy in men and women. The study refutes another popular theory stating the men and women do not display any differences in jealousy when women have “other things to think about”. Benson’s article expounds Buss’s research which asserts that evolutionary theories of jealousy are a primary reason for men and women to react differently to sexual or emotional infidelity. According to this theory, males are more worried about sexual infidelity while women show greater concern over emotional infidelity. According to Buss’s theory males react more strongly to their partner’s sexual infidelity because of the fear of rearing a child belonging to a rival while females are more worried about their male partner’s emotional infidelity because they fear the loss of their partner’s support. Benson (2002) explains that Buss’s theory is based on the premise of “evolutionary adaptation to the different reproductive challenges” which results in gender based differences to infidelity. Benson (2002) points that even though Buss’s research is “a widely accepted” theory, some psychologists have refuted the theory on the premise that the primary methods used to prove the theory are weak. DeSteno refutes Buss’s theory that evolutionary forces which shaped jealousy are same in men and women and there are no differences. According to DeSteno, the benefits of a relationship, “romantic and unromantic are important to men and women at all stages of their lives”. DeSteno et al (2002) conducted a study to prove that the “forced-choice questionnaire” method is actually responsible for the gender based difference. They proved that sex based differences were absent when participants were given a second task to perform. The hypothesis was confirmed when sexual differences surfaced only in the forced questionnaire method while the other methods showed equal ratings of men and women for sexual infidelity as an issue of prime concern. Jealousy raises some fundamental questions about the causes of human behavior. Psychologists wonder about the universality about jealousy, a trait in humans which transcends the boundaries of experience and cultures, globally. While Buss supports the evolutionary aspect of jealousy linking it to biology and evolution, DeSteno refutes it saying that reasoning abilities and social context, not evolution, are responsible for the emotion of jealousy. Definitions and Evolutionary Theme of Jealousy The article addresses the evolutionary theme of gender based differences in jealousy. Jealousy is “not only inbred in human nature, but it is the most basic, all-pervasive emotion which touches man in all aspects of every human relationship” (Anth Notes 3/21/13, pg. 41). According to Pines (1992) jealousy is a complex reaction to a “perceived threat to a valued relationship” having “both internal and external components” (Anth Notes 3/21/13, pg. 41). In a study, Buss confirmed that jealousy is “a product of infi
Introduction Signed in 1648, the peace of Westphalia was an international agreement among the major European powers of the 17 th century to respect the sovereignty of other nations (Gross 20). This agreement ended more than three decades of conflict in Europe (Clark 13). As the continent’s influence spread around the world, the same principle of sovereignty became a pillar of international law (Clark 13). Consequently, the signing of the peace of Westphalia became a hallmark for the development of the principle of international law, which introduced the concept of nation-states and sovereignty in global politics. Indeed, according to Beaulac (68), the treaty reaffirmed the concept of a nation’s sovereignty over its domestic affairs. Conversely, it advocated for the exclusion of all external powers in a country’s internal affairs by promoting the principle of non-interference (Gross 20). This paper investigates the significance of the peace of Westphalia by focusing on the views of selected researchers, such as Osiander (260), Jackson (431), Gross (20), and Krasner (214) on the peace agreement. However, before delving into the details surrounding this investigation, it is important to understand the three pillars of sovereignty, which will help us to comprehend whether equality or hierarchy characterized the peace agreement and evaluate how the peace of Westphalia is of importance to our understanding of sovereignty in modern society. This paper also contains an auxiliary analysis of this issue through an investigation of the views of Osiander (244) on the concept of sovereignty and its application to our modern understanding of the same. Pillars of Sovereignty Based on the peace of Westphalia, some experts believe that the principle of sovereignty has three main constitutive pillars, which manifest in our general understanding of the principle of sovereignty (Stirk 641). The first pillar advocates for the absolute exercise of authority by a sovereign government (in a sovereign state) over the people living within the sovereign territory (Lake 46). In reference to this philosophy, some researchers dispute the exercising of absolute authority over people and societies because they argue that it cannot exist in its natural form (Osiander 247). Instead, they advocate for the use of the term, “final authority,” as the correct description of this phenomenon. Jean Bodin argues this fact in his book, Six Books of the Commonwealth (Lake 46). He says, “Persons who are sovereign must not be subject in any way to the commands of someone else and must be able to give law to subjects, and to suppress, or repeal, disadvantageous laws and replace them with others – which cannot be done by someone who is subject to the laws or per
Introduction Façade constructions are parts of a building that provides protection of the people inside against extreme weather and enemies. Buildings either for commercial, institutional or residential purposes must fulfill fundamental needs of human beings. In most cases, these fundamental needs relates to the dictates of weather and climate for instance adequate sunlight, cold, wind as well as rain. This means that facades are very important structures in buildings. Yin (2008) indicates that due t the importance of facades and the improving technology as well as changing weather patterns, the development of façade constructions is continually evolving. These developments reflect many years of human experience and technology advancements. Generally, there are various technologies applied in the construction of facades. In this case, most façade constructions address the needs of a particular situation, which depicts different architectural styles and materials. In addition to the needs of certain situations or settings, façade constructions might have different designs due to cost of materials and type of building involved. It is evident that technological development has been advancing at a very high speed. For this reason, architects and building engineers have come up with new façade construction technologies and designs following extensive research. Due to contemporary changes in social, political, technological and environmental spheres, today’s façade structures seek to solve contemporary problems and keep pace with advancing technology. In addition, contemporary façade structures as a sign of the expression of architectural and aesthetic quality. This means that the façade serves several other functions besides protection from harsh weather conditions. As a result, there are several designs and types of façade constructions to address these diverse functions. There is need for an integrated system of façade construction, which can serve different purposes rather than a system that only serves a single purpose. This integrated
Introduction The three leaders in the case study operate under different work conditions, group norms and employee-types. Consequently, the effectiveness and ineffectiveness eminent in each of the shifts depends on the leader’s ability to merge his or her leadership style with these variables. Model description The model chosen for analysis is known as the Path-goal model. In this school of thought, leaders ought to motivate their followers in order to facilitate goal accomplishment. The theory has four major aspects that include goal definition, path clarification, elimination of obstacles and support provision. Furthermore, leaders ought to alter their leadership style in response to employee characteristics and task characteristics. In the path-goal model, one can be a directive, achievement oriented, supportive, and participative leader. A directive leader clarifies goals, timelines and all other aspects of work. He or she manages various aspects of work. The achievement – oriented supervisor causes workers to feel challenged through high goal – setting and by urging them to accomplish those goals. A supportive leader focuses on subordinates’ human needs while the participative leader seeks ideas and opinions from employees. These characteristics are not mutually exclusive as one may choose a different type of behavior depending on the situation under consideration. In addition, one leader can demonstrate more than one type of style at any one time. For one to become a successful leader, one must know the characteristics of one’s followers. Subordinates traits change depending in their preferences for structure, their desire for control, their need for affiliation as well as the confidence they have in their ability to complete tasks. Those with a high need for affiliation require a supportive leader while employees with an internal locus of control (those who believe in their ability to control their lives) require participative leaders. Individuals with great confidence in their ability to perform tasks need to have less directive leaders. Employees who exhibit authoritarian traits and work in uncertain situations require directive leadership for clarity. Task characteristics can also alter leadership behaviors. Situations with ambiguous tasks require structured leadership, hence directive managers. On the other hand, repetitive tasks require supportive and human-centered styles. Work places with weak group norms and formal aut
Most Significant Errors Made Out of All of the Change Stories and Their Ramifications The change stories offer an insight into the activities which took place when a number of companies were making significant changes in their structures. In order to understand the errors made in the change processes by the firms reviewed, Kotter’s Model of Change shown in the figure below will be very necessary. The model identifies eight stages of change that should not be ignored when a firm is introducing a new system. Figure 1: Kotter’s Model of Change. Source (Reiß, 2012) One of the most significant errors made out of the change stories was the inability to restructure the management system after the merger between Hewlett-Packard and Compaq Computer Corporation. These two companies were performing well and the decision to form a merger was meant to expand their market and efficiency in operations. However, the top managers of the new firm failed to clearly define how various tasks were to be handled. This led to wrangles, overlaps, and in most cases some tasks were not assigned to specific individuals. The ramification of this mistake is that the operational costs at the new firm increased considerably. Duplication of tasks became common and this reduced the efficiency of the firm. Instead of increasing the market share, this new strategy had almost no significant impact in improving the size of Hewlett-Packard’s market share. The firm was later forced
HP company is one of the America’s IT corporation whose headquarter is located in California at a place called Palo Alto in the United States. The company has specialized mainly in “developing and manufacturing computing, data storage, and networking hardware, designing software and delivering services. Major product lines include personal computing devices, enterprise servers, related storage devices, as well as a diverse range of printers and other imaging products.” (Allen & Morton 1994) It is good to note that, this IT industry in which HP corporation operates is highly globalized. This is based on the fact that, both software and hardware associated with this industry forms the integral parts of any global industry. Currently, this industry is being recognized as being one of the robust industries globally. Compared to other industries or any economic facet, the IT industry has higher productivity especially in first world countries. This is the main factor that has made IT industry to be referred to as the main force of economic growth globally. This industry is characterized by insatiable demand as a result of large number of clients, be it enterprises or consumers. Another trait is economies of scale enjoyed by IT companies. (Blais, 2011) In 1990s, computer hardware and software improvements made information access easy. IT used to provide communication networks that led to ideas, products and resource expansion amongst nations and people regardless of their location geographically. In the current times, as a result of IT revolution, IT has gained applications in all “aspects of life in contemporary industrial societies.” (Yip, 2003) For the past 20 years, the spread of information technology along with its application has been very drastic. This is based on the fact that, for that past two decades, desktop PCs were only limited to a small number of individuals considered as being advanced. By that time, many people had the ability of only producing documents by the use of typewriters. By that time, there were no text manipulation and storage. In the last one and half decade, bulky mobile phones were in use by only a few people particular in U.S. However, the situation has really changed in the current times. In the past decade, only scientists were using internet and the web, but currently, the two have gained applications everywhere. Another improvement globally has occurred “in fiber optics. Fiber optics technology enables data, including voices captured in digital form, to be converted into tiny pulses of light and then transmitted at high speeds through glass fibers wrapped into large capacity telecommunication cables.” (Allen & Morton 1994) The main reason that has lead to this rapid IT globalization is as a result of declining computer costs, along with increasing digital technology processing power. HP Corporation enjoys lots of resources in America, as well as in other countries in which the company carries out its significant activities. These resources have enabled the company to outwit its competitiors in the global market. Some of thes
It is important to note the terms “manager” and “leader” can be used interchangeably, but there are key and inherent differences, which need to be noted in order to properly outline the individual development plan. In order to be able to accurately evaluate me as both manager and leader, it is critical to identify my core strengths and weaknesses. The strengths are emotional self-control, organizational awareness, positive outlook, and teamwork. The weaknesses are poor emotional self-awareness, no achievement orientation, deficient conflict management, and inability to influence. It is stated that managing and leading require different mindsets and can be useful depending on a situation and the context (Nguyen and Hansen, 2016). In other words, managers focus on managing organizations, directing and controlling subordinates, making quick decisions, and planning and executing activities, and are mostly transactional in nature. However, leaders influence, motivate, inspire followers through foresight by setting directions, which makes them transformational. As a manager, my advantages are manifested in the fact that I have organizational awareness, teamwork capabilities, and emotional self-control, but my disadvantages are deficient conflict management. Therefore, I would rate myself 3 out of 4 as a manager because out of my four management-related qualities, three contribute to it, and one goes against it. As a leader, my advantages are a positive outlook, but disadvantages are poor emotional self-awareness, no achievement orientation, and inability to influence. Thus, I would rate myself 1 out of 4 as a leader because leaders are primarily focused on influencing followers. In addition, they need to set directions and be strategic, and my lack of achievement orientations can be a problem. Since leaders are transformational and need to be actively engaged with the followers, poor emotional self-awareness will hinder my leadership capabilities. In other words, currently, I am more suitable to be a manager rather than a leader. Direction In five years, I want to climb my career ladder at Governance & Board Secretariat Department from a specialist to a Board Secretary, which is more of a top managerial position rather than a leadership-based one. Therefore, as it was identified previously, I prefer, and I am more suitable for managerial positions, and a Board Secretary. The given position can be defined as someone who should be an objective outsider; not a board member, with no voting rights, and with no agenda other than to organize effective board meetings and facilitate sound governance” (Newport, 2020). In addition, a Board Secretary needs to possess certain attributes, such as organizational skills, insight and understanding, the ability to listen, communication skills, and the ability to multitask (Newport, 2020). Therefore, it is evident that my goal is centered around a highly ma