ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Abstract The Robyville Bridge was built between 1890 and 1872 at a time when there was an increased demand for the art of bridge building. The wooden shingled bridge spanning about 97 feet across Kenduskeag stream was made using the X design. The design also incorporated the use of shingled wooden cross members to make it more durable. The bridge is shingled from the walls to the roof as a way of making it unique. The bridge utilized wood in most of its parts and a casing to guard the timber from climate effects. The bridge is a manifestation of the mid 19 th century technology and materials that were available for bridge construction. The Robyville Bridge in Corinth has existed over a century with little maintenance and improvements. Robyville Bridge, which is also called the “kissing bridge”, is now a historical landmark in Maine. Introduction The history of a country cannot be told in a better way than by using landmark structures that have withstood the test of time (Allen 6). Culture, socioeconomic, and political activities of some people can be explained exclusively using such sites. During the years that preceded the 19 th century, transport of human beings, animals, and materials was difficult. Roads were poorly made. No strong bridges were available to facilitate communication across rivers, streams, and lakes. The use of wood to build bridges across rivers and streams became a common technology in the 19 th century. However, exposure of wood to various damaging aspects such as sun and rain made the bridges unable to exist for a long period. Allen confirms that one of the wooden bridges that have been able to withstand the test of time is the Robyville Bridge in Maine (6). In fact, it is the only shingled covered wooden bridge in the whole country today. This observation makes the Rayville Bridge stand out as a historical signpost. Besides being an indicator of innovative preservation measures that early designers engaged in ensuring sustainability of constructions, this bridge is a manifestation of ancient technology in building. Since wood rots easily when exposed to sun and moisture, the presence of a roof cover and a strong X design to support the bride from beneath guaranteed its sustainability (Jakeman 39). This strategy informs modern bridge building technology. Location of the Bridge Fig. 1: Side view of the bridge. Source: (Jakeman 39) According to Jakeman, the Rayville Bridge was constructed in eastern Corinth, Maine in 1872 (39). The 97-feet bridge spans across the Kenduskeag stream. Colonel Stephen Harriman Long designed the bridge long between 1870 and 1872. Long used the Long design that comprised panels and
This paper seeks to discover the theory of the ‘Mandate of Heaven’ in relation to rise and fall of dynasties in China. An analysis and discussion will be made to determine whether the concept did help to bring about, or was devised to explain or justify, the rise and fall of dynasties. In addition the paper will also discuss how these ideas affected Chinese understanding of the historical process. ‘Mandate of Heaven’ is an important concept to understand the dynasties of China which may have an effect on its present way of governance. It message was delivered by Duke of Zhou dynasty to addressed to the officers of Shang Dynasty where the former was trying to justify Chou Dynasty their ousting of the Shang Dynasty. There are four principles that can be derived from the speech and it may include the following:  1. Nobody has the monopoly to rule and this right exists only if granted by Heaven.  2. Since there is an attribution of Heaven, it can only mean the presence of supreme authority.  3. Rulers must have virtues approved by Heaven. On the basis of the above principles it could thus be argued that the concept did helped to help to explain or justify the fall of dynasties as hearers would come to realize the truth of the assertions made in the speech in terms of what were then experience as reality during those times. Part of the speech by the Duke of Zhou said: “We, possessors of the Zhou, assured in the mandate; led by Heaven’s brilliant authority, we brought about the king’s punishment, setting the mandate of Yin a right and [thereby] fulfilling [the will of] Di.” 1 . Even from these simple words, one could find the principles thus enumerated earlier. There is therefore basis to say that the speech did help explain or justify, the rise and fall of dynasties because it has a message that would confirm what really happened in reality. It was in fact a big a reality in the Chinese history where they had different dynasties even after the Zhou Dynasty that made the speech addressed to the Shang Dynasty. It was in effect portending of what will happen they would be subsequent dynasties Since nobody has the monopoly to rule and this right exists only if granted by Heaven, the second principle about the presence of supreme authority and the third which about virtues of rulers actually flow from the first principle. In this sense therefore, Heaven would necessarily bless the authority of a just ruler, but at the same stops that of unjust ruler in case of displeasure. As a concept, it appears that ‘the Mandate of Heaven’ accepts time limitations, except a performance standard that is implied present based on premise of having given the authority. This may be evident by the fact that the Duke of Zhou in the speech has explained to the people of Shang, that had their king delivered well according to standard about the use of power, the said kings Mandate would not have been taken away. This justification therefore gives due recognition to other dynasties where their legitimate emperor were not of noble birth. This was proven in the case of powerful Han dynasty and Ming dynasty despite having founded by people of mod
The nature and function of semantic memory Complex cerebral mechanisms guide the process of abstracting meanings from various utterances consisting of sentences, words, clauses, or phrases, which are communicated between individuals (speakers and listeners) in different contexts. Accordingly, studies note that different meanings to utterances are stored in semantic memory. Therefore, semantic memory is a mental glossary consisting of an individual’s organized knowledge regarding verbal symbols and words on one hand, and their referents and meanings on the other hand. Moreover, semantic memory encompasses various relations and rules that inform the process of manipulating the verbal symbols, meanings, and concepts (Gonzalez, 1984, pp. 1-6). On the other hand, the nature and function of semantic memory has been widely studied over the years. For instance, different researchers have reviewed the process of retrieving information among adult subjects, and in the long run, they have documented that the process of storing and retrieving semantic lexicons requires two elements, which include lexical nodes and arcs that encode the relations linking various lexical nodes (Gonzalez, 1984, p. 6). Here, the researchers noted that individual words possess specific groups of lexical nodes, which are connected through relational arcs. As a result, the development of the lexical-semantic system requires that an individual possesses the ability to link suitable lexical items to the target word using relational arcs. This process underlies the development of the lexical and syntactic aspects of semantic memory. The lexical and syntactic semantic memory provides both the contextual and structural frames for storing lexical items. Conversely, studies regarding the relationship between word meanings and memory note that semantic memory plays a major role in terms of actively recovering stored information. The process of recovering stored information recruits various selective mental processes, which determine the amount and type of data required to generate a response. In most cases, the interaction between local rules and various lexical and syntactic rules plays a role in imposing limitations on the process of interpreting utterances (Gonzalez, 1984, p. 10). Overall, semantic memory is very flexible and therefore, it allows a person to recognize active and passive utterances. The basic functions of language From the foregoing discussions, it can be deduced that the nature and function of semantic memory is closely related to the process of language comprehension. On the other hand, language comprehension follows through various steps, which recruit the morphological, semantic, phonological, and syntactic frames of information in interpreting various utterances. Therefore, language comprehension is the first step toward ensuring that any language performs its intended functions. In studies involving children learning their first language, it is documented that the language performs various functions categorized as instrumental, regulatory,
Introduction There was nothing in his young life that could have indicated he will grow up to become a world-famous architect. He was born in a rural town. His father abandoned him and his mother. His single Mom could not afford to send him to a proper architectural school. But he had the determination to succeed and while working as an apprentice to an engineer, Frank Lloyd Wright realized that he was called to be an architect. He left everything and pursued his dreams in the highly competitive and urbane world of Chicago, Illinois. While working in one of the avant-garde architectural firms in the 19 th century America, Wright began to learn the skills that would someday turn him into a legendary figure in the world of architecture. The following pages will show how he acquired the skills as well as a sampling of his most celebrated works. Background He was born on June 8, 1867 in Richland Center, Wisconsin. There is no need to elaborate that his birthplace was not the centre of the world. It is not New York, London or Paris. But the insignificance of the area means that there is still very little urban decay and that people living in that part of Wisconsin get to have the privilege of enjoying what nature can offer. This aspect of living away from the big cities may have shaped his life in a way that would make his talent stand out in the crowd. This is because his love for nature is obvious in his architectural designs. It was his mother’s wish that the young F. L. Wright should grow up to become an architect. But there is only one problem they do not have the means to send the young man into a proper architecture school. This was exacerbated by the fact that F. L. Wright’s father abandoned the family and was no longer available as a provider. Thus, the young F. L. Wright struggled financially and a lesser individual would have given up at this point. It was a good thing that his mother did not give up and by showing her strength to the young boy she was able to teach what his father could not and it is the determination to succeed at all costs. The financial obstacle was partially solved by his mother by sending him to work as an apprentice to a civil engineer. The kindhearted professional was willing to take the young F. L. Wright under his wing and so, “In the afternoons he worked with his engineer and in the mornings he studied civil engineering at the City University, as the School of Architecture was beyond their means” (Treiber, 1995). This experience created in F. L. Wright a genuine hunger to become an architect. Aside from that the young F. L. Wright learned what it takes to beat the odds. It did not take long before Wright decided that in order for him to succeed he had to leave and move to a place where his learning will experience a major boost. Thus, “Wright made his first decision to leave everything behind: his mother, his sisters … the small and quiet provincial town” (Treiber, 1995). While he was only 18 years old he left for Ch
Elie Wiesel wrote the book ‘Night’ to express what he experienced in prison. It gives a detailed account of a horrible holocaust. In addition, faith is prominently explored in the book. It therefore plays an important role in the development of the story. This essay focuses on how Elie’s perceptions of God change as the book develops. At the beginning of the book, Elie had a strong belief in God. He recalled the days he studied the Talmund and went to the synagogue at night to express his disappointment after its destruction. He then requested his father to assist him to find a master who could guide him to study cabbala. However, the father argued that Elie was not old enough to study cabbala, but on his own, Elie looked for a master known as Moche. Moche tried to find out why Elie wept when he was praying but he replied that he did not know why it happened. He however said that he did it instinctively just as he ate without being prompted to eat. Throughout the book, Elie’s faith changed several times, something that created a major conflict. He started with a strong belief in God but later denied him. However, his faith was strengthened before he left prison. At the beginning, Elie loved God unconditionally because of his background knowledge in Jewish mysticism. He remained faithful to God during deportation of the Jews and even made a thanksgiving prayer after their safe arrival at Auschwitz. Elie’s faith started to change for the first time when he faced the risk of being burned together with his father. That marked the beginning of his doubts about God. However, as they approached the fire, he said, “May his name be blessed and magnified…” (Wiesel 43).This was an indication that although his faith had started to change, he still had faith in God. After Elie went to prison, it was difficult for him to sustain his belief in God in an environment that was strange. He wondered how a God who loved his people allowed them to suffer. This made him think that having faith in God was not rewarding. While at Auschwitz, Elie struggled a lot because he had a feeling of defiance towards God but his faith encouraged him not to be defiant. His faith started to decline when he said, “Why should I bless His name? What had I to thank him for?” (Wiesel 31). Elie believed that God existed but doubted that he was just. While in prison, he had lost hope of attaining freedom. It was also during that time that he started to lose faith in God. Elie was lonely
The Whale Rider film focuses on a modern fairly-tale which aimes at celebrating people’s bonds with their natural environment and especially with the ocean and quasi-mythic creatures inhabiting the ocean (the whales). The “Whale Rider” film is based on the Maori legend, the story told in the film transcends time and space, and it stirs up concerns about relationship of humanity with the natural world and the role of women in the spiritual tradition shown through the charackted of Pai, the main character of the film (Caro). From the beginning, the audience gets involved in the Pai’s world, her childlike sphere, active intuition, and the perpetual wisdom that seems to correspond to the call of ancient whales that ultimately draws Pai to realize her destiny. Pai’s mother and her brother died, and her father belonging to the Maori tribe leader named her after Paikea, a legendary ancestor who first got to the New Zealand while riding a whale (Caro). This fact shows that the bond that humans have with the animals is expressed through astounding benefits that provide humans with protection, companionship, and guidance (Waldau and Patton 8). Beyond this assistance that whales gave to the Maori ancestors, animals provide humanity with a world of meaning and wonder, as well as, the beauty of imagination as evidenced in the film. The help that wales provide to the humanity is also showen in the film when the animals were called up by Pai to assist her grandfather and her Moari tribe in the time of the need. The “Whole Rider” film portrays a beautiful scene, which depicts a wise woman adjacent to a girl seated gazing at the ocean lit by the full moon radiance. She recalls the spirituality that reflects on the unique bond between women and the ocean, and its mythic creatures. (Caro). Waldau and Patton argue that animals can share significant emotional intimacy with individuals, which cannot come from any other source (8). They maintain that animals can help people both physically and spiritually which is what they unable to do for themselves. Such assistance includes valuable gifts they provide to humanity via their presence and their inherent responsiveness to the individuals’ inner needs (Waldau and Patton 8). This form of significance of the whales in the film appears through the transformation of Pai into a whale rider. Pai’s body unites with the whales’, an ancient sacred creature of her tribe. Further, Pai’s soul communicates with the whales’ awareness. In addition, Pai after having awaken a dying whale, rides on its back and guides whales herd back into the deep ocean (Caro). She gave her destiny to the ocean as she was not afraid of meeting her death in its endless depth. The whales capture the Maori spi
Leadership is not considered to be a matter of politics only, it is being given a broader perspective. One of the most fundamental traits associated with leadership is innovativeness. Consequently, leadership aspects cut across all spheres of life. It is, therefore, necessary to give an insight into leadership as well as analyze the motivational factors behind the success of any leader. The speaker in the video has noted with concern that, great innovators think and act in the same way. However, they come up with divergent results in regard to the same field. It is, therefore, essential to note that the mastermind of every success is attributed to the fact that different minds have different beliefs and commitments to their innovation. For instance, the Wright brothers who invented the airplanes were driven by purpose and belief. Therefore, remarkable achievements are not determined by the financial capability or social influence that one commands but solely rely on a person’s belief and how he or she thinks. Based on the golden circle analysis, the speaker states that motives behind any invention are generally three being why, what, and how. The research conducted shows that the majority of inventors acknowledge what they do, how they do it, but never realize why they do it. Success in business can be achieved when one understands why he or she intends to do something; this “why” mentality challenges the status quo. For instance, despite any challenges, the Wright brothers, employed people who believed in what they believed, and altogether championed their success. It is, therefore, ideal to do business with people who believe in your own beliefs. Finally, innovation is the implementation of why we believe in an idea, rather than what and how we do things. Moreover, these successful minds inspire and are followed not for them but for us since we share the same belief. Social /Emotional Intelligence on Leadership Emotional intelligence basically refers to how one handles and manages themselves or has the capability to recognize other people’s emotions. Leadership requires one to be socially and emotionally intelligent, and a leader can gauge the level of his/her intelligence by listening to what people think and say about them. Therefore, outstanding leaders care and listen to what people say about them. The performance of every business heavily relies on the level of the leader’s emotional intelligence. This strong correlation between leadership and social intelligence may, therefore, improve or hamper the performance of an organization. With regards to this, a person’s ability to interact and positively engage others to boost their social intelligence and performance. At the same time, natural social intelligence can always be improved in a person, especially those who lack natural born intelligence. This can be achieved by adopting the following strategies: evaluating if you c
Human population growth problem is a double-sided sword. On the one hand, a state needs competent employees, efficient workers, confident leaders and fearless warriors to sustain its standards of living and be highly valued among the rest of the countries of the world. On the other hand, exponential population growth leads to poverty and unemployment, and nowhere is it nearly as prominent as in the states where artificial contraception is prohibited. Since religious controversies often stand in the way of adopting birth-controlling strategies, which results in a number of people living beyond the poverty line, a reasonable compromise between the state policy on birth control and the needs of the population must be reached. Philippines are the most graphic example of the exponential population growth phenomenon. According to the information provided by AIJazeeraEnglish, in Philippines, banning artificial contraceptives has led to a “population explosion” (AIJazeeraEnglish 01:01). With around two million babies born every year, the rates of poverty have hit the roof. Since Catholicism has been established as an official religion in the state, the issue of contraception or, worse yet, abortion is never considered a possibility. The given example shows that, to control population growth, one must first re-evaluate the priorities of the state and bring the influence of religion down a few notches. Another efficient means of controlling the population growth and keeping it within the required boundaries is considering the dispersion of the population. Since at present, most people tend to escape from countryside to industrialized regions, such as cities, which leads to the overpopulation of the latter, a more reasonable policy towards small towns and villages should be considered (Schaefer 446). For example, there is no secret that in most states, countryside rarely has much to offer to its dwellers in terms of education, employment and, for that matter, the means for decent life. As a result, people flock in cities, overcrowding them and creating the premises for an exponential population growth. Hence, it is more than reasonable to suggest that additional means of improving the standards of life in rural areas should be offered in order to control the growth of population within cities. Migration seems to be another important factor that defines the rates of population growth. However, it should also be taken into account that legal migrants contribute to the state development and progress, which means that banning immigration completely will leave a state out of numerous opportunities. Therefore, providing birth control among immigrants as well as among the citizens of the state can be viewed as a possible solution. Hence, the problem of birth control medicine and abortions is brought up once again. In the light of the aforementioned issues, birth control is essential. It is also noteworthy that the people migrating from a different state might also have religious prejudice against birth control; hence, a major literacy campaign o