ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
This work is aimed at comparing two ancient works of art, belonging to Christian and Buddhist religious tradition, in terms of peculiarities of their execution and the message they communicate to a viewer. Christian tradition is represented by the sculpture Justinian as World Conqueror, dated 550; it is compared to the statue of Buddha found in Afghanistan, dated 2nd-3rd century. Justinian I was an ambitious politician who pursued an aggressive policy of conquering new territories for the Empire. During his reign, the territory of the Byzantine Empire expanded significantly, having become the largest during the whole history of the Byzantine Empire; it is possible to say that the cult of Justinian existed in the Byzantine society for centuries. The sculpture Justinian as World Conqueror is devoted to the emperor’s military success. It depicts Justinian riding a rearing horse; the figures of Victory and Earth accompany him; the emperor is blessed by God looking at him from above. The composition of this work seems rather audacious: the figure of the emperor is the largest element of the sculpture, its size exceeds even that of God. To explain this compositional approach, it is necessary to refer to the Roman cultural tradition. The early Byzantine culture inherited some elements of the Roman spirit (Kleiner 323). Later the works of Byzantine art became modest and less pompous, having absorbed the resigned spirit of Christianity; but this work balances on the border of Roman past and Christian present. Roman governors admired glorifying themselves employing architecture and sculpture (it is enough to remember Nero with his huge statue in the Golden House or the inscription in honour of Marcus Agrippa on the Pantheon). The sculpture depicting Justinian is also aimed at glorifying the Byzantine emperor and his power, exalting him comparing to any other human. The relief is carved on ivory panels. This material is very noble and valuable; it highlights the loftiness and nobility of Justinian. At the bottom of the plaque, the sculptor depicted the figures of the barbarians, whose lands were conquered by Justinian, interlaced with those of exotic African and Asian animals: a lion, an elephant, and a tiger. Interestingly, the relief does not depict Justinian’s army; however, the sculptor might omit to introduce the figures of soldiers intentionally, wishing to highlight the divine origin of Justinian’s power: the earthly strength of the army is transient, but God’s blessing is eternal. The poses of Justinian and his horse are dynamic: it seems like the emperor does not limit himself by his former success; instead, he is ready to continue his conquest, and the protective expression of God’s face promises that the emperor will succeed. The name of the sculpture also claims Justinian’s inexhaustible military power. Thus, the combination of the work’s composition and material expresses the author’s idea; no doubt, in the 6th century, this depiction was able to impress the viewer, saturating his soul with deep respe
The Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) was created as part of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of the effort to combat computer and intellectual property (IP) crime. Considering IP is a vital aspect of the U.S. economic engine, the CCIPS seeks to develop a strong cyber and legal infrastructure to pursue network criminals (U.S. Department of Justice, n.d.a). The department has broad investigative powers which allow obtaining communications information from the network (ISP) and cellphone providers guided by the Stored Communications Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2701-12 (“SCA”). Furthermore, the agency can conduct live electronic surveillance, including or communication networks which is overseen by the Wiretap Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-22 (Jarrett, Bailie, Hagen, & Judish, 2015). One of the biggest Constitutional concerns for electronic surveillance as well as search and seize of evidence is protected by the Fourth Amendment which limits any such activities against the private persons, property, or effects without a warrant that is issued based on probable cause and supported by affirmation. Electronic surveillance is overseen by what is known as Title III which requires any law enforcement or investigative officer or agency to submit in writing a request, approved by a U.S. attorney, to conduct electronic surveillance. The request is extremely detailed and must state-planned form of intercepted communications, identify directly all involved persons, present reasonable cause that there is ongoing criminal activity, justify that all other reasonable measures of investigation have been tried and failed, and several other highly detailed technical information (U.S. Department of Justice, n.d.b). However, there are evident loopholes to the system which may potentially violate Constitutional rights or principles. For example, similar to other warrant situations, exigent circumstance allows the government to forgo obtaining a warrant. Furthermore, instances of national security, conspiracy, or organi
Article Summary The article acknowledges the ineffectiveness of traditional approaches to staffing before highlighting appropriate approaches that can be taken up by organizations. The first option to strategic staffing is a proactive planning aspect that considers the existence of staffing that slows down implementations of organizational plans (Bechet, 2000). It portrays planning processes as an important aspect in addressing this problem. In addition, the article articulates that staffing strategy should focus on issues and not at an aggregate organization level. Issue-focus approach enables managers to identify positions that are strategic to business success. Managers then tailor the staffing process for each of the identified issues. Tailoring the staffing process to the issues according to Bechet (2000) enables separating plans tied to an issue. Identification of an issue enables an organization to focus on each position, as opposed to all positions (Bechet, 2000). This is due to the realization that every job can be strategically addressed at an organizational level. A good approach considers available resources both internally and externally. This enhances proactive moves. Furthermore, the article articulates that staffing strategy should articulate implications of changes, as opposed to creating of “events”. Changes in business plans are likely to emerge and hence staffing should accommodate the changes. In addition, the firm should focus on planning and acting, rather than reporting on staff changes, such as turnover and staff levels among other staffing issues (Bechet, 2000). This information is useful and should be merely reported, but utilized in identifying alternative future staffing strategies. According to Bechet (2000), firms using this information should not concentrate on building capabilities, but solve the underlying staffing problems. The information should be efficiently used to support and develop an effective strategy through scenario planning. This should look at the probability of the problem recurring and how it should be addressed. In doing these, an organization can develop and implement a pragmatic staffing strategy easily. Reflective Summary I agree with the article on how best organization can develop pragmatic staffing strategies that work efficiently. This is because many organizations that rely on traditional staffing strategies are not efficient in realizing organization ou
Abstract The field of public relations has been identified by scholars as a very dynamic industry that has been under constant change. This change has been warranted by the particular fact that the target population that public relations depends on is always exposed to a number of environmental factors that are in themselves changing. The fact that there has been a constant change in the field has meant that professionals in the field have had to review their practices to suit the demands of their target population. This has kept them on their toes, which has ensured that they apply a certain level of creativity in their daily practices. While some people may identify the volatility in the field as an uncertainty, others may note that it is encourages positive change, which in turn ensures efficiency and cost effectiveness in customer service (Evans and McKee, 2010). This paper seeks to explore how the proposed Big Brother legislation impact Public Relations with regards to social networking sites. Introduction Businesses all over the world have been applying public relations techniques to keep in touch with their customers. This is often geared at increasing customer satisfaction as well as customer loyalty, which in turn translates to increased profits as well as secured revenue flows for the company (Evans and McKee, 2010). The current popularity of social media has changed communication not only between individuals, but also among corporate (Loh, 2006). This has warranted its adoption in the public relations strategies of companies as they seek to reach more customers in the market. The advent of social media as a communication platform has provided businesses with a cheap and more reliable form of communication that has been identified to produce even better results than the previously adopted forms of communication. Some of the commonly used social media sites include Facebook, Twitter,Linkedin, MySpace and YouTube (Barfield and Welfens, 2003). These have been identified to be quite popular especially with the youth. It is identified that every company is currently trying to capture a huge following of the youthful population in their market so as to take advantage of their loyalty for future revenue flows (Laudon and Traver, 2007). While the social networking field may be identified to be quite liberalized and free, a couple of recent legislations are threatening to undermine this autonomy through restrictions and regulations. These have been identified as outright threats not only to the free communication of people, but also to that of corporate. The need to ensure that these legislations do not see the light of day has forced a number of organizations
Introduction The film Taxi Driver by Martin Scorsese was released in 1976 and was received positively by both the public and critics. The director received the Palme d’Or award for his work, and the cast was honored with a number of nominations. The screenwriter, Paul Schroeder, managed to create a unique and, at the same time, a typical atmosphere of neo-noir, the characteristic of the New York community of the 1970s. The main role of Robert De Niro confirmed the actor’s talent due to the eccentricity of his character, and the man received the New York Film Critics Circle award. The narrative of the movie, its themes, and the ways of displaying directorial ideas make it possible to immerse oneself in a real story recreated in great detail. It may seem unusual that Taxi Driver was aimed at an American audience, but in the end, the film received worldwide recognition. Nevertheless, on the example of the New York of that time, Scorsese was able to demonstrate global issues and trends, in particular, loneliness and the inability to overcome social barriers in rapidly developing class inequality. Analysis of Narrative The story of the film is told dynamically, and the intrigue grows increasingly, without plot jumps and twists. Travis, the main character, is introduced as a taxi driver with an eccentric character and ambiguous thinking, which allows interpreting the events of the movie ambivalently. For instance, the fact that Travis keeps a diary emphasizes his loneliness, although he is constantly among people and can communicate much ( Taxi Driver ). Scorsese introduces the public to Travis as a teenager, despite his age. The main character’s inclinations towards radicalism, denial and opposition to society help form a clear view of him as a person who is not mature enough to make sound reasoning. No special visual and sound effects are used to convey an alarm. Nevertheless, due to intense dialogues, it seems that the taxi driver is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. His communication with himself in the mirror reveals a depth of his loneliness and mental imbalance ( Taxi Driver ). The detachment and coldness of New Yorkers are one of the main topics that make it possible to concentrate on the image of Travis and his experiences. Analysis of Thematic Content If Travis’s personality could be described unambiguously, Taxi Driver would not be a cinematic masterpiece. Social and class contradictions in the film are re
A number of milestones have been recorded in the development of tourism particularly in the United Kingdom. Tourism became more popular in the UK way back in 1936 when Butlin Billy initiated his first holiday camp in Skegness. In 1938, the UK government introduced the holiday with pay act that enabled UK citizens to earn their salaries even when on holiday. In 1946, a British national Pontin Fred initiated his first ever holiday at a place near Weston Super Mare. Four years later, the first air package holiday was convened by Horizon (BTEC National Travel and Tourism 2012, p.1). In 1952, the tourism sector received a boost with the development of the first passenger airline service. Because of the passenger jets, in 1960, domestic holidays taken in exceeded 30 million in history and the number of foreign holidays rose to 3.5 million. In early 1960s, America Airlines developed the first distribution systems in the world (World Travel and Tourism Council, 2009, p.3). According to the History UK (2012, p.1), in 1968, Britain passed the countryside act that allowed for the creation of national parks and the British countryside was designated as tourist destination because of the availability of enough space. The same argument is expressed by the Wales Audit Office (2006, p.2). In 1969, the tourism act was adopted (Eagles et al. 2002, p. 43). The tourism industry is the biggest sector contributing to the economic growth in Britain through creating jobs and a source of foreign exchange to the country. Tourists are categorized according to their purpose of visit. For instance, we have business tourists, domestic tourists, inbound tourists, leisure tourists and those visiting friends and relatives. Business tourists travel to different places for a conference, meeting or any events that are related with business. Leisure tourists are those that travel because they are either taking a short break or they are on holiday. Finally, there are those tourists who are said to be visiting friends and relatives as they do not use the accommodation facilities as they are accommodated by their family members and relatives (Eagles & Hillel 2008, p.77). The tourism industry is characterized by various features. To begin with, majority of businesses in the tourism industry are small although the industry also has few large companies. These companies have high market shares and also have other retail travel business. Majority of organizations in travel and tourism industry are privately owned businesses. The private ownerships range from sole trader to public limited companies. The tourism industry comprises of five sectors. The accommodation sector includes guesthouses, holiday centers, exhibition centers, hotels/motels, camping sites. The second is the attraction sector that includes national parks, gardens, sports centers, theme parks, heritage sites and centers museums and galleries. The third is the transport sector that includes railways, coach operators, airlines, ferries, car re
The BBC or a British Broadcasting Corporation started its operations on October 18, 1922, as a British broadcasting company. On January 1, 1927, it became a corporation dominating the UK information market (Savigny 2016). BBC World News is the most popular among the corporation’s channels; it was launched on March 11, 1991. The BBC aims to enrich people’s lives with programs and services that inform, educate and entertain. Also, the corporation strives to be the most creative organization in the world. The Structure of the BBC There is a fee for television devices on the territory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; the funds collected this way form the budget of the BBC. Outside of the UK, the company is sponsored through the same British funds (Savigny 2016). This allows the corporation to be completely independent of the interests of advertisers, shareholders, or politicians. However, the impartiality of the BBC is now being questioned. Journalist Martin Summers, according to Mills (2016, p. 46), believes that ‘now BBC avoids serious conflict topics and therefore has to produce a lot of entertainment content to keep the ratings up.’ Although the British government regulates the size of funds from UK citizens, its officials deny the possibility of the manipulation of the BBC through the number of payments (Savigny 2016). Despite all this, the BBC World News channel has a reputation as one of the most objective news channels; it is watched in Western Europe, the United States, and other countries. Legally, the BBC operates under the Charter. The BBC Charter, which defines the tasks, role, and structure of the corporation, first entered into force in 1927; it is updated every ten years (Schlesinger 2014). The BBC is a Statutory Corporation with no shareholders. It is headed by the BBC Trust, consisting of 12 Trustees appointed by the Queen of England at the suggestion of the Cabinet of Ministers. The BBC is the second in the world regarding the number of employees and has a staff of about 20 thousand people (Schlesinger 2014). Its executive body is the Executive Board, appointed by the BBC Trust; the highest official is the Director-General of the BBC, appointed by the BBC Trust, he is also the BBC Editor-in-Chief. The BBC’s management includes the national governors for Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, as well as the Chairman and Vice-Chairman (Schlesinger 2014). The members are responsible for maintaining all levels of programs, keeping a balance of approaches to reporting, as well as providing unbiased information on events and processes that are inconsistent in their structure. Since 1997, the BBC consists of six main directorates: Broadcast, Production, News, and Worldwide. The BBC’s Techniques The BBC has regional offices throughout the country: BBC North, BBC South, BBC Midlands, and East, as well as BBC Scotland, BBC Wales, and BBC Northern Ireland prepare regional programs and news. Their specificity is characterized by three directions: informational, educational, and entertaining. To maintain a leading position and competitive a
Sexual orientation is “a persistent tendency to experience sexual attractions, fantasies, and desires and to engage in sexual behaviors with partners of a preferred sex” (Cochran et al., 2014, p. 674). The American Psychological Association explicitly states that it does not classify homosexuality or bisexuality as an illness and pledges to advocate for the rights of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people (Anton, 2010, p. 1). Similarly, the World Health Organization does not describe homo- or bisexuality as a disease; currently, it is explicitly stated in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) that non-heterosexual orientation is not considered an illness on its own (Cochran et al., 2014). Moreover, the United Nations (n.d.) General Assembly has provided several resolutions, in which it repeatedly declared that states are expected to protect the human rights of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (p. 2). In 2011, the United Nations (n.d.) Human Rights Council produced the resolution 17/19 to express a “grave concern” at sexual orientation discrimination and provided a course of action for its elimination. In Canada, the Canadian Human Rights Act explicitly prohibits sexual orientation-based discrimination since 1996 (Canadian Heritage, 2013, para. 4), which makes sexuality discrimination the last kind of discrimination to be considered in the country. However, international human rights documents do not explicitly mention discrimination based on sexual orientation, even though several articles can be interpreted as prohibiting it (Canadian Heritage, 2013, para. 20). As a result, even though sexuality discrimination is admittedly a social construct, it, unfortunately, persists all over the world, which means that all the negative consequences of using differences to label a particular group of people as an inferior one proceed to harm society and individuals. In this paper, I will attempt to find out why sexual orientation discrimination was the last to be considered by human rights organizations and why “international human rights instruments do not explicitly recognize sexual orientation as a prohibited ground for discrimination” even today(Canadian Heritage, 2013, para. 20). First, it should be pointed out that the scientific studies, which are devoted to sexual orientation and its variations are relatively new. For example, in 1948, homosexuality was indeed included in ICD as a sexual deviation, and only the studies of the last half of the previous century managed to prove the fact that it is not deviant or defective (Cochran et al., 2014). In the process, some truly horrific studies were carried out as well, such as the experiment by Robert Health that involved drilling a hole in the skull of the subject “B-19” (a male homosexual) and inserting an electrode to stimulate the region associated with pleasure (Horgan, 2012). The reasons that I think could have conditioned this late development include the fact that th