ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The decision by the United States government to use force against Syria as an intervention to deter Syrian government from using chemical weapon against civilians is timely and highly welcome. It is a factual that for a military intervention to be considered legal, there is always a need to get the approval of the United Nations Security Council as stated in the United Nations’ Charter. Two permanent members of this Security Council, Russia and China, have already given their disapproval for a military intervention. This means that basing the argument on what the United Nations’ Charter states on when and how such intervention should be made, the United States does not have a legal mandate to make this intervention. However, there is need to take a keen analysis of what is going on in Syria before making a judgment on whether or not the United States has the right to intervene. This study will look into some of the cases where the United States failed to act to save humanity and the result of such moves. The study will also look at cases where the West acted and the result of their move. The Rwandan genocide in 1994 will be a clear point of reference for those who are still opposed to military intervention in Syria. In Rwanda, Prunier (56) observes that the United Nations did not find a legal ground to make a military intervention in the war against the Hutus and the Tutsis. The argument then was that genocide was a civil war that did not necessitate United Nations military intervention. The world watched as millions of Tutsis and Hutus died in the hands of the government and militia forces. It is estimated that the Rwandan genocide resulted into massacre of about 20% of the country’s total population (Annan 67). The United Nations did not take any action because some members thought that military intervention was not necessary. Another catastrophic scenario is the Darfur War, which has dragged on for years registering loss of life. The United Nations has not made a move to end this war. The region remains volatile. The United States has a responsibility to protect humanity. It is a fact that in the current world, military intervention into a sovereign state may be considered as barbaric. However, it is important to protect humanity from a possible destruction at all costs. The government of Syria has the responsibility of protecting its citizens. If this government turns against the people it should protect, then it fails to act in the interest of the Syrians (Landman 89). In such a case, the government’s legitimacy is questionable. Russia and China will always want to appear special by opposing any decision of the West, especially if it is proposed by the United States. This is a selfish move given that these two countries do not act in good faith to protect humanity, but to attract sympathy from corrupt an
Introduction According to the data provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services, in 2019, almost 30 percent of Americans older than 12 years illicitly used drugs (14). More than 4 million adolescents from 12 to 17 years old take drugs in 2019 (US Department of Health and Human Services 15). Overall, the number of people addicted to drugs increases each year (US Department of Health and Human Services 15). The fact that drugs are dangerous for physical health and the nervous system is not new. However, it is essential to spread information on the devastating effects of drug abuse among young people because it will help to protect them from a fatal mistakes. The current paper discusses such effects of drug abuse as the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases, encephalopathy, and mental disorders, including depression and paranoia. Main body To begin with, it is necessary to explain how drugs affect the brain. The critical function of neurons in the brain is to transport and absorb neurotransmitters. Drugs affect this process of electrochemical communication between the neurons by slowing down or increasing the speed of neurotransmitters’ transportation. Simultaneously, drugs damage brain cells, the deprived brain tissue of oxygen and necessary nutrients. These numerous damages severely affect the quality of the brains work and the health of the nervous system. That is evident from memory losses, difficulties in concentration, and the decline of cognitive abilities. It is rather apparent that drugs bring irreversible damage to the nervous system. However, addiction to drugs destroys not only brains but also inner organs. More precisely, drugs could ultimately become a reason for numerous cardiovascular diseases, including arrhythmia, inflammatory cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, heart failure, cardiotoxicity, and sudden cardiac death (Phillips et al. 178). The US crack-cocaine epidemic of the 1980-s – to 1990-s resulted in the modern-times increase in the number of aging patients with cardiac and vascular diseases (Bach et al. 154). The intake of cocaine, which is one of the most widespread illicit drugs, initiates the formation of blood clots (Phillips et al. 178). The danger of thrombus is that they might become big enough to block the blood flow in the veins and arteries. Blood flow disorder, in its turn, is the cause of myocardial infarction. Cocaine also “blocks K+ channels, increases L-type Ca2+ channel current and inhibits Na+ influx during depolarization” (Phillips et al. 178). Therefore, a person addicted to this drug is also at high risk of being diagnosed with arrhythmia. The fact that addiction to drugs causes encephalopathy is rather self-evident. The concept of encephalopathy describes damage to the brain and, as it has been previou
Standards of business conduct are important for each company that focuses on meeting customers’ interests and on creating a positive and ethical atmosphere in the organization according to the principles of respect, accountability, and integrity. Starbucks and McDonalds are among those leaders in the business world and market, which pays much attention to supporting their reputations as ethical and sustainable companies. In this context, it is important to focus on comparing the specific standards of business conduct typical for such companies as Starbucks and McDonalds. Strengths of Both Standards of Business Conduct Both standards of business conduct include all the important information and guidelines on the relationships between employees, customers and employees, and employees and suppliers. The code used in Starbucks is effective because much attention is paid to explaining the principles of quality, equal opportunity, and diversity followed in the organization. Furthermore, large sections describe the principles according to which business partnerships need to be organized, and conflicts of interests need to be resolved. One more strength observed while analyzing the code is the focus on environmental sustainability (Starbucks, 2011, p. 4). In addition, the detailed information is provided on whom to contact in order to resolve ethical questions. Standards mentioned in the McDonalds’s document are effective in terms of describing the aspects of the workplace relationships, as it is in the standards for Starbucks, and in terms of providing the detailed descriptions of core values and such principles as accountability, integrity, respect, and diversity. These sections are organized in the document more effectively in comparison with the information proposed in the standards for Starbucks. McDonald’s also focuses on discussing the regulations for protecting confidential information and addressing intellectual property rights (McDonald’s, 2011, p. 4). In addition, possible cases of conflicts of interest are described in detail to prevent these situations during the work. Weaknesses of Both Standards of Business Conduct In spite of being appropriately organized, the standards of business conduct have some weaknesses. Thus, the document for Starbucks lacks a clear discussion of core values and principles followed in the organization when the document for McDonald’s lacks focusing on environmental sustainability. Although the nature of workplace relations is described in detail in both codes, the standards lack the concrete information on punishments and aspects of compliance (McDonald’s, 2011; Starbucks, 2011). Furthermore, more attention can be paid to discussing the ethical relations with suppliers in both codes in addition to the description of expected relations with customers and other stakeholders. Conclusion Having analyzed the standards of business conduct for both Starbucks and McDonalds, it is possible to state
Introduction Marketing is a complex process that involves more than just promotional activities. In the contemporary business world, the need for marketing has significantly increased with increased level of competition. Marketing can be defined as a process of facilitating an exchange of something of value for something needed. This implies that the marketing process is likely to come along with some costs. Marketing process is a very important part of any organization. It is therefore necessary to have a clearly designed marketing plan in order to have a successful organization. It is always necessary to understand the customer’s needs while conducting a marketing plan. Industry Analysis In the current world, the food retail industry has significantly developed. Many players have entered into the market, which has led to rise in the level of competition in the industry. There are several international corporations which are engaged in food retail all over the world. Over the past, these organizations have been engaged in stiff competition with each of them aiming at winning the highest fraction of the market share. For instance, there was a high level of competition in 1980s which was referred to as “hamburger wars”. This was characterized by price battle which led to a significant fall in prices. In the contemporary world, the level of competition has significantly increased which has led to intensification in competition in the industry. There are several competitors in the food distribution industry in the world. Some of these includes the Burger King, Wendy’s International, Inc., Jack in the Box, Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Sonic Corporation, White Castle system, Whataburger, CKE Restaurants, Doctor’s Associates and YUM Brands (Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship, 2011: par 20). However, these organizations are in most cases engaged in numerous lines of products. Some does better in some while some a
Introduction Since the discovery of AIDS a few decades ago, there have been numerous scientific breakthroughs when it comes to understanding the virus and its devastating medical consequences (Nelson & Williams, 2007, p.123). Scientists were also able to successfully develop medicines that slow down the progress of AIDS and HIV (Whiteside, 2008). However, AIDS is still a disease with no known cure (Whiteside, 2008). Therefore, in the face of global pandemic, prevention is still the best alternative. HIV/AIDS does not respect political, cultural and economic boundaries, it is imperative to develop strategies that will mitigate the impact of this global pandemic. A noteworthy project is spearheaded by the United Nations Development Program in the hopes of reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS. The UNDP is the United Nation’s global development network, and eleven years ago it made a bold declaration that by 2015, their efforts would lead to the reversal of the spread of HIV/AIDS (United Nations General Assembly, 2000, p.5). This is a sub-set of the UNDP’s Millennium Development Goals (United Nations Development Program, 2011). The accomplishment of this goal by 2015 would be an impossible task without the participation of both the public and private sector. Although government institutions play a major part, it can be argued that non-profit groups have more flexibility and have better funding mechanisms and therefore can immediately make an impact in regions with high rates of infections like India and Africa. One of the non-profit organizations that made a commitment to initiate a significant HIV prevention program is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2003, the said foundation created Avahan “to fight AIDS in India and do so specifically at a grassroots level” (Zunz, 2011, p.289). The core program “consists of efforts to organize prevention campaigns directly, take the sick out of hiding, and sustain community strength through advocacy for open treatment” (Zunz, 2011, p.289). The Avahan is also known as the India AIDS initiative and just like the MDGs of the UNDP it is an ambitious project. However, eight years after it was established, it can be said that the program can claim tangible results. The Avahan AIDS Initiative The AVAHAN – India Aids Initiative was established to deal with the high prevalence of HIV in India. The fact that India is the second most populous country in the world today and has one of the highest rates of HIV infection, justifies the creation of the said non-profit group and why the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation decided to set it up in this particular country. The said initiative has three primary goals:  1. Build an HIV prevention model
Security in computer systems is vital in protecting the integrity of stored information. The file system provides a mechanism that can be used for storage purposes. This mechanism can also be used to access data and programs in a computer system. Information residing on a file system is valuable and should be monitored for unauthorized and unexpected changes to protect the system against intrusion. In a network platform, monitoring these changes becomes quite a daunting task. Tripwire is a tool that aids UNIX system administrators to check for any changes that are made on a selective set of files, directories, and databases (Northcutt & Novack, 2002). It notifies the system administrator whenever files have been altered or corrupted. This enables the system administrator can take action in a timely manner. This paper will describe the intrusion detection mechanism provided by Tripwire. It will also outline the design and implementation of Tripwire. It will explore the advantages of using Tripwire to automate the process of verifying file system integrity on a machine. It will also explore the software’s limitations. This paper will prove Tripwire’s effectiveness in detecting altered or corrupted files. Introduction Tripwire refers to software that confirms the integrity of a system. It is a utility that compares the properties of specific files and directories against data that has been stored in an archive. Tripwire creates software that allows users to edit and configure a system’s overall security. Bejtlich (2005) argues that Tripwire is a toll that can be used to detect corrupted files. Tripwire can also serve as an archive for files and folders that have been disorganized. Tripwire is a tool that informs the user about changes in the system (Northcutt & Novack, 2002). Reports from the software are usually sent in an XML or HTML format (Northcutt & Novack, 2002). This enables a user to access the data from a web browser. Tripwire took 12 months to develop. Open Source Tripwire was an original version of the software. It was created using a code that was designed by Tripwire Incorporated (Bejtlich, 2005). It was initially free. Police officers and private security firms use it. It is still used to alert people about file changes that occur in a wide variety of systems. Private organizations can also use tripwire. It can be used to keep track of privately owned servers. It can update the user through daily e-mail. Functional Applicability Tripwire can be used as an intrusion detection system that is governed by a host. Network bases do not r
What a year it was, the Bubonic Plague led to the death of over 200 million people in Eurasia, which was close to 50 percent of the European population at the time (Benedictow 43). In some countries, like Italy and Spain, where the plague lasted for over four years, 80 percent of the population was lost. Our lives changed drastically, and even for those of us who survived the plague, we had to deal with health problems related to the disease. Society’s way of life was affected because all the normal daily activities were interrupted as the plague continued to spread across Europe. People went to the extremes of self-flagellation due to the belief that the plague was a punishment from God (Benedictow 112). Therefore, to cleanse ourselves and gain forgiveness, we would whip our backs. Other individuals believed that aromatherapy could prevent one from contracting the disease, and thus they would carry flowers wherever they went. I witnessed as European culture changed significantly due to the plague. Feudalism started to decline as society transitioned from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Dark humor dominated literature and art as a way of dealing with the deaths and devastation that were taking place at the time (Benedictow 125). Additionally, due to the link between the plague and religion, people became spiritual as a way of seeking answers from supernatural powers. However, the Catholic Church lost its credibility because it could not save its followers from the plague. In the post-plague era, the European population reduced significantly, and societal structures were changed. The Hundred Years’ War was halted, and we were excited by the establishment of colleges to train new academicians to replace the dead ones. In medicine, the focus shifted to anatomical investigations, and the role of surgeons became evident in the efforts to understand the causes of the plague and its effect on the human body. I was part of the diminished labor force with the reduction of the European population. People migrated from villages to urban centers, and thus there were few workers in the agricultural sector. In the urban centers, labor was in shortage, and thus wages increased significantly (Thackeray and Findling 88). Governments started to control wages and the movement of workers from one region to another. For instance, in England, employers could have employees imprisoned if they tried to leave their positions at work. Ultimately, serfdom declined, especially in Western Europe, and land
Introduction Operant conditioning presents the idea that “behavior is a function of its consequences.” (Robbins & Judge, 2008, p. 55). In other words, people act and behave a certain way to get something they want or to avoid it. This kind of behavior is learned and voluntary unlike the classical conditioning theory that presents the idea that behavior is reflexive and unlearned. To carry out this behavior it has to be learned and that can be done through the introduction of reinforcements. If a good or behavior is reinforced it is highly likely that it will be repeated. (Robbins & Judge, 2008, pp. 55–56). Main Discussion B.F. Skinner, the mastermind behind the operant conditioning theory “argued that creating pleasing consequences to follow specific forms of behavior would increase the frequency of that behavior. He demonstrated that people will most likely engage in desired behaviors if they are positively reinforced for doing so; that rewards are most effective if they immediately follow the desired response; and that behavior that is not rewarded, or is punished, is less likely to be repeated” (Robbins & Judge, 2008, p. 56). For example, if your are praised every time you come up with a creative idea at work you will be more likely to be motivated to come up with more ideas and present them without hesitation. Appraisal might give you intrinsic motivation to repeat that behavior whereas if your ideas are ignored and tossed out the window without even being considered, next time you might think twice before presenting an idea even though it might be genius. There are two types of reinforcers: primary and secondary. Primary reinforcers include food, water, sex, etc. They are physiologically or biologically determined. Secondary reinforcers are praise, recognition, money and etc. They derive their effect from a consistent pairing with other reinforcements in the past. There are five reinforcement strategies: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment and extinction. Positive reinforcement occurs “when a behavior is strengthened as a result of receiving a positive condition.” (Types of Operant Conditioning) In other words, if you perform action x, and the result is action y, and if action y is a good result that makes you feel good or is a positive one, you will do action x more often. For example, when I play tennis, I feel good and energized, so I play more tennis. “Negative reinforcement happens when a behavior is strengthened as a result of stopping or avoiding a negative condition.” In other words, if partaking in action ‘x’ feels bad and partaking in action ‘y’ feels better, I will probably partake in action ‘y’ more. For example, if I have more fun playing tennis with person ‘a’ and I don’t enjoy playing tennis with person ‘b’ I will probably play with person ‘a’ more than person ‘b’. “Punishment works when a behavior is weakened as a result of experiencing a negative condition.” (Types of Operant Conditioning) Basically if you do something and consequence is a bad one, you will perform that action less. For example, you get points subtracted from your class participation grade if you’re l
In the article “Don’t Expect a Quarantine Baby Boom,” the author claims that the pandemic of coronavirus would not be the reason for the increase of the birth rate. Yuhas maintains that the situation would be the opposite: there would be fewer children in the nearest future. To illustrate this point, the author gives an example of the last Baby Boom in the USA, which was between 1946 and 1964. He points out that during those years, the financial situation was stable, and the level of income of many people was enough to bring more than one child. However, in the framework of the current situation, when millions of American citizens lost their jobs, he puts forward the idea that the birth rate would decline. The author proposes several arguments that support his point of view. Firstly, he mentions the statistic research, which proves that people who are trying to survive in crisis do not want to make babies. Secondly, Yuhas suggests that the consequences of the pandemic would be harmful to people. They would need time for recovery and finding a new way to have a stable income. Having children would be even more expensive after the crisis. The article demonstrates the perception of the modern situation by ordinary people. It expresses the concept of constructing reality by the citizens of the USA ( Introduction to Sociology 85). They suppose that if people have to stay at home for some reason, there would be an increase in the birth rate in nine months. The statistic shows that the real state of affairs is the opposite. This article is significant as it is an illustration of the practical implementation of sociology in order to find the truth. Works Cited Introduction to Sociology. OpenStax, 2015. Yuhas, Alan. “Don’t Expect a Quarantine Baby Boom.” The New York Times, 2020, Web.