ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Early western Christian art was highly symbolic and it was used to express Christian ideas. The Christians expressed their principles using various forms of artistic images and symbols. Sculpture was the main art form and it was used in Christian buildings to illustrate Christian beliefs, principles and ideas. Byzantine art was produced during the Byzantine Empire that lasted between 330 and 1453 (Freeland, 2001). This art had a religious background it revolved around religious icons. These icons served a dual purpose because they were used as religious objects and aesthetic objects, from a religious view point, these icons were venerated by the Christians and any insult to an icon was considered heretical by the ruling authorities. One characteristic of this art is classicism and focus on Constantinople. The art was quite abstract and had an anti naturalistic character unlike the classical Christian art. Byanzatine art was highly symbolic. Monumental Byzantine art combined religious and imperial themes and this was dictated by the pious and the dictatorial nature of the Byzantine social structure. Early Christian art was produced to illustrate the concrete principles of Christianity and art has for a long time been used by Christians in their places of worship. Images of Christ are the most common forms of Christian art and they have been incorporated in Christian architecture. The scenes of the life of Christ have also been illustrated in art symbolically to illustrate various Christian principles and ideas.. Early Christian art had two main functions. It was used symbolically and aesthetically. Islamic art regarded calligraphy as the highest form of fine art. The Arabic art in most scripts is usually decorated using various forms of Islamic art (Fiero, 2008). These Arabesque ornament was commonly used in architecture and other functional artifacts such as vessels and textiles, however Islamic art was used for aesthetic purposes only and had no special meanings or symbolic insights. One notable element of Islamic art is the absence of figures because it is believed that since time immemorial, figures have not been part of the Islamic faith. According to the Holy Quran, God is unique and cannot be represented using figures. In the first century, when Jesus was born, the Romans ruled the modern day Israel and they had established a hierarchical government whereby the Jewish self government was answerable to the Roman government residing in Palestine. This government was headed by King Herod who also reported to the head of the Roman Empire based in Rome. The head of the Roman Empire was known as Caesar. The Roman government practiced syncretism which means that there was religious tolerance. However, religious freedom was under strict control. There were various problems in this region in the first century. The root of this problem was the Jewish hatred for the Roman rule because the Romans had made them unwilling subjects. King Herod used to place evil idols in Jewish temples and this create
The course of African History took a new dimension between 1885 and 1900 when the Europeans took over African countries as colonies (Vandervort, 97). Before this period, larger percentage of African land experienced little interaction with Europe except the British who occupied Gambia, Lagos, Gold Coast and Sierra Leone, France on the other hand occupied Senegal, Benin and Ivory Coast while Portugal established themselves in Mozambique and Angola(Vandervort,102). The powers occupied African territory after a long period of free trade and peaceful relation between them and different African communities (Vandervort, 112). Why Europe conquered and colonized Africa The Europeans initially considered African land as worthless, however, by the end of the 19 th century their perception about Africa had changed due to the changes in Europe making them move to Africa for rescue (Vandervort, 145). They were motivated by several factors with political, social, and economical sphere among others. To start with, European nations were motivated by economic factors arising from the industrial revolution which started in Britain and extended to other European countries such as Belgium, France and Germany (Hochschild, 158).They wanted cheaper mineral resources for their home industries claiming that resources were abundant in Africa for example, rubber was available in Congo hence being the greatest point of interest after Charles Goodyear had discovered its use (Hochschild, 159). Similarly, industrial revolution led to increased capital forcing European traders and their governments look for areas to invest (Hochschild, 164).They believed Africa was the most appropriate area for investment since Europe had been flooded by goods produced, this enabled King Leopold get support from Belgium and British businessmen to venture and invest in Congo where he attained a profit of 28 million francs between 1878 and 1908(Hochschild, 160). Secondly, the Europeans were motivated by political factors from their countries for example, since by 1870, Britain and France were the most powerful nations in Europe , after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871 in which Germany won against France and took over mineral –rich areas of Alsace and Lorrain, France therefore vowed to compensate by acquiring colonies in Africa (Hochschild, 280). In addition, political sentiments regarding public opinion by citizens of Europe motivated the governments to look for colonies in Africa for example, in 1882 the French Assembly agreed to ratify De Brazza’s treaty with Chief Makoko in response to public opinion leading to creation of Congo as French colony(Hochschild, 281). Thirdly,
Retirement is a crucial stage of life. Nobody would want to be without funds after retirement. It is therefore important to invest towards retirement in such a way that returns are maximized and loses/risks are kept at minimal (Bodie, Kane & Marcus, 2010). Investment for retirement begins with defining what one needs at retirement. The savings needed for an individual to attain what is needed at retirements are affected by a number of factors. These include the risks that an individual is willing to undertake, an individual’s flexibility, and an individual’s approach to investment. A retirement investment calculator should take into consideration different security mixes based on the aforementioned facts to come with the best mix that will help an individual attain his/her desired goal. Investment Strategies/Mechanics Successful investment mixes take into consideration existing investment securities with respect to investment mechanics to come up with appropriate investment options within a portfolio. Various dynamic models of finance are important in portfolio management. Investment portfolios take into consideration cash flows originating from asset/operational investments, invested assets produced income, invested assets sub-classes, tax calculation and investment securities. Existing retirement investment options include IRA, Roth IRA and 401(k). Traditional IRA works on a basic principle of tax deferment. Money remains untaxed as long as it is in account. Based on this technique, the investor works on the assumption that the account will experience positive growth with time and what would otherwise have been lost to tax will be retained by the investor. Basically though, this retirement savings plans come with a lot of restrictions. For instance its major disadvantage is a stiff penalty in case of cash withdrawal before one attains age 59.5 years. Different IRA’s are available and each presents individual tax implications and requirements for one to be eligible. Traditionally, savings made under the IRA account are subject to tax deductions. An individual’s taxable income is lowered. Tax breaks are offered by the government on expectations that more taxable income will be available in future. The saved amount therefore grows with tax imposed on it deferred (Almagro & Gbezzi, 2003). Interests, dividends and capital gains are not included in an individual’s annual income for taxation purposes. The amount accumulated becomes taxable upon withdrawal. It is important to note that this method lacks flexibility in time plan changes and in case of plan changes, stiffer penalties that would compromise set target are levied (Almagro & Gbezzi, 2003). 401(k) on the other hand takes a reverse approach. Money is taxed as it is earned (Almagro & Gbezzi, 2003). Withdrawals after 59.5 years is attained are not subjected to taxation as is the case in IRA. Often this method is attractive to the government. This method unlike IRA is more flexible as an investor can use the money as when need arises. Additionally, changes can be easily
Introduction The success of research done by a group of people depends so much on the contribution that each member inputs to the project. This is where management skills acquired theoretically are put into practice or tested. The process of solving conflicts that emerge in a group should be succinct and clear. Each member’s point of view must be taken into consideration to harness success. Self effectiveness and other team members I organized the group. In essence, I can term myself as the pioneer of the foundation of our group. In the first place, I am the one that got the people in the group together. The initial meeting of group members was done by me. The success of our group depended on the effectiveness of contribution to the project by each member of the group. The division of project parts to each member of the group was the best idea we could come up with. The reason that favored the division of project parts among us was to ensure that each member of the group would give his best input with respect to research concerning the assigned part. The approach to tackle the assignment from the perspective of components-to-whole also was to ensure that the timeline given by our lecturer was to be met before its elapse. Dynamically, the group was well organized in the beginning. If the initial agreement had been pursued, the results would have been better, besides no one in the group would have felt that much of the work was done by self. The only mistake that the group made was it did not elect an interim leadership to oversee the effectiveness of each member of the group. Since the group’s decisions were made based majority basis, they should also have elected leaders to run the project completion. Reduction in conflicts could have been reduced with the introduction of a discipline committee, to deal with members who showed laxity concerning the progress. In my opinion, these would have been more effective than orally making resolutions that did not have a discipline tag attached. For the future application of individual learning, I realized that in a learning environment and process, a group requires a correct choice of people willing to share and one another’s point of view. In a group, individual knowledge requires total acceptance from an intended audience, with participation notwithstanding. Project evaluation versus outcomes In the event of problem-solving, discussions in the group did not yield much. Each member was given a chance to air out feedback. The feedback could not be approved with total certainty since it emerged that group members only stuck to the assigned parts. It was also evident that the discussions were not taken with a resolute critique from the members showed little commitment. Decision-making process Decisions concerning issues emergent in the group were made by the majority. As it was turning out, I was an international student with a communication problem since I could not speak or write the English language with acceptable standards, I felt left out. Most of the decisions were done with an edge of co
Cities located on the coast generally experience a more moderate climate than those established at the same latitude but in inland areas. Summers tend to be cooler, while winters are warmer, leading to more comfortable conditions overall. The primary reason for this tendency is the presence of large bodies of water, which regulate the temperatures. Water’s heat capacity makes it a suitable buffer for energy, as demonstrated by its numerous applications in heat management technology. This report describes the phenomenon, its causes, and its underlying structures. Water is a substance with a relatively high heat capacity, which is the ability to store heat without changing temperature. According to “Heat Capacity of Water,” water can take over ten times the energy to change its temperature by a set number of degrees compared to solid substances such as those present in the land. As Brennan points out, the ocean collects heat without significantly changing its temperature, absorbing more energy from the ground and air and cooling them down as a result. In the winter, it gives away the stored heat and makes the environment warmer. According to “Coastal Versus Inland Temperatures”, large lakes can have a similar effect, though to a lesser degree (2). As a consequence, coastal cities tend to avoid extreme temperatures in all seasons. Water’s heat containment capability is the primary reason why the climate in coastal cities tends to be milder than in inland ones. Currents may also affect, as they carry water away and bring in volumes from elsewhere, which may be warmer or colder than the general temperature in the area. In general, however, the capability of water to act as a heat buffer is the cause for its tendency to adjust the temperature towards an average and prevent extremes from manifesting. Works Cited Brennan, John. “ How Do Large Bodies of Water Affect the Climate of the Coastal Areas? ” Sciencing . 2018. Web. “ Coastal Versus Inland Temperatures. ” Web. “Heat Capacity of Water.” The USGS Water Science School . Web.
Introduction NASA’s projected cost of its Mars mission stands at $679 million. In contrast, the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Mars mission has spent $600 less to launch the same mission (Burke, 2013). Nevertheless, ISRO has been heavily criticized for its huge spending on this mission. Critics argue that this money should have been used to alleviate poverty in a country whose over 320 million citizens live below the poverty line. Moreover, this quest has been branded as an attempt to “steal an interplanetary march on India’s regional rival, China” (Ajey, 2013, p. 1). The Mangalyaan (the spacecraft), which was launched on November 2013, is the first mission to the red planet by an Asian country. In any given country, the allocation of resources should involve prioritizing and sequencing by the government. This implies that, based on the concept of opportunity cost, priority should be given to projects that are beneficial to the people. The writer of this paper argues that India’s mission to Mars indicates a lack of prioritization by the national government and therefore, a waste of resources. It would have been better if India had spent these funds on its poor people and country instead of spending it on the mission. The Mangalyaan Mission to Mars India’s mission to the red planet aims to collect scientific evidence of life on Mars, to show its technology, and to gain national pride by being the first Asian country to launch the mission (Burke, 2013). However, India has many problems and governance issues that need urgent attention. The concept of opportunity cost dictates that, at an individual level as well as at the collective level, prioritizing and sequencing are essential in the allocation of limited resources (Shukla, 1996). Thus, societal priorities should determine a government’s allocation of public resources. The correct and fair allocation of resources determines the prosperity of any society, and, by extension, that of a nation. India’s mission to Mars, though a noble one, cannot be justified using the concept of opportunity cost. It can only be justified on the basis that it will broaden our understanding of the red planet. This may be construed as a benefit. However, the cost of this mission raises concerns about the government’s prioritization approach. Although India spent $600 less of what NASA spent on a similar mission, the salient issue, in the writer’s opinion, is the opportunity cost of this mission. In India, the 2013 mission to Mars was not a priority at that time and thus, a wrong decision. The resources would have been spent on other key economic projects. Moreover, the findings of the Indian probe may not be relevant to the country. In particular, the scientific discoveries that the Mangalyaan may make will not directly benefit the peop
Introduction When choosing a good research topic, one has to consider very many factors. These factors will include the following, it should interest you as the researcher, it needs to be supported by credible evidence, also be appropriate for the assignment being handled, and last but not least it should be focused such that it is covered in the assignment entirely (Grinnell College Libraries 2005). All these factors are necessary because without them one might end up choosing a topic that will finally cause frustration to the researcher. One needs to choose a topic that they are capable of researching on considering the available resources in terms of time, monetary funds, and skills. Discussing with the instructor After coming up with several research topics, it is necessary to discuss them with the instructor who can aid in choosing the best topic. In the library, there is a person whose job title is “reference librarian”. One can discuss the research topics with this person because they can aid in getting all the literature in the library that is concerned with the topic. All forms of literature can be found in the library including books, journals, encyclopedias, and also the results of any research related to the topic that has already been done by other researchers. The statistics that are available concerning the research topic are also available in the library (Cornell University 2006). Furthermore, with the current rave of online libraries, it has become very easy to access information from around the world. It helps one in weighing the ability to carry out the research based on the topic that they have chosen. Also in research, one has to provide a literature review that is used to show the importance attached to the topic. The review also allows the person to learn new ideas and approaches that can be used in dealing with the chosen topic. It also helps one to refine the topic so that it becomes more focused and thus manageable. Citations To know if a source is credible or not one has to check if there are citations of where the information has been retrieved. These citations have to be relevant to the information that is provided. The in-text citations have to be recorded in full in the reference list so that they can be confirmed. The reputation of the person writing the source has to be impeccable and clearly understood. If the source is not fully trustworthy, it can only mean that their work is also not to be trusted. They have to be recognized by their peers. The information in the source must not be vague or just one side but has to be able to explore all vies of the same topic (The Journal 2004). Conclusion In the evaluation of the research topic that one has chosen, there is a need to look at its relevance in terms of its outcomes, interventions, and its impact on the participants and those who will benefit from it. It should also be able to provide evidence on why the outcomes reported are the way they are
In ‘Patriotism’ Mishima develops the theme of the role of women through the use of sexual imagery. The writer shares the story of a young and newly married lieutenant who cuts short his life because of a new project at work. The thought of perishing in the line of duty takes its toll on him. The wife takes her life too alongside that of her husband. The picture painted by the writer of the plot shows endearing love. It shows promise by couples. It clearly illustrates the difficult task that women have in supporting their husbands even when sometimes they do not reach favorable decisions. First and foremost, the story outlines some salient characteristics of women. It depicts women as warm and trusting. Reiko trusts the intentions of her husband so much that she is willing to follow him even at his death. She willingly follows his training to deal with death right from the time of their wedding. Women act as loyal and committed to their marriages and to their husbands. Reiko has never cheated on her husband despite remaining alone for several days and weeks when the husband is out fighting with the military. Her loyalty to man is sure. She shows significant humility and submission to the husband. This forms the collection of the magnificent qualities she possesses. Perhaps her perfect feature is resilience. Reiko is strong enough to withstand the pain of death alongside her husband. She is willing to act as a witness when the husband commits suicide. Her ability to withstand shows clearly when she takes her own life to join her husband in the life beyond death. This shows ardent dedication. The critical role that women play in the community should not be taken lightly. Some of the responsibilities include, Love and care. Women show care, love and compassion. Their presence brings exceptional assurances to those who are hurting in society, the needy and the rejected. Women have the ability to love unconditionally even when loving leads to one’s peril. Women get seriously devoted to loving, care and support those in their lives and the community at large. Support and encouragement. Women develop the support base for their husbands in all things. They stand by their side when making career decisions and encourage them when they change. Unfortunately, women are not normally prepared to do much. Theirs is the responsibility of helping those who end up accomplishing much in life. They get accomplished in the process as writes Jeannette Nedoma (2009). They do not have a stable occupation of their own, an opinion that in the modern world does not apply. Women as housewives. In the traditional community, women remained home while their husbands went hunting or to
The American government is based on the principles written down in the country’s leading document – the Constitution. Written more than 200 years ago, this document plays a central role in shaping American laws and traditions. Moreover, while other constitutions undergo constant changes, the American Constitution remains almost unchanged, with few amendments introduced over the years. The principles of government established in this document were elaborated in a bitter struggle between the Democratic Radicals and the Conservatives. The need for consensus and compromise helped to crystallize the essence of what was acceptable to both parties. Limited as it was, the American Constitution was a progressive document and determined the path of development for the country for years ahead. The roots of the American government can be traced back to the aftermath of the American civil war and the results of the American War of Independence. The first governmental document adopted at that time was The Declaration of Independence. In the article found in the Interactive Constitution, “The Constitutional Convention of 1787: A Revolution in Government,” it is stated: “America’s Declaration of Independence, drafted by the young but rapidly-rising revoluti