ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Being, perhaps, one of the most famous Ancient Greek plays that have worked their way into the contemporary culture, Oedipus Rex has retained its appeal due to its focus on the emotional journey of the character and the drastic circumstances in which he found himself. The agony experienced by King Oedipus is easily understood by any reader; it transcends cultures because of the obviously abhorrent ethical situation and, thus, makes the myth well perceived and the moral struggles of its titular character easily understood. What I See in Oedipus Rex The appeal to the emotional aspect of the play, which makes Oedipus Rex so relatable and, therefore, popular and well-known among modern audiences, can be explained by the differences in the contemporary concept of a theater and its representation through the lens of the Ancient Greek culture. According to Fainlight and Littman, the Ancient Greek theater as a cultural phenomenon could be described as the “emotional extension of the audience” (xxi), thus, serving as the bridge between the world of reality and the environment created by a narrator. In the case of Oedipus Rex , the specified technique was crucial for the play to appeal to its initial demographics since the audience had to be immersed into the atmosphere of horror that the lead character experienced, and understand his motivations when he turns his pain into an act of self-destruction and ultimately faces an exile. In the environment of the contemporary culture, the scenario might seem surreal since it is placed in the setting of an ancient world, yet the fact that the play makes the foundation for the Western literary canon should be brought to one’s attention as the main reason for contemporary viewers and readers to be thrilled by the trials and tribulations that the lead character experiences (Sophocles). Oedipus Rex in the Current World Therefore, on a personal level, the play appeals to a contemporary audience with its uninhibited emotions. On a deeper level, the suspense that the traditional three-act structure creates for readers also contributes to building the thrill and adding the emotional weight needed to sympathize with the lead character. However, what makes the play especially thrilling is the presence of the character that comprises the qualities that could be described as noble yet possess the inherent flaw that will define his further redemption arch and, later on, lead to the ultimate tragic finale. Termed as “hamartia” by Greek writers, the identified literary trope is extraordinarily old, yet it has managed to stand the test of time since it helps build a very compelling and strong character (Fainlight and Littman xxii). It should be noted that the idea of a strong character should not be conflated with the one that provides
Introduction Types of child abuse:   * physical;   * psychological;   * sexual;   * neglect. Child abuse should be defined as deliberate, repetitive actions of one family member or more towards the child that lead to the impaired health of the child or creates conditions that prevent his or her optimal development as an individual. Child abuse can take different forms: physical, psychological, sexual. Neglecting a child is also considered a type of abusing and implies any negligence regarding the physical and emotional state of the child. Moreover, an improper behavior of parents, which leads to child delinquency, should be considered as indirect neglecting (Davies & Lyon, 2013). Aspects Children up to 18 years should be considered as victims if they are subject to one or more forms of abuse. In the family environment, parents, guardians, adoptive or foster parents, as well as other family members (brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles), can be considered as abusers. Whereas children up to 18 years should be considered as victims if they are subject to one or more forms of abuse. In addition, any type of violence can be characterized by varying degrees of child involvement in the abusive acts: direct involvement in aggressive actions on the part of others; direct engagement in the manipulation (to establish control over the adult victim, frequently the child’s mother); indirect involvement as a witness of violence against other family members (Davies & Lyon, 2013). Child abuse should be perceived as a form of deviant behavior to which researchers give different explanations: biological, psychological, socio-cultural. In order to understand the situation in the society at the moment, and outline the trend of its improvement, it is crucial to analyze the statistics of domestic violence over the last years. General Statistics According to Children’s Bureau (2015), “over the past 10 years, more than 20,000 American children are believed to have been killed in their own homes by family members”. The recent figures from Children’s Defense Fund’s Annual State of America’s Children (2014) announced that 1,825 children are abused or neglected each day in the U.S. The statistics present that “the rate of child mortality as a consequence of abuse is four times the number of US soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan” (Children Bureau, 2015). Millions of children have fallen victim to domestic violence and negligence. The rates of negligence are high, as well. The data are horrifying and the situation requires the immediate reaction from the government, social institutions, and the society, while it proves that the existing legal procedures of violence prevention do not function sufficiently. General Statistics (Children Bureau, 2013) “Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Last year, 3.6 million reports of child abuse and neglect were reported to state and local agencies in the United States involving 6.6 million children. The United States has one of the worst records among industrialized nations – losing more than four children on average every day to child abuse and neglect” (Children Bureau, 2013).
Explain the relationship between consumption and GDP. Why is consumption so important in the Circular Flow Model? GDP refers to the total value of the final goods and services produced in a country over a specified period of time. On the other hand, consumption refers to the expenses incurred by the households on those final goods and services produced. Households incur expenses on such things as food, rent, health care, etc. which are the goods and services that are taken into account to make up the GDP. In the circular flow model, consumption is so important that, without it, firms will not invest since they will have nowhere to take the extra goods and services they invest for. This in turn means that the revenue generated by firms on sales of goods and services to pay up wages for their workers and rent for to owners will be absent. What has been happening to the US Savings rate over the last thirty years? How do you think the US-financed its investments before the economic crisis (2008) if the country was close to zero savings (see graph)? Was this situation (close to zero savings) good for the economy in any way? Explain The US household savings rate according to the graph has been gradually declining and was closing into zero by the year 2007. On the other hand, household debt has been rising gradually and was about 135% by the year 2007 (Mui, 2010). What this means is that, just before the recent economic crisis, most of the US investments were being financed through borrowing as there were no enough savings to count on hence the high debt rate. Such a situation is definitely not good for the economy in the long run as it limits the capacity to invest. However, the situation could mean something good to the economy in the short run if only people are opting to consume instead of saving in a demand induced recessionary economy. Such action by consumers would put to rest any further damage to the economy the cyclical recessionary effects caused by reduced aggregate demand. In turn, firms would generate more profits from increased sales and revert the cycle therefore creating employment and increase personal savings. Why are Americans saving now? Why does the article seem to suggest that this is bad for the American economy? Do you agree? Explain According to the article, Americans are saving now for future consumption (Ross, 2008). As is suggested in the article, such kind of saving is definitely not good for the economy. In the current situation, people are opting to save for future consumption and cut on current consumption in anticipation of tougher economic times ahead. With only slightly increased or same wage income for individua
Introduction Smooth data collection process: When a research question is effectively written, it makes it easier for the respondents to answer. The research work will also be easier because the respondents will need very little clarification. This would result in a smooth data collection process. The research question can also be administered to the illiterate without any difficulty. Cost-effectiveness: An effective research question is important in the sense that it reduces the cost of data analysis and interpretation (Soares 25). It facilitates accurate data collection, thus reducing errors, and makes analysis and interpretation easy and cost-effective. Defines the problem properly: An effective research question will define the problem under investigation adequately (Zikmund and Babin 60). This will help the researcher conduct the study within the defined objectives. Justification for writing an effective research question Writing an effective research question is important because it helps to define the problem to be solved (Zikmund and Babin 60). It helps to cover the issues that are to be answered in the research. Such a problem may be whether to introduce a new product brand in the market or not. Secondly, writing an effective research question helps to define the objective of the research. This is important because it gives the researcher the required guidelines to undertake the study concerning the scope. Writing effective research questions   * The effective research question should be simple, direct, and clearly defined. You should choose words that are simple, and familiar to all the respondents (Gates 159). Avoid technical words or jargon that may be difficult for the respondent to understand. This is important in ensuring valid responses from the interviewees.   * The effective research question should avoid loaded or leading questions. Leading questions is a question that gives the respondent a clue to what to answer. It shows the opinion of the researcher, and this may lead to biasness (Gates 160). Loaded questions, on the other hand, are those that result in obvious answers.   * The effective research question should avoid double-barreled questions. This is a type of question that may put a respondent in a dilemma of answering it honestly. The respondents may only be able to answer one part of the question and disagree with the other.   * The effective research question should avoid vagueness and ambiguity. The research question should neither be vague, nor ambiguous. The researcher should provide a well-defined time frame of reference to avoid using words like often, sometimes, or occasionally. Importance of defining and segmenting customer groups Understand customers Defining and segmenting customers is important because these enable one to understand customers better. This is achieved by creating profiles of various customer groups, which facilitate the development of better marketing programs that aim at meeting the needs of all customer groups. Maximizing product pot
One of the most important inquiries that should be made is on how democratic consolidation can be understood especially from the political point of view. It is apparent that research has revealed that there is no serviceable or specific definition of the concept “democratic consolidation” (Schneider 215). Therefore, the concept has become common in comparative politics whereby scholars have been in haste to derive a fully satisfying definition. However, it is important to understand that democratic consolidation denotes the transition that occurs in liberal institutions to a point that leaders conform to democratic rule (Schneider 215). While the latter statement may appear holistic and largely appealing in any given democratic setting, it is imperative to note that it may be hardly be achieved as an ideal situation in political governance. From a careful review of literature, it has been confirmed that democratic consolidation is the means by which young democracies mature to ensure that they do not risk reverting to authoritarianism (Lim 117). Notably, this process is mainly underpinned to promote the ideology that political actors embrace democracy, a factor that will make political institutions secure against the threats of authoritarianism (Lim 220). Therefore, it is arguable that this concept is meant to foster stabilization of regimes by eliminating challenges that can bring about breakdown of the social fabric. However, the concept of democratic consolidation especially among young and growing democracies may still be a mirage and an idea from reality. It is vital to note that democratic consolidation entails numerous political aspects such as diffusion of democratic rules, legitimization, neutralizing anti-political actors and fostering civilian supremacy (Schneider 215). If the aforementioned elements are to be embraced and indeed implemented in any political governance, then it implies that a lot of political goodwill ought to exist. Moreover, it also entails eradication of authoritarian enclaves and stabilizing electoral rules in order to avoid election irregularities bearing in mind that no single democratic government can boast of democracy if its leaders are not freely and fairly elected into political offices. Research has revealed that the process cannot be complete without decentralizing state power and establishing judicial reforms (Andreas 94). In line with this, political actors also need to introduce mechanisms that will foster direct democracy in order to safeguard the functional interests of the civilians. Notably, different scholars have dissimilar understanding of the concept (Lim 118). In this case, the meaning and usage of the concept basically depends on the context and goals in which the political actors stand for (Schneider 215). At this point, it is also worthy to analyze some of the major characteristics of regimes in the “gray zone” especially in regards to the principle of democratic consolidation. It is important to note that regimes in the ‘gray zone” are those that are in the third wave of democratization (Rapley 35). From an emp
Introduction The essay “Technological Determinism Revisited” by Robert L. Heilbronet describes technological changes and cultural transformations in a historical context. The author sees technology as a “powerful force” in the history of mankind and a driven force of all large-scale transformations. Although the directional impact of new technology within the community remains open for discussion, information processing activities of organizational members are changing, since access to new technologies is leading to a change in behavior. Given the uncertain influence of technology on core managerial activities, the relationship between technology and organizations needs to be addressed, since the use of these technologies mediates and contributes to the changing character of organizations Before exploring the relationship between technology and organizations more specifically, the sometimes-confusing terminology surrounding the term will be discussed. The number of terms that have been used to describe the recent advance in technologies such as voice mail, electronic mail (e-mail) or groupware, and so on, is wide. This demands the disentangling of these terms. Summary The essay discusses such topics as life and its role in technological changes, determinism and technology, the socio-economic meaning of technology, etc. The essay concentrates on a philosophical approach to technology and views technology through the lens of determinism. The author states that within the context of computer-mediated technologies, technology is the largest term, which covers the use of computer-mediated technology in the context of processing in general. Technology refers to the application of computer technologies in the acquisition, analysis, application, distribution and storage of information. Technology narrows this scope down to the acquisition and distribution of information, basically enabling within organizations. While the focus of the book is on technologies, empirical studies that provide the basis for this volume sometimes focus on the larger term ‘information technology’. It is based on the use of sophisticated information management to enable multiparty participation in organizational activities. Given the unique characteristics of new technology, it is not surprising to note an increasing interest by researchers and information systems specialists in the relationship between technology and society. Although research on the topic has attracted a number of different academic disciplines, among them organizational theory, management science, computer science and sociology, few reliable generalizations can be made about the relationship between these technologies and organizations One of the reasons may lie in the variety of theoretical perspectives. Another may lie in the often confusing and unclear operationalization of technology. A third may result from an underestimation of the importance of the context of technology usage. Following Heilbroner, these perspectives are the socioeconomic perspective; the choice perspective; and the determinist perspective. From the impact perspective, technology is view
The long-grass prairie of the central United States of America and the everglades of southern Florida look quite similar because of the grass vegetation they both have. Secondly, they receive an almost similar Average Yearly Rainfall of 27”. However, it is rainfall that defines the natural vegetation of a particular place. These two ecosystems are however more different than they look similar as they occur at different elevations, hence the vegetation and inhabitants of the same will be different. The tall-grass prairie of Central U.S. is a habitat of top-of-the-food-chain carnivores like the coyote and prairie dog. The vegetation is composed of fields of long grasses like the big bluestem dotted by Burr oak trees which are well adapted to the environment by having big tree trunks that store a lot of water for the plant during the hot and dry spells. It also sheds leaves before summer to conserve even more moisture through reduced photosynthesis activity and reduced evapotranspiration. The birds found here are the American crows which are known to more rapidly and consume more oxygen, therefore, generating more heat and adaptation to survive here. They have high rates of metabolism to regulate water content, temperature, and food distribution in the body. Heat loss is minimized by the reduction and absence of somebody parts e.g. ears, feet, and keratinized toes. The birds in these habitats tend to be torpid at night to avoid heat loss like the heavily barred prairie chicken. The southern Everglades are however at a lower elevation than the tall grass prairies tending more to border the sea and composed of mangrove vegetation and saw grass further up inland. On a local scale, the altitude aspect and closeness of the everglades to a large water body is critical specifically since the vegetation is influenced by moisture available in the area determined by the difference between the rainfall and potential evapotranspiration. Areas such as these with moisture freely available support the mangrove forest. Mangrove trees are perennials densely tufted, with spongy stems at the base. The leaves are thick, broad, and hairy soft to filter out salts during evaporation. They also have aerial roots to aid the tree in breathing and prop roots to support the trees in case of high tide and sea breezes. The faunal composition here is significant of carnivores such as alligators, mangrove snappers, manatees, and aves like the great white heron and fish crow. Considering the marshy nature of the mangrove. Salt bays and mudflats in this habitat, the organisms found here have developed mechanisms of dealing with thermoregulation and metabolism especially to keep the salts at equilibrium in the body and the outside environment. They have developed an adaptation to survive the conditions by conserving more water, through reabsorption in the cloaca during removal of wastes products and absence of a urinary bladder decreases the weight of bi
Introduction The first viewpoint regarding the Spaniards conquest of the Americas on the Aztec Empire is the idea of Jared Diamond that environmental and geographical differences made the Americas lose the battle. Diamond believes that the social environment of the Americas that dwelled on modern technology but limited to the development of sophisticated weapons made its conquerors discover their weakness ( Guns, Germs, and Steel 530). Jared Diamond believes that food production, which is a term he uses to describe domestication of wild animals and plants, is a crucial human practice. Animal domestication became a powerful aspect of victory because the Spanish had expertise in horsemanship (Diamond Guns, Germs, and Steel 485). Spaniards had a competitive advantage in the war because the horses helped them in undertaking farming activities as load-bearing animals assisted in the transport of weapons and soldiers during the war. Mathew Restall had a closely related perspective of Spanish conquest but differed distinctively from the viewpoint of Diamond concerning the major factors that contributed to the Spanish conquest of the Americas. Nonetheless, Mathew Restall had seven myths that described his viewpoint of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. In his perceptions, Mathew Restall believed that the Spaniards had skilled conquistadors, exceptional war leaders, and hence, were superior in war than the Americas. Mathew Restall believed that some White conquistadors and the King’s army comprised of trained Spanish army that helped the Spaniards. He also believes that the battle happened gradually in that Spaniards progressively strategized throughout the war until the completion of the war. Mathew Restall believes that there was a miscommunication of the intentions of each warring group. Restall discovered that the Americas lacked unity, and their desolation gave the Spaniards power to conquer the Americas. The thesis statement Questions continue to emerge regarding the possible factors that contributed to the conquest of the Americas by the Spaniards during the conquest of the Aztec empire that the Inca community dominated during the pre-colonial era. This research paper notes that exceptional war leadership of Spaniards, disintegration among ethnic Americas, poor weapons, ineffective war leadership, poor communication, enmity against Americas, infectious European diseases and germs, Spaniard’s beliefs of superiority, America’s fear and inexperienced in war, and sociopolitical differences among Americas contributed to Spaniards conquest. Outside factors that Influenced Spanish Conquest Exceptional war leadership and external support The Spanish conquest was successful due to their technical skills of war. Spaniards had exceptional war leaders who organized and motivated the Spanish warriors on the battlefields. Restall identified three monumental figures, “Columbus, Pizarro, and Cortes, who still enjoy extraordinary name recognition almost half a millennium after their deaths” (4). Restall claims that the presence of brilliant and da