ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Following the downfall of Lehman Brothers, attention was focused on the role of regulators and credit rating agencies in the whole debacle. The public demanded for answers which were not forthcoming from all the concerned parties. This experience was to throw the Sarbanes-Oxley Act under close scrutiny and questions were abound as to how the act was not followed by all concerned parties. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was enacted to protect and control the activities of shareholders and prevent accounting errors. This act restricted considerably all financial activities and corporate independence, still, the attempt was made, and the results were expected. Credit rating agencies were blamed for coming up with false ratings on securities connected to subprime mortgages. Examples of these agencies are Moodys, Standard, and Poors. They were found guilty of assigning exceptionally high ratings to the securities and failing to reexamine the ratings based on the current environment at the time. There was also the issue of autonomy as it was found that the rating agencies did not operate independently as there was a conflict of interest in the rating firms. The rating agencies are often backed up by the issuer who owns the bond that the same agencies rate. The situation with Lehman Brothers Holdings showed that the grounds for its downfall were observed through evident accounting malpractice that was committed by both management and staff. The representatives from all departments did not find it necessary to control the financial activities of the organization, still, they try to get more personal benefits and provide their families with appropriate incomes. Managers got an access to manipulate net profits in order to please the public as well as to demonstrate how skillfully they could achieve professional targets. There was also the lack of transparency in how managers dealt with subordinates who were found to have committed the existed malpractice. There was a clear lack of professional management within the organization (Tibman 23), and the analysis helped to understand that this company was not properly protected from numerous out
The book by Jonathan Safran Foer, Eating animals, is an aesthetic attempt to explain the reasons for vegetarianism’s emergence and popularity. Nowadays American nation, as well as many other world nations, suffers from several eating disorders which are presupposed by cultural, economic and mental factors. Eating Animals tells people about the conditions of growing animals at meat-packing plants and poultry factories, gathering milk products, eggs, etc. The information that the author presents does not only reveal the severe truth of animals keeping but also discovers important information about the influence of such food on people’s health. The author’s work is notable not only because of the information it provides; it is also an impressive piece of the literary convincing book. Speaking about the reasons for its success, one may find several distinctive features which make the book highly persuasive. Firstly, it is the genre: aesthetic narration, enriched with the author’s personal memories and vivid, captivating style. His own experience, presented in the Eating Animals creates the feeling of closeness between the writer and his readers; they find out his grandmother’s story, her heavy hunger experience and how it influenced her life. Touching details, such as grandmother’s habit to cook a chicken with carrot and feed the family members to satiety, allow readers to become familiar with the author’s childhood and family life. At the same time, the form of the book also plays a great role in the fulfillment of the book’s aim. The author uses title pages for each chapter; short-spoken, laconic slogans: the maximum information, worded in the shortest and neatest expression, sinks deeply into readers’ minds. Besides figures, tables and other statistical elements Foer supports his data with visual explanations which form impressive images in readers’ imagination. For example: “There aren’t reliable statistics available about downers (who would report them?), but estimates put the number of downed cows at around 200,000 a year — about two cows for every word in this book” (Foer 56). The image, depicted by Foer, creates an impression that a reader holds in his/her arms a terrible weight of responsibility for many of the severely treated animals. Child’
The Details Used by Wang Tao to Express His Impressions of Hong Kong In his article “My Sojourn in Hong Kong: Excerpts,” Wang Tao depicts his recollections of visiting Hong Kong and the feelings of his stay there. The author employs a variety of ways to make his description sound appealing. Tao uses plenty of epithets, poetic words, and enumerations while telling the story of his sojourn in Hong Kong. The author focuses on several themes concerned with the city that made the biggest impression on him: nature, people, streets, and education. Tao does not divide his narration into parts based on these topics. Rather, he returns to them from time to time, adding new interesting details and giving more insight into the life of Hong Kong. The description of nature occupies the most prominent place in Tao’s story. The author employs a rich choice of epithets and poetic words to make his narration exciting and to present the most accurate picture of what he has seen. In the very beginning, Tao mentions that the hills around Hong Kong are “rather bare of trees” and that his first impression is “exasperating.” 1 However, he soon changes his mind when he sees his residence. This place is surrounded by banyans and “large plantain trees” that greet the eyes with “their luscious green.” 2 Tao’s love for nature is reflected throughout the whole article. He uses epithets to describe the things that enchant him, and his portrayal of the things that he finds disgusting is no less impressive. Tao mentions that water in the mountain springs is “pure and refreshing” and neighborhoods in some regions are “picturesque.” 3 The lawns under “lofty” trees are compared to carpets, and the author remarks that he loves taking pleasant strolls there when the “refreshing breeze” is blowing. 4 In his description of the weather, Tao employs antonyms to emphasize the ultimate impacts of some natural phenomena: “the cool comfort of airy rooms” is opposed to “the sultry summer weather.” 5 Much attention in the narration is paid to water. While it is “pure and refreshing” 6 in the mountains, it is also “calm” and “lucid” 7 in the reservoir next to Tao’s friend’s house. The author emphasizes how significant freshwater is for Hong Kong people: the sentries watch the reservoir all the time to protect the water from being poisoned. 8 Tao’s description of the Pokfulam district is probably the most poetic: views are “magnificent,” the horizon is “endless,” and boats in the harbor are “a delight to the eye as well as the mind.” 9 Thus, the details pertaining to nature occupy an important place in Tao’s narration about his impressions of Hong Kong. Another theme favored by the author is people living in the area. The first comment about the city’s inhabitants is not favorable: Tao
Work-life balance is the first concept presented by Semler (2014), who suggests that people should do what they enjoy not only after the retirement, but while working for companies. Indeed, people are not machines, and the combination of work and leisure time is probably the best solution to maintain the productivity of employees. Ownership is another concept that refers to the opportunity to allow employees to take board seats for those who show up. This concept is important as it promotes democratic values, such as openness, sharing, and active participation. Voluntary commuting is one of the suggestions by Semler (2014) is that employees should be allowed to decide on commuting. The speaker claims that it is not important where from an employee would work. On the one hand, such an approach is advantageous for those who have to spend a couple of hours to reach the office. On the other hand, work from home demotivates some people, while they have little opportunities to organize their home settings and remain productive. The disadvantage of this suggestion is that employees may show low effectiveness and use various reasons to miss the deadlines. The corporate culture described by Semler (2014) may be attainable in case if employees understand its value. If they are conscious, responsible, and can easily organize themselves, such a culture can be useful. However, the majority of employees consider that their supervisors and managers should guide them, and that strict policies are necessary to maintain workplace discipline. In addition, cultural differences can play a role: more conservative communities may prefer a traditional organizational culture, when a leader clearly explains what exactly should be done and when it should be completed. Reference Semler, R. (2014). Reflection: How to run a company with (almost) no rules. Web.
Being an exporting company is not easy; always in need of a compromise between two states and attempting to beat the rivals is quite a complicated task (Deloitte). Entrepreneurship that handles the transportation of used American tires to China, the given company requires a better representation in the target states. By making several changes in the current company marketing policy, one can expect that its rates are going to get even higher. To represent the services of the given company in the most graphic way possible and demonstrate the entire palette of tires that the company offers, as well as display the redeeming quality of the firm’s goods, such an event as China International Petroleum & Petrochemical Technology and Equipment Exhibition (CIPPE) seems to suit best. Even though the given event is going to take place relatively soon and there is little time to get ready for the show, the scale of the given event provides a pool of opportunities for the tires selling company from the USA to conquer the Chinese market. Held on March, 19 ( Automotive Components Market ), the given show will help in introducing the company to a wider audience and even attract some potential target customers. Naturally, the company will also need a firm that will represent it in the Chinese market and provide an efficient advertising campaign for Chinese customers to notice. In the given case, Wilder International Logistics seems the most adequate choice, since it allows us to be in touch with the agent constantly. According to the company statement, it is possible to get in touch with the agents within 10 minutes ( Wilder International Logistics Co., Ltd .). Offering its services for the USA, the enterprise fits the needs of the company in question perfectly: However, the company will need a domestic freight forwarder that will help deliver the goods to the target country, i.e., China. When considering the existing options, one must admit that the choice of the companies that offer the requested services is rather scanty. Among the most suitable agents, Global Forwarding Enterprises LLC seems the most trustworthy. Although the firm offers the transportation of goods from China to the U.S., one might assume that it will also help in transporting the goods from the USA to China. Since the company’s headquarters is in the USA (348 Route 9 North Suite G, Manalapan, NJ, 07726, USA ( Directory of Freight Forwarding Services para.3), it will be easier to handle the negotiations. It is also important that the company offers all possible means for the clients to contact it: “ Phone: 877-287-0804 Fax: 866-409-5736 , Email: [email protected] , Website. ( Directory of Freight Forwarding Services para.3). However, the big deciding point for choosing the given company is the fact that they offer great discounts: “Global Forwarding company’s mission is to help shippers get incredible discounts for all their shipping needs” ( Directory of Freight Forwarding Services para.3). The above-mentioned plan proves that with a well-thought-out promo
Introduction In almost all Universities and colleges, the administration requires that students take courses that are, arguably, unrelated to their courses. For instance, you may find a student studying cultural studies being required to take mathematics or science-based courses in the course of his/her studies. A student taking a science-based course like engineering may also be required to take art-based courses like communication skills and entrepreneurship. A lot of students have complained about these requirements because some of them do not understand why they are required to take courses that are unrelated to their careers. In of spite these courses remain such an important part of educational systems due to their contribution in the welfare of students after college. It is even alleged that some students rely on marginal courses for their employment after school. This paper justifies the necessity of taking courses that are not directly related to a student’s career. Disadvantages of taking marginal courses As much as marginal courses are beneficial, they also have their disadvantages. Among the main shortfalls of taking marginal courses is the fact that such courses take a lot of time and thus they may make students fail to master the intricate details of their majors (Clark 47). For instance, a student taking aeronautical engineering may be required to take a lot of art-based courses that may interfere with his mastery of aeronautical details. This may prove to be very disadvantageous once the student gets a job and he/she is required to perform a highly professional job. The student/engineer may be embarrassed for not being able to do jobs that are part of his/her major. Another disadvantage of taking marginal courses is the fact that extra resources are spent while teaching the students these courses. Tutors may be required to spend time with art students teaching them mathematical courses while at the same time, the students who need the services of the tutor the most are left without sufficient consultation time (“Academic Degree Requirements” 1). This may lead to poor performance of the students who are doing courses that the tutor teaches. Finally, some of these courses may lose their applicability in the life of the student depending on the job that the student gets and his/her interests. Thus an engineering student who is forced to take entrepreneurship skills may fail to use the skills he learns in class in real life if he has not interest in business and specifically if he gets a lucrative job for solving engineering problems. Advantages of taking marginal courses The benefits that accrue when a student takes courses that are not related to his/her major course are more than the disadvantages of the same. Almost all the disadvantages of taking marginal courses
Introduction When it comes to the American legal system, there are two controversial areas that require greater scrutiny, and these are laws governing criminal defenses and criminal punishments. In the context of criminal punishment, it is best to re-examine the Castle Doctrine and the Stand-Your-Ground Doctrine, especially when it comes to the use of force. In the context of criminal defenses, there are at least three major topics that require a more in-depth discussion, and these include: double jeopardy; the nature of the court’s application of the adversarial system of litigating criminal cases; and the right to a speedy trial. An examination of the above-mentioned legal concepts can help broaden a person’s appreciation or critique of the American legal system. Criminal Punishments In the politically charged environment of present-day America, there are only a few topics of discussion that are as polarizing as the perceived abuses committed by police officers when subduing, apprehending, and neutralizing alleged suspects and those resisting arrest. At the heart of the issue is the need to determine when and how to use of lethal force. However, recent developments prompted a more nuanced examination of the legal principles that empower law enforcement agents to use lethal force to protect themselves. These two major legal concepts are the Castle Doctrine and Stand-Your-Ground Doctrine. In both the Castle Doctrine and the Stand-Your-Ground Doctrine, the inherent idea is the right of the person to defend himself or herself against intruders. In the book entitled Criminal Law and Procedure the author asserted that the Castle Doctrine came from an older legal tradition stating that a man’s home is his castle (Hall, 2015). This legal principle highlighted the fact that since an ordinary person’s home is compared to a nobleman or king’s castle, that ordinary citizen is given the legal right to defend the house against the intrusion of criminals or those with an intent to break the law. Nevertheless, the right to defend home or property is never absolute, because no one has the right to defend it at all cost. In other words, it is not lawful to harm the intruder if there is a chance to call for police assistance. The Castle Doctrine becomes problematic when applied outside the premises of a person’s property. The evolution of the Stand-Your-Ground Doctrine was due in large part to the Castle Doctrine (Hall, 2015). In this related legal principle, the right to use lethal force is extended outside the premises of a person’s abode. In other words, a police officer standing in a street corner is empowered to pull out his weapon and shoot someone approaching him or her if the offi
Adriana Barbaro and Jeremy Earp, in their film Consuming Kids, touched upon the urgent problem of our society, namely, the problem of massive marketing and media attack on children. First of all, I should say that I was impressed by the film. In particular, I was shocked by the figures presented, as well as the arguments presented by child psychologists and marketers. This made me think about two things: the professional work of the creators who managed to persuade me of the urgency of the problem and how, in essence, the same way of media influence is used to persuade children to consume more. The statistics presented in the film show that the United States experienced the largest burst in the youth population in recent years. The 52 million children in the United States became the target audience for businesses aiming at making money on their naïve outlook and unstable mentality (Savage, 2012). Kids not only spend $40 million every year but also influence the astronomic amount of $700 billion in parental spending (Savage, 2012). The last figure can be compared to the combined economies of 115 poorest countries (Savage, 2012). Such a huge market attracts corporations to develop marketing techniques aimed at gaining more and more potential customers. Child psychologists emphasize that growing up is an emotionally and mentally difficult process, and marketers use children’s favorite characters in advertising, leveraging their desires to pos
The present paper provides an analysis of Volkswagen AG, a world-famous car manufacturer that makes and sells cars primarily in Europe, North America, South America, and the Asia-Pacific. The company operates in four market segments, including passenger cars, commercial vehicles, financial services, and power engineering (Yahoo Finance, 2021a). I became interested in the company after the scandal in 2015 when Volkswagen admitted that it cheated on emission tests in the US using special software. I believe that the company handled the scandal really well by making a commitment to green manufacturing. Today, Volkswagen AG makes environmental and social responsibility a top priority (Volkswagen AG, 2021). This strategy allowed the company to stay profitable during the time of the pandemic when the automotive industry experienced a significant recession (Yahoo Finance, 2021a). I decided to select Volkswagen AG for the analysis, as I am thinking about investing in it. When assessing the risks associated with investing in the company, it is crucial to consider a company’s beta. According to Vernimmen et al. (2017), beta is a measure of the volatility of a stock in comparison with the industry average. In other words, beta is a coefficient that demonstrates how much a stock price is expected to change in comparison with the market trends. Beta is calculated retrospectively by regressing the stock returns against the market returns (Vernimmen et al., 2017). Coefficients higher than 1.0 are associated with greater volatility of a stock in comparison with the stock average. Such stocks are associated with greater risks and higher returns (Vernimmen et al., 2017). Therefore, the higher the beta for a stock, the more risk-tolerant an investor should be to invest in a company. According to Yahoo Finance (2021a), Volkswagen’s five-year beta was 1.4, which is significantly above the threshold of 1.0. Thus, investing in the company is associated with greater risks in com
Description Syriana (2005) was directed by Stephen Gaghan and was produced by George Clooney, who also starred in it. The film, loosely adapted from Robert Baer’s memoir, See No Evil, is a thriller which focuses on contemporary themes and is highly relevant in today’s geopolitical context. It tells four parallel stories, and the audience is taken on a lightning-paced, often confusing ride from Texas to Washington D.C. to Switzerland to Spain to the Middle East. This places it into the genre of hyperlink cinema, where storylines and characters interact subtly and events in one storyline have a distinct effect on other story lines, but the characters are not aware of this fully. Gaghan’s Syriana is similar in treatment to the documentary feel of Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic, which was written by Gaghan. While the latter had drug trade exposure as its main theme, both used interlocking stories to take the viewer on a spell-binding ride, which keeps throwing curves till the very end. The ensemble film’s central theme is petroleum politics and the widespread influence of the oil industry. One of the key characters is Robert Barnes, played by George Clooney, who is an experienced CIA agent, attempting to put an end to illegal arms trafficking in the Middle East. However his stellar reputation is tainted when he notices and publicizes the theft of an anti-aircraft missile by an Arab. Not accustomed to the discretion required for the desk job he is assigned to, he is again sent to the field and given the task of assassinating the emirate’s foreign minister, Prince Nasir Al-Subaai. Clooney’s character is trying to get his son through college, and the success of this mission could mean a promotion for him. But when a colleague turns on him, making his assassination mission go completely wrong, the CIA makes him the scapegoat, leading him to question the decisions of his whole life which had been devoted to serving this organization. Nasir is the apparent heir to the throne, and has recently awarded the drilling rights which had previously been owned by a huge Texas company, Connex, to a Chinese company which bid higher. So Connex merged with Killen, a smaller Texas-based company which had been awarded very precious right to oil fields in Kazakhstan. Bennett Holiday (Jeffery Wright) is hence part of a Washington law firm brought in by the Department of Justice to investigate this merger. However, Holiday must ensure that the merger takes place because it is not only in the co