ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Each year humanity encounters terrifying news about terroristic attacks around the globe, whereas some people become the victims of one. One of the terroristic acts that shifted the world order occurred on September 11th, 2001, when every human felt fear, anxiety, repugnancy, and uncertainty that still dominates the society. Since the emergence of that devastating act on TV screens, people started a long-term discussion concerning terrorism. It may be asserted that it has become a part of life as the media inundate every waking moment with the details of terrorist deeds from all corners of the globe (Combs, 2017). Alongside terrorism, there are other numerous forms of violence the humanity faces every day. The purpose of this paper is to define terrorism and identify the crucial features that distinguish terrorism from different types of abuse. The definitions of terrorism are controversial and complicated; thus, there is no universal one. However, viewing the phenomenon from different perspectives can formulate a more or less common idea. Terrorism represents politically motivated violence committed by groups, individuals, or sometimes state-sponsored agents aimed at instilling the sense of terror in a population to change the behavior (Carriere et al., 2018). According to Carriere et al. (2018), “terrorism is so unexpected, so sudden, and so damaging that it increases our fears, magnifies our distrust, and forces us to face our own mortality” (p. 15). This term has a connotation of something that is “morally perverse”. There are five types of terrorism:  1. State-sponsored terrorism, which implies terroristic acts on a state by another state;  2. Criminal terrorism, which facilitates crime raids;  3. Dissent terrorism that represents a group of rebels protesting their government;  4. Religious terrorism, which consists of religion-motivated individuals;  5. Terrorism and the Left and Right, which include politically rooted groups (Combs, 2017). The relationship between terrorism and violence is compound, as different types of abuse may contribute to terrorism or vice versa. Even though terrorism is defined as a form of violence, some specific features distinguish one from another. First of all, abuse, in a broad sense, implies the implementation of usually physical force to injure, damage, or destroy (Carriere et al., 2018). The crucial issue is that differentiating terrorism from other forms of ferocity is complicated. It can be compared with state armed conflict, hate crime, homicide, or one-sided violence. All these forms have peculiar traits, and, logically, terrorism is somehow different from these forms. Thus, several criteria differentiate a mere act of violence from an act of terrorism. First and foremost, an action must threaten violence or be violent to be considered terroristic. In this case, political dissent or activism will not be viewed as terrorism. Another criterion presupposes that a terroristic deed shoul
Introduction There is a reason why Dante accepted Virgil’s invitation to descend into Hell. At the beginning of The Divine Comedy, Dante finds himself lost in a dark forest because he lost his way before the book’s events (Puchner et al., 2018). It is a metaphor for Dante’s loss of faith in God. Moreover, he is surrounded and terrified by three beasts that symbolize sins (Puchner et al., 2018). In order to regain joy and be reborn in faith, Dante accepts Virgil’s invitation to travel to Hell to recognize and understand the nature of sins with human reason. It is worth noting that Hell is only the first step in the protagonist’s long journey. The Essence of the Law of Symbolic Retribution The protagonist and his guide find souls condemned for carnal sins on the second circle of Hell. There, they see “their hellish flight of storm and counter storm through time foregone, sweeps the souls of the damned before its charge” (Puchner et al., 2018, p. 949). This storm in absolute darkness symbolizes both the divine punishment for betrayal of reason in favor of appetites and the carnal passion of sinners itself that they preferred to God in worldly life. God, or more precisely the law of symbolic retribution, turned the power of their passion for carnal pleasure against them. Instead of physical pleasure, it brings them physical suffering. From a Christian perspective, the law of symbolic retribution is divine irony turned into punishment for sinners. Meanings of Faith and Reason It is obvious that the concepts of faith and reason and the interpretation of these terms had undergone significant changes since the times when The Divine Comedy was written. In my opinion, faith is an unshakable belief in something absolute and timeless, be it an idea, a principle, or a sentient creator of all things. On the other hand, reason is the opposite of faith since it is the ability to think logically, and therefore this is what makes a person think critically about all things. I believe that the modern world community is secular and values reason more than faith. Even religious communities sometimes put the reliability of scientific data above religious prescriptions, which was impossible in Dante’s time. I believe that people should not go to extremes and that faith and reason should be valued equally. Everyone believes in something; faith is a very personal aspect of each person’s life, while reason allows people to make correct and effective choices throughout their lives. The Divine Comedy and Numbers Numerology was popular during Dante’s time, so numbers have a special meaning in The Divine Comedy . In Canto I , three creatures symbolize the three categories of sins. In Canto XXXIV , Satan is described as having three faces; he is a grotesque parody of
Introduction In recent years, the strategic, coordinated utilization of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in public administration and social-political and economic decision making has been recognized by many governments and mainstream policymakers across the world. Today, for example, majority of the European Union (EU) and OECD member countries have not only formulated national e-government strategies but are increasingly acknowledging that e-government capabilities, together with associated organizational change and skills development, could provide the needed impetus for the fulfillment of their strategic political, social and economic objectives (Eynon & Dutton 2007; Von Haldenwang 2004). This is possible because appropriate utilization of digital networks and technologies in the public domain, including the internet and Email, can benefit governments, citizens and business entities in many interconnected ways, such as enhancing cost-effective and efficient public services delivery, round-the-clock availability, capacity to store and present vast amounts of data, and customization of public services to citizens’ needs (Teerling & Pieterson 2011; Bekkers 2003). Yet, despite these and many more potential benefits emanating from implementing and adopting e-government, a strand of existing literature (e.g., Eynon & Dutton 2007; Bekkers 2003) demonstrates that many governments across the world are yet to experience real progress, primarily because their e-government initiatives have considerably failed to meet expectations and have been comparatively slow compared to the uptake of other technologies such as e-business. Additionally, some analysts are sceptical about the capabilities of e-government, arguing that it may “…not always end up promoting good governance” (Von Haldenwang 2004, p. 418). The present paper, therefore, seeks to look into the broad subject of e-government, with particular reference to critically discussing its aims, costs and benefits, and if it leads to a better functioning government. Understanding E-Government Researchers have identified a plateau of definitions for the concept of ‘e-government’ depending on the context and scope of use. InfoDev (2009) describes e-government as “…the use by government agencies of information technologies (such as Wide Area Networks, the Internet, and mobile computing) that have the ability to transform relations with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government” (p. 2). So far, as insinuated by Misuraca (2009), the dominant literature perceives e-government as the
In the system of United Nations Organization, the eradication of poverty has become a priority international activity. The World Bank is one of the many specialized agencies, programs, funds, and institutions of the UNO that focus on poverty. Consequently, the World Bank is proposing to provide a loan of 100 million USD towards the costs of a 150 million USD project in China for a poor rural areas community development scheme in a province in the northwest of the country. The rest part of the financing amounting to 50 million USD is carried out at the expense of public funds and according to the program of the Chinese government (Development Research Center of the State Council & The World Bank 2013). The program is directed to reduce poverty and industrialization of agriculture, which are aimed at the development of local agriculture by developing economic opportunities for cooperation between poor rural households and various stakeholders in the value chain. The primary object of the study is the analysis of key stakeholders of the poor rural communities’ development project and appraisal of the World Bank development project in China. Main Stakeholders Analysis, Their Interests, and Potential Impact The project supported by The World Bank contributes to poverty reduction in China’s northwest province through the development of farm cooperatives and the creation of agricultural value chains. With the support of the project, about 40 new or reorganized farm cooperatives will link poor rural households with modern markets in partnership with agribusinesses. The incomes of rural residents will increase when they adopt agricultural modernization technologies that will help them in the long term. New farm cooperatives will be established to reduce poverty that will link farmers to markets and give them access to more modern agricultural value chains. The cooperative will carry out training of farmers in the field of production of agricultural products and proper management of livestock. In turn, an increase in wages will follow. The project will demonstrate to farmers the new ways of agricultural production restructure and modernization and processing of agricultural products. The role of agro-industrial enterprises is very significant in the emergence of farmers in urban markets and the creation of value chains that meet the needs of both farmers and consumers. The World Bank and the government of China are the main stakeholders in the project implementation. The money investment in poverty reduction and development of agriculture will give them the
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and long-term disorder characterized by uncontrollable, repeated thoughts and behaviors that an individual feels the need to repeat over and over. The case of Robert, a twenty-three-year-old young man, will be discussed further. Robert came to a mental health facility to get treated for anxiety, but it soon turned out that he rather struggled with OCD because he strongly smelled of disinfectant and reported excessive cleaning behaviors. After being in contact with surfaces and people, Robert felt a strong urge to wash his hands with bleach. He could wash his hands up to thirty times a day, which damaged his skin dramatically. However, the fear of germs was much stronger, and he could not stand touching something without washing his hands afterward. The issue of cleanliness took a great toll on his mental health. During the pandemic, the symptoms of OCD increased significantly. Robert reported wearing a HAZMAT suit outside, afraid of contracting the virus. In his social life, Robert avoids making physical contact with people and prefers keeping his distance from them. He works remotely from home, which quite pleases him because he does not have to go anywhere and spend time with other people in a confined space. Overall, Robert does not have a dependency on other people when it comes to handling his OCD and prefers being on his own the majority of the time. In Robert’s case, the combination of behavior therapy and pharmacological treatment is possible. Cognitive-behavioral treatment can be implemented for treating Robert’s OCD, including exposure and response prevention and cognitive restructuring (Moody, 2017). It is expected that Robert will feel relief from his symptoms within several weeks. Reference Moody, T. D., Morfini, F., Cheng, G., Sheen, C., Tadayonnejad, R., Reggente, N., O’Neill, J., & Feusner, J. D. (2017). Mechanisms of cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder involve robust and extensive increases in brain network connectivity . Translational Psychiatry, 7 (9), e1230.
In a company or organization, there is always a functional manager and a project manager. Functional managers are more senior in hierarchy than the project managers, therefore project managers in a company report their activities to the functional manager. In large organizations, there is a management strategy that is referred to as matrix management. Under this system the functions of the functional and project manager are totally independent from each and run by different persons. Thus, the project manager is usually different from the functional manager. Under this management system, the initiated projects follow a given pattern or strategy in its implementation thus the original design of the project cannot be altered by any person (Nicholas, 2004). Furthermore, the system allows flexibility in between the managers since company’s’ projects can be assigned to anyone without resistance due to the position one holds in the company. Finally, the system allows for specialization of labor since the managers will perform functions that they are well suited for. However functional managers have different functions in an organization from those of the project manager. Project managers act like consultants in a specific undertaking of which a company is involved in. Therefore, they have no direct authority over the project but, the functional managers have the full authority over the projects being undertaken by the project managers. Since the functional managers have authority on projects as compared to their counterparts, they are usually involved in activities such as coordination of staff in the implementation of company projects. They are also involved in the planning of projects and how each stage of it will be coordinated. Also, they ensure that the company has adequate resources or input to make it possible for the completion of any initiated project (Reif, 1976). The functional managers are also involved in the human resource activities of the company. They can hire new employees and manage recruiting exercises. Although the functional managers have authority on the recruitment of new recruits, the project managers have a significant influence on who gets hired or not. Since project managers are liable for the success of their projects, they have the power to choose their staff members whom they believe will perform accordingly. Each project involves a series of stages before the project can be fully finalized. Such stages include, planning, putting in order, implementing, scrutinizing and reporting to the functional manager on the developments of the project. Therefore, unlike the work of the functional managers who initiate the start of a ce
PROBLEM STATEMENT: The patient, a 57-year-old Hispanic male presented to the office with the chief complaint of “high blood pressure.” Reports having headaches in the morning, which make him tired throughout the day, and sleep apnea. These symptoms are complemented by heavy snoring and the lack of pain except for the headaches (behind the eyes), which are becoming more frequent (2-3 times per week) and last for a couple of hours. The fatigue started about six months ago, and the symptoms are treated by Ibuprofen 800 mg TID, 2-3x/week. The patient reports little exercise (walking the dog), smoking, and unhealthy eating patterns, and he is positive for a family history of diabetes mellitus and heart attacks. Assessment: Headaches alongside high blood pressure can be symptoms of various conditions related to the impaired functioning of organs. First, they increase the risk of heart disease, attacks, and strokes, thereby adding to the patient’s family history of these issues (Watson, 2020). Second, these problems contribute to the probability of emerging issues with his eyes or, more specifically, hypertensive retinopathy, even though they have not been reported yet (Seltman, 2020). Moreover, this condition is frequently neglected by patients due to the lack of evident signs at the initial stages (Seltman, 2020). Therefore, the risks correspond to the situation under consideration and should be timely eliminated by further examination. Primary Diagnosis and ICD-10 code: Other secondary hypertension, unspecified, I15. 8. Differential Diagnoses Pseudo-Resistant Hypertension – is a common cause of hypertension alongside headaches. It is important to distinguish between the factors triggering the emergence of this condition, which is seemingly unaffected by medication, supplements, or diet (“Pseudo-resistant hypertension,” n.d.). It should be controlled by managing the smoking and unhealthy eating habits of the patient. Hypertensive Retinopathy – This diagnosis was not confirmed during a routine eye exam, but it is vital to consider the risks of the development of this condition in the future (Seltman, 2020). The lasting fatigue might result in this complication and cause vision problems, considering the fact that the experienced pain is similar to the one of this issue. Obstructive Sleep Apnea – This problem was confirmed during the examination, and it includes most symptoms experienced by the patient. They are daytime sleepiness and fatigue, loud snoring, and morning headaches adversely affecting the overall well-being of the person. Additional laboratory and diagnostic tests Fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol. Fluorescein angiography. Polysomnography, AHI. Consults: Referral to an ophthalmologist for further evaluation and regular examinations to trace the development of the condition (hypertensive retinopathy). Referral to a cardiologist for evaluating the risks of cardiovascular diseases resulting from the current issues and family history (Huang et al., 2017). Therapeutic modalities Pharmacological: Modafinil (200-400 mg
The people of Zimbabwe have been experiencing a tumultuous economic period from the beginning of the century. Currently, they hold the world record for the highest inflation rates in this decade. News reports from that country often indicated cases of people paying thirty million Zimbabwean dollars for a loaf of bread or thirty three million for a one way bus ticket to work yet these passengers had to set aside extra funds in the event of a price increase while still on the bus. The essay shall look at the magnitude of the problem, what caused the problem and economic situations that propagated it. Extent of the Problem The Zimbabwean government struggled with a myriad of problems. First, the country’s fiscal deficit has spiralled out of the control. Statistics in 2009 indicated that the percentage of public debt that the country owes its debtors is two hundred and fifty one percent of its gross domestic product. On top of the latter, its exchange rate had been overvalued (there are dramatic differences between estimates made by the government and those in operation in the black market; for example, the government would report that Zimbabwe’s exchange rate with the US dollar is thirty thousand yet in the black market, it might actually be eight hundred thousand. Its hyperinflation case hit the ceiling- at its worst in 2008, the inflation rate was 11.2 million percent and this was a dramatic increase from twenty six thousand percent in 2007 (Hanke, 15). A country which used to be a net exporter is now a heavy importer of commodities that relies on foreign nations for even the simplest goods. Most of its citizenry heavily depend on aid from non confrontational countries since Zimbabwe’s relationship with the UK and the World Bank has deteriorated tremendously after it demonstrated an unwillingness to enact policy reforms. In response to these plummeting inflation rates, the black market has flourished tremendously. Most people actually rely on the latter for a fairly accurate indication of how the monetary situation is faring since the government cannot be relied to do this; it has been resorting to such unscrupulous tactics to hide the extent of the problem. Eventually in 2009, the government opted to introduce the use of US dollars as substitutes for Zimbabwean bearer checks which were also substitutes for real printed money after chronic inflation had hit the country. Events That Triggered Zimbabwe’s Hyperinflation An overview of Zimbabwe’s economic productivity indicates that approximately sixty six percent of the GDP emanates from the agricultural sector while twenty four percent is from the services sector and ten percent from industrial sector. However, the agricultural sector was the object of the notorious land reforms carried out by its current President Robert Mugabe. In an attempt to restore black majority rule, Mugabe opted to chase out all white land owners and offered their property to blacks who had very little experien
Introduction Sherman Alexie’s collection of short stories, titled “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven,” is a memoir-like window into the lives of native Indians in American reservations during the 1970s-1990s. It portrays the lives of many people, including their hardships, habits, flaws, and struggles in a white-dominated society. Alexie’s accounts, though technically fiction, borrow heavily from the author’s real-life experience, featuring many people and stories he witnessed or heard about from friends. One of the more recurring themes of the book includes poverty, broken homes, and substance abuse. Alcohol and drugs are major healthcare problems in the Indian communities, causing about 11.7% of all deaths, which is more than two times higher than the worldwide statistic of 5.6% (Nielsen 90). Like a red line, this factor connects many of the storylines told by Alexie, either in relation to dea