ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Currency variations are normal occurrences in the foreign exchange system. The rate of exchange of a given currency over another is controlled by several essential and technical aspects (Cavallo, Neiman, & Rigobon, 2014). Such factors encompass the demand and supply of the involved currencies, interest rate differential, economic status of the country, and inflation among others. Since such aspects are always in a state of perpetual instability, the value of currencies keeps fluctuating (Chen & Juvenal, 2016). Main body Though the influence of a currency’s gyrations on the economy is extensive, many businesspersons do not pay close attention to the rate of foreign exchange as their businesses are carried out entirely using a domestic currency. For most consumers, foreign exchange rates only become relevant for infrequent activities or practices such as foreign travels and imports. A misleading notion that many people have is that the appreciation of a domestic currency is good as it makes a country able to pay for imports. The truth is that an overly strong currency may result in a considerable drag on the economy if it is prolonged (Caselli, Chatterjee, & Woodland, 2017). This is because many industries could be made uncompetitive and some exporters may consider leaving the business because of making low profits. Nevertheless, though customers may find a weak domestic currency objectionable for making imports expensive, it could have economic benefits as exporters and local traders could make huge profits. In this aspect, the appreciation and depreciation of domestic currencies have both indirect and direct effects on economic variables. Conclusion For instance, fluctuations in the value of the domestic currency may affect the interest rate payable on mortgages, returns on investment, and the cost of products in a local store to mention a few.
The Fire The MGM Grand fire took place in November 1980. The fire burnt the then MG Grand Hotel and Casino costing the lives of 85 people (Mirkhah par. 4). It was considered the worst tragedy Nevada had ever experienced and was classified as the third biggest fire in the United States has ever experienced. The hotel, which was a twenty three storey building consisting of 2000 rooms had around 5000 people at the time of the fire (Mrikhah par. 4). The fire, which started at around 7: 00pm, is believed to have spread from a neighboring hotel called the Delis. The fire extended to the lobby, casino and blew out through the main entrance due to the speed at which it was spreading and also due to the fact that the walls were coated with a wallpaper that caught the fire fast and that produced toxic fumes while burning. It is believed that most deaths must have been caused by inhalation of these toxic fumes. What Caused the Fire? According to investigation results, the MGM Grand fire was caused by an electric fault, which resulted from an electric system that was used to supply power to a refrigeration system (Mirkhah par. 7). There was some friction on some wires in the electric system causing some sparks and eventually the fire. This was detected later by an employee, but it was too late to correct it. Injuries, Deaths and Damage to Property Reported While the majority of guests were rescued, a few succumbed to the fire tragedy. Most of the deaths were caused by smoke inhalation. The toxic fumes spread quickly through the ventilation duct network and hence ended up poisoning the hotel’s air circulation system (Mirkhah par. 5). Many of those who died from these toxic fumes were in their sleep, but there were a few who were caught in the elevators and corridors where the ventilation was generally poor. Most of the deaths were reported on the upper floors. This is because the smoke got in the elevators and air conditioning system, which made its spreading faster. However, other people succumbed to burns, especially those who were in the areas that the fire broke out first. One person also died from injuries attributed to jumping from the top floor to the ground as he tried to escape the fire and the smoke. Approximately 85 people died while 650 guests and employees as well as fourteen fire fighters were injured (Mirkhah par. 5). The fire also destroyed property mostly on the second floor. The casino and restaurant areas experienced most destruction losing millions worth of property to the fire. However, the money counting areas were not affected by the fire because they had adequate fire prevention techniques in place. The worst hit areas (casino and restaurant) had no fire protection system in place. The lack of fire sprinkler system in these places was attributed to the fact that this system was not supposed to be installed in places where people occupied 24/7. Rescue Operations After the fire started, many people took precautionary measures to save their lives. These included putting wet towels under the door to prevent toxic fumes from gett
When starting a business, entrepreneurs need to study the market situation so that they can make right choices. Entrepreneurship is an art whereby someone notes/learns of an opportunity, weighs associated risks and threats, and then establish a business. This paper elaborates considerations that an entrepreneur would make when establishing a candy shop in the United Kingdom. Who are the target customers? The shop will target the youth (college going and high school students); the age bracket of the target population rages from thirteen years to twenty five. The facility will take form of a fast food where the customer will be served as fast as they get to the joint. What does your business idea actually do for the customer? The candy shop aims at offering candies to target customer at an affordable cost; the services are also expected to be fast and of high quality. When services are of high quality the business is likely to be a going on concern. Depending with the climate and the period of the year, the business offer different commodities; for example in summer there will be much focus on cold candies while in winter, hot candies will do. Why does the customer need these features/benefits? The focus age group/ target customers are candy favorites, they like such fast commodities thus when offered the facility will satisfy their needs. The time for the service is fast; this will be to the benefit of the target customer who rarely will have the time to wait for service delivery. This will safe on their time. Cost of the candies will be relatively lower making it affordable to the age bracket; there will also be different flavors. Where (location) are you going to offer this product/service? The products will be offered at London; the main city of United Kingdom; the reason for the location is because of high population of the target group as they go to colleges, high schools, and universities in the city. When will you begin to offer your product/service to customers? I would like to start the business summer 2012; before the time I will have looked into all the legal requirement of establishing a business and will have done further research on the demand and competition of the industry. The reason for choosing summer is the realization that during this period, people are generally in a mood of spending and treating them; this will be to the benefit of the business as it will peak fast. How will you deliver your product/service to customers? The products will be packed in different shapes and quantities; the different packages will be retaining at different costs; other than the packed products, customer can have the option of coming with their packaging/ containers and get the products. As a start up, the business will depend on customers who p
The procedure of transforming waste resources into new substances and products is referred to as recycling. The notion frequently includes the recovery of energy from waste items. The capacity of a component to reclaim the qualities it had in its original form determines its recyclability. Emphasizing the practical effectiveness, recycling is considered a greener alternative to traditional garbage disposal that saves resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, it can minimize energy consumption, air, and water pollution by preventing the waste of theoretically usable products and limiting the use of additional raw materials. Since recycling provides humanity with efficient solutions for the problem of energy consumption and business entities can be unethical in this aspect, it is essential to make recycling mandatory. To my mind, legalizing a beneficial environmental initiative will help solidify its foundations and create a system of fines and penalties for those who ignore it. The global recycling process is critical to the planet’s existence, which gives the concept additional importance and responsibility (Lamberti et al., 2020). In my opinion, an incorrect waste processing system, or its complete absence, in the future will lead to significant problems not only in the field of nature protection but also in human relations and living conditions. For instance, due to a lack of effective waste management facilities, widely used commodity plastics are i
Knowledge is power and the majority of the time knowledge is gained through education. Education being of fundamental value has led to the ever-growing development of learning institutions around the globe. Though learning institutions seek to employ high-quality education, most of them offer different types of curriculums. The basic foundation of education is the ability to read, write, calculate and interpret the available material. The cognizance that uttered words includes small fractions of sound called phonemes. This is known as phonemic awareness. Letter formation is crucial in teaching as it enhances the writing of letters and words and should be correctly done. Focus is to be first directed on letter names, utilization of letter cards so that the children in question first learn the letters (Ellis & Lewis, 2006, p.6). It has been proven that systematic explicit phonics instructions have had remarkable results on students who have used them. Children from different social groups and economic ranks have gained better help in reading than in non-systematic instructions. Instead of highlighting the factors that emerge in the text, it comprises the ideas of a designed course of phonics parts. Multiple teaching and sequence of vocabulary words aids in vocabulary development. This is because rehearsals make it easier for the student to remember what they are taught. More growth has been noted from the use of spelling instructions in systematic phonics. Arguments have been raised on whether using systematic phonics like syntax, as a means of educating children encourages children to guess but the advocates supporting the notion say that it has rather led to the expansion of the use of language and prior knowledge, logical deduction to make sense of a word and sentences (Becks, 2006, p.17). Efficiency, ease, and fluency in reading are well developed by guided oral reading, for it provides feedback from the party listening when the student reads out loud. Guidance from parents and teachers has had a significant positive effect on oral reading. Writing has also been enhanced thanks to the systematic phonics curriculum. Principles for Reading Success Five instructional theories that guide professional growth and reading instructions have been set aside to best d
Introduction Rejection is one of the painful experiences an individual especially at the adolescent age has to encounter. Usually at adolescent stage, children are not only knowing about themselves but also developing socially and economically. Self-esteem is the major attribute a teenager may easily lose while growing up. Personally, when I was in the fourth grade, my parents forced me to join a nearby boarding school but my first experience or relationship with the new students and teachers molded and motivated me into where I am today. Besides being rejected due to poor grades, I was overweight and thus I could not skillfully explore the extracurricular activities, which left me traumatized and lonely. However, how the rejection built my self-esteem, power and future remained my question. A grouped research conducted ranked my school the worst in the town. My father opted to enroll me to better performing school as compared to my previous one. However, I never knew my transfer would mark the turning point in my life. The new school had some bright arrogant students mostly from rich families whom teachers, not only favored, but also praised. On the other hand, I was from a low standard school with a poor command of English and overweight when compared to my classmates. Physical education was one of the extracurricular activities each student had to participate. Moreover, the school administration introduced a new sports game, acrobatics in which every student no matter the size anticipated engaging. Although I weighed about fifty kilograms at only nine years old, I had the urge to participate in the game. Furthermore, I was shorter than the rest of the students. Therefore, I was easily visible during the game. Unfortunately, the acrobatics instructor disliked me. In fact, she had to scold me all the time due to my poor coordination during the lessons. I had to persevere because it was mandatory for all students to participate in the game. It was on a Friday afternoon as usual, and all the students from the first grade to fifth had to present to the school the acrobatics to the including the teachers. Due to my nervousness, I missed my coordination. As a result, the instructor bluntly called me a ‘fat stupid pig’ for being both obese and as the worst performer in her class. Consequently, I had to drop out of the game, as she instructed me to make several laps around the playing field everyday to enable me lose my weight. I obliged but the worst was to come at the end of the term. I was the last in my class upon the release of the examination results, which was humiliating. The games instructor who was also my class mistress openly told me to stop eating the school food because I was only growing fatter and not performing well in class. Tears filled with fear and hatred flowed. I even contemplated on committing suicide. The belief I was a failure, stupid and a moron: a student with inability to grip anything both in class and outdoor, motivated me to start a new life. The first initiative I took personally was to start eating healthy to cut down my weight. Moreover, I had to ac
Introduction In 2009, a shooting occurred at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. involving a guard. Stephen Tyrone Johns was shot and died while undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. The suspect, James Wenneker von Brunn was convicted on two accounts: first-degree murder and severe violations of firearm laws (Brown par3). The suspect was later accused of seven crimes, four of which were punishable by death penalty. The age of the suspect, 88, prompted the judge to authorize the prosecution bench to conduct a competency evaluation on the victim to decide whether he could stand trial. However, he died in 2010 while awaiting trial. According to the incident report, von Brunn entered the museum and shot the guard. He had been convicted earlier in 1981 for carrying weapons into a federal building. Motives The actual motive of the shooting was not very clear. However, speculations linked the incident to President Obama’s visit to Germany. The shooter could have made the attack because Obama visited the Buchenwald concentration camp where he made a speech. Brunn claimed that during his 1981 conviction, a jury of African Americans convicted him, and the judge who awarded the sentence was a Jew (Royce par2). The shooting was described as a revenge attack against Jews and African Americans. The incident was described as a way of promoting hate and intolerance. Individuals who were promoting antisemitism had targeted the museum earlier. Brunn’s actions were efforts to promote antisemitism in America (Espo par3). According to police reports, Brunn believed in several conspiracy theories that involved Jews and other minority groups such as African Americans. His hatred for Jews and blacks emanated from his conviction in 1993 because the jury comprised Jewish and African American members (Royce par2). In 1981, Brunn walked into a federal building carrying weapons that included a revolver rifle, a hunting knife, and a shotgun (Brown par4). His motive was to hold the board members who were in the building hostage for the economic difficulties that the country was experiencing at the time. Chronology of events The incident started at about 12.49 p.m., when Brunn drove into the museum’s compound. The officer at the entrance door opened the gate but instead of driving in, Brunn withdrew his 22-caliber rifle and shot him. After the shooting, two other officers stationed at the entrance together with Johns returned fire and wounded him. Police reports indicated that another person sustained minor injuries that were inflicted by broken glass. However, the victim declined to be taken to hospital for treatment. The private guards at the museum responded promptly and averted further shooting (Stout par5). At the time of the shooting, the museum was awash with schoolchildren. After the gunman was wounded and disarmed, the Federal Bureau of Investigations and D.C. Metropolitan police secured the area. Some streets around the museum were closed for many hours
Goals   * Increase proficiency of core subjects by 5%   * Improve student punctuality   * Improve challenges for above-average students Goals Achievement Assessment Goal 1. 100% achieved as evidenced in the last evaluation. Goal 2. 90% done according to ongoing monitoring of data. Goal 3. 100% done as this has been an ongoing practice. Metaphor Our school is like a ship that has a crew of rowers every member on the boat has a job that is as important as the next person’s job. Comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote: “No member of a crew is praised for the rugged individuality of his rowing.” Metaphors: Similarities and Patterns My school is a conglomeration of talents just like in a ship. The concerted efforts of all staff members keeps school/ship going. With a good captain/headmaster/Principal there is forward movement. No single staff/crew member can sustain a school singlehandedly. Metaphors: Differences   * Unlike ships, schools are not autonomous   * Sometimes different approaches among rowers bring welcome change   * Students in a school have more relevance than passengers in a boat Strengths of Leadership as per Metaphors   * As a machine, school hierarchy determines roles   * In cultural context, school is run and owned by oil company   * Political systems- there are clear centers of power   * As an organism; a people-centered organization Strengths of Leadership in Reference to Disciplines Systems Thinking: leaders spearhead improvements and change. Shared Vision: leader is interested in creation through cooperation. Mental Models: possible to build a common understanding. Weaknesses of Leadership in Reference to Metaphors   * An elaborate hierarchy can cause delays and stalling of agendas.   * Ownership by oil company subjects school to unique challenges.   * Allegiances and centers of power shift frequently   * System thinking is difficult to implement in practical situations   * Shared visions and mental models strictly depend on self-awareness Facilitation of Organizational Learning The school often holds stakeholders meetings to share the goals and achievements of the school, an indicator of the application of system thinking. Mental models are shared throughout the school, teachers are given handbooks and training about the culture and the vision and mission of the school and the country from the very first week of employment. All these activities are in a bid to improve the organization as a whole. During staff meetings, a shared vision is clearly communicated within the staff. Inhibition of Organizational Learning Constant changes in the education sector translate into changes in the curriculum and in the standardized tests, changes in staff and many other things that vary inhibit organizational learning. If the leadership is not aware of its surroundings and does not respond to the needs of the organization, it could fall behind. Top Priorities in the School: Communication as Top Priority There is a sense of top to bottom communication especially when it comes to curriculum. Teachers never have the opportunity to comment or
What is an Electoral System? At its basic understanding an electoral system is a set of rules that is used to determine how the choice of a president or a political party is conducted and how the results are counted. Voting structure takes into consideration several necessary details, such as the age of voters, time and place of the elections, and financial limits on campaign spending when creating the best environment for making decisions. At the same time, while electoral system is a complex and detailed procedure, it is organized by every government individually. For instance, the U.S. has a unique practice of electing authoritative figures that includes a large number of necessary elements. Therefore, the following presentation will provide an in-depth understanding of the U.S. electoral system by discussing its distinguishing features and processes. The Electoral College   * A body consisting of 538 electors.   * A sum of electors differs by state.   * Election of the president and vice president .   * 270 electoral votes – a winning number. In general, the voting organization in the U.S. can be described by the term Electoral College. This phrase describes a body of electors that is appointed by every state for the purpose of choosing the president and the vice president of the U.S. After completing the process of general election by the citizens, the candidate who receives a preference of the majority gains all the votes from the electors of this state (Bugh, 2016). To win the desired position, the applicant needs to get at least 270 votes from all electors (Bugh, 2016). Thus, the procedure does not end with the choice of residents; it continues with electoral votes. The Purpose of Political Parties   * Broadening of the rights of voters.   * Extending political rights to all layers of the society.   * Eliminating voting restrictions.   * Increasing the level of democracy in the country. In addition to the Electoral College, there are several other elements highly involved in the voting system of the country and one of them is a role of political parties. First and foremost, it is necessary to mention that the U.S. was the first country in the world to create a program that would transfer the executive power from one party to another through an election (Bugh, 2016). Political parties proved to be essential in expanding the political rights of individuals and e