ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
David Foster Wallace was a famous writer; his novel Infinite Jest is listed as one of Times’ All-Time 100 Greatest Novels list. He committed suicide in 2008 after suffering from severe depression. In 2005 Wallace gave a commencement speech at a graduation ceremony at Kenyon College, a liberal arts university. In his speech, he talks about liberal arts and tells about life after graduation. He also explains that everything we do is by choice: we even choose what to think about. David Foster Wallace is being informal while addressing his audience; he relates to his audience, showing them that he has been through the same things they have and being honest about his life. Since the beginning of his speech, David Foster Wallace indicates that the speech is going to be informal and tries to break the ice between the audience and himself by using such words as “bullshitty” and “As I’m sure you guys know by now.” Those two expressions show that he is being informal and speaking in a relaxed manner; he does not use complicated words, as he is trying to make his audience feel relaxed, and shows them that it will not be a long boring speech like most commencement speeches are. Throughout the speech, Wallace makes sure his audience is not bored, but when he understands that it happens he says, “It’s extremely difficult to stay alert and attentive, instead of getting hypnotized by the constant monologue inside your own head (may be happening right now) […].” He shows his audience that he understands how boring these speeches might be, but he is still able to grab their attention all along, which also indicates the importance of what he is saying in his speech. The writer goes further than only talking about liberal arts education, touching on the matters of life in general and life after graduation. In his speech, Wallace also mentions such parts of his life as pre- and post-graduation, and real-life in the future. Because of the techniques used by Wallace in his speech, his audience can relate to him and feel more at ease with him. David Foster is very good at relating to his audience: he manages to keep them alert during the whole speech. After telling the story of the two young fish swimming and an older fish asking them how the water was, and the two young fish not knowing what water meant, David says, “But if you’re worried that I’m trying to present myself here as the wise, older fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, please don’t be. I am not the wise old fish.” When he says that he is not the wise fish, it makes his audience feel more comfortable because he is showing that he understands them and that it is normal not to be aware of everything around us; he portrays himself as a person who is down to earth: the novels he wrote and his popularity do not make him any better than the students who are graduating. Later on in the speech, he says, “Please don’t worry that I’m getting ready to lecture you about compassion or other-directedness or all the so-called virtues.” Again, he shows that he does not think he is any better than the students to lecture them about something they already know. Instead of lectu
Introduction The article talks about worrying issues that persist between Australia and Indonesia. David Reeve uses various evidence from each of the countries to prove that suspicion exists between them. Moreover, he cites many reasons, which range from religion to culture as key among the grounds for suspicion (Reeve, 2006, pp. 69-86). Summary of key points David Reeve provides comprehensive evidence of mistrust between Indonesia and Australia. He looks at possible causes of suspicion from each of the sides. For instance, he starts by noting Indonesia’s concerns namely Australia’s participation in the separation of East Timor, Australia’s interest in Corby case, and Indonesia’s belief that there exists a worldwide conspiracy against Islam (which includes Australia and Western countries). Other reasons for concern include Australian’s treatment of its neighbor’s traditional fishermen, Australia’s perceived involvement in bugging it’s neighbor’s embassy, and concerns that Australian NGOs could be acting as intelligence in preparation for the cessation of Papua as they did in East Timor. Reeves uses various evidence from journalists and writers as well as politicians to prove his theories. Also, he provides various excerpts from write-ups to aid his explanations. He utilizes this evidence to portray Indonesia’s perception of Australia. After which, he uses other evidence such as Schapelle Corby’s drug case and a report on Australian security threat by ASPI to portray Australia’s perception of Indonesia. The latter mentions Indonesia as the chief threat to Australia by nearly a third of respondents. He goes on to provide recommendations aimed at minimizing suspicions. Most prominently, Reeves mentions the need for increased knowledge to bridge this gap (Reeve, 2006, pp. 69-86). Analysis Several issues arise for and against the two countries. Firstly, Indonesia’s culture and Australian culture seem to depart given their origins. There is a cultural conflict between western and Asian cultures. This has caused suspicion as can be seen in Australia’s belittling of Indonesia’s culture. Additionally, there is a conflict of religion between the countries. Since Indonesia is mainly an Islamic nation while Australia is mainly a Christian nation, the citizens’ ideologies differ, and this has led to unrest between the countries. Reeve mentions religion as a factor in Australia’s need for cessation of East Timor. Furthermore, the drug is also a serious issue of concern between the countries. Besides, Australia seems to consider itself more superior than Indonesia since it is economically sound. Still, the author mentions inadequate knowledge as a reason for suspicion. In essence, Australia needs to consider its neighbor as an equal partner to foster peace. Reference Reeve, D. (2006). Strange, Suspicious Packages. In J. Monfries (Ed.), Different Societies, Shared Futures: Australia, Indonesia and the Region (pp. 69-86). Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs.
This paper aims at describing the impact of tourism on the ecosystem. This paper will begin by defining tourism and the ecosystem. Thereafter, it will give examples of how tourism affects the ecosystem. This paper will then sum up its discussion by providing a number of recommendations. According to Jax, “an ecosystem is a community of living organisms together with the physical processes which occur within an environment” (20). On the other hand, Tourism, according to Goeldner, “arises from the movement of people to and their stay in, various destinations” (10). Goeldner defines tourism as “the temporary, short term movement of people to destinations outside the places where they normally live and work, and their activities during their stay at these destinations; it includes movement for all purposes as well as day visits or excursions” (10). Basically, tourism occurs in two forms: “the journey to the destination and the stay including the activities at the destination” (Goeldner 10). It is important to note that the journey and the stay take place in an area distant from the normal place of work or stay. Tourists usually engage in activities which are different from those done while at work or at home. The interaction between humans and the ecosystem has contributed to various changes in the ecosystem. Tourism, which is a popular human activity, continues to change the ecosystem. However, detecting changes in the ecosystem, which have been
Introduction The study conducted by the researchers is focused on analyzing the experiences palliative patients go through while dealing with breakthrough pain. There are multiple ways to minimize it, including psychological support and medications. The aspects that participants of the research found dissatisfying are the lack of visits from the doctors, ineffective treatment, and no compassion from the healthcare providers. Critique of the Qualitative Research Study The paper is well-organized and presented in an accessible manner. The title summarizes the main point, although it is too long and might confuse the readers. However, the abstract offsets an ambiguous summarization of the research paper. It describes the sampling methodology, which consists of 21 interviews. Analyzing the data gave the researchers an understanding that the psychological aspect helps diminish pain. The concluded recommendations involve creating more interactions between doctors and patients, providing better care, and having a more compassionate approach towards the patients (Pathmawathi et al., 2015). This is beneficial for the patient’s disposition. The purpose of the study is clearly stated, and it is to meet the needs of palliative patients and manage the pain more effectively. Moreover, the literature review has been undertaken and divided into main topics that meet the research’s philosophical basis, which allowed for the objectives to be fulfilled. Furthermore, the theoretical framework highlights the truthfulness of the idea that pain management needs improvement, and the collected data reinforces this proposition. After identifying the theoretical framework, it has been concluded that there is a relationship between poor pain management and lack of communication with doctors. Another significant factor points to the connection between physical pain and mental health. While a strong mind can ease the uncomfortable feeling, pain can be destructive to one’s psychological well-being, leading the individual into depression and constant frustration (Pathmawathi et al., 2015). These conclusions are proof of an adequate framework that points out the critical connections and crucial ideas in an appropriate manner. The sampling method is described as purposive and heterogeneous. The design is described which allowed for a more in-depth and philosophical approach from the participants. While it was subjective rather than objective, it made it more suitable for the individuals who were giving the interviews to relax and be honest. The patients were chosen wisely to be suita
Marketing can be defined simply as a process of doing market evaluation, selling either goods or services to clients, customers or others who need them. These will also involve doing promotion through such means as advertisement to promote or enhance the amount of goods or services sold.Further,marketing will incorporate various strategies such as sales techniques, business development or even communication. Through marketing a business will be able to build a good customer rapport and in so doing create better value for the clientele and the business itself. On the other hand, marketing assessment is synonymous with marketing analysis. It can therefore be defined as the analysis of a market for a particular product or service. These include the evaluation of the market trends, doing market studies and also evaluating the competition. As a local community based organization we have concerns that few young people are involving themselves in exercise, a situation which is a cause for worries.In the process, I was tasked with providing a plan on how best the group which involves itself in the welfare of the young people would go about to establish whether there is any truth in such concerns. This paper outlines the plan on how I would recommend for purposes of assessing the situation (Solomon,Stuart and Marshall 2009). To establish the truth in the matter involves gathering as much information as basically possible from the community around where the group activities reach. The information gathered will touch on infrastructure such as training facilities like courts. Lack of or even poor infrastructure will lead to few young people involving themselves in exercise since they have no where to train. The data will also touch on man power which is the availability of skilled personnel to train the young people if they decide to go for exercise. The data will also give the demographic details such as age, the geography of the area and also income level. What the data on demography will do is to provide insight as to why the young people are not involved in exercise which is crucial in their development. The age is to be determined so as to establish the specific age of the ones who are not involved or are partially involved in exercises. If determined, the community group will be able to know the best exercises for the different groups of young people. By and large, through the data collection the community group will be in a position to establish the truth behind the concerns on involvement in exercise by the young people. The climatic conditions of the area might also be a hindrance to exercise. Income level too can turn young people away especially if they are required to part with money for training in the process of doing the exercise (Solomon,Stuart and Marshall 2009). The plan also identifies the problems that are facing the young people in the community. Th
The video, which is going to be discussed in this essay, eloquently demonstrates the idea that such a concept as youth subculture is a dynamic and ever-changing phenomenon. Although it is primarily associated with adolescents, it can be easily accepted by the representatives of other age groups. This documentary focuses on mod subculture, which emerged in the United Kingdom in the late fifties. These people tried to distinguish themselves from others by wearing sexually explicit clothes, created by Italian fashion designers, riding scooters, listening to beat music, using amphetamine, and so forth. At that point, their behavior was considered to be outrageous and subversive. It aroused the ire of the conservative community. Most likely, these people wanted to achieve this effect and attract attention to themselves. We may discuss this example in connection with the ideas, expressed by Bill Osgerby in his article All The Young Dudes . One of his arguments is that the youth subculture may be regarded as a rebellion against ordinary lifestyles, restrictions, imposed by parents and educators (Osgerby, 2004, p 115). Furthermore, this was an attempt to find or even invent an alternative source of prestige (Osgerby, 2004, p 117). These teenagers wanted to feel or at least appear to be unique or special. Yet, later mob subculture began to decline only due to the reason that their lifestyle (fashion, aesthetic preferences) was no longer so original. Miniskirts, scooters, and drugs turned to be commonplace. In this way, one could not stand out against the crowd. It has to be admitted that the impacts of mob subculture are still palpable, especially in the world of fashion but the main point is that such conduct is not marginalized. This video illustrates only one case of youth subculture transforming into a mainstream one. In his article Bill Osgerby enumerates numerous cultural movements like hippies, punks, bikers, and so forth; practically all of them grew popular in the seventies and eighties (Osgerby, 2004). One cannot say that they have entirely disappeared nowadays but their importance has diminished. There may be several reasons why they tend to dwindle and one of them is lack of originality. Bill Osgerby surveys various viewpoints on youth subculture:  1. Marxist theory, according to which, such mode of life suppresses the will of an individual as well as his/her ability to think critically, the supporters of these ideas claim that the so-called youth subculture is imposed on adolescents from outside, particularly, by mass media;  2. in sharp contrast, the advocates of liberal approach maintain that adolescents are the sole creators of subculture (2004). The documentary analyzed in this paper shows that in the vast majority of cases, this is just an outcry against commonality and routine. There are several questions that arise from this discussion. One of them is how teenagers construct their lifestyles. One of the assumptions is that they do it by rejecting old value systems and creating new ones (Osgerby, 2004, p117). Secondly, it is vital to examine the interactio
Introduction In the recent years, obesity and its related conditions have plummeted to a high record. Obesity, a condition once considered as an adult problem, has spread among more young people in the 21 st century, than in the past. This disease can be explained as the presence of excess fat in the body. A simple way of diagnosing obesity is by the use of Body Mass Index (BMI), which is simply weight (kg)/height (m)2. Speaking about the youth, once the BMI is determined it is then compared to that of other children of the same age and sex. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers a BMI with more than 30kg/m² as obese (deOnis, Blossner, & Borghi, 2010). This paper will delve into the causes and the solutions of this problem. Predisposing Factors Diet Diet, in particular, plays a vital role in the health of a young person. Consumption of the processed foods with a high content of fat and sugar, affects the normal metabolism in the young body. This happens by causing a surge in the levels of blood glucose immediately after the consumption of the food. Moreover, this causes energy slumps in the body prompting a hunger impulse that in turn makes one eat a lot (Wieting, 2008). Besides the constituents of the diet, other factors can predispose a young individual to develop obesity. To begin with, working parents increase the risk of their children developing obesity by being too busy to closely monitor or prepare what their children eat. Secondly, the fast food industry spends fortunes in advertisements to entice the youth to buy their products. Another factor is the proximity of these fast food outlets to schools and colleges. Finally, poor families often do not have enough funds to spend on healthy food and thus going for the cheaper options like junk foods (Danner, 2008). Sedentary lifestyles There is less physical activity among the youth today. Nowadays, most young people prefer remaining indoors and watch TV or play online virtual reality games. In turn, they rarely have time to get involved in physical activities. Schools, on the other hand, have also reduced the number of hours allocated to the physical education classes in an attempt to improve performance in state proficiency examinations (Wieting, 2008). Genetics There is an increased possibility of a child born to obese parents to get the same condition. It has been noted that the condition is also more prevalent among the black Americans and Hispanics than in the Caucasians (Wieting, 2008). Health issues Some diseases may increase the risk of obesity. A good example is the Cushi
Introduction Freedom of religion is enjoying the right to choose faith without the government’s interference with the rules, practices, and beliefs of that doctrine. In the United States, this liberty is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Over the years, the freedom of religion has been questioned by Native Americans who still feel that their autonomy is always suppressed. Reports of various forms of suppression continue even after the Indian American Religious Freedoms Act was enacted in Congress after decades in late 1978 (Zaretsky and Leone 45). According to these reports, Native Americans have always been marginalized by federal and community groups when it comes to religious practice. This report investigates the development of religious freedom in the United States by focusing on Native Indian American religious practices. The paper will also provide insight into their struggle against religious suppression and forced assimilation into protestant beliefs. Native Indian Fight for Religious Freedom In 1978, the United States Congress enacted the Indian American Religious Freedom Act that supported the protection and preservation of the freedom to believe and practice customary religions amongst Indian American s, Eskimos, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians (Wald and Calhoun-Brown 14). The law meant that Native Indian American s would be allowed to retain religious sites, exercise their right to possession of sacred objects, and have the freedom to worship through traditional rites and other ceremonials (Wiedman 215). This act was well received by the Indian communities in the United States as it appeared that they would be protected from government and other controllers of the country’s economy intruding on their religious practices. However, as it came to be realized, later on, the law did not mention how the doctrine was going to be enforced (Dussias 347). This situation took the country back to the suppression of religious freedom. According to the Supreme Court, the enactment was only going to act as a requirement which the government would use to negotiate on religious practices of Native Indian American
Introduction The US economy and in turn the world economy seems to have taken a turn for the worse and with the recession being forecast in the next quarters. There is also a comparison with the great depression of the 1930s that left the country in a massive collapse. This paper examines the economic outlook of the US from 2007 to 2008 and recommends some remedial measures for the Federal Reserve Board to tackle the problem. US Economy from 2007 to 2008 – Macro Indicators According to the reports released by the Bureau of Economic Affairs (BEA, 2008), the U.S. GDP growth for quarter 4 of 2007 remained at.6%. Economic growth fell from 4.9% in quarter 3, and 3.9% in quarter 2 of 2007. The total GDP for 2007 was 2.2% while the 2006 figures gave growth of 2.9%. This figure of GDP had occurred in quarter 1 of 2003. The decline in growth has been blamed on the subprime mortgage crash, the housing market slowdown, weak consumer spending, rising prices of crude oil, and other factors. Some graphs about the US economy are given in the following table (BBC. 2008): US Economic Growth (BBC. 2008).  US Inflation (BBC. 2008).                                                            US Unemployment (BBC. 2008).  US Interest Rates (BBC. 2008).                                                              US Budget Surplus/ Deficit (BBC. 2008).                                          Amadeo (2008) has reported the extensive hardships caused by the sub-prime mortgage crises. According to the author, around 730 billion USD has been guaranteed by the federal authorities to cover the risks. Giving a break-up, the author reports the Federal Housing Finance Board agreed to let the regional Federal Home Loan Banks take an extra