ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Description of the Oil and gas industry in Canada According to a survey completed in 2010, the Canadian oil sands accounted for over 60% of the country’s total oil production. Further analysis of the growth of oil production reveals that oil production grew by about 12% from 2005 to arrive at 60% in 2010 (Q finance n. p). This significant increase in the production was because of increased oil exploration and increased production activities witnessed by Canada. An analysis of Canada’s oil production shows that its oil sands represent a daily production of about 1.5 Million barrels per day. In a bid to sustain this trend, the oil industry has continued to receive massive support from the private and public sector initiatives aimed at boosting its overall growth (Q finance n. p). General environmental analysis, including trends According to the survey of 2010, the country has recorded a total production of conventional oil of 1.22 million barrels per day. The total reserves by the end of 2010 revealed a total reserve of 4,118 million barrels. Prices for crude oil have maintained a constant increase. Statistics shows that prices increased from $79.5 (US$ per barrel) to 95.10 (UD$ per barrel), which represents an increase of 19.6% in 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. Canada has ensured a constant increase in total exports of crude oil. In 2011, the country strengthened its oil exports by about 9.5% compared to the previous year to reach a total of 2.130 million barrels per day (Q finance n. p). Although Canada has a strong foreign market for its crude oil, its domestic market has remained equally strong, and the average consumption stood at 1.8 million barrels per day during 2010 and 2011. According to 2009 statistics, oil sands industry in Canada accounts for about 6.5% of the country’s total green house gas emissions. The global scenario shows that Canada’s oil sands contribute 0.1% of the total emissions of GHG. The current analysis reveals that the country’s total emissions have declined by about 29% between 1990 and 2009. Government regulations, especially in the Alberta oil sands leading to a total reduction of emissions by approximately 12% in the last 10 years beginning 2000 (Q finance n. p). An industry value-chain analysis The analysis of oil and gas industry’s value chain shows that it transits to the last user through five steps, beginning with exploration of oil and gas fields and sands. This is the initial and perhaps the most critical of all the steps because it determines the existence of oil and gas resources. This step warrants the subsequent steps; thus, it is fundamental to invest in technology that can facilitate the discovery of oil sands. Initially, companies were faced with challenges of discovering new and potential oil reserves because of lack of appropriate technology necessary to facilitate the process. However, this trend has shifted toward investment in advanced technology, research and development, which as seen an incre
By any standards, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States can be termed as two of the most fundamental and enduring documents in the Nation’s history due to the very fact that the ideals enshrined in the documents continue to influence generations of Americans in major ways, especially in terms of rule of law, self governance and the protection of individual rights (U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, 2008). The Declaration of Independence, in particular, set forth the basic tenets that could be used to ensure a just and fair government. Although over two millennia have now passed since the documents were instituted, many Americans continue to hold these principles close to their hearts, with particular emphasis been placed on the three unalienable rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, and which are bestowed on us by our Creator (ARD, 2010). The document highlighted three most basic rights, namely, “the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (ARD, 2010, para. 1). This paper purposes to assess how these unalienable rights have shaped the life of Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Price, and also the winner of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom Award. Born in 1940 in what was then known as Eastern Bengal, Yunus got himself a good education to become an economist at Chittagong University. During one of his field visits in 1974, in the company of his students, he “…interviewed a woman who made bamboo stools, and learnt that she had to borrow the equivalent of 15p to buy raw bamboo for each stool made” (Grameen Bank, 2010a, para. 2). The woman, after repaying her loan to the shylocks at rates exceeding 10%, was left with minimal profits that could neither meet her most basic rights neither sustain her business. An idea struck Yunus that if the woman was allowed the capacity to borrow loans at more advantageous rates than what was being offered by the brokers, and without collateral, she could be able to accumulate an economic cushion that will not only raise her living standards above subsistence level, but also sustain and expand her business. The idea led to the establishment in 1983 of what is today known as the Grameen Bank or simply the ‘village bank.” According to industry figures, the bank operates 2,564 branches in Bangladesh, and employs in excess of 19,000 employees serving an estimated 8.29 million borrowers spread across 81, 367 villages (Grameen Bank, 2010b). Although the bank does not require collateral, its loan recovery rate stands at 97%, necessitating other countries to develop projects that revolve around the banks model to alleviate poverty among populations. Although the idea to start the micro-finance institution may seem more economically oriented
Executive Summary This report analyzes the major project execution plan meant to transform Birmingham city into the second largest city in the UK. The report seeks to advise the stakeholders on how to execute their duties effectively to ensure the completion of the project in the timeframes set. The report identifies the risk factors that are associated with project execution and highlights measures to mitigate them. Some of the risks that are known to affect the contemporary construction industries today include cost overruns, design constraints, delays, physical, and acts of God. All the mentioned risk factors shall be discussed in this paper, and the mitigating factors have been identified. Introduction The big city plan refers to a developmental roadmap formulated by the UK government with the aim of reviving Birmingham to make it an international city. The city is located in a strategic location, and it is one of the major contributors to the country’s economy. The city suffered greatly after the Second World War making it lag behind regarding development (Huemann, Keegan, & Turner 2007). Efforts to revive the city from the damage caused by the war have not brought significant changes. The big plan aims at making Birmingham the second largest city in the UK. The project is expected to be complete by the year 2031, and it is set to consume about $10 billion of taxpayers’ money. For the project to be completed in the planned two decades there must be coordination and effective planning by the Project Manager and other stakeholders. Most projects fail during the execution stage due to the lack of proper execution plan and effective communication of the project plan to the stakeholders. Additional factors that may lead to failure of a project include ineffective project implementers, the inadequacy of finances, and poor planning among others. In this paper, I will assume the role of the Project Manager and draft an execution plan that will guide the implementation of the project. The document shall serve not only as a guideline to the execution process but also as a communication channel to the stakeholders involved. Some of the major undertakings covered by the plan include  1. Turning the city into a 24-hour economy  2. Building enough roads across the city  3. Building public places such as parks, and libraries. This paper shall focus on formulating an execution plan meant to ensure that the original plan formulated by the city’s local government is implemented. The execution shall guide the execution process to guarantee completion of the various projects in time. The plan outlines various construction projects that must be executed in the timeframes given thus the need for a project execution plan to ensure smooth flow of the operations. Project’s objectives and priorities The project is designed to ensure that all the activities involved in the revival of Birmingham are completed within the stipulated schedule and are within the budgeted costs. The approved budget The approved budget for the entire proje
Historical Background An area of almost 653 thousand square meters, located in the territories of Southwest Asia, historically belongs to the state of Afghanistan. Afghanistan has no access to the sea or the ocean and is adjacent to other states from all sides. Thus, the country’s western borders are connected with Iran and Turkmenistan; to the north, it is adjacent to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. On the southeastern side, Afghanistan is entirely bordered by Pakistan from the Gulf of Oman. Notably, the entire area of the state is located in the Iranian highlands, so much of the region is represented by mountainous and hilly terrain (Allchin, 2021). The Hindu Kush mountain system is the most represented there, as its hills, up to 7708 meters high, extend from east to west of the country. However, this does not mean that there are no plains there. On the contrary, to the north of the country, close to Tajikistan, Afghanistan has the Bactrian Plain, which contains a unique geographic area in the form of an extension of the clay-sandy Karakum desert. There are also mountainous depressions and valleys along other borders of the country, representing valuable clay and sand resources for the population. Geographical reasons fully determine the local climatic conditions, the impact of which is clearly visible in the Afghan vegetation. Thus, the climate there is typical subtropical continental, with the predominance of monsoon winds. In the summertime, the weather is usually hot and dry, but the local conditions rarely become cold with the onset of winter. Afghan summer temperatures can reach 122 ℉ while temperatures rarely drop below freezing in January (Allchin, 2021). While winters on the eastern side of A
The focal point of this paper is to examine two films (Shaft and Hero) under the genre of Action and Adventure and determine whether there is evidence of significant variation from one film to the next. It would also be determined the extent to which this variation indicates an evolution of style, structure, or content in the genre. Additionally, forces influencing or guiding this change would also be determined. There are several differences between the movies, however, only three would be considered. The shaft is predominantly black and all the perceptions and perspective presented in the movie is distinctively black. It could be mentioned that this movie easily surpassed supplementary black stereotypes with its presentation of black gangsters and black activists at the same time along with urban junkies who are black. In the movie, we see time and again that the central character Shaft is making it a point with specific measures that he is dead against racialism and all sorts of racial hypocrisy. On the other hand, Hero represents all aspects that are generally associated with Chinese movies. Some characters are moral, both heroes and villains as in Chinese movies, and martial artists, who fly around trees fighting. This is extremely stereotyped. Thus, one film breaks all stereotypes and the other follows it. One curious aspect of this movie is the multiple dimensions of truth used in the movie. The assassin is presenting his versions of his achievements to the emperor to gain access to him and these are more always presented in half-truths and lies which the Emperor is to decipher. These half-truths and lies are represented in the movie as costumes and sets are pained in base colors like green, blue and red. Whereas the truth or the true versions of the incidents are presented in complete milk-white. Apart from the aspects of philosophy and political correctness, the basic theme of the movie, the thing most significant about the movie is the breathtaking photography and action sequences. On the other hand, Shaft has almost a monochrome approach with little or no variance of truth. Truth in Shaft is mono-dimensional and facts present in it are either true or false. There are no shades present in Shaft. Another distinctive difference is the setting. The shaft is an urbane protest movie under the parameter of Action and Adventure films. Logically enough the texture of this movie is dark and deep colors like red and black are used frequently to ascertain the mood of the movie. Additionally, multiple scenes present the background in steel grey thus providing a cold and lethal look to the movie. Heroin’s sharp contrast is full of vibrant colors including white and black
The Roaring Twenties were marked by a rapid technological breakthrough and the uninhibited progress in the subversion of gender roles, thus causing a significant change in American society. However, not all members of the newly established U.S. community felt welcome and happy in the era of the Roaring Twenties (Foner 782). Due to the rampant racial discrimination, African American people were severely marginalized in the American setting, which led to an increase in social tensions. The creation of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), which pushed the concept of racial profiling to the nth degree, could be seen as the pinnacle of racism in early 20th-century America. African American citizens, which endured systemic oppression and were constantly marginalized at the time, represented the population that could not define the twenties as the era f peace and safety. The creation of the KKK jeopardized not only civil liberties but also the lives of numerous African Americans, causing them to experience massive distress (Foner 784). Combined with the rise in unemployment, which affected the disadvantaged population, in general, the U.S. of the 1920ies represented a weird concoction of hopeful attitudes and the depressing reality of poverty and discrimination. However, not only African Americans but also people belonging to ethnic minorities were under a considerable threat in American society of the 1920ies. The infamous Sacco and Vanzetti case, which resulted in a gross miscarriage of justice and execution of two Italian immigrants, showed that the problem of interracial and intercultural dialogue in American society reached its peak (). Middle-class American citizens felt rather safe and secure within the context of prospering American society. However, immigrants, people of color, and other minorities were heavily threatened by the lack of social justice in the legal system and the impact that fear and propaganda, as shown in the described case, which demonstrated the effects of the “Red scare” (780). Therefore, there was a giant rift between white, middle-class Americans and ethnic and racial minorities, who could not enjoy as many social and economic advantages as the majority of the U.S. population could at the time. Despite the era representing a significant technological breakthrough and an advance in economic development, the presence of deep-seated prejudices in American society aggravated the social situation. Furthermore, it led to tensions and an increase in the gap between different classes of people (Foner 791). They were supported by the legislation that encouraged further marginalization of immigrants, as the social attitudes in the U.S. of the 1920ies created a very hostile environment for ethnic and racial minorities, as Lucas W. Parrish’s 1921 s
Topic Characteristics The thesis will focus on the influences of modernity on Islamic architecture and geometry as well as examine whether they should be mitigated in order to preserve traditional design solutions. The principal reason why architects engage in the process of unremitting honing of their specialized skill is to ensure that they make possible “the continuation into the future of valuable qualities of the environment, form, texture, material, and of detail and decoration, that would otherwise disappear” (Steele 18). In the Middle East, the construction of intricate environments that incorporate regional spatial organizations and rhythmic design components can be regarded as the natural result of progression in cultural norms and beliefs of society as a whole. After the First World War, new technologies have made possible the proliferation of construction materials, thereby allowing a high level of standardization of urban infrastructure (Sabouni and Vanegas 199). This development has led to architects exploring new applications of geometry and seeking new forms to realize functional needs created by the availability of innovative materials (Alami 39). The unique dynamics of economic development enhanced by changing socio-cultural environment have triggered the creation of new architectural types. This evolution has necessitated the provision of effective solutions to the problem of “finding an individual character that combined the heritage of historical regional building traditions with the expression for a modern society” (Sabouni and Vanegas 200). Islamic architecture, which can be regarded as the actualization of cultural needs of the Middle East, is inspired to a significant extent by religious perceptions of God. Therefore, it can be argued that the notions of tradition hinge on the necessity to preserve a physical locus of the religious message (Steele 19). Given that Islamic architecture and, to a lesser extent, geometry are value-loaded traditions, it is particularly important to investigate whether they benefit from changes introduced by modernity. Problem In the age of stylistic pluralism, it is extremely difficult to critically assess the impact of modernity on Islamic geometry and architecture. Even though numerous
There are three options available for the Ashburn project.   * Lease an existing box store.   * Open a store within the Ashburn Mall.   * Continue operations as normal with no new store. An additional variable would be whether or not to conduct a feasibility survey before proceeding with the project.   * The cost of the survey is $20,000 and has a strong chance of being favorable. The Decision Tree Method The choice to use the decision tree is based on it providing an easy to comprehend format by placing all decisions in a graphical layout. This allows for ease of explanation for the decisions, showing positive and negative variables and gives an almost instantaneous “cause and effect” evaluation of each potential decision. In addition to this, the concept of decision tree allows for comparison of elements of a concept which can be looked at concurrently and their importance, vitality and/or centrality to the decision under consideration can be made from their analysis and study (Yuan & Shaw,1995). It is in this regard that Yuan & Shaw (1995) surmise that decision tree method is one authentic decision making method that gives least chances of error, incompetence and poor judgment (Yuan & Shaw,1995, p. 127).   * Reasons to use the decision tree:       + Simple – Very easy to understand and interpret;       + Flexible – Can be adjusted to describe different situations;       + Replication – The results of a given situation can be replicated mathematically.       + Compatibility – This method is highly compatible with other analytical techniques.   * Decision trees consist of three (3) types of nodes:       + Decision Nodes – Commonly shown as squares;       + Chance Nodes – Commonly shown as circles;       + End Nodes – Commonly shown as triangles. It is in this regard therefore that when the path with the highest potential is followed, it can clearly be seen that conducting the survey and selecting the stand alone store would be the most beneficial decision. Shuzworld’s expansion recommendation   * Based on the decision tree, it is recommended that Shuzworld conduct the feasibility survey and proceed with the stand-alone “box” store.   * The potential from this method shows a high chance of a favorable market, and estimated returns of $350,000.00. Factors of concern Factors to consider for the location of a new store   * Accessibility.   * Cost of establishment. Additional factors to consider would be:   * Transportation Costs.   * Communication Costs.   * Advertising and Promotion Costs. Accessibility – this involves how convenient a location of the business for Shuzworld is to its potential customers. When Shuzworld is located as a stand alone, it is much closer to the town center as compare
Aquabumps accepts adverts on its website and it has gained a lot of recognition and respect from various readers and companies that have visited the site as far as adverts are concerned. Most of the readers’ who visit this site are aged between 22- 29 years (Aquabumps 2010, p. 9). This means that Aquabumps site is suitable for advertising for many companies. Because this age bracket is composed of youths, it will attract companies that deal in products that will likely suit the youthful population. These companies include; Mobile communication companies like Sawytel, Beauty product companies, Clothing companies, Magazine companies and other lifestyle companies. This is because they have products that are mostly used by youths. As a matter of fact, the site has 35,000 readers (Aquabumps 2010, p. 13). This therefore presents a good opportunity for these companies to market their brands. To market the site to various advertisers, the company can come up with banner programs that will entice more visitors. In addition, the company can create an online forum that will be attached to the website to attract advertisers (Aquabumps 2010, p.11). The company can also offer incentives to users and visitors to promote the website to various advertisers. Lock up engines can also be vital in marketing the website to potential advertisers. On the other hand, the company can also use traditional advertising methods like newspapers, billboards and stationery. There are various unique benefits that this site will offer them. The site has 35,000 readers and this offers them a very large base to their market the products. In addition, it offers companies an opportunity to reach affluent individuals that are based in Sydney (Aquabumps 2010, p. 15). As a matter of fact, it has a community