ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Environmental issues often seem to have implied consequences or costs that tend to be left unattended. As such, climate change is thought to be a grave disaster for our planet, but it is not always clear what consequences it has for people in various aspects of their lives. To my mind, economic implications are one of the most concerning because the economy is one of the pillars of modern society. The Economic Implications of Climate Change One of the main economic implications of climate change is the shift in people’s needs. For generations, people who used the Earth’s natural resources have no knowledge or concern for their exhaustibility. By producing goods from them, humanity has harmed the planet and undermined its ecological stability seeking only economic profit. This economic profit certainly seems to have raised living standards providing the masses with better, food, clothing, shelter, recreations, and other benefits of civilized society. However, the quality of life, as we have soon realized does not depend solely on the number of goods we can purchase. In modern times, science has allowed humanity to see the global consequences of its actions. The knowledge of what climate change is and that it happens, among other things, due to the harmful influence of human economic activity became a universally acknowledged fact. Having realized that should we continue to operate in such a manner, our home will face the situation most dire, and all progress we have achieved in making our life comfortable could be undone, humanity has started to adjust its economic priorities. As a matter of fact, the primal element of the production, natural resources, and the impact of their processing has been reconsidered. Today, people are becoming increasingly concerned about what damage their production causes to nature and how much it contributes to climate change. For instance, it became popular to pay more for goods that are made without considerable damage to our planet or environmentally-friendly goods. The demand for eco-friendly solutions has skyrocketed in many spheres such as the car industry, food, clothing, housing, and so on. The supply has adapted to the trend and now people have electric cars that do not pollute the environment and, therefore, slow down the advent of climatic changes. We have food grown with no pesticides spread on the fields polluting the soil, which stops disturbing the ecological balance in that regard (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2015). Our ho
Introduction Green Procurement Green procurement has been recognized as an effective means of reducing unwanted environmental effects related to production, distribution, and consumption of products around the world since the 1980s (Emmett and Vivek, 2010). It is a concept that has drawn heated debates among business owners and other stakeholders. According to Worthington (2009) “There is no single definition of sustainable procurement-not least because sustainability is a contested concept-and applications vary across organizational hierarchy and sector”. However, Farahani (2009) thinks otherwise and gives a definition by explaining that “green procurement, also known as sustainable procurement is a spending and investment process typically associated with public policy, although it is equally applicable to the private sector”. The topic, which is widely linked to the wider agenda of sustainable development, has in the recent past been a point of interest for many businesses, governments, organizations and other stakeholders. The level of acceptability among businesses and organizations for a long time has widely varied with the industry and region a business is in. However, this is slowly changing as more countries take the issue up with importance and relevance to their economy and environment. According to Friend and Nicholas (2009), “There is a general acceptance in many countries that it involves a higher degree of collaboration and engagement between all parties in a supply chain”. As acceptability continues to grow in more industries, “many businesses have adopted a broad interpretation of sustainable procurement and have developed tools and techniques to support this engagement and collaboration” (Phyper and Paul, 2009). Aim of the study Perform an in-depth analysis of the development of green procurement in Hong Kong. Objectives   * Explore the true situation of green procurement development among different industries and the different size of organizations in Hong Kong   * Research on their knowledge of green procurement   * Explore the genuine obstacles as well as incentives for the organizations to implement green procurement   * Investigate how the external factors such as globalization and CSR affect the organization to introduce the green procurement   * Analyze/forecast the future development of green procurement in Hong Kong   * Present recommendations on how to improve and accelerate the development of green procurement in Hong Kong Purpos
Introduction Established in the year 1972, DONG Energy is the largest of all energy production companies in the country of Denmark. Its headquarters are also situated here, with a significant amount of its work going into the production of energy both on and off land. The company was started as a company to provide energy to the state, with the original title of Dansk Naturgas A/S being changed at the beginning of the last decade to its current name DONG, which stands for Dansk Olie org Naturgas A/S. In this case study, research and analysis of the company over a period of ten years or will be done. The case study will make use of the company’s annual reports for 10 years including both primary and secondary sources together with other publicly available sources. Literature Review There is scanty literature detailing the performance of DONG Energy in the Danish and international markets. The secret to the performance of a company is based on the implementation of the recommendations in most of the case studies done in time. In history, most of the companies that triumphed can be studied to indicate the necessary steps towards profitability (McCraw 1998). Companies should have clear strategies on how they will meet their objectives. This helps in the consolidation of profits in the various operations. According to Micklethwait and Wooldridge (2003), the average performance of a company can be gauged from the financial returns that it posts every year. Methodology The case study will utilise primary and secondary sources to derive the statistical performance of the company through a period of ten years beginning 2002. The use of secondary sources will be significant as it provides information that is not widely available in the literature. Some gaps in the literature concerning the performance of the company will be analysed using the sources, with the data being quoted in the case study. Qualitative and quantitative research methods will also be utilised in the study, with the different sources being analysed in this form. The information from the literature review and sources will then be presented in a logical and meaningful manner. Company Analysis The performance of DONG Energy Company over the past decade can be effectively evaluated using the annual reports that the company posts. These have the necessary financial and technical performance indices necessary for the company. In the 2012 annual report, for example, the company prided itself as being among the leaders in the energy business, with the main roles being the procuring production and distribution of energy in the region including energy trade (DONG Energy A/S Annual Report 2012, p. 2). The company also reported having 7000 employees, with the headquarters still in Denmark. The 7000 employees are an increase from 1,043 it employed in 2004 who were also more than the 996 that were employed in the year 2005 (DONG Energ
Nowadays, almost all kids use the Internet in order to get access to an immense database of information on entertainment, study, and travel among others. Unfortunately, the Internet is not only a great way of sharing information but also a network allowing predators to pursue their unhealthy interests and fixations. Many pedophiles use modern IT technologies in order to locate and interact with children in a horrifyingly efficient manner, making adolescents more exposed to abuse than ever before. Even though the idea of predators approaching teens and preteens in the comfort of their own rooms via webcams and chat platforms is a horrifying image, it happens more often than any society would like to admit. Most online pedophiles are males (Holmes & Holmes, 2009). They usually suffer from low self-esteem, fear of intimacy, and often display a lack of empathy (TheLip TV, 2015). According to Holmes and Holmes (2009), the majority of child predators “had some form of child pornography in their possession at the time of arrest” (p. 113). It means that there is a connection between watching explicit materials involving children, which is in itself a form of child abuse, and becoming a molester (DOJ, 2015; Internet Safety 101, 2016). Online predators seeking to exploit a young person can pretend to be a child in order to establish trust. Sometimes they reveal their true age and pose as individuals who are especially interested in a child’s hobbies and activities. As a part of the grooming process, online predators might engage in flattery and gift-giving. They explore information posted by children and teens on their personal profiles in social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr among others in order to learn more about a child’s personality which will allow them to better manipulate their victims (Swan, 2015). These social media apps, and especially ones like Kik and Tinder that are not supposed to be used by underage individuals, open the door to people who are willing to use them for inappropriate purposes. Even the most benign apps like Snapchat and Reddit can expose children and teenagers to adult content and make them an easy target for victimization (Swan, 2015). In order to deter criminal behavior aimed at children and teenagers online, law enforcement agencies, tech giants like Google and Facebook as well as nonprofit projects like the Thorn Lab develop new solutions for identifying and locating predators (O’Brien, 2015). A web-based application recently launched by the Thorn Lab allows identifying 2,186 traffickers and predators per year (Thorn, 2017, para. 4). The tool has significantly streamlined the process of victim and perpetrator identification, thereby saving 60 percent of the critical time on average (Thorn, 2017, para. 4). In add
The tragedy of Oedipus is a popular, dark, and constantly reimagined theatrical production. Although created thousands of years ago, this play revolves around the main character Oedipus and a prophecy. His father Laisus heard that his son would murder him and marry his wife, so he left his baby to die on a mountainside. This baby was found by others and raised in another village. Eventually, Laisus and Oedipus crossed each other on the road, had a disagreement, and Laisus was murdered by Oedipus. Oedipus eventually came to the city that Laisus had ruled and became king, while in the process marrying the king’s widow, Jocasta. As the play progresses Oedipus and his mother figure out what has actually transpired, and Jocasta takes her own life, while Oedipus blinds himself and is forced into exile, where he eventually dies. There have been many reiterations of this famous Greek tragedy. This production by Sir Tyrone Guthrie does an excellent job of visually displaying the core of this story, darkness. Dark, disturbing, and chilling are all excellent adjectives for this type of play and the Guthrie version takes all of this into account. First of all, the set is very simple, encompassing a basic stage design with a few columns as a backdrop. Most of the props and costumes follow this theme accompanied by a low level of light. These characteristics do a phenomenal job with metaphorically describing the subject matter the audience is seeing, which is horrific and eerie. Seemingly, Guthrie is more focused on the subject matter giving an aura to his productions, rather than flashy sets and complicated costumes. The finer details that Guthrie includes show his personal touches, which results in the performance being excellent instead of adequate. The aforementioned costumes, whose simple design of scary masks and simple robes are incredible. Moreover, the masks show the actors mouth so voice control and body language are key elements in the performance. Additions such as prosthetic hands and tattered props gave the play the select details that allow the audience to have a truly haunting experience. There were quite a few characters and extras involved in this theatrical production. However, I felt that the most memorable were Oedipus, Jocasta, Creon, and Tiresias. The individual playing Tiresias did an excellent job with showing that the information he carried psychology and physically was a burden, as well as using body language and voice cues to make the most of the character’s screen time. Creon showed that he was tough and allowed the audience to wonder if he was truly Oedipus’s enemy. Jocasta was very strong throughout the play, but especially at the end, when the horrific truth was exposed. Lastly, I felt that Oedipus stole the show by beginning as an arrogant kingly figure, but as the play progressed became emotionally dissected and essentially opposite to
Human freedom has been a constantly discussed subject over the last century. In schools, students are taught that freedom is one of life’s pillars. It is for this reason that freedom has been redefined a number of times by various contributors. One of the people who have forwarded their own definition of freedom is French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. In his book “Being and Nothingness”, Sartre expresses his views on what consists of human freedom and lays down the frameworks of his definition. In a summary definition Sartre divides his philosophy into two, “for-itself” and the “in-itself”. The “for-itself” is simply the definition that takes into account the conscious part of human beings. The in-itself takes into consideration the non-conscious part of human beings. According to Sartre, even though these two divisions seem separate, they are linked in the sense that the “for-itself” is just a part of the “in-itself”. Sartre continues to explain that freedom is the central factor in human beings and it is permanently connected to the “for-itself” or consciousness. Accordingly, even if it seems like an unconventional idea, human beings are always free. The notion that there are scenarios in which this freedom can fail to be exercised is therefore untrue. In the end, Sartre’s definition of freedom is that it is the mode of being conscious. This freedom is the one that provides a new manner of looking at things. For Sartre’s philosophy to be understood, its foundation has to be explained. The foundation of this theory is the existence of the conscious and th
Housing crisis before 1990s and after 2000 The oil crisis The United States economy was hit hard by the oil crisis which occurred in 1973 as a result of Middle East countries curtailing their oil supply to the US. This led to oil shortages culminating into price hikes. The ultimate result was accelerated economic downturn. According to Fox (para. 10), the economic downturn affected the housing industry negatively. For example, decline in consumer purchasing power led to a decline in demand for homes. In addition, a large number of home buyers cancelled their home purchasing agreements. This led to a massive slump in the price of homes and hence a decline in home sales. Increase in consumer demand According to Wright (38), post war America was characterized by a large number of poor citizens who were competing for affordable houses. The post war period was characterized by a significant number of Americans were living below poverty level. According to Wright (38), the rate was 13% during 1980s. On the other hand, the housing industry did not have sufficient number of units to cater for the rising demand. The rise in demand and the subsequent decline in housing unit led to a rise in the cost of housing as illustrated in the graph below. In 1970s the average price of a single unit was $23,000. As a result of rising demand, the price increased to $ 62,200 and $70, 300 in 1980 and 1983 respectively. The median monthly rent for a unit increased from $108 in 1970 to $ 243 in 1980 and $ 343 in 1983. This represents a significant rise in housing price within one decade. Subprime mortgages and increase in home supply In the 21 st century, United States experienced a rampant growth of the housing industry. Until 2006, price in the housing industry was on an upward trend. The lucrative nature of the industry led to a large number of investors venturing the industry. In an effort to increase their profit, financial institutions issued undertook financial engineering by incorporating adjusted rate mortgages (ARMS) to individuals whose credit worthiness was relatively low (Reinhart 1). This means that they increased their lending capacity making it possible for individuals with low creditworthiness to own homes. The ARMS had a relatively high rate of interest compared to conventional mortgages. This arises from the fact that the rate was fixed for certain duration. Upon adjusting the rate, the rate was increased making it costly for individuals to refinance their mortgages.
Attention Getter Alzheimer’s disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, accounting for more than 70% of dementia cases in the country, and it currently affects about 500,000 people in the United Kingdom. Most people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease are above 65 years old, and around 6% of patients experienced the early onset of the disease between the age of 40-60 years (Cummings, Isaacson, Schmitt, & Velting, 2015). Thesis Statement Despite the fact that there is no effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, scientists discovered that dancing could help reduce the severity of the disorder as this activity involves simultaneous brain functioning, which helps to affect damaged nerve cells in the brain and predict the cognitive decline. Introduction Alzheimer’s disease is one of the dementia types that affect older people’s memory, thinking, communication, and behavior. Possible causes of this disorder are the death of brain cells. Symptoms progress slowly, they become chronic, and at the last stages, people’s cognitive function becomes greatly affected, preventing them from carrying out daily routines (Byrd, 2014). Although there is no complete cure for the disease, social dancing is viewed as a therapy for activating the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus, enabling their cells to regenerate. What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?   * Alzheimer’s disease is a specific neurodegenerative disorder that is known for causing dementia, and it results in memory loss and problems in thinking, communication, and problem-solving (Wolfe, 2016).   * The disease specifically leads to the inadequacy of essential chemicals, which are responsible for transmitting signals in the brain, performing their functions, and connect nerve cells (Klimova & Kuca, 2015).   * Most people who have Alzheimer’s disease are over the age of 65, although younger people can also suffer from the disease (Cummings et al., 2015). This disorder is progressive, which means the failure of cognitive performance develops gradually, and more symptoms develop as the brain damage increases. What is the Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease?   * Alzheimer’s disease results from the accumulation of proteins in the brain, forming some plaques that cause synaptic and neuronal impairments or the breakage of links between nerve cells (Klimova & Kuca, 2015).   * The actual cause of Alzheimer’s disorder is not found, but scientists agree that the disease affects brain performance and psycho-behavioral function.   * People with Alzheimer’s disease live about five years after diagnosing the disorder, but physical exercising and social dancing can contribute to improving the state (Wolfe, 2016). Is Dancing a Cure?   * Currently, Alzheimer’s disease cannot be treated completely, but research projects to develop effective interventions are organized in different countries.   * Dancing is a physiotherapy treatment that facilitates the neuroplasticity of the brain. The reason is that dancing requires quick decision-making that leads to the development of new neural pathways (Klimova & Kuca, 2015).   * Similar to physic
Australia, in common with many other industrialized countries in the 1990s, has experienced a shift towards individualism in labor law and labor market regulation. This has been part of a wider change as governments have opened up domestic markets to international competition, while rethinking the protections provided by the welfare state. Business has demanded deregulation of all kinds but particularly in the labor market, with the aim of achieving greater flexibility and efficiency in the utilization of labor. The original aims of the Federal arbitration legislation were to prevent strikes and lockouts, to provide for conciliation ‘with a view to amicable agreement between the parties’ or, in default of that, to settle disputes by an ‘equitable award’ after compulsory arbitration. 2 The original framers of compulsory arbitration believed that collective groups of employers and employees would naturally tend to settle their differences by conciliation and agreement, and most likely on an industry- wide basis. The very existence of formal and compulsory mechanisms for conciliation and arbitration would induce parties ‘to make as between themselves agreements in regard to the conduct of the particular trade or business in which they are engaged. Then this Act will bind them. The adoption of this system meant that unions did not need to gain recognition from employers. Under compulsory arbitration, unions were recognized by the state. As long as they were registered under the arbitration system they could notify a dispute with an employer (or employer association) and thereby invoke the compulsory processes of conciliation and arbitration. Ultimately a union could seek to have the tribunal impose an award on the employer which gave the union and its members both substantive and procedural rights. Registered unions were also able to make enforceable collective agreements with employers. The method chosen for making agreements legally enforceable was different from that used in many other systems. Rather than treating collective agreements as contracts, the arbitration system gave unions a special though limited legal status, enabling them to enter into particular kinds of agreements regulated by statute and supervised by tribunals separate from the ordinary courts. Thus awards and agreements were not fully integrated into the legal system as occurred in many European countries. Breach of an industrial agreement was not a breach of contract entitling the innocent party to compensatory damages but, like breach of an award, a contravention of a statutory obligation resulting in a penalty similar in nature to a fine. In practice, though, it has also been common for parties to obtain an injunctive order compelling the other party to observe the award or agreement The upshot of the particular historical circumstances in which the compulsory arbitration system was developed, which determined the particular legal form for bargaining and regulation, is that individual and collective labor agreements have been quite different in their juridical nature and form. Collective agreements registered under the arbitration system are part of the public law since