ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The Declaration of Independence, as a document, was subject to many revisions before the final copy was unanimously endorsed. The revisions and improvements of the draft copies of the Declaration of Independence were aimed at improving the clarity of arguments attempted at winning over as many Americans as possible and to make the document politically correct. The first major difference amongst the three versions of the Declaration of Independence is the title of the declaration itself. Both the first draft and the reported draft do not mention unanimity. However, the engrossed draft declares that, the declaration is “the unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America” (“The Declaration of Independence” Row 1). The engrossed copy mentions unanimity because the drafters of this final copy recognized that they had to present a united declaration that would gain the support of all the thirteen colonies. Probably, the drafters concluded that projecting and attaining unity amongst all the colonies was important in the war effort because unity would boost the morale of the citizens in the colonies as they fought the revolution war. Another difference occurs when the first and second drafts mention the fact that the King “has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant…for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures” (Row 7); the first draft does not mention this. This addition in the second draft and the engrossed copy was made to pre-empt any argument that the British leadership attempted to infringe Americans’ prerogative to present their grievances to relevant legislative bodies. The addition was also made to ensure that common citizen, reading the declaration, appreciated the fact that presenting grievances to the British-controlled legislative bodies would be an exercise in futility. Furthermore, as opposed to the first draft, both the reported draft and the engrossed copy contain the additional phrase “without the consent of our legislatures” (“The Declaration of Independence” Row 13), to the argument of the King placing standing armies amongst the colonies in times of peace. The addition of this phrase in the reported draft and the engrossed copy is an attempt to portray the erstwhile belligerent nature of the King, who would come across as a leader ready to whip the colonies back in line through military means whenever a disagreement with the colonies arose. The phrase mentions the fact that the armies are placed in peacetime and without the consent of the legislatures of the colonies; therefore, the phrase is meant to further show the powerless nature of the colonial le
Introduction Since the formation of the United States, the family unit has occupied a central position. This unit has been hailed as the most important component of the society and it is considered to be the basic building block of the society. This idea is informed by the fact that the aggregation of families is what led to the advancement of the human civilization. Governments all over the world have therefore taken a keen interest on the family unit. In the US, there exists a legal definition of the family construct. This definition is provided by State and Local laws and ordinances. The US government has historically provided the legal definition with the aim of maintaining a civil society. However, there have been recent debates on how the family should be legally defined in the US. These debates have been sparked by the feeling that the government should not have the sole role of defining what constitutes a family. There are already calls for the government to abolish the universal definition for the term “family” in the US. Such a move would lead to a more flexible definition of the term to suit the needs of individuals. This paper will set out to discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of not having a universal definition for the term “family” in the United States. Advantages Not having a universal definition of “family” will ensure that individuals are able to enjoy more meaningful relationships with the people they choose to relate to. When using a legal definition, people are connected to other people they might not even know of. A legal definition binds people to relatives even when no emotional, physical, or economic attachment exists between or among the individuals (De Lamadrid, 2013). Without a universal definition of the term family, people can form unions based on tangible things. The connections could occur based on the emotional, physical, and economic dependency of individuals on one another. These unions would be stronger and more meaningful than those formed based on blood ties or kinship. An important benefit of not having a universal definition of family is that it would overcome the current discrimination experienced by individuals who do not fit into the traditional family model. The legal definition of the family contributes to the bias against minority groups such as gays and lesbians. By defining the family unit, the government effectively stipulates what is to be considered “normal” or “acceptable” (Kelly, 2009). In so doing, the authorities inadvertently contribute to the stigma towards these minorities who are regarded as deviant. Kelly (2009) observes that there has been an increasing prevalent of “alternative
Mass media has become an integral part of human lives and it has a significant impact on individuals’ values and beliefs which, in turn, define the way people act. The topic of exposure to violence in mass media and a consequent probability of developing more aggressive behaviors is widely investigated and discussed in the literature. In this paper, the relevant evidence provided in three recent scholarly articles will be summarized. Overall, research findings verify the assumption that media violence increases the risk of aggression in real life. Such a conclusion is made in all three of the reviewed articles by Anderson et al. (2017), Coyne (2016), and Tanwar and Priyanka (2016). The mechanisms through which such a detrimental effect is achieved include the normalization of aggression, which means that abuse and other types of violence become regarded as something normal (Coyne, 2016). Additionally, Anderson et al. (2017) note that long-term exposure to media violence leads to desensitization to violence and automatization of aggression-associated scripts, while short-term effects comprise psychological arousal and imitation. Considering that people learn about the world from mass media, its impact on developing personalities of children and adolescents can be particularly profound. As Tanwar and Priyanka (2016) state, due to the lack of experience, children frequently cannot discern fantasy from reality. Thus, they are prone to adopting aggressive models of conflict resolution, especially when they watch TV shows capturing violence too much. However, age, duration of exposure, and the type of media are not the only factors determining the behavioral outcomes. Anderson et al. (2017) observe that the overall cultural background plays a role as well. For instance, they found that the magnitude of detrimental effects due to media exposure was lower in Japan and much higher in the United States and China (Anderson et al., 2017). It means that values and beliefs promoted in the macro-cultural environment can either mitigate or foster media-influenced aggression. Nevertheless, regardless of possible insignificant differences due to cultural upbringing, the media can induce aggressive behaviors in individuals living across the world.
Introduction Yahoo Incorporation should use appropriate strategies to become a leading player in its industry. The design options (Product and Geographic) recommended in Module 2 can support Yahoo’s business objectives. The firm should also use the best Six Sigma Drivers to improve the competitiveness of its products (Carlson, 2015). The managers should also focus on the best leadership practices. The power of research and development (R&D) will ensure the firm competes successfully in the global market. The company should also use the four governance levers to formulate a powerful business strategy. This essay offers the best value-adding roles that can make Yahoo successful. Yahoo’s Operating Model: Design Rights It is agreeable that Yahoo Incorporation uses a powerful model to achieve its goals. The firm supports a hybrid operating model. The company has different departments and units. However, such units embrace common approaches to achieve the best outcomes. Most of the systems in every unit are also common. Similar talents are expected in every unit. Yahoo uses the best corporate practices to add value. Yahoo’s corporate functions have been effective in promoting the best practices (Kesler & Kates, 2010). This operating model is currently supporting the company’s goals. Yahoo Inc. operates different units and departments. Every department has a qualified manager. Such managers ensure every activity is completed successfully. However, the “power of corporate oversight of knowledge, capital, and talent makes it easier for the company to achieve its goals” (Carlson, 2015, p. 92). The firm has a CEO whose role is to promote the best practices. This operating model creates a simple matrix. This simple hierarchy makes it easier for Yahoo to achieve its objectives. The firm has established “different departments such as Finance, Product Development, Advertising, and Marketing in order to achieve the targeted outcomes” (Carlson, 2015, p. 52). Every department has a leader who makes the best decisions. The leader also promotes best practices. The duty of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is to ensure every function produces the best outcomes. Application of the Four Governance Levers Yahoo Incorporation uses the four governance levers to support its business strategy. Diagnostic systems are used to track the performance of different departments. This strategy makes it easier for Yahoo to achieve its goals. Different managers at the firm use this lever to channel the right resources. This practice supports the firm’s goals. Yahoo has also been using different belief systems to empower its employees. The system seeks “to empower different managers, salespeople, and clerical personnel” (Carlson, 2015, p. 72). Every employee is encouraged to focus on the best goals. The practice also “produces the best employee-relationships in the organization” (Abdullah & Mehmood, 2013, p. 1609). The company also uses bounda
Events that strengthened the antislavery movement before the Civil War The infamous American Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865 in America. This upheaval was mainly catalyzed by the controversial issue of slavery. According to historians, there are various events that are believed to have strengthened or informed the antislavery movement that emerged before the war. The first one was the introduction of a newspaper by the name The Liberator that was against any form of servitude. 1 The death of Elijah P. Lovejoy has also been cited by historians as one of these events. Other occurrences included the formation of the American Colonization Society, the John Brown Movement, and the Compromise of 1850. The early years of the 1800s led to the Second Great Awakening in New England. This revolution focused on the best moral values and singled out slavery as a sin against mankind. Followers of this movement believed that every individual’s life was precious and valuable. These ideals were shared in the South since many people acknowledged that slavery was wrong. The American Colonization Society of 1817 was aimed at transporting African Americans to Liberia. This move was appreciated by some people since it appeared to address the problem of subjugation. At the same time, many groups that were against the malpractice believed that the right time had come for America to establish a neutral society that promoted equality. 2 From this dis
From the podcast, I have come to learn and appreciate several things about the world Economy as it has been for the last few years. For instance, I have discovered that by April 2008, the world economy was not badly off. The global pool of money at that time was about 70 to 80 trillion, US dollars which was in form of fixed income securities. This kind of money is far much more than the money spent in the world each year. It is very crucial that the money is kept safe as it supports the world’s economic development. I have also learned that the economic recession that the world is experiencing today started when the world investment managers decided to invest the money in the world economic pool, with the aim of increasing it. Even though they wanted to invest this money, they were not armed with appropriate investment strategies. They contemplated on putting the money in a low risk investment with minimal interest rates and came up with residential mortgages as the most appropriate form of investment. However, there emerged a chain of brokers between the world’s economic pool and the common man. As a result, the interest rates of the mortgages went up. On the other hand, the pressure to sell more mortgages by the brokers was rising, making them less strict on the securities. They started asking for a ‘stated income verified asset’ as the form of security. This was followed by the ‘no income verified asset’, then came the ‘no income no asset’. This is where a mortgage would be sold to you without substantiating if you had any money or assets. These ways of securing their loans were very unsafe as they could lead to fraudulent transactions as well as defaults in cases of death. The banks did not mind defaulters to a great extent as they could own the houses which were more valuable than what they got from the loans. From the banks’ estimates, they were doing fine as the rate of foreclosure was projected to be at about three percent. Little did they know that a good number of their clients were giving them the wrong data. In reality, the rate of foreclosure was higher than estimated. Moreover, the banks gave loans recklessly. They loaned money to people without verifying their assets, unwary of the fact that some were even jobless. Several mortgages were sold to poor people who could not afford to pay back. In the process, majority of people lost their houses while others kept them but had difficulties in repaying them. Even though the mortgage relief plan substantially reduced the interest rates of some of those who were having difficulties in repaying their loans, others had accumulated very huge debts and have since stopped repaying, awaiting foreclosure. This irresponsible partnership between the banks and the clients greatly contributed to the global economic crises. This whole process had
The highly innovational data collection is one of the most useful and controversial measures invented by people. Privacy concerns have already arisen the problems in social networks, which might sell the users’ data to third parties. Similar worries have awoken for the value of big data in medicine as it might ignite discrimination and other unwanted consequences. For instance, employers examine the genetic data of potential workers, or health insurance companies raise their bills according to the information collected from patients’ phones (Price & Cohen, 2019). This essay addresses the issue of privacy in health care services and examines the role of medical professionals in tackling the problem. Big data in medicine is crucial for several studies directed to improving the health service quality. It can help assess the efficiency of a particular type of drug, monitor the patient’s condition after the treatment, evaluate the doctor’s performance, or help to develop some scientific hypothesis (Price & Cohen, 2019). However, such mass data collection is a serious downside: violation of the privacy of patients, who might be subjected to negative consequences of giving access to their personal information (Gostin et al., 2018). This disadvantage is the reason behind the slow development of the named approach. As health care workers are the professionals who are most likely to use the collected knowledge, they can significantly assist in resolving this problem.
Introduction This paper aims to describe the incidents that led to the death of law enforcement officers (LEOs), who worked in different police departments. In particular, it is necessary to focus on their experience in the field, line of work, the structure and jurisdiction of their departments. More importantly, we also need to specify the circumstances that led to the fatal incident. Sergeant Paul Avery Starzyk The first police report refers to Sergeant Paul Avery Starzyk, who was killed in the line of duty on Saturday, September 6, 2008, at the age of forty-seven. At that moment he was 47 years old 1 . It is known that he had a wife and three children, whose names and addresses are not disclosed. His tour of duty was twelve years (ODMP, unpaged). Sergeant Starzyk worked in Martinez Police Department as a patrol officer. This department consists of two divisions. The first division provides administrative services; it includes records supervisors, dispatch supervisors, administrative sergeants, and investigation sergeants. The second division is primarily occupied with field operations (Martinez Police Department, unpaged). At the given moment, this organization employs forty-five employees. Its territorial jurisdiction spreads over the City of Martinez, and nearby rural areas. It has to authority to patrol the community and investigate computer and financial crimes, property theft, juvenile delinquency, and so forth. Sergeant Paul Avery Starzyk was murdered while responding to the gunfire in a beauty shop or hair salon, to be more exact. The ex-husband of an employee burst into the shop and began to threaten his spouse and display the gun. The sergeant waited until the arrival of another LEO, who came within seconds, and together they entered the shop. The assailant fired several shots from a.38 caliber revolver at the police officers and one of the bullets hit above the protective vest. In his turn, the corporal, who accompanied Sergeant Starzyk, shot two rounds at the suspect and killed him at the scene. Immediately afterward Sergeant Starzyk was sent to the hospital, where he passed away the same day (FBI, unpaged). The identity of the suspect has not been disclosed by the authority. According to some sources, he was an estranged husband of the salon’s owner (
Issues faced by Edmunds Although Edmunds has been making decent profits in the last couple of years, lately, however, the company’s revenues have stagnated, and this is a cause for alarm to Larry, the company’s owner. In addition, most of the employees are old now almost nearing retirement and the management is finding it hard to replace its workforce. This is because the best and brightest people in the locality cannot be expected to take local jobs like their parents did many years ago. They will most likely head to the city in search of better jobs. In addition, those left behind lacked the work ethics that Larry desires to see in his workforce (Daft, 2008, p. 266). The cost of raw material was also very high, and this has been brought about by a sharp rise in steel prices. However, Larry was mainly concerned with the changes that the box industry has witnessed in the last couple of years. To start with, the box industry had already been hit by recession a number of times. Consequently, demand for the products had fluctuated, thereby affecting the manufacturing output. Lately, reusable plastic containers and flexible plastic films were also reappearing, and it was still not clear the level to which they would affect the demand for products in the box industry (Daft, 2008, p. 267). Moreover, the paper industry in the US had undergone consolidation, wiping many of the plants served by Edmunds. The remaining survivors either opted for joint ventures abroad, or opened overseas operations (Stodghill, 2005). The surviving manufacturers opted to purchase higher quality machines and because they did not breakdown too often, they only required very few parts from Edmunds. Strategy for addressing the situation at hand Seeing that the export industry in the US had already attained its maturity stage, there are very few prospects for growth in this industry. As such, Edmunds should consider exporting its products to overseas markets where the demand for its products is still high, or where the company can still stimulate demand. Such a move would help to increase the company’s sales volume and in the process, increase revenue. In addition, the company should also consider entering into a joint venture with an overseas company in an emerging or developing economy to benefit from affordable raw materials, reduced cost of production, and affordable labor. This would help Edmunds to save money spent buying raw materials, thereby increasing revenue. In addition, the company could also benefit from cheap and available labor, thereby helping to overcome the problem of the retiring employees. Moreover, since the local young people who would be expected to replace the aging workforce have no desire to work for local companies, this strategy would be essential for Edmunds because it would ensure continuity of the human resource. Elements in the strategy that would be the hardest to implement Entering into a joint venture with a foreign company would be a difficult strategy to implement. This is because of the difficulty in identifying an organ
The role of participation and social involvement is one of the things that most people take for granted, rarely considering the impact of the social assessment system and the related issues. However, when it comes to major social problems, such as a global crisis, or a rapid economical, financial, or social decline in a specific state or a part of a state due to specific conditions, the importance of the social assessment system and the role of the stakeholders come into the open. Taking a closer look at the two aforementioned phenomena and the associated issues, one can evaluate the importance of social involvement and, probably, come up with the means to improve the existing system. When talking about the social assessment and the stakeholder analysis, one must mention several key points that allow for a better understanding of the issue. To start with, the phenomenon of the social assessment must be defined. According to the exis