ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Studies indicate that drug trafficking in the US has exerted immense challenge on drug law enforcement agencies to maintain an all round security on the borders to prevent drug dealers in the US. Currently, the US is one of the leading and most profitable drugs dealing market. Persky (2012) posits that in the US, scores of people, vehicles and ships deals in illegal drugs such as methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin and cocaine. The problem of drug trafficking has immensely impacted on the security and lives of many individuals and especially young people. It is against this backdrop that this paper takes a critical look at the challenge posed by drugs and argues that drug trafficking in the US has become one of the most challenging problems due to negative impacts associated with attraction of aggressive, sophisticated and most ruthless drug traffickers. Although drug trafficking has remained a threat to individuals and the US government at large, it is imperative to note that the distribution of drugs is carried out by different groups of people. One of the major suppliers of drugs is criminal groups which smuggle cocaine and heroine from South America and other parts of the world into the US. These criminal groups smuggle drugs in large qualities and most of it go through the major entry points along the US/Mexico border. Acharya (2011) notes that the US has remained a major target by drug traffickers for many years due to the nature of the market which makes it easy to facilitate distribution. However, it is worth noting that the rate of drug trafficking has dropped in the last few years mainly due to the currently intensified fight against the menace. However, the fight is considered to be far from over in the sense that the same problem is highly recurrent in other states that lack effective human, financial capital or the necessary goodwill to address the problem. In spite of the fact that the problem of drug trafficking has recently become the center of controversy as traffickers continue intensifying their distribution to effect their unethical objectives, mechanisms to address the problem have equally been heightened. Of particular consideration at this point is the fact that drug trafficking has major negative effects a consideration that is raising the urgency of addressing the problem. Although countries that have been most affected by the issue of drug abuse are those that engage in their production, it is imperative to note that even those that prohibit it suffer the consequences of drug trafficking. Persky (2012) posits that social and economic problems attributed to drug trafficking have been rampant in the US. For instance, recent reports from the federal Bureau o
Revision is considered one of the most important steps in writing a report, an essay, research, or any other kind of paper. This is the step that helps the writing get in touch with the topic. During the process of revision, it is very important to take time to re-read the paper and make sure the writing is smooth, logical, and all the points are clear to the potential audience. Through the years, I have noticed that the revision of my papers is extremely necessary because I am the type of person that does not like writing on a specific topic. I find it difficult to write papers where the number of words or pages will be counted and cannot cross a certain limit. The revision has taught me to be more attentive during the process of writing, and pay closer attention to the details, check if there are grammatical errors in my paper. This week will be about revising and finishing up everything; a lot of work needs to be done as achieving the best results will take a lot of focus. Over the past several years, the process of revision has changed for me. It has helped me improve my writing style; it has helped me grow. The best-revising practice that works for me is to read my papers aloud as if I were reading it to a class. This way is the best to find the majority of my errors and make the necessary corrections as needed. Another very helpful way I use to revise is to re-write my paper of have someone read my paper to see if they understand my concept and if they have learned something from my paper they may not have known before. I think it is very helpful that Keiser offers help through the owl writing lab to assist in keeping our papers on track and make sure the paper flows. The process of revision is divided into several steps. First of all the writer must check if their work has fulfilled the initial purpose of the writing, pay attention to the title, see if it is suitable for the work if it shows the original topic of the work. The structure of work has to be clear and logical. Introduction of the paper has to be interesting and captivating. If the introduction is boring and too long, the writer is most likely to lose most of the potential audience (Revising and Editing Writing Assignments, 2011). The conclusion is also very important as it must summarize the whole work, it has to present the logical ending, clarify the information brought up in the paper. Ideally, the conclusion has to encourage potential readers to think over certain problems and questions raised in the paper. Grammatical part of the work is another meaningful aspect. For some people, it is easier to focus on the slow reading of the wor
Introduction Observation of children skills is a central competence of teachers in any subject, including mathematics. Teachers are expected to be aware of appropriate tools and strategies for testing children’s knowledge and skills in any circumstances. Moreover, teachers need to know the developmental milestones and Australian curriculum in order to understand what children should be able to do at the time of assessment. The present paper offers two cases of assessment of mathematical skills in preschoolers in different contexts. The evaluation uses appropriate criteria to evaluate the learning activities and performance of children. Additionally, recommendations are provided using relevant scientific literature and suggestions of the Australian curriculum. Foundation Detour Description of Child and Context The interviewee is a five-year-old Indian girl, Shiesta, who silent in character and interested in mathematics. Even though some of the questions were unclear to her, her overall English mastery was sufficient. The assessment took place after lunch in the main room, where she spends most of her time with the group. During the assessment, three other children were interested in the activity. They were given some teddies to play with in order to avoid interruption. The teacher was present in the room; however, she did not participate in the assessment. After the procedure, the girl looked interested in playing with teddy bears. Description and Analysis of Observations The overall assessment of Shiesta’s performance is satisfactory since she demonstrated confidence while answering the majority of questions. She answered all the questions from F1 and F2 of the Mathematics Assessment Interview without any problems. This shows that the girl can establish an understanding of the language and processes of counting by naming numbers in sequences, which is central according to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA, n.d.). For F2 question (c), when she was asked to repeat the pattern, Shiesta became confused. However, the reason for the matter seemed to be the language barrier. When the question was rephrased, and the girl was asked “please, copy my teddies here,” the Shiesta immediately followed the instructions, and she could make the pattern keep going. According to Warren and Cooper (2006), the study of repeating patterns helps to generalise and discuss the idea of function and proportion. However, according to Papic (2007), in order to maximise the effect from l
Consumerism It is possible to identify several trends related to the consumerism in the United States. In particular, one should mention that American people have increased their expenditures on food. For instance, during the period between 1997 and 2007, the sales of food products grew from $ 551 million to $ 1.2 billion (Wilde, 2013, p. 54). This growth rate remains significant even if one takes into account the inflation rate. Moreover, the consumption level continued to grow even during the economic recession (Wilde, 2013, p. 54). Therefore, this tendency can be a positive factor for such companies as the ABC Candy Shop. It is also vital to mention that online consumption becomes more popular in the United States (Garlough, 2011, p. 53). For instance, in the United States, approximately 94 percent of Internet users make online purchases (Black, 2011, p. 349). Furthermore, at least 50 percent of American adults have bought products or services on the Internet. Therefore, the ABC candy shop can benefit from these trends by distributing its products online. Nevertheless, one should take into account that many customers are extremely concerned about the risks of obesity or diabetes. Moreover, they try to reduce their consumption of food products that are rich in fat or sugar (Counihan, 2008, p. 28). Some of them may try to eliminate candies from their daily diet (Counihan, 2008, p. 28). These are some of the main factors that should be considered by entrepreneurs who want to retail new products. Therefore, the sellers should focus on the nutritional value of their products and their effects on health; otherwise, it may be difficult for them to secure the loyalty of customers. This is one of the main points that can be made. Demographic trends There are several demographic trends that should be taken into account. First of all, according to the findings gathered in 2012, the population of the United States numbers 316, 668, 567 people, while the average growth rate is about 0.9 percent (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). It is projected that this growth rate will not decline in the near future. Therefore, small businesses can expect to find a great number of potential clients. It should be noted that the main consumers of the ABC candy shop will be people whose age ranges from 6 to 15. This group constitutes approximately 15 percent of the total population (The United States Census Bureau, 2013). Yet, the products of the ABC Candy shop can be purchased by the representatives of other age groups, for instance, one can mention females aged between 25 and 40. Overall, people living in the United States represent various cultures, ethnicities, or religions. They accept candies or other s
The notion that man makes religion and that religion does not make man has formed the foundation of irreligious criticism. A widely held concept is that religion is for persons that have not discovered themselves or have lost themselves for a second or subsequent time. Religion originates from state and society and can be said to correspond to an inverted cognizance of humanity due to the fact that state and society are similarly inverted. Religion is the universal known and held theory of all humanity in all aspects. The fight against religion is, therefore seen as a fight against the whole of humanity. Religious suffering or oppression is the expression of real pain and is also viewed as a protest against real pain. It is the opium of the people. Putting an end to religion can result in real happiness to civilization. However, denunciation of religion leads to man losing his path and therefore beginning to reason, act, and shape his reality in a manner similar to one who has thrown away his illusions and recovered his sanity or intellect. Philosophy uncovers self-disillusionment in its profane form when the religious side o
The Many Variations of “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” There are many ways to perform Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (Britten, n. d.). Indeed, the composition allows for several variations, with a new element added to its atmosphere. Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra can be seen as a quiet moment of admiration, an inspiring and exciting experiment, etc. – the list goes on. However, there are two worth taking a closer look at. In the first version, the violin plays the first part, whereas a trombone and drums appear in the background, setting a very specific atmosphere. The second version features violins once again; however, this time, the background is provided by clarinetists, which makes the composition smoother. It could be argued that the second version of the composition Two Themes of Ravel’s “Bolero”: Between the Diatonic and the Sinuous Ravel’s Bolero is one of the rare cases when each of the two alternatives that a composer comes up with sounds equally amazing. Each setting a unique tone for the composition, both themes are used in each version; however, one of them is always downplayed, whereas the other one comes out in full blue, which leaves a unique impression. In the first part, which is played with the help of a clarinet, the diatonic approach is used, with every single note belonging to the same octave (Ravel , n. d.). The second part, in its turn, features a flute and introduces the audience to the B Theme, with obvious sinuous elements and the introduction of flattened notes. “Pictures at an Exhibition”: Two Ways to Enjoy a Promenade The excerpts provided, “Pictures at the Exhibition” by Mussorgsky and Ravel offer a unique aesthetic experience by allowing comparing two different versions of the famous Promenade excerpt (Mussorgsky & Ravel, 2012, 17 March). It seems that the second variant reflects the idea of the composition in a more accurate way. Judging by the name of the composition, the music should reflect the impressions of a person who is attempting to analyze his or her impressions and, perhaps, make a very personal revelation. Therefore, the latter version, where the triumphant notes are downplayed and smooth clarinet sounds come to the forth, seems more appropriate. The Structure and Meaning of “She’s Leaving Home”: The Time to Part “She’s Leaving Home” (The Beatles, n. d.) has a traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus (A – B – A – B – C – B) structure. The instruments used in the song are violin, viola, cello, double bass and harp, the harp solo being a rather unusual element of the song. Telling a story of a young runaway girl, it creates a very moving atmosphere, with the back vocals getting the feelings of the parents across. A Journey into the Place Called Imagination: Song Analysis “Imagination” is one of those songs that stand out on their own despite containing the elements that seem to have worn out their welcome a long time ago. It is the combination of these elements that works so well and makes the song unique and appealing to an average mus
Introduction Understanding political culture is the same as understanding the political pulse of the nation. From the point of view of freedom-loving citizens, an accurate assessment of their nation’s political culture will help them map a strategy to improve their situation from being non-involved to fully engaged when it comes to policymaking and other government-related activities. For leaders who possess dictatorial powers there is a need to perpetuate the status quo and prevent the country from improving – from parochial to a participant type of political culture. Types of Political Culture The study of political culture is the attempt to uncover deep-seated, long-held values characteristic of a society rather than the transient attitudes toward specific issues (Encyclopaedia Britannica, par. 1). According to Almond and Verba there are three broad types of political culture:  1. parochial, in which there is no clear differentiation of specific political roles and expectations among actors;  2. subject, in which institutional and role differentiation exists in political life but the citizens are largely passive; and  3. participant, in which specialized institutions and citizen opinion and activity are interactive (Riley, par. 2). Without a doubt, those who live in highly industrialized societies would prefer the participant political culture as opposed to the parochial political culture. The former has all the qualities of a democratic way of governance while the latter has all the characteristics of a dictatorship. As the two terms would imply there is more interaction and participation with latter type of political culture while the latter is more restrictive. It is common knowledge among political thinkers that a one-man rule will only benefit a few people. Moreover, corruption is also rife when there is no transparency as seen in dictatorships. Yet, even in oligarchies, the rule of the few, the same problems are also prevalent. The best example is the former Union Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) where the whole nation was governed by an elite group called the Communist Party (Wiseman, p. 35). History is witness to how the USSR went down in flames its people victims of inefficient rule and rampant corruption in the highest levels of government. The ideal political culture is therefore the participant type wherein the majority of the population is well aware of what is going on in the local and national levels. This is evident in democratic countries wherein there is active participation on the part of the citizens. National and local elections are just some of the primary evidence of this kind of participation, another proof is the freedom of the press where the information in the highest levels of governance is being trickled down to the general public due to tools of communication that can reach every household and therefore can practically inform every citizen of what the national government is doing in terms of the pe
Learning starts from the very first days of a human life. People learn how to walk, how to perform complicated tasks and how to cooperate with other individuals. People have tried to understand what learning is throughout centuries. There are various approaches to this issue. However, all researchers agree that learning is closely connected to such concept as cognition. Though, there are researchers who challenge this assumption stating that there are cases when learning is possible without cognition. To understand the relationship between cognition and learning, it is important to take a closer look at the concept of learning. Firstly, it is necessary to provide a proper definition for the concept of learning. Some people see learning as “an outcome of the social experiences in and out of schools to which young people are exposed” (Yates & McLeod, 2011, p. 230). However, it is clear that learning goes beyond classroom environment. People acquire knowledge and gain new skills in a variety of settings. Ellstrom (2011, p. 238) provides a more comprehensive definition of learning, “learning is a process of knowledge acquisition through experienced-based changes in cognition or action”. Therefore, learning happens in various settings, but it is associated with certain changes, i.e. acquisition of knowledge and skills which is, in its turn, connected with cognition. It is necessary to note that behavior plays an important role in learning. For instance, active people can be exposed to a great amount of information which can be learnt easily (Ellstrom, 2011). At the same time, some people find it rather difficult to concentrate as they are often distracted by numerous things. Lack of concentration can lead to difficulties while learning. Notably, those who are less active are not exposed to new information as they tend to be in settings they know perfectly well, i.e. they remain on the safe side. Interestingly, behavior and learning are regarded in terms of the evolutionary approach (Ellstrom, 2011). Ability to acquire knowledge and actively use it is associated with ability to survive in the animal world. This can also be applied to the contemporary world as people who acquire more knowledge have lots of opportunities, e.g. they get better jobs and get more resources, etc. Apart from different types of behavior, there are two types of learning. Thus, learning can be explicit and implicit (Yates & McLeod, 2011). Explicit learning is often associated with education. People are explicitly exposed to certain information. They try to use a variety of strategies to facilitate learning. For instance, students try to memorize data and they train the skills they have acquired. Adult people also have to learn new skills, e.g. professional, communicative, leadership skills, etc. As far as implicit learning is concerned, it happens without training or extra effort. As has been mentioned above, people are often exposed to a lot of information. They memorize facts, faces, places without extra effort. This is a characteristic feat
Introduction The thesis of the paper is “Sacrificing truth for friendship is a way to understand the shortcomings of progress”. The thesis is defended through analysis of works of two famous representatives of German Enlightenment Gotthold Lessing and Moses Mendelssohn who had a great impact on formulating the problems of progress, friendship, and tolerance. Through careful paradigmatical and textual analysis of Lessing ‘Nathan the Wise’ and Mendelssohn ‘Jerusalem,’ we try to detect the motives of Enlightenment expressed in the abovementioned issues. Moses Mendelssohn and Gotthold Lessing’s writings Moses Mendelssohn and Gotthold Lessing’s writings have a significant impact in teaching how far tolerance can be subjected regarding social order. Their works emphasize the idea that in a world that is filled with confusion, unquestionable racial hatred, endemic violence, and unresolved religious intolerance, there are still opportunities to be able to achieve tolerance. Lessing and Mendelssohn tried to resolve these problems by using liberal and rational values of Enlightenment. The religious dogmatism in pair with feudalism oppressed other religious groups such as Jews and Muslims. The only way to make a positive impulse to religion is transforming it following its initial purpose of personal cognition of God. One such writer to do so was the Jewish writer himself, Moses Mendelssohn, whose work Jerusalem emphasizes that the use of religious tolerance is imperative. Idea of tolerance Tolerance according to these writers should be based on the concept of universal brotherhood. Moreover, a Christian, Jew, or even a Muslim deserves to co-exist by being human without fear of being persecuted or attacked. As such, in Nathan, Lessing proposes that a man can only be judged on the sole basis of being an individual and not a member of a particular group. Furthermore, such toleration takes precedence over one’s creed or religion over the individuality of a person who is part of humanity. Lessing makes an outright appeal to human society by using this work to touch on the positive nature that can give prominence to the value of brotherhood and tolerance. Both works Jerusalem and Nathan the Wise reflect on the sacred right of individuals, that is the idea that regardless of family, class, and religion, everyone stands equal under God. Jews and Christians can stand together following the same rights which must be given to all. Lessing’s Nathan the Wise describes how the wise Jewish merchant Nathan, the enlightened sultan Saladin, and the Templar bridge the gaps between Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. In this play, Lessing identifies a Jew as a champion of friendship and the enemy of friendship as the conflict that arises between Friendship and Truth. This is the enemy of friendship according to Nathan’s wisdom. Moreover, there are indications that Lessing sacrifices truth to friendship. If man possessed the truth, he would not be free, because freedom consists of endless choices between alternatives. Yet despite friendship being at odds with truth, consanguinity can take place. Friendship celebrates the distinction of the Other and rec