ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Today, drug abuse among youths is a serious problem in society. Children and adolescents are also affected; therefore, there is a need to develop strategies that will help the youths to overcome the problem of drug abuse. According to the World Health Organization, alcohol, tobacco, Cocaine, and Marijuana are the most commonly abused drugs in society today. These drugs are harmful to humans, and some of them; especially tobacco and Marijuana (which are usually smoked) have adverse effects on other people (passive smokers). Community members should work with the law enforcement agencies to make sure that teenagers do not access these drugs. This will play a significant role in the war against drug abuse. Discussion This paper will review an article, which describes substance abuse, prevention, and appropriate treatment program. The Global Youth Tobacco Group conducted a survey to assess various factors that influence teenagers (school pupils) to abuse tobacco among other drugs. The survey was done in several schools. A total of 1,830 male students were used as the study subjects. According to the findings, cigarette smoking among students is a serious problem that should be addressed immediately. The report said that adolescents have become active smokers both at school and at home. The rate of smoking has increased among teenagers, and this proves that drug abuse is a serious issue in our schools. Influence from parents who are active smokers, free offer of cigarettes by adults, and the perception that smoking is not harmful to human health are among the few reasons why students are smoking cigarettes at an early age. To curb this behavior, the Global Youth Tobacco group has requested the government to severely punish those who are selling drugs to minors because the rate of smoking is relatively high in schools. Weaknesses and strengths of the program The weakness of the program is that it only focused on male students (as the study subjects) and did not consider both genders. The use of the survey method is a key strength of this program. This is because the survey is a relevant method considering that the interviewees were many. It is a reliable method when acquiring data where interviewees may not be willing to share information (especially because the topic relates to drug abuse). The survey is extremely convenient in gathering data. Discuss whether you believe this program was effective and whether you would implement the program in your chosen line of work The program was su
Introduction The present paper examines in details three areas of employee benefits; these are: (i) defined benefit plans; (ii) defined contribution plans; (iii) self-funded insurance and other welfare program. The present paper, hence, looks at each of the above areas in considerable details and critically examines their weak and strong area while commenting on their present state. The paper also relates critical commentary by reviewing experts’ opinion and empirical evidence in the areas concerned. All three areas are separately discussed; however, where there is necessary, an inter-topical reference is made across sections for better understanding and building up of the argument. Defined Benefit Pension Plans Defined benefit pension plans pay retired employees a benefit which is based on a formula that takes into consideration two major areas of employees: the in-service years of the employees and their earnings; the amount may also be stated in flat dollars. It is necessary that the sponsors of defined benefit plans establish a fund that contains sufficient assets so that the prospective obligation in terms of pension can be discharged. However, the employer is required to bring in additional funds to bolster payments if the assets are, at any point in time, insufficient to manage liabilities. This plan is in contrast to defined contribution pension plan in that defined contribution plans actually base on collected contributions. These contributions are made on behalf of members and invested to a fund. There is a term “textbook” description regarding defined benefit pension plan. The term holds that “members of defined benefit pension plans bear no investment risk”. However, this is where controversy in terms of legal matters as well as at general level rises. Different scholars and experts view this situation differently. For instance, Hyatt and Pesando (1996) state that there are at least a few of the risks in the performance of investment fund that members of defined benefit plan bear which is through concessions in other part of the compensation offer. This is also where the distinction between defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans is blurred and hence gives way to straight argument. Hyatt and Pesando tested their hypothesis that members do bear risks of investment by brining into practice a number of empirical evidence and by conduction a number of case studies on some plans. The researchers reviewed U.S. and Canadian litigation side by side. A survey was also conducted that included pension professionals. Tradeoff between pensions and wages in 98 unionized organizations in Ontario was also undertaken to conduct an economic analysis. The authors reached to an empirical evidence that there is overstatement in between what is said to take place and what really does happen in defined benefit plans, that is, they found evidence that in U.S. and Cana
Introduction Using an efficient international distribution channel has become an essential element of strategic management and a key component in supply chain development since it ensures unimpeded and safe provision of products in the markets. Scholars on logistics science point out that there are diverse supply channels in today’s economy, which move products from industries into the global market. Zagorskas and Turskis (2006), point out that a distribution channel adopted by businesses must be effective in ensuring that products are moved from sites of productions to where they are consumed. This paper has analyzed quite a number of theories in understanding the concept of international distribution channels. These are the general trade theory, organizational supply management theory, as well as congruency theory. The aforementioned theories have been used to demonstrate that an efficient international distribution channel maintains intensity, low costs, demand flexibility, process capability, strategic risk and competitive advantage. In addition, the impacts of international distribution channels on operations of business have been analyzed. Background information In their publication, Ustinovichius, Zavadskas and Podvezko (2007) point out that the globalization of markets has today become an important phenomenon; it has put pressure on most businesses with strategies to supply products in the international market in order to devise and adopt proper distribution channels for their products. The distribution of services or products internationally or within the consumer market has become a globalization process that requires an effective distribution channel. It is imperative to point out that reorganization of distribution and the globalization of markets are processes which a
A case manager needs to develop many skills in order to carry out his or her role efficiently on a service team. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, 2004), case managers plan and coordinate health and social services to meet the individualized needs of clients. Case managers need to schedule hundreds of appointments with different providers for their clients every week. Therefore, it is vital for them to be able to manage their time and the time of their clients effectively. Moreover, efficient communication is also an integral part of case management, as these specialists need to discuss numerous matters with all the stakeholders, and without efficient communication, it would take extensive time. Additionally, case managers need to be able to operate on their own and in a team to ensure efficient problem-solving and decision-making. HHS (2004) states that there are almost 200 specific knowledge items, skills, and attitudes associated with providing care to substance abusers. A case manager should master all of them to achieve proficiency. A special focus should be put on the responsivity principle of case managers described by the National Institute of Correction (NIC, 2004). According to this principle, case managers are to “be responsive to temperament, learning style, motivation, gender, and culture when assigning to programs” (NIC, 2004, p.4). For instance, when assigning a Muslim female to a physician, it would be more appropriate to schedule an appointment with a female specialist. This way, a case manager will provide culture-sensitive services, which is of extreme importance to achieve positive outcomes. However, it should be remembered that even though responsivity is vital, the case manager should adhere to all eight principles of evidence practice for effective interventions (NIC, 2004).
Thomas Aquinas is regarded as one of the most influential Christian thinkers in history who immensely determined the subsequent development of philosophy and theology. He could successfully blend Aristotelian ideas with religious doctrines and, thus, present new perspectives on the idea of God, faith, and the existence of the universe. However, his most prominent contribution is considered to be the formulation of the five arguments proving the existence of God, simply known as “the five ways” (Lawhead, 2015, p.185). Although Aquinas’s reasoning seems convincing at first glance, some counterarguments can be made to challenge the thinker’s views. This essay, therefore, seeks to illustrate one of the objections against St. Thomas’s idea of God, which appears while reading his fourth argument. The fourth argument begins by postulating that existing entities can be ranged as being good, true, or noble to a greater or lesser extent. “More” and “less” are predicated to the things according to their correspondence with the idea of maximum, which has “most” as its predicate. Therefore, there should be something most good, most true, and most noble. Next, it is stated that the uttermost goodness, truth, and nobleness possess the uttermost reality. The latter being the maximum of some genus should be the cause of that entire genus; hence, there should be something that causes goodness, truth, nobility, and perfection. That cause is argued to be God. The objection against Aquinas’s reasoning is based on the assertion that the thinker’s ideas of God are grounded on Judeo-Christian views of evil being lesser compared to good. The philosopher only uses “more” and “most” for the things that are considered to be positive. However, not all cultures share the same idea and some would rather consider evil to be equal to good. Therefore, the same logic could be applied to state that there is the existence of something most bad, most evil, etc. Similarly to the utmost goodness, the uttermost badness can be the first cause of bad things. As a result, negative things should also be considered as predicates of God. For that reason, Aquinas’s “fourth way” is not sufficient to prove at least the existence of a Judeo-Christian God. Reference Lawhead, W. F. (2015). The voyage of discovery: A historical introduction to philosophy (4th ed.). Cengage Advantage Books.
Social and health issues that take part during the formation of human identity have negative consequences on the individual’s further development. Thus, teenage drug abuse presents a severe danger to an individual’s health in adulthood. The problem of teenage drug abuse inflicts a threat to the future society and health state of the overall population in the United States. This essay will discuss the core reasons and consequences of teenage drug abuse and propose a possible solution based on the collected information. There are several reasons for teenage drug abuse in the United States. As teenagers are influenced by high concertation of hormones, some of the core reasons for teenage drug abuse are specific to the age category, implying that those reasons are not connected to adult drug abuse. Moreover, teenagers are more influenced by external factors such as social connections and media. One of the core reasons for teenage drug abuse is the willingness to be accepted and validated in a social circle of individuals who already use drugs. In teenagers’ perception, drugs are often used in media as an attribute of cool characters, so they frequently try to fit in with the cool image, unaware of the consequences of drug use. In addition, current teenagers often experience depression and helplessness from being unable to control their lives or social rejection from excessive social media involvement and resort to drug abuse to feel better. The consequences of teenage drug abuse include development and widespread poor morals, increased danger from sexual activity-related problems, such as STDs and unplanned pregnancy, dangerous driving, and poor performance in school. Even though some minor consequences of episodic drug abuse could be solved, threats like impaired driving present a significant danger to the population. Development and widespread of poor morals will also negatively affect the development of society as poor morals suggest an increased number of crime commitments among adolescents. With the current issues in the prison system, such as difficulties in offenders’ re-entry into the society, the teenagers’ future will be negatively affected in cases of crime commission. Despite the complex character of the issues imposed by teenage drug abuse, one primary measure could solve the issue or partially improve the current state. The significant difference between teenage drug abuse and drug abuse among adults is
Topic of Lesson Understanding pictures and understanding text: What is the difference? Length of lesson Approximate length should be about two periods, each about 20 minutes. Developmental level/Grade level The approximate age of learners should be four to five years. Grouping The group should consist of approximately 15-20 students. Literacy Development Objective(s)   * Learn to understand the meaning of the text after reading aloud;   * Learn the difference of reading aloud and reading silently;   * Learn to understand pictures and use those to understand the text;   * Learn to discuss the difference between a picture and a text. Related State Learning Standard(s) Working on teams can be interesting and exciting for children. They are required to choose a leader of the team and share with this person all ideas for him/her to present those as the final version. Procedures Introduction   * Greeting students and explaining the objectives of the lesson to children;   * Introducing the activity of reading a big book;   * Explaining the rules of this game (this should be introduced as a game because children do not really like learning in its direct meaning);   * Giving an example of how the process will take place. Learning Activity   * Make children divide into groups with equal number of members (help them to divide themselves);   * Give each team a book (the same book);   * Make children describe a picture;   * Tell children to read the text and interpret its meaning (make them explain what the text was about);   * Tell children to compare what they learnt from the book and from the picture. Conclusion   * Analyze the effectiveness of children’s interpretation;   * Explain if they were wrong (do this on every step so that children were guided by you). Adaptations for diverse learners   * If children have poor reading skills, a teacher should organize the reading aloud activity so that every participant knew what the text was about;   * If children have poor reciting skills, it is necessary to make them interpret the meaning of the picture in some other way (for instance, children can describe their emotions driven by this picture or choose some colors that characterize the mood of the picture). Oral Directions and Guidance given to children It is necessary to explain the children a step-by-step algorithm so that they could follow it after having divided them in groups in accordance with their leadership competencies and literacy skills:   * Choose a captain of your crew;   * Let every captain choose a picture from those given in the book;   * Try to explai
Despite being a leading county in the amount of accumulated wealth, the U.S. defaults drastically on the efficacy of care to its citizens, especially senior ones (Fox-Grade & Ujvari, 2019; Bloncato, 2014). Reports show that political choices made in the context of the U.S. environment are to blame for the specified issue (Schneider, Sarnak, Squires, Shah, & Doty, 2019; U.S. Department of Transportation, 2019). Some of the reforms that have been made in the past few decades have proven to have severe side effects for senior citizens (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2019; National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, 2019). Idaho’s SSI Policy, which has affected the lives of the aging rural Idaho population, is one of them (Ackley, 2000). Due to the decision to reduce expenses by providing aging people with disabilities living in the rural area with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program based on very biased criteria for qualifying as poor, a range of disabled people in Idaho fails to receive essential healthcare services, which has an especially harmful impact on the aging population.. The policy in question states that the SSI program can only be provided if one lives beyond a specific poverty threshold calculated for each family individually. However, without the consideration of crucial economic and financial factors that make the amount of money identified by the state authorities excruciatingly small, determining the number of resources that an individual needs to keep the quality of life at a decent level are barely impossible (Hash, Jurkowski, & Krout, 2015; Health Resources and Services Administration, 2019). The policy, however, does not allow addressing each problem on a case-by-case basis, which increases the vulnerability of aging people in Idaho. To manage this situation, state authorities will need to develop the program and an appropriate toolkit such as the Rural Tobacco Control and Prevention Toolkit for reaching out and offering assistance to aging people living in rural areas (Rural Health Information Hub, n.d.a; Rural Health Information Hub, n.d.b; National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, n.d.).
The case study highlights the leadership philosophy of Ricardo Semler ever since he took over then the overall management of Semco Company. It is evident that Ricardo injected an innovative model of leadership that precipitated the growth of the company to international level. From the outset, it is vivid that Ricardo is well endowed with leadership skills and management etiquette bearing in mind that he jumpstarted the performance of the marine pump business to an extremely high level of success. For instance, he obviously worked hard at the company by devising new ideas, adopting modern methods of production and embracing continuous change (Bratton, Sawchuk, Forshaw, Callinan & Corbett, 2010). The multi-sector of Semco was largely contributed by Ricardo’s willingness to relinquish control. In addition, the organizational culture at Semco was remarkably transformed. In order to achieve the latter, he permitted and supported workplace democratization both radically and gradually until employees felt to be part and parcel of the company. The banking, education, hotel and other industries were also managed using the same leadership principles as analyzed in this essay. When the father of Ricardo Semler left his company in the early 80s, he never imagined that his son would transform Semco to be a leading and one of the best-known companies across the globe. At just 22 years, this young entrepreneur Brazilian took control of the company. To the surprise of many, one of his first actions was to lay off 60 percent of top managers. This was obviously a bold management step that left his managers in surprise. As a leader, he opted to break the conventional rules of organizational management. Ricardo Semler began an odyssey that was marked by the complete freedom and autonomy of workers coupled with radical use of the concept of empowerment – and strong involvement of employees in all aspects of the company through a flexible and decentralized corporate structure (Bratton et al., 2010). In fact, this move motivated the employees to a great extent. According to the content theory of motivation, there are outstanding factors that uplift the morale of employees. As much as most of the motivating factors are intrinsic in nature, it is crucial to mention that motivation can also emanate from external sources. Hence, when Ricardo decided to allow full employee participation in the management of the firm, he created a viable platform through which employees could demonstrate and exercise their inner abilities or talents (Robbins & Judge, 2015). The hierarchy of needs theory that was advanced by Abraham Maslow states that once basic needs have been met, it is possible to motivate individuals. Employees who work in a free and democratic environment are in a position to optimize their outputs, quality or quantity of production. This same thing happened shortly after Ricardo took over the leadership of Semco. The new leadership perspective began to yield results very quickly. Immediately after taking