ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The problem of inequality in the labor market, mainly, the issue of unequal pay, was a source of public concern in the U.S. several decades ago. Although the current equality rates also leave much to be desired, the situation observed in the 50s and early 60s called for an immediate change, which was eventually produced in the form of the Equal Pay Act (EPA) in 1963 (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Due to the support of critical social changes in the education system, the EPA of 1963 has provided extensive opportunities for women in advancing in their careers, therefore, providing additional support for women’s liberation. In essence, the EPA of 1963 should be credited for introducing the notion of protected characteristics into the context of the U.S. labor market and employment setting. Apart from sex as a protected class, the EPA of 1963 lists the characteristics such as race and ethnicity, stating explicitly that discrimination based on the specified characteristics is outlawed and entails significant repercussions for employers (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). However, studies show that, due to the absence of rigid and unceasing control over the relationships between an employer and an employee, the instances of discrimination based on sex, race, and ethnicity still occur (Safstrom 135). Therefore, further adjustments must be made so that the act could protect marginalized groups to a greater extent. Due to the combined effect of the changes in payment rates that the Equal Pay act of 1963 entailed and the introduction of educational and employment opportunities for women, the EPA contributed extensively to the further promotion of female liberation. Introducing a chance for economic and financial independence for women, the EPA has reinforced the significance of equal opportunities and the support of marginalized groups in the workplace. Works Cited Safstrom, Jennifer. “Salary History and Pay Parity: Assessing Prior Salary History as a Factor other than Sex in Equal Pay Act Litigation.” Yale JL & Feminism , vol. 31, 2019, p. 135-165. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. “The Equal Pay Act of 1963.” EEOC.gov , 1963, Web.
John Chowning has believed ave changed the face of modern music once and for all. He is considered to be one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century and a father of such a musical instrument as the digital synthesizer. The best of Chowning‘s music compositions which brought him glory and respect among connoisseurs of modern music are Sabelithe (composed in 1966), Stria (1977), Phoné (1980-1981), Voices (2005), etc. Stria is one of his most famous works this is why it deserves special attention. Stria is a computer piece with algorithmic composition and fantastic structure in which all the elements are in contact but still differentiated; the composition consists of sounds embodying the golden mean with the pitch space being based on pseudo-octaves. To begin with, Stria is one of the most famous and remarkable musical compositions in the field of digital music. Stria is the result of Chowning’s experiments with FM synthesis with the application of inharmonic spectra. It was the first time when the composer has been using a high-level programming language trying to find an inharmonic ratio in which the components could be united by a basic ratio. “It was not automatic composition by any means, but there were rules for determining the details of the structure, from the microsound level up to the level of a phrase.” (Kaufmann) Stria was composed rather rigorously though it still sounds quite natural. Chowning himself admits that creating this composition was fun for him; at the beginning, it was nothing more than an experiment and the composer got surprised when everything worked out. Stria is known for its algorithmic composition and unique structure. This musical piece can be characterized by microstructure and macrostructure. Stria is divided into several blocks saved in separate files (three, to be exact). The events composing each of the blocks consist of single sounds generated by the algorithms, “which made it possible to integrate a non-tonal division of the frequency space and the ratio of non-harmonic spectral components” (“Performances”) Chowning uses the golden mean in Stria; the golden mean has been used in other compositions as well but with other ratios rather than the one which Chowning used (the ratio is 1 to 1.618). Such a ratio allowed him to create a basis for overtones and several pseudo-octaves (namely, eight), “three above and five below the central frequency” (Meneghini 2). The length of the composition is 17 minutes; in the first part “the intensity increases and after 10 minutes (a number which approximately stands in the golden ratio with the total length), there is a climax followed by a quasi-silence moment, after which the intensity grows again.” (Meneghini 3) Finally, the sounds in Stria are intermingled with the sounds of instruments and human voice which helps to unite two modes of consciousness.
Product differentiation is a strategy aimed to create barriers to competition. It implies the adding of value (e.g., quality, ecological or social accountability, etc.) to a product to reduce the chances that other brands and identical goods will substitute it. Similar strategies can be implemented in labor markets as well. In this case, managers will usually aim to differentiate wages. The average level of wage in different spheres of performance is highly differentiated. Moreover, even in the same occupational field, individuals may be paid differently. It can be explained by differences in skills, education level, professional qualification, experience, job attractiveness, work environment, etc. For instance, middle-ranking employees working in a bank will usually have smaller wages than employees in chemical, automobile, and other industries associated with threats to human health. An appropriate wage should compensate for all inconveniences caused by work. Otherwise, the company will fail to increase its competitiveness in the labor market. Such a measure as economic rent may be used to increase the attraction of talents in the context of perfect competition. Economic rent is a measure that defines the difference between the minimum price of labor and the market price. In the situation when all companies have identical job offers, when potential employees are provided with complete information about the salaries associated with work in different firms and, at the same time, are free to enter or exit the industry, employers should strive to increase the elasticity of supply, i.e., should offer wages that will exceed the average market price for a job (Keat, Young, & Erfle, 2013). Economic rent may disappear in case all currently and previously hired employees to have similar qualifications and talents. However, when new employees differ much from the previous ones and are unique in a certain way, economic rent may be preserved for a long time. For example, long-term supply elasticity may be typical for the show business industry because famous musicians, actors, athletes, and artists have no substitutes. Due to the uniqueness of their qualities and skills, as well as the limited availability of those individuals in the market, their fees are very high. This example illustrates how the growth in demand relates to the growth of the labor price and increase in wages. In conclusion, it is possible to say that the differentiation of wages is largely defined by the company’s investments in human capital, i.e., all activities aimed to develop employees’ qualifications and skills. Therefore, staff education increased social mobility, and so on, increase chances for individuals to receive higher payments for their work. Workers who receive relatively small wages should be provided with additional
Introduction: Mythical Characters and Their Heroic Qualities Mythical characters in literature have significantly projected personal qualities and ways of living in the communities. They also reflect different attributes of humans, such as heroism, revenge, apathy, etc. The most commonly renowned mythological texts that project heroic attributes are Homer’s Odyssey and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Comparing different mythical heroes from literature can help understand their different qualities and heroic ideals. This paper makes a comparison of Odysseus and Gilgamesh in order to find out what their similarities and differences are. Gilgamesh and Odysseus: Compare and Contrast The text about Odyssey is written by Homer, while Gilgamesh is written by Shin-Eqi-Unninni. On comparison, Odysseus and Gilgamesh possess traits such as friendliness, courage, and heroism. Odysseus had a hereditary right to the throne and ruled Ithaca that was complemented by his impartiality, ruthlessness and diplomatic skills. On the other hand, Gilgamesh was the king of Uruk in Babylonia, who is physically sturdy and strong, having supernatural powers and the will to protect his people (George). As Gilgamesh was an oppressor, he was given the title of the goring wild bull. By taking a look at Homer’s Odyssey, one can observe that he was a hero based on his pure spirituality and strength to take challenges. At the beginning of the tale of Odysseus, he sailed far, reached north, put the ships on Hangar, where Eurylochus, who was second in command of Odysseus, prepared a male and female sheep for sacrifice. After offering prayers to the dead, the people of the river offered the sheep to them and put the remaining parts in a pit that had been dug with shadows of the dead gathering around. It was a ritual to establish communion with the dead who bore messages for the living and was respected and offered sacrifices. Odysseus has been observed to take the challenge despite the fact he was aware of all the hardships (Louden). Odysseus was greatly opposed by her wife, mother, and other people who really cared about him. But he continues to achieve his objective, and show is a heroic attribute. There were many memorable quotes mentioned in the Odyssey that show his high morals and astounding insights. The fact that he had different heroic ideals can be understood by the following quotation from the text. It states that “‘Stand clear, put up your sword; let me but taste of blood. I shall speak true. ‘” Book 11, lines 106-7 (Louden). The above-noted dialogue was delivered by Odysseus’s mother on the event of slaughter of animals by Odysseus. Similarly, in the Epic Of Gilgamesh, we can note that the protagonist is two-thirds god and one-third human. The character of Gilgamesh is an example of a supernatural force in the story. He is not only brave and sturdy like Odysseus, but also miraculously trusted by the people. Gilgamesh used his power for the sustenance of his people. For instance, he dug wells and made barren land cultivable for his people, providing them with
The knowledge of change should be the core competence of any other person related to the change implementation. In their article, Fullan, Cuttress, and Kilcher (2005) claim that “the presence of change knowledge does not guarantee success, but its absence ensures failure” (p. 54). I could not agree more. In this paper, four forces (out of eight described in the article) are summarized and applied to the educational environment I exist in. A Moral Purpose The first and probably the most significant force discussed in the article is a moral purpose, which would inspire people to fight for the common cause. As Fullan, Cuttress, and Kilcher (2005) say, a “moral purpose is front and center”, and the remaining seven are only “additional forces” (p. 55). They define a moral purpose as an improvement of society through better educational techniques. I agree. In my university, a moral purpose should be considered as the reducing of the gap in student achievement. There are always students who are successful and those who are not. Sometimes the reason lies in the level of students’ family income or the color of their skin (Haycock, 2001). Regardless of the cause, we should take measures to get rid of this differentiation. Developing Cultures for Learning and Evaluation In this paragraph, two forces described in the article are presented. The first one is the creation of the learning cultures. Although many people believe that changes should be fundamental, individual changes are always more efficient. Winerman (2011) states that even a 15-minute intervention can make a difference. But what those interventions are? The best way to reduce the gap between the students with different level of achievement is to implement the strategies encouraging people to learn from each other. At this stage of organizational change, teachers are probably the most important figures. They can contribute to the common cause by giving the tasks for teams, not individuals, and by focusing on the process, not right answers ( Collaborative Learning Builds Deeper Understanding , 2012, par. 3). Creating a team of both strong and weak students, teachers can achieve impressive results. Additionally, teachers or even a principal should apply various reward systems, for example, if a strong student takes over the training of a weak one, and that weak one shows progress on a particular subject, then a strong student as his mentor gets bonus points on the same subject. Finally, to make sure that students (as well as a university in general) make some progress, cultures of evaluation are necessary. To track the success, we need to collect the baseline data and then consistently do the same, comparing the results with the previous ones ( How to Measure the Impact of Change , 2006, par. 2). That will help to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the change and make better decisions in the future. Leadership for Change Finally, the last but not the least force is leadership for change. Strong and influential leaders are imperative during the organizational change; however, it is even more important to realize what kind of leaders are needed. Fullan, Cuttr
Abstract Throughout the centuries, Latin has been the language of the educated. Only knowing Latin, people could read and take part in the scientific, cultural and religious life of the country. As a result, Latin turned into the language of the nobility. The access to the literature was thus restricted by the cultural border. Unless one learned Latin, there was no other way to read the literature that interested the given person. At some point people started arguing about this state of affairs. Mostly because of the idea that books might reveal for them something new that they had never been told before, people started taking interest in their mother tongue crawling into the field of literature and science, making the issues of those more understood for the population. Vernacular Languages vs. Latin: The Fall of the Babel Because of the fact that most Middle Age literature was presented in Latin, while education was something that not all people could afford in those times, more and more people became preoccupied with the idea that there must be some way to present the literature in the language that they speak and understand. The problem grew bigger as rime passed, and the people grew weary of the Latin sermons that they could not understand and the books in Latin that watched them with mocking secrecy. Indeed, as Disraeli (1841) put it, “The performance of the Latin language, during many centuries, retarded the cultivation of the vernacular dialects of Europe.” (106). The situation became complicated as people started expressing their protests against the foreign language as the main one in the state. Finally, the time of the great change came. It began not with a revolt, but with a subtle change that was almost impossible to detect. The phenomenon was called later the Vulgar Latin. Watered with the Celtic words stylized as the Latin ones, with the specific endings and conjugations, these words became the basis of the future vernacular languages to develop. The process was rather long and complicated, but the results were most fruitful and convincing. people have started winning the small areas of the language and they could finally hear something recognizable. The day of triumph came when even the names of the geographic objects were transformed into the national languages of the people (Wellesley 2000, 14). This was something that no one could believe in several decades before. The idea that the books will be available to every single literate person was close to the revolution, and the first to protest such course of affairs was the clergy. However, there was a long way to go before this triumph would come. The first steps were made as the tenth century came. The overall atmosphere of being captured by writing and speaking in the native language had to find its place in the literature as well, both the scientific and the spiritual. As Le Goff (2006) marks it, Medieval Europe spoke and wrote Latin, and when Latin retreated in the face of th
Introduction Substance abuse is a pattern of drug or alcohol use that negatively affects individuals’ health and general well-being. Despite common belief, substance abuse could be related to both illegal and legal drugs. Perfect body images propagated in media make diet pills a popular and affordable option to lose weight. However, this effortless method has dangerous side effects that could considerably damage health. I was also a victim of marketing and decided to lose extra pounds without putting in any effort; however, I paid a high price for my decision. As a result, I encountered heart issues and illnesses related to the digestive system. My experience with substance abuse is related to diet pills addiction and its drastic consequences. Main body Adolescence is when many people start to worry about their image, and I was not an exception. Since that time, I have struggled with my image and weight. Taking diet pills and medications seemed a convenient solution to the problem. As I have started observing progress in my weight loss, this turned into an addiction. I consumed the diet pills regularly and never worried about the dangerous side effects of my addiction. However, sooner or later, the consequences of the regular use occurred, damaging the whole body. Two years ago, I was hospitalized and received to the intensive care unit because of a herbal weight loss product recommended by a friend. At that time, I had complications related to the heart and was at inevitable risk of a second attack. My whole body was intoxicated as the pills affected not only the digestion system and heart but also the nervous system. I have had a long course of therapy, both medical and psychological. I realized during the treatment that my addiction was out of my control, and I never admitted that I have one. Today I still struggle with weight loss substances; however, I am on my way to finding healthier and safer methods of weight loss. This experience helped me understand many things related to substance abuse. First of all, substance abuse is usually out of hand, and it is complicated to know that you have problems. In my case, I was aware of the side effects of the regular use of the pills, but it took me too long to realize that I was addicted. Second, substance abuse is not only a physical but also a psychological issue. During my treatment, I suffered from depression and anxiety because that attempt to lose weight failed. Moreover, sometimes psychological temptation was stronger than psychical temptation for the diet pills. The last thing I realized was that society puts extremely
Business-level Strategy of Ford Motor Company Sameer Kirtane et al argued that market share of Ford Motor decreased dramatically in the US market and its sales profit dropped more than $1 billion in 2006 due to lack of implementation of effective strategies though it changed leadership approach in 2005 1 . As a result, Ford followed a real business-level strategy to be more cost effective company, for instance, it reduced operating costs, and offered generous buyout packages. According to the annual report -2010 of Ford, the management team of this company decided to increase investment on the potential new models, suggests the employees to work as a team with shift model mix and adopting functional strategies, for instance, it would close three Ford-plants including one ACH-plant by 2011 that would result decreasing automobile debt by $10.1 billion. Enhancing Ford Motor’s Value-Chain Links To Create Value for the Firm Value chain structure works as a determinant for potential profit of the major players in a particular industry paying attention on industry’s present appearance. However, in order to compete better in this era of globalisation, it is essential for the Ford Motor Company to focus on developing its value chain links. The value chain links could be enhanced by improving its infrastructure, human resources management, procurement, and technology in the way suggested below: –   * Infrastructure : – The management team should review the changing strategic decisions with IT infrastructural strategy, and acquire or joint venture with other competitors and it would be greatly benefit its value chain links;   * Human resources management: – Ford should also arrange numerous training program for the pilot, crew, and other employees in order to minimize risks, increase efficiency, and satisfy the customer;   * Procurement : – These activities should be coupled with the concerns on supply chain management by ensuring more efficiency on supply chain with IT enabled customer services of online services can reconcile any gap in the value chain links;   * Technology: – It is one of the most important factors for Ford, as use of cloud computing in internal organisation can create better communications system. On the other hand, concentrating on primary functions, pricing strategies, production management systems, customer relationship management, assessment of market situation, route planning, and analysis of the position of major competitors can enhance the value chain of Ford. Porter’s Five Forces Model and Position of the Ford Motor Company Rivalry among existing firms The international motor vehicle industry is exceedingly competitive owing to the existence of a large a number of car producers along with their exceptional offerings. As a result, Ford has