ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction The internet is arguably the most influential invention made in the last half a century. This creation has had immense impact on the world with person’s personal and professional lives being influenced by this innovation. The internet has invaded most aspects of human life with its use spanning from industries as diverse as health care provision to mining and manufacturing. This wide application of the internet has made it hard for people to envision a world without the internet. For most people, it would be impossible to operate efficiently if the internet was not there to provide quick and effective communication. However, the internet has contributed to some negative outcomes in society due to its attributes of efficiency and ease of information provision. This paper will argue that the world would be a better place if the internet had not been invented. Impact of Internet on Society The information available on the internet has contributed to the rise in violence in our society. The internet contains a wide array of information on all topics. Some of the information contained pertains to violence and how a person can engage in acts of violence. There are websites that offer in-depth information on how to create a homemade bomb or even how to convert a handgun into a semi-automatic weapon. This information has been used by various individuals to carry out acts of violence against members of the society (Schmitt 1). In the recent Boston bomb attack, the perpetrators used the internet to gain information on how to turn pressure cookers into deadly bombs that were used to carry out the terror attacks. The Norwegian terrorist, Anders Breivik who killed 77 people and injured at least 110 more is reported to have used the internet in his preparation for the brutal attacks. Proponents of the internet argue that individuals with violent tendencies will find a way to carry out attacks even without the help of the internet. They argue that a person who wants to commit a crime can get the information they need from books or use traditional weapons such as guns and knives. While this is true, the internet has made it easier for the violent people to access dangerous information with little effort. This has increased the danger that such individuals pose to our society. The internet has contributed to making the world an unsafe place by making it easy for international terrorists to operate. The prevalence of global acts of terror in the last decade has made international terrorism the greatest danger to world security. Terror attacks in major cities such as New York, London, and Madrid have caused world leaders to recognize the devastating effect of international terrorism. The internet has assisted in the growth and development of international terrorist organizations. Schmitt re
Introduction Ovid’s Metamorphoses is a poem that stretches from the beginning of life to the narrator’s present. Chaos is transformed into orderly creation, and almost immediately, humanity dives into sin. It is vital to note that the Metamorphoses is a prime example of Neoteric Period poetry in view of the fact that it explains new and fascinating ideas using an authentic style of writing (Ovid 35). Ovid’s work deviates from the precedent set by Homer and Vergil because it features numerous short stories that are blended into a complete text. Ovid’s retelling of some of the world’s most revered mythological stories is spirited and vivacious, with a specific focus on the moments of metamorphosis. To address the prevalent immorality, Jupiter and Neptune kill all life in a flood leaving a few pious people from whom a new breed of humanity arises. The narrator gives various accounts of the people’s interactions with the gods. He begins by emphasizing themes such as divine rape when he gives a detailed account of Apollo’s apparent love affair with Daphne, who is saved by her father (Ovid 190). He accomplishes this by transforming his daughter into a laurel tree. Jupiter commits similarly atrocious acts in his interactions with Europa and Callisto, while Phaeton’s fatal chariot ride threatens to destroy the world. Ovid gives a detailed account of Greek heroes and heroines in his poem. He explains how Jason stole the serpent’s fleece and gives gory details of Medea’s magic and power (Ovid 468). Ovid further explicates Minos’s attempts to attack Athens and Myrmidon’s inexplicable appearance. The poem also highlights the sad story of Procris and Cephalus in addition to Orpheus’s accomplishments and shocking demise. The author recounts the events that preceded the Trojan War and gradually builds to the event that defined human history. Culture and Context Metamorphoses is primarily a composition about change. In each of the stories, at least one character evolves from their natural form to another. The concept of change was a critical aspect of Greek thought, and it was instrumental in driving the events that defined the Roman Empire. Ovid’s work demonstrates a society that was accepting of the unpredictability of life. In addition, the people embraced the instability of the varied forms of nature. Ovid’s poem was written at a time when Augustus was focused on Rome’s cultural renewal (Ovid 7). He was determined to restore Roman religion, morality, and traditions. The main objective was to unify the people and create a specific cultural identity. Therefore, myths were retold in a manner that praised the gods’ power and perfection. They were portrayed as individuals whom humanity was to look up to and emulate in every respect. The tales defined the requirements for moral behavior and condemned actions that contravened traditional Roman doctrine. The cultural transformation that engulfed Rome did not appeal to Ovid. He was focused on the idea that n
Project Background The Green and Clean Kuwait Group (GCKG), is a McDonald’s CSR company incorporated under the local company act of Kuwait. The company has US$ 10 million paid-up capital with headquarters in Kuwait city. It is comprised of a skilled technical and professional working force as well as a dynamic board of management. GCKG is made up of corporate, residential, industrial, and pubic customers like municipals with an annual turnover of US$10 billion in 2011. In the global arena, the environment has turned into the major focus of the global communities because environmental degradation could generate ecological imbalance and hamper socio-economic development all over the world Owing to this fact, the United Nations has taken intuitive for global negotiation. Kuwait is an integral part of global awareness for environmental and ecological sustainability. Global warming has also drawn significant attention of the government and local administration such that they have both taken three-layered waste management projects at the central and local level that incorporate a municipal solid waste management program, a material recovery facility, and an anaerobic digestion process (Al-Salem and Lettieri, 2009). Under such a scenario, the corporate houses in Kuwait have kept their highest priority on environmental issues as part of their corporate social responsibility where the multinational corporation McDonald’s would like to invest. Mission Although GCKG is a privately owned company, profit is not its main target, rather its mission is to maximize the resource values through waste management while reducing the environmental hazards and impact of global warming in a way that would improve the national economy and the environment making the company prosper. Vision GCKG strives to bring Kuwait to the level of western nations in as far as its environmental awareness is concerned. This will be achieved by reducing its emulation of greenhouse gases and waste management and placing it in a suitable position for the upcoming global convention for global warming. The proposed business initiative will operate in the Kuwaiti market, chiefly targeting all the branches of McDonald’s Corporation. It also has plans to place several composting bins outside the stores where the corporation will throw away its leftover vegetables. When the vegetables will turn into fertilizers, Green and Clean Kuwait Group will routinely send trucks to collect those fertilizers to the farmers, so that they could buy them at cheaper prices. The proprietors of Green and Clean Kuwait Group resolved that the organizational structure would be simple because the functional and management aspects of the system were to remain easy to comprehend. However, with all this in place, they also have to make sure that all dep
Aims of the research This paper aims to assert the reasons for the problematic transition into democracy in Middle Eastern countries. It will give a brief introduction to the political history of the region and better assessment of the system that Syria currently uses. Secondly, it will address the attempts made by the United States in expanding democracy and heavily emphasizing it in this region. The analysis of the Arab Spring, its evolution and its outcomes, will be vital in understanding the challenges that introduction of a new ideology has created. Ultimately, this paper will demonstrate why the current structure of the Middle East politically, socially, and structurally, will not sustain a democracy in the near future taking Syria as an example. Research Background Several countries in the Middle East such as Syria, Yemen, and Iraq experienced conflicts that have lasted for more than a decade. These conflicts are a result of weak democratic institutions or a complete degeneration of these structures. For instance, in Syria, the democratic institution has been abused by different regimes due to the dynamic nature of that society (Akerlof & Chaney 2012). In fact, the current president is in power for more than two decades and has never adopted an election system that can be described as free and fair since those who are supposed to implement control and supervision are executed, deported, or intimidated by the state machinery (Akerlof & Chaney 2012). Therefore, there is need to explore the possibility of attaining democracy and its challenges in Syria to design policies that can reverse the trend mentioned above. Research Question In order to understand the underlying facts of the research paper, the research question will be:  1. Can democracy be practiced efficiently in the Middle East, especially in Syria? Research objectives The research objectives are summarised as:  1. To establish the perceptions of the Syrians on the current stage of democracy in Syria  2. To make recommendations and suggestions on how the current stage of democracy can be improved to make it more inclusive and people oriented. Research Design and Data Research Approach For the purposes of this paper, I will use several types of sources ranging from the Internet to articles and personal interviews. For the history and background on the Middle Eastern governments, I will rely mostly on written material. In analysing a more recent history, mainly the Arab Spring, I will use both written material and personal accounts that will be gathered through the interviews. Lastly, my focus on the challenges connected with democracy establishment in the region will be taken from mostly written sources. Think-tanks and other institutions have various reports that provide analysis of the aspects of Middle Eastern countries which are deemed problematic to western values; these reports will assist me in developing my argument. Appropriateness of using the method for study Th
Introduction In the recent past, the UAE and the greater GCC healthcare sector has experienced accelerated growth. Several hospitals have undergone mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the region, specifically in the UAE. Most small hospitals have been acquired with larger ones in the UAE. In fact, experts have pointed out that M&A in the healthcare sector in the UAE will increase significantly. In the year 2015, NMC Healthcare, which is the UAE’s largest private healthcare provider, made two critical acquisitions. It acquired the ProVita International Medical Centre based in Abu Dhabi and Dr. Sunny Healthcare Group, which consists of six medical centers and three pharmacies based in Sharjah. Acquisitions in the UAE healthcare sector reflect aspects of change management currently taking place. Change, as it is known, is not a simple process to manage. This essay, therefore, explores issues related to change management in NMC. History, Culture, Orientation Established in 1975 with a single pharmacy and a small clinic in Abu Dhabi, New Medical Centre (NMC) has grown to be the largest UEA private healthcare provider. In the recent past, NMC has made several acquisitions to enhance its position in the healthcare sector. It has developed a strong work culture driven by performance and quality of service. As such, it is today found in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain, and Sharjah. The hospital is change, growth, and acquisition oriented. The management team and board of directors continue to provide vital strategic business direction for the hospital. These factors are responsible for excellence performance, increased acquisition, and expansion into other areas of the UAE. It is expected that the newly acquired entity, ProVita International Medical Centre does not have highly developed organizational culture, advanced care services, practices, IT solutions, competent teams, and vision for growth beyond the UAE. Hence, the acquisition brings about significant challenges to NMC. Drivers for Change It is observed that change for NMC is driven by both internal and external factors. Internally, senior executives and the board of directors are focused on the growth of the organization through acquisition and expansion strategies. The management team therefore drives and leads change internally. When NMC acquires small hospitals, other CEOs from such hospitals definitely lose their position. Consequently, acquisition often presents challenges for them. This could lead to change resistance from some executives and employees due to the fear of redundancy. Externally, drivers for change are mainly mark
Attention Today, I would like to talk to you about natural disasters and how to minimize their impacts by contributing to charity funds, and how your contribution can make a difference. We have come a long way as the human race. We have been able to harness the power of nature in many different ways. We have learned to generate electricity from water, the wind, the sun, and even ancient living things to power our homes. Despite these abilities, we have never been truly able to tackle any natural disasters. We have mastered the ability to predict when a hurricane or a tornado will pass, and to some extent, learned how to predict a volcano eruption. However, we are still caught by surprise by forest fires, landslides, tsunamis, or earthquakes. Those by natural disaster need a shoulder to lean on, and people are strong enough to provide support for their sake. That is what humanity is all about. However, when natural disaster management is not correctly handled, the impacts can affect people’s lives for years to come. Establish Need Natural disasters result in a lot of damage, leaving people displaced and homeless. For example, the 2019/2020 Australian wildfires left more than 90,000 people displaced, with no food, water, or shelter (Ward et al. 15). According to the report by UNEP, more than 2,800 homes were destroyed during the fires. In another occurrence in August 2020, Hurricane Laura struck Louisiana (Gibbens par 3). This was a category four storm that left 220,000 residents without access to drinking water (The State Times par 4). Soon after, evacuation orders were issued out to nearly half a million people in Texas and Louisiana. Many were left homeless due to evacuation, or the hurricane destroyed their houses. So far, we have witnessed 16 natural disasters across the world in 2020, ranging from wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and droughts. Satisfy the Need The America Red Cross Organization provides local community response during emergencies such as storms and wildfires. Unlike other non-governmental organizations and government bodies, the American Red Cross is known for responding to emergencies ranging from small fires to natural disasters every eight minutes. Home fires make up the majority of disasters combated by the American Red Cross. During natural calamities and fires, The American Red Cross avails itself wherever needed to ensure that people have safe shelter, clean water, and ho
Introduction Today, people get a good opportunity to learn about Indian society and its cultural peculiarities from a well-developed Hindi commercial film industry. In the chapter under analysis, Hasan (2010) examines Bollywood and Indian popular culture, focusing on complex relationships between the Indian state and the indigenous people who live in North-East India. Several key points make up the argument about the impact of commercial films and the role of the local identity of filmmakers. The author investigates the historical relationships between different regions of India, cultural assimilation, personal identity, political implications, and the creativity of Bollywood. Hindi commercial cinema is predetermined by past achievements, while modern producers use Bollywood as their form of cultural survival. Importance of a Topic The author of the chosen reading aims at discussing the role of commercial movies in understanding Indian cultures in several regions. The relationships between North-East India and other parts of the Indian state were complex and characterized by inequality and dominance, and locally produced films show the creativity of indigenous filmmakers. In Bollywood, the imagination of producers threatened peripheral indigenous cultures but also promoted the recognition of a national cultural identity (Hasan, 2010). People believed that there was no need to borrow methods from the world but develop local traditions and share stories about Indians from different parts of the state. Key Points Several critical issues prove how influential Hindi popular culture can be concerning the film industry. In India, many ethnic groups exist, and their development depends on different historical achievements and political decisions. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister in India, believed that North-East India had its future based on the policy of integration for indigenous societies (Hasan, 2010). This territory was represented as an amorphous mass, which explained the differences between people. The cultural autonomy of the region was recognized, but it was necessary to create one cultural identity where the representatives of different regional groups could cooperate. According to Hasan (2010), commercial movies were a serious step in this direction because local producers and filmmakers wanted to combine their cultural standards with indigenous beliefs and open the discourse of entertainment through assimilation. It was planned to obtain a balance and use Bollywood as a mediator in such complex relationships. Hindi movies introduced North-East India, underling the principles of nationalism and patriotism and showing the power of nostalgic vision. The promotion of digital technologies was another m
Human beings are quite complex and understanding the real cause of their behavior can be a daunting task for a layman. In a bid to understand the dynamics of human actions, psychological studies were introduced in institutions of higher learning to shed light on the intricacies surrounding human thoughts. Several psychologists emerged in the early nineteenth century and put forward theories that tried to elucidate human psychology. Among the notable psychologists who tried to understand human behavior is B.F Skinner. Skinner used the operant conditioning chamber to come up with his theory. Though operant conditioning can be applied in classroom and in real life situations, the two scenarios have some differences as well as similarities. Skinner developed a theory he called radical behaviorism which is the viewpoint of the study of human behavior. The theory postulates that human behavior is heavily dependent on environmental factors. According to this view, interaction with different environments yields ground for the acquisition of new behavior (Moore, 2008). The major point of reasoning in Skinner’s behaviorist approach of psychology is the importance of behavior reinforcement. He suggests that there are positive and negative reinforcements of behavior (Russell & Jarvis, 2003). Positive reinforcement is the fortification of behavior by the injection of an event like praising someone for a task well done. Negative reinforcement on the other hand is the fortification of behavior by circumventing an event like quitting a job hunt so as to get food stamps and unemployment benefits (Moore, 2008). Skinner used the operant conditioning chamber, which automatically detects occurrence of behavioral response, to study the behavior of animals. This was achieved by training animals that certain behaviors led to specific rewards. Rodents were placed in the Skinner box and different conditions were implemented which included levers that brought food. Animals would step on the levers severally expecting food. In other instances, punishment was used to restrain unwanted behavior (Plotnik & Kouyoumjian, 2010). In these scenarios, Skinner box is divided into two parts; one which undergoes temperature changes while the other has constant temperature. If an animal placed in the box goes to the part which undergoes temperature changes, the temperature will increase and make the animal to move away. The animal will be reluctant to go back even when temperature will not change. Skinner’s operant conditioning is applied by teachers and instructors in classrooms as well as in real life situations. It is, however, good to note that operant conditioning has similarities in its application. Both in classrooms and in real life situations, rewards are awarded whenever a desired behavior is recognized. Students are expected to act in a particular way and they are promised of rewards if they conduct themselves in the prescribed way. Similarly, in real life si