ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
I have seen numerous plays during the last several months; however, The Book of Mormon certainly left the strongest impression on me. As many people know by now, this play is the exact anti-thesis of political correctness and takes a strong stance on numerous controversial issues. In terms of aesthetic appeal, the play is definitely not on a par with some other plays that I saw recently, but the boldness of its message will definitely make everybody question their assumptions and spark endless hours of discussion among friends. As the political message is brought to the foreground, it is necessary to analyze that aspect of the play in great detail in addition to its aesthetic appeal. The Book of Mormon is a musical comedy created by the famous creative duo that gave us the South Park series. In this sense, the play is an attempt on the part of the duo to test their skills in more traditional art forms while preserving the biting wit and merciless sarcasm that made them famous around the world. The central theme of the play is an attempt of two men to convert citizens of the African country of Uganda to Mormonism. These two individuals have very special characters which reflect in an exaggerated manner dominant political ideologies. The interactions of these two characters with the people of Uganda yield a large number of comical situations. When it comes to music, one needs to say that it is evident that the music was primarily created with the intent of augmenting the comedy, and sometimes the music is the focus of a particular joke. Those who have watched South Park will easily recognize the musical style in the play as well. Ruthless sarcasm of the lyrics delivered over soft melodies represents a masterful contrast that highlights the comic character of the play. The performance of the actors was astonishing and that is certainly the best aspect of the play. After getting used to South Park characters as channels through which their makers deliver their humor, it is natural to wonder how successfully the message will be conveyed when actors on stage are involved. From this perspective, it is necessary to say that the actors only contributed to the creative and humorous expression of the writers. Now, turning to the political aspect of the play, the first impression that needs to be singled out is that the play is bound to incite uneasiness in everyone who has any respect for the notion of political correctness. The satirical attack on the Mormon religion is ruthless and brutal. The play touches on numerous hot issues that are currently debated like gay rights, racism, political ideologies, etc. Even though the play makes many powerful arguments through the use of humor, it has to be said that on several occasions the creators evidently abuse the audience’s trust. Over the course of the play, the writers build a strong ethos of rationality and ability to debunk superstition and d
The Byzantine Empire was a continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire that had separated itself from the western part of Rome during the 8 th century. The Empire was based on Greek mythologies that were oriented around Constantinople and the Byzantines were remembered for the preservation of Greek philosophy and art forms that would connect Europe to the rest of Rome. The Byzantine Empire was therefore a Greek state with Greek being the most common language in use instead of Latin which was the official language of the Eastern Roman Empire. The Empire was also a Christian state as many of its citizens believed in the life of Jesus Christ and they practiced Christianity in their day-to-day activities (Spielvogel 206). Religion was an important part of Byzantine and it had a major influence in most of the citizen’s lives. The Byzantine architecture mostly had its influence from artistic talents that existed amongst the Empire’s citizens where spiritual principles were used to create art forms in churches and church decorations. The architecture also incorporated the use of religious images in the form of sacred icons and pictures which were used for worship. The most well known Byzantine piece of architecture is the St. Sophia Byzantine Church that was built in 530 A.D. Religion also played an important role in the selection of the emperor who occupied an important position in the Byzantine Empire. The emperor had the authority and power to select a patriarch for the church within the Empire as well as to preserve the true faith of the Byzantines which was Orthodox Christianity. Religion, spiritual values and beliefs played an important role in the governorship of the Byzantine Empire (Spielvogel 206). In 620 AD, a new religious and political group begun to emerge in the Middle East that threatened the fundamental laws and religion of the Byzantine Empire. This group was the Islamic civilization which was founded by Prophet Muhammad in 610AD. Muhammad first preached in Mecca where he convinced the people there to abandon their gods and idols and submit to the one God. He went round to the various states that made up Saudi Arabia converting people into Islamism that was mostly based on the writings of the Quran which was written in Medina. Muhammad became the spiritual leader of the Islamic movement as well as the legal and military leader of Medina. He established his empire in Medina where his house was used as the first communal gathering place for prayer (Cunnigham and Reich 35). The Islamic faith was different from that of the Byzantine Empire as it was focused on the teachings of the Qur’an which formed the cornerstone of the Islamic faith. The Qur’an provided guidelines that would be used in deciding the social welfare of the citizens in medina as well as the family and inheritance laws. With regards to idols, the Qur’an did not speak against the creation of images and idols rather it spoke against the creation of idols which was a similar practice in the Byzantine Empire. The Islamic religion focused on worshipping God which was also similar for the Byzantines but
Introduction Schizophrenia virtually characterizes a disintegration of the thinking process as a mental illness disorder. The emotional disintegration aspect of the condition has necessitated many therapeutic techniques in managing the condition. Common manifestation symptoms of the conditions are strange delusions, paranoia, auditory hallucinations, and other types of dysfunctions that may either be occupational or social. The diagnosis of this condition is developed from the patient’s experiences because there have been no laboratory tests developed to effectively diagnose the condition (Amminger, 2006). Many approaches have been developed to explain this condition, with most researches pointing out that genetics, primary environment, neurobiological and psychological processes have a big role to play in it. Current research studies have shifted the analysis to a neurobiological point of view though no specific organic component has been identified as a cause of the condition. Consequently, there has been debate regarding the symptoms of the disease depending on whether they represent one condition or multiple disorders (Kirkbride, 2006). Schizophrenia has been majorly identified in the mesolimbic pathway of the brain, evidenced by increased dopamine activity. This condition has been traditionally thought to affect cognition but studies have shown that chronic problems especially associated with emotions and behaviors are also affected. Patients suffering from schizophrenia are therefore bound to have comorbid conditions which are characterized by severe anxiety and depression disorders (Jansson, 2007). This study will address schizophrenia in the context of therapeutic techniques used to manage it, along with the influence of stigma on the treatment. Problem Statement The treatment of schizophrenia is important because society and different cultures still stigmatize patients. Schizophrenia had in the past never been a common psychological disorder though its prevalence in society today has greatly increased. There is therefore a higher population suffering from the condition today than in the past. As a result, there is a huge population in society who are wrongly being stigmatized by society because of this condition. This implies that management methods need to be improved to make such patients more acceptable in society by trying to suppress the condition as much as possible (Kirkbride, 2007). The level of social stigma associated with this condition has been identified as a major obstacle to the recovery of patients from this condition. Studies were done in 2005 report that a significant proportion of the American population of about 12.8% believe that patients suffering from schizophrenia are more violent than normal people while another representative group of about 48.1% tho
Ireland is one of the largest producers and marketers of dairy products. The weather conditions of this country make it favorable for dairy farming. Way back in the 17 th century, a person’s wealth and worth were measured in terms of the number of cattle he had. Penetrating the Ireland business environment will not come without some challenges for Pinkberry. The recent acquisition of Super chill by Dale Farm has increased the clientele base of Dale Farm. The super chill company was renowned for the distribution of a range of ice cream products. Among the products is Cadbury, Mars. Nestle, and Haagan-Dazs (Ice Cream Reporter, 2007, p. 8). Two among the named products, Cadbury and Nestle are worldwide recognized and accepted products. However, besides the Dale Farm, there seems to be less competition in the field of ice cream selling. Considering the average weather of Ireland ice cream business is viable in Ireland. Due to the effect of the Atlantic Ocean, Ireland does not experience the extreme weather conditions experienced by other countries (METeireann, 2010, para.1). Despite being endowed with a favorable climate for dairy farming, the Irish community is not keen on ice cream production. The country is renowned for the export of its high-quality cheese processed by the Kerrygold Company. In addition, the country is known too for processing and exporting butter since time immemorial (Irish Dairy Board, 2010, para 1). Apart from the religious animosity between Muslims and Christians in Northern Ireland, the country experiences a relatively stable political environment. The political environment matters a great deal for the success of any company. Unstable political situations cause anxiety which in turn lowers productivity. The literacy level in Ireland is also impressive. This is a positive aspect ensuring the flow of skilled manpower for the Pinkberry Company. According to research and statistics, Ireland has grown in leaps because of its high level of the skilled and flexible labor force. This in turn has seen a decrease in the rate of unemployment in Ireland. The rate of unemployment has a direct impact on the rate of crime in society. Due to the high literacy levels in Ireland coupled with the low rate of unemployment, crime in Ireland is also on the lower side. This makes it safe for Pinkberry to invest in Ireland as the environment is conducive for business growth. The Irish economy mainly depends on the U.K and U.S.A as their major markets for their products. With the just ended recession, Ireland suffered a major blow to its economy due to being over-dependent on the American market. In case there is a repeat of this event then Pinkberry will suffer a massive blow for investing in Ireland. Entry Mode Considering the dairy history of Ireland, it would be worth putting in more consideration on the s
Morphine At present, various policy-makers and medical workers take several steps in order to minimize the unauthorized access and use of morphine. Moreover, they try to prevent people from becoming addicted to this drug. For example, healthcare professionals attempt to raise people’s awareness about the risks of abusing substances containing morphine. Secondly, much attention is paid to the regulations governing the storage, transportation, and consumption of this drug. These are the main precautions that are currently taken by the state. Overall, morphine is widely used for medical purposes; in particular, it is used to treat chronic pain. In many cases, this drug can be applied to help patients suffering from cancer. Additionally, morphine is prescribed to patients with pulmonary edema (Field 126). Therefore, there are legal uses of this substance, and it is widely produced today. Among the short-term psychological effects of morphine, one can distinguish the feeling of euphoria and decreased sense of anxiety or panic. In contrast, the long-term impacts of morphine are cognitive impairment, especially the deterioration of memory. Moreover, people who are addicted to morphine can develop such disorders as anxiety, depression, and mood swings. In turn, the physiological effects can be divided into two groups. In the short-term, this drug can cause constipation, drowsiness, nausea, and impairments of breathing (Berger 173; Hawthorne 110). The long-term effects of this drug include addiction and hormone imbalances. So, morphine can profoundly undermine the health of an individual. These are some of the main risks that should be taken into account. One should bear in mind that morphine has a very strong potential for addiction. This is one of the reasons why the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) pays close attention to it. Currently, this drug is included by FDA in Schedule II. This schedule incorporates substances that can lead to severe psychological and physical addiction. Moreover, it includes drugs that are often used for medical purposes. To a great extent, morphine has the characteristics which are necessary for inclusion into this list. Among the main users of morphine, one can distinguish people who need to alleviate pain (Spanagel 49). As it has been said before, this drug is often required by cancer patients. These individuals do not abuse this drug. Yet, there are many people who misuse morphine and eventually become addicted to it. They can represent different social, ethnic, or racial groups. Morphine can often be called morphi
Aging affects both females and males in today’s society hence the interest in factors that influence longevity. Data indicates that ordinary American men are likely to live until they reach seventy-six years, whereas the average American women live until they are eighty-one years (Murphy et al., 2018). Interestingly, if men do not face a significant injury or disease during their lifespan, they are likely to live sixty-seven healthy years. In contrast, American women are likely to enjoy healthy seventy years. All countries report that female life expectancy is slightly higher than that of men. Differences between female and male mortality rates underwent considerable changes in the 20 th century (Crimmins et al., 2019). Women are highly likely to live longer than men because of behavioral and biological factors. Behavioral Factors Men have a high chance of abusing their bodies more than women as they are more inclined to partake in harmful habits. Both U.S. women and men have a higher life expectancy than Indian men and women. Although both behavioral and biological factors influence varying life expectancy in females and males in both nations, health outcomes in India are poorer than in the U.S. The access to medical care is lower in India tha
Decision making is a very essential element, from an individual perspective as well as when taken from an organizational point of view. Decision making process should be procedural to ensure that all the important aspects are put into consideration hence allowing for success in the actions taken. Instead of just considering decision making process as an element of problem solving, it should be taken as a comprehensive process that not only focus on getting solutions to problems but also looking into the nature of the problems involved and how best they can be solved (Allwood & Selart, 2001). This piece of work looks into the considerations that should be adhered to ensure that XYZ Company establishes a greater presence in Kava. This will be through looking into aspects like; the key issues in the business scenario, the forces that are involved in formulation of the problem and the organizational and environmental obstacles involved in decision making. There are various key issues in the business scenario that are worth discussing in this paper, as a way of understanding the situation in the XYZ company hence identifying how the organization can be able to establish a greater presence in Kava. The company is relatively young with a lot of desire for growth and development as a way of expanding its operations. One way of expansion that the management of the organization has considered appropriate is that of improving its presence in other parts of the world, Kava, an island in the South Pacific, being one of them and the target of this assignment. An organization usually faces some challenges when extending its operations in other countries especially where the countries are not well established. Kava is faced with a lot of economic, political as well as social problems making it a risky place to establish successful business. Since Kava is faced with a lot of disasters, its development is slowed down and XYZ Company is not well developed there, from office setting to other operations. The establishment of a good presence of the company therefore necessitates that critical decisions are made in regard to what is beneficial to both the company as well as the people of Kava. All in all, it is a country of great potential and the challenges should be turned into opportunities through creative thinking and strategic decision making. There are various forces that are involved in formulation of the problem for instance the desire to come up with some solutions through turning threats into opportunities. Ethics is also a driving force towards making things in the company better and the founder, Chris Morales, emphasizes on adhering to business ethics for success for instance through corporate social responsibility as a way of giving back to the society. The fact that the company has a strong history of organizational structure and processes is also a driving force/ encoura
Bush, K. L., & Tassé, M. J. (2017). Employment and choice-making for adults with intellectual disability, autism, and Down syndrome. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 65 , 23-34. Web. The research primarily focuses on the contemporary status of employment factors in regards to people with intellectual disabilities or ID, which include three distinct groups, such as individuals with idiopathic intellectual disability, people with Down syndrome, and people with an autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of the study is to identify key employment differences among these three groups to find a common pattern or trend in regard the work availability. The methodology was mainly based on utilizing the 2011-2013 databases of National Core Indicator’s Adult Consumer Survey datasets to determine the most influential and differential variables. The authors primarily used and applied an ordinal logistic regression model to target the overall employment status among these groups. The findings suggest that: “adults with DS had the highest rates of paid community jobs, but adults with ID had the highest rates of choice-making” (Bush & Tassé, 2017, p. 23). In addition, there was a strong correlation between choice-making in the short-term and the overall severity level of the intellectual disability, and thus, it had the highest impact on the general employment status among all groups. The main strength of the study is the comparative approach in regards to the selection of three categories of IDs. The weakness of the research is the lack of long-term implications of these findings because short-term choice-making does not necessarily translate to the factors of job stability. In addition, the main accentuation is put on community jobs, which can be explained by a more prevalence of programs, which target people with Down syndrome compared to people with an autism spectrum disorder or idiopathic intellectual disability. Carvalho-Freitas, M. N. de, & Stathi, S. (2017). Reducing workplace bias toward people with disabilities with the use of imagined contact. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 47 (5), 256-266. Web. The study primarily focuses on the examination of the effectiveness of the methodological framework, which is called imagined intergroup contact. The purpose of the research is to make coherent and accurate observations in regards to the usefulness of the given method in improving the overall attitudes of people and organizations toward people with disabilities. The settings are based on organizational and corporate environments, where biases and stereotypical approximations are prevalent in regards to the target group, which is mostly comprised of people with blindness. The methodology revolves around conducting two experimental studies with an effort to identify the key alterations in two main factors, such as changes in support for people with disabilities’ rights through performance belief enhancement and expectations in relation to their work-based outcomes (Carvalho-Freitas & Stathi, 2017). The findings suggest that imagined intergroup contact can be considered as a powerful tool to effectively
Introduction This paper is based on the topic of contextual leadership. It explores the topic based on the article titled “Contextual leadership, a study of Lebanese executives working in Lebanon, GCC countries and the United States.” The article is authored by Farid Muma of the Meirc Training & Consulting Institute in the United States. In this paper, it is argued that Jackson’s approach of the geography of leadership (as presented in the article) is useful in the study of leadership. Also discussed is what can be learned from the study and what I find most interesting in the article. Meaning of ‘Geography of Leadership’ According to Professor Jackson of Auckland University, the phrase ‘Geography of leadership’ means that the ability of leaders and followers to replicate leadership depends on where and when they acquire leadership. Professor Jackson and his co-author (Parry) stated that the study of culture and leadership traces its roots to the United States in the works of various authors such as Hofstede (Muna, 2011). I agree that Jackson’s contextual approach is a useful way to study leadership. This is because it is important to consider culture when studying leadership. As discussed in the article, the context, culture, and situation should be taken into consideration when studying how leaders are made because they all influence the styles of leadership for all leaders (Muna, 2011). Jackson’s approach enables us to understand and appreciate the differences of various leadership styles. It also clarifies and explains why some leaders tend to be better than others. His approach is also beneficial because it enables leaders to learn from those who have been successful in the past (Muna