ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Time is one of the most precious things we have in our lives. Ironically, it is also one of the things people do not value until they realize they have irreversibly lost it. The issue of time and its preciousness is the key aspect of Jennifer Egan’s book A Visit from the Goon Squad . However, the author does not proclaim time to be something treasured. On the contrary, time is depicted in a negative through a series of approaches in this book that it something between a novel and a series of short stories. The book’s narrative and its structure are its most unusual features. There is no certain connection to the past, present, or future. The stories are constantly traveling in time, just like their heroes and heroines are. It is not until one has read the last page that he or she can make sense of what has been read, arrange the elements, and imagine a whole picture of what the author was trying to convey. Even then, there is a fair chance that a reader might not grasp the whole idea of the character’s narrations, worries, and impressions. The first question that comes to mind after reading several stories from the book is, “What is going on?” The reader is stunned by Egan’s choice of narrative, but at the same time, it is impossible not to be enchanted by this decision. Because the characters and their stories are truly interesting, one keeps reading until the end to be able to make some order of the events and realize the causes of the actions and events. It is not an easy thing to do, but the diversity of characters and happenings fascinate and grasp the attention. Constant shifts of narration keep the readers curious and irritated at the same time. It might be problematic to follow all the events and characters, but it is also rather engaging to see them from different angles and build the whole picture by oneself. Another unusual thing about the book is the choice of the narration types. Rather than speaking either from the first or third person, Egan’s stories constantly shift from one to another. Even more than that – one story – “Out of Body” – is being told in the second person, which gives it an absolutely peculiar sense. The reader is being addressed by the narrator, which makes them feel as if the young man is addressing them, talking to them, trying to share things with them. The readers feel themselves as characters of the story because “Sasha knows all your secrets” and “you stand up” watching Drew and Sasha kiss (Egan 64). The experience of this chapter is something too dramatic to forget quickly. Egan’s choice of narrators is indeed unusual and notable. Although ambiguous at times, it seems to be one of the unique forms of expression employed by the author to reach the effect of impressing the audience and making readers interested in the book. Constant shifts of narrators and time dimensions not only keep readers alert and intrigued. These changes bring about one more crucial idea. Alo
The four learning centers that are appropriate to contribute to the development of 4-year-old children are Blocks Center, Creative Arts Center, Pretend-Play Center, and Sand and Water Center. These centers are organized according to the interests of young children, and they are effective to guarantee the development of children’s specific skills (Kostelnik, Soderman, Whiren, & Rupiper, 2011). It is important to discuss each center and the rationale for organizing it in detail while focusing on the used equipment and expected outcomes. Blocks Center requires a large space covered with a carpet. All materials, including big and small wooden and plastic blocks, cars, trucks, and figures of people and animals, are organized on open shelves. In this center, children can build with the help of blocks in pairs and groups of three-four students (Face, 2009). This center will contribute to the children’s learning because of developing gross-motor and fine-motor skills, coordination, and abilities to balance objects and solve problems. Creative Arts Center is an area with tables, working at which children can create figures and objects with the help of plasticine and paper; draw using crayons, pencils, and markers; paint; use chalk (Kostelnik et al., 2011). These practices are important to develop children’s skills in working with different textures and manipulating them for a certain purpose. Pretend-Play Center is an open space where children can easily communicate and play with each other, following certain scenarios or rules. The materials include toys and equipment for assuming certain roles typical of adults (Kostelnik et al., 2011). Therefore, this center is equipped with toy kitchen appliances, doctor’s clothes, and additional materials for the role plays. The activities in this center are effective to contribute to the child’s socialization and self-expression. Sand and Water Center is necessary for 4-year-old children to enhance their tactical experiences and scientific knowledge. The center is usually equipped with large and small containers and sources of water. While working with sand and water, children learn to understand the qualities of substances and their volume (Wallace, White, & Stone, 2010). They also develop gross-motor and fine-motor skills while scrubbing sand or pouring water. These four centers are selected because they provide children with opportunities to be involved in the developmentally appropriate activities. It is important to note that 4-year-old children actively facilitate their motor skills, as well as pay much attention to their feelings and observation (Kostelnik et al., 2011). They also learn about different shapes and forms. Furthermore, the focus is on the effective socialization of children through the play. The proposed centers provide a range of possibilities to develop the identified skills and abilities. Possible barriers that can be faced during the process of organizing the centers is the la
In political philosophy, “state of nature” is a common term used to illustrate the theoretical conditions that lead governments. These hypothetical issues major on the foundation of every government and the time before their establishment in the society. In these theories, only freedoms and no rights exist in “state of nature” hence the need for privileges and obligations. Thomas Hobbes During the 17 th century, Thomas Hobbes proposed the idea the idea of “state of nature” in his writings called the leviathan (Aaron, 1971). In his writings, Thomas Hobbes presents a series of psychological concepts that people used during the era of anarchy. In his work, Thomas argues that life in itself is at its worst and the state should intervene and provide security for everyone. Applying the laws of conservation in motion, Thomas proposes that man is continuously searching for something. This perpetual search has always caused him to be at war with other human beings. Thomas further proposes that any individual in the state of nature has the right to fight for his or her survival despite the consequences because life is spiteful, rough, and short-lived. According to Thomas, the state of nature allows a society to have no laws hence nothing is considered injustice in the lawless society. However, he exempted certain natural conditions from this rule. These were that every individual is supposed to strive for peace so long as he can obtain it and that a man should be willing to fight for his peace as long as he can defend himself. This illustrates that an individual has to abide by the laws of nature as long as his or her fellow humans abide by it (Aaron, 1971). In my opinion, Thomas Hobbes was justified in his suggestion that the human aggressiveness is driven by the desire to acquire something. The aspects of human activities illustrate this observation. For an individual to work effectively, the desire to achieve something must be driving him or her. In this regard, if all humans were completely satisfied with all their needs and wants, the world could be a peaceful place as resources, which are the main source of conflicts in the society, could be in abundant. This is because a lawless society will enhance conflicts among individuals. The lack of laws in the society will result in some people taking advantage of the situation and directly or indirectly inflict pain on the vulnerable members of the community. This will fuel enmity between individuals in the society because there are no justice systems to deal with such offenders. Thomas attempts to portray a state where all the individuals are at war and warns the current government systems that the greed for power may lead to such states. Moreover, He asserts that within the laws of nature, all human beings are equal in all aspects of live. In this regard, the human population possesses equal skills, strengths, and weakness. Similarly, Hobbes noted that humans in a state of na
A macroeconomy is initially in equilibrium but not at full employment. Figure: 1 the short-run Aggregate Supply – Aggregate Demand model. Where   * P: price,   * AD: aggregate demand,   * AS: Aggregate supply   * R 0 , E 0 , and Z 0 refers to short-run equilibriums. An increase in international oil prices In figure 1, the economy is in short-run equilibrium at the point E with quantity Q 0 and price P 0 an increase in international oil prices has the effect of shifting the aggregate supply curve inwards and to the left . The aggregate supply curve will, therefore move from AS 0 to AS 1 . Oil is an input good; many consumer goods and services use oil or oil products as inputs in the production process. When the global price of oil increases, therefore, producers of the final goods and services are forced to cut on the supply at all existing price levels. It is the decrease in aggregate supply that is arising from the increase in the price of oil that shifts the short-run aggregate supply curve SAS 0 inwards to the left to SAS 1. The overall output level reduces from Q 0 to Q 1. The decrease in the level of output will push up prices from the original P 0 to a new price P 1 . There is a shift in the short-run equilibrium from the original E 0 to the new F 1 (Barro, 2008). An Appreciation in the Value of Foreign Exchange Rate of the Local Currency When a countrys domestic currency appreciates, it becomes expensive relative to the other currencies. This, in turn, implies that for the other countries to buy its exports, they have to incur an extra cost because the local currency becomes dearer. On the other hand, imports to the country, become less expensive as the a given volume of the domestic currency can buy more of the other countrys products and services (Boyes & Melvins, 2010). Because the exports are more expensive, less of the local goods and services are exported at the same time imports into the country will increase (net exports decrease). Given that net exports are a function of aggregate demand, the total demand in the economy reduces, causing an inward shift in the total demand curve from AD 0 to AD 2 . Suppliers of goods and services will react to the fall in demand by reducing both the general price level for goods and services (P 0 to P 2 ) and the volume of output (Q 0 to Q 1 ). A new level of equilibrium is attained in the short-run (F 1 ). America falls back into recession The effect on the local economy will depend on whether America is a major trading partner or not. If it is a major trading partner, the recession in America will result in a drop in the aggregate demand for goods and services as the disposable income reduces, less of the local countrys exports will be demanded. This has the effe
Introduction: When Professional Excellence Comes at a Price Living in the XXI century puts a lot of pressure on an individual, especially in terms of career. Employees must work not only efficiently, but extremely fast. As a result, priorities have been shifted to delivering perfect workplace performance. Hence, employees often develop workaholism. Although slacking the pace of workplace performance is hardly possible, by getting one’s priorities straight, one will be able to get rid of workaholism. Survey and Its Analysis: XXI Century Tendencies To evaluate the scale of workaholism within the context of the XXI-century business world, a survey was carried out in a DesignMaster Company. The questions concerned the employee’s status, his/her daily schedule, communication, health and social life. 30 people took part in the survey. Percentage of workaholics in organizational environment The results were rather discouraging; the survey has shown that at least 20% of the employees were workaholics, and 36% more displayed workaholic tendencies. Reasons for people to work additional hours Judging by the employees’ motivation, though, only 5% were defined as actual workaholics (answer c). The rest confessed to have money (43%) and deadlines (52%) as their primary motivation. Workaholism and professional excellence: correlation The tendency to work extra hours does not have a seemingly tangible effect on the efficacy of employees’ performance; as the results of the survey say, 28% of the people defined as workaholics had a rather low professional score. However, it should be mentioned that 11% of the people surveyed managed to attain workplace excellence. Work, family and social life: dozing out the ingredients According to the existing researches, one of the key effects of workaholism concerns the inability to pay equal amounts of attention to family life, social life and professional life ( Living With a Workaholic—For Friends and Family 1). The survey results prove the given statement: 20% of the people defined as workaholics due to their previous answers have shown that they are unable to pay enough time to their relatives and friends, not to mention having a hobby. Probable Solutions: Experts Recommend Although the situation in DesignMaster seems drastic, viable solutions can b
Introduction Turkish cuisine is an interesting one. No one could pinpoint only one specific thing about it as it consists of just too many details to ponder, or at least salivate on. The Turkish cuisine is made up of assorted dishes, each quite different from each other yet complementing each other enough to translate into feast-like meals. The fact that each dish is elaborately crafted makes them so fascinating that one can keep contemplating each without getting tired of it. As said, not one prevailing feature can be discerned from the Turkish cuisine, and really, the fact that it is so rich and diverse sets it apart from other cuisines. Turkey’s colorful culture is precisely mirrored in its cuisine, making it not only attractive to the eyes but very appealing to every food connoisseur’s palates. The Turks had a way of transforming an ordinary, boring green vegetable into a dish of heightened delicacy and color just by sprucing it up with few additional ingredients. The history of the cuisine First of all, let me say a few words about the history of the cuisine, particularly, what influence it had on society. About a century ago, when Istanbul was considered the most influential city in the world, a great amount of money was allocated to the Topkapi Palace for its cuisine. Large kitchen halls were located in few buildings under the ten domes of the palace. In the 17th century, there were 1300 people involved in the food-making process within the palace. Hundreds of cooks, with each one specializing in making certain dishes, were daily feeding 10 000 court nobilities (Karpat). Besides, trays with different dishes were sent off by the sultan to different cities as a sign of predisposition. The importance of cuisine was also evident in the elite troops of the Ottoman Empire. A large boiler for making pilaf was possessed by each army division and had symbolic meaning. Whenever janissaries demanded changes either in the sultan’s cabinet or of the great vizier, they overturned the boiler. The Turkish expression “to overturn the boiler” is still used to describe riots and unrest. Turkish cuisine goes back to the times of the Ottoman Empire. If we to characterize the cuisine, we would require a brief excursion into history. The founders of the Ottoman Empire belonged to a subgroup of Turk tribes that have ruled a state of nomadic people of Eastern Siberia in the 5th century. When they have consequently traveled through Persia into Europe, it looked more like it was a crusade. This nation had conquered the great territory of South-Eastern Europe 150 years before capturing Constantinople in 1453. Far-Eastern military elite had quickly adopted the cultural heritage of the western world. Marriages with princesses and the upper class of the Mediterranean region brought various culinary influences and introduced culinary features of the tribe native to the successive ruler. The local population considered their capturers as barbarians not only due to their religion. The Turkish warri
Vic Ahmed, the founder of Innovation Pavilion, can be considered a successful entrepreneur as he can take risks, which is one of a businessman’s essential qualities. A successful entrepreneur should know when businesses bring benefits and whether it is worth concentrating on a particular case. One of the most important business qualities is being creative and finding unusual solutions in an ordinary situation. Furthermore, decisiveness also has its value; as long as an entrepreneur does not maintain this quality, a start-up may go bankrupt unless a new good idea has not been implemented promptly. Moreover, cooperation is the ability to find competent mutual contact with people to attract venture investors. Business is a social activity based on beneficial commercial relationships among personalities. People have different characters, thus, communication is an essential quality of a successful entrepreneur. The Steven Case “Rise of the Rest” runs bus tours to introduce investors to aspiring entrepreneurs across the country. It serves Ahmed and Case’s business goals as this kind of investment benefits all stakeholders. For instance, more job opportunities are created, wealth is growing, more quality products are introduced to the market (Okrah et al., 2018). Moreover, it helps society cope with changes in the labor market. The fund serves to harness and enhance the potential of previously forgotten but developing cities in the United States and create an expanded network of start-ups off the coast. The involved entrepreneurs perceive the initiative not as a charitable act but as a real opportunity to receive their share of the profits from the millions that the invested companies can earn (Okrah et al., 2018). In addition, by investing in unpopular firms, business people can stimulate those regions that most need to attract funds. Start-ups that operate in smaller cities, where it is complicated to find capital, talent, usually face particular challenges. Nevertheless, many of them become successful businesses, relying only on their strength. The factor determining their progress is based on a balanced approach to gaining profit. These start-ups focus on long-term investment in people and resources. Self-reliant innovators tend to avoid risk-taking; instead, they prioritize growth and profitability, including resilience in their business model, charge for value from the start, and long-term study. Reference Okrah, J., Nepp, A., & Agbozo, E. (2018). Exploring the factors of start-up success and growth. The Business & Management Review , 9 (3), 229−237.
Communication entails movement of information from the sender to a recipient across distances and time. The process of communicating is said to be complete once the receiver gets the information and understands it. Today the process of communication has been simplified by the modern forms of communicating such as video teleconferencing and net meeting among others. This has greatly been ameliorated by the growth of internet connectivity such as the fiber optic cables and wireless connectivity. This has greatly enabled organizations to enhance their communication efficiency with video teleconferencing and instant messaging being among the most commonly used forms of communicating Video teleconferencing Video teleconferencing also referred to as video conferencing is arrange of interactional telecommunication expertise that enables individuals in two different geographical locations to communicate simultaneously by audio and video transmission. Unlike videophone calls that only serve one individual at a time videoconferencing can serve many people at a time. This technology was pioneered by television broadcast systems through the use of coax cables. It was later advanced to compression of video and audio streams digitally in real time. Video teleconferencing requires a video output such as video camera or webcam to capture images and an audio input like a microphone to capture audio sounds. Audio output mostly loudspeakers are used while projectors, televisions and computer monitors are used as the video output. The communication is transmitted through a network such as LAN or Internet. There can also be simultaneous communication between three or more remote points through the use of multipoint control unit. In an organization the video teleconferencing can be used to hold meetings with people who are far away but have the video conferencing systems. Advantages Video teleconferencing has made the world even a smaller global village. With the help of this technology organizations have been able to drastically reduce their transport expenses to reach out new markets or hold meetings. For instance a multinational company would save a huge chunk of money by having their meetings video conference rather than paying for the transport and allowances of their representatives in the different countries and regions. Workers productivity is also enhanced as the workforce can be monitored by frequent reporting and making decisions and consultations easier and faster. Videoconferencing being a “green” technology assists in environmental conservation. It reduces energy consumption that could have been used in travelling thus making it environmental friendly. Disadvantages The main disadvantage is the technical difficulties encountered in the installation and maintenance of the system. Without a highly skilled expertise it would be difficult to communicate smoothly and efficiently. The interruptions may cause miscommunication which may lead
Introduction Biotechnology is a rapidly developing branch of science, which is aimed to improve the quality of life. However, innovations in this field can become a threat because they can be used as weapons of biological attacks. Intentional use of pathogenic organisms as weapons of mass destruction can cause harm to people, and the economy and the worst possible outcomes are the death of people and destruction of the country’s economy. Bioterrorism is a serious crime that can lead to irreparable consequences. Therefore, it is crucial for the United States government to update the existing national biodefense strategy frequently. Nevertheless, a potential biological attack is one of the hardest terroristic events to predict. It is easy to trace a cybercriminal as there is a “digital” footprint” left, but when naturally occurring biological agents become a weapon of mass destruction in the hands of terrorists, it can be challenging to detect and distinguish a dangerous intentional use (Walsh, 2015). As a result, the work of Intelligence needs to be more thorough in order to get adequate assessment and analysis of the current biothreat situation. The introduction of an Intelligence Community Working Group to support the National Biodefense Strategy is a necessary measure. The reason is that it will provide better communication between different structures contributing to biodefense by allowing them to work closely together. This can result in a collection of more valuable information, its better assessment and analysis, which, in its turn, will lead to higher levels of security. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to choose specific depar