Monday, December 30, 2019

Comparing Chuck From Castaway And The Man From Help Build...

Ben Civjan Gatley 5 period 10/6/14 Compare and Contrast Essay Comparing Chuck from Castaway and the Man from To Build a Fire (Chechaquo) Everyone has to solve their problems. Whether it is family, friends, or sports, we all have to at some point or another. Some people have bigger problems, that may affect their whole life. But some, even greater than those, are about survival. Survival is the biggest problem of all. In the film Cast Away directed by Robert Zemeckis, and in the short story To Build a Fire by Jack London, the characters face the challenge of survival. One man survives, the other does not. In To Build a Fire, the man (Chechaquo) dies from freezing. He had bad character traits for survival, such as†¦show more content†¦A trait that they are opposite in is humbleness. Chuck is very humble about nature and surviving, but the Chechaquo (the man from To Build a Fire) is hubris and cocky. When the Chechaquo wets his feet, which is very serious at that cold of temperature, and builds a fire to warm himself he thinks, â€Å"Well, here he was; he had had the accident; he was alone; and he had saved himself. Those old-timers were rather womanish, some of them, he thought†(20). He does not think the people giving him advice know what they are talking about. They told him to be careful and take a partner, but he went alone. But just after he thinks this, snow from a tree falls on his fire, putting it out. If he is more careful, this will not happen to him. If he brings a partner or if he notices the tree with snow this does not happen to him. When Chuck first gets on the island, he makes sure to get food and water. Also, when he is preparing to leave the island, he takes note of the months and days. He does this so he can have proper wind and current to get home. He knows how dangerous and powerful nature can be, so he takes a lot of precaution. Without water and food you cannot survive, so he is smart to find those first. Also he knows that if he does not leave at the proper time the current and wind will blow him the wrong way. I f he does not consider these things, he might not have survived. Another trait that the Chechaquo and Chuck are opposites in is

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Ida B Wells And The Reconstruction Of Race Summary

America has a history riddled with both successes and failures alike. Among America’s greatest disgraces is that of the segregation of African Americans following the Civil War. When the war had finally ended, a period known as the â€Å"Reconstruction† began. During this time, the country began to attempt to mend it’s self politically, economically, and, most importantly, socially. In the southern portion of the United States, great atrocities were being committed against African Americans, and yet, this was not something that would be taken lightly. In the book, They Say: Ida B. Wells and the Reconstruction of Race, James West Davidson covers a large portion of the Reconstruction and particularly on the life of a young Ida B Wells. It is†¦show more content†¦Things got so bad that many Black men opted to vote at central voting locations where white intimidators were less likely to be, and to go together as a group because there is safety in numbers. Al l of this combined worked to attempt to deprive them of their fundamental right to vote as American citizens. Tying into their right to vote is having the knowledge of how to do so. A basic education is required in order to understand a great deal of political concepts and avoid being manipulated by the masses. That being the case, the right to an education is one that had to be fought for in the south, as the segregation had caused many Black citizens to be unable to get one. The problem that many had with African Americans getting an education was simply that, â€Å"knowledge was not only power, it was a path to world of culture and polish... a way to rise above the backbreaking work of the fields† (Davidson, 36). Of course, a well-educated enemy is harder to fight, so people who wanted to keep the black population under their control opposed their education greatly. So much so, in fact, that, â€Å"when whites looted African-American neighborhoods after the war, they singled out a dozen black schools for destruction† (Davidson, 36). Of course, this didn’t help their c ause much, as African Americans became more accepted into mixed raced schools, and were, therefore, able to pursue the education they required for a higher level job. Of course, mixed schoolsShow MoreRelatedBlack Leaders of 20th Century1293 Words   |  6 Pagesafter the fall of radical black reconstruction of the nineteenth century, African Americans were being oppressed by rural farming, civil rights, economical advancement and sharecropping. Booker T. Washington charged the fight for economical and political accommodation with his dream of equal civil rights. Timothy Thomas Fortune was an influential black journalist that fought for the rights of African Americans through literal resistance. The Lonely Warrior, Ida B. Wells was an outspoken voice againstRead More Black Leaders Of 20th Century Essay1276 Words   |  6 Pagesafter the fall of radical black reconstruction of the nineteenth century, African Americans were being oppressed by rural farming, civil rights, economical a dvancement and sharecropping. Booker T. Washington charged the fight for economical and political accommodation with his dream of equal civil rights. Timothy Thomas Fortune was an influential black journalist that fought for the rights of African Americans through literal resistance. The Lonely Warrior, Ida B. Wells was an outspoken voice againstRead MoreThe African American Literary Expressions Essay2106 Words   |  9 Pagesoppression in society. These ways of communication became a tool for achieving equal rights and freedom for black people. Ida B.Wells and Frances Harper both suffragist and civil rights activist, strived for social change within society. Harper was referred to as an â€Å"abolitionist poet† in which her poems focused on topics like religion, heroism, women s rights and black achievement. Wells was like a abolitionist/investigative journalist. Through her pamphlets, articles, and public speakings she raisedRead MoreMetamorphoses Within Frankenstein14861 Words   |  60 PagesFranken stein is famously reinterpretable. It can be a late v ersion of th e Faust my th, or an ear ly version of the mo dern myth of the mad scientist; the id on the ramp age, th e proletariat running amok, or what happens when a man tries to h ave a b aby without a woman. Mary Shelley invites speculation, and in the last g eneration 1 has been rew arded w ith a great d eal of it. How far we wedd ing guests h ave attended to what Frankenstein has to say and how far simp ly and unashamedly bound

Friday, December 13, 2019

Aftermath †creative writing Free Essays

BANG! I woke. I opened my eyes but was unable to see. The dust had settled like concrete boulders into the corners of my eyes! Everything was deadly still. We will write a custom essay sample on Aftermath – creative writing or any similar topic only for you Order Now The wind fiercely gave a shout. A black cloud stood dominating the demolished town. I moved my hands to wipe my irritated eyes, boulders, brickwork, broken furniture and complete devastation stood before me. A ray of light appeared through cracks of the rubble. The boulders took on features like monsters and ogres – making my chest tighten with fear. I vociferated for help. No one was around. I was scared: Petrified. I managed to pull my achy bones out from the debris, the pain was horrific. I could feel the cold misty wind stroke my face. In the far distance I could hear low voices that became louder and louder: hysterical screams. I attempted to crawl my way towards the noise – in hope for help. Shards of glass dug into the palms of my hands. Warm blood trickled down my knees, my throat tightened with the dirty dense dust. I could taste the fear. Behind me I heard a crackle. I turned. The flames of fire danced before my eyes. The heat scorched my face like the hottest sauna could. The smoke was a ferocious lion ready to pounce. I moved as quickly as I could, using all the energy I had. Slowly crawling like a young baby. I felt hopeless: disconsolate! The further I crawled the louder the low voices became. It was a horrendous atmosphere! The town had become a tragedy! Buildings around me had collapsed surrounded with sneaky smoke, brickwork and furniture were slowly burning away, the air was thick full of unknown flumes, why wasn’t anyone around? What had happened? No building stood tall, burnt out office work scattered the debris, ashes and litter played in the wind. My body filled with just one emotion: anxiety. Cars around me were smashed and strangled with fire. I watched in dismay. Crashing noises appeared. Brickwork collapsed- followed with a speechless smash. More rubble fell with bold broken bang! Screaming voices emerged. I crawled towards the screams. I was able to hear sirens wailing in the faint distance carried by the wind. I began to see flashing lights though the dark debris. There was only one word to describe it: hope. Suddenly I glimpsed with the squint of the eye. The site of panicked people was ahead of me. My heart skipped a beat. I shouted, â€Å"Hello, can you hear me†. No one replied. â€Å"Can you hear me?† I screamed. I waited. I listened. A young lady ran over to me. â€Å"Its okay, you’re safe now,† announced the lady. â€Å"What’s happened? What’s happened?† I repeated. She didn’t answer. She grabbed my arm and wrapped it round her neck giving me support. We approached the flashing lights. Countless amounts of ambulances and fire engines appeared. Hundreds of people were gathered staring at the ruined town. Many people were hysterically screaming and crying. Dead bodies were covered with white cloths. I became speechless. Tears ran down my face. â€Å"Its over, you survived†, quietly explained the young lady. I took a big breath. I closed my eyes. I thought. One word repeated through my head: lucky. How to cite Aftermath – creative writing, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Privatization In Russia Essay Paper Example For Students

Privatization In Russia Essay Paper For some, the privatization of Russian industry has been one of the great success stories of Russias painful economic transition: quick, firm and radical action was taken to shift the great bulk of Russian industry out of state hands, thereby laying the basis for a radical restructuring of enterprises and improvements in their performance. Others see privatization as a best a failure, at worst a catastrophe. Not surprisingly those opposed to the market and economic reform as a whole share this view. But many commentators who see themselves as supporters of reform find plenty in Russian privatization to criticize: the process led to the transfer of ownership to inappropriate people and as a consequence no beneficial restructuring of enterprises or the economy can be expected. While this paper will attempt to cover the three key facets of privatization: that enterprises be transferred to private ownership; that the new owners be able de jure and de facto to exercise ownership rights; and, finally and ultimately most importantly, that the new owners exercise their ownership rights in such a way as to bring about improvements in enterprise performance. The key issues to be surveyed, therefore, are: who as a result of privatization obtained ownership of Russian industrial assets, and are they appropriate owners; can new owners, particularly if they are appropriate owners, exercise their owne rship rights; and has privatization led to improvements in enterprise performance? The paper will deal with privatization only within the industrial sector; thereby ignoring the highly controversial privatizations of the last twelve months or so in the energy and utility sectors. Who are the new owners?Global data showing about 70% of GNP being produced in the private sector reflects the high levels of privatization of industrial enterprises, with the great bulk of enterprises having been privatized by mid-1994. However privatization does not necessarily mean the complete removal of the state from an equity involvement in enterprises. State ownership. The state retains shareholdings in a significant number of privatized enterprises on the basis of government decrees declaring the strategic significance for national security of the enterprise. Shareholdings range from 20 to 51 per cent or a Golden Share (a single share giving veto rights over certain strategic issues of corporate development) retained by the state for up to three years. In late 1997 the state had shareholdings in 2900 enterprises. The shareholding consisted of a Golden Share in 1351 cases, of over 50% of shares in 128, of 25-50%, in 1037, of 20-25% in 228, and less than 20% in 303 of cases. By far the largest numbers of state holdings are in the energy sector (860). Not surprisingly the defense industry sector has a significant number (260). The rest are scattered across the economy. This is a not insignificant state equity interest in Russian industry. There appears to be no particular trend towards either the strengthening or weakening of the states holdings, primarily because there are very differing views within government over which direction any trend should take. There is a continuing dribble of disposals, but decrees extending the period for which the state can retain parcels of shares in particular enterprises are also not rare. The number of enterprises deemed to require a strategic state interest increased from the original 2700 set in the governments 1995 decree, to over 3200 in early 1997, but had declined to 2900 by the end of 1997. It seems likely that a rump state presence will remain for some time to come, but not at a level that represents the basis for a significant rolling back of privatization. Majority workforce shareholdings are seen as leading to two possible outcomes: collective ownership, in which the enterprise is owned and managed in a collective way by a workforce with common interests; or management ownership, in which management in various ways gains de facto if not de jure ownership rights over workforce shares and thereby gains effective ownership of the enterprise. Collective ownership derives either from a natural alliance between managers and rank-and-file employees, probably based on Soviet traditions of paternalism and the social contract, or from the need of managers to pander to workers who control a majority of voting rights at shareholder meetings. Although some observers might find a collective ownership outcome desirable, on the grounds that it provides for workplace democracy and high-incentive work habits, reform-oriented commentators generally find it a form of ownership likely to lead to the maintenance of excessively high levels of underemployed staff and an over concentration on consumption at the expense of investment. The management ownership outcome derives from the ability of management to totally dominate divided, demoralized or indifferent rank-and-file employees. The argument that they do so by bribing employees with promises of secure employment and the maintenance of social welfare provisions is essentially the same as that presented in the previous paragraph on collective ownership. Korean War Essay Thesis The Law clearly responds to most of the abuses of shareholders rights, which littered the initial years of post-communist corporate governance. A summary of the legislation, especially the clauses most related to the protection of shareholders rights follows. Some of the examples of management behavior outlined above make it clear how important the rules on notification of meetings and quorums are. Regulations on notification are contained in Article 52. It is not essential that shareholders be informed directly and personally of shareholders meeting, although if a simple advertisement is to suffice the publication in which it is to appear must be specified in the Articles of Association. For larger AOs at least 30 days notice must be given of a meeting, with the Law containing a considerable degree of specification of the information that must be included in the notification. The board of directors of an AO with over 1,000 shareholders must have at least seven members; nine members are required for AOs with over 10,000 shareholders. Members of the management committee must be in a minority on the board, and the general director cannot simultaneously chair the board (Art. 66). Although the Law makes no provisions for the representation of minority shareholders on boards of directors, the requirement that cumulative voting be used in elections to boards is presumably designed to provide some protection (Art.59). The Federal Commission on the Capital Market reports an increase in outsider representation on boards since the first half of 1994, but also those outsiders are still underrepresented. One would be unwise to underestimate the ingenuity of Russian managers in finding ways around the Law, or their willingness to simply disobey it.61 Nevertheless the most obvious sources of abuse of shareholders rights have been dealt with. The fact that the Law one passed after all by a communist-dominated parliament has a pro-shareholder orientation is in itself worthy of note. As Dmitrii Vasilev, the head of the Federal Commission on the Capital Market, put it after the passage of the Law: As a result, we can say most violations of shareholders rights are now illegal in RussiaConclusionI am prepared nevertheless to venture, albeit tentatively, that the score card is not obviously against privatization. The suggestion that the designers of privatization were somehow conned into handing ownership over to managers does not stand up. The indications are that they knew what they were doing and judged that outside owners would eventually assert themselves. Gradually they are doing so, and gradually they are improving their ability to exercise and enforce their ownership rights. Sometimes they are doing so in ways that are no less reprehensible than the methods of the manager-owners. There are also reasons to be concerned about the long-term consequences of the sort of bank-dominated and highly integrated ownership that many of the outsiders have brought. The best that can be said at this stage is that all modern economies have at their peak a corporate sector dominated by large integrated institutions. Clearly the private sector, and thereby privatization, has to bear some responsibility for an economy in which it has a 70% share but which is unable to provide in anything like adequate proportions growth or welfare. But in this there are other factors also at work. Indeed there are some small indications, at both macro- and micro-levels, of a positive correlation between private ownership and good performance. With time that correlation could well become stronger and more evident. Business