Russian Mafia. Russian organised crime. Is the Russian Mafia is dead Essay

Russian Mafia. Russian organised crime. Is the Russian Mafia is dead or not - Essay Example The Russian Mafia can be linked with the imperial period of Russia, which started in the 1700s. Most of the Russian populations at that time were very poor people. During that time, the criminals who stole from the government resources and shared the profits with the poor were regarded as heroes and were seen as protectors of the community (Gleason, 2009). The term Russia Mafia is a phrase used by most people to refer to a collection of various criminals that are organized and are originate in the previous Soviet Union. Most of these groups share a similar organization structure and goals that identify them as part of the association. They have also been given names like Bratva, Organizatsiya, or the Red Mafia. In the world of today, more than 6,000 different groups that are existing, and more than 200 of these groups are operating globally (Niklaus, 2014). For an organized crime syndicate that is powerful, there was the integration of two USSR characteristic. There was present of a bureaucratic power that was excessive and an illegal market that was present. The bureaucratic excessive power encouraged organized crime by availing an environment for bribery, corruption, extortion and shakedown. According to the Soviet Ministry of Interior All- Union Research Institution in 1991 (Ruth, n.d), bribes were part of the salary of almost half the population of the entire government employees. However, the existence of a market that was illegal was the basis of the presence of the Mafia in the Soviet Union. Most people know that a market that is illegal, like alcohol during the period of prohibition or elicit organized crime of drugs today, yet this connection was distinctive in the Soviet Union. In the Soviet Union, any business form that was not approved by the government was associated with a market that was illegal. This strengthened the cr iminal growth in the USSR. Also, the government was not able to provide the basic products to the citizens hence making a

Harley Davidson History Essay Example for Free

Harley Davidson History Essay Actually, the history of the Harley-Davidson Company began in 1903, when two brothers, Bill Harley and Walter Davidson, invented their first motorcycle in Milwaukee (Gannon, 2002, p. 8). At that period of time other companies produced motorcycles in the North-American states and one of them, the Indian Motorcycle Company, became the main competitor of Harley-Davidson for many years. In fact, it was a bicycle, equipped with a one-cylinder motor. All details of that motorcycle were produced manually. Later, the second version of that bike was produced with more powerful motor and it became the first motorcycle for sale (p. 10). Three bikes were assembled that year and the Harley-Davidson Company opened the first page of its history. In 1904, the brothers produced 8 motorcycles and in 1906 it were 50. The company developed very quickly and by that period of time it included about 20 employees hired. Harley-Davidson constantly aspired to create a high speed bike and as a result the new model known as V-twin was introduced in 1909. The specially designed vacuum valves and a belt transmission were the main features of that model (Oliver, 1957, p. 26). In 1910, the legendary Bar and Shield logo was developed. It continues to be the main defining symbol of Harley-Davidson bikes today (p. 28). The significant progress of the Harley-Davidson Company took place in 1912. A new 6-story factory was built and first overseas sales were made in Japan. That year Harley-Davidson presented its first version of gear box. The mechanism of chain gear was designed in 1913 and a three-speed sliding-gear transmission was developed in 1915 (p. 32). It should be emphasized that the First World War played a big role in the development of the Harley-Davidson Company. So, about 20,000 motorcycles were sold to the U. S. military forces by the end of 1918 (Walker, 2000, p. 67). The given order significantly improved the reputation of Harley-Davidson and having 2,000 additional dealerships worldwide the company managed to become the biggest motorcycle factory in the world (Oliver, 1957, p. 34). Improving the construction of V-twin motors, company’s constructors couldn’t get rid of the main problems, typical for the given class of motors. The opened valves often clogged up and had a lot of maintenance problems. At that time, Indian Motorcycle Company used another construction of V-motors. Though, theoretically that construction was less effective the engineers managed to bring it to perfection and got the maximal power and maintenance simplicity. For that reason, the administration of the Harley-Davidson Company took decision to create its own class of V-motors with longitudinal placement. The first pattern of that bike appeared in the last days of the second decade (p. 35). The new model, equipped with the Flathead V-twin engine was invented in 1929 (Walker, 2000, p. 72). The motors of the given model were equipped with side-valves and the classical Flathead could successfully compete with the production of the Indian Motorcycle Company. Unfortunately, Flathead appeared two months earlier the moment when the Great Depression began. The number of sales decreased in several times, but the company managed to survive when others went bankrupt. However, having survived the depression time the company managed to stabilize its economy and was in very advantageous position – huge demand and the absence of supply. In 1932, the three-wheel Servi-Car was developed (Oliver, 1957, p. 38). Together with the change, called as the eagle design, which was painted on all Harley-Davidson gas tanks, there were a lot of changes made in the engine’ s construction. Afterwards, the given model made a good impression on the U. S. police, as a result, Servi-Car managed to become police vehicle (p. 38). In 1936, the Knucklehead motorbike was invented and managed to become the victory over the Indian (p. 39). The given model took place on the market for 12 years and had a huge influence on the further developments. The engineers continued working on Knucklehead model even during the Second World War. Having changed the motor’s configuration and added the hydraulic device intended for pushing valves, the constructors managed to get rid of adjusting gaps. Due to the aluminum body of engine the motor’s heat emission was increased. Afterwards, bikers called that model – Penhead. The main event which took place in 1953, it was the collapse of the main competitor of Harley Davidson Indian Motorcycle Company (Walker, 2000, p. 88). Nevertheless, the company faced a lot of problems in the marketing field due to the fast development of Japanese and European motorbike companies. Thus, having sold the part of its stocks, Harley Davidson was involved in the cruel fight against foreign producers. In 1969, American Machine and Foundry Company bought the control packet of shares of Harley Davidson and became its actual owner (Oliver, 1957, p. 40). The new motorcycles had a negative impact on the company’s reputation and Harley Davidson began to lose the market of Big-twin and Sportster models. In 1971, FX Super Glide model was produced (p. 43). Although the given model wasn’t popular, Harley Davidson developed its further unique motorcycles on the basis of FX Super Glide. By the middle of 70-s the given models couldn’t cope with the production of Japanese competitors. As a result, in 1981 senior members of Harley-Davidson bought back Harley-Davidson Motor Company from AMF (Walker, 2000, p. 90). In 1983 the group H. O. G was founded and became the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world. By the year 2000, the club had over 500,000 members (Gannon, 2002, p. 15). In 1984, the new Evolution V2 model with an aluminum head was presented to public (Oliver, 1957, p. 42). At the end of this revolutionary decade for Harley-Davidson, the FXSTS Springer Softail model was introduced into the lineup. It was made on the basis of motorcycles of the 1940-s and equipped with the modern 1340 cc motor (Walker, 2000, p. 92). The appearance of the given engine allowed the Harley Davidson Company to produce many motorcycles by individual orders. So, introduction of such model as FLSTF Fat-Boy in the early 1990-s can be considered as a good evidence of that fact. In 2001, the new model of Harley-Davidson was presented for the 2002 model year. The main feature of the given model was suggested to be the modern engine, equipped with a liquid-cooled system. It should be pointed out that today the Harley Davidson Company takes the leading position in the business World, when demand exceeds supply, that allows to increase the prices of production and stock. References Gannon E. , Veno A. (2002). Brotherhoods: Inside the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs. Crows Nest: Allen Unwin Oliver S. H. (1957). Automobiles and Motorcycles in the U. S. National Museum. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Walker S. M. (2000). Bikers: Culture, Politics and Power. New York: Berg

Geographical Scales in Human Geography

Geographical Scales in Human Geography Identifying and analyzing varying geographical scales is paramount to the study of human geography. At the heart of the matter lies the assumption that human processes do not occur in isolation from one another but in fact directly impact on the whole. Therefore, issues and events that occur on one scale, for example at the rural level, impact and are impacted upon by events taking place at the urban, national and even global levels. It is essential therefore that the entire process be viewed as one unified developmental progression and not as single phenomena with independent repercussions. Such is the ultimate concern of this work. What follows below is analyses how of different scales of geographical study impact upon one another and therefore shape the manner in which we conceptualize human processes as a whole. The scales in question will be confined to four areas of geographical analysis: rural; social; political and consumption. It is by using such defined criteria that we abl e to better comprehend how human society functions. This above all is the primary benefit in employing such analytical techniques because in doing so we are able to encapsulate the whole; as apposed to merely assessing individual factors without understanding their wider context and implications. Let us begin by looking at rural aspects in Britain. In terms of numbers, the rural population accounts for far less than their urban counterparts. The general movement of people from the countryside to the towns that was indicative of the period following the industrial revolution continued well into the latter twentieth century, and although in recent years there have been suggestions that it is reversing; urban dwellers still make up the vast bulk of the national population. Given this, it would be natural to assume that rural Britain would be of lesser interest to the study of human geography. Indeed, there was a time when urban studies enjoyed a relative preponderance in this regard, however in recent years the countryside has again returned as an exiting point of analysis. This is mainly due to the fact that rural areas have become the focus of broader geographical study and cultural developments. Cloke offers us three reasons to explain this progression. Firstly, the study of countryside landscapes provides us with a demonstration of power relations in addition to being â€Å"subjects of desire† and conservation.[1] Secondly, the countryside is perfect for the study of how nature and space interact. Also, the manner in which human and non human forces exist and co exist can be examined in rural settings. Finally, the countryside can conceal the presence of â€Å"hidden others†. As Cloke explains; â€Å"issues of gender, sexuality, poverty and alternative lifestyles are important in this context†.[2] Furthermore, rural matters and concerns impact upon other geographical scales. A pertinent example of this was seen during the Countryside Alliance Liberty and Livelihood March in London when 400,000 protesters descended on the capital to voice their frustration at the â€Å"encroachment of urban bureaucracy† into their lives.[3] The march was primarily concerned with government plans to ban fox hunting, however its wider connotations show the extent to which scales of analysis directly impact upon one another and as such, broaden our understanding. The arena of politics, due to its very nature never acts in isolation. Political processes affect every form of human organization and therefore they are vital to our present discussion. There is little need to spend time assessing the impact of traditional politics; as this is largely obvious. Therefore, I will look at the issue of nationalism as a reference point for assessing one political impact in detail. Nationalism is essentially the feeling of association and identification that a particular group of people feel to a particular nation. However, what is a nation? If we look at it one way we can say that a nation or country is nothing more than a geographical portion of land that a collection of people have taken a liking to. Now it is at this point that the issue of nationalism becomes pertinent to the human geographer. As Pyrs Gruffudd has asserted, it is territorial ideology that drives nationalism and therefore, this â€Å"leads on to a whole raft of cultural relationships through which a people make a land their land.[4] Nation building is a process that usually takes centuries to complete however it is nonetheless always formed on a geographical identify. Nationalists of course conclude that they have a whole plethora of things in common that make them distinct from other nationalities. However, it is their geography that sets them apart more than anything else. Furthermore, h istorical undertones are invariably used to bolster nationalist sentiment; Adolf Hitler and Winston Churchill are classic examples. However, it is geographical underpinnings that form the foundation of this historical conception. A nation’s history is inextricably linked to its geographical space, which remains constant throughout the ages and therefore forms the basis upon which everything else ultimately rests.[5] Social geographers play a vital role in our process of conceptualizing human behavior. Above all, human behavior and the societal forces that dictate it form a large part of our identity and therefore go a long way to explaining human outcomes and events. It has been the case for many years now that the study of social geography has overlapped with; some argue even supplanted traditional sociology. Little time will be invested on such discussions here, but many social aspects of geographical study are strikingly similar to the issues pertinent to the sociologist. Social geography focuses its attention primarily on â€Å"social relations, groups and inequalities†.[6] The link with traditional geography is made by assessing social events and developments with reference to geographical phenomena. For example, one may examine how the social forces of a particular area have impacted upon its geographical nature. Also, the social geographer is concerned with examining how social constructs operate through geographical contours. Social geography does not offer the kind of in-depth societal analysis that we would find emanating from the sociologist or the anthropologist. However, this branch of geographical discipline is pivotal because instead offering detailed explanations of current social forces it suggests how these forces initially came about. As a paradoxical consequence of this it is then possible to trace social development and evolution, and account for modern phenomena and characteristics. As with all geographical disciplines, socia l geography is reliant on space for its analysis, however, it is also the study of place that determines much of the understanding here. The environment in which we live often dictates the outlook we will adopt and also has huge ramifications on our life options and choices. Furthermore, in addition to the impact on the individual there are also consequences for social formation and progression in general. Geography can have an enormous impact on local communities, particularly with the manner in which they develop cohesion and communal outlook. Who we are is therefore determined in many ways by where we are. Thus, the connotations that social geography has for other geographical areas and wider academic disciplines is considerable. In fact, as social foundations form the basis on which human existence essentially rests, we can conclude that the study of social geography, with its emphasis on the social implications of geographical factors is of paramount importance. The final area to which I will offer explanation is geographical consumption. At first sight consumption may appear a boring and relatively unimportant topic of discussion. However, this is most certainly not the case as issues pertaining to consumption have many times impacted on a massive scale. For example, it is not uncommon to find references to consumption and desire in analyses focused on the Cold War. In fact, some commentators have suggested that increased desire to consume on the part of many in the Eastern block played a considerable role in communisms demise. Consumption is therefore one of the ways that human geography crosses the boundaries of academia by infiltrating not only (in the above example) politics; but also economics. Nonetheless, the concentration on consumption is a relatively new addition to geographical study as previously; it was left to other academic areas to assess the impact of this most pertinent of issues. However, it is largely due to the importance of consumption in our every day lives that the subject has become a valid object of analysis for the human geographer. Furthermore, the extent to which consumption has impacted upon geography is also considerable and again has increased in recent years. A useful example that can amplify this development is to be found in the countryside. Traditionally, rural areas were considered to be bastions of production and not consumption. In the years before industrialization and large scale shipping altered food production and dispersal beyond all recognition, the countryside was a vital part of every nation’s survival. However, with the onset of global markets and multiple exports, the British countryside no longer acts as the nation’ s primary larder. As such, it is consumption that has filled the economic gap. The same of course can be said of Britain’s urban areas; once the home of the world most powerful productive machine. Since the onset of manufacturing demise in the mid to late twentieth century the factory and the mill have been replaced with the shopping centre and retail park. In addition, consumption contains a social facet. The cloths we wear and the car we drive all play a part in fostering our identity and as such, our social being. Therefore, the study of consumption provides the geographer with valued insight into human processes and also links together with other aspects of human study. In conclusion, it is clear how the above issues not only direct the study of human processes and events; but also impact upon one another. In doing so they form a whole that when conceptualized as such; can offer us a detailed and wide ranging assessment of how human beings order and organize their lives. Bibliography Cloke, Paul et al (Ed). Introducing Human Geographies. London: Arnold, 1999, Daniels, Peter. Human Geograhpy: Issues in the Twentieth Century. London: Pearson, 2001. Duncun, John and Agnew, John. The Power of Place: Bringing together geograhical and sociological imaginations. London: Unwin Hyman, 1989. Footnotes [1] P. Cloke, The country, in Cloke et al (Ed), Introducing Human Geographies, London: Arnold, 1999, 257. [2] Ibid. [3] Ibid, 256. [4] P. Gruffudd, Nationalism, in Cloke et al (Ed), Introducing Human Geographies, London: Arnold, 1999, 201. [5] Ibid. [6] P. Cloke et al, Introducing Human Geographies, London: Arnold, 1999, 207.

The Effective Use of Symbolism in Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Essay

The Great Gatsby is one of the finest pieces of literature written in the 20th century. It explores the nature of westerners during hardships and other social problems. The Great Gatsby is not just a mere historical novel from 1920’s. Fitzgerald gives a great in depth analysis of the lives of ordinary people through the characters and the symbols in this book. Through these characters and symbols Fitzgerald portrays on the lack of moral and spiritual values of the people and different aspects of the society. One of the three of main symbols used in Great Gatsby is the valley of ashes. â€Å"Immediately the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight† (Fitzgerald 23). This gray land suggests the ignorance and careless ness of the wealthy during the 20th century. All these rich ever dreamed about was their growth rather the growth as a nation. This use of symbolism illustrates the vast amounts of unexplored real world by the rich, and how they always live in their own circle of people believing that money is the only thing in this world. The other side of this symbolism is the reality of the lives of people, for example Mr. Wilson, helpless, he passed his long life in his garage with his unhappy wife, and how the rude arrogant behavior of the rich in the end turned him into a murderer. This indicates that how the rich people like Tom acted as a barrier. These people oppressed the poor the whole time, and did not even give them the opportunity to grow in their status rather used their hopelessness for their own desires. On the contrary to the above symbol, the next symbolism depicts the goal and future based of a human being, which is the green ... ... the injustice; in this story the wealthy. Mr. Wilson looking at the billboard claims, â€Å"god sees everything† (Fitzgerald 160). Only poor and honest people like George Wilson could see god. This explains the blindness of the wealthy and how god favored only ethical people. Fitzgerald suggests that everyone is accountable to god and even though it may seem that nobody is watching you that moment, there is always a spiritual power recording all your sins. The author brings about this suggestion as a warning to the people, and explains how the people were not aware of this caution during the 1920’s. The rich were deeply immersed in the ocean of wealth and were not able to swim their way out. In conclusion, Fitzgerald clearly sums up the problems that people face through his effective use of symbolism. He also reveals many interesting facts about the lives of people.

affirmative action :: essays research papers

Webster’s New World Dictionary definition of affirmative action is ‘a policy or program for correcting the effects of discrimination in the employment or education of members of certain groups.’ President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the Executive Order 11246 requiring federal contractors to use affirmative action to increase the number of minorities that are employed. He also created the Office or Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) which set out to find the exact meaning of ‘Affirmative Action’ (Woods). Affirmative action is supposed to create ways for people to experience equal opportunities in the work place and for students wanting to go to college. However, while creating equal opportunities for some, it discriminated against others. With the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, many corporations created new ways of going around affirmative action without creating a lot of attention. Some companies created programs that would make it harder for minorities to get . One company, Duke Power Company of North Carolina, created a rule where in order to be considered for a promotion, you had to have been a high school graduate and pass 2 tests that were administered. These qualifications were mainly for the labor divisions which consisted of mainly black men. The problem being at the time only 12% of the black in North Carolina had passed high school, meaning they would not be eligible for the promotions. In 1961 it was taken to the Supreme Court and the 9 Justices unanimously agreed that this was a form a discrimination against blacks (Woods). Besides employees, students applying for college were being affected greatly. The affirmative action programs were becoming the basis for admission to college. This was creating unfair advantages of minorities over others. One man who felt this way was Allan Burke. Burke a 35 year old man decided to attend medical school. He applied to many schools, but was turned down because of his age. One school he applied at was University of California at Davis. The application contained a section that read, ‘Applicants from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds are evaluated by a special subcommittee of the admissions committee.’ Whoever checked this was evaluated by a special task force which was created to bring in more minority students.

The Mistreatment of Women in the Works of Zora Neale Hurston :: Biography Biographies Essays

The Mistreatment of Women in the Works of Zora Neale Hurston Society is suffering from a number of serious social problems related to women, and to the interaction between the two sexes. Male domination and patriarchy have been under challenge by feminists and the women's movement. The economic, social and political subjection of women around the world, the violence brought against women and their confinement has been brought to the forefront in recent years. Zora Neale Hurston's stories speak out against the uncivil and unjust treatment of women especially in their marriages. Hurston's stories reveal the disturbing situation for women about mistreatment abuse in the 1930s, when speaking out was unheard of. This was the time period for the setting of Hurston's stories, and her stories reflect violence against women that occurred during that era. "Zora Neale Hurston's works are brilliant glimpses into the mind of a woman who lived life for what it was, who wanted nothing more then to have"...a busy life, a just mind and timely death." "She lived as she wrote, to the fullest, she wasn't just a writer, but also an anthropologist who brought to the light the folklore, and culture of nations that before there had been little study of. She brought new, exciting views of the world through her poetic words, and is a shining example of what it is to be a woman. Intelligent, driven, and confidant" (Walker 8). At only thirteen years old Hurston was thrown out of her father's house because her stepmother didn't approve of her or her siblings. At an early age Huston knew about struggling and making a way for herself (Ford 7-9). In Zora Neale Hurston's autobiography she said, "There is something about poverty that smells like death. Dead dreams dropping off the heart like leaves in a dry season and rotting around the feet, impulses smothered too long in the fetid air of underground caves. The soul lived in a sickly air. People can be slave ships in shoes (Hurston 37). Hurston was mistreated as a child, and in her story "Drenched in Light" it reveals some of her background of child abandonment. She also focused on women's rights and fights in marriages.

Artist Deconstruction: A Starry Night

Artist Deconstruction: A Starry Night If there is one thing in this life that cannot be escaped, it is art. Art takes over our visual and audio senses as well as sensation of touch and emotion. Not only does art take over our senses, but it also does something wonderful to our mental status. It raises awareness and stimulates our brains. Some art can touch us on a very deep emotional level. I have chosen to write about a portrait painted by Vaccine van Gogh called Starry Night, which was painted in June 1889. This painting depicts the view outside van Sago's sanitarium room window at night.How does van Gogh use visual imagery to depict the four visual cures in this painting? How does the physiology of the eye help see the four visual cures? The visual cortex has cells that respond to a spot of light while others noted the edges of objects, certain angles of lines, specific movements, colors or the space between lines (Lester 2011). The use of visual imagery is used in the form of col or, form, depth and movement. The first thing that I noticed in this painting was the overwhelming night sky, which takes up most of the background.The color that is most prominent in the painting is blue. This has a connection with the sea and sky which each relate to movement of the cool dark colors. Eleven fiery yellow stars that look like huge fireballs illuminate this whole piece and contrast with the cool blue, fluid night sky which shows variety of shades of blue and grey. There is also the crescent moon at the top right hand corner that radiates an almost orange, brighter light from the rest of the stars. The view of the night sky and village is partially blocked by this huge cypress tree.The tree has a black and green coloring which stands out. The houses are tiny and painted in the bottom right corner of the painting and blend in well with the forest and mountains. The architecture of the village is simple and no light illuminates the village, giving the impression that ev eryone there is probably asleep. The use of form is evident in this painting by the use of the use dot to dot effect and with the use of lines. The dot to dot effect leads your eyes in a particular way oiling over the hills. The spacing between the stars and the curving shapes create a dot to dot effect.The use of lines that are swirling, appear to be swishing across the background in a wax. Y motion and seem to be merging at the center to form this spiral like formation. All of the swirling lines in the sky direct your eyes around the painting. Both forms have a lot to do with movement within the painting as I believe the forms, shapes and spirals in the painting are meant to be a meaner of expression and used to convey emotion. This is an abstract painting, which creates depth by using texture cues by conveying depth to the edges and texture to boundaries.I perceive this painting of having an illusion of constantly being in motion. The uses of horizontal lines is used to create de pth in the night sky, while the vertical lines on the cypress tree draw the viewer to the object as it takes over the countryside. The curving lines of the cypress tree mirror the sky, which also create depth in the painting. Since humans see in three dimensions the use of depth in this painting is brought out by the size, color, ND lighting and through perspective.The painting also has movement as it shows motion and has what I perceive to be a sense of flowing movement. The pattern of the waves with in the cypress tree, the layers of lines within the stars and the spiral in the sky all amplify the sense of motion. The lines in the painting show movement in the sky as well as distance. The lines that make up the building get thinner as your eye looks further and deeper into the painting. The use of texture within the painting is visually meant to provide a ensue of motion along with the curvy forms in the sky giving the illusion of the wind blowing.My interpretation of Starry Night is Just one of the many and it remains very much an elusive work to art critics and students alike. Because nobody really knows Van Sago's intention of painting this piece, everybody seems to be using different codes to decipher what Van Gogh was trying to bring across. For me, the painting communicated this love he had for Gods beautiful creations, and yet, there is this sense of loneliness as if no one really saw the world as he saw it.