Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Rwanda Genocide Compared to Blood Done Sign My Name
From April to July of 1994 terror struck Rwanda as Hutu members of the nation brutally maimed, raped, and killed around 800,000 Tutsi members, along with partial Hutu members. Leading up to the genocide, there was tension between both ethnicities. Over the decades, people of the Hutu ethnicity took power of the country, in fact, Major General Juvenal Habyarimana, a moderate Hutu, took office for over ten years (History.com Staff, 2009). Correspondingly, in years leading up to the Rwanda genocide, in another country called America, the ethnic group of Africa Americans was being harshly discriminated against. In the 1900s, slavery was no longer legal in the states; however, a few decades before the Rwanda genocide, Oxford, North Carolinaâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦They then began to beat and kick him continuously. Marrow was still alive, but barely. He died later at the hospital. After the murder of Marrow, people were outraged. They were mad that the Teel family had not been arres ted and people were going to make sure they said something about it. African Americans, and some whites took to the streets, they burned buildings and vandalized possessions. Nobody said anything to them; the mayor watched as they destroyed the town, they just let them go. African Americans were outraged. The only reason the Teelââ¬â¢s hadnââ¬â¢t gone to jail was because they werenââ¬â¢t black. At this point, nobody was scared to fight back and express their opinions. Even smaller children were doing what they saw the older blacks doing. For example, when Tim and Jeff were walking home one day from school, Jeff thought itââ¬â¢d be fun to throw something some black kids standing across the street. After throwing it, the black children retaliated. They threw objects back, and then chased Tim and Jeff most of the way home. Rwanda genocide victims tried to take refuge in places that they thought were places that they could go for safety. Places like schools, hospitals and c hurches. Hutu followed them, where they were then just as brutally murdered as any other Tutsi member. Nobody was safe. Hutu who didnââ¬â¢t believe in the genocide were also brutally murdered, the idea was to have a race of just Hutu (Rosenberg, 2014). One of the most gruesome events that happenedShow MoreRelatedNotes18856 Words à |à 76 Pagesdefeated power, was deprived of all her colonial possessions, which were parceled out to the victorious allies as trust territories under the League of Nationsââ¬â¢ mandate system. Tanganyika (which is the mainland portion of Tanzania) went to Britain. Rwanda and Burundi, which together with Tanganyika formed what was then called German East Africa, went to Belgium. Cameroon was split into two, aà small southwestern portion going to Britain and the remainder to France. à Namibia, then known as SouthRead MoreEssay on Fall of Asclepius95354 Words à |à 382 Pageshell. Everyone went ape shit insane. Everyone was killing and raping each other into oblivion, because we were under attack by creatures that was so beyond our understanding! Geez, there were many names given to these undead. Some called them demons, others called them lost souls. With all these names, I found only one that was truly worthy; Zombies. It was a simple word. At the same time it was the most complicated word to enter any human language. I mean just think about it... You say that wordRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words à |à 99 Pagesproblems faced by America and his helplessness in coming up with solutions): Photoshopped â⬠¢ Inherent bias/political slants â⬠¢ E.g. Fox news channel headed by Republican supporters often portray Democrats in a negative light. Foxââ¬â¢s anchorman compared the logo of the recent nuclear technology forums, approved by President Obama, with the Muslim crescent, accusing Obama of having Muslim inclinations. The logo, in fact, was a representation of the scientific atom and had nothing to do with religionRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words à |à 656 Pagesthe 1820s), while more than 55 million did so during the eight decades that spanned the middle of the nineteenth century and the Great Depression of 1930.2 More immigrants entered the United States in a single year (1.3 million in 1907) than had done so in the 170 years between the English settlement of Jamestown in 1607 and the countryââ¬â¢s independence. More Europeans entered the port of Buenos Aires alone in the three years preceding World War I than had come to the entire Spanish Empire during
Monday, December 23, 2019
Angelique Vasquez. Professor Scala. Wgs 4100 . April 18Th,
Angelique Vasquez Professor Scala WGS 4100 April 18th, 2017 The Untold Stories of Women at War Joining the military is a commitment sold as a beneficial lifestyle. However, there is an unspoken truth about women joining the military. Hiding behind fluff, are womenââ¬â¢s stories about the sexual violence during their time in the force and the mistreatment they received for reporting the assaults. What needs to happen: give some consideration to the type (and history) of men being recruited; take away the investigative powers from the immediate commander; send reports to an independent, impartial system for adjudication; prosecute perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law, and treat these crimes with the same seriousness afforded toâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦I had no idea what I was about to witness while watching this documentary about rape in the military, but I was not prepared for the full story The Invisible War presents. The documentary outlines some of the hard facts: 20% of service women have been sexually assaulted while serving. Women who have suffered what they call ââ¬ËMilitary Sexual Traumaââ¬â¢ have a higher rate of PTSD than men whoââ¬â¢ve served in combat. 1% of service men have been sexually assaulted (and because of the greater number of men in the military, more men are raped/sexually assaulted than women). Thereââ¬â¢s a 4% conviction rate of the reported assaults. The Department of Defense says that 3,158 incidents of sexual assault were reported in 2010, yet they estimate that 86% of incidents are not reported; that math gets us to 22,548 sexual assaults in one year. Invisible War says that itââ¬â¢s possible half a million women have been sexually assaulted in uniform since 1991. The film does a brilliant job of showing and focusing on the personal stories of several survivors (including a few men). Additionally, it shows how sexual assault is an epidemic, by inserting Department of Defenseââ¬â¢s own statistical findings and interviews with experts, criminal investigators and psychologists. It builds up to the
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Night World Black Dawn Chapter 13 Free Essays
I think,â⬠Jeanne said, ââ¬Å"that heââ¬â¢s here to get Delosto close the Dark Kingdom out Shut up the castleand come join him Outside. And, incidentally, ofcourse, kill all the slaves.â⬠Maggie stared. We will write a custom essay sample on Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 13 or any similar topic only for you Order Now ââ¬ËKill them all?ââ¬â¢ ââ¬Å"Well, it makes sense. Nobody would needthem anymore.â⬠ââ¬Å"And thatââ¬â¢s why you were escaping now,â⬠Maggiesaid slowly. Jeanne gave her a quick, startled glance. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢rereally not as stupid as you seem at first sight, you know?â⬠ââ¬Å"Gee, thanks.â⬠Maggie shifted on her branch. Aminute ago sheââ¬â¢d been thinking how good it would feel to get away from the twigs poking her. Now she suddenly wanted to stay here forever, hiding.She had a very bad feeling. ââ¬Å"So why,â⬠she said, forming her thoughtsslowly,â⬠doesHunter Redfern want to do thisright now?â⬠ââ¬Å"What do youthink? Really, Maggie, what do you know about all this?â⬠Four Wild Powers,Maggie thought, hearing Delosââ¬â¢s old teacherââ¬â¢s voice in her mind. Who willbeneeded at the millennium, to save the world-or todestroy it. ââ¬Å"I know that somethingââ¬â¢s happening at the millennium, and that Delos is a Wild Power, and thatthe Wild Powers are supposed to do something-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Save the world,â⬠Jeanne said in a clipped voice.â⬠Except that thatââ¬â¢s not what the Night People want.They figure thereââ¬â¢s going to be some huge catastrophe thatââ¬â¢ll wipe out most of the humansand then they can take over. And thatââ¬â¢s why Hunter Redfernââ¬â¢shere. He wants the Wild Powers on his side insteadof on the humansââ¬â¢. He wants them to help destroythe human world instead of saving it. And it lookslike heââ¬â¢s just about convinced Delos.â⬠Maggie let out a shaky breath and leaned herhead against a branch. It was just like what Deloshad told her-except that Jeanne was an uninterested party. She still wanted not to believe it, but she had a terrible sinking feeling. In fact, she had a strange feeling of weight,as if something awfulwas trying to settle on her shoulders. ââ¬Å"The millennium really means the end of theworld,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Yeah. Our world, anyway.â⬠Maggie glanced atP.J., who was swinging her thin legs over the edge of a branch. ââ¬Å"You stillokay?â⬠P.J. nodded. She looked frightened, but not unbearably so. She kept her eyes on Maggieââ¬â¢s face trustingly. ââ¬Å"And do youstill want to go to the castle?â⬠Jeanne said, watching Maggie just as closely.â⬠Hunter Redfern is a very bad guy to mess with.And I hate to tell you, but your friend Prince Delosis out for our blood just like the rest of them.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, I donââ¬â¢t still wantto go,â⬠Maggie said briefly. Her head went down and she gave Jeanne a brooding look under her eyelashes. `But I have to, anyway. Iââ¬â¢ve got even more reasons now.â⬠ââ¬Å"Such as?â⬠Maggie held up a finger. ââ¬Å"One, Iââ¬â¢ve got to. gethelp for Cady.â⬠She glanced at the motionless figure clinging trancelike to the firââ¬â¢s trunk, then held upanother finger. ââ¬Å"Two, I have to find out what happened to my brother.â⬠Another finger. ââ¬Å"And, three,I have to get those slaves free before Hunter Redfern has them all killed.â⬠ââ¬Å"You have to what?â⬠Jeanne said in a muffled shriek. She almost fell out of the tree. ââ¬Å"I kind of thought youââ¬â¢d react that way. Donââ¬â¢tworry about it. You donââ¬â¢t have to get involved.â⬠ââ¬Å"I was wrong before. You areas dumbasyoulook. And you are totally freaking crazy.â⬠Yeah, I know, Maggie thought grimly. Itââ¬â¢s probably justas well I didnââ¬â¢t mention the fourth reason. Which was that she had to keep Delos from aiding and abetting the end of the world. That wasthe responsibility that had settled on her, and she had no idea why it was hers except that sheââ¬â¢d been inside his mind. She knew him. She couldnââ¬â¢t justwalk away. If anybody could talk to him about it and convince him not to do it, she could. She had absolutely no doubt about that. So it was her job to try. And if he was really as evil as Jeanne seemed tothink-if it was true that heââ¬â¢d killed Milesâ⬠¦ well, then she had a different job. She had to do whatever was necessary to stophim. Distant and impossible as it seemed, shewould have to kill him if that was what it took. ââ¬Å"Come on,â⬠she said to the other girls. ââ¬Å"Cady, do you think you can climb down now? And, Jeanne,do you know a way into the castle?â⬠The moat stank. Maggie had been glad to find Jeanne knew a wayinto the castle. That was before she discovered that it involved swimming through stagnant water and climbing up what Jeanne called a garderobe butwhat was all too obviously the shaft of an oldlatrine. ââ¬Å"Just kill me, somebody,â⬠Maggie whispered halfway up. She was soaking wet and daubed with un thinkable slime. She couldnââ¬â¢t remember ever beingquite this dirty. The next moment she forgot about it in her worryabout Cady. Cady had managed the swim, still doing everything she was told asif she werein a trance. But now she was getting shaky. Maggiewondered seriously whether this sort of activity was helpful to somebody whoââ¬â¢d been poisoned. When they werefinally at the top of the shaft,Maggie looked around and saw a small room thatseemed to be built directly into the castle wall. Everything was made of dark stone, with a cold and echoing feel to it. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t make any noise,â⬠Jeanne whispered. Shebent close to Maggie, who was helping support Cady. ââ¬Å"We need to go down a passage and throughthe kitchen, okay? Itââ¬â¢s all right if slaves see us, butwe have to watch out for them.â⬠ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢ve got to get Cady to a healing woman-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"I know! Thatââ¬â¢s where Iââ¬â¢m trying to take you.â⬠Jeanne clamped a hand on P.J.ââ¬â¢s shoulder and steered her into a corridor. More stone. More echoes. Maggie tried to walkwithout her shoes squishing or smacking. She wasdimly impressed with the castle itself-it was grandand cold and so huge that she felt like an insect making her way through the passage. After what seemed like an endless walk, theyemerged in a small entryway partitioned off bywooden screens. Maggie could hear activity behind the screens andas Jeanne led them stealthily forward, she caught a glimpse of people moving onthe other side. They were spreading white tablecloths over long wooden tables in a room thatseemed bigger than Maggieââ¬â¢s entire house. Another doorway. Another passage. And finallythe kitchen, which was full of bustling people. Theywere stirring huge iron cauldrons and turning meaton spits. The smell of a dozen different kinds offood hit Maggie and made her feel faint. She was so hungry that her knees wobbled and she had to swallow hard. But even more than hungry, she was scared. They were in plain sight of dozens of people. ââ¬Å"Slaves,â⬠Jeanne said shortly. ââ¬Å"They wonââ¬â¢t tell onus. Grab a sack to wrap around you and come on.And, P.J.,take off that ridiculous hat.â⬠Slaves, Maggie thought, staring. They were alldressed identically, in loose-fitting pants and topsthat were like short tunics. Jeanne was wearing thesame thing-it had looked enough like clothes from Outside that Maggie hadnââ¬â¢t really focused on it before. What struck her now was that everybodylooked soâ⬠¦ un-ironed. There were no sharp creases. And no real color. All the clothes were an indeterminate shade of beige-brown, and all thefaces seemed just as dull and faded They were like drones. What would it be like to live that way? she wondered as she threw a rough sack around her shoulders to hide the dark blue of her jacket. Without any choice in what you do, and any hope for thefuture? It would be terrible, she decided. And it mightjust drive you crazy. I wonder if any of them ever â⬠¦snap? But she couldnââ¬â¢t look around anymore. Jeanne was hustling through a doorway into the open air.There was a kind of garden here just outside the kitchen, with scraggly fnut trees and what lookedlike herbs. Then there was a courtyard andfinallya row of huts nestled against the high black wall that surrounded the castle. ââ¬Å"This is the really dangerous part,â⬠Jeanne whispered harshly. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s the back, but if one of them looks out and sees us, weââ¬â¢re in trouble. Keep yourhead down-and walk like this. Like a slave.â⬠Sheled them at a shufflingrun toward a hut. This place is like a city, Maggie thought. A cityinside a wall, with the castle in the middle. They reached the shack. Jeanne pulled the door open and bustled them inside. Then she shut the door again and sagged. ââ¬Å"I think we actually made it.â⬠She sounded surprised. Maggie was looking around. The tiny room was dim, but she could see crude furniture and piles ofwhat looked like laundry. ââ¬Å"This is it? Weââ¬â¢re safe?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nowhere is safe,â⬠Jeanne said sharply. ââ¬Å"But wecan get some slave clothes for you here, and we can rest. And Iââ¬â¢ll go get the healing woman,â⬠sheaddedas Maggie opened her mouth. While she was gone, Maggie turned to Cady andP.J. They were both shivering. She made Cady lie down and had P.J. help her go through one of the piles of laundry. ââ¬Å"Get your wet things off,â⬠Maggie said. Shepulled off her own hightops and shrugged out ofher sodden jacket. Then she knelt to get Cadyââ¬â¢sshoes off. The blind girl was lying motionless on athin pallet, and didnââ¬â¢t respond to Maggieââ¬â¢s touch.Maggie was worried about her. Behind her, the door opened and Jeanne camein with two people. One was a gaunt and handsome woman, with dark hair pulled untidily back and anapron over her tunic and pants. The other was ayoung girl who looked frightened. ââ¬Å"This is Laundress.â⬠The way Jeanne said it, itwas clearly a proper name. ââ¬Å"Sheââ¬â¢s a healer, and the girlââ¬â¢s her helper.â⬠Relief washed through Maggie. ââ¬Å"This is Cady,â⬠she said. And then, since nobody moved and Cady couldnââ¬â¢t speak for herself, she went on, ââ¬Å"Sheââ¬â¢s fromOutside, and she was poisoned by the slave traders. Iââ¬â¢m not sure how long ago that was-at least a couple of days. Sheââ¬â¢s been running a high fever andmost of the time sheââ¬â¢s just sort of sleepwalking-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"What is this?â⬠The gaunt woman took a step toward Cady, but her expression was anything but welcoming. Then she turned on Jeanne angrily.â⬠How could you bring this-thing-in here?â⬠Maggie froze where she was by Cadyââ¬â¢s feet.â⬠What are you talkingabout? Sheââ¬â¢s sick-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Sheââ¬â¢s one of them!â⬠The womanââ¬â¢s eyes wereburning darkly at Jeanne. ââ¬Å"And donââ¬â¢t tell me you didnââ¬â¢t notice. Itââ¬â¢s perfectly plain!â⬠ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢sperfectly plain?â⬠Maggieââ¬â¢s fists were clenched. ââ¬Å"Jeanne, whatââ¬â¢s she talking about?â⬠The womanââ¬â¢s burning eyes turned on her. ââ¬Å"Msgirl is a witch.â⬠Maggie went still. Part of her was amazed and disbelieving. Awitch? Like Sylvia? A Night Person? Cady wasnââ¬â¢t at all like that. She wasnââ¬â¢t evil. Shewas normal,a nice, ordinary, gentle girl. She couldnââ¬â¢tbe anything supernaturalâ⬠¦. But another part of Maggie wasnââ¬â¢t even startled.It was saying that at some deep level she had known all along. Her mind was bringing up pictures. Cady in thehollow tree, when she and Maggie were hidingfrom Bern and Gavin. Cadyââ¬â¢s lips moving and Gavin saying I canââ¬â¢t feelthem at all. The hound today had said the same thing. I canââ¬â¢t follow theirlifeforce anymore. She was blocking them from sensing us, Maggiethought. And she was the one who told us to climbthe tree. Sheââ¬â¢s blind, but she can see things. Itââ¬â¢s true. She turned slowly to look at the girl lying onthe pallet. Cady was almost perfectly still, her breathingbarely lifting her chest. Her hair was coiled around her head like damp snakes, her face was smudgedand dirty, her lashes spiky on her cheeks. Butsomehow she hadnââ¬â¢t lost any of her serene beauty. It remained untouched, whatever happened to herbody. I donââ¬â¢t care, Maggie thought. She may be a witch,but sheââ¬â¢s not like Sylvia. I know sheââ¬â¢s not evil. She turned back to Laundress, and spoke carefully and deliberately. ââ¬Å"Look, I understand that you donââ¬â¢t like witches.But this girl has been with us for two days, and allsheââ¬â¢s done is help us. And, I mean, look at her!â⬠Maggie lost her reasonable tone. ââ¬Å"They were bring ing her here as a slave! She wasnââ¬â¢t getting any special treatment. Sheââ¬â¢s not on their side!â⬠ââ¬Å"Too bad for her,â⬠Laundress said. Her voice wasflat and â⬠¦plain. The voice of a woman who saw things in black and white and didnââ¬â¢t like arguments. And who knew how to back up her beliefs. Onebig gaunt hand, went beneath her apron, into a hid den pocket. When it came out again, it was gripping a kitchen knife. ââ¬Å"Wait a minute,â⬠Jeanne said. Laundress didnââ¬â¢t look at her. ââ¬Å"Friends of witchesare no friends of ours,â⬠she said in her plain, heavyway. ââ¬Å"And that includes you.â⬠With one motion, Jeanne wheeled away from herand into a fighting stance. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re right. I knewwhat she was. I hated her, too, at first. But itââ¬â¢s like Maggie told you. Sheââ¬â¢s not going to hurt us!â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m not going to miss a chance to kill one of them,â⬠Laundress said. ââ¬Å"And if you try to stop me, youââ¬â¢ll be sorry.â⬠Maggieââ¬â¢s heart was pounding. She looked backand forth from the tall woman, who was holdingthe knife menacingly, to Jeanne, who was crouchedwith her teeth bared and her eyes narrowed. They were ready to fight. Maggie found herself in the middle of the room,in a triangle formed by Cady and Jeanne and theknife. She was too angry to be frightened. ââ¬Å"You put that down,â⬠she said to Laundressfiercely, forgetting that she was speaking to anadult. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re notgoingto do anything with that. How can you even try?â⬠Vaguely, she noticed movement behind the woman. The frightened young girl who hadnââ¬â¢t saidanything so far was stepping forward. She was staring at Maggie, pointing at Maggie. Her eyes andmouth were wide open, but her voice was an indrawn breath. ââ¬Å"The Deliverer!â⬠Maggie hardly heard the gasped words. She wasrushing on. ââ¬Å"If you people donââ¬â¢t stick together,what kind of chance do you have? How can youever get free-ââ¬Å" tââ¬â¢s her!â⬠This time the girl shrieked it, and nobody could help but hear. She clutched at Laundressââ¬â¢s arm wildly. ââ¬Å"You heard what she said,Laundress. Sheââ¬â¢s come to free us.â⬠ââ¬Å"What are you talking a-?â⬠Jeanne broke off, looking at Maggie with her eyebrows drawn together. Suddenly the eyebrows flew up and she straightened slightly from her crouch. ââ¬Å"Hmm.â⬠Maggie stared back. Then she followed all their eyes and looked down at herself in bewilderment. For the first time since sheââ¬â¢d arrived in the DarkKingdom she wasnââ¬â¢t wearing her jacket and hershoes. She was wearing exactly what sheââ¬â¢d beenwearing when her motherââ¬â¢s screams woke her threedays beforeher flowered pajama top, wrinkled jeans, and mismatched socks. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËShe will come clothed in flowers, shod in blueand scarlet,â⬠ââ¬Ë the girl was saying. She was stillpointing at Maggie, but now it was with something like reverence. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËAnd she will speak of freedom.ââ¬â¢You heard her, Laundress! Itââ¬â¢s her. Sheââ¬â¢s the one!â⬠The knife trembled slightly. Maggie stared at thered knuckles of the hand holding it, then looked up at Laundressââ¬â¢s face. The blotchy features were grim and skepticalbut there was an odd gleam of half-stifled hope inthe eyes. ââ¬Å"Is she the one?â⬠she said harshly toJeanne. ââ¬Å"Is this idiot Soaker right? Did she say sheââ¬â¢scome to deliver us?â⬠Jeanne opened her mouth, then shut it again.She looked helplessly at Maggie. And, unexpectedly, P.J. spoke up. ââ¬Å"She told usshe had to get the slaves free before Hunter Redfern had them all killed,â⬠she said in her light,strong childââ¬â¢s voice. She was standing straight, her slender body drawn to its fullest height. Her blondhair shone pale above her small earnest face. Her words had the unmistakable ring of truth. Something flashed in Jeanneââ¬â¢s eyes. Her lipquirked, then she bit it. ââ¬Å"She sure did. And I toldher she was crazy.â⬠ââ¬Å"And in the beginning, when Jeanne showed herwhat they do to escaped slaves here, Maggie said it had to stop.â⬠P.J.ââ¬â¢s voice was still clear and confident. ââ¬Å"She said she couldnââ¬â¢t let them do thingslike that to people.â⬠ââ¬Å"She said we couldnââ¬â¢t let them do things likethat,â⬠Jeanne corrected. ââ¬Å"And she was crazy again.Thereââ¬â¢s no way to stop them.â⬠Laundress stared at her for a moment, then turned her burning gaze on Maggie. Her eyes wereso fierce that Maggie was afraid she was going to attack. Then, all at once, she thrust the knife backin her pocket. `Blasphemer!â⬠she said harshly to Jeanne. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢ttalk about the Deliverer that way! Do you want totake away our only hope?â⬠Jeanne raised an eyebrow. ââ¬Å"Youwere the one about to take it away,â⬠she pointed out. Laundress glared at her. Then she turned to Maggie and a change came over her gaunt features. Itwasnââ¬â¢t much; they still remainedassevere and grim as ever, but there was something like a bleak smile twisting her mouth. ââ¬Å"If you are the Deliverer,â⬠she said, ââ¬Å"youââ¬â¢ve gotyour work cut out for you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Just everybody hang on one second,â⬠Maggiesaid. Her head was whirling. She understood whatwas going on ââ¬â sort of. These people believed shewas some legendary figure come to save them. Because of a prophecy-they seemed to have a lot ofprophecies around here. But she couldnââ¬â¢t really be their Deliverer. She knew that. She was just an ordinary girl. Andhadnââ¬â¢t anybody else ever worn a flowered top inthis place? Well maybe not. Not a slave anyway. Maggie looked at Laundressââ¬â¢s clothes again with new eyes.If they all wore this sort of thing, hand sewn and plain as a burlap sack, maybe a machine-made topwith bright colors and a little wilted lace would look like something from a legend. And I bet nobody wears red and blue socks, shethought and almost smiled. Especially at once. She remembered how Sylvia had looked at them. Normally she would have been terribly embarrassed by that, perfect Sylvia looking at her imperfections. But the socks had been what started heron this whole journey by convincing her that Sylviawas lying. And just now theyââ¬â¢d saved her life. IfLaundress had attacked Jeanne or Cady, Maggie would have had to fight her. But Iââ¬â¢m still not the Deliverer, she thought. I haveto explain that to themâ⬠¦. ââ¬Å"And since sheââ¬â¢s the Deliverer, youââ¬â¢re going tohelp us, right?â⬠Jeanne was saying. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re going to heal Cady and feed us and hide us and everything? And help Maggie find out what happened toher brother?â⬠Maggie blinked, then grimaced. She could see Jeanne looking at her meaningfully. She shut hermouth. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll help you any way I can,â⬠Laundress said.â⬠But youââ¬â¢d better do your part. Do you have a plan, Deliverer?â⬠Maggie rubbed her forehead. Things were happening very fast-but even if she wasnââ¬â¢t the Deliverer, she hadcome to help the slaves get free. Maybe it didnââ¬â¢t matter what they called her. She looked at Cady again, then at Jeanne, and at P.J., who was staring at her with shining confidence in her young eyes. Then she looked at thegirl named Soaker, who was wearing the sameexpression. Finally she looked into the gaunt, hard-bittenface of Laundress. There was no easy confidencehere, but there was that half-stifled look of hopedeep in the burning gaze. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t have a plan yet,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"But Ill comeup with one. And I donââ¬â¢t know if I can really helpyou people. But Iââ¬â¢ll try.â⬠How to cite Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 13, Essay examples
Saturday, December 7, 2019
ASX Corporate Governing Council
Question: What attempt can be made to examine the expectations of ASX Corporate Governing Council? Explain. Answer: In this assignment an attempt has been made to examine the expectations of ASX Corporate Governing Council which requires that the majority of directors who have been appointed to the boards of listed companies should be independent (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2014). The idea of having a majority of independent directors on the board of listed companies is a relatively new idea. While in the past, it was generally presumed that the board of directors had the responsibility to look after the management of the company and in this process, they were helped by the persons who had special contacts in the industry and those who had specific understanding regarding the industry. However, the widespread incidence of catastrophic corporate governance failures have resulted in the introduction of changes in the policy and regulations and these changes include the requirement that majority of directors on the boards of listed companies should be independent directors (Bezemer et al., 200 7). In this regard, the Corporate Governing Council guidelines have made certain recommendations. These recommendations include the recommendation which provides that majority of directors who have been appointed on the board of listed companies need to be independent directors. The Corporate Governing Council provides in this regard that if a particular corporation would not comply with the recommendations, this fact has to be disclosed by the company in its annual financial report. Therefore, the requirements that have been prescribed regarding the independence of the directors are based on the need for having fiduciaries that do not have any conflict of interests with the company (Bosch, 1991). There are certain factors that are present in this regard and these factors have to be considered when the issue of the independence of directors is being considered. As a result, the interests, associations and the positions as a result of which, a doubt may arise regarding the independence of the directors includes the instances where a particular director was employed in an executive position by the company or its subsidiary during the last three years of the appointment of the director. In the same way, doubts may also arise if the director was a partner or acting as a senior employee. Similarly if the director was supplying material the company within the last three years, the doubts may arise regarding the independence of the director (Brooks, Oliver, and Veljanovski, 2009). Other such circumstances include the instances where the director was having business relations, for example a supplier or a customer or if the director is a major shareholder of the corporation. Other exam ples of such a situation are where the director is having a significant contract with the company or any of its subsidiaries or when the director is having family relations with the person who falls under the category is mentioned above (Coleman and Pinder, 2010). Another example of the situations where doubts may arise regarding the independence of the directors is the case where the person has been acting as the director of the company for such a long period that the independence of such person appears to be compromised. Under these circumstances, the materiality of interests, position or the association has to be evaluated for the purpose of deciding if these matters interfere or reasonably considered to be interfering with the ability of the director to deliver independent judgment while considering the matters that have been put before the board and also if such matters can have an impact on the capability of the directors to act in the best interests of the corporation as a whole (Erkins, Hung and Matos, 2009). It has been mentioned by the Corporate Governing Council that independent directors need not be treated as the members of the management and in the same way, independent directors are also free from business or other reasons due to which, there can be any interference with the independence of the directors. It has been recommended that a director needs to be considered as independent director if such persons holds less than 5% stock. Another requirement related with the independence of the directors is that such a person should not have worked in an executive capacity in the company or any other company that is associated with it during the last three years (Heracleous, 2001). It has been recommended by some experts that the definition of independent directors has been based on fair and reasonable reasons but at the same time, it has to be mentioned that the companies and their shareholders should adopt a pragmatic approach when the appropriateness of a person regarding the appointment as an director is being examined by them. Therefore, a person should not be rejected for being appointed as a director by the shareholders only on the ground that the person lacks independence. It is very important for the shareholders of the company that the constitution of board of directors as a whole, can help in providing good governance to the company (Hooghiemstra and van Manen, 2004). It can also be reasonably expected that the board will be able to further the interests of the shareholders of the corporation. It has also been suggested in this regard that along with the independence of the directors, there are certain other factors that can play a significant role i n this context, like the diversity, skills and experience as well as the effectiveness and the independence of the board. It is also worth mentioning that generally is not an easy task to make this judgment, particularly from the outside (Kirkpatrick, 2009). It will also not reasonably expect they will that any single definition related with the independence of directors can be applicable in all the cases. Therefore, the investors, investor relations experts and fund managers have different views regarding this issue. It is also reasonable to expect that the directors would also have divergent views regarding this matter. Similarly the investors will be impacted by their beliefs and time horizons when considering the independence of the directors (Long, Dulewicz and Gay, 2005). It has been mentioned by Recommendation 2.4 that in case of listed entities, the majority of the board should be of independent directors. Due to the presence of this recommendation, can be expected by the investors and at the same time, the law requires that in case of listed entities, the board of directors should act in the best interests of the company and also keeping in mind the shareholders as a whole. On the other hand, when the majority of directors appointed to the board of the company will be independent directors, it will become very difficult for certain individuals or small groups to have a considerable impact on the decision-making process of the board. As a result, the chances will increase that the decisions of the board reflect the best interests of the company and its stockholders (Lorsch and MacIver, 1989). In such a case, it will also be possible that the decisions taken by the board will not be biased towards the management of the corporation or in favor of any other person or group. Another relevant recommendation in this regard is that in case of listed companies, the chair of the board should also be independent. In particular, this requirement provides that the person holding the chair of the board should not be the same person who is acting as the CEO. Therefore this recommendation is also related with the director's independence in case of listed entities. In t his regard, it is the responsibility of the chair to allow all the directors to effectively contribute and also to promote constructive and respectful relations among the directors and also between the board of the company and its management (Matolcsy, Stokes and Wright, 2004). It is also the responsibility of the chair that agenda of the board meetings should be set up and in the same way, a responsibility has also been imposed on the chair to ensure that adequate time is available for discussing all the items present on the agenda, particularly the matters that are strategically significant. In view of these requirements, it can be said that an independent chair can also contribute in achieving a culture of openness and constructive challenge. In this context, it is required by good corporate governance that there should be appropriate division present between the persons having the responsibility of managing the listed entity and the persons who have been given the responsibility of looking after the managers. But in cases where the same person has assumed the role of the chair as well as the CEO of the company, it will not be very conducive for the board effectively performing its role which requires the board challenged the management and to hold them accountable. Therefore if the chair of the board is not an independent director, the law requires that it should be considered by the listed entity if an independent director can be appointed as the deputy chair (O'Higgins, 2002). The other option available to the entity is related with the appointment of a "senior independent director" who can play an effective role if there is any conflict with the chair. In such a case, even if any shares are owned by the independent director, the presence of a deputy chair or the presence of the senior independent director will allow the board to efficiently review the performance of the chair. Similarly, the situation will also provide a separate channel of communication that can be used by the shareholders and investors (Pye and Camm, 2003). The role that has to be played by the chair is very demanding and as a result, it requires significant time commitment. As a result, it is advisable that the other positions held by the chair should not be of the nature which can cause an obstruction in the effective performance of the responsibilities of the chair. Another issue in case of the Independence of the directors is the tenure and the diversity of the board that needs to be considered at the time of the constitution of the board. For example, it has to be seen if the board is dominated by the directors who have held this position for such a long time and therefore, there is a risk that the directors may have become stale in their ideas. Another issue that needs consideration in this regard is to see if considerable directors with divergent backgrounds are present on the board and in the same way; it is also an important matter to see if appropriate gender diversity is present. Another issue that needs to be mentioned at this point in context of the evaluation of the performance of an entity, regarding its corporate governance practices is that only the share price gains should not be the only relevant factor. The reason is that such situation will be too simplistic. It has also been strongly recommended by several experts that a corporation can achieve long-term sustainability and stability along with profitability if it adopts the good corporate governance practices (Young and Thyill, 2011). In this context, it has been mentioned in the ASX listing rule 4.10.3 that there should be either a corporate governance statement that fulfills the requirements that have been provided by this rule or it should mention the URL of the page of its website. The company has mentioned its corporate governance statement which fulfills this requirement. This rule has been introduced with a view to make sure that the corporate governance statement of the company is capable of disclosing the extent to which a particular corporation has followed the ASX corporate governing Council recommendations. On the other hand, if has not followed a recommendation, it should be mentioned in the corporate governance statement of the corporation and the period during which the recommendation was not followed by the corporation also needs to be mentioned along with the grounds due to which the corporation could not follow the recommendation as well as the fact if the corporation has adopted any alternative corporate governance practice. This matter needs to be decided by the board related with the appropriate corporate governance practice that should be adopted by the corporation. The reason is that the leader responsibility of managing the business has been provided to the board and this responsibility has to be discharged by the board with due care and diligence. It is also the responsibility of the board to make sure that suitable corporate governance arrangements have been put in place. In this regard, the principles and recommendations that have been provided by the corporate governance Council required that the boards of listed entities should consider if any particular recommendation of the Council is not suitable for the company in view of the circumstances and therefore the board can decide that such a recommendation will not be adopted by the company (Young and Thyill, 2011). But if it has been decided by the court that a particular recommendation should not be adopted by it as it is not suitable for the company, it is the responsibility of the board to explain why the particular recommendation was not adopted by it. This approach is known as "if not why not" approach. The purpose behind the introduction of the requirement of making an explanation for not adopting a particular recommendation, is to make sure that appropriate information is being provided to the market in case of the corporate governance arrangements that have been put in place by a company. Such information will help the shareholders of the company as well as the members of the investment community to have a meaningful dialogue with the management and the board of the company. At the same time, such information can be immensely helpful for the stockholders of the company, particularly when they have to make a decision regarding the issue of voting on a particular resolution. This informat ion is also useful for the investors when they are making decisions related with the investment in the securities of the particular company. It can be said in the end that at present the focus of corporate governance is on the role played by independent directors in the board of listed entities. However, the Independence of the directors is not the only factor that is relevant in this regard and as a result, certain other factors like the skills and experience of the directors also needs to be considered. References ASX Corporate Governance Council (ASX), 2014, Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations, 3rd Edition, Canberra, Australian Stock Exchange, Bezemer, P., Maassen, G., Van den Bosch, F. and Volbera, H., 2007, "Investigating the development of internal and external service tasks of non-executive directors: the case of the Netherlands (1997 - 2005)", Corporate Governance: an International Review, 15(6): 1119 - 1129 Bosch, H. (1991), Corporate Practices and Conduct, Melbourne. Brooks, A., Oliver, J. and Veljanovski, A., 2009, "The Role of the Independent Director: Evidence from a Survey of Independent Directors in Australia", Australian Accounting Review, 19(3): 161 - 177 Erkins, D., Hung, M. and Matos P., 2009, "Corporate Governance in the 2007-2008 Financial Crisis: Evidence from Financial Institutions Worldwide", University of Southern California working paper. Gee Coleman, L. and Pinder, S., 2010, What were they thinking? 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Matolcsy, Z., Stokes, D. and Wright A., 2004, Do Independent Directors Add Value?, Australian Accounting Review, 14(1): 33-40. O'Higgins, E., 2002, "Non-executive directors on boards in Ireland: co-option, characteristics and contributions", Corporate Governance: an International Review, 10(1): 19 28. Pye, A. and Camm, G., 2003, Non-executive directors: moving beyond the one-size-fits-all view, Journal of General Management, 28(3): 52-70. Young, S. and Thyill, V. 2011, A Holistic Approach to Corporate Governance: Lessons from the financial crisis and the way forward, in Sun, W., Stewart, J. and Pollard, D. (Eds), Corporate Governance and the Global Financial Crisis International Perspectives, pp. 365-388, Cambridge University Press.
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