...The Yakuza The Yakuza and their reputations The yakuza origins can be traced back to the time of transition of Japan from feudalism to a modern state in the later 19th century around the time of the Meiji restoration. As a result of this transition, a pool of samurais without power, hooligans and landless peasants formed the supply of the Yakuza. (Varse, 2003) Yakuza, 8-9-3 is a losing combination in the card game hana-fuda and hence later on used to describe gamblers who were born to lose and was of no use in society. The Yakuza have different identities, to some they are violence specialists, to some gangsters, to some extortionists, to some gamblers, to some the Japanese mafia. While it is not wrong to have such impressions on the yakuza, this not completely true as there is so much more behind the yakuza than just being violent gangsters. Also according to Siniawer, he does not want to call the yakuza, “gangsters” because sometimes “it may evoke romantic images of Prohibition-era bosses”, which will inaccurately depict the yakuza. The yakuza are essentially different from the (Sicilian) mafia, in the sense that the perception of the mafia as an unambiguously predatory entity locked in bloody combat with the state, which are exemplified by such crimes as the assassination of the Italian prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. This was different with the yakuza who proudly displayed the name of their gang, and its crest, and crest at the entrance. (Hill, 2003:...
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...with a common purpose and goal; money and intimidation of political figures in order to further the organizations wealth and status. Two such organizations the Russian Mafia, which dates back to the times when Czars ruled the country and the Japanese Yakuza, which are believed to be formed sometime during the Edo period of Japanese History (1603-1868) share similarities in operations and activities but also differ in organization and historical lines. We will look at the organization, history and methods of each of these criminal organizations. The history of Yakuza also known as gukudo, is believed to originate sometime between 1603 and 1868. This criminal organization that is still operates today in Japan is referred to by a couple of different names. The Japanese police have labeled them boryokudan, literally translated as “violence group”, while the Yakuza call themselves ninkyo dantai, literally translated as “chivalrous organizations.” There appears to be quite a disparity as to how the police view the Yakuza and how they view themselves. The Yakuza appears to have been formed for two classes of people during the edo period of Japanese history. The Tekiya and Bakuto were the two classes of people that the Yakuza organization was formed from. The Tekiya or peddlers was primarily involved in the sale of illegal or stolen goods while the Bakuto were the individuals that ran or were involved with gambling.[1] The Tekiya was one of the lowest social groups of...
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...Organized Crime Group Analysis Organized Crime Group Analysis In the past and still today the word of crime on occasion is greater than law enforcement, politicians, and governmental officials. These major players of these organized crimes could run a city however they choose to through criminal activity and manipulation. In the 1800s a secret society formed to unite Sicilian natives against invasion by France and Arabs. Fleeing from the hills of Italy to avoid attack Italians called the “Mafia” migrated to the United States in the 1920s. The Mafia’s migration to New York City and other large cities in America to continue criminal activities were seen in the early 1920s. In one particular group called the La Cosa Nostra, LCN, mob, or the Mafia inhabited New York City’s metropolitan area. The LCN consist of a collection of Italian-American families of organized crime (Finckenauer, 2007). The La Cosa Nostra entails five families with its main headquarters in Italy. With each family’s organization resembling the structure of a hierarchy. Its hierarchical structure of organization provides protection along with its social structure protected by corrupt politicians and governmental officials. “For nearly three quarters of a century, beginning during the time of Prohibition and extending into the 1990s, the LCN was clearly the most prominent criminal organization in the United States” (Finckenauer, 2007....
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...Background: Since the late 1980’s the Russian people have experienced one of the most drastic transitions seen in the world to date, a transition from an attempt at communism to a workable capitalist system. As one would expect, this transition has not been painless and has been the impetus of many distressing problems for the Russian people. One such problem is organized crime. Organized crime during Soviet rule and the Russian Federation has created obstacles in this transition to a functioning market economy. This transition from the USSR to the Russian Federation has impaired Russia’s attempts at a market economy. It has worked its way through openings provided by the transition economy to become a setback to the Russian society and economy. Organized crime disables successful economic reform by influencing important issues such as competition, entrepreneurship, capital flight, the shadow economy, and violence. The major roots of organized crime in Russia go back to the middle of the twenty century. As early as the 1970’s, the Russian mafia had advanced to the status of primary protectors and beneficiaries in the robust Soviet shadow economy. By 1991, organized crime had expanded to form over 700 gangs in the Russian republic alone. This expansion was aided by Perestroika’s, a political movement within the Communist Party, opening up of market opportunities. In Leningrad, as much as ninety percent of the cooperatives produced by the liberal policies of Perestroika were...
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...Review Article Mumbai’s Development Mafia’s: Globalization, Organized Crime and Land Development Jordan Morrison 209148123 ENVS 4225: Urban Sustainability November 17, 2010 Mumbai’s Development Mafia’s: Globalization ,Organized Crime and Land Development LIZA WEINSTIEN International Journal of Urban and Regional Research Volume 32, Issue 1, pages 22-39, March 2008 Abstract For over a decade, researchers have analyzed the effects of liberalization and globalization on urban development, considering the local political implications of shifts at the national and global scales. Taking the case of Mumbai, this article examines how the past 15 years of political reforms in India have reshaped property markets and the politics of land development. Among the newly empowered actors, local criminal syndicates, often with global connections, have seized political opportunities created by these shifts to gain influence over land development. The rise of Mumbai's organized criminal activity in the 1950s was closely linked to India's macroeconomic policies, with strict regulation of imports fuelling the growth of black market smuggling. Liberalization and deregulation since the early 1990s have diminished demand for smuggled consumer goods and criminal syndicates have since diversified their operations. With skyrocketing real estate prices in the 1990s, bolstered by global land speculation, the mafia began investing in property development. Supported by an illicit nexus of politicians...
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...Tattoos and Piercings throughout Different World Cultures COM/150 Effective Essay Writing Tattoos and Piercings throughout Different World Cultures Did you know that almost a fourth of men and women between 18 and 50 years of age have at least one tattoo? How about that 15% of those people have at least one body piercing ("Northwestern University News Center," n.d.)? These statistics may be surprising, but the fact is that tattoos and piercings are growing increasingly more popular in today’s society. Although we can see that people of all ages have tattoos and piercings, they seem to be the most popular among teenagers and young adults. The popularity of these sometimes taboo actions have not always been so popular though, and while some people may perceive tattoos and piercings negatively; the fact is that they have many different meanings in cultures throughout the world. This essay will discuss a few of the different cultures in which tattoos and piercings can be seen. Both tattoos and piercings have been around for some time now. Tattoos are thought to have been around for thousands and thousands of years. Some scientists believe that the marks which were found on the mummified body of an iceman from 3300 B.C. could possibly be tattoos ("History Of Tattooing", 2003). Most piercings have been around for thousands of years as well. Piercings such as the nostril and the ear lobe date back to nearly 5000 years ago ("Body Piercing History", 1998). Among some people...
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...estadounidense (Sean Boswell) el cual viviendo con su madre en EE.UU. se ven obligados a vivir en distintas ciudades por los problemas en los que se mete Sean Boswell, hasta que después de haber sido atrapado en una carrera ilegal le presentan un ultimátum, ir a la cárcel en Estados Unidos o correr a Tokio donde vive su padre. Estando ya en esta otra ciudad, se vuelve a involucrar en el clandestino mundo del "drifting" (carreras de automóviles derrapando) y se mete en problemas con la mafia japonés (los Yakuza). En su primera carrera Sean Boswell maneja un carro prestado por Han (mafioso japonés) y lo destroza, quedando de esta manera en deuda con la mafia. Empieza a realizar trabajos mixtos junto con Han para poder pagar todos los danos que le ocasiono al carro y paralelamente empieza a practicar sus derrapes y con constancia en la practica este se convierte en el mejor corredor de Tokio ganándole al DK(Drift King o Rey del Derrape) que a su mismo tiempo es el jefe de los Yakuza. Es interesante ver como en esta filmación se compara la cultura occidental con la estadounidense. -El protagonista es estadounidense y se convierte en el Rey del Derrape en Tokio, ganándole a todos los japoneses presentes. -La policía japonesa a diferencia de la estadounidense no se molesta en perseguir a los automóviles que van demasiado rápido debido a que saben que no lo podrán...
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...Twisted Threads by Kaylin McFarren is a romantic adventure novel, currently resting at the end of a series of novels that i simply cannot wait to read. The novel begins with the aftermath of a bloodbath, and draws the reader in with the standard questions. "Who died? Why? Where? Who did it? Did they deserve it? And who will die next?" These questions and more are quickly answered, but while we find the answers we need, we are also handed several more questions as Akira, the heroine, is sent across the world for her yakuza master(s) to seek revenge for the death of a friend. Akira is a former geisha turned yakuza assassin. Trained in the arts of conversation, entertainment and murder, she is an enigma of truly epic proportions, and born with innate magnetism, and crafted by genetics into a beauty of breathtaking quality, she is truly a deadly blossom...
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...n discussing banditry in Chinese history, Barrington Moore, Jr. suggests that gangsterism as a "form of self-help which victimizes others" may appear in societies which lack strong "forces of law and order"; he characterizes European feudalism as "mainly gangsterism that had become society itself and acquired respectability".[6] A wide variety of gangs, such as the Order of Assassins, the Damned Crew, Adam the Leper's gang, Penny Mobs, Indian Thugs, Chinese Triads, Snakehead, Japanese Yakuza, Irish mob, Pancho Villa's Villistas, Dead Rabbits, American Old West outlaw gangs, Bowery Boys, Chasers, the Italian mafia, Jewish mafia, and Russian Mafia crime families have existed for centuries. According to some estimates the Thuggee gangs in India murdered 1 million people between 1740 and 1840.[7] The 17th century saw London "terrorized by a series of organized gangs",[8] some of them known as the Mims, Hectors, Bugles, and Dead Boys. These gangs often came into conflict with each other. The members dressed "with colored ribbons to distinguish the different factions."[9] Many poor orphans in Victorian London survived by joining pick-pocketing gangs controlled by adult criminals.[citation needed] At the beginning of the 19th century, child criminals in Britain were punished in the same way as adults. They were sent to adult prisons, transported to the various Australian penal colonies, flogged, and sentenced to death for crimes such as petty theft.[10][11][12] All the major...
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...Often it was that the body modifications in the society were there to display ranking or family lines. There are hundreds if not thousands of examples of humans practicing a body modification culture. So why is it today looked down upon? Gang affiliation and drug use picked up the use of tattoos and used it within their gangs or regions to establish ties and tell differences between different gangs and groups. This caused tattoos to obtain a bad rep in recent decades. The Yakuza are a well-known, Japanese gang that are notorious for drug cartel and murders. Yakuza members display unique tattoos that cover the torso, and all limbs. Usually stopping at the sleeves so that the tattoos are easily hidden under long clothing. There are many other existing examples of cultures and societies that have used tattoos in a negative light. Times are changing as the tattoo culture and industry are booming. Tattoos here no longer mainly represent those who have been in prison, but often are used as positive self-expression in the younger and upcoming generations. A great example of positive self-expression is that those within the US military often display tattoos that display and represent the time in which they served our country. Many veterans who display tattoos are...
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...Cheat Codes Result | Cheat Code | Adrenaline effects | munasef | Aggressive traffic | ylteicz | All cars have nitrous | speedfreak | Always 00:00 or 12:00 | xjvsnaj | Always 21:00 | ofviac | Armor, health, and money | hesoyam | Beach party theme | cikgcgx | Beater traffic | bgkgtjh | Black traffic | iowdlac | Bounty on your head | bagowpg | Carnival theme | crazytown | Cars fly away | bsxsggc | City in chaos | iojufzn | CJ jumps higher | kangaroo | Cloudy weather | alnsfmzo | Commit suicide | szcmawo | Deadly vehicle | jcnruad | Destroy all cars | cpktnwt | Fast motion | speeditup | Flying boats | flyingfish | Flying cars | ripazha | Foggy weather | cfvfgmj | Gangs and workers | mroemzh | Gangs only | bifbuzz | Hitman level in all weapons | professionalkiller | Infinite ammunition | fullclip | Infinite health | baguvix | Invisible cars | xicwmd | Kinky theme | bekknqv | Lower wanted levell | asnaeb | Manual weapon control in cars | ouiqdmw | Massive BMX bunny hops | cjphonehome | Maximum fat | btcdbcb | Maximum lung capacity | cvwkxam | Maximum muscle | buffmeup | Maximum respect | worshipme | Maximum sex appeal | helloladies | Maximum vehicle skills | naturaltalent | No fat or muscle | kvgyzqk | No hunger | aeduwnv | Pedestrians are Elvis | bluesuedeshoes | Pedestrians attack with guns | bgluawml | Pedestrians have weapons | foooxft | Pedestrians riot | ajlojyqy | Perfect handling | pggomoy...
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...Twisted Threads follows the journey of Akira Hamada, a trained and very dangerous assassin of the Yakuza family. All she wants is to be done with this life of murder, but the only way to do this is to finish one last job. When Akira boards the cruise ship, she immediately meets one of her targets, a young man who is instantly smitten with Akira’s charm and appearance. Throughout the story, Akira finds more than she bargained for. With her relationship with Devon intensifying and her mission going to the back of her mind, Akira misses some important details that will later come back to bite her in the butt. Twisted Threads is a high-intensity story filled with lust, love, and murder. Kaylin McFarren is the author of Twisted Threads, the fourth book in her murder series and one of incredible action. This book is geared towards romance seeking adults who enjoy a little murder mystery and should not be read by anyone younger than 18 since it is very mature. McFarren brought together revenge, love, murder, and adventure in a way that keeps the reader wanting to know more. It was very hard to put down this book once I started reading....
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...Akira Kurosawa: Acclaim, Criticism, & Depictions Scheherazade Humphrey ARTH 334: Understanding Movies Instructor Robert Lewis September 22, 2013 Akira Kurosawa: Acclaim, Collaborations, & Criticisms Director Akira Kurosawa is arguably one of the most creative, influential, and innovative filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa’s career spanned nearly sixty years and has received much critical acclaim by many of his peers, filmmakers, and generations of film students. Additionally, he has received an array of international recognition for his successes in and contributions to film. Kurosawa’s career started in the mid-1930s. However, his initial success started with the 1948 film Drunken Angel. This was followed by another successful film named “Rashomon” which Kurosawa directed in 1950 and starred Toshiro Mifune whom he collaborated with on numerous films. The film Rashomon introduced western audiences to Kurosawa’s work. Kurosawa’s acclaim and influence started to fade later in life. However his influence on film, critical acclaim, international recognition, successes, and collaborations are topics which are often discussed and debated. Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa is arguably the most influential and innovate filmmaker in the history of cinema with a career that spanned nearly six decades. His contributions to the Japanese film industry and film in general are more than apparent. Not the only Japanese cinematic giant, but undoubtedly...
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...My own thoughts on Youth Rebellion Youth rebellion is a vital process of a child's turning into an adult. It can also be seen as teenage rebellion. What is the exact definition of youth rebellion? This is the Wikipedia version: "As part of their development into young adults, humans must develop an identity independent from their parents or family and a capacity for independent decision-making. They may experiment with different roles, behaviours, and ideologies as part of their process of developing an identity. " Youth is one of the most precious periods of a person’s life, and yet one of the most difficult. Teenagers are no longer satisfied with being treated like children, but yet they don't fully understand how the adults' world operates. Not to mention their lack of experience on adult stuff. They try to develope an independent identity and pursue for equal rights as adults. What most teenagers are searching for is just the meaningful cause. Young people are so full of confidence that they are always considering of "I am able to change the whole world" or "The earth will stop rotating without me." Young people are like a mass of flames. They have the will to reform the society. They are also eager to destroy things that constrict and oppress them. Their voice can be a powerful weapon to change the shape of the whole world within proper guidance. Adults, however, believe that the world is just the way it is and never think too much about changing the...
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...Historical Body of Art "Tattooing" James M. McDermott COM/150 March 21, 2010 Comfort Ugwuh Historical Body of Art "Tattooing" In 1936, Life Magazine provided information from an independent study showing approximately 6% of the nation's population had a tattoo; the Harris Poll conducted in 2003 showed that approximately 15% of the population had acquired tattoos (Swan, 2006). A similar study in 2005 revealed approximately 24% of the population then had at least one tattoo (Ford, 2010). Those two studies revealed statistics that illustrate the number of people in the United States with tattoos increasing astronomically. In 67 years the number of people with tattoos increased 9%, in just two years between 2003 and 2005 the United Stated witnessed the number of individuals with tattoos increase another 9%. Tattoos are still gaining acknowledgment in society today; the number of people with tattoos is increasing exponentially with athletes, musicians, and actors ushering a wave of acceptance. Figure 1 Tattoos have been evident in societies and the human race for thousands of years. Scientists have uncovered Egyptian mummies evidently preserved in the period as early as 2000 BC, analysis revealed evidence of tattooing and other forms of body art on their mummified bodies. The Egyptian tattooing thought to be one of the earliest appearances of tattoos came into question in 1991 with the discovery of Iceman (Lineberry, 2007). A pair of hikers in the Austrian Otztal Alps stumbled...
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