Why The Cocks Fight

Like two roosters in a fighting arena, Haiti and the Dominican Republic are encircled by barriers of geography and poverty. They co-inhabit the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, but their histories are as deeply divided as their cultures: one French-speaking and black, one Spanish-speaking and mulatto. Yet, despite their antagonism, the two countries share a national symbol in the rooster--and a fundamental activity and favorite sport in the cockfight. In this book, Michele Wucker asks: "If the symbols that dominate a culture accurately express a nation's character, what kind of a country draws so heavily on images of cockfighting and roosters, birds bred to be aggressive? What does it mean when not one but two countries that are neighbors choose these symbols? Why do the cocks fight, and why do humans watch and glorify them?" Wucker studies the cockfight ritual in considerable detail, focusing as much on the customs and histories of these two nations as on their contemporary lifestyles and politics. Her well-cited and comprehensive volume also explores the relations of each nation toward the United States, which twice invaded both Haiti (in 1915 and 1994) and the Dominican Republic (in 1916 and 1965) during the twentieth century. Just as the owners of gamecocks contrive battles between their birds as a way of playing out human conflicts, Wucker argues, Haitian and Dominican leaders often stir up nationalist disputes and exaggerate their cultural and racial differences as a way of deflecting other kinds of turmoil. Thus Why the Cocks Fight highlights the factors in Caribbean history that still affect Hispaniola today, including the often contradictory policies of the U.S.

This special re-print edition of the famous work "The Royal Past Time of Cock Fighting" is a facsimile of one of the earliest English language books ever written on Game Fowl and cock fighting. Written in 1709 by an individual identified only as "R.H., A Lover of the Sport," this very rare book was later reprinted in a numbered limited edition of only one hundred copies in May of 1899. This special reprint was created utilizing one of the very few surviving copies of that special 1899 facsimile edition. Subtitled "the Art of Breeding, Feeding, Fighting and Curing cocks of the Game. Published purely for the good, and benefit of all such as take delight in that Royal, and War-like Sport," this interesting historic title offers a very rare look at Game Fowl breeding and the sport of cock fighting as it was practiced in England over three hundred years ago. Note: This edition is a perfect facsimile of the original edition and is not set in a modern typeface. As a result, some type characters and images might suffer from slight imperfections or minor shadows in the page background. This book is presented as part of large series of educational material on the history and raising of numerous chicken breeds. The material presented herein contains information on the sport of cock fighting and is intended to be strictly for educational purposes with the purpose of enlightening Game Fowl breeders about the history of their breed. Publication of the material is neither an endorsement, nor a criticism of its contents.

This is the story of Cockfighting and how it is practised in certain parts of the World where it is still legal. In Britain it has been a forbidden sport for more than 150 years, although it is said that in country parts, that it ceased much later than that time. Many people keep Game Fowl purely for interest and this book is reissued in the hope that many of the sections relating to the history, feeding, conditioning and other aspects of keeping these birds will be of great interest. Contents Include: History Selection of a Strain, Basic Strains, The Hen Breeding and Breeding Systems The House Caring for Brood Fowl Rearing Game Chickens, Stages in the Life History of a Gamecock Dubbing Stags The Farm Walk Coop Walks, Movable and Stationary Getting Ready for Battle Trimming out for Battle Six Good Keeps Conditioning Powders and Drugs Tools of the Trade Gaffs Heeling Cocks for Battle In the Pit Handling and Nursing in the Pit The Referee After the Battle Methods of Conducting Cockfights

The #1 English-language bestseller in China--the book that is shaping China's planning and policy for the future. A "gray rhino" is a highly probable, high impact yet neglected threat: kin to both the elephant in the room and the improbable and unforeseeable black swan. Gray rhinos are not random surprises, but occur after a series of warnings and visible evidence. The bursting of the housing bubble in 2008, the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters, the new digital technologies that upended the media world, the fall of the Soviet Union...all were evident well in advance. Why do leaders and decision makers keep failing to address obvious dangers before they spiral out of control? Drawing on her extensive background in policy formation and crisis management, as well as in-depth interviews with leaders from around the world, Michele Wucker shows in The Gray Rhino how to recognize and strategically counter looming high impact threats. Filled with persuasive stories, real-world examples, and practical advice, The Gray Rhino is essential reading for managers, investors, planners, policy makers, and anyone who wants to understand how to profit by avoiding getting trampled.

RCMP Superintendent "Scotty" Gardiner's captivating memoir reveals what truly goes on behind the scenes in local and international criminal and civil investigations - from solving small-town break-ins to busting multi-national drug operations, and from foiling historical coin counterfeiting to making a controversial money-for-bodies deal with serial killer Clifford Olson. IN THE MIND OF A MOUNTIE provides deep insight into the thought processes, self-discipline and integrity required to be an exemplary policeman. "There is no LUCK in investigation," Gardiner emphasizes. "Instead you must focus on PREPARATION, so you will recognize OPPORTUNITY." With masterful storytelling, Scotty Gardiner's IN THE MIND OF A MOUNTIE brings vividly to life the role of a policeman and investigator in late 20th-century Canadian society. -- ENDORSEMENTS FROM EXPERTS -- "A refreshing page-turner as Scotty leads from one crime investigation to the next, while offering shrewd insights into the nature and habits of career criminals and RCMP officers alike. His is a broadly sympathetic view of the human condition, seen through the eyes of a very smart and experienced RCMP officer." - Geoff Machin, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Emeritus Prof. of Pathology, U. of Alberta "A remarkably rich and personal memoir, full of stories that illustrate both the routine and complex in police work. The book is also a testament to how a combination of hard work, intellectual imagination, integrity, and self-discipline served Scotty well as a Mountie in postings across this vast country. It is an account of a life's work that needs to be told, especially in these times when the Force seems in disarray and those values compromised." - John McLaren, Emeritus Prof. of Law, U. of Victoria "A compelling story told in a most readable manner. Highly recommended for all ages - Scotty's life is the stuff of legends and deserves to be read widely." - Hamish Simpson, former head of Glenlyon School, Pearson College, and Upper Canada College Preparatory School

It is 1937 and Amabelle Désir, a young Haitian woman living in the Dominican Republic, has built herself a life as the servant and companion of the wife of a wealthy colonel. She and Sebastien, a cane worker, are deeply in love and plan to marry. But Amabelle's world collapses when a wave of genocidal violence, driven by Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, leads to the slaughter of Haitian workers. Amabelle and Sebastien are separated, and she desperately flees the tide of violence for a Haiti she barely remembers. Already acknowledged as a classic, this harrowing story of love and survival—from one of the most important voices of her generation—is an unforgettable memorial to the victims of the Parsley Massacre and a testimony to the power of human memory.

The #1 international bestselling author of The Gray Rhino offers a bold new framework for understanding and re-shaping our relationship with risk and uncertainty to live more productive and successful lives. What drives a sixty-four-year-old woman to hurl herself over Niagara Falls in a barrel? Why do we often create bigger risks than the risks we try to avoid? Why are corporate boards newly worried about risky personal behavior by CEOs? Why are some nations quicker than others to recognize and manage risks like pandemics, technological change, and climate crisis? The answers define each person, organization, and society as distinctively as a fingerprint. Understanding the often-surprising origins of these risk fingerprints can open your eyes, inspire new habits, catalyze innovation and creativity, improve teamwork, and provide a beacon in a world that seems suddenly more uncertain than ever. How you see risk and what you do about it depend on your personality and experiences. How you make these cost-benefit calculations depend on your culture, your values, the people in the room, and even unexpected things like what you’ve eaten recently, the temperature, the music playing, or the fragrance in the air. Being alert to these often-unconscious influences will help you to seize opportunity and avoid danger. You Are What You Risk is a clarion call for an entirely new conversation about our relationship with risk and uncertainty. In this ground-breaking, accessible and eminently timely book, Michele Wucker examines why it’s so important to understand your risk fingerprint and how to make your risk relationship work better in business, life, and the world. Drawing on compelling risk stories around the world and weaving in economics, anthropology, sociology, and psychology research, Wucker bridges the divide between professional and lay risk conversations. She challenges stereotypes about risk attitudes, re-frames how gender and risk are related, and shines new light on generational differences. She shows how the new science of “risk personality” is re-shaping business and finance, how healthy risk ecosystems support economies and societies, and why embracing risk empathy can resolve conflicts. Wucker shares insights, practical tools, and proven strategies that will help you to understand what makes you who you are –and, in turn, to make better choices, both big and small.

Each cocker will have a different approach and style when conditioning their gamefowls for competitions, but the goal is the same: to win. A good breeder or cocker knows what is best for his feathered warriors, and is able to acquire this learning through combined experience and science. When asked if all fighting cocks, regardless of their lineage, must undergo one and the same winning formula, he will simply smile and say: “Each lineage has its own conditioning requirements, and each bird has its own unique winning formula.” Each and every game bird has its own time of being in a pointed condition or at its peak during a certain period. So you can always take seriously this valuable advice from experts: “Fight your chickens when they're ready, and not when you're ready.” This book, therefore, aims to give you a complete understanding of how to detect the signs reflected in your roosters indicative of being in their peak fighting form, as well as give you a quick review on lineages of game birds with their corresponding fighting styles, conditioning, and pointing requirements.

One of the twentieth century's most influential books, this classic work of anthropology offers a groundbreaking exploration of what culture is With The Interpretation of Cultures, the distinguished anthropologist Clifford Geertz developed the concept of thick description, and in so doing, he virtually rewrote the rules of his field. Culture, Geertz argues, does not drive human behavior. Rather, it is a web of symbols that can help us better understand what that behavior means. A thick description explains not only the behavior, but the context in which it occurs, and to describe something thickly, Geertz argues, is the fundamental role of the anthropologist. Named one of the 100 most important books published since World War II by the Times Literary Supplement, The Interpretation of Cultures transformed how we think about others' cultures and our own. This definitive edition, with a foreword by Robert Darnton, remains an essential book for anthropologists, historians, and anyone else seeking to better understand human cultures.

In the criminal underbelly of the 1960s rural South, a silent, iron-willed man is ready to sacrifice anything to rise to the top. A former professional boxer, actor, horse trainer and radio announcer, Charles Willeford (1919-1988) is best known for his Miami-based crime novels featuring hard-boiled detective Hoke Moseley, including Miami Blues and Sideswipe. His career as a writer began in the late 1940s, but it was his 1972 novel Cockfighter that announced his name to a wider audience. Frank Mansfield is the titular cockfighter: a silent and fiercely contrary man whose obsession with winning will cost him almost everything. Mansfield haunts the cockpits, bars and roads of the rural South in the early 1960s, adrift but always capable of nearly anything... First published in complete form in 1972, and adapted by Willeford for a Monte Hellman film in 1974 (which became infamous for its use of real animals in the fight scenes), the novel Cockfighter has been out of print for nearly 20 years. Praise for Charles Willeford and Cockfighter “One of our most skilled, interesting, accomplished and productive writers.” —Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post “Charles Willeford renders the sport [of cockfighting] with such knowledge and attention to detail that . . . I had the almost inexpressible impression of being on my knees again beside the great fighting pits of the southern circuit.” —Harry Crews “No one writes a better crime novel than Charles Willeford.” —Elmore Leonard “Entertaining every step of the way... Willeford opens up for most of us a whole undiscovered world, and conveys it wonderfully.” —Publishers Weekly