Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors

Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors Christopher Columbus discovered previously unknown lands in 1492, and within 20 years the conquest of these new lands was proceeding quickly. How were the Spanish conquistadors able to do it? The Spanish armor and weapons had much to do with their success. The Swift Success of the Conquistadors The Spanish who came to settle the New World were generally not farmers and craftsmen but soldiers, adventurers, and mercenaries looking for a quick fortune. Native communities were attacked and enslaved and any treasures they may have had such as gold, silver or pearls were taken. Teams of Spanish conquistadors devastated native communities on Caribbean islands such as Cuba and Hispaniola between 1494 and 1515 or so before moving on to the mainland. The most famous conquests were those of the mighty Aztec and Inca Empires, in Central America and the Andes mountains of South America respectively. The conquistadors who took these mighty Empires down (Hernan Cortes in Mexico in 1525 and Francisco Pizarro in Peru, 1532) commanded relatively small forces: Cortes had around 600 men and Pizarro initially had about 160. These small forces were able to defeat much larger ones. At the Battle of Teocajas, Sebastian de Benalcazar had 200 Spanish and some 3,000 Caà ±ari allies: together they fought Inca General Rumià ±ahui and a force of some 50,000 warriors to a draw. Conquistador Weapons There were two sorts of Spanish conquistadors: horsemen or cavalry and foot soldiers or infantry. The cavalry would usually carry the day in the battles of the conquest. When the spoils were divided, cavalrymen received a much higher share of the treasure than foot soldiers. Some Spanish soldiers would save up and purchase a horse as a sort of investment which would pay off in future conquests. The Spanish horsemen generally had two sorts of weapons: lances and swords. Their lances were long wooden spears with iron or steel points on the ends, used to devastating effect on masses of native foot soldiers. In close combat, a rider would use his sword. Steel Spanish swords of the conquest were about three feet long and relatively narrow, sharp on both sides. The Spanish city of Toledo was known as one of the best places in the world for making arms and armor and a fine Toledo sword was a valuable weapon indeed. The finely made weapons did not pass inspection until they could bend in a half-circle and survive a full-force impact with a metal helmet. The fine Spanish steel sword was such an advantage that for some time after the conquest, it was illegal for natives to have one. Foot Soldiers Weapons Spanish foot soldiers could use a variety of weapons. Many people incorrectly think that it was firearms that doomed the New World natives, but thats not the case. Some Spanish soldiers used a harquebus, a sort of early musket. The harquebus was undeniably effective against any one opponent, but they are slow to load, heavy, and firing one is a complicated process involving the use of a wick which must be kept lit. The harquebuses were most effective for terrorizing native soldiers, who thought the Spanish could create thunder. Like the harquebus, the crossbow was a European weapon designed to defeat armored knights and too bulky and cumbersome to be of much use in the conquest against the lightly armored, quick natives. Some soldiers used crossbows, but theyre very slow to load, break or malfunction easily and their use was not terribly common, at least not after the initial phases of the conquest. Like the cavalry, Spanish foot soldiers made good use of swords. A heavily armored Spanish foot soldier could cut down dozens of native enemies in minutes with a fine Toledan blade. Conquistador Armor Spanish armor, mostly made in Toledo, was among the finest in the world. Encased from head to foot in a steel shell, Spanish conquistadors were all but invulnerable when facing native opponents. In Europe, the armored knight had dominated the battlefield for centuries and weapons such as the harquebus and crossbow were specifically designed to pierce armor and defeat them. The natives had no such weapons and therefore killed very few armored Spanish in battle. The helmet most commonly associated with the conquistadors was the morion, a heavy steel helm with a pronounced crest or comb on top and sweeping sides that came  to  points on either end. Some infantrymen preferred a salade, a full-faced helmet that looks a little like a steel ski mask. In its most basic form, it is a bullet-shaped helm with a large T in front of the eyes, nose, and mouth. A cabasset helmet was much simpler: it is a large steel cap that covers the head from the ears up: stylish ones would have an elongated dome like the pointy end of an almond. Most conquistadors wore a full set of armor which consisted of a heavy breastplate, arm and leg greaves, a metal skirt, and protection for the neck and throat called a gorget. Even parts of the body such as elbows and shoulders, which require movement, were protected by a series of overlapping plates, meaning that there were very few vulnerable spots on a fully armored conquistador. A full suit of metal armor weighed about sixty pounds and the weight was well distributed over the body, allowing it to be worn for long periods of time without causing much fatigue. It generally included even armored boots and gloves or gauntlets. Later in the conquest, as conquistadors realized that full suits of armor were overkill in the New World, some of them switched to lighter chainmail, which was just as effective. Some even abandoned metal armor entirely, wearing escuapil, a sort of padded leather or cloth armor adapted from the armor worn by Aztec warriors. Large, heavy shields were not  necessary for the conquest, although many conquistadors used a buckler, a small, round or oval shield usually of wood or metal covered with leather. Native Weapons The natives had no answer for these weapons and armor. At the time of the conquest, most native cultures in North and South America were somewhere between the Stone Age and the  Bronze Age  in terms of their weaponry. Most foot soldiers carried heavy clubs or maces, some with stone or bronze heads. Some had rudimentary stone axes or clubs with spikes coming out of the end. These weapons could batter and bruise Spanish conquistadors, but only rarely did any serious damage through the heavy armor. Aztec warriors occasionally had a  macuahuitl, a wooden sword with jagged obsidian shards set in the sides: it was a lethal weapon, but still no match for steel. The natives had some better luck with missile weapons. In South America, some cultures developed bows and arrows, although they were rarely able to pierce armor. Other cultures used a sort of sling to hurl a stone with great force. Aztec warriors used the  atlatl, a device used to hurl javelins or darts at great velocity. Native cultures wore elaborate, beautiful armor. The Aztecs had warrior societies, the most notable of which were the feared Eagle and Jaguar warriors. These men would dress in Jaguar skins or eagle feathers and were very brave warriors. The Incas wore quilted or padded armor and used shields and helmets made of wood or bronze. Native armor was generally intended to intimidate as much as protect: it was often very colorful and beautiful. Nevertheless, eagle feathers provide no protection from a steel sword and native armor was of very little use in combat with conquistadors. Analysis The conquest of the Americas proves decisively the advantage of advanced armor and weaponry in any conflict. The Aztecs and Incas numbered in the millions, yet were defeated by Spanish forces numbering in the hundreds. A heavily  armored conquistador  could slay dozens of foes in a single engagement without receiving a serious wound. Horses were another advantage that the natives could not counter. It’s inaccurate to say that the success of the Spanish conquest was solely due to superior arms and armor, however. The Spanish were greatly aided by diseases previously unknown to that part of the world. Millions died of new illnesses brought by the Spanish such as smallpox. There was also a great deal of luck involved. For example, they invaded the  Inca Empire at a time of great crisis, as a brutal civil war between brothers Huascar and Atahualpa was just ending when the Spanish arrived in 1532; and the Aztecs were widely despised by their subjects. Sources Calvert, Albert Frederick. Spanish arms and armour: being a historical and descriptive account of the Royal armoury of Madrid. London: J. Lane, 1907Hemming, John.  The Conquest of the Inca. London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970).Pohl, John. The Conquistador: 1492–1550. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2008.

Networking 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Networking 2 - Essay Example A deeper comparison is as shown in the table below. The radio infrastructure will require 4 satellites which will be established at four points whereby one will be in the line of sight of the next satellite.This infrastructure will use Hertzian Insurgency frequency since the normal FM frequency is not applicable over satellites. The orbits for the satellites should be contradictory to that of the moon so as to defy the interference that the moon causes to them as a result of the lunar gravitational pull. A signal in a connection is like water in a river only that the destination of the signal is defined. In addition to the message carried by the signal, there isalso the destination address and the origin address. The signal is broken down into smaller segments called data packets and these packets are allocated numbers according to the segment of the signal in which they belong. For example the first segment will be allocated the first number and the last segment will be allocated the last number. These packets use different pathways in the network specifically the shortest route to the destination and when they all get to the destination they are assembled according to the segment number hence making the original signal. The network selected employsthe use of twisted pair cables. This network’s structure has an additional device that is the hub. The network uses a topology called the star topology whereby all the components are connected to the hub. This includes the gateway which refers to the computer connected to the internet which provides connection to all the other computers. The hub acts as the central switching device that controls how the messages and signals are relayed within the network. It is also the location whereby signals are kept whenever a transmission medium (cable) is in use since two signals cannot be transmitted over the same cable. Another alternative device that can be used in place of the hub is the switch (also

Introduced or invasive species Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Introduced or invasive species - Lab Report Example With the introduction of globalization, efforts are on the way to introduce various plants and animals to other locations. Some of the species enhance the biodiversity of the new habitat while others require human involvement and care for their proliferation. The introduced species creates disturbance as it is potentially eliminating biomass from a specific community (Hughes, 2010; Invasive Plants-- A Horticultural Perspective). The problem occurs when the invasive species affects the agriculture, forest and also the prey and predators of the ecosystem. Reports state that 2/3rd of 40 North American fresh water extinct fishes in a century, were due to the invasive species. Thus invasive species are creating troubles for the native species in a varied manner- they not only affect the space, but also create competition for the food and therefore affect the food chain and food web, thereby affecting the ecosystem. They may act as predators for the native species, reproduce with the native species and generate hybrids. In such case rare species of the native environment are becoming endangered. Some of the US invasions encompass- Enhanced trade has made an invasion of Asian longhorn beetle from China to US (1996). It came to US in a wood packing material. The beetle is known to nourish on the hardwood trees and also on sugar maple thereby creating serious menace to the US forest (Invasive species.). Threats imposed by invasive species are becoming a serious issue across the world. They are affecting the natural ecosystem to a greater extent. Keeping this in view, President Clinton endorsed an Executive Order 13112 in the year 1999 to preclude the initiation of invasive species to prevent the ecosystem. It is the need of time to detect the introduction of the species as early as possible and measures should be taken to eradicate the species before it proliferates to the alarming levels.

Writing for the English Major Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Writing for the English Major - Essay Example For the author, lying is an everyday thing: a part of life so to speak, as we do not tell blunt truths to everyone to maintain correct social structures and to prevent negative feelings that can permeate in relationships. Mundane greetings like â€Å"Howdy do?† and mundane answers like â€Å"I’m fine† are considered lies because those are not honest answers, as well as â€Å"silent lies† like not answering questions for the benefit of society, because it might hurt someone’s feelings. People nowadays, he says do not put importance on lying as much as before, according to the author. Slippery Slope arguments happen when the argument suggests that one thing will lead to another. Slippery Slope is represented here in the scenario where the lady committed a silent lie, and that would lead to her nephew’s death, suggesting that silent lies can actually lead to deaths. In that scene, there was a lady who was accused by the author to have committed a lie by â€Å"simply keeping still and concealing the truth† (Twain, 1885). She â€Å"lied† because she did not want to tell the hospital about the incompetence of their nurse, thinking that she may hurt the feelings of the nurse. Thus, the nurse got the job of taking care of the lady’s nephew, putting the nephew at risk because of the incompetence of the nurse. This is a fallacy. First, a lie is a false statement delivered deliberately (Encarta, 2010). With this definition, technically in this situation, no one told a lie. This is because the lady kept silent. Of course, her silence meant differently but it was not a lie at all. It was deliberate but it never meant to deceive people into believing that the nurse was incompetent. She knew that the nurse was incompetent, sure, but not telling people about it does not constitute to lying. False Authority happens when the author asks the audiences to agree with him simply based on his assertion as a writer.

Functionalist Look At Society As A Whole Criminology Essay

Functionalist Look At Society As A Whole Criminology Essay Emile Durkheim, the founder of functionalism argued that a certain amount of crime in any society is inevitable. Durkheim thought that it was an integral part of all healthy societies. Durkheim thought this because not everyone has the same collective values and moral beliefs in society. Durkheim also believed that crime and deviance could be positive in society as this can help reinforce the ideas of right and wrong. The problem with deviance arises when the level of crime becomes too big, this then can threaten the stability of a society. Durkheim thought that deviance acted as a catalyst for social change, change can happen but you need change the perception, what we once thought was a deviant act is now acceptable. This is how a society can evolve, which Durkheim considered as healthy. Durkheim also thought that if crime was too low in a society it was unhealthy, this was because such societies remained static and their social attitudes remained unchallenged. Anomie was a concept devised by Durkheim; Merton further developed this. Durkheims concept of anomie explained how societies undergoing social change also experience some confusion over what the society considered right or wrong behaviour. The confusion should not be viewed as negative, as new ideas are paramount for a society as they are considered the life-blood. (socialscience, 2012) There are positive functions to crime as crime can reaffirm boundaries as when crimes are committed, they are normally publicised. This then confirms our shared values for society for example; we learn the appropriate behaviour by seeing the inappropriate behaviour punished. Tragedy or loss can also help to bring societies together it can help mend social or cultural divisions, and help strengthen our sense of belonging in the community. Cohen a prominent American criminologist believed that deviance acted as a safety valve for society, Cohen believed that releasing small amounts of anger and tension prevented the build-up of greater frustrations. This then could cause major problems in society. Cohen also believed that deviant acts could help to alert society that certain aspects of it are not working properly. Another positive aspect to crime is social progression, this happens when the people of today challenge the norms and values of society as they want to help build a better future, as a result todays deviants could be tomorrows innovators. Here is an example of how crime can change society, March 2012, when gay 24-year-old man called Daniel Zamudio was beaten so severely, this was after having swastikas carved into his skin that he died in hospital three weeks later. The brutal murder shocked Chileans and spurred the Chilean government to fast-track LGBT antidiscrimination legislation. (advocate, 2013) Crime and deviance can also create employment, if there was no deviant behaviour we would not have any police, courts or prisons, therefore Durkheim was correct is thinking that crime has a positive factor on society. Some of Durkheims theories do have a negative function to crime and deviance, especially as functionalists believe that society is based on the value consensus. In certain situations e.g. major social upheaval, the social norms and values can become confused. This is when people are not sure on how to behave or what to believe, this happens when people are freed from social control, become selfish and only look after their own interests. When anomie occurs, the crime rates soar. Downes Rock (1998) thought functionalists who refer to Durkheims work failed to consider the impact that crime and deviance had on society, especially the victims of crime. They also thought that crime maybe functional but at what cost. Robert K Merton was also inspired by Durkheims theory of anomie; Merton applied his theory to American society in the 1930s. Merton tried to explain why young working class men were most prominent in the crime statistics. This is where Merton developed the strain theory (also known as Mertonian Anomie). Merton suggested that culture, especially the United States of America was saturated with dreams of opportunity, freedom and prosperity or as Merton described it the American Dream. Most people bought into this dream and it became a very powerful cultural and psychological motivation. Merton identified five possible responses to his strain theory conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion. Therefore, as many people responded to strain through innovation or rebellion, the nature of American dream actually created crime and deviance. Although Mertons explanation of the strain theory answers some questions to crime, it does not answer them all like crimes that are not for personal game e.g. vandalism. Mertons description on anomie was different to Durkheims. Merton thought that anomie meant dichotomy (a division) between what society expected of its citizens and what those citizens could achieve. If the social structure of opportunities is unequal, this will prevent the majority from realising the dream, this then means that some of them will turn to crime in order to realise it. Travis Hirschi (1969) realised that most sociological theories tried to explain why people committed crime; Hirschi decided that he would look at why most of society do not commit crime. His theory was called the social bond theory, which later developed into the social control theory. This theory historically has been an interesting way in approaching social problems and how they are explained, the social bond theory emphasises on the fact that there is an absence of social attachments among juvenile delinquents. Hirschi thought that One of the most critical times in our lives is adolescence, during this critical time we need strong positive social ties. On the other hand, if the ties we share in our lives are negative and criminal-like it is most likely that negative results will occur. Hirschi believed there were four basic elements to the social bond theory they are attachment, commitment, involvement and belief. Attachment is described as the level of values and or norms that an individual holds in society. Commitment the personal investments we have in our lives, involvement the amount of free time we have and belief our commitment to the rules and goals of our society, Hirschi thought the greater our bonds of attachment the lower the level of crime. In conclusion, functionalist accept the official statistics without any question, therefore functionalist see crimes are committed by the working class, and they have ignored corporate or white collar crime. They also do not take into consideration the thoughts or feelings of deviants, they assume that all working class people respond to society in the same way and everyone shares exactly the same cultural goals. (criminology, 2012) Karl Marx, the founder of Marxism saw crime and deviance as the ruling class (bourgeoisie) keeping social control over the working class (proletariat) if you did not conform you would be punished. Marx believed that Institutions such as the police, the justice system, prisons and schools are there to encourage you to conform. Marxists argue that white-collar crimes, which tend to be committed by the bourgeoisie are ignored, while crimes committed by the proletariat such as burglary and street crime are seen as more serious. Marxists also argued that different social classes are policed differently, with the working class heavily policed in the expectation that they will be more criminal. Marxists such as Milton Mankoff, Frank Pearce and Laureen Snider see power as largely being held by the bourgeoisie who own the means of production. Marxists believe the laws reflect the interests of the bourgeoisie. They are then passed by a bourgeois parliament, then enforced by the Police and supported by right-wing sections of an increasingly powerful media. Marxists also argue that crime is widespread in all social strata, Snider (1993) said, many of the most serious anti-social and predatory acts committed in modern industrial countries are corporate crimes. Snider also said corporate crime does more harm than the street crimes, such as burglary, robbery and murder which are usually seen as the most serious types of crime. (historylearningsite, 2012) The corporate crime Snider referred to included examples such as the Zeebruge ferry disaster and the Hatfield train crash, the enquiries found that the companies had put profit before safety. In the UK, the crime of corporate manslaughter was introduced. This was to cover such events with boards of directors being put in the firing line if similar tragedies occurred again. David Gordon (1976) stated that the values of capitalism encouraged crime in all of the social classes, the frustration of being on the bottom rung of the ladder encourages crimes like violence, sex and drugs and vandalism. Does capitalism cause crime? Possibly not, because crime is still present in communist societies , and some capitalist countries like Switzerland have a very low crime rate. It is also very unlikely that working class crime can be the cause of resistance and rebellion, most of the victims of working class crime are in fact working class themselves. Other aspects of this argument could be that some would say the working class criminals are making excuses for the behaviour, by showing a Robin Hood type of example. It is very unlikely that the law favours the bourgeoisie, as there are some laws that favour the proletariats for example welfare laws. Pierce (1976) had views on corporate crime, he said, Prosecutions for corporate crime are rare otherwise, society would have to rethink its view that crime is a working class pursuit, which would create a crisis for the ruling classes. In addition, are illegal and immoral practices normal under capitalism? Some of the lowest paid jobs with the most appalling working conditions are under communist regimes. (moodle, 2013) Internationalism is the second major sociological perspective after functionalism. Internationalism considers three things Phenomenology, Symbolic Interaction and Ethnomethodology. Interactionists focus on the way that individuals act rather than react to social stimulation, and the way in which different social groups interpret the behaviour of others is significant, as this helps to understand the way the world is socially constructed. An example of social construction would be, imagine you are sitting at a set of traffic lights, a car drives straight through the red lights. You could interpret that behaviour as wrong and illegal. However under the same circumstances, if the car went through the red light with blue flashing lights and a siren you could consider that as understandable. Howard Becker (1973) said, Social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitutes deviance, and by applying those rules to particular people and labelling them as outsidersthe deviant is one to whom that label has successfully been applied. Labelling is a social judgement and is based on social reaction, the labels that we give people can define their future, and this is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Unfortunately the people that we label can become social outsiders. Therefore, labelling can be considered as social constructed. Becker developed his theory of labelling in 1963 in a book called the outsiders, Becker studied the theory during a period of social and political power at a college campus. Becker adjusted Lemerts labelling theory and its symbolic interaction background during this liberal movement. (moodle, 2013) Beckers labelling theory had five stages, the first stage was where an individual was labelled as deviant, and the second stage is where the deviant is then rejected by their family, friends and employers. Next, because the individual has been rejected they return to the deviant behaviour, this is the start of their criminal career. Fourth the individual then looks for social acceptance, this normally will be by a deviant group, and fifth a deviant subculture develops. Beckers book Outsiders (1963) used two cases to illustrate his approach to the labelling theory. Becker studied marijuana laws in the United States, and the recreational use of the drug. Becker had chosen to analyse marijuana because the progression of use could be observed. The first time user of marijuana finds the experience as somewhat unpleasant, but as the user imitates peers he/she learns to perceive the effects of marijuana as enjoyable. Becker found that if someone breaks the rules not all of society would find the act deviant, someone needs to enforce or draw attention to the rules. Only when an individual has been successfully been labelled do certain consequences follow, and the individual may take the label as a master status. Jock Young (1971) also did a study on marijuana, but this time the study was in Notting Hill, London. Young found that most marijuana users called it a peripheral activity. Young also found that once the stigma of the label had been made, the deviant behaviour and use of marijuana increased, the users then started to lose their jobs and social network. As this happened the users became more dependent on marijuana and some used it as a source of income, Young realised that labelling leads to the increase of deviant behaviour. There are problems with labelling, as this assumes that deviants are normal people until they have been given a label. Liazos (1972) said, that the labelling theory is a study of nuts, sluts and perverts. The labelling theory does criticises the groups that come up with the labels, it also fails to look at the benefits groups get from being labelled, it also doesnt explain where primary deviance (the initial act) comes from. Stan Cohen (1964) studied the social reaction especially in the mass media towards the clashes between the mods and rockers culture. Cohen actually witnessed the clashes on Brighton beach, he realised that the media were reporting things that actually had not happened. As a result this caused moral panic, the mods and rockers were being singled out and being called folk devils, as a result society thought their behaviour was a threat to the social order. How everyone in society reacts to actions and behaviour and the judgements we make contribute to the social construction of crime, the media is an area in society that visually contributes to constructing crime and deviance, Internationalists might argue that police are another such group in society. Police statistics are the main way in which the police can socially construct crime, there are other ways in which crime can be socially constructed, and this could be by changing legislation, interpretation or moral values. (moodle, 2013) Since the early 1980s a number of sociologists have developed a perspective on crime and deviance this is usually referred to as Left Realism. The supporters of this perspective are Jock Young, John Lea, Roger Matthews and Richard Kinsey. Left realism originated in Britain, but has started to influence other criminologists in other countries. Left realists feel that longer sentences and more prisons are the answer to crime, but they also oppose the views from left idealists, people like Marxists, Neo-Marxists and radical Feminists. Politically, left realists tend to see their approach as being close to the position of the British Labour Party, Lea and Young (1984) describe themselves as socialists and support the reform of society. One of the views of a left realist is that crimes other than white-collar crimes are a serious problem; Jock Young (1993) argues there has been a significant increase in street crime. Young thought criminology had undergone an aetiological crisis (crisis of explanation), resulting from the increase in officially recorded street crime. Lea and Young (1984) pointed out that the chances of being the victim of street crime are minimal; however, some groups face a higher risk. It is not the rich who are the targets of muggers or thieves, but the poor. Left realists have carried out a considerable amount of victimization studies, examining such issues as the extent of crime and attitudes towards crime. Lea and Young began to develop an approach to explaining criminality. They saw crime as rooted in social conditions and argue that crime is closely connected to deprivation. However, they reject those views that suggest factors such as poverty and unemployment can be seen as directly responsible for crime, they did accept that the problem went beyond poverty. (historylearningsite, 2012) The values of a criminal are not too different from capitalist values: they are aggressive, greedy and selfish. In addition, it is not poverty and deprivation that are important, or in the way that it is perceived, it is how people respond to it. Left realist developed the square of crime; they thought that to tackle crime four elements needed to be dealt with the state, the offender, society and the victim. Left realists believed that the only way you could reduce crime was to reduce inequality, improve community facilities and build the relationship between the police and the community. Although the left realists have the square theory, they tend to focus more on the victims of crime. It is very difficult to use the concept of relative deprivation to explain crimes like rape and assault, and they still do not explain corporate crime. Two key features to left realism are they emphasise on the social causes of crime, and they are concerned with the effect of crime on individuals and communities. Left realists do have long-term goals; they would like changes in the social structure and promote social justice and remove the reduction of inequality. Right realists assume and take a more realistic view on the causes of crime and deviance, right realists believe that crime and deviance are a real social problem that requires practical solutions. It is said that right realists devised moral panic as a way of swaying the public to agree with their views, e.g. the media claims elderly people are scared of being attacked when they leave the safety of their home, but in reality crimes against OAPs are minimal. Right realists believe that official statistics often underreport crime. However, they believe they are able to paint a more realistic picture of crime and deviance in the UK. They also believe that crime is a growing social problem and is largely committed by lower working class males and juveniles, who are often black, and live in inner city areas. Marsland (1988) stated that crime and deviancy is linked to the breakdown in the moral fabric of society. Schools and religion have become less effective in social control and the moral glue of society has gone. Marsland believes that this has led to a decline in morality and as a result, crime has increased. Right realists do not believe that poverty causes crime, in the 1960s an affluent time in the UK the crime rate grew faster than any other time that century. Murrays (1994) theory stated that the welfare state was a factor in criminal behaviour, the problem was that it did encourage dependency and a lack of motivation that seemed to be handed down the generations. Murray said the welfare state saps moral fibre, erodes Christian ethics and threatens family values. Marsland (1992) agreed and said, The nanny state removes individual choice and desire to work. (historylearningsite, 2012) Right realists have blamed a decline in respect for authority, and the rise of fatherless families where young males are denied an appropriate role model, along with a decline in family values with the lack of discipline both inside and outside the family home. Right realists also believe that you have a choice and you do not need to become deviant, Wilson and Kelling (1982) devised the broken window theory, they believed that if just one window is broken and is not repaired that soon other windows in the property will become broken. They also believed that a tolerance in crime is the downfall of the community. A solution to this would be to have a zero tolerance on any deviant behaviour or crime, with harsher sentences and a lot closer surveillance. The right realist approach does have some flaws, it ignores white-collar crime, they place a lot of ownership on the victim, and they forget that crime can be a result of emotions, rather than calculations. Finally right realists believe in Situational Crime Prevention, a crime prevention strategy that looks at crimes and then by designing and manipulating the environment in a way that increases the risk to the offender, whilst reducing the offenders reward for committing the crime, making the offender stop and think to see if the reward outweighs the risk. (moodle, 2012) Left and right realists do share some common beliefs on crime, they accept the reality of situations and the problems in trying to promote solutions. Left realists think we are responsible for ourselves, where the right realists think everyone is responsible for each other. They also agree that the police can only do so much and that the community and individuals should work with the police to keep crime under control, Left realists and their social deprivation theory and right realists and the choice of the individual. If both sides worked together and everyone took an active part in trying to reduce crime and not just the police then it could work, the opportunities for an individual to commit a crime would drastically be reduced as a result, we would live in a safer and a more enriched society. Reference Advocate, (2013) twelve crimes that changed the LGBT world [online]. Available from: http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/advocate-45/2012/05/07/12-crimes-changed-lgbt-world-0 [Accessed 16th January 2013]. Criminology, (2012) social theory [online]. Available from: http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/hirschi.htm [Accessed 17th January 2013]. Historylearningsite, (2012) Left Realism and Crime [online]. Available from: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/left_realism_crime.htm [Accessed 17th January 2013]. Historylearningsite, (2012) Marx and crime [online]. Available from: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/marxism_crime.htm [Accessed 17th January 2013]. Historylearningsite, (2012) Right Realism on Crime [online]. Available from: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/right_realism_crime.htm [Accessed 17th January 2013]. Socialscience, (2012) Functionalist perspective on crime and deviance [online]. Available from: http://socialscience.stow.ac.uk/criminology/criminology_notes/functionalism.htm [Accessed 16th January 2013].

VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA: DO WE REALLY CARE? :: essays research papers

The TV is designed to show images more than to go deeply into the information, where the written press takes the baton because it is a way for nature reflexively: the reading. The radio, in turn, has the gift of entertaining and to make reflect because of being a way that is transmitted, in general, live and that does not need the whole attention of the listener. The opposite thing happens in the television which audience is attracted by the magnets of the explosions, the fire, the pursuit, the shots, this means: scenes full of violence... it is enough to see to raise the "rating" of the newscasters when there are brutal notes compared with the information of the long speeches in political discussions considered boring because the image stays static in a certain speaker and lacks of dynamism. The TV is a way for the action, not the reflection. It is done to optimize the entertainment, it means, to be relaxing and to manipulate, not to think, not even to grow... This leads us to the following questions: Is the people who asks for violence?, or with what purpose the media offers it? The climate of hostility has been intensified?, or it is a faithful reflex of a social decomposition due to the unemployment, the shortage of money and the radical political changes through which the nations cross? Nobody knows the answers of these questions, but the television stays as the only window opened a world supposedly better. The addiction to the TV and the lack of communication in home prohibit the people the balanced development of their capability to have relationships and the acquisition of qualities as the ease, the good deal, the affability, the comity; the nobleness in the males and the thin sensibility in the women. The people who remain a lot of time in front of an electronic equipment, the TV or a computer, lose the necessary talents to be with other human beings and those people who shelter and construct themselves a perspective of the world across the television world, have much more hostile vision of the reality. For this reason, they behave with more hostility and less solidarity. The viewer has the trend to increase consuming and every time worse. He prefers being isolated; each one looks at the TV in his/her own place: father, mother, son and daughter.

Marketing Research – Heineken

Heineken International boasts one of the world’s largest and most profitable portfolios of beer brands. Its presence is felt in 71 countries, in all regions of the world and it employs close to 70,000 people worldwide. Since its first year of brewing in 1864, Heineken has still kept its passion for creating the best craft beer and introducing a â€Å"beer culture† to Holland as Gerard Heineken initially intended. Heineken sells, markets and owns over 250 brands.The specific brand that I will be planning for this market plan is the main brand which is Heineken. The main demographic group target are males between the age of 23-35 years old. The annual income for this group may start at $40,000 or higher. This group will be single and with no children. The target group will be educated with a college degree or some college experience. This group will also be young working professionals. This group lives in the continental USA and are mostly city dwellers.This group is usua lly on the go, always has somewhere to be and enjoys fun social activities. They are always willing to try new things but maintain a sense of brand loyalty. This group likes a comfortable and exciting lifestyle, they are willing to pay a little more to get a better quality product. This group wants to be seen with the best, they like the nicer things in life; everything they do is a reflection of who they believe to be.The more events this group attends, the more opportunities they will have to repeat the purchase of the product and develop a stronger brand loyalty. This group will be defined by some of the behaviors that make them a great fit for the specific target group. This group likes to be in the know, they like to know the facts as to why the product they pick is the best fit for them. This group will defend their purchase decision over any circumstance thus creating a form of word of mouth referral for the brand they consume.They have a strong can-do attitude and will stick with their choice of brand if ever confronted with a similar product. I decided to target this specific audience because they have more disposable income and no responsibilities of taking care of a family or spouse. They will use the product more than anyone else and will stick with it. This target group will revive the â€Å"beer culture† that Gerard Heineken envisioned more than 150 years ago. By targeting this young group, the brand will create a customer lifetime value investment for years to come. Marketing Research – Heineken Heineken International boasts one of the world’s largest and most profitable portfolios of beer brands. Its presence is felt in 71 countries, in all regions of the world and it employs close to 70,000 people worldwide. Since its first year of brewing in 1864, Heineken has still kept its passion for creating the best craft beer and introducing a â€Å"beer culture† to Holland as Gerard Heineken initially intended. Heineken sells, markets and owns over 250 brands.The specific brand that I will be planning for this market plan is the main brand which is Heineken. The main demographic group target are males between the age of 23-35 years old. The annual income for this group may start at $40,000 or higher. This group will be single and with no children. The target group will be educated with a college degree or some college experience. This group will also be young working professionals. This group lives in the continental USA and are mostly city dwellers.This group is usua lly on the go, always has somewhere to be and enjoys fun social activities. They are always willing to try new things but maintain a sense of brand loyalty. This group likes a comfortable and exciting lifestyle, they are willing to pay a little more to get a better quality product. This group wants to be seen with the best, they like the nicer things in life; everything they do is a reflection of who they believe to be.The more events this group attends, the more opportunities they will have to repeat the purchase of the product and develop a stronger brand loyalty. This group will be defined by some of the behaviors that make them a great fit for the specific target group. This group likes to be in the know, they like to know the facts as to why the product they pick is the best fit for them. This group will defend their purchase decision over any circumstance thus creating a form of word of mouth referral for the brand they consume.They have a strong can-do attitude and will stick with their choice of brand if ever confronted with a similar product. I decided to target this specific audience because they have more disposable income and no responsibilities of taking care of a family or spouse. They will use the product more than anyone else and will stick with it. This target group will revive the â€Å"beer culture† that Gerard Heineken envisioned more than 150 years ago. By targeting this young group, the brand will create a customer lifetime value investment for years to come.