Monday, December 30, 2019

Pirates, Privateers, Buccaneers, and Corsairs

Pirate, privateer, corsair, buccaneer: All of these words can refer to a person who engages in high-seas thievery, but whats the difference? Heres a handy reference guide to clear things up. Pirates Pirates are men and women who attack ships or coastal towns in an attempt to rob them or capture prisoners for ransom. Essentially, they are thieves with a boat. Pirates do not discriminate when it comes to their victims. Any nationality is fair game. They do not have the (overt) support of any legitimate nation and generally are outlaws wherever they go. Because of the nature of their trade, pirates tend to use violence and intimidation more than regular thieves. Forget about the romantic pirates of the movies: pirates were (and are) ruthless men and women driven to piracy by need. Famous historical pirates include Blackbeard, Black Bart Roberts, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read. Privateers Privateers were men and ships in the semi-employ of a nation which was at war. Privateers were private ships encouraged to attack enemy ships, ports and interests. They had the official sanction and protection of the sponsoring nation and had to share a portion of the plunder. One of the most famous privateers was Captain Henry Morgan, who fought for England against Spain in the 1660s and 1670s. With a privateering commission, Morgan sacked several Spanish towns, including Portobello and Panama City. He shared his plunder with England and lived out his days in honor in Port Royal. A privateer like Morgan would never have attacked ships or ports belonging to another nation besides the one on his commission and would never have attacked any English interests under any circumstances. This is primarily what differentiates privateers from pirates. Buccaneers The Buccaneers were a specific group of privateers and pirates who were active in the late 1600s. The word comes from the French boucan, which was smoked meat made by hunters on Hispaniola out of the wild pigs and cattle there. These men set up a business of selling their smoked meat to passing ships  but soon realized that there was more money to be made in piracy. They were rugged, tough men who could survive hard conditions and shoot well with their rifles, and they soon became adept at waylaying passing ships. They became greatly in demand for French and English privateer ships, then fighting the Spanish. Buccaneers generally attacked towns from the sea and rarely engaged in open-water piracy. Many of the men who fought alongside Captain Henry Morgan were buccaneers. By 1700 or so their way of life was dying out and before long they were gone as a socio-ethnic group. Corsairs Corsair is a word in English applied to foreign privateers, generally either Muslim or French. The Barbary pirates, Muslims who terrorized the Mediterranean from the 14th until the 19th centuries, were often referred to as corsairs because they did not attack Muslim ships and often sold prisoners into slavery. During the Golden Age of Piracy, French privateers were referred to as corsairs. It was a very negative term in English at the time. In 1668, Henry Morgan was deeply offended when a Spanish official called him a corsair (of course, he had just sacked the city of Portobello and was demanding a ransom for not burning it to the ground, so maybe the Spanish were offended, too). Sources: Cawthorne, Nigel. A History of Pirates: Blood and Thunder on the High Seas. Edison: Chartwell Books, 2005.Cordingly, David. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996Defoe, Daniel. (Captain Charles Johnson) A General History of the Pyrates. Edited by Manuel Schonhorn. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1972/1999.Earle, Peter. New York: St. Martins Press, 1981.Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Guilford: the Lyons Press, 2009

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Deviance on Television - 1049 Words

Deviance on Television In sociology, the term deviance refers to behaviors or attitudes which go against certain cultural norms. It is evident that deviance is a fascinating topic not only for sociologist, but for television industry and its viewers, as well. In recent years, increasing number of shows begun to feature individuals violating every kind of social norm from folkways to taboos. The Secret Life of the American Teenager, an American television series on the ABC Family television network, is one of the many contemporary shows that portray deviant behaviors on national television. It’s intended for the target audience of teens and their families who are trying to cope in a culture where teen girls and boys are sexually active.†¦show more content†¦Her father died in a plane crash and she felt responsible for it. Anne Juergens and George Juergens got divorced, after fifteen years of marriage, because of their marital affairs. I believe that Secret Life of the American Teenager is a good series that show the relationships between families and friends, and how they deal with an unexpected teen pregnancy. It aims to reveal what is like to be a pregnant teenager and how a teen mother copes up with people’s judgments. It also aims to reveal what is like to be a mother in a very young age, and how a teen mother juggles motherhood responsibility and school responsibility. I think that the show is realistic and relevant. It is not unusual for girls to get pregnant in a very young age anymore. I personally know three teenagers that got pregnant at the age of sixteen. Watching this show reminds me of those three people. This show helps me gain a better understand on what teen mothers are going through. However, some viewers might think otherwise and disagree with me. After all, each of us has different perception on certain matter. Some viewers might think it is a dumb show and that it is not appropriate to watch, because of its explicit scenes and language. Bu t, I personally think that the series can be an eye opener or a series that people, especially teenager can learn from. The series did a great job on projecting the consequences of teenage pregnancy and how it has great effects not only to one’s self, but toShow MoreRelatedThe Sociology Of Deviance, Kai T. Erikson1563 Words   |  7 Pages In his Study in the Sociology of Deviance, Kai T. Erikson defends the point that deviant forms of behavior are a natural and beneficial part of social life. One of his main arguments is that, in our modern society, â€Å"the agencies of control often seem to define their job as that of keeping deviance within bounds rather than obliterating it altogether† (Wayward Puritans 24:2). Now, what if society gave to its agencies of control the role of annihilating deviance? What if the set of boundaries wasRead More VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA Essay782 Words   |  4 Pages Violence in the Media Violence has been a part of society ever since the days of the caves men, but only recently has television lifted its ban on the graphic depiction of violence. American children and adolescents are being exposed to increasing amounts of media violence, especially in television, movies, video games, and youth-oriented music. Video game violence, childrens cartoons, and music lyrics have become increasingly graphic. In movies, action films depict vivid precise murders, rapesRead MoreThe Learning Theory and Television Essay567 Words   |  3 Pagesnumber of television one watches. That is not to say that watching television causes violence but that there is a significant amount of correlation to warrant further research. The effects can be explained using the learning theory. 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The norm predominantly established through religion rallied againstRead MoreDeviance And Its Effect On Society1328 Words   |  6 Pa gesIn the United States of America, societal deviance changes nearly on a daily basis. Depending on the current culture, deviance is modified to make societal heroes like celebrities, political figures, and sport players look less deviant and more like role models for the public. The change in what is considered â€Å"normal† is customarily a result of society in general. By using a reference group of people, individuals tend to identify with those who are in the lime light. Then when that role model doesRead MoreSocial Deviance in the Media915 Words   |  4 PagesSocial Deviance in the Media Amy Hanson SOC/100 January 24, 2016 Andrea Harris I will be taking a look at how social deviance is portrayed in the media today. The television program I will be discussing is the show Cops. 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It provides the basis of ou rRead MoreEssay on Deviance and Society969 Words   |  4 Pages Determining Deviance The dictionary defines deviance as the breakdown or diversion from the accepted norm or expected standards of behaviour of a society. The concept of deviance however has no standard definition, it is deemed to be culturally relative. That is to say that your culture (norms, values and morals) determine what you as an individual or your society deems deviant behaviour. Functionalist Findings on Deviance The functionalist sociologist wouldRead MoreEssay about Social Deviance1286 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Deviance Social deviance is a term that refers to forms of behavior and qualities of persons that others in society devalue and discredit. So what exactly is deviance? In this essay we are concerned with social deviance, not physiological deviations from the expected norm. In general, any behavior that does not conform to social norms is deviance; that is behavior that violates significant social norms and is disapproved of by a large number of people as a result. For societiesRead MoreThe Ever-Changing Deviant Society Essay1499 Words   |  6 Pagescharacteristics of deviance, relevancy of deviance to society, problems arising from deviance, causes of deviance and how deviance has changed throughout the years. So what, really, is deviance? According to John Macionis in Society: The Basics (2008), deviance is â€Å"the recognized violation of cultural norms†. These norms â€Å"guide virtually all human activities, [making] †¦ the concept of deviance quite broad† (Macionis, 2008). In America a cultural norm may range from watching television frequently to

Friday, December 13, 2019

Police Brutality in NYC Free Essays

such incidents may exist. With increased attention being paid to incidents of police brutality, lawsuits being brought against both the officers and the government for which they work, and a focus on the psychological conditions that may affect those officers that violently abuse citizens, there is hope that police brutality can be better understood, reduced, and eventually eradicated. When Americans think of the history of police brutality, there are several historical events that form the backdrop for this social problem. We will write a custom essay sample on Police Brutality in NYC or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although thousands f undocumented and unrecorded incidents of police brutality undoubtedly have occurred, it was not until the advent of videotape that Americans who previously had no knowledge of police brutality began to truly understand this issue. The Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s was accompanied by many incidents of police brutality committed against African Americans and their supporters. The pictures and videos of these incidents, broadcast on national television, included nonviolent protestors being tear-gassed, beaten with billy clubs, and even sprayed with fire hoses. In February 2012 in New York City, an amateur video posted online shows four New York City police officers kicking and punching a nineteen year old man who was laying on the ground unarmed. His mother said that her son required staples in his head and arm. Jatiek Reed, the nineteen year old Bronx resident, who has suffered from constant headaches and nightmares since then, announced he was requesting a special prosecutor to investigate. Reed’s attorney said the Bronx district attorneys office wasn’t capable of investigating because its close relationship with police. The fficers involved have been placed on desk duty and their guns and shields have been removed while the New York Police Department investigated, according to US News Online in 02/09/2012 and AP Regional State Report-New York City, 02/0112012. Many police killings receive little mention in the media. Therefore, the topic usually goes unnoticed by general public until an incident hits home or a major tragedy occurs. According to recent statistics by October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, 21 people were killed by New York police throughout 2012, averaging two killings per onth. It increased the previous year’s sum by seven fatalities. The same statistic shows that nearly 90 percent of those killed were Black or Hispanic. Last year’s victims of police shooting varied in age: Antwoine White, 17 years old, was killed in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on January 29; Ramarley Graham, 18 years old, was slain in his own Bronx bathroom Just four days later. On August 24, Jeffrey Johnson, 58 years old, was shot dead by the New York Police Department outside the Empire State Building after killing a former co-worker he had a grudge against. Shereese Francis was killed in the basement of her house in Queens. The New York Police Officers used excessive force by pressing her face into a mattress while handcuffing her, causing her to suttocate. Then on June an e Davis was snot in a vehicle in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. There was no weapon involved and she didn’t represent any threat to the police to warrant the use of deadly force. (New York Amsterdam News from January 31 to February 06, 2013). Still, though, the Justice Department has failed to prosecute the vast majority of police brutality cases. This problem stems from, among other things, difficulty in proving allegations, absent evidence such as unbiased eyewitness testimony, or videotape recordings of the abuse. Also, there exists a perception in society that police officers are to be believed and trusted. Because such a high percentage of police officers can be trusted and do not engage in police brutality, Juries and Judges often encounter difficulty in disbelieving an officer’s testimony that he or she did not abuse a citizen. Most people who become police officers do so because they ave a strong desire to protect their communities and its citizens. They work hard and receive appropriate training on how to handle a wide variety of situations, both ordinary and dangerous. Unfortunately, despite the fact that most police officers work very hard to keep their communities safe and provide a good example to its citizens, there are some individuals who abuse the power and authority they receive as a result of their positions in law enforcement. Sadly, allegations of police brutality are not uncommon, with many accusations coming from people in poor eighborhoods, minority neighborhoods, and major cities. Because police forces are governmental entities, common citizens–either individually or through their elected officials–do have a say in how their local police force is operated. If police departments make attempts to increase sensitivity and participate in training designed to reduce violence, and if groups of citizens actively work to encourage their local police departments to reduce violence and adopt enforceable early warning systems, police brutality can be reduced. However, while the vast majority of olice officers are good and honest people, the problem of police brutality is significant enough that it cannot be ignored. Sources Citations: Ethnic News Watch 21 killed by the NYPD in 2012. (2013, ). New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved from http://www.proquest.com/connect/ https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T98899 https://learnaboutrussia.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/hermitage-museum/ http://weblib. ucc. edu:2233/ic/ovic/NewsDetailsPage/NewsDetailsWindow? e=scanld=documentld=GALE How to cite Police Brutality in NYC, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Ethics and Conducting Disciplinary Proceedings †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Ethics and Conducting Disciplinary Proceedings. Answer: Introduction: In the video, a situation has been presented where the Project Director of a software development company receives a call from the CEO of the company regarding the release of the Willies software. In the video, the CEO of the concerned company orders the project director to launch the Willies software a month early. A conversation is presented between the project director and the project manager. The project manager is approached with the idea of the CEO. The demand is to launch the Willies software early without the encryption portion. Hearing this proposal, the project manager states that launching the software on time will be difficult to manage and let alone the early release. The project manager feels extremely skeptical about the early launch proposal as he states that encryption is a crucial portion of the software and to release the software without that feature would prove to be harmful. The project director tries to convince the project manager that he and his team will be paid bonus handsomely if he agrees with the proposal and that the encryption part can be added to the software using updates ("Scenario 3: Early Launch", 2017). Therefore, in this video, the ethically questionable situation or activity is that the project director is pressurized to launch the software early without it being fully functional.The project manager is forced to agree to the proposal when he knows that the encryption part is extremely vital. The project manager faces an ethical dilemma as he fails to figure out whether he should turn down the proposal or should command junior developers to agree with the early launch of the software. This is completely an Information Technology related ethical issue because the early launch of the software compromises with the security features as it will not contain the encryption feature. This can result in security holes in the software making it vulnerable to hackers. This early launch proposal is already in breach of ethical conducts such as honesty and public interests (Myers Venable, 2014). Lacking encryption features will comprise the security of its users, which is not an ethical decision by a software firm. People who are responsible for raising the ethical problems are the management authority of the company. The financial state of the company has been compromised and to manage that situation, the CEO is pressurizing the managers to launch the software early without proper validated developments. The CEO has convinced the project director to command the early launch of the software and this raises the ultimate problem. The early launch of the software has pressurized the software development team as developing the software on the planned date has been known to be a difficult task. The encryption portion has not been developed and the a few other modules of the software are yet to be integrated and hence, testing process will fall behind the planned date. Therefore, these ethical issues have blatantly affected the development team and the project manager. The main problem that caused the crisis is the financial problem. The management authority of the company should have identified the possibility of the financial problem and should have provided a forecast to manage the financial crisis without taking an unethical step (Stahl et al., 2014). Review of budget could help in managing operational costs of the company. If the company is suffering from a sudden financial crisis then the company could have taken loan to avert the crisis. Prediction of the financial problem is the best way to manage such crisis as the financial problems do not arise overnight in a company. The action taken by the project manager was an ethical one. The project manager tried to convince the director that without the encryption feature in the software, it will be vulnerable to all the available cyber threats. Releasing an update will take a few months and till that specified timeline, the users will have to use the software which has no security features at all. In this way, the sensitive information shared by the users will be exposed to the world wide web, which will in the long run will damage the reputation of the firm. The company is basically trying to handle its financial problems by taking shortcuts. However, releasing software with no security will jeopardize the future of the company. The project manager does his best to make the project director understand the seriousness of the situation and the director heeds his words. The project director sees his point and agrees to talk to the higher authority. As the consequence, the project director makes a call to the higher authority stating about the concern of the project manager. He explains that release of the software a month early will only compromise the future of the company and the authority agrees to convince the CEO to launch the software on the previously allocated timeline. The firm is obviously going through some financial crisis and hence, the CEO of the company has decided to launch the software early to manage the financial problem. Apart from launching the software early, there can be another way to solve the problem (Burmeister et al., 2014). Launching in early will jeopardize the reputation and future of the company; however, it will be better if the company takes a loan to avert the short-term crisis. This will not comprise the development of the software and no unethical issue will be faced by the company. Upon the timely release of the software, the company will be able to repay the bank in time. The project director should take the best action because the director has been pressurized by the CEO for the early release of the software. This in turn will lead to bribe the development team unprofessionally (Carvalho, Polidoro Magalhes, 2016). It is the responsibility of the project director to understand the developmental crisis of the software and what unethical treatment the team is facing. Therefore, the project director should understand and talk to the top level management authorities to cancel the early launch of the software. The best action which is the project manager cancelling the proposal of early release of the software. The decision of launching the project in time will provide the appropriate amount of time required to efficiently complete the development and testing of the software. It will also manage the cost as timely release of the software will help in proper development of all the modules and cost estimation of the overall integrated software will be easy (Miloradova Ishkov, 2015).. Launching the software within the predetermined timeline will surely provide enough time for testing and troubleshooting of the software modules and thus will ultimately assure quality of the software. Timely release will contain the encryption feature and hence, no important features will be compromised leaving the quality intact. A software has features enabling it to exchange data over the internet. Internet is vulnerable to various cyber threats such as phishing, worms, viruses, Torjan Horse etc. and hacking of data is extremely common. Users may utilize data exchange feature to exchange various forms of data. To facilitate a safe exchange of data, a security mechanism is required. When a data is sent through the internet medium, every bit of the data needs to be protected and to protect the bits, a process called Encryption is required. Encryption is a process that can employ specific algorithms to hide the original data bits produced by the software and a respective decryption method is required to decrypt the encrypted data (Bannister Connolly, 2014). This encryption solely serves the security purpose of the users. However, in the video, it has been presented that the software will be released early without the development of the encryption feature. This will jeopardize the bulk of information shared us ing the software and this will endanger the biggest stakeholders of the project which are the users. (Vidli?ka,Lang Maravelski, 2016). Therefore, through the best action, the user data will not be compromised and all the sensitive information exchange will be safe. References: Bannister, F., Connolly, R. (2014). ICT, public values and transformative government: A framework and programme for research. Government Information Quarterly, 31(1), 119-128. Burmeister, O., Al-Saggaf, Y., Schwartz, M., Johnson, L. (2014). Internet resources to help Australian ICT professionals identify and solve ethical challenges. ACIS. Carvalho, V. S., Polidoro, M. J., Magalhes, J. P. (2016, April). OwlSight: Platform for Real-Time Detection and Visualization of Cyber Threats. In Big Data Security on Cloud (BigDataSecurity), IEEE International Conference on High Performance and Smart Computing (HPSC), and IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Data and Security (IDS), 2016 IEEE 2nd International Conference on (pp. 61-66). IEEE. Miloradova, N., Ishkov, A. (2015). Environmental ethics as a social, professional and personal value of the students of civil engineering university. Procedia Engineering, 117, 246-251. Myers, M. D., Venable, J. R. (2014). A set of ethical principles for design science research in information systems. Information Management, 51(6), 801-809. Scenario 3: Early Launch. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 30 November 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5M7ohdZ6qA Stahl, B. C., Eden, G., Jirotka, M., Coeckelbergh, M. (2014). From computer ethics to responsible research and innovation in ICT: The transition of reference discourses informing ethics-related research in information systems. Information Management, 51(6), 810-818. Vidli?ka, S. R., Lang, I. G., Maravelski, A. (2016). Regulating breaches of professional ethics and conducting disciplinary proceedings against physicians in Europe (Chapter 33). Compendium on European Health Law (book), Buijsen, Martin; RoscamAbbing, Henriette; den Exter, Andre (eds.), Maklu, Netherlands.