Software Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Software Engineering - Essay Example Software requirements, 2. Software design, 3.Software construction, 4. Software testing, 5. Software maintenance, 6. Software configuration and management, 7. Software engineering management, 8. Software engineering process, 9. Software engineering tools and methods, 10. Software quality, and 11. Knowledge areas of related disciplines (Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Management, Mathematics, Project Management, Quality Management, Software Ergonomics, and Systems Engineering) (SWEBOK, 2004 p. 1-2). Software engineers, therefore, must be proficient with the latter knowledge areas to handle every software engineering projects properly, successfully and efficiently. The software engineering project being studied at hand is the Chat Application. According to the given case, the status of which is that there is an unexpected disappearing messages that caused the team one extra week to debug. Further, the Director for Software Services has the following comments, impressions and questions: 1. She is not pleased with the delay, 2. She comes to one of the status meetings to find out what happened, 3. She states, Your team has been testing this application for weeks and didnt find any problems, 4. She asked, Why didnt you find the problem sooner?, and 5. She also asked, Is there any way we can kept this from happening again? As a member of the team, she wants you to discuss the following: 1. Your opinion on testing, 2. Whether an application that passes testing is free from errors, 3. Whether it is possible to design a test that will find all potential errors in the Chat Application, 4. What other techniques or strategies can developers use in conjunction with testing. Software testing consists of the dynamic verification of the behavior of a program on a finite set of test cases, suitably selected from the usually infinite executions domain, against the expected behavior.†(SWEBOK, 2004 p. 5-1) Based on the above authoritative

Final Speech Essay Example for Free

Final Speech Essay Through the new King Henry V’s speech to his brothers after their father’s death Shakespeare deals with the realities of succession, the difficult negotiation between governmental stability and a confused power struggle, and the death of a king while trying to keep his character true to their personality. This speech touches on everything from politeness and external observation, to the fear that naturally comes in a shift of power, to different kinds of mourning. Hal, newly King Henry V, must take his place as king and reassure everyone of the continuing stability of the kingdom, demonstrate a proper degree of public mourning as both a subject and the son of the former king, and deal with his own grief. When he says â€Å"this new and gorgeous garment, majesty, sits not so easily on me as you think† (Henry IV, Part 2, 5. 2. 44-45) he is not just simply trying to dismiss any jealousy or thought of resistance amongst his brothers, but he is also telling the absolute truth. Just like he did with the eulogies of both Hotspur and Falstaff in earlier parts of the play, Hal continues to use honesty in order to lend a more genuine tone to his otherwise fairly formal words. He reassures them of his intention to support them by bluntly telling them that he knows they fear what he may do, implying even that they might fear for their own lives, but that it â€Å"is the English, not the Turkish court, not Amurath an Amurath succeeds, but Harry Harry. † (Henry IV, Part 2, 5. 2. 7-49) He introduces and dispels the comparison between himself and a ruler who literally strangled his brothers, addressing the most extreme possibilities quickly. By the end, he assures them that not only will he not harm them; he will protect them and do well by them â€Å"I’ll be your father and your brother too. Let me but bear your love; I’ll bear your cares. † (Henry IV, Part 2, 57-58) In that, he additionally introduces the potentially uncomfortable issue of personal relationships. Once their brother, he is now also their king; once his brothers, they are now his subjects. He works with this beautifully, referring to their mourning and sadness for the death of their father as â€Å"a joint burden laid upon them all† (Henry IV, Part 2, 5. 2. 55) before he moves on to the things he promises, connecting himself with them in one way even as he has to separate himself from them in another. In this speech Hal starts off responding to a greeting by the chief justice by saying that his new robe doesn’t fit him as comfortably as the justice might think. Then turning to his brothers he tells them he knows that their sadness over their father’s loss is now mixed with the fear of him now being king. He mentions to them that they are in an English court, not the Turkish one and unlike the Turkish king, Amurath, he is not going to have his brothers killed when he inherited his father, King Amurath’s, crown; he explains saying he is â€Å"but Harry Harry† (Henry IV, Part 2, 5. 2. 49) basically saying he is a Harry, following another Harry and they have no reason to worry. He tells his brothers to be sad because being sad truly suits them. He explains that they look so regal in their sorrow that he too will put in the sense of sadness, saying he will also wear it in his heart. He warns them to yes be sad, but don’t let it become anything more than a burden that they all share jointly. He assures them that as far as he is concerned, he will be both their father and their brother now. That they are to just trust him with their love, and they can trust him to care of them. He concludes his speech by saying they should keep weeping for Harry, who is dead and he will keeping mourning also, but he says one Harry still lives, and he will convert those tears one by one into hours of happiness. This speech is important for Hal to give because it is not only Hal talking to and reassuring his brothers but also introduces him as the new King Harry V. Hal defines and explains his newly adjusted relationship with his brothers, explains that the kingdom is stable and there is no worrying over if anything bad would come out of the shift in power, and finally he tries to battle with how he wants mourn his father and what is the correct way to mourn him according to his new position as king. Hal was motivated to give this speech after the death of his father as he explains to his brothers that he must take his place as king keep the kingdom stable, and explaining to them the appropriate amount of public mourning for them as the sons of the former king. His final motive is subtle but he dismisses any jealousy or thoughts of confrontation amongst his brothers. Hal flawlessly and eloquently delivers his speech that maintains the balance between a familiar conversation with family and the regal words of a king. Revealing ultimately that the wild rebellion he previously upheld was truly an act and has so far worked in his favor going from a pub-crawler with the drunks to a newly regal king who would never be suspected of having such a rebellious past. In an earlier version of Hal’s speech there is not much change from that version to the newer version of the speech. In the older version of the speech something’s that have changed is the grammar and spelling. Many of the words in the older text are spelled wrong either with different letters or extra letters added to the end. In total there are thirty one misspelled words with either different letters or extra addition of letters. Most of the different letters include an ‘f’ where an‘s’ should be in most words or the addition of an ‘e’ at the end of the word. There are also more parentheses around more words in the old text versus the new. In the newer version these words are part of the text rather than in parentheses where they could potentially be excluded depending on the preference of the actor or director. Although many of the words are misspelled the meaning between the older version and the regular text are extremely similar. The true meaning and the imagery and meaning of the words in the speech have not been affected by the different in the different versions of the text. Throughout the speech there is recurring imagery both in his words exactly and some underlying imagery. The underlying imagery is centered on atonement, and the burden of leadership and duty. Atonement is an underlying image specifically for Hal, who has spent most of his time hanging around with the pub-crawlers, atonement has to become part of his new reign. He has planned all along to become a responsible king and at his fathers deathbed, he promises that his reign will be great. After he is crowned, and again during his speech to his brothers he promises those assembled that his actions as king will atone for his past. Also underlying in the speech Hal speaks of the crown as a burden. The duties of kingship come first, surpassing friendship. Hals crown will make the betrayal of Falstaff and the Eastcheap crowd a necessity. Even more important than the underlying imagery is the imagery of his exact words centered mostly on brothers and sadness. Hal refers to his brothers as a whole addressing them as ‘good brothers’. He addresses them as brothers at key parts in his speech giving the imagery that they are a united, unchanging force. He seems to use brothers to give a slightly personal feel to his regal words and to show that even though the dynamic of their relationship has changed they are still and always have been brothers. In Shakespeare’s other plays brother is used almost the same way. It is used to show a close relationship between people or showing the personal unity between or amongst a group. Shakespeare has also used the imagery of brothers when someone in power is addressing a group of people he needs something from or in a speech before battle. The other imagery of sadness and of loss is also important in his words, mostly the sadness and loss of losing his father but also the loss of more than life itself but also the loss of old friends through circumstance like when Hal loses his friends when he accepts his new role as king, though Falstaff still believes himself to be Hals friend, they rarely interact. The time is past for Hal and Falstaff; Hals throne demands it, and Henry V will betray the man who has been his surrogate father and friend. The speech that the new King Henry V delivers to his brothers after their father’s death touches on many different topics, emotions, and has hints of imagery that effect everyone he is speaking to. Hal must now take is fathers and show to everyone that his rebellious days are behind him. In the speech Hal has to desperately balance the familiarity of his family with the new responsibility as king and to make sure everyone knows that no one will be harmed and there is no need for jealously. By the end of the speech it is clear that Hal realizes the burden that has now been put on him but he makes his intentions clear as he ends his speech with â€Å"But Harry lives that shall convert those tears by number into hours of happiness.

Visiting Langkawi, Malaysia: Tourist destinations

Visiting Langkawi, Malaysia: Tourist destinations LANGKAWI ISLAND Langkawi, the beautiful archipelago of Malaysia, is shrouded in mythological legends. Its actual history origin has lost its course in the passage of times. According to the legends, the term Langkawi is said to have connections with the kingdom of Langkasuka, which is centered in the present Kedah. The historical documentation is little; however, the Chinese Liang Dynasty record (500 AD) refers the kingdom of Langgasu as being established in the 1st century AD. Another reference of the islands name has been made in the book The Legends of Langkawi by Tun Mohamed Zahir. It says that the term Langkawi is a combination of two Sanskrit words, Langka (beauty) and Wi (innumerable). As per the book, Langkawi means the place of immense beauty. One more reference states that Langkawi means Eagles Island. According to it, the term Langkawi is a combination of two words Lang and Kawi. Where Lang is a corrupt form of Malay word helang which means eagle, Kawi means marble. Since both eagles and marble are found in abundance in Langkawi, probably the place was named after the fact. Indeed, the Eagle Square at the island was built to commemorate its name. About 200 years ago, according to the folklore, a young woman, name Mahsuri, was accused of adultery and was executed by the people in spite of her earnest innocence. Just before her death, Mahsuri laid a curse on the island that it will remain barren for seven generations. Thats about the mythological history of Langkawi. As far as political history is concerned, the Sultanate of Kedah used to rule over the island. In 1921, when Kedah was conquered by Siam, Langkawi also passed in the ruling hands. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred the holding power to the British, who held the state until freedom, excluding a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. The Thai influence can be still seen in the culture and food of Langkawi. In fact, Thai language is also understood by many people on the island. Langkawi is a picturesque archipelago that is known for its exceptional natural magnificence. Every year, thousands of tourists reach this spectacular place in order to fulfill their long-cherished vacation at Langkawi. In case youre also wondering how to reach Langkawi, leave your worries aside as the island boasts of pretty good network of airways and waterways. Getting/ traveling to Langkawi from any part of the world is possible owing to the Langkawi International Airport. Beside, The langkawi Is connected nearby via ferries, boats and cruise Langkawi also can be reached:- By Air Langkawi International Airport, which is about 20 kms from Kuah, has direct connections with Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. It also operates international flights to and from some destinations in the peak season. The flights that frequently run to and from the airport are AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Silk Air, and Firefly. By Road People, traveling by road, have to head for Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis (sited on the north-western coast of Peninsular Malaysia), which are the main points from where ferries to Langkawi take-off. The drive from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Kedah takes about 6 hours while Kuala Perlis takes 7 hours. At both the points, car parking facilities are available. By Rail The Malayan Railway offers comfortable and efficient rail services from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar and Arau, from where one can take a taxi or bus to Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis and from these places, one can take ferry in order to reach Langkawi By ferries, By Boat and By Cruise Boats and ferries can be taken from Kuala Perlis or Kuala Kedah to reach Langkawi. Some special ferry services to Langkawi are also available from Penang Island. Moreover, ferries also operate daily between Satun (Thailand) and Kuah. Another option to reach the island is cruise ship. From Port Klang and Singapore, cruises are available to arrive at Langkawi. Langkawi is a beautiful archipelago of as many as 104 islands. For sure, many of these islands are accessible and boast of amazing natural beauty. Pulau Langkawi, which measures about 478.5 sq km, is the largest of these islands, while Pulau Dayang Bunting is the second largest one. When viewed from the air, many other islands appear to be sheer dots in the azure waters of the Andaman Sea. A majority of the islands comprises unique rock formations with impressive stalactites and stalagmites, limestone outcrops, lush forests, mesmerizing waterfalls and mystifying caves. These islands offer a range of water sports, recreation facilities and a delightful world of marine life to the visitors. Scroll down to know more about the islands of Langkawi, Malaysia. Pulau Dayang Bunting The Pulau Dayang Bunting is known to be the second largest island of the Langkawi archipelago. The island, about 18 kms from Kuah Town, is located on the southwest of Langkawi Island, next to Pulau Tuba. It is easily accessible from Kuah Jetty or Pantai Cenang. The island owes its name to Tasik Dayang Bunting (literally means Lake of the Pregnant Maiden). More Pulau Singa Besar The Pulau Singa Besar, literally the Island of Big Lion, is a beautiful island and a constituent of the Langkawi archipelago. Located 17km north of Kuah, the island extends 6.5km from north to south and 2.5km from east to west. Pulau Singa Besar is to be found between Pulau Beras Basah to the west and Pulau Dayang Bunting to the east, in the southwest of Pulau Langkawi. More Pulau Tuba Pulau Tuba is a strikingly beautiful island which is 5km south of Langkawi Island. It is one of the only two inhabited islands of Langkawi archipelago. Tuba Island owes it name to tuba roots, which are abundantly found on the island. In geographical terms, Pulau Tuba is a mountainous island with very little plains. It boasts of picturesque beaches and serene locale. More Pulau Payar Pulau Payar is a striking island that together with three other small islands makes a marine park, called Pulau Payar Marine Park. This park is operated by the Fisheries Department of Malaysia. Here, one can enjoy the fun activities like water sports, hiking and get pleasure from the breathtaking views of the surrounding sea. Pulau Rebak Kecil Pulau Rebak Kecil is another picturesque island equidistant of Pantai Cenang and Pulau Rebak Besar. Its sandy beaches and forested trails make the island popular amongst day trippers. On the island, there are a few chalets for travelers who wish to stay overnight. Like most of the other islands, this one too, is easily accessible from the Langkawi Island. Pulau Rebak Besar Resplendent with natural beauty, Pulau Rebak Besar is developed as a marina for the adventure-seekers. It, still, boasts of pristine natural state, and has several spectacular beaches with leafy foliage and turquoise waters. Being easily reachable from the Langkawi, the island is a preferred destination in the excursion itinerary of tourists. Pulau Intan Besar Pulau Intan Besar is a typical island where one would love to hideout. It is absolutely covered with forests and is totally inhabited. The central part of the island is cloaked in massive ancient trees, while coconut palms dot the beaches. This quiet and serene island is a lovely retreat for bird-loving naturalists and people looking for solace. Pulau Tiloi Pulau Tiloi, also called Pulau Bunga (Island of Flowers), is an island known for its tropical flowers. It is managed by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI). Langkawis hottest USP is its scintillating beaches; the beaches which are not only marked by warm sun, white sands and sparkling waters but also by serenity and tranquility. Certainly, the beaches of Pulau Langkawi are known worldwide for their pristine beauty and exotic vegetation. Some of them are also rated amongst the best and the most secluded beaches in the world. Truly, these beaches serve as a perfect hideaway to spend those picture-perfect holidays. For beach-loving people, Langkawi is a treat as they can find many picturesque beaches over here. Where Pantai Cenang captures the limelight being the longest and liveliest beach on the island, beaches like Datai Bay and Tanjung Rhu are loved by people for their tranquility. So, whether you want to get into some adventurous water sports or have a liking for book reading, you will find numerous beaches to suit your taste. Check out a few of Langkawi Beaches. Burau Bay Burau Bay Beach, called Pantai Teluk Burau in Malay, is one of the tranquil bay areas in Langkawi. Its actually a narrow beach where the rocky Gunung Cincang descends abruptly to meet the sea. Sited on the west coast of the island, this beach formerly used to be the resort of the Piped Hornbill. Datai Bay The Pantai Teluk Datai, literally Datai Bay Beach, is amongst the premier beaches of Langkawi Island. It is generally typified by boulders at its both ends and dense forest in the background. To be found on the north coast of Langkawi, Datai Bay is the area where some of the most luxurious resorts are sited. Cenang Beach Cenang Beach, known as Pantai Cenang in Malay, is the most happening beach of Langkawi. Located on the south-western tip of the island, the beach is about 18.4 km from Kuah. It features fine sands, crystal clear waters, elegant casuarinas and lofty coconut trees. Kok Beach Pantai Kok is a tranquil beach on the beautiful island of Langkawi. This soothing beach is to be found about 24.8 km away from Kuah, on the western tip of Langkawi Island. Being located in a secluded area, it is the best site for honeymooners and solitude seekers. Tengah Beach Pantai Tengah, which literally means Middle Beach, is the next best beach after Pantai Cenang. This vibrant beach is sited about 550 mtrs south of Cenang in Langkawi. It is quieter than the latter one and thats why, it makes the right place to lighten up. Black Sand Beach Pantai Pasir Hitam, which literally means Black Sand Beach, is a spectacular beach on the island of Langkawi. This short stretch of beach lies 2kms west of Tanjung Rhu Beach. The shoreline boasts of sand, which isnt completely black but its actually like a mixture of black sand and normal sand. Tanjung Rhu Beach Tanjung Rhu Beach is a pleasing beach on the northernmost tip of Langkawi Island. This lengthy beach is tasseled by casuarina trees which actually bestowed name to the beach (since Tanjung means cape and Rhu means casuarina). Shark Bay Beach Pantai Teluk Yu literally means Shark Bay Beach in Malay. This beach is actually contiguous to Pantai Pasir Hitam but doesnt have the black mineral deposits. Unlike what the name suggests, the beach has shark-free and absolutely tranquil waters. Batu Hampar Beach Pantai Batu Hampar is marked by rocky outcrop and boulders on its both ends. This composed beach presents a picturesque sight amidst its natural beauty, coconut and mangrove trees. This stretch of beach is almost hidden as it is enclosed by rocky outcrops. New Bay Beach New Bay Beach is called Pantai Teluk Baru in Malay. The small bay of this beach crafts a natural refuge for fishing boats. Here, if you wish, you can ask a fisherman to let you accompany him on a fishing trip. On the whole, this stretch of beach is pleasurable. Sandy Skull Beach Pantai Pasir Tengkorak, which literally means Sandy Skull Beach, is another tranquil beach on Pulau Langkawi. As per the folklores, the beach has been the witness to the bloody battle between the local and the invaders (Thais). Its waters are crystal clear and calm. Banyan Beach Pantai Beringin, literally Banyan Beach, is located near Kuah Town in Langkawi. It features mangrove stumps at its ends. This serene beach is tasseled by swaying coconut palms. Langkawi is acclaimed to be the Duty Free Port, which provides enough grounds to the shoppers to throng the island. If to be stated in real terms, Pulau Langkawi is a haven for bargain hunters. It offers an impressive range of local and imported goods, and the best part is all this comes at great prices. The collection of items boasts of cameras, watches, electronic goods, handicrafts, crystal wares, clothes, liquor, cosmetics, perfumes, leather goods, confectionary, cigarettes, ladies accessories, etc. Being a duty-free island, Langkawi is perhaps the best place to grab some really good bargains. The majority of the shopping opportunities are found in the main commercial area-Kuah Town. Here, you will come across several stores and malls which provide an assortment of tax-free goods at affordable rates. If youve already browsed the malls of Kuala Lumpur, youll definitely feel dearth of brand names in Langkawi. But its for sure that all the shopping centres have a decent stock and collection of items. To get brilliant souvenirs, Craft Cultural Complex is a best place to head for. In the variety of handicrafts, you can choose from batik, traditional Malay clothes, ornamental objects, crystals, traditional pottery, etc. Also you can look into the Zone Shopping Paradise Duty Free Centre at the Underwater World where numerous items can be fetched at decent price tags. Teow Soon Huat Departmental Store, which is sited just outside Kuah, is another shopping outlet worth exploring. Scroll down to get the list of major shopping places in Langkawi, Malaysia. To catch the glimpse of beautiful places and sights is the prime concern of every soul coming to Langkawi. Getting around this striking island is possible through a good network of roads and means of transportation. To your hard-core relief, Langkawi boasts of a pretty good network of roads. Though local transport is available, people prefer driving themselves and exploring the island of legends. If youre not comfortable in driving, you can hire taxis which are widely available on the island. Langkawi, being a major tourist destination of Malaysia, definitely has pricey fares when it comes to taxis. Other means to move around the island can be arranged by the resorts. By Car Cars are available on per day rental basis. Just after disembarking from the ferry, many car rental agents throng the Kuah jetty exit, offering their cars at various prices. During low season, price may start from RM30 per day for a compact car; but never expect less than RM80 for the same car in the peak season. Otherwise, you can make arrangements for a car in Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis with any of the car agents waiting around the ferry counters. And upon reaching the island, you can pick up your car. Moreover, cars are also available on hire from the booths at the airport. By Motorbike Like cars, motorbikes (particularly scooters) and bicycles are also available for rent. During peak season, motorbikes can be fetched for up to RM25 per day. However, bicycles can be hired for RM12 per day and also serve as a great means to explore the island. Definitely, hiring motorbikes and bicycles is cheaper than renting a car. It is advised to wear helmet and more so because it is required by law. Usually agents are not strict about noticing a valid license. By Bus Boarding buses could be another way to get around the island. However, there are a few buses that run to and from on few bus routes. Kuah and Pantai Cenang are the only two areas where regular buses can be found. In other areas, there are very few bus stations, which also have hardly any bus service. It takes long time to wait for buses and reach the destination. Usually, taking buses is not recommended to visit the island. By Taxi Public transport in Langkawi is mainly provided by taxis. Here, taxi fares are priced according to the destination and not by meters. It is most easy and convenient way of getting around, though it is bit expensive. A short trip can easily cost about RM15. You can also charter the taxi for a day or for few hours. Throughout the island, taxis can be easily found and chartered as per your convenience.

Essay examples --

In today’s society, one of the most natural human traits is selfishness. David Foster Wallace incorporated this idea in his commencement speech at Kenyon College in 2005. Wallace aims to persuade his audience that, â€Å"the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are the hardest to see and talk about.† Although the intended audience of his speech is the graduates and staff, along with their friends and family, the piece has become quite popular since its delivery. Wallace offers, â€Å"nothing less than the truth† and captivates the listeners with his complete honestly. His personal tone lets the audience feel like they are a part of the conversation, rather than just receiving it. Wallace successfully conveys his message that society is blind to the world around them through the use of logic, humility and emotional appeals. The speech is arranged into short paragraphs, providing an example in almost every one. Everyone is familiar with commencement speeches. They are usually used to congratulate a group of people and tend to be looking towards the future. Instead of congratulating the students at Kenyon College, Wallace challenges them. The essay opens with a metaphor about two young fish that do not realize what water is, setting the tone for the rest of the speech. Wallace proceeds to describe how completely oblivious society is to the world around us, just like the fish. Wallace supports this claim through examples within the speech. His use of examples rather than facts or statistics weakens his claim. If more facts or statistics were used his claim would become more convincing. His rationalization come in the form of the short stories that illustrate the choices people make in their everyday lives. He... ...ow the audience to visualize the event and becomes more relatable. Listeners are able to emotionally identify with the situation and reflect in order to give other the benefit of the doubt. The speech could be improved with more facts or statistics. Wallace uses rhetorical devices to create his argument, which could be seen as ironic due to his death. He attempted to influence others but struggled with an everyday battle that he could not overcome. His approach to life is understood, but maintaining that approach proves to be difficult. Through the use of dramatization and figurative language, Wallace is able to appeal the audience and leave them with the idea that, â€Å"It is about simple awareness—awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, that we have to keep reminding ourselves, over and over: ‘This is water, this is water’†.

Problem of Stereotype Essay

Stereotypes may lead ineffective communication when we communicate with strangers. Our stereotypes tend to be activated automatically when we categorize strangers and when we are not communicating mindfully (see von Hippel, Sekaquaptewa, & Vargas, 1995). We, therefore, unconsciously try to confirm our expectations when we communicate with strangers. Our stereotypes constrain strangers’ patterns of communication and engender stereotype-confirming communication. In other words, stereotypes create self-fulfilling prophecies. We tend to see behavior that confirms our expectations even when it is absent. We ignore disconfirming evidence when communicating on automatic pilot. When we communicate on automatic pilot, we do not cognitively process all the information about others that is available to us (Johnston & Macrae, 1994). Generally, the greater our cultural and linguistic knowledge, and the more our beliefs overlap with those of the strangers with whom we communicate, the less the likelihood there will be misunderstandings. To increase our accuracy in making prediction, we must try to understand which social identity is guiding strangers’ behavior in a particular situation. And to be effective in communication with strangers, we must keep our minds open and be mindful. Since stereotypes are a natural product of the communication process, they influence the way we process information. Stereotyping is the result of our tendency to overestimate the degree of association between group membership and psychological attributes. While there may be some association between group membership and psychological characteristics of members, it is much smaller than we assume when we communicate on automatic pilot. When we communicate on automatic pilot, we interpret incoming messages on the basis of the symbolic systems we learned as children. Besides, our processing of information is biased in the direction of maintaining the preexisting belief systems. We remember more favorable information about our ingroups and more unfavorable information about outgroups (Hewstone & Giles, 1986). So we tend to process information that is consistent with our stereotypes and our stereotypes

Civil War in the Summer of 1642 Essay

There were a number of factors and subsequently a number of people who were crucial in aggravating the outbreak of the first English civil war, but most of these people were apart of two prominent parties, namely the royalists and parliamentarians. Of these two groups, two figures outstand as bitter rivals, King Charles I and John Pym; together they contributed most significantly to the disagreement and aggression between Parliament and King. However, ultimately I believe Pym to be the lesser of two evils. The relationship and status of the monarchy in parliament’s eyes had already been in a state of decline even before Charles’ reign. His predecessor had been known as the ‘wisest fool in Christendom’ and there was a lot of resentment towards the former king, James, not only because of the number of times he dissolved parliament but also from his abuse of power and alienation of them through royal prerogatives, which were justified by his own ‘divine right of kings’ belief. It could be argued that Charles was pulled into an uphill battle from the start and was not to blame for the damaged relationship between the commons and himself, however, during Charles’ reign, he made no attempt to reconcile relations even repeating the ideals of his father through the ‘divine right of kings’ and also through the arrogance of his attitude and subsequent dissolution of parliament on many occasions. History seemed to more or less be repeating itself, with 1629 marking the start of the ‘eleven years tyranny’ through which Charles ran solely without parliament. By his own accord, he then enforced a number of taxes and reforms that were heavily criticised by both parliament and public alike. Among these were the religious reforms brought on by the resented Archbishop William Laud, who was suspected of Roman Catholicism which together with the fact Charles’ wife was Catholic, alienated parliament further and fed a rumour of a Catholic conspiracy. Other reforms brought on such as the Star Chamber and prerogative courts were used to silence critics, and further deepened the divide between the two; some parliamentarians such as John Hampden even challenged the changes such as the ship money tax Hampden refused to pay. All these served to further throw away any hope of peaceful negotiations between parliament and Charles, with each new action undertaken gaining more criticism. Undeniably however, one of his biggest critics was John Pym. Pym was a long serving member of parliament who had opposed the monarchy even in the reign of James, having been active in the impeachment of Buckingham in 1625 and in the production of the petition of right in 1628. He had opposed Charles a numerous points and contributed significantly to the disagreement between Parliament and King and the subsequent dissolutions of Parliament; Clarendon had said during the Short Parliament of 1640, Pym had â€Å"had appeared to be the most leading man†. It was no surprise with such enthusiasm that by the time of the Long parliament, Pym had dodged an accusation of treason and become the leader of the opposition to the king. However, it is important to realise Pym was really just fighting for the rights of parliament and against the absolute monarchy Charles was imposing. Like many other puritans, he had good reason to fear the â€Å"Catholic conspiracy† mentioned earlier and believed the despotic government of Charles was a way of de stroying the protestant faith in England. In this light, Charles’ arrogance comes through as he was obviously unable to negotiate over his unreasonable actions. When parliament finally needed to be called again in 1640 due to the Scottish invasion, it marked a point of vulnerability for Charles, which parliament and namely Pym took advantage of. Charles needed funding, and in exchange for the money the Long parliament demanded the impeachment of both Laud and Strafford as well as the removal of the Star Chamber. In both cases, Pym was spearheading the legal proceedings, even having launched a Bill of Attainder to justify a death sentence for Strafford which was soon reluctantly signed by Charles. The Earl of Strafford had been a close advisor of the king, and his death was a huge blow to Charles and something he always regretted given the promise he made to Strafford â€Å"upon the word of a king, you shall not suffer in life, honour or fortune†. As a result, Charles resented parliament and longed for revenge. With the state of relations between King and parliament at an all-time low, the last thing needed was more criticism to an already weakened king, who had just agreed to the Triennial act of 1641 which meant parliament would be called at least every three years. Despite this, Pym and his supporters presented the Grand Remonstrance; a list of 160 grievances and misdeeds of Charles. This in itself was something proposed by Pym and was almost mocking Charles with his â€Å"divine right of kings† ideal now appearing obsolete. This may have proved a last straw for Charles, who would have been building a great sense of anger with Parliament and more specifically with Pym. Indeed soon after in 1642, Pym along with four other prominent members of the opposition was charged with treason, showing just how much of a threat Charles saw Pym as. When Charles took it upon himself to arrive at parliament with 300 soldiers to personally arrest the five members it destroyed any final shreds of trust between Parliament and Charles. Members of parliament were representatives of the people and Charles was arresting five of them for merely criticising. This event embodied to Parliament the absolute monarchy they were fighting against and all the liberties they still needed to fight for. Charles must have even realised the mistake he had made in breaking any remaining ties with parliament, and six days later headed for Oxford to prepare an army of the inevitable coming war. In conclusion, both Pym and Charles can be interpreted as being the reason relations fell apart and Civil war broke out, however, even with Pym’s involvement in many parliamentary dissolutions and explicit opposition to the king, Charles still appears as the most unreasonable. Charles gave plenty of reasons for parliament and members such has Pym to criticise him, having made no attempt to learn from his father’s mistakes, ruling for 11 years purposely without parliament intervention and from imposing taxes and religious reforms which alienated people. The final act of attempting to arrest five members of parliament with hundreds of armed guards, proved not only too aggressive but also the final reason as to why Civil war became the only solution remaining.