Things Fall Apart Essay -- essays research papers

Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. New York, New York Copyright 1959 Author Biography Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, or Chinua Achebe, was born November 16, 1930, in Ogidi, Nigeria. His parents were Janet N. Achebe, and Isaiah Okafo, a teacher in a missionary school. Mr. Achebe was educated at the University College of Ibadan, but also attended Government College in 1944. He wrote his first novel, Things Fall Apart, in 1958. During the Biafran War, he was in the Biafran government service. After the war, Mr. Achebe taught at several universities, both in Nigeria and in the United States. In 1967 he cofounded a publishing company with a fellow author, Christopher Okigbo. Mr. Achebe’s later works include No Longer at Ease, Arrow of God, and Anthills of the Savannah. A serious car accident left Mr. Achebe paralyzed from the waist down in 1990. The majority of his novels deal with Africans struggle to free themselves from European colonial and political influences, due to his experiences in the Biafran War and the Nigerian Civil War. Main Characters Okonkwo- Okonkwo is the main character in the novel. He is a distinguished man in the clan, and has been since a young age, when he established himself as a skilled wrestler. He had a very lazy father, and this was a source of much embarrassment to him, so to overcome this, he is an overbearing husband, and father. He feels that he always has to prove that he is different than his father, which is eventually his downfall. Unoka- Unoka is Okonkwo’s father. He was a very lazy man and always an embarrassment to his family, especially his son. He is the reason that Okonkwo is so scared of failing. Nwoye- Nwoye is Okonkwo’s son, and he is lazy and complacent, like his grandfather. Okonkwo’s way of changing this is to be especially hard on him, which drives him further away, eventually to join the missionaries. Ezinma- Ezinma is Okonkwo’s daughter, and he is proud of her, even though he won’t show this because he thinks that it is a weakness. She is smart and pretty. Okonkwo wishes that she were a boy so that he could pass on his knowledge and fortune to her. Mr. Brown- Mr. Brown is the first missionary to arrive in Umuofia. He is nice enough to the clan, so they decide to let him stay, but soon enough he brings others, both from the clan and from outside, into the c... ...alk to you.† This is an important excerpt from the book because it shows how the natives tried to negotiate with the white men peacefully. All they wanted was for the clan to return to the way it was before the white men came, and they even agreed to let the white men stay and practice their religion as long as they didn’t bother anyone. But the Christians had to have everything, so there was a conflict. 5.Obierika is talking. Chapter Twenty Five Obierika, who had been gazing steadily at his friend’s dangling body, turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: â€Å" That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog†¦.† He could not say anymore. His voice trembled and choked his words. This quote is significant because it shows the falling apart of the clan as a whole. Okonkwo was a one of the strongest men in Umuofia, both in physical strength and mental determination. His taking his own life is a sign that the natives are losing the battle against the stronger white men. If he is not strong enough to endure the white men, than it is obvious that no one else in Umuofia will last much longer.

PPL Corporation v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue

I chose this court case because the decision will have effects on many businesses in the United States who own foreign companies. A holding for the Commissioner of Internal Revenue may subject taxpayers in PPL’s position to double taxation. However, a holding for PPL threatens to undermine the consistency and uniformity of the U. S. tax code as well as curtailing the power of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to interpret the law. The main issue in the case is whether or not a U. S. company receives a U. S. tax credit for paying the United Kingdom’s windfall tax. Along with the issue comes the question on whether or not the courts should employ a formalistic approach that looks solely at the form of the foreign tax statue and ignores how the tax actually operates, or should employ a substance based approach that considers factors such as the practical operation and intended effect of the foreign tax. Section 901 of the Internal Revenue Code allows U. S. Corporations a tax credit for income, war profits, and excess profits taxes paid to another country to avoid double taxation. This case involves the application of section 901 to a â€Å"winfall tax† (a one-time twenty three percent tax imposed by the United Kingdom on privatized companies). Petitioner PPL Corporation is an energy company in Allentown, Pennsylvania that provides electricity and natural gas to consumers in the United States and the United Kingdom. PPL Corporation owned a 25% share in South Western Electricity Board that the Government privatized in the 1980’s. In 1997, the U. K. Government imposed a windfall tax on companies based on the difference between a company’s value and the â€Å"flotation value†, or the amount at which the U. K. Government sold the company. After paying the tax, PPL then filed a tax claim with the IRS asserting PPL was eligible for a foreign tax credit under section 901 of the Internal Revenue Code. After being denied by the IRS in 2007, PPL argued that the windfall tax targets income and that the calculation of the tax involves the value of the company’s net gain. The Commissioner denied these laims however, stating that the tax is not a tax on income but rather a tax on the value of a company. The Commissioner adds that the calculation of the tax measures the ability of a company to generate income. The decision on the petition filed by PPL in the United States Tax Court was that PPL was entitled to a foreign tax credit because the windfall tax was essentially a tax on excess profits and this fell within the requirements of section 901. The Commissioner then appealed the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. There, the decision was reversed in favor of the Commissioner holding that the windfall tax did not entitle PPL to a foreign tax credit because the tax was a tax not solely on South Western Electricity Board’s profits but instead on the difference between its profits and sale value. On July 9, 2012 PPL contested the decision of the Third Circuit and filed a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States which was granted review on October 9, 2012. As I stated before, one of more important discussions about this particular case is what approach the courts should take when deciding. PPL argues the Supreme Court should adopt an approach that considers the actual as well as the planned function of the foreign tax, a substance based approach. PPL argues that U. S. tax laws have always looked beyond the label or name of the tax imposed by the foreign country and instead focused on how the tax operates- the substance of the tax. Furthermore, the PPL notes that the Treasury Regulations, section 901-2, suggest that a substance-based approach should be used. The Treasury Regulations state that â€Å"income† includes any income that has already been earned, is revenue based on gross receipts, or is net income. Congress intended, as shown in section 901, that in such situations, the substance of the tax trumps its form because tax law aims to reach the realities of economic transactions and dealings. The Commissioner argues that PPL’s reliance on the substance-based approach incorrectly assumes that any tax that depends on net profits is an income tax. Thus, the Commissioner rejects the substance-based approach and argues that the foreign tax paid by PPL was not an income tax and therefore does not qualify under section 901. The Commissioner argues that the substance of the U. K. windfall is the same as the form or labels that the British tax authorities have provided. The Commissioner stated that the U. K. windfall tax is a tax on the value of a company in relation to how much the U. K. government would receive for the company if it were sold. In response to PPL’s argument on double taxation, the Commissioner believes that because the windfall tax is not an income tax, PPL’s profits are not actually taxed twice. The Supreme Court’s decision in this case will determine whether a windfall tax involving gross receipts and excess profit constitutes the equivalent of a United States income tax and thus is eligible for a foreign tax credit under the Internal Revenue Code. I think PPL has a strong case against the Commissioner and I believe the Supreme Court will rule in the companies favor. I do believe that the windfall taxation on these businesses along with the U. S. taxation would mean double taxation for these companies.

Current beliefs about how the first peoples Settled North America Essay

1. Explain current beliefs about how the first peoples settled North America, and discuss the ways in which they became differentiated from one another over time. 2. Describe the founding of European nations’ first colonies in the New World. The information in our text shows many different opinions on how North America was settled. An example would be the discovery of the Kennewick man. The discovery of the skeletal remains opened the door to more opinions of North American Settlement. It is still believed that the initial North American settlers are the Paleo-Indians (www. betheluniversityonline.net, 2012). The Archaic era followed with the development of agriculture. This trend was perhaps the most significant development, because settled agriculture permitted the establishment of a sedentary existence, without the need to pursue herd animals (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). A food source could now be provided from grown crops. The Archaic era was then followed by what is called the Pre-Columbian era. The Pre-Columbian era is when the development of societies began to happen. The societies developed because they were now able to provide the necessary food source by growing crops. The crops gave them the ability to remain in one area for a longer period of time. There are many reasons that caused the various tribes to become differentiated from each other. Language caused a lot of issues among the different tribes. Territorial disputes, competition for resources, and traditions caused most of the instability between the settlers (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). The land was the major issue among the settlers because it affected trade. Reference: Schultz, K. , Hist2, Volume 1, History of the United States I, Bethel University Online https://www. betheluniversityonline. net/cps/SectionFramework. aspx? SectionID=254 When Europe voyage was intended to expand their trading options. Few sought to create lasting settlements, and even fewer sought to colonize these exotic lands (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). Wealth was one of the biggest lures to the European’s. The competitive profits from this wealth led to them to colonization and would give them the power to defend what they had discovered. Portuguese would be followed by Spain and this would lead to the Pope’s intervention. He would draw a line from the North to the South dividing the land between the two. Spain would have claim to the West and Portugal would have claim to the East. Despite Portugal’s early ambition, Spain would be the first to establish colonies in North America (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). This would lead the two to a war that ended in nearly annihilating the two because of death and disease. The Spanish colonization lead to the development armies called the conquistadors. The conquistadors would move in and devastate populations and take over the land. This would lead to the enslavement of the Indians. You would then have the French and English to follow this adventure to the New World. Four reasons for the English to become more interested were Religious reformation from Catholicism, Social because the impoverished Englishmen were seeking to escape poverty, Economically investing stopped in the textile market looking for opportunities in the New World, and Geographically Queen Elizabeth’s Monarchy stabilized the throne and allowed England to participate in New World ventures (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). Reference: Schultz, K. , Hist2, Volume 1, History of the United States I, Bethel University Online https://www. betheluniversityonline. net/cps/SectionFramework. aspx? SectionID=254.

Sole Proprietor Essay

Advantage ( 1 ) Easy to set up: Exclusive trading concern can be established really rapidly and easy. Anybody who wants to get down a concern can make so. whenever. he likes. In Nepal. merely nominal legal formality of enrollment is necessary. ( 2 ) Easy to fade out: Dissolution of exclusive trading concern every bit simple. There are no legal formalities in this respect. Owner can fade out concern whenever he likes to make so. ( 3 ) Effective control: In this signifier of concern organisation. owner is responsible for all types of activities. He controls all maps and takes determinations at appropriate clip. So. the concern is controlled in an effectual manner. He controls all maps and takes determinations at appropriate clip. So. the concern is controlled in an effectual manner. ( 4 ) Direct motive: The direct relationship between attempt and reward serves as a powerful inducement to the owner to pull off the concern expeditiously. The owner being entitled to the full net incomes of the conc ern tries to maximise net incomes by using his endowments and activities in the best possible manner. ( 5 ) Personal supervising: The owner is able to oversee every work of the concern himself. This helps to construct up a stopping point and affable relationship with the employees. He can take personal involvement in his clients and he can run into their single and typical demands easy and adequately. It ensures efficaciously and economic system in the operation. ( 6 ) Benefit of Unlimited Liability: The owner can obtain loan on his personal recognition. The liability being limitless. the creditors feel secure in widening recognition. ( 7 ) Prompt determination: The proprietor has full control over his concern. So he is able to take determination quickly without confer withing anybody. If more than one individual is involved in doing determination so hold is bound to happen. ( 8 ) Secrecy: The owner can keep concern secrets. There is no legal ordinance sing the revelation of concern information. So he can keep secretiveness from his rivals. Secrecy is really critical for concern success. ( 9 ) Flexible: Exclusive bargainer enjoys the maximal flexibleness in his concern. If any alteration in concern is required. he does no hold to confer with any one and can do the alteration without hold. No legal formalities are required for doing alterations in operations. This gives flexibleness to this type of concern. ( 10 ) Social importance: From societal point of view sole trading concern is of import because: – It is a agency for gaining support independently. – It avoids concentrating wealth in few custodies. – It brings competition among exclusive owners. so they provide goods in cheaper rates to the society. – Qualities like autonomy. assurance. tact and enterprise are developed in this organisation. ( 11 ) Net incomes: All the net incomes accrue to the exclusive owner. There is no limitation on the capital employed in the concern. Capital additions inclusion rates are lower for persons than for concern entities. The exclusive owner besides enjoys the normal revenue enhancement discounts and the one-year capital additions exclusion. Disadvantage 1 ) Limited Capital: The capital of one owner is normally little. It is limited to his personal nest eggs and borrowing on personal security. Hence. he can non set about farther enlargement and development deficiency of extra capital and fails to bask the internal and external economic sciences of graduated table. ( 2 ) Limited Management Ability: In the present competitory universe complexnesss of managerial occupations are increasing everyday. One adult male can non be expert in each and every map of the concern. For deficiency of resources he may non be able to utilize the services of experts. So limited managerial ability will impede the growing of the house. ( 3 ) Unlimited Liability: The limitless liability of exclusive proprietary is a great disadvantage. A loss in concern may strip the owner of his assets excessively. So large concern houses necessitating more economic hazard are non established under this organisation. ( 4 ) Uncertain Life: The success of this type of concer n depends on the personal capacity of owner. In instance of his decease concern may be discontinued. The replacements may non hold the same grade of autonomy and ability. Therefore. there is no uninterrupted being of the house. ( 5 ) Dull and Monotonous Work: The owner has the exclusive right on net income of the concern. So he tries to work more to gain more net income. Consequently the work becomes dull and humdrum. His wellness is severely affected and he is deprived of pleasant societal dealingss and affable household life. ( 6 ) No Large Economicss and Specialization: A little concern graduated table can non economies in purchases. production and selling. Similarly the benefit of specialisation of service of experts can non be obtained. ( 7 ) Loss in Absence: A exclusive trading has to endure from the long unwellness of the owner. In his absence concern comes to a deadlock. This can take to heavy losingss. Employees may non be efficient or they may non take sincere involvement. ( 8 ) Possibility of Incorrect Decision: In exclusive trading a businessman alone makes all the determinations. Hence. determinations may non be ever right and wise. When a considerable figure of people are involved in doing determination procedure a wise and mature determination is possible. – The full value of the concern signifiers portion of the exclusive proprietary estate in the event of decease. This could take to estate responsibility being paid. – The concern demands to be shut down on the exclusive owners decease. there is no automatic continuance of the concern on decease. Particular proviso can be made via the will though. Partnership Advantage ( 1 ) Easy to organize and Dissolve: A simple understanding among spouses is sufficient to register a partnership. No other formal paperss and legal formalities are required. It is every bit easy and cheap to fade out a partnership. ( 2 ) More Resources: Partnership is a combination of several individuals. So more capitals can be collected and advantages of large-scale concern may be obtained. More spouses can be added if capital demands are big. ( 3 ) Harmonization of Different Abilities: In partnership house. there is a harmonisation of different abilities of different spouses. The endowment. expertness and cognition of spouses in different Fieldss can be used for the public assistance of the concern. So. there is more opportunity for the promotion of concern. ( 4 ) Credit Facility: The ability of spouses being limitless they will be able to borrow more capital. As compared to sole trading concern. partnership has more recognition worthiness. A partnership house to the finance esta blishments and other creditors can supply more securities. ( 5 ) Appropriate Decisions: In spouses determinations are taken by consensus of all spouses. So they take appropriate determinations and there is less opportunity of incorrectness. Fear of limitless liability encourages cautiousness and attention. therefore. puts a brake on headlong and foolhardy determinations. ( 6 ) More Inspiration: There is more inspiration to work because spouses think that the consequence of their difficult work will be rewarded in the signifier of more net incomes to them. ( 7 ) Close Supervision: The spouses themselves look after the concern. so they avoid wastage. They have direct entree to employees and can promote them for more production. ( 8 ) Secrecy: The concern personal businesss and histories of the partnership do non necessitate promotion by jurisprudence as in companies. So. spouses can maintain concern secrets within themselves. ( 9 ) Flexible: In partnership house. there can be any alteration in managerial set-up. capital. and graduated table of production. These alterations can be made by the common understanding between spouses. Therefore. it enjoys flexibleness. ( 10 ) Protection of Minority Interests: Every spouse has a right to take part in the direction of the concern. All-important determinations are taken by the consent of all spouses. In event of disagreement minority may even Veto a declaration. Hence. it protects the involvement of minor spouses. ( 11 ) Reduced Hazard: all spouses will portion the losingss incurred by the house. So loss of each spouse will be less in comparing to sole trading concern. – There are no formal demands for the creative activity of a partnership. – There are no formal demands for the running of the concern. This makes partnerships an cheap concern entity to run. – Partners are taxed in their ain capacities. which could take to lower revenue enhancement. depending on the degree of income of the person. Disadvantage ( 1 ) Uncertain Being: The partnership house suffers from the unsure being because it can be dissolved at the clip of decease of insolvency of spouse. Therefore. the life. of the house is dependent on the life of the spouses. In the same manner a concern may end due to dishonesty of a spouse or struggle among spouses. ( 2 ) Unlimited Liability: The liability of spouses is limitless. The spouses are jointly and individually apt for the debts of the house. So they try to avoid hazards and curtail the enlargement and growing of the concern. ( 3 ) Trouble in Prompt Decisions: All-important determinations are taken by the consent of all spouses. So determinations doing procedure becomes clip devouring and loss of concern chances due to detain in decision-making. Normally in concern. the self-generated determinations can merely enable the house to bask higher net incomes. which is non possible in partnership. ( 4 ) Danger of Disputes: Many individuals are proprietors of a partnership house . Every spouse wants to demo his importance. Misunderstanding and covetous inclinations are the common failings of the human existences. So there is ever a danger difference among them. which may take concern to an terminal. ( 5 ) Trouble on Transfer of Shares: A spouse can non reassign his or go forth the house portions without the consent of all other spouses. The consent of all other spouses is mandatory. So people do non desire to put money in a partnership concern. ( 6 ) Hazard of Implied Authority: A dishonest or unqualified spouse may take the house in troubles. The other spouses will hold to run into the duties incurred by the spouse. The proviso of implied authorization may make jobs for the concern. ( 7 ) Lack of Public Confidence: The populace does non hold much assurance in a partnership concern. This is because personal businesss of a partnership concern are non unfastened to public examination. Its histories are non required to print. There is no much governmental control over the operations of a partnership. ( 8 ) Limited Resources: Modern concern demands big sum of capital. But in partnership the resources are limited to the personal financess of the spouses. Borrowing capacity of spouses is besides limited. Even though the capital is more in partnership than in instance of exclusive trading. but still is non sufficient for the smooth behavior and operation of large-scale concern. – Not a separate legal entity and therefore spouses are apt for the partnership debts in their ain capacity. The personal. single assets of the spouse may be attached for the liabilities of the partnership under certain fortunes. – The partnership terminates on the decease of a spouse. Unless there are sufficient financess available to purchase the asleep partner’s portion o r to pay his portion in hard currency. the assets of the partnership will hold to be sold. – A spouse may non be a member of a pension/ provident fund. as there is no employee/employer relationship between the partnership and its spouses. Joint stock company Advantages ( 1 ) Huge Financial Resources: A company can roll up big amount of money from big figure of stockholders. There is no bound on the figure of stockholders in a public company. Since its capital is divided into portions of little value even a individual of little agencies can lend to its capital by merely buying its portions. It installations the mobilisation of nest eggs of 1000000s for the productive intents. In add-on. a company can borrow from Bankss to a big extent and besides issue unsecured bonds to public. ( 2 ) Limited Liability: The liability of stockholders in a company is limited to the face value of the portions they have purchased. The limited liability encourages many people to put in portions of joint stock companies. If the financess of a company are deficient to fulfill the claims of the creditors. no members can be called to pay anything more than the value of portions held by them. ( 3 ) Ageless Being: Due to its separate legal being. it has ageless being. The life of company is non dependent dice or go insolvent. The members of a company may travel on a company. The stableness of concern is of great importance to the society every bit good as to the state. ( 4 ) Transferability of Shares: The portions if a public company are freely movable. This transferability of portions brings about liquidness of investing. It encourages many people to put. It besides helps a company in tapping more resources. ( 5 ) Diffusion of Hazard: In exclusive proprietary and in partnership concern. few individuals portion the hazard. But in company. the figure of stockholders is big. so many individuals portion hazard. Therefore. the load of hazard upon any person is non immense. This attracts many investors. It enables companies to take up new ventures. ( 6 ) Efficient Management: In company ownership is separate from direction. A company has adequate resources to use the services of experts and directors who may be extremely specialized in different Fieldss of direction. It can pull gifted individuals by offering them higher wages and better calling chances. The efficient direction will assist the company to take balanced determinations and can direct the personal businesss of the company in the best possible mode. It besides helps to spread out and diversify the activities of the company. ( 7 ) Economies of Large Scale Production: Large-scale production of modern yearss is the consequence of company signifier of organisation. This consequences in economic sciences in production. purchase. selling and direction. These economic systems will assist company to supply quality goods at lower cost to the consumers. ( 8 ) Democratic Management: the elective representatives of stockholders called the ‘directors’ manage The Company. Directors are responsible and accountable to the general organic structure of stockholders. Decisions are taken by a bulk of ballots wholly based upon democratic rules. This prevents in misdirection of a company. ( 9 ) Public Assurance: A company enjoys a greater public assurance and repute in the market due to legal control. promotion of histories and ageless being. Audit of Joint Stock Company is mandatory. A company’s fiscal histories and statements are published. circulated and are unfastened to public review. Therefore public have enough religion in it. So. it can acquire loan from different fiscal establishments. ( 10 ) Social Importance: The company provides chance to mobilise scattered nest eggs of the community. It besides creates employment chances. Due to large-scale production consumers get cheaper goods. The society is supplied with adequate measure of goods. Government gets income in the signifier of revenue enhancements. Disadvantages ( 1 ) Trouble in Formation: A company is non easy to organize and set up. A figure of individuals should be ready to tie in for acquiring a company incorporated. It requires a batch of legal formalities to be performed. The portions will hold to be sold during the prescribed clip. It is both expensive and hazardous. ( 2 ) Lack of Secrecy: A company has to detect many legal formalities. Most of the concern activities are decided through meetings. Net income and Loss Accounts and Balance Sheet are required to be published. So trade secrets can non be maintained. ( 3 ) Delay in Decisions: In company determinations doing procedure is clip devouring. Either Board of Directors of by General Annual Meetings makes all important determinations. So many chances may be lost due to detain in determination devising. ( 4 ) Separation of Ownership and Management: A company is owned by stockholders but managed by managers. The stockholders play an undistinguished function in the working of the company. Though managers are proprietors of some making portions merely. yet the consequence of their activities is to be borne by all stockholders. The net income of the company belongs to stockholders and the Board of Directors is paid merely on a committee. There is no direct relationship between attempts and wagess. So the direction does non take personal involvement in the workings of company. Hence. they may work against the involvement of huge bulk of stockholders. ( 5 ) Guess in portions: The Joint Stock Companies facilitate guess in the portions at stock exchanges. It has been found that even the managers and the directors of the company indulge in pull stringsing the value of portions to their advantage. When they want to buy the portions they lower the rate of dividend and when they want to dispose of the portions they declare dividends at a higher rate. ( 6 ) Oligarchic Management: The stockholders who are the existent proprietors do non hold much voice in the direction. A smattering of stockholders. who besides manage the personal businesss of the company. are able to hold control over it. Theoretically the company is democratic. but in pattern it is largely a instance of oligarchy ( Rule by few ) . A few individuals hold power and control and seek to work the bulk. Therefore. it does non advance the involvement of the stockholders in general. ( 7 ) Excessive Regulation: A company has to detect inordinate ordinances imposed by the jurisprudence of the state. The inordinate ordinances are made with a position to protect the involvement of the stockholders and the populace but in pattern they put obstructions in their normal and effectual working. A batch of cherished clip. attempts. and fiscal resources are wasted in following with statutory demands. ( 8 ) Conflict of Interest: In a company there are many parties whose involvement may collide and the consequence may be struggle of involvements. The direction. the stockholders. the employees. the creditors and the authorities may hold their ain single involvements. Therefore. a lasting type of struggle of involvements may go on to be in the companies. These struggles by and large lead to inefficiency in the direction and cut down employee morale. ( 9 ) Disregard of Minority: the stockholders holding bulk of them decide all major issues in company. Majority group ever dominate over the minority group whose involvement are ne'er represented in the direction. The company act provides steps against subjugation of minority. but the steps are non really effectual.

TBA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

TBA - Essay Example I had trouble listening to the speaker that day. As such, I had to identify the barrier that influenced my lack of listening during the presentation. Misinterpretation and attachment to personal beliefs and values were the two significant barriers to effective listening that day. Misinterpretation is a primary cause of listening barrier during communication. In most cases, our thought force us to interpret messages in a manner that was intended by the speaker (McPheat, 2011). Misinterpretation often leads to misunderstanding the speaker’s message and may directly lead to a lack of listening to the speaker. When we add an interpretation to the speaker’s word, we introduce sources of error in the communication. Misinterpretation may have contributed to my inability to listen to the speaker on the preventive measure of HIV/AIDS. According to my interpretation, I thought that the speaker meant that abstinence is the only way to prevent the spread of the diseases. Personally, I knew that there were other possible measures as well. The fact that I interrupted the speaker wrongly led to my lack of listening. I found myself doing other stuff, browsing my phone instead of listening to the speaker. There particular facts about the speaker’s message that I misinterpreted. Firstly, the speaker meant that among the many possible preventive strategies, abstinence was the best. This does not mean that there are no other measures. Secondly, abstinence should the first step in ensuring we stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. It was clear that the misinterpretation contributed significantly to my inability to listen to the speaker. However, there are particular approaches that can help overcome misinterpretation as a barrier to effective listening. If I could have used these strategies, then I would have successful overcome the problem of lack of listening. Developing the habit of asking for

How Professing Bible Believing Evangelical Christians View their Thesis Proposal

How Professing Bible Believing Evangelical Christians View their Responsibility to the Great Commission - Thesis Proposal Example Once that has been established, the reasons that the Great Commission has been largely abandoned will be explored in order to seek answers to the reasons that Christians are no longer as vigilant about attending the mandates that would define their personal ministries. One of the important messages that Mathew gave to the followers of Christ was that they should go forth and spread the message of the sacrifice that Christ made for the world.1 In creating and participating in missionary work, the followers of Christ would support the message of love and forgiveness and spread the message that salvation was available through belief. Culpepper writes â€Å"The Great Commission comes to us from the context of a caring community of faith†.2 Missionary work is more than just spreading the message of salvation. It is a method of showing what the love of Christ means and serving the world so that suffering can come to an end. Missionary work is intended to motivate people to think about the world and their culture, putting Christian beliefs into context with how change will make a difference in their lives. This is done by preaching, by witnessing, and by showing the light of Christian care for the troubles of the world. Where many religions tried to make people believe that their suffering was intended by their god or gods, Christians intend to show others that their burdens can be lifted through God. Much of this is through service to the suffering.3 The fact remains, however, that there has not been a continuation of increased numbers, suggesting that the mandate to continue the spread of Christianity has met with less effort. The purpose of this study is to find reasons and excuses that are being used by Christians for not putting significant effort into missionary work. Through an examination of the literature associated to the question, the topic will be explored and examined in order to find answers to the questions that have been put

World War 1 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

World War 1 - Research Paper Example Nations had normally used their armed forces to protect their territorial integrity and also to gain domination over other nations by annexing their territories. Among these two objectives, the wish to gain dominance over other nations has pushed many countries on the path of war. When many nations of the world have this objective and the other group of nations tries to protect their territory from these nations, it would result in World Wars. Along with these two objectives, many other factors have also pushed nations to align among themselves, so to fight against other alliances. Thus, when many nations grouped among themselves to fight other groups, it resulted in World Wars. Our world got shaped both geographically and historically by two global conflicts that happened in twentieth century. This paper will first discuss and analyze the factors which contributed to the outbreak of the First World War, then will discuss how it happened, and how various countries got involved, endin g with how the interests of these countries were impacted, and how the war came to an end. Overview World War I or the Great War, as it was predominantly called till the start of the Second World War, was the first global war as many nations got involved. It started off on 28 July 1914 and continued till 11 November 1918, with the participating nations siding with either one of the two alliances. The war was propagated by two major alliances, the Entente Powers and the Central powers. The Entente Powers were mainly comprised of United Kingdom, France, Russia, along with other associated countries or empires. The Central powers consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary and other associated empires like the Ottoman Empire. It took place mainly in the continent of Europe, between the European countries, although other fronts were opened in other continents of Asia, Africa, Australia, etc. Early Causes: Formation of Alliances (1850’s to 1907) Central Powers or Triple Alliance With ma jor European territories getting evolved and actualizing into nations in the 19th Century, there begin various political and military machinations to garner more territories and importantly strengthen each nation’s existing territories. The key thing the major European nations did was to enter into various political and military alliances within other European nations and territories, so that a balance of power can be maintained throughout Europe. This process was first initiated by Germany. In October 1873, then German Chancellor Bismarck tried to form a League of the Three Emperors uniting the kingdoms of Austria–Hungary and Russia with Germany. However, Germany could not actualize that alliance because Austria–Hungary and Russia had differences of opinion regarding the Balkan policy. So, leaving out Russia, Germany and Austria–Hungary formed a grouping called the Dual Alliance in 1879. This alliance became a Triple alliance, when Italy became part of i t in 1882. To further strengthen this alliance, and to remove Russia out of the equation particularly in relation to the Balkan region, Germany’s new Chancellor Wilhelm II in 1890 avoided renewing the Reinsurance Treaty, which Germany signed with Russia. Entente Powers or Triple Entente With Germany strengthening his position, other major European powers of Russia, France and Britain became threatened and initiated alliances among themselves. Firstly in 1892, two years after the breakdown of its relations with Germany, Russia entered into an alliance with France. â€Å"Germany's western and eastern neighbours, France and Russia, signed an alliance in 1894 united by fear and resentment of Berlin.† (Sheffield). Russia and France’s aim to counter the German led Triple Alliance, got a major boost when United Kingdom became part of