English Commentary - James Thurber Essay Example for Free

English Commentary James Thurber Essay James Thurber’s â€Å"Footnote on the future† is a first person limited narrative written as an account of the author on the topic of science and the future. The piece is written with the aim of entertaining the reader; many elements in it – comedy, colloquial and conversatonal language, irony, personification and unusual imagery reflect this unified effect. It is important to remember that although the author criticises scientists, himself and the human race in general, he does so weakly and in an amicable and comical way. The theme of the piece is humour and this is achieved in several ways. One method used by Thurber is to include deliberately implicitly sadistic ideas into the piece. Thurber writes as if he were disappointed when he finds out that â€Å"neither the sun nor the mind of man is, after all, going out. † This achieves humour because it seems as though Thurber is in opposition to mankind and its future even though he is a human himself. In addition, amusing and ridiculous personification is included in the text: the universe is said to have â€Å"quit shrinking†; Thurber wishes that Halley’s Comet â€Å"deals California a glancing backhand blow before it goes careening off†; the sun-spots spread as said to have been â€Å"spreading as rapidly as ulcerative gingivitis†. Humour is also accomplished by Thurber when he ridicules himself in the opening paragraph of the piece. Whilst attempting to make himself seem important and chiefly intelligent, he implies that information is delievered to him rather than searched by him as shown in the quote: â€Å"word is brought to me†. However, following on from this forementioned quote, Thurber reveals that it is his â€Å"pageboys† that deliver information to him. The fact that page boys do not normally deliver â€Å"information†, but instead deliver wedding rings to a priest, implies that Thurber may have mistaken the function of page boys and has therefore ridiculed himself in an attempt to seem intelligent. In terms of content, eccentric imagery is also used to simply achieve the reader’s attention. Thurber makes the reader to imagine Earth as a â€Å"flimsy globe† and then later to imagine it being knocked â€Å"far into the oblivious Darkness, the incomprehensible Cold†. This produces shock to the reader and in fact could be considered as ironic as it implies that Thurber does not believe in a religion; instead believes that the existence of the universe can be explained through science – something that he criticises throughout the piece. Thurber directs some attention to scientists and takes care to use the image of â€Å"bearded watchers of the skies† as a stereotype to describe them. Throughout the passage manages to portray scientists negatively through successfully (in his opinion) disproving Dr. Tilney’s theory, describing his frustration in the lack of certaintiy scientists have when predicting where and when a comet may hit Earth and commenting seemingly ironically that Time magazine is â€Å"always infallible† and. The use of irony is common throughout the piece. He comments that scientists are â€Å"quite naturally cheerful† even though â€Å"billions of unused brain cells have been detected in the cortex of man†. Thurber however gives no explanation for why the scientists are joyful. Thurber further incorporates irony into the text when he states â€Å"we were given only a few paltry aeons to prepare our species for the end†. As an aeon is considered a period of a billion years, it would be reasonable to think that there would in fact be enough time to be prepared for such a catastrophe; Thurber does this purposefully to criticise scientists’ perception of time. The reader’s attention is retained through a consistently colloquial and conversational use of language. Thurber refers and converses to the reader in second person when he says â€Å"the rest of you may go†, â€Å"you may all file out now† and â€Å"don’t ask me why, it just has†. The author also informally refers to the theory that man has many unused brain cells as a â€Å"little menace† and chooses to describe his age in 1910 as when he was â€Å"a stripling of sixteen going on seventeen†.

The Islam And Christian Holy War Religion Essay

The Islam And Christian Holy War Religion Essay For centuries Christians and Muslims have fiercely engaged in wars because they believed they will be rewarded by God for waging war in his name. In recent times we have become very familiar with the Jihad; as the media has covered this topic extensively after the September 11 attack that took place in the United States. This act of terror made the Islamic community a focal point of the media, which educated the populace on the violence of Islam or as they choose to call it Holy War. The truth is that, Islam is not the only religion that has committed violence in the name of God. Christianity also has its history of violence and Holy Wars, they were called the Crusades. The reasons for the Crusades were; to free fellow Christians from incursion and discrimination, Conquering lands in the possessed by other religions and fulfilling promises to partake in a crusade. Today we refer to Holy wars as Killing in Gods name, but war and religion have gone hand in hand for centuries. People go to battle after praying and making sacrifices to God, making them believe that God is on their side because they are fighting for his cause. An example is when Joshua destroyed the Anakites in the Bible. Involving God in such violent acts is not supposed to make a war holy. In the past few centuries, since the first crusades began to recapture the holy land from the Muslims Saracens, holy wars between these two religions have evolved along different paths. In the Christians context, we see a gradual decline in violence, the opposite is witnessed in Islam, and there have been a few recent cases of killing in the name of religion in Islam, the September 11 attack is one of the most serious in recent time. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and today it is amongst the religions with the highest amount of believers. The Jihad played a vital role in this rapid growth of Islam. Battles that were fought and won over a large geographical area, the captives were either converted by the sword or willingly changed to the religion of the army that conquered them. Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress limitsAnd slay them wherever ye catch them. And turn them out from where they have turned you out; for persecution is worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the sacred Mosque unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who reject faith. But if they cease, Allah is oft-forgiving, most Merciful. And fight them on until there is no more persecution. And the religion becomes Allahs. But if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression (The Quran, Surah 2:190-193). The Quran is the holy book of Islam; the above quote is from the Quran it encourages the Holy war. Partly this explains the numerous battles the Muslims were involved in few centuries ago, fortunately in modern times the Jihad is no longer carried on a large scale as compared to the past but there are still some exceptional cases. The Hadith is another important book in Islam and it is second to the Quran. The Hadith contains the sayings and activities of the Prophet Muhammad and he encourages the Jihad, saying that anyone who dies fighting for Allah will be rewarded, by going to paradise. Many of these sayings have been interpreted in different ways and people have acted according to these interpretations which have lead to brutality and wars. Although in this modern age, with the help of globalization and westernization the frequency and scale of religious wars have declined over time. However, a small percentage of Muslims, the extremists and anti -western ones still dwell on the verses in the Quran that talk about war, conflict and violence. This is what has lead to terrorism and suicide bombings in recent times. In addition, the duty of all Muslims is to do the utmost against those who do not believe in Allah, this was meant for nearest enemies of Muslims but as more Foes arose with time, the statements supporting the Jihad were updated. The Muslims are acting according to what they read in their Holy books, most do not feel remorseful for whatever damage they have caused because they believe this are divine instructions of the holy book. Today we do not hesitate to link the word Jihad which means struggle in Arabic to Terrorism, especially after the September 11 attacks. Religious wars and violence happen in some other countries like Nigeria which is one of the most religious countries in the world. In Nigeria, Muslims and Christians clash frequently, fighting and rioting over one problem or the other, but yet the opposing religion knows very little about each others believes. Religious wars in Nigeria are fueled by ignorance, tribalism, poverty, politics and struggle for power. Another cou ntry that has experienced religious war this modern time is India; with a high population of Hindu, a small number of Muslims and a few Christians. Approximately hundred Christians were killed in a recent religious battles and another ten thousand left without a roofs over their head, telling us that religious wars may have reduced but still occurs in some societies. Furthermore, there are two forms of Jihad the greater and lesser Jihad. Internal Jihad or greater Jihad means the battle of believers to live their Muslim faith as the Quran instructs. This explanation is consequently, after a battle the prophet said We are finished with the lesser jihad; now we are starting the greater jihad. He explained to his followers that fighting against an outer enemy is the lesser jihad and fighting against ones self is the greater jihad. This means that the lesser Jihad will refer to the struggle against Unbelievers. (Heck) Muslims put in great effort to live the way Allah instructed them, the personal Jihad has to do with the teachings while the Jihad against unbelievers is the Practical. However, some scholars find the Quran teachings of morality and encouragement of violence very contradictory. Many historians believe that the true meaning of Lesser Jihad does not necessary encourage fighting and brutality but states that Muslim should take a stand for their religion only when Islam is threatened. The misinterpretation of the lesser jihad, as a cause or reason to fight and engage in violence and brutality does not make it holy. If Islam is not threatened and Muslims wage war against non-believers then this cannot be referred to as Lesser Jihad. Over the years various people have interpreted the Quran, their interpretations were influenced by the struggles that they were experiencing at that time. Factors such as oppression, depression, anger, suffering, hunger for power, hatred and other factors have influenced the interpreters perception of the scriptures. For instance, the Taliban strict and extreme version of Islam has even made other Muslim countries view the Ta liban with suspicion. Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist group Al Qaeda has quoted the Quran on several occasions to justify their violent actions on the west. Political leaders use religion to convince and justify their selfish desires. Using religion makes their argument convincing because they twist and interpreted the scriptures to serve the purpose and believers easily embrace them and believe it is just. Al Qaeda has used suicide bombing as tactics for attacks and the Quran forbids this. (Burk) The Crusades By large, Christianity is a religion that preaches peace but the record of killings and destruction in the past is contradictory to its teachings. In the past, wars were fought against those who opposed Christianity; the wars were fought primarily against Muslims. This is because the rise of lslam slowed down and threatened spread of Christianity. lslam under the rule of the Umayyad Caliphate spread from what is now Saudi Arabia in the Arabian Peninsula to Spain and parts of France. This made lslam a treat to Christianity and the Catholic Church, which was very powerful during the medieval times. The Church had enough political backing to crush anything or anyone that disobeys or treating the beliefs of the Church. Scholars and historians have argued about the cause or reason for the crusades. Some say that the crusades were crucial reaction by Christians to the domination of pilgrims in Muslim-controlled Jerusalem. Others argue that it was political imperialism disguised by religiou s piousness. Furthermore, others say that it was a social liberation for societies that were overburdened by landless nobles. Whatever the reason, it does not change the fact that a lot of lives and property were lost in the process. The first Crusades were organized by Pope Urban II in 1095. His main aim was to take Jerusalem from the hands of those he believed were non believers. Pope Urban II helped lay the foundation for many years of bitter and violent fighting between Christianity and other religions. The Crusades were triggered by popes at that time like Pope Urban ll and Pope Eugene III who called for the second crusade. The Popes felt that the crusades were particularly their duty and under their motivation, even if some of the expeditions sometimes got out of control. They believed the crusades were Gods work and that they were His instruments. Urban at Clermont used the following words: I speak to those who are present, I shall proclaim it to the absent, but it is Christ who commands. Moreover, if those who set out thither lose their lives on the journey, by land or sea, or in fighting against the heathen, their sins shall be remitted in that hour; this I grant through the power of God vested in me. The Pope organized the crusades, deciding the time, participants and also presents privileges to those that partook and threatened them with exile to all that do not realize their vow. (Dana) The crusades were used as a means of reclaiming the lost lands of Christians and acquiring more power for the Church. The age of the crusades was from 1905-1291 CE. In total, there were either eight or nine Crusades, depending on your view. Most historians consider the 9th Crusade to be part of the 8th. It was not only believers of other religions that suffered persecution, some Christians also suffered. Church theologians or leaders dealt with anybody who followed another religion or come up with rational thoughts that threatened Christian beliefs an example is the case of Galileo. Galileos teachings during the 17th century threatened the geocentric view of the universe. He said that the earth revolved around the sun. The church maintained that the earth was stationary and the sun and heavenly bodies revolved around it and this was an accepted fact. Thus were Galileos claims, labeled as the ranting of a heretic and he was confronted by the church leaders and told to recant his theory or face the consequences. The crusades also helped the Church and Popes acquire much wealth, with Crusaders freely giving to the Church before embarking on their journey. Crusaders were frequently taxed and this was handled by the Church. Consequently, the Popes became much more powerful, mainly because of their control over the appointment of the officials. (Dana) Heresy easily spread because of increasing mistrust of the Church, due to many reasons. For instance, all teachings in England, France and Germany had been carried out by the clerics and the crusaders discovered that they were continuously lied to. Others learnt that they misinformation, and began to doubt. The political crusades brought discredit and dishonor upon the Church and the Popes. Many men realized that they were being us ed and the Popes were using their power for worldly ends. In the thirteenth century it became more difficult to persuade men to take the Cross and fight.(Dana) In any case, there has been more recent violence attached to Christianity. Right after the civil war in the United States, the protestant-led white supremacist Ku Klux Klan members engaged in destruction of property, cross burning, beating, arson, murder rape and whipping against Jew, Catholics and African Americans and other social ethnic minorities. These are grave crimes exhibiting extreme violence and brutality. The mission of the Ku Klux Klan is to reestablish protestant Christian view in the United States. They believed that Jesus was the first Klansman. (Robert) They exhibited pure Christian radicalism. Similarly, the Arm of God (AOD) is an underground Christian terrorist organization active in the United States. This group has been involved in anti-abortion violence such as murder, property crimes and kidnapping. All these organization believe they are fighting for the morals of their religion and in the name of God. (Windle) Social Ramification Consequently, religious violence has lead to religious and ethnic profiling in society. The recent terrorist attacks have found to be rooted to religion and ethnicity thus causing countries to use profiling as a context for law enforcement and counter terrorism. Profiling can be defined as the use of racial, religious or ethnic stereotypes, rather than individual behavior, as a basis for making law enforcement and investigative decisions about who has been or may be involved in criminal activity. The global generalizations about a particular ethnic or religious groups propensity to commit a crime has made life difficult for people with certain ethnicity or religion. Society begins to look at such people as potential threats and this has negatively affects their daily lives at school, work and social interaction. Conclusion Finally, today religion is not considered an act of violence, Christians especially Catholics are not proud of the crusades that happened in the past. This point in history, are now looked upon as a dark period In Christianity. A group of Western Christians recently formed a body, their aim is to repair the damage caused by the crusades by apologizing to the other religions that were affected during that time. (Robin) But when have Christians demonstrated this love to Muslims or Jews? We have gone to them with swords and guns. We have gone to them with racism and hatred. We have gone to them with feelings of cultural superiority and economic domination. We have gone to them with colonialism and exploitation. We have even gone to them with the Gospel cloaked in arguments of superiority. Only a few have ever gone with the message of Calvary We must do more than carry the message; we must be the message. This kind of movement helps to show that Christians are not willing to carry out the crusade; no recent case has been heard. Todays Christians want to practice their religion without harming anybody. The same can be said for most Muslims, although some Muslims extremists are obsessed with fighting the west. As the study has shown religious violence was greatly influence my politics and selfishness desires of leaders. Over the course of time leaders have used religion as a tool and have twisted the word of God to suit their agenda and accomplish their desires. Without this influence, misinterpretation and deceit violence would have not been so wide spread in religion. Most religions preach God is of peace and we humans with our selfish ways have used religion as a way to control people and their beliefs. If we do not let our human imperfection influence the word of God and we follow the teaching of our scriptures diligently the world will be more peaceful. Ironically, our imperfection s are barely curable and even the greatest men fault. This is the paradox of life. Work Cited Baird-Windle, Patricia Bader, Eleanor J., (2001), Targets of Hatred: Anti-Abortion Terrorism, New York, St. Martins Press B.A Robins Christian apology for the Crusades: The Reconciliation Walk Religious Tolerance.org. 2005-NOV-04. Web. 3 April 2011 Dana C. The Popes and the Crusades Munro Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society Vol. 55, No. 5 (1916), pp. 348-356 JSTOR. Web. 3 April 2011 Josh Burek and James Norton A world-renowned scholar explains key points of Islam. Islamawareness.org. n.d. Web. 3 April 2011 Michael, Robert, and Philip Rosen. Dictionary of anti-Semitism from the earliest times to the present. Lanham, Maryland, USA: Scarecrow Press, 1997 p. 267. Paul Heck. Jihad Revisited The Journal of Religious Ethics Vol. 32, No. 1 (spring, 2004), pp. 95-128. JSTOR. Web 3 April 2011

A Virtual Training Environment Essay -- Gaming

Technology has become a huge part of the way we live. As the years move on, we are becoming more technologically advanced, and part of that progression is due to the fact that we are using avenues that we would have overlooked 20 years ago. One of these avenues is the use of video games in nonconventional ways, like supplementing a real class room for a virtual one, to help ease some of the social anxiety of those with Aspersers and Autism, and to assist in the training our troops, utilizing a safe and cost effective environment. Unfortunately, these methods have been questioned, by those weary of the dominant presence technology has taken in this new generation of youth; however, all of these pathways are helping solve a real problem with aid of virtual environments. One innovative way virtual environments have been implemented is the use of video games to aid in making learning and teaching situations more comfortable. This new style of education is made possible with the use of virtual classrooms in the massive multiplayer online game, MMO, Second Life (SL). Through the use of this fully virtual world, we are now able to teach tangible skills to others. In â€Å"Using Second Life to enhance classroom management practice in teacher education†, Jennifer Mahon et al. explored this theory. They established that, â€Å"Overall, the results of this study suggest that using SL for a simulation of classroom management is promising (130)†. Because is it always easier to learn in an atmosphere where one feels relaxed and comfortable, this use of Second Life shows great potential. By using online games this way it is allowing not only new teachers, but veteran teachers as well to gain or brush up on skills they need as educators interacting with... ...re will prosper. Works Cited Bauerlein, Mark. The Dumbest Generation: how the digital age stupefies young Americans and jeopardizes our future (or, don’t trust anyone under 30). New York: Penguin Group Orvis, A Karin, et all. â€Å"An Examination of the Role Individual Differences Play in Videogame- Based Training.† Military Psychology 21.4 (2009): 461-467. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. Mahon, Jennifer, et al. â€Å"Using Second Life to enhance classroom management practice in teacher education.† Educational Media International 47.2 (2010): 121-132. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 APR. 2012. Mitchell, Peter, et al. â€Å"Using Virtual Environments for Teaching Social Understanding to 6 Adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.† Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders 37.3 (2007): 589-599. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 APR. 2012.

Life Struggles of Phoenix in Eudora Weltys A Worn Path Essays -- Worn

Life Struggles of Phoenix in Eudora Welty's A Worn Path "A Worn Path," by Eudora Welty is a heartbreaking story about the heroic trip of an old African American woman, Phoenix. The readers won't find out right away the plot of the story or why Phoenix won't give up her exhausting trip to town-the conflict of this story-especially on a very cold day. The title, "A Worn Path," indicates that Phoenix has obviously walked down this path many times before-also the fact that she can cross a creek with her eyes closed confirms the title's message. Her trip is full of obstacles, from bushes of thorns that get caught in her dress, to her crossing of a creek. These elements complicate the conflict and increase the readers' curiosity about the plot. Phoenix can't trust her eyes, choosing instead to walk along with her eyes closed and sense her way with the help of her cane. While needed rest forces her to stop for a while, she has a vision of a little boy handing her a slice of marble cake. So many questions arise in the minds of the readers. Who was the little boy? Is she halluci...

Michael Fays Conviction in Singapore :: essays research papers

In this article, a young American boy, Michael Fay, who lived in Singapore, was convicted of vandalism and was sentenced to a flogging. The author of this article, Mike Royko, was American, and was on Fay’s side, he thinks that a flogging is wrong. Royko defines what Fay did as â€Å"mischief†. Giving someone a rubber pencil when they ask to borrow a real pencil is mischief, spray painting, egging, switching license plates and tearing down street signs is vandalism, which is more serious than mischief. I think that Royko was trying to downplay what Fay did, to prove his point that flogging is much too harsh for vandals. President Clinton became involved in the case because as the President of the United States he has to protect his citizens, whether they are one mile away from him in the United States, or if they are on the other side of the world. He might not have wanted to intervene, he might not have cared at all about Michael Fay, but the public did, and it would not look good if he said he did not care. When President Clinton asked the governor of Singapore to ease up on the punishment, he told Clinton to mind his own business. The government does have the right to punish its citizens in the way they see fit. In a city as densely populated as Singapore, they cannot have people running around doing whatever they feel like, and then getting off with a small fine and some community service. Clinton could ask them, but they do not have to comply. Clinton was also on precarious territory, because there is a big trade industry between Singapore and the U.S., and losing that, would mean losing billions of dollars. Like most Americans, the author of this article strongly opposed the flogging, which is not surprising. It is not surprising because since he is an American, and because he is, he is used to the customs here, but also because Fay was an American just like Royko. They had something in common, and people like people who are like them. Even though that was practically the only thing he knew about Fay, it was something they shared. They had shared the rights and freedoms of being an American, while living there. If it had been someone from any other country, Mike Royko, would not have cared nearly as much.

Company structure Essay

1. Explain the reasons why the organisational structure in any business is important 2. Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice. Management and culture diversity 3. Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this? In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this. 4. As mass communication and transport continue to grow, societies are becoming more and more alike leading to a phenomenon known as globalization. Some people fear that globalization will inevitably lead to the total loss of cultural identity. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? When international media (including movies, fashion shows, advertisements and other TV programmes) convey the same messages to the global audience, people argue that the expansion of international media has negative impacts on cultural diversity. What is your opinion? 5. Some people think using cultural heritage to develop international tourism is wrong. Others think that is the only way to protect cultural heritage. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Marketing 6. Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 7. Advertising is all around us; it is an unavoidable part of everyone’s life. Some people say that advertising is a positive part of our lives while others say it is a negative one. What is your opinion? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. 8. Do you think that ‘word of mouth’ is the best method of advertising? 9. What makes an effective advertisement? 10. In what ways can producers or retailers try to persuade customers to try new products? Pricing 11. In your opinion, are prices the only factor that makes people buy products? Give explanation. 12. Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems. To what extend do you agree or disagree? What other measures do you think might be effective? The costs of medical health care are increasing all the time. Governments are finding it difficult to balance the health care budget. Should citizens be totally responsible for their own health costs and take out private health insurance, or is it better to have a comprehensive health care system which provides free health services for all? Discuss. 13. It is said that â€Å"you have what you pay for†. Do you agree/ disagree with this statement? 14. Offering high prices is always good. Do you agree or disagree? 15. Offering ‘off sales’ is always good. Do you agree or disagree? 16. More and more people are becoming overweight. Some people say that increasing the price of unhealthy or high-fat foods will solve this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Arbitration The only way to solve a serious crisis between two nations is by going to war. What is your opinion? 17. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of arbitration 18. The advantages of arbitration outweigh disadvantages. Do you agree? Discuss International Trade 19. Some people pay money for the things they want or need. Other people trade products or goods for what they need. Compare the advantages of these two ways of obtaining things. Which way do you prefer? Explain why Improvements in health, education and trade are essential for the development of poorer nations. However, the governments of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas. â€Å"Free trade cannot be said to be beneficial to all sections of a trading nation. As such, it is necessary for it to be accompanied by an income redistribution policy.† Discuss 20. â€Å"While a country as a whole will gain from trading with other nations, this does not mean that all sections of the community within the country will benefit.† Discuss. 21. â€Å"Free trade is good for some but bad for others† Discuss this statement 22. â€Å"Everyone benefits from free trade!† Discuss â€Å"While protectionism is bad, the World Trade Organisation preference for the use of tariffs over quotas as a protectionist device is extremely sensible.† Discuss. What are the key principles underlying the operation of the WTO? To what extent do these principles make economic sense? 23. What are the advantages and disadvantages of international trade? 24. What are the advantages of international trade to businesses? 25. Globalization makes rich countries richer and poor countries poorer. Do you agree? Banking 26. For hundreds of years, the monetary system of most countries has been based on the exchange of metal coins and printed pieces of paper. However, because of recent developments in technology, the international community should consider replacing the entire system of coins and paper with a system of electronic accounts of credits and debits.’ Discuss the extent to which you agree/ disagree with the expression above. Support your point of view with reasons/ examples from your own experience, observations or reading. 27. Many people are using credit cards or loans to run up personal debts that they may be unable to repay. It should therefore be made difficult for individuals to borrow large amount of money. What is your opinion on this? 28. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using credit cards? Many people who work in the banking and finance industries earn very much more than nurses, teachers and other people who work for their local communities. Some people think this is unfair. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience. 29. How do banks facilitate the workings of modern life? 30. What are roles of banks in international trade? Financing international trade 31. Documentary credit is often used to finance international trade. Why is it chosen so widely? Are there any risks or disadvantages for the exporter and the importer when they decide to use documentary credit? 32. Someday paper money and coins will be replaced by credit cards and online methods of monetary exchange. Do you agree or disagree? 33. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with using credit card. 34. Why is letter of credit the commonest method of payment in international trade? 35. What are the advantages and disadvantages of letter of credit? 36. What are the advantages and disadvantages of open account method of payment? Financial Statements Financial education should be a mandatory component of the school program. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? 36. Write an essay on the importance of financial statements of a company. Suggested points: + How many types of financial statements are there? + What purpose are they used for? + What are the features of each type? M&A 37. Discuss the Advantages and Disadvantages of Company Mergers and Acquisitions. 38. What are the reasons for the failure of many Mergers and Acquisitions? 39. Why are there high rates of failure of Mergers and Acquisitons? Exchange rates â€Å"Forecasting exchange rates is essentially a waste of effort.† Discuss Topics for essay writing 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of international trade? 2. What are the advantages of international trade to businesses? 3. Globalization makes rich countries richer and poor countries poorer. Do you agree? 4. Why is letter of credit the commonest method of payment in international trade? 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of letter of credit? 6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of open account method of payment? 7. How do banks facilitate the workings of modern life? 8. What are roles of banks in international trade? 2. What makes an effective advertisement? 3. In what ways can producers or retailers try to persuade customers to try new products? 4. Explain the method of Mark-up price or the Cost-plus pricing 11. Explain what the Product mix pricing strategy is and give an example to illustrate your point.

The Importance of Voting

Voting is crucial in the progression of our society, good or bad, and our future. The simple act of voting can change the entire United States of America. It can aid in the positive or negative political growth, creating allies with other countries, or simple things such as our rights as the American citizens. In order to vote, some political background should be present. This eliminates the issue of voting for a certain political party based solely from others beliefs. This knowledge can be obtained from basic research such as articles, novels, and trusted internet websites. Many people decide to vote before they truly know who they are voting for. Some may not even be educated on politics at all. For me what makes it so important is the amendments, we the people have a right to vote. Like the second amendment the right to bear arms there are some out there that want to take that away but to me, I think they're crazy for insisting that diminishing the use of firearms get rid of some crime issues. Criminals will find a way to get gun, whether it is legal or not, this will only stop the law abiding citizens from the right to carry. I believe that school can setup a system to keep guns out of schools. For me a firearm is is for hunt and protection, what they have been used for many generations. Our veterans had fought for our right to vote for what we believe in. People complain on how things are going in this country but most don't even vote so the have no right to complain because they're not trying to vote for what they believe that will make things better for we the people. As far as political growth is considered, many people believe straight Republican or straight Democrat. When someone is elected of a different political party, this creates a divide in our country. During election, when you look at the polls it is easy to notice that certain areas are predominantly one party. If it comes down to it, just a few votes could change the outcome entirely. For example, if your family is straight republican party, yet the democratic party is up in the election, encouraging your family and friends who share a common beliefs as you, can make quite a huge change. On the flip side of the spectrum, if you vote based solely off of what others believe, this could open the door for even a larger amount of dispute between groups. Personally, I was anti- Hillary Clinton from the start due to the fact that she considers herself a Modern Democrat as well as analyzing the way her husband ran our country while in office. Donald Trump not only is a Republican, he also has done many things to impact our economy in a positive way. This is an example of deriving information from trusted sources and voting for a party that I truly agree with. Another reason that it is important to vote is because we need to be able to create relationships with other countries. Our economy runs based off of the trade of goods and services to and from other countries. Having resources available that come from China, Taiwan, and many other countries helps our economy grow stronger. However, due to past electorates, we are very far indebted to China, this is one thing that Trump is working on eliminating. Being in debt to other countries creates conflict which directly leads to war. Voting is necessary to run a country and as a citizen on the United States of America, I believe that it is my duty to ensure that I have voted for the person I believe will run our country properly and effectively. To me, the most important thing that I look for in a possible president is if they have a common political view as me, someone who knows how to create allies with neighboring countries, and most importantly, someone who will not try to eliminate the so called, unalienable rights, guaranteed to citizens.