John Steinbeck Essays (1201 words) - John Steinbeck, Salinas Valley

John Steinbeck A novelist is someone who writes novels, or writes a fancy work of fiction which often has a complicated plot, many major and minor characters, a significant theme, and several varied settings. A novelist will use literary devices such as characterization, tone, symbolism, imagery, and figurative language. John Steinbeck, an American novelist, uses many literary devices such as metaphors, similes, imagery, and figurative language along with excellent descriptive words to develop his characters and vividly describe their surroundings. His masterly of these and other techniques, in my opinion, is why John Steinbecks novels, like The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, have survived the test of time. Johns writing style was developed from the experiences in his life; this may be why he is so interesting to read, because John has had an interesting life. John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in the Salinas Fertile Valley, California. His father, John Ernst Steinbeck, was a simple farmer and the treasurer of Monterey County, California. His mother, Olive Hamilton Steinbeck, was a school teacher and she was the one person who was responsible for introducing him to the wonderful world of famous literature. She also read and taught him Shakespeare and other famous writers. John Steinbeck had two younger sisters, Ester and Elizabeth. John grew up in Salinas on a farm and was surrounded by animals and other forms of nature, this is the main reason that John had such a love of all forms of nature and wildlife. He graduated from Salinas High School in 1919 and then went to Standford University in 1920. At Standford he published The Standford Spectatorm, his first short story. Durin g a break from Standford, John got a job on Spreckels Ranch near Salinas. While he worked there, he was able to observe firsthand the lives of bindle stiffs and ranch bosses. These observations would later on become the characters in Of Mice and Men. John eventually dropped out of Standford University and began his career as a full-time writer. In 1930, Steinbeck meet Ed Ricketts, who soon is to be his life-long friend. Also that year, he married his sweetheart, Ms. Carol Henning. He then moved to Pacific Grove to find a publisher for A God Unknown. He failed to find a publisher but that did not stop him and he began writing stories for Pastures of Heaven. While writing this short story, he met another man that also became his friend for live by the name of Joseph Campbell. Joseph was a Jungian and a mythologist. He also was the person responsible for getting Steinbecks Pastures of Heaven published later that year. In 1933, Joseph also helped publish To a God Unknown and The Red Pon y Stories. 1934 was an extremely tragic year for Mr. Steinbeck, the year began good when his story, The Murder, appeared in O. Henry Prize Stories. Later that year, John was dealt a tremendous blow when his mother died. John was so upset that he did not write anything for another year. Then when he began to recover and start writing again, his father died in 1936. At that time, John Steinbeck was about half way through writing Of Mice and Men. Again because of Johns despair, he was not able to finish this book right away. But finally he was able to finish it in 1937, and it was published and became his first best seller. In 1939, Steinbecks had his favorite year, John was elected to The National Institute of Arts and Letters. He also published his Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Grapes of Wraith. The year of 1944 had many ups and downs for John Steinbeck. A wonderful event was the birth of his first son on the second of August. John had to fight to have his name removed from the cr edits of Lifeboat because he believed he did not believe in racism and he believed it was involved and promoted in the film. In 1962, Steinbeck was honored again with the award of The Nobel Prize in literature. John Steinbecks use of Charicterization and Imagery can easily be show through his best selling novel Of Mice and Men. The book

A Summary of Margaret Atwoods The Edible Woman

A Summary of Margaret Atwoods The Edible Woman The Edible Woman is the first novel by Margaret Atwood, published in 1969. It tells the story of a young woman who struggles with society, her fiancà ©, and food. It is often discussed as an early work of feminism. The protagonist of The Edible Woman is Marian, a young woman with a job in consumer marketing. After she gets engaged, she becomes unable to eat. The book explores Marian’s questions of self-identity and her relationships with others, including her fiancà ©, her friends, and a man whom she meets through her work. Among the characters is Marian’s roommate, who wants to get pregnant but surprisingly does not want to get married. Margaret Atwood’s layered, somewhat fanciful style in The Edible Woman explores themes of sexual identity and consumerism. The novel’s ideas about consumption work on a symbolic level. Is Marian unable to consume food because she is being consumed by her relationship? Additionally, The Edible Woman examines a woman’s inability to eat side by side with the unhappiness in her relationship, although it was published at a time when the psychology of eating disorders was not commonly discussed. Margaret Atwood has written dozens of books, including The Handmaid’s Tale and The Blind Assassin, which won the Booker Prize. She creates strong protagonists and is known for exploring feminist issues and other questions of contemporary society in unique ways. Margaret Atwood is one of the most prominent Canadian writers and a major figure in contemporary literature. Main Characters Clara Bates: She is a friend of Marian McAlpin. Quite pregnant with her third child as the book begins, she dropped out of college for her first pregnancy. She represents traditional motherhood and sacrifices for ones children.  Marian finds Clara rather boring and believes she needs rescuing. Joe Bates: Claras husband, a college instructor, who does quite a bit of the work at home. He stands for marriage as a way to protect women. Mrs. Bogue: Marians department head and a prototypical professional woman. Duncan: Marians love interest, very different than Peter, Marians  fiancà ©. He is not particularly attractive, not ambitious, and he pushes Marian to be real. Marian McAlpin: The protagonist, learning to cope with life and people. Millie, Lucy, and Emmy, the Office Virgins: they symbolize what is artificial in womens stereotypical roles of the 1960s Len (Leonard) Shank: A friend of Marian and Clara, a lecherous skirt-chaser according to Marian. Ainsley is trying to trick him into fathering her child, but he is the opposite of the married father, Joe Bates. Fish (Fischer) Smythe: Duncans roommate, who plays a special role near the end in Ainsleys life. Ainsley Tewce: Marians roommate, the ultra-progressive, aggressive opposite of Clara and, perhaps, also Marians opposite. She is anti-marriage at first, then switches two different kinds of moral earnestness. Trevor: Duncans roommate. Trigger: A late-marrying friend of Peters. Peter Wollander: Marians  fiancà ©, a good catch who proposes to Marian because it is a sensible thing to do. He wants to mold Marian into his idea of the perfect woman. Woman Down Below: The landlady (and her child) who represents a kind of strict moral code. Summary Marians relationships are introduced and she introduces people to each other.  Peter proposes and Marian accepts, giving over her responsibility to him, though she seems aware that is not her true self. Part 1 is told in Marians voice. Now with an impersonal narrator of the story, people shift. Marian becomes fascinated with Duncan and begins to have trouble eating food.  She also imagines her body parts are disappearing. She bakes a cake-woman for Peter, who refuses to take part in it. Ainsley teachers her how to put on a false smile and a fancy red dress. Marian shifts again, finding herself rooted again in reality and she watches Duncan eat the cake.

Make a Simple Weather Barometer

Make a Simple Weather Barometer People predicted the weather back in ye good olde days before Doppler radar and GOES satellites using simple instruments. One of the most useful instruments is a barometer, which measures air pressure or barometric pressure. You can make your own barometer using everyday materials and then try to forecast the weather yourself.   Barometer Materials glass, jar, or canplastic wrapa strawrubber bandindex card or lined notebook papertapescissors Construct the Barometer Cover the top of your container with plastic wrap. You want to create an airtight seal and a smooth surface.Secure the plastic wrap with a rubber band. The most important part of making the barometer is getting a good seal around the rim of the container.Lay the straw over the top of the wrapped container so that about two-thirds of the straw is over the opening.Secure the straw with a piece of tape.Either tape an index card to the back of the container or else set up your barometer with a sheet of notebook paper behind it.Record the location of the straw on your card or paper.Over time the straw will move up and down in response to changes in air pressure. Watch the movement of the straw and record the new readings. How the Barometer Works High atmospheric pressure pushes on the plastic wrap, causing it to cave in. The plastic and the taped section of straw sink, causing the end of the straw to tilt up. When atmospheric pressure is low, the pressure of the air inside the can is higher. The plastic wrap bulges out, raising the taped end of the straw. The edge of the straw falls until it comes to rest against the rim of the container. Temperature also affects atmospheric pressure so your barometer needs a constant temperature in order to be accurate. Keep it away from a window or other places that experience temperature changes. Predicting the Weather Now that you have a barometer you can use it to help predict the weather. Weather patterns are associated with regions of high and low atmospheric pressure. Rising pressure is associated with dry, cool, and calm weather. Dropping pressure forecasts rain, wind, and storms. Quickly-rising pressure that starts from average or high pressure during fair weather indicates a low-pressure cell is approaching. You can expect the pressure to start to fall as poor weather approaches.Quickly rising pressure (over a few hours or a couple of days) after a period of low pressure means you can expect a short period of good weather.Slowly rising barometric pressure (over a week or so) indicates good weather that will stick around a while.Slowly falling pressure indicates the presence of a nearby low-pressure system. Changes in your weather are unlikely at this time.If the pressure continues to drop slowly you can expect a long period of bad (as opposed to sunny and clear) weather.A sudden drop in pressure (over a few hours) indicates an approaching storm (usually arriving within 5-6 hours). The storm probably involves wind and precipitation, but wont last long.

The Discrimination in Employment based on Age Essay

The Discrimination in Employment based on Age - Essay Example An important aspect of the political, economic and social programmes of the member states of the European Union is full citizenship for all citizens of the Union regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, religious beliefs or other potentially discriminatory factors. The effects of chronological age - defined in social terms in relation to an individual's chosen or forced behaviour on the grounds of age - has been an issue of political, economic and social relevance since the implementation of the First Action Programme on Ageing, and culminates provisionally with the European Employment Directive (2000/78/EC). Legislation outlawing age discrimination in employment and vocational training has will thus come into force by this year 2006.in the European Union come into force by 2006 at the latest. UK government policy aims to encourage older people to remain active within the workforce. This is in part recognition of the rise in longevity and the importance of living a healthy active contribut ory later life, but it is also to compensate for the potentially large take-up of pension benefits in the future. Saving throughout the life course and working later in life is also seen as a means of ensuring a satisfactory level of income in old age. Employers both directly and indirectly encourage however there is evidence that early withdrawal from the labour market through age discrimination. Age discrimination occurs when someone makes or sees a distinction on the basis of because of another person's age and uses this as a basis for prejudice against and unfair treatment of the person. Across the Europe there is thus evidence that age is taken into account in recruitment policies at both ends of the age range; i. iIncreasing numbers of workers are obliged or persuaded to leave the workplace 5-15 years before the state pension age; eii. Early exit is decided on the grounds of age rather than on performance and abilities and skills needsrequirements; iii. eEarly exit for persons aged over 50 years is equivalent to permanent exit; iv. tThere is widespread employers' practice of targeting older workers for job losses. The types of discrimination to be addressed are dDirect discrimination (less favourable treatment).

Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 21

Marketing - Assignment Example Mr. Khan a banker as well as an expert swimmer was a participant of this fateful underwater reality challenge which was co created by the two multinational giants, Unilever and mindshare, who are still unable to account for the tragic accident that took place. During the execution of the same stunt, Mr. Khan apparently lost control, he tossed, turned and struggled but could never recover and eventually drowned while performing this challenge for the program. Daunted and terrified co-contestants and crew hurried and tried to save but could not find him in the murky, misty waters of the lake. It is believed, that the personal security precautions were inadequate at the time of shooting the stunt, while participants also seem to lack training or briefing for the very harsh fateful reality show. Besides the inadequate security measures, the underlying question of corporate social responsibility of the two multinational giants, in the making of this reality show still remains unanswered. And it seems there was no document regarding the planning and preparation of the show. Moreover, Unilever, being the fastest growing FMCG in the world, had control over the media, and swept away any news regarding the dreadful event. The traditional media was put on silence and was forbidden to utter any word related to Mr. khan’s tragic death. This avoidance of media, has called into question the social, ethical, as well as the moral responsibilities of the

Impact of Corruption in Nigeria

Impact of Corruption in Nigeria CORRUPTION AND ITS IMPACT ON INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (NIGERIA AS A CASE STUDY) (FEBRUARY 2014) Abstract Corruption is no news in the world today. We can see corruption in our daily lives, let alone in our businesses and the way economies as a whole deal with corruption every day. That is why discussing corruption and seeking ways on how to deal with it in International business is inevitable. I chose Nigeria as a case study for obvious reasons; I am Nigerian and unarguably Nigeria is the Giant of Africa vast in its natural resources but unfortunately Nigeria is still battling with corruption which is crumbling our already poor nation and taken a toll on our International Business relations pushing potential business and development further away. This paper seeks to attempt to show why corruption is predominant in developing countries, its impact on International Business in developing economies and possible recommendations. I will first start by giving you a brief picture into Nigeria’s biggest export and make an attempt to analyze corruption itself. Introduction International Business is all commercial transaction between two or more countries and the goal of the private business is to make profits while the government is motivated by profit or political reasons (Daniels, Radebaugh, and Sullivan 2007). Business has become more global, trading has become easier with different regional trading blocs. This only encourages companies and economies to engage in International Business to boost its economy. Several economic theories show how countries’ competitiveness with other and Nigeria certainly has an Absolute Advantage in the Oil sector. Nigeria is a country with diverse and enormous mineral resources like crude oil, coal, zinc, semi-precious stone and gold to name but a few. Nigeria exports petroleum, petroleum products, cocoa and rubber. Nigeria is also rich with great human resources hence a great destination for business. The sudden growth of Oil in the 1970s led Nigeria to the abandonment of its strong agricultural and light manufacturing bases in favor of an unhealthy dependence on crude oil. Oil and gas exports account for more than 95% of export earnings and over 80% of federal government revenue. However, the success story in the sector has lead it thus far making Nigeria, the United States largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, supplying 8% of U.S. oil imports which is half of Nigerias daily oil production .The country is also the fifth-largest exporter of oil to the United States. Nigeria is a member of the functional Commodity Agreements in the world; Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and its current crude oil production averages over 1 million barrels per day with oil reserves are estimated to be 36 billion barrels; natural gas reserves are over 100 trillion cubic feet. (Source 21 Feb 2012: http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/index.php/2012-10-29-11-05-46/economy) Table 1.1 Nigeria Economic Overview 2014 Nigeria Economy Overview Region Sub-Saharan Africa Income Category Lower middle income Population 168,833,776 GNI Per Capita (US$) 1,430 City covered Lagos Doing Business 2014 Rank Doing Business 2013 Rank Change in Rank 147 138 -9 Doing Business 2014 DTF(% points) Doing Business 2013 DTF(% points) Improvement in DTF(% points) 46.62 46.33 0.29 (Source 21 Feb 2014: http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nigeria/ ) Corruption â€Å"The world is a chain, one link to another† Maltese Proverb, and with the rapid pace of globalization and the increase in the volume of International trade and investment , coupled with ongoing corporate scandals, has escalated the importance of issues relating to Corruption, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Politics (Rodriguez et al, 2006). As foreign firms expanded into, and new firms were born within, developing and transition economies governments, managers and scholars grew more aware of the magnitude of corruption and the need to understand and address it. Corruption has been described by several authors using very fancy words but keeping it simple; it is a wrongful act that affects the well-being of the society. Corruption abuses power for private gain and it affects everyone who depends on the integrity of people in a leadership position. It can be manifested through bribery, illegal gratuity, extortion, conflicts of interest, kickback, and corporate espionage and through commissions/fees (Source 21 Feb 2014: http://www.sfo.gov.uk/briberycorruption/briberycorruption.aspx) In public offices several ardent writers relate corruption with the continuous malicious use for self-financial gain but this is not exclusively the case because corruption also exists in both (small and large) private enterprises and their gains arise because of embezzlement, conflicts of interest, abuse of power, exploitation, bribery and fraud. (Sikka, 2008). Corruption in Developing Countries Unfortunately, it is not news to our ears that Nigeria is headed to being completely destroyed by corruption if continuous effort to curb it is not pursued vigorously. Well, I’m of the opinion the root cause of the present Nigerian corruption problem is the overarching crude oil economy and politics over the years. Transparency International is has efficiently made available a Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) which ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. The scale of 0 100, in the CPI is a s follows; 0 indicating that a country is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 indicating it is perceived as very clean. Please note the countries perceived as very clean and where those countries originate from compared to those perceived as highly corrupt further stressing my view that developing countries are highly corrupt due to the economic conditions thus affecting business. (Source 21 Feb 2014: http//www.transparency.org). Copy of CPI2013_GLOBAL_WithDataSourceScores.xls Nigeria is at 144, alarming! looking past tables in the Transparency International website in 2004, Nigeria was at 90. The last country on the list is an African one, Somalia. This goes without saying. If you look at the economic situation in Somalia, it is obvious. The poorer the nation the higher the corruption. But how can there be a balance? A nation needs Foreign Direct Investment to boost its economy. The Porter Diamond Theory (Daniels et al 2007) which naturally should help boost a nation may not work in a developing country like Nigeria, according to this theory companies’ development of international competitive product depends on their success in their home country, this theory is not feasible in most developing economies, these countries need foreign investors to set companies to harness the demands of the nation but with corruption as one of the factors affecting International Business, how will be nation grow strong enough to combat it? Sadly, Nigeria has no excuse for its failure so far, at present the problem of corruption issues has been saddled in into the laps of three government bodies: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), with little or no success considering Nigeria is still falling below the world’s Confidence Interval year on year, so how can International Business be seamless? You can also find current shocking details about bribery/corruption in Nigeria on bribenigeria.com. Won’t a corporation or nation rather deal with another continent with a lower corruption issue than invest or trade with a nation who is known for corruption? If I were to answer, my answer will be no. I believe that developed countries in the world have a better advantage over the fight against corruption because developed countries do not face the several challenges that developed countries face, so third world countries or developing countries like Nigeria, still have a long way to go. Multinational Corporation’s interest in fighting Corruption in International Business It has been argued that governments and host communities  may be interested in eradicating poverty, promoting education, health care and  human rights, but corporations may not necessarily share such goals. They are  essentially ‘private’ organisation and are required by law to prioritise the welfare of  the shareholders (capital) above other stakeholders (Sikka, 2008). Corporations’ today  should to conduct their operations responsibly with accountability to wider  society and legitimise their social power corporations may acknowledge some social  responsibilities, but they most often times can’t buck the systemic requirement to increase profits  and dividends to the benefit of capital. Businesses and organizations are set up to create wealth, and so far it is a very highly  effective tool for doing so. No limitations, whether legal, ethical or moral limit  are set to what or whom corporations can exploit to create wealth for themselves and their  owners. According to Sikka (2008), ‘such practices seems to be part  of the ‘enterprise culture’ that persuades many to believe that ‘bending the rules’ for  personal gain is a sign of business acumen’ (pg. 270). Competitive  advantages is considered to be an entrepreneurial skill, especially when competitive  business environment link profit and market shares with meeting global business  target. We see that the use of bribery and inducement to secure competitive advantages is primarily a  matter of executive discretion rather than any legal or moral compulsion. It has been  argued that this discretion may be used to enrich directors since their remuneration  is influenced by the level of profits and return to capital. Markets therefore exert  pressure on companies to generate ever increasing profits and returns as capitalism  does not provide any guide to upper limits of accumulation (Sikka, 2010). Companies  can generate additional returns for finance capital, not only through competitive  advantages on products and services, but also through bribery and other  inducements to secure government contracts which are the big and guaranteed revenue even though payments are delayed .In an attempt to satisfy the corporate  goal unfortunately everybody else is put at risk. Generally, the codes of business conduct include statements rejecting the payment or  acceptance of bribes, collusion, pressure or illegitimate favour, either directly or  through third parties whether public officers or private individuals but are often not respected. Y their involvement in corrupt practices and other anti-social practices cannot therefore be  reconciled with their business codes of conduct (Sikka, 2008, 2010; Otusanya, 2012). Environmental turbulence and threats to their reputation are managed by publishing corporate social responsibility (CSR) statements and code of conduct that promise ethical behaviour, improvement of economic and social infrastructure and quality of life of all stakeholders (Phillips, 2003; Sikka, 2010). Looking at it critically even if one organization restrains itself, the superior profits of competitors and business environment exert pressure to explore ways of matching or exceeding that,  thus the tendency to increase profits through corrupt practices as a means of gaining competitive advantages remains embedded within the corporate enterprise culture. In the end, it is a â€Å"means† to an â€Å"end† or â€Å"we all want to make money† some would say. Impact of Corruption in the International Business world Without a doubt corrupt activity hinders development, contributes to the depletion of the public purse and distorts markets, furthering hindering local and Foreign Direct Investment. The growth of a nation depends on the redistribution of its wealth since the middle class and poor benefit is much greater than the affluent, who loss out of the re-distributional process. Countries suffering from corruption cannot implement sound re-distributional policies and are not expected to take benefit from sustainable economic development despite engaging upon economic growth from time to time for some reason or the other. No country or company would like to engage in business with falling economies. Another pitfall is it becomes a way of life. Corruption is like a way of life in Nigeria, from the secretary that sits at the office expecting to receive a â€Å"gift† before passing the cheque for signature to our leaders who can only award contracts by our wonderful saying â€Å" if you help me, I go help you† ( *pidgin English which means if you scratch my back, I scratch yours). There are other things to consider, for instance the level of poverty. Nigerians do not know any way out. Word on the street, is you have to be smart, so you can survive. And survival here is relative. The danger of this is that is rubs off on the nation as a whole. Our image and reputation is constantly taunted. Business people need to find out if they need to cut corners before making an investment in Nigeria and need to know the â€Å"Man at the top† before the contract is awarded It ridicule’s the concept of open and fair competition; hence the continual decline of the economy. *â€Å"Pidgin English† is the low class English spoken on the streets in Nigeria† Summary International Business as stated earlier involves all commercial transactions, private and governmental, sales, investment, transportation that takes place between two or more countries for developing countries to find a way to curb corruption to its minimum; it must first start from the sectors and the leadership. Not forgetting that the various modes of entry ranging from Imports and Exports, Tourism Transportation, Licensing and Franchising, Turnkey Operations, Management Contracts, Direct and Foreign investments need to be rid of corruption (Daniel et al 2007). In the case of Nigeria, it makes sense that any effort to eradicate corruption in must start with the oil sector, because of its all-encompassing effects on other sectors of the economy and move immediately to harnessing other natural resources, focus on production of resources that the economy has demand for thus providing job opportunities for several people. Secondly, the law enforcement would need to sanitize its own department because it is a pity that in developing countries they are the most corrupt. I’m not confident of the efficacy of the sanctions and restitution imposed and how is it been effective handled, however if sanctions from those found guilty of corruption can also be re enforced. Finally, as also noted earlier, unfortunately it has become a way of life. The biggest step will be sensitization. The media and institutions of learning will have to collaborate to ensure these morals are instilled. A full blast media campaign on the effects, combined with tutorials in classes will surely make an impact. The earlier an individual realizes that it is not a norm, the better. People should not accept or give bribe and not cut corners the better for the whole society. Corruption can be tackled, it may take forever but with collaboration and eyes on the bigger picture; when purely looking at it from a business perspective, it is indeed wiser to build a good reputation that bring a lifelong investment than engage in activities that will only provide solutions for short term needs. References/Bibliography Daniels, Radebaugh and Sullivan (2007) ‘International Business Environments and Operations’, 11th Edition. Olatunde Julius Otusanya, Sarah Lauwo, Gbadegesin Babatunde Adeyeye (2012)  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A Critical Examination of the Multinational Companies’ Anti-Corruption Policy  in Nigeria† (Accountancy and Public Interest 2012). (Online journal 9th Feb 2014: http://visar.csustan.edu/aaba/Otusanya2012.pdf) Otusanya, O. J. (2011b) ‘Corruption as an Obstacle for Development in Developing  Countries: A Review of Literature’, Journal of Money Laundering Control, 14 (4):  387-422. Phillips, R. (2003) Stakeholder Theory and Organisational Ethics, San Francisco:  Berrett Koehler. Rodriguez et al (2006) ‘Three Lenses on the Multinational Enterprise: Politics,  Corruption, and Corporate Social Responsibility’, Rensselaer Working Papers in  Economics, No. 0608 New York. Sam Ejike Okoye. How to tackle corruption Effectively in Nigeria:  http://www.gamji.com/article4000/NEWS4930.htm (9 Feb 2014) Sikka, P. (2008a) ‘Enterprise Culture and Accountancy Firms: The New Master of  Universe’, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 21(2): 268-295. Sikka, P. (2010) ‘Smoke and Mirrors: Corporate Social Responsibility and Tax  Avoidance’, Being Paper Presented at Essex Accounting Centre, Essex Business  School, University of Essex, UK http://www.essex.ac.uk/ebs/research/working_papers/WP2010-5%20PS%20CSR%20and%20Tax%20Avoidance%20Revised%20April%202010.pdf. (9 Feb 2014) Udelove (2010) ‘Why Nigeria Is Referred to as the Giant of Africa’. StudyMode.com: http://www.studymode.com/essays/Why-Nigeria-Is-Referred-To-As-449209.htm (21 Feb.2014) Yima Sen ‘Political Economy of Corruption in Nigeria’:  http://www.gamji.com/article9000/NEWS9136.htm(9 Feb 2014) Web. 9 Feb 2014 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/nigeria/energy.htm> Web. 21st Feb .2014 http://www.transparency.org > Web .21 Feb.2014 http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/index.php/2012-10-29-11-05-46/economy> Web. 21 Feb 2014 http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nigeria/> Web. 21 Feb 2014 http://www.sfo.gov.uk/briberycorruption/briberycorruption.aspx>

Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity Essay

Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity People of different religions are in contact with each other every day, and do not even realize it. Here in the United States there is a compilation of many religions. Three major religions not only in the United States, but also throughout the world are Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. There are many differences, and few similarities when comparing Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. Not only are the backgrounds of these religions similar and different, but so are the practices that they still live out to this day. Hinduism originated between 4000 and 2000 BC. Hinduism believes in Karma, â€Å"you reap what you sow,† and reincarnation. Reincarnation is the belief that after death, the soul can come back to earth in another body. The Hindu trinity is the Brahma, Vishnu, and the Shiva, which are the three aspects of the same divine being. There are four goals in the life of a Hindu. They are Kama, Artha, Dharma, and Moksha. These mean the fulfillment of certain desires, wealth, religious duties, and not wanting things. The cow and the bull are both considered sacred and should not be slaughtered. So Hindus are forbidden from eating beef. There are many festivals affiliated with the Hindu religion, because they believe it keeps them close to their gods. At least once a month, there is a Hindu festival, where they celebrate their diversity. Islam is the second largest religion in the world, and the fastest growing religion in the world. Islam is the belief in the Judeo-Christian God. Muslims are monotheistic, and believe in the five pillars of Islam. The five pillars are the Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and the Hajj. The Shahada means testimony, Salat is for prayer, Zakat is for giving, Sawm is for fasting, and Hajj means pilgrimage. According to Muslims, Muhammad was a cornerstone of Islam, and he was god’s messenger. For Muslims, the pig is an unclean animal, and is forbidden to eat unless prepared in accordance with prescribed rules. Intoxicating drinks and substances are prohibited. Christianity is a major world religion that adapted over 2000 years ago. It is the belief that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God. The major text of Christianity is the Bible. The Bible concludes of an Old and a New Testament, and is a compilation of books. Christians have many ways of religious practices. There are festivals and feasts, which are usually celebrated on holidays. The communal worship takes place on Sundays and other days of the week in which people from the church come together for rituals. The last is private worship, which is used when one is alone, where they can engage in prayer, devotions, and spiritual practices. Islam is a religion founded by a prophet. In contrast, Hinduism is a group of religious traditions, established over a period of time. In Hinduism personalities do not count as much as the divine law or the dharma. So in Islam the message of Islam is far more important than the person of Muhammad himself. Unlike Christianity, Muslims do not worship their prophet. Unlike Islam, Hinduism is strictly monogamous. Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam all share similarities and differences. Unlike Hinduism, Christianity and Islam share the belief of only one god. Hindus have a god for fire, death, water, etc. The practices of Christianity and Islam are sometimes in groups, while Hinduism is practiced alone. All three religions believe in the efficacy of prayer. But Hinduism and Islam believe in the importance of remembering and reciting the names, words, and deeds of god, for inner purification. Unlike Islam and Christianity, Hinduism has the choice of an intervener between god and a person, such as a priest or a guru for assistance. Intimate relationships are not approved of in Islam and Hinduism. Dating is considered both irreligious and immoral. In these two religions along with Christianity, premarital sex is considered immoral also. In conclusion all three religions share that they believe in an afterlife, and strive for immortality. For all religions death is a normal and natural thing that leads to an eternal life. Christianity and Islam are closer together then Hinduism. Mostly Europeans adopted Christianity along with Islam in the 18th and 19th centuries. This means that both Christianity and Islam have been influenced in some ways by the European culture. The Europeans have pulled Christianity and Islam close together while the Europeans have never influenced Hinduism, which makes Hinduism different from the other two religions.