Company background Essay

BMW (www. bmw. com) continue maintaining their strong position as one of world’s leader in premium vehicle market besides Daimler-Chrysler, Lexus, and many others. The company established in March 7, 1916 when Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke (BFW) founded. One year later, BFW was renamed to Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH (BMW) that focused on producing cars and military aircraft at that time. Within several decades in the 20th century, the company performed several acquisitions on Rover and MINI, to name a few. However, the intense competition in automobile industry that becomes more segmented has driven BMW to focus on few brands. Under such circumstances, BMW decided to sell Rover Group in 2000 but still retaining MINI brands in the BMW Group. Therefore, BMW group (www. bmwgroup. com) now has three major brands: BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The three segments are all in premium cars segment, thus lessen the company’s effort in building brand awareness for their products. Figure 1 BMW Group Website Source: www. bmwgroup. com 1. Business Analysis The Automobile industry is one of the most competitive global industries in the world. This is because automobile companies are generally multinational in nature because they have the need to achieve economies of scale in their production. The automobile industry represents significant portion of GDP in US and Europe. They are considered of significant importance because their existence enables other industries to work. Most automobile markets bring possess significant influence whether in their domestic as well as global markets. Moreover, there is an indication that commencing the end of the 20th century, most of the markets in modern countries are saturated and the new trend of the industry is to find new and developing markets where they can deploy their products. Similarly, automobile manufacturers are tired of facing the cutthroat competition in their markets. The situation drives them to expand their services into Asia-Pacific regions, South East Asia and other developing regions. This strategy becomes the latest trend within the global automobile industry. This generates new trends in automobile designs and their tendencies. Cheaper and fuel-efficient cars are the design of this decade. Concerning the many facets of automobile industry, below is several business analysis tools that assess how the market behave, especially relates to development of premium markets where BMW serves. 3. 1 Strategic group: BCG Matrix As mentioned previously, BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke) maintains three major brands in their portfolio. Each of them has somewhat similar markets, the premium cars, but the company further determines particular markets that each of the product portfolio serve. This strategy is carried out to avoid unnecessary cannibalism among their products. In order to analyze the performance of each product portfolio in BMW group, we can use BCG Matrix. The matrix is named after the founder, Boston Consulting Group, a well-known global business consulting firm. The basic philosophy of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix is to assess various Strategic Business Units (SBUs) in a company portfolio. By definition, an SBU is a business unit in a company that has its own missions and objectives. It could be departments, divisions, or subsidiaries. In case of BMW group, the SBUs can be BMW product lines such as BMW 3, 5, 7 series, MINI, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The BCG Growth-Share matrix composes of four quadrants that each describe BMW product lines in relation to market share and market growth rate. The BCG matrix helps BMW to understand each of their product’s life cycle and position in the market better by charting each product in one of the four quadrants. Figure 1 shows the BCG Matrix of an organization: Figure 1 BCG Matrix Source: Tutor2U, 2007 The upper left quadrants in the matrix are stars. Stars are business units or product lines within BMW Group that undergo high growth or have strong position in the market. In other words, stars are business units that have large market shares in a fast growing industry (‘Boston Consulting Box’, 2005). The characteristics of stars are they generate cash and thus revenue for a company. However, as the market for the products grows rapidly, they require extensive investment to maintain their lead. If the strategy is successful, a star will soon become a cash cow when its industry matures. In case of BMW, the stars are their USA division since the marker experience fast growth. In 2003 alone, the USA division records a history since it become the Group’s strongest market with 8. 0% growth or represents the sales of 277,037 units in the 2003. In terms of product line, the stars are BMW 7 series as they continue achieving a growing pattern of sales. In 2003, the sales of BMW 7 series rose 8. 2% compared to previous year. Another star is BMW X5 that record a 4. 6% of growth or represents the sales of 105,554 units. The second quadrant in the lower left is cash cows. It is similar to main sources of revenues/income for a company where it represents a product line(s) that continue exhibiting low-growth businesses or they have a relatively high market share (‘Boston Consulting Box’, 2005). Cash Cow is a business unit that has a large market share in a mature, slow growing industry. Due to the slowing down of market growth, cash cows only need little investment and generate cash that can be used to invest in other business units. In BMW case, the cash cow is the home market, Germany. In the home country, BMW experiences declining trend in which in 2003, it recorded -0. 9% of growth compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, concerning the product lines, the cash cows are BMW 3 series and 5 series. The BMW 3 series, for example, have many models that all of them continue showing declining sales volume. The sales of BMW 3 series Limousine, for instances, decline by 5. 9% compared to 2002. Similarly, the sales of BMW 5 series also plummets by -23. 5% compared to the previous year sales volume. In the upper right of the matrix lie question marks. It represents BMW product line(s) that exhibit low market share but operate in higher growth markets (‘Boston Consulting Box’, 2005). These business units require resources to grow market share, but whether they will succeed and become stars is unknown or potentially less likely. The last quadrant is Dogs. They are BMW’s products lines that have low relative market share in unattractive, low-growth markets (‘Boston Consulting Box’, 2005). It means that dog is a business unit that has a small market shares in a matured industry. A dog may not require substantial cash, but it ties up capital that could better be deployed elsewhere. If a dog has no other strategic purpose, it had better to liquidate the product lines since the product lines have little opportunities to gain market share. Based on the above analysis, we can decide which BMW brands belongs to quadrants in BCG Matrix as following.

Provide Displays in Schools Essay

The school’s setting on displays show that displays are allowed on the walls in the classrooms, corridors, in the school hall and sometimes in the offices. By having displays up around the school it gives the children a sense of achievement and the children will feel valued. Also by having displays up on the walls in the school, it makes the school look brighter, and more cheerful. The policy on displays includes that the display should create awareness and give information. It should give information on what ever subject it has been based on. The display should have a clear title and name tags of who ever made the display, which shows the achievement of the child or class. Other pupils should learn from these displays and gain knowledge or experience. The children should always have an input with the displays, including colour, pattern and design of the display because this will get them working together and they will gain experience. A teacher or teaching assistant will decide where to put the display, and make sure that it is an appropriate place to put it, to make sure it is safe. The health and safety of the staff, pupils and visitors should be taken into consideration of the location of the display, just in case things stick out of this display because it may cause harm to someone. You should laminate the paper before sticking it on and blue tack should be used instead of pins because it is a lot safer and cleaner. The staff must be aware of the object on the display that could cause harm to someone. Someone should take regular inspection of the display just in case something has broken and is hanging off or has fallen to the floor, causing a health risk. It’s important to have displays in the school because it shows a sense of pride and appreciation of the children work, because nothing shows you like and appreciate someone’s work than hanging it so everyone can see it. The children will feel their work is thought of and valued. Also by having displays on the wall, they don’t go unnoticed which means when a display has had it’s time and needs to be updated, you can’t ignore it. It also means that you have to look after the display so it keeps a good example on the school and makes the people who made it look good. Displays can decorative and make a classroom look a lot more interesting and brighter. This can directly impact a pupil into a having a positive state of mind, helping a pupil try harder and complete work and learn, all from the motivation of a display. In general when you pass something everyday you tend to notice the details about it, so when you pass a big colourful display in the corridor you will gain more knowledge about it everyday. I think this benefits a child’s learning in the school. The risk assessment of the display is always important because you need to think of a lot of different things to ensure the staff, pupil and visitors safety. The first thing you need to think of is; where is the display? Is it in a suitable area where it will not damage or injure anyone? Another question you need to ask yourself is; what is on the display? You need to ensure that there is nothing on the display that is sharp, could burn or injure. It shouldn’t be able to dislodge, shouldn’t belong to anyone but you, it can’t be poisonous and it should not rot. You need to asses how things are fixed to the display because they should not be able to dislodge. You also need to think of who will interact with the display, for example a small child could be very interested in the display, but there could be heavy object attached to it. Therefore you will need to ensure the child’s safety by either not including this heavy object on the display, or putting it high enough and stable enough out of the child’s reach.

Financial Modelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Modelling - Essay Example This paper models an approach for estimation of the probability of default (PD) using publicly available information. It borrows from past research to develop an analytical approach and explore the provided data sample. Regulators are conventionally not the single constituency of individuals interested in PD estimate properties. Typically, PDs are products of credit asset pricings, from bonds, loans, as well as sophisticated instruments including credit derivatives. These are often needed for successful risk management. According to (DDDDD), default is however considered a rare event, more particularly, for high credit quality firms which constitute a bulk of huge corporate segment in any of the big banks. However, PDs can systematically vary with business cycle and hence unlike to remain stable over time. In this report, a number of factors are identified, factor which shape or rather act as determinants of probability of default. These include price to book ratio, age of firm, regi on where firm is located, firm’s sector, debt ratio, and size of the firms. According to Freedman (2005) regression analysis includes modeling and analysis of variables, with special focus on the relationship between a dependent variable and a set of independent variables. Its helps a researcher establish how the dependent variable is alters when one or more of the dependent variable is varied. ... ed in various firm metrics for the period following on the period for which default risk (probability of default) is calculated, and if the Fama and French risk factors, size and price to book ratio, are proxies for default effect. Vassalou & Xing (2004) looked for an effect of default risk on equity returns, and besides that, tested if the Fama and French factors size and book to market ratio, explain equity returns because they capture a default effect. Their findings reported that the size of a firm and its price to book ratio do not explain equity returns cross-section due to the fact that they contain information that is related to default risk. Additionally, the researchers conclude that high default risk can only be compensated by higher returns in small organizations which have a high price to book ratio. Population and Sample Selection While a number of factors have been used in the past to evaluate the default risk by firms, the reports limits itself to the probability of d efault as a measure of risk. Only a few major predictor variables were chosen for these studies investigations. The performance and various growth related indicators of probability of default were compared against each other. The data obtained was drawn from a large base of firms, each of whose the probability of default was related against the selected variables and a pattern proposed. It is important to emphasize that no causal relationship is assumed but rather the variables are merely used as predictors. The study sample comprised of data from 300 firms, each with known probability of default and a multiple other variables. Sample Selection Given the large number of corporations across the globe, the data obtained was limited to only 300 firms whose full range of data as per the

Labor Market and Minimum Wage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Labor Market and Minimum Wage - Essay Example ns for their youth the disemployment effects are smaller, and in countries where labor market is regulated the minimum wage standards have the least impact on disemployment (Neumark & Wascher, 2003). Labor demand in the present era is determined by the rapid changes in technology which have placed more emphasis on increasing productivity by dependence on computerization and software rather than the human workforce. This might present an inference that the average labor requirement will decrease as the industries become increasingly technology driven. However this is not true as the change will only be in the quality and not the quantum of workforce, as human input will be needed to run such technologies. Any increase in minimum wage usually affects the employment pattern of a country in a negative manner. The most affected are the younger workforce who usually work on much less wages and therefore become unemployed. The usual analysis of the effects of fixing a minimum wage were usually done by using a ‘time-series’ method where the impacts were studied over a specific period. However the approach misses on some aspects like the relation of data to other contributing factors such as recession and other labor market policies. A cross sectional data analysis approach was therefore preferable to arrive at a more pertinent and accurate conclusion ((Neumark & Wascher, 2003). The authors’ analysis suggested that other factors contributed much more towards unemployment rather than the fixing of a higher minimum wage alone. Recession was cited as one of the prime factors affecting employment patterns. Any increase in the minimum wages makes employment seem more attractive than studies to those in late teens and thereby disturbs the equilibrium. However with the latest trend of changes in the labor market from traditional industries like production and manufacturing to more sophisticated ones like the service industry and those involving technical knowhow like

American Revolutionary War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Revolutionary War - Research Paper Example The American colonists had a different way of undertaking their activities even though they emigrated from Great Britain. In the American region, individuals carried on their activities even without seeking permission from Great Britain, which was considered to control the region as a colony. The British argued that colonies were formed, in order to, be utilized for the success of the colonialists, therefore, had to contain a crown, as well as a parliament. Consequently, the British administration showed no support for the issues of having a crown as well as the legislature. Colonists experienced many unlawful and unconstitutional acts from King George who was at that time the leader within the entire Great Britain (DOI 1). In response, the colonists were angered by the actions undertaken by the king leading to the emergence of the Revolutionary War. The war commenced as a result of the urge to embrace freedom for the populaces around America. The populace rejected the control of the region by Great Britain leading to the war. At that time, Britain had little supplies for war since it has previously engaged in warfare with the French and other nations. England has resolved to create terror for the populaces after the rejection of control although they persisted throughout the war. The populaces wanted the eradication of rules concerning various issues such as intolerable acts as well as eradication of unfair duties (DOI 1). In addition, they demanded a representation inside the governing body in order to make Great Britain conscious of their needs. Upon the refusal of these demands by Great Britain, the populaces in America affirmed their sovereignty. Therefore, they had the drive to attained sovereignty thus the ability to conduct their activities without scrutiny from Great Britain. In Boston, the urge to be sovereign had already arisen ascribed to the massacre that had transpired in 1770. In the massacre, numerous Ameri cans without arms were shot at and instantly murdered by the army that was from the British origin. The anger in the populace from the Boston acted as the driving force for seeking independence for the people within that region of America. Similarly, other people had their individuals drives towards the strive for independence or sovereignty with other having multiple drives such as the acts that were considered exploitive and the numerous duties imposed on the populace. Additionally, the undertakings that the British government had carried out in American soils had been the foremost contributors towards the war. Prologue of the Intolerable acts that emerged from holding the Tea Party by the Boston populace in 1774 served as a way of castigating the populace for involving in such activities. Therefore, the instance of the prologue of the intolerable acts served as the principal rationale for involving in the rebellion that occurred within America and in opposition to Great Britain. The acts that had been undertaken by Great Britain represented rules that were carried out by Lord North. They infringed the liberties of the American populace and restricted their lives within their country. Some acts insisted on the transfer of trails to Britain, as well as, other regions in case the feeling was that justice would not prevail within the places that the trails were initially conducted. Other acts were the Quartering acts that allowed the army, to dwell in houses, as well as, other

What Role Should the Government play in economic life Essay

What Role Should the Government play in economic life - Essay Example ent centuries, such as Karl Marx, have questioned the right of private property, and have called for an active part in controlling the generation and distribution of wealth. The marketplace and the government meet head-on in the division of authority in the creation and distribution of goods, services, and wealth. All economists, except the most conservative capitalists, believe that the government has some role in constructing and guiding the economy. The role of the government in economics is to assure that the economy of the country is able to express its culture and societal will. Taxation is one of the primary policy functions that a government can use to stimulate or discourage economic activity. Indeed, governments require taxation to provide the necessary funding for needed projects. Ideally, it is hoped that taxation would be fair and all citizens would bear an equal tax burden based on their abilities and needs. However, capitalism has been able to develop concentrated wealth and this unbridled economic freedom has the possibility to create the perception of a shortage of resources. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were characterized by food riots as production increased the supply, markets agitated a sense of shortage, and the threat of unfair taxes interjected a sense fear into the system. The governments role in economics is to assure the fair implementation of tax laws and eradicate the fear of taxes. According to Rothschild, "Commerce will flourish only in a state with a regular administration of justice" (14). The governments role in taxati on is to sustain a high degree of confidence in the application of the existing tax laws. The governments role in economics, in regards to taxes, is the generation of confidence in justice and not directing society through tax encouragements. Governments often assume the role of directing a societys culture through a series of punitive taxes or rewarding credits. Taxes are often levied against a product,

Compare and contrast federalism in Canada during the Keynesian era and Essay

Compare and contrast federalism in Canada during the Keynesian era and federalism in the neoliberal era - Essay Example ion’s flexibility has been responsible for finding solutions to public policy along with assisting it to rise to the challenges faced (â€Å"Canadian Federalism†, 2007). To put it simply, the country’s federation has been a common strength in identifying divergences and overcoming them thereby constructing a stronger nation (â€Å"Canadian Federalism†, 2007). The two centers of focus of the Canadian federal experience signify cultural dualism, the desire and ability of French and English speaking Canadians to survive as such along with the use of institutions of the government which they respectively dominate, and the other is public action to satisfy the material aspirations of individuals and groups living within an economy in which burdens and benefits are ascertained by the economic policies of successive federal administrations (Smiley, 1965). Canadian federalism exhibits the trend of decentralization (Lecture 17, n.d.). In spite of facing huge challenges the Canadian federation has made it work towards this trend (Lecture 17, n.d.). Early judicial decisions showed an inclination towards provincial power in Canada after 1867 (Lecture 17, n.d.). The election victory of 1896 marked he reversal of Macdonald’s centralism by Laurier (Lecture 17, n.d.). Both World War I and World War II brought interruptions in the movement (Lecture 17, n.d.). However, it spite of some federal states opting to move more towards centralized over time, Canada has remained persistent in its trend of decentralization of authority (Lecture 17, n.d.). Due to the influence of Great Depression (1929-1939), the Rowell-Sirois Commission revealed inclination towards economic management and social welfare from provinces to federal level (Lecture 17, n.d.). Reorganization of taxing functions was advised to favor federal assumption of new spending priorities and to enhance redistributive measures to offer national standards from coast to coast (Lecture 17, n.d.). However, the orders of the

The Advertisement to Warn of the Adverse Effects of Cigarette Smoking Essay

The Advertisement to Warn of the Adverse Effects of Cigarette Smoking - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that images provide useful mental information with hidden meaning that requires analysis to get the intended message. Advertisements use images and drawings to give cautionary measures and a summary of what could have taken considerable space when presented in text format. Advertisements contain arguments targeted at persuading the consumers of an individual product to increase the rates of purchase. Advertisements include sequentially arranged information that a market specialist and a psychologist designed to persuade a particular target group. Some people draw for leisure while others, like cartoonists, draw for pay. The main feature is that any visual document has a message to pass to the viewers. The paper analyzes an advertisement banner by the Health Canada. The visual text analyzed has a size of 500mm by 267mm. The left-hand side of the banner pictures a teenage girl holding a lighted cigarette. The image appears on an orange backgr ound. The author drafted the word warning using white fonts on a black background on the right of the picture. Below the warning sign, words indicating the repercussions and the negative results of smoking appear. In addition, the texts indicate the addictive and harmful nature of smoking to scare and warn the innocent from engaging in the practice. The health organization has also provided their mobile contact and a link to their website page. The lady in the picture has a wrinkled forehead, defective left eye, brown stained teeth, stained nails, and reddened eyeball. She also has red gum and lips. She looks horrible from the first sight. Her hair seems unhealthy and dull. The visual art targets youths who smoke and prospective youth smokers as well. The visual art does this by clearly presenting the negative effects of cigarette smoking visible to the public and the people around us. The visual text clearly conveys the message that cigarette smoking is harmful to human health. The setting environment is dull by the choice of color. A faint, orange-yellow color in many instances usually indicates sickness, decay, and caution. The picture portrays the young lady as young and attractive. Youth life is an attractive era according to art. She is sick because of smoking.

Search on the internet for a graph in your field of study that is Statistics Project

Search on the internet for a graph in your field of study that is misleading and discuss. Please also attach a link to the graph so that we can refer to the graph in your discussion - Statistics Project Example The third bar’s height is more than double that of the second bar, yet the value it represents is not. There is definitely an inconsistency presented in the illustration of the valuation of the company. Another part of the graph which is misleading is the way the horizontal axis is scaled. Although the bars are equally spaced, the dates that they represent have uneven intervals. The first bar represented the month of December, the second bar represented January but the next two bars represented two dates in March. One also noticed that the valuation for May 2011 was not included in the graph. Furthermore, the month of July showed three separate bars indicating valuations for three different days in the month. The author of the graph should be consistent as to the time interval that he wants to depict in his graph. Does he want it to be bi-monthly or monthly? Moreover, if he chooses to make the scale on a monthly basis, figures shown should be the same date of every month. He can consider using the first day or the last day of the month. The consistency of information presented is vital to prevent misleading the interpreters of the graph. This illustration confuses the readers becau se the trend that is shown is not reflective of the real picture of the company valuation since different time intervals are shown. PrivCo. (2011, August 24). Facebook valuation suffers first-ever consecutive drop. Retrieved April 11, 2012, from privco.com:

China and Russian Mongol FRQ Essay Example for Free

China and Russian Mongol FRQ Essay The Mongolian rule had a very direct impact and influence in China and Russia in terms of political and economical structure. Although the Mongols were not as evident in the Golden Horde region, they still impacted Russia just as much as they did in the Yuan district in China. In both China and Russia, the Mongols left their mark by placing high taxes on peasants, taking full control over trade through the Silk Road, and increasing international diplomacy through various methods, creating Pax Mongolica. Although Mongolian rule fell long ago, its influence can still be seen today. In Russia and China, the Mongol era brought a change in political power. The Khans, or â€Å"Great Leaders†, ruled both places, although not equally. China was directly ruled by the Mongols, seeing that China hosted them in the Yuan province, while Russia was given a sense of self rule. The Mongols still claimed taxes and sought goods from Russia, but did not actually occupy it as they did in China. The lack of occupancy in Russia eventually led to the downfall of the Mongol rule there seeing that there was no opposing force to govern them, thus putting power back to the Russians, and creating what we know Russia as today. Not only was the political aspect of China and Russia influenced, but the economy was influenced as well. The conquests of Kublai Khan and his successors joined the Eastern world with the Western world by the use of the Silk Road, which served as a trade route. The Silk Road connected trade centers spanning across Asia and Europe reaching from the Golden Horde to the Yuan province. The trade route, while under strict protection of the Mongols, increased Eurasian trade of goods, beliefs, and disease. The Silk Road spread silk, porcelain, and gun powder from China as well as Buddhism, and the plague. The goods that came and went through the trade route were taxed heavily along with the peasants that resided in each region. The high taxes served as income for the Mongols to use towards warfare, necessities, and indulgences. The Silk Road, by bringing in and sending out new ideas and goods, spread international diplomacy. In the case of China, the Silk Road brought in ambassadors from the Middle East amongst other regions, thereby increasing and instilling a sense of Pax Mongolica. In conclusion, the Mongols influence on China and Russia shaped them into what they are today.  The Mongols achieved their greatness by taxing the poor in order to support their army, making the Silk Road their own, and accumulating international diplomacy and instilling Pax Mongolica.

Gender inequalities in employment

Gender inequalities in employment Introduction In this essay I shall discuss the progress of the European Unions attempt to dismantle gender inequality in employment. In addition to this, I shall examine current EU legislation, policy issues, social and economic challenges faced by both men and women. Finally, I shall then comment on EU solutions and further developments that can help alleviate the gap in inequalities in employment. The European Union is also referred to as the European Economic Community (EEC) it is a union consisting of 27 member states; the EU was created by theTreaty of Maastrichton 1st November 1993 upon the foundations of theEuropean Economic Community (cited in Wikipedia) this union is merged together to improve the economical, political and social cohesion amongst people who reside in these countries. After the 2nd World War, many women were required to fulfil the spaces of men, who had lost their lives in battle or were unable to work and thus there was a gap in the labour force. Women were therefore recruited and thus introduced in to employment to strengthen and maintain the fragile economy at the time. However, on contrary to popular belief women continued to work even after the economic situation improved, the Suffragettes movement was extremely notable in women fighting for recognition. From the beginning women were treated unfairly in regards to poor pay, however some were happy to have some economic independence from men and thus accepted demeaning jobs. (Cited in Euro culture master) Cockburn (1991) comments that the relationship between capitalism and labour is shared between bosses and men, and thus neglects the gender relationships of work and home. Much of the theory regarding women and employment is largely based on patriarchal theories. Duncombe and Marsden (1995) argue that women are subjected to triple shifts this involves paid labour, domestic labour and emotional labour. The emotional labour refers to the care and attentiveness of the family unit, i.e. the social role of the woman being a wife and a mother towards the children and husband. Due to such challenges the notion of protective legislation was introduced. (Cited in Sociology: An interactive approach p189) Much treaties and directive were introduced in to some EU countries in attempt to dismantle gender inequality. The EEC established the principle of fair pay for men and women in Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. However this was extremely complicated to practice in all members of states. This was simply due to the notion of equal pay for equal work but it was very rare that both sexes performed the same type of work. It was also noted that typically male jobs were much better paid then female jobs. Hence, it was apparent that the socially existing norm of male power was more important than female qualities. In 1975 the EU introduced directives to further empower women in the field of employment; the council directive of 75/117/EEC further supported the treaty of Rome on equal pay. Since 1975 there have been many key directives in aiding womens role in employment, some of the directives have focused on equal treatment of women in regards of promotion, social security, during pregnancy, and sex discrimination. (Cited in Women Lobby) During the 1990s the EU began to realize the significance of gender equality and how it impacted the employment sector. In 1997 the EU introduced the European Employment Strategy (EES) which recognized equal opportunities amongst men and women. The treaty of Amsterdam was also introduced in 1997 this treaty was combination of past directives and further introduced positive action to combat equal pay and discrimination amongst men and women in employment. (Cited in Union History).However, there were criticisms of these policies which only ensured that more women were in work and did not focus on the quality of the jobs they were in. This view is further supported in the following quotation: In practice, more attention has been paid to raising the female employment rate than to generating the better jobs for women that are essential for narrowing the gender pay gap (in Union History) Sadly the EU has failed to fully implement gender equality in employment, since it still persists despite the introduction of the above directives and treaties. The EU has therefore proposed six key objectives within the Road map for gender equality (2006-2010). These include equal economic independence for men and women, reconciliation of private and professional life, equal representation in decision making; the eradication of all forms of gender based violence, the elimination of gender based stereotypes, and finally the promotion of gender equality in external and development policies. (cited in Commission of the European Communities Report 2006) The inequality of gender gaps is the first key objective of fulfilling EU goals in employment and social cohesion. The demand for increased participation of women in the labour market provides a marked contribution to economic development and in turn economic independence for women. According to the above article, women still face more risk of poverty due to being over represented in the secondary labour market. According to Barren and Norris (1976) women are employed in unstable employment that is based on short term contracts, lower pay and entail unskilled work with fewer prospects , they are therefore more likely to be made redundant and thus suffer from a decline in the labour market. (in Jorgensen et al,1997 pg p192).In Addition Bruegal (1976) comments from a Marxist feminist perspective, states that such workers are used to keep costs at minimum by replacing more highly skilled and demanding workers i.e. men. (Cited Jorgensen et al,1997 pg p129) Women are therefore literally restricted in their opportunities to work further due to their domestic and emotional responsibility. In addition, women entrepreneurs are faced with more difficulties then male counterparts in building up their own business, in attempt to dismantle the structural inequalities and discrimination the EU has recommended the Entrepreneurship Action Plan to help support women in developing such projects. Women who also belong to ethnic minority groups suffer from twice as much discrimination and challenges, in order to fight such multiple discrimination the EU has proposed the Framework for the Integration of Third Country Nationals. This framework provides the promotion of migration and integration policies in order to guarantee womens rights and civil participation. In doing so, women from all backgrounds, can use their full economic potential and have the equal opportunity to education and prosperity. (Cited in Commission of the European Communities Repor t 2006) The second key objective of the EU is of the reconciliation of private and professional life for both men and women. According to the (Commission of the European Communities Report 2007) women face more challenges than men when it comes to handling work and private life, consequently this affects their career choices. Statistics suggest that more women than men work on part time basis and thus take more career breaks than men, which clearly has a harmful impact on their careers. Also, women are more subjected than men, to take on domestic and emotional labour in addition to taking parental leave and looking after children and other dependent family members. The 2007 EU Commission report concludes that due to the lack of accessible and affordable childcare, women face more inequality in employment. The overall result of this is that women are placed in unstable jobs with lower pay, which makes them more vulnerable to the larger risk of poverty. The matter is made worse for single pare nt families who have dependents. On the other hand, according to the Lisbon treaty, womens employment in the EU is close to meeting its goal of 60% by 2010.(cited in Commission of the European Communities Report 2009,pg5) However, it is clear that a lot more needs to be done to accomplish satisfactory levels of childcare provisions (according to the Barcelona objectives) in order for both parents to combine work and private life. The European Union has also reflected further funding targeted at improving equal opportunities, for instance the European Social Fund(ESF) which caters for women projects in regards to vocational training in alliance with the NOW community Initiative.(cited in europrofem)The EU has also established initiatives in 2008 to support better work life balance by making amendments to directive 92/85/EEC on maternity protection. The changes introduce changing the minimum maternity leave from 14 to 18weeks without the loss of earning.(cited in Commission of the European Communities Report 2009,pg 6 ) Furthermore, this idea has also been developed in regards to family related leave in regards to family policies and work life reconciliation issues for men. For instance, legislation on improved leave arrangements for fathers is already incorporated in countries such as Sweden, Germany, Greece, Lithuania and Spain. The third EU key objective in the roadmap proposes the need for the equal representation of women in decision making posts. The unequal division of domestic labour and caring responsibilities has clearly been a barrier in the advancement of women in employment, there has therefore been a need to amend and create policies to encourage womens participation in the labour market. The Commission of the European Communities Report 2007 noted that women predominated jobs were undervalued in comparison to male counterparts. Findings suggested that such jobs had lower rates of pay. For instance almost 40% of women were employed in the health, education and public administration sector in comparison to only 20% of men.(pg 3). In defence of this argument, men also face discrimination in accessing non traditional employment. For instance the notion of a male carer or nurse is seen with disgusts or caution due to gender stereotypes formed by society according to Acker (1989) (cited in Theory and Practice of nursing: an integrated approach to caring practices By Lynn Basford, Oliver Slevin). This suggested a segregation of the labour market which was being reinforced by traditional and social stereotypes which further influenced people in to gender roles. The EU has since implemented a: ..network to promote women in economic and political decision-making positions which was launched in 2008 to provide a platform for exchange of good practices between existing networks at EU level (Commission of the European Communities Report 2009,pg 6) In attempt to dismantle the inequality of gender in employment the fourth EU key objective is in regards to the eradication of gender based violence. The EU has established the Daphne programme which supports women and children who have suffered as a result of domestic abuse.(cited in europrofem) The commission has also encouraged the criminalisation of trafficking women and children through exploitation. The EU proposes under new directives to reintegrate such vulnerable groups in to the labour market. It also proposes the support of member states to encourage awareness raising campaigns, support networks both for the perpetrators of violence and the victims of abuse. The fifth EU key objective as described in the roadmap is the notion of gender based stereotypes. At present there is still a major problem in regards to inequality in employment. The EUC has identified a gender pay gap has one of the major concern for the European commission according to The Road Map for Gender Equality 2006-2010. In order to improve the present dilemma, there have been many legislative and non legislative developments to combat the challenges of discrimination and encourage gender equality in employment. Furthermore, despite the previously mentioned interventions above, there still persists a major gender pay gap which reflects on the overall factors of inequalities and thus discrimination in employment. On average women were earning on average 15% less than men in the European Union in 2005. (Cited in Commission of the European Communities Report 2007, pg 2) It was found that the gender pay gap still exists due to direct and indirect discrimination factors. It can also be attributed to social and economic factors. In regards to dismantling gender stereotypes the EU recommend gender mainstreaming and encourage ESF, ICT programmes in education and culture programmes in schools through media tools. In regards to the sixth and final key objective illustrated in the roadmap for equality in employment, the EU has proposed the development and amendment of policies extending to external neighbouring countries. The EU adheres to recognised values of the Millennium Development Declaration and the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA). The recent EU strategy for Africa is also committed to encouraging gender equality in external countries. The EU commits to promoting the need for education and freedom of opportunity and health and safety. Above all, it welcomes the participation of all women in the sphere of economic and political life in decision making. Four priority areas have been identified by the Commission these include, that pre-existing legal framework is fully applied and utilised whilst identifying areas for improvement. The active participation of all parties is also to be promoted in all Members of State. In addition to this, the European Strategy for Growth and Jobs should be applied in full to all employers. Above all the notion of good practice at all levels is to be stressed to overcome traditional stereotypes and discriminatory practices. The European Pact for Gender Equality 2006 stresses the importance of the commitments of the Member of states to take critical action in this area. Furthermore, several members of states have reunited to take prominent action regarding the labour market, education, training, and the balance of work and private life. Unfortunately there has been little progress in regards to commitments from the other member of states to take action addressing this issue according to the Commissions annual report on growth and jobs 2006.( cited in Commission of the European Communities Report 2007,pg 8) In defence of the above the Commission in 2007 vowed to improve the quality of statistics used in regards to the gender pay gap, in addition they have also promised to encourage all member of states to set key targets and limits for reducing the pay gap between man and women on the basis of data and findings gathered by the annual reports issued. The Commission is also in progress of setting up action programmes on equal opportunities for its own staff, it is apparent that within public administration there is a major pay gap which is directly influenced by the presence of occupational segregation and the small presence of women in decision making posts. Despite the overwhelming evidence that an increased amount of women are becoming more highly qualified, there is still a persistent fact they are still outnumbered by men in higher positions of hierarchy and importance, both in politics and business.(cited in Commission of the European Communities Report 2009,pg 5) According to the European Alliance on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) the notion of equality also poses as a competitive advantage as it utilises the staffs full productive potential. It encourages incentives to support good practice to tackle the inequalities in the pay. Currently the Commission already promotes good practice by raising awareness through the PROGRESS programme. (cited in Commission of the European Communities Report 2007,pg 9) In addition to the above, the Commission also proposes to introduce gender equality policies, to eradicate structural inequalities within the workplace in regards to improving the profile of occupations which are paid less. For instance, the Framework of actions on gender equality 2007, proposes awareness-raising and training measures in addition to the growth of wage comparison tools and strategies to decrease the pay gap. (cited in Commission of the European Communities Report 2007,pg10) Conclusion To conclude this assignment the notion of equality is integral to the values of the European Union. Despite the European Union making significant progress over time, in regards to developing directives, treaties and legislation. In addition to, the EU has reinforced gender mainstreaming via training and capacity building for those involved in policy making. Statistics indicate that gender inequality still persists in employment. The European Union have a long way in fulfilling key targets in dismantling gender inequality. In my personal opinion the EU key objectives need to be more transparent to the public in terms of setting realistic targets to strengthen gender mainstreaming across all member states in order to achieve change. References: Commission of the European Communities Report 2006 Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, The European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions(2006), A Roadmap for equality between women and men 2006-2010,Brussels,(Online) Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2006:0092:FIN:EN:PDF (Accessed 20/11/2009) Commission of the European Communities Report 2007 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council,, The European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions(2007). Tackling the pay gap between women and men, Brussels,(Online) http://www.retepariopportunita.it/Rete_Pari_Opportunita/UserFiles/news/com_pay_gap_.pdf (Accessed 21/11/2009) Commission of the European Communities Report 2009 Report from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Brussels,(2009) Equality between women and men-2009 Brussels,(Online) http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2009:0077:FIN:EN:PDF (Accessed 21/11/2009) European Union http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union (Accessed 10/11/2009) Euro culture master http://www.euroculturemaster.org/pdf/kunstova.pdf (Accessed 12/11/2009) Europrofem http://www.europrofem.org/contri/2_04_en/en-gend/08en_gen.htm (accessed 23/11/2009) Jorgensen,N.,Bird,J.,Heyhoe,A.,Russell,B.,Savvas,M.,(1997).Sociology:An Interactive Approach,Collins Educational Union History http://www.unionhistory.info/equalpay/roaddisplay.php?irn=785 (Accessed 15/11/2009) Women Lobby http://www.womenlobby.org/site/1abstract.asp?DocID=184v1ID=RevID=namePage=pageParent=DocID_sousmenu (Accessyoutubeed 14/11/2009) http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WCSunMx7EJ8Cpg=RA1-PA392lpg=RA1-PA392dq=theory-male+nurses+gender+equalitysource=blots=Bqru6biKWysig=PY0uthcQiq3VFmaaivgF6YEpLPQhl=enei=wnsdS46lJJeZjAfU_f2PBAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=2ved=0CAsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageq=f=false

The Effects of the Atomic Bomb :: essays research papers

The Atomic Bomb: Effects on Hiroshima and Mankind   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The nuclear bomb was the most devastating weapon ever created by man. It was developed between 1942 and 1945 during the second World War. The project to build the worlds first atomic weapon was called The Manhattan Project. The nuclear bomb was based on the idea of splitting an atom to create energy, this is called fission. Three bombs were created, â€Å"Trinity†, â€Å"Little Boy†, and â€Å"Fat Man†. â€Å"Trinity† was dropped on a test site in New Mexico on July 16, 1945, proving the theories, engineering and mathematics of the bomb to be correct. Shortly after that, not more than 2 months, the U.S. performed the first actual nuclear attack in the history of war. The bomb â€Å"Little Boy† was dropped on the town of Hiroshima, instantly killing thousands. â€Å"Fat Man† was dropped shortly after on the town of Nagasaki. After the bombing almost all scientist involved with the creation of the bomb regretted its construc tion and spoke out against the abolishment of nuclear weapons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Manhattan Project was led by American physicists J. Robert Oppenheimer and directed by General Leslie Graves. The project employed over 130,000 people and the total cost by the end of production was nearly 2 billion dollars, 20 billion dollars in today’s currency. Oppenheimer’s early education was at the Ethnical Culture School in New York. He took classes in math and science and many languages such as Greek, Latin, French, and German. He learned Dutch in only six weeks to give a speech in the Netherlands. He was also interested in classic and eastern philosophy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1939 rumor came to the U.S. that Germans had split the atom. The threat of the Nazis developing a nuclear weapon prompted President Roosevelt to establish The Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer set up a research lab in Los Alamos, New Mexico and brought the best minds in physics to work on the problem of creating a nuclear weapon. Although most the research and development was done in Los Alamos, there were over 30 other research locations throughout the project. After watching the first nuclear bomb test Oppenheimer was quoted as saying simply â€Å"It works.†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now that the atomic bomb was proven to work the next question was where to drop it. Specialists in many fields were called on by the U.S. Army to help them decide on the best target for the atomic bomb. They considered many things while selecting the target such as the range the aircraft had to carry the bomb, the morale effect on the enemy, military importance of the target, and the geography of the target.

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Corey Schirmer An Appropriate Monarchy in Ancient Israel The Deuteronomistic literature of the Hebrew Bible seem to present opposite viewpoints on the topic of kingship. The pro platform presents the Davidic kingship in a very positive light, while other texts particularly 1 Samuel appear to be against the topic of kingship. Upon further evaluation, the institution of a monarchy in the Ancient Near East (ANE) was appropriate because it could provide stability to Israel. On the other hand the monarchy was not appropriate because it was a clear rejection of God. A kingship is not inherently evil, but the people’s request for a human as king showed a complete lack of faith in God as the primary ruler of his people. When examining Deuteronomy, the â€Å"law of the king† provides more information on what a king cannot do as a monarch. Most of what is outlined in these laws restricts royal authority and the monarch is subject to them. Some of these laws were things that later kings (even under the Davidic kingship) were guilty of committing. The first king of the Davidic Kingship (David) held multiple wives and even sent a soldier (Uriah) to his own death (New Oxford Annotated Bible, 2 Samuel 11:24). David was not perfect and screwed up many times, but his heart was for the Lord. And the Lord formally appointed the Israelite King as an instrument of his rule. No matter how much these kings screwed up they were still held in good standing because God viewed them as the closest thing to himself. This is what God intended the kingship of Israel to represent. A king that is not above the covenant. A monarchy could be beneficial in many ways. Most of the pro platform displayed in 1 Samuel shows us that a king can provide leadership ... ...was their expectations for a king like all the other nations. This king would impose practices that would limit personal freedom and eventually lead to the abuse of power. After examining the disdain that a kingship brought to God. It seems as though a king would not be beneficial to Israel. In the right context, a king that was appointed by God to lead under his covenant would benefit the people because it would bring stability to Israel. The right leader is a human being that is still in need of divine help. The Israelite king is an instrument of divine justice and the icon of God’s universal rule. The king will lead the army in the name of God and defeats the Lord’s enemies. A kingship is not inherently evil. The appropriate king would be one after God’s own heart, while a non-appropriate king would be one that abuses power and leads the people of Israel astray.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Cinema

Recreation is as much necessary for healthy growth as work. Life will be dull and unpleasant if there is no occasional amusement to cheer it up. Therefore, from the earliest limes recreation in different forms has been introduced in healthy and civilized society. Dance, drama, singing, puppet show and various other forms of entertainment have found favour with the people. Today life of man has grown complex, full of worries, cares and anxieties. The mechanized Way of life has bred monotony, therefore his modes of entertainment have also undergone revolutionary change. The latest and the most popular form of recreation is Cinema.Its phenomenal popularity and development is due to its mass appeal and that it is well within the financial limitation of common man. The people belonging to different walks of life patronize it and find it equal to their varied Interests. The power or the motion pictures as an instrument of culture and education is immeasurable. We know that a motion picture based on a classical novel will induce thousands of people to read Or reread the book; the introduction of a classical composition into the picture stimulates the demand for recording of that composition. Lessons of history, geography and everyday science life imparted through it. Associated essay: Pestle Analysis – Odeon CinemaThe man of today is better informed than his ancestors due to cinema. Thus they give food for thought and imagination to the common people by showing on the screen grand objects ; sublime beauties and epoch-making events. The great personalities of former times come to life and their message is communicated to the people The lives of saints and seers set high ideals before the people. They enlarge our vision and broaden our minds. FILMS DEPICT Historical, mythological and social themes bearing on Indian lives, whether of the past or the present make a special appeal to the people.The Cinema has been found to be the most effective method of exposing social evils such as dowry system, etc. Civic sense and public morality is engendered through them. The political awareness, fight for the rights and the general awakening of the masses is largely contributed by Cinema. As a means of propaganda, publicity and advertisement its services are invaluable and it must be preserved and fostered at all costs. Cinema has also thrown down the barriers of time and space. It has made man truly cosmopolitan in outlook. A grand sight in cold Norway is reproduced vividly to people in hot Africa.A political or social revolution in one part of the country is shown the world over. Moreover, it can be used as a medium for the enlighten ­ment of other nations about our own culture, customs, manners and policies. It has often been said that one of the potent causes of international misunderstanding, hot and cold wars, is that people of different countries do not have the means to understand and appreciate each other adequately. In this respect cinema can serve the goodwill mission of presenting the correct image of the country and the people abroad.Thus, Cinema can be used for establishing mutual international understanding and paving the way for permanent world peace. However, it cannot be neglected that they are the major single factor which earn substantial and much needed foreign exchange. Commercially also Cinema has opened up a lucrative pro fession. Besides encouraging young men and women to enter the field of acting, in has provided employment to millions of people as technicians, designers, photographers, dressmakers and various allied agencies. The artists right from the storywriter to a poster designer have found a ready market for their talent. Poets and even literary men who had been looked down upon for ages have found with Cinema a fresh lease of life and livelihood. Apart from its various advantages, Cinema is not free from its evil effects. Film artistry is, unfortunately, compelled to compro ­mise with people’s popular taste and appeal to their lower instincts. Too many films dealing with sex problems and with the ways of the criminals are now shown, f These are apt to affect public morality. The substandard catering of music I and recreation is likely to injure public taste and out look and is not ultimately good for the art.The Cinema has far reaching effect upon the youth of the country. The ftlms make them prematurely sex conscious and they start reacting the scenes of romantic pictures in their regular life. A sense of dissatisfaction with life is engendered among them. Vandal ­ism and increasing acts of rowdyism in the student community are attributed to their indiscriminately frequenting the cinema halls. Again the youth imitating all sorts of fashions from the films lead to the development of expensive tastes and manners. They grow divorced from grim and dismal realities of life and start living in the fairyland pictures on the screen.In this respect the role of Government is significantly felt. Further in India Cinema has to attain the artistic and technical perfection, Government aid by way of subsidy, helping manufacture of raw film and other equipment in the country; admission tax reduction, encouragement to talented artists and techni ­cians mu st be forthcoming. We must not forget that with wide range of depiction and with universality of its appeal, Cinema has tremen ­dous possibilities in our country. With our abundant and natural wealth and inexhaustible fund of rich literature, our Cinema, though young and unstable, its growth is inevitable.

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Cigarette Smoking and Its Health Risks. Why do I need to know about the health risks of cigarette smoking? Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause of illness and death. Cigarettes are filled with nicotine, which acts like a poison in your body. What are the health risks of cigarette smoking? You may have breathing problems that make it difficult for you to do daily activities or play sports. You have a higher risk of bone fractures because smoking can cause osteoporosis (brittle bones). If you fall asleep with a lit cigarette, you can start a fire.Cigarette smoking can also cause the following health problems: Cancer: Smoking increases your risk of many kinds of cancer. The most common cancers are lung, lip, mouth, or throat cancer. Heart and blood vessel disease: The nicotine in tobacco causes an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure. Nicotine also causes your blood vessels to narrow. This can lead to blood clots in your heart or brain and caused a heart attack or s troke. Cigarette smoke has carbon monoxide in it. This can decrease the amount of oxygen flowing to your heart and other organs.Lung disease: The chemicals in cigarette smoke can damage your lungs. This causes a buildup of dirt and waste products in your lungs. Many people who smoke have a long-term cough as a result. Cigarette smoking may also cause long-term lung infections or diseases, such as asthma, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis. You are also at higher risk for respiratory illnesses, such as colds or pneumonia. Gastrointestinal disease: Cigarette smoking increases the amount of acid in your stomach. This can cause an ulcer or gastric reflux.Women and smoking: You have a higher risk of heart and blood vessel disease if you smoke and take birth control pills. The risk is more serious is you are 35 years or older. You may have a harder time getting pregnant if you smoke. If you are pregnant and smoke, you have a higher risk of miscarriage or having a stillborn baby. Babies born to mothers who smoke often weigh less and are at higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Why should I quit smoking? Your health will improve and your risks for many diseases will decrease. Your breath, clothes, and hair will no longer smell like smoke.Tobacco will no longer stain your teeth. Tobacco smoke is dangerous to others. If you quit, you will decrease the risks to those around you, such as your children or family members. Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking Health Effects Fact Sheets Overview Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body. Smoking causes many diseases and reduces the health of smokers in general. Smoking and Death Smoking causes death. †¢ The adverse health effects from cigarette smoking account for an estimated 443,000 deaths, or nearly one of every five deaths, each year in the United States. ,3 †¢ More deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined. 2,4 †¢ Smoking causes an estimated 90% of all lung cancer deaths in men and 80% of all lung cancer deaths in women. 1 †¢ An estimated 90% of all deaths from chronic obstructive lung disease are caused by smoking. 1 Smoking and Increased Health Risks Compared with nonsmokers, smoking is estimated to increase the risk of †¢ coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times, †¢ stroke by 2 to 4 times, men developing lung cancer by 23 times, †¢ Women developing lung cancer by 13 times, and dying from chronic obstructive lung diseases (such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema) by 12 to 13 times. Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease †¢ Smoking causes coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. 1 †¢ Cigarette smoking causes reduced circulation by narrowing the blood vessels (arteries) and puts smokers at risk of developing peripheral vascular disease (i. e. , obstruction of the large arteries in the arms and legs that can cause a range of problems from pain to tissue loss or gangrene). Smoking causes abdominal aortic aneurysm (i. e. , a swelling or weakening of the main artery of the body—the aorta—where it runs through the abdomen). 1 Smoking and Respiratory Disease †¢ Smoking causes lung cancer. †¢ Smoking causes lung diseases (e. g. , emphysema, bronchitis, chronic airway obstruction) by damaging the airways and alveoli (i. e. , small air sacs) of the lungs. Smoking and Cancer Smoking causes the following cancers: †¢ Acute myeloid leukemia †¢ Bladder cancer †¢ Cancer of the cervix †¢ Cancer of the esophagus †¢ Kidney cancer †¢ Cancer of the larynx (voice box) †¢ Lung cancer Cancer of the oral cavity (mouth) †¢ Pancreatic cancer †¢ Cancer of the pharynx (throat) †¢ Stomach cancer Smoking and Other Health Effects Smoking has many adverse reproductive and early childhood effects, including increased risk for— †¢ infertility, †¢ preterm delivery, †¢ stillbirth, †¢ low birth weight, and †¢ Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). †¢ Smoking is associated with the following adverse health effects: †¢ Postmenopausal women who smoke have lower bone density than women who never smoked. †¢ Women who smoke have an increased risk for hip fracture than women who never smoked.Smoking and Others (Passive Smoking)If you smoke, one good reason to give up smoking is to benefit those who live and work with you. If you cannot give up, you should make every effort to keep cigarette smoke away from other people. On this page †¢ How does smoking affect other people? †¢ Some statistics †¢ How can I stop smoking? †¢ Further help and information †¢ References How does smoking affect other people? †¢ Children and babies who live in a home where there is a smoker: o Are more prone to asthma, and ear, nose and chest infe ctions. o Have an increased risk of dying from cot death (sudden infant death syndrome). Are more likely than average to become smokers themselves when older. o On average, do less well at reading and reasoning skills compared to children in smoke-free homes, even at low levels of smoke exposure. o Are at increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer as adults. †¢ Passive smoking of adults. You have an increased risk of lung cancer and heart disease if you are exposed to other people smoking for long periods of time. For example, the risk of developing lung cancer is increased by about 20-30% in people who are regularly exposed to other people's cigarette smoke.Cigarette smoke is also an irritant, and can make asthma and other conditions worse. †¢ Unborn babies. Smoking when you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. See separate leaflet called Pregnancy and Smoking for details. Some statistics the overall health impact of passive smoking i s large. Although the health risks from passive smoking are small for the individual in comparison with the health risks from active smoking, the public health consequences of passive smoking are high due to the large numbers of people exposed.For example, passive smoking by people living with smokers in the UK increases the risk of death from coronary heart disease by 50-60%. It is estimated to cause around 2,700 deaths per year in people aged 20-64, and a further 8,000 deaths per year among people aged 65 or older. It is estimated that children breathing in other people's cigarette smoke resulted in 300,000 GP visits and 9,500 hospital admissions in 2011 in the UK. Up to five million children are thought to be regularly exposed to secondhand smoke in the home. The results of a survey on children’s views on smoking ere published on the Department of Health's website. The survey revealed that children want smoke-free lives. The survey found that: †¢ 98% of children wish their parents would stop smoking. †¢ 82% of children wish their parents wouldn't smoke in front of them at home. †¢ 78% of children wished their parents wouldn't smoke in front of them in the car. †¢ 41% of children said cigarette smoke made them feel ill. †¢ 42% of children said cigarette smoke made them cough. How can I stop smoking? Compare About 2 in 3 smokers want to stop smoking. Some people can give up easily.Willpower and determination are the most important aspects when giving up smoking. However, nicotine is a drug of addiction and many people find giving up a struggle. Help is available. GPs, practice nurses, or pharmacists can provide information, encouragement, and tips on stopping smoking. Also, throughout the country there are specialist NHS Stop Smoking Clinics which have a good success record in helping people to stop smoking. Your doctor may refer you to one if you are keen to stop smoking. Various medicines can increase your chance of quitting. These include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) which comes as gums, sprays, patches, tablets, lozenges, and inhalers. You can buy NRT without a prescription. Also, medicines called bupropion (trade name Zyban ®) and varenicline (trade name Champix ®) can help. These are available on prescription. See separate leaflets called Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Bupropion (Zyban ®) and Varenicline (Champix ®). Costa Rica's Anti-Smoking Law As Strange As Aliens. The newly passed anti-smoking law is as strange as aliens, because everyone knows about them but nobody takes the subject as an absolute truth.Neither is too surprising, for many the law is nothing more than a continuing joke the government plays on its people. For without a doubt, even with the law in place, in Costa Rica â€Å"the smoker continues to be king†, for even the law cannot respond to the call, as the government has been unable to properly inform the public and the institutions responsible to ensure compl iance. All the information out there right now is mostly by word of mouth, passed on from one person to another and not necessarily the correctRoberto Castro, of the Direccion de Vigilancia del Ministerio deSalud (Surveillance Directorate of the Ministry of Health) recently said that the Fuerza Publica (polilce) is empowered to issue fines of ? 36. 060 colones to anyone disrespecting the law. But, where is the fine paid? For his part, the director of the Fuerza Publica (chief of the nation's police force) said that they will wait until the regulations to comply with the law. The regulations are expected within the next 90 days, but many doubt that they will be ready, as legislators pass a law and the government is not ready for its enactment. Again.Just as with the introduction of the tax on corporations that went into effect on January 1, but not payable until April, again, because because the government was caught with its pants down. some place, like medical centres and schools h ave already banned smoking and have set out their regulations for its enforcement. In some places like elevators, trains, ATM's, restaurants, cafes, bars and shopping centres, among others smoking is banned. Again, a private initiative which is reinforced with the passing of the anti-smoking law, but without the teeth to bite the smoker who persists.With the law in effect anyone can now demand that law be respected. Customers can complain to the manager of a restaurant, shoppers can call on the mall management and employee on the boss, for example, to have the smoker butt out. But, in reality, how is the complaint handled and who has the authority to ask the smoker to quit? In an effort to simplify the process, ideally the Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud) should provide a phone number to either take the complaint or at least to provide information on how to deal with the situation. However, Costa Rica is a country where all that is simple is made difficult.Knowing Costa Rica ns there is sure to follow many complaints and without a doubt one or more challenges to the Constitutional Court, smokers allege to be a â€Å"target†. In an ideal Costa Rica, smokers should just quit smoking in public spaces. And if they really care for their health, quit smoking altogether. Thrombosis, hypertension, cancer of the esophagus and pancreas, tachycardia, emphysema, lung cancer and bronchitis are just some of the many ills caused by tobacco smoking. Hopefully the ? 20 colones tax on each and ever cigarette sold will hurt the smoker where it hurts the most, their pocketbook.Or at the very least fund programs to help patients with cancer and prevention campaigns. This is a time for the current administration to really show that it can tie up its pants and act in the best interest of the public by applying the law and get rid of an epidemic in which only a few get rich and benefit from the death of others. The government has a great opportunity here to show that it can act and quickly by introducing the regulations way ahead of the three months set out in the legislation, introduce concise guidelines and make the public aware of the law and its cost for not respecting it.Costa rica? s law The number of countries  with anti-smoking laws is growing, and Costa Rica might soon join the ranks. Lawmakers are debating a bill that would ban smoking in some public places and raise the tax on cigarettes. Costa Rica has been trying to pass the ban since 2008, but the bill has couldn't get through the legislature. If it finally passes, Costa Rica won't be alone among Latin American countries with anti-smoking laws. Of course, just because laws are on the books, doesn't mean everyone is snuffing out their smokes.Some 14. 2 percent of Costa Ricans smoke, most between ages 20 and 39, according to the Costa Rican Social Security System. Casual smokers proliferate in the country’s nightlife. But that could change soon. Lawmakers last week passed a bi ll that will ban smoking in all public spaces, including bus and taxi stops, public buildings, restaurants and bars. The legislation goes further: It prohibits the sale of individual cigarettes; adds a 4-cent tax per cigarette, bumping up the price of most 20-cigarette packs from around $2 to $2. 0; bans cigarette advertising; and mandates that most of the box must carry graphic or textual health warnings. The bill will be reviewed by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court before it can get the president’s signature and go into law. Costa Rica is considered a progressive country on health and environment policies, but it’s been slow to reform its lax smoking rules. If the court gives the green light, Costa Rica will become the 10th Latin American country to enact a law following guidelines set by the World Health Organization for 100 percent smoke-free public spaces.The legislation is expected to take effect in mid-summer, giving businesses and government some time to adjust. Residents too will have time to cope. â€Å"Every person who comes to a bar here, they smoke and they drink, wherever they go,† Sanchez, 22, said. â€Å"I think it’s a law that’s very stupid. †Aleman, 20, said she’s pleased that inconsiderate smokers will be stopped from carelessly blowing smoke into someone’s face. Still, she sees the law as too strict, since bars cannot maintain a smoking section. But if there’s no area or smokers, she always could walk outside to smoke? Or: â€Å"I’ll smoke less,† Aleman said. â€Å"Go outside to smoke — why bother? It could be raining and freezing outside. That would be the worst. †Her statement typifies why 100 percent smoke-free policies have been successful in other countries. Research shows businesses don’t fold or lose huge profits over a loss of cigarette-smoking clientele. The places simply get cleaner. The most desperate effort to rid Cos ta Rica of ineffective smoking laws started almost four years ago.Lawmakers helped teach doctors in the National Anti-Tobacco Network how to be politicians. The doctors, in turn, negotiated behind the scenes with lawmakers presenting the grimmest of facts and telling them â€Å"this is how the tobacco industry manipulates the truth. † The Social Security System (Caja) conducted a poll showing 93 percent of Costa Ricans supported laws for a smoke-free public. The momentum did little to dull the influence of the tobacco industry lobby that had dictated smoking policies in the country since the 1980s.Only on Monday, long after lawmakers who spearheaded the movement reached their term limits and exited office, did a toughened anti-smoking bill pass the Legislative Assembly. Advocates garnered enough support in the assembly to pass – in a 46-2 vote – a comprehensive anti-tobacco bill on Monday, winning at last an uphill struggle. â€Å"We have demonstrated to the to bacco companies that we are not too small and so weak like they believed we were,† said Teresita Arrieta, of the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Institute (IAFA). The bill bans smoking in places such as bars, restaurants, public buildings, bus stops and taxi stands.Individual cigarettes will be taxed an extra ? 20 (4 cents). The bill requires cigarette packs to display text and photo warnings on at least 50 percent of the box. The legislation strengthens some of the weakest tobacco-use laws in Latin America. One question in particular lingers in the minds of skeptics. Can the law be enforced? The bill still awaits the signature of President Laura Chinchilla, and then must be published in the official government newspaper La Gaceta before the rules become official. From there, a 90-day adjustment period begins before fines go into effect.Many expect the law’s publication will come around March 15, meaning the day cigarettes must be extinguished from public spaces would be in m id-June. In that time, lawmakers and health officials will determine the reglamentos, or regulations, that define how the law will be implemented. Health Vice Minister Sisy Castillo, who was a major force in pushing the bill through, displayed confidence that the country can create rules that establishments and people   will not have trouble following. â€Å"We are already working on the [reglamentos],† Castillo said. We are far along with these regulations in regards to law enforcement. †Ã‚  She said the Health Ministry has met with members of the National Police and Chief Prosecutor’s Office to discuss how to handle those caught violating the law, and the best way to supervise bars and other localities where smoking will be banned. Castillo emphasized to The Tico Times that the reglamentos will address foreigners, including tourists, who disobey the smoking law. Large percentages of the cigarette taxes will be earmarked toward treating tobacco-related illness es and funding programs that assist people in quitting smoking.In 2010, the Caja spent nearly $146 million on health expenses tied to smoking and tobacco-related illnesses. Tobacco plays a large role in cardiovascular illnesses, one of the country’s leading causes of death. Almost 15 percent of the country smokes, according to a Caja survey. Those caught smoking in a prohibited area can face a fine of ? 36,060 ($70). Producers, sellers and advertisers not following the regulations can be hit with a fine of ? 3. 6 million ($7,022). The penalty for selling single cigarettes, packs with fewer than 20 cigarettes or tobacco products to minors would be ? 80,000 ($351). The government will have the power to close businesses with outstanding fines. As the law moves closer to enactment, advocates expect to parry lawsuits taken up on behalf of the tobacco industry and the Costa Rican Chamber of Restaurants and Affiliates – a longtime mouthpiece of tobacco companies that oversees bars and nightclubs. Carmen Granados, a Citizen Action Party lawmaker, believes the country has taken the necessary steps to prevent legal action by tobacco companies from succeeding.She worked on a committee headed by Rita Chaves of the Access Without Exclusion Party to construct the current version of the bill. When the original bill was written, draftees invited experts to vet every aspect of   it, even bringing in legal advisers from the U. S. ’s George Washington University, in Washington, D. C. , to observe the proposal. Moreover, the bill follows standards set by the World Health Organization, and has been adopted in nine other Latin American countries, including Brazil, which became the largest country in the world to put into practice such measures, in December. We should not fear lawsuits, because if we did a good job, then this law will be unaffected,† Granados said. â€Å"Yes, tobacco companies are going to try to go after the law †¦ but it’s shielded so nobody will touch it. †Lawmakers opposed to the bill attempted to halt its passage Monday. The passage came in spite of a challenge by 10 lawmakers to send the bill to the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) to review the constitutionality of the reforms. The Legislative Assembly did not receive a notification from the Sala IV in time to prevent the vote.Granados said tobacco manufacturers still can challenge specific articles in court, and the Sala IV can decide whether to review the suits. Tabacalera Costarricense, an affiliate of Philip Morris International, has stated the law could result in an increase in contraband cigarettes in Costa Rica due to the cigarette tax increase. A lawsuit is expected about that issue. Anti-tobacco advocates in Costa Rica dismiss the argument about a flourishing cigarette black market, saying research shows that it is simply untrue. Studies also show that in countries with similar reforms, business rarely, if eve r, suffers as a result of the ban.IAFA’s Smoke-Free Spaces Program created plenty of tobacco-free settings in sports arenas, restaurants and malls before the law’s adoption. Arrieta, who heads the program, believes the difficulty of transitioning from a country where smoking is accepted to one that prohibits it has been exaggerated. This law is designed to protect public health and does not infringe on individual rights, since a person does not have the privilege to endanger the health of another, Arrieta said. She already has seen it work in Costa Rica’s notoriously hazy bars.She visited a place called Blue Moon in Cartago, east of San Jose. Smokers took cigarette breaks outside. The inside was packed with clients. Blue Moon manager Michael Mattey said the bar opened in July and remains successful, an image of how other bars might thrive in a Costa Rica free of smoking. â€Å"It seems all the people who come like it for the same reason, because they donâ€℠¢t smoke,† Mattey said. â€Å"But people who smoke come too, and they also seem to like it. Who knew? : The adverse health effects from cigarette smoking account for an estimated 443,000 deaths each year in the United States

My First Jump – A short Story

The wind was painful against my face, the skin being pulled back from my face, skull emobossed against it. My instructors (Jake and Ryan) were falling with me, to keep me â€Å"safe.† Jake tapped my shoulder, the signal that I should pull my chute. I grabbed the rip cord, and pulled it with all the force I could†¦this was a mistake. I had been instructed before to just give it a gentle tug†¦the cord snapped off. My parachute had failed. This is when the panic kicked in. All the training I had received, gone. My mind drew a complete blank. I was looking around desperately at Jake and Ryan, while the earth was hurtling towards us rapidly. Ryan tilted himself forward, causing his whole body to move forwards in the air, moving towards me. He pulled a cord on my parachute, so as to activate the emergency chute, something which had not been explained to me, as they didn’t see the point, it usually works†¦The emergency chute failed. Nothing appeared. This was when my heart was in my throat, no parachute, freefalling, I was dead. At that moment in time, I couldn’t understand why Ryan then decided to grasp on to me, coiling his body around mine, like a koala gripping a tree, until he pulled his cord, deploying his parachute, causing us to fall much slower, all of this happened in an instant. We were, however, still at a dangerous height, the only thing that was keeping me from falling to my death was the grip of Ryan, and the strain could be felt, and the grunts of pain, as he put everything he could in to holding me up. The land site was no longer a priority, it was more landing in general. We were getting closer and closer to the ground, but I could feel myself slipping†¦I managed to rotate while in mid air, and hold on to Ryan, allowing him to let go of me, and all of the pressure was now on me. At around 10 foot, I lost grip of ryan, and fell to the concrete ground below. This broke my ankle, and sprained my knee, but at this point I was just glad to be alive†¦ This experience was really a massive reality check for me, it’s made me realize that not everything goes to plan all the time, no matter how much it needs to. It has also made me really appreciate life, and every moment of it. As they say, â€Å"five minutes of life, is life.† Another experience, which is totally different from this one, but had the same impact on me as a person, is this†¦ My vision was blurred†¦nurses shouting†¦something about an â€Å"antidote.† I couldn’t remember anything that had happened. Panic struck me. I had no idea what was going on, and was too weak to express this, but it was obviously serious. What was a â€Å"Chinese Bird Spider†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦? I was on holiday in China, that much I knew†¦My eyes were getting heavier†¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ he’s coming around†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The sun was shining, dazzling, in my eyes, it was difficult to see, I could however, ask what had happened. I had been bitted by a â€Å"Chinese Bird Spider.† One of the most venemous and dangerous spiders on earth. If my mum hadn’t recognised it instantly, and taken me to the hopsital. I would have died. No doubt. The pain in my neck was definitely present, but dull and numb, it must have only just been in time. This event has also made me really appreciate life, and how amazing it is. I now realise that I took everything I had for granted. Fear, I feel, is the ultimate form, of humanising someone, making them realise what life is truly about, and how to live it.

My Dream Job Essay

What is a bad boss or manager? We all have had some good managers and some bad managers. In most cases people don’t care too much for their boss. One of the biggest characteristics flaws in a poor manager is poor communications skills. They possess little to no listening skills and don’t seek out advice or suggestions from their employees. When a big decision needs to be made they normally make the decision on their own with little input from their subordinates. Another characteristic of a poor boss is a one who is afraid of confrontation. In management, I believe that any time there is an issue, the boss should not be afraid to address it. Some employees will take advantage and lose respect for their boss if that happens. I call those types of managers â€Å"buddy bosses,† which is not a good thing their needs to be a healthy balance. Bosses should be nice most of the time yet they also needs to be firm when the time calls for it. Good management skills don’t always come naturally. Managers have to continue to have ongoing training on leadership skills just like the workers need to have ongoing training on the jobs. In management; it is hard to please everyone in fact, if everyone is happy with you all the time you are probably a â€Å"buddy boss. † There will always come a time when you are going to have to say no to someone’s request. I believe that sometimes bad employees force a boss to become more firm most of with the employees. There are several types of bosses that I would consider bad. The first one is called an incompetent boss. They really don’t know the job and rely on the employee’s knowledge to get them through. When an issue occurs, they are no help at all. When an incompetent boss tries to help, they often make the situation worse. The second type of poor boss is a unchangeable leader. This is someone who does not like change and is unwilling to do what it takes to make the team more effective. This person doesn’t listen to the advice of the team, eve when they might tell them something that might help a process run smoother. The next type of poor leader I would call the abuser of power. They are people that get into leadership and use their power for personal gain. An example of this would be a boss that leaves early for the day all the time to take care of their personal business. The next type of poor leader is a leader that can’t be trusted. This is someone who employees don’t trust with information that can be used against them. When they have a problem the don’t feel comfortable talking to their leader in fear that they will tell someone else or use it against them in the future. They can’t tell them how they really feel. There is always going to be corrupt people in the world but when a leader is corrupt in any organization it breeds more corruption. There are some leaders that are down rite evil. They may have had a hard life and just don’t like to see others happy so they always find a reason to be upset and not satisfied with anything that is done within their department. Manager that operate in this manor normally don’t last long in leadership because there would make their employees unhappy and we all know that an unhappy employee won’t be a good producer. There ways to improve a bad boss if they want to improve. One way to do that is to make sure that middle level supervisors and managers have the support they need from upper management. I believe that leadership training should be an ongoing thing. I feel that in every organization there should be a hotline that employees can call to give feedback on how they feel their leadership is going. Once that feedback is collected it should be used as a training tool. Listening to the employees and responding to their needs and wants is in my opinion, the most effective way to go. During the hiring process employers should make sure that the leader they has the characteristic of a good leader. No one wants a bossy dictator as a boss. I have been in the workforce for over ten years and in that time I have had more good managers than bad. I think that is because it all comes down to respecting a person and there position. There have been times when my coworker s has come to me complaining about our boss. What I have found is that most of the time it not the boss at all it’s the employee view of their boss. Most people who don’t like their boss don’t like their job. I believe that if a person doesn’t like their job there is a likely chance they don’t like their boss because that the boss is only there to enforce the rules and doesn’t care employee’s personal feeling. In some cases they are right. The next time you are trying to determine if you have a good leader look for key traits. One key trait of a good boss is vision. Do they have a vision for the department that they will be managing? What is that vision? Does the vision line up with the companies mission statement? Ask yourself these questions. The next trait you should look for is wisdom. What useful knowledge can this person bring to the organization? Good leaders are strategic, wise and perceptive. The next question you should ask yourself about your boss is if he people are they passionate about what he or she does? Good bosses are very passionate people. They operate with such a high level of passion that they get consumed in it. They take action! Good leaders are determined to attain their goals. They know that the journey reaching their destination can be filled with problems. However, they are persistent people and are willing to put in the long hour and hard work to ensure that th eir goal is meet. Good leaders mean what they say. They have integrity. They’re individuals who keep their guarantees and they do not play the old political games that plenty of others do. People find them reliable and as such are dedicated to them. Not all good bosses carry every single trait. They might be strong in some areas and lacking in others. But just remember, it isn’t about being perfect, but understanding that bosses are human too; no one is perfect. Make an effort to try and get to know your boss and be a little more understanding about what they might be challenged with in their day to day duties.

Bel Ami

French 0080 December 13, 2004 The Devil’s Workshop The American dream sustained by millions of immigrants in the last three centuries is built upon blind, optimistic faith that hard work and effort will bring about good fortune to good and righteous people. However, this dream does not always become reality and many times, it is the people who work the least who are the most fortunate in terms of wealth and success. In three famed French novels, the effects of money, power, and idleness in Bel-Ami, The Immoralist, and The Vagabond are made known as this degeneration of the morals and/or self-worth of the characters involved are depicted.Maupassant’s novel, Bel-Ami, tells the tale of Georges Duroy and his climb up the social ladder in the 1880’s. At the beginning of the novel, Duroy is a simple clerk who works hard for very small wages and who is forced to husband his resources so that he can afford the rent for his apartment in the slums and his one meager meal p er day. This existence bores and disgusts Duroy however, due to his lack of formal education and social connections he is unable to find a better paying position until his chance meeting with an old army friend, Forestier.With a gift of forty francs for a set of evening clothes, he is catapulted into aristocratic society as he is invited to dine with Forestier, his wife, and several business colleagues and friends. Although his personal experiences are limited, he regales his fellow dinner guests with stories about his time spent in Africa and before the evening is over, he is commissioned for an article on a cavalryman’s view of life in colonial Africa.The journalist’s position is drastically different from the occupation which he currently occupies given the flexibility with work and with an improved salary and Duroy jumps at this opportunity to promote himself into a more respected job. However, he finds himself unable to compose the article that is requested of him and approaches his friend for help. When Forestier instructs Duroy to go to his wife for aid, Duroy was nervous â€Å"wondering what he was going to say and uneasy about the welcome he might receive† (34, Bel-Ami).He is aware at this point that such behavior, visiting someone’s wife early in the morning and while she is dressed in a negligee, is not appropriate. However, he is encouraged by both Forestiers and spends time with alone with Madeleine, an act which was not socially acceptable at the time, and stays until the article is completed by her. Again, Duroy’s conscience forces him to hesitate signing his name to the article entirely composed by another, but he is compelled to by Madeleine. With the article written and completely disregarding this dishonesty, Duroy submits it to the newspaper as his own work.This act of plagiarism is markedly the first step that Duroy takes up the social ladder and the first step down the ladder of morality. Duroy is engage d as an employee of ‘La Vie Francaise’, the newspaper where Forestier works, and the second installment of his series on Africa is requested of him the next day. This position offers him nearly twice his former pay in terms of salary alone and he is also offered commission per line per article. He starts his days at 3 pm each day, rather than at 10am and his line of work is significantly less strenuous than before.However, on the first day when his article is printed, he quits his former job and spends the entire day buying frivolous items before going back to the newspaper offices, sans article. He is briefly reprimanded for his laziness by Forestier and is sent on his first mission with another journalist, St. Potin, to interview two visiting dignitaries. On this outing, St. Potin ‘shows Duroy the ropes’ by taking him out for drinks and gossiping about everyone and everything involved in the paper. He criticizes M. Walter, the head of the paper, and pokes fun at him with Jewish stereotypes.He openly makes inappropriate references to Mme. Forestier and her relationship with the Comte de Vaudrec, despite Duroy’s position as a friend to her husband. Duroy, unaccustomed to such blunt and uncouth conversation topics experiences extreme discomfort and battles â€Å"an urge to insult and slap the face of this gossip-monger† (50, Bel-Ami). The meeting ends with St. Potin telling Duroy how he has no intention to actually interview the two dignitaries and instead will rewrite an old article from an interview with similar foreigners.Again, Duroy is rather surprised but does not voice any opposition he may have to these dishonest acts. The next day, he is also informed that it is possible to get advances on one’s salary at the newspaper, ridding Duroy of the necessity of waiting and saving his money. He continues his work at the paper and becomes a very well known reporter but due to his expenditures, the advances on his al ready increased salary are insufficient and he lives just as poverty stricken as he did before, regardless of the change in his income. The next step that Duroy takes down the path of immorality is his association with Mme.De Marelle, one of the women who he had met at his first dinner with Forestier. After visiting her, she invites him out to dinner with her and the two Forestiers. He accepts and soon all four gorge themselves with delicacies, fine wines and champagnes, and make incredibly inappropriate sexual comments and advances to each other. When discussing love, Duroy is again shown as a bit of a romantic who believes that there is some goodness in the world when it is said that â€Å"[he] believed that [love] could last, creating a bond, a kind of tender friendship, a mutual trust† (64, Bel-Ami).However, this is not enough to keep him from gossiping with the other three and he vocalizes his contempt for love and tenderness despite his beliefs. Shortly after, he and Mm e. De Marelle become lovers and one result of this is another strain on Duroy’s already too scanty salary. She enjoys to be taken out and to experience life while he works to afford his rent and his meals. He quickly falls into debt with everyone and owes the most to the cashier office at the newspaper. After confessing this to her, he finds that Mme. De Marelle adopts the habit of leaving money around his apartment or in his clothing.At first, he is mortified by this turn of events and his â€Å"feelings in a turmoil of fury and humiliation† (82, Bel-Ami). He vows to return the money to her but instead spends it on lunch and paying off debts. Although he confronts her over the issue, Mme. De Marelle continues to leave him tokens of her appreciation. He is duly humiliated each time, but he does not return the money or refuse it. He becomes a prostitute for her and uses her money for all of his purposes, such as food, debts, and even sex from a prostitute at the Folies- Berger.This descent into amorality continues as he continues to make more progress in climbing the corporate ladder. Duroy is eventually caught by Mme. De Marelle when she discovers that he has been paying a prostitute with her gifts and he finds himself strapped for money. After Forestier refuses to lend him a substantial sum and insults him when Duroy doesn’t perform his job well enough, Duroy almost immediately begins plotting against Forestier by thinking â€Å"You wait, I’ll get you†¦I’m going to have your wife, old man† (88, Bel-Ami). Given that only shortly before he had been ready to hit the man who implied Mme.Forestier’s infidelity to her husband, Duroy’s character has obviously changed. Until this point, the only revenge that Duroy sought was at his former place of employment when he insulted his boss and this thought marks the very beginning of the noticeable changes from his decent self to his corrupted and vile counterpart . Duroy continues on his ascent into society and eventually does obtain the hand of Mme. Forestier after her husband’s death. He inherits his money, social position, and occupation and completely assumes Forestier’s position in life.He has achieved the life that he had set out to make for himself. However, he is haunted by the memories of the dead man and soon, the life that he has is insufficient for him. One of the biggest catalysts for Duroy’s descent into amorality is the suspicion of his new bride; he comes to the conclusion that she has been unfaithful to him and he writes off all women, believing that â€Å"all women are whores, you have to use them and not give them anything of yourself† (181, Bel-Ami). He is embittered by this turn of events and becomes ruthless in his plans to achieve the most money and wealth that he can.When Madeleine’s patron, the Comte de Vaudrec, dies and she inherits all of his wealth, Duroy forces her to give him h alf of the sum. Duroy later turns to Mme. Walter, the wife of the head of the newspaper, and uses her to get the top of the company. After using and discarding her, he discards Madeleine after arranging to catch her in an act of infidelity. His lust for money and power ultimately bring about his immorality, while being one of the richest men in his circle. Money has ultimately corrupted him. In The Immoralist, Michel is a man of independent means.Born into a middle class family, he does not have to struggle to make it into society as Duroy did. He already has a comfortable occupation and on his honeymoon, spends his wealth on things of comfort and pleasure. He travels south with Marceline, his new bride, and for one of the first times in his life, leaves his work of books and study behind him. On the way to his destination, he has a severe bout with tuberculosis and nearly dies. He reflects that he â€Å"worked to the end, did [his] duty resolutely, devotedly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (19, The Immoralist) which reflects his lack of zest for life.He resigns himself to death, but the care of his wife keeps him alive and helps him to recover. Marceline chooses a lovely location for him to recuperate but he shows little interest in his surroundings and is too exhausted to do any work of any kind. He states that â€Å"being is occupation enough† (22, The Immoralist). Michel is an idle man, a man who has never known what it is to truly work hard to achieve something. However, faced with his mortality, he develops a renewed zeal for life and begins to spend his wealth with more abandon than before.On his return back to Europe, the architectural sites mean nothing to him any longer and he only wants to experience life at the fullest. He takes himself and Marceline to a farm that he possesses in Normandy and it is at that farm where he loses his idleness and becomes the best type of man that he ever is during the novel. One can argue that it is at this farm where he spends the majority of his time at work, at various occupations that require him to put forth manual labor rather than being lazy, and that is the cause of this semi transformation.He is, however, called to accept a teaching position at one of the more prestigious universities in Paris and when he takes this position, begins his cycle downward. Going to Paris, he spends enormous amounts of money as he and Marceline struggle to furnish their new apartments, which â€Å"the cost of furnishing the new apartment would exceed [their] income for the year† (88, The Immoralist). Rather than settling for what he could afford, Michel recklessly spends what he needs to get what he wants.As his idle time increases, Marceline’s health decreases and Michel uses her failing health as an excuse to quit his new job, for he has become bored and disillusioned with it, and drags her back to his farm in Normandy. No longer interested in working for the betterment of the property, Michel takes up with poachers and ruins his own lands, making them undesirable and causing them to lose whatever profits they had once made. It seems that his idle hands are aching to be occupied with some matter and given that he is no longer interested in working, he becomes a voyeur into the lives of the most debauched around him.The farm is soon ruined under his direction and he forever ruins his relationships with the people who had worked for him and his father for years. He is confronted by one of the sons of his employee who tells him that it was [Michel] who taught [him] last year that property involves certain responsibilities – but [Michel] seems to have forgotten† (138, The Immoralist). Michel is not moved by this statement but rather becomes disgusted with his work and informs the grounds keeper that the farm is to be sold.Despite Marceline’s increasing health troubles, Michel picks up and leaves the farm as soon as he becomes disillusioned with it and with the peo ple around him and drags Marceline on a trip through Europe and back south to where they had spent their honeymoon. On this flight, Michel has nothing to occupy his time or capture his interests except for multiple acts of immoral behavior. He spends his money recklessly, without abandon, and never takes into account Marceline’s needs or desires. Instead, he constantly justifies his own selfishness by blaming these things on Marceline’s needs.Her health worsens as he drags her to climates not healthy for her ailing lungs, but he is so preoccupied with experiencing the debauched lifestyle that he does not care about it and refuses to acknowledge that he is slowly killing his wife. In a sick way, Michel seems excited by his prospect of wasting his riches for he claims that â€Å"A reversal of fortune†¦should teach as much as a reversal of health† (144, The Immoralist). Finally, his selfishness and inability to distinguish right from wrong cause the death of M arceline. Michel is left alone, without work or meaningful occupation.However, instead of working or attempting to rebuild the life that he purposefully destroyed, he is content to do nothing except exist. At the end of the novel, he states that â€Å"nothing discourages thought so much as this perpetual blue sky. Here any exertion is impossible, so closely does pleasure follow desire† (170, The Immoralist). This last statement of him shows truly how far he has descended into this state. The Vagabond is different from the aforementioned novels in that its main character is not one who does not appreciate the value of money or the importance of work.Rather, its heroine, Renee Nere, works at first because she must but finally because she wants to rather than condemn herself to a life of servitude to a husband. Renee is a thirty-something divorcee who sings, dances, and acts in a second rate performing troupe and who is eventually courted by a rich, handsome man who embodies mon ey and idleness. Rather than openly accepting the life of luxury he offers, Renee ultimately rejects him because he cannot understand her aversion to a married life in captivity.Max, her suitor, is an extremely rich man who has no occupation at all and who lives off of the money provided to him by his family. Max cannot understand the importance of a job in Renee’s eyes and ultimately, it is this inability to comprehend her motives that cause their budding romance to fail. In a short passage, Renee displays her opinions on the effects of idleness on an actor. She states that she is touched by the concern of one of her colleagues who wants â€Å"to save [her] from hard times and the idleness which demoralizes out-of-work actors, diminishing their powers and making them go to pieces† (101-102, The Vagabond).She feels that it is necessary to keep oneself occupied and it is that reason as well as the fact that she does not want to repeat her past experiences with her ex-hu sband that she rejects Max’s advances. The major conflict between the two is the impending tour of the theater group with whom Renee works. Many times in the novel, Max voices his desire for her to remain and to leave the theater and to accept a less strenuous life with him. However, Renee doesn’t respect him for his self-imposed inactivity and she likens him to a prostitute as he is the first man she had ever met who was idle.She states that â€Å"he has no profession and no sinecure behind which to conceal his lazy freedom† (140, The Vagabond). Max constantly asks her why she won’t leave the industry and he often rebukes her for her occupation. She replies to him that he has â€Å"the means to live otherwise†¦but as for [her], what would [he] have [her] do† (143, The Vagabond). When he offers to provide for her, she finds the idea repugnant and humiliating. When discussing the plans for the tour, Renee and her mentor, Brague, begin to discus s her relationship with Max.When Brague asks her what business Max is involved in, Renee replies, slightly embarrassed that Max does nothing at all. Brague finds that admission to be rather fascinating, stating that â€Å"it’s staggering†¦that anyone can live like that. No office. No factory. No rehearsals. No racing stables† (163, The Vagabond). Neither of the two working people can possibly understand nor sympathize with the motives of a person who does not take part in the simple task of human work. Another source of conflict between Max and Renee is the issue of money; Max has too much, Renee not enough.An example of this problem is highlighted when Renee is packing for the tour and is planning to share a trunk with Brague in order to save on the costs. The total proposed sum to be saved is two hundred francs, but Max does not agree with such a situation and tells Renee that the situation was â€Å"sordid† and that â€Å"it’s all so paltry† (167, The Vagabond). She is horribly offended by this dismissive attitude to money, but she recognizes that Max would not â€Å"have learnt that money, the money one earns, is a respectable, serious thing which one handles with care and speaks about solemnly† (167, The Vagabond).In the end, it is Max’s dismissive attitude to everything and his desire to control Renee that ruins their relationship; Renee goes on with plans to further her chosen career and leaves Max with best wishes for romance in his future. In Bel-Ami, The Immoralist, and The Vagabond, money and idleness are major factors that determine the path of each of the characters involved. In Bel-Ami, the more money Duroy obtains, the less work he does for it and his moral state shows much worse for the wear.The Immoralist discusses Michel and how he becomes a degenerate being with self-imposed idleness and his strong desire to cast away all ties to his prior lifestyle. Renee in The Vagabond shows how self-r eliance and independence is extremely vital to a successful relationship and how depending on one person for all of life’s pleasures can only lead to disillusionment and failure. These lessons, though not all good, are important to be learned in order to successfully prioritize one’s life.Only one of the three characters above became financially successful and he ruthlessly sacrificed the reputations, happiness, and sanity of others in order to achieve his goals. Apparently, the ‘American dream’ does not always have the desired fairytale ending but one can derive this lesson from these tales; riches may not be guaranteed, but the chances of living a fulfilling life are greatly increased by keeping oneself occupied and focused on the future, rather than being lazy and uninvolved with life and the world around him. As can be concluded from these novels, idle hands are truly the Devil’s tools.