”I added this section to the site mainly because I believe men get a pretty rough deal when it comes to grooming and I want to make sure you all get the best advice I can find. I constantly find that women pick on men for either being too rough or taking care of themselves too much, and it adds just as much pressure for a man to look good as it does for women when they look at skinny models in magazines and feel they need to diet, so if you are a woman reading this (which you shouldn’t be) then ease up on your man he has feelings too. OK so shaving is a pretty standard task that takes place normally before work when you really cant be arsed, you splash some warm water on your face, slap some foam on your face and rip yourself to shreds with a Bic and end up sore and blotchy, but do you care? no of course you don’t you only woke up half an hour ago. I think most men including me need to go back to school when it comes to shaving and learn to do it properly because if its done right the results are far better and a bit of after care goes a long way.
Preparation:
I strongly believe that you should shave at night before bed just as you would wash and brush your teeth, the reason is that your face is more relaxed than first thing in the morning, and your concentration is better also shaving at night means you wont need to do it in the morning which means more time in bed. Before you reach for the razor it is worth prepping the face before a shave, use a pre shave wash like king of shaves, this helps cleanse the skin and get rid of any dirt before a shave.
Applying Foam or Gel:
It’s time to go back to how your grandad did it, using a shave brush is a brilliant way to shave, the brush acts as a mild exfoliant and brings the hairs up ready for shaving. Use a good gel or foam such as loreal for men or nivea and apply a good amount using the brush, work it into the face in a circular motion to help raise the hairs. Once you have a good even coating your ready for shaving.
The Shave:
By far the best way to shave is to use a cutthroat style razor they give an exceptionally close shave, but unless you visit a specialist barber that can do this for you it’s not very practical for everyday use, so instead use a good quality single blade razor, these fancy razors that offer 4 blades are in my opinion a waste of time and money. When shaving always go with the hair growth and never against it as this is what causes razor burn, going with the growth means you wont get sore and if your razor is of good quality you will get a very close shave.
AfterCare:
After you have finished shaving the aftercare is just as important as the shave itself, a good quality non fragranced moisturiser should be used on the face and neck, never use alcohol based liquids such as aftershave this will just inflame the skin. Below is a selection of products available on amazon which I think work well when shaving, try out shaving this way and i’m sure you will find it much better.
Blokebuddy is a male interest blog providing daily posts on hot women,cars, footy news and more. Visit us at
Almost all webmasters or website owners are looking for ways to get better results from their websites. They wish to improve their site’s standing and get better rankings in search engines. This quest for improved results, known as search engine positioning, can be satisfied by following a few basic procedures.
Before you even begin, you have to realize that you are competing against hundreds, and in some categories, thousands of websites offering similar products and services. In the case of affiliate marketing, many of the competing websites may even be identical! If you want to get the edge over these competitors and improve your search engine positioning you have to fine-tune your website and actively work to make it better.
1. Make Sure that your design is search engine friendly:
Your design may look good to your eyes, but it may also be the cause of you present difficulties and poor search engine positioning. How is that possible? Look at your web page using a text editor or the html view of popular editors such as Dreamweaver and Frontpage. On what line does your first line of copy begin? If your actual copy is pushed far down the page, it is more difficult for search engines to pick up the crucial information that would have helped you to improve your web page ranking.
If you have this difficulty, first take out all unnecessary spaces in the html code. If there are long strings of javascript, put these in external files. Similarly, put style information in external Cascading Style Sheet files. Simplifying your table structure may also help. If this starts getting too complicated for you, then consult with a professional search engine positioning specialist or your web designer.
2. Make sure your keywords are strategically placed in your copy:
It is not possible to improve web page ranking if the readable copy on your web page does not contain the words you wish to be found by. Many people erroneously think that just putting your important keywords in meta tags is enough. This is not true, some search engines hardly use the meta tags and look more to the copy on the page. Make sure that your important copy is in the first paragraph of text, in headlines (using headers such as H1, H2, H3) and in the active or clickable portions of link text on your page.
3. Use a site map and text link navigation on your pages:
If you want to improve your search engine positioning for all the pages of your website then you have to be sure that these pages actually get indexed or included in the search engines. You can help this process along by making a site map, a web page that has text links to all the sub pages of your site. Another good practice is to include a text link navigation system on your web pages, even if you already have a graphics based navigation bar elsewhere on these same pages. Remember, search engines follow text links more easily. A robot that lands on your main page or site map page will follow the text links and then visit and index your lower level pages.
4. Increase the quantity and quality of inbound links:
In fiercely competitive categories it will be difficult to improve web page ranking without obtaining a good number of links to your page from other websites. If you have very good and valuable copy, other sites may link to you because you are a valuable resource. However, if you want to speed this process along you will have to actively request links from other websites, either by trading links or by getting your content (with a link back to your site) placed on other websites.
When it comes to links you should keep in mind one important principle: it is not the quantity of links that is important, but the quality. One good link from an authority site such as CNN or Wikipedia is worth more than dozens of links from other sites. To get these quality links, there is no short cut. You will have to earn it by having a site that provides a lot of useful information.
5. Keep up with Search Engine Developments:
The challenge of improving your web page ranking and search engine positioning is dynamic. Search engines are not static. Most of the big search engines of yesterday have disappeared or are only minor players today. You should keep up with changes in the world of search engines by taking part in online forums or subscribing to newsletters which deal with topics such as search engine optimization, web ranking, and general webmaster related issues.
For years I have been getting great information from the Led Digest, a subscription list which is sent out several times a week. You can see samples online at www.led-digest.com
If you do not have the expertise or the time to tackle these matters by yourself then you should take advantage of skilled professionals who can help you to improve your site’s performance in search engines. Whether you rely on professionals or are able to do it yourself, these five tips can provide a good point of reference for starting the work.
Let me Level with you:
Brute Force Evolution II (Evo II)
Want To Win At Traffic Generation? It can be confusing trying to find the best deals with so many to choose from. With all these newcomers popping up on the internet everyday.
We have been investigating the Traffic Generation market for some time now, and after careful research, we have chosen bruteforceseo
the best value in Earning Millions With Free SEO Traffic today. Online Traffic is so Simple…When You Have The Secret Sauce Of BFSEO….
Why do we like Bruteforce Seo Brute Force Evolution II (aka. Bruteforce Evo II)? First it is the best value in its price range because of its pure automation in the industry. We also think the flexible full member customer service is second to none. Free SEO Traffic Cash On Tap. It’s is literally having an automated safe Underground SEO Free Traffic Millionaire Revealing The Secrets of Automated traffic Generation!
in addition, we are extremely impressed with the reputation of
Bruteforce Seo Brute Force Evolution II. Seriously they have a lockdown Seo with superior speed and member accommodations. You will find just as I have that if you think you have gotten a good seo tactic and its not bruteforce, then simply put it up against bruteforce and they will crush it and turn it inside out replacing it with a better deal. Join the Force and gain access to the Free Traffic Rocket Fuel,Underground SEO Traffic Methods. Blow The Doors Off Traffic Myths Forever! Bruteforce Seo Evolution II have the online success industry on watch and they listen to there customers offering dominant, preferred, first-rate deals. Where can you find Bruteforce deals? You can find Bruteforce Brute Force Evolution II and The Secrets of Automated traffic Generation! by going to the Brute Force Evolution II Future Arrival portal
Men’s winter wear is no more a protection garment but a style statement. Gone are the days of A simple snow-day anti-coats and brown and black leather jacket. Conjunction with its periodic dress style is a mantra.
are going through a makeover from simple polo necked ones to zippers and pull overs. The quality of wool is also getting superior to overcome lint problems after a wash. As winter nears, shops are stocked with bright colours in red, orange, aqua blue and pristine whites. There is a variety of range offered with context to fabric and the use. Short coats in woolen are wearable for mild winters in tropical areas. Matched with a muffler and a head gear one is ready to meet the winter winds.
Ponchos for men come in huge stripes or monotonous fish net kind of woolen weaving. Easy to wear and discard, this is a regular wear in the hilly areas. Formal comfort in woolens includes designer jackets. A leather and denim jacket is a compulsory wardrobe asset for men. Heavy denims are perfect for cool night outings.
The idea is to experiment with colours and break the boredom. Style and skin comfort need not be compromised. Pure woolens are a treasure and last for years and investing in them is a good idea. Wraps and shawls are easy wears. Special heavy thermals and tough boots for expeditions. Mens winter coats are also available in a wide range of fabric, patterns and designs.
Necklines can be chosen from low v necks to round necks, Chinese collars, collared T shirts and Turtlenecks. Whether sleeveless, half sleeved or full sleeves comfort is guaranteed. Heavy lined track pants and shirts with hoods for casual wear. Knit wear is classy and comes in medium weights. Choose among, heavy weight woolens, wrap, inner vests, cashmere, sweaters that allow a peek of your shirt collars or change your style with a fleece jacket.
Feel wonderful with a trench coat, thermal inners vests and slacks, snow proof easy-wash jackets and jumpers and you are ready to face this winter.
This vegetarian food guide will try to describe to you two things. One of them is the typical vegetarian foods that people consume and what makes up a vegetarian food diet. The second part of this article will recommend to the vegans and partial vegetarians out there where to find good vegetarian food in Singapore. Vegetarian food is made up of several things. The first is whole grain foods, which come in the form of stuff like cereals, corn, wheat, oats, rice and products that include pasta, bread and even the Mexican tortilla. They also include legumes like beans and peas, soy’s and pinto, kidney beans and garbanzos. They can come in the form of soy products like drinks and perishable food, friend and naturally prepared tofu and protein foods and can be served as ‘mock meat’
The best examples of vegetables that taste like meat are soy products and brinjal – when carefully prepared, can give the meat taste to vegetarians. Other things include fruits, nuts and seeds, a whole host of monounsaturated and vegetable oils, dairy products, eggs and sweets. There are two types of vegetarians in the world today, those who conform to a strict vegetable diet only, which means they do not eat eggs and dairy products because they come from animals, and the more causal vegetarians who eat eggs and milk – with some of them even eating fish and white meat. Whatever the case, these vegetarians do what they do and eat what they eat based upon the fact that they have a belief and philosophy in life, or wish to pursue a healthy lifestyle.
Many Hindus and North Indians in Singapore are vegetarian, which explains the sheer amount of North Indian and South Indian vegetarian restaurants all over Singapore. There has also been an ‘organic food’ explosion, with many organic restaurants opening up in Singapore, touting products and food that is one hundred percent all natural with cooking methods that do not include any sort of use of oil or animal products. This clean and green eating style has been gaining massive popularity in Singapore of late and more and more people have been patronising these eating houses. Just a quick stroll through Orchard Road will reveal many such places.
Their prices range from affordable to fine dining prices, and some vegetarians shy away because of the price. But not to worry, the suburbs of Singapore and the small rural neighbourhoods have a collection of vegetarian eating houses of all ethnic and sometimes international influences that are sure to offer you something that appeals to you. From strictly all natural eating houses to casual vegetarian restaurants, there is something for everyone. Chinese, Malay, North Indian, Mediterranean and even European influenced eating houses are there are your disposal and the good thing is, they are very descriptive when it comes to cooking methods and ingredients used, because they recognise that vegetarians are very particular about what they eat. For those with alternative tastes and need a vegetarian food guide, look up online and you will find plenty of places to dine at.
Singapore is a beautiful country located in South East Asia. Besides being well known for its . You must also try out whenever you visit Singapore. Visit to taste authentic Chinese food in Singapore.Article Source:
Golf balls are available in a variety of brands, quality and conditions. New golfers and experienced golfers can each benefit from the savings of buying bulk golf balls to use as practice balls. They are also a great way to get brand name balls at discount prices
Golf balls sold at discount helps us in cutting some of the costs that are incurred in the game of golf. Generally brand new balls are expensive to and are sold in a box of a dozen balls. If you have the tendency to lose balls whenever you play, golfing becomes quiet expensive. Therefore buying discount golf balls helps us in making big savings without affecting the game.
Utilized and recycled golf balls are sold at a discount. These balls are sold everywhere, right from the local sports store to the internet. These used balls are gathered from the golf courses and then sold at a cheap rate after being recycled. Many professional golf players and experts have the opinion that these discount golf balls are quiet as good as the new golf balls. Sellers label the recycled balls according to their quality. Top quality recycled balls are sold with the rating of AAA, the next level are rated as AA and so on.
All new balls have the company logo printed on it. The used balls which are recycled and sold at a discount have also the logos of some companies or organizations with their personalized logo for trade shows, sports tournaments etc., which are in fact, and a means of promotion and advertisement of the company or organization. Sometimes some mistakes in designing the logo or spelling the company’s name occur. But these mistakes are hardly any cause for affecting the game.
A good idea would be to purchase these discount balls at a large scale as it will save us money when compared with buying new branded balls. These balls are available in a variety of qualities, models and brands.
While recycling these balls, many dealers modify the balls through a three conception chemical impact in to brighten them to at least one full shade to make them look almost like new. There are other dealers who will remove all the logos and markings on the golf balls. They can even add OEM clear coat to make your discount golf balls shine.
Many dealers modify put their sport balls through a three conception chemical impact to brighten them at least one full shade to make them countenance most like newborn again. Sellers will modify go so far as to remove logos and other markings on your sport balls. They crapper modify add OEM clear coat to make your discount sport balls shine.
Discount in magnitude are quite easily found online also. However when it comes to choosing golf balls, the most important thing is choosing the best ball which will help you in your game. All golf balls are not the same. So if you are buying discount balls, you should try to gather as much information as you can about the balls and choose the best balls which will surely satisfy you.
Sanjay Kumar writes content about Golf Equipment and Women’s Golf Clubs .for more information visit at:
Whether you want to enjoy the highlights of Havana, relax in five star accommodation on the coast, or escape to a secluded part of the island, there’s bound to be a Cuba hotel that’s perfect for you. Here are four of the country’s very best.
The Best Cuba Hotels for 4 Different Cuban Holidays
There are few places that can offer such a diverse range of holiday experiences as Cuba. You can relax in some of the finest all inclusive beach resorts in the world, live it up in cosmopolitan and historical Havana, escape to one of the lesser known historical cities, or find your own deserted getaway in the mountains or on the coast. Whatever kind of holiday you want to have, choosing which one of the many Cuba hotels to stay in is always going to be a hard choice.
Here are some of the best Cuba hotels for four different kinds of holiday…
For five star luxury…
The very finest Cuba hotels are naturally located in Havana, the Cuban capital, and in this city you really are spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting your accommodation! For sheer grandeur and luxury, however, there is one hotel that stands out from the crowd – The Saratoga. This five star hotel was built in the 1930′s and is a classic example of neo-colonial architecture at its most stunning. With elegantly decorated rooms and spectacular panoramic views of the port and Havana’s Old Town, it’s hard to beat the Saratoga if you want the grandest accommodation on the island.
For a secluded getaway…
Sometimes you just want to get away from it all, and Cuba offers plenty of opportunities to find a peaceful retreat away from the crowds. Travel to the northern province of Pinar del Rio, and you’ll discover a part of Cuba that is a world away from the major cities and frenetic beach resorts. This part of the country is dedicated to tobacco growing for the famous Cuban cigars, and the beautiful countryside is ideal for hiking and horse riding. La Moka in Las Terrazas is the ideal base for a holiday in Pinar del Rio, a small hotel in a secluded location that is the perfect place to relax.
For a bustling beach holiday…
If you like a beach holiday that is filled with life, colour, and plenty of things to keep you occupied, Guardalavaca is the place to be. The biggest and most developed of Cuba’s beach resorts, Guardalavaca is also home to some superb hotels. For a place that is the life and soul of the party, the Playa Pesquero hotel is hard to beat. With facilities that include a swim up bar, six restaurants, numerous bars and the glorious Pesquero beach just a moment away, it is the biggest and perhaps the best hotel in Guardalavaca.
For a peaceful urban break…
Havana is often regarded as Cuba’s star attraction, but it is far from the only place to stay on the island. For somewhere a little less touristed but with just as much to see, head over to Trinidad. This town has the finest examples of colonial architecture on the island, and has even been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status for its remarkable buildings.
If you want to stay at the finest hotel in town, choose the Grand Hotel Trinidad. With its attentive service, high quality accommodation and ideal location in the heart of the Old Town, this five star boutique hotel truly stands out from the crowd, and is one of the best Cuba hotels.
Emma Lelliott is the general manager of Captivating Cuba, an independent specialist in luxury holidays to Cuba. With offices in Havana and the UK, Captivating Cuba can tailor-make your holiday to a choice of .
Since its release in 1999, the Ashton VSG has been the most successful blend of Ashton cigars to date. This is a very full-bodied cigar known for having a smooth and deep draw and a rich, complex, intoxicating flavor.
The term VSG stands for Virgin Sun Grown in reference to the fact that all tobaccos used in these cigars are sun-grown by nature. This powerful line is the personal handiwork of Carlos Fuentes Jr. himself, who worked in partnership with Ashton for a total of two years.
Four to five year-old Dominican tobacco is hand-picked from the most fertile plants. The unique flavor of the Ashton VSG comes from a wrapper that is grown on a private estate in Ecuador owned by the Oliva family where it is grown for the Fuente Family exclusively for Ashton. The wrapper matures slowly by sunlight filtered through the region’s natural cloud covering.
This is a powerful cigar with an intoxicating flavor with a complex rich finish. It is blended by Carlos Fuente Jr. using 4 to 5 year old Dominican tobacco hand-picked from the most fertile plants. The unique flavor of the VSG comes from a wrapper that is grown on a private estate in Ecuador owned by the Oliva family where it is grown for the Fuente Family exclusively for Ashton. The wrapper matures slowly by sunlight filtered through the region’s natural cloud covering.
This complex blend of flavor and color are derived from a couple of things. The first is the Dominican filler and binder that make up the heart of each of these fine cigars.
Carlos Fuente Jr. himself blends this line, using 4-5 year old Dominican tobacco that is hand-picked from his very best plants. A more complex layering of flavor derives from the superb Ecuadorian wrapper. The Ecuadorian wrapper is matured very slowly in filtered sunlight that trickles down through the natural cloud covering hovering over the Oliva familys private estate where it is grown.
The Ashton VSG is considered a full body smoke. Generally, it is most appreciated by veteran cigar aficionados who appreciate complexity in flavor and aroma. It is also a good cigar for bold new smokers who want to try something more powerful simply for the sake of appreciating the virtues of strength. Those who do so find that it has a creamy flavor as well that makes the draw as pleasant as it is powerful.
In fact, many cigar reviews have described this cigar as having an elegant, intoxicating flavor. Just after lighting, it has floral notes and flavors that remind you of plum. It also tastes distinctively of natural tobacco. Hints of spice, clove, and cinnamon are also present.
The Ashton VSG becomes moister toward the middle. Many report a leathery component and cedar sweetness. Toward the end of the smoke, a note of raw peanuts can be tasted. It is also well-loved because it has a slow, even burn thanks to an even and firm construction.
The Ashton VSG is distinctively square in shape that it has become a known form. You can also these cigars in a round shape if that is your preference. The most popular size is the 55 ring-size Torpedo. Ashton also makes this blend in ring sizes of 44, 46, and 52.
For more information on and come visit our online for
Have you ever wondered where cigars were first produced? It is widely believed that cigars were first produced in Spain. But before cigars became all the rage in Europe, tobacco was needed to make them. Tobacco is indigenous to the Americas, where native peoples have produced it for hundreds of years. It is believed that the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and parts of Central America cultivated tobacco, and even smoked it! Tobacco use spread to other tribes, both north and south. It is believed that its first use in the United States was probably among the tribe along the Mississippi. It wasn’t until Christopher Columbus sailed his famous voyage to the Americas in 1492 that the rest of the world came to know tobacco.
It is said that Columbus was not impressed by tobacco or its use among native peoples, but many sailors grew found of the strange plant. Soon it quickly caught on in Spain and Portugal. From there, it spread to France, where the French ambassador Jean Nicot lent his name to the scientific name for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The origins of the word tobacco itself are still suspect, although many believe it is simply a corruption of the word Tobago, which is the name of a Caribbean island. Still others believe it comes from the word Tabasco, a region (and now state) in Mexico.
The first tobacco plantation in the United States was established in Virginia in 1612. More tobacco plantations followed in Maryland soon after. Although tobacco became a popular crop, it was only smoked in pipes. The cigar was not introduced to the United States until the late 18th century. Israel Putnam, an army general who had served in the Revolutionary War, is credited with introducing the cigar to the United States. He had traveled to Cuba after the Revolutionary War and returned with a box of Cuban cigars. Their popularity quickly spread, and soon enough cigar factories were established in the area of Harford, Connecticut, where General Putnam resided.
In Europe, cigar production and consumption did not achieve widespread popularity until after the Peninsula War in the early 19th century. British and French veterans returned to their homelands after years of serving in Spain with their tobacco pipes in tow. Among the rich and fashionable, the favored method of taking tobacco was the cigar. Cigar smoking remains a habit associated with the rich and discriminating of upper society.
Find tips about , and other information at the website.
Smoking has become the affliction of a large magnitude of people and others seem to be joining the smoke bandwagon at an alarming rate. Smoking has become a very common sight with one out of every fifth person being a smoker. The trend of smoking has become very common among teenagers also. The problems one gets due to smoking are many, but they do not seem to encourage people to stop smoking or deter people for starting to smoke. The hazardous effects of smoking are many, but people do not seem to be paying heed; the tobacco companies seem to be the only one is reaping the rewards out of smoking.
Since tobacco was born, it has been a few companies dominate the tobacco industry. These companies control most of the production and distribution around the world. They are quick to adapt to their policies and tactics to conform to the regulations set by the government and cater to the needs of the ever-increasing number of smokers around the world.
Tobacco companies of the world
A few companies hold the tobacco production and control of tobacco; the three largest companies sell close to two thirds of the entire supply. The stagnation in demand has prompted them to explore new markets.
The government is in a predicament since the tobacco industry accounts for a vast amount of jobs, but it also has to protect the health of its citizens. The government has tried to cut down on smokers by increasing the taxes imposed on them. By increasing the taxes on tobacco products and leveling higher duties on the companies, the companies are forced to raise the prices, which indirectly reduce use; since higher priced goods will be used less often. There is not much the government can do since tobacco is not a banned product.
The large companies also diversify their business to keep abreast in the market. They use various ways the companies diversify.
By market segments: Products are usually divided into categories, from high priced premium cigarettes to low and middle class of cigarettes. Companies with big brand names sell premium high priced cigarettes but also expand in to lower class to protect them from susceptibility. A decline in of premium cigarettes will be ploughed back by the in the lower or middle brands of cigarettes.
By target group: Every cigarette has its target group. By creating a new target group, the company can raise its overall market share. Thus the need to branch out into women cigarettes and target young people.
This targeting of women and youngsters has been seen in bad light. The tobacco industry has long targeted young people with its advertising and promotional campaigns. One of the most memorable, “Joe Camel” campaign initiated by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, helped generate public outrage against tobacco company efforts to reach young audiences and it is no longer used. The reason is obvious, most people start smoking at an early age. Getting a hold on a new segment will increase its share in the market.
Women are also a segment that the industries try to win over. Cigarettes for women are put forward as a symbol of liberation and some even shown in the light of slimming products. Manufacturers produce (long, slim) cigarettes especially for women. Perfumed or scented cigarettes with exotic flavors are targeted at women. Cigarettes usually have the word “slim” or “lights” to attract women consumers. Minorities are also a target for the tobacco industry.
Diversification by tobacco products: cigarettes companies also try to branch out into other tobacco products. For example, Imperial tobacco has decided to branch out into the roll your own segment; it dominates both the tobacco and the paper for this segment.
Diversification by non-tobacco products: food seems to be the favorite for companies seeking to diversify. R.J. Reynolds bought Nabisco (which, in turn, was later acquired by Kraft) owned by Philip Morris. Japan Tobacco derives a (small) part of its from food. Logistics and wholesaling are another favorite
Austria Tabak, wholesaling of tobacco and other products (and the operation of vending machines) makes up a large share of turnover. Over 20 per cent of Altadis’ earnings originate in its logistics division. Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni owns the largest wholesaler of consumer goods in Denmark. BAT tried financial services (but, since 1998, is a pure tobacco company).
Diversification into food and other activities makes the tobacco companies less dependent on (slow-growing) of tobacco products. However, the profit margins in these industry are usually well below those attained in tobacco processing. Producing and marketing cigarettes remain the more lucrative activity.
Incase of diversification by geographical market, OECD-based tobacco companies are keen to reduce their dependence on their stagnant home markets and establish a presence in markets where growth is above average. After having started business in many markets in Latin
America, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Central Asian republics in the 1990s, their center of attention is shifting to the Far East. All the major tobacco companies now have a presence in Poland, Russia and the Central Asian republics. Austria Tabak, which gained a presence in
Estonia when it acquired the cigarette activities of Swedish Match also has a 67 per cent market share in Guinea. The company was considering entering Asian markets when it was taken over by Gallaher in June 2001. Through this take-over and the acquisition in 2000 of Liggett-Ducat, the Moscow cigarette maker, Gallaher greatly reduced its dependence on the UK market. Similarly, Japan Tobacco became a world player when it acquired the international activities of R.J. Reynolds. Thanks to a relentless internationalization drive, Germany’s Reemtsma now sells less than one-third of its total in its home market (compared to over 60 per cent in 1991) (see also figure 6). It is now on the go in several Central and Eastern European countries and, in 1999, it acquired Cambodia’s Paradise Tobacco Company.
The government.
A predicament is generally faced by the Governments all across the world. On the one hand, tobacco-growing and processing can makes a large contribution to employment, tax revenue and foreign exchange receipts. In many developing and formerly centrally planned economies, the tobacco companies have made sizeable and most welcome investments when other investors were disinclined to do so. On the other hand, governments have the responsibility to protect the population’s health. Smoking is harmful to health and treating people for smoking-related illnesses is expensive. This can lead to heated debates within the same government as each sector defends the interests it believes it should represent.
The economic importance of tobacco growing and processing differs from country to country. At the national level, cigarette ( and import) tax can be a main source of government revenue. In Russia, cigarette tax revenue contributes around 8 per cent to the financing of the state budget.
When the government owns the industry, it receives profits in addition to tax. That is why, in so many countries, State monopolies continue to control cigarette trade and production. In China, proceeds from state-owned CNTC amounted to the equivalent of US$11,000 million in 1999. CNTC has been the Chinese State’s top revenue generator for years. Japan Tobacco earned more than US$400 million for the Japanese State in the fiscal year ending March 2000. The monopolies can also play a social function. In Italy, several of the state monopoly’s factories are to be found in areas of high unemployment.
Then there are balance of payments issues to mull over, many low-income countries rely on the export of cash crops such as tobacco to pay for the service of their foreign debt.
Tobacco exports made up close to 10 per cent of Cuba’s exports in 1997-98. In the case of
Tanzania it was 15 per cent, In Zimbabwe over 25 per cent and in Malawi tobacco exports made up two-thirds of commodity exports.
Citizens smoke. But, if they smoke domestically produced cigarettes, using homegrown tobacco or use imported cigarettes and tobaccos can make a large difference when foreign exchange is scarce. That explains why so many countries try to restrict the imports of cigarettes and encourage domestic producers to use local tobaccos, for example, by providing a favorable tax treatment to companies that use a minimum percentage of homegrown tobaccos. The cigarette companies have also been a key source of investment in the formerly centrally planned countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. When others were disinclined to invest, those companies saw the possibilities offered by a blend of pent-up consumer demand, outdated production facilities and the association with independence and “western style” living that so appealed to the people in these countries after many years of central planning and little consumer choice. After having lobbied successfully for the reduction of restrictions of Asian markets such as Japan and the Republic of Korea, the large tobacco companies are eagerly waiting for the opening up of the other economies (notably China) that continue to restrict imports from and/or investments by foreign tobacco companies.
Tobacco growing, processing and exports can thus make a significant involvement to national employment and national income. Yet, however important tobacco growing and processing may be at the national level, its full economic and social significance is best grasped at the micro or regional level. In some regions, tobacco is grown side by side with the crop, which is the main source of income; its contribution to overall income is modest. However, in many others, tobacco is a main source of income and employment.
Tobacco growing and tobacco processing may bring substantial economic and social benefits, but the treatment of smoking-related illness is costly. Cigarette smoking causes cancer. It is addictive. The WHO estimates that tobacco products cause around 3 million deaths per year. Cigarette smoking is the major cause of preventable mortality in developed countries. In the mid-1990s, about 25 per cent of all male deaths in developed countries were due to smoking. Among men aged 35-69 years, more than one-third of all deaths were caused by smoking. The costs of treating all these people are clearly enormous (WHO, 1997).
So far, smoking has not had the same impact on mortality among women and among people from developing countries. There is an approximate 30-40 year time lag between the onset of persistent smoking and deaths from smoking. The effects of the greater incidence of smoking between these two groups will thus be felt with a lag, but it seems reasonable to believe that its impact on them will not differ fundamentally from that on developed country males.
It may be argued that smokers willingly take a certain health risk when enjoying their smoke. They like the taste and all the other things that they associate with smoking. Nevertheless, this does not apply to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) or “second-hand smoke”.
Smoke gets in your eyes your clothes. Moreover, it gets in your lungs. Non-smokers cannot escape from smoke in badly ventilated areas. To be exposed to other people’s tobacco smoke can be a nuisance in addition to being a health risk for non-smokers.
Governments and conflicting pressures: How do they get by?
In practice, governments have opted for several strategies (which are often followed simultaneously). A recent strategy consists of seeking compensation for the costs of treating smoking-related illnesses. It has been followed with success in the United States, as we saw in section 3.4. Governments also set rules regarding the maximum content of hazardous substances in cigarettes. Most of all, however, governments try to discourage demand for what is, as the industry does not tire of telling us, essentially a legal product.
This is done in a variety of ways, with some governments applying particular vigor and others taking a more relaxed approach. Overall, however, the trend is clear: governments’ rules on smoking are becoming ever more restrictive. The use of tobacco products is being discouraged in several ways.
Limitation of the space where smoking is allowed.
This is done above all to protect non-smokers from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke. Smoking is being prohibited in public places (particularly health care and educational facilities) and in mass transport. Legislation requires restaurants to reserve space for non-smokers.
Limitation by age group
It is prohibited to sell tobacco products to people under a certain age.
Limitations on points of .
The use of vending machines is being restricted because these cannot discriminate against to young people.
Health warnings stating that tobacco is harmful to health have become obligatory.
The warnings must be placed on packets and in ads, with the authorities prescribing the text and the minimum space allotted to the warning in the ad or on the pack. Governments sponsor education and public information programs on smoking and health.
Advertising bans. Restrictions concern the location of ads, the media used (no billboards, no ads in the printed media or in cinemas), the images presented (no young people, no cigarette packets), and the time when broadcasting is allowed (not during hours when children watch television).
The manufacturers are unhappy with these restrictions, and in particular with the ban on advertising. In their view, it is not proved that such a ban discourages demand for cigarettes (as its proponents claim). They are concerned about its effect on the value of their prime asset, the brand name.
Worldwide, the tobacco-processing industry employs hundreds of thousands of people. However, due to a combination of slow demand growth, consolidation, and higher productivity, this number is unlikely to increase by much in the near future. Fewer people are needed per unit of production. The industry is becoming less intensive in the use of labor. Tobacco growing, in contrast, gives work to millions of people. It continues to be a highly labour-intensive activity. The scope for productivity increases in tobacco growing would appear to be more limited than those in tobacco processing.
Over a million people are employed in the world tobacco industry
However, of this number a high percentage is employed in just three countries: China, India and Indonesia. The large number employed in China comes as no surprise in view of the large number of cigarettes (one-third of the world total) produced there. Still, the productivity gap with the United States is striking. China produces roughly three times as many cigarettes as the US, but it needs over nine times as many people to produce them. In the other two countries, the scope for productivity improvements would appear to be even higher.
THE SCENARIO TODAY.
The situation concerning smoking are scary, if global trends continue as they are doing today by 2030 more than 8 million people will die each year from tobacco related causes-80% in the developing regions of the World. In India per example where 120 million smoke 1 in 5 men will die for smoking. Smoking is on the decline in developed nations but is on a large-scale rise in developing or underdeveloped nations. The statistics are frightening, every eight seconds someone dies from smoking; about 15 billion cigarettes are sold daily. There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world today, and if things continue as they have, that number is expected to increase to 1.6 billion by the year 2025.
Smoking and use of tobacco products is on a decline in most developed countries. However, it is on a rampant increase in other developing countries.
In the US, there has been a decrease in the number of smokers. This can be attributed to the growing awareness of the damage smoking causes to the health of the individual. There is however a sad side to the story, smoking has increased to a drastic level in other countries and the figures are staggering.
China is home to 300 million smokers who consume upwards of 1.7 trillion cigarettes a year, or 3 million cigarettes a minute. As many as 100 million Chinese men presently under the age of 30 will die from tobacco use. There are approximately 120 million smokers in India today, and it is estimated that in the year 2010 alone, there will be close to one million tobacco-related deaths among men and women age 30 to 69 in India. Worldwide, tobacco use will kill more than 175 million people between now and the year 2030. Current tobacco-related health care costs in the United States total US $81 billion annually. Germany spends an average of US $7 billion, and Australia, US $1 billion each year on health care directly related to tobacco use. Health care costs associated with secondhand smoke total US $5 billion a year in the U.S. It is estimated that as many as 500 million people alive today will be killed by tobacco use. The statistics are chilling.
One reason for the sudden spurt in the numbers in these countries may be due to the arrival of tobacco companies. The lax stand of the governments in these countries makes it a good bet to start business. The anti smoking lobbies in these countries have not been able to combat the increase. Increased awareness has made it hard for tobacco companies to work in many countries and so the tobacco companies have shifted their sights to greener pastures.
These countries have a very small anti smoking lobby and the government restrictions o them are not so tough and the government is dependent on the revenues it earns from them. Setting up business in these countries has resulted in increased used of tobacco products.
The anti smoking lobby has been very effective in curtailing the spread and increase of smoking around the world.
Advertising related to tobacco has is banned in most countries. Warnings of the harmful effects of the product have to be printed on the packet. This statutory warning is mandatory in most countries. The WHO in its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which came into effect on 27 February 2005 has specified that all 168 countries should ban advertisements unless their constitutions forbade them to do so.
Today, we are aware of the hazards of smoking. Even though the people are aware of the harmful effects of smoking they rarely seem to pay heed. Everyone knows that smoking causes cancer, heart diseases and can shorten the life span of an individual. It is a highly addictive habit and smokers are at a risk of losing ten years of their life.
With so many smokers around the world, tobacco companies are the only ones gaining form the increase.
Smoking Joey-Heavy Smoker –
If you are smoking-try to quit- but in the meantime-smoke for less.
Everyone who smokes cigars, whether they are a novice or an experienced aficionado, knows that certain accessories go along with the hobby. Some of the most common items that cigar smokers need include butane lighters, humidors, and a cigar cutter. Of course, one of the most important accessories for those who smoke cigars is ashtrays. However, not just any old ashtray will do. You can’t really expect a small cigarette ashtray to hold your cigars ” after all, they are much larger than a cigarette. So, what is a good ashtray for cigars?
For the most part, it will depend on your personal taste. You will be able to find many different kinds of suitable astray in a plethora of styles and materials. You want to find something that matches your personal style as well as the dcor that is already in your smoking area. Consider some of the following types of ashtrays when it comes to finding something suitable.
One of the most popular types of ashtray for cigars is glass. The benefit of a glass ashtray is that they are heavier than many of the other types of ashtray, especially those designed specifically with cigars in mind. You can find these ashtrays in many different styles, as well as in different colors. When you are shopping for one of these ashtrays, make sure that the holders will fit your particular style and size of cigar. Some even come with holders for your other accessories.
Another choice that many cigar smokers choose is the metal ashtray. Again, you will be able to find them in different sizes and shapes, and you can find those heavy enough to hold your cigars. You might also want to consider ceramic ashtrays for your cigars. You will often be able to find them at good prices, and they have as many style choices at the metal and the glass ashtrays. However, you need to keep in mind that the ceramic ashtrays are far more fragile than the metal or even the heavy glass.
You will be able to find a variety of ashtrays when you start shopping. In many cases, you can find them at the same locations that you the cutters, lighters, and the cigars. Find something that is functional and that looks great, as well as something that will last as long as you continue smoking cigars.
Dave Sabot is the owner of an online store. With expert knowledge of cigar accessories, including , Dave also authors a highly rated blog featuring .