”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.
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Why marry a , you may ask? Women are not the same in general. Personality and character varies. One main reason is that culture and family background are different from place to place. So if you are a foreigner seeking a Filipina lady for marriage, or you desire a happy and successful marriage after that divorce, then consider finding your true love among Filipina women.
Here are five reasons why:
Reason # 1. She is affectionate. Nobody can resist the warmth and the affection of a Filipina. She can translate that affection into action. She will literally take care of you.
Reason # 2. She is smart. She can communicate with you and can learn your language fast if you do not speak English. Many Filipina women are highly educated. Education is a very important part of the Filipino culture. Most of them actually went to college or have a university degree.
Reason # 3. She is easy to please. Pleasing a Filipina bride leads you the way to her heart. You do not have a hard time pleasing her because she is very appreciative in every good thing. Even little things will make her happy. Usually, you will find that Filipinas have a cheerful personality.
Reason # 4.She is diligent. You would not like to marry someone who would not like to do chores at home. You do not want to come home with a messy and stinky house, right? Most Filipina women are very neat and tidy, not only physically but also in keeping their houses clean. She will work hard to give the best for her family.
Reason # 5. She is a beautiful woman inside and out. Many foreigners label Filipina ladies as exotic and unique. But aside from her physical look, she also has an admirable character. Filipino parents never fail to teach their children good values. That’s why are good-natured, charming and are ideal marriage partners.
A always has this dream of marrying the perfect man for her. Read more: 5 Important Qualities A Filipina Bride Looks For In A Husband at
Would you qualify as the ideal man of a typical Filipino woman? If you think it is a bit old-fashioned, then you are proven wrong because there are modern-day females who still uphold their standards in men. In fact, most women in the Philippines are particular about the guys they would like to meet.
Below are ten qualities many look for in their dream guy:
1. God-fearing. Philippine women are grounded by their spiritual values. Of course, they do not look for a religious man but rather they look for a man who has faith in God. A godly man certainly has good moral values.
2. Responsible. She is not a dependent woman because she is hardworking and conscientious, but of course she wants her man to be manly and dependable. She needs someone whom she can entrust her entire being.
3. Gentleman. Who would not want a well-mannered, cultured and polite man? A Filipino girl wants her man to be that. It makes her feel like a queen of your heart.
4. Loyal and honest man. She does not want an unfaithful lover. She needs a one-woman man. A man who only wants her and her presence in his life is more than enough.
5. Romantic and caring. A Filipina woman loves romance. She is not a high-maintenance type of woman that would dry up your resources. Any small gestures that simply express your love and made her feel loved is already heavenly for her.
6. A good lover. She loves to snuggle and likes to be caressed. Being touchy does not mean she wants sex but by nature it is one of her love languages. She likes to be held closely and loves to hold you close in return. It secures her emotions.
7. A good friend. She does not need only a lover but also needs a friend. She wants someone who could also take time to listen to her. Some men do not have the patience to listen to a woman’s blues, but this is a need that a spouse should not neglect but meet instead.
8. Good sense of humor. A man does not need to be a clown, but at least he makes her laugh especially at times when she needs someone to make her smile. Everyone needs a good laugh from time to time. This will lighten her load especially if she is a full time wife.
9. Generous. In courtship, a man always sets his best foot forward and will consistently give her presents. But after that, when both are already married, the attitude of giving gifts is also gone. But a man who is basically generous will continue in giving even when the courtship stage came to pass.
10. Flexible. A typical Filipino woman needs her man to be flexible. She grew up in a culture where extended family is practiced. Families and relatives would tend to get in the way especially if you want to live independently and separately. She needs her partner to adjust gracefully and be patient with her own family as they will slowly work the matter out as a couple.
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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.
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Here is some advice on relationships for men who want to keep a woman happy.
Self confidence is sexy, in a man and a woman. It immediately answers the thought that “we can work it out.” You must choose confidence because it is more attractive to women than physical looks. Have you ever noticed that some of the ugliest guys have some of the prettiest women?
Grand gestures like buying her a new car, or taking her on a dream vacation are wonderful, but they don’t measure up to the little gestures that add up to long relationships. Offering to check the air in her car tires or get the oil changed are equally important small gestures that are quite meaningful. Just opening the car door for her can be more romantically memorable than the new car.
These memorable acts show appreciation. You are building a valuable foundation that continue the “we can work it out” relationship. Don’t take her for granted. It only takes a minute to let her know that you value her.
When you are with her, be with her – not other women. No obvious ogling or comments on other women. The main reason for this is that women feel they are being compared all the time. Who wants to spend time with a man that is checking out other women?
Incorporate humor in your relationship. Making a woman laugh is just a great treat. A great sense of humor is one of the top listings for what a woman wants in a man. Of course, it also helps greatly in the “we can work it out” stage of a relationship.
She’ll know you are one in a million if you take an interest in a long standing passion of hers. If this means developing an appreciation for foreign films, so be it. This shows that you care about her.
This advice is greatly extended in a money back guaranteed book written by a man who has experienced how to get along with people.
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Today golf has become a popular sport in most parts of the world. Many women have taken up playing golf both as professional golfers and amateur golfers. Some women play golf just as a pastime. The entry of women golfers is not very old. Previously, golf was the exclusive domain of men and as a result of this all the golf equipment including golf clubs were manufactured keeping in view that the game is being played by men. However with the entry of women golfers, golf equipments are now being made for women also.
Generally women need lighter and more flexible clubs than men. This is because women need clubs that suit their physique. Here are some key points while making a decision in buying a women’s golf club
*The club should be light in overall weight (with a feel of head weight)
*Correct Flexible shaft based on the swing speed
*Well designed and attractive
One of the most important points to be noted while buying a golf club is that it should have a proper fitting. Golf clubs chosen without fitting may not be suitable as there are many variables and different types of clubs. The fitting should be done by a professional fitter who will understand the customer’s requirement.
Ladies buying golf clubs should decide whether to a club with steel or graphite shaft. Generally steel shafts are great for those who have a powerful swing and a low handicap. Graphite is lighter and gives your swing an easier feel. It has been found out that most amateur women don’t swing the club fast enough to generate the club head speed needed to warrant steel shafts. Therefore beginners should start graphite shafts rather than steel. Though graphite shafts are more expensive, they are much easier for the beginner, high handicapper or women that prefer the lightness of graphite.
There are some ladies who choose the more expensive but low weight yet hard titanium. Stainless steel is cheaper, but it is also heavier. An alternative is an alloy head which is made from a combination. There are many combinations using different metals.
Those ladies who are starters should remember that though golf players are allowed 14 clubs to be taken in the bag beginners may take fewer clubs as making a decision while playing would be easier and faster when they are on the course. Beginners may start with a 5, 7, 9 iron, and sand wedge plus a 3, 7 wood and putter. Seven clubs is more than enough for beginners.
If you are a complete beginner or a low handicapper, buying golf clubs should be done wisely. Get the clubs that will work for you, whether it is a few or a complete set. When you start out with the right “tools” you can pour your foundation and build a strong game that will make you happy and contended.
Ladies who are lefty’s and are having a hard time finding the perfect set of clubs should check out the World Wide Web. The internet offers the choice of a large number of online golf websites selling golf equipment. These websites will have a great selection of left handed clubs for women.
Women golfers may find all the accessories in the sports stores or golf stores. In some cases there may even be separate or special counters selling in these stores. Before buying women’s golf clubs it is important that you should be well informed about the different types of clubs so that you can take the right decision while choosing the best club for yourself.
Sanjay Kumar writes content about Golf Balls , Golf Equipment and Women’s Golf Clubs .for more information visit at:
Question by goody: Will this work for Clove cigarettes / cigars? Now that the Clove cigarettes are banned, US stores are now selling the DJarum (clove) cigars that are similar but not quite the same to the cigarettes. My question is can you the “cigars” from the stores, then somehow unwrap the cigars and re-wrap them with cigarette papers?? Frmo what I’ve read, it seems the tobacco in the the cigars is the same, just the wrapping is different to make it a “cigar”. If I unwrap the cigar, it seems like I could re-wrap with a cigarette paper.
Best answer:
Answer by Big J v 3 I believe technically a cigar is tobacco wrapped in a tobacco leaf (or brown paper with tobacco in it).So technically I think your idea is sound, but why not just smoke the cloves they way they are now?
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.
The study of the economy of Cuba can be divided into four phases. The first phase consists of the occupation of the island by the Spanish, which led to the extinction of the aboriginals and the bringing of African slaves to work on the sugar plantations. At this point of time, Cuba provided for the highly profitable business of sugar cultivation and its exports. Sugar industry was the crux of Cuba’s economy and Cuba rose to become one of the largest producers of sugar in the world.
The second phase pertains to the years following the wars of independence against the Spanish and also the invasion of Cuba by the US. It is marked by the sweeping powers of intervention obtained by the US in 1902, with the Cuban economy being controlled by the growing investment of the US citizens in the sugar plantations of Cuba. Now, again, money and profits from the sugar plantation, sugar refineries and subsidiary sugar products such as rum went to the many American investors and a few Cuban elite. The other major industries also included tourism, tobacco, transportation, mining and the communication industry.
The third phase begins with the Cuban revolution and the beginning of Fidel Castro’s rule in the year 1959. All plantations that were more than 400 hectares became state owned and all industries including the petroleum and the telephones became nationalized. This lead to the US trade embargo towards Cuba. Cuba lost its traditional international market. However, Cuba found a trade and political ally in the USSR when the Cuban-sugar for Russian-oil package worked well. Cuba reoriented itself to the Russian and pro-Russian market and did over 80% of its international trade with them. The next 30 years saw tremendous improvement in health care, education and social welfare. Cuba boasts of a 97% literacy rate and the life expectancy increased to 76%. There was an egalitarian distribution of income and Cuba’s income inequality index became the lowest in the world.
All was well until 1989 when it became clear to Cuba that sooner or later Cuba would have to learn to do without any subsidies or trade relations with the USSR and the eastern European countries. The fourth phase begins here with the government dubbing it as the ‘Special Period in Peacetime’. The economic reforms include:
(i) the opening and gearing up of tourism as an industry
(ii) diversification of the agricultural sector by producing fruits and vegetables and rice along with live stock for local consumption that include the visiting tourists.
(iii) production of more of citrus food and less of sugar
(iv) focusing on that sector of fisheries which sent its fleets to nearby seas and exporting spiny lobsters to Japan
(v) State-owned lands have been converted to agricultural cooperatives that are managed to a certain degree by the workers. Retail outlets at a small scale have been allowed for the food market. In the field of food production, allowing the of excess production (which is above the state-fixed production quota) in the free market has brought down black markets, in addition to enhancing production
(vi) Foreign investments in various industries such as tourism, mining, telecommunication, construction and manufacturing sectors have been allowed
(vii) Self employment has been legalized for around 150 occupations.
Investment into biotechnology and pharmaceuticals during the third phase reaped returns when products of this industry were available for export now at the fourth phase.
The other Cuban industries include cement, steel, agricultural machinery and construction.
Fisheries, nickel and ore production, growing agricultural products such as fruits, tobacco are some areas that have shown growth in the export sector. Cuba now exports to European countries (50%), Canada and Latin America (20%), and Asia (20%).
Spain, France, and United Kingdom have invested in the tobacco and cigar production. Spain and Canada have invested in the exploration of oil off the shores of Cuba. Mexico, Canada, Australia, South-Africa, Netherlands, Brazil, and Chile are the other major countries that have invested in the various industries of Cuba.
Cuba has entered into an agreement with Venezuela whereby thousands of Cubans who are doctors, teachers and sports trainers, and engineers would move in to Venezuela to assist their development program in return for 53,000 barrels of oil per day being shipped to Cuba for the next five years.
“Energy revolution” where apart form changing the entire system of power generation and distribution, energy conservation is also aimed at, has been in vogue in Cuba for the last two years. The quality of life of the Cubans are improving with the volunteers of the government replacing on a door-to-door campaign, the existing electric stoves and lights with the ones that are more efficient and less energy consuming. Energy efficient refrigerators and television sets have been distributed and would be installed in all the thousands of housing units that the government is building. Energy efficient buses from China would soon be available for the Cuban public transport. It is just a matter of some time when power generation would take place at hundreds of units that are well synchronized, thus avoiding wastage of power while distributing it through very long distances. Generation of natural gas while exploring for oil at oil rigs is also considered.
Cuba has also legalized the US dollars. Further, the Venezuelan inputs for domestic oil production and upgradation of existing power stations have raised the level of optimism. Cuba is also hoping to find oil off its shores. Apart from the sugar industry and its related products, there are various industries such as tourism (also called the lung of the Cuban economy), fisheries, nickel and ore production, production of tobacco, Cuban cigar, citrus fruits, pharmaceuticals, coffee, besides basic manufacturing industries which have earned Cuba foreign exchange. Cuba has learned to manage its post-USSR economic condition and is steering towards a more prosperous economy.
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