IMBenglish: Addictions

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sábado, 5 de fevereiro de 2011

Anti - smoking add

Smoking harms your body

Anti - smoking song

Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is a handsome, smooth-talking tobacco lobbyist and the Vice President of a tobacco lobby called The Academy of Tobacco Studies, which for fifteen years has been researching the link between nicotine and lung cancer. They claim that their research—funded primarily by tobacco companies—has found no definitive evidence of the linkage. Naylor's job consists mainly of reporting the Academy's questionable research to the public and defending Big Tobacco on television programs by questioning opposing health claims and advocating personal choice. Naylor and his friends, firearm lobbyist Bobby Jay Bliss (David Koechner) and alcohol lobbyist Polly Bailey (Maria Bello), meet every week and jokingly call themselves the "Merchants of Death" or "The MOD Squad".

As anti-tobacco campaigns mount and numbers of young smokers decline, Naylor suggests that product placement of cigarettes could once again boost cigarette sales. Naylor's boss, BR (J.K. Simmons), sends Naylor to Los Angeles to bargain for cigarette placement in upcoming movies. Naylor takes along his young son Joey (Cameron Bright) in hopes of bonding with him. Throughout their trip, Naylor teaches Joey about the beauty of argument. Naylor is also sent to bribe Lorne Lutch (Sam Elliot), the cancer stricken man who once played the Marlboro Man in cigarette ads and is now campaigning against cigarettes. Naylor offers Lutch a suitcase of money for his silence and, though disgruntled, Lutch agrees.

Vermont Senator Finisterre (William H. Macy), one of Naylor's most vehement critics, is the promoter of a bill to add a skull and crossbones warning to cigarette packaging. During a televised debate with Finisterre, Naylor receives a death threat from a caller. Despite the threat, Naylor still plans to appear before the U.S. Senate to fight Finisteere's bill. Naylor is then kidnapped and covered in nicotine patches, causing him to nearly die of nicotine poisoning. Naylor awakes in a hospital where he is told that his smoking habits have resulted in a high nicotine tolerance level and have saved him, but that he is now hypersensitive to nicotine and can never smoke again.

Meanwhile, Naylor has begun a steamy fling with a young reporter named Heather Holloway (Katie Holmes). Believing he can trust her, Naylor tells Holloway all about his life and career as they make love. However, after Naylor’s kidnapping, Holloway publishes an article that relentlessly bashes Naylor and his work at the Academy. It exposes Lutch’s bribe, the secret plans for product placement, and the MOD squad as well and accuses Naylor of training Joey to follow his amoral example. Following the article, all public sympathy for Naylor’s kidnapping evaporates, and BR fires Naylor in an attempt to distance the Academy from negative press.

Unemployed and publicly hated, Naylor falls into depression until his son Joey helps him recall the integrity in his job of defending corporations that almost no one feels deserve a defense. Rejuvenated, Naylor tells the press about his affair with Holloway and promises to clear the names of everyone mentioned in her article. He also declares that he will still appear before the U.S. Senate on the packaging bill, even without the backing from the Academy. At the Senate hearing, Naylor admits to the dangers of smoking but argues that public awareness is already high enough without extra warnings. He emphasizes consumer choice and responsibility and, to the dismay of Senator Finisterre, claims that if tobacco companies are guilty of all tobacco related deaths then perhaps the state of Vermont is also guilty in their high production of cheese caused cholesterol related deaths.

Impressed by Naylor’s speech, BR offers Naylor his job back, but Naylor publicly refuses to work for his backstabbing boss. Heather Holloway, ruined by the public humiliation of Naylor’s confession of their affair, is reduced to working as a local weather girl. The Academy is dismantled soon after the trial, and Senator Finisterre begins working to digitally remove cigarettes from classic films. The MOD Squad still meets weekly, now with the addition of lobbyists for fast food, hazardous waste and oil drilling. In the footsteps of his father, Joey wins a school debate using lessons his father taught him. Naylor opens a firm to train lobbyists to improve the public image of other scrutinized institutions.

quinta-feira, 13 de janeiro de 2011

Addictions - Thank you for smoking - film

terça-feira, 11 de janeiro de 2011

Addictions - Computer

Addictions - Chocolate

Addictions - Drugs

Addictions - Gambling

Addictions - Confessions of a Shopaholic - film

“Confessions of a shopaholic”- Discussion Questions

1. Becky has a serious shopping addiction! Clothes, makeup, shoes—you name it, she loves it! Do you have a shopping addiction? Where is your favourite place to go shopping? What store can’t you walk by without “just taking a peek” at the fabulous merchandise!
2. At the beginning of Confessions of a Shopaholic, Becky just had to have the Denny & George scarf. Have you ever made a crazy impulsive purchase like that? What’s the most fun purchase you’ve ever made? Have you ever had to borrow money for a shopping spree?
3. Becky is obviously addicted to shopping, but she’s got other things going for her as well. What are some of your favourite characteristics about Becky? Do you have friends that remind you of any of the characters in Confessions of a Shopaholic?
4. Becky decided to follow David E. Barton’s Controlling Your Cash in order to reduce her spending. Do you think the tactics listed in the story were reasonable? How could Becky have better managed her financial situation? What ways do you budget yourself and save up for special things you want to splurge on?
5. When Becky was a store assistant at Ally Smith, she hid a pair of zebra print jeans from a customer—then got fired! Do you have a funny or embarrassing dressing room story? Have you ever done something extreme like Becky to “stake your claim” on a piece of clothing?
6. Becky’s relationship with Luke constantly changes throughout Confessions of a Shopaholic. Hot and cold, on and off, you never know what you’re going to get with the two of them. How do you think the development of their relationship enhances the story?
7. Zebra print jeans, pink boots, and a shimmering gray-blue scarf—it seems that Becky has a style all of her own! How does Becky’s shopping obsession add to the story? What’s your style like? Do you have a favourite outfit?
8. Tarquin and Becky’s date was quite interesting to say the least. Pizza and champagne, a $5,000 check to a made-up organization, and some sneaking around on Becky’s part! Do you think Becky handled herself appropriately? What’s the most memorable date you’ve ever been on?
9. Becky seems to tell a lot of “little white lies,” from lying about a broken leg, to making up a dead aunt, and even telling her parents she has a stalker! How does her lying affect her relationships to her friends, family and colleagues in the story? What’s the most exaggerated “little white lie” you’ve ever made up to get yourself out of trouble?
10. Do you think that Becky can serve as a role-model for young women? What lessons did you learn about relationships, responsibility, friendship and honesty?
11. Becky lands a front page news article, a spot on a morning television show, and a date with her dream guy all in the course of a couple days. Is this too good to be true? Can you believe Becky’s luck? Do you think Becky has changed by the end of the story? Have you ever had a perfect day like Becky’s?

sexta-feira, 7 de janeiro de 2011

Anti-smoking rules

Spain's strict new anti-smoking rules take effect

A tough anti-smoking law has taken effect in Spain.

The ban - one of the strictest in Europe - outlaws smoking in all bars and restaurants. Smokers will also be prohibited on television broadcasts, near hospitals or in school playgrounds.

The law tightens anti-smoking restrictions introduced in 2006.

Spain has a strong cafe culture and the owners of bars and cafes have complained the law will hurt business.

The anti-smoking rules introduced in 2006 outlawed smoking in the workplace, but it let bar and restaurant owners choose whether or not to allow it. Most chose not to impose any ban.

Only large restaurants and bars were obliged to provide a smoke-free area.

Hotel, restaurant and bar owners have said they could face a 10% drop in trade with the new rules. The industry has already seen a sharp fall in sales due to Spain's economic problems.

But doctors argue the new legislation will help smokers give up.

Some 160 Spaniards a day die from smoking-related illnesses, four of them from passive smoking.