World Literature - The Deluge - A Key Point in World Literature

World Literature - The Deluge - A Key Point in World LiteratureWorld Literature Pericles made a name for himself through his essay, The Deluge. The essay is primarily about Pericles' belief that the decline of Greece would ultimately end the Age of Athens. The essay itself, and the result of the Athenian elections, can be understood by viewing world literature in a particular perspective: Pericles is criticizing the Republic, to which the Essay's title refers.Pericles criticized the Republic for allowing the aristocracy to continue its power and privileges after the civil war, which was fought because of the oligarchic aristocracy. Pericles's focus was on the power of the citizens, and how they were exercising their political power by voting. That this may have been a wrong perspective was likely the primary reason why Pericles wrote his essay.World Literature Pericles was making a very general point about democracy: they aren't always the best solution, and so they should be abused by citizens, and the proper perspective to take away from such an essay. In one part of the essay, Pericles explicitly criticizes democracy as a way to have a formal political system in a republic, but he doesn't make it clear that he believes a republic should exist.Pericles was ultimately wrong in his belief that democracy should be abused by citizens, and he likely knew it. Yet, the essay makes a point about the corrupted nature of democracy, and about how democracy can ultimately lead to tyranny if not exercised carefully.Pericles writes, 'Of all the beasts in the field, men are the least to be trusted.' This article can be understood in this light. Men are the main danger in a democracy, as well as in the case of the Republic.Pericles' viewpoint was really a combination of his beliefs and the views of other men at the time. We might expect that the democratic polity would be corrupt, and that only a republic would be able to maintain a form of government that was more appropria te to the People, and less corrupt.It's possible that Pericles wrote the essay in order to direct his voters to vote for democracy, not republic, in the future. The essay argues that democracy can lead to tyranny, but Pericles himself would likely see that point differently.

How Has Film Influenced Lifestyles And Human Behavior In The 20th Cent

How Has Film Influenced Lifestyles and Human Behavior in the 20th Century? How Has Film Influenced Lifestyles and Human Behavior in the 20th Century? During the 20th century, film has been a powerful media in which to influence people's lifestyles and human behavior. Film is for people who do not enjoy reading or other more stimulating leisure and want to be entertained or escape from everyday life. Movies gave society a great way to see vintage fashion, including how to wear period accessories that accompany the clothing. Movies also gave society a view of actors portraying wartime heroes, rebels or gangsters, which may influence peoples human behavior. The film industry introduced flapper movies in the early days. The flapper wore short hair and a short skirt, with turned-down hose and powdered knees. The flapper must have seemed to her mother like a rebel. Flappers offended the older generation because they defied conventions of acceptable feminine behavior. They used make-up and wore baggy dresses, which often exposed their arms as well as their legs from the knees down. The flapper movies were modern and influenced a revolution in fashion. During the time of the Great Depression, film was a source of cheerful escapism for most. People were out of work, but they did manage to find money to go the movies. Even during the darkest days of the Depression, movie attendance was between 60-75 million per week. The balancing act for film making was to both reflect the realism and cynicism of the Depression period. They also provided escape entertainment to boost the morale of the public by optimistically reaffirming values such as thrift and perseverance. During The Golden Age of Hollywood, movies were under strict enforcement and censorship. Film studios submitted their films for review and if they met the strict standards of decency they could be released. Regulations of the code included censorship of language, references to sex, violence, and morality. Without a seal, films were threatened with negative publicity and potential box-office failure. Movies were not allowed to portray gangsters as heroes. Movies of this time, basically influenced people to have better moral standards. The American film industry was extremely prolific, affluent, powerful and productive during the war years. The world was headed toward rearmament and warfare in the early to mid-1940s, and the movie industry, like every other aspect of life, responded by making movies, producing many war-time favorites. These movies offered escapist entertainment, reassurance, and patriotic themes and morale boosters for the audience. In the period following the war, post-war affluence increased choice of leisure time activities, conformity, middle-class values, a baby boom, the invention of television, drive-in theaters, and a youth reaction to middle-aged cinema. When most of the films were idealized with conventional portrayals of men and women, young people wanted new and exciting symbols of rebellion. The film industry responded by producing a number movies with portrayals of young men and women rebelling against the establishment. "Rebel Without A Cause" was a movie about a rebellious, misunderstood, middle-class youth who had difficulty relating to his parents. This movie influenced the audience that it was okay to act in a rebellious way to get attention. When looking back on the film history of the 20th century you begin to realize the great impact these films had on people's lifestyles and human behavior. Movies influenced they way people dressed and the way people acted. We as, movie goers, must choose what is morally right or wrong and not be influenced by the film industry. We must also choose what is a fashion statement and what is not. The film industry may be protected under the freedom of speech amendment, but we do not have to be influenced by what they project in their movies.

Kylie Masshardt Essays (482 words) - Literature, Fiction, Culture

Kylie Masshardt Essays (482 words) - Literature, Fiction, Culture Kylie Masshardt Period 2 Adv. Methods of Communication May 2, 2016 Ignorance Is NOT Bliss What you don't know wont hurt you. A common phrase preached by many people everywhere. But what about what you do know that others don't? Through the choice of a stubborn, hard-headed animal, George Orwell exemplifies the burden that comes with being the only one aware of your situation when surrounded by ignorance. Benjamin, a donkey on Manor Farm in the book Animal Farm, shows the reader the downside of being the only one aware of your situation. Through the loss of a friend, the constant fear of knowing exactly what is to come next, and knowing the others will not believe him is exactly the price Benjamin pays for the knowledge of his surroundings. Excited by the promises made by Napoleon and Squealer for a better tomorrow, the animals on Manor were oblivious to seriousness of their surroundings. Cynical, stubborn, and fully aware, Benjamin the donkey knew exactly the fate of the farm. Benjamin was viewed by others as an "old cynic." He often remained quiet, but when he spoke it was a cynical remark usually along the lines of, "Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey."(Orwell 36) Though Benjamin was fully aware of his situation he rarely spoke to the others of his knowledge. He knew the outcome of his action would most likely lead to his execution, keeping him quiet. He also knew the chances of the others believing him were slim. Strong, hard-working, and determined Boxer worked long strenuous hours to show his blind loyalty to Napoleon. Loved and respected by others, Boxer was a role model to some animals on the farm. The loyalty form Boxer, played a large role in Napoleons rise to power. After the continuing destruction of the windmill, Boxer worked long days and nights each time to re-build it even better than the last. Orwell states that Benjamin was "devoted to Boxer," but throughout the story, the mention of Boxers health from working strenuous hours was minimal. To save his friend, Benjamin let Boxer continue to work long back-breaking days. Boxers decline in health, now became apparent to more than just Benjamin. Boxers long days of working were over. Napoleon called a truck, which he informed the animals as a truck to take him to "Sugar Mountain." But in fact he had sold Boxer, a long devoted follower, to a factory for money. Once aware of where his friend was being taken, Benjamin screeched and trie d to inform the other animals where he was actually going. Some animals actually started to believe him, but they were instantly informed by Squealer that all was well, and went back to their ignorant lives. For Benjamin he knew his friend, Boxer, would no longer have to suffer the cost of ignorance.

Changes in media and its effects on personal, social and work lives Essay

Changes in media and its effects on personal, social and work lives - Essay Example However, all this came to change with the fast development of technology. Before we knew it, we had television, and all this changed everything because we could not only hear the news but could also see who was presenting it as well as videos of the news itself. It has indeed been a privilege for me to live long enough to see the development of media from its infancy to where it is today. Question: What are your feelings concerning the development of the Internet and social networking? Granddad: it is quite fascinating how the technology for transmitting media has developed and how fast that development has been. The things that we used to think were impossible have now become reality and this is something quite extraordinary. The Internet is a technology that I did not become aware of until sometime in the mid nineties when it was first introduced to me. I found it to be most useful because I could use email to send information, which I would have otherwise sent by mail, and I could find information instantly online, without having to go to a library, as used to be the case. I have come to adapt to this new technology like a fish in water, because it has made my life all much easier, especially now that I do not move around as much as I used to. I am an avid user of social networking sites such as Facebook, where I have come to encounter plenty of information as well as made many friends. I have also been able to rekindle old relationships with people whom I knew when I was younger, but life put us in different paths. Furthermore, the different sources of news have ensured that any biased news can be detected. I personally prefer watching news online and during the Iraq War, recently, I used to watch Al Jazeera and BBC to get a balanced picture of the news. Question: Which media do you think has managed to survive way into the modern times? Granddad: In my opinion, I believe that television, and most especially cartoons, have not lost the charm that kept peopl e hooked to them. When I was young, I used to love the Disney cartoons and I followed them every chance I got. I still see the same fascination in cartoons among kids today and this, I believe, is continuity. Personally, I am still a huge fan of cartoons because they not only remind me of my younger days but also make me laugh, something that I have to admit, has become extremely rare for me in other forms of entertainment. Question: What was the relationship between politicians and media, and has this relationship changed? Granddad: In previous decades, it was extremely difficult to find politicians who were open with any form of media. In fact, media was always treated with suspicion because of the belief that their main purpose was to destroy political careers by creating scandals. This, I believe, has changed since many politicians have come to embrace the media to further their own political careers. President Obama in the United States is an example of this new trend among pol iticians. He has used the media so well that he has managed to maintain his popularity where other presidents would have fallen from grace. I may add that media has come to influence change in society because without it, the Americans would not have been able to elect a black president. Essay Media has experienced plenty of changes, especially from the mid twentieth century to the present day. It has not only led to the development of better means of communication between people but has

Caring for the Elderly Adult with Diabetes Research Paper

Caring for the Elderly Adult with Diabetes - Research Paper Example There are a number of important nursing practise points that are important in providing good care for elderly adults with diabetes and their families. There are a number of reasons for choosing this topic. Firstly, diabetes affects almost 2.4 million Canadians (Government of Canada, 2011) and many more are thought to be undiagnosed. Not only that, but patients with diabetes are three times more likely to be hospitalized due to cardiac disease and twenty times more likely to need a non-trauma lower limb amputation (Government of Canada, 2011). Although these are just statistics, they do give a real feel for the potentially devastating impact that diabetes can have on the elderly adult and their families, and I think it’s increasingly important (as chronic disease becomes more common) to understand the best nursing practise guidelines to help prevent the complications of diabetes. Not only that, but many family members are not aware of the problems that diabetes can cause, and t herefore it’s important that a nurse is well-informed to answer questions about diabetes to allow best care in the home. The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) have issued a number of guidelines with respect to practical nursing and adults with diabetes mellitus. One of these concerns the best practise in reducing foot complications, which includes foot care education for the patient as well as frequent check-ups. Another guideline concerns best management of foot ulcers in diabetes patient. The final guideline concerns the subcutaneous administration of insulin in adults with type 2 diabetes, which is particularly important in that patients and families may need to be educated on this as maintenance of insulin levels is vital (RNAO, 2011). The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) also publish guidelines for the utilization of nurses working with adults with diabetes, and suggest that nurses may play an important role in directing diabetes management progra ms for the patient as well as advising patients on other matters (CNO, 2011). Evidently, practical nursing care needs to incorporate aspects of diabetes management, in part because it is so common and in part because the nurse can play such a vital role in preventing complications Evidently, the topic of diabetes is important to the sufferer and their family, as they will wish to know as much about the condition as they can to help prevent complications and to ensure that they stay as healthy as possible (Rother, 2007). In understanding diabetes management and care, the patient can ensure that they follow medication protocol, have a healthy diet and watch closely for signs of foot ulcers, vision loss and other complications (Rother, 2007). By doing this, the patient can inevitably prolong their life, and perhaps even reduce the severity of their diabetes (Ceriello, Ihnat & Thorpe, 2009). Both the patient and the relevant family members may need to be guided on how to intravenously i nject insulin if it is needed for their care, as this can be a complex procedure and is important in management of some cases (Rother, 2007). All of these issues have been highlighted by the RNAO Best Practice Guideline mentioned above, and therefore all nurses should be aware of how important it is for the patient and th

What Causes Ozone Depletion In Sydney Australia Environmental Sciences Essay

What Causes Ozone Depletion In Sydney Australia Environmental Sciences Essay This report aim to show the affect and the harmful of ozone depletion in the world specific in Australia country, this report show some information about ozone depletion in Australia such as the history, definition, causes, health effect and why Australia must take care about this issue. At the end, ozone depletion is very big issue in the world because it has a lot of affect in plant, human also the animals so must take care about this issue and government must tell the population about the risk that result from ozone depletion and ask them to must reduce used the product that may case ozone depletion such as refrigerators. Introduction: Ozone is a gas that is naturally present in our atmosphere. Each ozone molecule contains three atoms of oxygen and is denoted chemically as O3. Ozone is found primarily in two regions of the atmosphere. About 10% of atmospheric ozone is in the troposphere, the region closest to earth. The remaining ozone 90% resides in the stratosphere, primarily between the top of the troposphere and about 50 kilo-meter altitude. It is commonly called the ozone hole because the ozone depletion is so large localized. A thinning of the ozone layer also has been observed over other regions of the globe, such as the arctic and northern middle latitudes. Ozone forms a layer in the stratosphere that absorbs dangerous solar ultraviolet radiation. Increasing amounts of man- made chemicals are accelerating the speed at which ozone molecules are destroyed. These ozone-destroying chemicals come mainly from chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used in a range of products from refrigerators and air conditioners to soft foams and cleaning solvents. Their quantities in atmosphere have been rising rapidly since the mid-1970s. For every 10 percent depletion of ozone layer, we can expect a 20 percent increase in ultraviolet radiation arriving at the ground in life-damaging wavelengths. This radiation could change genetic structure, alter immune systems, damage crops, disrupt the marine food web, and enhance greenhouse warming by affecting the carbon dioxide-absorbing capacity of plankton in the oceans. The incidence of human skin cancer could increase, and the sight of millions could be affected as more intense ultraviolet radiation damages eyes and causes cataracts. Plant growth may be inhibited by the extra ultraviolet radiation and crop yields may be reduced. How is ozone formed in the atmosphere? Ozone is formed throughout the atmosphere in multistep chemical processes that require sunlight. In the stratosphere, the process begins with the breaking apart of an oxygen molecule (O2) by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. In the lower atmosphere (troposphere), ozone is formed in a different set of chemical reactions involving hydrocarbons and nitrogen-containing gases. Why do we care about atmospheric ozone? Ozone in the stratosphere absorb of suns biologically harmful ultraviolet radiation. Because of this beneficial role, stratospheric ozone is considered good ozone. In contrast, ozone at earths surface that is formed from pollutants is considered bad ozone because it can be harmful to humans and plant and animal life. Some ozone occurs naturally in the lower atmosphere where it is beneficial because ozone helps remove pollutants from the atmosphere. Dose depletion of the ozone layer increase ground-level ultraviolet radiation? Yes, ultraviolet radiation at earths surface increases as the amount of overhead total ozone decreases, because ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Measurements by ground-based instruments and estimates made using satellite data have confirmed that surface ultraviolet radiation has increased in regions where ozone depletion is observed. What Causes Ozone Depletion in Sydney Australia? Being in urban area that highly populated ozone depleting substances release heavily in Sydney. CFCs used by most of transportation and air conditioners along with commercial refrigeration equipment or air conditioners. Methyl chloroform release in the industrial factories of Sydney as a result of production. Health Effects: Skin and eyes affects by Ultraviolet radiation. Cancer is the most harmful diseases affect skin from the sunlight. By exposure Cancer is often brought to a mutagen, which can change the genes. Promotes chemical change in the DNA by Ultraviolet radiation is a well known mutagen. People over 40 years old are more likely to most skin cancers, when these people were children the actual damage that caused the cancer occurred. The highest incidence of skin cancer in the world is in Australia. With only .3% of the worlds population, they manage to account for 6 % of all lethal forms of skin cancer diagnosed globally. About 1200 people die each year in Australia as a result of skin cancer. Doesnt just cancer caused by Sunlight also painful sunburn, skin ages and eyes affected by radiation from the sun. Whats Being Done About Ozone Depletion? Damage to the earths protective layer has sparked unprecedented concern and action. Over 165 countries have signed the Montreal Protocol, an International agreement to phase out ozone depleting substances. As one of these countries, Australia continues to be a world leader in the phase out of ozone depleting substances, and is well ahead of the Protocol requirements. Sydneys approach has been based on a highly cooperative partnership between industry, the community, and all levels of government. since 1989,The manufacture, CFCs import and export, halon, and methyl chloroform have been controlled in Australia. Environmentally preferable alternatives are available for almost all applications and are gradually being switched to in Sydney. During 1990s the importation and production of CFCs stopped by the Australia. This saw the consumption of ozone depleting substances fall by 86%, from 832 Ozone Depleting Potential Tones (ODPT) in 1999 to 119 ODPT in 2009. This current level (119 ODPT in 2009) represents less than 1% of Australias consumption of ozone depleting substances in 1989. By about 2050, natural ozone production reactions should return to normal levels. We cant make enough ozone to replace whats been destroyed, but provided that we stop producing ozone depleting substances, Australiaà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s approach to disposal and destruction of ozone depleting substances Australia has developed a robust and functioning product stewardship programmed for the management of ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases, which ensures the proper handling of these substances from their import into Australia through to their eventual disposal and destruction. It functions on the à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"polluter paysà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚  principle, with industry funding the scheme through a levy imposed on imports of bulk gases and gas contained in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. Fees from issuing licenses also assist the Australian Government in administering the various license schemes connected to the consumption of ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases. In recent decades, the Australian Government has been implementing a highly effective national strategy for the recovery, management and disposal of haloes. Conclusion: In summary, Ozone depletion has further increased the risk that Australians already face from overexposure to UV radiation resulting from their outdoor lifestyle. In much the same way a cloud blocks the heat on a hot day, the ozone layer in the stratosphere blocks out the suns deadly ultraviolet rays. It acts as our planets natural sun block. As the ozone layer diminishes, the harmful rays increase along with the rates of skin cancer. At the end, ozone depletion is very important issue around the world because it causes a lot of diseases for human and even plants and animals, so must take care about this problem and try to tell the people about the harmful of the ozone depletion to take awareness and reduce used the items which may cause ozone depletion such as: refrigerators and air-conditioned. United Arab Emirates University Department of Science Environmental science subject Name: Nouf Ali Hamad Alkaabi ID: 200907697 Section : 54 Dr. Truck untitled.bmp

Hiring and Firing Essay

This essay will identify and discuss the different recruitment and selection practices of organizations in the UK and these practices will be compared to the counterparts in the rest of European Countries. The essay will also comment on the pitfalls in the UK organizations which have led to tied hands of the managers in these corporations. The terminating practices in the organizations of UK will also be discussed and the pitfalls will be compared to the companies based in the European Countries. This is the reason why fewer students are choosing IT related fields in their graduate degrees as there are no jobs available for the locals in these companies. This is a pitfall that has been dug by these IT companies themselves as they will not receive any talent from the local market if there is a restriction of off-shoring in the future (MarketWatch 2006). Poor Recruitment Practice in UK A people assessment company, Talent Q that helps employers in managing and recruiting talent, has found many companies and managers to be taking poor decisions routinely when hiring employees. There are many bad consequences of this poor hiring practice as the fall in productivity is equal to GBP 2,400 per annum for each worker who finds himself misplaced in a job which he does not want to do or is not capable of performing. Effectively, the aggregate amount goes up to GBP 5million per annum for the economy of UK (M2PressWIRE 2007). According to an official survey of Talent Q, 24 percent of the employees who were recruited were not asked to give an aptitude test and another 44 percent of the personnel who were hired were not short-listed using any personality test. Based on 25 years of academic research across many companies of large scale, these findings were processed through a model which is universally accepted. This model demonstrates the cast iron effectiveness of the assessment. The true extent of the issues for the employers became clear when these results were combined with salary data from Office for National Statistics. The CEO of Talent Q commented that the organizations often fail to employ people on the basis of aptitude test and personality test. However, employing people on the basis of gut feeling is by far the worst employment technique known, whereas many studies have shown that when employers use assessment techniques to find out the personaliy and aptitude of a person, they get much better results (M2PressWIRE 2007). Word of Mouth Recruiting The applicants who apply through word-of-mouth are found to be more suitable than the recruits obtained by advertising and are more likely to stay longer in the job. However, it is not always the case that the best candidate for a job is selected through word-of-mouth applications. This practice for recruitment is being practiced in the UK at higher rates among the senior levels and is known as headhunting. The objective of these seniors is to fill the higher paying jobs with the people whom they know or are there relatives (HRM Guide Network 2007). Promise of Bonuses The promise of bonuses while recruiting the employees has been the worst pitfall of the recruitment practices in the UK. Mercer Consulting has found through research that the overall pay of CEOs in the UK from bonuses has grown from 13 percent to 19 percent in 2004 (Mercer Human Resource Consulting 2004). There has been a major effect on the earnings growth rates in the UK because of the large number of bonuses that were paid in the recent years (Freeman 2002). This practice of attracting talent through offering bonuses does not guarantee a motivated employee. This ensures only that decisions are made by the employees that get him the bonuses and these decisions may harm the company in the long-run. The companies in the UK are also using bonuses as a tool for employee retention and this practice is becoming quite common in the UK economy. However, the new plan to attract new talent and to lay off the existing employees is not in the hands of the managers at middle or lower level. The senior management is most of the companies makes such decisions (Nisar 2007). Off-shoring in the UK Many companies in the UK, especially those related to IT and innovation, are hiring skilled but relatively cheap labor from overseas. This hiring has been allowed by the government because of which work permits and visas have also been allotted to thousands of workers from abroad. Although these cost effective options cannot be ignored by the managers but they find their hands tied when they find cheap labor which can help the company reduce cost (MarketWatch 2006). The Responsibility of the Managers The managers and personal secretaries are getting increasingly responsible for the recruitment of unfilled vacancies. However, these managers cannot be so sure about hiring the right person or deciding a testing system for the vacancy. Where these managers are asked to cut costs, they are also asked to hire the best person. However, tests such as aptitude test, personality test, skill test or psychometric tests can be very expensive. This is in contradiction to cheap hiring and many managers find themselves in a position of hiring a person not fit for job because of fixed or limited budget allocated for hiring (Renshaw 2003). According to the head of a psychometric company, most of the employees are hired within the first five minutes of an interview which is done with the help of instincts. Although in these five minutes, the conversation does not go beyond smiles and introductions but many think that this is the best practice. Hiring through taking tests has been proved to be the best technique which many managers in the UK do not follow. Those employees who are hired without these tests, they are more likely to immerse the company in losses (Renshaw 2003). Lowering Hiring Requirements The companies with vacancies in the Europe mostly respond with lowering the hiring requirements so as to lower the cost associated with hiring. These chances although increase the chances of filling the vacancy but it also results in a match that resists or terminates when he is hit by a requirement that he cannot address to because of lower level of skills or experience. When searching costs are high, the European employers are more likely to hire under qualified employees for temporary positions. One of the consequences of hiring an under qualified person is high firing costs if the employee is able to get a permanent contract (Brencic 2009). Temporary Employment Practices in the Europe Many countries in Europe ban or restrict the use of temporary workers. However, there has been a growing acceptance for the temporary employment in the region. Many companies which do not want to rush in hiring and then make a wrong choice are hiring temporary employees. The UK, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Denmark are the countries among those which have temporary labor markets, but the countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany and Portugal still have stringent policies over temporary hiring (Messmer 1994). Firing Practices in Europe The economies of Europe have been awfully trailing US and other developed countries because of forests of red tape, vast welfare, overregulation and restrictive hiring and firing practices. Firing Limitations in UK Due to the implementation of several equal employment opportunity acts and laws in the United Kingdom, the employers are restricted to fire or layoff employees. This literally throws a manager at his seat with his hands tied as he cannot fire any employee who is not performing. According to the laws, based on the personal status of the worker, an employer may not establish hiring or recruiting criteria. Employers are not allowed to retaliate against, lay-off or fire their employees citing reasons based on the personal status outlined in the federal legislation of anti-discrimination. The labor is protected with the act of penalties and recourse which says that if an employee is discriminated in the areas of firing and hiring, he may collect all the monetary damages that are done by the employer (Pearson 2010). Firing Practices in Germany In December 2000, the Vauxhall Motors Luton announced the closure of a facility with firing of approximately 2000 people. No details were announced publicly about the firing of employees and what benefits would they get. The employees being affected were not told about the decision that the management was about to take about the closure of a facility. The employees were not even told why the facility was closed or why were they being fired (Butler, Sweeney and Crundwell 2009). This shows that the firing practices in Germany are very different as compared to UK, where a company has very limited power to fire permanent employees. In Germany, however, the companies have power to lay-off the employees whenever they want without presenting any reason. Similarities of Firing Practices in UK and other European Countries In this time of economic downturn, when many large corporations are engaging in downsizing practices, the countries like UK, Italy, France and Germany are targeting the older employees for lay-offs. The reason behind is quite logical as the employees grow older, they become less productive and the company find more talented young people to replace them (Cattaneo et al.  2010). The organizations in most of the economies of Europe view older employees as more disposable and give little value to them (Barth et al. , 1993; Eastman, 1993; Loretto and White, 2006). Conclusion There are certain similarities in the UK and Europe companies when it comes to laying-off or recruitment of the employees. However, the differences are more as the UK companies are bound by laws and strict regulations for firing employees which literally ties the hands of the managers when it comes to firing and hiring of the employees.