Since the introduction of tobacco to the world at large in the 1500s, a smoking culture has built around it, and is evident in many parts of the world to this day.
Some people have an attraction to the glamorous aspect of tobacco smoking, and there are those who believe that done in moderation, smoking can enhance their allure. Historically considered a masculine habit, the feminization of smoking occurred with the advent of fashion brands or premium brands of cigarettes specifically marketed to appeal to women, who might see the use of these brands as a way to increase their sexual appeal. Most often this effort is focused on young fashion-conscious professional ladies who are the target demographic for these brands, which are differentiated by slimness, added length, and occasionally color, over traditional brands of cigarettes.
Accessories for smoking include personal cigarette cases, often-artistic ashtrays, ornate lighters and cigarette holders, long slender tubes in which cigarettes are held while smoked. Most frequently made of silver, jade or bakelite (popular in the past but now wholly replaced by modern plastics), cigarette holders were considered an essential part of ladies' fashion from the 1900s through the mid-1960s, and are still popular in many strands of Japanese fashion.
During the colonial and early American period, men and women alike smoked fragile greenware clay pipes, few of which survive today.
Originating in the Middle East, smoking with a hookah or water-pipe to cool the smoke, by filtering it through a vase of water, has gained in popularity in Western Europe, Canada, and the United States in recent years. Often ice and milk or lemon juice is added to the water. Traditionally, the tobacco is mixed with a sweetener, such as honey or molasses, although fruit flavors have also become popular.
In the media and popular culture, smoking has been an aspect of storyline and character development for at least the last two centuries, appearing in books, films and more recently on television, though there has been a movement to minimize this since the mid-1960s. In the United States and Western Europe, smoking appeared in television commercials through the early 1970s, and is still seen in Asia today, even for non-related products.
From the 1920s through the mid-1960s, portraits and photographs of elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen posing with a cigarette or cigar were popular, and many period photos actors and actresses are shown in such poses.
As part of a table setting during the 1950s and 1960s, small personal ashtrays were commonly placed on the top right-hand side, behind the wine and water glasses.
With smoking bans becoming increasingly common in the United States, cigarette manufacturers have turned to south and east Asia, in which places there is a distinct market for female oriented brands, and to the nouveau riche in Russia. Brands intended to appeal to women include decorative ones like Eve, Virginia Slims, or evening-out styles like Sobranie Cocktail or Sobranie Black Russian.
Related culture
Although not properly for smoking, a tobacco-related accessory that was very popular from the discovery of tobacco by Europeans until the late 1800s was the snuff box (or box for any type of loose tobacco), which, if the owner was wealthy, could be made of precious materials such as gold or silver, and receive all manner of decoration. Many surviving examples are works of art of high value.
Some people have an attraction to the glamorous aspect of tobacco smoking, and there are those who believe that done in moderation, smoking can enhance their allure. Historically considered a masculine habit, the feminization of smoking occurred with the advent of fashion brands or premium brands of cigarettes specifically marketed to appeal to women, who might see the use of these brands as a way to increase their sexual appeal. Most often this effort is focused on young fashion-conscious professional ladies who are the target demographic for these brands, which are differentiated by slimness, added length, and occasionally color, over traditional brands of cigarettes.
Accessories for smoking include personal cigarette cases, often-artistic ashtrays, ornate lighters and cigarette holders, long slender tubes in which cigarettes are held while smoked. Most frequently made of silver, jade or bakelite (popular in the past but now wholly replaced by modern plastics), cigarette holders were considered an essential part of ladies' fashion from the 1900s through the mid-1960s, and are still popular in many strands of Japanese fashion.
During the colonial and early American period, men and women alike smoked fragile greenware clay pipes, few of which survive today.
Originating in the Middle East, smoking with a hookah or water-pipe to cool the smoke, by filtering it through a vase of water, has gained in popularity in Western Europe, Canada, and the United States in recent years. Often ice and milk or lemon juice is added to the water. Traditionally, the tobacco is mixed with a sweetener, such as honey or molasses, although fruit flavors have also become popular.
In the media and popular culture, smoking has been an aspect of storyline and character development for at least the last two centuries, appearing in books, films and more recently on television, though there has been a movement to minimize this since the mid-1960s. In the United States and Western Europe, smoking appeared in television commercials through the early 1970s, and is still seen in Asia today, even for non-related products.
From the 1920s through the mid-1960s, portraits and photographs of elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen posing with a cigarette or cigar were popular, and many period photos actors and actresses are shown in such poses.
As part of a table setting during the 1950s and 1960s, small personal ashtrays were commonly placed on the top right-hand side, behind the wine and water glasses.
With smoking bans becoming increasingly common in the United States, cigarette manufacturers have turned to south and east Asia, in which places there is a distinct market for female oriented brands, and to the nouveau riche in Russia. Brands intended to appeal to women include decorative ones like Eve, Virginia Slims, or evening-out styles like Sobranie Cocktail or Sobranie Black Russian.
Related culture
Although not properly for smoking, a tobacco-related accessory that was very popular from the discovery of tobacco by Europeans until the late 1800s was the snuff box (or box for any type of loose tobacco), which, if the owner was wealthy, could be made of precious materials such as gold or silver, and receive all manner of decoration. Many surviving examples are works of art of high value.
Battlefield 3, is a PC game that is currently under speculation after some information was leaked, and posted on the internet.
Leaked information states that Battlefield 3 is a sequel to Battlefield 2, and is set around the same time.
Some speculated details are:
* The game will be released in late 2008
* Will be set in the 21st century (Modern Times)
* 40 vs 40 Online multiplayer
* Game will be based in a Middle-Eastern Theater, with three factions being NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), the KSF (Kenyan Special Forces), and the MEC (Middle Eastern Coalition)
* Will follow from the same ticket based gameplay as it's predecessors.
* A total of 48 vehicles, 56 weapons, and 22 unlocks.
* RPG style characters that can be customized to the players wants
* Support for Windows Vista and Mac OS X
The game is not related to Battlefield, Bad Company, for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.
Also information has been leaked that the game will be funded by EA Games, but will not be created at the Dice team that created the other battlefield games.
Leaked information states that Battlefield 3 is a sequel to Battlefield 2, and is set around the same time.
Some speculated details are:
* The game will be released in late 2008
* Will be set in the 21st century (Modern Times)
* 40 vs 40 Online multiplayer
* Game will be based in a Middle-Eastern Theater, with three factions being NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), the KSF (Kenyan Special Forces), and the MEC (Middle Eastern Coalition)
* Will follow from the same ticket based gameplay as it's predecessors.
* A total of 48 vehicles, 56 weapons, and 22 unlocks.
* RPG style characters that can be customized to the players wants
* Support for Windows Vista and Mac OS X
The game is not related to Battlefield, Bad Company, for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.
Also information has been leaked that the game will be funded by EA Games, but will not be created at the Dice team that created the other battlefield games.
Energy-efficiency store: A brick and mortar, retail location that sells energy-efficient products and services (including but not limited to: whole home audits, air conditioning & heating, lighting, water, window tints/screens, insulation, weatherization, automation/controls and gadgets) which allow consumers to save money and live a greener life.
Christopher "Chris" Erskine is the founder of the World Schools Debating Championships and the Chairperson of the World Schools Debating Council Executive Committee. He is also a former President of the Australian Debating Federation and the Australian Capital Territory Debating Union.
In 1998, Erskine was the Australian Debating Federation president, where others sought his opinion on important debates. For example, in response to the September 1998 debate between Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, Erskine replied to the Australian Associated Press in a detailed interview that the debate produced no clear winner, but "the debate could have restored people's trust in politicians and faith in the political process."
Erskine founded the World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) in 1988, the year of the Australian Bicentenary celebrations. Members of the Australian Debating Federation were aware that the World Universities Debating Championship was to be hosted by the University of Sydney in January that year, but no similar event for high school students existed at the time. However the rapid growth of the university championships since its founding in 1981 showed the potential for international debating competitions. Erskine thus took on the task of organising the first world schools championships, and has since stayed actively involved in the competition, which has been held annually in different locations around the world since 1990, growing from a tournament involving six countries in 1988 to over 30 nations in recent years. Erskine has organised the championships in Australia twice (in 1988 and 1996), coached the Australian team at the championships until 1992, played a key role in drafting the rules and adjudication guidelines for the championships, and served as Chairperson of the championship appeals committee and the World Schools Debating Council Executive.
In 1998, Erskine was the Australian Debating Federation president, where others sought his opinion on important debates. For example, in response to the September 1998 debate between Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, Erskine replied to the Australian Associated Press in a detailed interview that the debate produced no clear winner, but "the debate could have restored people's trust in politicians and faith in the political process."
Erskine founded the World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) in 1988, the year of the Australian Bicentenary celebrations. Members of the Australian Debating Federation were aware that the World Universities Debating Championship was to be hosted by the University of Sydney in January that year, but no similar event for high school students existed at the time. However the rapid growth of the university championships since its founding in 1981 showed the potential for international debating competitions. Erskine thus took on the task of organising the first world schools championships, and has since stayed actively involved in the competition, which has been held annually in different locations around the world since 1990, growing from a tournament involving six countries in 1988 to over 30 nations in recent years. Erskine has organised the championships in Australia twice (in 1988 and 1996), coached the Australian team at the championships until 1992, played a key role in drafting the rules and adjudication guidelines for the championships, and served as Chairperson of the championship appeals committee and the World Schools Debating Council Executive.