Invisible Man Essays (968 words) - Invisibility In Fiction

Invisible Man The Invisible Man, by H.G. Wells, is composed of many small themes that combined to form two major themes in the novel. Some of the minor themes are acting before thinking and denial of unexplainable events. It is based on the two major themes of science experiments gone wrong and the ignorance of society. The most important theme in the novel was the experiment that Griffin, the invisible man, was working and it was not going exactly as planned. The way that the experiment went bad was not by accident; instead it was Griffin who had made the mistake of turning himself invisible. The reason that the invisible man had for becoming invisible was that he was suspected as to be a vivesectionalist and he did not want to be punished for it. The reason for the final decision of becoming invisible was that Griffin thought there were many advantages. He finds out after becoming invisible that the whole thing was not thought through enough and being invisible had many more disadvantages than what he was expecting. This was an example of Griffin acting upon something before adding up all of the consequences of his actions. If he would have thought the process through Griffin would have, at least, made things invisible so he could use them and still be disguised. For instance he could have made some clothes invisible and even some common supplies that could have been handy along his travels. Griffin did not realize how many disadvantages his invisibility had until it was too late. After becoming invisible Griffin realized that he could not sneak around people very easy and people still knew he was around even though they could not see him. The people could see his footprints and see him if he became dirty. Another thing that Griffin did not realize before his experiment back fired was that he could not eat if he wanted to stay invisible. The people around him could see the food inside his stomach, until his body absorbed it. The experiment that Griffin went through was his own fault and also sealed his own fate. The major problem with his invisibility was that Griffin was not able to keep or have any friends. His only contact was after he was all bandaged up and looked as though he had been in a bad accident. Without any human contact or support Griffin was destined to become crazy. In the ending chapters of the novel it is obvious that Griffin has lost his mind and is completely insane. Not wanton killing, but a judicious slaying. The point is, they know there is an Invisible Man -- as well as we know there is an Invisible Man. And that Invisible Man, Kemp, must now establish a Reign of Terror.'? (Pg. 114) The previous quote was taken as the invisible man was talking to Kemp about his plans of judicial killing. This proves that Griffin has gone completely insane and it is his way of getting back at society for excluding him. He does not realize that if he had never made himself invisible nothing like this would be happening. Everything that has gone wrong was because of his experimentation with invisibility. The second most important theme is societies ignorance, contributed to the invisible man's fate. Society is always afraid of things that they do not understand or cannot explain. The reason they were so afraid of the invisible man was the fact that nobody could explain why he was invisible. The people of the town did not even give the man time to explain what had happened to him; everyone just started to chase him down. I believe that if the people would have been more open minded about his invisibility that the man might not have become crazy and killed in the end. Society cannot deal with things that cannot be explained as they are used to hearing them. There was skepticism even after the man vanished and there were witnesses to it. ?Scepticism suddenly reared its head -- rather nervous scepticism, not at all assured of its back, but scepticism nevertheless. It is so much easier not to believe in an invisible man;

Free sample - BOCHK Risk Management and Financial Performance. translation missing

BOCHK Risk Management and Financial Performance. BOCHK Risk Management and Financial PerformanceBank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK) The Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK) is among the largest commercial banking groups in Hong Kong. The Bank has over 300 branches. Despite the Bank’s magnitude and systemic risk management, it witnessed a decline in operational income and suffered a negative shock in 2008. Thus, it is critical to analyze the Company’s risk management policies, the measurement and management risk, and comparing the 2008 results with the previous year’s results. The annual comparisons will utilize the Company’s calculated ROE, and will be critical in understanding the Bank’s performance relative to the earlier periods.  Ã‚  Ã‚   I. Overall Risk Management The Bank for International Settlements (2004) provides guidelines for conducting interest risk management. Additionally, it provides the measures that can be used in managing the overall risk to a financial institution. The analysis of BOCHK will be based on the standards provided in the above book. The aim of the analysis will be to determine whether, the company adheres to the international standards of risk management. BOCHK’s 2008 report indicates that BOCHK’s risk-management governance structure is structured to cover the entire operations of the business. The Bank adopts a swift and prudent manner in managing its various risk exposures. The risk management structure meets the standards stipulated by BIS. Initially, the report indicates that to align the management strategies with the corporate strategies the Chief Risk Officer (CFO) reports directly to the Risk Committee and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). CFO’s responsibilities are to ensure the proper implementation of policies and procedures and oversee the effective management and control of risk. The Bank publishes reports on a regular basis; this guarantees a timely assessment of the effectiveness of the risk control strategies. The determination of the effectiveness of the risk control measures lies with the Board of Directors. Additionally, the independent operation between the business units and the risk assessme nt units complies with the principle of segregation of duties. Independence is both sufficient and necessary for risk management (Khambata , Dara 2006). However, BIS requires that risk control functions report directly to the Board of Directors. Otherwise, there is a risk that the CRO and CEOmay conspire to fake the risk management reports; this would impair the objectivity of the risk management system. Secondly, BOCHK’s principal banking subsidiaries Nanyang and Chiyu, execute their risk management strategies independently. They adopt similar risk management strategies with their parent company and report to BOCHK’s management on a regular basis. Additionally, the company’s 2004 report indicates that the Bank utilizes stress testing. Stress testing is a risk management tool used in estimating risk exposure under stressed conditions, which arise from extreme but plausible macroeconomic conditions.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Bank’s information systems are well established to provide timely reports within different levels of management. The CRO stipulates specific procedures concerning the promotion of new products and activities. In addition, BOCHK prudently enacts and administers operating limits so that risk exposures are consistent with internal policies. However, the mere existence of risk management mechanisms does not guarantee sufficiency or effectiveness. Enforcement of risk control policies should be applied to ensure an efficient risk management system. II. Measurement and Management of Credit Risk According to note 4 of BOCHK’s 2008 financial statements, BOCHK manages two broad classes of assets: loans and advances, and debt securities and derivatives. The Company’s overall assets exposure to credit risk in 2008 was HK$1,364,462 million. This figure includes HK$1,111,073 million on-balance-sheet exposures and HK$253,389 million off-balance-sheet exposures. To safeguard its corporate interest, BOCHK should manage the credit risk that is related to these assets in a prudent manner, especially during a financial crisis. This part of the report will investigate how BOCHK measures and manages credit risk of these assets. To minimize the credit risk BOCHK adopted credit approval policies and procedures (BOCHK, 2008). These measures are evaluated and updated by the risk management department and other relevant departments. Regarding the loans and advances, BOCHK adopts different credit control procedures and credit grading systems depending on the level of risk exposure to the customers. Additionally, the Company utilizes bank scorecard for financial institutions, credit-scoring system for retail credit transactions, and small business credit scorecard for small firms. BOCHK identifies credit concentration risk by industry, customer, geographically, and counterparty risk. For instance, the Bank’s â€Å"classified or impaired† advances are HK$1,792 million in Hong Kong, HK$323 million in Mainland China, and HK$23 million elsewhere. Besides, loans and advances are classified in five categories to improve the Bank’s ability to identify and assess credit risk: â€Å"pass,† †Å"special mention,† â€Å"substandard,† â€Å"doubtable,† and â€Å"loss.† For example, the total assets marked as substandard or below the high-risk category, accounted for 0.08% (HK$379 million). As for debt securities and securitized assets, the 2008 report indicates that BOCHK adopts external credit rating systems, such as Moody’s, to manage the Bank’s credit risk. Moody’s ratings for 2008 showed that 19.34% of BOCHK’s debt securities rated as â€Å"AAA† compared to 2.36% â€Å"lower than A3† debt securities. Particularly, BOCHK applied a comprehensive methodology to establish whether a certain asset/mortgage backed security, (ABS/MBS) is impaired. This was determined based on such factors as the mark-to-market price, external rating, and delinquencies. In addition to these factors, ABS/MBS are further required to pass the credit enhancement coverage ratio set by BOCHK. To manage credit risk in a dynamic market environment, the Bank has established policies, procedures, and appropriate credit risk limits. The corporate organization structure should define a clear line of authority and responsibility for supervising compliance with relevant rules (Khambata , Dara 2006). BOCHK’s Credit Risk Assessment Committee takes charge of assessing all credit-scoring facilities and reviewing reports submitted by risk management units independently. In addition, Khambata , Dara (2006) argue that collateral is another key element to manage credit risk. An independent appraiser determines the value of collateral for acquiring a new loan. Thus, the value of collateralized loans is determined based on the loan-to-value ratio limits. Additionally, BOCHK revalues and manages its collaterals periodically. BOCHK documents the acceptance criteria, the validity of collateral, and the revaluation of collateral on a regular basis. This is done to watch the status of co llateral. III. Financial Performance Comparison According to the 2008 reports, BOCHK’s ROA and ROE were 0.26% and 3.56% in 2008, and 1.48% and 16.64% in 2007 respectively. Additionally, BOCHK’s Profit Margin declined in 2008 to 5.97% compared to 24.24% in 2007. These were substantial declines within a year; they were attributed to the increase in impairment charges on the US non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities and other securities investment. Furthermore, a significant increase in Provision for loan losses/Total operating income from 2.22% to 24.95% and a dramatic decline in the investment-related commission income produced a negative impact on the Company’s profit in 2008. The sluggish investment environment that resulted from the global financial crisis led to increments in the provision for loan losses. As customers steered clear from the investment products, the investment, and insurance fee income decreased by 34.3% to HK$2,964 million. Note 12 shows that the net charge of impairment allowances increased from HK$1,448 in 2007 to HK$ 12, 573 in 2008. Despite the bleak financial environment, the ineffective credit risk management was still to blame for the sudden increase in loan impairment losses. From the perspective of overall risk management, it can be suggested that BOCHK should undertake more strict stress testing measures and scenario analysis to predict the sensitivity of risk factors with various degrees of severity. References Bank for International Settlements. (2004). Triennial Central Bank Survey: Foreign  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Exchange and Derivatives Market Activity in 2004. BOCHK. (2008). Financial Report 2008. Khambata, M., Dara, Y. (2006). The Performance of Multinational Banking: Macro-Policy  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Issues and Key International Concepts. (2nd ed.). New York: Quorum Books.

End of Course Assignment. Financial Markets and Risk Assignment

End of Course . Financial Markets and Risk - Assignment Example A number of recessions or financial crisis that has been witnessed across the globe is as a result of the Systematically Important Financial Institutions. It is axiomatic to argue that the financial crises of 2007/2008 just like the financial crisis of the 1930’s post a great dilemma for many observers and the world at large. Whether unprecedented or otherwise, the truth is that it brought with it great damage to the society. (Taylor, 2011) Adopting some of the best priorities to deal with the issues and avoid a repeat of the same is the main focus of different policy makers globally. The first section of the paper discusses the Systematically Important Financial Institution and threat they pose to the economy. The second phase looks at the 2007/2008 economic crisis and how the Systematically Important Financial Institution was responsible for it. It goes further to recommend some of the best ways to deal with the problem in the future. The definition and structure of the Systematically Important Financial Institution is dependent on the potential of the institution to cause financial destruction. An institution becomes more relevant when it has a high level or probability to cause serious destruction to the economy. On the positive side, Systematically Important Financial Institution is defined going by their relevant viability in leading to a smooth growth and functioning of an economy. Therefore the positive looks at the good part with regards to positive effects to the entire population. Both negative and positive sides reflect the question on whether the Systematically Important Financial Institution are necessary and are indispensable to any financial system or whether they are dangerous and should be done away with. In other words, Systematically Important Financial Institution can create some of the best sides of the

Power and Politics Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Power and Politics - Term Paper Example 160). However, power manifests in situations in which one imposes actions or interests toward another and does not exist only in political organizations. The objective of the research is to compare and contrast power and politics in organizations. The discourse includes an analysis of organizational management and leadership practices that influence organizations. Finally, a minimum of two real-world examples of the relationship between power and politics provide information on how this relates to management and leadership practices. Power and Politics in Organizations Robbins and Judge (2007) define power as â€Å"the ability to get someone to do something you want done or the ability to make things happen in the way you want them to. The essence of power is control over the behavior of others† (p. 214). On the other hand, organizational politics means â€Å"the management of influence to obtain ends not sanctioned by the organization or to obtain sanctioned ends through non sanctioned means† (p. 227). The common elements for both power and politics are the presence of an influencing factor or control toward the achievement of some predefined goal. For essence and measurement of power is toward determining the ability to make others move toward the desired objective in which leaders could exemplify as the medium to possess power. On the other hand, politics in organization sometimes presume some negative aspect in terms of identifying conflicting elements in the organization (self-interest versus organizational goals, nonsanctioned methods to achieve goals) to effect a change or transformation. Otherwise, organizational power is seen as a neutral force that aims to resolve differences and conflicts. Organizational Management and Leadership Practices Power in organizations practices a more predominant transformational leadership style. Empowerment is implemented when leaders exercise willingness and capabilities of influencing subordinates and auth orizing them to be involved in strategies or in decision-making processes. Diverse researches have supported the benefits of power in organizations in which participation and involvement have contributed to improved productivity, motivation, and financial performance. The feeling of fulfillment, acknowledgement of job well done and recognition as rewards for exemplary achievement satisfies an individual’s self-actualization needs; especially when employees are given appropriate motivation to enhance their overall performance. Likewise, leaders who have empowered others are found to gain benefits in terms of: personal satisfaction, enhanced self-worth and confidence, perceived increase in personal value and power, reinforces improved ability to choose, and proactively accepts the repercussions of potential outcomes from empowering others (Holistic, 2000). Politics in organization, on the other hand, have benefits in terms of managing change and conflicts through addressing ina dequacies in leadership skills. As emphasized by Robbins and Judge (2007), â€Å"organizational politics can help identify problems and move ambitious, problem-solving managers into the breach. It is quicker than restructuring. It allows the firm to meet unanticipated problems with people and resources quickly, before small headaches become major problems. Finally, when a person’s formal authority breaks down or fails to apply to a particular situation, political actions can be used to prevent a loss of influence†

Personal Values Development Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Personal Values Development Paper - Essay Example Values may differ between individuals and values emerge because we are not satisfied with something at some point in life. Values affect decisions and actions in our life. It is important to understand them and ensure that our behavior is in line with the values that we have. The first institution that we inculcate value from is the family. I grew up in a big family including grandparents and this instilled in me the importance of a family in the development of an individual. I learnt to value human beings above things; I learnt to value relationships above everything else. Values have immense power to energize everything concerned with it (Gurunet, n.d.) and applying values releases fresh energies. Through a family we learn to share the joys and sorrows; we learn what it means to have someone by your side. Family value to me is way above the conservative ideology where religion is the source of morality and nuclear family is the essential (Wikipedia). It is even above the liberals’ view of affordable child care and family planning. To me a family is the first priority and the family teaches us the value of sacrifice, the importance of sharing, the joy of receiving and the pleasure in giving. A family teaches us to live in harmony – harmony not just with others but harmony within our own self. We learn to live in peace with our self. The human mind is a bundle of thoughts and emotions and constantly reeling under an agony of indecision. The family teaches us to live in harmony with our own self. We learn to respect each other; we understand that even a small child of 3-4 years needs to be respected and should be respected. As I grew up and went to school, I interacted with children from different walks of life and strata of society. I realized people do not always say what they mean. They often want to hide something, or many times to save themselves or others. I contemplated and realized that if one has to lie in order to save

Affected Business Ethics For Nike

Affected Business Ethics For Nike Globalisation is the process of transformation of regional phenomena into globalthorough communications (8). Due to globalisation organisations trade and communicate on an international level through integration. Causing the Flattering of the Globe (9) as said by T. L Friedman mentioning how the world is becoming a smaller place, people argue globalisation has affected people worldwide for the best and for the worst. Multi-national Corporations (MNCs) have been affected positively because they can operate in Less Economically Developed Country (LEDC) allowing them to cut costs resulting in a more prosperous profits. A MNC is an organisation that operates internationally in more than one country. The advantage of operating globally is firstly that the country accommodating the MNC benefits through job opportunities which will assist the economy and this can show a reduction of the gap between the MEDCs (More Economically Developed Country) and LEDCs. However MNCs can exploit the international workforce in LEDCs, because regulations in LEDCs differ from MEDCs so MNCs such as Nike use this to their advantage. Nike is a MNC that has been seen as operating in an unethical manner worldwide. So the ethical argument begins here towards the ethical considerations that MNCs face when operating in LEDCs around the world and how globalisation has actually affected Nikes business ethics. This essay will look at different aspects of ethics towards Nike and the reaction to globalisation. And whether Nike have helped or hindered LEDCs economies. The meaning of ethics is based around the difference of right and wrong as described by Aristotle in his doctrine of mean. There is no universal definition of ethics as Peter Singer proves by asking a simple question of why should I act morally? (5). It is impossible to have a fixed answer to the question because it is dependant on what an individuals perception of ethics is. Aristotelian ethics is termed by self realization (10) and explains how a person acts in accordance to their nature and realizes his full potential and also how nature does nothing in vain. So a person will be bad because of the un-natural upbringing. Naturally everyone is good, so for someone to be unethical it is the un-natural means that cause this. So relating to Nike and the individuals making the decisions, have they had an un-natural upbringing that has made them act unethically globally? Morally have they not developed or matured enough? As explained by Kohlberg and his analysis of the levels of moral development (1) (appendix A) Nike in LEDCs is in a situation where they are not forced to be ethical on how they should treat their workforce. With the workforce unaware of their rights and how they should be treated puts Nike in a predicament and questions Nikes business ethics due to globalisation. Globalisation can be seen as affecting Nikes ethics in a positive way for both company and employees in the LEDCs. Nike moving into a LEDC leads to employment opportunities, e.g. The Nike plant in China employees 4000 people meaning an extra 4000 employed in that country. Deontological ethics which is the Science of duty (7) meaning that some actions are obligatory regardless of the consequences would see this as ethical behaviour displayed by Nike globally. Nike are accomplishing their duty by contributing to their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by providing jobs. Kantianism also follows deontological ethics and believes that consequences are irrelevant to how ethical someone is (1).Kantianism(1)argues the outcomes are irrelevant because someone can have bad intentions but can result in good consequences, this does not make the situation ethical due to unethical intentions. Regardless it has to be considered the argument can work both ways, intentions could be good but the ou tcomes could be bad which would be acceptable to Deontology/Kantianism. Nike is following their ethical duty according to Deontological ethics by providing employment in those LEDCs where employment is scarce and the economy is deprived. Another view to show that Nike is behaving ethically is if we look at it from a Hedonistic view point. Hedonism means the minimising of pain and maximizing of pleasure (11) and believes that the majority people pleased is the most ethical. Relating it to Nike, exploiting and making 4000 employees unhappy in the China plant is this better than making millions of customers unhappy because they cant deliver or deliver the product at a low price. So according to Hedonism ethics Nike is operating ethically because it is opting to please the majority and doing what it sees as the greater good (1). So in the point made above globalisation has affected Nikes business ethics in a positive way . To add to Hedonism there is Cyrenaic Hedonism(7)view point which looks at instant gratification rather than deferred gratification. (12) (Appendix B) This viewpoint looks at the short term affects or pleasing people only with the thinking of here and know and that tomorrow is another day and we should worry about that when it comes. A man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry You could say that Nike looks at its company way of life using this view point because of the way it is acting. It doesnt necessarily means that they are behaving unethically; it just means that they are only living for today which a lot of people do in general so you cannot hold it against a company for its way of life. However Nike is currently till this day polluting the environment, it may not of had a great impact yet but more than likely it will have a detrimental effect on them same employees and environment causing further problems with global warming in the long-term (13). There isnt a problem with Nike according to Cyrenaic Hedonism, but it is unethical behaviour because of the selfishness because they are not considering the future when it comes to it affecting other people because of their current actions. This leads to the Consequentialist view point of how Nike is behaving unethically because it is not thinking of the consequences of their actions. There is the point of how they are providing jobs for LEDCs but this does not mean they are helping LEDC. Nike is simply increasing the gap between the LEDCs and the MEDC in the long-term. So all the LEDCs are consumed in an evil cycle of global capitalism where the rich stay rich and the poor remain poor(3). Bringing us back to the argument of good and bad and we can link this to Consequentialist way of thought, where the most ethical path is not following intentions but what the consequences of their actions are. So if we were to see Nikes ethics from a Consequentialist point of view it would seem that they are not following business ethics due to globalisation because of the consequences of their actions being negative in the sense that the people in the LEDCs are working slave labour with no option but to take Nikes employment offer up(2). With the wages Nike provides to the workforce it is something that maintains them but not remove them from the poverty cycle. If they really w anted to follow business ethics globally they would pay wages that will actually benefit employees and that will make a difference to their economy. This could be associated with Utilitarianism point of view which is a type of Consequentialist theory. And it mainly focuses on once again the utility of the action and motives (1). As Bentham quoted as utilitarianism is the greatest good for the greatest number, this relates to the perception of Hedonistic views. So Utilitarianism and Hedonism do complement each other well hence creating Hedonistic Utilitarianism(14). The two individuals surrounding Hedonistic Utilitarianism are Bentham and Mills. Benthams view around Nikes business ethics is the greatest happiness for the greatest number, as previously mentioned, it is better to please millions of Nike customers at the cost of a few thousand employees be given pain. Mill however would argue it is the quality of the pleasure and pain that is crucial for Nike to be following business ethics globally. Mill would rather see millions of Nike customers unsatisfied with the Nike products than to see thousands of Nike employees going through slave labour. So Nike needs to not only consider the quantity of their business ethics but additionally the quality of their ethics. As Mill would say globalisation in Nikes scena rio has caused Nikes business ethics to be unethical because of the pain and frustration the Nike workforce is going through due to Nike not considering the consequences. However the argument could once again be perceived from a different angle, as i have stated previously about Hedonist views and how placing 4000 employees in suffering may be justifiable to some because of the pleasure the millions of customers may get when they have the ability to purchase the Nike product or purchase at a low price. In this moment in time Nike is attempting to display their business ethics globally due to a plummet in sales and profit. This was due to the bad media coverage Nike received about their poor wages, poor working conditions, Sweatshops, child labourthe list goes on. Conveniently their interest in CSR only increased when profits decreased(15+16). This according to Virtue Ethics school of thought is seen as unethical behaviour. Virtue ethics does not look at motives or consequences like Deontology and Consequentialist but rather it looks at the moral character of a person or in this situation the moral character of Nike. Virtue Ethics would label Nike for its attempt of having a new approach to CSR as ultimately unethical. Even if Nike is benefiting their employees worldwide, because of the sudden pull towards CSR to someone who thinks from a Virtue Ethics perspective, it doesnt matter, because they have still got a bad moral character and their approach towards CSR and ethics are for t he wrong reasons and are only there for their overall personal gains which is profits. However Consequentialist and Deontological views would not agree with the Virtue Ethics approach to ethical behaviour, Consequentialist main thought is the outcomes and deontology is the science of duty. In this essay i have mentioned different view points and how they would perceive MNCs such as Nike and judge it according to their beliefs as being ethical or unethical globally. The main schools of thoughts being Deontology, Consequentialist and Virtue Ethics. Nikes situation could be looked at with a non-cognitive attitude, meaning that the statements made cannot be determined whether they are right or wrong universally, and the answer is dependent on personal beliefs(Appendix) there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so'(17) Once again thought needs to surround the fact that one mans terrorist, is another mans savoir. The world is discouraging with Nikes operations but at the same time those same people may be supporting Nike by purchasing their products. This shows the world is a hypocrite so you cannot judge ethical behaviour especially globally because of the level of diversity. Even though there is an understanding of natural Law, which is like unwritten rules that have been passed from generation to generation and that go without saying. Overall I think that Nike is not helping the people of LEDCs regardless of the employment provided and the only reasons for them to operate abroad is to maximise their own benefits even if it means to ruin someones life and to keep them LEDCs poorly developed. The points made about Nikes unethical behaviour above can be argued depending on the ethical view point but in my opinion some of the acts carried out by Nike such as slave labour are seen as universally wrong and I am unable to understand how they have managed to justify it till this day. If Nike really wants promote CSR they should attempt to eliminate poverty by intervening in the poverty cycle for these LEDCs.

Botox Essay -- Fashion Health Appearance Botox Essays

Botox When people think of new fashion trends they normally think of clothes, but the newest beauty craze that has hit the middle age market is Botox. Botox injection therapy, although not completely new, has come out swinging since being approved for use in cosmetic improvements in 2002. Botox is used to eliminate the look of aging by reducing the appearance of wrinkles on the face, neck and hands. Most commonly, patients use Botox to eliminate crow’s feet around the eyes, wrinkles on the forehead, and frown or laugh lines. It has become such a popular and ‘user friendly’ alternative to traditional cosmetic surgery, many women and even celebrities host Botox parties to share the experience with their friends. Botox parties are held in private homes, in doctor's suites, at hotels and even spas. Celebrities such as Celine Dion, Cher, Madonna and even Sylvester Stallone are rumored to have gone under the Botox needle; but only a few such as Joan Rivers have credited Botox to helping their skin look younger. Although Botox has been promoted as the miracle cure for aging, for many people who suffer from debilitating disorders or chronic pain, it has proven to be a wonder drug. So, what is Botox? Botox is the market name for type A botulinum toxin which is a purified form of the toxin produced by the bacteria, clostridium botulinum. This bacteria is commonly associated with food poisoning and is lethal in large doses. The botulism toxin could paralyze vital muscles needed for breathing. Although related to botulism food poisoning, the amounts of Botox given are so minimal and localized, that the toxin will not spread to any other muscles in the body, thus making it a safe and harmless procedure. When used cosmetically, tiny amo... ...octor to go through voice therapy. The therapy was to help her extend the effects of injection as well as to give her control over her new voice. So although Botox may be the newest beauty craze sweeping Hollywood, it’s important not to overlook its importance as treatment for many illnesses and disorders. It not only has the ability to take years off someone’s face, but it can also save lives. Botox has provided relief for my mom from a disorder that was taking over her life and it has given her the opportunity to communicate again. The first time my mom was able to speak without any interruptions was a special moment; it brought tears to my eyes and it brought a brighter future for her. The ability to talk is something that most of us take for granted. Botox has allowed my mom to keep her job. Botox is a miracle drug and should be given the credit it deserves.