Vehicle Pay-As-You-Go Insurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8250 words

Vehicle Pay-As-You-Go Insurance - Essay Example These may include efficiency, equity, safety and environmental protection. This essay describes and appraises the Pay As You Go system. I wish to deliver an excellent and understanding piece of report. After the completion of my Businesses Information Technology degree I wish to do future studies in Software Engineering. This would allow me to focus on software development and go beyond programming to include such things as eliciting customers' requirements, and designing and testing software. I would learn how to assess customer needs and develop usable software that meets those needs. I am keen on how companies market their product which could help me when I have to do this at work. I will put in all the knowledge and skills that I have learnt throughout the course of my studies to my project. I would also like to learn more about marketing and how this chosen system works. By the end of the project I am hoping to gain a good level of understanding of how the systems work and the reasons for such system. In order to write this report I researched into different materials, which included books, journals articles, various publications and web resources. I widely used the internet which was essential as the time was limited and plenty of information can be extracted from various websites. Certain web resources are not reliable but I managed to avoid them by choosing only those which were official or had references given with the data. This allowed for enough accuracy in order to write this article. Some books and journal articles were also available on the internet and they were looked into. The books and journals usually provide with accurate information and data that is helpful in writing an essay. Apart from these, there were case studies and research findings also that I read up and reviewed. Such resources are very reliable thus I made use of them. Background Car insurance premiums can take a bite out of your household budget. There are many tips available to reduce your car insurance costs but the fact remains you are required by law to carry a minimum amount of coverage if you own and drive a car. While most people are aware that car insurance providers offer discounts for people who travel fewer miles than their high mileage partners many people are not aware that some insurance provide

The effective use of participatory action within public-private Dissertation

The effective use of participatory action within public-private partnership in the provision of housing for key workers bearing - Dissertation Example 6 2.3.1 Carrying field work for CSR †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9 2.4 Sustainability in housing provision †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10 2.5 Conceptualising participation for both public and private sectors †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 3. Citizen power: The Ghana experience †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. .†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...16 4. The Stakeholders †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 17 4.1 The Ministry of Works and Housing †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 17 4.2 The World Bank †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 18 4.3 The Home Finance Comp any †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 18 4.4 Strengthening Community management in the development and operation of facilities and services (SCMP) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 19 4.5 Shack Dwellers International (SDI) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 20 5. Framework through participatory methods of stakeholders †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 21 5.1 Ethical Issues Involved †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... ... Assessment: What brings success to a PPP? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 33 8. References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 38 1. Introduction Housing has become one of humanity’s basic needs. Without a roof over their heads, individuals become like nomads searching for their place where they can be pioneers, although nomads are different than refugees who flee ‘because they have no choice’ (Kaplan as cited in Buki, 2003, p. 24). In the so-called third world countries, especially Ghana, housing is one of the primary programs over which government makes decisions. Whether to alleviate poverty, to jumpstart the economy, or to improve the quality of life of the people, providing housing for the workers and ordinary employees with the support of the public and private sectors is a m ajor undertaking of a developing economy. (Mason 1996, p. 176) People in Ghana are not refugees; neither are they nomads. They value housing as basic human need but housing is a precious commodity that is difficult to grasp. In other words, post-colonial Ghana has relatively failed in its housing policy: the 1986 National Housing Policy and 1992 National Shelter Strategy both did not succeed (Obeng-Odoom 2013). However, several administrations have tried to put up housing programs for city residents, employing public-private partnerships although those are still in the implementation stage (Obeng-Odoom, p. 108). Housing leaders and experts have called for secondary mortgage solution to solve the growing problem of housing in Africa. Experts also recommended that the private sector, especially the banking industry, should provide financing in the form of home equity loans, to help solve the housing problem. (Obeng-Odoom 2013, p. 109)

Factors To Consider In Setting Up A Business Essay

Factors To Consider In Setting Up A Business - Essay Example In addition, Lawrence (2013) a lawyer from a foundation that gives legal advice, suggested that when one is considering a structure for his business, promoter should consider who will own the business and what the activities will be. His choice of business structure will also depend on the type of business proposed, financial needs, and number of owners. In a separate standpoint, MacFarland, (1974, pp 60-61) said businesses are always profit seeking ventures, and as such considerations should also be given to customers perceptions. He said that a lot of businesses fail because of lack of capital, business knowledge, and inefficiency in management. Above views have been supported in the work of Dorman (2011). However, she adds business planning as an important element in business decisions. A business plan is more of a statement of goals and action plan needed to achieve them. Other organizations stated economic factors as underlying principle for choices. The Forestry Dept of FAO (20 05) cited that external, internal and individual factors determine the structure of an organization. External factors are concerns in the environment which are not under the control of owners. These are economic, socio-economic and administrative factors that could affect structure. Internal factors are purpose and organizational instruments while individual choices refer to costs and benefits. Options people have when making decisions to organize Answers to above factors will solidify the type of business structure to be organized on whether it will be a sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited liability company, or a corporation since every structure has advantages and disadvantages. When one chooses an option he thinks is needed for the business, proponent should prepare himself of potential risks and liabilities, the investment needs, costs of maintaining the business structure and framework of income tax. Evaluating these decisions when a new business is starting up Be fore anything else, the proponent must have a personal assessment of his strength and weaknesses and must have a definite goal to success. Stephenson, (n.d.) of the Entrepreneur Magazine, stated that for someone to succeed in business, he must enjoy what he is doing because his satisfaction will be manifested in the success of the business. The owner must take the business seriously and must also believe in the products or services he is selling. The owner must be able to make plans, direct, and above all manage his money wisely. When the proponent is starting with a little budget, the decision to start with sole proprietorship or a general partnership seem logical because he will find it easy to set up, since it only needs one person to organize. He does not need to report to anybody as he is the boss. Sole proprietorship is simplified as it is not required to fill up many government documentations, follow specific rule, aside from having lower taxes. Mconnon (n.d.) said many small businesses started this way then later on changed structure of ownership as it grows. However, sole proprietorship is not free from headaches, as succession is not clear; there is a risk of losing business in case of death and total disability. Sole proprietorship finds it difficult to attract investors, thus it has limited financial resources. Owner has total personal liability on its debts and obligations; while profits are taxed as personal income. General partnership In order to augment owners’ capital, he/she may invite a partner into the business. This way, a general partnership is formed wherein both agree to share in capital and management of business. In general partnersh

Corporate governance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Corporate governance - Case Study Example The corporation holds an enhanced asset policy that helps in reducing the risk and optimizes opportunity (BHP Billiton, 2010). The corporate governance program of BHP resulted in the financial growth, with increase in sales volume. EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes) increases with higher margin with a positive increase in the cash flow, thus making the corporate more competitive along with maintaining the shareholders interest in the corporation in different ways especially through enhanced dividend policy (BHP Billiton, 2010). As stated by Timothy M. Devinney in one of his article, BHP Billiton had routinely placed itself soaring in social responsibility surveys (such as Global Reporting Initiative) for the corporations’ response to the environmental procedures and safety (Devinney, 2009). Due to the consequence of highly exposed measures such as the James Hardie asbestos scandal and the collapse of Enron in Australia, it had increased the level of corporate governance. BHP shareholders have formed ‘BHP shareholders for social responsibility’ concerning about the social, economical and environmental issues and the BHP management have actively participated in corporate governance (Thomas & Nowak, 2006). BHP Billiton have committed to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Global Compact. It has committed to the Global Reporting Initiative towards the social responsibility (Jones & Et. Al., 2007). BHP Billiton has failed in their commitment towards collective bargaining for its employees which was compatible with its CSR line. During previous years the report relating to the collective bargaining and issues related to labor management was not emphasized. During the year 2005, the corporation had listed unions as the key stakeholders but still it did not align to the corporate social responsibilities. The potential for ethical business behavior is judged when the corporations reinforce

The military relationship between Qatar and the United States Essay

The military relationship between Qatar and the United States - Essay Example Similarly, the states in the Middle East have been seeking to relate with the United States in a manner that promotes their political, security, and economic interests. Historical records indicate that the first contacts between these two can be traced to the late eighteenth century when there were efforts to sustain relations between them. This was particularly reflected through American missionaries who were spreading Christianity in Middle East and Africa. Apart from spreading Christianity, they were also establishing educational institutions, primarily in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon (Shunnaq 2012). In Post-World War II period, the United States has been seeking to maintain relations with the Middle East based on prevailing interests, mainly supply of oil and promoting security and democracy in the region. It should be noted that the relationship of the United States and the Middle East has also been largely shaped by how it relates with the Israeli state and conversely how Isra el is relating with the other states in the Middle East (Hahn 2005). Political analysts and historians argue that the Israel-Palestinian conflict has significantly shaped the United States policy in the Middle East. In addition, the recent happenings in Syria have been critical in defining how the United States relates with the Middle East, and vice-versa. ... States like Iran, Lebanon, and Syria are yet to warm to cordial relationship with the United States (Blanchard 2011). This paper will discuss the United States policy with specific reference to the military relationship between the United States and Qatar. Qatar is a small peninsular state that borders Saudi Arabia in the Gulf of Persia. It is a constitutional monarchy being headed by the Emir, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. It gained full independence on 3rd September, 1971 from Britain. The Emir is the head of government and has the mandate of appointing members of the governing Council of ministers, headed by Prime Minister Abdallah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who is the monarch’s brother (Fromherz 2011). It has a constitution that was approved in April 2003 and it stipulates that the state rule is hereditary within the family of Al-Thani. It further stipulates that the future successors will follow the Emir’s male offspring line. In addition, the constitution states that the re shall be a legislative authority residing in the hands of Advisory Council of 45 members, two-thirds of whom are elected directly, while one-third are appointees of the Emir. Natural gas and oil production is the backbone of Qatar’s robust economy, which has been experiencing an average annual economic growth of 9 percent over the last half a decade. It has signed a number of agreements with the United States energy companies such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips. As regards its foreign policy, Qatar is a United Nations’ member, as well as being a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Arab League, and the Organization of

Analysis of the Macro Environment of Barcelona Football Club Essay

Analysis of the Macro Environment of Barcelona Football Club - Essay Example The main objective of Nunez as the president of the club was to make Barcelona as world-class club. To accomplish this goal, Nunez gave the club stability on the pitch and off the pitch. He had some strict attitudes in himself as the president of the club that intensely affected the image of the club. He held to a stringent policy regarding wages and discipline of the players and the team’s support staffs that actually helped the club to achieve its success. He did not meet demands of players like Maradona, Romario and Ronaldo for the sake of the club. During his era, UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, Copa del Rey Cup, European Super Cup and many more. His presidency lasted for 22 years as resigned in 2000 after the loss to Real Madrid in the champions League (Hamil, Walters & Watson, 2010, pp. 477-480). PESTEL Analysis of Nunez’s era: The PESTEL analysis discusses the Political factors, Economic factors, Social factors, Technological factors, Environmental factors and Lega l Factors. During the era of Nunez, all these factors led to remarkable changes. This paper discusses on the political and the economic factors. By the start of the era of Nunez, the club and the country came out of the rule of the fascist dictator General Franco (Vincent, 2007, p. 93). He deteriorated the membership model of ownership at the club, reduced club members’ rights and eroded the democracy within the club statutes. Apart from this the degree of government intervention was very low during Nunez’s presidency due to Spain’s transition to democracy (Casals, 2011, p. 112). During his era, there was a lack of transparency regarding the choice of assembly members. During the Nunez era, the emphasis was on the maximization of the club’s economic potential. There was a lack of transparency regarding the accounting procedure, setting and monitoring of the annual budget. The economic situation of the club was not satisfactory during this era. And this le d the club to face almost the problem of bankruptcy at the end of 2003 (Hamil, Walters & Watson, 2010, pp. 477-480) (see Table 1 in the Appendix). The era since Joan La Porta (2003-present): The era of Joan La Porta (2003-2010): Politically and economically weak situation of the FCB was recovered in the era of Joan La Porta. He opposed the former president Nunez and elected as the president of the club on June 15, 2003 (History of FC Barcelona, 2011). And his era lasts to June 30, 2010 (History of FC Barcelona, 2011). He was the most victorious president in terms of prizes won by the club. During his era the arrival of Frank Rijkaard, as the manager of the club and Ronaldinho, as the superstar footballer of the club led to the success of the club. The new style of his management of eventually helped the club to achieve an unbelievable success. His initial era as the president did not start with success. During the starting season of his presidency, the club could not manage to win a single trophy. But he requested players and fans to have faith on the team management and the team ultimately started playing fantastic and fascinating football after the signing of some of the greatest domestic, such as Puyol, Xavi, Valdes, Presas etc. and international footballers, such as Deco, Eto’o, Edmilson etc. His era also underwent from some of criticisms too. Some of the members of his team management thought that he always tried to use his

Analyze in detail how Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

Analyze in detail how Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay John Steinbecks first hand experience of what life was like during the American Depression allowed him to write an accurate novel on life during this dull time. It also gives us a good idea of certain aspects of the Depression; about how migrant workers lived and also how they were treated. The Depression changed peoples thoughts and views on life, how sensitive they were to others and how they acted around people. This is especially true of the migrant workers in Of Mice and Men. Loneliness took a major role in the migrant workers lives. The vast majority of the workers traveled alone across America, moving from ranch to ranch. Family values were non-existent, because of this they didnt belong anywhere. The workers believed it was survival of the fittest between them. There were a large number of drifting workers, all-looking for the same jobs. Competition for work was fierce. There was a general feeling of loneliness at the time for the workers. George emphasizes this feeling when he is talking to Lennie by the brush: Guys like us, which work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They dont belong no place. Because of a vast amount of suspicion on the ranch the workers often chose a solitary existence. It also made relationships between the workers very shallow. It would seem that the majority of the workers could not forge a meaningful relationship. Yet, it wasnt just the workers who felt lonely. Curleys wife also displays loneliness: I get awful lonelyYou can talk to people, but I cant talk to nobody but Curley. Crooks also seems very lonely: I tell ya a guy gets too lonely, an he gets sick. Both Crooks and Curleys wife also choose a life of solitude because of the suspicion. It is harder for them to establish meaningful relationships because the obstacles of discrimination and sexism that exists on the ranch. Loneliness was common for almost everyone. Different people did different things to try and cope with loneliness. Some would play cards. Some would play horseshoes. Crooks would read his books and Curleys wife tries attention seeking by hanging around the bunks. They did anything to avoid the loneliness and boredom. Entertainment was a form of escape from their boring lives. Apart from the simple things the workers would do during the month like cards and horseshoes, there was no entertainment, so they all looked forward to the end of the month: Well, a guy got to have some fun sometime. This was when they would get their pay and go into town. They would spend their money on drink and prostitutes. Again, anything that would allow them to escape from their lonely lives. It was normal for the workers to spend the best part of the night in a whore house where they could get alcohol and women. A guy can go in an get drunk and get everthing out his system all at once, an no messes. And once that night was done that was it until the end of the next month. This demonstrates the attitude on the ranch toward women: they are just objects which can be used whenever they please. They arent considered as eqaul at all. The attitude towards Curleys wife is another example of how women were poorly treated, poorly regarded and were by a long way, less equal than men. Newly married and in an unfamiliar place, she is not allowed to talk to anyone but Curley. She resents this and approaches the other ranch workers with the excuse of looking for Curley. The men instantly have their guard up and assure each other that she is nothing but trouble. They regard her as a woman to be used and make no attempt to get to know her. Probably the most important aspect of workers lives was the dream they all shared. But because of their tendencies to go into town at the end of the month they would never realize their dream, as many of their dreams involved saving up money, whoich usually they wasted. Crooks sums it up quite well: I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an on the ranches with their bindles on their back an that same damn thing in their heads. Hundreds of them. They come, an they quit an they go on; an every damn one of ems got a little piece of land in his head. An every goddamn one of em ever gets it. Just like heaven. It was a simple dream. All they wanted was to own their own place. A piece of land and a house to live in, somewhere they werent told what to do, a place where they could choose who could stay on their land and who had to move on, and a place where at the end of the harvest they could keep what they had harvested. George points this out: Id have my own little place, an Id be bringing in my own crops, stead of doin all the work and not getting what comes up outa the ground. But for most this dream would never be fulfilled. Their loneliness would always be with them. This would mean they would have to escape from their loneliness by going into town and spending their money. But without money they would never be able to buy their own place. As with loneliness, having dreams was not exclusive to the workers. Curleys wife often dreamt of what her life would have been like if she would have been in movies: Coulda been in the movies, an had nice clothes-all them nice clothes like they wear. An I coulda sat in them big hotels, an had pictures took of me. As for George and Lennie there is hope. They have each other to look after one another and are not as lonely as the other migrants. Becausebecause I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you. says Lennie. Because they have each other, they have a better chance of realizing their dream. They both have someone to talk to and travel with which helps them not get so lonely. It is this companionship that gives them their chance. Also, because of their companionship, they are very different from all the other workers on the ranch. None of the other workers had someone to travel with. Their companionship is seen as very unusual: Well, I never seen a guy take so much trouble for another guy. says Carlson. Slim also says: I hardly never seen two guys travel together. It was a rare thing to see during that period. It was also rare for the workers show genuine care for each other of for anyone else. George and Lennie are an exception to this. Along with the good things that came with travelling together, George and Lennies companionship also brought along suspicion. Suspicion was very common on the ranches. The boss is suspicious as soon as George and Lennie arrive. He is suspicious of George because he wont let Lennie speak: I said what stake you got in this guy? You takin his pay away from him? He later says I got my eye on you. It isnt just the boss who is wary of the workers. It seems everyone is suspicious of each other: Maybe everbody in the whole damn world is scared of each other. says Slim. This is emphasized a lot by the way hardly anyone travels together and by the way George accuses Candy of listening in on his conversation with Lennie: Say, what the hell you doin listenin? Curley is also suspicious of anybody when it comes to his new wife. He runs around a lot looking for her and at one point accuses Slim of messing with her. Finally, most of the men on the ranch are worried about talking to Curleys wife. They accuse her of giving men the eye and think she is a tart. There is a large amount of suspicion all over the ranch aimed at anyone around the ranch itself. As well as a lot of suspicion, maybe leading to the following, there was also a fair amount of violence. Curley is the main source of violence on the ranch. He was jealous and suspicious of people and this leads to him causing trouble. He is said to pick on big guys the most because he was so small: He hates big guys. Hes alla time picking scraps with big guys. He is also said to be a good boxer and has proved this by doing well in certain tournaments. Hes often wary and is ready for a fight: His eyes flashed over George, took in his height, measured his reach, and looked at his trim middle. Curley finally demonstrates his foul temper and his willingness to fight by picking on Lennie and hitting him several times. George mentions the sense of violence on the ranch: After a long time they get mean. They get wantin to fight all the time. Another side to the violence on the ranch is the attraction of it. Whit is very eager when he sees Curley going after Slim: I guess maybe Id like to see this. and But I like to see the fuss if it comes off. Come on les go. Crooks is a target of the violence also. The time at Christmas when they set after him is an example of this. He is often verbally abused as well. The workers are very casual about racist language. They use words like nigger behind his back and even to his face: Sure the stable bucks a nigger. Nigger huh? Yeah. Nice fella, too. And such words are even said to his face: Listen, Nigger. says Curleys wife. Racism was still very common during this period and segregation was also common. Crooks wasnt allowed in the white workers bunk house and he is put in the barn, by himself, which had very poor living conditions. He had to put up with a lot of abuse and discrimination and because of this he had developed a protective shell, which he would withdraw back into whenever he was being abused, this made him suspicious of anyone trying to help him or take an interest in him. Crooks was a dignified man and would often refer to his mauled book of rights to emphasize he had rights. He would also refer to his book if he thought someone was doing something that impeded his rights. Crooks was also very lonely and he craves someone to talk to as much as any of the other workers on the ranch. A good example of his dignity and his loneliness mixed together is when Lennie comes into his room he tries to be angry but he knows he needs someone to talk to and allows Lennie to stay in his room. Women were used and treated unfairly during this period also. During this time women were generally seen as a possession. Men believed that they owned the women and that they could use them however or for whatever they wanted. This is shown by the way the workers talk about the women at the whorehouses and also by the way the workers talk about Curleys wife. She is seen, as something Curley owns, an item or possession not a person. She is also referred to as jail-bait, a tart and nothing but trouble. Quotes like Jesus, what a tramp., Dont you even look at that bitch. and Well, I think Curleys marrieda tart. which refer to Curleys wife all emphasize the disrespect shown to women in this period. Although men liked to think women were their possessions, they also had other possessions. They would carry around little things like razors and keep them in a bindle while traveling. When they werent traveling they would keep their possessions in an apple crate hung up on the wall. They never carried around much and things would get left behind; for example, the roach killer that got left behind by the last worker that occupied Georges bunk. Hygiene wasnt all that good. As well as the roach infested bunks there were rats underneath the floorboards. The food wasnt all that good either and medicine was very simple. Candy tells about how one guy would clean the potatoes if they had spots on them and he would scrape off the red bits in the eggs. Candy also complains of a stomachache the turnips gave him and asks for some whiskey to treat his stomachache. Overall life in the bunkhouses was very harsh. In conclusion, the novel has given us a very clear picture of what life like for the migrant workers moving from ranch to ranch. Loneliness was a serious part of their lives. It was part of a vicious circle that included entertainment, money and their dream. Their dreams were what kept them going. But loneliness would continue to stop them realizing their dreams. They were so lonely they needed the entertainment to help them escape from their loneliness and boredom after work. This cost money; money they needed to realize their dream, and from entertainment they wasted the money they needed to realize a dream, and found themselves lonely again, causing the vicious circle to continue. Life was very rough on the workers. No family to speak of or get closed to. They believed that they didnt belong anywhere. They went to a ranch, worked up a stake and then blew it in the nearest town. This would happen every month and even though the workers dreamt, the vast majority eventually realized their dream would never come true. But kept dreaming to keep up some hope even though deep down they realized it was not possible.