www.grundlos.org

For non-smokers like me it’s a disgust having someone nearby that’s smoking. It stinks, it’s filthy and apart from that pretty unhealthy. Good thing it’s being prohibited in more and more places — although Germany is pretty far behind and sadly less consequent than other countries. Still you happen to find people smoking in places where they shouldn’t, like for example here in Berlin the train stations. Ok, of course it’s annoying, but ever put yourself to think that people like these, forgetting completely they harm and molest bystanding people are basically sick and need help? You knew that 70 out of 100 people who are smoking wish they didn’t, but yet they continue? This might help treating them with a little more consideration when telling them to stop. Instead of yelling “Put it out. Now!” you might try: “I know it’s an almost uncontrollable urge to smoke now, and it feels kind of good for you… but, have you considered you might molest and endanger the health of non-smokers nearby?” For more arguments and insights in the dirty business of big cigarette industry you might try www.thetruth.com, which supplies apart from very interesting facts a lot of ideas how to spread this knowledge. Don’t miss their video of the “singing” cowboy. Quite shocking but very true, that (It’s a bit hidden on the original page, so I included a direct link but to another page).

The Lancet has published in it’s ultimate issue (9540, Vol. 368) a trial that uncovers the profound unjustice in German medical hierarchy. 329 German doctors were asked to fill out a standartized quality of life survey (SF-36). In the results they found a strinking difference: Doctors low in the hirarchy scored on some scales up to 17 points below the population average (which is a lot!) while heads of departments exceeded average scores by 8! If you have a closer look at the illustration, you’ll see that this difference concerning quality of life is visible throughout the different scales of the survey. Well for many a deep-eyed resident who once again has to continue with the next shift after already having worked all night this will be old news — but it’s the first scientific approach to this issue I have seen up to now. The authors emphasize that they’re not contrary to hierarchical structures in hospitals as this guarantees a good work-flow. But if hirarchy lead to “negative working atmosphere” and “reduced health related quality of life” this would not be serving organisational needs, let alone employees’. I guess I do have to emmigrate…
Here is a Link to the Article which is accessible without cost, but you have to open a free account to view it.