Microsoft and Nokia Merger Free Sample Solution

Question: Compose a report on in a general sense take a gander at the support of Nokia and Microsoft merger? Answer: Presentation The topic of our report is to in a general sense take a gander at the defense of Nokia and Microsoft merger. By and by here the fundamental expect for the merger by examining the basic and chief reasons of for what reason did Nokia and Microsoft decided to take each other's hand and move towards future is talked about. In this report we have endeavored to cover each piece of this late affiliation. We will see the authentic background of these two huge associations including the financial examination and the business segment assessment and we will in like manner explain about the essential driver which leads the two associations to wind up assistants. We will moreover essentially survey and explain that if the association will be an achievement in coming future or it will disregard to recover a lost bit of the pie in the business division of cutting edge cells and organizations. Directly the two associations which we will prevalently focus on are Microsoft and Nokia. Considering our i nvestigation Nokia accept a basic part more than Microsoft in this merger considering the way that Nokia will be more important than Microsoft in wording to recover its lost bit of the pie and decreasing advancement design. Pre Merger Stock Market Values of Nokia Microsoft In the midst of the current money related crisis, Stock Markets have been impacted resulting to some time, regardless of the way that showing up on the principal quarter of the current year, a little improvement in their records. Despite the Middle-East War which prompts a rising on the oil costs and the Tsunami in Japan, of 2011 is shown and evaluated as a prospering and flourishing year, which explicitly impacts the Stock Markets. Truth be told, the sliding examples in the midst of the latest years provoked an extension in the expanding rate, which along these lines recommended a rising in the advance expenses, obliging the money related turn of events and in this way, making less vocations. Subsequently, in spite of the way this is apparently an unending circle, protections trades are starting to recover from the cash related downturn, with the BRIC countries addressing interesting open entryways in the short and medium term similarly as adventure courses of action. Additionally, NYSE Euronext Inc. likewise, NASDAQ Stock Market, the two greatest stock exchange markets are at present significant achievements for monetary experts and associations. The two associations have persevered through a relative rot around the finish of the main quarter 2010, having dropped from an estimation of USD$33 and USD$17, Microsoft and Nokia independently, to an estimation of generally USD$25 and USD$9 independently. Since August 10, we have dealt with a more diminutive recover in light of association perspectives that additional to raise the offer expenses. Starting late on 13/05/2011, Microsoft and Nokia's stock expenses were USD$26.31 and USD$9.67 separately. Budgetary Performance Forecast As it was escaped in advance by Damodaran (2005), remembering the ultimate objective to dismember the helpful energies in Microsoft and Nokia, it is essential to regard all of the associations autonomously. Consequently, this valuation recommends certain doubts about its future turn of events, in a word, the manner in which each firm will perform inside its industry in the following years, and furthermore, the progression of the PC programming and data moves part (Srivastava and Dave, 2011). Thusly, Microsoft and Nokia will be examined through two one of a kind methodologies (WACC, and Multiples Valuation), considering reliably that the results may be tantamount the length of similar examinations are used for all of them. Close to the finish of each Standalone Valuation, an affectability examination will in like manner be finished with the objective that one may fathom the changes in the firm regard in eventual outcome of unquestionable doubts taken. In a word, the valuation system w ill start with a base case condition and a short time later a bear and bull case circumstances will be prepared, addressing the lower and maximum cutoff points independently (Tsuji, 2015). An essential edge which should be featured is the way that, the valuation procedure (projections) will be arranged in three sections: the organization's future key goals, its own tendency of advancement taking into account the true data, and the Investment Banking projections as a trustworthy source prepared to support the doubts. Also, the chronicled data considers the 3 prior years from 2008 until the present and the projections will consider the accompanying 5 years until 2015 since the move procedure (merger) is acknowledged to take 1 to 2 years, so 2015 is an enough period to measure a progressively joined methodology. Hence, the FCFF (Free Cash-Flow to the Firm) will be learned for the accompanying 5 years and decreased at the specific refund rate. In the Relative Valuation, the affiliation' s budgetary marker must be copied by the ordinary different estimation of the specific friend gathering (Wadee, 2011). Genuine Post Merger Performance as indicated by Sensitivity Analysis Microsoft Despite the estimation of the base-case circumstance, every so often the doubts taken may not occur later on and the projections might be difficult to approach, resulting to the Computer Software Industry is depicted by its strong forcefulness and the constant appearance of new organizations and things and likewise, mechanical headways as tablets. As a result, it might be useful to look at changes in the firm regard in eventual outcome of specific doubts taken affectability assessment. To the exclusion of everything else, it will be viewed as changes in livelihoods, working expenses and terminal advancement rate. The bear case condition considers an extension of 1.5% in the Operating Expenses and a decay of 1.5% either in Revenues or in the terminal advancement rate, in a word, there is a nonattendance of trust in the business division; while the bull-case situation acknowledge an addition of 1.5% in Revenues and in the terminal improvement rate, and a reducing of 1.5% in the Operati ng Expenses where the business part is showing sureness. Quickly, for the bear-case circumstance the worth objective would be $24.04 and for the bull-case circumstance it would be $26.64. Thusly, the basic reasoning that might be isolated from this affectability examination is the way that Microsoft is somewhat overstated, resulting to the cost concentration under the bear-case circumstance is still lower than the current worth (May, 13). Nokia After the base-case circumstance valuation, presently it will be taken assorted assumptions to analyze the modifications in the firm regard. Doubtlessly, Telecommunications industry is named as forceful, imaginative, with consistent upgrades, along these lines the examinations made before may not concretize later on. Right off the bat, it is viewed as changes in earnings, working expenses and terminal advancement rate. The bear-case circumstances expect earnings and terminal advancement rate 1.5% lower for every one of the following years and working costs 1.5% higher; while the bull-case circumstance acknowledge wages and terminal improvement rate 1.5% higher and working costs 1.5% lower (Barney, 1986). Along these lines, for the bear-case condition the worth objective would be $7.87 and for the bull-case circumstance it would be $15.79. Considering, this affectability assessment grants us to attest that Nokia is overstated; after the cost concentration under the bear-case circumsta nce is as yet more diminutive than the stock expense at 05/13. For this circumstance, the Relative valuation framework will differentiate Nokia and near associations working in the Telecommunications Equipment Industry taking into account similar turn of events and danger levels. This is an industry that exhibits more internationalization with a couple of Europeans and Asiatic associations, anyway 41% of the Peer Group is made by U.S. headquartered associations. A similar source (Reuters) and method was associated in the estimation of the cash related pointers for 2011. Looking at the extents, Nokia is more and less as per the business. Examination The standard goals of the planned exertion for both Microsoft and Nokia were to gather another overall flexible natural framework for PDAs through the Windows Phone stage by: 1. Expanding gathering breaking point of general Windows Phone gadgets.2. Driving overall customer enthusiasm of the Windows Phone contraptions through contribution a wide degree of things with strong brand character coming to more land areas.3. Further planning things and organizations of Nokia and Microsoft Corporation. A complete objective would be: To building up the bit of the pie of both the Nokia Windows Phone based windows telephone and PDAs contraptions. To make sure about and fabricate the bit of practical pay delivered from convenient related associations. Vital Alliance The kind of participation that both the associations agreed on, regardless of the way that promoted by the two associations as a Strategic Partnership relationship has truly been characterized by altering in the module. This suggests both Microsoft and Nokia would collaborate on ordinary goals and points of interest that would fit the key direction of both the associations. All through the joint exertion, the two associations would remain independent and no new association or legal substance was made. Neither Nokia nor Microsoft had placed into each other's worth proposals in the midst of the collaboration. Coordinated effort Points of Interest 1. Microsoft's stage supports portions to Nokia.2. Nokia to pay programming power portions to Microsoft.3. Nokia's devotion and responsibility: Nokia is a without a doubt comprehended pioneer of gear mechanical diagram in the convenient business, and would contribute its ability on hardware plan, tongue support, showcase piece, nearby ranges and director relatio

Construction of Pekeliling Flats, Kuala Lumpur

Development of Pekeliling Flats, Kuala Lumpur Prologue to Case Study Pekeliling Flats is arranged on the Lebuhraya Mahameru-bound Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. The pads are otherwise called Tunku Abdul Rahman open pads. Pekeliling pads are one of Kuala Lumpurs most punctual open lodging ventures and were worked in 1967. There were 11 private squares containing 2,969 units. For the development of the primary pilot venture, the Government held an arrangement with a joint endeavor organization Citra/Boon Cheah which planned to utilize the French Tracoba System of development. Be that as it may, the arrangement was ineffective and the undertaking was in this way opened to open delicate. The delicate was in the long run granted to Gammon/Larsen Nielsen utilizing the Danish System of enormous board industrialized pre-assembled framework. The development was then propelled in 1968. The plan at Jalan Pekeliling contains 4 squares of 4-story pads and shops, 7 squares of 17-story pads, totaling 3009 units and was finished inside multi month, incorporating the time taken in the development of the RM 2.5 million throwing yard for the pre-assembled components at 10â ½ miles Jalan Damansara. The entire development of the level is built utilizing the construction of solid box technique which is like the British Truscon System whereby a standard through-molded cement boxes, which join veneer dividers produced using lightweight materials, roofs comprising of mortar boarding stapled and just as inward fittings. Gathering Method The containers are made by precasting the dividers boards with ribs downwards and smoothing down the solid as it has semi-set. When the dividers have solidified, they are then expelled from the molds by methods for an overhead gantry and put into a dance. Establishments cushions are thrown and on these precast solid shafts, transformed T cross segment are then laid. The cases are currently emptied legitimately from the lorry and are put in position upon these reversed T shafts. Once the cases, which structure one course from veneer to faã §ade have been blasted together along the divider. After the containers are associated together at the basic floor level of two connector plates, which are darted with jolts to strung embeds on either side of the joint. Once the crates, which structure one course from veneer to faã §ade have been shot together along the divider, where again the cast-in attachments which joined by steel plates and darts, there just flimsy vertical joints noticeable. The vertical channels between the abutting ribs of the start to finish boxes make inflexible cross-dividers of noteworthy sound protection. Level fortification poles are brought down and concrete is thrown in, bringing about the arrangement of a gathering divider. Assessment and Comparison Cost Industrialized pre-assembled development of the Pekeliling venture was more costly than the regular framework. Its expense was 8.1% higher than a customary lodging venture finished around that time. There are numerous points of interest you can get in the event that you are utilizing precast development technique as opposed to utilizing in-situ development strategy. One of the points of interest is the cost ramifications. Utilizing precast development technique can set aside cash or decrease the expense of development in light of the fact that: Time Large scale manufacturing just as off-site creation abbreviates venture course of events, gives prior rate of profitability, permitting prior inhabitance and keep in plan. It is evaluated that a precast structure occupies to 20% less time to build than a comparable cast in situ structure. For instance, the dividers of a structure can be made while on location establishments are being assembled. In the event that the time is over the calendar or due date, the organization needs to pay the harms. Solidness Offers long assistance for high use applications and doesn't require normal upkeep; spare expense in long haul. Squander Minimization Less materials are required on the grounds that exact blend extents and more tightly resiliences are reachable. Less solid waste is made because of tight control of amounts of constituent materials. Squander materials are all the more promptly reused in light of the fact that solid creation is in one area. Sand and acids for completing surfaces are reused. Steel structures and different materials are reused. Diminished prerequisites for formwork, get to platform and less dependence on wet exchanges. The diminished necessity for site management by the principle contractual worker additionally sets aside cash. Contrasted with cast in-situ concrete, the accompanying rates of reserve funds can be normal: 75 percent as far as formwork and platform and 90% for wet cement. Recyclable precast solid structures in urban zones can be reused into fill and street base material toward the finish of their helpful life. Less trucks and less time are required for development since concrete is made offsite; especially useful in urban territories where negligible rush hour gridlock interruption is basic. At the point when less trucks are required methods lesser the cost expected to lease vehicles. The decrease in site work which mostly balances a deficiency of talented site laborers. Estimated in the $55 $65 territory per straight foot of divider, precast frameworks are serious with other establishment dividers, especially when expenses are analyzed as a gathering that incorporates footings and sub-piece waste. Precast dividers can be introduced rapidly in any climate. Since the solid is restored in the industrial facility, precast establishments can be inlayed when the section is set and first floor propping is set up, improving place of work security and site openness. Entryway and window openings, steel shaft pockets, and block edges must be thrown into the boards, so arranges must be altered. The divider sub-base must be compacted and leveled, like accuracy expected of footings. In making cost examinations between elective frameworks, it is basic that all out like for like expenses are thought of. There are considerable reserve funds to be made utilizing precast development which are not apparent when a direct natural cost examination is made with elective development techniques. To get a precise like for like cost, entire structure costs must be assessed. To precisely survey entire structure cost, every one of the benefits of precast must be precisely cost. Reserve funds through variables, for example, prior fulfillment dates, inbuilt insulating, diminished formwork, framework, decreased wet exchanges and expanded spending control can be noteworthy. Likewise, quick track acquirement and development may limit capital expenses by lessening financing costs and making sure about prior rental pay. The precast edge bundle normally incorporates sections, bars, floors, divider boards, steps, arrivals, overhangs and so forth., all of which have an inbuilt least one-hour fire assurance. Pro precast casing makers will help configuration groups in assessing the extension for normalized precast segments for a specific undertaking. Spending costings and erection projects can be set up by the precaster on receipt of blueprint drawings and a rundown of execution models. For temporary workers and specifiers, there is a major contrast among cost and cost. While cost is nevertheless one component of cost, it is the underlying, generally obvious and the simpler of the two to comprehend. Concentrating on cost is certifiably not a favored system in any business, particularly where high-caliber, solid fabricated merchandise are concerned. Rather, for precast solid items, the emphasis ought to be on the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). How is TCO determined? The Total Cost of Ownership is equivalent to the whole of the four cost segments: quality, administration, conveyance and cost. As far as cost components, a particular bit of leeway of precast cement over cast set up (CIP) is speed of conveyance and simplicity of establishment, or administration. Both contribute legitimately to bring down Total Cost of Ownership. Precast cement, particularly when created in ensured plants, brags the extra advantage higher caliber. Controlled cluster extents set under uniform conditions reliably makes a superior item than can be thrown set up. For representation purposes, we will utilize a customary precast underground structure. On the building site, planning is a significant, eccentric and costly hazard. Nature stacks the cost chances against CIP concrete. It is an a lot faster and less unsafe decision to have the precast conveyed and introduced that day as opposed to exhume, structure, pour and strip the CIP solid, fix, soggy confirmation and inlay. Given the cost lattice in Example 1, it could spare six days in development booking. For delineation purposes, consider a run of the mill underneath grade structure. For within measurements of a 4-by-8-by-4-foot structure of either precast (6 inches thick) or CIP (8 inches thick), accept these realities: CIP requires three separate days to pour the base, dividers and top. Relieving and stripping adds one day to each progression, requiring six days to cast nearby. Clammy sealing adds one day to the CIP procedure, totaling seven working long stretches of open-gap time. Permitting a normal $350 per cubic yard for little employments (prepared blend, rebar, mastic, work and gear), the 4 cubic yards of CIP required costs out at $1,400. Precast takes just a single day to convey and introduce, including refill of the pre-soggy sealed unit. The precast choice to deliver and truck to the place of work costs out at $2,000. Introducing the precast requires a four-hour least charge of $400 for a 20-ton crane. Equipment costs for fittings, implanted things, and so forth., are indistinguishable for precast and CIP. The TCO of precast is fixed at $2,400. In any case, the TCO of CIP is simply starting at $1,400. That brings up the issue among cynics with respect to why a contractual worker would spend more for precast. Yet, many shrewd temporary workers and specifiers perceive that their expenses are in reality less with precast. The six days of extra booking are required by the mechanics of pouring and relieving concrete nearby. The work should be possible off site in a quality controlled precast plant while other wor

How to Use Influencer Marketing to Drive Sales

How to Use Influencer Marketing to Drive Sales Here’s a shocker â€" 70% of all millennial buyers are influenced to buy a product instead of using their own free thoughts.So… what exactly is Influencer Marketing? And how efficient is it in driving your sales up the roof?Quite a lot if we follow the current trend of shoppers.Businesses earn an average of $6.50 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. If you aren’t utilizing influencer marketing, you’re missing out on huge profits.Don’t fret, at Cleverism we’ll demonstrate exactly the importance of using Influencer Marketing to boost your sales campaign.WHAT IS INFLUENCER MARKETING? WHAT MAKES IT THE NEXT BIG MARKETING TACTIC?Back when you were a kid when your favorite celebrity endorsed a new product on TV, you were magically drawn towards the product.Now be honest and ask yourself â€"How likely were you to buy this product if it was endorsed by someone you didn’t like? How likely were you to buy it from your favorite celebrity?The answer is obvious â€" we are all influenced by people around us whether they are non-interactable celebrities or our family and friends.We recommend products in our homes, in the gyms, in the workspace, or during a barbeque party â€" “Hey, try out this delicious teriyaki steak sauce to pair with your steak.”While all of this is predominantly done to assist our family and friends in making wiser choices, today, there is a serious wave of influencer marketing utilized in digital sales.Understanding the Scope of Influencer MarketingInfluencer marketing is all around us â€" we see people endorsing products on Instagram and Facebook every day.There are numerous YouTube channels where people review products and breakdown the pros and cons to provide valuable insight into the product you wish to buy.These social media influencers attract viewers and entertain them with humor or brighten their day through quirky videos describing the products they endorse. Highly engaged viewers became consumers of their favorite influ encers.Why?Because they form a bond with the influencer.Why Influencer Marketing is a High ROI for Businesses?A billboard set up with a product endorsement attracts anyone who strolls by the location.However, an influencer attracts their viewers to their product endorsement via digital mediums like YouTube and Podcasts. Hence, the targeted audience is extremely high when compared to standard advertising and costs much lower too.Followers of the influencer are happy to stay and watch the entire video. A billboard or an advertisement simply doesn’t attract an audience in the same interesting way.Let’s assume you’re a brand that deals with gaming peripherals. It makes sense to reach out to a gaming influencer, right? The gaming influencer could be someone who reviews games or the latest gaming gadgets. Assuming this gaming influencer has 2 million followers on YouTube. Having your product as an endorsement at the end of their video allows the influencer to endorse your product wi th his viewers. And most of the audience just so happens to be? â€" Well, gamers of course! Now that’s a smart way to target your products to the right audience utilizing influencers.You’re probably left wondering why viewers find an influencer interesting?That’s a simple one to answer.Influencers are real people. Individuals in an advertisement are hired actors with scripts.A key aspect that creates an interesting bond between influencers and their followers is ‘Simplicity’. Influencers have a heart-to-heart conversation to explain the product in detail and provide in-depth knowledge about the product that an advertising campaign simply fails.People love honesty and influencers are all about being natural and to the point. Here are 4 examples of successful Influencer marketing campaigns that have driven a high ROI for their products.1. PewDiePie Chances are you probably came across this quirky name while browsing around the internet that belongs to Swedish YouTuber â€" Fe lix Arvid.PewDiePiew has a whopping 101 million subscriber base on his YouTube account. With a combined total of over 140 million subscribers across all social media formats, he’s undoubtedly the top social media influencer that earns over $12 million every year.Yes! A millionaire. That’s how big influencer marketing is to sales marketing.Much of his videos revolve around video games and other popular culture content. PewDiePiew endorses colossal brands such as LG, Volvo, and was even said to be recruited by Disney until the deal fell through due to a controversy.If top brands have adopted to utilizing Influencer Marketing as their top choice for gaining customers, it demonstrates a working business tactic that is replacing the age-old ‘Post an Ad’ approach.2. Bigelow TeaThe name Bigelow is quite a household name with specially brewed teas that would capture the soul of anyone lucky enough to catch a whiff.But did you know that Bigelow increased its sales by 18.5% through in fluencer marketing alone?With the assistance of blogger Ashley Thurman, Bigelow began to create an influencer campaign to directly reach out to their consumers by connecting to them via Ashley’s lifestyle blogs. Ashley already had a good viewership on her Instagram and personal blog. Many of her audience were millennials.Bigelow wanted to strike a chord with the youngsters, so Ashley began to demonstrate various recipes for creating tea-based drinks on her blog and Instagram. Interested people reached out to her endorsement link and ended up on Bigelow’s website.In this way, Bigelow grew its sales by reaching out to other lifestyle bloggers to directly reach out to the young and millennial viewers.3. Mercedes BenzThe luxurious car manufacturer has utilized several micro and celebrity influencers to strike a chord with their prestigious customers.One such influencer campaign that was unique was when Mercedes got a hold of Loki, who’s known in the social media world as a wolfdog that goes on adventures with his fellow humans.Yes! You heard right â€" a pet dog drove the sales of Mercedes Benz up the roof.The VR campaign utilized Loki to embark on a chilling journey through the snowy cliffs of Colorado with his owner Kelly Lund.The campaign was heavily praised and became viral due to the bond shared by Lund and Loki while driving through the snow peaks in the cozy atmosphere of a Mercedes vehicle.The campaign proved the durability of the automobiles made by Mercedes that were capable of traversing over rough terrain through the snow-clad mountains. It also gave the viewers a sense of adventure that they could share with the wolfdog and owner on their epic journey.4. Dude PerfectWhat happens when you mix a gang of five friends in love with basketball doing trick shots on a lazy Sunday afternoon with a camcorder? You get a viral video shared by millions of people enjoying the tricks demonstrated by these talented basketball players.Skip a few years into the fu ture and the five players are professional influencers with their own TV show. They have their own merchandise store as well as various mobile apps to draw their viewership to their endorsements.The friends have over 46 million YouTube subscribers and 9 million Instagram followers to their name. Visiting their social media pages demonstrates the various products they endorse and why sports brands prefer to use them as their sales campaign.Do you still doubt the magnitude of influencer marketing with the examples above?Now that you’ve understood why influencer campaigns are so successful, it’s time to start your own campaign.Allow us at Cleverism to demonstrate how to get it done in a few simple ways.TOP INFLUENCER MARKETING STRATEGIES THAT ARE GUARANTEED TO DRIVE SALESJust because a marketing strategy works, doesn’t mean it’s a good thing to enter without a plan.Influencer marketing like other successful marketing strategies requires careful forethought before venturing into the unknown.Leave the rest to us to show you the exact science in picking the right influencer strategy for your brand. 1. Research Your InfluencersAlways choose an influencer that understands your brand and products.What we mean is choose an influencer that loves your products beforehand. To do this, perform research on all the videos or material that the influencer has previously reviewed or talked about.Grab your big yellow notepad and create a pro and con list. List down all the positives of the influencer on one side and the negatives on the other.Here’s a sample pro/con list to review an influencer.Pros+ Understands my niche + In-depth review provided + Clear vocal clarity + Relatable + Creative MarketingCons Expensive to hire Creates only 3 videos every month (requirement: 5)The following example shows that the Influencer understands the product that you require and does a full review of your product. He or she also has a positive attitude and has an extremely mindset to entertain its audience. All great points and perfect to launch your product.But wait!The 2 big cons demonstrate that their pricing structure is quite expensive and out of your budget. They also don’t seem to do more than 3 videos every month. This means you’ll either cough up the dough or negotiate to reach a common ground.Remember, once you’ve broken down the information, it’s easier to take a call if the influencer fits your requirements or not.Let’s assume you sell makeup essentials. Reaching out and collaborating with a makeup artist that reviews products for years and has a long list of followers is ideal to kickstart your publicity campaign. However, it’s ill-advised to reach out to fashion-based influencers as ‘Fashion’ is a general term and not a niche. Your product endorsement could be all over the place.2. Long-term Commitment AlwaysAre you someone that takes a trial of a product before switching over to the next brand?Well, an influencer marketing strategy should always remain long-term or it’s never worth the effort.Here’s why.The audience doesn’t relate immediately to a new product that the influencer speaks aboutTakes time with repeated endorsements for viewers to relate with the productLong-term commitments are efficient for both â€" the influencer and the brand ownerThe audience is likely to trust your product if the influencer is in collaboration for a long periodBuilds and strengthens the relationship of your product with the influencerThe long-term relationship allows the influencer to gain knowledge at marketing your product through experimentationA new product is like a blossoming romance to the influencer. There is bound to be product shyness and distance in the early days.While they perform their best to endorse your product through hot marketing trends, it takes time to connect the product with their audience.Partnering up for a long-term removes the awkwardness and the stress of coming up with a winning formula. T he influencer gets into the grove in a natural way and ends up connecting with your product in a natural manner.Long-term commitments convert into affiliate links and coupon codes personalized for the influencer to share with their audience. Something that won’t work with a short-term contract.3. Work a Unique Strategy for Your Product With Your InfluencerYes! You do have a say in how the influencer markets your product but remember the reason you are approaching the influencer in the first place. For their expertise!If you think you have a phenomenal idea to market the product, put it across and develop the concept while working with the influencer. However, If the influencer has a plan for your product, hear them out!Remember, they are expert marketers, they haven’t attained a high follower count if they didn’t know what they were doing. It’s best to trust your influencer’s strategy over your own in the event of clashing opinions.If the influencer comes off rude or negat ive, it’s best to terminate the contract before proceeding further. Your product’s success is directly proportional to the healthy relationship that you possess with your influencer.The influencer will look forward to coming up with interesting concepts if they are interested in your product. Creativity and unique marketing are something that an influencer must come up with.An excellent example comes in the form of GymShark, a fitness apparel-based brand. Noel Mack remarks “Instagram as a huge part of our success story.”, GymShark invites their influencers along with their followers to their store for an interactive session of meet and greet.The session is usually followed by selfies and fitness advice. This level of interaction caused the fans and the influencers to bond even closer and in turn, drive the sales up the roof for GymShark. According to MarketingWeek, the brand doubled their earnings in a single year with these strategies.A marketing strategy doesn’t require a complex plan but to achieve success it usually works best when working together with your influencer and both are on board with the execution. 4. Clearly Map Out Your Objectives and AudienceA general audience for your product won’t cut it. That’s like selling meat products to a vegan.It rubs people the wrong way and marketing to a general audience is extremely intrusive and unprofessional.Even if your brand deals with common household stuff like brooms and pans, it’s a good idea to market it to a target audience that is likely to make a purchase.Targeting everyone may seem like the way to go but remember â€" maximizing your sales with the right audience bumps your profits.That’s why influencer marketing is perfect for putting the spotlight on your brand to grab the eyeballs of your niche audience. But even an influencer is helpless if you don’t have objectives on the kind of marketing required.Ask yourself the following questions.Is my product targeting a luxurious range of individuals or am I most interested in giving the budget folks a good deal?Will I include discounts and coupons?Does my product come with a positive message? If yes, should the influencer include it in their presentation?Who is most likely to buy my product? â€" single mothers, young professionals, fresh graduates, retired folks, children, etc. Are my competitors using influencer marketing as well? If yes, do I copy their best practices or simply go with a brand-new concept?Is my aim to maximize sales or to generate publicity or a balance of both?Am I tracking my current ROI for all the campaigns I have launched?Are my influencers closely related to my product?Write the answers to these questions down on a piece of paper.The answers to these questions provide you with the biggest solution to your marketing puzzle â€" Perspective!Once you understand your perspective and draw conclusions, the search for your influencer narrows down. Hiring the right influencer can make or break yo ur brand.5. Don’t Chase After Influencers with a Large FollowingBefore you say another word! Hear us out.You’re probably thinking why you shouldn’t go for the cream of the crop in terms of hiring an influencer.While on paper, gunning for the most popular influencer seems to be the best choice, you haven’t fully considered the following negative aspects.A large following doesn’t necessarily mean the influencer is doing a good job in marketing a product.Going by large follower numbers is a good way for you to fall into a scam. Many fraudulent influencers buy their followers through various nefarious sources.Even if a popular influencer is a ticket to the top, ask yourself â€" How much do you think their fee is? Can you afford it? And if you could, is it worth it?The biggest influencers usually sponsor more brands and hence, their focus is diverted and most definitely not loyal to your brand.The big bad influencers may not be as easy receiving to your input and the breach in communication won’t ring a delicate tone.Another aspect to consider, if an influencer is popular and targeting a specific niche, chances are the niche is already tapped out of its potential by other well-known competitors in your field.The rule of the thumb is, leave the popular influencers for the large brands. Until your brand has matured into an organization, it’s best to stick with less popular influencers who have demonstrated their ability to market products.However, if you already have a large brand and are on the search for an influencer marketer, it’s best to match the other strategies in this article and choose a famous influencer.CONCLUSIONYou don’t want your brand to be out in the cold while the rest of the world are utilizing influencer marketing to drive their sales through the roof.Collaborating with an influencer is an effective way to get honest publicity and a loyal audience.When was the last time you bought a product that an influencer recommended? What wa s it? We’d love to read about it in the comments below.

Beer Is The Alcoholic Beverage Of Choice - 976 Words

Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks and has played a role in human history for roughly 8,000 years. Beer is the alcoholic beverage of choice in North America and many other parts around the world. It has shaped the culture of human civilization, social interaction and has had a significant contribution to our economy. In order to get a proper perspective on beer you have to look at three main periods; ancient history (the development period), modernization of beer and its effects, and what role beer plays today and where it is going. Archaeologists have uncovered ancient Babylonian beer recipes engrave on clay tablets as early as 3500 B.C. This early beer was very crude and many people today would probably not consider drinking it today as it had bread chunks and had the consistency similar to porridge. To drink this ancient beer people would consume it using straws to filter out sediment and large chunks. Once Beer started to become more popular and commercialized, the first set of laws regulating it were set in place by the Babylonians. Paragraph 108 in the â€Å"Code of Hammurabi† stated and if anyone were caught selling beer for cash instead of corn in order to cheat their customers, they would be drowned as a punishment. The law also put restrictions on ordinary women from drinking beer with the exception of priestesses who could consume it freely. These laws date back to 1754 BC and since this date, beer has been regulated by society. Beer, during the BabylonianShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Movie The Beer Wars Essay1654 Words   |  7 PagesTHE BEER WARS DOCUMENTARY On April 17th, 2009, the much-awaited documentary, Beer Wars Documentary, was shown in many cinemas across the United States. It’s a documentary that discusses the grassroots efforts of the craft beer industry having been filmed similar to a Michael Moore style documentary. It is a self-styled documentary by filmmaker Anat Baron portraying the beer industry in America from the vantage of small artisanal brewers and specialty beer producers. During the 30 days preceding theRead MoreThe Article, Timing And Type Of Alcohol Consumption And The Metabolic Syndrome By Bruna Angelo Vieira Essay894 Words   |  4 Pagesthroughout the world. This condition correlates with many lifestyle choices and factors. However, its relationship with alcohol intake was unclear, therefore the purpose of this research was to determine if there is a correlation between alcohol intake and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. The researchers investigated â€Å"interactions between the quantity of alco hol, the timing of its consumption with respect to meals, and the predominant beverage type in the association of alcohol consumption with the metabolicRead MoreDrugs And Alcohol / Tobacco1687 Words   |  7 PagesAnna Rios Health and Lifestyle Choices Health Research Paper April 24, 2015 Drugs and Alcohol/Tobacco: Beer Beer, a very well-known and consumed beverage, used to be very different from what it is today. Many drink it without knowing its intricate history, ingredients, benefits, disadvantages, and statistics. Throughout history, beer has traveled the world in distinct times and places. Its physical appearance has changed drastically as well as its name. The word â€Å"beer† initiated from the word, â€Å"bibere†Read MoreThe Imperial Beverage Company As My Company Of Choice1221 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction I chose Imperial Beverage Company as my company of choice. I have always been interested in the distribution of alcohol. Imperial was established in 1933, a family owned business out of Kalamazoo Michigan. Imperial supplies fine wines, craft beers, sodas and mixers to Michigan restaurants and retailers. I have always been curious how the distribution companies work. My mother owns a restaurant and we have had a long relationship with Imperial and other distribution companies. I wouldRead MoreLove Cork Screw Llc ( Lcs )1630 Words   |  7 PagesLove Cork Screw LLC (LCS) is a small, fairly new wine distilled beverages wholesaler based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The product line includes varieties that offer the sophisticated and novice wine enthusiasts a range of choices for any palate. Each sleek wine bottle is colorful, whimsical and fun. Additionally, LCS offers 2 types of Scented Candles, each with a unique name and the â€Å"Lampley† Cigar, a high end Dominican cigar that serves as the perfect complement to have a full â€Å"Love Cork Screw†Read MoreBud Light s Current Advertising Strategy1623 Words   |  7 PagesLight took over a small ski town in Colorado for a weekend, posting advertisements around the town and painting everything from light posts to pavement Bud Light’s signature light blue (Hughes). The weekend consisted of parties, concerts, and free beer for one thousand Bud Light fans. While sales data from the campaign has not yet been released, early feedback has been positive. Jeff Fromm of Forbes claims that â€Å"Bud Light knocked it out of the park when it came to engaging consumers with this campaignRead MoreAl Ahram Beverages1451 Words   |  6 PagesCase Analysis Al Ahram Beverages Company â€Å"2† By: Marmina Abdel-Malek 900 00 1809 Fall 09 â€Æ' I- Overview: ABC was a public company originally found in 1897, that has been nationalized in 1963, until it had been privatized in 1997 and acquired by the Luxor Investment group represented by Ahmed el Zayat as a CEO and board chairman. Luxor group is an American investment group focusing on investment more than the business itself. Zayat’s vision and objectives: Marinating local market dominance and transformingRead MoreThe Great Beer Abandonment : America s Young Drinkers777 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"The great beer abandonment: America’s young drinkers are drinking wine and hard alcohol instead†. In recent years, many young adults’ ages 18-29 years old are not drinking as much beer as the same age group twenty years ago. In 1992 over seventy percent of this age said that beer was their beverage of choice. That number has now drop to forty percent. The percentage of hard alcohol preference has risen from thirteen percent to thirty percent. While wine preference has also increased from fifteenRead MoreEssay about Alcoholism1398 Words   |  6 Pages The production of alcohol is the result of the fermentation of plant products such as fruit grains. Gin, Vodka, Whiskey, and other hard liquors, require a further process known as distillation. The active chemical ingredient in b eer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages is ethyl alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is a potentially addictive drug and a depressant of the central nervous system (Kestler 6). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Alcohol acts as a sedative and as an anesthetic, reducing nerve transmissionsRead MoreAl Ahram Beverages1457 Words   |  6 PagesCase Analysis Al Ahram Beverages Company â€Å"2† By: Marmina Abdel-Malek 900 00 1809 Fall 09 â€Æ' I- Overview: ABC was a public company originally found in 1897, that has been nationalized in 1963, until it had been privatized in 1997 and acquired by the Luxor Investment group represented by Ahmed el Zayat as a CEO and board chairman. Luxor group is an American investment group focusing on investment more than the business itself. Zayat’s vision and objectives: Marinating local market dominance

Essay on Healthy Fast Food in America - 1865 Words

A person is hungry, they need a quick fix, lo and behold they happen to see those bright golden arches not too far in the distance. The person stops, pulls up to the drive through, and the speaker box begins asking them for their order. It’s the sad truth about fast food. The market is chock-full with hungry consumers on extremely tight schedules with â€Å"instant gratification† mindsets. One variable, the fast food market never could have predicted was a â€Å"healthy American†. Everything is now sorted into increments of one hundred calories conveniently put into separate packages for the new health-conscious men and women of the twenty first century. In the beginning, fast food markets preyed on a booming new market hungry of hamburgers and†¦show more content†¦The hamburger is prominently displayed in the advertisement. The phrase â€Å"Try this for sighs† demonstrates how portion size did not matter to Americans. Consumers wanted the satisfaction of being â€Å"full† that came with a â€Å"sigh† after finishing a burger from McDonald’s. Consumers did not know how many calories were sufficient for the meal. â€Å"Calories† was a foreign word to most men and women. The advertisement is very tasteful and gives a positive image to the newborn fast food chain. As McDonald’s flourished and fast food became increasingly popular, the chain introduced the innovative new product that will forever hold a place in pop culture – the Big Mac. The arrival of the Big Mac marked the beginning of oversized portions in America. The burger was enormous- constituted of three buns, two meat patties, cheese, lettuce, tomato, â€Å"special sauce†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ McDonald’s was not kidding in their ad when it said â€Å"A Meal disguised as a sandwich†. The larger the burger was, the better. Somehow, Americans associated size with quality. This picture vividly shows just how monstrous the new burger was; the ad had been designed to make one salivate. The catch phrase present in the picture also depicts the growing trend amongst fast food suppliers – promptly supplying the costumer with food. Even if the product was unhealthy by nature, it still tasted awfully good. Hamburgers representedShow MoreRelatedObesity Fast Food Nation Essay661 Words   |  3 PagesFast Food Nation Obesity has grown into a rampant issue all over the United States, over the past few decades. Fast foods also have increased their outlets in the nation, in turn, depicting a success in the business venture. It is clear that fast foods have become quite cheap in comparison to healthy, homemade meals. Subsequently, people have turned to eat fast foods for economic reasons. Convenience is yet another reason behind people’s high indulgence in eating fast foods other than healthy,Read MoreAre We A Fast Food Nation?1332 Words   |  6 Pages2014 Are We a Fast Food Nation? Over the past few decades the way Americans eat breakfast, lunch, and diner have change. In the past we used to track our food that involved a lot of physical activity, but now Americans regular routine is to get in the car, drive to drive thru, receive food in a instance, and it has become a habit. Since the recession the fast food industry has recover and it’s doing better than ever. The burgers being the most popular fast food sold in America. America is also in theRead MoreFast Food By Eric Schlosser933 Words   |  4 PagesSpecter uses outside sources such as, Eric Schlosser who wrote Fast-food Nation in 2001. By including outside sources Specter is able to credit his information and make sure that he has accurate and compelling information. To provide even more accuracy, he even includes quotes from other authors such as this quote, â€Å"In 2012, companies produced enough regular soda to supply every single person in America, regardless of age, with nearly thirty gall ons,’’ from Marion Nestle who the recently publishedRead MoreEating Food Policy Regulations And Food Choices1256 Words   |  6 Pagesof causing food shortage for other human beings, destroying the natural environment, inhuman treatment of animals in pursuit of food options, exploitative labour practices, breaking the food policy regulations and most important eating unhealthy. Eating ethically refers to the consequences that arise from the food choices human beings make for themselves and the effects to the respective concerns. The American population is very large.an attempt to feed such a ;arge population is a food choice thatRead MoreObesity : Obesity And Obesity1472 Words   |  6 Pagescontinues to grow at an alarming rate. America is the richest country but has the largest population of obese people in the world. â€Å"Nearly 36.5% of American’s are obese (Adult Obesity Facts).† It is important to note that obesity is defined as having a Body M ass Index (BMI) of â€Å"30% or more† (The Socioeconomic Causes of Obesity). People become obese over times for many reasons like feeling there is less of a need to exercise and eat healthy. There are also more fast food selections, which lead to bad eatingRead MoreBad Food Tastes Good But Can Kill You Essay1614 Words   |  7 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bad Food Tastes Good But Can Kill You McDonald s, In-And-Out, and Carl’s Jr are all good places to go eat. Just thinking about these fast food joints makes your mouth water. Most Americans go to these fast food places every week. It is a weekly visit and addiction, although these foods taste good they are very bad for one s health. They can cause health problems and in severe cases death. There is advertisements and screenings about fast food or junk food everywhere now. A personRead MoreEssay about Dont Get Weighed Down by Fast Food809 Words   |  4 PagesDont Get Weighed Down by Fast Food Did you know that one Quarter Pounder from McDonalds has 430 calories, 21 grams of fat, and 70 mg. of cholesterol? Add cheese to that Quarter Pounder and you add 100 calories and nine grams of fat. McDonalds is not the only unhealthy restaurant. Pizza Hut, Burger King, and Wendys also contribute to Americans unhealthy eating habits. America needs to stop advertising such unhealthy eating. How often do you hear of a ninety-nine centRead MoreWeight On Obesity1551 Words   |  7 PagesAll the Weight on Our Shoulders America is in danger; this rising threat is obesity, which is growing as the leading cause of preventable deaths just behind tobacco. Throughout its history, America has seen many different conflicts and threats rise and fall and with each threat. Each generation has risen to the challenge time and time again. Now, it’s the new age generation’s turn to do the same. Obesity is a significant problem and it must be curbed or it will crush us under its weight. As the citizensRead MoreMan Vs. Food : Fast Food Can Contribute To Childhood Obesity1267 Words   |  6 Pages Man vs. Food: Fast Food Can Contribute to Childhood Obesity The United States of America has always been a safe and well-constructed country. Over the past years, it has tried to progress in numerous ways. However, America is suffering daily from obesity issues that can be prevented. America is becoming uncontrollable when it comes down to the consumption of too much fast food. When fast food was introduced to Americans, it had many advantages. These advantages have suddenly converted into disadvantagesRead MoreFast Food : The Calorie Crisis1400 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor Healy ENGL 123 30 March 2015 Fast Food – The Calorie Crisis Over the years, Americans have slowly become aware of the seemingly crippling effects of fast food on their health. Lack of exercise along with an unhealthy diet is one of the leading causes of obesity, and fast food is a major contributor to those unhealthy diet choices. Fast food contributes the most to the astonishing rise in rates of obesity over the past years. The nutritional content of fast food is excessively high in calories

The Nature of International Politics Free Essays

The Nature of International Politics The first principle that Thucydides addresses regarding the nature of international politics calls into question the conclusive goals that each individual entity in the world of international relations deems most important. Thucydides states that a country or state’s ultimate goal is to gain power and ruling over other nations. He illustrates this best in The Melian Dialogue through the actions of the war-loving Athenians. We will write a custom essay sample on The Nature of International Politics or any similar topic only for you Order Now In their effort to maintain their stance of power against their rival Spartans, they travel to the island of Melos with the goal of conquering the Melians; either through force or through the Melian surrender. The people of Melos wish to remain neutral friends of both Sparta and Athens, but the Athenians will not hear of it. In their eyes, staying on friendly terms with a neutral country would be construed as a sign of weakness and fear. The Melians refuse to surrender, resulting in the ultimate destruction of their society while the Athenians gain further rule and power for their empire. However, I believe that this principle need not to always hold true, especially in the terms of war through diplomatic countries such as the United States of America. The United States has always held its principles in the effort to spread democracy and morality in the international realm. In The Fog of War, John F. Kennedy disproves Thucydides first principle. In the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the last thing Kennedy and his Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, wanted to do was to attack Cuba or go to war with the Soviet Union to gain power or ruling in any sense. They wanted to deal with the frightening presence of the Soviet Union’s extensive nuclear warheads on Cuban soil in the most diplomatic way possible in order to avoid nuclear war. While this was best for the self-interest of the American people, it was also for the benefit for the citizens of Cuba and the USSR, as nuclear war destroys nations. Thankfully JFK had the help of a man named Tommy Thompson on his team who personally knew the Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. Thompson urged Kennedy to go forward with negotiations with Khrushchev in order to end the Cuban Missile Crisis peacefully. Luckily, it worked. Kennedy and Khrushchev reached an agreement that the Soviet Union would dismantle the weapons as long as the United States would not invade Cuba. Through the peaceful, yet stressful, negotiations, both JFK and Khrushchev went against the international principle that countries only aim to rule and conquer, and instead in the arms of a rational governing body most often the countries own self-interest for safety overrules the desire to prove their power over other countries. Thucydides’ second principle of international politics relates to the idea that between a world of expansive cultures and beliefs, there is no international moral code for war and relations between states. In the Melian Dialogue, Thucydides exemplifies this idea through the war practices that the Athenians practiced in regards to the Melian people. While some may argue that their initial attempt to discuss the impending attack while offering the option of surrender was â€Å"humane†, the brutal force they eventually brought upon the Island of Melos outweighed their weak attempts in the beginning. Once the Melian people surrendered, the Athenians put all men of military age to death and sold the women and children as slaves. The Athenians practiced the â€Å"might makes right† way of thinking about morality: that those who hold the most power also hold the ability to decide what actions are appropriate where they deem fit. In this case, they were the mighty ones. Their forceful actions toward the Melians were justifiable in their eyes, but across cultures such actions could easily be deemed excessive and radical. Therein lies Thucydides’ argument that there is no such moral code that every nation can be held accountable to. In The Fog of War, Robert McNamara is horrified with such a truth, and wonders aloud â€Å"What is morally appropriate in a wartime environment? † He illustrates his question by describing â€Å"Agent Orange†, a chemical that was approved for usage during the Vietnam War while he was acting Secretary of Defense. â€Å"Agent Orange† is a chemical that was often used to take the leaves off of trees, and after the war was discovered to be highly toxic and lethal. The usage of â€Å"Agent Orange† killed numerous citizens and soldiers who were exposed. He continues to ask whether those who issued the approval of â€Å"Agent Orange† criminals? Within the definition of the word ‘criminal’ is the assumption that there is a crime being broken that is made illegal by a system of written laws. But McNamara points out that there are no such kinds of laws in war to determine what is acceptable and what is not and ultimately there is no such thing as an international moral code that can be upheld, especially in the times of war. While there exists no international moral standard, does that mean that no state can be trusted? Thucydides’ third principle of international politics would answer â€Å"yes†. He believes that in the sense of self-interest, one state cannot rely upon alliances and only those alliances that are in line with national honor should be upheld. This principle is evident in the Melian Dialogue when the Melian people state their hope and belief in the Spartan people coming to their aid in the prospect of attack from the Athenians. They believe that if not solely for the Spartan’s will to preserve their neighboring allies (that will surely take note if they don’t come to aid Melos), then for the kinship of the Melian and Spartan race. Ultimately, the people of Melos are proven to have had too much hope in the Spartans, as no one comes to their aid. However, much like in the throes of friendship where not all can be trusted, surely some friends and allies can. The Fog of War displays a twisted sense of camaraderie between the USSR and Cuba, a bond that was forged in the joint disparage toward the United States. Their alliance built and housed nuclear weapons on Cuban soil, weapons that had the ability to destroy most of the continental United States. Once the American Government took hold of the dangerous situation and offered negotiations to the USSR in the hopes of avoiding destructive warfare, Nikita Khrushchev had a decision to make†¦and he had two major options. He could ignore the offer of diplomatic problem solving and strike the United States with the nuclear weapons or he could agree to the negotiations JFK brought to the table. On the one hand, attacking the United States guaranteed a responsive strike from the US that would undoubtedly destroy Cuba and kill thousands (not to mention create real problems between the USSR and the US). And on the other, he could agree to take out the weapons in return for the promise that the US would not attack Cuba. He could be known as the man who saved Cuba from an attack by the United States and could gain national respect for upholding USSR honor and morality. Despite the disturbing urgings from war-mongering Fidel Castro, Khrushchev decided to agree to negotiations. While his actions may have been solely done for self-interest and preservation of the USSR’s teetering relationship with the US, he ultimately had the interest of the people of Cuba in mind even when their own President did not. This act by Khrushchev, despite the reasons behind it, upheld the ideals of alliances: that one nation must be reliable and ready in the ability to protect the people and rights of the ally nation. How to cite The Nature of International Politics, Papers

Moon Landing Exploratory Essay free essay sample

The space race, during the Cold War, all started with the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. Although this shiny piece of metal ball sent meaningless â€Å"beep-beep† signals back to earth, it had a profound effect on the thinking of citizens and government around the globe, especially on the United States. As tensions and pressures were building, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created in 1958, to bring competing military space programs into one effort. Soon, they developed the rockets, built the space capsules and satellites, and hired astronauts to become space men. In addition, the United States government realized there was a new frontier to be explored: the moon. As a result, putting a man on the moon became an official governmental priority and the Apollo moon-landing program was established. In 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first humans to walk on the moon. Controversies about the moon landing began shortly after when Bill Kaysing, a moon hoax investigator, published We never went to the Moon: America’s Thirty Billion Swindle in 1974. We will write a custom essay sample on Moon Landing Exploratory Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In addition, an organization called the Flat Earth Society, was the first to accuse NASA of faking the moon landing. Soon after, more and more people, like scientists, professors or amateurs became concerned and wanted the find out the answer: if the moon landing of 1969 was a hoax or a real event. There are five general claims regarding the falsity of the lunar success, each having their own significant proponents and evidences. However, the source of all conspiracies derives from Bill Kaysing. In John Moffet’s FOX documentary: Conspiracy Theory: Did we Land on the Moon? , Bill Kaysing shows strong beliefs that the moon landing was not real due to the following reasons: â€Å"despite the clarity of deep space, the starts were missing from dark lunar skies,† â€Å"the American flag was waving even though there was no ir on the moon,† and â€Å"there was no blast crater beneath the lunar lander† (Moffet). In addition, in Phillip C. Plait’s book, Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing â€Å"Hoax,† many other conspiracy theorists argue that the incredibly high temperature of the Moon should have killed the astronauts and the play of light and shadows in the surface indicates that the photos a re faked (Plait 157). These theories all state that the entire world was deceived by the NASA administration and probable the United States government for them to gain the pride and prestige between the lunar landing events. Regardless of the conspiracy theories and the evidences, 94% of the United States population believes the moon landing was a real event, according to Frank Newport’s article, â€Å"Landing a Man on the Moon: The Public’s View. † In Tony Phillip’s article, â€Å"The Great Moon Hoax,† theories are debunked with explanations. He first explains why the pictures taken from the moon did not have stars. He states: â€Å"its difficult to capture something very bright and something else very dim on the same piece of film-typical emulsions† as they â€Å"don’t have enough ‘dynamic setting’† (Phillips). Then he explains why the flags waved despite vacuumed area: â€Å"Not every waving flag needs a breeze-at least not in space. When astronauts were planting the flagpole they rotated it back and forth to better penetrate the lunar soil† (Philips). The article also provides new evidence against the conspiracy theory: the moon rock, Big Muley. In moon rocks, there are isotopes that cannot be found on Earth. â€Å"Even if scientists wanted to make something like a Moon rock by, say, bombarding an Earth rock with high energy atomic nuclei, they couldnt† (Phillips). In addition, Phillip C. Plait agrees with Tony Phillips and comes to the same conclusions. For example he states there are no stars in the picture because, â€Å"The stars are too faint to be seen in the images† (Plait 159). However, unlike Tony Phillips, Plait explains the scientific reasons in depth. He claims astronauts have survived the incredibly high temperature of the Moon due to simple date counting. He explains, â€Å"Moon spins on its axis once every 27 days †¦ [which] means †¦ two weeks of sunlight and two weeks of darkness†¦ the surface doesn’t heat up the instant the sunlight touches it†¦It takes days for the lunar surface to get to its high temperature†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Plait 166). The author of the paper believes the moon landing of 1969 really happened. The main reasons coming to this conclusion s that the lies could not be told by such huge amount of people and the theories can be all explained and understood with a little studying on physics and astronomy. If this were a hoax, more than a handful of people would have spoken up the secret. The author of this paper also believes that the photos and the films from NASA are real evidences, but have been misinterpret ed due to the lack of knowledge on astronomy and physics. This topic still remains to be debated over because the moon landing was one of the magnificent scientific developments in world history.

Comma After i.e. and e.g.

Comma After i.e. and e.g. Comma After i.e. and e.g. Comma After i.e. and e.g. By Maeve Maddox A reader wants to know if the abbreviations i.e. and e.g. should be followed by a comma. i.e.: from the Latin phrase id est, â€Å"that is.† Used in English to restate a previous word or expression: â€Å"He really enjoys a good bildungsroman, i.e., coming-of-age novel.† e.g.: from the Latin phrase exempli gratia, â€Å"for the sake of the example.† In English, it means â€Å"for example† and is used to introduce one or more examples: â€Å"I like animals, e.g. dogs, cats, and horses.† The two terms are frequently mixed up. If you have trouble remembering which means â€Å"in other words† and which means â€Å"for example,† you can use a mnemonic to keep them apart, or you can avoid using them altogether. A simple mnemonic that helps many writers is the fact that the word example begins with the letter e. E.g., therefore, is the one that means â€Å"for example.† On the other hand, instead of e.g., you can write â€Å"for example,† and for i.e., you can write â€Å"namely† or â€Å"in other words.† Style guides do not agree on whether or not a comma should follow both these abbreviations. They do all agree that a comma precedes i.e. when the i.e. phrase occurs in a running text (i.e., not enclosed in parenthesis). The consensus seems to be in favor of the comma in American usage; against it in British usage. The Penguin Writer’s Manual (British) shows both i.e. and e.g. without a following comma. Fowler, in his venerable Modern English Usage, opines that â€Å"whether a comma follows [e.g.] or not is indifferent, or rather is decided by the punctuation-pitch of the writer of the passage. He says nothing of i.e. The Chicago Manual of Style states that i.e. and e.g. should be â€Å"confined to parentheses and notes and followed by a comma.† The AP Stylebook, whose â€Å"punctuation-pitch† leans generally to the side of â€Å"the fewer commas the better,† is pro-comma when it comes to i.e. and e.g. According to AP, both abbreviations are â€Å"always followed by a comma.† As with so many matters of punctuation, the writer’s best practice is to choose a style reference and follow its recommendations. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†The Difference Between "will" and "shall"Apostrophe with Plural Possessive Nouns

Profile of Manson Follower Leslie Van Houten

Profile of Manson Follower Leslie Van Houten At age 19, self-proclaimed Manson family member, Leslie Van Houten, took part in the 1969 brutal murders of Leon and Rosemary LaBianca. She was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to death. Because of an error in her first trial she was granted a second which deadlocked. After spending six months free on bond, she returned to the courtroom a third time and was convicted and sentenced to life. Leslie Van Houten - Before Manson Leslie was an attractive, popular teenager and sexually active by the age of 14. By age 15 she was pregnant and had an abortion, however, even with her sketchy behavior she was popular among her peers and was twice voted as homecoming queen at her high school. This acceptance did not seem to sway her bad choices. By the time she left high school she was involved in hallucinogenic drugs and was drifting toward a hippy type lifestyle. A Self-Proclaimed Nun After graduating from high school, Leslie moved in with her father and attended a business college. When she was not busy studying to become a legal secretary, she was busy being a nun in a yogic spiritual sect, The Self-Realization Fellowship. The community failed to keep her focus for long and at the age of 18 she decided to visit a friend living in San Francisco. Joining the Manson Family Van Houten liked the San Francisco streets where drugs flowed as free as the music and a free-love attitude was a popular life style. She met Bobby Beausoleil, his wife Gail and Catherine Share, and began traveling around California with them. In September 1968, they took her to meet Charlie Manson and the family at Spahns Movie Ranch, a 500-acre ranch, located in the Santa Susana Mountains. Three weeks later she moved to the ranch and became one of Mansons devout followers. Manson Gives Van Houten to Tex Watson: Later described by a psychiatrist as a spoiled little princess, Van Houten was accepted by the family members, but Manson seemed disinterested in her and her pretty face. He never gave her a special family name and immediately after her arrival he assigned her to be Tex Watsons girl. The lack of attention from Manson made Leslie try harder to get into his good graces. When the opportunity to prove her commitment to Manson arrived on August 10, 1969, she accepted. With her family idol, Patricia Krenwinkel, and boyfriend, Tex Watson, by her side, Van Houten entered the home of Leno and Rosemary LaBianco. She was aware that on the previous night family members had butchered Sharon Tate and four others. She listened the night before to the stories Krenwinkel told about the thrill she received as she stabbed the bound, pregnant Sharon Tate. Now it was Van Houtens chance to make Manson see her true commitment to him by performing equally horrific acts. The LaBianca Murders Inside the LaBianca home, Van Houten and Krenwinkel tied an electrical cord around the neck of 38-year-old Rosemary LaBianca. Rosemary, laying in the bedroom, could hear her husband, Leon, being murdered in the other room. When she began to panic, the two women put a pillow case over her head and Van Houten held her down as Tex and Krenwinkel took turns stabbing her. After the murder, Van Houten cleaned up traces of fingerprints, ate, changed clothes and hitched hiked to Spahns Ranch. Van Houten Implicates Charlie and the Family in Murder: The police raided Spahns Ranch on August 16, 1969, and Barker Ranch on October, 10 and Van Houten and many of the Manson family members were arrested. During interrogation, Van Houten told police about Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkles involvement in the Tate murder. She also told authorities of Atkins involvement in the murder of music teacher, Gary Hinman, after a botched drug deal. Giggles and Chants Van Houten was eventually tried for her involvement in the murder of Rosemary LaBianco. She, Krenwinkel and Atkins made several attempts to disrupt court proceedings by chanting, yelling at the prosecutors and giggling during descriptive testimony about the Tate and LaBianco murders. Under Charlie Mansons directions, Van Houten repeatedly fired the public defenders who tried to separate her trial from those being tried for the Tate murders since she had not participated in the crimes. The Murder of Ronald Hughes: Toward the end of the trial, Van Houtens hippie lawyer Ronald Hughes, refused to allow Manson to manipulate his client by allowing her to implicate herself further in the murders to protect Manson. Soon after he made his objections known to the court, he vanished. Months later his body was found wedged between rocks in Ventura County. Later, some of the Manson Family admitted that family members were responsible for his murder, although no one has ever been arrested. Sentenced to Die The jury found Leslie Van Houten guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder and she was sentenced to death. California outlawed the death penalty in 1972 and her sentence was commuted a life imprisonment. Van Houten was granted a second trial after it was determined that the judge in her previous case failed to call a mistrial after Hughes disappearance. The second trial began in January 1977 and ended in a deadlock nine months later and for six months Van Houten was out on bail. The Van Houten who appeared in the original murder trial and the one who appeared in the retrial was a different person. She had cut off all ties to Manson and publicly denounced him and his beliefs and accepted the reality of her crimes. Back to Jail for Good In March 1978 she returned to the courtroom for her third trial and this time she was found guilty and sentenced again to life imprisonment. Leslie Van Houtens Prison Days While in prison, Van Houten has been married and divorced, received a B.A. in English Literature, and is active in recovery groups in which she shared her experience, strength, and hope. She has been denied parole 14 times, but has said she will keep trying. As to her involvement in the horrific acts committed on that August evening in 1969 she chalks it up to LSD, mind control methods used by Charles Manson, and brain washing. Currently, she is at the California Institute for Women in Frontera, California. Source:Desert Shadows by Bob MurphyHelter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt GentryThe Trial of Charles Manson by Bradley Steffens

Cb2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cb2 - Assignment Example This, therefore, means that the social class can be based the objective of classification, how people think of others and the reputation that an individual claims or deserves. This is different from income in that a person may have high-income levels and yet his or her reputation is low within the society. Therefore, a person’s income is just one of the factors that can determine the social class but it is not the social class itself. An achieved status refers to the status that is acquired through struggle and merit. This could be the status related to educational status or research achievements. It is therefore related to skills, abilities and efforts. On the other hand, an ascribed status is considered to be beyond the person’s control. This is based, therefore on attributes of a person that are fixed and natural. The classes related to sex, race and deformity are ascribed rather than acquired. Income is just one of the factors likely to be considered in describing the social class. However earning more money does not always lead to a change in social class (Wood, 2012). This is because influence, success and the impact that a person has in the society are always stronger indicators of social class than income. Therefore, a person may be earning a lot of money but his or her reputation and influence remain the same. Rich consumers can be grouped as old money or nouveau depending on how they display their wealth. For old money rich consumers, their wealth remains unseen. They are rich but do not care to display conspicuous consumption in any way. The Nouveau, on the other hand, are those rich consumers who display their spending and consumption with the motive of getting a reputation and a social class upgrade (Wood, 2012). They have symbolic self-completion such as flashy cars to display their wealth. In most contexts, the term social class is controversial. This means that different

Ergomatics Ltd- Product Launch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ergomatics Ltd- Product Launch - Essay Example Background Information of Ergonomics Ltd Ergonomics Ltd is a leading manufacturer of variable height furniture for the educational market. The company has strengths in the design, supply and installation of furniture for education institutions that adheres to strict government guidelines. The company has expertise in the quality and design product to meet specific need of its consumers. It supplies furniture to most of the good schools and educational institutes. The product it supplies is customized according to space need and design needs of consumers. It has been able to provide good quality products at reasonable cost. The deliveries of products are always on time. The customer focused approach; good product and service have created a brand name for Ergonomics Ltd in the market. It supplies the products directly or through the distribution network it has established in last 30 years. Its strong distribution network, good credit policies and distribution channel management have created a strong distribution network. It h as strong manufacturing base and supplier’s network that can provide them raw materials at the best prices. Being one of the leaders in the market the company has reached at the stage where it can get best prices of raw materials. It has employee focused approach. It provides best compensation, wages and working conditions to its employees. It is regarded as one of the best employers in the market. Ergonomics Ltd has a turnover of  £110,000,000 with operating profits of  £7,000,000. Company is planning to diversify in new business.

The Guardian Ad Litem Program :: essays research papers

The Guardian Ad Litem Program represents children who appear in the state courts. These children have not committed any crime but are victims of abuse, neglect or abandonment. The program is comprised of volunteers who represent children in the courts, making sure they do not become victims of "the system". Each volunteer works with one or more children involved in the judicial system and social services agencies, becoming familiar with there lives, while representing the interest of each child before the court or social services agencies involved. Specifically, a volunteer acts in the interest of each child in five different capacities. First, as an investigator, a guardian learns as much as possible about the child' background (i.e. school, church, friends, and any otherpeople/organizations that affect the child). As a monitor, a guardian makes sure social services agencies, and any other organizations involved with the child are meeting their responsibilities to the chi ld. As a protector, a guardian prevents insensitive questioning in the courts that is very often commonplace. As a reporter, a guardian is a liaison between the child and the courts, presentingwritten reports and recommendations to help act in the child's best interests. Finally, as a spokesperson, a guardian makes sure the child's wishes are heard and their best interests are presented to the courts and social services agencies involved with the child. Qualifications to be a Guardian Ad Litem are: at least 19 years old; pass screenings with law enforcement agencies, the Abuse Registry, and Guardian Ad Litem staff; and have a genuine concern for a child's welfare. No prior experience is necessary as each volunteer goes through 48 hours of training, ranging from juvenile justice, child development, and child abuse and neglect.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 20

I didn't expect to hear from Dante so quickly. Based on what he'd said about the difficulty of the Nyx-charm, I'd figured it would be a while – if at all. Hugh's observations on the matter had only reinforced my growing skepticism about Dante's abilities. â€Å"I've got your protection,† Dante told me on the phone. â€Å"Or at least as close as I can get. You want it, come pick it up.† He disconnected. I drove to Rainier Valley, finding Dante's shop empty as usual. â€Å"Guess you don't see a lot of business so close to Christmas, huh?† â€Å"Actually,† he told me, emerging from the back room, â€Å"you'd be surprised at the kind of desperation the holidays can bring out in people. Here, catch.† He tossed me something baseball-sized. I caught it, feeling a little disappointed when I studied it closer. It looked like a wicker ball, made of very thin, dark branches. Through the gaps, I could make out a few things inside. One looked like a rock. Another looked like a feather. The whole thing rattled when I shook it. â€Å"This is it?† I asked. â€Å"This is going to keep away an uber-powerful dream entity? It looks like a prop from The Blair Witch Project.† â€Å"It can't force her away,† he said. â€Å"Nothing can. But it might make her think twice. It's more of†¦a repellent.† â€Å"Like citronella?† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Yes, like citronella. Depending on her energy charge, she might blow past it. If she's weak enough†¦well, it might hold her back.† I examined the ball again. It still didn't look like much to me. I sensed no power or magic off of it, but not all objects had an aura I could sense. For reading inanimate items, a psychic mortal tended to be more adept than a lesser immortal. My silence appeared to further annoy Dante. â€Å"Look,† he snapped. â€Å"You don't have to use it, but it took a fuckload of power for me to craft it, okay? It'd be nice if you could maybe withhold your customary sarcasm for a whole five minutes to thank me.† â€Å"My customary sarc – â€Å" I stopped the burst of temper starting to flare in me. Dante ranked near the top of my list of cynical acquaintances, but I wasn't exactly Pollyanna myself. I'd given him nothing but a hard time since I first came to him for help. And now, studying him, I noticed he was pale and tired-looking. His eyes were bloodshot. The ball might be worthless, but he'd clearly exerted some sort of effort in making it. â€Å"You're right,† I said. â€Å"I'm sorry. Thank you. Thank you for this.† His eyebrows rose, and I could actually see the self-control it took for him not to mock my sincerity. He nodded. â€Å"You're welcome.† We each waited for the other to speak. I don't think we knew what to do without the sarcasm. â€Å"So†¦did you find your angel friends?† â€Å"No. I apparently need a fucking Bat Signal or something. Jerome's gone too. Hugh – this imp friend of mine – could get a hold of him, but it'd probably piss Jerome off if we were wrong about all this.† I scowled, recalling the conversation in the deli. â€Å"Anyway, Hugh's pissing me off right now, so I don't even know if I want his help.† Dante smiled. â€Å"I thought succubi were supposed to make friends everywhere they went. Or is that a myth like the bat wings and flame eyes?† â€Å"He's just being an asshole about Seth.† Dante looked at me expectantly. I sighed. â€Å"He thinks us dating is a waste of time. And not because of the sex thing. He thinks I'm going to get hurt.† â€Å"Terribly altruistic of an imp. But then, considering your quasi-morals, I'm starting to think it's a bad idea to assume anything about you guys.† He took a few steps toward me and playfully tapped my nose. â€Å"And what about you? Do you think you're going to get hurt?† â€Å"No. And if I do, that's for me to deal with. Hugh shouldn't be worrying about it. And he shouldn't make Seth worry about it either!† â€Å"Don't get so upset about people worrying about you. It means they care. If enough of us were like that, there'd be a lot less pain in the world.† That was an unexpected observation from Dante. â€Å"Maybe. But there'd also be a lot less unnecessary stress.† He chuckled and caught hold of my hand. Flipping it over, he looked at the palm. â€Å"A random assortment of lines for this body?† he asked. I nodded. â€Å"Can you change it to your original?† â€Å"What, so you can read it? I thought this was a bunch of bullshit.† â€Å"Sometimes.† I waited for more, but it didn't come. His gray eyes were serious and thoughtful as they met mine. Something in them compelled me, and with great reluctance, I shape-shifted my hands back to the ones I'd been born with. I hadn't worn my original body since the day I'd become a succubus, and this small change felt unnatural. I hated this form. While my original hands weren't gargantuan, they were larger than was proportional to this petite frame I carried and appeared weird and mismatched. Dante held my hands in his and glanced back and forth between the palms. After just a few seconds, he snorted and dropped them both. â€Å"Surprise, surprise.† I shape-shifted them back to the way they had been. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"Right-handed?† â€Å"Yeah.† He pointed to the left hand. â€Å"Those lines represent what you're born with – your inherent traits. The right hand is the hand that shows how you grow and change and adapt to what you're born with. Nature and nurture.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"Yours are identical on both hands. Your heart line is high on the palm – which means you have an intense, passionate nature. No surprise there. But it's broken into a million pieces. Sliced and diced.† He tapped my left hand. â€Å"You were destined for heartache.† He tapped my right hand. â€Å"And you are going to repeat that pattern forever. You aren't learning. You aren't changing.† â€Å"If I'm destined for it, then what does learning or changing have to do with anything? Isn't it a done deal?† I didn't like the censuring tone in his voice, like I'd done something wrong by having these palms. â€Å"Don't start,† he said. â€Å"I'm not a philosopher and don't want to get into any pre-destination or free-will debates. Besides, palm reading is a bunch of bullshit.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said dryly. â€Å"So I hear.† To my surprise, Dante put his arm around me and drew me close in a sort of half-hug. â€Å"Be careful, succubus. You've got a mess o' dangerous things in your life right now. On all fronts. I don't want to see you get hurt either.† I stayed in the embrace and rested my head on his chest. â€Å"When did you get so nice? Are you still trying to get me into bed?† â€Å"I'm always trying to get you into bed.† He pressed a kiss to my forehead, to my nose, and then to my lips. â€Å"But I kind of like you too. Just watch out.† I drove home after that, a bit confused over Dante's surprising behavior. Thinking about him, I soon arrived in Queen Anne before I knew it. I found neither Vincent nor the angels in my apartment and decided to go to the bookstore. I had today off too, but I knew they were busy and could use the extra help. I needed the distraction. Just before closing, Seth called my cell and asked if I could pick him up at his brother's. He and Terry had indeed gone to see the movie, but Seth's car was actually here in Queen Anne and he needed a ride now since Terry had originally picked him up. I finished what I was working on in my office and headed out. Terry and Andrea greeted me warmly when I showed up, reminding me to come to Christmas dinner – even though I'd long since told them I'd be there. They always regarded my relationship with Seth as a tenuous, fragile thing (which it was) and felt compelled to do all they could to protect it. The girls were as thrilled as always to see me, and they assaulted me with questions and chatter. All except Kayla. She'd apparently gotten to stay up late tonight. In some ways, her silence wasn't surprising. Aside from the startling conversation the other night, she almost never spoke anyway. But usually, she'd come forward with the other girls to see me. Tonight, she simply stayed on the couch, watching me solemnly. When Seth made motions to leave, I broke from the girls and went over to Kayla. â€Å"Hey, you,† I said, sitting down beside her. â€Å"How's it – â€Å" I hadn't touched her, but Kayla suddenly jerked away from me as though she'd been burned. Backing up, she scrambled off the couch and tore out of the room. We heard her small footsteps on the stairs as she ran to her room. Startled, I looked at the others. â€Å"What did I do?† â€Å"No idea,† said Andrea, puzzled. â€Å"She's been fine all night.† â€Å"Something must have gotten into her,† said Terry. â€Å"No telling with kids. Especially with girls.† He mussed Kendall's hair, and she yelped. Everyone promptly forgot about Kayla and continued to make farewells to Seth and me. I spoke to them half-heartedly, though. Kayla was always happy to see me, and last time, she'd demonstrated a special trust and belief in me. Tonight, she had looked at me with abject terror. Why? Was it a little girl mood? Or was there something hanging on me from another plane that I couldn't see? Just before we left, I asked if I could go say good-bye to Kayla and give talking to her another shot. Upstairs, I found her curled into a corner of her bed, clutching the unicorn. Her eyes widened in terror when she saw me, and I stopped in the bedroom door. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"You okay?† No answer, just wider eyes. â€Å"I won't come any closer,† I said. â€Å"Promise. But, please†¦just tell me. What do you see? Why are you afraid of me?† For a moment, I didn't think she'd answer. Then, finally, she spoke in a voice I could barely hear. â€Å"You're bad,† she whispered. â€Å"Why are you so bad?† That wasn't what I'd been expecting. I'd thought maybe she'd tell me there was a ghostly hag hovering above my head. Something in Kayla's words made my stomach sink. I knew I was evil – it was kind of the definition of a Hellish servant. I lived day to day with my eternal task, seducing and corrupting men. But somehow, a little girl telling me I was â€Å"bad† hit me harder than the cruelest, most profane accusation could. Without another word to her, I headed back downstairs. As I drove Seth back to my place, I gave him the scoop on the angels and my subsequent lack of progress. â€Å"You've got some creature stalking you, and you decided to go into work?† He sounded both amused and exasperated. â€Å"You might as well have gone to the movie with me.† â€Å"Oh.† I felt kind of stupid. â€Å"I didn't want to interrupt any brotherly bonding.† â€Å"And,† he added, â€Å"you forgot.† â€Å"I never forget about you,† I said stoutly. â€Å"But I was kind of distracted.† â€Å"Funny how that's never a good excuse when the roles are reversed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My apartment was still empty when we got there. I left my coat and Dante's charm in my bedroom and then went to sit on the couch with Seth. â€Å"I hate waiting,† I told him. â€Å"Why does this always happen? Some big, supernatural crisis pops up in my life, and I always end up sitting around and feeling useless. I'm always dependent on others.† â€Å"No, you aren't,† he said, lacing his fingers through mine. â€Å"You're wonderful and capable. But you can't do everything.† â€Å"I just wish I could do something else besides shape-shift and look good. I wish I could, I don't know, shoot laser beams out of my fingers or something.† â€Å"You think that'd stop Nyx?† â€Å"No. But it'd be cool.† â€Å"Me, I always wanted frost power.† â€Å"Frost power?† â€Å"Yeah.† Seth gestured dramatically toward my coffee table. â€Å"If we're talking superhero abilities. If I had frost power, I could wave my hand, and suddenly that whole thing would be covered in ice.† â€Å"Not frost?† â€Å"Same difference.† â€Å"How would frost and/or ice power help you fight crime?† â€Å"Well, I don't know that it would. But it'd be cool.† I laughed and snuggled into Seth, feeling better. I could wait this out. â€Å"Are you hungry?† I asked him. â€Å"Yasmine and Vincent have been waging their own version of Top Chef around here.† We went to the kitchen and found it stocked with more food than it had ever had since I moved in. I unwrapped a plate of what appeared to be slices of freshly baked shortcake. Seth pointed to the refrigerator. â€Å"If there are strawberries in there, it's proof of God's existence.† I opened the door and peered around. â€Å"Get ready for a religious experience,† I told him, pulling out a bowl of chopped-and-sugared strawberries. With the other hand, I pulled out a larger bowl covered in plastic wrap. â€Å"And homemade whipped cream.† â€Å"Hallelujah,† he said. We piled plates high with shortcake and strawberries, and suddenly, dream entities seemed downright comical. I unwrapped the whipped cream, and Seth promptly dabbed a finger in it. â€Å"Savage,† I scolded. â€Å"Heavenly,† he countered, licking off the cream. He stuck another finger into the bowl and held it out to me. I leaned forward and ran my tongue over the tip. Rich sweetness flooded my mouth. â€Å"Mmm,† I said, closing my eyes. â€Å"Mmm,† said Seth. I opened my eyes. â€Å"Are you talking about the whipped cream?† â€Å"Not exactly.† â€Å"You talking about this?† There was still whipped cream on his finger. I took it into my mouth and sucked gently on it, cleaning up the last of the cream and stroking Seth's skin with my tongue. When I finished, he exhaled a held breath. â€Å"Thanks for the cleanup.† â€Å"Cleanliness is next to godliness, I hear.† â€Å"I think I have more on me, though,† he said. â€Å"Really?† I asked. â€Å"Where?† He swiped his finger through more whipped cream. â€Å"Right here.† I licked that off too, sucking and kissing all of the fingers on his hand – not just the guilty one. Finished, I flipped the hand over and kissed the top of it. â€Å"There. Sparkling clean.† Seth shook his head. â€Å"Oh no.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"You've got some on you too.† â€Å"Do I? Where?† He dipped into more whipped cream and dabbed it on my lips, my chin, and the side of my throat. â€Å"Everywhere,† he said. Before I could formulate a response, his mouth was on my neck, licking and kissing with as much sensuality as I had just used on his fingers. The eroticism of it astounded me – and I was hardly one to be caught by surprise with such things. I instinctually moved my body toward his, arching my neck back as his lips continued moving up. I felt his tongue, warm and amazingly skilled, clean up every drop of the whipped cream on my throat before sliding to my chin and finally to my mouth. We kissed harder, dessert (of the food nature) now forgotten. I felt his lips fit perfectly with my own. My back was against the counter, and Seth pressed his body against mine, trapping me. When I finally pulled back from the kiss, I could scarcely breathe. â€Å"Wow,† I said, eyes wide. â€Å"This is why I don't cook. It only leads to trouble.† Seth, still right against me, glanced left and then right. There was a heated, feral look in his eyes that made me shiver. â€Å"I don't see anything too bad happening.† â€Å"Not yet,† I admitted. â€Å"But you know the drill.† He shrugged. â€Å"Yeah. But nothing bad is happening now.† â€Å"It will if we – mmphf!† Seth was kissing me again, and this time his arms went around my waist, pulling us closer still. I wrapped my own arms around his neck, tilting my face upward to get more of the kiss. It was hot and dangerous and amazing, and I couldn't get enough. I knew, though, that I'd have to get enough of it pretty quickly here and was contemplating how to stop it when Seth broke away first. â€Å"Ah,† I teased. â€Å"You've come to your senses.† Seth smiled at me, and my heart raced at the juxtaposition of the animal desire and trademark laidback look on his face. â€Å"Nope,† he said. â€Å"Let's see how far we can go.† â€Å"You already know,† I said. â€Å"We've timed this before.† That was a bit of an exaggeration. We'd never had a stopwatch or anything, but we'd gained a good sense of how long and how deep a kiss could go before it was time to part. He shook his head. â€Å"Not kissing. This.† I wore a black tank top with a red cardigan over it. Seth reached out and unfastened the sweater's three large buttons and pulled it off of me. Letting it drop to the floor, he then rested his hands on my arms, fingers warm against my bare skin. He looked at me expectantly. â€Å"We're timing how quickly you can take off my sweater?† I asked. â€Å"Wrong answer. It's not always about you.† Removing his hands, he caught the bottom edge of his Cap'n Crunch T-shirt and pulled it over his head. He'd pulled me to his chest before it even hit the floor, and suddenly, I was face to face with golden, delicious-smelling Seth skin. Lots of it. Resisting the urge to start kissing his chest then and there, I looked up into his face and attempted levity. â€Å"Is this like strip poker? Except†¦without the poker part?† â€Å"This, Thetis,† he said, grabbing the edge of my tank top, â€Å"is a test. A test to see how far we can go on all dimensions. Not just kissing.† I should have stopped him, but the feel of his hands sliding up my torso was too intoxicating. The tank top went over my head and joined the other clothing on my kitchen floor. I laughed. â€Å"So†¦we know how much kissing we can do. Now you're trying to see how much naked we can do?† â€Å"Yes,† he said. He was attempting a dignified air. â€Å"It's a scientific experiment.† â€Å"Mostly it seems like you pulling off my clothes.† â€Å"That's part of it. We know how much we can kiss. But can we kiss naked? How long can we kiss naked? Is it the same?† â€Å"I don – â€Å" Again, he cut me off with a kiss, and my whole body tingled as my breasts pressed up against his chest. There was nothing between us, just skin on skin, and it was incredible. Between that and the kiss, I felt dizzy. And so, Seth's experiment progressed. He removed articles of our clothing one at a time, then would kiss me, pause, and examine the results. When we were both completely naked, he stepped back and admired my body, his face gleeful and smug. â€Å"I don't think the succubus thing is working,† he said. â€Å"Oh, it works, believe me,† I said, suddenly nervous. Every inch of me wanted to be touched and caressed and ravaged. My skin burned. And the hunger within me – the instinct that urged me to feed off human energy – was raging, realizing just how close it was to dinnertime. This had started out as an amusing game, but it now occurred to me how dangerous this had become. â€Å"It's less about naked and more about us not kissing so much. Remember that time we started making out in bed? I got some of your energy then, and we were dressed. Push this enough – or start doing things with other parts of our bodies – and it'll be game over.† I stepped back and reached for my shirt. â€Å"But you made good scientific progress tonight, I'll give you that.† Seth caught my wrist before I could get the shirt. He pulled me back to him. â€Å"Just a little bit more. Just to see.† He still had the same intensity and arousal all over him. I'd seen it in him before but never like this. â€Å"What more is there?† I asked. â€Å"Just one more kiss,† he said, feigning innocence. â€Å"A†¦parting kiss.† â€Å"Oh good grief.† â€Å"One kiss, Thetis. That's it.† I hesitated, then nodded. â€Å"Okay. Fine. But I'm onto you, so don't think you can get away with anything here.† â€Å"Noted.† At least that's what I think he said because it came out kind of muffled with his mouth crushing mine. I was pressed back against the counter again, and his hand was moving down my ass, down the back of my thigh. We were so close. So, so close. We'd never been this close, this naked, before. We'd certainly never been this naked and kissing before. I felt alive and on fire, craving him both as a succubus and a woman in love. The floodgates burst, and all the passion we kept restrained flowed forth. I could feel him, how hard he was and how much he wanted me. My own body responded in kind, pushing closer and grinding against him. His hand on the back of my thigh tensed and then pulled my leg up. It was barely around his hip when I felt†¦it. It. Seth's life. Sweeter than kissing, sweeter than whipped cream. It came into me pure and bright, unlike anything else I'd ever tasted – well, other than the last time I'd stolen some from him. I would have moaned if my mouth wasn't preoccupied. Reason seized me, and I did my best to squirm free. My best wasn't good enough, and all I could do was slide my mouth away from his. He simply moved down, kissing my neck. The energy didn't stop. â€Å"Seth. Seth. We made the point. We saw how far we can go.† His eyes, full of so much longing and passion, held mine. â€Å"Please, Georgina†¦we're so close†¦just this once†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We were so close. Too close. â€Å"No.† I pressed my palms to his chest. â€Å"Seth! Stop.† I shoved hard. â€Å"Stop!† I broke free all at once and staggered a few feet back, my hand catching the counter for support. The energy transfer cut off abruptly. He reached out a hand to help steady me, but I stayed out of reach. â€Å"Are†¦are you okay?† he asked. â€Å"I'm fine,† I said, breath heavy. â€Å"But you aren't. I got a little – a little of your energy.† â€Å"A little is nothing.† â€Å"Not to me,† I said, still keeping my distance. â€Å"It's not your energy,† he said. His eyes were still heated and hungry. â€Å"It's mine. And I think it was worth it.† He took a step forward. â€Å"And I'd think it was worth it, even if I lost more.† I held out my hand, palm-first. â€Å"Stop. Don't come closer. I don't trust you.† His expression became less aroused and more dumbfounded. â€Å"You†¦don't trust me? I never thought I'd hear you say that.† â€Å"That's not what I meant. Exactly. I mean, I don't know. I don't think you're going to rape me or anything, but you're†¦uh, persuasive. And you haven't been yourself lately. Ever since you got shot. You've been†¦I don't know. Risky. Like you're having a mid-life crisis.† â€Å"I'm having a life crisis, Thetis. I don't want to be one of those people who discovers on my death bed that I didn't do anything. Why can't you understand this? You're so quick to encourage Maddie to do exciting things, but you're still trying to protect me.† â€Å"It†¦it's different.† â€Å"How?† he asked. â€Å"Why is it okay for her to take risks but not me?† â€Å"Because there's a big difference between going rock climbing and sleeping with someone who's going to take years off your life. How long is this phase going to last? You always said it wasn't about sex between us.† â€Å"It's not,† he said stoutly. â€Å"Not at all. I love you for†¦so many reasons. More than I can even begin to describe. But I don't want to die never having touched you. Really touched you.† I stared. He was serious. How could he say he didn't want to die without touching me when touching me would only lead him closer to death? â€Å"You're only saying this because you haven't had sex in so long,† I accused. â€Å"You got all turned on and now you're not thinking straight.† â€Å"I am turned on,† he agreed. â€Å"By you. The woman I love.† He took another step toward me but still stayed far enough away so we didn't touch. â€Å"I want you, Georgina. So badly it kills me. I know you want me too. How can we go on being afraid of something we never tried? I'll take a hit for it, yeah, but if we go on for years†¦without ever knowing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head and sighed. â€Å"Please, Georgina. Just this once. Let us be together – really together.† I swallowed. He was so earnest. So sweet. So sexy. And so help me, he sounded reasonable. The calm way he spoke almost made me believe it didn't matter, that if I gave in and let our bodies come together, the loss would be small and inconsequential. I looked into his eyes and tried to convince myself of his rationalization, bringing up what Carter and others had said. That it was Seth's choice to make, nothing for me to worry about. But, of course, it was. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I can't. Please, Seth. Don't do this. Don't look at me like that. I love you too – so, so much. But we can't do this. I'm telling you, you just need to have sex. Go out and find someone – anyone. It doesn't matter. I don't care. It'll fix all this and make it easier for us to go on.† â€Å"You would care,† he said, voice deadly calm. â€Å"You say you wouldn't, but you would.† â€Å"Not if it protects you.† â€Å"Protecting me doesn't matter.† â€Å"Damn it, it does!† I yelled, lunging forward. I drove my fists – lightly – into his chest, and all the emotion that had been building up throughout this argument suddenly burst out. â€Å"Don't you get it? I have to protect you! If anything happens to you – if I'm responsible for anything happening to you – it will kill me. It. Will. Kill. Me. I can't handle that. I can't handle anything happening to you. It will kill me!† I stopped my yelling and met Seth's eyes. Neither of us said anything. And as he stared down at me, I knew what he was thinking. Because I was thinking exactly the same thing. I had just given voice to what Hugh had said, what Seth had been worried about. In my outburst, I'd changed the balance of risk. It wasn't about Seth hurting. It was about me hurting. Gently, he reached out and caught my wrists. He removed them from his chest and let go. Backing up, still not speaking, he picked up his clothes and began dressing. I stayed where I was, naked and frozen. â€Å"Seth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I said slowly. â€Å"I didn't mean it.† â€Å"It's okay, Thetis,† he said, fastening his pants and not meeting my eyes. â€Å"I understand. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I pushed you.† â€Å"No, no†¦it's not†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's okay,† he repeated. His voice was so, so neutral. So, so steady. It wasn't natural. â€Å"Really. But I think I need to go. I think it's better for both of us, and God only knows you have enough going on without me to worry about.† I felt tears starting to fill my eyes. â€Å"I didn't mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I know what you meant,† he said. He straightened his shirt and finally looked at me. â€Å"But seriously†¦I should leave. We'll talk†¦I don't know. We'll talk later.† He held out his hand, like he might touch my cheek, and then let it drop. With another sigh, he said good-bye and left. I stood exactly where I was, still not moving. My heart felt like it had just had acid thrown on it. It was burning and raw. Finally, finally, it all caught up with me. My knees gave out, and I sank to the floor. It was cold and hard against my bare skin. I drew my knees up to me and buried my face in them, wondering what I had done. Part of me screamed to go follow him, to beg him to come back, to tell him we could make love and have everything we had ever wanted. Another part, half-reason and half-pride, held me back. It was that same part that had stopped me from going after Andrew that day back in the garden after we'd fought about the Black Death. I'd let him go and gone out of my way to avoid him after that. When the plague finally came to our town, my bishop was one of the first to leave. I went with him and the rest of our household. Just like in The Masque of the Red Death, there was no true place to hide from sickness. Still, some places were better than others, and my bishop took care to keep to the better places. He survived. Months went by, and stories and rumors trickled in about the town we'd lived in. By that point, I'd grown weary of Geoffrey and decided it was time for me to move on. I got permission from my archdemon for a transfer to Florence and sneaked out of Geoffrey's house one night to make the long journey. Our old town was along the way, and a week later, I passed through it. A plague town wasn't quite like what modern people might imagine. It wasn't as though there were piles of bodies lying in the streets or anything. Not always. After all, Europe had survived the Black Death in the end, and civilization had still functioned through the worst of it. Crops were still grown, houses still built, babies still born. But the town seemed quieter and more melancholy than when I'd lived there. Andrew wasn't at the church when I stopped by, and an old man tending the grounds told me that Andrew was off helping some of his parishioners in one of the poorer districts. I found him there, inside the home of a brewer. The brewer had a large family – eight children – as well as a couple of brothers living with him. The house was small and cramped and filthy. Everyone in it was sick except for the brewer's wife who wearily tried to help Andrew take care of her family. â€Å"Cecily?† he asked in astonishment when he saw me. He was kneeling by a teenage boy. Something inside my chest blossomed with both joy and relief. Andrew was alive. He'd stayed, fought disease, and won. I strode forward and knelt beside him. The wife, giving water to a small girl, watched me uneasily. I wasn't in silk or anything, but I was clearly from a different class than theirs, and she didn't entirely know how to treat me. â€Å"You're alive,† I breathed. â€Å"I've been so worried. So worried I'd never see you again.† He smiled that gentle smile of his, and I saw more lines around his eyes than I'd seen before. â€Å"God didn't want to separate us quite yet,† he said. I looked down at the boy. I'd figured Andrew was feeding him or something, but I realized then that the priest was actually giving him last rites. The boy wore no shirt, and I could see on his neck and in his armpits the tell-tale dark pustules that had given the plague its name. The plague usually did what it was going to do in about a week, but from his emaciated look, you would have thought he'd been dying for years. His eyes were fever-bright, and I didn't know if he even knew we were there. Bile rose in my throat, and I averted my eyes. Standing up, I told Andrew, â€Å"I'll let†¦I'll let you finish this and wait outside.† I left the house, going out to where it was warm and things weren't dying. A while later, Andrew found me. I didn't ask if the boy was still alive. Instead, I said, â€Å"How many of them live? Out of all the ones you stay and risk your life for, how many of them actually survive?† He shrugged. â€Å"Three-quarters. Sometimes half, if they're very young or very old.† â€Å"Half,† I repeated flatly. â€Å"That's not very good.† â€Å"If one more person lives because of me, then that's very good.† I looked at that confident, serene face and sighed. â€Å"You're so damned frustrating.† He smiled. I sighed again. â€Å"What can I do to help?† The smile disappeared. â€Å"Don't make light of this, Cecily.† â€Å"I'm not. Tell me what to do.† And that was how I found myself playing nurse in a small town in backwoods England. Honestly, there wasn't anything glamorous one could do to fight the plague. It was all about basics, keeping the people clean and supplied with as much food and water as they could take in. The rest was in the hands of their immune system and – if you believed Andrew – God. When my patients began declining past the point of no return, I usually stopped helping. I couldn't stand to watch and left them to Andrew and his prayers. But sometimes I'd see people come back around, people whom I'd given up on, and then I could almost believe there was a higher power at work. At least, I believed that until Andrew got sick. It started slowly at first, a fever and aches, but we both knew what that meant. He ignored it and kept working until the symptoms began compounding. Finally, he couldn't fight it. Neglecting my other patients, I devoted myself fully to him. â€Å"You should help others,† he told me one day. His skin was pink and blotchy, and he was starting to get the dark spots around his lymph glands. Through all the sickness and fatigue, he was still beautiful to me. â€Å"Don't worry about me.† â€Å"I have to worry about you. No one else is.† It was true. Andrew had helped so many, but no one had come to his side, despite the fact that plague survivors tended not to catch it again. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† Andrew told me, voice frail. â€Å"I'm glad they've survived.† â€Å"You will too,† I said obstinately, even though the signs were starting to suggest otherwise. â€Å"You have to go on so you can keep doing your annoying good works.† He managed a smile. â€Å"I hope so, but I think my time in this world may be drawing to a close. You, though†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked at me – truly looked at me – and I was astonished at the love I saw there. I knew he'd been attracted to me, but I'd never expected this. â€Å"You, Cecily†¦you won't get sick. You will go on, strong and healthy and beautiful. I can feel it. God loves you.† â€Å"No,† I said sadly. â€Å"God hates me. That's why he lets me keep living.† â€Å"God only gives us tasks he knows we can handle. Here, take this.† He touched the gold cross around his neck, but he was too weak to take it off. â€Å"Take it when I'm gone.† â€Å"No, Andrew, you won't – â€Å" â€Å"Take it,† he repeated in as firm a voice as he could manage. â€Å"Take it, and whenever you see it, remember that God loves you and knows that no tragedy you face is ever too much for you to bear. You are strong. You will endure.† Hot tears spilled down my cheeks. â€Å"You shouldn't have done this,† I told him. â€Å"You shouldn't have helped them. You would've lived if you hadn't.† He shook his head. â€Å"Yes, but then I wouldn't have been able to live with myself.† Andrew lingered a few more days after that. I stayed with him, but every moment of it was agony. I hated watching what happened to him and was more convinced than ever that there really was no benevolent power looking after humans. He died peacefully and quietly, much as he'd lived. Another priest came to administer last rites when it happened, and Andrew's final conscious moments reflected hope and absolute faith in what would come next. I stayed to make sure the funeral arrangements were taken care of, not that there was much fanfare or anything. There were no viewings or fancy funeral halls in those days – at least not for men like him. I soon left England for the continent, and after a while, the pain of his death began to take on a new form. Oh, I still missed him – still burned and ached and felt like part of me had been ripped away. But added to that, guilt was starting to create a pain of its own. I felt like I should have taken better care of him. I should have insisted on him leaving with me when the plague came. Or maybe I should have gotten my hands dirtier while helping him tend the sick; it might have kept him away from whomever had infected him. Florence was a beautiful city, on the verge of the Renaissance when I got there. Yet even while living amongst all that splendor and art, Andrew's death tormented me for many years, the pain of guilt and missing him digging into my heart. It never entirely went away, but it did lessen – it just took a really, really long time. As Hugh had said, a long life simply means having more time to mourn.