Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Music Today Just a Bunch of Garbage Essay Example For Students

Music Today: Just a Bunch of Garbage? Exposition Its 4:00 pm and you just returned home from school. You turn on the radio just to hear a few media created stuff united together by some faltering rhythms. This is unfortunetly, the music of today. Alongside popular music and kid groups, option and awesome music has , basically gone to the pits. Theres really no other method to put it. The media has been spoonfeeding us talentless trash and sell outs for a considerable length of time however it is just presently showing its force on MTV and the radio. Indeed, popular music and kid groups make extraordinary music to move to, however theres no ability there. Instilling young ladies as youthful as eight years of age, groups like NSYNC and the Backstreet young men have just begun to form the psyches of the little individuals. This genuinely unnerves me ; the way that such media created poo is forming the very personalities of individuals so helpless thus youthful is debilitated. At that point theres the overwhelming metal. Its greater part, in any event currently, is simply power strings, consistently, and shouting uncomprehensible words and obsenities into a receiver. There is trust, however. Craftsmen like stun rocker Marilyn Manson and Incubus rouse individuals to begin thinking. You may not concur with what they are stating or composing , yet at any rate they are getting you to think. So what would you like to hear when you turn on the radio? A shouting fellow with tearing force ropes? A nauseating lovey dovey melody , seventy five percent created by a machine and just twenty five percent actully recorded? I dont need to hear either and neither wraps up of the adolecsent populace of America. Music has gone to poop and it needs to change. Quick.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Importance of the Death Penalty Free Essays

The Importance of the Death Penalty Lorena Pula PHI 107 Dr. Latasha Williams-Fleming September 12, 2009 The Importance of the Death Penalty The world can be a dull and coldblooded spot to live in. Confirmation of this mercilessness can be effectively decided just by viewing the news, or perusing a paper of recent developments. We will compose a custom article test on The Importance of the Death Penalty or on the other hand any comparable subject just for you Request Now It appears each day a repulsive wrongdoing is submitted: murder, abducting, and youngster attack, just to give some examples. These violations are adequate confirmation that there is sufficient wickedness on the planet to make even the nonbeliever appeal to God for divine intervention.Amazingly, the human species has endure sufficiently long to see one more day. Maybe the explanation behind our endurance is sheer karma, yet the greater part of us would concur that karma has nothing to do with it. An increasingly discerning and legitimate solution for our endurance might be connected to the standards that we have set to ensure our lives. Without these standards, our reality would be in a clamorous condition of nature. Social contact scholar, Thomas Hobbes, accepts that life in a condition of nature is a â€Å"war of all against all,† and in the condition of nature life is â€Å"nasty, brutish, and short. He accepted that rules and guidelines were impudent to maintaining control inside our general public (Waller, 2008). To a degree, I concur with Hobbes. I accept that it is significant that we are advocates for capital punishment, since it is an indispensable factor to maintaining our general public leveled out. Capital punishment is the most extreme type of discipline condemned to an individual who has been censured by the law. In spite of the fact that it is hazy how far back this specific type of discipline has been polished, the main recorded insights of capital punishment in the United States goes back to the 1930s (Green, 2005).The discussion of whether capital punishment is a sufficient type of discipline, or an illegal one has been bantered for quite a long time. History can confirm the crazy ride choices about the issues concerning capital punishment. In Furman v. Georgia, 408 U. S. 153 (1972), capital punishment was pronounced â€Å"arbitrary and capricious† and thusly unlawful under the Eighth and Fourth Amendments. In any case, in Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U. S. 153 (1976), capital punishment was restored under a model of guided discretion.There are reasons why capital punishment was reestablished. Apparently the advantages of capital punishment exceed the supposed burdens it presents. It is significant that we give reprisal because of the individuals who have been misled in the most frightful way. Deliberately ending the life of a blameless person is shrewd to the point that missing relieving conditions, the culprit relinquishes their own entitlement to life. The individual has the right beyond words be rebuffed in relation to the seriousness of their wrongdoing (Waller, 2008).A life taken rashly by a criminal doesn't just influence the person in question, however the lives of their friends and family until the end of time. In the event that a general public neglects to rebuff these hoodlums in a manner thought to be proportionate to the gravity of a wrongdoing, the risk emerges that people in general would go rogue. The result is probably going to be a revolutionary, uncertain condition of treachery (Bedau, 2005). Imagining yourself in a similar circumstance, where there was no reprisal for the wrongdoing submitted against you or a friend or family member, a demo nstration of private revenge will probably occur. Capital punishment sentence could help with mitigating these private demonstrations of retribution. It is fundamental that we discover a technique for discouragement to help with keeping individuals from perpetrating awful wrongdoings later on. Capital punishment gives a defended strategy for prevention. In spite of the possibility that it advances viciousness, capital punishment causes us mull over completing our aims of contentious conduct. Wrongdoings would spin out of control as at no other time if there isn't some approach to prevent individuals from perpetrating appalling demonstrations of wrongdoing (Messerli, 2008).The capital punishment fills in as an update that there are results to our activities, which we are answerable for what we do, with the goal that desperate ramifications for corrupt activities are famously suitable (Waller, 2008). Growing up, I could recollect being cautioned by my folks to cease from taking an interest in exercises that would make hurt me or someo ne else. In the event that I didn't comply with the principles, at that point I would be rebuffed. The equity framework with the discipline of capital punishment is like this relationship. The individuals overall are proportional to the kids in this ase, with the equity framework being the parent, utilizing capital punishment as an approach to instruct us to cease from taking part in shocking acts that would hurt ourselves as well as other people. In the event that we don't cling to the guidelines, at that point we endure the outcomes of our activities. It is imperative that we have capital punishment to forestall the chance of reoccurrence. An individual condemned to life in jail could be conceivable let out ahead of schedule through parole, making it feasible for them to reoffend. A prime case of reoccurrence is introduced in the present case with respect to the capturing of Jaycee Duguard. She was abducted and held hostage for a long time by a rehashed wrongdoer, Phillip Garrido. Philip Garrido was recently held in government jail for a long time for a comparative case and was discharged right on time from jail on parole (Wohlsen and Rindels, 2009). In 2000 to 2005, the level of reoccurring brutal and sexual violations submitted rose more than twelve percent. Notwithstanding this discovering, the greater part a million wrongdoings perpetrated a year are carried out by sequential guilty parties who have quite recently been liberated from prison or condemned to network discipline (Hickley and Slack, 2008).It is horrifying to considering violations submitted by rehashed wrongdoers. It puts forth a solid defense for why capital punishment is insolent to our general public. It will wipe out all odds of a rehashed offense. It is additionally an extraordinary preventive measure to making sure about the lives of blameless individuals. Be that as it may, similarly as with each disputable issue, there are consistently different sides to consider. Adversaries of capital punishment contend that capital punishment damages the fundamental human right to life. They accept that jail sentences are an agreeable option in contrast to capital punishment for hoodlums who perpetrate even the most awful crimes.They present their case by repudiating exactly the same reasons that approve capital punishment. Notwithstanding their counter contentions, they further contend that it now and then prompts the passing of honest individuals and that it separates by race. Considerably in the wake of considering protests made against it, I have tended to the announcements of restriction to show that the requirement for capital punishment surpasses these complaints. The individuals who restrict capital punishment contend that requital is another ord for vengeance, and that slaughtering somebody who has executed somebody near you is just to proceed with the pattern of brutality (â€Å"Should capital punishment be utilized for retribution†, 2009). This isn't correct. As indicated by Pojman, individuals regularly mistake requital for vengeance. Retributivism is the hypothesis that the criminal has the right to be rebuffed in relation to the wrongdoing, regardless of whether the person in question or any other individual wants it. Retribution connotes delivering hurt on the wrongdoer severely in view of what the criminal has done (Bedau, 2005).It is two totally various words, with two totally various implications. To the extent that capital punishment is a proceeded with pattern of brutality, this announcement is likewise bogus. Capital punishment is certifiably not a proceeded with pattern of savagery, yet an approach to carry conclusion to casualties and their families. Else, we risk individuals assuming control over issues. Rivals of capital punishment additionally contend that it's anything but a huge obstacle of violations. Nonetheless, this is excessively solid of a case. Sociological proof doesn't show whether capital punishment dissuades or that it neglects to deter.The proof is just uncertain. It is difficult to give insights to reveal to us what number of potential lawbreakers have avoided perpetrating wrongdoings that would put make them qualified for capital punishment sentence (Waller, 2008). In this circumstance, likelihood could go far. Since capital punishment is a plausible impediment for violations, its reality has earned its legitimacy. Like the wellbeing highlights we have introduced in vehicles, it doesn’t consistently keep us from death in an auto crash, and it just expands our odds of survival.The capital punishment could be seen as a security include we use to build our odds of essentially living, by stopping crooks from carrying out unreasonable violations out of dread for the chance of passing on themselves. We would be excessively guileless if we somehow managed to feel that it would consistently work, however on the off chance that it spares one life, it has demonstrated its value. Another contention introduced by rivals of capital punishment is the demise of blameless individuals that were unfairly indicted. They bolster the possibility that on the off chance that we permit a guiltless individual to be executed, ethically we are perpetrating the equ ivalent, or here and there, a more awful wrongdoing than the individual who submitted the urder. Be that as it may, this is a wrong articulation. Mixed up legal execution is not the slightest bit the equivalent or as more terrible than an individual who has a purposeful expectation to murder a guiltless individual, while no such aim of slaughtering the blameless individual happens in improper the death penalty (Waller, 2008). At long last, however absolutely not the least contention introduced by the individuals who contradict capital punishment, is the issue of uncalled for racial biased activity of the equity framework concerning capital punishment. Rivals accept that capital punishment victimizes poor people and minority bunches over the rich individuals and whites.However, to counterattack this recommendation, it isn't accurate that the law applied in a prejudicial way is out of line. Inconsistent equity is

Sunday, August 16, 2020

How to Use Anger Management for Stress Relief

How to Use Anger Management for Stress Relief Stress Management Management Techniques Print Anger Management for Stress Relief By Elizabeth Scott, MS twitter Elizabeth Scott, MS, is a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life, and the author of 8 Keys to Stress Management. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Scott, MS Updated on June 24, 2019 How Stress Impacts Your Health Overview Signs of Burnout Stress and Weight Gain Benefits of Exercise Stress Reduction Tips Self-Care Practices Mindful Living Poorly managed anger can lead to health issues and emotional challenges. Peter Dazeley/Getty Images It’s natural to get angry sometimes, and doing so can actually be healthy, too. Anger serves some important functions, particularly that of moving us to action when things need changing in our lives. Therefore, setting a goal of never experiencing anger probably wouldn’t be desirable, even if it were possible  to reach. Those who try for a complete lack of anger often end up just ‘stuffing’ their emotions, then ‘blowing up’ at inopportune times and causing more problems for themselves than if they had expressed their anger in healthy ways. The goal of anger management is twofold: to eliminate unnecessary anger, and to express necessary anger in healthy ways. The following anger management tips and exercises can help you with the dual goals of anger management, enabling you to enjoy healthier relationships and less stress in your life. Examine Your Beliefs This one can be tricky, but it’s a way to prevent some of your feelings from turning into anger in the first place â€" a way to eliminate unnecessary anger. When you get angry, you can often (some experts even go so far as to say always) trace the emotion back to a belief that what happened was wrong, not supposed to have happened, was due to someone else’s negligence or lack of caring, etc. Pinpointing the exact thoughts that are tied to your anger can enable you to talk yourself out of anger, or realize that whatever it is that’s triggering your anger may not necessarily need to lead to an angry response. Eliminate Some of Your ‘Anger Triggers’ If you find that you often get angry in the car when you’re in a hurry and slow traffic makes you late, you can work on reorganizing your schedule to find a few extra minutes to accommodate traffic. You can play music in your car to relax or use stress management techniques to calm your physiology.  If you have a friend who constantly triggers your anger, you may want to look at the beliefs behind your anger with this person or limit your contact. The point is if you already know what things seem to bring about an anger response, and you can cut them out of your life, why not do so in the interest of anger management? Once you’re aware of what types of things make you angry, you can start cutting some of these triggers out of your life. Develop Effective Communication Skills Much of our anger tends to get directed at other people. Effective communication skills and conflict resolution techniques can help in two ways: They can help us communicate our boundaries to others so that we’re less likely to feel frustration and anger in our relationships, and they help us to do so in a way that doesn’t provoke anger in others. Take Care of Yourself If your body is under a lot of stress and strain, you may be more prone to anger in your daily life. For example, sleep-deprived people are often cranky; the same holds for hungry people. If you’re able to create a nice work-life balance so that you have enough time outside of work to get quality sleep, eat a healthy diet, and have some time for hobbies, creativity, and relationships, you should find yourself less tense and anger-prone.   Keep Some Stress Relievers Handy When you’re having one of those days that youll scream if one more thing goes wrong, you usually do end up yelling at some point (figuratively or literally). Added stress can make you more anger-prone. Therefore, having stress management techniques on-hand to quiet the storm can help you soften or eliminate anger in your life. Some techniques that are especially useful? Breathing exercises are one of my favorite techniques; a few deep breaths can calm your stress response and enable you to feel more in control in virtually any situation. Progressive muscle relaxation can also offer some fast benefits, especially when practiced regularly. Cognitive restructuring can also be great for stress relief as well as anger management. As for ongoing practices, meditation can provide some lasting benefits; not only do you feel better when you’re practicing it, but it can help you be less reactive to stress overall. Exercise carries similar benefits.   Get Support If You Need It While anger can push people away, it can also be a cry for help. If you find yourself angry more often than you’d like, you may just need more help and support from others. For example, if a messy house puts you on edge, enlisting cleaning help may be an effective anger management technique for you. If you find that you’re angry over constant ‘little things,’ perhaps you’re too busy and overwhelmed, and you need to cut back on your lifestyle stress.  Don’t be afraid to ask others to help take some of the burdens off, if they’re able. Finally, if you feel that your anger management efforts aren’t as effective as you’d like, it might be useful to enlist the support of a therapist, who can help you take a deeper look at your anger and find ways to work through it and express it in healthy ways. Get Support With the 7 Best Online Anger Management Classes Because of the negative effects of anger, it’s important to prioritize anger management if you find yourself angry more often than you’d like. With a little work, you can make anger work for you (as a motivator for a change), rather than against you (as a threat to your health and happiness).

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Bruce Jenner A Man s Man - 864 Words

Throughout history, Bruce Jenner remained one of the greatest athletes in the 1970 s. Notable for being â€Å"a man’s man†. An Olympic champion to the public, but behind closed doors, he enjoyed cross-dressing and created plans to transform into a woman. Miserably living a lie for the majority of his life accepting awards and titles that were not befitting. Jenner kept his secret taboo because of the lack of support and acceptance of Transgenders (relating to a person who does not conform to societal gender norms or roles) in the late 1970 s. Three marriages, and six children later, Bruce Jenner, now â€Å"Caitlyn Jenner† has publicly come forth and announced his deepest secret. Numerous people endeavor to associate Rachel Dolezal to Caitlyn Jenner. Surmising that Rachel Dolezal is transracial (involving or between two or more racial groups), and that she too always needed to be an African American just as Caitlyn Jenner expressed that she needed to be a woman. Nonetheless, Rachel Dolezal betrayed countless people with her lies and antics relating to her cultural background. A former Africana Studies instructor and civil rights activist was asked what race she was; she replied â€Å"I don’t understand the question† (Dolezal, Rachel). How could an educationalist and civil rights advocate not understand a simple question? Although these two women seem similar based on their loss of identity, in contrast, they are unquestionably dissimilar. InvigoratingShow MoreRelatedThe Influence Of Caitlyn Jenner s Impact On Sports1326 Words   |  6 Pagestoday, Caitlyn Jenner has made an impact in sports as well as LGBTQ community and is an advocate for trans rights. There were social, economic, and cultural influences on Caitlyn Jenner which affected her lifetime achievements. This paper will focus on the person who went from winning the Olympics as a man to being declared â€Å"Most Famous Transgender Women in the World† and the things that influenced her to becoming who she is today. Caitlyn Jenner was born as William Bruce Jenner on October 28,1949Read MoreThe Sociological Phenomenon Of Transgenderism992 Words   |  4 PagesDalton Stiles 4/23/15 The Sociological phenomenon of Transgenderism In today s society, we are seeing a certain group flourish with newly acquired visibility. Time magazine has recently featured a woman named Lavern Cox on the cover along with the feature article titled The Transgendered Tipping Point. Which discusses the new civil rights frontier that Lavern Cox has played a huge part towards. She was on Time magazines 2015 list of 100 Most Influential People, as well as being the first transgenderedRead MoreBruce Jenner : An American Television Personality And Retired Athletic Champion1089 Words   |  5 PagesCaitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner, is an American television personality and retired athletic champion. Jenner’s name and gender change became official on Sept. 25, 2015 and she is now one of the most famous openly transgender people in the world. Thousands of articles have been written about her and I plan to compare two that contrast each other greatly. The first article is written by Matt Walsh for TheBlaze, an independent new s and entertainment television network and website, with locationsRead MoreGender Identification : An Exploration Of The Transgender Group1625 Words   |  7 Pagesbased on an individual’s sex determined at birth. In 1620, was the first recorded person who identified as being transgender in the state of Virginia (Beemyn, 2013). This individual described himself as being both a man and a woman, wore both men and women clothing, and created a man and woman name for himself/herself. Physical examinations were taken of this individual, and no clear sex could be determined (Beemyn, 2013, p. 1). During this time, individuals in society were not accustomed to seeingRead MoreGender And Its Impact On Our Lives1515 Words   |  7 Pagesteenager to graduate from high school was not looked as an accomplishment but a disgrace. However, a prime example of how much society has transmuted is relating to one of the most famous public figures in this century known as Caitlyn Jenner, otherwise known as Bruce Jenner. The astonishing story of her transformation and emotional life has affected and received such a positive reaction in our world and become a role model for society. A cause of this is our media, which has affected the public throughoutRead MoreThe Value Of Being A Woman1541 Words   |  7 Pageshow some one who wasn t born a woman could never fully understand them. She explains from a woman s point of view how men and women have never been equal, what woman have been going through, and how they have to work twice as hard to survive in this world. She uses two people throughout her essay who are transgenders who’ve been accepted by the world to get her point across which are Bruce Jenner Lawrence H. Summers. While analyzing the article I recognized three kinds of arguments used throughoutRead MoreI Felt That My Greatest Asset1273 Words   |  6 PagesCaitlyn Jenner expressed, â€Å"I always felt that my greatest asset was not my physical ability, it was my mental ability.† Caitlyn Jenner’s former name was William Bruce Jenner. This legend was born, originally as a man, on October 28, 1949 in Mount Kisco, New York. Biography states that she had dyslexia and struggled in school but was very talented in sports. In high school, Jenner excelled in water skiing, football, basketball, and track. She then attended Graceland College. In college, she wasRead MoreCaitlyn Jenner: An Olympian And Role Model. Caitlyn Jenner1903 Words   |  8 Pages Caitlyn Jenner: An Olympian and Role Model Caitlyn Jenner was given the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards (ESPY) Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Twice an Olympic triathlon athlete, she blazed new trails. Long before her transformation, Jenner lived a life that her family and society expected of her: a loyal, loving son and father and an outstanding sportsman. Her newest role was as an advocate for the transgender community, which may become one of her greatest roles. Presently, CaitlynRead MoreTransgender People Face Harassment And Discrimination1472 Words   |  6 Pages it s called gender identity, Everyone has a gender identity. Most people s gender identity matches their anatomy. But those who are transgender feel different from their physical appearances. Society today looks upon transgender as an â€Å"Identity disorder.† The word transgender doesn t only mean that a person identifies with the opposite gender. It also can be used by people who don t feel like they re either completely male or completely female.! ! ! ! I personally applaud Bruce Jenner, a retiredRead MoreGender Identity Disorders ( Gids )1403 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscomfort or impairment at work, in social situations, or other important areas of life (American Psychological Association). Transgender surgery has its flaws, but it can completely change the individual for the better in their psychiatric aspect. Bruce Jenner, an Olympic gold medalist, now referred to as Caitlyn, was once seen as the greatest athlete in the world and later became a reality television star with one of the world’s most famous families, the Kardashians. The former Olympian revealed a secret

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Essay on Tomas Friedmans Ideas on Globalization - 1430 Words

The United States used to be a place of dreams, a country where any willing body in the world envied. The opportunity to escape the old world and start anew, the chance to buy a home to your name, raise a family with little worries, have a secure job that would provide enough, and ultimately the right to say to the other nations, â€Å"I am free†. Sadly today, that opportunity is closing, the chance is slipping and that free America is being chained by the very same people robbing others of a life. The last time in history anyone saw this large of a robbery was during the French Revolution. This is only said because the world is emerging into a global economy that blurs national law and dries countries of their resources. In this world†¦show more content†¦This meeting was blown when many protesters made it their life mission to inform the general public what the meeting signified and overall what it meant for the future of our global economy. The protesters only concern was to alert the majority of the world that â€Å"Hey the very one percent are behind that door deciding our fate for us when we have a voice of our own.† It became clear that the main message to these super elite was ‘No Globalization, without Representation.† Friedman lamely wrote an article attacking the very same protestors who he claimed ‘flat earthers’,saying they did not appreciate the global economy and did not understand it enough to have the grace to operate on the topic. What he fails to do is to address the main issue, these people were not ignorant. They were farmers, educators, civil rights activists, environmentalists, and so on, who knew the risk of the global economy dictated b y the very few over the many.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Nursing Care for Dissociative Indentity Disorder Free Essays

Dissociative identity disorder is a common mental disorder. American Psychiatric Association (2000) defines DID as, â€Å"presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states that recurrently take control of the individual’s behaviour, accompanied by an inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness† (as cited in Ringrose, 2011, p. 294). We will write a custom essay sample on Nursing Care for Dissociative Indentity Disorder or any similar topic only for you Order Now Coons (1998) states that an individual suffering from DID shows different personalities who may have different ages, names, and functions (as cited in Gentile, Dillon Gillig, 2013, p. 24). The original personality is host and developed personalities are alters who may have different level of conciousness and knowledge (Persin, 2011, p. 58). It is complex type of disorder, Briere Elliott (2003) and Spitzer et al. (2006) estimate that 1 to 3 percentage of total population are suffering from DID in North America (as cited in Gleadhill Ferris, 2010, p. 3). The complexities in personality of the DID patient make difficulty in treatment; however, Chlebowski and Gregory (2012) argue that sychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis, group and family therapy are common for the treatment methods for DID (p. 165). By developing effective long term nursing care plan, and implementing it through the individual, family or group therapy, nursing intervention can play important role for the treatment of DID patient having different symptoms. DID patients may show several symptoms including amnesia, identity confusion, identity alteration, feeling of loss of time and space, flashbacks, nightmares, headache, and emotional instability. Steinberg’s (2004) structured clinical interview for the diagnosis of DID identifies the five core symptoms as amnesia, depersonalisation, derealisation, identity confusion and identity alteration (as cited in Gleadhill Ferris, 2010, p. 43). DID patient may also have the symptoms such as fear of others, loneliness, deep insecurity and lack of a coherent sense of self, loss of time and space, flashbacks, nightmares, fragmented and missing memories, headaches, emotional instability ranging from extremes of rage and fear through to numbing and inability to feel (McAllister, 2000, p. 26). Coons (1998) identifies some somatic symptoms such as pseudoseizures, conversion, and gastrointestinal and genitourinary disturbances (as cited in Gentile, Dillon Gillig, 2013, p. 24). Coons further agrues that DID patients usually show the signs such as eye rolling, eye blinking, trancelike behaviour, and changes in posture during changing of personality from host to alter. Some of the DID patients also report dissociative symptoms of extrasensory experiences such as hallucinations (Gillig, 2009, p. 26). Whatever the symptoms the DID patient shows, there are underlying several traumatic causes for the patient suffering on his/her childhood. DID is acquired in the childhood due to severe ongoing neglect, physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse. Lev-Weisel (2008) states that when child gets abused, mostly sexually abused, he/she thinks the body no longer be a safe home, and thinks to get rid from the abused situation (as cited in Gleadhill Ferris, 2010, p. 43). This situation develops dissociative behaviours in an individual as a coping mechanism. Curtis (1988), and Ross and Fraser (1987) argue that repeatition of abuse strengthens the defense mechnism of dissociation which allows abusive memories to be stored in different memory banks so that alter is formed with different personalities to handle the abuse (as cited in Precin, 2011, p. 8). Gold, Hill, Swingle and Elphant (1999) and Volkman (1993) state that the severity of the DID depends on child’s age at the time of abuse, duration and severity of abuse, emotional attachment to the abuser, and psychological factors (as cited in Gleadhill Ferris, 2010, p. 43). In addition to severe child abuse, Armstrong (1991), and Main and Solomon (1986) identify that a disorgan ized attachment style, and the absence of social as well as familial support also develop DID (as cited in Gillig, 2009, p. 24). Several therapies are in practice for the treatment of the DID such as sychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, art therapy, hypnosis, group and family therapy. Among them common treatments for DID identified by Pais (2009) include individual, family, or group therapy, creative arts therapies, pharmacotherapy and clinical hypnosis (as cited in Gleadhill Ferris, 2010, p. 44). Due to complexity of disorder and multiple personalities to treat within an individual, Weber (2007) reports that its treatment is often long as well as challenging with possibility of remission scarce (as cited in Gleadhill Ferris, 2010, p. 3). Chlebowski and Gregory (2012) argue that the treatment model with the largest empirical basis has been Kluft’s (1999) individualized and multistaged treatment (p. 167). They state, â€Å"It involves making contact and agreement among alters to work towards integration, accessing and processing trauma with occasional use of hypnosis, learning new coping skills , and eventually fusion among the alters and the self† (p. 167). O’Reilly in1996 develops a nursing therapy model for the treatment of DID patient that focuses basically on three stages: reassuring present safety, associating important merories by ensuring patient confidence, and listening, applying and sharing the interpretation (as cited in McAllister, 2000, p. 31). McAllister et al. after an action research in 2001 find that nurse can reassociate the memory of DID patient by developing effective individualized as well as group therapeutic relationship with the patient (P. 31). Association of dissociative memory is quite challenging work among the psychotherapist; however, longitudanal individual and group therapies are still considered as effective methods for the treatment of DID. With patient’s support on treatment, nursing intervention may be effective method for the treatment of DID patient by developing longitudanal, individualized and multistaged effective care plan. Some studies on nursing therapy for DID patient show its potentiality for the treatment; however, further research is necessary to identify its effectiveness. How to cite Nursing Care for Dissociative Indentity Disorder, Papers

Monday, May 4, 2020

Essay about the Holidays

Question: Write an essay about theholidays. Answer: Introduction Holiday is defined as an extended period of leisure and recreation which is enjoyed with family, friends or alone. Holidays and be classified into two different categories, activity holidays and flop out holidays. Body It is advantageous to go for activity holiday than to take part if flop out holiday. Holidays are meant to a respite to mind, body and spirit. Participating in various activities like swimming, diving and others makes the holidays adventurous and it helps to have new experience in life. Flop out holidays means to eat and drink during the holidays, avail spa and sunbath and completely relax during the holidays. Partaking in activity holidays would help to explore new things and would introduce the person to new locations with incredible surroundings, which would be otherwise inaccessible. Adventurous sports like kayaking, rafting and cycling are the most enjoyed sports in activity holidays. Flop out holidays would help the body to rest and relax and it would not lead to have new experiences and adventures. Conclusion Thus, it is better to participate in activity holidays rather than flop out holidays. This is because adventures and new experiences would refresh the mind more than relaxing and pampering oneself.

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Pcs 2000 Essays - Michael Jackson, HIStory Past, Present And Future

Pcs 2000 Consciousness expresses itself through creation. This world we live in is the dance of the creator. Dancers come and go in the twinkling of an eye but the dance lives on. On many an occasion, when I am dancing, I have felt touched by something sacred. In those moments, I felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists. I become the stars and the moon. I become the lover and the beloved. I become the victor and the vanquished. I become the master and the slave. I become the singer and the song. I become the knower and the known. I keep on dancing and then, it is the eternal dance of creation. The creator and the creation merge into one wholeness of joy. I keep on dancing. . . until there is only. . .the dance. (Jackson 1992, 2) Artists have a special communion with the creative forces of the universe. Regardless of the medium of expression used, artists utilize creative energies to produce works of art, beauty and power for humanity to witness. This is evident in paintings, sculptures, films and other forms, but it is universally expressed and appreciated through music and dance. When an artist focuses on both of these forms, the rhythm flows from his heart to the rest of his body until he becomes the rhythm itself. This can be seen in the life of Michael Jackson. His forms of creative expression cannot be confined to categories, styles, or mediums. He is his own art, and messages are his mediums. Great artists are not exempt from the slings and arrows of fortune, and Michael Jackson is no exception. Fame and popularity have prices one must pay, and to maintain the glitter of glamour, one must compete for the limelight. Despite his infamy, Michael Jackson continues to attract audiences and impart inspiring messages through his music. Katherine and Joe Jackson were married on November 5, 1940, under the Jehovah's Witness faith, They soon began to raise their family in a quiet little city called Gary, Indiana. Nine years later, their seventh son, Michael Joseph, was born on the 29th of August. Being musically inclined, Katherine and Joe shared their talents among their nine children. The Jackson children soon began to sing at the church choir and perform at school programs and town pageants. Michael, who began studying at Garnett Elementary School already was winning various talents contests at the age of five. A few months later, his older brothers formed a band and decided to entere various talent searches and amateur contests. It was only a few years later that Michael joined his brothers to form The Jackson Five. Joe Jackson arranged for The Jackson Five to perform at small clubhouses for a few bucks a night. Their talents did not go unnoticed. After being discovered, The Jackson Five released their first single in 1968. In that same year, they released their second single. Due to its success, they performed in the same shows as The Supremes, James Brown and Sammy Davis, Jr. After a number of performances, The Jackson Five signed a contract with Motown Records. I Want You Back / Who's Loving You, their debut single with Motown, sold two million copies in six weeks and earned them their first gold record. As a result, The Jackson Five was invited to appear on various television shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Johnny Carson Show, The Sonny and Cher Show and Soul Train. In 1970, The Jackson Five released their first long playing album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson Five. This album topped the charts in both England and America. In the mid-seventies, The Jackson Five Show aired on television and their albums continued to earn gold records. Wanting to have his own career, Michael Jackson left his brothers and began recording on his own. Having been the front man for The Jackson Five for many years, Jackson's separation from the group caused their album and concert sales to decline. Michael's first solo album, Off the Wall, turned out to be a success along with the singles She's Out of My Life and Rock with You. Off the Wall broke records and sold twelve million copies worldwide. Jackson continued to outdo himself with the victory of his following albums: Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory Past, Present and Future Book I and Blood on the Dance Floor. Michael Jackson's success has not only generated more contracts and more popularity, but

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Swatch Group Essays

Swatch Group Essays Swatch Group Paper Swatch Group Paper The global watch Industry Is an Industry that Is In midst of change, where technology considered high-tech Is now considered behind or companies who were leaders are now just fads. The Swatch group falls in this category as it is a company facing the issues of the necessity of reposition itself, facing increased competition and higher than normal production costs. The swatch group seems to be in a stage in their company that has kept growth low, and the future shaky thus a strategy has been set forward for the company. The recommended strategy of partnering with Titan Industries is a strategy, If Implemented properly will be able to deal with someone of these core Issues at hand. The strategy Is aimed to reposition the company, while taking advantage of external opportunities such as international expansion and lower production costs. In the following document, a closer insight into the watch industry and the swatch group itself gives a better more in-depth look of its current strategies, external/internal threats and opportunities and other possible strategies with the partnership as the ultimate outcome. External The global watch industry has been consistent and continually provoking more interest. The watch industry has usually in the past used a horizontal structure in which suppliers, craftsmen and sub-contractors supply movements and external parts to assemblers , who in turn put the final product all together. Although in rare instances the use of vertical structure has been used in the Industry, where the company builds the product completely within the company. The Industry takes more of a fragmented stance with more of a spread of players in the Industry. The products primarily offered in the global watch industry revolve around electronic, prestigious, luxurious and appealing watches. Various opportunities and threats in he industry are discussed below as well as in Exhibit A Major opportunities in the industry include the continued technology advances occurring In society, with technology continually advancing opportunities for more Innovative product lines exists and at potentially lower cost production. Another opportunity that exists in the industry is international expansion, as the watch market continues to become more relevant in the world, international expansion is up for grabs. The keys to success for companies in the industry will revolve around companies investing more heavily in R and D to maintain with the technology advances and take advantage of the international opportunities. Another opportunity in the Industry revolves around the ability to continue to produce watches at cheaper costs. Keys to success Include companies being able to locate sufficient outsourcing opportunities with production being cheaper in these locations. The major threats that occur in this industry involve around the market becoming too saturated. Since the ability to produce will become cheaper, in a sense the opportunities for companies already in the industry will also be considered a threat as continued new entrants in the market segments will appear. The same goes for International expansion, as companies expand Internationally, messmates companies are being threatened and requiring defense of their companies. Both these threats will lead to profits being diluted and a market shares being cut in to. Keys to success for companies will be able to fall heavily on their reputation along with maintaining strong existing connections customers to maintain the competitive advantages that exist, taking a more focused differentiation strategy and possibly looking for mergers to defend the international expansion and take advantage of the international expansion at the same time. Internal Assessment The swatch group is a diversified multinational holding company that was formed in 1983 through two Swiss watch manufactures. The swatch group manufactures and sells finished watches, Jewelry and watch components. The group is the leader in the world when it comes to watch making and the group supplies nearly all the components required for the watches. The groups production companies supply watch components and movements to third part watch makers in Switzerland and around the world. The swatch group has a reputation and customer loyalty that is rare and quite positively unmatched in the watch making world. Switzerland had commonly been known well for their ability to produce high quality clocks and relies heavily on its reputation based in its watch market. The Swiss watch represents wealth, power and status and with the swatch group as representative of the Swiss watch market, its stance in strong and trustworthy. The swatch group also relies heavily when it comes to their research and development segment in there company. And this is done rightly so as the companies R and D segment has continued to show innovation that has kept them as a world class company and watch maker. The many continues to enhance and develop the design of watch. This is a vital strength because the swatch group utilizes the end-user as a starting point of the departments research. The issue that arises is that with the continued development of R and D in competitors, this is considered an imitable strength and temporary distinctive competency A rising weakness that the swatch group continues to face is the high production costs the company faces. While most watch companies locate manufacturing activities in countries with lower production costs, swatch continues to remain committed to its Swiss home production. While they may consider this important to their D. AN. F the company, it will and has already started to deteriorate profits which have started to plateau profits. Swatch group can convert this into strength if other options of manufacturing their product is realized and considered. Financial Analysis The Swatch group continues to be a leading force in the global watch industry, as it is considered in value terms as the worlds leading watch manufacturer with 14 percent of the world market. The company continues to see consistent growth around 15 25 per cent per year, and saw an increase in gross sales and gross profits y 7. And 7. 5 percent respectively in 1998. This can be primarily attributed to a repositioning strategy initiated in the early asss, by replacing expensive metals with cheaper brands used to refresh the company and by also reducing its streamlined models from 2500 to 130. Another successful initiative that saw the company become stronger financially was a marketing campaign that saw increase its awareness Tort ten omega watch Increase, Ana Decode stronger especially Witt an average of a 50 percent price point below its main competitor Role. Financially where the swatch group lacked was the fact that there sales have began o plateau at levels around 18 to 20 million units a year. The issue the company faces would be that if sales continue to plateau the company will have to rely more heavily on debt and borrowing as the company moves the future. Attempting to utilize its assets more efficiently is one step, another is reducing costs. Current Strategies The Swatch Group and Hayes currently deploy a differentiation strategy in their company which relies on their ability to create a watch that is able to stand out when grouped in with their competitors. The Swatch group has implemented this strategy and sustained its competitive advantage through innovation and their dedication to quality. Innovation at the Swatch group has been an important cornerstone in the groups development and progress towards the future. Innovation from adapting to technology advances in the watch market to their vertical integration strategy by keeping cost production costs lower through reducing the numbers of parts and automating the manufacturing process. Swatch cut the number of parts from 91 to 51 resulting in production costs of under 10 Swiss francs. The Swatch group also relied heavily on their marketing campaign to create brand wariness for their brands and reinvent the watch concept for consumers. The Swatch group positioned their products as accessory items opposed to time keeping. They did this through creating fashionable designs, creating large scale advertisements, limited editions and event sponsoring. The ass they switched their distribution channel to swatch concept stores where the brand products were displayed. A final important part to the Swatch group was the vision set out by Hayes (CEO). The Swatch group wanted to convey a message like no other watch brands in the watch market. Hayes and the swatch group made it clear that the group wanted to target ND be present in all market/ price segments from top to bottom and willingness that the group would be able compete in the markets. Key Issues After clearly seeing the nature of business the swatch group takes, it is clear the Swatch group has a couple of different issues that need to be addressed in order for the company to move in the right direction. The issues the swatch group faces is first that currently their position in the industry is ambiguous and needs to be re organized/ re positioned to give a clearer out look o the future. They are being seen by consumers as Just a fad of the earlier days and Ewing over looked by upcoming and exciting watch industries like Timex. Another is their high manufacturing costs of producing watches in Switzerland which is becoming a strain on the company financially. With more and more of the competition looking for outsourcing possibilities in countries with low cost production solutions, the swatch group has started to fall behind. The problem has really started to affect the company and stands at the forefront of their issues. Continuing to manufacture in one of the most expensive countries in the world and began to take a toll on the company. Another issue that is posed on the swatch group is the increasing competition and different market niches. With companies beginning to take Autocue Transliteration strategies In tenet companies, certain market segments and price segments are becoming increasingly more competitive. This stands as a serious issue for the swatch group as they are present in all market segments and price categories and can result in decreased net margin. Strategic Alternatives The first alternative that Swatch group can pursue is moving manufacturing out of Switzerland into Asia, countries with lower cost production solutions. This will lead to watch taking a cost focused strategy approach. By moving production out of Switzerland the swatch group will be able to maintain with its competitors in regards to production and its productions costs will move from a weakness to strength. By moving production out of Switzerland and still be compliant with the Switzerland government, the swatch group will be able to continue forward with growth and have more to invest in their R and D department. The second alternative that the Swatch group can pursue is a strategic partnership with titan industries (a watch making company based out of India) which will help with the many reposition itself internationally, significantly helping its efforts of gaining more international recognition. Titan industries is also another extraordinary success story in the industry, there expansion has been quick, profitable and recognized by the industry. In this broad differentiation strategy an alliance with a company like titan suits swatch well, as both are looking to continue to grow internationally and avoid the wide spread of competitors continuing to enter the market while both focusing primarily on the watch industry. With immense domestic demand and low cost labor, titan seems to be an exciting and profitable opportunity. The third alternative that swatch can explore is reorganizing its product portfolio. With continued increase in competition especially with competition in niche markets tightening up, swatches current strategy of attempting to be present in all market and price segments seems to have expired. In this focused differentiation alternative swatch will focus their attention on their product lines that are more profitable for the company and abandon their other markets. This means swatch will put more focus on their middle to luxury market segments. This will create a more of a focused differentiation approach strategy. Criteria and evaluation of alternatives by criteria In determining which option will best suit the Swatch group and lead them to more prosperous future, the alternatives that have been discussed need to be asses against three criteria. The first criterion that needs to be met in order to ensure future success for the alternatives would be to produce a positive NP (Net Present Value). The second criterion that needs to be assessed is how each alternative will affect the companys long term sustainability. The final criterion that will be assessed or each alternative is risk level of each possible direction, in the sense evaluating if any of the alternative imposes any greater risks on the Swatch group or the risk of the strategy failing In the first alternative of moving production out of Switzerland with regards to the first criteria of NP, this criterion would produce a NP of $5,333,543,488 which satisfies the criteria. In terms of long term sustainability, moving production out of Switzerland could play a positive role with this criterion. As production is being moved out, costs will De raceme, growth can De Increased as cap tall can De ovate to toner important initiatives of the company and the selling price can be readjusted. The risk level of alternative is tarnishing the Swiss made label that has been the foundation of the company. If consumers drop the product because the prestigious label has become cheaper the company could lose market share in the higher to middle end market segments, which would hurt growth in the company and the futures outlook. The second alternative of partnering with titans industries, creates an NP of $9,027,460,032 which is not only positive, satisfying the first criterion it is the largest NP produced, a important factor to consider. With regards to long term sustainability, this alternative seems to be the strongest in this criterion. With the company needing to reposition itself and create a firmer outlook in a fickle industry, partnering would create the companys outlook stronger and create a synergy between two rising companies looking for international expansion. The partnership would assist in lowering costs, opening up new markets, benefiting from economies of scales, combining assets, advanced growth and competition advantages. The risk level of this alternative is the possibility of losing some of its Swiss made label, which could hinder the future. Also since titan had failed in an alliance earlier, the possibility of failure is possible. The last alternative of reorganizing their portfolio by reducing their product line to the most profitable product, satisfies the first criterion producing an NP of $5,447,279,600. With long term sustainability, the company would be able to see growth through focusing on their most profitable product lines, except costs would increase because the producing these higher end market segments would be more expensive. The risk level of this alternative is that consumer would be lost resulting n lower revenues and if they cant attain higher market share in the product lines they focused on the company would not see growth. The pay out of this alternative might not be worth the risk of consolidation of the products. Recommendation and Implementation Based on the evaluation of the alternatives, the recommended strategy to implement is to create a strategic partnership with Titan industries. The criterion shows that this alternative would be the most attractive in dealing with the key issues the Swatch group faces in the future. Profits would be increased, costs would be reduced b, intention reduced and the company would be repositioning itself for the future. Implementing this strategy would have be done delicately and ensured that not too much time is spent to distract them from moving forward. First part of production would be moved to India resulting in redistributing the cost savings in R and D and some production kept in Switzerland to attempt to keep the Swiss made label. A marketing campaign would be implemented to create a view of the future for the organization and ensure consumers know where the organization stands. The marketing campaign would involve social networks, heavy advertising and the SE of celebrities from all over the world wearing the watches. Then continue to produce product lines, with a more international aspect being implemented so new markets are created. Competition will then be targeted, innovating together by destroying images of others and increasing market share of their own. Avoidance of WOO De nope In tens partnership to rely more on current assets AT ten alliance. Limitations and critique of recommendation While this strategy of partnering with Titan industries seems to look strong and quite promising for the organization certain limitations exists. The first one being that Titan had already tried to work with a partner to develop internationally and move forward, this company being Timex. While a failure seems possible, the difference in this scenario is that both companies are more suitable for a partnership opposed to the partnership with Timex, who really never needed one and was becoming strong on their own. In this scenario swatch and titan need each other more then Timex needed titan. Another limitation that occurs is the fact that even though some production stays in Switzerland, the Swiss made label needs might be tarnished. While this risk seems possible, a proper advertising campaign can mitigate this risk and help the organization move forward without fear of this really hurting the company. The limitations are a concern only if the Swatch group does not commit fully to this strategy. Exhibit 1 External Analysis Opportunities and Threats: Opportunity: New Markets * Opportunity to expand internationally with new markets being produce * Deciding whether to enter the markets or not * With new markets being entered, hype/ attention will be back on swatch * Technology advances creating new markets Opportunity: Low Cost Production solutions Over seasons markets open to inexpensive cheap labor * Could be considered a threat if not taken advantage of * Lower costs of production leads to lower overall costs and higher profits Threat: Market saturation * Companies investing more in research and development in niche markets(RD) * Heightened competition in focused markets, creating tougher markets to compete in Threat: New Markets * International expansion helping companies move internationally, and steal market share from other companies * New competition taking advantage of innovation in the industry, creating new product lines Conclusion: To take advantage f these opportu nities means to take advantage of them now before they disappear. In the watch industry, it seems of late its becoming an ever changing industry where position needs to be firm. With regards to the threats, if they arent dealt with they can be a serious detrimental issue to a business in the industry.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

The prevailing poverty and inequalities in the world Essay

The prevailing poverty and inequalities in the world - Essay Example More specifically, the Summary Report of the Social development: implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly states (2006) that around the world some of "those working did not earn enough to lift themselves and their families above the $2-a-day poverty line" (p.3) In other words, it has quantified economic impoverishment as an earning below the amount of two USD. Hence those people who do not have opportunities to earn a minimum of 2 USD per day, as said to be in a state of poverty. According to the Summit Report of the United Nations General Assembly (2006), the approximate estimate of those living below the poverty-line globally, was about 1.4 billion. This is despite the fact that this 1.4 billion is a working force. According to the report "although the share of the $2-a-day working poor in total employment had decreased to 47.4 per cent in 2006, from almost 55 per cent in 1996" (p.3). Moreover, other categories of aged unemployed, women and children unemployed also fall into the category of 'people living below the poverty line, according to the Summit Report (2007, p. 2-3). The overall figures of the various figures show a m

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Commercialization of organ transplants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Commercialization of organ transplants - Essay Example This however has resulted in the emergence of a heated debate with some people supporting this move while others strongly opposing it. This scenario has been brought about by ethical issues which surround the entire process of the organ transplant and their respective sale. This paper will seeks to expound upon both side of the debate and highlight why commercialization of transplants should be discouraged. To start with, the organs under transplant are priceless and in most cases are donated as a humane gesture. They are a gift from our creator that were never commercially acquired. This however has been countered by the proponents of commercialization that being reliant on altruism to acquire these organs has resulted in failure to meet their high demand. This has resulted in the death of many patients who could only have survived from such procedures (Talbot, D’Allessandro & Muiesan 2010, p.31). In addition, commercialization has impeded the acts of donating cadavers and th e development of requisite programs. This has been countered by the claim that live transplants are only used to supplement the organs acquired from the cadavers. The difference that comes in between the two is about who is the actual beneficially after the organ transplant. ... cases of organ transplants which only unfairly brand them as rich harvesting zones (Kanniyakonil 2005, p.202) In addition the payment done for this organ is not reminiscent of their real value. This makes it appear as a cosmetic exercise, a well-calculated move to blind the vulnerable in the society from the reality. Attaching any value to the organs is an unethical process since they are invaluable. This has been countered by the claim that prohibition would only deny the poor the chance to make quick money for a noble cause. This would not in any way help their financial situation nor benefit the recipient; thus, the proponents claim it to be a win-win situation for both of them. Additionally, commercialization would only fuel instances of human trafficking which would put the donor in a risky situation. There also have been cases of where corrupt medical practitioners harvest not only one but all the organs leading to the demise of the donor. Furthermore, the conditions during the performance of the transplant would be very poor and further risk the life of the trafficked donor. To counter this, the proponents have made use of statistics that the risk attributed to kidney transplant is approximately 0.03%. Commercialization would be an insult to the financially unstable in the society. This would widen the gap of inequity since only the rich would afford these commercialized organs. This denial of organs accessibility would erode the principle of justice which is a basic ethical practice. The proponent of this cause however argues that the centralization of all organs donated would create equitable allocations based on social or medical need. This will bypass the notion that the very best goes to the highest bidder. Therefore, the sale of organs should not be

Monday, January 27, 2020

The Success Of Ebay

The Success Of Ebay eBay.Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides online marketplaces for the sale of goods and services, online payment services, and online communication offerings to a diverse community of individuals and businesses in the United States and internationally. The company operates in three segments: eBay Marketplace, Payments, and Communications.   The eBay Marketplaces segment provides infrastructure to enable online commerce in a variety of formats, including the traditional auction platform; and its other online platforms, such as Rent.com, Shopping.com and Marktplaats.nl. Its services include trust and safety programs; feedback forum; safe harbor program; eBay standard purchase protection program; customer support; tools and services; and My eBay, which permits users to receive a report of their eBay activity that includes bidding, selling, account balances, favourite categories, and recent feedback, as well as About Me, which provides users to create their own personal home page. The Payments segment delivers a product for small businesses, online merchants, and individuals that enables them to send and receive payments online. Its services include joining the network, verification of its PayPals account holders, withdrawing money, and trust and safety programs. The Communications segment enables voice over Internet protocol calls between Skype users, as well as provides connectivity to traditional fixed-line and mobile telephones. It offers its software in 23 languages. The company also offers online apartment rental services and comparison shopping resource service, as well as provides an Internet payment platform that allows merchants to authorize, process, and manage online payments. eBay, Inc. was founded by Pierre M. Omidyar in 1995 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.   What is eBays business strategy? How successful has it been? What are the problems that eBay is currently facing? The business strategy of eBay is to generate revenue from the fees and commissions associated with its charged to the site to exchange products. The revenue is generated by the people who use the eBay site. This view has been supported in the work of Laudon (2009, pp.308-309). eBay also collects revenue from direct advertising as well as from various service providers, such as PayPal that increase the ease and speed of eBay transactions ( The wikinvest, 2010). eBay also build on its existing strengths and increase its choice of customized shopping experiences and new monetization models. Properties such as eBay Express, ProStores, eBay Stores, and Shopping.com give eBay entry into the market for new, in-season products (The eBay Inc, Annual Report, 2009). eBays growth strategy focuses on expansion in geography and scope and on continuing innovation to enhance the variety and appeal of products on its sites. This view has been supported in the work of Laudon (2009, pp.308-309). eBay is now begun developing tools and services that promote e-commerce anywhere on the web. eBay is also having discussion with MySpace to allow eBay listing on MySpace pages. The eBay companys plan has been very successful by economies of scale of eBay due to its large supply of buyers and sellers (Kevin Dickson, 2009). Having a large number of active users as they do, they are able to protect themselves from new entrants to the industry. This retains their market share and provides them with a strong foundation for successful business. eBay is very successful, whereby the company has been profitable and had attracted more than 233 million users by 2006 It has operations in 32 countries. In 2005, eBay users listed 1.8 billion items in auctions. This caused about $50 billion dollars exchanging hands (Catherine Holahand 2007). One of the most successful parts of the company is that it is fully automated. This significantly reduces costs to eBay, keeping net income high. According to Danny Vogeley, 2005 states that, current problems that eBay facing now is based on analysts report that sales growth have dropped from 40 percent annually to 23 percent. New users are no longer joining the site at the same rate they used to join, and there are many of eBays top sellers arent concerned in adding voice calls to their sales models. eBay also has faced is a rising number of buyers who have been defrauded by sellers (Albert, Miriam R, 2002). Customer service is one more problem for eBay and it is mostly due to the size of the eBay company. eBay experiences basically two types of customers, sellers and buyers. Often the need of one customer is not the same as the need of the other (The eBay Inc, 2010). The next problems that eBay is currently facing are resistance by some of its top sellers to its operation of a VoIP service Skype, a aggressive threat to the online auction marketplace in Asia by Yahoo, and maintaining the honesty and integrity of its auction service in the face of tremendous growth and expansion (Jeffrey S, 2006). How is eBay trying to solve these problems? Are these good solutions? Are there any other solutions that eBay should consider? In order eBay to solve these problems, they are trying to improve its sites user experience to keep its loyal customer base happy. It is reducing the clutter of its web page design, especially the home page, which has been described as one of the most confusing and cluttered in the industry. This view has been supported in the work of Laudon (2009, pp.308-309). eBay is looking to improve product search result and give buyers more guidance in finding the product they are looking for without having to scour through hundreds or might be thousand of listing. eBay also increasingly focused on providing a traditional retail experience or small seller in order to have great income as a result (Nikole Cruise, 2009). The solutions is eBay try to include a great expansion. Growth rates have been hindered by the increase in seller fees, however, these loses have been covered by the expansion into other countries. This view has been supported in the work of Laudon (2009, pp.308-309). Joseph. T. Sinclair (2007, pp.62) states that eBay has added extra measures of protection. For example, eBay will give extra protection to those buyers that purchase a vehicle on their sites. eBay has also entered into a number of relationships with major competitors such as Yahoo! and Google. Other than that, eBay is banking on PayPal to become the standard payment technique for online transaction (Evan Schwartz, 2001). This has allowed its eBays customers to buy and sell goods and receive payments easily. This has increased the user base of eBays customers. To remain in touch with its customers, eBay has started a program called Voices which brings buyers and sellers together 10 times a year at corporate headquarters (Josh Catone, 2008). This program allows users to talk to management and discuss what the users like and dislike about eBay and make suggestions. eBay has tried to build a channel of communication between customers (Charles  M.  Mayo, 2010) . It enables customers to discuss tips on how to sell and purchase items. It is also creating a component of the website where people can discuss items that people collect and trade. Using these ideas can help to decrease the number of fraudulent transactions. This view has been supported in the work of Laudon (2009, pp.308-309). eBay is now also looking to improve product search result and give buyers more guidance in finding the products they are looking for without having to scour through hundreds of listing. The solutions that eBay has come up with to resolve various problems seem to be effective. eBay believes that the most vital task of the company is to keep customers happy (Annalee Newitz, 2007). eBay is trying to maintain the selling capabilities of the merchants on eBay as well as the confidence of its customers. An extra solution that eBay have to consider includes helping to avoid fraudulent purchases (Tri Bros Broda, 2006). eBay could act as a mediator between the two parties. It could set rules stating that the purchaser must pay the amount of the item to eBay. Once the item has been sent to the purchaser, the payment will then be forwarded to the seller. What people, organization, and technology factors play a role in eBays response to its problems? People factors that play a role in eBays problems include the company employs and manage diverse kinds of people. The company employs around 15,500 employees. Whereby, the employees of the company have different background and each had different job experiences in the past. Such is done by the company because they believe that these people can give them a unbiased in organization (The eBay Inc, 1998). This makes the company flexible to different kinds of situation to this problem. The next People factor that plays a role in eBays problems is the employees at eBay are extremely well taken care of, and this is an area of pride for the company (Kevin Dickson, 2009). With out a large force of human capital eBay would not be able to function. The focus on employee satisfaction and attitudes is important to achieve the success of the company. People factors include recognizing that there are problems in the company and coming up with the solutions to the problems. People in eBay has to figure out how allocate its 8000 full time workers as eBay purchases new technologies and programs that will be used on the website and that will need support (The eBay Inc, 2010). People will have to talk to buyers and sellers to determine if the companys new services are satisfying the demands of the users. Organizational responsibilities factor play a role in the planning process because an organization is responsible for providing stakeholders with profit or value first and foremost. (Sarah Ganly, 2010). The benefit to the stakeholder to play a role in the decisions of the planning process because the ultimate goal of most businesses is to provide value Organization factors in eBay include having enough employees to carry out the changes to the company. It must be made sure that the organizations business strategy is customized to satisfy new and emerging demands (The eBay Inc, 2009). The organization also needs to have enough finances to fund the purchase of the new programs and services that it may use to respond to the problems (Catherine Holahan, 2007). Within the organization factors eBay has made many advances to aid in their growth. Three operating segments have been designed within the company to handle the commonly used marketplaces, along with the additions of payments and communications (Kevin Dickson, 2009). Marketplaces are made up through the use of eBay auction listings, fixed price listings, as well as the additions of their other online platforms, Half.com, Rent.com, Shopping.com and StubHub. In Technology factors include offered new innovations in the technological sector and introduced new concepts with regards to eBay site (Ina Steiner, 2010). Seeing as, technology rapidly changes the company makes sure they are updated to what is happening and they can adjust to these changes. The company makes sure that the products they have are updated with regards to technology and if new technologies emerge they can compete with these products. eBay summarized its ongoing site operations and underscored its success in scaling to process ever-growing global demand and rolling out advanced features and functions while lowering costs (The eBay Inc, 2001). The company also described its next generation software architecture, which is designed to increase productivity and trading speed as well as allow for greater flexibility in adding new businesses Technology factors include the element and programs that will be run by eBay such as PayPal, Half.com, Shopping.com and Skype. EBay will most likely have to also increase storage space to accommodate the new programs (Kevin Dickson, 2009). EBay will have to develop the technologies and have the programs written that will power eBays new Ad Context program that will compete with Googles Ad Sense program that runs contextual online ads based on keywords that are searched in the website. Will eBay be successful in the long run? Why or why not? Yes, eBay will be successful in the long run. eBay is the worlds largest online auction website (The Buzzle Online, 2010). eBay will stay successful as long as another e-commerce site does not start up that offers better security and seller/buyer service. Their business strategy has already proven to be extremely effective, and they are currently the dominant player in the online marketplace business. As the effort that eBay facing may limit its future growth and expansion, they should always be able to keep at least their current levels of business and resulting profit margins (The Channel Advisor, 2010). In the ways to make eBay to successful in long run, eBay will have to design ways of attracting new buyers to the website so that transactions can continue to take place (Jack Goldstein, 2009). eBay has been investing greatly in VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), but at the moment VOIP is not of necessity considered a mainstream service. This view has been supported in the work of Laudon (2009, pp.308-309). eBay needs to find ways of making this service more obtainable not just to its current users but to people in general. eBay can work with computer manufacturers and supply financial investment to have VOIP technology installed into computers. Beside this, eBay has a large market space spanning dozens of countries. This maintains a large base for customers to sell their products easily and effectively. eBay is trying to apply more interactivity with the purchase of Skype, so that customers and sellers can communicate two-way (Catherine Holahan, 2007). eBay provides a high level of price transparency, the simplicity to which customers can find out prices in a market (Philipp Maier, 2005). eBay has recognised that it is more profitable to work with competitors such as Yahoo! and Google. The ensuing that eBay now shows has generated a source of revenue. Conclusion eBay has always done very well in focusing its companys goals and has been fast in grabbing into opportunities. eBays business model demanded that their viewers needed to be many thousands of consumers, and there should be a balance between buyers and sellers. They actively worked balance the number of buyers with the number of sellers. Envisioning success, they designed their Web site to make it easy for many simultaneous buyers to find items to buy, and for sellers to offer items for sale. They provided sellers with a safe, reliable means to collect what they were owed, while also providing the buyer with a similar safe, reliable means to ensure that what they bought was just as the seller had represented it.   The eBay company should try to branch out to other business opportunities. The company can try to have a personal buying and selling business wherein a company has a visible branch that buys and sells different products and services. Customers who have known the company for a long time will be the first customers of the company in this effort. eBay gives a whole new meaning to the word middle man business. It does this by providing extra ordinary tools to sellers which, lets the seller target their products to the buyers. It also provides buyers with wonderful search tools, to get to the products they are looking for. eBay has made a very powerful platform for both sellers and buyers by being seamless and invisible but at the same time facilitating Customer to Customer relationship.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

How to Throw a Party Without Getting Caught By Parents?

Then, he wonders how e will ever keep it a secret from his parents. His life will be over if his parents find out and he will be grounded until he Is married. Luckily for him, he Just has to follow numerous steps In order to not receive a miserable punishment from his parents. He will conquer his high school dream of becoming a part of the popular crowd and earn respect from his peers all while acting Like the perfect child towards his mother and father. As he learned in high school English class, research must be done before writing a huge research paper.He must first see when his parents and siblings will be out of own for more than a couple of hours in order to throw the party. He should do this by tip-toeing down to the kitchen, looking at the family calendar, and finding a day where the house will be completely empty and useable. He absolutely cannot ask his parents directly when they will be gone or the entire plan Is ruined and suspicion will fill his parents' heads. If his pa rents planned for a family vacation for the weekend, he can simply play sick and contract a viral disease that will inhibit him from going on the family trip.With this terrible Illness, the family will have to leave him at home while they go on to their vacation. After all, he Is a high school boy and can take care of himself. If the whole family decides to stay home and â€Å"take care† of their beloved son, then he must magically hop out of bed, claim to be well again, and go on the trip. There will be another available time slot to have a house party. Once he finds a time where the family is gone for the day or night, he can begin to plan the party.If the parents decide to ask their neighbor or grandparents to check in on him, he should avoid this by telling the â€Å"watcher† that he does not want to get them sick and will send periodic pictures of what he is doing throughout the night. He will of course cake pictures alone in a room doing homework, reading, or lis tening to music while the rest of the party Is In another room. He must first find a close group of friends that will evaluate the student population and figure out who to invite. These friends must be trustworthy and not have parents who are friendly with the host's parents.If a parent of one of his friends calls the host's mom, the entire plan could be ruined If the friend's mom says her son was at a party at their house. Once a group is formed, speak of the party to anyone but his close group of friends until he is 100% certain of the time and day of the party. He should wait till the day of the party to invite people. This should be done through Backbone. He should create an invite on Backbone and make the invite private which means only people he invited can see it.If he tells his peers a week before the party, talk could go around school, get whispered to parents, and get told to his mom and dad. The planning behind the party is key. Once the day of the party comes, he must th ink about every possible situation that could occur and safe proof the house. He must remove any objects that are sentimental to his parents, things that are easily broken, and valuables of any kind in moms where the teenagers will be occupying. Before doing so, he should take a picture of each room so that he can put back all objects into the correct spot.If his parents noticed a picture or lamp was moved to the other side of the room, they may become suspicious and ask questions. He must lock doors to rooms he does not want anyone in such as the parents room or the father's office. If a teenager were to get into these rooms while unlocked, things could be moved around or stolen without the host even noticing. If the parents came home and saw a disruption in their bedroom r office, he would be punished immediately due to suspicion.The fewer the rooms that teenagers are allowed to go in to, the easier clean up will be. If there is illegal activity going on at the party such as under age drinking, the bathroom can be a common living area for party goers. There should be an excessive amount of toilet paper, paper towels, plungers, trash bags, and air fresheners in the bathrooms. With these available necessities, hopefully his guests will have chances to clean up after themselves. In order to minimize visibility to neighbors, he should drape or tape blankets and towels over the windows.This way, neighbors will not see any suspicious activity and call up his parents.. If his parents are coming home at one in the afternoon the following day, he should set three alarms in order to wake up four hours before his parents arrive. Once he does all these things, the party can begin and guests can arrive, but with caution. To lessen suspicion amongst neighbors, all guests should carpool with as many people as possible and park a block away from the house or scatter their cars throughout the neighborhood.This way, there will not be a line of cars in front of the house that i s supposedly vacant. Once the guests enter the house, he should pump up the music to an appropriate level and peruse the party making sure all guests are having a great time. After each guest enters the house, he must lock the door immediately after. This way no uninvited teenagers can come in the party. Also, if a guest leaves the door open without the host knowing, the neighbors might catch a glimpse of the activity going on in the house and call the parents.Once he does this, he can enjoy himself at the party. He should monitor the rooms people are allowed in and clean up food, cups, or any trash left behind. If he does this, the cleanup will be easier the next day and trash will not accumulate under sofas or tables. He should make sure guests are all feeling well and having a good time. While doing these steps, he will also be meeting numerous friends and becoming the most popular guy in Tree Hill High School. Once the host becomes tired, he should tell all guests to leave and t ravel home safely.Before he falls asleep, he should call his parents to and say goodnight. They will not be suspicious of their son's activities. After he says his goodbyes, he should clean up as much as he can. The clean-up process cannot be put aside and done five minutes before the parents come home. If he misses a single alarm and does not have time to clean up, the house will not be in perfect condition and his mom and dad will know he threw a raging house party. That is why he set three alarms to ensure this does not happen.After all three alarms wake him up; he must start with loading trash bags with bottles, cans, cups, boxes, or any large trash items. Because he woke up so early, he can have enough time to take these trash bags to a public dumping site so that his parents do not wonder why there are numerous trash bags for one person. He must look outside the window and make sure his guests did not dump their trash on his rent lawn. Once this is done, he should then move on to general clean-up such as mopping, sweeping, and putting back all the objects he originally took away.He must grab his camera, look at the pre-party pictures and make sure all heirlooms, pictures, and valuables are in their precise starting position. He should then unlock all the original rooms he blocked off. The host should do a scan of the house and make sure there are no holes in the walls or stains on the floors. If so, he should have enough time to figure out a solution. If there is a hole in the wall, he can cover it up with mouthing such as a chair and then casually admit that he caused the hole at a later time in the week when playing football in the house by himself.After the clean-up is done, he should change into casual clothes, plop on the couch, pop in a movie, and pretend that he Just woke up and is having a relaxing day. Once his parents came home, they will suspect no party occurred in the house and see that they have the best son in the world. As long as he foll ows every necessary step, he will throw the biggest, most raging house party to ever occur in his small town without his parents ever finding out.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 7

â€Å"Get out,† I said immediately. Yasmine and Vincent, finishing their breakfast at my table, looked up in surprise. Niphon gestured toward them. â€Å"I was invited in. I didn't think it'd be a problem.† Angel and human looked distinctly uncomfortable, and I could guess what had happened. Niphon had turned up, and they'd let him inside, not knowing about our animosity. They'd probably figured he was a partner in evil which, in the most technical of ways, he was. Vincent hastily stood up and took his empty plate to the sink. Yasmine followed. â€Å"Well,† said Vincent. â€Å"We should probably get going.† â€Å"Yeah,† agreed Yasmine, grabbing her coat. Fools rushed in where angels feared to tread, apparently. â€Å"Great seeing you guys.† They left so fast that they might as well have teleported out. I fixed my attention back on Niphon. â€Å"Get out,† I repeated. He leaned back against my couch, draping his arms over the back of it. â€Å"Letha, Letha – â€Å" â€Å"And stop calling me that.† â€Å"Whatever you like. And don't worry, I'll be out of your hair soon. I just wanted to give you a Tawny update.† Oh God. Tawny. Please, please let her have scored last night, I silently begged. Her attitude at the bar hadn't really inspired confidence, but maybe me leaving with Jude had set a good example. â€Å"She hasn't taken a victim yet.† Damn. â€Å"Alright, thanks,† I said, pointing at the door. â€Å"You can leave now. And next time, it's really okay if you call to give me an update. Preferably when you're in the taxi that's taking you to the airport so I don't ever have to fucking see you again.† He rose from the couch, giving me a wounded look. â€Å"Fine, fine. But there is one other thing I wanted to talk to you about.† â€Å"There is nothing at all I want to talk to you about.† I was on the verge of growling. â€Å"Oh, I'm not so sure about that.† His hand rested on the doorknob, but he showed no intention of actually leaving. â€Å"I think you'll be very interested. It's about your love life.† â€Å"No! We are not talking about this.† â€Å"Le – Georgina, I just want to help you,† he whined. â€Å"I think it's terrible that you two can't fully express your love.† â€Å"We. Are. Fine. And don't lean against the door. I don't want your hair to leave an oil stain.† Niphon straightened up and ran a solicitous hand over the back of his head. â€Å"Look, I get why you don't want to sleep with him. It's admirable. You want to protect his lifespan, not wipe him out, etc., etc. But what if that wasn't an issue? What if I made it so that you could have sex without the dire side effects?† â€Å"Right. And you'd do that out of the kindness of your heart.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged and spread his hands wide. â€Å"There's always a price.† â€Å"It's not worth it. Not worth Seth selling his soul.† â€Å"I could sweeten the deal. Give him a longer lifespan†¦longer youth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No. I swear to God, if you don't leave now, I'm calling Jerome.† That was a bluff, seeing as Jerome was out of town. â€Å"Like I said, just trying to help,† Niphon said. â€Å"Yeah, like you helped me?† I asked, not bothering to hide the sarcasm. Suddenly, the mocking, teasing look vanished. Niphon's face grew hard. Angry. Scary. â€Å"I did help you, Little Letha. You were no one. No one at all. Some poor fisherman's daughter in a shit, backwoods town. Some whore in a shit, backwoods town. You fucked up your life, and I fixed it for you. I made you who you are. Erased your problems. Saved your husband. Gave you eternal life and beauty. If anything, you owe me.† â€Å"It wasn't worth it,† I said, in a voice that matched his dark expression. â€Å"It wasn't worth it.† â€Å"Wasn't it? Would you have rather watched your husband commit suicide? Would you rather have died an outcast and disgraced?† I didn't answer. I thought about the desperate look on my husband's face when he'd found out that I'd cheated on him. Even after all these centuries, that expression still haunted me. He'd been driven to such despair that he'd been on the verge of taking his own life. In selling my soul and becoming a succubus, I'd struck a bargain with Hell that made him and everyone else I knew forget me. My husband had lived and gone on with his life, forgetting I'd ever existed. Had it been worth it? Observing my silence, Niphon's face turned taunting once more. He opened the door. â€Å"Good-bye, Georgina. Let me know if you change your mind.† He left, and I stared at the door for a long time before finally forcing my feet to start moving. The Seth soul-selling offer held no temptation for me whatsoever. That didn't trouble me. But his other words†¦the reminders of my past†¦ I sighed. I didn't want to deal with that, not with everything else going on in my life right now. And speaking of which†¦with two hours left until work, I decided to bite the bullet and again try to get more information about my dreams. From Dante. His store looked as bleak as the last time I'd visited, but this time, he actually had a customer. She was a young woman, college-aged maybe, with layered brown hair and a gray sweatshirt. Seeing her, I started to step back outside, but he waved me in. â€Å"No, no, it's okay. You can wait here.† Dante glanced at the girl. Both of them sat at the shabby, velvet-covered table. â€Å"You don't mind, do you?† She barely spared me a glance. â€Å"No! No! Hurry, go on. I want to hear more about the man.† Dante produced a dazzling grin that seemed a bit fake to me but which I suspected was actually very effective on her. Taking a step closer, I realized he was reading her Tarot cards. Several already lay on the table. He flipped another over. â€Å"Ah, the Hierophant.† His voice held a mysterious, knowing note. â€Å"What's that mean?† she squealed. â€Å"You don't know? You don't know anything about these?† She shook her head. â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"Well, the Hierophant is a great love card. It represents a romantic man, someone good-looking and charming who loves giving gifts and doing small gestures. You know the kind.† â€Å"I don't, actually,† she said wistfully. â€Å"All my boyfriends have been jerks.† â€Å"Well, that's going to change,† he promised. I knew quite a bit about Tarot cards, actually. The Hierophant represented tradition, wisdom, and organized religion. He wasn't exactly a romantic figure, particularly considering he was usually depicted as a priest. â€Å"Why is he dressed so weird?† asked the girl. â€Å"He looks like he's in robes.† â€Å"It's not weird,† Dante said. â€Å"It's opulent. Remember, the Tarot is an ancient system. A guy dressed like this represented the height of fashion back in the old days. You know, a real designer label kind of guy.† I caught Dante's gaze and rolled my eyes. He maintained his poker face and flipped the next card. â€Å"Things are looking good,† he declared. â€Å"The Tower.† The Tower was pretty much the worst card in the deck. â€Å"This shows you guys have a promising future.† â€Å"Why is it on fire?† she asked. â€Å"And why are people falling out of the windows?† â€Å"It's all symbolic,† he said hastily. â€Å"And although things look really good for when you meet this guy, it means you have to be cautious and read the signs around you.† â€Å"Oh, wow,† she said. â€Å"I hope I can.† Dante gathered up the cards and stacked them neatly. â€Å"Well, I can help if you want. I could give you a package set of readings at a discount. That way, you'll have a guide as you go along. You'll be prepared for when you meet him.† I sincerely doubted she was ever going to meet this mythical guy. â€Å"How much?† she asked hesitantly. â€Å"Hmm, let's see.† Dante turned speculative. â€Å"Well, they're normally fifty dollars. Usually, I give a five-dollar discount for packages†¦but, hell. I really want to see this work. I'm a romantic myself, you know? It's a stretch, but I'll do a set of six for forty dollars each. You can buy them now and then come in whenever you want to claim them.† The girl deliberated, and I wanted to yell at her that it was a scam. But I needed Dante's advice and didn't want to get on his bad side. Not that I was necessarily on his good side right now. â€Å"I don't want to pressure you,† he told her gently. â€Å"So, please. Don't feel obligated. Just do whatever your heart tells you to do. I mean, if the cards have told us anything, it's that you have to protect your heart now as you enter this important stage of your life.† That sold her. â€Å"Okay. I'll do it.† I watched in disbelief as the two of them walked to his register. She handed over two-hundred-forty dollars – plus tax – and he gave her a Tarot punch card, not unlike what you'd get at a coffee or sandwich shop. â€Å"You should be ashamed of yourself,† I told him when she was gone. â€Å"Succubus. Nice to see you too.† â€Å"That wasn't a romance reading.† â€Å"Nope,† he agreed, coming over to stand beside me. â€Å"It actually suggested she'd soon be having a sex change and joining a suicide cult.† â€Å"But you told her it was about love.† â€Å"She's twenty years old. Love's all they want to hear about at that age.† â€Å"You're going to Hell.† â€Å"I could have told you that. In fact, I did tell you that last time, didn't I? Now. What can I do for you? You change your mind about the sex?† â€Å"No. Of course not.† He looked offended. â€Å"Of course not? What's with the attitude? I'm not that unappealing.† â€Å"No,† I agreed. He looked like he still hadn't shaved in a couple days, and there was something very sexy about that and the way his indigo T-shirt fit him. I hadn't realized before what nice ab muscles he had. Probably the lack of business around here gave him lots of time to work out. â€Å"But that's not why I'm here. And honestly, if this behavior is just the tip of the iceberg, I'm thinking your soul isn't going to be worth my time anyway.† He threw his hands in the air. â€Å"She comes and insults me, then expects help. So what is it you want? Your dishwasher finally break?† â€Å"No, but I had the dream again. And there was more.† I recapped it, and he listened, face unreadable. â€Å"You sure you don't want a new dishwasher?† he asked dubiously. â€Å"No!† â€Å"What about kids?† â€Å"What about them?† â€Å"You want them?† I fell silent, and despite his lopsided smile, I could see Dante scrutinizing me. He might be a con artist, but he was smart. The best ones always are. People like him make their living reading people and exploiting little things – like that girl's longing for romance. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† I said. â€Å"You know that. I can't have them.† â€Å"I didn't ask that, succubus. I asked if you wanted them.† I averted my eyes, studying the crystal ball. With the way the sunlight hit it, I suspected it was actually plastic. â€Å"Sure. I did even when I was mortal. If I could have kids now, I would.† He nodded, and for the first time, I got the impression he might almost be taking me seriously. Almost. â€Å"And let me guess. You woke up without energy.† â€Å"Yes, and I'd gotten a victim the night before. Just like last time.† His face turned speculative. â€Å"Interesting. It only happens when you're charged up.† â€Å"What do you think it means?† â€Å"Dunno. Might not mean anything.† â€Å"It has to! I'm losing energy for no reason at all.† â€Å"You're stressed,† he argued. â€Å"And you're, like, one of the most uptight people I've ever met – immortal or otherwise. You've spent centuries wishing you could get knocked up. You have this celibate boyfriend thing going on. And you work for that demon, right? The one who looks like Matthew Broderick?† â€Å"John Cusack,† I corrected. â€Å"He looks like John Cusack.† â€Å"Whatever. That's enough to tax anybody. Your dreams are manifestations of the woes in your life, coming out of your subconscious in vivid, energy-sucking ways.† â€Å"You are so unhelpful. Your dream expertise is a scam – like everything else.† â€Å"Nah. Not everything I do is a scam. I know dreams. I know spells. And I know what could help you.† â€Å"What?† He pointed to the counter. â€Å"You and me. Up there. Naked. Horizontal.† I groaned. â€Å"Wow, you really weren't lying. You are a romantic.† â€Å"A pragmatist. And an opportunist.† â€Å"A sleazy guy, treating me like a cheap whore†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Fuck, I haven't been laid in months, and now this succubus shows up wanting my help. You'd try to bargain for sex too.† I eyed him warily. â€Å"Is that what this is about? I have to sleep with you to get help?† Dante shoved his hands in his pockets. â€Å"Nope. You'd be more fun if you were willing, I think. Besides, I have no other help to give.† Disappointed, I made motions to leave. â€Å"Okay. Thanks. Sort of.† â€Å"You know what else might help?† he called after me. â€Å"If it involves sex – â€Å" â€Å"A vacation. At the very least, a massage. Basic stress reliever things.† Those were actually reasonable things, and I was pleasantly surprised to see his mind wasn't always in the gutter. â€Å"They can help,† I told him. â€Å"But I doubt a massage will fix the problems in my life.† â€Å"Maybe. Maybe not. But if you want a free one†¦a naked free one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I left. I'd already felt like my romance with Seth was some infinite loop tape reel. The rest of my life apparently was too. Have the same dream, go to Dante, get no help, go to work, and ruminate. Because that's exactly how my day was unfolding, just like before. I went through the motions of paperwork and customer service at Emerald City, all the while consumed by images of the little girl in the dream and the sweet fantasy of having a daughter. My heart ached to see her again, to see that smile. Everything at my job seemed so shallow and meaningless compared with her. When work ended, I brought Maddie back to my apartment to make good on my promise to get her a date. â€Å"You're going to sell me?† she exclaimed when I told her the plan. â€Å"It's an auction,† I said. â€Å"For a children's charity. You don't hate kids, do you?† â€Å"Well, no, but – â€Å" â€Å"Then this'll be great. Here, try this on.† I tossed her a BCBG shopping bag. She eyed it warily. â€Å"Isn't that a place for teenagers?† â€Å"It's a place for anybody with style,† I assured her. She opened the bag and pulled out the knee-length dress I'd picked up for her the other day. It was silk chiffon with a dark pink geometric print. The empire waist had a slightly gathered top, and the V-neck had a bow that tied underneath it. Fluttery cap sleeves finished it off. â€Å"I can't wear this,† she said immediately. â€Å"Why? Because it'll look good?† She shot me a glare. â€Å"There's hardly anything there.† â€Å"What? There's plenty.† I owned lots of dresses that had â€Å"hardly anything there.† This was elegant and tasteful. Amish country compared to some of my clothing. â€Å"Try it on, and we'll see.† She did, reluctantly, and I could have crowed with delight when she stepped out of my bathroom. I'd totally nailed the size. It fit perfectly. â€Å"There isn't an extra inch here,† she fretted, pulling at the fabric around the waist. â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"Doesn't it make me look fat?† â€Å"It makes you look great. If it were spandex or something, there might be a problem, but this is light and drapey.† â€Å"The neckline's awfully low – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, be quiet,† I snapped. â€Å"And let's finish the rest of you.† I did her makeup and arranged her hair down for a change. It shone like black silk when brushed out, and I thought it was a shame she wore it in a haphazard ponytail so often. Besides, everyone knows that in the movies, shy girls always become beautiful by letting down their hair and taking off their glasses. Maddie already wore contacts, but the principle was still sound. I finally finished her off with half-heeled shoes I'd bought to match the dress. Higher ones would have looked better, but even I knew when not to press my luck. Satisfied with the results, we headed out to the auction. â€Å"You're like my fairy godmother,† she muttered as we walked into the hotel the event was being held at. â€Å"But I'm still a pumpkin.† I elbowed her. â€Å"How did you get so negative? You should start some angstful emo rock band to compete with Doug's.† â€Å"Oh, yeah. That'd go over – hey, is that Seth?† We were cutting across the open room the auction would take place in, heading toward the volunteers' area. Lots of people had gathered, filling most of the round tables facing the stage. I followed her gesture to where Seth sat at one of the few tables that wasn't already full. Seeing us notice him, he held up his hand in greeting. â€Å"He wanted to come support you,† I told her. Actually, Seth had been appalled at me strong-arming Maddie into this and had attended mainly out of a perverse fascination at what he thought might end in disaster. But Maddie, not knowing his motives, was pleasantly surprised. She smiled, and I nearly swooned. â€Å"That,† I said. â€Å"That right there is what you need to do.† The smile dropped. â€Å"That what?† Hugh practically skipped over when he saw us. â€Å"I knew you didn't hate kids. I knew you'd cave and come help – â€Å" â€Å"Not me,† I said. â€Å"Maddie.† I rested a hand on her shoulder. Hugh's face turned perfectly blank. â€Å"Oh?† Just then, a tall brunette in a black satin evening dress strolled over. The â€Å"fucking fox,† presumably. She extended her hand. â€Å"Hello, I'm Deanna, the coordinator. You must be Hugh's friend?† â€Å"Georgina,† I said, shaking. â€Å"But Maddie here is your volunteer. She's a journalist for an important women's magazine.† Deanna's eyes lit up. â€Å"Ah! We love celebrities. Let me take down your information.† She led Maddie away. As soon as they were gone, Hugh turned on me. â€Å"What the hell? I wanted Georgina, and you give me Georgy Girl.† â€Å"You are such an asshole. That's a horrible thing to say.† He shrugged, eyes on Maddie. â€Å"I call 'em like I see 'em. She's huge.† My eyes were on Maddie too. She actually looked quite slim in the dress, but Hugh was one of those guys who liked bony types – so long as their chests were big enough. â€Å"You're the reason women have such horrible self-esteem issues. You tear them apart. Women, I mean. Not the issues.† â€Å"Look, I'm sure she's not all bad,† he said. â€Å"She probably gives good head.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Flatterer. Why do you say that?† â€Å"Fat girls always do. They have to. Only way they can get men.† I punched him in the arm. Hard. â€Å"Ow! Fuck, that hurt.† â€Å"You're a jerk,† I told him. â€Å"Maddie's beautiful.† â€Å"She's okay,† he said, rubbing his injured arm. â€Å"And I can't exactly have just okay tonight – not with that liability already on deck.† He pointed over to where some of the other volunteers waited. Immediately, I found what he referred to. It was easy because Tawny towered over the other women by about a foot. â€Å"Holy Christ,† I said. â€Å"How did that happen?† He threw up his hands, looking miserable. â€Å"She latched on to the idea when you mentioned it at the bar.† â€Å"I didn't even think she heard me,† I said apologetically. Hugh waved me toward the crowd. â€Å"Too late now. Go have a seat, Brutus, so this disaster can get under way. You've ruined the night. I don't know why you hate kids so much.† I gave him a parting glare and went off to find Seth. The vampires had joined him since I'd come in. â€Å"You guys here to get a date or a victim?† I asked. â€Å"Neither,† said Peter. â€Å"We're here to see the Tawny Show.† I sighed. â€Å"This is supposed to be a charity event, and people are treating it like a freak show. Hugh already accused me of ruining it by bringing Maddie.† Seth looked surprised. â€Å"Why? She looks great.† I pointed her out to Peter and Cody, who also concurred about her cuteness. â€Å"She'll be fine,† said Cody. â€Å"Tawny's going to be the one to watch. I haven't really been able to see what she's wearing. I hope it's up to her usual standards.† â€Å"Maybe her Secret Santa will get her some nicer clothes,† said Peter. He glanced at me. â€Å"You bought for yours yet?† â€Å"Huh?† Right. Carter. I'd completely forgotten. Buying something for that cynical angel hadn't exactly been at the top of my priority list. â€Å"I, um, have some ideas. Still thinking about it.† â€Å"What about a Christmas tree? You got one of those?† â€Å"Um, haven't done that either.† â€Å"I didn't know you wanted a Christmas tree,† said Seth. â€Å"Do you need help picking one out?† â€Å"Well, I don – â€Å" The auction started, cutting me off. The auctioneer, Nick, was a young guy in his early thirties who probably had a second job doing minor modeling contracts that would never actually get him out of Seattle. He smiled non-stop and did a good job flirting with the women and making guy-jokes to the men. Bids flew fast and furious, and it was easy to get caught up in the excitement. â€Å"Next up,† said the auctioneer, reading from a card, â€Å"is Tawny Johnson.† â€Å"Johnson?† asked Cody. â€Å"Kind of boring.† â€Å"She made up both her names,† I said. Succubi often did. â€Å"She probably didn't have any mental energy left after choosing the first one.† â€Å"Ouch,† said Seth. â€Å"Who's being mean now?† â€Å"You haven't met her,† I warned. Tawny pranced up, wearing seven-inch high-heeled shoes that appeared to be made out of stainless steel. They looked like medieval torture devices but matched her super-tight, silver lam? ¦ hot pants and jacket. â€Å"She didn't disappoint,† said Cody, studying the outfit. Unsurprisingly, she stumbled the last couple of steps, and Nick reached out to steady her. â€Å"Careful there,† he said, flashing his brilliant white teeth. â€Å"Men are supposed to fall all over you.† It took her a moment to get the joke, and then she burst into small, high-pitched giggles. The noise grated on my nerves, but Nick seemed quite pleased to have someone appreciate his jokes. â€Å"Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, Tawny,† he said. â€Å"It says here you're currently unemployed. Does that mean you're out looking for something right now?† â€Å"Well, Nick, I'm out looking for someone right now – if you know what I mean.† â€Å"Oh my God,† I said. â€Å"That was kind of funny,† Peter noted. â€Å"No, it wasn't.† Nick apparently agreed with Peter. He threw back his head and laughed. â€Å"Careful there, guys†¦we got a dangerous one on our hands. Tell me, Tawny, what is it you're looking for in a man?† She pursed her red-lacquered lips in deep thought. â€Å"I'm looking for heart, Nick. Heart and soul. Those are the most important things.† There was a collective â€Å"aww† from the audience. Beside me, Peter said, â€Å"Okay, the soul thing really was funny. Only to us, of course, but still.† Tawny then winked at the crowd. â€Å"But stamina and a big checkbook can make up for that sometimes.† Nick waited for the audience's laughter to fade. â€Å"Okay, let's start the bidding at fifty – oh my God.† Tawny had taken off her jacket, revealing a zebra-print bandeau top underneath. ‘Top' was a dubious term at best, though. When wrapped around her enormous bust, it looked more like a rubber band and really only served to cover her nipples. Bids exploded from the audience, much to the astonishment of my friends and me. More surprising still was when Nick the auctioneer actually joined in. â€Å"Folks, I know this is a bit unusual†¦but, well, I just can't help myself. Three-hundred dollars.† â€Å"Three-fifty!† â€Å"Four-hundred!† In the end, Nick was the one who ended up winning her, paying a startling five-fifty. â€Å"Well, I'll be damned,† said Peter. I would have made a joke about his comment if I wasn't so shocked. When I finally found my voice, it was to say, â€Å"Well†¦this is a good thing, right? That guy looks like he'd sleep with her right now.† â€Å"And,† added Cody, â€Å"it was all for the kids.† Slowly, my astonishment faded into relief. This was an unexpected twist to the evening. The Tawny problem was fixed. Apparently, all we'd needed to do was essentially run an ad for her. She'd sleep with him, and Niphon would get off my back. One less thing for me to worry about – which was good, because I certainly had plenty of other things. Like Maddie. It was her turn next. She walked out, face grim and set for battle. She looked both terrified and terrifying. In spite of that hard countenance, I still saw a few interested faces in the audience. â€Å"Smile, smile,† I muttered to no one in particular. â€Å"Maddie Sato,† said Nick cheerily. â€Å"You write magazine articles. Anything I'd know?† â€Å"Probably not,† she said, still wearing that grimace. â€Å"Not unless you read feminist publications.† â€Å"Feminist,† he said, clearly amused. â€Å"Next you'll be telling us you hate men.† She gave him a blank look. â€Å"I only hate stupid men who don't actually understand what ‘feminist' means.† He laughed. â€Å"You run into a lot of men like that?† â€Å"All the time.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Even as we speak, Nick.† â€Å"Oh no she didn't,† said Peter. I groaned. It took Nick a full ten seconds to realize he had just been insulted. Then, for the first time that night, he stopped smiling. Turning to the crowd, he said flatly, â€Å"Okay, let's start the bidding at fifty.† Silence met him. The interested faces no longer looked so interested. I swallowed a scream. No, this couldn't be happening. I'd promised her a date. This would destroy her. After what seemed like an eternity, I heard a voice in the back of the room. â€Å"Fifty.† Relieved, I craned my head and looked. The guy who had bid was about fifty years old and looked exactly like this pedophile I'd once seen on a news special. â€Å"Fifty,† said Nick. â€Å"Do I hear seventy-five?† Silence. I turned to Seth. â€Å"Do something!† I hissed. He flinched. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Going once†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I elbowed him, and his hand shot up. â€Å"Seventy-five.† There was a collective â€Å"ooh' in the room. Apparently no one, including Maddie, had expected a bidding war for the belligerent man-hater. Her eyes widened in surprise. â€Å"One hundred,† said the pedophile look-alike. Then, either to end this quickly or because he felt sorry for Maddie, Seth said, â€Å"Three hundred.† More sounds of astonishment followed. The other bidder couldn't compete; he must have spent all his money on bail. â€Å"Sold to the gentleman in the Welcome Back, Kotter T-shirt.† â€Å"Nice,† said Cody, as Maddie exited the stage. I reached out and squeezed Seth's hand. â€Å"Thank you.† He gave me his half-smile. â€Å"Anything for the kids.† Nick flipped to his next card. â€Å"And now we have†¦Georgina Kincaid.† My head shot up. Across the room, I saw Hugh's smirking face. â€Å"Oh no he didn't,† I said through gritted teeth. Nick, puzzled, glanced toward where the other auctionees were. â€Å"Georgina Kincaid?† â€Å"No avoiding it,† Peter told me. â€Å"Might as well go up there. Otherwise people'll think you hate kids.† â€Å"That joke is getting old,† I hissed. Vowing to slap Hugh later, I reluctantly rose from my chair. Upon seeing me, Nick turned on the supernova smile. â€Å"Ah, there she is. Fashionably late.† On the subject of fashion, I wished I'd worn something as nice as Maddie's dress. I might have just gotten tricked into this thing, but now I wished I could do it right. I still looked good; my normal sense of aesthetics would allow for nothing less. I had on a black skirt and a purple cashmere sweater, my hair in a ponytail. In tiny increments – too slow and small for anyone to notice – I tightened the sweater around my figure and made the neckline bigger. I put a saunter into my hips and pulled out my ponytail tie, shaking out my hair. It had worked for Maddie and countless nerdy movie girls. It would work for me because I suddenly had a serious issue at stake here. There was no way on God's green earth that I was going for less than Tawny. â€Å"Georgina,† said Nick, helping me onto the stage. â€Å"My notes say you prefer Georgie.† Yeah, Hugh was definitely getting slapped. â€Å"And that you run a bookstore.† If I'd taken a victim recently and had succubus glamour on me, I wouldn't have to do a single thing except stand there. I wouldn't even have to smile. Now I'd have to work a little. Quickly, I assessed this crowd. The kinds of guys who came to events like this tended to be white-collar professionals with disposable income. Some would be here simply because philanthropy was trendy and good for the image, and this was a stylish way to do it. Others, while perhaps not desperate, were nonetheless intellects and introverts who found this a good opportunity to meet women. These men all wanted smart, competent women – women who were also pretty, of course. And wit†¦wit always went over well. I gave Nick, then the audience, a heart-stopping smile. â€Å"That's right. I organize events, bring in money, make sure everything looks good, and whip people into shape.† â€Å"Sounds like a lot of work,† he said. â€Å"Or,† I said, â€Å"an excellent first date.† There was no cymbal crash, but my punch line elicited the laughs I'd hoped for. â€Å"You have some high expectations,† said Nick. â€Å"Well, I think everyone should. Why settle? If a guy meets my expectations, I'll meet his. And in the end, it's all about sense of humor and a conversation that won't put me to sleep.† I realized I sounded vaguely like a Miss America contestant, but maybe there wasn't much difference. I could see from the intrigue in the audience that I'd made a good impression. â€Å"This one's a keeper,† said Nick. â€Å"Let's start at fifty for Georgie.† I got my fifty and then some. Bids flew around the room. At one point, I glanced at Seth. Our eyes met, and I could tell by his expression that he was on the verge of bidding. I shook my head. He was the only one I wanted to go out with in this room, but I didn't want to taint Maddie's win. I wanted her to feel special. Besides, I also didn't want Seth to blow that much money. I went for seventeen-hundred dollars. â€Å"I can't believe that,† Maddie whispered to me afterward. â€Å"I think you're the highest one so far. The guy looked cute too.† He had. Late thirties. Armani suit. Harmless. Nobody I planned on establishing anything meaningful with, but he'd do for a casual date. Maybe an energy fix if I decided to use this body. â€Å"You brought in some money yourself,† I teased. Her eyes found Seth, sitting across the room, and studied him speculatively. â€Å"Seth probably did it because he felt sorry for me.† â€Å"Of course not,† I said quickly. She still looked skeptical. â€Å"Well, it doesn't matter. I'd rather drink coffee and talk shop with him than go out with some sleazy guy. That other bidder reminded me of this sex offender I saw on TV once†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When the auction wound down, I exchanged contact info with my buyer for a future date. Hugh attached himself to Deanna and stayed as far away from me as possible. No worries. I'd have plenty of time to deal with him later. Tawny, fortunately, also stayed away from me and clung to Nick's arm. I watched them like a proud parent. Tonight was going to be a great night.