Information Systems in Healthcare Research Paper

Data Systems in Healthcare - Research Paper Example Concerning the unique situation, Kingston Hospital has been considered for this examination to assess the procedure of human services units comparable to serving their patients. Additionally, the investigation likewise expects to depict the innovation related capacities, points of interest and burdens. The investigation will likewise offer certain answers for improve the expressed capacities or procedures effectively so as to skillfully serve the patients. Portray and Analyze the Chosen Healthcare Facility Kingston Hospital is among one of the social insurance units of London which is situated in Kingston, New York. It was built up on November 27, 1894 and had a two celebrated wooden foundation. Kingston Hospital at first served 56 and step by step extended with new staffs, patients and advances after some time (Kingston Hospital, 2010). The clinic was at first known by the name of ‘City of Kingston Hospital’ which was later changed to Kingston Hospital. The emergency cl inic had the ability to serve 150 patients. Despite the fact that, the medical clinic experienced a wide scope of improvements as far as their procedures and capacities, the basic vision of the author to serve the patients just as the networks with appropriate and propelled human services offices was as yet kept up by the emergency clinic authorities and the staffs (Kingston Hospital, 2010). ... ls and supplies of activity alongside activity unit, demonstrative unit and its significant framework and machines, for example, PC frameworks so as to keep up the records of their exhibitions and relative data. Be that as it may, the way toward putting away data was known to be done physically already which not just expanded the odds of making blunders while recording data yet in addition drew in a lot of time. Be that as it may, the medical clinic received new advancements and administrations by and by for serving their patients and the networks with legitimate medicines. New advances were likewise presented for the explanation of taking into account the cutting edge requests and staying up with the improvements of the worldwide market too (Kingston Hospital, 2010). Depict Users of the Health Information at this Facility Kinston Hospital draws in specific specialists and doctors including Ophthalmologist, Gastroenterologist, Neurologist, Medical Oncologist, Infectious Disease Speci alist, Family Medicine Doctor, Orthopedic Surgeon, Internist Infectious Disease Specialist, Geriatrician, Dermatologist, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgeon, Pediatrician, Diagnostic Radiologist and Surgeon for the explanation of serving the network and the patients (U.S. News and World Report, 2012). Moreover, the board individuals from the clinic involve Thomas Collins, who is known to be the Chairman, Ronald Myers, fills in as the bad habit administrator and Joanne Frederberg holds the situation of treasurer in the emergency clinic. Moreover, Ex-Officio Members of the emergency clinic involved Mark Josefski, Joseph Christiana, Margo McGilvrey and Robert Seidman. Aside from these referenced names different individuals who are accepted to assume a functioning job in working the medical clinic are Emeritus, Robert Hansut, Lew Kirschner, Donald Louie, Donna

Economic Policy and Practice

Financial Policies And Practices ECO2072/Professor Gordon 4/5/2013 Assignment Due Date †4/3/2013 Economic Policies And Practices Understanding the establishment for which our economy and society in general is based upon, the requirement for a controlled and oversaw fiscal framework to work successfully so as to encourage exchange and settle the stream inside our economy is a must.To encourage this need the government executes apparatuses for examining the economy so as to manage and control, and choices are made dependent on the data sources and perceptions made to balance out and empower the cash to develop and withdraw as required inside our monetary framework. Once more, in view of the previously mentioned, the expression â€Å"money causes the world to go around† in this manner can be ascribed to the controlled frameworks, arrangements as well as a systems of our government for which are represented to upgrade and oversee both the degrees of and impacts of our money r elated financial system.As we continue, we will endeavor to clarify different government approach changes or impromptu occasions which can and may happen, and the subsequent monetary occasions or movement that will be affected inside our economy and the impacts it has upon and inside our economy. Actualized Budget Plan Resulting In Increases In Debt And No Plan For Problems As we take a gander at our Federal Governments job in execution and control of our nation’s spending plan and the present spending shortfall we can just ask that those accountable for the choices use the instruments accessible to them to oversee and relax the hit to the economy as the deficiency grows.Where for the situation our administration utilizes a spending plan more than a few financial years and results wherein our economy supports huge increments in the nation’s obligation and shows no indications of help nor presents no designs to manage the issues, a few results would be likely in the eco nomy. Mankiw, 2009, Ch. 32, P. 706 portrays one impact being the place government spending surpasses government income along these lines speaking to negative open sparing, hence diminishing national reserve funds, in this manner lessening the flexibly of loanable assets, Increasing financing costs, and groups out investment.Amadeo, 2013 offers extra impacts of this situation wherein the shortage adds to a country’s obligation every year and as the obligation increments and the enthusiasm on the obligation must be paid, it builds spending while at the same time adding no advantage to the economy. On the off chance that the intrigue installments keep on rising, it can start to make a delay the economy’s development. Mankiw, 2009, Ch. 32, P. 706 states extra impacts in that when spending shortfalls raise loan costs, both local just as outside practices cause U. S. net capital surge to fall.Therefore, in an open economy, our government’s spending shortage raises the economy’s genuine financing costs, in this way swarming out household venture, and making the money acknowledge, thus pushing the exchange balance toward shortfall. Institution Of New Tariffs And Quotas On All Imports The economy utilizes a model of total interest and total gracefully as a way to break down the financial variances of flexibly and request. This model portrays both the general value levels in the economy and the general amount of merchandise and ventures created in the economy.If in reality the Federal Government were to institute new levies and quantities on all imports, the economy would undoubtedly encounter impacts from this movement. Mankiw, 2009, Ch. 33, P. 725-726 portrays the model of total interest and gracefully being what most financial specialist use to clarify short-run variances in monetary action around the since a long time ago run pattern. The total interest bend shows the amount of merchandise and ventures for which families, firms, the admin istration, and clients abroad need to purchase at each value level.The total gracefully bend shows the amount of products and enterprises that organizations decide to create and sell at each value level. The effect the economy would cause on account of duties established being charges forced on imported products is the expansion of the cost of the merchandise in the residential market, in this way household makers advantage because of they get more significant expenses, the administration benefits through the assortment of duty incomes hence bringing about less products delivered and the buyer addresses greater expenses (Investopedia, 2013).In the instance of quantities and their impact on the economy, we find that standards are numerical cutoff points which are forced on imported merchandise and in such an instance of institution shoppers are really hurt by the shares while local and remote makers will profit by and by getting more significant expenses for merchandise and enterpris es (Investopedia, 2013). Loss Of Confidence In Leadership In Ability To Manage And Create Jobs The Federal government is the element that means in when our economy brings about undesirable conditions inside its business cycle.It is assumed that our administration has apparatuses to identify and break down our economy to comprehend those occasions that can possibly change the economy’s harmony. Regarding the previously mentioned, issues emerge when the overall population loses trust in the authority and their capacity to deal with the economy to incorporate occupation creation. Mankiw, 2009, Ch. 33, P. 741 offers, that in the situation of absence of certainty we find that shoppers again change their arrangements for the future decreasing buys and spending.The impact of this reduction impacts the total interest bend just as the total gracefully bend consequently affecting either the short-run balance as well as the since quite a while ago run balance. The outcomes bring about f alling wages and rising joblessness because of decrease of yield reflecting the move in total interest reacting to bring down deals and creation. Amadeo, 2013 states; â€Å"consumers who drive 70% of the economy won’t spend on the off chance that they don’t accept the future will be sheltered and secure.Therefore, the basic job of the administration is to make certainty, controlling the monetary development expected to make jobs†. Lessening Taxes In Effort To Stimulate The Economy Another device inside our legislature and its monetary approach to manage and control financial development is the tax assessment level. Some case that, charge rate slices can prompt expanded monetary development, and riches, while others guarantee that by lessening charges associates to the profiting of the well off because of they pay the most expenses already.Our government has the forces to burden which thus gives it more noteworthy authority over its incomes. Mankiw, 2009, Ch. 34, P. 773 offers, that when our administration lessens individual annual duties, it builds the salary of customers. These families will spare a portion of this extra salary, and will likewise invest some of it on products and ventures. Since decreasing assessments expands shopper spending in this way invigorating the economy, the tax break moves the total interest bend to one side. On the other hand, a duty increment curbs buyer spending and moves the total interest bend to the left.The more prominent inquiry lies in ‘what is the effect in our economy of an assessment decrease for those creation over $250,000’? Amadeo, 2013 offers that, the administration considers those families that procure more than $250,000 yearly are affluent and along these lines should pay more assessments because of their capacity to bear the cost of it. Amadeo, 2013 proceeds by expressing that, market analyst state they don't spend these tax reductions, yet spare and contribute them and in this w ay tax reductions for the riches don't invigorate the economy. Venture Level’s Decrease Due To Lack Of Confidence In EconomyThe economy spins around the capacity of customers to put their cash in products and enterprises or store ones abundance cash into enthusiasm bearing bank accounts wherein which the money related foundations would utilize the assets to make advances to shoppers to put resources into individual premiums. The capacity to contribute is significant to the since quite a while ago run of our economy’s achievement and the elements of total interest and flexibly and when these degrees of speculation decline because of an absence of trust in the economy a few results start to unfurl in the economy. Mankiw, 2009, Ch. 33, P. 41 offers that, during such an occasion numerous individuals lose trust later on and adjust their arrangements, accordingly family units cut back on their spending and abstain from significant buys, and organizations withdraw from the ac quisition of new gear. AmosWeb, 2013 states; â€Å"the certainty that purchasers have in the economy influences their ability to embrace utilization expenditures†. Any adjustment in the certainty of buyers wherein by changing utilization consumptions, will actuate changes in the economy’s total interest consequently causing a leftward move of the interest bend. Loan fees Kept Artificially Low By Fed’s For Several YearsThe economy spins around the financing costs on the numerous speculations of the purchasers and has a critical impact in the spending on products and enterprises. The effect on the economy can be supposed to be two overlap in the occasion that financing costs are kept misleadingly low by the Federal Reserve over an extensive timeframe. Mankiw, 2009, Ch. 33, P. 728 states that, loan costs influence spending on merchandise and ventures, along these lines a lower financing cost makes getting more affordable and it urges organizations to get to put res ources into tasks and gear just as it urges shoppers to get to put resources into self and home.This stated, lower loan fees increment the amount of products and enterprises in the economy. On the other hand, Shilling, 2012 offers that falsely lower loan fees can impactsly affect customers in where the individuals who are setting aside cash are presently getting negligible to little profit for their bank and currency showcase accounts. Moreover, the day of the free financial records are blurring endlessly just as banks and frugalities who manage the lower premium profit are expanding the measures of required parity

The Stress That Children Add to a Marriage

The Stress That Children Add to a Marriage Stress Management Relationship Stress Print The Stress That Children Add to a Marriage 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 Alistair Berg/Getty Images More in Stress Management Relationship Stress Effects on Health Management Techniques Situational Stress Job Stress Household Stress Its a common experience, but not one that everyone talks about: you had a wonderfully romantic relationship before getting married and you have a wonderfully romantic relationship after getting married. Then you add kids to the mix and everythings a little more stressful, less romantic, and less satisfying in your marriage. This experience is so common that its practically universal, yet its not commonly discussed when people talk about having children. In fact, many couples expect that adding children to the mix will bring them closer together, and that may happen in some ways, but often not in the ways that a couple may expect. Heres what the research has found. The Stress of Children While we dont want this to be true, a large proportion of people find that children create a significant amount of stress to their relationship, particularly when the kids are young. According to researcher Matthew Johnson of Binghamton University in his book, Great Myths of Intimate Relationships: Dating, Sex, and Marriage, research shows that this is commonplace and that there is also a decrease in relationship satisfaction following the birth of the first child.?? This dip in happiness doesnt go away until after children leave the nest, and by that time, many couples have divorced or drifted apart. Here are some more specifics: Children add stress to a marriage and that marital satisfaction decreases sharply when kids become part of the relationship.?? Interestingly, this also happens to unmarried couples, so marriage itself is not the culprit in relationships that go stale.Children create stress for parents as individuals, as well as the couple as a unit. Perhaps not surprisingly, mothers take on the lions share of childcare in most relationships. Also not surprisingly, this stress hits mothers in particular pretty hard.?? Most womens other relationships deteriorate to a degree as their bond with their children grows stronger.The stress of children is universal.?? Its not isolated to certain social classes or even to specific countries or regions of the world. Factors That Create Stress There are many factors that go into this dip in satisfaction, and they are not the same for everyone. However, certain stressors hit many parents are particularly taxing on a relationship and an individual. The following stressors are particularly challenging. Less time together: When couples have a child, they are often surprised by the amount of work it takes to raise a baby, and the toddler years are labor-intensive as well. Because of the intensive caretaking required and the fact that any alone time that occurs during the babys waking hours requires the use of a sitter, couples naturally find themselves with less time to spend together, and usually less energy to devote to one another when they do find the time.?? This can obviously take a toll on the connection they feel as theyre less free to spontaneously have fun, or enjoy leisurely days together, even on the weekends. Less time for oneself: When parents have too little sleep and too little time to take care of their own needs (as often happens with a new baby or a high-needs toddler), they can become more stressed and difficult to be around.?? When one or both partners are not functioning at their best, particularly if this lasts for q prolonged amount of time, it can take a toll on the relationship. Greater demands placed on the partnership: When a child enters the relationship, couples need to divide up responsibilities in caretaking,?? even if both agree that the bulk of the work should fall on the shoulders of one parent while the other focuses more on earning money. This can lead to a feeling that the couple is more of a functional partnership than a romantic partnership as couples begin to feel a little more like roommates than soulmates. Because of these additional demands and the negotiation thats needed, theres a greater chance of conflict. Different responsibilities and different expectations: Additionally, when partners have different responsibilities, its possible for one or the other to feel resentful if they feel theyre working harder; without a frame of reference for what the other partner is dealing with, its easier for new parents to feel that they should be handling things differently and feel frustrated as a result.?? Not everyone experiences the following challenges, but they can put a particular strain on a family. These are special circumstances that create significant additional stress:A high-needs temperamentHealth challenges, including physical and mental health issuesExtreme financial strainA lack of practical support The Good News The good news is that, although some studies show that marital satisfaction doesnt rise significantly until children leave the nest,?? having children is worth the effort in other ways. Children enhance our altruism: Other research shows that giving to others and expressing altruism is beneficial for our overall wellbeing,?? and having children certainly provides opportunities to give of ourselves. Children reduce the likelihood of divorce: While new parents may feel less happy, they are also less likely to divorce following children.?? This may be because they are more motivated to keep their partnership together for the sake of their children, but the increased commitment can help them weather the challenges they face and maintain their connection until happier times return. Parents themselves say its worth it: While these challenges can be difficult for a couple to face, virtually all parents say the sacrifices they make are worth it and they couldnt (or wouldnt want to) imagine their lives without their kids. They say their children bring their life meaning. This can bring significant benefits as research shows that those who have  meaning  in their lives tend to be happier.?? What You Can Do to Manage the Stress If youre feeling stressed or that there is some strain on your relationship, youre not alone and youre not necessarily doing something wrong. There are many things you can and should do to safeguard your own happiness and your connection to your partner. Managing the stress you face as parents can help you to preserve the happiness youve had, and to build more positive feelings and experiences from here on. You dont need to wait until your children leave home in order to raise your feelings of marital happiness; the following suggestions can help significantly. Find Social Support Your partner isnt the only one who can help you to increase your relationship bliss. Family members, friends, and even people you hire can help you to stress less and enjoy your time together more. Here are some ideas to keep things happier. Nurture your relationship with your partnerCreate a supportive circle of people who can help you, if possibleCreate an emotional support systemFind ways to minimize social stress: competitive moms, unsolicited advice, your own tendency for social comparisonEliminate toxic situations whenever possible Practice Extreme Self Care It is important for you to take care of yourself and your own needs, and not just those of your children. What may feel like extreme self-care might simply be considered a normal amount of self-care to someone without children depending on them for care as well. Whatever you call it, its important to keep your body in good shape so you have the physical and emotional stamina to do what needs to be done. Get enough sleepEat balanced mealsFind some time for yourself whenever possibleâ€"set aside time to do nothing if you can, but even running errands alone can help Focus on Maintaining Balance There is a lot of talk about balance, but that is because it is so important for stress management. That means maintaining a balance in all areas: balancing work with play, balancing meeting your needs with your kids needs and your partners needs, balancing time spent  away from home and time spent with family, and other balances. Here are some important forms of balance to focus on. Create a balance of kids’ activities, your activities, downtime and sleep timeDo enough fun things to create memories, but not so many that you feel overwhelmedâ€"be honest with yourself about where you standEliminate tolerations when possible, find help when possible, and be present when possible Focus on Finding the Right Frame of Mind The way you look at things can greatly affect your relationship and your overall happiness. In this case, there are many ways that you can focus on maintaining the right frame of mind. Any of the following can raise your level of relationship satisfaction. Enjoy every minute (when times are good)Remember that this will pass (when times are challenging)Savor the positive experiencesFocus on gratitudeFocus on what you are learning from your kids and all the ways in which they enrich your lifeKnow that a decrease in marital satisfaction is normalâ€"and not your or your mate’s faultâ€"but that there are many things you can do to increase satisfaction as wellMaintain a regular date nightFind the humor in the challengesBe patient with yourself, your partner and your kidsHave fun as a familyMaintain friendships with other families and stay close with your family (if these relationships are healthy) It is also important to get help if you need it. This help may take the form of a marriage counselor, an individual therapist, or even just a babysitter who can help take some of the pressure off and allow you to be your old selves again. A Word From Verywell Be sure to enjoy all of the things you were looking forward to when you were looking forward to children, and remind yourself that there may be sacrifices, but its worth the effort. Savoring your good times with your partner and children is the best way to be sure the challenges and stresses dont weigh down your relationship. In the end, your relationship and your life are what you make of them.

Ancestry, Siblings and Children of Elizabeth Woodville

Bipolar Disorder, Formerly Known As Manic-Depression, Is

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic-depression, is a mental disorder. This disorder causes the individual to experience severe mood swings, from elation to depression. Individuals with bipolar disorder can experience serious changes in thinking, energy and behaviour. The different states of those with bipolar experience are referred to as ‘episodes’. These episodes can last days, weeks or months, depending on the severity of the episode. There are three main types of episodes, they are mania, depressive and psychotic states. Mania describes the state in which the individual experiences extreme happiness and euphoria, a ‘high’ of sorts. People who are having a manic episode display symptoms such as; feeling full of energy, not eating†¦show more content†¦The exact cause of bipolar disorder is still unknown, however, there are many factors which that can work together to make it more likely for an individual to develop bipolar disorder. These fa ctors vary from each person, therefore, one factor that produces the onset of bipolar disorder may not cause someone else to develop the illness. It is believed there may be a correlation between genetics and bipolar disorder. Researchers have theorised that there is a genetic predisposition for the disorder as it tends to run in families, with Kerner stating, â€Å"the heritability of bipolar disorder based on concordance rates for bipolar disorder in twin studies has been estimated to be between 60% and 80%.† (Kerner 2014). Despite these figures, other studies have been inconsistent and inconclusive in proving the linkage. Studies have shown environmental factors play a major role in the development of bipolar disorder. One of the most significant environmental factors observed in relation to the onset of bipolar disorder is childhood trauma or abuse. This can be observed by looking at the study conducted by Alvarez et al which, â€Å"examined 102 patients with schizophren ia, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder and showed that nearly half (47.5%) of these patients had suffered childhood abuse.† (E. Brietzke et al. 2002). Childhood abuse is a common cause of various mental illnesses and disorders. The perception of mental health has always been a veryShow MoreRelatedMental Illness, Schizophrenia, And Eating Disorders1380 Words   |  6 Pageshave a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. (What is Mental Illness? n.d.). 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Machieavelli’s Values of a Successful Ruler Free Essays

â€Å"Cruel to be kind† is a cliche often used in modern society. It suggests using rather harsh means in order to accomplish benevolent ends. For example a parent grounds his or her child for a month after the child is caught smoking. We will write a custom essay sample on Machieavelli’s Values of a Successful Ruler or any similar topic only for you Order Now The child thinks the punishment austere, but the parent inflicted the penalty to show the child that smoking is unhealthy and that he or she is breaking the law. Niccolo Machiavelli wrote â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince† to demonstrate how a ruler should rule and be successful doing so. He asserts that the prince (or ruler) must use questionable means to be an effective ruler and that a successful ruler exhibits questionable or nearly corrupt qualities. Three of these qualities are making one’s only profession war, miserliness, and deceitfulness. Machieavelli’s values of a successful prince (or ruler) sound remarkably similar to those equated with modern day politicians. The values he praises, however, are seen as faults and would not lead a politician to success presently. A prince, therefore, must not have any other object nor any other thought, nor must he take anything as his profession but war, its institutions, and its disciplines†¦ (Jacobus 35). † Machiavelli first states that war is very important in finding success. Having an overwhelming army is how most princes come into power and how most regain power when it is lost. In present day America, all public officials are elected. Although, the process prior to being elected may very well be likened to war, no physicality is employed. One may decide to campaign on a platform of war, but is not likely to prove prosperous as the vast majority of American citizens are opposed to war unless absolutely necessary. There are instances, however, where war is necessary. Were America being invaded, the public would cry for war in order to defend the country. But, using war to gain power in America would be considered a substantial offense, and the perpetrator could be sentenced to life (likely at the very least) or even be deported. Thus, we see an unnecessary concentration will not lead a politician to prosper. War expends a country’s resource. One of those resources is money. â€Å"In our times we have not seen great deeds accomplished except by those who were considered miserly†¦ (Jacobus 39). † Thrift is considered a virtue while miserliness a fault. Being thrifty means being more efficient with one’s money while miserliness refusing to spend it. Thrift is an excellent quality for a politician to have. That means he or she is good at managing money and that is an exceedingly important quality for one to have, especially in this age of foreign debt, inflation, and stock mark instability. Miserliness, on the other hand, denotes bad money management. If a politician is unwilling to spend money, no government- funded programs would get off of the ground; those programs already established would die. Machiavelli comments that in the practice of miserliness the ruler need not impose taxes. As much as any American citizen hates even the thought of taxes, they are absolutely necessary in order to keep our economical system functioning. Perhaps what the average American hates more than miserliness is deceit. One sees from the experience of our times that the princes who have accomplished great deeds are those who have cared little for keeping their promises and who have known how to manipulate the minds of men by shrewdness; and in the end they have surpassed those who laid their foundations upon honesty (Jacobus 43). † The most common stereotype with which we label politicians is that of having two faces or being deceitful. Politicians are well known for being liars and there is nothing they can do to escape this designation. They are always seen as saying one thing and doing another. He or she makes their platform tax breaks, but when he or she gets into office, they sign a bill to raise taxes. Deceit can only take one so far. After the population learns of the deceitful ways of their elected official, that official will not be re-elected. Machiavelli presents compelling arguments as to the success of his qualities. However, presently each of those values are despised by the majority of the American public. It scorns war, it detests miserliness, and it abhors deceit (perhaps this one above all). Therefore, we see that Machiavelli’s qualities would not lead a present day politician to success. The ideal leader is an honest and thrifty man who can fight his battles without the use of force. These characteristics apparently lead few men to successful leadership in the time of Machiavelli. However, One cannot expect things to be the same in this era as they were when Machiavelli lived, but there are some interesting parallels that present themselves when his words are analyzed. How to cite Machieavelli’s Values of a Successful Ruler, Essay examples

Popular Music Revolution free essay sample

Communists and led most to conform to a common societal standard. When the nation emerged from this era, teenagers sought to rebel against their parental authorities. They created everything from new styles of clothing to new styles of music to promote their newfound individuality. The new style of music evolving at the time was called Rock and Roll. Rock has been influenced by country music, by the blues, by classical music, by calypso, by rotational folk styles, and by a variety of other music conventions (Bell v). This variety reflects the varied backgrounds of young people at the time. Early successes In this new music genre Included Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, and Chuck Berry. This music only succeeded because the conditions In society and the pollens of the youth in that time period allowed it to succeed. This music revolution is not unique.Similar revolutions will occur if and when the circumstances permit. This music revolution is not unique. Similar revolutions will occur if and when the circumstances permit. Modern music is going this direction, but has not reached the point of a new genre as of yet because conditions in so-city have not allowed a radical change.One of the most obvious elements which separates rock music from previous forms of musical expression is a dominant rhythm accenting a strong beat. Rhythm is defined as a basic element of music concerned with the duration of tones and the stresses or accents placed upon them (Columbia Encyclopedia). Rhythm, developed in the 1 12th century, was not a new phenomenon; however, previously, the only musical genre to place so much emphasis on rhythm was Rhythm and Blues, from which rock derived much of its sound patterns.To get enough protest from teens to start a music revolution, another major war must be fought. Conscription must be reinstated in the united States. Deaths of friends and family is usually enough to anger the population. Another factor that must be present is an overwhelming feeling of conformity. The early sass were a time when teens and adults all dressed in the same way, acted in the same way, and listened to the same music. These conditions must be present for another musical revolution to occur.A major difference in rock music to the prior music of the time was the instruct- imitation. Rock and roll placed a heavy emphasis on the guitar as musical expression. Jazz musicians used the electric guitar frequently, but it became very widespread with rock music. The formula for a rock band became an attar, an electric bass guitar, and a drum set. The common instrumentation led to a common sound between different bands. While most rock songs sounded different from each other, the instrumentation led to a familiar feeling in the genre. In the 0705, artists manipulated their sound more frequently in the recording studio to create distinct sounds. Pink Floods Darkies of the Moon album had a different sound than the generic rock formula. The trend toward electronics in the sass features bands such as The Prodigy and Orbital using sounds manipulated in recording studios by computers. The electric guitar itself has also evolved considerably. It is very common now to use multiple guitar effects in one song. The sound is distorted for a dif-efferent feel in the music.Different guitar styles have also evolved. Reggae and ask are off-shoots of rock music which came from the need for a different sound. These styles accent the offbeats in the rhythm rather than the standard accentuation of the beat. The strings on the guitar are picked up rather than down, allowing the higher pitched strings to be played first. Most of these changes occurred because artists and listeners ere tired of conforming with society, they were hungry for a change so they took the initiative and oaf-effected the music themselves.All of this evolution in instrumentation amounts to the fact that the elements for another music revolution do exist, but there must be a catalyst for change to bring them into effect. Many of the elements for a new musical revolution are present in society and the music industry. Different types of instrumentation and playing styles are becoming more popular with artists and listeners alike. This will eventually allow for a complete change in the sound of music heard y the public. The lyrics of modern songs indicate unruliness and anger among musicians.This indicates that the attitudes exist and it is possible that out of this overwhelming desire to resist authority, new songs will be written in new styles that may eventually lead to a new genre. The feeling that does not exist is the feeling that all citizens are the same and that they are conforming to societal standards. With increase-ins censorship of the Internet and privacy being infringed upon with new anti-terrorist laws, this feeling may begin to take hold of the nation. It IS not within the foreseeable, however, because these issues do not affect most of the population.Music is a medium of expression for all people, so the peoples music must speak to the people. Smaller changes have been made to rock music in the last forty-five years. If this genre is so malleable, then change must come frequently. Once the elements are in place, music will undergo a change. Rock music evolved out of conditions in society. If these conditions exist again, another music revolution will occur. Many of the elements are already in place, it is only a matter of time before the change.

4 key steps to starting a business - according to financial experts

4 key steps to starting a business - according to financial experts Attention entrepreneurs: Are you eager to kickstart your own business? Of course, the notion of being your own boss and taking your idea, nurturing it with some hard work and ingenuity, and grabbing hold of a little luck in order to turn it into a successful venture is an exciting prospect- and you may be itching to just throw caution to the wind and run with it as quickly as possible. That said, it may be in your best interest to slow things down a bit, temper your excitement with a little caution, and take some more cautious steps forward. After all, the business world is full of people who started off with grand plans for their new businesses but had their entrepreneurial visions knocked out of orbit by harsh reality, failed executions, and poorly-devised and ill-timed decisions.According to a recent article by Investopedia, â€Å"The Small Business Association states that only 30% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 50% during the first five years an d 66% during the first 10. The SBA goes on to state that only 25% make it to 15 years or more. However, not all of these businesses need to fail. With the right planning, funding and flexibility, businesses have a better chance of succeeding.†So, perhaps the first question you should consider asking yourself when planning to start a new business is if you want to be on the winning or losing side of these percentages. Sure, that may not be a difficult one to answer, but whether or not you’re willing to do the requisite amount of careful planning when you’re at the critical initial stages of getting your business off the ground may a bit more tricky. If you’re looking to stack the odds in your favor, then consider the following strategies on how to start a small business, according to financial experts who’ve seen it all and know the most common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid.Define your valueYou may have nothing but the best intentions for wanting to start your own business, but are you sure it’s one that’s poised to generate value (think revenue)? Sure, money isn’t everything, but it is an essential component to making your business take off and be sustainable, so make sure that your venture is one that has a reasonable chance of returning on your investment of blood, sweat, tears, and start-up capital.Back up your hopes with analytics that project a clear and realistic trajectory into the black at some point in time. Also be sure to define how your business idea and brand stand out from the competition, disrupt your industry, and contribute substantively to the world- because if they don’t, then what’s the point?Plan (and plan some more)Enthusiasm is a great thing to have when starting a new venture, but it will rarely sustain a business past initial takeoff. Get grounded and make sure you plan- both for the immediate future and for what lies ahead. Temper your entrepreneurial excitement wit h a solid business plan that legitimizes your goals with demonstrably achievable milestones. (If you’re going to court startup capital from outside sources, this is an absolute must.)Also, take the time to do some long-range projections for your business (try one- and five-year plans to start); these can always be revised as your business idea grows and evolves, but they will be a huge help in determining whether you’re on track for success or a collision course with failure.Get helpNo person is an island, and your business shouldn’t be one either. Savvy entrepreneurs know to leverage their networks to take full advantage of the knowledge, talent, and experience of people in their orbits in an effort to make their business ideas. Regardless of your industry, running a business takes a wide and varied set of skills, and unless you’re an indomitable entrepreneurial wizard and jack-of-all-trades, do yourself a favor and rely on the expertise of others to ben efit your new venture. Don’t be afraid to pay for some outside advice and guidance if need be- consider it a sound investment.Learn from mistakesThe truth is, almost no one gets everything exactly right when starting a business. But often, the difference between a successful business and a flop is an entrepreneur who learns from their mistakes. You can either self-assess regularly, take note of what went wrong, and make a swift course correction†¦ or sit back, avoid self-assessment, and remain doomed to keep repeating failures. Consider the missteps that happen along the way as valuable learning moments, and use them to your advantage as you trudge forward.

Pope John Paul essays

Pope John Paul essays On May 18,1920, in Wadowice Poland, Karol Jzef Wojtyla was born. His parents names were Emilia and Karol; they had an elder son named Edmund who was born on August 27, 1906. Emilia also gave birth to a daughter however, there are no records of her birth, baptism or death as a baby. Lolek (as Karol Jzef was called by his family and friends) was baptized by a military chaplain, Father Franciszek Zak on June 20,1920 at St. Marys Church. September 15, 1926 Karol began first grade at a local school. Here he excelled in all areas of study; religion, math, drawing, singing, games handicrafts and exercise. Soon though his life would change forever. Emilia was often very sick, and died at the age of forty-five due to kidney failure, and heart disease. Lolek was only in the third grade at the time of his mothers death. To this day Pope John Paul II keeps a photographic portrait of his parents on a table in his bedroom at both the Vatican and his summer residence at Castle Gandolfo and that is how he remembers his mother. After Karols mother died, his father (referred to in Wadowice as the captain) began to take on the responsibility of both parents. Their day began at 7 oclock in the morning with mass at St. Marys church where Lolek served as an alter boy. They would then eat breakfast, and get ready for school. In the early afternoon Lolek would meet his father for the main meal of the day, followed by two hours of playing and homework. At night, the captain would make a light meal for supper then the two would take walks together. During his high school years Lolek began to grow closer to his elder brother Edmund. They were never able to spend a lot of time together because Edmund was away at medical school. When he moved closer to home, they went to soccer games, and visited together while Edmund was at work in the hospital. On December 5,1932 Loleks brothe...

The relationship between justice or rights Essay

The relationship between justice or rights - Essay Example It can be noted that there is a correlation between the concepts of rights and law. As such, this paper seeks to critically analyse the relationship between rights and law. It starts by defining these two concepts in order to get a full understanding of their meanings. The main part of the paper discusses the theoretical framework underpinning these two concepts. Human rights are literally the rights that one has simply because he or she is human. Donnely (1998, p. 3) posits to the effect that â€Å"human rights, because they rest on nothing more than being human being, are universal, equal and inalienable. This means that everyone is entitled to human rights and is empowered by them regardless of creed or belief. Theoretically, Joel Feinberg: â€Å"To have a right is to have a claim to something and against someone, the recognition of which is called for by legal rules or, in the case of moral rights, by the principles of an enlightened conscience,† (1980 p. 159-160). Human beings should be treated as equal and their rights should not be violated by others. As going to be discussed in detail below, there are various institutions that are mainly concerned with protecting the rights of people in different countries. ... Thus, in different countries, respective governments lay down binding regulations that form the law of the land as enshrined in the constitution (Muller et al, 2007). As such different cases are reported to different courts and these have the power to settle issues that may exist among different people in the society. The law also stipulates that all the accused persons have the right to fair trial and they are innocent until they are proven guilty by the court. In most cases, the law is specifically meant to regulate the behaviour of different people in their societies. From the above explanations, it can be seen that there is a close relationship between the concepts of rights and law. In as far as the concept of rights is concerned, John Locke’s Second Treatise Government 1776 posits to the effect that individuals have natural rights to their lives, liberties and estates (Donnelly, 1998). In the absence of government, these rights are of little value. Therefore, the governm ent has a responsibility to ensure that the rights of the people are protected. The existence of the government and people’s rights are complimentary as they are designed to serve the interests of the people. The government is an institution that has the power to enact laws that guide the behaviour of the people in their respective countries in order to ensure that there is peace and harmony among the people. In essence, the existence of the government is mainly concerned with protection of people’s rights so that they are not violated. It can be noted that there is a close link between the concepts of law and rights. According to Locke’s philosophy of inalienable rights among the people, the government is based on social contract between the rulers and the ruled (Tackach,

Tooth transplantation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tooth transplantation - Essay Example Patients must be carefully selected for this procedure. The patient must be healthy, available for follow-up visits, and able to follow post-operative instructions. Patients must also demonstrate that oral hygiene is a part of their regular lifestyle. Furthermore, suitable candidates must have a recipient tooth and a donor tooth to undergo the procedure. Patients’ cooperation and understanding are of utmost importance for predictable results (Clokie et al, 2001). Autogenous tooth transplantation is usually done because of tooth loss due to dental caries, mainly in the first molar of the lower jaws. â€Å"Transplantation can also be opted in cases like tooth agenesis (premolars and lateral incisors), traumatic tooth loss, canine atopic eruption, root resorption (body of the cells attack and destroy a part of a tooth), large endodontic lesions, cervical root fractures, and localized juvenile periodontitis† (dentalcareadvice, 2010). The above pictures (by kunni dental office) demonstrate the removal of the third molar (the wisdom tooth) that is transplanted to the site of the first molar which is beyond repair. The site must be prepared well to receive the donor tooth. There must be sufficient space and alveolar bone structure to accommodate and support the donor tooth. Teeth with poor shape and root morphology are not used in transplants (dental care advice, 2010). The success of the procedure depends on how well healing takes place after the transplantation. Normally, the tooth with a healthy periodontal ligament provides a higher degree of success. Tooth length and development stage are also important factors in determining the success of the procedure. There is less chance of necrosis (cell death) and higher chance of pulp survival when the premolar has already completed half to two third root development. Placement of implant supported prosthesis or other type

Red Bull Company Description Commerce Essay

Red Bull Company Description Commerce Essay An Austrian Company created Red Bull back in 1987. Red Bull is an energy drink and is also the worlds most popular energy drink, having sold 4.6 billion cans in 2011. The drink was first sold in Thailand and then modified to suit the tastes of people in the United States. A single can of Red Bull has the same amount of as a cup of coffee. Depending on the country, the level of caffeine in a can of Red Bill can vary, as some countries have restrictions on how much caffeine is allowed in drinks. The product is marketed through advertising events such as sport team ownerships, celebrity endorsements, and music. Unfortunately, Red Bull is not market approved in France, Denmark, and Norway. But Red Bull is legal in 164 countries around the world. Due to the potential health risks associated with the drink, Red Bull has been heavily criticized. We will further discuss in detail the health risks associated with the energy drink in the contents of our paper (redbull.com). Mission Statement According to Red Bull, [Their] mission is to be the premier marketer and supplier of Red Bull in Asia, Europe, and other parts of the globe. [They] will achieve this mission by building long-term relationships with the people who can make it become a reality (redbull.com). The company also has a vision statement that focuses on 5 aspects of their company values: People, Portfolio, Partners, Profit, and Productivity. Red Bull wants to be a great place to work; where people are inspired to be the best they can be. They want to bring to the world a portfolio of quality beverages that anticipate and satisfy peoples desires and needs. Red Bull wants to nurture a winning network of customers and suppliers; together we create value. They want to maximize a long-term return to shareowners while being mindful of [their] overall responsibilities. Red Bull also wants to be a highly effective, lean, and fast-moving organization (redbull.com). Situation Analysis Industry Analysis Trends In the drink market, energy drinks are arguably the fastest growing and most creative group. Since 2004, the mar has annually increased volume growth by about 14 %. Geographically, the most consumers are in Asia, followed by North America and Western Europe. According to the 2010 Global Energy Drinks Report, Australia and Latin America are two regions that have recorded strong double-digit growth in energy drink volumes. Availability is the key drive of sales and energy shots are quickly becoming the next fab (rcciinsight.com). Competitors In the energy drink market there are numerous companies and a select few vying for Red Bulls top spot. Rockstar, Monster, 5-hour energy, full Throttle, NOS, Pepsi Co., and Coca-Cola Co. are the main competitors. Monster energy drink with the logo of three claws in the shape of a M is distributed by Hansen Natural Corporation in Corona, California. With a fairly tolerable taste, this drink sparks you up and packs quite a vicious punch. Rockstar was formulated in 2001 and is one of the fastest growing drinks in the market. This brand also has products that figure in the list of energy drinks with alcohol. Full Throttle is produced by the Coca-Cola Company and debuted in late 2004. They are well-known for their great flavors (buzzle.com). Consumer Profile Demographic shifts, as well as changing consumer attitudes, will also have an impact on energy drink sales. Younger consumers have been the primary consumers due to their taste and image characteristics. From a consumption standpoint, energy drinks have benefited from their use as a mixer with spirits. However, promoting the use of an energy drink to younger consumers or as a mixer has led to negative publicity for some energy drink brands. According to Mintel principal trends analyst Richard Cope, People are working longer into retirement and there is a greater need for products geared towards vitality and health in the senior workforce. At the moment energy drinks are marketed towards the youth market, he said, but they will become more about getting people through the day at an older age (rcciinsight.com). Technology Technology, or more specifically the internet, has created another link between Red Bull and consumers. When visiting their website, people are able to view various aspects of the company. There are links for: products and company, videos, photos, music tracks, just epic, games, ted bulletin, redbull.tv, and red bull signature series. This technology does an excellent job of promoting the brand in many different ways (redbull.com). SWOT Analysis Strengths Red Bull has numerous strengths. The company was founded in 1984 and by 1987 it launched its first product in a completely new category of drinks. Today Red Bull is sold in 164 countries around the world. Since its debut 25 years ago, Red Bull has sold 30 billion cans, with more than 4.5 billion last year. Due to their success both domestically and internationally, the company has expanded to over 8,000 employees worldwide (redbull.com). Their leadership within the energy drinks market is sub-none. They are by far the most popular company. Top-seller Red Bull posted $2.3 billion in sales, which is a 14.3 percent increase, according to Symphony IRI data (bevindustry.com). According to Red Bull, Numerous scientific studies on the product and the individual ingredients prove that Red Bull Energy Drink: increases performance, increases concentration and reaction speed, improves vigilance, stimulates metabolism, and makes you feel more energetic and thus improves you overall well-being (redbull.com). Weaknesses Despite having numerous strengths and worldwide popularity, Red Bull still has a few weaknesses. To begin with, Red Bull is in the above average price range of the energy drink market. Secondly, there is a substantial lack of innovation. Red Bull only offers a few products where as some of their competitors offer more. Third, Red Bulls recipe is not patented. This could potentially lead to another company producing a very similar or exact product with just a different name. Fourth, Red Bull is not yet a large corporation as they still have less than 10,000 employees (Tyagi). Threats The biggest threat to Red Bull is Red Bull itself. The ingredient mix that their products contain is not FDA approved. On top that, government and scientists are finding that high amounts of caffeine, sugar, and taurine are extremely unhealthy and potential fatal. France and Denmark have gone to such measures as to ban Red Bull as a cocktail of death. High amounts of sugar have been found to cause serious health problems. A small amount of taurine, which is still a vastly unknown ingredient, is thought to be beneficial, but scientists are beginning to find health risks it causes. Red Bull energy drinks also contain a highly dangerous chemical called Glucuronolactone. The US Department of Defense developed this product during the Vietnam War as a hallucinogenic drug to stimulate troops morale. According to reports, their effects in the organism were so devastating, that is was discontinued of the high index of cases of migraines, cerebral tumors, and liver diseases that occurred in th e soldiers who consumed it (Helmi). Red Bull must carefully watch its larger competitors, Pepsi and Coca-Cola, who would like nothing more than to obtain Red Bulls consumers. Also, healthy organic energy drinks are starting to enter and become competitive in the market (Tyagi). Opportunities Red Bulls greatest potential lies in its opportunities. Sales of energy drinks have taken on the energy of its products compared to a year ago. The energy drinks category increased 15.7 percent for $6.9 billion in sales, according to Symphony IRI Group, Chicago, for the 52 weeks ending May 15 in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores and mass merchandise outlets, excluding Wal-Mart (bevindustry.com).To begin with, since they only have a few products, Red Bull has the opportunity to create new products. Second, they have an unlimited ability to advertise and promote their brand. Currently, Red Bull is the major player in the action and outdoor sports advertising. However, if they were to continue doing that, but also enter into another market such as UFC, boxing, or even mainstream sports such as football or baseball, this would create a potentially exponential consumer base. Third, if Red Bull could partner with a popular company such as Facebook or Apple, this wo uld create more everyday exposure via social media (Tyagi). Marketing Objectives A marketing objective is a statement of what is to be accomplished through marketing activities. The goal of Red Bull is obviously increasing sales more than last year. Red Bull leads an energy drink industry so far; however, Monster has been catching up greatly in the past a few years. Therefore, they need to have a good marketing objective to keep the position of number one seller in an energy drink industry and increasing their sales. In order to accomplish their marketing plan, they need to cover several criteria of marketing objective such as realistic, measurable, time-specific, and compared to a benchmark (redbull.com). Red Bull refused to publish their earnings, profits and specific marketing goal; however, increasing their profit than past years is clear and accurate their goal of every year. They also compute their annual profit end of a year every year. In 2011, Red Bull sold 4.631 billion cans worldwide. It represents an increase of 11.4% against 2010. Company turnover increased by 12.4%, from 3.785 billion Euros to 4.253 billion Euros. Therefore, their key areas such as revenues, sales, productivity, operating profit, and the figures recorded were the best in the history of the company so far. According to industry marketing reports, The main reason for such progressive figures include exceptional sales, especially in key markets such as the USA (+11%) and Germany (+10%) and also in other markets such as Turkey (+86%), Japan (62%), France (+35%), and Scandinavia (+34%) combined with efficient cost management and ongoing brand investment. The result of these figures indicate Red Bull continue i ncreasing sales and accomplishing the goal. Red Bull is successfully growth because of their marketing plan that increasing their profit than past years and computing their annual profit end of a year are realistic, and time-specific (redbull.com). In order to increase a profit of the company, advertisement is one of very important elements. Red Bull builds up unique marketing campaigns and many different kind of activities such as mountain biking, snowboarding surfing, skateboarding, freestyle motocross, and Formula 1 racing. They just succeeded in the marketing campaign Red Bull Stratos. Felix Baumgartner jumped at 128,000 feet above the Earth that reached a high speed of 833.9 miles per hour. People cannot get a picture of Felix without the Red Bull logo and that is their marketing strategy. Red Bull considers that marketing is not just department (Chun). Their extreme sports activities contents represent the symbol of their brand; therefore, they launched Red Bull Media House service. Red Bull Media House is a multi-platform media company with a focus on sports, culture and lifestyle. They provide and distribute the videos, which are precious, cool, and adventurous; therefore, people are able to get thrills from the movies. The marketing plan of Red Bull Media House is making profit from its services. They also expect the service serve a function as an advertisement and help to increase sales of Red Bull. According to Red Bull founder and CEO Dietrich Mateschitz, he states, In long term, we expect that Red Bull Media House to be profitable. Therefore, their marketing objective of Red Bull media House is not clear. There is a realistic to achieve their goal when they consider long term to get profits from its Red bull media house services because especially the attentions from young people to extreme sports are increasing. Red Bull Me dia House also needs to become more popular to be profitable. Their goal is not measurable and time-specific because Dietrich just mentions Red Bull Media House will be profitable in the future. Their plan is too vague and they do not determine the date of their achievement such as December 31, 2015. However, at the same, they also consider Red Bull Media House is part of marketing content and desire that the services and the video of Red Bull Media House assist sales of Red Bull. Therefore, we can see the logotype of Red Bull on the players helmets, caps, and shirts in the movies from Red Bull Media House. They are excited to launch Red Bull Media House and provide the services; even though, they might not be able to make profits the first a few years because they tend to consider the loss of profits as expenditure of marketing (Iezzi). Marketing Strategy Target Marketing Strategy A target market is a group of individuals that is most likely to buy a firms product based on similar characteristics, preferences, and lifestyles. From the beginning, Red Bull has set out to associate itself with youth culture and extreme, adventure-related sports. Red Bulls target market is mainly Generation Y, aged anywhere between 18-35, who enjoy extreme sports and an active nightlife. This active group of individuals does not respond well to the typical, classic marketing strategies of most companies. Red Bull relies heavily on a strategy that has become known as viral marketing, or word-of-mouth, to spread the popularity of the drink, rather than traditional methods. Red Bull is trying to be as close as possible to its consumers in its distribution strategy and likewise in its promotion strategy by having a street marketing strategy. They have put themselves in the center of their target market and made themselves an icon in a wide variety of sports such as mountain biking, mo tocross, BMX, windsurfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, kayaking, cliff-diving, surfing, rally, Formula 1 racing, NASCAR, desert racing, and even breakdancing. This may be a wide selection, but it is great for Red Bull because each sport is focused around Generation Y, which gives them a broad fan base. Marketing Mix Product Red Bull is arguably one of the most publicized and well-known organizations in the action sports community, which is phenomenal considering they essentially only have one product. This one product was the first energy drink of its kind, and has basically remained the same ever since. They have added a few variations of the original, Sugar Free and Total Zero, along with Red Bull Editions that give a slight variety of flavor. Red Bull was developed specifically to increase mental and physical exertion, increase performance and concentration during times of stress, and improve reaction speed, which is where their slogan Gives You Wings started (redbull.com). Place/Distribution Red Bull distributes their product through a few different distribution channels. The first is the Direct Channel where the producer interacts with the consumer. They set up booths or have the Wings Team drive their Red Bull cars to events and hand out their product to consumers first hand. The other distribution channel is the wholesaler channel in which Red Bull sells their product to a wholesaler, who then sells it to a retailer such as gas stations and convenience stores, who then sell it to the consumer. Red Bull is also involved in the bar scene and has strict rules about mixing the right drink and a bar. The barmen are instructed to give what remains in the can to the consumer to further Red Bulls visibility of the product (Louvet). Promotion Red Bulls promotion strategy began with the Wings Team, who were attractive female students, whose role was to establish a relationship with the consumers, to have them discover the product, and see what consumer opinion was. Red Bulls first target was college campuses, because this is where they felt they could make the biggest impact, on students who were seeking an extra boost of energy. Red Bull would consult with the Student Brand Manager at school to ensure that Red Bull was present at every strategic moment on the social calendar such as sporting events and big parties. The strength of Red Bull is an ability to instill a genuine passion for the brand in the Wings Team and the Student Brand Managers. Thus, these committed people are more likely to promote a good image of the brand and to have a greater positive impact on targeted consumers (Louvet). Since this, Red Bull has expanded drastically and changed their promotion strategy. Red Bull explicitly states that they do not involve themselves in print advertising such as newspapers and magazines; instead, they rely on television, social media, and outdoor media to advertise. Since 1992, Red Bull has created cheap cartoons with simple but recognizable drawings, telling funny and simple stories. These were a huge benefit for them because they were easily adaptable to markets all across the globe. Red Bull also displays outdoor media at every even possible with huge tents and exhibits, inflatable cans and arches; as well as custom painted helmets, racecars, helicopters, and airplanes for all of their athletes. Social media has become Red Bulls best way of advertising. It is an easy way to get one simple picture, video, or message around the globe in less than a few seconds. They are famous for their viral videos, which are spread entirely by fans and followers. Red Bull currently has 34.5 million likes on Facebook, 480 thousand followers on Instagram, 843 thousan d followers on Twitter. With all the advances in Internet and social media Red Bull has found a perfect niche market where the consumer spreads the word faster than the producer (redbull.com). Price Red Bull sees themselves as a high quality company that offers a high quality product, which is why they have a strict pricing policy. Their product is the most expensive amongst competitors because they are prestigious and have customer loyalty (redbull.com). Implementation, Evaluation, and Control Marketing Research Red Bull has managed to revolutionize the world of energy drinks. It has permeated globally and hopes to expand into even more countries. Their success can be traced to a well-established marketing plan. Since their inception into the market, Red Bull has relied on their research to follow a successful path. According to Lamb, marketing research can help managers in several ways, it improves the quality of decision making and helps managers trace problems (pg. 292). By having a well-established marketing strategy a company can be very profitable. Red Bull has chosen to reposition themselves by targeting a specific market. They opt for targeting younger individuals involved in action sports and with a very active lifestyle. Red Bull has a very unorthodox way of marketing; they rely heavily on buzz marketing or word of mouth. It is amazing that a world renowned company reached such success simply with an effective marketing strategy and by word of mouth advertising. Another concept ent ailed in marketing research is, the ability to understand the ever changing marketplace. This is another factor that has contributed to their success because they are aware of the changing trends, especially amongst the younger population or in other words, generation Y (redbull.com). Organizational Structure and Plan According to Lamb, many of the historic sources of competitive advantage-technology, innovation, economies of scale-allowed companies to focus their efforts internally and prosper (pg. 7). In other words, Red Bull has been able to become successful because it has followed through the many factors that instill competitive advantage amongst other brands in the market share. Red Bull really takes into consideration the three factors that allow for a proficient organizational focus. These are customer value, customer satisfaction, and building relationships. Firstly, customer satisfaction is customers evaluation of a good or service in terms of weather it has met their needs and expectations (Lamb, pg 9). Customers that purchase Red Bull already have an opinion and know what to expect from the product. Secondly, building relationships, which is attracting new customers or maintain its current customers. Companies can expand market share in three ways: attracting new customers, increasing business with existing customers, and retaining current customers (Lamb, pg. 9). Thirdly, relationship marketing, as a strategy that focuses on keeping and improving relationships with current customers. All these components contribute to customer relationship management. In which, the company designs a business model to reduce costs and increase profitability by strengthening customer satisfaction and loyalty. Red Bull does a great job of implementing all of the three components in maintaining a good relationship with its customers. For example, a young person who is interested in extreme sports has loyalty to the product, because Red Bull is associated with the sport and it probably sponsors the popular athletes (redbull.com). Financial Projections Red Bull has made a few projections regarding its finances and advertising strategies. One of their strategies was to become more aggressive in their strategies, some were introduced at the end of the 2011 fiscal year. According to their website, In 2011, 4.631 billion cans were sold worldwide. That is an increase of 11.4% since 2010. In all key areas such as sales, revenues, productivity and operating profit, the figures recorded were the best in the companys history so far (redbull.com). In other words, as of the end of 2011, Red Bull employed 8,294 people in 164 countries. The companys marketing plan for 2012 stated that, Market Share Red Bull anticipates through the following year to be able to increase its market share by 10%, raising it to 58% of the market share. Through various media channel , Red Bull has set a goal to set itself further ahead from all competitors and build an undeniable brand loyalty among a different demographic (redbull.com). Implementation Timetable In this section, the company implements the marketing strategy and establishes company goals. As explained previously, Red Bull hopes to generate more sales resulting from their new marketing plan. The company plans to advertise, on the web, trial, sponsorship, promotion, viral and on television. However, for the years to come they hope to shift their target market from young individuals to 35-65 year olds. The company also stated some goals for this year. They want to increase revenue by, the following year, Red Bull has set a goal to increase revenue by 20% $6.22 billion . By gaining customers in a new demographic, as well as releasing a revamped campaign, Red Bull believes this is possible (redbull.com). This is to say that, the company has established goals that can be attained if their marketing plan is successful. It is very likely that it can accomplish those goals, simply because even after many years, it remains the top name in energy drinks. Positives, Negatives, and Recommendations Positives The worlds most recognizable and profitable energy drink Red Bull posted revenue of more than $5.1 billion in 2010, and sales of the product are continuing to increase each year. Red Bull spends an unbelievable 30-40% of their revenue on marketing. The majority of Red Bull energy drinkers are between the ages of 18-34 year old males. The drink grabbed the attention of their target user and flawlessly grew, and become the brand marketing strategy that translated into We are with you and one of you. The recent 2011-2012 focus of Red Bull energy drink is trying to increase awareness among the 35-65 crowds, both male and female. The reason for Red Bulls remarkable marketing strategy relies solemnly on the following four concepts (Andy): 1. Consumer engagement through sportsmanship 2. Videos of extreme athletic accomplishments posted on YouTube that go viral. 3. Brand recognition through logo saturation. 4. Attainment of widespread brand recognition and loyalty first among a core demographic, then building a credible bridge to achieve it. Because Red Bulls targeting audience is the Y Generations, the company has developed a Wings Team to develop and establish a relationship with the consumers and to discuss with consumers about their appreciation or dissatisfaction of the product. One of Red Bulls strategies is to be present at school events, big parties, sporting events, and school/social calendars. One of the many strengths of Red Bull is their genuine passion for their brand and consumers who are committed to their energy drinks. These committed people are likely to promote a good image of the brand and have a greater impact on targeted consumers (Louvet). Negatives Even though Red Bulls marketing strategy is proven to be the best, they are facing a negative publicity about the health risks that the drink leads to. Because of the many health risks associated with the energy drink, countries such as Denmark and France have banned the drink from their markets. The energy drink contains high level of sugar and caffeine and taurine, therefore causing a variety of health risks such as heart problems, vertigo, hallucinations, damaged tooth enamel, and other permanent problems. Some studies that were conducted showed that the product is linked to heart disease and high blood pressure. Unfortunately, the product has not been thoroughly clinically tested as of yet. A disadvantage of Red Bull is that the product is expensive compared to other caffeinated beverages. Due to these issues, Red Bull has recently developed Red Bull Cola, which is an all-natural, containing no synthetic preservatives or flavors energy drink (Louvet). Recommendations As a group, we concluded that Red Bull should try to decrease their pricing in order to maintain their target market of the young generation. If the energy drink continues to increase in price, it might push the product out of its prestige position in the market. Red Bull is known for campaigning at school events, extreme sporting events, etc. but this must be kept unchanged if the product wants to continue their strategic marketing plan. For the long run of Red Bull, the company should be thinking about some ethical aspects of the product, such as the negative health risk associated with the drink.

Communication Strategies for Leaders Essay

A leader must be able to communicate effectively. When asked to define leadership, theorists and practitioners alike frequently use the words â€Å"influence,† â€Å"inspire† and â€Å"transform,† all of which depend on communication, verbal and nonverbal. Leaders lead through their words and actions. This text focuses on both, thus the emphasis throughout on emotional intelligence, the ability to understand the self and others (Barrett, 2011). Effective leadership communication requires the ability to anticipate to the potential interruptions in the transmission of the message, appreciate the context, understand the audience, select the right medium and craft a clear message that allows the meaning to reach the specific receiver as intended (Barrett, 2011). In my quest to achieve superior communication leadership skills I have had the opportunity to assess and evaluate my effectiveness in communication leadership. This personal assessment has indicated I must become more strategic as strategy is the foundation on which any effective communication depends on. Leaders must be able to analyze their audience in every situation and design a communication strategy that facilitates accomplishing their communication. Communication is critical to every organization and for any aspiring leader. I plan to be strategic in developing a plan to be a more effective communicator by reaching out to external constituents as that is an area for communication improvement. Overall, effective communication strategy depends on ones thinking and planning strategically understanding your audience, and structuring your communication for different situations, delivery methods, and audiences to ensure that you connect with your audience and deliver your intended message (Barrett, 2011). III. As a leader and manager in my organization I take pride in being an effective leader and communication. I have been at my non-profit organization for the  past 6 years and have made significant improvement and learned to grow my communication skills. Owens (1998) mentions two key features of leadership which are: (1) the engagement of persons in a process that identifies them with goals, and (2) the potential to change the institutional environment (e.g. values, beliefs, etc.) by implementing diversity goals into the organizational culture. At the same time, I am a leader that promotes integrity to motivate ethical behavior across the entire organization. Also, it is important for me to create an open environment in which followers and employees feel free to speak up and come forward to me when any action needs to take place. Overall, I am always striving to be a better communicator in all situations as it teaches as I want to be recognized by others as a transformational leader. IV. Score Skill Area 3 Communication Strategy 2 Written Communication Skills 1 = substantial need to improve 3 Oral Communication Skills 2 = some need to improve 3 Ethos/Image 3 = little need to improve 3 Skills at Dealing with Others 4 = no need to improve at this time 3 Observation and Feedback Skills 3 Team Communications and Dynamics Skills 3 Skills at Dealing with Your Own Feelings 3 Internal Corporate Communication 2 External Corporate Communication I consider my oral public speaking skills to be my major strength when communicating to internal colleagues at my organization. I am always poised to conduct presentations and participate in public speaking engagements. I always maintain a sense of confidence and take pride in my public speaking skills. At the same time, I feel much more comfortable in situations where I can communicate effectively with my team members and demonstrate my dynamic skills to engage them effectively. I tend to be a coach and a motivator among my employees. I use different means to get my employees to want to be better at their duties and take full ownership of their tasks and goals. I also have a lot of confidence in being able to utilize my skills in dealing with others feelings and communicating with them solutions to help them with their particular situation. I would consider my interpersonal communication skills with external relations as an area for improvement. I tend to be an extrovert when it comes to public speaking and very confidant with communicating with large audiences but I tend to be introverted when it comes to communication in smaller groups or individual communication with members of external organizations. Barrett (2011) suggests that selecting the right spokesperson to deliver external messages can be almost as critical as the message themselves. I need to work on this part of my communication leadership by participating in more social and networking events to work on my confidence in communicating with external constituents. I also plan to travel more with my executive leadership team and attend meetings and events to get a better understanding of how to communicate more effectively in my external communication. Improvement Goal Action Steps to Achieve Goal (Program) Deadline Method to Measure Success Develop better oral communication skills with external corporate relations Attend more external corporate events and meetings with the executive team. Solicit feedback from executive team members concerning areas for improvement and change any behavior based on feedback Participate in more networking events with external constituents. December 31, 2013 Attend various events. Listen to the feedback given and start to implement that feedback in my future interactions. Achieved: No Further development of my written communication skills Solicit feedback from my supervisor and other employees about my written communication. Conduct more proofreading and be more strategic in my research. December 31, 2013 Compare written material from previous months. Have others review my written communication. Effective leadership communication requires the ability to anticipate to the potential interruptions in the transmission of the message, appreciate the context, understand the audience, select the right medium and craft a clear  message that allows the meaning to reach the specific receiver as intended (Barrett, 2011). I always maintain a sense of confidence and take pride in my public speaking skills. At the same time, I feel much more comfortable in situations where I can communicate effectively with my team members and demonstrate my dynamic skills to engage them effectively which include motivating and coaching. I would consider my interpersonal communication skills with external relations as an area for improvement. I tend to be an extrovert when it comes to public speaking and very confidant with communicating with large audiences but I tend to be introverted when it comes to communication in smaller groups or individual communication with members of external organizations. I have action steps in place to help me in my leadership development which include attending more external corporate events and meetings with the executive team. Solicit feedback from executive team members concerning areas for improvement and change any behavior based on feedback. Also, I plan to participate in more networking events with external constituents. References Aamodt, M. (2013). Industrial/Organizational Psychology: An applied approach. Seventh edition. Cox et. al (2007). Evaluating organizational-level work stress interventions: Beyond tradition methods. Work & Stress, 21, 348-362. Ebbers, L., Conover, K., Samuels, A. (2010). Leading from the middle: preparing leaders for new roles. New directions for Community Colleges.Wiley Periodicals. Frese, M (2009). The changing nature of work. In N. Chmiel (Ed.) An introduction to work and organizational psychology (2nd ed., pp. 397-413). Oxford: Blackwell publishing. Lawler, E.E. (2001). Organizing for high performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Owens, Robert. (1998). Organizational Behavior in Education (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 15

Mary's excited blathering rang through the house as I hurried down the hallway. I could see the bathroom at the end and three closed doors along the way. Great. Did they have to be shut? With my luck, they'd probably squeak. I could only hope that Mary would remain too loud and too distracted to notice. The first door opened-with no squeaking-into a bedroom. The bed was unmade, and clothes had been pushed into piles against the wall. An old dresser sat against one wall, and a nightstand with some papers stood near the other. There was also a mirror on the ceiling. Shuddering, I considered going in to investigate the nightstand papers but decided to hold out and see if I might find an office behind one of the other two doors. Shutting this one silently, I continued down the hallway. The second door did squeak, and I froze, waiting for Mary to come tearing down after me in an effort to bludgeon me with one of Seth's books. I wasn't entirely sure how far his star power would go to save me if caught snooping. She didn't look like the violent type, but one never knew. Fortunately, she kept talking without pause, and I stuck my head inside the new room. It was just another bedroom, a guest one by the looks of the dust and lack of personal items. I closed the door, grimacing at another squeak. One more room to go. Jackpot. The third wasn't an office, but it did appear to be a workspace. Wide tables lay along the walls, covered in chunks of crystal-clear quartz, smoky quartz, etc.-in various states. Some were raw and jagged; others were polished and carved. Tools like blades and picks lay nearby, along with a more sophisticated and modern-looking device I couldn't identify. Maybe some type of laser cutter. Best of all, there was a two-drawer filing cabinet against the wall. I hurried to it, still mindful of Mary's chatter, and opened the top drawer. Over a hundred file folders with names met me. I pulled one at random and saw that it did indeed have a job order. There was a description of the item, client information, job status, and a picture of the finished product. Unfortunately, having all this information meant little to me. I had no idea what name had been used for the seal-or if Mary was even the one who had made it. Frustrated, I opened the next drawer and found financial records, like bills and bank statements. I also located folders labeled â€Å"work logs† categorized by month. I eagerly pulled out this month's and discovered a simple list of dates, client names, and brief descriptions of products. All-except for the three most recent ones-had check marks beside them. Finished products, presumably. I scanned the dates before Jerome's disappearance, cross-checking against the descriptions. Green Tara statue . Bracelet . Athame . Three invoices in the last two weeks caught my attention: round pendant, talisman, medallion . I recognized none of the client names, but the culprit could no doubt have used an alias. Returning to the second drawer, I found each client's file. The pendant was the right size and shape, but it had a hole drilled in it for a chain or string. I couldn't say why, but something told me the seal's original form would be whole. The talisman turned out to be the wrong shape. It was thick and oblong, more like a stone someone would keep in their pocket for good luck. I was starting to panic now. This was taking too long, and I couldn't hear Mary anymore. God, espionage had been so much easier when I could turn invisible. With shaking hands, I pulled out the last file-the medallion. The client was Sam Markowitz, and he'd picked it up four days ago. The photo depicted a flat, quarter-sized disc made of smoky quartz with symbols I didn't recognize etched onto it. Was that it? It was the closest I had to a match of Carter's description. There could be other matches-items ordered months ago-but I didn't have time to go through any more files. I shoved the medallion photo into my purse, closed the drawer, and hurried back out to the hall, half expecting to find Mary blocking my path. I had no need to worry, though. She had never left Seth's side-literally. She now sat in my spot, pressing Seth between her and the couch's arm. Two stacks of books were on the coffee table, and an open one was on his lap. He finished signing it and glanced up at my entrance with a relieved look. â€Å"But you see,† Mary was saying, â€Å"until O'Neill is able to confront the darkness within himself, he'll never be able to open himself to Cady. He's had his moments of vulnerability, of course-like the cave scene in Dominant Eclipse -but he's still keeping his armor up-just like on the veranda in Memories of Man -and so it's no wonder-â€Å" â€Å"Hey,† I said cheerfully. â€Å"We should probably get going.† Seth shot up from his seat, looking rather like a trapped animal who had just gnawed its own leg off and was about to run free. â€Å"Yes. We don't want to detain Mary any further.† Mary stood up too. â€Å"No, no! It's okay. Really. And you have to finish signing my books.† With a grimace, Seth grabbed the last three books and hastily scrawled his signature in them. â€Å"Thanks for talking to us,† he said. â€Å"It's been great meeting you.† â€Å"Are you sure you have to go?† she pleaded. â€Å"I was going to make some dinner soon.† She shot me an accusing look. â€Å"And if it's Ginger who needs to leave, I can give you a ride home later in my van-â€Å" â€Å"No, really,† said Seth, backing up to stand by me. â€Å"I appreciate it, but I have to, you know, get back to writing.† Extricating ourselves was painful. Mary begged and kept offering everything from discount jewelry to thinly veiled sexual suggestions. â€Å"Step on the gas and do not look back,† Seth told me when we got in the car. I complied, peeling out of her driveway as fast as I could and kicking up dirt and gravel in the process. â€Å"That right there,† I mused, â€Å"is the kind of fan who keeps authors in their crawlspace.† Seth leaned his head back against the seat. â€Å"Do not ever do that to me again. Ever.† â€Å"I wasn't that far away. I would have heard you screaming.† â€Å"Not if she used ether first. God, Georgina. She had her hand on my leg.† â€Å"That's Ginger to you.† â€Å"Please tell me you got something useful out of that. I know you didn't go to the bathroom.† â€Å"Nope. I broke into her workroom and ransacked her files.† He groaned. â€Å"Breaking and entering.† â€Å"Hey, I'm a creature of Hell. And she technically let us in.† â€Å"What'd you find?† Eyes on the road, I reached into my purse and fumbled until I found the picture. I handed it to Seth. â€Å"This is it?† he asked. â€Å"I'm not certain. It's close to the description, but I don't know enough about this to really say.† â€Å"Hmm.† Seth studied it and then slipped it back into my purse. We rode for a few more minutes in silence until I finally asked, â€Å"I was never that bad of a fan, was I? That crazy?† â€Å"Oh, God, no,† he said. â€Å"Absolutely not. You were charming and cute and-† He abruptly cut himself off, but those words hung in the air between us. â€Å"You-you weren't like that. Nothing like that,† he managed at last. There was a husky tone to his voice, hinting of some emotion but refusing to reveal which one it was. I'd meant my comment to be light, just a way to keep the conversation going. However, like everything else lately, the words had ended up triggering far more meaning than I'd intended. I had a flashback to when Seth and I had first met, when I hadn't even known who he was. I'd rattled off my feelings for my favorite author, little knowing I was actually talking to him. Unlike Mary, I hadn't stalked him on the Internet and known what he looked like. Seth cleared his throat. â€Å"So†¦what will you do with the picture now?† I ran with his change in subject. â€Å"Get someone to identify it, I guess. Erik, maybe. Or Dante.† More silence fell, and I felt the tension ratchet up. Dante. Once again, harmless words had triggered big consequences between us. I expected Seth to try again to shift the subject, but instead, he actually addressed it. â€Å"It's weird†¦seeing you with Dante.† â€Å"Don't you mean it's weird seeing me with anyone?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Even with my eyes on the road, I knew he had that thoughtful, slightly distracted look in his eyes that meant he was pondering how best to phrase his next words. I used to love that look. Now I was on high alert. â€Å"Yeah, to a certain extent, of course,† he finally admitted. â€Å"It'll always be weird. But every time I talk to him, I just think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"If you say that I can do better, then I'm pulling this car over right now.† â€Å"Um, no. I was just going to say he doesn't seem like your type.† â€Å"That's nearly the same thing,† I pointed out. â€Å"You sound just like Hugh and the others. I'm getting so sick of this! Honestly, it doesn't matter who I date. You're never going to be happy.† â€Å"That's not true,† said Seth. â€Å"It's just†¦when you're around him, you're darker and more cynical. You're not like you used to be. This sounds stupid, considering what you are, but you're†¦well, you're a force for good in the world.† â€Å"Oh, come on ,† I said. â€Å"No, I mean it. Maybe you are a creature of Hell, but people feel better when they're around you. You have this way of talking and smiling that affects everyone. You're nice, you're good-hearted, you worry about others†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed. â€Å"But when you're with Dante, it's like all that light that normally shines out from you gets sucked away.† â€Å"That light got sucked away a long time ago,† I said bitterly. â€Å"Long before he came along.† â€Å"No, it didn't. It's there, and if you're going to be involved with someone, you need someone who sees it, someone who loves you for it and wants to help bring it out.† I had someone like that , I thought. You . â€Å"Dante and I work well together, no matter what any of you think. He understands me.† â€Å"No,† said Seth flatly. His voice was low, but I could hear the anger in it. â€Å"He doesn't.† â€Å"What other options do I have? You're throwing me into an impossible situation. You know I can't date anyone who's good. I can't risk hurting them, but I don't want to be alone. This is my only option.† â€Å"No. It can't be. Before we were together, it wasn't like this. You weren't drinking all the time and having sex with anonymous guys in bathrooms!† And that's when I did it, just like a dad on a road trip. I pulled the car over to the side of the road. It was a long, country highway, and there wasn't much traffic. Seth stared incredulously. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"Saving us from an accident,† I growled, turning so I could meet him straight in the eye. â€Å"And you'll be lucky if I don't make you get out and walk the rest of the way. Look, you want to know why I wasn't dating loser guys when we met? Because I wasn't dating anyone . I took my hits and went home alone. Why is it so wrong for me to want to be with someone now?† â€Å"It shouldn't matter if you're dating someone or not. You still shouldn't be acting like this!† â€Å"You're telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing? It's my business. You have no right!† I yelled back. â€Å"Friends have every right to tell friends when they're on a bad path,† he snapped back. â€Å"Bullshit! I've never seen you interfere with anyone else's life, no matter how badly they were screwing it up. I'm the only one you seem to want to mess with. Why do you care so much about what I do?† Seth and I had raised our voices only rarely while dating, and it had never even come close to this. It was a wonder we didn't shatter the windows. â€Å"Because I care about you! I told you that at the party. Breaking up doesn't mean you stop caring about someone.† â€Å"Yes, but it means you have to let them go.† I was so upset that I was on the verge of tears. â€Å"You can't have it both ways. You can't get rid of me and then try to pull me back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I never wanted to get rid of you.† I stared at him for several heavy moments and felt those traitorous tears brimming heavier and heavier in my eyes. â€Å"Then why did you do it?† After all that yelling, his voice sounded barely like a whisper. â€Å"Because†¦I wanted to save you.† â€Å"You can't,† I murmured, swallowing the tears back with great effort. â€Å"You can't keep saving me, can't keep trying to. It's too late.† â€Å"No,† he said. His heart was in his eyes, and it was ripping mine apart. â€Å"Not for you. Never.† I don't know how it happened exactly, but suddenly we were kissing. His lips were just as I remembered, soft and powerful and wonderful. It wasn't a chaste kiss, nor was it a ripping-off-each-other's-clothes kiss. It was hungry and desperate, like we'd been struggling through a desert and only just now found the water we needed to survive. Best of all, it was just kissing. Just me and Seth. There was no life energy or succubus schemes involved. There was no need to back off for fear of what might happen. We could drink from each other without pulling back. Except, well, we did. We jerked apart, and I knew the shock on his face mirrored my own. What had we just done? Had we†¦had we really done it? It was a kiss. A real kiss. The kind of kiss we'd always wanted. The kiss we weren't supposed to be having. I turned abruptly away, staring at the road ahead. I was frozen and numb†¦and yet, alive and filled with warmth. The world had been in that kiss. But I didn't know how to react to it, didn't know what I was supposed to do now. So, I did the most inane thing possible. I started the car. â€Å"We should get back,† I said. â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed, sounding as stunned as I felt. I dared a look out of my peripheral vision. His eyes were fixed straight ahead, his wonderful lips tightened in a line that somehow made them look strong and vulnerable at the same time. I wanted to lean over and kiss them again, to melt as I had moments ago and forget all about reason. I wanted that perfect feeling to last forever. Instead of dealing with what had just happened, however, I did the cowardly thing and stepped on the gas. We drove back to the city in miserable silence, neither of us mentioning the kiss but both of us thinking about it. I dropped him off at the bookstore and offered a polite thank-you for his help. He returned it equally politely-giving me one last pensive look-and then walked off toward his car. I watched him go, memorizing every line of his body and how he moved. Every emotion possible warred within me, and I had no idea which deserved to win. I was exhausted by the time I stepped into my apartment building. The day had been mentally and physically wearying, what with would-be rapists, larceny, and the kiss heard 'round the world. Later, I'd find someone to identify the photograph for me. For now, I just wanted to sprawl on the couch and watch TV, preferably TV that had nothing to do with the magical or paranormal-or any romantic tension. Unfortunately, the magical and paranormal was waiting for me. What's Nanette doing here? That was my last coherent thought before I was thrown against the far side of my living room. I hit hard, my head cracking against the wall. I fell to the ground, my legs just barely possessing the reflexes to keep me from falling as black spots sparkled across my vision. Nanette faced me, terrible and beautiful in all her golden glory. She hadn't laid a hand on me, but she didn't need to, not with the power she wielded. â€Å"How dare you,† she hissed, eyes narrowed. â€Å"How dare you spread those kinds of rumors.† â€Å"What are you-ah!† I was shoved back to the wall again. The distance wasn't nearly so far as before, but the force was so hard that the impact hurt just as much. More pain shot through my skull as I tried to make sense of all this. â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about!† I cried. Nanette stalked toward me, putting her face inches from mine. â€Å"Of course you do. You told Cedric that I was the one who'd summoned Jerome, that I was the one causing chaos in his territory.† â€Å"I didn't,† I whimpered. â€Å"Not exactly. I just told him you'd met with Jerome.† She snarled and grabbed me by the front of my shirt, jerking me forward. â€Å"That was nothing. Nothing! But now others are suspicious.† â€Å"I just thought he should know and-â€Å" â€Å"Do you know what you may have done?† she screamed. â€Å"I was a candidate for this city! You may have ruined everything.† She threw me again, this time toward the corner my TV was in. Its sharp angles bit into me when I hit, and I crumpled to the floor. I tried to pull myself up but never made it. Nanette was right there beside me. I had a full view of her black stiletto pumps just before she kicked me in the ribs. Pain blasted me, and my body instinctively tried to curl over and protect itself. But she was too fast and too powerful. Greg had had a lot of brute strength at his disposal, brute strength I'd been able to counteract a little. But against Nanette? Against a demon? Her strength was beyond that of a human, nearly beyond human comprehension. â€Å"Do. Not. Fuck. With. Me,† she said, punctuating each hit with a kick to my stomach or ribs. â€Å"Do you understand? You are nothing. Nothing .† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. My eyes burned, and every part of my body was screaming, begging for this to end. The kicking stopped, and I rolled to my side, only to have a wave of power slam down on me and roll me to my stomach, pinning me down on the floor like an invisible ton of bricks. I tried to move but couldn't even budge. â€Å"I don't care if you're Jerome's favorite or Cedric's new darling,† she said. Her voice was all ice and malice. Again, she didn't touch me with her hands, but the back of my shirt suddenly ripped open. â€Å"I could destroy you right now, blast you from the face of the earth, and no one would say anything. Instead-you're lucky I'm in a good mood today.† Her â€Å"good mood† felt like a thousand whips hitting my back. Tiny lashes of power, sharp as razors and burning like flames, slammed into me. I screamed as they slashed at my skin, ripping it open. Some part of me thought that if I screamed loud enough, maybe a neighbor would hear me. It was a useless sentiment, though. She would have soundproofed this room much as the demons had at the Cellar. Besides, what could any mortal do against this? Again and again those invisible whips tore into me. Obviously, I couldn't see what was happening, but in my mind's eye, I imagined my flesh torn to ribbons, my entire back a horrible, bloody mess. I don't know how many times those lashings repeated. They blurred together. I was fast approaching a point where the pain was so intense, so overwhelming that I almost couldn't feel it. My vision was going black, my brain barely able to hold consciousness. When the beating finally stopped, I wondered if I was dead. The room was still and silent. Then, the invisible force lifted off my back. I tried to roll over but couldn't. Nanette knelt down, her lips right against my ear. â€Å"Do not fuck with me,† she whispered. â€Å"You interfere again, and I will kill you.† She vanished. I was left alone, sobbing and bleeding. I tried to move again but still was unable to. What was I going to do? I couldn't even call for help. Of course, it probably didn't matter. The pain was so great that I was either going to die or pass out any minute now. Human devices might not kill me, but demonic ones could, regardless if I was in stasis. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I felt strong arms slide underneath me, gently lifting me in a way that kept my back up. I stifled a small cry. Even without my back being touched, the movement hit every other muscle and place on my body that Nanette had hurt. I opened my eyes, trying to see who was there, but my vision was swimming and rapidly darkening. â€Å"What†¦Ã¢â‚¬  was all I managed to get out. â€Å"Shh, love. It's going to be okay. You're going to be okay.† Those arms gently eased me onto my bed. I moaned again as fire shot through my ribs. Cool hands smoothed back my hair, but I still couldn't see anything. â€Å"I can't heal you,† the voice said. â€Å"But I'll get someone who can help. Just don't move. It's going to be okay.† There was something familiar about the voice, but I couldn't identify it through the haze and confusion in my head. I could barely breathe, let alone think. Silence fell after that, as though my mysterious benefactor had left. Yet a few moments later, I blearily saw hands set Aubrey on the bed beside me. She leaned forward, sniffing my face. One of the friendly hands petted her head and back, in that way that could so often coax cats into lying down. It worked, and after turning in a couple of circles, she settled down beside me. Then, the hand stroked my hair one last time. â€Å"Everything's going to be okay.† That was the last thing I remembered hearing. My savior might have stayed or left. I didn't know because a few moments later, that blackness finally won, and I sank into a dreamless sleep that was mercifully free of pain.