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Previous Lesson
Complete and Continue
Supervised Machine Learning in Python
Introduction to supervised machine learning
Introduction to the course (4:53)
What is supervised machine learning? (10:31)
Regression and classification models (6:22)
Overfitting and underfitting (15:09)
Student quiz
The tools used in this course
Required Python packages
Jupyter notebook (9:08)
Sklearn API (9:38)
Linear models
Introduction to Linear Regression (3:36)
Linear Regression in Python (6:20)
Introduction to Ridge Regression (4:20)
Ridge Regression in Python (5:34)
Introduction to Lasso Regression (5:15)
Lasso Regression in Python (4:34)
Introduction to Elastic Net Regression (4:43)
Elastic Net Regression in Python (4:07)
Introduction to Logistic Regression for classification (7:22)
Logistic Regression in Python (15:19)
Student quiz
Decision trees
Introduction to decision trees (20:17)
Decision Trees in Python (12:15)
Student quiz
K-nearest neighbors
Introduction to KNN (6:31)
KNN in Python (11:40)
Student quiz
Naive Bayes
Introduction to Naive Bayes (7:07)
Categorical Naive Bayes in Python (6:43)
Bernoulli Naive Bayes in Python (5:09)
Gaussian Naive Bayes in Python (4:22)
Student quiz
Support Vector Machines
Introduction to SVM (6:05)
Linear SVM in Python (7:08)
Non-linear SVM in Python (11:05)
Student quiz
Neural Networks
Introduction to Neural Networks (21:11)
Neural Networks in Python (15:42)
Student quiz
Introduction to ensemble models
Ensemble models and bias-variance tradeoff (5:23)
Ensemble models: bagging
Introduction to bagging (6:49)
Bagging in Python (12:43)
Introduction to Random Forest (2:53)
Random Forest in Python (11:51)
Introduction to Extremely Randomized trees (2:31)
Extremely Randomized trees in Python (10:05)
Student quiz
Ensemble models: boosting
Introduction to Boosting (4:28)
Boosting in Python (8:53)
Introduction to Gradient Boosting (4:40)
Gradient Boosting in Python (9:15)
XGBoost in Python (10:48)
Student quiz
Ensemble models: voting
Introduction to voting (3:43)
Voting in Python (6:25)
Student quiz
Ensemble models: stacking
Introduction to stacking (2:12)
Stacking in Python (8:02)
Student quiz
Performance evaluation
Regression performance metrics (10:07)
Regression performance metrics in Python (5:43)
Pairplot in Python (5:02)
Binary classification performance metrics (13:07)
Binary classification performance metrics in Python (9:49)
Introduction to ROC curve (7:38)
ROC curve in Python (5:21)
Multi-class classification performance metrics (7:58)
Multi-class classification performance metrics in Python (7:38)
When to use classification performance metrics (6:05)
Student quiz
Cross-Validation and hyperparameter tuning
Introduction to k-fold cross-validation (12:25)
k-fold cross-validation in Python (8:23)
The need for hyperparameter tuning (1:19)
Introduction to grid search (4:49)
Grid search in Python (14:13)
Introduction to random search (4:42)
Random search in Python (14:09)
Student quiz
Feature importance and model interpretation
What is feature importance? (8:37)
Models that calculate feature importance in Python (18:15)
Introduction to SHAP (10:14)
Using SHAP with tree-based models in Python (21:53)
Using SHAP with every model in Pyhton (22:14)
Student quiz
Recursive Feature Elimination
Introduction to RFE (6:59)
RFE in Python (17:22)
Student quiz
Persisting our model
Pickle library (8:39)
Practical examples in Python
A complete pipeline: model selection and hyperparameter tuning (19:45)
Feature selection with Lasso (9:12)
Dimensionality reduction using RFE (5:02)
How to choose the right scaler (5:45)
Practical approaches
The curse of dimensionality
The importance of pre-processing
The importance of the right features against the model
Interpretability of a model
End of course
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The bad news just doesn't seem to stop where Intel and the Speectre vulnerability are concerned. The latest bit of news comes directly from Intel, as the company admits that it's just not possible to address the Spectre vulnerability in some of its older hardware. This means that nine families of chips and more than 230 models of computers (mostly manufactured between 2007 and 2011) will remain vulnerable to Spectre forever.
The company has stopped Spectre mitigation development on the following families of chips:
- Bloomfield
- Clarksfield
- Gulftown
- Harpertown Xeon
- Jasper Forest
- Penryn
- SoFIA 3GR
- Wolfdale
- Yorkfield
A company spokesman had this to say about the recent announcement:
"We've now completed the release of microcode updates for Intel microprocessor products launched in the last 9+ years that required protection against the side-channel vulnerabilities discovered by Google. However, as indicated in our latest microcode revision guidance, we will not be providing updated microcode for a select number of older platforms for several reasons, including limited ecosystem support and customer feedback."
It's unfortunate, but not entirely unexpected. If you have any older Intel equipment still in service at your company, have your IT group check the processor family. If it's one of the above, it's well worth marking those systems high priorities for upgrades, and limiting their use until you can.
Spectre is a devastating flaw, and it's just not worth the risk to leave exposed systems connected to your network and in service. This is especially true now that it's official that no help is coming for certain older systems.
Even worse, AMD chips, which are not impacted by Spectre and Meltdown, have since been found to have their own critical security flaws. While not as bad or as pervasive as the two Intel is facing, they will nonetheless require the company to issue its own microcode updates, which they are currently scrambling to do.
The long and the short of it is that there really are no safe harbors anymore.

subset: commoncrawl


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Thursday, July 18, 2024
- The upcoming event at the United Nations is being billed as something politically unique.
For the first time in its 68-year history, the 193-member General Assembly is holding a high-level meeting of world leaders on one of the most controversial issues of our time: nuclear disarmament.
But expectations for the meeting are low, says Jayantha Dhanapala, a former U.N. under-secretary-general for disarmament affairs.
Unless disarmament becomes a priority for possessor states, he told IPS, speeches and meetings alone are not going to change the stark dangers posed by this most destructive weapon of mass destruction (WMD).
"A decision to outlaw nuclear weapons in the same way as biological and chemical weapons is essential," said Dhanapala, who is president of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, which jointly won the 1995 Nobel Peace prize for their efforts at nuclear disarmament.
"The time to start negotiations on a Nuclear Weapon Convention (NWC) is not tomorrow but now," he said.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has consistently maintained that nuclear disarmament is one of his top priorities, is expected to call for "a world free of nuclear weapons" at the meeting scheduled to take place at the United Nations on Sep. 26.
Asked if the high-level meeting will be another exercise in futility, Alyn Ware, a member of the World Future Council and consultant to the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms, told IPS, "It could be an exercise in futility if governments, including the non-nuclear governments, do not treat it seriously."
He said non-nuclear governments should participate at the highest level, and make strong statements that they are more secure without nuclear weapons and that the security of all in the 21st Century requires the abolition of nuclear weapons, meaning that it is a "global good of the highest order".
Ware said they should also pledge to dedicate greater resources and political traction to developing the building blocks for a nuclear weapons-free world through the Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) to which the nuclear weapons states (NWS) have an obligation to join.
Currently, there are five declared nuclear weapon states, namely the United States, Britain, Russia, France, China, all five permanent members of the Security Council (P5), along with three undeclared nuclear weapon states, India, Pakistan, Israel.
Despite its three nuclear tests, North Korea still remains in limbo.
The three undeclared nuclear powers have all refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), as against the five declared nuclear powers who are states parties to the treaty.
Dhanapala said nine countries – five within the NPT and four outside – possess a total inventory of 17,270 nuclear warheads today, 4,400 of them placed on missiles or located on bases ready to be launched in minutes.
The U.S. and Russia alone own 16,200 of these warheads, he pointed out.
And despite the lingering horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the risks of nuclear weapons being used again – by design or accident, by states or non-state actors – are huge, he added.
"The results would be catastrophic for all humankind," Dhanapala warned.
Ware told IPS the role of nuclear weapons could be reduced in Northeast Asia through negotiations for a North East Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone.
The U.S., he said, could exercise more effective diplomacy in the Middle East to move the Arab states and Israel to participate in good faith in the proposed U.N. Conference on a Middle East Zone Free from Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction. Arab States are demanding preconditions that are unacceptable to Israel, so both need to exercise some flexibility, he noted.
Non-nuclear countries could use the OEWG, as long as the mandate is renewed, to commence preparatory work on the building blocks for a nuclear weapons-free world (based on the Model Nuclear Weapons Convention circulated by the secretary-general) regardless of whether or not the nuclear weapons states join the OEWG in the near future.
Dhanapala told IPS the first Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament (SSODI) was held in 1978 as a direct outcome of the summit of world leaders of the 1976 Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
It was a period of detente in the Cold War and a far-reaching Final Declaration was adopted.
No multilateral gathering has matched that remarkable consensus on fundamental concepts achieved 35 years ago, especially on the priority of nuclear disarmament, he added.
"Yet today, the multilateral disarmament machinery established by SSOD I is in grave disarray," he said.
The sole multilateral negotiating body, the Conference on Disarmament, has neither negotiated treaties nor even adopted a programme of work since 1996, according to Dhanapala.
The Disarmament Commission has met ritualistically every year without any agreed texts in the last 14 years.
And the U.N.'s First Committee, dealing with disarmament, is still churning out resolutions with little impact, he added.
"While the mirage of a nuclear weapon-free world is held aloft, the CTBT has not entered into force, the promised conference on the Middle East as a WMD-free zone has not been held and bilateral U.S.-Russian nuclear disarmament talks have not even started," Dhanapala said.
The need for a radical change has been recognised by the countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and their supporters have resisted NAM demands for a SSOD IV.
A one-day high-level meeting of the General Assembly is a compromise, he said.
The 2010 NPT Review Conference with its 64-point action programme and the increasing recognition of humanitarian disarmament are an inadequate basis for the non-nuclear weapon states, most of which are in legally recognised nuclear weapon-free zones, to trust the nuclear armed states to disarm.
The Sep. 26 meeting must be the beginning of a nuclear disarmament process, Dhanapala said.


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How to Start a Cleaning Business If you don't mind getting your hands dirty and appreciate the sense of a job well done, then a cleaning service might just be your perfect opportunity.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Editor's note: This article was excerpted from our Cleaning Service start-up guide, available from Entrepreneur Bookstore.
If it can get dirty, chances are someone will be willing to pay you to clean it.
And that's why few industries can claim the variety and depth of opportunities that professional cleaning can.
What's Inside
- Introduction
- Target Market
- Location
- Pricing
- Marketing
- Resources
More Articles On Cleaning Bbusinesses »
The cleaning industry has two primary market groups: consumer and commercial. The consumer arena consists primarily of residential maid services, along with carpet cleaners, window cleaners and a variety of other cleaning services required on a less-frequent basis. The commercial arena is dominated by janitorial services, which typically provide a wider range of services than maid services, along with other cleaning companies, such as carpet and window cleaners that target businesses rather than individual consumers. While it's recommended that you decide on a niche and concentrate on building a business that will serve your chosen market, it's entirely realistic to expect to be able to serve multiple markets successfully.
Before you leap into the cleaning business, it's important to look at it with 20/20 vision. Though technology has certainly had an impact on cleaning services, this is not a high-tech business. Nor is there any glitz to it. And there will be times when you'll have as much trouble as Rodney Dangerfield getting respect.
But the upside is that you can build an extremely profitable business that will generate revenue very quickly. Most cleaning service businesses can be operated on either a part-time or full-time basis, either from home or from a commercial location. That flexibility gives this industry a strong appeal to a wide range of people with a variety of goals.
Another positive aspect of the industry is that within each category of cleaning businesses are market niches and operating styles that vary tremendously. Salt Lake City janitorial service owner Michael R. says, "We offer a wide range of services to a very limited clientele. We have refined our customer base to a group that we feel we can best serve in a way that will allow us to maintain those customers permanently."
This means you can build a company that suits your individual style and talents. If you like doing the work yourself, you can stay small and do so. If your skills are more administrative in nature, you can build and manage teams to do the work. For people who like working outside, the opportunities in service areas such as window cleaning and pressure washing are abundant. Residential maid services offer fairly predictable hours; disaster restoration and cleanup can mean calls at all hours of the day or night.
Few industries offer this tremendous range of choices and opportunities, and the need for general and niche cleaning is expected to increase in the future.
Do You Have What It Takes?
The necessary qualifications depend, of course, on the type of cleaning service you decide to start. But for any type of service business, you need a determination to make the business work, a willingness to please the customer and the dedication to provide a thorough cleaning job.
Another critical requirement for the owner and the employees of any type of cleaning service is honesty. "Clients must have total trust in the people who come to clean their homes," says Fenna O, who owns a maid service in Orlando, Florida. This is important whether they're cleaning bathrooms every week or carpets twice a year--or dusting and vacuuming an office at night.
A maid service is probably the simplest business in terms of necessary cleaning skills. Janitorial services, carpet cleaning businesses and other niche cleaning operations often require the use of special equipment and/or cleaning solutions for which you must be trained.
Beyond actually being able to do the work, a cleaning service operator needs some basic business skills. You need to understand the administrative requirements of running a company, you should be able to manage your time efficiently, and you must be able to build relationships with your employees and your customers.
Franchise or Independent Operation?
That franchises will work closely with you as you start your business and take it to the point where it is running smoothly and profitability is an advantage, especially in the beginning. But you may find that once you become established and are financially secure, a franchise agreement is a decided disadvantage.
For people who want to own their own business but would rather choose an opportunity that has proven successful for many others rather than gambling on developing their own system, a franchise is the way to go. Also, most franchises provide a degree of marketing support--particularly in the area of national advertising and name recognition--that's extremely difficult for individuals to match.
In the long run, you'll likely invest far less money operating as an independent service than as part of a franchise. Also, as an independent, you're not tied to any pre-established formulas for concept, name, services offered, etc. That's both an advantage and a drawback. The advantage is that you can do things your way. The drawback is that you have no guidelines to follow. Everything you do, from defining your market to cleaning a bathtub, is a result of trial and error. As an independent owner, you must research every aspect of the business, both before and during your business's lifetime, so you'll start right and adapt to market changes.
Target Market
Most of the cleaning service operators we spoke with used personal savings to start their businesses, then reinvested their early profits to fund growth.
What's Inside
- Introduction
- Target Market
- Location
- Pricing
- Marketing
- Resources
More Articles On Cleaning Bbusinesses »
If you need to purchase equipment, you should be able to find financing, especially if you can show that you've put some of your own cash into the business. Beyond traditional financing, you have a range of options when it comes to raising money. Some suggestions:
Your own resources. Do a thorough inventory of your assets. People generally have more assets than they immediately realize. This could include savings accounts, equity in real estate, retirement accounts, vehicles, recreation equipment, collections and other investments. You may opt to sell assets for cash or use them as collateral for a loan. Take a look, too, at your personal line of credit. Many a successful business has been started with credit cards.
Friends and family. The next logical step after gathering your own resources is to approach friends and relatives who believe in you and want to help you succeed. Be cautious with these arrangements; no matter how close you are, present yourself professionally, put everything in writing, and be sure the individuals you approach can afford to take the risk of investing in your business. Never ask a friend or family member to invest or loan you money they can't afford to lose.
Partners. Using the "strength in numbers" principle, look around for someone who may want to team up with you in your venture. You may choose someone who has financial resources and wants to work side-by-side with you in the business. Or you may find someone who has money to invest but no interest in doing the actual work. Be sure to create a written partnership agreement that clearly defines your respective responsibilities and obligations.
Government programs. Take advantage of the abundance of local, state and federal programs designed to support small businesses. Make your first stop the U.S. Small Business Administration; then investigate various other programs. Women, minorities and veterans should check out niche financing possibilities designed to help these groups get into business. The business section of your local library is a good place to begin your research.
A Homebased Location
One of the hottest business trends today is to be homebased, and cleaning services are excellent candidates for this type of setup. After all, your customers will likely never come to your facility since all your work is done on their premises. But that's not the only issue influencing your decision to operate from a homebased office or a commercial location.
Many municipalities have ordinances that limit the nature and volume of commercial activities that can occur in residential areas. Some outright prohibit the establishment of homebased businesses. Others may allow such enterprises but place restrictions regarding issues such as signage, traffic, employees, commercially marked vehicles and noise. Before you apply for your business license, find out what ordinances govern homebased businesses; you may need to adjust your plan to be in compliance.
What's Inside
More Articles On Cleaning Businesses »
Opening a Commercial Location
Many industry veterans believe that in order to achieve authentic business growth, you must get out of the home and into a commercial facility. Certainly, doing so will help you create a successful and professional image, but before you begin shopping for an office, think carefully about what you'll need.
Your office area should be large enough to have a small reception area, work space for yourself and your administrative staff, and a storage area for equipment and supplies. You may also want to have space for a laundry and possibly even a small work area where you can handle minor equipment repairs. Depending on the size of your staff, consider allowing for a small break area.
Regardless of the type of cleaning business you have, remember that chances are slim that your customers will ever come to your office. So look for a facility that meets your operational needs and is in a reasonably safe location, but don't pay for a prestigious address--it's just not worth it.
Because your work is done at your customers' sites, vehicles are as important to your business as the location of your office. In fact, your vehicles are essentially your company on wheels. They need to be carefully chosen and well-maintained to adequately serve and represent you.
For a maid service, an economy car or station wagon should suffice. You need enough room to store equipment and supplies, and to transport your cleaning teams, but you typically won't be hauling around pieces of equipment large enough to require a van or small truck.
You can either provide vehicles or have employees use their own. If you provide the vehicles, paint your company's name, logo and telephone number on them. This advertises your business all over town. If your employees use their own cars--which is particularly common with maid services--ask for evidence that they have sufficient insurance to cover them in the event of an accident. Also, confirm with your insurance agent that your own liability policy protects you under those circumstances.
The type of vehicles you'll need for a janitorial service depends on the size and type of equipment you use as well as the size and number of your crews. An economy car or station wagon could work if you're doing relatively light cleaning in smaller offices, but for most janitorial businesses, you're more likely to need a truck or van.
For carpet cleaning services, you'll need a truck or van, either new or used, for each service person and his or her equipment. A good used truck will cost about $10,000, while a new one will run from $18,000 up.
Do You Need Employees?
Consider these startup staffing suggestions:
For a Maid Service Business: Your initial staffing needs will depend on how much capital you have, how large a business you want to have, and the volume of customers you can reasonably expect to service. Many independent maid services start with just the owner. Others will start with the owner and an appropriate number of maids. If you handle the administrative chores, chances are you won't need to hire office help right away.
For a Janitorial Business: You may be able to start with no employees--or just one or two part-timers. If you have the capital available and the business lined up, you may need to hire more. You may also want to consider an administrative person to handle the records and answer the phone during the day; after all, if you're working all night, you need to schedule some time to sleep. As your business grows, consider a marketing/salesperson, a customer service manager, and crew supervisors as well as additional cleaning personnel.
For a Carpet Cleaning Business: Depending on the strength of your pre-opening campaign and your startup budget, hire at least one service person and possibly two as you're getting started, along with an employee experienced in clerical work who can book appointments and handle administrative chores. Though one person can likely handle most of the residential jobs you'll get, you may want to consider staffing each truck with two people: a senior technician and a helper. The helper can assist with the prep work for each job (unloading equipment, moving light furniture, etc.), mix chemicals, empty buckets, clean up afterward, etc. This will make each job go faster, which is more efficient and cost-effective and also generates a greater degree of customer satisfaction.
Pricing can be tedious and time-consuming, especially if you don't have a knack for crunching numbers. Especially in the beginning, don't rush through this process. If your quote is too low, you'll either rob yourself of some profit or be forced to lower the quality of your work to meet the price. If you estimate too high, you may lose the contract altogether, especially if you're in a competitive bidding situation. Remember, in many cleaning situations, you may be competing against the customer himself; if your quote is high, he or she may think, "For that much money, I can just do this myself."
What's Inside
More articles on cleaning businesses »
During the initial days of your operation, you should go back and look at the actual costs of every job when it's completed to see how close your estimate was to reality. Learning how to accurately estimate labor and properly calculate overhead will let you set a competitive pricing schedule and still make the profit you require.
To arrive at a strong pricing structure for your particular operation, consider these three factors:
- Labor and materials. Until you establish records to use as a guide, you'll have to estimate the costs of labor and materials. Labor costs include wages and benefits you pay your employees. If you are even partly involved in executing a job, the cost of your labor, proportionate to your input, must be included in the total labor charge. Labor cost is usually expressed as an hourly rate.
- Overhead. This consists of all the nonlabor, indirect expenses required to operate your business. Your overhead rate is usually calculated as a percentage of your labor and materials. If you have past operating expenses to guide you, figuring an overhead rate is not difficult. Total your expenses for one year, excluding labor and materials. Divide this number by your total cost of labor and materials to determine your overhead rate. When you're starting out, you won't have past expenses to guide you, so use figures that are accepted industry averages. You can raise or lower the numbers later to suit the realities of your operation.
- Profit. This is, of course, the difference between what it costs to you provide a service and what you actually charge the customer. Figure your net profit into your estimate by applying a percentage of profit factor to the combined costs of labor and materials and overhead. The profit factor will be larger than the actual percentage of gross revenue you'll end up with for your net profit. For example, if you plan to net 38 percent before taxes out of your gross revenue, you will need to apply a profit factor of about 61.3 percent to your labor and materials plus overhead to achieve that target.
If you're extending credit to your customers--and it's likely you will if you have corporate accounts or if you are in the janitorial business--you need to establish and follow sound billing procedures.
Coordinate your billing system with your customers' payable procedures. Candidly ask what you can do to ensure prompt payment; that may include confirming the correct billing address and finding out what documentation may be required to help the customer determine the validity of the invoice. Keep in mind that many large companies pay certain types of invoices on certain days of the month; find out if your customers do that, and schedule your invoices to arrive in time for the next payment cycle.
Your invoice should clearly indicate the terms under which you've extended credit. Terms include the date the invoice is due, any discount for early payment and additional charges for late payment. It's also a good idea to specifically state the date the invoice becomes past due to avoid any possible misunderstanding. If you're going to charge a penalty for late payment, be sure your invoice states that it's a late payment or rebilling fee, not a finance charge.
Finally, use your invoices as a marketing tool. Mention any upcoming specials, new services or other information that may encourage your customers to use more of your services. Add a flier or brochure to the envelope--even though the invoice is going to an existing customer, you never know where your brochures will end up.
Though the total market for cleaning services is tremendous, you must decide on the particular niche you will target. If you want to do residential cleaning, do you want to clean private homes, condos and apartments, or empty rental units? If you're starting a janitorial business, will you focus on offices, retail operations or manufacturing facilities? And will you target small, medium or large customers? As a carpet cleaner, will you clean residential or commercial facilities--or both? And what services other than shampooing carpets will you provide?
Once you've decided on a market niche, you must then look at the geographic area you want to serve. If you're starting a maid service, you want to be able to schedule cleanings in a way that keeps your travel time to a minimum. The same applies to carpet cleaners. Janitorial crews that must move from building to building have a similar concern.
What's Inside
More Articles On Cleaning Businesses »
After you've identified what you want to do and where you'd like to do it, research the demographics of the area to be sure it contains a sufficient number of potential customers. If it does, you're ready to move ahead. If it doesn't, you'll need to reconsider how you've defined your niche or the geographic area.
Part of your market analysis includes your costs to serve that market. A densely populated market allows you to serve a greater number of customers because your travel time is minimal, but it also means you'll be consuming more supplies. This needs to be planned for as well as factored into your rates.
You can build a very successful cleaning business on referrals, but you need those first customers to get started. Where are they? Indianapolis-based Bane-Clene Corp. suggests you start by contacting the following groups:
- friends and relatives
- your neighbors
- former co-workers and employers
- social groups and clubs, including card clubs, bowling teams, athletic leagues, lodges, fraternities, alumni groups, and neighborhood associations
- church or religious acquaintances
The Elements of Image
One of your most important marketing tools is the image you project. Jim Cavanaugh, founder and president of Jani-King International, a commercial cleaning franchise in Dallas, says image is made up of several components, including:
- The way you and your crew look. Are your workers clean and neat, wearing attractive uniforms or at least nice jeans or slacks?
- Your printed materials. Are your invoices and statements typed neatly or computerized? Do the documents you produce display professionalism, or do you damage your image by using handwritten bills and scrap paper for notes?
- Equipment. Is your equipment clean and in good repair, or dirty, with loose wheels, taped cords and in general disrepair?
- Integrity. Do you operate and behave in such a way that building managers and owners are comfortable trusting you and your employees with unsupervised access to their facility?
- Insurance.Having adequate business insurance, including liability, workers' comp and bonding your employees, builds your credibility and image.
- Your vehicles. Are your company vehicles clean, running properly and neatly marked with your company name and logo? A dirty, dented truck that belches smoke won't impress your clients.
- Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration (includes Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Institute, Mechanical Systems Hygiene Institute, National Institute of Rug Cleaning, National Institute of Disaster Restoration, and Water Loss Institute)
- Chimney Safety Institute of America
- Cleaning & Maintenance Management Online
- International Window Cleaning Association
What's Inside
More articles on cleaning businesses »
- Commercial/residential cleaning franchises
- Carpet, upholstery & drapery service franchises
- Restroom hygiene service franchises
- Window cleaning franchises
- Global cleaning and maintenance franchises
Magazines and Publications


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Hot tub Chemicals are utilised in order to sustain uncontaminated water that is free of bacterias, dire smells and flavours, and gives harmless swimming with no irritation. It is standard industry practice to maintain healthy portable spa water by means of chemical substances, and it is usually also the fastest and easiest method of caring for you and your garden spa. Here we aim to offer you assistance during admending your water balance.
Using chlorine
The sanitizer in luxury hot tubs is the primary barrier it's water has, making Chlorine essentially the most significant substance used. It is usually suggested to exploit Stabilized Chlorine as the sanitizer, for the reason that its basically pH neutral, rendering its effect on overall water stability dependable. It is advisable to analyze Chlorine ranges whenever you soak, but preferably every single calendar day.
It's best quantity is between 3 to 5 ppm. Weaken several granules in a little water, prior to adding a tiny amount each time to amend. Correcting overdoses is far more difficult than utilising extra Sanitiser.
Test Total Alkalinity (TA) and pH
This collection of levels is again best examined as habitually as feasible, and almost all urge doing so before every bathing session. The TA has an impression upon pH stability, hot tub discolouration and limescale buildup, as a result it is really critical this is correct. The pH level of the water can have an effect on comfort of bathers, and if incorrect can cause skin irritation.
An optimal TA quantity is from eighty parts per million to one hundred and fifty parts per million, nevertheless confirm with your Hot tub dealer because suggestions fluctuate for assorted machines. One can apply TA increasing chemical, or pH increasing chemical, to change it's concentration.
The ideal pH value is always 7.4-7.6 pH, thus if your Total Alkalinity value was in shape, however the pH is unsuitable, include a quantity of pH plus or pH minus in minute amounts to correct. Test your Total alkalinity over again when you've amended pH.
Effective Use of Spa Shock
Utilising a Shock treatment every week, together with after intense use, can help to oxidise your spa water, which helps get rid of trash and contaminants delivered by users. To allow constant use of your portable spa, it is usually right to work with a non-chlorine shock remedy.
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For Atomically Clean Surfaces, UV Oxidizing, UV Sterilizing and UV Heat Treatment
Introduction: PSD, PSDP and Thermal Series UV Ozone Cleaner
Novascan UV Ozone Cleaners have proven to be highly effective for non-acidic, dry, non-destructive atomic cleaning and removal of organic contaminants using intense 185 nm and 254 nm ultraviolet light. In the presence of oxygen, the 185 line produces Ozone and while the 254 line excites organic molecules on the surface. This combination drives the rapid destruction and decimation of organic contaminants.
To further enhance treatment, the PSDP-UVT UV Ozone cleaners utilize UV Ozone and a thermal stage to achieve more aggressive results by elevating the energy state of the sample surface and by driving off humidity layers that can block oxidation.
As shown below, AFM was used to document the removal of thick organic contaminants with exposure time using simple room air as an oxygen source (pure oxygen gas may be used for more controlled and aggresive treatment). Additionally contact angle experiments demonstrate dramatic improvements in surface wettability after UV Ozone treatment.
For UV cleaner price quotes, discounts and further information please fill out the "Contact Me" section at the bottom of this page or send email to: firstname.lastname@example.com
Read more about:
- PSD and PSPD Series UV Cleaner - High Performance UV-Ozone Cleaner: UV Ozone Cleaning Systems with 4x4" to 12x16" ... or larger by special order.
- NEW PRODUCT** Top & Bottom dual lamp UV cleaner systems for wafers and other surfaces. Please Inquire.
- PSDP-UVT Series Thermal UV Ozone Cleaner - High Performance Thermal UV Ozone Cleaner: UV Ozone Cleaning Systems with Heated Stage and PID Temperature Control
Case Study 1: "New" glass slide and coverslip surfaces are often not clean right out of the box. Surfaces can be easily and quickly cleaned to the atomic level using Novascan UV Ozone Cleaners with just room air.
Case Study 2: AFM study of contaminated glass slide surfaces before and after atomic cleaning with a Novascan UV Ozone Cleaner (Note that the data is autoscaled in the last AFM image to reveal the glass grain)
For UV cleaner price quotes, discounts and further information please fill out the "Contact Me" section at the bottom of this page or send email to: firstname.lastname@example.com
- UV Clean Glass
- UV Clean Silicon
- UV Clean Gallium Arsenide
- UV Clean ITO
- UV Clean Quartz
- UV Clean Mica
- UV Clean Sapphire
- UV Oxidize Metals
- UV Clean Ceramics
- UV Activate Polymers and Crosslink Polymers
- UV Strip Photo Resist / Photoresist
- UV Clean Wafers
- UV Clean Production Line LED displays
- UV Clean Glass slides and Glass coverslips
- UV Clean Gold surfaces
- UV Clean Platinum surfaces
- UV Activate PDMS for Microfluidic assembles
For UV cleaner price quotes, discounts and further information please fill out the "Contact Me" section at the bottom of this page or send email to: email@example.com
- Atomically clean Semiconductor Silicon Wafers using UV Ozone.
- Eliminate nasty acid and chemical bath cleaning methods that are dangerous for people and the environment
- Make Hydrophobic surfaces more Hydrophilic
- Fast & Simple method to clean AFM, SEM and TEM samples, surfaces and probes UV Ozone
- Atomically clean glass sides and coverslips
- Cell culture and cell adhesion surface preparation
- Preparation for Force Spectroscopy studies
- Semiconductor Surface UV Oxidation and Preparation
- For manufacturing of LED displays
- Cleaning sensitive Lenses and Optics
- Increased Surface Wettability after UV Ozone cleaning
- Enhance adhesion of paints, coatings, glues and adhesives
- UV Ozone Cleaning Quartz and Ceramic Surfaces
- Improved Thin Film Deposition Quality with UV Ozone
- Ultraviolet (UV) Curing and crosslinking of polymers and adhesives
- UV Surface Patterning
- UV Etching and Surface UV Oxidation
- An effective, non-destructive, non-vacuum alternative to plasma cleaning
- UV Ozone Cleaner preparation for Alkanethiol, APTES, silanization and other surface chemistry
- UV Ozone heat treatment
Sample References: Novascan UV Ozone Cleaner
Low temperature bonding of PMMA and COC microfluidic substrates using UV/ozone surface treatment
Lab Chip, 2007, 7, 499 505
C. W. Tsao, L. Hromada, J. Liu, P. Kumar and D. L. DeVoe -
Fabrication of DNA micropatterns on the polycarbonate surface of compact discs
Nanoscale Research Letters
Volume 2 , Number 2/February 2007, pg 69-74
Zhen Wang and Rong-Xian Li -
Structure-Related Initiation of Reentry by Rapid Pacing in Monolayers of Cardiac Cells
Circ. Res. published online Feb 9, 2006
Weining Bian and Leslie Tung -
Method of imaging low density lipoproteins by atomic force microscopy
Microscopy Research and Technique, Volume 70, Issue 10 , Pages 904 - 907
Julie A. Chouinard , Abdelouahed Khalil, Patrick Vermette -
Microfluidic solid phase suspension transport with an elastomer-based, single piezo-actuator, micro throttle pump
Lab Chip, 2005, 5, 318 - 325
D. Johnston, M. C. Tracey, J. B. Davis and C. K. L. Tan -
Micro throttle pump employing displacement amplification in an elastomeric substrate
J. Micromech. Microeng. 15 1831-1839
I D Johnston, M C Tracey, J B Davis and C K L Tan -
Continuously variable mixing-ratio micromixer with elastomer valves
J. Micromech. Microeng. 15 1885-1893
Christabel K L Tan, Mark C Tracey, John B Davis and Ian D Johnston -
Stress creation during NiMn alloy electrodeposition
J. Appl. Phys. 99, 053517 (2006);
Sean J. Hearne, Jerrold A. Floro, Mark A. Rodriguez, Ralph T. Tissot, Colleen S. Frazer, Luke Brewer, Paul Hlava, and Stephen Foiles -
Stress creation during NiMn alloy electrodeposition
J. Appl. Phys. 99, 053517 (2006);
Sean J. Hearne, Jerrold A. Floro, Mark A. Rodriguez, Ralph T. Tissot, Colleen S. Frazer, Luke Brewer, Paul Hlava, and Stephen Foiles -
The initial stages of the wearing process of thin polystyrene films studied by atomic force microscopy
2005 Nanotechnology 16 1213-1220
M Surtchev1, N R de Souza1,3 and B Jérôme -
Vertical phase separation in spin-coated films of a low bandgap polyfluorene/PCBM blendEffects of specific substrate interaction
Applied Surface Science Volume 253, Issue 8, 15 February 2007, Pages 3906-3912
Cecilia M. Björström, Svante Nilsson, Andrzej Bernasik, Andrzej Budkowski, Mats Andersson, Kjell O. Magnusson and Ellen Moons -
Multiwell micromechanical cantilever array reader for biotechnology
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 78, 084103 (2007);
R. Zhang, A. Best, R. Berger, S. Cherian, S. Lorenzoni, E. Macis, R. Raiteri and R. Cain -
AFM study of BSA adlayers on Au stripes
Applied Surface Science Volume 253, Issue 23, 30 September 2007, Pages 9209-9214
Michal Tencer, Robert Charbonneau, Nancy Lahoud and Pierre Berini -
Condensing and Fluidizing Effects of Ganglioside GM1 on Phospholipid Films
Biophys. J. BioFAST: First Published January 11, 2008.
Shelli L Frey , Eva Y Chi , Cristobal Arratia , Jaroslaw Majewski, Kristian Kjaer and Ka Yee C Lee -
Confinement and deposition of solution droplets on solvophilic surfaces using a flat high surface energy guide
Lab Chip, 2007, 7, 483 489
Michal Tencer, Robert Charbonneau and Pierre Berini
For UV cleaner price quotes, discounts and further information please fill out the "Contact Me" section at the bottom of this page or send email to: email@example.com
Book References: UV Ozone Cleaner
- Microdevices in Biology and Medicine
Yaakov Nahmias, Sangeeta Bhatia - 2009 - isbn=1596934050
An alternative method using a commercial UV-ozone (UV O3) source can be used with equal effect as outlined below. 188.8.131.52 Device bonding (with UV O3 surface treatment) 1. Lift cover off of UV O3 machine (Novascan PSD-UV or Jelight UV O3 42
- Interfacing Microfluidic Bioanalysis with High Sensitivity Mass Spectrometry
Chia-Wen Tsao - 2008 - isbn=0549576304
evaluates the utility of UV/O3 surface treatment as a method for effective low temperature polymer microfluidic substrate bonding. ... commercial ozone cleaning system (PSD-UV, Novascan Technologies, Ames, IA
- Cleaning and Surface Conditioning Technology in Semiconductor Device Manufacturing
T. Hattori, T. Hattori, J. Ruzyllo, R. Novak, P. Mertens, P. Besson, J. Ruzyllo - 2009 - isbn=1566777429
UV O3 + 10min. UV O3 C-C, C-H C-O C=O 275 280 285 290 295 300 Binding Energy (eV) Pristine PR PMOS PR + 5" ash + 15" ... 4 show that narrow resist lines are easy removed whereas larger resist areas are not clean.
- Lab on a Chip Technology: Fabrication and microfluidics
K. E. Herold, Avraham Rasooly - 2009 - isbn=1904455468
More recently, a surface treatment combining UV light and exposure to photogenerated oxygen radicals has been shown ... (Plaskolite) • PSD-UV ozone cleaning system (Novascan Technologies) A B • Vacuum oven (Sheldon Manufacturing) ...
- MEMS Materials and Processes Handbook
Reza Ghodssi, Pinyen Lin - 2011 - isbn=0387473181
Place a clean Si substrate (free of particulates or contamination on the surface) into a UV O3 cleaner with the substrate surface about 2 mm below the light source and expose for 15 min. b. Remove the Si substrate and similarly place the PDMS ...
- Understanding Microstructure and Charge Transport in Semicrystalline Polythiophenes
Leslie Hendrix Jimison - 2011
Prior to film deposition, the cleaned surfaces were subjected to a UV Ozone treatment (Novascan, PSD-UV, UV Surface Contamination System). At this point, the substrates were either ready for polymer deposition or additional surface ...
- State-of-the-Art Program on Compound Semiconductors 47
J. Wang - 2007 - isbn=156677571X
The GaN substrates were cleaned in two ways, by soaking in 50% HCl for 1 min (HCl-treated GaN), and by subsequently cleaning by UV-O3 treatment for 30 min using a Novascan PSD-UVT UV-Ozone system (O3-treated GaN). The HCl ...
- Structure, Ordering, and Activity of Lipid/polymer Systems
Shelli Lynne Frey - 2008 - isbn=0549740295
... (Veeco Probes, Woodbury, NY), with a nominal spring constant of 0.32 N/m were used; the surface of the tips were decontaminated by UV generated ozone before sampling (PSD-UV Surface Decontamination System, Novascan, Ames, IA - Tailoring Surfaces: Modifying Surface Composition and Structure for applications in Tribology, Biology and Catalysis
Nicholas D. Spencer - 2011 - isbn=9814289426
Scanning electron micrograph ofthe Novascan AFM cantilever bearing a SiO2 colloid microsphere as the tip, after use for ... Prior to the force measurements the cantilevers were cleaned for 30 min in a UV/Ozone cleaner (UV/ Clean, model ...
- Characterization of Cylindrical Nano-domains in Thin Films
Helene C. Maire - 2008 - isbn=0549967222
PMMA domains were degraded by UV irradiation for 80 minutes using the Novascan PSD-UVT UV-Ozone system under argon atmosphere at λ=250nm, after a 20 minutes argon purge of the chamber. During the UV exposure, the PS domains ... - Cell Imaging Techniques: Methods and Protocols
Douglas J. Taatjes, Brooke T. Mossman - 2006 - isbn=1592599931
Optional ozone/UV (ultraviolet) decontamination chamber (e.g., Ozone PSD-II; Novascan Technologies, Ames, IA) for cleaning and reusing expensive custom AFM probes. 2.3. AFM System 1. Atomic force microscope compatible with ...


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This Billboard Looks Eerily Similar to One of the Most Reviled World Leaders in History
A new billboard for JCPenney is raising quite a fuhrer.
The department store, which has battled lagging sales and a squandering customer base, now has a new problem: the billboard above.
In one of the more bizarre advertising campaigns to come along in a some time, an ad for a new Michael Grave-designed tea kettle has several people noticing the item's similarity to Adolf Hitler.
There may be no such thing as bad publicity, but going public with a piece of kitchenware that resembles of the most heinous world leader of all-time probably won't win you a lot of fans.
The billboard appears in Culver City, California and quickly went viral after it showed up on Reddit.
Let's just hope this doesn't start a trend or else a crock pot in the image of Mussolini at Sears could actually happen.


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If you could have fillings that matched the natural color of your teeth so well that nobody could tell the difference, would you choose them over metal?
We thought so! Both scientific studies and clinical experience have shown that tooth-colored restorations (fillings) are safe, reliable and long-lasting. Plus, they look great.
Not only do tooth-colored fillings offer an aesthetic alternative to "silver" (dental amalgam) fillings that's hard to match — they may also allow for a more conservative treatment method that preserves more of the tooth's structure. When you put these advantages together, it's no wonder some dentists say we're moving toward a "post-amalgam" era.
Tooth-colored fillings are made of a blend, or "composite," of plastic resins and silica fillers. These substances mimic many of the qualities of natural tooth structure, such as wear-resistance and translucency. Dental composites also help strengthen teeth.
Based on looks alone, it's easy to see why you'd want a tooth-colored restoration in the front of your mouth. But to understand some of the other advantages composite resins offer — even for back teeth — let's look a little closer at the tooth restoration process.
The Process of Filling a Tooth
There are many reasons why a tooth may need to be filled or restored: decay and chipping are two common ones. No matter which material is chosen, the procedure is almost the same. After the area has been anesthetized (usually by a numbing injection), the tooth is "prepared" by removing decay and making it ready for the restoration. Next, the filling material is placed directly into the tooth. Once it has securely bonded to the tooth structure, the process is essentially complete.
Now, here's the difference: In order to achieve a good structural bond with a traditional amalgam filling, it is often necessary to shape the tooth by making a series of "undercuts" that help hold the material in place. This means that some healthy tooth material must be removed, leaving less of the tooth's structure intact. In time, the structurally-weakened tooth can be prone to cracking.
But composite resin fillings don't require undercutting to make a strong union — instead, they form an intimate physical and mechanical bond directly to the prepared tooth. This more conservative treatment may ultimately lead to a better and longer-lasting restoration.
When Can Tooth-Colored Fillings Be Used?
Composite resins are generally appropriate for small to moderate-sized restorations — which encompass the most common types of fillings. They are durable, fracture-resistant, and able to withstand chewing pressure. Depending on how much of the tooth needs restoration, the procedure may be accomplished in just one visit. Alternatively, if a large volume of tooth material must be replaced, a part may be fabricated outside the mouth and later bonded to the tooth.
Whatever the situation, the best way to determine whether tooth-colored fillings are right for you is to come in and consult with us. We can explain the appropriate options and help you select the best way to proceed with treatment. Either way, you'll be able to achieve — and keep — a healthy-looking smile.


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"Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law."— Psalm 119:53
My soul, feelest thou this holy shuddering at the sins of others? for otherwise thou lackest inward holiness. David's cheeks were wet with rivers of waters because of prevailing unholiness, Jeremiah desired eyes like fountains that he might lament the iniquities of Israel, and Lot was vexed with the conversation of the men of Sodom.
Those upon whom the mark was set in Ezekiel's vision, were those who sighed and cried for the abominations of Jerusalem. It cannot but grieve gracious souls to see what pains men take to go to hell.
They know the evil of sin experimentally, and they are alarmed to see others flying like moths into its blaze. Sin makes the righteous shudder, because it violates a holy law, which it is to every man's highest interest to keep; it pulls down the pillars of the commonwealth.
Sin in others horrifies a believer, because it puts him in mind of the baseness of his own heart: when he sees a transgressor he cries with the saint mentioned by Bernard, "He fell today, and I may fall to-morrow."
Sin to a believer is horrible, because it crucified the Saviour; he sees in every iniquity the nails and spear. How can a saved soul behold that cursed kill-Christ sin without abhorrence? Say, my heart, dost thou sensibly join in all this?
It is an awful thing to insult God to His face. The good God deserves better treatment, the great God claims it, the just God will have it, or repay His adversary to his face. An awakened heart trembles at the audacity of sin, and stands alarmed at the contemplation of its punishment.
How monstrous a thing is rebellion! How direful a doom is prepared for the ungodly! My soul, never laugh at sin's fooleries, lest thou come to smile at sin itself. It is thine enemy, and thy Lord's enemy. View it with detestation, for so only canst thou evidence the possession of holiness, without which no man can see the Lord.


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Lee R. Raymond
This article is a stub. You can help by expanding it. |
Biographical Information
"Mr. Raymond was Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of ExxonMobil from 1999 until he retired in December 2005. ExxonMobil's principal business is energy, involving exploration for and production of crude oil and natural gas, manufacture of petroleum and petrochemical products, and transportation and sale of crude oil, natural gas, petroleum and petrochemical products. He had been Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Exxon Corporation from 1993 until its merger with Mobil Oil Corporation in 1999, having begun his career in 1963 with Exxon. He was a director of Exxon Mobil Corporation (1984-2005).
"Mr. Raymond graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1960 and received a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Chemical Engineering in 1963. He is a director of the Business Council for International Understanding, a Trustee of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, a Trustee of the Mayo Clinic, a member of the Innovations in Medicine Leadership Council of UT Southwestern Medical Center, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a member and past Chairman of the National Petroleum Council. Mr. Raymond serves on an advisory panel to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co."[1]
- Director, JP Morgan Chase
- Vice Chair, American Enterprise Institute


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Our Lady of Cap du Madeleine ebook PDF
Our Lady of Cap du Madeleine ebook PDF
Title: Our Lady of Cap du Madeleine
Authors: Bob and Penny Lord
Publisher: Journeys of Faith
Format: ebook PDF download
20 Pages
Apostle of Mary
Taped at Cap de Madeleine, his Shrine in Canada
Pope Benedict XVI "Take courage!
Fix your gaze on our saints."
Trois Rivieres in Quebec, Canada is where Bl. Frédéric lived and is buried.
We learn how important he was to bringing pilgrimages to the nearby Marian Shrine of Cap du Madeleine.
A huge Miracle took place, known as the Miracle of the ice bridge.
Find out about this Miracle.
Learn about the history and traditions of this famous Canadian Marian Shrine.
We tour the Shrine of Cap du Madeleine Venerate Our Lady at this miraculous Shrine.
The Shrine includes the original church, the new Basilica, the Rosary bridge
and the outdoor Way of the Cross.
When Pope John Paul II came to the Shrine he said,
"Today, indeed, we come to Notre-Dame du Cap as people of our time. We come with those generations of the past with whom we share our faith in the Mother of God. A fine inheritance has been bequeathed to you. It has made you what you are. And the cornerstone of that inheritance is Mary, to which your predecessors dedicated themselves. We are here to, as it were, transfer this sharing of faith into the hearts of our generation and their successors."
"Those generations of early witnesses provide us, who are here, with our inspiration. Courageous as the prophets, they generated faith, fanned it into flame, tended it lest it die out in the ashes of skepticism. When we are tempted to lose our grasp on hope, it is their faith in the future which upholds and stimulates us. Through the generations it is the pilgrims' faith that confirms the special vocation of this Shrine."
Blessed Frederic Cap du Madeleine Video from Bob and Penny Lord on Vimeo.


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BookEnds has moved! We can now be found at www.bookendsliterary.com BookEnds Literary Agency represents commercial fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages and in this space we hope to provide advice and inspiration for writers. Our goal is to teach, enlighten and build a community for writers, agents and editors.
Monday, September 12, 2011
What I'm Looking For
To help give you a better idea of what I'm looking for, maybe I should tell you about some of the clients I've taken on. I have a bit of a spread. So far, I have clients who write historical romance, historical erotica, paranormal erotica, category romance, romantic suspense, women's fiction, and African literary fiction.
That last one may have surprised you, right? It's actually not quite as outside of my stated interests as you might think. While I am looking to focus on commercial fiction, I absolutely love women's fiction set in exotic locations, and would love to receive more projects set abroad. I have a special interest in books set in Iran, India, and Southeast Asia, but would also welcome more submissions set in African or European countries, or set in the US but with a focus on immigrant communities.
I'm looking for a wide variety of contemporary romance, but I'd particularly like to see more small-town books in which the town and community are richly developed. Southern settings and New England settings work particularly well for me. Overall, I tend to gravitate toward darker voices and storylines, but quirky, comedic stories can be great, too.
With historicals, I have a strong preference for very sexy Regencies and Victorians. Also, it's probably worth noting that I tend not to enjoy historical fiction as much as I do historical romance. As with contemporaries, I tend to like darker voices in historicals, and I like books with seemingly insurmountable obstacles to the protagonists' relationship—like a story about a duke and a fishmonger's widow.
While I still am looking for paranormal romances, I'm no longer looking for urban fantasy. I love kick-ass heroines, but I prefer to see them falling in love. What I really want in paranormal is something so different and original that I'm incapable of even coming close to now imagining what that might be. I enjoy a good vampire or werewolf tale, but the market (and my in-box) has been so saturated with them that it's difficult for me to find something I get excited about.
For erotica, I'm mostly looking for books in which the central storyline is m/f. These can be contemporary, historical, and/or suspenseful or paranormal, but I'm probably not the right agent for anything futuristic or sci-fi. A few things that are absolutely necessary to me in erotica are emotional depth, rich characterization, and an actual plot. I may live to regret saying this, but it's pretty darn hard to shock me with erotica. Graphic, kinky novels are welcome.
The above doesn't encompass everything I'm looking to represent, but I hope it gives you more insight into my preferences. As always, I look forward to reading your queries!
Jessica A
16 comments:
- Unknown said...
This was very insightful. I appreciate you taking the time to show us what you're most interested in! It's always great to see an agent take a few moments to share a tidbit about their current interests!
Have a fabulous week! - 9:01 AM, September 12, 2011
- kellye said...
I write YA but read everything. I'd love to hear any titles for "very sexy Regencies and Victorians" that you've enjoyed and recommend (but no pressure, of course). Good luck building your list!
- 9:49 AM, September 12, 2011
Jessica, this is very helpful.
I've read the submission info on BookEnds' site, but I wondered if in addition to the query you would also look at, say, the first ten pages of a manuscript in order to make your decision? I've noticed many agents asking for the first 10 or 20 pages of a novel to get a better feel for the writing and story.
— Mary - 10:49 AM, September 12, 2011
- Stacy said...
Very interesting, thank you for taking the time to share it with us. I have a question, actually. My critique partner, beta, and myself all feel like my novel is romantic suspense that would fall in the guidelines of Mira's romantic suspense books. But I've got a proofer/editor suggesting that it's really women's fiction, because we have a sense of who the bad guy is. She says editors are so inundated with romantic suspense queries that it's better to query as women's fic. What are your thoughts? Thanks!
- 11:08 AM, September 12, 2011
- Kelly said...
" I may live to regret saying this, but it's pretty darn hard to shock me with erotica. Graphic, kinky novels are welcome."
I feel a challenge here. :) - 12:29 PM, September 12, 2011
- Amber said...
Darker erotica? I may have just found my dream agent.
- 2:09 PM, September 12, 2011
- G. B. Miller said...
That definitely sounds interesting and helpful. Most agents, I think, have a tendency to shy away from erotica (I could be wrong on this so if I am, feel free to correct me), which is why I've been concetrating on small to medium sized publishers with my work.
But now knowing this, it will definitely give me something to think about. - 5:04 PM, September 12, 2011
- Leslie Deaton said...
Thanks for sharing your interests, it's so important to know what each agent is seeking. This list makes me smile, such variety. I am all smiles today, my book trailer came out today for A Marked Past.
http://vimeo.com/28443440 - 6:49 PM, September 12, 2011
- seo service said...
Great post, I enjoyed ready reading it, Keep posting good stuff like this.
- 9:15 PM, September 12, 2011
- readable books said...
i like this article. great post.
- 12:19 AM, September 13, 2011
Do you differentiate between erotica and erotic romance? Just curious; I've heard other agents and publishers distinguish between those terms before.
- 12:43 AM, September 13, 2011
- Vonnie said...
Insightful post, Jessica. Thank you. Not looking for an agent at the moment since I'm up to my ears, but in the future I shall know who to submit to.
Thanks for doing the sensible thing and letting us all out here know what suits you. - 4:39 AM, September 13, 2011
- custom research paper said...
Great post, Keep posting!
You have a good post! - 5:02 AM, September 13, 2011
- Margaret Tanner said...
Hi Jessica,
That was a great blog, very informative. Thank you so much or letting us know what you are looking for.
Kind regards
Margaret - 6:27 AM, September 13, 2011
- giora said...
Interesting that you only list South East Asia. If you like to expand to China, my contemporary commercial (with erotica) fiction might capture your interest. It's improving every month. Best wishes in finding great books to represent.
- 5:37 PM, September 13, 2011
- Jan Springer said...
Thanks for the info! :-)
- 8:19 AM, September 14, 2011


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"It suggests that it would be possible for there to be life today on Mars," NASA's science mission chief, John Grunsfeld, said at a news conference.
Scientists in 2008 confirmed the existence of frozen water on Mars. But instruments aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have yielded the strongest evidence yet that salt water in liquid form flows down certain Martian slopes each summer, according to the researchers.
"Mars is not the dry, arid planet that we thought of in the past," said Jim Green, director of planetary science for NASA. "Under certain circumstances, liquid water has been found on Mars."
The rivulets — if that's what they are, since the evidence for their existence is indirect — are about 12 to 15 feet wide and 300 feet or more long, scientists said.
"What we're dealing with is wet soil, thin layers of wet soil, not standing water," said Alfred McEwen of the University of Arizona at Tucson, the principal scientist for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's high-resolution imaging experiment.
Because liquid water is essential to life, the findings could boost the odds of life on Mars. The researchers said in the journal Nature Geoscience that further exploration is warranted to determine whether microscopic life exists on the planet.
McEwen said he, for one, believes the possibility of life on Mars to be "very high," though it would be microbial and somewhere in the Martian crust.
The presence of liquid water could also make life easier for astronauts visiting or living on Mars. Water could be used for drinking and for creating oxygen and rocket fuel. NASA's goal is to send humans there in the 2030s.
The evidence of flowing water consists of dark, narrow streaks on the surface that tend to appear and grow during the warmest Martian months and fade the rest of the year.
Mars is extremely cold even in summer, and the streaks are in places where the temperature has climbed above minus-10 degrees Fahrenheit. But salt can lower the freezing point of water and melt ice.
The source of the water is a mystery. Scientists noted it could be melting ice, an underground aquifer, water vapor from the thin Martian atmosphere, or some combination.
McEwen said that there appears to be a "significant volume" of water, speculating it could fill many Olympic swimming pools, but that it is spread thin over a wide area.
The scientists said these streaks are on steep slopes in rough terrain, making it difficult for rovers or future human explorers to get there. Robotic landers could come close, though, and observe from a distance, McEwen said. The ultimate goal would be to one day bring samples back to Earth for analysis.
Now that scientists know what they're looking for, a better, more methodical search can be carried out, Green said.
Present-day Mars is nothing like ancient Mars. Three billion years ago and more, our most Earthlike neighbor had a huge ocean, but something radical happened. Exactly what remains a mystery.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been circling the planet since 2006.
The lead author of the research paper, Lujendra Ojha, is from Georgia Institute of Technology.
For NASA, at least, the timing couldn't be better. This Friday, the NASA-approved movie "The Martian" has its premiere.


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Dadri Beef Rumour Lynching: Observations after a visit to Bisara village on 3rd October, 2015
New Delhi, 05/10/2015
Team members: Bonojit Hussain (New Socialist Initiative), Deepti Sharma (Saheli), Kiran Shaheen (writer and activist), Naveen Chander (New Socialist Initiative), Sanjay Kumar (People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism and New Socialist Initiative) and Sanjeev Kumar (Delhi Solidarity Group)
On the night of 28 September, in a heinous instance of hate crime Mdohammad Akhlaq a resident of Bisara village of Dadri in western Uttar Pradesh was lynched to death and his son Danish brutally assaulted by a mob of villager over a rumour that Mr. Akhlaq and his family had slaughtered a calf and consumed its meat. Just before the lynching, an announcement was made from the local temple to spread the rumour, within moments a mob constituted itself and attacked Mr. Akhlaq resulting in his lynching. Mr. Akhlaq's son Danish has been in hospital since that night and despite undergoing two brain surgeries his condition is still said to be critical.
We, a six member team of activists, went to Bisara village in Dadri on 03 October 2015, the day when there were news reports that a thousand women have been mobilized to prevent the media from entering the village. The women pelted stones at media personnel and OB vans because of the alleged'disrepute' they were bringing to the village and for disrupting 'normal' life.
We arrived in the afternoon and encountered some media OB vans on the road leading up to the village. As we proceeded towards the village, the visibility of police presence kept increasing. At one point we stopped to talk to the police about the situation in the village and we were told very clearly that the villagers were very angry about outsiders coming in and they can't really tell us what kind of reactions we might face from the villagers. The police strongly advised us to not go in to the village and also told us that if something were to happen then it would not be their responsibility.
We managed to proceed to the village after speaking on the phone to the village Pradhan,Sanjeev Rana, who sent someone to 'safely' escort usto his house, where we met him and some other men from the village. After that, we visited Mohammad Akhlaq's house and met his family. We also briefly attended a meeting of village elders called by the District Magistratewho upon figuring out that we are not from the village requested us to leave saying they are trying to resolve issues internally. In addition, there was some interaction with men who were around.
1. Some Facts about Bisara Village
Bisara is a large villagein Western UP. It has an inter-college, a market and the presence of many industrial plants in the surrounding areas. A canal runs close to the village. The village appeared to have a thriving agricultural economy. However, we were told that a substantial number of men also work outside the village. The area has recently been re-categorized from rural to an urban zone. It now comes under Greater Noida urban administrative zone, due to which it is not going to have village panchayat elections again.
The numbers for the total population we got varied from 15000 to 18000 people. 300 were reported to be Muslim. Rajputs (who mainly use the Rana surname) are the dominant caste, owning most of the land. We were told that there are also over 100 Jatav families, and approximately similar numbers of Valmiki families. Muslims appear to belargely landless artisans.
Mohammad Akhlaq owned a shop in front of the village inter-college where he repaired iron implements. Three Muslim households live in the main part of the village, in a narrow lane behind village pradhan's house. Akhlaq's house is one of these. All other Muslim families live in another part of the village. The village apparently has an old mosque (approximately 70-80 years old) and an Idgah. It is possible that before 1947 it was home to a substantial number of Muslim Rajputs, who migrated out to Pakistan. We were told that the Muslims now living there are Saifis (a caste of Muslim ironsmiths or Lohars).
2. Narratives in the Village
(a) The three village youth we talked to outside the village near the canal told us in hushed voices that the meat in the Akhlaq's fridge indeed was beef ("Large hoofs, ears and white skin, it could only be cow!" was their refrain). They all said they had heard it from others who had seen these. They had little remorse over the murder.
These three village youth were Class XI/XII students in the village inter-college. When we asked how and what happened. Their first reaction was what happened was both "good and bad". Bad because somebody lost his life and good because by slaughtering a cow Akhlaq betrayed the goodwill of the Hindus. The Mosque and the Idgah stands on Hindu land, despite the benevolence of the majority community what Akhlaq did can be captured by the saying "jis thali main khaya, usi main ched kiya". These youths also strongly asserted that "Akhlaq's family will get new house and compensation from the Government, what else do they want?"
(b) A man on a motorbike with milk cans argued vociferously against media induced disruption of ordinary life. His refrain was 'our children are unable to go to school and college' and 'an internal matter of the village has been unnecessarily made into this big issue'. However, we did later see two 7-8 year old girls in uniform with big school bags, though perhaps they were coming from one of the private schools, or tuition. The village has a Sarawati Shishu Mandir school, with a large new board, close to the inter college on the main village road.
(c) The village pradhan and others emphasized on how the Hindus have always cared for Muslims in the village. The pradhan said that he had given Rs. 40,000/- from his own pocketfor the renovation of village mosque because the Muslimcommunity did not have the resources to renovate it by themselves. He said that other Rajputs of the village too had contributed. To further illustrate this goodwill amongst communities in the village, he narrated an incident of last year when the Rajputs from the village had sat on a dharna in Dadri, after a Muslim woman (from the village, but married outside) was killed in a road accident. Apparently, men from the village were still facing a court case because of that protest.
When asked about what according to him transpired on the night of the murder, the pradhan told us that he was in his farm house that night, which is two kilometres away from the village. He claims that he became aware in the incident only after the announcement from the village temple had been made and the mob had already proceeded towards Akhlaq's house, and by the time he managed to reach the village Mr. Akhlaq's was already dead. According to him, only young men were 'involved' and elders came to know about it after the murder.
(d) Relatives/ family friends of Mr. Akhlaq thought he was targeted because theirs' was a relatively well-off Muslim family.Mr. Akhlaq's elder brother in the meeting of village elders called by the DM said that lumpenisation, everydayness of ruckus after drinking, and petty crimes were on rise in the village for some time. But villagers had not taken any action.
The DM in the meeting with village elders was trying to impress upon them to disclose the identity of the culprits. His refrain was those (young men) involved in the crime will tomorrow attack their own villagers and families. He had allowed the media in the village these past days because he did not want to create the impression that the administration was trying to hide something. From next day, only those with the clearance of the Commanding Officer (of the police), and whom Akhlaq's family wanted to meet would be allowed in the village. On some of us standing on the side, he asked us to leave as this was an 'internal' meeting.
The estimates of how many constituted the mob varied. While the Pradhan said it was anywhere near 2000-2500 people; in the DM's meeting two different estimates emerged. One elderly Hindu man put the numbers at around 500 people, the DM himself referred to it as mob of somewhere between 500 to 1500 men.
(e) At a rather superficial level, most people we talked to said that killing of Akhlaq is sad. But there was no visible sense of remorse in the village. While they claimed it was an unfortunate event, in the same breath people pointed out that it had been turned into a big issue by the media that has brought shame and bad name to this supposedly "peaceful" 800 years old village.
(f) Leave aside any lack of remorse, the major reason people were agitated is that the "media has only been focusing on Akhlaq's death and his family. It is not even mentioning the concerns of the "other side" (the Hindus), ie; "Hindu youth being picked up randomly by the police".
3. Our Observations
(a) The narrow lane leading to MohammadAkhlaq's house is barely four feet wide. It cannot accommodate more than twenty people at a time. It is unlikely that the mob which attacked could be a thousand strong. The heinous crime may actually be the handiwork of a much smaller number of people. In fact, the talk of a large mob may be a ruse to 'normalize' the crime, and show it somehow enjoying a popular support. By all indications it appears that while there were a large number of young men who were part of his mob, there was a small group of men who actually murdered Mr. Akhlaq. The claim of a very large mob is also often a ruse to prevent identification of individuals involved under the obfuscated identity of thousands of people.
(b) The houses are so cluttered and close to each other that it is impossible for Akhlaq to have butchered a calf in his house without the neighbours noticing it. If he butchered it outside his house, then it is very surprising that while he could secretly kill the calf, but was foolish enough to be found with ears and hoofs, as said in the narrative of the village young men we talked to. There is now a clever shift in the dominant narrative. It has moved from butchering the cow to beef found in his house.
(c) A spontaneous mobs is not usually selective in their attack,in this case Akhlaq's brothers' house right next to his and was not even touched; in all likelihood the crime was not the result of a spontaneous mob fury. The crime was the result of a criminal conspiracy, known to a few people, but who were very sure that the people at large will not oppose them. The immediate aim of the investigation should be to isolate these people, and give them speedy punishment.
Media has reported the existence of Hindutva organizations active in the area in the name of 'cow protection'. Their role in the crime should be investigated.
In fact, on our way out of the village, we noticed a Scorpio vehicle parked outside the village road on the arterial road, which had a flex banner on the rear windshield, which read "Hindu Gau Raksha Dal" (Hindu Cow Protection Party).
(d) MohammadAkhlaq's family is terrified and isolated. We met his elder brother, younger sister, daughter-in-law of the older son and few other relatives. Apart from the elder brother, none of them live in the village and had arrived after hearing of the incident. They are worried about the son (Danish) who is in hospital battling injuries from the attack and also for their 82 year old mother who was injured.
We could not meet Mr. Akhlaq's wife or his mother but we briefly spoke to the other two women separately, but in the presence of a womanpolice constable. They expressed shock and horror about how this could have happened in a place where they have been living for generations. They also said that hardly any neighbour or people they knew for long have come to offer any help or condolence. They said they don't want to live in the village anymore and feel scared just by thinking about what will happen when the police presence will not be there.
According to them, the mob seemed large enough in number and many were known/familiar faces. Mr. Akhlaq's sister took us to the first floor of the house where the mob had 'found' him 'hiding'. The bricks that were used to support the double bed were used to attack him and his son. There were splashes of dried blood, broken rods, spilt over rice, a broken sewing machine, an over turned fridge and charpoy; all left intact the way it was. We were told that some people had most likely come to collect some evidence/samples. Mr. Akhlaq's sister told us 'un logon ne usski biwi or maa ki izzat pe haat dalne ki bhi koshish ki…' (the mob tried to sexually attack Mr. Akhlaq's wife and mother). But circumstances and time did not allow us to talk to the women more about it.
(e) Back in the village, the pradhan again brought up the common narrative of peaceful co-existence. It was asserted that even during the partition or Babri Masjid demolition or during the Muzaffarnagar communal riots nothing apparently happened in this village. The strong emphasis on this "history" seems to be ploy to put a question mark to any suspicion/narrative of a planned attack that might arise or have arisen. This emphasis is also a subtle way of putting the cause of the outrage/attack on the alleged slaughter of a cow ie; Akhlaq's house wouldn't have been attacked if he had allegedly (or rumoured) slaughtered a cow.
4) Brief Analysis
(a) The presence of approximately 300 Muslims in a village of approximately 15000 people dominated by Rajputs, in itself doesn't give much scope for Hindu communal mobilization. So a rumour of cow slaughter becomes the most feasible vehicle to mobilize a certain dominant agrarian caste on a Hindu plank against Muslims in general. This is a similar trend of mobilizing a dominant caste against Muslims that was also visible during the riots in Muzaffarnagar in 2013.
(b) This particular incident is also not something that can be seen in isolation just because it happened for the first time in this particular village. There has been a concerted campaign around ban on cow slaughter in India but more specifically in Uttar Pradesh. In a recent event one person (from Sangh Parivar) has been caught red-handed in Azamgarh while he was throwing cow meat in a temple. Similarly such patterns of event and rumours were witnessed in Muzaffarnagar, in Delhi's Bawana and Najafgarh area in 2014. So, the narrative of rather peaceful history might be true on the surface, but it does not suggest that this "first of a kind incident" of this scale could have happened just as an"accident"because of "hot-headedness of youth".
(c) Another fact, also common to other instance (also observed in the Muzaffarnagar fact-findings), was women of the villages coming out very aggressively against the police and media for their alleged "sympathies to Muslim family and biases against the Hindus." While in the meeting with the DM about maintaining peace and identifying the culprits, there were no women present at all. Here it should also be noted that as quoted in The Hindu, the SP (Rural) Dadri confirmed that on Friday night Thakurs/Rajputs held two meetings to strategize how to deal with media and its "one sided coverage".
Even while it is the work of a criminal conspiracy; the context of the crime is purely political in the 'beef ban' politicking of the BJP. Many BJP ministers, MPs and others have tried to deflect attention away from the enormity of the crime, by calling it as an 'accident' (Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister and BJP MP from NOIDA), or writing that 'lynching on mere suspicion is bad' (Tarun Vijay, spokesperson BJP), indicating that if the suspicion turn out to be true it would have been OK.
We demand:
1) Speedy arrest and bringing to book of all the men who participated in the murder of Mohammad Akhlaq.
2) That Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav ensures the safety of Akhlaq's family and also of other Muslim families in the village.
3) That the Union Government take serious action against Union Minister Mahesh Sharma and other BJP leaders for attempting to justify this heinous crime and communally inciting the villagers further.
4) A criminal investigation of the role of Hindutva organizations who have been operating in this area be instituted.
5) That Prime Minister Modi break his shameful silence on this brutal incident.
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Wednesday 21 March 2012
The UK Budget and the Political Dangers of Inequality
9 comments:
- Anonymous21 March 2012 at 21:14
I'm glad someone of your profile has got the balls to come straight out and say this in the open.
Too many people are afraid of being labelled "anti business" (whatever the hell that is?) or a communist or some other attempted-insult.
We apparently have to "pay our way in the world" (more sound bites that don't actually mean anything in real economics)
This government is systematically making life extra cosy for a very specific and narrow elite in the UK. It stinks. Interesting, and I agree with lots of this. But should you be a little more sceptical about the BMA's opposition to healthcare reforms? Its members earn several times the median national wage, and opposed the foundation of the NHS. I know we are not allowed to say anything unpleasant about doctors, but we should at least consider the possibility that they are a well paid group that is using its influence, like bankers? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think french doctors are paid less.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Good point Andrew Fisher.
A natural experiment related to great wealth is the loss of great individual landholdings due to military defeat. Your argument suggests that the loss of East Prussia was not totally bad for German economy. Same for Japan and Manchuria and France and Algeria. Also massive land reform as in Japan, S Korea, Taiwan and Italy 1953 ( don't laugh there was a miracolo italiano from 53 through roughly 62). The problems are Peru and why did the UK underperform after being liberated from its massive empire ?- William Peterson22 March 2012 at 13:40
@Luke. Although NHS doctors have been quite well paid (especially since Labour renegotiated their contracts) the medical profession is rather different from the business interests who campaigned so successfully for reductions in personal and corporate tax rates. Studying medicine probably socialises students toi think in an altruistic way (unfortunately there is evidence to suggest that studying economics has the opposite effect). In addition in the UK medicine is probably better than professions such as law and banking in recruiting on a meritocratic basis: you will not get into medical schools without exceptional grades, and family connections will not help you. Ruling elites are always inclined to favour activities which are characterised by inequality of opportunity, since this makes it easier for them to ensure that their children inherit their status and position.
ReplyDeleteRepliesWilliam (and Andrew) with hindsight I probably should have kept my mouth shut when (a) I agreed with the main thrust of the post and (b) I have not followed NHS reforms closely.
A better way to put my point is that professions have a tendency to convince themselves the status quo (with which they are familiar and to which they have adapted) is the best and only method. So doctors objecting to the foundation of the NHS were probably not arguing purely from (conscious) self-interest. Where I think doctors may score over lawyers(I am one) is not in socialisation or intelligence (though most are cleverer), but in that they are trained to look at evidence to find the right answer, rather than to argue a case.
Here's another good read that touches on some of the points the author raises -
"Facing pressure from both sides of the coalition, George Osborne delivered another neutral set of fiscal plans in his third budget as Chancellor. However, unlike his first two budgets, his strategy of shifting the tax burden on to the rich, and promoting pro-business and growth strategies seems to be more cohesive."
http://www.mindfulmoney.co.uk/10974/economic-impact/budget-2012-the-view-from-the-fund-managers.html- Anonymous22 March 2012 at 16:47
There is now no line between government and big business. Both Brown and Cameron have surrounded themselves with a panel of the bosses from top firms to help form economic policy i.e. suck as much money out of the public as possible.
Interesting that in the budget yesterday Gideon Osborne said he found "aggressive tax avoidance as morally repugnant"
He must have forgotten that he allegedly flipped his Cheshire/London homes to avoid CGT? When he inherits the family business I assume a trust fund might be used?
The main issue in the budget yesterday is the lack of an increase in Capital Gains Tax. You can see why a 50% tax will not work when people are allowed to channel income into capital gains. It's even rife all over Whitehall and councils as reported in the press recently.
Of course MPs holding taxpayer funded property wouldn't want CGT to increase, if they ever decide to pay any. Also Gideon's banking chums don't want CGT to rise. The government portray bankers taking bonuses in shares as a punishment but with CGT at 28% surely it means they make more money by avoiding income tax?
Unfortunately because of spam with embedded links (which then flag up warnings about the whole site on some browsers), I have to personally moderate all comments. As a result, your comment may not appear for some time. In addition, I cannot publish comments with links to websites because it takes too much time to check whether these sites are legitimate.


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On the busiest mailing week of the year, time is running out for buying holiday gifts online. Or is it?
More and more stores are striking deals with delivery companies like Uber, DoorDash and Postmates to get your holiday gift to you within hours. They're going after what once was the holy grail of online shopping: same-day delivery.
On Friday, DoorDash announced a partnershipwith JCPenney after teaming upearlier in the year with PetSmart. Uber haspartneredwith BuyBuy Baby and UPS's Roadie withAbercrombie & Fitch, while Instacart has been delivering for Dick's Sporting Goods.
"It is an instant gratification option when needed, a sense of urgency in situations where time is of the essence," says Prama Bhatt, chief digital officer at Ulta Beauty.
The retail chain last month partnered with DoorDash to test same-day delivery smack in the year's busiest shopping season. In six cities, including Atlanta and Houston, shoppers can pay $9.95 to get Ulta's beauty products from stores to their doors.
With that extra price tag, Ulta and others are targeting a fairly niche audience of people who are unable or unwilling to go into stores but also want their deliveries the same day rather than wait for the now-common two-day shipping.
Food delivery paved the way
Food delivery exploded during last year's pandemic shutdowns, when millions of new shoppers turning to apps for grocery deliveries and takeout food, which they could get delivered to their homes in a matter of hours or minutes.
Now, shoppers are starting to expect ultra-fast shipping, says Mousumi Behari, digital retail strategist at the consultancy Avionos.
"If you can get your food and your groceries in that quickly," she says, "why can't you get that makeup kit you ordered for your niece or that basketball you ordered for your son?"
Most stores can't afford their own home-delivery workers
Same-day deliveries require a workforce of couriers who are willing to use their cars, bikes and even their feet, to shuttle those basketballs or makeup kits to lots of shoppers at different locations. Simply put, it's costly and complicated.
Giants like Walmartand of course Amazon have been cracking this puzzle with their own fleets of drivers. Target boughtdelivery company Shipt. But for most retailers, their own last-mile logistics network is unrealistic.
"Your solution is to partner with someone who already has delivery and can do it cheaper than you," says Karan Girotra, professor of operations and technology at Cornell University.
It's extra dollars for everyone: Stores, drivers, apps
For stores, same-day delivery offers a way to keep making money when fewer people might visit in person, like they have during the pandemic.
For drivers, it's an extra delivery option beyond rides or takeout food, where demand ebbs and flows at different times.
For the apps, it's a way to grow and try to resolve their fundamental challenge: companies like Uber or Instacart have yet to deliver consistent profits.
"The only path to profitability is ... if they grab a large fraction of everything that gets delivered to your home," Girotra says. "The more you deliver, the cheaper each delivery gets ... because you can bundle deliveries, you can put more things in the same route."
And these tricks become ever so important in a whirlwind season of last-minute shopping and shipping.
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