Factors that Alter the Perceived Quality of Products Essay

Factors that Alter the Perceived Quality of Products - Essay Example Not only are consumers bombarded with overwhelming decision-making scenarios on a constant basis, numerous other considerations come into play before they determine which product they want to buy including the amount of time they have to shop, the time they have available between other activities, and their other daily stresses and concerns. Add the constant deluge of sales pitches, different combinations of benefits, complicated terms of service, fluctuating prices, and highly persuasive, psychologically driven promotional messages and consumers' perception of product quality is highly compromised. A great deal of research has gone into determining just how consumers deal with it all in order to come to any form of buying decision. These studies have discovered that a great deal of consumer decisions are based on a weighted measure between perceived quality, current need, and other emotional factors (Morris & Morris, 1990). While it is not possible for marketers to control consumers ' current needs, there are several ways in which understanding those other emotional factors can help marketers improve perceived quality of products. Perceived quality of a product is very important in consumer buying decisions and will have an effect on how much can be charged for the product as well as where the product should be placed, how it should be packaged, and what types of consumers will be likely to purchase it. When consumers perceive a brand to have a high quality, the brand is able to engage in reverse discounting - reducing the price of an already high-priced product to a point that is still well within the profit margin. Understanding of how much a product is worth is determined to a great degree by the eye of the consumer. This perception can be introduced and maintained by the marketer through the application of a high price tag and sometimes restricted market access. This marketing practice establishes the product as being rare and of high quality, encouraging c onsumers to pay more in order to improve their personal status within a similarly educated society (Passewitz, 2005). Continued feelings of perceived quality can be enhanced without prohibitively pricing the product out of the market by introducing value bundling. By bundling complimentary products together and offering them at a 'discounted' rate, consumers are encouraged to consider the probable cost of the individual pieces and perceive a good deal (Evoy, 1999). However, this method of manipulating perception of quality has its own bundle of concerns. Different approaches taken in research on this topic include examinations of price, the decision-making process, motivation, and application of the elaboration likelihood model (ELM). Price Studies into how price can be used to influence consumers' perception of product quality have identified two major strategies (Morris & Morris, 1990). Consumers see the low prices of bargain brands and assume that the strategy is to sell in bulk. The assumption is the products are of inferior quality - serviceable but not necessarily built to last. 'Quality' is thus defined as durability and not mass produced as opposed to 'value' which is defined as how many (in quantity or benefits) can one get for how few pounds. When the goal is instead to emphasize the high quality of the product, the competition is focused on being the highest priced on the market (Morris & Morris, 1990). To justify the additional expense, marketers bring attention to the higher than average quality of materials used and other attention to detail. In this way, high end marketers build off of the preconceived ideas of quality established by low end marketers (that 'quality' is

IT Doesn’t matter Essay Example for Free

IT Doesn’t matter Essay â€Å"If a company needs evidence of the kind of money that might be saved, it need only look at Microsoft’s profit margin† Excerpts from a company’s strategy document †¢ the company will ensure that it will have at least 2 plug points in each room with AC connection. †¢ The switches will be white in color and will make a ‘click’ sound on pressing †¢ Press to hear the click sound Disclaimer †¢ We all agree to the fact that IT plays a crucial role in running an organisation. †¢ All that we are driving at is that the existence of IT does not grant a competitive advantage to a company, anymore In other words, IT lets you remain in the race, Winning is a totally different ball game altogether The (lost) Edge †¢ Can IT provide an edge for you? †¢ You only gain an edge over rivals by having or doing something that they can’t have or do. †¢ By now, the core functions of IT – data storage, data processing, and data transport – have become available and affordable to all. †¢ And hence they are becoming costs of doing business that must be paid by all but provide distinction to none Risk Advantage †¢ When a resource becomes essential to competition but inconsequential to strategy, the risks it creates become more important than the advantages it provides †¢ Lets classify technologies into †¢ Proprietary technologies †¢ Infrastructural technologies. †¢ Proprietary technologies can be owned, actually or effectively, by a single company. †¢ Infrastructural technologies, in contrast, offer far more value when shared IT has all the hallmarks of an infrastructural technology. †¢ Its mix of characteristics guarantees particularly rapid commoditization. †¢ IT is, first of all, a transport mechanism–it carries digital information just as railroads carry goods and power grids carry electricity. †¢ And like any transport mechanism, it is far more valuable when shared than when used in isolation Hence the technology’s potential for differentiating one company from the pack – its strategic potential – declines as it becomes accessible and affordable to all. Mainframe timesharing local area networks Ethernet networks Internet †¢ Each stage in the above progression has led to Greater standardization of the technology and hence greater homogenization of its functionality. †¢ The benefits of customization would be overwhelmed by the costs of isolation. †¢ Because most business activities and processes have come to be embedded in software, they become replicable †¢ Both the cost savings and the interoperability benefits make the sacrifice of distinctiveness unavoidable The arrival of the Internet has accelerated the commoditization of IT by providing a perfect delivery channel for generic applications Signs that the IT has reached Saturation †¢ First, IT’s power is outstripping most of the business needs it fulfills. Second, the price of essential IT functionality has dropped to the point where it is more or less affordable to all. Third, the capacity of the universal distribution network (the Internet) has caught up with demand – indeed, we already have considerably more fiber-optic capacity than we need. Fourth, IT vendors are rushing to position themselves as commodity suppliers or even as utilities. Finally, and most definitively, the investment bubble has burst, which historically has been a clear indication that an infrastructural technology is reaching the end of its buildout. Do the Right Thing†¦ †¢   The operational risks associated with IT are many – technical glitches, obsolescence, service outages, unreliable vendors or partners, security breaches, even terrorism–and some have become magnified as companies have moved from tightly controlled, proprietary systems to open, shared ones. IT may be a commodity, and its costs may fall rapidly enough to ensure that any new capabilities are quickly shared, but the very fact that it is entwined with so many business functions means that it will continue to consume a large portion of corporate spending. IT buyers should throw their weight around, to negotiate contracts that ensure the long term usefulness of their PC investments and impose hard limits on upgrade costs. And if vendors balk, companies should be willing to explore cheaper solutions, including open-source applications and bare-bones network PCs. Most of the major business technology vendors, from Microsoft to IBM, are trying to position themselves as IT utilities, companies that will control the provision of a diverse range of business applications over what is now called, â€Å"the grid. † The upshot is ever greater homogenization of IT capabilities, as more companies replace customized applications with generic ones. Wal-Mart and Dell Computer are exceptions to this though. In2002, the consulting firm Alinean compared the IT expenditures and the financial results of 7,500 large U. S. companies †¢ The 25 companies that delivered the highest economic returns, spent on average just 0. 8% of their revenues on IT, while the typical company spent 3. 7%. †¢ Larry Ellison, one of the great technology salesmen, admitted in a recent interview that â€Å"most companies spend too much [on IT] and get very little in return. † †¢ The key to success, for the vast majority of companies, is no longer to seek advantage aggressively but to manage costs and risks meticulously. Thank You

Current Trends In Hardware Platforms Information Technology Essay

Current Trends In Hardware Platforms Information Technology Essay The Infrastructure is one of the vital components in business strategy. If a bank wants to provide good customer service then they should adopt the best technologies that are available. The success of an organization lies with the Infrastructure development. The Infrastructure involves both the hardware and software platforms that are necessary for the operation of an organization. Causes for change in Infrastructures Cost of computing services and software is rising High customer expectations Integration of data across platforms Current trends in hardware platforms There are basically five trends in hardware platforms in recent years Integration of Computing and Telecommunications Platforms High rate of computation via network Integration of telephone and internet High computing power Grid Computing Cost saving on large infrastructures Smaller computer are connected to form a grid Increase the agility of organizations High speed of computing Cloud Computing Cost Saving as no capital investment is needed High speed computing Data transfer is quick Business Agility of organizations Autonomic Computing Develop systems that can automatically download updates Protect themselves from hackers and intruders Recover themselves in case of failure Virtualization and Multi-core Processors Both reduces power consumption Virtualization Accessing computing resources in multiple ways irrespective of geographical location and physical configuration. Multi-core Processors Use multi-core processors to reduce power consumption and heat. Current trends in software platforms Linux and the open-source software movement Linux is one of the most widely used open source software program Linux is supported by almost all platforms like HP, IBM, Intel, Dell, Sun etc. Linux is a open software and can be customized according to the needs of the company. Linux runs on all major hardware platforms mainframes, servers, and clients Java Programming language that is independent of the operating system and hardware processor. Java virtual machine has been defined. Java is compatible with any hardware Java applet has been employed when an object moves or input is required for the user. Leading interactive programming language available for the Web is Java. Software for enterprise integration The usage of enterprise-wide software systems by firms is an important trend in last few years. The goal is to achieve an integrated firm-wide information environment, reduce cost, increase reliability, to adopt business best practices which are captured by the software. AJAX, Mashups and Web-based software applications Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a Web development tools used for creating interactive Web applications. Mashup It is a Web application that combines data or functionality from more than one source. Software outsourcing It is the prewritten software developed by a software company It helps the organizations from developing their own softwares. Mobile Platform The growth of telecom industry especially in mobile sector has been incredible over last few years. The service providers upgraded the mobile networks with next-Generation services like 3G, WAP and GPRS. The banks are trying to capitalize this growth in the telecom sector and provide the services to the customers through mobile. The main advantage of mobile banking over the Internet banking is that it offers Anywhere Anytime Banking. Customers can check their accounts, transfer funds, balance statements etc during travel without the access to a computer. The limitations of Internet Banking are overcome in mobile banking since it requires only a mobile which can be accessed by people of developing countries also. Mobile Banking Business Models The models of mobile banking are classified into three based on the relationship with the end-customers. They are Bank-focused model Bank-led model Non Bank-led model Mobile Banking Services The various services offered by the bank through mobile are listed below. Account Information Balance statement and checking account history Insurance policy management Checking the terms of fixed deposits Minimum balance alerts Pension plan management Payments Transfers Domestic and international fund transfers. Various bill payments Mobile recharging Payments of different products brought via e-bay, Amazon etc. Investments Alerts and notifications about various portfolios from stock market Assist in investments on stock market and mutual funds. Support Cheque book and card requests Provisions to register complaints through mobile Status of insurance coverage, credits etc ATM and Branch locator Content Services General alerts like weather. News etc Technologies Used in Mobile Banking Interactive Voice Response (IVR) In Interactive Voice Response (IVR) a pre-assigned number is specified to the customers by the bank. In IVR, when a customer make to a call to this number he will be acknowledged by a pre-recorded message. The customer can choose from the menu options specified in the electronic message according to his requirements. There are some limitations for the mobile banking through IVR IVR is expensive compared to data transfer via SMS or WAP Can be used for Enquiry Based Services only Short Messaging Service (SMS) The most popular technology used in Mobile Banking to provide services to customers is Short Messaging Service (SMS). The bank will provide the necessary information to the customers in reply to a service command to a pre-specific number send by the customer. The advantages of SMS are Cheaper compared to IVR Anywhere Anytime Banking Works across all service providers The major limitation of SMS is regarding the security of the contents. Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) In WAP concept the customers access the WAP sites maintained by the bank through the WAP compatible browser on their mobile phones. The advantage of WAP concept is that WAP sites offer the general form based interface Effectively provide security The disadvantage of WAP is dependency on speed of network connection and handset limitation. Standalone Mobile Client Applications This concept is used to provide complex banking transactions like trading in the stock market, securities etc. The advantages of this concept are Can be easily personalized in accordance with the density of the user interface Provides ample security Provide reliable channel for communication. The disadvantages are Several different combinations may prevent support of different devices, operating system etc Inconsistent performance due to differing handset capabilities Advantages of Mobile Banking Cost saving It helps Banks as well as service providers to achieve growth Banks will be able to provide good services to customers like reminding the customers on due dates of insurance, loan repayment dates etc Anywhere Anytime Banking Can be used over vast geographical area Need fewer numbers of employees to provide the services for the consumers. The mobile banking is expected to grow at a rapid rate. The online users of banking are expected to change to mobile banking. The number of mobile banking users is expected to grow to 50-100 million by 2016. The security of mobile banking is a major cause of worry. If the concerns of the customers are addressed properly, then mobile banking will be fully adopted by customers in future. Grid Computing The basic idea of Grid computing is that the computers are connected as a grid and the software running in the grid gives more priority to local users, but when they become idle these computers are used over the grid. In Grid computing the computers over the internet is connected using middleware permitting them to operate as a virtual whole. In Grid computing we use a distributed set of data centre rather than a single centralized data centre. The computers across the globe share resources for computation of large amount of data. If an organization having large numbers of computer, then a cluster is formed by connecting all computers. One main computer called front-end computer is connected to the grid through network. The remaining computers in the cluster is called back-end computer which is connected with front-end computer only. IBM is considered to be the leader in Grid computing. The IBM Grid data centres are compatible with all operating systems like Unix, Linux and Windows. The primary objectives of Grid Computing are Collective processing power Providing remote access to IT resources Advantages of Adopting Grid Computing Scalability If more capacity is required, add more computers to the grid. Economical handling No need of large IT infrastructures like Servers No need of experts to manage IT resources Price will be based on consumption. Grid computation allows effective utilization of resources. Redundancy and recovery Grid environments are much more modular and dont have single points of failure. If any failure occurs, there are large numbers of resources to take the task. Grid computing allows execution of large task by splitting into small pieces and executes them in different machines Grid computation allows parallel execution of a task Disadvantages of Adopting Grid Computing Internet Dependency Need fast internet connection Security Data storage in grid computation is liable for attack from intruders and hackers. It is difficult to manage so many computers in the Grid. There is unavailability of good middleware which hinders the implementation of grid computing. Licensing across many servers may make it prohibitive for some apps The Grid computation is not a new concept. The Grip computation has been used by many institutions to perform complex computations. The Grid computing offers efficient, quick, reliable and standard based solutions for the problems faced by Banks in this competitive environment. The Grid computation will help the Banks to provide services to the customers quickly. The distributed nature of grid computing is transparent to the customers for evaluation. If the security issue associated with the Grid computing is solved then the Grid computing can be used in the banking sector. Cloud Computing The cloud computing is the one of the most popular technology available in business. By 2015, the cloud computing services is expected to grow to $160 billion from existing $36 billion. The cloud computing provides number of services such as account operating, insurance services and loans etc. The cloud computing is customer-centric and flexible business model which will help the banks to gain maximum profit. The cloud computing will help the banks to deliver the services to the customers quickly. The idea behind cloud computing is that the data of the organization is stored in data centers located within the organization or datacenter provided by the cloud providers like Amazon. Cloud computing is divided into three Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) Share the infrastructure between several users. Database as a service (DaaS) Datas of many users is stored in single data base. Software as a service (SaaS) The services are given to the users on monthly subscription rather than buying the license by individuals. It has many advantages like simplicity in installation and maintenance, cost saving etc. There are four types of clouds used Private cloud Built within companys data centre and distributed to the internal business user through virtual communication, communications services etc. To meet the service requirements the components can be expanded and contracted. It permits more control to the organization, but does not support sharing of resources. Public cloud In public cloud the organizations operate the applications from a date centre which is provided by the third party. The servers, infrastructure and the network required for the operation of applications is provided by the third party. Community cloud Cloud is controlled and shared by multiple organizations having similar interest. Hybrid cloud In hybrid cloud features of both the internal private and external public clouds are combined. Advantages of Adopting Cloud Computing Scalability Capacity of the platform can be expanded or contracted according to the requirement. Cost Saving No capital investment is needed No need of IT infrastructure No need of experts to look servers etc Pricing is based on the consumption Less operational cost Business Agility Allows organizations to react quickly to market conditions Cloud computing is flexible High computing power Data transfer is faster Rapid innovations Built-in Disaster Recovery Back-up Sites Provides high level of redundancy Device Location Independence Enable customers to access the system from anywhere Its Greener Low power consumption Greater use of resources Disadvantages of Adopting Cloud Computing Security Data storage in cloud is insecure Data Location Privacy Different privacy and data management laws be relevant in different nations Internet Dependency, Performance Latency Dependency on internet Latency on the Internet is highly inconsistent and volatile Availability Service Levels Potential for down-time if the system isnt available for use Current Enterprise Applications Cant Be Migrated Easily Difficult to change existing arrangement to cloud computing The cloud computing is an evolving concept and it has many advantages and disadvantages. The cloud services will help the organizations like banks to provide services quickly at cheaper rates. I will also help them to provide the customers with 365*7*24 access to the services. So it is upon each individual organization to decide whether they implement cloud computing technology or not. Factors Affecting IT Infrastructure Network Economics There is a central difference between the old and new economies: the old industrial economy was driven by economies of scale; the new information economy is driven by economics of networks. (Carl Shapiro and Hal R. Varian, 1999) Declining Communication Cost The customers will be benefited if more networks enter into the market. If more competition takes place in the networking field the service providers will be forced to reduce the cost as well provides better service. Consider the case of Bharath Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the cost of calls was very high when BSNL alone enjoyed the monopoly of the network. But when more firms enter the telecom industry BSNL was forced to decrease the cost and increase the service provided to the customers. To improve the services given to the customers advancement in technology is necessary. They used new technologies like 3G to provide better services to the customers. Improving Technology Standards The network providers must upgrade the platform by adopting new technologies like mobile banking, grid computing and cloud computing which will help the service providers to improve the performance. Limited packages might benefit consumers. But network owner should not be able to bar services that allow competitive package offerings. For example, preferential caching by the network for an affiliated content provider might be o.k., but barring access for a 3rd party provider of caching services should raise concerns

The Stranger Essay -- Literary Analysis, Albert Camus

Albert Camus creates a series of characters in The Stranger whose personality traits and motivations mirror those that are overlooked by the average man. Camus develops various characters and scenarios that are considered rude and unpleasant, but because it has become common, society accepts it as norms. Camus incorporates atrocious personality traits of the characters, variety, consistency, and everyone’s fate through the creation of the characters. Camus demonstrates the disregarded reason behind the origins of relationships between people to characterize people as selfish. The relationship between Salamano and his dog displays how Salamano as self-centered. When Meursault mentions, â€Å"He hadn’t been happy with his wife, but he’d pretty much gotten used to her. When she died he had been very lonely. So he asked a shop buddy for a dog and he’d gotten this one very young† (Camus, 44), the inconsideration is displayed. This evidence proves the wife’s lack of importance towards Salamano, but along with time, he adapted to her, just like he did with the dog. After her death, he became lonely which supports the reason for him getting the dog. Not to love the dog, but instead to put an end to his loneliness. Another source of selfishness is shown through the relationship between Marie and Meursault. Meursault’s lack of communication and the excess amount of physical contact desired and rec eived is displayed by Meursault in the reference, â€Å"I kissed her. We didn’t say anything more from that point on. I held her to me † (35). The textual support confirms that Meursault’s purpose with Marie, for her physical appearance and not her personality. The relationship between Meursault and Raymond displays another representation of a person being... ...ity. He agrees and accepts the fact that no matter how we live our lives, we are all destined to die one day. Our actions can only speed up death or slow death down, but nothing can ever stop death from reaching you. Meursault, â€Å"the stranger† for his uniqueness, also believes that one receives privilege to die and that occurs when one becomes free. In Meursault’s perspective, dying represents a positive action rather than a negative one. The characters in The Stranger contain a self-definition which can reflect to the traits of common people. In everyday life, there are always people who are selfish, those who include change and variety in their lives, those that stay consistent to their morals, and those who are certain of reality; however, since a profuse amount of people encompass those qualities, civilization judges those qualities as standard and typical.

Murra’s Is a Significant Work of Literature Essay

â€Å"Why is a play a significant work of literature? It is because the play presents enduring themes and ideas that continue to engage audiences.† The play Murra’s by Eva Johnson takes place between the late sixties and mid-seventies and focuses on one family and their struggle to come to grips with white Australia as they move from a fringe dwelling to life in the city This play was set at the time of the stolen-generation, which was when Indigenous Australian children were taken away from their families by British settlers and were forced to forget what little of their Aboriginal identity they knew, and live like â€Å"white people†. The ancestors of those people who were subject to the stolen generation still exist today that is why the ideas and themes that are conveyed in the play about the stolen generation continue to engage an audience particularly in Australia because the discrimination they experienced is still going on today and it might not ever go away. Throughout the play there are a number of themes and techniques showing and emphasising the treatment of Aboriginal people, how they lived, their thoughts and their opinions. The first theme displayed in the play is Gender. Gender is a social idea that creates roles and expectations based on people being either male or female. An example of gender is shown through the technique of characterisation. A significant character by the name of Wilba is characterised by the writer through dialogue and stage directions. He is seen as the dominant masculine figure of the family, greatly shown in scene one when he comes home carrying a bucket of water and food. The effect of the way Wilba is characterised emphasises the gender stereotypes that are very constant throughout the play. Another technique showing gender is costume. The women in Murra’s wear traditionally feminine clothing. For example mother Ruby comes home with a bag of dresses for her sixteen year old daughter Jayda to wear, as this is typical female attire. The expectations of the female gender are maintained through costume because what the women wear is stereotypical. Gender at the time was a significant issue, particularly within Aboriginal culture. Identity is a strong concept to most Indigenous Australians. It is a significant issue or theme in the play Murra’s. Identity is part of a link to culture. Due to government control at the time, Aboriginal identity was severely affected, illustrated by the families struggle to maintain it. Characterisation is used to show identity by the way Granny is characterised through her strong beliefs, shown in act one when she says; â€Å"Wudjella woman got different way to Gudjeri woman. They don’t have woman’s dreaming, special dance†. The effect of this is Granny is shown as a representation of the strong Aboriginal identity that the family cling to. Granny’s dying scene is another example of identity; this is shown through the technique of sound and lighting. â€Å"This is done to the music of the Didjeridu and Clapping sticks. At the end of the dance the lights slowly fade until the stage is totally black.† This symbolises her return to the earth and the traditional preparation of her body to return to the spiritual world of her dreaming. Granny’s death results in the metaphorical death of Aboriginal identity. Power is the ability to influence the behaviour of people and is a theme that is central to the play Murra’s. The characters within the play are very much affected by the power and authority that controls them, which essentially dictates the role of gender and identity of each character. One of the techniques used to show power in the play is setting. An example is â€Å"The year is 1970. The family have moved to the city.† This example shows that the government had the power to move them from the county where they were living to the city. Dialogue is another technique used to show power. An example is when Wilba says â€Å"I’m sick to the gut of their false promises of self-determination. Sick of their shit lies, their corrupt laws, their diseases and their gaols†¦ Yeah their chains, their chains.† The effect of dialogue within the play emphasises their strong opinions regarding the constant power struggle they are forced to deal with due to government control. The play Murra’s is a significant work of literature because the themes, gender, identity and power, to this day engage audiences as the issues displayed have still not been rectified and are highly controversial topics. The themes displayed are always present in society and are something that may never go away

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 22

Chapter 22 A PERFECT LONESOME CHRISTMAS The archangel Raziel hovered outside the Santa Rosa Chapel's big cathedral window, looking through a small pane of pink glass that formed Saint Rosa's cheek. He smiled at his handiwork, then beat his great wings and flew off to find some chocolate to sustain him on his trip home. Life is messy. Would that every puzzle piece fell into place, every word was kind, every accident happy, but such is not the case. Life is messy. People, generally, suck. This year, however, the Lonesome Christmas party in Pine Cove was coming off with clarified joy, an infectious goodwill, and a general harmony of spirit that shone in the guests with a smooth, high polish – a no-mess affair. â€Å"Theo,† Molly said, â€Å"can you grab the other lasagna pans out of the back.† She was carrying two of the long stainless-steel pans herself, and she was careful to bend at the knees as she set them down on the buffet table to keep the back of her short cocktail dress in the realm of decency. It was a plunging neckline LBD (little black dress) she'd borrowed from Lena just for the party – the first low-cut thing she'd worn in years. â€Å"We could have barbecued after all,† Theo said. â€Å"I told you fucksticks that the storm would turn south,† Mavis Sand growled as she sawed the end off a baguette like the moyl at a titanic bris. (Some people's goodwill shines differently than others'.) Molly set down her lasagna and turned around into the arms of her praying mantis of a husband. â€Å"Whoa, sailor, Warrior Babe's got work to do.† â€Å"I just wanted to tell you,† Theo said, â€Å"before everyone gets here, that you look absolutely stunning.† Molly brushed her hand across her neckline. â€Å"Scars don't do that, do they? They don't just disappear overnight like that, right?† â€Å"Doesn't matter to me,† Theo said. â€Å"Never mattered. Wait until you see what I got you for Christmas.† Molly kissed him on the chin. â€Å"I love you, even if you have mutant tendencies; now free me, Lena needs help with the salad.† â€Å"No, I don't,† said Lena, coming out of the back room carrying a huge salad bowl. Tucker Case followed close behind with a stainless caddie of dressings. â€Å"Oh, Theo,† Lena said, â€Å"I hope you don't mind, but Dale is going to come by in his Santa suit tonight.† â€Å"I thought you guys were in combat,† Theo said. â€Å"We were, but he surprised me a couple of nights ago when I was stealing some of his Christmas trees, and was just losing his temper when Tucker happened along and popped him in the nose.† Tucker Case grinned. â€Å"I'm a pilot, we're used to handling tense situations.† â€Å"Anyway,† Lena continued, â€Å"Dale was drunk. He started crying, getting maudlin, talking about how he was having trouble with his new girlfriend, saying how he hated that everyone saw him as the evil developer, so I invited him here. Thought maybe if he could do something nice for the kids, it would make him feel better.† â€Å"No problem,† Theo said. â€Å"I'm glad you two are getting along.† â€Å"Hey, Theo!† yelled Joshua Barker as he ran across the chapel floor toward them. â€Å"Mom says Santa will be at the party.† â€Å"A quick appearance, Josh, then he has to get on his route,† Theo said. He looked up to see Emily Barker and her boyfriend/husband/whatever Brian Henderson coming across the room. Brian was wearing a red Star Fleet Command shirt. â€Å"Merry Christmas, Theo,† Emily said. Theo hugged Emily and shook Brian's hand. â€Å"Theo, have you seen Gabe Fenton?† Brian asked. â€Å"I wanted to show him the shirt, I think he'll get a kick out of it. You know, nerd solidarity.† â€Å"He was here a little bit ago, Brian, but then Val Riordan arrived and they were talking. I haven't seen them for a while.† â€Å"Maybe they went for a walk. Beautiful evening, isn't it?† â€Å"Isn't it,† said Molly, coming to Theo's side. â€Å"He said he was good with weather,† said the Narrator. â€Å"Shhhhhhh,† said Molly. â€Å"Pardon?† Brian said. Out behind the chapel, the dead were feeling festive as well. â€Å"He's going to do her right here in the graveyard,† said Marty in the Morning. â€Å"Who would have thought a shrink could moan like that. A little carnal scream therapy, huh, doc?† â€Å"No way,† said Bess Leander. â€Å"She's wearing Armani, she's not going to mess up that outfit.† â€Å"You're right,† said Jimmy Antalvo. â€Å"They'll just suck face and take the party home for makeup sex. But how do you know she's wearing Armani?† â€Å"You know what?† said Bess. â€Å"I have no idea. Just a feeling, I guess.† â€Å"I do hope they sing ‘Good King Wenceslas, † said Esther, the schoolteacher. â€Å"I just love that song.† â€Å"Has anyone seen the biologist's dreadful dog?† asked Malcolm Cowley, the dead book dealer. â€Å"Last year the beast urinated on my headstone three times.† â€Å"He was sniffing around a minute ago,† said Marty in the Morning, â€Å"but he went inside when they started to bring the food out.† Inside, Skinner was sitting under the Christmas tree, looking at the strangest creature he'd ever seen. It was hanging from the lower branches, but it didn't look like a squirrel, or smell like food; in fact, it had a face that looked like another dog. Skinner whimpered and sniffed the air. If it was a dog, where was its butt? How could he say hello if he couldn't sniff its butt? He took a tentative step back to study the thing. â€Å"What are you looking at?† said Roberto.