Chemical Engineering Innovation in Food Production

Chemical Engineering Innovation in Food Production The inherent safety, convenience, availability, nutritional content, aesthetic appeal, and variety that characterize food supplies are a hallmark of modern life. Chemical engineering knowledge can be accredited with improving the conversion of raw foodstuffs into safe consumer products of the highest possible quality. Among those, membrane-based separation and other filtration techniques are most common. Chemical engineers have applied their expertise to chemically synthesize fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides that promote crop growth and protect crops from weeds, insects, and other pests (AlChe, 2009). Its so easy to feel the contribution of chemical engineering in food sector if we observe the morning tea to late night beverage. All processed food stuffs around us is more or less subject to different types of filtration. One of the fastest growing parts of the whole sector is the mineral water and soft drinks sector, which has a sizeable requirement for fine filtration (Suther land, 2010). Modern techniques are used to improve the flavour, texture, nutritional value, safety, appearance and overall aesthetic appeal of various foods. Modern food processing can also improve the quality of life for people with food allergies and for diabetics. Foods processed using aseptic packaging retains their vitamins, minerals, and desired textures, colours, and flavours more effectively than those processed with traditional canning. Nestlà ©, Wal-Mart, Unilever, PepsiCo etc. are some world famous food companies without whom modern life cannot be imagined. Filtration in food processing Filtration is a process where solid particles present in a suspension are separated from liquid or gas employing a porous medium (Srikanth, 2012). Surface, depth and cake filtration are different types based on filtration mechanism. Two types of filtration theory are widely known which are gas filtration theory and liquid filtration theory. These theories have also some limitations. There are some criteria for choice of filter medium such as particle size that has to removed, permeability of clean medium, solid holding capacity of the medium, flow resistance of medium etc. Filter aid is a very important factor which forms a surface deposit to screen out the solids and it also prevents the plugging of the supporting filter medium (Srikanth, 2012). Chemical engineers have invented a variety of engineered processes that allow food processors to remove impure substances to improve food quality, safety, and aesthetics. Todays membrane-based separation is used widely to remove impurities during food processing by pressure to force unwanted substances in food ingredients to pass through a semi permeable membrane and it is also applied majorly in the dairy industry, mainly as a processing phase in production soft cheeses. Chemical engineers strive to maximize the available surface area in filter, reduce membrane pore size, minimize the pressure drop the fluid will experience when flowing through the unit and maximize cost-effectiveness (AIChe, 2009). For food industries, there are some specific requirements to choose filter media such as dissipation of electrostatic charges, high abrasion resistance, available clean-in-place system etc. In this dissertation, some food processing industries have been presented where different types of filtration are the key factor. Among those cane and beet sugar industry, starch and sugar industry, beverage industries like wine, beer etc. are notable. Filtration should be the most prior subject to enhance food safety management of an industry. It can help to remove physical, chemical and other microbiological contaminants with great efficiency. This also focuses on advantages of self-cleaning filters over manual and mechanical cleaning. Advances in filtration technology include the development of continuous processes to replace old batch process technology (Patel R. et al, 2010). FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES Chemical engineering innovation in food production If the grass on the other side of the fence appears greener . . . it must be all the fertilizer they are using. Kevin Rodowicz. The food industry is a complex, global collective of diverse businesses that supply much of the food energy consumed by the world population. Before modern engineering advances were widely adopted by the food industry, the variety of foods available at stores were determined by what was produced locally, since transportation limitations predicted the distance that perishable foods could travel (AIChe, 2009). Chemical engineers routinely develop advanced materials and techniques used for, among other things, chemical and heat sterilization, advanced packaging, and monitoring and control, which are essential to the highly automated facilities for the high-throughput production of safe food products (AIChe, 2009). Chemical engineering unit operations and procedures, established for other industrialized reasons, are used by the food industry like drying, milling, extrusion, refrigeration, heat and mass transfer, membrane-based separation, concentration, centrifugation, fluid flow and blending, powder and bulk -solids mixing, pneumatic conveying, and process mode ling, monitoring, and control. Among these, membrane-based separation and other filtration techniques are mostly common (AIChe, 2009). Technological milestones: Over the years, engineered solutions have increased the production of processed fruits and vegetables, dairy, meat and poultry, and seafood products, and have allowed more widespread distribution of such foods. The following are some of the most revolutionary improvements in food processing noted in the Milestones of the Twentieth Century by the Institute of Food Technologists (AIChe, 2009). 1900s: Vacuum packaging, which removes the oxygen from inside the food package, was invented to prolong the shelf life of foods, and the widespread practice of freezing foods began with fruit and fish. The first ready-to -eat cereals using many chemical engineering unit operations appeared as well (AIChe, 2009). 1920s: Fast-freezing practices for foods were first commercialized by Clarence Birdseye, whose name has become practically known with frozen foods. Birdseye found that by blanching vegetables (cooking them for a short time in boiling water) just before freezing, the process could deactivate certain enzymes that cause off-colours and off-flavours, thereby enhancing the quality of the thawed vegetables. The first commercial use of puffing to produce such cereals as Cheerios and puffed rice also began (AIChe, 2009). 1930s: Freeze-drying processes were pioneered in this decade, and frozen foods are dried after deep freezing, in which the entrained water is removed by a process known as sublimation by heating the frozen product in a vacuum chamber. Freeze-dried foods in turn become shelf-stored foods that quickly regain their original flavour, aroma, size, shape, and texture after rehydration. The removal of water slows spoilage, thus providing longer shelf life, and reducing the weight of the food, which makes it cheaper and easier to transport (AIChe, 2009). 1940s: The advent of automated processes to concentrate, freeze, and dehydrate foods enabled a greater variety of foods to be mass-produced and packaged for shipment overseas to military personnel during World War II. Disease-free packaging extremely improved food quality, safety, and nutrient retention (AIChe, 2009). 1950s: During this era, monitored-atmosphere packaging using plastic increased the shelf life of fresh foods. The process controls oxygen and carbon dioxide levels inside the packaging environment to reduce respiration by fruits and vegetables (similar to human breathing) and reduces the amount of off-gas ethylene produced, which delays maturing and damage (AIChe, 2009). 1960s: The first commercial-scale producing machine began producing cold-dried foods and coffee. Advances in aseptic processing allowed shorter heating times for sealed food containers (AIChe, 2009). 1970s: The period of the 1970s saw growing usage in the chemical process industries (paint, textile, oil recovery, pulp and paper). In this decade, the major effects of this technology is in the food and biotechnology processing industries, where ultrafiltration and cross-flow microfiltration are finding increasing uses as a gentle and efficient way of fractionating, concentrating and clarifying a variety of food from milk products, fruit juices and alcoholic beverages to fermentation broths, protein fractions and wastewaters (Cheryan M, 1986). 1980s: Advanced-atmosphere packaging began to be used widely during this era and It is a more progressive difference of controlled-atmosphere packing, in which the head space atmosphere within a food package or the transportation/ storage vessel is modified by flushing it with a blend of inert (nonreactive) gases (AIChe, 2009). 1990s: High-pressure processing was commercially applied first to fresh packaged foods to kill microorganisms that cause spoilage without altering flavours, texture, or appearance (AIChe, 2009). After 2000: Recent food trends are actually based on fat calculation but tasty, healthy and doctor-designed. Different types of cupcakes, cheese, pizza, fast foods etc. are peoples first choice. Also various types of grain made foods are getting popularity day by day (AIChe, 2009). Advances in chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides Early mankind experimented with human and animal wastes, seaweed, ashes and other substances to fertilize crops and increase productivity. Chemical engineers have applied their expertise to chemically synthesize fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides that promote crop growth and protect crops from weeds, insects, and other pests. Today, the use of these products is more important than ever to meet the needs of an ever-expanding population (AIChe, 2009). Fertilizers Nitrogen is the most plentiful part of the air we breathe, present at 79% by volume and a prime nutrient (most often in the form of ammonia). Modern fertilizers stem from a chemical engineering breakthrough pioneered by Fritz Haber in 1908 that developed a process to synthesize ammonia by reacting hydrogen with nitrogen and in 1918, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this discovery (AIChe, 2009). Working with industrialist Carl Bosch, Haber scaled up the successful Haber-Bosch process that allows ammonia to be produced cost-effectively in commercial quantities for use in nitrogen fertilizers. Habers original reaction was carried out under high pressures. The improved ammonia synthesis process carries out the reaction at lower pressures and temperatures, which helps save money by reducing the amount of energy required by the process (AIChe, 2009). Pesticides and herbicides Chemists and chemical engineers have also been helpful in the discovery, synthesis and commercial-scale manufacture of various chemical compounds that are used as pesticides (to kill insects) and herbicides (to kill weeds). For example, chemical engineers discovered that when glyphosate (the primary ingredient in Monsantos widely used herbicide Roundup) is applied to a crop, it inhibits a specific growth enzyme called the EPSP synthase. Glyphosate is rapidly metabolized by weeds, and unlike many other earlier herbicides, it binds tightly to soil so that it does not accumulate in runoff to contaminate surface waters or underground aquifers. According to its manufacturer, it eliminates more than 125 kinds of weeds, but does not affect mammals, birds, fish, or insects (AIChe, 2009). Advanced food processing techniques Today, imaginative and effective engineered approaches many drawn directly from the chemical engineers toolbox routinely add nutrients, improve aesthetic appeal (in terms of a foods flavours, texture, and appearance), enable longer distance transport (leading to multi-seasonal availability), extend shelf life, and remove microorganisms that contribute to spoilage and are responsible for food-borne illnesses. Modern food processing can also improve the quality of life for people with food allergies (by removing or neutralizing the proteins and other substances that create allergic reactions in certain people) and for diabetics (by reducing sugar content and providing sugar-free alternatives). The roasting of coffee beans requires exceptionally precise control of the chemical and physical reactions over time. Depending on the progressive bean temperature experienced during roasting, final flavours characteristics can vary widely. Chemical engineers have devised ways to make timely adjustments to the roaster to moderate airflow rates and manipulate bean temperatures without changing the flavours (AIChe, 2009). Sterilizing and packaging perishable foods Sterilization is a key aspect of any food -packaging operation. The ability to sterilize foods to protect them against spoilage by oxidation, bacteria, and moulds has always presented an important engineering challenge. Throughout history, people have experimented with the use of dehydration, smoking, salting, pickling, candying and the use of certain spices. They include high-temperature pasteurization and canning, refrigeration and freezing, chemical preservatives (using such compounds as sulphite, sodium nitrite, ethyl formate, propionic acid, sorbic acid, and benzoic acid), and irradiation (AIChe, 2009). Pasteurization In the early years, no one knew how Nicolas Apperts process preserved foods successfully, but the ability to can foods meant that Napoleons army fighting a long way from home could be fed properly and safely and that British sailors could maintain a healthier diet by feasting on fruits, vegetables, and meats while on long voyages overseas. More than 50 years later, Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) explained the mystery by proving that the growth of microorganisms is the primary cause of food spoilage and food -borne illnesses and that a high percentage of them could be killed by heating liquids to about 130 °F (55 °C) or higher, for relatively short periods, without altering the chemical makeup of the food. This simple process became known as pasteurization and was quickly and widely adopted (AIChe, 2009). Aseptic packaging First introduced in the U.S. in the early 1960s, it provides major advantages over traditional canning. It allows many products once considered perishables such as milk and juice to be packaged, distributed, and stored for months or longer without the need for refrigeration, irradiation, or chemical preservatives. In general, during aseptic packaging, both the food and packaging are sterilized at high temperatures for very short periods (AIChe, 2009). The original technology superheated steam to sterilize cans. Pressurized heat exchangers and holding tubes allows the foods and beverages to be sterilized at around 300 °F. Foods processed using aseptic packaging retains their vitamins, minerals, and desired textures, colours, and flavours more effectively than those processed with traditional canning. In 1989, aseptic-packaging technology was voted the food industrys top innovation of the last 50 years by the Institute of Food Technologists (AIChe, 2009). Some world famous food companies In terms of corporate size, food manufacture has no companies to match the giants of other sectors (Sutherland, 2010). Although still by far the largest of the food producers, Nestlà ©, with annual sales in 2009 of about $95 billion (well down on 2008), is only a quarter of the size of the largest petroleum companies such as Exxon or Shell (Sutherland, 2010). (There are, of course, food retailers much larger than Nestlà ©, especially Wal-Mart whose 2009 sales of $400 billion made it the third largest company in the world in terms of turnover, with Carrefour a long way behind at second in the list of retailers, at $130 billion (Sutherland, 2010). The next largest company classified as a food producer is Unilever, with total 2009 sales of $53 billion (although the Unilever picture is complicated by its extensive range of non-food household goods businesses) (Sutherland, 2010). Unilever is closely followed by Cargill, the largest private company in the USA, and by Archer-Daniels-Midland, although both of these are large natural product commodity dealers as well. Then come ConAgra, Kraft Foods, Danone, Kellogg, General Mills, and H J Heinz (Sutherland, 2010). For some time, the leading beverage companies have been the soft drink makers Pepsico (2009 sales of $43 billion) and Coca Cola ($32 billion), some distance ahead of the brewers (Sutherland, 2010). This picture changed in 2008 with the purchase of Anheuser-Busch by InBev (itself the fairly recent merger of Interbrew and AmBev) to create a company larger than Coca Cola (although still behind Pepsi) and second in size of the brewers is now SABMiller (a 2002 creation), followed by Heineken and then Carlsberg (Sutherland, 2010). Further consolidation in the beverage sector is being driven by a search for markets, because beer drinking can be very regional. Thus, Heineken has acquired the beer business of Femsa in Mexico which holds 40% of its domestic market and nearly 10% of that in Brazil and one of the fastest growing parts of the whole sector is the mineral water and soft drinks sector, which has a sizeable requirement for fine filtration (Sutherland, 2010). FILTRATION Definition Filtration is a process whereby solid particles present in a suspension are separated from the liquid or gas using a porous medium, which retains the solid but, allows the fluid to pass through. It is a common operation used widely in sterile products, bulk drugs and in liquid oral formulation. The suspension to be filtered is called slurry. The porous medium used to retain the solids is known as filter medium and the accumulated solids on the filter are referred as filter cake and the clear liquid passing through the filter is filtrate (Srikanth, 2012). The pores of the filter medium are smaller than the size of particles to be separated. When feed is passed over the filter medium, the fluid flows through it by virtue of a pressure differential across the filter. Gravity is acting on the liquid column; the solids are trapped on the surface of the filter medium. After a particular point of time, the resistance offered by the filter cake is high that stops the filtration (Sambhamurthy , 2005). Types of filtration Based on the mechanism, there are 3 types of filtration which are surface filtration, depth filtration and cake filtration. Surface filtration It is a screening action by which pores or holes of the medium prevent the passage of solids. For this purpose, plates with holes or woven sieves are used (Matteson, 1987). An example is a cellulose membrane filter. Depth filtration This filtration mechanism retains particulate matter not only on the surface but also at the inside of the filter. It is extensively used for clarification. Ceramic filters and sintered filters are examples of depth filtration (Stephan, 2003). Case study of depth filtration (Carey, 2008): Several forces have driven changes in filtration technology during the last few decades, including environmental concerns, the health and safety of winery employees and wine quality. The major active component in traditional depth filtration is diatomaceous earth, which has several major problems. First, it is difficult to dispose because it does not decompose. Second, it can cause symptoms similar to coalminers black lung disease when inhaled over long periods of time. To overcome these drawbacks, cross flow filtration and ultra-filtration are being practiced in recent years. Cross flow filtration: It ranges between ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis and the nominal pore size of the membrane is typically below 1 nanometer (Wikipedia, 2012). Nano filtration membranes are still subject to scaling and fouling and often modifiers such as anti-scalants are required for use (Hillie, 2007). Ultra filtration: It is a pressure driven membrane transport process that has been applied on both the laboratory and industrial scale. It is becoming a powerful separation tool for the rapidly growing biotechnology industry (Goldsmith et al., 1974). Cake filtration By this mechanism, the cake accumulated on the surface of the filter is itself used as a filter. A filter consists of a coarse woven cloth through which a concentrated suspension of rigid particles is passed so that they bridge the holes and forma bed. Theory of filtration Depending on dispersing medium filtration theory is divided in two parts; Gas filtration Liquid filtration Gas filtration theory It mainly includes filtration of aerosols and lyosols. There are several mechanisms for this theory. They are as follows (Wilson Cavanagh, 1969). Diffusion deposition The trajectories of individual small particles do not coincide with the streamlines of the fluid because of Brownian motion. With decreasing particle size the intensity of Brownian motion increases and, as a consequence, so does the intensity of diffusion deposition. Direct interception This mechanism involves the finite size of particles. A particle is intercepted as it approaches the collection surface to a distance equal to its radius. Inertial deposition The presence of a body in the flowing fluid results in a curvature of the streamlines in the neighbourhood of the body. Because of their inertia, the individual particles do not follow the curved streamlines but are projected against the body and may deposit there. It is obvious that the intensity of this mechanism increases with increasing particle size and velocity of flow. Gravitational deposition Every particle has a definite sedimentation speed due to gravity. As a consequence, the particles deviate from the streamlines of the fluid and owing to this deviation; the particles may touch a fibre. Electrostatic deposition Both the particles and the fibres in the filter may carry electric charges. Deposition of particles on the fibres may take place because of forces acting between charges or induced forces. Liquid filtration theory The term solid-liquid filtration covers all processes in which a liquid containing suspended solid is freed of some or the entire solid when the suspension is drawn through a porous medium (Melia Weber, 1972). Kozeny Carman equation = . (1) Here, A = filter area V = total volume of filtrate delivered t = filtration time à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  P = pressure drop across cake and medium r = specific cake resistance  µ = filtrate viscosity l = cake thickness L = thickness of cake equivalent to medium resistance (Skilling, 2001). Limitations: This equation does not take into account of the fact that depth of the granular bed is lesser than the actual path traversed by the fluid. The actual path is not straight throughout the bed, but it is sinuous (Chowdiah et al., 1981). Poiseulles law This Law considered that filtration is similar to the streamline flow of a liquid under pressure through capillaries. = . (2) Cake resistance, RM = . (3) Specific cake resistance, ÃŽÂ ± = ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒâ€" ³Ãƒ ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  P. (4) The filter resistance is much less than the cake resistance (RC Filter media The filter medium acts as a mechanical support for the filter cake and it is responsible for the collection of solids (Srikanth, 2012). Minimum cake thickness of discharge for different types of filter is presented in Table 1 (Subramanyam et al., 2005). Table 1: Minimum cake thickness for discharge (Andrew et al., 2002) Filter type Minimum design thickness Belt 3.0-5.0 Roll discharge 1.0 Standard scraper 6.5 Coil 3.0-5.0 String discharge 6.5 Horizontal belt 3.0-5.0 Horizontal table 19.0 Materials used as filter media (Rushton, 2008) Different types of materials used as filter media for various applications industrially and domestically are presented in Table 2. Table 2: Type of filter media, features and their application (Patel R. et al, 2010). Type of filter media Features Application

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 26

â€Å"Why so blue, Kincaid?† I looked up from the information desk's computer screen to see Doug leaning lazily over the counter's edge. â€Å"Am I?† â€Å"Sure. You have the saddest look on your face I've ever seen. It's breaking my heart.† â€Å"Oh. Sorry. Just tired, I guess.† â€Å"Well, then, get out of here. Your shift's over.† Glancing down, I read the time on the computer. Five-oh-seven. â€Å"I guess it is.† He eyed me askance as I rose listlessly from the chair and made my way out from behind the desk. â€Å"You sure you're okay?† â€Å"Yeah. Like I said, just tired. I'll see you around.† I started to walk away. â€Å"Oh, hey, Kincaid?† â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"You're friendly with Mortensen, aren't you?† â€Å"Sort of,† I conceded cautiously. â€Å"Do you know what happened to him? He used to be here, like, every day, and now he's been gone all week. It's freaking Paige out. She thinks we offended him or something. â€Å" â€Å"I don't know. We're not that friendly. Sorry.† I shrugged. â€Å"Maybe he's sick. Or out of town.† â€Å"Maybe.† I left the store, stepping out into the dark autumn evening. Friday in Queen Anne brought people in droves, drawn by the area's assortment of activities and nightlife. Ignoring them, lost in my own thoughts, I walked over to my car, parked a block away. Immediately, a vulture in a red Honda slowed down and put her signal on, realizing my spot was about to be vacated. â€Å"You ready for this?† Carter asked me, materializing in the passenger seat. I fastened my seatbelt. â€Å"Ready as I'll ever be.† We drove up to the University District in silence, a hundred questions on my mind. Since removing Seth from my apartment last week, the angel had told me not to worry, that he would see to the writer's recovery. I'd still worried anyway, of course, about both Seth and the deal I'd made with Jerome. I was about to become the single greatest source of chaos and temptation in Seattle; even Hugh's stellar track record wouldn't look so good†¦ er, bad, anymore. I would be more than the slave Helena had claimed I was. The very thought made me ill. â€Å"I'll be with you,† Carter told me soothingly as we approached Seth's door minutes later. The angel flickered briefly in my vision, and I realized he'd gone invisible to mortal eyes, though not to mine. â€Å"What does he know?† â€Å"Not much. He's been awake more and more these last couple of days, and I've told him a little, but really†¦ I think he's been waiting for you.† Sighing, I nodded and stared at the door. Suddenly I felt unable to move. â€Å"You can do this,† Carter said gently. Nodding again, I turned the door handle and stepped inside. Seth's condo looked much the same as when I'd last been here, the kitchen still bright and cheery, the living room lined with boxes of unpacked books. Faint music drifted from the bedroom. I thought it was U2, but I didn't recognize the song. Moving toward the sounds, I reached Seth's bedroom, pausing in the doorway, afraid to cross the threshold. He was in bed, half sitting up, propped up by pillows. In his hands he held The Green Fairy Book, looking to be about a third of the way through it. He looked up at my approach, and I nearly sagged in relief to see how much better he looked. His color was back, his eyes bright and alert. Only that facial hair looked ragged and unkempt, the result of no shaving for a week, I guessed. That answered my question about whether or not Seth had maintained the thin, neat beard on purpose. He reached for a remote on the bedside table and turned the music off. â€Å"Hey.† â€Å"Hey.† I took a few more steps into the room, afraid to get any closer. â€Å"Do you want to sit?† he asked. â€Å"Sure.† Cady and O'Neill's faces scrutinized me from the bulletin board as I brought a chair alongside Seth. I sat down, looked at him, and then looked away, unable to handle the depth of those amber-brown eyes after seeing into his mind. Our old silence fell between us, the progress we'd made in conversation banished to the winds. Seth would not take the lead this time. As Carter had observed, the writer was waiting for me. I looked back up, forcing myself to meet his eyes. I had to do this. I had to do the explaining here, but I balked at it. It was ironic, I thought. Me, who half the time didn't know when to shut up. Me, famed for always having some catchy quip at the ready. Knowing it would never get any easier, I took a deep breath and let it all out, conscious of the weight of heaven at my back and the hell I'd just consented to stretching out before me. â€Å"The truth is†¦ the truth is, I don't really work in a bookstore. I mean, I do, but that's not really why I'm here, what my purpose is. The truth is that I'm a succubus, and I know you've probably heard of us before – or think you've heard of us before, but I doubt what you've heard is correct†¦Ã¢â‚¬  On I went. I told him. I told him everything. The rules of the succubus lifestyle, my dissatisfaction with it, why I wouldn't date people I liked. I told him about other immortals, angels and demons walking among us. I even explained about nephilim, hinting that Roman's presence in my apartment had been part of a lure on my part, but mostly skimming over the embarrassing circumstances Seth had found us in. On and on, I talked, not even knowing what I said half the time. I only knew I had to keep talking, keep trying to explain to Seth that which defied explanation. I finally reached the end, my stream of discourse exhausted. â€Å"So. So, I guess that's it. You can believe it or not, but the forces of good and evil – as humans perceive them, at least – are alive and well in the world, and I'm one of them. This city is filled with supernatural agents and entities; humans just don't realize it. It's probably just as well, really. Otherwise, if they knew too much about us, they might find out how pathetic and fucked up our lives actually are.† I shut up, thinking if Seth hadn't seen what he had already seen, he probably would have thought I was crazy. Hell, even after it all, he still probably thought I was crazy. He would be justified. Those brown eyes weighed me and my words in silence, and an annoying wetness welled up in my own eyes. I looked away to hide it, blinking rapidly, because while succubi might be accused of doing all sorts of bizarre things around mortal men, I was pretty sure crying wasn't one of them. â€Å"You said†¦ you said you used to be human.† He spoke the words awkwardly, no doubt trying to grasp the whole concept of mortal and immortal. â€Å"How then†¦ how did you become a succubus?† I looked back up at him. I could refuse him nothing in that moment, no matter how painful. â€Å"I made a bargain. I told you before that I was married†¦ that I had cheated on my husband. The consequences of that were†¦ not pleasant. I traded away my life – becoming a succubus – in order to repair the damage I had caused.† â€Å"You gave away eternity to fix one mistake?† Seth frowned. â€Å"That doesn't seem equitable.† I shrugged, highly uncomfortable with the topic. I had never spoken of it to anyone. â€Å"I don't know. It's done.† â€Å"Okay.† He shifted slightly in bed, the soft swishing of fabric the only sound between us. â€Å"Well. Thanks for telling me.† I recognized a dismissal when I heard one, and it dug into me like a blade. That was it. Done. Seth was through with me. We were finished. After everything I had told him, there was no way things could return to how they'd been, but really, wasn't that for the best? I hurriedly stood up, suddenly not wanting to be there any longer. â€Å"Yeah. Okay.† I moved toward the door, suddenly pausing to look back at him. â€Å"Seth?† â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Do you understand? Why I do what I do? Why we can't – why we have to – † I couldn't finish the thought. â€Å"It's impossible. I wish it were different†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yeah,† he said quietly. Turning, I fled his condo for my car. When I got into it, I buried my face into the steering wheel, sobbing uncontrollably. After a few minutes, gentle arms wrapped around me, and I turned toward Carter, crying into his chest. I'd heard reports of people who had angelic encounters, witnesses talking about the peace and beauty experienced by such moments. I'd never given any of it much thought, but as minutes passed, the terrible pain in my chest abated, and I grew calmer, finally lifting my head up to look at the angel. â€Å"He hates me,† I choked out. â€Å"Seth hates me now.† â€Å"Why do you say that?† â€Å"After everything I just told him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I suspect he's troubled and confused, yes, but I don't think he hates you. Love like that doesn't turn to hate quite so easily, though I'll admit the two intertwine sometimes.† I sniffled. â€Å"Did you feel it? His love?† â€Å"Not like you did. I sensed it, though.† â€Å"I've never felt anything like it. I can't match that. I like him†¦ like him so much. Maybe I even love him too, but not in the same way he loves me. I'm not worthy of that love.† Carter made a soft, chastising click. â€Å"No one is beyond being loved.† â€Å"Not even someone who just agreed to spend the next century hurting humans, corrupting souls, and leading them to temptation and despair? You must hate me for that. Even I hate me for that.† The angel watched me, expression steady and calm. â€Å"Why did you agree then?† I leaned my head back against the seat. â€Å"Because I couldn't stand the thought of me†¦ of that love being wiped out of his head†¦ of not being remembered.† â€Å"Ironic, huh?† I turned toward him, hardly surprised at anything anymore. â€Å"How much do you know about me?† â€Å"Enough. I know what you got for becoming a succubus.† â€Å"I thought it was the right thing then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I murmured, my mind's eye turning to a faraway time and place, another man. â€Å"He was so sad and so angry at me†¦ he couldn't go on, knowing what I'd done. I just wanted to be blotted from his mind forever. I thought it would be better if he – if everyone – forgot about me. Forgot I'd ever existed.† â€Å"And now you don't agree?† I shook my head. â€Å"I saw him†¦ years later, when he was an old man. I shape-shifted to the form he'd known me in – that was the last time I've worn that face, actually – and approached him. He looked right past me, though. Didn't know me at all. The time we'd had together. The love he'd had for me. All gone. Gone forever. It killed me. I felt like one of the walking dead after that. â€Å"I couldn't let that happen. Not again. Not with Seth, after experiencing what he felt for me. Even if that love is ruined†¦ marred by what he thinks of me now. Even if he never speaks to me again. It's still better than that love never having existed at all.† â€Å"Love is rarely flawless,† Carter pointed out. â€Å"Humans delude themselves by thinking it has to be. It is the imperfection that makes love perfect.† â€Å"No riddles, please,† I told him, suddenly feeling tired. â€Å"I just lost the one person I might have loved again after all these years. Really, truly loved too. Not just pure excitement either, like with Roman. Seth†¦ Seth had it all. Passion. Commitment. Friendship. â€Å"Not only that, but I've agreed to go on ‘active duty' again as a succubus.† I closed my eyes, swallowing the bile in my throat. I thought of all the nice guys in the world, men like Doug and Bruce. I did not want to be their downfall. â€Å"I really do hate it, Carter. You have no idea how much I hate it, no idea how much I don't want to do this anymore. But it's worth it. Worth it if Seth can keep his memories.† I looked over at the angel uncertainly. â€Å"He can, can't he?† Carter nodded, and I exhaled with relief. â€Å"Good. At least there's one spot of hope in all of this.† â€Å"Of course there is. There's always hope.† â€Å"Not for me.† â€Å"There's always hope,† he repeated more firmly, a commanding note in his voice that startled me. â€Å"No one is beyond hope.† I could feel tears coming to my eyes again. Lord. I seemed to be crying all the time lately. â€Å"What about a succubus?† â€Å"Especially a succubus.† He put his arms around me again, and I gave way to my sobs once more, a damned soul taking momentary respite in the embrace of a heavenly creature. I wondered if what he said was true, if it was possible that there was still hope for me, but then I remembered something that made me half laugh and half choke all at once. Angels never lied.

Feasibility Study Essay

This Feasibility Study was made possible by the guidance, supervision, cooperation and participation of the following: To the Almighty God who always looks up and secures the safety of the preparers in doing this project. To our parents who always guide and give words of wisdom to inspire us in doing our best in preparing the Feasibility Study as well as giving their both financial and emotional support. To our beloved intelligent Adviser and Business Plan Professor, Ma’am Ma. Rona D. Sahagun, who has greatly shared her knowledge to us with patience and diligence in helping us meet the necessary works for the completion of our Feasibility Study. To the Preparers, themselves who have given lot of efforts and consumed so much time to make the completion of the feasibility study be possible and successful within the given time. Together, we sincerely acknowledge and give thanks the person/s mentioned above who have brought the success of doing this Feasibility Study. We are very grateful for this wonderful accomplishment. Introduction We are in the business of building and strengthening relationships through the art of transforming stuff’s. A specialty store that primarily provides personalizes materials and services. We choose this kind of business primarily because we want to express our ideas through craft of making customized things. We help our clients to make they wants be possible as it is. We named this business â€Å"CLASSY GALORE†. CLASSY GALORE is a possessing elegance, the attribute of being tastefully designed, decorated and maintaining refined grace and dignified propriety. A deeper, more meaningful word for ‘cool’, because it is the result of your creative concept which is different from others. The uniqueness of â€Å"Classy Galore stuff† comes from our own composition and the suggestion coming from our beloved target markets. We are accepting opinions, adding details on stuff’s for a better outcome for its aesthetics. The colorful atmospherics and collatera ls of â€Å"CLASSY GALORE†, its innovative, fashion-forward and fun, and the excellent and personalized service of its staff captured the hearts and purses of the market. Mission The CLASSY GALORE mission is to execute our customers design and ideas in order to make it possible. We are also committed to provide customers with wide range of high quality product. It will give friendly prices, hassle free and fast transaction. Moreover, it also guarantees that our entire client will be given outmost respect, love, attention and service. Vision CLASSY GALORE will be one of the most visited shop in our country and in the succeeding year it will expand and be known to other places. Furthermore, it continuously values convenience and long-term relationship with its customers. Objectives 1).To receives a 50% profit margin within the first year. 2).To provides total quality of a customer’s desire. 3).To expands our business in three (3) years. 4).To patronize by people particularly in San Pablo City Laguna. Strategies 1).Our clients are free to suggest their ideas or details on the stuff that they want to personalized. 2). More revenue with lower cost (purchased more to earn discount) 3). Offering membership, SUKI stamp (redeemable for a period of time) Product/Service Description * Our compositions are made from the raw materials that already exist and are possible to enhance. Example: t-shirt (plain) Output: we put prints, sequence, patches etc. ( for adding those materials it end up to a vibrant one) * Items are sold through directly visiting our shop. * They purchased those products in our store because we offer affordable prices that have the assurance of a good quality. * Our pricing method is based on the materials used. * By our friendly interactions with the buyer will make them satisfied. Marketing Strategy Our marketing strategy will not exceed 5% of our annual gross sales. Marketing will be via: * Direct visiting and phone calls – free shipping if ordered by 2pm central. * Advertisement postcards, pliers * Business Cards * Word of mouth Sales Strategy Our key to sales strategy at â€Å"CLASSY GALORE†, will be a great buying experience, every time. Once a customer comes in the door, they will be greeted and assisted as much or as little as they wish. Some customers are uncomfortable with lots of personal attention; others expect it. Em’s experience as a student has taught her how to read the subtle signs that tell her what a customer is seeking when they enter. All customers will be offered reading materials while they shop, and we will have comfortable chairs for friends to sit in while waiting. Our sales goal is to generate repeat business and strong word-of-mouth advertising based on this great buying experience. Word of mouth in new apparel stores tends to spread to family, friends, co-workers. Target Market and Customer Characteristics â€Å"CLASSY GALORE† is a customer purchases are occasion-driven and include birthdays, anniversaries, thank-you’s, get well wishes, congratulations, and employee recognition. Customers tend to be those without the time or desire to assemble their own customized gifts. Part of the purchase process is therefore a need for convenience and for imaginative contents that make people say, â€Å"I wouldn’t have thought of that.† Customers can be found across San Pablo City, but individual repeat clients tend to be men and women, indicating that they have busy lives and need gift solutions that are meaningful and yet convenient to purchase. Repeat business clients are often in service businesses, such as students, employee or just an ordinary people. Late November through December is expected to be one of the busiest times of the year for â€Å"CLASSY GALORE†, because businesses purchase holiday gifts at that time.† CLASSY GALORE†, location near downtown, where many business offices are located, makes quick deliveries possible. CLASSY GALORE’s, greatest potential for increasing its client base is the business sector, where it can be promoted as a convenient, personal (yet appropriate), and high-quality tool for customer care, and employee recognition. CLASSY GALORE will not overlook the potential of its individual clients, however, promoting itself as a solution for those gift-giving times that require a personal touch.

Essay about Mark Twain - 641 Words

In the biography Mark Twain: The Divided Mind of Americas Best-Loved Writer by David W. Levy it was made clear that Mark Twain was very involved with all the society changes in his time period. Many of his novels have a theme circulating around the different changes and problems in society including slavery and racism. Mark Twain has been through the years preceding the Civil War, the Gilded Age and industrialization, this book explores his attitude and actions during the time period. This book is very good with explaining and going into detail about what happened in Mark Twain’s life in the 18th and 19th century. Mark Twain was born November 30, 1835 in Missouri. His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He grew up through many†¦show more content†¦But the books he wrote during those fifteen years were so highly regarded by millions of people who bought and read them that he became securely and permanently embedded in the affections of the American people.† (131) Twain wrote a book called Innocents Abroad and â€Å"in the first year it was published it sold 75,000 copies. Then, probably because of a nationwide depression that began in 1873, sales plummeted, reaching only around 7,800 copies in 1873, and 5,100 copies in 1874† (133). Ernest Hemingway stated â€Å"All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn†(149). Twain still today is still famous for not only the novels he wrote but also many famous quotes that he has said. Overall, this biography went into details about Mark Twain’s life, from growing up in Hannibal and learning how to sail up and down the Mississippi River to writing novels and becoming one of the greatest writers of the time. Mark Twain was so famous because he was able to use what everyone wanted to read about in the time. He used themes about slavery and racism also, The Gilded Age. In the Gilded Age many people would dream about being rich and having all th e money they could. But, there were many unfortunate people that could not have it that way. This book is a very reliable source because the author does not just talk about Mark Twain but, he also uses some of his quotes and he uses other people’s quotes. This is a well-organizedShow MoreRelated Mark Twain Essay1449 Words   |  6 Pages Mark Twain was a pilot, a comic lecturer, a humorist, a short story writer, and a novelist, to name a few of his many accomplishments. On November 30, 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, otherwise known as Mark Twain, became the first man of any importance ever to be born west of the Mississippi River. He has become an icon as the American writer. This is because his way of writing cannot be simulated by Europeans or anyone else, due to the fact that the western setting of America creates aRead More Mark Twain Essays1018 Words   |  5 Pages Mark Twain, a Racist?Mark Twain was a man that was way ahead of his time. In a time when people were judged on color,Mark Twain grew up in Florida, Missouri (Mandelbrot, Twain). In Missouri and Louisiana combined there were less than one half a million white persons (Chang, Twain p. 21). Which meant the black population was abundant. While growing up Twain had no telegraph, no railroads, no stage lines of any consequence (Twain, www.marktwain.com). Also maps were scarcely ever found. So Twain didn’tRead More Mark Twain Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pages Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, one of the major authors of American fiction. Twain is also considered the greatest humorist in American literature. His varied works include novels, travel narratives, short stories, sketches, and essays. His writings about the Mississippi River, such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, have proven especially popular among modern readers. I feel that many of Mark Twains writingsRead MoreRighteousness, By Mark Twain2411 Words   |  10 Pagesauthor, Mark Twain, it is clear from his work that he has addressed the question of righteousness. As we take a look back in time from the lens of Twain s early life, this question of righteousness becomes very relevant. Growing up during the mid 1800s in Missouri, a place rampant with slavery, Twain was able to explore the American soul with wit, buoyancy, and a sharp eye for truth. Eventually he would soon come to realize the deep racial problems that existed in the south. For the young Mark TwainRead More mark twain Essay1481 Words   |  6 Pages Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain 1835-1910 Samuel Clemens was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri, the sixth of seven children. At the age of four, Sam and his family moved to the small frontier town of Hannibal, Missouri on the banks of the Mississippi River. Missouri, at the time, was a fairly new state (it had gained statehood in 1820) and comprised part of the countrys western border. It was also a slave state. Sams father owned one slave and his uncle owned several. In fact, it was onRead MoreEssay Mark Twain2590 Words   |  11 PagesMark Twain As one of Americas first and foremost realists and humorists, Mark Twain, usually wrote about his own personal experiences and things he knew about from firsthand experience. # Two of his best-known novels show this trait, in his Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain immortalized the sleepy little town of Hannibal,Read More Mark Twain Essay1401 Words   |  6 Pages MARK TWAIN a.k.a. Samuel Langhorne Clemens nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;quot;Mark Twain, which is a pseudonym for Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was born in 1835, and died in 1910. He was an american writer and humorist. Maybe one of the reasons Twain will be remembered is because his writings contained morals and positive views. Because Twains writing is so descriptive, people look to his books for realistic interpretations of places, for his memorable characters, and his ability to describe hisRead More Mark Twain Essay2338 Words   |  10 Pages Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, is perhaps the most distinguished author of American Literature. Next to William Shakespeare, Clemens is arguably the most prominent writer the world has ever seen. In 1818, Jane Lampton found interest in a serious young lawyer named John Clemens. With the Lampton family in heavy debt and Jane only 15 years of age, she soon arried John. The family moved to Gainesboro, Tennessee where Jane gave birth to Orion Clemens. In the summer of 1827 theRead MoreMark Twain Research Paper900 Words   |  4 PagesName -- Professor Reber English 1113 10 October 2012 Mark Twain Mark Twain was a world renowned novelist and a beloved American Writer. He wrote things about what was happening in the world around him and is also a huge part of American Literature. Although Mark Twain is a famous novelist his home life, background/achievements, and greatest accomplishments are what made him who he is today. Mark Twain was more than the man we all know. For one thing, he was born as Samuel Langhorn ClemensRead MoreLife on the Mississippi by Mark Twain1523 Words   |  7 PagesLife on the Mississippi by Mark Twain is his memoir about vital river life during the steamboat era and a remembrance of it after the Civil War. . Mark Twain (1835-1910) grew up Samuel Langhorne Clemens on the Mississippi River in the small town of Hannibal, Missouri. Twain was a journalist, essayist, and writer of short stories and novels. Mark Twain tells of his life on the river, humorous stories, and a glimpse of his life during his childhood. This Memoir displays a detailed account about how