Book One of John Milton’s Paradise Lost: Satan as Hero Essay

In literature and other forms of art, the character of Satan had always been depicted as nothing more than an evil entity. He was usually represented as the Devil, the creature capable of the ultimate form of wickedness. He was known to be against the Supreme Good, for he was the angel who initiated a rebellion against God. In various stories and movies, Satan had always been depicted as this static character. However, the depiction of Satan in Book One of John Milton’s â€Å"Paradise Lost† was truly an exception to the stereotype. In the first part of his epic, Milton showed the readers that Satan had positive traits, though he used it in a negative way. Contrary to the usual portrayal of the persona of Satan, John Milton depicted Satan as a heroic character in Book One of â€Å"Paradise Lost†. What makes a character heroic? One feature which makes a hero is a commanding presence. Heroes in literature, such as Achilles and Odysseus, are characterized with remarkable strength. These are individuals who possess imposing, if not dominant, personalities. It is their commanding presence which allows them to lead their men effectively, as it renders them as figures of authority. Combs wrote, â€Å"Heroic qualities reside in some larger-than-life figure who committed great deeds in a mythical past† (26). While Satan’s deeds can only be considered great in his own opinion, it cannot be denied that he was rendered by Milton as a larger-than-life creature in Book One. Milton presented Satan as a hero to the readers by showing how massive and mighty he is. To demonstrate the size and strength of Satan, the narrator of the poem used an analogy with reference to Greek mythology. Satan was depicted as similar to the titans who fought against Jove. Milton wrote, â€Å"Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge/ As whom the Fables name of monstrous size,/ Titanian, or Earth-Born, that warr’d on Jove† (I. 196-198). Milton also compared Satan to the Leviathan, which he described as â€Å"hugest that swim th’ Ocean stream† (I. 202). Indeed, the author had established Satan to be larger-than-life in the epic. Satan is considered as a heroic character in Book One because of his commanding presence. Another trait which a hero must possess is courage. Heroes are known to be courageous figures, those who remain unnerved during difficult struggles or when confronted with the inevitable. Satan is a heroic character in Book One of â€Å"Paradise Lost† because of the courage he displayed. He proved to be courageous because he displayed unshakeable resolve amidst trying times. It is known that Satan used to be an angel who sought to overpower God. He gathered his followers and rebelled against Him, only to fail in their selfish pursuit. As a result, Satan and the other angels were sent to Hell. Hell proved to be most unpleasant compared to Heaven. While there was a fiery lake in Hell, its flames gave off darkness instead of light. Milton wrote, â€Å"As one great Furnace flam’d, yet from those flames/ No light, but rather darkness visible† (I. 62-63). While a weaker personality may have given up on such dire situation, Satan was undaunted by his present dilemma. Instead of being dragged down by his fall from grace, he embraced his place in Hell. Satan remarked, â€Å"To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:/ Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav’n† (I. 262-263). In addition, Satan’s fall from grace did not diminish his determination in his pursuit of evil. God may have defeated Satan in the rebellion, but the Supreme Deity did not defeat his will to fight. Satan said, â€Å"All is not lost; the unconquerable Will,/ And study of revenge, immortal hate,/ And courage never to submit or yield:/ And what else not to be overcome? † (I. 106-109). Hence, Satan is a hero because of the courage he displayed. Also, Satan appeared to be a hero in the first part of Milton’s epic poem due to his bravery. How did Satan exhibit bravery in Book One? Satan proved himself to be a brave character because he did not reveal fear even though he was confronted with danger. After the angels failed in their revolt against God, some of Satan’s comrades have lost hope. For instance, Beelzebub was greatly disheartened by the defeat. Their failure convinced him of God’s power. Beelzebub told Satan: â€Å"Fearless, endanger’d Heav’ns perpetual King;/ And to put to proof his high Supremacy† (I. 131-132). Unlike his companion, Satan still wanted to challenge God’s power. He does not regret initiating the war, and still wanted to execute another battle. Satan wanted to wage a second war against God, hoping that the next attempt would be more successful. He uttered, â€Å"We may with more successful hope resolve/ To wage by force or guile eternal Warr/ Irreconcileable, to our grand Foe† (I. 120-123). Satan is a heroic character in Book One of Paradise Lost because he was unafraid to face an enemy stronger and more powerful than him. The three aforementioned traits truly render Satan as a heroic character. With those three traits, Satan would follow the tradition of other heroes in literature. Milton made Satan appear as a warrior hero with the other angels as his comrades. However, it cannot be denied that there would be instances wherein the other warriors are discouraged by the outcome of their battles. Therefore, it would be the responsibility of the leader to motivate the rest and make them continue on in the path they chose to travel. In this case, Satan again proved to be a heroic character in Book One. He was heroic because he asserted his leadership and convinced the other angels to do as he pleased. Satan had a plan against God and despite the defeat, he never strayed from it. In contrast, the other angels had become weary of their situation. It became Satan’s task to uplift his followers and make them believe in his plan. When Beelzebub was discouraged after hearing Satan’s suggestion of another attack, the latter gave a speech to convince the former. Satan said, â€Å"To do ought good never will be our task,/ But ever to do ill our sole delight† (I. 159-160). His optimism over his grand scheme against goodness was so persuasive that the other fallen angels had obeyed his orders. Because he was a leader who kept his followers on the path towards his desired end, Satan can be considered as a heroic character. In Book One of â€Å"Paradise Lost†, Milton truly painted a rare picture of Satan. He made one of the most despicable characters in history as an appealing character. Satan became appealing to the readers because Milton’s depiction paid more attention on his positive qualities. His larger-than-life persona, as well as his courage, bravery and leadership, made Satan an admirable individual. Moreover, not only did Milton make Satan appealing, he made him sympathetic as well. It is obvious that Satan had questionable logic; his arguments were flawed. Despite this, he was still able to persuade the other angels. He was also able to make the readers sympathize to his cause, no matter how wicked it was. When Satan first spoke in Book One, he described the fallen angels’ undesirable state in Hell. His words persuaded the readers of God’s wrath. Satan said, â€Å"He with his Thunder: and till then who knew/ The force of those dire Arms? † (I. 93-94). From his speech, Satan allowed the readers to think that God was at fault and his actions against Him were justified. Nevertheless, the text itself is proof of Satan’s free will. Satan was free to act as he pleased, and he chose to gather his followers and rebel against God. Satan was the one at fault because he was made free but he decided to use his freedom for evil. Therefore, while Satan may seem to be a heroic character, it does not mean that he was not flawed. Unlike most accounts of Satan, Book One of â€Å"Paradise Lost† proved to be different. John Milton deviated from the stereotype and presented Satan as a heroic figure. He made Satan as a commanding character who was courageous, brave and convincing to others. As a result, Milton depicted Satan as a character with redeeming qualities. However, these redeeming qualities are not enough to make him a perfect persona. Indeed, Satan is portrayed as a heroic character in Book One of â€Å"Paradise Lost† by John Milton. Works Cited Combs, James E. Polpop: Politics and Popular Culture in America. Wisconsin: Popular Press, 1984. Milton, John. â€Å"Paradise Lost. † University of Oregon Web Site. 1997. 17 July 2009 < http://darkwing. uoregon. edu/~rbear/lost/lost. html>.

Managerial Accounting Case Essay

In the Seligram case, the existing cost accounting system measured two components of cost: direct labor and burden. All burden cost, which is the overhead, was grouped into a single cost pool and was calculated only by using a burden rate per direct labor dollar. This may cause problems since direct labor and overhead are not consumed by the products in the same proportion. Simply using the same burden rate is obsolescent. First of all, direct labor hours per lot tested had been steadily declining, especially with the increase of dependence on vendor certification. This will result in the change of the burden rate. Besides, this system distorts the price to some extent, making the price for complex parts cheaper while price for elementary testing higher compared with price for outside services. What is more, the consequences brought from the introduction of high -technology components would decrease the direct labor hour. All of this was trending to higher burden rates and overall hi gher rates. Cost allocation based on current burden rate of 145% is calculated within the Exhibit1. Having noticed of the problems of the existing system, the accounting manager proposed a two-burden-pool method to allocate the burden cost. Under the two-burden-pool method, burden cost has been divided into two pools: one is the burden cost related to the administrative and technical functions and the other is test related burden. The former is calculated based on direct labor dollar, the latter one is calculated by using machine hours. This method takes other factors that cause the burden into account, which makes the cost allocation more accurate than the existing method. The result of two-burden-pool is as the follows. The consultant proposed a more detailed cost allocation method, i.e. separate burden centers from each of each test room and common technical and administrative pool so that a three-burden-pool is formed. Under this method, burden cost in test rooms would be allocated on a machine-hour basis, and technical and administrative costs would continue to be charged on a rate per direct labor dollar. This method is more accurate in allocating the burden cost by providing a cost of each product or job. Through this way, ETO could differentiate client and product and calculate the cost more accurately from direct data such as the machine hour to product a certain product, so that they need not to guess the real cost of that product by allocating cost according to estimation. Besides, due the process of automatic, direct labor dollar amount alone could not reflect the real picture of burden cost as before. So it is necessary to take other related factor into account when allocating burden cost and more detailed analysis of the allocation basis is needed. The allocation result of three-burden-pool is listed below: Since the three-burden-pool system is most accurate in allocating burden cost among those three methods, it is preferable. However, it does not mean the three-burden-pool system is perfect. Because this system provides more accurate and detailed information of the production process, it will cost more than the other two methods. In addition, the redesign of the three-burden-pool system could be expensive too due to the complexity of the system. In order to improve this system, ETO needs to pay attention of the relationship of cost and benefit. Besides, ETO could set up a system that is easy and effective to perform to save the cost of implicating three-burden-pool. Besides the consideration of proposed cost allocation methods, Seligram should also arrange the new equipment into an appropriate cost pool which indicates a more reliable estimation. Assuming that new equipment has a separate cost center, all variable cost, fixed cost and depreciation will be reported separately. The burden rate is only based on the machine hours of new equipment which are 400hr (Year1) and 2400hr (Year2-8). Additionally, we use Double-decline method for depreciation. Balance is shown in Exhibit4. The separate burden rate for Year 1 would be much higher than those in the following years due to set up costs (Exhibit 5). Burden rates combined with main testing room are calculated in Exhibit 6. All combined burden rates are much lower than the separate costing rates. We recommend choosing a separate cost center for new equipment, even though the rates are much higher. Due to the current situation that lower costs for more complex components, which is abnormal, separate method would reflect more accurate and reliable costs of new imported machines. Obviously, combined method would influence the presentation of true costs. The costs are reduced by other factors in main testing room. Higher burden rates are more reasonable that these new machines have higher cost in essence and also they are just for testing components from several specific clients. Higher burden rates are more accurate.

Definition and How to Handle an Adjustment Letter

Definition and How to Handle an Adjustment Letter An adjustment letter or a claim adjustment letter is a written response from a representative of a business or agency to a customers claim letter. It explains how a problem with a product or service may (or may not) be resolved. How to Handle the Response If your business has received a claim letter from a customer, youll want to handle your response diplomatically and with the proper  you attitude  to quickly and effectively repair or prevent any damage to your reputation. Even if the complaint cant be resolved exactly as the customer wishes or you have to give bad news, you want to still take a positive, professional tone.   Andrea B. Geffner illustrates further: An  adjustment letter  should begin with a positive statement, expressing sympathy and understanding. Near the start, it should let the reader know what is being done, and this news, good or bad, should be followed by an explanation. The letter should end with another positive statement, reaffirming the companys good intentions and the value of its products, but  never  referring to the original problem.Whether or not your company is at fault, even the most belligerent claim should be answered politely. An adjustment letter should  not  be negative or suspicious; it must  never  accuse the customer or grant any adjustment grudgingly. Remember, your companys image and goodwill are at stake when you respond even to unjustified claims.​ (How to Write  Better  Business Letters, 4th ed. Barrons, 2007) Be careful to never promise something your company cant deliver (or a deadline you cant meet), or that will only compound the problem. Convey to your customer that you do have his or her interest in mind, and keep the door open to keep their business and for better success in the future. Even as times change, some things remain true. Good business advice hasnt changed in the last 100 years, as evident from advice given by O.C. Gallagher and L.B. Moulton in Practical Business English, from 1918:   Any showing of ill-feeling or anger in your adjustment letter will defeat its purpose. Indifference toward the customers complaint or delay in answering it is likewise fatal to further business relations. The you, not the I, attitude will put the offended customer in good humor, and open the way for a pleasant settlement of the complaint. An adjustment letter characterized by the  you attitude  becomes a sales letter. Dealing With Internet Complaints The same type of advice also applies to dealing with complaints or poor reviews levied against businesses on the internet or via social media. You still need to be diplomatic in your response. Speed in diffusing a complaint is of the essence- but not hastiness. Remember that anything you type in an electronic message or post can be copied and forwarded for the world to see, and its really difficult to completely delete something after posting it online or hitting send.Have someone proofread it and check for cultural sensitivity or other potential pitfalls before putting it out there.Cut to the chase- keep the public-facing text short and to the point.  Always have a cool head when responding to criticism online or else the problem can spiral. Any text online affects your brand and reputation. A successful resolution to a complaint or claim also has the ability to spread far and wide, though likely not as fast or widely as a poor review or complaint, unfortunately.   Sources Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu, The Business Writers Handbook, 10th ed. Macmillan, 2011. Philip C. Kolin, Successful Writing at Work, 9th ed. Wadsworth Publishing, 2009.

Coursework on Alternative Financial Investments The WritePass Journal

Coursework on Alternative Financial Investments Intoduction Coursework on Alternative Financial Investments IntoductionAlternative InvestmentsVenture Capital TrustsEnterprise Investment SchemeHedge FundsAgriculturalLivestock and MeatEnergyPrecious MetalsIndustrial MetalsPropertyREITSInvestor BenefitsRisks of REITSFine Art Fine WineShort Answer QuestionsQuestion 1.   The disadvantages of repaying debts by encashing investments are:Question 2Question 3BenefitsDrawbacksBibliographyRelated Intoduction Alternative Investments We are all familiar with the usual suspects when it comes to investments with ISA’s Unit Trusts, OEICS, Capital Investment Bonds, Investment Trusts, National Savings and General Banking Products being the general fare when it comes to advising our clients. However whilst these products often can and do achieve the desired results there are many   alternatives investments available that offer a wider choice and variety which can be used instead of or to complement mainstream products. Lets look at these alternatives and see what benefits they have and of course any drawbacks associated with them. The AIM Market (Alternative Investment Market) â€Å"AIM is the most successful growth market in the world. Since its launch in 1995, over 3,000 companies from across the globe have chosen to join AIM. Powering the companies of tomorrow, AIM continues to help smaller and growing companies raise the capital they need for expansion† (www.londonstockexchange.com/companies-and-advisors/aim.htm 18/02/2011). Aim is the international market for growing companies trading on the London Stock Exchange. Businesses you will find range from new venture capital-backed companies to well established, mature organisations looking to expand into a wider market. Created in 1995 by the London Stock Exchange principally to offer a diverse range of smaller companies the opportunity to sensibly raise capital in a regulated market, hence AIM has developed into a highly flexible public market easily accessible to both investor and company. Aim companies come from 37 sectors, 90 sub-sectors and 26 countries. It has over 250 companies from outside the United Kingdom, with many more joining every year, which is testament to the viability of the AIM market as a place fro the younger international companies wishing to fund expansion and raise their global profile. Aim is an exchange Regulated Market and enjoys a reputation for effective regulation: it offers a secure yet flexible trading environment for both companies and investors. Aim is wholly owned and run by the London Stock Exchange and has three investment indices – the FTSE AIM UK50, FTSE AIM 100 and the FTSE AIM ALL-SHARE Supersector Indices Investors wishing to buy or sell shares in AIM stocks will deal through a stockbroker in a traditional way. However, whilst dealing in the shares in an execution-only basis may be relatively straightforward; those investors who want advice may have to be more selective. There are some brokers with specialist knowledge of AIM stocks and which spend a considerable amount of time researching the AIM market. It clearly makes sense for investors to deal via such brokers so as to take advantage of there expertise. Due to the tax breaks which are currently available, many brokers run specialist portfolios which have been set up with the intention of mitigating Inheritance Tax. (IHT). The shares after being held for at least two years qualify for Business Property Relief and therefore as long as they are held until death after the two year period will be fully exempt from IHT. If the purchaser is married or in a civil partnership and they die prior to the two year period, the shares may be transferred to the spouse or civil partner so that they may retain the shares until their own death so that the two year requirement may be exceeded. Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is payable in respect of sales of AIM stocks and any losses can be set off against losses in the usual way. â€Å"The AIM market should be regarded as higher risk as AIM market shares tend to be relatively illiquid and therefore may be difficult to sell or obtain reliable information as to the value and the risks to which the shares are exposed. A company on AIM can elect to revert to private status, in which case the shares may become impossible to trade or value and the protections offered by AIM will cease to apply† (www.rensburg4ifas.co,uk/   Iht for Ifas v 3.2-07/10 7323) â€Å"Every AIM company is supported, advised and monitored by its own Nominated Adviser (NOMAD). Firms that wish to act as Nomads must undergo stringent checks before they can be authorised to become a London Stock Exchange-approved Nomad for AIM. These Checks ensure the suitability both of Nomads and of the companies they assist to operate as part of AIM, bringing investors increased certainty and security† (http:///www.aimslisting.co.ukindex.php/page/The-Aim-Market 25/02/2011). Venture Capital Trusts â€Å"The Venture Capital Trust   scheme started on 6th April 1995. It is designed to encourage individuals to invest directly in a range of small higher-risk trading companies whose shares and securities are not listed on a recognised stock exchange, by investing through Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs). So, if you invest in a VCT, you spread the investment risk over a number of companies† (www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/vct.htm 18/02/2011). VCT’s have to be approved by HMRC and once given offers a   unique tax break, in that as long as you hold ordinary shares for at least 5 years from the date of purchase 30% income tax relief is payable, therefore a  £200,000 investment held for 5 years, if it had not grown or fallen in value would be valued at  £260,000. In addition there is no liability to Capital Gains Tax on disposal. The benefits to individuals investing in a Venture Capital Trust include not only the opportunity to participate in the growth the unquoted investment portfolio but also to enjoy the valuable tax benefits on an investment of up to  £200,000 in each tax year. This type of investment should be seen as medium to long term and the capital value is not guaranteed. Enterprise Investment Scheme The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) is designed to help smaller higher-risk trading companies to raise finance by offering a range of tax reliefs to investors who purchase shares in those companies. The EIS is a concession by HMRC whereby an investor can invest between  £500 and  £500,000 in an EIS company in a single tax year and claim the income tax relief at 20%. Furthermore, providing the shares are held for 3 years, then there is no Capital Gains Tax on the eventual disposal. â€Å"All shares must be paid up in full, in cash, when they are issued. They must be â€Å"full risk† ordinary shares, with no preferential rights to dividends, or to the companies assets in the event of winding up. There must also be no arrangements to protect the investor from the normal risks associated with investing in shares and no arrangements for the shares to be purchased by anyone else after the end of the relevant period† (www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/eis.htm 02/02/2011) Investment can be directly into the company or through an EIS Fund. If you invest through an EIS fund, the fund manager will invest on your behalf in a number of qualifying companies. You are still the owner of the shares. Hedge Funds    Hedge funds are collective investments that aim to make money whether the market is moving up, down or sideways. Unlike Unit Trusts, Oeics or Investment Trusts, which tend to only grow when shares rise, hedge funds can make money when share prices are falling.They do this using a range of complicated specialist techniques. The most commonly used is going long or short on a share. Most private investors simply go long on a share, buying in the hope that the price will rise.Where an investor goes short, they believe that the equity will fall in value. There are two main ways a hedge fund can do this. The first is by â€Å"shorting† the stock, where the investor â€Å"borrows† a stock to sell it, with the hope that it will decrease in value so they can buy it back at a lower price and keep the difference. For example, if an investor borrows 500 shares of X   company   at  £10 each, they would then sell those shares for  £5,000. If the price falls to  £8 per share, the investor would buy the shares back for  £4,000, return them to the original owner and make a profit of  £1,000. These funds now reportedly manage over  £750bn of clients money and their highly-paid managers can achieve remarkable returns.Hedge funds are not restricted to equities, they will invest in anything that will make a profit, including Foreign currency, Bonds, or Commodities. The return achieved by the fund is likely to be dependent on the skill of the manager rather than the underlying economic conditions and that is why they are so highly paid.At the moment Hedge funds are only available to high wealth individuals who are prepared to invest around  £500,000, or to professional investors, such as Pension Funds or Insurance Companies.If individual investors want exposure to hedge funds, they can purchase shares in the companies that operate the funds.Hedge Funds are regarded as high risk investments as many funds are â€Å"leveraged† which means they borrow money to add to their fund rather than just using investor capital.Because the funds use Derivatives, where they bet ag ainst the future value of an asset, rather than purchasing the asset directly, the funds are effectively borrowing money.The result is that gains and losses are magnified, with some making huge profits, but if things go wrong the fund can go bust. The majority of Hedge Funds are domiciled offshore for tax reasons, but the UK based managers are fully regulated by the Financial Services Authority. (FSA).However the FSA does not regulate the funds themselves and if a fund goes bust, investors do not have any recourse to compensation. Commodities â€Å"A physical substance, such as food, grains, metals, which is interchangeable with another product of the same type and which investors will buy or sell usually through futures contracts† (londonstockexchange.com/focus-on/018-commodities. 07/03/2011) The Commodity Markets are markets were raw or primary products are exchanged. They are traded on regulated commodity exchanges, in which they are bought and sold in standardised contracts. Commodities investing is volatile, promising big gains and capable of big losses. But this volatility can work in your favour in a broad investment portfolio, where a small amount of commodities can offset risks associated with stocks, bonds and cash. Commodities can be an excellent way to diversify your portfolio, especially if you believe that stocks are heading downwards for the next few years. The Commodities traded include: Agricultural Corn, wheat, oats. Livestock and Meat Cattle, Pigs Energy Crude oil, natural gas, heating oil. Precious Metals Gold, platinum,palladium. Industrial Metals Copper, zinc aluminium. Trading is normally via Futures Contracts, which is basically an agreement to buy now, pay and deliver later. In essence, a futures contract is a standardised forward contract in which the buyer and the seller accept the terms in regards to the product, grade , quantity and location and are only free to negotiate the price. Commodities are regulated and authorised by the FSA in the UK and Investing in commodities is normally done through a stockbroker or a   commodities broker. Property Property can be a very attractive asset to include in any investment portfolio – especially as it often performs well when stock markets are going through an unstable period. Over the long term, property has been proven to outperform   most sectors, so it might be a good bet even when share or bond prices fall. Of course, property markets can still be volatile, as shown by recent events. However, the best property funds will spread their exposure across many property areas. For example a property fund could give you access to the commercial property sector as well. This may include retail premises, office space and warehousing. Property funds remain one of the most practical ways to gain exposure to the property sector, some invest in actual bricks and mortar, while other funds may include shares in property companies or property securities know as real estate investments trusts. (REITS). Investments in funds of this nature are subject to specific risks arising from investment in REITs and property related securities and investors should ensure that they full understand these.    REITS A REIT is a company that owns and manages property on behalf of shareholders. A Reit can contain commercial and/or residential property. REITs provide a way for investors to access property assets without having to buy property directly in the UK REITs can apply for â€Å"UK-REIT† status, which exempts the company from corporation tax. It is an investment through buying shares in a listed property company that has elected for REIT status and operates in accordance with REIT regulations. The REIT regulations are intended to ensure the company is primarily engaged in property investment, rather than in development or other non property related activities. Most UK REITs focus on the UK, though a few have European investments. Investor Benefits REITs can be very tax efficient, as the property company pays no corporation or capital gains tax on the profits made from the property investment. As a condition of these tax breaks REITs must pass 90% of their taxable income through to shareholders. As the real estate appreciates in value, the REIT becomes more valuable and the share price may rise. REITs can also offer predictable income streams because of long term lease agreements. Also as REITs trade like stocks, you can get into and out of them with ease.       Risks of REITS However as stated earlier there are risks associated with REITs and investors need to approach them with these in mind. Most REITs focus on particular types of commercial development, such as apartments or office buildings. This concentration leaves them vulnerable to a downturn in this particular sector. Investors should examine where the REITs projects are located. A high concentration of development in one community or geographic region may leave it vulnerable to a downturn in that area’s economy. Better to invest in more than one REIT and choose different property sectors, also make sure that they are in different geographic locations. As stated earlier REITS are traded like stock on the major markets and can be purchased via a stockbroker in the normal manner. Fine Art Fine art offers the opportunity for portfolio diversification into an area that has historically provided high returns. Quality works of art have proved to be a remarkable store of value. This is predominantly due to increasing rarity caused by an expanding demand from museums and collectors and dwindling supplies. Art has evolved considerably over the last decade or so. Now building up a portfolio of works of art is not the only way to invest. Dedicated funds have been launched and there are investment advisers specifically geared to help investors with little or no experience of the art market. Far from just being a hedge against inflation art investment is now just one of range of alternative investments that can be used to diversify portfolios. Investing in ART can be done in the traditional manner via Art Dealers or now through an increasing number of specialist fund managers were the funds are structured like private equity investments and investor commitments are drawn down over a period of time to facilitate purchases. Due to the nature of Art works and how they appreciate in value over time they should be seen as a buy and hold investment rather than a buy and sell one. Fine Wine â€Å" What makes fine wine such a good investment is that production of the world’s top vintages are strictly controlled. As supply of the very best wines dries up, the prices of the very best vintages invariably rocket† (http://capitalvintners-px.rtrk.co.uk 14/03/2011) Investing in fine wine is an attractive proposition for many investors, who wish to diversify their investment portfolio. As wine matures, more bottles are consumed and like all things rare and desirable, its valuation will rise. Demand has increase enormously over the past decades,resulting in some extremely good returns. Wine is also an easily transferable asset, as there is an established fine wine market and a thriving auction market. There are no limits to wine investing, however the current prices of top wines are such that one should start investing with at least %,000 to  £10,000. It should be remembered that investment in wine is a long term investment and experience suggests that a minimum five year term would be a reasonable benchmark. Although Fund Managers are beginning to take a keen interest in this market, with wine investment funds now readily available, care should be taken as their investment charges will inevitably eat into any gains made and also they may not have the in-depth knowledge of Fine Wines that a reputable broker has. Perhaps best to use a   reputable broker, who will ascertain the exact nature of the fine wine holding you require, taking into account your dealing range, liquidity needs and risk/return requirements. The broker will then obtain on your behalf, the fine wine most suitable for you, either from their suppliers or from their own extensive stock holding. The broker will also organise safe storage and insurance for your wine. It is critical wine is stored and cared for in the correct manner and in order to maintain the very high quality of the product and ensure its longevity, fine wine must be stored in a controlled environment and again reputable brokers will have this facility. Once this has been done you will receive written confirmation of your holding from your broker. Your broker will also attend to your needs for the duration of your holding and will keep you aware of developments in the markets on a monthly basis. When the time comes to sell your holding, your broker will organise this on your behalf. Again it should be remembered that as with all investments returns are not guaranteed and you could incur substantial losses, if the market for Fine Wine falls into decline. Short Answer Questions Question 1.   The disadvantages of repaying debts by encashing investments are: Lack of liquidity. No guarantee that you would subsequently save the new found disposable income. No longer have the expertise of the fund managers or the investment asset mix. Less time for subsequent investments to build up. Any new investments would have fresh set-up charges therefore reducing the potential returns May lose valuable tax relief on existing investments that cannot be re-used. Interest rates on debts may be lower than your investment returns. May need to borrow again in the future at higher interest rates and or a shorter repayment term, costing more. May be unable to borrow in future years due lower income or credit crunch. Question 2 Interest Yield: Divide Annual Income by Current Market Price. 7% divided by  £132 x 100 = 5.30. Gross Redemption Yield: Current Price  £132 Minus the Nominal Value  £100 and divide by remaining 3 years to run. Divide this figure by current price and then add to Interest Yield.  £132  £100 =  £32 divided by 3 = 10.66 divided by  £132 = 0.08 add to Interest Yield = 5.30 + 0.08 = 5.38. Question 3    Benefits Guaranteed 100% secure: total capital invested is returnable Any winnings are tax free Partial withdrawals from initial investment allowed No regular investment required No fixed investment term. Automatically eligible for monthly prize draw Can win valuable cash prizes Drawbacks Investment is subject to decrease in value due to inflation Savings in interest earning accounts may earn more Chances of winning a larger cash prize are slim No guarantee of a win Minimum and maximum investment required Chances of winning a larger cash prize are slim Money is not instantly accessible Bibliography Websites HMRC Venture Capital Trust. www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/vct.htm 18/02/2011 This website provides commanding and very valuable information for advisers and the general public. This proved to be an extremely relevant site for my research, as the site lists all articles produced on specific tax areas and also includes historical information for research thereby providing a one stop shop for all tax related enquiries. The reference to Venture Capital Trusts allowed me to give a factual overview of the investment and also to explain the tax relief available to this type of investment. http:///www.aimslisting.co.ukindex.php/page/The-Aim-Market 25/02/2011. www.hughespartnership.co.uk/enterprise investment scheme 01/03/2011. www.thisismoney.co.uk/investing/article.html 02/03/2011 This is an excellent financial website and helps advisers keep up to date with what’s going on in the world markets. It has a reputation for accuracy and has a specialist team of financial journalists, whose aims are   to ensure that readers are accurately informed in financial matters. This makes it a very relevant site for my research as there are regular articles on all aspects of investments including alternative investments and what they have to offer. Its journalists write in a straightforward and understandable manner, which makes it easy to digest what can sometimes be very complicated subject matters. myifslearning.com 06/03//2011   The ifs School of Finance is a registered charity incorporated by Royal Charter and provides the financial services industry with a skilled and competent workforce. They have been providing financial education for the past 130 years. The website is very informative and provides students with a wealth of information, tailored to helping them progress. An on-line knowledge bank library to assist with studies and understanding is available at the click of a button. In addition the in-house magazine, Financial World, has features, comments and reviews on financial matters relevant to the financial services sector, which enables advisers to constantly keep up to date on financial services matters. www.rensburgsheppards.co.uk/discretionary management solutions 04/03/2011 http://stocks.about.com/od/advancedtrading/a/REIT 07/03/2011 www.ftmandate.com/theartofalternativeinvestment.html 10/13/2011 www.moneyweek.com/investing-in-wine 14/03/2011 bbr.com/fine-wine/how-to-invest 14/03/2011 Textbooks IFS School of Finance. Financial Planning Principles (2009) Taxbriefs Life Assurance Pension Handbook. 2009/10 Taxbriefs Tax Guide 2009/10 Journals. Financial Adviser, published weekly. Money Week, published weekly.

Worst Super Glue Accidents

Worst Super Glue Accidents Super glue is an amazing adhesive. Its so amazing that its easy to accidentally glue something you didnt want glued! Have you ever super glued something by mistake or even meant to glue it and then regretted it? What did you end up doing to fix the problem? I asked readers to share their stories. Here is what they wrote... Awkward I remember this one time I was sitting next to my friend in science class, Justin, and I smashed a glass container. My teacher gave me super glue because apparently they were low on glass test tubes so I had to glue it back together, but what I didnt realize is that I had glue on my hands and when I reached to put the glass test tube back in the tray I accidentally touched my friends hand. I dont know why but we literally couldnt move our hands apart so because I was embarrassed to tell a teacher about it, I had to sit through 3 classes (1 hour each) with my hand stuck to Justins. After that we had to walk to my house, un-stick our hands and then Justin had to walk home. The next day was so awkward. - Amy Thaitene Going Crazy Glued My Teeth About 6 months ago I did the worst thing Ive ever done to my body I super glued my teeth nothing actually happened or I didnt really notice but the last month I started with the little peeling and now I noticed that my 80 percent of my teeth covered in a layer of glue. I have never experienced anything like this in my life and it is hell. - super tethed How to Remove Super Glue from Other Stuff Usually you should apply acetone to a cotton ball and apply to the doorknob areas where they are glued. Then wait a bit. The acetone should seep through the closed spaces and remove it so you can pop it off. - Alison Super Glue Issue I used a super glue type product to glue the temp control knob in my car that came off. Now the knob wont turn at all. How can I pop the knob off, even though it has been super glued? - Guest Jeff Franklin Carpet vs Hardwood Our 3 year old daughter glued our pet cats paws to the carpet so that he would stay! Thank goodness it simply took a few snips of the scissors to free Smokey. - Shes2cute Pants, Man! Literally half an hour ago I was super gluing together my broken binder and the glue was being stubborn, so I squeezed a little harder and half of the tube came out and instantly dried - on my pants. It soaked through and stuck to my leg, so Im now trying to do the whole mayonnaise thing because I have mayo. Hope it works. - juantacos Nail Fail Attempting to glue on falsies. All going well put the glue on the then I went to put it on my finger, but I had glued it to my fingers from holding it wrong then pulled it off. Glue went all over my face. Scared me half to death. Hurt so much! - noname Lol I hate super glue. Never used it but Im scared so I wear full protection. - lol Super Glued My Eye In a college art class I couldnt get the superglue out of the tube so squeezed it real hard and it shot up into my eye. I pried my eye until it opened up again and work at getting the glue of the skin and lashes. It was hard though because it was also caked all over my fingers. Luckily I think I must have blinked my eyes just as it hit my eye because it seemed to only be on the outside. I ripped some eyelashes out and had to wait and work at the glue for it all to come off. But after that experience, I feel pretty stupid, who gets super glue in their eye in college? - johannanow Mayonnaise NOT Acetone I glued 3 fingers with Super Glue! Soak fingers in a bowl of mayonnaise for 20 minutes and the glue will crystallize and crumble off. No fuss, no muss... no acetone! - Papa J Pepper I JUST GOT SOME SUPERGLUE ON MY FINGER (DIDNT KNOW IT WAS ON THERE). ANYWAY, PUT MY FINGER NEXT TO MY NOSE, AND. OF COURSE IT LANDED ON MY FACE WHICH WE ALL KNOW IT DRIED QUICKLY. YOU KNOW WHAT I GOT IT OFF WITH I PUT SOME SIMPLE VASELINE ON IT AND LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES THEN I RUBBED IT BRISKLY AND IT CAME RIGHT OFF! THATS MY INVENTION FOR THE DAY! - JC Super Glue Prevention to Get Smeared Prevention to get smeared by Super Glue is better than for the exercises for removal. Apply generously any edible oil (cooking oil) -groundnut/peanut/sunflower/soybean whatever is available on both of you hands and wait for a few minutes. Wipe of you hands with waste cotton/cloth/tissue paper. use safety goggle/zero glass to protect your eyes. Super glue will not stubbornly act on your skin. You can wash off your hand with any soap and warm water. - D.K.Sarkar Never Using Super Glue Again I squirted super glued my eye years back when I was trying to fix a split in a manicured finger nail. The glue wouldnt come out of the tube (it was like a toothpaste tube), so I gave the tube a good squeeze. The came squirting out the back, crimped end and into one of my eyes and under it. It stung and my first thought was will I be blinded? Luckily, my tearing eye cleared away the glue that was on my eye ball, but I could not get the glue from the skin under my eye without very gently using nail polish remover and a cotton swab multiple times over a couple of days and it looked like I had a wrinkled rash under the eye until I get the last of it off. - ShelleyElmblad The Things We Do for Beauty... Yes, Ill admit it. I did super glue my eyeball. Actually, it was the cyanoacrylate glue that comes with single false eyelashes. My aim was not so great and I stuck an eyelash to my eyeball. I know, it sounds horrible, but it wasnt so bad. The glue did sting a little, but it loosened on its own in a couple of minutes. I wouldnt recommend it though. - gemdragon

Philosophy of Special Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy of Special Education - Essay Example The paper presents my philosophy of Special Education which states that special education is concerned with educating students who possess particular needs, which gets in the way of their teaching and learning process.   Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe that each child is different from other children in a school setting, despite their physical nature. This is an interpretation of the fact that the child is unique and requires a well organized environment that is secure, stimulating, and caring, to simplify proper learning, emotional, intellectual, societal, and economic growth. My role as an educationist is to help my learners meet their potential areas of interest. This can be achieved by giving the learners a teaching learning environment that is conducive for effective learning, support them to disclose information, and motivates them to take chances while learning.   I believe that the basic elements that are conducive for special learning environment are: allowing learners to learn on th eir own, the teacher being the source of knowledge, and learners conducting research to obtain more knowledge using the guidelines provided by the teacher. The teacher’s role in Special Education is to provide students with information. The students’ role on the other hand is to determine knowledge using the guidelines provided by the teacher. ... The teacher can achieve this through open classroom discussion encouraging students to speak about their views freely. This approach allows space for each learner’s opinions to be put in perspective. The best method for this approach is to construct classroom discussion and encourage frequent classroom meetings. When the students feel safe and free to discuss their problems, they will love the teachers, the school, lessons presented to them and the whole class as well as the community.   The entire classroom represents an exceptional society of learners that are different from one another not only in their ways of doing things, but also in teaching learning styles. My responsibility as a teacher is to provide the learners the materials that can be used to develop their own grounds of knowledge. To achieve this objective, I will educate to the requirements of each learner, so that all students can sense competent and triumphant. I will hand over the syllabus that involves the good of the learners and makes teaching learning process applicable to their real life situations. I will slot in central ideas, incorporate projects, group work, units, original work, and practical learning so as to make the learners be involved teaching learning process. Categorically, I will bind teaching and learning process into the society to assist learners turn out to be caring and enthusiastic community members.   I will develop a learning environment that is compassionate, secure, and impartial environment where every learner can flourish and develop intellectually. I will allow learners to turn out to be   Ã‚  conscientious members of the learning environment, and the society by using approaches such as class gatherings, encouraging

A Film Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Film Review - Essay Example All the changes that the characters undergo, however slight it may seem, affects their future and shows how they are all connected and how they affect each other though they may not realize it. Each of the three attempts to save Manni ends differently but the ability to go back in time and to repeat her day allow her to reconsider her decisions and to make a better one. Along the way she encounters people that she bumps into in the streets and her actions show that time does not only affect her but also these people whose future is projected after their chance meeting. First is the woman who has a baby in the stroller that she bumps into, then the guy who tries to sell her a bike, then Mr. Meyer coming out of a driveway and the bank employee. The other people she sees along the way also have an effect on how she is able to solve the problem and how they interact in her future. Her father and his mistress is an important part of finally having a different decision. Additionally, the slight differences such as the dog on the stairs, the group of nuns, the bank security guard, the old woman Lola asks for time, the ambulance, and the blind lady who lent Manni the phone card al l have participations in what happens and how their future play out. The first attempt is a failure where Lola dies as she comes too late and Manni had already entered the grocery store declaring robbery. At first she goes to her father who is an executive at a large bank but he refuses to give her money and sends her away. When she finds Manni inside blaming her for being too late, she enters and takes a gun she doesn’t know how to operate and Manni tells her to take off the safety. They made a run for it but the police caught up and one was surprised and fired a gun to Lola and she dies. In this first attempt, the woman with the stroller loses her child to child services and