rediscovered :: essays research papers

â€Å"Heartland† places the audience almost a hundred years back in time, a technique that not only captivates ones mind, but also allows for the unique opportunity to witness first hand history being re-told. Richard Pearce the director of â€Å"Heartland† saw a chance within this film to white out previous interpretations of American homesteading; Pearce paints a radically new picture, which may more accurately reflect the truth behind homesteaders. The inspirations behind Pearce’s documentary â€Å"Heartland† were the personal journals of Elinore Pruitt Stewart. Stewart’s journals were published in 1914 in the form of a diary titled â€Å"Letters of a Women Homesteader† these enriched historical documents were used by Pearce in such a way that neither Stewart nor anybody else would have ever suspected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heartland first and foremost is a story of survival. Clyde Stewart and Elinore Randall Stewart are followed through their daily life by Pearce, their struggles embody American homesteaders across the west and their own efforts to survive in the extreme cultural and climatic conditions they all faced. Scarcity of life in all forms is a theme that is driven hard throughout Pearce’s film. The absence of food, wood, water and life create an absence of hope among the homesteaders. For Pearce homesteading was a last resort, an opportunity in a world which opportunities are limited to succeed. The grind and grit of frontier life is truly captured through Pearce’s distinctive directorial approach. His exclusive approach allows for the viewer to be almost transported back in time witness first hand to the butcher of a live pig and many other daily frontier life chores. Pearce’s depiction of homesteading within his film â€Å"Heartland† contradic ts his main source in almost all facets, thus creating a whorl wind of controversy regarding Pearce’s intensions behind his film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elinore Pruitt Stewart describes life dramatically different from the one â€Å"Heartland† reveals. Pearce drew upon this distinction to refute prior beliefs and truths carried by the Letters of a Women Homesteader. The Letters describe nature as a bountiful playground rich with discovery and treasures. Stewart describes a situation within her journals in which she is caught in a compromising position â€Å" here I was thirty or forty miles from home, in the mountains were no one goes in the winter and were I knew the so got ten to fifteen feet deep†(Letters p.33). Stewart’s casual attitude about this situation she has found herself in, along with the fact she did survive when she discovered safe haven within a conveniently placed log cabin, directs the reader/ historical audience to draw upon false conclusions of the homesteading life.

Tyco International Limited

I would like to start by saying that Tyco International Ltd. is a diversified manufacturing and service company that organizes its businesses into five segments such as (1) Fire and security segment, (2) Electronics, (3) Healthcare, (4) Engineering products, and (5) Plastics and Adhesives. The company is much diversified and thus does not depend on only one industry trends and fluctuations. The segments provide the revenue for the company is similar proportions.Prior to present all the pertinent information in the table please take a look at the following definitions:a) Price earnings ratio The ratio of a stock price to its company's annual earnings per share.b) Earnings per share is the total earnings divided by total common shares outstanding. The annual reports of Tyco already have EPS.c) Dividend yield is the dividends paid per share divided by the stock’s price of Tyco International.d) Common stock share price is the market price of stock determined by the supply and dema nd of that stock’s interactions.As one can see the Tyco international financial did change over a period of 5 years. Still, from the table above, one is able to see that the dividend yield had grown for years 1999 to 2003, while the price and EPS had been rather volatile.I recommend a buy strategy of Tyco international for the following reasons:1. Financials. The financials of Tyco international over the period of 5 years had shown gradual increase in terms of total assets. The company showed an increase in P/E ratio which means that investors are willing to pay more for a dollar of earnings than before. The company despite some financial challenges of 2002 and 2003, paid out the same fixed dividend which means that the company was certain about its future growth and had enough resources to pay the dividend despite short term difficulties.2. Stock price increases. One could see stock price of Tyco increase over the past 4 years with year 5 (2003) being the only exception. Pri or to 1999, Tyco experienced several stock splits that marked corporate unprecedented growth.3. Analysts’ opinion. Regardless of what one might think about analysts’ opinion , it is vital too remember that they quite often move the market. If enough people believe that the company should be bought the stock price will increase. Currently the major analysts, seen at www.finance.yahoo.com or multexinvestor.com recommend â€Å"strong buy† of Tyco. One has to understand that the analysts are paid for making educated guesses and giving advises to the general populace.These analysts spend days on analyzing companies, so there is some credibility in their words. By the way, considering the opinion of other, more competent individuals and using it for one’s own decisions, is about â€Å"follow the leader† strategy used by many mutual funds, investors or just companies. There are people in the market who could move stock prices with their words and own acti ons. In our case the analysts’ opinion was only used for the information purposes to see whether or not it differs much from what other pieces of information tell us about Tyco International.4. Industry data. Tyco International is seen as over performing the industry in many respects.   Being an industry leader, together with other reasons, Tyco International is a ‘buy’ target. Being a part of the conglomerates industry, Tyco engages in 5 different segments that do not correlate with each other. Therefore, Tyco appears to be a hedged company that cannot be easily hit by a decline in one industry that Tyco covers. Such industry specifics of Tyco International contribute to Tyco’s beta below the market (

Spartan Society – Year 12 Ancient History Assignment

Part 1 (a)He was believed to be the creator of the Spartan society and how it functioned. Most of the Spartans thought him as a God-like figure and worshipped him. There is no certain source or a piece of evidence about Lycurgus and archeological records contradicted his existence often. Even Spartans had no idea of what Lycurgus looked like but there were his portraits and statues as what people imagined how a wise lawgiver would look like. (b)The  Hyakinthia festival This was a festival named after Hyakinthos, a youth who was lover of the god Apollo and died when Apollo accidentally hit him with a discus.The flower of the red hyacinth was believed to have sprung from his blood. In his grief, Apollo ordained an annual festival. This festival was held at the ancient shrine of  Amyclae  (about five kilometres from Sparta). This site was the location of a huge statue of Apollo, the tomb of Hyakinthos and an open area for festival dances. The festival took place over three days in the (summer) month of July. Athenaeus, writing in the 2nd  century A. D. , has given an account of this festival, which basically revolves around mourning for Hyakinthos, and praise of Apollo: The festival had two stages: 1.The first stage involved rites of sorrow and mourning in honour of Hyakinthos. There was a ban on the wearing of wreaths and on joyful songs. Offerings were placed at the dead youth’s tomb. The eating of bread and cakes was forbidden; there was a special funeral meal, then a day of ritual grief. 2. The second stage involved rejoicing in honour of Apollo, the wearing of wreaths, the singing of joyful songs, sacrifice to Apollo, a festive meal, a procession to Amyclae, choral song and dance. The historian Hooker has interpreted the festival as a festival for the dead on one hand, combined with a thanksgiving for life on the other.The  Gymnopaediae festival This was ‘The Festival of the Unarmed Boys'. The festival was held in the Spartan  agora  (market place). It commemorated the battle of Thyrea fought against Argos c. 550 B. C. The festival featured: choral performances; the setting up of images of Apollo and Artemis â€Å"boxing† amongst boys and men. Although much has been written about the violent aspect of the festival, it has been interpreted as a ‘rite of passage'; on the way to manhood, an initiation that indicated membership or belonging to the community.The Gymnipaediae were celebrated in July, the hottest part of the year. The festival consisted of a series of athletic competitions and musical events among boys and men. Dancing and running in tough conditions proved the strength of the Spartan citizens to the onlookers. In its early context it was part of the whole warrior code to initiate the young soldier to a life of physical excellence. It was not confined to Sparta. This festival was a thank-offering to Apollo for military success. c)Religion in Sparta, like in many civilizations, had a comm itment to support the ideals of a militaristic society. The Spartan ideal of an elite military state influenced the approach to religion and the ways in which religion would be molded to suite state doctrine, therefore highlighting the importance of religion in upholding the values of Spartan society such as endurance, loyalty, obedience, conformity, and skill. Religion was also use to create social coherence, important in promoting conformity and in controlling the society under the ideals of the military state.At an individual level religion provided a way of ensuring fertility both human and natural as well as averting disaster and ensuring victory in war. Religion was important for the State and this could also be seen in the wartime practices of the Spartan Army. According to Powell, Spartans believed in military divination, following an army to war was a herd of sacrificial animals ready to appease the Gods. Consultative sacrifices were held before embarking on a military camp aign, before a battle and when stepping into the threshold of the enemy.As written by Herodotus, Cleomenes in 494 on an invasion campaign to Argo was sent troops home because he had seen bad omens at the river Erasinus. Spartans also consulted Oracles at Delphi for predictions, famously at the battle of Thermopylae Leonidas was told to give up or fight to the death against Persian troops. The Spartan reliance on divination is reflective of how religion was used for military organisation and was important in supporting the state with battle strategy and on issues of joining battles. The reliance on religion creates a sense of reassurance for warriors if they had een given a good battle prediction and also a justification for retreat with a bad omen, as seen through Cleomenes. The mythology was interwoven with every aspect of Greek life. Each city devoted itself to a particular god or group of gods, for whom the citizens often built temples of worship. They regularly honoured the gods in festivals, which high officials supervised. At festivals and other official gatherings, poets recited or sang great legends and stories. Many Greeks learned about the gods through the words of poets.Spartan mythology was different than any other city-state in the Ancient Greece. Their gods were the same as others but Spartan gods were geared with armors and weapons. This is an example of how militarised Sparta was. Even their lawgiver Lycurgus is believed to be a myth by historians. Many Spartans worshipped as a god and in order to create a perfect city-state, he could be constantly recreated to explain why things were as they were. Although the Greeks had no official church organization, they universally honoured certain holy places.Delphi, for example, was a holy site dedicated to Apollo. A temple built at Delphi contained an  oracle,  or prophet, whom brave travellers questioned about the future. A group of priests represented each of the holy sites. These priests, who al so might be community officials, interpreted the words of the gods but did not possess any special knowledge or power. In addition to prayers, the Greeks often offered sacrifices to the gods, usually of a domestic animal such as a goat. (d) The religious connection to the military can be first seen in the Greek Gods the Spartiates emphasised and worshipped.The principal Spartan Gods were Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Discouri and Zeus. Apollo, Artemis and Athena more explicitly demonstrate the militaristic nature of Sparta with the three Gods associated with victory, wisdom, and skill in battle. Even Gods that were not usually known for battle were given militaristic traits, like the statue of the Armed Aphrodite in Thornax. The worship of Apollo and Artemis and their high status reflects the military value of Spartan society in training the youth for future defence.Such devotion to Apollo and Artemis can be seen in the Sanctuary of Apollo at Amyclae where coins in the likeness of Apollo were found and at the Temple of Artemis Orthia where thousands of votive offerings were found. Rites of passage within Spartan society were also carried out at the Artemis Orthia and can be likened to a vigorous military test of endurance with religious overtones. Young boys endured harsh whippings whilst trying grabbing stringed cheeses off the shrine. Those who could withstand the punishment were given honour and moved onto another stage in their military training.Religion in this case was used to sort out those with better warrior potential. Another function of religion in Spartan society was to train the hoplites. Hoplites were taught religiously devotional dances and songs, but the worship taught in the barracks also had military purpose. The song and dance helped with coordinating war movement, as the musical devotions not only praised the Gods but taught ideas of rhythm that was used in coordinating Phalanx in battle and the ability to move in a manner that was in harmony wi th the other warriors.Other examples of religion being a form of endurance training and test can be seen in the Spartan festivals. In the Carneia, the participants had to live in barracks as though on campaign and were made to run and chase a figure to train, test and celebrate athletic ability. The festival was associated with military success and the state used this festival as a way of glorifying past victories, therefore promoting the successes of the military state.According to Hooker ‘The Principle aim of the Gymnipaediae [another festival] was the habituation of the Spartan manhood to arduous activity’. The festival consisted of athletic competitions, musical events and dancing as displays of strength and endurance. This gave the state the opportunity to train hoplites, and separate the strong from the weak The role of religion was to support the military organisation and was vital to a state, which valued an elite defence force and celebrated skill in battle.As shown above religion was used a form of preparation, training assurance and guide in military situations. It was believed in Sparta that â€Å"a king by virtue of his divine descent should perform all the public sacrifices on the city’s behalf† [Xenophon]. The Kings acted as a priest towards the Gods. Aristotle, â€Å"Dealings with the Gods are assigned to the kings† Ritual responsibility was associated with political power giving kings special authority in religious interpretation or jurisdiction.The kings through public sacrifices first received the divine messages of Gods and Kings could also consult the oracles as they wished. As divination was passed through the kings to the rest of society, the Kings had the power to make the people to bow to the ‘Gods’ will. Religious authority equates to political power an example of such power was when King Cleomenes refused to go into battle but got off trial by saying that the omens were bad so he could n ot fight. If a Spartan King had reasonable religious excuse he could be forgiven for losing battles and refusing battles.Such religious connection was important in gaining, loyalty and obedience in the political arena, the divine status of the Kings was sign of military elitism. Spartan society according to Xenophon depended on the king and was loyal to the King, even believing that if an untitled person occupied the royal seat military disaster and famine would ensue. Spartan society valued conformity, coherence and believed in strong social controls, which religion then reinforced.Sparta’s social organisation was formed to encourage a sense of community and kinship, which in turn intruded on private religious practice. The Spartiate was required to share sacrificial meat with his mess-companions. Religion was interpreted to support the system of shared messes. Other ideals or Social cohesion can be seen in the Spartan religious festivals. In this festival people would commu nally mourn the dead and have a thanksgiving to life, it was to religiously as a community reaffirm the need for a close society.The festival of Carneia also emphasised a communal time of celebration, which honoured heroism and past successes in battles. During this time the Spartans were not allowed to travel to wars or battles, the Carneia being the reason they were late to fight in the Marathon 490BC and the lesser numbers at Thermopylae. Spartans had special departments, which were in charge of dealing with the oracles from Delphi and keeping records of signs from God. The power to consult the Gods however was exclusively among the authoritative forces of the state just as power itself was.Even Ephors had divination powers and all political classes of Sparta had religious duties to perform. It is evident that religion in Sparta functioned as political organisation; religion was used to demonstrate prestige, power and authority which were vital to society that honoured divinity a nd, religion also assisted in creating a way for the governing forces to manipulate the wider society with claims of celestially ordained political decisions. The political connection to religion was a way of promoting the Spartan ideal of an elite warrior society.Part 2 (a) 1- Leonidas (Famous for the Battle of Thermopylae and the Persian Wars. ) 2- Menelaus (Famous for the Trojan Wars and the husband of the Helen of Sparta, later became known as the Helen of Troy. ) (b) According to Plutarch, the council originated when Lycurgus attempted to reduce royal power. More than likely, Gerousia originated as a result of a conflict between the kings and nobles during the first Messenian War. There were 28 members and the two kings in the Gerousia.Membership was restricted to Spartans over 60 years of age that were no longer liable for military service. Thus it was a body of elders who held their office for life. The Assembly elected members by acclamation and although any Spartiate was el igible in practice members probably belonged to highly respected noble families. Aristotle mentions â€Å" the best families†, Plutarch says that they have to be† the best and most deserving. † and the selection was by acclamation (shouting and clapping).The Gerousia was a Probletic body and this meant that they prepared and deliberated on bills to be presented to the Assembly for voting and if the vote was not approved by the Gerousia, it could simply ignore it by adjourning the bill would not be passed. The Gerousia, Kings and Ephors acted as a court of justice and they tried cases of murder and treason and imposed penalties ranging from death to banishment and fines even the prosecution of a king would come before the Gerousia and the 5 Ephors.All these factors ensued that men of conservative opinion had the best chance of getting into the council, staying there and replacing themselves with people of the same outlook. â€Å"It would take a brave and confident king to pursue a policy that did not command the support of the majority of the Gerousia, knowing that in the event of failure, he was likely to be prosecuted upon his return. † T. J Buckley stated in his book â€Å"Aspects of Greek History† to exemplify the power of the Gerousia. (c) The Ephorate was the fourth major institution in the Spartan constitution.Five Ephors were elected each year from the whole citizen body and by the fifth century, they were constitutionally the most powerful public officials. They were in charge of the day-today business; and were also main executive body of state, implementing the decisions of the Assembly, at which they presided. They were also in charge of private lawsuits, which they judged sitting separately. They were combined with the Gerousia in the trial of a king. They supervised the other public officials, having the power to suspend, imprison and even bring capital charges against them.One of their most important responsibilit ies was the supervision of the â€Å"agoge†, the long and tough system of state education that was essential for the high standards of the Spartan army. In the field of foreign affairs, they would receive foreign ambassadors to ascertain their business before presenting them to the Assembly. In time of war, it was their responsibility to organise the call-up of the army, deciding the precise size of the army that was needed for the coming campaign and may even have possessed the power to give orders to commanders (except for the king) in the battlefield.When king set out an expedition with the army, he was accompanied by two of the Ephors who acted as overseers. Aristotle saw the Ephors as the most powerful of the four key institutions of state but also the most corrupt. However, Ephors had disadvantages as well. For example, Ephors did not have a continuous power in the state as they were only elected for a year and could not be re-elected ever again. This caused differences of opinion over policy between successive boards of Ephors, but also between individual members of the same board.There was often disagreement, even personal animosity, between the kings and it is likely that each king would have his supporters among the Ephors. However, Ephors, for all their constitutional powers, only held office for one year and then returned to political obscurity, whereas the prestige of the king was long-standing. Some of their other functions were: * They had the right to declare war on Helots. * They could fine people in the spot for being lazy. * They were the only magistrates who could conduct a civil trial. * They had the absolute power over all the magistrates. They controlled Krypteia and state finances. (d) Spartan government contained elements of monarchy, oligarchy and democracy and this was described as a mixed constitution. Spartan government was consisted of 2 kings and this dual kingship maybe was to prevent one king becoming too powerful. The S partan Kings had ranges of powers and responsibilities. Some of them were; they were the supreme commanders of the army, were the chief priests and decided on the marriages of orphaned heiresses. Spartan kings were the supreme commanders in the battlefield.However, the policy stated that only one king was suppose to lead the army to prevent any differences of opinion about the strategies and tactics during the battle while the other remained at home. This dual kingship ensured that each could keep an eye on the other. The leading king was usually accompanied by 2 Ephors and they kept a close supervision of the king’s leadership and the Kings were blamed if the campaign had failed and severely punished. The king that leads the army had the absolute power in the battlefield and picked bodyguards were to accompany the king.Aside from the kings’ responsibilities for the military, they were also the chiefs of priests. It was believed that Spartan kings were the priests of Z eus and they were to offer solemn sacrifices to Zeus requiring a favourable omen to proceed. Those sacrifices were performed on the frontier and the fire from these sacrifices carried with them throughout the entire campaign. Kings were also expected of to be responsible for the oracles of Delphi. It was believed in Sparta that â€Å"a king by virtue of his divine descent should perform all the public sacrifices on the city’s behalf† [Xenophon].The Kings acted as a priest towards the Gods. Aristotle, â€Å"Dealings with the Gods are assigned to the kings† Ritual responsibility was associated with political power giving kings special authority in religious interpretation or jurisdiction. The kings through public sacrifices first received the divine messages of Gods and Kings could also consult the oracles as they wished. As divination was passed through the kings to the rest of society, the Kings had the power to make the people to bow to the ‘Gods’ will. Source B is an excavation of a portrait in Acropolis area of Sparta in 1925.It is believed that the statue was a portrait of Leonidas. By the look of the statue, it is a typical Spartan man with a helmet, however it does not necessarily indicate that it is Leonidas or even a king. Though in the Spartan religion, Gods were geared up with weapons and armors. This is evident of even if it was a statue of Leonidas, it illustrates what sort of people kings were to the Spartan people. Spartans assumed the kings were descended from Heracles and they are the best kinds of semi-humans, this might be the reason why the king was wearing a helmet, if it really was a statue of Leonidas.

Antislavery and Abolitionism essays

Antislavery and Abolitionism essays Antislavery and abolitionism began to take place in the 1820s and 1830s as religious reform movements and it quickly turned political in the 1840s and 1850s. Groups such as the free African Americans, Quakers, and militant white reformers were responsible for abolishing slavery. The American Colonization Society was formed in 1817 by northern religious reformers and southern slave owners. The Quakers also made up a vast number of the members of the American Colonization Society. Their first plan to solve slavery was the gradual emancipation of slaves and their resettlement in Africa. Although many Northerners supported the plan and were eager to send the Norths 250,000 free African Americans back to Africa, the American Colonization Society was ultimately ineffective. They only sent 1,400 African Americans to a colony in Liberia, West Africa. The majority of free African Americans rejected the idea of colonization. They wanted to see slavery come to an end. They felt they should be treated as equals to their white counterparts. An African American minister stated, We are natives of this country, we only ask that we be treated as well as foreigners. By the 1830s there were approximately fifty black abolitionist organizations in the North. They held yearly conventions. Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth were among the famous black abolitionist to speak at these conventions. There were many other blacks who announced their antislavery position. John Russworm and Samuel Cornish founded the first African American newspaper titled , Freedoms Journal. David Walker wrote a widely distributed pamphlet, Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World. Pamphlets and journals such as these were found responsible for stirring up trouble among the South. They were believed to have played a part in Nat Turn ers revolt in ...

How to Hire an Editor

How to Hire an Editor How to Hire an Editor How to Hire an Editor By Mark Nichol You’ve written a novel, or a short-story collection, that you hope to publish yourself in print or online, or perhaps you plan to send it to an agent in the hopes that an editor at a publishing company will consider it. Or perhaps you have, or work for, a business that distributes printed communications, or you’re responsible for a Web site that posts lots of written material. You know the content isn’t ready for prime time. You need an editor. What do you do? Determine the Type of Editing You Want First, clarify what kind of assistance you seek. Does your content need a substantive edit, copyediting, or proofreading? Substantive editing involves intensive attention to plotting, narrative, characterization, tone, and other holistic factors for fiction, and organization, logic, and effective messaging in marketing communications or other nonfiction. If your novel has been rejected for publication or your articles (or someone else’s you’re shepherding) lack the impact they require, you should search for an editor who performs substantive editing. If you believe the content is basically sound, but you believe it needs revision for grammar, usage, style, and punctuation, find a copy editor. If you’re concerned only about typographical errors, hire a proofreader. (But realize this: You can probably get away without a substantive edit, but content that has been proofread but not copyedited is probably substandard.) Identify the Project’s Scope and Schedule Next, consider the parameters of the assignment. Is the project a single book, or a series of essays to be assigned over a matter of weeks, or an ongoing collection of articles for a Web site? Whoever you hire will want to know your time frame. Do you expect the assignment to be returned in weeks, days, or hours? Will it be delivered, and is it to be returned, all at once, or piecemeal? Payment Policy Next, decide how you will compensate the editor. Will you pay by the hour, by the project (a flat fee), or by the page? Most editors work with an hourly rate, which is the fairest and the most effective, because it allows the editor to do their best work. You can, of course, specify a cap on how many hours the editor is allowed to bill for. And how will you pay? By check, or money order? By PayPal, or another online service? Some editors may ask for a percentage of the total payment up front or after you receive a specified proportion of the edited material. You can ask the editor to complete a sample (paid) edit of one chapter or a single article that you evaluate before approving them to complete the assignment. Obtain an Editor Now, where do you find an editor? You can post physical or virtual notes in your area to solicit local teachers or English majors, but though they may be an economical choice, teachers and English majors are not necessarily good editors. You can put projects up for bid on Web sites like Guru.com, but it’s a complicated process, and many editors who offer their services on the site are underqualified or are not proficient in American English or British English. (And if you lowball the rate you’re willing to pay, you’ll get what you paid for.) Employment sites such as Media Bistro are effective for finding media professionals but not so much for obtaining help with fiction projects or small-scale assignments, and posting employment listings can be pricey. Craigslist, however, remains an excellent resource, and job postings cost only $75. (And you needn’t restrict your search to your local market.) In addition, organizations such as the Bay Area Editors’ Forum are appropriate resources for private individuals and smaller businesses and organizations seeking editorial assistance. (Again, it doesn’t necessarily matter where you or a prospective editor live.) Alternatively, many freelance editors advertise their services on their own Web sites. (Once again, geographical location is largely irrelevant.) Consider the Costs Substantive editing is likely to put you back $50 or more per hour, and the typical working rate is several pages per hour. Copy editors charge about $25 to $50 per hour, depending on their level of experience and expertise and on the subject matter, and they generally complete five to ten pages an hour. Proofreading costs less and is accomplished more quickly, but unless the content is online, you’ll have to mail the proofs, send them as a PDF Portable Document File (the editor will need an editing program), or have the proofreader complete the project on site or pick it up and deliver it on completion. (And remember, proofreading without copyediting is a risky shortcut.) As you can see, hiring an editor is an expensive proposition. Engaging even a $25-per-hour copy editor for a 100,000-word novel will cost you about a thousand dollars. An experienced substantive editor could end up billing you a few hundred dollars for helping you craft a 2,500-word article for a specialized publication. Even having some Web pages proofread can easily become a three-figure expenditure. But consider the return on investment: A literary agent is impressed with your tight, cleanly written prose. A periodical accepts your clear, concise, confident technical article. Your typo-free Web site (which your proofreader has also improved with some apt suggestions about format and design) attracts visitors, who may also become customers. It’s nearly impossible to quantify the effect of an editorial professional’s contribution to the impact of any piece of content, and in many cases, the editing you don’t notice is the best kind. In a sense, it’s a leap of faith to hire an editor. There’s no guarantee that employing an editor (even one armed with an impressive resume or glowing testimonials) will result in publication of your content or any other definitive marker of success, and the process of obtaining an editor’s services isn’t effortless even in the best circumstances. But if you’re careful, you’ll reap the benefits of better content. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?One Fell Swoop10 Humorous, Derisive, or Slang Synonyms for â€Å"Leader† or â€Å"Official†

CRIMINAL LAW 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CRIMINAL LAW 2 - Essay Example Such an action shall be construed as theft regardless of whether the thief has taken it for gain or for personal benefit. Sections 3 to 6 of the Act define the terms â€Å"appropriates†, â€Å"property†, â€Å"belonging to another† and â€Å"with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it†. (Theft Law 1968, n.d.). Since criminal law deals with accusation and punishment for offenders, it is important that a correlation be established between blameworthiness and criminal liability for serious illegal activities. This argument is more applicable for theft because in this offence the other elements related to the appropriation are not properly defined, and so it is only the element of dishonesty that is assessed for punishment under law. In case the other elements related to the appropriation are judged to assess their wrong culture, it is however not possible to establish criminal liability on the defendant without some kind of judgement on the mo ral perspective of the defendant’s actions. ... ding is for a period and in circumstances making it equivalent to an outright taking or disposal.† (Theft Law 1968, n.d.) For example, if a person takes a cinema ticket from its owner and returned it after the completion of the movie, then it is as good as depriving the owner permanently of enjoying the interest of the ticket because when returned the ticket has no usage value left (Clarkson, 2005, p.238). Fraud Act 2006 The Fraud Act 2006 was implemented to â€Å"make provision for, and in connection with, criminal liability for fraud and obtaining services dishonestly.† (Fraud Act 2006, n.d., p.1) The Fraud Act has revised the Theft Act 1968 in many respects. Some sections of the Theft Act have been removed in Schedule 1 of the Fraud Act and they are section 15, section 15A, section 16 and section 20(2). Section 15 is about â€Å"obtaining property by deception†, section 15A is about â€Å"obtaining a money transfer by deception, section 16 is about â€Å"obta ining pecuniary advantage by deception†, and section 20(2) is about â€Å"procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception†. (Fraud Act 2006, n.d., p.7) The principle objective of the Fraud Act was to present the previous criminal law in a reformed manner so as it make it more acceptable for juries and practitioners. In this modern world of technology, fraudulent activities are rapidly becoming sophisticated and complicated by enhanced use of technology. It is increasingly becoming tough to catch the fraudsters and then prove their offence in court. Therefore the purpose of the Fraud Act is to form a â€Å"modern and flexible law of fraud† that is suitable to combat the increasing complications of fraudulent activities (Post-legislative assessment of the Fraud Act 2006, 2012, p.3). The Fraud Act associates

Coca-Cola Company versus PepsiCo, Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Coca-Cola Company versus PepsiCo, Inc - Essay Example In 2009, the companies work under the 401k pension plan which provides insurance advantage on the medical requirements of the employees. In Coca-Cola the contributory plan is done by both the employer and the employees where the employer enjoys the benefit of taxation for their employees. The pension plan of PepsiCo is based on the willingness of the employees as the benefits are availed by both the full-time and international employees. The rates used by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo for calculating the pension amounts are rate of return on assets, rate of compensation, and rate of discount. For the year 2008, the expense discount rate and the rate of return on planned assets for Coca-Cola was 5.8% and 7.75%. The medical benefits for the retiree were calculated based on the available rates. PepsiCo had a discount rate of 5.7% on all US beneficiaries and 5.2% on foreign workers. The expected rate of return for PepsiCo in 2008 was 7.7%. Retirement rewards calculated were often based on the co mpensation rate for employees. Recent events in corporate finance have depicted the importance of efficient administration. The need to fund corporate pension plans have made many executives to offers offer defined constitution plans as because of the recent changes in IFRS. Whereas Coca-Cola have rejected such approach and have preferred the plan of cash balance plan design as it offered risk-free benefits to the employees and made the employees secured. Coca-Cola was a part of multi-employer pension plans of US, but from 2012 the company opts to change the accounting methodology for determining the market related value of assets for the defined benefit pension plans. Coca-Cola sponsors to the pension plans covering all US employees and has made necessary assumptions to determine the pension expense and other related obligations. As per the assumption the discount rates would be related to the present value liabilities and the expected long-term rate would relate to planned assets. The company decided to periodically revise asset allocation so as to improve returns and manage risks. PepsiCo is one of those major employers who are still planning to offer their new employees a final salary pension. In 2012, PepsiCo decided to decrease the fair value of pension so as to reduce the future employee benefit costs. The company made certain changes in their US Pension plans, which stated that employees earning benefit under the pension plans as stated in IFRS, were not eligible for the company matching contributions on the 401k contributions. The annual pensions is to be calculated based on 4 components, i.e. the value of benefits earned by employees during their working hours, the increase in liability due to time , other gains and losses and the expected return on assets which was based on pension plan investment strategy and the long-term rates of return by asset class. These schemes were essential to plan a secure retirement for the employees and to meet the futu re expectation of the management. Answer 2. The Coca-Cola Company In 2012 the company’s total pension expense related to defined benefit plans were $251million. The company’s primary US plan in 2012 represented 59% and 64% of the Company’s consolidated pension benefit obligations and pension assets. The pension expense is expected to decrease by $60 million in 2013 by the management because of expected $640million of contributions to be made by the