Martin Luther King Jr's use of ethos pathos and logos in his I have a Essay

Martin Luther King Jr's use of ethos pathos and logos in his I have a dream speach - Essay Example In terms of rhetorical theory, ethos represents the implementation of ethics and morals as a rhetorical tool. One of King’s most powerful implementation of logos appears when he states, â€Å"One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination† (‘I Have a Dream Speech’). Here King is comparing the oppression of the modern African-American with the same oppression that was experienced during slavery. This is a powerful implementation of ethos as it implements societies understanding of the wrongness of slavery in demonstrating that similar events continue to occur. Logos is understood as the rhetorical implementation of logic and reason as primary argumentative techniques. King’s speech makes great use of logos. One of the most powerful implementations of this occurs when King references the Declaration of Independence. He states, â€Å"It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned† (‘I Have a Dream Speech’). Of course, King is referencing the nature of the Declaration of Independence as proclaiming the unalienable rights of all citizens.

Gendering Childhood Essay Example for Free

Gendering Childhood Essay Toy stores are places where the gender of different children is being shaped – be it femininity, masculinity or gender-neutrality – according to the current ideas of society and culture about gender. It is therefore evident that toy stores are actually catalysts to the ongoing ideas about a certain kind of gender. In terms of gender-neutral toys, toy stores can be seen as a channel for interaction or equality between the sexes, although this is only seen some of the toys intended for toddlers and teens, and the toys that are digital/computer-based such as educational toys and consoles. In most toy stores, there are clear divisions and may even be separated and placed on opposite ends of the store. There are also sections where it is not clear whether or not the intention is for either gender. The toy stores are also divided depending on the age of those who are going to buy them. Usually, the age is progressive as one goes deeper into the store from the most simple of dolls and balls for one-year olds to the complex digital, computerized toys that can span from the age of seven and up. Looking at the store itself, the general theme of a certain section can actually point to whether or not the section is intended for boys, girls or neither gender. It is seen in many ways including the color scheme of the section, the featured toys and, sometimes, even the salespersons manning the section. However, the toy stores aren’t explicit in their customers in terms of labeling a section either for boys or for girls. Most of the signs in the sections are only implicit in the themes that they take. Gender neutral sections are often filled with toys that are educational and electronic gadgets. Also, gender neutral sections often have neutral colors such as white and silver as opposed to the gendered colors of pink and blue. They are also often seen in the middle of the gendered section. In terms of packaging, some of the toys are explicit in their intended customers by showing either boys or girls playing with the toys they are selling printed on the boxes. Gender neutral toys are often printed with both a girl and a boy on the cover, cooperating or looking very intrigued as they play or tinker with the toys. Other gender-neutral toys have neither child involved but only a feature of the product without any action that denotes the culture’s (in this case, America’s) notion of femininity or masculinity. The colors are neutral – often just a white background – and does not feature any actions that could be seen as either soft (feminine) or hard (masculine). A gendered toy’s packaging, on the other hand, has an implicit message conveyed on the box. Action, competition, adrenaline, and the macho effect are often portrayed in the boxes of boys’ toys in the boys’ section. On the girls’ section, flowers, happy homes, cute and sexy themes seem to dominate the shelves; often, older themes of make-up and fashion are being made as toys, as if pushing for girls to be women at a younger age. Going further into the connection of age and gendered toys, there seems to be a pattern concerning gendering them with respect to age. This is not to say, however, that other toys that don’t fall into these two categories are not gender neutral. There are also toys, most belonging to sports, which are gender-neutral. Toddlers usually have gender neutral toys intended for two things. The first involves amusement in the form of dolls and other soft items that they can chew on, throw, fall on and hit without causing them any harm or danger. Some of these toys may be gendered but many of them are not. The second is to educate them. These educational toys are completely gender-neutral as toy-makers consider the minds of either sex of the children as capable of processing basic information that they should learn, such as knowing what a cow is and what sounds they make. And since toys are not exactly limited to children, some toys that can have adults as audiences as well, such as game consoles and sports-oriented toys, are gender-neutral and are only gendered when it comes to the accessories and other things that they append to these toys. Some examples include the game cartridges. Because of gendering of the majority of toys in the formative years of the child, the idea of femininity and masculinity are instilled in society in an ongoing cycle. The current society’s ideal of masculinity are seen instilled in children in the early stages, dictating and instilling ideas on how girls and boys should be and how they should grow up to be. This forces them to conform to society’s current ideas of them aside from possible biological and other external influences that dictate children from their earliest years. Although gender preference may change in the later years, the influence of toys given to children – even if it is â€Å"feminine† toys given to boys – is a factor in how these children grow up to be.

Reliance Mutual Fund (RMF)

Reliance Mutual Fund (RMF) INTRODUCTION OF RELIANCE MUTUAL FUND Overview Reliance Mutual Fund (RMF) is one of Indias leading Mutual Funds, with Average Assets Under Management (AAUM) of Rs. 1,22,252 CRORES and an investor base of over 72.40 Lacs. (AAUM and investor count as of November 2009) For its 7.3 million investors, RMF offers a well-rounded portfolio of products that meet varying requirements. They are served from offices across 226 locations in India, offices in Dubai, Singapore, Mauritius and UK Reliance Mutual Fund, a part of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, is one of the fastest growing mutual funds in the country. RMF offers investors a well-rounded portfolio of products to meet varying investor requirements and has presence in 118 cities across the country. Reliance Mutual Fund constantly endeavors to launch innovative products and customer service initiatives to increase value to investors. Reliance Mutual Fund schemes are managed by Reliance Capital Asset Management Limited., a subsidiary of Reliance Capital Limited, which holds 93.37% of the paid-up capital of RCAM, the balance paid up capital being held by minority shareholders. Reliance Capital Ltd. is one of Indias leading and fastest growing private sector financial services companies, and ranks among the top 3 private sector financial services and banking companies, in terms of net worth. Reliance Capital Ltd. has interests in asset management, life and general insurance, private equity and proprietary investments, stock broking and other financial services. Sponsor: Reliance Capital Limited Trustee: Reliance Capital Trustee Co. Limited Investment Manager or Asset Manager: Reliance Capital Asset Management Limited Statutory Details: The Sponsor, the Trustee and the Investment Manager are incorporated under the Companies Act 1956. Reliance Mutual Fund (RMF) has been established as a trust under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 with Reliance Capital Limited (RCL), as the Settlor/Sponsor and Reliance Capital Trustee Co. Limited (RCTCL), as the Trustee. RMF has been registered with the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) vide registration number MF/022/95/1 dated June 30, 1995. The name of Reliance Capital Mutual Fund has been changed to Reliance Mutual Fund effective 11th. March 2004 vide SEBIs letter no. IMD/PSP/4958/2004 date 11th. March 2004. Reliance Mutual Fund was formed to launch various schemes under which units are issued to the Public with a view to contribute to the capital market and to provide investors the opportunities to make investments in diversified securities The main objectives of the Trust are: To carry on the activity of a Mutual Fund as may be permitted at law and formulate and devise various collective Schemes of savings and investments for people in India and abroad and also ensure liquidity of investments for the Unit holders; To deploy Funds thus raised so as to help the Unit holders earn reasonable returns on their savings and To take such steps as may be necessary from time to time to realize the effects without any limitation. Risk Factors: Mutual Funds and securities investments are subject to market risks and there is no assurance or guarantee that the objectives of the Scheme will be achieved. As with any investment in securities, the NAV of the Units issued under the Scheme can go up or down depending on the factors and forces affecting the capital markets. Past performance of the Sponsor/AMC/Mutual Fund is not indicative of the future performance of the Scheme. The Sponsor is not responsible or liable for any loss resulting from the operation of the Scheme beyond their initial contribution of Rs.1 lakh towards the setting up of the Mutual Fund and such other accretions and additions to the corpus. The NAV of the Scheme may be affected, interalia, by changes in the market conditions, interest rates, trading volumes, settlement periods and transfer procedures. The Mutual Fund is not assuring that it will make periodical dividend distributions, though it has every intention of doing so. All dividend dist ributions are subject to the availability of distributable surplus in the Scheme. Vision Statement To be a globally respected wealth creator with an emphasis on customer care and a culture of good corporate governance Mission Statement To create and nurture a world-class, high performance environment aimed at delighting our customers Corporate Governance Corporate Governance Policy: Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. has a vision of being a leading player in the Mutual Fund business and has achieved significant success and visibility in the market. However, an imperative part of growth and visibility is adherence to Good Conduct in the marketplace. At Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd., the implementation and observance of ethical processes and policies has helped us in standing up to the scrutiny of our domestic and international investors. Management: The management at Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. is committed to good Corporate Governance, which includes transparency and timely dissemination of information to its investors and unit holders. The Board of Directors of RCAM is a professional body, including well-experienced and knowledgeable Independent Members. Regular Audit Committee meetings are conducted to review the operations and performance of the company. Employees: Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. has at present, a code of conduct for all its officers. It has a clearly defined prohibition on insider trading policy and regulations. The management believes in the principles of propriety and utmost care is taken while handling public money, making proper and adequate disclosures. All personnel at Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd are made aware of their rights, obligations and duties as part of the Dealing Policy laid down in terms of SEBI guidelines. They are taken through a well-designed HR program, conducted to impart work ethics, the Code of Conduct, information security, Internet and e-mail usage and a host of other issues. One of the core objectives of Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. is to identify issues considered sensitive by global corporate standards, and implement policies/guidelines in conformity with the best practices as an ongoing process. Reliance Mutual Fund Schemes: Equity/Growth Schemes The aim of growth funds is to provide capital appreciation over the medium to long- term. Such schemes normally invest a major part of their corpus in equities. Such funds have comparatively high risks. These schemes provide different options to the investors like dividend option, capital appreciation, etc. and the investors may choose an option depending on their preferences. The investors must indicate the option in the application form. The mutual funds also allow the investors to change the options at a later date. Growth schemes are good for investors having a long-term outlook seeking appreciation over a period of time. Debt/Income Schemes The aim of income funds is to provide regular and steady income to investors. Such schemes generally invest in fixed income securities such as bonds, corporate debentures, Government securities and money market instruments. Such funds are less risky compared to equity schemes. These funds are not affected because of fluctuations in equity markets. However, opportunities of capital appreciation are also limited in such funds. The NAVs of such funds are affected because of change in interest rates in the country. If the interest rates fall, NAVs of such funds are likely to increase in the short run and vice versa. However, long term investors may not bother about these fluctuations. Sector Specific Schemes These are the funds/schemes which invest in the securities of only those sectors or industries as specified in the offer documents. e.g. Pharmaceuticals, Software, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Petroleum stocks, etc. The returns in these funds are dependent on the performance of the respective sectors/industries. While these funds may give higher returns, they are more risky compared to diversified funds. Investors need to keep a watch on the performance of those sectors/industries and must exit at an appropriate time. They may also seek advice of an expert. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are usually passively managed mutual fund schemes tracking a benchmark index and reflect the performance of that index. These schemes are listed on the stock exchange and therefore have the flexibility of trading like a share on the stock exchange. It can also be looked as a security that tracks an index, a commodity or a basket of assets like an index fund, but trades like a stock on an exchange, thus experiencing price changes throughout the day as it is bought and sold. Fixed Maturity Plans (FMPs) Fixed Maturity Plans (FMPs) are basically debt oriented investment schemes with a pre-specified tenure offered by mutual funds. FMPs invest in a portfolio of debt instruments whose maturity coincides with the maturity of the concerned FMP. The primary objective of a FMP is to generate income while aiming to protect the capital by investing in a portfolio of debt and money market securities. Since FMPs are available with several maturity options, one can invest in the relevant plan depending upon his investment horizon and the requirement of cash flows. Interval Fund / Fixed Maturity Plan Reliance Interval Fund (A Debt Oriented Interval Scheme): The investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund Plan C (A close-ended scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the scheme with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A close-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the scheme with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Portfolio management services: Overview Reliance Portfolio Management Services is an exclusive offering from the portfolio management division of Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Capital Ltd., Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. is also the investment manager for Reliance Mutual Fund schemes wherein it manages assets worth over Rs. 42,200 crores (as on Feb 28, 2007) Reliance Portfolio Management Services is a premium financial service, offering innovative exclusive products through discretionary advisory services. Our expertise has earned the trust of thousands of high net-worth individual/ institutional investors and created a family that is constantly growing. Reliance Portfolio Management Services can conduct your investments with true finesse coupled with passion and innovation. Reliance Portfolio Management Services is a part of Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Capital Ltd. Reliance Capital Ltd. is one of Indias leading and fastest growing private sector financial services companies, and ranks among the top 3 private sector financial services and banking companies, in terms of net worth. Reliance Capital Ltd. has interests in asset management, life and general insurance, private equity and proprietary investments, stock broking and other financial services Organizational philosophy When it comes to managing investments what one needs is the fine harmony and the scale of an orchestra. Essentially, this translates to a special kind of skill that understands the finer nuances and appreciates the subtle notes. Only then can the instrumentation deliver a consistently enhanced performance. Now, you can get that kind of superior orchestration for your investment portfolio. Introducing Reliance Portfolio Management Services (Reliance PMS), a premium financial offering for select investors. An exclusive service, where a diligent team of talented professionals with diverse skill sets orchestrate your investments to deliver optimum returns. And a consistently laudable performance. Investmant philosophy A rich canvas of melodies.. At Reliance PMS you can expect a multitude of innovative investment options to serve varying investment objectives. The spectrum of asset classes traverses from the traditional asset classes, such as equities, fixed income or gold, to emerging ones, such as structured products or realty. Their Aim: To traverse the journey of your wealth creation with you by leveraging these asset options. They constantly endeavor to deliver competitive returns through a conservative and a diligent fund management framework, that is supported by rigorous analysis and a proven investment methodology The keynotes to perfection Minimizing Risks, Optimizing Gains All great scores being with a plan. To make beautiful music and surpass all expectations. Their strategy is quite similar. An increasing investor base is a reflection of the trust that investors repose in us, which we respect. Hence the safety of our investors assets is of utmost priority and this is the foundation of our investment philosophy. At Reliance PMS, they view every portfolio with the diligence of a musician composing a new score. Fine-tuning. Enhancing. Improving. Constantly working towards superior orchestration of your portfolio. Naturally, this is only possible if the foundation is sound. Strong investments, pure harmonies what we believe in Strong melodies call for a fine conductor. Reliance Portfolio Management Services can conduct your investments with utmost perfection. Our investment beliefs form the core of what we do. Our foundation is based on five key elements: Canvas, Concentration, Cash and Flexibility, Customisation and Customer Service. And it is with this rock solid base that we plan a fine crescendo for your investments Reliance PMS advantage: you As a Reliance PMS customer, we get a lot more than just superior portfolio management. We get the advantage of a solid and reputable track record backed by the expertise of a sound and stable investment team. Their philosophy lays considerable emphasis on an intensive research based, bottom-up, stock picking approach with a bias towards customizing the product offerings for our investors and business associates. They strongly believe that our investments should be adaptable enough to succeed in any market situation. Which is why our investment philosophy revolves around a solid bottom-up approach. So its true, when you invest with Reliance PMS, its certain that you will have all your investments in perfect sync. The composers score fund management Process All great scores begin with a plan. To make beautiful music and surpass all expectations. Their process is quite similar. All potential investment opportunities are subjected to extensive research, which includes analysis of various macro and micro economic indicators, related to specific sector company and or industry. This coupled with company visits and extensive interaction facilitates a data pool, which becomes the foundation of the process. Following are various services or investment schemes offered by Reliance Portfolio Management: 1). Absolute freedom option: This investment option is a highly flexible one with a very direct focus. To make the most of investment openings across a wide gamut of large cap, mid cap and small cap stocks. The aim of this product is to deliver positive absolute returns. It plans to do this by focusing on research based value investing to cover potentially investment-worthy companies. Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount : Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Non Resident Indian: INR 2 Crores 2). Large cap option: This portfolio model endeavors to generate capital appreciation by investing in companies drawn primarily from the Top 250 companies. These companies are ranked on the basis of market capitalization. The focus over here is on companies with a proven track record and a favorable medium to long-term outlook. Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount : Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Non Resident Indian: INR 2 Crores 3). Small Mid cap option: Capital appreciation through bottom up stock picking is of priority here with a special emphasis on the small and mid-cap space. Incisive and keen research is the backbone of this product. A dedicated research team will initiate portfolio building by discovering businesses that are relatively new and less tracked. Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount : Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Non Resident Indian: INR 2 Crores 4). Concentrated option: The investment objective of concentrated option is to achieve long term capital appreciation from equity and equity related investments. This investment option endeavors to invest disproportionate corpus in large and mid cap high growth companies that would be able to compound wealth over medium to long term. Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount: Resident Indian: Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Tranche 1: INR 50 Lacs Tranche 2: INR 25 Lacs* Tranche 3: INR 25 Lacs* Non Resident Indian: INR 1 Crores 5). Emerging sector opportunity option: The Trinity Option which is a part of Emerging Sector Opportunity Option shall invest in a combination of sectors in order to cater to specific investor requirements and market conditions. The Trinity Series will look at investment opportunities in Natural Resources, Infrastructure Capital Goods and Financial Services. The Trinity Series offer the investors an opportunity to be part of the emerging sectors which would be the engines of growth and key drivers of the Indian economy Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount : Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Non Resident Indian: INR 1 Crores Fixed income schemes under portfolio management services: All Season Debt Shield Aggressive Returns Option: A highly flexible investment option, which offers a diversified investment portfolio across ratings and the yield curve. Fixed Maturity Option: A relatively protective investment option with investments predominantly locked for the duration of the scheme. In certain scenarios, there might be partial redemption allowed, without a significant impact on the portfolio returns. Liquidity Option: The underlying tone of this investment option is to essentially provide the investors with superior returns as compared to traditional open-ended money market schemes. Blended Debt Plus Best of Funds Option Under this option, investments shall be made in units of different mutual funds. This option is designed to achieve even greater diversification than traditional mutual funds. Structured products solution: Structured Products are Investment instruments that combine at least one derivative with assets such as equity and fixed income securities. Such products are fast emerging as an alternate asset class among HNI/ Institutional investors providing opportunities that capture potential upsides of the equity universe with capital protection. Customized solutions: At Reliance PMS believe in delivering more than what the customer expects, customized solutions are just a step towards it. Customized solutions are investments specially created to meet needs that cannot be met from the standardized financial instruments available in the market. Customized solutions capture the characteristics of traditional and nontraditional investments with financial instruments. The strategic combination of these components provides control and flexibility to address those investors whose investment objective is not met through traditional investments available. AMC (Asset Management Company) of Reliance Mutual fund: A company that invests its clients pooled fundinto securities that match its declared financial objectives. Asset management companies provide investors with more diversification and investing options than they would have by themselves. Mutual funds, hedge funds andpension plans are all run by asset management companies. These companies earn income by charging service fees to their clients. AMCs offer their clients more diversificationbecause they have a larger pool of resources than the individual investor.Pooling assets together and paying out proportional returns allows investors to avoid minimum investment requirements often required when purchasing securities on their own,as well as the ability toinvest in a larger set of securities with a smaller investment AMC has to discharge mainly three functions as under: Taking investment decisions and making investments of the funds through market dealer/brokers in the secondary market securities or directly in the primary capital market or money market instruments Realize fund position by taking account of all receivables and realizations, moving corporate actions involving declaration of dividends,etc to compensate investors for their investments in units; and Maintaining proper accounting and information for pricing the units and arriving at net asset value (NAV), the information about the listed schemes and the transactions of units in the secondary market. AMC has to feed back the trustees about its fund management operations and has to maintain a perfect information system. Structure of AMC: RCAM has been appointed as the Asset Management Company of Reliance Mutual Fund by The Trustee vide Investment Management Agreement (IMA) dated May 12, 1995 and executed between Reliance Capital Trustee Co. Limited and Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. and amended on August 12, 1997 in line with SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996). Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd.(RCAM) is an unlisted Public Limited Company incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 on February 24, 1995, having its registered office at Reliance House, Near. Mardia Plaza, Off. C.G. Road, Ahmedabad, 380 006 and its Corporate Office at One Indiabulls Centre, Tower 1, Jupiter Mills Compound , 841, Senapati Bapat Marg, Elphinstone Road, Mumbai 400 013. Directors of the company include Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, a senior executive of ADAG. Amitabh Chaturvedi is the managing director of the AMC. As of end August 2006, Reliance mutual fund has Rs 28,753 crore of assets under management. Reliance Equity Fund, launched by Reliance MF in early 2006, is the largest mutual find scheme in the country with a fund size of over Rs 5,500 crore. The net worth of the Asset Management Company based on audited accounts as on March 31, 2009 is Rs. 841.32 Crore. Here is a list of mutual funds of Reliance which includes Debt/Income Funds , Equity Funds and Sector Specific Funds. Latest NAV Scheme Name NAV (Net Asset Value) Date Reliance Medium Term Fund-Retail Plan Growth Plan Bonus Option 13.4254 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Medium Term Fund-Retail Plan Growth Plan Growth Option 18.7981 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Medium Term Fund-Retail Plan Monthly Dividend Plan 10.3827 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Medium Term Fund-Retail Plan Quarterly Dividend Plan 10.8016 03-Dec-2009 Reliance NRI Income Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 11.8741 03-Dec-2009 Reliance NRI Income Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 11.8741 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Short Term Fund-Dividend Re-investment Plan 10.6417 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Short Term Fund-Growth Plan 17.1406 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Short Term Fund-Quarterly Dividend Plan 13.5299 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Banking Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 31.2926 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Banking Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 78.4123 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Banking Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 78.4123 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Diversified Power Sector Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend 47.6648 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Diversified Power Sector Fund-Growth-Bonus 76.6486 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Diversified Power Sector Fund-Growth-Growth 76.6486 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 15.1151 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 15.1151 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 15.1151 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 19.3456 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 27.3863 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 27.3863 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Growth Fund-Dividend Plan-(D) 53.3177 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Growth Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 68.9535 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Growth Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 415.6732 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Media Entertainment Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 18.0409 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Media Entertainment Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 2 Reliance Mutual Fund (RMF) Reliance Mutual Fund (RMF) INTRODUCTION OF RELIANCE MUTUAL FUND Overview Reliance Mutual Fund (RMF) is one of Indias leading Mutual Funds, with Average Assets Under Management (AAUM) of Rs. 1,22,252 CRORES and an investor base of over 72.40 Lacs. (AAUM and investor count as of November 2009) For its 7.3 million investors, RMF offers a well-rounded portfolio of products that meet varying requirements. They are served from offices across 226 locations in India, offices in Dubai, Singapore, Mauritius and UK Reliance Mutual Fund, a part of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, is one of the fastest growing mutual funds in the country. RMF offers investors a well-rounded portfolio of products to meet varying investor requirements and has presence in 118 cities across the country. Reliance Mutual Fund constantly endeavors to launch innovative products and customer service initiatives to increase value to investors. Reliance Mutual Fund schemes are managed by Reliance Capital Asset Management Limited., a subsidiary of Reliance Capital Limited, which holds 93.37% of the paid-up capital of RCAM, the balance paid up capital being held by minority shareholders. Reliance Capital Ltd. is one of Indias leading and fastest growing private sector financial services companies, and ranks among the top 3 private sector financial services and banking companies, in terms of net worth. Reliance Capital Ltd. has interests in asset management, life and general insurance, private equity and proprietary investments, stock broking and other financial services. Sponsor: Reliance Capital Limited Trustee: Reliance Capital Trustee Co. Limited Investment Manager or Asset Manager: Reliance Capital Asset Management Limited Statutory Details: The Sponsor, the Trustee and the Investment Manager are incorporated under the Companies Act 1956. Reliance Mutual Fund (RMF) has been established as a trust under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 with Reliance Capital Limited (RCL), as the Settlor/Sponsor and Reliance Capital Trustee Co. Limited (RCTCL), as the Trustee. RMF has been registered with the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) vide registration number MF/022/95/1 dated June 30, 1995. The name of Reliance Capital Mutual Fund has been changed to Reliance Mutual Fund effective 11th. March 2004 vide SEBIs letter no. IMD/PSP/4958/2004 date 11th. March 2004. Reliance Mutual Fund was formed to launch various schemes under which units are issued to the Public with a view to contribute to the capital market and to provide investors the opportunities to make investments in diversified securities The main objectives of the Trust are: To carry on the activity of a Mutual Fund as may be permitted at law and formulate and devise various collective Schemes of savings and investments for people in India and abroad and also ensure liquidity of investments for the Unit holders; To deploy Funds thus raised so as to help the Unit holders earn reasonable returns on their savings and To take such steps as may be necessary from time to time to realize the effects without any limitation. Risk Factors: Mutual Funds and securities investments are subject to market risks and there is no assurance or guarantee that the objectives of the Scheme will be achieved. As with any investment in securities, the NAV of the Units issued under the Scheme can go up or down depending on the factors and forces affecting the capital markets. Past performance of the Sponsor/AMC/Mutual Fund is not indicative of the future performance of the Scheme. The Sponsor is not responsible or liable for any loss resulting from the operation of the Scheme beyond their initial contribution of Rs.1 lakh towards the setting up of the Mutual Fund and such other accretions and additions to the corpus. The NAV of the Scheme may be affected, interalia, by changes in the market conditions, interest rates, trading volumes, settlement periods and transfer procedures. The Mutual Fund is not assuring that it will make periodical dividend distributions, though it has every intention of doing so. All dividend dist ributions are subject to the availability of distributable surplus in the Scheme. Vision Statement To be a globally respected wealth creator with an emphasis on customer care and a culture of good corporate governance Mission Statement To create and nurture a world-class, high performance environment aimed at delighting our customers Corporate Governance Corporate Governance Policy: Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. has a vision of being a leading player in the Mutual Fund business and has achieved significant success and visibility in the market. However, an imperative part of growth and visibility is adherence to Good Conduct in the marketplace. At Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd., the implementation and observance of ethical processes and policies has helped us in standing up to the scrutiny of our domestic and international investors. Management: The management at Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. is committed to good Corporate Governance, which includes transparency and timely dissemination of information to its investors and unit holders. The Board of Directors of RCAM is a professional body, including well-experienced and knowledgeable Independent Members. Regular Audit Committee meetings are conducted to review the operations and performance of the company. Employees: Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. has at present, a code of conduct for all its officers. It has a clearly defined prohibition on insider trading policy and regulations. The management believes in the principles of propriety and utmost care is taken while handling public money, making proper and adequate disclosures. All personnel at Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd are made aware of their rights, obligations and duties as part of the Dealing Policy laid down in terms of SEBI guidelines. They are taken through a well-designed HR program, conducted to impart work ethics, the Code of Conduct, information security, Internet and e-mail usage and a host of other issues. One of the core objectives of Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. is to identify issues considered sensitive by global corporate standards, and implement policies/guidelines in conformity with the best practices as an ongoing process. Reliance Mutual Fund Schemes: Equity/Growth Schemes The aim of growth funds is to provide capital appreciation over the medium to long- term. Such schemes normally invest a major part of their corpus in equities. Such funds have comparatively high risks. These schemes provide different options to the investors like dividend option, capital appreciation, etc. and the investors may choose an option depending on their preferences. The investors must indicate the option in the application form. The mutual funds also allow the investors to change the options at a later date. Growth schemes are good for investors having a long-term outlook seeking appreciation over a period of time. Debt/Income Schemes The aim of income funds is to provide regular and steady income to investors. Such schemes generally invest in fixed income securities such as bonds, corporate debentures, Government securities and money market instruments. Such funds are less risky compared to equity schemes. These funds are not affected because of fluctuations in equity markets. However, opportunities of capital appreciation are also limited in such funds. The NAVs of such funds are affected because of change in interest rates in the country. If the interest rates fall, NAVs of such funds are likely to increase in the short run and vice versa. However, long term investors may not bother about these fluctuations. Sector Specific Schemes These are the funds/schemes which invest in the securities of only those sectors or industries as specified in the offer documents. e.g. Pharmaceuticals, Software, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Petroleum stocks, etc. The returns in these funds are dependent on the performance of the respective sectors/industries. While these funds may give higher returns, they are more risky compared to diversified funds. Investors need to keep a watch on the performance of those sectors/industries and must exit at an appropriate time. They may also seek advice of an expert. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are usually passively managed mutual fund schemes tracking a benchmark index and reflect the performance of that index. These schemes are listed on the stock exchange and therefore have the flexibility of trading like a share on the stock exchange. It can also be looked as a security that tracks an index, a commodity or a basket of assets like an index fund, but trades like a stock on an exchange, thus experiencing price changes throughout the day as it is bought and sold. Fixed Maturity Plans (FMPs) Fixed Maturity Plans (FMPs) are basically debt oriented investment schemes with a pre-specified tenure offered by mutual funds. FMPs invest in a portfolio of debt instruments whose maturity coincides with the maturity of the concerned FMP. The primary objective of a FMP is to generate income while aiming to protect the capital by investing in a portfolio of debt and money market securities. Since FMPs are available with several maturity options, one can invest in the relevant plan depending upon his investment horizon and the requirement of cash flows. Interval Fund / Fixed Maturity Plan Reliance Interval Fund (A Debt Oriented Interval Scheme): The investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund Plan C (A close-ended scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the scheme with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A close-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the scheme with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Reliance Fixed Horizon Fund (A closed-ended income scheme): The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate regular returns and growth of capital by investing in a diversified portfolio of Central and State Government securities and other fixed income/ debt securities normally maturing in line with the time profile of the plan with the objective of limiting interest rate volatility. Portfolio management services: Overview Reliance Portfolio Management Services is an exclusive offering from the portfolio management division of Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Capital Ltd., Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. is also the investment manager for Reliance Mutual Fund schemes wherein it manages assets worth over Rs. 42,200 crores (as on Feb 28, 2007) Reliance Portfolio Management Services is a premium financial service, offering innovative exclusive products through discretionary advisory services. Our expertise has earned the trust of thousands of high net-worth individual/ institutional investors and created a family that is constantly growing. Reliance Portfolio Management Services can conduct your investments with true finesse coupled with passion and innovation. Reliance Portfolio Management Services is a part of Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Capital Ltd. Reliance Capital Ltd. is one of Indias leading and fastest growing private sector financial services companies, and ranks among the top 3 private sector financial services and banking companies, in terms of net worth. Reliance Capital Ltd. has interests in asset management, life and general insurance, private equity and proprietary investments, stock broking and other financial services Organizational philosophy When it comes to managing investments what one needs is the fine harmony and the scale of an orchestra. Essentially, this translates to a special kind of skill that understands the finer nuances and appreciates the subtle notes. Only then can the instrumentation deliver a consistently enhanced performance. Now, you can get that kind of superior orchestration for your investment portfolio. Introducing Reliance Portfolio Management Services (Reliance PMS), a premium financial offering for select investors. An exclusive service, where a diligent team of talented professionals with diverse skill sets orchestrate your investments to deliver optimum returns. And a consistently laudable performance. Investmant philosophy A rich canvas of melodies.. At Reliance PMS you can expect a multitude of innovative investment options to serve varying investment objectives. The spectrum of asset classes traverses from the traditional asset classes, such as equities, fixed income or gold, to emerging ones, such as structured products or realty. Their Aim: To traverse the journey of your wealth creation with you by leveraging these asset options. They constantly endeavor to deliver competitive returns through a conservative and a diligent fund management framework, that is supported by rigorous analysis and a proven investment methodology The keynotes to perfection Minimizing Risks, Optimizing Gains All great scores being with a plan. To make beautiful music and surpass all expectations. Their strategy is quite similar. An increasing investor base is a reflection of the trust that investors repose in us, which we respect. Hence the safety of our investors assets is of utmost priority and this is the foundation of our investment philosophy. At Reliance PMS, they view every portfolio with the diligence of a musician composing a new score. Fine-tuning. Enhancing. Improving. Constantly working towards superior orchestration of your portfolio. Naturally, this is only possible if the foundation is sound. Strong investments, pure harmonies what we believe in Strong melodies call for a fine conductor. Reliance Portfolio Management Services can conduct your investments with utmost perfection. Our investment beliefs form the core of what we do. Our foundation is based on five key elements: Canvas, Concentration, Cash and Flexibility, Customisation and Customer Service. And it is with this rock solid base that we plan a fine crescendo for your investments Reliance PMS advantage: you As a Reliance PMS customer, we get a lot more than just superior portfolio management. We get the advantage of a solid and reputable track record backed by the expertise of a sound and stable investment team. Their philosophy lays considerable emphasis on an intensive research based, bottom-up, stock picking approach with a bias towards customizing the product offerings for our investors and business associates. They strongly believe that our investments should be adaptable enough to succeed in any market situation. Which is why our investment philosophy revolves around a solid bottom-up approach. So its true, when you invest with Reliance PMS, its certain that you will have all your investments in perfect sync. The composers score fund management Process All great scores begin with a plan. To make beautiful music and surpass all expectations. Their process is quite similar. All potential investment opportunities are subjected to extensive research, which includes analysis of various macro and micro economic indicators, related to specific sector company and or industry. This coupled with company visits and extensive interaction facilitates a data pool, which becomes the foundation of the process. Following are various services or investment schemes offered by Reliance Portfolio Management: 1). Absolute freedom option: This investment option is a highly flexible one with a very direct focus. To make the most of investment openings across a wide gamut of large cap, mid cap and small cap stocks. The aim of this product is to deliver positive absolute returns. It plans to do this by focusing on research based value investing to cover potentially investment-worthy companies. Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount : Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Non Resident Indian: INR 2 Crores 2). Large cap option: This portfolio model endeavors to generate capital appreciation by investing in companies drawn primarily from the Top 250 companies. These companies are ranked on the basis of market capitalization. The focus over here is on companies with a proven track record and a favorable medium to long-term outlook. Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount : Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Non Resident Indian: INR 2 Crores 3). Small Mid cap option: Capital appreciation through bottom up stock picking is of priority here with a special emphasis on the small and mid-cap space. Incisive and keen research is the backbone of this product. A dedicated research team will initiate portfolio building by discovering businesses that are relatively new and less tracked. Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount : Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Non Resident Indian: INR 2 Crores 4). Concentrated option: The investment objective of concentrated option is to achieve long term capital appreciation from equity and equity related investments. This investment option endeavors to invest disproportionate corpus in large and mid cap high growth companies that would be able to compound wealth over medium to long term. Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount: Resident Indian: Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Tranche 1: INR 50 Lacs Tranche 2: INR 25 Lacs* Tranche 3: INR 25 Lacs* Non Resident Indian: INR 1 Crores 5). Emerging sector opportunity option: The Trinity Option which is a part of Emerging Sector Opportunity Option shall invest in a combination of sectors in order to cater to specific investor requirements and market conditions. The Trinity Series will look at investment opportunities in Natural Resources, Infrastructure Capital Goods and Financial Services. The Trinity Series offer the investors an opportunity to be part of the emerging sectors which would be the engines of growth and key drivers of the Indian economy Investment Time Horizon: 3 years more Minimum Investment Amount : Resident Indian: INR 1 Crore Non Resident Indian: INR 1 Crores Fixed income schemes under portfolio management services: All Season Debt Shield Aggressive Returns Option: A highly flexible investment option, which offers a diversified investment portfolio across ratings and the yield curve. Fixed Maturity Option: A relatively protective investment option with investments predominantly locked for the duration of the scheme. In certain scenarios, there might be partial redemption allowed, without a significant impact on the portfolio returns. Liquidity Option: The underlying tone of this investment option is to essentially provide the investors with superior returns as compared to traditional open-ended money market schemes. Blended Debt Plus Best of Funds Option Under this option, investments shall be made in units of different mutual funds. This option is designed to achieve even greater diversification than traditional mutual funds. Structured products solution: Structured Products are Investment instruments that combine at least one derivative with assets such as equity and fixed income securities. Such products are fast emerging as an alternate asset class among HNI/ Institutional investors providing opportunities that capture potential upsides of the equity universe with capital protection. Customized solutions: At Reliance PMS believe in delivering more than what the customer expects, customized solutions are just a step towards it. Customized solutions are investments specially created to meet needs that cannot be met from the standardized financial instruments available in the market. Customized solutions capture the characteristics of traditional and nontraditional investments with financial instruments. The strategic combination of these components provides control and flexibility to address those investors whose investment objective is not met through traditional investments available. AMC (Asset Management Company) of Reliance Mutual fund: A company that invests its clients pooled fundinto securities that match its declared financial objectives. Asset management companies provide investors with more diversification and investing options than they would have by themselves. Mutual funds, hedge funds andpension plans are all run by asset management companies. These companies earn income by charging service fees to their clients. AMCs offer their clients more diversificationbecause they have a larger pool of resources than the individual investor.Pooling assets together and paying out proportional returns allows investors to avoid minimum investment requirements often required when purchasing securities on their own,as well as the ability toinvest in a larger set of securities with a smaller investment AMC has to discharge mainly three functions as under: Taking investment decisions and making investments of the funds through market dealer/brokers in the secondary market securities or directly in the primary capital market or money market instruments Realize fund position by taking account of all receivables and realizations, moving corporate actions involving declaration of dividends,etc to compensate investors for their investments in units; and Maintaining proper accounting and information for pricing the units and arriving at net asset value (NAV), the information about the listed schemes and the transactions of units in the secondary market. AMC has to feed back the trustees about its fund management operations and has to maintain a perfect information system. Structure of AMC: RCAM has been appointed as the Asset Management Company of Reliance Mutual Fund by The Trustee vide Investment Management Agreement (IMA) dated May 12, 1995 and executed between Reliance Capital Trustee Co. Limited and Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd. and amended on August 12, 1997 in line with SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996). Reliance Capital Asset Management Ltd.(RCAM) is an unlisted Public Limited Company incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 on February 24, 1995, having its registered office at Reliance House, Near. Mardia Plaza, Off. C.G. Road, Ahmedabad, 380 006 and its Corporate Office at One Indiabulls Centre, Tower 1, Jupiter Mills Compound , 841, Senapati Bapat Marg, Elphinstone Road, Mumbai 400 013. Directors of the company include Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, a senior executive of ADAG. Amitabh Chaturvedi is the managing director of the AMC. As of end August 2006, Reliance mutual fund has Rs 28,753 crore of assets under management. Reliance Equity Fund, launched by Reliance MF in early 2006, is the largest mutual find scheme in the country with a fund size of over Rs 5,500 crore. The net worth of the Asset Management Company based on audited accounts as on March 31, 2009 is Rs. 841.32 Crore. Here is a list of mutual funds of Reliance which includes Debt/Income Funds , Equity Funds and Sector Specific Funds. Latest NAV Scheme Name NAV (Net Asset Value) Date Reliance Medium Term Fund-Retail Plan Growth Plan Bonus Option 13.4254 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Medium Term Fund-Retail Plan Growth Plan Growth Option 18.7981 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Medium Term Fund-Retail Plan Monthly Dividend Plan 10.3827 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Medium Term Fund-Retail Plan Quarterly Dividend Plan 10.8016 03-Dec-2009 Reliance NRI Income Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 11.8741 03-Dec-2009 Reliance NRI Income Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 11.8741 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Short Term Fund-Dividend Re-investment Plan 10.6417 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Short Term Fund-Growth Plan 17.1406 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Short Term Fund-Quarterly Dividend Plan 13.5299 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Banking Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 31.2926 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Banking Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 78.4123 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Banking Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 78.4123 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Diversified Power Sector Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend 47.6648 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Diversified Power Sector Fund-Growth-Bonus 76.6486 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Diversified Power Sector Fund-Growth-Growth 76.6486 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 15.1151 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 15.1151 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 15.1151 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 19.3456 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 27.3863 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 27.3863 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Growth Fund-Dividend Plan-(D) 53.3177 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Growth Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 68.9535 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Growth Fund-Growth Plan-Growth Option 415.6732 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Media Entertainment Fund-Dividend Plan-Dividend Option 18.0409 03-Dec-2009 Reliance Media Entertainment Fund-Growth Plan-Bonus Option 2

Poverty: A Form of Slavery Essay -- poverty essay

Today they say that we are free, Only to be chained in poverty -- Bob Marley This paper will discuss poverty, the different types of poverty and their definitions and who is affected by each type of poverty. It will look at the some of the major reasons why poverty exists and what causes poverty, like such things as inequality, stratification and international debt. Some of the impacts of poverty will also be analyzed from a national and global perspective; things like education, literacy rate, and crime. This paper will demonstrate that poverty affects almost everyone in some form or another and exists because those with power and wealth want and need poverty to exist to force a dependence on the wealthy. A few of the main approaches that this is achieved is through economic systems, influencing government policies, and global stratification. Defining poverty is not a simple task and this is what this paper will tackle first. WHAT IS POVERTY Poverty is difficult to define exactly, as it has different meanings to different people depending on what country they live in, what culture they belong to, and how much income they earn. All these factors and more will change the way poverty is defined by an individual or organization (Seabrook, 2007, p.35). Adam Smith the classical economist had this view of poverty â€Å"poverty is a lack of those necessities that the custom of the country renders it indecent for creditable people, even of the lowest order, to be without† (Richmond and Saloojee, 2005, p.33). Another popular view of poverty is that of Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen who said the poor â€Å"cannot participate adequately in communal activities, or be free of public shame from failure to satisfy conventions† (Richmond and ... ... of slavery. Works Cited Deveaux, B. (Director). (2010). Poor no more [Motion Picture]. Ferrante, J. (2006). Global inequality and the challenges of reducing extreme poverty. (Cover story). Sociological Viewpoints, 225-19. McNally, D. (2006). Another world is possible: globalization and anti-capitalism. Winnipeg, Canada: Arbeiter Ring Publishing Murray, J. L., Linden, R., & Kendall, D. (2011). Sociology in our times. Toronto: Nelson Education. Raphael, D. (2007). Poverty and policy in Canada: implications for health and quality of life. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press Richmond, T., & Saloojee, A. (2005). Social inclusion. Black Point: Fernwood Publishing. Seabrook, J. (2007). The no-nonsense guide to world poverty. Toronto: New Internationalist Publications Sidel, R. (1998). Keeping women and children last. New York: Penguin Books

My Philosophy of Teaching :: Philosophy of Education

Philosophy of Education Deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life is a very important and hard decision. But for me, this decision was not hard at all because ever since I was a young child, I have always wanted to become a teacher. Many people find it amusing when I tell them of my aspirations of becoming a teacher, and they respond by saying that the only reason why I want to be a teacher is because my parents are both teachers. I respond to them by describing what teaching means to me and tell them what I could bring to the teaching professional to enhance it. To me, teaching is such a rewarding career because you have the ability to shape the minds of the future. But with this rewarding career also comes many responsibilities. As a teacher you must be able to realize all the needs of your students and be able to accommodate these needs. I think that this is one of the most important things that teachers must achieve. They should be able to teach not only to the smartest child in the classroom, but also to the slowest child in their classroom. Another very important part of being a teacher is the impression that you make on your students. For many children, their only role model is their teacher. So I believe that as a teacher you must strive to make a positive impact on your student’s lives. When children are young, they are not always taught what is right from wrong. They model the behavior in which they see. If a child sees you as a teacher being caring, loving, and respectful to others then they will in treat other s in the same way that you did. I know that many of my teachers had this impact on me, and I only hope that some day I can have that impact on a child. When looking at the different philosophies of education I realized that I do not want to just be a Progressivist, I also want to be a Behaviorist and an essentialist. This is due to the fact that I like different aspects of each philosophy, and I believe if I could tie them all together then I would have a successful classroom.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 13 KILLER

IF IT WAS ANYONE BUT JACOB, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, shaking my head as I drove down the forest-lined highway to La Push. I still wasn't sure if I was domg the right thing, but I'd made a compromise with myself. I couldn't condone what Jacob and his friends, his pack, were doing. I understood now what he'd said last nightthat I might not want to see him againand I could have called him as he'd suggested, but that felt cowardly. I owed him a face-to-face conversation, at least. I would tell him to his face that I couldn't just overlook what was going on. I couldn't be friends with a killer and say nothing, let the killing continue That would make me a monster, too. But I couldn't not warn him, either. I had to do what I could to protect him. I pulled up to the Blacks' house with my lips pressed together into a hard line. It was bad enough that my best friend was a werewolf. Did he have to be a monster, too? The house was dark, no lights in the windows, but I didn't care if I woke them. My fist thudded against the front door with angry energy; the sound reverberated through the walls. â€Å"Come in,† I heard Billy call after a minute, and a light flicked on. I twisted the knob; it was unlocked. Billy was leaning around an open doorway just off the little kitchen, a bathrobe around his shoulders, not in his chair yet. When he saw who it was, his eyes widened briefly, and then his face turned stoic. â€Å"Well, good morning, Bella. What are you doing up so early?† â€Å"Hey, Billy. I need to talk to Jakewhere is he?† â€Å"Um I don't really know,† he lied, straight-faced. â€Å"Do you know what Charlie is doing this morning?† I demanded, sick of the stalling. â€Å"Should I?† â€Å"He and half the other men in town are all out in the woods with guns, hunting giant wolves.† Billy's expression flickered, and then went blank. â€Å"So I'd like to talk to Jake about that, if you don't mind,† I continued. Billy pursed his thick lips for a long moment. â€Å"I'd bet he's still asleep,† he finally said, nodding toward the tiny hallway off the front room. â€Å"He's out late a lot these days. Kid needs his restprobably you shouldn't wake him.† â€Å"It's my turn,† I muttered under my breath as I stalked to the hallway. Billy sighed. Jacob's tiny closet of a room was the only door in the yard-long hallway. I didn't bother to knock. I threw the door open; it slammed against the wall with a bang. Jacobstill wearing just the same black cut-off sweats he'd worn last nightwas stretched diagonally across the double bed that took up all of his room but a few inches around the edges. Even on a slant, it wasn't long enough; his feet hung off the one end and his head off the other. He was fast asleep, snoring lightly with his mouth hanging open. The sound of the door hadn't even made him twitch. His face was peaceful with (deep sleep, all the angry lines smoothed out. There were circles under his eyes that I hadn't noticed before. Despite his ridiculous size, he looked very young now, and very weary. Pity shook me. I stepped back out, and shut the door quietly behind me. Billy stared with curious, guarded eyes as I walked slowly back into the front room. â€Å"I think I'll let him get some rest.† Billy nodded, and then we gazed at each other for a minute. I was dying to ask him about his part in this. What did he think of what his son had become? But I knew how he'd supported Sam from the very beginning, and so I supposed the murders must not bother him. How he justified that to himself I couldn't imagine. I could see many questions for me in his dark eyes, but he didn't voice them either. â€Å"Look,† I said, breaking the loud silence. â€Å"I'll be down at the beach for a while. When he wakes up, tell him I'm waiting for him, okay?† â€Å"Sure, sure,† Billy agreed. I wondered if he really would. Well, if he didn't, I'd tried, right? I drove down to First Beach and parked in the empty dirt lot. It was still darkthe gloomy predawn of a cloudy dayand when I cut the headlights it was hard to see. I had to let my eyes adjust before I could find the path that led through the tall hedge of weeds. It was colder here, with the wind whipping off the black water, and I shoved my hands deep into the pockets of my winter jacket. At least the rain had stopped. I paced down the beach toward the north seawall. I couldn't see St. James or the other islands, just the vague shape of the water's edge. I picked my way carefully across the rocks, watching out for driftwood that might trip me. I found what I was looking for before I realized I was looking for it. It materialized out of the gloom when it was just a few feet away: a long bone-white driftwood tree stranded deep on the rocks. The roots twisted up at the seaward end, like a hundred brittle tentacles. I couldn't be sure that it was the same tree where Jacob and I had had our first conversationa conversation that had begun so many different, tangled threads of my lifebut it seemed to be in about the same place I sat down where I'd sat before, and stared out across the invisible sea. Seeing Jacob like thatinnocent and vulnerable in sleephad stolen all my revulsion, dissolved all my anger. I still couldn't turn a blind sye to what was happening, like Billy seemed to, but I couldn't condemn Jacob for it either. Love didn't work that way, I decided. Once you cared about a person, it was impossible to be logical about them anymore. Jacob was my friend whether he killed people or not. And I didn't know what I was going to do about that. When I pictured him sleeping so peacefully, I felt an overpowering urge to protect him. Completely illogical. Illogical or not, I brooded over the memory his peaceful face, trying to come up with some answer, some way to shelter him, while the sky slowly turned gray. â€Å"Hi,Bella.† Jacob's voice came from the darkness and made me jump. It was soft, almost shy, but I'd been expecting some forewarning from the noisy rocks, and so it still startled me. I could see his silhouette against the coming sunriseit looked enormous. â€Å"Jake?† He stood several paces away, shifting his weight from foot to foot anxiously. â€Å"Billy told me you came bydidn't take you very long, did it? I knew you could figure it out.† â€Å"Yeah, I remember the right story now,† I whispered. It was quiet for a long moment and, though it was still too dark to see well, my skin prickled as if his eyes were searching my face. There must have been enough light for him to read my expression, because when he spoke again, his voice was suddenly acidic. â€Å"You could have just called,† he said harshly. I nodded. â€Å"I know.† Jacob started pacing along the rocks. If I listened very hard, I could just hear the gentle brush of his feet on the rocks behind the sound of the waves. The rocks had clattered like castanets for me. â€Å"Why did you come?† he demanded, not halting his angry stride. â€Å"I thought it would be better face-to-face.† He snorted. â€Å"Oh, much better.† â€Å"Jacob, I have to warn you† â€Å"About the rangers and the hunters? Don't worry about it. We already know.† â€Å"Don't worry about it?† I demanded in disbelief. â€Å"Jake, they've got guns! They're setting traps and offering rewards and† â€Å"We can take care of ourselves,† he growled, still pacing. â€Å"They're not going to catch anything. They're only making it more difficultthey'll start disappearing soon enough, too.† â€Å"Jake!† I hissed. â€Å"What? It's just a fact.† My voice was pale with revulsion. â€Å"How can you feel that way? You know these people. Charlie's out there!† The thought made my stomach twist. He came to an abrupt stop. â€Å"What more can we do?† he retorted. The sun turned the clouds a slivery pink above us. I could see his expression now; it was angry, frustrated, betrayed. â€Å"Could you well, try to not be a werewolf?† I suggested in a whisper. He threw his hands up in the air. â€Å"Like I have a choice about it!† he shouted. â€Å"And how would that help anything, if you're worried about people disappearing?† â€Å"I don't understand you.† He glared at me, his eyes narrowing and his mouth twisting into a snarl. â€Å"You know what makes me so mad I could just spit?† I flinched away from his hostile expression. He seemed to be waiting for an answer, so I shook my head. â€Å"You're such a hypocrite, Bellathere you sit, terrified of me! How is that fair?† His hands shook with anger. â€Å"Hypocrite? How does being afraid of a monster make me a hypocrite?† â€Å"Ugh!† he groaned, pressing his trembling fists to his temples and squeezing his eyes shut. â€Å"Would you listen to yourself?† â€Å"What?† He took two steps toward me, leaning over me and glaring with fury. â€Å"Well, I'm so sorry that I can't be the right kind of monster for you, Bella. I guess I'm just not as great as a bloodsucker, am I?† I jumped to my feet and glared back. â€Å"No, you're not!† I shouted. â€Å"It's not what you are, stupid, it's what you do!† â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† He roared, his entire frame quivering with rage. I was taken entirely by surprise when Edward's voice cautioned me. â€Å"Be very careful, Bella,† his velvet voice warned. â€Å"Don't push him too far. You need to calm him down.† Even the voice in my head was making no sense today. I listened to him, though. I would do anything for that voice. â€Å"Jacob,† I pleaded, making my tone soft and even. â€Å"Is it really necessary to kill people, Jacob? Isn't there some other way? I mean, if vampires can find a way to survive without murdering people, couldn't you give it a try, too?† He straightened up with a jerk, like my words had sent an electric shock through him. His eyebrows shot up and his eyes stared wide. â€Å"Killing people?† he demanded. â€Å"What did you think we were talking about?† He wasn't trembling anymore. He looked at me with half-hopeful disbelief. â€Å"I thought we were talking about your disgust for werewolves.† â€Å"No, Jake, no. It's not that you're a wolf. That's fine,† I promised him, and I knew as I said the words that I meant them. I really didn't care if he turned into a big wolfhe was still Jacob. â€Å"If you could just find a way not to hurt people that's all that upsets me. These ate innocent people, Jake, people like Charlie, and I can't just look the other way while you† â€Å"Is that all? Really?† he interrupted me, a smile breaking across his face. â€Å"You're just scared because I'm a murderer? That's the only reason?† â€Å"Isn't that reason enough?† He started to laugh. â€Å"Jacob Black, this is so notfunny!† â€Å"Sure, sure,† he agreed, still chortling. He took one long stride and caught me in another vice-tight bear hug. â€Å"You really, honestly don't mind that I morph into a giant dog?† he asked, his voice joyful in my ear. â€Å"No,† I gasped. â€Å"Can'tbreatheJake!† He let me go, but took both my hands. â€Å"I'm not a killer, Bella.† I studied his face, and it was clear that this was the truth. Relief pulsed through me. â€Å"Really?† I asked. â€Å"Really,† he promised solemnly. I threw my arms around him. It reminded me of that first day with the motorcycleshe was bigger, though, and I felt even more like a child now. Like that other time, he stroked my hair. â€Å"Sorry I called you a hypocrite,† he apologized. â€Å"Sorry I called you a murderer.† He laughed. I thought of something then, and pulled away from him so that I could see his face. My eyebrows furrowed in anxiety. â€Å"What about Sam? And the others?† He shook his head, smiling like a huge burden had been removed from his shoulders. â€Å"Of course not. Don't you remember what we call ourselves?† The memory was clearI'd just been thinking of that very day. â€Å"Protectors?† â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"But I don't understand. What's happening in the woods? The missing hikers, the blood?† His face was serious, worried at once. â€Å"We're trying to do our job, Bella. We're trying to protect them, but we're always just a little too late.† â€Å"Protect them from what? Is there really a bear out there, too?† â€Å"Bella, honey, we only protect people from one thingour one enemy. It's the reason we existbecause they do.† I stared at him blankly for one second before I understood. Then the blood drained from my face and a thin, wordless cry of horror broke through my lips. He nodded. â€Å"I thought you, of all people, would reali2e what was really going on.† â€Å"Laurent,† I whispered. â€Å"He's still here.† Jacob blinked twice, and cocked his head to one side. â€Å"Who's Laurent?† I tried to sort out the chaos in my head so that I could answer. â€Å"You knowyou saw him in the meadow. You were there† The words came out in a wondering tone as it all sunk in. â€Å"You were there, and you kept him from killing me† â€Å"Oh, the black-haired leech?† He grinned, a tight, fierce grin. â€Å"Was that his name?† I shuddered. â€Å"What were you thinking?† I whispered. â€Å"He could have killed you! Jake, you don't realize how dangerous† Another laugh interrupted me â€Å"Bella, one lone vampire isn't much of a problem for a pack as big as ours. It was so easy, it was hardly even fun!† â€Å"What was so easy?† â€Å"Killing the bloodsucker who was going to kill you. Now, I don't count that towards the whole murder thing,† he added quickly. â€Å"Vampires don't count as people.† I could only mouth the words. â€Å"You killed Laurent?† He nodded. â€Å"Well, it was a group effort,† he qualified. â€Å"Laurent is dead?† I whispered. His expression changed. â€Å"You're not upset about that, are you? He was going to kill youhe was going for the kill, Bella, we were sure of that before we attacked. You know that, right?† â€Å"I know that. No, I'm not upsetI'm† I had to sit down. I stumbled back a step until I felt the driftwood against my calves, and then sank down onto it. â€Å"Laurent is dead. He's not coming back for me.† â€Å"You're not mad? He wasn't one of your friends or anything, was he?† â€Å"My friend?† I stared up at him, confused and dizzy with relief. I started babbling, my eyes getting moist. â€Å"No, Jake. I'm so so relieved. I thought he was going to find meI've been waiting for him every night, just hoping that he'd stop with me and leave Charlie alone. I've been so frightened, Jacob But how? He was a vampire! How did you kill him? He was so strong, so hard, like marble† He sat down next to me and put one big arm around me comfortingly. â€Å"It's what we're made for, Bells. We're strong, too. I wish you would have told me that you were so afraid. You didn't need to be.† â€Å"You weren't around,† I mumbled, lost in thought. â€Å"Oh, right.† â€Å"Wait, JakeI thought you knew, though. Last night, you said it wasn't safe for you to be in my room. I thought you knew that a vampire might be coming. Isn't that what you were talking about?† He looked confused for a minute, and then he ducked his head. â€Å"No, that's not what I meant.† â€Å"Then why didn't you think it was safe for you there?† He looked at me with guilt-ridden eyes. â€Å"I didn't say it wasn't safe for me. I was thinking of you.† â€Å"What do you mean?† He looked down and kicked a rock. â€Å"There's more than one reason I'm not supposed to be around you, Bella. I wasn't supposed to tell you our secret, for one thing, but the other part is that it's not safe for you. If I get too mad too upset you might get hurt.† I thought about that carefully. â€Å"When you were mad before when I was yelling at you and you were shaking ?† â€Å"Yeah.† His face dropped even lower. â€Å"That was pretty stupid of me. I have to keep a better hold on myself. I swore I wasn't going to get mad, no matter what you said to me. But I just got so upser that I was going to lose you that you couldn't deal with what I am† â€Å"What would happen if you got too mad?† I whispered. â€Å"I'd turn into a wolf,† he whispered back. â€Å"You don't need a full moon.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Hollywood's version doesn't get much right.† Then he sighed, and was serious again. â€Å"You don't need to be so stressed out, Bells. We're going to take care of this. And we're keeping a special eye on Charlie and the otherswe won't let anything happen to him. Trust me on that.† Something very, very obvious, something I should have grasped at oncebut I'd been so distracted by the idea of Jacob and his friends fighting with Laurent, that I'd completely missed it at the timeoccurred to me only then, when Jacob used the present tense again. We're going to take care of this. It wasn't over. â€Å"Laurent is dead,† I gasped, and my entire body went ice cold. â€Å"Bella?† Jacob asked anxiously, touching my ashen cheek. â€Å"If Laurent died a week ago then someone else is killing people now.† Jacob nodded; his teeth clenched together, and he spoke through them. â€Å"There were two of them. We thought his mate would want to fight usin our stories, they usually get pretty pissed off if you kill their matebut she just keeps running away, and then coming back again. If we could figure out what she was after, it would be easier to take her down. But she makes no sense. She keeps dancing around the edges, like she's testing our defenses, looking for a way inbut in where? Where does she want to go? Sam thinks she's trying to separate us, so she'll have a better chance† His voice faded until it sounded like it was coming through a long tunnel; I couldn't make out the individual words anymore. My forehead dewed with sweat and my stomach rolled like I had the stomach flu again. Exactly like I had the flu. I turned away from him quickly, and leaned over the tree trunk. My body convulsed with useless heaves, my empty stomach contracting with horrified nausea, though there was nothing in it to expel. Victoria was here. Looking for me. Killing strangers in the woods. The woods where Charlie was searching My head spun sickeningly. Jacob's hands caught my shoulderskept me from sliding forward onto the rocks. I could feel his hot breath on my cheek. â€Å"Bella! What's wrong?† â€Å"Victoria,† I gasped as soon as I could catch my breath around the nauseous spasms. In my head, Edward snarled in fury at the name. I felt Jacob pull me up from my slump. He draped me awkwardly across his lap, laying my limp head against his shoulder. He struggled to balance me, to keep me from sagging over, one way or the other He brushed the sweaty hair back from my face. â€Å"Who?† Jacob asked. â€Å"Can you hear me, Bella? Bella?† â€Å"She wasn't Laurent's mate,† I moaned into his shoulder. â€Å"They were just old friends† â€Å"Do you need some water? A doctor? Tell me what to do,† he demanded, frantic. â€Å"I'm not sickI'm scared,† I explained in a whisper. The word scared didn't really seem to cover it. Jacob patted my back. â€Å"Scaled of this Victoria?† I nodded, shuddering. â€Å"Victoria is the red-haired female?† I trembled again, and whimpered, â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"How do you know she wasn't his mate?† â€Å"Laurent told me James was her mate,† I explained, automatically flexing the hand with the scar. He pulled my face around, holding it steady in his big hand. He stared intently into my eyes. â€Å"Did he tell you anything else, Bella? This is important. Do you know what she wants?† â€Å"Of course,† I whispered. â€Å"She wants me.† His eyes flipped wide, then narrowed into slits. â€Å"Why?† he demanded. â€Å"Edward killed James,† I whispered. Jacob held me so tightly that there was no need for me to clutch at the holehe kept me in one piece. â€Å"She did get pissed off. But Laurent said she thought it was fairer to kill me than Edward. Mate for mate. She didn't knowstill doesn't know, I guessthat that† I swallowed hard. â€Å"That things aren't like that with us anymore. Not for Edward, anyway.† Jacob was distracted by that, his face torn between several different expressions. â€Å"Is that what happened? Why the Cullens left?† â€Å"I'm nothing but a human, after all. Nothing special,† I explained, shrugging weakly. Something like a growlnot a real growl, just a human approximationrumbled in Jacob's chest under my ear. â€Å"If that idiot bloodsucker is honestly stupid enough† â€Å"Please,† I moaned. â€Å"Please. Don't.† Jacob hesitated, then nodded once. â€Å"This is important,† he said again, his face all business now. â€Å"This is exactly what we needed to know. We've got to tell the others right away.† He stood, pulling me to my feet. He kept two hands on my waist until he was sure I wasn't going to fall. â€Å"I'm okay,† I lied. He traded his hold on my waist for one of my hands. â€Å"Let's go.† He pulled me back toward the truck. â€Å"Where are we going?† I asked. â€Å"I'm not sure yet,† he admitted. â€Å"I'll call a meeting. Hey, wait here for just a minute, okay?† He leaned me against the side of the truck and released my hand. â€Å"Where are you going?† â€Å"I'll be right back,† he promised. Then he turned and sprinted through the parking lot, across the road, and into the bordering forest. He flitted into the trees, swift and sleek as a deer. â€Å"Jacob!† I yelled after him hoarsely, but he was already gone. It was not a good time to be left alone. Seconds after Jacob was out of sight, I was hyperventilating. I dragged myself into the cab of the truck, and mashed the locks down at once. It didn't make me feel any better. Victoria was already hunting me. It was just luck that she hadn't found me yetjust luck and five teenage werewolves. I exhaled sharply. No matter what Jacob said, the thought of him coming anywhere close to Victoria was horrifying. I didn't care what he could turn into when he got mad. I could see her in my head, her face wild, her hair like flames, deadly, indestructible But, according to Jacob, Laurent was gone. Was that really possible? EdwardI clutched automatically at my chesthad told me how difficult it was to kill a vampire. Only another vampire could do the job. Yet Jake said this was what werewolves were made for He said they were keeping a special eye on Charliethat I should trust the werewolves to keep my father safe. How could I trust that? None of us were safe! Jacob the very least of all, if he was trying to put himself between Victoria and Charlie between Victoria and me. I felt like I might be about to throw up again. A sharp rap on the truck's window made me yelp in terrorbut it was just Jacob, back already. I unlocked the door with trembling, grateful fingers. â€Å"You're really scared, aren't you?† he asked as he climbed in. I nodded. â€Å"Don't be. We'll take care of youand Charlie, too. I promise.† â€Å"The idea of you finding Victoria is scarier than the idea of her finding me,† I whispered. He laughed. â€Å"You've got to have a little more confidence in us than that. It's insulting.† I just shook my head. I'd seen too many vampires in action. â€Å"Where did you go just now?† I asked. He pursed his lips, and said nothing. â€Å"What? Is it a secret?† He frowned. â€Å"Not really. It's kind of weird, though. I don't want to freak you out.† â€Å"I'm sort of used to weird by this point, you know.† I tried to smile without much success. Jacob grinned back easily. â€Å"Guess you'd have to be. Okay. See, when we're wolves, we can hear each other.† My eyebrows pulled down in confusion. â€Å"Not hear sounds,† he went on, â€Å"but we can hear thoughtseach other's anywayno matter how far away from each other we are. It really helps when we hunt, but it's a big pain otherwise. It's embarrassinghaving no secrets like that. Freaky, eh?† â€Å"Is that what you meant last night, when you said you would tell them you'd seen me, even though you didn't want to?† â€Å"You're quick.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"You're also very good with weird. I thought that would bother you.† â€Å"It's not well, you're not the first person I've known who could do that. So it doesn't seem so weird to me.† â€Å"Really Waitare you talking about your bloodsuckers?† â€Å"I wish you wouldn't call them that.† He laughed. â€Å"Whatever. The Cullens, then?† â€Å"Just just Edward.† I pulled one arm surreptitiously around my torso. Jacob looked surprisedunpleasantly so. â€Å"I thought those were just stories. I've heard legends about vampires who could do extra stuff, but I thought that was just a myth.† â€Å"Is anything just a myth anymore?† I asked him wryly. He scowled. â€Å"Guess not. Okay, we're going to meet Sam and the others at the place we go to ride our bikes.† I started the truck and headed back up the road. â€Å"So did you just turn into a wolf now, to talk to Sam?† I asked, curious. Jacob nodded, seeming embarrassed. â€Å"I kept it real shortI tried not to think about you so they wouldn't know what was going on. I was afraid Sam would tell me I couldn't bring you.† â€Å"That wouldn't have stopped me.† I couldn't get rid of my perception of Sam as the bad guy. My teeth clenched together whenever I heard his name. â€Å"Well, it would have stopped me,† Jacob said, morose now. â€Å"Remember how I couldn't finish my sentences last night? How I couldn't just tell you the whole story?† â€Å"Yeah. You looked like you were choking on something.† He chuckled darkly. â€Å"Close enough. Sam told me I couldn't tell you. He's the head of the pack, you know. He's the Alpha. When he tells us to do something, or not to do somethingwhen he really means it, well, we can't just ignore him.† â€Å"Weird,† I muttered. â€Å"Very,† he agreed. â€Å"It's kind of a wolf thing.† â€Å"Huh† was the best response I could think of. â€Å"Yeah, there's a load of stuff like thatwolf things. I'm still learning. I can't imagine what it was like for Sam, trying to deal with this alone. It sucks bad enough to go through it with a whole pack for support.† â€Å"Sam was alone?† â€Å"Yeah.† Jacob's voice lowered. â€Å"When I changed, it was the most horrible, the most terrifying thing I've ever been throughworse than anything I could have imagined. But I wasn't alonethere were the voices there, in my head, telling me what had happened and what I had to do. That kept me from losing my mind, I think. But Sam† He shook his head. â€Å"Sam had no help.† This was going to take some adjusting. When Jacob explained it like that, it was hard not to feel compassion for Sam. I had to keep reminding myself that there was no reason to hate him anymore. â€Å"Will they be angry that I'm with you?† I asked. He made a face. â€Å"Probably.† â€Å"Maybe I shouldn't† â€Å"No, it's okay,† he assured me. â€Å"You know a ton of things that can help us. It's not like you're just some ignorant human. You're like a I don't know, spy or something. You've been behind enemy lines.† I frowned to myself. Was that what Jacob would want from me? Insider information to help them destroy their enemies? I wasn't a spy, though. I hadn't been collecting that kind of information. Already, his words made me feel like a traitor. But I wanted him to stop Victoria, didn't I? No. I did want Victoria to be stopped, preferably before she tortured me to death or ran into Charlie or killed another stranger. I just didn't want Jacob to be the one to stop her, or rather to try. I didn't want Jacob within a hundred miles of her. â€Å"Like the stuff about the mind-reading bloodsucker,† he continued, oblivious to my reverie. â€Å"That's the kind of thing we need to know about. That really sucks that those stories are true. It makes everything more complicated. Hey, do you think this Victoria can do anything special?† â€Å"I don't think so,† I hesitated, and then sighed. â€Å"He would have mentioned it.† â€Å"He? Oh, you mean Edwardoops, sorry. I forgot. You don't like to say his name. Or hear it.† I squeezed my midsection, trying to ignore the throbbing around the edges of my chest. â€Å"Not really, no.† â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"How do you know me so well, Jacob? Sometimes it's like you can read my mind.† â€Å"Naw. I just pay attention.† We were on the little dirt road where Jacob had first taught me to ride the motorcycle. â€Å"This good?† I asked. â€Å"Sure, sure.† I pulled over and cut the engine. â€Å"You're still pretty unhappy, aren't you?† he murmured. I nodded, staring unseeingly into the gloomy forest. â€Å"Did you ever think that maybe you're better off?† I inhaled slowly, and then let my breath out. â€Å"No.† â€Å"‘Cause he wasn't the best† â€Å"Please, Jacob,† I interrupted, begging in a whisper. â€Å"Could we please not talk about this? I can't stand it.† â€Å"Okay.† He took a deep breath. â€Å"I'm sorry I said anything.† â€Å"Don't feel bad. If things were different, it would be nice to finally be able to talk to someone about it.† He nodded. â€Å"Yeah, I had a hard time keeping a secret from you for two weeks. It must be hell to not be able to talk to anyone.† â€Å"Hell,† I agreed. Jacob sucked in a sharp breath. â€Å"They're here. Let's go.† â€Å"Are you sure?† I asked while he popped his door open. â€Å"Maybe I shouldn't be here.† â€Å"They'll deal with it,† he said, and then he grinned. â€Å"Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?† â€Å"Ha ha,† I said. But I got out of the truck, hurrying around the front end to stand close beside Jacob. I remembered only too clearly the giant monsters in the meadow. My hands were trembling like Jacob's had been before, but with fear rather than rage. Jake took my hand and squeezed it. â€Å"Here we go.†