Summarize the following:
You can save yourself a little effort by counting your arms as the seventh and eighth tentacles. Keep that in mind while gathering materials. If you can only find white socks, paint them to match the rest of your costume. Purple, orange, red, or blue are all good options for an octopus. If using tights, cut each leg into three sections, making six "tentacles" total. Close one end of each section using hot glue or needle and thread. You may use any compressible material, including cotton batting, newspaper, plastic bags, or tissue paper. Stuff each tentacle until it's firm enough to keep its shape. Cut a length of sturdy wire and slip it through the center of each tentacle. Glue it into place. Now you can adjust the pose of the tentacles by bending the wire. You can disassemble wire coat hangers instead of purchasing a whole spool of wire. Sew the opening closed, or glue the edges together. Gather plastic bottle caps and paint them white if they aren't already. Glue three bottle caps in a line at the tip of each tentacle.

summary: Plan on making six tentacles. Choose colorful tights or long cotton socks. Stuff the tentacles. Slide a wire through each tentacle. Seal the stuffing in. Attach bottlecap suckers.


Summarize the following:
A forward contract is like a futures contract or derivative. It is an agreement to buy or sell a currency at a fixed price on a certain date.  Here's an example:  Dave is worried that the price of the dollar is going to plummet relative to the British pound. He has $1,000,000 in cash, which would fetch him about £600,000 at the then-current exchange rate. Dave wants to use a forward contract to lock in the exchange rate of the dollar relative to the pound. Here's what Dave does: Dave offers to sell Vivian $1,000,000 of US currency in exchange for £600,000 of British currency in six months. Vivian accepts the deal. This is a "forward contract." Let's continue with our example of Dave offering a forward contract to Vivian. In six months (the agreed-upon time), there are three possible outcomes regarding the price of the dollar relative to the pound.  Each of these possibilities affects the forward contract:  The price of the dollar goes up relative to the pound. Hypothetically, let's say one dollar now fetches .75 pound instead of .6 pound. Dave pays Vivian the difference between the current price of exchange and the price agreed upon in the contract:  ($1,000,000 x .75) - ($1,000,000 x .6) = $150,000. The price of the dollar goes down relative to the pound. Hypothetically, let's say one  dollar now fetches .45 pound instead of .6 pound. Vivian agreed to pay Dave .6 pound for each of his dollars six months ago, so Vivian has to pay Dave the difference between the price agreed upon in the contract and the current price: ($1,000,000 x .6) - ($1,000,000 x .45) = $150,000. The exchange rate between the dollar and the pound stays the same. No exchange happens between partners in the contract. Like any derivative, a forward contract is a great way to ensure you don't lose a lot of money if a currency you have a sizable position in drops in value. Here's how Dave came out by using a forward contract:  If the dollar gained in value, Dave is a winner, although he still has to pay out. If one dollar fetches .75 pound instead of .6, Dave has to pay Vivian $150,000, but his million dollars suddenly buys a lot more pounds. If the dollar fell in value, Dave isn't a loser. Remember, Vivian owes him the exchange rate they agreed upon at the beginning of the contract. So it's as if the value of the dollar never fell. Dave takes the payout, none the poorer than he was before.

summary: Purchase forward contracts. Evaluate the forward contract at the agreed-upon time. Use forward contracts as a way to hedge against currency drops and spikes.


Summarize the following:
Wait for your yellow flowers to fade and for the leaves to grow. At this point, the plant starts to develop next year's buds, and the plant carries the buds through the fall and winter season. This is the best time to prune your forsythia. If you wait to prune your forsythias until after the springtime, the number of flowers that your plant yields next season will be considerably less.  This is a good idea if your bush is large and unruly and you want to tame it back. You may sacrifice a season of flowers, but your forsythia bush will look much better the next year. Young forsythias need little to no pruning. Only when they mature should you prune them once a year. If you want to help maintain the shape of the plant as it grows, you can snip off a few longer stems once a year, though this is not required. Letting the plant take its natural shape helps it establish a healthy root system.
summary: Prune forsythia plants right after they finish blooming in the spring. Prune in the summer, fall, or winter to reduce the number of flowers. Avoid pruning your forsythia when the plant is 1-3 years old.