Competitive Strategies Employed by Retail Supermarkets in...

1. Proposed working title: Competitive strategies employed by Retail Supermarkets in the UK: A comparative study. 2. Research Background: This research background focuses on competitive strategies employed by retail supermarkets in the UK.This background will give a general idea as what to anticipate in the report on strategies approach of leading retail supermarkets of the UK. Retail strategy is an overall plan or the agenda of action that has to follow by the retailer to get the success in the retail supermarket competition. (Barmen, B. Evans, J. 2006).The retail supermarkets environment has become tremendous competitive in recent years .Top supermarkets like Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morrison are heavily investing in†¦show more content†¦Ã¢Å¾ ¢ An attempt to identify which of them are most beneficial for the consumer. 7. LITERATURE REVIEW: My research is on competitive strategies employed by the retail supermarkets in the UK.The information on this topic has been published all over the books, news papers, online journals and web reports. I would like to review some of the most striking opinions given by some authors and my views on it. â€Å"We do not vary our retail offer in line with levels of local competition. We and all the other major grocery multiples have national strategies on pricing, branding, advertising, quality, range and services.† Commented by Tesco (Press association, 2007) I also agree with the author’s view above. Tesco which is number one retail supermarket in the UK decides their strategies by comparing their strong rival’s strategies. Now day’s customers have lot of choice to do shopping because of the competition between retail supermarkets in the UK. Most of the people choose to do shopping on the criteria of pricing, looking at brand and quality of goods and also service provided by the retail supermarkets. I also use same criteria to do my shopping. â€Å"Tosco’s attack on Sainsbury’s southern stronghold reflected a more aggressive store opening programmer. But he also said that Sainsbury, which will this week release interim results, could begin to feel the effects of the credit crunch if consumer worries about weekly shopping billsShow MoreRelatedThe Global Financial Crisis And Its Effects On The Supermarket Industry Essay1518 Words   |  7 Pagessubstitute, working more with equity capital, improving efficiency and re-structuring debt (Beaver and Ross, 1999; Laitinen, 2000; Pearce and Michael; 1997; Zehir, 2005). Studies shows several mitigating effects of the economic downturn in the supermarket industry. The oligopolistic nature of the market is significant. Large supermarkets have an established loyal customer base with and well-developed logistics. Private label goods became highly desirable, enabling consumers to buy the same products atRead MoreHrm on Tesco3698 Words   |  15 Pages| 2012 | | International and Comparative Human Resource Management Muhammad Rasool | Submitted By : Muhammad Rasool Student ID : L0288SASA1011 Module : International and Comparative Human Resource Management Semester : 6 Submitted To : Rajendra Kumar amp; Tatiana Pavlovsky [TESCO] | | Table of Contents S. No | CONTENTS | Page No. | 1 | Abstract | 3 | 2 | Introduction | 4 | Executive Summary | 3 | Background of theRead MoreTesco Analysis9055 Words   |  37 Pagessimply place your order and receive a non-obligatory quote within 20 minutes. We GUARANTEE that your order will be written by a professional writer with a UK degree, will be plagiarism free, will exactly match your specifications and quality standard, and will be delivered – by your deadline – via email. Strategic Management of TESCO supermarket: PESTLE analysis, Porter s 5 Forces analysis, Critical success factors, SWOT Analysis, VALUE CHAIN analysis, TESCO S strategic options, Core CompetencesRead MoreAn Evaluation of the Business and Financial Performance of Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc Between 31st January 2005 and 3rd February 20088304 Words   |  34 PagesAN EVALUATION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF WM MORRISON SUPERMARKETS PLC BETWEEN 31ST JANUARY 2005 AND 3RD FEBRUARY 2008 A RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS PROJECT FOR THE B.Sc (HONS) IN APPLIED ACCOUNTING CONTENTS PAGE PART 1 – Project Objectives and Overall Research Approach. 1. Reasons for choosing the project topic 2. Project objectives and research questions 3. An explanation of research approach. PART 2 – Information Gathering and Accounting/ Business techniquesRead MoreCoopers Creek6279 Words   |  26 PagesCase Study Coopers Creek and the New Zealand wine industry Heather Wilson and Maureen Benson-Rea This case describes the growth of a medium-sized New Zealand winery – Coopers Creek. It is concerned with the changing collaborative arrangements employed by Coopers Creek to service domestic and international markets since its inception. These changes are set against the background of a small, rapidly internationalising industry within a global market environment. Readers are encouraged to analyseRead MoreINTERNATIONAL STRATEGY - ASSIGNMENT: Case study: Waitrose2838 Words   |  12 PagesINTERNATIONAL STRTEGY ASSIGNMENT: CASE STUDY: WAITROSE WORD COUNT: 2945 ABSTRACT: This assignment describes focus differentiation strategic models used at Waitrose organisation and its competitive industry. Waitrose environmental is analysed by internal and external factors. Different types of methods have been discussed in this assignment (e.g. PESTEL analysis, SWOT analysis). INTRODUCTION: Waitrose founded in 1904 by Wallace Waite, Arthur Rose and David Taylor. Today its one of the UKs leadingRead MoreConsumer Behavior Towards Big Bazaar15008 Words   |  61 PagesCOMPARATIVE STUDY OF MARKETING STRATEGY REFERENCE TO 4PS OF BIG BAZAR OTHER RETAIL COMPANY Page |1 Management Thesis – 1 | 3rd Semester COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MARKETING STRATEGY REFERENCE TO 4PS OF BIG BAZAR OTHER RETAIL COMPANY CERTIFICATE It is certified that the work contained in the thesis entitled â€Å"A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MARKETING STRATEGY REFERENCE TO 4PS OF BIG BAZAR AND OTHER RETAIL COMPANY By Rajesh Kumar has been carried out under my supervision and that this work has not beenRead MoreBalanced Score Card for Tesco by Manish4430 Words   |  18 PagesTesco PLC | By manish abraham | This essay presents an analysis of the way in which Tesco implement the balanced scorecard. The strengths and hindrances associated with this approach have also been outlined with respect to this particular case study. The 4 perspectives of the balanced scorecard are examined in detail, the conclusions of which are later divulged. | | | | Table of Contents Introduction – Balance Scorecard page 4 Introduction – Tesco page 6 Financial PerspectiveRead MoreSystem and Operation Management. Critical Evaluation of Relevant Issue. Tesco Case Study4502 Words   |  19 PagesIntroduction The 21st century has brought about several improvements in business strategies and operations. Most businesses have realized that to be very effective in their given industry the internal operations of such businesses have to be to the highest level of standardized efficiency (Wang et al 2010). These busineses have also realized that the effective management of the systems and daily operations of the organisation would facilitate organisational productivity and result in maximizationRead MoreRecruitment and Selection - HRM4324 Words   |  18 PagesSELECTION Introduction Employing the right individual has the potential to, in the long run save the organisation money by reducing turnover. This highlights the importance of recruitment and selection of sales people. Various techniques should be employed to best avoid selecting the wrong individuals for the job. Effective recruitment processes are vital in attracting and retaining high quality staff (Marterel2005). This statement supports the argument that recruitment and selection is the main activity

Sms Based E Notice Board Free Essays

string(38) " and has an integral SIM card reader\." Abstract The goal of this project is to design an embedded device which can control up to 8 devices by sending a specific SMS message from a cell-phone. This controller is extremely handy at places where we have to control the ON and OFF switching of the devices but no wired connection to that place is available. To implement this, a GSM modem is connected to a programmed microcontroller which would receive the SMS from a reference cell phone. We will write a custom essay sample on Sms Based E Notice Board or any similar topic only for you Order Now The control signal part of the received SMS is extracted and is changed to microcontroller-preferred format. In regular intervals, the modem would also send the local temperature We have selected GSM because the ubiquity of its standard makes international roaming very common between mobile phone operators, enabling subscribers to use their phones in many parts of the world. A PC which is connected to the micro-controller using a serial communication through RS232 can be used for monitoring and transmission of the control signals to the modem. The monitoring is also done by interfacing a LCD to the microcontroller. AT commands were used for controlling the functionality of modem. Main hardware requirements: Renesas SKP16C62P Starter Kit Plus This contains the micro-controller. (used for controlling the different external devices connected as per the SMS received ) GSM modem (GM28 from Sony-Ericsson) This GSM/GPRS terminal equipment is a powerful, compact and self contained unit with standard connector interfaces and has an integral SIM card reader. You read "Sms Based E Notice Board" in category "Papers" It is used for receiving the SMS from the mobile device and then to transmit to the Renesas SKP. A MAX232 chip This converter chip is needed to convert a TTL logic from a Microcontroller (TxD and RxD pins ) to standard serial interfacing for PC (RS232) A DB9 connector This takes the signals coming form the MAX232 chip to the PC. The typical applications of this serial modem is for developing a wide range of equipment like Security and alarms devices Monitoring and control devices Vending machines Utilities devices Fleet Management devices Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 3 2. Project Description Renesas SKP16C62P Starter Kit Plus Device 1 Device 2 MAX 232 Device 8 DB9 Connector DB9 Connector GM28 (GSM Modem with SIM card working in 850 MHz /1900 Hz) Antenna Computer (For displaying the received SMS) Figure 1: Block diagram of the project setup Initially the SMS is received from the person authorized to use this setup (destination) by the GSM modem (GM28) is transferred to the Renesas SKP16C62P SKP with the help of a MAX 232 chip. As per the AT commands given by the microcontroller to the modem, the control signal from the SMS is extracted and is used to control the devices connected to it. We have to convert the ‘septets’ of the phone to ‘octets’ because the micro-controller need bytes with 8 bits length ( The ‘septet’ is 1 byte with 7 bits length and ‘octet’ is 1 byte with 8 bits length). All this process is necessary to decode the message from SMS. A program (for extracting the control signal part from received SMS) is loaded into Renesas SKP16C62P SKP, and then the circuit is connected to the modem. The microcontroller now tries to read the SMS from the 1st memory location of the modem and it keeps trying again until the modem receives any (programmed for every one second). Before implementing the control signal part of the SMS, the modem extracts the number from the SMS and verifies if this number has the access to control the device or not. For controlling the devices, the message will be sent in hexa decimal format. The hex data is converted to the equivalent binary and the particular output is enabled. For example if the message is â€Å"AB† the equivalent binary is â€Å"10101011† this implies that the output 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 are enabled and the remaining ports are disabled. We have connected LEDs to the ports of microcontroller to show the output and their status indicates whether the ports are set to ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’. The microcontroller is also programmed to read the temperature from the thermistor every 15 minutes and to send a SMS to the destination number. Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 4 3. Device Description 3. 1. Renesas SKP16C62P Starter Kit Plus The SKP16C62P StarterKit Plus (SKP) is a low-cost environment for evaluating M16C/62P group of microcontrollers (MCU) and Renesas Technology America, Inc. software development tools. The SKP board provides an evaluation and development environment for the M16C/62P group of MCU. It has pushbutton switches, LED’s and LCD for user interface. Standard connector ports are available to expand the range of applications through the use of expansion boards, etc. The kit comes with an integrated software development environment, HEW (IDE, C-compiler, assembler, and linker), KD30 Debugger, and FoUSB (Flash-overUSBâ„ ¢) Programmer. A real-time, source-level debug environment is implemented using the KD30 debugging software with the RTA-FoUSB-MON Flash Programmer/In-Circuit Debugger (ICD). The Flash-over-USBTM (FoUSB) Programmer software, with the ICD, allows in-system programming of the M16C/62P flash MCU. The ICD and firmware provide a convenient USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface between the SKP16C62P board and the host PC. This interface reduces resource requirements on the M16C/62P MCU, allows faster code downloads and, can also be used with many other Renesas Flash MCU’s, SKP’s, and user’s target board. Figure 2: SKP16C62P System Connectivity (From the hardware manual of SKP16c62P ) Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 5 3. 2 GSM modem: (GM28 from Sony-Ericsson) Figure 3. a Figure 3. b Figure 3. c Figures 3. a, 3. b and 3. c show the different views of the GSM modem GM28 (From the Hardware Manual of GM28 Modem) The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. It is the European standard for digital cellular service that includes enhanced features. It is based on TDMA technology and is used on 850/1900 MHz. We are using the GM28, a GSM modem from Sony-Ericsson. This is a powerful GSM/GPRS Terminal with compact and self-contained unit. This has standard connector interfaces and has an integral SIM card reader. The modem has a RJ9 connector through which a speaker and microphone can be connected allowing audio calls being established, but this feature is not utilized in this project as only data transfer is needed. Following are few technical details of the modem. Interfaces: †¢ Data: RS232 9–way (V. 28) †¢ Power and Extended I/Os: 5 – 32VDC (RJ11) †¢ Audio 4-wire Handset Interface (RJ9) †¢ Antenna: 50 (FME male) †¢ SIM card reader: 3V/5V interface with SIM detection Features: †¢ ME + SIM phone book management – read/write/find, call screening, groups †¢ SIM Application Toolkit Class 2 †¢ Real Time Clock †¢ Software upgradeable †¢ Audio control †¢ Fixed dialing number †¢ UCS2 16 bit data supported. Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 6 SMS features †¢ Supports both Text and PDU modes †¢ MT/MO CBM †¢ Cell Broadcast †¢ Concatenation – up to 6 SMS The TT4030 (SE-GM28) uses the following industry standard connectors to interface with the external application and the GSM network; †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ RJ11 (plug-in power supply connector). RJ9 (handset audio connector) Integral SIM card reader. FME male (antenna connector). Sub-D socket, 9 pin (RS232 serial port). 3. 3. Power Connections All electrical connections to the TT4030 (SE-GM28) are designed to meet the standard air (4 kV) and contact (8 kV) discharge ESD tests, of EN 301 489-1. Figure 4 RJ11 connector as power supply to the modem (From the Hardware Manual of GM28 Modem) 3. 4. Antenna Connections The used antenna (Figure 4. a) operates at 850/1900 MHz which is suitable for transmitting and receiving of RF signals for the GSM modem (GM28) used. Some of the key features of this antenna are: †¢ Bandwidth is 280 MHz †¢ VSWR is +3. 0V Signal = 1 (HIGH) lt; -3. V Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 9 Pin No. Name Notes/Description 1 DCD Data Carrier Detect 2 RD Receive Data (a. k. a RxD, Rx) 3 TD Transmit Data (a. k. a TxD, Tx) 4 DTR Data Terminal Ready 5 SGND Ground 6 DSR Data Set Ready 7 RTS Request To Send 8 CTS Clear To Send 9 RI Ring Indicator Table 1 Pin description of a DB9 connector 6. GM28 in a Communicati on System Figure 10, Illustrates the main blocks of a wireless communication system using the TT4030 (SE-GM28). It also shows the communication principles of the system. The definitions in the figure are in accordance with the recommendations of GSM 07. 7. The MS (mobile station) represents the TT4030 (SE-GM28) modem plus SIM card. The modem excluding SIM card, is known as the ME (mobile equipment). The TE (terminal equipment) is a micro-controller and is a part of the application. Figure 10. a Main blocks in communication between the GM28 (modem) and the microcontroller (TE) (From the Hardware Manual of GM28 Modem) The end-to-end communication path to be established between the external telemetry/ telematics application and a remote terminal or host, via the GSM network is done through the serial communication. Serial data with flow control according to the RS232 signaling protocol operates between the modem and the external application. The modem performs a set of telecom services (TS) according to GSM standard phase 2+, ETSI and ITU-T. Control of the TT4030 (SE-GM28) is by the external application, via the RS232 serial interface, using a set of AT commands. The TT4030 (SEGM28) supports the full set of AT commands according to GSM 07. 05 and GSM 07. 07. It also supports an extended set of Ericsson proprietary AT commands to add extra functionality. Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 10 AT commands are used to operate the modem and have a broad range of Functions including: Configuring general parameters of the modem (SE-GM28) Setting up and controlling communications to and from the GSM Network Configuring the modem to communicate across the RS232 serial interface Obtaining GSM network status information. Figure 10. b Interface between the GM28 (modem) and microcontroller (TE) (From the Hardware Manual of GM28 Modem) The modem also supports the Voice, Data, Fax services but since these are not required for the current application, they are not taken into consideration as of now. . AT commands The AT command set is the fundamental interface with the modem. An AT command is simply a string of characters preceded by the AT prefix that is sent to the modem. The commands typically instruct the modem to perform some action or set some characteristic within the modem. The modem has two states: command state and on-line state. In command state, the modem will accept and re spond to AT commands. In the on-line state, the modem will transmit data, but ignore AT commands. Typically the modem is in the on-line state after dialing. AT commands has the following format: The command is prefixed with AT (Attention) The command is terminated by a carriage return (except the A/ command and escape sequence). The commands can be entered in upper case or lower case. The AT prefix can be in upper case or lower case, but both the A and the T must be the same case. Characters that precede the AT prefix are ignored. Multiple commands can be strung together on a single line and spaces may be included between commands but are not necessary. The command line interpretation begins upon receipt of the carriage return. These commands are used for request information about the current configuration or operational status of the mobile phone/modem and test availability and request the range of valid parameters, when applicable, for an AT command. Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 11 General Syntax of AT-Commands: Basic AT [=] [] Extended AT+= [] AT*= [] Read command AT+? AT*? AT? Test command AT+=? AT*=? Response command AT+ : AT* : Important AT command used to Test and Design: 1) ATD To dial a voice call from the modem. 2) AT+IPR To set the baud rate for the modem ( here for our application the baud rate is set as 9600) ) ATA To answer an incoming call. 4) AT+CHUP To hang up the initiated call. 5) AT+CFUN To set the phone functionality. Set to 0 to deactivate the modem. 6) AT+CLIP To identify caller number this command is set to 1 7) AT+CLIR For calling line Identification Restriction. 8) AT+CNUM To identify the subscriber number. 9) AT+CMGR To read the message at particular location . The location num ber is given as index. 10) AT+CMGD To delete the received message 11) AT+CMGS To send the message. 12) AT+CMGF To change the message format to PDU or Text mode. 13) AT+CMGL To see all the list of messages. 4) ATE To enable and disable command echo. 8. Installation and Functionality of modem To install this modem in the communication system to PC, the following procedure is adopted: †¢ †¢ †¢ Select the phone and modem options from the control panel. By browsing the disk for the modem drivers, the modem is selected and configured to a particular port through which it is connected to the PC. The terminal package like HyperTerminal is selected in the initial stage to check the functionality of the AT commands to control the GSM modem and later this hyper terminal is just used to monitor the serially received output. Hence finally a three way communication is established, the modem directly communicates with the micro controller to control the switching of devices externally and the hyper terminal package in PC is used just for monitoring the results (hence only receive and ground of connected to the PC). Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 12 †¢ †¢ The parameters for serial communication can be set in two ways; either by terminal equipment or by serial communication with the micro controller. It should be noticed that the DTR pin should be enabled high in the initial tage to turn-on the modem, for this flow control of hardware is to be taken and the communication initially is 115200 bauds/second with 8-n-1 configuration (i. e. 8-Data bits, Parity none and 1-Stop bit). Later the baud rate can be changed to 9600 bps through the AT command: AT+IPR = . The settings for the hyper-terminal should have the default input translation and ASCII setup, the emulation can be either VT100 (preferable) o r Auto-detect. To setup the serial port the following procedure has been followed: †¢ †¢ †¢ Select system from the control panel and thereby select the device manager in the hardware option. Now the exact serial COM port where the modem is configured is selected manually. Select port settings and then bits per second to get the exact baud rate. Now that the modem is configure it’s the task of setting up the volatile profile and enter the AT commands required to select the SIM memory and then extract the text message. Hence, serial communication is established between GM28 and the microcontroller using a DB9 connector with a level shifter (MAX232). A level shifter is connected between the microcontroller (SKP) and the modem/computer and null modem connection is connected for the DB9 connector. The above discussed points are depicted in the Figure 9. Figure 9 Circuit for connecting the microcontroller to the modem/computer Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 13 9. Short Message Service (SMS) The GSM GM28 Modem supports the following SMS services. Sending, MO (mobile-originated) with both PDU (protocol data unit) and text mode supported. Receiving, MT (mobile-terminated) with both PDU and text mode supported. CBM (cell broadcast message), a service in which a message is sent to all subscribers located in one or more specific cells in the GSM network. This feature is network dependent. SMS STATUS REPORT according to GSM 03. 40. SMS COMMAND according to GSM 03. 40. It should be noted that the maximum length of an SMS message is 160 characters when using 7- bit encoding. For 8-bit data, the maximum length is 140 characters. The Modem supports up to 6 concatenated messages to extend this function. Before we start working on the application design we should ensure the network subscription status Before the application is implemented, we must ensure that the chosen network provides the necessary telecommunication services. Else, the service provider should be contacted to obtain the necessary information. Since SMS features are used in this application, we have to ensure that these are included in the (voice) subscription. 10. PDU SMS format: There are two ways of sending and receiving SMS messages: by text mode and by PDU (protocol description unit) mode. We can switch from text mode to PDU mode and vice versa by selecting the AT+CMGF command. If AT+CMGF = 0 then PDU mode is selected and if the mode is 1 then text mode is selected. The text mode is just an encoding of the bit stream represented by the PDU mode. If we read the message on the phone, the phone will choose a proper encoding. An application capable of reading incoming SMS messages can thus use text mode or PDU mode. If text mode is used, the application is bound to the set of preset encoding options. In some cases, that’s just not good enough. If PDU mode is used, any encoding can be implemented. The PDU string contains not only the message, but also a lot of metainformation about the sender, its SMS service center, the time stamp etc. But as of now for our application we require the phone number of the caller for authentication and the length of the message and the text message which contains the binary message. Let us take a example for the text message of â€Å"abcdef†. This message contains apart from the basic text message a lot of redundant data (meta information about the sender). In PDU mode the SMS looks like: 07914140279542F7000B816187220731F700006010413283900A0661F1985C3603 In TEXT mode the SMS looks like: +CMGR: â€Å"REC READ†,†16782270137†³,,†06/01/14,23:56:1720†³,129,0,0,0,†+14047259247†³,145,6 abcdef Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 14 The octets of the PDU message contain lots of information, in the above example the PDU can be divided and different octets signify the following information: 07 Length of SMSC information. 1 Type of address of SMSC. 4140279542F7 Encoded Service center number. 00 First octet of SMS delivery message. 0B Address length of the sender message. 81 Type of address of the sender number. 6187220731F7 Sender number with a trailing F. (number is 16872270137). 00 TP-Protocol Identification Address. 00 TP-Data c oding Scheme. 601041328390 TP-SCTS Time stamp. 0A TP-User data length. 0661F1985C3603 Encoded Message â€Å"abcdef†. All the octets are hexa-decimal 8-bit octets, except the Service center number, the sender number and the timestamp; they are decimal semi-octets. The message part in the end of the PDU string consists of hexa-decimal 8-bit octets, but these octets represent 7-bit data. Basically the transformation of the septets to the octets is based on the GSM 03. 38 standard. This is helpful when we try to communicate with the PDU mode but if we use the CMGF command then text mode is activated to get the converted text message. So to get the message in the Text message we need to send the following commands AT+CMGF=1 to activate the text mode AT+CMGS=1 to check whether the modem supports the SMS message or not. AT+CMGR=I to read the message at the location I in the SIM card. 11. Code /*******************************************************************/ /* FILE :main. c DATE : Jan 2nd 2006 /* */ DESCRIPTION :Main Program To receive SMS from GM28 and to extract the control information part, then to control LEDs accordingly. Send the ambient temperature as SMS back to the user. AUTHORS: B. VAMSEE KRISHNA ; B. PRANEETH KUMAR */ /******************************************************************/ #include â€Å"skp_bsp. h†// include SKP board support package #include â€Å"string. h† void uartinit(); Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 15 unsigned char result; char sms_text[200],sms_msg[10],num_text[10]; unsigned int f,f1,t,time=0,k=0,count=0,p=0; /* Prototype declarations */ void mcu_init(void); // MCU initialization void main(void); void timer_init(void); void uartinit(void); int map(char); #pragma INTERRUPT rx_isr void rx_isr(void); /* DEFINE QUEUES*/ #define Q_SIZE (200) typedef struct { unsigned char Data[Q_SIZE]; unsigned int Head; // points to oldest data element unsigned int Tail; // points to next free space unsigned int Size; // quantity of elements in queue Q_T; Q_T tx_q, rx_q; int Q_Empty(Q_T * q) { return q-;gt;Size == 0; } int Q_Full(Q_T * q) { return q-;gt;Size == Q_SIZE; } int Q_Enqueue(Q_T * q, unsigned char d) { // if queue is full, abort rather than overwrite and return // an error code if (! Q_Full(q)) { q-;gt;Data[q-;gt;Tail++] = d; Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 16 q-;gt;Tail %= Q_SIZE; q-;gt;Size++; return 1; // success } else return 0; // failure } unsigned c har Q_Dequeue(Q_T * q) { // Must check to see if queue is empty before dequeueing unsigned char t=0; if (! Q_Empty(q)) { t = q-;gt;Data[q-;gt;Head]; -;gt;Data[q-;gt;Head++] = 0; // empty unused entries for debugging q-;gt;Head %= Q_SIZE; q-;gt;Size–; } return t; } void Q_Init(Q_T * q) { unsigned int i; for (i=0; iData[i] = 0; // to simplify our lives when debugging q-gt;Head = 0; q-gt;Tail = 0; q-gt;Size = 0; } void timer_init(void) { //Timer initialisation ta0mr = 0x80;//timer mode ta0 = 0x927C;//for 50 msec delay ta0ic = 0x03;//timer priority tabsr=0x01; // starting the timer Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 17 } int map(char c) { int a=(int)c; switch (a) { case 48: return(0); break; case 49: eturn(1); break; case 50: return(2); break; case 51: return(3); break; case 52: return(4); break; case 53: return(5); break; case 54: return(6); break; case 55: return(7); break; case 56: return(8); Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 18 break; case 57: return(9); break; case 65: //returns 10 if ‘A’ is entered return(10); break; case 97: //returns 10 if ‘a’ is entered return(10); break; case 66: //returns 10 if ‘B’ is entered return(11); break; case 98: //returns 10 if ‘b’ is entered return(11); break; case 67: //returns 10 if ‘C’ is entered return(12); break; ase 99: //returns 10 if ‘c’ is entered return(12); break; case 68: //returns 10 if ‘D’ is entered return(13); break; case 100: //returns 10 if ‘d’ is entered return(13); break; case 69: //returns 10 if ‘E’ is entered return(14); break; case 101: //returns 10 if ‘e’ is entered Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 19 return(14); break; case 70: //returns 10 if ‘F’ is entered return(15); break; case 102: //returns 10 if ‘f’ is entered return(15); break; default: break; } } #pragma INTERRUPT timer_a0 void timer_a0(void) // the timer is set for every 50 milliseconds How to cite Sms Based E Notice Board, Papers

Challenges of Mental Health Caregiving Research

Question: Discuss about the Challenges of Mental Health Caregiving Research. Answer: Introduction Recovery can be defined based on a given perspective. Recovery is the state of regaining and retaining hope, being in a position to understand ones abilities and disabilities, being in a position to engage in a productive life, identifying the social background of a person, knowing what life purpose is and embracing positivity in the sense of life. People have mixed experience regarding recovery (Rosenberg et al., 2013). To others, it promotes self-determination, social connections, and social justice while the other side has a view that mental recovery is only a state of being in a position to understand ones self-life without other definite accompaniments (Rosenberg et al., 2013). On the other side, it becomes difficult for many the people to gain an understanding of recovery principles (Talley Fricchione, 2014). Therefore, this essay seeks to explore a live story about Janet in an endeavor to make the people understand what recovery principles are and their role in enhancing menta l health (Leathard Goodinson-McLaren, 2007). The core aim of this essay is to make an analysis about Janets mental case after sexually abused at her age of ten to fifteen, a factor that made her severely distressed at the age of nineteen. Janet experienced many challenges while trying to seek medical attention when her situation about health worsened. It is during her second year of studies when her voice and feelings about how she had been abused sexually got worse (O'Hagan, 2015). The first challenge that Janet passed through has no attention from the medical practitioners. When she called them, their response was wanting; she could not get help regarding her issues which increased drastically leading to a poor concentration in class and other fields (O'Hagan, 2015). The challenges that mentally ill peoples experience results from the context of those who are supposed to help them. It becomes hard for them to recover basing the fact that they feel avoided and isolated. One of the mental health principles is dignity and respect (Rosenberg et al., 2013). When the mentally ill are not to their expectation, they tend to feel not respected, and their dignity had to lower. Therefore, recovery becomes difficult in establis hing in them. The accessibility of mental health care services is another challenge that makes a recovery difficult for the mentally ill individuals. Janet received a piece of advice that it would take the medical specialists three weeks before she received treatment, a factor that rendered her unsafe and that no one was willing to assist her to get out of her mental disturbance (O'Hagan, 2015). Having no attention from the specialists, Janet rang to the crisis team being humiliated and even feeling to commit suicide. However, the crisis team further tortured her feelings by telling her to make a cup of tea for herself. The case led to Janet taking drug overdose feeling isolated and that nobody cared about her situation (O'Hagan, 2015). An ambulance was called to take Janet to the hospital with the aim of rescuing her from a drug overdose. Attitude and human rights being one of the recovery principles could have been violated in one way or another basing on the fact that communications from the mentally disturbed cares should reflect being respectful for recovery to be reclaimed (Rapp Goscha, 2012). The evasion of those who are supposed to be helpful is another challenge that makes recovery of mental illness to be worst (Brown, 2012). When the nurses and the other health practitioners seem to avoid the patient, the mental health recovery principle of evaluating the recovery did not receive attention (Rapp Goscha, 2012). While in her hospital bed, Janet rarely got attention from any of the nurses for a piece of advice or for evaluation of how she recovered. She felt ignored and even felt paranoid, a factor which made her wake up one night and tapped windows of the office of the nurse (O'Hagan, 2015). The nurse worsened her feeling by evasively telling her to go back to her bed without taking any course of action (O'Hagan, 2015). Janet went back having been gloomy about how her future takes. She got back and associated with her colleague patients though she felt hatred towards being in the ward without any attention provided to her. On the other hand, some staff who were nice did not have an interest of how she felt and about how she might feel once she was discharged (O'Hagan, 2015). They have regarded as nice simply from the way they associated with the patients and how they showed interest in communicating softly to them. When Janet went to the occupational therapy some morning, she found there demeaning as well. She slept for almost a day because of the cause of drugs effects. From her negative perspective about the care that she received from the hospital, Janet felt worse and even lied to the nurses to discharge her from the hospital she was accustomed to attending (Talley Fricchione, 2012). Attitudes and rights to the mentally ill patients need attention and care. The fact that Janet preferred the discharge to continue with medical care would pose no solution to her mental problem. She resumed her studies after getting released upon her decision to fight her battle. However, the schools administration was not favorable to her as well. They seemed to concentrate much on what Janet had lost academically while in the hospital than the actual cause. Janet continued feeling worse but struggled with bitterness. On the other hand, her classmates avoided her. According to the mental health national recovery-oriented framework services, personal recovery is when one can create and contribute life in the community of choice, it is the situation with or without mental issues. From Janet story, it can one learns that, for one to recover from mental illness, there is stipulated strategy that should need embracing (O'Hagan, 2015). Firstly, the uniqueness of an individual is a factor that wills matters. Jane being able and ready to share her issue with her friend Emma and responding honestly to the mental test quiz, and the psychological experts, allowed her to fill whole again. Janet personality allowed her to express herself. Her persona enables the experts to identify and address her issue appropriately (Wrycraft, 2015). Jane had good friends, Emma among them was willing to help Jane, and she went out of her way to help Jane search for the mental school where she could get medication. Secondly, from the Janet story, it is stated that making real choices is the only factor that enables an individual to get the immediate care and recover quickly (O'Hagan, 2015). If it was not Jane choices to share story bothering her and making steps to report her issue with the mental personnel, she could have committed suicide or just succumb under heart attack. Making real choices and caring friends is very crucial, Janes friend Emma helped in giving Jane an idea of looking for online help, Emma was able to reason and make a swift decision (Talley, Fricchione, 2014). After Jane visiting rock up her situation was taken very well, and she was able to recover steadily. Thirdly, for a mental issue to improve one should be aware of what is right and have the right attitude. Attitude matters a lot in making decisions, a person with the right attitude in embracing the recovery process will regain without depression necessarily affecting them (Talley, Fricchione, 2014). A person with the right attitude towards life can communicate what the problem is and take affirmative action in the recovery process. Jane, in this case, was shown to have the right attitude towards sharing her issue to friends and the mental personnel, Jane was ready to look for solutions to her mental issues (Talley Fricchione, 2014). She took all the advice she was given by the medics and her friends, she felt whole again after the expert consulted her about the issue and given attention and medication. Attitude also contribute in instilling hope in an individual about the future life and the ability to live manfully Fourthly, Dignity and respect are one of the principles that determine how the patient gets treated by friends and the caretakers (Brown, 2012). Dignity and respect dictate in a way that an individual issue receives help. Individual who embraces this virtue can get assistance easily from friends; this is because when these people share their problems friends will handle them with enough attention and give them proper attention on the issue (Brown, 2012). The respect and dignity that the person receives in the mental hospital determine a lot how a person will respond to the services provided in the hospital. From jams, the story is clear that her reception by her friend in the hospital reception gave her hope and determination in solving her mental issue. The way Jane receives treatment from the experts gave her hope; she had felt that she was not the only one with the illness but there are many people with the same problem and even more having the problem than her. Also, Partnership and communication are one of the key factors in ensuring the success of the mental recovery process (Drennan Alred, 2013). Good communication process and partnership provides that the individual with a mental issue is assessed and ensured that the person is recovering successfully. From Jane story, a collaboration with the friends and the hospital attendance enable her to pass through smooth recovery process (Drennan Alred, 2013). Jane was free to share her feelings freely with the doctor, she enables the doctors to assess her state clearly, and she received appropriate advice. Jane gained information regarding a suitable communication network she was able to report her issues effectively and efficiently Lastly, evaluating the recovery process is the best step in ensuring a successful recovery. Individuals and their careers can way their improvement. The mental hospital was able to handle her mental issue because they had well-stored experience in dealing with the same subject. Conclusion The system of mental health is mainly responsible for the terrible state the mental problems. For example, Janets case worsened because the mental health care system ignored the mental illness recovery principles such as communication, attitudes and rights, dignity and respect and evaluation of recovery. On the other hand, the recovery based services are more convenient for the mentally ill patients compared to the mental health system where there is resistance to change (Rosenberg et al., 2013). The resistance to change in the mental care system is what makes the system to cause more challenges than solutions to the mentally ill. There is need to adhere to the principles of mental recovery to ensure that the mentally ill to feel a sense of care, and thus, stimulate their recovery. References Associate Editors Issues in Mental Health Nursing 2016. (2016).Issues in Mental Health Nursing. Associate Editors Issues in Mental Health Nursing. (2012).Issues in Mental Health Nursing. Board of Review,Issues in Mental Health Nursing. (2013).Issues in Mental Health Nursing. Brown,C. (2012).Recovery and Wellness: Models of Hope and Empowerment for People with Mental Illness. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Broyles,B.E., Reiss,B.S., Evans,M.E. (2007).Pharmacological aspects of nursing care. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. Drennan,G., Alred,D. (2013).Secure Recovery: Approaches to Recovery in Forensic Mental Health Settings. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. In Leathard,A., In Goodinson-McLaren,S. (2007).Ethics: Contemporary challenges in health and social care. Bristol, UK: Policy Press. In Talley,R.C., In Fricchione,G., In Druss,B.G. (2014).The challenges of mental health caregiving: Research - Practice - Policy. Madness Made Me: A Memoir2015 1 Mary O'Hagan Madness Made Me: A Memoir Open Box. (2015).Mental Health and Social Inclusion. O'Hagan,M. (2015).Madness made me. Rapp,C.A., Goscha,R.J. (2012).The strengths model: A recovery-oriented approach to mental health services. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care - Part 1 Principles of Recovery. (2013).PsycEXTRA Dataset. doi. Rosenberg,J.M., Rosenberg,S.J., Routledge. (2013).Community mental health: Challenges for the 21st century. New York: Routledge Taylor Francis Group. Wrycraft,N. (2015).Assessment and care planning in mental health nursing.

Use Of imagery And Sensory Impression In The Rime Of Ancient Mariner

Use of imagery as a stylistic device has well been elucidated in the Rime of ancient mariner by Coleridge. Coleridge has employed different imagery techniques to bring life to his work (Dean 47). He has employed use of metaphors in several instances (Coleridge 2). Similes, alliteration, assonance and consonance have also been given a place in his work. Coleridge has strived to utilize both descriptive and figurative language to invoke sensory imagination in the minds of the readers as well as breathe some air into his work.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Use Of imagery And Sensory Impression In ‘The Rime Of Ancient Mariner’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The above imagery techniques have been explored in every section and throughout the poem to energize the work and move beyond just a mere study of language. In part I, the first paragraph, the metaphor â€Å"By thy long grey beard and glittering eye† has been used by Coleridge† to create a visualization in the minds of the readers on the nature of the character’s eye and hair (Coleridge 1). Coleridge also tries to make the reader visualize the body of the character how he/she looks like and seek to form questions in their mind concerning the health of the person when he says â€Å"he holds â€Å"He holds him with his skinny hand† (3). Coleridge strives to bring in another new imagery device known as similes when he says â€Å"And listens like a three years’ child† (Coleridge 5). This explains the degree of attentiveness of the character. It also tries to breathe some life in the play. Moreover, the writer blows in new air in his work when he repeatedly use sound T in the following sentence â€Å"The Wedding-Guest stood still† (Coleridge 7). The device is used to convey the gist of what the writer wanted to put across. This is also meant to give opportunity to readers to have a description on how the character stood. The writer further utilizes metaphor and assonance in two different lines â€Å"And thus spake on that ancient man† and â€Å"The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared,† (Coleridge 4). In the first place, he endeavors to make us have a clear description of the character when he uses the metaphor. The use and repetition of sound E also helps the writer to vividly bring out the meaning he intended to his audience (Coleridge 5). In the fifth stanza a new style emanates. Coleridge personalizes sun when he says â€Å"The Sun came up upon the left† (1). Coleridge uses this to create meaning to his work and help readers understand better what he is striving to communicate. Coleridge combines two devices in subsequent lines â€Å"The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast. For he heard the loud bassoon† (6). Sound T and E are used to enhance the message the author intended to communicate. It also endeavors to make the audience awake to hear more from the play. In the same stanza he makes use of a simile â€Å"Red as a rose is she† to create visualization in the minds of the audience. In the successive stanza, Coleridge uses metaphor â€Å"he bright-eyed Mariner† he uses this to describe the appearance of the character and make us the readers to visualize how the person he is talking about looks like.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Coleridge strives to make the audience picture the scene when he uses metaphor and invasion. He employees the styles in the following lines â€Å"With sloping masts and dipping prow†, â€Å"And southward aye we fled† (8). The author further uses personification where he states that â€Å"And now there came both mist and snow, And it grew wondrous cold, The ice was here, the ice was there, It ate the food it ne’er had eat† (9). C oleridge uses this to bring meaning to the poem and to make the audience alive to continue hearing what he is trying to communicate. Coleridge utilizes personification to make the audience have a visualization of the nature of the scene and the character in the play, the device is also used to breathe air into the poem. Examples of these devices are â€Å"And the good south wind still blew behind, the silence of the sea† (11). In addition, similes have also been applied in this part of the play â€Å"As idle as a painted ship†. Coleridge uses this device to bring out meaning of what he intends to communicate to the audience. It further makes the audience happy and proceeds to hear what the writer is communicating. Metaphor also comes up in this part, although it is not applied severally as the other two â€Å"Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs† (12). Coleridge further portrays more use of imagery in part III, he capitalizes on use of personification to enhan ce his language, bring taste to his work and fully describe the characters, scene and the setting as well as creating imagination in minds of the audience. This figure is well explicated than other stylistic devices in this part. However the writer uses similes, metaphor, consonance and assonance in this part to create more meaning to his work and activate audience to keep going and get more from the play. Example of this are simile, â€Å"And the balls like pulses bea†. Consonance repetition of sound B â€Å"Her beams bemocked the sultry main† is also evident. Assonance repetition of sound O â€Å" sweet sounds rose slowly through their mouths† can be picked out. The author continues to navigate further on various imagery devices in part IV. In this part, he gives more attention on metaphors than other devices to give life to his work. This creates a vivid description of the characters and the scene hence making the audience have a clear visualization of the sa me. Example of this is â€Å"I fear thee and thy glittering eye† (Coleridge 15).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Use Of imagery And Sensory Impression In ‘The Rime Of Ancient Mariner’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Coleridge radiates more figurative language in part V of the play. He gives more emphasis on the use of similes and metaphors than other stylistic devices to describe the appearance of the character hence making the audience have a vivid picture of the character and the scene example of the similes. In this part is â€Å"They raised their limbs like lifeless tools† metaphors have also been used. More of these stylistic devices continue to be explored in part VI. The author uses similes, metaphor and consonance respectively to create a vivid description of the characters, â€Å"Still as a slave before his lord, His great bright eye most silently, sweetly, sweetly blew the breeze†. Coleridge has extensively used the five human senses to strike a balance of what he strives to communicate to his audience. He has mostly employed use of sight and hearing than touch, taste and smell to effectively enlighten the audience. In the Part 1 of the play he uses sight expansively to vividly describe the character, setting and the scene. He also uses the same to draw audience into his work as well as enable them to create extensive description and imagination of the plays and try to fictionalize the same. Example of the places where the sense has been applied is â€Å"By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, The Bridegroom’s doors are opened wide, with sloping masts and dipping prow, Glimmered the white Moon-shine† (Coleridge 20). Furthermore, Coleridge has well illustrated and utilized sense of hearing in several instances in the play. He has applied this to describe appearance of the characters, setting, give meaning to his work as well as i nvolving readers in his work. Example of this is in part I, stanza eight of the play â€Å"The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast† part II, stanza seven â€Å"The silence of the sea† part III â€Å"With far-heard whisper, o’er the sea†(24). The author uses this sensory organ to effectively communicate the message he intend. Coleridge continues to invoke sensory impression when he further brings in sense of touch. He uses this device in almost every part of the play to bring to bring out his message. He uses this to get the readers’ head deep in the story and essentially get the picture of what is happening as if they are watching a movie. Example of this part I, stanza 10 â€Å"And it grew wondrous cold†. The writer doesn’t make good use of taste and smell senses in his work as compared to the others. However, he endeavors to us an element of this to create feeling and imagination in the minds of the audience as well as successfu lly tailor his message. Example of this is in part V where he uses taste when he says â€Å"Sweet sounds rose slowly through their mouths† (Bloom 220).Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Coleridge seemed to adopt more application of visual sense in his work as compared to the other four. He has employed this style in every stanza of the play. Coleridge may have opted for the style as it seem to be the most effective in creating colorful description of the characters, scene and the setting. He also uses this to give a chance to the readers to picture the scene in detail. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010. Print. Coleridge, Samuel. The Rime of Ancient Mariner in Seven Parts, Middlesex: The Echo Library Publishers, 2007. Print. Dean, Nancy. Voice Lessons: Classroom Activities to teach Diction, Imagery, Syntax  and Tone, New York: Maupin House Publishing, 2000. Print. This essay on Use Of imagery And Sensory Impression In ‘The Rime Of Ancient Mariner’ was written and submitted by user Grayson J. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Children Transition In Life Children And Young People Essay Essays

Children Transition In Life Children And Young People Essay Essays Children Transition In Life Children And Young People Essay Essay Children Transition In Life Children And Young People Essay Essay Bereavement This can be a really traumatic clip for a kid or immature individual, mourning can impact concentration, memory and acquisition. New sibling A ambitious passage for immature kids, it may impact the kid s behaviour as they may move out, desiring to derive attending. Parental Separation This can impact kids and immature people in many different ways and must be dealt with in consequently in a sensitive mode. Traveling Home Traveling house can be a large turbulence, it can impact the kid or immature individual because they are being taken out of their safe and familiar environment. Illness or Injury Whether it be the child/young individual straight affected or a household member, either manner the kid may necessitate assist covering with the alteration of fortunes. Divorce This is a hard period for a kid or immature individual, they may be affected in many different ways and must hold eternal emotional support. Taken into the attention system This can be a hard passage where the school and societal services must work together to do the procedure tally every bit swimmingly as possible for a immature kid. Abuse A ; Neglect Maltreatment and disregard can impact all countries of development. Children and immature people are affected by maltreatment in different ways, results of maltreatment vary. Traveling states Traveling states can hold a negative affect upon kids and immature people, socially, academically and emotionally. These types of passages are by and large unplanned, or happen with small or no warning and in bend can be damaging if non responded and dealt with in the right manner. These unplanned passages will besides nevertheless affect kids and immature people in different ways. Some kids and immature people may besides see passages such as: The debut of Step Siblings Changing schools Change of carer Pet deceasing Parental alteration of spouse It is a known fact that all kids and immature people are faced with passages, although some may be affected positively and some negatively. When kids are faced with planned or unplanned passages they may see feelings such as choler, guilt, rejection and unhappiness. Other ways that kids and immature people may demo the affects made by passage i.e. attending seeking behaviour, friendship/peer jobs, and going withdrawn and quiet or exposing uncharacteristic wonts. Children and immature people traveling from primary to secondary high school may happen it difficult to set to being taught more officially. They are all of a sudden expected to analyze a wider assortment of topics, to take on more duty and sometimes do a new circle of friendly relationships. Involving alterations like larning more and holding less free clip. For most kids and immature people traveling through a passage such as traveling school can hold an impact on their acquisition and accomplishments, sometimes impacting them academically. Suddenly a kid is removed from their comfort zone and taken off from a familiar environment, from their friends and instructors etc. The kid is wholly thrown of path and set into a new environment which can be highly hard for a kid or immature individual to set excessively. It can hold affects on a kid s acquisition, self esteem and sometimes ensuing in them no longer desiring to travel to school, although some kids and immature people do adap t good to this type of passage. For illustration when I was go toing secondary school a immature miss moved from her original school due to her parents traveling state, when she began go toing my secondary school she settled in and adapted really good, turn outing to be rather popular with her equals. It appeared to hold a positive affect on the immature miss but so all of a sudden her equals turned against her, this so resulted in the immature miss going a victim of torture and intimidation. She became unhappy, quiet, withdrawn and reserved. Her parents decided it was in their kid s best involvements to alter schools one time once more, where she began to recover her ego regard and assurance which was highly affected by the intimidation, altering schools and traveling states. Fortunately the following alteration of school had a positive affect on the immature miss s instruction and larning which dramatically improved. She began doing friends, displayed more assurance and began to b ask go toing school once more. Traveling school can hold a negative and/or positive impact on a kid or immature individual s behaviour and development. In the get downing a alteration of school proved to hold a negative affect upon the immature miss but fortuitously the 2nd period of traveling school resulted in holding a positive affect upon her, bettering her behaviour and development. Therefore I feel it is of import that a kid s parents consider their kid s felicity before doing this pick, due to the positive and negative affects it can hold on a kid and immature individual. Although altering schools unluckily can non ever be prevented due to unanticipated fortunes in life. Parental Change Of Partner A parent presenting their new spouse to their kid can besides be a challenging and hard clip. It can ensue in impacting a kid or immature individual s behaviour and development. For illustration when I was a adolescent my female parent introduced me to her new long term spouse which at the clip felt like a alien was seeking to replace my male parent, I besides felt that her new spouse was taking off my female parents attending. Suddenly a new important figure was brought into the household. From my personal experience it had a bad affect on my behaviour and development as I began to misconduct, fume, drink and act out because I was highly angry interior and wanted to recover my female parents attending which I no longer felt I had. I became an angry, down, withdrawn and stray adolescent, clearly exposing marks that I was negatively affected, no longer being my usual bubbly, happy ego. My instruction besides began enduring because of this passage as I could no longer concentrate in school. However this does non ever have a negative impact on kids and immature people but it does necessitate to be handled carefully and sensitively. It can be a really ambitious clip for the kid and immature individual but besides for the parents, household members and anybody else involved.

Research Paper Writing Checklist

Research Paper Writing Checklist A research paper checklist is an essential tool because the task of putting together a quality paper involves many steps. Nobody writes a perfect report in one sitting! Before you get started on your project, you should review the checklist on ​research ethics. Later, once you have finished the final draft of your research paper, you can use this checklist to make sure that you have remembered all the details. Research Paper Checklist First Paragraph and Introduction Yes Needs Work Introductory sentence is interesting The thesis sentence is specific The thesis statement makes a clear declaration that I back up with examples Body Paragraphs Yes Needs Work Does each paragraph begin with a good topic sentence? Do I provide clear evidence to support my thesis? Have I used examples with citations evenly throughout the work? Do my paragraphs flow in a logical manner? Have I used clear transition sentences? Paper Format Yes Needs Work Title page meets assignment requirements Page numbers are in the right location on the page Page numbers start and stop on the right pages Each citation has a bibliography entry In-text citations checked for proper formatting Proofreading Yes Needs Work Ive checked for confusing word errors Ive checked for logical flow My summary restates my thesis in different words Meeting the Assignment Yes Needs Work I mention previous research or positions on this topic My paper is the right length Ive used enough sources Ive included the required variety of source types

Is Global Warming due to Human Actions Research Paper

Is Global Warming due to Human Actions - Research Paper Example Thesis Statement Global warming has already spread across the world and damaging the earth and its people. Until and unless the people of the earth realize the result of the global warming and take corrective measures it would keep damaging the earth and a day would come when the earth would be full of carbon dioxide and it would be almost impossible to remain alive (ThinkQuest, n.d.). Discussion Change is a process which is always tough to adapt or accept, and when there are changes in the environment and in the nature, it is one of the biggest challenges to face. Changes in nature and environment alter the system of the living style, the weather, the habits, and the temperature. The term ‘global warming’ has become a threat to the world. The problem is more intense even than that of terrorism. Terrorism might affect a certain part of the world, but global warming is having its toll throughout the whole world. Global warming is causing change in the climate, in the natu re and society among others. The balance of the ecology and the environment is very much necessary, but the people of the earth are damaging the environment for their personal interests. The relationship between the nature and human being is based on the ‘Give and Take’ policy. If people are taking resources from the nature they are supposed to give it back to the nature as well. In other words, human beings are causing trouble for themselves by deforestation, by releasing fuel, and by releasing smoke among others. Global warming can be an effect of emission of gasses, but the main causes of global warming is the negligence of the human beings and lack of responsibility towards the society (Hansen, 2006). The Causes of Global Warming One of the major reasons to cause global warming is the ever increasing pollution. All over the world, there are about ‘164.0 motor vehicles per 100 people’ running on the streets (Nation Master, 2011), resulting in a high rate of carbon dioxide in the air. The other reason to cause global warming includes burning the fossil fuel, which also causes emission of large amount of greenhouse gas. Overpopulation of the world is the other cause of global warming. The modern world is focusing very much into the housing and property sector, which is resulting in deforestation. Cutting the trees causes more Carbon Di-Oxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Not only air pollution but the water and the land pollution are also reasons behind the global warming. Almost every river and cannel is getting polluted due to the continuous emission of the waste from the factories. The villagers use the water for washing cloths and utensils, and they dump all their garbage in the water. These can be certain other reasons to cause global warming (Houghton, 2004). The Effects of Global Warming Global Warming affects the world in many ways, but the major effect of the global warming is the change in the climate. The other effects of globa l warming are, damage in the ozone layer, which is allowing more sun rays and the ultra violate rays to enter the world, which is harmful for the people. It is also resulting in higher water level of the sea, which can cause tsunami anytime. The global warming causes a change in the climate of the environment, which can be noticed by extreme cold or extreme hot weather. The

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Marketing - Essay Example 46). It is the responsibility of the management to identify and nature the core competence that fuels the company’s growth: the Wal-Mart stores identify this with much fulfillment of customer needs and with a broad spectrum of products and services at â€Å"everyday low prices†. The competency here is the product of the cumulative of competencies within the organizational boundaries and within personal skill sets. Wal-Mart has been a leader in inventory control, channel management, customer service and distribution. This has been arrived at through the company’s ability to distribute network and to coordinate a complex management of information and managing supplier relations in an efficient way. In order to fit within the marketing mix, the company has had the best strategies that address their pricing, promotion, advertising and competition for all tangible and non-tangible products. On observing its tangibles, I noticed that Wal-Mart has distributed cars and o ther motor products to several stores. As their selling slogan â€Å"everyday low prices†, the company has maintained low prices for the cars with great observation to the prices from other car selling industries. I saw a car care service point outside one of their stores and realized that, in order to maintain their customers, they have the car care services that they offer in every store. They have had their adverts on televisions, newspapers and magazines. Smart cars are displayed with accompanying information that all customers can access free car care at Wal-Mart stores. Wal-Mart service men include mechanics who undertake the promotion of commodities by offering repairs and spare parts for vehicles. This has rendered its competence in the automotive industry. Therefore, the Wal-Mart stores make more car sales than their core competitors in U.S.A., for example, the Callaway automakers and the Aurica. The sale of computers has been a flourishing activity with Wal-Mart Com pany. I looked at computers sold in the stores and realized that they have relatively lower prices compared to computers from other stores in Ohio. Their marketing strategy has included advertisements from the newspapers and television. The company offers computer gifts to individuals and groups on promotions. I had much interest on the computers and therefore I realized that it was much better to purchase such commodities at Wal-Mart than in companies like the Eagle Trooper which have been Wal-Mart’s competitor in the sale of computers. The provision of free computers with comprehensive warranties has brought in victory for the Wal-Mart computer stores. At the Bharti stores, I saw fridges and other household commodities being sold at a high demand by customers. The range of fridges at best price makes Wal-Mart the best place to buy fridges. Advertisements on television and other social networks show displays of beautiful fridges of different sizes. This gives their customers the desire to walk to their stores and get one for themselves. While other fridge manufactures and suppliers render much competition. The Bharti stores come out the best sellers of such commodities. I saw beautiful synthetic stones in stores and noted that they were part of family jewelry that the Wal-Mart company deals with in their market. Although the jewelry remains in stores for close to two months, the company makes adequate sales for their budget. They sell them at a relatively lower

The Enlightenment of Handsome Lake Essay Example for Free

The Enlightenment of Handsome Lake Essay During the mid eighteen century a change in thinking accumulated. This new way of thinking is called Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a time of insightfulness, finding a meaning and way to understand the universe. There were many Enlightenment speakers who wanted to share bright new ideas to the people. Such as Handsome Lake whom in â€Å"How America Was Discovered† had a vision regarding a change for his people. Handsome Lake enlightenment was a new approach for the traditional religion of his people. According to Handsome Lake his people way of life was perishing. The family togetherness had become a distant memory. The willingness to help a fellowman was null and void at this time. Due to the white man’s many gifts including poison (alcohol), and also the witches was corrupting them. Several new teachings were needed for the Iroquois people. First they had to know how the evil came about in order to correct it and move forward. Secondly, they had to understand how they were living was not of God (religion tradition). Third they had to realize life that they once new were no more; they had to adapt to the evolving universe. He enlightens with a story of a young minister seeking the face of God. In his wavering the young man found the devil according to Handsome Lake. The devil tells the man of a place where it was plentiful. Where he would become a rich man and have position of power. This proposal was very enticing for a young man wanting to do God’s will.. After the corruption had taken over, Handsome had a vision come to him with direction and defined the sin that his people had to repent of. ) Their previous way of life was virtuous, no evil habits or appetites for evil. At this point Handsome Lake visions and teaching included the talk of witchcraft, in love magic, in abortion and in drunkenness. These sinful acts gave concern for the people of Iroquois salvation. () Handsome knew the world was moving fast and leaving his people to destruction. The new teaching was called Gai’wiio and is believed to be practice today. The attempt to open the people mind to allow them to understand what was happening to them as a people.

Dialysis Encephalopathy: A Complication of Chronic Renal Failure Essay

Dialysis Encephalopathy: A Complication of Chronic Renal Failure The neurological problems that patients with chronic renal failure face are relatively new to the medical world. Although dialysis was technically feasible in the 1940’s, it has only been since 1960 that techniques and equipment have been developed to make long term dialysis available as a practical treatment for end stage renal failure. Further, it has only been since 1973 when Medicare legislation was amended to include patients with chronic renal failure; and the expansion of hospital dialysis services in addition to the emergence of private outpatient hemodialysis clinics, that hemodialysis has become available for the vast majority with end stage renal failure. By increasing services to many more patients, our experience with the problems associated with long term dialysis has grown. All body systems, including the central and peripheral nervous system, are affected by chronic renal failure and its treatment. We have developed an understanding of the long term effects of chronic hemodialysis and the physiological effects are still being studied, but some of the long term complications of chronic renal failure are still unknown. The neurological problems encountered in patients with chronic renal failure may be acute, such as dialysis disequilibrium syndrome. Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome is caused by abrupt changes in the osmotic pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid during dialysis. Chronic complications, such as uremic peripheral neuropathy and dialysis encephalopathy, also known as dialysis dementia, are also well documented. This paper will focus on one of those neurological complications of chronic renal failure namely dialysis encephalopathy. .. ...imental Aluminum Encephalopathy. Acta. Neuropathol., 50:19-24, 1980. 6. Asbury, A. K., McKhann, G., Mc Donald, D. Diseases of the Nervous System. Vol. 2, W. B. Saunders Company: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich ,Philadelphia, 1992. 7. Nissenson, A. R., Fine, R. N., Gentile, D. E. Dialysis in Chronic Renal Failure. Appleton-Century-Crofts, Norwalk, Connecticut, 1984. 8. Knochel, J. P. and Eknoyan, G. (Edt.) The Systemic Consequences of Renal Failure. Grune and Stratton, Inc. New York, 1984. 9. Geary, D. F. et. al. Encephalopathy in Children with Chronic Renal Failure. Journal of Pediatrics, 96: 41-44, 1980. 10.Rosati, G., De Bastiani, P., Gilli, P., and Paolino, E. Oral Aluminum and Neuropsychological Functioning. J. Neurol., 223: 251-7, 1980. 11.De Broe, M. E. and Coburn, J. W. Aluminum and Renal Failure. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Boston, 1990. Dialysis Encephalopathy: A Complication of Chronic Renal Failure Essay Dialysis Encephalopathy: A Complication of Chronic Renal Failure The neurological problems that patients with chronic renal failure face are relatively new to the medical world. Although dialysis was technically feasible in the 1940’s, it has only been since 1960 that techniques and equipment have been developed to make long term dialysis available as a practical treatment for end stage renal failure. Further, it has only been since 1973 when Medicare legislation was amended to include patients with chronic renal failure; and the expansion of hospital dialysis services in addition to the emergence of private outpatient hemodialysis clinics, that hemodialysis has become available for the vast majority with end stage renal failure. By increasing services to many more patients, our experience with the problems associated with long term dialysis has grown. All body systems, including the central and peripheral nervous system, are affected by chronic renal failure and its treatment. We have developed an understanding of the long term effects of chronic hemodialysis and the physiological effects are still being studied, but some of the long term complications of chronic renal failure are still unknown. The neurological problems encountered in patients with chronic renal failure may be acute, such as dialysis disequilibrium syndrome. Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome is caused by abrupt changes in the osmotic pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid during dialysis. Chronic complications, such as uremic peripheral neuropathy and dialysis encephalopathy, also known as dialysis dementia, are also well documented. This paper will focus on one of those neurological complications of chronic renal failure namely dialysis encephalopathy. .. ...imental Aluminum Encephalopathy. Acta. Neuropathol., 50:19-24, 1980. 6. Asbury, A. K., McKhann, G., Mc Donald, D. Diseases of the Nervous System. Vol. 2, W. B. Saunders Company: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich ,Philadelphia, 1992. 7. Nissenson, A. R., Fine, R. N., Gentile, D. E. Dialysis in Chronic Renal Failure. Appleton-Century-Crofts, Norwalk, Connecticut, 1984. 8. Knochel, J. P. and Eknoyan, G. (Edt.) The Systemic Consequences of Renal Failure. Grune and Stratton, Inc. New York, 1984. 9. Geary, D. F. et. al. Encephalopathy in Children with Chronic Renal Failure. Journal of Pediatrics, 96: 41-44, 1980. 10.Rosati, G., De Bastiani, P., Gilli, P., and Paolino, E. Oral Aluminum and Neuropsychological Functioning. J. Neurol., 223: 251-7, 1980. 11.De Broe, M. E. and Coburn, J. W. Aluminum and Renal Failure. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Boston, 1990.

Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Essay

Nurses and all other healthcare workers come in contact with people of different faiths and religion on a daily bases. In the hospital, it is very critical to encourage religions participation when it is needed. This article points out the authors and Christians perspective in comparison to the Buddhism, Muslim, and Hindu faith approaches to healing. Cultural and spiritual diversity must be allowed in the hospitals as well as health care environments in order to provide complete healing. Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity  Spirituality is piece of human existence that is hard to assimilate. Every individual welcomes spirituality differently based on their set of values and experiences. Spirituality is multidimensional and we have proof of its benefits in healthcare and healings. Each person gets their spiritual experience and beliefs from their relationships with the family, the individual and their faith exposure (Anandarajah & Hight, 2001). The intent of this paper is to recorgnize the Author’s spirituality inclination with regards to healing and its important parts. I will first present my Christian viewpoint and method to healing, then the Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim faiths viewpoints will be compared to the Christians approach to healing. In the conclusion, I will summarize my findings from the comparison of these religions and concepts, then apply them this writer’s health care practice. Author’s Spiritual Perspective on Healing The essentials of this writer’s viewpoint on healing is rooted on her faith and trust in God. She understands the fine line you have to walk when looking for health suggestions as a result of sickness. Her faith led her to believe that God is the ultimate healer of any sickness. The Bible points out sufficient proof that is the ultimate healer of any sickness and the lack of faith is seen as a road block. This is very well illustrated in the story of Asa. She was infected by a disease in his leg. According to the Bible, we were told that although, her sickness was very serious she did not go to God for healing, but instead went to the doctors for help. Second Chronicles 16:12 (NIV) tells us that he died of her sickness. The author is a firm believer of the power of prayers and asking others to pray for you or with you. Every Christian believes in The Holy Spirit and has Him in their hearts, as He prays for us â€Å"in accordance with God’s will† Romans 8:26-27 (NIV), we should pray for one another. This is what God wants us to do. â€Å"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you† First Samuel 12:23(NIV). Christian Perspective and Approach to Healing Christians are firm believers that God can heal everybody at any moment in time. Jesus performed many healings here on earth. He used this to prove to all mankind that he is the son of God. Jesus cured so many diseases and sicknesses Matthew 9:35 (NIV). He cured many diseases just by speaking to the people Matthew 8:8(NIV), a woman touched His cloak and she was cured of her bleeding, instantly Mark 5:28(NIV). God can heal people in so many ways. This is the believe of many Christians. Believers are told for pray for God’s healing, however, they are not promised the answer to the prayers or in what form the answers will come. People still visit their Doctors to cure their diseases, but a combination of Doctor’s visits and prayers are usually recommended. The strong faith that Christians have in God’s dominion makes them to believe that God is in charge of all circumstances. The members of the church community receive support from their members through prayer. The church as a family unit gives solid encouragement to its members by providing good support for healing. The bible is God’s words to us and it provides encouragement and understanding through His word. Comparing a Buddhist Approach to Healing As a young boy, Buddha studied the science of medicine. He acquired a good knowledge and types and healing of diseases. He has the believe of life after death and rebirth and the aging process. His understanding of illness and dying allowed him to lead people and educate them about living a healthy life cycle (Bhikshu, n. d. ). Christians have a different view of this. Christians believed that every human being has a soul but Buddhist don’t share this same view. Buddha teaches logical everyday instructions for handling any physical injury and psychological sickness but Christians view is on trust in God’s will and to be merciful to them. Buddhists faith is focused on cause and effect as opposed to the faith that Christians put in Jesus’ healing power. Both faiths approach health and healing from a spiritual practice. Christianity and Buddhism beliefs in health and healing are the same but they differ with the goals. The Buddhists view of spirituality is to build and have a caring mind set towards those that are suffering as result of illness. But Christians focus in God’s mercies to healing them and accepting the will of God. There are leader in the church and temple that can be invited to help them (Bhikshu). Buddhist chant when they pray. And just like Christians, families are asked to join them in prayer in other to achieve their goal. In both religions, the patients concern is to eliminate pain and suffering. The will rather do it without pharmacological treatments. This is to give them a clear mind. Buddhism patients benefit from peace and quietness for the purpose of meditation (Ehman, 2007). Neither faiths teach to fear death, but in the Buddhist faith the rituals done to the body right before and after death are extremely crucial to the next cycle of life for the body while the Christian faith hold to the faith the soul has gone to heaven and that it is just the physical body that is left. Comparing a Muslim Approach to Healing The Qur’an together with the prophet Muhammad, is similar to the Christian Bible and Jesus. They are both full of citations to the use of reason in all aspects of human life including healing practices. Muslims and Christians both are of the believe that Allah nor God created diseases. Muslims are certain that Allah created the treatment to the illnesses. They also believe that praying and supplication, recitation of the Qur’an and accepting Allah, is significant in the healing process. They also accept the importance of modern medicine. It is like like the Christian believe in accepting God and the power of prayers in the healing process (Yousif, n. d. ). The Muslims explanation of illness is that diseases can be a form of knowledge by which man attains personal experience with Allah. Both Christianity and Islam (Muslim) accept the fact that life and death comes from God and that its beyond human control. (Yousif,n. d. ) Both religions value the importance of prayers, but the Muslim faith enforces the amount and your position while you say your prayers. A Muslim patient will become upset if they are not able to participate in their daily prayers. When this happens, their clergy should be made aware of it as soon as possible. A Muslim patient has higher tolerance for pain because complaining is viewed as a sign of weakness. Muslims have stricter food and hygiene requirements because of their religion compared to most Christians. Majority of Muslims practice vegetarian diets and it is their belief that running water is necessary to be completely cleaned. Both Christians and Muslims values family importance but at death someone in the family must whisper declaration of faith to the dead. Christians are not required to fast at any given time but for Muslims, it’s a must during the Ramadan. (Ehman, 2007). Comparing a Hindu Approach to Healing Hinduism is a very complex belief system. It is not just religion but a way of life like their Christian counterpart. The name â€Å"Hinduism† comes from the word â€Å"India† and points to so many religious practices and viewpoints that have been in existence in India more than a thousand years ago. Hindu encourages the worship of so many Gods, believe in reincarnation, value the tradition of meditation. They family unit and the power of prayer are valuable in the healing process. Christians accept God’s will, but Karma in Hindu gives an explanation to what happened (Sukumaran, n. d. ). Modesty is expected from the opposite sex care giver, their diet of choice is vegetarian, fast is very frequent. Hindus have a great respect for medical professionals, but many are quite wary of drugs and pills. If drugs are given, try to explain what it is for and what the effects are. Natural and homeopathic medicine is preferred over drugs and surgery in most cases. Conclusion Religious diversity is more prominent than ever before in the United States hospitals. This author appreciates both the similarities and differences presented in comparing Christianity’s’ perspective to healing and those of the Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu faiths. Prayer, clergy, family, and reflection seem to be the common thread throughout all of these faiths. The view of the body, death, and life cycles seem to show the most differences. This writer and caregiver was enlightened to respect and enhance peaceful environments for meditation and reflection and promote family involvement whenever possible for all patients.

Fool Chapter 6

SIX FRIENDSHIP AND THE ODD BONK Life is loneliness, broken only by the gods taunting us with friendship and the odd bonk. I admit it, I grieved. Perhaps I am a fool to have expected Cordelia to stay. (Well, yes, I am a fool – don't be overly clever, eh? It's annoying.) But for most of my manly years she had been the lash on my back, the bait to my loins, and the balm of my imagination – my torment, my tonic, my fever, my curse. I ache for her. There is no comfort in the castle. Drool gone, Taster gone, Lear gone mad. At best, Drool was little more company than Jones, and decidedly less portable, but I worry for him, great child that he is, stumbling about in the circle of so many villains and so much sharp metal. I miss his gape-toothed smile, filled as it was with forgiveness, acceptance, and often, cheddar. And Taster, what did I know of him, really? Just a wan lad from Hog Nostril on Thames. Yet when I needed a sympathetic ear, he provided, even if he was oft distracted from my woes by his own selfish dietary concerns. I lay on my bed in the portislodge staring out the cruciform arrow loops at the grey bones of London, stewing in my misery, yearning for my friends. For my first friend. For Thalia. The anchoress. On a chill autumn day at Dog Snogging, the third time I was allowed to bring food to the anchoress, we became fast friends. I was still in awe of her, and merely being in her presence made me feel base, unworthy, and profane, but in a good way. I passed the plate of rough brown bread and cheese through the cross in the wall with prayers and a plea for her forgiveness. â€Å"This fare will do, Pocket. It will do. I'll forgive you for a song.† â€Å"You must be a most pious lady and have great love for the Lord.† â€Å"The Lord is a tosser.† â€Å"I thought the Lord was a shepherd?† â€Å"Well, that, too. But a bloke needs hobbies. Do you know ‘Greensleeves'?† â€Å"I know ‘Dona Nobis Pacem.'† â€Å"Do you know any pirate songs?† â€Å"I could sing ‘Dona Nobis Pacem' like a pirate.† â€Å"It means give us peace, in Latin, doesn't it?† â€Å"Aye, mistress.† â€Å"Bit of a stretch then, innit, a pirate singing give us bloody peace?† â€Å"I suppose. I could sing you a psalm, then, mistress.† â€Å"All right, then, Pocket, a psalm it is – one with pirates and loads of bloodshed, if you have it.† I was nervous, desperate for approval from the anchoress, and afraid that if I displeased her I might be struck down by an avenging angel, as seemed to happen often in scripture. Try as I might, I could not recall any piraty psalms. I cleared my throat and sang the only psalm I knew in English: â€Å"The Lord is my tosser, I shall not want – â€Å" â€Å"Wait, wait, wait,† said the anchoress. â€Å"Doesn't it go, ‘the Lord is my shepherd'?† â€Å"Well, yes, mistress, but you said – â€Å" And she started to laugh. It was the first time I heard her truly laugh and it felt as if I was getting approval from the Virgin herself. In the dark chamber, just the single candle on my side of the cross, it seemed like her laughter was all around me, embracing me. â€Å"Oh, Pocket, you are a love. Thick as a bloody brick, but such a love.† I could feel the blood rise in my face. I was proud and embarrassed and ecstatic all at once. I didn't know what to do, so I fell to my knees and prostrated myself before the arrow loop, pushing my cheek against the stone floor. â€Å"I'm sorry, mistress.† She laughed some more. â€Å"Arise, Sir Pocket of Dog Snogging.† I climbed to my feet and stared into the dark cross-shaped hole in the wall, and there I saw that dull star that was her eye reflecting the candle flame and I realized that there were tears in my own eyes. â€Å"Why did you call me that?† â€Å"Because you make me laugh and you are deserving and valiant. I think we're going to be very good friends.† I started to ask her what she meant, but the iron latch clanked and the door into the passageway swung slowly open. Mother Basil was there, holding a candelabra, looking displeased. â€Å"Pocket, what's going on here?† said the mother superior in her gruff baritone. â€Å"Nothing, Reverend Mother. I've just given food to the anchoress.† Mother Basil seemed reluctant to enter the passageway, as if she was afraid to be in view of the arrow loop that looked into the anchoress's chamber. â€Å"Come along, Pocket. It's time for evening prayers.† I bowed quickly to the anchoress and hurried out the door under Mother Basil's arm. As the sister closed the door, the anchoress called, â€Å"Reverend Mother, a moment, please.† Mother Basil's eyes went wide and she looked as if she'd been called out by the devil. â€Å"Go on to vespers, Pocket. I'll be along.† She made her way into the dead-end passageway and closed the door behind her even as the bell calling us to vespers began to toll. I wondered what the anchoress would discuss with Mother Basil, perhaps some conclusion she had realized during her hours of prayer, perhaps I had been found wanting and she would ask that I not be sent to her again. After just making my first friend, I was sorely afraid of losing her. While I repeated the prayers in Latin after the priest, in my heart I prayed to God to not take my anchoress away, and when mass ended, I stayed in the chapel and prayed until well after the midnight prayers. Mother Basil found me in the chapel. â€Å"There are going to be some changes, Pocket.† I felt my spirit drop into my shoe soles. â€Å"Forgive me, Reverend Mother, for I know not what I do.† â€Å"What are you on about, Pocket? I'm not scolding you. I'm adding duties to your devotion.† â€Å"Oh,† said I. â€Å"From now on, you are to take food and drink to the anchoress in the hour before vespers, and there in the outer chamber, shall you sit until she has eaten, but upon the bell for vespers you are to leave there, and not return until the next day. No longer than an hour shall you stay, do you understand?† â€Å"Yes, mum, but why only the hour?† â€Å"More than that and you will interfere with the anchoress's own communion with God. Further, you are never to ask her about where she was before this, about her family, or her past in any way. If she should speak of these things you are to immediately put your fingers in your ears, and verily sing ‘la, la, la, la, I can't hear you, I can't hear you,' and leave the chamber immediately.† â€Å"I can't do that, mum.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"I can't work the latch to the outer door with my fingers in my ears.† â€Å"Ah, sweet Pocket, I do so love your wit. I think you shall sleep on the stone floor this night, the rug shields you from the blessed cooling of your fevered imagination, which God finds an abomination. Yes, a light beating and the bare stone for you and your wit tonight.† â€Å"Yes, mum.† â€Å"And so, you must never speak with the anchoress about her past, and if you should, you shall be excommunicated and damned for all eternity with no hope for redemption, the light of the Lord shall never fall upon you, and you shall live in darkness and pain for ever and ever. And in addition, I shall have Sister Bambi feed you to the cat.† â€Å"Yes, mum,† said I. I was so thrilled I nearly peed. I would be blessed by the glory of the anchoress every single day. â€Å"Well that's a scaly spot o' snake wank,† said the anchoress. â€Å"No, mum, it's a cracking big cat.† â€Å"Not the cat, the hour a day. Only an hour a day?† â€Å"Mother Basil doesn't want me to disturb your communion with God, Madame Anchoress.† I bowed before the dark arrow loop. â€Å"Call me Thalia.† â€Å"I daren't, mum. And neither may I ask you about your past or from whence you come. Mother Basil has forbidden it.† â€Å"She's right on that, but you may call me Thalia, as we are friends.† â€Å"Aye, mum. Thalia.† â€Å"And you may tell me of your past, good Pocket. Tell me of your life.† â€Å"But, Dog Snogging is all I know – all I have ever known.† I could hear her laughing in the dark. â€Å"Then, tell me a story from your lessons, Pocket.† So I told the anchoress of the stoning of St. Stephen, of the persecution of St. Sebastian, and the beheading of St. Valentine, and she, in turn, told me stories of the saints I had never heard of in catechism. â€Å"And so,† said Thalia, â€Å"that is the story of how St. Rufus of Pipe-wrench was licked to death by marmots.† â€Å"That sounds a most horrible martyring,† said I. â€Å"Aye,† said the anchoress, â€Å"for marmot spit is the most noxious of all substances, and that is why St. Rufus is the patron of saliva and halitosis unto this day. Enough martyring, tell me of some miracles.† And so I did. I told of the magic, self-filling milk pail of St. Bridgid of Kildare, of how St. Fillan, after his ox was killed by a wolf, was able to compel the same wolf to pull a cart full of materials for building a church, and how St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. â€Å"Aye,† said Thalia, â€Å"and snakes have been grateful ever since. But let me apprise you of the most wondrous miracle of how St. Cinnamon drove the Mazdas out of Swinden.† â€Å"I've never heard of St. Cinnamon,† said I. â€Å"Well, that is because these nuns at Dog Snogging are base and not worthy to know such things, and why you must never share what you learn here with them lest they become overwhelmed and succumb to an ague.† â€Å"An ague of over-piety?† â€Å"Aye, lad, and you will be the one to have killed them.† â€Å"Oh, I would never want to do that.† â€Å"Of course you wouldn't. Did you know, in Portugal they canonize a saint by actually shooting him out of a cannon?† And so it went, day in, day out, week in, week out, trading secrets and lies with Thalia. You might think that it was cruel of her to spend her only time in contact with the outside world telling lies to a little boy, but then, the first story that Mother Basil had told me was about a talking snake who gave tainted fruit to naked people, and the bishop had made her an abbess. All along what Thalia was teaching me was how to entertain her. How to share a moment in story and laughter – how you could become close to someone, even when separated from them by a stone wall. Once a month for the first two years the bishop came from York to check on the anchoress, and she would seem to lose her spirit for a day, as if he were skimming it off and taking it away, but soon she would recover and our routine of chat and laughter would go on. After a few years the bishop stopped coming, and I was afraid to ask Mother Basil why, lest it be a reminder and the dour prelate resume his spirit-sucking sojourns. The longer the anchoress was in her chamber, the more she delighted in my conveying the most mundane details from the outside. â€Å"Tell me of the weather today, Pocket. Tell me of the sky, and don't skip a single cloud.† â€Å"Well, the sky looked like someone was catapulting giant sheep into the frosty eye of God.† â€Å"Fucking winter. Crows against the sky?† â€Å"Aye, Thalia, like a vandal with quill and ink set loose to randomly punctuate the very dome of day.† â€Å"Ah, well spoken, love, completely incoherent imagery.† â€Å"Thank you, mistress.† While about my chores and studies I tried to take note of every detail and construct metaphors in my head so I might paint word pictures for my anchoress, who depended on me to be her light and color. My days seemed to begin at four when I came to Thalia's chamber, and end at five, when the bell rang for vespers. Everything before was in preparation for that hour, and everything after, until sleep, was in sweet remembrance. The anchoress taught me how to sing – not just the hymns and chants I had been singing from the time I was little, but the romantic songs of the troubadours. With simple, patient instruction, she taught me how to dance, juggle, and perform acrobatics, and all by verbal description – not once in those years had I laid eyes on the anchoress, or seen more than her partial profile at the arrow loop. I grew older and fuzz sprouted on my cheek – my voice broke, making me sound as if a small goose was trapped in my gullet, honking for her supper. The nuns at Dog Snogging started to take notice of me as something other than their pet, for many were sent to the abbey when they were no older than I. They would flirt and ask me for a song, a poem, a story, the more bawdy the better, and the anchoress had taught me many of those. Where she had learned them, she would never say. â€Å"Were you an entertainer before you became a nun?† â€Å"No, Pocket. And I am not a nun.† â€Å"But, perhaps your father – â€Å" â€Å"No, my father was not a nun either.† â€Å"I mean, was he an entertainer?† â€Å"Sweet Pocket, you mustn't ask about my life before I came here. What I am now, I have always been, and everything I am is here with you.† â€Å"Sweet Thalia,† said I. â€Å"That is a fiery flagon of dragon toss.† â€Å"Isn't it, though?† â€Å"You're grinning, aren't you?† She held the candle close to the arrow loop, illuminating her wry smile. I laughed, and reached through the cross to touch her cheek. She sighed, took my hand and pressed it hard against her lips, then, in an instant, she had pushed my hand away and moved out of the light. â€Å"Don't hide,† said I. â€Å"Please don't hide.† â€Å"Fat lot of choice I have about whether I hide or not. I live in a bloody tomb.† I didn't know what to say. Never before had she complained about her choice to become the anchoress of Dog Snogging, even if other expressions of her faith seemed – well – abstract. â€Å"I mean don't hide from me. Let me see you.† â€Å"You want to see? You want to see?† I nodded. â€Å"Give me your candles.† She had me hand four lit candles through the arrow loop. Whenever I performed for her she had me set them in holders around the outer chamber so she could see me dance, or juggle, or do acrobatics, but never had she asked for more than one candle in her own chamber. She placed the candles around her chamber and for the first time I could see the stone pallet where she slept on a mattress of straw, her meager possessions laid out on a heavy table, and Thalia, standing there in a tattered linen frock. â€Å"Look,† she said. She pulled her frock over her head and dropped it on the floor. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. She looked younger than I had imagined, thin, but womanly – her face was that of a mischievous Madonna, as if carved by a sculptor inspired more by desire than the divine. Her hair was long and the color of buckskin, catching the candlelight as if a single ray of sunlight might make it explode in golden fire. I felt a heat rise in my face, and another kind of rise in my trousers. I was excited and confused and ashamed all at once, and I turned my back on the arrow loop and cried out. â€Å"No!† Suddenly, she was right behind me, and I felt her hand on my shoulder, then rubbing my neck. â€Å"Pocket. Sweet Pocket, don't. It's all right.† â€Å"I feel like the Devil and the Virgin are doing battle in my body. I didn't know you were like that.† â€Å"Like a woman, you mean?† Her hand was warm and steady, kneading the muscles in my shoulder through the cross in the wall and I leaned into it. I wanted to turn and look, I wanted to run out of the chamber, I wanted to be asleep, or just waking – ashamed that the Devil had visited me in the night with a damp dream of temptation. â€Å"You know me, Pocket. I'm your friend.† â€Å"But you are the anchoress.† â€Å"I'm Thalia, your friend, who loves you. Turn around, Pocket.† And I did. â€Å"Give me your hand,† said she. And I did. She put it on her body, and she put her hands on mine, and pressed against the cold stone. Through the cross in the wall, I discovered a new universe – of Thalia's body, of my body, of love, of passion, of escape – and it was a damn sight better than bloody chants and juggling. When the bell rang for vespers we fell away from the cross, spent and gasping, and we began to laugh. Oh, and I had chipped a tooth. â€Å"One for the Devil, then, love?† said Thalia. When I arrived with the anchoress's supper the next afternoon she was waiting with her face pressed nearly through the center of the arrow cross – she looked like one of the angel-faced gargoyles that flanked the main doors of Dog Snogging, except they always seemed to be weeping and she was grinning. â€Å"So, didn't go to confession today, did you?† I shuddered. â€Å"No, mum, I worked in the scriptorium most of the day.† â€Å"Pocket, I think I would prefer you not call me mum, if it's not too much to ask. Given the new level of our friendship it seems – oh, I don't know – unsavory.† â€Å"Yes, m – uh – mistress.† â€Å"Mistress I can work with. Now, pass me my supper and see if you can fit your face in the opening the way that I have.† Thalia's cheekbones were wedged in the arrow loop, which was little wider than my hand. â€Å"Doesn't that hurt?† I'd been finding abrasions on my arms and various bits all day from our adventure the night before. â€Å"It's not the flaying of St. Bart, but, yes, it stings a bit. You can't confess what we did, or what we do, love? You know that, right?† â€Å"Then am I going to have to go to hell?† â€Å"Well – † She pulled back, rolled her eyes as if searching the ceiling for an answer. † – not alone. Give us our supper, lad, and get your face in the loop, I have something to teach you.† And so it went for weeks and months. I went from being a mediocre acrobat to a talented contortionist, and Thalia seemed to regain some of the life that I had thought sure she'd lost. She was not holy in the sense that the priests and nuns taught, but she was full of spirit and a different kind of reverence. More concerned with this life, this moment, than an eternity beyond the reach of the cross in the wall. I adored her, and I wanted her to be out of the chamber, in the world, with me, and I began to plan her escape. But I was but a boy, and she was bloody barking, so it was not meant to be. â€Å"I've stolen a chisel from a mason who passed by on his way to work on the minster at York. It will take some time, but if you work on a single stone, you might escape in summer.† â€Å"You are my escape, Pocket. The only escape I can ever allow myself.† â€Å"But we could run off, be together.† â€Å"That would be smashing, except I can't leave. So, hop up and get your tackle in the cross. Thalia's a special treat for you.† I never seemed to make my point once my tackle went in the cross. Distracted, I was. But I learned, and while I was forbidden confession – and to tell the truth, I didn't feel that badly about it – I began to share what I had learned. â€Å"Thalia, I must confess to you, I have told Sister Nikki about the little man in the boat.† â€Å"Really? Told her or showed her?† â€Å"Well, showed her, I reckon. But she seems a bit thick. She kept making me show her over and over – asked me to meet her in the cloisters to show her again after vespers tonight.† â€Å"Ah, the joy of being slow. Still, it's a sin to be selfish with one's knowledge.† â€Å"That's what I thought,† said I, relieved. â€Å"And speaking of the little man in the boat, I believe there is one on this side of the loop who has been naughty and requires a thorough tongue-lashing.† â€Å"Aye, mistress,† said I, wedging my cheeks into the arrow loop. â€Å"Present the rascal for punishment.† And so it went. I was the only person I knew who had calluses on his cheekbones, but I had also developed the arms and grip of a blacksmith from suspending myself with my fingertips wedged between the great stones to extend my bits through the arrow loop. And thus I hung, spread spiderlike across the wall, my business being tended to, frantic and friendly, by the anchoress, when the bishop entered the antechamber. (The bishop entered the antechamber? The bishop entered the antechamber? At this point you're going coy on us, euphemizing about parts and positions when you've already confessed to mutual violation with a holy woman through a bloody arrow slot? Well, no.) The actual sodding Bishop of Bloody York entered the sodding antechamber with Mother sodding Basil, who bore a brace of sodding storm lanterns. And so I let go. Unfortunately, Thalia did not. It appeared that her grip, too, had been strengthened by our encounters on the wall. â€Å"What the hell are you doing, Pocket?† said the anchoress. â€Å"What are you doing?† asked Mother Basil. I hung there, more or less suspended to the wall by three points, one of them not covered by shoes. â€Å"Ahhhhhhhhh!† said I. I was finding it somewhat difficult to think. â€Å"Give us a little slack, lad,† said Thalia. â€Å"This is meant to be more of a dance, not a tug-of-war.† â€Å"The bishop is out here,† said I. She laughed. â€Å"Well, tell him to get in the queue and I'll tend to him when we're finished.† â€Å"No, Thalia, he's really out here.† â€Å"Oh toss,† said she, releasing my knob. I fell to the floor and quickly rolled onto my stomach. Thalia's face was at the arrow loop. â€Å"Evening, your grace.† A big grin there. â€Å"Fancy a spot of stony bonking before vespers?† The bishop turned so quickly his miter went half-past on his head. â€Å"Hang him,† he said. He snatched one of Mother Basil's lanterns and walked out of the chamber. â€Å"Bloody brown bread you serve tastes like goat scrotum!† Thalia called after. â€Å"A lady deserves finer fare!† â€Å"Thalia, please,† I said. â€Å"Not a comment on you, Pocket. Your serving style is lovely, but the bread is rubbish.† Then to Mother Basil. â€Å"Don't blame the boy, Reverend Mother, he's a love.† Mother Basil grabbed me by the ear and dragged me out of the chamber. â€Å"You're a love, Pocket,† said the anchoress. Mother Basil locked me in a closet in her chambers, then mid-way through the night, opened the door and handed in a crust of bread and a chamber pot. â€Å"Stay here until the bishop is on his way in the morning, and if anyone asks, you've been hung.† â€Å"Yes, Reverend Mother,† said I. She came to get me the next morning and hustled me out through the chapel. I'd never seen her so distraught. â€Å"You've been like a son to me, Pocket,† she said, fussing about me, strapping a satchel and other bits of kit on me. â€Å"So it's going to pain me to send you off.† â€Å"But, Reverend Mother – â€Å" â€Å"Hush, lad. We'll take you to the barn, hang you in front of a few farmers, then you're off to the south to meet up with a group of mummers[21] who will take you in.† â€Å"Beggin' pardon, mum, but if I'm hung, what will mummers do with me, a puppet show?† â€Å"I'll not really hang you, just make it look good. We have to, lad, the bishop ordered it.† â€Å"Since when does the bishop order nuns to hang people?† â€Å"Since you shagged the anchoress, Pocket.† At the mention of her I broke away from Mother Basil, ran through the abbey, down the old corridor and into the antechamber. The arrow cross was gone, completely bricked up and mortared in. â€Å"Thalia! Thalia!† I called. I screamed and beat the stones until my fists bled, but not a sound came from the other side of the wall. Ever. The sisters pulled me away, tied my hands, and took me to the barn where I was hanged.