The Ideal Family of the Future Essay

Probably everyone has their own idea of the ideal family and their views about the family in general. I’ll tell you what I think about it. In my opinion, the ideal family should begin with â€Å"laying the foundation† of their own relations, also with the confidence and understanding to each other. In any family should prevail friendly atmosphere, along with love and mutual respect for all its members. Ideal family it is when they always support you in every difficult moment and is no matter what. Ideal family it is when despite everything going on around, including of all the possible issues with all global and family problems, disorders, scandals and quarrels you continue to be one strong and solid family. As for the future, in my opinion, the ideal family of the future consists in informing all the values of a culture from nowadays of your heirloom in next generation. Now I am a part of such a great family. And I am very grateful to my parents for it. Also, I hope th at my â€Å"ideal family of the future† will correspond of my idea about ​​it, and I will try to do everything possible that all it happens.

Management of technology Essay

Explain the term â€Å"Technofact. † How can it be used to define Technology, and Management of Technology? Explain the value and advantage of the term Technofact, compared to other definitions and common agreement about technology. Explain the weaknesses, missing elements, and contradictions in this term. Technofact is a reproducible object created by humans. By reproducible I refer to any product (tangible or virtual) of which the intention of its human creator was to make more of exactly the same, using the same methodology. Once we’ve defined technofact, we are able to focus the term technology around this entity, and to define it as the capability of creating technofacts (or the human capability of creating reproducible objects). Technology is not the technical object itself but rather the capability of creating it over on over again. Other fields of science concentrate on understanding and gathering knowledge around the entity that is in the center of the science in question while the technology â€Å"science† is a capability, which is more than merely an understanding. On top of the knowledge gathered, the term encapsulates the creation itself, the know-how. The different aspects of the means to establish that capability ought to be coordinated and managed, thus, management of technology can only be defined if we separate the term technology from the objects, the technofacts, as one can not manage objects. Most of the traditional definitions of the term technology are either inaccurate or too broad. Inaccurate when the definition refer to objects (tools, products) as the technology itself. Too broad when the definition refer to any human activity (van Wyk), which might include forms of art that can not be considered as a technology. Another broad approach can be found in definitions that consider any nature manipulation as a technology (is navigation by stars a technology? ). There are three cases in which I find difficulty with the term technofact as the central entity that technology deals with: 1. When the product has an inherited random element: Consider a computer program that creates random melodies (or drawings) pleasant to the human ear (or eye), based on some mathematical rules. The program itself is obviously a virtual technofact, but are the new melodies or drawings created by it can also be considered technofacts? Obviously, they are being created over and over again using the same technology, but each time the program produces something different. 2. When the product is a natural object or resource: For example in agriculture. Carrots cannot be considered technofacts, but there is obviously a technology to grow carrots. The tools which are used in the process (a plow or a combine) are technofacts, which farmers use to produce the crop itself, but they are not the reproducible product the technology deals with. Another examples can be mining technologies. The end product is the extracted material, which can not be considered a technofact. 3. When the product is an action: For example, the capability to lift heavy weights. A crane is a technofact, but it is not the reproducible object this specific technology enable to reproduce. The reproducible object in this case is not an object but rather an action. What is a â€Å"Technology-Based Organization†? Give an example for a TBO and non-TBO. Can a company be a TBO for a limited time? Explain and give an example. A technology based organization is an organization that uses technology to create economic value or to create a competitive business advantage over other competing organizations. The organization can be continuously pursuing technological improvements, manufacturing technofacts or both. This kind of an organization will be perpetually considered a TBO. On the other hand a non-TBO organization can become one for a limited time, if it incorporates a new technology to improve its processes, thus creating an advantage over its competitors. During the process of assimilating the technology and the time that takes other players to use the same technology, a non-TBO organization can be considered a TBO, as it creates economic value using technology. Consider an imaginary traditional dairy that used to produce milk in the old milking fashion, using the farmer’s hands and a big nice bucket. At some point the farmer decided to acquire a milking machine from his engineer friend that had recently established a milking equipment factory using his own inventions. The farmer installed the machine in his farm and taught his kid how to use it, so he can peacefully retire. During the next couple of years, the farmer’s kid gained an advantage over his neighbor farmers, bought more cows, made a small fortune and established a new dairy company (which he called after his dad). Few years later, after all the other farmers had done the same, the farmer’s kid decided to install digital thermometers in the dairy (acquired from the very same milking equipment factory), and became the leading milk provider to the entire region, with the reputation of having the freshest milk around. Again, achieving an economic advantage using new technology. This dairy had become a TBO for short periods of time during its existence, while the milking equipment factory that had invented and manufactured the machinery was a TBO throughout the years. Explain the term â€Å"White Spaces† in the context of technological innovation. How could this term be used in an organization to help planning and decision making about innovation? White spaces are the two optional gaps between technologies and applications. The first gap exists when there is a need in the market but no solution to match it. The second gap takes place when there is a technology out there that has the capability to produce a technofact that no one knows what to do with. A technofact that did not yet find the â€Å"ultimate product† it enables (where there’s a way but there is no â€Å"will†). Innovative organization can either fill up the first gap by pursuing new technologies to match the unanswered market needs, or they can focus their efforts around understanding the potential of existing technologies and to use them to develop new groundbreaking applications. Outlines the dangers and risks associated with rapid technological development to society and individuals. Are you pessimistic or optimistic about it? What can and should we do as a society and as individuals to benefit from technology and avoid the risks. The dangers and risks that rapid emerging technologies incorporate can come in many ways, shapes and forms according to the technology domain. From the lose of privacy through health jeopardizing, moral issues and mass destruction weapons, they all have one thing in common – the rate of the technology adoption and development has become faster than the rate of the ability to comprehensively understanding its implications. Successful technologies are spreading swiftly, acquiring life of their own and â€Å"forcing† people to use them in order to survive in the modern society. Even if a certain individual decides to rebel and not to use a specific technology directly, it still might change the environment this person lives in, to affect and endanger im just the same (e. g. cellular phones). The lose of freedom inflicted by some technologies is a big price of its own that society and individuals have to pay. History tells us that panic from new technologies had always existed, and we are probably experiencing the same unjustified fear of the unknown that the car inflicted on society a hundred years ago. But the problem with history is that it can only explain the past, while the present is unlike anything humanity imagined before. I don’t believe that governmental regulations aiming to restrain technology can work in the long run, but in order to control at least some of the risks, governments should cooperate globally on some issues to regulate technologies similar to the way new medicines and drugs are treated. As individuals, we must take responsibility for our health and moral values, to deal with it at all times among ourselves, to be aware of the risks we are taking and not to become blind addicts for anything new. Still, I’m pessimistic as for the capability of mankind to do that and overcome its basic selfish nature.

Apple Business Strategy Analysis

Samsung is on the second place with 7,5%. Resources of Apple. Potential for scale, experience and scope economies Strong know-how, RFS, RMS, new Product Development Programme, together with skilled human resources represents well integrated resources of the company. Diversified product line and high quality software and hardware allow sharing the resources of the company among existing businesses. This may create economies of scope, which saves costs. The size of the company, level of innovations, design and strong brand name gives to Apple competitive advantage. Company uses economies of scale, having achieved multi channel marketing and mostly cut the middleman and this is decreases the costs and increases the margin to Apple and consequently lower costs for the customers. Strengths of Apple. Core competencies Due to financial strength and inherited hardware and software company was able to extend product line and created a new market instead of displacing existing one. Apple relies on a new Product Development Program of Kaizen in the product offer keeping in this way high loyalty of the customers and meeting their needs. Core competence consists of constant innovations and creating added value for customers in terms of innovative design and technology Strategic fit of Apple Key success factors Core pompetence| Style| Size| Software| Download facility| Design| 5| 5| 5| 5| Quality| 5|   | 5|   | Capacity|   |   |   | 5| We observe strong fit between company’s core competencies and key success factors. Apple develops the program of constant improvement of the product as well as use experience which is resulted is extremely high performance and flourishing of the company. SWOT analysis for Apple | Opportunities;Time| | Short-medium term| Medium-long term| Strengths| Innovative Design | Strong brand Leading market position of digital market| Weaknesses| Simple immitation| Cannibalisation| Vision ; Mission Vision: * Keep leading position at the worldwide market * Focused on the future * Penetrate the markets where company can make big contribution to society Mission: * Design best personal computers * Innovations in digital music with (iPod, iTunes online stores) * Innovation of iPhone and iPad in terms of favorable market conditions * Design and develop own operating system, hardware, application software * Design new customer products with superior easy-of-use R;D Apple’s objectives Objectives: In a line with company’s mission presumably Apple is mostly focused on non-financial objectives such as constant improving of the product offer and quality of the devices, expanding of distribution network to reach more targeted customers * Innovation: shorten the innovation cycle to 12 months * Quality: Keizer mantra Apple Strate gy overview | Products-markets| Vertical Integration| Internationalization| Diversification| International Development| Expansion of distribution hannels creat best pc, portable digital music, mobile communication, iPad3| Vertical integration into retail combined with online store and iTunes Store| Growth shift outside US because of global demand for iPhone, iPads mainly to Asia Pacific, Europe, Japan Apple Stores expansion aimed internationally| increasing number of iOS devices – iPhones Macs iPads iPods| Mergers;Acquizition  | Security hardware and software for PCs and mobile devicesFlash memory| AuthenTecAnobit (Israel) |   -|   -| Strategic Alliances  | Market alliances in the supply chain and designn development|   -|   -|   -| In terms of Mergers ; Acquisitions company tends to have conservative trends. Company leaves to be more focused on innovative technologies to make their product unique. Apple Business Strategy Analysis Samsung is on the second place with 7,5%. Resources of Apple. Potential for scale, experience and scope economies Strong know-how, RFS, RMS, new Product Development Programme, together with skilled human resources represents well integrated resources of the company. Diversified product line and high quality software and hardware allow sharing the resources of the company among existing businesses. This may create economies of scope, which saves costs. The size of the company, level of innovations, design and strong brand name gives to Apple competitive advantage. Company uses economies of scale, having achieved multi channel marketing and mostly cut the middleman and this is decreases the costs and increases the margin to Apple and consequently lower costs for the customers. Strengths of Apple. Core competencies Due to financial strength and inherited hardware and software company was able to extend product line and created a new market instead of displacing existing one. Apple relies on a new Product Development Program of Kaizen in the product offer keeping in this way high loyalty of the customers and meeting their needs. Core competence consists of constant innovations and creating added value for customers in terms of innovative design and technology Strategic fit of Apple Key success factors Core pompetence| Style| Size| Software| Download facility| Design| 5| 5| 5| 5| Quality| 5|   | 5|   | Capacity|   |   |   | 5| We observe strong fit between company’s core competencies and key success factors. Apple develops the program of constant improvement of the product as well as use experience which is resulted is extremely high performance and flourishing of the company. SWOT analysis for Apple | Opportunities;Time| | Short-medium term| Medium-long term| Strengths| Innovative Design | Strong brand Leading market position of digital market| Weaknesses| Simple immitation| Cannibalisation| Vision ; Mission Vision: * Keep leading position at the worldwide market * Focused on the future * Penetrate the markets where company can make big contribution to society Mission: * Design best personal computers * Innovations in digital music with (iPod, iTunes online stores) * Innovation of iPhone and iPad in terms of favorable market conditions * Design and develop own operating system, hardware, application software * Design new customer products with superior easy-of-use R;D Apple’s objectives Objectives: In a line with company’s mission presumably Apple is mostly focused on non-financial objectives such as constant improving of the product offer and quality of the devices, expanding of distribution network to reach more targeted customers * Innovation: shorten the innovation cycle to 12 months * Quality: Keizer mantra Apple Strate gy overview | Products-markets| Vertical Integration| Internationalization| Diversification| International Development| Expansion of distribution hannels creat best pc, portable digital music, mobile communication, iPad3| Vertical integration into retail combined with online store and iTunes Store| Growth shift outside US because of global demand for iPhone, iPads mainly to Asia Pacific, Europe, Japan Apple Stores expansion aimed internationally| increasing number of iOS devices – iPhones Macs iPads iPods| Mergers;Acquizition  | Security hardware and software for PCs and mobile devicesFlash memory| AuthenTecAnobit (Israel) |   -|   -| Strategic Alliances  | Market alliances in the supply chain and designn development|   -|   -|   -| In terms of Mergers ; Acquisitions company tends to have conservative trends. Company leaves to be more focused on innovative technologies to make their product unique.

The Work of Remix in the Age of Digital Reproduction Essay

The Work of Remix in the Age of Digital Reproduction - Essay Example Burton defended himself saying that it was an artistic project, which had no commercial purpose, and stopped the distribution. However, Downhill Battle organised an online protest, which was called â€Å"Grey Tuesday† and the copies of â€Å"the Grey Album† were posted on the internet6. They declared that â€Å"We cannot allow these corporations to continue censoring art; we need commonsense reforms to copyright law that can make sampling legal and practical for artists†7. The controversy over the Grey Album accelerated as EMI together with Sony/ATV Publishing tried to stop online distribution of the Album. However, EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) analysed the situation and concluded that there was no federal copyright protection for sound recordings before 1972: â€Å"Because the White Album was released in 1968, it appears that EMI has no federal copyright rights in the sound recording†8. The dispute over mash-up of Grey Album poses a number of lega l issues with regard to copyright law and digital sampling. The American Copyright Law limits the exclusive rights of copyright owners in a number of ways including â€Å"fair use† and â€Å"licensing†. Fair use, which means â€Å"reasonable and limited use of a copyrighted work without the author’s permission†, added to the copyright statute in 1976.9 Furthermore, licensing allows anyone, who wants to record their own version of a musical composition, to get a licence for it. 10 However, this compulsory licensing cannot be applied to sound recordings. As Vrana notes â€Å"to this day, a record company’s right to duplicate the recordings it has produced may not be exercised by others without the company’s permission; the protection is airtight, and, unlike... This "The Work of Remix in the Age of Digital Reproduction" contemporary American and Australian Law on musical creativity. Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd v Miyamoto is one of the rare cases in Australia with regard to the digital sampling. A number of recording companies sued five DJs for copyright infingement due to their remix CD. DJs defended themselves by stating that they did the CD in order to satisfy consumer demands. Since the DJs took entire songs to make a remix CD, the Court did not take â€Å"substantial part† into consideration and the judge found five DJs guilty for the infringement of copyright law. This case cannot be considered as a precedent for smaller amounts of digital sampling, since the entire songs were taken. American and US courts have been allowing very small portions of digital sampling for years, but a recent decision in Bridgeport Music Inc v Dimension Films Inc span the wheels of justice into the opposite direction. In Bridgeport case, two se conds of a rap song was copied for the movie called â€Å"I Got the Hook up† and repeated five times for the duration of seven seconds each. Although a District Court and Middle District Court held that the amount taken was de minimis, thus, it cannot be considered copyright infringement; the Court of Appeals overruled this decision by declaring â€Å"even where a small part of a sound recording is sampled, the part taken is something of value†. The decision clearly blocks further samplings and it makes it impossible for creative artists to experiment with sample music without a licence.

Diary Entries (About a Brit Lit Character) Essay

Diary Entries (About a Brit Lit Character) - Essay Example Fortunately, it does not work with me. It is very clear to me that there is something lurking beneath that casual hospitality. Well then, let me attend to other matters my friend. It has been hours since I went up here to my favorite room at the mezzanine. Yours, H. 23th April 635 My Dear Friend, It has been almost a month since I last shared my reflections with you. I am holding a cameo medallion that I gave to my Queen during our wedding. Oh and yes! The ring! That wonderful piece of intaglio jewelry that she loved very much. The stones were embedded beyond the gold’s surface. I cannot forget the look on her face when I gave the pieces to her. I wonder what’s happening between us now. She seems distant. Anyway, I need to go as it seems I lost track of time. I hear the morning sound of the campanile from the nearby chapel already Yours, H. 1st May 635 My Dear Friend, My dear Queen is very happy with my consent to invite my brother over. She is talking about having a pa lace ball, to coincide with our anniversary. She is thinking of ordering some fresco paintings for the rotunda, the palace hall where she intends to accept the majority of the guests. Also, she mentioned about using a new type of wares called majolica. She mentioned how colorful the earthenwares are, and she wants the guests to be served in a new fashion.

John Cleese & Creativity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

John Cleese & Creativity - Essay Example Prostitution has its supporters and opponents. Supporters say that it should be legalized as a form of legitimate sexual work, while opponents argue that it must be continuously criminalized because it demeans women and is connected to other illegal activities. I want a different solution that is one-of-a-kind, in that, it helps existing and potential sex workers find another form of meaningful related work. To ponder on diverse solutions to ending prostitution that can satisfy proponents and opponents of prostitution, I followed Cleese’s five creativity factors a couple of days ago, wherein first, I chose a space for my pondering session. Cleese asserts that people â€Å"can’t become playful, and therefore creative, if [they’re] under [their] usual pressures,† so it is important to seal oneself off in a quiet place with no distractions. I went to a secluded portion of a nearby park when the weather was quite nice and I turned off my cellphone too. At the same time, I informed my friends and family who always send messages (online and offline) that I would go off the grid for three hours, so I would not respond to them. I would have wanted someone to go with me to expand the creativity circle, as Cleese suggested, but unfortunately, the people I wanted to invite were unavailable. The second factor of creativity is time. I gave my pondering session an hour and a half and up to two hours, as Cleese recommended. Cleese said that we need an â€Å"oasis of quiet† for a specific period of time to unleash our natural creativity. During this time, I did some brainstorming by writing down possible original solutions to prostitution without being hampered by ethical, legal, and other potential boundaries to my creativity. It did not matter if the solutions were unscrupulous or silly or impractical. I just wrote down everything that I can think of that can convince prostitutes/sex workers

Mesa Shading Master Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mesa Shading Master Plan - Essay Example This type of shading can be used to the sidewalks and pedestrian corridors. Trees can be planted in order to give shade along the sidewalks. Trees like Delonix Regia and Gleditsia tricanthos are a better choice because they can survive harsh climate conditions, grow fast and do not produce fruit. Green roofing is the best kind of roofing that can be used in areas such as bus stops and intersections. This kind of shading is environmental friendly, and they ensure conservation of the environment and tackle the loss of biodiversity. This type of shading increases energy efficiency while providing shading. If this kind of shading is installed in parking lots, they will produce clean energy as well as shading the cars from direct sunlight. In Mesa Dr, we shall have the Delonix regiaon trees on the streets. These kinds of trees are drought resistant and grow very fast. We shall avoid trees like the tipu tree because of its strong roots that can uproot sidewalk pavement. E University Dr will adopt the solar shading as this will enable generate extra power for the surrounding areas. N centre streets should be planted with Muskogee Crape Myrtle. These trees provide shade as this type does not bear fruit and grows quickly. Grynning, S., Time, B., & Matusiak, B. (2014). Solar shading control strategies in cold climates - Heating, cooling demand and daylight availability in office spaces. Solar Energy, 107182-194. doi:10.1016/j.solener.2014.06.007 Sun, L., Lu, L., & Yang, H. (2012). Optimum design of shading-type building-integrated photovoltaic claddings with different surface azimuth angles. Applied Energy, 90(1), 233-240.

The impact of the financial meltdown on the luxury fashion goods Dissertation

The impact of the financial meltdown on the luxury fashion goods market - Dissertation Example Be the epicenter of a financial crisis in any country like the United States, but its effect is felt in the other nations as well, quite similarly to the manner in which the global economic crisis of 2008 impacted the industrial sectors of the United Kingdom (Naude, 2009, p.19). The worldwide economic crisis of 2008 disturbed the basics of the luxury fashion commodities industry globally. To ride out the outburst, the, industry players countered to new user demands and, in the course, redefined the industry of luxury. There have been considerable changes and challenges faced by the luxury goods companies. The research would also include the case of a handbag designer in Paris, France, named Philippe Rousseau, who worked hard to push his business all through the crisis period. (Lauder Global Business Insight Report, 2010, p.9). Thus the rationale for the research is to understand the impact of the global financial crisis on the luxury fashion goods industry and analyze the way forward to online selling, which has been introduced by several luxury goods organizations as a new means of attracting consumers, in the recovering face of a global financial meltdown. 2) Literature Review: By the end of 2007, the world had penetrated into a recession or a financial meltdown the origin of which were mortgage and credit crisis, thereby leading to unemployment. Consumer confidence got destabilized, and this caused a cutback in the spending habits of the customers. The economic strain and the indecisive future also created a comprehensive change in the fashion industry leading to joblessness, curtails in expenses, termination plans for growth and development, or at times bankruptcies and closure of the business (Taylor & Weerapana, 2009, p.782). The luxury sector started facing saturation in the market with thinning demand. Sales of high finish fashion goods were confronted by the consumers’ inclination to explore and evaluate prices, and find thorough information bef ore buying. Designers started looking at partnerships with mass traders. Retailers and designers, in hunt of fresh clientele, pleaded to global apprehensions such as communally and environmentally accountable developed practice. It was by the end of the twentieth century that the industry started recovering and finding new ways of establishing their businesses again (Welters & Lillethun, 2011, p.111). Owing to the financial crisis, the middle class as well as many wealthy customers have been hit. Even those affluent groups who have not been individually affected by the crisis are changing their buying manners, a way of representatively taking part in the nationwide attempt and exhibiting harmony. In fact, the luxury sector gets more affected than other sectors by the consumers’ spending less on the products (Kapfere & Bastien, 2009). Philippe Roucou who is a handbag designer in Paris, has worked very hard to overcome the period of financial crisis. He started working for desi gner Gabrielle Cadet who designed hats and handbags, in 1988 and gradually became passionate for accessories  (philipperoucou, n.d.). His own business at present sells about 1500 handbags internationally per year. He is also involved in certain other businesses like a studio of his own. (Lauder Global Business Insight Report, 2010, p.9). In today’s world as a means of attracting more consumers, the fashion goods companies are coming up with online selling facilities for their customers (Caroll &

CIR#2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CIR#2 - Assignment Example The increasing financial loses and security threats that America experience because of cybercrime triggered my interest in this topic. The article, â€Å"Cybercrime costs $575 billion a year, $100 billion to US† by Tal Kopan prompted me to address the current issue, cybercrime. Apparently, America accrues the largest cybercrime costs in the world. Indeed, America suffers financial losses amounting to about $100 billion that has led to significant job losses and a downturn in the economy (Kopan 1). Moreover, FBI Director aggravates the seriousness of the issue by showing how cybercrime and cyber espionage pose fundamental risks to Americans (Pelley 1). I feel that cyber-attacks are the dominant problem to global security, market, and technologies. The rise of hackers like the Anonymous exposes America to serious security, health, and financial risks. Currently, America is suffering huge financial losses and security threats subject to the increasing cyber-attacks on its systems. Cyber criminals are hacking social and financial accounts of internet users in America. They access private information and manipulate the victims to give them money. They are also hacking security systems using malware. Children are also victims of cybercrime. Only, internet censorship laws can contain this devastating

Racial Prejudices Essay Example for Free

Racial Prejudices Essay What is prejudice? set of learned beliefs and values that lead a person to be biased against other members of other groups. -prejudices are convenient(bequem,brauchbar,passend) and inaccurate. - people are not seen as individuals, biased people label other people to special groups -prejudice is mostly based on inaccurate information about people Prejudice originates from three common parts(these parts make up a prejudiced belief): 1. Generalisations -a very broad , simple statement about a group of people -here is perhaps an appropriate point to provide an example:All catholics or when the word they figures strongly -key words for generalisations are all and they generalisations are also very inaccurate , because we are not justified in saying that all members of these group or race share the same characteristic features. G. are unfair descriptions of people and they are mostly based on very incomplete information. Having met one member from a different group with an extraordinary behaviour ,we often assume that all mebers of this group show this same extraordinary behaviour. 2. Stereotyping. -exaggerated,often negative image of a particular group of people -a stereotyp often contains a grain of truth , but this grain of truth is combined with an exaggerated and undue image of this group. Ethnocentricity -there are two types of prejudices: 1. prejudice against all outsidersyour group is the only right and proper,all other groups are excludud,other groups are portrayed as being strange and inferior. 2. prejudice against specific groups- you are able to cope with some other groups,but you disapprove a special group of their religionthats why you have a prejudice against this particular group. But this kind of prejudice does not express that your religion is the best and that all other religions are worser than your own one. You are only biased against this particular religion. -prejudice against all other groups is called ethnocentricity Prejudice and discrimination Discrimination: -Speaking of Discrimination against a special group we mean the combination of prejudice with actions In this sense the word discriminating means that we are treating a group in a negative way. -the effect of people are discriminated against:loss in terms of money ,housing,education -the forms of Discrimination: 1. verbal abuse(anti-locution)through specific termsundermines their confidence-feeling of I am not desired in this society 2. Discrimination in jobsRefusal of jobs to a groupdisadvantage in terms of jobs,income,personal decline. 3. Attack on propertydestruction of carsExpulsion because there is a lack of physical security 4. Physical attack-Assaults on group members;stabs;deathsfurther lack of security;anger;frustration;formation of self-defence groups 5. Genocidemass murder of allextermination of whole families and cultural groups. Racial prejudice or racism -always aimed at special groups -racism bases on the belief that one group(identified by their physical appearance,the skin colour) is naturally superior to other groups-the superior group therefore holds the view that other groups get inferior opportunities and treatment,the belief in superiority is only the medium or justification for repressing other groups. -racism:hostility of any group towards other groups on the basis of perceived physical features. Why do we have prejudices? several reasons: 1. the warped personality. -children brought up in a tense and repressive family-inclination towards own authoritarian attitudes -individuals resentment about his or her childhood finds an outlet in hostility towards minorities -As to Adorno the prejudice springs from harsh childhoods and defective personalities 2. Scapegoating -frustration-aggression theory combined with the use of the idea of scapegoat= The own failure of people(such as financial security,good job,status symbol) evokes frustration. The people are not acquainted with the real cause of their failure. Their frustration develops into aggression. Frequently,as a result the people search for weaker groups to lay the blame on them. This groups are guilty of an individuals failure and frustration these people taking blame for an failure of other people are described or represented by scapegoats. Conformity -friends ,family your whole environment will induce you to share their views. They prevail upon you to be prejudiced against a special group. -The group pressure will cause you to agree with the group you are member of.

The Importance Of Communication English Language Essay

The Importance Of Communication English Language Essay Within this essay I will explore the methods and importance of communication when working as a childhood practitioner. Communication is commonly defined as the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs This is a process by which meaning is assigned and conveyed in an attempt to create a shared understanding. This process involves a huge repertoire of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills including listening, speaking, questioning, observing, analysing, and evaluating.   The importance of communication within a team is perfectly demonstrated in this analogy by Wideman (2000): Communication is like engine oil: it needs to be applied to the machinery or the machinery will not start or, if it does, it will quickly falter and grind to a halt. And the oil, like communication, needs to be continuously recycled and regularly replaced with new oil as the old becomes no longer usable. But what of the quality of the oil? Too little or too thi n and it is not effective; too thick or too much and everything just gets gummed up. (Wideman, 2000). Effective communication is crucial for a team to be successful. The team needs to communicate regularly with one another because through communication cooperation and collaboration occur. Collaboration with one another is necessary in the workplace because it helps to solve problems, help maintain standards of practice and create a good rapport with all involved. Ebbeck and Waniganayake (2003, p.195) state shared decision making is one secret of successful management. In order for this to be achieved communication is essential and necessary in the workplace. Great communication skills are an absolute must it is A vital part of any centres functioning is the communication that occurs among staff (Ebbeck and Waniganayake,2003: p.197). A lack of teamwork and communication can lead to a stressful working environment and a poor quality service. In a recent presentation of mine I demonstrated through a communication exercise the importance of communication and how communication is not just verbal in nature. The exercise required all team members to communicate clearly in the communication method appropriate. The team had limitations that prevented them from communicating in the easiest form this forced them to develop a way of overcoming these barriers, communicating in a different fashion whilst also working as a team. They had two attempts to complete the task assigned to them. The first attempt went very badly as they found it very difficult to communicate with the barriers in place. However after a small group discussion they were able to devise a way to accomplish the task.   This simple exercise is a useful one to employ during a staff meeting and it teaches the value of communication and the need for effective and clear communication in order to work as a team. Communication can be viewed as an active process that is in turn influenced by the complexities and ambiguities of human behaviour. It is riddled with the potential of breakdown. Clampitt sates that We actively construct meanings within a unique vortex that includes the words used, the context of the utterances, and the people involved (2005, p.8). It is a process where elements such as any non-verbal actions, individuals own interpretation and own ascribed meaning can have an influence. Communications strategies to construct a clear and unambiguous message can encourage effective and direct communication. There are certain barriers both physical and psychological that can hinder communication as Clampitt states and it is important to be aware of these. Anything that prevents a message being understood is seen as a barrier. These are some barriers that can occur when communicating: Culture, background, and bias Our culture, background, and bias can allow us to change the meaning of a message, which can interfere with the communication process. Noise Noise impedes communication as it can both distract the sender and receiver so that concentration is hard and also muffle and distort the message being sent. Perception If we feel the person is hard to understand for instance talking to rapidly, not fluently or is not articulate enough the receiver can dismiss that person. Preconceived attitudes can also affect our ability to listen. Ourselves There is a tendency to focus on ourselves rather the person communicating which can cause conflict and confusion. Some of these factors that affect communication are ego and the feeling of superiority. Message Distractions can happen when someone doesnt look at the idea presented and chooses to focus on facts. Semantic distractions are when a word is used in a different manor than you prefer. Environmental these can include a range of stimulus that can provide potential distraction. Stress People view things differently when under stress. A message can be influenced by psychological frame of mind and our beliefs, knowledge, experience and values. Communication is vital within the childcare profession; in order for good communication it is necessary to understand the different components. Communication consists of the following methods; verbal, non-verbal communication, and written.   Verbal communication is a communication method using word of mouth. For instance   holding a conversation with someone requires the development of skills and social coordination which means having the ability to start and end conversations, the ability to show an interest and being able to interest the person you are having a conversation with. Argyle (1988) devised the Sender and Reciever Model which encodes the oral messages by the sender and decodes the messages then by the reciever. Sender  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Encodes  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚    ®Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Message  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  Decodes  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  Ã‚     Reciever Verbal communication is used to greet people, problem solve and provide support. It can also helps with everyday tasks such as, explaining issues and procedures exchanging ideas or learning ideas. It is necessary for childcare prationers to have highly attuned social skills, as they are dealing with people every day and oral communication is central in being able to bond and to have relationships with people. Thompson 1986 argued that commuinication is imperative for two major reasons these where as follows; one to enable people to share information and two enabling people to have relationships with people. Thompson stated that   relationship is the communcation. There are certain barriers that occur using verbal communication within the Childrens services such as semantic barriers, dialect, and language and tempo message. Other barriers include message complexity and message overload, which is when a person receives too many messages at the same time. Written communication is another useful communication channel and is very important between different professionals. Writting information down makes records more pernament and more accurate. Written informnation is unlike a verbal message which can become distorted when being verbally passed to people There are barriers in written communications such as the illegibility of peoples hand writing or if the written message is misunderstood.. The rules governing writing are also different compared to oral communication as it is necessary in written communication to maintain accuracy and darity. When writing information there is a need to check that all of the information is correct as if the information is recorded wrong it could result in problems. As problems can occur such as; delays in meeting the needs of the children and parents; not being able to make the right decision due to the vagueness of information recorded; being unable to deliver an organised service. An example of written communication documents is staff rotas showing times of work and holiday.   Lastly Non verbal communication is everything other than spoken words, this includes paralanguage this is um or ah sounds, the volume of the talking, the pace and accent. A very big part of non-verbal communication is facial expressions as these are indictors to others about our feelings, attitudes, states of mind and relationships.  Non-verbal communication can also include eye contact, proximity, posture and gestures. All three ways of communication have problems but are an effective way to communicate with others when used in the right way. Communication is about active listening as well as communicating with the necessary sincerity and compassion. Listening is a key skill and should not be underestimated.   One of the purposes of listening is to convey interest and respect for the other person and this is crucial to solve problems that arise and to also meet another persons needs as well as our own. Studies have revealed that listening is the on the whole the most frequent aspect of workplace communication (Adler and Elmhorst, 1999). Other studies have also found that Managers spend on average 65-90% of their working day listening to someone, with the percentage of time increasing with level of managerial responsibility (Kotter, 1982, Nichols Stevens, 1990). However research highlights that people generally people achieve no more than 25-50% accuracy in interpreting the meaning of each others remarks (Spitzberg, 1994). This means misunderstanding is very common. Furthermore tuning listening skills and becoming compe tent at listening would improve workplace communication significantly. There are barriers that hinder the ability to listen. For one People are very quick to jump to conclusions and form a judgement before the speaker has finished, this in turn can mean that the message intended is misinterpreted. People also have a tendency to hear what they want to hear and be inattentive while cultural issues or the interruption of the speaker can also prevent people from listening. Developing active listening skills such as listening to non-verbal as well as verbal language, paraphrasing, using feedback, and asking appropriate questions can help to identify possible misinterpretations of the message, as well as check for unintended messages. Good communication is absolutely essential and key when working with children, young people, families and carers. It is central in building trust amongst the users and staff within this context. In order to maintain relationships it needs to be an active process that involves listening, understanding and responding accordingly. Communication is both necessary on the one-on-one basis and also when working in a group and it is important to realise when to focus on the individual and when to focus on groups. Another thing to be aware of is  that communication is a two way process that is necessary to make sure the person feels valued and respected. Communication should also be matched appropriately to the stage of development, personal circumstances, and needs of the person being addressed. The culture and context when communicating needs to be thought about for instance, the professional should hold awareness and communicate appropriately if English is an additional language, the chi ld is disabled or at risk of under-achievement or other poor outcomes.   Effective communication is also about utilising the best communication method appropriately and being aware of any barriers that could occur these could include poverty, disability, anxiety, cultural differences and religious requirements. It is the managers duty to make sure communication within the team is effective. There are many ways a manager can help and improve a teams communication. The first is to keep all the communication channels open. Management should be always there to listen and actively participate with the team. A strong relationship with  management is important for communication and in turn the productivity of the team. The second is to offer some form of staff training in clear communication. Miscommunication is all too common in the working world and training in correct communication can easily help avoid miscommunication. Teaching employees to communicate in a clear and precise manor and listen carefully to the speaker can rectify this. Classes in other forms of communication can also be of help. Lastly it is good to invite feedback from staff and hold regular meetings both of which can provide a solid avenue for communication. All people are different and are better at different methods of co mmunication so providing as many avenues as possible is a good way to ensure communication is easy for others. Team meetings are a fantastic way to give everyone a chance to participate and have their say. It allows people to facilitate and contribute to decisions involving the workplace making them feel respected and that their feedback counts.   Communication is a highly complex process and to improve interpersonal communication, a fuller knowledge and understanding of communication skills are essential. Communication is not just about speaking it is about active listening, written and non-verbal ways of communication. Any team who wants to be successful needs to communicate in a direct and clear manor. Management should ensure that communication skills are practiced and that it is an ongoing process. Communication allows a team to work together effectively. Communication is an important skill especially when working as a childcare practitioner as without communication a childs needs cannot be met. COMMUNICATION EXERCISE   Have two people lead the group  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leaders need to try and physically arrange all of the players in sequential age order (youngest to oldest)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each leader has specific limitations restricting the ease in which they can do this. Leader One cannot see and has the following limitations:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   can only ask yes or no questions  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   cannot touch anyone Leader Two can see and can touch people but has the following limitations:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   cannot speak All other players in the group can only answer yes or no to any questions and cannot move unless moved by Leader Two.   Communication Rationale The rationale for this particular communication exercise was to teach each person the importance of clear and direct communication and its importance when working as a team. Effective communication includes a range of skills which include things like body language, clear speech, eye contact and active listening. Communication activities like the one I used for my presentation allow participants to focus on these skills and understand their impact on the effectiveness of communication. The task also illustrated the importance of working as a team to overcome limitations and complete the task set. The team players had to try and understand one another using different communication strategies in order to complete the exercise successfully and within the time cap. Furthermore this task forced players to perform with limitations such as not being able to speak or not being able to use hands etc. During this game, the demand for   effective communication from each player was essential. Similarly the understanding of each teammates role on the team, as well as their own, was vital to the teams success. Players needed to understand their roles and accomplish their tasks in their roles, without trying to do everything. This communication exercise was designed to help the participants become more aware of the importance of communication in all forms whether verbal or non-verbal. They also had to uses direct and precise communication so not to confuse other team members. They also had to have an awareness and acceptance of the varied roles within a team. Awareness comes with visual and verbal communication by the individual participant and their teammates. Research Types of Communication Based on Communication Channels The process of communication can be broadly classified as verbal communication and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication includes written and oral communication whereas the non-verbal communication includes body language, facial expressions and visuals diagrams or pictures used for communication.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Verbal Communication Verbal communication is further divided into written and oral communication. The oral communication refers to the spoken words in the communication process. Oral communication can either be face-to-face communication or a conversation over the phone or on the voice chat over the Internet. Spoken conversations or dialogs are influenced by voice modulation, pitch, volume and even the speed and clarity of speaking. The other type of verbal communication is written communication. Written communication can be either via snail mail, or email. The effectiveness of written communication depends on the style of writing, vocabulary used, grammar, clarity and precision of language.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nonverbal Communication Non-verbal communication includes the overall body language of the person who is speaking, which will include the body posture, the hand gestures, and overall body movements. The facial expressions also play a major role while communication since the expressions on a persons face say a lot about his/her mood. On the other hand gestures like a handshake, a smile or a hug can independently convey emotions. Non verbal communication can also be in the form of pictorial representations, signboards, or even photographs, sketches and paintings. phrase from some British propaganda during WWII neatly sums up the dangers of ineffective communications: Careless talk costs lives. That may be over-dramatic in most cases where communications between seafarers or between ship and shore go awry but it does illustrate the importance of effective communications and the real dangers if they go badly wrong. Evaluation This task has allowed me to understand the importance of communication within a workforce and how a team relies on communication to function. The presentation went well, I was able to get across the necessity of teamwork and the different methods of communication. The team all had limitations which meant not only did everyone have to communicate but they had to find different ways of communicating successfully. The problem was with the presentation is it lacked time; ten minutes seemed far too short. I had to limit the presentation to literally just the task and a few words prior to explain the task and why communication was important. If I had more time I would have conducted a slightly different task. The team also wasnt able to complete the task first time so I had to allow them to try again a second which was time consuming and meant I had to cut short the presentation and not summarise it as well as I would of liked to .   The negatives to the task I did conduct were that a few people did not understand the instructions I gave them at first so I had to also explain the task again fully. If I was to re do the presentation I would simplify the task. I think all in all the presentation showed the class the value of communication whether verbal or non-verbal and how teamwork is essential in any difficult situation. It was essential for them to utilise all avenues of communication to pass the task.

Edgar Allen Poe Essay example -- Biography Biographies Poe Author Essa

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe was born at 33 Hollis Street, Boston, Massachusetts, on January 19, 1809. Poe’s parents were struggling actors. His father deserted him, and his mother died of tuberculosis when he was three years old. Young Edgar was taken in by a wealthy tobacco exporter by the name of John Allan, from whom he took his middle name. Most of his early life was lived in Richmond, Virginia, with the exception of a five-year period when the Allan family lived in England. His life in England was described as rather uneventful. Poe, even in his early years, had a proficiency for writing poetry. When he moved back to Virginia, Poe grew attached to young girl in his neighborhood named Sarah Royster. They frequently visited, where they sang songs and drew pictures. They were secretly engaged at the time, although their intentions were not made known to the adults of either household (Allen 9). His mid-life began when Poe entered the University of Virginia in 1926. He withdrew less than a year later. Initially, his grades were brilliant, but soon thereafter they began to deteriorate. It is reported that Poe gambled heavily and owed large sums of money to various shopkeepers (Benet 34). He also began drinking quite heavily. Mr. Allan refused to pay Poe’s debts. He also broke off Poe’s engagement to Sarah Royster. Without any visible means to support himself, Poe left for Boston. In the spring of 1827, he arrived penniless and enlisted in the army under the name of Edgar A. Perry. In 1829, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant major. At his own request, was honorably discharged in April of 1829 (Gullete 5). Temporarily reconciled, Mr. Allan secured Poe an appointment to West Point. But still refused financial support. After six months, Poe purposely got himself discharged from West Point, by purposely neglecting his military duties and for disobedience of orders (Encarta [CD-ROM]). Poe then moved to New York, and with the help of some money raised by his West Point friends, he published his first poems in 1831. Poe next took up residence in Baltimore, with his widowed aunt, Maria Clemm, and her daughter, Virginia. He turned to fiction as a way to support himself. The Philadelphia Saturday Corrier published five of Poe’s stories. In 1883, one of his pieces won a fifty-dollar prize given by the Baltimore Sunday advisor (Regan 2,3). In 1... ...il in a story should contribute to the story. Words must not be wasted. Poe’s life was short. He died at the age of forty. He did not appear to waste a moment of his life. He moved from Boston, to Philadelphia, to New York, and to Richmond in the early 1800’s. He even spent five years in London, England. All of these experiences shape his odd life. All of his experiences in his lifetime, including the bad memories, reflected how he wrote his literature. The reader had to understand every aspect of his life to better understand his stories and poems. His writings have been teachings and inspirations for the authors today. Poe is one of the most famous authors in today’s world because of his odd tales, and his eerie life. Works Cited Abbey-Cormier. Magill’s Survey of American Literature New York Marshall Cavendish Corporation Benet, Laura. Young Edgar Allan Poe. New York Dodd, Mead and Company, 1966 Gullete, Alan. â€Å"In the Valley of the Shadow† http://www.creativnet.net/~alang/lit/horror/poebio.htm Microsoft Encarta. â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† http://owleyes.org.htm Regan, Robert. â€Å"Poe, Edgar Allan {poh}† 27 March 2000 http://baud.ubik.ac.at/sg/poe/Bio.html 14 December 2000

Keys to a Good Education for Children Essays -- Education

The key and initial forces/factors that help children receive a good education are parents’ support, the child’s confidence, and the drive to learn. In The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me, Sherman Alexie demonstrates each characteristic, strives through obstacles and shines through it all. According to therapist, Anna Robinson, the first and key factor in children receiving a good education is parents’ support. Anna discovers that when children come into her office, one key initial common thing the children posse is lack of hearing their parents encourage what they are doing and not pushing them enough. For example, in The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me, Alexie’s dad doesn’t say anything but encourages Alexie with by collecting books from everywhere. Alexie taught himself how to read first by â€Å"reading† Superman comic books. Now the word reading has parentheses around it because Alexie looks at the pictures and assumes what Superman is doing and saying. â€Å"I look at the narrative above the picture. I cannot read the words†¦.. Aloud, I pretend to read t...

Christianity & the Revolutionary War :: essays research papers

Christianity and the American Revolutionary War Harry Stout points out in the lead article, How Preachers Incited Revolution, "it was Protestant clergy who propelled colonists toward independence and who theologically justified war with Britain" (n.pag). According to Cassandra Niemczyk in her article in this issue of Christian History "(the Protestant Clergy) were known as "the Black Regiment" (n.pag). Furthermore, as the article Holy Passion for Liberty shows, "Americans were quick to discern the hand of God in the tumultuous events of the times" (n.pag). Mark Galli, the editor of this issue says "many devout believers were opposed to the war, and not necessarily on pacifist grounds. Most colonial legislatures exempted pacifists, such as Quakers and Mennonites, from military duty although they were still fined to underwrite the expenses of the war" (n.pag). Stout goes on to say " Pacifist opposition to the war was concentrated in Pennsylvania. Quakers, Mennonites, and Amish refused to fight, and for their refusal were suppressed and humiliated like the royalists" (n.pag). Often the pacifists served in hospitals, tending to both British and American wounded. From these readings one can discern that Eighteenth-century America was a deeply religious culture. Sermons taught not only the way to personal salvation in Christ but also the way to temporal and national prosperity for God’s chosen people. Timothy D. Hall a professor at Central Michigan University in The American Revolution and the Religious Public Sphere gives us this overview: "Religion played other important roles in mobilizing support for Revolution regardless of whether it was evangelical or not. Colonists often encountered Revolutionary themes for the first time when local ministers announced the latest news from the pulpit or when parishioners exchanged information after Sunday meetings. Ministers occupied an important place in the colonial communications network throughout the eighteenth century, especially in towns where few people had access to newspapers and official information was dispensed from the pulpit or lectern. Sunday afternoons provided a convenient time for men who had already gathered for worship to form militia units and drill, and many ministers used their sermons to motivate the minutemen. Israel Litchfield, a young Massachusetts minuteman, recorded that his local minister keyed Biblical texts and sermon themes to the great events of 1 775. In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley the Lutheran minister John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg concluded a Sunday sermon of 1775 by throwing back his ministerial robe to reveal a military uniform, rolling the drum for Patriot recruits, and leading them out for drill.

Literary Essay Essay

Nothing says adventure like running away from villains and getting shot at to start a career as a spy. Though many townspeople of Cumberland in Geoffrey Treases Cue for Treason think Peter Brownrigg is the best of the best, it is clear that not many people inherit the qualities to become a good spy. Katherine Russel is an exception. Kit is courageous and secretive, and therefor is the best spy in Cumberland. To begin, courage is one Kits most striking characteristics. Although it is shown throughout the book on many occasions, by a couple characters, it tells us that she is a brave person. One example of this was when the miners tried to block the road so they could rob the two, but they failed. This happened because kit was able to be courageous affectively, at the right time. â€Å"So she rode back. Heroine or idiot? I didn’t know. I’m flattered to know that, for the moment, she was thinking more of my fate† (Trease 253) said Peter Brownrigg after Kit turned to save him. Katherine was able to get away on her horse when peter was unable to. Katherine was being very courageous risking her own life for that of her friends when faced with a dangerous situation. When Mr. Desmond fell into a river with his horse Katherine was one of the first people to jump in and save him. As peter said himself â€Å"She swam like an otter, and I saw at once that I needn’t fear for her anymore, than myself† (90). Jumping into a river to save someone who is injured must be the biggest act of courage and bravery. Again she risks her life for that of someone else’s and returns unscathed. She also risked revealing her secret when she changed from her wet clothes. The last point would be when Kit manages to find out Mr.  Armthwaite is actually a friend of Sir Philip Morten. Courage is shown here when she threatens him and jumps out of a window with Peter. â€Å"If you touch that bell cord† said Kit â€Å"you’ll get something that will upset you still more† (229). Mr. Armthwaite is left dumbfounded that she found this out. The courage is shown here when she finds it in herself to pull out her gun and start accusing Mr. Armthwaite of being on Cahoots with Sir Philip Morten. These are the parts of the book that show she is courageous which is as to why she is the best spy in Cumberland. Next, Kit shows how she is very secretive and protective about her life and about how many things people know about her. The main secret she is keeping from everyone is that she is a girl. She does not relize it but all the other child actors, at the time, were angry because she did not participate in any of their games or activities that would show her true identity. â€Å"Kit showed no special interest in me –or anyone else, for he lived a strange aloof existence† (75) said Peter when he was discovering and questioning who kit was â€Å"Who was Kit Kirkstone? † (74). This is an important part of the book because it gives Peter an idea that he is actually a she. It also shows that she was able to keep her secret for that long already. Another good way she was being secretive was the way she never told anyone bout Sir Philip Morton or what he was going to do to her. This was shown when Kit spills the beans on her past life including the arranged marriage with Sir Philip â€Å" I pity the man who marries you against your will† (114) chuckled Shakespeare. The way the other characters react when this is told is surprisingly believable (shocked and surprised). This is so because Sir Philip Morton is also the man chasing peter. Katherine was also able to keep this a secret till this part of the book. The Last point would be when Kit tells Mr. Desmond she is actually a boy. Mr. Desmond is one of the many people who believed this throughout most of the book. After giving Mr. Desmond a fake name, Katherine is allowed into the actors group after showing some talent â€Å"Kirkstone will pass† sighed Desmond. This is shows how good she is at lying. Kit had no choice to lie to Mr. Desmond because he would have not let her act if she found out she was a girl. Mr.  Desmond would have put her on backstage with his wife Mrs. Desmond. Considering all the points that were shown throughout the book on Kits secrecy and true identity, it’s safe to say that she is the best spy in Cumberland. In conclusion, courageous and secretive are just two of the many words to describe Katherine Russel, which shows she is the best spy in Cumberland. Through the acts and demonstrations given by Katherine Russel, it is obvious she should continue down the path that she has chosen, but when shown again, is the life of a spy an appropriate one? Appropriate for a twelve year old girl?

Characters in Great Expectations Essay

In this first extract there are many hidden connections between the characters and the settings. The first connection is when Pip the narrator describes the graveyard. He describes it as a â€Å"bleak place overgrown with nettles†. The word bleak alone reflects many characters feelings. The word bleak may perhaps represent how Pip feels about the place he has to mourn for his family and how he is in disbelief that a place of death and rebirth could be so uncared for. I think this uncaring for the graveyard is a strong reflection of Pips character, as he himself is uncared for. It could also symbolize Pip’s life so far as being miserable and empty and never having anything to look forward to. However I think the main thing the word bleak is trying to signify is the â€Å"fearful man† Magwitch. This convict’s life will be bleak even he does not go back to prison. This is because he has no option, no friends or family and he is alone in the world. Pip the narrator describes the area surrounding the churchyard as a â€Å"dark flat wilderness†. This quote is another representation of Pip’s life . The word â€Å"dark† indicates Pip’s past and how it is dark and cloudy as he does not know anything about it. The word â€Å"flat† signifies Pip’s life at the moment as being straight forward and plain with nothing changing and the word wilderness representing Magwitch and how Magwitch is going to change Pip’s future from flat and straight forward to wild andchanging. The quote also may represent Pip’s existence as he has always been alone, never knowing any of his family apart from his sister. Furthermore the fact that Pip is alone in this harsh abandoned environment makes the area more scary and dangerous. So when Dickens refers to Pip as a â€Å"small bundle of shivers† it creates an image in the readers mind of Pip curled up all alone in this â€Å"overgrown† â€Å"wilderness† which I think increases the readers sorrow for Pip. Moreover the word â€Å"bundle† emphasises how small Pip is which may increase the readers sorrow for Pip even more. This atmosphere created by Dickens gives a good entrance for the character Magwitch. Magwitch is mirrored through the landscape and the words Dickens uses so that he is not only created through words but from the settings. The words and settings that are used to emphasise Magwitch are mainly employed to dehumanise Magwitch so that he seems more like a monster then a man. Magwitch is first introduced at the graveyard, where he scares Pip not only with his words but with his image. This is shown before Magwitch is even introduced into the play by the narrator. The narrator refers to a wind rushing from a â€Å"savage lair†. I think this wind from the savage lair is Magwitch and how he is being blown ever closer to Pip. I also think that the word â€Å"savage† could be referring to the prison Magwitch was in. As it shows the fact that a prison is a place for savages. This idea increases the reader’s view of Magwitch making him more of a beast then a man. The assumption that Magwicth is a beast is also supported by the fact that Dickens followed â€Å"savage† with the word â€Å"lair† the word lair is mainly used to describe an animal’s home which enhances the idea of Magwitch being an animal. I think Dickens does this to dehumanise Magwitch further and also to create an image in the readers mind just before Magwitch is introduced into the extract. Magwitch is an escaped convict which makes his options â€Å"bleak† that’s why I think he ends up at the graveyard because if your options are â€Å"bleak† you usually only have the worst choices to choose from. The word â€Å"overgrown† suggests how Magwitch is out of control which makes him more like a wild monster. In addition the word â€Å"nettles â€Å"could be representing Magwitch being sharp, painful and dangerous. These quotes show that nature has personified Magwitch into a wild beast. When Magwitch is first described by the narrator, one of the first things that he is described as is â€Å"a man with no hat†. I think this is said because in the times of Great Expectations gentleman usually wore top hats. Dickens is trying to show that Magwitch is no gentleman. At the end of extract one Magwitch asks Pip where his village lies. This I think has a small reference to Mr and Mrs Gargery, as they both are included as the â€Å"village† that Pip points to when Magwicth threatens him in the Graveyard. The village â€Å"lay inshore among the alder trees,†. As a result of this quote we draw together the image of a peaceful village. This quote illustrates the meaning of the word â€Å"lay† as this one word indicates that the village was asleep and unaware of Magwitch’s presence. This extract shows how well the settings of Great Expectations not only contribute to the story but to the characters emotions as well. Extract two takes place in Satis House. This old outdated building creates the feelings and atmosphere for this extract. The extract begins with Pip describing the room he is in and giving us an image of what it looks like. Pip then meets Miss Havisham and refers to her as the â€Å"strangest† thing he has ever seen. Miss Havisham talks to Pip about herself and gives him a brief outline of her past telling Pip how she has never seen the sun since she was left at the alter by her husband. After this Pip meets Miss Havisham’s daughter Estella. Estella and Pip play the card game â€Å"beggar† while they are playing. Estella insults Pip by saying that his hands are all coarse. The extract ends with Pip leaving Satis house and then releasing his hatred towards Estella by kicking a wall while he cries. Extract two on a whole fits into Great Expectations as the Part of the novel that misleads the reader so that the reader thinks that Miss Havisham is the mysterious benefactor who gives Pip money so that he can move to London to become a gentleman. I think Dickens does this to try and remove the character Magwitch from the readers mind so that the reader will not even in the slightest think that Magwitch is Pip’s benefactor and that Magwitch role in Great Expectations has ended. However even though Charles Dickens does this, he still leaves a presence of Magwitch in the novel. This presence comes from the character Estella. Estella just like Magwitch is sprung onto Pip. Magwitch is sprung onto Pip in the literal sense as he just jumps out at Pip scaring him. In comparison Estella is released onto Pip in another way. Pip who finds Estella â€Å"pretty† is just sprung by the insults and â€Å"distain† she shows towards him. The settings in extract two mainly represent the character Miss Havisham showing why she lives her life the way she does and exposing her past to the reader. The character Miss Havisham is not exactly a very believable character as no one in their right mind would live there life the way she does just because they were left at the alter. However even though she is not a very realistic creation from Charles Dickens she is certainly one of the most interesting characters of the novel. Miss Havisham’s whole life is defined by the single catastrophic event of her being left at the alter. From that moment forth, Miss Havisham is determined never to move beyond that day. She stops all the clocks in Satis House at twenty minutes to nine, the moment when she first learned that her future husband was gone. Extract two begins with Pip the narrator describing what the room Pip is in looks like. The room is described as a â€Å"pretty large† room well lit with â€Å"wax candles†. It is also said that the room does not even have a â€Å"glimpse of sunlight. † These quotes create the atmosphere of the room which make it seem mysterious and depressing. In addition these quotes reveal a lot about the character Miss Havisham. The quote a â€Å"glimpse of sunlight† is not only saying that room does not even have a glimpse of sunlight it is also reflecting things about Miss Havisham showing how she herself is the one without a glimpse of sunlight. The fact that Miss Havisham is keeping herself from the sunlight (the sunlight I believe could represent the public) suggests that she is trying to keep her past from the sunlight by staying in the dark. Sunlight is often associated with bliss and happiness. As there is no sunlight in the room it emphasises her life as being unhappy.

Orientation day at Seneca

This article is based on students who participated in Seneca College Orientation. It was a big success because everyone learned so much about their courses and everyone had fun. This orientation was for new students attending Seneca College, there are different departments of studies that were introduced. First, the president of Seneca College, David Jones welcomed students by his speech then after that, the president had every student in every department come up on the stage so that he could personally welcome everyone and give the students a pin.Along with some of the board members, everyone shook hands and personally greeted each other a welcome aboard greeting. Everyone was amazed by the start of this formal ceremony. After the welcome greeting, the president introduced Ms. Erin Grant, Alumni and also the Valedictorian of her school year. She was thrilled to be called on to greet the new students. She shared some quotes to encourage the new students and told them not to worry abo ut negative things because hard work is the key to success. It created a nice atmosphere among the students, because it took some pressure off their shoulders.After she delivered her lovely speech, the president and the board members left the gymnasium while the students remained in their seats waiting for their department of study to be called down so that they can meet with the faculty members so that they can discuss further details about the courses with their future students. The faculty discussed what the courses were about and what the expectations on each of them were. They gave out a lot of informations to help the students know what they are entering into. The discussion ended and everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch on Seneca grounds. It was an unforgettable Orientation day at Seneca.

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.