To What Extent is a British Immigration Policy a Product of a Essay

To What Extent is a British Immigration Policy a Product of a Hollowing Out the State - Essay Example Britain has had to redefine itself as a nation-state and to create for the first time a national citizenship. The confused and bitter politics of immigration during the last quarter-century have been due to the absence of a strong identity as a nation-state and a well established national citizenship until 1981. Thus Britain lacked a criterion for deciding whom to admit to its territory. The government later drew distinctions in the immigration law between persons of Britain and its colonies; it the created a special second-class citizenship status, without the right of immigration for the residents of Hong Kong and others (Black and Kniveton 2008). With the continued influx of persons, Britain had to change the immigration policies, aiming to integrate and assimilate those immigrants who had already settled and being closing its borders to any further immigration. The concerns of the British government were not only social, cultural and political, they were also economical in that u nemployment and other risks had started to crop up (Ian and Spencer 2007). With reference to the discussion question given, this paper assess the hollowing out the state Rhode’s theory has an effect on the main British policies in the case of immigration. The paper will also assess to what extent a British immigration policy a product of hollowing out the state. To the economy of Britain, immigration has become highly significant in that immigrants comprise more than 12% of the total workforce in Britain with the biggest portion of these immigrants being based in London. However, it was found that the argument that was being made by the British government that net immigration – immigration minus emigration – generates significant economic benefits for the existing British population had no backing evidence. The GDP, which the government uses in making its argument, was found to be an irrelevant and misleading criterion for assessing the economic impacts of immig ration of the British population. It was suggested that the focus of analysis should rather be based on the effects of immigration on income per head of the current population (Ian and Spencer, 2007). The economic impacts if immigration depends critically on the skills acquired by the immigrants. Immigrants with different qualifications and levels of education can have different impacts of the economy of a country. It was found out that many business and public services at the present in Britain make use of the skills and hard work of the immigrants. Sind the implementation of successive immigration acts since 1962, Britain successfully managed to keep the net migration levels low heading into the 1980s. This was by accepting and overall number of migrants at a rate which was lower than the other European countries. In addition to that it allowed Britain to successfully control and channel migration which is the strength that the core executive enjoys within the immigration policy m aking process (England 2009). In the 1970s for example, the British immigration office began allowing male immigrants to bring their wives and children into the country from other countries but discouraged women from bringing their husbands into the country from other countries. The 197 Immigration act was the only piece of legislation in Britain which gave the resettlement rights to the immediate family members of the immigrant residence. This

Competitive Intelligence Essay Example for Free

Competitive Intelligence Essay Introduction Competitive intelligence (CI) refers to a tool used for marketing used by business organizations to study the competing surrounding. The process incorporates a determined information gathering based on the operations and other factors considering the competitor that enables proper decision-making of the organization management. Gower. Moloi and Iyamu, (2013) indicates that CI is significant in making marketing-related decisions and the development of market–oriented companies. Different companies use different methods to gather competitive intelligence. Companies study an array of industry specific and general publications to provide information of the current competitive intelligence. However, the most mentioned source of industry information are monographs. Monographs refer to the grey literature that may not be disseminated through conventional publishing channels. These include academic theses, business schools, technical reports, scholarly papers, case studies, and private and public sector documents. Sometimes the monographs are published that provides the most cost-effective and comprehensive source of CI information. Industry monographs are instrumental in providing information of the industry secular progress and historical background. Profits analysis can be obtained through long-term perspective that is compost of a richer experience variety as opposed to when only recent developments are considered. However, the major downfall is that the company conference proceedings and monographs date speedily. Internet searches, and the British Library form the major sources of grey literature. According to Murphy (2005,) the press reports and features provide the source of current and retrospective understanding of the competitor. The journals such as Financial Times sectoral surveys enable a company to obtain an excellent overview of the competitor of various business lines. Likewise, it outlines the individual players’ profile and the most pressing current issues affecting the competitor. Numerous trade journals provide annual surveys of the major trends and events in their specific business line. Furthermore, Murphy (2005) writes that the regulatory authorities also provide a great quality of information may be availed at a modest cost. The studies and reports provided by the Competition Commission have plenty of significant data and analysis that provides an excellent model on the procedures of undertaking the studies of the competing industry. The public watchdogs charged with the roles of overseeing the public sector forms excellent targets of CI information. Company circulars that they have to send to their shareholders under specific conditions are also significant sources of CI. For example, material acquisition and classified information on the listing rules provides information on the size of the company. Circulars contain FSA that may require the researcher to visit the company headquarters to obtain the corporate documents. Furthermore, Murphy (2005) indicates that shareholder data that has special rules that apply to the reporting of the changes within the entire PLCs. The Companies’ Act provides that PLCs are always documented in the company annual reports. This information provides the holdings of 3 percent of the total voting share capital of the firm. The information provided in such notifications that are subjected to public scrutiny provides CI information. Murphy further writes that company patents provide mechanisms of obtaining competitive advantage and the trademarks that provides the insights that describe the company enrichments. However, some companies believe that human resource intelligence. Company investigators may use direct contact with company human resource intelligence through identifying the subjects and planning of interviews. Human resource provides updated information on the company; however, it may be difficult to secure the potential individual to approach for such CI information. A typical example of CI mentions the stock traders who analyze the data based on the price movements and prices to determine the best investments. They possess similar data to other traders, yet data analysis provides their difference with others. Moreover, Japanese automobile industry that analysed the U.S automobiles of in the 1970s based on the products and the demands of the customer (Wagner Van 2011). The smaller families and high gasoline prices created a demand in the U.S for fuel efficient and smaller cars. Therefore, the Japanese automobiles applied CI methods to establish a trend and further made the decisions on manufacturing based on the results of CI information. The produced cars defeated the U.S Big Three in the market due to fuel-efficiency and high-quality cars. Despite the entire pool of information sources, the internet and human resource intelligence may be the most effective sources of information in terms of accuracy, ethics and cost-effectiveness. The company websites provide an array of information that can be easily assessed compared to published documents. The website provides comprehensive information on the new developments, business practices, and detailed information on strategies and tactics established by the company. Likewise, as Wagner and Van (2011) establishes, the internet can provide detailed information based on the vision, CEO statements, goals and objectives, and the overall management of the firm. The commitment of the firm to quality, consumer problems, investments and plants, structure are also provided in the web pages of the company. Likewise, human resource can be maintained for a long period once the first interview is secured. Although it is a subject of ethics, human resource intelligence will provide the most updated information on the company plans. References Gower. Moloi, R., Iyamu, T. (April 01, 2013). Understanding the Deployment of Competitive Intelligence Through Moments of Translation. International Journal of Information Technology and Web Engineering (ijitwe), 8, 2, 33-45. Murphy, C. (2005). Competitive intelligence: Gathering, analysing and putting it to work. Aldershot, England: Wagner, L., Van, B. J.-P. (January 01, 2011). Web Mining for Strategic Competitive Intelligence.

Risk Management Functions in Healthcare Organisation

Risk Management Functions in Healthcare Organisation Cloudette Ann F. Sun The main purpose of this report is to examine and discuss the role of risk management function within an organization and assess the policies and procedures against strategic and operational healthcare business functions. INTRODUCTION In a corporate world there is a need to maintain the continuous assurance of success and achieving the desired goals of the company. As businesses start to develop and grow, it has become essential for these companies to identify risks that might hinder their growth and possibly decrease profit. This has made the introduction of risk management very imperative in the organization. To prevent financial crises, an enterprise must have strong footing on the theory of risk management, beginning with anticipating or finding possible risks, discovery of ways to reduce them and to implementation of guidelines to diminish these threats and to increase the development of the enterprise. This paper offers a balance of essential information and indicators on how the management of risk in a financial institution takes place, its benefits and components. ROLES OF RISK MANAGMENT FUNCTIONS IN AN ORGANISATION Examine and discuss the purpose of risk management within an enterprise. Risk management has been defined by ISO 31000 (2009) as principles and guidelines. It provides principles, framework and a process for managing risk. In a financial institution it can be used in risk planning, risk assessment, risk handling and risk monitoring. Once a risk have been identified, a detailed description of this risk should be taken into account; from likelihood of occurrence, its impact as well as taking into consideration the cost, scope frequency and other factors that might contribute to that risk. Within that framework of thought onto the concise analysis of the risk identified, a response plan should or will be developed. This part may take up a lot of time and be given a longer time frame within the process for these may undergo trial milestones or surveys. As these trial plans on reducing risks are taking place, it is the responsibility of the enterprise to initiate an immediate response plan before a concrete procedure or plan has been developed to reduction or risks. Relevant communication between all parties involved should be implemented and consultation with the assigned departments should hasten this process. Implementation of procedures on risk management then follows with the continual reassessment or monitoring of the effects or outcome of the procedures to the expected drop of risk on the enterprise. A framework on the implementation and review on the procedures should be properly documented as to gauge the effectiveness of the plan being instigated. It is vital that risk management will always be a continuous process in an evolving and developing financial institution. Examine and discuss the benefits of risk management within an enterprise As business institutions develop and grown, inevitable risk unceasingly evolves and this makes enterprises agree on the benefits of the continual process on managing these risks. This makes it beneficial for the development of a culture of the company and the education of the members of different departments affected by the risks involved. Cultural development evolves for the better as monitoring of the best possible way to diminish risk and with the end benefit of increasing profit always takes place. Board members of the enterprise create programmes for the betterment of the employees and for the survival of their company. Information dissemination also takes place as individuals in the company are being educated on the solvency plans undertaking in minimizing risks. This also pushes financial institution to their regulatory developments. On the same note, accurate bookkeeping of investments, risks, uncertainties and management decisions are made with the help of the process of risk management. This makes it easier for future references on the recurrence of another or similar risks evolvements. With the precise documentation at hand for reference, minimal cost could be implemented for potential risks and there is a rise in confidence in how the enterprise would manage as contingency plans are already being regulated and suitable analysis of data are already considered by the management. This could ultimately promote good governance within the company. In addition, the achievement of the main goal of any business institution is the control on the financial risk or the implementation on the minimal costs of the enterprise. As an effect, this ultimately increases the company’s ability to increase incentives and in return employees provide their best efforts making which as well makes not only the employers but also the consumers confident and happy in their purchase. Reviewing of Activities and Internal Environment In the process of managing risk the main and primary goal is reviewing or to decipher the movements and internal environment that affects the risk. As corporations tend to grow big a lot of factors tend to taken into consideration. In the internal environment, risks can happen in a lot of areas including in the management of human resource and proper communication within the employees and within the different departments. It is quite difficult to handle a company especially with different backgrounds and settling of varied cultures. This also does not limit to such and includes with the development of technology and research. This has become extremely important with the fast developments of technology in the last years and the continuous improvement of our gadgets and machinery. Another would be with regards to the health, environment and safety of every individual contributing to the advancement of the financial institution. This essentially becomes the primary contribution of the working power that a company holds and eventually assures the continuous production and process of the enterprise. Setting Objectives Evidently it has become widely known that setting objectives by most companies are through guidance of the principle that it must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bounded. Specific objectives are focused on the particular risk that is being currently examined wherein a detailed description of the risk that hinders the growth of the company is taking place. Having a definite objective guides the enterprise on knowing whether the goal has been achieved. A vague description of one’s objective automatically hinders the company to the continuous process on managing the risk. Measurable objectives give economic reasons of the financial institution for it to continue on the management of their risks. This ultimately sets and gauges if the objectives that have been set are accomplished or there is still a need for improvement. Achievable goals are being set, in which right from the start; the company has already taken into consideration its competencies and its marketing capabilities to the assurance that the objectives being set will be accomplished. Realistic objectives mean that a proper assessment and evaluation has been made within the firm its ability from resources management, competitors, market value and employee before setting a time frame. Time bounded goals keep the company in the right tract and to continually pressure the organization to meet the set time frame. Event Identification Event identification of risk is considered still to be a continual process on building the framework needed for management of risks. Implementation of controls is necessary to help alleviate risks that have already been identified as decreasing the reoccurrence of risks. This as well creates a venue for having the company being able monitor risks and build up parameters for these risks to be properly monitored. This clearly shows that event identification goes together with proper governance of managing risks especially associated with the objectives specifically set by the enterprise. For it to properly identify the event, it must eventually be flexible framework in which has been appropriately interrelated with the objectives. Risk assessment with particular reference to the impact and likelihood of risk The assessment of risk can be associated with their severe, significant, moderate, minor or minimal on the scale of every enterprise. A severe risk assessment would mean have great impact on its ability to meet its desired objective, but this may however reduce one or more of its objectives not to be achieved. In a significant assessment, although there is a significant effect on the outcomes set on the goals; there would be some goals that will be below what it is desired. Moderate assessment has adequate impact on the objectives but may cause some outcomes to be just in the acceptable level. Minor assessments have less influence on the objective causing outcomes to be below the acceptablelevel. Minimal assessments have little or no influence at all on the set objectives of the financial institution on the management of their risks. Risk Response Plan Risk response plan guides in analysing and identifying the risks and integration to planned objectives using the smart principles for main goal in mind for the increase in profit of the company. In the risk response plan, there must be proper integration of the knowledge within the objective. Proper integration with the objectives definitely requires the appropriate allocation of the resources at hand and careful planning including the review of previous similar risks. The scope must also be correct in definition wherein its control and quality are defined adequately. Time allocation is very important as well, for this may guarantee increase of risks; example would be the early distribution of some competitive products in the market. This happens when there is the exact estimation of time and the availability of the resources at hand. Cost effectiveness is vital as part of the risk response plan in which errors are being estimated, any changes in the contingency plan are calculated, as well as maintaining and acquisition of goods. Assuring the quality of the developed plan to control risk is essential. A standardization of the equipment, how it is being processed and the uni queness of the product is critically established. A leadership plan along with the objective becomes extremely necessary, because it all springs from proper leadership skills, with the definition of the responsibilities of each individual included in the plan. This also decreases any conflict arising within the management and increases productivity and organization of the set planned objectives in minimizing risks. Along with this, sets par with excellent communication between the team. This paves the way for the contribution of ideas from different departments and consultation from stakeholders. While developing the risk plan, unforeseeable conditions must also be taken into consideration and be part of the margin of error. Control Activities In an organization control activities are usually planned by the upper management headed by the chief executives. Controls given to the process level or on how the management is being governed and how the risk assessment plan is implemented are considered to be entity-wide controls. For the effectiveness of the plan identified by the management, control policies are being developed. Soft control are done with the â€Å"people† of the organization, which means knowing what really is the situation and eventually promotes open communication, shared values and their commitment with competitiveness. Hard Controls are instigated on the activities planned by the higher management. This could mean strict implementation of the policies, proper review of and inspection of the process and the appropriate structure of the organization. Information and Communication In forming a corporate strategy it is imperative that there is a continuous learning process and proper relay of information within the management and stakeholders. It starts with setting context of the risk involved with the suitable plan involved. It is now through proper dissemination that desired results will be achieved by the financial institution. There must be a constant interaction and dialogue between the stakeholders of the company. It is also the responsibility of the organization to uphold trainings and seminars to keep the employees abreast with the current trend and the plans of the company. Monitoring Kim Heldman (2005) defines monitoring as an activity that collects information, documents each findings and reporting them to the management. This is the phase wherein there is a continuous check of how the risk has been solved or managed and if there is a need for contingency plan to be differed and be reassessed again. Constant monitoring of the guidelines and limits ensures compliance within the organization. Proper consolidation of reports should be made to be reported by the upper management and keep as reference for foreseeable risks as well as unforeseeable. CONCLUSION Therefore, I believe although some financial institutions make not take risk management seriously but the benefits greatly outweigh any financial risks that the company might experience in the future. Financial institutions should ground themselves with the process of risk management. From creating organizational objectives with the smart principle, implementation of these strategies and to assessing the outcome of the plan made for the risks to be minimized. It should also bear in mind that continuous learning and communication within the organization is vital for the enhancement of the institution. Risk management is a process that involves assessment, evaluation, managing and measuring of risks involved in an enterprise. Through risk management the implementation of standardization have been developed in business institutions in our society. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Heldman, K. Project Manager’s Spotlight on Risk Management.1st edition. Sybex Inc. United States of America. 2005 Wu, D. D. Modeling Risk Management in Suitable Construction. 1st edition. Springer Publications. Germany. 2011. Electronic Sources ISO 31000. (2009).Risk Management. http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/iso31000.htm European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. Purpose of Risk Assessment. Retrieved from https://osha.europa.eu/en/topics/riskassessment/purpose

Ernest Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants Essay -- Ernest Hemingwa

Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ernest Hemingway's short story 'Hills Like White Elephants' is a story about a couple who are having some trouble in their relationship. The main characters in the story are an American man and a girl. The whole story is mostly a dialogue between the couple. They are trying to have a fine time, but there is a tension between them and some kind of operation needs to be done. The operation can easily be done and if it's going to happen it will be done on the girl. In the story it's not being said what the operation is. The second time I read it I understand that they are talking about an abortion. The man wants the girl to do the abortion while the girl is not sure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting of the story is well described; the couple is waiting at a little train station between Barcelona and Madrid. The couple is sitting outside a bar 'at a table in the shade'. (171) They are having a cold drink. It?s warm outside and the view is beautiful, in the distance they see white hills.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story doesn?t give very much information about the characters. The American man and the girl, whose name is Jig, are a couple, but they are not married. The man are probably a bit older than the girl, he is mention as an American man while Jig is just mention as the girl, the story doesn?t say what her nationality is. But she can?t be Spanish because she doesn?t speak Spanish. They are traveling around because they have bags with ?label... Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants Essay -- Ernest Hemingwa Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ernest Hemingway's short story 'Hills Like White Elephants' is a story about a couple who are having some trouble in their relationship. The main characters in the story are an American man and a girl. The whole story is mostly a dialogue between the couple. They are trying to have a fine time, but there is a tension between them and some kind of operation needs to be done. The operation can easily be done and if it's going to happen it will be done on the girl. In the story it's not being said what the operation is. The second time I read it I understand that they are talking about an abortion. The man wants the girl to do the abortion while the girl is not sure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting of the story is well described; the couple is waiting at a little train station between Barcelona and Madrid. The couple is sitting outside a bar 'at a table in the shade'. (171) They are having a cold drink. It?s warm outside and the view is beautiful, in the distance they see white hills.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story doesn?t give very much information about the characters. The American man and the girl, whose name is Jig, are a couple, but they are not married. The man are probably a bit older than the girl, he is mention as an American man while Jig is just mention as the girl, the story doesn?t say what her nationality is. But she can?t be Spanish because she doesn?t speak Spanish. They are traveling around because they have bags with ?label...

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 26

The day passed with much research, but with very little in the way of results, which left Elena feeling increasingly concerned for her comatose friend. By the time night fel and Aunt Judith cal ed to wearily inquire whether Elena's family would see her at al that day, they had sorted through the first bag of papers and Alaric had gone over a third or so of what seemed to be the notebook in which Caleb kept the record of his magical experiments, grumbling about Caleb's terrible handwriting. Elena frowned, flipping through another stack of papers. Looking through the pictures and clippings confirmed that Celia hadn't been among Caleb's planned victims. If the phantom had targeted her first, it must have been because she was rich in whatever emotion this phantom fed off. â€Å"Snippiness,† Meredith suggested, but she was careful to say it out of Alaric's hearing. The clippings and printouts also showed that Caleb was indeed obsessed with Tyler's disappearance, and that he had evidence and memories of two different time lines for the same period – one where Fel ‘s Church had been fal ing apart and Elena Gilbert had been dead, and one where everything had been just fine, thanks in the smal Virginia town of Fel ‘s Church, including the continuing reign of the senior class's golden girl, Elena. In addition to Caleb's own double memories, which covered only the summer, Tyler had apparently talked to him over the phone the previous fal and winter about the mysterious events surrounding Mr. Tanner's death and everything that fol owed. Although it didn't sound from Caleb's notes like Tyler had mentioned his own transformation to werewolf and conspiracy with Klaus, just his growing suspicions of Stefan. â€Å"Tyler.† Elena groaned. â€Å"Even though he's long gone, he manages to make trouble.† Alaric's examination of the notebook so far had proved that they were right that Caleb was a magic user, and that he was planning to use his magic both to take vengeance against them and to try to locate Tyler. But it hadn't shown how he had summoned the phantom. And despite Alaric's bringing any likely looking note, incantation, or drawing to Mrs. Flowers for inspection, they had not yet discovered what kind of spel Caleb had been doing, or what purpose the roses served. Stefan escorted Elena home for dinner, then returned to continue helping the others. He'd wanted to stay with Elena, but she had a feeling her aunt would not appreciate a lastminute dinner guest. The second Elena stepped through the door, she could feel Damon's lingering presence and remembered how, just hours ago, they had stood upstairs, holding each other. Al through the meal, while she told Margaret a bedtime story, and then during her last cal to Meredith to check on the rest of the group's progress, she'd thought longingly of him, wondering whether she would see him tonight. That in turn set off pangs of guilt related to Stefan and Bonnie. She was being so selfish, keeping Stefan's brother's return from him, and thinking of herself while Bonnie was in danger. The whole cycle was exhausting, but stil she couldn't contain her exuberance that Damon was alive. Alone in her room at last, Elena ran a brush through her silky golden hair and pul ed on the simple cool nightgown she'd wo rn the night before. It was hot and humid outside, and through her window she could hear the crickets chirping busily. The stars were shining, and a half-moon floated high over the trees outside. She cal ed good night to Aunt Judith and Robert and climbed into bed, fluffing the pil ows around her. She half expected a long wait. Damon liked to tease, and he liked to make an entrance, so he was quite likely to wait until he thought she would be asleep, and then sweep into her room. But she had barely turned off the light when a piece of darkness seemed to separate itself from the night outside her window. There was the faintest scuff of a footstep on the floor, and then her mattress groaned as Damon settled himself at the foot of her bed. â€Å"Hel o, love,† he said softly. â€Å"Hi,† she said, smiling at him. His black eyes glittered at her from the shadows, and Elena suddenly felt warm and happy, despite everything. â€Å"What's the latest?† he asked. â€Å"I saw a lot of fuss going on at the boardinghouse. Something got your sidekicks in a tizzy?† His tone was casual y sarcastic, but his gaze was intense, and Elena knew he had been worried. â€Å"If you let me tel everyone you're alive, you could be with us and then you'd know everything that's going on firsthand,† she teased. Then she grew somber. â€Å"Damon, we need your help. Something terrible has happened.† She told him about Bonnie, and about what they had discovered in the Smal woods' garden shed. Damon's eyes flamed. â€Å"A phantom's got the little redbird?† â€Å"That's what Mrs. Flowers's mother said,† Elena answered. â€Å"Stefan told us that he'd known of a rage phantom somewhere back in Italy.† Damon made a little pfft! noise. â€Å"I remember that. It was amusing at the time, but nothing like what you've been describing. How does this theory of Stefan's explain Bonnie's being taken? Or the appearance of the names when someone is threatened?† â€Å"It's Mrs. Flowers's theory, too,† Elena said indignantly. â€Å"Or her mother's, I guess. And it's the only one that makes sense.† She could feel Damon stroking her arm with the most featherlight touch, and it felt good. The hairs prickled on the back of her arms, and she shivered with pleasure in spite of herself. Stop it, she thought sternly. This is serious business. She moved her arm out of Damon's reach. He sounded amused and lazy when he next spoke. â€Å"Wel , I can't blame the old witch and her ghost mother,† he said. â€Å"Humans mostly stay in their own dimension; they learn only the tiniest piece of what's happening, even the most gifted of them. But if Stefan behaved like any self-respecting vampire and didn't go around trying to be human al the time, he'd have a little more of a clue. He's barely even traveled to the Dark Dimension except when he was dragged there to sit in a cage or save Bonnie. Maybe if he had, he would understand what was going on and be able to protect his pet humans a little better.† Elena bristled. â€Å"Pet humans? I'm one of those pet humans, too.† Damon chuckled, and Elena realized he had said that purposely, to rile her up. â€Å"A pet? You, princess? Never. A tiger, maybe. Something wild and dangerous.† Elena rol ed her eyes. Then the implication of Damon's words hit her. â€Å"Wait, are you saying this isn't a phantom? And that you know what it actual y is? Is it something that comes from the Dark Dimension?† Damon shifted closer to her again. â€Å"Would you like to know what I know?† he said, his voice like a caress. â€Å"There are a lot of things I could tel you.† â€Å"Damon,† Elena said firmly. â€Å"Stop flirting and pay attention. This is important. If you know anything, please tel me. If you don't, please don't play games with me. Bonnie's life is at stake. And we're al in danger. You're in danger, too, Damon: Don't forget, your name's been written, and we don't know for sure that whatever happened on the Dark Moon was the attack on you.† â€Å"I'm not too concerned.† Damon waved his hand disparagingly. â€Å"It would take more than a phantom to hurt me, princess. But, yes, I know a little more about this than Stefan does.† He turned her hand over and traced her palm with cool fingers. â€Å"It is a phantom,† he said. â€Å"But it's not the same kind we saw in Italy long ago. Do you remember that Klaus was an Original? He wasn't sired like Katherine or Stefan or I was; he was never human. Vampires like Klaus consider vampires like us who started out as humans to be weak half-breeds. He was much stronger than us and much more difficult to kil . There are different types of phantoms, too. The phantoms who are born of human emotions on Earth are able to intensify and spur on these emotions. They don't have much consciousness of their own, though, and they never get very strong. They're just parasites. If they are cut off from the emotions they need to survive, they fade away pretty quickly.† Elena frowned. â€Å"But you think this is another, more powerful kind of phantom? Why? What did Sage tel you?† Damon tapped her hand with one finger as he counted. â€Å"One: the names. That's beyond the powers of an ordinary phantom. Two: It took Bonnie. A regular phantom wouldn't be able to do that, and wouldn't get anything out of it if it could. An Original phantom, though, can steal her spirit and take it back to the Dark Dimension. It can drain her life force and emotions to make itself stronger.† â€Å"Wait,† Elena said, alarmed. â€Å"Bonnie's back in the Dark Dimension? Anything could be happening to her! She could be enslaved again!† Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she thought of how humans were treated in the Dark Dimension. Damon squeezed her hand. â€Å"No, don't worry about that. She's there only in spirit – the phantom wil have her in some kind of holding cel ; it'l want her safe. I think the worst thing that could happen to her is she'l be bored.† He frowned. â€Å"It'l sap her life force, though, and that'l weaken her eventual y.† â€Å"You think that being bored's the worst thing that could happen to her†¦ oh, at least until it drains al her life force? That's not good enough, Damon. We have to help her.† Elena thought for a moment. â€Å"So phantoms live in the Dark Dimension?† Damon hesitated. â€Å"Not in the beginning. The Original phantoms were relegated to the Dark Moon by the Guardians.† â€Å"Where you died.† â€Å"Yes,† Damon said caustical y. Then he rubbed the back of her hand in a silent apology for his tone. â€Å"Original phantoms are kept inside some kind of prison on the Dark Moon, just itching for a chance to get out. Like genies in a bottle. If something broke the prison wal , their ultimate goal would be to make it to Earth and feed on human emotions. After the World Tree was destroyed, Sage said things changed, which would make sense if an Original phantom managed to escape as things shifted after the destruction.† â€Å"Why come al the way to Earth, though?† Elena asked. â€Å"There're al those demons and vampires in the Dark Dimension.† She could see Damon's smile in the shadows. â€Å"I guess human emotion is extra-delicious. Like human blood is. And there aren't enough humans in the Dark Dimension to make a real y good meal. There are so many humans on Earth that an Original here can just keep on gorging on emotion and growing ever more powerful.† â€Å"So it fol owed us from the Dark Moon?† Elena asked. â€Å"It must have hitched a ride with you when you came back to Earth. It would have wanted to get as far from its prison as possible, so an opening between dimensions would have been irresistible.† â€Å"And it was freed from its prison when I used my Wings of Destruction and blasted the moon?† Damon shrugged. â€Å"That seems to be the most likely explanation.† Elena's heart sank. â€Å"So Bonnie's vision was right. I brought this. It's my fault.† He brushed back her hair and kissed her neck. â€Å"Don't think of it that way,† he said. â€Å"How could you have stopped it? You didn't know. And I'm grateful you used the Wings of Destruction: That's what saved me, after al . The important thing now is to fight the phantom. We need to send it back before it gets too powerful. If it gets a real foothold here, it can start influencing more and more people. The whole world could be in danger.† Elena half consciously arched her neck to one side so that Damon could get a better angle, and he gently traced the vein on the side of her neck with his lips for a moment before she realized what they were doing and nudged him away again. â€Å"I don't understand, though. Why would it tel us who it's going after next?† she said. â€Å"Why does it give us the names?† â€Å"Oh, that's not its own doing,† Damon said, and kissed her shoulder. â€Å"Even the most powerful phantom has to fol ow the rules. It's part of the spel the Guardians put on the Original phantoms, when they relegated them to the Dark Moon. A safeguard in case the Originals ever escaped. This way, their prey knows they're coming, and it gives them a fair shot at resisting.† â€Å"The Guardians imprisoned it,† Elena said. â€Å"Would they help us send it back?† â€Å"I don't know,† Damon said shortly. â€Å"I wouldn't ask them if I could help it, though. I don't trust them, do you?† Elena thought of the cool efficiency of the Guardians, of the way they had dismissed Damon's death as irrelevant. Of the way they had caused her own parents' death. â€Å"No,† she said, shivering. â€Å"Let's leave them out of it if we can.† â€Å"We'l defeat it ourselves, Elena,† Damon said, and caressed her cheek with his hand. â€Å"Stop it,† Elena said. â€Å"We have to concentrate.† Damon stopped trying to touch her for a moment and thought. â€Å"Tel me about your little friends. Have people been tense? Fighting? Acting out of character?† â€Å"Yes,† Elena said immediately. â€Å"No one's been acting like themselves. I can't put my finger on it, but something's been wrong since we got back.† Damon nodded. â€Å"Since it probably came with you, it makes sense that it would have targeted you and those connected to you as its first victims.† â€Å"But how do we stop it?† Elena asked. â€Å"What do these stories you've heard about the Original phantoms say about recapturing them once they've escaped from their prison?† Damon sighed, and his shoulders slumped a little. â€Å"Nothing,† he said. â€Å"I don't know anything more. I'l have to go back to the Dark Dimension and see what I can find out, or if I can fight the phantom from there.† Elena stiffened. â€Å"It's too dangerous, Damon.† Damon chuckled, a dry sound in the darkness, and Elena felt his fingers run through her hair, smoothing the silky strands, then twisting them, tugging them gently. â€Å"Not for me,† he said. â€Å"The Dark Dimension is a great place to be a vampire.† â€Å"Except that you died there,† Elena reminded him. â€Å"Damon, please. I can't stand to lose you again.† Damon's hand stil ed, and then he was kissing her gently, and his other hand came up to touch her cheek. â€Å"Elena,† he said as he reluctantly broke the kiss. â€Å"You won't lose me.† â€Å"There has to be another way,† she insisted. â€Å"Wel , then we'd better find it, and soon,† Damon answered grimly. â€Å"Otherwise the entire world wil be at risk.† Damon was saturated with Elena. Her sweet, rich scent in his nostrils, the throbbing beat of her heart in his ears, the silk of her hair and the satin of her skin against his fingers. He wanted to kiss her, to hold her, to sink his fangs into her and taste the heady nectar of her blood, that vibrant blood that tasted like no one else's. But she made him go, although he knew she didn't real y want to. She didn't say it was because of his little brother that she pushed him away, but he knew anyway. It was always Stefan. When he left her, he transformed graceful y into a large black crow again and flew from her bedroom window to the quince tree nearby. There, he folded his wings and shifted from one foot to another, settling in to watch over her. He could sense her through the window, anxious at first, her thoughts churning, but soon her pulse slowed, her breathing deepened, and he knew she was asleep. He would stay and guard her. There was no question: He had to save her. If Elena wanted a chivalrous knight, someone who would protect her nobly, Damon could do that. Why should that weakling Stefan have al the glory? But he wasn't sure what came next. Despite Elena's begging him not to go, heading into the Dark Dimension seemed like the logical next step in fighting this phantom. But how to get there? There were no easy paths. He didn't have the time to journey to one of the gates again, nor did he want to leave Elena's side long enough to travel there. And he couldn't expect to find something as useful as a star bal again by chance. Plus, if he did get there, being in the Dark Dimension would have special dangers for him now. He didn't think the Guardians knew he had come back from the dead, and he didn't know how they would react when they did. He'd rather not find out. The Guardians didn't care for vampires much, and they tended to like things to stay the way they ought to be. Look at how they had stripped Elena's Powers when she came to their attention. Damon hunched his shoulders and fluffed out his iridescent feathers irritably. There had to be another way. There was the slightest rustle underfoot. No one without the sensitive ears of a vampire would have heard it, it was so cautious, but Damon caught it. He snapped to attention and peered sharply around. No one would get to his princess. Oh. Damon relaxed again and clicked his beak in vexation. Stefan. The shadowy figure of his little brother stood beneath the tree, head tilted back, gazing in devotion at Elena's darkened window. Of course he was there, standing by to defend her against al the horrors of the night. And just like that, Damon knew what he had to do: If he wanted to learn more about the phantom, he'd have to give himself over to it. He closed his eyes, al owing every negative feeling he'd ever had about Stefan to wash over him. How Stefan had always taken everything Damon wanted, had stolen it, if he needed to. Damn Stefan, Damon thought bitterly. If his brother hadn't come to town earlier than him, Damon would have had a chance to make Elena fal in love with him first, to be the one to reap the utter devotion he saw in her eyes when she looked at Stefan. Instead, here he was, second-best. He hadn't been enough for Katherine either; she had wanted his brother, too. Elena, tiger to the kitten Katherine had been, would have been the perfect mate for Damon. Beautiful, strong, wily, capable of great love, they could have ruled the night together. But she had fal en for his lily-livered weakling of a little brother. Damon's claws clenched the branch he sat on. â€Å"Isn't it sad,† a quiet voice beside him suggested, â€Å"how you try and try, but you're never enough for the women you love?† A cool tendril of fog touched his wing. Damon straightened and looked around. Dark fog was winding around the quince tree, just at Damon's level. Below, Stefan stood unaware. The fog had come for Damon alone. With a private smile, Damon felt the fog envelop him, and then al was darkness.

Health and Social introduction Essay

The sector that I have chosen to write my report on is ‘children and young people’, I chose this sector because I am hoping to work with children when I am older. The client group is children who are 2 – 4 year old(Nursery age) the care setting will be nurserys in England. The work of the sector Nurseries provide full day care and education for children from as young as six weeks to pre-school five year olds. Day nurseries are different from nursery schools and can be privately run, community, council or workplace services. They all must be registered and regulary inspected by Oftsed though and must comply with the guidlines of how much staff there should be to children(for under two’s, one carer to three children; two to three year olds, one carer to four children; three to five year olds, one carer to eight children). All staff there must have or must be working towards the relevant qualifications in children. The care setting and client group The purpose of a nursery is to provide care for those under the legal school age(5). The care may be needed if the parents work or if the parents just want their child to get used to been around other children of similar age so they can get their confidence up. In a nursery there will usually be between 10 and 26 children in it depending how big or small it is. Nurseries are more likely to be in a rural area because families with children will more likely live there, any care setting for children in Urban areas will more likely be private care. Facilites in a nursery : Nurseries will have a lot of many factilites that are suitable for the children, there will be a mix of play areas which are an important part of the childs development in the nursery years. There will possible be a soft play area for younger children, plenty of toys(suitable for the ages) a sand pit and/or a water pit for them to, depending on the age the nursery accepts though. They may even have an outside area for play which would be best for the oldest children in the nursery, the outside area would have tricicles(maybe) and possibly Jungle-Jim equipment that the children can play on. Inside they are likely to have a small reading area(where the children will sit down on the carpet like they do in reception). Toilets, possibly a changing room depending on the ages the nurseries accepts. They may have a small kitchen or an upstairs caffeteria if connected to a school. The differet practicioners : Manager, deputy manager, room leaders(depending on how big the nursery is), workers, volunteers, special education needs coordinator(senco). If the nursery is big they will possible have a cook and maybe an administrator. The clients will only meet the room leaders, workers, volunteers(as these are the ones who look after/teach the children) and maybe the senco depending on if they need one. The manager and deputy manager are there to make sure that the nursery runs smoothly and that they keep to the standards expected of them(buying supplies, keeping in contact with parents). The room leader is there to be in charge of a certain room in the building, these are only needed for the bigger nurseries.