cuban mile :: essays research papers

The Special Period in Cuba can best be described as a time of struggle. The dissatisfaction of many Cubans has led to their emigration to the United States by traveling in rafts to the coast of Florida. The Cuban people have different views regarding the trip to exile as well as the motivations to stay or leave Cuba. In Alejandro Hernandez Diaz’s book, The Cuba Mile, and in the movie â€Å"Guantanamera†, we see some of the different ways in which Cuban Culture views the Special Period, the trip to exile, and the motivations behind staying or leaving Cuba.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The year 1991 marked the beginning of the Special Period and hard times have existed in Cuba ever since. Many Cubans are tired of the hardships and shortages of the Special Period. To try and make ends meet many Cubans have adapted to the tough times by making money in the Black Market. In â€Å"Guantanamera†, both the cabdriver and Mariano use the Black Market to make extra money. As they travel across the island, they buy food to be resold at a higher price when they arrive in Havana. Many Cubans feel that the Revolution is no longer working and that it is time for a change. In â€Å"Guantanamera†, symbolism of this idea is clearly demonstrated. In the movie, a story from the Santeria religion is told. The god of Olofin is represented in the movie, Olofin created life but not death. Therefore, everyone lived forever and the elderly people held control and influenced many aspects of society. Nothing ever changed much like the Cuban government which is old and unchanging. Then, one day Olofin made it rain for thirty days and thirty nights. The flood killed the old and only the young survived. The current revolution is old, and is not working as well as it did in the 1970’s. The movie is calling for the need of a natural process, like the rain to come and wash away the old revolution’s ideas so new and young ideas can survive in Cuba. However, many Cubans feel that the situation is not going to change and their desire to leave Cuba is so strong that they risk their lives by rafting across the Straits of Florida in order to gain freedom and opportunities in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The hardships of the Special Period became so considerable many Cubans chose to take their chances with the ocean. Large quantities of Cubans began to construct rafts in order to escape to the United States. They hoped to either survive the 90 mile trip or be discovered by the U.S. coastguard and brought to the United States.

Reproductive Technology and Sexual Destiny :: Reproduction Homosexuality Essays

Reproductive Technology and Sexual Destiny Homosexuality remains a controversial issue in our society, especially regarding gays’ rights that are generally readily granted to heterosexuals, where the currently hotly debated topic is legitimating the relationship with the sanction of marriage. Yet, numerous measures have been taken to eliminate homosexual behavior through hormonal, biochemical, and anatomical interventions. Regardless of the fact that such reproductive controls are not yet available in order to genetically engineer the sexual orientation of your children, Timothy Murphy presents a discourse on the possibility of determining your child’s sexual destiny. It puts forward the question, â€Å"Would it be morally permissible for parents to genetically engineer their child’s sexual orientation?† Murphy maintains the moral stance that there are important freedoms that need to be preserved regarding reproductive control and since we cannot definitely predict adverse effects on the interests of existing and future generations, he concludes that while these techniques should be morally resisted, the use of heterosexist interventions should not be criminalized. (343) This article came at the heels of the 1980’s, a time during which the Center of Disease Control noticed an alarming rate of a rare cancer, Kaposi's Sarcoma, which they at first called â€Å"gay cancer† but soon renamed GRID (Gay Related Immune Deficiency) among otherwise healthy gay men since 1981. In fact, the term AIDS did not come into use until 1982. Because the disease was first identified among gay men, AIDS was popularly considered a gay disease through the 1980’s, although despite this misconception, also affected heterosexuals and children. Nonetheless, since it was still considered a gay disease, there was a certain stigma attached to having it as many claimed that AIDS to be â€Å"God’s punishment on homosexuals.† By the time Murphy’s article was published in 1990, there were 198,466 AIDS cases diagnosed in the U.S. while 121,255 people died.(1) Before presenting his arguments, Murphy provides a context of his discussion regarding the attitudes of gays and lesbians toward their sexuality. He cites the Bell & Weinberg studies that were published in 1978, which he refers to as the most comprehensive study conducted on the lives of gay men and lesbians in any nation. These statistics are dated about 30 years and therefore these attitudes may have changed. In addition, the statistics provided are skewed since each group is not fairly represented in the study since it only used 575 white homosexual males, 111 black homosexual males, 229 homosexual females, and only 64 black homosexual females. Reproductive Technology and Sexual Destiny :: Reproduction Homosexuality Essays Reproductive Technology and Sexual Destiny Homosexuality remains a controversial issue in our society, especially regarding gays’ rights that are generally readily granted to heterosexuals, where the currently hotly debated topic is legitimating the relationship with the sanction of marriage. Yet, numerous measures have been taken to eliminate homosexual behavior through hormonal, biochemical, and anatomical interventions. Regardless of the fact that such reproductive controls are not yet available in order to genetically engineer the sexual orientation of your children, Timothy Murphy presents a discourse on the possibility of determining your child’s sexual destiny. It puts forward the question, â€Å"Would it be morally permissible for parents to genetically engineer their child’s sexual orientation?† Murphy maintains the moral stance that there are important freedoms that need to be preserved regarding reproductive control and since we cannot definitely predict adverse effects on the interests of existing and future generations, he concludes that while these techniques should be morally resisted, the use of heterosexist interventions should not be criminalized. (343) This article came at the heels of the 1980’s, a time during which the Center of Disease Control noticed an alarming rate of a rare cancer, Kaposi's Sarcoma, which they at first called â€Å"gay cancer† but soon renamed GRID (Gay Related Immune Deficiency) among otherwise healthy gay men since 1981. In fact, the term AIDS did not come into use until 1982. Because the disease was first identified among gay men, AIDS was popularly considered a gay disease through the 1980’s, although despite this misconception, also affected heterosexuals and children. Nonetheless, since it was still considered a gay disease, there was a certain stigma attached to having it as many claimed that AIDS to be â€Å"God’s punishment on homosexuals.† By the time Murphy’s article was published in 1990, there were 198,466 AIDS cases diagnosed in the U.S. while 121,255 people died.(1) Before presenting his arguments, Murphy provides a context of his discussion regarding the attitudes of gays and lesbians toward their sexuality. He cites the Bell & Weinberg studies that were published in 1978, which he refers to as the most comprehensive study conducted on the lives of gay men and lesbians in any nation. These statistics are dated about 30 years and therefore these attitudes may have changed. In addition, the statistics provided are skewed since each group is not fairly represented in the study since it only used 575 white homosexual males, 111 black homosexual males, 229 homosexual females, and only 64 black homosexual females.

Littlefield Lab Essay

Since the beginning the team decided to try an aggressive strategy to win the game, assuming a riskier position with higher potential benefits and costs. For that, it was necessary to identify key parameters of the process and design a dashboard to analyze the information and make decisions in a faster way. The key parameters we started monitoring were demand (jobs accepted), stations utilization and lead times of the entire process. The first goal was to balance the line and satisfying the demand. Demand analysis and its relation to order kits In order to predict the future flows of the demand and match the info with the kit orders we create a model in attempting to avoid stock breaks or overstocks and anticipate the purchase of machines. The model considered the median demand of last 2 weeks projected with the growth rate of those weeks. Utilization of stations and its relation to purchase machines In order to to satisfy the demand, generate equilibrium in the capacity of the 3 stations, and avoid bottlenecks to get the maximum profit with the contract 3, the purchasing of new machines were made when utilization of any station was steadely over 80% and was justified by the cost-benefit analysis. Cost-benefit analysis to purchase machines Considering a demand of 30, 60 & 90, the pay back time will be 29, 15 & 10 days on ideal conditions. Changing the contracts When the balance was achieved on the process, then we started to intervene contracts since contract 3 provides the best profitability when the Lab is able to accomplish a promised lead time of 0.5 days being careful of change to contract 2 or 1 if the promised lead time would not be accomplished due to the circumstantial conditions of the process. To optimize the profitability of the jobs received on the first day of every week, we began to modify the contracts according to the following criteria: – Contract 1: If machine 1 had more than 3 jobs waiting for kits on last day of the previous week. – Contract 2: If machine 1 had between 1 to 3 jobs waiting  for kits on last day of the previous week. – Contract 3: If machine 1 had 0 jobs waiting for kits on last day of the previous week. Finally, on day 150 we try an â€Å"all in† strategy spending $160.000 in 1 machine for station 1 and 2 to increase the capacity and to process jobs only on conditions of con tract 3. This decision was taken based on a demand of 91 jobs and a utilization of station 1 of 0.83 between days 143 and 149. Profits analysis The table shows the sources and uses of cash including the analysis of main items. Description Amount, $ Comments Starting Cash + 1.000.000 Revenue +2.770.670 – 493, 226 & 1981 jobs were accepted under contract 1, 2 & 3 respectively. – $ 3.072.000 was the maximum possible revenue. (Calculations: 493 x $ 750 + 226 x $ 1.000 + 1.981 x $ 1.250) – $ 301.220 were lost for non-fulfillment of the contracts. (Calculations: $ 3.072.000 – 2.770.670) Interest +81.993 Station purchases -560.000 – 4 stations N º1 were bought on days 61,115, 141 and 150. – 2 stations N º2 were bought on days 116 and 150. All stations were bought at a certain time which ensures that the investment were payed back before the day 314 considering a pay back period 10-29 days for each station (see cost-benefit analysis). Inventory -1.704.600 – 2.841 kits were bought (including kits ordered by default). – 2.566 kits were ordered on the review period corresponding to day 7. – 2.700 jobs were accepted. Inefficiencies: – 134 kits were needed but not ordered (2.700-2.566 kits). They represent maximum losses of $ 167.500 (134 x $ 1.250) – 141 kits were ordered but not needed (2.841-2.700 kits). They represent losses of $ 84.600 (141 x $ 600) Cash Balance 1.588.064 The cash balance shows that investments on machines and kits were payed back but was not possible to get a better profitability because orders were only 80/week instead 91/week as we predicted on day 150. Conclusion – The Lab purchased the first 4 machines too late, so the up-grade of the process and the pay back of the investments were got too late, affecting profits. – The Lab should not have purchased last 2 machines (station 1 &2), since they were not needed to serve 80 orders/week (demand after day 150 was overestimated). It would have saved $ 160.000. – The contracts were not changed on time, so because of that there was a maximum lost of $ 301.220. – The kits were ordered including the number of jobs waiting for kits at the end of each week, because we do not realize that they were ordered by default. It would saved a maximum of $ 84.600. – The Lab should have worked with LIFO instead FIFO system considering that kits queued for station 1 were mostly already late to be ready at the lead time of 0.5 days under contract 3.

Business about British Airline Essay

I choose British Airways plc. The SWOT of British Airways plc is easy to understand. With regard to strength of the British Airways plc, there are five points. First, the British Airways has a broad geographic presence. It has approximately 150 international destinations across 6 countries. Second, the British Airways is sole airline occupant of Heathrow Terminal 5 after March 2008, because it is significantly boosting the service it offers customers in the UK. Third, the British Airways has powerful alliances. In other words, it is means that the ‘British Airways is a founder member of the one world alliance, along with other major players such as AMR Corp and Cathay Pacific, boosting its competitive strength at the global level (MahaSagar, 2013).’Next, the British Airways established online presence. It is means that the company has developed the online ordering system and is working to shift completely from paper to e-tickets, as well as improve the development of website and make order tickets easy and efficient. Finally the British Airways has high levels of consumer recognition and trust. The weakness has four points. First, the UK airways are reliant on airlines. For example, ‘British Airways is heavily reliant on the airline industry, which accounted for 99.7% of its total operating profit in fiscal 2007 (MahaSagar, 2013).’ Actually the government need focus on rising fuel prices and increasing pricing competition. Second, the BA’s image is exposure by problem. ‘During 2007 the image of British Airways’ eponymous brand suffered from factors such as consumer concerns about carbon emissions and, more specifically, the scandal surrounding fuel surcharge price-fixing (MahaSagar, 2013).’Third, the British Airways is bias towards the UK. In other words, although the British Airways has a broad geographic presence, the company rely on UK market, such as in 2007 the airways accounted for  almost half of its total revenue. As a result, British Airways will get low-cost carries in the future. Finally, British Airways are laggards in terms of employee management. The opportunities of British Airways are the most important things. First, the Heathrow Airport is the most hubs across the world. Second, the British Airways has strong growth in emerging markets. For example, China and India is emerging markets. In these countries, the investment in the travel infrastructure, rising foreign tourism, the expansion of the middle class and increasing international business opportunities. Third, in modern countries, internet is the most popular ways to know something. So the British Airways should increases access to the internet. The internet is not only more efficient and safer, but also more convenient payment online. Finally, British Airways has powerful alliances. In other words, British Airways has developed partnerships with other airlines and makes sure competitive and international development. The threats with which British Airways is faced with are pricing competition. Some low-cost airline, such as Ryanair is ongoing expansion. Then the threat is raising fuel prices. ‘Fuel price increases would represent a significant threat to British Airways, particularly in the highly price-competitive conditions of its core markets. Indeed, fuel price rises were largely responsible for the company’s fall in operating profit in fiscal 2007 (MahaSagar, 2013).’ In addition also, the airline has some unpredictable external factors such as terrorist attacks which happened on 11/09/2001 and 07/07/2005. b) Write an essay analysing and evaluating the factors that have made this company a success. Word count between 1500-2200 words. (25 marks). In fact, the British Airways has two main points to make success. One of the major points is external. The external divided six parts, receptively political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal. In parts of Political, the BA has complied with government regulation to continue its operations. ‘Due to war on terror the security has to beef up with advanced measures so as to keep the consumers safe and confident in relation to their continued travel with British Airways as a preferred  airline (Rodrigo, 2012).’ In parts of economic, the world going through a big trouble, so the BA has to reduce consumer spending to a large extent. For example, ‘due to global economic crisis, world growth is projected to just over 2 percent in 2009. The value of Pound has begun to slide especially against the Euro. Possible reduction in the amount of business travel as companies are cutting costs and using alternative means of communication such as teleconferencing. Hence British Airways is vulnerable as an UK operating airline to a poor exchange rate. Oil prices have been declining by 50 % since their peak retreating to 2007 levels. Decline in fuel price will obviously strengthening of the dollar changeability in oil prices and exchange rates will directly affect BA’s cost base. UK’s consumer spending had its sharpest decline for 13 years between July and September 2008. Hence there is an expectancy of more intense competition in the near future (UKESSAY, 2014).’ In parts of social, the UK has an aging population in the past decades, so the old people has more time to spend on their like activities such as international travel. In parts of technological, most young people would like to order or booking tickets, hotels, restaurants and so on. Therefor it is very convenient and easy to use it. ‘Additionally, other conveniences provided for ease of check in including telephone check-in that consists of many features allowing passengers to check flight schedules, check personal bookings, travel advice, information on British Airways destinations and even perform online flight bookings. In fact, they have even implemented an e-ticketing system which provides passengers with the flexibility of checking in without the need of a physical ticket. Only passenger details including proof of identification are required to be produced during check-ins, as all booking information has already been stored in their computer systems. In fact, through this system, flights can be changed even up to 30 minutes before departure time (Stephen, 2008).’ In addition also, in British Airways portal is not only offer ordering ticket, but also provide hotel booking, travel insurance purchase, car rentals, holiday purchases and so on. In parts of environmental, British Airways is aware of both Noise pollution controls, and energy consumption controls. In parts of legal, the British Airways will offer a good employee relation in anytime. Another major point is internal. The internal of British Airways is divided by two parts, called resources and core competences. The company runs 245 aircrafts covering over 550 destinations. In addition the Heathrow Terminal 5 is a huge boon to the company’s brand image. As a result, British Airways is renowned globally as a reputable brand. And then the BA’s competences are realizable. ‘The company has its own training of ground school, flight simulators, and cabin safety training which holds the favourable part in its core competences. The company holds the capability to fly and handle passengers safely on different routes (Open Skies). Their subsidiary’s aircraft never have more than 64 passengers per flight, with one flight attendant per twelve customers. They also hold the name as the first UK airline known as a training centre by the City & Guilds, educating all cabin crew with NVQ Level 2 (UKESSAY, 2014).’ Moreover, the success of British Airways could mostly be economy of scale, cost control and brand reputation. The economy of scale is a high-threshold work with large initial funds. The economy of scale can lower the overhead cost and improve the individual unit performance and efficiency. For example, British Airways should get a based on achieving and maintaining the wide customer recognition. Then the cost control is crucial to the financial performance and firm survival. For instance, ‘by constant expanding and purchasing, British Airways can enlarge its fleet scale and make effective of each by resource optimization. It also helps British Airways to lower average unit cost (UKESSAY, 2014).’ Finally the brand reputation is crucial to this industry as it indicates the quality, accessibility and safety. It helps British Airways to reach a better financial status and lower down the threat of new player in the long-run. To sum up, it is clear that the British Airways is very successful company. It is not only British Airways has good strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, but also British Airways has external environment and internal environment. In addition, it also has government’s ideas and supports. Bibliography: MahaSagar Publications (2013) Dissertation on British Airways Plc- Airlines Industry Analysis Weblog [Online] Available from: http://mbaprojectreportindia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/british-airways-plc-swot-analysis.html [ Accessed: 25/6/2014] rodrigo (2012) Strategic and SWOT Analysis of British Airways [Online] Available from: http://writepass.com/journal/2012/11/british-airways/ [Accessed: 16/11/2012] UK essay (2014) Evaluation Of The Business Environment Of British Airways Management Essay [Online] Available from: http://www.ukessays.com/essays/management/evaluation-of-the-business-environment-of-british-airways-management-essay.php#ixzz385lJPz7p [Accessed: 2014] UKESSAY (2014) Stakeholders [Online] Available from: http://www.ukessays.co.uk/essays/business-stakeholders-shareholders/stakeholders.php [Accessed: 2014] Stephen G(2008) The Success of British Airways [Online] Available from: http://www.sgbphotography.com/Travel_Articles/the-success-of-british-airways.htm [Accessed 2006]

Data integrity is essential for a company’s operations Essay

Describe various steps companies can use to ensure the integrity of its information. Just as the question states, data integrity is imperative to the success of a company’s operations. Data integrity is processing integrity which is one the five principles of systems reliability (Romney, & Steinbart, 2012, p. 274). For a company to be successful they must have a reliable system that is accurate, easily manipulated, timely, and valid (Romney, & Steinbart, 2012). Now that you know what data integrity is, we will discuss steps that company can take to ensure the information is accurate and valid. The first step that a company can take would be forms design, where they will sequentially prenumber all source documents to verify no documents are missing, and turnaround documents which are machine readable and do not include a possibility of human error (Romney, & Stein, 2012). The second step a company can take is utilizing data entry controls, which is performing several checks to ensure that the information is correct, one example would be a field check where the individual will determine whether the characters in a field are of the proper type (e.g. if you are expecting a zip code and you do not have numeric characters, there would obviously be an issue) (Romney, & Steinbart, 2012). The third step we will discuss is checking output controls. There processes would include users examining the system output verifying the information is reasonable and they are the intended recipients. In addition, users should periodically reconcile their reports and any other information including the general ledger to keep accurate up to date information (Romney, & Steinbart, 2012). By following these three steps/processes that I have discussed, companies will put themselves in a position to be the most successfully by accurately displaying the information. If they properly utilize these checks and balances, the possibility of any major issues is minimal and the likelihood of their business being successful substantially increases.

Children and Young People’s Workforce Essay

001.1.1-What are the different reasons people communicate? There are many reasons for people to communicate these could include, giving or receiving information in my setting with co workers for daily activites.This also could be used for receiving instructions. I would also need communication if I had concerns over a child or if I was unsure how to do a certain task. Communication is also vital for giving feedback to parents about what their child has done during their time in the nursery. This could be face to face or by the telephone, either way my communication must be positive. Non-verbal communication is sometimes greater than the spoken word. We use non verbal 65% of the time can be effective when communicating with any individual or persons in the child setting.Non-verbal communication can be effective if trying to explain shapes,directions,inner feelings and personality’s. Eye contact plays a big part when communicating with anyone. Its part of your facial expressions and body movements. eyes can be trusting and never lie; Children and co workers will need eye contact for good communication. Read more:  Identify the different reasons people communicate  essay Communicating with children in my setting could involve giving instructions, reading books, engaging with the children. Listening to what the children have to say. Facial expressions, tone of voice and posture will project how you are engaging in the conversation with the child. Using signs/pictures with children can be a form of communication, Talking at the child’s level will encourage them to feel confident and develop trust, which will lead to a healthy, happy relationship between us. Having the ability to sometimes use non verbal communication alongside verbal can help connect with children and co workers or parents. Sometimes bad behaviour will need good communication skills. Shouting should always be a LAST resort. Having time out or withdrawal from a activity may help. Sometimes we may need to ignore bad behaviour, This could be to get control back if a child is being disruptive and distracting other children. I think overall communication is vital in any setting. 001.2.3- Give some examples of when you might need to seek advice about communication. How would you go about this? Seeking advice is sometimes needed for support. If we didn’t seek advice then how would we know what to do? We should always ask for advice and help if needed.  This would cover a number of scenarios in the childcare setting some could include: Noticing if a child is acting differently or seems not their selves, I would have to seek advice with my co workers about how to look after the child or if they have noticed the child is behaving differently. I would ask questions about the child’s behaviour the day before to confirm that they are not themselves I’d possibly have to inform the child’s parents, if the child is unwell or has a injury at nursery. Also I may need advice if a child has a disability and I’m unsure how to look after the child, they may need special care and I may not know how to give it. I f we know all the things we need to know about the children we can work better together in the setting. This could be something simple as to if the child has an allergy to a certain food, or is on medication and needs it at specific times. I will need to seek advice on what to give and when and what foods they cannot have. Incase of an emergency I would need to seek advice regarding first aid and find the appropriate first aider in the setting. The more information we know the better we can be in our roles. It will increase confidence and your co workers will feel they can rely on you to do the task in hand. 001.3.1 What are the possible barriers to effective communication? I think there are many possible barriers that could affect communication some include: * Language. speaking in different languages or were a English is not a first language it can cause communication breakdown as its difficult to understand one another. To overcome the barriers we could speak slowly  and politely. We could try and get a translator in the setting, if there isn’t a translator then we would have to see what we can understand with the limited vocabulary. * Hearing difficulties. If a person is deaf or hard of hearing. The communication can be difficult. This is when seeking advice would come into play with co workers. Bringing in a signer would help; this would put you and the other individual at ease and make communicating a lot easier. * Noise. If the setting is noisy if someone or something is making loud noises when you’re trying to talk, then communication will fail. We could go into a quieter environment or if not ask the persons to possibly be abit quieter so you can speak, so the communication between myself and another person won’t be broken or interrupted. * Personality/interests .Personal likes and dislikes can cause barriers in conversation, people may have selective hearing if they think a certain subject is boring. It could make people feel ignored or not welcome if they don’t seem interested. Trying to reason with disagreements or different points of view and if not agree to disagree. Sometimes aggression can make people not want to communicate and push them out. They would not want to be in the same environment and would feel uncomfortable so I doubt they would want to have a conversation with any angry person. * Culture. Different cultures regulate the display of their emotions differently, some people display emotions in a debate, eg cry shout get angry or frustrated. They can show fear. Others may hide their emotions. To overcome any barriers or issues I would try to listen and understand and reason with the other person, and treat them how I would like to be treated. 001.3.4 What support and information services are available to enable more effective communication? I have had a look on the web for information services and support groups for effective communication. These are the ones I have found which would probably be more beneficial. * Braille. It is used by those who have visual impairments or blind. Braille is read by fingers touching raised dots containing two columns each with three dots. There are two types of Braille- grade 1 and grade 2. Grade 1 is letter by letter, which takes a lot of time to read. Grade 2 is faster as it combines letters commonly used together. The Braille system is a method that is widely used. It helps people to communicate, read and write. It is seen as a  alternative form of communication.(www.wikipedia.org 12/05/12)www.RNIB.org.uk 12/05/12 * BSL is another form of alternative communication. British sign language is a form of communication used by people who are hard of hearing or deaf. Sign language involves movement of the hands, body and head. It helps the deaf to communicate and connect with others around them. It is a visual mean of communication which uses gestures, facial expression and body language.(www.britishsignlanguage.com 12/05/12)www.asli.org.uk12/05/12 * Lip reading. Is used as communication. It is a technique of understanding speech by visually interpreting the movements of the lips, face and tongue. Lip readers who have grown up deaf may never have heard the spoken language and are unlikely to be fluent users of it. (www.lipreading.org.uk/lipreading 12/05/12) 001.4.1 What is meant by the term confidentiality? Confidentiality is a term used widely in a childcare setting. It means secret, private. It can be a meaning of trust. It can be any information regarding a child’s development. All the information about the children will be kept in a child’s record which will be kept in a secure place. All staff must be aware of the confidentiality policy and it must be enforced in the workplace. The nursery retains a copy of the information and the parents always keep originals. Confidentiality within a child setting means at no time must staff speak about outside of school. I could use a child’s information as part of proof for my college work but would have to use a different name and use them as a case study to help my studies. I would have to seek permission from school to gain access to this information 001.4.3 Describe situations where information normally considered to be confidential, might need to be passed on. Confidential information must remain confidential unless a child’ safety is a t risk or for development purposes. By keeping things confidential you will gain a bond of trust between yourselves and parents and co workers. It protects staff aswell as children and their families. Another reason for sharing information could be to support learning, to check what level a child is at, also offering support from transition from pre-school to school, may need to speak to teacher regarding behaviour and also to ask previous staff about the child’s  behaviour so you can be in the know if any behavioural problems or background problem have been apparent. There could be something happening at home that possibly affecting a child at school†¦ ‘new baby, just moved house, mum and dad not getting on’ can all affect a child’s behaviour and may go un noticed to the parent but become noticeable in the childcare setting. This would be when confidentiality would be broken, as we would have to put the child’s interest first by speaking about it to a co worker for advice or support in dealing with the information you have found out. Everyone will be working together in best interest for the child. Sharing information maybe needed incase of emergency, for the welfare of the children. I may need to ask another teacher about a child’s medical condition or possibly a disability. The I am made aware of the procedures if a accident should occur and medical help or any other assistance is need from me. Research to prepare for verbal questions 001.1.2 Explain how effective communication affects all aspects of your work. If you have effective communication in your work it will give your more confidence to ask for help/support. More confidence in your job, towards looking after children and it will put more confidence in your co workers as you will be punctual and competent at your job. You will know what is in place in your setting, which means you will know what’s safe and what’s not. 001.1.3 Why is it important to observe reactions when communicating? It is important to observe people when speaking to them to see if they are understanding and taking interest in what you are saying, you can do this by watching facial impressions, eye contact body language. These all play apart in communication.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Eighteen

I CERTAINLY HADN'T EXPECTED to walk away from today's trip with joint custody of a miniature dragon. (I refused to call it a demon). And, as it turned out, Adrian was already proving not to be the most dedicated of â€Å"fathers.† â€Å"You can take him for now,† he told me when we got back to Amberwood. â€Å"I'll handle weekend visitations.† â€Å"You don't have anything going on. Besides, we're only a few days from the weekend,† I protested. â€Å"And you don't know that it's a ‘he.'† â€Å"Well, I don't think he'll mind, and besides, I'm not going to investigate to find out the truth.† Adrian put the quartz in the basket and closed the lid before handing it over to me. â€Å"You don't have to summon him back, you know.† I took the basket and opened the car door. â€Å"I know. But I feel kind of bad leaving him as a rock.† Ms. Terwilliger had told me it'd be healthier for him if I let him out once in a while. â€Å"See? Motherly instinct already. You're a natural, Sage.† Adrian grinned and handed me a bag of pie slices. He'd kept some for himself. â€Å"Look at you. You don't even need to break the tattoo. You think you would've been mothering a baby dragon a month ago?† â€Å"I don't know.† But he had a point. It seemed likely I would've run screaming from it back in the desert. Or maybe tried to exorcise it. â€Å"I'll take him for now, but you've got to pull your weight at some point. Ms. Terwilliger says the callistana needs to spend time with both of us. Hmm.† â€Å"Hmm, what?† I shook my head. â€Å"Just getting ahead of myself. Wondering what I'd do with him if I did go to Mexico.† Adrian gave me a puzzled look. â€Å"What about Mexico?† It had never come up, I realized. All Adrian had known about was Marcus's mission and the initial tattoo breaking, not the sealing. I hadn't been keeping the rest a secret, but suddenly, I felt uncomfortable telling Adrian about it. â€Å"Oh. Well, Marcus says that after I perform this rebellious act, we can break the elements and free me from the tattoo's control. But to truly bind the spell and make sure the tattoo is never repaired, I need to tattoo over it – like he did. He calls it sealing. But it takes some special compound that's hard to find. He got his done in Mexico and is going to take some of his Merry Men there so they can do it.† â€Å"I see.† Adrian's smile had vanished. â€Å"So. Are you joining them?† I shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. Marcus wants me to.† â€Å"I'm sure he does.† I ignored the tone. â€Å"I've thought about it . . . but it's a big step. Not just for the tattoo, either. If I did that, there'd be no going back. I'd be turning my back on the Alchemists.† â€Å"And us,† he said. â€Å"Unless you really are only helping Jill because of your orders.† â€Å"You know it's not about that anymore.† Again, I didn't like his tone. â€Å"You know I care about her and . . . and the rest of you.† His face was hard. â€Å"And yet you'd run off with some guy you just met.† â€Å"It's not like that! We wouldn't be ‘running off together. I'd be coming back! And we'd be going for a specific reason.† â€Å"Beaches and margaritas?† I was speechless for a few moments. It was so close to what Marcus had joked about. Was that all anyone associated with Mexico? â€Å"I see how it is,† I snapped. â€Å"You were all in favor of me breaking the tattoo and thinking on my own – but that's only okay if it's convenient for you, huh? Just like your loving from afar' only works if you don't have an opportunity to get your hands all over me. And your lips. And . . . stuff.† Adrian rarely got mad, and I wouldn't quite say he was now. But he was definitely exasperated. â€Å"Are you seriously in this much self-denial, Sydney? Like do you actually believe yourself when you say you don't feel anything? Especially after what's been happening between us?† â€Å"Nothing's happening between us,† I said automatically. â€Å"Physical attraction isn't the same as love. You of all people should know that.† â€Å"Ouch,† he said. His expression hadn't changed, but I saw hurt in his eyes. I'd wounded him. â€Å"Is that what bothers you? My past? That maybe I'm an expert in an area you aren't?† â€Å"One I'm sure you'd just love to educate me in. One more girl to add to your list of conquests.† He was speechless for a few moments and then held up one finger. â€Å"First, I don't have a list.† Another finger. â€Å"Second, if I did have a list, I could find someone a hell of lot less frustrating to add to it.† For the third finger, he leaned toward me. â€Å"And finally, I know that you know you're no conquest, so don't act like you seriously think that. You and I have been through too much together. We're too close, too connected. I wasn't that crazy on spirit when I said you're my flame in the dark. We chase away the shadows around each other. Our backgrounds don't matter. What we have is bigger than that. I love you, and beneath all that logic, calculation, and superstition, I know you love me too. Running away to Mexico and fleeing all your problems isn't going to change that. You're just going to end up scared and confused.† â€Å"I already feel that way,† I said quietly. Adrian moved back and leaned into his seat, looking tired. â€Å"Well, that's the most accurate thing you've said so far.† I grabbed the basket and jerked open the car door. Without another word, I stormed off toward the dorm, refusing to look back in case he saw the tears that had inexplicably appeared in my eyes. Only, I wasn't sure exactly which part of our conversation I was most upset about. The tears seemed like they were going to stay put by the time I reached my room, but I still had to calm down. Even once my emotions were settled, it was hard to shake his words. You're my flame in the dark. We chase away the shadows around each other. What did that even mean? At least smuggling a dragon into my room provided a pretty good distraction. I brought the basket inside, hoping demonic dragons weren't contraband. No one stopped me when I went upstairs, and I was left wondering how I was going to confine him if I did summon him back. The basket didn't seem all that secure, and I certainly wasn't going to let him run loose in my dorm room. When I reached my door, I found Jill standing outside, her pale green eyes wide with excitement. â€Å"I want to see him,† she said. The bond was strongest in moments of high emotion, and judging from Adrian's face when the dragon had been chasing us, his emotions had been running pretty strong. I wondered if she'd witnessed our argument too or if that hadn't come through the bond. Maybe the tension between him and me was second nature to her now. â€Å"I can't let him out yet,† I said, letting her into my room. â€Å"I need something to keep him in. Like a birdcage. Maybe I can get one tomorrow.† Jill frowned in thought, then brightened. â€Å"I have an idea.† She glanced at my alarm clock. â€Å"I hope it's not too late.† And without further explanation, she took off, promising to be back soon. I was still a little shaky from today's magic but hadn't had time to rectify the situation after all the other excitement. So, I sat at my desk with a spell book and ate the rest of the now-soft coconut cream pie, careful to first cut off the part where the dragon had eaten. I didn't know if callistanas had communicable germs, but I wasn't taking any chances. Jill returned an hour later, bearing a rectangular glass aquarium, like the kind you'd keep fish or gerbils in. â€Å"Where'd you get that?† I asked, moving a lamp off my desk. â€Å"My biology teacher. Our guinea pig died a couple weeks ago, and she's been too sad to replace him.† â€Å"Didn't she ask what you needed it for?† I examined the tank and found it spotless, so someone had apparently cleaned it after the guinea pig's unfortunate passing. â€Å"We can't have pets.† â€Å"I told her I was building a diorama. She didn't question it.† Jill eagerly brought the aquarium over to the desk. â€Å"We can give it back when you get your own.† I set the quartz crystal inside and slammed on the tank's lid, making sure it was securely attached. After more entreating from Jill, I spoke the summoning words. A bit of smoke appeared, and the quartz transformed back into the dragon. Mercifully, he didn't make any more of that screeching, so I guessed he was still full. Instead, he scampered around the tank, examining his new home. At one point, he tried to climb the side, but his tiny claws couldn't get traction on the glass. â€Å"Well, that's a relief,† I said. Jill's face was filled with wonder. â€Å"I think he'll be bored in there. You should get him some toys.† â€Å"Toys for a demon? Isn't it enough that I give him pie?† â€Å"He wants you,† she insisted. Sure enough, I glanced back at the tank and found the callistana regarding me adoringly. He was even wagging his tail. â€Å"No,† I said sternly. â€Å"This isn't a Disney movie where I have an adorable sidekick. You aren't coming out.† I cut off a piece of blueberry pie and put it in the tank in case he wanted a midnight snack. No way would I risk a late-night wakeup call. After a moment's thought, I added a stress ball and a scarf. â€Å"There,† I told Jill. â€Å"Food, a toy, and a bed. Happy?† The callistana apparently was. He batted the ball around a few times and then curled up on the nest I'd made with the scarf. He looked more or less content, aside from the fact that he kept watching me. â€Å"Aww,† she said. â€Å"Look how sweet he is. What are you going to name him?† Like I needed something else to worry about. â€Å"His ‘father' can name him. I'm already on the hook for the Mustang.† After a bit more swooning, Jill finally retired for the night. I made my own preparations for bed, always keeping one eye on the dragon. He did nothing threatening, however, and I even managed to fall asleep, though my sleep was restless. I kept imagining he'd find a way out and come get into bed with me. And of course, I had my usual fears about Veronica coming after me. I did hit one stretch of sound sleep, during which Adrian pulled me into a spirit dream. After our earlier fight, I honestly hadn't expected to see him tonight, a thought that had saddened me. The reception hall materialized around us, but the image wavered and kept fading in and out. â€Å"I didn't think you'd come,† I told him. No wedding clothes tonight. He wore what he'd had on earlier, jeans and the AYE shirt, though both looked a bit more wrinkled. He was dressed as he was in reality, I realized. â€Å"You think I'd abandon you to Veronica?† â€Å"No,† I admitted. â€Å"What's wrong with the room?† He looked a little embarrassed. â€Å"My control's not all it could be tonight.† I didn't understand . . . at first. â€Å"You're drunk.† â€Å"I've been drinking,† he corrected, leaning against one of the tables. â€Å"If I was drunk, I wouldn't be here at all. And really, this is pretty good for four White Russians.† â€Å"White what?† I almost sat down but was afraid the chair might dematerialize beneath me. â€Å"It's a drink,† he said. â€Å"You'd think I wouldn't be into something named that – you know, considering my own personal experience with Russians. But they're surprisingly delicious. The drinks, not real Russians. They've got Kahlua. It might be the drink you've been waiting your whole life for.† â€Å"Kahlua does not taste like coffee,† I said. â€Å"So don't start with that.† I was insanely curious to know why he'd been drinking. Sometimes he did it to numb spirit, but he seemed to still want to access that magic tonight. And of course, half the time, he didn't even need a reason to drink. Deep inside me, I wondered if our fight had driven him to it. I didn't know whether to feel guilty or annoyed. â€Å"I also had to come tonight to apologize,† he said. He sat down, apparently not having the same fears about chairs. For one inexplicably terrifying moment, I thought he was going to take back the part about me being his flame in the dark. Instead, he told me, â€Å"If you need to go to Mexico to finish this process off, then I understand. I was wrong to criticize you for it or even imply that I had some kind of say in it. One of the greatest things about you is that in the end, you always make smart decisions. Can't always say the same for myself. Whatever you need to do, I'll support you.† Those annoying tears almost returned, and I blinked them back. â€Å"Thank you. That means a lot . . . and to tell you the truth, right now, I still don't know what I'm going to do. I know Marcus is worried about me eventually getting in trouble and being under their control. Then again, staying part of the Alchemists seems like it'd give me more power, and besides . . . I don't want to leave you. Er, you guys.† He smiled, and it lit up his whole face. Like a flame in the dark. â€Å"Well, ‘we' are certainly happy to hear that. Oh, and I'm also happy to watch our darling little love child dragon while you're in St. Louis.† I grinned back. â€Å"As a rock or in his real form?† â€Å"Haven't decided yet. How's he doing right now?† â€Å"He's locked in an aquarium. I'm guessing I'd wake up if he got into bed with me, so he must still be asleep.† I hoped. â€Å"Well, I'm sure getting into bed with you would be – † Adrian held back whatever comment he'd been about to utter. He instead gestured to the table, and a Monopoly board appeared. â€Å"Shall we play?† I walked over and peered at the board. It apparently was also suffering from his drinking, seeing as half the streets were blank. The ones that were there had names like â€Å"Castile Causeway† and â€Å"Jailbait Avenue.† â€Å"The board's a little incomplete,† I said diplomatically. Adrian didn't seem concerned. â€Å"Well, then, I guess that improves your odds.† I couldn't resist that and took a gamble on sitting in one of the chairs. I smiled at him and then began counting money, happy that all was (relatively) right in the world with us again.