AMERICAS EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR LAWS Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

AMERICAS EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR LAWS - Coursework Example The laws that touch unemployment benefits should be strengthened. Currently, the law is too restrictive and has many requirements (United States Department of Labor). The presence of these many requirements makes it possible for many employers to prevent employees from claiming unemployment benefits. It would be beneficial the law to cover ways to prevent employers from manipulating workers. The penalty for preventing an employee to get unemployment benefits should be huge to discourage the behavior. The law will be stronger if it directs all employers to inform workers of their unemployment benefits at the time of employment. The legislature should consider adding new laws to cover people working in small firms and independent contractors. Currently, they do not have any form of protection despite the fact they work hard. According protection for independent contractors within the law would help in protecting them against unpaid services. Additional laws are required to prevent online frauds that cost job seekers so much money. It is paramount for the government to control things like multilevel marketing to prevent

Rapid Response to Natural Disasters

Rapid Response to Natural Disasters Rapid Response[c1] One of the most important features of logistic support management is a quick response following a natural disaster. With the recent improvement of information technology, the logistical operation has been able to be conducted on time and the delivery of the required materials to the victims has been more efficient than ever. A rapid response towards the natural disaster is crucial in order to minimize the damage being done and also reduce the number of lives lost, especially in the aftermath, which could be due to lack of medical coverage or insufficient food or water. This is why transportation method such as land, air and water transport is the most important before, during and after the disasters struck. In providing a rapid response towards a disaster, there come certain challenges with it such as[1]; Relocating critical equipment and commodities when a disaster warning is given Relocating[c2] the critical equipment and commodities needs to be carefully structured and planned as it needs to as far away as possible from the disaster location, to be completely safe from its effect radius. But it needs to be as close as possible to the disaster in order to provide a quick relief to those who are affected by the disaster. (suggestion buat assessment tentang disaster effect radius, and put away from that radius) Evacuation plans If[c3] a disaster struck a nation in all of a sudden, the people will all be still in the location and facing the disaster as it happens. This kind of situation will require a perfect evacuation plan as it involves a massive chaos and difficult to get things done in order. A chaotic situation is an already badly struck location will cause further damage and an increasing number of loss as it hastens the process of rescuing the people and providing an effective disaster aid. (suggestion – training and educating people about evacuating safely and in order. Rehearsal) Clearing path for the movement of people and materials after the disaster Related[c4] to the evacuation plans is the path or road being used to move the people out of the disaster area, as it might not be as in good condition as it were before. It might be congested with traffic of the people wanted to get out of the area, or full of rubbles from the destructions of the buildings and facilities, or being filled with mudslides or submerged in floodwater. These are the problems faced when a disaster relief operation is trying to provide a rapid response towards a disaster. (suggestion ) Method and procedures in the movement of casualties As[c5] a disaster struck, it normally causes a lot of casualties, with most of them involving major injuries that may lead to death. As rapid response is aiming towards reducing the number of death, it requires a proper management in terms of the method and procedures of dealing with the casualties. Not all personnel involved in the disaster aid relief operation are well trained with the procedures as it also involves volunteers from around the world. Though their intention is good, it may also hasten the process and thus the effort of trying to provide rapid response in diminished. (suggestion – provide more training for volunteering bodies around the world of a standard operating procedure and methods being used) Bringing in rescue and repair team, together with their facilities and equipment Transport In the event of a disaster, the resources needed as part of a relief operation must be transported to the affected area as quickly as possible to attend to the casualties and also reduce the number of death and prevent further damages to that area. But providing the amount of transport for all that in such a short time is a big challenge as part of the logistic support group. It is key to use whatever transportation left in the affected area, especially as bigger and better transport from outside is being delayed with the route being cut off as a result of the disaster. And getting the cooperation from the agencies, companies or any organization with any method of transportation is also a challenge as it might involve funds, assets and other matters that need time to be coordinated. (suggestion deal with local organizations, agencies or companies as part of their own disaster plan) (suggestion – create a networking system between all agencies and organizations for cooperation in terms of transportation to increase the efficiency of the relief operations) Coordination and Collaborations Dealing with the event of a natural disaster, it is hard for the affected nation to handle the matter on its own, as their system is crippled and the organization is in chaos. This is why it will need help and support from other nation, especially their neighboring countries or member countries of a regional organization. During a disaster relief, part of the logistic matter is moving and distributing the commodities in as short time as possible to the victims, and this normally involves huge transportation coordination and is a very expensive matter. And certain processes or procedures are too complex to be used in such a critical time where everything needs to be done in such a short space of time. (suggestion – more detailed cooperation between member countries of any organization must be made (OIC, NAM, etc.), not focusing only on regional organization. Better coordination brings better process standardization – better cooperation and better results) (suggestion – information sharing on the critical needs, then easier to coord) Undestanding Environments For the coalition or regional organization, a disaster relief operation mostly involves working in a very different environment and also limited to several constraints. For example, in a disaster that involves conflicts, the distribution and transportation of goods might not be as smooth as it should be. Even with good conditioned roads and transport vehicles, they might me susceptible to attacks, ambushes or mines. Their supply center and relief workers might also be targets for these attacks, which might hamper the process of reaching out to the victims. Political situation might also pose a problem to the success of the relief operation as different groups tries to take advantage of distribution process in the name of their own organization for political gains. Though it has nothing to do with the disaster relief operation organization, it does hamper the initial objective of delivering the goods as quickly as possible to the right community. (suggestion – local capabilities must be identified, as the utilization of their capcities will provide benefits to the relief operation. must identify mana proses yg boleh cepat, mana yg akan lambat. Siapa yg boleh tolong, siapa yg akan menyusahkan.) Sustenance Support Even though the initial support or relief is crucial in saving lives and minimizing damages, it needs to be sustained for a longer period of time in order for it to be completely functioning as it is supposed to be. Resupplies must be coordinated so that the right amount is delivered, as it might vary from the initial quantity and specifications, as adjustments on the commodities are being made from time to time. (suggestion – after receiving the initial support, local authorities must work out the on adjustments and on providing resupplies. Not totally depending on supports from others only.) Packaging xxx (suggestion The aspect of the logistic support that must be given the importance is the Packaging of commodities. Handling equipment, determine the bulk of the unit package should be done accurately as to protect it from damaging. However, Storage and transport circumstances determine the strength of the package unit. For example medicines in plastic bottles survive rough road transport. Other related aspect that should be kept in mind is Shelf-life Climate, Spoilage, Pest resistance (FEMA, 2013, NDMA, 2010). Protecting Important Provisions After the episode of disaster large-scale, relief logistics require consistent and sustained supplies of critical and fast-moving products such as fuel, oil, lubricants, tires, and essential spare parts. In addition, expansion of an operation requires shipments of high value specialist equipment. The time of disaster condition is critical any need may rise therefore before during and after the disaster the protection, handling and provision of the related supplies must be done carefully, such as; Fuel import, refining, and storage, Materials handling and storage at ports , Unloading and bagging equipment, container handling, and secure Storage, Handling and storage at Airport , Storage at developing regional airfields, local assembly and secure packing of tires and spares parts ( UNDP, 2006; NDMA, 2010). Security Time taken to get clearance or permission will cause delay. Commercial airfields ports might be damaged as a result from the disaster. So need to use unconventional ways such as military infrastructure as nearest point of entry. This will need special clearance requires more time to get permissions Security arrangements should be reviewed as soon as the disaster hits. Access to some routes and airfields may be destructed to reach the location or clearance and permits may be needed by the logistic supply teams, especially in emergencies. Hence, Arrangements should be made to obtain the relevant documents before, rather than after, the onset of a disaster (Iqbal et al., 2007; UNDP, 2006). Distribution Distribution of products to victims at the disaster location is distinct from transport and handling bulk package of commodities. The assignment of distribution is commonly decentralized to a distinct agency. It includes the physical and non-physical transfer or distribution from their point of production to the point at which they made available to the victims. The effectiveness of distribution systems depends largely on how recipients are selected and identified in the first place. Often this is a complex and highly political activity, over which external implementing agencies has only limited influence (UNDP, 2006). Bibliography United Nation Development Program (UNDP). (2006). Logistics: Disaster Management Training Program. New York. [1] UNDP. (2006) [c1]Dah siap rephrase [c2]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke? [c3]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke? [c4]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke? [c5]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke?

The Psychological Effects of Gender Roles Essay -- Gender Roles Equali

The Psychological Effects of Gender Roles â€Å"Let the boys be boys.† You’ve heard this phrase before. Often repeated by parents regarding their little boys. So what makes a boy, a boy? Rambo like characteristics? Muscles? Short hair? Wearing blue? Wearing T-shirts and jeans or playing with sporting equipment? Well last I remember, the main characteristics boys shared were penises. The role gender association play in the lives of our children can sometimes affect them negatively. The messages that gender roles send, is that in order to be part of society, you must fit into the norm or the status quo or most importantly what society deems as acceptable. But all the while, trying to incorporate individuality and establishing ones sense of self. Two conflicting ideas that can confuse a child and also alter the way they live their lives. There are two colors that are designated to babies that serve one purpose and one purpose only. Most infant boys were the color blue and girls wear pink. Seeing that it is difficult to determine the sex of an infant without general exposure to the genitals, most parents choose to clothe they’re young child in the respective colors so people will know whether it is a boy or a girl. After all, what male infant wears pink? When the children grow older, do they still continue the practice the color identification game? This is wear it changes. When boys reach the age wear they start dressing themselves and start buying their own clothes, they will continue to wear the blues and the greens and even yellows and reds, but not pink or violet, cause those are â€Å"girly† colors. Girls on the other hand, when they reach the same age still continue to wear the pink and violets and can even wear the blues, yellows, blacks, and greens. So why can girls make the â€Å"cross-over† without being teased or mocked but boys cant without being called a gay or a fagot. The clothing issue goes farther than that. The fashion industry does make boundaries with clothing. There is women’s clothing and men’s clothing. Women can wear men’s clothing, and at times its the stylish thing to do. Young girls can dress like boys or wear boys clothing and at times will only be called a tom-boy, but that is acceptable to society. Let’s see a man in public wearing a dress, and we stop and go out of our way to break our necks just so we can get a good look.... ...d am able to observe what is going on and what can happen. I’m am in no way implying that making your infant son wear blue is bad and if he wears pink as he gets older, it your fault. I know that I probably wouldn’t be to happy about the fact that my little boy is wearing pink either, but its how you approach and deal with the situation the can have an effect on your child. Many parents would probably tell their children this type of situation, â€Å" Pink is for girls, take it off. What are you gay or something. Are you a sissy? Act like a boy.† (Finaut) It is brought upon so negatively and makes the child feel low and incompetent, especially if they are told this by their fathers. Not everyone will agree with my point of view and that is something I understand, but its all about being open-minded which is obviously not the message gender roles send. Works Cited Finaut, Jim. Personal Interview, 11, July 1999. Hales, Dianne. Invitation to Health: Power of Prevention, eighth edition. California: Brooks/Cole, 1990. Richards, Orland. Personal Interview, 13 July 1999. Tannen, Deborah. You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation. New York: Ballantine, 1990.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 32. Company

The Cullens' enormous house was more crowded with guests than anyone would assume could possibly be comfortable. It only worked out because none of the visitors slept. Mealtimes were dicey, though. Our company cooperated as best they could. They gave Forks and La Push a wide berth, only hunting out of state; Edward was a gracious host, lending out his cars as needed without so much as a wince. The compromise made me very uncomfortable, though I tried to tell myself that they'd all be hunting somewhere in the world, regardless. Jacob was even more upset. The werewolves existed to prevent the loss of human life, and here was rampant murder being condoned barely outside the packs' borders. But under these circumstances, with Renesmee in acute danger, he kept his mouth shut and glared at the floor rather than the vampires. I was amazed at the easy acceptance the visiting vampires had for Jacob; the problems Edward had anticipated had never materialized. Jacob seemed more or less invisible to them, not quite a person, but also not food, either. They treated him the way people who are not animal-lovers treat the pets of their friends. Leah, Seth, Quil, and Embry were assigned to run with Sam for now, and Jacob would have happily joined them, except that he couldn't stand to be away from Renesmee, and Renesmee was busy fascinating the strange collection of Carlisle's friends. We'd replayed the scene of Renesmee's introduction to the Denali coven a half dozen times. First for Peter and Charlotte, whom Alice and Jasper had sent our way without giving them any explanation at all; like most people who knew Alice, they trusted her instructions despite the lack of information. Alice had told them nothing about which direction she and Jasper were heading. She'd made no promise to ever see them again in the future. Neither Peter nor Charlotte had ever seen an immortal child. Though they knew the rule, their negative reaction was not as powerful as the Denali vampires' had been at first. Curiosity had driven them to allow Renesmee's â€Å"explanation.† And that was it. Now they were as committed to witnessing as Tanya's family. Carlisle had sent friends from Ireland and Egypt. The Irish clan arrived first, and they were surprisingly easy to convince. Siobhan – a woman of immense presence whose huge body was both beautiful and mesmerizing as it moved in smooth undulations – was the leader, but she and her hard-faced mate, Liam, were long used to trusting the judgment of their newest coven member. Little Maggie, with her bouncy red curls, was not physically imposing like the other two, but she had a gift for knowing when she was being lied to, and her verdicts were never contested. Maggie declared that Edward spoke the truth, and so Siobhan and Liam accepted our story absolutely before even touching Renesmee. Amun and the other Egyptian vampires were another story. Even after two younger members of his coven, Benjamin and Tia, had been convinced by Renesmee's explanation, Amun refused to touch her and ordered his coven to leave. Benjamin – an oddly cheerful vampire who looked barely older than a boy and seemed both utterly confident and utterly careless at the same time – persuaded Amun to stay with a few subtle threats about disbanding their alliance. Amun stayed, but continued to refuse to touch Renesmee, and would not allow his mate, Kebi, to touch her, either. It seemed an unlikely grouping – though the Egyptians all looked so alike, with their midnight hair and olive-toned pallor, that they easily could have passed for a biological family. Amun was the senior member and the outspoken leader. Kebi never strayed farther away from Amun than his shadow, and I never heard her speak a single word. Tia, Benjamin's mate, was a quiet woman as well, though when she did spe ak there was great insight and gravity to everything she said. Still, it was Benjamin whom they all seemed to revolve around, as if he had some invisible magnetism the others depended upon for their balance. I saw Eleazar staring at the boy with wide eyes and assumed Benjamin had a talent that drew the others to him. â€Å"It's not that,† Edward told me when we were alone that night. â€Å"His gift is so singular that Amun is terrified of losing him. Much like we had planned to keep Renesmee from Aro's knowledge† – he sighed – â€Å"Amun has been keeping Benjamin from Aro's attention. Amun created Benjamin, knowing he would be special.† â€Å"What can he do?† â€Å"Something Eleazar's never seen before. Something I've never heard of. Something that even your shield would do nothing against.† He grinned his crooked smile at me. â€Å"He can actually influence the elements – earth, wind, water, and fire. True physical manipulation, no illusion of the mind. Benjamin's still experimenting with it, and Amun tries to mold him into a weapon. But you see how independent Benjamin is. He won't be used.† â€Å"You like him,† I surmised from the tone of his voice. â€Å"He has a very clear sense of right and wrong. I like his attitude.† Amun's attitude was something else, and he and Kebi kept to themselves, though Benjamin and Tia were well on their way to being fast friends with both the Denali and the Irish covens. We hoped that Carlisle's return would ease the remaining tension with Amun. Emmett and Rose sent individuals – any nomad friends of Carlisle's that they could track down. Garrett came first – a tall, rangy vampire with eager ruby eyes and long sandy hair he kept tied back with a leather thong – and it was apparent immediately that he was an adventurer. I imagined that we could have presented him with any challenge and he would have accepted, just to test himself. He fell in quickly with the Denali sisters, asking endless questions about their unusual lifestyle. I wondered if vegetarianism was another challenge he would try, just to see if he could do it. Mary and Randall also came – friends already, though they did not travel together. They listened to Renesmee's story and stayed to witness like the others. Like the Denalis, they considered what they would do if the Volturi did not pause for explanations. All three of the nomads toyed with the idea of standing with us. Of course, Jacob got more surly with each new addition. He kept his distance when he could, and when he couldn't he grumbled to Renesmee that someone was going to have to provide an index if anyone expected him to keep all the new bloodsuckers1names straight. Carlisle and Esme returned a week after they had gone, Emmett and Rosalie just a few days later, and all of us felt better when they were home. Carlisle brought one more friend home with him, though friend might have been the wrong term. Alistair was a misanthropic English vampire who counted Carlisle as his closest acquaintance, though he could hardly stand a visit more than once a century. Alistair very much preferred to wander alone, and Carlisle had called in a lot of favors to get him here. He shunned all company, and it was clear he didn't have any admirers in the gathered covens. The brooding dark-haired vampire took Carlisle at his word about Renesmee's origins, refusing, like Amun, to touch her. Edward told Carlisle, Esme, and me that Alistair was afraid to be here, but more afraid of not knowing the outcome. He was deeply suspicious of all authority, and therefore naturally suspicious of the Volturi. What was happening now seemed to confirm all his fears. â€Å"Of course, now they'll know i was here,† we heard him grumble to himself in the attic – his preferred spot to sulk. â€Å"No way to keep it from Aro at this point. Centuries on the run, that's what this will mean. Everyone Carlisle's talked to in the last decade will be on their list. I can't believe I got myself sucked into this mess. What a fine way to treat your friends.† But if he was right about having to run from the Volturi, at least he had more hope of doing that than the rest of us. Alistair was a tracker, though not nearly as precise and efficient as Demetri. Alistair just felt an elusive pull toward whatever he was seeking. But that pull would be enough to tell him which direction to run – the opposite direction from Demetri. And then another pair of unexpected friends arrived – unexpected, because neither Carlisle nor Rosalie had been able to contact the Amazons. â€Å"Carlisle,† the taller of the two very tall feline women greeted him when they arrived. Both of them seemed as if they'd been stretched – long arms and legs, long fingers, long black braids, and long faces with long noses. They wore nothing but animal skins – hide vests and tight-fitting pants that laced on the sides with leather ties. It wasn't just their eccentric clothes that made them seem wild but everything about them, from their restless crimson eyes to their sudden, darting movements. I'd never met any vampires less civilized. But Alice had sent them, and that was interesting news, to put it mildly. Why was Alice in South America? Just because she'd seen that no one else would be able to get in touch with the Amazons? â€Å"Zafrina and Senna! But Where's Kachiri?† Carlisle asked. Tve never seen you three apart.† â€Å"Alice told us we needed to separate,† Zafrina answered in the rough, deep voice that matched her wild appearance. â€Å"It's uncomfortable to be away from each other, but Alice assured us that you needed us here, while she very much needed Kachiri somewhere else. That's all she would tell us, except that there was a great hurry†¦ ?† Zafrina's statement trailed off into a question, and – with the tremor of nerves that never went away no matter how often I did this – I brought Renesmee out to meet them. Despite their fierce appearance, they listened very calmly to our story, and then allowed Renesmee to prove the point. They were every bit as taken with Renesmee as any of the other vampires, but I couldn't help worrying as I watched their swift, jerky movements so close beside her. Senna was always near Zafrina, never speaking, but it wasn't the same as Amun and Kebi. Kebi's manner seemed obedient; Senna and Zafrina were more like two limbs of one organism – Zafrina just happened to be the mouthpiece. The news about Alice was oddly comforting. Clearly, she was on some obscure mission of her own as she avoided whatever Aro had planned for her. Edward was thrilled to have the Amazons with us, because Zafrina was enormously talented; her gift could make a very dangerous offensive weapon. Not that Edward was asking for Zafrina to side with us in the battle, but if the Volturi did not pause when they saw our witnesses, perhaps they would pause for a different kind of scene. â€Å"It's a very straightforward illusion,† Edward explained when it turned out that I couldn't see anything, as usual. Zafrina was intrigued and amused by my immunity – something she'd never encountered before – and she hovered restlessly while Edward described what I was missing. Edward's eyes unfocused slightly as he continued. â€Å"She can make most people see whatever she wants them to see – see that, and nothing else. For example, right now I would appear to be alone in the middle of a rain forest. It's so clear I might possibly believe it, except for the fact that I can still feel you in my arms.† Zafrina's lips twitched into her hard version of a smile. A second later, Edward's eyes focused again, and he grinned back. â€Å"Impressive,† he said. Renesmee was fascinated with the conversation, and she reached out fearlessly toward Zafrina. â€Å"Can I see?† she asked. â€Å"What would you like to see?† Zafrina asked. â€Å"What you showed Daddy.† Zafrina nodded, and I watched anxiously as Renesmee's eyes stared blankly into space. A second later, Renesmee's dazzling smile lit up her face. â€Å"More,† she commanded. After that, it was hard to keep Renesmee away from Zafrina and her pretty pictures. I worried, because I was quite sure that Zafrina was able to create images that were not pretty at all. But through Renesmee's thoughts I could see Zafrina's visions for myself – they were as clear as any of Renesmee's own memories, like they were real – and thus judge for myself whether they were appropriate or not. Though I didn't give her up easily, I had to admit it was a good thing Zafrina was keeping Renesmee entertained. I needed my hands. I had so much to learn, both physically and mentally, and the time was so short. My first attempt at learning to fight did not go well. Edward had me pinned in about two seconds. But instead of letting me wrestle my way free – which I absolutely could have – he'd leaped up and away from me. I knew immediately that something was wrong; he was still as stone, staring across the meadow we were practicing in. Tm sorry, Bella,† he said. â€Å"No, I'm fine,† I said. â€Å"Let's go again.† â€Å"I can't.† â€Å"What do you mean, you can't? We just started.† He didn't answer. â€Å"Look, I know I'm no good at this, but I can't get better if you don't help me.† He said nothing. Playfully, I sprang at him. He made no defense at all, and we both fell to the ground. He was motionless as I pressed my lips to his jugular. â€Å"I win,† I announced. His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. â€Å"Edward? What's wrong? Why won't you teach me?† A full minute passed before he spoke again. â€Å"I just can't†¦ bear it. Emmett and Rosalie know as much as I do. Tanya and Eleazar probably know more. Ask someone else.† â€Å"That's not fair! You're good at this. You helped Jasper before – you fought with him and all the others, too. Why not me? What did I do wrong?† He sighed, exasperated. His eyes were dark, barely any gold to lighten the black. â€Å"Looking at you that way, analyzing you as a target. Seeing all the ways I can kill you .. .† He flinched. â€Å"It just makes it too real for me. We don't have so much time that it will really make a difference who your teacher is. Anyone can teach you the fundamentals.† I scowled. He touched my pouting lower lip and smiled. â€Å"Besides, it's unnecessary. The Volturi will stop. They will be made to understand.† â€Å"But if they don't! I need to learn this.† â€Å"Find another teacher.† That was not our last conversation on the subject, but I never swayed him an inch from his decision. Emmett was more than willing to help, though his teaching felt to me a lot like revenge for all the lost arm-wrestling matches. If I could still bruise, I would have been purple from head to toe. Rose, Tanya, and Eleazar all were patient and supportive. Their lessons reminded me of Jasper's fighting instructions to the others last June, though those memories were fuzzy and indistinct. Some of the visitors found my education entertaining, and some even offered assistance. The nomad Garrett took a few turns – he was a surprisingly good teacher; he interacted so easily with others in general that I wondered how he'd never found a coven. I even fought once with Zafrina while Renesmee watched from Jacob's arms. I learned several tricks, but I never asked for her help again. In truth, though I liked Zafrina very much and I knew she wouldn't really hurt me, the wild woman scared me to death. I learned many things from my teachers, but I had the sense that my knowledge was still impossibly basic. I had no idea how many seconds I would last against Alec and Jane. I only prayed that it would be long enough to help. Every minute of the day that I wasn't with Renesmee or learning to fight, I was in the backyard working with Kate, trying to push my internal shield outside of my own brain to protect someone else. Edward encouraged me in this training. I knew he hoped I would find a way of contributing that satisfied me while also keeping me out of the line of fire. It was just so hard. There was nothing to get a hold of, nothing solid to work with. I had only my raging desire to be of use, to be able to keep Edward, Renesmee, and as much of my family as possible safe with me. Over and over I tried to force the nebulous shield outside of myself, with only faint, sporadic success. It felt like I was wrestling to stretch an invisible rubber band – a band that would change from concrete tangibility into insubstantial smoke at any random moment. Only Edward was willing to be our guinea pig – to receive shock after shock from Kate while I grappled incompetently with the insides of my head. We worked for hours at a time, and I felt like I should be covered in sweat from the exertion, but of course my perfect body didn't betray me that way. My weariness was all mental. It killed me that it was Edward who had to suffer, my arms wrapped uselessly around him while he winced over and over from Kate's low† setting. I tried as hard as I could to push my shield around us both; every now and then I would get it, and then it would slip away again. I hated this practice, and I wished that Zafrina would help instead of Kate. Then all Edward would have to do was look at Zafrina's illusions until I could stop him from seeing them. But Kate insisted that I needed better motivation – by which she meant my hatred of watching Edward's pain. I was beginning to doubt her assertion from the first day we'd met – that she wasn't sadistic about the use of her gift. She seemed to be enjoying herself to me. â€Å"Hey,† Edward said cheerfully, trying to hide any evidence of distress in his voice. Anything to keep me from fighting practice. â€Å"That one barely stung. Good job, Bella.† I took a deep breath, trying to grasp exactly what I'd done right, i tested the elastic band, struggling to force it to remain solid as I stretched it away from me. â€Å"Again, Kate,† I grunted through my clenched teeth. Kate pressed her palm to Edward's shoulder. He sighed in relief. â€Å"Nothing that time.† She raised an eyebrow. â€Å"That wasn't low, either.† â€Å"Good,† I huffed. â€Å"Get ready,† she told me, and reached out to Edward again. This time he shuddered, and a low breath hissed between his teeth. â€Å"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!† I chanted, biting my lip. Why couldn't I get this right? â€Å"You're doing an amazing job, Bella,† Edward said, pulling me tight against him. â€Å"You've really only been working at this for a few days and you're already projecting sporadically. Kate, tell her how well she's doing.† Kate pursed her lips. â€Å"I don't know. She's obviously got tremendous ability, and we're only beginning to touch it. She can do better, I'm sure. She's just lacking incentive.† I stared at her in disbelief, my lips automatically curling back from my teeth. How could she think I lacked motivation with her shocking Edward right here in front of me? I heard murmurs from the audience that had grown steadily as I practiced – only Eleazar, Carmen, and Tanya at first, but then Garrett had wandered over, then Benjamin and Tia, Siobhan and Maggie, and now even Alistair was peering down from a window on the third story. The spectators agreed with Edward; they thought I was already doing well. â€Å"Kate†¦,† Edward said in a warning voice as some new course of action occurred to her, but she was already in motion. She darted along the curve of the river to where Zafrina, Senna, and Renesmee were walking slowly, Renesmee's hand in Zafrina's as they traded pictures back and forth. Jacob shadowed them from a few feet behind. â€Å"Nessie,† Kate said – the newcomers had quickly picked up the irritating nickname, â€Å"would you like to come help your mother?† â€Å"No,† I half-snarled. Edward hugged me reassuringly. I shook him off just as Renesmee flitted across the yard to me, with Kate, Zafrina, and Senna right behind her. â€Å"Absolutely not, Kate,† I hissed. Renesmee reached for me, and I opened my arms automatically. She curled into me, pressing her head into the hollow beneath my shoulder. â€Å"But Momma, I want to help,† she said in a determined voice. Her hand rested against my neck, reinforcing her desire with images of the two of us together, a team. â€Å"No,† I said, quickly backing away. Kate had taken a deliberate step in my direction, her hand stretched toward us. â€Å"Stay away from us, Kate,† I warned her. â€Å"No.† She began stalking forward. She smiled like a hunter cornering her prey. I shifted Renesmee so that she was clinging to my back, still backing away at a pace that matched Kate's. Now my hands were free, and if Kate wanted to keep her hands attached to her wrists, she'd better keep her distance. Kate probably didn't understand, never having known for herself the passion of a mother for her child. She must not have realized just how far past too far she'd already gone. I was so furious that my vision took on a strange reddish tint, and my tongue tasted like burning metal. The strength I usually worked to keep restrained flowed through my muscles, and I knew I could crush her into diamond-hard rubble if she pushed me to it. The rage brought every aspect of my being into sharper focus. I could even feel the elasticity of my shield more exactly now – feel that it was not a band so much as a layer, a thin film that covered me from head to toe. With the anger rippling through my body, I had a better sense of it, a tighter hold on it. I stretched it around myself, out from myself, swaddling Renesmee completely inside it, just in case Kate got past my guard. Kate took another calculated step forward, and a vicious snarl ripped up my throat and through my clenched teeth. â€Å"Be careful, Kate,† Edward cautioned. Kate took another step, and then made a mistake even someone as inexpert as I could recognize. Just a short leap away from me, she looked away, turning her attention from me to Edward. Renesmee was secure on my back; I coiled to spring. â€Å"Can you hear anything from Nessie?† Kate asked him, her voice calm and easy. Edward darted into the space between us, blocking my line to Kate. â€Å"No, nothing at all,† he answered. â€Å"Now give Bella some space to calm down, Kate. You shouldn't goad her like that. I know she doesn't seem her age, but she's only a few months old.† â€Å"We don't have time to do this gently, Edward. We're going to have to push her. We only have a few weeks, and she's got the potential to – â€Å" â€Å"Back off for a minute, Kate.† Kate frowned but took Edward's warning more seriously than she'd taken mine. Renesmee's hand was on my neck; she was remembering Kate's attack, showing me that no harm was meant, that Daddy was in on it†¦. This did not pacify me. The spectrum of light I saw still seemed tainted with crimson. But I was in better control of myself, and I could see the wisdom of Kate's words. The anger helped me. I would learn faster under pressure. That didn't mean I liked it. â€Å"Kate,† I growled. I rested my hand on the small of Edward's back. I could still feel my shield like a strong, flexible sheet around Renesmee and me. I pushed it farther, forcing it around Edward. There was no sign of a flaw in the stretchy fabric, no threat of a tear. I panted with the effort, and my words came out sounding breathless rather than furious. â€Å"Again,† I said to Kate. â€Å"Edward only.† She rolled her eyes but flitted forward and pressed her palm to Edward's shoulder. â€Å"Nothing,† Edward said. I heard the smile in his voice. â€Å"And now?† Kate asked. â€Å"Stillnothing.† â€Å"And now?† This time, there was the sound of strain in her voice. â€Å"Nothing at all.† Kate grunted and stepped away. â€Å"Can you see this?† Zafrina asked in her deep, wild voice, staring intently at the three of us. Her English was strangely accented, her words pulling up in unexpected places. â€Å"I don't see anything I shouldn't,† Edward said. â€Å"And you, Renesmee?† Zafrina asked. Renesmee smiled at Zafrina and shook her head. My fury had almost entirely ebbed, and I clenched my teeth together, panting faster as I pushed out against the elastic shield; it felt like it was getting heavier the longer I held it. It pulled back, dragging inward. â€Å"No one panic,† Zafrina warned the little group watching me. â€Å"I want to see how far she can extend.† There was a shocked gasp from everyone there – Eleazar, Carmen, Tanya, Garrett, Benjamin, Tia, Siobhan, Maggie – everyone but Senna, who seemed prepared for whatever Zafrina was doing. The others' eyes were blank, their expressions anxious. â€Å"Raise your hand when you get your sight back,† Zafrina instructed. â€Å"Now, Bella. See how many you can shield.† My breath came out in a huff. Kate was the closest person to me besides Edward and Renesmee, but even she was about ten feet away. I locked my jaw and shoved, trying to heave the resisting, resilient safeguard farther from myself. Inch by inch I drove it toward Kate, fighting the reaction that fought back with every fraction that I gained. I only watched Kate's anxious expression while I worked, and I groaned quietly with relief when her eyes blinked and focused. She raised her hand. â€Å"Fascinating!† Edward murmured under his breath. â€Å"It's like one-way glass. I can read everything they're thinking, but they can't reach me behind it. And I can hear Renesmee, though I couldn't when I was on the outside. I'll bet Kate could shock me now, because she's underneath the umbrella. I still can't hear you†¦ hmmm. How does that work? I wonder if†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He continued to mumble to himself, but I couldn't listen to the words. I ground my teeth together, struggling to force the shield out to Garrett, who was closest to Kate. His hand came up. â€Å"Very good,† Zafrina complimented me. â€Å"Now – â€Å" But she'd spoken too soon; with a sharp gasp, I felt my shield recoil like a rubber band stretched too far, snapping back into its original shape. Renesmee, experiencing for the first time the blindness Zafrina had conjured for the others, trembled against my back. Wearily, I fought back against the elastic pull, forcing the shield to include her again. â€Å"Can I have a minute?† I panted. Since I'd become a vampire, I hadn't felt the need to rest even once before this moment. It was unnerving to feel so drained and yet so strong at the same time. â€Å"Of course,† Zafrina said, and the spectators relaxed as she let them see again. â€Å"Kate,† Garrett called as the others murmured and drifted slightly away, disturbed by the moment of blindness; vampires were not used to feeling vulnerable. The tall, sandy-haired Garrett was the only non-gifted immortal who seemed drawn to my practice sessions. I wondered what the lure was for the adventurer. â€Å"I wouldn't, Garrett,† Edward cautioned. Garrett continued toward Kate despite the warning, his lips pursed in speculation. â€Å"They say you can put a vampire flat on his back.† â€Å"Yes,† she agreed. Then, with a sly smile, she wiggled her fingers playfully at him. â€Å"Curious?† Garrett shrugged. â€Å"That's something I've never seen. Seems like it might be a bit of an exaggeration___† â€Å"Maybe,† Kate said, her face suddenly serious. â€Å"Maybe it only works on the weak or the young. I'm not sure. You look strong, though. Perhaps you could withstand my gift.† She stretched her hand out to him, palm up – a clear invitation. Her lips twitched, and I was pretty sure her grave expression was an attempt to hustle him. Garrett grinned at the challenge. Very confidently, he touched her palm with his index finger. And then, with a loud gasp, his knees buckled and he keeled over backward. His head hit a piece of granite with a sharp cracking noise. It was shocking to watch. My instincts recoiled against seeing an immortal incapacitated that way; it was profoundly wrong. â€Å"I told you so,† Edward muttered. Garrett's eyelids trembled for a few seconds, and then his eyes opened wide. He stared up at the smirking Kate, and a wondering smile lit his face. â€Å"Wow,† he said. â€Å"Did you enjoy that?† she asked skeptically. â€Å"I'm not crazy,† he laughed, shaking his head as he got slowly to his knees, â€Å"but that was sure something!† â€Å"That's what I hear.† Edward rolled his eyes. And then there was a low commotion from the front yard. I heard Carlisle speaking over a babble of surprised voices. â€Å"Did Alice send you?† he asked someone, his voice unsure, slightly upset. Another unexpected guest? Edward darted into the house and most of the others imitated him. I followed more slowly, Renesmee still perched on my back. I would give Carlisle a moment. Let him warm up the new guest, prepare him or her or them for the idea of what was coming. I pulled Renesmee into my arms as I walked cautiously around the house to enter through the kitchen door, listening to what I couldn't see. â€Å"No one sent us,† a deep whispery voice answered Carlisle's question. I was immediately reminded of the ancient voices of Aro and Caius, and I froze just inside the kitchen. I knew the front room was crowded – almost everyone had gone in to see the newest visitors – but there was barely any noise. Shallow breathing, that was all. Carlisle's voice was wary as he responded. â€Å"Then what brings you here now?† â€Å"Word travels,† a different voice answered, just as feathery as the first. â€Å"We heard hints that Volturi were moving against you. There were whispers that you would not stand alone. Obviously, the whispers were true. This is an impressive gathering.† â€Å"We are not challenging the Volturi,† Carlisle answered in a strained tone. â€Å"There has been a misunderstanding, that is all. A very serious misunderstanding, to be sure, but one we're hoping to clear up. What yousee are witnesses. We just need the Volturi to listen. We didn't – â€Å" â€Å"We don't care what they say you did,† the first voice interrupted. â€Å"And we don't care if you broke the law.† â€Å"No matter how egregiously,† the second inserted. â€Å"We've been waiting a millennium and a half for the Italian scum to be challenged,† said the first. â€Å"If there is any chance theywill fall, we will be here to see it.† â€Å"Or even to help defeat them,† the second added. They spoke ina smooth tandem, their voices so similar that less sensitive ears would assume there was only one speaker. â€Å"If we think you havea chance of success.† â€Å"Bella?†Edward called to me ina hard voice. â€Å"Bring Renesmee here, please. Maybe we should test our Romanian visitors' claims.† It helped to know that probably half of the vampires in the other room would come to Renesmee's defense if these Romanians were upset by her. I didn't like the sound of their voices, or the dark menace in their words. As I walked into the room, I could see that I was not alone in that assessment. Most of the motionless vampires glared with hostile eyes, anda few – Carmen, Tanya, Zafrina, and Senna – repositioned themselves subtly into defensive poses between the newcomers and Renesmee. The vampires at the door were both slight and short, one dark-haired and the other with hair so ashy blond that it looked pale gray. They had the same powdery look to their skin as the Volturi, though I thought it was not so pronounced. I couldn't be sure about that, as I had never seen the Volturi except with human eyes; I could not make a perfect comparison. Their sharp, narrow eyes were dark burgundy, with no milky film. They wore very simple black clothes that could pass as modern but hinted at older designs. The dark one grinned when I came into view. â€Å"Well, well, Carlisle. You have been naughty, haven't you?† â€Å"She's not what you think, Stefan.† â€Å"And we don't care either way,† the blonde responded. â€Å"As we said before.† â€Å"Then you're welcome to observe, Vladimir, but it is definitely not our plan to challenge the Volturi, as we said before.† â€Å"Then we'lljust cross our fingers,† Stefan began. â€Å"And hope we get lucky,† finished Vladimir. In the end, we had pulled together seventeen witnesses – the Irish, Siobhan, Liam, and Maggie; the Egyptians, Amun, Kebi, Benjamin, and Tia; the Amazons, Zafrina and Senna; the Romanians, Vladimir and Stefan; and the nomads, Charlotte and Peter, Garrett, Alistair, Mary, and Randall – to supplement our family of eleven. Tanya, Kate, Eleazar, and Carmen insisted on being counted as part of our family. Aside from the Volturi, it was probably the largest friendly gathering of mature vampires in immortal history. We all were beginning to be a little bit hopeful. Even I couldn't help it.Renesmee had won over so many in such a brief time.The Volturi only had to listen for just the tiniest second. The lasttwo surviving Romanians – focused only on their bitter resentment of the ones who had overthrown their empire fifteen hundred years earlier – took everything in stride. They would not touch Renesmee, but they showed no aversion to her. They seemed mysteriously delighted by our alliance with the werewolves.They watched me practice my shield with Zafrina and Kate, watched Edward answer unspoken questions, watched Benjaminpull geysers of water from the river or sharp gusts of wind from the still air with just his mind, and their eyes glowed with their fierce hope that the Volturi had finally met their match. We did not hope for the same things, but we all hoped.

Relationship of Leadership to the Politics

DefinitionLeadership-This is the practice of controlling and directing the behavior of individuals towards the completion of some common goals and objectives. It involves influencing people in undertaking things to a given set and value on top of their standard and all this is done willingly.  Politics-This is the process of recognizing and eventually integrating opposing interests inside the organization. This may be as the means of creating non autocratic or a democratic working environment.  Organization-This is the social arrangement that pursues collective objectives and goals, hence controlling its own performance, and it has a boundary separating it from environment surrounding it.DiscussionThe politics of an organization is essential and an unavoidable reality woven with system of management whereby organizational activities are affected by it. Organizational mission, goals, strategy, correction, assessment and ways of developing agreement are always leadership and politi cs of that particular organization. This is so because some of the great leaders in organizations have also ventured in politics thus becoming more influential in there actions as they dominate specific places both within and outside the organization. Politics and leadership go hand in hand, since most key leaders will tend to listen and get involved as they interact with politicians. For instance politicians may seek to meet trade, chambers of commerce and economic planning and development leaders to find out the operational activities of firms since both of them are policy makers. These politicians go their not to ask for endorsements but they go there to get out what is happening in the market and their country.Employees have the biggest influence on deciding what leadership style works for them, and sometimes they will mislead the leader to a very easy style hence the first thing to be undertaken is figuring out an exact style which works for and with them, hence democratic will not work well here and the preferred will be situational leadership and this will make the followers of a particular leader to decide for him. Though leaders should lead by example and move further to formulate and implement organizational policies.Organizational structure cannot be expected to resolve political problems within an institution. Political ambitions are frequently driving force behind these structural changes. Wider political and social forces in societies a s a whole also limit the choice and operation of organizational structures. This is common in the case of state organizations in both socialist and capitalist economies and of public service departments as well. Here the form of structure is usually imposed as a political rather than purely managerial decision.According to George’s leadership, political climate of a particular organization is affected by a leader through management and making use of alternative settings which is visible in decision making, interaction with others in mobilizing support and setting of agenda, also in inspiring individuals, teams and other people. The relationship between organizational politics and leadership can be comprehended from the fact that organizational leadership occurs in the perspective of groups, where followers are prejudiced by the leader to make sure their loyalty and voluntary participation towards predetermined outcomes. The interaction between leaders and their influence & authority over the followers lay down the tone for political climate in an organization. By clearly understanding of organizations’ political systems which is necessary for leadership to lead the company towards the goal achievement. Leaders who have worked for long in the company will possess the general knowledge of political climate prevailing in the organization. Leaders from outside should take time to learn and understand the organizational politics by focusing and observing keenly relationship of the v arious groups in the company.  The literature on politics in organizations is both complex and confusing. Consistent with the connotation that politics is somehow bad and to be avoided, at least in rational organizations. Politics in organization arises where groups in an organization have there own preferred goals, and the means to attain those goals, sanctioned by rest of the organization, for instance the case must be of powerful groups. Pfeffer (1981) suggests that political behavior is best known as those activities taken within organizations to acquire, develop and use power and other resources to obtain ones preferred outcomes in a situation in which there is uncertainty or discensus about choices. In this respect organizational politics and social power are very much a like, only that they are distinguished primarily by the unit of analysis involved. When our focus is on individuals influencing other individuals, here we talk about social power and when our focus is on gro ups influencing other groups we are talking about organization politics, hence political behavior occurs in situation characterized by uncertainty.Conflicting opinions and preferences are perhaps the single most important cause of political behavior. But such conflicts can exist only if there is some degree of uncertainty about what is objectively the best or must appropriate course of action. To try and solve this political behavior in organizations, power should be distributed equally among the groups affected by decision which give rise to this. It is also important to recognize that although conflicting preferences can exist only when there is some uncertainty about what is objectively the most correct or appropriate course of action, uncertainty simply provides an environment in which conflicting preferences can develop. The real causes of the conflicting opinions and preferences are differentiation and resource scarcity. Political leaders place there interest ahead of the inte rest of an organization, to them don’t visualizes the difference between operating within the law and operating ethically.It is important to note that since differentiation is a natural consequence of organizational growth, and since both uncertainty and resource scarcity are the rule rather than the exception in organizations, it must be concluded that both conflicts and political activity are inevitable group level outputs that can be found in virtually any organization. Understanding is the key for leaders to make use of organizational politics and also to enhance their own leadership credibility.   The amount of conflict and political behavior that occurs in a given organization will depend upon the severity of the prerequisite conditions, that is the degree to which there exist task interdependence, parochial perspectives, resource scarcity and soon.Referenceshttp://www.careerknowhow.com/guidance/micromanager.htmhttp://www.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfhttp://www.leadersdirec t.com/leaderstyle.html