Hurricane Galveston Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hurricane Galveston - Research Paper Example Had the people been informed earlier by the government, number of lives could be saved. After the massive destruction at the hands of hurricane, it was decided to build a wall admeasuring 15.6 feet above sea level to minimize the chances of destruction in a mass scale. This hurricane played havoc with the city besides inmates. The impressive thing was their determination to overcome the disaster. Case Study If we turn the pages of American history, we find two horrible hurricanes namely Dean and Felix that caused destructions in mass scale in the Central America. It was also noted that two category five hurricanes took place in the same year and on the same day. The southern tip of Baja California witnessed Hurricane Henrietta. The record of National Hurricane Center shows that for the first time Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes made landfall on the same day. A cursor look at the past events indicates such hurricanes that have taken place with greater intensity which badly hampered th e human lives for a considerable period of time. It would not be out of place to mention here that even the Columbus’ fourth voyage in 1502 hit hard by a colossal hurricane. The worst example of hurricane is sunken 20 treasure ships which claimed the lives of five hundred sailors on board in a nearby Spanish fleet. How can we forget the Katrina in 2005, the most devastating hurricane ever seen by the North American in recent history? You may surely consider Great Galveston Hurricane as a contender of 20th century. Galveston, Texas, in 1900 came to surface as a rising business place for the traders around the globe and a major seaport for exporting cotton to other continents in 1900. Comparatively it has the prominence edge over Houston with reference to Texan coast. Number of consulates Embassies, mansions contributed to build image of this city wherein 37,000 people are housed. Before Galveston Hurricane people and the government were not prepared to cope with the expected h urricane. People and the government were not expecting damages of the hurricane in a mass scale which shaken the very foundation of the city. People and the government thought it impossible that the hurricane will knock down at their doors. The geological survey in the late of August and early September found it across the Caribbean Sea, passing through Cuban and the Floridian territories. The inmates were of the view that it would make its roads to the northeast as soon as it is passed the Florida Straits north of Cuba. A common phenomena and a general accepted notion how tropical cyclones were supposed to treat that come in its way. It was not expected by the residents that it would continue travel to the west. The thunder storm which converted into hurricane past, Florida continues its journey to the northwest of Galveston. You may understand the havoc that played by the hurricane with this that it pushed a wall of water which was over 15 feet deep onto the island that, at its hi ghest point, was only 8.7 feet above sea level. The wind lashes were estimated to be Category 4 speeds i.e. 131-155 mph. As per the calculation a 150 mph gust would have a capacity to build pressure of 100 pounds per square foot. The recorded lowest barometric pressure during the storm admeasured 28.44 inches. (NOAA later estimated that the pressure near the storm's eye was probably closer to 27.49 inches.) The 9th September,

Take Back the Night April 17, 2008 Essay Example for Free

Take Back the Night April 17, 2008 Essay â€Å"Take Back the Night† was an evening dedicated to taking a stand against sexual violence, primarily on females. The event had many phases including musicals and spoken word performances, such as the â€Å"Denim Day† fashion show, â€Å"Walk in Her Shoes† contest, and the candlelight vigil. The event started off by introducing the concept of fighting against violence, especially those who were silenced by power. Those who were sexually violated and those who have experienced sexual violence sometime in their lives were also given much attention. â€Å"Take Back the Night† was a reclamation of the right to feel and be safe all the time, especially during the evenings. Statistics showed that an average harasser molests eighteen times before being apprehended. This was an information that surprised everyone. During the event, R. E. A. C. H peer educators were present to showcase their talents through playing music, singing, reading poetries, and sharing their feelings and emotions. The denim day fashion show presented the message, â€Å"Break the dress code, break the silence! †. It was a success for both the viewers and the organizers. The most important part of the event was the candlelight vigil. This was the time when those present were given the chance to voice out their concerns and emotions, at the same time it was a moment dedicated to silence and remembering the events that happened in the past. The event has given me more insights about sexual violence. I was deeply disheartened to hear their stories and chants about the experiences they had. It is my belief that no one can ever fully understand the difficulties and struggles these victims go through, unless the same sufferings were endured as that of the victims. I can personally say that I do not fully understand the real meaning of sexual abuse, although I, myself have experienced some during my youth. As a sixth grader, a female teacher asked me to show her my body parts because I was not paying much attention during her class. She even threatened me not to tell anyone of the incident, or else she will not be nice to me during class anymore. I was frightened, so I never said a word to anybody. A few weeks after, she came to me again. This time, she commanded me to take my clothes off, and masturbate in front of her. I did not have an idea as to what masturbation was, so she helped me. I felt broken afterwards. I do not know if this was considered as sexual abuse or not, all I knew was that she did that horrible deed unwillingly. The event helped me bridge reality with the lessons taught in class. Women were being treated as sex animals, and these treatments often lead to sexual violence. Professor Chikako Takeshita often invited guests to share some of the techniques that would be beneficial for both male and females against sexual violence. Personally, self-defense was the most beneficial for me, although I also valued the other information given, such as the hotline for both endangered and victims of sexual violence.

Dickens’ Victorian Critique of Church and State Essay Example for Free

Dickens’ Victorian Critique of Church and State Essay There is not much question in a look at his career’s work, that Charles Dickens was by his nature a harsh social critic. He would often make his characters morally objectionable in order to demonstrate the ills of society and would take an especially great interest in showing the iniquities of Church and State. In the deeply unequal England of the Victorian era, Dickens felt that he saw a lot of suffering, a great many people in need and a visible disgust of the rich toward the poor. The fact that these conditions had associated so closely with the premise of God and Crown had drawn out in critics such as Dickens as sharp distaste for the British institution girding both. That is why so many of his works centered on the relationship of the rich and poor, separated as such by the unwelcome permeation of authority of the former over the latter. The labor conditions Dickens explores in Hard Times through such figures as Stephen are contrasted sharply by the life of decadence and sanctimony denoting the figure of Josiah Bounderby. Clearly the figure through who Dickens channels the greatest pitch of protest, there is a clear hostility toward the hypocrisy and meanness which allows Bounderby to prevail over the poor of Coketown with a divinely entitled and self-declared superiority. It is here that Dickens captures the Victorian era’s undercurrent of resentment of the exploitation of God and Church for the interests of rendering selective such universal entitlements as faith and justice. In Bounderby, we are given the opportunity to view the justice system in Dickens’ time as something principally founded on inequality, determining a process which is governed by an aristocratic jurisdiction over that which deemed righteous, just and moral. All of these concepts emerge in Bounderby, and especially in a notable encounter with Stephen, suggest the most demonstrably inappropriate misuse of religious principles. In Hard Times, published in 1854, Dickens shows that he is specifically interested in dealing with a current problem of labor abuse. He draws a deeply negative picture of the rationalist political movement with which Bounderby may be identified. This was a powerful movement at the time in England. Rationality was focused on facts, which Dickens believed were used to give strict control over education, values and even creativity. This would impact the making of religion and justice too. The chief characterization of Bounderby captures this points exceedingly well, remarking that â€Å"there was a moral infection of claptrap in him. Strangers, modest enough elsewhere, started up at dinners in Coketown, and boasted in quite a rampant way, of Bounderby. They made him out to be the Royal arms, the Union-Jack, Magna Charta, John Bull, Habeas Corpus, the Bill of Rights, an Englishman’s house is his castle, Church and State, and God Save the Queen, all put together. † (52) The declaration, clearly satirical in its delivery, is nonetheless a premise upon which we will find Bounderby behaving in the most repugnant of ways. When the aforementioned Stephen, an honest laborer detained in a marriage with an abusive and alcoholic wife, goes to Bounderby, the wealthy mill owner and a public judge, he is denied a request for divorce. Bounderby denies him because poor laborers like him are not expected to have the money to have a divorce. In the scene between Stephen and Bounderby, we can see how the justice system is deeply imbalanced, as are the attitudes of the people in the justice system. When Stephen argues that the legal system wouldn’t let him get a divorce was a ‘muddle,’ Bounderby disciplines him, â€Å"Don’t you talk nonsense, my good fellow,. . . about things you don’t understand; and don’t you call the Institutions of your country a muddle , or you’ll get yourself into a real muddle one of these find mornings. The institutional of your country are not your piece-work, and the only thing you have got to do, is, to mind your piece-work. You didn’t take your wife for fast and for loose; but for better for worse. If she has turned out worse—why, all we have got to say is, she might have turned out better† (Hard Times, 84) The response, which only makes Stephen more angry, shows how Dickens’ really likes to use the writing device of irony. As Bounderby and Mrs. Sparsit, who is a rich, high-class woman with a divorce, together call Stephen guilty of ‘impiety,’ we know that the two are having some sort of inappropriate relationship with one another. This casts a blaring spotlight on the hypocrisy at the root of his cruel religiosity. Bounderby takes on the mantle of Dickens’ twinned reproach for the system and church which had conspired to make England so deeply unequal a place. That God had come to overwhelm the senses of justice and humanism seems a clear justification to Dickens that the core morality of religion had by the Victorian age been exposed for the bastard-child of human conceit which it had come to embody. Indeed, in the above claim by Bounderby against Stephen, was can see that Dickens is be very sarcastic when he uses the word ‘impiety. ’ Particularly, the statement is delivered at the expense of a poor man, demonstrating a perceived relationship between righteousness and social class. The cruel and empowered judge would characterize himself as the man of God, so noted for his chosen rank and certainly not, from the reader’s (or Dickens’) perspective, because of his admirable moral disposition.. The outcome of Stephen’s visit to Bounderby and Sparsit is that his poor, labor-class status renders him morally, and thus legally, forbidden from divorce. A clear symptom of the Victorian era, we can see Dickens taking particular pains demonstrate that manner in which religion and justice had come to falsely associate. The vitriol which Bounderby aims at Stephen is powerfully representative of the purpose in this association, allowing the wealthy to prevail over fundamental personal institutions such as the faith, family and welfare of the poor. Works Cited Dickens, C. (1870). Hard Times. Barnes Noble Classics.

Refurbishment Of The Old Hospital Building Construction Essay

Refurbishment Of The Old Hospital Building Construction Essay Health issues are the primary concern of the government and needs to be dealt with high priority. This project is about ABC hospital trust which is under performing given the available hospital infrastructure. The desired result is to improve the hospital infrastructure and provide relief to the local community. There are two options available: 1) New Build project 2) Refurbishment of the old hospital building. The new build project seems to be a sound financial investment with regards to the public sector procurement. Benefits to be derived from this would be lower operational costs, lower maintenance costs, lower energy consumption, better budget control, high quality, improved functionality, and timely completion of the project. In Public sector procurement great deal of preference should also be given to the full life value of the project rather than short term capital cost. This report is a consideration of different procurement options with respect to addressing the objectives of the client and to achieve best value for money with a focus on the public sector procurement. It also presents a project management plan that includes various tasks which needs to be carried out for successful completion of the project. The Work Breakdown structure (WBS), linear responsibility Chart (LRC) and Action Plan (AP) are used to illustrate the type and scope of work which needs to be done over the entire life of the project. By taking all these factors in to consideration the integrated approach in the form of Design and build- Novation is adjudged as the best form of procurement. The main points which make this system reliable are speed of construction, single point responsibility (usually a contractor who would be responsible for managing the design and construction of the project); savings in cost along with maintain design standards throughout the phases of the project. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 66-90) INTRODUCTION The project is to provide a 6 storey hospital building providing acute care, accident and emergency, maternity and outpatient provision according to NHS Estates own design standards. Majority of the building will be given to inpatient services. The new build project option would comprise not only of the hospital building but also the associated road works, parking, hard and soft landscaping drainage and external works along with office accommodation, restaurant, and warehouse and delivery areas. The new build site is derelict and has been demolished to the ground level. It was used by heavy industry and has slabs and foundation remaining. The site is also subjected to subsidence and requires ground stabilization. There is a derelict pedestrian bridge which needs to be demolished. Also there are mineshafts which need to be blocked before the commencement of construction as it would be a major safety hazard. The refurbishment option of the existing building would involve substantial refurbishment and remodeling of the existing building. This would require intricate phasing and planning to allow its healthcare activities to continue. This would hinder the progress of the project which could in turn affect project completion times. The trust cannot afford this as they have limited time in their hands to make the facilities operational. Moreover substantial refurbishment and remodeling would involve costs which will be highly uncertain. The client is familiar with only conventional or the traditional procurement system. Traditional system requires design to be completed well before the actual construction commences. The sequential, fragmented and confrontational nature of the traditional system can result in lengthy design and construction periods, poor communication between clients and the project team and problems of buildability. (Masterman, 2006). The client has only 48 months to get the improved facilities operational. Hence, due to time constraint the client needs recommendation for new types of procurement systems to cope up with project deadlines and budget. STAKEHOLDERS A project stakeholder is a person or a group of people who have a vested interest in the success of the project and the environment within which the project operates. (Olander Landin, 2005, p. 1). The inference is that stakeholder can be an individual or a group of individuals which have the power to be a threat or a benefit for the project. Project managers should try to address the concerns of all stakeholders with effective communication to avoid conflicts and controversies in the project to ensure smooth completion of the project. (Olander Landin, 2005, pp. 1-8). Lack of integral engagement with stakeholders could also lead to failure of the project. They form an integral part of the project and one of the crucial factors in smooth completion of project. On the other hand, Business also has some stake in the individuals or groups for using their resources or their influences for running the business. (Walker Marr, 2001) For this purpose they have to be analysed in the following way : Identification of stakeholders Stakeholder mapping by Power/interest matrix Power/predictability matrix Stakeholder Management IDENTIFICATION OF STAKEHOLDERS Different stakeholders that can be associated with this project will be ABC hospital trust, City council local authority, Project manager, Architects, Contractors, Material Suppliers, Site Engineer, Structural consultants, NHS, Health and safety regulations, Wild life conservation, Insurance company, General Public- end users(patients and visitors),Hospital employees, Fire department. STAKEHOLDER MAPPING Stakeholder mapping can be done by arranging all the stakeholders of this hospital project into Power/Level of interest matrix and Power/Predictability matrix. Power / Level of Interest Matrix for this project Stakeholders with low level of interests and low power are easy to manage and would require minimal effort. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with high level of interests and low power to influence them needs to be informed about the major decisions of the project. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with low level of interest but with high power should be dealt with carefully and should be kept satisfied, failing to which their level of interests will rise and they will become stakeholders with high power and high level of interest. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with high level of interest and high power are key players and should be given top priority. The strategy of the project should have their consent at all times. (Newcombe, 2003) Power / Predictability Matrix for this project According to Power/Predictability matrix following inferences can be obtained: Stakeholders with low power and low predictability are manageable. Stakeholders with low power and high predictability will seldom cause any problems. STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT PROCESS. Project success criteria should be carefully evaluated in terms of time, cost and performance which might be influenced by or affect or concern the stakeholders directly. For effective execution of the project, resources should be available on time. These resources many a times would be at the discretion of the stakeholders. So after carefully analyzing stakeholder groups and interest levels along with predictability, stakeholder analysis with respect to stakeholders attitude should be carried out. (Turner, 2003, pp. 103-107) Stakeholder attitude can be accessed by the current level of support for the project by key stakeholders. With progress of the project, the stakeholders attitude towards the project can change which needs to be carefully monitored by the project manager. The different attitudes of the stakeholders can be summarized as follows: Changing the negative stakeholders attitude will require efforts by the project team. Key stakeholders should be the main focus of the team as they can affect the success of the project. When the stakeholders current commitment towards the project match their required commitment level then they must not be ignored, as ignoring them might change their attitude towards the project which is not desirable for the progress of the project. (Turner, 2003, pp. 109-110) STAKE HOLDER OBJECTIVES The main objective of the stakeholders would be to get high quality of health care operational within precincts of time, budget and quality. Future developments should be sustainable. CLIENT OBJECTIVES To select the best procurement route to achieve better value for money and to ensure the requirements of the stakeholders are met. To ensure the new facilities are in accordance with NHS design panel. To ensure that the project is completed within the time frame of 48 months given to them from the government. PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS Procurement is a strategy to satisfy clients development and/or operational needs with respect to the provision of constructed facilities for a discrete life cycle-By International Commission on Building (CIB W92) during its 1997 meeting. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 26-27) It can also be defined as the process that involves design, specification and acquisition of goods and services. (Carter Kirby, 2006) Procurement not only should encompass the method in design and construction of the project but also the cultural, economic, managerial, political and environmental issues raised by their implementation (McDermott Rowlinson, 1999) CLASSIFICATION OF PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS Procurement systems can be classified as follows: Separated procurement system Integrated procurement system Management oriented procurement system Discretionary system 1)Separated procurement systems: This type of system also known as the conventional system has the responsibilities for design and construction allotted to separate teams such as design team, quantity surveyors, contractors etc. For proper execution of the project the client has to deal with all the members of the project team and is himself responsible for funding and risks involved. Traditional system of procurement comes under this category. (Masterman, 2006, p. 28) 2)Integrated procurement systems: This type of system deals with responsibilities for the design and construction bestowed usually on the contractor. Hence in theory, the client has to deal with only a single organization. Design and build, novated design and build, package deal, turnkey approach are examples of this type of procurement system. (Masterman, 2006, p. 29). 3)Management-oriented procurement systems: This type of systems has the management aspect of the project carried out by an organization in co-ordination with designers, consultants to execute various activities of the project. The client will have a greater involvement in the project as compared to other procurement systems. Management contracting, construction management and design and manage come under the category of management oriented procurement systems. (Masterman, 2006, p. 29) 4)Discretionary systems: This system many a times can be argued that in reality this is not a procurement system, instead it can be means of controlling the project. The definition by Construction Industry Board (CIB) W92 states that It is a strategy to satisfy clients development and / or operational needs. The selection of the procurement system depends on the client and he lays down a framework for the overall administration of the project. Partnering and British Property Federation system are examples of this type. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 28-29,131-136) SELECTION OF PROCUREMENT ROUTE FOR HOSPITAL BUILDING Selection of a procurement route involves many factors to be considered such as Project cost, completion time, quality standards required, size of the project, risks involved, complexity of the project. Based on all the above factors Design and build novated system seems to be a suitable option for the hospital project. The main factors to be considered in this project keeping in mind the requirements of ABC hospital trust are: Project completion time Project management efficiency Project costs Provide relief to the community. Best value for money Project completion time is a major factor to be considered as any delay in this project completion would result in closure of the hospital which would have a major impact on quality of health care in the city. Delay in completion time would also result in delayed commissioning of medical equipments. Design and build Novated system enables design and construction stages to be overlapped in the project enabling speedy completion of the project. Commissioning of medical equipments and making quality healthcare operational within 48 months can be achieved by using this procurement system. Walker (1997) agrees to Smith and Wilkins (1996) that non-traditional procurement systems are more likely to enhance construction performance. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006) As design and construction stages are overlapped it helps in improving communications between the client (ABC hospital trust) and the contractor. Hence overall project management efficiency is improved along with shorter project completion time. Certainty of project costs in this kind of procurement system can be achieved as there is no ambiguity in the clients requirements. Evidence also exists to support the widely held belief that when using this system the initial and final costs are lower than when using other methods of procurement basically as a result of diminished design costs, the integration of design and construction elements and the in-buildability of detailed design. This evidence was given further support by the University of Readings report when it was established that projects procured using this system were a minimum 13 percent cheaper than those using more conventional approaches. (Masterman, 2006, p. 79) Existing hospital can continue to provide some relief to the community till the new hospital building is constructed. Best value for money can be achieved by assessing on the whole life cost of the hospital rather than the initial capital costs. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006). Whole life costs will not only include construction costs but also operational and maintenance cost over the life cycle of the project. WHY NEW BUILD PROJECT Benefits of choosing a new build project with design and build- novated type of procurement (New build) as compared to refurbishment are as follows: Refurbishment Existing Hospital. Design Build Novated Approach Requirements of the client 1) Uncertainty of Project costs as refurbishment can bring out many unknown costs involved in it. Certainty of Project costs. Project costs should be certain and should not exceed the estimated costs. 2) Uncertainty in completion time required for the project as the hospital would be in operation during refurbishment. Project completion time is certain. High speed of completion as it overlaps design and construction phase. Construction is 12% faster as compared to conventional systems. (Masterman, 2006, p. 78) Project should meet the 48 month deadline and should be fully operational. 3) Being an old building, it will be difficult to incorporate energy efficient methods or new technology leading to higher operational costs. New buildings can accommodate for energy efficiency which would lower the operational costs of the building. Low operational cost of the building. 4) Though the report show that refurbishment costs are lower as compared to new building, uncertainty in time and costs will lead to choosing new build. Construction costs are higher but certain. Low construction costs. 5) Whole life cycle costs would be more because of high operational costs throughout the life time of the project. Whole life cycle costs will be less and good value for money can be achieved. Best value for money. 6) Less energy efficient building. High costs would be involved to employ energy efficient methods Sustainability can be achieved with lower costs of accommodating energy efficient methods. Sustainable Construction. 7) Difficult to accommodate changes in design of building. Can be built as per the latest design required to incorporate changes in technology. Flexibility in design to accommodate changes in technology. 8) Existing health care facilities would be partially available to the public as refurbishing activities would be going on simultaneously. Existing health care facilities will be available to the public in the old hospital. Maintaining the existing healthcare facilities and upgrading them for future. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Supply chain management can be defined as the network of organizations that are involved, through upstream and downstream linkages, in the different processes and activities that produce value in the form of products and services in the hands of the ultimate customer. (Vrijhoef Koskela, 2000) Supply chain management involves selection from different sellers and buyers inorder to get greater benefit from them rather than just focusing on an individual. Well managed supply chains often save upto 20% of the total supply chain costs whereas a poorly managed supply chain can ruin the economy of the company. (Gattorna, 2003). Present advances made by commercial companies in understanding the ways in which the supply chain works leads to significantly enhanced expectations for people who are responsible for procuring, commissioning and managing the construction activities. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006, pp. 41-42). EFFECT OF PROCUREMENT ON SUPPLY CHAIN The most problematic area in the procurement process lies in the different stages of the construction supply chain between the interfaces of organizations. (McDermott Rowlinson, 1999, p. 58) In design and build Novated approach, the contractor is responsible for design and construction of the project. Being the sole person or agency it reduces the interfaces between organizations leading to efficient supply chain management. Also, the contractor might be having business relations with suppliers which would enable faster and effective communication between them regarding the requirements of the project. EFFECT OF PROCUREMENT ON QUALITY The designers have a task to integrate all the requirements in the project like fit for purpose, sustainable considerations, durability, strength, the aesthetics of the building, construction methods, selection of materials etc. This system has the same design team throughout the progress of the project providing better co ordination and clear objective for achieving high quality sustainability in the project. RISK MONITORING Construction projects require decisions to be made. Risk management is the technique used for decision making process. It is critical to have sufficient knowledge regarding the impact of the decision. Delay in making decision for gathering more information would result in delays in the project which would be highly detrimental and decisions made without sufficient information could have huge impact on the project. Hence, Risk identification and analysis form the basic steps to be performed in any project. (Smith, Merna, Jobling, 2006) Risk identification should be done for the entire project life cycle rather than only construction phase. Selection of suitable procurement route will ensure that risks are dealt in the best possible way. Risks not identified at the inception stage would require negotiations with the contractor which may or may not be successful. If successful then it would involve increased financial implications on the part of the client leading to cost over-runs. Risk identification can be done by three different methodologies: Brainstorming sessions. Analysis of historical data. Use of Industrial checklists. Assumption analysis. Delphi technique. The primary motive of risk identification is the recognition of potential sources of risk rather than perfect predictions of the future. Be any kind of procurement, risks are bound to be involved. We can just minimize the risks involved by selecting procurement system based on the requirements of the client and objectives of the project. Cheung (1997) suggests that risks should be allocated using the following priorities : person or organization best able to control risk effectively, who can absorb it financially, who has most information to control it, who benefits most from scheming it or for whom risk is normal in it business role. This can be used to allocate risk properly to the right agency which will benefit project progress. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006, pp. 18-19) EFFECT OF SELECTION OF PROCUREMENT ROUTE ON RISK ALLOCATION. In design and build novated approach, it is the responsibility of the contractor to deal with design, construct and commissioning. Sometimes, operation and maintenance are also included in contractors scope of work for ensuring that it is upto the clients specification. All the risks associated are borne by the contractor rather than the client. The inference is that the clients involvement in the project would be minimal. This approach increases the risks for the contractor when compared to conventional approach. Once the specifications are finalized it is difficult for client to alter them. Altering the specifications would result in increased premiums. So it is essential to prepare the specifications carefully to avoid cost associated risks involved in the project. (Smith, Merna, Jobling, Risk allocation in Contracting Cycle, 2006). BEST VALUE FOR MONEY ABC hospital trust can achieve best value for money by choosing the new build project as it would lead to reduced whole life cycle cost, lower operational and maintenance cost. Being a new building, it would be easy to accommodate for energy efficient new technologies. It would lead to sustainable construction practices which wont be possible or will be difficult to implement in refurbishing the hospital building. Design and build-novated procurement system gives high speed of construction(early completion of the project) along with certainty of cost making it the ideal procurement system for this project with respect to value for time and money. BENCHMARKING PERFORMANCE Performance can be measured during construction by: Milestone Completion: Experienced Project Managers know that it is important to check the planned and actual completion dates of project milestones and physical evidence that the work is actually completed. (Schwalbe, 2006) Performance Review meetings Periodic project performance review meetings with the management help in tracking the project and control project schedules. A tracking Gantt chart that compares planned and actual project schedule information can be used for reporting the information to the stakeholders of the project. (Schwalbe, 2006) Worker morale The morale of workers and their work behavior will give a clear indication of the schedule performance. For example: If the project team members are working for extra hours every day then it will be a clear indication that the schedules are not realistic and the project manager would have to add more resources or reschedule it. Performance can be measured after construction by UK Best Practice Program (BPP) by evaluating the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Client Satisfaction Product, Client Satisfaction-Service, Defects, Predictability-Cost, Predictability-Time, Profitability, Productivity, Construction Cost and Construction Time. (Kagioglou, Cooper, Aouad, 2001) Performance of the hospital project can also be measured in terms of productivity. Productivity of this project can be defined as the ratio of the output of a production process to that of the input production process. In relation to the construction industry it can be calculated by ratio of work units completed during a period to its associated costs in terms of man hours or dollars. According to Thomas Kramer work hours, quantities and productivity are evaluated with baseline values used in project estimates. Effectiveness of the current performance can be measured by comparing current performance to the historical data or planned productivity. (Cox, Issa, Ahrens, 2003) RECOMMENDATION CONCLUSION The recommendation for ABC hospital trust is to construct a new hospital building using design and build Novated procurement system. This approach would reduce project completion time and increase cost effectiveness for the project. Quality at site, sustainability in construction activities can also be achieved with great success. Selection of this kind of approach would deliver good value for money for public sector procurement. This report also recommends periodical assessment of risk and stakeholders simultaneously with the progress of the project for avoiding conflicts. With careful monitoring of interests of the stakeholders in the project and appropriate risk management, the hospital project can be completed in an effective manner. Finally the end result to be achieved by this project would be win-win solution for all.

Drug Use in Sports Essay example -- Athelets Drug Use Sports

Drugs in sports can cost a player his or her scholarship(s) and more seriously, their lives. Everyday athletes that you may not think are doing anabolic steroids or the human growth hormone are the athletes who are the big users. 1. There are three major performance enhancing drugs that are used by the super star athletes: anabolic steroids, amphetamine, and the human growth hormone pills. 2. These performance enhancing are found in just about all fifty states and the problem is rapidly growing. 3. In almost every type of sport there is one form or another of performance enhancing drugs. Some of the most common sports you will find them in are the power/strength sports and the endurance sports. 4. Athletes may come up with the strangest ways of using the drugs that can sometimes be a major threat to their lives. 5. Drug testing is a way for the sports officials to weed out the users and severally punish them by throwing them off the team and sometimes expelling them from school. Perf ormance enhancing drugs have a major impact on sports and athletes. The sports of today are experiencing more problems with performance enhancing drugs mainly because of the popularity of the three most common drugs: anabolic steroids, amphetamine, and the human growth hormone. Many of the so called jocks that play the rough and tough sports like football are the ones who are using anabolic steroids. There are different effects for men and women but all of the problems are very serious. Males are subject to hair loss, acne and liver cancer which can be a life threatening disease. Females are exposed to growth of body and facial hair and they are also liable to contract deepening of the voice. Gaining that little bit of competitiveness can lead to greater increases in performance. Steroids increase muscle mass and strength which helps athletes recover quicker from injuries. The most common sports where you would find the anabolic steroids are in body building, football, track & field power events and weightlifting. Another (1) performance enhancing drug is amphetamine. Amphetamine also has very serious side effects in the male and female body. Both males and females can experience feelings of anxiety and restlessness along with a rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing. Amphetamines, as with any other performance drug, can become addictive. Athletes use the drug amphetamine to boo... ...g for steroids on a random basis. Any player testing positive on the first offense is faced with suspension for a year and on the second (6) offense the player is handed a lifetime suspension from NCAA competition. At one time Stanford University was able to compete in sports with disregard to collegiate rules about the mandatory drug testing. Conrad Rushing a California judge said, "drug testing is invasion of the athletes privacy" (Worsnop, 528). I think that statement is very wrong because drug testing should be a mandatory event in every college whether or not it is an invasion of their privacy. It is a policy and every school should abide by the rules no matter what. Drugs in schools ruins the reputation of the school and if it continues, schools will have less kids applying and they will have no other options but to get rid of the problems of drugs. Sooner or later the drug problem will just keep growing and growing and all sports are going to lose attention. Most important , sports are going to lose the support of their fans which effect the finances of the players and organizations. Without enough financial support sports cannot survive and sports would be ruined forever.

The Gaelic Athletic Association Essay -- Essays Papers

The Gaelic Athletic Association After the Great Potato Famine in the country of Ireland, the culture and pride of the land began to disappear. The Irish had lost around one million people after this tragedy struck the land, and the Irish morale was low. People began to emigrate to other countries and British customs and language were beginning to take over. It became evident that the Irish needed a cultural revolution to restore all that had been lost in their culture. The solution to this problem was found in the creation the Gaelic Athletic Association. While its main focus may have only appeared to involve sports, it was very influential in the cultural and political revolutions to come in the future. The GAA has been described as a sum bigger than its parts because of the fact that it involved so many more aspects of Irish life than just sports (Fair). The revival was seen by most people as an effective way to enter the modern world as an Irish nation instead being associated with Britain. Ireland was at a cruc ial part in its history and the GAA played a major role in politics and in restoring the Irish pride that makes Ireland so famous today. It is generally viewed that the GAA had the biggest impact on Irish society during this very unstable time period because it "spread the country like prairie fire." (Gaelic Athletic Association). Sports played an important role in Irish culture and it was essential to organize them as best as possible for the people of Ireland. The Gaelic Athletic Association was organized by Michael Cusack in 1885 to restore traditional Irish games that had been overrun by British sports (Hutchinson 158). Games such as hurling and Gaelic football were revived to give the Irish sports to associate... ...d that Ireland had a unique and interesting cultural identity through the works of literature during this time period (Hachney and Hernon an McCaffrey 142). The importance of the Gaelic Athletic Association can be viewed in the impact it has had on Irish society in the 20th century. At a time when Irish morale was depleted and cultural identity was almost non-existent, the GAA helped restore both through the sports and programs it created. These sports brought the Irish together as a nation and helped improve the overall condition of Ireland. The nationalistic feelings that the GAA brought to Ireland became the driving force for the rebellions to come in the near future and the political culture was legitimized through GAA influence. Without a doubt the GAA has done more for Ireland than simply organizing sports, and have shaped the Irish nation that exists today.

Confederate :: essays research papers

The issue of the Confederate flag has created one of our countries age long debates. It stems from its presence during the Civil War; where it represented the Confederate states, all of which supported slavery. According to many the Civil war was fought in order to end slavery in the United States, so accordingly, to those the flag represents a past of slavery that they would much rather forget. In opposition to those who feel this way about the Confederate flag, others see it as just a symbol of their Southern heritage whether they are ancestors of slaves, slave owners or sharecroppers; their heritage is the Confederate South. The Confederate Flag should be outlawed and not used as a symbol to represent a state because it has a modern association with white supremacist, presents no positive contribution to those of this country, and those who flaunt the flag have an attitude which is â€Å"backward-looking, rejecting the diversity and dynamism of this country.†(ABC News.com)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The confederate flag should be outlawed because it has a modern association with white supremacist. White supremacist, are not an unorganized throng of individuals rather they are a political group known for being hateful to all those who are different from them, be it by race, religion, or even thought pattern. This group of individuals also feels that they are better than others just because of their skin color. White supremacist have a very narrow minded view on life in general and any symbol that represents them often offends others. The country, which we live in, is based on equality and a symbol of a group that does not believe in equality should not be used as a sign to identify a state. The Confederate flag in essence represents a political party whose overall priority is â€Å"to totally subjugate and dehumanize those different from their selves.†(Newsweek)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Furthermore, the confederate flag presents no positive contribution to those living in this country. Those who fly the confederate flag are often regarded as showing support for racist principles and a hurtful past. Surely all those who fly the flag are not racist or intentionally have a desire to hurt those who they fortuitously offend, but in many cases they are perceived this way. The representation that those who fly the flag take on often does more to cause a problem than it does to unite those of this country.