Project Management Of The Emirates Stadium Construction Essay

Project Management Of The Emirates Stadium Construction Essay A lot has been documented on the principals and methodologies required to successfully execute a project, that it almost seems a Clichà © when the term project management is discussed. However, I shall try to focus on project management in the construction industries as it is a good idea to discuss project management as it applies to a specific industry. In this two part report, I shall attempt to first critically analyse and evaluate the PM challenges as documented in the group presentations, with the aim of; Critically evaluating the management challenges identified and highlighting how the groups dealt with identifying the challenges and frameworks adopted in explaining these challenges. Evaluating the procurement strategy adopted and considering reasons for its adoptions, benefits derived and circumstances contributing to its success, before considering alternative approaches. Make a comparison between the management strategy adopted for the emirate stadium and established best practices. THE EMIRATE STADIUM Arsenal football club had previously occupied the Highbury stadium. With a capacity to hold 35,000 fans, this was grossly inadequate for a club increasing in fan base due to her popularity and successes achieved in competition with other top flight clubs in the premiership. Therefore the club management decided to invest in a larger stadium as a means of accommodating the increasing fan population but more strategically, rebranding the club and increasing its competitiveness with top flight clubs at the premiership. PROJECT OVERVIEW Hence, a design and built contract was signed by Sir Robert Alpine for a  £220m worth 60,000 capacity stadium facility, after an intense planning and conception stage spanning 5 years. The entire project cost was estimated at  £400m including related projects due to relocation works and ancillary works. (Designbuild-network.com, 2008) The actual construction commenced March 2004 and was completed by July 2006 ahead of schedule and on budget. At the end of the entire project, 80 businesses had been relocated, 2500 new homes had been provided, 2600 new jobs and 4 new community health facilities built. A successful project with regards to its achievement of project objectives at the stipulated time frame, within the estimated budget and to the quality and performance required. (Arsenal, 2007) But like all projects, risks, challenges and uncertainties are sure to abound, the outcome of the project however, will depends on the identification and mitigations of these risks and uncertainties plus the application of management strategies and tools. CLASSIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES So lets look at the challenges identified, one key observation from a critical assessment of the group challenges identified was the frequent repetition of similar challenges expressed in different words, mainly due to varying dictions of expressions. Classification of these challenges was therefore necessary to critically evaluate and analyse them. Some groups adopted a framework to identify the challenges. Groups 3 and 4 in particular, identified the challenges using the project life cycle framework. On the other hand, groups 1, 2 and 5 viewed the challenges by broadly looking at individual elements of the projects strategic management and operational stages as viewed by the contractor during the implementation of the project. For groups adopting the project life cycle framework, the task of identifying key challenges was best viewed by considering each phase of the lifecycle. The initiation and planning stages in particular, required critical risks assessments before the implementation phase because of the ease to adjust plans and mitigate risks at these initial phases. They effectively pointed out that, due to the attention paid to issues such as collaboration, client management, extensive site investigation and a constant assessment of uncertainties, a smooth implementation stage ensued. Presentations for group 1, 2 and 5 as mentioned earlier, broadly looking at individual management strategies of the project implementation and operational stages as viewed by the contractor during the implementation of the project and can be broadly categorised under the following; Strategic Management challenges: client satisfaction, stakeholder impact and project coordination. By identifying the need to manage people, risks, strategy adopted budgetary issues and contracts details, these presentations focused primarily on organisational elements of the project with emphasis on the construction management aspects. Operational/Design and Construction Challenges: Although project management challenge was the main focus, it seems illogical not to consider certain technical issues as major challenges. Therefore key engineering challenges such as restrictions in stadium height (a local planning authority directive), pitch quality, service fitting and the need for access bridges to the stadium were challenges that shaped most decisions taken by the project managers. Table 2.1 Categorisation of Identified Challenges MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK CATEGORISATION IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES GROUPS PROJECT LIFECYCLE FRAMEWORK INITIATIONS Scope and Specification, Identifying stakeholders, Deciding Location, Planning Business and home Relocations, 3 4 PLANNING Reaching and securing Authority Approval, Satisfying Stakeholder and client expectation, Procurement Strategy Selection. Risk Management IMPLEMENTATION Design and Technical Challenges, Risk Mitigation, Traffic control, Community involvement, TERMINATION Testing and commissioning Challenges, Client Satisfaction NO SPECIFIC FRAMEWORK STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Procurement Strategy, Document Management, Timing and Scheduling, Stakeholder and Client management, Team work and Coordination, Defining Scope, Communication, Cash flow and Budget Control. 1, 2 5 OPERATIONAL/DESIGN CONSTRUCTION Pitch Quality, Roof design, Construction Technique, Weather, Geotechnical, height restraints, Relocation and details, Pedestrian Bridges, Choice of Material The table above show the key project management challenges identified and categorised under management frameworks as adopted by the groups. PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH All groups identified the adopted procurement strategy as the design and build or turnkey approach however, the common opinion was that adopting a management contract procurement approach would have proved equally successful. To critically evaluate the management approach and understand the reasons for its adoption and factors aiding its successful utilization, a brief description of these two procurement approaches would be reviewed. Design and Build: one contractor is employed to design, manage and construct the project. Although mostly taking a variety of forms, the contractors roles may include the following; As principal contractor who carries out all design and construction, with minor subcontractors. As the clients agent, managing the consultants and contractors who carry out the actual design. A combination of principal contractor for design or construction, and management contractor for the other functions. ( F. Harrison and D. Lock, 2004) So why was this adopted? To a greater extent, it provided the client (Arsenal FC) the following advantages; Time/ contract duration could be shortened and facility ready for start of the new season Exempted the client from the technicalities of building a stadium. They were club managers who knew nothing about building a stadium but recognized the importance of the facility in meeting their business goal. Protected the client from the complexities in project organisation. Enable the client to transfer most risks identified in the conception stage. In this case study, Sir Robert Alpine was the designated design and build contractor, together with her supply chain which included Architects HOK Sports venue, Bur Happold (the structural, Mechanical and electrical engineers) and AYH PLC (Project Managers/Quantity Surveyors). Figure 2.1 ORGANISATION/PROJECT ROLE FOR THE EMIRATE STADIUM CONSTRUCTION The alternative, management contracting approach as recommended by all, is characterised by the client appointing an external organisation to manage and coordinate the delivery of the project. The main advantages to the client in the case study would have been benefits from time and cost savings and better flexibility with regards to changes. Thereby, allowing the client to concentrate on dealing with sponsorship deals, investors and the large number of stakeholders. COMPARISION WITH BEST PRACTICE The main success criterion of a construction project is the value of the facility to the client over time. Successful delivery requires an integrated process in which design, construction, operations and maintenance are considered as a whole, together with an understanding of how the project will affect efficiency and service delivery over the lifetime of the project. (OGC, 2009) So whatever they are called, best practices, golden rules or PM creeds, the general believe is, following these techniques summaries in figure 2.2 below will effectively manage a project to time, cost, quality and performance. The office of Government commerce therefore set out guidance to achieving excellence in construction project management. In their opinion success is guaranteed if projects are planned to ensure they possess the following; Projects provide the best option to meet the business need Have sufficient resources allocated to deliver the project and effectively manage these resources. Are managed through defined and accepted accountabilities, supported by clear and short reporting lines which ensure effective channels of communication between stakeholders, clients and project Implementation team Have a clear commitment throughout the integrated project team to clearly defined objectives. (OGC, 2009) I shall endeavour to compare the management approach as adopted in this case study with the recommended and prescribed best practices as stated by the office of Government Commerce. The OGC recommends that resources, roles and responsibilities for delivery should be assigned to effective individuals who are empowered to deliver, who are drawn from the business unit that owns the project. The OGC further stated, Critical consideration needs to be paid to ensuring effective lines of communication. The effectiveness of the lines of communication to top level management, who are then responsible for making decisions based on these information provided. Successful delivery requires an integrated process in which design, construction, operation and maintenance are considered as a whole. (OGC, 2007) Health and safety performance during all phases of the project is mandatory. There are also legal requirements which require clients to set requirements for healthy, safe working conditions and facilities on construction sites. (OGC, 2007) Amongst the OGCs best practice recommendations, is the selection of the right people for the project team. They stated that the selection of an integrated project team is a paramount consideration in project planning. The best projects and the best clients put time into getting the right project team. They assess the quality of the individuals, their ability to work together and their experience. For the emirate stadium case study, the design and build contractor commented after the project completion (SRM, 2009) [a] textbook example of project management and team building, Emirates Stadium showcases the benefits our collaborative approach to business can bring. Our early involvement and that of our key supply chain partners was an essential element in the projects success. Risk assessment and value management should be continually assessed throughout a projects lifecycle. With early collaboration between the entire integrated project team, risks are better identified and resolved before risk mitigations become too expensive to implement. (OGC, 2007) The adoption of the lowest price tendered does not often lead to best value for money. Quality and costs of the implemented projected over the life of the asset are the real indicators of value for money. The focus should always be the optimum balance of required quality and the whole-life costs of a facility the costs of acquiring it, the costs of maintaining it and the costs of operating it over the whole life of the asset to its disposal. (OGC, 2007) Judges at the awards for the building project of the year stated, The whole process was an example of how important teamwork should be to a project, with everyone from the client to the contractor and subcontractors coming together and working successfully to ensure the project was completed on time and under budget. The way that this team tackled design changes should be a lesson to the industry. (Martin Spring, 2007) In summary, the emirate stadium project highlighted in context and principle, is an exemplary addition to best practice adoption and utilization in stadium construction, of course with certain modification as best fits the project in question. Figure 2.2 BEST PRACTICE SUMMARY USING THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE FRAMEWORK For example, collaboration during the planning and design stage, formulating and communicating set milestones to the project team, feed backs and managing the clients expectation in view of the outcomes provided. Figure 2.3 show as weights, the management strategy adopted in relation to a summarised best practice. Figure 2.3 COMPARING BEST PRACTICE WITH CASE STUDY THE 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES For this part of the report, I shall attempt to develop guidelines for the 2012 Olympic by firstly; Discussing the differences between managing a single project and managing a project as part of a larger portfolio or programme. Review current facts about the on-going 2012 Olympic stadium construction that will further assist to pinpoint and discuss project management challenges. And then finally, based on the characteristics of the project identified, lessons learnt and a review of the best practices, develop guidelines for the project. PROJECT OVERVIEW In July 2005 the International Olympic Committee awarded the city of London the hosting rights for the 2012 Olympic Games. With the establishment of this immovable deadline, the London organising committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG), aware of the heights of expectations, particularly after the ingenuity displayed by the Chinese, began plans in earnest. Milestones were set, plans conceived and a programme to regenerate London in preparation for the games was hatched. The entire programme included amongst others, the redevelopment of a 24 hectare Olympic park to accommodate an Olympic stadium, ten sports venues, an Olympic Village, media centre, parklands, several training venues and pre-game training camps. THE OLYMPIC STADIUM The stage was therefore set for the construction of the main Olympic arena, the 80,000 capacity Olympic stadium. At an estimated cost of  £469 million, to be completed in 2011 and convertible to a 25,000 capacity stadium after the games. PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT VERSUS PROJECT MANAGEMENT Having clearly stated how the Olympic stadium (as a project) fits into the entire Olympic delivery programme, I will begin by defining a project, a programme and their managements. This will enable my arguments in reviewing the differences between managing a single project and a project under a programme of work. D.C Ferns (1991, p. 21) defined a programme as a group of projects managed in a coordinated manner in other to gain benefits which are not achievable by managing individual projects independently. R.S House (1988, p. 16) in his book the human side of project management defined a project as [a] group of related tasks or activities which together satisfy one or more objectives. Robert Prieto defined program management as [t]he definition and integration of a number of projects to cause a broader, strategic business outcome to be achieved. He further argued that Programme management is not just the sum of all project management activities but also includes management of the risks, opportunities and activities that occur between projects. (PM Hut, 2008) While an individual project will employ a specific project delivery approach (design-bid-build, design/build, DBOM etc.), program management may combine different delivery approaches across multiple projects to best achieve the desired strategic business objectives. In the case study as I will later explain, a consortium was formed (Team McAlpine) to deliver the project. Now using several management parameters, I will therefore itemize the differences between their managements. Table 3.1 Differences between Programme Management and project Management Parameter Programme Management Project Management Organization Semi-permanent in nature, resourced to address the full range of business requirements associated with achievement of a strategic business objective Transient organization in nature, resourced to address a limited set of requirements that may be more temporal in nature and not recurring through all project phases. Organizational Alignment Analogous to building a new company with a sharply defined strategic business objective. Team alignment around project and contract requirements Outcome Definition Strategic Business Outcome (enterprise viewpoint) Defined scope, schedule and budget (output viewpoint) Risk Management Management of all risks associated with achievement of the defined strategic business objectives Management of assumed risks Requirements Establish programmatic and system technical requirements and allocate as appropriate to individual projects Manage project to meet the allocated programmatic and system technical requirements Interface Management Management of all programmatic interfaces between defined projects as well as other programmatic interfaces with stakeholder groups Management of allocated interfaces, if any, and all interfaces within the assembled project team Execution Planning Program wide execution planning including top level schedule, budget, performance standards, supply chain configuration and contracting strategy Project execution planning consistent with agreed to scope schedule, budget. and performance standards Timeframe Through achievement of strategic business objectives (more permanent in nature) Duration associated with completion of project activities Stakeholder Engagement Identification and integration of stakeholders interests and proactive engagement to assure achievement of strategic business objectives Interaction with stakeholder groups only as contractually provided for Source 🙠 PM Hut, 2008) Figure 3.1 Impressionist view of the London 2012 stadium. PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES Before outlining the challenges, we will look briefly at certain information we have gather about the games so far. The multidisciplinary management structure required to deliver the project. The LOCOG acts in the capacity of client for the stadium project. They appointed the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to manage all embodied projects with the stadium inclusive. Hok sports, venues ltd was the designated architects, Bur Happlold the service engineers, Sir Robert Alpine the construction firm and M-E Engineers as the mechanical consultant. A consortium was formed and named Team McAlpine comprising all mentioned for the delivery of the project. The share size and number of stakeholders was of National and international proportion. These includes; The mayor and people of Stratford, London Minister for the Olympics British Olympic Association The International Olympic committee The individual featured sports committee The department of culture, media and sports The British Paralympics Association More than a dozen sponsors and Partners Quite a number of official suppliers and providers. The interrelated projects that would have direct and indirect impacts on the stadium construction e.g. the Olympic park, the volodrome, the access bridges. The budget initially estimated at  £280 million but quickly rose to  £496 million mostly due to rising inflation and an increase in contingencies (Guardian, 2009). The stadiums proposed location, a contaminated site at Stratford in central London. (Contract Journal, 2009) The economic downturn that hit the financial market and the world in general. Rising inflation figures as released by economic analyst on the health of the economy. The announcement by the IOC, naming sustainability as a focus for the summer Olympics, this made it clear that the London 2012 organizers had to think beyond the Olympics and consider the concept of legacy, in particular environmental sustainability. (B. Digby, 2009). Therefore, challenges were present right from the conception phase through the entire project lifecycle, and based on the facts listed above, the following challenges can be deduced; The sustainability slogan meant most of the designs proposed had to be carbon sensitive and sustainability driven. This called for innovative designs and as explained by Alan Webb (1996, p. x) the management and creation of innovative projects are the most challenging of all managerial tasks as novelty implies a leap into the unknown. It is not for the faint hearted for there are shocks and surprises around every corner. Cost and budgetary issues represents one of the greatest challenges the project faces. Many things can happen during the lifecycle of a project to increase project cost estimate, distort the expected rate and magnitude of expenditure (D. Lock, 2007). Has was the case when the recent financial meltdown raised its ugly head. The challenge of managing stakeholder involvement is worth mentioning. Particularly regarding the sensitivity attached to stadium construction in the United Kingdom. The media was recently awash with condemnation for the management team of the Wembley stadium finishing behind schedule and with an escalated budget. Secondly, the magnitude of stakeholders warrants a proper dissemination of information and the pre-planned mitigation of wrong or biased information. A.D. Orr (2004, P. 8) wrote, [t]he purpose of a stakeholder plan is to ensure that the relationships between the principal people in the project have been discussed and the information flowing between them have been agreed. The site for the construction was reported contaminated, although this might appear not to be a project management challenge, it is important to understand the project managerial resonance this might generate due to uncertainties ascribed. The selection of a procurement strategy is always a challenge for projects in a multi project environment. The OGC advises that the procurement of contractor should be on the basis of whole-life value for money. The design and operation of the facility should maximize the delivery of effective service and this is most likely to be achieved through integration of design, construction, operation and on-going maintenance (OGC, 2007). In the Olympic stadium case study, a consortium was formed and proved a substantial factor in the mitigation of the project risks. It is important to mention resources management (void of cost) as a key challenge. One of the aims spelt out in the London 2012 sustainability policy document is to demonstrate an exemplary resource management practice (TOB, 2007). As a result resource utilization was minimized to achieve energy and environmental sustainability and project manager had to make tough decisions during construction. GUIDELINES FOR THE 2012 OLYMPIC STADIUM H. Kerzner (1994, p. 43) wrote, [t]he success of a project is best determined by its ability to deliver within the specified time, cost, desired performance and technology level whilst utilizing the resources effectively and efficiently. If an organization is to be successful in the delivery of its projects, it is essential to establish standards by which those projects are selected, managed and delivered. And these standards must be consistent with the organizations strategic plans (Maxs, 2009). Therefore, a step-by-step recommendation for establishing consistent successful performance for the management of the 2012 Olympic stadium can be outlined as follows; Plan and understand the project lifecycle. A standard set of project phases, stages and typical milestones required by the organisations management to enable the consistent structuring and cost-effective processing of the organisations project. (Maxs- Issacons, 2000). Align your resources independently with each phase of the project lifecycle. Selecting a procurement strategy that best suites the project characteristics. Wright wrote, the selection of a contract and contractor are influenced by the nature of parties involve, the project objectives, and the equitable allocation of responsibilities and risk, amongst other factors. (N.J Smith, 2002) Establish a control over the project ensuring that a system of reporting, allocating responsibilities and quality assessment is well defined. Bower wrote that the purpose of control is to ensure that the projects status is reported in a consistent, cost effective and timely manner to the project manager, so that necessary action can be taken. (N.J Smith, 2002) Ensure that plans are understood by all team members and constant updates of the plans are frequently done. J.P Lewis (2000) wrote, It would be nice to think that a plan, once developed, will never change. However, that is unrealistic. Unforeseen problems are almost certain to arise. The most important thing is plan, re-plan and re-plan. Continually assess risks. It is helpful to try to categorise the risks associated with the project both as a guide to identification, and to facilitate the selection of the most appropriate risk-management strategy. (N.J Smith, 2002) Manage the impact of stakeholder involvement in the project. Although they appear as indirect players in the project environment, the stakeholders impact on the success of the project. Therefore managing their impact is vital to every successful project. Setting delivery milestones dates for the various facets of the project and having a work breakdown structure helps to identify critical paths and activity duration. This is a must have for the Olympic stadium project. CONCLUSION In this report, we have categorised the project management challenges highlighted in the group presentation. In the categorisation, I have pointed out that while some groups utilized a framework for identifying the challenges, other groups mentioned the challenges under two main categories, strategic management and operational risks. In critically analysing the challenges mentioned, it would appear that selecting a framework for evaluating the risks is indeed a good practice. It is now obvious that a proper understanding of project peculiarities help to reveal challenges. While all groups were speculative about the challenges categorising the challenges would have help to further identify peculiar risks and challenges requiring the formulation of a risks management strategy. The best practice for construction management refers to tools, techniques and guidelines that have proved effective over a wide range of construction management projects. And again this report has utilized a typical project lifecycle framework to outline the necessary elements required at each phase of a project. The assessment of risk and uncertainties was a process repeated in most phases of a project lifecycle because in actual sense the entire functions of a project manage revolves around his ability to provide resolutions to those uncertainties that eventually become a challenge in the implementation of a project. The importance of planning was also emphasised at every phase of the project and planning does not seize until the project has been delivered to time, budget and quality. In the 2012 Olympic case study, differentiating the stadium construction project from a single project and identifying it as belonging to a multiply project environment reveals the need to adopt a different strategies. However, some elements of an established best practice such as value management and risk management would generally be applied successfully. To successfully Identifying the challenges, a review of the facts about the project is necessary as the magnitude and true nature of challenges become obvious. Then finally based on the characteristics of the project identified, lessons learnt and a review of the best practices, eight sets of guidelines were develop for the 2012 Olympic stadium project.

The theory of relativity and its use in Sci-Fi

This investigation looks in to the different aspects of general and special relativity that has been used in science fiction movies. This report talks about the difficulties and possibilities of travelling at the speed of light (c), the different propulsion systems that could be used and how trecknology has changed the boundaries of physics in Hollywood features. Time travel also features looking at different theories behind it with a number of new ideas. The Foundations of relativity were set out in detail by Albert Einstein. The ‘special' version of the theory, which applies to observers in a uniform relative motion, has led to a number of successful conclusions of a variety of effects. Newton's laws of motion give us a complete description of the behaviour of moving objects at low speeds (speed of objects much less than the speed of light). These laws being thought up in the 17th century, when the classical laws of dynamics where being formulated by other early physicists, these classical laws are themselves subject to a relativity principle. Einstein's special theory of relativity gives the motion of particles moving at close to the speed of light. It actually gives the motion of any particle. This does not however prove Newton wrong; his equations are within Einstein's relativistic equations. Einstein's theory of special relativity is based on two assumptions: 1. All inertial (i.e. non-accelerating) frames of reference are equally valid (i.e. any observations or experiments performed will produce equally valid results). 2. The speed of light is constant for all inertial frames of reference. Given these two statements, Einstein showed how definitions of momentum and energy must be refined and how quantities such as length and time must change from one observer to another in order to get consistent results for physical quantities. Science fiction has for years tried to incorporate the theories that govern the reality of physics within their programmes, to keep those die hard science fiction fans happy. Science fiction has been subject to cult following for many years and in many countries, although no matter how hard they try there are a number of important facts that seem almost popular to overlook, the main one being travelling at the speed of light. Many programmes have some sort of light propulsion, warp drive and travel to other universes. But can this really be done? Many physicists all over the world have tried to find out if travelling faster than the speed of light is possible without violating relativity. We do know that is impossible to accelerate forever, because the closer to the speed of light we get the mass tends to infinity this means that there would need to be an infinite amount of energy needed to push us past this speed barrier; This equation represents what would happen to mass when relativistic speeds are reached. Here, m is the mass, of an object at rest; m' is the value for the moving reference frame. As you get closer to the speed of light the product at the bottom of the equation gets closer to zero so this means that m'/m tends to infinity. If you were to rearrange this equation so to get the value of m' the same results are seen. The increase in mass, however, is best understood not as a change in mass but as a change in the relationship of mass and momentum. Momentum (p) is the product of mass x velocity. Here, p' is the relativistic momentum and m is the rest mass. Once again we can see that the momentum this time will tend towards infinity as we reach the speed of light. Using one of Einstein's most famous equations E = mc2 we can now see that if the mass does tend towards infinity that an infinite amount of energy will be needed to remain at constant velocity let alone accelerate. Time dilation is another consequence of travelling at relativistic speed. We've all heard about the ‘twin paradox' if one twin went on a space journey at 99.5% the speed of light and returned in what he judged to be 4 years the other twin with have aged by 40 yrs! These effects cannot be seen with humans, yet it has been tested and seen to occur with particles at the atomic scale. So any sci-fi movie where the astronauts return home after visiting other galaxies after travelling at the speed of light is clearly impossible, if they had been travelling for any length of time they would have probably come back to their grandchildren. To explain this if you could imagine a spacecraft with a light source perpendicular to the motion; If there were an observer on the spacecraft and the light travelled 0.6m it would take 2 nanoseconds to travel that distance. By using a simple equation speed = distance/ time the light is travelling speed = 0.6 x 2Ãâ€"10-9 = 3Ãâ€"108 ms-1 this should not come to as a surprise as this is the speed of light. However if the observer then was then stationary with the spacecraft moving past them, they would see the light take this direction: Now in pre-relativistic (Newtonian) physics, both observers record the same period of time. Consequently, the velocity recorded by the two observers is different: the Earth-bound observer would record a greater velocity for the beam of light. But taking into account Einstein's assumption that the speed of light doesn't change, and is the same for both observers, the distance for the light to travel doesn't change as it is not in the direction of travel, the time which the light takes obviously changes. Does this then mean there is no such thing as absolute time? The distance that would have been observed for the light to travel would have been 1m so using the equation time = distance / speed, time = 1 / 3Ãâ€"108 = 3Ãâ€"10-9 s, so we can conclude the clock on the space craft is slower than that when stationary. This is given by the equation: If v

A Stitch in Time Essay - 1364 Words

Quilting has different meanings for different people, but all quilts have a unique appearance and tradition. â€Å"What makes art is its life – pulsing and shining with the energy and intentions of its creator. The art of quilting glows with a respect for all generations that have come before – putting thread, needle, and cloth together with vision and love† (Wilson 7). Starting out in antiquity as a necessity and a work of art, quilting has changed over time, but it is still practiced in a myriad of cultures around the world. Although there are many types of quilting, there are three common types identified as whole cloth, piecing, and appliquà ©. The whole cloth technique uses only one piece of white fabric for the top of the quilt –†¦show more content†¦Since the modern word â€Å"quilt† is derived from the Latin word culcitra, it is reasonable to assume that Romans who spoke Latin used quilted blankets. However, it was not until A .D. 1095 that Europeans gained undeviating access to the technologies of Asia and Africa, and the process of quilting became standard in Western Europe. Through their attack on Palestine, knights from England, France, and Italy were introduced to the Palestinians’ light armor made of tough quilted jackets covered with chain mail, flexible armor made of metal links (Wilson 16-17). Quilting was introduced to America when the first settlers came in the Fifteenth Century. The first records of quilts in what would become the United States come from wills and estate papers of the 1600’s. The oldest surviving American quilt is probably the Saltonstall quilt, made around 1704 (Breneman and Laurette). Many cultures have come together in the United States to include, for example, such world-noted quilt styles as Mexican-American, African-American, and Amish. It is not known exactly when the first pioneer woman introduced her quilting to the Spanish-American settlers, but sta r quilt patterns became an element of Spanish-American women’s weaving quite early. Fabric became more available in the 1800’s when the railroad arrived. Women found that they could make warm bed coverings much faster than weaving by sewing together scraps of fabric with an old blanket, with wool or cotton as filling.Show MoreRelatedA Stitch Through Time2366 Words   |  10 PagesA Stitch Through Time Before the quilting machine was created, each quilt was hand stitched together. Cave tenants strived to stay warm by wrapping themselves with animal skins; they used the advantage of joining fur together to form larger blankets. In time, one of them observed an animal bone on the terrain and thought to use it as a tool to thread together various furs. 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Lilo is an eccentric six year old, she recently lost her parents to an accident and is now being raised by her older sister Nani. Lilo does not socialize well and because of this Nani decides to adopt a pet for her sister. They end up adopting what they both believe is a dog but is actually an alien refugee named Stitch (experiment 626). The story continues to show the struggle the threeRead MoreThe Journey Of My Life Essay1534 Words   |  7 PagesThese sullen souls were consumed by their inaction, and we must not follow. As they chose not to act in life their choice has been stripped from them here, any time they fight the swamp, the swamp fights back more fiercely† Still a little disoriented as to where we were, the gravity of the situation overtook me. I did not remember a time that I had seen my father quite so grave. I had no idea how he seemed to know what was going on but this place was completely foreign to me so I had no choice butRead MoreEileen Fisher Case Study Essay1217 Words   |  5 Pagesprinciples consistently across retail channels to reach new audiences without alienating veteran devotees.† What resulted was the creation of the THREAD and STITCH projects. Much like how you have to prepare the needle (thread) before you take it to the fabric (stitch), the THREAD project consisted of all the prep work that would be launched during the STITCH project’s phase of the operation. The point behind THREAD was to develop clear brand guidelines and to identify ways to attract new clientele. IDEO

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Essay on Israel and The Palestinians - 1427 Words

In the Middle East region, there is a single country that stands out from the rest, a beacon of light on the very edge of civilization; that country is Israel. A country surrounded on all sides by its sworn enemies, determined to bring about its downfall. These resilient people have not only survived this tumultuous area but have prospered, and in this short essay paper, we will examine the reasons why this is by primarily examining their culture. We are going to do this by taking a close look at several of the key components of their society; the geographical influences of the region, civil considerations of the people and their government and the military conflicts that not only shaped their country from the moment of its inception†¦show more content†¦Compared to the surrounding countries, it should come as no surprise that the Israeli infrastructure is the best in the region. It has over 11,000 miles of paved roads on which over 2 million vehicles operate. Its commu nications systems are the highest developed in the Middle East despite numerous attacks against its infrastructure by terrorist organizations. It has numerous airports that service international travel, hundreds of miles of gas and oil pipelines, and a small merchant fleet that handles shipping concerns. It has numerous universities that consistently rank amongst the top 100 universities in the world; this has led to Israel leading the world in both stem cell research and space sciences of which are very high importance to the governing body of the Israeli people. Israel governs itself by a parliamentary democracy with three main branches of government, the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. The Executive branch is the main body of the Israeli government, and is responsible for the various government ministries that oversee the day-to-day operations of the country. The Legislative branch, known as the Knesset, essentially functions as the House of Representatives and is responsible for the process of introducing and passing new bills into law. The Judicial branch, as in the United States, is the courts and deals with cases of people charged with breaking the law in Israel by two types of cases: criminal and civil. TheyShow MoreRelatedThe Palestinian And Israel Conflict2619 Words   |  11 Pagescompromise is the Protestant and Catholic conflict in Northern Ireland during the 20th century. For the dispute that has not been able to create a successful policy agreement, I am focusing on the Palestinian and Israel conflict in the Middle East. The problem in which I analyze is whether or not Palestine and Israel can put together some ingredients that can lead to a recipe of compromise and peace. In the paper I argue that the International Criminal Court is a key ingredient the conflict has been missingRead MoreThe Palestinian-Israel Conflict Essay2191 Words   |  9 PagesThe Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been in existence since the end of 19t h century. The conflict became an international concern when Israel got its independence in 1948. This conflict has resulted in a lot of minor conflicts and 5major wars. Tensions between the Arabs and Zionists started after the 1800’s when the immigration of the European Jews to Palestine was on the increase. The population of Palestine from 1882-1883 was 468,000 and the population consisted of 408 Muslims, 44,000 ChristiansRead MoreEssay about Israel And The Palestinians2991 Words   |  12 Pages Israel and the Palestinians Israel is situated at the connection of Africa and Asia. It is 20,000 square kilometres and unlike its neighbour Arab states it lacks natural resources. Lebanon and Syria border it in the north, Jordan in the east and Egypt to the south. Israel has also been holding Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank of the River Jordan since 1967. It has an extremely varied geography and climate. Most of the coastline lies on the Mediterranean Sea. In the south are theRead MoreThe Israeli Palestinian Conflict : Israel Palestine Conflict Essay1516 Words   |  7 PagesSome studies on the Israel-Palestinian conflict postulate that the nature of the conflict has always been about land, meaning the partition of the holy land (e.g., Newman, 2002; Klieman, 2000; Alpher, 1995). But a tectonic shift occurred with the swift Israeli victory in the 6 day war of 1967, when Israel occupied the territories. Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories bar Gaza strip ( territorially miniscule) has morphed into a sort of colonialism as Israel has buil a number of settlementsRead MoreEssay about Improving Israel-Palestinian Communication485 Words   |  2 PagesThe Israel-Palestinian conflict is a part of the greater Arab-Israeli long-running conflict in the Middle East. The main point of this conflict is the existence of the state of Israel and its relations with Arab states and with the Palestinian population in the area. Since the establishment of Israel, the Palestinians and the Jews have been fighting over the land for several years. Both believe that they have greater claim than the other. Even though, these two races share a variety of customsRead MoreThis paper is about the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict and favors the side of Israel. Basically a persuasive essay and argues for Israel.2639 Words   |  11 PagesSince the establishment of Israel in 1948, there has been constant fighting between Israelis and Arabs. The Israelis have the right to live peacefully in Israel, but there is a conflict because the Palestinians feel that Israel is their land. During recent years the conflict in the Middle East had been exploded on to our television screens. Day after day images of violence and suffering have dominated the news. Scenes of heavily armed Israeli soldiers facing young Palestinian children hurling stonesRead MoreHow Has Palestinian Application for Un Membership and Statehood Recognition Affected the Advancement of the Peace Process Between Israel and Palestine?4066 Words   |  17 Pagesresearch â€Å"How has Palestinian application f or UN membership and statehood recognition affected the advancement of the peace process between Israel and Palestine?â€Å" was to provide a thorough examination of the Arab-Israeli conflict and estimate the possible courses of its development in case of UN interference into the matter. The method used in the process of investigation consisted in accessing English and Israeli websites, including the official website of the Parliament of Israel, in order to collectRead MoreWhy Is a Solution to the Israel-Palestine Conflict so Hard to Achieve?1053 Words   |  4 PagesIsraeli–Palestinian conflict could be described as a clash that between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs as they attempted to compete the same piece of land briefly (Dowty 2008:1, 4). The reasons that prevent a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem will be discussed and will be divided into three parts, Israeli reasons, Palestinian reasons and the common problem between two countries. In terms of Palestinian reasons, there are three reasons, the United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) ResolutionRead MoreThe First Two Uprisings Of The West Bank, Gaza And East Jerusalem1341 Words   |  6 Pagesin this literal sense the first two uprisings in 1987-1993 and 2000-2003 failed to achieve the goal of Palestinian autonomy or eventual independence. The First Intifada took place on the 8th of December 1987. This protest was against Israeli’s occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. At the crowded checkpoint Israeli truck swerved and killed four The Palestinians. Palestinians in revenge swept across the Gaza Strip, spread to the World Bank and set into motion a blaze of nationalistRead MoreThe State of Israel and The BASEL System1579 Words   |  6 PagesWar broke out the day after Israel was established in May 14, 1948, when neighboring Arab armies invaded. The United Nations General Assembly ratified resolution 181 on November 29, 1947, this would break Great Britain’s Palestinian mandate into separate Jewish and Arab states. The religious areas neighboring Jerusalem would remain under international control according to this resolution. This was refused by the Palestinians. They thought that this favored the Jews and was unfair to the Arabs that

Netw410 Week2 Free Essays

Lab Report 1. What are the business goals? (10 points) Business Goals for this project include addressing the growth of on-campus and online students. To accomplish these goals a centralized server located in new IT wing of the administration building providing online backup of all data. We will write a custom essay sample on Netw410 Week2 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Replacing the PBX-based telephone system with a VoIP based system and connecting all buildings providing high-speed wired network connection for all facility offices will be implemented along with controlled wireless access for students. Wireless access for students and general population will be provided outside the building. These steps are necessary to build a solid infrastructure for the network and allow for and to plan growth. Funding has been established to purchase land 15 miles away and as the campus expands this will be the next site for expansion. The actual business goals for this project is to offer new and better services and support, open the network to key constituents, build relationships and information accessibility to a new level, as a basis for the network organizational model, avoid business disruption caused by network security problems, avoid business disruption caused by natural and unnatural disaster, modernize outdated technologies and reduce telecommunications and network costs, including overhead associated with separate networks for voice, data and video. 2. What are the business constraints? (10 points) The business constraints are like all companies and they include budgets, personnel, policies and schedule. None of which have been defined in our design lab scenario. Budget costs include equipment purchases, software licensing, maintenance agreement and staff training. Personnel constraints related to the business constraints to be considered include the availability of existing trained personnel and if existing personnel must receive additional training to implement and maintain the proposed network changes. Policies of the organization must be considered and since this a community college determination of protocols, standards and vendor selection must be determined. The final business constraint addressed should include the schedule of the implementation as not to interfere with current operation by faculty, staff and students. 3. What are the technical goals? (10 points) Technical goals of the project include improving responsiveness and throughput of the network as many users are added along with additional applications, especially the VoIP based system. Simplifying network management is obtained by centralizing the server(s) and backup in a newly built IT wing in the administration building. By this centralization and backup improvement should be obtained to the security and reliability of applications and data along with decreased expected downtime. By offering high speed wired network connections to each faculty office and controlled wireless access for the students modernizing outdated technologies shines as one of the technical goals. With all these proposed improvements scalability of the network is achieved. . What are the technical constraints? (10 points) The current system equipment must coexist with the new equipment and as already discovered there must be increased bandwidth. Existing wiring should either be upgraded to accommodate upgraded speeds. The new or expanded network must not interfere with the current applications. Any new network or expanded network should also ensure IPv6 compatibility. 5. Diagram the existing network. (10 points) The actual Visio drawing is also submitted 6. Describe the existing network traffic. (10 points) Current network traffic is at 73% or more utilization based on a five minute average with sustained spikes to 100% on the Cisco FastHub 400s installed in each building. Approximately 42 students are logged into each wireless access point. This is creating lag times and most assuredly dropped packets. While dropping packets with data is troublesome it is disastrous for voice or video. According to our text there should be no shared Ethernet segments that are saturated (no more than 40% network utilization. ) The current system is working at 73% utilization. Network traffic must be improved. 7. Complete this table for all of the applications that currently run over the network. (10 points) Application Name| Type| New or Existing| Criticality| Comments| Google Apps for Education| Email / Web Site| Existing| X| | MS Office| Productivity| Existing| X| | Web Browser (IE)| Productivity| Existing| X| | Catalog / Checkout System / Library| Database| Existing| | Administration Building only| Data Share| Productivity| Existing| X| | Terminal Emulation Program (AS400) | Productivity| Existing| X| Administration Building only| Blackboard Learning | Management System (CRM)| NEW| X| Internet Connection| How to cite Netw410 Week2, Essay examples

Alexander Pope free essay sample

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope is the greatest poet of the neoclassical period. He is best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He preached correctness in literary composition, the filling and polishing of phrases and lines until perfection is reached. An Essay on Criticism is one Pope’s first major poems written. It is written in the rhyming verse called heroic couplets. The favorite verse form for the neoclassical poets was the rhymed couplet, which reached its greatest sophistication in heroic couplet of Pope.At the time the poem was published, the heroic couplet style was a moderately new genre of poetry, and Popes most ambitious work. An Essay on Criticism was an attempt to identify and refine his own positions as a poet and critic. The poem was said to be a response to an ongoing debate on the question of whether poetry should be natural, or written according to predetermined artificial rules inherited from the classical past. The poem commences with a discussion of the rules of taste which ought to govern poetry, and which enable a critic to make sound critical judgments.Judgments are partial, and true taste is as rare as true genius, so Pope sets some rules to follow in order to reach perfection. The first rule is following Nature. Nature in the neoclassical theory means a rational and comprehensible moral order in the universe, demonstrating Gods providential design, and it is permanently true. First follow NATURE, and your Judgment frame By her just Standard, which is still the same: The second rule is to learn from the old, which means the precepts of poetry and criticism set down by the classical Greek and Roman authors or imitate their literature.Those RULES of old discoverd, not devisd, Are Nature still, but Nature Methodizd; This is typical to the neoclassical spirit; which sought to revive the ideals of the Roman and Greek originals. It is also typical with Pope’s fascination with the Gre ek, especially Homer. Hear how learnd Greece her useful Rules indites, When to repress, and when indulge our Flights: In it Pope comments, too, upon the authority which ought properly to be accorded to the classical authors who dealt with the subject. He also identifies the main flaws a critic is prone to, and therefore the greatest obstacles to good criticism.The first flaw is pride, which is considered to be the biggest pitfall. The second is the little learning which makes critics exposed to pride, by making them think they know more than they do. A little Learning is a dangrous Thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring Other flaws include: a love of parts, which means emphasizing one aspect of a poem at the expense of all others; love of extremes; judging authors according to the opinions of others rather than the merit of the work; and valuing only those works which agree with ones own point of view, are written by member of ones own party, are written by friends, etc.He concludes (in an ap parent attempt to reconcile the opinions of the advocates and opponents of rules) that the rules of the ancients are in fact identical with the rules of Nature: poetry and painting, that is, like religion and morality, actually reflect natural law. This work is thoroughly representative both of Pope and of his period. The substance of the poem is not original with Pope but is a restatement of the ideas of the Greek Aristotle, the Roman Horace, especially of the French critic Boileau, who was Popes earlier contemporary, and of various other critical authorities, French and English.Translations of the Iliad Pope had been fascinated by Homer since childhood. His translation of the Iliad appeared between 1715 and 1720. It was his greatest achievement as a translator. It was acclaimed by Samuel Johnson as a performance which no age or nation could hope to equal (although the classical scholar Richard Bentley wrote: It is a pretty poem, Mr. Pope, but you must not call it Homer. ) The Essay on Man is a philosophical poem, written, characteristically, in heroic couplets. It is a rationalistic effort to use philosophy in order to vindicate the ways of God to man†.The Essay consists of four epistles. Epistle I concerns itself with the nature of man and with his place in the universe; Epistle II, with man as an individual; Epistle III, with man in relation to human society, to the political and social hierarchies; and Epistle IV, with mans pursuit of happiness in this world. Considered as a whole, the Essay on Man is an affirmative poem of faith: life seems chaotic and patternless to man when he is in the midst of it, but is in fact a coherent portion of a divinely ordered plan. In Popes world God exists, and he is beneficent: his universe is an ordered place.This is typical with the neoclassical idea concerning nature: a rational and comprehensible moral order in the universe, demonstrating Gods providential design, and it is permanently true. The limited intellect of man can perceive only a tiny portion of this order, and can experience only pa rtial truths, and hence must rely on hope, which leads to faith. Man must be aware of his rather insignificant position in the grand scheme of things: those things which he desires most — riches, power, fame — prove to be worthless in the greater context of which he is only dimly aware.In his place, it is mans duty to strive to be good, even if he is doomed, because of his inherent frailty, to fail in his attempt. This goes with the neoclassical view of man as being imperfect, inherently sinful, with limited potential. The â€Å"soul’s calm sunshine† that Pope describes allows man to transcend his earthly prison and look â€Å"through nature up to nature’s God,† allowing man to pursue â€Å"that chain which links th’immense design, / Joins heav’n and earth, and mortal and divine† (332) The Rape of the lockThe Rape of the Lock is a mock-heroic narrative poem . It is humorous indictment of the vanities and idleness of 18th-century high society. Basing his poem on a real incident among f amilies of his acquaintance, Pope intended his verses to cool hot tempers and to encourage his friends to laugh at their own folly. Pope, in his The Rape of the Lock, is Horatian in tone, delicately chiding society in a sly but polished voice by holding up a mirror to the follies and vanities of the upper class. Repeatedly invoking classical epic devices to establish an ironic contrast between its structure and its content, it functions at once as a satire on the trivialities of fashionable life, as a commentary on the distorted moral values of polite society, and as an implicit indictment of human pride, and a revelation of the essentially trivial nature of many of the aspects of human existence. The proud inhabitants of this pompous artificial society assume that they are something more than human, but Pope shows the readers how fragile their pretended perfection and their isolation from reality make them.Despite the likeness to historical epic pieces, this work displays a light and playful tone, which illuminates the nature of the poem’s central conflict, the Baron stealing, or â€Å"raping†, Belinda’s illustrious lock of hair. The meeting Points that sacred Hair dissever From the fair Head, for ever and for ever! Then flashd the living Lightnings from her Eyes, And S creams of Horror rend th affrighted Skies. (Pope 153-156). This embellished and exaggerated quotation is representative of the fundamental elements of Horatian satire used in this mock epic.The Rape of the Lock expresses Pope’s profound dissatisfaction with his society. Underneath the enlightenment ideals of rationality, order and knowledge, society embraced a pervasive obsession with â€Å"decorum,† a facade of established traditions and vanities, as well as an innate sense of moral and political supremacy. Epic Conventions Because a mock-epic parodies a classical epic, it uses the same conventions, or formulas, as the classical epicbut in a humorous way. Following are examples of the epic conventions that Pope parodies. Such conventions imply thon Pope. Invocation of the Muse: In ancient Greece and Rome, poets had always requested â€Å"the muse† to fire them with creative genius when they began long narrative poems, or epics, about godlike heroes and villains. In The Rape of the Lock, Pope does not invoke a goddess; instead, he invokes his friend, John Caryl who had asked Pope to write a literary work focusing on such a trivial event (the snipping of a lock of hair) that turned the members of two families into bitter enemies. Cary ll thought that poking fun at the incident would reconcile the families by showing them how trivial the incident was. WHAT dire Offence from amrous Causes springs, What mighty Contests rise from trivial Things, I sing This Verse to Caryl, Muse! 2- Division of the Poem into Books or Cantos: The traditional epic is very long. Dantes Divine Comedy, for example, contains 34 cantos. The Rape of the Lock is divided into 5 cantos. Such structure helps Pope demonstrate the smallness or pettiness of the behavior exhibited by the main characters in the poem. 3- Descriptions of Soldiers Preparing for Battle: In the Iliad, Homer describes in considerable detail the armor and weaponry of the great Achilles, as well as the battlefield trappings of other heroes.In The Rape of the Lock, Pope describes Belinda preparing her self with combs and pins and put on her full arms. Here Files of Pins extend their shining Rows, Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-doux. Now awful Beauty puts on all its Arms; The Fair each moment rises in her Charms, Repairs her Smiles, awakens evry Grace, And calls forth all the Wonders of her Face 4- Descriptions of Heroic Deeds and battles: While Homer describes the exploits of his heroes during the Trojan War, Pope describes the exploits of Belinda and the Baron during a card game called Ombre.