Forward the Foundation Chapter 16

6 Hari Seldon was fighting off melancholy. He was lectured in turn by Dors, by Raych, by Yugo, and by Manella. All united to tell him that sixty was not old. They simply did not understand. He had been thirty when the first hint of psychohistory had come to him, thirty-two when he delivered his famous lecture at the Decennial Convention, following which everything seemed to happen to him at once. After his brief interview with Cleon, He had fled across Trantor and met Demerzel, Dors, Yugo, and Raych, to say nothing of the people of Mycogen, of Dahl, and of Wye. He was forty when he became First Minister and fifty when he had relinquished the post. Now he was sixty. He had spent thirty years on psychohistory. How many more years would he require? How many more years would he live? Would he die with the Psychohistory Project unfinished after all? It was not the dying that bothered him, he told himself. It was the matter of leaving the Psychohistory Project unfinished. He went to see Yugo Amaryl. In recent years they had somehow drifted apart, as the Psychohistory Project had steadily increased in size. In the first years at Streeling, it had merely been Seldon and Amaryl working together-no one else. Now ** Amaryl was nearly fifty-not exactly a young man-and he had somehow lost his spark. In all these years, he had developed no interest in anything but psychohistory: no woman, no companion, no hobby, no subsidiary activity. Amaryl blinked at Seldon who couldn't help but note the changes in the man's appearance. Part of it may have been because Yugo had had to have his eyes reconstructed. He saw perfectly well, but there was an unnatural look about them and he tended to blink slowly. It made him appear sleepy. â€Å"What do you think, Yugo?† said Seldon. â€Å"Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?† â€Å"Light? Yes, as a matter of fact,† said Amaryl. â€Å"There's this new fellow, Tamwile Elar. You know him, of course.† â€Å"Oh yes. I'm the one who hired him. Very vigorous and aggressive. How's he doing?† â€Å"I can't say I'm really comfortable with him, Hari. His loud laughter gets on my nerves. But he's brilliant. The new system of equations fits right into the Prime Radiant and they seem to make it possible to get around the problem of chaos.† â€Å"Seem? Or will?† â€Å"Too early to say, but I'm very hopeful. I have tried a number of things that would have broken them down if they were worthless and the new equations survived them all. I'm beginning to think of them as the achaotic equations!† â€Å"I don't imagine,† said Seldon â€Å"we have anything like a rigorous demonstration concerning these equations?† â€Å"No, we don't, though I've put half a dozen people on it, including Elar, of course.† Amaryl turned on his Prime Radiant-which was every bit as advanced as Seldon's was-and he watched as the curving lines of luminous equations curled in midair-too small, too fine to be read without amplification. â€Å"Add the new equations and we may be able to begin to predict.† â€Å"Each time I study the Prime Radiant now,† said Seldon thoughtfully, â€Å"I wonder at the Electro-Clarifier and how tightly it squeezes material into the lines and curves of the future. Wasn't that Elar's idea, too?† â€Å"Yes. With the help of Cinda Monay, who designed it.† â€Å"It's good to have new and brilliant men and women in the Project. Somehow it reconciles me to the future.† â€Å"You think someone like Elar may be heading the Project someday?† asked Amaryl, still studying the Prime Radiant. â€Å"Maybe. After you and I have retired-or died.† Amaryl seemed to relax and turned off the device. â€Å"I would like to complete the task before we retire or die.† â€Å"So would I, Yugo. So would I.† â€Å"Psychohistory has guided us pretty well in the last ten years.† That was true enough, but Seldon knew that one couldn't attach too much triumph to that. Things had gone smoothly and without major surprises. Psychohistory had predicted that the center would hold after Cleon's death-predicted it in a very dim and uncertain way-and it did hold. Trantor was reasonably quiet. Even with an assassination and the end of a dynasty, the center had held. It did so under the stress of military rule-Dors was quite right in speaking of the junta as â€Å"those military rascals.† She might have even gone farther in her accusations without being wrong. Nevertheless, they were holding the Empire together and would continue to do so for a time. Long enough, perhaps, to allow psychohistory to play an active role in the events that were to transpire. Lately Yugo had been speaking about the possible establishment of Foundations-separate, isolated, independent of the Empire itself serving as seeds for developments through the forthcoming dark ages and into a new and better Empire. Seldon himself had been working on the consequences of such an arrangement. But he lacked the time and, he felt (with a certain misery), he lacked the youth as well. His mind, however firm and steady, did not have the resiliency and creativity that it had had when he was thirty and with each passing year, he knew he would have less. Perhaps he ought to put the young and brilliant Elar on the task, taking him off everything else. Seldon had to admit to himself, shamefacedly, that the possibility did not excite him. He did not want to have invented psychohistory so that some stripling could come in and reap the final fruits of fame. In fact, to put it at its most disgraceful, Seldon felt jealous of Elar and realized it just sufficiently to feel ashamed of the emotion. Yet, regardless of his less rational feelings, he would have to depend on other younger men-whatever his discomfort over it. Psychohistory was no longer the private preserve of himself and Amaryl. The decade of his being First Minister had converted it into a large government-sanctioned and -budgeted undertaking and, quite to his surprise, after resigning from his post as First Minister and returning to Streeling University, it had grown still larger. Hari grimaced at its ponderous-and pompous-official name: the Seldon Psychohistory Project at Streeling University. But most people simply referred to it as the Project. The military junta apparently saw the Project as a possible political weapon and while that was so, funding was no problem. Credits poured in. In return, it was necessary to prepare annual reports, which, however, were quite opaque. Only fringe matters were reported on and even then the mathematics was not likely to be within the purview of any of the members of the junta. It was clear as he left his old assistant that Amaryl, at least, was more than satisfied with the way psychohistory was going and yet Seldon felt the blanket of depression settle over him once more. He decided it was the forthcoming birthday celebration that was bothering him. It was meant as a celebration of joy, but to Hari it was not even a gesture of consolation-it merely emphasized his age. Besides, it was upsetting his routine and Hari was a creature of habit. His office and a number of those adjoining had been cleared out and it had been days since he had been able to work normally. His proper offices would be converted into halls of glory, he supposed, and it would be many days before he could get back to work. Only Amaryl absolutely refused to budge and was able to maintain his office. Seldon had wondered, peevishly, who had thought of doing all this. It wasn't Dors, of course. She knew him entirely too well. Not Amaryl or Raych, who never even remembered their own birthdays. He had suspected Manella and had even confronted her on the matter. She admitted that she was all for it and had given orders for the arrangements to take place, but she said that the idea for the birthday party had been suggested to her by Tamwile Elar. The brilliant one, thought Seldon. Brilliant in everything. He sighed. If only the birthday were all over. Dors poked her head through the door. â€Å"Am I allowed to come in?† â€Å"No, of course not. Why should you think I would?† â€Å"This is not your usual place.† â€Å"I know,† sighed Seldon. â€Å"I have been evicted from my usual place because of the stupid birthday party. How I wish it were over.† â€Å"There you are. Once that woman gets an idea in her head, it takes over and grows like the big bang.† Seldon changed sides at once. â€Å"Come. She means well, Dors.† â€Å"Save me from the well-meaning,† said Dors. â€Å"In any case, I'm here to discuss something else. Something which may be important.† â€Å"Go ahead. What is it?† â€Å"I've been talking to Wanda about her dream-† She hesitated. Seldon made a gargling sound in the back of his throat, then said, â€Å"I can't believe it. Just let it go.† â€Å"No. Did you bother to ask her for the details of the dream?† â€Å"Why should I put the little girl through that?† â€Å"Neither did Raych, nor Manella. It was left up to me.† â€Å"But why should you torture her with questions about it?† â€Å"Because I had the feeling I should,† said Dors grimly. â€Å"In the first place, she didn't have the dream when she was home in her bed.† â€Å"Where was she, then?† â€Å"In your office.† â€Å"What was she doing in my office?† â€Å"She wanted to see the place where the party would be and she walked into your office and, of course, there was nothing to see, as it's been cleared out in preparation. But your chair was still there. The large one-tall back, tall wings, broken-down-the one you won't let me replace.† Hari sighed, as if recalling a longstanding disagreement. â€Å"It's not broken-down. I don't want a new one. Go on.† â€Å"She curled up in your chair and began to brood over the fact that maybe you weren't really going to have a party and she felt bad. Then, she tells me, she must have fallen asleep because nothing is clear in her mind, except that in her dream there were two men-not women, she was sure about that-two men, talking.† â€Å"And what were they talking about?† â€Å"She doesn't know exactly. You know how difficult it is to remember details under such circumstances. But she says it was about dying and she thought it was you because you were so old. And she remembers two words clearly. They were ‘lemonade death.'† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Lemonade death.† â€Å"What does that mean?† â€Å"I don't know. In any case, the talking ceased, the men left, and there she was in the chair, cold and frightened-and she's been upset about it ever since.† Seldon mulled over Dors's report. Then he said, â€Å"Look, dear, what importance can we attach to a child's dream?† â€Å"We can ask ourselves first, Hari, if it even was a dream.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Wanda doesn't say outright it was. She says she ‘must have fallen asleep.' Those are her words. She didn't say she fell asleep, she said she must have fallen asleep.† â€Å"What do you deduce from that?† â€Å"She may have drifted off into a half-doze and, in that state, heard two men-two real men, not two dream men-talking.† â€Å"Real men? Talking about killing me with lemonade death?† â€Å"Something like that, yes.† â€Å"Dors,† said Seldon forcefully, â€Å"I know that you're forever foreseeing danger for me, but this is going too far. Why should anyone want to kill me?† â€Å"It's been tried twice before.† â€Å"So it has, but consider the circumstances. The first attempt came shortly after Cleon appointed me First Minister. Naturally this was an offense to the well-established court hierarchy and I was very resented. A few thought they might settle matters by getting rid of me. The second time was when the Joranumites were trying to seize power and they thought I was standing in their way-plus Namarti's distorted dream of revenge. â€Å"Fortunately neither assassination attempt succeeded, but why should there now be a third? I am no longer First Minister and haven't been for ten years. I am an aging mathematician in retirement and surely no one has anything to fear from me. The Joranumites have been rooted out and destroyed and Namarti was executed long ago. There is absolutely no motivation for anyone to want to kill me. â€Å"So please, Dors, relax. When you're nervous about me, you get unsettled, which makes you more nervous still, and I don't want that to happen.† Dors rose from her seat and leaned across Hari's desk. â€Å"It's easy for you to say that there is no motive to kill you, but none is needed. Our government is now a completely irresponsible one and if they wish-â€Å" â€Å"Stop!† commanded Seldon loudly. Then, very quietly, â€Å"Not a word, Dors. Not a word against the government. That could get us in the very trouble you're foreseeing.† â€Å"I'm only talking to you, Hari.† â€Å"Right now you are, but if you get into the habit of saying foolish things, you don't know when something will slip out in someone else's presence-someone who will then be glad to report you. Just learn, as a matter of necessity, to refrain from political commentary.† â€Å"I'll try, Hari,† said Dors, but she could not keep the indignation out of her voice. She turned on her heel and left. Seldon watched her go. Dors had aged gracefully, so gracefully that at times she seemed not to have aged at all. Though she was two years younger than Seldon, her appearance had not changed nearly as much as his had in the twenty-eight years they had been together. Naturally. Her hair was frosted with gray, but the youthful luster beneath the gray still shone through. Her complexion had grown more sallow; her voice was a bit huskier, and, of course, she wore clothes that were suitable for middle age. However, her movements were as agile and as quick as ever. It was as if nothing could be allowed to interfere with her ability to protect Hari in case of an emergency. Hari sighed. This business of being protected-more or less against his will, at all times-was sometimes a heavy burden. 8 Manella came to see Seldon almost immediately afterward. â€Å"Pardon me, Hari, but what has Dors been saying?† Seldon looked up again. Nothing but interruptions. â€Å"It wasn't anything important. Wanda's dream.† Manella's lips pursed. â€Å"I knew it. Wanda said Dors was asking her questions about it. Why doesn't she leave the girl alone? You would think that having a bad dream was some sort of felony.† â€Å"As a matter of fact,† said Seldon soothingly, â€Å"it's just a matter of something Wanda remembered as part of the dream. I don't know if Wanda told you, but apparently in her dream she heard something about ‘lemonade death.' â€Å" â€Å"Hmm!† Manella was silent for a moment. Then she said, â€Å"That doesn't really matter so much. Wanda is crazy about lemonade and she's expecting lots of it at the party. I promised she'd have some with Mycogenian drops in it and she's looking forward to it.† â€Å"So that if she heard something that sounded anything like lemonade, it would be translated into lemonade in her mind.† â€Å"Yes. Why not?† â€Å"Except that, in that case, what do you suppose it was that was actually said? She must have heard something in order to misinterpret it.† â€Å"I don't think that's necessarily so. But why are we attaching so much importance to a little girl's dream? Please, I don't want anyone talking to her about it anymore. It's too upsetting.† â€Å"I agree. I'll see to it that Dors drops the subject-at least with Wanda.† â€Å"All right. I don't care if she is Wanda's grandmother, Hari. I'm her mother, after all, and my wishes come first.† â€Å"Absolutely,† said Seldon soothingly and looked after Manella as she left. That was another burden-the unending competition between those two women. 9 Tamwile Elar was thirty-six years old and had joined Seldon's Psychohistory Project as Senior Mathematician four years earlier. He was a tall man, with a habitual twinkle in his eye and with more than a touch of self-assurance as well. His hair was brown and had a loose wave in it, the more noticeable because he wore it rather long. He had an abrupt way of laughing, but there was no fault to be found with his mathematical ability. Elar had been recruited from the West Mandanov University and Seldon always had to smile when he remembered how suspicious Yugo Amaryl had been of him at first. But then, Amaryl was suspicious of everyone. Deep in his heart (Seldon felt sure), Amaryl felt that psychohistory ought to have remained his and Hari's private province. But even Amaryl was now willing to admit that Elar's membership in the group had eased his own situation tremendously. Yugo said, â€Å"His techniques for avoiding chaos are unique and fascinating. No one else in the Project could have worked it out the way he did. Certainly nothing of this sort ever occurred to me. It didn't occur to you, either, Hari.† â€Å"Well,† said Seldon grumpily, â€Å"I'm getting old.† â€Å"If only,† said Amaryl, â€Å"he didn't laugh so loud.† â€Å"People can't help the way they laugh.† Yet the truth was that Seldon found himself having a little trouble accepting Elar. It was rather humiliating that he himself had come nowhere near the â€Å"achaotic equations,† as they were now called. It didn't bother Seldon that he had never thought of the principle behind the Electro-Clarifier-that was not really his field. The achaotic equations, however, he should, indeed, have thought of-or at least gotten close to. He tried reasoning with himself. Seldon had worked out the entire basis for psychohistory and the achaotic equations grew naturally out of that basis. Could Elar have done Seldon's work three decades earlier? Seldon was convinced that Elar couldn't have. And was it so remarkable that Elar had thought up the principle of achaotism once the basis was in place? All this was very sensible and very true, yet Seldon still found himself uneasy when facing Elar. Just slightly edgy. Weary age facing flamboyant youth. Yet Elar never gave him obvious cause for feeling the difference in years. He never failed to show Seldon full respect or in any way to imply that the older man had passed his prime. Of course, Elar was interested in the forthcoming festivities and had even, as Seldon had discovered, been the first to suggest that Seldon's birthday be celebrated. (Was this a nasty emphasis on Seldon's age? Seldon dismissed the possibility. If he believed that, it would mean he was picking up some of Dors's tricks of suspicion. Elar strode toward him and said, â€Å"Maestro-† And Seldon winced, as always. He much preferred to have the senior members of the Project call him Hari, but it seemed such a small point to make a fuss over. â€Å"Maestro,† said Elar. â€Å"The word is out that you've been called in for a conference with General Tennar.† â€Å"Yes. He's the new head of the military junta and I suppose he wants to see me to ask what psychohistory is all about. They've been asking me that since the days of Cleon and Demerzel.† (The new head! The junta was like a kaleidoscope, with some of its members periodically falling from grace and others rising from nowhere.) â€Å"But it's my understanding he wants it now-right in the middle of the birthday celebration.† â€Å"That doesn't matter. You can all celebrate without me.† â€Å"No, we can't, Maestro. I hope you don't mind, but some of us got together and put in a call to the Palace and put the appointment off for a week.† â€Å"What?† said Seldon annoyed. â€Å"Surely that was presumptuous of you-and risky, besides.† â€Å"It worked out well. They've put it off and you'll need that time.† â€Å"Why would I need a week?† Elar hesitated. â€Å"May I speak frankly, Maestro?† â€Å"Of course you can. When have I ever asked that anyone speak to me m any way but frankly?† Elar flushed slightly, his fair skin reddening, but his voice remained steady. â€Å"It's not easy to say this, Maestro. You're a genius at mathematics. No one on the Project has any doubt of that. No one in the Empire-they knew you and understood mathematics-would have any doubt about it. However, it is not given to anybody to be a universal genius.† â€Å"I know that as well as you do, Elar.† â€Å"I know you do. Specifically, though, you lack the ability to handle ordinary people-shall we say, stupid people. You lack a certain deviousness, a certain ability to sidestep, and if you are dealing with someone who is both powerful in government and somewhat stupid, you can easily endanger the Project and, for that matter, your own life, simply because you are too frank.† â€Å"What is this? Am I suddenly a child? I've been dealing with politicians for a long time. I was First Minister for ten years, as perhaps you may remember.† â€Å"Forgive me, Maestro, but you were not an extraordinarily effective one. You dealt with First Minister Demerzel, who was very intelligent, by all accounts, and with the Emperor Cleon, who was very friendly. Now you will encounter military people who are neither intelligent nor friendly-another matter entirely.† â€Å"I've even dealt with military people and survived.† â€Å"Not with General Dugal Tennar. He's another sort of thing altogether. I know him.† â€Å"You know him? You have met him?† â€Å"I don't know him personally, but he's from Mandanov, which, as you know, is my sector, and he was a power there before he joined the junta and rose through its ranks.† â€Å"And what do you know about him?† â€Å"Ignorant, superstitious, violent. He is not someone you can handle easily-or safely. You can use the week to work out methods for dealing with him.† Seldon bit his lower lip. There was something to what Elar said and Seldon recognized the fact that, while he had plans of his own, it would still be difficult to try to manipulate a stupid, self-important, short-tempered person with overwhelming force at his disposal. He said uneasily, â€Å"I'll manage somehow. The whole matter of a military junta is, in any case, an unstable situation in the Trantor of today. It has already lasted longer than might have seemed likely.† â€Å"Have we been testing that? I was not aware that we were making stability decisions on the junta.† â€Å"Just a few calculations by Amaryl, making use of your achaotic equations.† He paused. â€Å"By the way, I've come across some references to them as the Elar Equations.† â€Å"Not by me, Maestro.† â€Å"I hope you don't mind, but I don't want that. Psychohistoric elements are to be described functionally and not personally. As soon as personalities intervene, bad feelings arise.† â€Å"I understand and quite agree, Maestro.† â€Å"In fact,† said Seldon with a touch of guilt, â€Å"I have always felt it wrong that we speak of the basic Seldon Equations of Psychohistory. The trouble is that's been in use for so many years, it's not practical to try to change it.† â€Å"If you'll excuse my saying so, Maestro, you're an exceptional case. No one, I think, would quarrel with your receiving full credit for inventing the science of psychohistory. But, if I may, I wish to get back to your meeting with General Tennar.† â€Å"Well, what else is there to say?† â€Å"I can't help but wonder if it might be better if you did not see him, did not speak to him, did not deal with him.† â€Å"How am I to avoid that if he calls me in for a conference?† â€Å"Perhaps you can plead illness and send someone in your place.† â€Å"Whom?† Elar was silent for a moment, but his silence was eloquent. Seldon said, â€Å"You, I take it.† â€Å"Might that not be the thing to do? I am a fellow sectoral citizen of the General, which may carry some weight. You are a busy man, getting on in years, and it would be easy to believe that you are not entirely well. And if I see him, rather than yourself-please excuse me, Maestro-I can wiggle and maneuver more easily than you can.† â€Å"Lie, you mean.† â€Å"If necessary.† â€Å"You'll be taking a huge chance.† â€Å"Not too huge. I doubt that he will order my execution. If he becomes annoyed with me, as he well might, then I can plead-or you can plead on my behalf-youth and inexperience. In any case, if I get into trouble, that will be far less dangerous than if you were to do so. I'm thinking of the Project, which can do without me a great deal more easily than it can without you.† Seldon said with a frown, â€Å"I'm not going to hide behind you, Elar. If the man wants to see me, he will see me. I refuse to shiver and shake and ask you to take chances for me. What do you think I am?† â€Å"A frank and honest man-when the need is for a devious one.† â€Å"I will manage to be devious-if I must. Please don't underestimate me, Elar.† Elar shrugged hopelessly. â€Å"Very well. I can only argue with you up to a certain point.† â€Å"In fact, Elar, I wish you had not postponed the meeting. I would rather skip my birthday and see the General than the reverse. This birthday celebration was not my idea.† His voice died away in a grumble. Elar said, â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"Well,† said Seldon with resignation, â€Å"we'll see what happens.† He turned and left. Sometimes he wished ardently that he could run what was called a â€Å"tight ship,† making sure that everything went as he wished it to, leaving little or no room for maneuvering among his subordinates. To do that, however, would take enormous time, enormous effort, would deprive him of any chance of working on psychohistory himself-and, besides, he simply lacked the temperament for it. He sighed. He would have to speak to Amaryl.

Gold and Diamond Mining of Africa Essay

* Diamond mining in Africa Ever since the Kimberley diamond strike of 1868, South Africa has been a world leader in diamond production. The primary South African sources of diamonds, including seven large diamond mines around the country, are controlled by the De Beers Consolidated Mines Company. In 2003, De Beers’s operations accounted for 94% of the nation’s total diamond output of 11,900,000 carats. Nicky Oppenheimer, the current Chairman of DeBeers. * The life of the miners The search for diamonds is not exactly easy. Many miners and diamond diggers in sub-Saharan Africa travel great distances to find work and submit to gruelingly long hours for low wages – or sometimes no wages – in substandard conditions. Child labor has long been a problem in informal diamond mines, especially during times of war. Children have often been exploited to do excavation work because they are small enough to be lowered into small, narrow pits by ropes to dig out sacks of dirt, which is in turn washed by other children in search of diamonds. During Sierra Leone’s 10-year civil war, children were often used as soldiers and workers in the rich Koidu diamond mines that funded the country’s rebels. USAID launched the Kono Peace Diamond Alliance in 2002 to try to improve the working conditions in the mines – particularly for children. But it is an uphill battle across Africa to get children who are either family breadwinners, or fending for themselves or conscripted into slave-like labor to stop working and go to school. A child solider in Africa Land is often cleared and vegetated areas dug up to create open pit mines in he rushed search for diamond deposits, leaving them unsuitable for other farming activities. Informal mining in hilly areas also leads to erosion – and, in turn, flooding. The salt, heavy minerals and chemical products from mining equipment can run off into rivers and pollute vital water sources for mining communities and people living downstream. * gold mining in Africa South Africa accounted for 15% of the world’s gold production in 2002 and 12% in 2005, though the nation had produced as much as 30% of world output as recently as 1993. Despite declining production, South Africa’s gold exports were valued at $3. billion USD in 2005. Almost 50% of the world’s gold reserves are found in South Africa. Barrick Gold Corporation is the largest pure gold miningcompany in the world, with its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and four regional business units (RBU’s) located in Australia, Africa, North America and South America. Barrick is currently undertaking mining and exploration projects in Saudi Arabia, Papua New Guinea, the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic, Australia, Peru, Chile, Russia, South Africa,Pakistan, Colombia, Argentina and Tanzania. For 2008, it produced 7. million ounces of gold at a cash cost of US $443/ounce. As of December 31, 2008 its proven and probable gold mineral reserves stand at 138. 5 million ounces. Peter monk, the wizard of gold mining * The life of gold miners The unknown factor in South Africa is the future of labor costs. The mines employ several hundred thousand miners underground: half the production costs are for wages. Most of the gold miners are members of the black National Union of Mineworkers, which is pressing hard both for political and social reform, and for better wages and working conditions for its members. But the long-delayed beginnings of political reform in South Africa in the late 1980s coincided with a slump in gold prices. The South African gold mines, many of them a century old, were by then the world’s deepest, and were technically very difficult and financially very expensive to operate even in spite of the low wages paid to the miners. The quality of the ore was slowly dropping: the average gold ore now averages less than 5 grams of gold per tonne. Winnie Mandela is on record as saying to black miners, â€Å"You hold the golden key to our liberation. The moment you stop digging gold and diamonds, that is the moment you will be free. † She could not be more wrong. If the gold mines close, the economic disaster will be visited most on the poorer section of society, the blacks. The South African reforms were predicated absolutely on a stable and healthy economy. In 1999, the price of gold dropped to a low point around $250/oz. This was very bad news for South African gold companies, South African gold miners, and the South African government. Gold companies scrambled to reorganize and streamline their operations. By the time the price again reached $290 again in early 2000, the gold industry had changed dramatically, in South Africa and globally. Health problems of gold miners who worked underground include decreased life expectancy; increased frequency of cancer of the trachea, bronchus, lung, stomach, and liver; increased frequency of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), silicosis, and pleural diseases; increased frequency of insect-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever; noise-induced hearing loss; increased prevalence of certain bacterial and viral diseases; and diseases of the blood, skin, and musculoskeletal system. These problems are briefly documented in gold miners from Australia, North America, South America, and Africa. In general, HIV infection or excessive alcohol and tobacco consumption tended to exacerbate existing health problems. Miners who used elemental mercury to amalgamate and extract gold were heavily contaminated with mercury. Among individuals exposed occupationally, concentrations of mercury in their air, fish diet, hair, urine, blood, and other tissues significantly exceeded all criteria proposed by various national and international regulatory agencies for protection of human health.

Gay Marriage: the Recognition of Equal Human Rights Essay

In America, people hold on to the Declaration of Independence as an implementation of their rights. Part of the Declaration of Independence clearly states, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness† (Jefferson 80). Gays are human beings too, and they should equally be able to enjoy the human rights. If we believe that human rights are equal regardless of their sexual orientation; then why do gays have to struggle for equal positions in the church, law, and psychological equality? Gay people, their families, and their friends are fighting for these rights. They want equality for gays including legal marriage, and marriage benefits that the regular man-woman marriages enjoy. Gay marriage becomes an option because many gay couples want the equality of human rights. Gays realize their rights are being abolished by the fact that they are not allowed to legally marry and enjoy the privileges as married couples. Only twelve states in America and District of Columbia legally allow gay marriage. The twelve states are: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington (Millstone). Massachusetts is the first state that legalized gay marriage on May 2004 (Tying the Knot). Although gays can legally marry in these states, the couples have limited rights. DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) restricts federal marriage benefits; therefore, it prevents gays from receiving the insurance benefits for government employees, Social Security benefits, immigration, and the filing of joint tax returns (Burns). The documentary, Tying the Knot shows that many gay couples stay together for a long period of time, whether they are married or not. They share their lives: mentally, physically, and economically. But when a spouse dies, the other spouse does not get his/her rights as a normal opposite-sex spouse would get, which includes pension benefits and/or the house (belongings). The movie shows a sad reality to this current unfairness toward gay couples. While gays’ rights are being suppressed, the questions start to come up, â€Å"Is being gay an option? †. This question becomes a part of controversy for gay marriage. According to Dan Eden, a writer for an online journal Viewzone since 1996 on his research, â€Å"Homosexuality is a congenital condition much like being ‘left-handed’. † He provides a scientific point of view that homosexuals are born that way; hormones also affect sexuality, beside chromosomes. Homosexual is not a lifestyle, homosexuals are born gays and they do not choose being gay as a lifestyle. The National Memo, a political newsletter since 2011, interviewed people and asked them, â€Å"Do you think people born gay or choose to be gay? † When they answered, the interviewers added another question, â€Å"When did you choose to be straight? † which made people think. The National Memo wants people to think about this, while Eden wants to make a clear statement that â€Å"being gay is not an option†. The Obama Administration has been trying to bring equal rights for gays, by stating that LGBT’s rights (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) also part of the human rights (Clinton). Hillary Rodham Clinton, the US secretary of state in 2009 stated, â€Å"All people deserve to be treated with dignity and have their human rights respected, no matter who they are or whom they love. † It is clear that people have an equal rights and freedom to love, to choose their partner, and to get married despite their sex’s orientation. On the other hand, according to Ben Newman, a public relations director who had been in position as a â€Å"healed gay†, being gay is an option and can be cured. His name has been changed to protect confidentiality. Newman explained this in his story regarding how his family background and childhood experiences made him being attracted towards men, although he was already married to a woman and had children from her. Later on, he followed a reparative therapy: a reverse treatment through psychotherapy to change his sexual orientation. He succeeded to come back to the society as a â€Å"straight† man after 2 years and 3 months in the reparative therapy (Newman). In this situation, although gay marriage is already legal in some states, gay couples still struggle with their positions in government and law, and also with their positions between church and state. In government and law: when will gay couples receive an equal law for their marriage? Does government have the power to define marriage? It seems that even when gay couples are allowed to marry, they are without any marriage rights, because of DOMA. In regard to their position between church and state, there is much religious objection towards gay marriage. In the United States, Christianity and Catholicism are the primary religions. These religions believe in God and believe that the marriage is rightly between a man and a woman. Although certain churches approve gay marriage (Tying the Knot), the fear is, how it might affect the government, and how it might cause people manipulate the marriage to get the government’s benefits (Boston). Furthermore, in State of the Union 2004, President George W. Bush stated: The union of a man and woman is the most enduring human institution, honored and encouraged in all cultures and by every religious faith. Ages of experience have taught humanity that the commitment of a husband and wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society. Marriage cannot be severed from its cultural, religious and natural roots without weakening the good influence of society (Burns 7). President Bush described marriage as cultural and natural way to expand the society, because of the fact that marriage between man and woman would produce and foster children. These man-woman marriages are honored by faith and beliefs. He does not want the changes in marriage values affect the society in a bad way. In addition, for people that do not agree on gay marriage, they have skepticism about how gay marriages will affect children in the future. Although people assume that gay couples will not have children, but in reality they do, either from previous relationships, adoptions or simply have to raise children from other family’s member. However, children who are raised by gay couples need legal assurance from their â€Å"gay parents†. According to Anne Pollock, a graduate student in social studies from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, â€Å"The first priority of civil marriage should be to provide a secure environment for all children. The religious right’s claim that children benefit from their [antigay activists] assaults against gay families is nothing less than hypocritical. Burns)† If the gay parents do not have equal legal rights, like what stated in DOMA; so that, if something happens to one of the gay parent, their children also will suffer from the consequences. For example, if a working gay spouse gets into accident at work and dies, the problems would show up for the other surviving spouse when they are denied for the support, which she/he needs to live with the children. For this reason, the benefit is future’s assurance for children themselves; lastly, it seems self-righteous to take away these rights from the children. The other skepticism towards gay marriage is that it will harm children. An author of several books about marriage, Maggie Gallagher states, â€Å"First and foremost, children need stable families to become the kind of adults who will in turn provide stable families for their future children†¦ Legalizing same-sex marriage would sanction families that would deprive children of the experience of either motherhood or fatherhood. (Burns)† Gallagher wants people to think that a normal family has a father and a mother to raise their children; these children will look upon their parents to build their own family in the future. The family that does not have man-woman parents will create a different effect to their children. Therefore, Gallagher believes that man-woman marriage will produce children, and on the other hand, gay couples could not produce children. Specifically, gay marriage will harm children mentally and in long term, our population. Moreover, there are other questions toward gay marriage: will it promote social stability or harm society? For years, gay people have been struggling for their recognition, although they get married in a party with friends and families, but they did not get marry legally. However, they have not think about their future assurance such as: the insurance benefits for government employees, Social Security benefits, immigration, or the filing of joint tax returns. Their futures seem uncertain; something might happen and take away the rights that a normal opposite-sex marriage would legally have. In addition, The California Health Interview Survey held a research regarding physical distress from legal same-sex marriage and how they legally recognized themselves affect their mental heath, and it showed various numbers about how important the recognition from society for whom they are (Wight). If gay marriage becomes legal, there is some assurance for their future; and, if they are socially accepted for whom they are, the society will move forward and become a stable and better society. On the other hand, there are skepticisms that gay marriage will harm the society. According to Sam Schulman, a popular New York writer, gay marriage is selfish and degrades moral values from our society (Burns). People deserve to love and choose their partner, but if their choices are not base on acceptable morality, then they should not do it. Gallagher is strengthening Schulman’s opinion; Gallagher points out about how marriage is the needs of man and woman, in terms sexually, to produce children, financially, and socially (Burns). In conclusion, in term of human rights, gays are human too. They have rights to be treated equally. The searching of equality has been happening for years, from the rights of black people, women’s rights to mix-race marriage rights. People have the rights to choose their own partner, their love, and their assurance in the future. Why legalize gay marriage if the marriage itself has taken its rights (DOMA)? People mention morality and society in terms for our children future, by rejecting gay marriage and its rights. Gay marriage is not the only problem that people have nowadays, there are other occurrences that ignore the morality and society; there are crimes that ignore morality values (rape), shooting in schools or public places, robbery, and many other crimes that occur. We live in a world that demands morality in society; but, what kind of morality and society that we have now – do we value ourselves better than gay people?

Apple Inc Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Apple Inc Case Study - Essay Example The key factors were seen to be innovative products not backed by quality, frequent change of leadership and the recessive trends in the economy that had significantly reduced the buying power of the consumers. It is felt that in the fast changing environment of technology and rapid globalization, there is marked convergence of changing preferences across the globe. Therefore, it becomes important for the firms to introduce the product at the right time is crucial but at the same time, the success would also depend on its quality and the pricing. The report is prepared for the management of Apple Inc. so as to identify the issues and problems, analyze them to evolve strategies and recommendations to improve and improvise the performance outcome of the organization’s aims and objectives. The company had undergone dramatic changes since its inception in 1976. The early success was followed by considerable loss in revenues and market share in 1981. The company’s fortunes catapulted to regain its market position that kept steadily rising till 2008, when the company was again faced with many challenges and slow growth, showing significant loss of revenue. The main problems and issues identified were as follow: The management seemed to lose its initial focus on innovation and preferred analyzing the current problems to the exclusion of introducing newer products to meet the fast changing demands of the public. When the company was launched in 1976 by Wazniak and job, both were driven by the fact that the novelty of the product (computers) and its utility value outweighed its cost and appeal to the people. That was the reason that the Apple products had huge initial success. Later, when IBM and Microsoft came into the field and introduced affordability into the market strategy, Apple Inc was the hardest hit company and showed tremendous decline in profits and plummeting of its market share to 3%. The

The Characteristics of the Good Prince (Leader) Essay

The Characteristics of the Good Prince (Leader) - Essay Example As the word Machiavellian suggests, a modern prince needs to be cunning, deceitful and crude if need be (Niccolo, 2010). The Machiavellian claim answers the question of whether one should love or fear a leader. Machiavelli states that it would be better to be loved and feared, but the two cannot exist at ago (Niccolo, 2010). He says that it is, therefore, better to be feared because leaders need complete obedience from their people for them to completely govern. The vulnerability of the subject towards punishment makes him submit to the leader (Niccolo, 2010). With fear, people only reluctantly trust the leader hoping that the leader is concerned with their good. Some leaders prove their care for their people hence eventually gain trust and love whereas others are feared throughout their leadership. He says that love contains many rules, most of which may be broken by selfish men. Fear, on the other hand, lives long because people are afraid of punishment that would befall them when they rebel (Niccolo, 2010). This aspect of fear and love is important in todays politics whereby leaders tend to pursue either love or hatred especially during elections. Despite the fact that no leader is perfect, people fail to concentrate on the bad side of a good leader and only se his good side. A leader should however see to it that his people do not hate him. Hatred would only lead to the princes failure. He states that the peoples allegiance is a stronger shield than a fortress (Niccolo, 2010). The love of the people gradually grows to trust, which is of most advantage to the leader. Trust makes it easier for the prince to carry on executions without objection. The leader himself will feel less fear of being overthrown because of the mutual trust. A good leader should also ensure that he gains the support of his people. Unless he achieves this, it is easy for jealous competitors to overthrow the

Providing Employees with Company Sponsored Fitness Memberships Essay

Providing Employees with Company Sponsored Fitness Memberships - Essay Example Introduction In an age of increased competition business organizations are looking forward towards generating overall excellence in business. The role of human resource management is very important in this regard as they form the most important asset for any organization. Organizations are trying to provide various benefits to employees in order to retain the best talents and increase the job satisfaction levels. In addition to monetary rewards and benefits, companies are also providing non material benefits like meal passes and other recreational items to the employees in order to ensure motivation among the employees. The present study would analyze the aspect of providing fitness center memberships to employees as an added benefit. The study would analyze the various advantages it can have on the employees of the organization that in turn can lead to generation of organizational excellence. The study would analyze the fitness center programs of LA fitness center that is based in U K and offers fitness center facilities to the members. In addition to this a comparison would also be made with two other competitors namely Virgin Active and David Lloyd with regards to the facilities and cost of each of these centers. Advantages of Memberships The aspect of providing fitness club memberships for employees has far reaching benefits for the organization. Some of the possible benefits for employees and the organization include reduction of insurance premium costs for the employees; generation of disability based benefits as well as reduced expenses on medical related reasons. In addition to these benefits a fitness center membership can also help in improving the physical fitness of the employees. This would help in reduced absenteeism due to lesser instances of an employee being unfit. This can also lead to generation of more productivity that can help the organization in the long run. It has also been found that sponsoring fitness schemes for employees leads to imp rovement in the morale of the employees that affects their performance at the organization which in turns affects the productivity of the employee. Certain other derived benefits of health club memberships for employees include attractiveness among the new and prospective candidates, reduced turnover rate of employees that in turn helps a company to not only get the best talents but also helps in retaining the talents of the organization that helps generate competitive advantage for the organization. Inclusion of family members in the fitness club membership can increase the satisfaction levels of employees manifold and would help the organization generate greater motivation for the employees. The effect of fitness center memberships can multiply if education and promotional programs are included as a part of the fitness program offering. Special efforts should be made to popularize these aspects especially among employees who have chronic problems such as blood pressure and diabete s as well as workers whose tasks are largely sedentary in nature. Physical fitness programs can help generate a healthy balance of mind and body

Educational percptions of studying leisure and tourism Essay

Educational percptions of studying leisure and tourism - Essay Example Research shows that "one reason why young people drop out of college and university is that they haven't chosen a subject that really interests them" (How can parents and careers help to make Vocational education and success 2007). For students within the age range of 14 to 19 understanding Applied Leisure and Tourism, and learning Leisure and Tourism, as a vocational curriculum, offers wider and attractive employment opportunity. Developing awareness and an understanding of general professional issues, in Leisure and Tourism, is crucial in vocational curriculum. Leisure and recreation management is a unique and expansive field for young aspirants of vocational education, which covers many sectors, including sport and fitness, adventure and outdoor tourism, wilderness and national park recreation, even and facility management, and community recreation. As the hotel and hospitality industry moves increasingly from a skill-based to a knowledge-based industry, "higher learning has becom e increasingly critical to opening career doors and helping managers to be fully attuned to the culture, service and competitive aspects of the sector" (Why study Tourism and Leisure Management. 2007). In this perspective whether the educational approach and present curricula meet the requirements of students and employers calls for a critical review. Empowering students to take responsibility for their own learning and personal development is the proper approach of any vocational education. It is also found that "encouragement from parents and carers can make all the difference to a young person's future" as young people drop out of college and university because they haven't chosen a subject that really interests them and parents could help them to choose the subject that motivates them to learn. (How can parents and careers help to make Vocational education and success 2007). To achieve this objective, education modules should be formulated to assess the skills of students, and their attributes the employers look for in such graduates. Major attributes the employers look for are teamwork skills, communication skills, reflection and problem solving skill, giving and receiving feedback, negotiating skills, and responsibility for their own learning. Literary reviews in this respect reveal that "Knowledge and expertise based on exp eriences of combining education, learning and real business activities, are still rarely shared and transferred in modern European education" (Barnes, 2005, p.20). With this realization the government of UK is "considering replacing the current A-level system with an English baccalaureate" with GCSEs as the government's strategy for 14 to 19 year olds. It "will see the cutting back of the curriculum to make space for pupils who want to opt for vocational lessons," so that youngsters disaffected with academic subjects will be able to learn craft skills in an effort to motivate pupils to stay in education. (Vocational options for bored pupils. 2003). The latest proposals for a relevant curriculum envisage that "by offering 14-year-olds the chance to study

Public Awareness and Human Diseases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Public Awareness and Human Diseases - Essay Example With an increasing incidence worldwide, DM will be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for the foreseeable future. DM1 is classified on the basis of the pathogenic process that leads to hyperglycemia, as opposed to earlier criteria such as age of onset or type of therapy. The two broad categories of DM are designated type 1 and type 2. Type 1A DM results from autoimmune beta cell destruction, which leads to insulin deficiency. Individuals with type 1B DM lack immunologic markers indicative of an autoimmune destructive process of the beta cells. However, they develop insulin deficiency by unknown mechanisms and are ketosis prone. Relatively few patients with type 1 DM are in the type 1B idiopathic category; many of these individuals are either African-American or Asian in heritage. Type 2 DM1 is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by variable degrees of insulin resistance, impaired insulin secretion, and increased glucose production. Distinct genetic and metabolic defects in insulin action and/or secretion give rise to the common phenotype of hyperglycemia in type 2 DM. ... Likewise, prevalence rates of IFG3 are also increasing. Although the prevalence of both type 1 and type 2 DM is increasing worldwide, the prevalence of type 2 DM is expected to rise more rapidly in the future because of increasing obesity and reduced activity levels. DM increases with aging. In 2000, the prevalence of DM was estimated to be 0.19% in people 20 years old. In individuals >65 years the prevalence of DM was 20.1%. The prevalence is similar in men and women throughout most age ranges but is slightly greater in men >60 years. The prevalence of type 2 DM and its harbinger, IGT2, is highest in certain Pacific islands, intermediate in countries such as India and the United States, and relatively low in Russia and China. This variability is likely due to genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. DM prevalence also varies among different ethnic populations within a given country. In 2000, the prevalence of DM in the United States was 13% in African Americans, 10.2% in Hispanic Americans, 15.5% in Native Americans (American Indians and Alaska natives), and 7.8% in non-Hispanic whites. The onset of type 2 DM occurs, on average, at an earlier age in ethnic groups other than non-Hispanic whites. Mortality rates in people with diabetes exceed those in the general population despite many recent improvements in care. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the young, and is a substantial cause of morbidity as well as mortality at all ages. After the introduction of insulin in 1922 it was hoped that adverse consequences of diabetes might become a thing of the past, but mortality rates are still higher than those in the general population and, in addition,

The Klondike Gold Rush Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Klondike Gold Rush - Research Paper Example The Klondike gold rush ended in 1899 after the discovery of another gold mine in Nome. The trade had a very remarkable impact to the economic and social conditions of people who resided in Seattle and Washington States. 2 The cultural beliefs were totally altered by the trade due to the introduction of foreign beliefs and ideologies. The economic input of the trade in these two states was equally significant. The essay below focuses on the outputs and benefits of gold trade to the Seattle and Washington state. Economic and Social Impact The Klondike gold mine changed the ways of living as well as the economic conditions of the people who resided in Seattle and by large the Washington state. The trade led to the development and growth of timber market in the Seattle state. The ship industry in the Seattle state expanded due to the increase in the number of traders who used ships to commute to Alaska.3The trade also led to the immigration of people to Seattle from North of Columbia bet ween the 1850s and 1860s. In 1850s, the gold rush to the Fraser River brought many California people to the North West, which led to the establishment of the mining industry that supplied gold to merchant in Victoria, Seattle, and Vancouver. It is the Klondike gold trade that led to the development of railway network in the Seattle state. As a result, the development of the railway network in Seattle was the facilitating factor which led to the development and growth of fish, timber, and wheat industries in the Northern part of the country. Additionally, the large number of immigrants to the area led to the immense development of the state. 4 As a result of discovery of gold rush trade in Klondike, the chamber of commerce of Seattle state met to discuss how to benefit from the trade. They planned to promote the state to an outfit center for the Northern goldfield. They formed a panel to advertise the state to the gold traders as well as other interested traders. The bureau was also mandated with the responsibility of encouraging local traders to join the trade for the benefit of the state. There was a huge campaign to inform the gold traders that Seattle was the only gate way to Alaska. The campaign has a very positive outcome because the Seattle state managed to attract more than three quarters of the gold seekers into their stores. Within the first three months of the trade, more than 15000 miners were using the Seattle resources in their trade. 5 The other business persons who operated in Seattle sold meat, clothes, and dried fruits to gold seekers. The city buildings and infrastructures also benefited from the gold trade. The houses, hotels, and other residential houses were overbooked by gold traders. This led to the construction of more houses to accommodate the traders. More job opportunities were created by increasing numbers of hotels, restaurants, and other related businesses. There was increase in the amount of money which was circulating in the Sea ttle state. In 1987, the state was trading with approximately $36 million. This increased to $ 68 million in 1898 and in 1899, the amount of money which were operating in Seattle rose to over$100 million. 6 In 1898, the Seattle chamber of commerce decided to increase the trade benefit by establishing an assay office. The idea was to help the state benefit from

Teaching vocabulary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Teaching vocabulary - Essay Example This is because, the LAD as a device which inheres man and helps him learn language, atrophies with age. The acquisition of language also goes hand in hand with the acquisition of vocabulary. Disinterest may also serve as a strong impediment to the acquisition of vocabulary since it is nearly impossible to educate someone on matters he is not interested in. Language-related illnesses and impairment such as Warnicke’s aphasia and global aphasia may be setbacks to the knowledge and acquisition of vocabulary. Those who have suffered global aphasia have great difficulty in understanding words and forming words. In the case of Warnicke’s aphasia, a student may: fail to realise that he is using wrong words; have great difficulty in understanding some words; and not appreciate how words are strung together to form a phrase, clause or a sentence. Again, those with Warnicke’s aphasia have a problem building vocabulary since Warnicke’s aphasia affects the region of the brain’s left hemisphere which is responsible for the understanding of words. Question B There are certain activities which a teacher can expend to solve some of the problems which have mentioned above. When dealing with linguistic barriers which non-native adult speakers use, it is important for me to use both incidental acquisition and direct study. This involves, having proficient and self-motivated students to read a lot of books which are suited for their age. The teacher can then follow incidental acquisition method with vocabulary logs and other techniques which shall also be divulged upon. It is also important to follow up the use of the incidental acquisition model with the provisions of direct study. The use of direct study models will help high-risk students struggling with vocabulary. The strength of direct study helps the student develop his vocabulary by: nurturing an independent reading culture; strengthening the learner’s ability to use context clues ; and strengthening the learner’s context-clues vocabulary acquisition. This measure above will therefore require the teacher to foster a classroom reading programme whereby he can: have the students read in turn; correct the reader’s phonology in case of a wrong pronunciation; have students identify the meaning of a newly encountered vocabulary by using context-cues [so that the student does not rush to the dictionary]; give learners the exact meaning of the newly encountered lexicons with an example of a sentence; and have the students record the same down and use them in a sentence. Again, it will be extremely helpful [of me and to me] to develop a multifaceted approach to vocabulary acquisition. This will entail helping learners to develop the culture of independent reading. As the teacher, I can help develop a recommended reading list, or form a recommended reading list with the school administration. The books in the reading list are those that should challenge t he gifted and the talented, and help slow learners. Thus, the books should be high-interest and low-level. Students will read some of these books independently. For the remaining books, the students can provide feedback by: making oral and written book reports; producing plot summaries; and [if time allows] making performances of key or important scenes. Similarly as an instructor, measures must be made to ensure that students are encouraged to use the different semantic significance of words. This involves, hav

Do you think David Hockney's research and theory on the use of Assignment

Do you think David Hockney's research and theory on the use of technology by the artists of the Renaissance period is important for artists today - Assignment Example use people are in continuously eyeball and many students have learnt to do it better than Hockney can within a short time .If it was true that, Old artists were not able to make realistic- drawings, then this means that they were worse at drawing than contemporary art students are and this invalidates Hockneys claim and thus his search for a "better" explanation is left unjustified. Â  Contemporary artists record what they have done and the general methods used to demonstrate how they undertake their business. Dictionary of human form by Ted explains how to make accurate human drawings in broad variety of poses. (Ted, 5-35). Hockney explains that, medieval artists feared being burned as witches for making images with lenses and mirrors, but does not explain how contemporary artists publish information and how they do that. He dismisses past centuries evidence which indicate that old artists did not use optical on the grounds that they actively hided secrets by falsifying evidence. He does not put into consideration dismissing the living artists who work in the way that he claims is impossible. He is similar to a conspiracy theorist that supports their theories because there is no evidence to its negation. Ateliers are not new and they present unbroken chain stretching back to the Renaissance. Books written by pre-20th century painters do not mention the use of optical aids in drawing and painting. These books are still in existence but Hockney did not study them to discover how the Old artists did their work. He selectively choose writing that mention optical devices and went ahead to present the claim as if the rest didnt exist and that, artists lied about the methods they used to avoid being burned as witches. His claim is not convincing because the painters he claim could not paint lived in era where there was no chance of being condemned. Sculpture during the olden days were realistic and lively just the same way drawings and painting were and there were

Dominating the poem Essay Example for Free

Dominating the poem Essay Ode to Nightingale is an antithesis of life and death, with death very much dominating the poem (Keats suffered from tuberculosis, and his description of men suffering in Ode to a Nightingale could indicate that he himself was in great pain when he wrote the poem), whereas The Prelude describes a conflict between man and nature, and Ode to Autumn is simply admiring an aspect of nature. However, Keats and Wordsworth both allude to ideals expressed in the philosophical viewpoint Romanticism. Wordsworth thought that the individual could understand nature without society or civilisation, and this is the stance that he takes in The Prelude. The metaphor of a single person in a boat in the middle of a huge lake represents one person in isolation from society. The mountain that towers over the person in the boat represents the raw power of nature, so much more powerful than a mere human (a Romantic ideal is that nature comes first, while people and their thoughts and activities come second. Wordsworth takes it to extreme in The Prelude with his descriptive comparison of the huge peak, black and huge and the little boat. The imagery comes across very vividly in the poem, and man seems insignificant when compared with the huge and mighty forms, that do not live like living men.) Keats also expresses his idea of the power of nature, but from a different viewpoint. He does not see nature as raw, wild power that is a colossus compared with trivial humans. He instead regards nature as a friend in suffering (in Ode to a Nightingale: Now more than ever it seems rich to diewhile thou art pouring thy soul abroad) and as a thing with its own magic (Ode to Autumn: Where are the songs of Spring?Think not of them, thou hast thy music too) In Ode to a Nightingale Keats also sees the nightingale as a thing of immense spiritual power, something so powerful that it can trigger his imagination and send him into a fantasy world of verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways where he can forget his pain for a short while, even though afterwards he is forced to realise that his poetry cannot help him escape his pain permanently (the fancy cannot cheat so well as she is famd to do, deceiving elf.) This is another similarity which the two writers share: they both describe spiritual experiences that have happened to them. Wordsworth describes the effect that the view of the megalith mountain had on him (but after I had seen that spectacle, for many days, my brain worked with a dim and undetermined sense of unknown modes of being) and describes his feelings of solitude and blank desertion that were a trouble to his dreams. Keats uses a lot of very entrancing imagery (soft incense, embalmed darkness, pastoral eglantine, musky rose, full of dewy wine and murmurous haunt of flies all create a very clear picture of the fantasy world Keats has conjured up in his imagination, influenced by the song of the nightingale) and emotive language (the poem is full of exclamations such as Away!, Adieu! and Folorn! that seem almost like laments, especially in the case of thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!) in Ode to a Nightingale, succeeding in drawing the reader into an bond with his thoughts where they can see, hear and smell everything that Keats is experiencing. This sort of empathy through poetry is very difficult to achieve, though Keats also manages it in Ode to Autumn through his descriptions of season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. Keats does not reflect much on his experience in Ode to a Nightingale, except only to wonder was it a vision, or a waking dream?Do I wake or sleep? However, this last question lets the reader themselves reflect on the meaning of the nightingale (though throughout the poem the references to easeful death and Darkling make it obvious that the bird symbolises death.) Keats and Wordsworth have widely different styles of writing. Their poems greatly differ in language form and structure, especially between Wordsworths simple language and Keats traditionally embellished diction. However, both poets have had troubled times in their lives, and their poems (Ode to a Nightingale and The Prelude) reflect this. They both portray their spiritual encounters with nature as having had a great effect on them, which is in keeping with the Romantic ideals of nature and spirituality. They also express their Romantic views of nature as a source of power, though they have different views on the type of power that nature possesses.

The Realism In War English Literature Essay

The Realism In War English Literature Essay In times of war one must simply endure to survive; as a seemingly insignificant foot soldier discovers in Charles Harrisons novel, Generals Die in Bed. Through this character Harrison strips away any possible glorifications that were previously found in most stories of war. Charles Harrison presents the reality of war without attempting to romanticize the idea of grand battles. War, as depicted in Harrisons work, is an unadorned, hollow, and meaningless endeavor that nations have had the unfortunate habit of creating and recreating throughout history. Without this sense of safety, which previous works have accomplished by sugar coating war, Generals Die in Bed weaves together a representation of war that maximizes the full-blown power of a harsh reality. Harrison achieves a graphic portrayal of war through the novels form. More specifically, the clever use of structure, plot, characterization, language, and point of view allows Harrison to portray the stark contrast of the reality of war with the common perception of chivalry in battle. True to its anti-war reputation, the novel illustrates war in a dramatic and horrifying way. This is easily identified as the concept and purpose of war are continuously questioned. As the disapproval of war becomes a common theme, of Generals Die in Bed, many justifications behind these views become clear. Needless deaths and constant terror, as well as emotional suffering and trauma, become common factors that contribute to the distaste involved with war. Deaths and misery need no annotation; they simply are. These daily horrors only increase the damning nature towards war when they have no justifiable cause. As the question of why constantly crops up in the plot, the idea of a just war is heavily questioned. More simply, war makes no sense. The plot further enforces the incomprehensible aspects of war by avoiding the traditional eight point arch and adopting a sustained tension and conflict, without the obligatory resolution that is supposedly substantial. Harrisons novel does not employ this common convention; but creates a structure consisting of two main components: rest and action. The rest is represented by the moments and periods in which the protagonist, and his fellow soldiers, takes his time away from the front lines. The action, on the one hand, represents the trench times, bombardments and raids that the soldiers had to face and endure. This structural preference adds to the sense of immediacy and involvement that the reader experiences and allows the story of war to become more believable. In this way, Generals Die in Bed is debunking the romanticized notion that war is a duel and an extravagant battle. Even in war, there are periods of inaction. The dispatch; the months and weeks of being away from the trenches; the visit to London; and the benign conversations of soldiers all construct the varied pauses that punctuate the lives of the soldiers during the war. By including these inactive periods, Harrison is not making an attempt to portray the absence of conflict. In fact, Harrison achieves quite the opposite by means of including aspects of the war in every facet of life. For example, when the protagonist was vacationing in London, the conflict was not unfelt. Despite efforts to escape the war, vague traces of it follows him wherever he goes, like the sound of distant cannons. Even while trying to escape the ter rors of warfare, the protagonist is unable to let go of his current mindset. During his visit to the theater, for example, the unnamed soldier notices that the play and audience trivialize the war, and feel[s] they have no right to laugh at jokes about the war (107). Despite this, however, conflict does more than merely contribute to the sense that war is slowly consuming the lives around it. The conflict depicted in the novel works as an important event. By jumping from important event to important event, Harrison allows the protagonist to express his sense of confusion. Much like a lost soul, the soldier seems to wander through time. This effect, although not conventional, allows the reader to understand the effect that war can have on the mind, as well as contributes to the impression of a dazed soldier. In addition to this, the jumping of event also can contribute to a sense of befuddlement, suggesting that war cannot be understood, and lack of control. This lack of control can relate back to the inability to stop the damaging effects of war, but can also help portray the situation of the soldier: A soldiers life is not his own, but belongs to the hierarchy of war. This sense of being lost, and not belonging to ones self, is supported when Ha rrison does not give the novel a satisfactory and definitive resolution. Although the protagonist was sent home because of his leg injury, the reader knows that the conflict stays with him even after his separation from the war. The war bears eternal inner conflicts that an individual who had seen and borne the war will wrestle with throughout most of his life. This final portrayal of the damaging effects of war is, in truth, the turning point in Harrisons protagonist; making the young soldier a round character. Harrison depicts most of the characters as people who do not feel a glorified and heroic attachment to war. They are all practical and intent on staying alive during the course of the war. These characters are regular people who see the war as a terrifying nuisance and a needless disruption to their normal lives. The protagonist represents the qualities and features of all the other characters in the story, but shows signs of a struggling sense of self as well. Harrison tries to capture the realistic emotions and concerns of regular soldiers in his characterization of the male young protagonist. In the novel, the lead character holds no romantic notions about the war. He did not join the war out of patriotism or the need to feel heroic. He went there because he had to and was left with no choice. The first chapter of the novel sees the protagonist and all the other soldiers leaving Montreal with a heavy heart. They were well aware that their participation offered two possibilities: l ife or death. What makes Harrisons characters realistic is that the soldiers in the story are made to see the war for what it truly is. Their reactions to the war are honest because they have been exposed to the horrors of flying shrapnel and dead boys. What they see; hear; and feel, they reflect in the novel without pretense or pride. The horrific actions required for survival have humbled the soldiers, much like the thoughts of the protagonist after witnessing Brownies death. The soldiers felt no hate towards their enemies, but wished only to survive; they looked without resentment towards the woods. [They were] animated only by a biting hunger for safety. Safetyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (47) and the protagonist was not ashamed to admit that their immediate reaction was not pity, but the pressing need to survive and live. These harsh living conditions, allow the soldiers to view the war from an entirely new perspective. The characters, particularly the protagonist, develop acute perceptions of the truth due to intense experiences. This is generally caused by self-reflection after some sort of struggle, similar to the internal conflict that the nameless soldier experienced after killing the young German soldier with his bayonette. Due to this and other conflicts, the protagonist eventually came to the realization that the true enemies in the war were not the soldiers from the opposing camp, but the struggles and hardships they continued to face. More specifically, the lead character believes that the their enemies are- the lice, some of our officers, and death (36). The protagonist also concluded, along with his fellow soldiers, that while they are busy fighting the war; others are making a profit out the necessities and demands of war. Each soldier wish[es] the war was over, but believe me, theres plenty that dont (143). These perceptions reflect the characters understanding of wars true nature. From their perspective, the war is entirely cruel and without benefits. More specifically, to the soldier this business of military glory and arms means carrying parties, wiring fatigues, wet clothes, and cowering in a trench under shellfire (140). The characters in the novel are skilled in bringing down the narrative of war from its high and mighty perch, and pulling it onto the ground to reduce it to facts. Harrison simply reflects the ideals of his characters by his use of language. The novel is saturated with a language that is terse and to the point. Harrison does this on purpose in an endeavor to support and expound on the novels theme and intent. Conversations between comrades are never lengthy or pompous. While many would surmise that talks during war would tend to veer towards the philosophical, in truth, soldiers exchange few in depth conversations. Due of the tension-filled surroundings and the dire context they find themselves in, the soldiers often find the need to seek relief. Their conversations reflect this as they often daydream of food and clean sheets. In fact philosophy is almost never discussed between soldiers, and religion was only sought after in moments where one found himself close to death. During these moments the language used becomes more abrupt and jolting, adding to a sense of terror. The abrupt contains the apprehension, worries, and pain of the soldiers. Aware of this, Harrison employs disjointed, and almost monosyllabic, articulations and exchanges to create the sense of tension. The frugal use of language can give off a sense of dread, allowing readers to immerse or take part in the experience of the characters. When being bombarded in trenches, the world around them didnt burst into extravagant, superfluous trains on thought and emotion; the world erupted into chaos and fragments of clear thought. The sky is lit by hundreds of fancy fireworks like a night carnival. The air shrieks and catcalls. Still they come. I am terrified. I hug the earth, digging my fingers into every crevice, every hole. A blinding flash and an exploding howl a few feet in front of the trench. My bowels liquefy. (25). This effect causes a more direct focus on the basic emotions and instinct in a moment of severe stress. This lack of thought process gives the protagonist animal-like qualities and emphasizes the sense of immediacy and confusion for the reader: this highlights their connection to the protagonist and creates an emotional reaction in the reader that is closer to what one may experience in war.. However, short sentences are not the only way in which Harrison creates this effect. To depict the war in realistic and personal terms, Harrison adopts the first person point of view, using the pronouns I and We throughout the novel. The first person perspective makes the realities of war more pronounced and believable. The way in which he switches from the use of I and we can give the reader a more powerful reaction to the events in the book. During stressful times, as depicted in the excerpt above, the protagonist refers to himself as I to emphasize his survival instinct, and the action in the scene. In other words, the realism that Harrison aims at is conveyed effectively because the protagonist tells his story of war from his own vantage point. The events, feelings, and ideas contained in the novel take their basis on the narrator having participated in the war himself. . However, during periods of rest or contemplation, the protagonist uses the pronoun we to refer to himself and his comrades. The use of we enables the reader to realize that the war extends beyond the protagonist. In addition to this, the pronoun we promotes the reader to feel the unifying effects of war, ultimately creating a more realistic account of the war. It is not enough that Harrison employs a first person point of view; he chooses to depict the war from the perspective of the soldier. This is an imperative narrative strategy because it creates more trust between the reader and the protagonist, encouraging a sense of reliability. In his novel, Generals Die in Bed, Charles Harrison challenges all the glorifying and romantic notions people may have about war. Although his protagonist is not a hero, he is a realistic representation of the survivor. The war in which the soldiers see themselves holds no splendor, but it kills, traumatizes, and scars. This is the war that Harrison came to witness as a former soldier, and this is the image in which he hopes to leave his readers. Armed with this vivid experience, he makes no attempt to discolor the truths about war. In not aspects of his novel does Harrison shy from his realistic perception of war. In fact, the strategic method in which Harrison constructed his novel helps to convey his message to his readers: war holds no glory, it holds not meaning, and yet it is pursued.

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.