Going Home

Going Home Im currently sitting in the SeaTac airport, waiting for my flight back to Boston thats been delayed for ~2 hours. One part of me is ecstatic to get back to campus after a much needed break, to see my MIT friends again and thoroughly enjoy IAP. But another part of me is mourning my early departure from the west coast while my closest high school friends remain here for another couple of weeks. That, and my family will be going to Seahawks playoff game(s) while Im stuck yelling at a TV about 3,051 miles away. I think if you were to ask me point blank, Where is home? I would say Kirkland, Washington. Its where Ive spent most of my life, where my family is and I return for the holidays, where I can get behind the wheel after six months of no driving and navigate the roads by a map carved into my memory. A home base, if you will; a place where Ill always be able to return no matter where my adventures take me. And because of this sense of stability, this idea that Ill always have somewhere safe in the world, Ive never been that afraid of uprooting my life and continuing to grow elsewhere. The idea of flying 6 hours (+/- the 3 hour time zone shift) away from everywhere Ive known was far less frightening than the idea of finding out my careful college decision was wrongthat MIT was not the right school for me, after all. Establishing MIT as a second home hasnt been the easiest idea to pound into my often-stubborn brain, to be honest. I didnt immediately have the IHTFP (of the paradise-variety) mentality. This past semester, especially, made me question my motivation, talent, future goals, mental health, and decision to stay enrolled in an expensive school while my parents are funding my education. While the strong friendships Ive forged over the past year and a half are a wonderful support system, I spent a lot of time introspectively thinking what I, personally, needed/wanted from a school and as a next stage in life. And Im still not sure I have an answer. What I did decide: my friends here are awesome and I wouldnt trade them for anything; theyre what make me laugh and remember to adventure and miss the school (for example, in a single day post-finals there was derpy reindeer piñata-makinghis name is Clarenceand spontaneous snowman construction, both pictured below) MITs very very flexible policy on switching majors is wonderful and I shouldnt be afraid to experiment you dont have to emerge from this school as an engineer… especially at the cost of your happiness (cannot stress this enough) anywhere can become a home if youre ready to accept it as one (cheesy, yes, but also true)   Anyway, my flight is boarding in approximately 5 minutes, I think Ive hit the deep thoughts limit for this post, and Im ready to read a couple of books and get back to my on-campus family. Update: My flight did not actually board in approximately 5 minutes. Because of the ruthlessness of bad luck, it was cancelled and I had to stand in a line with 300 other people until 2am trying to rebook. Not because of the weather, mind you, but because the first officer didnt show up. Oh well back to campus as soon as possible! Going Home Pan-Fried Chicken with Rice and Vegetables 3 chicken legs Rice (basmati or jasmine works pretty well) Carrots, snow peas (or assorted vegetables) Garlic and onion for saute Oil (for saute and pan-frying the chicken) Cumin Pepper 1. Coat chicken legs with cumin and black pepper (add garlic powder if desired). 2. Chop garlic, onion, and carrots. Wash snow peas. 3. Heat skillet, and add oil once heated. 4. Shake off excess cumin and pepper, and place chicken legs, skin down, on the oil to pan-fry. 5. Once chicken skin begins to change color/aroma begins to develop, add garlic and onion to the skillet to fry along with the chicken. 6. When the onion begins to take on a golden shade, add water to the skillet so that the chicken legs are 3/4 submerged in the water. 7. Place lid on skillet, and allow to steam until almost all the water has evaporated (10-20 minutes). 8. While the chicken is cooking, begin preparing rice. 9. Wash rice once or twice with cold water, and add 1.5 to 2 times as much water as there is rice. 10. Place rice on stove at high heat (uncovered) until the water boils. 11. Once the water boils, immediately reduce heat to simmer, and cover the pan. 12. Allow the water to evaporate until you begin to see crater-like indentations in your rice about the size of half a penny. Once you see this and determined that most of the water had evaporated, take the rice off the stove. 13. Continue to steam the rice off the stove, with the lid on for ~15 to 20 minutes. After this, take the lid off and fluff up the rice. 14. Sometime during the steaming process, the chicken should be ready. You should see the chicken and a condensed sauce at the bottom of the skillet. Remove the chicken and place on freshly steamed rice (when the rice is ready). Be careful not to leave the chicken on the stove too long as the sauce can easily burn once theres no more water left. 15. After youve taken out the chicken, you can use the remaining sauce to stir-fry the vegetables that youve prepared. (if the sauce is too salty from the cumin you can either use a portion of the sauce and add water or just boil/stir-fry the vegetables without sauce). It may help to place the carrots in boiling water for a couple minutes before stir-frying, as it helps to cook faster. Dont add the snow peas in too early as it only really takes ~1 minute to finish stir-frying it if your skillet is hot enough. 16. Serve with chicken, rice, and vegetables :) Its 6:45 AM, and Ive spent all of last night packing up the room and my last day enjoying Boston (which is amazingly gorgeous right now, albeit actually HOT (?!?! it was 90 degrees out)). My 24-hour journey back to Taiwan begins at 9:30 AM and Im heading off to Logan in about 30 minutes. This semester was the most intense semester I had (and coincidentally, also with the worst grades if you discount frosh first semester). This probably explains my absence from substantive entries and my random blog outbursts during finals week. =p Ive learned that Im okay at biology, but yes, it does suck to be a premed at MIT (mainly because of the grading scale, unless you are just really really smart and can stay on top of it =p). I know I complain a lot on the blogs (especially orgo =p), so heres an apology to all of you that were like PSSSH PREMEDS. Trust me, I dont like the premed mindset either but you gotta do what you gotta do. Maybe Ill get around to writing about my semester once Im back in sunny Taiwan and has caught up on sleep (I probably have about a 75-hour deficit at this point ). So, my friends, I leave Cambridge with this. If you dont like HSM, too bad. ^___^V

Native American Cultural Assessment the Cherokee

The word Cherokee comes from a Creek word Chelokee meaning people of a different speech. In their own language the Cherokee called themselves the Aniyunwiya or principal people or the Keetoowah, people of Kituhwa. The Cherokee are perhaps one of the most interesting of Native American Groups. Their life and culture are closely intertwined with early American settlers and the history of our own nation s struggle for freedom. In the interest of promoting tolerance and peace, and with regard to the United States government s handling of Native affairs, their story is one that is painful, stoic, and must not be forgotten. The Cherokee people were a large and powerful tribe. The Cherokees Macro-Siouan- Iroquoian language†¦show more content†¦These houses were built by the men and took quite a while to build. Construction began in early spring to get the boards from trees. When summer came around the men stopped with the houses and turned to planting crops. As fall arrived the men began to actually put the houses together. Often men from other towns came to help their fellow Cherokee. The Cherokee society was organized into clans, or kin groups. There were seven major Cherokee clans, each identified by a particular animal totem. A variety of clans was represented in each community and performed significant social, legal, and political functions. This seven-clan system distinguished the Cherokee from the many other Native American tribes. The number seven is found throughout Cherokee legends, beliefs, and customs including their seven-sided council house, and the seven Cherokee festivals. The seven-sided provided seven sections of seats within, giving each clan a section for its representatives within the governmental structure. The Cherokee clans are a matrilineal society. The home, family, children, inheritance, family ties, and clan membership are under the control and guidance of the women members. Traditionally, The husband served to supply meat and father the children. All Cherokee children belonged to their mother, and clan lineage is passed through the mother. Grooms were adopted into theShow MoreRelated Native American Cultural Assessment: The Cherokee Essay2962 Words   |  12 Pages The word Cherokee comes from a Creek word quot;Chelokeequot; meaning quot;people of a different speech.quot; In their own language the Cherokee called themselves the Aniyunwiya or quot;principal peoplequot; or the Keetoowah, quot;people of Kituhwa.quot; The Cherokee are perhaps one of the most interesting of Native American Groups. Their life and culture are closely intertwined with early American settlers and the history of our own nation’s struggle for freedom. In the interest of promotingRead MoreUnited States Women s Histories1579 Words   |  7 PagesUnited States Women s Histories AMH 2090 Final Project Essay Dana L. 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In North AmericaRead MoreThe Worlds Environment Influences How They Behave1629 Words   |  7 Pagespassed down from his mother or created directly from his social environment, has affected his social functioning. Due to his anxious nature Raul, was labeled as having a learning disability. As social workers â€Å"we will be called upon to deliver assessments of people that reflect the complexities of these elements of human condition-body, mind, soul, and environment. We must understand as best as we can how the body, mind and environment interact† (Saleebey, 2001, pg.92). Raul, a fourth grader inRead MoreEssay Native American Relations with The United States4012 Words   |  17 PagesNative American Relations with The United States What were the significant treaties, policies, and events that defined US Government and Native American Relations? How did the Native American respond to these treaties, polices, and events historically? 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The 1960’s and 70’s belonged to a tumultuous period in American history, characterized by an array of social and political movements including anti-Vietnam war activism, the origination of a â€Å"counterculture† which strove for societal liberation, the civil rights movement, and the rise of feminism (McGee WarmsRead MoreNative American Gangs During European Colonization2674 Words   |  11 Pages Bernadette Stafford Final Draft May 20, 2015 Native American Gangs Prior to European colonization, North America was home to up to ten million indigenous people with distinct cultures and hundreds of languages. Within 500 years the population was halved through disease and genocide. Today, Native American’s make up 5.2 million or 2% of the US population (US Census 2013). This population has suffered the trauma of genocide, dislocation, poverty and oppression mostly through policies and confrontations

Introducing Esl Writing Test Essay Samples

Introducing Esl Writing Test Essay Samples Most Noticeable Esl Writing Test Essay Samples This form of essay writing will ask you to use conditional sentence structures. Don't forget to write about either side of the argument, if you are requested to do so in the essay question. These essays aren't meant as a stand-in for having a superior fundamental comprehension of grammar and writing structure. For instance, if you're writing an essay on How Global Warming can be lowered, it's going to be a fantastic idea you take a minute to define what global warming is about in your introductory paragraph. The next paragraph introduces another idea. The introduction or the introductory paragraph is quite a relevant part of your essay on account of the simple fact it states the principal idea of your composition. The conclusion can be composed of a few sentences. Your conclusion does not need to have to be complex or extraordinary. Make sure that you have chosen the suitable topic before starting! The lecture might incorporate information that isn't regarding the reading. After reading the passage, then you'll listen to a lecture on the very same topic. Then you are going to listen to a lecture regarding the exact same topic. The photograph that I'm using as an instance is extremely striking and caught my attention in a time I was experiencing plenty of stress at home. At the conclusion of your test a screen will inform you exactly how lots of the questions you got right and the length of time you took to finish the test. You will be asked to finish your test by closing time . Set aside a while to write. A Startling Fact about Esl Writing Test Essay Samples Uncovered Within this section you'll find samples of essays belonging to different essay types and manners of formatting. You must get as much information as you can. One, we apply an extremely careful collection of our writers. It's only normal to be anxious about hiring an on-line essay writer since you can't ever be sure whether you are employing the ideal service or not. Esl Writing Test Essay Samples Help! Now you understand how to compose an SAT essay. The sample essay is all about computers. SAT Essay writing requires an extremely particular set of skills. Starting to compose an essay can be challenging. In English Language, compositions or essays actually are one of the most crucial facets of the subject. It will be useful to compose essays. To put it differently, the essay should say how you intend to get ready for class. Writing essays, needless to say! Browsing our essay writing samples can offer you a sense whether the standard of our essays is the quality you're looking for. If you fret about the characteristic of your essay as well as you're worrying about whether you can discover a paper writer you may trust, you have arrived at the perfect location. A students should aim to provide a reminder of the principal flavors of the essay. You are unable to write a great essay when you're in a rush or thinking about various other things you need to do. Secondly, naturally, you require good English! The lecture follows the identical pattern, with the principal points matching up with the key points in the reading passage. Whichever strategy you use, however, be sure to ke ep your eye on the time so that you don't run out of time for analyzing and writing! In planning for the decision of the essay, the students should choose the chance to reaffirm their position. Looking at IELTS essay topics with answers is a superb approach that will help you to get ready for the test. Your answers could be very different. You won't be required to get any former knowledge on a topic. Before you test, make sure to review. Introducing Esl Writing Test Essay Samples These essays must be regarded as supplementary material and ought to be utilised as a complement to your existing ESL curriculum at school. Writing good compositions is vital in the English Language in the feeling that it permits the student to have the ability to express what is in their mind regarding a specific matter. Regardless of what you're studying in college, very good writing skills are vital. Most have to visit the city to have a fantastic education. The committee will present their approval on Tuesday. GAMSAT is a well-known term among students. All students that are applying for college or university are expected to compose an essay. Having rules about Internet usage is inadequate. You should keep in mind that the body is the point where the vast majority of your marks lie. As people say practice makes perfect and they're not wrong. When you're learning a foreign language your main desire is to get started speaking it whenever possible and hopefully sound like a native speaker.

Kmart Corporation Free Essays

Kmart Corporation Calandra Kimbrough BUS 692 Strategies in Human Resource Management Dr. Lao January 21, 2013 Kmart is an American chain of discount stores headquartered in the United States. The chain purchased Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. We will write a custom essay sample on Kmart Corporation or any similar topic only for you Order Now Increasing productivity is one of the most critical goals in organizations such as Kmart. In this paper I will be assessing the technology requirements relevant to employee productivity, staffing systems, career development systems, and training systems used by Kmart. Training Training is essential when hiring new people to an organization. Training refers to the methods employers use to give new or present employees the skills they need to perform their jobs. Training is one of the most profitable investments an organization can make. No matter what business or industry you are in the steps for an effective training process are the same and may be adapted anywhere. The first step is establishing a needs analysis. Training needs analysis is a systematic method for determining what caused performance to be less than expected or required (Blanchard 2010). An effective training needs assessment analysis will help direct resources to areas of greatest demand. The assessment should address resources needed to fulfill organizational mission, improve productivity, and provide quality products and services. This step identifies activities to justify an investment for training. The techniques necessary for the data collection are surveys, observations, interviews, and customer comment cards. Several examples of an analysis outlining specific training needs are customer dissatisfaction, low morale, low productivity, and high turnover. The objective in establishing a needs analysis that is used at Kmart is to find out the answers to the following questions: – â€Å"Why† is training needed? â€Å"What† type of training is needed? – â€Å"When† is the training needed? – â€Å"Where† is the training needed? – â€Å"Who† needs the training? and â€Å"Who† will conduct the training? – â€Å"How† will the training be performed? By determining training needs, Kmart can decide what specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes are needed to improve the employee’s performance in accordance with the company’s standards. Training is necessary if you notice a need for performance improvements and operational problems and changes. The second step is developing training programs and manuals (Infande, 2012). This step establishes the development of current job descriptions and standards and procedures. Job descriptions should be clear and concise and may serve as a major training tool for the identification of guidelines. Once the job description is completed, a complete list of standards and procedures should be established from each responsibility outlined in the job description. This will standardize the necessary guidelines for any future training. The final step is evaluating your training program after you have initiated it. This step will determine how effective and profitable your training program has been. Methods for evaluation are pre-and post- surveys of customer comments cards, the establishment of a cost/benefit analysis outlining your expenses and returns, and an increase in customer satisfaction and profits (Infande, 2012). There are several obvious benefits for evaluating a training program. First, evaluations will provide feedback on the trainer’s performance, allowing them to improve themselves for future programs. Second, evaluations will indicate its cost-effectiveness. Third, evaluations are an efficient way to determine the overall effectiveness of the training program for the employees as well as the organization (Infande, 2012). Staffing Staffing systems involve complex processes and decisions that require organizational direction, coordination, and evaluation. Most organizations must create mechanisms for managing their staffing system and its components. Such management of staffing systems requires consideration of both administration and evaluation, as well as legal issues. Staffing factors may also cause problems. Some examples of why poor staffing can be a problem are too heavy a workload, an under staffing can cause people to make mistakes. Hiring people who are inexperienced to do the job which may have them making costly mistakes. Also hiring people who are lazy, or have bad attitudes can cause low morale among the workers that can lead to good people quitting. Career Development Providing ongoing career development programs is one strategy a business can use to retain employees and reduce turnover. It’s in the best interest of a company to ensure all employees are properly trained, kept up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in their field, and are generally interested in furthering their individual careers. The task of overseeing training programs and working with employees on assessing and improving their skill levels, as well as ensuring workers are in the position best suited to them is left to the career development manager. Kmart is becoming much more proactive in its training of employees. A great deal of importance has been placed on training and development. Kmart is starting to commit to helping its employees develop the skills needed to succeed in its retail and corporate environments. Conclusion The need for training your employees has never been greater. As business and industry continues to grow, more jobs will become created and available. Customer demands, employee morale, employee productivity, and employee turnover as well as the current economic realities of a highly competitive workforce are just some of the reasons for establishing and implementing training in an organization. To be successful, all training must receive support from the top management as well as from the middle and supervisory levels of management. It is a team effort and must be implemented by all members of the Kmart corporation staff to be fully successful. For a training program to be successful, the trainer should be conscious of several essential elements, including a controlled environment, good planning, the use of various training methods, good communication skills, and trainee participation (Infande, 2012). ? References Infande, D. A. (2012). The Four Basic Steps in the Training Process. Retrieved July 23, 2012 Blanchard, P. N. Thacker, J. W. (2010). Effective Training: Systems, Strategies, and Practices (4th ed). Upper Saddle River, N. J: Prentice Hall. ISBN: 9780136078326 How to cite Kmart Corporation, Papers

Michael Jordan Essays (487 words) - National Basketball Association

Michael Jordan annon Critical Essay On A CNN Article At: http://cnn.com/CNN/bureaus/chicago/special/9806/bulls/mj.htm Mr. Jordan CNN resource reports the Michael Jordan effect on the economy. Michael Jordan is as CNN states golden marking tool . Michael Jordan makes much less that he is worth. With the impact he put on the economy Michael Jordan should be able to receive any amount of payment he ask for. Michael Jordan is Mr. Indorse. Michael is an advertising icon. Today Michael Jordan indorses for some of the major companies in the field today. Michael Jordan indorses for the top name brand shoe in the word Nike. He also peddles products for McDonalds, Oakley, Hanes, long distance company WorldCom, and Gatorade. Michael Jordan also have his own clothing line. Michael Jordan also have his on fragrance. Michael owns his own restaurant in Chicago. where he often attend twice a week to evaluate the service. Michael Jordan recently Open up his on golf company which is name after him. This newest venture Attracts millions of golfers. Michael Jordan also has his own line of golf clothing. As you can see Michael Jordan is a very busy man. He is as active off the court as he is on the court. On the court Michael Jordan is the same type of man. He takes care of his busy first then after it time for fun. Michael Jordan is as the CNN states the greatest athlete ever to play the game, he is best there is, the best there was the best there every will be. Michael Jordan is basketball; basketball would completely drop a level when or if he leave. The NBA doesn't have a player that has the skills, accomplishments, or character of a Michael Jordan. Everything he brings to the game is unique. Michael Jordan is 35 years of age. Jordan ranked 1st in the NBA in points per game averaging (28.7), ranked 16th in the NBA in steals per game averaging (1.72), ranked 17th in the NBA in minutes per game averaging (38.8). These are just the 1997-1998 season statistics. With this short introduction of Michael Jordan one would ask himself why would one consider him as over paid. Why won't I give him what he deserves as a busy man and an athlete. Jordan is the greatest of the game. The NBA deprive not only themselves but also the fans of seeing the phenomenal, the dominant, the supreme, and the optimum of basketball? For someone to bring to the table of the NBA what Jordan and to the world what Jordan has brought, I do not understand why would anyone consider him as over paid. Knowing all of that about Michael Jordan one would question himself about just how much is Jordan appraisal. Today with all the resource I have done Michael Jordan is value at 43.7 billion dollars. Through statistics I have learn to appreciate Jordan but on the court and off the court. So, think about it is Jordan overpaid or underpaid. Some seem to think both but if you do the resource that I have then you also will be able to appreciate Jordan as the most expensive athlete ever.

Road Construction Essays

Road Construction Essays Road Construction Essay Road Construction Essay International Infrastructure Project Cost Estimating Work Breakdown Paul Hewitt, International Project Estimating Limited Introduction Construction Cost Estimating Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The term WBS has become a common term in all fields related to Cost Engineering including Construction Cost Estimating, Scheduling and Project Cost Control. A well defined WBS is the backbone of good Construction Estimating Software and can take several forms including the breakdown of items within an estimate, the layout of groups within a schedule or the rollup of accounts within a cost report. It usually starts with a client’s desire to breakdown a tender into definable pay items, followed by the project manager’s wish to schedule activities of work in a logically and efficient manner and the contract cost control engineer’s goal to track and forecast costs. In each case a properly organized WBS is required. The Phases of a Civil Infrastructure Project The cycle of developing, designing, constructing and maintaining Civil Infrastructure projects includes many phases and participants. The projects usually originate with a developer or government body who formulate a concept design and budget. If the project is approved it then moves on to preliminary design and a more detailed budget is estimated. Depending on the financing options available, the project may go out as a traditional Detailed Design and Bid Build project or proposals may be solicited for Design Build or Design Build and Finance options. Participants within the Project Cycle The life of a major international infrastructure project can involve many participants and span across many years. These projects involve developers, government agencies, engineers, contractors, operators, environmentalists and community stake holders. It is essential for the success of a project that all participants within the project cycle communicate and transfer data efficiently and consistently. Lack of a Standard Industry Wide Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The dilemma that the international construction industry faces today is that there has been no common work breakdown upon which to communicate and transfer data between project participants. Traditional agencies like state and provincial highway authorities have all developed their own tender breakdowns, many of which that have been around long before the creation of electronic data transfer. Construction estimators have tended to follow the layout of the bids as provided by the government agencies. The scheduler commonly ignores the estimate breakdown because it does not logically adapt well to the sequence of work activities. The cost control engineer has to rollup the project costs into a corporate chart of accounts that even creates more inconsistency. Current Standard Work Breakdown Structures Many standard project work breakdown structures have been created over the years. The CSI (Construction Specifications Institute) format in North America and the SMM7 (Standard Method of Measurement) format in Great Britain are the most common and have been in existence for over 40 years. These originated as breakdowns for commercial building construction and quantity survey but both have evolved over the years to include other forms of construction. The State of California USA (DOT) Department of Transportation and the Province of Ontario Canada (MTO) Ministry of Transportation are examples of transportation government agencies whom have standardized tender breakdowns. The CSI (Construction Specifications Institute), the most popular Work Breakdown in North America, recently introduced an expanded version of their MasterFormat â„ ¢ in 2004 [1]. This work breakdown was expanded from the tradition 16 divisions of work covering building construction to include 50 divisions of work covering civil site work as well as process equipment. A Proposed Standard for an International Infrastructure Project Work Breakdown None of the current breakdowns, including CSI, fully cover the complete civil infrastructure project cycle including; development, engineering, construction, operations, maintenance and risk mitigation. The current CSI MasterFormat â„ ¢ 2004 Edition [1] comes closest to covering all the scope of work found in the construction of Building Facilities and Site Work. It falls short in addressing the unique requirements of estimators, schedulers and cost engineers in identifying all phases of work included in major Infrastructure work such as Build Own and Transfer (BOT) projects. This Standard Work Breakdown attempts to format the project into a multi-level WBS suited to estimate, schedule, track cost and measure performance on international infrastructure projects. The breakdown is also designed to facilitate the data transfer of a standard work breakdown between common estimating, scheduling and cost control software applications. The International Infrastructure Project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The following paragraphs outline the various sub-projects and phases within the Civil Infrastructure WBS. The Sub-Projects within a Civil Infrastructure Project Life Cycle Traditional work breakdown structures in the past have only identified the Construction Divisions within a project. This proposed work breakdown includes all phases within the life span of the project cycle, including Development, Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Transfer and Risk. 1 Project Capital Cost 1. 1 1. 2 1. 3 1. 4 1. 5 1. 6 2. 1 2. 2 2. 3 2. 4 2. 5 3. 1 3. 2 3. 3 3. 4 3. 5 Overhead Construction Equipment Engineering Design Capital Cost Escalation Capital Cost Risk Proposal Financial Close Development Overhead Development Escalation Development Risk Operations Maintenance Transfer O M Escalation OM Risk 2 Project Development 3 Operations Maintenance Project Capital Cost The Project Capital Costs are normally the initial cost of the project, also referred to as the initial investment for the project. It is within this phase that the project is designed and built. Traditional work breakdowns have only included direct construction divisions. This WBS includes Site Head Office Overheads, Construction Equipment as well as Rolling Stock and Engineering. 1. 1 Overhead 1. 1. 1 1. 1. 2 1. 1. 3 1. 1. 4 1. 2. 1 1. 2. 2 1. 2. 3 1. 3. 1 1. 3. 2 1. 3. 3 1. 4. 1 1. 4. 2 1. 4. Site Indirect Costs Head Office Overhead Unallocated Costs Bonding Insurance Facilities Site Work Infrastructure Construction Equipment Operations Vehicles Transit Vehicles Site Investigation Engineering Design Resident Engineering 1. 2 Construction 1. 3 Equipment 1. 4 Engineering Design Project Development With the advent of the Build Own procurement model the activities and costs associated with the financial development of the project also ha ve to be accounted for and tracked. On major Civil Infrastructure projects, separate entities called â€Å"Concessionaires† have evolved to take on this responsibility. The concessionaire is often a joint venture company comprised of the contractors involved with the project or can be a separate entity on their own. The activities performed by the concessionaire have to be defined within the work breakdown structure. These activities are split into 3 distinct phases; the Proposal Phase during which time the proposal and financial models are prepared, the Financial Close phase, where the concessionaire negotiates with banks and financial institutions to procure financing for the project and the Operations phase, where the concessionaire manages or oversees the operation of the facility. On some international projects it may take several years to finalize all the legal agreements in order to get to financial close. 2. 1 Proposal 61. 10. 00 61. 20. 00 61. 30. 00 61. 40. 00 61. 50. 00 63. 10. 00 63. 10. 00 63. 10. 00 63. 10. 00 63. 10. 00 63. 10. 00 63. 10. 00 Proposal Preparation Financial Modeling Legal Due Diligence Financial Due Diligence Success Fees Management Salaries General Expenses Office Facilities Office Services Public Relations Travel Subsistence Municipal Taxes 2. 2 Financial Close 2. 3 Concessionaire Overhead Operations and Maintenance In addition to building and owning infrastructure facilities the concessionaire (developer) is normally required to operate and maintain the facility over an extended period of time. The concession period can extend for 20 to 30 years. At the end of the period that facility is then transferred back to the municipality or government agency. The WBS must include the ability to estimate, schedule and track these operations maintenance activities over the concession period. The staff involved with operating infrastructure facilities can include Management, Supervisors, System Controllers, Fare Collectors and Vehicle Operators. Energy Consumption can include electric power consumption for transit vehicles and fuel for buses. Consumables include tickets. Maintenance can include such things as the cost of maintaining and cleaning buildings, repairing highway pavements, cutting and watering grass, replacing bridge bearings and maintaining ticket vending machines. Maintenance can also include the labor and parts required to operate transit vehicles over the concession period. Transferring the facility back to the government includes demobilization costs such as cleanup costs, staff severance as well as audit fees required to transfer the assets. 3. 1 Operations 3. 1. 1 3. 1. 2 3. 1. 3 Staff Salaries Overhead Energy 3. 1. 4 3. 1. 5 3. 2 Maintenance 3. 2. 1 3. 2. 2 3. 2. 3 3. 2. 4 3. 2. 5 3. 3. 1 3. 3. 2 Consumables Insurance Bonding Facility Maintenance Road Site Work Maintenance Infrastructure Maintenance Rolling Stock Maintenance Service Vehicle Maintenance Demobilization Legal Audit 3. 3 Transfer The Construction Phase of Work Breakdown Structure The Construction phase of the Capital Cost portion of the project is still where most of the detailed scheduling and cost control tasks are required. Most current WBS layouts have addressed the direct construction costs in detail. The following paragraphs describe how current breakdown structures have been adapted and revised to form part of the proposed Civil Infrastructure WBS. Summary Levels within the Construction Cost Breakdown The cost of construction has been summarized into definable levels that can be estimated, scheduled and procured. These sections are structured to help the estimator, scheduler or cost control engineer group the project into definable work packages. These work packages can also serve as subcontract procurement packages. The following table lists the main summary levels within the Construction Phase of an Infrastructure Project. 1. 2. 1 Facilities 1. 2. 1. 1 1. 2. 1. 2 1. 2. 2. 1 1. 2. 2. 2 1. 2. 2. 3 1. 2. 2. 4 1. 2. 2. 5 1. 2. 2. 6 1. 2. 2. 7 1. 2. 3. 1 1. 2. 3. 2 1. 2. 3. 3 1. 2. 3. 4 1. 2. 3. 5 1. 2. 3. 6 1. 2. 3. 7 Buildings Building Services Existing Conditions Earthwork Paving Landscaping Site Improvements Utilities Traffic Control Walls Bridges Tunnels Rail Airfield Marine Dams 1. 2. 2 Site Work 1. 2. 3 Infrastructure CSI MasterFormat â„ ¢ 2004 Divisions of Work It is under construction summary levels that the author has followed the basic divisions of work as defined by CSI MasterFormat â„ ¢ 2004 [1]. In the 2004 version, the term â€Å"Building† construction was replaced with â€Å"Facilities† construction. Building Services that used to be classified under division 15 for Mechanical and division 16 for Electrical were shifted to divisions 20 through 29. New divisions were created covering Civil and Infrastructure from divisions 30 through 39. There are over 3,000 lines within this section of the WBS. We have included sample breakdowns of two of the main CSI divisions here for illustrative purposes. The Building divisions, that remained the same from the original CSI breakdown, and a new breakdown for the Earthworks level, included with the new CSI divisions for Site Work. 1. 2. 1. 1 Buildings 02. 00. 00 03. 00. 00 04. 00. 00 05. 00. 00 06. 00. 00 07. 00. 00 08. 00. 00 09. 00. 00 10. 00. 00 11. 00. 00 12. 00. 00 13. 00. 0 14. 00. 00 31. 21. 00 31. 22. 00 31. 23. 00 31. 24. 00 31. 25. 00 31. 26. 00 31. 27. 00 31. 28. 00 31. 33. 00 31. 38. 00 31. 39. 00 31. 40. 00 Building Site Work Building Concrete Masonry Metals Wood Plastics Thermal Moisture Protection Openings Finishes Specialties Permanent Equipment Furnishings Special Construction Conveying Systems Dewatering Grading Earth Earth Excavation Embankment Construction Erosion Contr ol Sub-grade Preparation Structural Excavation Structural Backfill Rock Stabilization Soil Stabilization Rock Excavation Shoring 1. 2. 2. 2 Earthwork New Infrastructure Items and Activities For Infrastructure work, where similar activities can be included in multiple items, the traditional CSI breakdown does not work for estimating and scheduling purposes. For example; if a Retaining Wall and a Bridge are to be constructed on the same project, they have to be estimated and scheduled separately, yet they both include similar CSI divisions of work such as excavation, setting and stripping formwork, and placing concrete. For this reason, the work breakdown structure must include different WBS codes for these similar activities in the various infrastructure summary levels. The proposed Infrastructure Break down includes the following classifications: Walls, Bridges, Tunnels, Rail, Airfield, Marine, Dams The following table illustrates the different breakdown required for a Wall as opposed to a Bridge, although each are performing essentially the same activities. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2 Cast in Place Walls 03. 11. 01 03. 11. 02 03. 11. 03 03. 12. 01 03. 12. 02 03. 12. 03 03. 12. 04 03. 13. 01 03. 13. 03 03. 21. 01 03. 21. 02 03. 21. 03 03. 22. 01 03. 22. 02 03. 22. 03 03. 22. 05 03. 22. 06 03. 22. 07 03. 22. 08 03. 2. 09 03. 23. 01 03. 23. 02 03. 23. 03 03. 23. 04 03. 24. 04 03. 24. 05 Foundation Preparation Footing Excavation Wall Backfill Mud Slab Concrete Mass Concrete Footing Concrete Wall Concrete Reinforcing Steel Dowels Foundation Preparation Footing Excavation Abutment Backfill Mud Slab Concrete Mass Concrete Footing Concrete Substructure Concrete Deck Concrete Approach Slab Concrete Barrier Wall Concrete Concrete Slope Paving Reinforcing Steel Welded Wir e Fabric Dowels Stressing Systems Pre-cast Concrete Girders Structural Grouting . 2. 3. 2. 1 Bridges Conclusion A comprehensive Work Breakdown Structure is essential for the proper communication of construction cost estimating and scheduling data between all participants in an International Infrastructure Project. The Work Breakdown must include all phases of the project life cycle, from conception, through development, engineering, construction, operations, maintenance and transfer. In order to accomplish this task, the WBS must also be available in formats compatible with the common software applications used to manage these projects. References 1. MasterFormat â„ ¢ 2004 Edition Numbers Titles Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) 99 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA USA 22314

History of Feral Rabbits in Australia

History of Feral Rabbits in Australia Rabbits are an invasive species that has caused immense ecological devastation to the continent of Australia for over 150 years. They procreate with uncontrollable velocity, consume cropland like locusts, and contribute significantly to soil erosion. Although some of the governments rabbit eradication methods have been successful in controlling their spread, the overall rabbit population in Australia is still well beyond sustainable means. History of Rabbits in Australia In 1859, a man named Thomas Austin, a landowner in Winchelsea, Victoria imported 24 wild rabbits from England and released them into the wild for sport hunting. Within a number of years, those 24 rabbits multiplied into millions. By the 1920s, less than 70 years since its introduction, the rabbit population in Australia ballooned to an estimated 10 billion, reproducing at a rate of 18 to 30 per single female rabbit per year. The rabbits started to migrate across Australia at a rate of 80 miles a year. After destroying two million acres of Victorias floral lands, they traversed across the states of New South Wales, South Australia, and Queensland. By 1890, rabbits were spotted all the way in Western Australia. Australia is an ideal location for the prolific rabbit. The winters are mild, so they are able to breed nearly year-round. There is an abundance of land with limited industrial development. Natural low vegetation provides them with shelter and food, and years of geographic isolation has left the continent with no natural predator for this new invasive species. Currently, the rabbit inhabits around 2.5 million square miles of Australia with an estimated population of over 200 million. Feral Australian Rabbits as Ecological Problem Despite its size, much of Australia is arid and not fully fit for agriculture. What fertile soil the continent has is now threatened by the rabbit. Excessive grazing by the rabbit has diminished vegetative cover, allowing wind to erode away top soil. Soil erosion affects revegetation and water absorption. Land with limited top soil can also lead to agricultural run-off and increased salinity. The livestock industry in Australia has been widely affected by the rabbit. As food yields decrease, so does the cattle and sheep population. To compensate, many farmers extend their livestock range and diet, farming a wider expanse of the land and thus further contributing to the problem. The agricultural industry in Australia has lost billions of dollars from the direct and indirect effects of the rabbit infestation. The introduction of the rabbit has also strained the native wildlife of Australia. Rabbits have been blamed for the destruction of the eremophila plant and various species of trees. Because rabbits will feed on seedlings, many trees are never able to reproduce, leading to local extinction. Additionally, due to direct competition for food and habitat, the population of many native animals such as the greater bilby and the pig-footed bandicoot has declined dramatically. Feral Rabbit Control Measures For much of the 19th century, the most common methods of feral rabbit control have been trapping and shooting. But between 1901 and 1907, the Australian government went with a national approach by building three rabbit-proof fences to protect the pastoral lands of Western Australia. The first fence stretched 1,138 miles vertically down the entire western side of the continent, starting from a point near Cape Keravdren in the north and ending in Starvation Harbor in the south. It is considered to be the worlds longest continuous standing fence. The second fence was built roughly parallel to the first, 55 - 100 miles further west, branching off from the original to the southern coast, stretching 724 miles. The final fence extends 160 miles horizontally from the second to the western coast of the country. Despite the enormity of the project, the fence was deemed unsuccessful, since many rabbits traversed over to the protected side during the construction period. Additionally, many have dug their way through the fence, as well. The Australian government also experimented with biological methods to control the feral rabbit population. In 1950, mosquitoes and fleas carrying the myxoma virus were released into the wild. This virus, found in South America, only affects rabbits. The release was highly successful, as an estimated 90-99 percent of the rabbit population in Australia was wiped out. Unfortunately, because mosquitoes and fleas do not typically inhabit arid areas, many of the rabbits living in the continents interior were not affected. A small percentage of the population also developed a natural genetic immunity to the virus and they continued to reproduce. Today, only about 40 percent of rabbits are still susceptible to this disease. To combat the reduced effectiveness of myxoma, flies carrying a rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD), was released in Australia in 1995. Unlike myxoma, RHD is able to infiltrate the arid areas. The disease helped reduced rabbit populations by 90 percent in arid zones. However, like myxomatosis, RHD is still limited by geography. Since its host is a fly, this disease has very little impact on the cooler, higher rainfall regions of coastal Australia where flies are less prevalent. Moreover, rabbits are beginning to develop resistance to this disease, as well. Today, many farmers still use conventional means of eradicating rabbits from their land. Although the rabbit population is a fraction of what it was in the early 1920s, it continues to burden the countrys eco- and agricultural systems. They have lived on Australia for over 150-years and until a perfect virus can be found, theyll probably be there for several hundred more. References Australia Government: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2011, May 27). Feral Animals in Australia. Retrieved from: environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive-species/feral-animals-australiaABC Science (2009, April 09). Australias battle with the bunny. Retrieved from: abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/04/08/2538860.htmBroomhall, F.H. The Longest Fence in the World. Carlisle, Western Australia: Hesperian Press, 1991