The Chapters of my Grandmothers Life Essay Example for Free

The Chapters of my Grandmothers Life Essay An amazing, talented completely young at heart woman who has aged with complete grace and honesty; this is my grandmother, Gloria Whelan. I have dozens of perfectly clear memories from my childhood that would not be the same without her. I have always respected, admired, and attempted to pursue the astonishing way she has woven her faith and love into every aspect of her life. My grandmother recently had her eightieth birthday and is currently living in Northern Michigan with her husband Joseph. She has enjoyed a rewarding and successful career as a childrens author, and is well respected by her husband, friends, peers, and family. Her life, like many of her books, can be divided into chapters and the occasional picture that combine to paint the portrait of a truly remarkable woman. As we open the book of my grandmothers life, we see it began with a comfortable lifestyle, growing up as an only child. This was quickly catapulted into a much more meager living along with all families of America as the Great Depression struck. Her father lost everything he had, and her family was forced to move into apartment housing owned by her uncle. Everyone in her extended family had experienced a similar horrible loss and my grandmother found herself living amongst all her aunts and uncles. As an only child, she unconsciously seemed to fall into the roles of hero and lost child, diving into books in her spare time by always aiming high to reach her goals. Her relatives took on the mascot roles where holes had been left by the lack of siblings and she recalls many of their quirks or family humor from parties. The reality and difficulty of their loss was an incredible burden to her parents, and my grandmother felt that this affected her greatly. It caused to her always appreciate what she had, not only in terms of monetary value but also in terms of strong faith, hope for the future, family support, and good relationships. She always regretted not having a sibling, especially during these rough times where she found herself surrounded mostly by adults. During grade school, she pretended she had an older brother, and even named him Lancelot Reginald Bartholomew which obviously displays her creativity and love for imagination at an early age. Another thing that my grandmother regrets deeply was her parents being so overprotective. As an only child, it can be expected that parents are more defensive; however, my grandmothers parents did not allow her to participate in any physical activities, by herself or with other children. She was not allowed to bike, skate, or swim, and as a result never learned to how to do these seemingly universal activities. She feels that sports and exercise are important to social development and confidence as well as a sense of belonging with peers. At the young age of eight my grandmother came down with rheumatic fever which had her bedridden for a full year. Obviously, for an eight-year-old this is a very traumatic feat, which my grandmother found herself overcoming by diving into books. It was the beginning of a love that led to her career far before she could have guessed. It also allowed for introspective, personal time, which likely led to her great understanding of herself and others.

Advantages and disadvantages of WAN

Advantages and disadvantages of WAN Assumption. The company consist of 4 buildings, one as headquarter which located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and three as branches which located in Jakarta Indonesia, Bangkok Thailand and Manila Filipina. The company consists of 4 departments that are admin staff, IT department, marketing department and human resources department, which have total 40 employees in every office. Each department has 10 employees, which mean every departments room consist of 10 personal computers. LAN architecture will be the same between headquarter and branches. Every building Consist of 3 floors, 1st floors for administrator staff and human resources staff, 2nd floor for IT department and server room and the 3rd floor for marketing and meeting room. Every department has its own peripherals such as printer, scanner, and Photostat machine. Projector will be in meeting room. Have connection to the Internet and connection to each office. Headquarter office has external backup which located in Malaysia nearby headquarter office approximately 2 km, its provide backup for the database. Problem identification. The company does not have network yet. The company does not have DBMS (Database Management System). The company does not have backup yet. Security issues. WAN explanation. There are five sites in the WAN diagram, consist of headquarter office which is located in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, three branches offices which is located in Thailand Filipina and Indonesia and one external backup which is located nearby headquarter office. The function of external backup is to keep the data as the original data. WAN topology. Basically WAN topology is almost similar with the LAN topology consist of point-to-point topology, ring topology and star topology. There are several advantages and disadvantages for every topology. The advantages and disadvantages of each topology will be shown in table bellow. For this company we suggest to use star topology because it is more scalable, provides shorter data paths between two sites and easy to add new nodes, if someday the company will expand the business by adding new branches in the other country it will easy to add to the existing WAN, the disadvantages of star topology is it has single point of failure at the concentrator routers. To overcome this problem network administrator tend to add some alternatives links between sites. WAN transmission technology. For WAN technologies we will do comparison between three technologies that are leased line, frame relay, X.25 and PPP. For WAN technologies we suggest to use frame relay because it can provide performance similar with the lease line with significantly less cost over long distance. Another reason is reduce internetworking cost because with frame relay required fewer port to access other network, increase performance with reduce complexity and definitely it is cheaper than leased line. Lower cost over long distance makes frame relay is good for this company because the branches office located across the country. Technology. For WAN technology we suggest to use VPN (virtual private network). VPN is alternatives technology to replace the more expensive WAN technology. The advantages of VPN that available online on: (http://www.universitydissertations.com/Communications/using-VPN.php) are, provide well security method, less expensive when compare with the WAN technology, reduce setup times, fast network link, simple network topology and productivity improved due to less constraints when compared with other networking methods. And the disadvantage of VPN is limited security for wireless users. According to the comparison above, we suggest to use star topology to each department. It is because star topology is more robustness, when one link fails only that link is affected and not the entire networks, and also it is easy to add new devices into the network if someday the company will expand the network. The major disadvantages of this topology is dependants on the hub or switch, if central hub or switch fails the entire network will be affected, but sometimes this dependency will becomes another advantages of star topology, because it make easy to troubleshoot the errors, if the entire network is not working it will be problems in the hub or switch. And for connecting each floor, we use backbones cable. So overall LAN topology for each office is using tree topology that combines BUS topology and STAR topology. It will combine the advantages of both topologies, which is easy installation, expandable, combine between multipoint and point-to-point. Transmission media. According Michael Palmer and Robert Bruce Sinclair (2003), when choosing the best medium for LAN or WAN, it is important to consider the capabilities and limitations of each type, including factors such as: data transfer speed, use in specific network topologies, distances requirement, cable and cable component cost, additional network equipment that might be required, flexibility and ease of installation, immunity to interference form outside source, and upgrade options. For LAN transmission media is using UTP and fiber optic. UTP or Unshielded Twisted Pair also known as 10BaseT is one of twisted pair type. There are several category of UTP, namely, cat3 has a maximum transmission rate16 Mbps, cat4 maximum rate up to 20 Mbps, cat5 has transmission rate 100Mbps, cat5e transmission rate up to 1000Mbps and cat6 has a transmission rate up to1000Mbps. For cat5e and cat6 is support for using gigabyte Ethernet. For UTP cable in this LAN we use cat5e and cat6. Cat5e is using to connect workstations and peripherals to the switch and switch to the backbones in each departments room. The reason why we select the UTP cat5e because it has high-speed networking capabilities of up to 1000 Mbps. Another UTP that we use is cat 6 to connect between backbones cable and server. This cable can carry twice the bandwidth of cat5 and has less crosstalk than cat5e. Whereas for backbone cables we suggest for using fiber optic, no doubt about it that now a days fiber optic is the best cable. Why we suggest using fiber optic, it is because highest bandwidth than other cable, resistance to electromagnetic interference and Radio frequency interference, secure transmission and early detection of cable damage. The main disadvantage of this cable is very high cost. LAN protocol. We use TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet protocol) for protocol. The reason why we use TCP/IP because: according Michael Palmer and Robert Bruce Sinclair (2003), it has many advantages includes: It is used on most networks and Internet, which makes it the international language of translation. There is a wide range of network device designed compatible with TCP/IP. Most computer operating system now uses TCP/IP as their main protocol. There is a larger body of network professionals who understand TCP/IP. There are several protocol and application of the TCP/IP suite. In our network we only use application that we need such as FTP, DNS, STMP, Telnet, HTTP. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) There is three transfer protocol that support with TCP/IP: FTP, TFTP and NFS. For our network we use FTP because it is the file transfer protocol options preferred by Internet users. FTP is an application that enables to transfer data from one remote device to another, its very useful application in our network because the user in branches office can log in into the headquarter office and download one or more data files, the user have an authorized user ID and password on the host. DNS (Domain name system) DNS is used to converts a computer or domain name to an IP address or that converts form IP address to a computer or domain name. STMP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) STMP is used for sending email. SMTP can only send text files, so files in other format must be converted into text files before sending through STMP. By using this application the staff can send and receive the email. Telnet (telecommunication network) Telnet is used to communicate with host computer usually mainframes minicomputer and to ensure that all network devices connect properly. HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) HTTP is used World Wide Web communication. Using this application protocol the staffs can use internet properly in their workstations. Security. Proxy server. Proxy servers are devices that operate as intermediary agents on behalf of clients that are on a private or protected network. Clients on the protected network send connection requests to the application proxy in order to transfer data to the unprotected network or the Internet. Consequently, the application proxy sends the request on behalf of the internal client. (Jazeb Frahim and Omar Santos, 2005). According to Michael Dance in (http://www.ehow.com/facts_5016663_functions-proxy-server.html) the functions of proxy server are, caching: proxy server will save frequently accessed resources to save the bandwidth and faster loading, content filtering: it will filter the accessed web, by blocking certain web, security: when accessing the website proxy servers send Internet requests through a proxy before reach website destination. The proxy will encrypt the information, such as a password, before passing it onto the website. DMZ (Demilitarized zone) Basically DMZ is separate between public server and the LAN to allow external user to access into public server without access the internal server. Benefit of using DMZ is, by separating the public server with the private servers if someone hacks into one of public server does not mean that he can hacks into the private servers and also does not afford any easy route to the LAN. Multimedia devices.

Human resources Essay -- Business Management Studies

Human resources Human resources is concerned with the employees who work for the organisation. Wise organisations regard staff as the most important resources. Other resources include money, equipment, buildings, land and, materials, however, if the employees are not motivated and only do the minimum work that us requires, then all the money or equipment in the world won’t make the business successful. On the other hand if the employees are keen to do their best, are well trained and committed to the aims of the business, them most organisations will be successful, this is why employees or human resources are so important. The main activities is the human resources function: - The recruitment, retention and dismissal of staff. - The training, development and promotion of staff. - The monitoring and maintenance of the good working conditions. - Health and safety. - Liaison with employee organisations and trade unions. Denbenhams department store human resources policies RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION POLICY & PROCEDURE POLICY The recruitment and selection decision is of prime importance as the vehicle for obtaining the best possible person-to-job fit which will, when aggregated, contribute significantly towards the Company's effectiveness. It is also becoming increasingly important, as the Company evolves and changes, that new recruits show a willingness to learn, adaptability and ability to work as part of a team. The Recruitment & Selection procedure should help managers to ensure that these criteria are addressed. The Company Recruitment and Selection Policy will: - be fair and consistent; - be non-discriminatory on the grounds of sex, race, age, religion or disability; - conform to statutory regulations and agreed best practice. To ensure that these policy aims are achieved, all appointing managers will receive training in effective recruitment and selection. PROCEDURE THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS The following procedure should be used when a post is to be filled. The appointing manager must: Define the job. If it is an existing post, is an exact replacement required or is this an opportunity to revise the requirements. If it is a newly established post be clear on the exact requirements, draw up a job description and consult the appropriate Director / Human Resources Department in relation t... ...ventative measures. Each level of management shall conduct its undertaking in a manner so as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in the Company's employ are not exposed to risks to their health and safety. Every employee shall take reasonable care for his/her own health and safety and for that of all other people who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work. Failure to comply with this policy or with any health or safety requirement by Debenhams shall render any employee(s) responsible liable to disciplinary action, which may include dismissal. All Executives and Managers are responsible for following through to conclusion any particular matter, which gives rise to a risk to the Health and Safety of employees or customers. Health and Safety at Work is a mutual objective of both the Company's management and employees. The Company shall regard its health and safety functions equal to all other functions and therefore will expect the co-operation of all employees. This Health and Safety statement shall be circulated to all employees and displayed on all notice boards in order to ensure full awareness of its contents.

Anorexia Nervosa Essay -- essays research papers

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by a refusal to maintain a minimal normal body weight. A disturbance in perception of body shape and weight is an essential feature of anorexia nervosa. It appears to be far more present in industrialized societies, in which there is an abundance amount of food and in which being considered attractive is linked to being thin. The disorder is most common in countries like the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Japan. More than 95% of cases of anorexia nervosa occur in females between the ages of 14 and 45 years. Most researchers agree that out of every 200 American girls between the ages of 12 and 18, one will develop anorexia to some degree. Therapists find that persons with anorexia usually lack self-esteem and feel they can gain admiration and attention by losing weight and becoming thin. There is no single cause of anorexia nervosa, because it’s a complex disorder with multiple causes that may be different for every person. From what is know it seems that this is a disorder of many causes that come together to produce the illness. These recognized causes include the nature of the personality of the girl herself, aspects of her family its members and relationships, and stresses and problems occurring outside the home, often at school. There is an increase risk in families in which there are other anorexics and this probably indicates a genetic cause also. Some theorists have pointed to socialcultural factors as potential causes ...

No Drug Testing in the Workplace Essay -- legal issues, drug testing

Is it appropriate for employers to test staff for drugs or alcohol? How reliable are these results? Why should some one invade your privacy? Do drug testing determine your skills level for a job? What do drug testing in the work force prove? The arguments against drug testing are it is excessively invasive, may damage relations between employers and employees, and could hamper the recruitment and retention of good staff. In 1986 the Regan administration recommended a drug-testing program for employers. In 1991 The Omnibus Transportation Employee testing act of 1991 were passed. It required mandatory drug testing in trucking and other industries. Over the past 25 years drug testing in the military has increase. Today, approximately 62% of all employers in the US have mandatory drug testing program. Drug testing in the work force have been a very controversial topic ever since. Drug testing should not be in the workplace since it does not measure on the job impairment, do not prevent a ccidents and is an invasion of privacy. There is no clear evidence that drug testing at work has a significant deterrent effect. Drug testing is not a measure of current intoxication and will reveal information about drug use that can have no impact on safety, productivity or performance. Drug testing is designed to detect and punish conduct that is usually engaged in off-duty and off the employer's premises - that is, in private. Employers who conduct random drug tests on workers who are not suspected of using drugs are policing private behavior that has no impact on job performance. Someone may test positive after taking a drug days, weeks or months before. People not generally required to organize their lives to maximize their productivity at work... ...ation and labor. Oversight hearing on drug testing in the workplace. Hearing before the sub- committee on Employment opportunities of the committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives. Durham, Robert, Eugene. Labor Education and Research center. Oregon Univ., and Others and problems in the workplace: AIDS, Drug Testing, Sexual harassment, and Smoking Restrictions LERC Monograh series No. 7. Second Edition. n.p.: 1989. ERIC. Web. 2 Dec. 2013. Elliot, Karen, and Kyna Shelley. â€Å"Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on Behavior, Job Performance, And workplace safety.† Journal of Employment Counseling 43.3 (2006): 130. ERIC. Web. 2 Dec. 2013 â€Å"One Hundredth Congress,† Second Session n.p. 1988. ERIC. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. Zarlone, Tersa. â€Å"Drug testing in the workplace is a sensitive issue.† Caribbean Business 29.39. (2001): 38 Caribbean search. Web. 20 Nov. 2013

Water Supply Project Brief

Contents Table of Contents†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 Task†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 List of Abbreviations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 TASK2 1. 1Project Title4 1. 2Introduction4 1. 3Project Location Map5 1. Terms of Reference6 1. 4. 1Project Details6 1. 4. 2Reporting Structure6 1. 4. 3Personnel Duties7 1. 5Schematic Layout7 2. 1DELIVERABLES8 2. 1. 1Dam8 2. 1. 2Water Treatment Works9 2. 1. 3Elevated Steel Tank10 2. 1. 4Water Transmission10 2. 1. 5Metering11 3. 1Project Management Process12 3. 1. 1Initiating12 3. 1. 2Planning12 3. 1. 3Executing13 3. 1. 4Controlling14 3. 1. 5Closing14 List of references†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 16 List of AnnexureAnnexure 1 – Project Budget Annexure 2 – Work Breakdown Structure Annexure 3 – Project Network Diagram Annexure 4 – Project Gantt Chart Annexure 5 – Project Summary TASK You are a consultant of a firm that has won a tender to develop a turnkey water project in Kajiado County. Using necessary tools including Ms Project prepare a WBS, and do a schedule of project tasks, their resources and assume a tracking of the project progress. Hence do a status report in a PDF file. The completed work should not exceed 20. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS WBS- Work Breakdown StructureWARMA – Water Resource Management Authority NEMA – National Environmental Management Authority ToR – Terms of Reference GI – Galvanized Iron RCC – Reinforced Cement Concrete 1. 1Project Title Proposed Water Supply Project in Kajiado Town 1. 2Introduction A project is one-time, multitask job with a definite starting point, definite ending point, clearly defined scope of work, a budget and usually a temporary team. A project is therefore a series of activities which are meant to achieve particular goals or objectives using specifi ed resources and in a specified period of time.A turnkey project refers to a project that is built and handed over ready for use. The proposed water project in Kajiado County being a turnkey project will entail the consultant to take up construction from the initial stages of the project and hand it over when water has been connected to individual residents and/or users. Kajiado town lies at the intersection of the Nairobi – Kajiado road along the A 104 highway, and the railway line that serves Magadi Soda Company in Magadi. The town is situated 80 KM South of Nairobi. It is the administration centre for Kajiado County.Kajiado Town has a mean annual rainfall ranging from 450mm to 900mm. The major rivers found in Kajiado are among others Athi River, Ewaso Ngiro South River, Olekejuado River, Nool-Turesh River, Esokota River. The project involves construction of a dam along Olekejuado River, a water treatment plant, an elevated tank, a generator room, water transmission and dis tribution lines and water meter chambers. The presenter intends to use tools of Project Management Information Systems including MS Project 2010 software in achieving the implementation framework.The paper will be guided by Project Management processes of Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling and Closing to achieve set deliverables of the proposed project. 1. 3Project Location Map Figure1 – Map of Kajiado County 1. 4Terms of Reference This contractual document outlines the terms and conditions for the contracted project team. The process of initiating a project starts when the Client contacts the Contractor either with an already drawn ‘Terms of Reference' or with intent for a joint process in drawing the Terms of Reference. 1. 4. 1Project DetailsEmployerMinistry of Water and Irrigation Funding agencyGovernment of Kenya (Development Vote) EngineerGeneral Manager (Design & Construction) ConsultantsKiama Consortium Limited Contract No. MOWI/001/2011-2012 Contract A rea20 Square Kilometres Water Meters2000 Residents Contract Value (USD)USD 2,000,000 Capacity Required2,000,000 Litres/day ContractorPentacon Limited Award Date2 December 2012 Commencement Date1 January 2013 Completion Date4 October 2015 Project Duration2 Years 1. 4. 2Reporting Structure 1. 4. 3Personnel Duties The following will be the Key personnel for the project: Project Manager – Overall supervision of the project ?Financial Controller – Financial supervision ?Human Resource Officer – staff recruitment ?Procurement Officer – acquisition of resources (material) Monthly and Quarterly reports will be submitted to the client. The monthly report shall be submitted by the 5th of every month while quarterly report shall be submitted after every three months of the project duration. 1. 5Schematic Layout 2. 1DELIVERABLES Deliverables are the end results or outputs of undertaking a project. They may include reports, manuals, actual working systems or actual pr oducts.In this project deliverables include a dam, a water treatment plant, an elevated water tank, water distribution mains and water meters. 2. 1. 1 Dam ?Diversion of River The dam is designed to hold 10,000, 000 liters of water at its full capacity. The dimensions shall be 100m x 100m x 2m. During the construction of the dam, River Olkejuado will be temporarily blocked up stream and water diverted until the dam construction is completed. ?Intake Chamber The intake will be constructed and an allowance velocity of 0. 45m/s will be provided that will direct water to the pumping station. ?Spill WayThe spill way will allow water to overflow in case the dam fills up excessively. ?Embankment An embankment will also be constructed to safeguard the walls of the dam from failing. Reinforced Cement Concrete retaining wall works will be done as an embankment to safeguard and strengthen the dam walls. ?Pump House A pump house shall be constructed to provide for a stand by generator to cater f or 50% of the maximum pumping capacity and incase of power failure. It should also be noted that a generator can work for a maximum of 16 hours a day, therefore that should be considered in case of a total power failure in case of electrical faults. . 1. 2Water Treatment Works The assumption is, the water being harvested contains 50 – 50, 000 coli form count, a figure that requires water to undergo full treatment before consumption. ?Coagulation Tank This is the first tank, where water is chemically coagulated by adding alum and soda ash. The tank contains flocculation chambers. The water passes through baffles so that it can mix up well with the chemicals. ?Sedimentation Tank The sedimentation process will be aided by addition of alum in the coagulation tank. The baffles help the formation and in turn settle finer particles such as silt and colloids.The sedimentation tanks designed as upward hydraulic velocity and downward settling velocity enable sludge concentration. The d esign flow rate is proposed at 222m3/hr and the surface loading rate velocity is proposed at 1. 5m3/m2/hr. The allowed detention time is 3 – 4 hours. ?Rapid Sand Filter The proposed rapid gravity filters are back washed with air and water. The design flow rate is recommended at 222m3/hr and a filtration rate of 5m3/m2/hr. The storage time is about 10 – 20 minutes. ?Disinfection Tank pH correction will be done by adding soda ash.It could be due to dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) or excess amount of alum was added into the water during the coagulation process. Disinfection of the water will be necessary to lower health risk and infection with water borne diseases. In that case, Calcium Hypochlorite will be added to the water as per the calculated quantity depending on the volume. ? Reinforced concrete storage tank After water has been successfully disinfected, it will be pumped to the storage tank and allowed for chemical reaction for about 30 minutes before it is pumped to the elevated water tank ready for distribution. . 1. 3Elevated Steel Tank The elevated water tank is dependent on the highest level in the region. This also allows for water flow by gravity therefore, there will savings of electricity and fuel cost that might have been used for pumping water. 2. 1. 4 Water Transmission ?Transmission Main Galvanized iron (GI) pipes of 250mm diameter are preferred since they withstand high water pressures. The pipe velocity is set at 2. 0 m/s and set at a depth n. e. 1000mm deep below the ground level. Reflux valves are allowed at a distance of 3-4 km spacing to ease repair and maintenance. ?Distribution MainThe minimum diameter of pipes recommended is 100mm diameter. uPVC pipes shall be used and the maximum 60m and minimum pressure of 10m. The pipe velocity is set at 06 – 1. 0 m/s, and service valves are set every 1km for ease of inspection, repair and maintenance. 2. 1. 5Metering Meters are installed in all 2000 houses or users to monitor water consumption. This will also helps in billing as per the actual amount of water consumed. The Meters will assist in curbing vandalism of water. 3. 1Project Management Process Project management is the process of initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing a project.The project goal is the desired outcome it should be short and simple yet clearly communicate scope, time frame and budget. To achieve the goal of supplying water to 2000 users in Kajiado county, the management process outlined above will be adhered to. 3. 1. 1 Initiating It involves recognizing that a project should begin and committing to do it. Feasibility concerning technical, financial, operational, legal, environmental and social aspects of the project shall be carried out. Using MS Project 2010 the project start and finish date were identified. Legal issues such as NEMA and WARMA licensing were identified and dealt with accordingly.Approval of the project by the County council was also sought. The start date was 1st January 2013 while the expected completion date is 4th October 2013. The budget for the project was also drawn; it is envisaged that the project will cost Ksh. 179,445,100 (USD 2,000,000) This is shown in annexure 1 of this paper. 3. 1. 2Planning Initially, the project scope was defined and the appropriate methods for completing the project were determined. Following this step, the durations for the various tasks necessary to complete the work were listed and grouped into a work breakdown structure; this is attached in annexure 2.The logical dependencies between tasks were defined using an activity network diagram as shown in annexture 3 that enables identification of the critical path. Float or slack time in the schedule can be calculated. Then the necessary resources were estimated and costs for each activity allocated to each resource, giving the total project cost. At this stage, the project schedule was optimized to achieve the appropriate balance between re source usage and project duration to comply with the project objectives. Once established and agreed, the project schedule became the baseline schedule.Progress will be measured against the baseline schedule throughout the life of the project. Planning Involves devising a workable scheme of a schedule of tasks and resources. In the planning process, the project activities were identified and entered in the Gantt Chart. Timelines for the activities were drawn and subdivisions identified, milestones were also noted. Restrictions and relationships of predecessor and successor activities were also considered. Resources were then assigned to the tasks identified. The Gantt chart is shown in annexure 4 of this paper. ?AssumptionsWhen planning for this project, a few assumptions were made. They include the following: i. Land for the development of the dam and excavation of trenches for pipes’ distribution is already procured by the Olkejuado County Council. ii. River Olkejuado is a temporary river and the dam is being excavated during the dry season. The river does not, therefor, need diversion but, only blocking. iii. The electrical work cater for all the structures iv. Each tank will have a booster pump. v. All hired machines and equipment comes fully with operators vi. The shilling is exchanging at the dollar rate of 90 Ksh. ii. The dollar sign in the budget represents Kenya Shillings. 3. 1. 3Executing This phase will involve carrying out the scheduled plan while coordinating the people and resources to achieve the project goal. It will also involve reporting on a monthly and quarterly basis as stated in the ToR. Reporting will involve progress, resource usage, achieved milestones and challenges encountered if any. Milestones and Critical Path are shown in annexure 5. Creating project records and presentations will also be done at this stage. Adherence to the drawn out plan will be key to achieve the desired results. henever necessary, changes will be reque sted and improvements recommended. 3. 1. 4Controlling It ensures that the project remains within the objectives, tracking performance and taking necessary corrective measures. During this phase, achieved progress is compared to the scheduled progress and any slippage is noted. Tracking for activities especially at the preliminary stage of the project has been assumed. The tracking Gantt Chart has been observed to give progress in percentage. Corrective measure suggested in case of slippage is crashing of the project activities.Crashing will involve identifying activities with float and slack times and interrogating the resource allocation and dependencies therein. (24 hour days in shifts) Though it may imply increase in project cost, it may be the only way to ensure timely finishing of the project. Ensuring timely procurement of materials and hiring of equipment whenever required is also key in controlling the project. Effects of weather changes will also need to be taken into consi deration. 3. 1. 5Closing It involves formalizing the acceptance of the project and bringing it to an orderly end.Users are trained and handover of the project is conducted together with necessary documentation which aid in support and maintenance in future. The project audit and commissioning has been scheduled for the last month of the project duration as indicated on the Gantt chart shown in annexure 4. This being a turnkey project, cut-off handover is proposed. List of References www. imestopedia. com/terms/r/risk. asp en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Risk breakdown – freecover. blogpost. com www. mastery-project-management. com/project closure,html Uher, T. (2003) Programming and Scheduling Techniques, UNSW Press, Sydney

Review of The Epic of Eden Essay

The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament. Sandra L. Richter, Intervarsity press, 2008. ISBN: 978+8308-2577-6 Albert Einstein once said â€Å"Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. † This is an extremely powerful quote, and I will seek to convey its strength, as applied to our lives as Christians, upon the careful review of Sandra L. Richter’s The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament. Richter designed this text as merely a tool by which we might further our understanding of the Old Testament narrative. With one minor glitch in her system, Richter handled the task as that of an expert in the field would – with patience, attention to central detail, and arresting dialogue designed to pull the reader in and leave them starving for more. Richter prefaced The Epic of Eden with a mind-boggling introduction that left no doubt in my mind that this was going to be an enlightening read, and I don’t say this casually. The second definition of the word enlighten, according to Merriam- Webster, is â€Å"to give spiritual insight to†, and Richter disguised a promise of nlightenment within the initial pages of this text. As a perfect example of this concealed assurance, Richter states that the end result of a church not knowing their Old Testament history is that â€Å"The church does not know who she is, because she does not know who she was†(17). These words resonate with the threat of a Christian identity crisis, while at the same time, the promise of an assured, powerful, Christian identity. One of the more profound ideas in Richter’s Epic of Eden is her use of an effective metaphor is chapter one. â€Å"†¦ we need to get past the great barrier – that hasm of history, language, and culture that separates us from our heroes in the faith† (21). This comparison seems to collect all of the hesitancies, the reservations, and the relative fear in understanding the Old Testament, and places them in a neat little package aptly titled the great barrier. Richter wasted no time in eliciting the appropriate internal response: there is a barrier to my knowledge of the Old Testament, and I am largely the reason that barrier exists. It became immediately obvious to me that, should I want to remove this barrier and learn more of who I am, nd where I came from, and dare I say, where I’m going, then I will require further reading. That promise of enlightenment, at this point, has become an extremely dominant theme. Richter takes a superb approach to answering the question of â€Å"How? † How will we, as Christians recognizing the need for Old Testament knowledge, come to understand the features of the Old Testament most relevant to who we are, where we have come from, and where we are going? Richter makes reference to the â€Å"dysfunctional closet syndrome† (18), a metaphor she uses to relate he idea that we possess a disorganized, collective array of varying thought and knowledge processes relevant to our Old Testament experience. In order to gain a full, working comprehension of our history, we must organize our ‘closets’, and become familiar with the pieces that are stuffed inside. Richter begins her teaching that we tend to see things through the lens of our own experiences, our own societies, our own cultures. This strengthens the great barrier in that we are not able to appreciate the events of the Old Testament, due in part to the differences between hat we know, and about that which we read. Richter points out that â€Å"†¦ to truly understand their story, we need to step back and allow their voices to be heard in the timbre in which they first spoke. We need to do our best to see their world through their eyes† (22). Richter allows the reader to identify this facet of the great barrier as more than a mere hindrance to understanding. Richter begins her breakdown of the Old Testament by stating the overall theme of the text- redemption. I would be hard pressed to find a more appropriate motivating factor in persuading one to truly nderstand the Old Testament. This is the ultimate goal in the life ofa Christian: to be redeemed by the Father for the wayward life lived as a human, who could never hope to prevail without it. Richter explains that the word redemption was actually adopted from â€Å"†¦ the laws and mores of Israel’s patriarchal, tribal culture† (40). She goes on to reference several popular stories from the Old Testament, in order to allow the reader to fully grasp the concept of redemption as it was applied in Old Testament text. The following are two examples: Ruth and Boaz – â€Å"But in his ntegrity, Boaz chooses to embrace the responsibility of a patriarch and become Ruth’s gdel – her ‘kinsman-redeemer† (42). Lot and Abraham – Lot and his household are invaded by a â€Å"†¦ oalition of Kings from Mesapotamia†¦ † (43), and Abraham, being Lot’s uncle, swoops in to save him (accompanied by hundreds of his family members). â€Å"So Abraham puts own household on the line, his own life on the line, in order to rescue his brother’s son from a strong enemy against whom he had no defense. This is anothe r expression of ‘redemption in Israel’s world† (43). The author uses these to nhance our understanding, on a more personal level, of the word redemption, and later, the impact it would have on the life of a faithful Christian when dealt by the hand of God. Richter begins to â€Å"organize our closets† by explaining the â€Å"†¦ real time and space – real people, real places, real faith† (47). In order to understand our Old Testament story, we must first â€Å"†¦ know something about the time and space our heroes occupied† (47). She does this by identifying the five â€Å"key players† (47): Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, and their approximate time within the context of ur history. Richter, I believe, uses these figures as the framework of her explanation because each holds extreme value in the overall story of redemption. There are many stories involving other players in the Old Testament, but these five are the ones that have experiences directly relevant to our redemption. This was a masterfully crafted technique, and one I appreciate for its value in my own Old Testament comprehension. Next, Richter attempts to tackle the â€Å"real space† that these heroes occupied. Before delving into the topic, Richter acknowledges the idea that â€Å". eography is a trauma-inducing topic for some folks† (55). Remember in the first paragraph when I touched on the idea that there was a minor glitch in her system? Her attempt at wading through the waters of the geographical flood that stands ever- present in my mind failed miserably. Geography that we learn about in modern-day American education is one thing, and easy enough. Geography pertaining to the bible was an entirely different monster before reading Richter’s Epic of Eden, and it depictions of the space referenced in the text. But after her initial easy-to- nderstand reference of the pertinent places, the text became Jumbled, and I found myself constantly going back to check the maps, and then losing my train of thought. I continued on this annoying cycle throughout the entire explanation of space. I was ultimately left feeling confused and asking more questions, which resulted in the loss of information that I feel I should have been able to retain. Richter did an excellent job of keeping me entertained enough to forge ahead in my thirst for Old Testament knowledge by explaining in great detail the covenants that were held by the key layers of the Old Testament. To be quite honest, before reading Epic of Eden, I was only fully aware of the covenants between Adam and God, and between Noah and God, and I was only vaguely aware of the covenant between Abraham and God. I was delighted that Richter tackled these stories as someone with a strong passion for spreading the gospel. Because of the time and depth that she put into portraying each covenant, I am left with a broader understanding of each of the covenants, and of how they relate to my story, my redemption. Overall, Epic of Eden delivered on its (albeit hidden) promise of enlightenment. I have come a long way in the time it has taken me to read this book, and this can be attributed to the organized, complete set of facts that Richter pulled from the bible for use in aiding my comprehension, my enlightenment. I can now pick up the Old Testament, open to any page, and with my newfound knowledge, I can understand the story and know that it is also my story. An allusion to Einstein’s quote – I have found understanding, and so it is that I now experience peace.