The Spanish Conquistadors

The Spanish Conquistadors From the moment of Christopher Columbus discovery of lands previously unknown to Europe in 1492, the New World captured the imagination of European adventurers. Thousands of men came to the New World to seek fortune, glory, and land. For two centuries, these men explored the New World, conquering any native people they came across in the name of the King of Spain (and the hope of gold). They came to be known as the conquistadors. Who were these men? Definition of Conquistador The word conquistador comes from Spanish and means he who conquers. The conquistadors were those men who took up arms to conquer, subjugate, and convert native populations in the New World. Who Were the Conquistadors? Conquistadors came from all over Europe. Some were German, Greek, Flemish, and so on, but most of them came from Spain, particularly southern and southwestern Spain. The conquistadors typically came from families ranging from the poor to the lower nobility. The very high-born rarely needed to set off in search of adventure. Conquistadors had to have some money to purchase the tools of their trade, such as weapons, armor, and horses. Many of them were veteran professional soldiers who had fought for Spain in other wars, like the reconquest of the Moors (1482-1492) or the Italian Wars (1494-1559). Pedro de Alvarado was a typical example. He was from the province of Extremadura in southwestern Spain and was the younger son of a minor noble family. He could not expect any inheritance, but his family had enough money to purchase good weapons and armor for him. He came to the New World in 1510 specifically to seek his fortune as a conquistador. Armies Although most of the conquistadors were professional soldiers, they werent necessarily well-organized. They were not a standing army in the sense that we think of it. In the New World, at least, they were more like mercenaries. They were free to join any expedition they wanted to and could theoretically leave at any time, although they tended to see things through. They were organized by units. Footmen, harquebusiers, cavalry, and so on served under trusted captains who were responsible to the expedition leader. Conquistador Expeditions Expeditions, such as Pizarros Inca campaign or the countless searches for the city of El Dorado, were expensive and privately financed (although the King still expected his 20 percent cut of any valuables discovered). Sometimes the conquistadors themselves chipped in funds for an expedition in the hopes that it would discover great wealth. Investors were also involved: wealthy men who would provision and equip an expedition expecting a share of the spoils if it discovered and looted a rich native kingdom. There was some bureaucracy involved, as well. A group of conquistadors could not just pick up their swords and head off into the jungle. They had to secure official written and signed permission from certain colonial officials first. Weapons and Armor Armor and weapons were crucially important for a conquistador. Footmen had heavy armor and swords made of fine Toledo steel if they could afford them. Crossbowmen had their crossbows, tricky weapons which they had to keep in good working order. The most common firearm at the time was the harquebus, a heavy, slow-to-load rifle. Most expeditions had at least a few harquebusiers along. In Mexico, most conquistadors eventually abandoned their heavy armor in favor of the lighter, padded protection the Mexicans used. Horsemen used lances and swords. Larger campaigns might have some artillerymen and cannons along, as well as shot and powder. Loot and the Encomienda System Some conquistadors claimed that they were attacking the New World natives to spread Christianity and save the natives from damnation. Many of the conquistadors were, indeed, religious men. However, the conquistadors were far more interested in gold and loot. The Aztecs and Inca Empires were rich in gold, silver, precious stones, and other things the Spanish found less valuable, like brilliant clothes made of bird feathers. Conquistadors who participated in any successful campaign were given shares based on many factors. The king and the expedition leader (like Hernan Cortes) each received 20 percent of all loot. After that, it was divided up among the men. Officers and horsemen got a larger cut than foot soldiers, as did crossbowmen, harquebusiers, and artillerymen. After the King, officers, and other soldiers had all gotten their cut, there was often not much left for the common soldiers. One prize which could be used to buy off conquistadors was the gift of an encomienda. An encomienda was land given to a conquistador, usually with natives already living there. The word encomienda comes from a Spanish verb meaning to entrust. In theory, the conquistador or colonial official receiving an encomienda had the duty of providing protection and religious instruction to the natives on his land. In return, the natives would work in mines, produce food or trade goods, and so on. In practice, it was little more than slavery. Abuses The historical record abounds in examples of conquistadors murdering and tormenting native populations, and these horrors are far too numerous to list here. Defender of the Indies Fray Bartolomà © de las Casas listed many of them in his Brief Account of the Devastation of the Indies. The native populations of many Caribbean islands, such as Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico, were essentially wiped out by a combination of conquistador abuses and European diseases. During the conquest of Mexico, Cortes ordered a massacre of Cholulan noblemen. Only months later, Cortes lieutenant Pedro De Alvarado would do the same thing in Tenochtitlan. There are countless accounts of Spaniards torturing and murdering natives to obtain the location of the gold. One common technique was to burn the soles of someones feet to get them to talk. One example was Emperor Cuauhtà ©moc of the Mexica, whose feet were burned by the Spanish to make him tell them where they could find more gold. Famous Conquistadors Famous conquistadors who have been remembered in history include Francisco Pizarro, Juan Pizarro, Hernando Pizarro, Diego de Almagro, Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Juan Ponce de Leon, Panfilo de Narvaez, Lope de Aguirre, and Francisco de Orellana. Legacy At the time of the conquest, Spanish soldiers were among the finest in the world. Spanish veterans from dozens of Europeans battlefields flocked to the New World, bringing their weapons, experience, and tactics with them. Their deadly combination of greed, religious zeal, ruthlessness, and superior weaponry proved too much for native armies to handle, especially when combined with lethal European diseases, such as smallpox, which decimated native ranks. Conquistadors left their marks culturally as well. They destroyed temples, melted down golden works of art, and burned native books and codices. Defeated natives were usually enslaved via the encomienda system, which persisted long enough to leave a cultural imprint on Mexico and Peru. The gold the conquistadors sent back to Spain began a Golden Age of imperial expansion, art, architecture, and culture. Sources Diaz del Castillo, Bernal. The Conquest of New Spain. Penguin Classics, John M. Cohen (Translator), Paperback, Penguin Books, August 30, 1963. Hassig, Ross. Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control. The Civilization of the American Indian Series, First Edition Edition, University of Oklahoma Press, September 15, 1995. Las Casas, Bartolomà © de. The Devastation of the Indies: A Brief Account. Herma Briffault (Translator), Bill Donovan (Introduction), 1st Edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, February 1, 1992. Levy, Buddy. Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs. Paperback, 6/28/09 edition, Bantam, July 28, 2009. Thomas, Hugh. Conquest: Cortes, Montezuma, and the Fall of Old Mexico. Paperback, Reprint edition, Simon Schuster, April 7, 1995.

Future Trends in Mechanical Engineering essays

Future Trends in Mechanical Engineering essays According to the ASME International (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), job opportunities will increasingly grow over the next seven years (ASME). "By the year 2006, an estimated 16 percent more mechanical engineers will be employed in the United States than in 1996. This percent increase translates to a gain of 35,000 jobs, largely in the services sector of the U.S. economy, over the 10-year period" (ASME). The more mechanical engineers in the market, the more competition. Competition leads to the production of new technological items (ASME). The labor market of mechanical engineering will change as time goes on with the introduction of new technological breakthroughs sweeping the world (ASME). New trends include: the production of new materials that are structurally stronger and lighter than anything known, The miniaturization of medical instruments and other tools are trends of the future, flexible and programmable manufacturing systems allowing rapid switching from one product to another, and the ever-increasing role of personal computers in engineering design and analysis (ASME). An increasing amount of mechanical engineers will be needed to develop fuel cell and other types of energy technologies to help manage the environment with new government regulations (ASME). "Emerging occupations will arise because new technologies or new work organized around existing technologies pose new requirements," (ASME) Internationally, increasing populations and the growth of economies will create more jobs for environmental pollution control and electric power, telecommunications, and airline industries (ASME). Other job opportunities will be found in the high-tech area of vehicle guidance systems to solve the problem of automotive traffic congestion in many parts of the world (ASME). The global uncommonly will require all engineers to understand cultural diversity so that everybody can work in teams to strive to improve the fie...

Teachers being forced into early retirement Essay

Teachers being forced into early retirement - Essay Example This is the primary aim of teaching. And it is constitutionally justified that it is every person’s basic right to learn. Great teachers are rare. Majority would just make a career out of it because of lineage (a family profession), interest in children, or as a last career to pursue before finally retiring. A good teacher possesses an aptitude or a native capacity for teaching (Salandanan, 11). Kindness, creativity, and a genuine love for children are just some of the endearing traits of a great mentor. A more exceptional teacher would be one who is able to guide a student with intensity and much enthusiasm to make him/her discover his passion, and push him/her to go for it. But what if a good teacher retires? An early retirement option among teachers is now being much publicized and campaigned about to cut on budget costs of maintaining higher paid, senior-level education personnel. Most states in the US are now adopting the early retirement program because it is said to be the more advantageous option in terms of cutting expenses in budget allocations. Teachers should not be forced into early retirement. Early retirement should be voluntary and never forced. If a teacher is still capable of practicing this profession even beyond retirement age, then he/she should be allowed to do so. There are numerous reasons for this claim and these are as follows: * There will be a shortage of teachers as the population continues to boom in the coming years. By the year 2011, the world population is expected to reach 7 Billion (World Population). The increase in population is expected as the world population continues to rise. Parallel to this, there will be a corresponding increase in the population of school age children, hence, this will necessitate an increase in the need for education professionals. Despite efforts exerted by the government sector to limit population growth through various means like

Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Risk Management - Essay Example Thus facility might be owned by local authorities or councils while the event might have a number of service providers such as medical and transport companies. The event must be executed in conformance with agreements signed with them. Next there is the inevitable risk of increasing costs as the project or the event gets under way. It’s financially sacrosanct to control the event’s costs within the budgeted limits. For example in the case of the above sports event the government might sanction limits on spending by local authorities. If the event management company fails to identify the degree of risk associated with overspending then it’s bound to fail. Similarly insurance costs associated with the event must be controlled. This goal is of very critical significance for the successful implementation of the event. For instance the greater the element of risk associated with an event the greater will be the insurance premium to be paid by the company to the insurer (Bannerman, 2008). For example in times and places where there is tension taking tourists to a site would involve a greater degree of risk. Thus in order to insure the tour, including the life and property (e.g. the bus) the insurer would demand a higher premium. Thus reducing the risk related premium as far as possible is an objective of the firm. Fifthly reducing over concern with risk is one of the goals in event risk management process (Williams, 1993). For example non-profit organizations have a tendency to reduce the risk element associated with event management by removing the anxiety of stakeholders. A non-profit organization involved in social welfare projects might plan an event like introducing a novel agricultural or farming technique to local farmers. The anxiety about the degree of risk associated with the adoption of the new technique might in fact increase the level of risk. Sixthly the organization must take into consideration the social

Pride and Prejudice & The Merchant of Venice Essay Example for Free

Pride and Prejudice The Merchant of Venice Essay Shakespeare and Jane Austen both present strong feeling of love, revenge, hatred and friendship. They are two different types of stories, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is a novel and ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is a play so therefore they both have different ways of presenting strong feelings but they do have some similarities. In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ strong feelings are presented by: 1. The Narrator 2. Letters 3. Dialogue Whereas in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ strong feelings are presented by: 1. The characters 2. Long Speech’s One way that Jane Austen presents strong feelings is through letters. Throughout the play Jane Austen presents strong feelings of love, hatred or sorrow by writing letters, for example when Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth after their heated conversation when Elizabeth rejects Darcy’s proposal, you can see what Darcy is feeling:- â€Å"Pardon me, It pains me to offend you† You can clearly see that Mr Darcy thinks that this letter would upset Elizabeth because he says in the letter that he is so against the relationship between the relationship and possible marriage between Jane and Mr Bingley. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Shakespeare present strong feelings through long speeches as â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† is a play, so the audience can see the strong feelings:- â€Å"’The pound of flesh which I demand of him is dearly bought; ‘tis mine, and I will have it† pg. 70. This is when Shylock demands his pound of flesh of Bassanio. This long speech is when the Duke is questioning Shylocks unusual bond. Shylock the Jew is determined to take revenge and to take the pound of flesh. The ‘Merchant of Venice’ is a play, so you cannot see feelings through letters; this is why Shakespeare presents strong feelings through speeches. Another way that Jane Austen’s novel and Shakespeare’s play are similar is that both stories have many relationships. Elizabeth and her sister Jane are very close and share secrets:- ‘†When Elizabeth and Jane where alone†¦ expressed to her sister how very much she admired him†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ or pg. 309 Elizabeth has 4 sisters, Lydia, Kitty, Mary and Jane. Elizabeth and Jane are very close as they are similar in age, whereas the other sisters and much younger and Elizabeth thinks they are very immature. In ‘The Merchant Of Venice’ Antonio and Bassanio have a very close friendship you may even say that they are like brothers. Antonio agrees to the bond so he can lend money to Bassanio so he can go to Portia. You can see that they are very close as Antonio is willing to give his life for Bassanio. When Antonio is in the court and about to die, Bassanio is right by his side. ’I’ll seal to such a bond’† ’† You shall not seal to such a bond for me’† (Bassanio) Even though Bassanio wants to stop Antonio from agreeing the bond, Antonio is determined to seal the bond as he thinks his ships will be back within 3 months, but unfortunately they crash out at sea and all his money is lost. As well as strong friendships Jane Austen and Shakespeare also involve many relationships to sh ow strong feelings of love. In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ Mr Darcy and Elizabeth have a strong relationship. Similarly, in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Jessica and Lancelot also have a strong relationship. In both stories they will do anything for love, even if it means betraying their religion or their social class. In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ Mr Darcy thinks that having money and having social class is very important, so when he falls in love with Elizabeth; who hasn’t got much money and who hasn’t got social class and standing Mr Darcy feels ashamed that he loves Elizabeth but he still proposes to her even though all his friends think that this is wrong:- â€Å"’In vain I have struggled. It will not do†¦You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you’† pg. 56 In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Jessica and Lancelot betray their religion. Jessica is a Jew and Lancelot is a Christian and even though they are not supposed to mix they still elope and get married:- â€Å"’Bestrew me but I love her heartily’† pg. 35 This makes Shylock, Jessica’s dad very angry because when Jessica marries L ancelot she becomes a Christian. Another way that Jane Austen and Shakespeare present strong feelings in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is through strong characters. In both stories there are many characters, but the two main characters are Elizabeth and Shylock. They are both very strong minded and not afraid to speech their mind. In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ Elizabeth is very different to other characters in the novel. Female characters in the novel believe that looking good, behaving well and keeping their feelings to themselves is very important, Elizabeth isn’t bothered about speaking out or not looking well, for example when Elizabeth walks to see her sister Jane in the Bingleys house, Bingleys sister and friend are very surprised that she walked all this way in the mud and they even say that it isn’t very ladylike! Lady Catherine De Bourgh who is very high in class asks Elizabeth if she wants to come to London with her, and Elizabeth says no. â€Å"You are all kindness, Madam; but I believe we must abide by our original plan. † Pg. 175 In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Shylock is very strong minded and is singled out of the play because he is a mean Jew that charges interest. Shylock is very stubborn and determined to keep to his bond; a pound of flesh of Antonio. â€Å"’If every ducat in six thousand ducats, Were in six parts, and every part a ducat, I would not draw them; I would have my bond’† Pg. 9 This is from the scene when the trail takes place. This is when Bassanio offers Shylock 6 thousand ducats, but Bassanio fails as Shylock is determined to take a pound of flesh from Antonio no matter how many ducats Bassanio offers. Shakespeare presents Shylock as a horrid Jew so the story becomes interesting and that there is conflict between the Jew and the Chr istians. In addition Jane Austen and Shakespeare present strong feelings through the narrator in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and asides is ‘The Merchant of Venice’. This is a great way of showing feelings. In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ the narrator is one of the main ways of showing feelings:- â€Å"The contents of the letter threw Elizabeth into a flutter of spirits† The narrator has been very successful putting an image into our heads of Elizabeth being thrown into a state or turmoil, having read her aunts letter in which she said how much she liked Mr Darcy. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ asides are used as it is a play, so there can’t be a narrator. Asides are where the character is talking to the audience and the other characters on the stage can’t hear:- â€Å"[Aside] how like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Christian† pg. 13 From this aside you can tell that Shylock has very strong feelings of hatred for Bassanio. In this scene the only people on stage are Shylock and Bassanio, so an aside is the perfect to show how Shylock is feeling without Bassanio knowing. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Shakespeare uses repeated phrases to make an impact of strong feelings:- â€Å"My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! My ducats and my Daughter! † pg. 40 This is when Solanio is mocking Shylock when he realises that his daughter has eloped with a Christian. From these repeated phrases the audience can see that Solanio is emphasising Shylocks utter despair for his ducats and his daughter. Jane Austen and Shakespeare present strong feelings through prejudice. In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ there is prejudice against woman and people without lots of money. In ‘Pride and Prejudie’ woman only existed to be married off. Unless there family’s had lots of money this was very difficult and they would be at the mercy of men who might take pity of them or who had no chance of marrying well themselves. â€Å"She is luckily too poor to be an object of prey to anybody† pg. 92 This quote shows prejudice. Mr Bennet and Elizabeth are talking about Lydia’s trip Brighton, Elizabeth is worried that she will marry the wrong man, but Mr Bennet isn’t too worried as Lydia is too poor so no man will take interest in her. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ the Christians are prejudice against the Jews. All the Christians hate them just because they aren’t Christians, they are only tolerated because they are good business people and money lenders. When they go out of the ghetto they have to where reds barets so everyone could see that they are Jews and so they stand out. Shakespeare presents strong feelings. There are many times that Antonio calls him a dog. This shows that Shakespeare also uses repeated phrases to make a big impact to the audience:- â€Å"You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine† pg. 15 This shows how Antonio despises the Jews, and this is what prejudice is. Jane Austen’s novel, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and Shakespeare play, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ where written in two completely different time periods. ‘The Merchant of Venice’ was written in 1596, because it is so late in history the language that Shakespeare uses is very old and different from other plays. In 1596, many people could not read so a play was very useful. The audience for ‘The Merchant of Venice’ would manly be suited for the older generation. ‘Pride and Prejudice’ was written in 1813, many more people could read in 1813 so an interesting novel was well suited. The novel was aimed at readers like characters in the novel. Both Jane Austen and Shakespeare wrote many stories that people still read today. Another way that Jane Austen and Shakespeare present strong feelings is through the behaviour of the characters. From showing strong feeling through behaviour the reader or audience can clearly see what the characters feeling for whatever the emotion is. In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ the behaviour of the characters is very important as we can see what they are feeling:- â€Å"Oh my dear Eliza! Pray make haste and come into the dining room, for there is such a sight to be seen! † pg. 132 From this quote you can clearly see that Maria, Charlotte’s sister, is incredibly excited that Lady Catherine has arrived at her house, but she makes a mistake, it’s only Mrs Jenkinson. Jane Austen presents strong feeling in this quote of excitement and anticipation. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ there is many strong feelings presents by Shakespeare through behaviour. Shakespeare presents these strong feelings through behaviour so the audience can see what the character is feeling. â€Å"O noble judge, O excellent young man! † pg. 76 This is when Portia, disguised as the judge says Shylock can have his bond; a pound of flesh of Antonio. Shakespeare present Shylock very excited and happy through his behaviour and the tone of voice that Shakespeare makes Shylock use. Furthermore, Jane Austen and Shakespeare present strong feelings in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘The Merchant of Venice’ through points of great intensity. This is a great way that the reader and audience can see strong feeling and great intensity! Elizabeth finds out that Darcy has been instrumental in getting her sister and Bingley together, which makes her very happy. After rumours of a forthcoming engagement between Darcy and Elizabeth start to surface before Darcy has even proposed, Elizabeth is more than a little anxious when she and Darcy take a walk together. Elizabeth’s feelings towards Darcy have completely changes since his first proposal, the two are now both in love with each other, by Darcy is not sure of this and says: â€Å"If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once† pg. 303 This moment is a moment of great intensity for the reader as you are not sure that Elizabeth is going to say! The reader can become very anxious for Darcy and Elizabeth. Jane Austen shows feelings through this scene because it is a very good way for the reader to become a part of the book.

The 21st Century School Librarian Essay -- Education

The 21st Century school librarian is no longer just the caretaker of the book collection. Technology is transforming the education system and the way children are taught. This paper discusses the many roles and issues that the teacher-librarian plays in creating a flexible 21st Century learning environment. 21ST Century School Library Media Specialist The roles discussed in the articles written by school librarians Mashriqi (2011), Ballard (2008), and Marcoux (2010) were similar in strategies needed for running an effective media center today. The common theme was the importance in being able to evaluate what will help the school meet the needs of todays learners and to connect the curriculum with â€Å"hands-on† learning experiences. By demonstrating knowledge and current technological skills the media specialist connects the library with teachers, students, administration and parents with information and resources to promote literacy. Technology integration is accomplished by using resources that reflect content standards. To focus on the relationship between education technology and student learning engaging games is one way to achieve the goals with positive results. Digital Tools Todays’ school library media specialist applies trends related to the use of technology in education to support integration throughout the curriculum. Being literate in the 21st Century involves teaching both â€Å"traditional† literacy and how to read and produce the kinds of texts typical of the emerging information and multimedia age. Benthem (2010) points out that to have an effective school library program it needs to be an ongoing work in progress. Literacy development does impact student learning through the use of digital technologies, includ... ...upport emergent literacy skill development for young children at-risk or who have disabilities. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(3), 233-239. Peterson, J. (2011). Finding focus: Using digital cameras in library programming. Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 9(3), 48-51. Poinier, S., & Alevy, J. (2010). Our instruction does matter! Data collected from students' works cited speaks volumes. Teacher Librarian, 37(3), 38-39. Sugar, W., & Holloman, H. (2009). Technology leaders wanted: Acknowledging the leadership role of a technology coordinator. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 53(6), 66-75. Zabel, D., & Hickey, D. (2011). The reuse evangelist: Taking ownership of copyright questions at your library. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 51(1), 9-11.

Gender Equality and Environmental Sustainability in Uganda’s Water Sector

GENDER EQUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN UGANDA’S WATER SECTOR. By Nandala Mike([email  protected] com) 1. 0INTRODUCTION 1. 1Essence of Gender, Gender Equality and the Environment Gender refers to the different roles, rights and responsibilities of men and women and the relationships between them, their qualities, behaviours, and identities which are determined through the process of socialisation to define their relationships with each other and with their environment.Gender equality on the other hand is a principle that equates men and women before and under the law; men and women have equal dignity (worthiness); and have equal opportunities in economic, political, cultural and social life. It is upon this background that the relationships and rights enjoyed by men and women foster decision making and activities that in turn have been affected in both the management and sustainability of the environment. It has been observed that there is an undesirable imbalanc e that has existed between men and women resulting in inadequate performance of the letter of their roles.Often this has slowed down development initiatives leading to adverse effects on the environment. 1. 2 Significancy of Water in Social and Economic Development Water is a key strategic resource, vital for sustaining life, promoting development and maintaining the environment. Access to clean and safe water and improved sanitation facilities and practices are pre-requisites to a health/population and therefore have a direct impact on the quality of life and productivity of the population.Besides domestic water supply, water is also vital for: Livestock Water Supply, Industrial Water Supply, Hydropower generation, Agriculture, Marine Transport, Fisheries, Waste Discharge, Tourism, and Environmental Conservation. Water, therefore, significantly contributes to the national socio-economic development and also poverty eradication (UNWD, 2005) Water is thus an integral part of the natu ral resources protected under the Uganda Constitution. 1. 3Government Committement.Over the last two decades, government has committed itself to the implementation of public sector reforms meant to ensure sustainable development, through legislative and policy frameworks anchored on three key policies, namely: Decentralisation, Privatisation and Divestiture; and the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP), These were intended to reduce the burden of the nation’s concern for income generating resources and practices. The PEAP was prepared in 1997 in a move to eradicate poverty as an overall national planning framework.It has since been revised through 2007/8 and based on five pillars, namely; (1) Economic management; (2) Enhancing production, competitiveness and incomes; (3) Security, conflict-resolution and disaster management; (4) Good governance and (5) Human development (PEAP 2004/5-2007/8) Water and sanitation are some of the central elements under pillar one intended to i mprove the quality of life of the poor through human development. The second pillar points out a strategy to foster production, incomes and competitiveness through water consumption and production.It also addresses actions to empower and strengthen women’s gender awareness and furthermore points out inadequacies aimed at capacity building in the application of skills, limited choice in the decisions about the nature of services received and needed by women, less efforts in community gender awareness campaigns, weaknesses among decision makers including support in supervision and monitoring thus leading to reasons for low gender responsiveness in the water sector. Which way forward?With this background, this Article addresses key policy and legal frame works in the water sector, gender and environmental impact assessment of water resources which have been developed and supported by various laws, sector performance, integration of gender into environment and sustainable develop ment, issues of particular concern, and recommendations. 2. 0Policy, Legal and Institutional Frameworks 2. 1Policy The policy objectives of the Government of Uganda for the Water and Sanitation sector are at two levels: first, the domestic consumption and secondly, water for production.At the domestic level, the objective is to provide sustainable safe water and hygienic sanitation facilities, within easy reach, based on management responsibility and ownership by users, to 77% of the population in rural areas and 100% in urban areas by year 2015. Concerning water for production, the aim is to promote development of water supply for agricultural production in order to modernise agriculture and mitigate effects of climatic variations on rain fed agriculture (MWLE, 1999).In essence, the overall policy objective is to manage and develop the water resources of Uganda in an integrated and sustainable manner, so as to secure and provide adequate quantity and quality of water for all social and economic needs of the present and future generations. The Government aims at full participation of all stakeholders with an 80-90% target for effective use and functionality of facilities. Other policy measures have also been put in place by the Environment and Natural Resources Sector Working Group which commissioned a study on the use of economic instruments for environmental management.Curbing water pollution was a key implementation factor for environmental sustainability. In 1998, the government introduced a water waste discharge fee ranging from 0 to 13 million Ugandan shillings ($0 to $7,000) in proportion to the biological oxygen demand load. The fees were meant to encourage investment in less polluting technologies. The legislation required that companies register for discharge permits before dumping industrial waste water. 2. 2Legal FrameworkThe major Instruments relevant to the Water Sector that provide the enabling legal framework for the water resources management and development in Uganda include: the Constitution, which provides the broad legal and policy framework within which all water sector legislation, policies and development plans are developed; the National Environment Act,(1995), it provides the framework for coordinated and sound management of the environment including environmental impact assessment of water resources related projects and setting water quality and effluent standards; the Local Government Act, which provides for the decentralisation of functions, powers, responsibilities and services to Local Governments; Uganda Water Action Plan (1995); the Water Resources Regulations and Waste Water Discharge Regulations (1998), providing for the regulation of water abstraction and waste water discharge through the use of permits; the National Water Policy (1999), indicating the policy framework for water resources management and development in Uganda. Other related legal policies include the National Gender Policy (1997) ; Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture (PMA) and ; Water and Sanitation Gender Strategy (2003-2008). The policies and legal framework outlined above, are forward-looking in intention, for socio-economic, development strategies of the Government of Uganda and have supported various reforms in the water sector which has enabled government, to put in good order and rationalise the country’s resource utilisation. The question is, are these policies fully implemented? What is the implementation stand at local government and community levels?There are challenges regarding definition of roles and responsibilities, capacity and coordination of men and women, as well as collaboration for improved performance especially at government and community levels (MWLE, 2005). There is also need to review some provisions of the laws to incorporate regulatory functions and allow equal participation of men and women, in the water sector. (1)Institutional and Implementation Framework The water sector i s structured at three distinct levels namely: (a) the national, (b) decentralised or local government level and (c) the micro or user level. (a)National level At the national level, a Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment (MWLE) was created in 1996 following Government restructuring of line Ministries.This institution is charged with overall responsibility for initiating national policies and setting national standards and priorities for water development and management. Two national institutions are under this Ministry: The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) and Directorate of Water Development (DWD). At implementation level, the Water and Sanitation Sector Working Group (WSSWG) which is under the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) provides policy and technical guidance for sector development in the country; approves all sector programmes, including work-plans and budgets. The sector comprises representatives from ; Development Partners and Non-Governmental Orga nisations and Government.The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), was established in 1972 with responsibility to deliver water supply and sewerage services in 15 urban centres serving 2. 1 million people. These centres are Entebbe, Kampala, Jinja /Njeru, Mbale, Tororo, Soroti, Gulu, Lira, Arua, Masaka, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Kasese, Bushenyi/Ishaka and Kabale. The Directorate of Water Development is the leading water sector agency responsible for policy guidance, setting standards, co-ordinating and monitoring, sector reporting, and undertaking sector relevant research and development. DWD is also responsible for managing water resources including provision of oversight and support services to the local governments and other water supply service providers. DWD, 1991-2001 ) Other national level institutions that play important roles in the Water and Sanitation sector include Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MFPED), responsible for the mobilisation and allocation of financial resources including co-ordination of donor inputs and the privatization process; Ministry of Health (MOH), for promotion of hygiene and household sanitation; Ministry of Education and Sports(MoE), charged with promotion of sanitation and hygiene education in schools; Ministry of Agriculture, Animal industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), responsible for planning, coordination and implementation of all agriculture development in the country including irrigation development, aquaculture, and livestock development ; Ministry of Gender and Social Development, which addresses gender responsive development and community mobilisation; and NGOs working in the sector. (b)District level The District and Local Government levels as a whole, are responsible for the provision and management of water and sanitation services in rural areas and urban areas outside the jurisdiction of NWSC, in liaison with DWD. Their functions, responsibilities and powers differ according to the degr ee of decentralization so far implemented for both rural and urban water. Planning, implementation and operational management of water and sanitation activities in major towns remain the function of NWSC. However, of 143 small towns with a population of 1. million, 66 have been gazette as water supply areas, 61 of these have operational piped water supplies and schemes, of which 57 are managed by private sector water operators. Planning and implementation for water supply systems in small towns is still centralized at national level (MWLE 2005). Operation and maintenance is decentralised to the urban authorities and private operators through public-private partnership arrangements. The district water offices operate within the overall framework of the district local councils. The district offices are staffed with a multi- skilled team, in planning, hygiene education and social aspects. The district water team reports to the Works and Technical/Services sub-committees of their respec tive local governments.At county level, technical officers have been posted to facilitate planning and supervision of construction works and overseeing maintenance of installed supplies. The communities are responsible for demanding for, planning, operating and maintaining water and sanitation facilities. (c)The Micro or User level At sub-county level, planning, implementation and operation and maintenance of the rural water and sanitation facilities are organised. These communities are also obliged to pay for urban water and sanitation services provided by NWSC and other service providers. Development of low-cost technology options such as springs, shallow wells, rainwater-harvesting tanks and school latrines are undertaken.The district water office and national level technical teams support the sub-counties to carry out water resources assessment to identify potential areas for water development and sanitation services. The sub-counties assess the demand for water and sanitation s ervices by the communities. This is based on population size and location and functionality of the existing facilities. At community level, the citizens are supposed to participate in the planning, financing, implementation, monitoring and control of community water and sanitation development. Communities submit requests/applications to the sub county for support towards water improvements. These are then forwarded to the district However, the level of community participation is less than the partnership, which it is meant to be.Women who are majority users of Water resources constitute only a handful of people, dominated by men in accessing and managing these resources. The initial programme design and implementation under many previous projects does not fully address gender equity participation. 3. 0Integration of gender into Environment and sustainable development in the water sector In order to avert the rapid degradation of the environment, Uganda developed a National Environme nt Action Plan (NEAP), 1995, that adapted a gender approach in planning the long-term investment of managing the natural resources in the country. The NEAP makes a strong commitment to addressing environment problems and to sustainable development in a comprehensive manner.The plan also argues for participatory approaches to environmental planning and the integration of gender analysis. The Uganda National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is charged with formulating national environment policies and providing guidance in the implementation, including environment impact assessment, and environment education and training in environment management. The main purpose of incorporating gender in the environment management policies was to enable men and women perform their duties in the best cost effective methods which will conserve the environment, accelerate sustainable development that would improve people’s way of living.To achieve the above objectives there was need to f ormulate activities, which would contribute to the integrated promotion of sustainable livelihoods and environmental protection, covering various sectoral interventions involving a range of actors, from decentralised or local government level to lower levels, that are essential at every stage especially at the grassroots levels in the rural areas with special emphasis on the disadvantaged groups like women and youths. 4. 0ISSUES OF PARTICULAR CONCERN 4. 1Equitable access to water supply Access to safe drinking water is a basic human right and essential for achieving gender equality and sustainable development. Most households, especially at community levels do not have adequate access to water and the children and especially women, walk long distances to fetch water for domestic use.Water near the home contribute significant improvements in nutrition and health. The carrying of water over long distances is a health hazard. During daily water collection, women and girls face the risk of rape and injuries from attacks. A major issue associated with poor water supply and sanitation is a case with the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) camps, in Northern Uganda which involves high risks of sexual violence and abuses committed primarily against women and girls, a danger often caused by insufficient water supply and sanitation facilities within the camps which prompt movements to get water from far areas and at homes poor hygienic conditions.Over crowding, poor water pressure and broken water pumps accelerate the crisis (Diane Paul, 2006) Access to fresh water and sanitation therefore, does not only improve the health of a family, but it also provides an opportunity for girls to go to school, and for women to use their time more productively than in fetching water. Women in most cases are primarily responsible for the use and management of water resources, sanitation and health at the household level. Over the years, women have accumulated an impressive store of env ironmental wisdom, being the ones to find water, to educate children in hygiene matters and to understand the impact of poor sanitation on health and the environment.Very often the decision about location of water sources, types of water sources, and who will maintain the operation of the facilities are made without consulting women resulting in no-one taking responsibility. Men, who mainly dominate the operations and maintenance of facilities in the water sector often do not fully implement decisions and actions thus the need to involve more women. 4. 2Equitable access to land rights and water for productive use Equitable access to water for productive use empowers women and addresses the root causes of gender inequality. Lack of access (ownership) to land, is seen as an underlying cause of women’s limited access to water.In Uganda, women technically have little control and ownership on land under customary law in many of the Uganda ethnic societies statutory (national) law, there is, however, no discrimination. According to MFPED (2006), women own only 7% of the registered land in Uganda, a situation which affects gender mainstreaming in the Water sector, as women lack control over resources and therefore have limited decision making over issues like the silting of water sources, maintenance of broken pumps/taps/damaged bore holes/ water tanks and use of water for production. Land ownership is a precondition for access to water. Thus, land reforms that allocated legal land tenure to the heads of households or permanent agricultural workers (who are generally male) resulted in women losing any legal claim to water.There is need of water for a range of small scale economic enterprises, like: home gardens in peri-urban areas ; growing fruits; poultry farming; preparing food, (which are some times overlooked in agricultural statistics). Overall, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reports an increasing â€Å"feminisation of agriculture† due to wars, pandemics and the exodus of men seeking paid work in urban areas. Also mentioned is the fact that women are heads of an increasing number of rural households in the developing world and find themselves in the position of managing farm land and providing for their families alone, without legal rights to water and land. 4. 3Equity and Participation in the management of resources in the water sector The management of water resources has been mainly male dominated.Men occupy a bigger portion in careers and training in water management than do women. Social barriers tend to restrict women’s participation in public consultations that can influence policies on water at all levels of water management. This prevents women voices from being effectively heard, particularly with respect to their environmental concerns and also results to limited effectiveness of water, sanitation and hygiene promotion efforts . Usually it is men who make the decisions over water management and sanitation issues and yet it is women who are usually in greater need for sanitation privacy and responsible for water, sanitation and hygiene.It is worth noting that the process of formulating the Water and Sanitation Sub-Sector Strategy (2010/11-2014/15), which began in 2003-2008 (Water Sector Gender Strategy-WSGS,WSGS ), served as the first strategic framework for implementing Uganda’s National Gender Strategy within the powers of the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE). The WSGS I was developed in response to the various international commitments made by the Government of Uganda regarding gender equality and the National Gender Policy (1997). The strategy was aimed at developing and empowering approaches that would enhance gender equity, participation and access to and control of resources in the water sector.The strategy further put emphasis on both internal and external gender mainstreaming including building capacity for gender planning, monitoring and evaluation; strengthening the capacities of partners and executing bodies for mainstreaming; and committing adequate resources for gender related activities. This is an outstanding move with good intentions of formulating gender equity and participation but unless the Ministry of Water and Environment comprehensively and consistently puts focus on gender concerns, gender mainstreaming in the water sector will not penetrate deeply into matters of policy and legislation. 4. 4Issues on Sanitation Sanitation refers to the drainage and disposal of sewage. The need to dispose human excreta appropriately is an environmental and social concern in the country. Ignoring it posses adverse impacts on environment cost and on health.Lack of sanitation and poor hygiene are responsible for the transmission of diseases such as cholera, typhoid and other parasitic infections. These diseases have a big negative impact on the health and nutrition of communities especially the children. A focus on gender difference s is of particular importance with regard to sanitation facilities which needs the attention of women to play crucial roles in influencing the hygiene behaviours of children, and men too can serve as role models in sustaining changes in disposal habits. Hence the success and effective use of water and sanitation facilities largely depend on the involvement of both women and men in selecting the location and technology of such facilities, and taking responsibility for operation and maintenance.Sanitation concerns are mainly emphasized in urban and peri-urban centres and less priotised in the villages or lower communities/households. It is only under the urban and peri-urban strategies that water is directly linked to sanitation. The number of latrines at community level tend to be less as compared to size of the families needed to access them. Latrines are usually household initiatives sometimes rudimentary in nature. The water sector supply systems are relatively well developed and have mechanisms for delivery whenever necessary as compared to sanitation mostly at community level. There seems to be no well-developed mechanism for sanitation service delivery even at household level. Investment in water supply is highly priotised than sanitation.The reasons why sanitation prioritisation is not key in the water and sanitation sector is because of the difficulty of estimating the sanitation measures especially for rural sanitation where the latrines are merely rudimental with varying degrees of safety which makes it difficult to tag costs of improvements, rehabilitation or construction of such facilities including lack of political commitment to sanitation. It was therefore easy to omit household sanitation and concentrate on institutional sanitation (MWLE 2005). 5. 0Linkages OF GENDER EQUITY with PEAP Goals Gender mainstreaming and improved access to water supply has two potential benefits; improved service delivery and health. Gender equity in the sector offers better services in the management and maintenance while water-born diseases are important issues of the disease burden in Uganda.The sector goals are in line with PEAP goals as well as the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs). For example, the goals aim at the importance of gender in areas of agricultural production, legal discrimination and wood fuel, shortage of sustainable safe water supply and sanitation facilities, based on management responsibility and ownership by the users. It furthermore mentions inadequacies realised in the capacity to apply gender analysis skills, limited gender awareness among the communities, bureaucratic resistance in decision making and weak support in monitoring and supervision of sector activities as the reasons for low gender responsiveness. 6. 0Implementation ChallengesThe Poverty Eradication Action Plan identifies the importance of gender mainstreaming in all interventions which include policy planning, formulation, guiding public actions to eradic ate poverty and points out inadequacies in applying gender analysis skills, limited gender awareness among the communities, bureaucratic resistance among decision makers and weak support in supervision and monitoring. However, the importance of gender equity is not emphasised in the water and sanitation sector major implementation polices. Focus is targeted on poverty alleviation as an overall concern than gender. This limits coverage on gender issues and implementation. The insurgency in some northeast parts of the country and most especially northern Uganda, not only delays implementation, but also contributes to destruction of existing facilities. This contributes to delays in achieving the targets and the goals of the sector and PEAP.Community gender involvement, while it is a good input for environmental sustainability, remains difficult to attain. Attempts have been made to involve the men and women in planning ,maintenance of water and sanitation facilities . The methodologie s require a lot of skills and patience, qualities that are still lacking among the sub-county level civil servants. Women and the youth involvement remains limited as no major efforts have been made to involve them in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. 7. 0The way forward The paper has identified some challenges in transforming the water sector to achieve effective and sustainable services for both men and women.Issues concerning gender and their roles in development process and thus environment have not been given adequate attention by development planners. Women are now viewed as a useful resource to be integrated into development process, thus rendering the projects more efficient and successful. What is the way forward for Uganda to ensure that gender issues are mainstreamed in environment and development plans, projects and actions? 8. 0Issues to be addressed (1)Having water points nearer the homestead will reduce the distance women and girls have to walk, thu s allowing time for other activities, including training, childcare, growing food and income generation.The latter could include construction and management of water and sanitation facilities. (2)It is essential that both women and men be involved in decision making processes regarding the provision, location and technology of water and sanitation facilities in the community and household. (3)Government should also address perceived inequalities between women and men through reviewing laws and policies that discriminate against women and also urge Non Government Organisations(NGOs) and the private sector to champion women’s cause, which might increase women access to land and more decision-making powers. (4)Women groups should be accorded recognition as citizens, land holders and contributors to the development process.They need to have secure access to land and water for domestic use, in addition to productive use in farming including small scale industries. (5)Incorporate g ender analysis into all development plans, projects and actions, by encouraging the development of new skills and expertise within an Integrated Water Resources Management framework, linking social and gender aspects with the ecological, technical and economic dimensions of water management with special attention at community level. (6)The water sector should change the attitude of value system in favour of only men, and develop positive perceptions about women as competent professionals just like their male counterparts. 7)Capacity building for all women should be geared towards effective participation in local governances and sustainable development. Women politicians should be strengthened to enable them represent women interests regarding water and sanitation management and maintenance. (8)The water sector should fill all established posts equitably for better performance. It has been found that projects in which women and men have an equal say have a better chance for sustainab ility and success because they cater for the needs of every one. (9)The legislation on industrial water discharge permits be amended to require all companies / major water polluters to register for discharge permits. 10)A specific percentage of investment in water supply should be dedicated to promotion of sanitation and hygiene initiatives for the welfare of the users and protection of the environment. 9. 0Conclusion The water and sanitation sector has developed elaborate mechanisms and capacity at national, district and community levels for planning and managing sector activities which includes gender and environment issues to a large extent. However, in order to address strategic gender needs, there is a need to introduce fundamental changes in ideologies and power structures, behavioral attitudes, in government, organisations, companies and involve individuals both men and women.

Qa 380 Quiz 1

* T * PERFORMANCE measures that are established for a process are known as metrics. T * Once a process is identified, defined, evaluated, and redesigned, the benefits of the process analysis cycle are realized. F * A service blueprint is a flowchart of a service process that shows which of its steps has high customer contact. T * The general principle that 80% of a company’s revenue is generated by 20% of its customers is known as the pareto concept. * A fishbone diagram identifies which category is most frequently observed out of all the categories for which you have data. F . a voluntary system by which employees submit their ideas on process improvements is used in the: opportunity identification phase of process analysis 2. the step in process analysis that immediately follows the process documentation phase is the : evaluate performance phase 3. the resources that management assigns to improving or reengineering the process should: match the process’s scope 4. proc ess analysis focuses on: how work is actually done 5. an effective tool for showing steps of a service process with a high level of customer contact is: service blueprint 6. hich one of the following statements concerning flowcharts is NOT true. The dotted line of visibility separates activities subcontracted form those done in house 7. all of the following are steps in setting a time standard using the time study method EXCEPT: Consulting cost accounting data 8. the manager of a supermarket would like to know which of several quality problems to address first. A tool that would be most helpful would be a: perato chart 9. a restaurant manager tracks complaints from the diner satisfaction cards that are turned in at each table.The data collected from the past week’s diners appear 10. the first step of the systematic approach to process analysis is (opportunity) 11. process (scope) is the boundary of the process to be analyzed. 12. A voluntary system by which employee submit th eir ideas on process improvements is called a (suggestion system) 13. (Metrics) are performance measures that are established for a process and he steps within it. 14. A group of people, who are knowledgeable about the process, meets to propose ideas for change in a rapid-fire manner. Such a session is called (brainstorming)

Free Essays on ABOLISING DEATH PENALTY

The Death Penalty I.Attention A."The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It violates the right to life. It is irrevocable and can be inflicted on the innocent and has never been shown to deter crime more effectively than other punishments." Quoted from Amnesty International Website. Since the beginning of this century, 23 innocent people have been executed in the United States alone. These 23 people were wrongly tried, convicted, and executed. II.Need A.There are several reasons why we should look to alternative solutions to the problem of capital crimes. 1.Cruel and Inhumane Punishment/Loss of Human Rights a.The death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. In the United States, cruel and unusual punishment is outlawed by the eighth amendment. Lethal injection is often cited as the most humane method of execution, but even this method involves violent loss of control, and gasping for breath during the process. The death penalty takes away the most basic of all human rights, the right to life. 2.Does not Deter Crime a.The deterrence of crime has always been one of the strongest supporting arguments for the death penalty. There have been many studies done, and there is no evidence that the death penalty can be linked to a decrease in violent crimes, such as murder. This graph from the Death Penalty Information Center shows that there is very little connection between the number of people executed and crimes such as murder. 3.Justice a.Another strong supporting argument for the death penalty is that it provides justice for the victims of the crime. Justice is defined by Webster’s Third New International Dictionary as "the maintenance or administration of what is just," and the word just is defined as "acting or being in conformity with what is morally right or good." From these definitions we can then say that justice is upholding what is morally right and good. Killing ano... Free Essays on ABOLISING DEATH PENALTY Free Essays on ABOLISING DEATH PENALTY The Death Penalty I. Attention A. "The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It violates the right to life. It is irrevocable and can be inflicted on the innocent and has never been shown to deter crime more effectively than other punishments." Quoted from Amnesty International Website. Since the beginning of this century, 23 innocent people have been executed in the United States alone. These 23 people were wrongly tried, convicted, and executed. II. Need A. There are several reasons why we should look to alternative solutions to the problem of capital crimes. 1. Cruel and Inhumane Punishment/Loss of Human Rights a. The death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. In the United States, cruel and unusual punishment is outlawed by the eighth amendment. Lethal injection is often cited as the most humane method of execution, but even this method involves violent loss of control, and gasping for breath during the process. The death penalty takes away the most basic of all human rights, the right to life. 2. Does not Deter Crime a. The deterrence of crime has always been one of the strongest supporting arguments for the death penalty. There have been many studies done, and there is no evidence that the death penalty can be linked to a decrease in violent crimes, such as murder. This graph from the Death Penalty Information Center shows that there is very little connection between the number of people executed and crimes such as murder. 3. Justice a. Another strong supporting argument for the death penalty is that it provides justice for the victims of the crime. Justice is defined by Webster’s Third New International Dictionary as "the maintenance or administration of what is just," and the word just is defined as "acting or being in conformity with what is morally right or good." From these definitions we can then say that justice is upholding what is morally right and good. Killing ano...

Analysis of Swingers essays

Analysis of Swingers essays Set against the backdrop of the mid 1990s Los Angeles club scene, Swingers, gives us an engaging and realistic look into the L.A. singles life, and serves as a parable for all of those out there that have looked for love, failed and have had the courage to get up and try again. The story centers around Mike (Jon Favreau), a struggling comedian and a generally nice guy, that has not gotten over breaking up with his girlfriend and the trials and tribulations that he takes to try to get back on the dating horse. Along with Mike on his journey to find new love are his friends, a group of struggling actors, that at times act as a Greek chorus to show us his progress and theirs towards meeting these new beautiful babies. The cast is, for the most part, amateurish. Obviously, this is a function of the film's meager budget. Everyone gives a gung-ho effort, but most fail to hit their marks dead on. Favreau himself comes off as little more than an actor playing an actor. Even his walk feels forced at times. Thankfully, it doesn't hinder his likeability, or the rest of the casts. The one standout, of course, is Vince Vaughn as "best friend" Trent. Vince has charisma to spare here, taking his role as the smooth-talking Don Juan to the outer limits. He embodies Trent completely, and through his character gave America several new catch phrases to be used in their everyday vernacular. The line, Your so money and you dont even know it, that he consistently gives to Mike throughout the film to booster his confidence can be now be found in everything from advertising to sports casting Director Doug Liman does a good job with the small independent film budget he is given, and shoots the film in a naturalistic almost documentary type of manner. The film is highly self reflexive and at times he resorts to gimmickry to catch the audience's attention (like the Goodfellas inspired steady cam walk through...

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Gig City Harbor - Essay Example The selection of the potential suppliers shall be undertaken through the RFP. The selection committee shall list all the bidders and qualify them on a transparent criterion. All the eligible bidders shall be shortlisted. The selected bidders shall be the ones that have shown the ability to execute their duties in ways that meet the requirements of the project and also financially stable. The project team shall only use the RFP in selecting vendors. The RFP method allows the contractor to receive a variety of customized strategies in developing the project, thus, has a large pool from which to select a suitable vendor. Under the RFP method of vendor selection, the following procedure shall be strictly followed: The purchase orders and the relevant subcontracts shall only be awarded to the vendors and suppliers whose proposals have shown technical and commercial responsiveness to the bid documents following the criteria above. The budget planning for this project has been closely linked with Risk Management. Some of the risks, foreseen in the project include sign-off delays by the Gig Harbor City Council and the Tax Committee, a situation which may also delay the project take-off. This risk has been covered by the provision of extra working days. Other risks involve injury of the workers. The contingency budgetary allowances have been covered for this by providing medical services

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