Abstract In this article, the writer looks at SanibelIsland, a popular tourist destination off the western coast of Florida, as a location for a beachfront hotel. This paper is written from a personal point of view as the writer discusses the process of developing a three-story beachfront hotel on SanibelIsland. The writer notes that this planned hotel has raised some concerns among island environmentalists. The writer explains that while the hotel will meet the island's three-story limit and will include a large nature preserve with raised boardwalks so guests do not disturb the environment, other facets of the project are more troubling. The writer concludes that this could end in a situation in which the environmentalists insist that the writer resolves the outstanding environmental issues in return for building just a three-story hotel.
Outline:
Situation and Facts
Issues and Objectives
Strategy plan
From the Paper "Since a causeway was constructed linking Sanibel Island to mainland Florida, the tourism business has grown significantly and is currently a major contributor to the Sanibel Island economy. This has raised concerns among residents that the pristine environment and many of the islands key aesthetic features could be compromised. As a result, several restrictions have been placed on the development of hotels and tourist attractions on the island. For example, new buildings can not exceed three stories in height, although such restrictions do not exist on similar Gulf islands, because residents do not want to obstruct island views. Also, buildings often must be constructed on stilts or with open first floors to minimize the risks of property damage in case the island experiences flooding."
Abstract This paper describes the nuclear explosions conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense on the Marshall Islands from June 30, 1946 until August 18, 1958. The paper looks at the damage caused by the testing, the media's involvement in exposing the damage and how the U.S. responded to legal actions brought against the U.S. government by Marshallese living on the islands at the time of the nuclear explosions.
From the Paper "From June 30, 1946 until August 18, 1958, the United States Government conducted a total of 67 nuclear explosions off the Marshall Islands, "all of which were considered atmospheric" (Republic of the Marshall Islands 1). The most horrific of these blasts was the 'Bravo Shot,' conducted in the Bikini Atoll on March, 1954. This blast was as powerful as 1000 hydrogen bombs (1) and much more devastating than the 1945 Hiroshima blast. However, the full extent of the destruction was clouded by governmental reticence for years, due to Cold War defense secrecy."
Abstract In this article, the writer studies the environmental and demographic history of Easter Island. The writer maintains that basically Easter Island was very isolated. The writer points out that the human population grew quickly. Further, the writer notes that eventually most of the resources were depleted and the civilization collapsed.
From the Paper "Easter Island is one of the most unusual places on the planet. It is one of the most isolated places occupied by humans. In 'A Green History of the World' Clive Ponting notes, Easter Island is one of the most remote, inhabited places on earth. Only some 150 square miles in area, it lies in the Pacific Ocean, 2,000 miles off the west coast of South America and 1,250 miles from the nearest inhabitable land of Pitcairn Island. The extreme isolation of Easter Island or Rapa Nui is not the islands most distinguishing feature."
Abstract This paper presents an exploration of the Three Mile Island meltdown of 1979. The writer examines the events leading to and during the accident, and discusses President Jimmy Carter's role in the investigation that followed. The paper argues that what happened at Three Mile Island could easily happen anywhere, and the time has come to rethink where power plants are built.
Outline:
Introduction
History
The Fallout
Investigation
Conclusion
From the Paper "Before one can begin to understand the importance of examining future power plant construction one must have an understanding of the history of the accident.Nuclear accidents are one of the nation's biggest fears. Movies are made that depict what might happen if a meltdown occurs, and few can forget the horror of Chernobyl when the accident occurred(Fact Sheet on the Accident at Three Mile Island
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/3mile-isle.html). "
Tags: Nuclear, power, plants, Three, Mile, Island, meltdown
Abstract This research paper assesses the impact of introduced disease on Pacific Island communities such as Polynesia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Philippines in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, analyzes how the epidemics spread, and what methods of missionary medicine were available to the victims.
Abstract This paper describes commercial construction as "building projects exclusive of residential construction," and discusses commercial construction from both an economic point of view and from the point of view of the community. The paper discusses why commercial construction is a boon to the construction business, providing stable work even when residential construction is at a lull. The paper also discusses the complexities of managing commercial construction.
From the Paper "Commercial construction is defined as "building projects exclusive of residential [single- or two-family home] construction". It is one of the biggest segments of the entire construction industry and is believed to have strengthened the industry in recent years due to rapid and steady growth. The commercial sector has been growing steady for some time now as is evident from market research and reports. Back in 2000, Sinderman wrote: "...the state of the commercial real estate market is strong. The demand for office, industrial and retail buildings remains high, and, as Internet-based companies continue to grow, specialized facilities have become more popular than ever." In 2005, a construction report by McGraw-Hill supported that claim: "The commercial and infrastructure construction segments are providing a lift to the overall construction industry, marking a role reversal from most of the past two or three years. According to October 2004 figures for future construction contracts calculated by McGraw-Hill Construction, Lexington, Mass., overall new construction starts increased 4 percent in October versus September (on a seasonally adjusted basis), with nonresidential and infrastructure construction gaining while the residential sector fell slightly." (Late Rebound)"
Tags: commercial, construction, residential, business, office, hotel
Abstract Federal contracts for construction, while similar in many respects to other types of federal contracts, have some unique aspects that have caused the federal government to create a system of rules within the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) specific to construction contracts. The federal government has been justified in creating these rules separate from those that apply specifically to supply and service contracts. This paper focuses on some of the unique rules and regulations that apply to federal construction contracts, including those related to contract types, labor laws, specifications, payments, delays, and differing site conditions.
Abstract
Overview
Contract Types
Federal Construction Contracting Laws
Contract Performance and Specifications
Payment Financing
Delays
Differing Site Conditions
References
From the Paper "The federal government is the largest owner of real property in the world (Bastianelli, et. al., 1998), so it stands to reason that they spend an enormous amount of money on construction and maintenance of that property. It is difficult to gauge exactly how much the federal government spends on construction annually, but it is noteworthy that the Department of Defense alone planned to award over $10 billion on construction contracts in 2002 (Bush, 2001). Because of this significant amount of construction outsourcing, and the intricacies that go along with construction contracting, the federal government has been justified in developing unique regulations and rules for construction contracts. The federal government, in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), defines construction as, ?"construction, alteration, or repair (including dredging, excavating, and painting) of buildings, structures, or other real property"? (FAR 2.101). Determining whether or not something is considered a building or a structure is general straightforward, although there are always exceptions. However, the line defining whether or not something is real property can, at times, be somewhat unclear. The FAR does not provide a definition for real property, but in federal contracts the common legal definition is used, that real property is, ?"land and all things that are attached to it"? (Lectric Law Library, 2003). Though many of the clauses, terms and conditions, and rules applicable to federal construction contracts are the same, or similar, to those that are used on federal contracts for supplies, there are a number of differences in the nature of contracting for construction that have caused the federal government to create separate laws that deal specifically with federal construction contracts. One of the major differences is that construction contracts are performed on Government property. Because of this, construction contractors are subject to a great deal more in the area of inspections and general surveillance on their contracts (Abernathy and Kelleher, 1976). Construction contracts typically have much more paperwork than federal supply contracts. On construction contracts, a contractor is required to file daily reports showing that they complied with all the unique construction regulations, including safety, schedules, and submittals of material samples (Arnavas, 2001, ?? 27.4.a.). Construction contracts are subject to much greater scrutiny on performance than supply contracts, as detailed analysis and explanation of any deficiencies are reported to contractors and contractors have the right to respond. Past performance information is also kept on construction contracts for six years, where the norm on supply contracts is three years (Arnavas, 2001, ?? 27.4.a). Other differences that will be the focus of this paper include contract types, labor laws, specifications, payments, delays, and differing site conditions."
Abstract This paper discusses green building construction and points out that this design saves energy as well as money. The paper explains that green building construction is vital and is a determinative of project success. The paper also explains that the individual needs to take the initiative in addressing construction design and development and associated costs as well as funding, marketing and sales. In addition, the paper tells us that green building construction holds great financial promise for the future. A graph of taxes by state is included with the paper.
Outline:
Objective
Introduction
Significance of study
Methodology
Literature Review
Findings and Conclusion
From the Paper "The work of Andrew Meyerson (2005) entitled: "The Dollars and Cents of Green Construction" states that green construction and design can not only save energy but also can result in monetary savings in the areas of: (1) Tax breaks and rebates; (2) Lower construction costs; (3) Reduction or elimination of the need for heating and air-conditioning equipment and the associated costs of purchase, maintenance and electricity; (4) Reduction in energy and water bills by as much as fifty-percent; (5) Increase in labor productivity, retail customer sales and apartment rental prices; and (6) Protection of operating budgets from increases in energy prices. (Meyerson, 2005, p. 2) Meyerson relates that practically all states offer incentives in the form of reduction of taxes for construction that is friendly to the environment. (2005, p. 4) Additionally in green construction projects where a pre-existing structure is on the construction site, cost savings may be realized through reuse of as much of the existing structure as possible. Additionally, is it necessary to be aware of the attitudes that serve as drivers of the choice of clients to use the firm and added to this is the fact "that commercial 'green buildings' outperform their conventional counterparts across a wide variety of metrics, including energy savings, occupancy rates, sale price and rental rates, another very practical and often times overlooked data for improving the cash flow of the client is the "energy efficient commercial building tax deductions.""
Tags: green, building, construction, funding, marketing, save, money, energy
Abstract This article serves as a defense of the claim that race is a social construct, rather than a biological fact. The writer discusses the view that genetic inequalities are not inborn, but rather created by society. In this paper, the writer looks at inequality in society caused by differences in race that appear to have been constructed by society.
From the Paper "The argument that race is a genetic predisposition is an old one and certainly an important one as it has been practiced among governments and other such institutions for centuries. This argument however leads to unwanted implications of genetic inequality between the races that we have learned is simply not the case. There are no inherent differences between individual races that are not arbitrarily constructed by society. In fact, it seems apparent that there are more variations in appearance and personality within a single race ... "
Abstract This paper describes the history of race as a distinctly Western idea. Through this process, the writer shows how and when the concept of "race" was invented or socially constructed. It then emphasizes the point that race has no biological reality by focusing on genetics and human variation, among other factors that repudiate the notion that race is biologically real. Finally, it looks at how the concept of race is, indeed, as Hacking states, "quite bad as it is," and puts forth a new archetype, one that does away with the concept of race altogether and focuses on the uniqueness of individual human beings.
From the Paper "What does it mean to say that race is "socially constructed"? In fact, what do we mean when we say that anything is socially constructed? Ian Hacking, after researching many books on social construction, stated that in order for something - he called it "X" - to be socially constructed, it must adhere to the following two premises: (0) In the present state of affairs, X is taken for granted; X appears to be inevitable. (1) X need not have existed, or need not be at all as it is. X, or X as it is at present, is not determined by the nature of things; it is not inevitable. Hacking goes on to state that these next two claims are also usually, though not always, implied by the use of the phrase "social construction": (2) X is quite bad as it is. (3) We would be much better off if X were done away with, or at least radically transformed."
Abstract This essay is about residential sprinklers in modern construction. It considers the effects of residential sprinklers on consumers, the government, and businesses and evaluates whether the overall effects has been positive or negative.
From the Paper "Using sprinklers to irrigate residential landscaping has become so commonplace that few people give the matter much consideration Homeowners consider sprinklers a boon since it eliminates watering ..."
Abstract This paper examines external factors that can cause problems in construction projects.
From the Paper "Construction projects are often used to describe the project management process because of the many interrelated tasks that must be accomplished in order for the project to be completed on time and within budget. Construction projects are also used to demonstrate risk management and risk aversion principles because of the many external factors that can have a detrimental effect on the project. If a task is not accomplished early in the process it can put the entire project offtrack and may cause ..."
Abstract This paper deals with the basic history of the residential construction market and the current market. It looks at several factors, current and past which lead the industry to where it is today.
From the Paper "Throughout the last century many aspects of our economy and way of life were permanently altered as a result of governmental involvement and the development of finance options, never before seen in the residential construction industry. In the beginning of the 20th century, what seemed unattainable by homebuyers became a common expectation by that century's close. These expectations dealt with a consumer not only being able to build his own home but more importantly being able to possess personal property, which represented, "comfort, convenience and quality of life unknown to previous generations" ("A Century of Progress", 2003). The catalyst of change began in 1949 when the U.S. government established the "Housing Act of 1949". At this point it became a national goal to improve living standards for all American families and provide them with the opportunity to own their own home. "
Abstract In this article, the writer looks at Florida, that has a high concentration of migrant labor in all industries involving manual labor. The writer notes that this concentration of migrant, or otherwise largely Hispanic, workforce is readily apparent in the construction industry where large numbers of Hispanic workers are regularly employed. The writer looks at the problems faced by the U.S. in order to ensure the safety and care of such employees. Further the writer discusses related U.S. welfare and social policies, in comparison to Canada.
From the Paper The United States has long resisted using government programs to reduce inequalities to the degree that Canada has, and the result is predictable in that the problems in the U.S. are much greater. At the same time, Canada has been reconsidering some aspects of its social policies. The assumption made by this statement is common, that capitalism does not cover certain types of social program, certain types of human needs, while the welfare state does cover these elements. Between Canada and the United States, this has been illustrated most starkly over the past couple of decades by the difference in terms of health care. Canada offers a comprehensive and centralized health care system, a so-called single payer system, while the United States does not and has been embroiled in controversy for years as a result.
