Law in the Modern Times

Dietrich v The Queen Argued that there Is Immunity from conviction unless such a person In provided with counsel at the public expense. Mason C. J. And Brenan J. â€Å"The applicant is entitled to succeed because his trial miscarried by virtue of the judge's failure to stay or adjourn the trial until arrangements were made for counsel to appear the public expenseÃ'›. He was deprived of his right to a fair trial. † â€Å"Indeed, where there is no legal representation, and save in the exceptional case of the skilled litigant, the adversary system, whether or not It remains in theory, in racist breaks down † – Lord Devil.There Is an argued analogy with the united States Constitution, however as It Is based on their Constitution It has no parallel In Australian law. Could create difficulties – egg. Accused could demand counsel of a particular degree, skill or experience. Lack of representation may mean that an accused is unable to receive, or not receive a f ar trial. Brenna J. Whilst dissenting, Brenna acknowledges: â€Å"The entitlement of a person charged with a serious offence to be represented by counsel at public expense would be an important safeguard of fairness in the administration of criminal justice.Argues that our common law is different to other common law countries that have a Bill of Rights. â€Å"In the present case, there is no constitutional or statutory provision which supports the applicant's case. † â€Å"Every right or title must be enforced or administered in some form. † Deane J. â€Å"The entitlement of an accused person to a fair trial according to law Is recognized as the central thesis of the administration of criminal justice. † and right' which subjects innocent men t increased dangers of conviction merely cause of their poverty. However, viewed in the context of the overall trial, impropriety or unfairness could not have infected the verdict in the sense that it could not have advers ely influenced the final verdict which the accused was convicted. † Dawson J. The Trial Judge addressing Jury â€Å"The fact is he unrepresented, and you should make whatever allowances you believe appropriate for that fact. † â€Å"Entitlement to appear by counsel is not the same thing as entitlement to have counsel at the public expense. † â€Å"If he is convicted, an appeal cannot succeed merely because he was at a equidistant in being unrepresented. â€Å"There cannot be a miscarriage of Justice merely because an accused in unrepresented when he has no entitlement to representation. † Dietrich relied on Article 14(3)(d) of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: â€Å"To have legal assistance assigned to him, and without payment by him in any such case if he does not have sufficient means to pay for it. † However Dawson J. Believes that the common law can hold a fair trial with an unrepresented accused. Robinson v The Queen Man ac cused and convicted of murder in JamaicaMinority Judges dissented – found that accused had no defense counsel and a denial of such a right was sufficient to impair the trial. The UN Human Rights Committee responded to the trial of Robinson by stating that â€Å"the absence of counsel constituted an unfair trial. † In the common law country of Canada, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms holds that in serious offences, counsel is essential for a fair trial. Deane J. â€Å"Central of our criminal law†¦ That no person shall be convicted of crime otherwise than after a fair trial according to law. † Gaudier J.A trial is not necessarily unfair because it is less than perfect, but it is unfair if it involves a risk of the accused being improperly convicted. † â€Å"What makes a trial without representation unfair is the possibility that representation might affect the outcome of the case. † Miscarriage of Justice. Mason C. J. â€Å"By reason of the la ck of representation of the accused, the resulting trial is not a fair one, any conviction of the accused must be quashed by an appellate court for the reason that there has been a miscarriage of Justice in that the accused as not been convicted without a fair trial.Where an accused has no representation, proceedings should be adjourned to enable accused to find counsel. Paragraph issue? If the trial proceeds without a defense counsel, and the accused is convicted, the conviction will almost certainly be quashed. The notion that a trial Judge may be able to give helping hand to accused is illusory and bound to cause problems in course of trial. No Judges prepared to fashion a constitutional right to state-funded counsel. Murphy J. Is McGinnis: â€Å"Putting aside an accused to trial in a serious case is barbarous.

Intimations of the American Character: Five American Writers

America’s only 230 years old, give or take, therefore to ask after the American character is much the same as asking after the character of a two-year old – not impossible, but hardly definitive. There’s a an anecdote of general reportage that on Nixon’s first trip to China Kissinger asked Mao what he thought of the French Revolution. Mao answered that it was too soon to tell.Perhaps it is too soon to tell what the American character is as can be determined in the literature of the 17th – 19th Centuries, but one cannot mistake that in the various works of its first significant authors (writers who felt themselves sufficiently invested in this democratic experiment spread over some six million square miles of beautiful and infinitely resourceful land) the first intimations if not indications of who and what we are (as opposed to where we came from – the old countries) make themselves known.Harold Bloom, Professor, author, reader, man of extrao rdinary powers of memorization, idiosyncratic, self-proclaimed Falstaffian, wrote, ironically enough, a work entitled â€Å"The Anxiety of Influence. † With reference only to the title, which implies so much, especially for any would–be artist who seeks place his/her own unique stamp on his/her work, one encounters the first problem for the truly creative: We are not born without context. Mozarts aside, we must school ourselves, absorb, learn, model, mimic and copy before we write, paint, sing, play music, dance, in a wholly new and original way.The struggle to achieve what is original implies its own anxiety. Like Michelangelo’s slaves f marble, will we ever break free? Has American broken free of its overwhelming British influences? And if we have broken free, if we have achieved a unique and American voice, to whom do we owe the credit for the great break with our bi-continental past? The important word here is context. No source is tapped in a vacuum. We are the progeny of forebears; we are the ancestors of those to come.Time being what it is we can only look back. First, review the grim declamations of Jonathan Edwards and feel the anxiety of that faith which rested in an angry God, full of spit, fire and fury, an unhappy parent disappointed in his children, a God in a nominally Christian world, who’s narrowed the avenue of salvation to inches of rock-ledge that can be traversed by so few that a minister’s left with little to do but warn his congregation about how bad it’s going to be when they’re dropped like spiders into the eternal flame.Of course, no God is ever as awful as his followers and Edwards’ admonitions are the high point of that drive towards â€Å"purity† which drove the puritans from the corrupt Anglicanism of Elizabeth and James (not to mention Henry VIII who had his own take mercy and forgiveness). If one were to read too much of Jonathan Edwards, one might conclude that the American character is a dour, determined and fatalistic, the unfortunate result of Augustine’s fear dripped through Calvin’s Swiss rectitude by way of Anglo-Saxon provincialism played out in the hands and minds of truly brave pilgrims determined to reform themselves almost out of existence.In short the first expression of America’s self, its character, was a reaction to the wavering, the wiggle-room, and the corruption in late Elizabethan, Jamesian-Protestantism. It is the expression of what one people might attribute to a god who’s angry with the failure of his children. But Edwards’s declamations are not the word of god so much as their expression of man angry with man.Ironically, the supposed anger of this god, by way of Edwards, will move Puritan congregation to embrace a work ethic (Protestant, New England, rural, elemental, purifying) which will stand in opposition to the source of the Reformation, itself – Luther’s reading of R omans which asserts salvation by grace and not by good works. But time passed and America, with its depth and breadth of resourcefulness, its brave and entrepreneurial people who made the move, took the chance, crossed the ocean in search of a better life, and would not be held captive in the ornate chains of those ministers well-schooled in the endless dark night of the soul.Brave people, entrepreneurs, the â€Å"can-do† sort of people who cross oceans are not the type of people to succumb to anxieties. And they are not without humor. Indeed they require humor, because humor is the step-sister of practicality. The ironic point of view, the wit, the clever turn of phrase, the creativity and intelligence of the comedic mode, are often the best means to drive home points and conclusions and directives that might otherwise be lost in the didactic drone of dogma.Ben Franklin gave voice to humor and common sense and practicality in his writings. We look upon him now, perhaps unfor tunately, as a cartoon figure of Disney’s imagination, or that precious gent employed each early summer to dress up in velvet, lace and granny glasses, to walk the streets of Philadelphia and scare children with the stilted language of the poor mimic. But to do so would be our loss. Franklin was a genius.He was a polymath, self educated and like most early Americans, born (as if dropped whole) into a new land affording infinite potential without the â€Å"floors or ceilings† of given classes, gifted with the curiosity and intelligence to make sense out of the new, original American experience, and to express the process for others. He was an inventor, a newspaper man, a man of letters, a political in-fighter, a political theorist schooled in the writings of the Enlightenment.He was a humanist who, unlike his ascetic Puritans ancestors of Boston and environs, believed that humans were of value, body, mind and spirit. Franklin dared to believe, in the most general sense of the lesser-dogmatic theists that man was deserving of something better than Edwards’s angry white bearded, sententious, demanding, unpredictable, inconsistent and contrary God.Through Franklin the American character first developed the genius of common sense, leavened with humor. In the settlement of New York by the inveterate, humanistic Dutch and Philadelphia by the easy, peaceful, sometimes silent Quakers, Franklin, the man who traveled south, denied the anxiety driven, forbidding world view (so often fostered in too-cold climates) that sought to prepare man for eternity while denying the value of the here and now.Through Franklin we learn that man is capable of creativity, here and now, that man can better his station in life, that life is worth living and that process, ritual, form and style (Franklin’s writing can not but reflect some of the 18th Century politesse) are meant to follow function and that substance, rather than appearance, is the determinative va lue.Throughout a review of Franklin’s writings, one is struck by that wave of humanism and democratic values that asserted themselves in the wake of decadent royalties and courts and found their most eloquent expression in the preamble to America’s Declaration of Independence, penned by Jefferson (edited, polished, affirmed, if not ghost written by Franklin. ) Emerson, the sage of Concord, virtually unknown in cocktail conversation today, but for the notion of some salty rigid circumspect New England self reliance, is the American writer with whom all American writers must contend.Like America, itself, full of contradictions and principles that outran its very self, Emerson was an iconoclast, who looked about the beauty of Concord and saw that although the world was good, man made institutions, were, over time, necessarily corruptible and, instead of assisting the individual in his walk through life, ultimately hindered the individual from clear sight, a post-Christian pantheism, a transcendent vision of God’s grandeur and all that can be deduced, derived from that.In a way analogous to the solitary loneliness of the dark night of the soul, Emerson encouraged the brave entrepreneurial American, optimistic, human, and sufficiently wise not only to appreciate the comedic mode of life (i. e. , life is ultimately and always salvageable), but to travel past the thickets of dogma, to apply his gifted and most importantly his co-creative mind to an understanding of the world about him. Yes, the America might be the New Jerusalem, a new place of unbounded physical grace, but the kingdom must be experienced within as well.Emerson’s transcendent view is best appreciated when one posits the pure permeability of the divine through nature and then through the very self. Humanism need not stand in opposition to Edwards’s angry god, but need only accommodate God, affording Him the place he’s had forever, within and without ourselves. Thoreau lived a mile from Emerson. They were friends to the degree that that they could offer and receive friendship.Both were complex, but Thoreau gave voice and body to complexities, contradictions that flowed from Emerson’s first indications of a uniquely American voice. (All men are created equal, and yet Americans buy and sell slaves. ) Thoreau is a photographic negative to much of what Emerson implies. Tough they both lived in this grand new country, Thoreau, the prophet, also recognized problems which would and still occur to this day in a country so bountiful it invited a work ethic as boundless as its resources, size and frontiers.Work is a balm to the anxious and energetic soul. Perhaps it’s too much to say that all work is busy work (though a walk down Park Avenue on a Monday in September might make one wonder), but work and the American’s over-praise of the over-valued activity is a defense to work’s essential nature – a distraction fr om the anxiety of being. Americans praise those Americans who work hard, keep their heads down, work hard, never look up, never question, and might ask after function but never purpose.And these are the workers, the people, the men and women, who live the lives of quiet desperation. Thoreau is a radical in that he goes to the very source of an idea cloaked in so many assumptions and â€Å"givens† that the questioning itself renders him an iconoclast, an eccentric of the first order. Living alone by a pond is nothing compared to asking those questions which might upset the underpinnings of a society too busy to ask anything. Thoreau loafs with the intensity of a Kant.He questions not only the American way of life with its work ethic, but also the proposition that life’s primary value lies in work and that through work (only work) man will find his identity, ultimately his purpose and after this life perhaps his salvation. Thoreau is a â€Å"loafer† like Whitman, but Thoreau does not loaf to escape work, he â€Å"loafs† to escape meaningless work and to question the assumptions of New England in the early 19th centuryThere’s a cliche in the work-a-day world, devoted to the corporate mind and group think that sublimates the individual to the will and survival and perhaps betterment of the group. It is this: Nobody’s indispensable. Thoreau either heard or intuited this dismissal of the human and his efforts (Willy Loman 100 years on), and said: Why do we engage in a system which demands our lives, makes false promises and considers us utterly dispensable? The American work ethic makes promises and offers the appearance of payback to justify itself. Indeed, such a charade is one under-pinning of the capitalist system.We’re promised ticky-tacky houses, country clubs, swimming pools, unlimited credit at usurious rates, nice clothes, the right schools for above-average kids, and of course the magical totem , the icon, t he car, the uber-van, the humvee, the mode of transportation that will â€Å"tell them who we are. † Thoreau anticipated all of this – the uneasy contract by which Americans remain trapped in the first and second levels of the hierarchy of needs while our demi-gods of celebrity and power achieve a self-actualization denied everybody else. Not surprisingly we are then bought off with television, sports, bread and circuses.One of the contradictions in Thoreau is that the assertion of the individual is Romantic, but the means employed is ascetic and classical. To live deliberately is not to live with frippery or Boucher’s swings or the ease of decadent courts. To live deliberately is a radical undertaking, directing the speedy to slow down to take time to loaf and view the smallest, finest things, those effects of creation which in their brief majesty put to shame all the useless memos, briefs, papers, efforts and transactions set down in the 19th Century’s ethos of success and wealth as the outward sign of grace.Thoreau stands in opposition to the America’s madness for work. Walden has changed lives. People have been seen reading it during their rush commutes. Whitman turns within and explodes without. He does not so much challenge the hustle and bustle of the great democratic experiment as he seeks to encompass it, to swallow it, to take it in, because the genius of the poet – this new American poet – is begin enough, grand enough, to express the vastness of it all. Indeed every part of every part is a part of every part.To turn within is to look without, to subsume the All. Whitman breaks the line open. Even a grade student looking at a poem by Whitman and a poem by Philip Freneau can’t help but see the difference in form. The old and tired expresses itself in neat stanzas, century old rules. But Whitman’s lines span the page. They scan and pose propositions only to complete the circle with their o pposition stated like closing a door on a completed whole. The compliment forms the greater proposition.This is a poet not so much of contradictions (though he admits as much), but a poet, like a demi-god, who can reconcile the apparent and real contradictions of life. Does America contradict itself (Slavery – All men are created equal)? Yes. Can America reconcile its contradictions? Perhaps. One war says we have; other wars say we have not. Perhaps it’s too facile to remark that whereas the country was split north and south, Samuel Clemens, born in Missouri, a border state, obtained his unique voice traveling north and south along a river which in its own way sought to hold the warring halves together.In Huckleberry Finn Twain reconciles the optimism and humor of Franklin, the adventuresome self-reliance of Emerson, Thoreau’s marginal iconoclast and Whitman’s reconciled over-soul. And yet, Mark Twain, the humorist, the colloquial voice of wisdom, the woo ly relative we place at the head of the table, soon encountered, as America encountered the cracks and flaws of life, its random terribleness, its self-inflicted wounds.At the very heart of the American character is the mater of slavery, the ludicrous contradiction of eloquence scripted to blow trumpets of gold and light bonfires of freedom that would out-enlighten the enlightenment. And still the ships came from the west coast of Africa. Slaves – bought and sold. These contradictions are essential. They are indicators of life itself and neither America, its character nor its poets and writers are immune.Though we can look fondly on America’s optimism, humor, practicality, favor of substance over form, the acknowledgment that form follows substance, that in America merit counts – we must also look upon the all too common type, born of the all too common fatigue evident in a country that offers just enough in a zero-sum game to keep the citizen alive one more day , for one more effort, for one more expenditure: We know the desperate worker, who expends enormous amounts of energy, convincing himself, fooling himself that what he does has meaning and purpose, that he’s paid enough (as all those bleeding-heart liberal programs for all those minorities don’t get in the way) and that someday, maybe when he retires with a weak heart and a spent spirit, he and his wife will travel the length and breadth of this great country and call to mind something of what that old gay poet wrote – something about atoms and bed-fellows and lilacs This too is the American character – desperate, tired, vain, prejudiced, spent, rigid, utterly human and, for all of it, ultimately forgivable.

Elvis Is Still Alive? Essay

For many years there has been many doubts, and controversy about the death of probably the biggest figure of the 20th century, â€Å"The King of Rock N’ Roll†, Elvis Aaron Presley. Many people believe that he still alive and for a lot of reasons in which cannot be blamed for believing so. Elvis Presley is alive and the facts will prove it. After Elvis Presley â€Å"died† on August 16, 1977, there have been numerous alleged sightings of him. Fans have noted alleged discrepancies in the death certificate, reports of a wax dummy in his original coffin and numerous accounts of Presley planning a diversion so he could retire in peace. â€Å"The King† was just 19 years old when he began his career working with Sam Phillips, owner of the legendary Sun Records. Elvis’ first single, â€Å"Heartbreak Hotel†, released in January of 1956 and was a number-one hit. Presley quickly became the face of the newly popular sound of rock and roll for many appeara nces in the network television and successful music records. His gifted voice wasn’t the only thing that made him successful; his unique style of performing was very electrifying and charismatic, that you couldn’t just sit down and watch him perform. By November 1956, he debuted his acting career starring in the movie â€Å"Love Me Tender†. In March 24, 1958, Elvis enlisted into the U.S Army and served for two years and earned the rank of Sergeant. After returning to the United States, Elvis continued his acting career along with his music career and was still on top. On May 1, 1967, Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu after being together for more than seven years and they had a child on February 1,1968 names Lisa Marie; Presley’s only child. On that same year, â€Å"The King† became very unhappy and frustrated with his career; his movies weren’t being a success like he when started back in the ‘60s and his singles were not even reaching the top 40 in the charts. Something needed to change and thus came the famous 68’ Comeback Special that was aired on television, Elvis’ first live performance since 1961, singing his rock and roll hits from back in late ‘50s and other hit singles during his acting career in which put him back in track and once again he quickly became a hit sensation. After that, Presley went on tour for many years with no resting and on 1973; he performed in the history making concert, Aloha From Hawaii that was broadcast worldwide. This was the first global concert satellite broadcast. During that time, Elvis got divorced from Priscilla and it really affected his life and he started to become very depressed and ill. He was addicted to many drugs that he used to gain energy keep doing his concert, to get some sleep and other needs that he was unable to find. Even though he was getting drugs from the doctors, he abused them with no delicacy what so ever. By the year of 1977 he became the complete opposite of his legendary image; incredibly overweight, he could barely move on stage, energy and charisma complete gone and he even had trouble remembering his songs. On August 16, 1977, The King was declared dead from a heart attack, shorlty after , they reported that his death was because a drug over dose. Firstly, we have an author named Gail Brewer – Giorgio who believed that The King faked his death in which inspired her to write a novel on that time in 1977 called Orion and it was a fictional story about a famous person who faked his own death. After the book was released in just a short time, for some reasons the books were nowhere to be found. A woman told the author that when she went to buy the book, she was told that two men in business suit came and bought all of the books. Gail called New York and explained the situation but she never received a feedback about the problem. So she asked herself in an interview; â€Å"why would someone pay an author $60,000 and not put the books back in the store? It just didn’t made sense†. Meanwhile, an investigator of the Los Angeles Sheriff Police Department had an incredibly similar experience. Monty Nicholson wrote a book called â€Å"The Presley Arrangement† in approximately the same period of time. He said; â€Å"Gail Giorgio and myself, did not even know of one another and yet we wrote the same identical facts surrounding the mystery of Elvis’ alleged death from different independent sources†. His book, just like Gail’s â€Å"Orion†, disappeared from the shelves right after it was published. Was this too much of a coincidence? Friends of Monty tried to order the books and the sellers refused to order the book. Were the fictional stories Orion and The Presley Arrangement too close to the thruth? Also, the Memphis Police officially closed the files of the death of Presley before it was even medically or scientifically possible to determine his death. All of the pictures that were taken in the death scene disappeared along with all the notes written by the medical examiners. Gail and Monty viewed a copy of Elvis Presley’s autopsy report and Monty recalled that the autopsy report was â€Å"two pages long, it lacks any of the significant informat ion that is normally found in an autopsy report. And during the course of any normal investigation, this autopsy report would be incomplete and unacceptable†. In the other hand, many fans said that the body that they saw in the casket did not look like Elvis at all. His nose was too flat, nothing like his long, pointy nose. They also said that the body had sweat on him, and bodies don’t sweat. Even Elvis’s cousin, Gene Smith, did not believe that the body in the casket was Elvis. He also said â€Å"his nose looked a little pug, his right sideburn was sticking out, his hairline looked as it has been half pasted or glued on. His hands looked just as smooth as a newborn baby’s behind you know. He was sweatin’ around his hairline, it could have been sweat, it could have been glue I don’t know but um†¦ I just didn’t believe that it was him†, Said Gene Smith. Even if that body really was him, then, why does the body looks like the young version of him back in 1958? This argument is very convincing when the facts are considered. Elvis’s coffin required several pall bearers because it we ighed 900 pounds. Attendants of the funeral reported that the air around the coffin was rather cool. It is suspected that the coffin contained an air conditioning unit to keep a wax body cool – a wax body that was a replica of the King designed to fool funeral-goers. And how did the Presley family get a 900 pound, custom made coffin ready for a funeral that was held on the day after his death? It takes a lot of time to build such an elaborate coffin. And why have the funeral so quickly? Some speculate that the immediacy was intended to make it as difficult as possible for the people who were Elvis’s biggest fans (heads of fan clubs, etc.) to attend the proceedings. It could be a concern that they might recognize the flaws in the wax replica. Elvis was an 8th degree black belt whose hands were rough with calluses, yet the body in the coffin had hands that were soft and pudgy. The body in the coffin had a pug nose and arched eyebrows (unlike Elvis) and most importantly, one of the sideburns on the â€Å"corpse† was loose and falling off. A hairdresser later reported gluing the sideburn back on the body. Back at Elvis’s home, Graceland, there are some curious facts about Presley’s grave. His second named spelled â€Å"Aaron† on the headstone even though he officially changed his name to one â€Å"a† on his birth certificate and that he was not lying beside his mother which he had an incredible bond with her, it wouldn’t make sense if he wasn’t buried next to her, instead, he was buried next to his father’s and grandmother’s grave and that would not be something that Elvis would have wanted that because back when he was â€Å"alive†. He always mentioned that if he would have died, he would have wanted to be buried beside her mother. Four months later after Elvis was reported dead, Mike Joseph and his family went to Graceland to see where Elvis was left to rest. They spend some time there, took some pictures and returned back home. Now what Joseph didn’t notice in many years was that one of the pictures he took showed a man sitting in a chair looking outside the house at the fans that walked by his headstone. Kodak examined those pictures and said that the pictures are original and were not altered at all. They were taken in sequence, uncut, and the motion number said that it was manufactured in 1977. Elvis Presley was involved in many law enforcement, he had a lot of love for law enforcement. Elvis was connected with the Memphis Police, in Denver, even the L.A.P.D. Elvis was always very interested in Law and Order, and he always wanted to work in the Federal Government. Having his desire of obtaining a Federal Badge, he one day wrote a letter to the president at that time, Richard Nixon, while The King was headed to Washington offering his services as an agent at large because he knew that he had the power and fame to get pretty much everything. So you can tell that he could easily fake a death with the power he had in the Federal Government. Gail Brewer took a copy of Elvis’s letter to Nixon and a copy of his death certificate and by comparing the writings she claims that Elvis wrote his own death certificate (see pictures at the end). Monty Nicholson asked himself that if Elvis faked his death, he would have need money to support himself. So he went to research his question and found out that three months before Elvis died, he cashed in three life insurance policy for two million dollars, shortly after his death there was a private checking account with an excess of one million dollars that mysteriously disappeared and there is still a remaining insurance policy that remains to be cashed. By the years, there were more sightings of The King. Gail Brewer received a phone call from a nurse saying that a man that looked identical to Elvis Presley entered the hospital to visit Muhammad Ali. The King and Ali were very close friends back then. The day Ali left the hospital, a picture was taken, him leaving with three men and the last one on the back was the guy that looked exactly like Elvis, or maybe it is him (see picture at the end). And lastly, the most recent rumor is about a mysterious man named Jon Cotner and many say that he is The King. He sings the same, he looks so much like Elvis and one more important detail and is that he talked like Elvis Presley. There have been many Elvis impersonators over the years, many could mimic his singing, but none can mimic his heart. The way Jon speaks is just too similar like The King did when he made jokes and made a fool out of himself during concerts, one thing I’ve been always sure is that no one could be as cool, smooth and have the swag like Elvis. Just go and listen to a cover song Jon Cotner made and compare it with Elvis’s song, you won’t tell the difference. Try â€Å"Can’t Help Falling In Love† (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtOr2xPOeeg , Jon Cotner’s cover/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH9Gw0G52_4 , Elvis Presley’s live version). In the end, Elvis had many reasons to fake his death. Elvis’s life was in danger. He had recently lost $10,000,000 in an airplane/real estate deal with a California based organization called the â€Å"Fraternity† that had links to the Mafia. It is speculated that he corroborated with the government to expose the organized crime ring in exchange for protection – perhaps in the form of a new life and identity compliments of the witness relocation program. Elvis was a prisoner of his own fame. He had many other reasons to leave his life behind. Because of his incredible popularity, he was the recipient of several death threats, and he was concerned about the safety of his wife and daughter. Sometimes when he wanted to leave Graceland, he would send out look-alikes to distract would be followers. Elvis was also known to ride in the trunk of someone else’s car to avoid detection. Once, when he fell ill in Las Vegas, he couldn’t get proper medical attenti on because the hospital was overwhelmed by fans. At the time of his alleged death, Elvis was nearing the end of his career. He was 42, his hair was graying, he was grossly overweight, and his voice was starting to weaken. He was going down hill, and he was too proud to go out with a whimper. He would never want his fans to see him in such an unhealthy condition. Elvis had shown a fascination with death on several occasions. In the days leading up to his alleged death he was reported to have visited funeral homes at odd hours of the night with close friends. Was he doing research? Elvis once faked his death by setting up an elaborate shooting in which would be killer fired blanks at Elvis who had a blood pack which he discharged. It was Elvis’s intention to see how the people closest to him would react to his death. Perhaps what he learned convinced him to do it for real. Also, one of Elvis’ favorite books is the spiritual Autobiography of Yogi. One of the central themes of this book is the relinquishing of one’s wealth and earthly possessions to achieve spiritual oneness. Elvis could do this, as well as address his other concerns of sanity and safety by faking his death and living in exile. Elvis had the means to fake his own death. He is accused of destroying himself with drugs. In reality, Elvis was a pharmaceutical expert. He took a lot of drugs, but he knew what he was doing and was extremely careful. He knew what drugs he could self-administer to create a deathlike state. Further, Elvis’s experience with the martial arts was such that he could slow his heart rate and breathing in order to feign death. Elvis’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, had once created a new identity for himself. He came to this county as an illegal immigrant from Holland, but through various connections managed to create an elaborate identity complete with a passport, birth certificate, driver’s license, and social security number. He would have known how to give Elvis a second life. In addition to Elvis’s ties to the government through his testimony against the Fraternity, Elvis was known to interact with the President of the United States. He was reported in government documents to use the name John Burrows as an alias when he wanted to travel. Some people believe that Elvis worked for the government as a drug agent. He did, after all have extensive contact with many people in the music business who, as we know, tend to dabble in illegal substance. And, of course, we must allow that Elvis’s connections to the government gave him access to the Witness Relocation Program. Now you can clearly see that Elvis Presley is no doubt alive and is just trying to live in peace and for reasons in which he can’t be blamed; the loss of his mother really made a negative impact in his life, the divorce with Priscilla that what bother this not only was because she was the love of his life but also just because he was â€Å"the great Elvis† and always had it his way, this time he didn’t. He definitely had no intensions what so ever to keep doing tours and continuing his career when he was so full with depression and disappointment. So he took the only escape option he had to find peace without taking his life; faking it. Will we one day see The King come out one day? Or has Elvis left the building forever and stay hidden? In the end, it doesn’t really matter what the news report says, what investigators say or d o. Whether it’s the truth or not, only one man has the power to end all this conspiracy and that is Elvis Presley himself and one day, the truth will be revealed. Elvis Presley’s casket photo Elvis’s misspelled grave stone. Elvis’s letter to Nixon (left) Elvis’s death certificate (right) The man on the background that’s been claimed to be Elvis Presley accompanied by Muhammad Ali. Picture of Jon Cotner (left) and a picture of Jon and Elvis mixed together (right)

Women's Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Women's Rights - Essay Example The considerable distinctness in how women are treated differently when comparing the West and the East is rather alarming and perhaps the most incredulous part of all is how few people across the world actually seem to realize it. Over the past few decades, women's rights have changed dramatically, regarding issues ranging from their participation in the work force to how they are treated as a human being. Although this change may seem altogether positive, the actuality of it differs from different parts of the world. When comparing the Eastern and Western culture in reference to women, there are many things to consider, all of which can be understood more clearly by addressing the following questions: When discussing how women are treated differently in Middle East countries compared to the Western culture, the difference is quite extreme. In countries such as Canada and the United States, women are basically at the point where they can dress, speak and act however they please; whereas in a Middle Eastern country such as Iran or Iraq for example, a woman's actions and wardrobe are specifically laid out for her and expected to be followed. In the Middle East, women are seen as sources of seduction that are responsible for man's inability to resist them, and because they are considered to be the inferior sex, it is assumed to be their duty to control their sexuality. As Ayubi states, "it is believed that women must be hidden and separated from men so that the males are not overpowered by feminine sexual appeal." (p. 3). Due to this theory, there is a custom to which all women living in Middle East countries are expected to abide by - veiling. Veiling is a custom which involves the woman covering her entire body (including hair) except for the hands and face. It has become a symbol of female virtue and obedience to Allah - the Arabic name for God - and is a crucial part of the Islamic code which stresses sexual segregation. Spivey (n.d.) wrote that women are expected to dress this way due to the fact that women are merely "sexual beings who need to be controlled." Men and women are considered to be in two 'separate sphe res'; with men's role being in the 'public sphere', and women's in the 'private sphere'. Women veil themselves when they go outside, onto the street, or into shops, because they have entered the 'male sphere'. This way they are considered 'invisible' and show that they respect the men, and that they understand they are in man's domain. Middle Eastern society revolves primly around the concept of public morality. Honour and respect are of the utmost important in this type of society, and upholding this honour for the family is a vital responsibility. This is believed by some - mostly men - to be a reasonable explanation as to why women are expecte

Footnotes in Financial Statements Research Paper

Footnotes in Financial Statements - Research Paper Example The last section of the financial statements consists of the footnotes and consists of information such as the policies and methodologies used in the preparation of the financial statement. In the simplest sense, the information in the footnotes is an extension of financial statement. It contains quality information that might be useful in understanding the financial position of the company. The footnotes can be divided into two section based on the content in it. One is about the accounting methodologies that are used in the preparation of the report. Second is the detailed explanation of the financial and operational reports. The information about the accounting policies of a company is identified and elaborately explained in the first section. There are numerous parts to this section that addresses different aspects such as inventory, revenue, etc. The policies with respect to these different aspects are discussed in this section. The determination of value of these different aspects is also discussed in this section(Tracy, 2009). There are numerous aspects of a business that cannot be easily understood such as when a company books a sale or revenue determination process. The understanding of these processes is very important to understand the information provided in the report. The information about these processes, mainly the revenue section, is provided in the footnotes. The revenue recognition and revenue determination process is addressed in the footnotes of a financial report. Hence the understanding of such methodologies and policies is only possible with the help of the information in the footnotes. The information in the footnotes is very valuable from an investor’s perspective as it can provide valuable information about the financial structure of the company. Facts that cannot be easily grasped from the main report can be understood by analyzing the accounting methods used. The analysis and comparison of the accounting

Improvements in Racial and Ethnic Relations Assignment

Improvements in Racial and Ethnic Relations - Assignment Example In order to observe these trends, the US Department of Health Services have established an agency known as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In essence, this report was an â€Å"eye-opener† because it revealed some significant information about ethnic disparities that plague our society. For example, the Agency’s research showed that geography plays a critical role in healthcare disparities. This finding can be perfectly illustrated in this example where the agency revealed that patients of lower socioeconomic status will be less likely to receive essential diabetic service and thus will be more inclined to suffer from diabetes. In another case, the study revealed that Hispanics are less likely to receive adequate care when hospitalized for myocardial infarction. In essence, the study proved that racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to receive substantial treatment for any risk factors, which plays a vital role in their life span. Clearly, this inf ormation can be vital to eliminate the gap in order to provide better services for all ethnic groups. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as improved by the recently passed reconciliation bill will greatly will greatly enhance the quality of healthcare amongst ethnicities. A recent poll showed that only 41.9% of Hispanics are insured before this act was enacted. However, this act enables Hispanic Americans to purchase coverage who are insured. In addition, Medicaid will cover all adults with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, which is a dramatic growth. This act also facilitated the hospitalization process for African Americans since 3,000,000 had access in 2009 compared to only 45% of the population in 2004. Without a doubt, this act will continue to serve as a prototype for other legislation to decrease the disparities between ethnic groups. Clearly, the report shows

MS project capstone Thesis Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

MS project capstone - Thesis Proposal Example In cases where platforms are found through operating systems, a limitation is also seen in the number of functionalities that the monitoring systems can perform. A new application is therefore recommended with a multi-purpose functionality that combines aesthetic power with performance. This application will give a visual display of all that it taking place within the networking process including upload and download speeds, new clients that join the network, rate of highest and lowest value fluctuations and so on. Topic Statement Not long ago, most network system administrators were very limited in terms of the available operating systems with which they could use to process their system applications. This is because there was so much monopoly in the operating system market (Fielding, Teutsch and Koh, 2012). Today, the introduction of some new and somewhat advanced forms of operating systems such as the android operating system has eradicated this deficiency. But as much as the avail ability of new operating systems comes with their own advantages and merits, there are some key challenges that network system administrators have to face. A typical example of this is the influx of websites, servers, routers, surveillance systems and Wi-Fi management systems, all of which perfectly fit into the processing and use of a single network operation. In order to ensure that the number of applications possible to run on a single network does not become a burden, network system administrators need to have troubleshooting tools that can monitor the periodic activities that take place within these websites, servers, routers, surveillance systems, and Wi-Fi management applications. Even though there are more of such new operating systems that may effectively serve the purposes of network system administrators, there is particular emphasis on the android operating system, which comes with a number of android applications for use by network system administrators. Significance Th e significance section of the project capstone touches on what the researcher wants to show for the entire project at the end of the day; as well as the specific activities that will be needed to perform to make the achievement of this possible. In effect, the aim is a generalized goal whiles the objectives are a set of activities that needs to be performed to achieve the aim. Consequently, the aim of the proposed study is to design an application. To successfully achieve this, the following specific objectives must be met. 1 To identify a networking system that works best for android devices 2 To develop an application that monitors the upload and down speed per second. 3 To develop an application that can monitor the number of connection users at any present time on the network. 4 To create a network monitoring system that looks specifically at the rate of network running. 5 To create a simplified version of network monitor that works in the forms of a dashboard for easy visibilit y and accessibility. 6 To build a Wi-Fi network data traffic that will be responsible for monitoring the capabilities of network to be sure that these networks perform to their maximum capacities. 7 To have a warning system in place against network data traffic. Proposed Solution and Deliverable The researcher shall embark on a mixed research approac

Brothel Book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Brothel Book - Essay Example A critical analysis of this book shows that Durkheim’s functionalist perspective to deviance as well as Merton’s social structure and anomie theory can be applied to the groups of characters which include the prostitutes and the men who visit the brothel in the above mentioned book. Emile Durkeim suggests that crime is inevitable and he argues that crime is â€Å"an integral part of all healthy societies,† (as cited in Haralambos & Holborn, 1990, p.586). From this perspective, it can be noted that not all individuals are committed to the shared values and moral beliefs of the society. It may be impossible for all the members of the society to be similar and in Durkeim’s words, crime is not only inevitable, but it is functional. He argues that social change begins with some form of deviance and as noted in the definition of deviance above, deviant behaviour can be normal in other societies. In this given book, it can be seen that prostitution is not conside red as deviant behaviour especially by those involved in this practice. It is seen as normal just like any other form of employment. This view is supported by Cohen who developed Durkeim’s ideas when he analyses two functions of crime in a society. Firstly, deviance can be a safety valve providing a relatively harmless expression of discontent while protecting social order (Haralambos & Holborn, 1990). He suggests that prostitution can perform a safety valve function without threatening the fabric of the family. Prostitutes interviewed in this book state that the majority of their clients are married men who will be seeking to relieve their stress and pressure from the demands of their families. The institution of the family is not threatened in this case since the relationship between prostitutes and clients is not binding. On the other hand, Cohen suggests that certain deviant acts are useful in warning that certain aspects of the society are not functioning. For instance, a lot of married couples reveal that their sexual relationship is not satisfactory, the reason why they seek the services of commercial workers to satisfy their sexual desires. In some cases, unsatisfactory sexual relationships among married couples can lead to divorce and the ladies in most cases opt to venture into prostitution. As is the case in this book, a notable number of prostitutes at Mustang brothel are divorcees as a result of unfriendly sexual relationships in their previous marriages. Men on the other hand will solicit for sex from the prostitutes after the marriage has broken down. It can be seen that the element of prostitution is inevitable as long as these negative social trends affecting the institution of the family persist. The other theory that can be applied to the behaviour of the characters in this book is Merton’s social structure and anomie. He argues that deviance results from the culture and structure of society itself (Haralambos & Holborn, 1990). Since members are placed in different class positions in the social structure, it can be noted that they do not have the same opportunity of realising the shared values which leads to deviance. In the given case, many prostitutes interviewed by the author such as Eva revealed that they joined the profession in order to earn a living. Some

Financial Management of a Small Burger Restaurant Coursework

Financial Management of a Small Burger Restaurant - Coursework Example They provide a rough idea of how the business can be in future and can even identify areas of concerns that can appear in future. Each head in the projected financial statement is based on certain assumptions; some can easily be predicted while some are difficult to predict as they are outside business’s control for e.g. changes in taxes, an unpredictable event etc. (Lasher. 2000; Covello. 1998) In a small business like burger restaurant operative in a college campus, since there are no proper planning departments and tools, the projection technique of financial management can be useful. A typical small burger restaurant’s sources of revenue can be sale of food and beverages. The main heads of costs could be the material costs, packaging and transportation of food etc. In any other business, the restaurants have operating expenses like rents, utilities, labor wages, cleaning expenses etc. Such businesses are not operative in a very dynamic environment nor are very large businesses which have many complexities and changes to take account of. The estimated projected income statement for such a business for 3 years can be presented as below: Pro-forma 3 years Projected Income Statement YEAR-1 YEAR-2 YEAR-3 SALES REVENUE (NET) ($) ($) ($) Food revenue 505,890 570,276 548,674 Beverage Revenue 151,110 153,884 233,682 Food Cost (143,719) (158,863) (168,542) Beverage Cost (47,906) (44,807) (42,136) TOTAL INCOME 465,375 520,490 571,678 OPERATING EXPENSES Advertising 1,200 2,400 3,000 Depreciation 36,000 28,800 23,040 Utilities and Phones 31,080 33,300 37,200 Wages 344,925 356,423 367,920 Officer's Salary 42,000 43,680 45,420 Rent 7,500 7,500 7,500 TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 462,705 472,103 484,080 OPERATING PROFIT 2,670 48,388 87,598 NET PROFIT 2,670 48,388 87,598 The analysis of the projected income statement for three years is detailed below: Revenue: The business deals and serves meals which include foods and beverages. The restaurant serves food items li ke burgers, apple pies, nachos and cheese and salads etc, while it mainly serves beverages and soft drinks with the meal. This makes two main products as the revenue generating which are food revenue and beverages revenue. Food & Beverages Revenue: The food revenue constitutes around 65% to 75% of the total revenue. We analyzed that on an average a customer spends around $6 on an order. Since we have no information about the units of sales and what items of food are preferred and sold we shall assume that out of the revenue received from each customer on an average, a portion of average selling price of food items can be taken as revenue from the food. Similarly for the beverages no information regarding the number of units sold is given, therefore we shall take the revenue as a portion of average selling price of beverages. The beverages ranges from a price range of $1.29 to $ 1.49; this means that out of the total $6 spend on an order by a customer $1.29 to $1.49 will be spent on beverages, which makes around 25% to 35% of the average order that is $6. Rest 65% to 75% of the remaining revenue will be generated from food items. Based on this assumption in year 1, if there are 300 customers everyday and the business operated 365 days a year and an average customer spending is $6, the food revenue on an estimate can be around 77% which makes $505,890 and the remaining 23% can be

The halo effect in persuasion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The halo effect in persuasion - Essay Example Robert Cialdini (psychology professor) suggested six principles of persuasion. These are principle of reciprocation, principle of scarcity, principle of authority, principle of commitment and consistency, principle of consensus, and the principle of liking. In this report, however, only principle of reciprocation will be discussed. According to Cialdini (2006) such a principle can be clearly seen in each of the human cultures. Principle of reciprocation requires that a person repays what another person has provided. In other words, it is like doing a favor while expecting them to return it at a later stage. The second way by which the Rule of Reciprocity may allow for a rise in the compliance makes use of a slight variation on the actual subject: rather than to provide a favor initially which would lead to a stimulation of a returned favor, a person might rather decided on a first concession which would result in a return concession. There is a certain compliance process that is called the â€Å"reject-then-retreat-technique†, or â€Å"door-in-the-face-technique†, has a major dependence upon the stress of reciprocating concessions. Through initiating with a major favor of which there is a major probability of rejection, the requester can later beneficially back away with a smaller request, which is the one that was needed since the beginning. There is a probability of such a request being accepted since seemingly it is a concession. I applied principle of reciprocation on two people. One was a friend, while other was a stranger. This helped me find whether the other person returned favor only because he was a friend and/or just being nice, or was it the principle of reciprocation. I applied both, rule of reciprocation and the reject-then-retreat technique. The rule of reciprocation failed to work with my friend,

Notes on How to Write a Good Essay Example for Free

Notes on How to Write a Good Essay Robert Cormier’s book ‘Heroes’ opens by introducing us to the main character Francis Cassavant, a ex-military soldier, wounded by a grenade from when he fought in World War Two. There are three main characters in this book; Francis, Larry and Nicole. Throughout this book Cormier gives an insight into how all these characters interlock, with Francis’ mission, to kill Larry LaSalle. In the first chapter of this book Cormier introduces us to the main character of Francis Cassavant, and how he is presented as a hero; this chapter is based entirely on his appearance after a grenade attack from when he fought in the war. Francis’ appearance has obviously changed dramatically as he refers to his face as a ‘gargoyle’ and that he has ‘no face’. Francis also refers to himself as the ‘hunchback of Notre Dame’ and that he is ugly with ‘no ears to speak of’ and ‘the absence of my nose’. This suggests that that he has been in a terrible accident and instantly makes you empathise, and feel sorry for him, but as you further progress through the book you see that maybe that Francis isn’t the hero and as innocent as he seems at first glance. To add further detail Cormier describes his nostrils as ‘two small caves’. This portrays his face as almost like a monster or a mutant. We can infer from the text that Francis has low self esteem and has little or no confidence in himself and when his doctor says ‘don’t expect anyone to pick you for a dance’ doesn’t really help with the fact when he knows he’s ‘not normal’. Francis hides his face with scarves, a hat and a bandage fastened with safety pins, hiding his face tell us that he does not want to be recognised or perhaps to be seen by anyone he knows in Frenchtown. People glance at me in surprise’ and ‘I don’t blame them’ shows that Francis is obviously repulsed and disgusted by the way he looks but isn’t afraid to say so, and also if he looks terrifying and repulsive, he isn’t going to be thought of as a hero. After in depth of describing the physical description of Francis, Cormier then moves on to the main plot, Francis’ mission to kill Larry LaSalle, dropping in little hints and sending up an ‘our father’ and ‘ ail Mary’ and ‘glory be’ for Larry LaSalle, and sending up prayers for Nicole Renard, instantly bringing all the three main characters together but still keeping them separate and not knowing why they are interlocked and how everything is more complicated then it seems behind the eyes of Francis, Larry and Nicole, and how Francis and possibly Larry could either be heroes or cowards. Making Francis seem like an innocent war hero is an interesting and unusual move to make because it makes you feel sorry for Francis at the beginning but as the story unfolds you see that there is more than meets the eye about Francis and how his ‘heroic status’ isn’t as heroic as it seems. One of the ways Cormier presents the concept of heroes is in chapter nine, the chapter when Larry LaSalle reveals he is going off to the ‘fight the japs’ in the Second World War. So when the news first broke that Japan had bombed Pearl Harbour in an attack, a wave of frenzy and fear washed over America. People had ‘patriotic fever’ meaning that they weren’t just feeling patriotic about their country; it was as though a fever had taken over and had plagued through everyone. That day Larry LaSalle stood before everyone in the wreck centre, his ‘movie-star smile gone replace with grim faced determination’ he was ready to go and ‘fight the japs’ he announced that he was going to war, he had ‘anger that we had never seen before flashing in his eyes’. From the quote we realise that Larry is passionate about fighting for his country, but from the way he displays and announces that he is leaving and going to war and when he says ‘none of that kids’ (referring to when the kids clap when he announces he’s going to war) ‘I’m just doing what millions of others are doing’ he almost says it in a way that he wants to be recognised even more as a hero, and he also tries to make it seem as though it’s not important about what he’s doing, but by the way he flaunts it he makes it seem like he’s doing some great and powerful favour for America and the people of Frenchtown. This shows the concept of heroes because as soon as the opportunity comes along to be a hero, Larry will grab it in an instant and makes sure that everyone knows about it and about how it’s making him a hero. This chapter explains the events from Larry returning home, to the episode that happens at the end of the chapter and that is when we come to realise Francis’ hatred for Larry LaSalle. When the crowd are waiting for Larry’s arrival, we see that he is described as ‘Lt. Lawrence LaSalle, US Marines Corps, holder of the silver star’ from this quote we can immediately see that he is being shown as a hero. He is also the star of ‘newsreels’ and ‘radiobroadcasts’ making his seem very important; like a vip – almost a god as far as the town are concerned. They describe him as ‘a bright pied piper’ saying that he can get the towns children to follow him. It shows that he is quite a powerful and a big role model in the children of Frenchtown and maybe not only with children, the adults also seem to love, worship and adore him. In Larry’s actual arrival those there to greet him add the heroic atmosphere. The town goes to greet him at the station, adults, old people and children from the wreck centre are all there to meet this so called hero. When he arrives you instantly remember his ‘movie star smile’ revealing his popularity and confidence. ‘We cheered’ this shows that he is loved and respected by his fellow people and people look up to him as a ‘hero’. You could still see ‘a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk’ implying that he still is the same old Larry, but now ‘lethal’. Him being described as lethal implies that he has changed from coming back from the war; he’s thinner, sleeker. My war hero’ people shout from the crowd. People are proud of him for fighting for their country, they really respect him. ‘Ribbons and medals on his chest’ are a visible representation of him being a hero. Physically the descriptions of Larry show how much he has changed from being a cool dancer to a ‘slen der, knife like killing machine’ he has now changed into a ‘knife-like’ and ‘lethal’ with sharper details, the hero that we saw before has now become a ‘superhero’ in the town’s eyes. ‘You are our celebration’ the mayor proclaims to Larry, emphasising Larry’s heroic status. He is now the town’s hero when he is given ‘the silver key to the city’ people would immediately think that he is of high heroic status is the mayor gives him something so important to the city. When he gives his big speech he says ‘we need to keep the world safe for these young people’ saying this he is almost trying to cover up for what he does later. At the celebration, towards the end Larry tries to get Francis to leave the wreck centre, so he can have ‘one last dance’ with Nicole, he says that ‘this is important’ and he manipulates Francis. Just me and her alone’ makes it feel like something terrible is going to happen. So Francis leaves, ‘I’ve got to go, you and Larry stay. One last dance’ his words sounding false as though Larry placed them in his mouth. She wants him to ‘stay and watch’ but he leaves, to his and Nicole’s misfortune. When the attack happens, it shows just how unheroic and cowardly both Larry and Francis are. ‘In the shadows of the hallway’ Francis lurks waiting for Nicole to leave the Wreck centre, but then Larry does the most inexplicable, disgusting thing, he sexually assaulted her. A sound that could have been a moan and a rustle of clothing’ even though Francis knew something was going on in there, he still couldn’t pluck the courage to go see if his girlfriend was alright. When she ‘stumbles out of the hallway’ she sees Francis, and he saw ‘the betrayal of her in her eyes’ as she runs away, Francis hears Larry, this now shows how wrong people were about Larry and about how he is not a hero but something of the complete opposite ‘whistling the tune-‘dancing in the dark’ as though he had done nothing wrong, that this was no rmal. It’s amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracks’ Francis is truly heartbroken, and it shows just how cowardly Francis and Larry can both be. In chapter 14, we see how much of a hero Francis could be when we finally get to the part where he goes to kill Larry LaSalle, Larry is no longer a hero. When he sees Larry you can see that Larry’s physical appearance has changed drastically as he’s ‘yellowed with age’, a bit ‘feeble now’, and ‘fragile now’, with ‘white hands’. Larry is not innocent’ and no longer a hero. Francis explains his unannounced visit, with a gun in his hands. Larry ‘rises slowly’ from his chair as Francis begins to question him. ‘You were our hero’ Larry was their hero, he did everything for the people of Frenchtown and now his heroic status had just fallen through the roof, ‘ no more sweet young things’ Larry says, saying as though its normal to sexually assault someone who’s young. Even there heat is sweet’ he says giving Francis even more of a reason to kill him, but he falters when Larry says ‘does that on sin wipe away all the good things. ’ He falters because he’s probably thinking about what he did for him, with the Table tennis and if it wasn’t for Larry renewing the Wreck Centre, Francis would never had been with Nicole, with all these mixed emotions and feelings Francis walks away. But when Francis walks away ‘the sound of a pistol shot cracks in the air’ Larry LaSalle had shot himself. Cormier presents the idea of heroes in his novel, one by setting it in the time of World War Two, which has lots of potential for heroes because theirs the concept of being a soldier. He also presents the idea of heroes by making two characters seem like heroes at first glance but then stripping them of their heroic status by things that come to haunt them from the past that had never been dealt with. Also with Nicole Renard and how she is the innocent victim in this and how one incident made both Francis and Larry cowards and very un-heroic.

Co-curricular Essay Example for Free

Co-curricular Essay Co-curricular is one of the activities being neglected in most schools in the past years. Our school being one of them had for long been emphasizing heavily in class work. By doing this, we could not realize our talents which are very basic in making us whole. Activity carried on 4th March last-term made each member of this school to change his or her mind. We witnessed how students have wonderful talents. Our school was among the top competing school in sports activities in this region. Sports has been one of the activity in school that that the administration has been overlooking. The school noted the need to change our strategies and came up with plans which will give students a chance to realize their talents. The school used to conduct classes from eight in the morning to four in the evening. After this, students moved to evening group discussions and thereafter they went back again to their classes for evening preps. These activities made us busy throughout the day before retiring to bed. The school has come up with a strategy that will ensure that students are trained both in class and in the co-curricular activities especially in sports. The School’s schedule is now flexible, as it will now allow students to get involved in these sports activities. Thanks to the students who participated in this event because due to their enthusiasm, passion and spirit in sports the administration made a sensible consideration and made sure that it has allocated time for these activities. I am grateful for this action as it will serve as an example to other learning institutions. Sincerely, References Cooperating School Districts. (2010). Programs and Services: Communications Crisis communication-Letters Assistance. Retrieved on 9 July 2010 from http://www. csd. org/vnews/display. v/ART/44abd0116f2d7

Nigerian Construction Industry Performance

Nigerian Construction Industry Performance Chapter Two of this research comprises a comprehensive review of literature relating to the Nigerian construction industry and its performance, Value Management and its application in the construction industry. It is noted that much of the literature relating to Nigeria is dated, however this can only add to the value and relevance of primary data collected in this research and it provides a background and historic basis from which progress in the industry may be measured. 2.1 THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY The construction industry the world over is often perceived to be the life wire of its respective economy as it cuts across all aspects of human activities (Ayangade, 2009) and the Nigerian construction industry is not an exception to this. Its contribution ranges from enabling the procurement of goods and services to the provision of buildings and other infrastructure, thereby providing employment opportunities to its labour force while contributing immensely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to Ayangade (2009), the contribution of the Nigerian construction industry is yet to measure up to those of the western world like the UK and Australia due to its developing nature among other reasons discussed below. As noted by the same researcher (Ayangade, 2009), whereas the construction industries of other developed countries are responsible for about 22% of their respective GDPs, the Nigerian case is different as it contributes slightly below 16% to its economy. However, this could be said to be complemented by the relatively higher employment (20%) it provides for its whooping 140 million citizens compared to the 12% as in the case of developed countries. Mbamali (2004) attributed this to relatively lower use of mechanization within construction in Nigeria and the high dependency of the Nigerian economy on the oil sector. Obiegbu (2005) noted that the construction industry, unlike other sectors, is a complex one and requires articulate professionals who are ready to live up to its clients expectations. Clients in the construction industry may either be private individuals including corporate bodies or public organisations which include the government. In Nigeria the federal government is often seen to be involved in the most complex projects with about 38.4% of the market (Ayangade, 2005). This is followed by the state government which is responsible for about 19.2% of the projects in the industry, though there is still some form of partnering between different classes of clients. The players in the industry are a disparate group of individuals often assembled into temporary teams and may comprise of quantity surveyors, architects, Engineers, Estate surveyors Valuers, project managers, contractors and sub-contractors, suppliers, labourers and artisans. Activities in the construction industry are carried out on a project basis and could be within an organisation or part of a programme (..reference). The Project Management Institute (PMI) (2004) defined a project as a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service or result. The product, in the context of the construction industry, may be a building, services installation or other infrastructural project. Hence the relevant mix of professionals is often assembled together with the aim of achieving this goal. This group of professionals is expected to possess the relevant skills, knowledge, tools and techniques to achieve the project goals. The application of these variables, skills, knowledge, tools and techniques, with the aim achieving the required objective is referred to as project management (PMI, 2004). According to Obiegbu (2005), the contractual procurement strategy, which he defined as a basis for clients action in defining the procedure to be followed fr om the inception of the project to handover, plays an important role in the performance of the industry. Some of the contractual arrangements which are often referred to as procurement routes may include, but are not limited to, the following: Traditional procurement route Design and build Management contracts 2.1.1 Nature and Performance of the Nigerian Construction Industry the economic resources often wasted in cost and time overruns, substandard work and shoddy workmanship, client-contractor-practitioners acrimonious relationships and non-performance of projects as envisaged by clients and end users Olatunje (2009) The above quote highlights the perception of the Nigerian construction industry presented by Olatunje (2009) highlights issues researched by other authors such as cost and time overruns (Aniekwu and Okpala, 1998, Oyedele Tham, 2007, Dlakwa Culpin, 1990), project abandonment (Sonuga et al, 2002, Adams, 1997) and both client and contractor dissatisfaction (Olatunje, 2009). The quote also echoes findings from Egans (1998) research into the UK construction industry. The Egan report has been formative in the UK construction industry but also for the Nigerian industry, which is fashioned after the UKs (Mbamali, et al., 2005, Oyedele Tham, 2007). The Nigerian construction industry has similar contractual arrangements as the industry in Britain which has been found to be more unsuitable for developing industries like Nigeria than it is for its own industry (Edmonds Miles, 1983, Sonuga et al, 2002). The most common procurement route used in the Nigerian construction industry is the traditional route (Ayangade, 2009). This implies that much risk is placed on the Architect to deliver the project as he is left to advise, organise and lead other project consultants to conceive and develop the project design. This procurement route has faced a lot of criticism including the separation of the design stage from actual construction. Wells (1986) found that the divorce of design from construction and the use of competitive tendering, which is based on lowest cost, are noted constraints that affect the performance of the Nigerian construction industry. Aniekwu and Okpala (1988) referred to these as systemic issues in the industry which result from the application of contractual arrangements unsuited to the Nigerian industry. Some of these issues may be accommodated by appropriate conditions of contract but these factors are considered to be withholding the development of the industry. Aniekwu and Okpala (1988) also identified some of the structural issues affecting the industry to include access to finance and lack of proper communication among consultants, contractors and the client at the early stages the project and during construction. Oyodele and Tham (2005) noted that lack of proper communication in the industry, boosted by its high level of fragmentation, has left it awash it with delay, cost and time overruns in addition to the disturbing rate of fluctuation in the prices of materials offered by the economy. The findings of the Building Research Establishment associated more than 50% of the construction defects with mistakes in project drawings and documentation due to inadequate interaction among the proj ect professionals. This is in line with the recommendation of the National Economic Development Office (1987) on the need for more accurate designs in the industry as this is responsible for nearly two-thirds of poor quality work in the industry. 2.1.2 Project Management in the Nigerian Construction Industry Odusemi et al, (2003) found that Project Management is still in its early stages of development in the Nigerian construction industry. The service is offered but only alongside other consultancy services. This is not assisted by the fact that PM is learned experientially and is not represented by established professional bodies, although many consultants are members of the Association of Project Management (APM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). This has left the industry struggling with the challenges of satisfying the needs of its clients and the public as a whole. As noted by Oyodale and Tham (2005), the complexities presented by the industry can only be tackled by its professionals. Aibinu and Jagboro (2002) concluded that, considering the contribution of the construction industry to its nations economy, improved services in the form of greater efficiency and timeliness would certainly yield a positive impact. The research called on the need for innovative research that will improve management skills and ability, buildability, design quality, integration and communication and client focus so as to deliver value for money. 2.2 VALUE MANAGEMENT 2.2.1 Value Concept Historically, value is viewed from an economic perspective, hence its expression as a ratio of costs to benefits (Kelly et al, 2004). The concept of value is based on the relationship between satisfying needs and the expectations and the resources required to achieve them (British Standard, 2000). The above statement implies that for value to be correctly defined there ought to be some needs that are desired to be satisfied; which are then weighed against the required and available resources to achieve them. This however does not equate reduced cost to enhanced value. For instance, as illustrated in figure 2.1 below, a project manager may decide to commit more resources in the short run (which would obviously increase cost) with an intention of increasing his revenue (improved value) in the long run. Value can thus be increased when the clients satisfaction increases and the cost in terms of resources either diminishes, or increases to a lesser extent (Tassinari (1985, p37). Figure 2.1 showing the relationship between resources and customer satisfaction. (Adapted from British Standard, 2000) A need is that which is desired or necessary to perform a particular function and will differ depending on the nature of the client or the perspective from which it is defined (British Standard, 2000). This explains why value is often seen to be a subjective term (Thiry, 1997). According to Kelly et al (2004) producers and dealers may both view value as the price of a physical object while the consumers or users would see value from its performance perspective which changes with time. McGeorge and Palmer (2002) illustrate this using a modern home which has a little battery operated radio in addition to internet, phone, and television. Of course, the small radio would be perceived to have little or no value until a snow storm cuts the house off from the electric power supply which will render the radio as the only source of communication. The above example by McGeorge and Palmer (2002) shows the effect time and innovation can have on a clients interpretation of value and how it can change given a particular situation. The small battery operated radio was initially of very high value when it was the only available option but diminished with the invention and/or acquisition of internet, phone and television by the household. However its appreciation changed when the situation change. According to Zimmerman and Hart (1982) as cited in Thiry (1997), if a design has not changed in 18 years, the product is either excellent or management has failed to improve it. However one knows that neither of these two conditions mentioned in the above statement is obtainable in the present construction industry due to its highly competitive nature. Most times clients interpretation of value is when it meets or exceeds their expectations. Kelly and Male (2007) described this using the Kanos model as shown in figure 2.3 below. Figure 2.2 Kanos Model, reproduced from Kelly and Male, 2007 As shown on Kanos model above, there are three levels of satisfaction factors; basic, performance and delighter, each having some effects on the quality characteristics including customers satisfaction. According to Kelly and Male (2007), Kanos model (figure 2.2) does not only portray the importance of achieving a clients immediate expectations from a project but also the need to go the extra mile to improve it beyond the clients expectations as this gives them a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"delighter satisfaction. The possible benefit from this is that projects would not become obsolete within a short period of its completion as its performance would still exceed the customers demand, thereby assuring the client of continued good value for his money. Kanos model also creates room for improved projects through innovative services and products as what was once a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"delighter over time goes down to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"basic and forms a baseline below which the client becomes dissatisfied. Acc ording to Harty (2009) one of the driving forces behind the value management concept is that it encourages innovation through research which is in line with the recommendations of Egan (1998) to improve the performance of the construction industry. 2.2.2 Defining the Client Value System Clients in the construction industry have been described as a heterogeneous group made up of private or public organisations operating in different environments with diverse reasons for their existence (Kelly et al 2007). Some of these are multinational organisations competing at the global level who already have reputations to protect while some are small upcoming organisations who are still very much profit driven. Viewed from another perspective, some of these clients are more experienced than others irrespective of their sizes or the sector in which they operate. It then follows that clients are unique in their own ways and have individual, respective requirements which determine their needs and hence what is of value to them. This is referred to as the client value system. Harmonizing and prioritizing these diverse views of stakeholders in a particular project at the project briefing stage sets the clients value system and ensures that value for money (VfM) is achieved, (OGC, 20 07). The client value system is thus seen as a basis for making decisions as to the allocation and use of resources available for a project, thereby addressing the usual mismatch between the clients actual intent and his capability (Thiry, 1996). According to Kelly et al (2004, p157) one of the most important considerations of value management is the recognition of the uniqueness of each clients value system. This creates demand for the construction industry as it is focused on the customers by making explicit what value means to the each individual client. Sequel to this, Kelly et al (2004) identified some measurable criteria which form a typical construction client value system to include time, capital costs, operating cost, environment, exchange, flexibility, esteem, comfort and politics. 2.2.2.1 Time Refers to the period from when the project was conceptualized to the period when it is completed and absorbed into the clients organisation. Often time is assessed on a continuum from when it is of essence to the point where it could be compromised (Kelly et al, 2004). For instance a project to build a sports bar for the 2010 world cup delivered just a day past the commencement of the tournament, may drastically affect its value. Hence it is necessary to determine what time means to the client. 2.2.2.2 Capital expenditure (CAPEX) Are those costs associated with the capital cost of a project, measured on a continuum between the budget being considered tight and not able to be exceeded to there being flexibility in budgeting (Kelly et al 2004). Simply put, CAPEX is what it cost to put a project on ground, from inception to handover. However, Elinwa and Joshua (2001) stated that it is sometimes difficult to separate the capital costs of some projects from its operating costs due the platform on which it was procured. For example a primary health centre to be procured through PFI, it may not be so easy to pin point the capital costs as it forms part of the total lease package. 2.2.2.3 Operating expenditure (OPEX) Spending on construction projects is not one off expenditure as the building requires to be operated, maintained and repaired throughout the life span of the building. According to Kelly et al (2004), OPEX can be defined as those costs associated with operation and maintenance of a completed project as it becomes a part of the clients organization; measured by the extent to which it is minimized to its point of being flexible. This depends on the use to which a building is being put to. For instance where the building is for residential purpose, the operating costs may include utilities, cleaning, repairs, maintenance, caretaker and security. This may be expanded to include photocopying and internet facilities and other office services for a commercial development. 2.2.2.4 Environment This defines how important achieving an environmentally friendly project is to the client. Kelly et al (2004) defined environment as the extent to which the project results in a sympathetic approach to its immediate and extended physical environments in terms of energy consumed in putting it up and in operating it. The yardstick here is the level to which the project complies with the Kyoto Agreement and Agenda 21 issues including other environmental regulations. This explains a clients interest in having a sustainable development which is resources conscious. 2.2.2.5 Exchange or resale This refers to the monetary value of the project were it to be sold, rented or valued as part of an organisations assets. Where the project cannot be traded on the open market value or there is no intention to resell ab initio, this will be indicated in the organisations value system (Kelly et al, 2004). The continuum here is between the returns from the project being of importance to the returns being of not of much or no importance to the client. 2.2.2.6 Flexibility As recommended by Egan (1998), there is a need for construction projects to be at a par with improvements in technology and changes in market demand. Hence flexibility as a value criterion is the extent to which a project parameter has to reflect this ever changing environment at its design stage (Kelly et al 2004). For instance, the nature of the healthcare industry involves constant improvements in technology and hence healthcare facilities must be compatible with the incorporation of these changes. However, flexibility depends on the nature of the project and is measured between being very easy to change its function to being impossible. 2.2.2.7 Esteem This refers to the amount of immediate resources that a client wants to forgo for attributes like prestige, aesthetic and appearance rather than performance (Thiry, 1996). Some projects may not be viable based on other value criteria but of high value to the client on esteem grounds. For instance, some projects undertaken by some countries could be just aimed at creating awareness and putting the countrys name on the map as in the case of the worlds tallest building in Dubai. 2.2.2.8 Comfort In the context of a building this refers to the physical and psychological comfort of the building as a place for working and living with its influence on human performance (Kelly et al 2004). Simply put, it refers to the ease with which the project supports the business carried out in it or other uses to which it is being put. 2.2.2.9 Politics This is external to projects and refers to the level of resources that the client wants to commit to the community, popularity and good neighbour issues which often determines how important they are to him (Kelly and Male, 2007). This is measured by the motive to be popular with the local community or not having any concern with them at all. In a study conducted to determine clients assessment of architects performance in Nigeria in terms of delivering value for money, Lukmon et al (2007), identified a set of 28 similar but correlated criteria which they grouped under quality of project, buildability, client focus and management skills. 2.2.3 Historical Background of Value Management A project is defined as an undertaking aimed at achieving a specific objective usually measured in terms of performance, budget and schedule, (Morris and Hough 1987). Hence project is an investment undertaken to add value to the core business of a client (Kelly et al, 2004). Value Management, as a management technique, offers the most logical approach to delivering VfM to clients (Shen and Liu 2003); Kelly and Male, 2007). Its strength may be attributed to its approach of identifying and/or verifying a clients value system among the relevant stakeholders at an early stage of the project, so that these may be reflected in the project design. According to Thiry (1996) the origins of VM can be traced back to the 1940s in what he described as more for less in the USA manufacturing industry. During World War II Lawrence Miles, an Engineer with General Electric, was faced with some strategic problems in producing some components which were easily produced in the past. As a way around this Miles, who before then has been dissatisfied with the cost of production in the industry, came to realise that most times circumstantial innovations result in better performance and reduced cost. This prompted Miles to ask what function does this component perform and how else can we perform that function (Dallas, 2006). Miles questions gave rise to the concept of function analysis which was aimed at identifying and analysing the intended functions to determine if the materials for the proposed solution can be substituted with less expensive ones. Not long after, people started to adopt the technique of focusing on the intended function not the process which soon developed into what is today referred to as Value Analysis (VA). In many cases people perceived the technique as a cost reduction technique at the expense of improved functionality which is a total misconception of the technique (Kelly and Male, 1993). However, the technique was so successful that in less than 10 years it was adopted in the US Department of Defence to deliver VfM and from then on other industries in the USA have adapted it for application at different phases of their projects. Value Management (VM) as it came to be called, refers to a structured management of the total value equation throughout all stages of the project (Kelly et al; 2004). Figure 2.3 shows different stages and segments of the development of value management. Figure 2.3 The metamorphosis of Value Management, adapted from Dallas (2006) As illustrated in figure 2.3, Miles action in the 1940s was focused on getting alternative materials or components to perform the required function which was the beginning of value management. This was later perceived as a cost cutting technique before the adoption of a holistic structured approach to improving value (Kelly and Male, 1993). Following the development and positive impacts of value management in the US manufacturing sector, the technique was adopted into the US construction industry as a means of delivering VfM to its clients in the 1960s. Fong and Shen (2000) noted that VM was first introduced in the US construction industry in 1968 and its application in the Chinese construction industry is recorded to occur 10 years later (Shen and Liu, 2004). According to Kelly et al (2004), the value management technique was first used in the UK 30 years after it was introduced in the US manufacturing industry at the Xerox headquarters, an American company. From then on VM has grown to become widely accepted in different parts of the world as a logical means to achieve value for money (Fong, 2004; Kelly et al, 2004; Ellis et al, 2004) including in Africa (Bowen et al, 2008). 2.2.4 Benefits of Value management Value management is a proactive, problem solving service, which maximizes the functional value of a project through a structured team which makes explicit the clients value system and weights further decisions against the value system.(Kelly et al, 1998). VM aims to justify the place of a project in a clients organisation at an early stage and develops a strategic plan against which it is built on to deliver value for money. VM is often misconstrued to being a cost reduction exercise, hence seen to be synonymous with value engineering. According to Dallas (2006) cost reduction, which is an obvious output of a value management exercise, cannot after all be seen as its main motive. As illustrated in figure 2.4 below, VM incorporates value engineering and value analysis in its value definition exercise and so could be perceived to be a universal set for the three concepts. Figure 2.4 shows the relationship between Value Management, Value Engineering and Value Analysis, adapted from Connaughton and Green (1996) VM looks at a project from a holistic point of view (time, whole life cost and performance) in the context of its usage which properly fits in the definition of value for money (). Connaughton and Green (1996) identified the following benefits which a properly executed Value Management exercise can yield: The need for the project is made explicit and verified by available data. The project objectives are identified and discussed openly to reach a consensus. Rational, explicit and measurable decisions are guaranteed after alternatives have been considered. Project designs are developed from the agreed framework, which are evaluated on the basis of the agreed performance criteria. There is greater participation from stakeholders which guarantees their buy in. There is improved communication and teamwork spirit throughout the project. Improved innovation with better quality definition in the project. Unnecessary cost is eliminated which may lead to a reduction in cost. Properly executed, value management when employed at the early stages of a project can help eliminate unnecessary cost to the tune of 10% to 25% savings on the proposed capital cost of project (Ellis et al, 2004). This is considered to be reasonable compared to the actual cost of the VM exercise, which is estimated at about 0.5% to 1% of the projects cost (REF). 2.3 APPLICATION OF VALUE MANAGEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Any construction project should be only commissioned following a careful analysis of needs since failure to think through project requirements will almost certainly cause problems for subsequent design and construction stages. For that reason, the Construction Industry Board recommends that value management be incorporated as an integral part of the construction process (Baldwin 1998). The value management approach may differ between countries depending on the nature of their construction industry or the chosen procurement route in a particular project. However, this does not dispute the fact that the VM technique can be gainfully applied at any stage of a construction project, as clients/contractors are often faced with the challenge of finding an optimum balance between cost, time, quality and performance criteria (Fong 2004). In the UK, the USA, Australia and other countries where the value management technique is well established, VM is applied through a process referred to as the value management study (British Standard, 2000) or value management process (Kelly et al; 1998) via a workshop approach facilitated by value manager or experienced team facilitator. A value management study, as defined in BS12947, involves the application of value management to a particular business case identified within a VM programme. Baldwin (1998, as cited in Kelly et al, 1998) noted that VM is not a question of brainstorming and problem solving, rather it requires a structured methodology in order to have the required outcome. Figure 2.5 overleaf depicts a simple VM study plan developed for the European Value Management standard (British Standard, 2000). Figure 2.5 shows a simple VM study plan, adapted from the British Standard (2000) The VM study plan represents a systematic approach to ensuring that appropriate techniques and skills are utilized in the value study. According to the British Standard (2000), as shown in the VM study plan above, a VM study should aim to achieve the following objectives; Identify the objectives and targets the intended study is set to achieve; as this may differ from the project objectives. Formulate the relevant approach needed to achieve the objectives, including team selection and training (where necessary). Identify the relevant functions which will lead to the achievement of the objectives. Identify some basis for measuring changes in performance and use of resources. Set targets for performance and use of resources for the above identified functions in a way peculiar to the organisations. Identify innovative ways of arriving at the targets through the application of the above methods. Evaluate the proposal for improvement. Implement the proposal which have been chosen by the decision makers Monitor and measure the outcomes in relation to the target. Feedback results for continuous improvement of VM programme. There are different approaches to value management studies in different countries with regards to team compositions and workshop procedure. For instance in the American construction industry, VM studies are typically carried out by an independent workshop team who will have to sell their ideas to the project team later on. This is different from the UK practice where the existing project team is fully involved in the study. In a benchmarking exercise carried by Kelly et al (1998), the use of an existing project team in conducting value management studies appeared to be the preferred approach due to the following advantages accruable to the project; Cost of the study is relatively minimized Time spent project briefing the study participants is reduced Waste of resources on previously considered but failed ideas are eliminated Offers better opportunity for developing project teams during the workshop More opportunity to explore all available options Implementation is more guaranteed as team members have already accepted ideas which they generated as a team, thereby reducing the development period. However, generic VM workshop strives to add value to a project by considering the project on its whole life basis. Kelly et al (1998) who were in support of this view identified the five key value opportunities at which VM technique can be employed to include pre-brief workshop, proper workshop, sketch design workshop, final working design and implementation workshop. 2.3.1 Pre-brief workshop The Value Manager or Facilitator meets with the project sponsor/client to clarify the place of the project in his organisation or programme. This will give the two parties a better understanding of the functional expectations of the project so as to help form a basis for the project briefing workshop and the clients value system. This may yield solution/s to the clients problem, for example, whether a new building is needed or renovation of existing one will achieve the same objectives. 2.3.2 Proper workshop Proceeds from the identified solution in the pre-brief phase and aims to identify the clients value system. This workshop offers an opportunity to facilitate the project team, understand their dynamics and guide them to achieve the desired goal. Though it is expected that the workshop has an agenda, this should not be too detailed, thereby making the timings tight, as this may divert the focus from achieving the objectives of the workshop to exhausting the items on the agenda. The tactical skills of the Facilitator are very much needed at this stage of the workshop if its participants are to be productive and should be as brief and focused as pos