Refurbishment Of The Old Hospital Building Construction Essay

Refurbishment Of The Old Hospital Building Construction Essay Health issues are the primary concern of the government and needs to be dealt with high priority. This project is about ABC hospital trust which is under performing given the available hospital infrastructure. The desired result is to improve the hospital infrastructure and provide relief to the local community. There are two options available: 1) New Build project 2) Refurbishment of the old hospital building. The new build project seems to be a sound financial investment with regards to the public sector procurement. Benefits to be derived from this would be lower operational costs, lower maintenance costs, lower energy consumption, better budget control, high quality, improved functionality, and timely completion of the project. In Public sector procurement great deal of preference should also be given to the full life value of the project rather than short term capital cost. This report is a consideration of different procurement options with respect to addressing the objectives of the client and to achieve best value for money with a focus on the public sector procurement. It also presents a project management plan that includes various tasks which needs to be carried out for successful completion of the project. The Work Breakdown structure (WBS), linear responsibility Chart (LRC) and Action Plan (AP) are used to illustrate the type and scope of work which needs to be done over the entire life of the project. By taking all these factors in to consideration the integrated approach in the form of Design and build- Novation is adjudged as the best form of procurement. The main points which make this system reliable are speed of construction, single point responsibility (usually a contractor who would be responsible for managing the design and construction of the project); savings in cost along with maintain design standards throughout the phases of the project. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 66-90) INTRODUCTION The project is to provide a 6 storey hospital building providing acute care, accident and emergency, maternity and outpatient provision according to NHS Estates own design standards. Majority of the building will be given to inpatient services. The new build project option would comprise not only of the hospital building but also the associated road works, parking, hard and soft landscaping drainage and external works along with office accommodation, restaurant, and warehouse and delivery areas. The new build site is derelict and has been demolished to the ground level. It was used by heavy industry and has slabs and foundation remaining. The site is also subjected to subsidence and requires ground stabilization. There is a derelict pedestrian bridge which needs to be demolished. Also there are mineshafts which need to be blocked before the commencement of construction as it would be a major safety hazard. The refurbishment option of the existing building would involve substantial refurbishment and remodeling of the existing building. This would require intricate phasing and planning to allow its healthcare activities to continue. This would hinder the progress of the project which could in turn affect project completion times. The trust cannot afford this as they have limited time in their hands to make the facilities operational. Moreover substantial refurbishment and remodeling would involve costs which will be highly uncertain. The client is familiar with only conventional or the traditional procurement system. Traditional system requires design to be completed well before the actual construction commences. The sequential, fragmented and confrontational nature of the traditional system can result in lengthy design and construction periods, poor communication between clients and the project team and problems of buildability. (Masterman, 2006). The client has only 48 months to get the improved facilities operational. Hence, due to time constraint the client needs recommendation for new types of procurement systems to cope up with project deadlines and budget. STAKEHOLDERS A project stakeholder is a person or a group of people who have a vested interest in the success of the project and the environment within which the project operates. (Olander Landin, 2005, p. 1). The inference is that stakeholder can be an individual or a group of individuals which have the power to be a threat or a benefit for the project. Project managers should try to address the concerns of all stakeholders with effective communication to avoid conflicts and controversies in the project to ensure smooth completion of the project. (Olander Landin, 2005, pp. 1-8). Lack of integral engagement with stakeholders could also lead to failure of the project. They form an integral part of the project and one of the crucial factors in smooth completion of project. On the other hand, Business also has some stake in the individuals or groups for using their resources or their influences for running the business. (Walker Marr, 2001) For this purpose they have to be analysed in the following way : Identification of stakeholders Stakeholder mapping by Power/interest matrix Power/predictability matrix Stakeholder Management IDENTIFICATION OF STAKEHOLDERS Different stakeholders that can be associated with this project will be ABC hospital trust, City council local authority, Project manager, Architects, Contractors, Material Suppliers, Site Engineer, Structural consultants, NHS, Health and safety regulations, Wild life conservation, Insurance company, General Public- end users(patients and visitors),Hospital employees, Fire department. STAKEHOLDER MAPPING Stakeholder mapping can be done by arranging all the stakeholders of this hospital project into Power/Level of interest matrix and Power/Predictability matrix. Power / Level of Interest Matrix for this project Stakeholders with low level of interests and low power are easy to manage and would require minimal effort. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with high level of interests and low power to influence them needs to be informed about the major decisions of the project. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with low level of interest but with high power should be dealt with carefully and should be kept satisfied, failing to which their level of interests will rise and they will become stakeholders with high power and high level of interest. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with high level of interest and high power are key players and should be given top priority. The strategy of the project should have their consent at all times. (Newcombe, 2003) Power / Predictability Matrix for this project According to Power/Predictability matrix following inferences can be obtained: Stakeholders with low power and low predictability are manageable. Stakeholders with low power and high predictability will seldom cause any problems. STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT PROCESS. Project success criteria should be carefully evaluated in terms of time, cost and performance which might be influenced by or affect or concern the stakeholders directly. For effective execution of the project, resources should be available on time. These resources many a times would be at the discretion of the stakeholders. So after carefully analyzing stakeholder groups and interest levels along with predictability, stakeholder analysis with respect to stakeholders attitude should be carried out. (Turner, 2003, pp. 103-107) Stakeholder attitude can be accessed by the current level of support for the project by key stakeholders. With progress of the project, the stakeholders attitude towards the project can change which needs to be carefully monitored by the project manager. The different attitudes of the stakeholders can be summarized as follows: Changing the negative stakeholders attitude will require efforts by the project team. Key stakeholders should be the main focus of the team as they can affect the success of the project. When the stakeholders current commitment towards the project match their required commitment level then they must not be ignored, as ignoring them might change their attitude towards the project which is not desirable for the progress of the project. (Turner, 2003, pp. 109-110) STAKE HOLDER OBJECTIVES The main objective of the stakeholders would be to get high quality of health care operational within precincts of time, budget and quality. Future developments should be sustainable. CLIENT OBJECTIVES To select the best procurement route to achieve better value for money and to ensure the requirements of the stakeholders are met. To ensure the new facilities are in accordance with NHS design panel. To ensure that the project is completed within the time frame of 48 months given to them from the government. PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS Procurement is a strategy to satisfy clients development and/or operational needs with respect to the provision of constructed facilities for a discrete life cycle-By International Commission on Building (CIB W92) during its 1997 meeting. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 26-27) It can also be defined as the process that involves design, specification and acquisition of goods and services. (Carter Kirby, 2006) Procurement not only should encompass the method in design and construction of the project but also the cultural, economic, managerial, political and environmental issues raised by their implementation (McDermott Rowlinson, 1999) CLASSIFICATION OF PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS Procurement systems can be classified as follows: Separated procurement system Integrated procurement system Management oriented procurement system Discretionary system 1)Separated procurement systems: This type of system also known as the conventional system has the responsibilities for design and construction allotted to separate teams such as design team, quantity surveyors, contractors etc. For proper execution of the project the client has to deal with all the members of the project team and is himself responsible for funding and risks involved. Traditional system of procurement comes under this category. (Masterman, 2006, p. 28) 2)Integrated procurement systems: This type of system deals with responsibilities for the design and construction bestowed usually on the contractor. Hence in theory, the client has to deal with only a single organization. Design and build, novated design and build, package deal, turnkey approach are examples of this type of procurement system. (Masterman, 2006, p. 29). 3)Management-oriented procurement systems: This type of systems has the management aspect of the project carried out by an organization in co-ordination with designers, consultants to execute various activities of the project. The client will have a greater involvement in the project as compared to other procurement systems. Management contracting, construction management and design and manage come under the category of management oriented procurement systems. (Masterman, 2006, p. 29) 4)Discretionary systems: This system many a times can be argued that in reality this is not a procurement system, instead it can be means of controlling the project. The definition by Construction Industry Board (CIB) W92 states that It is a strategy to satisfy clients development and / or operational needs. The selection of the procurement system depends on the client and he lays down a framework for the overall administration of the project. Partnering and British Property Federation system are examples of this type. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 28-29,131-136) SELECTION OF PROCUREMENT ROUTE FOR HOSPITAL BUILDING Selection of a procurement route involves many factors to be considered such as Project cost, completion time, quality standards required, size of the project, risks involved, complexity of the project. Based on all the above factors Design and build novated system seems to be a suitable option for the hospital project. The main factors to be considered in this project keeping in mind the requirements of ABC hospital trust are: Project completion time Project management efficiency Project costs Provide relief to the community. Best value for money Project completion time is a major factor to be considered as any delay in this project completion would result in closure of the hospital which would have a major impact on quality of health care in the city. Delay in completion time would also result in delayed commissioning of medical equipments. Design and build Novated system enables design and construction stages to be overlapped in the project enabling speedy completion of the project. Commissioning of medical equipments and making quality healthcare operational within 48 months can be achieved by using this procurement system. Walker (1997) agrees to Smith and Wilkins (1996) that non-traditional procurement systems are more likely to enhance construction performance. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006) As design and construction stages are overlapped it helps in improving communications between the client (ABC hospital trust) and the contractor. Hence overall project management efficiency is improved along with shorter project completion time. Certainty of project costs in this kind of procurement system can be achieved as there is no ambiguity in the clients requirements. Evidence also exists to support the widely held belief that when using this system the initial and final costs are lower than when using other methods of procurement basically as a result of diminished design costs, the integration of design and construction elements and the in-buildability of detailed design. This evidence was given further support by the University of Readings report when it was established that projects procured using this system were a minimum 13 percent cheaper than those using more conventional approaches. (Masterman, 2006, p. 79) Existing hospital can continue to provide some relief to the community till the new hospital building is constructed. Best value for money can be achieved by assessing on the whole life cost of the hospital rather than the initial capital costs. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006). Whole life costs will not only include construction costs but also operational and maintenance cost over the life cycle of the project. WHY NEW BUILD PROJECT Benefits of choosing a new build project with design and build- novated type of procurement (New build) as compared to refurbishment are as follows: Refurbishment Existing Hospital. Design Build Novated Approach Requirements of the client 1) Uncertainty of Project costs as refurbishment can bring out many unknown costs involved in it. Certainty of Project costs. Project costs should be certain and should not exceed the estimated costs. 2) Uncertainty in completion time required for the project as the hospital would be in operation during refurbishment. Project completion time is certain. High speed of completion as it overlaps design and construction phase. Construction is 12% faster as compared to conventional systems. (Masterman, 2006, p. 78) Project should meet the 48 month deadline and should be fully operational. 3) Being an old building, it will be difficult to incorporate energy efficient methods or new technology leading to higher operational costs. New buildings can accommodate for energy efficiency which would lower the operational costs of the building. Low operational cost of the building. 4) Though the report show that refurbishment costs are lower as compared to new building, uncertainty in time and costs will lead to choosing new build. Construction costs are higher but certain. Low construction costs. 5) Whole life cycle costs would be more because of high operational costs throughout the life time of the project. Whole life cycle costs will be less and good value for money can be achieved. Best value for money. 6) Less energy efficient building. High costs would be involved to employ energy efficient methods Sustainability can be achieved with lower costs of accommodating energy efficient methods. Sustainable Construction. 7) Difficult to accommodate changes in design of building. Can be built as per the latest design required to incorporate changes in technology. Flexibility in design to accommodate changes in technology. 8) Existing health care facilities would be partially available to the public as refurbishing activities would be going on simultaneously. Existing health care facilities will be available to the public in the old hospital. Maintaining the existing healthcare facilities and upgrading them for future. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Supply chain management can be defined as the network of organizations that are involved, through upstream and downstream linkages, in the different processes and activities that produce value in the form of products and services in the hands of the ultimate customer. (Vrijhoef Koskela, 2000) Supply chain management involves selection from different sellers and buyers inorder to get greater benefit from them rather than just focusing on an individual. Well managed supply chains often save upto 20% of the total supply chain costs whereas a poorly managed supply chain can ruin the economy of the company. (Gattorna, 2003). Present advances made by commercial companies in understanding the ways in which the supply chain works leads to significantly enhanced expectations for people who are responsible for procuring, commissioning and managing the construction activities. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006, pp. 41-42). EFFECT OF PROCUREMENT ON SUPPLY CHAIN The most problematic area in the procurement process lies in the different stages of the construction supply chain between the interfaces of organizations. (McDermott Rowlinson, 1999, p. 58) In design and build Novated approach, the contractor is responsible for design and construction of the project. Being the sole person or agency it reduces the interfaces between organizations leading to efficient supply chain management. Also, the contractor might be having business relations with suppliers which would enable faster and effective communication between them regarding the requirements of the project. EFFECT OF PROCUREMENT ON QUALITY The designers have a task to integrate all the requirements in the project like fit for purpose, sustainable considerations, durability, strength, the aesthetics of the building, construction methods, selection of materials etc. This system has the same design team throughout the progress of the project providing better co ordination and clear objective for achieving high quality sustainability in the project. RISK MONITORING Construction projects require decisions to be made. Risk management is the technique used for decision making process. It is critical to have sufficient knowledge regarding the impact of the decision. Delay in making decision for gathering more information would result in delays in the project which would be highly detrimental and decisions made without sufficient information could have huge impact on the project. Hence, Risk identification and analysis form the basic steps to be performed in any project. (Smith, Merna, Jobling, 2006) Risk identification should be done for the entire project life cycle rather than only construction phase. Selection of suitable procurement route will ensure that risks are dealt in the best possible way. Risks not identified at the inception stage would require negotiations with the contractor which may or may not be successful. If successful then it would involve increased financial implications on the part of the client leading to cost over-runs. Risk identification can be done by three different methodologies: Brainstorming sessions. Analysis of historical data. Use of Industrial checklists. Assumption analysis. Delphi technique. The primary motive of risk identification is the recognition of potential sources of risk rather than perfect predictions of the future. Be any kind of procurement, risks are bound to be involved. We can just minimize the risks involved by selecting procurement system based on the requirements of the client and objectives of the project. Cheung (1997) suggests that risks should be allocated using the following priorities : person or organization best able to control risk effectively, who can absorb it financially, who has most information to control it, who benefits most from scheming it or for whom risk is normal in it business role. This can be used to allocate risk properly to the right agency which will benefit project progress. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006, pp. 18-19) EFFECT OF SELECTION OF PROCUREMENT ROUTE ON RISK ALLOCATION. In design and build novated approach, it is the responsibility of the contractor to deal with design, construct and commissioning. Sometimes, operation and maintenance are also included in contractors scope of work for ensuring that it is upto the clients specification. All the risks associated are borne by the contractor rather than the client. The inference is that the clients involvement in the project would be minimal. This approach increases the risks for the contractor when compared to conventional approach. Once the specifications are finalized it is difficult for client to alter them. Altering the specifications would result in increased premiums. So it is essential to prepare the specifications carefully to avoid cost associated risks involved in the project. (Smith, Merna, Jobling, Risk allocation in Contracting Cycle, 2006). BEST VALUE FOR MONEY ABC hospital trust can achieve best value for money by choosing the new build project as it would lead to reduced whole life cycle cost, lower operational and maintenance cost. Being a new building, it would be easy to accommodate for energy efficient new technologies. It would lead to sustainable construction practices which wont be possible or will be difficult to implement in refurbishing the hospital building. Design and build-novated procurement system gives high speed of construction(early completion of the project) along with certainty of cost making it the ideal procurement system for this project with respect to value for time and money. BENCHMARKING PERFORMANCE Performance can be measured during construction by: Milestone Completion: Experienced Project Managers know that it is important to check the planned and actual completion dates of project milestones and physical evidence that the work is actually completed. (Schwalbe, 2006) Performance Review meetings Periodic project performance review meetings with the management help in tracking the project and control project schedules. A tracking Gantt chart that compares planned and actual project schedule information can be used for reporting the information to the stakeholders of the project. (Schwalbe, 2006) Worker morale The morale of workers and their work behavior will give a clear indication of the schedule performance. For example: If the project team members are working for extra hours every day then it will be a clear indication that the schedules are not realistic and the project manager would have to add more resources or reschedule it. Performance can be measured after construction by UK Best Practice Program (BPP) by evaluating the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Client Satisfaction Product, Client Satisfaction-Service, Defects, Predictability-Cost, Predictability-Time, Profitability, Productivity, Construction Cost and Construction Time. (Kagioglou, Cooper, Aouad, 2001) Performance of the hospital project can also be measured in terms of productivity. Productivity of this project can be defined as the ratio of the output of a production process to that of the input production process. In relation to the construction industry it can be calculated by ratio of work units completed during a period to its associated costs in terms of man hours or dollars. According to Thomas Kramer work hours, quantities and productivity are evaluated with baseline values used in project estimates. Effectiveness of the current performance can be measured by comparing current performance to the historical data or planned productivity. (Cox, Issa, Ahrens, 2003) RECOMMENDATION CONCLUSION The recommendation for ABC hospital trust is to construct a new hospital building using design and build Novated procurement system. This approach would reduce project completion time and increase cost effectiveness for the project. Quality at site, sustainability in construction activities can also be achieved with great success. Selection of this kind of approach would deliver good value for money for public sector procurement. This report also recommends periodical assessment of risk and stakeholders simultaneously with the progress of the project for avoiding conflicts. With careful monitoring of interests of the stakeholders in the project and appropriate risk management, the hospital project can be completed in an effective manner. Finally the end result to be achieved by this project would be win-win solution for all.

Impact of AIDS on Sub-Saharan Africa’s Economy

Sub-Saharan Africa is the part of the world most terribly influenced by AIDS.   By the end of 2004 it was estimated that twenty-six million inhabitants in Sub-Saharan Africa were suffering from AIDS. Approximately seven to eight per cent of the grown population is affected, with occurrence rates getting as high as forty per cent in a few countries.Females are strangely infected, with adolescent girls five times more prone than teenage boys to catch AIDS. In 2004 only, two million people expired of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.However the epidemic has far stretched from its peak, since infectivity rates are still exceeded casualties from AIDS. Due to the gap between infectivity and successive death, we have until now to see the full impact of AIDS on Sub-Saharan Africa’s society as a whole.There have been differing opinions over how AIDS has affected the economic future of the African continent. Mixed messages on the true economic repercussions of the spread of the disease have contributed to a limited response, despite the inclusion of combating AIDS in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).One of the least studied but most significant areas of the epidemic's impact is rural agriculture. Though long de-prioritized, rural agriculture is a source of livelihood for millions on the African continent and is now again being perceived as a crucial contributor to economic growth and development by such organizations as the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).Hunger, food aid and agricultural subsidies are all key elements of the current discourse on Africa in policy circles and in the media, but few studies have assessed the impact of AIDS on agriculture to push for specific interventions to mitigate the impact of the epidemic on rural agriculture.This disease has affected millions of people and since many of them are farmers therefore it has indirectly affected agriculture also. Since agriculture is a major source of capital for individuals and t he country therefore it has affected the economy of Africa also. It seems clear that such high levels of illness and mortality will severely hamper economic performance in the most heavily affected countries.Yet over the last decade, a number of macroeconomic studies have declared that AIDS is not having a significant impact on GDP growth. These analyses are important because they provide ammunition that allows statesmen and scholars to dismiss the epidemic as not worthy of action and funding.In circles of power around the world, it is money that drives policy initiatives. The claim that AIDS is not impacting economic performance speaks loudly and prevents aggressive intervention.( n5)This paper will start with an assessment of a number of the macroeconomic studies that aim to measure the impact of AIDS on GDP growth, and which contribute to the justification of a limited international response to the disease.Macroeconomic Analysis Of The Impact Of AIDSThe assessments of the macroec onomic impact of AIDS have been largely dismissive due to the unique character of the epidemic. AIDS affects the poorest of the poor: those who are not recognized or measured by traditional macroeconomic indicators. (Ruxin, 2004)As a UN report on â€Å"The Impact of AIDS† notes, â€Å"those rural people whose activities are not counted by standard measurements of economic performance and productivity are among the most vulnerable to the impact of AIDS.†( Bloom,   Mahal, 1997, 108)By not fully accounting for the informal sector, the rural economy and small-scale agriculture are largely dismissed, and women, who play a large role in the informal economy and agricultural sector, are marginalized. While the macroeconomic studies assessing the impact of AIDS disregard them, in fact it is the poor, the rural and women who are most affected by the disease.After decades of neglect by governments and abandonment by structural adjustment programs, there is a renewed focus on a griculture by international organizations and groups such as the World Bank and NEPAD. Agriculture is once again being seen as a driving force for growth in Africa.The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) released in July 2003 states that â€Å"the high economic growth rates envisaged by NEPAD cannot be realized unless farm production is significantly increased. Higher output will directly reduce hunger and bring down the cost of food imports.It will also have wider economic benefits, from stimulating rural incomes to providing raw materials for African industry.†(Harsch, 2004, 13) However, the rural areas are where AIDS is having its most devastating impact.At a time when population growth is high relative to other emerging economies, the amount of arable land is stable, the quality of land is degrading, and output per hectare stagnant, the rural areas are under increased pressure.Adding the AIDS epidemic into an already precarious mix of factors fo rces the agricultural sector into a dangerous downward spiral and threatens hopes for economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa.Few of the macroeconomic studies specifically address rural livelihoods and agriculture. They also assess the impact of AIDS without acknowledging that, from an economic point of view, the primary impact of the disease manifests mainly among individual economic agents, i.e. individuals and households. (Booysen, Bachmann, 2002)As a result, these macroeconomic models often fail to allow for the effects of a number of important microeconomic impacts which are endogenous to such models. (Booysen, Bachmann, 2002)Though the death of an individual might only represent a minor change in GDP, the macroeconomists fail to understand the ripple effect chronic illness and death has on communities. The impoverishment of communities cascades upwards and impacts macroeconomic measures. The traditional macroeconomic research approach is not sufficient in the face of the widespr ead devastation of AIDS.Microeconomic Analysis Of The Impact Of AIDSIt is vital for researchers to conduct microeconomic household-level studies on the impact of AIDS. Such analyses document the economic choices that households and individuals are forced to make in the face of the epidemic in terms of household composition, labor, productivity, savings and coping strategies.It is these behaviors that will inform observers of the real impact the epidemic is having on sub-Saharan Africa and will thus serve as the basis for understanding the effect of AIDS on families, communities and the nation.Rural Household StudiesIt is clear from existing microeconomic household-level analyses that AIDS is devastating and will continue to devastate Sub-Saharan Africa's rural agricultural sector and, through it, undermines the agricultural and rural revival that many see as the basis of Africa's recovery.As Carolyn Baylies notes, â€Å"AIDS is having a profound effect, undermining rural household production, contributing to declining agricultural output and affecting the very integrity of families and their sustainability as viable units.†(Baylies, 2002, 12)This paper will now delve into a number of the microeconomic studies, with a focus on rural agricultural household studies, to assess the house hold level impact of the epidemic and to investigate the effects that the macroeconomic analyses have largely missed.A 2002 household impact study conducted in South Africa by Frederick Booysen and Max Bachmann explores the impact of AIDS on families in the Free State province. Researchers note that deaths in the households due to AIDS mostly occurred in individuals in their 20s and 30s.A Rwandan study revealed that, for those that died, the average period of illness before death was 23 months: a long period during which care had to be provided and medicines sought. (Donovan, 2003) Household illness dramatically increases the dependency ratio in the home.Booysen and Bachmann note that the households affected by AIDS in fact have a smaller supply of labor than non-affected households, with a larger proportion of the household consisting of children and elderly persons. (Booysen, Bachmann, 2002) Furthermore, dependency is exacerbated by the fact that many individuals return to their rural homes to receive terminal care after becoming ill. (Jayne, 2002)The South African study also assesses the impact of AIDS on household income. The authors note that â€Å"per capita and adult equivalent income in affected households represents only between 50% and 60% of the levels of income in non-affected households.†(Booysen, Bachmann, 2002)This dramatic drop results not only from the loss of labor of the infected individual but also from the burden of care that falls on family members. Importantly, Booysen and Bachmann also explore the impact of the disease on expenditure levels.AIDS significantly alters the consumption patterns of households: â€Å"per capit a and adult equivalent expenditure is between 60% and 70% of the levels of expenditure in non-affected households.† (Booysen, Bachmann, 2002) Notably, affected households spend less on food than non-affected households, which has a negative impact on the health of household members.

Men vs women

Men vs.. Women Along the last centuries women have fought to be treated as equals to men. They have tried to have the same opportunities, the same rights and to fulfill the same roles. The battle between sexes seems to have ended some decades ago. As a result, in modern times the lives of women and men are similar as regards responsibilities and privileges. But being born a woman I have always thought that the sole fact of being a man could make my life easier in different aspects. To start with, men grow old with more dignity than women.Wrinkles, grey hairs and beer bellies are signs of aging which men accept and which look well on them while women, on the other hand, will make everything possible to look younger since beauty, for most of them, is related to youth. For this, they will starve week after week to look slimmer; they will use any kind of cream that promises effective results and they will even undergo painful surgeries to change their appearance. What ‘s more, to l ook good women need more time than men. Choosing the perfect outfit, wearing a natural make-up, axing their whole bodies and doing their hair takes a lot of effort and preparation.Men only need to grab any clean shirt at hand, shave and wear a nice perfume and they are ready to go out. But the most important advantage of being a man, as regards physical differences, is none of the ones mentioned up to this point. Men do not need a toilet when they feel the need to pass water; any bush, tree or corner is enough for them to do so. At any moment, they may relieve themselves in the road while traveling, In the street or at any place they feel like. For women It Is not so ass. Women need toilets. The main problem Is that. At public places. Staterooms are always full and do not usually have toilet paper or clean seat covers. Besides all this, men have more freedom than women. They do not usually take care of the children or change their schedules because one of them has a high temperature . They do not worry about their meals, homework or daily activities because they have a wife that does so. They just go out with their couples or friends having their minds in peace because someone else has taken care of everything before they left the house. In addition, they do not even need company to go to a bar to have a drink or to any other social event.It is very common to see men alone enjoying to be by themselves. In contrast, although women socialize more than men because they are more talkative and open to meet new people, they generally do not go out alone to relax or have fun. They try to plan a get-together with friends whenever their nannies are available to keep an eye on their children. Another reason for women to go out In groups Is that there Is an Implicit knowledge among our society that women alone In social events are not just enjoying the moment but looking for something else, for example men.Socially speaking, men have been benefited over women. Finally, mu ch has been said about women s and men's intelligence. Men have simple minds and use better thinking strategies. One clear example of this is that they have made women believe they are useless in chores related to the house. But it is not true that men cannot do the cleaning or the laundry In the same way women do. Fact, do things wrongly on purpose to avoid offering help again in the future. Moreover, they can only handle one task at a time.So while they lay the table, with a stroke of luck, a woman is cooking with the four hobs turned on with a boiling pot on each of them and at the same time watching a TV show and answering her children s demands. For men being â€Å"useless† ends being a benefit. Another point to take into account as regards men's and women's intelligence is that the first usually speak using short sentences to get to the point and avoid details. This has been proved to be a very effective technique in many fields, as for giving instructions, explaining o ne's ideas or scold the children.Women instead need the double of words to express the same and end being criticized or laugh at. To sum up, life would be much easier if I were a man. I would not have to work so hard every day to look beautiful, I would have plenty of free time to do whatever I like and I would not complicate my life trying to explain ideas that would never be understood. This may not sound well to the ears of feminists but men are still enjoying the benefits of their gender and they will keep doing so for many years to come.

Siege of Louisbourg in the French and Indian War

The Siege of Louisbourg lasted from June 8 to July 26, 1758, and was part of the French Indian War (1754-1763). Located on the approaches to the St. Lawrence River, the fortress at Louisbourg was a critical part of New Frances defenses. Eager to strike at Quebec, the British first attempted to take the town in 1757 but were thwarted. A second attempt in 1758 saw a large expedition led by Major General Jeffery Amherst and Admiral Edward Boscawen land forces near the town and conduct a siege of its defenses. After several weeks of fighting, Louisbourg fell to Amhersts men and the path to advancing up the St. Lawrence had been opened. Background Situated on Cape Breton Island, the fortress town of Louisbourg had been captured from the French by American colonial forces in 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession. With the end of the conflict in 1748, it was returned to the French in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in exchange for Madras, India. This decision proved controversial in Britain as it was understood that Louisbourg was critical to the defense of French holdings in North America as it controlled the approaches to the St. Lawrence River. Nine years later, with the French Indian War underway, it again became necessary for the British to capture Louisbourg as a precursor to a move against Quebec. In 1757, Lord Loudoun, the British commander in North America, planned to fight on the defensive along the frontier while mounting an expedition against Quebec. A change in administration in London coupled with delays in receiving orders ultimately saw the expedition redirected against Louisbourg. The effort ultimately failed due to the arrival of French naval reinforcements and severe weather.   A Second Attempt The failure in 1757 led Prime Minister William Pitt (the Elder) to make the capture of Louisbourg a priority in 1758. To accomplish this, a large force was assembled under the command of Admiral Edward Boscawen. This expedition sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia in late May 1758. Moving up the coast, Boscawens fleet met the ship carrying Major General Jeffery Amherst who had been assigned to oversee the ground forces. The two assessed the situation planned to land the invasion force along the shores of Gabarus Bay. Armies Commanders: British Major General Jeffery AmherstAdmiral Edward BoscawenBrigadier General James Wolfe14,000 men, 12,000 sailors/marines40 warships French Chevalier de Drucour3,500 men, 3,500 sailors/marines5 warships French Preparations Aware of British intentions, the French commander at Louisbourg, Chevalier de Drucour, made preparations to repel the British landing and resist a siege. Along the shores of Gabarus Bay, entrenchments and gun emplacements were built, while five ships of the line were positioned to defend the harbor approaches. Arriving off Gabarus Bay, the British were delayed in landing by unfavorable weather. Finally on June 8, the landing force set out under the command of Brigadier General James Wolfe and supported by the guns of Boscawens fleet. This effort was aided by feints against White Point and Flat Point by Brigadier Generals Charles Lawrence and Edward Whitmore. Coming Ashore Meeting heavy resistance from the French defenses near the beach, Wolfes boats were forced to fall back. As they retreated, several drifted to the east and spotted a small landing area protected by large rocks. Going ashore, British light infantry secured a small beachhead which allowed for the landing of the remainder of Wolfes men. Attacking, his men hit the French line from the flank and rear forcing them to retreat back to Louisbourg. Largely in control of the country around the town, Amhersts men endured rough seas and boggy terrain as they landed their supplies and guns. Overcoming these issues, they commenced an advance against the town. The Siege Begins As the British siege train moved towards Louisbourg and lines were constructed opposite its defenses, Wolfe was ordered to move around the harbor and capture Lighthouse Point. Marching with 1,220 picked men, he succeeded in his objective on June 12. Constructing a battery on the point, Wolfe was in prime position to bombard the harbor and the water side of the town. On June 19, British guns opened fire on Louisbourg. Hammering the towns walls, the bombardment from Amhersts artillery was met by fire from 218 French guns. The French Position Weakens As the days passed, French fire began to slacken as their guns became disabled and the towns walls were reduced. While Drucour was determined to hold out, fortunes quickly turned against him on July 21. As the bombardment continued, a mortar shell from the battery on Lighthouse Point struck Le Cà ©là ¨bre in the harbor causing an explosion and setting the ship on fire. Fanned by a strong wind, the fire grew and soon consumed the two adjacent ships, Le Capricieux and LEntreprenant. In a single stroke, Drucour had lost sixty percent of his naval strength. Final Days The French position worsened further two days later when heated British shot set the Kings Bastion on fire. Situated inside the fortress, the Kings Bastion served as the fortress headquarters and was one of the largest buildings in North America. The loss of this, quickly followed by the burning of the Queens Bastion, crippled French morale. On July 25, Boscawen dispatched a cutting out party to capture or destroy the two remaining French warships. Slipping into the harbor, they captured Bienfaisant and burned Prudent. Bienfaisant was sailed out of the harbor and joined the British fleet. Realizing that all was lost, Drucour surrendered the town the following day. Aftermath The siege of Louisbourg cost Amherst 172 killed and 355 wounded, while the French suffered 102 killed, 303 wounded, and the remainder taken prisoner. In addition, four French warships were burned and one captured. The victory at Louisbourg opened the way for the British to campaign up the St. Lawrence River with the goal of taking Quebec. Following that citys surrender in 1759, British engineers began the systematic reduction of Louisbourgs defenses to prevent it being returned to the French by any future peace treaty.