text:
Servicios Personalizados
Links relacionados
- Citado por Google
- Similares en Google
Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering
versión On-line ISSN 2309-8775
versión impresa ISSN 1021-2019
J. S. Afr. Inst. Civ. Eng. vol.56 no.1 Midrand ene. 2014
The management of constructability knowledge in the building industry through lessons learnt programmes
V Kuo; J A Wium
In the 1980s the term "constructability" evolved in the USA. The proponents of this concept believe that constructability, which embraces both design and management functions, is comprehensive in facilitating construction operations and solving problems on site. Constructability problems are common on the construction site, due to the lack of construction experience in the design team and the absence of tools to assist designers in addressing constructability. Moreover, designs are predominantly done early in the project in the absence of contractor input, and there is yet no explicit means of defining or measuring constructability. This paper aims to address constructability problems in building construction, by understanding the nature of constructability knowledge and investigating how construction experience may be effectively disseminated amongst project participants, particularly through the use of lessons learnt programmes and inter-disciplinary knowledge sharing. It has been found that there is fundamental misalignment between consultants and contractors on the perceptions of criteria for a constructible design, implications of design decisions, and certain traits that may represent optimised vs poor constructability. The discrepancy in communication is the elemental cause of constructability problems and this research has demonstrated how lessons learnt programmes can be an effective tool in attaining better constructability knowledge management and collaboration.
Constructability is a very common subject in the construction environment, often with controversial implications on the successful delivery of the project. Yet, little research has been dedicated to address such issues explicitly. Constructability issues arise from a design which does not sufficiently embody the expertise of construction processes, rendering the design "difficult to construct" on site. Subsequently this creates a variety of negative secondary effects during project execution, eventually manifesting as time-, budget- and quality risks to the project.
This paper aims to investigate the nature of constructability problems in the building environment, and to understand how constructability in practice can be improved through better management of constructability knowledge, especially between consultant (designer) and contractor (constructor). Two key objectives are involved in this research:
1. Investigating explicit means to define constructability.
2. Investigating knowledge management activities, particularly through lessons learnt programmes, currently experienced in the industry.
Perceptions regarding constructability, similar to the implications of design and construction decisions, are mostly rooted in the experience of the industry professionals, and form the basis for this research. The primary methodology employed is thus a combination of questionnaire surveys and personal correspondences, in order to extract relevant knowledge from experienced professionals in the South African industry.
In this study, several traits have been identified as implications of optimised vs poor constructability, which are tested through the analyses of responses from South African industry practitioners. The lessons learnt programme (LLP) - its nature and implementation in organisations - is investigated in detail, and recommendations are given as to how LLPs can be a pertinent approach to improve the management of constructability knowledge, hence improving issues of constructability at large. The scope of the research is limited to the building industry, as most civil engineering organisations would have had substantial experience in building projects, where constructability issues are prevalent.
Some background on constructability and knowledge management related concepts are first presented, followed by the results and discussions of the investigations in two main parts.
Constructability problem
Constructability is defined as "the extent to which the design of a building facilitates ease of construction" (CIRIA 1983), or more descriptively, "the optimum use of construction knowledge and experience in planning, design, procurement, and field operations to achieve overall project objectives" (CII 1986).
The prevalent procurement methods of building construction projects, such as design-bid-build, hinder the application of constructability concepts in design. This is problematic mainly during early project phases, in which constructability application is particularly desirable (Pocock et al 2006; Song et al 2009). Traditionally, therefore, either first steps of design and planning take place without any constructability input (Fisher & Tatum 1997), or, at best, the flexibility of changing the design by further constructability input from the contractor is limited after major decisions have already been taken (Soibelman et al 2003).
Several studies have dealt throughout the years with the issue of designers being unfamiliar with construction knowledge. Fisher and Tatum (1997) claimed that designers often did not consider the impact of construction constraints, and that the fragmentation of design and construction hindered effective information exchange. Song et al (2009) stated that failure of design professionals to consider how a contractor will implement the design can result in scheduling problems, delays, and disputes during the construction process.
It is evident that there is a lack of practical knowledge on the part of designers, and the fragmentation of the design and construction environment discourages implementation of constructability knowledge during design. Another great barrier is that there is no comprehensive explicit definition for constructability knowledge, which emphasises its tacit nature - being accumulated mainly in the minds and experiences of relevant professionals.
This research looks at the extent to which constructability can be explicitly defined and thus measured, quantified, and subsequently codified. Along with this an approach of knowledge management, in particular the lessons learnt programmes, is explored to allow integration of constructability knowledge during design.
Constructability codes
The implementation of constructability codes or guidelines poses a pertinent initiative in improving constructability as aid to the designer in the early stages. The challenge here lies in the explicability of constructability expertise - in other words, is it possible to explicitly represent constructability knowledge in a codified format, and to what extent?
In Asia, the Singapore government has put legislation in place as of 2001 to require minimum buildability scores of designs before approvals of building plans. The Buildable Design Scores are calculated based on the Buildable Design Appraisal System (BDAS), which was devised to measure buildability performance of designs in Singapore. The "3S" principles of Standardisation, Simplicity and Single Integrated Elements form the cornerstones of the BDAS. Good buildable designs will have to be complemented by the adoption of labour-efficient technologies and methods to improve productivity at the construction stage (BCA 2011). The Buildability Design Scores are thus determined primarily on this basis. In Singapore, the Buildable Design Score of any design must comply with the minimum allowable, before the project may commence.
Knowledge management
Different authors have presented different definitions of Knowledge Management (KM). Within construction, KM can be difficult to define precisely as there is not a general consensus on a single unified meaning of the concept (Egbu 2004). A combined generic definition for KM can be proposed and is used in this research (Davenport & Prusak 1998; Scarbrough et al 1999; Robinson et al 2001):
"The process associated with the creation of new knowledge, the sharing and transfer of new and existing knowledge, the capture, storage, exploitation and measurement of the impact of knowledge, in such a way that it benefits the unit of adoption, which can be consulting or contracting organisations."
The concept of constructability and related problems highlights the tacit nature of constructability knowledge. Constructability knowledge largely forms part of the experiences and expertise embedded within the minds of personnel in construction, and is difficult to standardise due to the diverse perceptions in the industry. Therefore, the sound management of knowledge resources is key to improving constructability overall. The sound management of knowledge within an organisation enables effective identification and dissemination of constructability problems and the subsequent efforts to mitigate or avoid them in future, by back-channelling constructability knowledge and expertise into the design and planning stages. This can be achieved through cross-organisational and cross-disciplinary knowledge exchange, particularly between consultants and contractors.
Tacit and explicit knowledge
Work by Polanyi (1958), and Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) divided knowledge into tacit and explicit. Tacit knowledge represents knowledge based on the experience of individuals, expressed in human actions in the form of evaluation, attitudes, points of view, commitments and motivation (Nonaka et al 2000). Since tacit knowledge is linked to the individual, it is very difficult, if at all possible, to articulate. Researchers have argued that the diffusion of tacit knowledge is more difficult than sharing explicit knowledge (e.g. Nonaka & Konno 1998; Leonard & Sensiper 1998). Explicit knowledge, in contrast, is codified knowledge inherent in non-human storehouses, including organisational manuals, documents and databases.
Yet, it is difficult to find two entirely separated dichotomies of tacit and explicit knowledge; instead knowledge can fall within the spectrum of tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge. The management and sharing of tacit knowledge pose pertinent relevance to constructability, given its tacit nature. However, there is in existence also explicit, codified forms of constructability knowledge, such as Singapore's Buildable Design Appraisal System. This research probes the extent to which tacit constructability knowledge can be explicated and used as codified knowledge by designers.
Lessons learnt programmes
Foy (1999) defines the concept of knowledge sharing as "facilitating learning, through sharing, into usable ideas, products and processes". This naturally applies for both tacit and explicit forms of knowledge mentioned previously. A lessons learnt programme (LLP) consists of the people, processes and tools that support the (1) identification, (2) analysis and (3) implementation of new knowledge. This implies both the creation and sharing of validated lessons learnt.
Foy's (1999) definition of knowledge sharing implies that "learning" is an artefact from the knowledge sharing process. An LLP therefore can be regarded as a vital tool in attaining effective knowledge management in the industry - especially of constructability knowledge. Harrison (2003) defines lessons learnt as "a good work practice or innovative approach that is captured and shared to promote repeat application, or an adverse work practice or experience that is captured and shared to avoid recurrence". Organisations in the construction industry cannot afford to make repetitive mistakes on major projects. Conversely, there are great benefits to repeating positive experiences from past projects. An effective lessons learnt programme is a critical element in the management of constructability knowledge, in both explicit and tacit forms. The lessons learnt programme is investigated in detail in this study, along with the implementation of the project close-out meeting, which is a highly pertinent method for lessons learnt activities and cross-disciplinary knowledge sharing to be carried out.
Questionnaire and respondents
For these investigations, the questionnaire survey was primarily used to extract tacit knowledge pertaining to constructability from experienced practitioners in the South African industry. Questionnaire surveys were distributed to a total of 50 industry respondents, and 28 completed responses were received - a response rate of 56%. Respondents of this study consist of both consultants and contractors - approximately the same number of respondent for each, so as to allow sensible comparison of the results. The 11 consultants and 17 contractors have varying years of experience, job positions and technical disciplines, as shown in Table 1.
It has not been the intention to focus particularly on a large-scale statistical or quantitative analysis of survey results. Rather, it was of greater significance to reach insightful practitioners to provide relevant and meaningful responses, hence the seemingly small number of respondents. Both consulting and contracting respondents have leading roles at their organisations, substantial amounts of professional experience, and a high level of familiarity with civil and building projects. Also, only contractors with a CIDB (Construction Industry Development Board) grading of 9CE and 9GB were chosen.
Due to the small number of the respondent group, regardless of respondents' expertise, it is nevertheless worthy to note that the results from the surveys may or may not be representative of the industry at large, especially considering the fragmented nature of the construction industry. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis is done on qualitative data based on perceptions. The results were thus interpreted with a reasonable degree of scepticism and tolerance. The research takes care to consider all the limitations implicit in the research principles and questionnaire processes. However, the professional opinions of the practitioners offer valuable insight and experience, the credibility of which should not be ignored.
Contents of questionnaires
The questionnaire investigations were undertaken in two parts.
Part I consists of constructability-related investigations as follows:
■ Labour efficiency principle of constructability
■ Criteria of constructible design
■ Constructability implications of design decisions.
Part II focuses on the knowledge management aspects of lessons learnt programmes (LLPs):
■ Formality of current LLPs
■ Methods where lessons learnt are carried out
■ Project close-out meetings
■ Perceived potential of LLPs.
The first survey essentially aims to define constructability more explicitly, based on the South African construction industry, and investigates the extent to which con-structability can be codified. To do so, key aspects of constructability are identified to be investigated in detail, the discussions and interpretations of which are presented in the following sections:
■ Labour efficiency principle
■ Criteria of constructible design
■ Constructability implications of design decisions.
Labour efficiency principle
The scoring system used in Singapore's Buildable Design Appraisal System (BDAS) is based primarily on the labour efficiency principle. This aspect is tested in the South African context - whether or not designs and construction specifications promoting labour efficiency can be equated to good constructability.
In South Africa it can be said that the sizable industry opinion prefers the use of in situ concrete. Some reasons may be that it generates human labour and thus arguably increases employment, regardless of the efficiency of the labour; or that in situ concrete design typically has higher safety factors; or that in situ concrete construction processes do not require as much prudent coordination and planning as that of precast methods. Due to common usage of in situ concrete over the years, precast methods hold uncertainty that may be interpreted as potential project risks. South African industry personnel are speculatively more comfortable employing in situ concrete methods. This industry trend seems contradictory to the labour efficiency principle of the Singaporean codes, where equipment-intensive work and precast concrete would be preferred, as they are of higher labour productivity (labour to output ratio).
In the survey, respondents were asked to indicate the preferred choice between equipment-intensive and labour-intensive construction, and between precast and in situ concrete. The results are shown in Table 2, as percentage of respondents for each choice.
The results show that both consultants and contractors prefer equipment-intensive over labour-intensive work. Consultants prefer in situ concrete, which in theory does not concur with the preference of equipment-intensive work concurrently indicated. On the other hand, contractors prefer precast concrete. A fundamental misalignment can be exhibited here regarding the preference of principle methods or approaches, implying different perceptions between consultants and contractors towards the inferred constructability of these approaches. This further emphasises the need for constructability issues to be studied to understand the nature of such misalignments. The reasons behind the differences in perceptions of the different parties are not explored in this paper. Nevertheless, sensible deductions can be made from these results.
Criteria of constructible design
Lam and Wong (2011) reviewed the Buildability Assessment Model (BAM), proposed for measuring buildability of designs and establishing benchmarks for the construction industry in Hong Kong. The BAM identifies nine "buildability factors" (as seen in Table 3), and appraisal is based on how well the designs embrace these nine factors as expressed by a large pool of experienced practitioners having hands-on construction expertise. The perceived importance of these "buildability factors" as "criteria for constructible design" within South Africa was investigated, and a comparison was drawn up between contractors and consultants. Survey respondents were asked to qualify the importance of these criteria and the results were analysed and ranked as shown in Table 3. Rankings of the consultant and contractor are placed alongside for comparison.
There are some similarities and differences in opinion between consultants and contractors regarding the criteria of constructible design. Good correlation can be seen in the three least important criteria ranked. Both consultant and contractor also agree on the importance of "standardisation and repetition". However, contractors regard "allowance for adopting alternative construction details" (shown in blue in Table 3) and "safety of construction sequences" (shown in red in the Table 3) as important constructability criteria, while consultants rank these considerably lower. The consultants ranked "ease of visualisations of design requirements" (shown in green in Table 3) as the highest, while it is only ranked fourth by contractors. There is thus some misalignment between consultant and contractor regarding the importance of criteria of a constructible design.
Constructability implications of design decisions
Design decisions are predominantly made by the consultant in the absence of the contractor. Choices pertaining to the type of components to use in a building design, as well as the configurations of each component, have constructability implications during the execution of the project. This investigation essentially identifies the effect of different design choices on constructability.
In the Singaporean code, following the labour-efficiency principles, labour-saving indices are determined and calibrated with extensive industry input. These labour-saving indices essentially determine a constructability score, and is the crux of constructability quantification. Labour-saving indices are different for different variations of building components and subcomponents employed in the design. Based on a similar methodology of quantification, this study has identified some major building components and different configurations by which these components can be designed or constructed (components and configurations as shown in Table 4). The respondents were then asked to qualify each configuration in terms of "ease of construction". This would ultimately indicate the preference of one configuration over another, which can in turn be equated to a constructability ranking. These perceptions (of consultants and contractors) regarding the favourability of different variations/ configurations of the above building components can be used to attain a more explicit definition of constructability.
Instead of looking at the absolute constructability ratings, it is more relevant to regard the relative ranking of these configurations, as it essentially indicates the tendency for one configuration to be chosen over another from both consultant and contractor perspectives. Table 4 shows the overall ranking of constructability ratings for each configuration as indicated by the respondents. The top-ranked configuration for each building component is highlighted in each case. Note: Where constructability ratings are the same for two configurations, the standard competition ranking (so-called "1-2-2-4" ranking) is complied with. This implies that the tied items are assigned the equal ranks, directly below the preceding rank, and leaving a gap one less than the number of items tied (e.g. 1-1-3-4 or 1-2-2-4).
Regarding the top-ranked configurations of every component, good correlation can be seen between the consultant and contractor - all components correspond, except for the Roof Support. According to consultants and contractors, composite configurations (e.g. concrete-filled steel sections or steel encased in concrete), wherever applicable, are of low constructability. The in situ RC slab on beams is agreeably ranked last by both.
There are also some disparities between consultants and contractors. Consultants made it clear from the start that in situ concrete is preferred, which is reflected in the results here - consultants consistently rank precast configurations considerably lower. Contractors, on the other hand, rank the precast configurations higher than the consultants on all cases, indicating that contractors are more susceptible to using precast than what the consultants would perceive.
Despite contractors' earlier indication that precast concrete is preferred over in situ concrete, some contradictions can be identified. For Structural Frame and Roof components, contractors ranked precast configurations lower than in situ configurations. Furthermore, despite the fact that both contractors and consultants indicated the preference of equipment-intensive over labour-intensive work, masonry wall configurations (which are more labour intensive) for the Façade Wall and Internal Wall components are ranked higher than both precast and in situ RC wall configurations. This apparent contradiction may indicate that there are other factors or reasons, besides the preferences of equipment or labour-intensive work, for favouring masonry configurations, or rejecting other configurations for that matter. These other factors may include direct costs (masonry being cheaper first-hand), uncertainty risks associated with seldom-used precast configurations, and availability of precast plants, but may also be a simple industrial habit, which is not clearly justifiable.
The sound management of constructability knowledge, from different phases of the project, can be seen as the fundamental solution to improving constructability in the industry. For one, the management of knowledge regarding different preferences (say from the Part I survey), and sharing this knowledge with relevant project parties, would invariably lead to better understanding and thus more informed decisions to avoid constructability problems.
Constructability problems are due to the poor integration of construction knowledge into the design phase. Knowledge management investigations give an indication of how constructability knowledge can be properly captured and disseminated amongst relevant project participants, particularly between consultants and contractors. Four investigations are done:
■ Formality of lessons learnt programmes
■ Methods where lessons learnt are carried out
■ Project close-out meetings
■ Perceived effectiveness of lessons learnt programmes.
Formality of lessons learnt programmes
The respondents were asked to choose whether the lessons learnt activities at their organisations are: formal (standardised protocol built into organisational process, with designated coordinator); informal (occurs haphazardly, no standard process, no designated process coordinator); or does not exist at all. Table 5 shows the results, indicating that most organisations undertake lessons learnt activities on an informal, unstructured basis.
Methods where lessons learnt are carried out
Three lessons learnt processes were identified in literature: lessons identification, analysis and implementation. The respondents were given the list of methods/occasions where lessons learnt can be carried out and asked to indicate which ones they use. The percentages of respondents for each method are presented in Table 6 (in no particular order). The highest ranked method/s is/are highlighted for each lessons learnt process.
The top methods that are shown here exhibit a people-orientated nature, where socialisation and human interaction are prevalent. The social nature seems appropriate for sharing constructability knowledge, considering its highly tacit characteristic. However, the social nature may also be associated with the lack of structure in such lessons learnt activities.
Project close-out meetings
As expected, and as shown in the previous section, the project close-out meeting is a very important and widely used method for carrying out lessons learnt processes - in particular, for the identification and analysis of lessons. For this reason specific attention is given to investigate the nature of project close-out meetings as implemented in the industry. The essential question posed here is: Are such close-out meetings indeed carried out in design and/or construction firms, and if so, who (by discipline or position) are the typical attendees? Knowing who the attendees are is of key importance, as it roughly indicates the different sources of knowledge flow present at the meeting and thus the adeptness of close-out meetings to disseminate con-structability knowledge/lessons.
The project close-out meeting is an important occasion where discussions and analyses of issues from the project can occur, and from numerous perspectives - especially between design and construction. In principle, it would be ideal to have personnel from all project phases present at the close-out meeting to share their positive and negative experiences on the project.
This investigation resulted in a collective profile of typical attendees of project close-out meetings for both consultant and contractor respondents. The lists of attendees will not be presented here due to the excessive length. The key findings of the project close-out meeting investigation can be summarised as follows:
■ Contractors carry out project close-out meetings much more than consultants do, and with a wider variety of attendees.
■ Consultants' attendance/presence at contractors' project close-out meetings is very feeble - only 4 of 17 contractors indicated the presence of the consultant at the project close-out meetings. Therefore many issues (especially that of constructability) cannot be addressed with collaborative engagement from both consultant and contractor.
■ Most common attendees of project close-out meetings are: contract managers, project managers, site managers, directors, estimators and quantity surveyors.
■ The dynamic exchange of knowledge and inter-disciplinary discussions of constructability issues are not substantial at project close-out meetings.
This investigation reveals that there is very limited consultant presence at contractors' project meetings. This implies that constructability problems experienced on site that may have been attributed to a poor design, cannot be discussed in full with engagement from design personnel. Even if the project close-out meetings are implemented prevalently, and lessons learnt activities are carried out, it may still not achieve the required benefits. Active engagement from both the consultant and the contractor simultaneously is the key to a relevant knowledge exchange practice.
Perceived effectiveness of lessons learnt programmes
The respondents were asked to choose the effectiveness of lessons learnt programmes (LLPs) currently implemented at their organisations, as well as their perceptions of the full potential. Table 7 shows the percentage of respondents (consultants and contractors combined) and the choices made.
Most respondents perceive current implemented LLPs to be "somewhat effective", while the full achievable potential can be "very effective". The results show that respondents perceive higher potential effectiveness than how it is currently implemented. There is thus premise for improvement in LLPs and implies a degree of industry susceptibility for such endeavours.
This study sets out to understand the nature of constructability knowledge and related problems, and how constructability may be defined more explicitly. In doing so, the study determines how knowledge management initiatives, such as the lessons learnt programme, may be effectively employed for better knowledge dissemination, the lack of which, between consultants and contractors, has been identified as the principal cause of constructability problems. The study succeeded in the following:
■ Explored previous research on constructability and knowledge management related concepts
■ Established preferences of certain design and construction choices and approaches that may be equated, or used to define, constructability more explicitly
■ Investigated the nature of project knowledge sharing and documentation in project close-out meetings
■ Understood how lessons learnt programmes are implemented in the industry context, and the types of methods where lessons learnt activities are facilitated.
It has been found that constructability problems manifest in stages of project execution, due to the fragmentation in project design and construction. Consultants/designers typically do not embody enough knowledge about constructability to integrate into their designs. On the other hand, contractors share constructability knowledge mainly in a tacit form in the minds and experiences of personnel, making it very difficult to disseminate with designers. These challenges, together with traditional procurement standards, restrict the collaborative capacity between consultants and contractors. A more collaborative approach is key to improving constructability, where tacit constructability knowledge/lessons can be created, shared, learnt and actively integrated into the relevant stages of the project, particularly that of design. A summary of some conclusive points arising from this study can be made:
■ Constructability knowledge exists predominantly in tacit format, forms complex networks of cause and effect, and related issues occur under unique circumstances.
■ There is some misalignment between consultants and contractors regarding certain design and/or construction decisions and their implications on the project. Thus, the definition of optimised vs poor constructability is understood differently by consultants and contractors. This demonstrates a real need for more collaboration between the two disciplines.
■ Consultants prefer the use of in situ concrete, while most contractors prefer precast concrete. Concurrently, both agree on the preference of equipment-intensive methods, rather than labour-intensive.
■ It can be concluded from this study that a building design which best represents a constructible project, according to contractor respondents, would consist of:
■ an in situ reinforced concrete structural frame
■ precast slabs with in situ topping
■ concrete masonry façade walls
■ dry internal partition walls with applied finishes
■ timber roof trusses
■ precast concrete ring beams as roof support.
■ Lessons learnt programmes (LLPs) are carried out mostly informally on an unstructured basis, where the methods used are of a social, people-orientated nature. Respondents see higher potential effectiveness than what is currently experienced, indicating premise for improvement.
■ There is generally a lack of integration between construction and design, due to a poor collaborative mentality. The management of cross-disciplinary knowledge/ lessons (particularly that of constructability) is insufficient.
As can be deducted, "constructability" in itself is not the problem per se, but it is the consequence of a complex relationship of preceding problems, both technical and social in nature. These are often rooted in the organisational culture and philosophies of the company, such as issues regarding collaboration, communication, or willingness to implement structured knowledge management, etc. Nevertheless, "constructability problems" manifest prevalently and cause not only tangible waste in time, budget and quality, but also an inherent over-exposure to a diverse range of project risks.
To motivate improvement measures through financial and economic analyses is impossible, due to the complex nature of this network of interactive problems, most of which are hardly quantifiable and lie within fields of psychology and social sciences. Attempts to monetarily justify certain decisions over others would be erroneous to improving constructability, since the attempts to quantify with respect to cost would be subjective to start off with, and misrepresentative of the problem at hand. Furthermore, due to the uniqueness of the reasons behind certain design or construction decisions, it is also very difficult (and probably not meaningful) to infer principles dictating which types of design/construction configurations or methods are definitely more constructible than another. Nevertheless, a fundamental certainty arises from this research - there is distinct misalignment between the perceptions and assumptions of different project participants (particularly consultant and contractor), due to poor communication or collaboration, and a lack of sound knowledge management practices.
In this research a multipronged approach is recommended as a strategic measure to improve constructability. The recommendations are on a broader, more holistic level in order to properly address the complex and diverse nature of constructability problems, given its non-explicit and often anecdotal property. The following recommendations should complement one another, and should not be seen as mutually exclusive initiatives:
■ Explicate constructability concepts further to develop codes and guidelines to aid designers.
■ Promote the consideration of precast methods as alternative to in situ, in order to understand and optimise the potential benefits of precast.
■ Establish an organisational culture, which promotes structured, cross-disciplinary knowledge sharing and a more collaborative mentality to project delivery.
■ Adopt and formalise lessons learnt programmes, integrated systematically into operational procedures.
■ Consultants should carry out designs with more consideration of safety on site, as well as increased flexibility for alternative construction details later in the project.
■ Increase research on projects in different procurement environments (such as design-build projects) to investigate whether more collaboration indeed occurs, or whether less constructability issues arise. A procurement model where design and construction considerations are integrated could potentially result in more optimal outcomes.
BCA (Building and Construction Authority) 2011. Code of Practice on Buildable Design. Singapore: Building and Construction Authority. [ Links ]
CII (Construction Industry Institute) 1986. Constructability: A Primer. Austin, Texas: University of Texas. [ Links ]
CIRIA (Construction Industry Research and Information Association) 1983. Buildability: An Assessment. London: CIRIA. [ Links ]
Davenport, T H & Prusak, L 1998. Working Knowledge: How Organisations Manage what they Know. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Press. [ Links ]
Egbu, C 2004. Managing knowledge and intellectual capital for improved organisational innovations in the construction industry: An examination of critical success factors. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management (ECAM) Journal, 11(5):301-315. [ Links ]
Fischer, M & Tatum, C B 1997. Characteristics of design-relevant constructability knowledge. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 123(3):253-260. [ Links ]
Foy, P S 1999. Knowledge management in industry. In Liebowitz, J (Ed), Knowledge Management Handbook. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. [ Links ]
Harrison, W 2003. A software engineering lessons learned repository. Proceedings, 27th Annual NASA [ Links ]
Goddard/IEEE Software Engineering Workshop, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, California, Los Alamitos. [ Links ]
Lam, P T I & Wong, W H 2011. A comparative study of buildability perspectives between clients, consultants and contractors. Construction Innovation, 11(3):305-320. [ Links ]
Leonard, D & Sensiper, S 1998. The role of tacit knowledge in group innovation. California Management Review, 40(3):112-132. [ Links ]
Nonaka, I & Konno, N 1998. The concept of 'Ba': Building a foundation for knowledge creation. California Management Review, 40(3):40-54. [ Links ]
Nonaka, I & Takeuchi, H 1995. The Knowledge-creating Company. New York: Oxford University Press. [ Links ]
Nonaka, I, Konno, N & Toyama, R 2000. Emergence of 'Ba'. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [ Links ]
Pocock, J B, Kuennen, S T, Gambatese, J & Rauschkolb, J 2006. Constructability state of practice report. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 132(4):373-383. [ Links ]
Polanyi, M 1958. Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-critical Philosophy. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd. [ Links ]
Robinson, H S, Carrillo, M P, Anumba, C J & Al-Ghassani, A M 2001. Linking knowledge management strategy to business performance in construction organisations. Proceedings, 17th Annual ARCOM Conference, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, University of Salford, UK. [ Links ]
Scarbrough, H, Swan, J & Preston, J 1999. Issues in People Management: Knowledge Management: A Literature Review. Trowbridge, UK: The Cromwell Press. [ Links ]
Soibelman, L, Liu, L Y, Kirby, J G, East, E W, Caldas, C H, & Lin, K 2003. Design review checking system with corporate lessons learned. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 129(5):475-484. [ Links ]
Song, L, Mohamed, Y & AbouRizk, S M 2009. Early contractor involvement in design and its impact on construction schedule performance. Journal of Management in Engineering, 25(1):12-20. [ Links ]
Contact details
Vincent Kuo
Department Civil Engineering
Stellenbosch University
Private Bag X1
South Africa
E: firstname.lastname@example.com
Contact details
Jan Wium
Department Civil Engineering
Stellenbosch University
Private Bag X1
South Africa
E: firstname.lastname@example.com
VINCENT KUO received a BEng, and subsequently an MScEng from Stellenbosch University, where he assumed research relating to design-construction integration. He has worked in Aurecon's Environmental and Advisory Unit within the discipline of Asset Management, and Is currently pursuing doctoral research at Aalto University In Finland, with focus on Building Information Modelling. Vincent is a young member of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering, and currently serves on the Institution's Young Members Panel.
PROF JAN WIUM PrEng (MSAICE) is professor In the Murray & Roberts Chair of Construction Engineering and Management In the Department of Civil Engineering at Stellenbosch University He obtained a BSc(Eng) and MSc(Eng) from the University of Pretoria, and a PhD from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology In Lausanne. He worked as a consultant for 20 years before joining Stellenbosch University in 2003. After first researching the behaviour of concrete structures and seismic analysis of structures, he now focuses his research on the management and initiation of multidisciplinary projects.


text:
Your browser does not support iframes.
One day missed in the vegetable garden can mean a big harvest, literally. All of a sudden, or so it seems, your zucchini is the size of a torpedo and beans are bulging beneath the pod.
Readifest and Health Fair is sponsored by the Family Resource Youth Services Center and the Spencer County Extention Office, and draws businesses, organizations and support from all areas of the county to help local students prepare for the upcoming school year.
The Spencer County Fair 4-H and FFA Hog Show was held on Saturday, July 15th. Thank you to Kane Austin for serving as the judge for this show. It is an honor for Mr. Austin to judge our county fair show because he is a world renowned judge. Thank you to our sponsors of the livestock shows at the 2017 Spencer County Fair!
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency Acting Executive Director for Kentucky, Robert W. Finch, reminded farmers and ranchers that they have until Aug. 1, 2017, to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees.
Spencer County went to 4-H Star Wars Camp July 10th – July 14th. Pictured you will see all of the campers, teens, adult volunteers, and staff that attended Lake Cumberland 4-H Camp with Spencer County. A great week was had by all 111 that attended. Spencer County will be going to camp in 2018, so if you are interested please contact the Extension Office for additional information next spring.
Summer's heat and weather can take a toll on your flower garden. But with a little extra care, it is possible to bring it back to life for a few more weeks of vibrant color and texture.
It's always important to make sure annuals and perennials get plenty of water this time of year, especially in later summer. Annuals, in particular, will start to decline without an adequate supply of water to keep the ground moist.
We cannot control the weather, but we can control what our tomatoes eat, so to speak. At planting time, we prepare the soil with composted hen manure and a little organic fertilizer; we also mulch around the plants immediately in order to moderate soil moisture and to prevent the spread of soil-borne diseases. This year our work at building healthy soil has paid off because the tomatoes are thriving. Some folks have not been as lucky as the rain poured down earlier in the season.
The Spencer County FFA Dairy Judging team representing the National FFA Organization placed second in the International Dairy Judging Contest held at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 26th. This was a result of winning the National FFA competition last October. Team members are John Brumley, Max Dippel, Luke Williamson, and Michael Bentley. They were coached by Bland Baird.
A P S Forever Lady Sylvia won junior heifer calf champion at the 2017 All-American Angus Breeders' Futurity Roll of Victory (ROV) Show, June 11 in Louisville. Anne Patton Schubert, Taylorsville, owns the winning heifer.
We gave up on the raspberries a couple of years ago, the fruit was so perishable and the plants lacked vigor. We would cut the 'Royalty' raspberries all the way to the ground each year and forgo an early crop to manage disease, but it didn't seem to pay off. It was never a total loss, but about half the canes would be dried up and diseased by now.
You can prevent hay bale or barn fires if you bale hay at appropriate moistures and monitor the temperature of recently baled hay. Generally, hay will go through a heating phase within one to two weeks after baling. During this time, you should monitor the hay to make sure it doesn't reach temperatures that can damage the hay or lead to spontaneous combustion.
You know all the jokes about people having bumper crops of summer squash? Squash shows up in people's cars or in public spaces because there is so much that the gardener can't even give it away. I have a little bit of that problem this year and I give credit to the variety and the fact that it was plated later than usual. I also planted loads of it! Some, folks, however, may not be so blessed with a bumper crop.
Kentucky farmers may apply Sivanto Prime under a Section 18 Emergency Exemption to control the sugarcane aphid in sweet sorghum, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles has announced.
"Some sweet sorghum growers have reported a total crop loss because of this destructive pest," Commissioner Quarles said. "Growers now can move forward with the certainty that this product will be available to protect their crops."
Have you ever gotten blamed for something you haven't done? Most of us have experienced this and it is a dreadful feeling. Well, there are a great many things we blame erroneously on one thing or another, and lichens are one of them. Lichens, often described as barnacles by worried gardeners, usually show up on woody plants after some sort of thinning or decline has occurred. They are not the problem, only the result of a change in the plant's environment.
Copyright © 2019
The Spencer Magnet is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Spencer County, KY and the surrounding area.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Temporary assignments – not just a quick fix
Press Release – Hays
The use of temporary workers in New Zealand is no longer a quick fix but a long-term staffing solution for employers, a survey by recruiting experts Hays has revealed. The Hays survey of temporary workers and their employers found 31.2 per cent of organisations …Temporary assignments – not just a quick fix
The use of temporary workers in New Zealand is no longer a quick fix but a long-term staffing solution for employers, a survey by recruiting experts Hays has revealed.
The Hays survey of temporary workers and their employers found 31.2 per cent of organisations consider temporary workers to be a key component of a long-term staffing strategy. This ranks above their use to overcome permanent headcount restrictions (25.8 per cent).
A further 24.2 per cent of employers consider temporary workers to be essential to the success of their organisation, while just 11.8 per cent see them as a temporary cost reduction measure.
The survey also shows demand for temporary workers has been on the rise. When asked if their use of temporary workers has changed over the past 12 months, 35.8 per cent of employers said it has increased. 83.1 per cent of employers say temporary workers constitute up to 25 per cent of their workforce.
"Temporary workers offer employers a flexible alternative to permanent staff who can help fill short-term and longer contracts and their expertise can be used for special projects,†says Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand.
72.7 per cent of employers say flexibility is an advantage of using temporary workers, while 54.1 per cent find it advantageous that they can hire particular expertise for special projects.
Another bonus of using temporary workers is the relief it can provide permanent staff. 60 per cent of the employers surveyed say it is one of the benefits they like.
"Rather than continuously redistributing work between current permanent employees, which can reduce productivity, increase stress and may negatively impact on health and safety, temporary resources can instead support a permanent team,†says Jason.
"For the employer, there is also a reduced administrative burden as temporary workers are paid by a recruitment agency, are fully interviewed and reference checked, and have undertaken any necessary pre-employment medicals, safety checks and OHS training.
"It is vital, however, employers make sure the temporary workers they hire are right for the job to ensure productivity and a good cultural fit.â€
The Hays survey shows the public sector (28.9 per cent), construction, property and engineering (21.9 per cent) and resources and mining (17.1 per cent) industries are most using temporary workers.
Meanwhile, 96.3 per cent of temporary workers say they are willing to take another temporary assignment in future. This suggests that the growth of temporary assignments has also been driven by candidates, many of whom are only interested in this type of work.
"Many people want greater flexibility in their working arrangements and consequently there is a temporary worker candidate pool who are only interested in temporary assignments,†says Jason.
"These workers also have the chance to advance their skills and career on more flexible terms with a variety of tasks and workloads, or it could mean a better work/life balance.â€
Hays will soon publish the full report of the survey results at www.hays.com.net.nz/temp-survey
Hays, the world's leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.
– Ends –
Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
Original url


text:
Rodgers poised to sign new deal
Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers has agreed in principle to a new three-year contract with the Barclays Premier League club and expects to put pen to paper in the coming days.
The Northern Irishman has operated on a one-year rolling contract since moving to the Liberty Stadium in the summer of 2010.
He guided the Welsh club to the top flight and has overseen an impressive start to life in the Premier League with the club lying 13th in table, leading chairman Huw Jenkins to look to tie the former Reading and Watford manager to a longer-term contract, and Rodgers revealed the deal to keep him in south Wales until 2015 is as good as done.
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.News Now - Sport News


text:
Round Table for Ethnic Minority Concerns
Round Table for Ethnic Minority Concerns (REMCo) is a round table for North Carolina Library Association that serves as a voice for ethnic and minority members. REMCo strives to improve service to and in some cases even initiate service for the ethnic communities that we all serve. It is overseen by the action of an Executive Board elected to two-year terms.
- To unite in this group North Carolina Library Association members interested in ethnic minority issues in North Carolina libraries;
- To provide an opportunity for discussion and activity of ethnic minority issues in North Carolina libraries;
- To monitor the practices and policies of recruitment and career advancement of minorities in North Carolina;
- To serve as a resource for those North Carolina libraries desiring to positively reflect ethnic cultures in their respective collection;
- To provide a network for ethnic minority librarians in North Carolina;
- To seek to fulfill the objectives of the North Carolina Library Association; and
To serve as a liaison for local and national ethnic communities and organizations.
- Encourage and support North Carolina libraries desiring to promote and positively reflect ethnic cultures in their respective collections.
- Cooperate with other organizations and agencies, particularly those that focus on ethnic minority issues in North Carolina libraries.
- Ensure that you have access to a network of colleagues interested in ethnic minority librarianship in North Carolina.
- Offer you discounted rates for the Association's biennial conference and REMCo events.
- Inform you about important news through the REMCo newsletter, list serve and the website
- Voting privileges in REMCo elections
- Opportunities to serve on REMCo offices, committees and task forces.


text:
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Talks seeking a deal to avert the fiscal cliff of spending cuts and tax hikes will get under way at the White House next week after President Barack Obama Friday asked bipartisan congressional leaders to meet with him on the issue.
"The American people voted for action, not politics as usual. And in that spirit, I have invited leaders of both parties to the White House next week so we can start to build consensus around the challenges that we can only solve together," Obama said in a statement at the White House.
This was Obama's first policy statement since he won a second four-year term.
President Obama said he would also invite business and labor leaders to come and discuss the question of how to get a handle on the $1 trillion deficit. The talks with congressional leaders will take place on Nov. 16.
When Congress could not reach a broad deficit deal last year, lawmakers instead set up a deadline for January when spending cuts would kick in and existing tax cuts expire. Economists now warn that this steep austerity package would throw the economy back into recession.
Obama held out an olive branch to Republicans, saying he would listen to their proposals.
"I am not wedded to every detail of my plan. I am open to compromise. I am open to new ideas," he said.
Obama added he was open to reform of the Medicare and Medicaid entitlement programs. Many Democrats oppose significant changes to these programs.
But Obama said he would "refuse to accept any approach" that did not contain a larger tax burden on the wealthy.
"I am not going ask students and seniors and middle-class families to pay down the entire deficit while people...making over $250,000 are not asked to pay a dime more in taxes," he said.
White House spokesman Jay Carney later underlined the point, saying explicitly that Obama would veto any bill that extends the Bush-era tax cuts for the top 2% of wage earners.
"We can't afford it," Carney said.
Tampa, Charlotte among gainers.
• U.S. homeownership at 18-year low
Earlier in the day, House Speaker John Boehner also talked compromise while digging in against any hike in tax rates.
Boehner said he was hopeful a deal to avert the fiscal cliff of spending cuts and tax hikes can be reached.
Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Boehner warned that raising taxes on top earners "will slow down our economy."
On Wednesday, Boehner said that new revenue is acceptable to Republicans under the right conditions but should come through growth and reform, not higher tax rates.
Obama said he was "encouraged" by Boehner's remarks.
Obama to House: Extend middle-class tax cuts now
President Obama called on the House to swiftly pass a freeze on middle-class tax rates. The Democratic-controlled Senate passed this freeze before the election. Pulling a pen from his pocket, the president said he was willing to sign such a measure "right away."
"That one step...would immediately take a huge chunk of the economic uncertainty off the table," Obama said.
Analysts said Republicans would likely be leery of separating middle-class taxes from a broader deal.
The White House and House Republicans have a big task ahead, trying to figure out a compromise that can garner enough votes to pass the Republican-controlled House and win approval by Democrats in the Senate.
Sen. Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, on Thursday welcomed Boehner's tone this week on the fiscal cliff. "It makes me very hopeful we can do something very big in the next month and a half," Schumer said during a breakfast with reporters in Washington.
He said Boehner has opened the door for negotiations although he quickly noted that the structure of the talks has not been decided.
Looking farther ahead, Boehner said at his news conference that he wants to reform the tax code and suggested he is eyeing changes to loopholes and deductions. He said it's clear that there are several special-interest loopholes in the tax code, and that lowering rates while cleaning up the code will bring in more revenue.
Boehner listed no targets but said: "There are a lot of ways to get there."
The fiscal cliff is front and center as Obama and Congress approach the lame-duck session due to begin next week.
The congressional Budget Office said on Thursday that the U.S. economy would likely shrink by 0.5% in 2013 and the unemployment rate would likely rise to 9.1% from 7.9% if the spending cuts and tax increases are allowed to take full effect.
Former top Federal Reserve economist David Stockton said that the U.S. would suffer "a lost decade" if Washington failed to avert a fiscal cliff.


text:
- Home
- News
- Sports
- Opinion
- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
Most folks picture Christmas in many ways.
Families gather around a roaring fire with a glittering Christmas tree shining in the background and brightly colored packages scattered around it.
I remember a lot of Christmas celebrations just like that.
But there was a very special one that was as pretty to me as a Norman Rockwell painting, thanks to the generosity of a man on a Christmas Eve long ago.
During those lean years of the Depression, Christmas was sad for folks who couldn't afford to give the smallest of presents to their children.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Lancaster News, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
|ZIP Code:


text:
OMIC Pore Free Pore Refiner Makeup
Primer- Light 1oz
will provide the perfect way to stop shiny skin and hide all your imperfections
like scarring, aging spots, hyperpigmentation, rosacea or other skin conditions
that mar your skin. This versatile make up primer will reduce oil production
while it provides the ideal matte finish with Flax Seed Oil. It works to
restore the skins pH balance with a salicylic derivative so that the skin is
constantly replenished and hydrated.
OMIC Pore Free Pore Refiner Makeup
Primer Light
contains anti-bacterial Tea Tree Oil that will reduce clogged pores by ridding
them of dead skin cells. This delightful makeup primer will diffuse light with
microspheres and absorb any oil so that the skin is left silky smooth with a
finish you will love. This dynamic primer should be part of your daily skin
care regimen to ensure that your skin always looks its best. It will make your
skin looking its best every day. It is a primer that you will be able to take
with you and have handy whenever you need to touch up your makeup and cover any
unwanted blemishes or other spots that might mar your flawless skin for a
complexion that will make you proud every day.
Directions: Apply to skin
covering areas desired.
Ingredients: Please see package for


text:
Your shopping cart is empty!
Ask about this product
Ask about this product
Heartiest Congratulations
Wooden greeting card "Heartiest Congratulations". This card is made to wish your friends and family members a happy birthday.
|Greetings card size is 108x154 mm
|Card is packed together with C6 (114x162 mm) size paper envelope.
|You can write welcoming words for this wooden greeting card by hand, using all writing tools or choose us to print it in the card.
|Do not worry about looking for the nearest post office any more! If the greeting text is printed, we can send the card directly to the person you want to greet. You just need to provide us with the address of that person.
|Select a greeting card with a text and write your preferred text below. It will be printed in the greeting card. We will send you the layout by email, and after your confirmation it will be printed and delivered to you. NB! Please check the text before submit an order - greeting text should be typed with correct letters. Layout and production of greeting cards with texts takes about 2-3 business days. You will always be informed by e-mail about shipment.
|Orders placed and paid before 12:00 AM every business day will be shipped within 1-2 business days. You will always be informed by email bout the shipment.


text:
Inquiry Question
Developing Transportation Technology--Supplementary Resources
By looking at the Allegheny Portage Railroad, students can more easily understand the development of transportation technology in the 19th century, the innovative ways of overcoming the limitations of topography, and the effects that technological change can have on a community. Those interested in learning more will find that the Internet offers a variety of materials.
Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
Museums and Historical Societies
Smithsonian Institution: National Museum of American History
Ontario and Western Railway Historical Society
Library of Congress
Built in America: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering


text:
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Burma (Myanmar) on Wednesday after President Obama said he saw "flickers of progress" toward democracy in the isolated and impoverished nation.
Many Chinese observers, however, see something else in the visit: another step in a strategic plan by Washington to fence Beijing in, as the United States increasingly turns its diplomatic attention to Asia.
US officials insist Ms. Clinton is in Burma to further political reforms by the new nominally civilian government. "It's about … trying to seize an opportunity," said State Department spokesman Mark Toner earlier this week. "This visit to Burma is not about our relationship with China."
The Chinese government says it welcomes this approach. "We believe that Myanmar and relevant Western countries should enhance contacts … on the basis of mutual respect," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Wednesday. "We hope these actions will be conducive to the stability and development of Myanmar."
Masked concerns
Such statements, however, mask undoubted concerns. "As Washington shifts its strategic focus to the Asia-Pacific region, there is more than meets the eye to Clinton's visit to Burma," argued an article in Wednesday's "Liberation Daily," a paper published by the Chinese military that was circulated by the state-run Xinhua news agency.
Clinton's visit, the first to Burma by a US secretary of State since John Foster Dulles went to Rangoon in 1955, comes on the heels of Mr. Obama's nine-day swing through the Asia-Pacific region. He used that journey to announce a US "pivot" away from winding-down wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and toward east Asia.
"The US is here to stay," he said bluntly.
That tour, and Obama's announcement that US Marines will be based in northern Australia, were seen around Asia, and in Beijing, as aimed at countering China's growing regional ambitions.
Those ambitions have worried some southeast Asian nations, especially those that have territorial disputes with China over islands and waters in the South China Sea thought to be rich in oil and gas. They have welcomed renewed US involvement, and Washington's insistence that it has an interest in ensuring freedom of navigation in waters that China claims.
Burma has no such dispute with Beijing, but its new rulers appear to be tiring of Beijing's warm embrace and seeking to reduce the country's economic and political dependence on its huge northern neighbor by cultivating ties with Washington.
Washington's response to those overtures makes it "seem like the US is undermining China's foundations in Asia one by one," warned an editorial in Wednesday's Chinese-language edition of the Global Times, an official paper that often voices opinions on the nationalist end of the permitted spectrum of public debate in China.
The paper's English-language edition suggested in another editorial that "China has no resistance toward Myanmar seeking improved relationship with the West, but it will not accept this while seeing its interests stamped on."
'To contain China?'
Meanwhile, the ruling Communist party's official organ, the People's Daily, published a strongly worded article on its website Tuesday by a prominent military commentator accusing the US of "positioning pieces and forces on China's periphery, and the intent is very clear – this is aimed at China, to contain China."
"China has not provoked US interests, so what are you doing running to Asia to encircle China?" asked Maj. Gen. Luo Yuan rhetorically in the article.
Such concerns are likely to be deepened by recent signs that the US, Australia, and India may be renewing efforts to create a security pact. Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd told the Australian Financial Review on Wednesday that he backed the idea, and that "the response from the Indian government has really been quite positive."
China's response to the suggestion was muted. "We hope that countries in the region will do more to promote regional peace and development," was all that spokesman Mr. Hong would say on Wednesday.


text:
Following the "right to keep and bear arms" argument to its logical conclusion.
Guns don�t kill people � stupid, evil people with guns kill people.
We�ve heard a ton of some variation of this throughout the last week. And it�s true.
The political posturing started before the bodies were recovered from the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, Conn.: one side gearing up to blame guns for the horrible events and the other to deflect blame.
At this point, who or what�s to blame is sort of irrelevant, is it not? The fact of the matter is another group of young people are dead. The worst part of the entire issue is that this happens every single day in this country.
On the same day as the shootings in Newtown, 11 young adults were shot to death in Chicago. We say we care about the children in Newtown, the youngsters in Chicago and across the nation, but do we? Are we truly doing all we can?
I have never been a gun control advocate. I am a bit too much of a revolutionary to allow no weapons. However, as much as pro-gun advocates want to bang the drum about �evil� being the cause and guns �not killing people,� the facts shoot holes in the rhetoric as long-standing dogma remains this country�s gun deaths does not only exceed every other industrialized country in the world, it obliterates all of the others � COMBINED.
People killed with firearms 2010, according to the United Nations:
Japan 47
Great Britain 14
Switzerland 68
Australia 59
Canada 144
Sweden 58
Spain 97
United States 9,369
That�s right. You saw it correctly.
Another fact is crystal clear as well.
States with tighter gun control laws have fewer gun-related deaths � even the District of Columbia has seen a dramatic reduction in gun deaths since its� �no tolerance� stand.
Many people want to point to population strains in urban areas or higher rates of mental illness, but at the end of the day, the states with tougher gun laws produce a smaller gun death rate.
So what do we do? How do we handle these glaring statistics? Do we just dismiss them and hide behind the Second Amendment?
The Second Amendment states: the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
According to Webster�s, the definition of Arms: Instruments or weapons of offense or defense.
People jump to defense of the Second Amendment, but the truth is we have been chipping away at the Bill Of Rights for decades. Where�s the outrage for the other amendments?
Unreasonable search and seizures? Anyone ever stopped for no reason will unequivocally say that amendment has been diluted.
Freedom of speech, or of the press? Please, you can�t say whatever you want on television, in print or even the Internet. And, while we, in the press, have greater freedoms than most nations, we have all seen, heard of or been a part of some form censorship.
Accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury? I really don�t have to say anything but �Patriot Act,� do I?
The point is, where are the Bill of Rights protectors that ran so fast to defend the Second Amendment?
I am quite sure some people are figuring this is where the alleged liberal writer says, �Take away the guns� or �Do away with weapons,� but nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is we have been living in the �gray area� of the Second Amendment for some time. We don�t really have the �right to bear arms� � it�s just an illusion.
We already ban weapons. We already limit this and that. The fact is, when our founding fathers wrote the Second Amendment it was written so the people could protect themselves from a potentially corrupt government, plain and simple. The problem arises when the �arms� part of the equation is factored in.
When the Second Amendment was written, arms pretty much included rifles, cavalry, cannons and some wooden ships with cannons. That�s it. Today, the list of weapons is much longer than the actual Second Amendment intended.
If the idea was to �protect� the citizens from the government, then let�s stop playing around in the �gray area� as we have done for decades. Let�s really protect the citizens.
Look at it like this: should the government come to �oppress� me and mine, chances are they will not be dressed in red coats, lined up in formation taking orders from an officer with a wig on horseback. Rather, they will show up with personnel carriers and be supported by armed-to-the-teeth choppers.
So to �protect� my family and friends and given my �right to bear arms,� I want something besides my AR-15 with a 500-yard effective shooting range. I need some Rocket Propelled Grenades. It has been proven that RPGs or their shoulder-launched missile brethren such as Stingers are the only viable defense against gunship attacks.
Why am I not able to purchase, legally, an RPG launcher?
According to the Second Amendment, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Who is the Supreme Court to say there are limits to what type of weapons I can and cannot keep?
As a matter of fact, in the wake of the elementary school shooting, I feel I would be better able to protect my kids going to school if I could follow and track them with drones. Why can I not purchase a drone? Wouldn�t you feel safer about your children leaving the house if you could track their entire day with a heavily armed Reaper drone shadowing them?
Or better yet, I want a nuclear bomb. What better defense or deterrent is there? You think my neighbors would feel safer if I had a hydrogen bomb in the bedroom? Besides, you know what they say, bombs don�t kill people � stupid people with bombs kill people.
Richard Clarkis the universal desk editor of Halifax ENC. You can reach him at 910-219-8452 or at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at kpaws22.


text:
Silly title, but almost relevant. After my recent debacle where my lovely La Valentina was sent for a full service, returning working for a couple of weeks, bits replaced with tatty bits, but Oh joy, it worked. For almost three weeks before it became harder and harder to get it to work then gave up the ghost. it now sits in the cave gathering dust while I pretend to like using a French press. I want to get it serviced again by a firm who will get it working properly again, any advice will be appreciated. I want my espresso machine back hissing, scalding my fingers, but transforming my mediocre roasting to the nectar of the gods.
No way will I deal with the butchers who made me pay dearly for their incompetence, I have written off my loss and want to start again.


text:
Imagine a company that:
•Lets you vote on the CEO's performance – and lets you, not your boss, determine your work projects.
•Uses e-mail discussion lists to make critical decisions, practicing full transparency so everyone is kept in the loop.
•Rotates all leadership roles on a regular basis.
Sound far-fetched? It's not. These innovative examples of organizational democracy – and many more like them – are being practiced in companies around the world. And it's not just a fad among startups. It's a growing trend that reflects an inescapable fact: Businesses that embrace a democratic style are building healthier workplaces – and better bottom lines.
Even giant companies are waking up to this reality. Last April, our company, WorldBlu, inaugurated the WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces. Most were small to midsize firms. But this year, a Fortune 500 company, DaVita Inc., is among the winners. And we expect more in the years to come.
Progress may come slowly. After all, it took thousands of years – and a monumental change in human thought – for nations to cast off command-and-control models of government and replace them with democracies. However, with advances in technology and the Internet, shifting generational views about the need for more collaboration, and growing interest in responsible business practices, democracy may come quicker than we think. Regardless, it's a shift all businesses must make.
Why? Because in recent years the hierarchical corporate model has begun to reveal its weaknesses, leading to a breakdown in transparency, accountability, and integrity. The results – from Enron to the HP spying scandal – speak for themselves.
I've spent more than a decade studying organizational democracy and have come to realize that businesses have an ethical and moral responsibility, as well as a fiduciary duty, to operate democratically. And it's time we close the gap between demanding democracy as the way we want to live – but not the way we get to work.
As business leaders consider the prospect of establishing democratic practices, they'll undoubtedly face obstacles – some real, some invented. Size shouldn't be one of them. Think about it. In the spread of political democracy, countries ranging from a few hundred inhabitants to more than a billion people have all embraced it. So why should corporate giants fear it?
Democracy isn't perfect, of course, nor does it guarantee prosperity. And anyone who has ever lived in a democratic society knows that more people increases the complexity. But with the right systems in place, democracy is not only scalable and effective, it also creates the kind of communities – and workplaces – in which most people want to live.
Organizational democracy doesn't mean that business leaders give up all control. It simply means that a company is committed to a system that empowers people – rather than just the CEO – to generate solutions and make decisions.
Take DaVita. Today, the El Segundo, Calif., company is the largest independent provider of dialysis services in the United States, with more than 30,000 employees and annual sales of nearly $6 billion.
But back in 1999, the situation was bleak: The company was functionally bankrupt, under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, being sued by shareholders, and the majority of senior executives had left. Its new CEO, Kent Thiry, understood that changing course meant embracing a fresh, democratic approach. So he and his team implemented the following:
•"Town Hall" meetings to share information about new programs, spotlight achievements, and answer questions. Quarterly "Voice of the Village" meetings allow "teammates" the opportunity to ask the CEO and senior leadership any questions they want.
•Opportunities for all employees to engage in democratic decisionmaking through voting on a range of issues including the renaming of the company, its core values, job titles, logos, and new initiatives.
•Annual forums at which DaVita's CEO and COO publicly share their personal successes and failures in front of more than 2,000 colleagues.
•Decentralization that lets each of its 1,300 clinics be its own "boss."
As a result, DaVita dramatically reduced its turnover rate, stimulated organic growth above the industry average, and became the industry leader. Net operating revenue grew from $1.45 billion in 1999 to $5.26 billion in 2007. And over the past five years, DaVita's stock has soared 279 percent, while the S&P 500 Index has returned 52 percent.
"We feel our approach adds more value to the American health system, not just in savings but also in transparency and accountability," says Mr. Thiry. "I firmly believe that every company can be a democratic community. And I know it's worth it!"
His statement underscores the potential of democracy to transform not only corporations but the millions of lives they affect. That, in turn, raises a pressing question: Do big businesses have a responsibility to be organized democratically because of the power they wield?
If more Fortune 500 companies operated democratically, it could mean less corporate malfeasance, happier employees, and a more stable economy. And it would allow a powerful alignment between the political system much of humanity embraces and the places we work in each day.
• Traci Fenton is the founder and CEO of WorldBlu, Inc., which publishes the annual WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces.


text:
RSA road trip to Buckley today (home of the Buckley Old Engine Show) to get
two 250# pigs ~ one gilt, one boar.
The boar has been long-awaited by our sweet 300# Rosie.
Upon meeting, piglets will be due in 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days and 3 in the morning. :)
Praise the Lord~!


text:
|3 × 3 × 3 cm
Brass Weight for Bottom of Fuel Pickup
$ 1.85
Available on backorder
Adding to your cart...
Added to your cart
Free shipping on orders over 200$ CAD anywhere in Canada including chassis and 450$ CAD for the United-States! The limit date for next stock order is August 31st, 2019! order before this date to get your products in time! Get your order by the mid-September.
There are no reviews yet.
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.


text:
Anakin Skywalker was initially set to make an appearance as a ghost in The Force Awakens, but he didn't make the final cut. Maybe it's because he looked so, so creepy.
Why the two-face treatment? According to artist Iain McCaig, it's because Anakin's got both good and evil natures inside him:
When you light a candle, you also cast a shadow. That inspired me to propose, for the first time, that Anakin's ghost could come back … If we see Anakin Skywalker, because he does flow back and forth between Darth Vader and Anakin, let's see him as a character with a dark and light side. The reason Luke is this whole new entity is because he was the first to acknowledge his own dark side — that it was not separate from him.
It's unclear what part of the film Anakin could have appeared in, but it's likely he'd either have appeared to Kylo Ren, or alongside other series veterans in Rey's Force vision.
- Reposted by


text:
Still Need for Active Democratisation in Iraq
Five years ago, the people of Iraq celebrated their violent liberation from Saddam Hussein's brutal one-man dictatorship. The jubilant Iraqis had every reason to do so, as the ex-dictator's refusal to comply with the UN Security Council's resolutions and the major sanctions which resulted were the final straw that plunged Iraq's population into abject poverty.
There was much relief the world over that the USA's speedy victory had avoided a long drawn-out war in Iraq. But these hopes were castles built on sand – in the very first weeks after capturing Baghdad, the occupying troops were confronted with chaos and anarchy as a result of the ensuing power vacuum, for which they were insufficiently prepared, if at all.
The terror has escalated almost uninterrupted since August 2003, taking on new forms and has been increasingly targeting American troops, international players and Iraqi civilians involved in the reconstruction process. The security situation has admittedly improved since the new US strategy of January 2007. But there is no sign of long-term stability on the horizon, as the sustained political deadlock still has Iraq in its stranglehold.
Democracy as a pretext
The Iraq war was waged on the basis of neo-conservative plans for a "revolutionary democratisation" of the Middle East, as we now know. The plans envisaged a kind of "democracy domino effect" – starting in Iraq, democracy was supposed to roll out over the other Arab states under despotic or authoritarian rule and reach Iran – ensuring lasting political stability in the crisis-ridden region.
It was not only Iraq, an artificially constructed state with no national cohesion or inner homogeneity but with highly problematic religious, cultural and ethnic divides, which soon proved to be a highly unsuitable territory for this experiment in democracy.
And there were considerable doubts as to the credibility of the mission for democracy even before the war. There was no shaking the impression that it was only to serve as a pretext for going to war, a controversial move in terms of international law – especially once all the other reasons had proved to be false.
Seeds of democracy
It is certainly legitimate to criticise the naïve nature of these neo-con plans, especially their false hypotheses and misleading parallels. There is no longer any doubt that the US hypothesis of the "liberation of Iraq" and the misleading parallels with post-war Germany had a decisive influence on the planning of the Iraqi invasion and the post-war system and led to a hesitant, superficial and contradictory occupation policy on the part of the US administration.
But there is one thing one cannot accuse the American neo-cons of, despite all this justified criticism – that their analysis of the underlying problems and the notorious deadlock in the Near and Middle East is wrong. Quite the opposite: there is no denying that 60 years of realpolitik have kept these authoritarian regimes alive.
Initial success
For the first time, calls for far-reaching reforms towards democracy and the rule of law coming out of the region itself were officially heard in Washington; it even seemed for a time as if parts of the US decision-making elites were cautiously distancing themselves from the previously dominant policy of promoting stability at all costs.
And in fact, in mid-March 2005 it looked like it just might work, and as if Bush's domino theory was a realistic option – Lebanon's "Cedar Revolution" forced the pro-Syrian government in Beirut to step down. And in Egypt, several candidates vied for election against the incumbent president Husni Mubarak for the first time on 7 September 2005.
Target: democracy
But the hope for democracy in the region failed in the Sunni triangle in post-war Iraq. The tougher the situation became for the Americans in post-war Iraq, the more they came to fear instability. The regional players recognised the difficult situation the USA was in, growing more confident and finding it easy to reject calls for reform from outside.
Nevertheless, the American neo-cons did succeed in putting democracy on the political agenda in the Arab region, and an inner-Arab culture of debate with a new quality and intensity began to be established.
Driven by failure in Iraq and the US election timetable, the US administration has now returned to its old realpolitik. But this cannot be the lesson to be learned from post-war Iraq. The real lesson should be that the transfer from dictatorship to democracy is a long and difficult process that requires a sense of realism. Which makes it all the more important to achieve a consensus in the West on the methods of promoting democracy – especially as quick successes in democratisation are likely to remain unrealistic, as European experience has clearly demonstrated.
Loay Mudhoon
© Qantara.de 2008
Translated from the German by Katy Derbyshire
The New American Strategy in Iraq
Transitional Phase in Civil War
In spite of the unequivocal success of the new American strategy in pacifying post-war Iraq a lasting stabilisation of the country is not in sight, says Guido Steinberg in his analysis
America's War on Terror
What Went Wrong?
The failure of the United States's global policy since 9/11 can be measured in the chasm between the dreams of 2001 and the reality of 2007. Paul Rogers takes stock of six years of "war on terror"


text:
Next-Gen FIFA to debut at tonight's Xbox 720 reveal event
The official Facebook page of EA Sports FIFA videogame series has posted a picture confirming that it's going to show the next-generation of the popular sports game during tomorrow's Xbox event where Microsoft is confirmed to reveal its next home console. VG247 will be covering it all live as it happens so be sure to […]
Reveal headlines
Nintendo confirms new console will be playable at E3
Nintendo Japan has confirmed its next console will launch in calendar year 2012, and will be announced and playable at E3 this year.
Source - Sony to announce PSP2 in Tokyo on January 27
VG247 has learnt that Sony it to hold a "business overview and strategy meeting" in Tokyo on January 27, and has been told that Sony will use the event as a reveal platform for PSP2.
Sony: New PS3 exclusive reveal on Dec 12
Sony's got something big to announce on December 12, so big, in fact, that it's going to get its own event.
Sony to make mystery announcement on March 31
Several US sites have had mails from Sony telling them to watch for a PlayStation-related announcement on March 31. No one appears to have the remotest idea what it is. We'd be lying if we said we did. Do you?
New Capcom title to be revealed on February 23
Capcom's confirmed that it's to announce a new game on February 23. A first trailer for the unknown title is to be release on Xbox Live Marketplace. Doesn't sounds as though you're going to be able to get it anywhere else: according to this blog post, you'll need access to Live to see it. Street […]
Major Resident Evil 5 reveal planned for E3
Capcom's confirmed that Resident Evil 5 will be the star of the publisher's show at E3 this year, and zombie fans would do well to keep their eyes super-peeled. "The next western world [media] drop will be to coincide with E3," a rep told videogaming247 this morning. "We've got our press conference. At CAPTIVATE08 we […]
Reveal latest


text:
Marine to Receive Medal of Honor for Heroism in Iraq
By Staff Sgt. Scott Dunn, USMC
Special to American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2006 - A Marine corporal who died shielding men in his care from a bursting grenade will receive America's highest military decoration, President Bush said here today.
Actions by Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, who would have turned 25 today, merit the Medal of Honor, Bush said at the National Museum of the Marine Corps dedication ceremony, which coincided with the 231st Marine Corps anniversary.
On April 14, 2004, in Iraq near the Syrian border, the corporal used his helmet and his body to smother an exploding Mills bomb let loose by a raging insurgent whom Dunham and two other Marines had tried to subdue.
The explosion dazed and wounded Lance Cpl. William Hampton and Pfc. Kelly Miller. The insurgent stood up after the blast and was immediately killed by Marine small-arms fire.
Dunham lay face down with a shard the size of a dress-shirt button lodged in his head. The hard, molded mesh that was his Kevlar helmet was now scattered yards around into clods and shredded fabric. Dunham never regained consciousness and died eight days later at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., with his mother and father at his bedside.
Dunham's commanding officers from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, investigated his actions and nominated him for the Medal of Honor. After two years and seven months making its way to the White House, the nomination now has the necessary approval from the president. Next, the president will present the medal and citation to the corporal's parents, Dan and Debra Dunham, who drove to Quantico from their home in Scio, N.Y. Dunham is buried in Scio.
"Corporal Dunham's mom and dad are with us today on what would have been this brave young man's 25th birthday," Bush said. "We remember that the Marine who so freely gave his life was your beloved son. We ask a loving God to comfort you for a loss that can never be replaced. And on this special birthday, in the company of his fellow Marines, I'm proud to announce that our nation will recognize Corporal Jason Dunham's action with America's highest decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor.
"As long as we have Marines like Corporal Dunham," the president continued. "America will never fear for her liberty. And as long as we have this fine museum, America will never forget their sacrifice."
Before Dunham, the last Marine actions to earn the medal happened May 8, 1970, in Vietnam, according to Marine Corps History Division records. A Medal of Honor citation details Lance Cpl. Miguel Keith's machine-gun charge that inspired a platoon facing nearly overwhelming odds: Wounded, Keith ran into "fire-swept terrain." Wounded again by a grenade, he still attacked, taking out enemies in the forward rush. Keith fought until mortally wounded; his platoon came out on top despite being heavily outnumbered.
The last Marine to receive the Medal of Honor was Maj. Gen. James L. Day, who distinguished himself as a corporal in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. On Jan. 20, 1998, more than half a century later, President Bill Clinton presented the medal to Day. He passed away that year.
Dunham's Medal of Honor will be the second awarded for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. On April 4, 2003, Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith posthumously earned the medal for organizing a defense that held off a company-sized attack on more than 100 vulnerable coalition soldiers. In the defense, Smith manned a .50-caliber machine gun in an exposed position until he was mortally wounded.
(Marine Staff Sgt. Scott Dunn is assigned to Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps.)
[Web Version: http://www.defenselink.mil/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=2087]


text:
Randy Moss says he's the greatest receiver of all-time—and much more
Randy Moss always has had a gift for gab. He returned to the international spotlight Tuesday with his special brand of candor at Super Bowl XLVII Media Day in New Orleans and didn't disappoint. Here is a recap of his best comments.
"I do think I'm the greatest receiver ever to do it," via Albert Breer.
"If I ever had an imaginary girlfriend, I never told anybody about it," via Aaron Nagler, on Manti Te'o.
Randy Moss is saying he understands how Michael Jackson struggled to maintain a normal life, via Aaron Nagler.
Moss says he still hasn't watched the Patriots' loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl. Still hurts too much, via Aaron Nagler.
"I don't like my role. I really don't," via Tom Curran.
"I collect every game check and my family spends it," via Clifton Brown.
Randy Moss says he's not really into Beyonce's music, via Bruce Arthur.
— Photos: Super Bowl MVPs | Ranking each game | Winners' rings
— Super Bowl 20 questions: On Ray Lewis' legacy and other hot topics


text:
Log in
Convenient mobile boards for the office or classroom.
Great for busy environments requiring high visibility with limited floor and wall space.
Featured Products
Take a look at these items with special savings! You will find some of our most popular products here, with what is sure to be popular pricing. You'll want to check back often, as these special deals change periodically.
OneStop Ergonomics is a leader and innovator in ergonomic office products including computer accessories and home and office furniture. We specialize in monitor stands, monitor mounts and monitor arms, TV stands and TV mounts, laptop stands and laptop mounts, keyboard trays and keyboard drawers, filing cabinets and storage cabinets, white boards and bulletin boards, magazine racks and literature racks, computer furniture, desks, office chairs and much much more. You'll find everything you need to configure the perfect ergonomic office setup. OneStop Ergonomics is at the forefront of ergonomic office products including computer accessories and home and office.
OneStopErgonomics.com is committed to quality. We've search the world for the best mount, stand and furniture manufacturers from the biggest to the smallest. We stand behind every product we sell. If we wouldn't use it in our office, we don't sell it.
Our thorough and diverse product selection makes it easy to furnish your business, home office, home theater, church, or school in one place. We offer special discounts for large volume orders. And a vast percentage of our products ship for free!
We provide ergonomic solutions to consumers and businesses. Specializing in products that improve the comfort and functionality of the workplace.
Our history as ergonomic experts is vast. OneStop Ergonomics has been at the forefront of ergonomic designs that are proven to work. We supply a broad range of quality ergonomic computer accessories and furniture to Fortune 500 companies, small and medium-sized businesses, the government, financial institutions, manufacturers, media, schools, the medical and dental industries, and home office users.
We have experience with every type of project big and small. Our monitor mount and tv stand experts can assist you with any of your complex mounting needs including custom configurations.
© Copyright 2015
OneStopErgonomics.com 119 Crater Lake Avenue, Medford, OR 97504(800) 898-0280
( )


text:
Qualcomm publishes a page about its previously reported always-on vision camera module and its use-cases:
"Operating at less than 2mW of end-to-end power, and expected to be sold at low cost, the CVM provides smartphones and IoT devices with affordable, always-on computer vision awareness. By emitting CV data about what's happening in a field of view rather than transmitting images, the CVM also delivers a much more privacy sensitive vision solution."
Face Detection for Smartphones
"For smartphones, it provides passive, always-on face detection that can auto wake the device when a face is detected and auto sleep (save power) when a face is not detected. The CVM can also auto stop the screen brightness for as long as a face is detected. Additionally, the CVM also supports intelligent screen orientation where, upon face detection, it adjusts and holds the screen orientation based on the position of the user's face. The always-on CVM can also trigger third party applications and hardware. For example, it could enable a biometric-type iris authentication process to be initiated when a face is detected or a QR scanner could be initiated when a QR code is detected.
Beyond face detection, simple gestures can wake and trigger the smartphone handset. Lastly, the CVM can provide ambient light sensing (ALS) and proximity functionality."
Interactivity Trigger for Toys and Smart Appliances
"For example, it could enable a smart refrigerator door to turn transparent and light up when it detects that a user is interested in seeing what's inside, or it can enable an appliance screen to present a menu of options when it sees a user is interested in engaging with it."
Occupancy Trigger (OT) for Smart Home Devices
"With a smaller form factor than passive infrared (PIR) sensors, and at a very low cost and power, the CVM will more accurately identify humans in a field of view, and track their specific motion, noting whether they are moving toward the device or perpendicular to the device. It also discriminates between them and other moving objects, such as vehicles and pets, which normally trigger PIR sensors. The OT also provides associated metadata about the humans, reporting on variables such as location and the number of people within the sensor's field of view. Lastly, the highly flexible OT is trainable for varied types of object detection such as vehicles or pets using machine learning approaches."
Standalone Data Tracker (SDT)
"Our CVM is being engineered with a coin cell battery and Bluetooth radio into a stamp-sized SDT that can be used in commercial, residential, and smart city applications."


text:
COLUMBIA -- The S.C. Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of a man who targeted a family that was stranded while traveling on Interstate 95.
On a June evening in 2010, a husband and wife were driving through Colleton County on I-95, because they were moving to Florida.
The woman's mother followed behind pulling a U-Haul trailer. When that vehicle overheated, both pulled over to wait for a tow truck.
That's when two men, including passenger David Jakes, noticed the stranded motorists. The driver identified them as an "easy lick," according to the court decision.
Jakes, whose face was mostly covered, jumped out of the backseat holding a firearm, and yelled at the women, "Get up, pretty lady."
The husband, who had his own gun, stood up from behind his vehicle with his weapon drawn, and told Jakes to leave them alone.
Instead Jakes aimed his firearm, according to the court decision. So the husband shot him repeatedly. Jakes crawled back to his accomplice's vehicle, and they left.
None of the three family members were hurt.
Jakes was convicted of assault and battery, attempted armed robbery, and possession of a weapon while committing a violent crime. He had appealed his conviction on the grounds that one of the jurors should have been thrown out because she was marriedto a Colleton County reserve deputy.
Jakes said he would have allocated his juror strikes differently if he'd had the information. But the court rejected the appeal on various grounds, including that the juror never tried to keep her husband's deputy status a secret.
Wednesday's decision suggested the clerk of court had omitted that detail from a jury summary, but the court said lawyers have the ability to read directly from information provided by jurors.