Job Satisfaction in Organizational Psychology

Job Satisfaction in Organizational Psychology Job satisfaction can be known to some people as an important element in their lives. If an individual is unhappy with their occupation it may affect other parts of their life. Job satisfaction can be seen in what one wants in a job as to what one has in their current job. Definition of Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction can be defined as an attitude or feeling one can have toward ones job. Job satisfaction is â€Å"the extent to which people like (satisfaction) or dislike (dissatisfaction) in their jobs. Spector 1997) One of the biggest studies in job satisfaction was the Hawthorne studies which were credited to Elton Mayo in the year's nineteen twenty-four to nineteen fifty-three. Elton Mayo was from Harvard Business School who sought to find the effects of various conditions focusing on workers' productivity. His study showed that changes in work conditions temporarily increased productivity which is also known as the Hawthorne Effect. Some individuals may form an attitude towards their jobs by taking into account their feelings, beliefs and behavior.All these different factors can affect ones job satisfaction Example of Organizational Socialization and Job Satisfaction A great example of how organizational socialization goes a long way in ensuring job satisfaction is in the United States military. When a person decides to join any branch of the military there is a process in becoming a soldier. The organizational socialization that the military subjects the future soldiers to may be different than what goes on in the civilian world or any standard organization. Boot camp is the training that all soldiers must partake in and pass in order to become a soldier.Boot camp is where the United States will teach the individual civilians the behaviors, skills, functions, values, culture, and roles that must be learned before one can be considered a soldier (McKittrick, 1984). Once boot camp has been completed and the sold ier has passed both the physical and mental requirements, then this will have a major influence on the performance of the soldier (McKittrick, 1984). Completion of the formal socialization or boot camp will increase productivity, increases self assurance, self worth, self esteem, oyalty, and job satisfaction (McKittrick, 1984). The better and faster that a soldier or any new hire is socialized then in turn will have a trickledown effect and the higher level of organizational socialization will lead to higher levels of job satisfaction. Higher job satisfaction will then lead to higher retention by the company, thus saving the company or in this case the government money by decreasing turnover (McKittrick, 1984). For this reason the government normally offers cash bonuses to soldiers who wish to re-enlist in the military for.Explain the impact that organizational socialization has on job satisfaction? The impact of organizational socialization has on job satisfaction is factored on jo b performance. If an individual is not satisfied with the organizations core role, the individual will rebel when not given the proper answers to the demand. Organizations base performance results on individual workload. Workload is commonly known as the work given to an individual at a certain time frame. Workload can also be defined as a stress carrier and if the quantitative workload is not distribute properly.Organizational socialization is in charge of complying properly with the individuals needs to avoid issues as occupational stress (Jex, 2008). Motivation is the key to understanding and fulfilling the individual’s necessitations. Job satisfaction is impacted personal issues when in time can accumulate and develop stress. The individual's performance includes well being, motivation, and encouragement. Each organization hires different ethnicities, different cultures, and unique individuals. The organizational socializations goal is to find the key to each individual a nd promote job satisfaction.A goal setting atmosphere is preserved to the gravity of job satisfaction. When the individual has no motivation for success and looses interest in the commitment to the organization; results of failure in organization socialization (Jex, 2008). Job satisfaction comes from understanding the importance in commitment of the organization. Organizational socialization impacts the satisfaction and well being of the individual. The impact the individual leaves on the company’s success is the result of the job satisfaction of the organizations member. Commitment is the key of the organization.Motivation is what drives the individual to keep the company growing. The job satisfaction of the individual is the result of organizational socialization. Relationship between Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction The relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction is significant. Job satisfaction can be defined as the extent to which pe ople like or dislike their jobs and organization commitment is a psychological state that determines the employees relationship with the organization and can determine how long an employee will stay with an organization.Researchers have determined there are three types of focuses that determine types of organizational commitment; affective, continuous, and normative. Affective commitment is the employee’s perception of how they feel about their organization and how they identify with their organization. Continuous commitment is the cost that employee feels that will be made is they stay or leave an organization. Normative commitment is the level of commitment an employee feels towards their organization. Job satisfaction is one of the most frequently measured organization variables.Organizations use these measurements to determine how satisfied their employees are and researchers use this information to determine if the job satisfaction or the lack of job satisfaction is a si tuational perspective or interactional perspective. Organizational commitment is critical to organizations due to the desire to retain a strong workforce. Organizations want to know why employees stay or leave their organizations so if correction is needed they have some tools to proceed with the correction. High turnover of employees in an organization can determine if an organization is successful or not.While turnover is related to all three areas of commitment researchers have determined that Affective commitment is one most associated with absenteeism and organizational citizenship (Williams J. 2004). Example on Organizational Commitment to Positively Impact Job Satisfaction At times employees go to work each day knowing they have to complete the daily task of doing so. Some individuals may not like their current job or what occupation they currently hold for one reason or another. At times, it may not be the fact they may not like their job, but the working conditions, policie s or even the people they make work with.Job satisfaction and organizational commitment are two of the most important roles people live with each and every day. Both may and can impact and individual's relationship whether it may be at work and dealing with family issues and may affect them with work depending the outcome of work situations and/or issues. In order for an employee to be able to be content and provide and excel in excellence in their daily job duties, some employers may suggest incentives. They may provide bonuses or time off for some employees doing well. This may help the employee keep doing better by working hard so they may receive the incentive.Some employers may offer alternate work schedules. This can help employees complete daily task and balance work with personal life so one may not interfere with the other. â€Å"Organizational commitment is a psychological state that (a) characterizes the employee's relationships with the organization and (b) has implicat ions for the decisions to continue membership in the organizations. † (Meyer and Allen 1994) This basically states if employees are happy working with the organization they will do well and if the employee is not happy with the organization it can affect the way they perform their daily duties for the organization.Some employers provided assistance with counseling in case an employee is having trouble or personal issues they may be dealing with that maybe affecting their job duties. This may help the employee resolve or take care of personal issues so they may feel up to par to continue with their work. The way on organization deals with policies and or rules and enforces them may also affect the way there employees are working. Employers may also have frequent meetings or mediation gatherings to ask employees opinions on what may be working or what may need to change to better employee's production.They may also provide different types of training to ensure all employees are taught the same and may be on the same page as everyone else and upper management. Job satisfaction is an important factor to think about since work is one of the main functions people all around the world experience each and every day. If one is satisfied performing their job duties each and every day they will work well and even improve some regular job functions.References Williams J. 2004), Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment, Sloan Work and Family, Research Network, Boston College, ttp://wfnetwork. bc. edu/encyclopedia_entry. php? id=244 Source: Jex, S. M, & Britt, T. W. (2008) Organizational Psychology. A Scientist-Practitioner Approach. Second Edition. Retrieved from uop McKittrick, R. B. (1984). An Analysis of Organizational Socialization in the Marine Corps. Retrieved from http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/library/report/1984/MRB. htm Herzberg, F. (1968). One more time: How do you motivate employees? Harvard Busines

Issues, concerns, and challenges in environmental adjucation in the philippine court system Essay

Introduction The court system is an integral part of environmental enforcement in the Philippines and has made many important contributions to the field. However, environmental cases do not always progress smoothly through the judicial system. This paper is intended to identify important legal issues in the judicial system that affect or limit environmental adjudication. 2 The issues are divided between access to and competency of justice, and legal procedures. While many of these issues could be analyzed further, this paper will highlight the ones to which attention should be paid in any more comprehensive study of Philippine environmental case law. 3 This paper will also use examples and case studies from the United States to illustrate important legal points, since the U. S. and Philippines have similar legal systems. II. Issues A. Legal Procedure and Rules of the Court Because of their unique and complex nature, environmental cases are sometimes hindered by legal mechanisms and rules of procedure designed for non-environmental cases. These include rules on standing and class action suits that often do not take into account the fact that environmental damage impacts all citizens. Furthermore, the nature and science of environmental violations often means that statutes of limitations, evidentiary rules, and burdens of proof are not suitable. Some of these issues can be handled internally by the judicial system by instructing lower courts to apply rules liberally. The impact of all of these issues, and how many actually present problems for plaintiffs, is crucial. 1. Standing of Plaintiffs and Citizens Suits In environmental cases, a plaintiff may not necessarily be legally injured in the traditional sense by an act of environ-mental destruction to impair his livelihood. For example, plaintiffs cannot recover damages for fish killed by pollution because they lack standing, despite the obvious economic loss they suffered. 4 While the destruction of natural aesthetic beauty is a moral outrage that indirectly harms all citizens, under traditional legal standing person no would have standing to sue. 5 Furthermore, environmental laws are designed to prevent catastrophic harm that is often not imminent or contained to one geographic area, as opposed to the narrow, immediate harms that provide the basis of most standing requirements. 6 Strict rulings on standing could stifle environmental enforcement, especially since the Philippines lacks sufficient enforcement capacity and personnel. The Philippine Supreme Court has held that standing requires: Such personal stake in the outcome of the controversy as to assure that concrete adverseness which sharpens the presentation of issues upon which the court depends for illumination of difficult constitutional questions. 7 The plaintiff himself must have some cognizable and redressable injury. Litigating for a general public interest, or â€Å"mere invocation†¦ of [plaintiff’s] duty to preserve the rule of law†¦ is not sufficient to clothe it with standing†¦. †8 However, the standing requirement is considered a technicality that courts may waive if the case concerns a â€Å"paramount public interest. †9 In its dictum in Oposa v. Factorum, the Court said that children might even have intergenerational standing to sue to prevent the destruction of forests for future generations. 10 There are questions as to the strength of these to reduce the standing threshold for environmental plaintiffs. While courts may waive technical standing provisions when a case deals with a paramount public interest, it is not required to do so. 11 Furthermore, judges may reasonably differ on what constitutes a â€Å"paramount public interest† since there is no overriding theme o define it. For example, in Kilosbayan, the Court found that determining the legality of an online lottery system fell within this definition, whereas in Integrated Bar, it held that determining whether deploying marines for crime deterrence violates the Constitution does not. 12 The Court did reduce some of this ambiguity in Oposa by declaring that the right to a balanced and healthful ecology â€Å"concerns nothing less than self-preservation and self-perpetuation,† presumably a â€Å"paramount public interest. †13 However, because the Court’s discussion on standing in Oposa was dictum, neither this claim nor the right to intergenerational standing is binding law upon the lower courts. 14 Without further guidance from the Court, it is likely that many lower court judges would be reluctant to act boldly by declaring that a particular issue is a â€Å"paramount public interest† and would deny standing. Congress tried to reduce the standing threshold with citizen suit provisions in environmental statutes, but these have been of limited use thus far. First, only the Philippine Clean Air and Ecological Solid Waste Management Acts contain citizen suit provisions;15 notably, the Philippine Clean Water Act, enacted after these two laws, does not. 16 Second, citizens still bear the risk of paying a winning defendant’s attorney’s fees, which could be costly enough to discourage even valid suits. Most importantly, these suits are still subject to the â€Å"actual controversy† requirement of the Constitution. 17 What this means in the context of citizen suits has not yet been heavily litigated in the Philippines. However, lower court judges often require plaintiffs to show actual injury in the narrow or traditional legal sense. 18 Likewise, when prosecutors deputize citizens to enforce a suit, judges sometimes insist that such deputization is only valid for a single case or even invalid under the Rules of the Court. 19 As a result, citizens suit provisions have been largely unused. 20 Standing under environmental laws is hotly contested in the U. S. 21 The U. S. has put citizens’ suit provisions into almost all of its environmental laws. 22 Plaintiffs are required to show 1) an injury in fact, 2) causation between the injury and the defendant’s actions, and 3) redressability in court. 23 NGOs can sue upon a showing that any of their members would have had standing to sue. 24 The focus is not on the injury to the environment, but rather the injury to the plaintiff or NGO representing him. However, the injury can be economic or non-pecuniary, including aesthetic or recreational value. 25 The Court also held that civil penalties payable to the U. S. Treasury serve as redress as they deter polluters. 26 Causation is often the more difficult element to prove, which will be discussed below in  § 4. In New Zealand, the Environment Court has taken a more radical approach. It has eliminated formal standing provisions, requiring only that a plaintiff have a greater interest than the public generally in a controversy or that he represents a relevant public interest. 27 This makes citizen enforcement very easy. However, one might also be concerned about whether this would overburden the court; granting standing is a fine balance between permitting valid environmental claims and risking frivolous litigation. 2. Class Actions and Large Number of Plaintiffs As the notorious mudslide at Ormoc in 1991 and Marcopper mine tailings in Marinduque show, injuries from environmental damage can be grave, costly, and affect a huge number of persons. 28 Even in less publicized events, the number of injured persons may often make individual litigation burdensome and complex. Furthermore, some members of an injured class may be too poor to prosecute their claims individually. Class action suits can facilitate litigation of such situations by providing for: [T]he protection of the defendant from inconsistent obligations, the protection of the interests of absentees, the provision of a convenient and economical means for disposing of similar lawsuits, and the facilitation of the spreading of litigation costs among numerous litigants with similar claims. 29 Other studies have shown that class action suits can provide important social benefits and encourage citizen enforcement to supplement agency regulation. 30 Class actions may the discourage attorney disloyalty that encourages lawyers to plea bargain for less than the actual injury. As happened in the Chinese poachers case in Palawan, lawyers or prosecutors may not seek full compensation for the damage caused because they have an incentive to expend less time and money on a small case. 31 However, because class actions provide aggregate incentives for lawyers, and fees and settlements undergo higher judicial scrutiny, such â€Å"disloyal† settlements are less likely to occur. 32 While the Philippine Rules of the Court provide for class action suits,33 judges will sometimes be reluctant to certify classes and instead treat the injuries of plaintiffs as separate, despite any common questions of law or fact. In Newsweek, Inc. v. IAC, the Supreme Court ruled that a defamatory remark directed at 8,500 sugar planters do not necessarily apply to every individual in a group, and therefore are not actionable as a class action. 34 Likewise, a judge might refuse to certify a class of pollution victims because they suffer different types of physical injuries, even if the source was the same pollution. In a more litigated legal system, there would be more case law to guide judges on the appropriateness of class actions. However, in the Philippines, this does not yet exist. Add to this the high cost for lawyers, and class actions become even less feasible for most Philippine plaintiffs. 35 In the U. S. , it is much easier to litigate environmental class action suits. The Supreme Court has clearly instructed courts to construe its class action rules liberally and encourage class action suits. 36 This limits judicial discretion in refusing to certify classes to only extreme situations. Furthermore, the rules allow plaintiffs to join by default rather than affirmatively. 37 For environmental cases, the courts will look at the potential number of plaintiffs or the size of the estimated areas that a pollutant has infected to see if plaintiffs have met the numerosity requirement, but they are not required to meet a certain minimum number. 38 For the Philippines, which, unlike the U. S. , has too few environmental class action suits, adopting some of these mechanisms may create a more efficient adjudication process for plaintiffs, defendants, and the courts. 3. Statute of Limitations and Delayed Injuries Unlike a traditional tort or crime, many environmental injuries are not discrete events but only manifest themselves after many years. Pollutants may build up in soils, waters, or human bodies for years without reaching a dangerous level. Cleanup of such sites can take even longer. For example, when the U. S. military left Subic Bay in 1992, it left behind hazardous waste sites with contaminated water that continue to poison the land over a decade later. 39 However, for environmental torts, the statute of limitations is four years, a relatively brief time. This could preclude the litigation of injuries from pollutants with an onset delayed for many years. Thus far statutes of limitation issues have not been a significant factor in environmental litigation. The Philippine Supreme Court addresses similar problems in other fields of law with the discovery rule, allowing the statute of limitations to run when the plaintiff actually or should reasonably have discovered the injury. 40 However, as the courts handle more brown environment cases, it will have to address the tensions between punishing past violators and protecting defendants from time-barred claims. 41 U. S. courts have adopted the due diligence discovery rule, particularly for Clean Water Act and wetlands violations. Because immediate detection of pollution or illegal fill into a wetlands is almost impossible, applying a statute of limitations strictly would defeat the remedial purpose of the act. 42 Courts try to effectuate the Congressional purpose of the statute with the due diligence discovery rule and giving the government a chance to file action against the polluter once the violation is reported to the EPA. 43 Some courts44 realize that a statute of limitation may be inappropriate for cases when pollution continues to cause problems over time. These courts argue that a: Defendant’s unpermitted discharge of dredged or fill materials into wetlands on the site is a continuing violation for as long as the fill remains. Accordingly, the five-year statute of limitations †¦ has not yet begun to run. 45 The statute of limitation will not run for as long as the pollution remains. Many courts will also treat common law tort nuisances as continuing violations. 46 This approach has the added benefit of allowing the government to fine violators for each day the pollution remains, capturing the more of the costs of environmental destruction. 47 Much of U. S. case law regarding the effect of statutes of limitations on environmental issues comes from ambiguities in the statute of limitation for complex processes, particularly the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (â€Å"CERCLA†), or Superfund law. 48 Because Congress anticipated the complexity and long-term nature of site cleanups, it structured the statute of limitations in a flexible manner, allowing the court hear an initial cost recovery action prior to issuing a declaratory judgment to avoid letting the statute run. It also allows the plaintiff to file subsequent cost-recovery actions to recapture further response costs incurred at the site. 49 However, the law’s different statutes of limitation for remedial and removal actions phases of the cleanup has led to confusion over how the phases are defined. Courts often defer to EPA determinations in characterizing the type of action due to its technical expertise, rather than making that judgment itself. 50 4. Meeting the Burden of Proof In environmental cases, there may be no line of direct evidence from the perpetrator to the harm. In pollution cases it is often impossible to prove that the plaintiff’s harm was caused by his exposure to the toxic material. 51 For example, if several factories dump pollution into Manila Bay, it is impossible to determine which caused a particular environmental harm. Furthermore, the courts cannot expect absolute scientific certainty on the effects of a health risk such as electro-magnetic fields from power cables. 52 Given these problems, the traditional burden of proof standards, preponderance for civil cases and beyond a reasonable doubt for criminal,53 may prove to be prohibitively high. Philippine courts employ liability-shifting mechanisms to manage this difficulty in environmental cases. For example, pursuant to the Fisheries Code, courts use reverse burden of proof to place the burden of exculpation on defendants found with high-explosive or cyanide fishing gear. 54 Furthermore, the courts have begun to experiment with the precautionary principle, placing the constitutional rights to health and safety above development. 55 The courts also employs res ipsa loquitor in tort suits,56 although this has not been a prominent feature of environmental litigation. Plaintiffs may also hold multiple defendants jointly and severally liable for an act of environmental destruction that cannot be traced to a single defendant company, such as the pollution in Manila Bay. 57 Until recently, Philippine lawmakers did not see a need to introduce a strict liability58 regime into environmental laws. 59 Strict liability was employed in other fields, but not environ-mental laws. More recent anti-pollution laws such as the Clean Air and Solid Waste Management Acts establish that a violation of the standard is actionable through citizen suits. 60 In U. S. , because of its common law tradition, courts are more willing to employ strict liability. Generally, when a defendant, â€Å"though without fault, has engaged in [a] perilous activity †¦, there is no justification for relieving it of liability. †61 Such â€Å"perilous activities† include operating explosives, nuclear energy, hydropower, fire, high-energy explosives, poisons, and other extremely hazardous materials. 62 For citizens suits under environmental statutes, plaintiffs need only show that the law was violated, not prove fault or any actual or threatened harm, without regard to mens rea. 63 When it is impossible to determine the proportion of fault of a large number of defendants, U. S. courts may approximate fault through other indicators, including market share and production output. For example, in Hymowitz v. Eli Lilly ; Co. , the New York Court of Appeals calculated the size of each defendant drug company’s market share for DES to determine their fault in the injuries caused by the drug. 64 This also allows courts to address injuries sustained in the past by approximating past fault through data available in the present. The Environment Court in New Zealand has adopted an even more radical approach and done away with formal burdens of proof. It focuses instead on obtaining the best possible evidence for a case. This makes it easier for plaintiffs appealing to the court to dislodge an unfavorable opinion from a lower court. 65 While the Philippine Supreme Court may not wish to go this far, the court could more strict liability for hazardous materials and market share liability tools. 5. Damages and Remedies Even if a plaintiff wins damages from a defendant, if the defendant keeps polluting or cutting trees, the damage will continue. 66 In the Philippines, this is particularly problematic as the fines and penalties imposed under law are often not enough to change a company’s behavior. In order to encourage development, Congress prohibited temporary restraining orders against government projects. 67 Since government infrastructure projects can cause massive damage to ecosystems, this prohibition is significant. Some courts try to avoid this loophole by claiming that the prohibition cannot violate a person’s constitutional right to health or safety. 68 The extent of this loophole is unclear. Finally, even if a plaintiff or prosecution wins its case, most of the time the true costs of the defendant’s actions will not be reflected in the award. Damages in civil cases and punishments in criminal cases generally capture the costs of any suffering caused to humans, not animals or plants. While some settlements may include forcing a defendant to install pollution-control equipment or contribute money to conservation programs, this still likely does not recoup the full extent of damage to the environment. It is difficult to regenerate natural forest, coral reefs, or populations of endangered animals. The judicial system does not have much power to remedy this problem. The decision on the purpose of environmental laws and how much plaintiffs recover is for the Congress. However, it is important for judges to understand that environmental cases deal with only a fraction of the true costs of environmental damage. This may convince some judges to be more sympathetic toward environmental cases. While punishments for defendants may seem exorbitant, understanding the unaccounted costs of environmental damage puts these into perspective. B. Access to and Competency of Justice Aside from the legal issues described above, in any country, there are a host of practical and logistical issues that impede the judicial system’s ability to handle environmental cases. This includes the lack of financial resources of plaintiffs, particularly in poorer parts of the Philippines. Plaintiffs and their lawyers must also feel safe from physical and financial harassment while litigating their case. On the other hand, both courts and lawyers are often unfamiliar with environmental laws and science, limiting their ability to adjudicate in the field. Finally, court dockets are often congested, and environmental cases are not given priority. The judicial system’s role in addressing these issues ranges from fairly involved to almost no role. Yet, in attempting to understand environmental adjudication in the Philippines, it is crucial to recognize the role these practical realities play. 1. Financial Costs of Adjudication In any legal system, filing and litigating a case takes an enormous amount of time and money. Philippine courts impose a filing and transcript fee, although these are waived for citizens suits. Reflecting on his experiences, famous environmental attorney Antonio Oposa suggested that these costs were the greatest inhibitions for most plaintiffs. 69 Furthermore, for injunctive remedies, plaintiffs must post a bond to cover the defendant’s potential damages, which may be too large for a poor plaintiff with livestock and property as his only assets. 70 Most Philippine lawyers do not use a contingency fee system, so plaintiffs must be able to pay for legal services up front and over the lengthy litigation process. 71 On top of this, there is the risk of financially crushing harassment suits from defendants, or Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP). Even the logistics of feeding and housing witnesses, and their lost time from work, poses significant problems for predominantly poorer plaintiffs. In the U. S. , NGOs often receive enough donations to allow them to engage in litigation and have staff lawyers. More importantly, plaintiffs’ attorneys often work on a contingency basis, allowing poorer plaintiffs to avoid large financial risk. Furthermore, NGOs and environmental groups seeking injunctive remedies are often required only to pay a nominal bond or may be exempted completely. 72 While some might worry this makes litigation in the U. S. too easy, it drastically improves poor people’s access to justice. Pursuant to the Constitution’s emphasis on the poor, the Supreme Court of the Philippines has taken some efforts to alleviate this problem. Poorer plaintiffs are exempted from paying docket, transcript, and other fees and are granted free legal counsel. Furthermore, the Court provides an annual grant to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ Free Legal Aid Program. 73 However, not all environmental plaintiffs qualify as poor, particularly NGOs, even though they often have limited financial resources. Furthermore, even though the amount of the bond is under the discretion of the judge, judges are reluctant to do this because they worry about being accused of abusing their discretion. 74 2. Harassment of Plaintiffs and Lawyers Because of the high stakes involved in environmental cases, defendants may go to extraordinary means to intimidate and harass plaintiffs and their lawyers. It is not uncommon for defendants to lodge harassment or SLAPP suits against environmental plaintiffs or DENR prosecutors to attempt to force them to drop their charges. 75 Enforcers who confiscate the equipment of criminals are often sued for robbery. 76 Some defendants take even more extreme means such as physical violence or even murder. 77 Such dangers were recently illustrated by the murder of environmental advocate Elpidio de la Victoria and death threats against attorney Oposa. 78 This makes lawyers unwilling to take on difficult environmental cases. To stifle SLAPP suits, the courts should promptly apply the anti-SLAPP provisions in the Philippine Clean Air and Ecological Solid Waste Management Acts when applicable. 79 This means dismissing any harassment suits as quickly as possible. However, plaintiffs relying on other laws have less protection. 80 Congress must expand the use of anti-SLAPP provisions to other environmental laws. Furthermore, law enforcement must vigorously prosecute any defendants who resort to violence. In short, to facilitate environmental cases, the court must protect the ones bringing the cases. 3. Technical Knowledge Among Judges and Attorneys Judges must decide questions of science as well as law in order to dispose of most environmental cases. This is particularly true for brown issues, which involve uncertain science regarding the exact effects of a pollutant. In the U. S. , scientific understanding of pollutants led to new classes of trespass and tort suits that held emitters liable for their actions. 81 However, both sides in a case will try to use any scientific uncertainty to their advantage, or even create scientific uncertainty even when it does not exist in order to confuse the court. Judges must understand what scientific evidence should be admitted and what is not valid. 82 Judges and lawyers need to understand the science well enough to determine which arguments are unfounded and which are plausible. Because general the courts have general jurisdiction and are not specialized in environmental issues, this problem will have to be addressed by providing judges and lawyers with supplemental training in environmental sciences and law. PHILJA and other organizations are already successfully doing this. 83 Eventually, however, this problem may be resolved through a change in the adjudication system. If the Philippines moves toward environmental courts or administrative adjudication84 (as is being considered), judges would be trained specifically to handle environmental cases. 4. Obtaining and Preserving Evidence For green issues, preserving evidence may be difficult. After an illegal logger or fisher is captured, DENR can confiscate the logs and fish. These goods rot or deteriorate over time. Proper procedure requires taking pictures of the logs and fish for admission into court. Specially trained fish examiners prepare reports on the cause of death of fish. When done correctly, this preserves the evidence for use at court. However, some areas may not have fish examiners on hand or the prosecution may not properly prepare the pictures for admissible evidence. It is not uncommon for custodians of the confiscated items to lose track of them over time. Because cases take so long in the court system, this can be a real problem. 85 It is also difficult for enforcement agents to find and confiscate the equipment and vehicles used in environmental crimes, as the boats and trucks perpetrators use are highly mobile. Despite the inconvenience it may cause defendants, such equipment must be held as evidence and to prevent further environmental damage. The accused, or unindicted conspirators, will often petition for the release of their equipment. 86 Unfortunately, sympathetic lower court judges may sometimes grant these requests, despite the contravening case law. 87 Moreover, prosecutors must have the vehicles stored in a safe area despite the lack of storage space. Finally, it is important for enforcers to determine the location of violators, particularly close to the boundaries of natural parks. Community enforcers may not be trained in determining the exact location of where they apprehended the violators. Wealthier units can use GPS, but often the location of apprehension is disputed. 88 Any doubt in this area can destroy the prosecution’s case. 5. Docket Congestion In many countries, including the Philippines, courts are overburdened with cases. Yet, the Philippines’ forests and animals are already disappearing quickly. Irreversible damage to ecosystems can occur much more quickly than the many years it may take the court system to resolve a case. As Prof. La Vina noted, the environment cannot wait for the court system. 89 According to Justice Nazario, the Philippines needs over 300 trial court judges to fill the vacancies and resolve pending cases. 90 Low pay discourages the few who are qualified. Many of these vacancies are in remote parts of the country, such as Nueva Ecija, Occidental Mindoro, and Surigao Norte, where much of the fishing and forestry violations occur. Furthermore, the Supreme Court is burdened by the large amount of cases granted review each year, including the automatic review for death penalty cases. 91 Given this burdensome congestion, environmental cases are not given any special treatment on their own merits. Criminal environmental cases may be somewhat more expedited because they involve criminal punishments, but most judges and lawyers show no urgency with regard to environmental cases. 92 The Supreme Court attempted to alleviate this problem with Administrative Order No. 150B-93, setting up special courts to handle illegal logging, but these remain underutilized. 93 Until cases can move through the court system more quickly, the enforcement of environmental law will be delayed. III. Conclusion This paper has highlighted important legal and practical issues preventing efficient adjudication of environmental cases in the Philippines. However, due to logistical and budgetary constraints, this paper focused mostly on case law from the Supreme Court and the personal experiences of lawyers. In order to fully understand environmental adjudication throughout the court system, further research should ideally analyze environmental cases from all Municipal and Regional Trial Courts, Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. It is important to see how cases area actually treated, particularly with respect to the issues examined in this paper. Furthermore, there may be important regional variations, particularly between areas with more natural resources and more urban areas. Even before such a study is undertaken, the courts can apply several lessons from this paper in the near future. First, while the courts have already taken commendable steps to waive filing fees and other costs for paupers, as mentioned above the definition of pauper may be under inclusive by not including NGOs. The courts should consider other definitions to reflect the realities of environmental NGOs. 94 Second, the Supreme Court should instruct the courts to dismiss SLAPP suits expeditiously. While the natural resource laws may not have anti-SLAPP provisions, Congress clearly did not intend to encourage such suits and there is nothing legally preventing the courts from dismissing them faster. Finally, the courts can address standing for citizens and class action suits. In particular, it should set out a clear position on standing in environmental cases. Other challenges will require long-term planning for the courts. Reducing the docket congestion is critical to expedite justice, although doing this will likely take years and require more judges. Likewise, the ongoing effort to train judges and lawyers in environmental law and science must continue, particularly as new judges and lawyers enter the judicial system. The courts should also familiarize themselves with the legal mechanisms available to them, particularly in shifting the burden of proof. However, this will be most useful in pollution cases as they become more common in the future. Ultimately, the challenges described above will require multifaceted solutions from various stakeholders in the Philippine legal system. For example, Congress must work to improve standing and citizens suit provisions in other environmental laws. To reduce the financial risk of brining a suit, law firms could move toward a contingency fee system. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of DENR and environmental agencies to ensure that evidence is properly recorded and preserved. Finally, as the Philippine grows and wealth spreads, more plaintiffs will be able to undergo the financial costs of adjudication. Eventually, the best solution to these challenges may come not from within the courts but from a new adjudication system. The U. S. has worked successfully with administrative adjudication for environmental issues in the EPA and Department of Interior. Other countries have set up independent environment courts. Based on the results of further studies and the needs of the country, the Philippines may move to adopt one of these models. This would allow expert adjudicators to handle cases under rules that make sense for environmental issues. Finally, it is important for judges at all levels of the judicial system to understand the severity of environmental degradation in the Philippines. The only redress environmental plaintiffs or prosecutors may have is in their court. Thus, they should not be reluctant to grant standing or award large damages, when appropriate, because doing so will ensure that both humans and the environment have their proper day in court.

Music theatre history Essay

Miss Saigon is the tenth-longest running Broadway Musical in music theatre history, according to Hernandez (2009). Such was its success that it has toured all over the world since its opening day in April 1991 (Broadway Musical Home n. d. ). The plot of the play is simple enough, a Marine fell in love with a young Vietnamese call girl while in Vietnam, serving in the Vietnam war (Music Theatre International n. d. ). He fathers her child but does not discover it until a few years later when he has another family from coming back to America (Music Theatre International n. d. ). In the play, he was forced to choose between his legal wife and the woman he loves (Music Theatre International n. d. ). The composer of the songs in the musical is Claude-Michel Schonberg, the lyricists are Alain Boubil and Richard Maltby Jr. and the librettists are Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boubil (Broadway Musical Home n. d. ). My experience Over a decade ago, I was fortunate enough to watch a production of Miss Saigon on Broadway with the original casts. These casts were: Hinton Battle, Barry K. Bernal, Liz Callaway, Kam Cheng, Willy Falk, Jonathan Pryce, Lea Salonga. I understand that Salonga and Pryce are Olivier and Tony award winners for their performances as Kim (the Vietnamese girl) and the Engineer (the pimp) for this musical. Back then, I was so overwhelmed by the production. I thought the cast was fantastic; Salonga was so good, so very convincing as Kim. She had such a powerful voice, constant and unwavering, so pleasant to listen to. I was perhaps 10 or 11 when I saw that original production on Broadway, and it was an amazing experience. At the time, I could not fully comprehend the seriousness of the issues being tackled in the script. I just knew I liked listening to the songs and I bought a CD to remember the play. When I was vacationing in Houston, Texas last February, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to see Miss Saigon again. I do not quite remember the Broadway actors who have played it, and to be honest, I have did not pay close attention, I simply wanted to see the reproduction of that Broadway play I remember from long ago. A quick search on Google tells me that this reproduction played at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts was directed by Bruce Lumpkin. Kim, is played by Melinda Chua, Chris (the Marine) is played by Eric Kunze and Joseph Anthony plays the Engineer (BWW News Desk 2010). Having listened to the original cast’s CD of the play, the new cast fell short of the vocal prowess I have come to love. As such, I was underwhelmed by the casting and their singing despite their respective accomplishments in their craft. Salonga was just too strong a performer for me and her voice was perfect, in my opinion. The songs â€Å"Sun and Moon† and â€Å"Last Night of the World† did not have the certain charm they used to have with that reproduction’s performance. What I am thankful for for this reviewing is that I fully understand now what Miss Saigon is all about. I remember the story from memory and I knew it had a tragic ending. However, this second watching of the film helped open my eyes to the grave issues involved in the play. First, it talked about the horrors that war can do, especially to the innocent. Kim was orphaned because of the war and being an orphan forced her to work in a night club where all sorts of horror can be imagined. A third world country like Vietnam, would not miss the chance to serve the enemy for some good money. One particular scene that was intriguing for me was during the opening acts when the girls at the night club were competing to be Miss Saigon, the winner will be auctioned off to a Marine and the winner of such contest begged the Marine she was auctioned to to take her back to America, where she can live a better life. The Marine there refused. It shows how America is such the dream land for the third world country people. America that was their enemy in the war, who was killing their men in its continuous search for imperialism. Kim, in that night club met Chris, another Marine. Kim and Chris spent the night together, Chris was touched by the innocence of Kim and he tried to give her money so she can get away from the night club. Kim did not accept the money, even for her fee for spending a night with Chris. She was a virgin and she did not accept the money because, essentially she liked the experience and perhaps because she was developing feelings for Chris. Basically, Kim and Chris fell in love but Chris had to leave but before leaving he promised Kim that he will come back and marry her. This of course, did not happen because of a series of events that thwarted their love. Chris married another woman and before the play ended, he was forced to choose between Kim and his wife, he chose his wife. Kim committed suicide and such was the ending to this wonderful musical play. Such love story was poignant, evoking feelings of melancholy. References: BWW News Desk. (2010). TUTS Announces Their MISS SAIGON Cast, Show Opens 2/9. BroadwayWorld. com – Dallas. Retrieved 21 July 2010 from http://dallas.broadwayworld. com/article/TUTS_Announces_Their_MISS_SAIGON_Cast_Show_Opens_29_20100115 Broadway Musical Home. (n. d. ). Miss Saigon. Retrieved 21 July 2010 from http://www. broadwaymusicalhome. com/shows/misssaigon. htm Hernandez, E. (2009). Long Runs on Broadway. Playbill. com. Retrieved 21 July 2010 from http://www. playbill. com/celebritybuzz/article/75222-Long-Runs-on-Broadway Music Theater International. (n. d. ). Miss Saigon. Retrieved 21 July 2010 from http://www. mtishows. com/show_detail. asp? showid=000156

A Description of Gangnam Style Viral Videos Essay

A Description of Gangnam Style Viral Videos - Essay Example The principal idea of the song is of a self-declared popular man searching for the ideal partner who knows the time to become wild and the time to be refined (Copsey 6). In addition, Psy’s Gangnam style unanticipated reputation has led to many  interpretations of its meaning. Psy’s Gangnam style established a comical connection with its audience from the beginning. The video rapidly developed an association with the artiste, his actions, and events by permitting the viewers to share in Psy’s captivating dancing moves. As Psy entertains his viewers with the dancing moves, he also highlights aspects of his location, the Gangnam district. Associations such as these can be made through an entertaining artist or attractive elements in a video. Moreover, Psy’s Gangnam style video also went viral because it employed the element of creative disruption (Ramstad 26). The video contains memorable dance styles, a carousel, singing from a toilet, and houses. Gangnam style is entirely unexpected, catchy, and outrageous. The video received significant coverage from all over the world and from sites, for example, KoreaBoo, Yahoo, and AllKPop, and became viral within days of its circulation. The following weeks saw the music videos get recognition from pop music and internet humor sites, for example, PopDust, Gawker, FunnyJunk, and BuzzFeed. Psy’s Gangnam style was presumed to be a viral YouTube video by newsrooms, for example, ABC News and CNN by the first week of August (Ramstad 32). Community influencers also contributed to the video going viral. The popularity of a video can be enhanced by getting support from tastemakers and influencers within the related online communities. Psy’s Gangnam style has also had an impact in Asia. The video’s sophisticated arrangement and rendering have made it extremely popular with the entire public.  

Transferability of outdoor management development (omd) programmes in Dissertation

Transferability of outdoor management development (omd) programmes in organisations - Dissertation Example eview 15 Introduction 15 Definition of Outdoor Management Development 17 The Framework 18 Outdoor Activities 23 Skills Areas 24 Structure of OMD Programmes 26 Critical Evaluation of OMD Philosophy 27 Usefulness of Outdoor Management Development Activities 29 Gap in Research 34 Summary 35 Research Methodology 37 Introduction 37 Research Philosophies 38 Research Approaches 40 Data Collection Methods 41 Data Analysis Strategy 42 Validity and Reliability 44 Research Ethics 44 Research Limitations 45 Summary 47 Discussion and Analysis 48 Outdoor Activities and Participants 48 Data Collection 48 Steps Involved in the Activities 49 Review Process 49 Results 51 Discussion and Analysis of Results 52 Comments on Leadership Theory and Team-Working 53 Intra-Personal Attitudes 55 Orientation towards Team-Working and Teams 58 Effects on Workplace: Skills Transfer from Outdoor Activities to Workplace Environment 60 Conclusion and Recommendations 67 References 72 Appendix 77 Introduction Outdoor Man agement Development (OMD) is comprised of three components: outdoor environment, experiential learning and workplace behaviour changes. The outdoor environment can be a variety of areas in which OMD programmes can be conducted. The outdoor environment can be provided by the woods, mountains, sea water and so on. The fundamental function of outdoor environment is to facilitate outdoor activities in a neutral environment as it meets first condition to carry out OMD programme. There are numerous outdoor activities that are carried out with different objectives such as psychological safety, emotional intensity, skills development and so on. The outdoor activities include personal development, leadership, team development, stress management, communication, uncertainty management and problem... For these objectives, first conceptual frameworks and different dimensions of outdoor management development were discussed in the literature review. The definition of OMD, skills, outdoor activities, the framework and critical evaluation of OMD were conducted in the literature review part. In the discussion and analysis chapter, the practical research highlighted the different steps and outcomes of the outdoor activities. The key findings revealed that in the entire programme, 47 percent of participants reported positive changes in the workplace behaviour. In the micro-dynamic tasks, 23 percent of participants revealed positive change did occur in the workplace behaviour. However, 52 percent of participants in the macro-dynamic tasks reported neutral changes in the workplace behaviours. Outdoor Management Development (OMD) is comprised of three components: outdoor environment, experiential learning and workplace behaviour changes. The outdoor environment can be a variety of areas in which OMD programmes can be conducted. The outdoor environment can be provided by the woods, mountains, sea water and so on. The fundamental function of outdoor environment is to facilitate outdoor activities in a neutral environment as it meets first condition to carry out OMD programme. There are numerous outdoor activities that are carried out with different objectives such as psychological safety, emotional intensity, skills development and so on. The outdoor activities include personal development, leadership, team development, stress management, communication, uncertainty management and problem solving.

Sports nutrition for Adolescence Research Paper

Sports nutrition for Adolescence - Research Paper Example The journal article focuses on determining the hydration enhancement levels of both the coconut water and sports drinks (Feldman, 2012). The study focuses on the artificially colored carbohydrate sports drinks. The drinks contain carbohydrate elements. The study focuses on the use of coconut water to increase the athletes’ hydration levels..The athletes were either drinking coconut water or carbohydrate sports drinks. The athletes’ exercise performances were then measured. The researchers gathered data on the respondents’ regular exercise routines. The treadmill test was used in the experiment s (Feldman, 2012). Rehydration fills the sports person’s need for water. Another research indicated energy drinks supply energy-boosting nutrients to the sports person (Wilborn, 2012). By consuming lesser nutrition amounts, the athletes get easily tired, reducing their racing speed (Seco et al., 2013). The findings show that there is no significant difference between coconut water and the carbohydrate sports drinks. Both methods were able to hydrate the sports athletes. Similarly, the athletes drinking either coconut water and carbohydrate sports drink suffered from stomach upsets. ConclusionThe results of the research show that both drinks are able to hydrate the sports athletes. There is no significant difference between the carbohydrate sports drinks and coconut water, in terms of hydration of the athletes. Both the sports drinks and coconut water enhanced the athletes’ exercises.

Final Global business Plan Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Final Global business Plan Paper - Essay Example Keeping in mind the governmental limitations on foreign investments, the external governance and its impact on the Starbucks India will be a major factor for its success or downfall. Since sole proprietorships and partnerships are essentially impossible under the Indian law, locally incorporated company is the answer to many limitations put by the government. Certainly, good corporate governance is the solution-key for above stated questions. In the case of Starbucks India, proper corporate governance has to be the identification and correction of inefficiencies in its running. In pursuing this objective, Starbucks' top level management can not rely on their own internal mechanisms, but they need to look for external instruments such as the market for corporate control. In this regard, external governance becomes very important to be looked at since the role of controls by the external stakeholders over the organization can compound for its overall success in India. For Starbucks India, external governance can play its healthy role in the forms of debt covenants, external au

The influence of user generated content on the hotels image by using Dissertation

The influence of user generated content on the hotels image by using travel search engines - Dissertation Example If you post ideas, comments, questions, data, graphs, opinions, creations, customizations, ID or other information (such as information on bulletin boards, discussion forums) (hereinafter referred to as "User Generated Content"), on the site, or if you send to any company this user-generated content via the site, it will become the property of that organization. As a standard, the user-generated content is assumed to be non-confidential and we have the right to use or disclose in any manner whatsoever, without representation or notice. The user-generated content or other information should not be offensive, pornographic, defamatory, profane, illegal or may violate applicable law, whether governed civil, criminal or religious. User-generated content (UGC) is to become a more important tool for travel marketers, as consumers rely more on independent advice. User-generated content is a delicate area for travel marketers, as there is a risk of negative reviews of destinations or hotels. However, the popularity of sites such as Trip Advisor has forced brands to rethink their strategies. With the advancement of contemporary hospitality industry user generated content has turn out to be one of the significant features and requirement in marketing mix and status management strategy of a hotel. While there are many benefits of UGC and it plays an important role in the marketing and the reputation of the business there are some important points that must be considered for User-generated content. As not all the information is accurate or credible hence user generated content can develop a negative impact on the business of hotels. In order to acquire immunity from these ramifications one must keep in the view that in User-generated content all the available content is not authentic and some reviewers may have some other reasons and motivations which might develop adverse effects on the business. A good approach when dealing with such critical situations and making the condition work for your gain is essential. Inaccuracies can take place if the chance presents itself you r reaction may make all the difference to how future readers read, understand and interpret the written message. Another important aspect that needs to be mentioned here is that excessive positive and appreciating remarks over a small time period or only positive remarks may raise doubt to the strength of the comments as this gives a feeling that the remarks are not original and added intentionally for the purpose of making good business. This is the fact that customers avoid hotels if they feel an hotelier has so many reviews that are same and positive. Some negative comments work intends to create a marketing balance, particularly if the response of hotelier gives you an idea about real concern and an effort to rectify or correct the situation. A readiness to get better and an interactive tone in the communication process is a good signal for most prospective customers. In the subsequent phases of our discussion we would be looking at the different ways in which the hospitality in dustry can have an impact upon small countries such as Dominican Republic in developing their tourism sector. Secondly, ways through which UGC has an impact upon consumer behavior will also be a part of the formulated research questions. UGC after the advent of Web 2.0 A recent survey shows that out of 78% of companies use electronic channels, web marketing and email for their marketing purposes (Witkowski, 2007).

Your Site Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Your Site - Assignment Example Thus, a website should be user-friendly and connect with the user. It should be able to attract the customer and retain him. A website is only effective if it is able to achieve this task. The Wireframe of ABC Limited is an important component of the website design. This is the basic visual guideline of the website around which the information, pictures and other graphics are placed within the website (Kerr and Keats, 2009). When placing information and other elements on the website, it is important to consider the target customer and their way of interacting with the website. Research on this topic reveals that the average customer has a way in which he processes information on a website. This depends on his eye movement when he opens a website. A typical eye movement begins from the top left, moves to the center and then scans the right and left side of the website. This shows that the top left is the first interaction that the customer has visually with the website. It is here that most companies place their logo in order to identify the website to the customer. This will also be the position of the logo for ABC Company. The next place that the customer interacts with is the center of the website. This information will also be used strategically by ABC Limited. It will be here that ABC Limited would project its special offers that will be intended to lure the customers. This layout is quite similar to other websites of the same genre. This is an important consideration since most professional websites are built on nearly the same wireframe. These standard designs are built to reassure the customer that the website is professional and to make navigation easier. Most customers are used to the same layout and they expect others to carry the same layout. Totally unique wireframes confuse the customers and they tend to escape the website earlier (K elly, 2007). On the left side of the web page, a vertical text menu would appear. This

Finance and accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance and accounting - Essay Example As a result, auditors in this case are required to review the accounting information in order to determine how well the business is doing. It requires proper financial statements which provide a clear insight on the economic health of these accounting companies. Generally, it gives an insight on the company’s soundness in the short and long term. As a result, financial analysts, investors and also the members of the public are in a position to try and gauge a company’s competitiveness in the market place. KPMG in accounting business is trying to strengthen its legal function in trying to ensure that our structure, processes, and policies meet the highest levels of the accounting profession. Challenges that accounting companies face Bad debts: In his presentation, Judge Holmes, for example in the year 2011, the financial markets witnessed negative vibes mostly on the currency markets after their investors shunned risky assets which eventually led to the low yielding asse ts. This was witnessed by one German representative who said that the European mounting debt crisis could not be easily cured during that month since its leaders had to meet and discuss how to prevent the debt crisis from even getting worse (Skinner 97) Unemployment is still another challenge in Europe which is mostly affecting the accounting companies at the moment. ... (Skinner 99) The Greek debts have also increased and this has also affected the European countries. When it comes to the U.S. economy, without funds and investments, there are no ways the country can survive in this economy since unemployment rates has risen to shocking numbers and as a result, the economic uncertainties have led to political pressure and lack of leadership (Skinner 109) How to solve these problems According to Holmes, in trying to solve these challenges, a survey can be done whereby the businesses can be broken into six sections which are; the current firm condition and its prospects for its growth, the company’s growth strategies as well as its tactics, the businesses challenges and its threats, the profitability management, the existing client retention and the company’s profit margin. Through this survey, the companies can drive growth in the coming decades, for example by selling most of their existing services to both current and also the new clie nts. Accounting specialists (professionals) are also more needed, because it is with the help of the accounting specialists that most of the accounting companies will be in a position to reduce all these debts hence leading to their growth. Strong internal accounting/audit is also highly needed in trying to curb these problems. The accounting companies need to hire both the external and the internal auditors with auditing experience, as it is with the help of these auditors that the company can review accounting information to determine how well the business is doing. Risk management methodology is also a measure which can be applied to control these accounting business challenges. This methodology involves the use of certain rules that are used to drive action in a particular business. Many

Codon bias in E. Coli Essay Example for Free

Codon bias in E. Coli Essay The nature of the gene codon varies among organisms. Codon preferences have been considered on the perspectives of translational efficiency and fidelity and the selective and non selective biases operating during DNA transcription replication and repair processes. Variations in tRNA on codon bias of highly expressed genes during rapid growth phase of E. coli exist. Codon selectivity is influenced by codon/anticodon interaction strength, site specific codon biases, time of replication, codon context, or evolutional age. Codon preferences among gene classes in E. coli are grouped according to the following comparisons; correlation of codon biases with level of gene expression, organisation of genome according to genome partitions based on size, codons use for genes characterized by function and cellular localization of gene products, gene size, comparisons that divide all genes by similarity of codon usage or amino acid usage or similarity of a reduced set of amino acid or codons and characterization of alien genes. The Codon Adaptation Index (CIA) is a qualitative measure for assessing codon bias. Ribosomal protein (RP) genes and membrane genes are genes that are highly expressed during fast growth and CIA and codon bias (CB) values are inversely correlated with respect to RP genes. Most ribosomal proteins are highly expressed during the E. coli exponential growth phase during which most genes facilitating translation are highly expressed. Codon preferences differ among highly expressed genes relative to the average gene for certain amino acid types, especially disparities for alanine, aspartine, histidine, isoleucine, phenealanine, threonine and valine. There is a high correlation between optimal codons and level of gene expression. In relation to E. coli genes, codon biases generally increase with increasing protein molecular weight abundance. Codon usage differences generally decrease with respect to protein molecular abundance when compared to RP. Negative correlation in the degree of protein molar abundance relative to tRN genes or other sub classes of the translation functional category is not evident. The molar abundance and codon usage differences unequivocally correlate negatively with the RP gene family and positively with the average E. coli gene respectively. The E. coli genome is homogeneous with relatively weak codon biases among the genes distributed over the genome. Codon bias does not depend on timing in the replication cycle except near the ter region. The deviation in codon usage from RP and tRN genes is most emphatic at ter region. Relative codon usage bias among 5’ middle and 3’ parts of genes in E.coli show that the middle and the last third of genes are more similar in codon usage than either is to the initial third of the gene. There also exists a difference in the frequencies of 3 G+C near the oriC than near the ter region. Different bacterial genomes display variation in their overall G and C content, attributed to varying mutational mechanisms and processes. For eukaryotic genomes site 3 G+C frequencies decrease with increasing gene length. Alien genes are characterized in terms of extreme codon bias relative to average E.coli genes and high relative to RPs. These genes are of unknown function and are either GC rich or AT rich. Extremes in codon bias are for identifying pathogenicity islands and developing gene classes reflecting difference expression levels in untypical events. When the genome is divided into contigs, gene classes and dicodon bias is most pronounced between the gene classes of the region about the oriC versus the ter region. Dicodon bias increases with gene size and compared to the average gene dicodon biases are constant throughout the genome. When genes are divided into thirds, the dicodon biases of the 5’ third, middle third . 3’ third parts of genes are similar though level of bias is about twice that of straight codon bias. Codon and dicodon bias correlations for E. coli genes were evaluated for level of expression, contrast along genes, size of contigs around genome and gene size classes. Explanations for codon bias have involved combinations of selection and mutational pressures. The RPs and amminoacyl tRNA synthetases are highly expressed gene classes during exponential growth of E.coli. Codon biases for RP genes are much more extreme than for tRN genes. The greater the abundance a gene product, the more its codon usage resembles hat of RPs, but this is not the case for comparisons to tRN genes or protein genes essential to translational activities. For gene classes RP and tRN, the source of codon bias differs significantly. RP are among the most deviant from the average E. coli gene. It is suggested that codon usage and tRNA abundance are correlated for highly expressed genes to match substrate levels with cellular demands. Hence RP genes which are small single domain proteins show high codon usage correlation with overall E. coli codon usage and tRNA do not show this bias although they are highly expressed. The middle and final 3? end of genes entail the same levels of codon biases. The rare codon hypothesis for domains and secondary structures argues that the use of repetitive rare codons might reduce translational rate and induce translation pauses allowing protein domains and suitable secondary structures to fold into native structural conformation. There are differences in prokaryotic and eukaryotic translational mechanisms. These differences may be important in translation initiation or early stages of translation. Highly biased slowly translated codon pairs are more closely correlated with levels of expression than with protein length. Understanding basis of codon usage is of interest with respect to fundamental evolutionary questions, gene prediction, gene classification and design of optimal expression vectors. Codon usage programs are essential for gene finding and analysis of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes.

Juvenile Justice Essay Example for Free

Juvenile Justice Essay Crimes are usually assumed to have been committed by adults, unfortunately, in today’s society; crimes are committed by juveniles at a growing rate. Maybe juveniles are viewing too many violent television shows or movies, playing too many violent video games, or maybe juveniles are committing crimes out of boredom. Nevertheless, the pertinent issue is the fact that juveniles are participating in the commission of criminal activity at an adult level. Juveniles are no longer stealing candy bars from the local grocery store, but they are committing violent crimes against other people. Even more astounding is the fact that these same juvenile offenders are walking away with only probation as their punishment. For the most part, juveniles commit offenses pertaining to property, public nuisances, and underage drug and alcohol related crimes. Violent crimes against other persons such as assault and battery and murder are now included in the list of crimes committed by juveniles (Torbet, 1996). In order to understand why specific crimes are committed, one must carefully examine the juvenile offender. Juvenile offenders are both male and female. Some come from broken or single-parent homes lacking adequate supervision of the juvenile during the evening hours. Some juveniles are suffering from an undiagnosed psychological disorder whereby making it difficult for the juvenile to understand the consequences of his or her criminal actions. Finally, some juveniles have become associated with local gangs or gang members as a means of joining the group. Probation is a necessary factor within the juvenile justice system. There is however, the lingering question as to what crimes constitute a probationary sentence and what crimes mandate incarceration. First time offenders have almost always been guaranteed probation as a means of scaring the juvenile into straightening out their life (Gaines Miller, 2008). Juveniles having committed petty larceny, underage drinking violations, and simple assaults may also be good candidates for probation, but juveniles who have committed felonies should not be afforded probation. Juvenile probation enacts specific mandates in order to retrain and discipline the offender for his or her wrongdoing against society. Community service and attending school are most common requirements of probation. Some courts even order the juvenile to pay restitution to the victims. Curfews are strictly enforced as are daily or weekly reporting to the assigned probation officer (Torbet, 1996). In certain cases, substance abuse counseling and attending groups such as narcotics anonymous or alcoholics anonymous are provisioned. Counseling is generally enforced as a condition of probation and may include anger management classes and social skills building therapy (Gaines Miller, 2008). If a juvenile fails to meet any provisions set forth by the probation officer, the juvenile’s probation could ultimately be revoked. It is difficult to combat or devise a universal solution to the juvenile delinquency problem in this country. Many programs have been created in order to aid the juvenile justice system by attempting to discourage repeat offenders. Some courts may find it necessary to require random urinalysis screenings of any or all juvenile offenders. Juvenile probation officers may discover in the course of monitoring certain juveniles that family counseling may be necessary in order to provide the juvenile with structure and stability. In more severe cases, it could be suggested that the juvenile may need to be removed from the home and placed into foster care in order to protect the juvenile from imminent danger created by addicted parents or crime filled neighborhoods. The juvenile justice system is in dire need of reorganization, and the best starting point would definitely be in the juvenile probation department.

Evolution of Hybrid Cars

Evolution of Hybrid Cars 1. Introduction: The European government is trying to explore market and infrastructure issues related to an innovative, narrow-lane commuter car under development by a major auto manufacturer. In sufficient numbers, this vehicle offers an opportunity to increase the capacity of the existing transportation infrastructure, reduce the states dependence on petroleum and lower emissions of air pollutants. The commuter car is an innovative vehicle concept that is comparable to a motorcycle in size but offers advantages similar to an automobile in comfort, utility and safety. Depending upon the customer requirements a commuter car can be designed either a three-wheel or four-wheel. Passenger emenities similar to those available in standard automobiles, including climate control systems high quality stereo systems, and passenger restraint devices, would be available as options in this commuter car. This car offers several advantages that are inherent in the design. This report presents the product specifications which are going to be designed through different softwares, material selection and the market research analysis. 2. Evolution of Hybrid Cars: A hybrid automobile is a means of transportation employing two power sources; it uses a Re-chargeable energy storage system found on board and a fuelled power source as the vehicles ambition. The hybrid car pollutes much less and uses not as much fuel. Back in 1899, Ferdinand Porsche have developed and led the way to the initial working hybrid-electric vehicle. On the other hand, there was no key vehicle manufacturer who invested in the hybrid idea and mass produced hybrid cars until the late twentieth century. The hybrid technology was mainly utilized in developing diesel-electric submarines in the course of that interim period. Yet, the submarines major objective was to conserve oxygen as opposed to spend less fuel. Throughout the later years, submarines have evolved and have begun using the nuclear power as an alternative for diesel. During the 1990s, the Toyota Prius plus the Honda Insight were the very first profitable hybrid cars available in the market. It was two of the pioneers inside the hybrid auto idea which virtually adjusted the way the world considers cars. An idealistic inventor, Victor Wouk, manufactured a hybrid electric and gas car that siphoned fuel at half the quantity as practically all the other cars becoming built then. He built the hybrid car thirty years before the Toyota Prius got the attention of the U.S. as an energy- uneasy nation. And now the striking capabilities of the creation of Wouk, the hybrid cars, are now able to be an incredibly great support relating to less gas ingestion and less air pollution. Wouk and Rosen put up a start up business particularly to develop their hybrid car thought and made it easy to be on the market and be utilized as a regular automobile that belched less harmful vapors than up-to-date vehicles. The Prius Ever since the Toyota Prius, fuel efficient car was released on the market; it has been able to remain as the premier option of hybrid cars available. It is a fact that old hybrid cars looks more like an alien automobile and cost much more than the conventional car. Yet, because of the most up-to-date technologies installed in newer versions of hybrid cars, it looks extra like a conventional car and is far less expensive than its predecessors. It is a fact that hybrid cars these days look a whole lot like conventional cars. The Civic Hybrid can get 50 miles in mere 1 gallon of gasoline. During the year 2004, Ford has developed and introduced the initial hybrid SUV that is the Ford Escape Hybrid. A year later, Toyota also introduced their line of hybrid SUV called the Highlander Hybrid. Because of the increasing requirement for hybrid cars, other auto manufacturers are now following the footsteps of the other companies who already brought out a version of their hybrid car on the market. As an example, Nissan is now going to develop and introduce a hybrid version of the Nissan Altima. Presently, over 300,000 hybrid cars are running on American roads wherein 95 percent of them are Japanese made. The hybrid vehicles are really quite distinct technologies that can both reduce financial outlay and our environment. 3. WORKING PRINCIPLE OF HYBRID CARS: A hybrid is anything that uses two or more sources directly or indirectly to provide propulsion. Two power sources set up in a hybrid car in different ways. It has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine and set of batteries that supplies power to an electric motor. The engine and the electric motor together can turn the transmission at identical time, and the transmission then turns the road wheels as shown in the figure1. The different ways in which the power sources establish in car are describe as follows: Series Hybrid Cars. Parallel Hybrid Cars. Series-Parallel Cars. 3.1 Series Hybrid Cars: The simplest of hybrid configuration is the Series Hybrid Car. In a series hybrid, the electric motor is the only resource of providing power to get wheels turning. The motor receives electric power from either the battery pack or from a generator run by a gasoline engine. The Battery pack is recharged by both the engine/generator and regenerative braking. The engine in a series drive train is typically smaller because it only meets the average driving power demands. The battery pack in these Hybrid cars generally more powerful than the one in parallel hybrid providing remaining peak driving power needs. Series hybrids are more expensive than parallel hybrids as the larger battery and motor with the generator add to the cost. While the engine in a conventional vehicle is forced to operate inefficiently to satisfy varying power demands of stop-and-go driving, series hybrids perform at their best in such conditions, as the gasoline engine in a series hybrid is not coupled to the wheels. This means the engine is no longer subject to the widely varying power demands experienced in stop-and-go driving and can instead operate in a narrow power range at near optimum efficiency , which eliminates the need for a complicated multi-speed transmission and clutch. Because series drive trains perform best in stop-and-go driving are primarily being considered for buses and other urban work vehicles. The figure below shows the process of series hybrid car 3.2 Parallel Hybrid Car: In parallel hybrid electric vehicle, the wheels are driven by the power generated from both the engine and the electric motor. The addition of computer controls and a transmission allow these components to work together. Parallel hybrids use a smaller battery pack and mainly depend on regenerative braking to keep it recharged. However, when power demands are low, parallel hybrids also utilize the drive motor as a generator for supplemental recharging, same as that of an alternator in conventional cars. In this setup the wheels are directly connected to the engine, which eliminates the inefficiency of converting mechanical power to electricity and back, which makes these hybrids quite efficient on the highway. The same direct connection between the engine and the wheels that increases highway efficiency compared to a series hybrid does reduce, but not eliminate, the city driving efficiency benefits. The figure below shows the process of parallel hybrid cars 3.3 Series-Parallel Hybrid Car: This drive train merges the advantages and complications of the parallel and series drive trains. As a result of combining the two designs, the engine can both drive the wheels directly (as in the parallel drive train) and be effectively disconnected from the wheels so that only the electric motor powers the wheels (as in the series drive train). Therefore, the engine operates at near optimum efficiency more often because of this dual drive train. At lower speeds it operates more as a series vehicle, while at high speeds, where the series drive train is less efficient, the engine takes over and energy loss is minimized. This system is expensive than that of a pure parallel hybrid since it needs a generator, a larger battery pack, and more computing power to control the dual system. However, the series/parallel drive train has the potential to perform better than either of the systems alone. The figure below shows the series-parallel hybrid process. 4. Project Planning: As can be seen in figure 4, the project plan includes the timescale of the project as a whole, from the beginning to the end. It outlines the various stages of the project highlighting the objectives and deliverables of each part of the project. It also defines the deadlines of each stage so as to assure that the project runs as per the schedule desired. However, it has to be taken into account that all the real world situations cannot be accounted for and hence, a safety period of appropriate measure has to be incorporated into each stage or at the end of the project. This assures that the deadlines will be met even in the event of unforeseeable circumstances. The project plan in itself is not a sufficient tool to manage a project of this magnitude. Hence, various other management tools were used during the course of this project to facilitate in the timely completion and effective management of the time and resources available to the team as a whole as well as, as individuals. These management tools include Gantt chart, Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Critical Path Analysis (CPA), Program Evaluation and Review (PERT), SWOT Analysis etc. 4.1 GANTT CHART: Gantt chart is a bar chart known after Henry Gantt who designed his chart in the beginning of 20th century. It shows a very clear and easily explicable manner of the project structure in terms of time and individual tasks and subtasks. The project time schedule was visualized and optimized using Gantt chart. In this case, the CHV project was divided into eleven main tasks: 1. market research, 2. technical research, 3. target setting, 4. concept development, 5. concept finalization, 6. further concept development, 7. management analysis and 8. Report. These tasks, in certain cases, are subdivided into subtasks, usually assigned to a particular group member responsible for that part. Name(s) of the member(s) working on an individual task are written near the blue bar, which represents the time duration of the task. The project Gantt Chart is shown in APPENDIX-1: 4.2 Critical Path Analysis: Critical Path Analysis (CPA) is a management tool that analyzes all the tasks required for completing the project, paying specific attention to the time required for the completion of each activity. It is used to formulate, schedule and manage the various milestones or activities in the project. It was developed in the 1950s to control large defiance projects and have been used routinely from then (mindtools.com).The critical path analysis for the CHV project was useful in:- Identifying all major activities requiring time. Time required for each activity was estimated and the overall project plan. Logical sequencing of these activities. For drawing the CPA first step was listing out the major activity. The next step is to sequence the activities into a logical order based on when it must or is most likely to occur i.e. certain activities will logically proceed after an activity while certain activities will be taking place parallel to each other. After sequencing, the time period required to complete each activity was determined. Time is represented in most networks as days. The time period for each activity was calculated taking into account the suggestions made by group members and considering other factors such as how many people will be working on each task, how many working days etc. As can be seen in Table 1, the findings are recorded in table format for easy look. The table also records the sequence of the activities as series, meaning occurs after another activity, and parallel, meaning occurring along with another activity. The dependence of an activity is also mentioned in the table. Table1: From the table 1 below, a chart is drawn in Figure 5 which represents the activities in circles and the time taken to complete an activity is stated on the arrow joining two activities. From the above CPA this project requires 62 minimum numbers of days for the completion of the project. 4.3 SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT analysis is a planning method that analysis the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats for a project. SWOT is a model that helps in assessment of a firm of what it can and cannot do along with the potential opportunities and threats. In SWOT analysis the information is separated into internal and external issues and each issue is addressed. SWOT analysis is useful in helping the group in meeting its objectives and also the obstacles to overcome to meet the desired result. The SWOT analysis carried out by the group is shown below, in APPENDIX-2.. The analysis was done, the strength and weakness of the group were put down along with its opportunities available for CHV was discussed and the barriers which could prove serious for the CHV project were taken into consideration . The ways to minimize the threats were also discussed with the help of group.. 4.4 3Ps: Similar as other analysis techniques such as QFD or DFMEA, 3Ps is a management aiding method designed to help designers make better plans. The major function of 3Ps is to find disadvantages faced during a specific time for the period of the project, then to workout them. So 3P is the combination of Progress against Plan, Problems with the Progress and Plan to solve Problems. All team members knew the weakness of this project by making 3Ps and the main problems in it have to be solved. It is very useful method because it shows the current conditions of the project; especially the direction designers should pay more concentration. The disadvantage of the project is known at the beginning and makes people think about it. 5. Market research: The first step of the project, as per the Gantt chart and the project planning was market research. This includes researching on the current vehicles that are available in the market and are due to be available within the next 3-6 months. Also to be considered is the market evaluation i.e. what types of vehicles are the customers most inclined to buy and what is the most desirable from CVs. As the project specification includes that the vehicle is to be a family hatchback powered by an electric battery and IC engine, the â€Å"Chevrolet Volt† or the â€Å"Honda Insight† cars were taken as bench marking. The market research results are shown in Table 5. 5.1 Comparison of vehicles using different sources as energy: l. Petrol car: A journey of 68 miles each day consumes 2.5 gallons of fuel and takes 2 hours. Amount of energy in fuel = 5.14 x 108 joules Thermal power = 71.3 kW Mechanical power = 20 kW average Efficiency = 28% 2. Battery electric car as secondary transport. Power station efficiency 40% Electric car efficiency 80% OVERALL 32% CONCLUSION: Pollution is moved from car to power station. There is only an environmental return if the cars performance is sacrificed or the power station is non-thermal and range/performance is limited. 3. Fuel-cell electric car as primary transport. Hydrocarbon to hydrogen conversion 75% Fuel-cell hydrogen to electricity 58% Electricity to mechanical power 87% OVERALL 38% (potential for 41% in 10 years) CONCLUSION: Pollution reduced by 88%; fuel consumption is 60% of petrol vehicle and Performance /range are as petrol vehicle. 4. Hybrid car as primary transport. Hydrocarbon to electricity Via lean burn petrol engine 45% Electricity to mechanical power 90% OVERALL 40.5% CONCLUSION: Pollution reduced by 70% and fuel consumption is 70% of petrol vehicle with performance/range as the petrol vehicle. So from the above comparison Hybrid car is the best transport CV which reduces the pollution and fuel consumption with good performance. 6. Technical Research: The next step is the technical research. It includes researching the technologies currently available in the market for the major components of the CHV. The major components of the CHV were divided into several components as below Batteries. Motors and Controllers. Aerodynamic. Regenerative braking. IC Engine. Transmission and Safety and homologation. 6.1 BATTERIES: The battery package is an essential element of an electric vehicle. Its electrical properties determines the vehicle driving range, while its physical properties must be consider during suspension design, vehicle architecture, etc. According to Larminie and Lowry (2003), batteries are the component with highest cost, weight and volume. Generally, a battery consists of two or more electric cells, which are joined together and generate DC electricity. There are several parameters describing the properties of a battery such as internal resistance, charge capacity, energy stored [Wh] or specific energy [Wh.kg-1]. Service temperature is a very important factor influencing the battery performance. Several different types of batteries were identified during research (Larminie and Lowry 2003): Lead-acid batteries: This is widely used with main constituents lead, sulphuric acid, plastic container which are available at low cost. However, lead acid batteries have a very low specific energy. Therefore, a battery with sufficient capacity using this technology would be very heavy. As a result, lead acid batteries are used in low-cost and low-range electric vehicles. Nickel-cadmium batteries: These batteries have a specific energy nearly twice that of lead-acid batteries. They possess a low self-discharge capability and are able to work in wide range of temperature (-40 °C to 80 °C). The presence cadmium is considered as a major drawback. Nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries were used in electric cars. Nickel-metal hydride batteries: As of the abbreviation NiMH, these are used in hybrid vehicles. The main principle is as like that of nickel-cadmium batteries, but the negative electrode uses hydrogen absorbed in metal hydride instead of cadmium. In addition NiMH batteries have higher specific energy. But, their self-discharge rate is relatively high which is ten times to that of NiCd. Since the reaction running in the battery is exothermic, a NiMH battery package must be cooled. Sodium-based batteries: In spite of high specific energy, sodium-based batteries have serious disadvantages that exclude it from commercial use of hybrid vehicle. Its operating temperature lies in the range of 300-350 °C. Once the battery is cooled down, it must be slowly reheated before operation and this process can take up to 24 hours. Besides, keeping the battery at its required temperature requires approximately 100 W of power. Lithium batteries: Lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion) are the latest stage in battery development providing the best performance for electric vehicles. They have a high specific energy and consequently a very low overall weight. This type of battery is used by the most recent electric vehicle available in the market (e.g. Nissan Leaf, Peugeot iOn, Tesla Roadster). The crucial disadvantage of Li-ion batteries is their high cost. Table 6: Battery comparison table Assumed input data ICE vehicle consumption: 4 l/100 km of diesel fuel (Volkswagen 2010) Diesel fuel specific energy: 40 kWh/kg Diesel fuel density: 0.832 kg/l ICE vehicle fuel → wheels efficiency: 10% EV vehicle fuel → wheels efficiency: 70% According to the input data, the required capacity of the battery pack is from 46 kWh to 61 kWh. According to specific energy of individual battery type the battery weight can be estimated (Table 7). For the desired range, lead acid batteries are far too heavy to be applied in a family hatchback. However, they can be considered as a cheap alternative for a low-range electric vehicle. Table 7:Battery Comparison according to range According to the table above, lithium-ion batteries are the most suitable option. If the latest technology is used (Nissan Leafs laminated Li-Ion batteries), specific energy can reach 140 kW/h (Weissler 2010), and thus the battery weight can be further reduced. In addition to this, the latest development shows a good potential in increasing Li-ion battery performance by means of nanotechnology. Furthermore, according to various prediction e.g. by The Boston Consulting Group (2010), the battery cost are about to decrease with the increase of production volume and it can be more than 50 % in the year 2020. 6.2 MOTORS AND CONTROLLERS: Motors is considered to be one of the main part of the electric vehicle .In a pure electric vehicle the motor provides the required torque directly to the wheels. However, the motor rotates at constant speed, so to vary the speed of the vehicle a potentiometer needs to be attached. The speed control of the vehicle is made possible by DC or AC (inverters) controllers. The accelerator pedal is attached to a potentiometer (variable resistor) which is further attached to the DC or AC controllers. The force on the accelerator pedal is directly proportional to the current delivered to the controller. Depending on the current supplied, the controller delivers power to the motor. The working of DC controller varies with an AC controller. For selecting a motor the main features that are important for an electric vehicle are good efficiency, high torque, low maintenance, moderate cost and easy to control. Figure 4 shows the basic layout of the motor and controller in an electric vehicle. The three motors considered for the concept were:- AC Synchronous Motor. DC Brushless Motor AC Induction Motor AC 3 synchronous motor is the latest type of motor used in electric vehicle. The main characteristic of AC 3 synchronous motor is that the motor runs at synchronous speed i.e. the field winding locks with the rotating magnetic fields and rotates along with it. The AC 3 synchronous motors has many advantages .Usually the AC induction motor works at lagging power factor but the AC 3 synchronous motor works at leading power factor which means improved efficiency and reduction in voltage drop .Accurate speed control is possible which makes synchronous motors an ideal choice .Synchronous motors have speed/torque characteristics which are ideally suited for direct drive of loads. A smooth the torque curve results in better performance of the vehicle. It has good heat dissipation and overloading capacity .The absence of magnets also reduce the cost of maintenance. Regeneration of energy is easily possible in an AC 3 synchronous motor by reversing the current. AC 3 synchronous motors has cer tain disadvantages such as it is not a self starting motor i.e. a separate motor (pony motor) is required to drive it till it reaches synchronization. Since it is relatively a new technology the price of the motor is comparatively higher. DC Brushless Motor or BLDC is the most common motor used in hybrid vehicles. A BLDC motor is similar to AC 3 synchronous motor. It has got good torque characteristics and also absence of slip. The heat dissipation and overloading characteristics is commendable for a BLDC motor. But BLDC motor is considered to be less efficient than the other three motors because of many factors. It has m

A Child Called It Essay -- Child Abuse Essays Papers

A Child Called It As a child Dave Pelzer was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother; a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games that left one of her sons nearly dead. She no longer considered him a son, but a slave; no longer a boy, but an 'it'. His bed was an old army cot in the basement, his clothes were torn and smelly, and when he was allowed the luxury of food it was scraps from the dogs' bowl. The outside world knew nothing of the nightmare played out behind closed doors. Dave dreamed of finding a family to love him and call him their son. It took years of struggle, deprivation and despair to find his dreams and make something of himself. A Child Called 'It' covers the early years of his life and is an affecting and inspiration memoir of one child's determination to survive. In most of my classes I’ve always heard that your parents are the most important people in your life and I truly believe this. People are affected by everything their parents say and do both in childhood and later on in adulthood. If a child is constantly looked down upon and made to believe that nothing they do is good enough, chances are they will grow up believing this and having low confidence. It is remarkable that a child David’s age fought himself from breaking down, dissolving into tears and giving up hope for a better future. David constantly worked towards or rather survived because of a dream, a dream t hat he was a prince and that every...