The Dream Weaver by Jack Bowen Annotated Bibliography

The Dream Weaver by Jack Bowen - Annotated Bibliography Example In that context, the book, The Dream Weaver by Jack Bowen is indeed amazing in the sense that it is one of those few books that happen to bring the discipline of philosophy within the grasp and scope of the lay and ordinary people. This book is indeed praiseworthy in the sense that it rescues philosophy away from the domain of the philosophers and specialists and brings it back to its proper place, which is the center of the human curiosity and inquisitiveness. Hence, The Dream Weaver is indeed a must read for any student of philosophy as this is a book that explores the thoughts and views of some of the most important philosophers and thinkers in history in the context of the everyday concerns of an ordinary teenager. Through the medium of an inquisitive and curious teenager, Jack Bowen leads the readers through a journey into some of the most important aspects of life, and reveals as to how interesting life could get, if examined from a philosophical perspective. The entire gamut of Jack Bowen’s philosophical explorations is presented in The Dream Weaver in the form of dialogues between a young teenager Ian and a mysterious Old Man, which form the substance of the recurring dreams that Ian has. In these dreams, Ian happens to deal with many important philosophical issues like morality, life, matter, soul, knowledge, ethics, good, evil, etc. It would indeed be true to say that the character of Ian and the mysterious Old Man represent two essential features of any philosophical query, which endow the discipline of philosophy with its innate vigor and substance. Ian as a character in The Dream Weaver is a symbolic representation of the youthful and nascent sense of curiosity and inquisitiveness, without which it is next to impossible to initiate a philosophical discussion or argument.

Palm Oil in South East Asia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Palm Oil in South East Asia - Research Paper Example In addition, many of these smallholder palm oil producers are not well educated, due to which they lack skills and techniques of conducting business activities, efficiently. These two reasons has been the core element that causes lack of efficiency in the production of palm oil in the country. Moreover, limited production of palm oil by these smallholders also put deep impact on the overall production of palm oil by Indonesia. In this way, resources are heavily wasted by the producers, which can easily be utilized for earning precious foreign reserve for the country (World Growth, 2011). The government of Indonesia has realized the importance of wasted resources in palm oil industry and has stepped forward to overcome the loss of precious natural resource. Government, in collaboration with large scale palm oil producers, is hiring experts and technicians to provide assistance to the smallholders. Also, the government is spending heavily on conducting research and development of palm seed, fertilizers and pesticides to ensure maximum output. These seeds, fertilizers and pesticides are provided to smallholders on subsidized prices, which make it possible for every smallholder to afford better options for cultivating and harvesting palm oil. To further facilitate the smallholders, Government has introduced several schemes such as RISDA, FELCRA and FELDA. All these schemes focus on land reforms, land resettlement and rehabilitation of smallholders. Moreover, these schemes also aim at educating the smallholder palm oil producers about the potential of greater production that their lands can deliver. These measures, along with other measures that are not discussed in this report, by the Indonesian government are designed keeping in view the necessity for developing businesses and industries sustainably. Since the intervention of Indonesian government in

Denver Airport bagage system Essay Example for Free

Denver Airport bagage system Essay This article discusses the fundamental design difficulties of the fully automated baggage system originally planned for the New Denver Airport, and their implications for airport and airline management. Theory, industrial experience, and the reality at Denver emphasize the difficulty of achieving acceptable standards of performance when novel, complex systems are operating near capacity. United Airlines will thus make the Denver system work by drastically reducing its complexity and performance. Automated baggage systems are risky. Airlines and airports considering their use should assess their design cautiously and far in advance, and install complementary, backup systems from the start. Ref: â€Å"The Baggage System at Denver: Prospects and Lessons,† Journal of Air Transport Management, Vol. 1, No. 4, Dec. , pp. 229-236, 1994. The City and County of Denver have built a massive new airport, the New Denver International Airport. It extends over 13,568 hectares (about 53 square miles); has 3 parallel North-South runways, 2 parallel East-West runways, and room for a total of 12 major runways. In many ways the New Denver Airport represents a model of the airport of the future (de Neufville, 1995). At opening, the Airport will have cost about US $ 5 billion including the US $ 685 million contribution of the Federal Government and the over US $ 400 million investment of airlines in fitting out their passenger buildings, catering facilities and cargo centers (US Government Accounting Office, 1994). At the end of 1994, the bonded debt of the municipally owned Denver Airport System was more than US $ 3. 8 billion (City and County of Denver, 1994b). A mechanized baggage system is at the heart of the New Denver Airport, as for all major new airports. In the case of Denver, this was to be something unique: the Integrated Automated Baggage Handling System, originally designed to distribute all baggage -including transfers automatically between check-in, the aircraft and pick-up on arrival. Unfortunately, massive problems plagued this automated baggage system. (See Henderson, 1994, for example. ) Consequently, the New Denver Airport did not open in October 1993 as scheduled. After missing later opening dates in April and May 1994, the Airport seems as of January likely to be open in March 1995. The delay would then be around 16 months. This delay costs the owners a lot. The interest on their bonded debt exceeded US $ 271 million for the single year of 1994 (Deloitte and Touche, 1994). The costs of maintaining the new airport are extra. A commonly accepted estimate of their costs of delay, endorsed verbally by officials in Denver, has been US $ 33 million a month. By March 1995, the delays may thus have cost them around US $ 500 million. A year after the original opening date for the airport, the City and County of Denver borrowed a previously unscheduled US $ 257 million (City and County of Denver, 1994b). This delay is also expensive for the airlines. United Airlines invested about US $ 261 million, and Continental 73 million, in peripheral facilities in anticipation of the 1993 opening (United Airlines, 1993; US Government Accounting Office, 1994). FedEx likewise created a sorting center for around US $ 100 million. By the time the airport opens, the opportunity cost of the idle investments may have cost the airlines around US $ 50 million. Both the airport owners and the airlines will also suffer losses to the extent that the automated baggage system does not deliver the productivity and efficiency that they had bargained for. Airline and airport management can learn much from this unfortunate experience. As indicated by the discussion that follows, the most fundamental problems with the automated baggage system designed for Denver had been predicted by theoretical studies and consulting reports, were avoidable, and should not be repeated. The basic lesson is that automated baggage systems are risky, and therefore that airlines and airports considering automated baggage operations should assess their design and performance cautiously, and should implement them with the insurance of backup systems from the start. Design of the Automated Baggage System The fully automated baggage system originally planned for the New Denver Airport was unique in its complexity, its novel technology, and its anticipated capacity. It was designed to deliver each bag, including transfers, individually from check-in or the unloading of the aircraft to the outward bound aircraft or baggage reclaim. The delivery mechanism consists of about 9 km. (5. 5 miles) of conveyors and over 27 km. (17 miles) of track on which circulate 4000 individual, radio-controlled carts, the so-called destination coded vehicles or DCVs (US Government Accounting Office, 1994). The capacity of each track was supposed to be 60 DCVs per minute, one a second. The essential layout of the automated baggage system at Denver is that conveyor belts feed the central network of DCVs. The bags do not flow continuously from the conveyor belts, however, as they do in traditional systems. Each bag must independently be placed on its exclusive cart, and thus the delivery of the bags from the conveyor belts must be carefully controlled. Furthermore, the conveyor belt can only advance when there is an empty cart onto which the leading bag on the conveyor belt can be placed. The speed at which the conveyor belts can advance and thus the performance of the entire system depends on the rate of delivery of empty carts to each conveyor belt. This is a crucial point, at the root of the deeper difficulties with the original design. The destination of each bag and its individual cart is defined by bar-coded labels, and transmitted by radio to tags (the radio frequency identification or rf ids) on the constantly moving vehicles. The operation of these vehicles is to be entirely controlled by a network of about 150 computers (Myerson, 1994; US Government Accounting Office, 1994). Speed in handling baggage is critical to achieving acceptable boarding and transfer times at Denver, since the distances are much greater those at other airports. The space between the midfield concourses provides for two taxiways (one is standard) between the tails of the aircraft parked at the concourses, and the terminal building in which passengers check-in and pick up their bags is separated from the first concourse by an office block, a garage, and the Customs and Immigration (FIS) facilities. Speed has been considered crucial to the commercial success of the New Denver Airport, which the owners have marketed to the airlines as a highly efficient platform for hubbing operations because of its multiple parallel runways and prospective ability to 1 turn around aircraft flights very rapidly. United Airlines, the dominant airline at Denver, insisted on a rapid baggage handling system before signing its lease with Denver (Flynn, 1994b). The Denver system was thus originally designed to deliver bags much faster than current norms at major airports at up to 38 kmh (24 mph) (US Government Accounting Office, 1994). The maximum delivery time was apparently set at 20 minutes for narrowbody and 30 minutes for widebody aircraft (Leigh Fisher, 1994). The installers are quoted has having planned a design that will allow baggage to be transported anywhere within the terminal within 10 minutes (Airport Support, 1993). Despite the central importance of the automated baggage system, its design was largely an afterthought. This is a common practice, unfortunately. The Denver system was detailed well after the construction of the airport was under way and only about two years before the airport was to open. Being late, the design was thus subject to two important constraints. First, the geometry was tight. The automated system had to fit within the confines of the airport passenger buildings and the underground tunnel connecting the concourses and the terminal; in many instances it was shoe-horned in at considerable inconvenience. Second, the schedule was tight. The system was to be implemented within 21 months, since Denver executed the contract only in January 1992. This schedule precluded extensive simulation or physical testing of the full design. Remarkably, the design of the fully automated baggage system at Denver did not include a meaningful backup system. The planners provided neither a fleet of tugs and carts that could cope with the level of baggage expected, nor even access roads between the check-in facilities and the aircraft. Obvious Problems Highly visible mechanical problems have plagued the automated baggage system at Denver. As shown by television and widely reported in the trade and popular press, the baggage carts have jammed in the tracks, misaligned with the conveyor belts feeding the bags, and mutilated and lost bags (Flynn, 1994; Henderson, 1994; Myerson, 1994). In 1994, United Airlines accounted for well over 60% of the passengers at Denver. Continental Airlines, which was the launch tenant for the New Airport and which used to operate a considerable hub at Denver, has largely canceled this operation: as of November 1994 it closed its crew base in Denver and cut its daily departures to 23 about a tenth of the number offered by United. The airport consultant to the City and County of Denver predicted that by 1995 the United System will account for 90% of the passenger traffic at Denver (Leigh Fisher, 1994). To deal with these difficulties, the contractors are installing additional equipment. For example, more laser readers will reduce the probability of misreading the destination of each bag. More controllers will slow down the carts, reduce misalignments with the conveyors feeding bags, and minimize the momentum that tossed bags off the carts. Overall, solutions to the mechanical problems come at the price of increased costs, reduced performance, and lower cost-effectiveness of the system. Deeper Problem of Reliable Delivery The blatant difficulties with the automated baggage system designed for the New Denver Airport are almost certainly only the tip of the iceberg. There is a deeper, fundamental problem associated with all complex systems of handling baggage, cargo or materials. The more extensive and long-term difficulty is that of reliable delivery times. The fully automated system may never be able to deliver bags consistently within the times and at the capacity originally promised. This difficulty is a consequence of the extreme complexity of its design combined with the variability of the loads. The entire system consists of well over a hundred waiting lines that feed into each other. For example, bags can only be unloaded from the aircraft and put into the system when the unloading conveyor belt is moving, this belt will only advance when there are empty carts on which to place bags, empty carts will only arrive after they have deposited their previous loads and have proceeded through the system, and so on. In short it is a complicated cascade of queues. The patterns of loads on the system are highly variable. These depend on the season, the time of day, the type of aircraft at each gate, the number of passengers on these aircraft, the percentage traveling with skis, etc. , etc. There may be over a thousand reasonable scenarios! Managing a complex network of interacting, fully loaded queues efficiently for any single scenario is complicated. Managing these flows under all the realistic scenarios is exponentially more difficult. Learning how to do this appears to be a major, long-term research project. Both airports, such as Frankfurt am Main, and companies attempting to automate their materials handling, have routinely spent years trying to make their systems work correctly under all circumstances (Auguston, 1994; Zitterstein, 1994). It is not clear that anyone, anywhere, is currently capable of managing a fully automated baggage system one without any backup system or use of tugs and carts for transfers to ensure full capacity, on-time performance, or is likely to be able to do so anytime in the near future (Knill, 1994). Causes of Reliable Delivery Problem Any automated baggage system is subject to risk. The difficulties at Denver are not due to any obvious bad luck or incompetence. On the contrary, the contractor responsible for the installation (BAE Automated Systems) had enjoyed the reputation of being among the best and, on the strength of its good work, has been responsible for most of the major baggage systems recently installed in the United States.

Causes of Parkinsons Disease

Causes of Parkinsons Disease Parkinsons disease (PD) is caused by the progressive death of substantia nigral dopaminergic neurones, resulting in the reduction of caudate-putamen dopamine concentration in the basal ganglia. Insufficient DA produced from the substantia nigral dopaminergic neurones due to progressive degradation in PD patients results in motor neurone cell death. Afflicting just under 1% of the population over 60. Little was known about the pathophysiology of PD, with the classical pathological hallmarks of loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and the presence of Lewy bodies (Dauer, 2003). Though the first clinical description of the disease was written in 1817 An essay on the Shaking Palsy by James Parkinson. Taking nearly 150 years to make real progress, the first milestone occurred in the 1960s when striatal dopamine (DA) levels were discovered to be sharply reduced in PD patients (Garcia-Ruiz, 2014) linking PD to DA content of the basal ganglia. DA production occurs with the substantia nigra pars compacta uses the nigrostriatal pathway to transport dopamine via the dopamine transporter (DAT) controlled via a sodium gradient to the striatum. These co-dependant systems require dopamine production for motor movement; when the death of substantia nigral dopaminergic neurones occurs dopamine content in the basal ganglia is reduced and thus impairs motor function. Garcia-Ruiz (2014) rationale from his discovery was the two systems are linked as the stratum doesnt produce dopamine indicating its source elsewhere, thus connecting substantia nigra pars compacta (a known pr oducer of dopamine) in PD and that substantia nigra pars compacta neurone death is responsible for the pathophysiological symptoms of PD. Iravani (2005) states that when some 60% of nigral-striatal neurones have been lost the first motor abnormalities appear; resulting in diagnosis as late as 3 years after initial neurone death. Neurodegeneration of substantia nigral dopaminergic neurones symptoms of can is managed. Levodopa (L-DOPA), the precursor to DA synthesis (making it a logical choice for using therapeutically) and DA agonist is able to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) via the LAT-1 (large amino acid transporter) where it is converted to dopamine via DOPA decarboxylase.   This increases dopamine content in the brain and reduces symptoms such as motor skill deterioration. Levodopa also occurs in peripheral circulation resulting in peripheral dopamine concentration to increase causing a nauseous side effect, as a result levodopa of always given with carbidopa which inhibits the peripheral metabolism reducing this nausea (Dauer, 2003) also increases the bioavailability of L-DOPA in the CNS. Lee (2009) an expert in PD, described PD it as a commonly diagnosed bradykinesia disorder characterised by severe pars-compacta nigral-cell loss and aggregated a-synuclein accumulation within cortical regions. Thought to be part of dopamine release and transport regulation, a-synuclein induces microtubule-associated protein fibrillation and within overexpression a reduction in neuronal responsiveness. This ties into the prion hypothesis, in which the misfolded protein a-synuclein can trigger aggregation of interconnected groups of neurones, thus resulting in Inflammation, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity and reduced responsiveness.   Though his theory is contradicted by Leonidas (2012) who claims that there is insufficient evidence that consists of the idea that there is an overexpression of a-synuclein protein in PD brains; when mRNA studies show a decrease of SNCA expression in PD nigra. Though Stefanis. L. does acknowledge there could be a rare familial and sporadic link of SNCA expression and PD, as ÃŽ ±-synuclein is found within Lewy bodies which are a characteristic of PD. Lewy bodies are aggregates of protein and are a classical sign of neurotoxicity, and closely associated with a-synuclein due to the radiating fibrillation of a-synuclein tying into Lees (2009) PD description. Lewy bodies also contain ubiquitin, a-B crystalline and neurofilament protein in an aggregated form. The a-synuclein interacts with DNA causing degradation (Power, 2017) and also Power observed ÃŽ ±-synuclein and ÃŽ ²III Tubulin from Lewy bodies and n increased mitochondrial loss with neurones developing Lewy bodies, suggesting a link between Lewy body development and substantia nigral dopaminergic neurone death. Powers theory indirectly contradicts Leonidass theory on a-synuclein expression, as a-synuclein is required for Lewy body formation and thus leads to substantia nigral dopaminergic neuronal death Lees research does, however, support the Powers theory. Dauer (2003) infers that it is possible that the misfolding of proteins which result in Lewy bodies could offer a level of neuroprotection by interfering with programmed cell death (PCD) and oxidative stress; thus slowing down neurodegeneration. Lewy bodies could interfere with Bax molecule formation (which there are elevated concentrations within PD patients) due to the changes in protein morphology, thus counteracting the overexpression of Bax (Dauer, 2003). Though age is a significant risk factor for the development of PD, one toxin, in particular, can cause the disease to develop due to it targeting substantia nigral dopaminergic neurones. Siegel explains that though MTPT (1-methyl- 4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) itself isnt toxic, though the active metabolite form MPP+ is. Though at the time (1999) the mechanism for MPP+ toxicity wasnt understood it was later described by Alexander (2004). MPP+ toxicity via the inhibition of the mitochondrial complex I resulting in inhibition of the respiratory chain and enhanced oxidative stress within SNc neurones resulting in PCD. MPTP is used in experimental parkinsonism as dosing marmosets via subcutaneous administration of MPTP 1 mg ⠁„ kg for 3 consecutive days, which Iravani (2005) found to produce reproducible results. The use of MPTP on marmosets and the development of PD provides sufficient evidence that MPTP is connected to the development of PD, it also allows for research to be done on animals are they can be given the disorder within a 6 month period an allow for research into the causative factor behind PD and the regions of the CNS that are affected. The expansion of understanding PD pathogenicity has grown over the last 25 years according to Schapira, as toxin research, postmortem investigations and gene deficits with familial PD have become general knowledge in consensus about the underlying mechanisms of cell death and neuronal loss. inflammatory change, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and altered protein formation are considered the main lead into understanding PD (Schapira, 2011).   This ties into Dauers theory on Lewy bodies, Lees explantation on a-synuclein as they/were researching the leads mentioned by Schapira. The causative reasons for Parkinsons disease are thoroughly understood today compared to 1817, however, research is still underway to definitively understand the disorder. There is a clear understanding that (PD) is caused by the progressive death of substantia nigral dopaminergic neurones resulting in a reduced SNc dopamine content resulting in pathophysiological side effects. It is clear however that Lewy bodies are a classical characteristic of PD and are used in the diagnosis of the disorder, their true function is still under research. There is still some grey area of what causes the sudden initial death of theses neurones, though MPTP is linked to PD development via the study of marmosets. The research will continue to enhance a limited knowledge of the disorder and if there will ever be a possible way to regenerate those lost signalling pathways. Stem cell research on the cutting edge of neuronal regeneration as these unspecialised cells will eventually become neurones, replac ing the one already loss to cell death. Though ethically there are issues around using stem cells, it is a case of the good out weights the bad. References Abeliovich. A, S. Y.-L. (2000). Mice Lacking ÃŽ ±-Synuclein Display Functional Deficits in the Nigrostriatal Dopamine System. Neuron, 25(1), 239-252. Alexander, G. E. (2004). BIology of Parkinsons disease: pathogenesis and pathophysiology of a multisystem neurodegenerative disorder. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 3(6), 259-280. Baba, M. N. (1998). Aggregation of alpha-synuclein in Lewy bodies of sporadic Parkinsons disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. The American Journal of Pathology, 152(4), 879-884. Bai-Yun Zeng, M. M. (2010). Morphological changes in serotoninergic neurites in the striatum and globus pallidus in levodopa primed MPTP treated common marmosets with dyskinesia. Neurobiology Of Disease, 40, 599-607. doi:10.1016/j.nbd.2010.08.004 Barbeau, A. (1969). L-DOPA Therapy in Parkinsons Disease: A Critical Review of Nine Years Experience. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 101(13), 59-68. Chesselet, M.-F. (2008). In vivo alpha-synuclein overexpression in rodents: a useful model of Parkinsons disease? Experimental Neurology, 209(1), 22-27. doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2007.08.006 Haber, D. D. (2001, July 1). Striatal Responses to Partial Dopaminergic Lesion: Evidence for Compensatory Sprouting. Journal Of Neuroscience, 20(13), 5102-5114. Iria G. Dopeso-Reyes, A. J. (2014, December 14). Calbindin content and differential vulnerability of midbrain efferent dopaminergic neurons in macaques. doi:10.3389/fnana.2014.00146 Lees. A.J, H. J. (2009, June 13). Parkinsons disease. The Lancet, 373, 2066. Leonidas, S. (2012). ÃŽ ±-Synuclein in Parkinsons Disease. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, 2(2). doi:http://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a009399 Mahmoud M. Iravani, E. S. (2005). A modified MPTP treatment regime produces reproducible partial nigrostriatal lesions in common marmosets. European Journal Of Neuroscience, 21, 841-854. Marina Picillo, G. S. (2017). Association between dopaminergic dysfunction and anxiety in de novo Parkinsons disease. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2017.02.010 Pedro J. Garcia-Ruiz, K. R.-M. (2014). Non-motor symptoms of Parkinsons disease A review†¦from the past. Journal Of Neurological Sciences, 338, 30-33. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2014.01.002 Power, J. B. (2017). Lewy Bodies and the Mechanisms of Neuronal Cell Death in Parkinsons Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. Brain Pathology, 27(1), 3-12. doi:10.1111/bpa.12344 Przedborski, V. J.-L. (2007). Protocol for the MPTP mouse model of Parkinsons disease. Nature Protocols, 2, 141-151. doi:doi:10.1038/nprot.2006.342 Schapira, A. J. (2001). Etiology and pathogenesis of Parkinsons disease. Movement Disorders, 26(6), 1049-1055. doi:10.1002/mds.23732 Siegel G.J, A. B. (Neurochemistry: Molecular, Cellular and Medical Aspects). MPTP-Induced Parkinsonian Syndrome (6th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27974/ William Dauer, S. P. (2003). Parkinsons Disease: Mechanisms and Models. Neuron, 39(6), 889-909. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0896-6273(03)00568-3

Teaching - Reflections, Questions, Desicions Essay -- Education, Quali

Introduction What is teaching? What do we mean by quality education? What is the best way to motivate a child to reach their full potential? These are some of the questions that the effective teacher may ask themselves. In fact, much of the role of the modern teacher can be defined in the statement; Teaching – reflections, questions, decisions. These aspects are interwoven and iterative. Teachers need to reflect upon various policies, concepts and strategies. They need to ask the right questions and make the right decisions. The cycle continues. This assignment examines the role of the teacher with reference to professionalism and ethics, the teaching role and teaching strategies, classroom management and motivation. Professionalism and Ethics The foundations for becoming an effective teacher perhaps lie within professionalism and ethics. After all, this influences every single decision a teacher makes. Professionalism can be divided into six distinct categories; these are academic, legal, ethical, professional, personal and cultural professionalism. (Whitton et al., 2010) This is possibly a good starting point because teachers need to reflect upon what professionalism means for them and how it will affect their teaching practices. For example, legal professionalism encompasses a whole range of aspects including duty of care, child protection, freedom of information, discipline, restraint, bullying and harassment, sexual assault and physical contact, discrimination and defamation. (Whitton et al., 2010) The list is vast and so are the implications. The effective teacher will need to keep their policy knowledge up to date. They will also have to make decisions based on these policies. Perhaps this is w... ...n, there are many facets to the effective teacher. Professionalism and ethics are of upmost importance and underpin the ethos of the teaching role. Moreover, the teacher must exhibit certain characteristics and focus on building quality relationships with the students. A range of teaching strategies should be utilised, in particular teachers need to be proficient in the use of questions. Planning is important in creating a safe and positive learning environment that incites a sense of belonging and managing misbehaviour efficiently is vital. Motivation needs to be examined and understood with reference to the students in the class. Teachers need to reflect upon and question their own teaching practices and understanding of the policies and strategies available to them in order to make the best decisions for the children in their classroom under their care.

Coping With Computers :: essays research papers

Coping With Computers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While the twentieth century has proven to be a technological revolution, there has not been a single development with as much impact on our day to day lives than that of the computer. For many, the development of the modern computer has provided more widespread business opportunities, greater production efficiency, and greater convenience at both work and home than any other innovation has provided us with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many of the degrees earned today did not exist twenty years ago. Many of the computer sciences degrees are based on technologies that were not even developed not so long ago. The resulting situation is a work force that has been caught with their ‘pants down.' For many of the senior members of this workforce, they are at a disadvantage when it comes to competing with newer college graduates in today's computer world. This article deals with the feelings of one particular person in this position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Linda Ellerbee, a journalist and author owns a television production company. She also has her own column in Windows magazine. Her experiences with modern computer technologies range from the terminals of the 1970's all the through today with the Internet and e-mail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of her first experiences with a computer involved sending a message over the AP news wire. As it turns out, she expressed her candid opinion on some very sensitive topics at the time, including but not limited to the Vietnam War. Consequently, the AP was not amused with the message and she was fired. At the time, this incident was popular enough to make it into Newsweek magazine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later on, she moved into television as a reporter, but now owns her own production company, Lucky Duck Productions. Here, she realized that computers act as the driving force in a technologically based industry. She also realized that the younger generations are certainly more comfortable and at home with personal computers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While running her production company, she tells of her experience with her favorite ‘ghost employee.' In her efforts to find a system administrator, she was referred to Columbia University's Center for Telecommunication Research. There, she negotiated a salary via e-mail, and whenever a system needs to be set up the ghost does it over the Internet. Of course, the bill is sent with e-mail as well. As of yet, she still has never seen the system administrator.

The USPS Problem

It has come as no surprise that the United States Postal Service lost money in the first two quarters of 2010. $8. 5 billion to be exact. Next year they, plan to lose even more. Somewhere in between $9 billion to $10 billion dollars. The problem will not be as simple to fix, but it is a problem that can be resolved with a few simple implementations and cost cutting options. Overspending and undercharging has led to needing to cut cost and raise prices. The USPS is trying to do both, but it requires Congressional approval and some simple economics. Here is what should be done in solving this problem. 1. Raise prices.  Allow modest price changes without Congressional approval. If the prices change within the cost of living change or close the USPS should be able to implement them without wasting time and taxpayer money on a Congressional approval. The United States Postal Service does not charge enough for the service they provide. It does not cost 44 cents to move a letter from San Antonio, Texas to Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico. It does not cost 44 cents to move a letter to the next town let alone cross country with today’s raising fuel cost. Even with today’s new Postal pick up service the cost of fuel outweighs the cost of flat rate packaging. 2.  Service. Service is part of the United States Postal Service name. End the Casual implantation of temporary workers. To many times customers complain to me that they saw a worker delivering mail without a uniform, and do not trust them in picking up the mail or package. Mail carriers should promote the business and make every interaction with its customers a positive one. I do many routes at my station and time and time again customers complain of the grumpy old letter carrier acting rude when approached, this has to come to a halt and management should be more involved in implementing ways to improve customer interaction and promote it. If a station manager gets complaints on a mail carrier, the station manager should make a note of it and speak to the mail carrier at the end of day or first thing in the morning. Allow private business to run kiosk machines. Co-location works, and it is what the customers want, pay flat rate prices and do so fast and quickly, not waiting 20 to 30 minutes in line at the local Post Office. 3. Either end the retirement and health care pre-funding or make all government agencies abide by the same rule the United States Postal Service does. Although this has little impact on mail delivery, it has a huge impact on postal profitability. The United States Postal Service officials think if given the same approach as other government agencies, they would save $5. 6 billion a year in revenue. If it weren’t for the cost of pre-funding future retiree’s health care benefits the service would have seen a profit of more than a quarter billion dollars. In other words, from an operational standpoint, the United States Postal Service made money. Understanding that the United States Postal Service is to break even, and any profits gain are to be made into the retirement and health care fund. Pre-funding is a Congressional candy jar anyway. 4. Cut money wasting ideas. Management time and time again has cost the United States Postal Service revenue. Looking at some ideas management came just make no sense, like the idea to emplace a GPS system in every United States Postal Service vehicle. This idea was implemented to track and follow where the letter carrier goes during his delivery route. Along with that comes the idea to emplace 12 barcode scan points along the delivery route which the carrier must scan in increments of 45 minutes. Rather than spend that kind of money and ways to spy on the letter carrier, someone in upper management should have suggested the idea that most of the United States Postal Service competitors have, which is continuous visibility of parcels. A idea that can make the United States Postal Service prove to their customers and competitors, that the United States Postal Service can provide the same service if not better than the other agencies. Currently the United States Postal Service cannot show the time of delivery of any package until the letter carrier returns to the office and downloads the information into the system. Also batteries on the scanners fail and data is lost as well as the cost of a scanner brought to the letter carrier to be replaced. Instead of a GPS in every truck it would wise to spend revenue on something the United States Postal Service can improve its operational needs and improve visibility for every parcel scanned. After all it is what the business side of customers wants to see. The United States Postal Service is established so that every citizen could have an affordable means to move packages, and letters and to ensure timely delivery of mail to each home is delivered. The Postal Service has tremendous business potential in the future, but Congress has to allow the United States Postal Service to use its own money in a businesslike fashion to get over the short term challenges,† NALC President Fredric Rolando said. With the ever-changing market the United States Postal Service must focus on the parcel side of business mailing, and ensure every interaction with its customers is a positive one. After all it is the United States Postal Service customers that can fix the revenue problem the service is having.