Improve The Quality Of Basic Education Education Essay

Improve The Quality Of Basic Education Education Essay On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me Christmas is the season of sharing. In this event, we often give gifts to our family, relatives, friends and other people close to our hearts. We also receive gifts from them. But what is the best gift our true love would give to us? Most of the time, our parents would say that we should study hard because education is the only thing they could give to us. That is the reason why our parents are working hard, to give us education, because it is the most important gift we could have. It is a powerful tool that would help us a lot in dealing with everyday situations. A gift one cannot steal away from us and a tool money cannot afford to buy. We could not easily get it anywhere, it is something we should earn and achieve. The attainment of education is like setting up a Christmas tree, it takes time and we should exert extra effort and determination to achieve it. We deserve to have the best gift. We are worthy to have a quality tool. Our country needs to strengthen the very foundation of education- basic education. But how could we have the best gift? How could we improve the quality of basic education? Basic education, as Ive said earlier, is the very foundation of education. It is where one will spend his developing years and it is important to spend it in a quality system. It is the preparatory stage for higher education. That is why I am happy to promote adding two years in basic education (primary and secondary level of education). In this proposal, we would have additional one year for elementary (Grade 7) and another for secondary (5th Year) in public schools. Let me discuss some issues about this system. First, we would have a better quality of basic education. Because of two additional years, there is more time for learning. In this new and better system, we are not speeding up and cramming the span of time we could learn, but we are widening it to give space for new subjects and improved curriculum. In this system, the quality would be improved by rationalizing the contents of present subjects and by adding new subjects timely needed by the students. We cannot deny the fact that there is a necessity for us to improve basic education. We would have more time in learning and we are not going too fast unprepared. We would have improved curriculum and subject contents. Second, this proposal aims to promote the welfare of our struggling brothers and sisters. If this proposal is not for them then why the recommendation is adding two more years in basic education? According to The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, Article XIV, Section 2, Number 2, The State shall establish and maintain a system of free public education in the elementary and high school levels. So, why not establish two more years in pre-university education? The state would not have any responsibility to pre-university education, by the way. It is because the government is really trying its best to serve the people. Yes, this proposal may have an effect to our countrymen, but it is worth the perseverance and hard work. It is not intended to give them another burden, but it aims to improve their lives. Only incidental costs like transportation and food allowance are the concerns of the families, because basic education is free. And to address these concerns, the government is reall y willing to help them through conditional cash transfers wherein underprivileged families would get a subsidy from the government with due respect to latters conditions. Third, this proposal would lift the burden given to universities and colleges. According to Edilberto C. de Jesus of Philippine Daily Inquirer, Our own Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Philippine Task Force on Education conceded that the 10-year basic education cycle poses problems for our tertiary institutions and their graduates. In college, there are minor subjects and this is the result of problems in basic education. Instead of having the more important subjects in college, the college students still need to comply with minor subjects. Let us put De La Salle University -Dasmarià ±as (DLSU-D) as an example. In DLSU-D, we need to take basic English, Filipino, Math, Science, and Physical Education subjects. Well in fact, we could have these subjects in the additional years of proposed basic education system. Now, there is more time for them to focus on the subjects of their chosen fields. The problem caused by the present system would be addressed properly and not sho uldered by tertiary institutions and the students. Fourth, after graduation, the students would be in working age. Let us do the math. Sixteen years old, which is the typical age of students after high school graduation, plus 2 years from the proposal is equal to 18 years of age, the working age! This good intended effect would greatly influence the job requirement set by the majority of companies to job applicants. Usually, the job requirement is at least in second year college. But with this proposal, the scenario would change. Since the students would graduate at 18, the minimum employment requirement would be at least a high school graduate. Thus, this proposal is really beneficial to the graduates of new basic education system and those who plan or need to work right after high school due to certain circumstances. Fifth, this proposal is really practical. The proposal is a step by step process. It would take some time to have its full effect. The implementation of this new system would be every year. The Grade 1 students would have the new system and improved curriculum. After the succeeding year both Grades 1 and 2, would have the system. After another year Grades 1, 2 and 3 would have it, so on and so forth, until it would have its full effect up to 5th Year high school students. Why I do say this proposal is practical? This proposal is practical because there is no immediate need for the funds, Grade 7 and 5th year students are non-existent during the first six years and eleven years of implementation. Since, the proposal would take some time; the government still has the capacity to address different problems we have in our present system. The government would have the time in preparing for implementation years of improved basic education system. There is enough measure to solve the proble ms like lack of classroom, books, teachers, public schools and also the issue of dropout rate. There is enough time for us! We could build the classrooms and additional schools needed, train the teachers efficiently and process enough learning materials. It is worth the patience for the betterment of basic education system. Last, this proposal would let the system comply with international standards of education. According again to Edilberto C. de Jesus of Philippine Daily Inquirer, In 2009, Education Committee of Unescos Philippine National Commission noted that among 155 Unesco member countries, only Djibouti, Angola and the Philippines still fall below what has become the international norm. This is an issue we need to address because there is an arising concern for our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Our Filipino graduates are deterred by our present system with 10 year basic education system. Their global competence is at risk because other countries do not acknowledge the degrees that our graduates attained. If other countries would stop or doubt employing our OFWs, it would have a huge negative impact in our present economic condition. So, this proposal would help our countrys economy to grow continually and/or to be stable. By complying with global standards, the employment chances would incr ease for our OFWs and other Filipino professionals which would mutually benefit our economy and countrymen. Having two additional years in basic education is idealistic but it is really workable. Education is the most important gift could have. But we deserve to have best gift. We are worthy to have a quality tool. We need to strengthen the very foundation of our country through this plan which aimed to solve the arising problems from our present basic education system. The implementation of this plan would take some time like setting up a Christmas tree, we would have a hard time arranging and decorating it but after we are done, we would see its real beauty, we would feast our eyes with its glittering lights and we could say that it is worth it. We could always start doing something for the betterment of our education sector. Waiting for the progress to come by addressing the problems of present system is good. But it is better to take some practical actions to solve these problems while waiting. We could, we would and we should have the best and quality education. At the end of the day, this blessing would be achieved. That is why I am happy to propose adding two years in basic education.

The Effect of Age on Taste Essay -- Senses Aging Essays

The Effect of Age on Taste The sense of taste has to be one of the most important human senses. It gives an individual the ability to recognize consumables that are encountered on a regular basis such as a favorite steak platter or a favorite wine. However, when that individual reaches a particular age the sense of taste deteriorates, which can result in potentially dangerous conditions such as malnourishment or susceptibility to diseases. This problem of taste loss due to aging needs to be studied more because it can effect both the physical and mental health of many elderly people. When elderly individuals try to live life with a weakened ability to recognize certain food flavors or any other consumable item, their dietary needs can be greatly affected. A certain number of foods are not going to taste good enough to satisfy the appetites of the elderly, so they might resort to using unhealthy eating habits. For example, they could lose the motivation to eat certain foods such as vegetables or meats and increase the consumption of foods that are low in nutritional value such as candies or pastries. This shift can result in health problems such as a loss in bone mass, a weakened immune system, weak muscles, and high blood pressure. Elderly citizens need to acquire a specific amount of nutrients in order to maintain a healthy life style. Spence (1989) mentioned that diets which maintain adequate levels of vitamins and minerals and also consist of 50 to 55% carbohydrates, 12 to 15% proteins, and 25 to 35% fats are recommended for persons over the age of 50. In order for the elderly to live up to a healthy diet, they need to consume nutritious foods that will taste good to them. The problem with this situation is how to h... ...ews, 50 (12), 72-75. Miller, J. (1988). Human taste bud density across adult age groups. Journal of Gerontology, 43 (1), 26-30. Schieber, F. (1992). Aging and the senses. In J. E. Birren, R. B. Sloane, & G. D. Cohen (Eds.), Handbook of mental health and aging. San Diego: Academic Press Inc. Schiffman, S. (1977). Food recognition by the elderly. Journal of Gerontology, 32 (5), 586-592. Schiffman, S. (1994). Changes in taste and smell: Drug interactions and food preferences. Nutrition Reviews, 52 (8), 11-14. Schiffman, S. (1997). Taste and smell loss in normal aging and disease. Journal of the American Medical Association, 278 (16), 1357-1362. Spence, A. P. (1989). Biology of human aging. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Spitzer, M. E. (1986). Taste acuity in institutionalized and non institutionalized elderly men. Psychological Sciences, 43 (3), 71-74.

Hearts Under Fire in Centralia Fire :: Film Movies

Hearts Under Fire in Centralia Fire If you want a community interest story portrayed through a film, then Centralia Fire is the one. Centralia Fire relates to anyone that is connected to at least one type of community—weather it is a town, a sport’s team, or a family. No one wants to be forced out of his or her comfort zone. Centralia is a town—created in the 19th century because of the invention of coal—filled with diverse communities threatened from poisonous gas and toxin (deadly carbon monoxide and dioxide) after a trash burning fire spread underneath the town beginning in 1962 and is still under—or should I say above—fire. The documentary is about how the communities within Centralia were stripped of their lives and families from a place they called home. The producers, Anthony â€Å"Doc† Mussari and Kathleen â€Å"Kitch† Loftus-Mussari, set the tone an individual tone through no use of music or dissolving of pictures. Viewers are able to establish their own separate opinions and understandings about the community of Centralia. If dissolves and music were incorporated the message of Centralia would have been dissolved itself. If you want to know what small time life is like, then Centralia is the place where you can find the answers. You see video of town meetings where the committees disputed the inefficiency of the government’s help. There is also footage of the daily life of Centralians-riding dirt bikes, playing little league baseball, sitting on porches, or walking dogs—amongst the many pillars of pipes releasing toxins from beneath. The essence of community life was prevalent, so I agree with on of the town’s people who said, â€Å"You have to live in a small town to know how it is to live in a small town.† Doc pulls you in and makes you one of the community members within Centralia with his atmosphere exposure through not zooming. It seemed as though the film was following the lead of the television show, You’ve been Caught on Candid Camera; the interviewees and people at the town meeting had no clue there were video cameras taping them. It’s like they video camera was hidden in someone’s shirt pocket or in someone’s glass frames. I am amazed not one person in the film looked at the camera. In 2002 only fifteen people in ten homes are keeping their fires ablaze with their strong determination and love for Centralia. Even though the film was finished in 1992—30 years after the fire in Centralia began—it still picture perfectly depicts how the lives of the community members were altered forever and how their heart have been burned from the government.

Healthy Grief Essay

Feeling and expressing grief is unique to each individual and it depends on the nature of their loss. People experience all kinds of emotions, pain and sadness that are considered normal reactions to a significant loss. While there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the grief (helpguide.org). Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, a Psychiatrist invented the â€Å"five stages of grief†, based on the grieving process when negative life changes and loses happen, such as death of a loved one. The five stages of grief according to Kubler-Ross are responses that many people may go through, but there is not a typical response to loss as there is no typical loss and everyone grieves differently (helpguide.org). The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. The story of Job in the Bible is an example that displays all the stages of grief set forth by Kubler-Ross’s grief model. Job was a Christian man who followed the path of God’s will in His life. Kubler-Ross was not a Christian, and formulated the grief model from observing patients in a hospital who were dying from terminal illness. Job suffered great loss in his life and endured different stages in his grieving process but never denounced God. The five stages of grief compared and contrasted with the life of Job Denial The first response of grief according to Kubler-Ross is denial and isolation. This is a stage of shock and numbness and a time when a grieving person is trying to grasp the situation that something tragic has just happened in their life. Job is grieving at his tremendous loss., he lost his children, his wealth and health. It seemed unreal to Job that he tore his clothes, shaved his head and fell on the ground. Job 1: 21 reads â€Å"Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord â€Å"(The Christian Life Bible). Job mourned and lamented at his loss but did not reject God. In contrast to the grief model where the patients knew they were going to die, Job even in his loss knew that he had life. Job maintained total submission to God’s plan in his life. The things of this world can become overwhelming and meaningless to those who are grieving a great loss but knowing God can help to overcome all difficulties of life. Anger Anger is the second stage of grief. According to Kubler-Ross when a patient can no longer maintain the denial stage, they enter into the stage of anger, rage and resentment and start questioning everyone and everything (Roy,A.). Job cursed the day he was born. Job3:16 illustrate his frustration and he felt that death would be easier to endure than his grief. Job is angry and felt betrayed by God. Job’s anger becomes obvious and can be seen in Job 7:11-15. According to Kubler- Ross, anger is a defense used against the primary feelings of hopelessness and helplessness (grief.com). Job is defending himself by showing his anger to ease his pain of loss. But even in his anger, Job maintains communication with God. The feeling of anger may be towards anyone, may be a person who didn’t attend the funeral, doctors, other family members, loved one who have passed (grief.com). It is natural to feel pain and deserted in this stage and finds it hard to accept the loss. Bargaining In this stage, feeling of guilt is common and trying to blame it on ourselves and questioning selves for things that could have been done different to prevent the loss. A grieving person may bargain or try to negotiate a compromise to ease their pain and try to do anything to not feel the pain of loss. For example, a Hindu friend of mine once wrote a letter to Billy Graham indicating to heal her dying mother from cancer and if the mother lives then she will convert to Christianity. That was a bargain and it did not work. Job is bargaining with God in chapter 13:20-21,† Only two things do not do to me, and then I will not hide myself from You. Withdraw your Hand far from me. And let not the dread of you make me afraid† (The Christian Life Bible). For Job, blaming God and everyone seemed natural due to the fear of taking responsibility for what has happened (faiththerapy.org). Job wants to put an end to his suffering, but instead he bowed down in humility and trusting more in God. Job did not listen to his wife’s plea to curse God and to die, but he remained in submission to God’s plan in his life. Depression According to Kubler-Ross, grief becomes deeper in this stage and feelings of emptiness and intense sadness and loss of hope invades life. When bargaining does not help, the reality of depression sets in. This is a noticeable stage as people are down and uncertain about their future. The loss of a loved one is heart breaking and a stage of depression is considered normal and appropriate in a healthy grieving process by Kubler-Ross (grief.com). It shows that the person has at least begun to accept the reality. Job 7:6 reads,† My days are swifter than a waver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.† (The Christian Life Bible). Job is facing sadness about the situation that he is facing which is not under his control. Even though Job was depressed he never ran from God’s presence. Job 42:5-6 reads â€Å"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes (The Christian Life Bible). Acceptance During this stage according to Kubler-Ross, the person has accepted the reality of the loss of their loved ones and realizes that fighting is not going to make any difference. The loved one is no more physically present and that it is a permanent loss. Past is gone and a new future is set in front to run the race in the absence of the loved one. Job is also finally accepting the fact of his total loss and tries to resolve and come into a trusting relationship with God. In chapter 38 of Job, it displays the fact that Job finally heard from God again. This is an essential step in the grief process to restore relationships and to come in terms with life and meaning to move on with life. Through acceptance, God blessed Job again with more blessings than before and ultimately he regains his strength back. Job 42:10 reads† And the Lord restored Job’s loses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.†(The Christian Life Bible). Conclusion From the grief model of Kubler-Ross and the story of Job from the Bible it is clear that grief is a natural process that everyone endures at some point of their life. From the theory of Kubler –Ross, the author points out that a person may or may not go through all the stages during a grieving process and the duration may not be the same and will depend on how one handles grief in their life. The component of faith is not central to Kubler-Ross’s grieving process. Job responds to his grieving situations as a normal person would respond but his tremendous faith in God enables him to overcome all obstacles and regain his joy in life. His faith alone in God carried him through such devastating times. This understanding can become a tremendous source of strength when we find ourselves facing the unthinkable. Job was a man of great integrity who loved the Lord deeply and his faith was genuine, personal and deep. Grieving is a personal experience and how a person grieves depends on their coping style, faith and the nature of loss. It is important to take care of the physical and emotional needs during a grieving process. Unresolved grief can lead to serious consequences in life that can create health problems such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse (helpguide.org). The grieving process takes time and healing happens gradually. Whatever grief a person experiences, it is important to be patient and allow the process to unfold naturally and not to be forced or hurried. References Biblical Answers for Grief. Faith Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.faiththerapy.org/Grief%20Topic.html Coping with Grief and Loss. Understanding the Grieving Process. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/grief_loss.htm Kubler-Ross Five Stages Model. Retrieved from http://www.change-management-coach.com/kubler-ross.html Roy, A. (1991). The Book of Job: A Grief and Human Development Interpretation. Journal of Religion and Health, 30(2). Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00988704 The Five Stages of Grief. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross & David Kessler. Retrieved from http://grief.com/the-five-stages-of-grief/ The Christian Life Bible (1998). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Online vs. Traditional Education Essay

Have you ever had the opportunity to take online classes? Have you even heard of online classes? If you haven’t, you are missing out on a great opportunity. Online education is rapidly becoming a popular alternative to traditional education. It is offering more flexibility for students and providing individuals with better opportunities for postsecondary education. Even though traditional education has been the only form of education for hundreds of years, online education offers a new and improved style of learning. When people think of education, they think of a classroom filled with desks, paper, books, and other students. After all, this is how humans have been taught for generations. This is an example of traditional education. Traditional education is when students attend a school and are taught in a formal classroom setting. There is an instructor that teaches the class by giving demonstrations or by lecturing. It allows the students to have face-to-face interaction with the instructor or their fellow students. Traditional education has never been very flexible. There are scheduled times for class and working around that schedule can prove to be difficult. Often times, life events can conflict with the class schedule. This can cause students to miss class and fall behind in their work. While traditional education is not very flexible, online education is. Online education is the use of technology to share educational information and to teach students. It often only requires a computer and an Internet connection. The classroom setting of an online education can be anywhere. You can work from the comfort of your own home or while you are at the library. As long as you have access to a computer with Internet, you can go to school. In many situations, you can also complete the school work on your own time. That way if something comes up at the last minute, you still have the ability to complete your school work without losing points. It also allows students to continue to work at their job while taking classes. This is a very nice convenience to have, especially for individuals who have a family or have a job to work around. Online education can also be much cheaper than traditional education. It is not uncommon for tuition at online schools to be lower than that of a traditional school, although this is certainly not true of all online programs. In addition, costs associated with things like commuting, classroom supplies, and housing are not relevant in an online learning environment. Some programs may not require students to purchase textbooks or provide the material online. Usually, students can download all of their materials needed for class, such as assignments or textbooks, straight from their online classroom. The lower costs of an online education are a key factor for its rising popularity. Another large factor to consider when choosing a form of education is the availability of resources. Most traditional schools have a vast amount of resources. They often have at least one library, science labs, computer labs, and other resources that make the learning experience easier. The only problem is that some of these resources have limited access. They are only open during certain hours and may even be closed some days. This reduces a student’s flexibility and may affect their ability to complete work on time. Online education, on the other hand, offers resources that are available 24/7. The resources are all online, so there is no need to have a closing time or open hours. They are at the students’ fingertips and only require the click of a button. They may even offer more resources than you would find at a traditional school. Resources such as a free plagiarism checker or a grammar review are usually not available to students in a traditional classroom setting. These resources can give online students the upper hand in education and will allow them to perform at a higher level. The biggest difference between traditional and online education is the method of communication. In traditional education, everything is face-to-face. The students interact with the teacher directly and the discussion occurs only in the classroom. This face-to-face interaction allows the students to build social skills and form relationships with other classmates. The only downfall there is with this method is that once the class is over, it can be difficult to contact the instructor if a question or problem would arise. In online education, communication is much different. Students can be thousands of miles apart and live in different time zones. Therefore there cannot be any face-to-face interaction. Instead, online education relies on instant messaging through a forum. It is very similar to a chat room. This is where the majority of the communication takes place. Students can communicate with the instructor and with each other by posting messages and waiting for a reply. This makes it very easy to get a hold of other people, no matter the time of day. The downfall with this method is that sometimes it can take a while before you receive a reply. However, online courses require a certain amount of participation so the question will be addressed before too long. Many people question the amount of work that online students do. Some even say that online colleges should not be as credible as traditional universities. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Online education shares many of the same requirements expected by traditional schools. Online students write research papers, have to create projects, and take finals just like any other student. In fact, many online schools have traditional campuses and have the same requirements for both campus and online students. It does not matter which form of education an individual chooses. They will be required to do the same amount of work in order to attain their degree. For years I thought traditional education was the only way to go. I was a firm believer in the traditional ways and never thought that you could get the same education by sitting on a computer. Now that I have experience in both forms of education, I can see why so many people are switching to online programs. The flexibility of online classes and the vast amount of resources make it more user friendly than ever before. The popularity of online education is on the rise and will continue to increase as more people switch from the traditional ways.

AIS Implementation Case Study

Steve Cowan is the owner of a distribution company of salon hair products. The company, Professional Salon Concepts, (PSC) was growing and decided to upgrade their AIS to support the demands of the company. Steve hired Mike, his brother-in-law to assist him and the two of them began to research the different products available believing they could better determine the needs of the company than a consultant could. After a short time they bought first one and then changing their minds and bought a second system. After a short training period the new system was installed with some very problematic first few days. Eventually the system was up and running but never fully doing what they had originally wanted from the new system. Romney & Steinbart (2009). Implementing new AIS is something that businesses everywhere have to consider at some point and time. The case of PSC and how they went about choosing and implementing their AIS is what we will be looking at. There are six main points of consideration I will be covering in this study. The first is a look at how good of a job PSC did in selecting, installing and implementing their new system. We will look at what they did wrong and what they could have done differently. We will try to determine how PSC could have avoided the missing features, the conversion and reporting problems they had. Next we will review Steve’s analysis of his numbers and determine if his conclusions were correct. Looking at his new shipping system we want to see if there is a way that PSC’s customers can defraud the company. Finally, we will take a look at the level of service PSC received from the company where they purchased their new AIS and how it could have been improved. Steve’s Assessment Selecting the New AIS PSC spent months researching software and attending demonstrations. While doing research on their own is not a bad thing they however dismissed the possible use of consultants. Again not always a bad thing but when they did their research, it is not clear if they had a confirmed set of requirements of their needs in the new AIS. As a result PSC never compared companies through a request for proposals, (RFP); if they had they could have sent their requirements to the vendors. The vendors would then have sent back their proposals to PSC. After eliminating vendors that do not meet the minimum requirements, PSC could then do a comparison of the remaining vendors before making a final decision. Romney & Steinbart (2009). The key is the set requirements and minimum standards they were willing to settle for. In the end they had decided on one system, paid for it and had started installing it when they changed their minds and went with a different company. The company, DSM was chosen almost on a whim. DSM could not demonstrate all of the features PSC had wanted and took a reassurance that they would get those features without documentation. PSC also did not do an extensive background check into DSM before they purchased the new AIS. Installation Installation and implementing of the new AIS was anything but smooth. In retrospect even Steve knew they did not take the time needed to properly test or to train employees on how to use the new system. Three months was not sufficient time to try and work out the possible problems they would have with the new AIS. While Steve felt that training was very important he greatly underestimated the amount of time that was needed for proper training of employees on the new systems. The operators should have been involved from the beginning to determine what was needed and how it was being implemented into the new AIS. Each of these operators should also have been included in the design of the interface they would be using. If their input was not a possible part of the design they should have at the very least been included in the original installation and testing part of the new systems to determine what the possible problem failures would be and to better learn the new systems. Missing Features How could PSC have avoided the problem of the missing features? If PSC had gotten RFPs the problem of missing features in the system they chose would have been eliminated during the vendor selection process. However, in the route they did take those features that were important to Steve but were not included in the AIS could have been included by having a systems requirements list and a written contract with the specifications explicitly written out. Conversion and Reporting How could PSC have avoided some of the conversion and reporting problems it faced? As I stated before, more time was needed in the testing and training portion of the conversion before the new AIS went online. One trick I learned from our own system change at the city I work in is to train a few operators on the new systems during the testing phase and then have them train a few more in their own departments. By using your own employees to train each other they are gaining a better understanding of how the system works. This way on the day of the change you have more people who understand the system and how to fix or correct the things that can go wrong. The more people you can have trained this way before the system change the better off you will be at the critical moment. Steve’s Analysis Steve’s analysis of the numbers is incomplete in my opinion. Steve looked only at the initial cost of the package but he did not look at recurring costs of up keep of the hardware and software, systems maintenance, conversion cost, training expense, cost of running the testing phase as well as several other things. The conversion alone cost him a 15% drop in sales and none of these expenses were calculated into the cost of the new AIS. Steve and Mike should have consulted an accountant to help with the crunching of numbers before they had purchased the AIS from DSM. One other mistake they made in this purchase was not to have the extra features written into a contract as a part of the cost. Shipping and Fraud Is there a way PSC could be defrauded by the new multi-box shipments? After looking online for ways the only thing I could come up with was for the customers to claim that not all of the boxes were received. Because they only require one packing slip for multiple boxes, one of the boxes could just not make it to the stores or items could go missing from the shipments. I don’t think it would be hard to say that one of four or five boxes was missing an item. Without a packing slip in each box it would be easy for something to be overlooked when they are being packed. I’m not sure if there is another way the multi-box one packing slip approach could be defrauded. Level of Service On a level of one to five, one being the best, I would probably rate DSMs level of service about three. DSM was not the worst company I have read about but they could have stepped up their service. One of the things they could improve on is their training. Training was something of a disaster judging from the first day. More of the employees should have been trained and trained much better than they were. Another area of improvement would be in the testing phase of the installation before the new system went online. The sales person made assurances that it was apparent after the fact that they had no right to made or no intention of keeping. The extra features that PSC was told would be included in their package were only going to be added for an extra fee that PSC would have to shoulder the majority of. One feature was added at an additional cost of ten thousand but the second feature was never added. Conclusions In the end Steve was satisfied with the new AIS. While the new AIS did decrease the turnaround time to only twenty minutes from five hours it never did do all the things they had wanted. PSC is negotiating with DSM to write the programs that will complete the processes he wants the AIS system to do, for an additional cost. Upgrading from the system they had was necessary but, I can’t help wondering if they wouldn’t have been better off sticking with the original $20,000 purchase and having a company write the programs they were missing. The price PSC paid for the AIS from DSM was rather steep in comparison. In the end Steve said he was satisfied but I have to wonder if he really was or if he was just trying to feel ok with what had happened and what he paid.

Fast Food Annotated Bibliographydocx Essay

Over the years fast food have become a multi-billion dollar business all over the world. They are known for their swift service, affordable prices, and tasty, yet unhealthy food. There are a number of factors that can cause obesity and one of them is the colossal intake of fast food that many people consume worldwide. One third of American adults are obese today and fast food is a major reason why. Fast food restaurants are known for having foods high in calories, Trans fat, sugar, salt and carbohydrates. The question today is should fast food be blamed for the high rates of obesity? The reasons vary. Some people think that the cheap prices and the high in fats food make it easier to access to the food and to consume it. Another reason why people choose fast food is because of the incredible low fares. Some evidence suggest that many people cannot afford to buy healthier food, while some suggest that people think that everyone has the right to choose what they put in their mouth. Though fast food is not the only factor contributing to obesity, it is one of the major factors that needs to be addressed in the conversation surrounding the obesity epidemic. Currie, Janet, Stefano DellaVigna, Enrico Moretti, and Vikram Pathania. â€Å"The Effect of Fast food Restaurants on Obesity and Weight Gain. † American Economic Journal: E economic Policy 2. 3 (2010): 32-63. Print. Ogunrinde 2 This article is comparing how the proximity of fast food restaurants affects the rates of obesity between three million pregnant women and three million children (32). The article spotlights what the rate of weight increase would be depending on where the fast food restaurant would be located. Over several years of this experiment they focused on ninth graders in California, and pregnant women in Michigan, New Jersey, and Texas who had already had at least two children over a course of fifteen years. The authors discovered that ninth graders who had fast food restaurants within 0. 10 of a mile from their school had a 1. 7 percent chance of gaining more weight rather than a ninth grader who went to a school with fast food restaurants 0. 25 miles away (33). In pregnant women they found that having fast food restaurants approximately 0. 5 miles from where they lived resulted in a 0. 19 percentage contingency of them gaining weight. They also found that the more fast food restaurants there were in an area greatly affected obesity although the closeness of fast food restaurants did not affect obesity. The article states that although there is a clear increase in weight gain due to the supply of fast food restaurants, there is no distinguishable increased rates in obesity and weight gain due to the proximity of the restaurants, which made the authors come to the conclusion that fast food does have a major effect on weight gain and obesity rates. This article is featured in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy which is known for publishing a myriad of topics all relating to economics. Some of the topics include public economics, urban and regional economics, law and economics, environmental and natural resource economics and many more. This article was written by four distinguished authors. Janet Currie, Stefano Della Vigna, Enrico Moretti, and Vikram Pathania. Janet Currie works in the Department of Economics at the Columbia University. Stefano Della Vigna and Enrico Moretti Ogunrinde 3 both work in the Department of Economics at the University of California at Berkley. Vikram Panthania works at Cornerstone Research in San Francisco, California. The article was published in August 2010 and during this time McDonald’s had already established 31,000 plus restaurants worldwide which is another reason why there is a visible rise in weight gain because of the numerous supply of fast food restaurants available. The sole purpose of this article was to see the effect of fast food on weight gain and obesity rates. Young, Lisa R, and Marion Nestle. â€Å"Portion Sizes And Obesity: Responses Of Fast-Food Companies. † Journal of Public Health Policy 28. 2 (2007): 238-48. Print. This article talks about portion size and its effect on weight gain and obesity rates. In 2001 the US surgeon general made a â€Å"call to action† on the obesity epidemic. The call of action addressed the obesity epidemic as a major public health problem and their plan was to help Americans in eating healthier and having more physical activity so they could maintain a healthy body weight. He challenged fast food restaurants to lower their portions in their foods. For example MacDonald’s had â€Å"super-size me† fries which were 7. 1 fl oz. Burger King had the â€Å"King† size which was 6. 9 fl oz., and Wendy’s had the Great Biggie which was 6. 7 fl oz. The large portions of fries, hamburgers, and soft drinks in fast food restaurants were starting to correlate with the weight gain in many adults and children. As the years went by the fast food restaurants started lessening their portions in some places and other times they would just change the name. Wendy’s â€Å"Biggie† became a medium and its â€Å"Great Biggie† became a large. McDonald’s gave away with the super-size me, Burger King got rid of the â€Å"King† size fountain drinks, and Wendy’s removed the â€Å"Great Biggie† French fries from their menu. What the fast food restaurants were required to do though was put the number of calories on the menu for each food item. Ogunrinde 4 This article is published in â€Å"The Journal of Public Health Policy†. JPHP is connected with the World Federation of Public Health Associations. This journal discusses public health policies and the many controversial topics concerning it. The authors of this article are Lisa Young and Marion Nestle. Lisa Young is a professor at New York University in Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health. Marian Nestle likewise is a professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University. This article was published in 2007, which is pretty outdated and a lot of things have changed in the fast food industry since then. At that time restaurants like MacDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s had very large portions of food but they have since lowered their portion size in mainly their fries and soft drinks. Jeffery Robert, Baxter Judy, McGuire Maureen, and Linde Jennifer. â€Å"Are Fast Food Restaurants An Environmental Risk Factor for Obesity? † Are Fast Food Restaurants an Environmental risk Factor for Obesity? 3. 2 (2006). Web. In this article the authors are studying fast food restaurants as an environmental risk factor for obesity. What they discovered out was that eating out at fast food restaurants, did indeed result in weight gain and poor eating habits. They discovered that people with children and people who often worked outside of the home tended to eat at fast food restaurants more. They also found that people who lived within a two mile radius of a fast food restaurant was more likely to frequent fast food restaurants along with regular restaurants. There was a connection between the geographic location and the amount of times people went to a fast food restaurant. This article was published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. This journal is available for anyone to see and it is peer reviewed. IJBNPA focuses on physical activity and the behavioral aspects of dieting. The authors of this article are Ogunrinde 5 Robert Jeffery, Judy Baxter, Maureen Mcguire, and Jennifer Linde. Robert Jeffery received his Ph. D. in Psychology at Stanford University and currently is the Director at the University of Minnesota Obesity Prevention Center, Academic Health Center, Minneapolis, MN. Judy Baxter is an Associate Professor at the Community and Behavioral Health Colorado School of Public Health. Maureen Mcguire works at Guidant Corporation, Cardiac Rhythm Management Group. Jennifer Linde received her Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa. She currently is an associate professor at the Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, University of Minnesota. They are all experts in their fields which makes them very qualified to publish this article. Lorna,Fraser,ClarkeGraham,CadeJanet,andEdwardsKimberly. â€Å"FastFoodandObesity: A Spatial Analysis in a Large United Kingdom Population of Children Aged 13–15. † American Journal of Preventive Medicine 42. 5 (2012): 77-85. Print. This article identifies how there is an obesity epidemic all over the world in children and in adults. It points out how fast food is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. Their main focus in this experiment is to find out the relationship between fast food consumption and obesity. They conducted the study by getting a group of 4827 participants and surveying them on their fast food habits. They found that almost half of the participants ate fast food. Some of the participants only ate it once a month, some every two weeks and some participants ate fast food three to four times a week. They came to the conclusion that people who consumed fast food regularly had a higher BMI than the people who did not consume as much, also that people should be more informed of the nutritional values in fast food. The article was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. They publish articles on prevention research, teaching, and practice and policy. Their papers focuses on many Ogunrinde 6 different topics like infectious disease, nutrition, diabetes, obesity, and so much more. Lorna Fraser received her Ph. D. from the School of Geography, University of Leeds. Graham Clarke is a Ph. D. holder and a professor at the School of Geography, University of Leeds. Janet Cade is also a Ph. D. holder and works at the Nutritional Epidemiology Group, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom. Kimberly Edwards has a Ph. D. and works at the Centre for Sports Medicine, University of Nottingham. The article was published in May 2012. Poti, J. M. , K. J. Duffey, and B. M. Popkin. â€Å"The Association of Fast Food Consumption with Poor Dietary Outcomesand Obesity among Children:Is Itthe FastFood or theRemainder of the Diet? † American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 99. 1 (2014): 162-71. Print. This article is trying to figure what is causing obesity among children. Is it the huge consumption of fast food or is it the remainder of their diet? They conducted this experiment by studying a group of 4466 children from the ages of 2-18, by studying their eating habits and dietary patterns. What they found out was that half of the children in the study ate fast food and the other half consumed a western dietary pattern which consisted of red meat, desserts, and fatty food. The result was that there was a greater connection with the non-fast food diet that affected obesity in people. Despite fast food consumption having a great connection with obesity they discovered that a non-fast food diet had a stronger bond with obesity. This article was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This journal is a remarkably rated peer-reviewed journal in the nutrition and dietary category. It publishes articles on topics like obesity, nutrition, disease, vitamins, and energy metabolism. The AJCN has been selected as one of the top 100 influential journals by the Special Libraries Association. Jennifer Poti is a graduate research assistant at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Kiyah Ogunrinde 7 Duffey hold a Ph. D. in Nutrition and her research focus is that factors that causes adults to become overweight. Barry Popkins received his Ph. D. from Cornell University and is an obesity researcher and a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The article was published on October, 13, 2013. Trushna, Shah, Purohit Geetanjali, Pillai Nair Sandhya, Patel Bhavita, Rawal Yash, and Shah R. â€Å"Assessment of Obesity, Overweight and Its Association with the Fast Food Consumption in Medical Students. † Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research 8. 5 (2014): 5-7. Print. This article is focusing on the correlation of consuming fast food and how it affects your BMI. They used a 147 medical students for this research study and they filled out self-questionnaires describing their physical appearance like weight, height, and age. They found out that 90 percent of the students have eaten fast food, and that 34 percent of those students were pre obese and obese. At the end of the study they found out that 90 percent of the medical students had fast food in their diet but only 22. 45 percent and 9. 52 percent were pre obese and obese. Eating more fast food and having less physical activity caused them to have a higher BMI. The article was published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. Their aim is to publish the discoveries of doctors and new researchers. Trushna Shah and Sandhya Pillai Nair are both assistant professor in the department of biochemistry in Gujarat, India. Geetanjali Purohit is an assistant professor in the department of physiology in Gujarat, India. Bhavita Patel is a Ph. D. student in the Department of Biochemistry in Gujarat, India. Yash Rawal is an undergraduate student and works in the department of biochemistry in Gujarat, India. R. M. is a professor and head of department in the Department of Biochemistry in Gujarat, India.