RECHARGE PRINTER CARTRIDGES
Laser printers and copying machines use large quantities of toner cartridges. There is significant need for persons to re-manufacture, recharge, and recycle them. Using PASS plans written by REACH, persons with visual impairments and other disabilities have successfully completed short term training and are self-employed dealers with dedicated territories. Training is now available in Connecticut. Call 1-800-485-5040 to learn more about the training, technical support, and technology updates that this program offers.
Ever wonder what happens to a coupon after you've cashed it in? More than likely it will take a double-round-trip to Mexico and be counted, sorted, recounted, stacked, and handled numerous times during its whirlwind journey of redemption, which will eventually bring it back to the manufacturer who issued it.
According to a recent article in the LosAngeles Times, Americans redeemed an estimated eight billion coupons in 1992, representing a discount of $4.7 billion off their collective grocery bill. That's a lot of paper, and a very competitive (some say cutthroat) industry has grown up around the not-so-lowly coupon. In at least one phase of this massive paper chase, bar code plays an important role. South of the border, in places like Tijuana, Chihuahua, Monterrey, Delicias, and Juarez, clearinghouses receive round-the-clock shipments of coupons that must be sorted manually. Fleet-handed workers sort through endless sacks of incoming scrip, pigeonholing coupons one by one according to manufacturer. Aiding in this process are stationary bar code scanners, similar to the ones used in grocery checkout lines.
As each coupon's UPC code is scanned, a number flashes on the screen telling the operator into which slot the coupon should go. Each item requires about four seconds, but some operators can move upwards of 1300 coupons an hour. Speed is everything. The sooner the coupons are returned to the manufacturer, the sooner stores will be reimbursed. Workers who can't maintain at least a five-second cycle time are replaced, and the constant hand movement often leads to frequent-movement injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
In the end, the coupons are disposed of, ending up perhaps as mulch, recycled paper, or landfill fodder. Meanwhile, fresh new copies roll off the printing presses, starting the cycle
Editor's Note: This could create employment for many people with disabilities. Why can't we do this in the U.S. ? Are there any job developers or placement personnel reading this? Call me to brainstorm on how we can get this work back.
The tendancy towards considering self-employment as a first choice--not a last resort--has another program behind it. The US Department of Labor joins Worker's Compensation and several insurance company funded long term disability programs in the offer of a self-employment option.
SEED, which stands for Self-Employment & Enterprise Development project, was an innovative pilot program administered by the State of Washington. It provided unemployed workers with the technical and financial assistance needed to launch a successful business venture through the use of business training, business counseling, and capital in the form of a lump-sum payout of unemployment insurance benefits. The project, authorized by the United States Department of Labor and funded by a grant, began in September 1989 and ended a year later, with project business services ending in 1991.
The pilot program was so successful, that in 1993, the United States enacted a law--approved as part of the NAFTA legislation--although not tied to it--permitting other states to follow Washington's example with SEED. Called the Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) program, the law permits certain specified unemployed people to forgo the usual periodic work search and accompanying benefit check and instead opt for entrepreneurship training and financing.
The program is still in its incubation period, but its continuance is based on good fundamentals. Average payouts have been around $5000.00. Program framers note that the new enterpreneurs face no greater risk of failure than any other new business--and their chances may be even better for success given the training and business planning. Many states have adopted SEA laws, but they have been slow to implement. For more information on SEED contact the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC.
Most bar code applications are found in industrial/commercial environments, but here's a new device that has members of the educational community buzzing.
Called the "Q Solution," the portable system includes a bar code wand interfaced to a video cassette-size central module. To use the device, a student opens a specially designed textbook in which are printed words, sentences, and pictures, each accompanied by a unique bar code. When the student scans the code, the device deciphers the symbol and instantly translates it into speech. Using headphones or a speaker, the student works his or her way through the lesson book, advancing at whatever speed is comfortable.
Produced by the Q Solution Corp., Indianapolis, the device is designed to assist those individuals trying to overcome visual impairments, learning disabilities, and adult illiteracy. Other potential applications include foreign language study, mathematics, and additional topics within the educational field and elsewhere. By inserting different "Q Cards" (comparable to computer disks), different curricula can be accessed, depending on the needs of each student.
The symbology used for the device is Code 39, which the developers chose because it is one of the most common codes and because its character set contains 43 characters, including digits, letters, and 6 other symbols. This diversity provides a wide range of address combinations without having to duplicate addresses, the company said.