History of Chemistry essays

History of Chemistry essays Humans have always been very curios creatures. The have always wondered about what they are and why they are here. Our limited knowledge of the environment has always urged for new things to be discovered. The desire to understand the world better has made people search for rational answers, for principles and laws. For centuries people have tried to unlock the mysterious world that surrounds them. Because myths did not explain things well enough the Greeks began to ask questions about the world around them. They did this so thoroughly and so brilliantly that the era between 600 and 400 B.C. is called the golden age of philosophy. The Greek philosophy was an attempt to find the truth about unexplained phenomena, mostly by trying to think things through, not by running experiments in a laboratory. The philosophers wanted to discover the basic nature of things and some of them believed that they could find one thing that everything else was made of. A philosopher named Thales said that this substance was water, but another named Anaximenes thought it was air. A third called Empedocles said that the world was composed of four elements: earth, air fire and water. Aristotle became the most influential of the Greek philosophers, and his ideas dominated science for nearly two millennia after his death in 323 BC. He believed that four qualities were found in nature: heat, cold, moisture, and dryness. The four elements were each composed of pairs of these qualities; for example, fire was hot and dry, water was cold and moist, air was hot and moist, and earth was cold and dry. These elements with their qualities combined in various proportions to form the components of the earthly planet. Because it was possible for the amounts of each quality in an element to be changed, the elements could be changed into one another; thus, it was thought possible also to change the material substances that were built up from the elements-lead into gold, fo...

History and Timeline of the Wheelchair

History and Timeline of the Wheelchair It is uncertain as to what can be considered the first wheelchair, or who invented it. The first known dedicated wheelchair (invented in 1595 and called an invalids chair) was made for Phillip II of Spain by an unknown inventor. In 1655, Stephen Farfler, a paraplegic watchmaker, built a self-propelling chair on a three-wheel chassis. The Bath Wheelchair In 1783, John Dawson of Bath, England, invented a wheelchair named after the town of Bath. Dawson designed a chair with two large wheels and one small one. The Bath wheelchair outsold all other wheelchairs throughout the early part of the 19th century. Late 1800s The Bath wheelchair was not that comfortable and during the last half of the 19th century, many improvements were made to wheelchairs. An 1869 patent for a wheelchair showed the first model with rear push wheels and small front casters. Between, 1867 to 1875, inventors added new hollow rubber wheels similar to those used on bicycles on metal rims. In 1881, the pushrims for added self-propulsion were invented. The 1900s In 1900, the first spoked wheels were used on wheelchairs. In 1916, the first motorized wheelchair was manufactured in London. The Folding Wheelchair In 1932, engineer, Harry Jennings, built the first folding, tubular steel wheelchair. That was the earliest wheelchair similar to what is in modern use today. That wheelchair was built for a paraplegic friend of Jennings called Herbert Everest. Together they founded Everest Jennings, a company that monopolized the wheelchair market for many years. An antitrust suit was actually brought against Everest Jennings by the Department of Justice, who charged the company with rigging wheelchair prices. The case was finally settled out of court. First Motorized Wheelchair - Electric Wheelchair The first wheelchairs were self-powered and worked by a patient turning the wheels of their chair manually. If a patient was unable to do this, another person would have to push the wheelchair and patient from behind. A motorized or power wheelchair is one where a small motor drives the wheels to revolve. Attempts to invent a motorized wheelchair were made as far back as 1916, however, no successful commercial production occurred at that time. The first electric-powered wheelchair was invented by Canadian inventor, George Klein and his team of engineers while working for the National Research Council of Canada in a program to assist the injured veterans returning after World War II. George Klein also invented the microsurgical staple gun. Everest Jennings, the same company whose founders created the folding wheelchair were the first to manufacture the electric wheelchair on a mass scale beginning in 1956. Mind Control John Donoghue and Braingate invented a new wheelchair technology intended for a patient with very limited mobility, who otherwise would have issues using a wheelchair by themselves. The BrainGate device is implanted into the patients brain and hooked to a computer to which the patient can send mental commands that results in any machine including wheelchairs doing what they want it to. The new technology is called BCI or brain-computer interface.

He Second Treatise of Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

He Second Treatise of Government - Essay Example According to Jones (21), Locke made emphasis on individuals ‘natural rights (through the law of nature that claimed all men being equal and deserving to enjoy equal rights), on their constitutional governments by consent. In his theory, rather than the supreme authority, the people hold the power to set up a particular government and even replace it in case it fails. Because of the law of nature that gives humans liberty to act through the individual rights, and the contract nature of the civil society, the people can then give some of their rights to the government, as a form of trust that it would secure and defend the rights of the general people. The true sovereignty hence extends from the people as the authority is delegated more to the legislature that makes and defines the laws of the state, than the executive branch of government that executes the law (Jones 21). As a result, the theory argues that the governments should exist by the consent of the people, because with their rights they set up the civil society, and in their majority, their supreme authority and power is represented through the elected representatives in parliament. This means that the only legitimate civil society or political society that assumes power should be formed by the consent of the people, and not by force to protect and promote the public will. How John Locke Defended the Theory The law of nature: Locke used a biblical concept to defend his idea of natural law, while countering the earlier concepts as put forward by other philosophers. He portrayed the concept of liberty as a God given right to every individual so that they act in respect to the law of nature. Concepts of natural law existed before, but viewed humans from another negative point. However, Locke associates the natural law to be the will of God, who seemed to have been so far the first lawmaker for humanity to follow, that defines right and wrong and attaches sanctions to violations of the natural law; he nce humans had an obligation to live according to it, because it is reasonable and willed by God (Kim Ian 127). As such humans are viewed as capable individuals with a rationale to know the will of God (law of nature), whose wisdom and knowledge gives them liberty and enforces preservation of humanity. Despite mankind being prone to anarchy as Hobbessian philosophy indicates, the rationality humans have gives them the capability to develop the civil society and institute a government that articulates and enforces the law of nature (McFerran 24). Locke pointed out that natural law works for all humans and society preservation; hence the interest of the individuals should not conflict with those of the organisation or individuals in a society. As such, harming one another was a violation of the natural law to the property of God (humans’ lives, possessions and liberty) and deserving of punishment for the offence. Humans are obliged to enforce the natural law and can hence use t heir established civil societies as a natural faculty to fulfil the will of God, and preserve the community. They are free and potentially moral to constitute a government with limited power, and because of the knowledge of the natural law, they can put the government to checks if it conforms and serves right to implement the law of nature.

For admission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

For admission - Essay Example It was both a difficult and interesting transition in my life; on one hand was the shock of environmental and cultural change whereas on the other my quest for academic excellence. I went through a period of depression being away from home and in an environment where English is the sole language of communication but stood strong. I was not going to give up on my academic goals. I therefore developed friendships with fellow students and teachers who offered tremendous assistance with my English skills and now drastically improved. The challenges have taught me to be strong and now I am applying for my postgraduate studies. I am more confident than ever before to enjoy the postgraduate academic experience considering that I am now used to international cultures, my English language skills are impressive and have learnt a lot from interacting with people of different cultures. I will be using any opportunity both in and out of class to learn and interact so as to grow not only academically but also

Cultural Issues in Middle School Essay Example for Free

Cultural Issues in Middle School Essay Middle school is one of the most difficult situations of transition. Middle schoolers are awkward, hard to deal with and confused. They aren’t children but certainly not adults. They are egocentric to say the least and have little concern for the consequences of their actions. Yet, they are also one of the best ages to work with, if one is willing to try to understand their difficult lives. The culture in middle school can be broken down as such: sexuality, intellect, and social status. Sexually, these students have to deal with their changing bodies and feelings. They also have to try to understand how these feelings and changes fit in appropriately within the community. This is the area they are most sensitive toward. Intellectually, students have to decide if being â€Å"smart† is something they are willing to do. In some environments, being smart is cool, so those students who are gifted have no trouble fitting in. In other schools, these students are outcasts. When it is not cool to be smart, many students have a hard decision to make. If they show their gifts, they may sacrifice social standing. When it is cool, the struggling students feel even more left out and troubled. At times, these students may even act dumber to try to hide how much they truly struggle. Social status varies with each school environment. Wealth, possessions, address, family legacy and athletic ability are all indicators of success. Middle school is a contest and students are constantly scrutinizing each other to see who will win, popularity being the prize, of course. There are leaders and followers; the status symbols then change as the leaders themselves change. Whether it is the newest clothing label, shoe or track star, the culture of middle school is dominated by judgment. Evaluation The Illuminative Model of Evaluation rests its assessment on process. It appraises based on qualitative analysis of a situation in order to understand its initiation as clearly as its conclusion. Thus, in order to evaluate a situation, one must observe the effects of the process not simply look at data. The following tools of assessment are based upon that model and are applied to the curriculum overall. Several lessons will be used that typify the learning environment created within the classroom. Evaluation One: How does this lesson provide skills that work outside the testing environment? To evaluate this lesson, the calendar of lessons was assessed. Questions were asked such as, how do the lessons flow and what overall messages are the students receiving? Can they define, find and apply the concepts discussed in class? Upon reviewing the lessons, they seem to present isolated concepts. The entire unit is research process and narrative writing techniques which are two genres and should be taught separately. These lessons are trying to do way too much too fast. Middle school students are more successful when you break the process down and connect it to real world reasons for completing the work. If they would’ve started with day five, â€Å"reading the memoir,† then they could use the text to help define and find the language. Once they can do that, then they can apply the concepts such as writing dialogue, good word choice and using sensory language. The lesson plans as they are, present interesting skill sets but they aren’t connected to the question of, how do I apply this to reading and writing outside school. These skills might help them pass a test, but if you ask them to write dialogue, they will not know how. The non-fiction author board is a great idea but is not developed. They are completing tasks that have a function. This project should be enhanced by having students read Georgia authors and doing actual research and a research project on their author. This schedule needs to be totally revamped in order to serve the real world needs of the students. Evaluation Two: Does this lesson connect to a home environment? As is, there is no connection with the home environment. This will lessen the importance of the work and disconnect the families from what the students are learning. To enhance the process, when having the students write narratives, why not have them collect narratives from family members? This validates the home environment while creating an interest in the school environment at home. For the research section, they could research their family tree or conduct a survey at home regarding their family’s favorite authors. The greater the involvement from the home, the greater opportunity to work with the family for the student’s well being. Evaluation Three: What purpose does technology serve? This also needs improvement. There is no use of technology which works against evaluative point number one. In the larger society, students must be technologically literate. Students should research using the internet, present their projects via power point, and utilize online oral history collections to hear memoirs. Computers should not only be used to type in language arts but should be used as a tool for diversification of learning styles and presentation methods. Conclusion Overall, the learning process in this curriculum model needs to be improved. The questions of evaluation, based on the Illuminative Model, show that the process is flawed. Although there are many interesting lessons, they don’t flow together to teach an entire concept that can be applied to a real world learning situation. The terms need to be taught as part of an entire concept. Students can then define, find and apply what they have learned rather than simply be occupied for a 45 minute block of time. According to this model, students are more successful when the process is improved. The product should be the last point of evaluation rather than the first.

Badrs A Balcony over the Fakihani, Pillars of Salt, by Fadia Faqir, and Al-Atrashs A Woman of Five Seasons :: Badr Fakihani Faqir Pillars Five Seasons Essays

Badr's A Balcony over the Fakihani, Pillars of Salt, by Fadia Faqir, and Al-Atrash's A Woman of Five Seasons Struggles for independence from foreign conquerors, civil tyrants, and the hands of the oppressive have long been the backdrop for life in the Arab World. This struggle is compounded for Arab women, who have the added worries of societal and cultural constraints. The 20th century was a notably gory one, particularly in the Middle East. There have been numerous, almost continuous aggressive confrontations in the region since the dawn of the 20th century, beginning with Ibn Saud?s campaign against the Ottoman Empire (Diller 384) and concluding with the suicide bombings of contemporary daily news. Typically, the actors of this violence have been predominantly men, yet such far reaching, and pervading circumstances of violence have inevitably had an impact on the daily lives and consciousness of countless generations of Arab women. This impact has also saturated the minds of many Arab women writers, and the depth of this effect comes across very well in the works of Liyana Badr, Leila Al -Atrash, and Fadia Faqir. The political and historical contexts of each novel are extremely telling. This ever-present aggressive backdrop influences settings and personal storylines of characters in Badr?s A Balcony over the Fakihani, Faqir?s Pillars of Salt, and Al-Atrash?s A Woman of Five Seasons overwhelmingly. Pillars of Salt, which is set in the early 20s in Jordan, has the earliest setting of all three novels and happens to be one of the more violent. In 1920, Transjordan was p! laced under British mandate. The British left in May of 1923, and then Emir Abdullah attempted to appease and unite various Bedouin groups and form a unit of men able to protect the land from invaders (Diller 261). It is with this historical context that we happen upon the story of Maha and her struggle for survival and independence. The novel begins with the storyteller?s muddy mixture of fact and fable. The storyteller recounts his first encounter with the English, and describes the way ?their cars exhaled black smoke into the clear blue sky? (Faqir 3). The storyteller is somewhat removed from the political context because he is ?half-Arab? (Faqir 3), yet it is still evident that there is some ill feeling towards the English. Later on, we are presented with another political opinion of the storyteller. He describes the story of the Balfour Declaration, and portrays it in a very negative manner, calling i! t the result of Lord Balfour?

Iron Crowned Chapter 11

â€Å"Cute,† I said. Kiyo turned to me, giving me the same assessment I'd just given him. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"A little venom and probably some bruising tomorrow.† He nodded, relieved, and then did a double take. â€Å"You're bleeding.† â€Å"Am I?† I asked, almost as surprised as he was. He hurried over to me. â€Å"Your shoulder.† â€Å"Oh, shit,† I said, craning my neck to look back. â€Å"That's the table injury.† â€Å"Take off your shirt. And don't even start with some ridiculous modesty spiel,† he added, seeing me start to protest. I knew he was right and gingerly lifted off the M;tley Cre shirt. He helped me part of the way, saving me from raising my arms too far. Examining the shirt, I saw blood soaked in it. â€Å"Bad?† I asked. â€Å"I'll know once I take the bandages off. Please tell me you have more and that we don't have to reuse these.† â€Å"I've got more. I told you I brought supplies.† Carefully, he peeled off the gash's cloth coverings and tossed them to the ground. In the firelight and dim glow of sunrise, I could see the fabric was completely red with blood. â€Å"You broke some stitches,† he said wearily. â€Å"I don't have the tools to fix it.† I'd once been kind of freaked out that he used his veterinarian skills to patch battle wounds, but now I kind of took it in stride. â€Å"Pain aside, is that going to matter?† I asked. â€Å"You'll bleed more, though I'll wrap it as much as I can. You'll risk a scar too if you don't get it stitched again. Once we finish this craziness up, I can do it for you back in Tucson if you don't want to explain it to your doctor.† â€Å"My regular one's kind of used to this,† I said. He snorted. â€Å"I imagine so.† I fetched my pack, and we both sat on the ground. The light was increasing, making it easier for him to work as he tidied up my back. The old bandages were tossed away, and I winced as he swabbed everything with antiseptic wipes. â€Å"I thought the danger didn't start until we were in the crown's cave,† I muttered. â€Å"As often happens, mistress, you've made an incorrect assumption,† said Volusian. â€Å"The legends say the path to the crown is perilous. We are on the path. Your testing has begun.† â€Å"Fantastic. Ow!† â€Å"I'm saving you from infection,† chastised Kiyo. That seemed to be the last of the sanitizing, thankfully, and from there he began layering gauze and tape. What he did was far from erotic, but it amazed me how gentle and steady his hands could be after seeing him savagely fight and rip things apart. I glanced over at Deanna, who had simply observed the fight. She'd said nothing, but I thought I caught a glimpse of relief on her face. My death would have put a serious hitch in our bargain. â€Å"How long until the entrance? When we lose you guys?† I asked. Annoying or not, Volusian would be missed – especially if these snakes were just the warm-up act. â€Å"A few hours,† said Deanna. I frowned, unsure if I should dread it or not. We'd lose our backup but be that much closer to finishing this anti-vacation. â€Å"I suppose it'd be too much to hope you've brought any painkillers?† asked Kiyo, still layering me up. I felt like I had a quilt on my back. â€Å"Vicodin probably isn't the best asset for impending battle.† â€Å"I was thinking more like aspirin.† â€Å"Nope.† But it did remind me I was due for another antibiotic dose. I'd arrogantly thought I didn't need them but now was glad for my mom's vigilance. Not that I wanted to admit any of this to Kiyo. The thing about dating a doctor was that he'd always been on me about taking better care of myself. I didn't want to hear any I-told-you-so's now. And unsurprisingly, there was more advice to come. He finished the last of the tape and helped me put on the clean shirt I'd packed. â€Å"Eugenie, wrapping this is a nuisance, but any gentry healer could have fixed this up in their sleep. Dorian's got great healers. Why didn't he have one of them take care of this? He should know better.† I shifted around so I faced him. â€Å"How on earth did this suddenly become Dorian's fault? Why is he responsible for everything evil? Of course he offered to get a healer. I refused because I figured other people needed it more.† I'd also totally forgotten to ask Shaya. Kiyo's expression relaxed and actually grew apologetic. He looked away. â€Å"Of course you did. I'm sorry.† â€Å"Sorry for accusing Dorian or for forgetting I'd be foolishly altruistic?† Kiyo turned back, a small smile on his lips. â€Å"What do you think? There's very little I feel apologetic for when it comes to Dorian, especially when I'm still convinced he wants to father Storm King's heir.† I smiled back. â€Å"I'm sure he does too. But it's a moot point. I've still got birth control pills. I still don't want any kids. My life's stressful enough.† Belatedly, I recalled his adoration of Luisa. â€Å"No offense.† â€Å"None taken,† he said, still smiling. â€Å"Really †¦ I should be better about trusting you. I just keep thinking †¦Ã¢â‚¬  The smile dimmed a little. â€Å"Thinking what?† â€Å"I don't know. That one day this will all get to you. And I don't mean about Storm King. I mean just †¦ everything. You'll totally give yourself over to this world. I'll lose the Eugenie I know.† I grabbed his hand without thinking and squeezed it. â€Å"Hey, stop that. You said it yourself: trust me. I'm the same Eugenie. Still split between identities †¦ but nothing can change that.† â€Å"I know.† He continued holding my hand. The touch of his fingers, which had been so objectively medical minutes ago, now took on another feel †¦ something warmer. Something that made my body feel strange, as those dark eyes stayed fixed on me. I found myself falling into them like I used to, into those sexy, smoky depths†¦. I abruptly stood up, breaking that dangerous touch. â€Å"Well,† I said awkwardly, â€Å"seeing as it's already light out and we're up, we might as well get going. Breakfast in the saddle?† Kiyo rose too, looking troubled. â€Å"Sure. The sooner we're moving, the sooner we're past any snake threats.† As we packed up and got back on the horses, I wondered if we were riding toward something much worse than snakes. Don't get me wrong: they'd been bad. But I fought supernatural creatures all the time. There'd been so much hype about the crown. Was it simply going to involve a monster buffet? I kept those thoughts to myself as we traveled, having plenty of other things to preoccupy me. My meager breakfast. Kiyo's presence. The pain in my back. The meaning behind the scattered holes in the terrain. On the road went, just as it would through any part of the Otherworld. I wondered how far it went. To infinity? Or would a traveler simply fall off the edge, like on those maps made back when people believed the world was flat? â€Å"This is it.† Deanna's voice, though soft, seemed harsh in the emptiness around us. We came to a halt, and I glanced around, searching for what she'd found. At last, I spotted a small, dark opening tucked in one of the iron mountains. â€Å"That's it? It seems so †¦ small.† â€Å"Out here it does,† said Kiyo. â€Å"We don't know what's inside †¦ except that it's going to completely enclose us in iron. Remember – that'd kill most gentry. It's a test you're lucky enough to skip. Hopefully.† â€Å"True,† I murmured. I still felt no ostensible effects from this land, but what would happen inside the mountain? â€Å"I can't go inside,† said Deanna. â€Å"I'll just wait here for you to come out.† â€Å"I too shall wait,† said Volusian, â€Å"in the hopes that you meet your death and that it is your spirit that emerges, so that I may torment it for all eternity.† I pushed away the desire to order him away. Even if he couldn't follow us, I'd feel better having him right here for defense when we came out. And we would come out, I decided fiercely. There was no if here. I left my bag and gun outside, seeing as I had no ammunition left. Fucking snakes. Surveying the rest of my arsenal, I left the iron athame in my belt, putting the silver athame in my right hand and the wand in my left. I glanced at Kiyo. â€Å"Ready?† He nodded. â€Å"I'll go first.† It was a very manly thing to do. I let him lead and faintly heard Deanna wishing us luck. The cave we entered was pitch black and cramped. I could just barely get through without ducking and knew Kiyo had to walk slightly hunched. We followed the twists and turns, scraping against the close, rough walls. We spoke occasionally to check location, and I'd sometimes touch his back as well. The deeper we went, the more I could feel the iron around us. Again, I had no indications of weakness †¦ just an awareness. â€Å"Light,† said Kiyo suddenly. I blinked. He was right. I saw no light source, but something farther ahead was casting light down the tunnel. It started as only faint illumination, just giving me a glimpse of his silhouette. Soon, the light increased †¦ as did the heat. A roaring sound came to my ears. â€Å"I have a bad feeling about this,† I said. We rounded a corner, and my jaw nearly dropped. The path ahead was blocked by fire. To be precise, it was blocked by sheets of very neatly contained fire, giving the impression of giant blades – particularly since they swung from the ceiling. Magically flattened into sheets or not, the flames burned intensely, and the heat radiating through the corridor left no doubt that these bastards would incinerate us. â€Å"I think I saw this in a video game,† I muttered. Kiyo's gaze was fixed unwaveringly on the fire blades. There were five of them. His face was blank, but the concentration in his eyes told me what he was doing. He was timing them, studying their patterns. â€Å"They're staggered in a way that would let us get through,† he said. â€Å"We just have to watch the timing.† â€Å"You can get through. I don't know about me.† I wasn't being defeatist; I was just stating the truth. Kiyo possessed reflexes I didn't have. I could sit here for hours and probably not learn their patterns like he could. He frowned. â€Å"Maybe I can just hold your hand. Or put you on my back.† â€Å"What? No. That's ridiculous. It'd affect your speed – throw you off.† I studied the flames, hypnotized by the swinging patterns. There were spaces between each sheet. â€Å"Maybe I can wing it, take them one at a time.† â€Å"Now that's a ridiculous idea.† Frustration lined his brow. â€Å"And to think, I would have given anything for heat last night. We should have camped in here†¦.† My joke trailed off as an idea came to me. â€Å"I'll just walk through.† The look he gave me required no words to convey his opinion. â€Å"Seriously,† I said. I put my weapons away and drew on the magic within me. The iron wasn't affecting me. I toyed with the elements of air and water, testing and weaving them like a scarf. Kiyo could feel the shift in temperature near us. â€Å"What are you thinking?† â€Å"I can protect myself,† I said. â€Å"The cave's damp enough – aside from here – for me to draw water. I'll make a shield for me and use air to blow out against the fire.† â€Å"The air could feed the flames.† â€Å"Not if I do it right.† Our eyes met. He didn't like this idea, not at all. â€Å"This'll work,† I told him. â€Å"I know for a fact it will.† â€Å"For a fact, huh? I still think I should carry you.† â€Å"And I still think that's idiotic. You've gotta trust me, Kiyo. I can do this. I can feel it.† He didn't answer immediately, but I knew I had him. â€Å"If I watch you get burned alive, I'm not going to be happy.† â€Å"Volusian'll be happy,† I said. â€Å"At least someone comes out on top.† â€Å"Eugenie!† â€Å"Sorry.† I gave Kiyo what I hoped was a reassuring smile. â€Å"This'll work. You go first.† He hesitated a few moments more and then transformed into a fox. For fighting, he often chose a powerful, larger than life one. Now, he was small and quick like any ordinary red fox. He turned toward the flames, the human part – and probably animal too – again gauging timing. Then – he sprang forward. I'd piled assurances on him, but it was my own breath that caught while watching him. He ran without stopping, stride smooth and consistent as he flawlessly ran through empty space caused by the flames' swinging to the opposite side of the cave. In seconds, he reached the end, on the other side of the fifth sheet. I exhaled. He transformed back to Kiyo and peered at me through the sporadic gaps, worry all over him. I gave him another confident smile, hoping my earlier argument would hold true. I stared at the flames, not to time them but simply to muster my own courage. Magic welled up within me as I pulled moisture around my body, creating a spinning, almost cyclone-like cocoon – that instantly soaked me. That was the least of my worries. Then, I called on the air, drawing it to me and forcing it to blast away from my body. As I stepped forward, my mind suddenly ran through a hundred other scenarios. Maybe I could have just sucked out the oxygen here and killed the fire. Of course, that'd likely render me unconscious. And would ordinary physics even work against magic fire? That question came to me too late, along with the realization that magic fire might similarly be immune to air and water. Woosh! I lacked Kiyo's timing. The first fiery sheet flew at me – and went around me. My fan-effect blew it away and the scalding heat that would have still reached me was mitigated by the water. I picked up my pace, walking through the second one in a similar way. Lucky timing made me miss the third altogether. The fourth nailed me – or would have – and then I just barely sidestepped the fifth. I reached Kiyo's side and dropped the magic. â€Å"Three out of five ain't bad,† I said cheerfully. To my surprise he hugged me, in spite of my dripping clothes and hair. â€Å"Jesus Christ that was scary, Eug. When I saw you walk through that first wall †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ you thought it was pretty cool?† He pulled back and shook his head, watching as I wrung water from my shirt. â€Å"You sure are making an awful lot of jokes about some pretty serious stuff.† â€Å"Hey, you're the one who made the Dune reference.† I sighed and let my hands fall to my sides. â€Å"Besides, if I wasn't making jokes, I'd probably come to my senses and be running straight back to the Thorn Land.† I drew air to me, taking along some of the heat, to sort of blow-dry me off. I stopped when I was semi-dry, not wanting to use up the magic. â€Å"I understand,† he said. He gently touched my arm, smiled weakly, and then tilted his head toward the darkness ahead. â€Å"Ready for more?† I nodded, following him once again. We walked farther and farther from the flames, losing the light as we did. A strange flashback came to me, a trip to the Underworld where I'd walked through similar caves and faced tests to bring back Kiyo's soul. How could I have nearly forgotten about that? I'd loved him so much, I'd faced Death herself. How did love like that change? More tunnel crawling followed, and I wondered if perhaps this was a test for claustrophobic gentry. Gradually, though, the tunnel began to expand and expand until it suddenly dead-ended into a large cavernous room. Much like the tunnel, everything here was simply rough rock with occasional glimpses of iron. A few torches lit the chamber, revealing its centerpiece: an elegant marble pedestal with an iron crown sitting on it. â€Å"Seriously?† I said. Kiyo and I hovered near the room's opening, wary of entering. Yet, as I stared at the crown, it wasn't any potential trap that sent a chill down my spine. Another test in my trip to the Underworld replayed in my mind: I'd been forced to wear my father's crown, despite my protests. That crown had been platinum, but it and the one before me both had a similar silvery sheen. Both were adorned with purple jewels. Both had a harsh, martial feel to them. The one in the vision had been a little more delicate, though, with a bit more artistic flair. Designer planning had also clearly gone into this one, with its circle of jeweled spikes alternating in size, but my feel was that it was meant to be impressive, not pretty. â€Å"It's an illusion,† I said to Kiyo. â€Å"We can't have reached it already. We've hardly done anything.† He didn't take his eyes off the crown as he spoke. â€Å"Snakes and walking through fire are nothing?† â€Å"Well, no. But I expected more, considering all the hype.† â€Å"The iron,† Kiyo reminded me. â€Å"You used magic to get through the fire. Most gentry would too – but imagine what it would be like for them in all this iron. If they even got this far. You're †¦ not cheating, exactly, but you're bypassing a lot of the challenges here.† â€Å"If it's meant to be for gentry, then maybe the crown is too. Maybe I'm too human and won't be able to claim it.† Man, that would suck. â€Å"One way to find out.† I stared at the crown, noticing how little light reflected off it. Was this it? Did I really just go up and claim it? Time to find out. I took a few steps forward †¦ and the room abruptly became cold. A dark feeling, a feeling of power and pure evil filled the small space. What does evil feel like? You just know. I hastily returned to Kiyo's side, but it was too late. A male figure materialized before us, clad in beautiful purple velvet robes, embroidered and tailored in a way Dorian might have envied. This guy's hair was nearly as beautiful, a pale white blond that shone in the torchlight and grazed his shoulders. Yes, definitely an impressively attired figure. The only thing that really detracted from it all was that he was a skeleton. â€Å"Oh, fuck,† I said. â€Å"What is it?† asked Kiyo, moving close to me. â€Å"A lich. Like a †¦ I don't know. An undead necromancer or magic user.† My mind was frantically spinning. Liches used magic before their deaths to purposely keep themselves from the Underworld. It made them very hard to banish, according to Roland. I'd only ever heard of them in stories. â€Å"Like a zombie?† â€Å"No. Smarter. And they can also do – duck!† Kiyo, always a hair faster than me, had already dropped down and taken me with him as the lich hurled a ball of blue fire at us. It hit the wall above us, dispersing and blasting us with heat but otherwise doing no harm. More of that fire was already forming in its skeletal hand, and I knew it would aim low. Kiyo transformed to his largest fox form and leapt at the lich, attacking the best way he knew how. His jaws started to close around the lich's robe-encased leg, but a small gesture from the lich sent Kiyo flying. He hit a wall, shook it off, and growled, pacing and planning what to do next in light of this new development. During their split-second encounter, I had just enough time to send my senses out through the wand. I touched the Underworld and attempted to form a connection. The butterfly on my arm burned like the snake's venom, but I couldn't open the way. It was like beating on a heavy locked door. More effort might have helped me break through, but I had no chance to try before another fireball came toward me. I dodged and rolled away. Seeing the lich deflect Kiyo again made me think an athame attack wasn't going to be much help either. The lich seemed to recognize my problems and laughed, a low, guttural sound that echoed unnaturally in the chamber. â€Å"You will not wear the Iron Crown. You do not possess the power to wear the Iron Crown.† I was ready to evade another fireball, but a flick of the lich's hand threw me back against the wall. I didn't even have time to process the agony that caused to my wounds because the unseen force that pinned me there hurt too much. It was like a million invisible needles were piercing my skin, going straight through me, and lodging in the stone to hold me in place. I screamed at the pain, and Kiyo instantly raced toward the lich again. The larger the fox form, the more animal he was, and I had a feeling this was just a gut reaction at seeing me attacked. The lich threw him off again with that invisible force – only harder this time. Kiyo slammed against the wall, slumping down to the cave's floor. Weakly, he tried to stand up on all four legs but was too disoriented and injured. The lich turned back to me, and I saw death in his eyes. Had I really joked about this being easy? The only one this had been easy for was the lich. He'd taken us out with just a few spells, and now I would die. This was why those who wore the Iron Crown were feared. If you could survive this, you could survive anything. â€Å"You will not wear the Iron Crown,† he repeated, lifting his hands for the final spell. â€Å"You are not worthy.† I summoned my magic, despite the pain. A gale force wind blasted into him, making him stagger back. So. He wasn't totally impervious to physical force. Calling the magic was difficult, but when Dorian had first trained me, we'd practiced casting spells in a number of uncomfortable positions. I increased the force of the wind, pushing the lich back a couple more steps. The Iron Crown didn't budge, but the wind had pinned Kiyo up against the wall, almost making him go flat. I nearly hesitated, fearing I'd hurt him. He was still alive from the last hit. Surely he could handle this. And that added force was a good call. It distracted the lich so that when I mentally pushed back against his spell, he couldn't hold it. The invisible pins vanished, and I slid to the floor, landing shakily but upright. I still hurt and already felt worn out but held strong to my magic. It kept the lich away, but it also didn't knock him into the walls the way he could us. His skull-face wore a perpetual grin, making this all that much more annoying. â€Å"You don't have the power,† he said, seeing I couldn't do much more with the wind. â€Å"You are not worthy of the crown.† White light began glowing between his hands. No fireballs this time. It was lightning. It flew from his hands with incredible speed – say, like, the speed of light – but I evaded it, with almost no thought. Lightning was in my skill set. My body was attuned to it, able to anticipate and avoid it even with its speed. Nonetheless, the lightning blasted away half of the cave wall and the thunder that accompanied the bolt nearly left me deaf. Rocks and debris from the shattered stone were swept up in my windstorm, flying around the room like shrapnel. A few of them hit me. One cut my arm. In spite of it all, I laughed, sounding slightly crazy even to myself. â€Å"You're going to fight me with lightning?† I yelled above the raging wind, which I had managed to kick up a notch after all. â€Å"Do you know who I am?† â€Å"I know you will never have the crown,† the lich replied, summoning more lightning. His words dug into me, and not just because my life was on the line here. It was the meaning behind them. You are not worthy. A dismissal of me. Of my power. He really didn't know who he was dealing with, though. He had no idea of the power I could wield, even in this iron dungeon. No one would say it directly, but I was beginning to suspect I was the most powerful magic user since my father. This bastard lich was about to find that out. He'd see my power. I'd destroy him and take his fucking crown. â€Å"You call that lightning?† I yelled, after dodging the next bolt. My magical senses touched the molecules in the room, the positive and negative charges. The scent of ozone was everywhere. â€Å"This is lightning.† I didn't need my hands. I could create lightning from the air. It blasted into the lich and should have disintegrated him. He stayed intact, unfortunately, but the way he wobbled and didn't instantly go for another bolt told me I'd made progress. The magic burned within me, filling every ounce of my being as I held onto the surrounding air. The wind still blew, the ions stayed readied. In the center of it all was the crown, the crown I was going to walk out of here with. I would stop this war and show Katrice and everyone else not to screw with me. But first, I needed to finish this. I considered continually blasting the lich with bolts, but another idea came to mind. It would bring all of this to an end quickly. Scientists have long debated the existence of ball lightning, but I knew it was real. I'd never really used it in a serious way but had experimented. Some of the principles of its formation were like those of â€Å"regular† lightning, but a few quirks were what made it unique – and so hard to study. I knew how to summon it. I knew what it could do in here. Whereas the magically created bolts the lich and I had wielded had been shaped and controlled, ball lightning was huge and radiating. It would fill this cave, incinerating the lich. I wouldn't be surprised if it melted the walls. And the crown? The crown would survive – as would I, being the magic's mistress. The power blasted out of me, lightning forming an orb in the cave that exploded outward, blinding even my eyes. The walls shook, heat washed over me, and a roaring filled my ears. I heard the lich scream, a horrible, raspy sound. I didn't let go of the spell until his cry faded to silence. The ball lightning disappeared instantly, almost startlingly so. My own control of such power surprised me a little. My ears rang in the silence. The crown stood unharmed, as expected. The pile of bones I'd expected was not there, however. Instead, a small, wizened man stood before me, dressed in the same purple robes. I reached out and readied my magic for this new threat. He didn't move, though. To my astonishment, he smiled and gave me a small bow. â€Å"Congratulations,† he said. He gestured to the crown. â€Å"You are worthy – if you can wear it, of course. And something tells me you can, if you've survived this much iron.† I glanced back and forth between him and the crown, unbelieving. â€Å"I did it†¦. I won through. Won the crown. I defeated the lich †¦ er, you †¦ or whatever.† â€Å"Certainly the lich was part of the test. It takes great magic to defeat one. But the test was about more than your power,† said the old man slyly. â€Å"It was about your determination. Your will. Your ruthlessness to get to the crown, no matter the cost.† He stepped aside, waving his hand over at the cave's side. I gasped. Kiyo – in human form – lay against the wall. His dark eyes were open, and I saw no obvious injuries. He was simply watching the interaction. I flew to his side, kneeling down. â€Å"Oh my God. Are you okay?† I asked, helping him sit up. His breathing was even, though he looked a little addled. â€Å"Please †¦ talk to me. Kiyo. Are you okay?† â€Å"Yeah, yeah †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He lightly touched his forehead and winced. â€Å"Hell of a headache.† I could scarcely breathe. I felt numb all over. â€Å"You shouldn't be alive,† I whispered. â€Å"You should have died.† That ball lightning had eradiated the room. That had been my plan, after all. Destroy everything except me and the crown – and everything would have included Kiyo. In the moment, I had forgotten. I had forgotten all about him. I'd been too fixated on the crown, on proving to the lich who the real badass around here was. Kiyo hadn't mattered in that moment, and it had nothing to do with our rocky relationship. I had the horrible, terrifying feeling that it wouldn't have mattered who was in the room. â€Å"Oh, God,† I said again, pulling his head against my chest. Tears stung my eyes. â€Å"Oh God oh God. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I don't know what †¦ I don't know what I was thinking†¦.† A nasty voice spoke inside my head. Didn't you? â€Å"Hey, Eug, calm down,† said Kiyo, patting the back of my head. â€Å"I'm okay, don't worry. You did it. You defeated it.† He didn't get it. He didn't get what I'd done – or nearly done. Clearly, whatever crazy, powerful magic was involved here had protected him for the sake of the test. But if it hadn't †¦ â€Å"Seriously,† said Kiyo, still not understanding my distress. â€Å"I'm fine. Just got tossed around too much. Now go get the crown. He said it's yours.† I pulled away and looked into Kiyo's eyes, eyes full of fondness and pride. I didn't deserve that look, but we needed the crown, and we needed to get out of here. I rose unsteadily and walked over to the pedestal. The crown sat there ominously, and I glanced at the old man. He nodded encouragingly. If you can wear it. I supposed there was one more test, one I might fail. When my fingers touched the crown, I felt nothing, only cold metal. I lifted it gingerly, almost afraid of what I did. It was heavy – far heavier than my crown of state or fashionable ones. Yet, it fit my head perfectly, which was weird. When I'd first seen it, I'd been overwhelmed by its size. I'd been certain it would fall right off. The old man beamed and bowed again. â€Å"And now it is yours. Its powers are yours. You can make armies tremble. You can rip away lands and subdue them. The world can be yours.† Hoping I'd proven myself, I removed the crown. â€Å"I just hope I can end a war.† Kiyo rose shakily to his feet. He no longer smiled. â€Å"What do you mean she can rip away lands?† The old man spread his hands out wide. â€Å"That is the crown's power.† â€Å"The crown has no power,† I said, frowning. â€Å"It's a prize, a status symbol for enduring all this.† â€Å"A prize?† The old man's eyebrows rose, and he gave a great belly laugh. â€Å"Do you believe all of that was just for a prize? For some bauble?† Kiyo and I exchanged uneasy looks. â€Å"Then what does it do?† I asked. â€Å"The Iron Crown allows you to break the bond between a monarch and his or her kingdom, thus freeing it. If you have the strength, you can then claim it.† The old man shrugged. â€Å"Why, with enough power, you could control half the kingdoms in this world.†

Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia

Children, by their very nature, are friendlier and more loving than adults. Children also find it easier than adults to believe in the imagination and thereby build castles in the air. Thus, two lonely children in Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia build a bridge to Terabithia, which happens to be their very own imaginary forest kingdom. Jesse Aarons Jr. is a middle child among five siblings settled with their parents in rural Virginia. While his father works away in Washington D. C. , Jesse is not among his mother’s favorite children.She does not seem to have much time for the son. Even so, Jesse’s sister, May Belle, shows love for her brother and even looks up to him. Leslie Burke, another important character in the book, is the only child of rich writers who have moved into Jesse’s area only recently. After Leslie wins a race that Jesse had been preparing all summer to win himself, in spite of the fact that the race is meant for â€Å"boys only, † the two strike a friendship. Both Jesse and Leslie are loners who do not get along very well with the other children at school.Jesse is interested in art, while his dad in Washington D. C. disapproves. Leslie does not have a television at home. So, Jesse shares his love of art with his new friend, Leslie. She, in turn, describes to her new friend her own love of fantasy tales. Through these discussions emerge a new idea – that of creating a magical kingdom. This imaginary kingdom is created near the children’s homes and in the woods. What is more, this new kingdom belonging only to Jesse and Leslie is accessible only by means of a rope that must swing over the creek.The kingdom is called Terabithia, and Jesse and Leslie are respectively named the King and the Queen of Terabithia. Jesse and Leslie spend each day at Terabithia after school. It is in their very own kingdom that the two children finally find their own place in the world. They shed their fears in th is kingdom to boot, such as the fear of the bully, Janice Avery from 7th grade. One day when Jesse is out to the National Gallery of Art in Washington D. C. on a field trip with his music teacher, Ms.Edmunds, whom he admires very much, Leslie goes off to Terabithia on her own. But while she is trying to cross the bridge to Terabithia – the rope that swings over a creek which is rain-swollen – her head hits a rock and the girl falls into the water to drown. Although Jesse cannot easily get over the death of Leslie, he overcomes the grief by remembering the strength that his new friendship had given him. Jesse overcomes his grief also by returning to Terabithia to perhaps save the life of Leslie, imagining that she may be alive somehow.While he is searching for Leslie, he hears the cry of a young voice calling for help. At first, Jesse believes that he has found Leslie alive. However, the voice calling out to him is that of his younger sister, May Belle. Jesses helps out his younger sister who has got stuck right in the middle of the rope over the creek. Before Leslie’s parents leave Jesse’s area, the boy asks them whether he could take some wooden planks that are lying in their shed. The parents reply that Jesse may have anything left over by them.Jesse takes the wooden planks to Terabithia and builds a bridge to replace the nasty rope over the creek. Once he is finished, he takes May Belle along with him to Terabithia to declare that she would be the Queen of Terabithia from now. Hence, the Bridge to Terabithia becomes an extraordinary adventure for young children, who would also learn how to face the realities of life through this wonderful read. Indeed, the book has important lessons for young children, one of the more important ones of which appears to be the use of reason.

Are You Up on the Top Resume Cover Letter Trends of 2012-2013

Are You Up on the Top Resume Cover Letter Trends of 2012-2013 Are you up on the top resume cover letter trends of 2012-2013? Many articles posted on line are old and outdated. Thankfully, each year Career Thought Leaders releases an up-to-date report on current job search trends and the 2012 report has been released! Findings of 2012 Global Career Brainstorming Day: Trends for the Now, the New the Next in Careers covers topics including Career Marketing Communications (my focus), Job Search, Career Planning Management, Career Counseling Coaching, The Changing Employment Landscape, and Challenges for Career Professionals. I invite you to read the full report to get a picture of job search trends in all these areas. What follows is a summary of top trends in Resumes Cover Letters, LinkedIn Profiles and Video/Multimedia presentations. The Essay Expert will be following these recommendations and I hope you will too! Resumes Cover Letters Resumes are not dead, despite the fact that some people do get interview offers based solely on their social media profiles and video presentations. In most fields, resumes remain the central career marketing document, around which all other materials (LinkedIn profile, networking resume, bio, etc.) revolve. Ideal length is two pages for most mid- to senior-level professionals; the presentation must be such that the information is readily absorbed in 6-10 seconds. A portfolio of additional, consistently branded materials, including an Executive Summary for senior players, is welcomed by decision-makers; this compilation paints a full picture of what an accomplished applicant offers. An exact street address is no longer necessary, but a LinkedIn URL is recommended. Numbers speak louder than words, so include any you can! Also include CAR (Challenge-Action-Result) or STAR (Situation-Task-Action-Result) stories to demonstrate your value. Each resume must be tailored to the job description. You will need multiple versions to be truly effective. Quotes/testimonials are becoming more and more accepted- and perhaps even expected- on resumes. Photos are still a no-no in the United States for anyone looking for full-time employment; in Europe and the UK, however, photos remain standard. Document Format requirements vary depending on your audience. Some organizations and job search sites accept fully formatted resumes in .doc or .pdf format; others require Word documents or text-based files. Gmail addresses are the standard, and aol addresses are seen as antiquated, especially for tech jobs. Brief, tailored cover letters are still welcome by some HR and hiring managers, so best practice is to include one that makes you stand out. The old â€Å"snail mail† tradition of sending a resume on nice bond paper is also not dead! You can make an impression by doing so and get some attention. If you are working with a recruiter, do whatever the recruiter directs you to do. You can use your more highly formatted resume when interacting directly with hiring managers. LinkedIn LinkedIn is absolutely essential to your job search strategy. Sure, you can be on facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, but LinkedIn is the one non-negotiable. Did you know that recruiters will often accept LinkedIn connection requests even though they will not read an unsolicited resume? Once on LinkedIn, recommendations are as follows: Prioritize keywords and recommendations (vs. endorsements). Update your profile and activity status regularly. There is no need to purchase a Premium account in order to get value from your LinkedIn presence. LinkedIn is not a silver bullet! Simply having a great profile does not guarantee success; you must participate in discussions and â€Å"take it off line† to get full value from the site. Your LinkedIn profile should complement, not copy, your resume. VideoBios, Web Portfolios, Visual CVs Other Multimedia Tools Web portfolios are becoming common, especially for those in the graphic arts field. A web presence may soon be expected for job seekers in some fields! Consistent branding is key. Video resumes are more accepted and utilized on the West Coast than elsewhere, but they have not taken off as anticipated. It seems social media profiles such as LinkedIn are still winning out. Some recruiters like video resumes/bios and Skype. Word to the wise: If you choose to present yourself through video, make sure you use high level technology! A poor quality video image, whether in a video or a Skype conversation, can be worse than no video at all. I hope the above â€Å"hot-off-the-press† advice from top career professionals supports what you’re already doing or encourages you to head in a new direction. Read the full report here. If The Essay Expert can help, let us know! We are available at 608-467-0067 or through our Web Form.

Reporting Money to Customs at the Canadian Border

Reporting Money to Customs at the Canadian Border When traveling to and from Canada, there are rules surrounding what youre allowed to bring into and out of the country. Canadians returning home must declare any goods they purchased or otherwise acquired while out of the country. This includes things like gifts, prizes, and awards, including items that will be shipped later. Anything purchased at a Canadian or foreign duty-free shop also must be declared.   A good rule of thumb when returning to Canada through customs: If youre not sure whether or not  something needs to be declared, its better to declare it and clear it with border personnel. It would be much worse to fail to declare something that officers discover later. Officials can seize any goods being illegally imported into Canada and, if  caught, youre likely to face penalties and fines. If you try to bring a firearm or other weapon into Canada without declaring it, you could face criminal charges. Bringing Money Into Canada There are no limits to the amount of money that travelers may bring into or take out of Canada. However, amounts of $10,000 or more must be reported to customs officials at the Canadian border.  Anyone who fails to report amounts of $10,000 or more could find their funds seized, and face a penalty between  $250 and $500. If you are carrying $10,000 or more in coins, domestic and foreign bank notes, securities such as travelers checks, stocks, and bonds, you must complete a Cross-Border Currency or Monetary Instruments Report - Individual Form E677. If the money is not your own, you should complete Form E667 Cross-Border Currency or Monetary Instruments Report - General. The form should be signed and handed to a customs officer for review. Completed forms are sent to the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center of Canada (FINTRAC) for assessment and analysis. Non-Canadians Visiting Canada Anyone bringing goods into Canada must declare them to a border officer. This rule applies to cash and other items of monetary value. Its a good idea to have some idea of exchange rates because the minimum amount required to be declared is $10,000 in Canadian dollars. Personal Exemptions for Returning Canadians Canadian residents or temporary residents returning to Canada from a trip outside the country and former Canadian residents returning to live in Canada may qualify for personal exemptions. This allows them to bring a certain value of goods into Canada without having to pay the regular duties. Theyll still have to pay duties, taxes and any provincial/territory assessments on the value of goods above the personal exemption. Future Issues at the Border The Canada Border Services Agency keeps a record of violations. Travelers into and out of Canada who develop a record of infractions may have issues crossing the border in the future and may be subject to more detailed examinations. Tip: The best course of action for anyone entering Canada, whether youre a citizen or not, is to have your identification and travel documents readily available.   Be honest and be patient, and youll be on your way quickly.

From Evaluating a Skilled Care Initiative in Rural Burkina Faso to Article

From Evaluating a Skilled Care Initiative in Rural Burkina Faso to Policy Implications for Safe Motherhood in Africa - Article Example The study also reveals humans as prejudicial, for failing to put in place universal policies that would incorporate poor people as well. (Meda, et.al., 2008). The research questions of this study include: what practices lead to the rise in maternal mortality? What is the role of safe motherhood policy in alleviating fatalities of motherhood? How can these alarming rates of mortalities be reduced? The purpose of the research is to study the current situation of motherhood safety, identify contributing factors and recommend possible solutions to the problem, through the generation of evidence-based policies that would be useful in promoting safe motherhood programs in Burkina Faso (72-74). The type of research design used in this study is a descriptive, evidence-based design, carrying out studies in different settings and providing the factual representation of results from the field. It involves naturalist studies, drawing citations from case studies, intent observation of human behavior within the study settings of Burkina Faso, and use of surveys. It also involves the review of the literature, this has elements of Review design. The findings of this study reveal that for safe motherhood to prevail, three main issues have to be addressed: user fees, human health professionals and geographical access to health facilities by the mothers. Additionally, owing to the importance of skilled attendance at delivery, effective health policies should be established to achieve its successful implementation. Other policies that have emerged to be important in such implementation include fostering maternal referral service, to take care of emergency procedures; promoting community mobilization to encourage women to use maternal health services; and abolishment of user fees to cater for poor women as well (73-76).