OP-ED
yoveiuber U, 2007
2
Star Tech
Improving Maternal
Health
Rebecca Buchanan
Contributing Writer
Did you know that
half of one million
women die in preg
nancy or childbirth
every year? That is one
woman every minute
who loses her life due to
uiisafe home births, poor
health, and inadequate
health care. Women
in Sub-Saharan Africa
face a 1 in 16 chance of
dying in pregnancy or
childbirth, as opposed
to women in developed
countries facing a 1 in
2,800 chance. The United
Nations has formed
a plan, the Uruted
Nations Millennium
Development Goals, to
help reduce the popu
lation of women who
die in pregnancy and
childbirth throughout
the world. The United
Nations Millennixmi
Development goals cover
a wide range, from eradi
cating extreme poverty to
empowering women, and
the UN has pledges from
all the world's countries
to reach those goals by
the year 2015.
As we are cur
rently at the half-way
point, CORE 404 - The
Needs of Families, has
been focusing on these
eight goals and ways to
increase awareness not
only on Meredith's cam
pus, but also throughout
our community. So how
can I get involved, you
may ask? Currently,
CORE 404 is sponsor
ing a drive to benefit the
Women's Center of Wake
County. We are collect
ing toiletries, baby items
such as diapers, baby
food, and wipes, cleaning
products, women's gen
tly used or new clothes
and underwear, canned
food, and paper prod
ucts. Any item that you
feel would benefit the
women of Wake Covmty
would be extremely
appreciated. There are
drop boxes located in all
of the residence halls,
the Cate Center, Ledford,
the Library, Belk, SMB,
Health Center, Harris,
Joyner, Johnson, and
Martin.
As citizens of a global
population as well as
the United States, we
are trying to educate the
Meredith College popu
lation about the poten
tial risks for women in
giving birth worldwide
as well as increase their
knowledge about women
and children suffering
in our own county. In
addition to donating to
our food drive, there are
several other opportuni
ties to get involved. Visit
WCWC.org to find out
more about the Women's
Center of Wake Coimty,
to leam how to sponsor
your own food drive, to
volimteer, or to donate
time or money. Or, visit
UN.org to leam more
about the United Nations
Millennium Development
Goals, especially Goal 8
- Improving Maternal
Health.
Do you have ques
tions about the United
Nations Millennium
Goals? Do you have
an opinion about the
efTectiveness of the
program?
Let us know your
questions or let us hear
what you think.
Email the staff at
herald@meredith.edu
Standard keyboards,
while still necessary for
today's computing, are
becoming
obsolete. While it may
be quite a few years until
traditional keyboards
are replaced, the vir
tual keyboard and the
silicone keyboard are
two versions that may
become more prevalent
as demands for the new
est and best technology
increase.
Virtual keyboards
project a laser light onto
any flat surface. The
only space required is
the size of a standard cell
phone for the laser light
projector. The projector
beams a full-sized key
board image onto desk
tops, countertops, tables,
or any other surface. It
can be used in conjunc
tion with tablet PCs and
PDAs for much more
Chelsea
McGlaughlin
Staff Writer
efficient typing than the
devices' tiny keyboards.
I imagine that a virtual
keyboard would be very
handy for those who
frequent trains, buses or
airplanes and want to
spend their transit time
using their devices with
minuscule keyboards.
Also, xmlike traditional
keyboards that are eas
ily damaged, the virtual
keyboard includes no
risk of dropped crumbs
or spilled drinks. Virtual
keyboards are available
for $179.99 at http://
www.virtual-laser-key-
board.com/. A bit spendy,
yes, but it may be worth
it in the long run for
those who take their key
boarding seriously.
A more economical
new keyboard is the sili
cone version. Foldable,
bendable, virtually inde
structible: the silicone
keyboard is handy and
hip. Made out of the
same material as the
hottest new bakeware.
silicone keyboards can
be twisted, turned and
even fuUy submerged in
water, all without harm.
Silicone keyboards are
easily folded and stashed
in a backpack, and since
they have USB connec
tivity, are easily used
with many handheld
portable devices, such as
Blackberries and Palm
Pilots. Silicone key
boards are available in
mini and full sizes. If
you do spill a drink or
food on the keyboard,
just run it under water-
good as new. Keys are
soft and, therefore, noise
less. It is flat, however,
so it may prove to be
uncomfortable for long
term typing. Those who
are klutzy or are in need
of a portable keyboard
may want to check it out.
Visit http://the-gadgeteer.
com/review/brando_usb_
flexible_keyboard_review
for details and a review
of the silicone keyboard.
They can be purdiased
for $12.99 on http://www.
amazon.com and have
been selling for under
$10 on eBay.
Virtual and Silicon Keytoards offer high-tech t3?^ing
photos courtesy http://www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com/ and http://
www.hela.co.uk/img/Duraflex_rollup.gif