How Irish History Affected Its Music :: essays research papers

Reilly 1 How Irish History Affects Its Music   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After seven hundred years of British rule, and many uprisings that ended in failure, Ireland had reached a breakthrough. This breakthrough had an affect on many different people, especially Irish musicians. The series of uprisings and wars that led to the freedom of most of Ireland developed a new form of Irish music; the rebel songs. On Easter Monday of 1916, the first shot of the Easter Uprising was fired. Six members of the Irish Citizen Army shot a policeman on the streets of Dublin in the head. This was the start of a new era, an era where Ireland would be free. Pearse, the Commander in chief of the Irish Citizen Army, and Connolly, the leader of the Dublin division, led the main body of troops through Dublin to the General Post Office. The G.P.A. became the rebels’ headquarters for the six-day battle against the British Army. There were heavy casualties on the British side, but the Irish were still unsuccessful. There statement was made though, and they surrendered on the following Sunday. Two thousand people were arrested that day, and the leaders Reilly 2 were put to death. Even though the original opinion of the people about the uprising wasn’t in favor of it, after the death of the leaders they were outraged. (Coogan,†Troubles† pgs. 19-25) In May of 1918 the remainder of the prisoners were released. The shadow government and the Irish Republican Army were established. Eamon DeVelera was the president of the shadow government, and Michael Collins and Harry Boland, his right hand men, are associated with the IRA’s establishment. The IRA performed many rebellious acts towards the British and any Irish spies that they hired. The British felt that something needed to be done but did not have the troops due to the First World War. To work around this they sent in a hand-picked elite group that were called the Black and Tans. An Irish spy that was giving information to the IRA in return for his life informed them of the Black and Tans addresses. They then went and killed many of them. This led to the British calling a truce. (Coogan,†Troubles†,pgs. 35-42) Michael Collins was chosen to go over to London to negotiate this truce. They came to an agreement that Reilly 3 Ireland, except six northern counties known as Ulster, would become a freestate, but still pledge allegiance to Britain.

Essay on Romanticism in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein :: Frankenstein essays

Essay on Romanticism in Frankenstein      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All literature is influenced by the time period in which it was written; whether it be war, poverty, or any other social trends. People tend to write commentaries of political events, or just describe the time period. Whether it is intentional or subconscious, an author cannot help to include some aspects of the time period in which they are in.  Ã‚   The Romantic Period had a tremendous influence on Marry Shelly's writing of the novel, Frankenstein.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Industrial Revolution in England during the late 1700's was a time of great change. The populace was moving into cities, and people were disillusioned by the destruction of nature and the living conditions in the cities. In response to this disillusionment, people started to envision the world differently than they had before. They saw nature as all beautiful, powerful, and perfect. Previously, the inspiration for literature was law, order, and religion; now, it is in the writers imagination and powerful emotions. This change in the attitude of the people is called Romanticism. The Romantic Movement is one of the most important literary periods in history; affecting the literature, music, and art of the period. It encouraged spontaneity, and acting with emotions, not common sense. In the more classical style of writing, writers addressed their books to the upper class, but now writers addressed the common man and his problems. Their was a new feeling of spirituality. People were seeking eastern concepts of nirvana, transcendentalism and being one with nature. People wanted to experience life, not study it. They seeked extreme emotions, whether they were good or bad. Marry Shelly used all of these philosophies of the Romantic Period in writing, Frankenstien.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Victor Fankenstien is a man with great ambition, he is obsessed and self-centered. His life is the mirror of a Greed Tragedy. In his case, the flaw is his excessive pride. This flaw causes Victor to rush into something, for which he is not prepared. He fulfills his ambition and makes the biggest mistake of his life by creating a monster. Finally, just before Victors death, he has his catharsis. He tells Robert his story and cleanses himself. â€Å"seek happiness in tranquillity, avoid ambition† (pg. 205) This paradox, that he created a creature to help society, but it turns out to be the undoing of society and himself is an example of Victors self-centeredness. His life degenerates from here on. Victor is a product of the Industrial Revolution. In reaction to people with Victor's characteristics, the Romantic Period is born. His beliefs are in science and the known world, which is the opposite of the Romantic ideal. Essay on Romanticism in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein :: Frankenstein essays Essay on Romanticism in Frankenstein      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All literature is influenced by the time period in which it was written; whether it be war, poverty, or any other social trends. People tend to write commentaries of political events, or just describe the time period. Whether it is intentional or subconscious, an author cannot help to include some aspects of the time period in which they are in.  Ã‚   The Romantic Period had a tremendous influence on Marry Shelly's writing of the novel, Frankenstein.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Industrial Revolution in England during the late 1700's was a time of great change. The populace was moving into cities, and people were disillusioned by the destruction of nature and the living conditions in the cities. In response to this disillusionment, people started to envision the world differently than they had before. They saw nature as all beautiful, powerful, and perfect. Previously, the inspiration for literature was law, order, and religion; now, it is in the writers imagination and powerful emotions. This change in the attitude of the people is called Romanticism. The Romantic Movement is one of the most important literary periods in history; affecting the literature, music, and art of the period. It encouraged spontaneity, and acting with emotions, not common sense. In the more classical style of writing, writers addressed their books to the upper class, but now writers addressed the common man and his problems. Their was a new feeling of spirituality. People were seeking eastern concepts of nirvana, transcendentalism and being one with nature. People wanted to experience life, not study it. They seeked extreme emotions, whether they were good or bad. Marry Shelly used all of these philosophies of the Romantic Period in writing, Frankenstien.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Victor Fankenstien is a man with great ambition, he is obsessed and self-centered. His life is the mirror of a Greed Tragedy. In his case, the flaw is his excessive pride. This flaw causes Victor to rush into something, for which he is not prepared. He fulfills his ambition and makes the biggest mistake of his life by creating a monster. Finally, just before Victors death, he has his catharsis. He tells Robert his story and cleanses himself. â€Å"seek happiness in tranquillity, avoid ambition† (pg. 205) This paradox, that he created a creature to help society, but it turns out to be the undoing of society and himself is an example of Victors self-centeredness. His life degenerates from here on. Victor is a product of the Industrial Revolution. In reaction to people with Victor's characteristics, the Romantic Period is born. His beliefs are in science and the known world, which is the opposite of the Romantic ideal.

District Nurse Essay

Who is a district nurse? A district nurse is a type of nurse that works in the community rather in the hospitals. They help by supporting and caring for the patients in care homes or residential homes. P1. Identify the forms of communication. Working in care is about communication and relationship .It is simply not possible to provide care without developing communication or relationship with the patients. That’s why it is important as a carer to know how to build a relationship with the patients. Communication is about much more than just conversation. There are three forms of communication they are: 1. Contexts. 2. Forms of communication. 3. Alternative forms of communication. M1. Describe the forms of communication. Today we will be looking at one of the forms of communication which is contexts. Some of the examples of contexts communication are: 1. One to one. 2. Groups. 3. Formal and informal. 4. With people using services. 5. Colleagues 6. Managers. One to one One-to-one in communicationis the act of an individual communicating with another. It is also called face to face communication. Groups. Group communication refers to communication between 3 or more individuals. Informal. Informal communication is less defined by strict measures and is characterized by colloquial language.The Antonym of informal is formal where formal communication is associated with the use of official medical/scientific language in documentation and to systematic policies and procedures. Both types of health information communication play important roles in shaping patient behaviour, ensuring patient safety and promoting the delivery of quality health. With people using services. It is good to have a fluent communication with the people using services and show them kindness so more people can come and use your service in a suitable way. Mangers. Every company has a manger and the work of the managers is to manage the company and make sure everything is running as expected. Managers mostly interact with their employers and see how far or how well they car doing the job. Colleagues. Colleagues are the people you work with let it be in a business area or other work places. Having a colleague is a good thing because you might feel more confident in talking to him.her. FORMS OF COMMUNICATION. This topic looks at forms of communication. There are many forms of communication that people around the world use to communicate with others. They are: 1. Verbal communication. 2. Non-verbal communication 3. Written communication. Verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication refers to the way someone communicates by using words to present thoughts, ideas and feelings. Basically verbal communication is the ability to explain and show your ideas clearly through the spoken words. Unlike verbal communication, non-verbal communication refers to the messages people send out to express their thoughts and ideas without talking. There are many ways how non-verbal communications e.g. 1. Body language. 2. Facial expression. 3. Touch or contact. 4. Signs symbols and pictures. Body language. Body language is a type of non-verbal communication where by is the way to communicate by using your body instead of talking. For example the way someone sits or stands which is called posture can send messages. Head movement and hand movement might also indicate that you are sending or passing out a message. Facial expression. Facial expression refers to the way someone communicates by using his or her face. We can often tell how someone is feeling by looking at their face. For example if someone is happy there is a smile on her/his face. if someone is excited his/her eyes become wider. Touch or contact. Communicating through touch is another important nonverbal behavior. There has been a substantial amount of research on the importance of touch in infancy and early childhood. The deprivation of touch and contact impedes development. Touch can be used to communicate affection, familiarity, sympathy and other emotions. Signs, symbols and pictures. There are common signs and gestures that majority of people recognize without being taught. There are different types of signs that people and have a meaning. For example when waving to someone that means you are passing a message using signs. Symbols and pictures of all kind of different objects also communicate messages. Written communication. Written communication has great significance in today’s world. It is an innovative activity of the mind.. Speech came before writing. But writing is more unique and formal than speech. Effective writing involves careful choice of words, their organization in correct order in sentences formation as well as cohesive composition of sentences. Also, writing is more valid and reliable than speech. But while speech is spontaneous, writing causes delay and takes time as feedback is not immediate. Alternative forms of communication. There are many types of alternative forms of communication they are 1. Sign language. 2. Makaton. 3. Braille. 4. Technological aids. 5. Human aids. Sign language. As we said earlier sign language is the use of your body parts like facial expression, position, movement of the hands and arms. Sign language is mostly used by the disable people who have bad hearing problem. Makaton Language programme which uses signs and symbols to teach communication, language and literacy skills to people with communication and learning difficulties. It is designed to provide a means of communication to individuals who cannot communicate efficiently by speaking. Makaton has been effectively used with individuals who have cognitive impairments Braille. Braille is a system of writing for the blind consisting of raised dots that can be interpreted by touch, each dot or group of dots representing a letter, numeral, or punctuation mark Braille was devised in 1821 by Louise Braille, a Frenchman.. Technological aids. Basically a technological aid refers to the electronic aids people around the world use for communication. For examples mobile phones are used to pass messages from one person to another either by making calls or sending text messages. Computer is another technological aid that we use to do research and also for communication. Human aids. Human aids are special skilled people who help people communicate with each other. Examples are: 1. Interpreters. 2. Translators. 3. Signers. Interpreters and translators :.Interpreters are people who translate orally, while a translator interprets written text. Both interpreting and translation presuppose a certain love of language and deep knowledge of more than one tongue. The key skill of a very good translator is the ability to write well, to express him/her clearly in the target language. That is why professional translators almost always work in only one direction, translating only into their native language. Even bilingual individuals rarely can express themselves in a given subject equally well in two languages. And many excellent translators are far from being bilingual – they may not be, and need not be, fluent speakers of the source language (the language of the original text being translated). The key skills of the translator are the ability to understand the source language and the culture of the country where the text originated, and, using a good library of dictionaries and reference materials, renders that material into the target language. An interpreter, on the other hand, has to be able to translate in both directions, without the use of any dictionaries, on the spot. .

Analysis of Direct Costs Essay

Introduction Developing and building a drone is one thing while developing a navigation system is completely another aspect. A drone can be considered a toy without a well-engineered design and functional navigation system. The navigation system is mainly used to give commands to the drone to undertake actions that are compatible with the development of the drone. With all the funds that are put into the development of the drones, the navigation system is developed in manner that cannot be prone to outside interference like hackers, terrorist or anyone that would take over the drones navigation system. It must contain a system that will be able to take commands from a single base irrespective of the geographical condition that the drone is in (Bhimani, Horngren, Datar, Rajan, et al, 2012). A prediction of the main cost that is associated with the VectorCal’s drone navigation system production. There are two main costs associated with the production of VectorCal’s drone navigation sy stem, they are direct labor and material costs. There are also two types of labor costs associated with the production of the navigation system, indirect and direct labor. Direct labor is labor consumed in areas that have a direct connection with the production or provision of service, and it is produced by skilled workers and business operators. An example would be workers who are in the production line of the navigation system. These employees are welders, cutters, engineers, equipment operators, technicians of equipment, mechanical, production supervisors and any employee directly related to the production of the navigation systems. Indirect labor is labor consumed in the administrative areas of business that support production and trade. Employees who are on  the administrative side of the business are what cause an expense, and this cost is indirect because they are not directly responsible for the production of the navigation systems themselves. These employee’s include engineers, assistants, secretaries, drivers, human resources, trainers, marketers and accounting, all employees indirectly related to the production and sale of the produ ct. VectorCal’s navigation systems have two types of Material costs as well, direct materials and indirect materials. Materials or supplies are the basic elements that are transformed into the finished product through the use of labor and manufacturing overhead costs in the production process. The material costs can be direct or indirect materials are those that can be identified with the production of the finished product, which can be easily seen as part of the product and represents a significant cost of the finished product. Indirect materials are parts or supplies that are involved in the production process of the article, but not classified as direct materials. A good example would be nuts and bolts used in the production process, and as such are considered an indirect materials manufacturing cost. A comparison of the direct and indirect cost that is associated with the navigation system within VectorCal and my company. The main cost within the development of a navigation sy stem for VectorCal’s or Remote Control Unlimited’s drone, will be in labor and material cost. The labor cost will mainly be used in the acquisition of highly trained and experienced programmers. The programmers will have to work in a team since the navigation system is quite a complex task and numerous ideas are required. One team of programmer can be working on the global positioning and tracking system of the drone while another team will be entitled in safeguarding the system from unauthorized access and interference. It also crucial to note that, the drone navigation system will need constant maintenance and improvement, which is a continuous labor cost. The labor cost can be predicted to vary from $12 million to $16 million only on the system development without taking into consideration the maintenance labor cost. Material cost of the drone navigation system may involve the use of highly specialized pieces of electronics and equipment. In some cases where drones are used for long distance missions, a satellite may be used. The material cost can be predicted to vary from $4 million to $7.5 million depending on the functionality of the drone. The main cost may be high but  this is mainly due to the fact that it is being developed from scratch. After the navigation system is developed, it can be used on multiple drones with the only requirement of maintenance and upgrading the system. The main cost can be considered to be a one off cost that is extremely crucial. The total main cost will range from $16 million to $23.5 million and may need further analysis of hidden costs. The direct cost is seen to be almost similar with extremely little difference in range. However the indirect costs have quite a big difference. VectorCal’s indirect cost will be quite minimal since they will adopt an already working rationale in the development of their drone navigation system. This means that they will follow an example of an already working system and thus reduce mistakes and repetitions that would cost the company quite huge sums of money. The only way to control both the cost is by emulating an already successful idea and le arning through it. This reduces mistakes and tends to guide new developments in what to do and what not to do. The result will be saving time and huge expenses (Chadwick, 2002). Compare your company with VectorCal relative to the price of acquisition, semi variable costs, and allocated direct and indirect costs of the drone navigation system. The acquisition cost of a fixed asset is the economic sacrifice to acquire the asset and make it ready to be used in an activity. It includes the purchase price and any other necessary expenses such as freight, broker fee’s, registration procedures in the case of goods whose domain must be registered like a drone or airplane. The cost of purchasing function, platform construction, assembly, testing and staff training By comparing Remote Control Unlimited and VectorCals relative price of acquisition, VectorCal price will quite high compared to Remote Control Unlimited’s price, since it is already running and has firm roots within the market. Also VectorCal has a proven credibility within the market, a thing that Remote Control Unlimited will be striving to acquire. The semi-variable costs are composed of fixed and variable costs, such as salaries are fixed costs, but overtime is considered a variable cost. Both companies direct costs are incurred when purchasing products to ensure the production of the navigation systems, but the indirect costs are those related to administrative salaries, office costs, and membership costs. Setting up a business and running it to profitability is not a simple issue, but it can be simplified with good  planning and market research. References Bhimani, A., Horngren, C., Datar, S., Rajan, M. et al. (2012) Management and Cost Accounting. 5th ed. Edinburgh: Prentice Hall, p.369 – 378. Chadwick, L. (2002) Essential Finance and Accounting for Managers. Harlow, London, New York, Massachusetts, San Francisco, Toronto, Son Mills, Sydney et.al: PearsonEducation, p.280-281 Direct Labor, Direct Materials, and Overhead, (nd). http://academic.regis.edu/dbush/Accounting/Accounting%20Help/DL%20DM%20OH/acc_dl_dm_o.htm Candace Webb, Demand Media, (nd), Labor Cost Vs. Material Cost. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/labor-cost-vs-material-cost-11368.html Definition of ‘Acquisition Cost’, (nd), http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/acquisition-cost.asp Direct vs Indirect Costs, (nd), http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/research/OSP/direct-vs-indirect-costs.cfm

Running Head: Discussion Board Essay

1. What are some ways the Christian gospel is perceived in our culture? The Christian gospel is perceived in our culture as â€Å"confusion† or that Christians consider themselves to be greater than people of other religions. The one that bothers me is that Christians are hypocrites and that Christians say one thing and do another. Some of the perception are well grounded because Christians, especially carnal Christians have a tendency to package the gospel in a way that would benefit them instead of bringing others to inquire about the word of God. 2. What are some specific moral reasons people may reject the Christian gospel? A lot of people believe that there’s no way that Jesus could be fully human and fully God at the same time. Some say that there is no way that God could love and save them, being that they are mere mortals. Some people reject the Christian gospel because of sexual, marital or political reasons. Being a Christian means that you must adhere to a certain moral code and standard that most people will decline to adhere to. 3. What are some specific emotional reasons people may reject the Christian gospel? A lot of people simply doubt that all you have to do in order to be saved is to believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and you will be saved. To believe is to be accompanied by faith and a changed mind. Most people have a problem believing in something that can’t be seen. The fear of change is always difficult when a person has been used to doing things a certain way. â€Å"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God.† (1Co. 2:14, King James Bible,) 4. What are some specific intellectual reasons people may reject the Christian gospel? A lot of people are so bent on knowing everything about everything that when they are confronted with the truth of the gospel  it’s usually met with skepticism. Intellectual individuals like thing to be logically presented and the Christian gospel carries with it the element of faith and faith is something that a lot of intellectual individuals aren’t willing to invest a lot of time into or anything else for that matter. 5. What can Christians do to address these objections and better communicate the Christian gospel? First of all the Christian gospel must not be forced on anyone. Secondly the best way to communicate the Christian gospel is for individuals to see the difference that Christ has made in your life. â€Å"Preach with mildness and deep respect† (2 Timothy 2:25 King James version). â€Å"Believe what we are teaching†. ( Deuteronomy 6:6, King James version). Christians should also be open to providing more information with the situation present itself.

Bypass the Story of a Road Analysis Essay

McGirr takes virtually every detour possible and in doing so seems to suggest that life’s journey is at its most interesting when one strays from the central path. It is in the towns and rest stations that McGirr encounters individuals with interesting stories to tell – stories that give McGirr’s narrative its essential variety and ‘life’. McGirr’s interest is not only in what lies off to the side of the ‘main road’ in a literal sense. He is attracted by the lives of ‘ordinary’ people who are not famous or even particularly successful. Even when relating incidents from his life as a priest he enjoys telling stories that would otherwise never appear in print: attending the wrong wedding reception; seeing a bride answer a mobile phone. He does occasionally refer to famous or powerful people; even here, though, his preference is for the little known incident over the important, nation-shaping decision – such as John Curtin’s midnight pot of tea in a Gundagai cafà ©. In short, McGirr suggests that, although the highway itself is valuable, we must not forget or neglect places and lives that the highway bypasses, for these too constitute the ‘life-blood’ of the nation. And similarly, although the nation’s central story or history is important – that of, say, the Anzacs, the explorers, the two world wars – the stories that lie off to the side of the historical mainstream are equally worth knowing, are equally valuable. As narrator and author of this narrative, McGirr has a lot of control over how he depicts himself. Indeed, ‘the power of the person who gets to tell the story’ (p.19) is considerable, as he notes when discussing Hovell’s power over Hume in that regard. McGirr is depicted as a fairly affable, if occasionally bumbling figure whose decision to leave the Jesuit order after twenty-one years is a life-changing one. The decision prompts him to experience a number of ‘firsts’: he buys property in Gunning; embarks on an intimate relationship with Jenny whom he subsequently marries and has children with; and decides to travel on a bike down the Hume Highway and document his progress. McGirr might come across as something of an ‘everyman’ figure but his life-experiences mark him as someone rather eclectic (unusual). McGirr displays a capacity for droll humour throughout the narrative, and also a willingness to reflect deeply on his experiences and those of others. His reflective tendencies see him discuss his struggle to sincerely uphold the vow of obedience when he was a member of the Jesuit order (p.173), and also his feeling of being alone when he first joined the order (p.229). It might be argued that McGirr is depicted as someone who thinks a little too much: the discussion of his dilemma about buying orange juice with the money allocated to new Jesuits for ‘emergencies’ (p.228) is an example. Fortunately, his capacity for reflection does not make the text too ponderous. McGirr’s accounts of his developing relationship with Jenny and his self-deprecatory asides about his weight (p.31, p.98), snoring (p.227), age (p.32) and tendency to lecture others (p.142) depict him as a jovial, likeable bloke. Bypass, a hybrid work of creative non-fiction is a memoir, travel story, social history, romance and road story. The literary devices used in Bypass enliven and enrich the writing with sparkling wit. For example: ‘Hovell had been a naval captain. On land, however, he was all at sea.’(p 19) ‘They were like fishermen who were prepared to dam their own river rather than let it starve them.’(p 48) ‘A roadhouse is a place where everything that can’t be eaten has been laminated, and not all the food can be eaten.’(p 66) ‘Guerrilla warfare is the opposite of God who, for some unknown reason, makes his or her absence felt even when present.’(p 81) ‘I came to Gunning to hide, but people kept finding me.’(p 97) ‘Sturt went blind trying to see what none had seen before.’(p 170) McGirr’s anger at some social problems is often expressed in blunt metaphors, for example, when discussing gaming machines in Goulburn he writes: ‘They are abattoirs of the human spirit.’(p 90) His love for language is reflected, for example, where the text is an extended reverie on arcane words and their meanings eg panier (p 98), or in his jovial attempt to find a word to describe a group of prime ministers (pp 153-4). Humour is one of the most appealing features Bypass, for example the discussion of caravans with a fellow traveller (pp 110-1). Michael McGirr is masterly in creating punch lines to end his stories. eg ‘I don’t believe in washing your dirty laundry in public.’(p 263) The Hume Highway: The Hume Highway runs for over eight hundred kilometres inland, between Sydney and Melbourne. Early settlers, such as Charles Throsby and Hume and Hovell, made journeys overland that eventuated in the Hume Highway being developed. The road, initially sometimes called the Great South Road in New South Wales and Sydney Road in what became Victoria, has been re-routed, extended and improved over time. In 1928, it became officially known as the Hume Highway. A number of towns originally on the Hume Highway have now been bypassed to reduce both travel times and the amount of traffic (especially trucks) passing through town centres. The meaning of bypass: The term bypass means to go around something; a road bypass normally goes around a town or the centre of a town. There are many such bypasses on the Hume Highway, allowing the traveller to avoid built up areas and suburban streets. However, although Bypass is the story of a journey along the Hume Highway, the title makes it clear that McGirr’s main interest is in how the road goes around places and people, and what the effects of this might be – both positive and negative. For more about McGirr’s engagement with the notion of a bypass, see the section on Themes, Ideas and Values. The main idea in the novel Bypass is the idea of a journey. In literal terms, Bypass: the story of a road tells the story of a physical journey from one point to another: in this case, from Sydney to Melbourne. However, McGirr makes clear that a journey can have qualities that are more metaphorical. The literary references to Don Quixote and Anna Karenina, in particular, suggest very different types of journeys. The quotation from Don Quixote, ‘there’s no road so smooth that it ain’t got a few potholes’, implicitly signals Sancho’s philosophical take on the nature of relationships and life more generally. This attitude towards the vicissitudes of life clearly informs the text as a whole. For instance, McGirr comments about the degree to which his ‘silly adventure’ might impact negatively on his relationship with Jenny (p.137). Likewise, the comments he makes about the truckies whose marriages can suffer from their long hours on the road (p.52), suggest that physical journeys and emotional journeys are closely intertwined. The frequent references to Anna Karenina also signal McGirr’s interest in the romantic and tragic dimensions of life. The flirtatious comments about McGirr’s relationship with Anna Karenina, his predilection for relinquishing (and then recovering) the text from time to time and the inevitable decision to place her in close proximity to a railway (p.260) work symbolically as a comment on life more generally, as well as on the plot of Tolstoy’s novel. After all, Tolstoy’s Anna throws herself in front of a train. McGirr is all too aware of the fragility of life – both on the road and beyond it. In this novel, death and memorial are also an important theme. The ultimate destination in life’s journey is death. McGirr does not shy away from discussing the fragility of life and makes much of the memorials on the Hume Highway. Death is something that cannot be bypassed and, like ‘the road [which] has no respect for persons or status’ (p.158), it comes to us all. As McGirr notes when reflecting on the cemetery in Gunning, ‘even a long life is short’ (p.7). For McGirr the Hume Highway is ‘sacred space’ (p.15); it is ‘lined with countless reminders of death’ (p.178) and memorialises both those who have died on it and those who have died at war. While McGirr is respectful and interested in the memorials dedicated to the war dead, his main priority is to acknowledge that death comes to all and that the lives of all ordinary Australians – including soldiers – are worth acknowledging and commemorating. Indeed, this is clearly conveyed by his juxtaposition of the near-death experience of Kerry Packer (p.40) and the funerals of the Queen Mother (p.255) and the Princess of Wales (p.256) with the experiences of less well-known individuals. Packer’s blunt assertion that there is no life beyond the grave is contrasted with the more positive reflection of a woman who believed that her husband had ‘gone to the great swap-meet in the sky’ (p.41). Similarly, the vast amount of coverage and ceremony afforded the funerals of the Queen Mother and the Princess of Wales is diametrically opposed to the more poignant account of the interment of Anton, a lonely old man whose funeral was attended by three people: the undertaker, Anton’s neighbour and McGirr in his role as priest (p.256). McGirr says of those like Anton, ‘At least God knew this person †¦ even if nobody else did’ (p.256). McGirr’s accounts of death or near-death experiences are most chilling when he considers those who have endured harrowing experiences on the road. His discussion of the murders committed by Ivan Milat (pp.70–4) and by bushrangers (pp.77–83) brings home the fact that ‘the Hume has a dark side’ (p.70). Not wanting to sensationalise – or justify – the actions of these men, McGirr nonetheless provides some background details to depict them in ways that are complex, non-judgemental and at times unnerving. ENTRY SEVEN: PHILOSOPHY IN BYPASS Given McGirr’s work as a priest for much of his life, it is not surprising that this text is largely preoccupied with issues of faith and philosophical ponderings about life more generally. McGirr makes clear his continued belief in God (p.174) but is not heavy-handed in his discussion of faith. The gently humorous and respectful way in which he recounts Jenny’s aphorisms (wise sayings) about life is a case in point. His recollection of Jenny’s remark that he should ‘just accept [the Hume Highway] for what it is †¦ you’ll enjoy it more’ (p.155) is exemplary. His discussion of Jenny’s view that there is a concave (negative and convex (optimistic) way of looking at the world (p.170) – and that he ‘might be right’ (p.170) in thinking that he has a concave approach to the world is similarly light-hearted in tone but relevant to the book’s overall interest in forms of belief. The light-hearted banter continues when McGirr discusses his acquisition of the Chinese philosophical text, Tao Te Ching. Its pithy words of wisdom are for McGirr redolent of the bumper sticker sayings that he has liberally peppered throughout his narrative. At times, McGirr’s discussion of philosophical matters takes on a more earnest tone. His discussion of how, as a priest, he subscribed to the vow of obedience in an effort to ‘make up a sense of purpose which I otherwise lacked’ (p.173) and his related anxiety that he would reach the ‘point at which you can no longer recognise yourself in the things you are starting to say or do’ (p.173) signal his need to be honest with himself as well as with others. His comment that ‘the secret of being human is learning how to enjoy our limitations’ (p.301) suggests that honesty and humility are part and parcel of a reflective existence, McGirr is also interested in the ways in which others concern themselves with spiritual matters. His discussion of the House of Prayer in Goulburn shows how prayer provides respite from the manic nature of everyday life and celebrates those like Catherine who dedicate their lives to helping others in need find peace (pp.85–6). In a very different and secular vein, McGirr recounts the belief Liz Vincent has in ghosts – of people and of the road. Although Vincent does not believe in God, McGirr seems fascinated by her stories and sensitively recounts her belief that ‘the people we love can scarcely bear to leave us and sometimes hang around as ghosts’ (p.59). Perhaps more interesting is Vincent’s claim that the old Hume Highway near Picton has a ‘ghostly presence of its own’ (p.59), appearing before unwary drivers’ eyes and beguiling them into believing that the phantom road they are following is the real thing (p.59). ENTRY EIGHT: THE POLITICS IN BYPASS In some ways Bypass is a book about power – about who has it and who does not. As McGirr writes, ‘Roads are political. Building them is a sign that somebody is the boss’ (p.14). McGirr’s discussion of the impact on Merri Creek of the F2 freeway into Melbourne (p.284), the ensuing court case and the verdict that ultimately endorsed the freeway project, exemplifies the political nature of road-making. The very essence of a bypass, for instance, is a political act and McGirr makes this clear when discussing the difficulties surrounding the decision to create an internal or an external bypass for Albury in the late 1990s (pp.203–6). Concerns about the economic effect of a route directing traffic away from town are weighed up with concerns about the impact of noise and pollution that a new road near or through a town invariably brings. Tussles between federal and state governments, as was the case with the Albury bypass, certainly highlight the political nature of road-making, as do arguments between different interest groups. The issue of the Albury bypass, along with the 1979 truck blockade staged between Camden and Picton on a notorious stretch of road known as razorback (pp.47–51), illustrate power struggles of very different sorts. McGirr also points out that the amount of money spent on roads as opposed to public transport is a political act. He writes that ‘in the last ten years, for every dollar spent on laying rail in Australia, eight dollars have been spent on highways’ (p.92). This pattern of spending is, he continues, ‘a symptom of something deeper because government spending decisions simply mirror the interests of voters’ (p.92). Bypass: the story of a road is particularly concerned with the way the highway has been the backdrop for various well-known and not so well-known aspects of Australia’s history. From Hume and Hovell’s early markings of the Hume Highway, to the increased tea ration bargained for by Jack Castrisson when John Curtin visited the Niagara Cafà © in Gundagai, to Ned Kelly’s exploits, to the antics of the humble, ordinary Australians who travel on the Hume year by year, McGirr celebrates the way aspects of Australia’s history are part and parcel of the Hume Highway’s rich narrative. McGirr’s interest in Australian history is, however, not indicative of a desire to celebrate or endorse conventional representations of Australia’s past. In a number of instances, McGirr wants to query the legitimacy of idealistic views of the nation’s evolution. McGirr challenges the idea that Australia is an egalitarian nation, for example, and claims tha t this view is a ‘myth’ (p.200). He also reminds readers of the fraught relationship between colonisers and Indigenous Australians when he discusses the life and death of an Aboriginal man named Bill Punch who survived a massacre as a baby and went on to fight for the Allies on the Western Front in World War I (pp.246–7). McGirr’s willingness to temper some representations of Australia’s past is underpinned by an appreciation of the power of language. He notes that those who are in a position to write about the past can have more agencies in their lives and also more control of history than those who don’t (p.19). This awareness allows him to ponder on the way bushrangers and explorers have been depicted over time, and how being literate can impact on the type of individual one becomes (pp.77–8). McGirr is attentive to the idea that some histories are not told and that those that are relayed are not always definitive. Bypass: the story of a road offers a quirky exploration of the Hume Highway and the personalities of the people whose lives have been touched by the road in one way or another. At the age of 40, former Jesuit priest, Michael McGirr – armed with not much more than a copy of Anna Karenina, some spare clothes and a less than state-of-the-art Chinese built bicycle – set out to ride the 880 kilometres (547 miles) of the Hume Highway which links Sydney and Melbourne. While the ride forms the backdrop to McGirr’s book Bypass: The Story of a Road, like all good travelogue’s the ride itself is really just a frame to hang the real story around, which as the title suggests, is the story of the Hume Highway. From its humble beginnings as a rough track across the Great Dividing Range, to its current state as a modern dual carriageway, the Highway continues to serve as the major thoroughfare linking Australia’s two largest cities. Bypass took me on a wonderful jo urney covering the history of the Hume, and the politics that helped shape it. Along the way you meet some great – and not so great – Australian characters that have helped imprint the name of the highway into the Australian psyche. People like the 61 year old Cliff Young (great), who in 1983 won the inaugural Sydney to Melbourne foot race against competitors half his age. And men like Ivan Milat (not so great) who was convicted of the murder of seven young backpackers and hitch-hikers, all of whom he buried in the Belanglo State Forest. Then there are the explorers Hamilton Hume (after whom the Highway was eventually named) and William Hovell, who in 1824 along with at least six others, set of from Appin (near the present day Sydney suburb of Campbelltown) for the first successful quest to reach Melbourne. Through the novel, I also met truckies; the bushrangers Ben Hall and Ned Kelly; and the poets ‘Banjo’ Paterson and Henry Lawson. I attended a Catholic Mass in Tarcutta – officially the halfway point between Sydney and Melbourne – where apart from the priest and two parishioners, the only other people in attendance are the author of Bypass and his companion Jenny, who has by this tim e joined him on his ride to Melbourne. Reading this book, it seemed like I visited almost every country town along the route of the Hume Highway, and learn something about each of them. Towns like Goulburn, famous for the Big Merino and Goulburn Jail (where Ivan Milat is currently serving seven life sentences). I visited Holbrook and learn why the outer shell of the Oberon Class submarine HMAS Otway now sits in a public park in the middle of town. In Chiltern we pass by the childhood home of the Australian writer Henry Handel Richardson, and learn that Henry’s real name was Ethel Florence. I learned too, that like other female writers have done throughout history, Ethel wrote under a male nom de plume because at the time it was felt that women didn’t have what it took to be great writers. And I also visited the town of Yass, and drop by the Liberty Cafà © for a meal before continuing on the journey, and turning page after page. Across its many short chapters, Bypass also introduced me to some of the thousands of bumper stickers that adorn the rear ends of many Australian vehicles. In fact, McGirr uses stickers as chapter headings to introduce the readers to every aspect of his journey. Thus, the bumper sticker THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS, allows him to explain some of his own personal story and the reasons for his decision to ride the Hume Highway. In the chapter THE GODDESS IS DANCING, McGirr introduces us to his riding partner Jenny, and in DEATH IS THE MANUFACTURER’S RECALL NOTICE, we pause to learn about some of the many roadside memorials that mark the sites of fatal road accidents that line the Highway. To conclude, the book is immensely readable, always entertaining and informative, often surprising, and constantly filled with odd facts and humorous anecdotes. These keep the story moving along smoothly and effortlessly – which cannot always be said of Michael McGirr’s monumental bike ride.

Routes to learning and impact on end results on Exercise to Music Essay

Routes to learning and impact on end results on Exercise to Music courses - Essay Example One method of training is the Freestyle approach which expands horizons and develops abilities; while the second method is the Pre-choreographed approach which trains instructors to conform to the traditional method of following a pre-written script developed by others. The two different learning outcomes depend on the particular productive process that integrates training and learning in context with each other (Felstead et al, 2006: 1). The health and fitness club sector in the United Kingdom has experienced rapid growth since the early 1990s. The steeply rising popularity of the fitness sector has reached nation-wide coverage, and has now levelled off into a plateau. Fitness organisations changed their focus on to increasing the productivity of the centres that are currently functioning. Hence, the emphasis on retaining existing members is growing, and more resources are being devoted for the same purpose (Mintel, 2005). Among various initiatives is the exercise to music program which has become a standardised brand name, and leaves little allowance for instructor innovation and creativity (Felstead et al, 2006: 4). Most of the health and fitness clubs in the United Kingdom provide facilities for group training in a fitness room that is designated for the purpose, and is equipped with a music system, loudspeakers and full-length mirrors (Mintel, 2005). Whereas machine-based workouts do not follow a timetable, exercise to music is conducted to a time scale. The participants experience a wider range of vision as well as physical space in which to function. Group exercise has the additional benefit of building social bonds between participants, thus increasing fitness club attendance and helping to keep membership levels high (FIA, 2003). The Exercise to Music (ETM) class is led by an ETM instructor present in front of the class, sometimes on a platform. The instructor uses a