Palliative Care Essay

1. What is Palliative Care? (150 words) Palliative Care is a care provided when someone is living with, and dying from a fatal chronic condition where the primary goal is maintaining quality of life. It provides special supportive care for anyone who is suffering a life-threatening condition approaching the end of life. Palliative care is for any age, those with cancer or any other terminal diagnosis, people of any ethnic or cultural background, whether they may live in the countryside or the city. Palliative care maintains quality of life, provides comfort although it does not cure, It relieves pain and distress for patients who are on a terminal condition. Palliative care also offers support for the patient’s family members supporting them in bereavement 2. What is meant by a life limiting illness (50 words) A life limiting illness is the term used to describe the illnesses where death is expected to be the foreseeable future of that specified illness. This can be both malignant and non-malignant illness. Such illness may include cancer, renal disease, dementia, heart disease chronic liver disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 3. Identify five members of a Palliative care multi -disciplinary health care team and briefly state what knowledge and skills each discipline contributes to the team . 1) Nurses – Nurses are the front liners in patient care and directly deals with the patient. Registered Nurses plan, direct, and coordinate care. License practical nurses works with RNs and other health professionals to provide direct care. 2) Pharmacists – The pharmacist can educate the patient and the family on how to take and manage side effects of the medications; give the doctor advice on how to administer the medication, prepare the medication, help set a schedule of taking medication, and provide ongoing monitoring of all medications. 3) Chaplains – Chaplains addresses the spiritual needs of patients like praying and answering theological questions. The help with the search for meaning in the person’s life and in the reflection of matters of faith such as prayer and rituals 4)  Physician/Family Doctor – The physician is the one in charge of a person’s medical care and works closely with the patient, patient’s family, and the palliative home care. The family doctor can refer the patient for palliative care consult. 5) Social Workers – Social workers help the patient and family in dealing with personal and social problems of illness. They assist in making referrals to community services, planning discharge to home or to a hospice, and completing advance directives in case a person loses the ability to speak for himself. 4. Describe how nurses could facilitate a â€Å" good death† by following the palliative care approach (75 words) Nurses are the one that provide direct care to the patients. They are the one who assess the patient and the first one to see any improvements or any abnormalities on patient’s condition. Nurses are the one who manage the pain and any discomfort of the patient. They are the one whom the patient talks to about their feeling and nurses must use their therapeutic and non-therapeutic communications when handling palliative patients. Nurses must also provide a safe and comfortable environment to the patients and removing any stimuli. 5. Describe how respiratory and cardiovascular factors in terminal illnesses affect the clients ADLS ADL’s are greatly affected by respiratory and cardiovascular factors because they are unable to do things they used to do. In a simple walk they can be easily exhausted, fatigued and feeling weak. Sometimes they need assistance to do their daily routine because they cannot handle it by themselves. This is all because of the respiratory and cardiovascular factors that affected them, there will be decrease in circulation and oxygenation making them feel weak on doing simple tasks. In serious cases, patient might have other complications due to lack of exercise and immobility like pneumonia and pressure areas. 6. Research and summarise the practices of Aboriginal people in relation to death and dying (100 words ) Indigenous Australians have similar practices to the general Australian population the main differences that when they gather for the purpose to share their grief and sorrow they will never again speak the name of the deceased as they believe this may stop their spirit  from moving onto the next stage of life. At the wake they paint themselves with ochre body paint and sing, dance pray assisting the soul of their loved one to move along and return to their birthplace to be re born. Their belief is that all things may posses a soul and that the soul of the deceased may return in any form even that of a rock. These ways are very traditional and differ even between tribal areas and current beliefs of the individuals. 7. What is an Advanced Health Directive and describe the advantages of having a directive in place? A written document stating ones wishes for care, primarily life sustaining measures when he or she is no longer capable to express him/herself/ 8. What is meant by life sustaining measures? Put simply is when your bodies system fails and will not recover leaving the only outcome of death a machine is used to replace the function 9. What happens if a client has no AHD and becomes too ill to express their care wishes? (30 words) When a client has no AHD they are treated as normal under the health teams objective to preserve life meaning they will be resuscitated and all attempts will be made to maintain life. Alternatively this is where the decision-making can become that of the families or a member of family. 10. Can instructions be written for doctors to assist the client to die? and how (30 words ) Advance health directives are used by patients for their future treatment when they cannot be able to speak by themselves. Doctors cannot assist the patient to die unless it is the will of the patient. There cannot be written any instruction to assist the patient to die as currently this is illegal and the health practitioner that does perform such duties with be trialled for murder. 11 . Can a client change or revoke an AHD ?. (30 words )  Patient can change their advance health directive at any time, provided that they will still have the decision – making capacity. Patient can also revoke their AHD having their signature witnessed. 12. .A family is in conflict over the treatment of their family member who is dying .The patient is in a terrible amount of pain ,yet some members want less pain relief as they don’t want him to be too drowsy .Should the patient be able to die with dignity with controlled pain relief or live longer in pain ? Explain your rationale and reflect your thoughts on this .Also how would you support the family with this dilemma ? (100 words) The aim of palliative care is to maintain integrity and quality of client’s life while he/she is battling an incurable illness. Quality of life includes ensuring that the patient is comfortable and pain free. In this situation, providing education to the patient’s family is important by trying to make them understand the advantages as well as disadvantages of providing pain relief to the client. Providing terminally ill patients adequate pain relief is vital in the outcome of palliative care. 13. The care plan states that your patient is to have a shower every day at the family’s request .You are helping to get out of bed and she states â€Å" I don’t think I can shower today â€Å"You also note that she is short of breath. What is the appropriate response to this situation? What actions would you take? (50 words) I will assist the patient back in bed and elevate the head of bed to 45 degrees or higher then check her vital signs. In short, I will grant the patient’s wish of staying in bed and let the patient rest. If she prefers a bed bath because she’s not feeling well, then bed bath should be rendered. I will also assess her vital signs and neurological observations then inform the RN and the attending physician. How would you communicate these events to the patients family when they arrive ? Once the family arrives, we could inform them that the patient is not feeling well and is short of breath so she refused to be given a bath. Explain to them that vital signs were checked, attending physician has been informed of the situation, and appropriate intervention was already given. 14†¦Consider the following symptoms and list strategies you could use to implement to assist the client (150 words) Abdominal bloating and discomfort Moist gurgling respirations Reddened sacrum Dysphagia Opioid induced constipation Strategies include: Instruct client or family to avoid carbonated drinks and gas forming food such as cabbage and beans. Advise to chew slowly and not to eat too much food at once Inform the doctor about the condition for a medication to be ordered if not alleviated Maximising the client’s oxygenation through positioning the client upright Providing supplemental oxygen and maintaining patent airway through deep breathing exercises Suctioning if required Physiotherapy 15. Describe how you would respond to the following questions /request for information Why is he continuing to have pain when he is barely conscious? Although the client is barely conscious, it doesn’t mean that he is not in pain. The manifestations of pain could not only be appreciated through verbal or physical gestures but also through vital signs. Pain could cause the blood pressure to shoot up as well as the respiration and pulse rate. Why does her breathing sound so bad? The breathing is due to the decrease in oxygenation that causes the respirations to be rapid or slow, shallow and irregular. Breath sounds may become wet and noisy, which are due to the accumulation of mucus in the airways and the patient’s inability to expectorate their secretions due to muscle weakness and decreased gag reflex. How much longer will this go on for? (50 words) This kind of breathing will go on until the vital organs and systems stop  functioning. Generally, respiration ceases first. 16 . Palliative care can be challenging environment to work in. Discuss ways in which you could ensure you care for yourself and why this is so important It is important to maintain a healthy body & mind if you are to be working in such an environment as you are a key element of care to both the patient and their family. Ways to maintain your own health are to maintain a journal and to actively seek out and debrief or find a professional to discuss your personal concerns with. Fitness and physical activities or simple stretches and/or yoga or pilates sessions can also be just as beneficial as much as it is about your physical benefits it can also assist in relinquishing any built up stressors. 17†¦Mr J ones care plan states that he must have a blood transfusion if his HB falls below 8.0 .Hi test today shows 6.5 .He is short of breath and fatigued .As the RN leaves the room after informing Mr Jones that he is to have a transfusion he says that he does not want the transfusion and that he has had enough and just wants to die .What are your actions and response to this situation ? (50 words) As it is already established why he does not wish to receive the treatment I would simply discuss why the transfusion is done and how non invasive the process is and its benefits. However in saying this the situation presented is one where the patient is obviously in emotional distress. I would notify the RN, MO &/or Doctor. Depending upon the end resolve next of kin may also be notified should treatment cease so as they can be prepared for any outcome. In my scope I would notify & document. Provide education where needed and support the patient making referral to social services or identified individuals who have already had dealings with the patient on a faith or belief basis it may also be beneficial. The MO/Doctor will deem if the patient is of sound mind to make such decisions and/or discuss with the patients substitute decision maker/s. 18. .Access a local group or organization in your community and identify what resources the organization offers to patients and their families for  bereavement counselling ,education and support .How can clients access the information (50 words)? A good provider of a full range of services is the Salvation Army as being already well established they have an extensive knowledge base and well thought processes being implemented. Counseling and education is available over the phone 24/7 and can be useful for any circumstance from distress & grief to suicidal moments. They also offer face to face counceling and can cover a full topic range, along with those already mentioned they can also discuss and assist with finance, drug abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, youth issues and even hostel and aged care assistance. The salvation armies care line phone number nationally is 1300 36 36 22 19†¦Care of the body after death is a vital aspect of palliative care and is based on cultural and religious beliefs, which includes issues of organ donation ,post mortem and autopsy .Briefly provide some information on the above in regards to – The Jewish community ( 40 words ) From the time of death to the funeral the body is to always be accompanied and never alone. Jewish religious law also preserves the respect for the dead. These rites may include: Closing of eyes and mouth Applying clay over the eyelids Facing the body toward the door Placing the body on the floor for 20 minutes Placing the arms alongside the body rather than folded over the chest Purification of the body Wrapping the body in a white shroud and (for men) in a prayer shawl Customarily, only members of the same sex are permitted to touch the corpse These rituals may be facilitated by family members, the funeral home, and/or the Chevrah Kadish (burial society) Keeping with the Jewish laws of not mutilating a body autopsies and organ donations can also be prohibited but it has been known on occasion for organs to be donated to family members. – The Muslim community (40 words ) For those of Islam the process is quiet simple the body is to be bathed and  shrouded (3 pieces of cloth for men and 5 for women) and buried as soon as possible. In the meanwhile prays will be made and loved ones begin grieving and the mourning process over 3 days. The main points of interest is that the grave is to be aligned perpendicular to Mecca as for other burial traditions they vary between regions. Cremation is forbidden and organ donation is permissible generally as long as it is to save life. Autopsies are a grey area in that there is no religious decry but many would prefer not to as a quick burial is preferred however if it where for legal reasons it has been allowed. 20. Discuss three legal and ethical issues that are related to Palliative. Briefly discuss (80 words) http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/archive/news/giving-my-dad-final-dignity/story-e6freah3-1111118720637?nk=5be06e19d7df58d1a484641fb445fb30 Legal Issues: Currently under law and a part of all practitioners industry acts is to do no harm as I have discussed previously any practitioner under current legislation to participate in euthanasia would be tried for murder. I don’t agree with this personally and even more so that should the individual perform the duties themselves it would be considered suicide negating any legacy or insurances taken to look after their families as part of their comfort in knowing the family will be cared for. Ethically: I agree with the article (link above) in that humans do play god in most aspects of the anatomy and health care we provide interventions that would cease the natural course of any ailment, we preserve the life of those inflicted with chronic illnesses, we intervene in every aspect even without knowing the full course or purpose of the health issue in the first place. The results of intervention are starting to become clear in our society, reduced immunity, fragile and susceptible bodies I believe may only be the beginning what happens after a couple generations of this. Yet we will sit on our hands when the individual is left with no dignity, pride or human rights and wait for what could now almost be looked as The Miracle of Death. Did the gather hunters have it right back in the beginning? I think if I where void of all senses and only had very basic neurological activity and being kept alive for the sole purpose of viewing and an observation tool I think if I could speak I would speak of cruelty and probably win a court case for it.  Don’t get me wrong though, I am not pro euthanasia either however if we are to take a debate on that topic then why stop intervening in nature and playing god when it comes to end. 21. List some of the ways that you can manage the hydration and nutritional requirements of the client during the end of life stage (80 words ) A fluid balance chart, cardiovascular and visual observations of skin turgor, lips and mucousal linings would be a good indication for both hydration and nutrition. Depending how long the client has been in your care you may also be able to view changes in nails, hair and eyes these may also be good diagnostic tools and also ensure regular visits from the dietician and adherence to the plan. 22. Pain management is an important aspect of palliative care. Discuss six ways that pain symptoms can be managed without medication (50 words ) Any distraction can assist in removing the focus from pain. Massage can assist in relieving muscles, has a diversion and therapeutic effect also. Hot & cold packs, sleep, exercise, music, essential oils and simple stretches all can contribute in alleviating or reducing pain. 23 . List five barriers to effective pain management (30 words ) A barrier is as defined is anything that can restrict the patient from achieving an outcome. Given this as a starting point and making the target to be effective pain management or free of then the barriers are endless. They can range from family members to low medication supply through to increased resilience to medications or organ failure. Not to mention the individuals psyche emotion and physical state, they may manifest pain that doesn’t exist or they may be overly stressed causing pain to increase they may also be in blatant refusal of care, have fears, language & cultural differences, communication the barriers are endless and should I have a full education in multiple fields and endless time to study and read random information I’m sure there would be many others to add to the list. 24. List the five stages of dying according to Dr Kubler -Ross ( 10 words) The five stages of dying are  Denial- this is natural and defence mechanism where people may not accept the fact that they are dying or will die. Anger- Upon realisation of the situation to they may get frustrated and angry about their predicament, how and why it has happened. Bargaining- in this stage they realise that they are dying soon and pray for more time. Such phrases like ‘I’ll be a better person, father or Partner’ would be commonly heard. Depression- The person has accepted the fact and is sad about the fact they are dying. They have realised the ultimatum and may have regret over past choices or behaviours and can do nothing about it. Acceptance- People realise that they are dying and finally accept it and have come to a kind of peace with the situation. CASE STUDY # 2 Using this case study Outline some nursing interventions that demonstrate applying a palliative care approach using the following headings (150 words) – Spiritual: Patient in a palliative care often spend their time praying and they become closer to God as they get old. Always respect the patient’s beliefs and values. If the patient is praying do no interrupt him and to the procedures when he is finished praying. Ask him if he want a priest to visit him and give him some prays. Always know the patient’s religion and his beliefs to avoid conflict on giving care – Comfort: The main goal of the palliative care is to give provide comfort to the patient. Always ask the patient how they are feeling or if they need some help. Simple chat with the patient makes them comfort, a simple questions like â€Å"How are you?† can make them feel special and they might think there is still someone who cares to them. Giving what patient’s need and attend to those needs makes the patient feels comfortable. – Legal: Patient at this stage have their Advance Health Directives, it is a legal document for that the patient did for his future treatment and must be implemented. Always provide patient’s autonomy. We as EEN must always maintain confidentiality and privacy of the patient. – Pain management: Pain assessment is important for management of the pain. We must always assess the patient’s pain and must have intervention to the pain not only in a pharmacological way but also in a non-pharmacological way because some of the patient cannot take too much medicines. Always ask the patient how are they and report to us if they feel any pain. – Elimination bowel and urinary: At this time patient’s elimination changed unlike before, some of the patient are incontinent of urine and faeces due to deterioration of the body. Make sure to educate the patient about normal aging that incontinence is a normal process of aging. We must monitor their Input and Output and document it on a Fluid Balance Chart if necessary. If the patient is constipated encourage them to increase fibre in diet and have some exercise. Assist the patient always in the toilet early in the morning and use toilet chair if necessary. – Skin Integrity: As the patient goes old, their skin becomes dry and fragile. Encourage the patient to use lotion or moisturiser on their skin so that their skin will not be dry. Prevent the patient to have pressure areas by repositioning the patient to different sides every 4 hours. Assess the skin for pressure areas and put some cream on those areas. Document any abnormalities to patient’s skin such as redness and bruise. – Mobility: Provide patient independence on their care to promote range of motion. Refer patient to physiotherapist if necessary. Encourage the patient to exercise daily. If the patient have mobility aids educate the patient on how to use it properly. – Mental health physiological support: Patients at this point becomes depressed and feels alone. Always provide communication to the patient using therapeutic and non- therapeutic approach. Always talk to the patient or ask the family to visit the patient. Describe how you could improve the room and environment for Alexander (100 words) Ask the children to bring pictures of themselves and the parents to  bring in any items they think would make the room more comfortable but allow Alexander to decide if they stay†¦ Greenery never hurts and/or a fresh breeze through the window and perhaps a couple science orientated magazines on the side table to peak his curiosity as if you do a trade long enough you will always have a professional interest whether you want it or not. Reference: Crisp, J, Taylor, C, Douglas, C & Rebeiro, G 2013, Potter and Perry’s Fundamentals of Nursing 4th Ed. Elsevier Mosby, Sydney. Brown, D., & Edwards, H. (2012). Lewis’s Medical Surgical Nursing (3rd ed.). Sydney, Australia: Mosby, Elsevier Department of Attorney General 2014, Advance Health Directives, viewed 10 September 2014, http://www.publicadvocate.wa.gov.au/A/advance_health_directives.aspx End of life Care Network, Life limiting illness, 2011, Viewed on 09 September 2014 http://www.endoflifecumbriaandlancashire.org.uk/info_patients_carers/life_limiting_illness.php Hibbert C 2014, Dealing with grief:The 5 Stages of Grief, viewed 10 September 2014, http://www.drchristinahibbert.com/dealing-with-grief/5-stages-of-grief/ O’Connor, M & Aranda, S 2003, Palliative Care Nursing – A Guide to Practice 2nd Ed. Ausmed Publications, Melbourne. NSW Board of Jewish Education 2012, Autopsy, Transplantation, Insemination and abortion, viewed 10 September 2014, http://www.bje.org.au/learning/judaism/ethics/bioethics/autopsy.html Palliative Care Council, What is Palliative Care, 2012, Viewed on 09 September 2014 http://www.pallcare.asn.au/about/what-is-palliative-care Tasmania Department of Health and Human Services 2013, Palliative Care Team, viewed 10 September 2014, http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/palliativecare/about/team World Health Organisation 2014, WHO definition of Palliative Care, viewed 10 September 2014, http://www.who.int/cancer/palliative/definition/en/

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.

Write a Persuasive Memo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Write a Persuasive Memo - Assignment Example After last week’s board of management meeting, students learning at the university will have the best scholarship opportunities. Students from all states and backgrounds have equal chances to learn at the institution. The university plans to roll out a plan to fund personal effects of students from humble family backgrounds. The university has the best infrastructure and facilities that offer students conducive atmosphere favoring learning and research. The facilities and the incubation labs set up within the institution is the center for international research where all approval of all global researches takes place. We have the best teaching and technical staff panel with internationally envied reputations. The institution boasts of having the best professor to student relationships in the world. The close relationship improves student motivation to a more personal level, with the student’s progress monitored and directed at all stages of

Finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Finance - Assignment Example A firm with more contractual obligations i.e debt but insufficient cash or marketable securities to repay the debt definitely faces liquidity problems. The circumstances turn grimmer with more and more liquidity crisis in the organization when the firm becomes completely unable to repay its obligations, thus the firm in such situations become insolvent or faces solvency problems. Thus with more amount of liquidity crisis with not much fresh cash or marketable securities in the system, the firm tends to borrow more from the banks and financial institutions thereby increasing its obligations of repayment more. But with high debt to equity ratio sometimes it becomes difficult for organizations to obtain debt from the financial institutions. This definitely hampers the operational activities of the organization. In such a situation with deep crisis of liquid cash to carry out business and with difficulty in getting loans from the banks, the sustainability of the firm in the long run gets hampered. In certain cases the firm becomes insolvent and may go out of business. (Burnside, 2005, pp.87-90; Course material, pp.112-118) Different approaches to Financial Asset Valuation: One of the major approaches designed in the financial valuation process includes valuation of Equity. The major forms of equity valuation include- 1) Dividend discount modeling- Under this method of valuation, the valuation of the firm is determined by the dividends paid out by the firm. Using the  projected growth rate in dividends in the next 5 years with an estimated growth rate and then using a constant growth rate for the rest of the years, discounted by the required rate of return by the shareholders’  the valuation of the firm is determined. 2) 2) The free cash flow modeling approach- The valuation method is performed using the free cash flow. The free cash flow is the cash flow available to the firm after meeting the necessary capital expenditures and necessary short-term worki ng capital requirements. In this method also, the valuation is performed using the projected free cash flow in the next 5 years using a projected growth rate and then a constant rate for the rest of years after the 5-year period, discounted by the required return for the shareholders. 3) 3) Price earning model- This equity valuation method is a market based method which calls for the market price an investor wants to pay for 1 rupee earning by the company. Higher Price-Earnings ratio designates that the company is overvalued in terms of its market compared to its earnings. Besides equity valuation, we have valuation for fixed income securities like bonds. Bonds, which have fixed coupon rate attached to them, pay fixed interest every year. The fair value of the bond is calculated by the annuity approach which is calculated by the summation of the net present value of the fixed coupon interest over the maturity of the bond with a discount rate as required by the bond holders. (Pinto, Henry, Robinson & Stowe, 2010, p.1) 1B)   On the Capital and Liability side of the Balance sheet of different organizations, the different types of capital and liabilities have different features. These are categorized under the major head ‘Financial capital’. The different classifications include the following: 1) Senior debt, 2) Mezzanine debt, 3) Subordinate debt, 4) Preferred Stock and 5) Common Stock. In case a company goes bankrupt, the company has to first pay back its obligations to the debt holders and finally to

Land law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Land law - Essay Example Over a period of time she gained ascendancy over him. Her action against him was set aside as she failed to disprove this presumption (Re Craig , 1971). In Dunbar Bank plc v. Nadeem, the bank provided a mortgage loan to the couple in their joint names. In the trial court it was held that there had been undue influence brought to bear on the wife, as she had not made any contribution to the purchase, but all the same she was being held jointly liable with her husband. The appellate court set aside this judgment and ruled that she had not suffered any disadvantage and as she had failed to establish undue influence (Dunbar Bank plc v. Nadeem , 1998 ). The courts of equity, in their role of a court of conscience, initiated undue influence as a basis for the obtention of relief. To this end the courts endeavour to determine the underlying reason for entering into a transaction. In all cases, where the cause proves to be objectionable, the transaction will be rescinded. From the perspective of equity, undue influence occurs in the following cases. If there are threats or other overtly improper or intimidating acts and if the relationship between the parties accords to one of them a superior position, which is exploited by that party to the detriment of the other party. In O’Brien, the House of Lords specified the measures to be adopted by a bank, in order to avoid the ill effect of a husband’s undue influence, while granting loans to a couple. The outcome of this decision was that a contract could become unenforceable if one of the parties to the contract had done so as a consequence of a third party’s transgression (Barclays Bank v. OBrien, 1993). In Etridge it was held that it was the duty of the bank to take all such reasonable steps as would ensure that the wife should be properly apprised of the consequences of the transaction that she was about to enter into. To this end an

Critically assess the main implications of globalisation for HRM, and Essay

Critically assess the main implications of globalisation for HRM, and analyse the future challenges for people management within - Essay Example Most organisational systems in today’s global markets have had a continued decrease in investment. This happens amid the increasing middle level organisations’ call for more foreign direct investment and securing market positions in the competitive market. As a result, organisations have been forced to redefine their strategies. â€Å"Therefore, it is important for organisations to adapt to the changing environments, develop a resistance to negative market forces in an effort to achieve customer satisfaction† (Amos, 2008). Within the changing environment, human resource managers owe to formulate quick and immediate human resource strategies that will help an organisation retain its personnel while helping them develop their profession through training and seminars. There are enormous challenges surrounding the future of people management in any organisation setting. This calls for sufficient and constant attention on management of resources regardless of positive trends in results that often cause excessive optimism in the future financial status of the company. In fact, there is a need for a continuous development of effective Human resource plan and implementation at all levels. In so doing, the human resource should develop its capacity operationally as well as strategically. This should be done in a manner that compliments changes in an organisation while at the same time maintaining a strategic balance. In this case, sound human resource policies need to be put in place first before attempting more complicated changes in company practices are implemented. Introduction Globalization is the integration of the entire operations, processes and strategies of an organization in an effort to generate diversity of cultures, goods, services and facts. Since, globalization strongly emphasizes on diversity, it has a deep effect on the manner in which companies manages its operations and workers. Therefore, it is vital for the executive to underst and the impact globalisation has on human resource management. â€Å"Globalisation entails efforts meant to increase the flow of goods and resources across regional and international borders† (Amos, 2008). Moreover, globalisation encompasses the surfacing of corresponding organisational structures with a view to expand international financial activities and dealings. Human resource management has never received proper attention it deserves in today’s global economy. Most human resource managers lack basic skills of organisational management more importantly due to globalisation. It is important to note that business environment is a complex one today. The market has become more competitive and complex than it used to be due to globalisation. It is because of this competition and complexity that businesses strive to survive by focusing hard on competitive strengths in an effort to develop long term strategies for them. It has now emerged that most organisations have sta rted moving away from old ways owing to their inappropriateness in today’s competitive market. Indeed the new market environment calls for a new approach in human resource management as this saves organisations in the face of the upcoming global environment. â€Å"Numerous human resource management challenges have come up due to the rapid growth in business trends in the past few

Analyse your online presence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analyse your online presence - Essay Example The question that has come up today is whether in reality the images that people have on the social networks are their real images in the society. Indeed, the images portrayed in the online presence are virtually different from the real images of the people in society. Facebook is a social site that has garnered a lot of favoritism from its subscribers since the day it was launched back in the year 2004. Today this social site has attracted over a billion users and the rate is subscription is increasing tremendously. Just like other social sites, Facebook has revolutionized to become an accommodating service that diversified users can use to meet their specific needs. The service now allows users to have access to marketing pages, make video and voice calls, share their opinions, message and even follow your favorite friends (Ryan, 2011). When I learnt about Facebook after my high school education, I was excited by the fact that this was a celebrity site that already existed among nu merous members of my social spheres. I admired the kind of fun that this site was offering to its users but with less exposure to the internet I remained passive in the matter although was already building from my colleagues who were already accessing the site. One year after my school education, I finally had a better phone and more access to the netculture and this was the best platform to start my account. One of the reasons why I decided to join Facebook and not any other site is because it was one of the famous sites in the world today and it was the term in the words of many youths during this period. Secondly, I was fascinated by the flexibility of this site and the numerous services that I could enjoy from this site. The first dialogue box in the Facebook account was â€Å"what’s on your mind† a feature that I like because I could update my message of the day and all my friends would respond to this message, and we would spend a whole day replying to these mess ages. Also, I was able to choose share personalized message with my friends through the Inbox option and this was this was a private and secure service that concealed most of my private life. Later, when I learnt that I could make a video call with my Facebook account, I found myself more attached to a free wireless internet service that provided in my college. In a nutshell, Facebook has remained a favorite site that has, as I intended, kept me relevant in the social circles. Today, the dynamic internet culture has led to the development of multiple social sites that are specific in functionality and that offer a wide range of services that are synchronized to its primary purpose. While social sites such as twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp are dominated by socialites, others such as Linked In is meant for career purposes and is dominated by professional seeking to share more professional information. Payton and Claypoole (2012) have pointed out to the multi-identity nature of the peo ple in their online presence. Principally it is impossible to tell the identity of a person from their online presence as the media provides the people with the chance to make virtual images of themselves that may not at all reflect their image in the society. While a person may appear naked in one on social sites, they may look totally different in a more professional site

Organisational Behaviour Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organisational Behaviour - Assignment Example Overview Of The OrganiZation This company came into the financial arena in the year of 1983. The company is an employee owned investment and, as mentioned earlier, it specializes in mergers and acquisitions in the financial service sector. The company is headquartered in the city of New York, which is the financial hub of the country. Berkshire capital is considered by experts in the industry to be the leading experts in the areas of wealth management, money management, alternate investment, and real estate brokerage (Berkshire Capital a). Due to its vast experience in this area, clients trust the company’s advice in this domain. Clients trust the company to provide conflict-free advice to them, which would help them to maximize their corporate objectives. It is this trust from clients that motivates the people in Berkshire capital to undertake successful transactions for their clients (Berkshire Capital b). The service portfolio of the company includes the following services: sales and divestures, acquisitions, valuations and fairness opinions and strategic advisory (Berkshire Capital c). The fundamental focus of the company is on maximising the corporate goals of their clients through their objective opinions and recommendations. By doing this, the company hopes to build long term relationships with their clients. Organisational Structure of Berkshire Capital: The company is basically having a flat Organisational structure to govern its operations. The company’s top management consists of 13 well experienced and well seasoned partners, who are in turn supported by 29 domain experts or professionals. The domain experts provide the partners with their insight about the company’s underlying projects, which is used by senior partners to deliberate over. In this way, the company amalgamates experience with insight to come up with the highest quality of services (Berkshire Capital a). As the company is operating in a services industry, therefor e, it is very cautious about nurturing a strong pool of employees, so that its services are of the highest possible quality. The flat structure prevalent in the Organization ensures that two-way communication between experts and partners is facilitated. This ensures that everyone is on the same page when it comes to handling the intricacies of the project. The structure that is currently working in the Organisation is the reflection of the fact that the management believes in a democratic and participative management style. The Organisational philosophy of governance is extremely efficient because it is extremely appropriate for companies operating in the services industry. Not only is the Organizational structure supportive and democratic but also the company’s management (partners) is also helpful. Since the management believes that their fundamental role is to impart their experience onto the second tier employees, therefore, this philosophy act as a guiding hand for exper ts who are new in the company (Robbins & Sanghi, 2006). Organisational Goals Berkshire capital can be classified as an employee and customer driven company. This company, by employing the talent of its employees, aims to satisfy the needs of its clients. The company considers its employees as an integral part of its business model and therefore employs all

CURRENT ISSUES IN FINANCIAL REPORTING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CURRENT ISSUES IN FINANCIAL REPORTING - Essay Example The amendments are intended to clarify what can be designated as a hedged item in a hedge accounting relationship. The exposure draft specifies the risks that qualify for designation as hedged risks when an entity hedges its exposure to a financial instrument. In addition, it clarifies when an entity may designate a portion of the cash flows of a financial instrument as a hedged item. Whether a hedge relationship can be designated in this way depends upon whether it is possible to designate as a hedged item a portion of the forecast cash flows that is equivalent to a theoretical sold option embedded in the hedged item. The exposure draft explains how this can be done. In July 2007, the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) issued Interpretation 1 4, IAS 19-The Limit on a Defined Benefit Asset Minimum Funding Requirements and Their Interaction, which addressed defined benefit pension assets and their minimum funding requirements. Exposure Draft has resolv ed many issues of financial reporting which are discussed below: This proposal provides guidance for valuing assets and liabilities that are required to be measured at fair value under other pronouncements. The ultimate goal of the fair-value project is to improve comparability, consistency, and reliability of fair-value measurements by creating a model that can be broadly applied to financial and non-financial assets and liabilities. The framework would also remove policies that disagree with SEC guidelines for investment funds, and clarify the use of fair-value measurements in other authoritative pronouncements. The exposure draft would not replace, but instead would expand upon, current disclosures relating to the use of fair-value measurements for assets and liabilities. Disclosures would include information about fair-value amounts, how they are determined, and the effect of any remeasurement on earnings, including unrealized gains and losses (Aldridge, 1997). Tax uncertainties Once it is determined that a benefit for a tax position may be recognized, the amount must be determined based on the best estimate of the amount that will be sustained. The "best estimate" is defined as the single most likely amount in a range of possible estimated amounts. For example, if a company believes that its position would be sustained on litigation, but typically settles with the taxing jurisdiction to avoid the expense and hazards of litigation, it would record the most likely settlement amount as the benefit. Fundamentally, the proposal entails that a tax position recognized on the tax return be probable of being sustained under audit prior to recognition in the financial statements, and the company must presume that the taxing authorities will review it. In order to derecognize, it must be more likely than not (Glanville, 2004). Business Combination Exposure draft gives some recommendation to avoid any issues, which may arise during business combination, which are: 1. All business combinat

Ability of Humans to Think Essay Example for Free

Ability of Humans to Think Essay As people rely more and more on technology to solve problems, the ability of humans to think for themselves will surely deteriorate. As people rely more and more on technology to solve problems, the ability of humans to think for themselves will surely deteriorate. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position. In the era of advanced technology, technology has undoubtedly changed the way people live. With the use of calculators, people gradually get rid of mental arithmetic. Due to this fact, some people argue that the ability of humans to think for themselves will undoubtedly decline. This is because when relying excessively on instruments, people may hardly figure out the right number without calculators if the calculation becomes somewhat complicated. Admittedly, it is true that human’s ability of calculation might diminish to some extent. However, technology decidedly facilitates humans to think deeply for themselves through freeing them from trivial things. This is an indisputable fact that with versatile and state-of-the-art computers, especially mainframe, scientists no longer take pains to deal with complex and numerous formulas. Therefore, these talented scientists can spend their time and energy in doing more meaningful things by avoiding being bogged down with trivial computations. For instance, engineers who major in aerodynamics, can use the latest computers to simulate how the attitude of airplane will change with respect to different levels of wind. Thus, due to the assistance of modern instruments, these engineers can focus more on how to design planes to fly more safely and efficiently. See more: Strategic Management Process Essay In contrast to the statement, we can see that people begin involving themselves in some more complex problems that did not occur in the past, which motivates humans to think assiduously for themselves. By utilizing technology, for example, people build large dams to store the water as well as preventing devastating floods. However, this approach also has led to consequences people never thought of. The Three Gorges Dam in China is an excellent instance of this point. After construction of this huge and marvelous dam, some unpremeditated problems emerged, such as undue fluctuations in temperature in local areas and sediments and silt deposited excessively under on the bottom of the Yellow River. As a result, this phenomenon forced experts in China to contemplate whether altering the local topography might negatively influence climate and to what extent. Therefore, humans’ ability to think for themselves has improved rather than deteriorated In addition, technology also inevitably leads humanity to think of moral questions that did not appear in the past. One of the most profound and contentious moral questions is cloning. While cloning will definitely help sick people with deteriorating organs by cloning new ones, this technology is also likely to raise a debate of whether cloning is illicit or not. Will cloning finally crumple up our established morality, or must scientists stop doing research on cloning even if the advantages of cloning far exceed the disadvantages arising from this advanced technology? By answering these controversial questions, we, human race, are unquestionably engaged in thinking for ourselves. All the evidence put forward supports an unshakable conclusion that although some human abilities, such as computation, are slightly worse because of reliance on calculators, the ability of thinking is expected to improve rather than deteriorate. On one hand, people, especially sophisticated scientists, will have more time to focus on significant as well as knotty problems. On the other hand, new questions that pop up appear as a result of technology involve humans in more profound contemplation.

Different Issues About Sex Education

Different Issues About Sex Education Introduction Sex education is possibly one of the most talked-about topics nowadays, especially among concerned citizens and the government. Sex is a natural thing for all of us and it is just right for the researchers as well as the readers to know and learn more about it. But the question is, is it right for sex education to be taught in primary schools? This research paper tackles the different issues about sex education. It contains the pros and cons of teaching sex education in primary schools. Opinions from different sides such as teachers in primary and secondary schools are considered. With such divisions, the reader can approximate their own comprehension of the topic and thus contribute ways to assist the primary students regarding this matter. In this research paper, the researchers would like to show the readers the importance of teachers perception on teaching sex education in primary schools. The researchers are convinced that this paper will be of great value to students and teachers. Conceptual Framework Sex Education Teachers Secondary Primary Perception Statement of the Problem The study aimed to find out the teachers view on teaching sex education in primary schools. What is the general profile of the respondents in terms of: Age Civil Status Gender Subject teaching What are the teachers views of teaching sex education in primary schools? What are the issues/concerns of teachers in the teaching of sex education primary schools? Is there a significant difference on how the teachers view the teaching of sex education when compared by primary and secondary schools? Hypothesis There is no significant difference between the perspectives of the teachers from primary and secondary schools. Assumptions of the Study The researchers assume that the questionnaires distributed to the respondents are answered honestly and truthfully, and that all data that will be gathered is reliable to the study. The researchers also assume that the personal values may affect the respondents reaction to the questions given and personal experiences may influence the response to the question. Research Locale The study will be conducted in Southville International School and Colleges located at 1281 Tropical Ave. cor. Luxembourg St., BF International, Las Pià ±as City, Philippines. The school will be the focus of the study because it is more convenient to the researchers, it has a big population and it is suited for the study. Significance of the study Parents: They will be guided on making the decision of letting their children study sex education in the school where their children are studying. Students: They will have an idea about what they can get from learning sex education. They will be aware that the very heart of this issue is for their future. Scope and Limitations: The research focused on the perceptions of the teachers towards teaching sex education in primary schools. The respondents are the teachers in primary and secondary level of school year 2010-2011, from Southville International School and Colleges. Definition of Terms Curricula- are the courses offered by an educational institution. It is also a set of courses constituting an area of specialization. Mandatory- can also be compulsory the teaching of sex education is obligatory. Optional- the teaching of sex education for young people is not compulsory. Perception- is a result of perceiving, observation, a mental image, or concept. Primary school- includes grades one to six. Secondary school- a school usually including years 7 to 10. Sexuality- is an expression of sexual receptivity or interest especially when excessive. Sex wise- it is a 12 part series which discussed sex education, family life education, contraception, family life education, contraception and parenting. Sex Education- is an education about human sexual anatomy, reproduction, and intercourse and other human sexual behaviour. Young people- are also referred to as teenagers or children ages between to 10 to 12. Review of Related Literature Sex Education It is sometimes called sexuality education or sex and relationships education, is the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationships and intimacy. Sex education is also about developing young peoples skills so that they make informed choices about their behavior, and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices. It is widely accepted that young people have a right to sex education. This is because it is a means by which they are helped to protect themselves against abuse, exploitation, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV and AIDS. It is also argued that providing sex education helps to meet young peoples rights to information about matters that affect them, their right to have their needs met and to help them enjoy their sexuality and the relationships that they form. It aims to reduce the risks of potentially negative outcomes from sexual behavior, such as unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and infection with sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. It also aims to contribute to young peoples positive experience of their sexuality by enhancing the quality of their relationships and their ability to make informed decisions over their lifetime. Sex education that works, by which we mean that it is effective is sex education that contributes to both these aims thus helping young people to be safe and enjoy their sexuality. (http://www.avert.org/sex-education.htm, 2010) Beliefs Young people can be exposed to a wide range of attitudes and beliefs in relation to sex and sexuality. These sometimes appear contradictory and confusing. For example, some health messages emphasize the risks and dangers associated with sexual activity and some media coverage promotes the idea that being sexually active makes a person more attractive and mature. Because sex and sexuality are sensitive subjects, young people and sex educators can have strong views on what attitudes people should hold, and what moral framework should govern peoples behavior these too can sometimes seem to be at odds. Young people are very interested in the moral and cultural frameworks that bind sex and sexuality. They often welcome opportunities to talk about issues where people have strong views, like abortion, sex before marriage, lesbian and gay issues and contraception and birth control. It is important to remember that talking in a balanced way about differences in opinion does not promote one s et of views over another, or mean that one agrees with a particular view. Part of exploring and understanding cultural, religious and moral views is finding out that you can agree to disagree. Effective sex education also provides young people with an opportunity to explore the reasons why people have sex, and to think about how it involves emotions, respect for one self and other people and their feelings, decisions and bodies. Young people should have the chance to explore gender differences and how ethnicity and sexuality can influence peoples feelings and options. They should be able to decide for themselves what the positive qualities of relationships are. It is important that they understand how bullying, stereotyping, abuse and exploitation can negatively influence relationships. . (As also stated at the website: http://www.avert.org/sex-education.htm, 2010) Sex education worldwide Africa Sex education in Africa has focused on stemming the growing AIDS epidemic. Most governments in the region have established AIDS education programs in partnership with the World Health Organization and international NGOs. These programs were undercut significantly by the Global Gag Rule, an initiative put in place by President Reagan, suspended by President Clinton, and re-instated by President Bush. The Global Gag Rule required nongovernmental organizations to agree as a condition of their receipt of Federal funds that such organizations would neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations. The Global Gag Rule was again suspended as one of the first official acts by United States President Barack Obama. The incidences of new HIV transmissions in Uganda decreased dramatically when Clinton supported a comprehensive sex education approach (including information about contraception and abortion). According to Ugandan AIDS activists, the Glob al Gag Rule undermined community efforts to reduce HIV prevalence and HIV transmission. Europe Finland In Filand, sexual education is usually incorporated into various obligatory courses, mainly as part of biology lessons (in lower grades) and later in a course related to general health issues. The Population and Family Welfare Federation provide all 15-year-olds an introductory sexual package that includes an information brochure, a condom and a cartoon love story. England and Wales In England and Wales, sex education is not compulsory in schools as parents can refuse to let their children take part in the lessons. The curriculum focuses on the reproductive system, fetal development, and the physical and emotional changes of adolescence, while information about contraception and safe sex is discretionary and discussion about relationships is often neglected. Britain has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe and sex education is a heated issue in government and media reports. In a 2000 study by the University of Brighton, many 14 to 15 year olds reported disappointment with the content of sex education lessons and felt that lack of confidentiality prevents teenagers from asking teachers about contraception. France In France, sex education has been part of school curricula since 1973. Schools are expected to provide 30 to 40 hours of sex education, and pass out condoms, to students in grades eight and nine. In January 2000, the French government launched an information campaign on contraception with TV and radio spots and the distribution of five million leaflets on contraception to high school students. Germany In Germany, sex education has been part of school curricula since 1970. Since 1992 sex education is by law a governmental duty. It normally covers all subjects concerning the growing-up process, body changes during puberty, emotions, the biological process of reproduction, sexual activity, partnership, homosexuality, unwanted pregnancies and the complications of abortion, the dangers of sexual violence, child abuse, and sex-transmitted diseases, but sometimes also things like sex positions. Most schools offer courses on the correct usage of contraception. A sex survey by the World Health Organization concerning the habits of European teenagers in 2006 revealed that German teenagers care about contraception. The birth rate among 15- to 19-year-olds was very low only 11.7 per 1000 population, compared to the UKs 27.8 births per 1,000 population, and-in first place-Bulgarias 39.0 births per 1,000. Poland In the Western point of view, sex education in Poland has never actually developed. At the time of the Peoples Republic of Poland, since 1973, it was one of the school subjects; however, it was relatively poor and did not achieve any actual success. After 1989, it practically vanished from the school life it is currently an exclusive subject (called wychowanie do Ã…Â ¼ycia w rodzinie/family life education rather than edukacja seksualna/sex education) in several schools their parents must give consent to the headmasters so their children may attend. It has much due to the strong objection against sex education of the Catholic Church; the most influential institution in Poland. It has, however, been changed and since September 2009 sex education will become an obligatory subject in the number of 14 per school year unless parents do not want their children to be taught. Objecting parents will have to write special disagreements. North America United States Almost all U.S. students receive some form of sex education at least once between grades 7 and 12; many schools begin addressing some topics as early as grades 5 or 6. However, what students learn varies widely, because curriculum decisions are so decentralized. Many states have laws governing what is taught in sex education classes or allowing parents to opt out. Some state laws leave curriculum decisions to individual school districts. Two main forms of sex education are taught in American schools: comprehensive and abstinence-only. Comprehensive sex education covers abstinence as a positive choice, but also teaches about contraception and avoidance of STIs when sexually active. A 2002 study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 58% of secondary school principals describe their sex education curriculum as comprehensive. Abstinence-only sex education tells teenagers that they should be sexually abstinent until marriage and does not provide information about contraception. In the Kaiser study, 34% of high-school principals said their schools main message was abstinence-only. The difference between these two approaches, and their impact on teen behavior, remains a controversial subject. In the U.S., teenage birth rates had been dropping since 1991, but a 2007 report showed a 3% increase from 2005 to 2006. From 1991 to 2005, the percentage of teens reporting that they had ever had sex or were currently sexually active showed small declines. However, the U.S. still has the highest teen birth rate and one of the highest rates of STIs among teens in the industrialized world. Public opinion polls conducted over the years have found that the vast majority of Americans favor broader sex education programs over those that teach only abstinence, although abstinence educators recently published poll data with the opposite conclusion. On the other hand, proponents of abstinence-only sex education object to curricula that fail to teach their standard of moral behavior; they maintain that a morality based on sex only within the bounds of marriage is healthy and constructive and that value-free knowledge of the body may lead to immoral, unhealthy, and harmful practices. Within the last decade, the federal government has encouraged abstinence-only education by steering over a billion dollars to such programs. Some 25 states now decline the funding so that they can continue to teach comprehensive sex education. Funding for one of the federal governments two main abstinency-only funding programs, Title V, was extended only until December 31, 2007; Congress is debating whether to continue it past that date. The impact of the rise in abstinence-only education remains a question. To date, no published studies of abstinence-only programs have found consistent and significant program effects on delaying the onset of intercourse. In 2007, a study ordered by the U.S. Congress found that middle school students who took part in abstinence-only sex education programs were just as likely to have sex (and use contraception) in their teenage years as those who did not. Abstinence-only advocates claimed that the study was flawed because it was too narrow and began when abstinence-only curricula were in their infancy, and that other studies have demonstrated positive effects. According to a 2007 report, Teen pregnancies in the United States showed 3% increase in the teen birth rate from 2005 to 2006, to nearly 42 births per 1,000. Virginia Virginia uses the sex education program called, The National Campaign to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy. The National Campaign was created in 1996. The program focuses on preventing teen and unplanned pregnancies of young adults. The National campaign set a goal to reduce teen pregnancy rate by 1/3 in 10 years. The Virginia Department of Health ranked Virginia 19th in teen pregnancy birth rates in 1996. Virginia was also rated 35.2 teen births per 1000 girls aged 15-19 in 2006. The Healthy people 2010 goal is a teen pregnancy rate at or below 43 pregnancies per 1000 females age 15-17. Asia The state of sex education programs in Asia is at various stages of development. Indonesia, Mongolia, South Korea have a systematic policy framework for teaching about sex within schools. Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand have assessed adolescent reproductive health needs with a view to developing adolescent-specific training, messages and materials. India has programs aimed at children aged nine to sixteen years. In India, there is a huge debate on the curriculum of sex education and whether it should be increased. Attempts by state governments to introduce sex education as a compulsory part of the curriculum have often been met with harsh criticism by political parties, who claim that sex education is against Indian culture and would mislead children. (Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan have no coordinated sex education programs.) In Japan, sex education is mandatory from age 10 or 11, mainly covering biological topics such as menstruation and ejaculation. In China and Sri Lanka, sex education traditionally consists of reading the reproduction section of biology textbooks. In Sri Lanka they teach the children when they are 17-18 years. However, in 2000 a new five-year project was introduced by the China Family Planning Association to promote reproductive health education among Chinese teenagers and unmarried youth in twelve urban districts and three counties. This included discussion about sex within human relationships as well as pregnancy and HIV prevention. The International Planned Parenthood Federation and the BBC World Service ran a 12-part series known as Sexwise, which discussed sex education, family life education, contraception and parenting. It was first launched in South Asia and then extended worldwide. Acrimonious Debate over Sex Education in the Philippines The educational module Adolescent Sexual Health, though not yet released to all high schools in the Philippines, has already drawn heavy criticism from the Roman Catholic Church, pro-life activists, and some parents. The way it is being taught lacks the reverence, the refinement that the subject matter demands, said Jo Imbong, legal officer of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. Deciding when to teach children about sex should be left to their parents, he said. But Professor Corazon Raymundo, director of the University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI), said sex education in schools is necessary because it is not in the nations culture for parents to discuss sex with their children. The education department, which presented the module as a response to the nations booming population growth, emphasized it is not a sex manual but rather a teaching guide dealing with family planning, reproductive health, and the dangers of early and pre-marital sex. According to a UPPI survey, 23 percent of Filipinos ages 15-24 engaged in pre-marital sex in 2002, up from 18 percent in 1994. The prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors among adolescents rose from 20 percent in 1994 to 27 percent in 2002. Further, this age group now accounts for 17 percent of all induced abortions in the nation. Its high time that the ignorance of adolescents be addressed in a way that will allow them to make an informed choice, said Solita Monsod, former economic planning secretary. Now, however, education officials have responded to the criticism by withdrawing the module for further communications among stakeholders. Before it is returned to schools, some sections will be revised, said Lolita Andrada, the modules editor and the director of the Bureau of Secondary Education. In particular, the section on safe sex, which some viewed as a promotion of promiscuity, will be rewritten, Andrada said. (http://www.thebody.com/content/news/art23803.html, 2010) Dep.Ed. sued over sex education plan MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) The former legal officer of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Monday sued the Department of Education for incorporating sex education in the curriculum of elementary and high school students. In an interview, lawyer Jo Aurea Imbong said she filed the case in behalf of 30 concerned parents who opposed the sex education plan. She described the sex education program as a form of contraceptive imperialism that assaults moral sensibilities and values of young people and actually encourages sexual promiscuity. We have examined the modules being used by DepEd and found that it promotes family planning, reproductive health and demographic development in subjects such as Mathematics, Science and English. It is specifically designed to transform the attitudes, behavior and social norms of young people based on a foreign model, she told abs-cbnNEWS.com. Imbong said the class suit aims to stop DepEd from implementing Memorandum No. 26, which integrates sex education in the curriculum for private and public schools. She said the program changes the attitudes and values of children especially in Christian families. Imbong said sex education was already being implemented in the basic education curriculum 12 years ago, and the new DepEd memo only updates the modules. She said adopting the sex education plan will fast-track moral decay among young people who are exposed to sex at an early age. While curiosity is normal for young people, it is still the primary responsibility of the parents and families to inform their children about sex, she said. She also noted that the sex education program is receiving funding from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA). In response, Education Secretary Mona Valisno said the sex education program is still being pilot-tested and that the discussions will focus on the science of reproduction, physical care and hygiene, correct values and the norms of interpersonal relations to avoid premarital sex and teenage pregnancy. She said the Deped consulted different sectors about the program including the CBCP and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas. She said parents who were consulted about the program were very happy with it especially since it provides relevant information to children. She also questioned why a court case was filed especially since the program does not contradict the mandate of DepEd to protect childrens rights to quality education. Our curriculum doesnt talk about condoms and such. Its only exposure to the children to the right information in order for them to make the right decisionKung hindi natin kailangan, then the new secretary of education can change it, she told ANC. She said the sex education plan seeks to battle the high percentage of unwarranted pregnancies in the country, which is one of the 10 highest in the world, and prevent dropouts as a result of teenage pregnancies. She said the topics integrated into the modules will be scientific and informative and are not designed to titillate prurient interest. In Science, sex education topics will cover the reproductive system, parts of the body, reproductive cycle, and puberty. Under Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP), proper behavior among and between peers of different genders will be discussed. In Health classes under MAPEH (Music, Arts, PE and Health), personal hygiene and reproductive health will be part of the lessons. In Heograpiya, Kasaysayan, at Sibika (HEKASI) classes, discussion will include the position of religion on premarital sex and the norms when people of opposite sex interact. In Math classes, data on issues like premarital sex, teenage pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections will be used in studying mathematical analysis and statistics. (Dizon, 2010)

Write a Letter Requesting a Donation :: Donation Letter Security Safety

October 1, 2002 To Customer List Customer Address Line 2 Customer Address Line 3 Customer Address Line 4 Dear [Customer Name]: Will You Join Me In Protecting Our Community? I am sending this to you as a fellow member of the Rolling Acres community. I'm sure that you value living in a quiet and peaceful neighborhood, just like I do. You know, sometimes in order to keep one's community "quiet and peaceful" one has to take action. That's what this letter is all about - taking action - community action. By now, via media reports and word of mouth you must be aware of the significant increase in house break-ins in this neighborhood over the past couple of years. In fact, the break-in rate has more than doubled over the past three years. According to the police this is just a sign of the times changing as the economic downturn continues and local businesses and factories continue to close their doors for good. As you may know, a local Community Action Committee has been meeting over the past four months to try and find ways to reduce the break-in rate in Rolling Acres. Last week they released their recommendations on how to best combat the problem. Their primary recommendation calls for increased police and security patrols to supplement the local Neighborhood Watch program. They estimate that the extra cost to double nighttime (after dark) security patrols by Security Inc. will be in the range of $14,000 to $19,000 per year. Unfortunately, this amount is not included in this year's municipal budget allocation and there are no additional funds available to us. Therefore, as a concerned member of this community I have decided that my business will take the lead in assisting with this year's security control budget. Accordingly, Bubbas's Hardare will donate $1 for every $2 raised in the community to cover the additional security costs. I urge you to join me today in supporting this worthy cause for the common good of our community.

The Use of Symbolism and Imagery in Tourneurs The Revenger’s Tragedy E

The Revenger’s Tragedy by Cyril Tourneur, was written using symbolism and imagery, which comes from the protagonist (The revenger) Vindice. A main trait of a tragedy is that there will be a downfall of a character within the play, in this case from the opening scene the protagonist, Vindice, is the clear culprit for an emotional meltdown and a tragedy all of his own. These themes of symbolism and imagery in The Revenger’s tragedy are a connection between what is right and wrong. In the first character whom is introduced into the play and is of a high social background, we know this because throughout the soliloquy Vindice speaks using Iambic pentameter (blank verse) however when the character Vindice is in disguise he speaks in prose this shows to the audience that he is not himself. The first sign of symbolism in the play is in the first soliloquy, ‘[holding a skull; he watches as]...’ this skull is a symbol of the loss of his lover Gloriana. Also an example symbolic language from Vindice when using black verse is the reference to the skull, because the skull is seen as an empty ‘shell of death’ and a picture of Gloriana, it also acts as a ornament for the audience to see while he reconstructs her ‘fill’d out’ its hollow bareness of her face and the dazzling eyes that once decorated its â⠂¬Ëœunsightly rings’. The skull of Gloriana could also symbolise the fate of Vindice, the skull acts as a constant reminder of death and it seems to be following him round where ever he goes. There is an inevitable link between the death of his ‘betrothed lady’ and the revenge he seeks upon the royal family. He is trying to set a balance by taking one life because the life of Gloriana was taken, but trying to fix a balance creates Vindice’s in... ...tement says that this family believe that raping women is acceptable because they believe that every woman would enjoy sec and he has no remorse for raping Lord Antonio’s wife. This makes the act of revenge build for Vindice because he is not only killing the Duke for one person but for two women whom were treated wrongly by the duke or his family in this case the duke’s son. The downward spiral of the character Vindice, shows a large scope of emotion, starting with a quite normal grieving process for his partner, to seeking his revenge on the Duke, this revenge soon spiralling out of his control when he decides to get revenge on the whole of the royal family because the Dukes son raped Lord Antonio’s wife. Therefore the use of symbolism and imagery works well and the play follows an effective structure in which the tragedy becomes the tragedy of Vindice alone.

Visualizing Eternity in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself Essay -- Song of

Visualizing Eternity in Walt Whitman's Song of Myself Whitman's poem "Song of Myself #44" stands as a confession and testaments of not only who he is and what he is, but also as who we are, we being people in general. The poem is not about a self-idolizing author claiming to be the greatest being of all time. Instead it paints a picture for all mankind alike to relate to. It puts a mirror in front of the world and presents an angle of an image that, though familiar, we have never seen or realized before. In the very beginning of the poem, Whitman addresses the world upon a pedestal, asking them to stand and explore with him the unknown. And what is unknown is eternity and the meaning of life. From this beginning there is a tone of a confession or a speech that is set out to reveal something new and something of importance. He "strips away" what is known, or rather, all the little things of life, that which really does not matter much, and tries to get to the bottom of it all. And what lies at the bottom is eternity. This is the unexplainable, the unattainable, but also the essential. Eternity cannot be captured by people, it "lies in bottomless reservoirs"(1136). It is a force that has been present for many years, and will continue forth for more than anyone will ever know. But it is through this force that people have grown and learned to exist. The poem puts in writing the constantly moving force of life and time. We were born somewhere along the line of life and will die somewhere as well, but we still were present in the nurturing existence of time; everyone has his or her time, place, and moment of life. In line 1142, Whitman writes, in my opinion, a kind of commentary of society, that whi... ...nd then to "Monstrous sauroids" or dinosaurs roaming the earth. The whole process has "been steadily employed to complete and delight me"(1167). I do not feel that he intentionally means that he alone is the product of the universe's existence, but I feel that he speaks of himself in such a way but does not exclude everyone else from the realization that they too are the end result of history. It reads to me more like a confidence boaster rather than an egotistical look at life. But this is arguable as, in the beginning of the poem, he says "It is time top explain myself"(1133), but he includes as along by saying "I launch all men and women forward with me into the unknown"(1134), so it is a matter of perspective. I feel, however, that it is not just Whitman but everyone who can now stand as the completion of nature, the final product of history, which is life. Visualizing Eternity in Walt Whitman's Song of Myself Essay -- Song of Visualizing Eternity in Walt Whitman's Song of Myself Whitman's poem "Song of Myself #44" stands as a confession and testaments of not only who he is and what he is, but also as who we are, we being people in general. The poem is not about a self-idolizing author claiming to be the greatest being of all time. Instead it paints a picture for all mankind alike to relate to. It puts a mirror in front of the world and presents an angle of an image that, though familiar, we have never seen or realized before. In the very beginning of the poem, Whitman addresses the world upon a pedestal, asking them to stand and explore with him the unknown. And what is unknown is eternity and the meaning of life. From this beginning there is a tone of a confession or a speech that is set out to reveal something new and something of importance. He "strips away" what is known, or rather, all the little things of life, that which really does not matter much, and tries to get to the bottom of it all. And what lies at the bottom is eternity. This is the unexplainable, the unattainable, but also the essential. Eternity cannot be captured by people, it "lies in bottomless reservoirs"(1136). It is a force that has been present for many years, and will continue forth for more than anyone will ever know. But it is through this force that people have grown and learned to exist. The poem puts in writing the constantly moving force of life and time. We were born somewhere along the line of life and will die somewhere as well, but we still were present in the nurturing existence of time; everyone has his or her time, place, and moment of life. In line 1142, Whitman writes, in my opinion, a kind of commentary of society, that whi... ...nd then to "Monstrous sauroids" or dinosaurs roaming the earth. The whole process has "been steadily employed to complete and delight me"(1167). I do not feel that he intentionally means that he alone is the product of the universe's existence, but I feel that he speaks of himself in such a way but does not exclude everyone else from the realization that they too are the end result of history. It reads to me more like a confidence boaster rather than an egotistical look at life. But this is arguable as, in the beginning of the poem, he says "It is time top explain myself"(1133), but he includes as along by saying "I launch all men and women forward with me into the unknown"(1134), so it is a matter of perspective. I feel, however, that it is not just Whitman but everyone who can now stand as the completion of nature, the final product of history, which is life.