Introducing Mr Perky : subverting the fantasy trope of immortality in contemporary speculative fiction

The Tide Lords series of fantasy novels set out to examine the issue of immortality. Its purpose was to look at the desirability of immortality, specifically why people actively seek it. It was meant to examine the practicality of immortality, specifically — having got there, what does one do to pass the time with eternity to fill? I also wished to examine the notion of true immortality — immortals who could not be killed. What I did not anticipate when embarking upon this series, and what did not become apparent until after the series had been sold to two major publishing houses in Australia and the US, was the strength of the immortality tropes. This series was intended to fly in the face of these tropes, but confronted with the reality of such a work, the Australian publishers baulked at the ideas presented, requesting the series be re-written with the tropes taken into consideration. They wanted immortals who could die, mortals who wanted to be immortal. And a hero with a sense of humour. This exegesis aims to explore where these tropes originated. It will also discuss the ways I negotiated a way around the tropes, and was eventually able to please the publishers by appearing to adhere to the tropes, while still staying true to the story I wanted to tell. As such, this discussion is, in part, an analysis of how an author negotiates the tensions around writing within a genre while trying to innovate within it.

Urban consolidation : reality or fantasy

Urban consolidation has been a policy objective of many local and state governments in Australia for the past decade. Densification of city centres and other identified activity centres is a sensible solution to a plethora of policy objectives including: growth management, housing affordability, housing choice and infrastructure utilisation etc whilst preserving the fabric of existing neighbourhoods. However despite the plethora of supportive policies and ripe redevelopment sites, urban sprawl continues to permeate city fringes and affordable urban densification in the post GFC environment slips into the “too hard” basket. This article discusses current issues facing the development industry, highlighting factors contributing to the disequilibrium between demand and supply in the medium to high density residential markets.

From true story to Morning Glory : fantasy and reality in journalism movies

Many movies have been made about journalists, including some of cinema’s all-time classics. Fewer have been made about the process of journalism, however, and fewer still have captured that process in a way which reflects the reality of a hyperactive, stressedout trade that at its best confronts power and risks everything to expose its abuse. Those deemed to come close to that gritty realism regularly feature in those polls of the films journalists themselves think are the best representations of their oft-maligned profession. These are the films in which journalists like to think they see themselves. They are part of the professional mythology of journalistic practice.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in clinics: Fantasy or reality for cancer?

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been classically used for dissecting various human complex disorders using candidate gene studies. During the last decade, large scale SNP analysis i.e. genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have provided an agnostic approach to identify possible genetic loci associated with heterogeneous disease such as cancer susceptibility, prognosis of survival or drug response. Further, the advent of new technologies, including microarray based genotyping as well as high throughput next generation sequencing has opened new avenues for SNPs to be used in clinical practice. It is speculated that the utility of SNPs to understand the mechanisms, biology of variable drug response and ultimately treatment individualization based on the individual’s genome composition will be indispensable in the near future. In the current review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the clinical utility of genetic variants in disease risk-prediction, prognosis, clinical outcome and pharmacogenomics. The lessons and challenges for the utility of SNP based biomarkers are also discussed, including the need for additional functional validation studies.

Toward Figural Fantasy : The Representation of Consciousness in Modern American Fantasy Literature

Tajunnanesitys amerikkalaisessa heterodiegeettisessä fantasiakirjallisuudessa on muuttunut merkittävästi viimeisen kolmen vuosikymmenen aikana: kerrontaa orientoiva ja tarinamaailmaa havainnoiva tajunta on vähin erin vaihtunut kaikkitietävästä kertojasta tarinan sisäiseksi henkilöhahmoksi. Kertoja on samalla vetäytynyt yhä syvemmälle kerronnan kulissien taakse. Tämä tutkielma hahmottaa ja analysoi kyseistä muutosta siirtymänä kertojakeskeisestä kerronnasta kohti henkilökeskeistä kerrontaa. Tutkielmassa tajunnanesityksen teoreettisen kehyksen muodostavat F. K. Stanzelin kertojakeskeisen ja henkilökeskeisen kerrontatilanteen käsitteet. Kerrontatilanteita tarkennetaan fokalisaation, vapaan epäsuoran esityksen, sisäisen monologin ja psykonarraation teorioiden avulla. Tutkielma jakaantuu kahteen osaan. Ensimmäisessä osassa vertaillaan kahta prototyyppistä fantasiaromaania syväluotaavan narratologisen analyysin keinoin. Kertojakeskeistä kerrontaa edustaa Fritz Leiberin "The Swords of Lankhmar" (1968) ja henkilökeskeistä kerrontaa George R. R. Martinin "A Game of Thrones" (1996). Toisessa osassa tarkastellaan pääpiirteittäin kuuttatoista muuta aikaansa edustavaa fantasiaromaania ja hahmotetaan tajunnanesityksen muutoksen kronologista kulkua. Yhdessä osat ilmentävät, kuinka amerikkalainen heterodiegeettinen fantasiakirjallisuus on muuttunut kerrontateknisesti henkilökeskeisemmäksi. Tutkielma on ensimmäinen laatuaan, ja sen on tarkoitus luoda pohjaa uudenlaiselle modernin fantasiakirjallisuuden tutkimukselle ja kirjalliselle arvostukselle.

COMPOSITIONS FEATURING THE PIANO IN FANTASY FORM: 1820-1920

The Fantasy form offered a composer the freedom to create a work without concerns for fitting into the current stylistic and traditional structures. The flowering of the form seems to be concentrated from 1820-1920 since the composer started to use it as a way to convey a personal idea or to portray a special spirit. This dissertation is comprised of three recitals with fantasies in different genres and styles. Through performing these diverse fantasies, I have been inspired to connect with the imagery and spirit of the compositions in order to capture the unique sentiments of each piece. Also, in order to keep the audience absorbed in the music that is without structure, I have focused on expanding my technical abilities to vary color, sonority, and phrasing. Program one (April 26,2004) includes Fantasie, Op. 17 and Piano Concerto, Op. 54 (assisted by Ya-Hsin Wu) by R. Schumann. Program two (December 10, 2004) includes Three Fantastic Dances, Op. 5 by D. Shostakovitch, Fantasy "Sonataecossaise ", Op. 28 by F. Mendelssohn, Sonata No.2 "Sonata-Fantasy", Op. 19 by A. Scriabin and Fantasie for Piano and Violin, D 934 by F. Schubert with violinist, TaoChang Yu. The last program (November 1, 2005) includes Fantasia baetica by E. de Falla, Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3 by S. Rachrnaninoff, Fantaisie, Op. 49, Impromptu No. 4 '%h.ntasy-hpromptu", Op. 66 and Polonaise-Fantaisie, Op. 61 by F. Chopin.

THE PIANO FANTASY FROM BACH TO DANIELPOUR

The Fantasy, as the term suggests, is a genre that composers have found congenial for exploring innovative and imaginative processes. Works in this genre are numerous in the solo piano literature, and extend even to works for piano and orchestra and to chamber music with piano. I was curious to explore how a specific genre of music maintained similar characteristics but evolved over time. A fantasy is primed to be inventive and I wanted to see how composers from different eras and backgrounds would handle their material in this genre. I have learned that composers worked through formal developments while making innovations within this genre. The heart of my dissertation is presented through the recording project. Because ofthe abundance ofpiano fantasies, many works had to be excluded from this project for time's sake. On two compact discs, I have recorded approximately two hours of solo piano music. I have included some shorter fantasies to magnify significant developments from era to era, country to country, and composer to composer. The first disc has recordings of eighteenth and nineteenth-century fantasies: Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, BWV 903 by J.S. Bach (1685-1750); Fantasia inC major, H. XVII, 4 by Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809); Fantasy inc minor, K. 475 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756- 1791); Fantasia inf-sharp minor, Op. 28 by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847); and Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat major, Op. 61 by Frederic Chopin (1810-1849). On the second disc I have included mid-19th, 20th and 2151-century piano fantasies: Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H by Franz Liszt (1811-1886); Fantasia Baetica by Manuel de Falla (1876-1946); Three Fantasies by William Bergsma (1921-1994); Fantasy, Aria and Fugue by Frederic Goossen (1927-2011); and Piano Fantasy ("Wenn ich einmal sol! scheiden") by Richard Danielpour (b. 1956). The accompanying document includes program notes for each of the pieces recorded. They were recorded on a Steinway "D" in Dekelboum Concert Hall at the University of Maryland by Antonino D'Urzo ofOpusrite Productions. This document is available in the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland and the CO's are available through the Library System at the University of Maryland.

Post-trauma: Is evidence based practice a fantasy?

Trauma, bereavement, and loss are universal human experiences. Much has been written about the process that the bereaved go through following the loss of a loved one. Recent events such as 9/11, earthquakes in Turkey, genocides in Rwanda, community conflict in Northern Ireland, and the Asian Tsunami Disaster have drawn unprecedented public attention to the subject of traumatic bereavement. Increasingly, it is recognised that while most people are able to cope with loss generally by eventually restructuring their lives, those bereaved in traumatic circumstance often find it extremely difficult. As a consequence, a plethora of interventions have emerged, however, to-date, little is know about their actual effectiveness in helping the bereaved. With the emphasis of health and welfare professions on evidencebased practice (EBP) greater than ever and a raising awareness of accountability as key element of ethical practice, the call for EBP in traumatic bereavement is compelling. Using examples from work carried out in Northern Ireland, we look at the backdrop of the issues involved, describe some of the most commonly used therapeutic interventions, and explore the possibility of evidence-based practice.