WALKING IN WAVES

The following thesis consists of a story collection, the majority of which are flash fiction pieces. The thesis consists of two sections. The first section, “Walking in Waves,” is composed of stories about familial relationships and the balancing act of motherhood. Some of these stories play with unique formats or degrees of speculative fiction. Many are rather lyrical in nature. The second section is a novella-in-flash; entitled “Tiny’s Jazz Magic,” this series of stories tells the tale of a woman and her young daughter in 1920’s Storyville, New Orleans

Evaluation of older people\u27s knowledge, awareness, motivation and perceptions about falls and falls prevention in residential aged care homes: A tale of two cities

Falls prevention strategies can only be effective in reducing falls amongst older people if they are adopted and enacted in their daily lives. There is limited evidence identifying what older people in residential aged care (RAC) homes understand about falls and falls prevention, or what may limit or enable their adoption of strategies. This study was conducted in two countries and explored older people’s knowledge and awareness of falls and their preferences, opportunities and motivation to undertake falls prevention strategies. A cross-sectional survey was administered to participants (N = 70) aged 65 years and over, living in six RAC homes in Perth, Australia and six RAC homes in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Participants had limited knowledge about intrinsic falls risk factors and strategies to address these and frequently expressed self-blame regarding falling. Almost all (N = 67, 95.7%) participants felt highly motivated to maintain their current functional mobility and independence in everyday tasks. Key preferences for receiving falls prevention messages favoured a positive approach promoting wellness and independence (N = 41, 58.6%) via pictorial posters or brochures (N = 37, 52.9%) and small group discussions preferably with demonstrations (N = 18, 25.7%). Findings from this study may assist organisations and staff to more effectively engage with older people living in RAC about falls prevention and design targeted resources to address the motivations and preferences of this population

The FCC Under Attack

The Federal Communications Commission voted in a contentious three-two split to relax rules limiting ownership of TV stations, radio stations, and newspapers. Among its critics are members of Congress who may pass legislation reinstating the old rules. Others will likely file suit against the FCC in the hopes of overturning the decision. This article will discuss the current debate over media deregulation in light of the recent FCC order. Specifically, this ibrief focuses on concerns over media consolidation in the wake of the \u27Clear Channelization\u27 of American radio, and addresses the contrasting depictions of the current media landscape by advocates and opponents of deregulation

Flowers, Trees, and Writing Brushes: Extraordinary Lovers in the Otogi-zoshi Kazashi no Himegimi and Sakuraume no Soshi

This thesis presents translations of Kazashi no himegimi and Sakuraume no sōshi, two tales belonging to the genre of medieval Japanese narrative known as otogi-zōshi, and of the subcategory known as iruimono (tales of non-humans). Chapter 1 provides context, beginning with a brief history of otogi-zōshi and a description of residual challenges in its research, including the parameters of the genre and problems with its nomenclature. This is followed by a discussion of the typical physical formats of these tales, Nara ehon and emaki, and a brief history of iruimono and plant symbolism in otogi-zōshi completes the chapter. Literary analysis of Kazashi no himegimi and Sakuraume no sōshi in Chapter 2 focuses on the irui characters in each tale, describing their motivations and the effect they have on the humans they interact with. Format, plot, and character are compared and contrasted for each tale, and the textual sources are briefly described. Chapter 3 provides complete translations for Kazashi no himegimi and Sakuraume no sōshi with annotations for obscure words, puns, and meanings that may be unclear in the text. The chapter ends with a conclusion discussing aspects of the tales that might usefully be explored further