The Legend of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland

The Legend of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland Patricks father, Calpornius, held both civic and clerical offices when Patrick was born to him in the late fourth century (c. A.D. 390). Although the family lived in the village of Bannavem Taberniaei, in Roman Britain, Patrick would one day become the most successful Christian missionary in Ireland, its patron saint, and the subject of legends. The Story of St. Patrick Patricks first encounter with the land to which he would devote his life was an unpleasant one. He was kidnapped at age 16, sent to Ireland (around County Mayo), and sold into slavery. While Patrick worked there as a shepherd, he developed a deep faith in God. One night, during his sleep, he was sent a vision of how to escape. So much he tells us in his autobiographical Confession. Unlike the work of the same name by the theologian, Augustine, Patricks Confession​ is short, with few statements of religious doctrine. In it, Patrick describes his British youth and his conversion, for although he was born to Christian parents, he did not consider himself Christian before his captivity. Another purpose of the document was to defend himself to the very church that had sent him to Ireland to convert his former captors. Years before Patrick wrote his Confession,​ he wrote an angry Letter to Coroticus, the British King of Alcluid (later called Strathclyde), in which he condemns him and his soldiers as compatriots of the demons because they had captured and slaughtered many of the Irish people Bishop Patrick had just baptized. Those they didnt kill would be sold to heathen Picts and Scots. Although personal, emotional, religious, and biographical, these two pieces and Gildas Bandonicus Concerning the Ruin of Britain (De Excidio Britanniae) provide the main historical sources for fifth-century Britain. Upon Patricks escape from his approximately six years of slavery, he went back to Britain, and then to Gaul where he studied under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre, for 12 years before returning again to Britain. There he felt a calling to return as a missionary to Ireland. He stayed in Ireland for another 30 years, converting, baptizing, and setting up monasteries. Various legends have grown up concerning St. Patrick, the most popular of the Irish saints. St. Patrick was not well-educated, a fact he attributes to early captivity. Due to this, it was with some reluctance that he was sent as a missionary to Ireland, and only after the first missionary, Palladius, had died. Perhaps its because of his informal schooling in the meadows with his sheep that he came up with the clever analogy between the three leaves of the shamrock and the Holy Trinity. At any rate, this lesson is one explanation for why St. Patrick is associated with a shamrock. St. Patrick is also credited with driving the snakes out of Ireland. There were probably no snakes in Ireland for him to drive out, and it is very likely that the story was meant to be symbolic. Since he converted the heathen, the snakes are thought to stand for the pagan beliefs or evil. Where he was buried is a mystery. Among other places, a chapel to St. Patrick at Glastonbury claims he was interred there. A shrine in County Down, Ireland, claims to possess a jawbone of the saint which is requested for childbirth, epileptic fits, and to avert the evil eye. While we dont know exactly when he was born or died, this Roman British saint is honored by the Irish, especially in the United States, on March 17 with parades, green beer, cabbage, corned beef, and general revelry. While there is a parade in Dublin as the culmination of a week of festivities, Irish celebrations on St. Patricks Day itself are predominantly religious. Sources Sub-Roman Britain: An IntroductionGildas: from Concerning the Ruin of Britain (De Excidio Britanniae)From Medieval Sourcebook, chapters 23-26 of Gildas work on the fall of Britain.Ecole Glossary entry on Gildas the Wise

All About Gargoyles and How to Use Them

All About Gargoyles and How to Use Them A gargoyle is a waterspout, usually carved to resemble an odd or monstrous creature, that protrudes from a structures wall or roofline. By definition, a real gargoyle has a function- to throw rainwater away from a building. The word gargoyle is from the Greek gargarizein meaning to wash the throat. The word gargle comes from the same Greek derivation- so think of yourself as a gargoyle when you swish your mouth, gurgling and gargling with your mouthwash. In fact, the word spelled as gurgoyle was commonly used in the 19th century, most notably by British author Thomas Hardy in Chapter 46 of Far From the Madding Crowd (1874). The function of a gargoyle is to spit out excess water, but why it looks the way it does is another story. Legend has it that a dragon-like creature named La Gargouille terrorized the people of Rouen, France. In the seventh century A.D., a local cleric named Romanus used Christian symbolism to neutralize La Gargouilles threat to the townspeople- its said that Romanus destroyed the beast with the sign of the cross. Many early Christians were led to their religion by the fear of the gargoyle, a symbol of Satan. The Christian church became a protective haven for the mostly illiterate people. Romanus knew the legends that the townspeople of Rouen did not know. The oldest gargoyles have been found in present-day Egypt from the Fifth Dynasty, c. 2400 B.C. The functional and practical waterspout has also been found in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. Gargoyles in the shape of dragons are found in Chinas Forbidden City and imperial tombs from the Ming Dynasty. Medieval and Modern Gargoyles Waterspouts became more ornate toward the end of the Romanesque architectural period. The Middle Ages was a time of Christian pilgrimage, often with the pillaging of sacred relics. Sometimes cathedrals were specially built to house and protect sacred bones, such as those of Saint-Lazare dAutun in France. Protective animal gargoyles, in the shape of pigs and dogs, are not only waterspouts but act as symbolic protection at the 12th century Cathà ©drale Saint-Lazare dAutun. The mythical Greek chimera became a popular figure stonemasons used as gargoyles. The sculpting of the functional gargoyle became especially popular in the Gothic building boom across Europe, so gargoyles have come to be associated with this architectural era. French architect Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) extended this association to Gothic-Revival as he creatively restored the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral with many of the famous gargoyles and grotesques seen today. Gargoyles can also be found on American Gothic Revival buildings such as the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. In the 20th century, Art Deco style gargoyles can be seen atop the 1930 Chrysler Building, a well-known skyscraper in New York City. These more modern gargoyles are made of metal and look like heads of American eagles- protrusions that have been called hood ornaments by some enthusiasts. By the 20th century, gargoyle functionality as waterspouts had evaporated even if the tradition lived on. Disney Gargoyles Cartoon Between 1994 and 1997, Walt Disney Television Animation produced a well-received cartoon called Gargoyles. The main character, Goliath, says things like It is the gargoyle way, but dont let him fool you. Real gargoyles dont come alive after dark. In 2004, ten years after the first episode aired, DVDs of the animations were released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. To a certain generation, this series is a remembrance of things past. Grotesques As the functional waterspout aspect of gargoyles diminished, the creatively monstrous sculpting grew. What is called a gargoyle may also be called a grotesquery, meaning that it is grotesque. These grotesque sculptures can suggest monkeys, devils, dragons, lions, griffins, humans, or any other creature. Language purists may reserve the word gargoyle only for the objects that serve the practical purpose of directing rainwater from the roof. Care and Maintenance of Gargoyles and Grotesques Because gargoyles are by definition on the exterior of buildings, they are subject to natural elements- especially water. As slender, sculpted protrusions, their deterioration is imminent. Most of the gargoyles we see today are reproductions. In fact, in 2012 the Duomo in Milan, Italy created an Adopt a Gargoyle campaign to help pay for upkeep and restoration- which makes a lovely gift for the person who has everything. Source: Gargoyle entry by Lisa A. Reilly, The Dictionary of Art, Vol 12, Jane Turner, ed., Grove, 1996, pp. 149-150

Cooperation against global warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cooperation against global warming - Essay Example According to Stella, the rise in greenhouse gas emission over the past 50 years serves as a major factor in the modern day global warming. Even if the excessive carbon dioxide emissions were controlled, the climatic changes would still take place for many years to come, leading to a drastic shortage of water for more than 5 billion people. It is further forecasted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that Northern Europe would experience increased flooding by 2025 owing to global warming. Scientists and environmentalists have come up with a range of solutions from decreasing the use of fossil fuels to incentives for using refined forms of energy. These measures are believed to be sufficient to make a real and positive impact on climatic change. Proposed in 1997, Kyoto Protocol focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and halting the climatic changes. Kyoto Protocol declares the developed countries as the world's greatest polluters. It aims at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5 % of the 1990s levels over the period of 2008-2012. Though the Protocol has been ratified by many developed industrial nations, there are others who have been resistant towards signing it. Such nations argue that it is unfair to exempt the developing countries from the Protocol. Businesses, scientists and politicians of developed countries also give the following reasons for not signing the Protocol: 1. Doubt about the effect of carbon dioxide emission on global warming 2. Concerns about the negative effect of the Protocol on their own economies 3. Rejection of the need for an imposed reduction in carbon dioxide emission Developed countries versus Developing countries Many critiques of the Kyoto Protocol declare that global warming is a global problem which requires the developing countries to participate just as much as the developed countries. Stella acknowledges the fact that both developed as well as developing countries have a role to play in curbing the carbon dioxide emission. However, she argues that the developed countries have a greater obligation to address this issue for the reason that they contributed most towards it. As Stella writes in her article, "However, for developing countries, the argument that they should be subject to exactly the same restrictions as developed countries does not carry weight. After watching developed countries build their wealth and power on extensive use of fossil fuels this appears to be a case of 'do what I say, not what I do".2 Factors discouraging the Developed Countries Stella makes note of the following factors which discourage the developed countries from signing the Kyoto Protocol: 1. Reluctance to offend giant fossil fuel companies which contribute largely to the economies of the developed countries 2. Large scale unemployment if these giant fossil fuel companies are forced to shut down 3. Fear of giving a competitive advantage to emerging economies such as China and Korea as they would not be subject to the terms of the Protocol Developing countries' Roles Stella further states that some developing count

Korean diaspora Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Korean diaspora - Essay Example The north-eastern China started receiving Koreans from the thirteenth century itself. The Koreans in China are renowned for keeping their unique Korean traditions intact while assimilating the local languages and ideas. Many Korean-origin people in China, according to Piao, â€Å"do not know how to write or speak Korean, they have maintained their unique Korean customs. Such customs as not marrying while in formal mourning, women not binding their feet, and placing ceremonial food on a special table for the elderly remained until the 1940s† (48). There has also been a long tradition of Korean dissidents migrating to other countries, especially to China. During the period of Japanese colonialism in Korea, especially between 1910 and 1930, thousands of Koreans opposed to the regime have fled to China. The extensive migration of Korean peasants to Manchuria was even facilitated by the Japanese imperialists. Although oppressed by the ruling elites and by the conditions of misery, the Korean diaspora in China have rigorously upheld many aspects of their original nationality. By the establishment of different kinds of autonomous units after the establishment of the communist rule, the Koreans in China have not only been able to preserve their nationality but also to develop it significantly. The Chinese Communist party (CCP) too had played an important role in protecting the minority culture of the Koreans in China by organizing Korean cultural workers and Korean literary clubs. It was the direct result of CCP’s policy that â€Å"in areas that contained a concentration of one nationality, national autonomous regions should be established and the nationality’s language and writing system should be developed, along with the preservation of the nationality’s customs, traditions and religious beliefs†, argues Piao (75). Also, land reform policies initiated by the communist government in China have largely helped the Koreans diaspora to enhance their material development. Koreans in Japan In Japanese language, the immigrants from Korea are popularly called as sangokujin in a derogative fashion. The Koreans in Japan have always had a tensed relation with their old colonial masters and vice versa too. This tension still is expressed as â€Å"the continued ambiguity of the Korean community’s position between ‘troublesome’ new immigrants and Japanese nationals† as pointed by Chung (1). It has led to lower rates of naturalization of Koreans in Japan even after many decades of their arrival in Japan. It could also be argued, along the lines of Chung, that although the Koreans in Japan find it easy to be assimilated with the natives by fluently speaking Japanese and marrying with Japanese origins, â€Å"the law rate of naturalization suggests that a significant proportion of the Korean community has made a conscious decision to retain its Korean nationality† (1). As former, colonial subje cts, the Koreans have found it difficult to be integrated with the Japanese oppressive regime. It does not mean that the Korean diaspora in Japan is devoid of representation in the civil society. Although the Japanese state and society asserts the indigenous homogeneity of the Japanese people vis-a-vis the Korean immigrants, the Koreans have asserted themselves into the national scene through democratic participation and activism. Still,

Thresholds Theory of Classical Psychophysics Essay Example for Free

Thresholds Theory of Classical Psychophysics Essay Discuss the thresholds theory of classical psychophysics and explain how characteristics of the perceiver are also important in determining the selection of stimuli. The theory that our human cognitive ability has thresholds from the conscious level to a non-conscious level which varies over time in strength. These thresholds are physical and are not defined, but generally are from those activities and thoughts that are the most active having a threshold that defines our active consciousness, down to those thoughts that are several thresholds away and not seemingly linked to our current awareness. The concepts behind the theory attempt to bring together areas of knowledge, including the commonly-held beliefs about short-term memory being limited to around 7 ideas. In an evolutionary sense, humans walk forward and have to plan their next steps. If humans are running, they may be planning, say, 7 steps ahead. This planning allows them to avoid having miss steps. They have to be able to analyze the results of possibly taking steps, and then keep changing their focus after taking a new step forward .In theory people are imperfectly able to keep focus on a small set of priorities. This imperfection may be the solution, though, for allowing new priorities to be considered. An example is if when shopping in a market holding a red scarf you like, someone yells from behind you â€Å"Stop that thief Help† You start to turn around. Your cognitive threshold will swap out your interest in scarves for an interest in this new distraction. You may: †¢Want to see the thief to avoid them †¢Want to see the person yelling to verify they are not joking †¢Want to see if you are near the thief, or possibly in danger In other words, our cognitive and analytical threshold allows us to act in our world and react for what could be labeled as basic evolutionary needs. The cognitive threshold changes over time, for reasons including: †¢mental capacity: fatigue, chemical or emotional impairment/enhancement †¢situational: the ability to think about running is higher when actually running, than when performing some other activity †¢training: learning enhances ability to manage and perform more in those areas being learned, such as language, music, sports, science, and other skills The Cognitive Threshold theory assumes that what is referred to as â€Å"unconscious† or â€Å"subconscious† thinking is essentially thoughts that take place at a different level of awareness. Perception is our sensory experience of the world around us and involves both the recognition of environmental stimuli and action in response to these stimuli. Through the perceptual process, we gain information about properties and elements of the environment that are critical to our survival. A number of factors operate to shape and sometimes distort perception these factors can reside: i) In the perceiver ii) In the Object or target being perceived or iii) In the context of the situation in which the perception is made. 1. Characteristics of the Perceiver: Several characteristics of the perceiver can affect perception. When an individual looks at a target and attempts to interpret what he or she stands for, that interpretation is heavily influenced by personal characteristics of the individual perceiver. The major characteristics of the perceiver influencing perception are: †¢Attitudes †¢Motive †¢Moods †¢Self-concept †¢Interest †¢Cognitive structure †¢Expectation 2) Characteristics of the Target: Characteristics in the target that is being observed can affect what is perceived. Physical appearance pals a big role in our perception of others. Extremely attractive or unattractive individuals are more likely to be noticed in a group than ordinary looking individuals. Motions, sound, size and other attributes of a target shape the way we see it. Verbal Communication from targets also affects our perception of them. Nonverbal communication conveys a great deal of information about the target. The perceiver deciphers eye contact, facial expressions, body movements, and posture all in a attempt to form an impression of the target. 3) Characteristics of the Situation: The situation in which the interaction between the perceiver and the target takes place has an influence on the perceivers impression of the target. The strength of the situational cues also affects social perception. Some situations provide strong cues as to appropriate behavior. In this situation, we assume that individuals behaviors can be accounted for by the situation, and that it may not reflect the individuals disposition Name and discuss briefly three (3) reasons why the memory of a healthy person may fail. Memory is one of the most important functions of the brain. Whether people realize it or not, their memories define who they are. There are many areas of the brain that help you create and retrieve memories. Damage or malfunction of any of these areas can lead to memory loss. Memory loss due to problems with specific brain areas may be different. It may involve only memory of recent or new events, past or remote events, or both. The amnesia may be only for specific events or for all events. The problem may involve learning new information or forming new memories. Mental or thinking abilities may still be present or may have been lost. Filling in the details with imagined events (confabulation), and disorientation to time and place may occur. Memory loss may be for words and thoughts only, or for the body can no longer perform specific actions calls motor action. Memory loss may also be partial, meaning failing to remember only a selected group of items. Self-esteem refers to how an individual feels about him or herself. Does someone view himself as a good person, worthy of good things? If he does, he probably has healthy self esteem. If an individual views himself as flawed and unworthy of praise or the respect of others, he probably has low self-esteem. Self-esteem motivates peoples actions as well as the decisions they make. Individuals with positive self-esteem are likely to believe that they measure up to others sufficiently. They are more likely to have the confidence to pursue different accomplishments, whether it is trying to do well on a test, trying out for a sports team, answering a question in class, or applying for a job. These individuals are not overly afraid of failure; they realize that failure is a natural part of life and whether they fail or succeed at something does not indicate their overall worth and ability as a person. There are several factors that influence self esteem. These include: Age: Self-esteem tends to grow steadily up until middle school, which may be due to the transition of moving from the familiar environment of elementary school to a new setting with new demands. Self-esteem will either continue to grow after this period or begin to plummet. Gender: Girls tend to be more susceptible to having low self-esteem than boys, perhaps because of increased social pressures that emphasize appearance rather than intelligence or athletic ability. When memories are stored in the brain, they cannot serve people unless they are retrieved. How do people retrieve memories? This usually happens when memories are challenged. For example, if someone asks a question, a person must attempt to retrieve information in order to answer the question. Sometimes the answer is easy; other times, a person takes time to answer it. The amount of time it takes to answer the question is connected to a persons awareness of what memories are stored. Sometimes a person is not aware at the time that he or she knows the answer, but later realizes that the information is there, ready to be retrieved. Sometimes, a smell or a sound can trigger a memory that a person did not know was there. Write short examples that are related to your daily activities using James-Lange theory, Cannon Bard theory and the cognitive theory James-Lange theory According to James-Lange theory theory, witnessing an external stimulus leads to a physiological reaction. Your emotional reaction depends upon how you interpret those physical reactions. For example, suppose you are walking in the woods and you see a grizzly bear. You begin to tremble and your heart begins to race. The James-Lange theory proposes that you will interpret your physical reactions and conclude that you are frightened. For an example, when I see a cockroach, feel like uncomfortable and move away from that place and my heart beet become fast by thinking of cockroach going to come near me. Cannon Bard theory Cannon-Bard theory states that we feel emotions and experience physiological reactions such as sweating, trembling and muscle tension simultaneously. More specifically, it is suggested that emotions result when the thalamus sends a message to the brain in response to a stimulus, resulting in a physiological reaction. For example: I see a snake I’m afraid I begin to tremble. According to the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion, we react to a stimulus and experience the associated emotion at the same time .The Cannon-Bard theory of emotion differs from other theory of emotion such as the James-Lange theory of emotion, which argues that physiological responses occur first and result and are the cause of emotions. Cognitive theory Cognitive theory is a learning theory of psychology that attempts to explain human behavior by understanding the thought processes. The assumption is that humans are logical beings that make the choices that make the most sense to them. Information processing is a commonly used description of the mental process, comparing the human mind to a computer. Pure cognitive theory largely rejects behaviorism on the basis that behaviorism reduces complex human behavior to simple cause and effect. However, the trend in past decades has been towards merging the two into a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral theory. This allows therapists to use techniques from both schools of thought to help clients achieve their goals.

DuPont An Investment Analysis :: essays research papers

DuPont makes a variety of high-value products for industry today, including polymers, chemicals, fibers, and petroleum products...products for agriculture, electronics, transportation, apparel, food, aerospace, construction, and health care. DuPont serves customers in these and other industries every day, offering "better things for better living" as the company prepares to begin its third century of scientific, technological, commercial, and social achievement. DuPont is a research and technology based chemical and energy company with its annual revenue exceeding $39 billion. Eleuth‚re Ir‚n‚e du Pont de Nemours, a French immigrant, established DuPont in 1802 in a small Delaware town. E.I. du Pont was a student of Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry, and when he came to America he brought some of the new ideas about the manufacturing of consistently reliable gun powder. His product ignited when it was supposed to, in a manner consistent with expectations. This was greatly appreciated by the citizens of the growing nation, including Thomas Jefferson, who wrote thanking du Pont for the quality of his powder, which was being used to clear the land at Monticello. Many other heroes of early America owed their success, and their lives, to the dependable quality of DuPont's first product. This represents a good, strong start for a company. DuPont, which is moving through the last decade of the twentieth century and toward its third century, emphasizes several things; competing globally; sharpening its business focus; increasing productivity; committing to safety, health, and environmental excellence; and continuing to extend its significant science and technological achievement. One of DuPont's major strategies is to focus on businesses in which DuPont has core competencies, where DuPont can build competitive advantage. The most notable example of this focus was the 1993 transaction in which DuPont acquired ICI's nylon business and ICI acquired DuPont's acrylics business. This strengthened the company's position in the global nylon business while divesting a business that no longer fit its portfolio. Another major factor in the transformation of the company in the1990s was the focus on reducing costs and improving productivity. This was necessary to give the company the flexibility for competitive pricing and to grow market share and earnings. DuPont had strong plants in several countries around the world for many years, and their globalization trend continued in the 1990s. New plants opened in Spain, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, and China, and a major technical service center opened in Japan. In 1994, a Conoco joint venture began producing oil from the Ardalin Field in the Russian Arctic--the first major oil field brought into production by a Russian/Western partnership since demise of the Soviet Union.

IP Addressing

When designing the data closet should be located in a non-centralized location but still have easy access for services and upgrades or repairs. I would consider using a class b network set up which would easily allow 145 users, computers or equipment to connect but still provide additional addresses and networks as the company expands within the next two years. As for IP address I would consider static IP address for all local computers and equipment within the company such as printers, routers user computers etc.This will be easier to use and less expensive. With over 16,000 networks and 65,000 host address available there will be plenty of room for the company to grow. I would also consider having a wireless network using dynamic ip addresses leasing addresses to the user’s devices to allow users to connect there wireless devices to the network. All the systems we use today can work well with DHCP so it shouldn’t be a problem. Also you should consider having multiple domain and DHCP servers to provide load balancing, efficiency and safety in case of server failure.DHCP should be used whenever possible DHCP is easier because there is usually not a need to manually assign and track IP addresses across a number of devices where a specific IP is not necessary, and use reservations for the static devices like Printers and A/P's. And use static addresses for Servers. For example when recovering from a full power outage DHCP WILL be the LAST service to start. So if all servers/printers were DHCP you'd spend a day rebooting/console-login and getting a valid IP – users can do that for themselves. These are just some of the considerations that can be taken into account when creating a small business network.