Divine Comedy Dante shown holding a copy of the Divine Comedy, next to the entrance to Hell, the seven terraces of Mount Purgatory and the city of Florence, with the spheres of Heaven above, in Michelino's fresco On the surface, the poem describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven;[4] but at a deeper level, it represents, allegorically, the soul's journey towards God.[5] At this deeper level, Dante draws on medieval Christian theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy and the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas.[6] Consequently, the Divine Comedy has been called "the Summa in verse".[7] The work was originally simply titled Commedìa and was later christened Divina by Giovanni Boccaccio. The first printed edition to add the word divina to the title was that of the Venetian humanist Lodovico Dolce,[8] published in 1555 by Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari. Structure and story[edit] The last word in each of the three parts of the Divine Comedy is stelle ("stars"). Inferno[edit]
Seven Military Classics The Seven Military Classics (traditional Chinese: 武經七書; simplified Chinese: 武经七书; pinyin: Wǔjīngqīshū; Wade–Giles: Wu ching ch'i shu) were seven important military texts of ancient China, which also included Sun-tzu's The Art of War. The texts were canonized under this name during the 11th century AD, and from the time of the Song Dynasty, were included in most military encyclopedias.[1] For imperial officers, either some or all of the works were required reading to merit promotion, like the requirement for all bureaucrats to learn and know the work of Confucius. There were many anthologies with different notations and analyses by scholars throughout the centuries leading up to the present versions in Western publishing. The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty commented on the seven military classics, stating, "I have read all of the seven books, among them there are some materials that are not necessarily right, ... and there are superstitious stuff can be used by bad people."
Madness and Civilization Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason (French: Folie et Déraison: Histoire de la folie à l'âge classique) is a 1964 abridged edition of a 1961 book by the French philosopher Michel Foucault. An English translation of the complete 1961 edition, titled History of Madness, was published in June 2006.[1] Background[edit] The book developed out of Foucault's earlier writing on psychology,[3] his own psychological difficulties, and his experiences working in a mental hospital, and was written mainly between 1955 and 1959 while working in cultural-diplomatic and educational posts in Sweden (as director of a French cultural centre attached to the University of Uppsala),[4] Germany, and Poland.[5] Summary[edit] Foucault traces the evolution of the concept of madness through three phases: the Renaissance, the "Classical Age" (the later seventeenth and most of the eighteenth centuries) and the modern experience. ...modern man no longer communicates with the madman ...
Kakistocracy A system of government which is run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens A kakistocracy [kækɪ'stɑkrəsi] is a system of government that is run by the worst, least qualified, and/or most unscrupulous citizens.[1][2] The word was coined as early as the seventeenth century,[3] but gained significant use in the first decades of the 20th century to criticize populist governments emerging in different democracies around the world. Etymology[edit] The word is derived from two Greek words, kakistos (κάκιστος; worst) and kratos (κράτος; rule), with a literal meaning of government by the worst people.[4] History[edit] The earliest use of the word dates to the seventeenth century, in Paul Gosnold's A sermon Preached at the Publique Fast the ninth day of Aug. 1644 at St. American poet James Russell Lowell used the term in 1877, in a letter to Joel Benton, writing, "What fills me with doubt and dismay is the degradation of the moral tone. Usage[edit] See also[edit] References[edit]
10+ Amazing Examples Of “Crown Shyness”, A Phenomenon Where Trees Avoid Touching The next time you're out walking through the forest, take a moment to look above you and you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find. Show Full Text Check out these incredible pictures to see what we mean. The naturally occurring phenomenon is called "crown shyness" because the uppermost branches of certain tree species don't like to touch one another. The intriguing behavior was first observed in the 1920s, and various hypotheses have been presented since then in an attempt to explain it. Some believe it occurs to reduce the spread of harmful insects. The Book of Five Rings The Book of Five Rings (五輪書, Go Rin No Sho?) is a text on kenjutsu and the martial arts in general, written by the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645. There have been various translations made over the years, and it enjoys an audience considerably broader than only that of martial artists: for instance, some business leaders find its discussion of conflict and taking the advantage to be relevant to their work. Musashi establishes a "no-nonsense" theme throughout the text. Musashi describes and advocates a two-sword style (nitōjutsu): that is, wielding both katana and wakizashi, contrary to the more traditional method of wielding the katana two-handed. The five books[edit] Although it is difficult to grasp it from the book, Go Rin No Sho, these books are actually the teachings which Musashi preached to his students in his own dōjō. The term "Ichi School" is referred to in the book, Go Rin No Sho. The Book of Earth[1][edit] In The Book of Five Rings he writes on timing: See also[edit]
Suspension of disbelief Suspension of disbelief or willing suspension of disbelief is a term coined in 1817 by the poet and aesthetic philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who suggested that if a writer could infuse a "human interest and a semblance of truth" into a fantastic tale, the reader would suspend judgement concerning the implausibility of the narrative. Suspension of disbelief often applies to fictional works of the action, comedy, fantasy, and horror genres. Cognitive estrangement in fiction involves using a person's ignorance or lack of knowledge to promote suspension of disbelief. The phrase "suspension of disbelief" came to be used more loosely in the later 20th century, often used to imply that the burden was on the reader, rather than the writer, to achieve it. This might be used to refer to the willingness of the audience to overlook the limitations of a medium, so that these do not interfere with the acceptance of those premises. Coleridge's original formulation[edit] Coleridge recalled: ”...
Diary of a Country Priest Diary of a Country Priest (French: Journal d'un curé de campagne) is a 1951 French film written and directed by Robert Bresson, and starring Claude Laydu. It was closely based on the novel of the same name by Georges Bernanos. Published in 1936, the novel received the Grand prix du roman de l'Académie française. Diary of a Country Priest was lauded for Laydu's debut performance, which has been called one of the greatest in the history of cinema; the film won numerous awards, including the Grand Prize at the Venice International Film Festival, and the Prix Louis Delluc.[1] Plot[edit] An idealistic young priest arrives at Ambricourt, his new parish. The older priest from Torcy talks to his younger colleague about his poor diet and lack of prayer, but the younger man seems unable to make changes. Cast[edit] Production[edit] Two other French scriptwriters, Jean Aurenche and Pierre Bost, had wanted to make film adaptations of the novel. Guy Lefranc was assistant director on the movie.
Kleptocracy Government with exploitative rulers who seek to extend their personal wealth and power Kleptocracy (from Greek κλέπτης kléptēs, "thief", κλέπτω kléptō, "I steal", and -κρατία -kratía from κράτος krátos, "power, rule") is a government with corrupt leaders (kleptocrats) that use their power to exploit the people and natural resources of their own territory in order to extend their personal wealth and political powers. Typically, this system involves embezzlement of funds at the expense of the wider population.[1][2] Kleptocracy is different from a plutocracy (society that is ruled or controlled by people of great wealth or income) and oligarchy (a form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of people distinguished by wealth, education, religious status etc.). Characteristics[edit] Kleptocratic rulers often treat their country's treasury as a source of personal wealth, spending funds on luxury goods and extravagances as they see fit. Financial system[edit] Effects[edit]
Benzoic Acid - A Harmful Preservative - StopKillingMyKids.com Preservatives are used in all processed foods to keep them from spoiling; unfortunately, most of these chemicals are extremely dangerous to our health and to the health of our children. In fact, many of the problems our society is facing today, including the high number of obese children, child diabetes and rising cancer rates, can be traced back to these artificial preservatives. Most people will say that the preservatives keep food “fresh”; you’ll notice I didn’t use that word, because in my opinion, once you add deadly chemicals (or any chemicals for that matter) to a food, it’s no longer fresh. Benzoic Acid is one of these preservatives that you should avoid. If Benzoic Acid is inhaled, it can cause damage to the nervous system. To keep our children from contracting many of the problems that are plaguing our nation’s children, we should do our best to keep them away from chemical preservatives like Benzoic Acid.
The Winter King The Winter King is the first novel of the Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell. It was published in 1995 in the UK by Penguin Group. Plot introduction[edit] The novel is divided into five parts. Plot summary[edit] Part One: A Child in Winter[edit] The Kingdom of Dumnonia is in chaos. Mordred and his mother are brought to Merlin's hall at Ynys Wydryn (Glastonbury), where she and the child are placed under the care of Merlin's priestesses, Morgan (Arthur's sister) and Nimue (Merlin's lover). High King Uther summons a high council of the Kings of Britain at Glevum (Gloucester). After Uther dies Mordred, still only a baby, is pronounced King of Dumnonia. The group flee with Gundleus in pursuit. Part Two: The Princess Bride[edit] In the aftermath of the battle Arthur imprisons Gundleus but treats him with respect as he is a King. When Prince Tristan, Edling of Kernow, arrives in Dumnonia and demands recompense for the massacre, Owain blames an Irish raiding party.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Plot summary[edit] The Rime of the Ancient Mariner relates the experiences of a sailor who has returned from a long sea voyage. The mariner stops a man who is on the way to a wedding ceremony and begins to narrate a story. The wedding-guest's reaction turns from bemusement to impatience to fear to fascination as the mariner's story progresses, as can be seen in the language style: Coleridge uses narrative techniques such as personification and repetition to create a sense of danger, the supernatural, or serenity, depending on the mood in different parts of the poem. The mariner's tale begins with his ship departing on its journey. Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Nor any drop to drink. Engraving by Gustave Doré for an 1876 edition of the poem. The sailors change their minds again and blame the mariner for the torment of their thirst. He made and loveth all.