Songkran day & Thailand~*

Even though the global economic crisis might bring Thailand down recently, with everyone still got struggle to maintain their job and no one can predict for the future.

However, Thailand still one of the places that can attract groups of foreigners, and we will see for thousands of them join us in the Songkran festival day in April.

If we talk about the Songkran festival, you can be familliar for the water splashing around the country, people walk around the roads with the powder on their cheeks and the smile on people's faces with their happiness during the hottest time of the Year.

But in 2009, the economic seems to be in the downturn and it also affect to the Songkran festival. According to the Dailynews, the arrival of foreign tourists might be slightly dropped around 10 percents, with estimate for a hundred thousand foreigners to be in the country during the Songkran festival this year.

Mr. Chanchai Doungjitt, the director of Tourism Authority of Thailand, said to the newspaper that there will be more than a billion baht spending for a week of Songkran festival, and the places for the tourists will be at the beaches from Pattaya, Hua-hin to the Andaman side in Phi Phi island and Phuket.

Thailand still be one of the places for everyone, no matter what happen. We already passed through the Political conflict last year, where the group of protesters seized the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang Airports.

**Sack of Rome**

Empire of Rome was divided by the Emperor into two parts in 2nd century. The first part was West Rome, the capital city was Rome. And, it also was the center of Senate. The second part was East Rome, the capital was Byzantium. Later, it was changed the name to “Constantinople” in the age of Constantine.

The reason that the Rome was divided because the senators tried to avoid the conflict between the soldiers, but the effects of the divided turn bad, with the weakness in socialization, economics and the wars, Rome was invaded by German Colony and the Teutonic that came into the east, which made the Rome city to be abandoned in the 4th century.

Somehow, the Empire of Rome still one of the country that influences to the Western Countries nowadays such as the language, the laws and the architecture.

*Translated From the book History of Greek-Roman Empire
By Atthaya Komolkanjana
Published at Ramkanhaeng University, 1976
*Websites - http://www.vinland.org/scamp/grove/kreich/chapter7.html
- http://www.mmdtkw.org/VAlaric.html
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/greece/paganism/sack.html

*Peeraphat Puspavesa I.D.4907640447
*Narudech Hemkrasri I.D.4907640918

**John Calvin**

Interview to : Mr.Richard A.Muller

P. J. Zondervan Professor of Historical Theology (1992)
A.B. (Queens College, NY, 1969)
M.Div. (Union Theological Seminary, NY, 1972)
Ph.D. (Duke University, 1976)

Dr. Muller is the author of 'The Unaccommodated Calvin,' 'After Calvin: Studies in the Development of a Theological Tradition,' 'Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics' (four volumes), 'God, Creation, and Providence in the Thought of Jacob Arminius,' 'Christ and the Decree,' 'Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms,' and 'The Study of Theology.' He has also written numerous articles and reviews.

What's the change from Protestant to Calvinism??
- Calvinism proved to be adaptable to the current social and political changes in European society.

What is Calvinism present and how it takes effect to society?
- The Calvinism introduced a much disciplined code to the city and its effectively controlled people’s lives. There were people who opposed Calvin and he never secure until he had support from Geneva’s families. Geneva became the most influential city in the Protestant movement.

What is the "Institutes of the Christian Religion” ?
- For John Calvin the only spiritual authority was scripture. According to his interpretation, God’s omnipotence can be seen in what is called “predestination.” Those who believed in predestination held that God had determined, from the beginning of time, who was to be saved and who was to be damned. Calvin believed that all people were sinful by nature, did not deserve redemption, and could not truly know God. Calvin felt that the purpose of life was to strive to know or understand God as well as possible and then to follow God’s will.

What were Calvin’s beliefs ?
-Calvinism was based around the absolute power and supremacy of God.
Calvin believed that Man was sinful and could only approach God through faith in Christ - not through Mass and pilgrimages.

*Prapop Hutayon ID. 4907640983
*Chalermporn Praphapyuenyong ID. 4907641114

**Leonardo Da Vinci**

Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the greatest artists and scientists from Italy (1452-1519).

Leonardo Da Vinci was born on 15 April 1452, in Vinci close to Florence. He showed his painting’s talent since he was young.

He left his home town when he was 18 years old, to serve the Duke of Milan for 17 years. During that time, the Duke assigned him to paint, and design things (For example: weapons, buildings, and machineries). The famous painting "The Last Supper" and "The Virgin on the Rocks," were two of all paints that he had done during this time.

He return to Florence and began the work of Mona Lisa in 1503. But 3 years after that, he was called back to Milan to serve the new government of France, and stayed there for 7 years. During that time his science skill was outstanding from others, his painted just to support his scientific inventions. And then move to Rome after that.

He left Italy in 1516, to work with King Francis of France. He died on May 2, 1519 in Cloux, France, at the age of 62.

*Chanoknart Sitthi-Ampai I.D.4907640637
*Napadporn Santhimaneerat I.D.4907641023

**William Shakespeare**

** William Shakespeare **

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His father was John Shakespeare and his mother was Mary Arden.At the age of 18 Shakespeare married, to Anne Hathaway. The marriage may have been forced, as Anne was already 3 months pregnant with a daughter, Susanna. This first child was followed by twins Hamnet and Judith in 1585.

The next 7 years of Shakespeare's life are a mystery.

Shakespeare fled his home and family to follow the life of an actor in London. London's theatres were closed in 1593 due to an outbreak of the plague. Shakespeare preferred to stay in London and he began to gain recognition as a writer with his work such as “Venus and Adonius” and “Rape of Lucrece”. He was fortunate to find a patron, Henry Wriothsley, Earl of Southampton, to support him in his writing. “Venus and Adonius” was wildly successful, and it was this work that first brought the young writer widespread recognition.

Apart from his longer poetry, Shakespeare also began writing his sonnets during this period, perhaps at the behest of Southampton's mother, who hoped to induce her son to marry.When the theatres reopened in 1594, Shakespeare was a playwright .He writing and performing for the theatre company .Shakespeare became an investor in the company.Finally,he retired around 1611 and died in 1616.

From the book :
The Cambridge companion to Shakespearean tragedy edited by Claire McEachern
.A routledge Literary Sourcebook on William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice Edited by S.P.Cerasano

From the web:
http://www.biographyinfo.com/shakespearebiography/

*Soravong Siriboonpanta ID. 4907640181

*Atichai Sirithanapisarn ID. 49076411072

**Queen Elizabeth**

Queen Elizabeth I, whose era was the golden age of England’s history, was the queen of England and Ireland between1558 and 1603 AD. She was born on 7 September 1553 as the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth I was very well educated (fluent in Greek, Latin, Italian, and French).

Also, she had the most fabulous talent in public speaking. Elizabeth I acceded to the throne on 17 November 1558. A year later, she advocated protestants. She maintained the authority of the Monarchy against the pressures of Parliament as well. Elizabeth I was an economical queen because she did not spend money to promote literature, art, and architecture.

By the time, Elizabeth I passed away on 24 March 1603. Later, King James I, the son of Mary, Queen of Scotland, acceded to the throne.


From Encyclopedia of Renaissance (2) by Paul F. Grendler, editor in chief. Imprint of the Gate group

Renaissance and Reformation: Biographies. By Elton, Geoffrey Rudolph

www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/elizabeth.html

Interview : Mr.Nattanat leawpairoj
B.Ed. second honor,chulalongkorn university

*Ong-on Sahachairungrueng I.D.4907640173
*Chulisa Kajonrerk I.D.4907641007

**Printing Press [Johann Gutenburg]**

Gutenberg’s invention

There was the printing before Gutenberg but it’s just woodblock technology. The advantage of his inventions was, dividing it in its own component such as lower and upper case letter. He cut each letter in to steel block. Then create a matrix by placing the punch on square block made of copper and striking it vertically.

Johannes Gutenberg is the “Father of Printing” In 13th Century. He invented the ink printing that composite suitably with print alloy. And his first successful invention in 1455 was bible, called “Gutenberg Bible or 42 line bible”.

For the Press Printing, Chinese used wood blocks for pressing on the paper but they were not strong enough, easily to wear out.

In 1438, Gutenberg had developed the way of printing, printing press, mold, ink printing and the paper for better using. In 1450, he invented the casting of iron block. So, it makes blocks of printing be more useful. It could be reused for several times. Not like wood blocks.

After his successful, book publishing. He found a terrible situation which was a numerous of debt he made by loaning the money for his printing press experiment.

Sources: http://www.thaipressasso.com/hotnews/news_thai.htm
http://www.mainz.de/gutenberg/english/erfindun.htm

Translated From – “General Knowledge of printing”, Sukothai Thammathiratch University
"Written by Vice Professor, Suppanee Reablerdharan"

*Anuth Duangmarn I.D. 4907640025
*Wuttikrai Songsermsawad I.D. 4907640355