Metabolism and Stress Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Metabolism and Stress - Assignment Example Adrenalin acts on fat cells thereby converting them to glucose for energy. Cortisol also increases amount of glucose in blood. Both these functions are at peak during stress conditions. Therefore, prolonged stressed conditions lead to excess release of energy and glucose. If the stress is not physical then this energy is not used, which eventually gets converted to fat and is deposited within the body. Excess fat also causes obesity and other metabolic dysfunctions, which in turn impact the mental status of the individual. These symptoms precede depression, anxiety disorder and eating disorders (Tafet, 2001). Metabolic dysfunction caused due to stress leads to higher glucose levels in the body, and the normal body may not be able to metabolize high levels of glucose through the available insulin in the body. This eventually leads to insulin resistance, causing diabetes. High levels of adrenalin and cortisol are also associated with thyroid dysfunction which is responsible for the metabolic functions of various other organs and glands. Combating these issues requires mobilization of the constantly produced glucose and energy in case of chronic stress. This requires physical activity in the form of exercise, meditation or other regulative physical activity which help in expending the excess glucose and fat produced as a result of increased adrenal activity in stressed conditions (Haskell et al,

Interest Groups and Government Policies Essay Example for Free

Interest Groups and Government Policies Essay Interest groups help communicate and legitimize government policies in several ways. As instability is sure to attract political activity[1], it also attracts interest groups to meddle in such political activity. When certain government policies conflict with the specific interests of these groups, they can call the attention of the government through public demonstrations or protests. They can also use mass media to inform the general public about their views on certain government policies, thereby communicating not only their position on the issues involved but also the government policies being addressed. On the other hand, when certain government policies support the interests of these groups, they can further enhance the legitimacy of such policies by conducting a public forum designed to increase the public’s awareness on such policies, thereby gathering more public support. Even without interest groups, communicating and legitimating government policies can still be achieved. For the most part, people can still organize themselves without holding a collective interest other than the inclination to either support or protest an existing government policy. Since a more developed country is most likely populated by more interest groups[2], governments faced with the task of issuing specific policies in order to foster economic growth are most likely to face opposition from certain interest groups who oppose such policies. One example is when a government decides to issue a policy of free trade in response to the need of increasing the country’s trading activities so as to stimulate the economy. Interest groups opposing the government policy of free trade can stage demonstrations in public locations. Doing so can increase their chances of being heard by the government and, in consequence, compelling the government to adjust its policies accordingly. At the same time, these interest groups will openly communicate to the public the reasons why they oppose the policy without forcing them to join their cause. At the least, public demonstrations serve the purpose of informing the public and the government that a sector of the society opposes certain government policies. Mass media plays a key role in communicating the views of interest groups towards government policies. Since individuals interact with issues emphasized in media coverage[3], there is reason to believe that interest groups can reach and influence public perception through mass media in general. Interest groups can publish their articles through paid newspaper column space on a specific date of issue that they feel will have a lasting and strong impression on readers. Interest groups opposing specific provisions in government policies on healthcare, for instance, can pay for a space in a major newspaper where they can state their reasons for opposing the provisions and the alternatives that can be done. The method will most likely reach a large part of the population due to the large circulation of a major newspaper, thereby informing a broad segment of the public. Television and radio shows also provide avenues for interest groups to communicate to the public their position on government policies. For example, an interest group opposing the existing government policy on carbon emissions can either make a request to television networks to provide them with a show where they can air their views or accept invitations for discussions or interviews on television. Whether or not these interest groups are able to convince the viewing public, it is likely that they are still able to communicate a portion of the substance of the government policy on carbon emissions. On the other hand, interest groups can also legitimize government policies, especially those that are aligned with their concerns. One way of achieving it is to conduct a public forum where people can participate or simply listen to discussions about the policies. For instance, interest groups can hold a public forum in the town hall and discuss immediate concerns regarding the current government policy on immigration. With the immigration policy favoring their side, these interest groups can disseminate the information about the benefits of the policy which can eventually translate to more public support. Since the key principle is that the people is the source of the government’s power, public discussions conducted by interest groups which are able to gather public support for government policies further legitimize such policies. The pressure of interest groups to their Congressional Representatives can also legitimize government policies. Letters to Congressional Representatives coming from interest groups can help inform these representatives that a portion of their constituents are in support of a government policy that the representative may or may not actually favor. Through such letters, interest groups can put a pressure on their dissenting representatives to favor the government policy regardless of political affiliations. Signature campaigns when taken together with letters to Congressional Representatives can add more weight to the support given to government policies, giving these representatives more reason to align their positions with the public perception. Nevertheless, government policies can be communicated or legitimized to a certain degree despite the absence of interest groups. Other ways to achieve the goal of communicating and legitimizing government policies include signature campaigns, public dialogue with government officials and infomercials sponsored by the government. Through the initiative of a few individuals, signature campaigns can be launched in support of or opposition to certain government policies. Signature campaigns of this nature do not necessarily require the leadership of interest groups since private individuals can also gather public signatures even without an affiliation to any specific interest group. The purpose is to simply gather signatures as many as possible without attempting to form a formal group out of the total number of participants. Public dialogue with government officials can also be a way to inform the public about government policies. The dialogue can be sponsored by the office of the concerned government official or the local members of the community. Through dialogue, government officials are able to discuss in detail the purpose and nature of certain government policies. People are also given the chance to ask relevant questions to the government official whose response can further inform the public. Airing infomercials over the television or radio is also a way for the government to communicate its policies to the public and to further show the legitimacy of such policies. Since an infomercial is basically a â€Å"one-way† type of communication, it can simply inform the public about government policies at best. Government policies communicated to the public through radio or television infomercials are already assumed to be legitimate; the government is presumed to disseminate information about government policies that are lawful and approved by the concerned government agency. Despite the possibility of communicating and legitimating government policies in the absence of interest groups, it is better if interest groups are still able to challenge or reaffirm government policies especially when taken in the context of a democratic society. The presence of interest groups can indicate the health of the political activity in any country. In their absence, the legislature and the government in general may possibly overlook vital social and political concerns or abuse their power to create and enforce policies. Bibliography Bischoff, Ivo. â€Å"Determinants of the Increase in the Number of Interest Groups in Western Democracies: Theoretical Considerations and Evidence from 21 OECD Countries.† Public Choice 114, no. 1/2 (2003): 197-218. Domke, David, Dhavan V. Shah, and Daniel B. Wackman. â€Å"Rights and Morals, Issues, and Candidate Integrity: Insights into the Role of the News Media.† Political Psychology 21, no. 4 (2000): 641-65. Levmore, Saul. â€Å"Voting Paradoxes and Interest Groups.† The Journal of Legal Studies 28, no. 2 (1999): 259-81.

Colonial Discourse in Jane Eyre :: Essays Papers

Colonial Discourse in Jane Eyre The plot of Jane Eyre is well known and it is not my intention to outline it here. Instead I want to draw attention to a number of key points which relate to the theme of colonies and colonialism. The figure of the first Mrs Rochester, the insane and promiscuous Creole who stands in the way of Rochester's marriage to the modest Jane is the most obvious example of Bronte's use of the colonies to provide the material for her work, but there are other moments of interaction throughout the novel. As a child, Jane is fond of likening her position to that of a slave, but Bronte distances her character from the slavetrade in the West Indies by placing the model for Jane's slavery in the Far East, where England has no hand in the business. The slave metaphor is repeated throughout the novel to describe the position of women in British society, but it is always distanced. When Jane eventually comes into her inheritance from her uncle, the source of her wealth is Madeira, another slave society. Jane acts in an honourable fashion by dividing her wealth with her cousins who saved her, but the means of her independance is undeniably due to the colonies. The treatment of India is important in this context. St. John Rivers wants Jane to join him as his wife on a missionary expedition to India, but Jane sees the discipline and severity of his character as too stifling for her to thrive in. The implication is that she would revert to her former slave position under his influence. But Jane recognises that although his discipline is too much for her, he will do extremely well in India, perhaps indicating that the Indians are in need of such a severe influence to keep them under control. Colonial Discourse in Jane Eyre :: Essays Papers Colonial Discourse in Jane Eyre The plot of Jane Eyre is well known and it is not my intention to outline it here. Instead I want to draw attention to a number of key points which relate to the theme of colonies and colonialism. The figure of the first Mrs Rochester, the insane and promiscuous Creole who stands in the way of Rochester's marriage to the modest Jane is the most obvious example of Bronte's use of the colonies to provide the material for her work, but there are other moments of interaction throughout the novel. As a child, Jane is fond of likening her position to that of a slave, but Bronte distances her character from the slavetrade in the West Indies by placing the model for Jane's slavery in the Far East, where England has no hand in the business. The slave metaphor is repeated throughout the novel to describe the position of women in British society, but it is always distanced. When Jane eventually comes into her inheritance from her uncle, the source of her wealth is Madeira, another slave society. Jane acts in an honourable fashion by dividing her wealth with her cousins who saved her, but the means of her independance is undeniably due to the colonies. The treatment of India is important in this context. St. John Rivers wants Jane to join him as his wife on a missionary expedition to India, but Jane sees the discipline and severity of his character as too stifling for her to thrive in. The implication is that she would revert to her former slave position under his influence. But Jane recognises that although his discipline is too much for her, he will do extremely well in India, perhaps indicating that the Indians are in need of such a severe influence to keep them under control.

The Person Who Inspires Me

Do I Still Have Any Reason to Live? By: darol_maranan_07 Name? Girolene Garcia. Everyone calls me Gigi. Not only because it’s my first name, but also becuse it’s what my initials spell out. 16 years of age. I guess it will end in that number. I’m about to die anyway†¦ I shall cut myself with this razor, or maybe yet jump from the top of this establishment! Do I still have any reason to live? Everyone sees me as worthless woman of this world. They say I have never done anythind good. Depressing, isn’t it? Why should I carry this heavy burden all throughout my entire life?Living in this world is like being subjected to eternal damnation. You want to know why it turned out like this?†¦ By looking at your baffled expressions, I can see that you desire to know about my decision in termination this life of mine. Well, Sir and Madam†¦ please listen carefully to the story of my life. People brand me as a juvenile delinquent. I am merely a teenager. Young in both mind and body. Vulnerable to mistakes and immaturity. In my current state, I am carefree. I swim in the pool of pleasure. I rarely go to school. You could easily spot me at the nearby street at Pauntum.Smoking, singing in the videoke machine or just looking at the cute guyspassing by. Parents? Hmmm. They exist? I don’t even know that thry’re there. There was this time when I asked Mom about my science assignment. She answered â€Å"(God) Damn it! Can’t you see I’m busy preparing for my Tong-its?! † Yes, she was always busy with Mahjong,Tong-its. Those kinds of games†¦ I asked Dad the same question. He answered â€Å"ngrrrhhh Here’s ahundred bucks. Go ask your neighbor or your hot teacher ngrrrhhh! † Father was drinking with the neighbors, as usual. I never had the best grades in school†¦Still I’m in Grade 5. I never really excelled in any part. One time, I was asked by my teacher to answer a math problem . â€Å"Ms. Garcia! Answer this: 90 divided by 10?. † My teacher told me. I couldn’t answer. I don’t know the answer. I don’t know how to get the answer. Hoping for Lady Luck to save me, I guessed. â€Å"19? † Each one of my classmates laughed at my stupidity. â€Å"STUPID IDIOT! IT’S 19! † â€Å"How Dumb of you! Go home and wash your filthy clothes! † â€Å"Bettr yet†¦ Wash your Brain. † â€Å"This is, if you have one? † Hysteric laughter filled the small room. I was humiliated, embarrassed, ashemed.Me, the oldest person of the class, could not even answer a simple mathematical problem. My teacheer yelled â€Å"You can’t even divide 90 by 10! Why bother coming here when you don’t even learn? Just go home worthless imbecible! † That is how my school life’s like. Friends? I have none. Everyone of them loathes me. I tried approaching one. I said with a calm approach. â€Å"Hi there! Can you be my friend? † She replie â€Å"HELL NO! I’d rather be fat and ugly than being friends with a stupid girl who can’t even divide 90 by 10. † I asked other people and the replies i got were: Eeeww! † â€Å"Why should I? † â€Å"There is no reason why I should befriend a person like you. † â€Å"If I were you, I’d take a bath. You look and smell disgusting. † this and that,this and that†¦ Guhhh! No one wants tobe near me. Each time I hear of such jeers from everyone around me. I weep in depression. What have I done to deserve this kind of castigation? Why did God forsake everything from me? Though I may have the face of Ann Curtis, the body of Marian Rivera and the voice of Sarah Geronimo (sing â€Å" A very Special Love†), what you see is not always what you get.What I am is a young misled teenage girl, in need of someone to counsel me, to enlighten my way and to guide me towards the right path. Through out my 16 years of living, I have never encountered that someone. I guess, there may be no reason for me to live. I ask for you judgement. I know somehow that you’ll blame me for being another bane of this society, reckless and rebellious, but that’s my only way to express my demand of attention and love. I wanted to scape, I wanted to find someone whom I could share story with, someone who would bestowe me the best advice, someone†¦ omeone†¦ but how? none would bother to heed. I never wanted to live this kind of life, no direction and miserable. what I want now is to be free from all of this. That’s why I came up into a dicision of terminating my life. I am more ready to face death than to face insults all over again at least when I’m gone, I am so much fed up. Maybe, after the long run, people woudld appreciate my existence. So everyone, before it’s too late I’m begging you to answer me, is ther anymore reason for meto live?

Interview with Leonardo Da Vinci Essay

The Renaissance began in Italy. While it only a affected a small amount of the population, the â€Å"rebirth† of classical culture is revered today. The general idea of the renaissance is that in Ancient Greek and Roman times we were enlightened, and then lost the light in the â€Å"dark† ages, and then became enlightened again in the rebirth of classical culture. Setting: A stage with comfortable chairs, Leonardo da Vinci sitting in one chair, the host in the other. Host: Welcome to Talk Renaissance Live, I’m here with Leonardo da Vinci, the very definition of a â€Å"Renaissance man†. So tell the audience about yourself Leo. Can I call you Leo? Leo: Um sure. Well honestly I don’t know why people like me so much, I’m a terrible procrastinator. And while I’ve had a few successful paintings, a lot of my works were more of failed experiments. Host: That is still better than most of the population. And your scientific journals still have people wondering today. You had ideas, sometimes even working ideas for things that weren’t even conceived for most of the population until this last century. What was it like working for a commission? Leo: It was ok, once I had plenty of apprentices. Apprentices meant I could spend more time on enquiries of the scientific nature. Host: So why was the Mona Lisa smiling the way she was? Leo: Well now that’s something I swore I would never tell. Host: You’re no fun, and I was wondering. Why didn’t you publish and of the scientific advances you made? Leo: Well it was a different world back then. I had more respect then most people, but if I’d tried to publish my scientific thoughts then I would have been laughed out of the building. Or killed. Host: You mentioned having apprentices later in your career, how was it like being one yourself? And who were you an apprentice for? Leo: Well when I was 14 I apprenticed to the man known as Verrocchio. He taught me many things, both in theoretical and practical fields. Even after I qualified as a master artist I continued to collaborate with him, because he was a fine man. Host: That’s our time, when we come back from the break I’ll be sitting here with Johann Gutenberg. Host: And we’re back, sitting with me is Johann Gutenberg. You may not know who he is, but he was essential to both the Renaissance and what followed. Johann: Hello. Host: How about you explain to the audience about your important contributions? Johann: I brought the printing to Europe. Host: Yes, could you explain how? Johann: Was able to make a printing system that could mass produce books, and have it be economically viable. Host: And was it? Johann: Well it was for everyone except me really. I ended up with an enormous debt and then was sued for â€Å"misuse of funds†. Host: That’s unfortunate, did you win the court case? Johann: Of course not, and he had control of my bible printing press, and half of all bibles printed. Host: And could you explain why the printing press was important? Johann: As I understand it, it meant that books and news traveled to more people, and more quickly. It helped the Renaissance, and later facilitated the Scientific revolution. Host: Wow that was an informative interview, but now we have to go to commercial break. When we come back I will be talking with our final guest. Host: And we’re back! Now as you know with the Renaissance came the appearance of humanism. We have the father of humanism himself with us today, Francesco Petrarca! Petrarca: Hello. Host: As the father of humanism, could you explain to the audience exactly what humanism is? Petrarca: Humanism is a response to the clinical scholasticism. Humanists such as myself want to create a society where are all citizens are capable of engaging civic life, being eloquent of speech and pen. Host: I see, what is scholasticism? Petrarca: It’s something that seems to be prevalent in society today, preparing people to be â€Å"good† jobs such as doctors or lawyers. It emphasizes learning minor and unimportant details for careers that relatively few will partake in. Host: Asides from being the Father of Humanism what else have you done? Petrarca: I’m also a bit of a poet. And I came up with the concept of the Dark Ages, although that seems to have gone out of style as of late. Host: Well the thought as of late is that calling it the Dark Ages is oversimplifying. It portrays the idea that humanity was briefly enlightened, and then lost it’s way, and then was enlightened again- Petrarca: Exactly! That’s exactly the point I’m trying to make. Host: Well it doesn’t agree with what modern historians generally think. They’ve been trying to make an effort to be less Eurocentric, and to try to understand concepts of the past without changing the facts to suite our ideas of what should have happened.

Free Essays on Phobias

Phobias In America, more people suffer from phobias than do Cancer. The purpose of this paper is to define phobias as well as explain their impact on their victims. It will also examine the current research on the several types of phobias. Then they will explain the cause of these phobias. After this we describe how you can tell if a person is infected by these serious problems. The symptoms are sometimes easy to see but, some time can’t be seen. Next, we will discuss the different treatments that are available in these times. Finally, we will describe the research that is being done to help cure these diseases’. Webster defines a phobia as â€Å"a strong irrational fears, that can often control peoples lives. Phobias are becoming more common in adults. Phobias have been around for a long time. In the Middle Ages the had very strange methods of attempting to cure a person problem. One case is were if you feared water, they would submerge you in a rank of water and not let you stop going under until you have conquered the fear. They did not know about these serious problems. When there is a problem they need help. Fisher 2 There are so many phobias. There is a phobia for everything. They are divided into three major categories. One is mental phobias. These are they phobias that are in your head. One example is being stage fright. This is your brain mentally telling you that you are so scared that you can’t move. The Next one is social phobias. These are the phobias that are caused by being in crowds are being afraid to do something because you are afraid what people think. The last one is agoraphobia. Over 23 million Americans suffer from phobias each year. One third of these people go and get treatment. Social phobias are becoming more and more common (Rothenburg). One very specific phobia is performance anxiety or commonly called â€Å"stage fright† (Social I & II). This is a very comm... Free Essays on Phobias Free Essays on Phobias Phobias In America, more people suffer from phobias than do Cancer. The purpose of this paper is to define phobias as well as explain their impact on their victims. It will also examine the current research on the several types of phobias. Then they will explain the cause of these phobias. After this we describe how you can tell if a person is infected by these serious problems. The symptoms are sometimes easy to see but, some time can’t be seen. Next, we will discuss the different treatments that are available in these times. Finally, we will describe the research that is being done to help cure these diseases’. Webster defines a phobia as â€Å"a strong irrational fears, that can often control peoples lives. Phobias are becoming more common in adults. Phobias have been around for a long time. In the Middle Ages the had very strange methods of attempting to cure a person problem. One case is were if you feared water, they would submerge you in a rank of water and not let you stop going under until you have conquered the fear. They did not know about these serious problems. When there is a problem they need help. Fisher 2 There are so many phobias. There is a phobia for everything. They are divided into three major categories. One is mental phobias. These are they phobias that are in your head. One example is being stage fright. This is your brain mentally telling you that you are so scared that you can’t move. The Next one is social phobias. These are the phobias that are caused by being in crowds are being afraid to do something because you are afraid what people think. The last one is agoraphobia. Over 23 million Americans suffer from phobias each year. One third of these people go and get treatment. Social phobias are becoming more and more common (Rothenburg). One very specific phobia is performance anxiety or commonly called â€Å"stage fright† (Social I & II). This is a very comm...

About Sir Clough Williams-Ellis and Portmeirion, Wales

About Sir Clough Williams-Ellis and Portmeirion, Wales Architect Clough Williams-Ellis (born May 28, 1883 in Gayton, Northamptonshire, England) is best-known as the creator of Portmeirion, a village in Wales, yet as an environmentalist he also helped establish the British National Parks system and became knighted for his services to architecture and the environment. Son of the Reverand John Clough Williams-Ellis, young Bertram Clough first moved to Wales with his family when he was only four. He went back to England to study mathematics at Trinity College in Cambridge, but he never graduated. From 1902 to 1903 he trained at the Architectural Association in London. The budding designer had deep Welsh and English connections, being related to the medieval entrepreneur Sir Richard Clough (1530–1570) and the Victorian poet Arthur Hugh Clough (1819-1861). His first designs were numerous parsonages and regional cottages in England and Northern Ireland. He inherited some property in Wales in 1908, married in 1915, and raised a family there. After serving in World War I, he designed a number of war memorials and travelled to architecturally rich countries like Italy, an experience that informed his sense of what he wanted to build in his homeland. In 1925 Clough Williams-Ellis began building in Portmeirion in northern Wales, and he didnt finish until 1976. Located on Sir Cloughs private peninsula on the coast of Snowdonia, Portmeirion first opened in 1926. That year, Sir Clough also founded the CPRE (Council for the Protection of Rural England). He established the CPRW (now Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales) in 1928. Portmeirion was not a continuous project, however. He continued to design residences and in 1935 he designed the original summit building on Snowdon, which became the highest building in Wales. Forever the conservationist and environmentalist, Sir Clough helped establish the British National Parks in 1945, and in 1947 he penned On Trust for the Nation for the National Trust. He was knighted in 1972 for services to architecture and the environment.   He died at his home in Plas Brondanw on April 8, 1978. Portmerion: A Lifelong Project The flamboyant and largely self-taught Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis devoted his life to the cause of environmental preservation. His work on the resort village of Portmeirion, Wales represented his efforts to prove that it was possible to build beautiful - and colorful - housing without defiling the natural landscape. Sir Clough was 90 years old when  Portmeirion was completed. Portmeirion is riddled with anachronisms. Greek gods mingle with gilded figures of Burmese dancers. Modest stucco bungalows are decked with arcaded porches, balustraded balconies, and Corinthian columns. Its as though the designer tossed 5,000 years of architectural history along the shore, without a care for symmetry, accuracy, or continuity. Even American architect Frank Lloyd Wright paid a visit in 1956, just to see what Clough was up to. Wright, who also boasted a Welsh heritage and a concern for conservation, praised the innovative combinations of architectural styles. Portmeirion became an exercise in historic restoration. Many of the structures were pieced together from buildings destined for demolition. The village became known as a repository for fallen architecture. Portmeirion designer Sir Clough Williams-Ellis didnt mind when visitors called his quirky village Home for Fallen Buildings. Architect Clough Williams-Ellis moved amongst artists and artisans. He married the writer Amabel Strachey and fathered the artist/potter Susan Williams-Ellis, originator of Portmeirion Botanic Garden dinnerware. An Italian Resort in Northern Wales Viewers of the 1960s television series The Prisoner will find some of the landscapes eerily familiar. The bizarre prison kingdom where actor Patrick McGoohan encountered surreal adventures was, in fact, Portmeirion. The vacation village of Portmeirion nestles on the northern coast of Wales, but theres nothing Welsh in the flavor of its architecture. No stone cottages here. Instead, the hillside overlooking the bay is dotted with candy-colored houses which suggest sunny Mediterranean landscapes. There are even swaying palm trees around the tinkling fountains. Portmeirion village in Minffordd has become a destination vacation and event venue in northern Wales. It has accommodations, cafes, and weddings all within a Disneyesque community. Vacationing within a fanciful, planned community was big business in the 1960s, after the success of Californias Disneyland in 1955 and before the 1971 opening of Floridas Walt Disney World Resort. Sir Cloughs idea of fantasy, however, took on more Italianate tone than Disneys mousechitecture. The Unicorn Cottage, for example, was a British-Italian experience in the Welsh countryside. Since 2012, Portmeierion has been the site of an arts and music festival called Festival No6 - named after the main character in The Prisoner. For one long, exhausting weekend in early September, Sir Cloughs village is home to the quirky fringe who seek poetry, harmony, and a Mediterranean refuge in northern Wales. Festival No6 is billed as a festival unlike any other  - no doubt because the fanciful Welsh village is itself a fantasy. In the TV show, the sense of geographical and temporal displacement suggests that this village was created by a madman. But there was nothing crazy about Portmeirions designer, Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. His lifelong concern was with environmental preservation. By building Portmeirion on his private peninsula in Snowdonia, Wales, Sir Clough hoped to show that architecture can be beautiful and fun...without defacing the landscape. Despite these high-minded intentions, however, Portmeirion is, most of all, entertaining. Clough Williams-Ellis was a master of illusion, and his designs confuse, delight, and deceive. Highlights of Portmeirion The Piazza Originally the Piazza was a tennis court, but since 1966 the area has been a quiet paved area with a blue tiled pond, a fountain, and lavish flower beds. Along the southern edge of the Piazza, two columns support gilded figures of Burmese dancers. A low stone stairway climbs to the Gloriette - a playful structure named after the grand monument at the Schà ¶nbrunn Palace near Vienna. Built in the mid-1960s, Portmeirions garden room or gloriette is not a building, but a decorative facade. Five trompe loeil windows surround the open doorway. The four columns are the work of 18th century architect Samuael Wyatt, salvaged from the colonnade of Hooton Hall, Cheshire. The Bridge House Built between 1958 and 1959, Bridge House seems larger than it really is because of its tapering walls. When visitors pass through the archway from the parking area, they encounter their first breathtaking view of the village. Bristol Colonnade Built in about 1760, the Colonnade stood in front of a Bristol bathhouse in England. It was falling into decay when Portmeirions creator moved the structure to Portmeirion - piece by piece.in 1959. Several hundred tons of delicate masonry were disassembled and transported to the Welsh village. Every stone was numbered, and replaced according to precise measurements. Promenade Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, today recognized as one of the United Kingdoms first conservationists, wanted to show that the development of a naturally beautiful site need not lead to its defilement. An assortment of urns and columns line the flower strewn Promenade atop the Bristol Colonnade - rebuilt in the Welsh hillside, overlooking The Piazza and the village. The integration of walkways atop, over, through, and into Sir Cloughs designed village ties together the themes of community and harmony within an Italian Renaissance architecture. The dome at the Promenades end replicates the famous Brunelleschi dome in Florence, Italy. Unicorn Cottage In this miniature of a stately Chatsworth home, architect and Portmeirion master planner Sir Clough Williams-Ellis creates the illusion of a classic Georgian estate. Elongated windows, long pillars, and an undersized gate make the Unicorn seem tall, but in fact it is a dressed-up bungalow built in the mid-1960s...and only one story high. Hercules Gazebo Several cast iron mermaid panels, salvaged from the Old Seamans Home in Liverpool, form the sides of the Hercules Gazebo, built in 1961-1962. For many years, the Hercules Gazebo was painted shocking pink. The structure is now a more subtle terra-cotta shade. But this playful facade is yet another example of architectural illusion - as a space to house mechanical equipment, the Gazebo disguises a generator. Cottages Hotels and cottages dot the planned landscape of Portmeirion, just as they would in any village. Chantry Cottage, with its red-clay tile Italiante roof, sits high atop the hill, above the Bristol Colonnade and Promenade below. Built in 1937 for the Welsh painter Augustus John, Chantry Cottage is one of the earliest structures built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis and today is a self-catering cottage sleeping nine. But it all began with legendary mermaids, real or not. Dating from the 1850s, the Mermaid house was present on the peninsula when building began at Portmeirion. For many years it was used to house village staff. Sir Clough dressed up the cottage with an imposing metal canopy and the welcoming palm trees sprinkled throughout the village. Landscape design and Italianate architecture is how Sir Clough created the illusion that we are in sunny Italy...not in wet and windy North Wales. And it works. Visual Elements for Portmeirion The Piazza Village Center - VisitBritain/Britain on View/Getty Images Bridge House - Martin Leigh/Getty Image (cropped) Bristol Colonnade Bathhouse from Bristol, England - John Freeman/Getty Images (cropped) Promenade - Charles Bowman/Getty Images (cropped) Unicorn Cottage Behind Colorful Iron Gate  - Paul Thompson/Getty Images (cropped) Hercules Gazebo on Day 2 of Festival No6  - Andrew Benge/Getty Images Bristol Colonnade Beneath Chantry Row  - John Freeman/Getty Images (cropped) Sources Chronology, https://www.portmeirion-village.com/visit/clough-williams-ellis/chronology/ [accessed March 17, 2018]ocal Legends, BBC, bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/wales/w_ne/article_7.shtml [accessed March 17, 2018]Snowdon summit centre hits the peak of success, WalesOnline, https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/snowdon-summit-centre-hits-peak-1913101 [accessed March 17, 2018]Photo credits: The Resort Village of Portmeirion, Wales by Martin Leigh/Photolibrary Collection/Getty Images (cropped); Bridge House by John Freeman/Getty Images (cropped); The Colonnade by Ben Pipe Photography/Getty Images (cropped); Promenade atop the Bristol Colonnade by John Freeman/Getty Images (cropped); Unicorn Cottage by Paul Thompson/Getty Images (cropped); Cast Iron Mermaid Panel by Scott Wylie, scotbot via flckr.com, Creative Commons 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)