This dissertation looks at online and offline car culture in Central Texas. The online car culture observed is on Internet car forums and other Internet sources for car enthusiasts. Offline car culture deals with various types of car events around the central Texas area. These events include, but are not limited to, car shows, street races, and street meets. Cultural practices were observed in both types of environments and are analyzed by using hybridity theory, gender analysis and race analysis. / text

Arquitecto / La Reserva Nacional “El Yali”, ubicada en la provincia de San Antonio, es uno de los lugares de la costa Chilena que sufrió los mayores impactos físicos por la onda de tsunami: 200 hectáreas inundadas, el mar entro casi dos kilómetros tierra adentro en algunos puntos, las dunas fueron arrasadas, la vegetación murió y la laguna costera se comunicó con el mar. El emplazamiento dentro del contexto general está dado por una fuerte limitante en relación a lo frágil del ecosistema y los usos del edificio por parte de los investigadores y birdwatcher.

Santo Antônio de Lisboa / de Pádua viveu entre 1191 e 1231, período conhecido como Baixa Idade Média (século XIII ao XV), estudou nos centros de ensino mais proeminentes de Portugal em sua época, Mosteiro de São Vicente e Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra, o que lhe possibilitou assimilar vasto conhecimento que seria usado posteriormente na pregação e no combate aos hereges, sobretudo os cátaros. Em uma época de efervescência religiosa, em que os fiéis exigiam maior participação na vida eclesiástica, e de crescentes críticas, os movimentos mendicantes foram o sustentáculo de Roma: os dominicanos com os estudos e com a pregação, e os franciscanos com a pregação por meio sobretudo da vida exemplar. É também nesse período que tem início o estabelecimento de uma arte de pregar medieval, que possui como referência a própria prédica dos primórdios do Cristianismo, baseando-se principalmente em Jesus Cristo e no apóstolo Paulo; nos Padres da Igreja, sobretudo Santo Agostinho e Gregório Magno; e, enfim, em diversos preceptores do século XIII. Santo Antônio valeu-se de todo o conhecimento adquirido nos mosteiros pelos quais passou e da ars praedicandi do período, mostrando-se bastante familiarizado com as questões de seu tempo. Critica severamente aos sacerdotes iníquos, organiza de forma sistemática a teologia da Trindade e se põe como eco estrondoso do IV Concílio de Latrão. Em seus sermões é possível verificar a presença de vários elementos persuasivos que possuem como objetivo alcançar a benevolência do ouvinte e, assim, atingir o propósito máximo, no dizer de Santo Agostinho: instruir para convencer e comover. Para alcançar tal propósito, fez amplo uso das cláusulas, das Ciências Naturais, dos Pais da Igreja, de escritores pagãos e dos bestiários medievais. Este último foi de vital importância principalmente na pregação contra os hereges cátaros, que negligenciavam a natureza como algo puro e de onde se poderia retirar preceitos espirituais ocultos. São esses os objetos, textuais e contextuais, a serem observados na presente dissertação. / San Antonio de Lisboa/Padua vivió entre 1191 y 1231, periodo conocido como Baja Edad Media (siglo XIII al XV), estudió en los centros de enseñanza más prominentes de su época, Monasterio de San Vicente y Monasterio de Santa Cruz de Coímbra, lo que le posibilitó asimilar amplio conocimiento que sería usado posteriormente en la predicación y en el combate a los herejes, sobretodo en contra a los cátaros. En una época de efervescencia religiosa, en la cual los fieles exigían mayor participación en la vida eclesiástica y de crecientes críticas, los movimientos mendicantes fueron el sustento de Roma: los dominicanos con los estudios y con la predicación, y los franciscanos con la predicación por medio de una vida ejemplar. Es en ese periodo también que se inicia el establecimiento de un arte de predicar medieval, que tiene como referencia la propia prédica de los orígenes del Cristianismo, basándose principalmente en Jesucristo y en el apóstol Pablo; en los Padres de la Iglesia, sobretodo San Agustín y Gregorio Magno; y, por fin, en diversos preceptores del siglo XIII. San Antonio se muñó de todo el conocimiento logrado en los monasterios por los cuales pasó y de la ars praedicandi del periodo, presentándose bastante familiarizado con las cuestiones de su tiempo. Critica con severidad a los sacerdotes inicuos, organiza de manera sistemática la teología de la Trinidad y se hace como eco estruendoso del IV Concilio de Letrán. En sus sermones se puede verificar la presencia de varios elementos persuasivos que tienen como objetivo alcanzar la benevolencia del oyente y, de ese modo, lograr el propósito mayor, en el dicho de San Agustín: instruir para convencer y conmover. Para alcanzar tal intento hizo amplio uso de las cláusulas, de las Ciencias Naturales, de los Padres de la Iglesia, de los escritores paganos y de los bestiarios medievales. Este último de vital importancia sobretodo en la predicación contra los herejes cátaros que descuidaban la naturaleza como algo puro y de donde se podría retirar preceptos espirituales ocultos. Estos son los objetos, textos y contenidos, que deben ser observadas en esta tesis.

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2007. / Abstract and vita. Includes final project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 147-165).

Project report (D. Min.)--George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University, 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-183).

San Antonio has the highest percentage of same-sex couples raising children compared to any other major metropolis in the nation. The unlikely emergence of San Antonio as a haven for same-sex parents is tied to many complex issues and themes – it touches on history, religion and race deep in the heart of Texas. Below its seemingly conservative surface, San Antonio has a decidedly liberal undercurrent: Its liberal legal system, a network of Catholic leaders quietly supports the gay families, and the Latino community that presents a tolerant side. The story explores the question: How can San Antonio have such high numbers of gay parents, but still be seen by gay parents as a hostile place to live? That seeming dichotomy speaks to the ongoing tension in the nation where liberals push for civil rights, while conservatives push to preserve traditional family values. The battles in the political, religious and cultural arenas in San Antonio exemplify the longstanding tug of war over family values in this country and might help us understand just what the future holds for same-sex couples in the rest of American society. / text

Chicano cinema is a genre of film that was born out of the Chicano Movement in the late 60’s, however not much has been written about the exhibition of Chicano film. The Chicano Film Festival began in 1976 in San Antonio, Texas to showcase Chicano filmmakers and their work. The Festival, later renamed, the CineFestival is the longest running Latino film festival in the U.S. and for my report I question how the Festival shared the work of Chicanos and promoted a Chicano discursive space. To answer these questions I turned to the Festival film programs and local periodicals. After my research, I found that the CineFestival served a purpose for Chicano cinema because it not only screened Chicano films, but it also promoted a Chicano discourse and therefore a very unique discursive space for Chicano media. However, I found that the Festival’s direction and motivations change year after year. In turn these changes, influence the Festival’s promotion or lack of promotion and screening of Chicano film. The CineFestival, even though promotes itself as a “Latino” film festival, has an obligation to sustain what it cultivated in 1976; Chicano cinema. This genre of film and its history runs the risk of being forgotten. I ask, if our own film community doesn’t screen or talk about Chicano film, then who will? It is in this report that I further explore these questions and CineFestival’s role in Chicano cinema. / text

The initial purpose of this study was to explore how tourism in Guatemala is affecting indigenous weavers, weaving practices, and the transmission of weaving knowledge and experience from the current generation of Guatemalans to the next. Through extended on-site study and interviews with weavers in three towns in Guatemala—San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Antigua, and Santiago Zamora—it was learned that weaving practices in Guatemala are much more culturally and socially complex than what is disclosed on the surface. This study revealed that the transmission of weaving practices between generations is influenced significantly by the growing effects of globalization. Not only is globalization shaping the emerging generation’s participation in weaving in Guatemala, but it was seen in this study that prevalent global ideas and practices are also molding education, clothing styles, entertainment, economics, technology, and social media within the current younger generation of Guatemalans. These growing influences on Guatemalan society contribute to a diminished interest in weaving and perceived need for weavers in this country, and are thus constricting the transmission of local Maya culture from past generations to the next. This research was a combination of the weavers’ stories and my own journey through the cultural complexities found in three Guatemalan towns in order to reveal a rich and purposed view of current cultural practices of weaving in Guatemala. / text

The limestone façade of the Alamo shows several areas of biological growth with black and gray streaks and blotches discoloring the stone. This thesis investigates the identity of the microorganisms on the stone, using two: DNA identification, and lab cultures grown from samples of the biofilm. By using both approaches, a better understanding was gained of the range of organisms present. Through these tests, it was found that the dominant organism on the limestone is cyanobacteria, of the genus Chrooccocus. Lab cultures revealed other organisms, including possibly fungi photobionts and algae. Through analysis and comparison of historic and contemporary photographs, patterns of recolonization are investigated. To further understand the effects of the biocide treatments, cultured samples were treated, and their reactions monitored. To better understand the possible relationship between the Alamo stone and its colonizing organisms, physical properties of the stone were investigated. SEM images, Edax minerology and water absorption were used to characterize the stone. This study is the first of its kind to investigate Native Texas quarried architectural limestone. Although studies have been conducted on historic monuments around the world to identify biological growth, none have focused on Texas limestone. By using both DNA and lab culture identification, this study adds to a wealth of investigations of other conservation professionals, applying it to a subject that has not been studied in this way before. By understanding the colonizing organisms, a sustainable conservation regimen can be determined. / text

As demand for electricity increases, utilities turn to demand-side or supply-side responses in order to reduce demand or add supply to their energy portfolio. CPS Energy, a municipal utility owned by the City of San Antonio, Texas, recently broke ground on a new coal plant to meet rising demand for electricity. This report examines the public debate that accompanied the proposal and investigates the possibilities of other solutions for utilities to meet demand. Two case studies, overviews of the utilities in Austin, Texas, and Sacramento, California, provide insight into the considerations for utilities with renewable energy and demand-side management (DSM) in their energy portfolio. This professional report will evaluate these case studies and apply lessons learned to the case of CPS Energy in San Antonio, and report on the options available to utilities considering conventional supply-side additions and demand-side management. / text