It is only fitting on this day to mention the Irish icon St. Patrick, as well as to toast the good health of all those who remember that country's patron saint. Ironically, St. Patrick was British, and it is the day of his death on which he is celebrated for a life lived largely in the Fifth Century.
Perhaps the most famous tale associated with Patrick recounts how he drove the snakes from Ireland, purportedly by waving his staff. Of course, Ireland being an island, there were no snakes in the first place, but the story forms an excellent foundation upon which to build a legend.
Today, the story would be told differently. For one thing, the snakes would be driven out of the ground with technology-induced sonic vibrations. For another, the event would be broadcast in real time, so that subscribers to television and other wireless services would have a chance to witness "history."
St. Patrick would also no doubt benefit from wireless technology, using it to reach his "flock" with the message that all snakes (serpents) had been banished from their island homeland. As the bandwidths of such fourth-generation (4G) wireless systems as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and WiMAX widen to accommodate users' desires for more data and video services, it is not difficult to imagine a modern-day version of St. Patrick using wireless technology to create a legend.
