(via Bangkok Post, November 18, 2007) Corals are now like plants: cuttings can be grown in a nursery, then transplanted elsewhere. Transplanting coral is exactly what conservation-minded people will be doing at Phi Phi Lae on December 3 as part of the celebrations to mark the 80th birthday of His Majesty the King. Organized by the Phuket Marine Biological Center, the celebrations also include an exhibition on marine conservation, reef cleanup and rubbish collecting on the beach at Phi Phi Don, the only populated island in the Phi Phi group, off Krabi.
‘Coral reefs at Phi Phi Lae were among the worst hit by tsunami in 2004,’ Dr Nalinee Thongtham, who heads PNBC’s coral reef rehabilation programmes, said. ‘We grew tiny coral fragments in floating nurseries off Phi Phi Lae and now they are big enough to be transplanted. Volunteer divers from local diving companies will help us transplant them on December 3.
‘The advantage of growing coral fragments in nurseries and transplanting them on natural substrate is that you don’t introduce a lot of foreign matter to the sea floor. What’s more, taking small fragments causes little effect on donor colonies.’
Phi Phi Lae is a small, uninhabited island, popular with tourists because of its clear blue waters and coral reefs. ‘It’s not the first time that we are planting coral in the area to replace that destroyed by the tsunami,’ Nalinee said. ‘In October last year we transplanted 1200 fragments at Phi Phi Lae, again with help from local diving companies as well as volunteer divers from Bangkok and elsewhere.
‘Growing coral fragments in floating nurseries is part of a research programme we started two years ago. The transplanted coral that was part of that research programme is now thriving. Organizing the activities at Phi Phi Lae and Phi Phi Do n on December 3 is one way of getting the public involved in coral and reef conservation, and increasing environmental awareness.’
The PNBC will also transplant coral grown in nurseries at Panwa Bay at a later date. ‘It will be a pioneer project using a coral species that can better tolerate turbid waters and sediments,’ Nalinee said.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The Birth Of Modern Painting
(via The Outline of Art) William Orpen writes:
3
The most considerable figure in Florence after Orcagna was the Dominican monk Fra Giovanni da Fiesole, known as Fra Angelico (1387-1455), who belonged essentially to the psychic or spiritual school, and only approached the physical in his loving observation of nature. Here he was an innovator, for his eye dwells on gentle aspects, and in his landscape backgrounds he introduces pleasing forms of mountains and verdant meadows multicolored with the budding flowers of spring. Indeed, all his paintings is flower-like, but this delicate naturalism does not determine its character. It is the soulful quality of his work which gives it supreme distinction. The unworldliness of his art is explained partly by his cloistered existence and the fact that he lived until his fiftieth year in the little hill towns of Cortona and Fiesole. He led a holy and retired life, and like St. Francis, was a little brother to the poor.
If Fra Angelico had his excellencies, he also had his limitations. His angels are so beautiful that, as Vasari wrote, ‘they appear to be truly beings of Paradise’. But his devils inspire us with no terror; they are too harmless and self-evidently ashamed of their profession to be anything but ludicrous. His frescoes in San Marco at Florence and in the Vatican at Rome remain the most enchanting visions of the heavenly world, a world he decked with bright joyful colors culled from the flower gardens of earth.
The Birth Of Modern Painting (continued)
3
The most considerable figure in Florence after Orcagna was the Dominican monk Fra Giovanni da Fiesole, known as Fra Angelico (1387-1455), who belonged essentially to the psychic or spiritual school, and only approached the physical in his loving observation of nature. Here he was an innovator, for his eye dwells on gentle aspects, and in his landscape backgrounds he introduces pleasing forms of mountains and verdant meadows multicolored with the budding flowers of spring. Indeed, all his paintings is flower-like, but this delicate naturalism does not determine its character. It is the soulful quality of his work which gives it supreme distinction. The unworldliness of his art is explained partly by his cloistered existence and the fact that he lived until his fiftieth year in the little hill towns of Cortona and Fiesole. He led a holy and retired life, and like St. Francis, was a little brother to the poor.
If Fra Angelico had his excellencies, he also had his limitations. His angels are so beautiful that, as Vasari wrote, ‘they appear to be truly beings of Paradise’. But his devils inspire us with no terror; they are too harmless and self-evidently ashamed of their profession to be anything but ludicrous. His frescoes in San Marco at Florence and in the Vatican at Rome remain the most enchanting visions of the heavenly world, a world he decked with bright joyful colors culled from the flower gardens of earth.
The Birth Of Modern Painting (continued)
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier’s Travels In India
The different kinds of weights for weighing diamonds at the mines; the kinds of gold and silver in circulation; the routes by which one is able to travel; and the rule in use for the estimation of the prices of diamonds
(via Jean-Baptiste Tavernier’s Travels In India / V Ball / Edited by William Crooke)
I come now to some details as to the traffic in diamonds, and in order that reader may understand this easily—believing that no one has previously written of this matter I shall speak in the first instance of the different kinds of weights which are in use, both at the mines and in other places in Asia.
At the mine of Rammalakota they weigh by mangelins, and the mangelin is equal to 1¾ carats, that is to say, 7 grains. At the mine of Gani or Kollur the same weights are used. At the mine of Soumelpour in Bengal they weigh by ratis, and the rati is 7/8ths of a carat, or 3½ grains. This last weight is used throughout the whole of the Empire of the Great Mogul. In the Kingdoms of Golkonda and Bijapur mangelins are also used, but the mangelin in these places is only 13/8 carats. The Portuguese use the same weight name in Goa, but it is then equal to only 5 grains.
I come now to the kinds of money with which diamonds are purchased in India. Firstly, in the Kingdom of Bengal, in the territories of the Raja of whom I have spoken, as they are included in the dominion of the Great Mogul, payment is made in rupees. At the two mines in the Kingdom of Bijapur, in the neighborhood of Rammalakota, payment is made in the new pagodas which the King, being entirely independent of the Great Moghul, coins in his own name. The new pagoda does not always bear the same value, for sometimes it is valued at 3½ rupees, sometimes more and sometimes less, according as it is raised or lowered by the state of trade, and according as the moneychangers arrange matters with the Princes and Governors. At the mine of Kollur or Gani, which belongs to the King of Golkonda, payment is made in new pagodas of equal value with those of the King of Bijapur. But one has to buy them sometimes at from 1 to 4 percent premium, because they are of better gold, and because the merchants do not accept others at this mine.
These pagodas are made by the English and Dutch, who have obtained from the King, either by agreement or by force, permission to manufacture them, each in their own fortress. And those of the Dutch cost 1 or 2 percent more than those of the English, because they are of better quality, and the miners also much prefer them. But as the majority of the merchants are influenced by the false reports that the people at the mine are unsophisticated and almost savages, and that, moreover, the routes from Golkonda to the mines are very dangerous, they generally remain at Golkonda, where those who work the mines have their correspondents to whom they send the diamonds. Payments are made there with old pagodas, well worn, and coined many centuries ago by different Princes, who reigned in India before the Musalmans gained a footing in the country. These old pagodas are worth 4½ rupees, i.e. 1 rupee more than the new, although they do not contain more gold, and consequently do not weigh more; this will be a cause of astonishment if I do not explain the reason. It is that the Shroffs of Changers, in order to induce the King not to have them recoined, pay him annually a large sum, because they themselves thereby derive a considerable profit; for the merchants never receive these pagodas without the aid of one of these Changers to examine them, some being defaced, others of low standard, others of short weight, so that if one accepted them without this examination he would lose much, and would have the trouble to return them, or perhaps lose from 1 to even 5 or 6 percent, in addition to which he must pay the Shroffs 1/4th per cent for their trouble. When you pay the miners, they will also receive these pagodas only in presence of the Changer, who points out to them the good and bad, and again takes his 1/4th percent. But to save time, when you desire to make a payment of 1000 or 2000 pagodas, the Changer, when receiving his dues, encloses them in a little bag, on which he places his seal, and when you wish to pay a merchant for his diamonds you take him, with the bag, to the Changer, who, seeing his own seal intact, assures him that he has examined all the coins, and will be responsible if any do not prove good.
As for rupees, the miners take indifferently those of the Great Mogul and those of the King of Golkonda, because those coined by this King would have been the coinage of the Great Mogul if these monarchs had remained on good terms.
The natives of India have more intelligence and subtlety than one thinks. As the pagodas are small, thick pieces of gold of the size of the nail on the little finger, and as it is impossible to clip them without it being apparent, they bore small holes in them all round, found whence they extract 3 or 4 sols value of gold dust, and they close them with such skill that there is no appearance of the coins having been touched. Moreover, if you buy anything in a village, or if when you cross a river you give the boatmen a rupee, they immediately kindle a fire and throw the rupee into it, from whence if it comes out white they accept it, but if black they return it; for all the silver in India is of the highest quality, and that which is brought from Europe has to be taken to the mint to be recoined. I say also that those are very much deceived (as merchant tried to make me believe on my first journey) who imagine that is answers to take to the mines spices, tobacco, mirrors, and other trifles of that kind to barter for diamonds; for I have fully proved the contrary, and am able to assert that the merchants at the mine who sell the diamonds require good gold, and the best too.
Now let us say something as to the routes to be followed to the mines. Some modern rather fabulous accounts represent them to be, as I have said, dangerous and difficult, and frequented by tigers, lions and barbarous people; but I have found them altogether different from what they were represented to be—without wild beasts, and the people full of good will and courtesy to strangers.
As for Golkonda, one need know but little of the map to be aware of its position; but from Golkonda to Rammalakota, where the principal mine is, the route is less known, and this is the one which I followed. The measure of distance in this country is the gos, and a gos is equal to 4 French leagues.
From Golkonda to Canapour, 1 gos; Canapour to Parquel, 2½; Parquel to Cakenol, 1; Cakenol to Canol—Candanor, 3; Canol—Candanor to Setapour, 1; Setapour to the river, 2. This river is the boundary between the Kingdoms of Golkonda and Bijapur.
From the river to Alpour, ¾ gos; Alpour to Canol, ¾; Canol to Raolconda, where the mine is, 2½. Thus in all it is 17 gos, or 68 French leagues from Golkonda to the mine. From Golkonda to the mine of Coulour, or Gani, it is 13¾ gos, which amounts to 55 of our leagues. From Golkonda to Almaspinde, 3½ gos; Almaspinde to Kaper, 2; Kaper to Montecour, 2½; Montecour to Nazelpar, 2; Sarvaron to Mellaserou, 1; Mellaserou to Ponocour, 1¾. Between Ponocour and Coulour or Gani (Kollur) there is only the river to cross. I come now to an important subject which is little understood in Europe.
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier’s Travels India (continued)
(via Jean-Baptiste Tavernier’s Travels In India / V Ball / Edited by William Crooke)
I come now to some details as to the traffic in diamonds, and in order that reader may understand this easily—believing that no one has previously written of this matter I shall speak in the first instance of the different kinds of weights which are in use, both at the mines and in other places in Asia.
At the mine of Rammalakota they weigh by mangelins, and the mangelin is equal to 1¾ carats, that is to say, 7 grains. At the mine of Gani or Kollur the same weights are used. At the mine of Soumelpour in Bengal they weigh by ratis, and the rati is 7/8ths of a carat, or 3½ grains. This last weight is used throughout the whole of the Empire of the Great Mogul. In the Kingdoms of Golkonda and Bijapur mangelins are also used, but the mangelin in these places is only 13/8 carats. The Portuguese use the same weight name in Goa, but it is then equal to only 5 grains.
I come now to the kinds of money with which diamonds are purchased in India. Firstly, in the Kingdom of Bengal, in the territories of the Raja of whom I have spoken, as they are included in the dominion of the Great Mogul, payment is made in rupees. At the two mines in the Kingdom of Bijapur, in the neighborhood of Rammalakota, payment is made in the new pagodas which the King, being entirely independent of the Great Moghul, coins in his own name. The new pagoda does not always bear the same value, for sometimes it is valued at 3½ rupees, sometimes more and sometimes less, according as it is raised or lowered by the state of trade, and according as the moneychangers arrange matters with the Princes and Governors. At the mine of Kollur or Gani, which belongs to the King of Golkonda, payment is made in new pagodas of equal value with those of the King of Bijapur. But one has to buy them sometimes at from 1 to 4 percent premium, because they are of better gold, and because the merchants do not accept others at this mine.
These pagodas are made by the English and Dutch, who have obtained from the King, either by agreement or by force, permission to manufacture them, each in their own fortress. And those of the Dutch cost 1 or 2 percent more than those of the English, because they are of better quality, and the miners also much prefer them. But as the majority of the merchants are influenced by the false reports that the people at the mine are unsophisticated and almost savages, and that, moreover, the routes from Golkonda to the mines are very dangerous, they generally remain at Golkonda, where those who work the mines have their correspondents to whom they send the diamonds. Payments are made there with old pagodas, well worn, and coined many centuries ago by different Princes, who reigned in India before the Musalmans gained a footing in the country. These old pagodas are worth 4½ rupees, i.e. 1 rupee more than the new, although they do not contain more gold, and consequently do not weigh more; this will be a cause of astonishment if I do not explain the reason. It is that the Shroffs of Changers, in order to induce the King not to have them recoined, pay him annually a large sum, because they themselves thereby derive a considerable profit; for the merchants never receive these pagodas without the aid of one of these Changers to examine them, some being defaced, others of low standard, others of short weight, so that if one accepted them without this examination he would lose much, and would have the trouble to return them, or perhaps lose from 1 to even 5 or 6 percent, in addition to which he must pay the Shroffs 1/4th per cent for their trouble. When you pay the miners, they will also receive these pagodas only in presence of the Changer, who points out to them the good and bad, and again takes his 1/4th percent. But to save time, when you desire to make a payment of 1000 or 2000 pagodas, the Changer, when receiving his dues, encloses them in a little bag, on which he places his seal, and when you wish to pay a merchant for his diamonds you take him, with the bag, to the Changer, who, seeing his own seal intact, assures him that he has examined all the coins, and will be responsible if any do not prove good.
As for rupees, the miners take indifferently those of the Great Mogul and those of the King of Golkonda, because those coined by this King would have been the coinage of the Great Mogul if these monarchs had remained on good terms.
The natives of India have more intelligence and subtlety than one thinks. As the pagodas are small, thick pieces of gold of the size of the nail on the little finger, and as it is impossible to clip them without it being apparent, they bore small holes in them all round, found whence they extract 3 or 4 sols value of gold dust, and they close them with such skill that there is no appearance of the coins having been touched. Moreover, if you buy anything in a village, or if when you cross a river you give the boatmen a rupee, they immediately kindle a fire and throw the rupee into it, from whence if it comes out white they accept it, but if black they return it; for all the silver in India is of the highest quality, and that which is brought from Europe has to be taken to the mint to be recoined. I say also that those are very much deceived (as merchant tried to make me believe on my first journey) who imagine that is answers to take to the mines spices, tobacco, mirrors, and other trifles of that kind to barter for diamonds; for I have fully proved the contrary, and am able to assert that the merchants at the mine who sell the diamonds require good gold, and the best too.
Now let us say something as to the routes to be followed to the mines. Some modern rather fabulous accounts represent them to be, as I have said, dangerous and difficult, and frequented by tigers, lions and barbarous people; but I have found them altogether different from what they were represented to be—without wild beasts, and the people full of good will and courtesy to strangers.
As for Golkonda, one need know but little of the map to be aware of its position; but from Golkonda to Rammalakota, where the principal mine is, the route is less known, and this is the one which I followed. The measure of distance in this country is the gos, and a gos is equal to 4 French leagues.
From Golkonda to Canapour, 1 gos; Canapour to Parquel, 2½; Parquel to Cakenol, 1; Cakenol to Canol—Candanor, 3; Canol—Candanor to Setapour, 1; Setapour to the river, 2. This river is the boundary between the Kingdoms of Golkonda and Bijapur.
From the river to Alpour, ¾ gos; Alpour to Canol, ¾; Canol to Raolconda, where the mine is, 2½. Thus in all it is 17 gos, or 68 French leagues from Golkonda to the mine. From Golkonda to the mine of Coulour, or Gani, it is 13¾ gos, which amounts to 55 of our leagues. From Golkonda to Almaspinde, 3½ gos; Almaspinde to Kaper, 2; Kaper to Montecour, 2½; Montecour to Nazelpar, 2; Sarvaron to Mellaserou, 1; Mellaserou to Ponocour, 1¾. Between Ponocour and Coulour or Gani (Kollur) there is only the river to cross. I come now to an important subject which is little understood in Europe.
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier’s Travels India (continued)
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Meet Me In St. Louis
Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)
Directed by: Vincente Minnelli
Screenplay: Sally Benson (novel); Irving Brecher, Fred F. Finklehoffe
Cast: Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien
(via YouTube): Meet Me In St Louis - the trolley song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UJLIrT_ALs
Meet Me In St Louis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DuG1SQkdqc
One of the greatest American movie musicals + a great voice. I enjoyed it.
Directed by: Vincente Minnelli
Screenplay: Sally Benson (novel); Irving Brecher, Fred F. Finklehoffe
Cast: Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien
(via YouTube): Meet Me In St Louis - the trolley song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UJLIrT_ALs
Meet Me In St Louis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DuG1SQkdqc
One of the greatest American movie musicals + a great voice. I enjoyed it.
The Knot
New Business Models: Carley Roney and David Liu writes about how they started The Knot (www.theknot.com) + other viewpoints @ http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1663316_1684619,00.html
House Style
Good Designs: (via The Guardian) Fiona MacCarthy writes about the Bauhaus movement + how it became a fashion in itself + other viewpoints @ http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/architecture/story/0,,2212350,00.html
Reflections On Three Decades At The Helm Of ARTnews
Total internal reflections of Milton Esterow @ http://artnews.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=1214
How Jeff Koons Became A Superstar
Ann Landi writes about Jeff Koons + his curious position as a marketing phenomenon + Kelly Devine Thomas's research + other viewpoints @ http://www.artnews.com/anniversary/top10.asp
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