Veteran Zimbabwean playwright, Cont Mhlanga, has become the first recipient of ArtVenture Freedom to Create Prize for his satirical play, 'The Good President'.
Useful link:
www.freedomtocreateprize.com
Hats off to Cont Mhlanga for his brave story and spirit.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Grown Up Digital
Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World HC by Don Tapscott is an insightful book on next (greatest!) generation and the impact. A must read.Useful links:
Claude Lévi-Strauss
Steven Erlanger's report on Claude Lévi-Strauss, one of France's icons @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/28/europe/france.php was educational and insightful. Thanks Steven.
Useful link:
www.quaibranly.fr
Useful link:
www.quaibranly.fr
Random Thoughts
When stock prices are rising, it’s called 'momentum investing'; when they are falling, it’s called 'panic'.
- Paul Krugman
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com
He was spot on.
- Paul Krugman
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com
He was spot on.
Street Art
The BBC Friday documentary, Street Art, Episode 1 + 2 @ http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/publicaffairs/mediareleases/2006/mr-06-049.html + http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p001gzjq/The_Friday_Documentary_Street_Art_Episode_2/ was brilliant. I liked it.
The Chuck Fipke Story
Carl Hoffman's story on Canadian geologist, Chuck Fipke, who discovered a diamond trove in the Canadian Arctic @ http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/16-12/ff_diamonds was interesting.
Useful links:
www.cfminerals.com
http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/publicaffairs/mediareleases/2006/mr-06-049.html
Chuck is definitely one-of-a-kind diamond prospector. He finds diamonds.
Useful links:
www.cfminerals.com
http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/publicaffairs/mediareleases/2006/mr-06-049.html
Chuck is definitely one-of-a-kind diamond prospector. He finds diamonds.
Friday, November 28, 2008
The Vegetable Museum
Ju Duoqi's exhibition, 'The Vegetable Museum', has just opened at the Paris-Beijing Photo Gallery at the 798 art district in Beijing. A must visit.
Useful links:
www.parisbeijingphotogallery.com
www.798space.com
Useful links:
www.parisbeijingphotogallery.com
www.798space.com
Imitation Turquoise
(via Wikipedia) The Egyptians were the first to produce an artificial imitation of turquoise, in the glazed earthenware product faience. Later glass and enamel were also used, and in modern times more sophisticated ceramics, porcelain, plastics, and various assembled, pressed, bonded, and sintered products (composed of various copper and aluminium compounds) have been developed: examples of the latter include "Viennese turquoise", made from precipitated aluminium phosphate coloured by copper oleate; and "neolith", a mixture of bayerite and copper phosphate. Most of these products differ markedly from natural turquoise in both physical and chemical properties, but in 1972 Pierre Gilson introduced one fairly close to a true synthetic (it does differ in chemical composition owing to a binder used, meaning it is best described as a simulant rather than a synthetic). Gilson turquoise is made in both a uniform colour and with black "spiderweb matrix" veining not unlike the natural Nevada material.
The most common imitation of turquoise encountered today is dyed howlite and magnesite, both white in their natural states, and the former also having natural (and convincing) black veining similar to that of turquoise. Dyed chalcedony, jasper, and marble is less common, and much less convincing. Other natural materials occasionally confused with or used in lieu of turquoise include: variscite and faustite; chrysocolla (especially when impregnating quartz); lazulite; smithsonite; hemimorphite; wardite; and a fossil bone or tooth called odontolite or "bone turquoise", coloured blue naturally by the mineral vivianite. While rarely encountered today, odontolite was once mined in large quantities—specifically for its use as a substitute for turquoise—in southern France.
These fakes are detected by gemmologists using a number of tests, relying primarily on non-destructive, close examination of surface structure under magnification; a featureless, pale blue background peppered by flecks or spots of whitish material is the typical surface appearance of natural turquoise, while manufactured imitations will appear radically different in both colour (usually a uniform dark blue) and texture (usually granular or sugary). Glass and plastic will have a much greater translucency, with bubbles or flow lines often visible just below the surface. Staining between grain boundaries may be visible in dyed imitations.
Some destructive tests may, however, be necessary; for example, the application of diluted hydrochloric acid will cause the carbonates odontolite and magnesite to effervesce and howlite to turn green, while a heated probe may give rise to the pungent smell so indicative of plastic. Differences in specific gravity, refractive index, light absorption (as evident in a material's absorption spectrum), and other physical and optical properties are also considered as means of separation. Imitation turquoise is so prevalent that it likely outnumbers real turquoise by a wide margin. Even material used in authentic Native American and Tibetan jewellery is often fake or, at best, heavily treated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turquoise
Today China has become an important source for imitation turquoise. The opaque bead materials are mass produced, inexpensive, and found in gem markets worldwide. If in doubt, always consult a reputed gem testing laboratory.
The most common imitation of turquoise encountered today is dyed howlite and magnesite, both white in their natural states, and the former also having natural (and convincing) black veining similar to that of turquoise. Dyed chalcedony, jasper, and marble is less common, and much less convincing. Other natural materials occasionally confused with or used in lieu of turquoise include: variscite and faustite; chrysocolla (especially when impregnating quartz); lazulite; smithsonite; hemimorphite; wardite; and a fossil bone or tooth called odontolite or "bone turquoise", coloured blue naturally by the mineral vivianite. While rarely encountered today, odontolite was once mined in large quantities—specifically for its use as a substitute for turquoise—in southern France.
These fakes are detected by gemmologists using a number of tests, relying primarily on non-destructive, close examination of surface structure under magnification; a featureless, pale blue background peppered by flecks or spots of whitish material is the typical surface appearance of natural turquoise, while manufactured imitations will appear radically different in both colour (usually a uniform dark blue) and texture (usually granular or sugary). Glass and plastic will have a much greater translucency, with bubbles or flow lines often visible just below the surface. Staining between grain boundaries may be visible in dyed imitations.
Some destructive tests may, however, be necessary; for example, the application of diluted hydrochloric acid will cause the carbonates odontolite and magnesite to effervesce and howlite to turn green, while a heated probe may give rise to the pungent smell so indicative of plastic. Differences in specific gravity, refractive index, light absorption (as evident in a material's absorption spectrum), and other physical and optical properties are also considered as means of separation. Imitation turquoise is so prevalent that it likely outnumbers real turquoise by a wide margin. Even material used in authentic Native American and Tibetan jewellery is often fake or, at best, heavily treated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turquoise
Today China has become an important source for imitation turquoise. The opaque bead materials are mass produced, inexpensive, and found in gem markets worldwide. If in doubt, always consult a reputed gem testing laboratory.
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