Art in Oceania
The visual art and architecture of native Oceania, includes media such as sculpture, pottery, rock art, basketry and personal decoration. In these societies, art and architecture have often been closely connected, e.g. storehouses and meetinghouses have been decorated with detailed carvings, and so they are presented together here.
Until the 16th and 17th centuries when European societies happened upon the scene, Oceanic societies maintained a number of different types of Neolithic technology. One exception was in the northwest of New Guinea, where the tribes living around Geelvink Bay (Teluk Cenderawasih) imported very small quantities of metal from the Indonesians of the Moluccas (Maluku). The art of forging was zealously guarded, virtually as a cult secret; some tools were traded but only in amounts far too small to have made much impact on usual working conditions.
Throughout the rest of Melanesia and in Polynesia and Micronesia, the basic tool was the stone blade, which was hafted as an adze or an axe, and at times interchangeably as both. Tridacna shell was sometimes used as blades in the parts of Oceania where stone was in short supply, including Micronesia and the Solomon Islands. When obsidian became available, it was chipped into blades for use as both weapons and tools. Other suitable materials included bamboo and bivalve shells, which allow very sharp edges. Some fine cutting and engraving was done with unhafted boar tusks or with hafted shark and rodent teeth. Animal bones served as gouges, awls, and needles. All these instruments were employed in working wood, which with only rare exceptions was the main medium used throughout Oceania.
Clay was also employed, in the main for sculptures, for some of the smaller musical instruments (whistles), and for pottery in Melanesia and New Guinea. The making of pottery vessels was nearly exclusively women’s work, apart from in several areas in New Guinea and the northern Solomons. The usual method involved spiral coiling of rolls of clay. The decorating of the pot was the work of men.
Some working of shell and turtle shell was done with simple drilling and abrading tools. The carving of stone, although obviously providing far more difficult and time-consuming problems than wood, was used remarkably often and occurred throughout the Pacific Islands; hammering, pecking, and polishing were the main methods. Even so resistant a material as jade was mastered by sanding with abrasives.
Paint and painting were thought to animate sculpture, sometimes literally, in religiosymbolic terms, as paint was considered to have magical, vivifying powers. Paints were usually ochres, with some vegetable-derived pigments. Water was the usual medium, occasionally added to with sap. Brushes were made from the fibrous ends of chewed or frayed sticks, small feather bundles, pieces of wood, and sometimes the most basic applicator of all, the finger. Apart from sculpture, the surfaces used for painting were rock faces, bark, and tapa (cloth made from felted bark). Rock painting was very common in Australia, where panels of bark were also used. In Melanesia, paintings were made mainly on sago-palm leaves and sheets of tapa cloth. In Polynesia the women created large quantities of tapa, which they then decorated with traditional designs using vegetable dyes. The techniques they employed included painting, stenciling with leaf templates, rubbing over relief-design tables, stamping, and printing with carved bamboo rollers.
The only areas where weaving was practiced were the Caroline Islands, the Polynesian outlying islands east of the Solomon Islands, a small number of the Santa Cruz Islands, parts of Vanuatu, the Saint Matthias Group (northwest of New Ireland), and several places on the northern coast of Irian Jaya. Spinning was unknown; instead of yarn or thread, strips of banana fibre were used on a simple backstrap loom. Weaving was a woman’s craft in the Caroline and Saint Matthias islands but was practiced by men elsewhere. A form of “finger weaving,” as in net making, was used by Maori women in creating textiles from flax fibres.
The architecture of the Pacific Islands was varied and occasionally large in scale. Buildings reflected the structure and preoccupations of the societies that constructed them, with a great deal of symbolic detail. Technically, most buildings in Oceania were no more than simple assemblages of poles held together with cane lashings; only in the Caroline Islands were complex methods of joining and pegging known.
Oceanic artists’ quest for media was consummately opportunistic; they regarded almost anything from the lavish natural world that surrounded them as potentially usable. The marine world provided shells of all kinds, particularly conus, cowrie, and nassa shells. Birds gave down, beaks, and plumes (those of the birds of paradise were particularly prized); animals provided teeth, tusks, and skins; insects supplied wonderfully brilliant wing cases. The vegetable world was drawn upon for flowers, leaves, and fibres. The assembly of such materials into single objects was rare in Polynesia and Micronesia, but the practice was typical of Australian and Melanesian styles, and added brilliantly to their more spectacular effects. The most basic medium of all was the human body, which received both removable and permanent decorations, including scarification, enhanced by treatment to raise keloid welts in New Guinea, and tattooing with needles and pigments elsewhere.
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How to get the most from your Grid-Connected Solar Power System
Ok, so you have just had your new grid-connected solar panels connected by your local accredited solar power installer.
Now, think back to the first meeting you had with the sales consultant by the kitchen table. Do you recall having a conversation about your previous energy use in the home, and what habits you ought to alter if you decided to get solar? If you answered yes, then you probably organised your solar quote through mysolarprice.com.au, as we only engage solar companies that we know will educate the consumer about their typical power use and give them a good understanding of what power output the system is capable of. Some ‘fly-by-night’ solar panel companies who have only recently arrived on the scene have misled the public in the performance capacity of their grid connected systems. This has led to some mistrust and confusion in the Solar arena. Mysolarprice.com.au is aware of these companies, and will not deal with the solar installers found to be giving misleading information or involved in any dishonest sales tactics.
Have you forgotten these power saving tips the solar consultant gave you? If so, don’t worry, as we provide here the TOP 15 tips for reducing your power consumption to get the most out of your tariff feed, whether that be Net Tariff feed or Gross Tariff feed. Some people with larger systems from 2kw (2 kilowatts) or more may not have to modify their electricity usage at all and will still be in positive territory, that is, getting a surplus or credit for their power. This depends on the home, roof type, shade, number of people in the home, appliance usage, and most importantly the behaviour in the home or in other words how they interact with their home. Some people work during the day and turn their standby power off, whilst doing their washing and household chores at night time. Whereas other people have an air-conditioned home office and use a massive amount of power during the day and which does little at night. How does this make a difference you may ask? If you are in a state like Queensland that has a “Net Tariff Feed” this is extremely important. A Net tariff feed basically means you get the balance of the power you send to the grid from the amount of power youuse during the day but not at night, as solar panels don’d generate power at night time. Therefore, if you are using a great deal of power during the day when your solar power system is working the hardest, you are competing or cancelling it out with the amount of power you are feeding back to the grid, or “Net” Feed. If however, you are out during the day and turn off all your appliances at the wall to eliminate inactive and active standby but only leave the essential items on like the fridge, you will be streets ahead of the rest and get more of a “net” balance which means one thing: more $$$$$$ in your pocket!
These top 15 energy saving tips range from modifying the building fabric of the dwelling, to being more energy efficient, to minor behavioural modifications like turning off the lights when you leave the room. This list will be in the order of the simplest minor behaviour modifications to bigger structural changes to the building material.
TOP FIFTEEN POWER-SAVING IDEAS
1.Turn the lights off when you leave the room. This is especially important if you have energy-guzzling old-fashioned incandescent lights or worse, halogen lights. I have seen people leave on 4 x tastic 500w heat lamps on in the bathroom all day. That’s an incredible 2KW or 2000 watts of power being consumed for no reason.
2.Let in natural light to the internal space. This will reduce the need for lights during the day.
3.Replace all incandescent light bulbs and halogens with CFL’s (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) or LED’s. They use only about a quarter or less power than the standard 75watt incandescent or 60watt halogen, and will last much longer than the standard incandescents or halogens.
4.Use Sensor CFL spotlights outside, instead of the old energy-inefficient spotlights of old.
5.Turn off all standby power. This is probably the best tip I can give you for reducing your daily electricity consumption. A typical dwelling usually operates at around 10-15% standby power, so if you have a quarterly bill of $400 that means $40-$60 of that bill is standby power -which does nothing! It may not sound like much but that’s approx. $120-$240 a year just for not turning appliances off at the wall. A good way to monitor your standby is to install a proper standby power board.
6.Choose energy-efficient appliances. This doesn’t have to mean throwing out your 5-year-old fridge because it only has 2 stars, and spending $2,500 on one that is 4 star. It means if you are presented with an option of buying a new appliance, then make sure it has the highest star rating available. So if you have the money and the choice is over a 2 star 50 inch plasma TV or a 5 star 50 inch Led TV you should get the LED.
7.Turn off any second or third fridges not in use. I have found in energy audits that a great number of people have a spare chest freezer or 20-year-old rusting fridge with split seals in a hot basement. This will account for a considerable chunk of the electricity bill. Sometimes I’ll open the door and there’s nothing even in there, so the fridge is running -and working overtime- for no reason.
8.Turn off your computer monitors and speakers when not in use. This is so easy, however most people I come across forget to do this. If you have a Sub-Woofer with a separate power supply be sure to turn that off also when not in use.
9.Draft Sealing in Winter. If you are using electric heating in winter, then be sure to cover any drafts, otherwise you are merely wasting money.
10.Use ceiling fans or pedestal fans instead of air-conditioning. Air-conditioning is one of the most expensive appliances to use in summer. If are going to use air-conditioning in summer, make sure that the room is properly sealed, the windows are covered and you have insulation in the ceiling.
11.Air-Conditioning Tips for Summer.
- Buy the correct sized air-con for your room -not house, unless it’s ducted. If buying ducted make sure it can be zoned.
- Buy an energy efficient inverter air-conditioner with a high star rating for cooling and heating.
- Set the thermostat between 18-21 degrees. Every degree celsius higher that you set the a/c increases your usage by 10%
- Re-circulate cool air from within instead of using hot air from outside. If the compressor is outside be sure its not sitting exposed in the western sun.
- Make sure the windows have both internal and external shading.
12.Air-Conditioning Tips for Winter.
- Set the thermostat to 23-26 degrees
- Wear warm clothes to insulate your body so you need less mechanical heating
- Insulate your space as with Air-Conditioning in Summer Tips.
- Because hot air rises, a ceiling fan can be turned to the lowest setting -in reverse- as this actually pushes the warm air down towards the home’s occupants
- Avoid electric radiator heaters and electric fan heaters as they are massively expensive.
You are better using reverse cycle air conditioning because it’s far cheaper (most people don’t know this).
13.Insulation. Reflective foil type insulation is best in sub-tropical climates such as Brisbane experiences, whereas thicker, bulky insulation such as wool/fibreglass or polyester is better suited to the more temperate climates such as Toowoomba.
14.Windows. There are a lot of things you can do to insulate your windows to stop the heat entering the place during summer, and keep it in in winter. In summer it is important to keep direct solar radiation off the east and west windows by vertical screening, and keep it off north facing windows with big eaves or horizontal shading. This is so you can let the sun in in winter when it is lower in the sky. These are principles known as solar passive design.
15.Hot Water. If you have an electric hot water system and you have it on the wrong tariff this can be the greater part of your bill. Generally, your hot water should be on an off-peak tariff depending on your location and retail provider. Your hot water bill is normally a quarter of your electricity bill if the system is electric. If it is a relatively new heat pump it will be much less. The most effective water heating device is Solar Hot Water, with a natural gas boost.
These are just some of the generic energy-saving tips I have come across when doing household energy audits which I find a lot of people need help with. If you can reduce the daily consumption it’s going to make it a lot easier to:
1. Keep your bills down, and
2. Make it easier for the Solar Panels to work and provide you with a bonus or credit on your next bill.
One other thing I have yet to mention is panel care. Your panels should be kept free of dirt and grime, as even a small build-up of dust on the panels can drastically reduce the panel’s performance by up to 30% or more. I will look at the process of solar panel maintenance in my next article.
If you require any further energy saving tips or solar power saving tips, then Mysolarprice.com.au can help. We provide all the solar panel infomation necessary to make a well-informed solar purchasing decision.
Mysolarprice.com.au specialise in solar power brisbane solar hot water brisbane and solar pool heating brisbane
All About The New Red Laser Application For iPhones
The iPhone features several applications available for use with it and more are being produced and applied to the app store all the time. Almost anybody can make an application for the iPhone and place it in the app store; all that one is required to do is present the app to Apple for screening and approval.
One useful application would be the red laser which comes available with the Apple iPhone. The red laser lets consumers to scan a product and readily have access to the available prices of that specific item online. Alongside the online comparison shopping which the barcode scanner provides, the red laser also has a number of other very useful features. For instance, you can scan a film noticed while at a shopping mall and the red laser will locate a copy of it online and will also provide for you to have the entire film sent to your TiVo.
The red laser is also able to add items to your shopping list. For example, whenever anyone is going to throw away their deodorant, they can scan the item and it will be added on their shopping list reminding them to stock up on it next kitchen shopping trip.
One can use the red laser to scan almost anything and find information that is applicable to their interests. You can try using it on a book and the red laser will be able to find a copy of it within a nearby library. It is capable of this due to its highly developed integration with the world’s largest library catalogue -WorldCat. The red laser is also able to look for a copy of a book scanned and find any online retailers that hold it in stock.
Other than finding prices and locating products, the red laser will also allow you to scan food. If anybody is allergic to an ingredient, one can scan a product and then reveal the allergen info. Instead of having to look through the entire list of ingredients in the packaging, red laser will reveal a list of all the ingredients within the item and show you the most common allergens within it. In addition to that, red laser could also help you eat healthier by providing the full nutritive contents within the product.
Red Laser contains several other helpful features and you may be surprised at the numerous items you can scan and find helpful information on. This is most definitely an application worth purchasing.
If you are looking for a great provider of architectural rendering services, annual report design or web design. Brisbane businesses can contact bydaughters for a free quote and expert advice.
Why you should turn to stone cladding when building your dream home
If you ask anyone who’s knowledgeable about stone cladding, they’re most likely to tell you one thing over anything else: it’s the bee’s knees. Really, a stack of rocks and stone never looked so good. If you’re thinking of building your own dream home, you might want to consider including stone cladding in the final design of your house.
Far from appearing like your typical collection of rocks stacked on top of each other, most constructions that use stone cladding are very aesthetically pleasing, not to mention reliable and very easy to construct. Stacked stone examples are far and wide and can be found in a range of places. Take for example a certain country retreat in the Daylesford Hills in Victoria, where they opted to use stacked stone instead of the usual sandstone walling. The architect ended up choosing Craft Stone European Castle Stone Golden Sand as the alternative.
What resulted from this was a far more pleasant design and they were able to avoid additional footings, particularly by using timber frame & fibre cement as a substrate. This was used in an outdoor portion - a rock wall if you will - so it’s something that will easily catch the attention of passersby .
But of course, usage is in no way limited to outdoor parts of a house. Indoor use is also popular, and when it comes to cases like these, its benefits can be experienced in all manner of ways, whether it ends up in the kitchen or in the bedroom.
A stacked stone fireplace can take advantage of such an architectural marvel, where a timber frame clad with fibre cement sheet can be used to create. A 12mm Standard mortar joint can be used to fit the Craft Stone Stacked Ledgestone Merlot for the construction. The best part is the whole thing usually just takes a day to construct which brings to light the astounding cost and labor saving incentives . It’s obvious - less construction time means less labour costs, and fewer expenses in general.
With clear benefits such as those mentioned above, it’s no wonder the stone cladding method is becoming more and more popular. Add the fact that resulting designs can compliment just about anything, and suddenly it’s not to understand why people say it’s the perfect design feature. Stone cladding is what dream homes are made of!
For more information about stone cladding, stacked stone and rock wall building options, please contact Craftstone Australia.
The Importance of Decorative Night Lights in Interior Design
Lighting is a very important part of any room. It takes a great deal of effort and consideration to choose the right night lights, as it can make or break a room. Decorative lights liven up a room, irrespective of how drab the furniture is. Lighting also plays a crucial role in creating the ambience in a room. Where you place these lights should also be planned well, as misplaced lighting can ruin the mood in a room.
Interior design has significantly evolved throughout the years, as decorative pieces and furniture have come to use a more modern look to them. With the development of interior design trends came the evolution of lighting. Designer night lights are now one of the most crucial aspects of any interior design project. Choosing designer lights that announce a statement fulfills both the aesthetic and as well as the functional side of the designing process. Whether you want more traditional designs or modern ones, there is definitely a lighting piece that will suit your needs and preferences.
Adding a lampshade or two in a bedroom can make a crucial difference. Drop lights are also nice additions to the living room and the dining room and string lights are increasingly becoming a necessity when decorating. There are so many unique designs for night lights these days that it can be rather overwhelming to choose. Decorative lights provide an interesting feel to the room and depending on the kind of light you decide to use, it can set the overall theme of the room. More modern designs include LED colour change lights, large drop lights and metallic lighting fixtures. No matter what your optimal theme is, you can find a lighting fixture that will complement it. This even extends to the gardens and ponds with outdoor lighting.
A lot of the modern lights these days are also more cost-efficient as they don’t consume too much electricity as they used to. It is preffered to decide on one central light and include several accent lights so that you are able to dim the lighting in the room should you meed to. Warm lighting can greatly influence the ambience in the room, as it is a lot more pleasing to the eye than white lights.
Chandeliers have also greatly evolved through the years. From elaborate tear drop chandeliers, they now come in different colours and designs. Dark wrought iron chandeliers offer more minimalistic options for homes, as they are not as extravagant as traditional chandeliers but can be as beautiful in feel and lighting. Decorative night lights are most certainly a wonderful investment, as they can improve the aesthetic appeal of any home.
Plastic Packaging Facts
Because packaging helps to control the present environment of a food product, it is beneficial in creating conditions that increase the storage life of a food. Packaging materials that are usually used for foods may be classified as flexible (paper, thin laminates, and plastic film), semi-rigid (aluminum foil, laminates, paperboard, and thermoformed plastic), and rigid (metal, glass, and thick plastic). Plastic materials are widely used in food packaging because they are relatively inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to manipulate into desired shapes.
The selective permeability of polymer-based materials to gases, for example carbon dioxide and oxygen, as well as sunlight and moisture, has led to the development of modified-atmosphere packaging. If the barrier properties are carefully chosen, a packaging material can maintain a modified atmosphere inside the package and thus extend the shelf life of the food product.
Dehydrated foods must be removed from moisture during storage. Packaging materials such as polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, and polypropylene offer low moisture permeability. Similarly, packaging materials with low gas permeability are utilized for fatty foods in order to minimize oxidation. Because fresh fruits and vegetables respire, they use packaging materials, such as polyethylene, that have high permeability to gases.
Smart packages offer properties that meet the unique requirements of certain edibles. For example, packages produced with oxygen-absorbing elements remove oxygen from the interior of the package, thus guarding oxygen-sensitive products from oxidation. Temperature-sensitive films show an abrupt change in gas permeability when they are exposed to an environment above or below a set constant. These films morph from a crystalline structure to an amorphous structure at a set temperature, causing the gas permeability to change substantially.
If you are looking for shrink packaging film and shrink wrap equipment, talk to Redblade. Redblade are the experts in plastic packaging and Cryrovac film.
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