Extreme weather events in northeastern New Brunswick (Canada) for the period 1950–2012: Comparison of newspaper archive and weather station data

In the context of global warming, changes in extreme weather and climate events are expected, particularly those associated with changes in temperature and precipitation regimes and those that will affect coastal areas. The main objectives of this study were to establish the number of extreme events that have occurred in northeastern New Brunswick, Canada in recent history, and to determine whether their occurrence has increased. By using archived regional newspapers and data from three meteorological stations in a national network, the frequency of extreme events in the study area was established for the time period 1950–2012. Of the 282 extreme weather events recorded in the newspaper archives, 70% were also identified in the meteorological time series analysis. The discrepancy might be explained by the synergistic effect of co‐occurring non‐extreme events, and increased vulnerability over time, resulting from more people and infrastructure being located in coastal hazard zones. The Mann Kendall and Pettitt statistical tests were used to identify trends and the presence of break points in the weather data time series. Results indicate a statistically significant increase in average temperatures and in the number of extreme events, such as extreme hot days, as well as an increase in total annual and extreme precipitation. A significant decrease in the number of frost‐free days and extreme cold days was also found, in addition to a decline in the number of dry days.     

‘Assisting you to become a local’: NGOs and constructed foreign spouses in Eastern Taiwan

As social and cultural contexts change and globalization spreads, the number of transnational-marriage migrants mainly from Southeast Asia has increased in Taiwan. Using institutional ethnography, this article investigates the roles of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and projects aimed at helping foreign spouses to adapt to their new life. I mainly elaborate that NGOs emerge as important actors in assisting and empowering transnational spouses to ‘become locals’. In empowerment projects, foreign spouses are given a voice to elaborate themselves. However, this article elaborates that these projects are a scheme of education to shape each such migrant into a proper ‘Taiwanese wife/mother/daughter-in-law’. Also, these projects particularly promote ‘exoticism’ of migrants and become key sources of how local people understand the images of ‘foreign spouses’. As a result, though NGOs play positive roles in empowering foreign spouses, we need to be aware that NGOs’ efforts may ironically become a mechanism to strengthen transnational spouses’ gender roles and cultural stereotypes.     

Running with the ball? Making a play for sport heritage archives in Higher Education contexts

For considerable time, academia (in particular, the Humanities) has been in an intellectual, economic and pragmatic par des deux with the culture and arts sector (in this case, heritage, museums and archives). In many ways, given their respective pursuits of scientific enquiry and learning, valuable contribution to a knowledge economy, commitment to public enlightenment, and exploration of critical and creative endeavour, a relationship between the sectors makes sense. Unity notwithstanding, the relationships have become increasingly now influenced by (en)forced contextual constraints (e.g. government policy development and intervention, neoliberal market forces, structural and ideological shifts in funding acquisition and allocation, patronage changes and demands, and/or individual political priorities). Drawing on education and heritage scholarship, and theoretical frameworks of sport culture spaces, this paper examines efforts undertaken at one specific Higher Education establishment in the United Kingdom in which institutional agendas (vis-à-vis historical and cultural foci, encouraging ‘impactful’ academic activity, brand exposure, economic efficiency, and community engagement) have contoured, and become entwined with, an embryonic sport heritage and archive project. Recalling similar arrangements elsewhere, the aim of this case study is to explore how the wider education and cultural policy context have precipitated an increasingly symbiotic and dependent relationship between university and cultural/arts initiatives. The paper considers how the impetus to develop a sports-based (basketball) heritage archive and study centre reflects the current fragilities of the two sectors, yet, concomitantly, reveals the potentials that might be developed from fostering greater intellectual and pragmatic alliances. The paper concludes by advocating the practical, political and ideological usefulness of network formation, sustainability measures and continued cross-sector dialogue.     

现代测绘技术在古建烫样数字化项目中的应用

烫样是研究清代皇家建筑的珍贵文物,为配合文物信息数字化工作的开展,针对烫样数据的采集和处理方法进行了深入研究。在综合考虑多种数据采集方法的特点及烫样数字化记录的难点后,选择使用手持式三维扫描仪与多视角三维重建技术相结合的方式来进行烫样的基础数据采集,并通过实践总结出了一套完整的数据采集和处理工作流程。与此同时,针对成果可能的应用方式做了些许尝试,且为数据的后期维护与进一步利用拟定了数据管理系统的建设方案。     

高光谱图像系统应用于模糊印章的提取研究

传统书画作品中存在有大量模糊不清的印章,对此类印章尚没有很好的手段进行提取和鉴别。为解决这一问题,本工作采用一种用高光谱图像系统采集书画中模糊印章的光谱-图像信息,采用最小噪声分离变换(MNF)处理光谱图像数据,提升了模糊印章的可辨识度。结果表明,采用该方法能够有效的将模糊印章的信息提取出来,有利于印章的鉴别和研究,为书画的文物价值和真伪鉴别的研究提供了科学有效的手段。     

清雍正朝的官造玻璃器

玻璃器是清代工艺美术品中的新宠,备受皇家珍爱。清代的玻璃制造始于康熙朝。雍正朝在此基础上继续投入大量的人力、物力制作为皇室享用、馈赠的玻璃器皿。本文通过对中国第一历史档案馆收藏的《造办处各作成做活计清档》中有关雍正朝玻璃制作档案的整理,并结合现存珍贵的玻璃实物,系统地对雍正朝玻璃厂制作的玻璃品种、工艺、用途及风格特点进行了论述。     

炽盛光佛变相图中的土星形象演变

梳理土星源流可以发现,在佛教图像志中的土星神格形象受到印度神话中焰摩天形象的影响。随着密教经典的传播和佛教中国化的不断深入,土星形象不断发展演变。在炽盛光佛变相图中,土星形象由早期佛前"牵牛者"、中期佛前"燃香者"到晚期的"迎佛者",由"形似婆罗门"演变为着汉式服饰的老者形象,由执板册到手持香炉形象的演变。梳理出其在各时期的形象特征、演变情况,探究土星形象演变的社会历史因素及其在此过程中功能的转变可知,土星形象的变化与时代背景、美学思想、儒释道合流、民间审美等多种因素相关。     

Practices of photography on kibbutz: The case of Eliezer Sklarz

This article explores how socialist egalitarian ideology affected forms of documentation on the kibbutz in Israel, by examining its practices of photography. The study analyzes the work of one photographer, Eliezer Sklarz, and his role and function in the community, focusing on the visual content and style of his work. The article also describes the role of the kibbutz archive in promoting his work and in constructing kibbutz identity through its photographic archive, as a mechanism for creating Zionist kibbutz historiography. The study addresses the conflicted approach of kibbutz society towards photography: promoting documentation through the function of the archive on the one hand, while maintaining a dismissive role towards photography as a highbrow, middle-class practice, on the other.     

清宫扎什琍玛造像的来源及像式类型分析

扎什琍玛佛像因特征明确、像式丰富、工艺精细,在故宫珍藏的佛教造像中独树一帜。清宫的扎什琍玛像多附有皇家特有的黄条题记。本文从这些黄条所记内容入手,结合档案资料,对此类造像进行来源、类型及题材风格的细化探究,并进一步说明扎什琍玛对清宫佛教造像风格的深刻影响及其在促进西藏与内地政治、经济、文化联系方面曾经发挥的历史作用。     

旅游目的地形象认知过程中的"先入为主"与"既成事实"效应研究--以银川沙湖与榆林红碱淖为例

旅游者对旅游目的地的形象认知是影响旅游活动的重要因素,对旅游目的地形象定位和市场营销策略的选择都具有重要的参考价值,逐渐成为旅游研究的新热点。本文选取了我国几个代表性的案例,逐步展开分析,提出若干个相应的假设,据此设计了调查问卷,在兰州、西安两地开展了抽样调查。本文应用国际通用的科学方法和规范模式对抽样调查结果进行分析,根据分析结果对旅游者对旅游目的地形象认知中的“先入为主”与“既成事实”效应进行了探讨,强调了旅游形象定位与市场营销中的先发优势。