La théâtralité « dans » le cinéma : considérations préliminaires

Quelle est la signification du théâtre, et surtout de la théâtralité, dans un monde dominé par les médias électroniques? Qu’en est-il de la « présence » théâtrale à l’égard d’un médium comme le cinéma, où tout est « reproductible » (Benjamin)? Si la théâtralité était liée non seulement à une présence ambiguë, mais aussi à la fonction de localisation, il deviendrait possible de repenser son rapport au cinéma en termes de cadrage. À partir de cette hypothèse, ce texte analyse la relation entre théâtre et cinéma dans quelques films récents, notamment dans Being John Malkovich et eXistenZ, pour aboutir à des conclusions concernant la signification du jeu théâtral dans un monde médusé par les médias.What is the meaning of theater, and in particular of theatricality, in a world dominated by electronic media? What happens to the "presence" usually associated with theater when it is transposed to a medium such as film, where everything is "reproducible" (Benjamin)? If theatricality is understood not only in terms of a presence that is always ambiguous, but also with a function of localization that is no less problematic, it becomes possible to rethink its relation to film in terms of "framing". Informed by such considerations, this text interprets the relationship between theater and cinema in some recent films, in particular Being John Malkovich and eXistenZ, in order to suggest that theatricality plays an increasingly important part in a universe fascinated by "the media"

“First as Tragedy, Second as Farce”: Executing German Spies at the Tower of London During World War One

The Tower of London is one of the most popular tourist attractions within the Greater London area. However, many people are unaware that during the First World War the British government decided to execute eleven German spies convicted of espionage within the same walls that saw the deaths of prisoners such as Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Thomas More, and Queen Anne Boleyn. While the British wanted to utilize the symbol of power that the Tower had become in the previous centuries by holding executions during the Great War there, it in actuality turned out much differently. Many of the spies became martyrs to the German cause and public relations disasters were all too common. With unanticipated outcomes occurring all too frequently, the executions of German spies became somewhat of a comic opera, only ending after the final spy was executed in 1916

The Conference of 1859, and Else

A summary of the personalities and events surrounding the 1859 session of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Methodist Church, which met in Greenville, SC

Estimating oil concentration and flow rate with calibrated vessel-mounted acoustic echo sounders

As part of a larger program aimed at evaluating acoustic techniques for mapping the distribution of subsurface oil and gas associated with the Deepwater Horizon-Macondo oil spill, observations were made on June 24 and 25, 2010 using vessel-mounted calibrated single-beam echo sounders on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship Thomas Jefferson. Coincident with visual observations of oil at the sea surface, the 200-kHz echo sounder showed anomalously high-volume scattering strength in the upper 200 m on the western side of the wellhead, more than 100 times higher than the surrounding waters at 1,800-m distance from the wellhead, and weakening with increasing distance out to 5,000 m. Similar high-volume scattering anomalies were not observed at 12 or 38 kHz, although observations of anomalously low-volume scattering strength were made in the deep scattering layer at these frequencies at approximately the same locations. Together with observations of ocean currents, the acoustic observations are consistent with a rising plume of small (\u3c 1-mm radius) oil droplets. Using simplistic but reasonable assumptions about the properties of the oil droplets, an estimate of the flow rate was made that is remarkably consistent with those made at the wellhead by other means. The uncertainty in this acoustically derived estimate is high due to lack of knowledge of the size distribution and rise speed of the oil droplets. If properly constrained, these types of acoustic measurements can be used to rapidly estimate the flow rate of oil reaching the surface over large temporal and spatial scales

Rock‐Matrix Porosity and Permeability of the Hydrothermally Altered, Upper Oceanic Crust, Oman Ophiolite

Porosity and permeability are key controls on hydrothermal circulation and alteration in magmatically heated upper oceanic crust. However, the hydraulic properties of basalts altered above 200°C are largely unknown, leaving their role in high-temperature systems unclear. Here, we assess rock-matrix porosities and permeabilities of pervasively altered MORB-like basalts from outcrops in the sheeted dikes and axial lavas of the Semail ophiolite, Oman. The samples represent regional spilite alteration (chlorite–albite–quartz ± actinolite; 150–440°C) and localized epidosite alteration (epidote–quartz; 255–435°C). Porosity and permeability of spilitized rocks vary as follows: interpillow hyaloclastites (14–27 vol.%, 10−17–10−15 m2) > pillow cores (4–12 vol.%; ∼10−19–6 × 10−18 m2) > pillow rims (4–11 vol.%; ∼10−19–2 × 10−18 m2) > massive sheet flows (1–9 vol.%; ∼10−19 m2) ≥ dikes (1–5 vol.%; ∼10−19 m2). Pillow values fall within the ranges of existing data on fresh and low-temperature altered basalts in in situ crust. However, hyaloclastite permeabilities are 1–4 orders of magnitude higher and are clearly preferred flow paths. Epidosites have elevated porosity and permeability irrespective of rock morphology (18–26 vol.%; ∼10−16–10−14 m2). Pillow stacks have upscaled (∼104 m3) matrix porosities and permeabilities of ∼9 vol.% and ∼10−17–10−16 m2 when spilitized and 16 vol.% and up to ∼10−14 m2 when epidotized. Upscaled permeabilities of spilites meet minimum requirements for observed heat and fluid discharge from high-temperature seafloor systems even without fracture networks, and reflect strong flow through the rock-matrix

Abdelkebir Khatibi: Aimance et aisance

Abdelkebir Khatibi: Aimance et aisanc