Ultrasound at 38 weeks:

My vastly-qualified grandfather has just published a book he’s co-edited. He sent me a copy today. Surprisingly it’s something I’m keen to have a look through (normally, the nitrogen cycle in agriculture doesn’t really do much for me). I’ve started on an article about the Tibetan plateau, and how it effects the atmosphere and the monsoon cycles. Interesting stuff.

Given that the articles within all concern the monsoon system of East Asia, the picture on the back cover is of a crowded street in Varanasi, India.

Taken by my dad, of me, on a rickshaw.

Compare and contrast to the original.

Futuristic-sounding name for some amazing technology. This kind of video enhancement boggles the mind, and suggests some creepy possibilities. Having moved way past the age of where a photo of something meant proof, seamless ‘photoshopping’ of moving video looks like it’s now readily achievable.

The linked video has a bunch of technical image-manipulation terms, but is still quite watchable.

And awesome.

Google Maps Australia now has the nifty street-view function, which has ground-level photos of the area so you can scope out where you’re going, or check out your house, or whatever.

Late last year I saw the Google car taking pictures in my area when walking home; sure enough, I feature on the corner of Leamington Ave and Pine St, Newtown.

The types of competitions people around the world come up is really quite extraordinary (cf. crazy Japanese game shows, as seen on Youtube).

The following picture comes from an amazing blog you should subscribe to: the Boston Globe’s Big Picture. It’s ‘news stories in photographs’, sourced from news feeds & agencies from all over the world. The pictures are staggeringly good: thought-provoking, heart-warming, shocking, fascinating.

This last set of photos was of surfing competitions from around the world. One example:

The caption on this photo? 

“A boston terrier participates at the 3rd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort surf dog competition (the largest surfing competition for dogs) in Imperial Beach, south of San Diego, California, on June 28, 2008. (GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)”

Note that? The largest surfing competition for dogs.

As in more than one.

Wow.

In Aristotle’s ethical thought, virtue is the golden mean between two extremes – generosity is virtuous, positioned between prodigality on one side and miserliness on the other; bravery is virtuous, positioned between the extremes of foolhardiness and cowardice.

This photo, I think, expresses perhaps more of the foolhardy side.

It was taken by Lori Mehmen in Iowa, tornado country (via Associated Press).

In the comments a number of people praise her presence of mind to capture the light, tighten the composition, hold the camera steady in low light, etc… while another remarks that true presence of mind might have been to head for the basement, pronto.