Sadly, this was not a good day for the Special Shapes. Besides being cold, it was wet. The weather was not in the favor of the pilots as it had rained all night, and was drizzling into the wee morning hours. Eventually, the rain let up for about an hour, and a few of the Special Shapes and teardrops tethered on static line for the spectators to view. I dressed in many layers, but my fingertips were frozen and numb. It was difficult to use the camera, but I did manage a few nice shots. Weather is to improve over this coming weekend as the Fiesta comes to a close for 2011. More…
Tag Archives: photos
Scantily-clad ‘slutwalk’ women march in New York 2
Protesters dressed in their underwear have taken to the streets of New York Sunday, Oct 2, 2011. after it emerged the NYPD were warning women in Brooklyn to cover up in the face of sex attacks.
The latest ‘slutwalk’ protest comes a day after women in Park Slope were warned short skirts should not be worn and shorts that show too much leg have been deemed inappropriate.
Occupy Wall Street | Photos from Brooklyn Bridge Oct. 1, 2011 1
Here are some dramatic photos taken from October 1, 2011… the day that Occupy Wall Street protested on the Brooklyn Bridge and 700+ people were arrested.
More dramatic photos from Occupy Wall Street NY | Occupy Wall Streets spreads to San Francisco 3
As the Occupy Wall Street demonstration enters its 12thday in New York City – and as progressive activists protest in cities across the country – Bay Area residents are preparing for a mass mobilization on the streets of San Francisco tomorrow afternoon (Thurs/29), targeting financial institutions and other entities that they blame for the economic plight of the average American.
Sept 25, 2011 | Occupy Wall Street still going strong. Dramatic photos and videos Reply
About 80 people were arrested Saturday as demonstrators who were camped out near the New York Stock Exchange marched through lower Manhattan, police said.
The “Occupy Wall Street” protest is entering its second week. Demonstrators said Saturday they were protesting against bank bailouts and the mortgage crisis; some also held signs decrying Georgia’s execution of Troy Davis, who was put to death Wednesday for the 1989 slaying of an off-duty Savannah police officer.
Photos of floods in Pakistan Reply
One year ago, Pakistan suffered the worst flooding in its history, a slow-moving disaster that left some 2,000 dead and another 11 million homeless. Nearly one million are still without permanent shelter, and meanwhile, the flooding has returned. Though it’s not on the same scale as last year’s flood, this summer’s damage is still significant.
High water from monsoon rains has killed more than 200 people since early August, damaging or destroying some 670,000 homes and affecting more than 5 million people, according to the government and the United Nations. The disaster has once again overwhelmed the capacity of the government to assist, and the UN has asked for $357 million in international aid. Gathered here is a handful of recent images from Pakistan, where residents are once again coping with flooding on a massive scale.
The Tea Party Defends Wall St. As US Day Of Rage Protests Corruption Reply
Mad Tea Party Tweeters are taking over the #USDOR twitter stream in yet another demonstration in their belief that might makes right. Yes, it’s September 17, the Day of Rage where average citizens are protesting the government’s enabling of the corruption of Wall Street.
Ironically, certain angry patriots who just months ago were claiming that it was American to bring a weapon to their representative’s office in order to send the message “Don’t tread on me!” to the government are now are clogging up the Twitter #USDOR Twitter stream mocking the “liberal hipsters” occupying Wall Street. Here’s a glimpse of comments from one page of the stream (names have been taken out to protect the ignorant, but suffice it to say the world Patriot is featured heavily):
Occupy Wall Street going on despite denial from major news media. Photos. Video. Updates. 5
Update: Sunday, September 18, 2011:
Below is a video of news coverage out of Egypt on the protests on Wall Street. The coverage is in Arabic, but I am posting because at 5:44 minutes into it, there is footage of the police on a bullhorn ordering the protesters to leave otherwise they will be arrested. Does it not say in our First Amendment:
“Amendment I: Congress shall make no law … abridging … the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Fires still raging across Texas. More photos. 1
Wildfires are raging across central Texas, compounding drought that has caused $5.2bn in agricultural losses and led ranchers in the largest cattle-producing US state to rush to slaughter.
Sandia Ranch Sanatorium: An abandoned, haunted insane asylum Reply
This old asylum is one of our local urban legends. Stories of botched lobotomies and murder are a few that circulate around. From my own personal visit… it is very eerie to say the least.
Click on the picture to view the entire slideshow of this asylum.
Video:
Old abandoned Jefferson Township Schoolhouse in Indiana Reply
Photos from my visit to my hometown in Indiana over Christmas, 2010. These are posted on my photo blog, Motley Photos. Please click here to view the rest of the pictures.
The people around us. Photo journey. Reply
Announcing the birth of Motley Photos! Reply
I am proud to announce the birth of a bouncing new website, Motley Photos, which is completely dedicated to postings of photos.
Phenomenal photos from Astronomy Picture of the Day site 1
Here are some incredible pictures from Astronomy Picture of the Day website. All sources and links provided.
Roll Cloud Over Wisconsin
Image Credit: Pierre cb, Wikipedia
Explanation: What kind of cloud is this? A type of arcus cloud called a roll cloud. These rare long clouds may form near advancing cold fronts. In particular, a downdraft from an advancing storm front can cause moist warm air to rise, cool below its dew point, and so form a cloud. When this happens uniformly along an extended front, a roll cloud may form. Roll clouds may actually have air circulating along the long horizontal axis of the cloud. A roll cloud is not thought to be able to morph into atornado. Unlike a similar shelf cloud, a roll cloud is completely detached from their parent cumulonimbus cloud. Pictured above, a roll cloud extends far into the distance as a storm approached in 2007 in Racine, Wisconsin, USA.
A Pileus Iridescent Cloud Over Ethiopia
Image Credit & Copyright: Esther Havens (Light the World)
Explanation: Yes, but how many dark clouds have a multicolored lining? Pictured, behind this darker cloud, is a pileus iridescent cloud, a group of water droplets that have a uniformly similar size and so together diffract different colors of sunlight by different amounts. The above image was taken just after the picturesque sight was noticed by chance by a photographer in Ethiopia. A more detailed picture of the same cloud shows not only many colors, but unusual dark and wavy bands whose origins are thought related to wave disturbances in the cloud.
Aurora Over Greenland
Image Credit: Copyright: Juan Carlos Casado (TWAN)
Explanation: This aurora arched from horizon to horizon. During the current Shelios expedition to observe and learn about the northern lights, the sky last weekend did not disappoint. After sunset and some careful photographic planning, the above image was taken from the expedition’s Qaleraliq campsite in southern Greenland. Visible straight through the center of the aurora, found with a careful eye, is the Big Dipper and the surrounding constellation of the Big Bear (Ursa Major). The brightest orb on the far right is the Moon, while Jupiter can be seen even further to the right. The Shelios expedition is scheduled to last until the end of August and include live broadcasts of ongoing auroras.
The Fairy of Eagle Nebula
Image Credit: The Hubble Heritage Team, (STScI/AURA), ESA, NASA
Explanation: The dust sculptures of the Eagle Nebula are evaporating. As powerful starlight whittles away these cool cosmic mountains, the statuesque pillars that remain might be imagined as mythical beasts. Pictured above is one of several striking dust pillars of the Eagle Nebula that might be described as a gigantic alien fairy. This fairy, however, is ten light years tall and spews radiation much hotter than common fire. The greater Eagle Nebula, M16, is actually a giant evaporating shell of gas anddust inside of which is a growing cavity filled with a spectacular stellar nursery currently forming an open cluster of stars. The above image in scientifically re-assigned colors was released in 2005 as part of the fifteenth anniversary celebration of thelaunch of the Hubble Space Telescope.
A Sun Pillar Over Ontario
Image Credit & Copyright: Rick Stankiewicz (Peterborough Astronomical Association)
Explanation: What is that on the horizon? No, it’s not an alien starship battling distant Earthlings, but rather a sun pillar. When driving across Ontario, Canada in early June, the photographer was surprised to encounter such an “eerie and beautiful” vista, and immediately took pictures. When the atmosphere is cold, ice sometimes forms flat six-sided crystals as it falls from high-level clouds. Air resistance then causes these crystals to lie nearly flat much of the time as they flutter to the ground. If viewed toward a rising or setting Sun, these flat crystals will reflect sunlight and create an unusual column of light — a sun pillar as seen above. Such columns of light are not uncommon to see, and a retrospective of past APODs that have featured picturesque sun pillars can be found here.
Hurricane Irene: Photos of before and after 2
Photos of various locations before and after Hurricane Irene struck the east coast. This first picture is not a before/after combo, but most worthy of posting which shows the tremendous power of what moved into our coasts one week ago.
Photos of Texas fires 4
Thursday, Sept. 1st, 2011
Scores of homes have been destroyed in wildfires that have devastated large parts of Texas and Oklahoma.
The Texas Forest Service said it had been the worst fire season in the state’s history, with 20,115 blazes burning a record 3.5m acres since November.
Photos from Gadhafi’s compound and album of Condoleezza Rice Reply
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Libyan rebels who took control of Moammar Gadhafi’s sprawling compound made a surprising discovery in one of the buildings: a photo album with pictures of Condoleezza Rice.
Though maybe the discovery isn’t that surprising. Over the years, the Libyan leader’s comments and actions related to the former secretary of state have raised a few eyebrows. More…
Photo journey of the labyrinths of Belgium’s underground abandoned crypts 1
Treading deep underground, Sven Fennema explores the realm of the dead – a place where people were buried long ago. The labyrinthine tunnels of an old, abandoned crypt lie before him, full of mementos, grave plates, and the traces left by those who loved and came to pay their respects to the deceased.
Source: Environmental graffiti
Update and photos on Hurricane Irene from North Carolina Reply
[Update 8:43 p.m.] A ninth person has died as a result of Hurricane Irene, officials said. A man in Chesterfield County, Virginia, died after a tree fell on his home, emergency officials said.
[Update 8:39 p.m.] The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for metropolitan New York. A tornado watch indicates that conditions are favorable for a tornado to form, according to the National Weather Service. No tornado has yet developed or been reported.
[Update 8:35 p.m.] Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston announces suspension of Sunday services due to Hurricane Irene.
[Update 8:32 p.m.] The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is now closed, the Maryland Transportation Authority said on its website. The bridge will be off-limits until high winds subside, the agency said.
[Update 8:21 p.m.] The Maryland Transit Administration said it was halting all subway and bus services at 9 p.m. Saturday – with light rail transport ending three hours earlier. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel has been closed until further notice, the state’s Emergency Management Agency reported.
[Update 8:00 p.m.] The National Hurricane Center on Saturday warned residents living in tall structures in the path of Hurricane Irene that the wind hitting upper floors will be stronger than those in most storms.
Above from CNN
__________________________________________
7.05pm ET: Time for a summary of the day’s news as Hurricane Irene carved its way up the United States’ Atlantic coast, Saturday:
• At least five fatalities have now been attributed to the storm. Three of these deaths were caused, directly or indirectly, by trees felled by high winds. In Florida, a surfer was killed while attempting to take advantage of the hurricane-powered waves.
• Approximately 1 million Americans – in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and DC – are without electricity. The mayor of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania has warned citizens that outages could last for days, even weeks. As Irene heads north, that number is likely to grow.
• Hundreds of thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate coastal and low-lying areas along the eastern seaboard. As many as 1 million people have left the Jersey shore. In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has warned that “we are going to break down doors if we have to” to enforce the evacuation.
• Transport has ground to a virtual halt on the east coast. Some 9,000 flights have been cancelled from affected airports. In New York, all public transport has closed down until Monday.
• Despite Irene losing force, downgraded to category 1, storm surges and heavy rains are creating danger of widespread flooding. In northern New England, Vermont’s governor has declared a state of emergency, with flooding predicted in every river in the state.
With that, Matt Seaton is signing off. Matt Wells continues the service shortly. Good night, Irene.
Posting from Guardian
Abandoned beach front houses are surrounded by rising water as the effects of Hurricane Irene are felt in Nags Head on Saturday, August 27, 2011.
SHAWN ROCCO – SROCCO@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Abandoned beach front houses are surrounded by rising water as the effects of Hurricane Irene are felt in Nags Head, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
GERRY BROOME – AP
A sea bird struggles for life in the leeward side of a dune in Frisco Saturday as Hurricane Irene pounds the coast.
CHUCK LIDDY – CLIDDY@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
A rooftop view of flooding damage Saturday, August 27, 2011 in Morehead City. Hurricane Irene, a category 1 storm, is making landfall on the North Carolina coast. TRAVIS LONG- tlong@newsobserver.com
TRAVIS LONG – TLONG@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Jon Harvey checks flooding damage in his garage Saturday, August 27, 2011 in Morehead City. Hurricane Irene, a category 1 storm, is making landfall on the North Carolina coast. TRAVIS LONG- tlong@newsobserver.com
TRAVIS LONG – TLONG@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
A sailboat sits high and dry in the Scott Marina as Hurricane force winds from Irene push the water into the Pamlico Sound Saturday morning.
CHUCK LIDDY – CLIDDY@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Ian Crossman, left, Cody Levy and Christian Van Vliet walk out onto a receded Albemarle Sound in Kill Devil Hills on Saturday, August 27, 2011. The sound had moved out due to the high winds of Hurricane Irene.
SHAWN ROCCO – SROCCO@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Ian Crossman, left, Cody Levy and Christian Van Vliet walk out onto a receded Albemarle Sound in Kill Devil Hills on Saturday, August 27, 2011. The sound had moved out due to the high winds of Hurricane Irene.
SHAWN ROCCO – SROCCO@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Boats sit in an almost empty channel as Hurricane Irene pushes the water out in to Albemarle Sound in Nags Head on Saturday, August 27, 2011.
SHAWN ROCCO – SROCCO@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Boats sit high and dry in the Scott Marina as Hurricane force winds from Irene push the water into the Pamlico Sound Saturday morning.
CHUCK LIDDY – CLIDDY@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
A vehicle avoids a downed utility pole on Woodlawn St. as Hurricane Irene hits Greenville, N.C. on Aug. 27, 2011.
CHRIS SEWARD – CSEWARD@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
This gas station convenience store in Avon lost it’s canopy as Hurricane Irene arrived Saturday morning.
CHUCK LIDDY – CLIDDY@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Waters lap at the foundation of a house along Calico Creek Saturday, August 27, 2011 in Morehead City. Hurricane Irene, a category 1 storm, is making landfall on the North Carolina coast. TRAVIS LONG- tlong@newsobserver.com
TRAVIS LONG – TLONG@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Smithfield Firefighters inspect the damage to Smithfield House at the intersection of Buffalo and Hospital Roads on Saturday afternoon after winds from Hurricane Irene pushed two trees on the building on Saturday August 27, 2011 in Smithfield, N.C.
ROBERT WILLETT – RWILLETT@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
A personal message to Hurricane Irene at the Nags Head Ocean Rescue building on Friday, August 26, 2011.
SHAWN ROCCO – SROCCO@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
A personal message to Hurricane Irene on a Nags Head House on Friday, August 26, 2011.
SHAWN ROCCO – SROCCO@NEWSOBSERVER.COM
All photos from News Observer
London Riots: Photos of before and after 1
Various pictures showing buildings and business before and after the riots started.
(Below) London Riots Carpet Right store in Tottenham’s main shopping area before, during, and after.
(Below) London Riots Paradise Gems retailer on High St in Tottenham before and after.
(Below) London Riots Pawn Shop on Oakfield Rd in Croydon before and after.
(Below) London Riots Reeves Furniture store in Croydon before and after.
(Below) London Riots Royal Mansions on London Rd in Croydon before and after.
The London Riots. Is America on its way to a riot like this? Reply
Over the past several days, people have been rioting in the streets of London, looting, injuring others, and creating complete mayhem. Why? Apparently this was incited by the shooting and death of Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old resident of Tottenham. Who is Mark Duggan? In searching various news stories, blog postings, and the like on the internet, who he is depends upon which site you read. Those in defense of his shooting portray him as a thug. Those defending Mark describe him as “a good man. He was a family man.” His fiancee has, according to Guardian.co.uk website, admitted he is “known to the police and said he had spent some time on remand, but denied he was ever imprisoned.” What actually occurred to bring on this shooting? I doubt we will ever know the true, actual facts. The police will tell one story, and the witnesses will state another. Or possibly somewhere in between. This may have been a justifiable shooting, or it may not have been… I do not know. I was not there.
Many articles are portraying him as a “gangsta.” But then, I honestly do not trust a lot of the media. The images of him online do show a gangster persona, but where are other pictures of him? Surely he has not had just three or four pictures taken of him in his life. When possible I prefer to read facts from various viewpoints and usually determine that the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. A significant percentage of mainstream news sites and channels only tell you what they want you to know, not what is actual. Or tell you what they think will bring the views, the hits, the attention, and the money. More…
Electron Microscopic scans of the insects among us Reply
A gallery of close-ups of the pests who inhabit our homes, clothes, and bodies. Electron Microscopic scans from the book, Micro Monsters, by Tom Jackson, published by Amber Books.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Daddy Long Legs
This spider has six eyes, arranged in two triangles at the top of its head.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Two Mange Mites
These insects embed themselves either in hair follicles or skin. They are commonly found on dogs.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Water Bears
A cute name for a class of insect formally known as tardigrades. They are also sometimes referred to as moss piglets.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Woodlouse
More closely related to shrimp than insects or spiders, the woodlouse anatomy features an exoskeleton that protects it from attack. It has 14 clawed legs and can climb just about anywhere.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Termite
Though they are known for eating wood, wood is not this insect’s food. Their stomachs turn the food into a mush, which, after excretion, is used to build gardens inside their nest. A fungus which grows on the droppings is their real food.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Aphid
The spiky tubes on the insect’s back produce wax which forms a protective barrier against flies and wasps that try to pump their eggs into the aphid’s body.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Grain Weevil
These beetles not only eat grain, but lay their eggs in it as well. In human homes, they sometimes find their way into pasta, which is often made from wheat.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Maggot
Though it looks like a worm, the maggot is in fact, a baby fly. These insects eat several times their body weight each day. Some types like meat; others like fruit and vegetables.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Blowfly
The flesh of an animal — alive or dead — is the ideal nursery for the babies of this bristled fly.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Dung Fly
This insect gets its name from the females’ preference for laying its eggs on cow patties and horse manure. For food, the males like other flies. To eat, they suck the blood-like liquid from their prey through the mouth part (off-white in this photo).
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Yellow Fever Mosquito
Though rare in most countries, yellow fever can still claim victims in the developing world. This female has just eaten. Her abdomen is swollen with blood.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Hornet
These wasps cut up their prey with powerful slicing mouth parts. Its favorite prey is honeybees.
SPL / BARCROFT MEDIA / FAME PICTURES
Dust Mite
Fond of eating specks of dead skin, mites like to inhabit places where humans reside. There are untold numbers of them in most homes.
Original source: Time
New photos of Los Alamos fires smoke July 1, 2011 Reply
Nearly 104,000 acres have been scorched as of this afternoon, July 1st, 2011. Containment is only 3%. Las Conchas Fire is now considered the largest in New Mexico history, and still growing. Santa Clara Pueblo is hard hit, and their vital watershed is not nothing but flames. Los Alamos National Labs have remained untouched – but considering the labs have been their since WWII… who knows what was buried in the canyons and mountains in decades past when radioactive waste disposal was not what it is today. After all… this is the birthplace of the A-Bomb which was dropped on Nagaski and Hiroshima….
Below are pictures I just took this evening from the north side of Albuquerque, approximately 60 miles as the crow flies to the fires.
Truly devastating.
Click on a picture below to enlarge, then continue to scroll through by clicking on the picture.
Lines grow around Pacheco Canyon fires, Santa Fe NM. Photos. Wallow Fire AZ update. Reply
Sat. June 25, 2011
The forest fires burning above Santa Fe and on the Arizona-New Mexico state line grew slightly Friday as firefighters continued to lengthen their containment lines.
The Pacheco Fire reported a week ago in the Santa Fe National Forest is now estimated at 6,800 acres and 18 percent contained. The fire not two miles north of the Santa Fe ski basin is burning in mixed conifer and ponderosa pine in steep and rugged terrain.
Much of the increase in fire size since Friday is due to a successful overnight burnout operation, a statement released by the Central West Zone Incident Management Team Saturday morning said.
The fire was described as less active on Friday than on Thursday with most of the activity on the north side in the drainage south of Rancho Viejo. Minimal movement was seen on the south side of the fire.
Winds pushed the smoke plume eastward, and the fire continues to threaten the Santa Fe watershed and ski area, the Tesuque Peak communications site and tribal lands of Nambé and Tesuque pueblos. The fire is largely within the Pecos Wilderness.
Large sections of the Santa Fe National Forest are now closed to public access with the imposition of State Three fire restrictions. Open fires and smoking outside buildings and vehicles are banned in the areas that remain open.
Click on image below to enlarge. Clicking again will then scroll through pictures.
Wallow Fire update, AZ
Fire bosses in Arizona say most of the activity on the Wallow Fire Friday was on the south side. There favorable conditions allowed firefighters to begin working on ground lines on the fire perimeter as they try to keep the blaze from crossing the Blue River.
The Wallow Fire, which started May 29, has now grown to near 535,000 acres and ranks as the largest in Arizona history.
Winds on Saturday were forecast to reach 17-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph, enough for torching and short-range spotting on the east side of the fire, segments of which are now in New Mexico.
“These conditions are similar to those that existed when the fire has made large runs,” an update from incident commanders said.
Carlsbad Caverns fire over 30,000 acres now, 25% contained. Photos. Reply
A 30,500-acre wildfire sparked Monday afternoon, forcing the evacuation and closure of Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Twenty-two structures, including the visitors’ center, are threatened. Park housing and White City, N.M., are also threatened at this time.
What started as a 40-acres fire had grown to 25,000 in less than 24 hours as officials said 35-mph winds continue to fuel the wildfire.
The Caverns are currently closed and will not open until the fires have been contained. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
