Microsoft's vision of the Future (parody) :)

Ik Kil Cenote

This sounds muddy and unremarkable, but is anything but. <3.
Ik Kil Cenote (Mayan Village sinkhole)

Good people do exist!

I read this amazing and unbelievable good news story today about a NYC ad exec who loaned a homeless guy her credit card when he asked her for change and she felt badly for not having any. This happened in the toughest city in the world. Does it happen here? Would you do the same or do you have an amazing similar story?

The flowchart of Should You Make a Flowchart

Via deems.co.za

So You Want to Watch YouTube

Source: karenkavett

X-rays of flowers

Flowers are some of my favourite things. Look inside them courtesy of Hugh Turvey's amazing work. Turning X-rays into Art.

Tulips

 

An orchid

 See more pics at Odd Stuff Magazine.

Quote of the Day

As I aimlessly surfed the Web this evening, I found a quote so poignant and truthful I'm resisting putting off blogging it as is usually my habit. Too often, I find great things to write about and pledge to blog them at some later, more convenient time. Alas, more often than not, that time never arrives, life goes on, days pass and so does my ambition to record my thoughts.

I found this truism on a post called, 10 Rules of Tech Etiquette on Geoffrey Webb's blog.

"In your rush to record life, don't forget to live it."

The warning appears in Webb's ninth rule of tech etiquette: Put your camera away. As an aspiring photographer and iPhone owner, this rule attracted my attention. As Webb indicates, living in this age of constant publishing, sharing and exchanging of digital information can take our focus off of what's important. Technology has presented humankind with a paradox. The advent of social media is being marketed aggressively. 'Friend' has become a verb as well as a noun. An entire generation is pushing the limits of interaction, and at times, boundaries. In our rush to record life's great moments in 140-character tweets, witty status updates and candid pics of our friends, are we so focused on recording and sharing every aspect of our lives that those real, personal interactions lose the very depth and richness we strive to capture?

I love technology. Recently, I've taken an avid interest in both photography and social media, so much so that I have to remind myself to unplug sometimes to read a book. Actually call someone. See a movie. Have dinner with family.

Sometimes, whether you're at work or with friends, you have to turn off the gadgets just to enjoy the 'fullness' of whatever is happening in that moment, simply because even the fastest shutter speed or highest HD camera can't capture it as well as the oldest recording device at our disposal: memory. Webb's words are ones to live by, and reminded me of the feeling of giving up trying to capture Canada Day's amazing fireworks with my Canon Rebel to revel in the awesomeness of being there.

Survival

Via famousdead.com

 After more surfing, I happened upon a few stories about tomorrow being the 65th anniversary of the United States bombing of Hiroshima in the last days of the Second World War. The bombing immediately killed 140,000, but as this story in the Guardian indicates, Tsutomu Yamaguchi is the first and only known survivor of two attacks (the Americans would drop another atomic bomb on Nagasaki, killing 70,000).

His son has died of cancer and he had to fight to have his special status recognized, but Yamaguchi looks as if this inspires him to keep telling his and others' stories:

"Yamaguchi was quoted yesterday by the Mainichi newspaper. "My double radiation exposure is now an official government record. It can tell the younger generation the horrifying history of the atomic bombings even after I die," he said."

Inspiring and incredible story. 

How to Clean Your Owl

A brief, visual how-to for DIY owl owners. Apparently owls don't like the 'high-pressure' setting of the garden hose any more than cats, squirrels or annoying relatives do. Huh.

pleated-jeans via Telegraph Pictures of the Day

Love

National Geographic's International Photography Contest 2009

Viewers' Choice Nature Honorable Mention
A newly born silver-leaf langur gets some early discipline and love from his doting parents. This baby monkey was just about 12 hours old, born at the Columbus, Ohio, Zoo in August of 2009.

 

 

History of AIDS

AIDS: History of a Plague



Found this photo story on AIDS on Life's website. Very informative, powerful and thought provoking stuff, telling the history of the public's perception of the disease, all the way back to the 19th century when it made the jump from primates to humans.