On October 31, 2011, the United Nations is expected to announce a projected world population figure of 7 billion. This global milestone presents both an opportunity and a challenge for the planet. While more people are living longer and healthier lives, says the U.N., gaps between rich and poor are widening and more people than ever are vulnerable to food insecurity and water shortages. Because censuses are infrequent and incomplete, no one knows the precise date that we will hit the 7 billion mark - the Census Bureau puts it somewhere next March. In the last 50 years, humanity has more than doubled. What could the next decade mean for our numbers and the planet? In this post, we focus on births, but we'll be back with population-related content including it's affect on the environment and our food supply. -- Paula Nelson (47 photos total)
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Occupy Wall Street global protests
Global protests against economic injustice gripped cities over the weekend, predominantly on Saturday, October 15. Solidarity with Spain's "Indignants" and New York's "Occupy Wall Street" protesters brought demonstrations over the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few and the worldwide economic crisis to cities from Hong Kong to Tulsa. Hundreds of thousands joined the mostly peaceful demonstrations, although arrests were made in many cities, and clashes with police in Rome became particularly violent. The movement shows no signs of slowing. Gathered here are images from cities large and small. -- Lane Turner (40 photos total)
The transfer of prisoners: Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit is returned home in exchange for some 1,000 Palestinian prisoners
After being held captive by the Palestinian group Hamas for five years, Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit returned to his home in Mitzpe Hila, northern Israel. As his family and friends were celebrating his freedom, 477 of an eventual 1,027 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons were released to mass celebrations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, part of the deal with Hamas. Schalit, a tank crewman who is now 25, was captured in June of 2006 near the Gaza border. -- Lloyd Young (19 photos total)
The Turkey earthquake
The effort to save any remaining earthquake victims continues around the clock in the eastern province of Van in Turkey after an earthquake reduced many of its buildings to rubble on Sunday, Oct. 23. A two-week old baby girl, her mother and grandmother were rescued in Ercis on Tuesday, but most teams are finding only bodies among the ruins. The 7.2 magnitude quake has reportedly killed at least 450 people as of Tuesday night and damaged more than 2,000 structures. Survivors live on the streets and in tents provided by the government. -- Lloyd Young
(28 photos total)
(28 photos total)
Saturday, October 29, 2011
the north korea food crisis
If you think you’ve got it bad, spare a thought for the people of North Korea. They’ve lived under an extreme communist regime for decades and the toll is starting to tell. No economic future, no tourism, no contact with the outside world, no work and no food. Life is dire in North Korea.
Click here for more
North Korean farmers work in a field of a collective farm in the area damaged by recent floods and typhoons in the South Hwanghae province September 30, 2011. In March, the World Food Programme (WFP) estimated that 6 million North Koreans needed food aid and a third of children were chronically malnourished or stunted.
formula 1-2011 japanese grand prix
It’s done and dusted. Sebastian Vettel has claimed his second World Championship in Japan. He needed one more point and scored it with his third place in today’s exciting race. Japan is Formula One crazy. Every year tens of thousands of fans turn up at the Suzuka track to support their heroes and at the 2011 race two stood out, Vettel and Japan’s own Kamui Kobayashi. Kamui had requested and arranged for the Fukushima girls choir to sing the Japanese national anthem before the start of the race and this nice gesture forever made him Japan’s darling. Unfortunately he could repay Japan with a good drive as he botched his start and finished down the field. Jensen Button eventually claimed his third win of the season, but it was not enough to keep Sebastian Vettel from celebrating his F1 crown for the second year running.
Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel (C) of Germany is surrounded by media as he gives autographs to fans at the Suzuka circuit October 6, 2011, ahead of Sunday's Japanese F1 Grand Prix. REUTERS/Toru Hanai
Friday, October 28, 2011
World coolest pix of week 40
Amanda Knox, iPhone 4s, Steve Jobs’s death, 10 years of war in Afghanistan, floods in Thailand ands riots in Greece. That was week 40 of 2011.
Click here for more
An aerial view of a farmer tending to a herd of cattle near harvesting fields in Kunar province, eastern Afghanistan September 30, 2011. REUTERS/Erik De Castro
remembering steve jobs
Yesterday founder and driving force behind Apple, Steve Jobs died. Steve Jobs was a master marketeer, creating wants for products people didn’t even known they needed. He took good ideas and made them his own by making them better and more accesible. He brought rock and roll to the tech world. He gave us the iPod, iPhone and iPad. In my eyes beautiful products, but let’s not forget Steve Jobs also gave us strictly regulated guidelines in how we could use Apple products, guidelines that go against everything Steve Jobs stood for in his early years, the years of letting creativity run free, not limiting people in their possibilties when using new technologies, letting people think different. It’s a shame he thought this was needed to make his products a success. R.I.P. Steve Jobs.
Click here for more
Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs stands beneath a photograph of him and Apple-co founder Steve Wozniak from the early days of Apple during the launch of Apple's new iPad tablet computing device in San Francisco, California, in this January 27, 2010 file photo. Apple Inc co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, counted among the greatest American CEOs of his generation, died on October 5, 2011 at the age of 56, after a years-long and highly public battle with cancer and other health issues. REUTERS/Kimberly White/Files
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Search for survivors after earthquake in Turkey
Rescue workers hopelessly call out for survivors, October 24, 2011 in a collapsed building which was destroyed by a heavy earthquake that killed at least 264 people and wounded more than 1,000 in Ercis, Van province, mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey. A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey, collapsing about 45 buildings in Van province, on Sunday, October 23, 2011. The worst damage was caused to the town of Ercis, in the mountainous eastern province of Van, close to the Iranian border.
Top 50 Breakfast Around The World
01. English Breakfast
Breakfast as the main meal of the day. Different countries eat different breakfast dishes. Let’s take a look..
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
the occupy wall street protests
After protests in Spain, Greece and loads of other countries they have landed in the United States. Occupy Wall Streets is a movement for the 99% against the 1%. That 1% stands for the wealthiest Americans who control almost 75% of the nations wealth. Far from us being a political blog we think it is strange that banks and bankers tend to make loads of money of of other people’s misery, but when they hit troubled waters they need those same people’s tax money to bail them out and keep them in play and work. A little bit of dignity and some moral standards would go a long way.
Click here for more
Morning commuters walk past Occupy Wall Street campaign protesters sleeping in Zuccotti Park, near Wall Street in New York September 27, 2011. Protesters complaining about the power of the financial industry staged noisy demonstrations and slowed pedestrian traffic on Wall Street for the second week. The Occupy Wall Street campaign started last week, with several hundred protesters setting up camp in downtown Manhattan. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
rock in rio
Rock In Rio is a legendary music festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (and on occasion in Portugal and Spain). Acts such as Queen, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Prince, INXS, R.E.M. have all performed in front of the huge crowds and this year the crowds were entertained by the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Metallica and Brazilian metal band Sepultura.
Click here for more
Fans react during the concert of Brazilian Rock band Detonautas at the Rock in Rio Music Festival in Rio de Janeiro October 2, 2011. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes
welcome to the people planet
We’re almost with 7 billion and in some places things are getting a little bit crowded. I wonder how long we’ll be able to keep growing our population like this before something really breaks. My guess is not too long and maybe we should make re-production (less of it) a priority instead of trying to feed new mouths all the time.
Click here for more
A man walks on a pedestrian bridge overlooking traffic in Lagos, Nigeria, September 18, 2006. The Africities 4 summit aimed at tackling the problems of the continent's expanding cities and huge slums opened on Monday in Nairobi. REUTERS/Akintunde Akinleye
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Earthquake In Turkey
A Turkish man takes part in a rescue operation to salvage people from a collapsed building after an earthquake in the Ercis procince of Van, in eastern Turkey, on October 23, 2011. More than 1,000 people were likely to have been killed in an earthquake as powerful as the one that struck on 23 October in eastern Turkey, experts from the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute said at a press conference broadcast on Turkish TV.
vegetarian festival in thailand
The local Chinese community in Thailand belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. They celebrate the vegetarian festival by piercing their own meat and setting of fire crackers. Warning: Most images depict self-mutulation.
Devotees of the Bang Neow Chinese Shrine walk through exploding firecrackers as they take part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants,during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli
in the picture alexandra klimova
My name’s Alexandra Klimova. I’m 28, live in Moscow, Russia. Im a beginner in photography…, got a camera just about 2 months ago (Nikon D3100), and I fell in love with it immediately.
I like travelling, and the most part of the sent pictures was taken from my recent trip to Greece. I love to take pics of the nature, landscapes, macro … and the biggest passion is the Sun. I wish to have a trip around the world to shot the sun in different places, from different spots.. its beauty and power always inspire me
We’d like to thank Alexandra for sharing her photos. You can check out more of her work on her website.
Photo By Alexandra Klimova
World coolest pix of week 39
Yeah, another week has come and gone and these are some of the coolest pix of that week. Which is your favorite?
Click here for more
Afghans remove a carpet after burial ceremony of Burhanuddin Rabbani, former Afghan president and head of the government's peace council on Wazir Akbar Khan hill in Kabul September 23, 2011. Weeping Afghans gathered under tight security on Friday to bury Rabbani, the government's chief peace negotiator, who was killed this week by a suicide bomber posing as a Taliban envoy with a message about possible talks. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood
Saturday, October 22, 2011
gaddafi dead a new dawn for libya
Libya is dead, long live Libya. Colonel Gaddafi ruled over Libya for more than 40 years, but yesterday it came to a bloody end. Gaddafi might be dead and Libya (and the world) rejioces, bt the hard part starts now. Rebuilding a nation shattered by months of war and controlling thousands of freedom fighters and their guns. I don’t think we’ve seen the end of Libya’s troubles.
Click here for more
Libyans celebrate at Martyrs square in Tripoli October 20, 2011 after hearing the news that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed in Sirte. Gaddafi died in an attack by NTC fighters, a senior NTC official said on Thursday. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny
Haunted locations in Perth,Western Australia
Rich in natural attractions, Perth is the best getaway for any Aussie who would like to unwind and rejuvinate after days of intense physical and mental stress brought about by work in the office. For any foreign visitor, Perth is an ideal place to start one’s adventure in the land down under as this is the 8th placer in The Economist’s 2010 list of the World’s Most Livable Cities.
Known as the “City of Light”, Perth has very wonderful weather making it one of the best cities to hang around and explore the myriad of bars and restaurants and various cultural activities that reflect the people’s lifestyle. What makes it a very exciting city to chill out is its easy going character that makes you feel like there’s nothing to rush anything. Just simply hang loose...
Click here for more
Source: wayfaring.info
Known as the “City of Light”, Perth has very wonderful weather making it one of the best cities to hang around and explore the myriad of bars and restaurants and various cultural activities that reflect the people’s lifestyle. What makes it a very exciting city to chill out is its easy going character that makes you feel like there’s nothing to rush anything. Just simply hang loose...
Saturday, October 15, 2011
enjoy commercial fishing
Even today access to some spots is available only to those who have special licenses. Pictures of fishing as paid service are presented below.
The Occupy Wall Street movement spreads
What started in NewYork City in mid September, a call to "flood lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barricades and occupy Wall Street," has continued to feed similar groups around the United States taking up the name and cause. Groups have gathered to bring attention to many issues, with a central focus on the economic hardships and inequality they say many Americans face. -- Lloyd Young (35 photos total)
A simple day in the life...
Often in the Big Picture we feature "slice of life" photography originating from around the world, brought to us by photographers based in those countries who work for the Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images. The photographs are often simple and show daily life in many places that we might not be able to experience in any other way except through those photographers' documentation. The images themselves are somewhat universal - they show us where people live and how people live, sometimes not so differently than we do ourselves. -- Paula Nelson (35 photos total)
Three-year-old Nadia Nassrallah eats her breakfast in from of her home in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, Oct. 4, 2011. (Muhammed Muheisen/Associated Press)
Friday, October 14, 2011
In Norway, caught the largest halibut in the world
The island of Senja in northern Norway, a former police officer Reinhard Uhrmann caught Atlantic halibut the biggest in the world, weighing 241 pounds. In order to catch a huge fish, which bypassed the previous record by 26 kilograms, the Norwegians took three hours and still get to a giant halibut in the boat, he needed help two more experienced fishermen. The approximate cost of such a valuable record and halibut, a length of 2.5 meters, if it is to sell the restaurant – at least 40 thousand dollars, where it will split into a thousand servings of high-quality fillets.
After such a pleasant, but very difficult fishing a 62-year-old Norwegian was resting a few days, but the whole team of fishermen with their friends happily took home the 11 kilograms of colossal Atlantic halibut.
Click here for more
After such a pleasant, but very difficult fishing a 62-year-old Norwegian was resting a few days, but the whole team of fishermen with their friends happily took home the 11 kilograms of colossal Atlantic halibut.
Infrared photography
Infrared photography, a popular fotoeksperiment many photographers. Shooting on the range 750 – 1400 nm. Infrared photography makes visible what is usually not perceived by the human eye, so how will the selected frame in advance to predict not. On such landscapes are transformed into images contrasting scenes, where even the familiar panorama of surreal landscapes look like a country of dreams.
The Turkish cave hotel
It would seem that people have long since done away with living in caves, and even now no intention of returning to them. However, in Cappadocia (Turkey) is a cave, a room in which people are willing to pay more and more. It is a cave hotel Yunak Evleri Cave Hotel. The hotel consists of 6 separate systems, which in total has 30 rooms carved into solid rock.
Click here for more
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Scenes from Kashmir
Kashmir is a scenic land of tranquil beauty. A longstanding dispute over control of the region ensures that life for Kashmiris is anything but tranquil. Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir, and a fortified Line of Control separates forces. China also administers part of the region. Two wars have been fought between Pakistan and India since borders were drawn in 1947, and the predominately Muslim area chafes under Indian control. In August mass graves were disclosed that likely held the bodies of "disappeared" civilians killed during insurgencies years ago. The disclosure was one of a series of incidents which keeps the region tense. The political dispute and attendant violence disturbs what should otherwise be a culturally vibrant, lushly beautiful idyll. Collected here are images from the last several months in Kashmir, a region of roughly twelve and a half million people. -- Lane Turner (47 photos total)
Click here for more
Oktoberfest 2011
The taps were flowing and the oom-pah bands were oom-pahing again in Germany. It’s Oktoberfest time, and the world’s largest festival celebrating beer reportedly attracted some 6 million visitors this time around before the taps ran dry earlier this week. The origin of the event dates back to 1810 when Crown Prince Ludwig was married to Princess Therese and the people of Munich were invited to attend the festivities. Only beer brewed within the city limits of Munich can be served at the festival. -- Lloyd Young (30 photos total)
Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition
The Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition lets us see beyond the capabilities of our unaided eyes. Almost 2000 entries from 70 countries vied for recognition in the 37th annual contest, which celebrates photography through a microscope. Images two through 21 showcase the contest's winners in order, and are followed by a selection of other outstanding works. Scientists and photographers turned their attention on a wide range of subjects, both living and man-made, from lacewing larva to charged couple devices, sometimes magnifying them over 2000 times their original size. -- Lane Turner (38 photos total)
Abandoned Russian Village in Japan
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and open borders in Japan flooded Russian – both tourists and business ferrying older cars. In just a few years, the number of Russians living near the port cities of the east coast has increased a hundredfold.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Global protests
There are many forms of protest, many ways to express an objection to particular events, situations, policies, and even people. Protests can also take many forms - from individual statements to mass demonstrations - both peaceful and violent. In the last 30 days, there have been numerous protests across the globe in many countries. The following post is a collection of only some of those protests, but the images convey a gamut of emotions as citizens stand up for their political, economic, religious and lifestyle rights. -- Paula Nelson (51 photos total)
As protesters sleep in Zuccotti Park, N.Y. police officers receive instructions. A group of activists calling themselves Occupy Wall Street targeted the Financial District for more than a week of demonstrations in late September. The group said they sought to bring attention to corporate malfeasance, social inequality, and the yawning gap in income between America's rich and poor. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
Too much of a basic human need
Water is essential to life but in such places as India, Pakistan, China, and Thailand deluges have once again caused misery. Typhoon Nesat hit the Philippines earlier this week on its way to south China. In Pakistan, more than 5 million people have been affected by recent flooding, according to the aid agency Oxfam. Pakistan is still struggling to recover from the devastating monsoon rains in 2010. -- Lloyd Young(36 photos total)
A village boy sits on the banks of the swelling Daya River, near Pipli village, about 25 kilometers from the eastern Indian city of Bhubaneshwar Sept. 9. The flood situation in Orissa state worsened with the release of more water downstream from Hirakud dam, according to a news agency. A high alert has been sounded in 11 districts of the state. (Biswaranjan Rout/Associated Press)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
