the blog quebecois

I'm not much for photo captions, but this is begging for one.

Hillary Clinton reacts after being presented a bust of JFK yesterday. (Staff photo by Kevin Wisniewski)

Via The Corner.

Jack O'Layton. Just a thought.

People often ask me -- gnotalex, why do you post photomicrographs of beer?

Two reasons:

1) Because I can, and;

2) If I don't post photomicrographs of beer, the terrorists will have won.

So here's some Budweiser:

And here's some Busch:

I worry that the terrorists might have already infected the Busch. I have no idea what they put in there, but it looks dangerous.

On the remote chance that anyone finds these interesting, you can find dozens more here, and hundreds of other things, from AIDS drugs to gemstones here.

and the roses will die with the summer time
and our roads may be far apart
but there's one rose that dies not in Picardy
'tis the rose that I keep in my heart

-- Weatherley/Wood

A remarkable set of color photographs from World War I by Jean-Baptiste Tournassoud. I at first thought that they were hand-painted, but the technique actually predates the war:

Louis Lumière had already invented instant photographic plates and the Cinematographe when, in late 1903, he and his brother Auguste patented a new process for producing colour photographs : the Autochrome. Before the invention of the Autochrome, colours were separated using a complex three-colour process whereby three successive exposures had to be taken and then superimposed onto each other. Louis Lumière, however, devised a method of filtering light by using a single three-colour screen made up of millions of grains of potato starch dyed in three different colours. This mixture was then laid out on a varnished glass plate, which would be ready for use once it was coated in a black and white emulsion. Developing the plate entailed applying the same process as was used for black and white photographs at the time, with the impression being processed to reversal.

As with pointillist painting, the colour effect is rendered by viewing the image in its entirety, since the colours are created from the juxtaposition of the multitude of dots; indeed, the essential charm of these photographs derives from that very juxtaposition.

You can view the others here.

now jimmy’s grown this year
says mommy quick come here
santa’s sweaty and he smells like beer
and he says, kid shut your mouth
you give me a headache

fountains of wayne

What would Christmas be without heartwarming photos of children frightened by Santa?

Mind you, that Santa is one scary dude, what with his jet powered sled and Laser Deathrays.

He's got a bit of a problem with anger management, too.

Via J-Walk Blog

One of the enduring truths to come out of the recent U.S. presidential election is that John Kerry's handlers should have tried very hard to keep their candidate at least three football fields away from any type of sporting equipment.

Someone put up this entertaining page contrasting Bush and Kerry in similar situations, and it's worth a few chuckles.

Many of the pictures I'd seen before, but not this one; and it does seem a fitting farewell. I laughed out loud.

Via The Presurfer

This could take awhile, folks.

Via Dave Barry

Prime Minister Martin reportedly "very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very concerned."

The ArmaLite Sisters of the Blessed Winchester on maneuvers.

Via A Welsh View

Your next bag of pork rinds could prove to be a crazy cacophony of colorful crunchy crisps.

Then again, maybe not. Excessive consumption of pork rinds apparently causes color-blindness.

This blog would like to go on record that putting human hair control products on a bird is not a good idea. The feathers of birds are complex structures that will not benefit from a dollop of Li'l Harlot's Stylin' Gel and a spritz of Iron Woman Head Fixative.

And all of this in a pathetic bid for Internet traffic. (You want pathetic traffic, I got you covered.)

Maybe I'm misreading the picture. It could be that they just stuck some pieces of an old wig on it with some Krazy Glue.™ That would be okay, I guess.

Though I'm not sure I want to find out what's behind this one.

If you're fond of going down to the beach and scratching your belly, this just might be the tat for you.

Make sure that you leave before the cops show up, though.

awaits the first person to identify this common object.

¹Void where prohibited.²

Halloween's coming up, so what better time to examine the dearly departed amongst us?

I don't believe in ghosts myself, but the picture at left is rather eerie. It's claimed that the man behind the woman is her deceased husband. Could be. It could also be some random doofus who wandered into the frame. Or a very strange hat.

There's another, even more ominous face in the picture. Look at the trees above the red truck or SUV at the left.

I had to shrink the photo to fit my format, so it isn't so clear. Go here to see the original and some other apparitions.

If you dare.

Wikipedia:

The term lenticular often refers to a printed image that shows depth or motion as the viewing angle changes. But in general lenticular is a term for the lens effect that creates a convex perspective of multiple images or light sources, but not necessarily a physical printed image. This lenticular technology can be used to create a lenticular image through the process of lenticular printing.

Examples of lenticular printing include flip and animation effects such as the winking eyes that were given as the prize in Cracker Jack snack boxes to modern airport advertising graphics that change their message depending on the viewing angle. This technology was created in the 1940s but has evolved in recent years to show more motion and increased depth. Originally used mostly in novelty items, lenticular prints are now being used as a marketing tool to show products in motion.

I originally thought these were animated .gifs but they're apparently not. To see them in all their lenticulated glory, go here.

I don't know why I didn't see it before.

Must ease back into blogging. Hurry these things, you could pull a muscle or something.

In that spirit, I present a dog. Not just any dog, mind you. This dog hails from Lasi, Romania. Hence the title. I have no idea if his name is "Lassie" or not. Let him sue if it isn't.

You know what would have been really cool? If "Lassie" from Lasi was a Lhasa Apso.

What the hell. He's a Lhasa Apso. With a haircut, maybe.

Bring on your lawyers, "Lassie."

Which, now that I think of it, is a pretty girly name for a boy dog.

A New Year's reveler in South Queensferry, Scotland, participates in the Loony Dook plunge, an annual New Year's Day event in which swimmers often wear fancy clothes in lieu of swimsuits.

. . . the Grand Imperial Whee!-zard is turning green. A light green, he hastens to add. Though those hats would seem admirably suited for transporting vomit and/or cotton candy.

The photo was taken in Cañon City, Colorado, circa 1926.

Via we make money not art

Update: I'm being deluged with hits from Flickr on this post. I'll open up the comments -- if anybody wants to let me know where they saw the link, I'd appreciate it.

Geese . . . or Muslims?

Thumbnails from Yahoo's Odd Photo News page. (Image edited somewhat to remove intervening photos.)

I have no idea what the story behind this picture is. It was taken in Australia, as far as I know.

The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, photographed by NASA's IKONOS satellite. More here, as well as some conventional aerial shots.

These are all hosted on something called the Chamorro Bible site, of which I can't make heads or tails. It seems to have something to do with Seventh-day Adventist missionaries.

Whatever. If you click around, you'll find other impressive pictures, such as these, of US military transport airplanes.

to have had his fat stolen. Police are investigating.

Photograph by Matt Stuart.

Ordinary, sane people will see in the above nothing but a jumble of colored rocks. If, perchance, you see the outlines of a face -- Norman Mailer, say, or Fred Thompson * -- then I would suggest immediate professional assistance.

* Not that I see the outlines of Norman Mailer or Fred Thompson, of course. Those are names that I'm just putting out there.

Because, like, they've been in the news lately. Yeah, that's it.

. . . in your lap:

Full size picture here.

High Dynamic Range photography is a method of enhancing images that I don't really understand, so I'll leave the explanation to Wikipedia:

In computer graphics and photography, high dynamic range imaging (HDRI) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range of exposures (the range of values between light and dark areas) than normal digital imaging techniques. The intention of HDRI is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to shadows.

HDRI was originally developed for use with purely computer-generated images. Later, methods were developed to produce a high dynamic range image from a set of photographs taken with a range of exposures. With the rising popularity of digital cameras and easy-to-use desktop software, the term "HDR" is now popularly used[1] to refer to the process of tone mapping together with bracketed exposures of normal digital images, giving the end result a high, often exaggerated dynamic range. This composite technique is different from, and generally of lower quality than, the production of an image from a single exposure of a sensor that has a native high dynamic range. Tone mapping is also used to display HDR images on devices with a low native dynamic range, such as a computer screen.

Well, whatever. The results are spectacular. The picture above is by a photoblogger named David J. Nightingale. Full size and many more examples here (scroll through them using the menu on top).

Installing unapproved aftermarket air-conditioning equipment may invalidate your warranty in part or in whole.

It looks like it's survived many a battle.

More unusual vehicles here.

Via The Presurfer

Remember to double over newsprint when used as a safety mask.

That is all. Carry on.

This is the final picture in the series, taken shortly before the dog ate the baby. OK, just kidding about that part. But I'm sure the thought crossed his mind.

Photobombing is the fine art of ruining other people's photographs by sticking your unlovely mug (or other body parts) into the frame just as the photographer snaps the shutter.

Warning: Some pictures NSFW. And remember that phrase, "other body parts"? (Definitely NSFW.)

there you will find Miracle, The Sewer Horse ™, keeping watch from above.

Er, below.

. . . tackle? Nope. Mastertacklers? Nope.

Truly, the pun is the lowest form of humor. 'Cause I'm just not getting it.

You don't get to this point without a lot of hard work.

Al Capone's (recreated) digs at Eastern State Penitentiary (in Pennsylvania) where he was keeping a low profile following the Valentine's Day Massacre.

It's just one of many photos at Opacity, an ambitious (and beautiful) project to document abandoned infrastructure (schools, hospitals, prisons, power plants, etc.) in the northeastern U.S.

Via Neatorama

I gotta say, I sympathize with the donkey these days. More Third World adventures in transportation here. (Site loads a popup ad, which you can skip through by clicking a button at the upper right.)

I have absolutely no idea what this picture is about, and the accompanying text isn't much help, being that it's in Farsi, which, believe it or not, I don't fully understand. But be it noted that that doesn't stop me from spending hours on Iranian websites, hoping that someone will post an interesting photo, even if I can't understand it. The things I do for my readers.

Spider Pig!
Spider Pig!
Does whatever a spider pig does!
can he swing from a web?
No he can't
He's a pig!
Lookout!
Here comes the spider pig!

-- Hans Zimmer

Well, not actually. But since I have received no emails, telegrams or death threats otherwise, I must assume an enormous hunger for my unsentimental Santa pictures. Sort of like that "negative option billing" the cable companies were experimenting with a few years ago.

son-of-a-goat who doesn't get the memo.

Or just one for the family photo album?

Pictures from the (now-defunct?) JPG magazine, so no guarantees on how long the comment threads are gonna last. (Second picture is at the bottom of this one.)

Michael Ignatieff (third from left) in happier times, spreading the gospel of neo-colonialism and Christianity (or at least Santa Claus-ism) to the benighted Third World.

O, so you doubt that it is he?

Then pray tell, why would the very photograph be titled "ignatieff.jpg"???

Hmmmmm!

But should that not be proof enough, I've taken the liberty of magnifying the future Liberal leader's face.

Yep, that's him, no mistake.

Many happy returns, Ma!

Stunning photography in The Bahamas. (Go here and click on "Underwater" to see the rest of the series.)

Via Electronically Brighter

A common argument against getting a tattoo is that what looks good on taut 20-year-old flesh looks, uh, not-so-good by the time Grandpa qualifies for his Old Age supplement. In this case, though, the descending rolls of flab will provide a merciful end, not unlike the final curtain on some doomed off-off-Broadway production.

As to the subject, I think it's intended as a tribute to Trogdor. Warning: Sound and "music."

I have no idea what the story is on this. Full size at Awkward Family Photos.

There's no such thing as bad publicity.

Sirius-ly?

I tried to tell them -- but would they lisssssten?

Where do they all come from?

Among other unfortunate family photos.

A collection of strange science fair exhibits . Some are undoubtedly photoshopped, though the one above looks like it could be genuine.

Don't want to guess why, but photographer Kerry Skarbakka likes to stage pictures of people losing balance or in precarious positions.

With the 'Shower' scene I built the set in my studio and even sent running water through the pipes. Ultimately, this was a very difficult image to make as I had to use my body as sort of a human cantilever. I attached a rope around my waist and repeatedly threw my legs out from underneath myself, flipping completely over. It was one of the most uncomfortable shots I've ever made, giving me one of the worst headaches ever from hitting my head so many times on the side of that bathtub.

Full size here.

You are doing it wrong.

From The Big Picture's coverage of the 2010 World's Fair, which recently opened in Shanghai.

Well, that's not entirely true. I got this.

So I guess I ain't got nothin'.

But there's gonna be trouble when I find out who stuck all these stupid sawhorses in my way.

***must credit blog quebecois******must credit blog quebecois******must credit blog quebecois***

Fortunately the poor man had some protection.

Those that can't, teach.

If you can't manage either, there might be an opening in the Broward County P.T.A.

As he tells it, after the picture was taken a liaison with the Parent Teacher's Association, that helped organize the photo shoot at the school, notified them that two of the students pictured needed to be removed because their parents did not sign a consent form.

Claussen said he was able to use the photo editing software Adobe Photoshop to lift one of the kids out, but had explained to them that there was a problem with the second student. He was sitting in the front row, right in the middle.

He showed me the notes he had written down on a white piece of paper as the pair discussed what to do. He said he would have gladly come out there to reshoot the image.

Instead there was talk about putting a star over his face and then, he said, the P.T.A. asked him to place a smiley face.

The Daily Mail:

Others have made matters worse by including other people in their pictures, with one man's mother visible in the mirror taking a picture of him flexing, and another dressing his baby in matching shades.

Plenty of photos taken in public toilets have accidentally literally caught people with their trousers down.

Some even proudly show off angry-looking sunburn and bottoms covered in cellulite.

The website reads: 'The internet is filled with mirror pics, and they’re all ridiculous: people contorting their bodies into awkward poses that they think look flattering.

'NEWS FLASH: TAKING A PICTURE IN A BATHROOM MIRROR DOES NOT MAKE YOU HOTTER. It makes you look like an idiot, and it screams "I don’t have any real friends who could take a picture of me."

Warning: NSFL(unch)

(I have no idea where or what "Arbic" is.)

Brings a tear to my eye every time I see it.

That's right, ladies. The next time you're at a party and you see a guy who looks like a rugged, more handsome Keanu Reeves with Johnny Depp hair, playing a guitar and staring at you with his big, soulful eyes, keep in mind that in 40 years he could very easily turn into this guy