Bryant Family

Big Picture: Rescued from a Chilean Mine

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:12:00 +0000

Over two months have passed since the August 5th collapse of the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile, when 33 miners were trapped 700 meters (2,300 ft) below ground. The men were kept alive over that time by supplies delivered through narrow holes drilled down to them, and kept hope through video conferences with family - until last night, when the first of the 33 miners was successfully lifted to the surface in a specially-designed rescue capsule. Friends and relatives, many of whom had camped nearby for months, slowly let their cautious optimism become joy as they were reunited with their loved ones. As of this writing, at 9:30 pm, Eastern time, all of the 33 men have now made it safely to the surface. (49 photos total)

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Big Picture: Scenes from China

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:57:00 +0000

The past several months in China have brought devastating floods, a mysterious North Korean jet crash, the Mid-Autumn festival, crackdowns on gambling and much more. A country with nearly the same land area as the United States, China is home to over a billion more people than the U.S. (1.3 billion to be more precise), and as it grows economically, it is grappling with environmental, social and political issues that affect people and places around the world. Collected here, from the past several months, are photographs from around China, the land and the people - their daily lives, challenges, work and play. (43 photos total)

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Big Picture: Fall is in the air

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Autumn is here (for those of us in the northern hemisphere). This year, the full moon and the autumnal equinox happened on the same day, for the first time in 19 years. Evenings now come sooner and the air cools more quickly, leaves are beginning to change, crops are being harvested, harvest festivals are being held, and animals and nomads are on the move to their winter grounds. Collected here are a handful of recent images of early autumn around the northern half of our world. (35 photos total)

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Pictures of the Aurora Borealis

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

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Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Boy holding garage sale to buy dad a headstone

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 21:02:00 +0000

KINGSTON, Ont. – A Kingston, Ont., youngster is holding a special garage sale this coming weekend, hoping to raise enough money to buy his father a gravestone.

Blake McGinness, 9, lost his father, Rick Lees, to a stomach aneurysm in March 2009.

His dad is buried in Wilmer Cemetery, where he was interred without a headstone.

Blake visits the grave regularly with his mother, Linda, and recently decided that he wanted his father to have a marker at his grave.

“My grandmother has a headstone and my grandfather has a headstone, and I want my dad to have a headstone, too,” the youngster said with great seriousness.

“I was originally thinking I’d have a yard sale and use the money to buy an iPod, but the more I thought about it, the more I decided that this was what I wanted to do for my dad.”

McGinness has ruthlessly winnowed his toys and games, filling a room of his house with the items he plans to sell Saturday morning.

“We’re going to fill the driveway,” he said with confidence.

Click the image to read the article.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Animals in the news

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:16:00 +0000

Today we have a recent roundup of animals making the news - from the study of newly identified species to genetic modification, to racing, hunting, play, rescue and preservation. From a minuscule frog to an albino whale, fluorescent fish to a deep-sea Chimera, collected here are a handful of recent photographs of animals and our interactions with them, as companions, caretakers, observers, hunters and stewards. (57 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection. Warning: Some images are graphic.

Big Picture: Oktoberfest 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

On Saturday, September 18th, with the tapping of the first keg by Munich Mayor Christian Ude and a cry of "O'zapft is!", Oktoberfest 2010 officially started in Munich, Germany. While this year marks the 177th Oktoberfest to be held, 2010 is the 200th anniversary of the very first Oktoberfest in 1810 (some years were missed due to war or cholera outbreaks). The Oktoberfest tradition started in 1810 to celebrate the October 12th marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to join in the festivities which were held over five days on the fields in front of the city gates. This year, festivities will run until October 4, 2010. Collected here are a few images from this opening weekend. (40 photos total)

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Big Picture: Around The Solar System

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

With dozens of spacecraft currently orbiting, roving or otherwise and traveling through our solar system, I thought it would be interesting to get a general snapshot in time, using images from NASA and ESA spacecraft near Mercury, Earth, the Moon, Mars, Saturn and a few in-transit to further destinations. Collected here are recent images gathered from around our solar system, at scales ranging from mere centimeters to millions of kilometers. (32 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

Big Picture: Mexico's Bicentennial

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:00:00 +0000

This week, Mexico commemorated the 200th anniversary of the beginning of its War of Independence. In September of 1810, a Mexican priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla uttered a call to arms against the Spanish, later known as the Grito de Dolores ("Cry of Dolores"). Soon after began a series of battles with the Spanish that would build into a war that lasted over a decade, eventually resulting in independence. This bicentennial year, tens of thousands of Mexicans thronged the streets of Mexico City to celebrate. The celebrations took place under a somewhat subdued light though, amid the violence of a brutal nationwide drug war and vocal criticism of government spending on the lavish ceremonies. Collected here are photos of this week's celebration of 200 years of Mexican independence. (42 photos total)

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Golf Ball Hitting Steel At 150mph

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Big Picture: Ramadan 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Two weeks ago, I invited you, the readers of The Big Picture, to submit your own images of Ramadan 2010. It was an experiment, I was hoping for high quality, personal images and was not disappointed. Over 250 submissions came in from around the world, and I thank every one of you for participating. On the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of this year's Ramadan, I present the following collection of reader-submitted photographs - and invite you to see Ramadan through their eyes. Captions written by the photographers. (41 photos total)

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Big Picture: 9/11 in 2010, Remembrance and Rebuilding

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Last Saturday, September 11th, people all over the United States and the world took time to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania nine years ago. Progress on the rebuilding of Ground Zero in lower Manhattan is now becoming more evident as One World Trade Center topped 36 stories recently, on its way to 1,776 feet by 2012. The building, formerly known as the Freedom Tower, is now growing at a rate of one floor per week, after years of political, security and financing issues plagued the $11 billion multi-building project. A push is underway in both New York and Pennsylvania to complete memorial projects before next year's 10th anniversary. Collected here are photos from this weekend's memorials and of the rebuilding progress so far. (42 photos total)

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Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Are Your Pants Lying to You? An Investigation

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Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Trapped in a Chilean mine

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:40:00 +0000

Over a month ago, on August 5, 2010, the roof of the San Jose copper and gold mine collapsed, trapping 33 miners inside, 700 meters (2,300 ft) below ground near Copiapo, Chile. The fate of the miners was not immediately known - it took 17 days before a drill reached their refuge, discovering them alive and well. Rescue work began immediately, but even with several concurrent plans underway, the quickest likely rescue will still take two to three months. Until then, the 33 men will have to endure high temperatures and humidity in isolated conditions. A video link has been established, many relatives have set up camp nearby, and food, air, messages and supplies are delivered by several narrow boreholes. Fluorescent lights with timers are to be sent down to attempt to keep the men on a normal schedule by imitating day and night as they care for each other and assist in their own rescue. Once it reaches them, the diameter of the rescue borehole will be very narrow. so each miner will have to ensure they have a waistline of no more than 90 cm (35 in) to escape. (42 photos total)

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Big Picture: Pakistan in need

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

The devastating floods that have rolled through Pakistan for over a month now have left a disaster of massive scale in their wake. For a time, an area the size of England was submerged - one fifth of all the land in Pakistan. Although immediate loss of life remains relatively low (near 2,000 according to reports), damages from loss exceed $43 billion, almost one quarter of Pakistan's GDP. As the waters recede Nearly 9 million acres (3.6 million hectares) of existing crops are gone, 1.2 million livestock and 6 million poultry killed, and 17 million of Pakistan's 167 million people affected. It can be difficult to imagine individual stories of need when presented with such huge numbers, to see oneself in another's shoes when their overall predicament seems so vast and dire. Hopefully this collection of photographs from just the past week in Pakistan can help convey some of the stories behind the numbers. One way you can help is by texting "SWAT" to 50555 from your mobile phone to give $10 to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) - more ways to help linked below entry. (43 photos total)

Big Picture: Diving In

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:04:00 +0000

As summer begins to wind down, the temperature still remains high in some places (in the Northern hemisphere, of course). Cool waters call out to those who would leap in, momentarily letting gravity have its way with them, pulling them down as they flail, shout or twist. Collected here are a handful of photos of divers around the world, showing their professional artistry, daredevil bravado, or just simple joy as they take the plunge. (36 photos total)

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Big Picture: Afghanistan, August, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:25:00 +0000

With four months left in the year, 2010 is already the deadliest year yet for U.S. troops in Afghanistan. 321 have been killed so far (out of 485 total coalition deaths), compared with 313 deaths in all of 2009. As coalition troop size has increased, and moves have been made into Taliban strongholds, attacks are on the rise, and, according to General David Petraeus, "the footprint of the Taliban has spread". As combat operations in Iraq have now ended, the Obama administration says it will focus even more of its attention on the nearly 9-year-old conflict in Afghanistan. Collected here are images of the country and conflict over the past month, part of an ongoing monthly series on Afghanistan. This month marks the 12th entry in the series - I've been putting these together for one year now, and see no reason to stop any time soon. (42 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection. Warning: Some images are graphic.

Big Picture: Ramadan 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Muslim men and women across the world are currently observing Ramadan, a month long celebration of self-purification and restraint. During Ramadan, the Muslim community fast, abstaining from food, drink, smoking and sex between sunrise and sunset. Muslims break their fast after sunset with an evening meal called Iftar, where a date is the first thing eaten followed by a traditional meal. During this time, Muslims are also encouraged to read the entire Quran, to give freely to those in need, and strengthen their ties to God through prayer. The goal of the fast is to teach humility, patience and sacrifice, and to ask forgiveness, practice self-restraint, and pray for guidance in the future. This year, Ramadan will continue until Thursday, September 9th. (45 photos total)

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Big Picture: Remembering Katrina, five years ago

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Sunday, August 29, 2010 will mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall in Louisiana. Five years ago, Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, centered on New Orleans, as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h). More than fifty levees were breached by its storm surge, causing massive flooding. Over 1,800 Gulf Coast residents lost their lives then, and damages totaled more than $80 billion - the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. Many intangible things were damaged then as well, communities were erased as their neighborhoods washed away, much of historic New Orleans was badly damaged, and frustration and anger remain towards an inadequate immediate response by the U.S. government. Collected here are images from five years ago, as well as some from the past few weeks, in New Orleans and the surrounding area. (49 photos total)

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Things Breaking in Slow Motion

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Tempus II from Philip Heron on Vimeo.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Russia in color, a century ago

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

With images from southern and central Russia in the news lately due to extensive wildfires, I thought it would be interesting to look back in time with this extraordinary collection of color photographs taken between 1909 and 1912. In those years, photographer Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii (1863-1944) undertook a photographic survey of the Russian Empire with the support of Tsar Nicholas II. He used a specialized camera to capture three black and white images in fairly quick succession, using red, green and blue filters, allowing them to later be recombined and projected with filtered lanterns to show near true color images. The high quality of the images, combined with the bright colors, make it difficult for viewers to believe that they are looking 100 years back in time - when these photographs were taken, neither the Russian Revolution nor World War I had yet begun. Collected here are a few of the hundreds of color images made available by the Library of Congress, which purchased the original glass plates back in 1948.

Click the image to see the full collection.

Big Picture: Now that the oil well is capped...

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Between April 20 and July 15, 2010, a generally accepted estimate of nearly 5 million barrels (200 million gallons) of crude oil emerged from the wellhead drilled into the seafloor by BP from the now-destroyed Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Now that the flow of oil has been stopped, the impact of all the spilled oil and natural gas is still being measured. The current moratorium on deep water remains in place as reports from varying scientific groups are at odds about the extent of the remaining oil, and some fishing restrictions have already been lifted. As BP finalizes its work in killing the well, here is a collection of photos from around the Gulf of Mexico over the past couple of months, as all of those affected enter the next phase of this event. (42 photos total)

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20 Facts About Pet Ownership in America

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

We’re wacky for our pets; it can’t be denied. They may require tons of time and energy, lead to high hospital bills and even increase homeowners insurance rates, but they’re always worth it. Check out some of the crazy things we do for our pets — from including them in family portraits to giving them presents on their birthdays.

Click the graphic for a larger version.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

On Saturday, Singapore welcomed young athletes from around the world in a ceremony opening the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. This is the first ever Summer Youth Olympics, an event designed to be celebrated in the same tradition of the Olympic Games - the major difference being that the competitors are all between 14 and 18 years of age. This year, 3,500 athletes from more than 200 countries are competing in 184 events in 26 sports. Collected here are some photographs of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, which will run until its closing ceremony on August 26th. (37 photos total)

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Big Picture: Landslides strike Zhouqu County, China

noreply@blogger.com (Bryant Family) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:07:00 +0000

At midnight on Sunday, August 8th, a temporary lake caused by a recent landslide broke loose above the town of Zhouqu, in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China. The outflow slid down the valley as a wall of mud, wiping out houses and muli-story buildings, and killing at least 1,144 residents - with over 600 still reported as missing. More than 10,000 soldiers and rescuers arrived soon to comb through the mountains of mud that buried several parts of Zhouqu County. Engineers also worked to blast the debris that had passed through the town to partially block the Bailong River, causing further flooding. Collected here are images of the landslide-affected area of northwestern China, part of a series of disasters in Asia caused by recent heavy rains. (41 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.