"Tapped" is a new documentary about the bottled water industry from director Stephanie Soechtig and the producers of "Who Killed the Electric Car ?" and "I.O.U.S.A.".
I really suggest you to see it if you can (as far as I know it is hosted in just a few theaters in USA but I hope it will arrive in Europe sooner or later).
I was already aware, thanks to the efforts of Piero Angela, a famous italian science journalist, of how useless, stupid and harmful for our planet is bottled water but this movie has perfectly clarified the mechanisms that have enabled what is probably the biggest and most succesful marketing campaign of all history (together with tobacco).
First of all bottled water is a clear waste of resources; Can you imagine how much oil is wasted for the plastic bottles and how much to transport them? I've seen bottles from a very famous italian brand on sale in the USA, does it make sense? Do you think that italian water is different from the american one? It's always h2o!
Furthermore the ecological impact is terrible: only 20 percent of plastic water bottles used in the United States are recycled, and far too many of the rest probably end up in the Pacific Garbage Patch (I've written a post about it here).
It’s an incredible waste of money for consumers, who pay more than the price of gasoline for water that’s marketed as “pure,” but in reality is largely unregulated, full of harmful toxins like BPA, and far less safe for drinking than free tap water. (In fact, 40 percent of the time, bottled water is nothing but municipal tap water, freed from the government oversight that keeps it safe.)
Take a look at the movie trailer and reflect about the senselessness of bottled water!
"Tapped" has a film’s official website and there’s also a Facebook page
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
Could you imagine 1.2 million geese together?
I've never been so lucky to see so many animals all together, at most I've seen some thousands mosquitos attacking me in a ricefield... but that was not a nice experience!
However, photographer and storm chaser Mike Hollingshead had the chance to film and photograph one of nature's most amazing displays: 1.2 million snow geese all together.
He was in the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City Missouri between February 17 and March 14, 2009. In that period of the year the snow geese spring migration takes place through the Central Flyway and hundreds of thousands (this year, more than a million) pass through the refuge.
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
Curiously at the beginning of the 20th century the Snow Geese were in decline but the population had increased of more than 300 percent since the mid-1970s and keeps increasing at a rate of more than 5 percent per year. Population indices are the highest they have been since population records have been kept, and evidence suggests that large breeding populations are spreading to previously untouched sections of the Hudson Bay coastline. They have increased to the point that the tundra breeding areas in the Arctic and the saltmarsh wintering grounds are both becoming severely degraded, and this affects other species using the same habitat.
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
Apart ecological concerns this is indeed an astonishing show.
In the following video Mike Hollingshead give us a better idea of what I'm talking about because sometimes pictures does not justice to something so huge, dynamic and loud!
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
Check Mike Hollingshead's website www.extremeinstability.com at the snow geese page to see many other of his shots from this mind-blowing migration and don't forget to take a look to his storm pictures too!
©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com
source
Today I would like to introduce you a very very special little animal: the Basilisk. To understand why it is so awesome I'm going to call him with its common nickname: "The Jesus Lizard"! The basilisk infact have received this very promissory nickname thanks to its amazing ability to walk on water.. yes you've read correctly, this lizard is able to walk on the surface of the water just like Jesus Christ in one of the most famous biblical passage: Matthew 14:22-34. However, in this case, having nothing to do with miracles and holiness, it would have probably been more appropriate to call him the Remo Williams Lizard, also because, just like the 80's movie action hero, the basilisk is able to run on the surface rather than walk.
Basilisk is actually a genus that includes four species that all share this incredible ability:
- Common basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus)
- Red-headed basilisk, (Basiliscus galeritus) aka Western basilisk
- Plumed basilisk, (Basiliscus plumifrons) aka Green basilisk or Double crested basilisk
- Brown Basilisk, (Basiliscus vittatus) aka Striped basilisk
The following is a gallery of pictures gathered on Flickr (click on them to visit their page) of the four Basislisks. I think they're very nice, especially the Green Basilisk, don't you think?
The basilisk has mackled blue spots and a yellow iris, on average measures 70 to 75 mm (2.8 in - 3.0 in), and weighs about 80 grams (3.2 oz). Its growth is perpetual, fast when they are young and nonlinear for mature basilisks. Its long crest-like sails reinforced in three distinct points (head, back, and tail) confers the impression of creatures such as Dimetrodon and Spinosaurus. Its skin is shed in pieces. They are generally found in Latin America anywhere there is a body of water (usually from Central Mexico to Ecuador). Recently introduced to Florida, it has adapted to the colder winters by burrowing into the leaf litter for warmth. Current reports sight the basilisk as far north as Fort Pierce, on the state's East Coast, where small groups have crept up the North Fork of the Saint Lucie River.
But how these lizard are actually ablle to walk on the surface of the water having a weight greater than the water’s surface tension can support?
Not many animals are actually able to move on the surface of the water. Just a bunch of very specialized insects, like the Water Strider, are infact able to achieve this amazing feat, but they all are much lighter than the Basilisks and rely on surface tension to stay afloat, as you can read in this interesting Wikipedia entry about Animal locomotion on the surface layer of water.
The secret of the Jesus Lizard’s trick are instead its large hind feet, with flaps of skin between each toe similar to the webbed tootsies of a frog. These help support the basilisk, increasing its surface area and creating a tiny air pocket that stops it from sinking as long as it maintains its momentum. Running upright, often using only its back legs, the basilisk can run at a velocity of 1.5 meters (4.8 feet) per second for approximately 4.5 meters (14.75 feet) before sinking on all fours and swimming. They can also sustain themselves on all fours while "water-walking" to increase time above the surface by about 4.25 feet.
Having its habitat in the dark tropical forests and being so fast taking pictures of a Jesus Lizard walking on water it's not so easy:
However the best way to apreciate the Basilisk running on water is a video. Enjoy this wonderful National Geographic's documentary where we can admire Basilisk's feat in a gorgeous slow-motion:
The basilisk has mackled blue spots and a yellow iris, on average measures 70 to 75 mm (2.8 in - 3.0 in), and weighs about 80 grams (3.2 oz). Its growth is perpetual, fast when they are young and nonlinear for mature basilisks. Its long crest-like sails reinforced in three distinct points (head, back, and tail) confers the impression of creatures such as Dimetrodon and Spinosaurus. Its skin is shed in pieces. They are generally found in Latin America anywhere there is a body of water (usually from Central Mexico to Ecuador). Recently introduced to Florida, it has adapted to the colder winters by burrowing into the leaf litter for warmth. Current reports sight the basilisk as far north as Fort Pierce, on the state's East Coast, where small groups have crept up the North Fork of the Saint Lucie River.
But how these lizard are actually ablle to walk on the surface of the water having a weight greater than the water’s surface tension can support?
Not many animals are actually able to move on the surface of the water. Just a bunch of very specialized insects, like the Water Strider, are infact able to achieve this amazing feat, but they all are much lighter than the Basilisks and rely on surface tension to stay afloat, as you can read in this interesting Wikipedia entry about Animal locomotion on the surface layer of water.
The secret of the Jesus Lizard’s trick are instead its large hind feet, with flaps of skin between each toe similar to the webbed tootsies of a frog. These help support the basilisk, increasing its surface area and creating a tiny air pocket that stops it from sinking as long as it maintains its momentum. Running upright, often using only its back legs, the basilisk can run at a velocity of 1.5 meters (4.8 feet) per second for approximately 4.5 meters (14.75 feet) before sinking on all fours and swimming. They can also sustain themselves on all fours while "water-walking" to increase time above the surface by about 4.25 feet.
Having its habitat in the dark tropical forests and being so fast taking pictures of a Jesus Lizard walking on water it's not so easy:
However the best way to apreciate the Basilisk running on water is a video. Enjoy this wonderful National Geographic's documentary where we can admire Basilisk's feat in a gorgeous slow-motion:
Perpetuum Jazzile is a really really cool Slovenian choir that performs jazz and popular music. In this video you can see their live performance of the song "Africa" by rock band Toto. Why is it so cool? Look at how, at the beginning of the song, they manage to perfectly simulate a thunderstorm just using their hands!!! Really amazing....
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
Among the many regattas taking place every year one of my favourites is for sure the legendary Rolex Fastnet Race probably beacause the charm of the Fastnet rock and of his lighthouse is definetely amazing. Enjoy the pictures by Carlo Borlenghi of the 2009 edition which hast just ended in Plymouth.
To see other pictures and for any further info about the race, as usual with Rolex sailing events check REGATTANEWS.COM
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
