PhotoBlog = 1000 Words +

Photography: The end of the world by gadl

I wouldn’t normally choose to write about this, but I met an interesting person last Sunday. This person was just like any other half sane stranger you might meet in the greater Los Angeles area. Except he had a greater knowledge than most of Bible passages, specifically prophecies and symbolism for the end of the world. He told me that the world would end on August 2, 2008 and within 6 days from then, not a soul would be alive on the planet. If that wasn’t an odd enough claim, the thing that really made him stick out was that he said he was the “Son of Man” and that God would soon come and inhabit his body and begin to rule the world (or something like that) from him. Basically, that he was or would soon be God.

 I’ve read that it is not uncommon for someone with mental problems to believe they are God, but this is the first time someone has tried to tell me that (and he did seem to sincerely believe everything he was telling me). They say it has to do with the ego. It goes something like “each individual is the biggest thing in their own world.” So since we are all the biggest thing in our own little world, when some things backfire in the mental area, one may conclude he (or she) is God somehow in someway. It sounds like a reasonable theory to me. 

 As far as the end of the world is concerned, I believe it’s near, but as close as August 2, 2008? Well, actually it is possible that it could be sooner than that. Jesus said…

Matthew 24:36
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

And with things like the Burma massacre and worse going on in the world today, it sure seems like the end of the world. If I was in Burma about to be massacred, I know I would be feeling like it was the end of the world.

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Photograhy: Monks Protesting in Burma by racoles

Burma is apparently under a (violently) repressive dictatorship. A large sign posted by the government, denouncing and threatening the peaceful protesters reads “TATMADAW AND THE PEOPLE, COOPERATE AND CRUSH ALL THOSE HARMING THE UNION“. And this is what they have done as this article about thousands of monks massacred and dumped in the jungle by the Burmese government describes. This is very very sad.

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Photography: Not something you see every day! by Today is a good day

A newly-wed bride and groom leaping for joy on the Great Wall of China ?? Definately not something I see everyday, but a priceless pic none the less

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Photography: To be alone with you by Erin T

This picture speaks to me too. I think I have a thing for clouds and the sky. As the name suggests, this would probably be the ”romantic” version of Fantasy Fair Ride in the Sky.

I went to the fair recently, but I missed the Ferris wheel ride, I really wanted to go on it. One of these days I guess.

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Photography: the city that never sleeps by * andrew

This is Hong Kong from “The Peak“. Hong Kong has the largest harbor in the world. By largest I mean, the largest amount of goods shipping through the harbor. And one of the main reasons for this is because it operates continuously, never closing at night.

Actually Hong Kong has many ports/harbors. Here is a list of harbours in Hong Kong. After seeing the geography of Hong Kong, I can see why it has so many ports/harbors.

The Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles are twin ports located in the same harbor area.  I grew up in Long Beach, CA. And I heard that the Long Beach / Los Angeles harbor would be the largest if it operated non-stop as well.

These twin ports are the largest in the U.S. as well as far as volume of goods transported through it. Nearly all of the products from Asia in the U.S. go through these ports.

Disclaimer: Don’t quote me on all this, I don’t have any reliable sources. I heard this a few years ago on the radio I think ;)

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Photography: [ desire for freedom ] by [ chango ]

Halloween is full of candy and costumes some innocent, some not so innocent. But it is not a Holiday really. In some religion some where at some time it may have been a holy day. But now, it is really an unholy day. Celebrating death, destruction, hell, blood, hurt, and all morbid and perverted things, I don’t see how it could be considered holy. That is why I don’t celebrate halloween.

Unfortunately, the true concept of a holy day is being lost in American and modern culture. While we have many holidays, so many people treat them like they have nothing to do with God and holiness, sometimes even doing the most unholy things on those holy days. And as far as the economic aspect of it, a holiday is a great day for marketers and retailers, because sales are up. Christmas in America for example is one of the largest sales seasons. But whether or not the ones making the profit believe in or care about Jesus “making himself of no reputation” and being born into this world as a baby, they care about Christmas, the holy day, as time to cash in on. So to many, it’s only holy in terms of the almighty dollar.

But even as far as Christmas goes, it wasn’t necessarily the day Jesus was born. And the observance of it wasn’t sactioned by God in the bible. It is celebrated by believers out of gratitude and tradition.

I’m gonna stop here, but I just wonder what it would be like to live in a culture where a holy day was truly regarded in the hearts and minds of all the people as such.

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Photography: I’m in your computer, stealing your pics by jwlphotography

 You gotta love this one. Cute kids and innovative photo ideas go great together!

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Photography: Brett Burcher by iamjeremy

 After a couple trips to some northern Los Angeles County beaches on labor day weekend, I’ve gained a renewed appreciation for the power of ocean waves. During my trips that weekend the ocean had strong under currents and large waves, probably about 6 ft. or so. This wave is from Australia and it’s well over 6 ft. From the looks of it, it’s probably 20 ft! I can only imagine what it would feel like to be in the water with waves that high and powerful coming at you! As dangerous as it looks, I think it would be alot of fun to be floating around and swimming near waves that big. No doubt they’re not for beginners though (don’t try this at home kids )

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Photograph: Shining by Pensiero

When I first saw this photo, I was drawn to it because of it’s surreal fantasy fun aspect. I could almost hear the kids laughing and screaming with the theme park music in the background. But most simply this picture reminds of a carefree day in the sun. Days that I don’t see to much anymore in my adult life, but I do long for.

The sun and sky in the background also play a major part. I guess it somehow connects this carefree happiness with the heavens and with God (I often find myself drawn to pictures with clouds in the sky). The fact that the camera is looking up at the subjects probably helps this affect too. But then again, maybe it’s just me. I showed this to a friend, and she only said it made her dizzy, lol.

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Photography: Beach Party by lobster rocket

Transhumanist beach party? or even invading body hackers? Probably not, but an interesting pic none the less.

I’ve recently learned about a philosophy called Transhumanism… According to Wikipedia (at the time of writing)…

Transhumanism (sometimes symbolized by >H or H+) is an international intellectual and cultural movement supporting the use of new sciences and technologies to enhance human mental and physical abilities and aptitudes, and ameliorate what it regards as undesirable and unnecessary aspects of the human condition, such as stupidity, suffering, disease, aging and involuntary death.

It sounds to me like “Body Hacking” to go beyond our current human limits. To a certain degree we are already doing this. From standard medical procedures and devices like pacemakers, to the new weight-lose surgeries, and to even the use of steriods. Some of these things are helpful, and some are harmful. But it sounds like Transhumanism proposes to take it entirely to another level.

From Wikipedia…

Transhumanist thinkers postulate that human beings will eventually be transformed into beings with such greatly expanded abilities as to merit the label “posthuman.”

So Transhumanists are thinking along the lines of a future where we exploit the knowledge of the human body to such a degree that we’re not even considered human but “posthuman”, maybe like Cyborgs or something. They are even thinking of escaping death, but is that even possible by human means? Some propose that we could theoretically take our brain and download all the info to some kind of manufactured brain that we could exist or be stored in. And while in theory it seems it could be remotely possible, what about the soul. I know not everyone believes in a soul but it seems to me that there is something that makes the human existence reliant upon more than just the brain or even the human body. If you take a step back and look at the big picture, man truly has dominion over the earth like no other creature. And when you look at the human world as a whole, there is a lot more to humanity than just carnal human bodies.

I’ll leave it at that as I don’t want to go on too much. But to say the least, it’s kind of scary that people would become “Body Hackers” to such a degree.

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