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Today in the U.S. we observe Memorial Day, a time to remember and express gratitude to those who have died in service to their country. Have a happy and peaceful day.
While the number of deaths and injuries caused by yesterday’s earthquake in northern Chile appears to remain low, the AP is reporting that at least 15,000 people have been left homeless in the city of Tocopilla and the surrounding villages. Also, today 3 more strong aftershocks hit the region. The Chilean government is sending tons of food, water, medicine, and portable housing units to the region, which it has declared a disaster zone. Here are some views of Tocopilla and Antofagasta, uploaded in the last few hours by Fotolog members who live there, and who we hope are safe and sound. All we can do is echo the words of support they are sharing with their fellow Chileans: Fuerza Tocopilla.
An earthquake estimated at magnitude 7.7 on the Richter scale struck northern Chile today at 12:40 p.m. local time. There are early reports of damage, and minor injuries. The quake was centered in the village of Quillagua, near Calama, in the Antofagasta Region. Buildings, roads, cars, and power lines in the cities of Antofagasta and Tocopilla have sustained damage, and Tocopilla has issued reports of at least 40 injuries. The earth-shaking was felt strongly even in the capital of Santiago, 1255 kilometers south of the epicenter. Two hours later, a second temblor of 5.7 magnitude struck, centered about 60 kilometers northwest of Antofagasta. Frequently updated reports (in English) on the earthquake are at these links: Our thoughts are with our members from the region, their families, and all those affected by the quake. We will post updated information here as it arrives. Were you caught in the earthquake? In the comments here let us know you’re safe, post a link to your photos, and tell us your first-hand accounts of the experience.
UPDATE from CNN:
Fotolog members from around the world are posting memorial images and offering their condolences to the families of the 193 passengers, crew, and workers killed in the TAM airlines crash at São Paulo’s Congonhas airport on Tuesday. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those touched by this awful tragedy.
In the U.S., the last Monday in May is the observance of Memorial Day, when we remember and express gratitude to those who have died in service to their country. This photo is by colorstalker, from a cemetery in Vermont.
Speaking of heavenly bodies, have you seen the latest photos pasted into our Solar System’s family album? O.M.G. doesn’t really begin to convey the incredible grandeur of the images of Saturn taken in January by the Cassini orbiter and released March 1. The stunning view above is a natural-color composite of 36 photographs: 12 separate sets of red, green, and blue images take over 2.5 hours. (Click on the image for a larger version; click here to see detailed image information.) The exposures were timed to capture the dark side of the rings properly, so the sunlit side of Saturn appears blown out. If you scroll through the even larger jpg, you can see several of Saturn’s larger moons skirting the edges of the outer E ring. (This cool video composite (double-click on it to play) shows Cassini’s view as it travels north, crossing the ring plane, and several moons racing across the field of view!) The dramatic image below (click it to see a larger version; click here to get info), an infrared closeup from below the rings, shows the atmospheric bands of storms and winds that can reach a peak of more than 1000 miles per hour.
So, what kind of state-of-the art cameras are producing these breathtaking shots? Cassini carries two imaging systems (for wide and narrow angles), each with a CCD sensor that is 1024 pixels square. That’s a little over one (1) megapixel! But while the total pixel count is low, the pixel size, 12 microns on each side, is relatively large, which helps keep noise to a minimum and maximize dynamic range. And the lenses collecting light for these sensors are actually finely calibrated telescopes, with dozens of filters for capturing visible, near-infrared, and near-ultraviolet light. If the Hubble Space Telescope, with its much larger diameter and light-collecting area, is our celestial SLR, then the Cassini cameras are the two most powerful and versatile point-and-shoots in the galaxy… well, as far as we can currently tell.
From Martin Luther King, Jr.’s acceptance speech upon being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1964. He would have been only 78 years old today. Photo by kandykorn.
There are many strong reactions today throughout the Chilean Fotolog community to the death Sunday of onetime dictator General Augusto Pinochet. Many express support and thanks to a legendary “hero”; many others express condemnation, and dismay that a “villain” has died before justice could be rendered in a court of law. This photo by borboletas_dream is particularly poignant, noting simply that it was taken on Sunday, which was worldwide Human Rights Day. Some posts with captions and discussions about Pinochet:
A few weeks ago, we wrote about the new book Watching the World Change: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11, and linked to the anonymous image above, from the group log september11 on Fotolog. Then the book’s author, David Friend, read that post and was taken with the image. He asked if we could put him in touch with the person who took it. We were unable to find out, so he has posted it on his own site, asking for help:
Since it was posted anonymously, before groups had the mechanism to link back to a Fotologger’s own page, there is no way to know who posted it. From the caption and date (it’s backdated, but it was the second post to the log), it seems very likely that the photo was posted by the member who started september11 in the first place, but again, there is no record of who that was. Does anyone know or remember who established the september11 group log? Or do you know the person who took this photo? Is it your photo? David Friend would love to hear from you. Thanks!
Me too. Hope you can too!
That’s almost as cool as voting itself, or volunteering to get out the vote. For the U.S. Congressional and state elections in 5 days, take your camera to your polling place and capture democracy in action. But regulations vary widely, so first make sure to know the election laws in your city and state by contacting the appropriate Secretary of State’s office.
On Wednesday, nearly 300 striking students were arrested in Santiago and other locations around the Chile. The day before, police entered several of the occupied and barricaded schools, including the Instituto Nacional, and arrested 40 students. All were expelled from their schools. We hope everyone is safe and unhurt. Some details at the Santiago Times (English).
Student strikes in Santiago and elsewhere in Chile are underway again, this time in support of more general strikes by the nation’s teachers, healthcare workers, and some government employees. The Santiago Times (English) has the details of a one-day strike on Sept. 26 here, and news of a threatened indefinite teachers’ strike here. According to the Times:
According to institutanos, yesterday the students of the Instituto Nacional once again took over and are now occupying their school (photo above). A Daily F’log account (in English and Spanish) of the student strikes in Chile earlier this year is here. En Español abajo Read More »
You’ve sat patiently at the window or in the garage for hours during the thunderstorms, taking hundreds of exposures, trying, quite literally, to catch lightning in a bottle—your lens. Well, Kane Quinnell hadn’t ever done that. But on a recent stormy night in his hometown near Sydney, Australia, he decided to take some shots from the carport, using his car as a tripod. On just his fourth exposure, he captured this bolt hitting his neighbor’s house. He was thrown about two meters into the air. Good on ya mate! See the Daily Mail online for the full story. Via the Cellar Image of the Day. Have you caught that elusive bolt from the blue? Put the links to your shots in the comments!
Happy Columbus Day (for those who celebrate it). Throughout much of Central and South America, El Día de la Raza is still observed on Oct. 12, the day in 1492 on which a sailor in the crow’s nest of the Pinta sighted the Bahamian island of Guanahaní. And Happy Thanksgiving Day to Canadians, one and all!
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