View allAll Photos Tagged photodocumentary
a guy working in the fields under the sun near the SS90 that runs along the Jordanian border. From the first hours of the day the road is crossed by men and boys who reach the the fields to work before the heat becomes difficult to sustain. The boy works with the hoe just after the passage of a plow
Police say they suspect a KMB bus driver may have been speeding when he lost control of his double-decker near Tai Po on Saturday, killing at least 19 people and injuring over 60, in Hong Kong's worst bus accident in nearly 15 years.
The bus had been travelling downhill at the time of the accident. It toppled over and ended up on its left side, a large part of its roof apparently sheared off.
Eighteen people, 14 men and four women, died at the scene. Another man man died later in hospital. Amongst the injured, three were women and 63 were men - including the man who later died.
The 30-year-old driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm. He has been detained for further enquiries.
The number 872 bus had been on its way to Tai Po from Shatin racecourse when the accident occurred near Tsung Tsai Yuen on Tai Po Road.
Footage showed dazed and injured passengers sitting and lying on the kerb.
The Fire Services Department said it took firefighters 85 minutes to rescue all of the passengers trapped inside the bus.
A department spokesman, Leung Kwok-chu, said when rescuers arrived, they found many passengers piled up on top of each other.
"During the rescue operation, we encountered quite a number of difficulties, including the narrow space, a large number of casualties and also we had to carry out the cutting operations," Leung also told reporters at the scene.
The ambulance services said the injured had suffered head and back injuries, bone fractures and bleeding.
Li Chi-wai, senior superintendent of the police’s New Territories North traffic unit, said apart from the speed of the bus, officers will look into the mental state of the driver and the mechanical parts of the bus.
There were reports that the driver had been in an argument with passengers before the journey, though Li only said they would ask witnesses for more information later.
The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, has said she will set up an independent commission of inquiry to look into whether there is a systematic problem with Hong Kong's bus operations, following the accident.
RTHK News 2018.02.11
“Imagine” by John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us, only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Cuban Taxi (12)
The first cruise ship in nearly 40 years to sail across the Florida Straits from Miami to Havana docked in the Cuban capital on May 2, 2016.
Hong Kong is currently experiencing a four wave of Covid-19 cases while the government has implemented new social restrictions and rules in restaurants, beauty parlour, bars and gyms for the next weeks.
#iPhone12ProMax
I stopped into the Saloon to see a local, international photographic artist, Ryan Coit, whose work I admire and whom I had met before. Ryan is inspiring to me for his Mapplethorpe-like lighting, honest treatment of Queer/Trans Culture, spectacular photoshop designs and abstracts. He wasn’t due to work until much later. I was beat and wanted to get home.
As I left, I saw these two men sitting in an alcove window. There was something about them that exuded a pervasive intimacy that permeated space around them. I felt compelled to tell them that . . .and I did.
They were so surprised that we had a round of introductions, and they told me part of their story as old friends that had reconnected after a long hiatus.
I gave them my card and asked if I could take their photo in whatever pose they wished. Suddenly, Tex seized Moses in this moment of spontaneous passion and I felt privileged to take this photo.
For me the B&W and tight crop displays the raw power a lover’s passion can attain. I altered the perspective of Tex’s already large hand as it seemed to envelope Moses who received his lover’s kiss with visible submissive ecstasy. It was a beautiful moment of love and trust. They loved the preview.
Heartfelt abrazos were exchanged among the three of us, and I left.
Hong Kong authorities on Tuesday announced a cull of more than 2,000 pets in response to a Covid cluster involving hamsters at a pet shop in Causeway Bay.
A worker at the Little Boss store and a customer she briefly came into contact with have come down with the virus and officials say 11 hamster samples taken from the shop have tested positive, as well as environmental samples taken from the firm's warehouse in Tai Po.
Anyone who bought a hamster anywhere in Hong Kong since December 22 last year is now being "strongly advised" to hand it over so it can be tested for Covid.
Regardless of the test result, the hamster will be killed.
If the test comes back positive, the owner will be quarantined, while all those surrendering their pets will also have to take Covid tests of their own.
The hamsters already found to be infected were recently imported from the Netherlands and these animals, rabbits and other pets at the shop in question, as well as at the company's warehouse, are also going to be killed.
A deputy head of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), Thomas Sit, said although there's no literature in the world showing that pets can transmit Covid-19 to humans, they have made the decision to cull the animals out of caution.
"Now [the hamsters] are infected with the virus, they can infect other animals, other hamsters and other human beings. So, we don't want to cull all the animals, but we need to protect public health and animal health, we have no choice, we have to make a firm decision," he told reporters at a press conference.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it's shocked by the decision to cull the animals.
In a statement, the SPCA called on the authorities to review their approach, accusing them of failing to take animal welfare and the bond between people and their pets into consideration.
The SPCA also urged pet owners not to panic or abandon their animals, never kiss their pets and thoroughly clean their hands before and after contact with their pets.
(20220118 RTHK News)
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#The_Days_We_Wear_Masks 20220118
In a modern China grappling with widening social inequality, Mao’s words provide justification for the anger many young people feel toward a business class they see as exploitative. They want to follow in his footsteps and change Chinese society — and some have even talked about violence against the capitalist class if necessary.
Chinese technology workers are often expected to work 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week, a practice so common that they call it “996.” Mr. Du’s schedule was worse. After he slept only five hours over three days late last year, his heart raced, he was short of breath and he grew sluggish. He quit shortly after. He hasn’t looked for a job in three months and seldom ventures outside. A doctor diagnosed mild depression.
“Dying for the country? Yes,” goes one online slogan. “Dying for the capitalists? Never!”
New catchphrases among the young reveal this Mao-friendly mind-set. With wages stagnant, young people talk about a “consumption downgrade.” Their employers work them so hard that they call themselves “wage slaves,” “corporate cattle” and “overtime dogs.” A growing number are saying they would rather become slackers, using the Chinese phrase “tang ping,” or “lie flat (躺平).”
(20210708 ‘Who Are Our Enemies?’ China’s Bitter Youths Embrace Mao. /The New York Times)
Saw this fellow get up from his seat and walked to the front of the bus.
And there he stood . . . just like that. The sun blazing in from the windshield was perfect as a bright background. So I metered at the darkest shadow for the shot, this gave me the effect I wanted on the hat as well as from the windshield.
[Music]
“See You Again” Beth
[Youtube Shorts version of video]
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[Instagram Reel version of video]
Internet in Cuba (6)
As of 2015 the ETECSA has opened eight Pay – For WiFi Hotspots across the country: Pinar del Rio, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Villa Clara, Mayabeque, Sancti Spiritus at 2 CUC per hour.
Internet in Cuba (9)
Young Cuban people enjoy internet via their mobile phones at a paid wifi spot on the street in Havana.
While the Internet is still illegal in private homes, government owned internet cafes offer Internet access.In 2014, Cuba had an Internet penetration rate of 30 percent. In 2015, the Cuban government opened the first public wi-fi hotspots in 35 public locations. They also reduced prices and increased speeds for Internet access at state-run cybercafes.
The Aomori Nebuta Festival is a Japanese fire festival held annually between August 2nd and 7th in Aomori city. Every year more than 3 million visitors gather for the festivities from all over Japan and abroad to attend. During the festival, over twenty dynamic nebutas – massive lanterns floats based on kabuki or mythical stories – parade through the city of Aomori. On the evenings of August 2nd through 6th and daytime of the 7th, colorfully dressed Haneto (nebuta dancers) as well as flutists and drummers convey the nebuta floats through the city. On the night of the 7th, the nebutas are placed in boats and ferried around the Aomori Bay as fireworks light up the night sky to conclude the festival.
The Aomori Nebuta Festival has been designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties of Japan in 1980.
One is never stuck for a photo composition at a train station. Whether it's a pan, wide-angle, detail composition, there is always a myriad of things to "see" that are worthy of photodocumentary.
Add to that, people, and you have infinitely more possibilities. As the kids wait expectantly for the train into Minneapolis, a more mature commuter stops to check the status of the news.
This is not a political comment, but just an observation on the status of our government: It truly seems that one could watch CNN 24/7 and the swirling winds coming out of the White House, Congress, Mr. Mueller, and NY Federal Prosecutors, would give you a true to life story every 1/2 hour of Breaking News.
Anyway, "this woman is immortalized as a concerned citizen during a time of national crisis by taking time to keep up with the news" (Poetic license😎)
Cuban Movie (6)
This huge building built in 1955 by Gustavo Botet has a cinema, offices, a café and a bar. Located on a stretch of Calle 23 known as La Rampa, the theatre of the same name has a winding access ramp at the entrance that seems to be a continuation of that busy Havana street. It seats 900. Certainly one of the better Havana cinemas, it has plenty of spaces inside for socializing before and after the screenings. This location also houses the Cuban film archives.
Years ago every neighborhood had it's corner store, usually run by a family or a "mom and pop" couple.
Well times changed and we can still see places that were once corner stores that serve as residences or other types of business.
Like wide ties, it appears that "corner stores', now called "markets" or "convenience stores" have resurged to become, once again, part of the American scene. This time, the owners are often from different ethnic origins than in the past.
From my perspective, the newer immigrants are following the path of European immigrants of years gone by. You come to America, settle in a neighborhood of similar ethnic backgrounds, either go to work in the service industry, or open a small store.
Today the neighborhood market/convenience store has more than just food staples and offers various mobile device services, overseas money transfers, lottery . . . and on and on.
The Goshogawara city Tachineputa Festival is a summer festival held annually between August 4th and August 8th. Along with Aomori Nebuta Festival, Hirosaki Neputa Festival, and Kuroishi Yosare Festival, it is known as one of the four largest festivals of the Tsugaru region.
Tachineputa are massive 23-meter (75 feet) tall 19-ton (38000 lbs) parade floats.At this festival, Tachineputa are conveyed through the city of Goshogawara while float carriers and dancers excitedly shout “Yattemare! Yattemare!” The Tachineputa parade never fails to captivate the audience with its unbelievable size and vigor. In addition to the three large tachineputas which are regularly exhibited at the Tachineputa No Yakata (Tachineputa Museum), a total of 15 floats of various sizes are featured in the festival.
Goshogawara is reachable from Aomori City by bus and train. By train it takes over an hour transferring from the JR Ou line at Kawabe to the JR Gono line. They have special trains leaving later than the regularly scheduled time during the festival.
The second shot I took of Kat, at Artist's Supply. I don't know if I said it in the first pic I posted of her, but she reminds me of one of the Elf Kingdom in Lord of the Rings. If any woman fulfills the cliche' "cute as a button", Kat gets my vote.
I don't use selective color often, but her whimsical and playful look suggests it would be appropriate. 😊
[Music]
“Shingeki Gt201302” Hiroyuki Sawano
[Youtube Shorts version of the video]
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[Instagram Reel version of the video]