WHAT'S HAPPENING AT GREEN ACRES

10 Magnificent Maelstroms and Destructive Whirlpools

Water can grant life but it can also be a dangerous force depending upon its intensity and form. Very small whirlpools can be seen spinning when a sink drains, but the powerful whirlpools in nature are magnificent and destructive. A whirlpool of extraordinary size or violence is a maelstrom. The swirling vortex is deadly. Here are 10 exquisite yet lethal maelstroms.

Mightiest Maelstrom in the World

(image via:Visit Norway)

Whirlpools are caused by a turbulent flow of water. When moving river water is forced to twist around an object or to stream into a narrower riverbed, the water flows faster and is more likely to create an energetic swirling turbulence. In the ocean, depending upon the geology of the sea bed, driving currents can collide and create conflicting tidal flows. Water spins counterclockwise north of the equator and clockwise south of the equator. The destructive interaction forms a whirlpool, a powerful circular current of water. A maelstrom, the vortex of a violent turbulence, is the most deadly of all.

As we believe a black hole in the depths of uncharted space would suck us in if we venture too close, so did ancient seafaring folk believe a giant whirlpool, a spinning vortex, would suck down ships and sailors to their watery demise. When they sailed the largely unexplored seas, tales were exaggerated of maelstroms and the certain doom of impenetrable ocean depths. Even now though, small boats could be pulled down and sailors are warned to avoid these treacherous waters when the tide is running. Currents speeds increase when the tides change, so even a large boat may find steering impossible until the maelstrom subsides.

Maelstrom of Saltstraumen

(images via:Flickr,Wikipedia,Flickr)

The Maelstrom of Saltstraumen is located next to Norway. Positioned near the Arctic Circle, the mightiest maelstrom in the world creates the strongest tidal currents on the globe. Every six hours, vigorous ocean currents can run up to 25 miles per hour as more than 105,668 gallons of water surge through the narrow strait that connects Skjerstadfjord and Saltenfjord. When the tidal currents turn, there is a “time window” when larger ships can sail through the sound. In fact, currents appear essentially calm during that time. Nevertheless locals and tourists are advised to use great caution when down by the sea or in a boat since the underwater currents are constantly churning, the water twisting, making the Maelstrom of Saltstraumen the most dangerous maelstrom on the planet.

Moskstraumen Maelstrom

(image via:Wikipedia)

While the Saltstraumen is the strongest maelstrom, the Moskstraumen is the most famous. Perhaps infamous thanks to Edgar Allan Poe and Jules Verne. Poe penned a story called A Descent into the Maelstrom and then Verne referred to it at the culmination of the book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Herman Melville wrote about it through his character Captain Ahab in Moby-Dick. Moskstraumen is thought to be the first mentioned maelstrom in history.

Referred to as simply Maelstrom, it has the dubious honor of 1500 years worth of descriptions about seafarer’s who met sea monsters and their doom in the treacherous whirlpool. Located off the Lofoten islands, Moskstraumen is the second strongest whirlpool in the world. However there are many people who would dispute the powerful circular currents of water that reach speeds of 17.27 mph as the most destructive maelstrom. Its forceful tidal currents, about five miles wide, flow along a deep marine channel between the Norwegian coast and the open sea.

Corryvreckan Whirlpool

(image via:Flickr,Craignish Cruises)

The third largest maelstrom in the world is located in the relatively narrow Strait of Corryvreckan. Extreme tidal currents surge into whirlpools swirling round and round due in part to its location between two islands off the west coast of Scotland and the pyramidal rock on the sea floor. 30 foot waves swell from a depth of 100 fathoms and the reverberation of nature’s fury is heard from as far as ten miles away. Bewitching and bizarre legends were told by Celtic people about the ominous vortex of churning water that at times appears more green than blue. Corryvreckan was once classified as unsafe for voyage, then “very violent and dangerous,” but writer George Orwell journeyed across the water just the same. Orwell was shipwrecked for a short time.

Some Scottish producers tossed a mannequin with a life jacket into the Corryvreckan or “Brecan’s Cauldron” during a documentary called “Lethal Seas.” The life-size dummy disappeared into the dangerous vortex. When the mannequin was later found far away, there was evidence of it being scraped along the bottom and 262 feet showed on the depth meter. The Discovery Channel picked up the film and aired it as “Sea Twister.”

Old Sow

(image via:Eastern Maine,Bay of Fundy)

The largest whirlpool on the Western Hemisphere is called Old Sow. This maelstrom is situated between the shores of Deer Island and Moose Island in-between New Brunswick and Maine. Old Sow derives its name from the “pig-like”sucking sounds that occur when the whirling streams and vortex seethes. Considered one of the five most meaningful maelstroms in the world, this intensely violent whirlpool creates a mighty roaring when the tides back up against a strong wind. Old Sow maelstroms that form between the bays of Fundy and Passamaquoddy have a diameter of about 250 feet, swell up to 20 feet high, and reach speeds of 17.15 mph.

Small to medium whirlpools on every side of Old Sow are called “piglets.” Dreadful and deafening disturbances aside, only smaller sailboats and other boats with keels are considered in danger to steer Old Sow while the tide is running. Most motorized boats are able to successfully navigate these waters. Other rare natural occurrences around Old Sow involve upwellings, standing waves, and non-vortexing depressions in the water.

Naruto

(image via:Flickr)

The strait separating Naruto and Awaji is less than one mile wide. Naruto strait in located within a very narrow channel near Hyōgo, Japan where tides and water levels constantly fluctuate and throw strong tides into a vortex. The water speeds at over 8 mph through the Naruto channel four different times a day, twice flowing in and twice flowing out. The tidal currents twist like an underwater cyclone, swirling at a velocity of over 20 mph, making Naruto maelstroms the fourth fastest in the world. During the spring and autumn tides, the whirlpools have a diameter of over 65 feet. Tourists as well as locals watch the ebb and flow of giant whirlpools from ships or from above on the Naruto Bridge.

Kauai Maelstrom

(image via:Flickr,Flickr)

Sunrise kisses a marvelously mysterious phenomenon in Kaunai, Hawaii. The sea air whistles before a bellow of water pressure erupts through the lava tubes like a geyser. Before another blast of the blowhole, white foamy ocean sucks water in to swirl dangerous currents, a maelstrom of deadly dragging suction pulling down to the ocean twenty feet below the lava-ledge. This maelstrom of water is as enticing as it is lethal, a destructive downdraft of unrelenting natural violence.

Garofalo – Strait of Messina Whirlpool

(image via:Flickr,Flickr)

Homer told tales of Odysseus on a hazardous mystical sea voyage where he encountered two immortal creatures called Scylla and Charybdis. Although not a sea monster, Charybdis lives on in the Strait of Messina and is now called Garofalo. It is here that the sea floor drops considerably and winds flow against the direction of powerful tidal currents to form another oceanographic phenomenon. The Strait of Messina is 1.9 miles wide at its narrowest point with a depth of 830 feet. The maelstrom of Garofalo occurs in the narrow body of water between the southern tip of Calabria and the eastern tip of Sicily, Italy. Dangerous choppy seas and rotating whirlpools can still overturn small sea vessels and the rough broken swells can create substantial navigational hazards for larger ones.

Niagara Falls Whirlpool

(image via:SmugMug,Flickr)

When the Niagara River is at full flow, the waters traverse over the rapids and enter a pool to create another “reversal phenomenon.” The body of water travels counterclockwise around the pool where it tries to cut across the natural outlet. Pressure builds up and forces the water under the incoming stream which causes the swirling Niagara Falls Whirlpool. The basin is 1,700 feet long by 1,200 feet wide with depths up to 125 feet.

Like most whirlpools, tourists are drawn to see the swirling natural forces in action. The oldest attraction at Niagara Falls is the Maid of the Mist boat cruise that sails passengers into the whirlpools beneath the Falls. The Rainbow Bridge, located downriver from the Falls, connects Niagara Falls, New York, and Ontario, Canada. It also allows great views of the whirlpools. The Whirlpool Aero Car is a cable car ride that “flies” passengers over the whirlpool on the Canadian side.

Ligurian Maelstrom

(image via:Flickr)

The Ligurian Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, is fed by the Arno River. Both the make of the sea bed and the conflicting tidal currents cause maelstroms to form. Tales and legends are thought to have been told about the whirlpools in this area south of Italy. The word maelstrom can also indicate chaos and inescapable destructive forces. The water in Ligurian Maelstrom writhes and foams, luring the unwise closer to have a better look at the crushing forces of nature.

Maelstrom Doctor’s Cove

(image via:Flickr)

In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, an area long heralded by maritime enthusiasts, a maelstrom forms in Doctor’s Cove. The combination of a blowhole and strong tidal currents create a forceful downdraft, a free vortex. Nowadays these maelstroms are well documented and charted out for boats to avoid. Although powerful whirlpools have killed many, there is little actual evidence of large ships being sucked beneath the ocean. However the question remains, back in ancient times, who would have survived such a violent destruction to write about it? Myths and legends generally begin with a grain of truth. Is the same true for maelstroms?

Relaxing Whirlpool or Turbulent Tempest

(image via:Google Images,Flickr)

Some whirlpools, like the one in the bottom picture, are enticing and soothing. The picture on top depicts a maelstrom, a spinning underwater tornado that lures the adventurous and the curious nearer for a closer look into the natural phenomenon. Only you can decide if the relaxing whirlpool or the turbulent tempest calls to your soul.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT GREEN ACRES

The Earth’s Most Significant Rivers

(images via nasa, varanasi, cnet, fexx)

The era when rivers acted as the world’s highways is past. However, some major waterways still have plenty of significance. They still hold religious and mythological value for those who make their living on or near the water. They still act as major transportation corridors, especially in areas where roads and rails cannot go. And, they may hold the key to putting a major dent in the problem of pollution.

Yangtze River: Energy (and Controversy)

(images via jeremybarwick and alshain49)

A traditional transportation artery, the Yangtze has become a poster child for China’s hydroelectricity movement. On one hand, projects like the Three Gorges Dam can help ween the country off dirty coal power. On he other: entire cities and ecosystems have been destroyed or forever altered by the massive constructions.

Mekong: Southeast Asia’s Artery

(image via Fredrik Thommesen)

This river makes transportation and agriculture possible in vast areas of Southeast Asia. In the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, a majority of the economy is based on the river in one way or another.

Ganges River: The Holy River

(images via Domminikki, Fred Hsu and Dirk Hartung)

The Ganges is an economically important waterway. But it is mostly known for its religious significance. The city of Varanasi, on the banks of the river, is thought to be the most important city in Hinduism. Many devotees believe that their life is not complete unless they bathe in the Ganges at least once in their lifetime, as it will cleanse the soul of all sins.

Volga River and Lena River

(images via amcdawes and synchroswimr)

The Volga is Europe’s largest river. It is extremely important to Russia. Half of the country’s major cities, including Moscow, are located on the river. Some of the world’s largest reservoirs are fed by the Volga.

The Lena is one of Siberia’s great rivers. Its delta is frozen for a majority of the year, but turns into a lush wetland during the brief summers.

Danube River: Europe’s Classical River

(image via teofilo)

The Danube is Europe’s second longest river. It is significant as a transportation route through Europe (the river passes through ten countries) and as a source for drinking water. Also, the river has been the inspiration for classical music composers such as Johann Strauss.

Amazon River and Rio Uruguay

(images via markg6 and guillePagano)

The Amazon River is the only way to navigate through the vast Amazon Rainforest. The river is a source of life (water, food, irrigation) for people who inhabit this inhospitable region. The Rio Uruguay is a much shorter South American river. However, it is the source of much of the region’s electricity via a major hydroelectric plant.

Nile River, Niger River, and Senegal River

(images via Michael Gwyther-Jones, Dan Lundberg and Jacques Taberl)

The Nile is a major transportation artery in Northeast Africa. In addition, the fertile strip that exists along its banks constitutes some of the only farm-able land in the region.

The Niger River is another important source of water in the deserts of North Africa. The river stretches across the western part of the continent and is the easiest way to travel through the area.

The Senegal River is important for the same reasons as the other two North African rivers above. Mali, Guinea, Mauritania and Senegal have joined forces to create an organization that oversees and cares for the river basin that runs through all four countries

Mississippi River

(images via SD Dirk)

This legendary river in the American Midwest was and is a major transportation route. It retains mythological/historical significance despite that fact that it is no longer the heavily-used waterway that it once was.

Rio Grande

(image via Foxboro Marmot)

The Rio Grande is one of the longest rivers in the US and forms much of the border between the state of Texas and Mexico. It has near legendary status on both sides of the water. It is more known as a dividing line than a source of water in this arid landscape.

Murray River (Australia)

(image via mikecogh)

The Murray is Australia’s largest river. It has been an important for transportation and irrigation, as well as being the site of numerous leisure activities like sport fishing.

UNDER THE NUTSHELL - CURIOUS CREATIVITY

The Art of Photoshop: A Dozen Fantastic Photographic Manipulations

“This looks shopped. I can tell from some of the pixels and from seeing quite a few shops in my time”… This classic 4chan meme captures in one sentence the pomposity and ignorance of countless self-styled image critics. There’s a nugget of truth in that annoying meme, however - poor ’shops ARE obvious, even to 4channers. The better ones, on the other hand, can be mind-boggling. Here is a selection of great and notorious photoshopped images guaranteed to provoke wonder, amusement and eyestrain.

Beyond Imagery, Almost Imaginary

(images via: Oogle Tutorials, PSD TUTS+ and LunchoverIP)

Many works of photoshop art pump up the details in a source image to the point of sensory overload - and that’s a good thing. The selection above applies a little ’shop shock & awe, just enough to nudge the subject into that odd area just beyond reality.

How Swede It Is

(images via: Allt Eller Inget)

The cool thing about photoshopping, or digitally modifying photographs if we want to be technical about it, is that our brains naturally want to believe what our eyes are seeing. The content may be wrong but the look is right. Sweden’s Erik Johansson is a master of this technique, as the above montage and his other works clearly illustrate.

Little ‘Shop of Horrors

(images via: Session Magazine)

Like Erik Johannsson, Pierre Betielle is another expert photoshopper who feels he’s his own best subject. The French photo finagler takes the visual medium and forces it into extra-large territory, with we viewers along for the wild ride.

It’s Just A Paper Cut

(images via: Web Designer Depot,Instructables and WetCanvas!)

Incongruity in imagery - the above samples say it all. As scary as some of these images are, what’s more frightening is wondering who thought up the concepts, and why? The above set focuses on ourhands, so sensitive to the slightest touch or the merest paper cut. Regarding the latter, welcome to what must be a New Order of pain… how does it feel?

2-for-1 Fail Combo

(images via: Osmoothie and The New York Times News Blog)

You can’t appreciate the good until you’ve seen the bad… An entire nation doesn’t put its foot in its mouth too often but the Islamic Republic of Iran isn’t just any nation - they’ve done it twice, thanks to a couple of ambitious yet amateurish photoshopped images that have received wide dissemination. The first, above, supposedly depicts 4 missiles launched in unison and many reputable news organizations rushed it to press. Not so fast, newsies - according to AFP, “The fourth missile (the one second from the right) has apparently been added in digital retouch to cover a grounded missile that may have failed during the test.” A missile fail and a photoshop fail, that’s today’s 2-for-1 special.

Rally? Not Really

(images via: Daily KOS and UPI)

Oops, they did it again. Iran’s serial president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is wildly popular in his home country: 62 percent of the voters can’t be wrong, right? Such a political rock star should have no trouble whatsoever in leading huge rallies, yet there’s trouble in Persepolis… not enough warm bodies in the background. Call in the Revolutionary Photoshop Brigade!

(images via: Daily KOS and UPI)

Unfortunately the powers that be must have grabbed some Mystery Shoppers instead of the expert ’shoppers they were looking for. The result just adds further fuel to the fire that’s swiftly burning away any residual legitimacy in those who pull the strings, er, hold the reins of power in Tehran.

Ve Vill Photoshop You!

(images via: Vogue)

The Persians have no monopoly on photoshop disasters. Slipshod ’shopping is so common, in fact, that someone put up a website - called Photoshop Disasters, if you must ask. Take the prime example above: “As a Russian,” says Natalia Vodianova, “I love drama.” Not to mention comedy, it would seem.

Pictures Worth 1000 Words

(images via: Worth 1000)

Now back to the good stuff. Best known for its popular photoshop contests, Worth 1000 has been amazing and amusing appreciators of fine photo manipulation since 2002. The site, founded by Avi Muchnick and Israel Derdik, runs a number of discussion forums that offer both experienced ’shoppers and newbies a valuable resource for tips and techniques. Unlike some other, more freewheeling forums, those at Worth 1000 are actively moderated and filtered providing a high degree of troll control.

RGGUARKUP… Gesundheit

(images via: Abduzeedo)

Portuguese digital artist Roberto Gamito, who goes under the nom de ’shoppe “rgquarkup”, is a rising star on the photoshop scene. Gamito’s compositions evoke an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere that some may find romantic, others disturbing, and Goths a combination of both - in other words, perfection.

That’ll Be One Starbuck

(images via: Slashfilm)

How does one pay for a Vente Frappuccino at the cantina, anyway? With a Starbuck, of course! Mark Brooks whipped up this tasty bill, er, Darth, for the 2007 Star Wars Fan Days event. By the way, Mark, what do you think Lord Vader would do if he caught you counterfeiting Empire currency, hmm?

Hauser Goin’, Eh?

(images via: Damncoolpics)

Koen Hauser has racked up a significant body of work - with the emphasis on “body”. Hauser’s compositions resemble Motor Trend car cutaways, without the cars. What’s perhaps most odd is that his subjects look so calm and collected - while the rest of us are freaking out!

(images via: Damncoolpics)

Above are some other works by Hauser; no anatomical cutaways this time but certainly disturbing in their own right. Or wrong, as the case may be.

Tricks Of The Trade

(images via: Abduzeedo)

Wondering just how the masters of manipulation work their mojo? The above montage gives an inkling, care of Joan Charmant. A software engineer by day, Charmant twists reality by night: “I started photo montage in 2004, when I stumbled upon UFO pictures and wanted to see how hard it would have been to fake.” Not all that hard, if you’ve got the right software and an active imagination!

THE WEEK THAT WAS IN PICTURES

A Santa poses prior to abseiling down the front of Sydney's Four Season's Hotel to launch the Sydney Santa Fun Run. The children's charity Variety are hosting the event on November 29 for which they hope to encourage 5000 Sydney-siders to wear a Santa suit and raise funds for disadvantaged children.

Space Shuttle Discovery, sitting on the crawler transporter, rolls out to launch pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Discovery is scheduled to launch no earlier than August 25 on a mission to the International Space Station.

Freed US journalist Euna Lee (left) embraces her husband Michael Saldate (second right) and daughter Hana while fellow journalist Laura Ling (second left) embraces her husband Iain Clayton (right) after being released from North Korea, at the airport in Burbank, California

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin swims the butterfly during his vacation outside the town of Kyzyl in Southern Siberia.

Ronnie Renner breaks the world record height for a 1/4 pipe on a motorcycle at the Red Bull High Rise where he jumped 63'5' above the ground at Grant Park in Chicago.

7 August

2009

This image provided by

NASA of the rock

informally named by

scientists "Block Island"

was taken with the front

hazard-identification

camera on NASA's Mars

Exploration Rover

Opportunity...

Composition

measurements by

NASA's Mars

Exploration Rover

Opportunity

confirmed that this

rock on the

Martian

surface is an iron-

nickel meteorite.

With a width of

about two-thirds

of

a metre (two

feet),

it is the largest

meteorite yet

found

on Mars

7 August

2009

A polar bear and

seabirds

feed on a whale in this

picture taken at

Magdalena fjord,

Spitsbergen on board a

recent Voyages of

Discovery cruise

A woman swims with a

40-foot whale shark off

the South African coast

This cygnet joins up with

her five other siblings

for

a free ride on their

mum's back at Bicton

Park Botanical Gardens

in

Devon

A stoat that was stuck

the front grille of a BMW

Z4 for a 30-mile

journey.

A motorist spotted it in t

he road in Colsterworth,

Lincs. He feared he had

run it over but found it

the next day peeping

out

of the front grille of the

car

7 August

2009

Exiled Tibetan

spiritual leader the

Dalai Lama jokes

with his nasal

spray after being

asked his opinion

on swine flu

during

a press conference

on the sidelines of

a lecture at the

Malley ice stadium

near Lausanne

Here's the long

legs of the law. A

New York City

Police Officer

waves his baton

on

a pair of stilts at

the 9th Police

Precinct's National

Night Out Against

Crime street BBQ

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT GREEN ACRES

15 Eco-Friendly Cars: You Can Afford to Go Green Today

15 Eco-Friendly Cars: You Can Afford to Go Green Today

Many people believe that they simply cannot afford to go green. Not everyone lives in an area where they can walk to work, or even drive less, and most are under the impression that any car able to make a difference is just too expensive to consider. While it’s true that many eco-friendly practices can be difficult to implement, it’s not all glamor and glitz. These 15 green cars are all currently available, not one of them over the $17,000 range. If you’re one of the millions who are forced to commute day after day but can only afford half the nearly $30,000 price tag that comes with a hybrid, this is for you.

Break the Habit: 28-30 MPG

(images via thetorquereport, easyautosales, orbitcast)

Breaking into the super-efficient range can be easier and more fun than you’d think. Starting at under $14,000 for a base model, the Suzuki SX4 saves loads of fuel at 30 MPG while still letting you have plenty of fun in the process. The Kia Spectra ups the comfort zone a bit, with a slight increase in price, but maintains the 30 MPG bracket quite nicely while staying in the $15,000 price range. A little beefier in both its engine and pricetag, the Scion xB still makes the cut at 28 MPG and $17,000.

Making an Impact: 31-32 MPG

(images via japanesesportscars, automotive, zcars)

Here we really start seeing results. A bare-bones Nissan Versa can be nabbed for as low as $10,000 and gives an outstanding 31 MPG. A major upset in any mileage list, the Toyota Matrix brings a sporty aspect with its 32 MPG rating, at a reasonable cost of $16,000. The Mazda 3 comes in at around $15,000 and gives the feel of a more normalized sport-compact while also sporting a 32 MPG rating.

Beyond Reproach: 33-34 MPG

(images via cheryltay, theautochannel, autospectator, joealcokekia)

This range is where the new national requirements will be taking everyone in the near future. Chevy made the cut with its Aveo, at around $12,000 this 34 MPG car is a steal. Not to be outdone, Hyundai’s Accent can be found for as low as $10,000 and it rates at 33 MPG. Pontiac surprised everyone with the G3, which rates an impressive 34 MPG at under $15,000, while the Kia Rio can be a little cheaper than that with 33 MPG.

Stay Focused: 35 MPG

(images via motortrend, papundits, autonewscast, myride)

At 35 MPG, these cars are exceeding standards that aren’t yet in effect. The sporty Chevy Cobalt starts at under $15,000, with a small sedan available. The Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris are making waves for their versatility while occupying the $15,000 range with options. The real surprise in this bracket is the Ford Focus, which in its sedan form is considerably larger than the rest of its competitors and also has a healthy options line-up for a starting price of $15,000.

Hybrid? What Hybrid? 41 MPG

(image via iroel)

Perhaps best known for being the newest golden-child of the green-car revolution, the Smart ForTwo is the smallest car on the American market today. That doesn’t make it less roomy inside for its occupants, since it’s a coupe. This car was purpose-built to break the system. More akin to the cars that can be found on the streets of Mumbai than those of Los Angeles, the ForTwo is not only tiny but also stylish, and it can be bought for under $10,000. At 41 MPG, this car manages to attain what only hybrids have been able to boast to date, and it does it at literally a third of the price.

These cars all show that it’s not only possible to make changes for the green initiative, but that it’s affordable as well. Not everyone can afford the newest eco-tech, but they don’t necessarily have to. With concept cars remaining concepts until they’re forgotten, hybrids maintaining high costs, and electric cars making excruciatingly slow headway into the mainstream market, these cars can help make a difference right now.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT GREEN ACRES

Strange Fish: 12 Unique Freshwater Aquarium Species

A majority of the freshwater fish tanks currently sitting in living rooms and bedrooms around the world probably hold traditional aquarium staples: guppies, goldfish and tetras. And why not? Popular aquarium species became so because they are cheap, readily available and (relatively) easy to care for. But there are also plenty of unique and unusual aquarium residents. Some of these fall into the realm of strange animals, while others are simply extraordinarily colorful or seemingly out of place in a freshwater aquarium.

The World’s Most Expensive Fish

(image via lerdsuwa)

The Silver Arowana (sometimes spelled “arawana”) is unique because of its large scales, slender shape, large size and short fins. This South American river species has earned another distinction as well: A slight mutation caused one particular arowana to have a glowing white appearance. The price tag for this fish was said to run into the tens of thousands.

Ghost Shrimp

(images via The Shrimp Farm and fishlore.com)

This freshwater shrimp is often used as fodder for large aquarium fish. They have recently become more popular as a pet because they are easy to care for and breed. Many fish-keepers find their transparent appearance quite unique and appealing. Providing there are no predatory fish in the tank, these invertebrates will survive and thrive.

Lungfish and Gars

(images via fishindex, Karl Shuker, giveusahome, and fish link worldwide)

Lungfish are thought to be related to early amphibian species. Unlike most fish, they actually have lungs, allowing them to breath air. These fish are hardy, if not comely. They can survive in tanks with little or no aeration.

Gars do not have lungs, but have an incredibly thin, long body shape. They are more difficult to keep than lungfish, but their quick movements and unique predatory behaviors make them attractive to more experience hobbyists.

Cichlids

(images via lee nachtigal and trebz)

You will be able to find some species of cichlids in a pet store. Some, like tilapia, can be found at a grocery store. Many of these fish have impressive colors and sleek shapes, traits that are usually reserved for saltwater fish. Most species are only found in Africa’s Great Lakes (Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika).

Oscars

(image via aqua-fish.net)

This particular cichlid has earned a special place in the world of fish-keeping. If they are kept in a large enough tank, they can grow to an impressive size. Their mannerisms are not unlike those of a puppy: eating food from their keeper’s hand and responding to people on the other side of the aquarium glass. Many fish-keepers claim that an oscar can recognize when the person who feeds them is near the tank.

Freshwater Rays and Channa Snakeheads

(images via uncle mike’s pet world and practical fishkeeping)

Freshwater rays are unique, if only because popular lore is dominated by their saltwater kin. The freshwater variety can be quite large, requiring fish-keepers with larger than normal tanks and special know-how.

Channa (more commonly known as snakeheads) are a predatory fish with a unique shape. Though they are prized in the aquarium trade, some consider them an invasive species. Some were released from aquariums and have shown up in North American streams and lakes. There is fear that they may disrupt the eco-system.

Pleco

(images via fish index)

These common algae eaters are known for their unique, suction-cup-shaped mouth. Aquarium experts will recommend them to any fish-keeper with an algae problem in their tank. The way they attach themselves to glass and rock never ceases to amaze.

Freshwater Eel and Freshwater Lionfish

(images via austmus.gov.au, siamfishing, thatfishplace, petsolutions)

Freshwater eels are another species that seems out of place in a tropical tank. Some of these species are small and snake-like, while others, like the freshwater moray, seem to have come straight from the coral reef.

Freshwater lionfish (slao called stonefish) are predatory fish that resemble their saltwater cousins in habit as well as appearance. They use their unique physical traits as camouflage, sitting motionless, like a rock, until feeder fish (or misplaced tank-mates) swim close enough to eat.

Ranchu Goldfish

(image via lerdsuwa)

Goldfish have been bred to create uniquely shaped fish for years. You may find bug-eyed, bubble-cheeked, long finned varieties out there, there are some, like the Ranchu, that are even more unusual. This partiular breed is prized, though it seems to be lacking…a face (its eyes and mouth are obscured by the tissue that surrounds its head).

THE WEEK THAT WAS IN PICTURES

Ronnie Renner breaks the world record height for a 1/4 pipe on a motorcycle at the Red Bull High Rise where he jumped 63'5' above the ground at Grant Park in Chicago.

Six people died after rocks fell on a bridge in China's earthquake zone. A truck hangs over the heavily damaged Chediguan Bridge near the epicenter of last year's May 12th earthquake in Wenchuan County in southwest China. The bridge is part of the No. 213 national highway, a major traffic line linking Wenchuan County to other areas. Rescue workers recovered two bodies in the debris of the collapsed bridge, raising the death toll to six

Wood carver Raik Zenger works on his piece with a chain-saw in the eastern German town of Tornau during the 10th International Wood Sculpture competition

The ensemble of 120 Alphorn blowers performs during the final day of the 6th International Alphorn contest, on the mountain pasture of Tracouet above Nendaz, southern Swiss Alps. The wind instrument, part of Swiss folklore is made of wood, has a cup-shaped mouthpiece, and was used by mountain dwellers in Switzerland

A car carved out of a melon is diplayed at the 6th Annual Watermelon Festival in Prague, Czech Republic.

A baby macaw rubrogeny (ara rubrogeny) stands on a scale at the Jurques zoo, near Caen, western France. Approximately 1000 macaw rubrogenys are left in the wild today

Graham McKean's portrait of Michael Jackson which is expected to fetch up to £10,000 when it goes under the hammer at McTears acution house in Glasgow on August 18

31 July 2009

Under a grey sky, a young boy climbs on the statue of comedian Eric Morecambe in Morecambe, Lancashire. Many seaside resorts are experiencing a downturn due to the inclement weather

31 July 2009

A diver secures ropes around the carcass of a whale lodged at the bow of a Princess Cruise Lines ship in Vancouver, Canda...

31 July 2009

...The whale was discovered after the ship docked in Vancouver after travelling from Alaska

31 July 2009

Handerpants - underpants for hands. They promise finger support, and are touted as a "solution to a problem you didn't know you had." Manufacturers Archie McPhee say: "Once in a generation a product comes along that redefines how the world works"

31 July 2009

A pedal-powered monorail called the Schweeb. Right now the Schweeb is just an amusement park ride at the Agroventures Adventure Park in Rotorua, New Zealand - but designers want to turn it into a reality in busy cities

31 July 2009

A massive, anvil-shaped cloud is seen in this picture taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station as it travelled above western Africa near Senegal

31 July 2009

Militia practise a motorcycle stunt during a training for a military drill in Taiyuan, Shanxi province. The drill will be held on August 1, to mark the 82nd anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army

31 July 2009

Ferrari's Brazilian driver Felipe Massa is carried from his car after crashing during the qualifying session of the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix. A spring tore apart his helmet

31 July 2009

Milk is poured on a cobra as an offering during the annual Hindu Nag Panchami festival, dedicated to the worship of snakes, in Allahabad, India

31 July 2009

A US Chinook helicopter carries a M777 A2 howitzer as it lands at a base on the outskirts of Spin Boldak, southeast of Kabul, Afghanistan