Solid Planet: 2012

Early frontrunners for Miss Universe 2012 title

89 of the world’s most gorgeous women – Singapore’s Lynn Tan included -- are right now busy attending photo shoots, etiquette courses and sponsors’ obligations ahead of the big night.

But already some early frontrunners have emerged from the competition.

Missology, a community forum that analyses beauty pageants, have called out South Africa’s Melinda Bam, Venezuela’s Irene Esser, Ecuador’s Carolina Aguirre, Philippines’s Janine Tugunon and Malaysia’s Kimberly Leggett among the frontrunners.

Miss Universe Ecuador 2012, Carolina Andrea Aguirre Pérez

Miss Universe Poland 2012, Marcelina Zawadzka

Miss Universe Venezuela 2012, Irene Sofiá Esser Quintero

Miss Universe Australia 2012, Renae Ayris

Miss Universe Colombia 2012, Daniella Álvarez Vasquez

Miss Universe South Africa 2012, Melinda Bam

Miss Universe Philippines 2012, Janine Tugonon

Miss Universe Croatia 2012, Elizabeta Burg

Miss Universe Malaysia 2012, Kimberley Leggett

Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2012, Bodine Koehler

Via yahoo.com

Enormous Daddy Long-Legs Overtake the Seattle Center Armory

Seattle artist and science illustrator Marlin Peterson was recently commissioned by the Washington State Artist Trust to paint a mural somewhere in the city. After searching unsuccessfully for a suitably large wall, Peterson got the idea to look for a large roof, and where would a painting on a roof be more visiable than right underneath the Seattle Space Needle. An agreement was reached with the Seattle Center Armory (formerly the Center House) and he quickly began work on two daddy long-leg spiders using a technique called trompe l’oeil that creates the illusion when seen from above that giganto arachnids are actually overtaking the building.

VIA thisiscolossal.com

The Red Sea in Australia

SYDNEY'S iconic Bondi Beach has been forced to close after red algae turned the waters the colour of BLOOD.

Authorities have warned swimmers at the Australian tourist attraction following the freak natural event.

Contact with the ammonia-filled algae could cause skin and eye irritation and tests are being conducted to establish if there are any other dangers.

Local lifeguard Bruce Hopkins said: "It has got quite a fishy smell to it.

"It can irritate some people's skin but generally not much more than that."

Irene Eristian, 33, said: "I wasn't sure if I should let my daughter into the water as I wasn't sure what it was."

But not everyone has obeyed the notice, with several swimmers taking a dip at Bondi Beach, and also-affected Clovelly Beach.

A spokesman for the New South Wales Office of Water said that the algae - known as sea sparkle - may have been caused by an upswell of nutrient-rich water.

And the local council warned: "There are some possible risks to human health including skin rashes and eye irritation and for this reason the beach will remain closed until the algae dissipates."

VIA

Fashion Photography by Alexi Lubomirski

Born in England to a Peruvian mother and a Polish father, moved to Boswana at the age of 8, Alexi (left) started shooting at the age of 11 after his step dad offered him a camera.

While studying at UK Brighton University, Lubomirski as been introduced to Mario Testino whom he assisted and traveled the world with for 4 years…

Hardly finding time to produce his very own test shoots, he had the luck to directly placed one of them into The Face – Since then Katie Grand introduced him the Harper’s and he has been shooting fashion stories, covers and celebrities.

Fashion Photography by Joon Brandt

Joon was born in 1975 in Halden, a southern town in Norway. He graduated in 1998 from the School of Media and Film in ITC. After graduation he started working at Media Design, doing visual effects work for TV and film.

Moving to the buzzing new film city of Fredrikstad he did freelance VFX work for Zwart Arbeid while at the same time building his own reputation as a director and photographer.

Montréal’s Notre-Dame Basilica

Montréal’s Notre Dame Basilica in Quebec, Canada, is one of the most stunning examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the world. Built in 1823, this beautiful Roman Catholic church is a popular tourist stop for its amazing architecture, dramatic interior, and enthralling choral and organ performances. Notre Dame Basilica is a National Historic Site of Canada and a Montréal landmark. The church was also the wedding site of Celine Dion, a singer famous for her chart-topping hit “My Heart Will Go On” from the Titanic soundtrack.