Some15-storey-high fountain through 45 minutes

In Melbourne, residents near Knights Drive scrambled to save their homes from flooding yesterday after a burst water pipe sent water shooting up to 50 metres in the sky.
















Water was flowing into homes, and residents were being urged to move their cars from the Drive, where a metre of water was flowing down the street.

At least one house has been significantly damaged, with water flooding into its lounge room and the garage roof collapsing.

The water was shut off after about 45 minutes. The “fountain” vanished and the "curtain" dropped.

A Sweet Gymnast in London Olympics 2012

In Rhythmic Gymnastics, the women gymnasts always wear very attractive costumes and are highly made up by cosmetics.

Here is a Korean beautiful gymnast called San Yeon Jae competing in the Individual All-round Rhythmic Gymnastics, London Olympics, 2012. She swung the red ribbon round or up and down as she performed gymnastics, following the rhythms of the music she chose.

The performance involved much of the beauty of a girl and her costume, the ever-changing movements of arms, legs and body, the flying of the ribbon with the light music behind.

 Finally this young girl of eighteen ranked fifth in the competition. It was not bad at all.

納斯卡線

今次我利用維基百科全書資料及以下的圖片去研究一下有趣的納斯卡線: (左上角之四幅照片是現場空中拍攝的實景。

納斯卡線（Nazca Lines）是位於納斯卡沙漠上的巨大地面圖形。納斯卡沙漠是一座高度乾燥延伸53英里（多於80公里）的高原，在秘魯的納斯卡鎮與帕爾帕市之間。在1939年由美國考古學家保羅•柯索發現。雖然有些地方的人體石刻是以帕拉卡作為主題，但是學者認為納斯卡線是納斯卡文明於400年至650年所創造。有數以百計的個別圖形，出自簡單的線條，以複雜排列構成魚類、螺旋形、藻類、兀鷲、蜘蛛、花、鬣蜥、鷺、手、樹木、蜂鳥、猴子和蜥蜴。

除了從天空以外，納斯卡線條無法被認定成一致的圖形。自假設納斯卡人未能從這個有利位置看見他們的作品以來，已經有許多關於建造者能力和行動方式的推測，推估這些圖案可能在安地斯山的祈雨儀式中，扮演重要的角色。

納斯卡線的製作方法，依據未完成的遺址推測，首先，圖形是以大石頭來標示，並移除深色石塊的表層來界定邊界；接著，移除圖形內部的石頭，並匯集成堆；最後，這些石頭沿著邊界擺放，使圖形的邊緣較為突出。

至於螺旋形圖案的形成，依照考古學家的推測，首先，在圓心的木桿上，纏繞一根繩子，繩子另一端綁上一個棍子，以此方式設計圓形圖案；接著，繩子逐漸向外伸展，設計出愈來愈大的螺旋形圖案；最後，清除每圈螺旋邊緣的石塊，露出顏色較淺的地面，以使螺旋圖案更明顯。

奇妙的花環

今晨往食早餐途中，驟見花圃上的美艷棘杜鵑花自然地編織成圓形的花環在微風下向外飄搖。它們奇妙的造型特別搶鏡，立即將附近的植物比了下去。

我渴望天天都能夠見到這些的棘杜鵑花在爭奇鬥艷！

黃色小花

這兩朶小花吸引我不是它們的黃色，而是它們的花瓣數目不一。

大家不妨留意一下，其中一朶是四片花瓣，而另一朶則五片。究竟這種花的花瓣應該是四片，還是五片才是正常呢？我是不知道答案的，請諸君們為我解答一下。

再傳捷報

香港單車選手李慧詩(2012奧運銅牌得主)成功在2012年10月13日在場地單車世界盃哥倫比亞站中先後擊敗兩名英國車手、歐洲冠軍華莉舒和占姆絲，贏得爭先賽冠軍。

場地單車爭先賽是以一對一形式進行，李慧詩在資格賽以次名晉級十六強後，先後贏了委內瑞拉、日本和英國選手晉級決賽，對另一位英國奧運代表詹姆絲。決賽同樣是三場兩勝制。李慧詩和詹姆絲各勝一場。決賽一場，李慧詩採取終點前直路超越戰術成功，首次奪得世界杯這個項目的金牌。

我們這位單車選手的拼博精神是值得大家學習的。

On Sepulveda Blvd

Endeavour started its way on October 13, 2012, not to the sky, but to California Science Centre. All the obstacles on its route had to be removed, overhanging traffic lights, trees and lamp-posts. Crowds of citizens at Los Angeles watched this 37-metre-long giant space shuttle, as heavy as 80 tons, carried slowly and cautiously by heavy cushion trucks along the roads, wide enough for it to go through.

Space shuttles like Endeavour are clever inventions which carried astronauts and equipments to and from space. Tragically, two space shuttles, Challenger and Columbus were lost in accidents (the former in explosion soon after lifted off and the latter disintegrated during re-entry to Earth), otherwise space shuttles are perfect flying tools.

Thanks to Peter Ng who provides us a link to an interesting video to see how Endeavour was carried through the streets of Los Angeles to a specially-made storehouse at California Science Centre. 

Two works of Art

These are the art-works done by Elly and Abby.

The left-hand picture was painted by Elly, aged three, with a brush and water colours. She says that it is a park. Where is it? Well, it must be in her mind.

The right-hand painting was done by Abby, aged six also with a brush and water colours. Abby now uses lighter colours. In the past, she used very dark colours such as blue, brown, black or deep purple.

These pictures are unique and they carry some free images of children that some of us may not image.

大馨吉石林

大馨吉石林(Grand Tsingy)是全球面積最大的石林，位於非洲東部島國馬達加斯加(Madagascar)。由於是石炭岩地質，石林在經過長年累月的雨水侵蝕後，頂部呈現出鋒利的尖刀狀。人們在這裏走動是非常困難的，每每要用繩索攀爬才可到達目的地。
 
在這無法住人的險惡之地，生活著11種狐猴，超過100種鳥類及45種爬行動物；其餘的動物有小型肉食靈貓、貓鼬以及一些品種的蝙蝠。

這裏照片中的白色狐猴們會在鋒利的石尖上跳來跳去，就像雜技演員一樣。 狐猴早已適應了這裏的生活；牠們白天的時候前往石林裏一些小型森林去覓食， 夜間，牠們就棲息在石尖頂部。

Photo of the Year

Recently, I am awarded “the words of praise” from my son-in-law saying that this photo is my best photo of the year 2012.

The photo was taken on September 29. At that moment, Elly was walking on a raised ramp, pretending she was a gymnast and smiling with great satisfaction.

After taking a quick shot at her, I marvelled at the finished photo because it seemed to me that bright light was sending out from this little girl of three with the strong contrast of dark-coloured walls, ceiling and floor. The photo had created a perspective feeling that Elly was coming out from a tunnel and I considered the lighting was very good and Elly's smiles were rich.

If I give a title to this photo, I would say, “Elly glittering with smiles and light”.

碰碰運氣

在今年國慶日晚上，我們幾家人有幸可以上到坐落西九的「凱旋門」空中花園去觀賞煙花。從六十三層樓那裡向中環方面望，能見度不錯，一路視野無阻，不過距離發放煙花的躉船足足有兩至三公里。

我手上的相機只是一部便宜的小型傻瓜機，因拍攝速度有限，在黑夜捕捉煙花美景實在難上加難。當我在機背屏幕上見到燦爛煙花時去按快門制，應該是太遲了。要拍攝幾張像樣的煙花照片簡直是盲目中不斷按快門，碰碰運氣而已。

以上是我將僥倖拍攝到的煙花照片給大家看一看今年的國慶煙花，也許算是最近交的一次功課吧！