Best Photos of the Week - 30 January 2011

Let there be no doubt, I have a bit of a thing for photographs. Not enough to get a camera and go out and take any but... well, I like to pace myself. In the absence of any work of my own, then, here is another array of remarkable pictures from the week just passed.

THONGS

Photo: Tracey Nearmy
Thousands of people flocked to Bondi Beach on Australia Day to take part in something called 'The Giant Thong Challenge': Essentially walking around all day with an inflatable plastic thong emblazoned with advertising slogans. The US celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Fance the storming of the Bastille... and we celebrate Giant Thong Day. It's a rich cultural history we have in this country, there can be no question.

TEXT

Photo: K.M.Chaudry
12 people were killed when twin suicide bombers targeted Lahore and Karachi in Pakistan. A 12 year old boy lies injured in the street, in the immediate aftermath of the Karachi attack... and it looks as though he's texting someone about what's happened. But that can't be right... surely?

POULTRY

Photo: Jeff Mitchell
Karmel Kwipprath and Donald Bruce prepare to show their entry into the '2011 Scottish National Poultry Show.' Am I alone in wishing we could hear them talk too?

WHALE

Photo: Paolo Lazzeroni
An 82 foot long whale fatally beaches itself on the beach at San Rossore, near Pisa, Italy.

CAVE

Photo: Mark Metcalfe
Veteran punk/rock/alt/style icon Nick Cave shows off his chops and his natty socks, headlining the 'Big Day Out' in Sydney.

COMMUTERS

Photo: Pavel Rahman
A tricky one for anybody who suffers at the hands of Melbourne's utterly hopeless public transport system. Yes, these commuters in Bangladesh (returning from a three day Muslim festival at Tongi) are sitting on the roof and we should all be thankful for the fine service that 'Metro' provides to us... on the other hand, these roof travellers have got mobile vendors (seen hopping from roof to roof) selling them drinks and snacks. When was the last time we got that on the 8.31 to Epping?

BARACK

Photo: Tim Sloan
President Barack Obama delivering the annual 'State of the Union' speech to the US Congress on January 25. In keeping with his recent strategy (ignoring his opponents and staying upbeat), Barack kept his hour long address optimistic, highlighting America's ability as an innovator and world leader in technology and new industry creation... and so was roundly criticised on all sides for doing this. Doesn't he understand that he's just meant to get up and yell about how America's enemies are out to destroy her?

TIGER

Photo: Stringer
A five month old tiger cub at Jiufeng Zoo, Wuhan, China is gifted a rabbit to practice it's hunting skills on. The rabbit seems oddly serene about what is about to happen to it, either because it has a Bugs Bunny style scheme to trick the tiger and save it's skin, or it's doing what the rest of us do when we see a tiger cub: 'Awww... cute!'

MALLOWPUFFS...

Photo: Brian Snyder
... before they get coated with chocolate and on a giant scale. Or, slightly less excitingly, outdoor table settings at a restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts after heavy snowfall.

JOKER

Photo: Suzanne Plunkett
Initially I thought this was just one of my friends, the one who really REALLY liked 'The Dark Knight' (and you know who you are. 5 out of 5 indeed!). But it actually turns out to be actors in London, waiting in line to audition for a 'Batman Live' stage show (and I know which of my friends will be first in line if this ever comes out here).