Random Photos

[jtbell]

At a model-train show yesterday I saw a nontraditional layout built with Lego bricks.

Are there any real triple-decker buses out there anywhere?

Play this video through to the end... I got photobombed!

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Are there any real triple-decker buses out there anywhere?

View attachment 367313

The triple-decker bus is the "Knight Bus" from the Harry Potter movies; there is one which can be viewed at the Warner Bros Studio Harry Potter tour, where we took our children some years ago:
https://beingkinetic.com/2024/06/29/harry-potter-behind-the-scenes-the-knight-bus/
It doesn't look as if the inside would actually work.

 

[nsaspook]

 

[pinball1970]

That time of year. View from the office C.O. Katie B

 

[jack action]

Are there any real triple-decker buses out there anywhere?

The idea of triple-decker buses has long been a popular theme in photo fakery, but in real life such monsters would face serious instability problems, and be at risk of hitting trees and bridges. But that's not to say that there have never been real-life triple deckers. There have been. Just not many.

The first real triple-decker bus went into service in 1932, shuttling up to 88 passengers at a time between Rome and Tivoli. But as the picture of it below shows (from Popular Mechanics, 1932), the third level was only a small section at the rear of the bus.

 

[Borg]

That time of year. View from the office

View attachment 367343

That looks like the arrival of the ship in Independence Day.

 

[DennisN]

The first photograph of a human being (Open Culture)
https://www.openculture.com/2025/11/the-first-photograph-of-a-human-being-1838.html

You’ve likely heard the reason people never smile in very old photographs. Early photography could be an excruciatingly slow process. With exposure times of up to 15 minutes, portrait subjects found it impossible to hold a grin, which could easily slip into a pained grimace and ruin the picture.

The first selfie in history
https://www.openculture.com/2024/08...cornelius-a-philadelphia-chemist-in-1839.html

As the Public Domain Review notes, the first recorded instance of the selfie harkens back to what may have been the first photographic portrait. In 1839, a young Philadelphia chemist named Robert Cornelius stepped out of his family’s store and took a photograph of himself...

 

[collinsmark]

The first photograph of a human being (Open Culture)
https://www.openculture.com/2025/11/the-first-photograph-of-a-human-being-1838.html



View attachment 367436

The first selfie in history
https://www.openculture.com/2024/08...cornelius-a-philadelphia-chemist-in-1839.html



View attachment 367437

I love photography and have for years. But I admit that the first time I learned about Robert Cornelius and deguarreotype portraits was actually from playing a video game. The video game is "Life is Strange."

 

[DennisN]

A few more...

Two autumn trees...

 

[sbrothy]

Just used the word casually in another thread. Making sure I used the term correctly I looked it up on wiki and found this wonderful picture:

---- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealioning

 

[Ibix]

Just used the word casually in another thread. Making sure I used the term correctly I looked it up on wiki and found this wonderful picture:

View attachment 367634

---- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealioning

Do you have evidence that's a sealion?

 

[BillTre]

I'm no expert, but sea lions are huge.
That might be a seal (no external ears).

 

[sbrothy]

I'm no expert, but sea lions are huge.
That might be a seal (no external ears).

Actually I think you're right. Sealions are pretty fierce predators aren't they? They wouldn't be tamed as easily. I've seen them play with their prey on BBC - ripping the breasts off penguins (only thing containing any fat).

 

[Ibix]

I'm no expert, but sea lions are huge.
That might be a seal (no external ears).

Yeah - Wikipedia says they're 6-8 feet long, and I don't think that one's that big unless the guy is Andre the Giant. It's a nice meme about sealioning, but it's not scientifically accurate! (I think.)

 

[sbrothy]

It's the language barrier doing a trick on me. Translating it to Danish the error is pretty obvious.

EDIT: Anway, it's a random picture so it qualifies!

 

[fresh_42]

Your friendly AI says

The image is a meme featuring a sea lion and a textual overlay that reads, "itical views. Do you evidence to back your opinions?". The text is likely a cropped version of a larger message about political discourse.

Seals aren't all black as far as I know.

 

[sbrothy]

Just goes to show what AI "knows".

EDIT: The powers that be are right to keep AI out of the STEM forums.

 

[fresh_42]

Just goes to show what AI "knows".

EDIT: The powers that be are right to keep AI out of the STEM forums.

But it is right, AI or not. This comes pretty close:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuseeländischer_Seelöwe

 

[sbrothy]

But it is right, AI or not. This comes pretty close:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuseeländischer_Seelöwe

Well, I'll be... OK. Hard to trust anything then.

 

[Ibix]

But it is right, AI or not. This comes pretty close:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuseeländischer_Seelöwe

Except that's supposed to be about 2.5m long, and the one in the photo is only 2.5m long on its online dating profile. Could be a juvenile, I suppose.

 

[sbrothy]

Except that's supposed to be about 2.5m long, and the one in the photo is only 2.5m long on its online dating profile. Could be a juvenile, I suppose.

See, this is exactly why I want a trophy for geekiness instated. Where does this discussion end and who's sealioning who?

EDIT: "whom"? Yeah I think so. Unless there are special rules for plural forms.

 

[Ibix]

See, this is exactly why I want a trophy for geekiness instated. Where does this discussion end and who's sealioning who?

In theory, it ends with a pinniped expert telling us. In practice, I need to leave the pub where I'm killing time in ten minutes.

 

[sbrothy]

Pinniped. Points for not having to look that up. I almost suspect @BillTre qualifies....

 

[fresh_42]

Could be a juvenile, I suppose.

Could there be another reason he tries to engage in this pointless discussion?

 

[sbrothy]

Could there be another reason he tries to engage in this pointless discussion?

I kinda felt that mentally.

 

[renormalize]

Do you have evidence that's a sealion?

Why not? "Sealion" could just be a regular seal with a charge on it.

 

[Ibix]

Why not? "Sealion" could just be a regular seal with a charge on it.

And sealioning is a negative behaviour - you may be on to something!

 

[gmax137]

I worked in an office where we called the boss "the pinniped" -- behind his back. I never really knew why.

 

[collinsmark]

I'm no expert, but sea lions are huge.
That might be a seal (no external ears).

It's a sea lion. Its ear flaps are small, very small (like [pretty much] all sea lions), but present.

https://becausetees.com/blogs/articles/sea-lions-vs-seals-what-are-the-differences-because-tees

Actually I think you're right. Sealions are pretty fierce predators aren't they? They wouldn't be tamed as easily. I've seen them play with their prey on BBC - ripping the breasts off penguins (only thing containing any fat).

It's always a good idea to keep a good distance between yourself and the sea lion (or seal for that matter), but that's primarily done out of respect for the animal. They need their space, and humans in close proximity will stress them out. Don't go up and try to pet them. They may become aggressive. Just observe from a respectful distance.

But generally speaking, if you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you, and everybody gets along just fine.

Seals aren't all black as far as I know.

They can be, and sometimes are, all black.

Why not? "Sealion" could just be a regular seal with a charge on it.

Yes, the charge of the ionization creates an electrostatic force causing the ear flaps to pop out. (Kidding. I'm kidding!) Seriously though, that was pretty good.

------------

Here in San Diego, on various beaches, we have lots of both sea lions and seals that call it their home. If you take walk on the beach in the La Jolla Cove area, there's a good chance to find groups of seals and other groups of sea lions all in a single stroll. They present a good opportunity for photographs if you have a telephoto lens. (Again, keep a respectable distance.)

 

[BillTre]

But generally speaking, if you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you, and everybody gets along just fine.

Once I was snorkeling in a kelp forest off of one of the Catalina islands off of California.
The water was deep and cloudy and the bottom could not bee seen.
All of a sudden a large (non-seal) pinniped shot up from the bottom to get some air. It was about 5 or 6 feet across as it hug out at the surface for about 1/2 a minute. Then it flipped over and disappeared into the depths.
It came up very fast. If it came up under me, I would have shot several feet out of the water.