Picture #33 - I dont understand why he's using a flare gun.

These pictures are all eye-opening and incredible. It is extremely sad to see all of the violence and destruction happening in the world today. I really hope our world will improve some day.

They're awesome, can't wait to see the other 2 parts.

Thanks

One of the best collections so far.

1 word, wow!

looking forward to part 2

All these pictures are amazing. I am really waiting for part 2 and 3 now.

looking forward to day #2 and #3

Unbelievable collection. I can't wait to see parts 2 and 3...

#40
Wow!
Amazing Photos Thx!!!

@#1: With a flare gun, the firefighter can start a back fire from a distance, which is an important tool in robbing a quick moving brush fire of fuel. Everything is so dry here, they don't dare use something that would put them in the path of the fire. When the winds are blowing, a firefighter could find themselves in the middle of a firestorm in a heartbeat.

picture 28 is sad...

This is my most favorite website of the year. I visit it daily. Thank you so much for your hard work.

IMPRESSIVE

Just amazing...

George Bush should be forced to keep that Sadr City photo on his nightstand.

People need to see those upsetting and graphic photos like #31 and #38. These are the realities of armed conflict. It's easy to gloss over these realities while sitting in our armchairs watching sanitized versions of the truth that the powers that be allow us to watch.
It's easy to forget about a number. Not so easy when you see a body now lifeless that was as alive as you or me.

My life is more colorful with The Big Picture. Thank you for this

Thank you for including the violence against Palestine, a story some say didn't get much press attention in 2008. In the US we tend to portray Israel vs Palestine as a 2-sided struggle, and I think your photos are a bit guilty of this tendency. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza, inflicted by Israel to try to break the will of the people, is a major story of oppression by the strong against the weak - not of an equal battle between two peoples. A few Arab rockets cannot compare to what Israel is perpetrating with the help of boatloads of US money. Common Dreams has a good article up right now by Chris Hedges. Perhaps a comparison of the siege of Gaza to the Warsaw Ghetto will make it into Parts 2 or 3.

crying. it hurts to watch.
thank you

Great pics, suppose #5 bought a lottery ticket when he got home?

michael, he's trying to light a backfire on the hill.

I've been a big fan of The Big Picture, and as always you've picked great shots. I check it out every time you have new updates, it's inspiring.

I was wondering about #7 though, the man looks as if he's been masked in place using Photoshop. There's a chance that's oversharpening the man to bring him from the background, but it looks more like he was masked in. It's a Reuters shot (which never had a good reputation when I was doing newspaper pre-press), so you never know.
Thanks for posting the Blog though, great stuff!

it makes me heart sick to see so many unhappy people

realmente increible las imagenes, felicitaciones a los fotografos

Still amazing...

Don't forget the Facebook fan page.

@Russell Dickerson - I always welcome any scrutiny of the photos on here, and if anything was ever seen to be manipulated - I'd yank it and put up a disclosure in a heartbeat. that said, I do not think #7 has been manipulated - see a larger detail from the original photo here. The halo effect appears to come from backlighting by floodlights, not any sort of masking. Look at the edges of his arms and uniform lower in the detail - anything fuzzy or hairy picks up the halo. Also, just a gut-sense, what could be gained by the photographer manipulating this particular image? It was a very public event, there are many other photos of him at this place and this time.

Thanks for keeping a close eye on things - I expect nothing less from you all.

These are stunning photos - thank you for putting this collection together!

#28 (the one with the Kenyan boy and the policeman) really struck me - the fear on his face just pulls at my heart...

It's easy enough on news shots to oversharpen too, and combined with the backlighting I can definitely see that. Thanks, and keep up the great work!

Amazing, incredible pictures! Sometimes I wish they were even bigger so I could use them as wallpapers on my 1280x800 screen. I don't know how you do it. Every post is fantastic. Point of correction: in #4's caption, the word "Haiti" should be capitalized. And #6 should probably require a click to see, as it contains a dead body that many could find objectionable (despite it not being graphic in content).

The best Blog/website of the year. i'm waiting for #2 & 3

#23 Maasai warriors cover a battle field as they clash with bows and arrows:

People still fight like that!?

why do these "year end picture collections" always only include the awful things that are happening in the world? i know we need to be aware of whats going on in the world, but for every picture of something awful happening there is many pictures of something beautiful. don't forget that this world can be beautiful people, don't let the fear based attitude of a large majority of humans make you give up, your belief in beauty if what keeps it in the world.

#4, Maybe the marine will remember to wear his helmet next time ;-)

Beautiful photographs, but, at least as of now, I find political bias.

The photos include presumed innocents injured in an Israeli strike and a picture of Israeli security shooting tear gas at demonstrators. No photo is included of the rocket strikes on Israel, of those injured by suicide bombers who aim to kill Israeli children, etc.

Furthermore, a picture is included of innocents injured in a US strike in Iraq (and of a US serviceman ducking well-aimed insurgent fire), but no picture is included to show the numerous atrocities committed against the people of Iraq by the insurgents, such as the bombings of public markets. Surely poignant pictures were taken there too?

Afghan refugees are seen in squalid conditions - but no picture of the atrocities committed by the Taliban are shown.

If one sees these pictures, one might be wrongly lead to think that the US and Israel were prosecuting innocents for no reason.

The only picture that show damage done by terrorists is a sterile shot showing the destruction of a western building in Islamabad. It makes an interesting comparison.

I hope that future installments will be better balanced.

Not sure but i think its because the fire would have gone in that direction anyway and possibly carried on down the hill, but by burning the bit in frount while the winds taking it towards the fire both will eventully meet and stop

thats just a guess though

Great work this year. Congrats and keep going. ;)

That's exactly why is should appreciate what we have.. i cry... it really hurts.//

all great images; #28 really stood out to me tho. i'll be waiting for parts 2 and 3!

THERE IS SO MUCH THAT GOES ON IN THIS WORLD THAT WE AS HUMANS YOU WOULD NEVER THINK WE WOULD SURVIIVE! THESE PHOTOS REALLY PUTS LIFE IN SUCH A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE WHEN YOU SEE HOW PEOPLE LIVE IN OTHER PARTS OF THIS WORLD, AND HOW CHILDREN ARE EXPERIENCING SUCH HARDSHIPS THAT THERE LITTLE MINDS CANNOT EVEN GRASP!! GOD BLESS THEM ALL!!

@Les

What's surprising about terrorists doing terrible things? Some of those images you point out are shocking and revealing precisely because they show that a lot of the destruction and pain in the world are caused by those whom many of us might have not suspected: ourselves. Is there political bias? Of course there is; find one site, find one *person* who is not politically biased. Aren't you?

lots of tragedy... at least i managed to buy a new TV.

but but but

so much destruction?
i am not naive..
i do know our world is full of it!
but im sure there is more joyous snapshots that would be able to be included!?

Look at picture 26 and see what the real picture of what is happening there

Picture #33 A firefighter uses a flare gun to set a backfire:

A fire started in the path of an oncoming fire in order to deprive it of fuel and thereby control or extinguish it.

Regarding Karen E's post on photo #22: I think there is more to it than Jews vs. Palestinians. "Palestinian AND Israeli peace activists during a protest agaisnt the construction of Israel's controversial security barrier in the West Bank" implies not only Palestinian objection to the barrier, but also Israeli objection which indicates political and moral as well as economic issues within the Jewish community. Don't forget that the disputed territories have both Palestinian and Jewish residents who oppose the barrier. This is a much larger problem than simply Israel reclaiming its territory.

-- THIS IS THE BEST BLOG OF THE YEAR BY FAR --

moved me to tears...

I'd like to throw in my comment on the Israeli/terrorist discussion here. I should point out my bias - I'm Israeli

Criticism for terrible actions done by supposedly "good" countries is very important. No military action by government should ever go unchecked or without criticism, which is why I think the images shown here are important.

However, perspective and context should also be remembered. It is an unfortunate fact of reality, that when bad actions are attempted at you, you must respond, and many times, the only proper response will be a bad action as well. This is a fact of reality, there is no fighting it.

I believe Israel's actions, has been in general, justifiable and right actions, and out of self defense. I believe Israel shows great restraint, considering the situation it is frequently in. Consider what any existing democratic country would do today if it was constantly attacked by foreign terrorists. Every time you see an image of what you think is a wrong action done by Israel, think hard on what would be the right action, and imagine yourself in the same situation.

This is my opinion. I am unfortunately rather lacking in knowledge on details.

Correction: Re #26

The journalist was killed by a tank shell which sprayed darts in the area, not a missile:

http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=80475&videoChannel=1

Anonymous at #45

This is a bit pedant, but please be more careful and use "Israeli" when referring to citizens of Israel, and not "Jews" or "Jewish community". The 2 are not equal in meaning...
As surprising as it may seem, I see Israel as mostly a secular country, and I think on average it is even more secular than the United States!

Amazing collection of shots, alternately shocking and beautiful. What a crazy world.

About #22, the figure in the centre, sitting calmly with his back to the camera looks a lot like well-known photojournalist James Nachtwey.

This blog is just... beyond words. Never ceases to amaze and move me.

Fantastic! As always ..

#38 is the most sad picture... It's always a terrible shock to me looking on suffering childrens.

All great photos. I look forward to the rest of "The Best."

For some reason, I can't stop thinking about #23. I thought it was something like an Easter Egg hunt until I read the caption. I hardly ever think about people in "modern" attire fighting with bow-and-arrow anymore.

So much violence, so much pain...

There are no words to describe some of these pictures.
It just goes to show how protected from we are, here in the states, from what is truly going on in the world.
My heart goes out to those people who are in such pain. And to think that most of this pain was caused by humans. How are we capable of such inhumanity?

#22 "Peace activists"? Oh, right. This is a Boston newspaper.

Great photos. But that caption led to a guffaw you probably didn't intend.

World is a f*cked up place

The pictures were great, but the content was mostly like news content... 'if it bleeds it leads' or content to express a particular political point of view or someone's worldview. Content should be more varied, it's a big world. Mesmerizing and excellent none the less.

This is the best photo site - never stop - looking forward to the next parts and all the good things to come in 09

An incredible year with unbelievable occasions.

Thank you for posting all those stories and pictures here, it´s been a pleasure to visit this page!

Cheers CK from TheJunction

#28 and #38 are so sad...

the innocent always pay for the sins of the guilty...

Lovely collection!

I'd really appreciate it if they were sorted differently. Maybe it's intentional, but the shock of seeing a dead child is so much worse when it's between a festivity and and sports pic. It would be slightly easier to take if they were grouped (also, it would be easier to enjoy the funny/amazing pictures)

Why do people take these pictures? They're very eyeopening but what kind of people want cameras in their faces as they're in need of help or dying? Put the camera down and do something more productive.

i'm so impressive they're so good Thank you!

wow
no words to describe it...
let the pictures speak.

It's extremely upsetting to see so many photos of death and disaster. I'm not suggesting it would be better to be shielded from any of it. I just feel as if this should be a major wake-up call. Did we REALLY want 2008 to be like this? Let's try to make sure that 2009 is not.

The Big Picture has recently become my favourite website - thank you for the effort of those who risk their lives to capture these amazing moments around the world.

#20 - How does he land? Does he have a runway or something?

imagine what tragic events happen so far away, but we should see more of what happens in our own front and back yards,and we surely can live "it" a little more appreciative.

As with previous big picture photo essays in Boston.com, the political bias in the Middle East coverage is striking.

Lots of Palestinian victims (two photos), but absolutely nothing of the hundreds of rockets fired from Gaza on Israeli civilians in towns and cities in southern Israel resulting in loss of life and maiming. No pictures of Palestinian suicide bombers or vicious heavy machinery attacks against civilians in Jerusalem.

Nothing of horrific Muslim-on-Muslim violence in Iraq, Afghanistan. Nothing of Iranian missile firings.

Yeah those were cool!

Comment #15, Amen to that! I had a similar sentiment.

lol...every one has an opinion, so this blog does its job. But I just want to say I appreciate that you do this blog as a whole...it's the highlight of my day, good or bad subject matter, because you took the time to show me things I've missed or re-enforced things I've experienced. You make me think and you get a lot of wows out of me too. Thanks for the great year.

Wouah, respect to photographer…!!!

Realmente me he impactado, pues hay mas cosas que llenan de tristeza que momentos buenos creo que es hora de acercarce a Dios y hacer conciencia de lo que estamos haciendo o mas vien lo que estamos destruyendo, ojala que hagamos conciencia GRACIAS por leer mi nota.

I stumbled upon stumbleupon.com tonight. These photos are amazing. Props to the photogs who often are in harms way and get "money shots." Looking forward see 2 & 3.

@ Anna,
The photographers who work hard (yes, it actually is hard work) to take these photographs are documenting our life and times on this world in a way that wasn't possible before photography. We would still be living in the dark ages if it were not for them (and also movie film crews) sticking cameras in people's faces.

Fantastic! This collection of amazing photography does 2008 a world of justice.

Oded, Justified? Someone throws a rock at you, you order air strikes on their neighborhood? What would you think if people from another country came to your state/city, moved in, claimed it as their god given home land and started treating you worse than a dog? You'd be pissed. The Israeli / Palestinian "conflict" is unreal. I am an American and a patriot through and through but this country's pro-Israel policy is criminal to say the least. What have the "terrorists" told us about why they do what they do to the U.S.? Our support for Israel. What could we do to end the threat of terrorism? End our support of Israels war machine. Why don't we? That's an answer I just can't fathom. I guess this country was founded on displacing native peoples, we are just doing what we do best.

You look at # 40 and realise how lucky we are to be living in Australia, and how much more we should think about those living elsewhere.
Thank you.

no comment

They're all really cool, except #38 is hella sad!

#28 makes my heart ache. It portrays so much emotion.

Question on #29: Is it possible that there is another person (adult?) wrapped up in the tent flap just in front of the child?

Wow, beautiful, but so sad. There is NO reason for all the suffering!? We must learn to except and help one another.

I don't understand how these people can be doing these things when we are having such a good time - running elections and choosing the right water spigots in our nice bathroom.

Thanks for your responses, I never heard of a "back fire" before

this is disapointing

Looking forward to sets 2 & 3.
Awesome photos.

why are we F*CKING BLOWING PEOPLE UP!!!??!!!!!?

The wind is blowing toward the fellow holding the flare gun. He is using it to start a fire which will burn toward him, destroying grass and undergrowth and creating a break. You have to be darned sure that you can stop the smaller fire in front of you.

@ lucas: "What have the "terrorists" told us about why they do what they do to the U.S.? Our support for Israel. What could we do to end the threat of terrorism?" You advise America to give in to terrorists, and help stamp out the only true democracy in the middle east. That's not the answer.

...he's starting a fire

"Oded, Justified? Someone throws a rock at you, you order air strikes on their neighborhood?"

No "neighbourhoods" are targeted in Israeli air strikes; nor are Palestinians "throwing rocks" at Israelis.

The entire town of Sderot is under constant Qassam rocket fire, often daily, indiscriminately targeting schools and residential areas. In response the Israeli military targets strikes against Hamas infrastructure and operatives which are used to launch the missiles against Israeli civilians almost daily.

wow. incredible photos! big picture rocks!

This was an amazing collection of photographs. I only hope that the next two days will have a few more pleasant ones. It's crushing to see that little boy...

so sad to see the suffering.. When will men stop being selfish and hating each other ??

I also stumbled upon this page tonight by way of stumbleupon.com...i love stumle upon...I dont see how u all can say there is so much bias in these photos...this is a compilation of events...people just happened to be there to get good pics of what was going on...we live in a world that thrives on drama n controversy, we all proved that here by arguing over the content of some pictures...people have opinions n not vryone agrees n that causes arguing...its a fact...that is one reason y there r so many horrible situations, we all need to shake hands, play nice n help each other out or we r all going to be overcome by pettiness n violence...

"Oded, Justified? Someone throws a rock at you, you order air strikes on their neighborhood? What would you think if people from another country came to your state/city, moved in, claimed it as their god given home land and started treating you worse than a dog? You'd be pissed. The Israeli / Palestinian "conflict" is unreal. I am an American and a patriot through and through but this country's pro-Israel policy is criminal to say the least. What have the "terrorists" told us about why they do what they do to the U.S.? Our support for Israel. What could we do to end the threat of terrorism? End our support of Israels war machine. Why don't we? That's an answer I just can't fathom. I guess this country was founded on displacing native peoples, we are just doing what we do best."

Your entire comment is so grossly inaccurate, mistaken, slanderous and downright wrong it is incredible. You clearly have no idea whatsoever as to the dynamics of the conflict, its history, the relationship of the two peoples, or their respective cltures. You are simply taking misunderstood or inaccurate information, propaganda and lies, and using it to blame the Israelis for the entirety of the conflict and indeed for other peoples' hatred of Israel. This is exactly the same as the mthods the Nazis used to demonize the Jews and it is a prime example of the latent antisemitisim of the modern political left.

Pictures of 2008

#40 - The "undisclosed" location is a spot called Shipstern's Bluff named for the huge boat-like cliff side that creates the point break of this surf spot.

captivating 15 minutes of viewing these pictures

Wow - amazing photos. Its only a pity that most of them carry sad stories behind them of loss, betrayal, war, death or survival that have torn apart peoples lives forever.

May the photos of 2009 carry happier images!!

Great stories! A thousand times forty words, and more, are stunningly told by these memorable pictures.

Mindblowing!!!

@ reuben
I found nothing wrong with Lucas's comment. He speaks the truth. Would you like to point out what was so 'grossly inaccurate' and 'downright wrong' about his statement?

Good for the USA president keep full this collection, but anyway is one of the best collection so far.
But I love the picture from my awesome country CHILE, always surprising

Mind Boggling pictures. One of the best I've ever seen. Has a lot of emotion attached to them. Thank You

Look closely. Then get sick. Then get disgusted. Then get mad. Then get engaged and do something to make things better.

28 is disturbing ....

#40... Can we say "ballsy". Kerby Brown "kills" it........ BIGTIME!!!! Pray to NOT "Wipeout"!!!

Amazing pictures...I wonder if we could send pic # 38 to Ms. Condoleezza Rice, she just stated in an interview with CNN "[a]fter leaving office, she wants to work on issues related to education and children"...

If we didn't have all of this suffering with people blowing each other up - what would we take photos of? We'd be commenting on flowers and traffic jams!

these are unreal. So powerful. Amazing photographs.

The indiscriminate use of color, (for me), dilutes the content and impact of many of the photographs. That having been said, the surfing shot is superb on every level!

Disturbing, Beautiful, Terrible, Wonderful, and Eye Opening

"@ reuben
I found nothing wrong with Lucas's comment. He speaks the truth. Would you like to point out what was so 'grossly inaccurate' and 'downright wrong' about his statement? "

Every single thing that he wrote is utterly inaccurate. Every. single. thing.
Just two of the most grievous errors:

1. His claim that Palestinians are "throwing rocks" at Israelis. The town of Sderot is under constant almost-daily bombardment by Qassam rockets that hit schools, residential areas and businesses indiscriminately. These are fired by various sub-groups of Hamas. Air strikes into Gaza are in RESPONSE to attacks such as these.
2. Air strikes into Gaza DO NOT encompass "neighbourhoods." They are confined to definite and precise targets such as single houses that contain outlets of smuggling tunnels or weapons caches; or vehicles operated by Hamas millitants. The Israeli armed forces operate with THE MOST sophisticated intelligence-gathering and targeting procedures in the ENTIRE WORLD and their focused, narrow-impact targeting and weapons technology is second to none.

In other words, the Israelis target ONLY military infrastructure and assets belonging to the other side and ONLY in reponse to or anticipation of a genuine threat to their own citizens. Hamas indiscriminately fires upon Israeli civilians without provocation almost daily.

Try a simple search of the news sometime; NOT news stories written for Reuters by a Palestinian stringer quoting Hamas officials. Search for Sderot - go to the Israeli military or foreign ministry home page and read their reports on various missions into Gaza. Israeli targeted strikes technology means that when targeting terrorists or their infrastructure a maximum of about 20% of casualties will be collateral damage - this is admitted by B'tselem which is notoriously leftist and pro-Palestinian. Note that the Palestinian territories are two of the most densely-populated areas on earth; and that Hamas and other militants do not make any attempt to avoid civilian areas for cacheing weapons or launching attacks against Israel - in fact they often deliberately use civilian areas as covers. Contrast with Israeli casualties in Palestinian attacks which are almost 100% civilian - and deliberately so since the vast majority of Palestinian attacks specficially target Israeli civilians, not military personnel or infrastructure.

These are easily verifiable facts for anyone who is willing to take the few minutes it requires to search for them, rather than buying into the leftist view of Israel as an evil oppressor which stands up to nothing greater than the most basic scrutinization of the facts.

I attempted to include some links in an earlier post but it was rejected by the comments moderation. A simple search for "Sderot" and "Israeli targeted strikes" will confirm both of these very basic facts.

People like yourself and Lucas make extravagant claims as to the evil of Israelis and their responsibility for events above and beyond their control - and dismiss even the most basic benefit-of-doubt or attempt to establish the facts of a situation, and wholesale belief in what is propagated by Hamas - whose very founding charter states their intention to destroy every Jew in Israel. How you can claim that this is "speaking truth" is beyond me.

Makes you want to sit back and think how damn lucky you are!

There's no Mumbai attack in it???

Very good......

#17... i see multiple faces in the smoke.

BRAVO-BRAVO-BRAVO Thanks for foto

If you do not live in Israel, if you do not live in Iraq, if you only get your news from news and not from first hand accounts... If you do not live in Africa or America or Russia or ANYWHERE where these pictures are taken, you have no right to bend the thoughts of other to what you believe... UNLESS you were there. A picture is a picture a photo is a photo. Yes, these are incredible photos.

They are all beautiful whether happy, sad, tragic, colorful. They are still only photos and one photo does not tell even 1% of the story. Try being a photojournalist.

Fo

Fogive

When I looking on Palesinian and Izraeli conflict and argumentation of Izrael I see thats history really make turns and in case of them came back to moment of Hitler and nazi politics. Like a nation such sufered thru the II war they should know better like others thats this politics is fiasco. When I'm hear about their big wall I see Hitler talking about coridor to Gdansk/Danzig. When I see killed Israeli citizens in bomb blasts I see european underground army actions effects. What for I ask what for ? Just to have some square miles/km more of what sand and rocks ?

these are amazing pics... some of them heartbreaking. Its too bad that we can't jus appreciate the photos and the emotions that come along with them, instead we have to get into the politics and create yet another argument with eachother. everyone will have their own views of the pics, but instead of argue or create more conflict, jus try to absorb and understand ur feelings associated with them and learn to appreciate the lives of others.

Congratulagtions ..... excel·lent recopilació d'imatges ...

un 10 s/10

#6 I'm from China, and thanks to our impotent government, most of the survivors losing their houses in the earthquake back in May are still living in tents, with the winter coming, their nightmare is far from over.

Namdaemoon Gate in South Korea event was too sad.

I think this is a great collection. I am especially impressed by the juxtaposition of real world horror with images of recreation and sports, an equally true aspect of life, but that somehow invokes a feeling of disgust for our societal ethics and our valuation of the important aspects of life as individuals.

thx for the pics, and Frohe Weihnachten from germany!

Too US centric...

sad 2008, will be happy 2009 i wish

Amazing photographs! I don't like political wind comming from number of photos. I believe if you want to show the problem in some region - show both sides!

This is absolutely awesome. All of them. Thanks so much.

Very pretty colors!

Lovely collection !!! Worth watching again & again...

I was higjly amazed that the most eventful event of 2008 was not featured. The election of Barack Obama.

Superb Collection of pictures. It hurts and pinches, picture 26, the fear on the little boys face.
Thank you for putting them all together.

every photo, is come with very clear massage

@ Nels Nelson
The question is really: Why are people in the world fighting at all?

The one thing that struck me out of all the amazing pictures of war torn countries was that you singled out the pic of the US marine to specifically tell us that he was uninjured. what about all the other pictures of people in extreme or dangerous situations...why do you not have a little tag line informing us of their fate?

Apart from that, thank you. Amazing stuff.

These pictures are really fantastic... they shake you completely.

amazing!!

This is beautiful !! Thanks for including caution messages.

pic #22 , 26 ,38
showing the brutality of the occupation , both of Israeli and American attackin the civilians in Palestine and Iraq

I am speechless. Thank you. At the moment I just can't write anything that would be nicely put , original or witty enough... and I think the photos deserve such comments. My husband is going to Afganistan next year (Happy New Year?).He is a professional soldier. I am terrified......
Thank you again.

If you look up the word "Impact" in the dictionary, there will be a link to this page.

Thanks for the amazing photos

a little bit disjunct in continuity... mixed with dramatic.

too cold.

25 is cool.

marvelous, excellent, i have never see these kind of shots up to now

Karen E has it right and she has it wrong; the struggle in the Middle East is not between Israel and Palestine, it is between Israel and the Arab world - and let us include Iran. The stated, professed goal of Hamas is the elimination of Israel which has had to defend itself for 60 years and through five wars from Arab efforts to achieve that aim. For decades Palestinian terrorists have deliberately targeted and slaughtered Israeli civilians, women and children. For how long would the U.S. or British or German or French or Chinese or Japanese governments tolerate such a situation before bringing massive force into play?

121 & 139, read the title of the page: there are another 2 sets still to come.

For all the Above who can't live their life in a humane way:
Peace & Shelter & Food here on Earth

For those who can, don't ignore what you saw Above!!!

Love & Light

#28 is an incredible photograph...

I am from Argentina and I must say these Photographs are incredible. I don't really find words to describe the sadness that some of the images cause on me, but I can say that I am utterly dissapointed by the human race. Very few of us have found that our potential is inmense and use it for a good purpose. Very few of us have truly understood the meaning of love and compasion. But I always ask myself: What can I do? Being so far away from this problems, how can I even give my oppinion? I see from far away, people fighting for power, for money, for resources. I see how the media is so corrupt and only shows their version of the truth. I see how our minds are perverted and alienated since chilhood...

So I ask myself another question: Will we find the right path, or will we end destroying ourselves and our planet, and die, whit our eyes wide shut?

Reuben, don't be a hypocrite; your vitriolic rant is filled with inaccurate assumptions and generalizations. Bottom line: there is a difference between a just conflict between two comparably endowed adversaries and a disproportional military occupation. The ratio of Israeli to Palestinian civilian casualties is approximately 1:400. And the world is fed up with America's unilateral support for Israel's ambitions. It is the PRINCIPLE reason why terrorism and instability in the ME continues unabated. If you don't know this by now, or call those who disagree with you "anti-semites" or part of the "liberal left" then you are either ignorant or in denial of the basic issues and interests at stake in this 'conflict'.

simpyl just amazing,however the word "just" does not do these images any justice.There is nothing "Just" about them,they are a credit to the Pros's who took them.World class quality and reporting.Well done you all.

damn i cant believe how horrible 2008 really was. it really makes me think about how lucky i am. kudos to the photographer for capturing those moments like that

Alan - Thank you for starting this site, it's been consistently fascinating and one of my favourite places on the web since it began (and I suppose thanks to the Boston.com editors who had the good sense to ok it!). Looking forward to parts two and three of this series, and to The Big Picture in 2009.

Beautiful pictures.
Too bad the Israels Defence Force is depicted twice as a monster while no reference is given to the constant bombing od Sderot by Hamas and Palestinian Jihad.

Quanto odio c'è in questo mondo :(

Incredible photos. Still photos allow the time to study and reflect and understand that isn't possible in film. The instant lives forever and penetrates even the most hardened souls. Great work.

wow!!!! these are the best photographer.....they are like messi in soccer...and something more....

Truely amazing shots

Touched deepest part of my heart (specially the air strike on Baghdad's Sadr City in Iraq on April 29, 2008, a person carrying a Dead Child )

# 38 had me in tears for about a half hour. I'm currently 7 1/2 months pregnant with my first child, a son. And all I could think of when I saw that picture was: 'That was somebody's little boy. That was somebody's baby. Barely old enough to understand the concept of war, and he was a victim of it.' And #6 is beautiful in such a sad, sad way.

Number 38 tell its all. That´s what Americans were doing in irak... and the thing that they are doing all over the world. So don't ask why everyone hates America in the entire rest of the world.

craig good, can you read? more likely you're a bigot and only the word "Palestinian," which you naturally equate with terrorism and violence, registered in your brain. You should probably go back and reread the reports of the protests against the security wall.

its to heave

great shot
so much pain

Fantastic thanks

#57....
We create such inhumanity because our creator gave us "free will", the difference to know what is right and wrong, but we continue to o wrong anyway. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of right and good in this world, and I certainly try to do the right thing, but not until the bad is eradicated, will we realize what this world, our lives and those of others, is supposed to mean to us. Unfortunately, I think it will only be realized in the end, when its too late for all of us.

Otherwise, photo journalistically, great pics and hope to see more. What a great daily "Stopping place" on the web :) Nice work!

Israel's Apartheid needs to end. They've been murdering the native population for so long, now they're murdering journalists. What's next?

It's cool, except no. 38 is so sad

espectaculares fotos

Maravilhada.

Referencing #7...

Do all soccer players have a fuzzy white photo-shop halo surrounding their silhouette?

Other than that, I agree with the profound impact of the photos and great respect to the courageous photographers!

And we think we have problems!

I really like this website, it is true a picture really does tell a story, kudos and recognition to the photogs and Boston Globe and the people manning this site.

In this selection the combat photo is unreal, I am sure the subject has vivid memories of the event

It is extremely hard that so shocking moments of destruction and pain are those who remember.

El mundo esta podrido de nosotros mismo con males, violencia de hombre, intereses malvados, las imagenes nos dicen la cantidad de maldad que practicamos. YHVH es poderoso pero tambien es inteligente y prudente, es mejor que seamos CONCIENTES Y CAMBIEMOS DEFINITIVAMENTE RAPIDO. Les aseguro pronto ya no habra mas imagenes que mostrar pues YA HABREMOS DESTRUIDOS TODO SOBRE LA TIERRA.

Casi lloro.

somos una gran plaga y los unicos que van a sufrir son nuestros hijos ellos no tienen culpa alguna de todo el caos a su alrededor hagamos consiensia y tratemos de darles lo mejor stop the focking war

Every single picture is unique in it's own way. It was captured at the right moment and that would be very hard to do. Kudos to all those photographers. I love the first one, nature is incredible.

Wonderful photos!!! -

#38 Brings home what a waste a life lost is.

I'm sure there are pictures showing simliar tragedy on opposite side but that is not the point.

A child's death regardless of race is a tragedy for all.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Mahatma Gandhi,
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

great pictures. but i wonder why it does not contain any pictures from the greatest event of the year 2008 , beijng olympics

What an amazing display that reminds me of the triumphs and challenges we face, and notably, without any direct reference to the world's economic crisis. For me, many are testimony to our Creator and in many cases, depict forces at work that are much more powerful than a still child-like mind would ever hope for!

i think it is neat that you only show dead palestinians. I would think the dead jews of israel are just as picture worthy, but then again that would not fit your organization's agenda. Has there not been one picture taken of an israeli killed by a palestinian? How about the two Chabad jews tortured and killed in Mumbai? No photos of them?

Great Pictures, keep up the good work. Just to add to all the comments posted previously. The basic concept of Zionism is to create a "Jewish state". Can you get any more racist. It sounds alot like creating an Arian State.

How can anyone claim to be for freedom and then declare Zionism which is meant to create a country that is populated by a single race of people. Racism at its best. Or shall I say Fascism.

As early as October 25, 1919 Winston Churchill predicted that Zionism implied the clearing of the indigenous population, he wrote:

"there are the Jews, whom we are PLEDGED to introduce into Palestine, and who take it for GRANTED that the local [Palestinian] population will be CLEARED out to suit their convenience." (Expulsion Of The Palestinians, p. 15)

disappointing, really hope the 2+3 sets are more than just news or taken in the ZOO!

@ Ruben you say "The Israeli armed forces operate with THE MOST sophisticated intelligence-gathering and targeting procedures in the ENTIRE WORLD and their focused, narrow-impact targeting and weapons technology is second to none."

If this is true, how come they got their ASSES handed to them by a small group of militants in Lebanon not so long ago?

WAKE UP!! Israel is quite happy to blame everyone in the world for their "Problems" but never willing to admit that they are a bunch of KILLERS!!!

In response to 94

It's not a democracy. No Palestinians are allowed vote in Israeli elections and what's left of the Palestinians have been herded into enclaves up and down the Levant and are remorselessly pounded by a far superior miliatry force in the most blatant form of collective punishment.

In South Africa the denying of a vote to an ethnic group was called Apartheid.

In the former Yugoslavia removing population for the plantation of another ethnicity was called Ethnic Cleansing.

In Warsaw the enclaves into which a single ethnicity was herded was called a Ghetto.

How easily we forget.

People may citicize the president but he has kept us safe.
My father is fighting in Iraq and he loves what he does, it's tuff leaving behind his five kids and a wife but he signed up knowing what he was doing.
I love my father and i support his decisions which are fighting for this great country we have. These photos show how blessed we are

The Big Picture is truly one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.. so captivating.. to the people who are upset because some of these images are violent ..please look around at the world we live in today.. it is mainly violent and hard to swallow and its sad but true its ignorant to not want to view these photos to now want to know what's truly going on in the world.. i think the photographer is absolutely amazing and I truly thank him for his willingness to really show.. the big picture.

I am incredibly impressed by the majority of these photos. It makes me wonder why Photo #7 is included as it has been digitally edited and is not a true photo, but rather a compilation.

@158...
This type of rational justification for violence, based on proportionate numbers of fatalities and collateral damage, is precisely the type of attitude which instigates a continual, perpetual violent clash in the world. Should we be happy, or even content with a 1:1 ratio of fatality? This viewpoint is the principle reason why terrorism exists today. You are counting numbers, not looking toward the cause. What a shame!!!

amazing... fantabulous.... unbelievable...remarkable... i dont have the words to describe such kind livelihood snaps... great...

It would be a poignant stance to provide pictures of hardships of both sides of a conflict side by side (one after the other). Not necessarily a ratio of casualties per side but a glimpse into the pain and suffering felt by both sides. After all, it affects each one of us, individually. It would be a glimpse into the foundations of racial, societal, and cultural hatred: each suffering side feeling justified to hate the other.

Isaballa Humey - #158
"The ratio of Israeli to Palestinian civilian casualties is approximately 1:400."

Is this true? I am genuinely asking. I am not sure of the numbers, but I admit that I would be very surprised if this is true. Could you find me some source where I can look this up?

Also, be careful with these numbers. Because Palestine has no actual army, then everyone there, including the terrorists, would count as civilians. So I think the only fair way to compare is by comparing also with Israeli soldiers.

One more thing - ratio of killed only implies on who is more powerful, not who is more evil. Imagine a scenario of a 20-people mob suddenly attacking a very huge crowd, with intent to kill, and the end result is that 2 people of the crowd dies, and the entire 20-people mob. Would you claim that the crowd, which acted out of self defense, is more evil because much more people on the other side have died?

If it was so necessary to include anti-israeli pictures why not include pictures from Sdrot where the civilian population continually is bombarded with rockets from the terrorist population in Gaza. Stop the anti-Israeli bias. It looks to creep in to the media all over.

Those pictures made me think...Life is a Bitch!!!!

wonderful!

I loved 1 of 3, but I can't figure out how to get to 2 of and 3 of 3.

How do I get there?

Thanks.

thank you post #196. you have brought true perspective of what it is all about. May God watch over your father and everyone keeping our country safe.

Why does everything have to be turned into a political statement?? They are pictures from around the globe. Skiing, Polar Bears, and yes, war and natural/unnatural disaster, but this is not about the story, it's about the pictures.

everyone must simply get over themselves a little and stop pushing agendas.

By the way, the pictures are STUNNING.

It's sad that the world is biased nowadays towards Palestine.

Israel's civil areas get Qassam rockets daily, and when it does anything against Gaza, the world condemns it fiercely.
It happens once that they shoot civilians, and they put it as if they were the bad guys...

Talk about openness and free thinking...

Awsome pictures, some amazing images to make you think
Thank you
x

cachaça!

Incrible big wave in Australia...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Všechny obrazy jsou nádherné, u každého tajím dech a nestaèím se divit, je to jen malá hrstka toho, co na tomto svìtì je!

A beautiful tragic of this world....

Great Pictures;
Keep up the good work. These pictures make people to realise how lucky they are living in safe country and think about others who needs help.

Let us salute the photographers who was there to witness and document this.

Who on earth would make things better for those who suffer exile, starvation and forced migration. Victims of young ages, people who never had the chance to make it through this life because of some god damn politics. I wonder what Condoleeza rice will have to say about pic 29 & 38. I wonder what Human rights will have to say about those pics and all the pics that were not taken and to be taken.

TERRIBLE

La cago , a veces uno duerme calientito en su casa , mientras otros pasan frio , es triste ese contraste pero tambien es unmotivo para estar agradecido de estar del otro lado , y q esto nos sirva para crear conciencia....

#38 Photo of a little boy. Oh my god! I almost cried once I saw a dead innconect little boy! I do understand how his family's feeling since I lost my daughter myself. Kept telling myself how could I raised her good if she is still around by me. Wow, hurt it so much when I see this photo!

Estas fotografías muestra un poco de nuestra realidad diaria, milagros, desgracias, maravillas modernas y maravillas creadas por dios, esto en verdad son una serie de imágenes que nos llenan de sentimientos diferentes con solo pasar de una a otra, dejándonos boqui abierto, con la grandeza de lo que vivimos a diario, solo puedo opinar que somos parte de la solución y que con solo uno de nosotros coloque de su parte, evitaremos las desgracias, mejoraremos como personas y podremos disfrutar de lo mas hermoso el resto de nuestras y futuras vidas...
Sres. es tiempo de tomar conciencia!!!

sres

To Reuben:
reuben you are so blind. To be fair to the Palestinians, they should also be able to arm themselves with the latest military equipment and training Israel has including nuclear bombs, and then have all out war which is more fair in my opinion, and who ever wins can get the land. But it is unfair when you are comparing and justifying qassam rockets with air strikes and daily raids of Palestinians lives. All I can tell you is you watch too much CNN or you are a Zionist.

if you enjoy photojournalism, come in Perpignan, France, each year on september, to put an eye (or both) on "VISA POUR L'IMAGE", great festival and meeting between photojournalists and public. thank you for this compilation.

increible la calidad grafica de todas ellas cada una cuenta una historia por separado las tima que exista tanta violencia y cosas asi en el mundo pero es lo que nos debe de hacer dia a dia cambiar

É O RETRATO DA VIDA NO MUNDO, ONDE O RESPEITO AS DIFERENÇAS E A ESPERANÇA DE UM DIA MELHOR ESTAM REFLETIDOS NOS QUATRO CANTOS.

SOLDADO, POLÍCIA MILITAR CAVALLAZZI
FLORIANÓPOLIS, SC BRASIL

Incredible photographs. It makes me thank my lucky star on a daily basis, for my life to be so good and easy in comparison to what some people experience in other parts of the world. Thanks for making this available to the public.

Sad. Just plain SAD.
Everyone wants to kill everyone else.
Sad.

I'm surrpise there were no pictures of suicide bombers walking into an eating establishment and blowing it up. Or maybe some terrorists hiding behind women and children while shooting at US Marines.

Or maybe a picture of the mentally disabled suicide bomber?

Great photography!!
But not quite great journalism :Showing one side of the Israeli-Palastinian conflict is unprofessional and pro-Palastinian to say the least!!

Disappointing that photography is used to promote lies!!

Thank you.

Incredible stuff. I'm a bit biased because I'm a surfer, but #40 blew me away. Here's the other photos from that huge wave:

http://surftherenow.com/2008/11/08/kerby-brown-rides-40-ft-monster-wave-in-western-australia/

many thanks to all the photographers who dedicate their time to capturing the moments that would otherwise be lost to time.

Picture #40 is not an undisclosed location in Austalia. The location is Shipstern bluff, one of the more famous big wave locations in the world (and one of the scariest)

the first one is one of the coolest photos i've ever seen. Wish I had take it.

#25 is exactly the sort of photojournalism that irks me. I have read many of the comments on here, and no one seems to have noted that the poor man in this picture, crushed by rock yet still living and in obvious pain, is spending horrifying moments being photographed up close by someone whose sole objective is to exploit his agony. For goodness' sake, help the man! Put down the camera once in a while and lend a hand. Can you just imagine what that's like, to be the man in the photograph? All you want is someone to help you, to make the pain go away, to make it "all better"--and some callous jerk gets up in your face, focuses his gigantic lens, shoots blinding light at you, and then publishes your once private agony for all the world to see--rather than organize some people together to pull the rocks away and rescue you--in the hopes of winning some Pulitzer prize.

That said, there are a great many good photos above besides this one, and I would not ask that journalists stop photographing tragedy. I merely request that in the process they not forget their humanity.

Anyone else think the jetpack man is impressive? Just me??

Congratulation for the choice.

very fantastic, genuis, genuis, really

US Centric? Did you read the same article I did?

Only a handful of these were US related:

1) The article is not completed yet, so any bias one way or another should be reserved until it is complete.

2) This *by far* is a better display of knowledge of world events than most commercialized journalism, so I say well done. And I applaud the limited political "voice". These are just pictures-- you decide.

3 ) Just for the record, I wish there were more of these kinds of displays of emotion in US society. If only there was caring, compassion, enthusiasm outside of hindsight, the world may be a better place.

Nice collection, reading this blog is actually ruining it.

These are beautiful photographs. I find it kind of funny, though, reading through these posts. We're all so hopeful and worried about the future, but we can't appreciate good photography without getting into heated arguments about it. That's the saddest commentary of all, I think.

Well done.
Thank you for sharing talent & vision.
For those who feel that it should be closer to their ideological position,
you're missing the point.
It's truly an awesome collection.
Please keep shooting.

Ruben,

You are comparing me with a Nazi? I'm not saying the Palestinians are right, I'm saying Israel is WRONG too. You'd be surprised to learn that I'm an independent thinker, that these are my own ideas and I don't subscribe to anyone’s newsletter. Obviously, Ruben you are ignoring the fact that the JEWS LOST ISRAEL a long time ago. Yes, they were treated horribly throughout history and especially under Nazi Germany's rule, but who the hell is the UN to just "give" the Jews a homeland again?

"Sir, the Jews are wondering where they should go. Europe doesn't feel right any more"
"Well, tell them to go to Israel."
"Well sir, it’s been Palestine for a few thousand years now."
"Oh, well who lives there?"
"Palestinians sir."
"Ok. Hmm. Do they have an army?"
"No, not really. Not much of one to speak of."
"Any powerful friends?"
"Well, no, not really. They're Muslims so, outside of that region, not too many real allies."
"Ok, we'll just divide it up"

And so it was. So don't tell me I know nothing of the history. What I know is that winners write the history and Israel is quietly trying to win. They can't use words like genocide because the Americans, Israel’s biggest backer, don’t like it. We'd never knowingly back a religious cleansing so that makes Palestinians who say they want to kill every last Jew "worse" than Israel because they actually said the words.

The wool has been pulled over your eyes Ruben.

You aren't paying attention to what’s happening over there. Google "Rock throwing" and you'll get plenty of photos of Palestinians throwing rocks at Israelis. Yesterday, a man was killed when a rocket blew up his home. The home was not the target, so your insistence that Israelis have good aim and superb targeting is misguided. I'm not saying that its ok to throw rocks, people can get hurt, maybe even killed. But responding to rocks with tanks is overkill.

Maybe you were trying to say is that it’s a fair fight and let me assure you, it is not. The Palestinians kill civilians because they can not win against the Israeli military. But tell me that blowing up homes and schools and hospitals with military grade weapons isn't terrorism in its own right. Do you see the futility of your argument? Each side is fighting the war on its own terms.

Your suggestion not to get information from a stringer on the ground and to go to the government’s official websites is laughable. I try to read all sides of a story and take away what sounds the most plausible. If I read the news only from the White House, I'd think the Iraq was over, what, 3 years ago?

I am not an anti-Semite, I am not pro-Palestinian either, I'm a guy who lives in a nice neighborhood in Arizona who has kids that I let play outside because I have enough faith that no one is going to blow them up or shoot them down. Everyone deserves that lifestyle. I don't have a solution to the Mideast’s problems. Sadly, very few ideas even. But I do know that I am tired of "Holy war", I'm frankly tired of anything holy and anything war. I want my kids to be able to see the world, meet people and eat dinner with strangers. Your god is not better than mine, mine is not better than yours.

This is a war that can't be won. Both sides are going to have to compromise. We may not see eye to eye, but poking each others eyes out to make a point won't work either. People like me are not making extravagant claims; we are not listening to Hamas or Peres. The Israelis deserve to go to market without fear of being blown up by some extremist and the Palestinians deserve to go home and find it still there.

As far as giving in to the "terrorists" demands, I would never suggest we "give in" or give up. We've lost too many good men and women; I am suggesting a withdrawal of support for Israel because they are just as bad as the "terrorists".

Beautiful! Very thanks. As belas imagens são um balanço desse ano marcado por tragédias.

Hi. TWO of the 40 pictures have ANYTHING to do with Israel and/or the Palistinians (that's 5% of the pictures). The comments, however, are overwhelmingly about those two pictures and are overwhelmingly nasty.

I have an idea. Take a deep breath, look at the picture of the polar bear, or of the surfer, or the jellyfish again, and then be amazed by the artwork, the eye, and the vision of the photographers. Leave the political nastiness aside...for 10 minutes. Can any of you do that?

WAY too many US pictures.

Wow!! Great shots!!!

Photography is image and image quality, of preference, but its great value is also that one of the opportunity. Your pictures are all magnificent ones.
To those that discuss joining either Palestinian side or Israelis’, I suggest that better they read history and so they will realize that such attitudes drive nowhere. After so many years of brutality it is time to try to promote inside these two great people to intend to constitute one homeland and doing so that they learn how to put up with the other and to cohabit with the values and beliefs of the other one.

Isaballa (comment 158).
I think the whole world agrees with you (outside of the US and Israel).

Jus Amazing

Best... blog... ever.

All the photos are incredible. Congratulations.

Thought provoking! Roller coaster ride of emotions. Made me cry and made me wonder at natures beauty and her horror. Man's inhumanity to man stinks!

vraiment merveilleux

According to Dick Cheney we're safe because we waterboard people....we have broken our promise...a promise made after World War I that we would not torture people for any reason..it's call the Geneva Convention...sad that we can no longer keep our promises

#12 - Just wait until they find out what kind of carcinogens are in all those little black balls.

War itself is impressive, and the war pictures here are so good that we can not avoid having most of the comments about them. That in itself shows these pictures are great. A good picture should triger feelings. The stronger the feeling (positive or negative), the better the picture.

@243

"The Israelis deserve to go to market without fear of being blown up by some extremist and the Palestinians deserve to go home and find it still there."

That's kinda the problem though.. the Palestinians (ok, not all of them, but their leadership) won't be satisfied without the total annihilation of Israel, and ideally all Jews worldwide. They HAD a pretty good peace deal worked out in the 90's, but at the last second, Yassir Arafat said "nope, screw you guys, I'm going home" and continued planning attacks on Israeli school buses. Things went downhill from there and a decade of bloody heartbreak ensued.

In order for compromise to occur, both sides have to be willing to accept the existence of the other. I'm not saying that Israel's hands are completely clean here, but if you're going to claim that they are "as much at fault" in the ongoing conflict as the Palestinian authority, you're simply being dishonest. If your sole stated goal is the annihilation of "the other guy", there's really not much to work with.

The muslim world at large needs to *back off* a bit. That, and stop firing rockets from people's windows, then when that window has a rocket flung back into it, cry outrage that civilians were harmed.

What I'm getting at is that if the two sides need to meet in the middle, Israel may not have walked nearly far enough yet, but the other side has turned its back and continues walking in the opposite direction. Attacks against Israelis results in attacks against Palestinians and the cycle continues. The complication in worldwide opinion occurs because Palestinians are the underdogs and everyone loves to root for an underdog. Even if that dog has rabies.

The denizens of the middle east have been fighting over that same, god forsaken strip of crappy real estate for thousands of years and it's still just a waste. You stack up the bodies of the Palestinians, the Jews, the Muslims and you cat like their is some dignity or morality in your actions.

Fools. Murderers.

You steal your children's futures in the name of gods who have not managed to save either cause. It's not so holy anymore, is it? Go home. Stop fighting over sand, stone and scrub. Your gods have forsaken you, and you, them.

Irresistably compellent images. Excellent photography. Suddenly, the words seem monumentally inept to describe the atomic particles of life, appended and pierced so precisely by glass, yet nothing shattered.

YOU...are the work of art here!

very-very fantastic...i love it's

Hannalee
We were not invited to iraq. While 5000 US / UK troops have died, nearly a million iraqi's have been killed, and several million fled - then there's the suffering of all the other people.
Saddam was a bad man - but it has been proven he had no links to terrorism, had no WMD's, had chemical weapons once (but we sold them to him in the 80s when we wanted him to kill Iranians' in the Iran, Iraq war).
Yes, people criTicise the president and TUFF?? Have you received any education? Do you know the history of the region? That the iraq borders were drawn up on the back of the proverbial napkin after WWI. That the US/British over-threw the democratically elected leader of Iran and installed a dictator in the 60s because the "democratically elected leader" seized the foreign oil companies. That iraq (due to the various wars) has the largest oil reserves outside of SA. That no oil could be taken from iraq by US/UK companies as they were banned from doing business with Iraq? That the French and Russians (who strangely opposed the war) had lucrative oil contracts with Iraq under the oil-for-food program?

Palestinian people are herded like cattle in their homeland, they live behind steel fences and walls, their right to travel inside their land has been taken. They can't even use major highways that are built on their land. The problem is there are too many fascist in Israel.
Try to imagine yourself and your family living under these conditions. The nerveous breakdown is inevitable, to all this atrocity palestinians are overly patient.
But a few who become insane and blow themselves up and others give Israel the right to "defend" themselves in somebody's homeland.

Muito boas as fotos!!!

Almost all the elements of human existence in beautiful, horrible, breathtaking pictures frozen in time. But where is the element of human compassion., only God knows, These are the things that grab a our attention.

I like to look at these as individual photos and take each one in by itself. Each one says a lot, some more than others, but still they all have something to say. I appreciate you putting this blog up. Regardless of how these photos are interpreted, it's nice to know that someone else sees the power these photographs, as well as the art in general, have for us.

To those questioning the motives of the person taking the picture, I hope you'll realize that standing aside and documenting tragic or glorious moments can sometimes be a more powerful tool than personally interfering. Their purpose is to present these moments for others to see, for those who cannot be there. Otherwise, you would not be talking about it, would you?

To those arguing about Israel/ Palestine, and to those complaining how awful the world is, know this: All situations have two, if not more sides. This world is covered in people who don't agree. The source of all of this is exactly what you are all doing, arguing yet solving nothing. I'm not a hippie, and, as a realist, I don't believe in world peace. We'll never achieve something so fairytale-esque. These photos in many way reaffirm this belief for me. It's awful to see so much tragedy, and great to see so much achievement.

These qualities are what define us a humans, but they are also what seal our fate as a race. The photographs above capture the dual nature of us as a species, like it or not. It has nothing to do with religion or science or sides or imaginary lines in the sand. The only redeeming factor within humanity is art. In it's pure form, it is the only thing we do without purpose other than expressing what we feel. This is different for many people. For some it is to capture the emotion of a moment with a snapshot. For some it is to express this emotion in a melody or rhythm. Regardless, if it is to be pure, then it is unbiased and raw. I believe you are sullying the purity of these pictures by trying to place them in some category. They do not deserve this. These picture are what they are; Moments: good or bad, scary or sad, proud or mournful, full of awe or shame. If only for a brief time, look at them again, without your bias, without your opinions, and without trying to decide who's side the camera-person was on. Though they may present bias in the their natural state, you can choose to look at them as pictures, and not representations of opinions. If you can do this, you are doing not the artist or anyone else, but yourself and the art-form itself the justice it deserves. After all, it is all we have in a world that will undoubtedly collapse upon itself. And because when we are all gone (which will inevitably happen) there will be no use in choosing sides and arguing, only documenting what was, good or bad, right or wrong; though the real tragedy is that there will be nobody here to appreciate how it makes them feel anymore.

Blogger, thanks again. Regardless of how you may feel about what I or anyone else said, your contribution is appreciated, respected, and hopefully, understood. But then again, I'm dishing out fortune-cookie wisdom on a website, I'm likely just pissing in the wind.

Maravilhosas!

Oh, today is attack Israel day again, whats new, the biased media always finds a way to fit in some partially staged shot to tilt public opinion.... Ohhh those poor innocent peace-seeking Palestinians are always the target of the violent Israelis....
Enough is enough, get the facts straight!!!
Israel has been willing to make major concessions with just about every Arab state, but Hamas, and the other factions aren't looking for peace they're looking to rid the region of all Jews... Listen to what they say....

Beautiful photos. Makes one stop and take time out to study the photo as a whole, and all the minute details.
Photos like these make me love photography even more - and they also rekindle the passion for the art.

We all need to appreciate what we have...

Awesome-the good-the bad -the beautiful -the ugly; it's all there.

thank you for the terrific photos - it's a gift to see a witness's view of life in any aspect - the ugly, the angry, the painful - as well as the beautiful, inspiring and humourous. Artists mark the now - they don't judge it. The proportion of agenda based commentary above is a sad attempt to make someone else's art either for or against what you think - grow up ladies and gents - it's not all about you.

EXTRAORDINARIAMENTE IMPACTANTE!!!!
Esse é o nosso MUNDO...
Soldado, Policia Militar, MASCARENHAS.
Feira de Santana, Bahia, BRASIL.

Awesome!!! Great reflection of the year gone by! Merry Christmas and a Happy new year!!!

Astonishing. Ought to provide a download option. Worth recomending to others.

As a father, my heart went out to the parents of the poor innocent lifeless child being held aloft in #38. Surely we can do better than that? For the faceless decision maker who authorises such an attack, you need to have that picture beside your phone so you fully consider the ramifications of what you do.

For goodness sake, lets not worry about what separates us, but consider more what unites us as human beings living on the one planet...

What are we doing sitting here and watching these photos? Why aren't we acting to save the world from misery ????!!!!!!!!!

Speaking as a Muslim living in Asia, I'm truly heartbroken to see how my fellow Muslim sisters and brothers are treated in Palestin.

Stereotyping all Muslims as 'extremists' or 'terrorists' shows how ignorant you are-- How would YOU feel when you go home and find out that your house has been taken over by Jewish people? How would you feel when your homeland, the place you've been living all your lives are being taken over by other people, regardless of their religion. Is it right when people come and say, "Hey, this place is our place now! Get the hell out of here!" Are you just going to take it or FIGHT?!

@258 ***The muslim world at large needs to *back off* a bit. That, and stop firing rockets from people's windows, then when that window has a rocket flung back into it, cry outrage that civilians were harmed.***

Back off? If standing up for your religion is wrong, then go be an atheist. I'm not saying that violence justifies violence, but when your brothers and sisters are killed mercilessly in other countries in an unending one-sided war, then something is screwed up if you don't want to realitate. Peace talks and agreements? Bullshit, tell me when that ever really works. Don't believe the goverment-influenced media-- they'll show you a picture of a flower, when the true picture is that the flower is resting on a GRAVE.

Boston Globe: You are mixing good photography with political pornography!

By showing only the pictures of the oppressed Palestians, you are serving the official agenda declared by the Palestian Hamas: "Kill the Israelis or at least send them all back to where they came from", while ignoring the fact that they are not willing or capable to negotiate even with their own brothers, the Palestians from the West bank.

A few pictures of the Qassam rockets fired daily from Gaza at the Sderot schools in Israel would justify at least your title: "The Big Picture".

Imagine a world without George Bush Jnr and Snr.

How is being in Iraq 'protecting' the US?!?! I think people who are somehow naive enough to believe that our being in Iraq makes the world a safer place haven't gotten out much themselves .. A lesson to us all, go look around this amazing world of ours. Take a look at how other people live. Come back to the US and tell us then who the real terrorists are!

@264

Kind of sounds like something that happened to the Jews in the 20th century. I'm not saying what the Isrealis are doing is justified, but you can't act like it's never happened to them. And the group leading the Palestinians happen to think the Nazis had the right idea.

#9: It's still a bit surreal to me! I used to live a few blocks from the river (I was one of the thousands flooded out) and I ran by that bridge almost daily along a riverfront path. To add a bit of fact: those buildings are houseboats from Ellis park, upriver, that came loose with the rise of the Cedar river. The bridge itself hadn't been used in years and the cars on the bridge were put there to weigh it down.

We're still recovering but a lot of businesses and households have rebuilt thanks to our great community. Happy holidays!

f*cking nice

keren bangeet!
AWESOME!

Fantastic Stuff, great to see.

Thank you Brian (269)... finally a rational opinion!

Its definately gang up on Israel day it seems...

Amazing Photos BTW.

I love these photos, not so much because they are beautiful and breathtaking in the enormity of what they capture through the lens of art, but in the enormity of what they capture about us, as humanity, and what we are doing in with this world that we live on. I am awestruck with the breadth and variety of the human condition that is present in this collection of photographs-- the joy, the suffering, death, life, nature at it's best and at it's worst and always in reaction to us. On any given second on this earth, as we sit here, coddled and privileged in front of our shiny computers, so many people on this earth suffer. I'm glad that at least something moves some people to see this side of it. I hope those people start to care.

These images are extraordinary ...

The most memorable events give us those litle victories that we need to have flashes of happiness and the raw moments humanize us all and make us appreciate what we have and help to those who need it most

Super wonderful photos ...

Amazing pics. They shows life in our planet from different aspects: beautiful nature, invisible but miracle moments, human aspiration (in sport, technology) as well as suffering no matter if it is caused by war, natural cataclism or peoples' violence.

195.In response to 94

It's not a democracy. No Palestinians are allowed vote in Israeli elections

Hahahahahahahahahahaha... The Palestinians have THEIR OWN democratically-elected governments in Gaza and the West Bank. Guess what, Israelis aren't allowed to vote in those elections, either. Guess that must be apartheid too, huh? Likewise, I can't vote in American elections by dint of not being a citizen there, so I must be a victim of apartheid.

Oh, unless you were referring to Palestinian Arabs who live in Israel and are Israeli citizens, who do in fact vote and have in fact elected several Arab lawmakers and (if he's still in the post) a Palestinian Arab science minister as well as several other high-ranking leaders.

You might as well claim that Mexicans in Mexico are apartheid victims because they can't vote in US elections.

Did you ever stop to think that such idiotic misuse of words like apartheid, ethnic cleansing etc. as are thrown around with reference to Israel, are simply cheapening the words themselves and insulting ACTUAL apartheid victims?

and what's left of the Palestinians have been herded into enclaves up and down the Levant

"What's left of the Palestinians?" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

There were around 750 THOUSAND up to ONE MILLION Palestinian Arabs who fled Israel during the war of independence. Check the UN figures if you'd like. There are now around FIVE MILLION Palestinian Arabs in Palestine. There are around ONE POINT EIGHT MILLION Arabs, mostly Palestinians, who live in Israel proper, and are outstripping every other demographic besides the tiny ultra-Orthodox Jewish minority in birth rate. "What is left" of the Palestinian Arabs is around FIVE TIMES what their numbers were in the war of independence.

Oh, and as I already demonstrated from the factual record of commentary at the time, it was NOT the Jews who did this. The Jews inherited the problem twenty years later from the Egyptians and Jordanians who created it in the first place.

Is criticism of Israel no longer even required to make the slightest sense at all these days? What a joke.

and are remorselessly pounded by a far superior miliatry force in the most blatant form of collective punishment.

Oh really. Do you have proof of this? Do you mean "relentlessly pounded" like Sderot is - where the population has ACTUALLY DECLINED and economic activity is crippled by the barrage of Qassam rockets? Or do you mean the targeted, low-impact strikes that Israel performs in order to neutralize militant infrastructure that is used to target Israeli civilians?

In South Africa the denying of a vote to an ethnic group was called Apartheid.

In the common vernacular, implying that Jews are committing grievous human rights offences such as denying others the right to vote on the basis of their race when no such thing is true, is called ANTISEMITISM. GET USED TO IT.

In the former Yugoslavia removing population for the plantation of another ethnicity was called Ethnic Cleansing.

I guess Gaza has been ethnically cleansed of Jews then - after, that is, the Arab nations ethnically cleansed their own people from Israel as is ADMITTED by EVERY ARAB NATION.

In Warsaw the enclaves into which a single ethnicity was herded was called a Ghetto.

Hey - there are no Jews in the territories because the Palestinians didn't want them there, not the other way around. Are you forgetting this? Is settlement of the territories by Jews now a GOOD thing?

OR WERE YOU PERHAPS REFERRING TO ISRAEL - THE ONLY PLACE AMONG THE VAST EXPANSES AND INNUMERABLE PEOPLES OF THE MIDDLE EAST IN WHICH JEWS MAY LIVE WITHOUT PERSECUTION. IS THIS PERHAPS THE GHETTO OF WHICH YOU SPEAK??? SURELY YOU CAN'T BE REFERRING TO THE MUSLIM ARAB TERRITORIES WHICH BORDER MUSLIM ARAB NATIONS AND HOUSE MULSIM ARABS???

How easily we forget.
Posted by Muc Beag December 18, 08 12:28 PM

IN 1940S GERMANY, CLAIMING THAT THE JEWS WERE AN IMMORAL PEOPLE WHO VIOLATED OTHERS' RIGHTS AND HAD NO REGARD FOR THE HUMANITY OF ANY BESIDES OTHER JEWS WAS USED AS JUSTIFICATION TO MURDER MILLIONS OF THEM, ON MORAL GROUNDS, AND TO PREVENT THEIR NEGATIVE INFLUENCE ON HUMANITY AND RESTORE MORALITY.

HOW QUICK SOME ARE TO REVIVE SUCH SENTIMENTS AND PRETEND THEY HAVE NO RELATION TO THOSE THAT SAID THE SAME THINGS ONLY SIX DECADES AGO.

After looking at these pictures and reading most of the comments, I would like to say that bickering back and fourth at each other is entertaining. Yet you must realize that is not the reason these pictures are on this website. If you would like to know the real reason anyone should appreciate photography and these pictures you should read comment 267. It will explain to those who bicker that art is meant to express basic emotions not political differences. Yes some can be viewed as having outside influence but when the artist decided to make his work of art he was thinking of a basic emotion. Whether it be happy, angry, sad, mad, or any other emotion, the artist just expressed how they felt or still feel. please don't ruin an artists work by making it all about you. just appreciate the art and enjoy every bit of it.

No Pictures of the destruction after the Hurricane hit Galveston Island?

Hope you all do have a merry christmas

Nice one Tim. Not just pissing in the wind this time. I got it. Good stuff there. And I NEVER read blogs. I just got forwarded these pics and they were so increadible, and I got sucked into the commentary that followed.

On all this Israel/Palestine talk, Bunnerab nailed it. Totally shut up and go home you religious whacko yahoos. Like THIS is what your "God" wants you to do? Seriously? He just wants you all to be in some neverending stalemate of suffering and pain? Obviously your God either doesn't exist or doesn't want to help you, because you're all still there in that horrifying mess with no end in sight. If I lived in that area and I believed in God I think I'd call him a duchebag and tell him to sit and spin.

To comment 179...

The white halo you speak of is actually caused by the bright lights seen on the right side of the frame.

awesome ..

How great moment

Fantastic Photos!!!

lovely

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

great pictures

every picture a world press photo! very good selection by the editors, congratulations

these pictures are so astounding and and capture amazing moments!
however it is an upsetting reminder of the state of our society that the majority of these pictures depict some form of violence..
it is my wish for all of us that, when we look back at the end of 2009, the year will be a reflection of peace, humanitarianism and happiness!

Kinda puts my life in perspective

Amazing photos, shame there are so many comments of people pointing the finger at the other side, the photos are meant to make us realise how amazing nature is and how destructive man.
Enough of the religious and political disputes - nature knows not of politics or religion just of mutual respect and respect of nature itself.

Stop polluting the minds of the children with hate and grudges.

Excellent pictures. Unbelievable. congrats! Looking forward to the rest

@ MarkSmith (#263)
Lay off. She's a daughter who is trying to cope with her father being in the war. I assume that at the moment what she doesn't need is a political lesson from some faceless blogger. Like many have said to others, try putting your political agenda aside, and consider the emotions that are stirred by tragedy on both ends. That's what I believe art and photography of this nature should do.

Me gustaría poder conservarlas... Impactante año, como siempre...
Paz para todos y Justicia más.

I agree with Edite.
And we think we have problems .....

We kill ourselves.

im dumbfounded.......... these are brilliant...........

I pick #40... doesn't need to say why.

fudido! *>*

Fantastyczne ujecia, super zdjecia, gratulacje

Awesome,inspiring,devastating,thought provoking,sad,happy,triumphant
everything that photo journalism should be about.....
2008 is not over yet however

Very well captured... Too good!!

Wonderful contrast between privileged Europeans and Australians living it up (skiiing, surfing) as against the misery almost everywhere else

Every picture tells a story (Happy or sad)

Fantastisch mooie foto's zitten ertussen.
Prachtig

USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

LONG LIVE THE USA! We have secured freedom for more people and more countries than any country in the history of the world!

The little boy make me cry.

Super impactantes, muy buenas...

Ano após ano as imagens das guerras continuam figurando entre as mais chocantes... Somos corajosos o suficiente pra aceitar a guerra e não se manifestar contra, mas quando vemos imagens de crianças mortas ficamos chocados.

Too "US centric"? It is the BOSTON GLOBE, a US newspaper, after all, I thought it was pretty well balanced myself.

# 38

Poor kid...
...it seems the only innocence suffer in the time of war.

Reuben

750,000 Palestinians were either removed from their land by the Israeli military or left it before the Israeli military got there on advice from their leaders during the Israeli war of independence. That was ethnic cleansing pure and simple, otherwise Israel would have allowed them back to their homes in Israel after the war instead refusing them re-entry and allowing Christian Militias to butcher them in the Lebanese refugee camps under Israeli control.

Pretending that they ethnically cleansed themselves is as farcical as claiming Bosnian Muslims fleeing the Bosnian Serb army ethnically cleansed themselves.

The Palestinians vote in the Palestinian Authority - laughably lauded as a government of the Occupied Territories by Israel and the US.

Except it has no state to govern (there is no Palestinian state), no control over it's borders, no control of its tax revenue, it is completely cut off from another supposed part of its territory which is under blocade, it has no standing army with which to defend itself, it is only ALLOWED to govern the areas that do not have large illegal Israeli settlements (which break up the West Bank into numerous pockets and are strictly cleared of Palestinians), its borders are frequently violated by military incursions and its citizens interned by its neighbour without trial, including children.

Swathes of the West Bank have been annexed illegally under international law by a wall, which even surrounds entire towns on 3 sides, its larger neighbour can kill its citizens with impunity, its land can be annexed at any time by Israel for yet further Jewish-only settlements and you're trying to convince me that they're free????

Blacks were "allowed" to vote in the ANC for years, it doesn't mean they were allowed vote in the REAL government running apartheid South Africa.

The problem with you Reuben is that you don't understand that most people actually agree with the existence of Israel and wish her and her citizens peace but we don't agree that Israelis have any right to use that existence to commit crimes against humanity.

And let's forget the religion of Israel because it clouds judgment on their actions because of past horrors committed against Jews. If you accuse an Italian of committing murder, it doesn't make you anti-Catholic. It means you are accusing the Italian of a crime.

More Italians are Catholics than Israelis are Jewish, so by the same logic, accusing Israel of crimes does not mean you are an anti-semite.

How many Palestinians have died in this conflict for each Israeli? Answer: 400. That's 400 Palestinian eyes for each Israeli eye. Do they not have the same right to defend themselves?

Or is the right to freedom exclusively the preserve of Israeli citizens?

Terrorism is wrong plain and simple, whether it is committed by terrorist organisations or a fully fledged state.

Watching these Photos made me cry...

Thank you!

What a beautiful view for the eyes.I am fascinated of these photos.Very good work.Thanks for sharing.

Reuben = Bellend

These pictures are all so moving. Each tells a story that words could never portray.

SOLO DOS VALORACIONES, LA PRIMERA HUMANA, ESTAS FOTOS REFLEJAN EL MUNDO EN QUE VIVIMOS, LOS CONTRASTES, LOS DESATRES, LA FURIA DE LA NATURALESA Y EL DOLOR HUMANO. QUE MIEDO PENSAR QUE SOMOS PARTE COMO TESTIGOS Y PROTAGONISTAS DE TANTO PERPLEJIDAD.
LA SEGUNDA VALORACION ES FOTOGRAFICA, GRACIAS AL DESARROLLO TECNOLOGICO Y A LA ENTRADA EN NUESTRAS VIDAS DE LA FOTOGRAFIA DIGITAL PODEMOS VER Y COMPARTIR ESTAS IMAGENES SIN FRONTERAS Y CON LA RAPIDES EN QUE SUCEDEN LOS HECHOS.

Amazing, tragic, beautiful, ridiculous.
And yes, I am also in tears over #38.

Why is it that white people think that a picture of a poor black person is somehow considered sweet/endearing/cute/empathetic, etc?. It is really just patronizing and demeaning.

Some one said that picture 40 was shipsterns in tazmania, which is not in the south west its in the south east. I think it maybe Cyclops which is off the coast of albany/ Esperance (forget which) in south west oz.

Might be wrong but it does look like cyclops !!??

Great pics.

Pity about Rule Number 1 of the Internet (that is, that any mention or inclusion of anything relating to Isreal and Palestine will result in an endless tirade of name-calling between two seething sides, neither of whom are EVER going to listen to each other.)
Very pointless, very dull.

ESTAS FOTOS SON GENIALES

ESTASN SUPER INCREIBLES¡¡¡¡¡¡

whoever said "Too many US pictures" is a dumbass.
I counted. There are 7 pictures that were photographed IN the U.S.

7. Out of 40.

the best photos i have seen recently.. good job...
i liked it very much

Thank you for giving us a peek at the world we live in. Keep shooting.

These photos bring joy, sadness and contemplation about the state of our world today.

Realmente são fotos maravilhosas, acho simplesmente brilhante a fotografia jornalística com uma pitada de foto artística...um dia eu chego lá...

São Paulo
Zona Sul

Brasil

What is in the upper left hand corner of picture 40? It looks like a shark fin.

Outstanding pictures I have to say. Very ubiqutious with a hint of eerieness that manifast itself into unprofounding insights of the human sense.

my fav image is the wave and surfer. regarding a comment i saw earlier on torturing "the enemy" for information, i once thought "hey when battling terrorism, to extract info about, say, a nuke bomb in NY Harbor, then 'do what you gotta do'..." and perhaps there are instances where such extreme situations occur. If so, then let the law state it is illegal, and the one doing the torturing/authorizing it, be held accountable by whatever punishment is dictated by law. Otherwise, when we cross a line where we treat people reprehensibly with aggregious methods, then no matter what game we are playing - we lose. Study Christ and see he was no dweeb or dummy - maybe there is a time for killing/war/extreme measures, but ... torture?? a friend once called it "walking between the paradoxes."

Absolutely fabulous photos! Enough has been said about the sad ones so I'll comment on the surfer... Wow, the huevos displayed to WILLINGLY drop into that wave is beyond my comprehension. What a stud!

amazing selection

Respect...

1) There are 8 pictures having to do with the US. Given that this is a US-based publication, 8 of 40 does not exactly seem overly biased.

2) JRM wrote: "Why is it that white people think that a picture of a poor black person is somehow considered sweet/endearing/cute/empathetic, etc?. It is really just patronizing and demeaning."

I don't even know what you're talking about. The only possible pictures you could be referring to are #2 and #29, neither of which are "sweet" or "cute." I would classify them as tragic, and not because the children are black or poor. It is this sort of narrow perspective that hinders change. And no, I am not white.

Amazing photography! The world and it's inhabitants are mind boggling!!! Look forward to seeing what else happened in this year. Unforgettable images. Thank you!

Very awesome images. The truth hurts.

As usual the world wants to see only Palestinian side. I know G-d won't forgive them for this. And world will pay for it. Pity but we will pay together.

Espectaculares las fotografías.

Most Awesome Photos ever! Just one question.. how come I never ever have even heard of most of these stories happening on CNN or for that matter on any major cable news networks..?

very ,, very good.

All those images are impressive. Some are just beautiful, others are terrible. It's true that mainstream news agencies don't show to the world what's going on. These pictures mesmerize my mind.

Des êtres humains meurent et la seule chose qu'on puisse lire ici et là, c'est "merveilleux"... Au contraire, je trouve ça indigne de photographier des gens morts ou entrain de mourir.

Au lieu d'aider ces personnes en difficultés lors de ces évènements, vous ne faites que photographier. Je trouve ça minable voir dégueulasse et plus encore si c'est pour se faire du fric sur ça...

D'façon ca sert à rien de parler ou de s'expliquer, le monde est déjà foutu...

Can everyone please limit your comments to the relavance of these AMAZING photos! This is not an Award Show to stage your politcal views

how fragile & often strange we are as a species, excellent work...keep it up!!!

absolutely amazing and wonderful picts tho some were very sad

Incredible.

these photos are art in themselves, and as such should be interpreted by the viewer in a way he/she feels suits. if you get something from any of the images then they have served a purpose

Please go back to #28 and look again. Think of your own children and picture them in place of that little boy. No more comments.

thought provoking. required watching. reminds me of Baraka. ps. #263 from a war watcher- right on.

Having just listened to Laura condemn the shoe throwing incident as an assault, I wonder her reaction to the dead child in Iraq. A polemic repudiation to be sure.

Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays everybody, roll on 2009

Son fotos que nos hacen reflexionar, algunas personas nos quejamos por tonterias mientras que otras viven un infierno todos los dias.
Ojala y tengan paz en algun momento.

Death, fire, and destruction seem to be the common thread that tie all of these "magnificent" photos together.

Neighborhood Bully by Bob Dylan

Well, the neighborhood bully, he's just one man,
His enemies say he's on their land.
They got him outnumbered about a million to one,
He got no place to escape to, no place to run.
He's the neighborhood bully.

The neighborhood bully just lives to survive,
He's criticized and condemned for being alive.
He's not supposed to fight back, he's supposed to have thick skin,
He's supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in.
He's the neighborhood bully.

The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land,
He's wandered the earth an exiled man.
Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn,
He's always on trial for just being born.
He's the neighborhood bully.

Well, he knocked out a lynch mob, he was criticized,
Old women condemned him, said he should apologize.
Then he destroyed a bomb factory, nobody was glad.
The bombs were meant for him.
He was supposed to feel bad.
He's the neighborhood bully.

Well, the chances are against it and the odds are slim
That he'll live by the rules that the world makes for him,
'Cause there's a noose at his neck and a gun at his back
And a license to kill him is given out to every maniac.
He's the neighborhood bully.

He got no allies to really speak of.
What he gets he must pay for, he don't get it out of love.
He buys obsolete weapons and he won't be denied
But no one sends flesh and blood to fight by his side.
He's the neighborhood bully.

Well, he's surrounded by pacifists who all want peace,
They pray for it nightly that the bloodshed must cease.
Now, they wouldn't hurt a fly.
To hurt one they would weep.
They lay and they wait for this bully to fall asleep.
He's the neighborhood bully.

Every empire that's enslaved him is gone,
Egypt and Rome, even the great Babylon.
He's made a garden of paradise in the desert sand,
In bed with nobody, under no one's command.
He's the neighborhood bully.

Now his holiest books have been trampled upon,
No contract he signed was worth what it was written on.
He took the crumbs of the world and he turned it into wealth,
Took sickness and disease and he turned it into health.
He's the neighborhood bully.

What's anybody indebted to him for?
Nothin', they say.
He just likes to cause war.
Pride and prejudice and superstition indeed,
They wait for this bully like a dog waits to feed.
He's the neighborhood bully.

What has he done to wear so many scars?
Does he change the course of rivers?
Does he pollute the moon and stars?
Neighborhood bully, standing on the hill,
Running out the clock, time standing still,
Neighborhood bully

Copyright ©1983 Special Rider Music

To Bharathi, whose comment was #278:

You bemoan the fact that we're looking at these photos instead of acting. How, exactly, does sitting and writing a comment on this blog help save the world from misery?

Why children must die for f*cking politicians??? WHY????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Respect to al camerapeople worldwide and shame on bastards politicians!

To Muc Beag...WRONG...the palestinians were told to leave VOLUNTARILY for a bit while the military destroyed the Jews and then all the palis could come "home" and have it all. Too bad the pali's underestimated the Israeli's will to live. The Palestinian's left in hopes of the full destruction of the Israeli's. They lost their bet.

To Reuben. Keep speaking the truth!

fantastiche.sono belle perchè racchiudono il momento deli fatti successi in quella foto.complimenti.

@ all Posters arguing over this never ending Israeli -Palestine pics (war)

Never ending blood shed over "religion and land". Its a f*cking joke if you ask me. When is the invisible spook from the clouds going to come down and save you all? Better yet, join in your immoral battle? NEVER. Im religious but people like you all make me wonder what the f*ck is the point?! Kill yourselves or just look at the other pics and theyre beauty. Savages.... (All of you holy rollers...)

If only we COULD act to save the world from misery...our world is slowly self-destructing around us, and we have no one to blame but ourselves:(

Muito Boa as fotos..sao sinceramente as melhores fotos que já vi..e os fotografos sao profissionais maravilhoso.

before I finish to see this I was already crying . Its a shame for everyone is not possible that we do so much damage to others just because they think different, there is not a truly true (verdad absoluta) is just different points of view, what we need is to respect the others, their way of thinking, belives etc. After I see this I think that we dont deserve to have the chance to live at this beutiful world and also it make you think in how good you are in life but at the sametime how useless you are how can we change ? I think starting by ourselfs been each day a little better please teach kids to respect others and nature . They really are the future and are our last chance to do better . sorry for my english I really speak spanish . bye to all

Amazing Pics ..........

I weep

Great pictures.

How bout everyone in this thread just STFU and appreciate the pictures for what they are?

Take your political commentary and stick it.

amazingly awesome.
speechless.
every picture worth its title..

LJRC : "373.To Muc Beag...WRONG...the palestinians were told to leave VOLUNTARILY for a bit while the military destroyed the Jews and then all the palis could come "home" and have it all. Too bad the pali's underestimated the Israeli's will to live. The Palestinian's left in hopes of the full destruction of the Israeli's. They lost their bet."

Even if that were the case, which it's not, it doesn't explain why Israel refuses to allow them back to their homes or why Israel allowed them to be butchered in the refugee camps by Lebanese militias.

This all started because some people took exception to the Boston Globe daring to show a picture of the suffering of a few Palestinian children because it didn't show the suffering of Israelis (which doesn't do anything to change the picture or the event) and started accusing just about everybody with a different opinion of being anti-semitic.

The pictures are awesome from start to finish.

First off, to the people complaining about the Israeli-Palestinian war of words being waged here, there is a simple reason for this, and it may help with the next installment of pictures to come tomorrow.

There was nothing wrong with the pictures, it is the captions that are the problem. In picture 26, the caption says that it is a picture of a Palestinian News truck hit by and Israeli Missile, and the wounded lying on the ground. The problem with his caption is that it is 100% pure Palestinian propaganda, and the picture does not support the caption.

The van does not show any sings of being hit by a missile. There are no scorch marks, or signs of a fire that would have resulted from a missile hitting its target. The frfront window looks like it was shot out with a b.b. gun. If a rocket hit that truck, there would have been more damage than what is shown.

If you don't add biased captions, the debate between the sides would not be as intense.

Rueben, thank you for speaking up, keep up the great work. I love to see people standing up for Israel when the world is constantly demonizing her.

As for the photography itself, it is all excellent. Is there any way to get ultra-high res copies of any of these? Picutre #1 is just absolutely amazing, and I would love to make it a large poster size picture to hang on my wall.

Subarashi... Tote-mo subarashi. Yama-sama blowing up in God decry is beautiful.

Oh What a collection!!! The best I have seen.

Sencillamente, ¡espectaculares! Felicitaciones a todos quienes hicieron posible esta recopilación. Fantástica!!!. Congratulations!

What a ridiculous monolougue made by Reuben et al. 'Human rights atrocities' are just that, crimes against humanity, and regardless of race, religion or creed you're totally ignorant if you won't allow yourself to recognise that. We need to look outside of our own experience and our communities if we really want to see the truth. You hide behind quotes and statistics to support a point of view which is far too bound up in your own identity to ever be close to being objective. Don't be a sheep and tow the 'party line' because it suits your agenda. Be a man and think for yourself.

ok, I will be a better person now
thank you

this was scary!;O

#370, the wackest song off of infidels is the best dylan we could come up with?

Fotos realmente maravilhosas, pena que o explendor de algumas contracena com as barbaries causadas pela humanidade... E ano após ano vemos as mesmas cenas e nos questionamos: Quando deixaremos de ser irracionais?? pois nem animais são capazes de praticar atos tão inescrupulosos como os humanos...
Parabenizo os profissionais pelas fotos e discredito os humanos causadores de algumas delas...

your an idiot man. religion has caused to much sh*t in this world. f*ck religion and f*ck the people who are constantly questioning other peoples faith and oppinions. if there IS a god or higher being of some sort, then im sure he put us on this earth to actually live a life, not bicker and praise someone who may not even exist. most religions are a complete contradiction of themselves anyway.

If people werent so stuck in their obtuse arguments about the statistics and logistics over the arab/muslim distribution, then im sure this would be alot more constructive.

back to the pictures: some amazing pictures in their. i think the polar bear picture is by far the best.

and to those arguing over politics, i guarantee it will get you NOWHERE unless you act for the 'right' reasons.

thank you so much for sharing these pictures...AND for letting me decide if I want to see the disturbing ones...I appreciate it. It has been a difficult year on all fronts...here's to a more peaceful 2009!

number 20 is obviously a buzz lightyear wannabe :P

Just to clarify post 292

The term 'ghetto' was originally used to refer to the Venetian Ghetto in Venice, Italy where Jews were forced to live. The word "ghetto" actually means "foundry" in Italian, used in this sense in a reference to a foundry located on the same island as the area of Jewish confinement.[2] An alternative etymology is from Italian borghetto, diminutive of borgo ‘borough’.

Thought i would contrubute to this long line of comments

Some stunning photos although many sad ones

What a world we live in

The most astonishing picture I have seen this year was the pictures of Galveston, TX USA after hurricane Ike hit. Thanks

its a mixture of emotion u can feel if u watch all the different fotos; all i can say is we still happy and dont regret with what u have ...just be happy and pray for our peace and good health

We have no control over anything really...everything has its own reason for happening... pe@ce and prosper to all

Outstanding pics...disheartening as some of them are. The moments a photograph might catch can be amazing without a word being said. That first photo just fascinates me. I knew volcanic eruptions sometime caused electrical storms, but the natural raw power in the pic is outstanding...and the blue/green strand just stands out!

amazing!

For all those bleeding heart liberals…
For all those who pretend to know history…
And to all those anti-Semites who replace the word "JEW" with "ISRAEL"…
And for anyone interested in the truth:

Palestine is a land made up of 3 entities known as the State of Israel, the West Bank and Jordan. This area was under Ottoman rule for hundred of years. In fact the whole Middle East was a vast open area part of the Ottoman Empire. Countries such as Syria, Lebanon and Iraq NEVER EXISTED.

After WWI, when the Ottoman Empire collapsed, the British received the mandate to rule Palestine and promised (Balfur Declaration- 1917) to create a JEWISH Home in Palestine. Why: In order to end the historic injustice created 2000 years ago to a happy end! To let the Jews return to their historic homeland where they had a temple in Jerusalem 1000 BC while the ancestors of all present days Jew-Israel haters where still living in caves.

Meanwhile, down in the Arabian Peninsula, a battle was raging between 2 Arab families. The Ibn Saud Family and the Hashemite family. The Ibn Saud family own, hence the name Saudi Arabia. The British wanted to help the Hashemite family so they took one of their sons, Abdullah and nominated him the king of a newly created country called Transjordan, which was no more than 2/3 of original Palestine. Churchill: "I created Transjordan with a stroke of a pen on a Sunday afternoon".

It was called Transjordan because it was all the land East of the Jordan river. The name was later changed to Jordan. Do you get it? The British created a NEW country and installed a Bedouin king from Sadui Arabia!!. Meanwhile they let the Jews and Arabs fight on the remaining land West of the Jordan river, what is now known as Israel and the West Bank.

So what is the just solution to all of this? A state of Israel West of the Jordan river (1/3 of Palestine) and a Palestinian State East of the Jordan river (2/3 of Palestine) where 70% of the population there is Palestinian anyway ruled by the Bedouins of Saudi Arabia. All those Arabs living West of the Jordan River will move West to the Palestinian state. Transfer? Yes! It was successfully done in the Balkans, India and Pakistan, Europe after WWI and many more places.

P.S. for all those who wonder the origin of the name Palestine: When the Roman destroyed Israel 2000 years ago (Yes, Jewish Israel NOT Arab Palestine) they wanted to humiliate the Jews so they changed the name of the land to Palestine after the name of Israel's arch enemy for generations – the Philistines. I wonder if the Arabs even know who gave the inspiration to the name they so proudly display.

just mindblowing man

328.
Reuben wrote:
...750,000 Palestinians were either removed from their land by the Israeli military or left it before the Israeli military got there on advice from their leaders during the Israeli war of independence. That was ethnic cleansing pure and simple,"
--------

Ethnic cleansing? Are they dead you assh*le? You don't even know the meaning of the term. Go move to Gaza you imbecile. Maybe you should ask Jordan why your palestinians are still in camps. Can't get jobs, can't vote, can't be free....they are beloved by all.

Look at the picture of the Kenyan boy traumatized in his doorway. Raila Odinga is Barack Obama's cousin. Obama took a call from him while campaigning in New Hampshire this year.

absolutely amazing and wonderful pictures, o..
Merry Christmas 08 & Happy New Year 09.

thank
for live in my country

Fotos muito boas! Amazing!

as a photographer but mostly as a human being I simply can not understand how you can stand in the presence of a dying or trapped person and snap a photo in their face. they could have only one more breath left before its too late, and there you stand wasting it, so that you can have a good photo. instead of trying to save someones life you are standing there thinking of only yourself. one word for all of you. karma.

that was really powerful.

muuuuuuuuuuuuiito legal!

to think that all these unbelievable pictures came free to your own home - makes you deeply grateful and humble.
Thank you,

the little boy made me cry too... the images are sad but the photography is beautiful

# 26 is incorrect. It was actually an Israeli tank airburst shell that did it to the car and people not an airstrike. The camera man was filming the tank, tank crew thought the camera man was carrying an shoulder fired rpg so they shot at him...you can see the actual footage at this link

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b1c_1208421211

Get your facts right!!!

Apart from the obviously beautiful images of the natural world, the ones that are focussed on war torn areas, natural disasters etc, or simply humans suffering are the epitome of dsgusting. A f*cking photographer would rather capture the moment of a dying man trapped under rubble that help him. yeh the photographer MIGHT hlep him but his/her intial thought is to get "the money shot"..."get the photo that will speak those 1000 words"...."get the photo that will provoke thought, feelings and deep dispair" of the public who view it, rather than help the poor man or save a life. Disguting human beings, more interested in getting fame, or that one "vietnam-esque" photo of modern day.

SICK!

no indian photograph
tjeraj
chennai

Re #410 "disgusted" ... Don't chastize what you apparently do not understand ... if you were referring to the student caught in the collapse of the school, any unplanned or poorly coordinated rescue attempt will almost certainly result in further collapse and injury or death. I have been involved in rescue operations for over 30 years and slow, methodical, well planned operations are far more sucessful. I can understand your desire to "get in and do something", laudable, but slow and steady is far more effective.

I find it unbelievably sick that you'd take pictures of people who were dying. For instace a guy who had rock, or snow, or SOMETHING fall on him, and you run in there to take a snapshot of him, instead actually trying to save the poor guy. And taking a picture of a chiuld hiding from a sand storm, instead of offering the child protection, and taking a picture of a terrified child and police demand entry into his home. Sure, some pictures are good, but it sickens me that at such tense times there is a photographer everwhere now. It make me wonder if, while they're taking pictures of men risking their lives in the line of duty, are the photographers in line of fire? Taking cover? Or is it posed. Sorry, that annoyed me, reply all you want saying that I'm wrong. It's my personal oppinion

l love that stuff !

TO "Guy" You also have killed more ppl then you have saved, plus u voted for Bush.. do i need to say more?

How powerful does that wave look!

every picture has its own story........ some sad and some happy.....
I literally cried looking at the dead child...
the voilence in the whole world is disturbing

Those pictures are amazing! We can watch each other like citizens of the world and not as individuals. We feel sorrow for our world, for the people that sufers regadless their nationality or social group. Stop discrimination. Let´s be as one and let´s forget borders. We are part of this world. Maybe we can have racial diferences but we have something in common: We are alive. Let´s forget being Mexicans, Americans, Russians, etc. And let´s be TERRESTIALS. Begin to unite the world. "It isn´t hard to do" JOHN LENNON. Let´s think on those hungry babies from Africa. Let´s make an only one Goverment in the world, just one country called: PLANET EARTH.

Photo No.3----it will not help to spend money in space, but it does help to improve the environment of the earth.

essas maravilhosas fotos servem para abriri nossos olhos prara a realidade em que o mundo se encontra, infelizmente são acontecimentos, muitas vezes horriveis, porém, que sirvam como colírios para os ue ainda teimam em não ver.

belém PA. Brasil
Adriana Moraes

verey good

To the guy who said there were 7 U.S. photos.

I counted 6, actually. Maybe I missed one.

By the way those who say the list is too "American".

1) America is large.
2) It's an American newspaper
3) Shut the hell up

Truely moving work. Of all the sadness in the world I can say I'm truely greatful for the photographer risking their all for these moments captured.

#16, what a emergency situation ..

There are a lot of comments from people upset that the photographers sometimes take pictures of people who are, well, "in a bad way" to put it very lightly. I understand their point and their wish to help people in need. However photographers (usually) are not trained medical personnel, rescue workers, or aid workers and their trying to help often can just make the problem worse. Another larger issue is that photo journalists are often given a LITTLE bit of freedom to work in disaster areas or war zones without fear of persecution BECAUSE they stay out of it. If, for example, a photographer was working in a war zone and participating in helping wounded soldiers or fighting, he would then become a soldier and not a reporter. Again, often without the required training. He certainly would be killed, injured, or forced to leave.

Finally, the last thing on any journalists mind is the "money shot". They are not there to revel in suffering or exploitively take these pictures. They are three to help show the world what is happening. Certainly, without them we could only have a very limited knowledge about what's going on in various places. Also, people would be less inspired to actually care about it.

So, I laud your desire for photojournalists to help the people they're photographing, (and sometimes they DO) but if they did that, the ramifications might be very severe on many levels.

Nice

Amen, Muc Beag.

American media portrays Israel as inherently tumultuous, with bloodshed between Muslims and Jews going back centuries. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The bloodshed didn't begin until after WWII, when Zionists used the Bible as "historical justification" to claim Palestinians' land as their own. They started forcing Palestinians into what are effectively smaller and smaller concentration camps as a means to claim more and more property.

Check out this critically acclaimed documentary, which objectively examines the issue from a number of perspectives. It's definitely worthwhile, and features many prominent news anchors and internationally recognized scholars: www (dot) moviesfoundonline (dot) com/occupation_101.php

Amazing photos, depicts what the world is about. 2008

Hello. I'm south korean...
When i was writing the e-news... I chanced upon the article that published the 5th picture.
Then a certain person informed me of the original of the 5th picture.
Hhmm... it is a good thing that 5th picture's marine was not injured...
I hope the marine will be okay...
But the other pictures make me feel sad... Especially, as the people of the south korean, 24th Namdaemun gate picture makes me very very somber... ah...
destroyed our treasure...
Namdaemun is our national treasure...I wish that the incident like this happens again.
and... WISH NO WAR... i don't know why the innocent people are killed by anyone...
I pray for the people... I always dreamed to help people in need...
that is my dream...

ps. My English ability is very very no good... really sorry...

feel sad...

before end of year 2008
I review the event happen in the world during this year.
I feel fortunate that
I am still alive
although I am jobless
at least I still have hope
hope for the future year 2009

fotos impactantes y reales ,

NO GOD, NO PEACE.
KNOW GOD, KNOW PEACE.
When will we get it that the end times are near?
Have you rec'd God into your heart before it's too late?
Outstanding accounts of humanity/inhumanity.

Real life,some times is hard to believe.

@ #371
Dennis,
This blog may not make any physical difference in the world, but (I know this sounds cliche but it's true) it makes people aware that these problems are out there and that there are people who need to be helped. I think it's great and really comforting to know there are at least the number of people who posted on this blog (400ish) who have been moved by what we've seen here; to know that there are people with real caring emotions in the world. If one person is truly affected by what they've seen here i would call this a success. Ignorance is the world's biggest enemy and this online community is just one way - even if it's minor - to take some of the blindness out of the world; little by little at least.

Journalists are not rescuers, their training is limited to documenting the events at hand - there is a reason that we have freedom of the press as the first amendment of the Bill of Rights. Chances are the photographers called for help from someone who /was/ trained and then, in many cases, risked their lives for the ability to give you not just an image but a /story/ within the photographs they are sending to the rest of the world.

Alguien dijo en un post arriba ": LA SEGUNDA VALORACION ES FOTOGRAFICA, GRACIAS AL DESARROLLO TECNOLOGICO Y A LA ENTRADA EN NUESTRAS VIDAS DE LA FOTOGRAFIA DIGITAL PODEMOS VER Y COMPARTIR ESTAS IMAGENES SIN FRONTERAS Y CON LA RAPIDES EN QUE SUCEDEN LOS HECHOS."
Que tontería, aberración e insulto a los grandes tipo Leonard Freed, Capa, Elliot Herwitt....

MUY BUEN LINK, ENHORABUENA

MUY BUEN LINK

In response to 405:

The following is the definition of ethnic cleansing:

"ethnic cleansing is a euphemism referring to the persecution through imprisonment, expulsion, or killing of members of an ethnic minority by a majority to achieve ethnic homogeneity in majority-controlled territory."

People do not necessarily have to die en masse to be ethnically cleasned.

And the above definition describes exactly Israel's actions - imprisonment and expulsion especially.

To all those accusing all and sundry of anti-semitism for daring to question the actions of Israel, YOUR actions are threatening to cheapen the term irreperably by using it to snuff out any counter argument, no matter how reasoned.

Nazi Germany was anti-semitic. Nazi Germany was responsible for murdering 6 million Jews and Nazi Germany is rightly remembered world wide for being the epitome of evil.

Questioning Israel's actions as a nation state when there is over-whelming evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity on the Palestinian population is not anti-semitic. It is required for all free thinking people, as it is required of Zimbabwe, as it was required of apartheid South Africa.

If Israel wishes to be considered an upstanding nation state then it must allow its actions to be scrutinised and it must respond appropriately to the findings of that scrutiny.

y yo me levanto con ansiedad por no poder soportar mi trabajo. ¡qué pensamiento más egoista el mío!
El sufrimiento de este mundo algún día nos llegará a occidente.

Great pictures. It's very sad that average people don't see these. It gives an idea as to the suffering in the world and heart ache. We don't realize how lucky we are.

very good pics. everything is in that fhotos.worlds problems.fire,death,war,....... really good!!

On #38... Does anyone else see the man in that picture laughing? WTF is so funny? I don't know how to feel about that photo. It made me terribly upset in many ways.

On #9... Well I'm from Waterloo, Iowa. How could I not be moved by a photo that was taken not so far from where I live. I was lucky to not be hit by the floods to that extreme, but most of us in Iowa were affected by the floods in some way. I am a photographer myself, and I took many photos of the floods AND the tornados that took place. E-mail me at stormi_e@hotmail.com if you are interested in seeing some spectacular tornado and storm photos of the 2008 storms.

"We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children. The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices. God gives us a capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes. And we must. " - Jimmy Carter, accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, 2002

For all you "photographers" and such that think that it is wrong to have taken these photos, instead of helping them out, what makes you think they didn't? And if they didn't...what could they have done? Sometimes it's like sending a janitor in to perform heart surgery. Unless you are there yourself, you should keep your comments to yourself. What are you doing to help these situations? At least you are now informed on the crisis, and that they truly exist. Without the photographer, you are uninformed. How would you like to have their job? To inform feeling helpless would be already devastating enough.

I would like to know why there is no 1 picture from the palestinian Bombs ISRAEL day and night ???

Muchas gracias

Increíble, hay ciertas realidades que aunque no nos toquen de cerca se sienten, duele ver como el hombre en su afán de poder intenta eliminar a su propia especie con absurdo sentimiento de superioridad.

Gracias por la galería, excelentes imágenes.

14,15, and 19 are just not in the same league as the other pictures in regards to subject matter or importance.

ZAjebiste fotki

First and foremost these are some amazing pictures!
In regards to comment #416: do you know what happend after or before the "money shot" was taken? being a journalist myself i can only express my utmost respect for people reporting from areas which are torn by war or are ravaged by natural desasters. reporting from locations like that puts one in the middle of it and i do not know any reporters who would just take a picture and then walk off ... as if they didnt see what they wanted the world to see. for a lot of photographers helping comes first, regardless of your distorted view! "gross" will remain reality until the world changes ... it's your choice to see reality or to look away, we are merely the first spectators in line. do not blame us for what this world is!

why...?

reuters....great agency.

I will send this to all four of my young daughters just starting out on their journeys in life. I want them to know how very lucky they are to have lived such a gentle life so far in comparison to the rest of the world. The next time they complain that their ipod is not the latest model or that they have to shovel the walk after a storm maybe some of these images will come to mind. Betty Pogor, North Andover, MA

Binni.....

Might want to remove your foot from your mouth before you speak again....

No we have NOT killed more then we have saved. There are MILLIONS of people in Iraq that have been saved because of us being there. We have not killed near that many people. I voted for Bush, I am a soldier, I KNOW the cost, quite possibly my life, and I am willing to give it for their freedom. (sorry to you haters, but I do not fight for oil.)

Here is a perfect example of how they are better off now, then they were before....a man throws a shoe at a world leader and is still alive....could he have done that to Saddam Insane and still be alive today? (the answer is no)

Breath taking pics!

Well, I have red the discussion about the conflict between Israeli and Palestinians. It surprises me that no one has stated the obvious; if there is no religion, the conflict will probably disappear. The importance of that piece of land is for the Israeli as well as Christian’s Jerusalem must be in Jewish hands in order for the messiah to come (back) to earth. Muslim’s also reckon Jerusalem to be a holy place. Besides that the Koran states that every piece of land that was once owned by Muslims should remain that way.
Concluding even if al the other problems there are solved the meme religion will remain to spoil it.

BIG RESPECT.
SINCERILY;

The pictures are really interesting and illustrative. I wonder if there were not DPhoto, how we can get any idea about all this amazing scenes? Congrats to your team

Que hermosas fotografías y que vergüenza de nuestro mundo.

Imgenes increibles
muy guapas

The best Collection ever... The child.. :(

for the person who said he had never seen anything on the major news networks about most of these stories, where the heck were you? I watched stories on the earthquake, the hurricanes, the floods, the volcano, Darfur, the balls in the water, etc etc. You must be joking.

These photos are awesome representations of some of the big news stories that are going on in our world. I am saddened by the deaths in Darfur and all of the other areas where they aren't getting enough international help. If we can go to war for oil, then we should be able to help the starving people in Africa.

Great,really great and wonderful. I cant believe that. These are the best pictures I have ever seen.But I must say:"I hope for the day that no war and injustice exists anymore"
CONGRATULATIONS.

Amazing, and very revealing, photos. We are so much more fortunate that people even just a few generations ago, in that we can so quickly see exactly what is going on in out world. Each year our world becomes a smaller and smaller place; and we are lucky to be able to see what is going on in other parts of the world, whether the goings-on are good or bad, dangerous or beautiful, war related or nature related. We have the ability to see, and feel, images, experiences, and peoples that others, just a few generations ago, were not even aware of. Some of life, and some of what goes on in the world, is ugly. That's true. However, at least now we can know what is going on all over the world, in just minutes, or hours, or days. That's a huge blessing!

religion has nothng to do with the isreali and palestine genocide.....its about money.

its cruel, inhuman, brutuality, which will shame the isreali nation in history, in the way nazi's shamed the history of germany......there is no difference between them....a nation born of brutality, inhumanity will never know humanity, civility, and peace......and so it goes.....

a cycle of blood shed.

"Imagine all the world living life in peace." John Lennon

pretty cool!

Those pics r amazing!!!! i just hope that they helped the people in them......

In support of some comments by a few here, a photographer's function is to document, to heighten awareness, to convey reality. I have known a couple of professional photo-journalists that have worked war zones and disasters, and believe me, they are NOT just going for that "money shot"! They often come away just as moved, or more so, as the affected people. They risk their lives as much as the troops and emergency workers, to bring the story to us...often in hopes of avoiding a recurrence of the same atrocities or disasters. And they most certainly cannot simply lay down their camera, and begin pulling rubble away from a victim, without putting the victim, and others, in even MORE danger! Beautiful shots!
Beautiful shots!
Be

maravillosas fotografias que nos dicen lo que es verdaderamente el ser "humano" (?)

Wow.

People stop complaining, these photos are awesome (not good awesome, but inspiring awe).

People would rather not see photos like these and pretend things dont happen. The world is a very vibrant place.

Oh! It'sreally GREATEST World Photos!

wow....good picture

Now what the worlds people to say after watching the picturs of Iraq and Palestinians ?
Is the baustered bush is right ?
Now it is up to u

Woah! It's so cool!!!! Respect to Photografs!!! But sometimes the photos from war are terrible!
With love form Russia !

may

wonderful, courageous photographers,

One word....EXPLANDID !!!

Never point cylindrical objects (like camera lenses) at a tank
armed with missiles in a danger (war) zone.

estan bie estas fotos aunque las espantosas matanzas de los gringos en irak y Afganistan merecerian algo mas de sitio aqui.

@ post 393 anon
"and f*ck the people who are constantly questioning other peoples faith and oppinions"

What did your post just do?

very sad world we live in

Great stuff.

Thank you.

#38 Is Such a Moving Photograph.

Wough, Impressive!!

I find it hard to believe there is so much suffering... The pictures of war/death/poverty/pain far outweigh the good, uplifting pictures. Is this really the world that we are part of? If so, why is this so? It makes you wonder...
My best wishes to all those out there- I'll be praying tonight for you, even though I have no religion.

@ December 19, 08 05:47 PM

i think its post number 393.

dude your super right, people need to realise pages have been cut out of their bibles. they are infact, not worshiping all the words that they should be.

#435, South Korean "Sun". Your English is MUCH better than my Korean! I had no problems understanding what you had to say.

awesome pictures as usual.

Am Israel Chai!

and then... lots of really great things happened.

seriously. this isn't all that happens.

and to the person who talked about religion causing this... yes, islamic extremism causes more violence than any other religion on the planet - in history. period. ignore it, deny it, whatever. it doesn't go away and it will only get worse.

and just to lighten the somber mood: puppies, kittens, umm... and raindrops on roses.

:)

Thank You for the opportunity to see such wonderful (and horrific) photos.
Apart from the mix of emotions they carry, they are, above all, the work of excellent professionals.
I also appreciated the care you've taken in informing viewers about potential shock of some of the images.

May 2009 create more beautiful and less awful pictures.

Thank You

As a human nation...how and why do we let some of the things illustrated by these photographs happen.
I feel ashamed of myself and my fellow man.

very nice

Very nice picture's, but some of them were very sad.

Sick world we live in.
I hope for peace.

I only can say that this pictures are amazing...amazing but true and sad.
Our world in only 40 pictures,and they say so much,so much hurt.
I dream night to night to do photographies like this.
(Sorry my english is bad)

sad

I agree with 495.

"This world is a burning house.
Only I, can save them"

The Lotus Sutra

I'm truly sorry for our kind, living life in the epoch of globalization purely for the best of wealth & power, the time has come for our race to stand up for what we as children believed in. We fight amongst ourselves instead of directing our interest in health and well being for all. The economic (power) gap grows bigger by the second and we become spectators as it happens. Much grief is in my heart after watching those pictures... hoping for a better 2009, starting by being a better neighbor to you all.

Thanks for sharing

estamos cagaos

Its amazing phots

amazing shots!

It is so shameful what we do to another...makes me cry seeing these photos. How is it we have strayed so far as not to care for our brother and sisters of our Earth. WE ALL LOVE, HURT, BLEED AND DIE!
CONCEEDED IS THE PERSON THAT THINKS HIS/HER LIFE IS MORE PRECIOUSE THEN ANOTHERS!

I think these photos have done what they themselves should do .....That is to make people think and see maybe what we should be seeing. We hide in our little worlds living like kings. It's good to see what is actually going on in the world. For those who were disgusted well open your hearts ...this is what is happening out there.
I for one would like to say Thank You.
For making me Think.

Beauty is often torturous, we have lost our humanity, we've morphed into something far more vile. Heaven and Hell exists people but its right here on Earth.

I have waited for these pictures for a few years now, and it never ceases to amaze me how every year they are similar; the shocking, the beautiful, the horrific, the children, sport,brutal geological and climactic events.....every year I am reminded just how human the whole world is, and how thankful I am that there are people willing to risk their lives to show it to me.

Simply amazing

Violence, wars, injuries and death is an extraordinary material of cause, but it doesn't make a good photography.
What is the meaning of most of this photos? that 2008 year was full with violence? that in order to make a good journalistic photo it should capture something horrible? It makes you feel only sorrow and hate.
Still, there were some great images above full with optimism: the image with moving stars (taking with long exposure), with jellyfish and the hand, with men running in the Olimpics, where the feet are in the air, the man skiing above the city where you don't see the snow and the lightening above volcano - the first one,

vg

love it. thanks

no photos from terror attack on israel?
no photos of the 1100 rockets palastinan shoot on civil city's in israel in 2008?

I believe in phrase: "The beauty will save the world" and of course not shocking photos.

shot to my heart

so what u guys are saying is a photographer should lift up thousands of pounds of wreckage to save a person? maybe help was already on the way.
or perhaps he should pick up a gun and help the marines fight the taliban.
please think before you speak

I think these photos do a great service to many stories we see and hear that are reduced to mere soundbites and headlines. I think they are amazing pictures, sad and beautiful.

two comments, there is a saying in Israel. if Palestinians would put down the arms there would be peace now, the exact moment. if Israelis would put down there arms. there would be no Israel.
if anybody can tell me thats not tru.
second. from six billion people on this earth, hunderds of conflicts all around the world. do you not find it funny or sad that only Israel against the palestians got two pctures. none showing the israeli side of hunderds of missles falling every day on souther israel.. the press is one sided and only the palestinian side.

I have been following the exchange regarding Israel and Palestine with great interest. However, I must note that a lot of what is being said is not supported by the truth but rather by biased feeling towards this or that group. The fact of the matter is that the so called Palestinian Nation is an invention! Surprised? I knew you would! Before the British arrived in Palestine in 1917, there were very few Arabs living there. On the other hand there were 4 Jewish communities living in the 4 holy cities – Jerusalem, Safed, Hebron and Tiberia – continuously since the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD. After the first wave of Jewish immigration in 1882 and more so after the British mandate took effect in 1917, the country exhibited an economic boom. This attracted many Arabs from areas outside the so called Palestine. They came from present day Syria, Lebanon and Eygpt. There were also many who were brought into the land from North Africa by the Turks (Ottoman Empire) to build the railroad or for other menial work. So talking about a Palestinian nation? During the 1920 and 1930 the Arabs living in Palestine saw themselves as belonging to Syria. In fact they considered Palestine is part of so called Greater Syria. The concept of Greater Syria (Syria-Lebanon-Palestine) is still alive and kicking, mainly in the mind of the Syrians. Maybe you can start to understand the conflict in Lebanon and why Syria would not let an independent Lebanon survive). One more point: Not only is a Palestinian Nation a myth but they already claim that they are descendents of the Canaanites, a group that disappeared from the earth 3,000 years. The middle east imagination does work overtime…

Wow ! So much impact in a few amazing pictures. Sure beats 24 news .Thankyou to all the photographers...my heart feels so sad for the little girl being held up.Will we ever learn......Lets hope so...Peace and Goodwill to all at this time for remembrance and giving.

Amazing collection, covering the whole spectrum of emotions.

Disneyworld? Football games? Carnival?Fashion world?New lear jets?Nothing at all! This is the real world.

Great photos.
It's just a shame you allow people to comment - the photos should be left to stand on their own - the (mostly) idiotic opinions at the bottom of the page are a waste of time and only cheapen them.
(I realise it's pretty hypocritical adding another one to point this out).

amazing
but, some really painfull

Is that man in #38 LAUGHING???

great pictures!

regarding #37 - Perchten in Austria - more pictures of this pagan tradition in Austria may be found here (and with less ISO noise if I'm allowed to say that )

if you are interested:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brennuskrux/sets/72157610400794635/

today i
drove my car
bought christmas gifts
swam in a river with my husband and child
felt sad beyond words about war
and tried a little bit more to be loving.
but after looking at these fotos
the truth is: that i just dont get us (humanity) at all.

In response to comment 448 - I don't see the man as laughing, his face is clearly one of grief (as are the faces of the other 2 men you can see).

Amazing pictures.

Nice Flash back

great .... unbeliveable photos thanks

An Iranian poet writes:

The last page of Rain's travelogue says that the Earth is soiled.

Impresionante fotografia la primera del volcan chino.
Hay algunas mas tambien interesantes en esta página. Besos.

Very eye opening photos of the world today. Most of us shut our eyes to everything around us, but to be a better person we should be more aware of what reaaly goes on around us.

Alas, too many heartbreaking shots....proof of man's inhumanity to man

SOME OF THEM ARE GREAT, BUT I HAVE TEARS RUNING ON MY FACE.... WE SHOULD STOP... PLEASE STOP KILLING AND HURTING OTHER PEOPLE. WE ARE HERE IN THIS WORLD TO HELP EACH OTHER NOT TO USED AND ABUSED OTHER PEOPLE. SOMEONE CALLED THIS ART, ITHING IS JUST EVILNESS

The scary thing about this blog is the passion with which so many people rage against various issues, when their approach and words so clearly show that they are unqualified to hold such strong views. Let me make such a comment: "democracy is doomed unless you read and think more".

I was impressed

THESE PICTURES SHOWS US THAT WE ARE NOT FROM THIS PLANET, WE ARE NOT CONSTRUCTED TO LIVE HERE WITHOUT DAMADGE THE PLANET.OUR LIVE IS 100 YEAR PROJECT EXPERIMENT OF "THE THING"( i don't know how to name it but its no God) WE ARE HERE TO GAIN EXPIRIENCE FOR THE MACHINES WHO CONTROL THE WHOLE SYSTEM, OUR MINDS ARE THAT WHAT WE ARE, OUR BODIES ARE THE MACHINES WICH WE CONTROL WITH THE MIND, WHY ANIMALS NOT DO THIS FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS LIVING HERE IN THE EARTH WE THEY LIVE IN THE NATURE WHY?!?! WHY WE NOT UNDERSTAND ANIMALS, BECOUSE WE ARE NOT FROM HERE

in #38 I know I should be horrified but all I can focus on is the horrible knock-off adidas shirt the guy on the right is wearing. "adibos"? Really? That's the best you can do? Hire some Chinese consultants and learn to counterfeit properly.

As an American woman living in Los Angeles surrounded by Israeli's who have served their country and particularly one friend who left Israel to serve in the U.S. Navy Seals, I found it disturbing that all of the Israel/Palestinian conflict pictures were of Palestinians being 'victimized' by Israel. A demonstrated bias in reporting the conflict. Utterly disappointing. I defer to the expertise of the writers of 519 & 520.

Magnificas fotografias y sobre todo magnificos fotografos que estaban en el lugar en esos momentos arriesgados. Enhorabuena a todos por hacernos ver la triste realidad de este planeta.

Un fuerte abrazo y Felices Fiestas y prospero año 2009.

the reality
for all
and for nothing

Wonderful photos!

I don't know if this has already been mentioned (I don't really want to read through 540 comments in order to to find out!), but the caption on #26 is significantly inaccurate. First, the cameraman's name is Fadel Shana'a, not Fadel Shaana. Second, he was killed by a flechette artillery round fired from a tank, not a missile fired as part of an air strike. He was filming the tank at the time and his footage shows the shell being fired and then everything goes black as the it hits him and the car.

You can see the footage and the Reuters report here:

http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=80475&videoChannel=1

WHOA, the first one is just awesome! The other ones are okay but Wow!

Muito interessante as fotos, ficaram ótimas. Parabéns!

you're missing a picture of Palestinians bombings the town of Sderet in Israel (Which happens pretty much almost every day all year long..)

Superbes photos pour réfléchir.

Quand les hommes vivront d'amour, il n'y aura plus de misère....
Mais nous, nous serons mort mon frère !!!

FOR EVERYONE WHO CLAIMS THIS COLLECTION IS UNFAIR AND IS ANTI-ISRAELI OR PRO-PALESTINIAN:
A) You are WRONG. Go to PART 3 (and yes, learn to read - this is a 3-part collection of 120 photos) check out photo #12 for dead Palestinians who were launching mortars at an Israeli neigborhood, or #30 for the funeral of one of the Israeli victims of the Mumbai attacks.
B) WTF? Does every single collection of photos of a conflict have to show equal coverage of both sides - all the time, every time? And if you answer "all media does this" or "it happens all the time", check that - we are talking about THIS blog, and THIS collection.
C) Knee-jerk reactions like yours won't gain any you any sympathy

I have no particular horse in this race, I think both the Israelis and the Palestinians have done despicable things in recent years, and I'm not particularly rooting for either side.

I've been following this blog for months now, and have only picked out what might be the slightest bias - but that might just be me. The photographs are amazing, the stories are fantastic, and I've seen this blog labeled as being a right-wing propaganda factory and a biased left-wing pack of lies. I guess that must mean it's hitting pretty close to the middle, which is good enough for me.

I can't witness a dead child being held aloft weeping forefathers, only to see a french man sailing through the air on skis. What is the point of that? Shed the fashion, the pretense and ego and come back to basics. People need saving. Those of us who can, do not enough. I will vouch to do more after seeing this.

some are sad but some r cool

This world has always been full of woe and beauty, to catch it in film like this is breathtaking !

Exc Fotos

MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING
MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING
MISSING MISSING MISSING MISSING
Where are the pics of Kashmiris marching towards UN?????Millions of Kashmiris gathered near the UN office...asking for help..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/22/kashmir.india
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7567305.stm
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2008/08/200881891840572825.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7734018,00.html

Fotos inacreditáveis.
Realmente, o homem é o lobo do homem.

WHEN YOU TYPE IN ALL CAPS IT MEANS YOU ARE YELLING!
Please, quiet down. These are some amazing pictures, and they are great examples of the human experience and what life is like on Earth.

These are the best of time, and these are the worst of times. Everyday we get to choose between life and death, good and evil and to steward our 86,400 seconds. Only the Lord knows what will happen next, but He has given us the ability to make the choices that affect us and those we touch. Choose well.

Why did the Israilis hit a Routers van???

WOWWWWWW THE BEST THE BETER

I am speechless.. these fotos are simply amazing.

#528 - We all try. Have a little faith...

Great compilation!!! I'm proud to be a part of an organisation (Reuters) that captures the world through its lenses. The pictures make me wonder if there is any humanity at all left. However, hats off to the brave journalists and their aides to have captured the moments (of truth), just to tell the ignorant world about the happenings. I only wish Reuters had a stronger arm in Kashmir (as good as the Middle-East arm) to expose the unwanted violence created by Pakistan (denies).

Brilliant shots. Just wondered what happened to the subjects after the shot was taken (I mean the curiosity to know whether they survived the tragedy or not).

Ronaldinho.

You can see the joy he sees @ San Siro, and you can also see the pain and anguish he suffered at Barcelona the past season.

incredibile.... te face sa te gandesti se scurta poate fi viata.

Que pasa en la casa - super fee pics, mayn!

What a beautiful collection of beautiful pictures.
Sadness, Scariness, Happiness, i'ts al there.

I can't wait till the next part of the 2008-collection,

Estas fotografías son increíblemente buenas, pero desgraciadamente muchas muestran lo mal que está el mundo y lo mal que lo está pasando mucha gente. Una se siente muy impotente ante estas situaciones y piensa lo bien que vivimos en muchos países y a veces encima nos quejamos... no tenemos ningún motivo para ello. Sería bonito pensar que algún día no tendremos que ver imagenes de guerra y de destrucción... ojalá sea así.

That was a really nice collection, the image of the child made me super sad:(

Israeli army got some issues me finks too

amazing pictures
thank you!

It makes me sick to read people defending killing their fellow man (women and children). Seriously, does that clown think it makes a difference whether there is technically a "Palestinian Nation". (520) Reubin ...in the name of God wake up to yourself!!!!! Open your eyes son, people are dying.There is only one God and He commanded us not to kill. No excuses! The other clowns who blame religion are just as crazy. People kill people not religion. Abolish religions and the killing will go on. All of you, stop justifying and start putting a stop to it.

This Pictures be verry fabulous...

COISA MAIS LINDA ESSAS FOTOS.
SHOW DE BOLA.

ABRAÇO DO BRASIL

son realidades muy infelices del mundo que vivimos, sino cambiamos siempre sera peor, y luego vendra la autodestruccion Joana

Oh my God...is the end of world....is the end of days...
Please, have a litle of love for your brother's and sister's.
Thank's.
Francisco, John

post #540: you are disgusting. shame on you!

Very thought provoking images, thanks to all those photographers putting their life at risk to show the world what is really happening behind our every day easy life style.

We complain, we moan, we judge, we jury and sadly we don't make the additional step forward to actually help fellow human's in true need.

pity, what has the world come to.

and dear 520. you're a complete asshole. you should be ashamed of yourself!

lakvar sent me this! super!

Awesome pics! I agree with 575 ,apparently,It is the end of World,the end of days...

thanks

This World is Dead

waiting the next set. great colection.

This World is Dead

Wake up folks, stop the crying and think about what you have seen. This is life - in all its beauty and disgust.

Sou do Brasil e te dou o meu Parabéns!
Você tem em suas mãos, uma dádiva de Deus!
Muito obrigada por mostrar a nós esta realidade que não estamos costumados a ver mas que sabemos que está em todos os lugares.
Continue a nos maravilhar e até mesmo nos chocar com tamanho crueldade ou beleza.
Sucesso sempre!
Abraços

I must say I work for a branch of Reuters at Thomson West and yes it hard to see the sadness in this world but to be the photographer that shares it with the world - I give you my admiration. Please be proud that you can show the world it own reality - maybe it'll wake some of us up and do something about it all.
Good work reuters and Getty photographers I'm proud of you and your work, because not only do I see your wonderful work in the sadness of our times but also the beauty you do in nature and happiness of our time.
Thanks you.

Re photo 26...The Israeli Defence force Really do not like the truth being exposed in the press. Far too many press reporters have been targeted for it to be accidental. The Inmates/prisoners of Gaza are collectively punished at every opportunity. As the innocent cyclists have found out riding a bike is a "crime punishable by summary execution!"
When will Israel give back the land they illegally occupy?

Es bastante conmovedor y al mismo tiempo asombroso, el como una cámara fotográfica puede plasmar en cuestión de segundos una realidad de la vida del planeta desde muchos ángulos, al punto de devolvernos por unos minutos, a un estado reflexivo del que no deberiamos desprendernos nunca , para que con ello todos y cada uno de nosotros pensemos en hacer de este planeta un lugar mejor para vivir, y disfrutar de manera pacifica, todas las maravillas que hay en el, incluyendo a la mejor de todas " el ser humano". ESPECTACULARES FOTOS!!!,,,,SANDRA A. Bogotá. Colombia.

SANDRA LIA AMAYA BUSTOS

SENCILLAMENTE ESPECTACULARES!!!!

I know that the tragedies of human life seam to get more play than the good in humankind. God has created a beautiful world for all of us to enjoy and experience our individual gifts in. It is truly sad that we spend so much time expressing the evils of this world and not enough time on the good. We need to be careful at what we are playing up. If man spent more time showing only the good in man then this would be a much better world. When you give attention to bad behavior that is what you will get. Try giving attention to good behavior and see what we get!!! I love the photographs. Everyone was a wow. Now let's see the good in man also.

Funny is that when Israel defends itself against the Palestinias everybody talk, but everyone pretend to not notice all the attacks the arabs inflict on Israel. Exactly as in the Bible. Israel will be alone and will be attacked by arabs and RUssians, GOD HIMSELF will defend Israel.
Arabs , throughout history - since ancient times LOVES war, destruction and always hated Israel, always. They suffer today because they choose to live in hatred.
Look at Jordan, they chose a different path, they live peacefully, how different and better looking is Jordan from the other countries. Not to include Saudi Arabia, Bill Clinton has been working hard for them

What is all this about the End of the world....... Haven't you studied the world history.... Haven t you heard about World War II.....

These are challenges which have been put forth in front of us by no one other than ourselves.....
We have to win. We have to fight back....Thanks to the Media we have an opportunity to see these atrocities that human kind done on itself.... Sad is the state of affairs in the World but still we prefer to fight against each other....There is hardly anything we have learnt from our past.....

Why were there no pictures of the destruction committed by the Palestinians against the Israelies?

most of those photographs are about war and death

what's wrong with this world!

beautiful

Simply manificient. Each one - individual and expressing.

São realmente magníficas, porém, deixam uma mensagem de dor, tristeza, o nos leva a uma profunda reflexão.
Natal...será que merecemos o Cristo renascido?
Fome e guerra pela terra...é Natal...tempo de paz e amor?!

the world would be such a nice place if all these cultures could just live together.
painful to see that even after so many years we can't.

..............most of those pics are far from here.
But I can feel everything.....

Gustavo
Brazil

It is regretable that political ideologies from a limited few amongst us result in such hurt, terror, and death

Mr Mehra, you clearly is not a Christian, and implicitly try to bring ridiculousness to it ,so you ignore the word of God, you ignore what it is to have Him manifest in your life, secularization is what you anchor yourself, you also seem to ignore the persecution that Cristians face in India, where we are beaten . I, for one, know well World History, enough to know what happened since ancient times. After dedicating decades in studying it, and studying the Bible, what I say may be different from what you believe but is not a lie or exaggeration.

It makes me feel very insignifigant

Son la vida misma, fantásticas instantáneas que ponen de manifiesto la realidad de nuestro planeta: injusticia, guerra, dolor, tristeza, desesperanza....nos deberían hacer reflexionar. ¡Enhorabuena! a los fotógrafos.

Buen trabajo fotografico en todos los sentidos.

Fotos espectaculares, que muestran la verdadera cara de nuestro mundo, de alegria, dolor, tristeza y poco amor.

Que estas imagenes sirvan para reflexionar y preguntarnos que nos esta pasando y hacia donde vamos.

Saludos y felicidades.

haha. Are people actually saying that the media is pro-palestine? sweet Jesus, you must be kidding. Who owns all the media here in NA? Jews do. Watch CNN, Fox whatever you want, and you will see that the media is in fact pro-israel. The whole Bush administration is pro-Israel, making the US pro-Israel. Please, if anyone should complain, it is the palestinians. What Israel is doing is just as bad, and they have broken many international laws. Google it, you will educate yourself...
I'm neither from Palestine or Jewish. I just call it like it is.

What is that triangle in the top left of the last surfing picture?

Magnificient pictures! Each one tells a story no matter whether it is about happiness or sad.

beautiful pictures
they simply show who we are

powerful images

Nice pictures. I love how fanatics on either side of any issue can excrete their poorly informed opinions into the comments section of any internet posting, anywhere. Good times. The photos give me faith in humanity's capacity for beauty. The comments section helps chip away that faith and convince me that we have a capacity only for lies, fanaticism, and ugliness.

#13

It's not a tiger, it's a puma / cougar. A powerful animal in south american mythology.
Tigers are present in asia only.

And we are nothing...

What amazing pictures that capture world events, otherwise we wouldn't be able to view if it were not for the internet. For the beauty and devestation that occurs in our world each day. I'm a bit annoyed at the comments of Isreal & Palastine. He said, she said comments, pointing the finger at one another. They are not the only countries who face astrocies. What about the 38 countries that incur genocide on a daily basis? Where are those photos of innocent people being butchered because they are women, and children .

Great photo set. How sad it is that so many of us die promoting a mythical god . Grown men killing children for a god that doesn't exist. Absolutely mind boggling. IF there was a god, would he really reward us for acting this way?

Wunderbare Photos....!

je suis français et trés touché par ces photos, des photos trés dur de l'afrique et d'autre magnifique avec une nature splendide.
Merci.

To the moron who wrote post 519: ISREAL is the REASON there so much violence over there. They are an arrogant nation that has stolen from and sucked on other nations for goods and weapons. They seem to flash there excuberance and love of money in everyones face with there nice, modern cities. How can the Palistinans begin to put down guns when they have none to begin with? Those poor and innoncent people live in sheer poverty because of Isreal's arrogance of always barging an treating the Palistinans like s---. They have nothing but sticks and rocks to fight an Isrealli army equipped with automatic rifels, and they bravely defend themselves every time.

It's time Isreal grew up and actaully supported a defined Palistinan state show that the power struggle can subside. Until then Isreal continues to show it's stupidy by fighting a losing battle which innocent Palstinans, like the ones pictured, by the price for.

The written word talks to your mind.
Pictures talk to your gut.
There are some really strong images in this collection, and as long as we still react to them, all is well.

Great Photos!
Oh God do something,to this Planet ,
We want to see your Mighty Kingdom Come!...

I hope 2009 will be better...

Educational. thank you.

Great photos, i was impressed. We really have to think about all, abot our life about future of our children. I dont want my children live in THIS world. I want to see them happy, i want to see just kind and honest people around them.
I dont want to see reproach on theirs eyes.
It's terrible and we have to stop it TOGETHER!
Look aroun yourself and change your life!
Äà ïðåáóäåò ìèð.

It is amazing how the world keeps silent about the Palestinians’ murder and destruction by Israel!!

david numero 533...es un volcan chileno, no chino.

saludos

Fire, ice, wind, rain...all the natural elements combine to test
the endurance of the human spirit. A thoughtful and stunning
piece that gives me pause to ponter about our world.

Thanks,

Anne W. Buckley

son unas fotografias nitidas hermosas en todo su esplendor.
gracias, son impresionantes.

The picture that got to me the most out of the 3 day collection was the one of all the photographers around an injured man. It is very sad when so many men are more concerned about getting a picture and doing their job than they are about helping our fellow man.

Por lo que veo para el fotografo este año solamente fueron desastres y sufrimiento,definitivamente es realidad en fotos,pero fue solo tragedia el 2008? !Que pesimista¡

A mote of dust be man, but indeed lodged deep enough into the eye of the world to bring it to tears.
I only hope, some day before our end, the tears will be ones of pride.

Fantastic photos! That first one looks like an elephant, lol. What a strange, strange world we live in.

Thank You for Sharing....

Are you people looking back at only the last 10 yrs. The damn isrealis have no business being there in the first place. What the hell did the palestinians do to deserve those bastards for coming onto their land after WWII? Just because the US and Britain said you can go live in Palestine now even though Hitler and Germany was the one that destroyed you. I don't understand the damn logic in that. Or is it because they are "god's chosend people" and they were born to have that land? They are nothing but theives. And the reason you see more Palestinian pics over Isreali pics is because the Jews without a factual doubt kill more palestinians every day as opposed to them being killed by palestinians.

Belas fotos...

Ronaldinho Gaucho representa bem o Brasil!!

The vast majority of us will never see or experience such realities, but it does offer us a glimpse through the help of professional photographers who dare to go to unimaginable places and show us incredible footage! Let this open our eyes wider and think what each one of us can do to make this a better world to live in!
Giselle
A Canadian living in UAE (Middle East)

all in all the human spirit is disgusting

hi...me impresiona en verdad esas imagnes que puedo decir es aterrador y solo pienso en la suerte que tengo de hoy poder escribir estas palabras un beso grande ..bye

Outstanding pictures, Jen! I am viewing this in Oklahoma. Love, Frank

Truly amazing shots, some quite sad shots, but that's life. The light, angle, capturing expressions of some, incredible.

Go ahead America, continue with your head up your ass and keep buying foreign cars. You have no right to be sad about the economy, etc... you bought the sh*t: (foreign cars)

ride the wave of humanity...

if we could search our souls to define our lives, simplicity could begin again.

Cool, Never seen pics like these before!
Hope to see more!

I want some of what #539 Alexander is smokin'.

What's with all of this demonizing of Jews? Israel has a right to exist, that's all they ever asked for and they've been attacked from LITERALLY Day 1. The arabs in the area are fueled by religious/nationalistic insanity that will never allow any sort of Jewish State whatsoever. And you guys go along with all of that by getting your jollies out of portraying the Israelis as victimizers.

To be sure, the Israeli government isn't saintly, no government is. But the fact remains that there isn't another people alive on the face of this earth who would have dealt with such extreme restraint when dealing with such a vicious - and weak - enemy. Israel has buried thousands of her sons because she behaved far far FAR too mercifully with those who sought her destruction. She's been far more careful with the use of violent force than has any other nation on Earth who faced a homicidal and suicidal enemy who was bent on her destruction.

amazing photos....

Brilliant pics. Some very sad. But every picture has a lot of story to tell. Awesome compilation!

#634 I'm not Israeli nor Palestinian, but I wanna say having lived and worked in both Israel and another Middle East state, I can tell you why Israelis kill more Palestinians than the reverse each day.

1st) God is on their side
2nd) If they don't do it, they will be wiped out by the Arab states. Why? Cos Arabs think they are superior to every one. They live in a master and slave era kindof mindset. They don't give a shit about others. I saw a TV show and this Arab guy was saying on National TV that it's man's right to beat their wivies if they don’t fetch the slippers or behave like a slave. Guess what… the rest of the audience were happily agreeing with him. Let me quote the exact phrase “You beat her until she learns. After one beating if she doesn’t learn. Beat her again until she learns to be good.”
I mean if they can't love their own wife and family and treat everyone like dirt. You don’t have to give them a reason to try and kill everyone who doesn’t bow to them. It’s like the days of Japanese occupation, bow to the soldier or bayonet to the gut. Seriously… that’s how psycho they are.

I liked the last the most.....All the photos are really rockin......

The Photographer rocks...

I really appreciate the effort behind these photographs. They are relly amazing...

and spain? always the same

IT IS A VERY BIG & GREATFUL

I LOVE WAR !

[i]Why were there no pictures of the destruction committed by the Palestinians against the Israelies?[/i]

because they're crap photos, this isnt a post about just world events its about amazing photos of world events....boo hoo

somos nada!

very very interesting . looking to the stories of Palestine with right eyes is very good. photos are wonderful and helps me to understand the events of world more better .
have a nice time

The photos are wonderful in their clarity and crispness.
They are unique in their perfect timing in capturing the events –whether tragic or triumphant. They should make us thankful that we have not experienced the tragedy some have had to go through, while making us sad that there is so much heartache and pain in the world. And it makes one reflect on why the world does not spend less energy and resources on foolishness, when there is so much need in the world that one could put their effort to and give a helping hand to a brother.

Qué desastre de mundo, en líneas generales !!!

WOW!

These pictures are just amazing. Whoever took them should be proud.
Nice selection too, it sadly defines 2008 perfectly.
I'll put a link to this page in my blog, 'cause I think it's a must in the list of things to do before 2008 ends. Let's try to fight for a 2009 free of some of these scenes.

Dear God,
Forgive us for we know not what we do!!!
Lord Thank You for having mercy on us. We are so
bless here in America!!
Lord forgive us for taken that or you so lightly
Lord thank you for supplying our needs.
Thank You for being with my family and blessing my family.
Lord be with our military, our leaders, and our President. Lord help
him make the decisions that only You want him to make.
Be with our future President. Be with him Lord!!! Help him make
the decisions that only You want him to make.
May he always put You first in his life. Lord I pray that if he is not saved by your grace that You
touch his heart. Lord his wife and his children. Be with this nation Lord.
Please God
Lord Thank you for loving me and Lord I love you!!!

Breathtaking photography!

Life, our lives, are clearly full of hope, of ambition and misery. It's about balance and praying that the former always outweighs the latter

its marvellous oh god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Como es la vida: maravillosa, emocionante, intensa; dolorosa, terrible, miserable. Pero, sin duda, hay más esperanza en el Tercer Mundo, lo cual no se muestra en la proporción debida en esta selección de imágenes extraordinarias. Solo es cuestión de saber encontrar y no suponer que la felicidad es exclusiva de las naciones ricas y prósperas.

amazing what a year can do, once i thought the USA should be more like the rest of the world and then after getting a good look at the rest of the world i want no part of it.

i hope the children of the world are able to break the cycle of violence and failure that their parents have made for them.

Man, amazing pictures!
Congratulations.

Glædelig Jul!
Hvor har vi det godt her i Danmark!
v.h.
cj

Es asombroso , el cómo una cámara fotográfica, plasma en cuestión de segundos momentos tan significativos para la historia de la humanidad, y de igual manera nos pone en un punto bastante reflexivo sobre cómo está dividida nuestra escala de valores en una sociedad cada vez más compleja.
Sin embargo no hay que perder la esperanza, el ser humano sigue siendo la especie más importante y significativa en el planeta tierra, tambien hay mucha bondad y seres dispuestos a dar lo mejor de si.
Footografias SENCILLAMENTE ESPECTACULARES, ,,,SANDRA AMAYA. Colombia.

It amazes me that after seeing these photographs some people still are not humbled. They use these comments to attack and be aggressive. Simple truth is we can all be right about everything. Perhaps there is a God and perhaps not. We cant even agree on that never mind what Religion he is. So lets not use Religion as a yard stick to measure any person by. They can believe what they want. Just afford the basic courtesy to all.
If anyone doesnt have a tear in their eye for the little kid and his family in snap number 38 then I dont know how you can be reached...
What can we do????

from Russian: Pochemu amerikanci dumayut, chto Bog est' tolko u nih, a vse ostal'nye nacii - tyomnye yazichniki??? Pochemu oni dumayut, chto tol'ko u nih est' iskluchitelnoe pravo vmeshivatsa vo vnutrennie dela drugih stran..
Konec sveta budet po vine diavola i Ameriki (The Day the Earth Stood Still)

Excelentes desde el punto de vista técnico, pero hubiese preferido que muchas de ellas no hubiesen podido ser tomadas. Especialmente aquellas en las que el desastre no es natural. OJALÁ contribuyan a la reflexión y mejor entendimiento entre los hombres y mujeres de todas las ideologías, razas y credos.

La belleza y la miseria humana a la vez,increibles fotos.

GREAT WORK!!!

sorry my english isnt good but i think every body can underestand what me say i wana say this pic is perfect realy perfect

With all these great photos to show how the world really is. Alot of americans still do not REALIZE just how great we have it here.....
We are the greatest country on the planet, and we should realize this and not take anything for granite anymore.
Do something for your fellow american to show how grateful you are to live in such a great country!!!!!!!!!!!!

The photographs are, of course, incredible.

But what's struck me the most about this article are the comments...

Why do so many people still believe in God?

This is not the end of days. Acts like these have been happening since the beginning of the human race. I've read many comments on here saying " this world is dead or it really is the end of days." That sounds to me like many people in the world would rather post something on the internet discussing how wrong this world is rather than getting off their lazy ass and trying to do something about it. It shows just how much backbone some people are lacking. Just because a bunch of pictures were posted which only show the evils of the world doesn't mean that there isn't still good. I'm not saying there aren't things that need to be changed or worked on but I am saying that this world has seen much worse. If one would only look at history they would see that this is bad, however, far more evil acts have been committed in the distant and near past.

These are some of the most awesome images i've ever seen.

To Aaron (post 678), I had the opposite reaction, "Why don't more people believe in God?" The photos here show not only tragedy, but compassion, grace, and the power of God's creation.

No limits to the men's perversity !!!!

number 38 shows the only thing that the troops are doing on Iraq

super zdjêcia , polecam wszystkim

interesting to know the type of world you live in

Simplemente magníficas. Somos incapaces de aprender de nuestros propios tropiezos. Esta es una muestra de lo que fuimos, lo que somos y lo que seremos.

M Gordillo

EStan poca mauser Todas las fotos!!

I am truly sorry for saying this, but 'it hurts my eyes to see, and it hurts my ears to hear' all this talk here - 'amazing photos' and quarrel over who is right. I believe humans at some point shall start conveying messages of peace, beauty, and harmony... the picture, where the child is carried on an elders arms will be stuck in my mind permanently... Thank You! I know the world is suffering and as my wish from Santa is that people abandon their agendas of controlling and manipulating others for we are here for a reason...

There is no more haunting image than the picture of the lifeless body of the young Iraqi boy being carried after dying in an airstrike. I am moved to tears when I see the absolute destruction humans inflict on one another, especially on those most vulnerable. We are not deserving of this world...this gift of wonders...that we choose to destroy along with its most innocent of inhabitants.

Words seem kind of insignificant. Too much trauma and death in this world and most of caused by man. I hope the next life is more peaceful.

The most beautiful photos i saw this year.

Bravissimo

Estas imagens são espetaculares! Algumas nos chamam a atenção pela sua beleza, expressão e singulariedade. Outras, por sua vez, apresentam um chamado para que todos nós, irmãos em Cristo, possamos largar tudo e aceitar o mandamento de Jesus para as Nações.
Cristo está voltando, atentem para isto!
Deus abençõe a todos!!!

all are magnificent; #40 is remarkable, the light , the shadows, great pic

The world would be far better off without humans. We have such a beautiful planet and all we want to do is fight over who owns what. We must disgust mother nature.

Angels on the sideline,
Puzzled and amused.
Why did Father* give these humans free will?
Now they're all confused.

Don't these talking monkeys know that Eden has enough to go around?
Plenty in this holy garden, silly monkeys
Where there's one you're bound to divide it right in two.

Monkey killing monkey killing monkey over pieces of the ground.
Silly monkeys.
Give them thumbs, they forge a blade,
And where there's one they're bound to divide it right in two.

Monkey killing monkey killing monkey over pieces of the ground.
Silly monkeys.
Give them thumbs, they make a club to beat their brother down.
How they've survived so misguided is a mystery.
Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability
To lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here.

( Tool 2006, 10,000 Days, Right In Two)

Self explicit

A contemporary phenomena wich compel to the conclusion that success in competitive activities exhibits no tendency to be commensurate with innate capacity, but that a considerable element of the unpredictable must invariably be taken into account.

Muito boas! Sensacinais! Um dia chego lá!

Através dessas fotos podemos ver como a natureza está cobrando
td o que o homem lhe tirou, e nem assim eles aceitam tirar a venda que
insiste em cobrir seus olhos e continuam a destruí-la.
Quando acordarão e verão a realidade!!!

Comment 602 by Cariucha
Cariucha is clearly an idiot. Xtians are causing most of the trouble in peaceful India by being terrorists etc. Most of them are rice Christians who would convert for a bag of rice. Missionaries would ask them to throw stones at temples to get other groceries.
Where do you live? I want to invent a religion, come to your country and ask converts to desecrate your holy places. See whether you will still be "peaceful". God will not bless your soul.

What a wonderful collection of great pictures of events t hat happened in the year 2008. I Thank the people who did such a great job of putting all of them in this thrilling piece of Art to keep forever. And mostly I thank our cousin in Israel, Liza, who transferred this e-mail to us.

So many issues and problems .. so few experts on how to resolve them - including many posters on here who would rather spew political and religious nonsense! Shut your faces .. we don't care about your worthless opinions!

Boo hoo! In case you haven't learned yet .. life is unfair - face the reality AND the sooner the better!

I can't actually look at them all. Some stabbed straight through me. Its scarey and depressing to think that this is the world in which we live. What is scarier however is that we did this to ourselves...makes you think

I'm glad to see the truth is finally comeing out.

The collection of pictures of some of the momentous events that took place in 2008 in different parts of world must have taken the photographer(s) a great amount of efforts, patience and pains for capturing and processing them. The pictures contain great perspective details. They would definitely be stored for posterity for my children and children's children. Please continue with the fantastic work.

To anonymous #619

Better go back and study your history. Israel isn't the cause of the strife the MUSLIMS are and ALWAYS have been. All those "Palestinians" are nationals from other ME countries.

And since when is it a crime for a country to defend it's self from MUSLIM TERRORISTS?

Great pictures.

G

damn life is soo short

To the person (post #608) asking about the triangle in the upper left corner of the surfing picture. The triangle is probably the tow line the surfer used to get out to the waves. It's attached to a jet ski.

great photos, theyr very educational...i looked up what i didnt know. The first picture was dope, i looked up Perchten and found some very interesting stuff. I love that like 3 of the pictures are of/in switzerland (being a swiss citizen, as well as US), Im proud! boston.com always puts of great pics, ex. greek riots

simply stunning

The triangle is the end of the tow rope that is attached to the jetski that pulled him in.

la foto de la erupcion del volcan Chaiten es simplemente espectacular, la naturaleza nos demuestra lo insignificantes que somos a su lado.
Toda una ciudad tubo que ser evacuada y hasta el dia de hoy no se puede volver a habitar, la destruccion fue de enormes proporciones.

Fuerza compatriotas de Chaiten, pronto volveran a vivir en su hermosa ciudad...

Gabriel
Santiado, Chile

(From China) Hope our splendid Planet full of laughter less sorrows. AMITABHA