Hey Wiz,
You've got to love those pesky Germans. If they can keep their military ambitions neutral and channel that energy into engineering, they do some really amazing things don't they??!!

What a great pics....
I like all so pics so much. Thanks a lot for sharing.

The Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics and State Duma deputy, Alina Kabaeva, has given an interview to the Russian edition of the Vogue magazine. She told the correspondent the truth about the boy, who everyone had thought to be her son.

In the interview, the well-known gymnast in the past denied these rumours and said that it was her nephew, Arseny. A State Duma deputy and a famous champion, Kabaeva flatly quashed the speculations that she and the Prime Minister of Russia, Vladimir Putin, had had a child. In this interview, Alina Kabaeva hinted at her own political ambitions, reminding that already many countries have women presidents.

Earlier, the New York Post reported the gossip that Alina had given birth to a son Dmitri, and that he was also Vladimir Putin’s son. This information has not been confirmed.

"The nephew joined our family, and everyone thought that I am the boy's mother", said Kabaeva.

It remains unclear, however, why did the State Duma deputy decide to deny the rumours about the alleged affair with the Prime Minister now. Probably, the coming presidential election can account for this initiative.

Canada and Canadians have long been revered for their neutrality and impartiality by other members of the World Community. In this proud tradition a new collective of visual artists launches on Canada Day 2009.

The Colours Group of Canada, founded by Canadian Photographer Michael Hockney, addresses the need to eliminate the out-dated and often negative cultural stereotypes perpetrated by global media. The Colours Group challenges these misrepresentations through independent artistic vision. We believe Canadians and the World community deserve realistic and representative imagery free of exclusionary editorial policies, politics and hidden agendas.

The Colours Group Artists presents its first independent production to directly challenge modern perceptions of nationalities and cultures. We present Michael Hockney's inaugural Colours of Russia photo-documentary. A benchmark in stereotype-busting the images provide a unique portal to the modern sophistication and vitality that is Russia today. Surprising, yes...enlightening, certainly. The goal of the Colours group is to provide visual balance where often there is none.

What began in 1936 as a flower parade has become the oldest and most celebrated ode to blooms in Europe.Ever since its inception, Zundert in the Netherlands has hosted an annual flower show Bloemencorso, with an average 50,000 visitors descending on the town to look at the brilliant displays.

Creators use dahlias for their breathtaking displays and build gravity defying sculptures. Let's hope the wind doesn't blow too hard! The flowers have been meticulously placed to create the giraffes, even down to their eyelids and hair that lines their neck A roaring good show: The intricate blooms have been manipulated to create this gravity-defying impressive model of a tiger and her cubs

Every float is made from dahlias. This twisting house, which is as high as other apartments, weaves its ways through the narrow streets. Just by using dahlias, volunteers created this show-stopping piece, where a startled antelope flees the clutches of a leopard that gives chase. Udderly brilliant - these competitors left no detail out - they even included the numbers on the tags on the ears, and what appears to be the inner workings of a milk-processing plant within the cow's body

Something fishy about this: Bloemencorso saw this elaborate fish display, which saw a shoal of fish whirl around each other - even using light-coloured dahlias to shade in the light bouncing off the eyeballs. Each of the competing districts of Zundert - which was the home of Vincent Van Gogh - construct their own entry and compete in the parade, which occurs every first Sunday in September. According to those behind Bloemencorso, the parade is all the work of dedicated volunteers, who do not profit from the colourful display.

A staggering six to eight million dahlia flowers are used to produce the floats. Visit http://www.bloemencorsozundert.nl/ for more information.

Bloemencorso began in 1936, and since then has spiralled in popularity, as the small population makes huge efforts to outdo one another so they can create sculptures like his huge organ. Even the meerkats get a mention! The curious animals are brought to life, as creators perfected every inch of the models, even down to their nails and shading on their tails

Out of this world! Every float here is made from petals and, despite being made from such a delicate, tiny structure, take on gigantic proportions which people clamour to see It's really taken off! Bloemencorso has grown in term of popularity and in the sheer size of the creations, with thousands flocking to the home of Vincent Van Gogh to gasp at the displays

Held on the first Sunday of every September, the quaint town becomes packed with visitors and, on this occasion, a huge rhinoceros made of delicate flowers

Make it snappy! Thousands turn out to Bloemencorso, as hamlets compete with each other to create the most beautiful display - including this sinister-looking fishy creature.