Dogs, Dummies, Death

El Alto, Bolivia, the rough and radical city above the highland capital of La Paz, has its share of fascinations. One interesting feature is the array of “warning” dummies strung up on poles here and there, victims of a virtual lynching. But public lynchings are quite real in Bolivia, and El Alto has become an active center for them. The noosed warnings are directed at thieves, and they often come with a written message detailing what’s in store for them if they’re caught: beatings, burnings, and even death.

Meanwhile, another colorful aspect of El Alto, and much of Bolivia for that matter, is its never-ending parade of stray dogs stalking the streets. They often seem surprisingly well-fed. And they appear quite happy in and around the massive 16 de Julio market that takes place Thursdays and Sundays in El Alto, when the streets are pleasantly littered with leftovers and relatively free of a city dog’s mortal enemy, cars.

Jesus and the City

 

Mexico City, Mexico

 

 

Somewhat Large and In Charge

Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales, is up for re-election in December. Current polls say he’ll easily win, leaving him in power until 2015. But Morales’ campaign managers in the capital La Paz aren’t taking any chances. And so, last week, in front of the city’s main soccer stadium on game day, they unveiled a special something that no voter of any nation could possibly resist: the Inflatable Incumbent. The persuasive majesty of this swaying Evo balloon obviously clinches the election, so I’m just going to go ahead and call it off right now.

(…) (video)

(...) (click photo for video)

San Telmo

San Telmo, Buenos Aires

Sometimes When We Touch

Sloths Forever

A Low Three From a Sloth

This could be the greatest logo ever. It comes from the world’s only sloth rescue and rehabilitation center, Aviarios del Caribe, in Costa Rica. You can read about them here:

http://www.slothrescue.org/

This place is the best! You can stay overnight, stare at baby sloths, and take a canoe ride through the rainforest. Plus you’ll be learning about and contributing to the well-being of our planet’s coolest animal.

He Won’t Go Until He Gets Some (video)

He Won't Go Until He Gets Some (click photo for video)

This disturbing video was taken a few years back at a grocery store in Tupelo, Mississippi. That’s the birthplace of Elvis, by the way. Not the grocery store, the town of Tupelo. And it was Elvis Presley, not former University of Michigan quarterback Elvis Grbac.

I find it unnerving that while this bipolar Santa is wishing “good tidings” on us all, he’s also threatening that he and some unnamed cohorts “won’t go until we get some” figgy pudding. Also, I’d like to know why he has a plastic baggie on his right hand and where the bruises on his forehead came from. Maybe the right hand is his figgy pudding hand.

That said, he does have some interesting moves and charming blue eyeballs.

Where Zebras Rule (video)

Where Zebras Rule (click photo for video)

I think the world should be aware that the Bolivian city of La Paz is entirely run by zebras. They are in charge of the highland capital’s day-to-day operations. Zebras hand out everyone’s paychecks, fly all the airplanes, and run all but one of the bartending schools. Some even direct traffic, like an appallingly nonchalant zebra is doing in this video I secretly shot the other day.

The Streets of Chicago (PG-13)

This is not a real hot dog.