Carnival in Brazil 2012

Brazilians took to the streets as Carnival began today with dancing, singing, drinking, and even a little capoeira - the Brazilian martial art.

Covergirl Kate Upton photos

 
Sports Illustrated swimsuit covergirl Kate Upton has zero qualms about wolfing down a Carl's Jr 'Southwest Patty Melt' in the fast food chain's latest commercial. According to Carl's, the new burger features, "premium quality ingredients including spicy Santa Fe sauce, grilled onions, Pepperjack cheese and jalapeños to create a unique flavored burger on a toasted sour-dough bun."

Miranda Kerr, Candice Swanepoel, and Alessandra Ambrosio

The Spring 2012 issue of VMan magazine (Volume 25) includes a bonus calendar which features models including Miranda Kerr, Candice Swanepoel, and Alessandra Ambrosio draped in pink jackets, hosiery, and roses in their hair. Each model's face is also veiled with sheer hosiery in the calendar which was guest-edited by Carine Roitfeld, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris.

Indiana: Historic church relocated to Santa Claus

The Deutsch Evangelische St. Paul’s Kirche is seen motoring along on the back of a flatbed truck on February 8, 2012. The historic church was built 132 years ago in the 1880s and measures 70-feet tall from the foundation to the steeple. It also weighs over 50 tons but the church made the trip intact and now calls Santa Claus Park in Santa Claus, Indiana, its new home.

McDonald’s Japan new mascot

In the States, a clown named Ronald McDonald serves as the mascot for the McDonald's fast food chain. In Japan, Ronald and a few other mascots have had their day but they're being replaced by a newer representative who wears candy-cane leggings, red garters, and a yellow/white hausfrau dress that would make any lumberjack proud. She also rocks a red wig to pay homage to Ronald's fiery locks.

Jamie Bochert for The Last Magazine

American fashion model Jamie Bochert appears in 'My Surreal Duty' for The Last Magazine Spring/Summer 2012 as photographed by Lachlan Bailey and styled by Alastair McKimm.

The Horizontal Shower by Dornbracht

German bathroom fixtures manufacturer Dornbracht has developed the 'Horizontal Shower' which allows users to lie down when showering thanks to six jets of water which stream down like miniature waterfalls. The promotional photos released by the company romanticize the notion of a horizontal shower but the reality is likely less glamorous - lying prone on a hard surface isn't comfortable and washing your hair horizontally would be a fruitless exercise in futility.

Romania: digging a snowed-in car out

A Romanian woman, Rodica, age 41, attempts to dig her car out of nearly 4-feet of snow in the village of Maineasa which lies 30km northeast from Bucharest, Romania, on February 10, 2012. More snow is expected in eastern and southern Romania this weekend so Rodica's efforts may be for naught.

Sports Festival in Kila Raipur, India

Athletes of all shapes and sizes turned out to compete at the 'Rural Olympics' aka Kila Raipur Sports Festival in Kila Raipur, India, on February 10, 2012. The event features Punjabi rural feats of athleticism including tug-of-war, a cart race, a tractor race, and many more. In the photo directly below, a disabled competitor stops a pair of motorbikes with his limbs in a feat of strength.

Fish farm -22 C in Russia

Workers at a fish farm in Krasnoyarsk tend to their livestock in temperatures as low as -22C on February 10, 2012. The proximity of the fish farm to the  Nazarovo power plant prevents the lake from freezing over and allows the fish farm to operate all year round.

Struss for Harper’s Bazaar

Polish fashion model Kasia Struss appears in 'Apuntes Del Natural' (Natural Notes) for Harper's Bazaar Spain February 2012 as photographed by Nico and styled by Juan Cebrian.

Swedish brown bear woke up from their winter hibernation

A pair of Swedish brown bear siblings named Fred and Frode woke up from their winter hibernation at the Naturund Umweltpark Guestrow animal park in Germany on January 27, 2012. The eight-year-old bears' awakening was 2 weeks earlier than last year.

White pelicans

A pair of white pelicans peer at the camera while resting in their enclosure at the Frankfurt Zoological Garden in Frankfurt, Germany, on January 27, 2012.

New Year's rites at the Shinto shrine

Sumo referee Shonosuke Kimura walks to the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, while being followed by sumo wrestlers Kyokutenho and grand champion Hakuho, to perform New Year's rites at the Shinto shrine.

Asian short-clawed otter grawn at fish

A fish serves as a meal for an Asian short-clawed otter at the Chester Zoo in Chester, northern England. The Asian short-clawed otter is the smallest member of the otter species and is native to India, China, and surrounding territories. A breeding program at the Chester Zoo has been successful at multiplying the numbers of otters residing at the zoo since the otters are classified as 'vulnerable' in the wild.