Living in the past XII

shameless Photoshop job adding tourists to the Great Wall of China
This one goes way back before the origins of this blog, only not really – it’s been featured here before, though I’ll let you figure out when. And while The Manatee gets credit for the photo, twice really, I’m responsible for the carnage you see here. Truth be told, this is a crass Photoshop job; despite all evidence to the contrary, despite the seamlessness, despite the stunning realism, one of these people was not actually present, though decorum prevents me from indicating who. By my own hand was this belief that they’d seen the Great Wall in person promoted, and it’s been gnawing away at me ever since (my participation in this charade, not the Great Wall itself.) At last, I must come clean and cleanse myself of this foul act, revealing to the world that this is an editing job, because no one would have been able to tell otherwise – it’s that goddamn good.

By the most enormous of coincidences, it’s also the birthday of the person who really isn’t there, and what better time to challenge their boasts of having trodden the Great Wall? I say this early so you can get your own licks in, should you recognize the interloper. Too long, too long has this gone unchecked. Shatter this lie and scatter the pieces to the winds, however you do that.

But yeah, happy birthday anyway! Have fun living this one down!