I pity the fool that doesn't know a Gala from a Golden Delicious. Thanks to Word of Mouth's internet sherpa Brady Carlson for the perfect Friday afternoon diversion.

National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen wanted to photograph one of the most dangerous animals on Antarctica, the Leopard Seal.

The seal put his entire camera and head in its mouth, inches from its razor sharp teeth. As soon as it saw that Nicklen wasn't a threat, the seal started bringing him penguins. The seal did this for four days, as if it was trying to prevent Nicklen from starving.

The video is stunning, both for its content and artistry. Watch it in full screen to get the full effect!

Ding! Another round of Championship Ideas Smackdown has begun.

In the right corner: a slew of clever ideas.

In the left corner: overwhelmed producers who can't decide what to schedule first.

YOU are the referee. Let us know what you want to hear on Word of Mouth next week:

• Health Care in the People's Republic
• Death to Receipts
• Muslim Teen Handbook
• How Green is Your Pet?
• Psychology of Terrorism
• Carbon Footprint of Pets
• Consumer Loan Scandals
• The Death of Language
• TV as an Economic Development Tool
• The Science of Temptation
• Health Benefits of Gratitude
• Diversity and Civic Engagement
• Generation Recession
• Neil Gaiman Talks Sci-Fi for Kids
• The Muslim American Teenager's Handbook
• The Economics of Spirituality
• New Technology to Help Older Drivers
• The Epidemic of Cute
• Trends in Somali Piracy
• Build Your Own Biofuel Plant
• Where Have All the Moderates Gone?
• Low-Tech Identity Theft
• West Virginia Hopes to Replace Coal With Honey
• Did Christianity Cause the Economic Downturn?
• Genetics and Childhood Adaptability
• Biobus Brings Science to the Bronx
• What Happened to the War on Drugs?

Whew. There's no way we can choose the champion, so it's up to you to help us out!

(Photo by Julian Robinson via Flickr/Creative Commons)

The lute brings to mind images of Medieval royalty, slowly promenading across a decadent ballroom floor. For lutenist Ronn McFarlane, this couldn’t be further from reality.

Yes, Mcfarlane plays impeccable early music with the Baltimore Consort, but when he isn’t rehearsing the Renaissance masters, he’s writing his own music. It combines contemporary techniques with a melodic sensibility that’s more cinematic than baroque. Ronn McFarlane talks about his new music for lute with John Diliberto in this Echo Location.

(Photo courtesy Kaptain Kobold via Flickr/CreativeCommons)

President Obama posed for the cameras today atop the Great Wall of China, a major sightseeing stop during his diplomatic tour of Asia. Photographers captured the president walking down the last ramp by himself, a shot carefully planned by White House aides.

Not all celebrity shots are so well-choreographed. That’s what makes the job of the much-reviled paparazzi so difficult. And now, The Daily Beast writes that the celebrity media bubble has burst. In the post-Britney era, a typical celebrity shot sells for 31 percent less than it did in 2007, and higher-end shots are worth about half their previous value.

It’s hard to believe that just over a year ago, People magazine paid fourteen million dollars for exclusive photos of Brad and Angelina’s newborn twins. Now the American version of Ok! magazine is reportedly losing half a million dollars a week.

But paparazzi take note: hope is a thing with vampire fangs. A good shot of Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart kissing in public could fetch well over a hundred grand.

(Photo courtesy daveiam via Flickr/CreativeCommons)