I assume you're aware that you're living very much in volcano country? Actually, this 100-square-mile bulge doesn't sound terribly dangerous, just extremely cool. As I've mentioned to you before, one of the best scenic drives anywhere is from Springfield, OR over MacKenzie Pass to Sisters, with an instantaneous transition from temperate rain forest to arid lava fields as you cross the Cascades' rain shadow. Just about the only thing that could improve the trip would be a stretch of highway beside a bubbling, spitting lava cauldron, earnestly attempting to swallow the road. I do hope it happens in our lifetimes.
For something completely different, these optical illusions are quite astonishing, especially the third one. (Thank you, Brian Micklethwait.)
There's more of interest on the same site. This illusion doesn't influence me quite as strongly as promised, but it does bring to mind an optical illusion of which I suspect only river guides are aware. It's quite diverting when scouting a big rapid (while the other guides are telling lurid horror stories and the passengers in the inflatable kayaks are receiving their hopelessly nuanced and quite improbable instructions) to stare at one spot in the moving water, not shifting your gaze with the flow, but allowing the moving water continually to traverse your field of vision. After a time you look up at the canyon wall, and a whole band of stone seems to be melting away from its surroundings and oozing downstream. If you're scouting a Class V drop, you can get tree trunks to separate.
Tihs iullsoin sohuld fsacnitae phliloogsits.
And finally, have you ever wondered how hideous the Mona Lisa woud look with her mouth and eyes upside-down? Wonder no more.
