A month ago Webphemera profiled the amazing colour photography of Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky. This Russian pioneer went around his country capturing - in full and glorious colour - the Russia of the Tsar. His project began in 1909. Yes, that is right - 1909. Take a look at another set of his gorgeous photographs which give us a window in to a world long since vanished.

This image illustrates the modern history

of Russia in a particularly chilling way. Northwest of Moscow, the Nilova Monastery stands, in 1915 as a functioning institution of the Russian Orthodox Church. The sheer blueness of this picture is stunning and it captures the contemplative nature of the way of life within its walls perfectly. It was confiscated by the communist regime in 1927 and was used for a number of purposes, including an orphanage and, rather more insidiously, a concentration camp. It was restored to the church in 1990 after the fall of communism and has now reverted to its original purpose.

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The Ocelot - gorgeous denizen of Central America - has been on the endangered list for decades. However, the recent removal of this fabulous feline off the list of one of the major conservation societies has raised eyebrows. Is there really enough evidence to suggest that the animal is no longer critically endangered?

The fur of the Ocelot has a series of irregular brown spots and stripes and these are edged with black against a tawny background. Altogether this gives the animal a unique appearance and its fur has been prized as far back as ancient Aztec days. Its colors depend on the habitat in which it lives - there are ten sub-species of the cat altogether. When found in arid areas its fur is a rich creamy color - a light gold yellow. When discovered in forest areas it generally has a darker hue, with the gold becoming browner. Altogether it is graceful in appearance, whatever its variety.

So, what is the colour of water? Transparent, see through, invisible, no colour at all? Wrong! Find out what colour it really is in the article below. Of course, you have probably guessed what colour it is going to be but what is more interesting about this colourful (ahem) article is the fact it also explains why.

A lot of the color you see comes from the depth of the water, not the sunlight cascading down upon it. White sunlight contains all the colors in the spectrum. Water gives absorbing all these colors a good go but some of them are absorbed more than others. It is only, in addition, any good at doing this if it has a lot of company. In other words, cup sea water in your hands and it appears clear, throw it back in the sea and it joins the rest of the countless H20 molecules in there to become blue.

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It is always a bit of a problem - what to do with buildings that have outlived their original purpose, especially if they are of historical value to the nation to which they belong. There is hope for one set of - albeit quite peculiar - buildings off the coast of the United Kingdom.

The Maunsell Sea Forts occupied positions in the Thames and the Mersey estuaries during World War Two. The rivers were vital in terms of transporting food and the vital equipment needed to sustain the beleaguered island and were designed to protect the two most important ports in the United Kingdom - those of London and Liverpool.

Lonesome George, the last remaining extant example of a Galapagan Pinta Tortoise may - fingers crossed - be on the verge of becoming a father. A few eggs have been found in his enclosure (thanks to the company of two females of a similar species) and there are hopes that these will hatch and save the species. Good luck, George!

This follows a false start last year when over a dozen eggs were laid but all sadly turned out to be infertile. However, that in itself was a breakthrough - before that George hadn’t seemed in any great hurry to do it like they do it on the Discovery Channel at all.

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If you ever find yourself in a position where you have a hot date and the object of your desire is fasinated by ancient Greek art then you could do far worse than to read this wonderful introduction to classical art by . It is a fantastic and lucid read and may well prick your interest in the subject. Go on, use the internet for a little classical education!

A lot of the jargon surrounding the ancient world is to do with places, so let’s look at some of those key sites. One of the most important is Attica, the triangular region surrounding Athens. When I say something is “Attic” I don’t mean it comes from my loft, I mean it comes from Attica.

They are meant to be killed and end up on our plates (for the most part) but sometimes farm animals can turn on their human owners and inflict a whole lot of damage - even soetimes killing people. takes a look at farm animals that can kill - all sounds a little Orwellian to me!

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Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. It includes over 100 types of the disease. Arthritis may be a mild or slight swelling of a single joint or a more serious agonizing condition that involves every joint in the body. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, stress or due to wearing of cartilage at the joints.

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Radio telescopes can be found the world over. They are used in radio astronomy, the science of studying, at radio frequencies, celestial objects such as galaxies and stars as well as more difficult to understand phenomena such as Masers and Pulsars. They also collect and track data from space probes and satellites that we have shot up in to the atmosphere and space. Here are some of the more significant and - in terms of design - beautiful radio telescopes in the world.

It was originally known, on its completion in 1957 as the Mark 1, but is now known the world over as the Lovell Telescope. The dish had a diameter of just over seventy six meters and it is the third largest movable radio telescope on planet earth. Amazingly, it is a symbol of recycling as well - one would imagine that these enormous beats would have to be made from scratch. However, Britain in the 1950s was not cash rich and the motor systems of the Lovell were made from the gun turret mechanisms of two retired battleships.

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So, what is the animal above? It's a mammal, that's for sure, but do you know its name and where it's from? has the answer!

Clearly most zoo habitats do not meet their standards for preferred environments, however as a threatened species, zoos are valuable for education and breeding programs. The main reason for their decline in the wild is human encroachment, but they are also hunted for meat, sometimes illegally.

Arguably one of the most important paintings of the twentieth century, Picasso's Demoiselles D'Avignon is also one of those love it or hate it pieces of art. Well, we love it at Webphemera! It also has a fascinating story behind it too, and here tells the story. African art, Gertrude Stein and prostitutes. What more can you ask? Fascinating!

Perhaps due to the general reception amongst those who had first seen it, Picasso hid the painting from public view for nine years, it was not until 1916 that it was shown in an exhibition at the Salon d’Antin. It shows five naked female prostitutes, whose bodies and faces have been reduced to angular shapes which stare out at the viewer, two radically so.

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OK, well.... this didn't sound terribly interesting, I have to say, when I first read the title. However, it turned out to be an extremely interesting look at water bottles throughout history by our old mucker over in Canada, . Take a bottle top (!) tour of water canteens throughout history.

Stronger than the pottery, ceramic or glass container, the metal canteens were far more resistant to the accidental bumps and hits it would receive in its use. The metal ones however are prone to developing pinholes over time, and especially so if dented or mutilated. Later still, the plastic bottles are even more resistant to breakage, pinholes and are lighter too.

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You would perhaps be forgiven that had Howard Hughes any connection with the policy of nuclear testing in the US during the Cold War that it would be of the secret, behind the scenes type. Well, you would not be right in this instance. Ruby Hawk takes a look at the attitude this famous billionaire had towards the nuclear testing happening right on his doorstep.

Just a quick post to let you know that Webphemera has joined the Networked Blogs on Facebook. If you would like to become a member of this (at least at the moment!) exclusive club, then please scroll down the page until you get to the Networked Blogs widget - sorry, but it is quite a long way down. You will be able to tell it is the right one as all of the member pictures have a little blue 'f' on them.

We would certainly appreciate your company! Of course, once you are a member you can invite all of your Facebook buddies to be member too. That would be most spiffing!

One of my personal favourite movies of all time is Nosferatu - and I don't care if it is black and white. I care even less that it is silent - this film is a real chiller. Despite the efforts of one or two British comedians it still has the capacity to scare the bejeezus out of me. This film - and nine other classic silent movies are the subject of this homage by . There are many gems to be found here, go take a look!

Another German Expressionist movie, and an even more famous one, Nosferatu is an unauthorised retelling of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and was almost completely lost as Stoker’s widow sued Murnau and his team for their efforts. Thankfully a print survived and the film has since been remade, copied, studied and paid homage; with references appearing in everything from the 1931 version of Dracula to the blackly comic 2000 film “Shadow of a Vampire”.

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It may be a decade or two (or fifteen) before space flight become affordable for us everyday ordinary folks. However, before you cry yourself to sleep because you will never get the chance to visit the fourth planet in the Alpha Centauri system, you can at least give yourself some comfort: there are many places on this little blue drop in the universe to visit that are just as strange as anything you will come across in the final frontier. Louie Jerome takes us to one of these places.

The big thing this year seems to be the ‘staycation’ but here at Webphemera we are little more adventurous than that. Well, saying that we like adventure in terms of new places, but we also like to make sure that the food, the service and the facilities are up to what we would like. So, a Myrtle Beach Resort is one of those places that we always consider. It is one of those places that not many Brits go to, so will always be somewhere that you can talk about without the been there, done that look. Yes, you know exactly what we mean!


Perhaps, rather than staying at home, some sideways thinking is more the order of the day. With a Myrtle Beach Resort that option is more than realistic, and it will also take you somewhere a little off the beaten track for UK tourists. You have probably heard of South Carolina- in terms of the old American Civil War films. However, as a holiday destination, there is something there that you may wish to consider.

South Carolina boasts many places to visit – both historical and geographical and, as you might expect there are some places the locals will advise you to go and see before the ones you see in the brochures. Really, it is much the same when you think about where you are going to stay and if you are beginning to wonder where exactly you might rest you weary bones the Myrtle Beach Resorts is one plave you may want to seriously consider. Well appointed condos and all the modern facilities that you would care for are all there – and of course there is the locality to take in to account.


South Carolina is renowned to be one of the most hospitable places in the United States and if you want a holiday with a difference – something that you can talk about to the neighbors, then the Myrtle Beach Accommodations is certainly the place to stay when you are in South Carolina. Oh, they call it SC out there – but it could just stand for Superb Condos at the same time. So, remember – for an SC, go to SC!

Oh and yes, all the pictures are from Myrtle Beach!

Let’s go along with the Do-Re-Mi song from The Sound of Music and start at the very beginning: the word itself. It doesn’t look English and it most certainly doesn’t sound English. You would be forgiven for sounding like it was the latest Kabala-like craze sweeping the nation, maybe some sort of odd skin condition (‘ew, look at the bokeh on that kid’) or the name of one of the Transformers. The word is Japanese in origin and literally means a haze or a blur. In Japanese the ‘h’ at the end is not present - it seems to have been adopted in English speaking circles to help with the correct pronunciation. If you say boke-aay then you are pretty close.

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The World Fair of 1967 was a fair old time ago but one extreme example of recycling old buildings is the Montreal Biosphere which is now the home of an environmental museum. The original acrylic shells that enclosed the dome are now gone - the steel remains however. At the time of the World Fair the building housed the longest ever escalator (thirty seven meters in length). Unfortunately a 1976 fire destroyed the acrylic shells but the building was bought by Environment Canada in 1980 and it is now an interactive museum. One of the highlights of a visit to Montreal, the museum is devoted to showing people about how the Great Lakes ecosystem can be developed in a sustainable way - this is done through a variety of exhibitions and interactive pieces.

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Chan Chan. The world’s largest adobe built city receives a tiny fraction of the visitors that Machu Picchu receives. Ten citadels, all walled, make up the site and within them are scores of temples, burial chamber and reservoirs. Triangular in shape the wall that surrounds it can reach sixty feet in height. You can easily get lost in this vast city, made up of a labyrinth of walkways. The surface of walls made from adobe brick were smoothed over and everywhere you will see highly detailed carvings, mostly of animals.

In the conservative and catholic Spain of 1922, at the eve of the Spanish Civil War, Dali who was only 18, already wishes to become a genius. He meets Federico Garcia Lorca and Luis Bunuel at the Madrid University. They soon become the nucleus of the modern group. Federico Garcia Lorca is infatuated with Salvador Dali and their friendship becomes more and more intimate.

Anoles are small lizards often mistakenly called Chameleons. The correct pronunciation is A-nole-ee. In size they range from 4 to 20 inches long including their tail. They have special toes designed for climbing and clinging to trees. They can change colors and often do so to indicate health or mood.

I had a house fire this week - an electric fault in the immersion heater control panel almost sent the house sky high. Fortunately, I was around when it started and was able to put it out but thought I was a gonner at one point! Thanks to some swift action and the arrival of two fire engines the damage was limited. So, right now I feel lucky. It was, then, with some interest that I read the latest article by . What happened to these people makes my own small brush with death seem, well, pretty ordinary. Take a look!

The passion of the passion (fruit) caught on camera. This exquisite shot was taken 1ith 1.30000th second shutter speed. The bloody explosion as the bullet penetrates the fruit is awesome and a reminder of the sheer power of the gun. This would make an excellent album cover for an EMO artist, perhaps!

This is what happens when a poor innocent strawberry is shot with an air rifle. The bullet leaves the rifle and a microcontroller starts to count. It triggers a flash about four and a half seconds after the shot is fired. It sounds as if it is easy but takes a great deal of practice to get right! Make my day, punk!

When you pit a .22 hollowpoint against an apple, who do you think is going to win? All over in a fraction of a second, there is no competition. The apple is cider. End of story! I knew an apple once; it went out with a fig. When I asked why it said it was because it couldn’t find a date. Awful humor aside, this shot really shows the power of the bullet. It is difficult to think of a similar impact on oneself without flinching and making ape noises.

This tangerine slice was minding its own business, waiting for cocktails, when it was hit by a high speed bullet. If you look closely to the left then you can see the bullet leaving its poor unfortunate victim. Not quite the dream the tangerine was considering!

What’s eating this grape? Not Gilbert, for sure, but a bullet from an air rifle. This must have been an awfully difficult shot to take, considering the size of the grape and the speed of the air rifle pellet! The resulting mess will have made this little fruit whine. Oh, come, on! If we can play with our food, as illustrated here, why not our words?

This tomato was taking a quick shower before its plum date and was mercilessly reduced to Bloody Mary material before it could even towel itself down. As the bullet hit the fruit, the water sprays off it to give this picture an awesome feel to it.

Not only that, the merciless killer slew his whole family! Fortunately, the market for pizza toppings is unaffected by the credit crunch as more and more people turn towards comfort food to help forget their financial troubles. AT least they will have a use in the local pizzeria as their little fruit souls make their way to tomato heaven!

The simple banana – simply exploded! Bananas are often executed in this manner in undemocratic regimes (sometimes known as Banana Republics) that oppose any slight difference to the norm. But, we ask you! Can the banana help being a little bit bent? Stop this cruelty now!

It is very much a real book, but the legends around it are surreal to say the least. To be honest, at one point when reading this erudite article (but with some lovely touches of humour too) a real chill ran down my spine... spooky stuff! Turn the cover of the Codex Gigas...

From the article:

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From the article:

Dogosuds is a shampoo that ensures that when you wash your dog, you do not have the stink return the next day. It is also a wonderful discovery because the makers, Inc, guarantee that there are no chemicals, perfumes or fillers in the shampoo.

So, if you wait weeks between bathing your dog because his skin gets so dry and flaky, you do not need to worry about that anymore.

Check the shampoo out here.


Your smelly pooch is now a clean canine – and he smells wonderful too! The lathers beautifully and rinses easily, it even works to remove sunk odor. It contains 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils that have natural, healing properties – not that your dog will realize he is being spoiled buy his skin will. This gentle soothing shampoo works well for sensitive skin.

You can also get lots of other quality products from Dinovite. Why not check them out here.

It is important to maintain a dog’s hair and skin – and these products are such a help.Your smelly dog who you couldn’t wash regularly will be transformed in to a new animal! Isn't it time for that new dog smell?

Lasers are everywhere and have a multitude of uses both civillian and military. They are used to educate and entertain but also to help destroy and kill people on a large scale. Whatever science we have, it always seems to be used for both the good and the bad. Here, takes us through the almost bewildering amount of uses to which we have put this technology.

From the article:

Instruments called laser gyroscopes use laser beams to detect changes in direction. These devices help ships, airplanes, and guided missiles stay on course. Another military use of lasers is in a guidance device called a target designator. A person using the device aims a laser beam at an enemy target. Missiles, artillery shells, and bombs equipped with laser beam detectors seek the reflected beam and adjust their flight to hit the spot where the beam is aimed.

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When war is over sometimes only the ghosts remain, but they can sometimes make an appearence before the cessation of conflict. Here, recounts some spooky encounters between the living and the dead on the battlefield.

Extremely bad taste, yes of course. But many great internet memes have been questionable in that area. Here, the Fuhrer discovers that MJ has died - days before he is due to sing at his birthday concert. Oh, the humanity.

Over to the Milne Islands of Papua New Guineau. There the locals have a ceremonial trading system known as Kula. And you know something, Kula is pretty cool. Ah! So, extremely poor humour aside, has been having a close look at this ancient system.
From the article:

Participants of the Kula exchange would trade red shell-disc necklace that were traded to the north and white shell bracelets that were traded to the South. At first, if one of the individuals participating would display a bracelet or armband, what would typically follow was a necklace. Control of the exchange was usually handled by the Chief, however in Dobu all men can participate.

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The red poppy is a common weed of Europe and was adopted as the official flower of remembrance and honor to those whom fought and died in foreign wars. As we approach another patriotic holiday in America I am again reminded of the sacrifices that so many soldiers made to keep our nations free.

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As a writer I often seem to read about a story idea that is so obvious, yet so brilliant, that it seems like even a monkey poking at a typewriter could turn it into an award winner. But what amazes me even more is when the narrative itself is written in a clever way. So I present the five that have most wowed me. Some of the techniques in this list now seem hackneyed, but when they were first used they shocked readers and confounded critics.