August 2010
Monthly ArchivesAbandoned Streetcars, Red Hook, Brooklyn
These abandoned streetcars are an unusual sight in a redeveloping corner of Brooklyn, New York. But in the reviving waterfront district of Red Hook, the rusting wrecks are as much a part of the streetscene as the converted warehouses alongside.
Google Doodles Celebrates Frankenstein Creator’s Birthday
British author Mary Shelley has become the latest historical figure to be commemorated by Google Doodles. On what would have been her 213th birthday, the author who brought us the classic horror tale Frankenstein received her own spooky doodle in place of the search engine’s traditional logo.
6 Ghost Towns and Abandoned Cities of Eurasia
In terms of geopolitics, Eurasia refers primarily to the post-Soviet states, the Central Asian republics, and the Transcaucasian republics. It’s no wonder, therefore, that this “supercontinent” abounds with ghost towns and abandoned cities.
Don’t Try this at Home: Crane Climbing Craziness in Paris
Crane climbing must be one of the most extreme hobbies out there, with a similar danger factor as dinner for two with Hannibal Lecter. These three guys in Paris go even further, with crane pull-ups. Whatever happens, don’t this at home…
Blow Them Up, Comrade: Russia’s Inflatable Military
Russia is stockpiling inflatable versions of its current planes, tanks and surface-to-air missiles in a bid to confuse satellites and aerial reconnaissance systems, at a cost of almost £2,000 per blow-up model.
Historic High Def Photographs by Kevin Cole
In this series of vivid images, photographer Kevin Cole takes us on a high definition journey to historic buildings and places in America’s West, framing each one in a new light and in some cases turning the mundane into the sublime.
Tourism in Iraq: Lost Cradle of Civilization
Despite optimistic attempts to revive Iraq’s tourist fortunes over the last year amid ongoing violence, the country remains off-limits to casual visitors. But if that ever changes, here are some ancient sites to explore from the Cradle of Civilization.
Urban Ghosts Turns One Today!
Today, August 20th, is the one year anniversary of Urban Ghosts Media! I’d like to thank everyone who has helped grow this small hobby blog into a publication serving between 1,000 – 2,000 readers each day, and growing. To celebrate, here are 10 of the most popular articles of the last 12 months.
Virtual Globetrotting Reveals A-12 Avenger Stealth Plane Mock-up
The A-12 Avenger II was designed as a stealth attack aircraft for the U.S. Navy, but only two mock-ups were ever built. But what became of them? Those intrepid online urban explorers at Virtual Globetrotting have partially answered this question.
Celestial Superhighway: The Interplanetary Transport Network
The Interplanetary Transport Network sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but it is actually real, and has already been used. The ITN is a collection of pathways through the solar system, governed by gravity and predicted by chaos theory, that require little energy for an object to traverse them.
The Isolated Fishing Village of Low Newton by the Sea
Hiding at the bottom of a hill adjacent to the Northumberland coast is the tiny fishing village of Low Newton by the Sea. Little more than a collection of 18th century cottages and farm buildings, the beach is protected by the National Trust and is popular year round with walkers and wildlife enthusiasts.
Belfast’s Historic (& Troubled) “Holy Land”
Belfast is famous for many reasons, not least its murals brought about by The Troubles that gripped Northern Ireland from the late 1960s until the “Good Friday” Agreement of 1998. But less well known is an intriguing network of streets in the inner-south of Belfast known as the Holy Land.
Harrier and Jaguar: Lethal Warplanes Become Fine Art
The jury has long been out on what does or does not constitute modern art, but the sheer wow factor of two combat tested warplanes filling the galleries of the Tate Britain is certain to silence even the most hardened critic – if only for a few moment.