vicfangirlguide:

When the Metropolitan Police Force was first established in 1829 its officers wore blue uniforms with leather neck stocks and rabbit-skin top hats reinforced with leather to provide extra protection. They gradually replaced the Bow Street Runners, who had worn red waistcoats underneath civilian clothes. The choice of blue for the new police uniforms was made to reassure the public that unlike the red-clad, army-like Bow Street Runners the new Police were to be a trustworthy, civil force. However the public did not immediately accept them and referred to them as ‘raw lobsters’ or ‘the unboiled’. A lobster is blue until it is put in boiling water when it turns red. The implication was that under pressure the police would show their true militaristic colours.

(via victorianfanguide)

medievalthedas:

Sur La Lune Fairy Tales

SurLaLune Fairy Tales features 49 annotated fairy tales, including their histories, similar tales across cultures, modern interpretations and over 1,500 illustrations. Also discover over 1,600 folktales & fairy tales from around the world in more than 40 full-text eBooks.

I have actually used this site, and it’s awesome.

we-need-more-shirtless-scenes:

Medieval weapons.

odditiesoflife:

The Newmont Azurite - A Miner Used it to Pay His Bar Tab

One of the world’s finest mineral specimens, the Newmont Azurite was discovered in 1952 and used by a miner to pay his bar tab. The Newmont Azurite is known for the large size and perfection of its crystals. Dark crystals stand on tan calcite, perfectly formed and unblemished.

The Newmont Azurite was formed by the interaction of rainwater and groundwater on primary copper ores. It appears black, but the right light shows it to be dark blue. Despite azurite’s beauty, it is too soft and too fragile to be used as a gem.

(via whiskey-wolf)

we-need-more-shirtless-scenes:

The quintessential Medieval bow, the longbow is most famous for its use in the Hundred Years War (1337-1453). Made of a solid piece of wood, usually yew, a bow could be made within a few hours, and used for years. Lightweight and portable, this is a reasonable weapon of choice for a traveller, especially one who prefers to hunt for their own sustenance. The longbow is typically about the same height as the bearer, and customized to their size and strength.

Pros: easy to make; portable; reasonable maintenance; excellent for hunting; not immediately threatening; implies good marksmanship and considered a useful skill, which can be hired out; easily learned (although requires a lot of practice); a reasonable weapon for almost anybody, from a peasant to a nobleman; can be customized in all sorts of awesome/fanciful ways without significantly reducing effectiveness; a very good excuse to have your character wear cool looking bracers (basically forearm armour, usually leather, to protect the inside of the arm while shooting).

Cons: not easily repaired if actual bow is broken; extremely difficult to use on horseback (thus a better choice for a traveller on foot); requires a supply of arrows to be of use, which must be replenished over time; not effective as a short-range weapon (easily remedied by carrying a secondary weapon); may be subject to problems due to changes in heat and humidity; exceedingly difficult to conceal on one’s person.

Basic longbow diagram.

An example of the aforementioned bracer.

Traditional Wuzhumuqin (Grasslands) Mongolian costume.

Bamboo in the mist.

1951 - A Korean girl carries her brother past a tank during the Korean War.