A handful of misery, a pocket full of hope

A handful of misery

This very simplistic collage was created after reading an article some time ago now about the plight of Iraqi children in their 'Liberated' homeland of Iraq.

On a daily basis children would find twisted pieces of shrapnel, bullets (Some of which were live), spent shells, and many other remnants of war.

Some children had lost their lives due to standing on land mines, and others now are suffering the debilitating after effects of the depleted uranium that was used in the missiles and bombs so kindly dropped by their 'Liberators'.

Despite all of this the children play, and live their lives as best they can under the most difficult of circumstances.

This is the true testament to the unbreakable spirit of mankind in the face of war and adversity.


By Arnie Canoe

Everyday Free World Photographs 4: Lamp post

The wonderful beacon of free world light

Possibly one of the greatest inventions in the free world is the amazing beacon of light, the grand illuminator of the darkness, the lamp post.

Never has one invention brought such joy to the general population than this towering pillar of strength. When the Christians claim Jesus Christ as the Light of the World they overlook the humble custodian of illumination at their peril. For this imperial shining jewel is worth more than all of the gems in the world's treasure troves. Without it we are truly blind in the darkness of the night.

Although its origins can be traced back to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome the lamps they used pale into significance to the beautiful sentinel we have created. For a start they required a slave called a laternius to light their lamps of an evening. This is such a waste of use of a slave!

It didn't get much better in the middle ages when the slave mutated into the link-boy who escorted people from place to place through the dimly lit streets.

The Arabs got in on the act with their gas lamps, but even these required the aid of a lamp lighter who had to keep the lamps alight throughout the night.

It wasn't until 1875 when the free world Russian inventor Pavel Yablochlov created the first electric street lighting whereby a carbon arc lamp employing alternating current, ensured that both electrodes were consumed at equal rates, thus providing the foundation from which our lamp post could come alive.

Free world city after free world city became illuminated through electric lighting, but the arc lights gave way to incandescent lighting and then to high intensity discharge lamps on top of the gorgeous lamp post we know and love today.

The creation of the ingenious film cut out prevented one bulb blowing from making all of the lamps go off.

We give praise to the good people at GEC, Philips and Thorn Lighting for continuing to light our lives in Britain and also for developing ever more beautiful lamp posts. For without them we would be literally in the dark, would have nowhere for dogs to cock a leg and urinate against, and also nowhere for lower class prostitutes to solicit customers.

We leave you with this link to a man who crossed the boundary and consummated his love for lamp posts quite literally:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1580899/Man-arrested-for-having-sex-with-lamp-post.html

By Penelope Itchy