The riots also offered a glimpse into how photographs can be used out of context:
‘Sir: In last week’s article about the poll-tax riot in Trafalgar Square (‘THE MOB’S BRIEF RULE’, 7 April) there is a large photograph labelled ‘A West End shopper argues with a protester’. The woman in the photograph is me, and I thought you might like to know the true story behind the picture.
I was on my way to the theatre, with my husband. As we walked down Regent Street at about 6.30pm, the windows were intact and there was a large, cheerful, noisy group of poll-tax protesters walking up from Piccadilly Circus. We saw ordinary uniformed police walking alongside, on the pavement, keeping a low profile. The atmosphere was changed dramatically in moments when a fast-walking, threatening group of riot-squad police appeared.
We walked on to the top of Haymarket, where the atmosphere was more tense and more protesters were streaming up Haymarket from the Trafalgar Square end. Suddenly a group of mounted police charged at full gallop into the rear of the group of protesters, scattering them, passers-by and us and creating panic. People screamed and some fell. Next to me and my husband another group of riot-squad appeared, in a most intimidating manner.
The next thing that happened is what horrified me most. Four of the riot-squad police grabbed a young girl of 18 or 19 for no reason and forced her in a brutal manner on to the crowd-control railings, with her throat across the top of the railings. Her young male companion was frantically trying to reach her and was being held back by one riot-squad policeman. In your photograph I was urging the boy to calm down or he might be arrested; he was telling me that the person being held down across the railings was his girlfriend.
My husband remonstrated with the riot-squad policeman holding the boy, and I shouted at the four riot-squad men to let the girl go as they were obviously hurting her. To my surprise, they did let her go – it was almost as if they did not know what they were doing.
The riot-squad policemen involved in this incident were not wearing any form of identification. Their epaulettes were unbuttoned and flapping loose; I lifted them on two men and neither had any numbers on. There was a sergeant with them, who was numbered and my husband asked why his men wore no identifying numbers. The sergeant replied that it did not matter as he knew who the men were. We are a middle-aged suburban couple who now feel more intimidated by the Metropolitan police than by a mob. If we feel so angry, how on earth did the young hot-heads at the rally feel?’
Mrs R.A. Sare, Northwood, Middlessex Source
And this is why you can never trust what the media feeds you. They say pictures don’t lie… this is a blatant untruth… pictures lie to us ALL THE TIME.
(via lostinhistory)
Ancient #1:
The Ring of Brodgar, Orkney ~2500BCE; the Quiraing, Skye ~ Jurassic landslide; Castlerigg Stone Circle, Keswick ~3200BCE; ancient field system, Chelmorton, Derbyshire ~ from maybe as early as Saxon times but definitely medieval; The Devil’s Arrows, Boroughbridge ~ 2500BCE; Gritstone rocks on Kinder plateau, Derbyshire ~ sometime after the Carboniferous period; Prehistoric Rock-Art, Chatton, Northumberland ~ late Neolithic-Bronze Age; The Grey Ladies and Robin Hood’s Stride, Derbyshire ~ 2500BCE and a natural outcrop from sometime after the Carboniferous; Skara Brae prehistoric settlement, Orkney ~ 3200-2200BCE.
(all pictures by brushstrokesandshutterclicks)
(via lostinhistory)
(via voiceofnature)
I know you wanted this on your dash.
This is the best thing I’ve ever seen.
if you listen you can hear it when it lands
(Source: toxicgrin, via theolddictionary)
A tale from ancient times by Dahud (Amélie & Catherine B.)
2 young photographers from France, and also my dear friends. I find their work amazing.
George Takei responds to “traditional” marriage fans.
George Takei is flawfree.
Perfect human being
easybreezybeautifulclevergirl:
Put the costume, wig, and makeup on all together for the first time! I think next time i’ll use more blush, but for the most part i’m happy with it. I didn’t do much, it’s just foundation and a bit of bronze eyeliner - I wanted to keep it as natural looking as possible!
I shall venture outside and get some ~real~ (non mirror) shots of this on Saturday! I’m really excited.
You can see the full dress here, and see more shots of the wig here.
okay WOW you win cosplay forever
you are perf
holy crap
dying from this wonderful cosplay
Best cosplay ever
(via theolddictionary)