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9 ghostly photos provide a powerful look back at World War I.

The world as we know it is a fragile thing. These photos provide some needed perspective.

A photo series commemorating World War I's centennial merges pictures from the modern world with overlays from the war.

The result is a stunning, beautiful, and somewhat ghostly look at the past.

One of the bloodiest conflicts in all of human history, millions of people lost their lives because of World War I. And while the United States didn't officially declare war on Germany until April 1917, it's estimated that more than 53,000 American soldiers lost their lives in battle.


WWI may be a century behind us, but these photos — which show the very same locations that once saw tanks and soldiers in the streets still standing today — are a reminder that 100 years is really not that long ago at all.

An MKIV tank rolls down the streets of London in this mash-up photo combining a shot from November 1917 and the same location in July 2014. Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images (1917), Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (2014).

Soldiers march during the Lord Mayor's show during the final days of the war in 1918. Photo by A. R. Coster/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images (1918), Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (2014).

British soldiers are seen here inspecting a captured German plane in November 1915. Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images (1915), Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (2014).

The photo series does a spectacular job highlighting the fragility of the status quo and giving a look into how quickly things can take a turn for the worse if we're not careful.

Injured soldiers are shown here at the Brighton Pavilion, which was converted into a military hospital in 1915. Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images (1915), Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (2014).

Australian soldiers pose for a photo outside London's Egypt House in June 1917. Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images (1917), Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (2014).

Wounded soldiers are seen playing soccer outside Woodstock's Blenheim Palace in this 1916 photo. Photo by Central Press/Getty Images (1916), Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (2014).

With conflict and potential conflicts abounding — whether it's intervention in Syria, North Korea, or something else entirely — it's just as important as ever to seek out peaceful solutions and diplomacy before beating the drums of war.

The ghosts of World War I can teach us a lot. As can those of World War II and other campaigns. It's important that we remember there's a steep cost to war — financial, structural, and most importantly, human — and before rash decisions are made leading us into a new battle, we should reflect on the past and ask if it's worth it.

German prisoners of war during the First World War on their way to Southend Pier in 1914. Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images (1914), Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (2014).

British soldiers in Gallipoli, Turkey, ready a 60-pounder heavy field gun in this photo from 1915. Photo by Ernest Brooks/Getty Images (1915), Sean Gallup/Getty Images (2015).

British troops land at Anzac Cove during the war's Gallipoli campaign in 1915. Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images (1915), Sean Gallup/Getty Images (2015).

Constant war is a surefire way to desensitize people to the toll of the violence countries can inflict on each other. These photos are a powerful reminder of what's at stake.

Surely, there is a time when intervention is necessary. Surely, there is a time when it's irresponsible to sit on the sidelines. But surely, also, there's a lot to consider whenever lives hang in the balance.

So use these photos as a reminder, share them with others; let's never forget the courage of those lives lost to battle, but let's also never stop working to minimize future losses and make sure photos like these don't happen again in full color.

Joy

Sorry, Labradors. After 31 years, America has a new favorite dog.

The American Kennel Club has crowned a new favorite.

via Pixabay

A sad-looking Labrador Retriever

The sweet-faced, loveable Labrador Retriever is no longer America’s favorite dog breed. The breed best known for having a heart of gold has been replaced by the smaller, more urban-friendly French Bulldog.

According to the American Kennel Club, for the past 31 years, the Labrador Retriever was America’s favorite dog, but it was eclipsed in 2022 by the Frenchie. The rankings are based on nearly 716,500 dogs newly registered in 2022, of which about 1 in 7 were Frenchies. Around 108,000 French Bulldogs were recorded in the U.S. in 2022, surpassing Labrador Retrievers by over 21,000.

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Bruce Willis recently celebrated his 68th birthday.

Back in March 2022, legendary action actor Bruce Willis was diagnosed with aphasia and took an official step away from the spotlight. Then, in February 2023, the beloved "Die Hard" star progressed into frontotemporal dementia, an incurable brain disorder often mistaken for Alzheimer’s that mainly affects personality, behavior and language, according to the Mayo Clinic.


Despite the tragic news, Willis is supported by loved ones, as seen in a video posted by ex-wife Demi Moore. The clip, posted to Twitter on March 19, captures Willis' family surrounding him in celebration of his 68th birthday.
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Joy

An 8-year-old snuck his handwritten book onto a library shelf. Now it has a 56-person waiting list.

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel— written by "Dillon His Self"—captured the hearts of his local librarians and their patrons.

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel captured the hearts of his local librarians.

Writing a book is no easy task, even for adult professional writers. Many would-be authors dream of a day when their work can be found on library shelves, unsure if it will ever come.

But for 8-year-old Dillon Helbig, that day has already arrived—in truly unconventional fashion—thanks to his own determination to make it happen.

Dillon wrote his 81-page graphic novel, "The Adventures of Dillon Helbig's Crismis" (written by "Dillon His Self") in a hardcover journal with colored pencils over the course of a few days. He even put a label on the back of the book that reads "Made in Idho" [sic] and put an illustrated spine label on it as well. Then, without telling anyone, he brought it to his local library in Boise, Idaho, and slipped it in among the books in the children's section.

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A Korean mother and her son

A recently posted story on Reddit shows a mother confidently standing up for her family after being bullied by a teacher for her culture. Reddit user Flowergardens0 posted the story to the AITA forum, where people ask whether they are wrong in a specific situation.

Over 5,600 people commented on the story, and an overwhelming majority thought the mother was right. Here’s what went down:

“I (34F) have a (5M) son who attends preschool. A few hours after I picked him up from school today, I got a phone call from his teacher,” Flowergardens0 wrote. “She made absolutely no effort to sound kind when she, in an extremely rude and annoyed tone, told me to stop packing my son such ‘disgusting and inappropriate’ lunches."

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Pop Culture

Kelly Clarkson correctly pronouncing a guest's name on her show seems simple but it speaks volumes

Viewers appreciated how respectfully Clarkson handled her interview with K-pop group TWICE when she asked performer Tzuyu how to properly pronounce her name.

The Kelly Clarkson Show/Youtube

It really is as simply as that.

What’s in a name?

A lot, actually. We know that names reflect certain aspects of one’s identity. We know that repeated mispronunciation of a person’s name potentially undermines that identity. We know that sometimes this is unintentional, and other times, more insidious intentions of “othering” are at play. Especially when it comes to those with non-English names.

We also know that, on the flip side, making the effort to properly pronounce a person’s name is one of the simplest forms of kindness and respect that someone can offer. And it really pays dividends.

Just take a page from Kelly Clarkson’s book.
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Pop Culture

Woman shares 5 questions to ask potential employers and people are taking notes

"Being in both senior leadership and directly involved in candidate recruitment, these questions are fire. 10/10 recommend."

TikTok creator gives people 5 questions to ask potential employers.

You know the end of the interview where they ask, "Do you have any questions for us?" It's a dreaded question for a lot of people. Even though you know it's coming, the question still catches you off guard and you wind up asking something possibly irrelevant or nothing at all. Then the whole ride home, approximately fifteen questions pop into your head.

But don't you fret, because TikTok creator Kyyah Abdul has a list of five questions to keep tucked in your brain's pocket to close out an interview. And folks in the comments are applauding the creator's ability to figure out if the company is a fit for you and clarify any concerns the interviewer may have. Her advice was so genius that even a person who is involved in candidate recruitment chimed in saying, "Being in both senior leadership and directly involved in candidate recruitment, these questions are fire. 10/10 recommend."

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