Last House Standing. Strange Urban Images By Photographer Ben Marcin...

Self taught photographer Ben Marcin was born in Augsbury Germany twenty seven or so years ago. He now lives in Baltimore.
There's more about him here.
My intent he says, in photographing these solitary buildings was not only for their ghostly beauty but for their odd placement on the urban landscape. They were not designed to stand alone like this.
There may have been ten or twenty similar buildings on either side but these have been torn down, demolished for a variety of reasons, many financial. And one day as I was photographing a seemingly abandoned dwelling, the front door swung open and an older man wearing a bathrobe and jeans walked out and confronted me. What was I doing and why was I doing it. He was definitely ready to defend not only his home.
And at that moment I understood why his house was still standing...

Chinese Factory Workers And The Toys They Make...

German photographer Michael Wolf visited the five toy factories in Mainland China where seventy five percent of the world's toys are manufactured.
He's documented The Real Toy Story.
The retail price of one high quality toy sold in the western market is often more than six months salary for a Chinese toy worker.
While I've no wish to reduce the already meager earnings of these toy factory workers who work in abysmal conditions, I suggest you give consideration to buying products made in your own country.
I know that here in New Zealand,
if we don't buy buy more locally manufactured products, it will be bye bye New Zealand...