Please look at this image and tell me what sort of horrible apparition haunts my house?

Just a switch not cleanly "off" and the spring pushed it to on. This is why you should never leave electrical appliances plugged in when not in use. If it happens again change the switch.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.