Hi JB/SD,
I'm sorry you had such a rough experience linking photos. Your method worked okay, but the real culprit is the gallery view at Photobucket upsetting the applecart. It should be possible to link to an individual photo by html but not to the whole gallery view.
As to the problem, seeing your photos helped me tremendously in helping you.
This is a Truvativ GXP ISIS-design crank similar to the Shimano Octalink but different in some key, critical ways.
I recalled a thread from awhile back on another forum that seems to address your entire issue:
http://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/696248-stupid-truvativ-elita-gxp-left-crank-keeps-getting-loose.htmlThe news is not encouraging. The spindle is swedged to the right arm and can't be disconnected. The other end is splined, tapered steel with incomplete run-on. The left fastening bolt requires really high initial torque. If it wasn't tightened adequately to begin with or was not maintained, it can work loose, fret, and the hard steel spindle splines can chew at the soft aluminum of the crank arm, producing the sad and unfortunate results you describe.
The older models were (mis) designed in such a way that even normal pedaling could loosen the retention bolt. I'm not sure where yours fits in the chronology, but this may be a case of "they all do that eventually". The design was clever, but less than ideal on some key ways.
If it were me, I'd try three things in this order:
1) tighten down that retention bolt to the specified high torque mentioned in the link above, using a torque wrench...and hope for an unlikely but good outcome. You'll know soon enough if it works or not and it is free to try.
2) search for a new left arm on eBay.
3) ditch it all and go for a decent but inexpensive crank and square taper BB, something like Shimano's humble Alivio, which is available in black, looks similar, would get you back on the road for little coin, and would run trouble free for ages. This is the course of take.
I wish I could be more encouraging, but I think that left arm may be unsalvageable. I'm hoping someone will disagree.
Best,
Dan. (...who takes no joy whatsoever in delivering what is likely bad news)