Can't Possibly... Make... This... Up!

So let me get this straight- Bill Barr's father hired Jeffrey Epstein (who never graduated college) to teach math... in college. And said employer of the soon to be, convicted child predator had already written a science fiction novel concerning- an inter-galactic child sex trafficking ring!

The Killing Game

After lazily allowing myself to be immersed in Trump/Epstein over the weekend, I willed myself to refocus Monday AM only to hear how doctors in Gaza now see injuries to very specific body parts on any given day. Legs shots on one, abdomen on another- then head... groin, etc.

After the Israeli military set up 'food distribution areas' in highly convenient Kill Zones, seems they've have grown increasingly bored with their home-made, shooting fish in a barrel scenario, taking pot shots at desperately starving Palestinians (many of them children) willing to risk their lives for a morsel of food. Apparently, in order to remain alert, and amused, said soldiers have made a further game of it- picking specific body parts on a daily basis to pique interest and chase away the everyday doldrums of military drudgery...

Cabal Of Depravity

This fifteen minute dive is by no means an all encompassing synopsis, but it details the depths of depravity that were the Trump/Epstein symbiosis- presented by the most noteworthy journalist (and Presbyterian minister) Chris Hedges. 

NYC Mayor Elect

The choices for NYC Mayor are clear: A) a disgraced former governor, B) a disgraced mayor under criminal investigation saved by a Felon, C) a guy who kidnapped himself for publicity, D) a man who stands for and believes in the working class!

The Great Unraveling

Photo: © Stan Banos

I had been waiting for this moment for years- over and over and over again... This is finally what sees his demise, this is finally what exposes him for what he truly is, this is finally what drives the stake right into the very heart of his myriad of lies and criminalities!!! And over, and over, and over again- he scoffed, bullied and smirked his way out... So I am NOT gonna get my hopes up, NOT gonna jump up and down with joy, NOT gonna rejoice in righteous indignation... Nope- Not gonna go there!

This time, it-is-different. This time his own team is turning. This time, his cult is, indeed, cracking. But he will survive. He will survive his lame duck presidency, he will appoint some clown prince 'special prosecutor' to absolve him of anything and everything, while blaming all others. But it is the first time he's actually had to squirm to the point where he visibly sweats and appears genuinely vulnerable. A little late in my book, but... such is the reality of this decade's long journey through the Magaverse: where facts and reality, logic and reason, science and common sense held no gravity, rhyme or reason. And at the very least- what was the very real possibility of a thoroughly illegal and Unconstitutional Trumpian Third Term will remain unrealized, the very absurdity of a criminal pipe dream that should have never been uttered in any universe, real or imagined...

Sanity, Decency, Common Sense...

What a breath of fresh air to hear someone speak: so very rationally and eloquently- with compassion and reason (about someone who exhibits none of those traits)... Remarkable!

Fun/Not Fun...

Conspiracies are fun because you can always make of them whatever you want, use them however you want, to whatever end you want. Take a couple of facts, mix generously with the rumors and innuendo that fits your political and personal needs and... Voila- instant 'proof' that can never be disproven, because neither can it ever be verified!

Unless, unless... someone actually does, in fact, come up with the mythological, irreproachable, put up or shut up goods- the golden, once in a lifetime opportunity to lay it all out on the line for all to see! How often does that happen? Miracle of Miracles, BEHOLD- Upon yonder desk! The Epstein Files- The Golden Fleece, The Holy Grail, and The Big Kahuna all wrapped up into one neat pile on Blondie's Desk!!! 

So why is it that the people Most certain, Most demanding, Most SCREAMING, now say... Nah! It's all good- No worries... WE don't even wanna talk it no more- not that we ever did anyways.........

Yeah, I'm sure there's plenty a Democratic pervert in those files... Mucho, starting with Clinton. Plenty of Republicans and non partisan types as well. But Blondie didn't act on her own, she takes her marching orders from the guy upstairs, the guy who was Epstein's Very Best Bud for over ten years, the guy who is documented on the flight logs of the Lolita Express no fewer than seven (7) times, the guy who journalist Michael Wolff has publicly stated is in pictures (that Epstein showed him) with three topless, underaged girls and "a stain" on his pants- but that's just a vicious lie!!! Hhmmm... Then why hasn't Mr. Trump, who just loves to sue at the drop of a hat, ever sued him- even though he's repeated the assertion in just about every venue possible!

And now, Congressional Republicans have officially voted NOT to pursue it further. Meanwhile, Herr Trump desperately searches for the next talking point to divert the attention of those in the Magaverse that are finally starting to question, maybe even starting to doubt... And the girls, now women, who were used, abused and discarded are once again made to feel as Ghislaine Maxwell once described them, "they're like used tissues." 

The Horror! The Horror...

So... after months, years, eons of MAGA foaming at the mouth that The Epstein Files are real, the Epstein files are suppressed- MAGA cohorts finally reached the pinnacle of their dreams and gained the power and access to blow it all outta the water and expose anyone and everyone on said list!!! The List they have salivated for, The List that reveals every Democratic Evil Doer is finally in their happy little hands! And now at their very peak of joy and triumph, they are finally able to reveal that- The Almighty List does-not-exist! Wha...?

First, there never was one Magic List, Democrats are not listed in alphabetical order, and Bondi who has taken the oath of fealty to Trump (along with everyone else in his clown show admin) is not the bad guy (she is- but for many other reasons), just the fall gal. Yes, I'm sure there's many a Dem on those files, no doubt- just as I'm sure that the guy on the very top, the guy who was The Best Bud of good ol' Jeffrey E. for 15 some years, who is listed on the documented flight logs of The Lolita Express no less than 7 times, is none other than... Donnie J! 

This is probably the most I've ever seen Donnie sweat. Some of his base is actually turning, even Alex Jones was giving him some heavy side eye! But fear not, he'll get over yet again, always does... cause his hardcore base is number one at closing the door and closing ranks lest the slightest ray of light or reason sneak on in (credit where credit due). The very next day Jones had changed his tune, saying it was the Dems who'd stolen the files (right off Bondi's desk- I guess)! Certain sycophants will get yelled to hell at, one or two will be fired, and in a few months more or less, things will be back to the usual chaos of Trump World. All just another fake creation of The Deep State, which they now own- but irony holds no gravity in the Magaverse, where: windmills cause cancer, brave American patriots liberate airports in the Revolutionary War, and "the kidney has a very special place in the heart."

As We Cut...

Photo: © Stan Banos

...Medicaid, we also eliminate life saving foreign aid that could forfeit as many as 14 MILLION lives worldwide (while costing less than 1% of our total budget) and- increase our military budget by... $157 B-B-BILLION!!!

Corruption Guaranteed!

Pam Bondi, US AG, the top law enforcement officer in the nation, has now proclaimed that there is not going to be any release of any Epstein list- which doesn't exist anyway! So why are so very many people acting so very surprised, astonished and confused to hear this?!?

Perhaps, because during an interview on FOX News on 2/21/2025 she first proclaimed that Epstein's client list was "sitting on my desk right now to review." Perhaps, because she also went on to proclaim that there were "over one thousand confirmed victims." She also went on to state that law officials were currently examining “a truckload” of previously withheld evidence, including a plethora of videos, all the while repeatedly complaining about the lack of transparency from the previous administration! All that certainly sounds like enough "that will make you sick," especially since those victims were... children! So what could lead such a thoroughly dedicated advocate of justice to what anyone would consider as abrupt as an abrupt about-face can possibly get?!?

But then, this is as corrupt as a corrupt AG can possibly get (in cahoots with the most corrupt FBI director of all time, Kash Patel), the forever faithful lapdog to her twice impeached, convicted sex molester and Felon in Chief... himself, a decade's long best friend of the multiple child rapist in question who flew on Epstein's "Lolita Express" no fewer than seven times!

Take Your Pick!

This man is: A) completely delusional, B) an outright liar, or c) telling the absolute truth as it happened. Does he look and/or sound delusional? If he's an outright liar, what is the motivation? Attention? Most of the attention these people get comes in the form of: personal ridicule, social chastisement and loss of revenue- he has no book or movie to sell, no TV or concert hall appearances to hype. So, you decide in this detail rich 2 1/2 hour retelling of a most 'unusual' experience! What's that, his rank fails to impress? How about this guy- will the captain of a nuclear missile facility be sufficient to warrant your attention and credulity?

Happy No Kings Holiday Weekend!

All Photos: © Stan Banos

The one thing, the only thing that a Trump presidency is good for, are the added photo ops made possible by the increase in protests and public participation. This weekend, I'll personally be recalling and recounting the inspiring tales of derring-do involving our brave American patriots who liberated our airports during the Revolutionary War!

     

All Photos: © Stan Banos

Only the real Spiderman wears sandals!

All Photos: © Stan Banos

Weep, Oh, Israel!

It's proven that some children who are molested go on to become molesters themselves, counterintuitive perhaps, but true (frighteningly so) nevertheless. Lately, I've been thinking how that same example could be applied on an even larger scale- could an abused people/country go on to become mass abusers themselves? That certainly might very well help explain how one 'genocided' population could go on to commit similar atrocities against another... 

Once again, the world stands by merely watching as one group of people are bombed and shot relentlessly out of house and home, bombed and shot relentlessly into evacuation and refugee encampments, bombed and shot relentlessly straight into starvation...

When does self defense devolve into endless, vicious retribution? In this case, Israel crossed that line quite some time ago; the victim has become victimizer, defying their own code of ethics, and breaking their own set of morals and conduct that they themselves helped define for and propagate to the entire world!

How long can one continue to persecute and target a population you made homeless and starving- and still claim to be the victim? Israel, you could once, at least, argue the moral high ground- any claim to the latter has been long extinguished by the trail of thousands of dead and broken children's bodies left in your pernicious wake of unrelenting vengeance...

Three Photobooks

Used to buy my fair share of photobooks, now I tend to get significantly less. One reason is economic, sure- the other, I just want something that is significantly different from anything I already have and have seen, or... it just has to be a degree above that already owned. That said, I'm happy to report there are three books (coming) out that easily fall into one of the above...

One is Last Stop by Brian Rose, photos taken at the ends of each subway line in NYC- which, to be honest, sounds both incredibly boring and fascinating at the same time. "Boring" because that is probably the way it would come out in my hands (so what, it's the end of the line, what's so special about that), "fascinating" in the hands of Rose because he has the track record of coming up with the goods where others wouldn't, and certain to find that which is visually fascinating, in that it is both everyday mundane, as well as delightfully unique and intriguing.

Asa Nisi Masa by Blake Andrews is his first published monograph, and is full of the visual quirks and oddities Blake is so famous for. I still recall the delight I experienced upon first viewing his work every time I look at his work anew. One can feel the joy he experiences in seeing the world from such a delightfully enigmatic viewpoint. Life playing out before you in a series of visual mishaps and serendipities that make it all worthwhile to be out and alive. Much of "street photography" today can be reduced to a bunch of one note visual tropes and formulas, but one never feels cheated with his work- more like rewarded. 

Chicago by Mark Steinmetz is well... what can one say, the guy is a- "master." And for all the baggage the term might carry, the guy has certainly proven it in just about everything he creates, splicing seemingly banal moments of life with a visual assuredness and profundity that... only a master can. Can't go wrong with any of his work, it's that good.

Time And Place And...

 

Photo: © Stan Banos

One of the reasons I got into photography was because I learned the impermanence of things at an early age. Being shuttled between Puerto Rico and New York as a child ingrained in me just how transitory time, place... reality itself could be. Photography seemed the one thing, the best thing that could hold on to some semblance of the present, which quickly transpired to your past- it wasn't the perfect tool to stop the involuntary transitions, but it was a way to hold on to at least certain bits and pieces... a trail of crumbs to hold on to through life's travails. 

My father lived till ninety seven, his mind had left him some years prior, though his body was still sound. It is the most ironic and cruel existence imaginable. I remember trying to hold a conversation with him, and for a short few seconds he held his head just a tad higher, his eyes seemed to clear and I could see he was actually trying to fight the haze that enveloped his entire being- a clear and precise thought was actually forming, struggling to arise and about to be released... and then, just as quickly, the head lowered, the eyes glazed over and diminished, whatever thought transpired dissipated without mention, or memory.

My mother, also now ninety seven is slowly dying in hospice care. She's suffered a debilitating series of strokes; her mind still active and alert, trapped in an immobile, bed ridden body. Perhaps that's the even greater affliction; I don't know, will never know- just genuinely terrified that I'll most likely experience one of those scenarios quite intimately myself. 

My photographs won't matter much then, they won't soothe my aches and my own joyful memories will probably illicit little in those last waning days. Hopefully, others will someday wade through my particular trail of bread crumbs, find a few notes of recognition or disparity relevant to their own existence- It's a short, fleeting existence at that, littered with moments that seem to last an eternity, amidst the countless more that seemingly serve no purpose at all. We try and make sense of all of it, ultimately realizing we're just another life lived, and transpired.

Time Does Pass...

Photo: © Stan B.

Back if only for the moment, and say that because I will have to return shortly to NYC being that my mother was just placed into hospice care. Is what it is- and at 98, not exactly something unexpected... 

Had a coupla hours left for some 'street photography' on my final day there, only problem- it was 97 degrees and people were nowhere to be seen on NY's usually busy, bustling streets. One can just persevere the low nineties (with humidity, which is every bit as much a factor), but when we enter 95+ degree territory- you're talking actual... Pain! In fact, with the heat and humidity, I had no appetite whatsoever first coupla days, great for sweating and losing weight (especially after catching a glimpse of myself in a full view mirror- Yipes!), not so good for gorging on the favorite NY foods you long lust for. Had some great fried Pierogis with the most delicious chocolate egg cream ever at Veselkas, and some delicious potato pizza and gelato at the Chelsea Market. More to say later, but should when this space suddenly goes quiet again- you'll know why...

Even though I have a self imposed no cropping rule- the full frame version of the picture above was driving me bonkers! Loved the subject, and even though he was perfectly centered in the FF image, the open space on the right hand side made it seem completely unbalanced! Really drove me freakin'... bonkers! So, I cropped to a perfect 1:1 (even has a bit of the Diane Arbus Grenade Boy vibe); think it the best solution (short of subject repositioning via AI). I know, I know- standards really going downhill here! 

Anyway, still have a few days of vacation left before I return to the grind (or return to the Big City) and will use said time to edit my No Kings Day photos and the coupla things (literally) I got in NY. Oh, and one more thing... think I've called it a day on my annual pilgrimage to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. An hour to get there, an hour to get back via subway for the honor of baking in the grueling sun for a few hours. Don't get me wrong, the event itself is always fun- but diminishing returns (photographically), and the fact that crowd control/police security gets more and more impossible every year (you have to walk a mile in either direction to avoid barricades just to cross the street to get to the subway entrance to go home) is starting to wear thin on these old bones...

It's Not Just His Taxes He's Hiding...

It's not just his taxes that he won't show- and apparently for good reason! Seems he wears a catheter and has also suffered a stroke- not to mention the persistent rumors of wearing a (#2) diaper. Normally, I wouldn't... give a shit! But it is a tad disingenuous (ie- blatantly hypocritical) that the man who repeatedly attempts to mock and ridicule others for their physical challenges, does everything to hide and deny his! But then, this is coming from the guy with the world's most intriguingly orange make up foundation coupled with a combover the likes of a rapidly melting soft serve cone.

FWIW- Commenters purporting to be medical professionals confirm both the catheter and stroke allegations, and while I don't like delving in rumor... when you purposely deny any semblance of transparency, you deserve every single one and more! 

Did I mention the seven Lolita Express flight logs with his "best friend for a decade?" But I digress...

BattleBot Billionaires!*

Photo: © Stan B.

I'm not great at... predictions, but then, it didn't take a genius to realize that this whirlwind, hotter than hell Bromance would be Fast and Furious! I gave it till the beginning of summer and- WOW!!! This sure is waaay better than any Hollywood Flame Out; Trump threatening to cut off Elon's corporate welfare, and the latter calling for full Trump/Epstein Disclosure- can it possibly get any better?!? I-sure-as-hell... Hope So!!!

*or as one commenter put it: summer's new Alien vs. Predator

Melan(chol)ia!

“I think no one was really proud of this statue, not even the first lady of the USA,” Franja Kranjc 
JURE MAKOVEC/AFP

Apologies for posting this so late after the fact, I really have no excuse other than, as they say- life gets in the way... Of course, there are no words to properly describe a crime as heinous as the following- particularly when it's happened more than once!

That said, there are always the miscreants who will slyly insinuate that the statue does not look like her- I would wholeheartedly disagree. While the first version might have been a bit exaggerated in depicting her warm, endearing, over the top, larger than life personality- I think the second succeeded in capturing her more reserved and stoic side, someone who consistently waves on cue (whenever present) with an affect as flat as the bronzed face adorning her equally lifeless human body. 

I hope she is found soon, it's always great to see our First Lady in whatever part of the world, especially this more true to life representation; that's the thing about great art and great artists, whatever the medium- they can dig down deep, capture and accentuate the inner soul and essence of the person they seek to forever immortalize!

Giving It All Away...

Is there anything, anything right... anywhere?     Photo: © Stan B.

The children of Israel, abused, terrorized, genocided for generations- now the abusers and killers of children en masse.

A madman ghost from the world of czars now amassing troops on bordering countries, and openly attacking and indiscriminately killing the populace of another- while thoughtlessly threatening nuclear Armagedón.

Global climate catastrophe threatens our very existence well into our children's children's future, while we idly stand by no longer even daring mention of its existence, let alone attempting the prevention of its inevitable cataclysmic and generational consequences.

And a gayly painted clown, the most powerful man in our earthly realm, recklessly stumbles about ridding anyone of what he doesn't understand, claiming whatever left for himself while endangering everyone, everywhere with his deceit, treachery and ever metastasizing avarice unbound. Wrapped in a flag, cloaked in the laws of his own choosing, he will not yield to reason, fairness or the morals of god or mankind. 

Gone are the leaders and voices of hope and transcendence; language no longer soothes nor inspires, pictures no longer verify- everything seemingly threatens and confuses, before finally deadening us all to the dangers we can no longer accept, confront, or even understand.

I-Don't-Know.

I used to think Joe Rogan was kinda your Joe Everyman with an extra dollop of curiosity who was just trying to figure things out like any dumb SOB (ie- the rest of us). Lately, particularly with his enthusiastic Trump support (after emphatically proclaiming he wouldn't), I just gave up on the guy- he's just a forever one step forward, two steps back kinda guy!

However, this woman (this doctor) seems to make sense (least to me), but truth is- I don't know. When it comes to the whole vaccine debacle, I have my doubts either way, so that in the end... I-don't-know!!! I just don't have the scientific chops to say which side is (in part or in whole) right, or wrong! And I don't think most people do; they just pick the side their politics or friends are on- and go with it! Pretty much what I first did- but I always had the lingering doubts, sometimes louder, other times... not so much. And after considerable pondering (they're right- no, they're right; well, they're wrong about that, but they're right about...) and bouncing about from one end of the paddle to the other (and finding temporary homes in each camp without feeling totally comfortable in either)- I've finally reached a solution. That is, I'm absolutely comfortable in saying... I-don't-know! And I'm perfectly fine with saying that- I've even grown to like the sound of it! 

How did I reach this unenviable non-conclusion? Basically, I just don't trust either side for the life of me! I've always loved science, but science actually has a rather long history of not always getting things right; well, Stan- you can't compare faux science like Phrenology to real, modern day, 21st century science. Agreed. But I've read enough "science" from nutrition to cosmology to realize that the science on either and everything is constantly changing, sometimes reversing and always evolving. Science is as good as our: experiments, measurements, current technologies and final conclusions and interpretations of data... based on the questions we ask. That said, science usually gets it right... Just don't get me started on Big Pharma, their history (despite whatever legitimate achievements they can, in fact, claim) is one of purposeful deceit and subterfuge whenever in conflict with the pursuit of The Almighty Dollar- and unfortunately, science makes its bed with Big Pharma. So here are some questions, statements, points of contention and legitimacy on either side when it comes to Covid, and vaccines in general:

Photo: © Stan B.

Anti-vaxxers claim that more people died/are currently dying from the consequences of the Covid vaccine than people who died from the virus at the peak of the pandemic- they're just being listed as dying from other diseases. My counter is- during the peak of the pandemic we had temporary morgues sprouting all over major cities world wide, if more deaths are resulting from the vaccine itself, then we should be seeing even more of those temp morgues post pandemic, no matter what they labelled cause of death- a dead body is a dead body, and I just ain't seeing it. 

I remember Dr./Sen. Rand Paul (who I can't tolerate) arguing with Dr. Fauci- Paul argued he didn't have to get the vaccine since he had already contracted and survived the disease, and was therefore naturally immune. Fauci insisted he should still get vaccinated, which doesn't make sense, he already had the best immunity possible (if memory serves, this was before it had... mutated)!

A good, healthy immune system is the best defense against disease- undoubtedly! But American Indians exercised and ate organically each and every single day- we all know what happened when they met European bacterium and viruses... 

No vaccine is completely safe- there are always those who will react badly and suffer complications, sometimes serious, sometimes deadly. The Covid vaccine received much less testing time, using a smaller sampling of the population than most other approved vaccines (using a technology which, while not untested, was not traditionally used for vaccines). That alone should demand even more stringent testing and follow up examination!

Then there's China, Fauci and the Wuhan lab- all notoriously tight lipped about the dangerous gain of function research being funded and conducted there. The only time they did speak was to deny (ie- outright lie about) the existence of said research (and it's possible consequence of leaking deadly viruses into the environment)- that research has now been confirmed, and the possibility of Covid originating from said lab has gone from impossible to probable, if not downright indisputable... It's that level of self inflicted denial, obfuscation and outright falsehoods that science willingly imposes upon itself that causes such massive, public doubt! Admit mistakes- it may cause embarrassment short term, but it actually serves to enhance public trust in the long run!

Do vaccines cause autism (at least in some cases)? Doubt it, but I honestly don't know- and I'm definitely not comfortable with a program that injects multiple vaccines into our youngest of children in just one shot! But Stan, we're subjected to hundreds of potential pathogens every day- exactly, so why add multiple disruptors intravenously injected at such a tender age when our immune systems are just developing for Chrissakes? Space - them - out; let the body develop and recuperate!

Unfortunately, the medical field, like politics, is filthy with well connected financial donations (ie- corruption). Big Pharma and our pitifully anemic, massively overpriced and mediocre (at best) health plans and coverage in the US are testament to this. Dr. Humphries is well worth a listen- and I'm a three time Covid vaccine recipient.* Is she correct? I-don't-know, but I wish another doctor/scientist (several actually), not in any way connected with Big Pharma (is that even possible?) would explain in laymen's terms why she is wrong, right or anywhere in between... Capisce?

*I really didn't want to get that third shot (mandatory for work)- each time it made my arm sore as hell, along with a headache and fever- don't ever recall experiencing that with other vaccines.