Everything Old Is...

Like everyone, I love looking towards the masters: their work, their wisdom, their legacy. They've been there, done that, shown the way- The Real Deal! And it's always such a joy just to lean back and be humbled and awed; they teach, they enlighten, they inspire!

But sometimes you get to wonderin'- what of the future? Where's the new generation that has the passion, the integrity, the will to put in the work, day in and day out- not just to promote themselves and their goddamn "content," but to contribute to the medium in a way that preserves the best of it, while helping advance it? Watching most photo vlogs by most newbie wannabes is an exercise in self abuse: fledgling salesmen extoling their new equipment choices, revealing 'the secret' to good pictures, or just giving you the low down on anything and everything their year and a half of experience and 'mastery' have bequeathed upon them, and are now willing to share with you... Smash the like button- and buy my presets!

I've already highlighted one such individual (Paulie B.) who breaks the mold with his infectious enthusiasm and love of the medium, and Jared Thomas Tapy is yet another whose love and reverence for the craft, history and art of photography is apparent in every topic he navigates and delves into, whether it's The Decline of Photojournalism (the kid brings receipts!), The Racist History of Photography (doesn't hold back), or Why Film Photography Won't Make You A Better Photographer (lays it out to the letter), one can see he respects the facts, the actual history, and isn't just out to give his personal take- and when he does, it's usually well measured, well researched and well thought out. 

 

Like I said, never tire of the masters- but always great to see a youngblood headed on the good foot...

Embrace The Triangle!

These guys kept popping up on my feed- who are they, what are they- I Don't Wanna Know!!! But they wouldn't stop- on and on and on they kept appearing, reappearing, unwarranted, unrelenting... 

Maybe if I feigned the slightest attention they would release me and move back from whence they came- so I watched and I listened, and... 

I... ENJOYED!!! Ladies and Gentlemen- Angine de Poitrine:

Taxes And Uhmm... Fraud

The Tesla corporation (along with another 87 of the largest corporations) paid $0 in federal income tax in 2025, despite making a collective $105 Billion profit. Did you pay nothing?

Meanwhile, the Dept. of Defense has never passed an audit and is currently asking for $1.5 Trillion... with at least $10 Billion of confirmed fraud. Anyone remember The Fraud Called DOGE that went well outta its way to cut AIDS prevention meds for thousands, many of them babies, while not touching or ever even considering one precious penny from our military!

Addendum: This is what taxes should look like!

Zine vs. Zine

I've now published a coupla zines via Blurb, and I'm quite pleased with the quality. The thing I don't like is that they only use "perfect binding" as opposed to also offering "saddle stich," which is what most commercial magazines used- ya know, with the staples. The reason I mention is that saddle stich allows double truck images that are much easier to lay flat, see and enjoy (the entirety of the image over the two pages).

MagCloud allows zines with saddle stich, so even though I don't relish learning yet even more software, if the quality matches Blurb- it may just be worth the bother. Will try later in the year; viewing the occasional double truck image in a zine or book allows yet another valuable way to mix, edit and present your images in print, and it really is compromised in Blurb without saddle stich... 

Anyone have experience with Magcloud?  Some have mentioned that images tend to come out darker... but as opposed to Blurb, or as a result of an uncalibrated monitor? I've generally never had an exposure problem with printing on Blurb via my images straight form the monitor as is.

So True...

All our discoveries and triumphs, struggles and disappointments- gone... All as passingly trivial as a loose snapshot floating in a bin at a second hand store; the love you longed for, the goals you achieved, the losses you persevered and the burning passion that fueled all of it- the cause, the consequence, not even the memory will remain. It is the human experience, renewed and extinguished ad infinitum. 

The camera provides some of us that small confirmation of our own existence. How well we master it, and ourselves, can afford others some passing measure of what intrigued, humored or captivated us. They were our moments, of that which no longer exists, our one step on the uneasy ladder of humanity and existence.

Sound Advice

 

47 = 25

Photo: © Stan B.

Right now, our entire nation (and the world) is waiting to see if (when) Donald J. Trump will needlessly slaughter even more people in a country that was productively negotiating in one sided talks conducted simply to allow the US sufficient time to initiate their attack in the most effective manner possible. Not satisfied that they are unwilling to submit completely to Trump's whim, he is now set to destroy their nation to the cheers of his remaining sycophants.

He is about to commit yet more war crimes en masse and not one active member on his team is willing to confront a now mentally addled senior (who was delusional his entire life) in order to deter even more war crimes in a completely illegal and unnecessary war and prevent the needless deaths of yet thousands more..

They need to invoke the 25th Amendment as-of-yesterday- if only so that this sad excuse of death, corruption and criminality can enjoy the rest of his life explaining how Joe Biden used an autopen to an audience of six year olds... with the strictest adult supervision, of course.

Tomorrow will be too late...

No!

Donald, seen here in much happier times peeing on the graves of SS & the US Constitution.  Photo: © Stan B.

It took eighty years, but Donald finally heard the word "No," firsthand! All his life he was able to stall, able to bullshit, able to bully his way through every problem of his own creation. People might complain, but they would eventually back off, give up, submit. It was how things were done decade after decade in his incestuous circle of illicit money, lies and deceit, whether in New York real estate or DC politics.

But radical Islam doesn't give a flying shit about Donald's ways, about the fact that he's a successful businessman (with six bankruptcies and 64 failed businesses)- and US President to boot! They keep telling Donald to just leave them be, and he keeps insisting they play his game- even killing them doesn't seem to make them understand!

Donald's upset! He honestly doesn't know what to do, so he's: screaming, and cussing, and threatening some more- and promising to keep killing until they do play his game. Someone finally told Donnie- "No!" And now we all must suffer the consequences he has wrought upon us...

Choose Your Personal Jesus!

Easter's coming up this Sunday, and in anticipation of this year's Hunky Jesus celebration here in San Francisco, thought it would be appropriate to let you choose your number one from years past. Feel free to pick your personal favorite from these previous three Jesus models- just remember, they're all winners!

Photos: © Stan B.

 

How Is This Possible?!?

Photo: © Stan B.

Brazil and their fledgling democracy tried, convicted and imprisoned their wannabe king- we, in our democratic paradigm, gave ours more time to commit more crimes...

The King's Throne!

The burden of power lies heavy on the throne!

Yes!

By god, yes!               Photo: © Stan B.

Why?

We are, as we speak, now sending a small contingent of soldiers and Marines to Iran, positioning them directly under constant drone and missile attack (ie- sitting ducks). Why? Why proceed with a policy that can only result in increased deaths and guaranteed escalation? This sad excuse of a delusional POTUS has no plan for victory, no plan for retreat, no plan for any semblance of sanity other than to propagate a distorted view of masculinity that masks his total lack of any semblance of true manhood. The lives of our armed forces, the citizens of this country, and anyone and everyone worldwide exist solely to serve him- all are readily expendable, whether they do so, or not.  Meanwhile, he babbles on about... Sharpies, his hand picked drapes, his majestic ballroom to be, his new coin, his Parisian dwarfing Arch...

Hitler planning his new, imaginary Berlin as Russia swarmed above.

Empire Up In Smoke

Photo: © Stan B.

I live close to Oracle Stadium, the home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. It's easy to know when they're in town cause the fans flocking to the stadium are all dressed in orange and black, the official team colors. The amount of team swag is borderline incredulous- adults adorned as if their mothers dressed them for Little League. Every once in a while, I'd walk on down myself (in my civvies) to see if I could possibly get a picture or two amongst the crowds, a goal I've yet to achieve and fortunately never considered seriously. But I digress...

I loved baseball as a kid, but I usually fall asleep by the third inning these days those handful of times I've attempted to watch. Still, I considered going to catch a game this opening season, particularly since my childhood team, the NY Yankees were playing. Figured I'd get a cheap seat in the nosebleed section and hopefully relive and experience some innocent childhood nostalgia. Three figures put that little fantasy to bed- just like $6.50 for a one scoop ice cream cone had me in a U turn out the door at a local ice cream parlor.

Went down to the stadium anyway, again, on the vague promise of a picture, being that it was opening day and all. The crowds were energized and enthusiastic, even on the street, root-root-rooting for the home team. I watched the kayaks floating and bobbing about in McCovey Cove, the mood was festive and upbeat- and then I heard the National Anthem, "the bombs bursting in air!" The irony was tangible, although unnoticed by the celebratory crowd around me, even in this most liberal of cities. My mood changed as I turned to go home only to see two F-15's zooming by overhead- the type of planes that are wrecking death and havoc on many an innocent child and civilian right now. And still, the irony did not register on those around me as they oohed and aahed. It would take actual ordinance raining upon them for that insight. Then I heard an uproar behind me, and saw a truly amazing sight, full of color and splendor and spectacle; the biggest, most brilliant American flag suspended and floating mid air! It-was-spectacular- a truly resplendent sight courtesy of modern technology. And as I raised camera to eye, it dissipated as quickly as it appeared...

Did Ya Hear The One About...

This almost makes me wanna work again- just so I can get the day off on Donald J Trump's... Birthday! Oh, what a cause for celebration that would be, and then vacation at Mt. Rushmore to stare contently at his beautiful, chiseled, he-man of a mug shot while counting my illegally minted Trump coins!!! Sends a chill right down my spine it does.

All this while Trump golfs our future away- the guy doesn't even bother trying to hide it anymore. Manipulating the stock market while making shit up right in our face about directly holding talks with Iran over the weekend- which so obviously never happened. Unlike the so called "talks" (ie- stall tactic) his two personal 'diplomats' (ie-real estate agents) held with them to delay the start of 'Epstein Fury,' in which Iran had actually agreed to all his terms thus making this entire debacle he can't get out of completely superfluous and unnecessary!

Yeah, but still nowhere near as bad as Obama wearing a tan suit...

13 And Counted ...

Well... entered the NY Times Portfolio Review for the 13th time this year, and got rejected for the 13th time this year. So, it was not quite without expectation... The thing is, these ten pictures are pretty representative of the best I can do in a cohesive grouping,* which reminds me of an old New York saying, "That and a token will get you on the subway." Or to update that- "It is, what it is." That is, I think I finally got the picture. 

Anyway, here are the final, chosen ten that went down with the ship, yet again...

All Photos: © Stan B.

 

All Photos: © Stan B.

*Not counting my leather fair photos which people will always look at, but never seriously consider even though they all rise to the same criteria for which any street photographs are judged (yeah, I've sent them those too)... BTW, will be updating this project later this year now that I've ended it.

Found!

 As a wise commenter remarked, "They finally found the POTUS who Trump said congratulated him on having
 'the guts' to invade Iran... it was 45!"

"I Can Take It"

"I can do whatever I want with it." So Sayeth Lord & Master of the Universe Donald J Trump in reference to the sovereign nation of Cuba... as if enough hasn't already been done to promote its downfall and suffering.

In fact, to hear Donnie J speak of Cuba is pretty much like hearing him speak of women, or underage girls...

I Am So Pumped!

Word to the Wise- NOW is the time to buy real estate in Dubai, once in a lifetime opportunity...

Cannot wait for... Victory in Cuba!!!!

So, Let's... Review!

Herr Trump spends the first year and a half belittling and insulting our allies, telling the whole wide world far and wide that we can do whatever we want, whenever we want and we don't need no one, no where, to tell us different- thank you, very much. Then he invades Iran, riding tall on his Venezuela contact high (ignoring advice from the military leaders who knew better) only to find himself left high and dry (with jerk off buddy, BiBi), begging the very same allies he gleefully pissed and shit on to help him out for their own good! Such obvious comeuppance would usually read so wholly unimaginative and predictable, to the point of wholesale incredulity- if not happening in real time.

Most parents of whatever basic quality usually try to instill such basic lessons in life and living early in their child's upbringing- but Little Donnie was busy gagging on the silver spoon he never quite let go, an entire life that never said... "No!" 

And somehow, enough people so desperately latched on to that delusion of invulnerability that we all now find ourselves trapped in the consequences of their collaboration- the most easily foreseeable of self owns. 

So... do we declare 'Victory!' ASAP and scramble back home tail between our hurrying legs- or will our Anti-Forever War POTUS 'man up' and "stay the course" to ensure yet more death and destruction for all involved? Will Bibi panic first and usher in nukes and WW3? Will Trump's enablers blame ill-fitting clown shoes for the lack of the most basic guidance, common sense and restraint?

However it ends, a new Era of Terrorism, economic hardship, conflict and destruction has been ushered in... 

SO-MUCH-WINNING!!!

The Face Of War

Photo: © Stan B.

Faces, actually- well over 100 of them... the faces of children. I suppose that's what Popgun Pete meant when he said, "We are punching them while they are down;" that we are operating "without mercy." No accountability, no responsibility, no apology, let alone reparations. 

Trump recently went all out racist (again) stating that terrorism was due to "genetics," I wonder if those same 'laws of genetics' also apply to rapists, the people who applaud them, and to... those who rape children.