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-14'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.

Are We There Yet?

One is then left to contemplate- is the statement in the photo that far off?    Photo: © Stan B.

Have we not been lied to enough? Is it not yet obvious enough? Have enough people not been killed yet? Or are we all still so thoroughly enraptured by... "so much winning?" 

He was both career criminal and unrepentant narcissist, pedophile and Russian asset well before the advent of his now irrefutable dementia- while threatening to remain POTUS pro vita. He's run our governmental institutions to the ground, run the very notion of truth, rule of law and common decency into the depths of irrelevance, and is now actively destroying the very economy he was voted to safeguard and rejuvenate, as he humiliates our allies, while recklessly attacking perceived enemies and endangering our citizenry without cause or care...

It Doesn't Matter!

It doesn't matter if we rid ourselves of every vestige of Iran's military- this illegal, immoral, unprovoked attack of Iran will unleash a new round of world wide, high profile terrorist acts for an entire generation! We have all now been made less safe- thank you, Donald!

Truck Stop!

I describe my first encounter with these unique vehicles in the preface (see preview- and don't forget to click the embiggen arrows) and how I decided to photograph them as a typology. All the 'subjects' were confined to a one block square area, but I had to work fast: I chose an overcast day for more even light (along with a small flash), but the sky was clearing overhead and I had about fifty vehicles to cover in all- which I did in about an hour and a half just before... it started to pour!

A World Of Hurt Of Our Own Making...

This is the best analysis of the Iran debacle I've heard (by a retired US Colonel), period. Apparently, we asked Iran if they wanted to cry uncle (seems we're already running low on missiles), and they replied... "Wha...?!? You just started this party and ya wanna go home already- we came to dance!" Is this how the empire finally crashes with our crazed emperor incoherently slurring his way through yet another speech transitioning from war casualties to... his beautiful, personally hand picked, gold drapes? WTF!?! And I don't think our (former) allies will come rushing to our aid in our hour of need after we've done nothing but shit on 'em for a whole year. As the good colonel explains, the longer Iran lasts- the weaker we look, and China, Russia, North Korea are looking on and getting ideas as we flail about looking for a quick exit excuse to declare... 'Victory!' Regime change doesn't fall from the sky.

Epstein Who?

Photo: © Stan B.

Now, I ain't ever met a theocracy I liked, but Iran had already agreed not to produce nukes; so Trump upped the ante and demanded they give up their ballistic missiles too, leaving themselves basically defenseless and open to attack by someone like say... Israel, who did exactly that (again) the previous evening, allowing Big Brother Trump to come in and discombobulate after he done obliterate. We good?

"Nothing bad can happen, it can only good happen."   -Donnie J!

XXX

 Photo: © Stan B.

 

Let There Be... ART!!!

As True Today...

As the day it was written!     Photo: © Stan B.

On another note, happy to report that I'm in the midst of completing a new photo project that happened quite unexpectedly and is developing much as I envisioned- after first thinking it wasn't quite doable, at all. An amusing little piece of documentation of no particularly significant significance- which would pretty much describe and sum up most all my work! Should wrap up in Spring...

Grown Ups Talking (cont)...

Slightly different issue on a much related topic to the one prior. Again, two adults talking, not smack- wisdom....

2 Grown Ups Talkng

Almost forgot what it sounds like. An actual conversation where people communicate without screaming or vitriol, choosing instead to address the subjects(s) at hand: intelligently, insightfully and in as coherent a manner as possible. Didn't think it still possible, particularly with the subject at hand. An intriguing analysis of the motives, modus operandi and consequences of the evil amongst men of power...

Review And Resist!

I'm still reeling, seething from the disgusting, despicable display of conduct unbecoming of any human being of any age, sex or social stature thrust upon us via Trumpland today! I am, of course, talking about Pam Bondi the US AG who was bribed and bought while still working in Florida by one Donald Trump, and who makes the lowest thief, cheat and traitor combined in the entire history of humanity stand tall and proud in comparison. Of all the people in this cowardly, sycophantic administration devoid of a human soul, she alone by sheer force of will rises to most worthy of debasement, torture and eventual dismemberment.

Now- on to the camera equipment review... 

Recently bought a Godox iT32 shoe mount strobe for my Fujifilms, and it works like a charm- a little (it's surprisingly small, roughly the size of my Ricoh GR), dedicated TTL flash unit with separate camera dedicated magnetic mounts also enabling off camera operation! It has a host of manual/automatic, on camera/off camera features- but I want it mostly for direct sunlight fill flash. I got it on a Saturday morning just before I was to cover a protest, and didn't think I'd have a chance to sift through its multiplicity of operations to deftly use it just for fill, almost left it home. Nevertheless, I turned it on, scrolled upwards as directed on its back screen, and Boom- first stop... TTL mode! And it worked flawlessly* the entire afternoon... 

Photo: © Stan B.**

I wish I could say the same for my Fujifilm X-T1/2 cameras. After losing one too many photos due to their abhorrent, literally non existent AF, I will now switch to MF when using them. It's tedious, outrageous and rage inducing, but I really have little choice. In the long run, I'll end up losing more photos if I continue to use their nonfunctional AF, as opposed to manually focusing my subjects the slow, methodical OG way! Hell, did it for decades with analog and film, and if I could learn to shoot and compose with my right eye after decades of being a left eye shooter (when I got my floaters), I'll gradually if very grudgingly adapt to it again- with many a loud, choice cussword along the way (hopefully, not within earshot of my subjects)...

*Check to see compatibility with particular camera brand and models- with possible exception of Fujifilm, seems to work only with latest brand models (Leica version supposedly coming soon- hope it works with original Q).

**Yeah, don't usually like smiley pictures much, but kinda partial to this one. I'd show others but anything else that came close was outta freakin' focus despite being incredibly well lit! Actually, doubt such a small strobe had much effect at that distance from the subject- just needed something positive to look at after the Bondi madness and revulsion...

Not A Fan- A Supporter!

I'm not a fan of Bad Bunny's music (mostly an age thing)- but I am a genuine supporter of Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio! He's a beautiful human being, so positively proud of our tiny 30 X 100 mile island, its people and its culture. An island so small and widely ignored that the President tediously threw paper towels at its inhabitants in their hour of need; a people so disparaged, that we were said to hail from "an island of garbage" by a supporter in that same President's last election. This is a man so vilified by the MAGA hateful for posting the signs: “The only thing more powerful than hate, is love” and “Together, We Are America.”

The ultimate irony being that an official alternative was created and offered utilizing an aging performer who sang about doing girls, a performer singing and rejoicing about the same accusations the President himself so desperately continues to hide...

So... This Changes Everything, Right?

Everyone who didn't know Trump was an avowed, dyed in the wool racist before is now fully awoke, aware and in full condemnation mode- Right?!? They just weren't sure before, and people (like myself) are always trying to demonize him. Or... hey, it's just a meme, it really doesn't mean anything, so... "stop the fake outrage!" 

I can already visualize Republican legislators silently, walk/running past reporters' questions in the halls of Congress in their heads down defensive posture. Can already hear the half apologetic, totally incredulous excuses by the few corralled in some wayward corner of a Capitol hallway, the self righteous and indignant denials by the FOX talking heads...

But we had no reason whatsoever to believe he was racist before- just like we have no reason to believe he's a pedophile...

PS- I wonder why such a sue happy kinda guy doesn't-sue-'Katie Johnson'* for saying such horrible things?!? Hhmmm...

*full video