If I Just Happen To Die...

"Accidentally" in the near future, ask San Francisco's duly elected officials at City Hall (to whom this email was sent) to send flowers.

Let's review...

It's been a week since I've notified you that:

1)  Verizon applied for and was granted permission to install 4G technology throughout San Francisco.

2)  PG&E specifically verified that they are installing 5G technology- on behalf of Verizon.

3)  Verizon denies that PG&E is, in fact, doing that- even though simple visual observation confirms that these small cell towers are obvious 5G technology.

4)  One of the above is obviously lying.

5)  Elected government officials at San Francisco City Hall have been notified of said illegality, and have yet to... so much as raise an eyebrow or offer even the most cursory of responses...

I'm sure if I was to sabotage any of these illegally installed devices, I would be sitting (un)comfortably in jail quicker than it took to write this email (either one of 'em).

So, the question remains...

How can Verizon apply for and receive permission to install 4G technology in the city of San Francisco, while PG&E installs 5G technology on their behalf?

Sincerely,

Stanley Banos

Citizen

RIP San Francisco

Photos: © Stan Banos

Well, yeah, it ain't nothing I don't already know... I came here close to twenty years ago escaping a city where gentrification was metastasizing at an unprecedented rate. And I suppose this at least feels worse because San Francisco is considerably smaller than NYC, and makes all these changes seem that much more concentrated- though make no mistake... the rampant, unfettered capitalism that has been unleashed upon this town by Big Tech has wrecked more havoc than any long awaited Mega-Quake imaginable. At least the latter stands the chance of having people actually work together for the common goal of mutual survival.

I've now watched Big Tech divide this town into The Premier Have and Have Not Megalopolis. They ignore the displacement, ignore the rampant homelessness (unless to whiningly complain about the abomination they've helped exacerbate), ignore everything negative they've helped create and foster, because in truth- their life, their reality, their very raison d'être is... online. They couldn't care less about this town- or any other. Real life communities are expendable, they are merely a physical space upon which to set down their laptops to enter and inhabit their true home world. 

Many a Baby Boomer is a Denier, but even denial assumes a certain modicum of... affirmation- Generation Tech is purposely and resolutely incognizant. Of course, none of this would be possible if it wasn't for the real world dollars that allow them to turn their backs on real world problems. This is not to say that there aren't those that strive to use tech to help solve a myriad of problems throughout our world right now, and well into the future. There are always the noble few. But neither can one ignore the very real and present damage they are imparting en masse on those not quite as: young, fortunate, educated or well financed as they. 

Be on vacation (the one I've been denied 2X running) next coupla weeks- see ya's mid June!

Uhhh.... Yup

Dan Burn-Forti

 

Photos: © Dan Burn-Forti

Had a lot of fun looking through Dan Burn-Forti's work- funny, beautiful, insightful photographs that made me feel like a little kid discovering the world anew! And what better recommendation of anyone's photographs can that be? Enjoy...

One helluva time picking only two pictures out of his myriad of winners!

If This Doesn't Scare The Bejesus Outta Ya...

Carbon dioxide levels in the Earth’s atmosphere have soared to a new high, one never before been seen in human history, researchers announced as temperatures near the Arctic circle rose into the 80s... Not just in recorded history, not just since the invention of agriculture 10,000 years ago... since before modern humans existed millions of years ago. 

CONGRATS!!!

If... you (like me) are dug in on the other side of 50 and therefore immune from the very worst of the imminent, world wide catastrophe you and I have helped set in motion and bequeathed our future generations! Yes, sir- WE got away with it! We took whatever We wanted, abused whatever WE wanted- whenever WE wanted. And now, all the young-uns we spawned all down the line get stuck paying the tab. Suckers don't stand a chance, half of 'em are still in denial- MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

  Before The Flood  provides a pretty thorough, accurate and entertaining look at our coming apocalypse- available on Netflix...

Sometimes, It Is, Sometimes it Ain't...

Photo: © Stan Banos

A cigar, that is. Saw this from across the street. It was just a guy in a wheelchair nodding off on the street, but I liked the way he was "commanding" the space about him. So I took the chance, crossed the street, made the quick snap and decided to decide later on.

Balancing the side lighting with its extremes of shadows and highlights was a major pain in the post- one thing led to another, led to another, led to... Eventually got it to where I envisioned, and am pretty happy with the result. But I'm sure a lot of people would say- it's just a guy in a wheelchair.

A while back, some photo editor who didn't like my work in some way, shape or manner told me, "Ya know, photography is more than just pointing a camera and snapping the shutter." I don't even recall what the work was, but do remember thinking that if you're gonna impart any personal pearls of wisdom- they shouldn't be fraught with enough irony to undermine your own argument. OK, ya thought my work lacking in some respect- then at least come up with something insightful, instead of proving you have no better conception of what photography is, other than describing it at its most obvious...

There R Liars...

Photo: © Stan Banos

And then, there R... Liars!!!

Now, you're gonna have to be one pretty good liar to be any kind of politician- to be sure. And you have to be a Liar Amongst Liars Extraordinaire to become CIA Chief, natch! But as we all know the US of A has suffered from a complete and total embarrassment of riches for these last three years when it comes to our All Time, ALL TIME Liar-in-Chief!!!

... Be Happy!

Photo: © Stan Banos

1. Shirt and Trousers- CHECK
2. Jacket- CHECK
3. Kicks- CHECK 
4. Chain- CHECK
5. Shades- CHECK
6. Lid- CHECK
7. Earphones- CHECK
8. Backpack- CHECK

To be completely honest, I am a tad disappointed at the cell phone cover- but no points deducted. The man has clearly gone above and beyond- and I've no doubt the socks would not disappoint... Humankind's ability to accommodate, tune in and rise to the occasion is the stuff of legend- and our capability to look beyond, persevere and overcome whatever malevolence, whatever catastrophe sent our way is indeed formidable. Time and time again, it is our greatest, proven asset!

It's also our greatest liability. Humanity is literally fucking itself in the worst way(s) possible, and there aren't enough grown ups on the entire planet to save us. We Baby Boomers have raped, pillaged and ravaged Mother Earth- laughing all along the way. And while we talk of family values, we are leaving our sons and daughters, and their sons and daughters on down the line a dying planet on the verge of environmental collapse that will lead to: massive drought and flooding, severely diminished fresh water supplies and arable land, worldwide famines and opportunistic epidemics- and the inevitable rise in bloody conflicts for those remaining and rapidly dwindling resources. 

The time to have avoided the worst has long passed, now we can only try to salvage whatever little will remain- and we're steadfastly refusing to do even that. The signs are all around us, the warnings straight up in our face: heat records at all time highs, storms at record power levels, both polar ice caps melting, a Sixth Extinction Event, endemic coral bleaching, insects dying en masse, entire swaths of oceans lifeless, old tree forests cleared and cemented... 

Fortunately, it's all a hoax! It's just a... you know, a cycle- yeah, that! So, let's all do ourselves a favor- dress up, be happy and party like it's 1999!

I mean- who's gonna be alive in 2080... anyway?!?!?!?!

 
Gotta admit, grandma's really cute- even if she's brain dead...

May Day... May Day!

Photo: © Stan Banos

I'm back! Uhhh... Actually, I-like-never-left. Day I'm about to leave, I get a call saying you may wanna reconsider coming at this time- a whole lotta rain coming the next week. Look at the long range forecast on the East Coast, and yeah, a whole lotta rain till... 5/07! This in turn is followed by a whole lotta gnashing of teeth and rending of garments as I contemplate cancelling my second attempted trip to The South! Seems a whole lot more than just Trump voters don't want me going.

 So... hoping third time's a charm sometime soon- sure as hell better be!