I'll Walk...

Photos: © Stan Banos

If anyone would have told us this past March that our unexpected but thoroughly welcomed two week vacay would expand to two months and then go on to inhabit two years... one could only imagine the looks. And yet here we are, still amidst a killer of thousands that is only growing stronger, and does so quietly, silently and behind closed doors- killing in such stealth that thousands more refuse to believe that anyone is actually even sick, let alone dying. This so called pandemic is but a hoax, a fraud perpetrated to scare, confuse and defraud us of our wealth, health and liberty!

Now, it's not for me to tell those good people what to believe, they ain't gonna hear it anyway; some actually go to their very death swearing it's anything but Covid- "it must be lung cancer!" And the virus, well... it doesn't give a good goddamn what anyone believes, politically or otherwise (though word is, it's somewhat partial to non believers); it's just gonna do what a virus does- multiply, the less encumbered, the more so. 

Perhaps, perhaps we should do what we did with the good Germans who lived by the camps- make the deniers go to these out of the way places (called hospitals), see for themselves and even lend a hand. And so as not to infringe on their precious liberties, they wouldn't even be required to wear a mask. Alas, unlike those Germans, they would simply call out the dead and dying as... crisis actors!

Of course, these delusional, reality free hordes were created in large part by the seminal, reality free, Great Leader who has been twisting, perverting and torturing truth and reality for the last four years to their great delight. Magically thinking the virus away, he managed to prolong the destruction of both our health and economy (the one he single-handedly took credit for). Soon, very soon, he will leave center stage, certainly well before the virus (that he declared would be history by last Easter), but very much like it- kicking and screaming every step of the way into oblivion. 

The great state of New York has its cross hairs aimed firmly upon his massive butt- in both civil and criminal court. And if there is anything near justice on this mortal coil, his White House ouster is but step one of his long and much overdue appointment with the word "NO." This con man, criminal and traitor writ large who has been awash in Russian money and favor since the eighties is as guilty as he is bald. After decades of listening to Republicans whine and scream about Red traitors, lying Commies and dirty Rushkie sympathizers- it's time to send their own beloved, number one mole to the gulag where he belongs.

Pretty much, almost... not really.

Meanwhile, the rest of us all have enough on our plate. And I'm one of the lucky ones- neither sick, nor unemployed. This whole pandemic mess has been botched most bigly from day one, without any semblance of leadership or support in a time exactly when government is most needed, when citizens are most in danger: physically, economically, morally... Instead, we were left adrift to fend for ourselves as a worldwide, pandemic Katrina flooded our entire nation, and then some.

So here's to us in 2021, hopefully Ol' Joe will be able to right the ship and keep it afloat- not to return to a failed status quo, but to finally address the real problems and promise of the 21st century. 'Cause when the full scourge of climate change does hit- the days of Covid will be but a warm and fuzzy, nostalgic golden oldie from the easy peazy days of yore...

Sloggin' Along...

 

Photo: © Stan Banos

 

Had the feeling this would probably be my last decent shot of the year when I took it 12/02. And thus far, that's held up. The beginning of the year started with a fretful uh-oh... what the hell is gonna happen now with hardly a soul in sight? Most of the inevitable, deserted, end of the world shots ended up flat and boringly empty, instead of dramatically apocalyptic. Gradually, one learned to adapt and adjust- even stitched together my first ever digital panoramics. Fortunately (from a photographic perspective) the Spring/Summer protests did provide some much needed subject matter. An interesting year, to say the least- one that will well spill over unto the next...

 

Addendum: Actually, managed to just squeak in a couple more...

American Ingenuity!

I own a coupla digital cameras now, and I've yet to shoot a video with any of 'em- but the still photograph does have its limitations... as this home security clip makes duly evident!

Billions and Billions and Billions and... Bing!

No dear friends, you can't buy quality entertainment like this, and although the foreplay is worth every penny, the Big Money doesn't come till 5:16- then... BING!

Or look at it this way, we just survived four years of an EGO that even... This Guy (yeah, that guy) says "lives in an alternate reality." Forget BILLIONS- That is RICH!!!

And tempting as it is to laugh his fragile childlike ego away, it is part and parcel of the same monstrous personality that has cost thousands of his own citizens lives and is now in the process of setting free repentless child murderers...

Good News!

Seems like I've finally gotten that AHAA! moment I recently alluded to- that is, it looks like I've found a wonderful, loving home for my book collection! A place where they'll be appreciated and used to teach and inspire young people the way they have me! I'm talking about The Bronx Documentary Center- and why I didn't think of them before... beats me! I'm just glad they came to mind again upon seeing them listed recently while perusing Jay Simple's wonderful Photographer's Green Book. Asked them if they could use a few books, and they said... yes, yes, and yes!

Currently we are in negotiations for said collection- and by "negotiations," I mean exactly what I stated before- how to move approx one dozen 16 x 12 x 12 boxes of books from Pt. A (San Francisco, CA) to Pt. B (The Bronx, NY). Best would be to pack the whole lot* in an appropriately sized vehicle and drive them on their merry way, but we may have to settle on shipping them in dribs and drabs as their finances dictate, since shipping them all would be a minor fortune. Anyway, there's no time limit on this, so I'm looking forward to a successful resolution somehow, someway and making this happen sometime this new year. This really made my day and then some, knowing they'll be ultimately housed and secured for prosperity's sake...

 *I'm gonna (temporarily) keep a nifty fifty- man does not live on bread alone...

Hope I'm Wrong...

Hope I'm dead wrong! But we're talking about a POTUS who has openly incited violence at his rallies, who has openly bragged that he has the unflinching support of "the tough people." And there have already been several acts of brutal violence where the perpetrators have invoked Trump's name in justification before, during or after their crimes of hate filled violence; a POTUS who lovingly speaks of the loyalty of his fan base who would faithfully stand by their man even if he shot someone on Fifth Ave. for no discernible reason. And he is... right!

And it's for those sound reasons alone that I truly fear we will have more than one incident where one or more of his truly crazed, heavily armed, conspiracy toting cultists will shoot and/or bomb their way into hate induced infamy. I fear it now, I fear it on the 20th, I fear it well into next year, and well after, as he continues to spew his vitriol and self serving propaganda from the sidelines. And I hope to god I'm wrong...

Arbitrage...

 Must admit, never heard this one- you decide (0.09)...

Struggle at El Museo Del Barrio

One of the places I was going to approach about possibly donating my photo book collection was El Museo del Barrio, which was originally formed in East Harlem as a source to serve and foster the then mainly Puerto Rican community's art needs, needs not necessarily met by other more privileged institutions in other parts of the city. Actually, I was in a group show there (with En Foco) in the latter '70s before it relocated to its permanent location.  

Recently, El Museo's original mission statement seems to have changed or evolved, some would say... mutated or gentrified. It is now considerably more vested in the competing art world of more well heeled and international art interests, yet another victim of New York's hyper gentrification. Obviously, neither art nor contemporary art institutions can or should remain stick in the mud icons to days past, but there should be some allegiance to its original raison d'etre of community service, while still managing to forge ahead into exploring new territories- why must it always be presented and executed as either/or? 

Bottom line... look elsewhere.

The Embodiment of Callousness

Ashamedly, I haven't been paying as much attention to the whole Stimulus Bill Debacle as I should- just took it for granted the usual stonewalling by Repubs because... because they just can. But it's actually considerably less complicated than that, it's stonewalling by one particular Repub- in particular! Moscow Mitch, that bewitchingly handsome and debonair man amongst men is purposely holding up much needed funding for unemployed, unpaid and on the verge of eviction Americans solely to please... his corporate overlords!

No Such Thing As White Privilege!

Nope, Uh-uh, never was, never will be- NOT in this country... So let's bury this right here and now!

Any Black underage, teenager could walk down the street at night with a military style assault rifle (which he transported across state lines), have the crowd identify him as the shooter who shot two people- and the police would heartily thank him, give him water and let him merrily be on his way... And then later be praised as a national hero by Conservative pundits- happens all the time!

Any Black bar owner could assault a NYC cop with his SUV and be out in hours... w/o having to post bail (and without a scratch on him or having (him and) his windshield obliterated in a hail of bullets)- only to be praised on national Conservative TV. Happens - All - The - Time! 

And yet, and yet, you still have people to this very day who rant and rave about so called...
"White Privilege!"

 

View From The Rear...

Just in stock, and in time to stuff your stockings with the kind of stock that stuffs them best! Hey, I'm reading that straight from the manufacturer... And need I say the perfect stocking stuffer to proclaim your stand on The War on Christmas- and whatever that stand might be, make no doubt- we are winning!

Must admit, I'm kinda partial to this one, but then I'm partial to all my children- this makes nine of 'em running around at the moment; can ya believe it? Of course, no one's understandably gonna buy a self published book from an unknown, when you can get a real book from a real photographer for $50! It's a shame Blurb books aren't a third cheaper, not that I'd make a dime either way, but it might actually make them competitive, particularly now that the quality isn't half bad (pity their annual competition is long gone)...

But do have a look!

A Printer's Tale

One of the reasons, the main reason, I started to photograph in B&W back in the day was simply because it was the only way one could ultimately maintain some semblance of control over what one created- it wasn't necessarily because I thought B&W... superior. If you went to an analog printer with your  negative or transparency you got back a result that vaguely approximated what you wanted (if that). Generally, the more you paid, the closer things got- but you never got what you really wanted unless you were willing to pay absolute top dollar for the dodging, burning, localized contrast, etc that would transform your film into the final print you envisioned. Printing B&W at home could allow that measure of control.

Digital changed that formula- a competent printer could, should give you back a printed equivalent on paper of the digital image on your monitor. That in itself is a massive sea change, it's puts the onus of responsibility on the photographer, the printer needs to merely be technically competent enough to accurately reproduce what they are given. That's not to belittle that formidable expertise, but it does take out their need to interpret, guess and second guess on your behalf. If I have a competent camera, I blame myself if I don't come up with the goods; if I hand over a technically proficient, digital file to a printer, I think ya see where this is going...

So in this day and age when you find a printer that gives you back what you originally give them (at a reasonable rate- $45 for a 16in W print)- you breathe a sigh of relief and rejoice! I had such a lab, but... it took some measure of perseverance to get back those equivalent results. That is, sometimes I would get my prints printed to a random size, or on a paper I did not want or order... frustrating. To his credit, the owner would always make things good, but this pattern continued to our increased mutual frustration. I tried to make things as clear and unproblematic as possible with: concise and uniform instructions, and reassurances that there was never a rush and was always open to questions. Still, 3 out of 4 times, we would still have to do this needless dance of retakes and redos because of their in house miscommunications. 

This time around I ordered seven prints that all came back at least a 1/2 stop overexposed- they had never (ever) missed exposure! At first the owner tried to hem and haw, before finally admitting, that it was a new paper, yada, yada... So I went back to p/u the reprints- the one on top was better and did not bother to inspect the rest since they were all securely taped and packaged and besides, these were the reprints... Get back home and the rest of the prints underneath were the original rejects! Shoot off an email asking what the hell was going on with the Benjamin on top of the wad of singles. He says they gave me the rejects by mistake- no explanation as to the sole reprint on top. And suggested I pick up the remaining reprints- before we both go our separate ways... he wasn't the only one who had finally soured of our trial and error relationship!

Picked them up the following week- they were... better, but not spot on as their final work always was; four are... satisfactory. I'll now have to patronize a new printer (actually someone in my new hood)- and at a considerably higher price range. But the right size, on the right paper, at the right exposure would be a most welcomed relief, even if it means I can afford even fewer prints! To  be continued...

Addendum: I've found a truly excellent printer, Dickerman Prints, "San Francisco's Premier Photo Lab," (they are) about a fifteen minute walk from where I live, gave them two of the most finicky files I have (along with the "close but no cigar" prints from my previous lab) and they banged out totally spot on versions within the week. They charge almost double what I used to pay, so... lets just say I'm very happy, not over the moon, crazy elated, but... HAPPY!

Actually, I'd be happier still, except that those two particular prints actually cost me... almost triple what I used to pay! Huh!?! Seems I assumed that the 16in images I usually get printed with 1/2in white borders on the sides, an inch on top and two on the bottom came with an unforeseen built in penalty! Their paper stock that goes from 13in vertical to 14in sends one to their next tier in size and price! I didn't ask prior, so... at least they gave me a 10% discount, and I now know better for sure. 

The question moving forward: for the uniformity of presentation's sake- do I now cut all my previous color prints an inch from the bottom, in order not to pay an additional $40 bucks for 1 extra inch of white border?  Always something- to get in your eye, stick in your craw, fuck with your life into perpetuity...

When In Doubt...

I didn't think things could get crazier than the week when Crazy Rudy's motor oil sprung a leak between a sex shop and a funeral parlor, but anything's fun and possible when facts don't rule reality. Rudy continued to entertain with bodily emanations, and that Trump uber loyalist lawyer Jenna Ellis making the funny face (when Rudy first leaked, then let go) was actually one in the same who once called Trump an "idiot," and "unholy," amongst other not so nice things. Meanwhile, Herr Trump refuses to admit defeat, while encouraging the Governor of Georgia to break the law on his behalf, all the while Trump fanatic Lin Wood urges Georgians not to vote Republican as Trump goes to Georgia to encourage them to vote, and former National Security Advisor (and convicted felon Michael Flynn) urged Trump to dump the Constitution altogether and retain control of the US of A by decreeing Marshall law!

 No, dear friends- you or I can't make that shit up... but Republicans sure can!!!

The Nose Knows!!!

 I'm not big on tap dance- but this got my attention...

In Between...

I'm sure I'm not the only guy who secretly (and not so secretly) lusts after a Leica Q, QP, Q2, Q Mono- hell, I don't give 2Q's which Q!. It's one of the (very) few gorgeous digital cameras ever produced, and 28mm is my favorite everyday focal length. But I'm a long ways from dealing out even $3k for a nicely used one. Besides my GR and its 18mm equivalent is one heck of an adequate, poor man's substitute!

Fujifilm 16mm f2.8

What really ticks me off most though is that Fujifilm has such a piss poor 18mm- if they had a decent offering to begin with, I wouldn't be indulging in such masturbatory fantasies about any Q! I'm hardly the pixel peeper, I just want the tool to do the job unnoticed. And I do love pancake lenses- but on too many occasions my eye has annoyingly noticed what a shit poor job that 18mm does when it strays off center- from soft... to lard ass soft (not to mention the chromatic abomination)! Ricoh's tiny 18mm kicks its butt- Big time! And I really can't believe that Fujifilm has actually gotten away with such a mediocre (at best) offering, for such a popular focal length, for such a dreadfully long period of time... 

Now, I understand they are finally going to come out with a new and improved 1.4 18mm come next year, but it's not something I would probably be up for; the question being... why the hell not? Because it's going to be: 1) Big, 2) Heavy, 3) Expensive; three of the things I hate most! Wow, a lotta exclamation marks here...

So... I'm starting to think about getting the Fujifilm 16mm 2.8, a 24mm equivalent. It's a small jewel of a lens, with the accompanying cute as a button lens hood (and I hate lotus shaped lens hoods), not too expensive, and has gotten decent optical reviews- but then, anything's better than their 18! Although I'll probably wait till the new 18 comes out anyway- I had a FF 24mm back in the day and it was like using a 28mm that was just a little too short, or a 20 that was just a little too long. Sometimes you got lucky and it just fit, but most of the time it just fell in between and I could never adequately read just how it would render a particular scene. But that 16 is just so awful cute...

PS- I am an avid fan of Fuji's 14mm f2.8- one ugly duckling of a lens with impeccable Primo optics! Which is why I can't for the life of me understand why they did such a miserable job on what is traditionally a considerably easier design.

ADDENDUM: Just pulled the trigger on a used 16mm. We'll see how it performs optically, though without anything to seriously shoot until later next year, it'll be hard to properly assess if it becomes part of the regular lens rotation. At this point it could be: a viable contender, something to be sold to help finance a viable contender (the 18mm 1.4?), something to be sold for beer money, or maybe just a handy-dandy, light and tiny travel lens for the last grand tour of Europe, whenever that occurs...

Can't Give It Away...

A few years back I tried to sell, then give away my darkroom equipment/supplies: Omega C760 enlarger, 2 El Nikkor lenses, beloved Time-O-Lite P-72 w/toggle switch, etc, etc...)- it wasn't easy! Ultimately, was happy to give it all away to a private individual who seemed they were really going to use it...

Now, I'm trying to donate my photobook collection to a credible, reputable arts organization or institution and... am having an even more difficult time! I wrote to around a dozen people with considerably more substantial photo connections than moi, just asking for suggestions- and... Crickets, Nada, Zip! Some of these monographs are worth (even used) a couple hundred each, a select few, even more. I'd like to see them go somewhere they would actually be used and appreciated. And I like to think it's a small but impressive collection...

TWIMC- I've amassed a small but fairly impressive collection of photography books- we're talking about approx 500 monographs, mostly documentary/straight/art slant- a small sampling:

Bechers, Gilden, Koudelka, TH Chi, Maier, Cohen, Wessel, Roma, Joakim Eskelson, R Bram, B. Owens, Eggleston, Wayne Lawrence, Nachtwey (Inferno), Dijkstra, Davidson, Webb, Parr, Taryn Simon, Soth, Ballen, Shelby Lee Adams, Sieff, Mermelstein, Friedlander, Winogrand, J. Davies, Klett, W/O Sanctuary,  The Polaroid Book, Killing Fields, Mark Steinmetz, Meiselas, M E Mark, Salgado, Goldberg and a host of other BIG and many smaller names...  You get the picture.

I would like to donate said books (all in V Good to EXC Cond), if you you know where they could actually be used as an active learning resource (eg- educational institute, organization in need).The one caveat is that I am not a man of means (live in San Francisco)- so we'd have to figure out the best way to move said collection from point A to point B...

 

If interested, I could supply a full inventory upon request.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Stan B.

Presently, I'm in a holding pattern as far as what to do- hoping I'll have an AHAA!!! moment when I finally figure out why I didn't think of that before. Or, I may just be forced to sell them them individually... and make a couple of k.

An Absolute Joy...

 To Watch, An Absolute Joy To Listen To...

Getting Schooled

Pompous 'Conservative Intellectual' (talk about an oxymoron) gets utterly schooled by a master. Ol' Bill thought he could raise his eyebrows and flutter his eyelids (not to mention threaten outright violence) as usual in order to further impress and intimidate, or in this case disguise, how he is thoroughly outclassed, outmaneuvered and just plain owned! Small wonder Noam was... never invited back.

U Wanna Conspiracy?

Photo: © Stan Banos

 "NASA's lasers sent to the brain aka micro chips, to force fatigue, so Whites can out run Black children and be stronger."

Imaginative, bat shit crazy, and... funny as hell if ya ask me! Notably, no one has any problem quickly dispatching this particular "conspiracy theory" as the unique working of an obviously mentally ill passerby- and yet... forty percent of this nation rabidly embraces equally certifiably insane inanities concerning a "stolen election," with no actual proof* other than their most fervent of masturbatory fantasies. 

Nobody would have any problem calling the guy who wrote the above sick, and yet we now have almost half the nation embracing a cabal of quasi political/religious cultists that operate on a fascist belief system based on loyalty, absurdity and white supremacy. We once laughed at he who told the govmint to keep outta our Medicare (those outside the US of A- the "govmint" runs Medicare). His fellow cultists, every bit as (mis)informed as he, now stand poised to overtake that govmint- and all its citizens...

*When asked in court if Mr. Guliani (he who leaks motor oil from the font of his knowledge) was presenting a fraud case- Mr. Guliani replied...
"NO."  Case Closed.

Refresh...

 At your leisure... and remember- none of these people actually exist!

But you're not going to convince me otherwise that I haven't interacted with a number of them personally
(and some of 'em are real SOB's...).

A New Home/A Compromised Life

Freedom First!

 

 

 

Having your own place when your twenty is an ideal situation of novelty, excitement and promise. Having your own place when turning senior, devoid of wife and pet is, at best, a compromised situation. One makes the best of what is left, or one devolves into the darkness. 

I concentrate on my avocation, continue to support myself and carry on the best I can, committed to enjoying what may yet still come in the years remaining. I still got a European vacation (maybe two) left, and while I don't at all mind that solo, alas, road trips are best shared with someone you enjoy.

5in Tall- kid U not!

I'm fairly taken with my micro studio apt- and ya gotta love that 'view' beyond the parking lot! Any way ya cut it, a vast improvement over the storage room with a sink I was previously holed up in. And having mastered the art of the Moka pot, I've finally learned how to make a seriously delicious cup of java! I actually go to bed thinking of the coffee I'm gonna make myself the next morning. It's such a wonderfully traditional and analog art that's become a very practical and suitable substitute for the tactile, meditative process of developing my own film... and tastes a helluva lot better too! I even get a kick outta hauling my bed outta the closet- less than 5 minutes to set up, less than 5 to disappear. Looks like I'll never have the patio I always dreamed of, but that dream always came along with a newspaper, and those too now belong well in the past...

 

One Year...

Photo: © Stan Banos

Been a year now since The Wife and I went our separate ways. I suppose it's been... "a learning experience." I used to think, that at very least, I'd be fortunate enough not to end up that embittered old guy at the end of the bar going on about his bitch of an ex wife- no matter how funny his quips might be.

When together, I thought us invulnerable to the common faux pas that doom most couples. And no matter how bad the day, I always knew I had her (and our trusty one eyed cat) to come home too. I considered myself one pretty lucky guy!

Early in our relationship, she once said that if we let our differences define our relationship, all would soon be over- sage advice, advice I took to heart. And yet, towards the end, every time I disagreed or thought otherwise, it was but another point against me. How it got there, I'm not at all sure...

Not to say I'm faultless by any means. I could have said, and showed and demonstrated just how much she truly meant to me a lot more often, in a lot more ways. I got lazy, complacent- understandable perhaps, but not without consequence, and inexcusable nonetheless. People ultimately deserve better, I needed to make the effort.

That said, and acknowledged, it was very much a two way street. Even had I made the extra necessary effort, as I well should have- she wanted out of San Francisco. Can't say I much blame her, the state this town is in, the very disparity of its bipolar existence.

But at my age, my options are now considerably more limited, my economics even more so. So much for "better or worse," so much for growing old together...

If I'm Completely Honest...

Right now, we're still (still!) in the early stages where the Titanic is limping away from the ice... called Deep Denial. No way this boat gonna sink- UNSINKABLE! But the water gonna gush in, deck gonna list... Ship Gonna Sink!

Gotta admit, I'm gonna miss the guy- God, I'm gonna miss 'em!

PS- And as #51 more than amply demonstrates, give credit where credit is due-
the guy had NO boundaries... NONE!!!

Hungover?

The (Decades Long) Hangover...                   Photo: © Stan Banos

Enjoy the celebration yesterday? Feeling a tad... hungover?  No doubt at least in part because of Human Flotsam Like This, and the above, and that despite the marginal move towards sanity by a small majority of Americans, the other half is not going away, and is now more aggrieved and belligerent than ever. I certainly wouldn't be surprised by some very ugly shoot 'em ups by said faction on behalf of their forever wronged and assumedly entitled cult leader leading up to, during and after the upcoming inauguration.  

Thankfully, I am looking forward to: a POTUS whose countless aides and underlings will not have to interpret, reinterpret and set into readily understandable language what he really meant to say (Or as they themselves are so fond of telling certain people- "Speak English- or go back where you came from!")- only to have it (re)reversed the following day, week, month into the lie or disinformation it always was. I'll take an occasional stutterer over an habitual liar any given day of the year...

No longer will I have to slap myself upside the head each and every time I see, hear or read yet another outrage that HE was freely allowed to get away with, without the slightest of consequence: bragging about grabbing, boasting of his ability to shoot people with impunity, mocking those with disabilities, inciting violence at rallies, calling a newscaster a murderer, calling the military "losers and suckers," choosing Russian Intel over American, and just constantly making up the wildest, craziest, fuckin' shit your Mama ever did hear- Windmills cause cancer! Anyone of which would have had Obama lynched on the White House lawn.

But... No one really knows what will happen next. And though I wish him all the luck, Congenial Joe's gonna get blocked at every turn by Moscow Mitch, same as it ever was. Will the Repubs continue their meteoric nosedive towards fascist insanity without their spearhead at the helm? And what, Oh What won't free agent Trump be willing to trade in the way of national secrets to make his life easier, or use as leverage to avoid The Big House? 

The head just throbs. See ya's at... The Concession Speech!

WHY?

It still does, just a little less come 1/20/2021.            Photo: © Stan Banos

 

Why does it always take the needless deaths of thousands for such desperately needed change to occur? Usually, such wantonly sacrificed deaths occur on the far away battlefield- this time, it was right here at home! And the person most responsible even made it a point to spread his callous, self serving policies of death and indifference to his very supporters... who eagerly reveled in their own endangerment. 

This was a man who had known criminal ties and associates throughout his business career, a man whose plethora of failed businesses were frequently in court paying fines that saved him from jail sentences. This was a man whose innate insecurity and emotional (in)stability was such that he continued to insist well beyond any rational discourse that his inauguration crowd was larger than the previous President's- despite the indisputable and overwhelming evidence to the contrary. That petty display of infantile emotion and magical thinking alone was more than ample proof that this man was prone to a terminal and irrational thought process hardly conducive to sentient, responsible leadership. It was the same childlike irrationality that fueled his naked and life long: racism, duplicity, and narcissism; the same nonsensical mindset capable of uttering that windmills caused cancer and that Mexico would pay for it's own involuntary isolation. And-make-no-doubt... Americans would have enthusiastically (s)elected this unabashed criminal yet again- if not for those sacrificial deaths!

Finally, despite the much promised wailing and gnashing of teeth by he who feels perpetually wronged, we will now be soon rid of this all too human of monsters, and hopefully witness an almost endless array of perp walks in New York courtrooms that will culminate in the long term incarceration of one desperate and balding senior criminal (and his family cronies). We have  thankfully been spared an additional four year onslaught of "the worst is yet to come-" pray we do not suffer the deranged attacks of domestic terrorists unwilling to accept the demise of their cult leader. His remaining months will be punishment enough and we will continue to suffer the residual hangover of his criminal enterprise (SCOTUS) for many a year to come.

All said and done, this is but a return to the status quo of a century past... At best, the next four years will begin to address the massive harm done to our: environment, citizenry and relationships throughout the world. Only then will we commence that rarest of opportunities in American history- effectively confronting the existential challenges we already face in a new century.

V-O-T-E!!!

Photo: © Stan Banos

It's well past time to get this deranged, P-O-S, Racist Mother Fucker outta The White House and into a pardon free NY jail house where he and his entire crime family should have been quite some time ago...

Oct. 31st.

Photo: © Stan Banos

Halloween is supposed to be the scary day, but nowhere as scary as Nov. 3... could be.

Photo: © Stan Banos

Sign Me Up!

Take a look inside!

Well, the reviews are in: "Timely," "Insightful," "Timely and insightful!" And they don't stop there: "I bought a dozen to send to friends and family on Christmas," "I bought two dozen for Christmas and Chanukah!" Yeah, I could go on...

Or... just follow the damn link and see it for free (highly recommended)! Click on Preview, and then Embiggen by clicking on arrows on upper right before paging on through... ENJOY!!!

PRIORITIES!!!

The body of the so called Heroes Act bobs lifeless in the water for months, while Republicans deliberately hem, haw and deny much needed help and support for thousands of desperate Americans in their hour of need. Instead, they chose to concentrate their energies into proving what absolute HYPOCRITES they are by purposely diverting their attention towards rushing the approval of their anointed retro candidate of a century past...

Hope she gets to enjoy the intimate company of her fellow pervs and justices Thomas and Kavanaugh! 

Why - We - Take... Photographs

Be it pets, loved ones or special occasions of any manner, photography is still the most direct and personal port of entry to those memories and experiences we so treasure and choose to remember...

Tales From The Tour Bus...

A series of short, episodic, gems: each and every one containing more than its fair share of laugh out loud outrageous hilarity, believe it or not historical factoids and bits of semi profound wisdom... whether or not you like funk, music or life itself. The perfect antidote for the Covid Blues!

 

 Addendum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lDYeraPn2M

Stone Age, Benchmark Discovery In San Francisco

Photo: © Stan Banos

 

Crude? Perhaps. But this recent archeological dig in San Francisco revealed Stone Age Man's first attempt at a park bench- and ya gotta admit, they did, in fact, have the rudimentary essentials down! True, while they did concentrate heavily on the longevity factor, at the critical expense of other considerations (eg- comfort), that is one of the tell tale hallmarks of most artifacts characteristic of the period. Of course, further tweaking, particularly during the Bronze Age, along with the more elaborate detailing in the latter stages of The Renaissance, ultimately led to our modern, post industrial park bench.

Actually, one of my favorite little photobooks is called Bench Marking in Germany by Dirk Reinatz,* a mundane collection typology of B&W photos of park benches- which sounds about as exciting as a bunch of snapshots of empty benches taken at your local, neighborhood park. But boring they are not! They are so keenly envisioned, so well executed and edited, that they enhance and reinforce each other with every turn of the page, all the while revealing their unique and individual charms. Showing us all how good photographs can (at least more times than we think) be made anywhere, of anything...

 * this little gem is well worth the modest price!

Hans Solo Was Frozen In Carbonite...

 

 But what they did to The Incredible Hulk... was infinitely worse!

See ya's next week...      Photo: © Stan Banos

Blog Update...

 

Another day in "Don't call it 'Frisco."   Photo: © Stan Banos

Well, I'm hardly the optimist, but nowhere near as down as this guy- can't be. An involuntary separation followed by a pandemic and less than ideal living conditions won't allow me to go down that rabbit hole of depression and desperation- otherwise, I might just be that guy...

Anyway, it's moving time, again. And this time, it's a small (very small), but much needed step up, details to follow. So the blog will be silent as of the end of the week, and hopefully resume sometime next. See ya's again; enjoy and stay safe...

Traitors All...

 The Entire, Rotten, Crime Family...

Photo: © Stan Banos

Don't Ask A Question You Don't Know The Answer To...

Now, I'm not a lawyer like Chris Cuomo is, but even I know the first tenet of how not to look the fool if you are. Pro Democratic CNN and MSNBC both run for the hills whenever 'Extreme Left Socialist Radicals" like Bernie or AOC are mentioned, and AOC is in full display here as to why Repubs hate and despise her so- and spineless, middle of the road Dems fear her! Smart as a goddamn whip- she does not suffer fools lightly...

Comic Relief

I'm a lucky man- in just 2 weeks I'll be moving from a SRO to a full fledged Micro-Studio apt... I'm gonna have my very own john again! But now is certainly not the time to either gloat, or forget those less fortunate than myself. And so to keep perspective, to keep an even keel in these uncertain times and not lose track in my own financial ascension-  I present to you the tragic case of Jennifer Risher, who goes to prolonged lengths to explain to us just how truly vexing and burdensome it is to be... a full fledged Multi-Millionaire! 

As Ms. Risher reveals in her own words, she and her husband both became filthy rich not necessarily because of the sweat of their collective brows or their higher than normal IQ's- but because of investing in some very lucky stocks. Oh, the humanity! So she wants to open her heart and start a much needed dialogue to let us know just how very hard and perplexing it is to be so damn well off...

Now, as the host fully explains, she initiates this journey of insight and self evaluation not with talking to and engaging people of the working class, or the working poor, or the homeless, as to how she can best use all this guilt ridden lucre to better society. No, too easy, been done countless times before, and honestly, where has it gotten any of us? She reaches out to other filthy rich bastards to help lighten the worrisome load of her nouveau riche conscience. Or as my HS chemistry teacher used to say, "Likes dissolve likes." (You can move to the 3:40 mark to skip Intro...) 

 

 

Addendum:  Perhaps we can arrange funds via crowdsourcing to help further her dialogue with fellow multi-millionaires...

"I Don't Wear Face Masks Like Him."

 

4/15/2017                Photo: © Stan Banos

 

No, U-Most-Certainly-Did-Not... And even today, your wretched Chief of Staff didn't wear a mask when reporting that you were now sick because... you refused to wear a mask!

You didn't wear a mask for the same reason you swirl the hair on one side of your head to cover the rest (like one ungodly, hirsute Mr. Softee cone)- your child like, butt hurt vanity. You didn't wear a mask to prove how mighty and invulnerable you were to yourself and your supporters, to prove that your nonplan of callous ignorance and disregard was your shining claim to bold, innovative leadership- and mostly... to mock those that had sense enough to wear them. 

So now, you and your sycophants call for empathy, empathy for he who revels in mocking the weaknesses and frailties (real or imagined) of others- of those he was (s)elected to lead and represent. Let us all now bend a knee in prayer and respect for he who has needlessly prolonged this pandemic, caused thousands of needless deaths and purposely placed even his own supporters in harm's way.

Now, don't get me wrong- I do hope and pray he recovers. I certainly wouldn't mind if he suffers a bit, like many of those who have suffered this disease; I certainly wouldn't mind if he suffers some permanent debilitating effects to remind himself and others of the consequence of such callous disregard and selfishness. But live he must, to personally experience the humiliation of being voted out by the majority of American citizens of all faiths, colors and preferences- and then rise to the further humiliation of an awaiting array of endless perp walks and court appearances for his wide multiplicity of crimes that will ultimately culminate in a state prison invulnerable to federal pardons.

So please get better, Mr. President- then go fuck yourself, 'cause Melania sure ain't gonna...

The Enablers-In-Chief

Photo: © Stan Banos

Kinda felt sorry for Chris Wallace, Tuesday night- after all, who could have controlled and prevented any of that? What man or woman alive could've reined in, let alone stopped the rampaging school yard bully, the raging, Right Wing bull in the China shop? Who amongst us could ever hope to confront the power and fury wielded by the very person (s)elected to lead... "The Free World?"

Those calling themselves members of "The Free Press," that's who the fuck who! When Trump states, "that's what  people are saying," who the fuck is saying it? When he boasts "that's what I hear," exactly where the fuck did he hear it? When he repeatedly states that he is under audit and therefore can't release his taxes, when he declares his health care plan infinitely better and cheaper- and has yet to present either in Four Fuckin' Years... It's full well time to put your collective foot down and DEMAND some small modicum of fact and sanity. Enough... is... Enough!

And yet, our mighty press has let him slide and slide again, time and time again. Whimsical, Sharpie, weather map redraws- no problem; paying prostitutes as campaign expenses- easy peazy; casting patriotic military and intelligence truth tellers as traitors- business as usual; suppressing and denying overwhelming Intel on Russian security meddling and domestic White terrorist activity- piece o' cake; editing and subverting crucial pandemic and climate change findings that will affect us all for years and decades to come, respectively... Done and Done!

So yes, members of the US Press Corps, you and yours have helped create, enable and embolden this Man Child Bully of the Western World. You've swallowed his lies daily and then served them cold with a shallow shrug of your collective shoulders. You, more than anyone, have helped pave the way for his continual and now casual onslaught on truth, civility and sanity... And have willingly done so- year after increasingly sorry year.

So knock off the feigned looks of outrage and dismay- you have wiped your hands clean of the whole stinking mess that you have allowed to grow, fester and metastisize. This insecure sociopath who has never experienced the word "NO," who has never been held accountable his entire life (legally, financially, personally) will once again and forever run roughshod with your kowtowing forums of appeasement. 

Mr. Wallace should have quashed that charade of a so called debate- and held the nationwide intervention this overgrown, at risk child has so desperately needed his entire life- as any worthwhile parent, teacher, friend or partner would have. That was the time to wrench that machine cold of its non stop lies, division and vitriol.

Members of the press- reclaim and retake your dignity, your responsibility- to us, and hold this incestuous crime family accountable for its decades of fraud, corruption and deceit. Yes, we the voters hold the final say, but you're supposed to help make that challenge all the more transparent, not provide years of continued cover and legitimacy for criminality in the very highest of offices.

 ADDENDUM: Something like... this!

The Question Unasked, Unanswered...

 

1/21/2017  Photo: © Stan Banos

Well, errr... that was fun! KInda, sorta, in a way... if you're into that kind of debacle. And without a kill switch to stop one of those participants from talking out of turn, we just got more of the same coming; just as we will continue to be held hostage to the perpetual cacophony of outright, baldfaced lies pouring forth from his anus shaped orifice without the inclusion of a much needed electric shock switch. 

And when Trump asks about Hunter Biden, all Sleepy Joe has to do is ask him why son Eric said they get all their money from Russia- and when he denies it... ask what foreign nationals he owes $400 Million to.  And when he says he can't because he's under audit, remind him that is not a valid excuse, and when he recovers from the shock of the electric, fact check switch- ask it again...

Praying For A Small Miracle

Photo: © Stan Banos

Not her, me! It's never fun going to a major city for any length of time and coming back empty handed without even one shot. I was in NYC for four days- half the time it rained, the other half spent with my elderly moms. Half a day remaining; got up early and walked up Fifth- a coupla almosts. Went to LIC for an hour and a half- Nada. Hey, I tried. Time to head back to the hotel to make my way to the airport; walked through Herald Square past The Garden- and as I lift my head up cussing my unfortunate fate... prayer answered!