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

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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!