The Gold Standard (ie-The Kaku Effect)

Recently, Neil deGrasse Tyson was on some talk show or 'nother, and the host asked him about the tic-tac videos, and next thing ya know he's rapidly babbling about the "quality of sensors" and how we really can't be sure about this, that and the other- and then completely changes the topic faster than light speed. It was pretty damn funny pathetic witnessing such an obvious, complete and pathetic dodge... Really thought he'd have a more practiced, convincing dodge at the ready than what amounted to near panic!

Video footage, ground and air based radar, and multiple eyewitnesses- multiple eye witness fighter pilots trained in our latest air defense technology, trained to identify every naval ship, commercial and military plane in the world- somehow none of that could satisfy Tyson's "quality of sensors!" Surprised he didn't blurt out... "Swamp gas!" 

Fortunately, not every scientist debunking diehard is mired in the mud of unwavering, steadfast denial; some actually believe and rise up to the challenge that science actually presents- not the preservation of age old beliefs, but committing to the serious, steadfast exploration of the unknown.

Michio Kaku is such a scientist, one of credible stature (to say the absolute least) who realizes that the tables have obviously turned, that debunkers (no matter their credentials, military or scientific) can no longer claim that the UFO phenomena is a realm solely compromised of kooks, whackos and tin foil hats. Credible evidence is already there for those who seriously want to consider it, it's the (financially backed) study and investigation by the scientific community that awaits.

SURPRISE!!!

Trump lied- now there's a helluva shock! And now it's proven that Barr lied to cover up Trump's lies...

Blimey- Bloody well shocked, I am!

And now, the lighter side from the gang that couldn't shoot straight...

"In my administration, I'm going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information. No one will be above the law."     -DJ Trump

Cali Dream Deferred?

No argument there...   Photo: © Stan Banos

San Francisco once seemed an exotic faraway destiny when I lived in New York, not quite wholly American, like... New Orleans- some innately elusive, foreign aura. Hard to believe I've now lived here some twenty odd year and seen it go through some pretty profound changes- the majority not for the better. Homelessness was always a problem, but it metastasized exponentially during Covid to the present day. Coming from New York I didn't fear walking any street here in any neighborhood, now I most definitely avoid certain streets- and it's not so much because of the plethora of mentally ill, drug addicted, shadows of humanity that lurk about, as it is: the filth and feces, the dilapidated tents blocking entire sidewalks, the sheer... stench! Mission St between 5th and 9th streets is a zombie nation unto itself, full of the walking wounded, many of them in various states of nodding off in place, looking for all the world more sculpture than human, melting in the not so setting sun.

On days when I'm running late, and don't have the time to: avoid, walk around, and detour... I take the bus, and directly below its window on the same street that James Nachtwey photographed his San Francisco portion of the opioid crisis, I see the entire sidewalk unsteadily emerging to greet the new day with its first hit- needles, pipes, aluminum foil and lighters all at the ready. This video taken in Philly gives you the basic feel, which is again replicated in Skid Row, Los Angeles, as well as several other American cities.

Experiencing this daily, gradually and inevitably exacts its toll in a myriad of ways, and as I've stated countless times before, I at least have a place to call home at day's end. How much longer do I stay here? At least till seventy when I get the extra SS dough- this soon to be sixty-seven year old ain't starting anew somewhere else in a blue vest, proclaiming: "Hello, and welcome to..." And there ain't too many walkable cities in the US of A, something I consider mandatory- certainly wouldn't mind spending the rest of my days in London, but don't think I've caught the queen's fancy as of yet.

Meanwhile, San Francisco it is- and it still does have its relative strengths, and yes, even beauty. Where else within a seven mile long and seven mile wide stretch of humanity can one get such disparate views of existence as seen on the opposite ends of this post?

SF Americana, '22   Photo: © Stan Banos

Yup, That's (Exactly) How It Happened...

Photo: © Stan Banos

From across the street, I observed two thin, pale men in black hats, shades and suits exit the building and set down three small, oblong slabs onto the steps of said building, before quickly departing the premises. As a green glow began to emanate from and then envelop the three objects, I forced myself through oncoming traffic to get a closer look. Once there, all that remained was a white residue outlining where the rectangles had once been...

"Just Comply"

Republicans are so fond of telling people of color those two words, but certainly, you don't expect them to actually follow their own advice and... comply with those very two words if and when it applies to them.

 

$4,522.47

No, not what I spent on a used Leica Q2, god forbid- the cost of my recent ambulance ride to the ER! Fortunately, I only have to pay $50 out of that $4,522.47- and I called to make absolutely certain, cause I certainly don't want any monetary surprises at this point that'll send me on yet another trip to the ER. I had long ago checked about ambulance rides on my health plan, but there's always those small yearly changes and adjustments (wink, wink), the (very) fine print, the myriad of untold ways they can still totally screw you over because... they can!

BTW- Mentioned my recent episode of ill health and humiliation to a childhood friend and he recounted how an acquaintance who had also suffered severe dehydration due to very similar circumstances never made that call and is now resting peacefully nonetheless, permanently.

Dream Camera Deferred

Somewhat cleaned up tribute to Joel's Cape Light.  Photo: © Stan Banos  

I recently purchased my 'dream' camera, a used but well preserved Leica Q at half price (cleaned and serviced by Leica Japan), and had to return it after a week because of a smudge on the sensor on the upper left hand side- like right where the sky goes on landscapes! At 100% it was a darkened irregular oval, an ill defined stain about an inch in diameter that was just a major pain in the ass to photoshop evenly and invisibly, exactly where most obvious. It seemed more the result of direct contact with the sensor from a contaminated surface (finger?) than actual dust, which is usually smaller and more well defined. Map Camera in Japan accepted the return and paid for return shipping with the option of buying once again when properly (re)cleaned by Leica Japan (if possible), or purchasing another, once available... Pretty classy resolution- their very positive feedback seems well earned!

I was negotiating with them for a week on how to handle the situation, feeling them out, expecting the worst, and I must say that thus far, Map Camera has come out as exemplary! No, I haven't got my money back as of yet, but then, they haven't gotten their camera back just yet (currently in transit)- I just don't see them stabbing me in the back at this point, and again, must heartily recommend their customer service.

The Q ain't nirvana, but if you're a 28mm fan (as am I) it most certainly has its strengths: ergonomics, build quality, styling- and the IQ is a noticeable (but certainly not astronomical) step up from my trusty, punch above its weight GR. Sometimes, I just get the feeling that this was Leica's way of telling me to... know thy place.

GOP, Hypocrisy Is Thy Name!

Man had a good run. Being the figurehead of psyop to get Americans who are angry and unheard to fight different Americans who are angry and unheard all to maintain the status quo of those already powerful and wealthy. -TyphoonSwell

Comment on Trump on YouTube video. And a damn good one at that! Except that it neglects all the harm, vitriol and distrust he repeatedly blew up and disseminated throughout our country to such unprecedented levels. To the point where rumor, division and such blatantly profound hypocrisy now confuse and utterly rule the land. Marjorie Taylor Greene insists that it was Antifa who rioted on January 6th- while at the same time 'praying' with one of the Trump supporters she acknowledges was at the Capitol that very day! But then, what do you expect of people who actually gather to witness a resurrected, zombie JFK, Jr. arise again to inexplicably change parties and lead Donnie back into the White House!?! 

The very same people who condemned "Defund The Police," now shout "Defund The FBI!" The very same 'police supporters' who had no problem with officers being attacked at the Capitol- while trying to protect... them!

And then, this precious 5th Amendment gem, from the very mouth of he that belched it in such loving irony. If ever I was certain that all I need do was rest easy and just wait till it inevitably hit...

Brink

David Butow has the photographic and political eye and savvy that infuse his work with impact, humor and nuance. There's one photo in Brink of former Senator Jeff Flake that is reminiscent of Renaissance masterpieces of Last Supper proportions...

Why?

I almost (almost) feel sorry for Alex Jones, because even though he is doing exactly what he wants in life, and making an insane amount of money doing it- he's still too freaking bat shit crazy to relax and enjoy any of it... even if you can somehow enjoy repeatedly exposing people to death threats, people who already have had their hearts ripped out when their own children were so needlessly slaughtered...

New (Used) Kid On The Block...

All Photos: © Stan Banos

I've probably lusted for a Leica Q since 2015 when it first came out; back then, I wasn't even officially shooting digital. It was just such a sexy thing to behold, particularly amongst the vast majority of butt ugly digital cameras! And at a MSRP of $4,250, it wasn't even fodder for some potential fantasy buy of the near (and used) future... In the intervening years I read every review, watched every video that featured it, to the point where foreign language reviews started to appear. Still, it was well beyond financial reach and I had finally busied myself entering the 'new' digital realm with affordable substitutes named Fujifilm and Ricoh GR.

The years passed and the old flame lit anew; with a few extra bucks available, I began to play with the idea of maybe, just maybe. My event horizon was $2,500, but to this day, most used Q's hovering at that price range are very much used. Then I finally saw one at that exact price in Mint Cond and serviced by Leica- WOW! Still, it was a whole mess of $$$ (basically for one lens). I told myself if it was still there next morning- maybe, just maybe... Morning came, and I was actually happy and relieved to see it gone. I had resisted the pressure to buy something I didn't need, and saved my money for prints, vacation whatever. I actually felt freed from the longing for the... unnecessary.

Photos presented in order taken.

A few weeks later, saw yet another, this time for... $2,200 from the same seller in Japan, not quite so preciously Mint, but ever so tantalizingly used in all the right places, and again, serviced by Leica. I've seen more heavily used specimens costing up to a full grand more- and certainly not serviced by Leica! Damn, now they were downright daring me, mocking me not to buy! It was a Friday evening, I went to the local pub for my weekly pair of pints and told myself if it was still there on my return- I'd finally pull the trigger. 

I had held one years before and remember being surprised just how heavy and clunky it was. It's not. Quite compact, just the right weight and those rounded corners go well in the hand! I'm sure everyone is more than well acquainted with the plethora of Leica system accolades, and the Q is a magnet for such fanboy platitudes. It's a definite looker, but how does it actually perform? 

The colors and IQ here and throughout are nothing short of stunning!

Took it for a test drive the following Saturday afternoon and was immediately disappointed (shocked really) by its much lauded EVF. The Fujifilm EVF is most annoyingly contrasty and super saturated, like looking at the world as a badly printed Cibachrome print of yore. Gradually, I learned to expose for the highlights and the shadows would more than take care of themselves. The Q in comparison is astonishingly flat, washed out, with a slight bluish tinge and not very bright- WTF!!! Auto focus seemed reliable however (unlike my XT-1, 2) and the files from my test shots seemed promising. At this point, I was 60/40 that I would probably sell my new, used device. The next day I would take it to one of two San Francisco leather fairs and maybe see what it could do for real- maybe, because for most event photography I use a 20mm equivalent for the vast majority of shots. 

As things turned out, I ended up using the Q almost exclusively that day. Had the Leica mystique finally absorbed me into its fanatical cult of devotees? Hardly. There's no reason to believe I wouldn't have gotten the same shots with the GR, and I probably used the 28mm almost exclusively because: a) sheer luck, and b) the fact that the event was less crowded than usual (probably because of Monkey Pox fear). I still have to get used to yet another less than stellar EVF, and the aperture ring on the Fujifilm is flush to the body, while the Q's is on the front end- and, of course, they open and close in opposite directions! Perhaps, we'll just go shutter priority next time 'round to avoid that particular frustration. Still, it felt good to give the Q a real workout, and at the end of day I was... 50/50. 

Then I dived into the actual results- nine keepers, pretty damn good in my book, especially for 2 hours, and particularly when diminishing returns had already started to kick in a couple of years back. This is my first FF sensor camera, so I don't know if Leica files are inherently better than Nikon, Canon, Sony... I suspect not. But they are damn nice! Would have gotten more than adequate results with the crop sensor GR, but these files are definitely more... 'luxurious!' Still not sold on the Leica 'glow' BS, the shoot everything at a 1.7 buttery smooth bokeh BS, or the whole Leica makes you see and react better BS. But the IQ is definitely a step up, as it well should be. 

Forget the leggings- it takes quite the set to rock a proper beret!

Truth is, if there was a viable third party 28mm equivalent option for Fujifilm's shitty 28mm pancake or overpriced giant of a 1.4, I would still just be looking at pictures of a Q. As of now, think I'll order the thumb grip, the $15 one- not the $250 one.

All Photos: © Stan Banos