NYC 6/24

1) Dance To The Radio!                     All Photos: © Stan Banos

I still love to travel, although I am no longer in love with all its painstaking trials and tribulations- making reservations (plane and hotel), learning nuances of local commuter transportation and basic language, etc. Once, it was all part of the adventure and excitement, as we get older, it can all get downgraded to a necessary nuisance. And no airplane ride should last more than three hours (particularly in coach), after that it's the Heebie Jeebie Express. And these days with climate change, vacation time risks either early summer flooding or staggering midsummer heat! 

2) Planning Your Future*

Didn't have to learn a new language in NYC last week but five straight days of ninety plus degrees was more than enough to feel my age, and then some. That said, it was great to be in a real city again with people all about doing what people in real cities go about doing- even if it's mostly being avid, compliant consumers. At least the joint wasn't deserted, as is downtown San Francisco, save for the wandering zombies.

*I imagined taking this exact photo when this building was first built (if memory serves in the mid nineties, before I left for San Francisco)- sometimes, guess ya just gotta wait!

3) Smiley Face

I was in NYC six and a half days, but half the time was spent attending to my mother who is now ninety six at a nursing home. I also visited an old 'friend,' The Vessel, and after some careful observation, noticed some kind of very thin netting covering part of one of its floors!? Hhmmm... Sure enough, it's supposedly scheduled to open anew (yet again) this 2024 with the new safety mesh encapsulating it (although no one seemed all that busy installing it midday, midweek when I was there).

4) Shades, Fishnet & Camo

How hot was it? I went to the annual Mermaid Parade at Coney Island and got there at eleven to photograph the participants, thinking it started at twelve. By twelve, I began to realize that it probably started at one, and by twelve thirty none of it mattered; after an hour and a half of baking in the sun, my brain was fried. Couldn't concentrate, compose, it all became one frenzied blur- I was done! At one point, I noticed something out of focus in the foreground of my viewfinder and couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was or what was going on- so I just went with it and used it as a... 'compositional element.' I never photograph participants in any parade or protest during the actual parade or march, only before or after- and no way I would survive until after! Ended up hopping the train back to the city before the parade even began, and best decision I ever made- only to later discover that the blurred "compositional element" I couldn't figure were my sunglasses held in hand.

5) Eyes Wide Open

Meanwhile, the Chelsea Market in the Meatpacking District remains quite the gastronomical delight with tantalizing cuisine from all corners of the world- not to mention a wicked coffee bar. Among the sampled: curried beef tacos w/saki, a jerk chicken burrito along with some splendidly delicious potato pizza (just one of many splendid varieties); one could be condemned there for life and never want for variety of food- did I mention the heaven sent gelato? That said, also managed to make it to Veselka's (one of my few remaining NY mainstays that hasn't closed) for some fried meat and potato pierogies (w/sautéed onions and sour cream) washed down with a yummy, cold chocolate egg cream! Mmmmm... 

6) Cig & Grand Central

Discovered Fotografiska which was featuring two of my favorite photographers at the insane cost of twenty four dollars- I got the Early Bird, Senior special for ten dollars, otherwise... no way, Jose. Sadly, the Maier exhibit was printed on very soft paper and really ruined the viewing experience, B&W is already a minimalist experience- deny it the power of its rich blacks and contrast, and you deny it its very existence. That's my story and I'm sticking to it; don't know who's responsible for the printing, but... Fortunately, the Gilden exhibit did not disappoint, from the (properly printed) B&W to the wall sized color portraits; his most recent work on bikers however, I found somewhat overcooked to the point where they practically bordered on illustrations- great images, just over the top editing in my opinion. 

It was amazing to once again see so many tourists (of which I now must include myself) in one place again, especially in such heat; welcome to the future- while it lasts...


Coney Island Mermaid Photos 6/22/24:

1) Fellow photog.

2) Human Starfish

3) Love And Love

4) Lobster Gal

5) The Creature Family

"We had H2O."

That was the 'response' from one of the men running for President of the United States of America when asked about climate change. And that ridiculously, nonsensical non-statement came from the man who wiped the floor with a doddering opponent that was knowingly slow walked into oblivion by the Democratic Party. Biden was already points behind without ever uttering a word- just by the way he slowly hobbled unto the stage... and it was all downhill from there.

An old man was mugged and beaten on live TV tonight- and now, we as a nation will get to share that pain anew for another four, very long years...

Liar, Liar...

Israel has long denied targeting journalists, particularly Palestinian journalists, the most famous being Shireen Abu Akleh. Of course, Israel's prior claims of innocence seem even more hypocritical in light of one of their prized sniper's bragging rights claiming just how many Palestinian protestors he's maimed.

Vacation Rules!

Suit yourself!         Photo: © Stan Banos

It was my first day of vacation as I was catching up on some bills and paperwork, not everyone's vacation dream, but least I was home, taking my time. Then I heard this woman's voice, at first I thought it the ever reliable Shrieking Woman who lets out this piercingly abrupt, one note shriek that ends almost before it starts- unsettling at first, I'm now rather used to it's almost comical regularity. This was decidedly different, this was... sex, not the muffled through the walls wails of excitement and private exuberance- this was open the windows wide and let the world pay righteous testament to the joyous exhilaration within the contours of my uninhibited loins! Lawdy, lawdy, Mama was a wailin'! And it was Grade A moanin' too- the pitch perfect, ever so rhythmic, set your imagination free kinda moanin'. And on and on it did go... Twenty minutes, half hour. Woman was an athlete, Olympic level, no let up on intensity or frequency- and I'm trying to remember to carry the one, mind ya, on a Monday morning! Forty five minutes- Aawww, c'mon now, we've rounded the corner on human endurance here, and I've yet to hear a second voice- not that I really want to, but no one can get that excited for that length of time... solo!

So I open my windows, and the pitch perfect moans come flooding in even louder, every bit as hot and heavy as an hour ago, when a guy in the parking lot below looks up in my direction pointing above, and yells, "Porno, he does it all the time! It's crazy!" Now, I've been living here four years and I've never heard this particular show, but I'm not usually home in the AM on weekdays. An hour and a half, two hours... and she's still going strong as ever. Of course, it's a little harder fantasizing your perfect dream lover now- all that comes to mind is some old guy trying his darndest, and yet to succeed... PS- See yas in 2 weeks!

 More Than $4 Million In Gifts!

Bump Stock Jamboree!!!

Because we all need faux automatic weapons with the potential to shoot 800 rounds per second so we can all uhhh...  uhmmm... ya know... 

Potential, Wannabe Mass Murderers throughout the states can now sleep easy knowing that The Supreme Court of the United States of America has made it that much easier for them to boost their numbers tenfold next time they get a bright idea! And The Supreme Court Six who repealed the ban can all beam with pride within the hallowed halls of justice the second their deed reaches fruition and the blood starts to flow- Thoughts and Prayers!

Food For Thought...

Entire interview...

"Like A Brain Operation"

AMEN!        Photo: © Stan Banos

Really? Seriously? Four Israelis rescued; 274 Palestinians dead, of them- 64 children, 57 women, and that certainly doesn't mean that the remainder were all "terrorists," not to mention 700 wounded! Sounds more like wanton slaughter than delicately finessed surgery! 

At this point, are we still required to preface anything we say with, "Yes, I condemn the Oct 7 massacre?" Are we still required to state that Israel has the right to defend itself? Will we ever be asked if Palestinians have the right to defend themselves? Will anyone ever ask if we also condemn these ongoing, repeated massacres of Palestinian refugees? I keep hearing that all Hamas needs to do is to simply agree to the ceasefire... and yet, and yet, I actually had to do considerable digging to discover that as of 6/10- Israel has not agreed to it either!?! 

As I've said since 10/08, I ain't siding with anyone in this senseless, ceaseless seesaw towards oblivion- but I am tired of the one sided reportage, least in this country, as if the nation with the most weapons, wealth and resources have the only victims that count!

Addendum: Apparently 3 additional hostages were killed in the Israeli bombing resulting from raid... Madness!

Get It While You Can

 Photos: © Stan Banos

I have a lotta respect for "street photography," although I hold the very term in disdain, frankly because it's so often reduced to such a highly restricted fragment of all it could and should be. Street photography is now almost synonymous with images that involve the somewhat odd juxtapositions (either complementary or contrasting) of people and/or other compositional elements, or images involving juxtapositions of various lighting scenarios (highlights and shadows- "The Alex Webb Effect"). I love both, tried and done both (the latter, admittedly, not as much). 

©SB

But I've always been appreciative of a more comprehensive viewpoint (aka- Lee Friedlander): portraits, landscapes, architectural and all things serious, humorous and in between; why encourage or limit anyone to a coupla in vogue, formulaic viewpoints? Yes, develop your style by all means, then see how many (visual) places it will take you. Nothing should be out of bounds, from the faces before you to the nooks and crannies at your very feet- and all points beyond... Yeah, I wanna try and grab the whole ball of wax, knowing full well I'll come up miserably short most times, but I wanna experience how many different facets of life I can successfully capture whenever and wherever I can... for as long as I got left.

The Lying Liar... Lies?!?

He swore he'd testify, and of course, never had the slightest intention of perjuring himself during actual trial. Which is why he lied, blasphemed and went on and on unto all sorts of crazed craziness upon conclusion of every day of the trial- exactly what he wasn't allowed to do under oath. Then he swore he never (EVER) uttered the words "Lock Her Up," even though he led the charge in front of the entire world for all to see and hear (the fun starts at 8:00). Of course, that's just par for the course for someone who told some 30,573 lies just during the course of his four year stint in the White House- leaving said edifice with his Biggest Whopper ever... that the election was stolen. 

And at this point, with all the recounts (many with handpicked vote counters- who sometimes came up with more votes for... Biden), those who still choose to believe that particular piece of demonstrably proven nonsense are those who purposely choose to believe demonstrably proven nonsense. They constitute some of the same people who actually believed in a Hillary Clinton Child Sex/Pizza Ring- and if that wasn't Total Gonzo Bat Shit Crazy Supreme- some of the same people that actually waited in Dealey Plaza (Lord, I can't make this kinda crazy up!) for a reanimated JFK, Jr. to appear and somehow help lead Herr Trump back into the White House!

Recently when asked about his relationship with god and how he prays, Trump conveniently reconfigured the conversation into how Evangelicals are so believing in and committed to- not necessarily God, but him! And always, whenever he talks about the public addressing him, they always refer to him as... "Sir." Male or female, Black or White, rich or poor, whenever anyone in the good ol' US of A addresses him in his particular recounting- it's always prefaced with... "Sir." He seemingly has the politest constituency of all time, except, of course, when he encourages them to fight at his rallies, or the Capitol building, or in the days yet to come when he alludes to the unrest that the public may incur should things not go quite their (his) way... Then again, I guess that could be construed as proper payback for those of us so uncaring that we said nothing when the FBI tried to assassinate him at his very home!

Naturally, we haven't heard the last of these fabulous tales of the insanely insane- Trump is rife with them, and his followers more than willing to up the ante of craziness, both in what they believe or make up themselves. Insanity has become the norm, and when a so called leader can say absolutely anything, anytime without fear or conscience... and then deny it without consequence- a good majority of the public is in very grave danger, the very position we may well find ourselves in this November!

Autonation

'63 Thunderbird- Flat out Gorgeous.          Photos: © Stan B.

Dawned on me that maybe I should do a small zine on cars, and I like my cars the way I like my watches (and a lotta other things)- vintage. Many of the photos will just be snaps that make the featured car look good, taken in 'au natural' outdoor environments- not in auto shows; others will be close ups of uniquely 'adorned' (stickers, license plates, etc) autos- it will constitute a completely separate enterprise from my Bippin' presentation.

Of course, the ideal environment to have this come to fruition would be LA, but I'll make do with what I can get here in NORCAL- actually, first wrote NOCAL... can ya tell I'm no native? Right now I got around thirty, I'll make it happen when I got around 3 dozen/forty...

'65 Mustang Fastback- Every line, just pure perfection!