These guys kept popping up on my feed- who are they, what are they- I Don't Wanna Know!!! But they wouldn't stop- on and on and on they kept appearing, reappearing, unwarranted, unrelenting...
Maybe if I feigned the slightest attention they would release me and move back from whence they came- so I watched and I listened, and...
The Tesla corporation (along with another 87 of the largest corporations) paid $0 in federal income tax in 2025, despite making a collective $105 Billion profit. Did you pay nothing?
Meanwhile, the Dept. of Defense has never passed an audit and is currently asking for $1.5 Trillion... with at least $10 Billion of confirmed fraud. Anyone remember The Fraud Called DOGE that went well outta its way to cut AIDS prevention meds for thousands, many of them babies, while not touching or ever even considering one precious penny from our military!
Addendum: This is what taxes should look like!
I've now published a coupla zines via Blurb, and I'm quite pleased with the quality. The thing I don't like is that they only use "perfect binding" as opposed to also offering "saddle stich," which is what most commercial magazines used- ya know, with the staples. The reason I mention is that saddle stich allows double truck images that are much easier to lay flat, see and enjoy (the entirety of the image over the two pages).
MagCloud allows zines with saddle stich, so even though I don't relish learning yet even more software, if the quality matches Blurb- it may just be worth the bother. Will try later in the year; viewing the occasional double truck image in a zine or book allows yet another valuable way to mix, edit and present your images in print, and it really is compromised in Blurb without saddle stich...
Anyone have experience with Magcloud? Some have mentioned that images tend to come out darker... but as opposed to Blurb, or as a result of an uncalibrated monitor? I've generally never had an exposure problem with printing on Blurb via my images straight form the monitor as is.
All our discoveries and triumphs, struggles and disappointments- gone... All as passingly trivial as a loose snapshot floating in a bin at a second hand store; the love you longed for, the goals you achieved, the losses you persevered and the burning passion that fueled all of it- the cause, the consequence, not even the memory will remain. It is the human experience, renewed and extinguished ad infinitum.
The camera provides some of us that small confirmation of our own existence. How well we master it, and ourselves, can afford others some passing measure of what intrigued, humored or captivated us. They were our moments, of that which no longer exists, our one step on the uneasy ladder of humanity and existence.
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| Photo: © Stan B. |
Right now, our entire nation (and the world) is waiting to see if (when) Donald J. Trump will needlessly slaughter even more people in a country that was productively negotiating in one sided talks conducted simply to allow the US sufficient time to initiate their attack in the most effective manner possible. Not satisfied that they are unwilling to submit completely to Trump's whim, he is now set to destroy their nation to the cheers of his remaining sycophants.
He is about to commit yet more war crimes en masse and not one active member on his team is willing to confront a now mentally addled senior (who was delusional his entire life) in order to deter even more war crimes in a completely illegal and unnecessary war and prevent the needless deaths of yet thousands more..
They need to invoke the 25th Amendment as-of-yesterday- if only so that this sad excuse of death, corruption and criminality can enjoy the rest of his life explaining how Joe Biden used an autopen to an audience of six year olds... with the strictest adult supervision, of course.
Tomorrow will be too late...
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| Donald, seen here in much happier times peeing on the graves of SS & the US Constitution. Photo: © Stan B. |
It took eighty years, but Donald finally heard the word "No," firsthand! All his life he was able to stall, able to bullshit, able to bully his way through every problem of his own creation. People might complain, but they would eventually back off, give up, submit. It was how things were done decade after decade in his incestuous circle of illicit money, lies and deceit, whether in New York real estate or DC politics.
But radical Islam doesn't give a flying shit about Donald's ways, about the fact that he's a successful businessman (with six bankruptcies and 64 failed businesses)- and US President to boot! They keep telling Donald to just leave them be, and he keeps insisting they play his game- even killing them doesn't seem to make them understand!
Donald's upset! He honestly doesn't know what to do, so he's: screaming, and cussing, and threatening some more- and promising to keep killing until they do play his game. Someone finally told Donnie- "No!" And now we all must suffer the consequences he has wrought upon us...
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| Photos: © Stan B. |
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We are, as we speak, now sending a small contingent of soldiers and Marines to Iran, positioning them directly under constant drone and missile attack (ie- sitting ducks). Why? Why proceed with a policy that can only result in increased deaths and guaranteed escalation? This sad excuse of a delusional POTUS has no plan for victory, no plan for retreat, no plan for any semblance of sanity other than to propagate a distorted view of masculinity that masks his total lack of any semblance of true manhood. The lives of our armed forces, the citizens of this country, and anyone and everyone worldwide exist solely to serve him- all are readily expendable, whether they do so, or not. Meanwhile, he babbles on about... Sharpies, his hand picked drapes, his majestic ballroom to be, his new coin, his Parisian dwarfing Arch...
Hitler planning his new, imaginary Berlin as Russia swarmed above.
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| Photo: © Stan B. |
I live close to Oracle Stadium, the home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. It's easy to know when they're in town cause the fans flocking to the stadium are all dressed in orange and black, the official team colors. The amount of team swag is borderline incredulous- adults adorned as if their mothers dressed them for Little League. Every once in a while, I'd walk on down myself (in my civvies) to see if I could possibly get a picture or two amongst the crowds, a goal I've yet to achieve and fortunately never considered seriously. But I digress...
I loved baseball as a kid, but I usually fall asleep by the third inning these days those handful of times I've attempted to watch. Still, I considered going to catch a game this opening season, particularly since my childhood team, the NY Yankees were playing. Figured I'd get a cheap seat in the nosebleed section and hopefully relive and experience some innocent childhood nostalgia. Three figures put that little fantasy to bed- just like $6.50 for a one scoop ice cream cone had me in a U turn out the door at a local ice cream parlor.
Went down to the stadium anyway, again, on the vague promise of a picture, being that it was opening day and all. The crowds were energized and enthusiastic, even on the street, root-root-rooting for the home team. I watched the kayaks floating and bobbing about in McCovey Cove, the mood was festive and upbeat- and then I heard the National Anthem, "the bombs bursting in air!" The irony was tangible, although unnoticed by the celebratory crowd around me, even in this most liberal of cities. My mood changed as I turned to go home only to see two F-15's zooming by overhead- the type of planes that are wrecking death and havoc on many an innocent child and civilian right now. And still, the irony did not register on those around me as they oohed and aahed. It would take actual ordinance raining upon them for that insight. Then I heard an uproar behind me, and saw a truly amazing sight, full of color and splendor and spectacle; the biggest, most brilliant American flag suspended and floating mid air! It-was-spectacular- a truly resplendent sight courtesy of modern technology. And as I raised camera to eye, it dissipated as quickly as it appeared...
This almost makes me wanna work again- just so I can get the day off on Donald J Trump's... Birthday! Oh, what a cause for celebration that would be, and then vacation at Mt. Rushmore to stare contently at his beautiful, chiseled, he-man of a mug shot while counting my illegally minted Trump coins!!! Sends a chill right down my spine it does.
All this while Trump golfs our future away- the guy doesn't even bother trying to hide it anymore. Manipulating the stock market while making shit up right in our face about directly holding talks with Iran over the weekend- which so obviously never happened. Unlike the so called "talks" (ie- stall tactic) his two personal 'diplomats' (ie-real estate agents) held with them to delay the start of 'Epstein Fury,' in which Iran had actually agreed to all his terms thus making this entire debacle he can't get out of completely superfluous and unnecessary!
Yeah, but still nowhere near as bad as Obama wearing a tan suit...
Well... entered the NY Times Portfolio Review for the 13th time this year, and got rejected for the 13th time this year. So, it was not quite without expectation... The thing is, these ten pictures are pretty representative of the best I can do in a cohesive grouping,* which reminds me of an old New York saying, "That and a token will get you on the subway." Or to update that- "It is, what it is." That is, I think I finally got the picture.
Anyway, here are the final, chosen ten that went down with the ship, yet again...
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| All Photos: © Stan B. |
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| All Photos: © Stan B. |
*Not counting my leather fair photos which people will always look at, but never seriously consider even though they all rise to the same criteria for which any street photographs are judged (yeah, I've sent them those too)... BTW, will be updating this project later this year now that I've ended it.
As a wise commenter remarked, "They finally found the POTUS who Trump said congratulated him on having
'the guts' to invade Iran... it was 45!"
"I can do whatever I want with it." So Sayeth Lord & Master of the Universe Donald J Trump in reference to the sovereign nation of Cuba... as if enough hasn't already been done to promote its downfall and suffering.
In fact, to hear Donnie J speak of Cuba is pretty much like hearing him speak of women, or underage girls...
Herr Trump spends the first year and a half belittling and insulting our allies, telling the whole wide world far and wide that we can do whatever we want, whenever we want and we don't need no one, no where, to tell us different- thank you, very much. Then he invades Iran, riding tall on his Venezuela contact high (ignoring advice from the military leaders who knew better) only to find himself left high and dry (with jerk off buddy, BiBi), begging the very same allies he gleefully pissed and shit on to help him out for their own good! Such obvious comeuppance would usually read so wholly unimaginative and predictable, to the point of wholesale incredulity- if not happening in real time.
Most parents of whatever basic quality usually try to instill such basic lessons in life and living early in their child's upbringing- but Little Donnie was busy gagging on the silver spoon he never quite let go, an entire life that never said... "No!"
And somehow, enough people so desperately latched on to that delusion of invulnerability that we all now find ourselves trapped in the consequences of their collaboration- the most easily foreseeable of self owns.
So... do we declare 'Victory!' ASAP and scramble back home tail between our hurrying legs- or will our Anti-Forever War POTUS 'man up' and "stay the course" to ensure yet more death and destruction for all involved? Will Bibi panic first and usher in nukes and WW3? Will Trump's enablers blame ill-fitting clown shoes for the lack of the most basic guidance, common sense and restraint?
However it ends, a new Era of Terrorism, economic hardship, conflict and destruction has been ushered in...
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| Photo: © Stan B. |
Faces, actually- well over 100 of them... the faces of children. I suppose that's what Popgun Pete meant when he said, "We are punching them while they are down;" that we are operating "without mercy." No accountability, no responsibility, no apology, let alone reparations.
Trump recently went all out racist (again) stating that terrorism was due to "genetics," I wonder if those same 'laws of genetics' also apply to rapists, the people who applaud them, and to... those who rape children.
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| One is then left to contemplate- is the statement in the photo that far off? Photo: © Stan B. |
It doesn't matter if we rid ourselves of every vestige of Iran's military- this illegal, immoral, unprovoked attack of Iran will unleash a new round of world wide, high profile terrorist acts for an entire generation! We have all now been made less safe- thank you, Donald!
I describe my first encounter with these unique vehicles in the preface (see preview- and don't forget to click the embiggen arrows) and how I decided to photograph them as a typology. All the 'subjects' were confined to a one block square area, but I had to work fast: I chose an overcast day for more even light (along with a small flash), but the sky was clearing overhead and I had about fifty vehicles to cover in all- which I did in about an hour and a half just before... it started to pour!
This is the best analysis of the Iran debacle I've heard (by a retired US Colonel), period. Apparently, we asked Iran if they wanted to cry uncle (seems we're already running low on missiles), and they replied... "Wha...?!? You just started this party and ya wanna go home already- we came to dance!" Is this how the empire finally crashes with our crazed emperor incoherently slurring his way through yet another speech transitioning from war casualties to... his beautiful, personally hand picked, gold drapes? WTF!?! And I don't think our (former) allies will come rushing to our aid in our hour of need after we've done nothing but shit on 'em for a whole year. As the good colonel explains, the longer Iran lasts- the weaker we look, and China, Russia, North Korea are looking on and getting ideas as we flail about looking for a quick exit excuse to declare... 'Victory!' Regime change doesn't fall from the sky.
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| Photo: © Stan B. |
Now, I ain't ever met a theocracy I liked, but Iran had already agreed not to produce nukes; so Trump upped the ante and demanded they give up their ballistic missiles too, leaving themselves basically defenseless and open to attack by someone like say... Israel, who did exactly that (again) the previous evening, allowing Big Brother Trump to come in and discombobulate after he done obliterate. We good?
"Nothing bad can happen, it can only good happen." -Donnie J!
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| As the day it was written! Photo: © Stan B. |
Slightly different issue on a much related topic to the one prior. Again, two adults talking, not smack- wisdom....
Almost forgot what it sounds like. An actual conversation where people communicate without screaming or vitriol, choosing instead to address the subjects(s) at hand: intelligently, insightfully and in as coherent a manner as possible. Didn't think it still possible, particularly with the subject at hand. An intriguing analysis of the motives, modus operandi and consequences of the evil amongst men of power...
I'm still reeling, seething from the disgusting, despicable display of conduct unbecoming of any human being of any age, sex or social stature thrust upon us via Trumpland today! I am, of course, talking about Pam Bondi the US AG who was bribed and bought while still working in Florida by one Donald Trump, and who makes the lowest thief, cheat and traitor combined in the entire history of humanity stand tall and proud in comparison. Of all the people in this cowardly, sycophantic administration devoid of a human soul, she alone by sheer force of will rises to most worthy of debasement, torture and eventual dismemberment.
Now- on to the camera equipment review...
Recently bought a Godox iT32 shoe mount strobe for my Fujifilms, and it works like a charm- a little (it's surprisingly small, roughly the size of my Ricoh GR), dedicated TTL flash unit with separate camera dedicated magnetic mounts also enabling off camera operation! It has a host of manual/automatic, on camera/off camera features- but I want it mostly for direct sunlight fill flash. I got it on a Saturday morning just before I was to cover a protest, and didn't think I'd have a chance to sift through its multiplicity of operations to deftly use it just for fill, almost left it home. Nevertheless, I turned it on, scrolled upwards as directed on its back screen, and Boom- first stop... TTL mode! And it worked flawlessly* the entire afternoon...
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| Photo: © Stan B.** |
I wish I could say the same for my Fujifilm X-T1/2 cameras. After losing one too many photos due to their abhorrent, literally non existent AF, I will now switch to MF when using them. It's tedious, outrageous and rage inducing, but I really have little choice. In the long run, I'll end up losing more photos if I continue to use their nonfunctional AF, as opposed to manually focusing my subjects the slow, methodical OG way! Hell, did it for decades with analog and film, and if I could learn to shoot and compose with my right eye after decades of being a left eye shooter (when I got my floaters), I'll gradually if very grudgingly adapt to it again- with many a loud, choice cussword along the way (hopefully, not within earshot of my subjects)...
*Check to see compatibility with particular camera brand and models- with possible exception of Fujifilm, seems to work only with latest brand models (Leica version supposedly coming soon- hope it works with original Q).
**Yeah, don't usually like smiley pictures much, but kinda partial to this one. I'd show others but anything else that came close was outta freakin' focus despite being incredibly well lit! Actually, doubt such a small strobe had much effect at that distance from the subject- just needed something positive to look at after the Bondi madness and revulsion...
I'm not a fan of Bad Bunny's music (mostly an age thing)- but I am a genuine supporter of Benito Antonio MartÃnez Ocasio! He's a beautiful human being, so positively proud of our tiny 30 X 100 mile island, its people and its culture. An island so small and widely ignored that the President tediously threw paper towels at its inhabitants in their hour of need; a people so disparaged, that we were said to hail from "an island of garbage" by a supporter in that same President's last election. This is a man so vilified by the MAGA hateful for posting the signs: “The only thing more powerful than hate, is love” and “Together, We Are America.”
The ultimate irony being that an official alternative was created and offered utilizing an aging performer who sang about doing girls, a performer singing and rejoicing about the same accusations the President himself so desperately continues to hide...
Everyone who didn't know Trump was an avowed, dyed in the wool racist before is now fully awoke, aware and in full condemnation mode- Right?!? They just weren't sure before, and people (like myself) are always trying to demonize him. Or... hey, it's just a meme, it really doesn't mean anything, so... "stop the fake outrage!"
I can already visualize Republican legislators silently, walk/running past reporters' questions in the halls of Congress in their heads down defensive posture. Can already hear the half apologetic, totally incredulous excuses by the few corralled in some wayward corner of a Capitol hallway, the self righteous and indignant denials by the FOX talking heads...
But we had no reason whatsoever to believe he was racist before- just like we have no reason to believe he's a pedophile...
PS- I wonder why such a sue happy kinda guy doesn't-sue-'Katie Johnson'* for saying such horrible things?!? Hhmmm...
*full video
If you ever wondered what it's like to live under fascism, as have I (being an amateur student of the history marking the beginning of 20th. century Europe), we in America no longer have to. This is not hyperbole- if the Commander-in-Chief gets his wish that the (Republican) federal government should directly control national elections (particularly in those states he does not control politically), there is no longer any debate or even the slightest lingering doubt that we no longer live in a "democratic republic." This will not be partisan control of an election, it will be outright, one man, autocratic control- one bona fide dictatorship... and he is beginning to orchestrate it in full view via Georgia! Gone are the days when anyone (incl myself) could fairly accurately decry that Dems & Repubs are two sides of the same coin- the feckless Dems have seemingly willed themselves off said coin.
The mask is off- except for those worn by our anonymous 'law enforcers.' Our First Amendment already lies mortally wounded, as we can now be placed on an official terrorist watchlist simply for watching/documenting said 'law enforcers' in action (funny how even the reliably, vociferous multitudes of 2nd Amendment activists who helped empower this now blatantly obvious dictator were completely silent for the first time in memory when one of their armed believers was recently shot down in cold blood by said agents). Does anyone still really think he will now only arrest (or kill) the Brown people he detests?
Unless stopped, Trump will control national elections- a complete violation of and direct attack on the US Constitution (the very institution so many of his supporters claim to hold so dear- without even a passing familiarity with its most basic tenets). Some of his supporters may not like the term "dictator," but that is who they actively serve- and the rest of us must defy!
Yeah, and there's plenty more SICK SHIT GALORE in... the highly redacted, 'PG' 50% of the Epstein Files we're allowed to see (so there can't possibly be even worse stuff in the Verboten 50% we're not allowed to gander)! Torture, pedophilia, talk of bodies and purloined newborns- a world wide emporium fitted to your sickest thoughts and desires. This was a whole lot larger and a whole lot worse than anyone imagined- Donnie's Bestie was running an international scale, juvenile use 'em and lose 'em flesh emporium.
But not to worry folks, Donnie's people, as well as Donnie J himself, have proclaimed that there is NOTHING worth examining, NOTHING worth investigating- so don't y'all go worryin' your perty little heads... Ya hear!?
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| Photos: © Stan B. |
After a week of weather, followed by a week of... jury duty, I could finally get back to this thing called "Retirement." And a lovely thing it is! I still look in the mirror sometimes, only to see the reflection of a laughing fool- no superiors, no deadlines, no responsibilities other than to myself... and it only took seventy years!
I started jumping on various trains on our MUNI (commuter train) system, riding to The Last Stop- no, I have neither the talent nor intention of doing a San Francisco equivalent, but it felt great getting out and hitting the pavement under an unusually warm January sun- even for NorCal. I started casually exploring great swaths of the city I was not all that familiar with, camera and cigar in hand- and it felt... great! Walking about the outer environs of what is still (ironically) perhaps America's most beautiful city- despite the mortal wound still festering in its downtown. And thinking myself still the thirty year old I long since ceased to be, I proceeded to walk hour after hour, hill after hill, until I felt a stiffness in my left knee- which turned into a discernible limp by the time I got home. Blew out my knee in just two days! Swollen, stiff with (thankfully) minor pain, I figured a good week before back to normal- that was two weeks ago. Revised prognosis- a good month, month and a half... Particularly taking into account, that I've also been documenting a protest or two (at somewhat lower speed) in the interim, with more to come- the one and only good thing about Trump, increased protest photo-ops...
Moderation- the new North Star!
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| When in the Burbs... |
Anyway ya look at it- preparations are now underway! Whether they rig it, highjack it or just take it at the point of a gun... The Midterms are gonna be one screwed up, f'd up, scam a la mode- thanks to the PDF in Chief who knows full well he's speeding down the loser's shit slide of his own making. And this is scary shit, folks- Banana Republic Shit. The (non)official start of a year long, full fledge, pedal to the metal, rig this motherfucker in your face! Even crazier than Cray-Cray Sydney P is back in town... 'nuff said!
The Environmental Protection Agency previously set the price of a human life at $11.7 Million dollars. Interesting figure. The current Trump EPA has changed that value to $0.00. Very interesting...
So, yet another public execution by anonymous, untrained thugs! At least six freakin' assholes surround and proceed to beat the shit out of Alex Pretti because they are totally clueless on how to restrain someone when he's literally on his back- and failing to do so, proceed to shoot his ass dead for no good reason!
Where's the NRA?!? Are they going to rush in to defend the deceased; ya know- stand your ground, Second Amendment, blah, blah, blah... Are they sending in their members and supporters to protest and protect?!?
The Silence is Deafening!
I have NEVER asked for funding, fees or donations of any kind on this blog. So please, hear me out. I am now in the process of setting up a Go Fund Me for the express purpose of allowing me to join the President's newly forming... Board of Peace. I think everyone here knows that I've been a rather strident advocate for peace throughout my life- both here on the ol' blog, as well as in every other endeavor in life... Needless to say, being on this board would allow me unprecedented opportunities to help promote and expand world peace! And it's high time that we finally had an actual organization where member nations and participants could meet, regularly and in times of emergency to discuss and work out world problems on a world stage. Only President Trump could have thought of such an ingeniously innovative enterprise; if enough money is raised we could even construct a uniquely designed building that, given time, would itself become an iconic symbol synonymous with- the unity of nations!
I come to you with this urgent plea so that I can cover the cost of admission which our President has set at a most reasonable $1,000,000,000- so you can see my urgency in reaching out. President Trump has assured everyone that he will be personally involved in the collection and allocation of said monies- that alone should more than assure all involved that the very thought of the usual graft, corruption and non-delivery of services so often involved when money meets politics will clearly not be an issue here!
Of course, I'll also have some complementary swag to give out (dependent on size of contribution), including: hats, sneakers, watches, commemorative coins, NFT's, and I should have a steak or two left in the fridge somewhere's... For every contribution of $1,000,000- you can write your own post right here at Based On A True Story (accompanying photo/illustration, $500,000 additional). And I want to express my gratitude in advance to everyone for your continued support...
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
It's not funny anymore!!! This guy is heading us straight into a major global catastrophe: war, world pariah status, financial collapse- an unprecedented combination thereof that will make the Covid days seem like the Good Ol' Days of Fortune, Mirth and Plenty! Wake The Fuck Up, America!!!
And Europe- Appeasement Did NOT Work In The '30s... and it ain't gonna work now! Please, awaken The Sleeping Giant- too many of us are somnambulating along thinking things will settle out on their own, they always do given time... NOT when there's a sleeping dementia patient at the wheel who couldn't steer straight on his best day! You alerted us before- time to do it again... we have truly lost our way here.
Alert citizenry should've Amendment 25'd his fat, petulant ass back when he swore (incessantly) to anyone who would, or wouldn't listen, that he had more people at his inauguration than Obama. That was his first hysterical proclamation as POTUS to the world at large that he was, without doubt- Out of His Ever Lovin' Mind... without parallel, precedent, or the slightest clue whatsoever! And it shoulda been his last...
Unless you live in CA, you can't get into a US National Park for free this MLK Holiday (or Juneteenth)- nope, gonna have to wait for Trump's B'day for that! Of course, there are those that will insist that the decision to stop that tradition has nothing whatsoever to do with racism, the 35% of the US population who insist that Renee Good was deliberately trying to run down the masked gunman who shot her four times point blank as he broke protocol and stood facing her car while she tried to drive away upon being accused of blocking traffic, the same 35% who believe anything and everything out of Herr Donald's mouth that is (or isn't) slurred and semi-intelligible when not resting his eyes. The same 35% who believe that none of this is the least bit racist whatsoever...
Dr. King, a staunch advocate of non-violence all his life, was also accused of being a wanton criminal, terrorist and worst; I'm reminded of that in Renee Good's last words (to ICE) on earth, "It's OK, I'm not mad at you." The masked gunman who murdered Renee Good in public with four shots point blank is then heard saying, "Fuckin' Bitch!" before hastily and illegally driving off, departing the crime scene he himself created...
Recently got my copy of Last Stop by Brian Rose, been a fan since I discovered what will probably always remain my favorite work by him, The Lost Border- with Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a brilliantly conceived, executed (and printed) visual testimony to the area surrounding Mr. Giuliani's errant Four Season debacle not far behind. Mr. Rose is a documentary photographer with a knack for making said work rise above the mere documentary more often than not. The idea of riding the NY subway to its very ends is not a new one to photographers [I don't recall the name(s)], but this is certainly the best effort I can recall. New York City is separated into five distinct boroughs- Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan and the Bronx. Of course, most people associate NYC with Manhattan, while Brooklyn and Queens are on Long Island (Queens alone is five times the size of Washington, DC), the Bronx the only borough on the mainland and Staten Island, well, I think the rest of NYC thinks it's really part of New Jersey. But I digress...
New York is far from beautiful, but it obviously has its allure. Rose captures much of its architectural distinctiveness, and when you go to its very end(s), you discover just how truly diverse NYC really is in terms of topography, culture, history and ethnicity. The results speak for themselves, and BTW, although safety considerations are always exaggerated, it does take a particular bit of... nerve to go about the ends of NY, camera gear in tow...
Best price, here; And if you're not doing anything on the 21st, there's an online interview with Mr. Rose- you can sign on for it, free... here!
But I got the fuckin' picture, I got that picture- and it is a winner, isn't it?
Yes, it is Jill- Yes, it is!
"... you know, the fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn’t mean that they own the land.” -Donnie J.
Imagine, just imagine if Mr. Trump had the slightest acquaintance with history (particularly the history of his own country) and took that to its logical conclusion (assuming Mr. Trump possessed the necessary attributes for introspection). It was a throw away line (when compared to others in his vast repertoire) despite its astounding implication, but it so clearly serves to highlight the very epitome of his near supernatural ignorance of history, logic and the world at large. It's the ultimate declaration of absolute ignorance- we deserve to take over your country because we recognize your arrogance and refuse to acknowledge our own for doing the-exact-same-thing!
They should fly a flag with that very quote every Coumbus Day parade in the US!
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| 1/10/2026 Photos: © Stan B. |
As an avid student of, and witness to history, it is indeed, both fascinating, and in this case frightening, to see history rhyming yet again- in an almost century long cycle. The cycle of Fascism: the same origins (prejudice, fear, ignorance) using the same playbook- manufacturing and spreading alarm (using rumor, propaganda and outright lies) and then using the ensuing anxiety to declare the necessity of increasingly authoritative measures. At first, these retaliatory measures are used against those on the margins, the despised, the most powerless; gradually the circle expands to cover one and all- slowly, incrementally, denied by both those who tighten the screws, and dismissed (at first) by those, not yet, being screwed. Eventually, the frog is boiled, the deed is done, and one and all are entrapped on a sinking boat despite one's social status.
Of course, all the above can only be done with the aid of a charismatic figure, someone with considerable appeal, access to those with power and money, and the ability to con said assets for his own personal gain and ambition. And so we currently find ourselves, thoroughly within the grasp of he who now controls the most powerful country in the world. A man who persistently boasts of his own attributes and conquests to anyone who'll listen, and particularly to those who rather not- a most particular conceit for someone so ill equipped to speak, at all! This is a man who: lauds his own "very large ahh... brain," attempts to mimic and demean people with disabilities in public and refers to women as "piggy." His followers praise his business acumen, despite his: multiple bankruptcies, repeated failures to exhibit the slightest knowledge of what constitutes a simple mathematical percentage, and his proven inability to make a profit in a business specifically designed to separate the customer from his money- gambling casinos. His statements and policies are never questioned to his face and official behavior once thought unconscionable, now dulls with familiarity.
The signs are all there, and increasing by the day- this will not end well! This purveyor of 30,573 lies in his first term alone, this convicted felon whose criminal history began with organized crime in NYC, this best of friends for fifteen years to one of the most notorious child sex traffickers of these past decades is proclaimed by Conservative Christians as none other than "God's Imperfect Vessel!" He and his family continue to bilk the public and collude with private enterprise to the tune of Billion$, all the while declaring to "drain the swamp." And this is but the slimmest of outlines, highlighting a criminal career that is now faltering under the weight of his own lies and deteriorating physical and mental health.
His last days will not bode well for all of us. The economy is temporarily being held up by its sheer size and resilience, his fear of the personal secrets The Epstein Files hold are causing increasing panic and policy blunders of major national and international consequence. The masked occupation of some of our major cities, the outright military threats to enemies and allies alike- all of this and more by a man who slurs through incoherent, meandering speeches stopping only to "rest his eyes" for ever increasing intervals as his seconds praise his intellectual prowess and non stop work ethic (when not golfing).
The walls are starting to cave, despite his followers continued and more desperate denials- but the end will not come easy! Which will implode first remains to be seen: our faltering economy, a foreign military escapade gone horribly wrong, or the whistleblower who finally puts the nail to The Epstein Files- however it unfolds, we will have to pick up the remaining pieces of his hubris, our country and ourselves...
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| Photos: © Stan B. |
