San Francisco Mystery Photos!?

This shouldn't be a mystery forever, I mean, should be someone left around town who can identify who took these. Hey, I should be so lucky- the most important thing is that the work lives on....

2016 Redux +

It was a pretty shitty joke first time around...                 Photo: © Stan Banos

I never laughed so hard as when Trump was elected in 2016; no one expected it- certainly not Hillary, and least of all Trump! I thought it would be a good wake up call for America- a full display of what happens when we don't pay attention, don't take things seriously, and provide mayhem an open invitation. 

I used to think that which abided in our darkest of corners was best let into the light of day for all to see, and therefore exposed, confronted, and ultimately condemned. I hadn't considered the majority of our nation being just fine with it in the 21st century (just as one hundred years previous), rationalizing and even reveling in it. Southern racists always tried to downplay, disguise and reinterpret their overt racism to the public at large; deep down, even they knew it was the stuff of evil. But along came Trump and said it was not only OK, but something to embrace and declare pride in, loud and openly- and he did it on his very first day! And followed it with ample doses of misogyny, homophobia and a general worship of the very lowest common denominator, vehemently demeaning: education, the arts, empathy and understanding- all were the tell tale traits of those we have always been meant to ridicule, despise and... eradicate. 

Unless physically attacked by one of his riled up minions, I'll probably survive yet another four years of successively worse chaos. Our fragile ruse of democratic rule will take a much more serious hit this time around. Laws regulating our ecosystems will be eviscerated into nonexistence (Project 2025 advocates removal of environmental and clean water regulations) and climate change will be allowed to prosper unabated. More immediately, Ukraine and Gaza will suffer even more needless destruction, loss of homeland and loss of life...

President Trump will now be free to exonerate himself of his pending criminal trials- evidence and justice be damned! His inherently addled "very, very large brain" is now further encumbered by demonstrably obvious signs of increasingly debilitating dementia- his already strikingly limited vocabulary now overflowing with confusion, forgetfulness and misarticulated mounds of unfiltered filler. Funny how they could see it so plainly in their once adversary, but refuse to acknowledge the same with their own...

God Help Us All

I wish I could say it will all finally be over by this Wednesday AM, but of course, anyone with half a lick knows it won't. And anyone who says they know who is going to win (except maybe for this guy) is, well... 

Actually, if Trump wins, the future is fairly easy to predict, a slow steady dissipation of basic civil rights concerning: voting, freedom of the press, free speech, labor rights, health care, women's rights concerning their own bodies and birth control in general, environmental regulations, etc, etc, etc... This from a guy (with "a very, very large brain") who promised to repeal Obamacare, failed to come up with any alternative in his four years, and admits only vague "concepts" of a plan after an additional four to ponder; a guy who said "child care is child care," and whose environmental and climate change 'policy' consists of "I love clean water," denying that his Project 2025 guidebook champions repeal of clean water regulations. A guy who said that women should, in fact, "be punished" if they undergo an abortion, has threatened the press with jail time and believes the military should be unleashed on protestors (other than his own).

This time his administration will consist solely of sycophants and yes men that will compete to make his authoritarian whims come true- and he'll be backed by a compliant and sympathetic Supreme Court. His own court proceedings will magically vanish, and anyone left objecting or defiant will be subject to (extra)judicial overreach. In short, the swamp will become a quagmire for all who defy his edicts. 

Should Harris be victorious, the status quo remains and chugs along as always- the usual ineptitude, corruption and negligence that has always ruled and accompanied our republic. Well, that doesn't sound very good, Stan- it is, what it is.* And what that is, is a thousand times better than what would remain standing under Trump.

Thing is, before we even get to that level of normalized complacency- we still won't be done with Orange Man Borealis. He's going to declare victory regardless before resting the fading golden whisp to bed that Tuesday evening, again. And he's going to declare robbery, theft and all manner of skullduggery the following morning, again. And, yes, once again he will call upon his minions to do his bidding and overturn the election, by any means necessary... There will be protests, there will be riots, and most likely, there will be blood. How crazy it will get is more an unknown than anything that will occur this Tuesday. Hopefully, by next spring, the dust will have settled, and some semblance of normalcy will once again prevail, the name of Trump only mentioned with each succeeding conviction and sentencing.

*The century past, one could effectively argue that Democrats/Republicans were two sides of the same coin. In the 2000 election, I finally got to vote my heart (for the first and most likely last time)- I cast my vote for Ralph Nader. And I suppose it could be (could be) argued that without Nader in the mix, Al Gore would have been President- which means that the completely unnecessary and illegal war in Iraq would have never happened... thousands upon thousands of lives, and billions upon billions of dollars saved!

Operation Midnight Climax

No, you don't have to take my word for it...         Photo: © Stan Banos

This posh locale is situated atop a hill on a secluded dead end street with a scenic overlook of the bay. Sex and serenity with a view (unless, of course, you suddenly found yourself completely delusional for no apparent reason)!

Meet... 'Mr. Nice Guy'

Give credit where credit due- good ol' boy JD came on like Mr. Nice Guy Misunderstood during the debate- when he's every bit the liar (though certainly more finessed) than the larger mass of shit he willingly shovels for..

Anyone remember when (Black) Obama had to renounce his (Black) pastor- funny how White guys don't have to... Is that 'racist' for me to mention? Or is the racism inherent in the actual truth?

Tried, Done, Ready!

How does one overturn a democracy- by using the democratic means available. Like the German guy did with his country back in the day, and like a certain American governor did with his state around the same time. You pay off, intimidate, replace and bully everyone who has any say or power under and around your circle of influence one step at a time: legislators, courts and judges, police, civil servants, etc, etc, etc... 

Huey Long did it on a statewide basis, someone now has a plan to do it nationwide- and it starts with... controlling our votes!

Wha...!?

As if, "if you vote this Nov, we'll have it fixed so good you'll never have to vote again" isn't bad enough... What can one possibly make of, "you don't need to vote this Nov, we don't need your votes!"

Jesus H. Christ!

Seriously, are the Dems that desperate, or that sadistic- to us and him? How big a laughingstock are they willing to make the guy?!? He needs to be gone- by the end of this weekend... Give a nice farewell speech via the teleprompter on Sunday evening and fade into history with whatever dignity left- it's either that, or be forever remembered as US history's biggest political punchline of the century! This is one gaping hole that has already hit bottom- and can only get deeper...

Golden Gate Fiasco

Photo: © Stan Banos

If I had my way (a seldom occurring happenstance in this section of the universe) I would have this statue facing the backside of a lavatory nowhere adjacent to the Golden Gate bridge. This bronze statue is of Joseph B. Strauss, a man of small stature and even smaller integrity. He designed the first draft of a god awful, butt ugly version of the Golden Gate Bridge. No one wanted to build his deplorable looking monstrosity, and good thing too, because word was the wind would have soon collapsed it into the bay; so he hired a young engineer (something he apparently was not) named Charles Alton Ellis to design a version a tad less stressful to both eye and peace of mind. And it was the latter's creation that was overwhelmingly approved- and finally built! Strauss rewarded Ellis by firing him and taking all the credit. His wife provided the statue.

PS- If you haven't already- make sure to see the remarkable work of Jake Ricker who photographs said bridge and all that happens on it!

A Future Darkly

Photo: © Stan Banos

One can make the argument that Dems and Repubs are two sides of the same coin- I've often made it myself. But truth is, had Gore won, there would have been no Iraq War- that was a complete, pure and unmitigated W/Cheney concoction of lies, lies and more lies that cost hundreds of thousands of innocent lives (not to mention a few of our own)... a trillion dollar plus debacle that is curiously never mentioned when it comes to the financial collapse of the aughts. 

I voted my heart in exactly one presidential election- yeah, I voted Nader in 2000; ya see where this is going. CA went for Gore so I can be 'absolved,' but then there was... Florida, where Gore lost to W by 537 votes, a state that cast almost 100,000 votes for Nader. And this year a Kennedy is running, no one I can get excited about, but together with unenthusiastic Joe's refusal to do the right thing and officially put the brakes on Israel's best imitation of genocide- he's voluntarily giving away the very votes in Michigan that got him in!

All this in a time when we have an outright wannabe Fascist, psycho manchild on the verge of all out dementia gearing up to put an end to our already paper thin semblance of a democracy. And even if good ol' tottering Joe manages to pull one out of a hat, no one is even talking about what to do when The Don calls in his chips and unleashes his minions for his last hurrah...

Fascist-Socialist-Commie Pig!

"You have people in rural areas saying socialism is destroying their economies. But if you look at why the mom-and-pop shop closed and got replaced by a Dollar General? That's late stage capitalism. That ain't socialism. Right? If you look at why hospital and treatment facilities are closing, it's because rural hospitals don't turn a profit. That's capitalism, pure and simple. The same people who are complaining that socialism and communism are taking over America are watching their communities being decimated by late stage capitalism. And they're pointing fingers at cultural elites in faraway cities." 

'Cause it's just so much easier to blame what ya wanna (and who cares what all 'em big words mean anyway) ...

Only In America!

"We are an institute in a powerful death penalty."         Photo: © Stan Banos

Haven't written much on Herr Trump of late, sometimes I just get tired of repeatedly and voluntarily ramming my head into a Trumpian wall. For years he mixed his plethora of outright lies with a convenient dollop of half truths. Now he just makes it up whole cloth 24/7, no holds barred! And why not? His cult eagerly swallows and follows whatever falls out his donut shaped pie hole unto his accordion playing hands. 

Everyone knows Biden is hovering on senility, but Trump supporters are NEVER exposed to Trump's equally egregious and numerous verbal gaffes, not to mention his habitual slurring. And that said, one particularly tumultuous Biden gaffe in Sept/Oct, one more precipitous tumble down Air Force One's stairs, and kiss the Dems goodbye this Nov! Unlike the Trump maniacs, no one is exactly enthused to- Vote Biden! The Dems are once again setting themselves up, just like they did with the aging Ginsberg; there's still time to get someone out there in front of the public that's near half a century younger, but they never learn...

Meanwhile, while everyone complains about our soaring national debt no one seems to remember cheering its leading cause, just like no one seems to remember the on again off again deficit blame game Repubs pull every Presidential election cycle...

ADDENDUM: Then there's this... no Michigan, no Dem win!

Yeah, That About Covers It!

Very Senior Trump Official Said...

"He lacks any shred of human decency, humility or caring. He is morally bankrupt, breathtakingly dishonest, lethally incompetent, and stunningly ignorant of virtually anything related to governing, history, geography, human events or world affairs. He is a traitor and a malignancy in our nation and represents a clear and present danger to our democracy and the rule of law."

The Never Ending Whirlpool of Deceit

"Ever wonder what living under fascism is like?" The aforementioned graffiti (pre 2020), was followed by: "you're living it." Bill Maher (who I definitely don't walk in lockstep with) has predicted a Trump victory in 2024- and we all laughed (dismissively) when he said that Trump wouldn't leave the White House voluntarily in 2020, under any circumstances... 

Well, insane as it may be (and there is no "may" about it)- despite the 91 indictments, despite the call(s) to insurrection and blatant criminality of those around him, Trump may actually once again be POTUS- after already proclaiming this his "Retribution" tour whereupon he and his cronies will proceed to dismantle the Constitution as they see fit once reseated in the throne of his making ...  

And, of course, this disruptor of all things sane and just does not operate in a vacuum. He has his loyal acolytes, eg- The Crazy Twins, each one more crazed, ignorant and belligerent than the other (although granted, their sheer, blatant stupidity is at times a perverse beauty unto itself)! And the fact that they go outta their way to openly display their disdain of each other, almost upends their maniacal hatred of all things Democrat. Of course, they are far from the only fervent cult Trump acolytes in Congress or government- while others respectfully (ie- fearfully) bend the knee to Orange Jesus in abject terror for themselves and family. 

But the never ending whirlpool of lies, insanity and personal attacks serve their purpose:

Marcotte writes, adding that the point of these conspiracy theories, "Is not to believe them, but to sucker liberals into go-nowhere arguments with disingenuous actors."

"The end game is to overwhelm their opposition with so many lies and bizarre digressions that people eventually just get exhausted and give up."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo: © Stan Banos

I've always liked Thanksgiving- for what it's supposed to be... an appreciation and celebration of life, as the cooling temps and turning colors announce the annual cessation of nature's bounty to await rebirth the following year. For some however, it is quite rightfully... a National Day of Mourning for the life and land stolen beneath their very feet.

He's So Screwed!

So very, very screwed. Orange man is toast. 
Seventy plus years of doing whatever the fuck he wants, whenever the fuck he wants, to whoever he fucking wants, finally... fucking... ends!

Make no doubt there will be repercussions- serious, violent repercussions from his most fervent cult followers all to placate his puerile, vindictive pathology. What else can one expect when a seventy year old child who has never been punished, never told "No" is given the magic wand, only to be told he must someday give it back...

And Nobody Seems To Notice, Nobody Seems To Care....

I've no doubt posted this years ago, but worth reposting every damn year just as a reminder. It's a lesson in... Civics; a self contained class that should be played in every middle school classroom (especially in Florida). Funny as hell, and sadder still- cause the joke's on us, and we just don't seem to listen, or learn, or even care...

Laughs throughout, truth to power starts at 7:25.

They Finally Nailed The S-O-B!

Photo: © Stan Banos

Seven years after the fact, seven years plus after a career grifter, con man and career criminal was allowed to become POTUS- we finally, finally have a federal indictment. A serial liar who became POTUS in part by decrying "Crooked Hillary" of abusing her handling of classified documents, and swearing he would make their security a priority of his administration- remember that? Yeah, I know- it's hard to keep track... The guy who lied about: how many floors are in Trump Tower, having bone spurs, where his own father was born, never having to ask for money* while running for POTUS, making Mexico pay for a wall... Yeah, the same guy who said he met The President of the US Virgin Islands- that guy!

I know, I know- we're not quite there yet; it's not a conviction (yet). But I got faith in my man Jack, the best Smith that ever was or will be. Jack No Joke, Jack Dead Serious. It's still gonna take time, and Trump's gonna shift his weight, divert our attention and scream bloody murder throughout. But it don't matter; it-just-don't-matter. Jack's got his man, and Jack won't let go...

*because he's a billionaire- Not!

$787,500,000.00

Of course, they could've avoided paying 1 penny- had they ANY proof Dominion lied.      Photo: © Stan Banos

The price of Fox’s “continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards,”
ie- they'll continue to lie their asses off (for fear of their viewers)...

A Few Clarifications...

Yup!   Photo © Stan Banos

A coupla things that really help clarify some of the houpla of the last few days. First, remember that Bragg threw out the first case they had against Trump as too risky. DA's do not like to lose! So, "underwhelmed" as some of us may be with this current case, for Bragg to now go all in and prosecute Take Two means- this is the hill he's willing to die on (check 5 min mark), and it ain't got shit to do with Melania. 

And even if (even if) that appetizer of a case should ever so nobly fail- this one is most assuredly NOT!!! And then there's: Jan. 6 in DC, voter fraud in Georgia, business dealings in NYC w/Letitia, and a certain rape/defamation suit. Trump may be getting a bump now, he may be raking in the funds from fools throughout our land...  but this Whopper of a criminal Titanic is finally and long last going down! Just hope the long overdue arteries don't permanently clog and spare him of his fate.