More Than Just a Coupla Days...

 

Photo: © Stan Banos

I can't help but think that I've been exposed to Covid-19 on numerous occasions this past year in this city so replete with homelessness on the streets. And I've always made sure to take my daily constitutional- regardless. Been taking my vitamins, particularly the recommended D and had yet to experience any symptoms, nevertheless, I recently completed my second shot of Moderna (yeah, sounds like an art/architectural movement) last Tuesday. I had contemplated letting some time pass to see how things went as far as general public response to the vaccine(s), but when the opportunity presented itself through my job, I decided... what the hell. 

The evening of both shots I experienced what felt like a baseball bat to the shoulder; it was sore enough to awaken me every time I turned in bed. That dissipated by the next day, but by the following evening (of the 2nd shot) I experienced: headache, sore joints and fever serious enough to send me to bed. I slowly recovered the following day, though far from 100% (took a Sick Day), and went about my business until Sunday evening (a full five days later) when I once again experienced said symptoms- not quite as bad, but again, serious enough to be waylaid temporarily, yet again. That queasy feeling in the joints (the kind that warns ya you're just about to come down with the flu) continued to persist along with a morning headache for a good eight days before finally ridding myself of it all- hope your mileage varies...

A True Hero

And ya just don't get many like these- willing to risk the prestigious job, rep and ALL the perks, just for
the possibility of... saving lives!

Funny Ha-Ha, Or...

Balancing the minor success of this year thus far, these two entries were rejected from a competition requesting- "photographs containing a sense of humor." I responded that they most definitely need one...

Photo: © Stan Banos

Photo: © Stan Banos

WHO R U People!?!?!?!

For the past week, my stats have- Sky rocketed!!! I didn't get these kinda stats back in the day when Blogs were actually... in!?!? It's not uncommon to get irregular one day spikes, but this is weird! I don't know if they're actual people, bots, or whatever. Individual posts are also being clicked on.... but followers and comments have not increased, so I'm still inclined to think that this it's some kind of computer generated scam/anomaly- not an actual rise in readership that will propel me to photographic/journalistic heights in the FB shattered remains of blogdom.

Of course, if I'm wrong... Who the hell are all of You?!?!?!?

And Don't Forget To "Lightly Threaten Them!"

This is the state of today's Repub Party (or is it 'Republic' Party- as in... "Democrat" Party), just in case Marjorie Taylor Greene didn't cross off all your crazy boxes. Successful Repub candidates just need to out lie, out cheat and out threaten whoever runs against them- regardless of affiliation! 

One can only imagine how much more of a predatory douchebag Mr. Madison Cawthorn would have been if his All American, athletic good looks had remained unscathed. But give credit where credit is due- he's milked it just fine both for sympathy and advantage...

Photography: A Sense Of Place

Well, this makes the second  exhibition (18th photo down- click to embiggen) I've been selected for this year- ain't complaining! On the contrary, a most welcomed change of pace...

Joe Biden Is CGI

Why do ya think he always wears a mask?!? Because they don't want you to notice his out of synch mouth movements! That's right, baby... Q has done the work for ya! Didn't even think of that... did ya???

And this rousing musical interlude will get you into the proper patriotic fervor for March 4, when The Storm Cometh and Herr Trump once again regains his rightful throne!!!

I Don't Have Cable

And I don't miss it all that much, since more channels usually mean more bad programs instead of... more good ones! But if I did- this is one I'd definitely watch:

Food For Thought

 Because Bullshit like this never stops,
and Americans are always dumb and eager enough to buy in...
"...the poverty that causes so much misery is also causing the growth that makes everybody get out of poverty."

 

If Ya Ask Me...

Photo: © Stan Banos

Something that comes to mind just about every day, but can't help think it kinda sounds like what a depressed Buddhist might say. Anyway, least I got an Honorable Mention...

An Awakening

I'm not always the greatest at reading people, sometimes I can be fairly accurate, fairly quick- other times, blind as a fuckin' bat. In other words... like most people. Naturally, it behooves those who grow up or live in high risk areas to have an acute sense of who they're dealing or interacting with. Likewise, portrait oriented photographers best know the rudimentary aspects of dealing with people if they want successful images. And workers must learn to deal with fellow workers and supervisors to remain viable in the workplace.

There's a certain supervisor I'll refer to in the form of the gender, non specific they. I've both liked and despised this person, and was never quite able to figure out the exact mechanism that triggered the occasional, but strong, unambiguous dislike. We would often do this little dance whenever they 'corrected' me- and I would have to make sure to restrain my emotion, my volume, my overall composure. If I raised my voice, coarsened my language, I would automatically lose- so I played their game and responded in kind, knowing that while I would never concede defeat, I would never win at their slow burn game of deception.

As my supervisor, clearly they had the upper hand, but there was more... they were always super polite, hospitable even (if always at the distance) and super soft spoken, even when delighting in being the most despicable passive/aggressive dickwad imaginable. And that's what really threw me, what I could never quite put my finger on! Usually there's some kind of tell, however small, a noticeable something- a change of tone, inflection or facial expression, a hint of sarcasm. But not here- even keel and smooth sailing throughout, the transition flawless... Suave! One cool as shit, low key, mind fuck- kinda like Mr. Rogers telling ya to go fuck yourself as he smiles and waves goodbye from the TV screen.

Of course, as a worker, I'm hardly in a position to win any of our differences. But having discovered the technique, masterful as it once was, the spell was broken, the mystery no more. From master of deceit, to one transparent as glass motherfucker- and frankly I'm ashamed it took me as long as it did. In CA they like to smile while they twist the knife in your back, and they were better than most. In NY, they may be all in your face- but they're honest about it. Take that any day of the goddamn week.

To Be Continued...

This is one of the most comprehensive (3hrs), entertaining and informative discussions on so many of the inter related sub topics that make up this vastly, all consuming subject of the ages. No matter your position, no matter your beliefs, it's worthy of a listen as it covers the: hype, history, misinformation and evidence...

$3 Million Plus!

Ol' Ted would have probably raised more than AOC had he just been allowed to follow through with his plan to raise funds in Cancun, and honestly... wouldn't any Repub raise that much for a Blue state in need?

Eat Shit, Bob Murray!

Speaking of extreme, low life, fuck wads, it took me well over a year to find this, but it was well worth the wait. Why? Because I have full well known what a massive, all out, shit stain Bob Murray is on the brief history of humanity, and what an out right comedic genius John Oliver can at times be. The former is so obnoxiously vile, words simply do not suffice- although the fact that he and someone with the initials DJT are fast friends gives one more than sufficient cause to suspect the worst said humanity can offer.

As informative and entertaining as the entire video is, it's but one long wind up to a completely over the top, grand finale, spectacular; but the 15:00 minute mark begins to detail just how disgusting this subhuman subterranean really is...

Rush Limbaugh- Rest In Shit

El Fucko was the first, modern day, Fascist, media blowhard who took the greatest of pride in spreading lies, vitriol and misinformation all at the expense of those who could least afford it. He single handedly set the mold pre-internet for the slew of hate filled racists and misogynists who followed in like manner, each one competing to elevate the hate filled insanity factor ever higher.  Hope they take his millions and his Presidential Medal of Freedom and stick 'em far up his dead ass for his legion of ditto-heads to compete for the joy of extraction. I don't personally believe in hell, but I hope accommodations can be made for those who so earnestly earned it!

Childish rant? Probably. But at least It didn't harm anyone, in any way, at any time...

Nature's Mystery

 

 © Stan Banos- Nature/Paranormal Photographer

Perhaps this is indirectly a result of the rainy holiday's binge watching of this former Navy Seal's plethora of youtube videos on: strange appearances, disappearances and other strange occurrences and unexplained phenomena. Economical entertainment at its most... convenient.

Now, I've seen plenty of mice and rats of all sizes, dead and alive, in NY, SF, maybe even one or two in Europe; in subways, grocery stores, restaurants, alley ways, whatever... Seen my fair share of road kill too (even have a rather good photobook on just that)! But I ain't ever seen a rat that seemed to dive off a sidewalk curb in a perfectly vertical, head first descent into a most decidedly dead end hole that left said critter's butt kissing skyward- little pink feet all up and tail askew as if the perfectly sized divot to plug a not so perfectly leaking dike. Or... as if it descended from such great height, at such great speed- that it actually cratered the street itself!

Granted, as highly unlikely as either scenario most indubitably is- I just can't imagine that it poked its way in of its own volition, and couldn't back track his rat's ass out... Poor guy, not a good way to go.

Sittin' Pretty!

Photo: © Stan Banos

Even Honest Abe's catching his fair share of shit these days. But then, not even he was exactly pure of heart, or deed. But rest assured he's fine, clean and well rested this Presidents' Day 2021, as this was taken in December...

Strange Bedfellows

Photo: © Stan Banos

These days, you have rabid Trump anti-maskers, in league with anti-vaxxers, in cahoots with fervent Vegans. Believe me, I just happen to know one or two- and it kinda boggles the mind to even contemplate how the hell we got here... but then, these past four years of crazed insanity actually found me cheering on traditional, Conservative Republican, talking heads (who decry Trump)!

Now, I'm not at all that up on vaccines myself- not with Big Pharma's dubious, profit based history, particularly in dealing with people of color and the rather dubious practice of combining multiple vaccines into one shot for very young children. Despite the aforementioned, it's also quite true that vaccines have done considerably more good than harm in their recent history (eg- polio, smallpox, etc). Nothing in this life is risk free. So, despite my plan to wait and see how Covid related vaccines pan out as far as unforeseen side effects and consequences- when presented with the job related opportunity to get one of said vaccines... I signed up. In large part because I was just so damn sick of people perverting science, fact and reality into whatever personally biased concoction they chose to believe!

Now, I too believe in my fair share of "conspiracy theories:" MK-Ultra, certain portions of the Kennedy/MLK assassinations, UFO's... all of which harbor a plethora of factual, reality based evidence. For instance, when people (even scientists, sadly) start using nonsense to uphold their most treasured beliefs- something's very definitely wrong. That was "swamp gas" that caused that UFO sighting! Forget the: radar blips, multiple eye witnesses, residual radiation and/or radiation induced sickness, ground imprints and burned soil and vegetation.

Sadly, some people have very little science based knowledge- yes, I believe 5G radiation may, in fact, be harmful... I do not, cannot believe that it causes Covid- yes, some people actually believe that! So it comes as little surprise that the same people who one week espouse Covid as a hoax, are claiming the following week that it was created in a lab (something I'm more than willing to entertain), and are blissfully willing to combine, conflate and interchange the two contradictory scenarios without any seeming contradiction- all the while claiming that masking is an ineffective practice propagated solely to inhibit and deny one's personal rights and freedoms! As if there aren't enough things already incorporated into society meant to do just that... again, if none come to mind- ask any person of color (funny how that works).

And if that wasn't depressing enough- you then have those who have money, privilege and/or... don't-give-a-royal-fuck who they trample on!

Cowardly, Hypocritical Bastards

Take Two...             Photo: © Stan Banos

Or as they're known in American politics... Republicans! I would have also said, in fact, have said the same about Democrats, but let's give credit where credit is due- Republicans in recent decades past have rabidly jumped through flaming hoops to single handedly  achieve and attain that title, bar none. I mean... there's just so many (eg- Paul, Graham, McConnell, McCarthy, Cruz, Rubio, Nunes...) to choose from- each constantly trying to outdo and outperform the other in terms of bombacious lies, duplicity and outright blind denial. Really, just when you think the height of hypocrisy has been reached, they giddily breach the bounds of reality, fact and credibility yet again into that once imaginary realm where facts, truth and common sense are the true figments of one's imagination... "Truth isn't truth," by Rudy Giuliani!

Despite the history and OVERWHELMING evidence presented that Trump incited his already violent, mindless hardcore devotees to violence at The Capitol building on 1/06/21, which those in question still choose to ignore, look away from and deny (after first cowering in fear for their very lives), someone the likes of Rand Paul declares that, "President Trump deserves the same standard as the other side."

If only, Rand- if only... But you ain't gonna let that happen!

If You're Going To...

 

Photo: © Stan Banos

Some of this is pretty simple to fix. You can't have Big Tech come riding into San Francisco on their tax cut, city handouts throwing money at landlords who in turn throw out long term residents for no good reason. But what about all the money that they bring? You mean the money that goes into constructing more luxury apartments, high end restaurants and boutiques... for them? You mean the money they use to disrupt and overturn a somewhat balanced (racially- another story), thriving city into an inequitable abomination of wealth and privilege vs. those without? An untenable situation they create, exacerbate and then abandon in the disgust of their own making. Yeah, putting an end to that could be, should be fairly easy- establishing and maintaining laws that limit outright, unfettered greed!

But some of this is also very, very complex. You can't just throw people in jail because they're mentally ill or drug addicted- neither should you just cut them loose unto our streets! Again, each side needs to sustain some measure of responsibility. And when laws and policies that mean well, don't work out as intended, they need to be challenged and changed- ASAP!

Even now as thousands are leaving the city, construction continues unhampered- and it's not affordable housing! Homelessness in this city has always existed, has always been visible- but it was also considerably more limited. It was not rampant throughout vast swaths of the downtown area- you did not have to walk in the street to avoid sidewalk tent encampments, hordes of dealers and dope fiends or human feces. This is a social pandemic now amidst a biological one- one for which there is no vaccine on the horizon. The patchwork quilt of band aids and half measures thus far employed in San Francisco to battle homelessness have obviously not worked, just as the same lack of nationwide non-policies failed to confront Covid. The homeless need shelter, the unemployed- jobs, the mentally ill (and we're talking s-e-r-i-o-u-s-l-y mentally ill) and drug addicted- programs... and cannot be allowed to roam the streets living in their own filth and squalor, subsisting on petty crime.

That's what it takes to live in a successful, thriving and equitable community. And those in power are neither thinking as clearly as they should, nor acting in any way close to assuming responsibility. Sometimes, I think the best thing that could happen to this town is a nice... good... shake!

 

Photo: © Stan Banos

What's In A Title?

Some of you younger kids out there (yeah, I know, I'm kidding myself) may be wondering what the "Skittles Raised Beef" is all about in the sub-title... So there ya go!