The Bay Bridge Flock

 

Snapshot of the foraging herd!     Photo: © Stan Banos

I live on the outskirts of downtown San Francisco now, and one of my usual cruise patterns has me going from South Park,* past the entrance to the Bay Bridge and on to the Embarcadero, where I usually purchase a loaf of any of a variety of delicious ACME breads at the Ferry Building. It's but one of my well established routines that also contains Pier 24. Now on this particular weekend afternoon, I almost swallowed my stogie whole as I casually glanced to my left and saw the side of the on ramp swarming with... GOATS! What the?!?  

But there they were, buzzing about the incline doing their thing, musta been around a hundred of the critters- I kid you not! I just stood there, gobsmacked, mouth agape... Eventually, I gathered myself and proceeded with my daily constitutional (if only every promenade was so delightfully interrupted) and noticed an animal transport truck and police car at the entrance to the fenced off area. The scene was calm, the police not even visible, so I surmised the herd had been brought in to ingest the debris strewn hay and grasses that accumulates around said on ramp to reduce the possibility of it igniting during our ever expanding fire season- certainly can't mow something that steep and irregular, and a prescribed burn... don't think so.

*Yes, a real place, not a cartoon! It's a lovely little 'park' nestled amidst the surrounding industrial gridlock that had a real forgotten by time, Victorian feel to it- unfortunately, it was modernized of late and a cement sidewalk was routed through the middle of it! Still nice, but...

God Bless Him- God Bless Us All!

I don't see what the problem is here- I mean... I live in CA and I'm still gonna vote for him!!!

 Still doesn't beat the 1/06 insurrectionist who thought he was at... The White House!

The Hoax Exposed!

I have two near and dear friends who are vehement, rabid anti-maskers/vaxxers. And let's be clear- they're not Trump supporters. One is a vegetarian, one a vegan- so you see where this is headed... both believe that a strong immune system is the key. And frankly, I wanna believe that- I really do! There's just one little itty, bitty problem...

There are a group of people who for centuries lived 100% organic lives, healthy, active lives since their very existence, not as a voluntary lifestyle, but outta necessity, simple survival... Native Americans, American Indians, First Peoples. All as healthy as could be, until the White man came along with a host of viruses their robust immune systems simply had no defenses for- and they died by the tens of thousands.

Now, for the sake of argument, let's say that these modern day, immunity proponents have figured out some vitamin, mineral, food supplement/diet that can suppress, ward off, even kill the Covid 19 virus.  How long will fickle willed Americans adhere to this magical formula- months... years? And how about the rest of the world- how are vast impoverished parts of South America, Asia, Africa, etc going to obtain and sustain the life giving, magic ingredients? If only we had a simple, quick and easy, one-two solution that would let us get on with our lives...

But... don't you see the political aspects, the government control that our one world overlords are forcing upon us? Funny how these same people don't have any qualms whatsoever about volunteering the most intimate aspects of their lives to their Smart devices and online social media that have already collected their entire life histories for government inspection. Do you really think they actually need to go through all the trouble of creating such an elaborate hoax- that will ultimately rely on voluntary public compliance to succeed when they can't even get most people to vote? These days though, logic is not logical and brand trumps science!

But you don't have to take my word on this- let this expert explain in no uncertain terms:

Oops- I Did It Again!

Photo: © Stan Banos

 

When Photoville announced they were having a National Parks Competition, I thought nothing of it. But then, when I discovered and realized that The Presidio at San Francisco was part of The National Park Service, and that the exhibition would be displayed at... The Presidio, itself- well, then I got mucho excited, because I had documented something truly unique to our National Parks, and 100% native to The Presidio, SF. What better opportunity to exhibit the Pet Cemetery photos- fourteen of which were taken right in their backyard?!? So, I allowed myself... to hope, yet again. Surprisingly, they allowed replies, so FWIW:

"Frankly, I find it astounding (actually, I could think of a few better terms) that you rejected photos of such character and caliber taken right here... at The Presidio... in San Francisco. Not only do they celebrate something that can be found at no other National Park, ANYWHERE- but what better way to celebrate and honor that uniqueness, than at the place of their origin... particularly since that site will NEVER be restored to its original state--- as we were promised and reassured around a decade ago!

 

I'm sure you'll have more than your fair share of photos depicting sunsets, scenics and happy faces; shame you couldn't recognize and acknowledge something of such truly unique: geographic, historic and humane character."

 

If not sincerely,

Stan Banos

Busted- Dems Caught in Flagrant Voter Fraud!

Well, well, well... How are Dems gonna talk and weasel their way outta this one.. Hhmmm?

Jeez- Was I Wrong!

Photo: © Stan Banos

I thought, quite mistakenly, that with Trump outta the White House, America would gradually (gradually) return to some semblance of normalcy- I hesitate in using the word "sanity." But like the virus born during his regime, his insanity festers and lingers on in some communities and intensifies beyond all semblance of credulity in others.

At first there was some reason for hope, Republicans seemed to sense the public's conception of their complicity in the blatant, all out attack on our nation's Capitol building, and the police and legislators within. They oh so, very temporarily seemed to realize the inherent hypocrisy of their law and order platform as their most ardent supporters attacked, pummeled and hospitalized police as they interrupted and sought to overturn our republic's democratic process. They uhhh... also sought to kill the Speaker of the House and Vice President, after 45's rousing go get 'em speech.

That hope dissipated as Trump's undeterred loyalists hang on to every ludicrous, fallacious audacity imaginable... from a lawyer, whose very own lawyer said you'd have to be outta ya ever lovin' mind to believe anything that comes outta her mouth, to Trump's own personal lawyer (one of legions he's since distanced himself from) Rootin' Tootin' Rudy, who when asked by a federal judge if he had any of the mountain chains of "evidence" that  he declared proved the election a fraud, demurely replied, “This is not a fraud case.” Of course, at that point sanity would have demanded... then what the fuck is this shit about!?!

But it hasn't stopped there- one level of insanity begets another in Trumpland! Not satisfied with eviscerating voting rights laws, they are now actually trying to overturn repeatedly proven legal voter audits with their own extrajudicial fraudits. And with all their sensationalist claims of Democratic voter fraud- the only only proven case has been... a Republican Trump supporter! 

But these anti-democratic, pro-Fascist practices don't stop with voter suppression and manipulation. Two bit, White Nationalist, Brown Shirt Replicants are now marching throughout America in Trump's name as Q-ANON reminds us that Democrats drink babies' blood. And his cultists continue to attack Biden as senile- while conveniently ignoring their leader's own blatant dementia! Our former "Law and Auto" POTUS (see below, 5:50) could not remember "the brave man from Ohio who went to a plant..." Went to a... wha (4:12)?!? And then, relying on his trusty Con Man instincts went on to work the crowd to try and solicit the name he could not for his life remember (Neil Armstrong) like a magician asking for a volunteer from the audience! This is the man who more than once, suggested neutralizing hurricanes with a nuclear device and ingesting bleach as a Covid cure- accidental poisonings rose 121% the very next day...

 

This is the Fascist, racist, con man criminal that 40% of America would love to illegally reinstate as Supreme Leader of The Former United States... And if it doesn't happen by 8/13- there will be (more) blood... Want the game plan?

Beyond Caring- Paul Graham

One of Paul Graham's seminal works, Beyond Caring, has been republished- I caught a glimpse of it the other day at the Leica Gallery in San Francisco and the reproductions looked luscious. I wanted to spend more time with it, but I was approached and advised that they were closing. At first I thought I was just being harassed again... recently I was deemed suspicious (I still got it!) and diligently followed by the security guard at a Container Store- apparently I was gonna jet with a coupla 30x40x20in plastic containers beneath my armpits! But they're (surprisingly?) very polite and courteous at Leica- guess I'm forever scarred from frequenting NYC photo galleries.

Copies of Beyond Caring could be found in every bargain book bin like discarded, overflowing sardines in just about every NYC book store in the eighties and nineties. You could pick one up for about $15 bucks- now they're going for well over... $500, and the reproductions suck next to the new $70 version. Beyond Caring and Troubled Land were Graham's formidable one/two knockout combination that shook the art and documentary worlds to their foundations by the innovative and previously verboten use of... color! It's also nothing short of a minor miracle that his photos are even in focus (not to mention creatively composed- no flippy screen then) since he had to shoot many of his pictures: from the hip, in relatively poor light, and with a medium format camera! And they still retain their raw power, beauty and urgency!

After Troubled Land, Graham feared repeating himself (understandable) and went on to produce more experimental work (to say the least), including a book that consisted solely and completely of close ups of film grain. I-kid-you-not... wouldn't have believed it myself unless I'd seen it with my own two eyes- and someone actually paid to print and publish it!

Good Ol' Chuck!

Charles Bukowski led a colorful, sometimes bleak and pretty anonymous life until fame blessed his latter years. These are but a handful of his pearls of wisdom:

An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way.*

Writers are desperate people and when they stop being desperate, they stop being writers.

In my work, as a writer, I only photograph, in words, what I see.

We're all going to die, all of us; what a circus! That alone should make us love each other, but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities. We are eaten up by nothing.

Find what you love and let it kill you.

Beware of those that seek constant crowds; they are nothing alone.

You begin saving the world by saving one man at a time: all else is grandiose romanticism or politics.

People are not good to each other. Perhaps if they were, our deaths would not be so sad.

* Reminds me of the conversation which led John Lennon to his succinct conclusion:
  God is a concept by which we measure our pain.

Oliver Chanarin @ SFMOMA

SFO is probably the coolest international airport in the world. I say that because I've seen some of the coolest exhibits there- ones on: typewriters, ouija boards, you name it- as opposed to... SFMOMA.

 

Pretty cool!                 Photo: ©  Stan Banos

Remember when you'd take a few bites of your mom's least liked dinner, then spread it around to make like you ate a good deal and just can't take eat anymore? Yeah, that's SFMOMA since it reopened after their expansion a coupla years back- they simply don't have the goods to fill the space. And at $25 a pop! I mean c'mon- I've seen much better, more interesting, more challenging shit at PS1 in NY on a much more regular basis...

Anyway, went there on a free day- at least those are back after a hiatus of several years (having erroneously declared their free days were funded... "in perpetuity"), and was looking forward to seeing Dawoud Bey's portraits. Long story short, took the elevator to the seventh floor and was making my way down in record time until I got to the second (third?) floor and noticed that Bey was no longer there! Fortunately, there was one exhibit worth notice- Oliver Chanarin's portraits. Well... the portraits (of his wife) themselves are pretty damn pedestrian, to say the least. It was their actual installation that was pretty damn clever, gimmick that it was.

 

N'est pas?     Photo: ©  Stan Banos

Each of the four walls in his exhibit had a sliding techno arm with a suction cup that ran the entire length of each wall and removed, returned and then replaced framed photos from a pile of three stacks in each corner of the room. Now, technically it was, indeed, a small marvel to behold! Initially, I didn't think it possible, but the truth was, it functioned quite flawlessly (least while I was there)- even if only one arm out of four was operating. I could imagine a rather predictable disaster had this been attempted in the '70s with the tech then available.

It made me reflect on the editing process all photographers engage in (to one degree of success or another), the more mechanical editing process some photo editors employ, not to mention the increased impermanence of the photographic image itself in these digital, tech driven, Instagram days. Like I said, a lot more interesting than the images themselves... The exhibit also states that the pictures are supposed to be gradually arranged according to the preferences of the live viewing audience. Now, I have no idea whatsoever how that's supposed to be done- not so much because I didn't detect any overt technology recording that information (and the arm just took the photos on top), but because everyone was at a distance watching/enjoying the magic arm do its thing of retrieve and deploy- forget the photos. Perhaps, Mr. Chanarin just added that suggestion for good measure, just like Amazon* states that its high tech innovations also help create a very happy work force.

*the enclosed link states the tech was somehow modeled upon Amazon's.

The Red, White And... Uhhh?

 

Hell- he's had... Three!!!               Photo: ©  Stan Banos

Republicans love the military- unless the military actually thinks before it shoots.

Republicans hate protestors and love the police- unless...

 they're the ones protesting and beating on cops.

Republicans love law and order, unless they're the ones breaking it.

Republicans love our country- but they rather be a Russian than a Democrat. 

Yes, the hypocrisy astounds...

The Law That Can't Be Legal...

How is this law legal? How can this law be legal? How could this law be considered, allowed or upheld in any "free," democratically based government? 

 HOW!?!

It's Back!

Pier 24, the bastion of premier photography in San Francisco, will return (as of 7/01). They haven't just returned from Covid... they had a nasty, drawn out mano a mano with the city of San Francisco itself on whether they were even going to be permitted to return... period. Seems SF was asking for significantly more rent, said it was part of their initial agreement- yada, yada, yada... Now I don't exactly have a deep history of siding with rich fucks like Pier 24 operator Andy Pilara, but the guy did pour in his own millions to repair, renovate and maintain the place at a cost of nada to the public (appointment only admission is free). For months, I kept looking fruitlessly for updates... but it looks like everyone has finally made nice and "the world's largest space dedicated to photography" is set to reopen!  

Actually, I've usually seen most of the work they exhibit there at other venues on multiple occasions- it's a kinda "Greatest Hits" album in perpetuity. But the venue is so grand, the atmosphere so contemplative- it's the long, long, long... awaited return of a recurring reunion with the best of the best that first awed you into appreciation, then inspired you to create your own...

And after what we've all been through, couldn't come at a better time- appointment set, anticipation rising.

Non-Instagrammed

 

Photo: ©  Stan Banos

I would sometimes rationalize that my work wasn't better known since I'm not on Instagram- let alone FB, Twitter, etc, etc... It was one thing (the only thing?) holding me back! At first, I couldn't join, even if I really wanted, since I didn't have a smart phone. Now that work supplied one, that was no longer a valid excuse. So I went to The Font of All Knowledge (aka- YouTube) to uhh... bone up on the ins and outs of said platform.

And the first thing, the very first thing mentioned on the road to potential Instagram immortality was to make sure that your photos weren't in landscape format since it was primarily a vertical, portrait platform. Translation: I'd simply be wasting my time posting 98% of my work. 

All of which got me severely depressed, right? Well, considering how lukewarm at best I was about the whole damn thing, I was quite relieved- giddy, actually, from all the unnecessary, extraneous work I was now eternally freed from! Particularly, when I saw that if you wanted to have any real chance of being noticed, you also had to post: personal and how-to videos, "story lines" and a whole shit load of other yada-yada extraneous bull shit... No-thank-you! 

I can now fully dispense this malformed fantasy with no regret... whatsoever.

Fuck Apple!

Photo: ©  Stan Banos  

Why shouldn’t I trust  Apple’s  new security  assurances? Or Google’s or FB’s? Maybe... their history? Recently, anti-mask/vaxxers have been in a tizzy about vaccine tracking aps- they're gonna get access to our personal info and medical histories! Lawdy-Lawdy... You seriously think they don't already have access to whatever personal info they want of our tawdry little lives?!? Puh-lease!!!  

We gave up any semblance of privacy a long, long time ago with our ever present smart devices and social media...

What I've Long Been Waiting and Wanting To Hear...

They're not going through all this to pull a one trick dog and pony Mueller Show...

1)  They got the goods. 

2)  They're tying up the loose ends.

3)  They're going in full tilt for the kill...

"Vexatious"

The Pentrych Incident- no, never never heard of this one!
But is it bigger than the one discussed here...

 Fun Fact: The wings of an airplane tear off at 15g's- the Tic Tacs were estimated at up to... 5,700!

Michael J!

 

Hee-Hee!!!           Photo: © Stan Banos

Michael J... w/White, unidentified, underage male fan (sorry, sometimes I just can't help myself).

You CAN Make It Up!

 

Whether its Sandy Hook "child actors," or Hillary's Pizzagate child sex ring!     Photo: © Stan Banos

Alex Jones was kinda amusing at first, and many did and some no doubt still believe him; but like 'professional' wrestling and Donald The J Trump: the act starts to wear thin, the amusement starts to fade and the cracks finally start to manifest as the perpetrator starts to believe his own delusional, paranoid fantasies. Actually... pro wrestling never sinks to the latter.

Outside The Box

 Innovative, eccentric and beautifully comical- what else could one ask for!?

Good Questions...

 Once you get past this guy's hair- he asks some damn good questions!

So...

Trump says he will be reinstated POTUS this... August!!! And you don't have to take his word for it- his former lawyer, The Honorable Sidney Powell, the very woman who actually said that NO ONE in their right mind should actually believe a single word she's ever uttered said it... so take-it-to-the-bank!!!

Meanwhile, Gen. Flynn says we should have a coup right here in the US of A to make sure that happens (yeah, he did say just that- despite his latter denials). And freedom loving Americans... CHEERED!!! Ironically, I grew up in an America where if someone declared that Americans should do it like in some other country, they were quickly reminded- "Then why don't you go back where you came from!?!"

And MTG reminds us (as only a thoughtful, insightful person can) that people who are against racism and inequality... aren't born that way! They're taught to fight prejudice, bigotry and injustice!