Land Of The Lost

Photo: © S. Banos

When I took this photograph I was very much thinking of just how appropriate the label was for the area depicted- an area in San Francisco particularly rife with homeless people that have obvious drug and mental issues; an area that seems to have grown in size and density along with and despite of the myriad of monies associated with the influx of neighboring tech companies large and small.

But it wasn't until the arrival of our brand new head of state that I started to view that title on a "grander," national level...

Consequences..

Photo: © S. Banos

Sure, by now we all know not to believe anything that falls from Herr Donald's mouth in his never ending game of "now I say it, now I don't." Some even willingly accept this as the new "normal," least for him- some kind of fun, novelty past time... What did he really say? What does he really mean? When did he deny it? How many times did he deny what he repeatedly said? And then you can play the advanced version where you apply the same skill set to the interpretations of each and every one of his bickering sycophants.

But... truth is, these "keep ya on your toes with suspense" reiterations (so one has to constantly look at and listen to... HIM 24/7), this "you don't deserve a straight answer" doctrine can ultimately incur some very serious consequences...

Bizarro World USA!!!

Well, it's official. We are now in anything goes, make it up as you go, up is down and down is up Bizarro World. And if the US press doesn't get together, unite, put their collective foot down and outright demand a cessation to these "Alternate Facts" scenarios we are now only starting to see the beginning of... well, prepare yourself for 4 long years of "news" that we will have to individually inspect, analyze and corroborate like CO's anally inspecting incoming inmates. The FOX has gone from hen house to White House...

via NY TIMES

Hail To The Chief & May God Bless America!

The Gold Standard Get Out Of Jail Pass

From now on- no matter what I did, or how long I did it for...

"It-was-a-clerical-error."

Alex Webb @ Robert Koch

 

Photo: Alex Webb

A well known name for sure, Alex Webb certainly has his fans. I often end up feeling a tad claustrophobic whenever viewing his work however, many of the images partially ensconced in dark shadows that break up and fragment his images into competing segments, each a miniature visual fraction striving for attention. Of course, that is the genius of his work- it is also what makes it somewhat challenging to view when book sized, which is how most of his work is probably seen.

So it was quite the eye opener to see his work La Calle spread large on the walls of The Robert Koch Gallery where they finally had room to open up and breathe. One could finally appreciate all the precious little details framed within those shadows large and small, the various scenarios captured, highlighted and played against each other with their complementary and contradictory tales of life on The Street. 

It also contained two of my favorite photos by him...

Photo: Alex Webb

Trump = Berlusconi?

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and President-elect Donald Trump. (Tiziana Fabi and Timothy A. Clary/Agence France-Press via Getty Images)

There's certainly enough evidence to indicate just that... 

(except one didn't have his finger on the button).

Fake Protest, By Fake Artist...

concerning offspring of complete fake... (the circle of life!)

I'm Not On Obamacare- I'm On... The Affordable Care Act!

Yup, right up there with the "Git the govmint outta my Medicare!" gal.

And yes, there's more... 

The Truth About Tillerson

 A career of working against US interests... and humanity in general.

So What's The Big Deal?

 
That's... The Big Deal!  

And yeah... It Gets Even CRAZIER!!!

40 Ways To Unmitigated Success!

You've bared your soul, thickened your skin- and even the mask has to come off at some point...  
Photo: © S. Banos

It's a brand new year- it's cold, it's winter (bbrrrrrr!), and you're at home: plotting, scheming, editing your way to success and fortune in the brand new year of 2017. You had the wrong plan in '16, the wrong attitude in '15, the wrong work in '14- but '17, ah yes, '17! Seventeen is gonna get ya through... Vision clear, no stone left unturned; ya finally got it down, learned from your mistakes, and planned it to perfection.

This is your year, your turn to shine- and nothing, I mean nothing, is getting in the way. You're gonna get that assignment, publish that essay, make that book! And you will not be denied!

You and several thousand others worldwide; talented, desperate, young and old, male and female, aspiring wannabes working hard and harder still! Yeah, good luck with that- good luck to us all...

The Rainbow Before The (Shit) Storm!

Amen...

2017 And Beyond...

Photo: © S. Banos

I keep trying to tell myself that 2017 has to be a better year, and by all reason it should be, being that 2016 was the absolute worst of my life (with 2015 not far behind)- and then, more than just a little annoyingly, 1/20 quickly comes to mind. We will soon have a "leader" whose concept of appearing Presidential is to parody people with disabilities (and NO- that can't possibly be repeated, reiterated or emphasized enough times ever), a person who needs multiple sycophants to "interpret" and divine what he really, truly means, all of which doesn't matter a single stitch since he's allowed to deny and restate everything anyway. 

And imagine, just imagine, if it had been Obama that said, "Just grab 'em by..." Oh, the universal outrage, furor, and righteous indignation! Can you spell... L-y-n-c-h that N-word on The White House lawn?

But hey, Senor Trump didn't force his way into our lives- "we" elected him. And that's the truly scary part. Working class people across the US of A voted in a billionaire born with the proverbial silver spoon, who made a career of screwing working class people everywhere he went. And he became El Jefe with the proven help (and approval) of... a dirty, filthy Commie! And I'm old enough to remember the battle cry of Conservative, White Republicans turning red in the face screaming, "Better dead than Red!"

So what does the photo above have to do with any of this? Simple. They made me laugh then, and have kept me laughing ever since... And right now, a good laugh is exactly what I need. Cause right now, they look the two sanest, most honest people in the entire fuckin' world...

Golden Days Before They End

Klaus Pichler- Golden Days Before They End

Haven't bought a photo book since some time in the beginning of 2016, not to say that there isn't anything good out there- but living on modest means certainly has a way of curtailing unnecessary acquisitions. And at this point in life, hoarding is a very unattractive proposition all around, so one learns to be hesitant, selective, and ultimately- appreciative. 

Recently I've been asking all the wrong people (ie- people my age)- how do young people afford their fun these days? Everywhere one goes, there are no more dives, no cheap thrills where fun is had at discount. Again, perhaps it's because I no longer know where, or even how to look. Everywhere is gentrified, everywhere is upscale, everywhere is seven and eight dollar beers! How do the young afford it?

Of course, think of the good ol' days of suds and yore, and Anders Petersen's Cafe Lehmitz immediately comes to mind. And that's not a bad precedent, but Golden Days Before They End manages to rise to it's own level of originality and authenticity. Cafe Lehmitz foresaw the the future, documenting the loosening of sexual mores and attitudes within a small community that would soon spread worldwide. Klaus Pichler records a paean to dives past; those darkened, dank and familiar places of sticky beer, worn out floors and denizens well past their primes, establishments beyond endangered and well into extinction. Ever walk into one of those "Traditional Irish Pubs" with the 200in TV monitors that have been pillars of  the community for all of three months after being sold, reconditioned and remodeled? Makes me wanna puke right into one of their authentic $25 pub food platters.

One of the things Petersen didn't usually get credit for was the technical proficiency of his available light B&W portraiture, you won't find better in the analog kingdom. Like Lehmitz, Golden Days' images are also technically impressive, almost painterly at times, even though available light is not the rule. And also like Lehmitz, Golden Days' images will endure and outlive its subject matter- full of the quirks and characters that makes life well worth remembering...

Klaus Pichler- Golden Days Before They End

OK, OK...

Much as I want to, much as you want to, we all can't stare at Santa forever... Let's try this seasonal take on David (minus the naughty bits) for a more classical (and classy) change of pace...

Photo: © S. Banos

HO! HO!! HO!!!

Ya didn't think what Santa does came easy, did ya? It takes practice, patience, years of trial and error, in season and off, before he can finally assume the position. You know, that jovial, familiar, holiday pose for which so many of us remember him so fondly- to this very day!

 

Photo: © S. Banos

Best of thoughts and wishes in the Holiday Season- MERRY XMAS, y'all!!!

Yeah, I Know...

All Photos: © S. Banos

This is the time of year when we look back and make recommendations and observations on the year's occurrences both large and small, photographic and otherwise. Unfortunately, this will not be the case here; the year, in short, was dominated by the deterioration and death of my father, my acquisition of the dreaded Shingles- not to mention, unknowingly self eviscerating the visuals from nearly ten years of my blog... nice! On the "happier" side, I finally delved headfirst into the digital realm with my purchase of a GR, and managed to self publish three books. 

This past week I went back to NYC to help my mother move- suffice to say, I have never (ever) worked harder (both physically and mentally) in my entire life, the excruciating details of which (yes, there's more) I may get into at some later point. Anyway, the kicker at the end of it all- I was to return (for the first time in my entire life) with a certain share of monies in hand from the sale of my parent's small but centrally located condo. However, our idiot, asshole of a so called lawyer did not perform the most basic of lawyerly due diligence, which resulted in the postponement of said sale... the discovery of the fatal discrepancy occurred at the very closing of said deal as one and all were happily signing away on the plethora of expected paperwork! It has now been made abundantly clear to me (something said "lawyer" should have readily seen) that I will also be needing the services of a probate lawyer to finally consummate said deal. This means a delay of around two months, an eventual return trip to NYC, and the borrowing of money from a variety of trusted friends and resources- did I mention the barrage of additional paperwork involved, in addition to the bills and accumulating debt? This has, in effect turned into its own F/T job- just in time as I return to work this Mon. Did I also fail to mention just how hard my probate lawyer laughed when I regaled him with sad said details of the gross incompetence exhibited by my initial "lawyer?" At least he apologized for laughing, one apology more than I got from said incompetent.

Anyway, not to be a complete Danny Downer at the Christmas Yuletide Season (and in full acknowledgement that there are those with considerably larger problems worldwide)... in lieu of the traditional end of year lists, I'll simply include my slowly accumulating square format offerings. Must say- I kinda love these "little" guys...

                       

Photo: © S. Banos

A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence

This year has by far been the worst year in movies. The wife and I average going to the flicks about twice a month, one of the few affordable means of entertainment at our disposal- and FWIW, we usually do not attend the Hollywood blockbusters. This year we went one, two, three even four months without even one worthwhile offering, catch something fair to mediocre, and then another months' long wait...

Desperate to relax and watch something fun and/or compelling, I stumbled through the usual Netflix offerings, and decided to chance upon something with a most decidedly dumb name. First off, if you're not a fan of deadpan humor, look elsewhere- for this is deadpan stripped bare, concentrated and... relentless. No pratfalls, no one liners, no fits of uncontrolled laughter. The scenes in A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence are prolonged, often repetitive and overbearingly slow. And I loved (almost) every goddamn second of it.

For one thing, it is one of, if not the most beautiful film I have ever seen. And it is the subtleties of the visuals in every scene that outright mesmerizes, despite the purposely laborious pacing. One is immediately absorbed by the pastel color schemes, particularly the repetitive pea green motif; each scene shot wide with enough details to counter the intoxicating sparsity of action, dialogue and story line.

Noticeably photographic in its aesthetics as it may be, it's definitely not for everyone. But if you want to experience something truly unique and visually compelling, not to mention a wickedly perverse sense of humor, you're definitely in for a treat. Oh, and the last scene is as surreal, unexpected and foreboding as it gets.

 

Snowden On Hypocrisy Of US Justice System

Banned TED Talk on "Job Creators"