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!"

Love/Hate...

Photo: © Stan Banos

Wish I could be so unabashedly, unashamedly proud of my body as the person pictured above. You know, comfortable in your own skin so to speak; just able to let it all hang out and let everyone else deal with any consequent visual dilemma, as perhaps it should be. I dunno. Fine for some, and I really kinda admire them, even though it sorta grosses me out at the same time- and it's just as much my own reflection of self, as of anyone else. But then, isn't life just chockful of these walking/waking contradictions...

Ya see, back in the day, growing up, everyone knew where they ranked on the physical attractiveness/social standing scale- fat people, skinny people, hot, smart, athletic, etc. Sure beauty was still in the eye of the beholder, but ya couldn't talk, fool, bargain your way out of your generally agreed upon classification. I mean, if you were borderline, you could gain a few points and raise your social strata if you were somehow stylishly cool and wore it well. But even most of those attempts were doomed to hideously crash and burn. Nature's just so damn hard to upend, most people just grew into their physical destiny, and learned to deal with what society and their bodies dealt them. 

Shit's different nowadays, it started towards the very end of the 20th century. I remember watching Oprah one afternoon; a doctor was describing the dangers of obesity: high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, shortened life span and a myriad of other symptoms and diseases. And then what seemed like the very next day (could have been a week, month or year- I wasn't a regular viewer) there were all these people celebrating how big they were, how large they were, how it was AOK to love, love, love yourself no matter what size you were- it was all good! Five-two and 325? You're good girl- and fine too! Talk about mixed messages...

Then there were the new class of young-uns, overweight or not, who were now presenting themselves as absolute physical paradigms, as being all that, when they very much weren't, not even close! Their origin story didn't matter: blue bloods, inner city, suburbs, trailer parks, black or white, fat or thin, male, female, or... Thing was, they weren't trying to fool themselves, or anyone else- they actually believed it! Delusion's a whole lot easier than a well grounded acceptance of self or anything resembling a more rational societal reset. Everyone a Supasta!

Ironically, to this day, parents still complain that their overweight child is teased and bullied at school. Really? Today, when obesity is practically the norm across this country and rapidly spreading throughout the 'developed' world except in the absolute poorest of countries? I hate bullies, and no one should be body shamed! But if your kid is being bullied today- dollars to doughnuts, it's something more than just the extra pounds. And it's always good to find out why, before they indulge in the other prevalent obsession of our day- procuring assault weapons.

Migrant Crime! Migrant Crime!! Migrant Crime!!!

We must do everything we possibly can to stop the savage, inexorable onslaught of...MIGRANT CRIME- before it engulfs and devours us, our children, the live, beating heart of our very nation... MIGRANT CRIME- before it engulfs and devours us, our children, the live, beating heart of our very nation...

 

Unfortunately, this notoriously funny Last Week Tonight video with John Oliver has been taken down. MAYBE NOT (see above)!!! It featured FOX 'news' perpetually scaring its viewers with the threat posed by "migrant crime," or as Trump calls it, "Biden Migrant Crime,' which he further reduces to the ever so clever (are you ready for it)... "Bigrant Crime," while smiling, pointing to his own head, and then coyly proclaiming... "Smart!"

It also featured a live interview with Curtis Sliwa, as his Guardian Angels proceed to jump "an illegal in the act of committing a crime," who was actually a Hispanic citizen who was just passing through! We also got to see yet another 'illegal criminal,' who was shown repeatedly on FOX, flipping a double bird to the viewer (the audacity of these criminal illegals) to further amp up the fear and outrage factor- turns out the guy they were repeatedly showing (again Hispanic) was... a case of mistaken identity.

Fact is, migrants in the US proportionately commit less crime than their counterparts who are naturally born US citizens- oh... and wasn't 'Law and Order' Curtis Sliwa the guy who faked his own kidnapping?!? Yeah, you heard right...

FINALLY!

 

So... looks like the Dems are gonna get a new candidate, well, if it's Harris- she's unelectable. Personally, didn't like her before- don't like her now. She's a pure politician, whichever way the wind blows- and more importantly, no one but the Democratic base will vote for her, so we'd be back to square one. So... Let the games begin anew!!!

A Furrowed Brow And A Determined Gaze!

And Speaking of... Hypocrites!

It was OK for Bill Barr to appoint special prosecutors without Senate approval under Trump, and no problem with a special prosecutor for Hunter Biden under our current POTUS (again, w/o Senate approval)- but Lo! unto anyone who dares try the same against almighty Trump...

And BTW- while I'm very much against violence, I have to admit I have as much sympathy for Trump's papercut as he did for Nancy Pelosi's husband- who Trump joked about in public after receiving several hammer blows to the head.

Unless It's Tit For Tat...

 Or worse, and no one wants that, it don't matter much who the Dems run now.

Whatever Happened To...

Talk about meteoric rises and falls, whatever did happen to- Eric Kim? He popped into mind the other day and then I saw this wondering much the same. He was always equal parts: super, high energy passionate about "street photography," and all out promotion of self. It was as if the former served as the vehicle for the latter, so... I could never take him seriously. He always came off as a bit of (ie- mostly) a snake oil salesman- a fast talking, high energy, three card monte dealer. Truth is, I often found him annoying- I could only tolerate his incessant "photo dawg, photo tog" litany for so long... but there was no denying his curiosity factor- he was a minor internet sensation! Ya knew he wouldn't always be able to maintain that level of over the top enthusiasm, so ya always wondered- what was the end game!?! Artistic success, financial success or... mental health issues? I recall one video where he was speed walking his way down a sidewalk with these ridiculous wrap around shades, snapping away with this shit eating grin. As genuinely enthused about "street photography" as he was... dude could be ridiculous! And IMHO his photography never seemed to progress beyond a certain level of competent mediocrity.

Again, not hatin' on the guy, annoying as he could be and was, he was somewhat of an innovator- as far as selling himself using video on the internet, one of the firsts of the genre. Honestly, I wish him well...

Now, whatever happened to that guy who used to jump out of phone booths and snap away at his unsuspecting victims subjects?

Right... they stopped making phone booths (rimshot).

Watch Where You're Going!

Previously, I wrote about tripping and falling spectacularly on an uneven sidewalk (while looking elsewhere other than where I was walking)- something that can be an occupational hazard for a photographer. It was only after I wrote that particular post that I recalled that the exact same thing occurred a few years before under similar circumstances! That time, my camera and I were spared a slightly softer landing (with no less shock) because I happened to land on mother earth after my foot landed in a hole some ten inches wide by 5 inches deep. Needless to say, the possible danger of these occurrences increases with age.

And so, I pass on this blatantly obvious but sage advice- 

Watch Where You're Going!!! 

What I Sacrifice For Art!

Painting: © Niko         Photo: © Stan Banos

So I'm walking back home after a mostly* fruitless photowalk this Sunday. And I'm two blocks from home walking through a small park that was recently renovated. Now, I've seen good renovations, and bad- this was the latter. Previously, South Park (near downtown San Francisco) was like the little park that time forgot. Generally unmanicured and as 'wild' a park as one city block long by one half block wide could possibly get. But neither was it abandoned nor garbage strewn. I loved it... 

The renovation featured a nice upgrade of a small playground, but then they created a wide curving sidewalk right through the middle that covers half the damn park- there's enough concrete and sidewalks outside the park!

Anyway, I'm still looking around as one is apt to do on a photowalk and my foot lands right between the edge of the sidewalk and the lower grass area. Down I go- this wasn't a slo-mo, uh-oh I'm losing my balance fall. This was a BOOM! shot by a shotgun immediate deadfall... I couldn't believe how hard and fast I went down- no ice, no banana peel (yeah, I've done both)! And a split, split second after I hit the ground HARD, I hear my camera hit- HARD! My mighty weekend warrior, my one and only L-E-I-C-A! 

Hell, I'm probably headed to the ER, and even worse, my dream camera is dead after a year and a half. Anyway, I usually spring right up when something like this happens- but I thought discretion the better part of valor in this instance, and I decided to stay down for the count to assess my remains, and I sure as shit didn't wanna look at my strewn about camera innards... Finally, no sharp pains and I slowly rise as my body supports its own weight- looks like I escaped major damage! Now, I turn to the camera and the part that didn't hit is fine, of course- and the side that did take the brunt of the impact, also seems... OK?

The pants may be fugly- but they saved the day!

The bottom of the camera had its pants on (ie- its leather half case) and the bottom of said case is rimmed with thick aluminum that had absorbed the majority of the impact. The case bottom was markedly scratched, but the camera itself was unscathed and seemed in good working order! The Leica lens hood, which can double as armor on a Tiger tank, while scratched on the bottom, was unbent and unbowed! This was the second time one of my cameras has miraculously survived a fall to concrete- the first time was completely my fault when I haphazardly placed my Fujifilm in my bag without securing it, and slide on out it did. And once again, the lens hood and thumb grip saved the day, although both of those were good and deformed. 

*I did manage to get a snapshot of what I'm calling the best art show of the year- the portrait above by an anonymous painter (named Niko) on the side of a vacant restaurant put a much needed smile on my face! And hell, I did get a good shot just the previous Friday coming home from work with my GR.  All in all, a bit sore for damn sure, but (fortunately) not the worst weekend.

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...

Hypocrites vs. Zombies

On one side we have those who swore that no one (NO ONE!) was above the law including the POTUS, and that abortion was a settled and done deal (why are you even asking?). Not to mention that it was simply beyond all reason and human decency for a sitting Democratic POTUS to nominate a Supreme Court justice with just under a year left in his presidency, but it was perfectly copasetic for a Republican POTUS to nominate and install a Supreme Court justice of their choosing with just a few weeks left in his presidency (why are you even asking?).

And on the other side we have those who allow the walking dead to remain in office well (well) past their expiration date. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, accomplished and agile as she still was, clearly had the buzzards circling, and it cost the party dearly. Dianne Feinstein already had flies buzzing about her state of decomposition for quite some time, and was still allowed a seat amongst the living! And now we have our current POTUS whose handlers visibly cringe on the sidelines every time words may or may not come forth when his mouth goes agape, unlike the other guy's supporters who don't give a flying fucking all about anything and everything that comes outta his- wanna hear the tale about how our brave troops secured the airports during the Revolutionary War?

Happy Fourth Everyone!!! What's-your-poison?

NYC 6/24

1) Dance To The Radio!                     All Photos: © Stan Banos

I still love to travel, although I am no longer in love with all its painstaking trials and tribulations- making reservations (plane and hotel), learning nuances of local commuter transportation and basic language, etc. Once, it was all part of the adventure and excitement, as we get older, it can all get downgraded to a necessary nuisance. And no airplane ride should last more than three hours (particularly in coach), after that it's the Heebie Jeebie Express. And these days with climate change, vacation time risks either early summer flooding or staggering midsummer heat! 

2) Planning Your Future*

Didn't have to learn a new language in NYC last week but five straight days of ninety plus degrees was more than enough to feel my age, and then some. That said, it was great to be in a real city again with people all about doing what people in real cities go about doing- even if it's mostly being avid, compliant consumers. At least the joint wasn't deserted, as is downtown San Francisco, save for the wandering zombies.

*I imagined taking this exact photo when this building was first built (if memory serves in the mid nineties, before I left for San Francisco)- sometimes, guess ya just gotta wait!

3) Smiley Face

I was in NYC six and a half days, but half the time was spent attending to my mother who is now ninety six at a nursing home. I also visited an old 'friend,' The Vessel, and after some careful observation, noticed some kind of very thin netting covering part of one of its floors!? Hhmmm... Sure enough, it's supposedly scheduled to open anew (yet again) this 2024 with the new safety mesh encapsulating it (although no one seemed all that busy installing it midday, midweek when I was there).

4) Shades, Fishnet & Camo

How hot was it? I went to the annual Mermaid Parade at Coney Island and got there at eleven to photograph the participants, thinking it started at twelve. By twelve, I began to realize that it probably started at one, and by twelve thirty none of it mattered; after an hour and a half of baking in the sun, my brain was fried. Couldn't concentrate, compose, it all became one frenzied blur- I was done! At one point, I noticed something out of focus in the foreground of my viewfinder and couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was or what was going on- so I just went with it and used it as a... 'compositional element.' I never photograph participants in any parade or protest during the actual parade or march, only before or after- and no way I would survive until after! Ended up hopping the train back to the city before the parade even began, and best decision I ever made- only to later discover that the blurred "compositional element" I couldn't figure were my sunglasses held in hand.

5) Eyes Wide Open

Meanwhile, the Chelsea Market in the Meatpacking District remains quite the gastronomical delight with tantalizing cuisine from all corners of the world- not to mention a wicked coffee bar. Among the sampled: curried beef tacos w/saki, a jerk chicken burrito along with some splendidly delicious potato pizza (just one of many splendid varieties); one could be condemned there for life and never want for variety of food- did I mention the heaven sent gelato? That said, also managed to make it to Veselka's (one of my few remaining NY mainstays that hasn't closed) for some fried meat and potato pierogies (w/sautéed onions and sour cream) washed down with a yummy, cold chocolate egg cream! Mmmmm... 

6) Cig & Grand Central

Discovered Fotografiska which was featuring two of my favorite photographers at the insane cost of twenty four dollars- I got the Early Bird, Senior special for ten dollars, otherwise... no way, Jose. Sadly, the Maier exhibit was printed on very soft paper and really ruined the viewing experience, B&W is already a minimalist experience- deny it the power of its rich blacks and contrast, and you deny it its very existence. That's my story and I'm sticking to it; don't know who's responsible for the printing, but... Fortunately, the Gilden exhibit did not disappoint, from the (properly printed) B&W to the wall sized color portraits; his most recent work on bikers however, I found somewhat overcooked to the point where they practically bordered on illustrations- great images, just over the top editing in my opinion. 

It was amazing to once again see so many tourists (of which I now must include myself) in one place again, especially in such heat; welcome to the future- while it lasts...


Coney Island Mermaid Photos 6/22/24:

1) Fellow photog.

2) Human Starfish

3) Love And Love

4) Lobster Gal

5) The Creature Family

"We had H2O."

That was the 'response' from one of the men running for President of the United States of America when asked about climate change. And that ridiculously, nonsensical non-statement came from the man who wiped the floor with a doddering opponent that was knowingly slow walked into oblivion by the Democratic Party. Biden was already points behind without ever uttering a word- just by the way he slowly hobbled unto the stage... and it was all downhill from there.

An old man was mugged and beaten on live TV tonight- and now, we as a nation will get to share that pain anew for another four, very long years...

Liar, Liar...

Israel has long denied targeting journalists, particularly Palestinian journalists, the most famous being Shireen Abu Akleh. Of course, Israel's prior claims of innocence seem even more hypocritical in light of one of their prized sniper's bragging rights claiming just how many Palestinian protestors he's maimed.

Vacation Rules!

Suit yourself!         Photo: © Stan Banos

It was my first day of vacation as I was catching up on some bills and paperwork, not everyone's vacation dream, but least I was home, taking my time. Then I heard this woman's voice, at first I thought it the ever reliable Shrieking Woman who lets out this piercingly abrupt, one note shriek that ends almost before it starts- unsettling at first, I'm now rather used to it's almost comical regularity. This was decidedly different, this was... sex, not the muffled through the walls wails of excitement and private exuberance- this was open the windows wide and let the world pay righteous testament to the joyous exhilaration within the contours of my uninhibited loins! Lawdy, lawdy, Mama was a wailin'! And it was Grade A moanin' too- the pitch perfect, ever so rhythmic, set your imagination free kinda moanin'. And on and on it did go... Twenty minutes, half hour. Woman was an athlete, Olympic level, no let up on intensity or frequency- and I'm trying to remember to carry the one, mind ya, on a Monday morning! Forty five minutes- Aawww, c'mon now, we've rounded the corner on human endurance here, and I've yet to hear a second voice- not that I really want to, but no one can get that excited for that length of time... solo!

So I open my windows, and the pitch perfect moans come flooding in even louder, every bit as hot and heavy as an hour ago, when a guy in the parking lot below looks up in my direction pointing above, and yells, "Porno, he does it all the time! It's crazy!" Now, I've been living here four years and I've never heard this particular show, but I'm not usually home in the AM on weekdays. An hour and a half, two hours... and she's still going strong as ever. Of course, it's a little harder fantasizing your perfect dream lover now- all that comes to mind is some old guy trying his darndest, and yet to succeed... PS- See yas in 2 weeks!

 More Than $4 Million In Gifts!

Bump Stock Jamboree!!!

Because we all need faux automatic weapons with the potential to shoot 800 rounds per second so we can all uhhh...  uhmmm... ya know... 

Potential, Wannabe Mass Murderers throughout the states can now sleep easy knowing that The Supreme Court of the United States of America has made it that much easier for them to boost their numbers tenfold next time they get a bright idea! And The Supreme Court Six who repealed the ban can all beam with pride within the hallowed halls of justice the second their deed reaches fruition and the blood starts to flow- Thoughts and Prayers!

Food For Thought...

Entire interview...

"Like A Brain Operation"

AMEN!        Photo: © Stan Banos

Really? Seriously? Four Israelis rescued; 274 Palestinians dead, of them- 64 children, 57 women, and that certainly doesn't mean that the remainder were all "terrorists," not to mention 700 wounded! Sounds more like wanton slaughter than delicately finessed surgery! 

At this point, are we still required to preface anything we say with, "Yes, I condemn the Oct 7 massacre?" Are we still required to state that Israel has the right to defend itself? Will we ever be asked if Palestinians have the right to defend themselves? Will anyone ever ask if we also condemn these ongoing, repeated massacres of Palestinian refugees? I keep hearing that all Hamas needs to do is to simply agree to the ceasefire... and yet, and yet, I actually had to do considerable digging to discover that as of 6/10- Israel has not agreed to it either!?! 

As I've said since 10/08, I ain't siding with anyone in this senseless, ceaseless seesaw towards oblivion- but I am tired of the one sided reportage, least in this country, as if the nation with the most weapons, wealth and resources have the only victims that count!

Addendum: Apparently 3 additional hostages were killed in the Israeli bombing resulting from raid... Madness!

Get It While You Can

 Photos: © Stan Banos

I have a lotta respect for "street photography," although I hold the very term in disdain, frankly because it's so often reduced to such a highly restricted fragment of all it could and should be. Street photography is now almost synonymous with images that involve the somewhat odd juxtapositions (either complementary or contrasting) of people and/or other compositional elements, or images involving juxtapositions of various lighting scenarios (highlights and shadows- "The Alex Webb Effect"). I love both, tried and done both (the latter, admittedly, not as much). 

©SB

But I've always been appreciative of a more comprehensive viewpoint (aka- Lee Friedlander): portraits, landscapes, architectural and all things serious, humorous and in between; why encourage or limit anyone to a coupla in vogue, formulaic viewpoints? Yes, develop your style by all means, then see how many (visual) places it will take you. Nothing should be out of bounds, from the faces before you to the nooks and crannies at your very feet- and all points beyond... Yeah, I wanna try and grab the whole ball of wax, knowing full well I'll come up miserably short most times, but I wanna experience how many different facets of life I can successfully capture whenever and wherever I can... for as long as I got left.