Month: October 2019

Chicago Sewer Poster

Photo / graphic by Roman.

Once, some years ago, I tripped and fell in front of the CTA bus I was running to catch. I landed square on a manhole cover. It was a spectacular crash resulting in an equally spectacular bruise that covered most of my upper arm. “What’s that!?” my doctor gasped when she saw it a few days later at a previously scheduled visit. I was somewhat proud of the bruise as it looked rather like the State of Illinois in outline. It could have been so much worse. Imagine your arm embossed with “SEWER”.

Chicago Teachers Strike Rally

Photos by Roman.

When I was in school several decades ago, I despised pep rallies. Then I became active in lefty politics. It’s been a lifetime of pep rallies. Here’s the latest, in support of the strike by Chicago Teachers Union Local 1 and Service Employees International Union Local 73.

When I take these photos, I’m mostly looking at two things: the signs and the faces. The faces I keep for myself, mostly. The signs are the politically significant dimension, especially as at so many rallies and demonstrations, it’s nearly impossible to hear the speakers.

Click on any thumbnail below to enlarge it.

She was shy. Photo by Roman.
Dig the smart phone on the right, taking the same picture. Photo by Roman.
Ouch. Lots of shade for Ms. Lightfoot at the rally. Photo by Roman.
Now THAT is some SERIOUS shade on the Mayor! Ketchup, after all, is for fries (chips). Photo by Roman.
Hoops? Photo by Roman.
In other words: Talk is cheap. Whiskey costs money. Photo by Roman.
Kids dig dinosaurs. I dig dinosaurs. And then there are those cretins who say unions ARE dinosaurs. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Another crowd shot, looking north along Dearborn. Photo by Roman.
Great banner. Photo by Roman.
Had to be special ed teachers. Photo by Roman.
Many of the signs were exceedingly wordy, though this one gets my attention. Photo by Roman.
I think I’m missing a cultural reference here. Photo by Roman.
This was at State & Madison. It was hard to maneuver, and it got no better as time went on. Photo by Roman.
Yes it does. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Some signs tried to deliver a lecture. Others were more to the point. Photo by Roman.
Time for a graduated income tax in Illinois. Photo by Roman.
Think she’s singing: “Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss” ? Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Willie Wonka is, when you stop and consider it, a pretty scary person… just sayin’. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
I just had to include the shorty on the right. Photo by Roman.
Just to give an idea of the crowd. This was only a part of it. Photo by Roman.
You’ll notice that class size is a major issue, even among the home-made signs. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
“The Media.” Photo by Roman.
The answer I hear is… crickets. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Mother Jones never quits! Photo by Roman.
Right on. Photo by Roman.

Wait! Wait! Don’t tell me…

Here is Duchess, reigning mouser of her household, contemplating a weighty issue: Those fingers… who am I reminded of? Smells familiar…

Duchess is a friend of mine… or rather, I’m her friend as her opinion of me would be that I am neither edible nor a predator of cats. It’s not that other things are irrelevant, but they fade from memory more quickly than our meetings.

History will dissolve us (Sorry, Che) but with cats, it’s much quicker.

Photo by Roman.

The Art of the Storm

I’m a sucker for time-lapse weather photography, and that is what Nicolaus Wegner is about:

Wegner is not one of my favorite weather photographers, but the stationary supercell featured above is lovely, evolving catch. Check out his other work on his Vimeo channel; his latest work has been getting “staff pick” recognition from Vimeo. Full screen and headphones and maybe an altered state are all recommended, but if you have difficulty with strobing effects, be warned.