Commentary - PhotoTrice

A Certain Irritability

What Planet is This?

I don’t think it comes as a surprise to anyone that we are living in a pretty strong reality distortion field these days. Turn on a television and you are likely to see someone trying hard to convince you that night is day or some equally absurd nonsense. It’s the interesting times we live in as the ancient and probably bogus proverb says.

My Tale of Woe

I find myself living through some interesting personal times at the moment. As I write this post I have a foot long incision in my chest, bruises all over my body, several new plumbing modifications and a certain shortness of breath.

Here’s how the thing went down. Heart attack on Monday, quad bypass on Tuesday, by Wednesday it took all my energy just to brush my teeth. A couple of days in the ICU followed by a few more in the cardiovascular unit and then a ride home. It was your basic whirlwind tour of modern medicine.

The Distortion Field Strikes

After a week of what I can only think of as pain induced blurred vision it turns out I’m really just a crazed drug fiend after all. The litany of physical issues I described are not the cause of my certain irritability. Rather it’s the pain killers I’m taking that are making me dangerous to all mankind. That seems a little far fetched to me but of course I’m on drugs and not to be counted as one of the currently productive members of society. Well I guess we all get to pay our money and choose the distortion field that feels most comfortable.

Please accept my apologies for not doing an audio post. I did mention I’m not breathing very well at the moment and looking at my chest reflected in the blank monitor is down right scary.

Railroad Crosses

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See Forever Under Blue Skies

The post title Railroad Crosses is a reminder of the silent way people lose their lives crossing the Texas-Mexico border. It is an inhospitable unforgiving frontier. Triple digit temperatures and little access to water or shelter are normal conditions. It is no exaggeration to say someone could walk twenty miles to find water. Traveling on foot without supplies is a death sentence for many migrants.

Coyotes and drug smugglers see the vast unpopulated area as an asset. Bad characters draw little attention along the 1,200 mile length of border. Patrolling a 20 mile wide swath along the border amounts to more than 24,000 square miles. There is no practical way to ensure physical security using people or a wall here. High tech solutions can be effective for detecting activity but people must do the policing.

The Path of Commerce

A general rule in the Western United States is commerce follows the railroad. Interesting town sites are generally within a few miles of road transportation. Today highway 90 is the main road in the area. To start exploring you need some good detailed maps, a vehicle with high clearance and curiosity. History is there you just have to find it.

A careful look reveals everything from Native American petroglyphs to abandoned ghost towns. This image was made in the ghost town of Pumpville. It was once a railroad water stop in the days of steam. Just a few miles South is another famous semi-ghost town called Langtry. You can still visit the remains of the Jersey Lilly Saloon and Courthouse where Roy Bean literally held court. Link is to the wikipedia entry for Roy Bean

Be Prepared

There are a few things to consider before jumping into exploring the border region. In the old days rattlesnakes were the greatest danger. Today desperate people, some armed, may be present. It’s best to remember there has always been a certain freedom of action practiced along the border.

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Inner Space

This is an experimental motion graphics portrait created using several composited still images and a custom sound effects track. It is rather dark and perhaps sinister in tone and was intended to be so.

The original photos were made several years ago at the request of the subject. They were to document injuries sustained during his arrest. He had been released from jail hours beforehand. The gentleman alleged excessive use of force by the police. The police alleged heroin possession. They were probably both right.

In the end I think I was able to capture something of the persona of the man and undercurrents of his personality.