Technomania Circus Breathes Fire Over Barrio Logan

        Their next show is March 20th, 2010. It is the Fire & Blacklight Show and it is incredible to watch. To see photos from last year’s show, click here.

Jugglers Warm Up The Crowd

        Technomania Circus is fun to photograph cameras are welcome. For better pictures, don’t use your on camera flash. Instead, raise the ISO on your camera, have your aperture wide open (smallest f/#) and use shutter speeds between 1/30 & 1/100th of a second.

Dancing, Balance & Feats Of Strength

        This was shot at 3200 ISO with a Nikon D5000. I am really liking my new high ISO and what I can do with it. The dancing pair above are always fun to watch and are very friendly before, during & after the shows. HE, is also the fire breather from the first picture in this post.

The Fire Appears

        200 ISO, 1/50th, and f/1.8 cracked out this shot of the fire as it was first brought onstage at Technomania Circus.

450mm, 1/1250th, f/5.6 200 ISO – In The Rain

        I like this shot of this black bird because I like the detail of the perch and feathers, and the way the bird seems to be staring back at me. I don’t know if it’s a crow or a raven, so if anyone out there can tell the difference, let me know.

San Diego Trolley Guards

        San Diego Reader has just published a story that was started by my video, which can be viewed above. Please click this link to read the SD Reader story. The title of the story is, “We Don’t Want You Talking Pictures.” and it is written by Kathryn Snyder. It reports about my video and how the trolley guards tried to stop me from filming or taking pictures. The article goes on to say that the incident report for the evening is not available for one of two reasons: “…based on the California Public Records Act, which exempts documents from disclosure that are either: (1) records pertaining to current litigation to which the public agency is a party; or (2) records of complaints to, or investigations conducted by the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice, and any state, or local police agency.”

        These are links to posts and videos that lead up to the SD Reader story:

My original blog post can be read by clicking here.
Story featured on Carlos Miller’s “Photography Is Not A Crime” website can be read here.
The San Diego Reader Story can be read by clicking here or by clicking the photo below.
For the follow-up story on “Photography Is Not A Crime” website click here.
To visit the Illegal Photography page referenced in the San Diego Reader story, click the following link: www.theworldisraw.com/illegal-photography/

Mobsters Abound At Technomania Circus & The Mob Show

        ”The Mob Show: Happiness Is A Warm Tommy Gun” was the full title for Technomania Circus’s latest production, and what funny, exciting and all around entertaining show it turned out to be. This was my fifth (I think) Technomania Circus show, and I have taken photos at every single show I’ve attended. I posted photos and wrote about my experiences at The Fire & Blacklight Show, The Wild Wild West Show, The Gypsy Music Show and The Parody Show. As a finicky photographer, I don’t just photograph what I see, I photograph what I like, and I really, REALLY like Technomania Circus. I emailed Dr. Techno, the leader/founder/spokesman with links to my posts and pics, and he always emailed me back to say thank you, and has even featured my photos on the Technomania Circus website. All the while, I never identified myself to the Technomaniacs.         I snapped my pics from the anonymity of the audience, and then left after the show, without saying what I had done, who I was, or what I intended to do. When I showed up for The Mob Show, a full half hour before the doors were scheduled to open, Dr. Techno himself was at the door, and I said, “Hi, I’m Rob, from The World Is Raw.” He knew immediately who I was and ushered me inside to meet the cast of Technomania Circus. The entire cast chatted with me, talked with me and showed me around, just because of what I had produced with my camera! They are such an amazingly friendly and talented group of people that I hardly felt worthy to be there, yet they allowed me to be there. So, Technomaniacs, thank you for showing me who you are BEFORE the show, and I now present to you what you are to all of us DURING your show.

Mobsters

        The roaring 20′s may have roared a little less had Congress not ratified an amendment to the constitution that made alcohol illegal in the United States. This well thought out, brilliant idea essentially created organized crime in a country that was barely 150 years old, and that is where this story begins… If you know what I mean. The Thompson sub-machine gun, which we all know as the Tommy Gun, fires .45 caliber slugs at a rate of 600 rounds per second into any living or non-living thing that that stood in the way a the delivery, distribution or consumption of what today is the last legal drug… Alcohol. The story has a beginning, middle and end, so the puritans can’t complain. What happens when a group of mobsters hang out in a speak-easy that is has a mole, working for the FBI as a bartender? I’d tell you but then I’d have to kill you!

The Mob Olympics

        As the show was getting ready to begin, this musician played song after song of Deadwood era music on his keyboard. He played with an effortless calm that helped to set a false tone for the performance that was about to begin. Even though I am not a prophet, I knew that if Technomania Circus was going to put on a show dealing with mobsters, gangsters, the Tommy gun and prohibition that it would not be a lecture or a learning experience. I knew it was going to be a riot of laughter, fun and drinking.
        This gifted piano player simply played and played with what appeared to be very little effort… Of course as the audience, we don’t see the years of practice, only temperate discipline that musicians somehow manage to summon.

Mobster's Girlfriends

        One of the best things about Technomania Circus is how much fun the cast have performing. This was reaffirmed to me while I was backstage before this particular performance. These are not a group of elitist, snooty performers that prohibit photography and charge $80 per person like Cirque du Soleil. These are folks like you and I that hold down regular jobs while bringing joy, love and art to the world. For ten bucks you can walk on in, chat with the performers, laugh with your friends and walk away with a priceless memory that can only be formed in Barrio Logan, San Diego.

Happiness Is A Warm Tommy Gun

Fire Piano At Technomania Circus

        Technomania Circus, for me, will always mean one certain thing, and that thing is fire. These guys are fearless, fireproof performers that will always deliver at least a fireball or two during each show. Did you know that a trombone and a piano can spit fire like a cowboy spits tobacco? Have you ever seen a man climb 30 feet into the air and shoot fireballs into Barrio Logan’s dark night sky? If you haven’t then you need to put Technomania Circus on you to do list right now. Do it RIGHT NOW! One of a kind art is produced by Technomania Circus at least once a month before your very eyes.

Swimming With The Fishes

        Blacklight illusion is one of the trademarks of Technomania Circus, and they didn’t disappoint for this show. During the course of the show, the mobsters learned that the bartender in their favorite speakeasy was an undercover FBI agent, so they sent him to swim with the fishes. This agent of early American justice did not become fish food, he became and ultra-violet, bright fluorescent survivor that battled sharks, the sea and eventually the Mob.

        Blacklight theater was something I had never seen before I made the acquaintance of Technomania Circus. It is a real art form that has a wonderful, counter-intuitive quality about it. You can’t see the color black, while all the other colors beam at you like planets and galaxies under an extra-terrestrial sky. I forget exactly what was said, but the shark to the left spoke certain words of wisdom to our intrepid hero, that had just been sent to “sleep with the fishes.” These words gave him the hope, courage and desire to make it back to shore, and crush the vile scum that had cast him overboard in the first place. How often do you see a a UFO a boat, the ocean, a shark and a blacklight man in the same photo?

Fire Trombone At Technomania Circus

        You just had to know that sooner or later, fire would make an appearance at this show. Of course, it would not just be a simple wood-burning fire, this was fire emanating from instruments, torches, pianos, a man’s mouth, sparklers and butane torches. These Technomaniacs stepped up to the plate for the audience, and they hit a fiery, propane fueled home run. San Diego weather, practically NEVER includes rain, but rain fell for about 3 of the last 5 minutes of the show. Not one member of the audience of cast minded, and by the time the 2 minutes rain-shower stopped, the cast had already killed themselves, and the audience.

Fire At Technomania Circus

        Photographically speaking, fire is one Hell of Prima Donna bitch to capture correctly. The next show to be produced by Technomania Circus is The Fire & Blacklight Show, so with any luck at all, I will be able to hone my fire catching skills there. For The Mob Show, the fire portion came on very suddenly at the very end of the show, and of course it started to rain right at that very moment. As I tried to shield my Nikon D5000, focus, adjust my camera settings and look for some killer composition, the Technomaniacs ignited their flammable materials, and rocked the house with music, fire, dancing, gunshots and song. They sang a song, to the tune of “We Are The World” that swapped out lyrics to make it “We Are The Mob,” and it was hilarious. It ended with the entire cast in a Reservoir Dogs style Mexican standoff that resulted in the entire cast gunning each other down. After they were resurrected for the curtain call, they gunned down the audience, and we all died willingly, and with huge smiles on our faces.

        March 20th, 2010 is the date of their next show. It will be special for me because The Fire & Blacklight Show LAST year was what really turned me on to the Technomaniacs and what they do. Don’t miss it, or you will be sorry. You can bring your own snacks and the more you cheer, the better the show.

The Mob Show – Happiness Is A Warm Tommy Gun

A New Champion & A New Challenger

        Don Francisco’s Plantation House Blend was able to edge out 2 time workplace champion Dunkin Donuts Original Blend coffee last week in a battle that seemed to be neck-a-neck until down to the final cup. This week, Don Francisco will defend his title against Godiva Breakfast Blend coffee. I am very unsure about this particular match-up because the Godiva blend is bringing something a little different to the table, that no previous coffee competitor has brought: “Subtle chocolate flavor notes.” I can only hope that my coworkers will accept this flavor addition in good spirit, and not see it an unfair advantage or disadvantage. In my defense, I didn’t realize the Godiva blend had chocolate flavor in it until after I made the purchase. So… This might end up being a comparison of sailboats to bowling balls, but either way, there will be a contest and there will be a winner.

Chop Chop Dig Dig

        As you see at the lower right of the photo above, terra cotta pipe is being dug up for something a little more 21st century. This area of La Mesa, CA was constructed in the 1950′s, and is very hilly and densely populated.

Just A Random Group Of Men In The Desert North Of Tijuana

        I have no idea what these men, dressed in HAZMAT attire were doing out here. My companion at the time remarked that it was like a scene from the end of the movie “E.T.” We were just wandering around the desert when these guys showed up. What the hell are they doing?

Still Chopping Still Digging

        Out of a 24 hour day, 13 of those hours have me dealing with my job as a photographer. Incredibly enough, this timetable is hindering my personal photography. I am starting to realize that being paid to partake in photography for 9 hours per day is 9 hours LESS that I have for UNPAID, personal photography per day. Couple this statistic with an UPSTAIRS manager that knows nothing about what I do or the business that I’m in, and a DOWNSTAIRS manager that for some reason, despite being the REAL boss doesn’t do what is best, I am dying.

You Are Preaching To A Reflection

        I’m not taking big enough risks when I break out my camera, so my photography is not risky at all, and I can’t explain why. I suspect that I am using my secretive and unseen method of photography as an excuse to not branch out and explore other areas of photography, but even that excuse, ultimately seems like an excuse as well. The man in the photo above was either trying to show the person seated behind him something to do with God, or something to lead her into his bedroom. I’m not sure which route she chose.

In Or Out Of Focus – San Diego Bus Rides Are Eclectic.

        I don’t know what “eclectic” means, and as I refuse to Google it right now, I’m going to define it as “weird”. If you pass through 12th & Imperial trolley station during the day, trolley guards will hassle you for not tapping your Compass Card for the umpteenth time during your commute. At night, degenerates will hassle you to buy pistols, drugs, bus/trolley passes, ipods, jewelry and cigarettes. Take your pick. For me, knowing I can score a any of those things on my way home from work at 12th & Imperial makes my daily commute a little easier. On the OTHER hand, knowing that Compass Cards are a retarded rouse for trolley security guards to line the pockets of San Diego’s politicians with MORE of my money AFTER I buy a monthly pass for $72 really grinds my gears. I didn’t get that line from Family Guy. I invented it right now.

Reduced To A Cat Drinking From The Faucet

        After my gutless crusades on the bus this night, I ended up watching fleas drown and an ordinary house-cat drinking from a faucet. By next weekend life will be good.

Crashing Waves Off Coronado For Valentine’s 2010

        Valentine’s Day Weekend in San Diego, specifically off the West coast of Coronado saw set after set of 8 foot waves and at least one surfer rolled the dice with his skill on this windy day. It was very bright, my 300mm lens is unfamiliar to me and there was sand everywhere.

Seagulls Fighting For Food

        The seagull on the right has a crab, so all the OTHER seagulls chased after him, trying to make him drop the crab. These birds are LOUD, and they ultimately did make the original crab owner drop it.

February 13th 2010 On Coronado

        People that live in San Diego have a weather advantage over most other places. It was beautiful today, and Apollo Ohno won the silver medal, so life is good.

Hotel Del Coronado, Valentine’s Day Weekend 2010

        As seen in “Some Like It Hot” even though they said it was in Florida, Hotel Del Coronado is one of the “1000 Places To See Before You Die” by Patricia Shultz. It is very picturesque and there was even a wedding photo shoot going on down by the shore.

The Raven The Glass & The Wardrobe

        A raven, trying in vain to enter a building with mirror-like windows was my entertainment at lunchtime today. This bird was banging the shit out of these windows, and my guess is that the stupid bird thought his reflection was an adversary that must be destroyed. This is a raven, not a crow, so all you EMO fans will have to go yet another day wondering why the world doesn’t understand you. Do you know how to tell the difference between a raven and a crow? I do. Crows pronounce the “C” in their voice when they call… Caw! Ravens have a deeper, raspier voice that sounds like, “Ahh” or “Rah.” This bird is a raven.

Same Pictures – Same Story

        One of the self imposed “things” I have done since May 2009 on this blog has been to provide new, fresh photos for each post I write. This post is a clip show with photos I have already used because the subject matter is the same… San Diego and the new Compass Cards it has issued for trolley and bus passengers are a straight up scam to generate revenue for the city. Tonight, on my way home from work on the blue line trolley, I watched two trolley guards make a disabled person get off the trolley to issue him a citation. The reason? He did not have an ID that proved he was disabled, he only had a valid disabled rate Compass Card. Now, I’m not going to get into what physical/mental liabilities this man had, but anyone with eyes could see from a mile away that this guy was disabled. Anyone with ears could HEAR that he was disabled when he tried to explain to the trolley guards that he had purchased a monthly, disabled rate Compass Card. The trolley guards still wanted him to exit the trolley so they could issue him a citation, even though he said that the delay would make him late for dinner with his mother.

This Trolley Guard Compass Card Validator Does Not Feel Emotion

        Before the trolley guards made this disabled man get off the train, the female guard, that seemed to be the senior of the two guards present told the disabled man that the citation would be “on hold” for three days. All the disabled man had to do was procure something that proved he was disabled, and the citation would be nullified. So, a disabled person that, due to his liabilities rides public transportation had to to take public transportation to where ever in the Hell disabled persons have to go to prove to SDMTS that they are indeed disabled withing 72 hours, or the citation would go into effect. Today is Thursday, February 11, 2010. That means that SDMTS trolley guards told a disabled person, right in front of me that he had Friday, Saturday and Sunday to acquire documents to prove his disability or he would have to pay the citation fine come Monday. A cripple now has to take the San Diego trolley, OVER THE WEEKEND, with a prepaid Compass Card to prove he is disabled.