Comments

Yeah, I echo Zodiac's thanks for the better link to STLC. I guess El Peecho's pirate version must have come from some seriously degraded tape or an early home recording (did they have VCRs in 1968?) It's so much more shocking in colour and being able to understand a lot more of what is being said. Suddenly Pennhurst doesn't actually look all that different in some of Motts' photographs to the way it did in 1968.

And yes, in another place and time, and like more people than I can bear to think about, I could have possibly been an 'almost' too (didn't know the term for it...) since despite having a higher-than-average IQ I was disruptive, an outsider socially and have suffered from lifelong depression. At times I was probably virtually unteachable. My girlfriend, well she's dyslexic, comes from a fragmented background and as someone else put it ' doesn't test well'. She's also incredibly smart. She was actually threatened as a teen by social workers that she'd be taken away and put in a 'home'. Whatever that was meant to imply...

I can sympathise much more with the majority of staff at these institutions (of course there are always a few sadistic sickos) having seen the documentary - the issue seems to overwhelmingly be about lack of money (as always) and overworked people trying to do their best in impossible conditions. I'm amazed some of the staff of these places didn't end up having breakdowns and winding up in an institution themselves...

I work with the mentally handicapped and looking at this place kind of puts it in perspective why they have some of the behaviors that they do. These pics are awesome, you did a GREAT job capturing the errie essence of this place.

lynne, being a county run home, we are lucky if our residents get no-slip socks, the ones we do get , 'disappear' into the great sock unknown. working the graveyard shift, if a resident decides to get up in the middle of the night we make sure they have socks and shoes on. ive been run over by many a speed demon in a wheelchair . usually their 2nd wind starts about 1:00am. the salvation army sends gifts at xmas, usually a stuffed animal and no slip socks, once they get sent to be labeled, we are lucky to get them back. usually the aides and nurses will purchace them on their own and give them to the residents. what the county dosent give, we give out of our hearts. gotta love the dollar store.....

Hey gdammann-

Thanks for you kind words, I was a chef in my former life. This steamer is defiantly a heavy-duty commercial model. In answer to your question; All of the cooking chambers can cook pretty much the same. Usually, kitchen staffers will use the different chambers for preparing different types of food. For example, steaming potatoes for mashed potatoes take considerably longer than steaming green beans.

And yes, there is a fair amount of pressure. The doors actually have a kind of countersink mechanism that helps release some of the pressure that builds up. So when you open the door, you don't get knocked on your ass by the force of the steam. The real danger is the dreaded STEAM BURN that hurts a hell of a lot more than a burn from fire or metal. Unlike a traditional burn that will only affect the area that your have the bad luck to run into, steam is a gas and it goes EVERYWHERE. Like in between your fingers and under your fingernails (gross but true!).

Wow. I have to agree. A book of these prints is a must. The world is not yet complete without these!

I'm in awe and I can't sstop browsing this site. It is in my favourites.

You should also think about exhibiting. a small cube room, large matte finish black and white prints, very little lighting.....perfect.

You would think some creepy shadow would come through one of those doorways

Just ask mom for some moist towlettes

Ha - amazing how this shot makes the terminal look like it is in a field or something. It is actually in a very populated area!

This amazing building is on the east side of buffalo (ny) at 495 Paderewski Drive. See www.buffalocentralterminal.org for details and dates when the building is open for visitors.

Let's just say she did sober up.

Remember when wet came in little wax bags inserted into little manilla envelopes?

holy cow looks like the grim reaper up there

did you actually climb in there? a BIG ewwwwwww grosee if you did

I never fail to be amazed by the incredible ways the Government find to waste money whch isn't theoretically even theirs in the first place.

Lol damn typos.... I'm gonna blame an excessive amount of beer last night for that one :-/