As stupid as it ever gets

[Tannin]

I've always said that the western world in general and the US in particular has gone totally stupid with the post-911 security panic (is it still a panic when it goes on for years and years?) but this absolutely takes the mega-stupid security screw-up of the year award. It might be only January, but it will take an absolute ball-tearer to top this one. The sequence?

1. Amtrack sponsers a photography competition: offers a prize for taking a nice picture of one of their trains.
2. Photographer goes to station, takes pictures of a train
3. Amtrack arrests photographer for taking pictures of trains, handcufs him to a wall for an hour.

 

[ddrueding]

Yup, I read about that. The crack in the system that makes it unworkable is that the Amtrak corporate security are actual cops. The rules for dealing with private security are quite straightforward, and your options for recourse are much larger.

 

[P5-133XL]

As long as the government is paranoid, then things like that will happen. It is just one small example of the insanity that pervades the society. At least, it isn't so great, that we started a war or something -- Oh, we did, two actually ...

I can only hope that with the new administration, the paranoia will diminish and normalcy reappears.

 

[ddrueding]

There is no way that any administration will give up the control that comes with a paranoid populace, they will just change the tune. At least all the money poured into welfare programs and clean energy aren't killing people.

 

[LiamC]

And this is why I have no great desire to visit the U.S.A. I used to. But not any more.

Don't you fingerprint all foreign nationals now as a matter of course? Sorry, but I'm not a criminal. Whatever happened to presumption of innocence? At least the French are upfront about things--guilty and must prove innocence.

Canada seems nice.

 

[paugie]

I took the pentax out for a spin one monday and had a heart thumping day, feeling somebody might grab it away from me.

something of value, you know. there was a time 2 years ago when cellphone napping was the rage of petty thieves here.

got maybe 2 or 3 pix I liked out of the 300 exposures.

am i off-topic or what.

 

[Mercutio]

I've had police in Chicago tell me to put my camera away and find someplace else to be just for taking pictures of buildings.

... which is exactly why I don't bother with my dSLR any more.

 

[Pradeep]

And this is why I have no great desire to visit the U.S.A. I used to. But not any more.

Don't you fingerprint all foreign nationals now as a matter of course? Sorry, but I'm not a criminal. Whatever happened to presumption of innocence? At least the French are upfront about things--guilty and must prove innocence.

Canada seems nice.

In the US it's not uncommon for kids to be fingerprinted when young in the name of safety, Population is desensitized to it. When entering the US USCIS is assuming you are going to stay and you have to prove otherwise.

 

[Howell]

In the US it's not uncommon for kids to be fingerprinted when young in the name of safety, Population is desensitized to it.

Let's be clear about this now. Typically the parents keep the fingerprint files of the children, not the police.

I have no idea what happens to foreign nationals.