At least that is my opinion -- in my tiny mind I find it beyond funny to think these folks live to destroy our freedoms, our way of life and that they intend to convert.
That's because it wouldn't ever happen - to my mind. I think this administration has used it as an excuse for certain actions that gullible or vain people would buy (sorry- i know some won't agree with me) - but I don't think that ANYBODY is SOOOO important that others would bother devoting their lives to that cause. We'd just like to believe that about ourselves. I mean - THINK about it...! Under WHAT conditions would you devote YOUR life to making others miserable..? I think pretty much everyone lives by the 'live and let live' credo unless directly attacked (we can look at the perpetual back and forth of israel/palestine to see an example of this!). I mean - doncha think...?
I think pretty much everyone lives by the 'live and let live' credo unless directly attacked
I'm not so sure about that.
The real threat to our way of life is cyberterror. Not bombs, not train wrecks or plane crashes. Computer crashes. And should they develop hacking capability into SCADA systems, our entire power generation and water supply infrastructure could be crippled in the twinkling of an eye.
The real threat to our way of life is cyberterror. Not bombs, not train wrecks or plane crashes. Computer crashes. And should they develop hacking capability into SCADA systems, our entire power generation and water supply infrastructure could be crippled in the twinkling of an eye.
Black Hats and Crackers (as opposed to legit hackers) have always been a problem since day one on DARPA, which eventually became the backbone of the Internet in the USA.
Ever read, "The Cuckoo's Egg"? Not a new problem, NOR is it an exclusive result of the latest battle of imperial or religious head-butting.
Yes, people are trying to break into our (the USA's) sensitive networks, just like we are trying to break into theirs, don't kid yourself.
That we are vulnerable to script kiddies or even experienced foreign agent black hats is more of a mark against the administrators who have known about the problems for now going on decades and have yet to adequately secure their systems.
These are not natural forces that are unpredictable; the systems and the fixes are known and costly and inconvenient, but the choice has been made (in practical terms) to overlook the problems and take the risks; for whatever reason.
These are not natural forces that are unpredictable; the systems and the fixes are known and costly and inconvenient, but the choice has been made (in practical terms) to overlook the problems and take the risks; for whatever reason.
Microsoft pays well?
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aristotelis grammatikakis www.arigram.gr black & white film is sexy
I started to read this topic, and I must admit, I'm not that much surprised.Stories about USA and some liberties now seem truth.
I was in Iran last summer, and had taken thousand of photos, of people, transportation, landscapes...Do I have to tell you that literally, NO ONE bothered me about taking photographs?Only government buildings are prohibited to take photos, so if you wanna take photo, police politely shows you that it is forbidden.And I have Nikon F80, which is not small camera by general means.
I bet no one of you guys that live in USA can't believe that what I wrote?
And, I must agree with walter23, as he stated:
Being interrogated, while going about your daily business, by federal agents (with the power to throw you away without trial) is the antithesis of living in a free society.
Is that the free society if you are being practically interrogated by police for taking photographs?
Well, I must say that Croatia is similar with this in means of railway photography.People that don't have license are often bothered by railway security guards, and sometimes they call police also.
Also in border areas, police will tell you that photographing is forbidden.
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Whew, this is a long thread. As per the OP's original experience:
I was out photographing in downtown Albuquerque just 2 days ago. Although I didn't have a tripod or LF camera with me, just a rangefinder - although it's a Zorki IV, so it could be misconstrued as Baltic economic terrorism, and I was using that unAmerican Ilford film - I was at the very same transportation center that the OP referred to. I was also taking pictures of the Amtrak and its passengers and employees. I wasn't hassled; even had a chance to talk with a conductor.
Perhaps the problem is that the tripod makes one's actions very obvious. I suspect what caused the problem with the OP was that someone called in a complaint. Simple as that. And the security apparatus that's been setup since 9/11 is geared to respond to every little complaint. After all, no career professional wants to compromise his retirement over inadequate response.
When the security atmosphere operates with a working motto of "you can't be too careful", it ignores the common-sense reality that, yes, you CAN be too careful; that's called over-reaction. Perhaps Reactionaries are less than sensitive to over-reaction; don't know.
I am amused by the multi-agency 'response' to the incident. Although it could have been initiated by some uber-reactive multi-agency task force, bent on ridding the world of all non-embedded photojournalists, I suspect it was really a group of feds walking back from lunch at Tacano's, the Brazilian restaraunt across the street from the transport center, and happened to spot the OP out on the street with his gear, and decided to check it out.
I take it then that you were photographing up on the platform area? That isn't in the street and is out of eyesight of the Greyhound security guards. I don't like them, they are real mean to people, even Amtrak passengers. It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't phone it in. David, you were in front on First St. so I suspect that was the difference. Not only can Greyhound security see you but also security for Alvarado Transit Center. Maybe the parking garage attendants on the west side of the street could have phoned it in. There are tons of homeless around there and they don't put up with much.
BNSF doesn't own the tracks anymore and so far NMRX doesn't give a flip about photography. That is good because my property borders theirs out here in Alameda. I take photos at my back fence all the time (sunsets and storms to the northwest). Rail Runner engineers just wave!
I take it then that you were photographing up on the platform area?
I was up on the platform, and also on the sidewalk in front of the Transit Center, as well as up and down Central and Gold avenues, stalking for street photos. Some folks were behind the El Rey Theater, in the alley, clearing out stuff from the recent fire, and I took some shots there, too.
I didn't actually stand in the street, however. I learned that years ago, as a sailor in San Diego, when SD police would run 3 red lights to ticket a sailor for "jaywalking" who had literally stepped just one foot off the curb onto the gutter. But them streets was sure a lot safer for it, yessirree.
I dunno, but if a person needed to stand out in the street in order to photograph, it might be smarter to get a permit, and post red safety cones and barricades and signage, etc. But it takes a lot of the sponteneity out of street photography that way, doesn't it?
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