Friday Fun: Are you an odd looking photographer? Watch your step.
by Antonio on 07/03/08 at 5:38 pm
I love the internet.
Here’s the government’s new strategy for catching terrorists:
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You can just hear the rubbing of image-doctoring hands in glee at seeing this.
Here’s my favourite so far :
by Mr Atrocity
And here are some more courtesy of Boing Boing. Lovely.
Mark McGuinness
Mar 8th, 2008
They’re both parodies – right?
Antonio
Mar 8th, 2008
Mark – unfortunately the first one is 100% real.
http://www.met.police.uk/campaigns/campaign_ct_2008.htm
Mark McGuinness
Mar 9th, 2008
Well, I’d better be careful then.
Biff
Mar 10th, 2008
You better had!
I was at Victoria Station in London a few weeks ago waiting for a train to Brighton and I noticed this old green gate in the middle of two adverts. It looked really nice. an odd juxtaposition of old and new, so I got my camera out to take a picture. Before I could frame it up this guy appears and tells me I’m not allowed to do that.
“What take a picture”
“Yeah. Security measures. You could be casing the place for an attack.”
“It’s a gate.”
“You could be casing the place for an attack.”
“I could also be taking a photo of a gate.”
“Security measures.”
“Can I just take this one photo and then get my train?”
“No Sir.”
This was a normal steward, so I went to find the police and ask then what was up. They were a but more helpful, but still overly paranoid.
I ended up (to make a point) doing what they told me to do. Put my name down and sign in to the station as a photographer, get a pass, go and take pictures (in my case ONE picture), take my pass back, sign out, then be on my way.
I also have two phones. Apparently that is also a sure sign I’m a terrorist.
And (as Antonio will find out tomorrow) a beard.
I’m pretty sure that the wisdom of crowds will render this campaign pretty useless…the time has gone where anyone could hope to use the internet to create lots of little McCarthys.
~biff~
Antonio
Mar 10th, 2008
Hehe – you do sound a bit dodgy Biff. I think you should just turn yourself in right away.
Seriously though, it’s all a bit depressing really.
Biff
Mar 10th, 2008
It is depressing.
I try not to think of it too much, but there is a slow and subtle erosion of liberties happening.
“Don’t look at the war on tv, focus on the enemy next door.” That seems to be the only message I can draw from this campaign and others like it.
Laura
Mar 10th, 2008
That’s it, I’m just going to have to keep my camera hidden under my coat!
Just found you from Etsy storque and oh my I have so much to learn. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and advice.
Antonio
Mar 11th, 2008
@Laura: No problem!
Karl Randay
Mar 12th, 2008
That’s just so astonishing and laughable in equal measure!
Keogh
Oct 23rd, 2008
Security people are to terrorists as priests were to witches 200 years ago. There’s a whole sector of society that loves to luxuriate in its own paranoia, and the more excuses they have to get everyone else to join in their hate games the more comfortable they feel.
This is the real triumph of Bin Laden. Every time someone has to take their shoes off when they get on a plane, he laughs, because that’s his victory, to spread hatred and fear, and empower the little hitlers of the world. We really shouldn’t be letting him get away with it, and we tolerate the opposite.
To quote the great Randy Newman: A president once said “all we have to fear is fear itself” – Now we’re supposed to be afraid – it’s patriotic! And what are we supposed to be afraid of? – Well, being afraid – that’s what terrorism is isn’t it?