Article by Bruce Schneier

“What is it with photographers these days? Are they really all terrorists, or does everyone just think they are?”

“Since 9/11, there has been an increasing war on photography. Photographers have been harrassed, questioned, detained, arrested or worse, and declared to be unwelcome. We’ve been repeatedly told to watch out for photographers, especially suspicious ones. Clearly any terrorist is going to first photograph his target, so vigilance is required.”

“Except that it’s nonsense. The 9/11 terrorists didn’t photograph anything. Nor did the London transport bombers, the Madrid subway bombers, or the liquid bombers arrested in 2006. Timothy McVeigh didn’t photograph the Oklahoma City Federal Building. The Unabomber didn’t photograph anything; neither did shoe-bomber Richard Reid. Photographs aren’t being found amongst the papers of Palestinian suicide bombers. The IRA wasn’t known for its photography. Even those manufactured terrorist plots that the US government likes to talk about — the Ft. Dix terrorists, the JFK airport bombers, the Miami 7, the Lackawanna 6 — no photography.”

Read the rest @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Just another reminder, this Friday the 6th at the Artist Xchange gallery in San Francisco, 8 of my original pen and ink drawings are hanging as part of their monthly opening reception featuring new work from local artists.

If you’re in the neighborhood the gallery is located at 3169 16th St. in San Francisco. Doors open at 7 pm, free drinks and miscellaneous munchies as always.

Visit www.artist-xchange.com for more information.

This coming Friday, June 6th at the Artist Xchange gallery in San Francisco, 8 of my original pen and ink drawings are hanging as part of their monthly opening reception featuring new work from local artists.

If you happen to be in the neighborhood the gallery is located at 3169 16th St. in San Francisco. Doors open at 7 pm, free drinks and miscellaneous munchies as always.

Visit www.artist-xchange.com for more information.

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed next to the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

We have a medical problem.
We’re as healthy as most. You won’t find us getting skin cancer from too much sunbathing.

We’re lazy, dishonest, and trying to fool everyone because we want credit for working at night but don’t actually do it.
This is a horrible misconception. It shows a lack of respect for our natural body rhythms, and it says we’re liars, frauds. Have you ever observed a Night Person at work during peak time? After you’ve sat up with one of us and seen how productive we are, say that again.

We’re insomniacs.
We’re not insomniacs. We aren’t trying to get to sleep.

We’re unhappy.
Only when we’re not allowed to follow our natural schedule.

We think we’re vampires or have some other kind of odd self image.
Do you think you’re the sun god Amon-Ra just because you’re a Day Person?

We’re criminals who use the excuse of staying up late to cover our crimes.
Sure, and all the people who are up in the daytime are law-abiding citizens. Crimes are only committed at night.

We’re hooked on caffeine.
It doesn’t take coffee and coke to keep us up all night.

The only reason we stay up late is to go to bars, cavort, and party.
We like to party as much as the next guy, but don’t blame us just because we’re always the last to leave.

We’re delinquents and degenerates.
How do you know? Do you follow delinquents and degenerates around at night? If you do, what’s your problem?