Tag: Soviet Union

Throgs Neck Bridge Photography–The Answer

The truth is until there’s someone monitoring every car photos will be taken. A person intent on harm isn’t going to be stopped by this.

The MTA has answer concerning photography on the Throgs Neck Bridge. As everyone suspected the decision was 9/11 related.

Dear Mr. Fox:

Thank you for contacting us on this issue. Following 9/11 we instituted a strict no access policy for filming and photography. Since 2002 we have had limited access. Requests for photography and filiming must be reviewed on an individual basis by our Internal Security Department. No security sensitive areas may be filmed or photographed. The news media is accommodated consistent with security concerns.

We do not allow unauthorized photography or filming of our facilities by the general public because of safety concerns for our customers, the safety of our facilities and to avoid interference with operations. I hope this answers your question..

Sincerely,

Judie Glave

MTA Bridges and Tunnels

As with so many other well meaning security measures it was taken quickly because it posed no real cost for MTA. It’s a meaningless gesture which only inconveniences those least likely to use photos for nefarious purposes.

The truth is until there’s someone monitoring every car, photos will be taken. A person intent on harm isn’t going to be stopped by this rule.

More importantly, our way-of-living is based on inherent freedoms. There was never a law allowing photography on the bridge. Being able to freely take pictures here is a given as opposed to policies in the old Soviet Union or North Korea

As I said in my earlier post I was on my way to photograph the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, a much more likely place of interest for someone(s) wanting to make an evil statement. And the Throgs Neck Bridge is only one of thousands of potential terrorist targets in New York City.

The sixties liberal in me talking now. Isn’t it a little ironic that some people will take away your freedom in the name of preserving your freedom. You can’t have it both ways.

The Problem With Pop Ups

I hate pop-up ads. That’s pretty ironic isn’t it? Who better than me to understand the value of advertising. After all, my salary is paid by advertising. Yet there is something smarmy about pop-up and pop-under ads. Maybe it’s the fact they somewhat hidden – or their origin is hidden. It’s like dialing a phone number and then when someone answers, hanging up.

Whatever the case I have been a pop-up stopper since the Google toolbar came along. Then, when Microsoft introduced pop up controls in Internet Explorer, I went with that. Now that most of my browsing is done with Firefox, I let it stop the pops.

Nearly everything had been going along fine&#185 until a few weeks ago. All of a sudden pop-ups were back. This is not to say they’re there in the same numbers as before, but the camel’s nose is in the tent. That’s not good.

At the moment, I think I have them under control again. I downloaded an ‘extension ‘ for Firefox called Adblock. With it, I can exclude all sorts of sites that serve up the advertisements.

I’m afraid web surfers and advertisers are currently facing a weapons escalation not unlike the US and Soviet Union facing off during the cold war. Both will continue to fortify their positions until one side gives up.

I hope that’s not me I’m talking about.

&#185 – Even when all the other pop-ups had been stopped, Drudge had found a way to fool the browsers. I often wondered what he knew that no one else did.