Not Even A False Sense of Security
A number of us boarded the train (Some in Joliet and some in Beverly) and we all met at the end of the line so that we could make a Rosenthal Family Outing, of a trip, to the Art Institute of Chicago. An uncle and I went straight to the armaments and spent the majority of our stay perusing the leavings of the Harding Collection. One aunt was intent upon seeing the impressionists. Two cousins and another aunt wandered about browsing at random with no clear agenda in mind.
Now before I get to my rant I have to mention that I think I've made something like six or eight pilgrimages. In the same hall as the arms collection their are some European pieces dating to about the same age. Amongst those pieces of jewelry and glass wares sit some highly ornate items created to display saints bones or other holy artifacts. I'm not sure, but I think all of the display items did contain relics. (Saw something in one that looked like a finger bone). Way back in the day people use to travel the land visiting various churches to see relics like these in hopes of gaining the blessing of those saints. I observed and meditated over each display for a brief period. So I'm thinking I got like eight saints blessings in one day. You can't beat that with a stick or a grilled cheese sandwich.
On to my rant. First of all the people in the museum aren't there to protect the art so much as to make sure no one does anything on their little mental checklist. One woman came up to me as I was looking through the display window on my digital camera and said, "Still only. No Video." I replied that I was using a still picture camera just trying to center the picture better by using the video display. She repeated her admonition about still pictures only. In another area I got yelled at for even having the camera out. I guess the flash bleaches the art work. I can understand no flash but this woman said absolutely no photographs.
It makes me wonder who they think they are fooling. None of these people are armed security. They couldn't prevent a theft if they wanted too. Sure there may be anti theft devices in place but I could document them just as easily with a still camera as I could with a video. I'm willing to bet the architectural details of the building are publicly available also. Still these people do need to try and prevent people from damaging the artwork so can understand why you need a bunch of bossy loud people to go through a checklist. It's the tax payer's dime if something gets broken.
My real problem came later. As we stood on the train platform downtown. We had missed our train so one of the Aunt's decided to make use of the time by taking pictures of the family. This is when the only security personal on the platform told us that pictures are prohibited, not only of the train but of the platform.
Lets think about this for a minute. I can order satellite photographs online of any part of the city. I could take pictures of the train at any stop along the tracks. The train schedules are not only freely available at any station but also online. A Highway runs under the train station. Just after September the eleventh a security vehicle was posted on one end of the Highway / street (I think it's Congress). I pretty sure they don't have anyone sitting here anymore. I could probably video tape and photograph the entire structure, post it to the internet and then spam the world with email telling about this free video tour and it wouldn't make the trains or platform any less secure than they already are.
When my aunt asked why we couldn't take pictures on the platform the guard mumbled something about September the eleventh but implied, with her body language, that my aunt and our family were idiots for even thinking to ask a question. She shouldn't have to wave the magic terror wand. We should know better.
If people were serious about the security of that station, the highway would be re routed, or the stock exchange would move to a new, more easily secured, location. But then the wealthy traders might have to walk more than five feet from the platform to their place of work and that would be a serious inconvenience to big business. We can't have that. So really all the city has done is put a few guards out there who stop us from taking pictures and to roust the occasional drunk so that we get the idea that the station and the trains are in some way more secure. See how that guard just stopped those people from taking a picture. Wow they are top of their game. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
This display doesn't work for me. In fact it makes me wonder if the city is really ready to deal with any sort of major crisis in anything other than a political showing of a few people here, a few cameras there.
In summary: Beware of A bunch of country folk with digital cameras. They are a Security risk. There are Saints Relics in Chicago. I've been super blessed and probably radiate holiness. Train station security personal are super bad swat like ninjas.
More Laters
Now before I get to my rant I have to mention that I think I've made something like six or eight pilgrimages. In the same hall as the arms collection their are some European pieces dating to about the same age. Amongst those pieces of jewelry and glass wares sit some highly ornate items created to display saints bones or other holy artifacts. I'm not sure, but I think all of the display items did contain relics. (Saw something in one that looked like a finger bone). Way back in the day people use to travel the land visiting various churches to see relics like these in hopes of gaining the blessing of those saints. I observed and meditated over each display for a brief period. So I'm thinking I got like eight saints blessings in one day. You can't beat that with a stick or a grilled cheese sandwich.
On to my rant. First of all the people in the museum aren't there to protect the art so much as to make sure no one does anything on their little mental checklist. One woman came up to me as I was looking through the display window on my digital camera and said, "Still only. No Video." I replied that I was using a still picture camera just trying to center the picture better by using the video display. She repeated her admonition about still pictures only. In another area I got yelled at for even having the camera out. I guess the flash bleaches the art work. I can understand no flash but this woman said absolutely no photographs.
It makes me wonder who they think they are fooling. None of these people are armed security. They couldn't prevent a theft if they wanted too. Sure there may be anti theft devices in place but I could document them just as easily with a still camera as I could with a video. I'm willing to bet the architectural details of the building are publicly available also. Still these people do need to try and prevent people from damaging the artwork so can understand why you need a bunch of bossy loud people to go through a checklist. It's the tax payer's dime if something gets broken.
My real problem came later. As we stood on the train platform downtown. We had missed our train so one of the Aunt's decided to make use of the time by taking pictures of the family. This is when the only security personal on the platform told us that pictures are prohibited, not only of the train but of the platform.
Lets think about this for a minute. I can order satellite photographs online of any part of the city. I could take pictures of the train at any stop along the tracks. The train schedules are not only freely available at any station but also online. A Highway runs under the train station. Just after September the eleventh a security vehicle was posted on one end of the Highway / street (I think it's Congress). I pretty sure they don't have anyone sitting here anymore. I could probably video tape and photograph the entire structure, post it to the internet and then spam the world with email telling about this free video tour and it wouldn't make the trains or platform any less secure than they already are.
When my aunt asked why we couldn't take pictures on the platform the guard mumbled something about September the eleventh but implied, with her body language, that my aunt and our family were idiots for even thinking to ask a question. She shouldn't have to wave the magic terror wand. We should know better.
If people were serious about the security of that station, the highway would be re routed, or the stock exchange would move to a new, more easily secured, location. But then the wealthy traders might have to walk more than five feet from the platform to their place of work and that would be a serious inconvenience to big business. We can't have that. So really all the city has done is put a few guards out there who stop us from taking pictures and to roust the occasional drunk so that we get the idea that the station and the trains are in some way more secure. See how that guard just stopped those people from taking a picture. Wow they are top of their game. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
This display doesn't work for me. In fact it makes me wonder if the city is really ready to deal with any sort of major crisis in anything other than a political showing of a few people here, a few cameras there.
In summary: Beware of A bunch of country folk with digital cameras. They are a Security risk. There are Saints Relics in Chicago. I've been super blessed and probably radiate holiness. Train station security personal are super bad swat like ninjas.
More Laters
posted by Rich Rosenthal II at 11:36 PM
1 Comments:
Stinking train Nazis. I think you’re correct in questioning our safety when cameras in public areas pose a security threat ( I can almost understand the museum rules). If one can order aerial shots/satellite surveillance photo’s, I’m not sure what the big deal is…maybe the track the people ordering certain satellite shots? Perhaps I’ll order some and see if they come to ask me why…..
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