Security is working against me; security wants to keep me down.

[wolfpangs]

From yesterday's LA City Hall conference on the paparazzi issue, John Mayer:

"Last month at Los Angeles International Airport, forty men, holding no tickets to fly and with nobody to pick up, swarmed an arriving female passenger inside the terminal, shouting at her, disorienting her and denying her a safe exit. Does that sound like something that should be allowed? Should the fact that the forty men were holding cameras change that answer?"



How is this allowed and yet we're all still in our sock feet, toting our thimblefuls of toiletries in hopes of making it through security hassle-free?



Security theater consists of security countermeasures intended to provide the feeling of improved security while doing little or nothing to actually improve security. The term was coined by Bruce Schneier for his book Beyond Fear, but has gained currency in security circles, particularly for describing airport security measures. It is also used by some experts such as Edward Felten to describe the security measures imposed after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Security theater gains importance both by satisfying and exploiting the gap between perceived risk and actual risk.

EDIT: But while we're on the subject of paparazzi, while that photo is unnerving, I thought this video was fucking terrifying--watch what happens every time THIS VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC comes to a stop:

And it's even worse at night. To quote Brendon at WWTDD: How is it legal that someone is allowed to stand in front of a moving car and repeatedly hit the driver in the eyes with bright flashing lights? Is that not a violation of the drivers rights? I'm assuming Tobey Maguire is wondering the same thing, as last night he was trying to drive his SUV when he lost it and yelled at the paparazzi, screaming, "Get the fuck out of the way, I can't see. There are cars here motherfuckers." And good for him. You’re not even allowed to take flash pictures of fish at the zoo, yet for some reason it's okay to blind people while they try to aim a V12 engine. Why not just sound an air horn off in their ear too, or throw a snake in their lap. No rules, right?

Comments

[gannet-guts.livejournal.com]

I could never be a celeb. I would totally constantly be pulling a Britney and be toting a umbrella everywhere I went. That shit is scary.

[blaireliza.livejournal.com]

No kidding about how this shit should be illegal. I don't know how they do it. But to a lesser degree and playing Devil's Advocate here, I often wonder if the paparazzi would be as out of hand if so many celebs didn't date/marry other celebs all the time.

[afellowwaitress.livejournal.com]

Disgusting. Just terrifying.