The Friendly Facist
19-07-2004, 22:26
Linkluster news (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=8&u=/nm/20040719/ts_nm/security_refineries_photographer_dc)
Its kinda pathetic when this is front page news, for something that isnt even a crime. Although they do get overly touchy with ppl taking pictures of anything these days, including refineries. Theres one such account online somewhere.
God forbid somebody takes a picture of a refinery...
UpwardThrust
20-07-2004, 16:12
While it is not illegal to take pictures of a refinery from a highway or street, officials would like to talk to the man to find out his reason for taking the photographs.
omg sheesh I mean it is suspicios but STILL
Dragons Bay
20-07-2004, 16:34
Coo, the last time I was in Guangzhou (years ago) we feared taking a photo of the American consulate even though it's architecture looked nice. I don't remember whether it's the guard who told us we can't take pictures. Maybe not.
Cogitation
20-07-2004, 17:02
There is a serious and valid concern that refineries could become terrorist targets.
First of all, there's the economic impact. You'd lose the services of the refinery and would have to rebuild it. Lots of people could be put out of work by that sort of thing.
Second, and more importantly: Safety. Besides personell killed in the actual strike, you may also have toxic or flammable substances involved, depending upon what kind of facility it is. If it's an oil refinery, then you have to worry about huge amounts of burning oil. If it's a chemical process plant, then you have to worry about whatever chemicals are involved. There was an industrial accident at a Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India, that killed thousands of people back in 1984 (I think).
I won't go into the details of what went wrong at Bhopal, or how changes were made by many chemical companies to prevent similar incidents from happening at their own facilities, but the fact of the matter is that if someone wants to deliberately sabotage something, then there are plenty of places where they can do it. Thus, taking pictures of things, while seemingly innocuous, can have a very sinister purpose.
"Think about it for a moment."
--The Democratic States of Cogitation