Photo when entering the US

[August1991]

1. Years ago, I could drive to NY and drink a Gennesse beer - with merely my accent.

2. This federal state now takes a picture of me every time I return by air.

=====

Iceland, Quebec, Newfoundland, Bulgaria - all are sustainable.

[herbie]

It was customary in Vancouver to attend Sunday services at the Breakers in Point Roberts. And we used to cruise into Blaine &  Bellingham for shopping, spending a day crab fishing off the docks, camping on the islands or just popping down to a Mexican restauramt for dinner.

Haven't earned a nickel from me for 30 years now.

[paxamericana]

54 minutes ago, herbie said:

It was customary in Vancouver to attend Sunday services at the Breakers in Point Roberts. And we used to cruise into Blaine &  Bellingham for shopping, spending a day crab fishing off the docks, camping on the islands or just popping down to a Mexican restauramt for dinner.

I knew it, you Canucks are all secretly American aspirant.

[herbie]

Bars here weren't open Sundays and something available is better than nothing.
Used to joke how the urinals in Tsawassen piped directly into the kegs at the Breakers.

And Mexican food? We knew there HAD to be other than TacoBell down there. There wasn't here unless you made it yourself. 

Edited November 5, 2025 by herbie

[John Stone]

............ anyone remember this? 

[Barquentine]

48 minutes ago, John Stone said:

............ anyone remember this? 

What nationality were the 9/11 terrorists?

Who does Trump suck up to the most?

[SpankyMcFarland]

The details we have to hand over may become more ‘granular’ if this proposal is anything to go by:

Quote

The new proposal, published Wednesday in the Federal Registrar, would apply to travellers from more than three dozen countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), who submit their information to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) if they want to visit the U.S. 

These countries include nations that have traditionally close ties with the U.S., such as Australia, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom. 

Quote

 

People from these countries planning to visit the U.S. would be asked to provide five years of their social media history; email addresses used in the past 10 years; telephone numbers used in the past five years; and information about family members, including their addresses and telephone numbers.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-immigration-visa-social-media-history-esta-countries-9.7012235
 

Bad news for Vegas etc. 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Government/Proposed-social-media-screening-troubles-US-Travel-Association

Who comes up with this stuff? 

Edited December 16, 2025 by SpankyMcFarland

[SpankyMcFarland]

The visa holders and tourists are just a testing ground. Trump will want to apply Chinese-style surveillance and control to citizens too as soon as he can. 
 

On 11/23/2025 at 10:56 AM, Barquentine said:

What nationality were the 9/11 terrorists?

Who does Trump suck up to the most?

Exactly. He loves the way they run their countries. Tough guys. It’s Europe and its namby-pamby human rights he really hates. He doesn’t have a big problem with Xi either. In a world dominated by the CCP, Trumpistan could become a willing little helper as long as it had absolute control at home. 
 

 

Edited December 16, 2025 by SpankyMcFarland

[Legato]

1 hour ago, SpankyMcFarland said:

The visa holders and tourists are just a testing ground. Trump will want to apply Chinese-style surveillance and control to citizens too as soon as he can. 
 

Exactly. He loves the way they run their countries. Tough guys. It’s Europe and its namby-pamby human rights he really hates. He doesn’t have a big problem with Xi either. In a world dominated by the CCP, Trumpistan could become a willing little helper as long as it had absolute control at home. 
 

 

Well here we have a fine exhibition of a Walmart imagination.

[TreeBeard]

On 11/23/2025 at 5:35 AM, John Stone said:

............ anyone remember this? 

Trump doesn’t recall it.  He is accepting gifts in the form of jets with golden toilets from a country that allows terrorist organizations (the Islamic kinds) to fundraise within its borders. 

Edited December 16, 2025 by TreeBeard

[herbie]

They can afford a Golden Card. Cdn tourists are just peons.

[John Stone]

14 hours ago, TreeBeard said:

Trump doesn’t recall it.  He is accepting gifts in the form of jets with golden toilets from a country that allows terrorist organizations (the Islamic kinds) to fundraise within its borders. 

.............. the point tho is the U.S. has sound reasons for its paranoia?

[TreeBeard]

11 hours ago, John Stone said:

.............. the point tho is the U.S. has sound reasons for its paranoia?

Sure. I don’t care what protections they have at their border.  There’s no right for me to enter another country.   
 

Whether the measures are effective, or intelligent, is another question. I don’t think a picture, or even biometric data, are necessarily unreasonable to cross a border.  Demanding 5 years of social media posts?   Downright stupid and likely unworkable.  

[SpankyMcFarland]

14 hours ago, John Stone said:

.............. the point tho is the U.S. has sound reasons for its paranoia?

Every country has that. Every country has to deal with terrorism. These new demands of travellers from visa waiver countries like the UK and Germany etc. are ridiculous and will discourage tourists. 

[John Stone]

8 hours ago, SpankyMcFarland said:

Every country has that. Every country has to deal with terrorism. These new demands of travellers from visa waiver countries like the UK and Germany etc. are ridiculous and will discourage tourists. 

Of course it will discourage tourism, international sports, academia, technology ............ 

The point I was making is all the bad guys want to tug on superman's cape.

Just waiting for a 4th protocol. 

failing that a drone stream attack on the presidential motorcade. 

[herbie]

7 hours ago, John Stone said:

The point I was making is all the bad guys want to tug on superman's cape.

The only point you did make is one to reinforce many American's fear of the bogeyman. Can't give him face, shape or form, so lash out against everything because it could be the bogeyman.

[John Stone]

1 minute ago, herbie said:

The only point you did make is one to reinforce many American's fear of the bogeyman. Can't give him face, shape or form, so lash out against everything because it could be the bogeyman.

............... bogeyman  (or beotch) only needs to get lucky once.