Connectable Dots

“Barcamp talk on Flickrcamp” Image originally uploaded by pinhole at his Flickr stream.

A few weeks ago at one of the sflickr gatherings, some of us were talking about a very small scale version of a photo camp — choose a narrow theme like night exposure — go out, come back, and do some post processing and technigue swapping over some nice wines and craft beers.

I was at Online Community Camp earlier, and I was pretty darned intersted in BarCamp SF — but I have other plans and scheduling issues for the weekend. So I was delighted to see that pinhole is taking the photo camp idea a step further with a presentation at BarCamp. Lets go, FlickrCamp!

Tina Loney (1943-2006)

Portrait originally uploaded to Flickr by dgans: David posted this terrific picture of onezie, along with some very sad news. She died today after a long illness that she didn't want to discuss online.

So hard to believe she's really gone.

Here's part of what I posted in the Tina topic in the (members-only) WELL news conference:

One of the reasons I've personally
been committed to working at The WELL for many years through a variety of times is in honor of the spirit and intention i read in these words [A great essay that Tina wrote about cultivating online community].

So many people have cherished her words, her larger-then-she-ever-knew influence and her awareness that The WELL never has to be only dry
ones and zeros, or remedial high school for grownup geeks if we remind ourselves of the real people at all those keyboards.

I'm so sad. Losing such a real person, who cared about the experience of others, from her keyboard. From our lives.

She'll be entangled in the social coding and DNA of this place as long as real people log in here. But that's not the same. Not the same at all.

A moment for Tina. For passing along her wisdom. And for all those she touched online, in her private life and as a dedicated school teacher. Why is it that responses to loss of the most memorable people in our communities is sometimes what it takes to know how real a community is?

"I Was Assaulted By This Man Who Identified Himself as a Police Officer and Refused to Provide Me Identification, Photography is Not a Crime" Originally uploaded by Thomas Hawk.

From his disturbing words:

…an individual came over who identified himself as a police officer and told us to get out of the plaza, off the sidewalk and to physically stand on the asphalt in the street where the cars were driving by. When I tried to object this individual (who was significantly larger than me) assaulted me and forcibly grabbed my arm quite hard and pulled me towards the street. When I freed myself from his grip I told him that I was going to take his photograph. He told me that I could not take his photograph and that if I did that I could "watch what would happen to my camera."

I took his photograph anyways and that is him up there at the top of the story. Once he had us physically on the asphalt in the traffic off the sidewalk I once again asked him for his identification and asked to see his badge. He refused to provide me his identification and refused to show me his badge.

Can you help Thomas identify this man?
And what are the rights of photographers? Here's basic information on your freedom. Cops and security guards may not know this, of course. The fellow in the picture needs some education.