Given a bit of hard time at the US customs for a DSLR

[jk]

i have a feeling he really wanted to part you from your "expensive" camera

The officer was just doing his job

Sure, for the most part: checking the pictures is not part of his job.

and when in doubt you should carry proof of purchase and/or register the items.

I asked about bringing proof of purchases. He recommended against bringing a proof of purchase He did not elaborate why (I suppose that he may question its authenticity)

According to this US Customs officer the correct and only way to deal with this is to register the camera.

--
Thierry

--
beam me up scotty

do you consider yourself lucky?

 

[jk]

the only thing aserial number does is.. depending on the serial number different localities have different serial number .. so if they checked it might show that serial number xxxxx whatever was meant for the usa market or for the euro market or for canada .. electronics and cameras go through sooo many hands you cant trace squat

With Canada Customs the procedure is, prior to leaving the country you have your equipment and proof of purchase

Thanks for info. Apparently it is not needed to bring a proof of purchase in the US. They do record the S/N as you've mentioned.
--
Thierry

--
beam me up scotty

do you consider yourself lucky?

 

[math guy]

I am sure you will agree there are many reasons for not fulilling the potential your education system offers.

One is the quality of the education. I am married to and respect the work of many hard working teachers. I do not respect the many who are of such a poor standard their students fail, and they cannot be easily dismissed.

I agree that there are lousy teachers who don't care. However, I can assure you that my students have a teacher who does care about them and gives them his best effort to encourage and enable them to learn. I can assure you that when my students fail, it is not because I didn't do everything I could to help them.

I also will never blame the actions of a minor in foregoing an education. Parents are responsible here. Their inactions, and lack of support lead many young people to miss out in life.

Where you are born, your ethnicity, the quality of the teacher, the parental support................Don't blame the child, for they are children.

While I'm not ready to absolve teenagers from all responsibilty of their own actions, I do agree with you that parents play a huge role.

But I reject the notion that everyone in the society is to blame, which is the notion which I was addressing. The question was asked how we could allow poverty to happen, as if it is everyone's fault. The fact of the matter is that many people are offered help and refuse it. Whatever their reason is, they refuse it. And there is only so much others can do in an effort to help without crossing the line which protects their rights to make their own choices.

I also do not suport your comment that we are inherently greedy. Some are and some are not.

I do not support a statement that we are all sinners. For the athiests among us this is not a statement of truth ; I am human, that is all.

I wouldn't expect everyone to agree with it, but it does not change what is true. If it is true, it is true whether you are an atheist or not. And if it is false, it is false whether I believe in God or not. Neither your belief nor mine determine whether it is a statement of truth. I don't mean that to sound disrespectful. I'm just saying that facts are facts, and lies are lies, regardless of what anyone believes about them.

I have a moral code developed over millions of years of evolution, and modified by the physical environment in which I live.

Obviously I disagree, but I won't weary you with an argument here. I sincerely doubt either of us will convince the other.

I offer the utmost respect to all who have and share in a religious faith. It has no place in politics though.

If you read what I wrote carefully, you'll find I wasn't trying to put religious faith into politics (although I have no problem with its being there). I was simply pointing out that we are being unrealistic if we ever expect political and economic policies to solve the world's problems. And also that just because a specific economic or political policy didn't solve all problems, that doesn't prove it to be a bad policy.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. We may disagree on many items, but I appreciate the manner in which you discussed them. That is not always the case in discussions of this nature.

--
-- Joe S.
'The laws of nature are but the mathematical thoughts of God.' ~ Euclid

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/josephschmitt

 

[Pete Stavrakoglou]

One reason I teach high school is to help provide students the opportunity to better themselves. But many people choose not to take that option, squander their educational opportunity, and therefore end up with much fewer financial opportunities in the future. It's sad, but I see it every day, every school year. The fact is that actions have consequences, and often the consequence of not giving school a good effort is that school turns out to be the best 13 years of one's life.

I am sure you will agree there are many reasons for not fulilling the potential your education system offers.

One is the quality of the education. I am married to and respect the work of many hard working teachers. I do not respect the many who are of such a poor standard their students fail, and they cannot be easily dismissed.

I also will never blame the actions of a minor in foregoing an education. Parents are responsible here. Their inactions, and lack of support lead many young people to miss out in life.

Where you are born, your ethnicity, the quality of the teacher, the parental support................Don't blame the child, for they are children.

I also do not suport your comment that we are inherently greedy. Some are and some are not.

I do not support a statement that we are all sinners. For the athiests among us this is not a statement of truth; I am human, that is all.

I am responsible for my actions, and my path in life is dictated by my upbringing, choices made, and the unforseen circumstances which can turn it from one direction to another.

I have a moral code developed over millions of years of evolution, and modified by the physical environment in which I live.

You have your right to your belief and that not everyone is a sinner, if that is your choice. I believe that we are all sinners. Obviously, we cannot both be right

I offer the utmost respect to all who have and share in a religious faith. It has no place in politics though.

People who have deep religious beliefs have every right to use their influence in political matters. No matter what an individual's belief, that person has a right to influence politics. No matter how much people try to deny it, many of our nations founders were men of Christian faith and that faith had a major influence in the founding of our nation. It's just as easy to say that the atheist's beliefs have no place in politics either.
--
My humble photo gallery: http://www.pete-the-greek.com

 

[ABA DABA]

The officer was just doing his job

I asked about bringing proof of purchases. He recommended against bringing a proof of purchase He did not elaborate why (I suppose that he may question its authenticity)

According to this US Customs officer the correct and only way to deal with this is to register the camera.

And that is what you should do> I'v been doing it for the past 25 plus years. because of going to Canada and Mexico. I've registered everything that I might take with me on any trips whether I have everything or not. Its a small Customs form always folded in my passport. When they open the passport no brainer, even for the simplest minded TSA or officer.
Just do it and quit whining. You still live in the best country in the world.

--
Thierry

--
ABA DABA

 

[bgD300]

And, you give up a little more of your privacy and freedom. After all, what's an hour or two if it stops the government from hassling you.
--
My photo blog: http://birdsnbugs.wordpress.com
My camera club porfolio: http://www.pacameraclub.com/bgrant.htm
RF Stock Portfolio - http://www.dreamstime.com/resp129611
EXIF is embedded in photos WSSA #51 as bg5700