For the first time since photo DL's became mandatory the Motor Vehicle Commission also requires removal of eyeglasses.

I was not even allowed a demure smile! "No expression, no teeth, face straight into the camera". I tried getting away with a very slight grin and that was rejected too. The funny thing is that after my fourth attempt at an "acceptable" photo, I realized that at least now there will be a legitimate reason for my license photo to look as bad as it now does.

BTW, like so many others I waited until the last Wednesday before Sept 1 to renew my DL. As Oakland MVC is the closest to Butler that's where I go. Arriving at 9 am I had visions of being in line for hours just to get inside the office, something I had witnessed 2 years ago on a similar day to renew the registration for our motorhome. Instead I was pleasantly surprised to find only 3 others in line to reach the first clerk. Then for the actual process it was a 30 minute wait with about 15 ahead of us as I sat down. By 10 am I was on the way back to Butler.

I'd give up a smile on my driver's license any day if it helps catch the bad guys.

This "no smiles" was just featured on Fox News Channel's "Fox and Friends" starrring Steve Doucy of Wyckoff, who might go to the Oakland MVC also

Not many are smiling anyway in this corrupt state

No smiling, but burqa is okay, right?

So what expression IS most preferred for our picture ID?

Smiling helps terrorists!

Over the past several weeks, I have heard this story repeated on tv, radio and now in print. The first time I heard it was on the radio, in late August, while driving back from the local DMV. I renewed my license with no mention from the DMV photo taker about smiling or not smiling. End result...new license, small smile, teeth showing!

I went to the Oakland DMV in August to renew my license and wanted to keep the previous picture that I had taken 4 years ago. That one was pretty good. They told me that I had a slight smirk so I had to retake the photo. I do not see a smirk and I thought it was ridiculous but I need my license right? Gotta follow the rules. I went on August 15th and waited 2 hours by the way.

Did a Mona Lisa smile, which seemed ok. Eyeglasses had to be off. Can't say this is a portrait to remember, but good enough for the purpose. I don't have a problem with meeting security specs, as long as everyone has to.

oh man i love to smile this is going to tough for me.. next they are going to tell us to shave our heads what is this world coming to?????

The FAA has a saying that applies here. "We're not happy until you're not happy."

After reading this atricle and comments, I am renewing my drivers licence photo then I'm getting a makeover. There's a great hairdresser on Catano Ave. She's going to change me. I'll show them!

Just got my Florida license...no wait, small fee, very happy people behind the desk, AND i was given the option of smiling or not, and wearing my glasses or not. Actually, I cant say "very happy"... I have to say "the most pleasant people i have ever met while dealing with a government entity"

thats a fairly broad assessment...do you have any facts to back up the claim "they are all stoners in Florida"?

Ok, facts you want, we shall start with this:
http://www.myfloridadefenselawyer.com/defenseblog/fl-prescription-drug-problem/

If you are not aware of the problems in Florida you have not been paying attention. Many northerners have moved south to sunny Florida only to find that they have moved into a bizarre world of police sirens/ helicopters/ chases 24 -7. Gated communities to protect them from the crime scene and the flood of impoverished transients coming from the cold climes. Facts you want, I can give your facts. Annectdotes too, like my next door neighbor retired LEO, moved to Florida and now back in NJ because of the crime problem from all the "stoners'

Depends on where you live. You can make a broad generalization if you like, but bear in mind that this article was written about the Tampa area, Pinellas County, which is a low income area. You could also generalize that NJ is crime ridden, based on Camden, Newark, Passaic, and Paterson. Yet you and I both know thats not true for the whole state, just certain parts.

http://www.northjersey.com/paterson/Paterson_council_considers_state_of_emergency_because_of_city_crime.html

35 states, including Florida, have some form of the stand your ground law. And all states have case law that states you have the right to defend yourself, and your home.

http://www.totalcriminaldefense.com/overview/castle-doctrine.aspx

I renewed my license in July. Nothing was mentioned of this and I smiled my beautiful coffee stained smile as I've always done. No issues.

Holy mackerel. Is this SERIOUS ?

Have we nothing more important to worry about ?

Oh, by the way... WRT the comment about FL being a land of continual sirens... have you noticed how Parsippany is sounding more and more like Da Bronx ???

Facebook agrees to suspend facial recognition in Europe , under pressure from Irish data protection regulators, has agreed to delete all facial recognition data of European users

This has nothing to do with fraud, or smiling. It has everything to do with DMV forwarding your picture to Homeland Security so they can perform facail recognition and know who they are looking at. Walk in Manhattan, go to the airport, visit a federal building, and it's "Why Hello Mr McQuellan" without you saying anything.

Police reguarly subpoena cell phone records to see where you've been and when (those with data plans are the most accurate). It's not fiction. We're living in a world where Big Brother is watching all the time. I'm sure that even the Patch records the IP address that your comment is made from. Choose to believe it or not, it just is.

To begin with, I don't think my constitutional rights are being violated. I also don't think cameras in the airport or other public areas are an invasion of privacy--if they catch one criminal that way, it's worth it. Now if they start putting cameras in restrooms or the like, that's a different story. And my "moniker" is seriously none of your business.

The 4th amendment of the Constitution reads; “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

Note ‘persons, papers, and effects’… it is not just limited to having your home searched. Since 9-11, we’ve had our phone records and emails randomly searched, our persons and effects randomly searched, and ID (ie; papers) required for almost everything we do. Too many people have no problem with this for the exact reasons that you give; “the world has changed, there’s a lot of bad guys out there… if you have nothing to hide, you have no reason to object… we must defeat terrorism, etc.”

One thing we’ve learned throughout history is that governments (regardless of which party is in charge) will gladly take whatever level of authority is allowed by the people. When we the people vest our government with unfettered authority, even to the detriment to our liberty and rights, we will get the police state that we so richly deserve. Once these rights are sacrificed, it will be very hard to get them back.

Not to mention that a consequence of more data is more noise - we don't have the ability to even READ, let alone react to the massive amount of names on our "no-fly" lists. At a certain point, they become useless. When it comes to EFFECTIVE security, more is not always better.

Kaplan & Hookerman--I support the 1st amendment, which we are all using to voice our opinions on this Patch. My opinion is that my constitutional rights are not being violated. If you feel yours are, what are you doing about it? You could actually exercise your 1st amendment right to petition the government for redress of grievances! I also very much support the 2nd amendment, which by the way this administration is trying to rein in, and I am doing something about that. This all started with no smiles on the DL, which led to Homeland Security and facial recognition, and on and on. I said, paraphrasing, I don't mind cameras in airports and public places because I'm doing nothing illegal and have nothing to hide. And you know what I meant by that--so the shades on the windows comment was juvenile. I know Solove's work and I've read the Constitution, so don't quote them as replies to me. Bottom line--I don't feel my rights are being violated nor my privacy invaded, I have the RIGHT to my opinions, especially concerning me!

Obama has largely avoided taking a stance with respect to gun control, instead saying the second amendment has a long history. This is firly typical of him as he tries to be all things to all people, he has failed to take a stand on anything, the country has been on autopilot for four years. There is no reason why we can't have a national firearms purchase permit that you get at your local police department, so someone actually does a background heck and eyeballs the loopy loo who wants to buy the ak47. Obama has been asked by some of the mayors of our large and crime ridden to do just this. He won't take a position. Some would say it is a lack of leadership.

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