Taking photos of clouds earns Texas man a visit from the FBI

**claud3** · 10-09-2012

If you’re corresponding with known terrorists and attempting to overthrow the US government, it’s safe to expect a knock on your door from the FBI. But what if you just happen to think that storm clouds look really, really cool?

Michael Galindo, 26, learned the hard way that anything and everything is seemingly fair game for an FBI investigation. He was taking photos of a dark and stormy rain cloud above his native Texas town of Houston last month and had to pay the consequences for it when a federal agent appeared at his front door on Friday.

Galindo answered honestly when FBI Agent David Pileggi showed up at his Houston household last week and asked him about some photos he took on September 13 near the former Lyondell Refinery.

“He said I was spotted near the refinery but I couldn’t even remember doing that. I thought it had to be somebody else,” Galindo tells Photography is Not a Crime. “It wasn’t until he mentioned my camera that I made the connection.”

Galindo says he never once stepped foot on the refinery’s property, but it was enough to raise suspicion nonetheless. Someone at the facility spotted him shooting photos and phoned in the police, who in turn rang up the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.

According to Galindo, he was just “looking for a clear line of site” so he could snap a photo of storm clouds overheard, something he does regularly as a volunteer member of he National Weather Service’s Skywarn program, a coast-to-coast system that lets civilians submit breaking information about any storms stretching across the sky. The Skywarn website acknowledges that the program is run in conjunction with 122 local Weather Forecast Offices throughout the country, including many that offer free training classes to amateur meteorologists.

Galindo tells Photography is Not a Crime that the entire incident with Agent Pileggi ended peacefully. “He told me, ‘you’re not a threat and you are doing a public service but just be careful next time,’” the man recalls. That isn’t to say, though, that he got off without a hassle: Galindo says the agent asked him questions off a three-page document that involved any history he may have had with the US military or traveling overseas.

Now, Galindo says, he is left wondering if the FBI has since opened up a file on him.

“The worst thing I’ve done is get speeding tickets, but I haven’t gotten one in three years,” he tells the website.

Link: http://rt.com/usa/news/texas-man-fbi-galindo-949/

So the sky is not the limit and clouds are blow-jobs

**$Greatness$** · 10-09-2012

Land of the Free, homie. Land of the free.

*Holds in laughter*

How about these cocksuckas investigate why I'm paying high ass taxes and these government officials keep getting raises and high class ass in Mexico on my dime.

**podsaurus** · 10-09-2012

What is that facility and why is it a big enough problem to call the FBI? I've never heard of it so I'm not familiar with what it is.

**claud3** · 10-09-2012

Yet its a normal thing

**Kuro** · 10-09-2012

Just another day for these asshats.

**claud3** · 10-09-2012

Just another WTF and REALLY!

**Kuro** · 10-09-2012

You can do anything and still get in trouble from them mate.

**claud3** · 10-09-2012

know mate, its like

Wait a fart is a arrestable thing now in the states. PROOF

Before you pass gas in Malawi, you might want to wait until you are in a private area.

A new bill in the country is trying to make it against the law to fart in public in order to “mold responsible and disciple citizens.” While the legislation does include fines for more potentially dangerous actions, including carrying weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, fighting in public, or deceiving witnesses and destroying evidence, some Malawi citizens are claiming the flatulence clause is going a bit too far. “How can this government criminalize the release of intestinal gases … Everyone does that, even if it’s in public or it has an accompanying sound which is boring, making it criminal is a joke of democracy,” said one person to Afrik News.

(More on TIME.com: See the best pictures of the week)

Cutting the cheese isn’t only a offensive thing in Malawi though. According to MetromixTampa Bay,it’s illegal to break wind in a public place after 6 PM on a Thursday. Other areas find inappropriate bodily functions legally upsetting as well. Spitting is frowned upon in Singapore warns the US Department of State,and if your child burps during a church service in Nebraska,you can be arrested.

NewsFeed’s favorite: In 2009, Ontario’s transportation minister aided in creating Canadian legislation that would fine people who were caught picking their nose while driving. Just because those you sitting behind those windows doesn’t mean we can’t see you through the glass.

(More on TIME.com: See the best cartoons of the week)

While all these things are disgusting, it’s impossible to find someone who has never accidentally committed one of these bodily faux pas in front of others. For everyone’s sake, we should try and save our disgusting noises for own homes, but if it happens, well, that’s just part of human nature. It’s embarrassing enough; you shouldn’t have to pay for it as well.

Link: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/01/30/...ily-functions/

All true and I do not even live in the states... Man I am glad I do not, with crazyness like this

**imINxile** · 10-09-2012

So a refinery employee spots him and thinks he's scouting the joint..kinda paranoid. Everyone is so damn scared nowadays.

On the flip side a refinery would be a pretty big target. Crazy times we live in.

Edit: Lol at not being able to pass gas in public! How do ya know the offender, go around sniffing suspected ass!

**Kuro** · 10-09-2012

Originally Posted by claud3

know mate, its like

Wait a fart is a arrestable thing now in the states. PROOF

Link: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/01/30/...ily-functions/

All true and I do not even live in the states... Man I am glad I do not, with crazyness like this

Wtf is this shit!? Lmao!

**claud3** · 10-10-2012

Yep, all true and this is the country many live

**Kuro** · 10-10-2012

Too right mate..

**admartian** · 10-10-2012

I bet it's a secret FBI/CIA/NSA/Homeland etc base - or Michael Weston lives there...

**claud3** · 10-10-2012

Or michael jackson is still alive and runs the country, he makes a smooth transfare of power and its not criminal

**Yuuichi** · 10-10-2012

Originally Posted by $Greatness$

Land of the Free, homie. Land of the free.

*Holds in laughter*

How about these cocksuckas investigate why I'm paying high ass taxes and these government officials keep getting raises and high class ass in Mexico on my dime.

You are paying high taxes to fund those who do not want to work and live off gov duh lol.

Yeah the FBI agent prob decided before he had to read the long paper that this guy was no threat, but protical is protical I guess.

**Cybertox** · 10-10-2012

FBI: What were you doing near the refinery with your camera sir?
Man: Calling in an air strike...

Well what else can i say, America...
Or as SilverKnight suggested, meanwhile in America...