Quoting from The Guardian article Keep your face straight: passport grins pass into history : "It sounds like something from an Orwell novel: British citizens who hope to be allowed to leave the country are no longer allowed to smile. But this new seriousness really did come into effect at midnight: forthwith, if you want to get out, then keep your mouth shut.
In fiction, this interdiction on grinning would result from some tyrannical ban on happiness. In fact, it's a practical matter: the new biometric recognition scanners purchased to improve security at border controls are only able, due to some idiosyncracy of their digital instructions, to recognise straight faces. So, from this morning, potential travellers must produce in the curtained booth or photographer's shop what the official form calls "a neutral expression with your mouth closed".

I guess this new regulation is not bothering the British at all. For all I know, they are not exactly known for their bubbly and smiley personalities. Except when drunk, of course. And that doesn't last for long because they will soon become violent and aggresive. Try a little expedition on a Friday or Saturday night to any British city centre and you will agree. The panorama is something out of the Escape from LA film. Unfortunately, without Kurt Russell .


Cito del articulo de The Guardian:
No te rias : pasa a la historia el sonreir en el pasaporte : "Suena como salido de una novela de George Orwell: los ciudadanos britanicos que quieran salir del pais tienen prohibido el sonreir. Esta nueva impuesta seriedad entro en vigor en la medianoche de ayer. De ahora en adelante, si quieres salir al extranjero, cierra la boca. Si fuera una novela de ficcion, esta nueva norma resultaria ser una tiranica prohibicion a la felicidad. En realidad, en una cuestion practica: los nuevos scanners biometriocos adquiridos por los aeropuertos para mejorar la seguridad tienen sus limitaciones y solo pueden 'leer' fotos de caras serias. Asi que, desde esta maniana, quienes deseen renovar su pasaporte deberan presentar fotos con lo que, oficialmente se describe como "una expresion neutral con la boca cerrada".

Lo cual, en mi opinion, no debe preocupar demasiado a los britanicos, que no gozan, precisamente, de reputacion internacional por su caracter alegre y sonrisa permanente. Excepto cuando van borrachos, claro. Aunque en esos momentos tampoco les dura demasiado la sonrisa, porque, mayoritariamente, son de lo mas violentos. Un paseito un viernes o sabado por la noche por cualquier ciudad britanica y me dareis la razon. Las escenitas son del tipo 'Escape from LA', lamentablemente sin Kurt Russell .

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
21C
UV Index: 2 Low
Wind: From the Southeast at 10 mph
Dew Point: 14C
Humidity: 67%
Visibility: 7 miles
Barometer: 1,020.7 mb