Last night I was in Macy's and bought a rather expensive gift for my girlfriend. I handed the sales clerk my Amex to pay for it, and he asked me for my "driver's license." I don't believe that my ability to parallel park has anything to do with my identity, and I don't care to disclose my home address to someone who knows I just bought a $600 pair of boots. So I told him that I don't drive (not true) and offered my passport.

After looking at my passport, the clerk commented that "people aren't allowed to smile in passport photos anymore." (He wasn't trying to reject my passport; just claiming that it's prohibited in newly-issued passports.) According to him, the powers that be want photos that more closely resemble the (non-smiling) person presenting himself/herself for admission at the border.

I've never heard of any such new rule, and I don't believe it exists. But I could be wrong, as my passport was issued over 4 years ago (after 9/11, but before the announcement of the new passport requirement for travel to Canada, etc.). Anybody heard of such a thing?