Somebody's Watching You

Remember the song lyrics: "I always feel like somebody's watching me". I can't think of the name of the song. But, I bet residents of Madison, IL are singing it since the police have strategically placed video surveillance cameras, that can scan for blocks, zoom in and overlap angles, all over that town.

Well, I guess the advantages are that it saves the tax payers money by saving the police department gas expenses. Besides, now they can cut down on personnel. One officer can monitor a bank of video screens.

It was said that in Madison crime has decreased extremely. Gee, I wonder if extramarital affairs have too? And sitting on the front porch in your underwear or making out in the car! Why lock the door? Might as well sleep with the windows open. Hey, why not walk around nude in the kitchen with the light on and curtains open to give the officer a thrill? Like in the movie "In the Heat of the Night"!

I'm not sure how I feel about this? I wonder if there are speakers connected to these camcorders? "Hey, get away from there!" or "This is the police. What are you doing there? That is not the car that is registered in your name!" or "Is that your wife?"

Personally, I think it's a little scary. In a way it reminds me of the telephone stories of way-back-when operators listening in on party line conversations. Operators were the sort of all the good gossip.

Do you think the police will get to feeling all powerful..and start handing out free advice. I had a bartender of a place I frequented often after I got off work at midnight..a friend would so the same. He was married. Before we knew it the bartender was telling us that people are talking as if we are planning our meeting there. His free advice made me feel guilty and I was innocent. It made me quit angry, he too. We were judged and declared guilty although we were innocent.

I wonder just how far the police will go with this...just wondering. What about the gay people wanting to hold hands. What if the police officer is prejudice? What if he is god?

Now, let me think about this. How would I feel if the police put up surveillance cameras on a pole in my neighorhood that monitored my front door along with everyone elses? I don't know. I might be tempted to moon him!

And the cameras are quit efficient and effective zooming in to read license plates or zooming out to scan an even larger area. Quit amazing! So, they could follow you and see where you are going. I think my privacy might be getting invaded just a wee bit.

I wonder could they read the return address on a package left at my door? UPS would have no reason now not to leave the package. Well, that's a plus! I hate running down the truck right after I missed it. Or having to wait another full day after I sign that stupid slip. "Just leave the damn package! Jesus!" I'm sure my nieghbors have heard that enough.

Speaking of hearing. Do the surveilance cameras record sounds too?

It's amazing whenever the law tries to zone in on the crooks, the innocent have to suffer by losing more and more of our freedoms.

Now we have to take our shoes off at the airport security zone and they have no chair placed where anyone can sit and put them back on. The innocent have to suffer now because of that moran with the shoe bomb.

So, personally, I think the idea will catch on in other communities. There already are radar cameras along roadways that snap you speeding and automatically send you a ticket in the mail. I think they could go totally paperless and send it to you by email? Oh, they'll find your email address.

In a way it's all good and in a way it's all bad. Damn! And sneaking around getting a little on the side use to be fun! What about the guys doing the down low? What about rest areas, are there camera there?

I feel a case of paranoia coming on!

So, if you feel like you are being watched maybe it's just not your imagination!