Have any of you see the new tv show called Person of Interest? It’s about these two guys, Mr. Finch (Michael Emerson) and John Reese (Jim Caviezel). They are able to see if something BAD is going to happen in public government camera’s that are everywhere (that I have never even noticed before) and they go in and change the course of events so instead of a child disappearing or someone being murdered or raped, they step in and stop the bad. Here’s a clip from Good Question.
Mr. Finch is a super rich nerdy guy who designed all these camera’s for the government so he knows the ins and outs of everything. I’m not going to get into the whole show but it’s a very good show.
But this is real life. Since this show started I’ve become aware (because I paid attention and looked) of just how many camera’s are EVERYWHERE we go. It’s called The Patriot Act and it’s been in place since 911 but were you aware of it to this extent? I sure wasn’t. I was in shock to realize all this.
How does this make you feel? You’re alone somewhere and voila, you’re really not. There could be a whole crew of people watching you ride up a floor in an elevator. Or sitting alone on a park bench reading a book and picking your nose!
On one hand, I don’t like it. It’s so intrusive to be watched like that. I’m sure in some huge metropolitan places, they might even be able to peek into your home. But, on the other hand, if someone went missing or got hurt in any way, there they’d be and they could really help.
I’m not really sure how I feel. How about you? Safe or spied upon? Just be sure how you’re facing when you go to pull out a wedgie or it could end up on the news!
That WAS to be the end of my post but since I wrote it, this “funny” thing happened and it’s got me rethinking all this stuff.
My cousin Joseph was coming for a visit. He googled our address somehow. I don’t know how it all works but the first time he got directions they were wrong and then I think he did a different search and got pictures. He may come on and explain what he did. This is a church not far from our house and I was flabbergasted when I saw it. I thought who in the world took this?
The next photo is a shot right up our driveway.
I have no idea how to change that file but it kind of works. Just click twice on the links. If enlarged, this thing you can see our house. I literally couldn’t speak when I saw it. I often take the garbage out in my pj’s or run out and start the car with things on that I’d hate to be seen like that around the world. This means someone stopped right in front of my house, got out and took this picture. I mean really, I live way out in the middle of nowhere. Who comes and takes these things? It’s really very creepy when you get right down to it.
I’m not sure how I feel about all this now. Who really needs this kind of information?
What do you all think about this? You better close your drapes or blinds.
Us Girls..Our Views 
Well its happening all over the world, google earth… Ive heard of spouses vehicles getting caught by google earth in places they shouldnt be.
I live at a street where cars drive by constantly, and I cannot go out in my pj’s. But in the morning, I often go out with Dan when he drives to work, and I am still my bathrobe. I think it is not “decent” but I actually do not mind. I have seen those camera’s too, you probably haven’t seen all of them. They are really everywhere. But the sad part is, a lot of them are not in action. I prefer to have them on, that, if someone is doing something wrong or illegal, they can be identify and caught .Our house is on google search too. They took this picture last year.
Person of Inerest is one of our new favorite shws.
I’ve actually seen the Google Street View car here in Charleston a couple of times. This particular car was a VW with what looked like a periscope pole on it with a large sphere shaped baslet looking thing on top of the pole. i guess it is hooked to a GPS thing as it records from the camera.
that’s creepy, but yea check out google earth!
It’s also one thing to see a little tack on a map of a satellite view but to see my driveway like this blows my mind. Where were the camera’s when Paul was trapped under the lawn mower?
I do see the point of the cameras in areas that may need them but this shot is a still so what good would that do for anything? People used to be able to follow directions and not need to see the persons driveway for Pete’s sake!
That driveway shot helps SWAT plan for a successful assault.
Zoiks! I’ve used that before to try to check out a building that was for sale, but it didn’t get right down to the individual address. It kinda freaks me out, but then I don’t think about it when I go outside in my jammies. I live in a neighborhood, so I wouldn’t go out X-rated, but yeah, I wouldn’t want a photo of me in my cruddy pjs to be posted anywhere.
This is yet another reason I try not to give out too much identifying info online. Although if you know my actual name, you can easily find out all kinds of things about me. (Not that I have anything to hide from normal people – I just don’t need any creeps to be able to get into my business or get close to my home/kids.)
On a related note, here’s something that just happened to me. My sister wanted to borrow some money, so I gave her a check, but I had to transfer the money into the checking account before she could cash it. So I was checking online to make sure the transfer had occurred on the day she wanted to deposit the check. Today my sister mentioned that she’d gone ahead and cashed it because my mom had checked online and confirmed that the cash was in the bank. Huh? My mom’s been looking at my checking account online? How the heck? She is a signer on the account (it’s an old business account she opened 30+ years ago, but the business closed and I’ve been using it as my personal account for at least 25 years). But I never told her the password or anything. I guess she got her own password or something. Weird. Again, I have nothing to hide, but I always thought my bank account was private.
As for the cameras everywhere – I guess we just have to be mindful about where we pick our noses. In many places, you couldn’t dream of having the amount of privacy we have. In public places, I don’t know that I have a right to expect any privacy. I hope that whoever monitors those cameras at least has the maturity to not misuse the images. (Though I do recall the guys who posted on the internet when that lady fell in a fountain. Hopefully that was a rare situation.)
This is a result of the whole “stay safe” mentality that’s going on in the world today. People think that if there are cameras every where, we’re “safer”. But we’re not, really, and we’re obviously giving up more and more privacy.
I don’t like it, but it’s one of those things that I choose not to dwell over, because really, there’s nothing I can do about it, other than signing petitions to politicians who will never heed them because they’re in the pockets of Big Camera…
This reminds me of my heinous driver’s license experience. I was told “don’t smile don’t smile” until it produced the most vile photograph ever. And then I find out that it’s because the state uses “facial recognition software” for whatever it is that they use it for. But that ridiculously expensive (I’m sure) program can’t recognize a face if it’s smiling!!! So that’s where your cameras get you. Commit a crime, but smile while you’re doing it. You’ll never be caught!
Cool! Good to know, Laura! Then I will smile even more 🙂 Not that I am plan to commit a crime.
Wow. That’s really why you’re not supposed to smile? I never knew that. I’m with Ellen. Next time I commit a crime is’s smiles all the way.
My last passport i looked like a Mexican, with my plaid button shirt, stuibbled face poky hair and my frown (though I was just not smiling, it looked like I was disgruntled). I’m definetly not Mexican, so I always think, that how can this be an accurate picture of me. The American border uses facial ID as well.
I like where we live. 6 to 8 miles of gravel virtually assures we don’t have the Google cam driving down our road, and if they did, they’d see nothing but a driveway. Even Google Earth zoom-in satellite feature is not in our neck of the woods. Can’t zoom in to see our house/yard.
I do like the Google cam, for this reason, that I can find out a landmark, like the Church Joy, or even your yard, to confirm with you, as your address doesn’t actually show up on any online map search.
We also use the Google Cam to scope out potential hotels, to see what kind of neighbourhood it is in. If it looks sketchy, we can avoid that hotel. Good for areas you haven’t been to.
The town near us also has a live streaming cam atop the radio station. It only shows you streets. But it is a good place to go to see if the weather is bad.
I do not like all the cameras everywhere. We don’t have them quite as much in Canada as in the UK or USA. Mostly security cameras within public buildings (which is understandable), red light cams in the city and TV/radio cams to give you a general picture. They even caught someone in the city, in the underground mall, defecating in a large plant container. Pants down and all.
Our privacy laws were severely tightened up a few years back. Its good but also a pain. For instance a simple procedure such as getting a Church to include your address in their directory requires you to physically go down and give them the information in person. We have a natinal do-not call list for telemarketing (Though foreign and political calls cannot be stopped). Even our national ‘long form census’ became voluntary. Though companies still try to find loopholes to access peoples information. And now with FB tracking your web activity, even after logging out, I have severly limited my activity.
I watched the show last night and I have put it in my recording status. (not sure I say this right). I like the show.
When Jason and I saw the preview for this show, we knew it would be one that we wanted to at least check out. Now, it’s one we don’t miss. The whole concept of the show is so crazy, but this post is more about the cameras in general. I don’t mind them, maybe mainly because there’s not a thing I can do about them. I’m not a criminal and if it helps find criminals, then more power to it. Obviously I don’t like my privacy invaded, but this doesn’t make me feel that way. I can see my entire house. I always look up people’s houses on Google map. lol I’m nosy. It’s fun to look at my old stomping grounds too.
What do you do? Put in an address or what? Is it called google earth? Can you believe I’ve never done that?
Google Earth or just Google maps. ON the left hand side there is a zoom toggle. On top of the toggle there is a little man symbol. Click on him and drag him onto the map (streets/roads should turn blue where they have driven with teh Google cam) and drop him on the street somewhere. Then you can pan around to see the neighbourhood.
I use Google maps. Make sure it’s satellite. I really can’t believe you haven’t done this!!!
I think, for Google Earth, you have to download special software, so if you do that, make sure you have space on your drive. Google Maps will do a lot of the things that Earth will do, just choose “satellite” or “street view” (I can’t remember what it’s called). It will take you right down like you’re standing on the street. I do it when I feel like taking a vacation that I can’t afford. I’ve been to London, Dublin and Paris so far!!
Laura, you should “go” to Amsterdam and visit the Canals. You’ll love it!!:-)
Another GOOD USE for Google Earth is if you are thinking of leasing some property for… errr, outdoor activities.