Chicago's Eye on the Light Pole

From Chicago Video Surveillance Gets Smarter,

CHICAGO (AP) - A car circles a high-rise three times. Someone leaves a backpack in a park. Such things go unnoticed in big cities every day. But that could change in Chicago with a new video surveillance system that would recognize such anomalies and alert authorities to take a closer look.

On Thursday, the city and IBM Corp. are announcing the initial phase of what officials say could be the most advanced video security network in any U.S. city. The City of Broad Shoulders is getting eyes in the back of its head.

"Chicago is really light years ahead of any metropolitan area in the U.S. now," said Sam Docknevich, who heads video-surveillance consulting for IBM.

My daughter lives near an intersection in the City with these cameras. You see the blue lights blinking and I find them comforting.

Wonder how the lady who railed against Lipinski's vote for FISA feels about getting videoed. Maybe she doesn't spend much time in the city.

These smart-cameras seems like a far greater intrusion than FISA. They're an intrusion I'm ok with.