Now if they just mounted some "crap cannons" on those webcams. ;)
"No me taz hermano!"
Posted on 01/06/2009 1:24:57 PM PST by Notoriously Conservative
Tired of pressing 2 for English? Tired of two sets of instructions printed on everything? Sick of drug smugglers and other deviants sneaking into our country? Bored? Well, now there is something you can do about it!
A new $2 million surveillance project in Texas lets you patrol the US border with Mexico from the comfort of your own home, and report any suspicious activity you see.
Thus far the project has only resulted in one crime bust in the six weeks it has been on, but it was huge: "virtual border patrol agents" spotted three suspects trying to smuggle 540 pounds of marijuana across the border.
According to Wired: The exact location of the cameras is not disclosed, but according to a press release about the project, "a significant number of Texas landowners" requested that the cameras be placed on their property.
More than 21,000 people from several states, including as far away as Ohio, have signed up to be virtual deputies so far. BlueServo claims its web site has received more than 5 million hits, resulting in about 1,000 e-mail reports of suspicious activity. The average camera watcher spends about eight minutes on the site examining video.
What do virtual deputies get in return for their efforts?
Aside from the satisfaction of knowing they’ve done their part to combat crime, they get the opportunity to become targeted consumers. Wired Link
Here’s the webcam: BlueServo
Thanks to http://www.neatorama.com/
GREAT idea!
The Solution.Turn it into a sport!
Why o’ why did I not think of that?
We could even have national championships!
“Spot the Not!(legal)”
I participate in that... it’s really cool. You can choose what camera you want to monitor, and if you see something, they have a button to click on to report activity. I especially like to watch the cameras at the riverbanks.
BTT! This is an outstanding idea. I signed up and will keep a window open. Thanks for this post.
That’s what I’m talking about right there. Sign me up!
A lot more productive than using that internet SETI thing to listen for Aliens! (The kind from Outer Space that is).
Can they make it like virtural hunting?
Now if they just mounted some "crap cannons" on those webcams. ;)
"No me taz hermano!"
There was a post about a year ago on a similar plan... I signed up, never heard a thing...
One problem is using ActiveX instead of Java - it doesn’t run on anything linux based.
Imagine DU or Obama’s Citizen Force using a similar thing. Cameras near shooting ranges, gun shows, Jim Robinson's house. “Please monitor these areas and report suspicious activity to.....”
I hear ya.
But if we’re gonna get that, we’re gonna get that anyway. If the plan is to turn citizen on citizen a la East Germany, Stalin-era USSR, or Nazi Germany, we might a well get some good out of it.
Check that.. works in linux, with firefox, and the latest mplayer plugin.
nicely, too.
bump for home viewing.
Bump for joining later
The first thing that sprang to mind when I read this article was the old "live-shot.com" website.
God!! I just loved space invaders. Gave me a laugh.
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