You ever get the feeling that you're being watched? Because you are.
If you're outside your home, and in a public area, chances are there's a camera pointed at you -- watching you window shop and pick your nose.
Most businesses and many apartment buildings have security cameras. Combine their footage with NYPD security cameras and you can track your whole day's travels.
More important, you can track the movement of suspected terrorists.
Cool, right? I know a lot of people hate the idea of "being watched" because they feel it's a violation of their privacy, but I like it. I like knowing if someone snatches my bag there's going to be video footage of him running down the street from a variety of cameras. Is someone falsely accusing you of murder? That security footage of you window shopping and picking your nose is now a handy dandy alibi.
All these cameras can work against "Big Brother," too, by catching footage of people in positions of power acting poorly (as they tend to do). Though some go the old-fashioned route and just get themselves recorded on secret wires.
Heck, I have a camera in my apartment door's peephole. It only records if there's motion at front of my door, but it's a lifesaver. I was about to leave my apartment with my kid when I saw the chronically off-leash -- and big enough to injure my toddler -- dog in front of our door on my camera display screen. What if I didn't have that camera, and didn't know the dog was there and opened the door? And when management ignored my complaints, what if I didn't have the footage to back it up? People lie. Cameras don't.
If someone decides to smudge Vaseline on my peephole so they can rob apartments (something burglars have done in my neighborhood to peepholes) I'd have footage of him doing that, too.
Chances are, nobody's going to see the footage of you picking your nose. Unless someone deliberately saves a video clip, it will get erased to save memory after a while. So pick away. Unless you're picking your nose next to a wanted criminal . . . Then your gold-digging adventure might be shown to a jury as evidence.
If you don't like having your picture taken, you live in the wrong city. Just smile and say cheese!
Rachel Figueroa-Levin tweets as @Jewyorican, @EveryGentrifier and @ElBloombito.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 31: 'Walk with Joe,' flag football and more On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," take a lap with the Middle Country athletic director, Jonathan Ruban checks in with the Copiague flag football team and Jared Valluzzi has the plays of the week.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 31: 'Walk with Joe,' flag football and more On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," take a lap with the Middle Country athletic director, Jonathan Ruban checks in with the Copiague flag football team and Jared Valluzzi has the plays of the week.
