Sep 26 2006
Where is the line between caution and paranoia?
What would you say if I told you I had installed cameras to watch the perimeter of my house?
Would you think me paranoid?
What if I went on to tell you that the camera feed can be viewed from several locations within the house (and off-site should I explore that option), and is recorded 24/7?
Would you think me crazy?
What if I then told you this entire project cost aproximately $350, requires little or no maintenance effort from me, and has no attached subscription or usage fees?
Tell me what you think are reasonable precautions in this day and age.
It’s not a question of whether you’re paranoia. Take a look around, man. It’s whether you’re paranoid enough.
You and I have touched on this in the past. I envy your system greatly, I am sad that mine is only one camera right now.
As I take a long look at the world around me I do not find myself saying “Am I over prepared?”, instead I often thinking “Am I prepared enough??”
Would you think me crazy?
Yes. But that has nothing to do with the cameras. I also wouldn’t hold your insanity against you. I think everybody is crazy. You’re one of the saner crazy people I know, in fact.
I’ve considered adding some cameras to my house, as well as mulling the idea of a wireless camera system for the ranch linkable into the internet. This would allow Mom and Pop to detect gummint intruders…er, watch the cows. I mean watch the cows. We only watch out for cows. Cows. Cow-cow-cow-cow-cow!
(I’m having images of Erik trying to explain to Jilly and Lisa the Cow-cow-cow comment)
The cameras are not a bad idea, all things considered. You not only protect yourself from the more conventional threats, you also may find that government officials tend to get right blinky when they know that they’re on camera.
That all said, there will be a e-mail coming your way. I may need your expertise on servers. Wanna help me screw with The Man?
Mike: Hehe, good quote. Wasn’t that Sizemore in strange days?
Grif: True enough, I guess personally the paranoia issue is decided on how I use the technology. Installing the cameras is fine, sitting in the basement watching the feed for hours on end is a little “iffy”.
-GRIN-
Greg: Ah, well there’s “crazy” and then there’s “Crazy”. Most of the people I have any time for are a little abnormal in conventional terms.
Cow-cow-cow-COW…
You’re right, the explanation is a tad difficult. I’ll leave it for another time.
The cameras are reasonably well concealed, it’s more of a “watchful eye” than a visible deterent.
I’m trying to source a “No warrant, No entry” welcome mat for the gentle nod towards my gummit leanings, might have tracked one down through Ebay, we’ll have to wait and see.
Cameras are fine.
If you start installing Claymores, we need to talk.
No kidding, Tam, I’ll need to know where I can pick some up.
“Strange Days” it is.
Hey, come on! How can just post text on this, without at least a screenshot of the camera displays? Where are the pictures, man? Or are they, as George The Younger would say, not available for national security reasons?
BTW - what were those sharp, pointy bamboo things you have hidden in all those holes around the house? They smell like sh*t!
Tam: It’s not that I didn’t “want” claymores, it’s more that they would have easily have blown the budget for this little project.
Stupid money!
Mike: Sizemore rocks.
Dad: Tempting, trust me I have a variety of screencaps from the monitors and recorder, close-ups of the cameras and the manner in which they’re sited, and the assembly process.
Call it the career rent-a-cop in me however, but posting this stuff on the internet seems like a silly idea. If the entire system was “overt” I’d have no trouble with it, but for now I think I’ll save the details of this system for when I overhaul and/or replace it.
More of a “residential security” issue.
The punji pits? Nah, they’re for wildlife control only.
-GRIN-
Some say my 1911 locked and loaded is over the top. But if I ever appear in a publication, it’ll be in the NRA’s armed citizen report, not the obituary. And with camera’s, you’ll know what your shooting at ahead of time
If you’re prepared for a zombie-apocalypse, you’ve already crossed the line between caution and paranoia.
It’s not a bad thing, though, more like a hobby than poor mental health.
I think anything is reasonable in this crazy modern age of ours. If someone tells you it’s unreasonable it’s probably because they’d be inhibitted by the system.
Having recently had a murder occur several houses over, with the accused found wandering in a daze in my dog walking park. I say this….
I think the best solution is to move to a small town where I can hide my head in the sand and ignore reality.
Go on, see if you can tell if I’m being sarcastic…
I doubt it, Teddy.
Think of it less as ignoring reality and more like letting the big city tear itself apart.
Meh the landlord’s son killed the tenant over something. I don’t have a landlord, and if one of the nutjobs I know decides to kill me, well, whatcha gonna do?(I’m looking at you Erik!
)
Details? what system have you put together? Are the camera’s hidden or exposed?
You need a moat with alligators.
Awwwwww pet alligators. Jilly would be soo happy!
I just treturned from the ASIS Annual Seminar & Exhibits. Some of the emerging video technology is awesome. Stuff like megapixel video cameras with virtual PTZ software. No moving parts and very high resolution.
In addition to all the physical security hardware, do a formal CPTED analysis of your place. It’s probably the cheapest way to make your home less attractive to interlopers.
No kidding CB, if I had an actual budget for this project it’d be uber-shiny. Comparatively low-tech, but should prove adequate.
You make an excellent point with the CPTED stuff. I’ll admit I’ve done little reading on it, but most of the points I’ve picked up from the commonly available literature seem to be an extension of common sense.
For the most part our property is excellent in this respect. We’d like to add a small perimeter fence, but in other respects I think the current layout is adequate.
I’m thinking I’ll have to do a bit more reading to make sure I’m not overlooking stuff.
-GRIN-
(Natural and existing features are solid. No basement windows - they’re blocked up right now, and I was planning to reopen them using glass brick - ground floor windows are approx 5′ off the ground, side door exposed to public view from street outside and covered by perimeter lighting, front door elevated and in close proximity to street - a complaint of mine, but the house is only a few meters back from the sidewalk).
I’ve been itching to get a cam for my doorstep, plus a doormat that reads “Appearance on this doorstep constitutes consent to video surveillance.”
I just don’t know where to start…hurry up and overhaul…and blog!
Cowboy Bob: Hehe…funny, I was just trying to find a place that would print me up a “No warrant, no entry” doormat. I like your idea better.
I’m wavering on posting more details. I may cave in soon.