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I have mixed feelings towards blank CCTV in a public setting at least owned by the government. When it comes to private entities I know they're there to protect

I have mixed feelings towards blank CCTV in a public setting at least owned by the government. When it comes to private entities I know they're there to protect themselves from theft, property damage, and etc. But what business does the government have with constant surveillance? I know that some studies have indicated that even broken or disconnected CCTV cameras does curtail crime, but wouldn't adding police patrols to troubled areas be better (especially well trained and communicative officers in said patrols)? I feel that CCTV is just a lazy approach to a deeper problem when it comes to crime. If you want to prevent it then figure out the root cause. If you want to curtail it then hire more competent police officers. They both work and they're both easier to hold accountable (imo).

notahacker 11y ago
I'm not sure I'd feel more liberated in a shopping precinct lined with police officers rather than cameras, even if I wasn't paying any more taxes for the increased police presence. (I'll concede I felt happier with armed guards outside every building in Quito, but the threat they were supposed to be combating was also a tad more obvious)
- ralfd 11y ago
  This is totally offtopic, but one cannot reply to old comments on hacker news and you made me read HPMOR, so I have to went now: > Ironically, most of the better bits, and indeed the overarching plot thread of HPMOR are largely down to the huge gaps in various characters' rational thought. If Harry had made the obvious "let's not trust the sinister guy that's obviously manipulative and definitely more experienced at it than me" leap right at the beginning it might have been a much shorter series. Oh God, yes! After 2500 pages finishing, uff, I have to say it was not uninteresting, but is way overdone how singular awesome that Harry there is. I also disliked that he "solves" death. I get that transhumanists/futurists are pretty scared by it, but the story ending with everyone in the magical world getting virtually immortal and forever young? Apart from the wish fulfillment by the author, how would that even work with population growth? I am also a bit wary now about fanfiction in general, because after so much time invested reading such a long story, it does change your imagination/interpretation of the original story.

notahacker 11y ago

I'm not sure I'd feel more liberated in a shopping precinct lined with police officers rather than cameras, even if I wasn't paying any more taxes for the increased police presence. (I'll concede I felt happier with armed guards outside every building in Quito, but the threat they were supposed to be combating was also a tad more obvious)

ralfd 11y ago
This is totally offtopic, but one cannot reply to old comments on hacker news and you made me read HPMOR, so I have to went now: > Ironically, most of the better bits, and indeed the overarching plot thread of HPMOR are largely down to the huge gaps in various characters' rational thought. If Harry had made the obvious "let's not trust the sinister guy that's obviously manipulative and definitely more experienced at it than me" leap right at the beginning it might have been a much shorter series. Oh God, yes! After 2500 pages finishing, uff, I have to say it was not uninteresting, but is way overdone how singular awesome that Harry there is. I also disliked that he "solves" death. I get that transhumanists/futurists are pretty scared by it, but the story ending with everyone in the magical world getting virtually immortal and forever young? Apart from the wish fulfillment by the author, how would that even work with population growth? I am also a bit wary now about fanfiction in general, because after so much time invested reading such a long story, it does change your imagination/interpretation of the original story.