surveillance

So after watching The Wire I've found that I'm noticing security cameras more and more. I went home this weekend and noticed that one of the houses in my neighborhood has a camera outside its front door. I did laundry today and noticed the camera in the ceiling of my dorm building. It all makes me wonder who's watching and how consistently?
I know that security cameras can be helpful (there were cameras all over my high school and I remember one time when someone stole Brandi's purse and she and the security guard monitored all the security screens until they found the girl carrying he purse and were able to confront her and get it back), but it's still kind of creepy to think of how much and how far we can be followed by the use of strategically placed security cameras. It makes me think of how in class we talked about how all the drug dealers are so hyper aware of things like security cameras, when at the same time, the cops don't realize that they are also constantly watched.
I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. I just thought it was intriguing to think about... you might be amazed at how many security cameras are in so many places.