Straight from the horse's behind mouth

"Storemski sounded a similar note, saying that all the cameras are in public spaces where people should be aware that their actions are not private.

'We live in an age right now where there's really no expectation that there would be no video in a public space," he said. 'Everybody that has a cell phone has a video camera. This happens all the time. We're just doing it for public safety purposes.'"

- Houston, Texas Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security Director Dennis Storemski, discussing the legal implications of the city's ongoing installation of up to 300 cameras (paid for in part by DHS funding)  at downtown intersections to record the comings and goings of the peasantry.

Well, the same non-expectation of privacy naturally applies to those very public safety workers, of course.  We trust we're not going to hear about Houston residents being rousted for filming local law enforcement officers going about their official duties from a respectful and non-interfering distance.

We'll see how long that particular fantasy of ours holds up.