Twenty-three years too late, Chicago is gussying itself up with Orwellian flair. In a bid to secure the 2016 Olympic Games, the Windy City is installing a state-of-the-art surveillance system. Beyond recognizing the sound of gunshots and automatically dialing 911, the system is promised to identify license plate numbers, notice forgotten packages, and even recognize cars that continually circle the block. The video-recognition system would always be on, and alert law enforcement of suspicious activity. Too bad there's no evidence that security cameras actually deter crime. Somehow it's fitting that all this being paid for by the Department of Homeland Security.

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