Any security officer who's ever been saddled with the task of scouring through hours and hours of archived surveillance footage would scoff at the idea that such material could be considered art. But in the case of artist Lutz Bacher's video installation "Closed Circuit," surveillance indeed works as an artistic medium.

Hip hop mogul Joseph "Rev Run" Simmons is known for many things. A pioneer of modern music, reverend and bona fide family man, Simmons' life has been shared with MTV audiences for three seasons now in the hit reality show "Run's House."

Celebrity superstar Britney Spears has led a life in the limelight for nearly ten years. In that time, she has had experienced much in the public eye: annulments, marriages, childbirth, nervous breakdowns, public drunkenness, divorce, and most recently a custody battle.

Watching game footage is one of the most important strategies for football teams - it allows them to predict offensive and defensive moves, prepare strategies and anticipate the cohesiveness of their opponent. So important is the footage of opponent games that teams often hire cameramen to film the games for future research. One cameraman, however, may be in trouble for recording too much.

Last weekend in Long Beach, security cameras operating on a mesh network helped keep the peace during the annual Irish Heritage Festival. While the festival is all about good times, big crowds are often conducive to criminal activity, so the Long Beach police force wasn't taking any chances. With 60 officers on patrol, and security cameras out in the open as well as on top buildings, they did their best to ensure the safety of the festival's participants and revelers.

Nassau police tested a cutting-edge surveillance system this week at the city's annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The system, which utilizes AgileMesh wireless technology, allowed the police force to monitor live camera footage from a mobile command truck. 20 cameras, some of which were provided by AgileMesh for the test, monitored and recorded the activities of revelers as the welcomed in the holiday season. Archived footage from the festivities will be reviewed so police can evaluate the effectiveness of the system.

Time is the crucial element of bobsledding (or bobsleighing, as it is called in the UK). Bobsledders hurl themselves down an icy track in a specially calibrated track, trying to beat the clock and outpace their competitors. UK-based video surveillance company Scryron, known for their intelligent digital video systems used by police and courtrooms all over the UK, has teamed with the British Bobsleigh team to use video surveillance equipment to help improve the sledders' race times.

The Three Counties Fairground, located in Worcester, England, recently installed an IP-based video surveillance system to prevent vandalism and cut down on criminal activity. The Showground, which hosts horticulture shows throughout the year, will also use the surveillance system to protect plants, machinery, and livestock. The components of the IP surveillance solution include Axis 2130 and Axis 213 network cameras, along with Milestone XProtect video management software.

The city of Milwaukee will be purchasing a network of portable surveillance cameras to monitor crowds at large public events in the city and its surrounding counties. The cameras will be deployed, as requested by police agencies, for everything from concerts and county fairs, to festivals and livestock shows.

The Paris National Opera is a huge draw for tourists thanks to the theater, music and impressive architecture of the opera houses. When it came time to update the security systems for two of its opera houses, the Paris National Opera turned to Axis IP cameras for the solution.

A Zurich museum has installed numerous IP cameras, including ten ACTi ACM-5611 cameras. This megapixel box camera can be used with interchangeable lenses, making it easy to customize its coverage to specific requirements.

Dream Park could be called the Universal Studios of the Middle East. The Egyptian amusement park was created in 1999 and recently upgraded its video surveillance system to include cutting edge IP video technology.