Trespassing
Summer is the season for trespassing on attractive nuisances
On a blazing hot day, a leap from the rocks into the cold depths of a tiny swimming hole may be the best thing about summer. If it took a bit of a search and a hike, or a fence to slip under, all the better for sustaining that feeling of secrecy that’s part of […]
Is the solution to gun violence more gun control or more guns?
A saying bandied about by pro-gun advocates when asked about gun control is that an armed society is a polite society. In short, carrying guns (the more the better) will actually deter crime. In the wake of yet another round of senseless deaths following a mass shooting at California’s Santa Monica College in June, both […]
California beaches: how public are they?
As a Californian with a mother from the Bay Area and a father from Orange County, I’ve enjoyed a good deal of picturesque, western beach stretches both north and south. As a child, I remember being in awe of their beauty and the fact that everyone could enjoy them for free. I remember asking my […]
Connecticut’s war on drugs: New bill would shrink drug free zone
Drug free zones are a cause of conflict between Connecticut legislators. The current source of tension is a bill that would downsize the current area limit of a drug free zone. Democrats in Connecticut wanted drug free zones around schools to be reduced from the current radius of 1,500 feet to a radius of 300 feet. […]
Move over home security systems, there’s an app for that
Whether you’re carving fresh powder on a Colorado ski slope or hanging out with Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, you can now remotely control your home security system with – you guessed it, a smartphone. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard someone say, “there’s an app for that,” I’d be lounging on a […]
No glass allowed: Why spaces will ban Google Glass
Google Glass can be characterized as futuristic, innovative, and nerdy. If you haven’t seen it, you must check out the unveiling video featuring of ice skaters, skydivers, and proud parents all using the head-mounted display. Google Glass is basically a smartphone you wear in front of your eyes. It can check email, take pictures, video […]
Want your sign obeyed? Add an image of eyes, studies say
In crime-ridden New York, Jane Jacobs, a journalist and author, described an idea called “eyes on the street” in her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities. The book is still widely influential in urban planning circles. The concept later came to be called “natural surveillance,” and is widely applied by city planners […]
