"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Year: 2020
Hiding Your Face From Observation Cameras
06/01/20
“How can you hide your face from observation cameras?”
Protesters often have to deal with institution cameras observing and tracking their faces. However, by hiding your face, whether it be through sunglasses, a mask, or make-up, these machines will become unable to track you down. This is how you can start Hiding Your Face From Observation Cameras.
SB 902
05/31/20
“What would Senator Scott Wiener’s SB 902 bill accomplish?”
With the defeat of SB 50 in the California state senate and the advent of the COVID pandemic earlier this year, solutions to the state’s record housing crisis seem ever more out of reach. However, Senator Scott Wiener is back at it again with SB 902. In essence, SB 902 would authorize for local governments to enact “missing middle” zoning or rezoning for upwards of 10-plexes in designated neighborhoods, at a height specified by the local government in the ordinance, if the parcel is located in a transit-rich area, a jobs-rich area, or an urban infill site. Site. This bill would also provide CEQA exemption for such projects. In addition, the bill would allow for upwards of a fourplex to be approved in a low-density zone with by right ministerial approval of the city.
How Facial Recognition Technology is Used To Harass Protesters
05/30/20
“How is facial recognition technology used to harass protesters?”
With the advent of artificial intelligence, facial recognition has become much easier than before. Taking advantage of this, authoritarian institutions have begun applying it to dissenters. By using video feeds, faces of protesters can be traced and uploaded into a database. From here, these individuals can be selected out and harmed for their actions. This is How Facial Recognition Technology is Used To Harass Protesters from Hong Kong to Minneapolis.
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How Data Analytics Can Help Track Police Brutality
05/29/20
“How could data analytics be used to help track police brutality?”
Data analytics allows for users and institutions to track a whole range of variables. One of these could be police misconduct. By keeping tabs on which police officers have been committing human rights violations, public officials can determine whether or not to fire and reprimand them. This is How Data Analytics Can Help Track Police Brutality.
Why Police Body Cameras Can Increase Law Enforcement Accountability
05/28/20
“Why is implementing body cameras on police a good idea?”
Like any state agency, police forces hold the potential to misuse their authority, culminating in horrific outbreaks such as what was recently seen in Minneapolis. In the past, these forces were able to get away with such events. However, with the advent of body cameras, footage can be automatically recorded to show any human rights violations taking place, allowing for proper evidence for prosecution. This is Why Police Body Cameras Can Increase Accountability.
Image credit urban.org
Food Supply and Societal Resilience
05/27/20
“What is the connection between food supply and societal resilience?”
Food is one of the foundational elements of human biology. Without sufficient supplies, humans will be cathartic and even die. Because of this, communities will need adequate food supplies to maintain their social cohesion. This is the connection between Food Supply and Societal Resilience.
How 5G Can Aid in Disaster Recovery
05/26/20
“Why would 5G technology help facilitate disaster response efforts?”
Data collection systems can help disaster response officials establish situational awareness. However, a lag in data transfer can hamper with these efforts. The advent of 5G can solve this by bringing faster data speeds and better internet of things connectivity, facilitating quicker and higher-quality responses. This is How 5G Can Aid in Disaster Recovery.
Green Recovery
05/25/20
“How can economies recover from a recession using sustainable infrastructure?”
Investment in construction is a time-tested method in helping an economy recover after a recession. It allows for large sums of capital to be focused on projects that generate a large number of jobs and leave lasting benefits. Given the ever-pressing challenge of climate change, a focus on the construction of sustainable infrastructure would have the added benefit of preventing further damage from climate change. This is why a resilience and sustainability-focused Green Recovery would be a logical course of action.
Why the Increase in Extreme Weather May Offset Energy Efficiency Improvements
05/24/20
“How may the increase in more extreme weather offset energy efficiency improvements?”
With the advent of climate change, extreme weather is going to become more and more common. Areas that used to barely see a scorching day in Summer may now have to deal with weeks of extreme heat. This will make people more reliant on internal temperature control, increasing energy usage, and offsetting some of the gains made by energy efficiency improvements. This is Why the Increase in Extreme Weather May Offset Energy Efficiency Improvements.
Image credit http://www.weaa.org
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