Who’s Afraid of The Big, Bad Zit?

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Residents of Nottinghamshire in the UK, apparently tormented by a scourge of young ruffians, have come up with a new addition to the cottage industry of anti-teenager technology. (See my earlier post about a New Zealand shopping mall’s use of Barry Manilow’s music to disperse unwanted teenage loiterers.) In this case, members of the Layton Burroughs Residents’ Association have installed pink lights in three locations, which amplify the ugliness of pimples–a practice meant to embarrass teenagers and drive them away in search of softer, more sympathetic light.

From the BBC:

Tony Gelsthorpe, chairman of the Layton Burroughs Residents’ Association, said the lights were important for the residents.

“We’ve had problems with underage drinking, drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and general intimidation.

“I was a little bit dubious about the pink lights at first but it’s done the trick. We’ve got to think of our residents and we’ve got to live here at the end of the day.

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