From the Editor; July / August 2012; Scientific American Mind; by Sandra Upson; 1 Page(s)

My old apartment in New York City had seen better days. Stains had darkened the carpet by several shades, and gusts of wind would blow crumbs of decaying brick from the walls. But those details were easily overshadowed by the glaring health code violation that was the bathroom.

The ceiling had sprung a leak directly over the toilet. Whenever the upstairs neighbors took a shower, dirty water came down in a robust pitter-patter; other times a light drizzle descended. Nature calls whenever she chooses, however, and one day I needed relief during a bathroom downpour. So I threw on my rain slicker, opened my umbrella and charged in. After that day—and until the ceiling was fixed—I kept an umbrella hanging on the towel rack.