Todd Smith

An anonymous reader writes: Ars Technica summaries a study by the Chicago Tribune (paywalled) that found red light cameras do not improve driver safety. "[W]hile right angle crash incidents have been reduced, rear-end crashes that resulted in injuries went up 22 percent." Chicago officials recently claimed that the cameras led to a 47% reduction "T-bone" injury crashes, using that statistic as evidence that the program is worthwhile. But the study's authors, who "accounted for declining accident rates in recent years as well as other confounding factors, found cameras reduced right-angle crashes that caused injuries by just 15 percent." They also noted that the city chose to install many cameras at intersections where crashes were rare to begin with. Chicago has raised roughly $500 million from red light camera tickets since 2002. "[O]fficials recently admitted to the city inspector general that they had quietly dropped the threshold for what constitutes a red light camera ticket, allowing the tickets even when cameras showed a yellow light time just under the three-second federal minimum standard. That shift earlier this year snared 77,000 more drivers and $7.7 million in ticket revenue before the city agreed to change the threshold back.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Online game addiction is a real problem, and some countries are willing to take drastic measures to get these players living a healthier lifestyle. Need proof? Just look up. Photographer Fernando Moleres recently visited an internet gaming rehab camp in Beijing, and saw the facility monitoring the brain activity of addicts using the elaborate device you see above -- the camp wants to see that your mind is changing. The facility also relies on a mixture of medicine, military social structure and psychotherapy to set patients straight. It's hard to know if these "tough love" measures are truly effective, but their very existence reveals just how widespread compulsive gaming has become.

Filed under: Gaming, Science

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Source: Al Jazeera America

Most of us will never be astronauts -- sorry to break it to ya -- but we can at least pretend to be aboard the Orion capsule with this video (below the fold), courtesy of NASA. Orion's camera captured 10 minutes of footage from the time it started blazing through Earth's atmosphere until it deployed its parachutes to slow down its descent into the ocean. You'll even see the plasma (created by friction between the atmosphere and the heat shield) change colors as the capsule speeds up and temperature increases. NASA launched a test flight of the Lockheed-made spacecraft in early December to test its components, especially its heat shield.

The agency needed to ensure it can survive reentry before it's used for manned missions, since the farther a spacecraft goes, the faster it hurtles through the atmosphere. Thus, Orion, which was always meant to be used for deep space exploration, will have to endure higher temperatures than a Soyuz spacecraft coming home from the ISS.

Filed under: Science

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Source: NASA, Twitter

If both ultra-widescreen and curved computer monitors are all the rage these days, then Samsung's new SE790C display is supremely fashionable. The 34-inch, 3,440 x 1,440 LCD has both a super-wide 21:9 aspect ratio and a gentle arc, combining two trends (fads?) in one. Supposedly, this all-encompassing design produces a "3D-like" effect that brings you into the action -- that's a little difficult to believe, but the screen will at least look futuristic sitting on your desk. Just don't expect it to make your photos pop. Although the SE790C covers all of the sRGB color range, it's using a middle-of-the-road VA (vertical alignment) panel rather than something particularly vivid, like IPS (in-plane switching). There's also no mention of US availability or pricing, so it's hard to know if this represents a good deal. So long as the price isn't too outlandish, though, it could be a good way to immerse yourself in games and movies.

Filed under: Displays, Peripherals, Samsung

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Source: Samsung Tomorrow

An anonymous reader writes: Hackathons are common these days, but you don't often hear about events hosted by law enforcement. That's what the Seattle Police Department did on Friday, with the solitary goal of finding a good way to redact the video streams taken by police body cameras and dash cameras. Seven different teams demonstrated solutions, but in the end, none thought automation could realistically handle the task in the near future. "The Washington State public records act requires that almost all video filmed by any government agency – including police – be disclosed upon request. The only real exception is for video which is part of an open case currently under investigation. However, various parts of the state code include other restrictions – the identity of minors cannot be disclosed. Requests from victims or witnesses who may be at risk if their identities are disclosed also must be honored. However in all such cases the video still must be released – it is just the faces or other potential identifying characteristics, which might include gender or even a person's gait – which need to be blurred and redacted." The city just started a pilot program for body-worn police cameras.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

After a long period of pummeling wind, snow, and ice, weather photographer Marko Korosec sensed an opportunity to climb Mount Javornik, part of a mountain range in eastern Slovenia and the location of a popular ski center. What he discovered can only be described as otherworldly. Trees and lookout towers fully encased in hard layers of rime ice, formed by high winds and freezing fog. Korosec says some of the ice spikes growing off the tower reached well over 3-feet (100cm) long. To see more of his weather photography and additional images from this shoot, head over to his 500px page. All photos courtesy the photographer.

Pasta maker Barilla is no stranger to having 3D printing improve its methods for churning out products for the masses. Now, it's looking to leverage those tools for some new pasta designs. After a recent competition, the company revealed three winners who created new shapes with 3D-printed models. One winner, Rosa, blooms into a full rose when it's placed in boiling water. Two other designs include a conical vortex shape and a circular moon, complete with craters to "improve the interaction between pasta and sauces." What's more, Barilla says it may work the leading design into future products. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to research restaurant-grade printers for made-to-order custom shapes too, so alternatives to the traditional options could be on the way soon. Swapping out penne for blooming rose pasta should certainly spice up your next romantic evening in.

Filed under: Peripherals

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Source: 3Dprint.com

The first TV series Netflix and Marvel are working on isn't even done, but the two are already looking forward to the next one: AKA Jessica Jones. Confirming the rumors, the two announced Krysten Ritter (Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23, Breaking Bad) will play the super hero-turned-detective Jessica Jones. She will be joined by Mike Colter (Halo: Nightfall, The Good Wife, American Horror Story) playing Luke Cage, a character that will get his own series on Netflix after a short detour with Iron Fist. Once you've processed those bits of information -- plus how everything lines up with the next few years of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, and that The Defenders miniseries -- then it's probably time to check out an early peek at Daredevil before it gets the whole thing kicked off. Ready for 2015 yet?

[Image credit: Shutterstock]

Guys!! I am so completely over the moon & grateful for this opportunity to bring Jessica Jones to life! THANK YOU Me... http://t.co/iCxqAmt3iV

- krysten ritter (@Krystenritter) December 5, 2014

Mike Colter joins Krysten Ritter in the upcoming Netflix original series Marvel's #AKAJessicaJones as Luke Cage. http://t.co/COiqLbdZUR

- Netflix US (@netflix) December 22, 2014

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Marvel (1), (2)

Forget The Interview and get excited for several epic movies opening in 2015.

If the trailers are any indication of the types of films you can expect to see gracing the big screen, it’s all about sequels in the new year.

Heavy hitters for sci-fi and action fans include Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jurassic World, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part II and Spectre (the new James Bond film). Also back for it’s seventh installment is the Fast and Furious franchise, with a posthumous performance by Paul Walker in Furious 7. Even Anna Kendrick and the rest of the Barden Bellas return to show off their singing chops in Pitch Perfect 2. Read more...

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Getting "elite" status in a hotel or an airline program gives you tons of perks. If you switch to a different brand, you won't get those benefits. However, some hotels and airlines will give you elite status (and perks) by matching your current program.

Each hotel, car rental agency and airline has their own rules on matching. Some brands call it a "status challenge" so know the lingo when you contact them. A status challenge might make you go through a few extra hoops for the match. If you don't get immediate membership into the elite program, some brands will give you a shortcut to getting all those perks. Check out the link for other frequent flyer tips.

25 Hotel Hacks From Professional Travelers | Wise Bread

Photo by Kari Baron.

This once-a-year SONOS promotion expires on December 27, but if you want some new speakers in time for Christmas, here's a friendly reminder to order soon. Check out the post below for all the details. [Amazon]