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Comment Re:Just validating registration tags ... (Score 1) 405

The LAPD would only need to state that the images were captured with the intent of validating registration tags.

But they're demonstrably not doing this.

They're buying ALPR systems that are specifically advertised with the capabilities to create and analyze databases of license plate numbers, places, times, etc. in order to track peoples' movements.

Comment Re:DC transmission lines? (Score 1, Informative) 183

50/60 Hz is pretty much DC anyway

LOL, clearly either a digital logic or RF engineer.

Tell ya what, if you're that confident, then take an aluminum crochet needle in each hand and jam them each in the +/– terminals of a 12 volt DC power supply, then in the line/neutral sockets of a variac output tuned down to 12V, and tell us again that 60 Hz is 'pretty much DC anyway.'

(Spoiler: one will be fatal and the other not.)

And then see if you can figure out why Westinghouse engineers chose the frequency at which electrical impulses best travel along human nerves as the standard power transmission frequency...

Comment Re:Yes, that's obviously safer (Score 1) 142

At least he was engaged in the act of driving, which includes both navigation and piloting.

I see way too many drivers doing something other than driving while driving, beyond just texting or chatting on their phones. I've seen people applying makeup, shaving, eating with two hands, and even reading a book.

Even with a handsfree device, holding a conversation is a distraction from driving.

Comment Re:Makes no sense. (Score 5, Interesting) 478

I'd be willing to bet they didn't do it right. It needs to be strobed at a high rate. But it will affect the vehicle cameras as much as others, unless they have good IR filters.

Strobed high intensity NIR is the right track. Sync the vehicle camera shutters with the strobe dead time. Use a shuttered camera so the IR doesn't leave lingering effects on the focal plane. Heck, you can even use the NIR for camera illumination and use very fast shutter speeds.

I'd be willing to bet they explored this and found that either a) the necessary intensity of the NIR was beyond safe limits, or 2) the cameras necessary to work in this scheme would be prohibitively expensive. Or both.

My solution: confiscate the passengers' cameras and enforce the no photos policy strictly.

Alternately, make them ride in the dark. Naked.

Comment Re:Rare, but extant (Score 1) 312

Agreed. They are rare animals but they do exist. I had the benefit of working 15 years for a medium sized company with a culture of training and promoting the best engineers into management. Not all of them wanted or accepted promotions beyond department manager, but the VPs of Engineering, QA. Operations and Program Managment, and the General Manager all started their careers as engineers or scientists. The company paid for advanced degrees in Engineering and Management for anyone who wanted them (and kept good grades). Those who showed talent were promoted into management AND still got to hunt elephants.

But I didn't recognize how unusual that culture was until after leaving that company. My current employer is a small company micromanaged by two brilliant engineers who are horrible, horrible managers.

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