Spectacular simplicity of "Gravity"

Credit: Alfonso Cuaron/ Gravity/ The Atlantic

"... special effects that are at once so novel, so technologically ahead-of-the-curve, and so essential to the underlying narrative ..."

Have to see this!

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/10/the-spectacular-simplicity-of-em-gravity-em/280245/ / review movie film motion picture watch view film gravity spatial geometry Gravity director Alfonso Cuaron Children of Men 2006 fascinating experiment hybrid filmmaking awesome display cutting edge cutting-edge special effects compact character drama shot plays play deep space deep-space variation Sherif Ali iconic entrance Lawrence of Arabia supernal slice blue white blue-white Planet Earth space shuttle Sandra Bullock George Clooney Dr. Ryan Stone medical engineer rookie astronaut Matt Kowalski yarn spinning yarn-spinning space veteran final mission routine spacewalk tinker Hubble Telescope figure prominently detonation explosion Russian satellite chain reaction collision collisions massive debris field hurtling toward inadvertent projectiles primary antagonist more elegant title Flying Space Junk opening sequence stunning display pure cinema disengage cargo bay bay's arm pinwheel pinwheels helplessly around shuttle tsunami orbital flotsam twirls axis she's freed arm hurled silent void itself reveal details intermittent success find their way to safety shuttle neighboring space station any port in a storm back to Earth journey home physical spiritual convey visual spectacle spectacularity mathematical equations featuring vectors vector force acceleration customary prose unfolding series terrifying object lessons Newtonian physics spatial geometry cinematography collaboration collaborator Emmanuel Lubezki, alternates between harrowing sublime vertigo vertiginous sequences settle unexpectedly intimate closeups featuring special effects novel, technologically ahead of the curve ahead-of-the-curve essential underlying narrative an argument for 3D demands seen theater largest screen available the silence visual extravagance cast essentially consists Ed Harris voice of Mission Control succinct Peter Jackson story propelled simplest most universal human motivations motivation quest survival uncaring cosmos contribution contribute contributes arguably best work of her career coast limitless charm coasting principal reality life in space disappoint disappointment screenplay Jonas movie's magisterial visuals writing often pinched conventional overwrought unnecessary backstory clumsily executed hinge plot dialogue hoary cliché cliche narrative missteps disappointing easy to correct conversation avoid avoided moments clunky immersion movie theater rather Earth space walk silence air supply flaw genuine wonders big ones dazzlingly unforgettably right /

Tesla battery fire — does it mean electric cars are unsafe?

Credit: AJ Gill/ YouTube/ ABC News

Check the video

http://youtu.be/q0kjI08n4fg

Are electric vehicles (EVs) unsafe?

News flash people: all cars are unsafe — driving/riding in a motor vehicle is the most dangerous thing most people do on a regular basis. Very few people reading this have not either been in a motor accident where they were injured, or know someone who has (broken bones, bruises from seat belt in my case).

Do electric cars represent a fire risk?

News flash: all cars represent a fire risk. You can't put 10 gallons of petrol (gasoline) in a vehicle without creating a fire risk.

Do EVs represent a larger fire risk than internal combustion engine (ICE) cars?

News flash: ICE cars catch fire regularly. Over 500 per day on average in USA alone in 2011.

187,000 ICE vehicle fires in the United States in that year represent one fire for every 1,738 ICE. With almost 20,000 Teslas on the road, this fire makes one out of almost 20,000 in the past 12 months. If we include other brands of EV, the stats look even better.

Based on the record to-date, I'll take the electric.

Why don't we hear about all those ICE vehicle fires? Because they are so common. They're not worth reporting. On the other hand, one electric vehicle fire & the news media is abuzz.

Some have expressed concern that the fire wasn't extinguished by water. Hint: don't try water on a petrol or diesel fire either.

Elon Musk defends Model S fire safety

http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2013/10/05/elon-musk-responds-to-tesla-s-fire-news-says-it-would-have-been-worse-in-a-regular-car/

Wired — Please calm the hell down

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/10/tesla-model-s-fire/

Nothing new to see here

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/model-s-fire/ / electric vehicle EV battery cell cells LiIon lithium ion charge recharge range petrol diesel petrochemical hydrocarbon fossil fuel BEV petrol gas gasolene gasoline energy density petroleum oil CEO electric car company Tesla battery Model S caught fire impaled metal object pierced penetrated Elon Musk more detail blog post fire Internet sensation unsettled Tesla investors defended the car's battery technology blog post more common conventional gas powered vehicles vehicle consumers concerned about fire risk zero doubt safer power car battery large tank highly flammable liquid curved metal component cause causing Tesla catch fire shape punch punching 3 inch hole armor plate protect protects car's bottom underside company said car properly contained blaze driver able exit highway Seattle suburb Kent flames engulfed front vehicle 194,000 vehicle fires U.S. each year, vast majority cars trucks gasoline diesel engines. Electric vehicles firefighters extinguish fire flames reignited dry chemical extinguisher Tesla shares fell sharply shares recovered loss 5.2 percent still up 400 percent /

Playing violent video games changes both the structure & behaviour of the brain

Latest research presented to a conference in Sydney, Australia, on Friday 04 October, shows that exposure to violent video games has the following effects:

• Limits size of the pre-frontal cortex, the part of the brain which controls impulsive behaviour & rationality.

• Reduces activity in the pre-frontal cortex.

• Reduces sensitivity to violence.

These effects are both short & long term.

See a transcript of the radio programme, or stream or download at:

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2013/s3862722.htm / program radio behavior playing violent video games could change your brain mind Elizabeth Jackson reported story listen MP3 story WMA version MP3 download violent video games make cause causing making changes size player players player's players' brains brain mind speaking conference Sydney Dr. Doctor Wayne Warburton psychologist Macquarie University numerous studies show cumulative exposure violence limits growth pre-frontal cortex part brain controls impulsive behaviour Elizabeth Jackson brain images show changes short long term reduced activity pre-frontal lobes brain inhibit behaviours behaviour think through consequences plan things rational thought reduced reduce capacity respond diminished capacity respond rationally desensitise desensitisation decensitised desensitize decensitizeation decensitized violence short term long term MRI FMRI magnetic resonance imaging machine expose violent media emotion centre centres center centers brain limbic system diminished responding response responce less emotional response exposure media violence less exposure media violence EEG exposure expose violent exposure response strong emotional responses desensitised active suppression emotion centres literal starving blood turned off emotional content Elizabeth Jackson long short term cumulative effects long term affects violence in the real world loss of empathy decreases density frontal cortex affect neural migration psychologist Macquarie University /

Samsung Galaxy S5 — 64 bit processor & optical zoom

Credit: Samsung/ Gotto Be Mobile

Mmm, 64 bit processor & optical zoom — sounds good. On the other hand, the optics & sensor are unlikely to equal a Sony QX10 "smart lens" to add to my existing smart phone. And the QX10 will be a lot cheaper, more flexible, & available now, if less convenient.

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/09/12/samsung-galaxy-s5-feature-confirmed/ / Samsung Galaxy S5 launch date months away already spilling the beans next Galaxy devices next Galaxy smartphones smart phone phones smartphone include Galaxy S5 64 bit 64-bit processing processor iPhone 5S Apple device perk perks camera fingerprint reader new A7 processor micro processor processing chip applications written display higher performance games gaming gamer gamers processing power assume Samsung’s mobile business chief Shin Jong-kyun Samsung Galaxy S5 feature confirmed rumors device powerful camera optical zoom March launch date rumor rumour rumours rumor Galaxy S5 2014 release Samsung Galaxy Note 3 iPhone 5S HTC One max HTC One company company’s flagship Galaxy S /

Caesium clock for your wrist

Credit: Bathys Hawaii/ The Register

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/10/03/highend_chrono_chaps_build_atomic_watch/ / loses lose loss losing second each millennium smartwatch smartwatches smart watch news personal atomic clocks clock timepiece Cesium 133 announce announced high end high-end Hawaiian Hawaii watch Bathys Hawaii contain single chip laser heater sealed cavity cesium gas microwave filter photodiode detector detect detecting combination watch count hyperfine lines excite excitation state excited cesium 133 atoms National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST NIST-F1 clock USA timekeeping time keeping counter-propagating lasers cool trap gas of cesium atoms US government shutdown NIST's site not available claimed accuracy of one second every millennium Bathys buyer buyers timepiece /

They're (almost) all doing it: cheating on benchmarks

Recently, an item on these pages included a link to a claim of a benchmark cheat mode in the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Turns out almost all of them are doing it:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7384/state-of-cheating-in-android-benchmarks / AndreiF7's work discover discovery discovering investigate investigation investigating investigations Samsung’s CPU GPU optimise optimize optimisation optimisations optimizations international Galaxy S 4 Exynos 5410 Samsung detect detection detecting presence certain benchmark benchmarks raise raised raising thermal limits maximum maxima max GPU frequency edge benchmarks benchmarked benchmarking Snapdragon 600 Exynos 5410 SGS4 platforms platform Samsung detect detection detecting benchmarks auto automatic automatically driving CPU voltage frequency highest state Snapdragon platforms all cores plugged immediately upon benchmark detect Exynos 5410 equipped version Galaxy S4 S 4 III confirm GPU frequency MHz exceed exceeding exceeded Snapdragon 600 version platform platforms table subset devices test testing tested silicon benchmark detect maximum max CPU frequency all cores A15 cluster /

IPCC report on climate change summarized

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report on climate change was recently released, but its a very long read. Below is the short version as summarized by the Climate Council.

Infographic:
http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/climate-science-infographic/

5 minute summary:
http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CC.report.pdf / Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC publish published publishing publishes assessment current state scientific understanding human caused anthropogenic human-caused climate change assessment based on contributions thousands experts around the world through exhaustive review peer reviewed review peer-reviewed scientific literature rigorous seven year years long several-years-long review process publication fossil fuel fossil-fuel industry front groups lobbyists paid advocates gear up attack malign report mislead confuse public about sobering message release IPCC Fifth Assessment scientific report professional climate change deniers willing abettors enablers distort report actually says genuine scientific evidence reality climate change threat climate change deniers divided preferred contrarian narrative some would have us believe IPCC downgraded strength evidence degree of threat career fossil-fuel-industry fossil fuel industry apologist Bjorn Lomborg Rupert Murdoch's Murdoch Australian United Nations UN UN's mild climate change message lost in alarmist translation serial climate disinformer Judith Curry commentary same outlet announced announce announcement consensus distorts climate picture make up your mind critics mild message distorted picture consistency consistent consistently respond simply hobgoblin of little minds real reality claims members IPCC downgraded scientific confidence plentiful among usual purveyors of climate change misinformation Fox News editorial pages Wall Street Journal various conservative tabloids United States of America USA Canada Germany Australia Fox News even sought to mislead viewers bait and switch bait-and-switch focusing attention instead deceptive similarly named report that calls itself the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change NIPCC regurgitates standard shopworn denialist myths erroneous talking points non-peer-reviewed report published discredited industry front group known as the Heartland Institute publication actual IPCC report divert attention from the actual scientific evidence reality IPCC strengthened degree of certainty fossil fuel burning other human activities responsible warming globe past half-century raising confidence very likely previous report extremely likely current one expresses similar levels of certainty Earth experiencing impacts impact impacted warming form of melting ice rising global sea levels various forms of extreme weather evidence overly conservative in its assessment of the science institutions atmospheric wind patterns associated with phenomena El Niño so-called North Atlantic Oscillation global temperatures hockey stick curve /