Stormy Weather; ty; Inclusion Goes to Camp; Hamas and Ladders; and Seeing Lights

Military Tensions

China Warns of ‘Storm Clouds Gathering’ in U.S.-North Korea Standoff nytimes

China warned on Friday that tensions on the Korean Peninsula could run out of control, after North Korea said it could test a nuclear weapon whenever its top leader, Kim Jong-un, decided, and as an American naval group neared the peninsula in a show of resolve.

‘Don’t you look away from me!’: How a Russian diplomat’s tirade broke U.N. tradition washingtonpost

Safronkov's tone, not just what he said but how he said it, turned heads. Even RT, the state-funded Russian media network, called the harangue an “extraordinary attack on his British counterpart, using some decidedly undiplomatic language.” RT also, like others, noted the ambassador's unusual use of the familiar “you” (“ty” in Russian, as opposed to the formal “vy"), which is “used for talking to friends and children and almost never in public addresses.”

That show of disrespect seems to have surprised even Russian officials. Although a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin said there was “nothing insulting” in the remarks, the Moscow Times noted that Russia's official U.N. website edited the transcript of Safronkov's speech to soften his language. “The transcript changed Safronkov’s speech from the informal 'ty' form in Russian to the formal 'vy' form, erasing much of the aggressive thrust of his actual remarks,” the newspaper wrote.

Society

Ontario Pioneer Camp alumni fight to end 'anti-gay' staff policy cbc.ca

Volunteer and paid staff at Ontario Pioneer Camp pioneercamp.ca in Port Sydney, Ont., must sign a code of conduct that says "homosexual and lesbian sexual conducts are not to be practised" and staff "should not in any way espouse, endorse or imply acceptance" of what the policy says "should be avoided."

Antisemitism

Hamas designs terror-inspired ‘Snakes and Ladders’ timesofisrael

According to the Middle East Media Research Institute, “Reaching Jerusalem” was designed by Muhammad Ramadan Al-Amriti, an employee of the Hamas Interior Ministry who has previously produced and directed videos praising Hamas and terror attacks against Israel.

Driverless Cars

This self-driving car camera can literally see the light at the end of a tunnel digitaltrends v

The IMX390CQV is a 2.45-megapixel camera designed specifically for driving. The minimal megapixel design allows each pixel to gather more light, which means the sensor can perform in as low as 0.1 lux, which is about equal to moonlight. The sensor, which measures 1/2.7 inches, also adjusts the circuitry for enhanced light sensitivity, providing a 1.5 times boost in low-light visibility compared to other automotive cameras.

With many lights from streetlights to headlights and brake lights using LEDs, the flicker reduction capabilities allow the camera to more precisely recognize objects in the environment, Sony says. LED lights flash at very fast rates, which means if the camera’s timing records in between one of those flashes, those lights will appear to be off. To solve the problem, Sony increased the exposure time so each frame records long enough to miss the blinks.

Other...

Do Your Shoelaces Keep Coming Undone? Engineers Explain Why nytimes v