How tech might have prevented the Beltway crash | STAFF COMMENTARY

Technology

A report released this past week by the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that the horrific Baltimore Beltway work zone crash of March 22, 2023, that killed a half-dozen highway workers was chiefly the product of speeding and reckless driving. Both of the vehicles involved were traveling at more than 120 miles per hour when they collided on the outer loop of Interstate 695 in Woodlawn with one ultimately flipping through a construction zone. The incident drew national attention and led to some added work zone protections in Maryland including a greater use of speed cameras to ticket unsafe drivers. Lawsuits and criminal prosecutions are still pending. But the report also raises a possible solution not yet pursued: What if the vehicles themselves had warned drivers of the extreme dangers of their actions or even prevented such high-speed travel?The technology mentioned in the report is ISA or Intelligent Speed Assistance. The in-vehicle system takes advantage of GPS technology to compare real-time vehicle speed to location. Traveling well above the posted limit? The car will alert the driver — using visual signals or perhaps a loud buzzing. One possibility might be for the system to increase resistance in the gas pedal or perhaps outright force the car to slow down. Some vehicles are already being sold in the United States with the option of ISA advisory capabilities, some that even limit gasoline flow. The European Union has moved further — now requiring all new vehicles to be so equipped.
Maryland shouldn’t pursue such a mandate on its own. The California state legislature already tried only to have the measure vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. He reasoned, correctly, that this is a requirement best imposed nationwide, not state by state. Studies have shown the technology to be effective — although not always appreciated by test subjects. Such a sweeping change would be best pursued by Congress and not a regulatory agency, but lawmakers might be able to offer a carrot to go with that stick: ISA can be harnessed to report safe driving habits to car insurers who might, in turn, offer cheaper rates. Given recent premium increases, that could prove a compelling pitch, and given how often speed is involved in fatal crashes (about one-third of the time), there’s no disputing its lifesaving potential.
Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom.

Family Business Tax Priorities, New Tax Bill Primary Discussion Points at Latest Capitol Hill Caucus Meeting

2024 Election

Family Business Tax Priorities, New Tax Bill Primary Discussion Points at Latest Capitol Hill Caucus Meeting – Politics News Today – EIN Presswire Trusted News Since 1995 A service for global professionals · Monday, October 28, 2024 · 755,646,378 Articles · 3+ Million Readers News Monitoring and Press Release Distribution Tools News Topics Newsletters Press…

The Spanish city filled with tourists – and willing to make major change to bring more in

Travel

A prominent politician in Spain’s capital has called on the city’s restaurants to make a huge change to accommodate tourists.Isabel Díaz Ayuso, a right-wing regional leader in Madrid who has been tipped to one day become the Spanish Prime Minister, has called on restaurants to open earlier.The people of Spain are known for their culture of eating later in the day, having lunch between 2pm and 4pm and before waiting until 10pm for dinner.But tourists from abroad who are not used to this custom can find themselves going hungry as they wait to eat.Speaking on October 1, Ms Ayuso hailed the “elegant, creative cuisine” and “the lively bars, the centuries-old establishments and the markets” in Madrid.For the benefit of tourists, she suggested starting lunch service at noon and dinner at 6pm.Ms Ayuso continued: “We coined a war cry, welcome tourists. We understand that we also must adapt to those who honour us with their visit and trust us.”Fabio Peral, 46, and part-owner of Amici Restaurant in Madrid, told the Independent that he liked the idea.He said: “This is fabulous. I find that eating at 11pm at night is not healthy. A lot of time tourists go to eat, and the restaurant is closed. We have two waves of eating [in our restaurant]. The tourists come in at 7pm and the Spaniards come in at 9-9.30pm.“If they are expanding the hours then it helps me maximise my restaurant. You are catering for both markets.”Mr Peral also praised Madrid for being welcoming to tourists while other locations have seen more anti-tourism sentiment.He added: “We are not squirting water pistols at tourists like they did in Barcelona.”Like most other Spanish cities, Madrid welcomes a lot of tourists.In 2023, the Spanish capital received over 10.6 million visitors, generating nearly £11billion for the city’s economy.

Chinese hackers intercepted audio from Trump campaign adviser, Washington Post reports

Technology

Chinese state-affiliated hackers intercepted audio from the phone calls of US political figures including an unnamed Trump campaign adviser, the Washington Post reported Sunday.

The FBI and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said on Friday they were investigating unauthorised access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by people associated with China.

Reuters reported Friday that Chinese hackers also targeted phones used by people affiliated with the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, were targeted, various media outlets reported last week.

The Trump campaign was made aware last week that Trump and Vance were among a number of people inside and outside of government whose phone numbers were targeted through the infiltration of Verizon, opens new tab phone systems, the New York Times reported Friday.

The Trump campaign was hacked earlier this year. The US Justice Department charged three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps with the hack, accusing them of trying to disrupt the November 5 election.

Verizon said Friday it was aware of a sophisticated attempt to target US telecoms and gather intelligence and is working with law enforcement.

Congress is also investigating and earlier this month US lawmakers asked AT&T, opens new tab, Verizon and Lumen Technologies, opens new tab to answer questions about reports Chinese hackers accessed the networks of US broadband providers.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said last week it was unaware of the specific situation but said China opposes and combats cyber attacks and cyber thefts in all forms.

“Israel is becoming a prison for tech workers”: Flight shortage risks global disconnect

Technology

Israel’s high-tech sector faces growing concerns over transportation blockages following recent fighting, compounded by the suspension of foreign airlines. Two prominent Israeli venture capital executives, Michael Eisenberg of VC fund Aleph and Liad Agmon of Insight Partners, recently highlighted these challenges on social media. Agmon revealed that Insight asked one of the entrepreneurs they invested in to relocate to the United States due to the severe lack of available flights. Eisenberg similarly mentioned a company forced to move sales teams to the U.S. as flights out of Israel dwindled.Israel’s high-tech industry depends heavily on foreign markets, especially the U.S., where many tech companies conduct the bulk of their sales. Currently, El Al is the only airline offering direct flights from Israel to the U.S., but these are fully booked, and ticket prices have skyrocketed into the thousands. Previously, United, American Airlines, and Delta offered flights, but all suspended service following the outbreak of the war. Though these carriers returned briefly, they have once again suspended flights, and with heightened tension in the region, regular service remains uncertain.Israeli tech companies cannot function without international mobility, especially when their business relies on maintaining a global presence. Startups, especially those in the midst of funding rounds, need face-to-face meetings with investors, who now hesitate to visit Israel due to insurance concerns and the lack of flight options. The challenges extend to sales operations; many deals require in-person interaction to foster trust, particularly in times of crisis. Relying solely on virtual meetings is often insufficient for companies accustomed to cultivating relationships in person.The high-tech industry is drawing on lessons from the pandemic, when flights were similarly restricted. However, back then, it was a global issue. Now, it’s a crisis unique to Israel. Conferences continue as usual globally, and investors want to meet developers in their locations. The inability to attend conferences and maintain personal connections with clients and investors threatens to limit Israeli tech’s reach. A senior executive at an Israeli tech company told Calcalist about the severe difficulties, explaining, “We used to fly all the time, but today every change costs thousands of dollars. A significant part of our time is now spent managing flights. An entrepreneur can’t succeed by staying in Israel. At the end of the day, our business is in the U.S., as are our senior employees. Without regular flights, Israel will become a ‘prison’ for tech workers.” Many companies have shifted toward balancing their workforce, hiring more developers and salespeople based in the U.S. and Europe to address these disruptions.Related articles:Idan Tendler, a Senior Vice President at cybersecurity giant Palo Alto Networks, added, “Israel is like a transportation ghetto now. It made sense at the onset of the war, but we’re becoming more isolated from Silicon Valley, the heart of high-tech. We are a multinational company with a development center here and thousands of employees in Israel. Our center plays a crucial role in our company, but we need continuous contact with headquarters in California—not just for executives but for senior employees who are key to business planning.” Without direct flights to the West Coast, maintaining Israel’s significance as a tech hub will be challenging, he noted.Tendler emphasized that although Palo Alto Networks is not relocating employees to the U.S., it expects the Israeli government to facilitate the industry’s needs by ensuring a reliable transportation infrastructure. “Young companies have to send salespeople out, and we constantly fly to conferences, but we rely on the connection with our headquarters. Transportation is critical,” he said, noting that El Al’s limited schedule and high costs are discouraging managers from flying in. Eyal Levy, Senior Vice President of R&D at BigID, a data privacy company, described similar obstacles. “We’ve faced flight disruptions, and many employees with families worry about being stranded abroad. Flights are harder to find, so we’ve allowed flexibility and encouraged combining meetings across different locations.” Levy explained that while the company’s development centers are primarily in Tel Aviv, it also maintains offices in New York to support global clients. BigID has adopted creative solutions, including relocating some employees temporarily to ensure continuity of operations.

Mount Everest Waste Management Due to Uncontrolled Tourist Numbers Becomes a Pressing Issue

Travel

Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, is a symbol of human achievement. However, beneath its breathtaking faced lies a growing environmental crisis: the overlooked accumulation of waste.

Also read: Everest 2024: Nepal to Require Tracking Chip for Climbers
A mountain of trash on the world’s highest mountain
Image credit: Mark Green’s Images via Canva Pro
Each year, thousands of climbers and trekkers descend upon the Everest Base Camp, leaving behind a trail of discarded hiking gears, food packaging, and human waste. The influx of visitors has already led to a significant increase in population, with an estimated 200 tons pf waste generated annually.
The challenge of cleaning up
Attending to the seemingly worsening Mount Everest waste management is a daunting task. For one, the extreme altitude is already a challenging peak, with the harsh weather and remote location making it all the more difficult to clean up. Traditional methods of waste management are simply not doable in such an environment as this. So, trash just keep piling up with no one to clean it up.
Technological solution in the talks
To address this concerning issue, innovative solutions are currently in the talks. One initiative is the NeverRest Project, which aims to leverage technology to reduce Mount Everest’s environmental footprint.