Free Republic

In a year as chaotic, violent, and economically destructive as this one has been, it is interesting that, to many Americans, the great villain of 2026 is turning out to be a traffic camera.But, indeed, we are seeing visceral, cross-partisan opposition to so-called Flock cameras—named after the leading manufacturer of these automated license plate readers—take hold in communities across the country. And that opposition is, to be sure, entirely legitimate.Flock’s camera networks are based on the idea that, while it would obviously be illegal and unconstitutional for law enforcement at any and all levels to put GPS trackers in everyone’s...

Axon Lightpost is a fixed, infrastructure-mounted intelligent ALPR camera designed to transform existing streetlights and outdoor infrastructure into real-time vehicle intelligence tools. Lightpost delivers automated license plate recognition (ALPR), vehicle attribute recognition (VAR), and livestreaming video seamlessly into the Axon public safety ecosystem with minimal physical footprint. Built in collaboration with Ubicquia, Axon Lightpost installs quickly on existing light poles without trenching or new pole infrastructure, dramatically reducing deployment complexity and cost. Once powered and network-connected, Axon Lightpost begins autonomous operation with no daily user interaction, providing continuous detection and secure data upload to Axon Evidenceand Axon Fusus. SNIP

Researchers from the University of Cologne have found a new use for cnicin, a substance produced in blessed thistle. Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a plant in the family Asteraceae and also grows in our climate. For centuries, it has been used as a medicinal herb as an extract or tea, e.g. to aid the digestive system. Researchers at the Center for Pharmacology of University Hospital Cologne and at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cologne have now found a completely novel use for cnicin under the direction of Dr. Philipp Gobrecht and Professor Dr. Dietmar Fischer. Animal...