Anyone who works as a freelancer these days has to be at least a bit familiar with techie things. But it isn’t just that. When I was a kid and those vaguely SF puppet shows were on the television and all the other kids wanted to be Greg Gogetem or Steve Savetheuniverse, I wanted to be the guy in a white coat and glasses called Doc or Brains. Here are some technology-related feeds I find useful and/or entertaining.
Slashdot » After Non-Profit Application Furor, IRS Says It's Lost 2 Years Of Lois Lerner's Email
As reported by the Associated Press, via US News & World Report, the IRS says that it cannot locate much of the email sent by a former IRS official over a two-year period. "The IRS told Congress Friday it cannot locate many of Lois Lerner's emails prior to 2011 because her computer crashed during the summer of that year. Lerner … [Link]
Mashable » Animator Behind Fictional Video Game in 'Her' Announces Real-Life Release
Samantha, the artificially intelligent operating system, wasn't the only impressive tech in Spike Jonze's Her. Joaquin Phoenix's character plays a futuristic video game in the film that is now, in a way, coming to life. The animator and designer of the fictional game, David OReilly, announced the release of his first indie game — Mountain — at the Horizon Indie Game … [Link]
Slashdot » The FCC Can't Help Cities Trapped By Predatory Internet Deals With Big Telecom
Jason Koebler writes: At least 20 states have laws that make it illegal for communities to offer local government-owned high speed internet access. Wednesday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler threw consumers a bone by suggesting that the agency could make it easier for cities to skirt those laws. That's a great first step — but many cities have locked … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » WordPress Gains a JSON REST API Plugin
WordPress has maintained its popularity despite lacking a built-in REST API that enables external applications to easily interact with a WordPress-based website's content and users. That will likely soon change, however. A WordPress plug-in dubbed WP API extends the open source content management system with a full REST API that uses JSON and OAuth authentication.
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ProgrammableWeb.com » Today in APIs: SpeechOne API Enables Verbal Communication with Digital Devices
SpeechTrans releases the SpeechOne API that allows verbal communication with digital devices. Plus, how Marvel’s API will change cultural criticism and why graphics programmers will love the PS4 API.
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Mashable » Paris Will Not Ban Love Locks — for Now
Paris authorities will not ban "love locks" on bridges, the city's deputy mayor said Thursday. After part of a railing on the Pont des Arts collapsed, Bruno Julliard announced the city was looking for alternative ways for lovers to show their affection (including ribbons). But at a conference Thursday he said attempting to discourage tourists from leaving locks was about as … [Link]
Slashdot » Clueless About Card Data Hack, PF Chang's Reverts To Imprinting Devices
wiredmikey writes: After saying earlier this week that it was investigating reports of a data breach related to payment cards used at its locations, P.F. Chang's China Bistro confirmed on Thursday that credit and debit card data has been stolen from some of its restaurants. What's interesting, and somewhat humorous, is that the company said that it has switched over … [Link]
Mashable » This Is What Iraq Looked Like This Week
An al-Qaeda-inspired splinter group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), has been marching towards Baghdad, Iraq, capturing two major cities in the north in just a few days. The group's offensive surprised Iraqi forces, who have offered little to no resistance so far, pushing Iraq into a state of chaos. ISIL, which also controls parts of Syria, has the … [Link]
Slashdot » Saurabh Narain and His Homemade Lego-Based Rubik's Cube Solver (Video)
Here's another one Tim spotted at Maker Faire Bay Area 2014: A Rubik's Cube solver made by 12-year-old Saurabh Narain. He's in 7th grade — and started soldering in 2nd grade and messing with Linux in 3rd grade. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Tim asked. "An engineer…" (not that you couldn't have guessed). There may … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist
All the latest on newscientist.com: the enigma of devoted dads, crime data mine remakes history, China the eco-superpower, ocean near Earth's core and more 
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Slashdot » Dinosaurs May Have Been Neither Warm-blooded Nor Cold-Blooded
An anonymous reader writes An article published in Science (abstract) points to the possibility that dinosaurs were mesotherms more akin to modern Tuna. Their internal temperature would have been warmer than their surrounding environment, conferring on them the ability to move more quickly than any ectotherm ("cold blooded" animal), but wouldn't have been constant or as warm as any endoderm … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter Adds Translated Tweets to iOS Apps
With World Cup coverage underway, people from all over the world are tweeting about the same topic in many different languages. Twitter wants to make it easier for everyone by bringing mobile translations to its iOS app and is looking to Bing to lead the way. The two companies are joining forces to bring translated tweets to iOS apps, according to … [Link]
Mashable » Netflix Rolls Out Its New Logo on Desktop Interfaces
Netflix is starting to roll out its new logo, adding it along with another slight tweak to its desktop interface. See also: 6 Great Alternatives to Netflix The new logo (left) goes for a more flat, simplistic look when compared to the old logo (right), which Netflix has used since its days as a DVD-by-mail company. 
The new desktop look also has … [Link]
Mashable » Airport Will Use Passengers' Wi-Fi Devices to Monitor Security Wait Times
Cincinnati’s regional airport will become the first in the U.S. to monitor travelers' smartphones and other Wi-Fi equipped gadgets to quickly identify congested areas and display wait times for the security checkpoint. The idea is that tracking traffic flows and analyzing data quickly will help airports and the Transportation Security Administration reduce or eliminate problem spots. Cincinnati's airport, which has seen … [Link]
Mashable » Ask a Dev: How Do Apple's New SDKs Improve App Performance?
In our latest Ask a Dev video, iOS architect Ryan Peck answers this week's top question on how Apple's new iOS 8 and Yosemite SDKs improve app performance. See also: What Does Apple's Swift Programming Language Mean for iOS Developers? Apple has created some significant opportunities with their latest offerings for developers, and a big part of this is the … [Link]
Slashdot » Canadian Supreme Court Delivers Huge Win For Internet Privacy
An anonymous reader writes For the past several months, many Canadians have been debating privacy reform, with the government moving forward on two bills involving Internet surveillance and expanded voluntary, warrantless disclosure of personal information. Today, the Supreme Court of Canada entered the debate and completely changed the discussion, issuing its long-awaited R. v. Spencer decision, which examined the legality … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Modern API Architectural Styles Offer Developers Choices
As the way we use technology evolves, so have API architectures. The current rise (and eventual prevalence) of the Internet of Things (IoT) is making it necessary to create new API architectural styles addressing scenarios that go beyond client/server. It is for this reason that a recent study by CA Technologies was particularly interesting.
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Mashable » Today Is Friday the 13th and a Full Moon. That Won't Happen Again till 2049.
If you see a dude in an old-school hockey mask chasing a werewolf (or vice versa) on Friday, here's why: Friday the 13th coincides with a full moon. Hide your kids. That said, only those living in Asia, Africa, Europe, South America — and those in the Eastern Time Zone — experienced the full moon on June 13. The full moon … [Link]
Mashable » Look Out, Apple: Google May Launch a Health-Data App
Just two weeks after Apple announced its upcoming Health app for iOS 8, Google is reportedly preparing to launch a similar service called Google Fit. The search giant will debut a health platform at its Google I/O conference for developers later this month, according to Forbes. Google Fit is rumored to collect and aggregate data from fitness trackers (think Jawbone and … [Link]
Mashable » The Monster-Hunting Game 'Evolve' Came Out of Nowhere to Win E3
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to fulfill a dream you've had for 10 years, only to see that dream exceed your wildest expectations? That's what Chris Ashton, cofounder of Turtle Rock Studios and design director for Evolve, a monster-hunting multi-player game. Ashton and others from the Evolve team previously developedLeft 4 Dead, a 4-player zombie survival co-op … [Link]
Mashable » 8 Breathtaking Indie Games Stealing Hearts at E3
Independent games made their mark on E3 this year, from the surprise hits of major press conferences to the titles stealing hearts on the show room floor. It’s impossible to not admire the passion these designers and developers have for their work While strong emotions and technical skill were on display in spades, the 2014 crop of indies was certainly noteworthy … [Link]
Slashdot » 545-Person Programming War Declares a Winner
An anonymous reader writes: A while back we discussed Code Combat, a multiplayer game that lets players program their way to victory. They recently launched a tournament called Greed, where coders had to write algorithms for competitively collecting coins. 545 programmers participated, submitting over 126,000 lines of code, which resulted in 390 billion statements being executed on a 673-core supercomputer. … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Cat-Bird Graph [Pic]
Very clever. [Source: @qikipedia | Via IO9] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » GROSS: A Seriously Infected Computer [Video]
This is gross. Be sure to enlarge the video and put it in HD to observe the nastiness. 
[Carl Williams | Via Faildesk] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » How Many Of These Harry Potter Facts Do You Know?
How many of these did you know? [Buzzfeed] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Batdad Returns For Father’s Day! [Video]
Batdad is back once again to save the day… [Batdad] [Link]
Mashable » 15 'Game of Thrones' Pickup Lines to Score a Date With a Westerosi
Have you had the dragons and the bees talk with your parents yet? If not, you may want to look away. As many of you may have realized, characters in Game of Thrones occasionally have sex. And by occasionally, we of course mean constantly. Like, all the time. The whole show. See also: 6 Blunt Character Changes HBO Made to 'Game … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Blood minerals are electronics industry's dirty secret
A crackdown in the US is forcing technology firms to come clean about the source of the minerals used in their smartphones and electronics 
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Slashdot » European iPhone Chargers Prone To Overheating
jones_supa sends word that Apple has launched an exchange program for European iPhone USB power adapters. The company says its A1300 adapters were bundled with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S models, and were also sold on their own from Oct. 2009 to Sept. 2012. The reason for the recall is that the adapters "may overheat and pose … [Link]
Mashable » Childrens' Books Inspired by 'Game of Thrones'
George R.R. Martin's literature has no business in the children's section of the bookstore Though the night is dark and full of terrors, that doesn't mean we can't shed a little light to classic kids' books with some humor on Twitter. You don't have to had read the books or even watch Game of Thrones to enjoy a good pun See … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter Isn't Essential and Probably Never Will Be
Back in 2009, a little more than three years after Twitter launched, the company tried to address the nagging problem of user retention. It introduced a Suggested Users list intended to help new users find people to follow right away and thereby make the service stickier. Jack Dorsey, Twitter's cofounder and chairman, admitted at the time that this didn't fully solve … [Link]
Mashable » Dinosaurs Were Neither Cold Nor Warm Blooded, Study Says
Dinosaurs may not have been cold-blooded like modern reptiles or warm-blooded like mammals and birds — instead, they may have dominated the planet for 135 million years with blood that ran neither hot nor cold, but was a kind of in-between that's rare nowadays, researchers say. Modern reptiles such as lizards, snakes and turtles are cold-blooded or ectothermic, meaning their body … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Adults vs. Kids: 1997 vs. Today [Comic]
The last panel should be tagged with 2014, but it doesn’t really matter when you think about it, 2007 is as valid as 2014 in this case! [Source: Toonhole | Like Toonhole on Facebook | Follow Toonhole on Twitter] [Link]
Mashable » Why is Netflix Slow? The FCC Wants to Find Out
Netflix’s war of words on Internet service providers has scored its first victory. The FCC will begin looking at the network connection agreements between companies like Netflix and Verizon, a move that could mean more scrutiny over how data is sent to Internet users. See also: FCC and Net Neutrality: What You Need to Know The move has no regulatory ramifications … [Link]
Slashdot » The Profoundly Weird, Gender-Specific Roots of the Turing Test
malachiorion writes: Alan Turing never wrote about the Turing Test, that legendary measure of machine intelligence that researchers claimed to have passed last weekend. He proposed something much stranger — a contest between men and machines, to see who was better at pretending to be a woman. The details of the Imitation Game aren't secret, or even hard to find, … [Link]
Mashable » The Power of Expanding Your Network by One
For the past five years, Mashable has united the globe for a celebration of Social Media Day, when we celebrate the ways social media has changed and enriched our world Five years ago, everyone's social followings were probably much smaller, with fewer connections across those networks. So this year, we're taking a moment to recognize that a single connection is just … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Brazil's mega power line threatens Amazon's top reserve
Extending an electrical power line through parts of the Amazon would destroy one of the world's most precious nature reserves, say environmentalists 
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Mashable » 'Delirium' Fans: The Pilot You Thought You'd Never See Is Coming to Hulu
Fans of Lauren Oliver's cult YA series Delirium will soon get to see the show that they thought was forever lost in the network pilot graveyard. Hulu today released a trailer for the pilot, starring Emma Roberts, which the service will stream exclusively for 30 days starting June 20. SEE ALSO: MTV's 'Finding Carter' Trailer Has Drama, Tears — and … [Link]
Mashable » Iraq Implodes: What You Need to Know
An al-Qaeda-inspired group that captured two key cities in Iraq this week vowed this week to march on to Baghdad, raising fears about the government's ability to slow the assault, following the insurgents' lightning gains. Fighters from the militant group known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, or sometimes called ISIS) took former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's … [Link]
Mashable » Your Safety Depends on Air Traffic Controllers Who Are Still Working Crazy Shifts
WASHINGTON — Air traffic controllers are still working schedules known as "rattlers" that make it likely for them to get little or no sleep before overnight shifts, more than three years after a series of incidents involving controllers sleeping on the job, according to a government report released Friday. A report by the National Research Council expressed concern about the effectiveness … [Link]
Slashdot » FWD.us: GOP Voters To Be Targeted By Data Scientists
theodp writes: "We are excited to announce that FWD.us and Hackers/Founders are joining forces to host the 'DEBUG DC' Growthathon on June 21st & June 22nd," reads the blog over at FWD.us, the PAC whose Founders and Major Contributors include current and former CEOs from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL, and LinkedIn. "This is a unique opportunity to push the … [Link]
Mashable » Why Is Jeff Bezos Sending Out Children's Books Before Amazon's Mystery Event?
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos sent his favorite children's book to members of the press slated to attend the company's mysterious product event in Seattle next week, where it's expected to launch a 3D smartphone, and it comes with a clever message. Mashable received on Friday a copy of "Mr. Pine's Purple House" by Leonard Kessler (1965) from Amazon, along with the … [Link]
Mashable » Obama Takes an Official Stance on GIF vs. JIF
President Barack Obama has reopened a battle almost as old as the Internet — the pronunciation of GIF. The White House hosted its first-ever Tumblr Q&A between Obama and Tumblr founder and CEO David Karp on Tuesday. The president discussed student debt and also addressed issues like gun violence. See also: 15 Worst High Fives in Bro History In a behind-the-scenes … [Link]
Mashable » Hodor Hodors on 'Family Feud' Because Hodor
Survey says: Hodor. Jimmy Kimmel Live imagined how Game of Thrones character Hodor would fare on the classic game show Family Feud. The simple, lovable bannerman ends up with a pretty predictable score — because Hodor. See also: If 'Game of Thrones' Were Written From Hodor's Perspective He may have lost out on big money, but at least Hodor has … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Legend of Zelda Gets a Game of Thrones Style Intro [Video]
A fun Game of Thrones Style intro for the Legend of Zelda… because a hero of time always pays his debts. [The Pixel Kingdom] [Link]
Mashable » Online Poker Could Have a U.S. Renaissance After $4.9 Billion Deal
Isai and Mark Scheinberg, the father-son duo that helped pioneer online poker, have decided to fold. In doing so, they may have helped pave the way for a return to the glory days of online poker in the U.S. Oldford Group has agreed to sell popular U.S. online cardrooms PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker to Canada's Amaya Gaming Group for $4.9 … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Listen to sounds inside the body to monitor health
Chewing, breathing, heartbeats and a gurgling stomach – your body's internal symphony plus a wireless microphone could yield round-the-clock medical data 
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Mashable » Mary Steenburgen Joins 'Orange Is the New Black' Season 3
Mary Steenburgen is going to serve time on Orange is the New Black Season 3, Mashable confirms. Steenburgen, whose most recent TV gigs included parts on Justified and Wilfred, broke the news on Twitter but failed to clarify whether she'd actually be serving time as an inmate, only teasing coyly, "Will I be in orange or black?" SEE ALSO: Mashable's Orange … [Link]
Mashable » Soccer Fans' Heart Attack Risk Spikes During World Cup Matches
The New Republic does not, as far as I know, publish horoscopes, but I would like to issue a warning to American soccer fans: Beware the 16th, 22nd and&#~ June. Especially if you have an underlying heart condition. In 2008, a team of doctors led by Ute Wilbert-Lampen gathered reports from hospitals around the Munich area and analyzed rates of cardiovascular events during the 2006 … [Link]
Slashdot » NVIDIA Is Better For Closed-Source Linux GPU Drivers, AMD Wins For Open-Source
An anonymous reader writes "Phoronix last week tested 65 graphics cards on open source drivers under Linux and the best result was generally with the open source AMD Radeon drivers. This week they put out a 35-graphics-card comparison using the proprietary AMD/NVIDIA drivers (with the other 30 cards being too old for the latest main drivers) under Ubuntu 14.04. The … [Link]
Mashable » 'The Daily Show' Trolls Google Glass Wearers
Glass Explorers, be forewarned: We will not show mercy Jon Stewart and Daily Show correspondent Jason Jones relentlessly trolled a group of Google Glass wearers on the show on Thursday, because if you can afford a "$1,500 face computer," you totally deserve it. (Sorry, you're not "on a mission to bring us all into the future," they said.) See also: Proof … [Link]
Slashdot » Priceline To Buy OpenTable For $2.6 Billion
An anonymous reader sends this news from Bloomberg: Priceline Group Inc. stepped up its acquisition spree by buying OpenTable Inc. in a deal valued at $2.6 billion, adding restaurant bookings to an online travel business already spanning flights, hotels and cars. The all-cash offer of $103 per share for the popular Internet restaurant reservation company is 46 percent higher than … [Link]
Mashable » Apple Creates Exchange Program for Old, Unsafe iPhone Adapters
Apple is recalling power adapters sold in Europe and parts of Asia and Africa after reports surfaced that the devices were overheating and putting users at risk. The company released a statement on Friday, promising affected customers new adapters in exchange for turning in old ones. The defective adapters were packaged with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S devices … [Link]
Mashable » McCain: U.S. Had 'Won' in Iraq Until Obama Pulled Troops
As al-Qaeda-inspired militants keep advancing toward Baghdad, Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.) criticized President Barack Obama for abandoning Iraq when the United States "had [the conflict] won." McCain blasted the Obama administration on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Friday (watch above), expressing concerns over the situation in Iraq. The militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have seized … [Link]
Mashable » Ukrainian Forces Seize Crucial Port City From Pro-Russia Separatists
KIEV, Ukraine — Government claimed big victories in its fight against pro-Russia separatists in the country’s restive southeast on Friday, saying its forces had retaken a strategic industrial port city in an offensive launched at dawn. As the sun rose over Mariupol, a city of some 450,000 on the Azov Sea, Ukrainian government forces began a new “active phase” of its … [Link]
Mashable » Officials Set Fire to House Teetering Over 75-Foot Cliff
This story was updated at 3:30 p.m. ET… A $700,000 home was teetering over the edge of Texas' Lake Whitney — until officials set it on fire. The home, which had been gradually crumbling into the lake for weeks, was set on fire shortly after 10 a.m. local time after authorities deemed it the safest and cheapest option. Officials had considered … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Harrison Ford Injured on Set of ‘Episode VII’
Greedo may not have been a problem for Han Solo, but he has met his match with a hydraulic door. The 71-year-old actor was injured at Pinewood Studios in London on the set of Star Wars: Episode VII, when a hydraulic door reportedly fell on his ankle, potentially fracturing it. He was airlifted to a local hospital and is receiving … [Link]
Mashable » 5 'Game of Thrones' Facts Every Fan Should Know
This post contains spoilers from Game of Thrones Seasons 1-4. Read at your own discretion. Game of Thrones Season 4 comes to a close on Sunday, leaving you as cold and lonely as Jon Snow north of the Wall. But before you must leave the Night's Watch, it's time to get your brain as sharp as a Valyrian sword From … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » 30th Anniversary of Ghostbusters: The Infographic [Pic]
[Source: SDRS Creative] [Link]
Slashdot » Man Behind Hacks of Bush Family and Other Celebs Indicted In the US
New submitter criticalmass24 writes: 42-year-old Marcel Lehel Lazar, better known as Guccifer, the hacker that gained unauthorized access to email and social network accounts of high-profile public figures, has been charged in the United States. According to the Department of Justice, "[F]rom December 2012 to January 2014, Lazar hacked into the e-mail and social media accounts of high-profile victims, including … [Link]
Mashable » This Is Why You Never Cliff Dive Near Sharks
UPDATE, June 13, 11:50 a.m. ET: The video has been confirmed to be fake, with commenters pointing out the video's use of stock shark footage. The last thing a diver wants is a close call with a shark and be caught without a GoPro to capture the terrifying moment. Diver Terry Tufferson had a razor-close call with a great white … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Aaron Paul’s Voice Trolls Xbox Users
If you walked into your living room to find Aaron Paul had switched on your Xbox, you’d be confused. But that’s just what the Breaking Bad star — or at least his voice — has been doing according to users. Paul’s voice appears in a television commercial for the Xbox One in which he demonstrates the Kinect voice command features. … [Link]
Mashable » Getting Nostalgic About Old Video Games at E3
Big gaming companies Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo premiered some amazing new games and consoles at this week's E3 conference. Gamers fawned over amiibos, Playstation TV, and a completely remastered Halo collection. See also: Nintendo's King Boo Terrorizes E3 Other gamers, though, took to the conference to relive their old favorites. Gaming nostalgia was in full-force this week — and we're … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook, YouTube, Twitter Blocked in Iraq Amid Crisis
As Iraq faces a growing insurgency in the north that is threatening to pull the country apart, the country's Ministry of Communications has blocked access to a number of social media sites on Friday. Cyber Arabs, an organization based in Lebanon that monitors Internet freedom and provides cybersecurity training in the Middle-East and North Africa, confirmed to Mashable that Facebook, YouTube … [Link]
Slashdot » Cockpit Revealed For Bloodhound Supersonic Car
Zothecula writes: Unveiled at a special event in Bristol, U.K., the Bloodhound land speed team showed off the cockpit that will be driver Andy Green's "office" for his record attempt run in 2015 and 2016. Although Green holds the current world land speed record of 763 mph (1,227 km/h), the challenges in attempting to break the 1,000 mph (1,600 km/h) … [Link]
Mashable » Study: Vast Underground Ocean Discovered Near Earth's Core
Scientists have discovered vast water reserves near Earth’s mantle, a finding that could reshape our understanding of where Earth’s water came from. According to a new study by a group of U.S. geophysicists, a reservoir of water three times the volume of all of Earth’s oceans has been discovered inside a layer of blue rock 440 miles deep See also: … [Link]
Slashdot » AT&T Says Customer Data Accessed To Unlock Smartphones
itwbennett writes: Personal information, including Social Security numbers and call records, was accessed for an unknown number of AT&T Mobility customers by people outside of the company, AT&T has confirmed. The breach took place between April 9-21, but was only disclosed this week in a filing with California regulators. While AT&T wouldn't say how many customers were affected, state law … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Old Bailey data shows growing intolerance for violence
Attitudes to brutality changed drastically during the Victorian era, says a linguistic analysis of testimony given in London's oldest criminal court 
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Mashable » Priceline Is Buying OpenTable for $2.6 Billion
UPDATE: JUNE 13, 11:18 AM:TechCrunch reports that former SEC attorney Willie Briscoe and securities litigation firm Powers Taylor are going to probe the deal because they believe it is priced too low Priceline.com is buying restaurant booking service OpenTable for $2.3 billion, the travel company announced Friday, paving the way for a new line of business for the online bidding firm. … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Open teaching stacks help us teach at scale
Elliott Hauser is CEO of Trinket, a startup focused on creating open sourced teaching materials. He is also a Python instructor at UNC Chapel Hill. Well-developed tools for teaching are crucial to the spread of open source software and programming … [Link]
Mashable » Bowe Bergdahl Arrives Back in the U.S. After 5 Years
Bowe Bergdahl is back home in the United States. He landed in San Antonio, Texas, early Friday on a flight from Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Bergdahl was then transported to the San Antonio Military Medical Facility on Fort Sam Houston, the Pentagon announced, where he will be reunited with his family and continue his medical treatment and recovery after spending … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Watch mind-controlled exoskeleton kick off World Cup
A Brazilian man whose legs are paralysed took the World Cup's first kick last night – using the power of his mind and a whole lot of cutting-edge technology 
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Slashdot » US To Auction 29,656 Bitcoins Seized From Silk Road
ClownP writes with news that the U.S. Marshals Service is selling off 29,656.51306529 Bitcoins that were seized when the Silk Road website was shut down. At current exchange rates, they're worth around $17-18 million. The coins will be auctioned off in nine blocks of 3,000 coins, plus one block with the remainder. The USMS said that the first deadline for … [Link]
Mashable » P.F. Chang's Reverts to Carbon-Copy Credit Card Machines After Data Breach
Restaurant chain P.F. Chang's acknowledged on Friday that customers' credit and debit card data was compromised in a recent hack, and is now reverting to a manual credit card imprinting system in all its continental United States locations. "This ensures our guests can still use their credit and debit cards safely in our restaurants as our investigation continues," CEO Rick Federico … [Link]
Slashdot » Are the Glory Days of Analog Engineering Over?
An anonymous reader writes with this article about the future of the analog engineer. Some say technology advancements are obsoleting the need for analog engineers, while others say that good, experienced analog designers will always be needed and currently are in short supply. After years spent encouraging engineering students to focus on software and digital electronics, some people say the … [Link]
Mashable » 13 Reasons Your Dad Is Impossible to Shop For
Picture this: It's Father's Day. Your dad opens his present, though he already knows what it will be. It is a drill and he picked it out three weeks ago. He smiles and he nods in your direction. Father's Day is now over. That scene will be happening in living rooms across the world this Sunday, and the fact of the … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Crime mining: Hidden history emerges from court data
Data-mining the archives of London's oldest criminal court has uncovered an unguessed-at story of violence – and history will never be the same again (full text available to subscribers) 
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Mashable » E3 Totally Went Old School This Year
This year, the E3 throws way back with the return of classic video games like Halo, Star Fox, and the Sims. Mashable Minute's Elliott Morgan, the old-school gamer that he is, definitely digs the trend Yesterday, Elliott got immersed in the madness that is the World Cup Read more…More about E3, Gaming, Social Media, and Youtube
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Mashable » World Cup Day 2: What You Need to Know
The first day of the World Cup was but an appetizer: the opening ceremony and just one match, won relatively easily by overwhelming favorite Brazil after the host country gave up a cringeworthy own goal to Croatia, the first score of the tournament. On Friday, we really get cookin'. SEE ALSO: How to Watch the 2014 World Cup The duration of … [Link]
Mashable » Reddit's Newsgathering Comes of Age After Growing Pains
In the hours and days after the Boston Marathon bombing, the hive mind of Reddit sprang into action. Redditors studied pictures from the scene, listened to police scanners and pieced together information in attempts to identify the suspects. It was the culmination of what had become a popular pastime on the link-sharing site — compiling breaking news reports from disparate sources … [Link]
Mashable » Grumpy Cat Ruins Your Favorite Disney Movies
Sorry, Prince Charming — Snow Grump couldn't give two hairballs that you want to save her. 
"Someday My No Will Come"Image: Eric ProctorIf Disney fairy tales starred Grumpy Cat, you can bet they wouldn't end with a kiss on the cheek or happily ever after. Digital artist Eric Proctor casts a great big "No" spell over your favorite fable classics in … [Link]
Mashable » 11 Survival Tips for First-Time Dads, According to Reddit
One of the scariest moments in any man's life is the impending reality that you're going to be a father. A mountain of responsibilities come with parenthood, so it's no wonder that anxious and clueless fathers-to-be would take to the internet for some friendly advice on their new position as Dad. See also: 22 DIY Tricks to Make Parenting a Little … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 13 June 2014
Mapping the Decentralized Movement (Jon Udell) — the pendulum is about to swing back toward a more distributed Web. John Ioannidis: Reproducible Research, True or False? (YouTube) — his talk at Google. (via Paul Kedrosky) Tessel — a microcontroller that … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 78% Off The Alien Anthology (4 Movies) + Prometheus Bundle [Blu-ray] – $19.99
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon offers The Alien Anthology (4 movies) + Prometheus blu-ray bundle for just $19.99. That’S 78% off on the bundle’s regular list price of $89.99 and is less expensive than if you buy the Alien Anthology alone! -The Alien Anthology (4 Movies) + Prometheus Bundle [Blu-ray] – $89.99 $19.99 (78% Off) [Link]
Mashable » Chris Christie Shows Jimmy Fallon Every Embarrassing Dad Dance Move
What's worse than a dad dancing? Two dads dancing. Jimmy Fallon and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie prove this point with a short history of typical dad dance floor moves See also: Jennifer Lopez Challenges Jimmy Fallon to a Tight Pants Competition All the classics are there: the "belt grabber," the "dance you do at a Springsteen concert" (a Christie … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » RUMOR MILL: A List of DC Movies to be Released Over Next 4 Years
First off: If you don’t know who Nikki Finke is, let me fill you in real quick: Finke is a Hollywood reporter. She was also the founder and editor-in-chief of Deadline.com until 2013, when the website announced her departure. Aside from a journalism resume that is pretty impressive — she’s written for The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Washington … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Theory Of Spider Relativity [Comic]
[Source: nedesem on memecenter] [Link]
Mashable » Proof That Google Glass Can Be (Kinda) Fashionable
If there's one prevailing complaint about Google Glass, it's that it looks weird on your face. People get freaked out when they're talking to someone who has a noticeable camera attached to their eyewear. But in recent months, the company has made moves for the wearable tech to appear more fashionable — especially now that it's available to everyone. It … [Link]
Mashable » A Storied Glossary of Iconic LGBT Flags and Symbols
LGBT Pride parades are famous the world over for their exuberant yet message-driven theme. Part celebration, part march for equal rights, the parades are often distinguished by lively participants who brandish colorful flags, symbols and signs. But what does each color of the pride flag represent? What's the terrible past behind the pink and black triangles? Who created the transgender pride … [Link]
Mashable » Oh, Memories: 25 Songs Used in 'Orange Is the New Black' Season 2
“Everything is different the second time around," sings Regina Spektor during the opening credits of Orange Is the New Black — just like the show's music in Season 2. Her "You’ve Got Time" theme song, written specifically for Netflix's prison comedy series, sets the tone for every episode. But this sophomore season showcased even more spectacular song selections that added emotional … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Feedback: Kitchen disaster trumps
Pressure cooker horror, the origins of petards and further adventures of petards, toilet paper – the view from below, and more (full text available to subscribers) 
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New Scientist – News » In the driver's seat of the 1000-mile-per-hour car
The Bloodhound SSC is rocket and jet powered, with a custom 3D-printed titanium steering wheel – but you can barely see through the windscreen 
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Mashable » Eritrean National Soccer Team Leads the World in Defections
With the World Cup set to kick off in Brazil, soccer officials in Eritrea are trying to build a national team from scratch. It's a process that takes place almost every year, because players from the tiny East African nation keep running away en masse. More than 50 members of the Eritrean soccer team have defected in the past five years alone. A dozen … [Link]
Mashable » Women of the World: Dump Kimye, Tackle Climate Change
“No one ever said on her death bed, 'I wish I'd spent more time on Facebook,'" says attorney and media correspondent Lisa Bloom A more likely scenario: regret that she didn't do more to save her grandchildren from rising carbon dioxide levels, because she was too busy scrolling her News Feed and flipping through Us Weekly. Bloom believes Western society's current … [Link]
Slashdot » Samsung Debuts Thin Galaxy Tab S With Super AMOLED 2560X1600 Display
MojoKid (1002251) writes Samsung unveiled its latest flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab S, at an event in New York City tonight, and the new device is thin, lightweight, and sports a killer Super AMOLED display. Samsung boasts that the Galaxy Tab S's 2560×1600 display has 73% better color reproduction than conventional LCD displays and can match colors up to 94% … [Link]
Mashable » Faces of the World Cup: Charlotte to São Paulo
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, and SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Electrifying players and crazy drama are all part of the World Cup — but what really makes this thing go is the fans En route from San Francisco to Manaus this week, your humble reporter got to see many smiling faces full of hope, optimism and good cheer heading to Brazil to root … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook Messenger Gets Instant Video Messaging
Facebook has updated its Messenger app for iOS and Android devices, giving users the ability to record and send 15-second video messages Version 6.0 of the app also adds a feature called "Big Likes" — when you really like something, press and hold to send an even bigger "thumbs up" sign See also: Facebook, You're Not Alone: 5 Accidental App Launches … [Link]
Mashable » The 5 Best Email Apps for Power Users
Chances are, you spend a good chunk of your day reading and sending email. And, chances are, a significant portion of that is done on your phone. But using email apps on your phone is a vastly different experience than email on a PC or Mac — touchscreen keyboards and limited screen real estate only afford so much flexibility See also: … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Six of nature's most devoted dads
It's mainly animal mothers that do the hard work of rearing offspring. Here are six far-from-feckless fathers that defy evolutionary norms 
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Slashdot » Open-Source Hardware For Neuroscience
the_newsbeagle (2532562) writes "The equipment that neuroscientists use to record brain signals is plenty expensive, with a single system costing upward of $60,000. But it turns out that it's not too complicated to build your own, for the cost of about $3000. Two MIT grad students figured out how to do just that, and are distributing both manufactured systems and … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Doctors must go digital to deliver local care
Most people would rather see a doctor close to home – but mega-hospitals concentrate skills and equipment. Telemedicine can bridge the gap 
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Slashdot » US Government OKs Sale of Sharper Satellite Images
itwbennett (1594911) writes The U.S. government has lifted a long-standing restriction that meant companies like Google and Microsoft didn't have access to the most accurate pictures taken by imaging satellites. Satellite operator DigitalGlobe said that it received approval from the U.S. Department of Commerce this week to sell sharper images to its clients. Until now, satellite operators like DigitalGlobe were … [Link]
Slashdot » EU's Top Court May Define Obesity As a Disability
mrspoonsi (2955715) writes "The EU's top court is considering a test case which could oblige employers to treat obesity as a disability. Denmark has asked the European Court of Justice to rule on the case of a male childminder who says he was sacked for being too fat. The court's final ruling will be binding across the EU. It is … [Link]
Mashable » World Cup Stadiums, Then and Now
As the 2014 World Cup kicks off in Brazil, fans are traveling to 12 stadiums over the next month to cheer on their teams. Each stadium is based in a different city, and each has an interesting story behind it. See also: World Cup Day 1 Recap: Wait, What Just Happened? The World Cup's first match between Brazil and Croatia … [Link]
Mashable » Great Scott! A Hoverboard Future Is Finally Here
The future has arrived. And that future includes hoverboards. In March, Funny or Die orchestrated a hoverboard hoax, so it may still be too soon to start believing again in the possibility of Marty McFly's favorite form of future transportation being real. We understand. See also: Human Bowling Should Be an Olympic Sport But for those who've continued to hold … [Link]
Mashable » No More Air Miles: United Changes Rewards Program
United Airlines has announced that it will reward miles based on dollars spent, moving away from the traditional system based of rewarding frequent fliers based on how many miles they fly. The carrier is following in the steps of U.S. airlines including Delta, JetBlue and Southwest. American Airlines is now the only major U.S. carrier to offer "award miles" based on … [Link]
Mashable » Coach Harbaugh's Wife is Pleating With You to Stop 'Dad Pants'
Just in time for Father's Day, the wife of NFL coach Jim Harbaugh, a notorious dad pants wearer, are appealing to your better senses to stop a travesty sweeping the nation: dad pants You know those pants that your dad always wore that were two sizes too big and had giant pleats in them? Those are dad pants. Sarah Harbaugh … [Link]
Slashdot » New Evidence For Oceans of Water Deep In the Earth
techtech (2016646) writes Researchers from Northwestern University and the University of New Mexico report evidence for potentially oceans worth of water deep beneath the United States. Though not in the familiar liquid form—the ingredients for water are bound up in rock deep in the Earth's mantle—the discovery may represent the planet's largest water reservoir. This research was published in Science. … [Link]
Mashable » Dispatches From the Amazon: How Manaus Rang in the World Cup
MANAUS, Brazil — The air horns became overbearing about an hour before kickoff. They bleated from the hands of men zipping across town on scooters. They blared from bus stops where women in short shorts and Brazil jerseys tapped their feet. Small children honked them while scurrying around adult legs The din got louder toward one place: the Praia do Ponta … [Link]
Mashable » Why Music Is an Effective Millennial Marketing Tool
Today, millennials make up 25% of the U.S. population (that’s 77 million people), and their economic spending power is $1.3 trillion dollars, according to PTTOW. In order to sell millennials on a product, concept or service, marketers have to connect with them on an emotional level that aligns with their complex value sets surrounding socioeconomic conditions and new cultural norms. In … [Link]
Mashable » Uber and Tesla Team Up For Shanghai Test Drives
Tesla is about to get a head start in China, thanks to Uber. Uber customers in Shanghai will get a 15-minute test drive in one of the luxury electric cars on June 18. Using Uber's app, customers with a valid driver's license can select a Tesla Model S to navigate around Shanghai with up to two other passengers See also: Sorry, … [Link]
Slashdot » NASA Forming $3M Satellite Communication, Propulsion Competition
coondoggie (973519) writes NASA took the next step in forming a large-scale, $3 million competition to build advanced propulsion and communications technologies for small, inexpensive satellite systems known as cubesats. The Cubesat Lunar Challenge will be broken up into two areas: propulsion and communication while in orbit around the moon. In Request For Information published this week, NASA said the … [Link]
Mashable » Microsoft Brings Outlook Web App to Some Android Devices
Microsoft made an Android version of its Outlook Web App (OWA) available to a handful of devices Thursday. The app, which has the same features as the iOS version, is a prerelease and is limited to users with Office 365 for business accounts. See also: 10 Free Android Apps You'll Use Every Day For now, the app is limited to devices … [Link]
Slashdot » California Regulators Tell Ride-Shares No Airport Runs
An anonymous reader writes in with news about ride-share crackdowns in California. California regulators are threatening to revoke permits for on-demand ride companies UberX, Lyft, Sidecar, Summon and Wingz unless they stop giving rides to and from airports within two weeks. The move could lead to the state shutting down the companies' operations. Flouting the airport rules also flouts regulations … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » A tabby for your tummy.
We’re on assignment this week, but here's one of our fave retros… an excuse to paws before dieting.Click here to visit the comic. [Link]
New Scientist – News » China battles to be first ecological civilisation
Is China going green? It is still the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, but it is weaning itself off coal and talking about cutting emissions from 2030 
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Mashable » Battle of the Tablets: Samsung Galaxy Tab S vs. iPad
Samsung launched on Thursday perhaps the most direct competitor to the iPad we've seen yet. In fact, the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S comes in a larger and smaller size too, just like its Apple counterpart. Both versions of the iPad (the mini and the standard 9.7-inch size) have the same display resolution, processor and storage space as the other (just … [Link]
Mashable » World Cup Day 1 Recap: Wait, What Just Happened?
If you'd just tuned in to the world's most-watched sporting event for the first time Thursday, in time for the opening ceremony and the opening game, hosts Brazil versus plucky underdogs Croatia, you might be forgiven for thinking the World Cup is always this bizarre But even those of us who've been around this block a few times were left a … [Link]
Mashable » 'Plants vs. Zombies 2' Dark Ages Expansion Will Launch This Month
The many millions of fans of Plants vs. Zombies 2 should be as excited as a zomboss in a neuroscience lab, because the game is getting a new expansion very soon. The latest adventure in time will take your garden defense skills to the medieval period. Plants vs. Zombies Dark Ages Part 1 introduces several new plants to the usual game … [Link]
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