John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons

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Geekish

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 » ARM Launches Juno Reference Platform For 64-bit Android Developers

Wednesday 2 July 23:59:00 UTC 2014

MojoKid writes One of the trickiest aspects to launching a new platform update is the chicken and egg problem. Without any hardware to test on, developers are leery of committing to supporting new hardware features. Without software that takes advantage of new hardware capabilities, customers aren't willing to pay for new equipment. This is the crux of the issue with … [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft Backs Open Source For the Internet of Things

Wednesday 2 July 23:10:00 UTC 2014

dcblogs writes Microsoft has joined a Linux Foundation effort to create an open platform for the Internet of Things. The AllSeen Alliance is an effort to standardize device communications. The code that it champions, called AllJoyn, was initially developed by Qualcomm but was subsequently made open source. Big vendors have been recruited to support it, and the AllSeen Alliance now … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Today in APIs: ShepHertz Launches APIs for Time and Gift Management in Apps

Wednesday 2 July 23:04:17 UTC 2014

Shephertz supports developers with BaaS APIs for Time Service and gift management. Apple seeks to overhaul its map APIs. Plus: Hackathons and the new machine learning platform, and Apigee issues a global API challenge. [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Import.io Showcases Unofficial World Cup, Wimbledon APIs

Wednesday 2 July 23:04:16 UTC 2014

Import.io, a structured web data scraping platform, is using the World Cup and Wimbledon to demonstrate its wares by creating a portfolio of APIs around the sporting events. [Link]

Mashable » Obama Congratulates Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey on 'Captivating' World Cup

Wednesday 2 July 22:56:32 UTC 2014

UsmntFeed-tw Feed-fbIt seemed like the entire nation was proud of Team USA's World Cup performance, and so was President Obama. On Wednesday, Obama called the U.S. Men's National Team's (USMNT) captain Clint Dempsey and goalkeeper Tim Howard to congratulate them on a job well done. See also: 'Things Tim Howard Could Save' Meme Saves the Internet According to a statement released by … [Link]

Mashable » Microsoft's Cortana Could Overtake Paul the Octopus in World Cup Predictions

Wednesday 2 July 22:32:26 UTC 2014

WindowsphonecompositeFeed-tw Feed-fbCortana, Microsoft's digital assistant, has successfully predicted the outcome of every match of this year's World Cup elimination round. This means Cortana is on track to correctly predict more World Cup wins than Paul the Octopus. The supposedly psychic sea creature, who died in 2010, became a worldwide sensation when he predicted the winning team in eight of the 2010 tournament's … [Link]

Slashdot » Privacy Oversight Board Gives NSA Surveillance a Pass

Wednesday 2 July 22:22:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes There's an independent agency within the U.S. government called the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. Their job is to weigh the benefits of government actions — like stopping terrorist threats — against violations of citizens' rights that may result from those actions. As you might expect, the NSA scandal landed squarely in their laps, and … [Link]

Mashable » Life After Tim Howard: Who Will Stand Tall for Team USA in 2018?

Wednesday 2 July 22:15:43 UTC 2014

Howard-saveFeed-tw Feed-fbTim Howard is on top of the world right now. Despite Team USA's heartbreaking loss to Belgium on Tuesday, Howard's rock-solid performance will be remembered by fans — in photos, GIFs and petitions — for ages See also: Chin Up, America: Why You Should Be Happy After World Cup Heartbreak The excitement over Howard's World Cup record-setting 16 saves is well-deserved. … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Why You Are Still Alive – The Immune System Explained [Science Video]

Wednesday 2 July 22:00:46 UTC 2014

Every second of your life you are under attack. Bacteria, viruses, spores and more living stuff wants to enter your body and use its resources for itself. The immune system is a powerful army of cells that fights like a T-Rex on speed and sacrifices itself for your survival. Without it you would die in no time. This sounds simple … [Link]

Mashable » 'Fault In Our Stars' Fans Mourn Augustus Waters on Day of His 'Death'

Wednesday 2 July 21:56:24 UTC 2014

RipaugustuswatersFeed-tw Feed-fbWill the crying over The Fault in Our Stars ever stop? On Wednesday, fans of the John Green cancer drama — now a majorly weepy motion picture — were openly mourning on Twitter and other social media. Why? Because July 2 is the day Augustus Waters, played by Ansel Elgort (above left), died of cancer. SEE ALSO: Getting the Girl: Hollywood's … [Link]

Mashable » Aquanaut Fabien Cousteau Surfaces After Spending 31 Days Underwater

Wednesday 2 July 21:53:42 UTC 2014

Fabien-cousteauFeed-tw Feed-fbThirty-one days after his initial descent and 50 years after his famed grandfather's original deep-sea mission, Fabien Cousteau is back on dry land The 46-year-old ocean explorer and documentary filmmaker finished his stint in an underwater lab 63 feet deep off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, on Wednesday, rising to the surface after a brief layover in a decompression unit. … [Link]

Mashable » TSA Will Increase Security at Airports Abroad for July 4 Weekend

Wednesday 2 July 21:48:23 UTC 2014

TsaFeed-tw Feed-fbTravelers headed to the United States from abroad over the Fourth of July weekend may encounter additional security at some airports. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson directed the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to "implement enhanced security measures" at "certain overseas airports with direct flights to the United States." See also: One Man's Night 'All By Himself' at the Airport … [Link]

Slashdot » FAA's Ruling On Smartphones During Takeoff Has Had Little Impact

Wednesday 2 July 21:48:13 UTC 2014

colinneagle writes: Airlines have seen almost no increase in the use of smartphones, tablets, and laptops among passengers since the Federal Aviation Administration ruled in October that they are now allowed to do so during takeoff and landing, a recent study found. Over a four month period observed by DePaul University's Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development this year, 35.9% of … [Link]

Mashable » If You Printed The Internet, This Is What You'd See

Wednesday 2 July 21:43:58 UTC 2014

425986223_ab9aa68885_bFeed-tw Feed-fbForget everything you know about experiencing the Internet on your computers, smartphones and tablets. "The Printed Internet" is taking the web offline. The Printed Internet, created by blogger Daniel Kolitz, satirizes digital culture — putting an absurdist twist on the types of articles, lists and think pieces that proliferate across the web See also: 20 Searches Made Ridiculous by Google Autocomplete … [Link]

Slashdot » Chinese Company '3D-Prints' 10 Buildings In One Day

Wednesday 2 July 21:28:00 UTC 2014

Lucas123 writes: A company in China has used additive manufacturing to print 10 single-room buildings out of recycled construction materials in under a day as offices for a Shanghai industrial park. The cost: about $5,000 each. The company, Suzhou-based Yingchuang New Materials, used four massive 3D printers supplied by the WinSun Decoration Design Engineering Co. Each printer is 20 feet … [Link]

Mashable » Chuck Hagel Tells Tim Howard He Could Become Defense Secretary — Someday

Wednesday 2 July 21:07:37 UTC 2014

Hagel-howard-phone-callFeed-tw Feed-fbU.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel called U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard to thank him for defending the United States of America at the World Cup, the Pentagon says. See also: 'Things Tim Howard Could Save' Meme Saves the Internet Howard stopped 16 shots on goal — the most for any goalkeeper at a World Cup match in more than 50 years … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Taking the Character Creation Process to the Extremes [Video]

Wednesday 2 July 21:00:04 UTC 2014

Be sure to watch this one till the end when the reporter tries to create her own character. Video game customization reaches new heights in ‘The Elder Scrolls Online’ thanks to a feature that allows players to customize their character’s bones, flesh, and nervous system. (Brought to you by Bethesda) [The Onion] [Link]

Slashdot » Project Tango is Giving Mobile Devices a Sense of Space and Motion (Video)

Wednesday 2 July 20:45:00 UTC 2014

Project Tango is part of Google's Advanced Technology and Projects group (ATAP), which Wikipedia says was "…formerly a division of Motorola." Tango's goal is "to give mobile devices a human-scale understanding of space and motion." We humans and our forebears have spent millions of years learning to sense our surroundings, not as a set of static 2D images, but in … [Link]

Mashable » Death and Revenge: Jerusalem After the Teen Killings

Wednesday 2 July 20:44:11 UTC 2014

Lead-artFeed-tw Feed-fbPalestinians and Israeli security forces clashed on the streets of Jerusalem on Wednesday, following several tense days in both Jerusalem and the West Bank that followed the discovery of three dead Israeli teenagers and, subsequently, a Palestinian teenage boy whose mutilated corpse was found in a forest after he was allegedly kidnapped. There is speculation that his killing may have been … [Link]

Mashable » A Minute-by-Minute Guide to Team USA's World Cup Loss on Social Media

Wednesday 2 July 20:36:07 UTC 2014

Usa-lossFeed-tw Feed-fbFor 120 minutes on Tuesday, Americans rode a roller coaster of emotions during Team USA's World Cup swan song — and now there's a digital footprint to prove it Fans took to Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and other social media services as the US-Belgium match unfolded. On Facebook, 13 million people made 21 million interactions (posts, comments and Likes) during the game; … [Link]

Mashable » A Robot Valet Will Park Your Car at This German Airport

Wednesday 2 July 20:34:04 UTC 2014

RayFeed-tw Feed-fbIn Germany, high tech has come to airport parking. Last week, Düsseldorf airport (DUS) introduced robot valets to take the hassle out of parking for travelers. See also: 13 Robots Who Don't Know How to Robot Travelers can leave their cars at the arrival level of the ParkingPLUS structure. As they leave, they confirm on a touch-screen that no one is … [Link]

Mashable » Cats Playing Soccer Is What You Need, America

Wednesday 2 July 20:30:46 UTC 2014

Cat-playing-soccer-world-cupFeed-tw Feed-fb The only remedy for the World Cup blues? Cats. Squished-face kitties Tofu and Gertie demonstrate moves that would make Cristiano Ronaldo weep and Tim Howard — well, they could use a few pointers from the American goalie Soccer Cats 2See also: Tim Howard Is an American Hero Cheer up, America — we'll always win with cats Cat SoccerSoccer Cats 3 Soccer Cats 4Disclosure: These amazingly adorable creatures live with the … [Link]

Mashable » Foreigner and Styx's Tour Buses Catch Fire

Wednesday 2 July 20:24:02 UTC 2014

Styx-foreigner-tour-buses-fireFeed-tw Feed-fbTwo buses from Foreigner and Styx's co-tour went up in flames Wednesday in Philadelphia, but firefighters extinguished the fires and no one was injured. The incident occurred at 114 Callowhill St., an industrial area, and firefighters responded to call at 12:24 p.m. local time, arrived on scene at 12:29 and had the fire under control at 12:41, Peter Crespo, Philadelphia Fire … [Link]

Mashable » Start Those Schedules! Warner Bros. TV Releases Full Lineup For Comic-Con 2014

Wednesday 2 July 20:15:42 UTC 2014

FlashfixedFeed-tw Feed-fbWarner Bros. TV has announced their full line-up for San Diego Comic Con 2014 — and you better pray for Flash-like powers of super-speed if you intend to attend all the action. The studio will bring a total of 15 series to the annual convention, including 10 returning shows and five newbies. SEE ALSO: 'Gotham,' 'Flash' to Screen at San Diego … [Link]

Mashable » Apple Is Hiring an iCup Technician to Brew Coffee

Wednesday 2 July 20:14:53 UTC 2014

CoffeeFeed-tw Feed-fbAs Apple continues its hiring spree, one new job posting is not like the others: an iCup technician. Although this may sound like a fancy title for a new web-connected athletic protective wear or smart home coffee concept, the listing is for "someone to brew coffee to all Apple employees within their department." See also: Keurig 2.0 Lets You Brew an … [Link]

Slashdot » Encryption Keys For Kim Dotcom's Data Can't Be Given To FBI, Court Rules

Wednesday 2 July 20:05:00 UTC 2014

the simurgh writes: As many who follow the Kim Dotcom saga know, New Zealand police seized his encrypted computer drives in 2012, copies of which were illegally passed to the FBI. Fast-forward to 2014: Dotcom wants access to the seized but encrypted content. A New Zealand judge has now ruled that even if the Megaupload founder supplies the passwords, the … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » HILARIOUS: Star Trek TNG’s Night Crew Knows How to PARTY!

Wednesday 2 July 20:00:20 UTC 2014

Warning: Immature humor + language. PARTYING IS FUTILE! In this clip from the June 29th episode of Robot Chicken, we find out who runs the bridge of the Enterprise after Picard (guest star Patrick Stewart) goes to bed. Chris Pine voices the night crew’s captain. [IGN | Via GT] [Link]

Mashable » The World's Most Dangerous Amusement Park Opens Its Gates Again

Wednesday 2 July 19:46:01 UTC 2014

ActionparkFeed-tw Feed-fb In the almost 20 years since Action Park first shut its doors, the amusement park’s reputation has only grown. Maybe it was the insane ride designs (looping water slide, anyone?), or perhaps the allegedly inattentive, underaged employees, or the unfortunate rate of injury that kept its infamy alive Following a series of deaths, injuries and bad press during its run … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Microsoft Chooses Sides in Battle for Internet of Things

Wednesday 2 July 19:31:27 UTC 2014

Microsoft today said it wants to be able to play with the Internet of Things. The Redmond, Wash.-based company announced it has joined the AllSeen Alliance and the Industrial Internet Consortium, two organizations looking to standardize the Internet of Things before it truly gets off the ground. This is good news for developers. [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Open Data APIs May Play a Large Role at OKFestival in Berlin

Wednesday 2 July 19:31:26 UTC 2014

This year’s Open Knowledge Festival—to be held July 15-17 in Berlin—will celebrate and push forward the progress being made around the world in the use of open data for civic projects. This year, APIs will continue to be at the heart of many discussions, often taking a leading behind-the-scenes role in the way open data is used to create social, … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Designer red blood cells could move drugs around body

Wednesday 2 July 19:30:00 UTC 2014

Red blood cells have been genetically engineered to make it easy to stick molecules to them, and so could safely deliver drugs where needed [Link]

Mashable » 'Reading Rainbow' Kickstarter Ends With $5.4 Million (Take Our Word for It)

Wednesday 2 July 19:22:46 UTC 2014

Levar-burton-reading-rainbow-kickstarterFeed-tw Feed-fbLeVar Burton's campaign to raise $1 million on Kickstarter has reached the end of the rainbow, finishing its 35-day crowdfunding effort with a $5.4 million pot of gold The donations from 105,855 backers will be used to bring Burton's cult TV classic, Reading Rainbow, to a new generation of readers by building a web version for families at home, creating a … [Link]

Slashdot » Following EU Ruling, BBC Article Excluded From Google Searches

Wednesday 2 July 19:22:00 UTC 2014

Albanach writes: In 2007, the BBC's economics editor, Robert Peston, penned an article on the massive losses at Merrill Lynch and the resulting resignation of their CEO Stan O'Neal. Today, the BBC has been notified that the 2007 article will no longer appear in some Google searches made within the European Union, apparently as a result of someone exercising their … [Link]

Mashable » The Deal That Could Save Citi Bike

Wednesday 2 July 19:13:46 UTC 2014

Citi-bikeFeed-tw Feed-fbCiti Bike, the New York bike-sharing service, has been struggling with cash flow since its inception. But it might soon be able to ride out its money troubles thanks to an investment company affiliated with the gym Equinox. Under the proposed deal, REQX Ventures, formed by executives from Equinox and the gym's parent firm, Related Companies, would take a 51% stake … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Dorkly Comic: The 5 Greatest Weaknesses of DC Superheroes

Wednesday 2 July 19:00:23 UTC 2014

A Comic by Julia Lepetit and Andrew Bridgman from Dorkly. [Source: Dorkly] [Link]

New Scientist – News » We can build a sustainable world – if you want it

Wednesday 2 July 19:00:00 UTC 2014

Healthy, happy and peaceful – that's what life will be like if we choose to tackle climate change and overconsumption. But will a green economy be any fun? (full text available to subscribers) [Link]

Mashable » Despite Ruling, Most Companies Have Incentives to Cover Birth Control

Wednesday 2 July 18:45:16 UTC 2014

Hobby-lobbyFeed-tw Feed-fbSmall businesses from Bible bookstores to Halal food producers are likely to challenge government regulations on religious grounds in coming years, thanks to this week's U.S. Supreme Court decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores. But the ruling probably won’t spark a plethora of Affordable Care Act lawsuits from privately held businesses, experts say. That's because the smallest U.S. companies aren't … [Link]

Slashdot » Philips Ethernet-Powered Lighting Transmits Data To Mobile Devices Via Light

Wednesday 2 July 18:40:00 UTC 2014

llebeel writes Philips has shown off its Ethernet-powered connected lighting, which can transmit data to mobile devices through light via embedded code. Arriving in the form of LED "luminaires," Philips' connected office lighting will aim to not only save businesses money on energy costs, but also serve as a means of providing information and data about the general running of … [Link]

Mashable » 'Things Tim Howard Could Save' Meme Saves the Internet

Wednesday 2 July 18:33:07 UTC 2014

TimhowardsaveFeed-tw Feed-fbTim Howard is not only a god among athletes, Tim Howard is the savior humanity has been waiting for The USMNT goalkeeper's spectacular performance in Tuesday's USA-Belgium World Cup match — where he single-handedly (technically, double-handedly) stopped 16 shots — has inspired the meme "Things Tim Howard Could Save." See also: Tim Howard's Yearbook Quote Could Not Have Been More Perfect … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Frozen Icelandic cave illuminated by Northern Lights

Wednesday 2 July 18:30:00 UTC 2014

This stunning image of Iceland's aurora borealis illuminating the weird underground world of a vast cave is vying for an award [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Gadget Mag Drops Scantily-Clad Model Cover Stars

Wednesday 2 July 18:20:55 UTC 2014

A technology and gadgets magazine is to drop its policy of using scantily-clad women as cover models. Stuff magazine says it’s a business decision based on changing tastes. The magazine launched in the UK in 1996 and now has several international editions. The UK version has consistently used models on the front cover, usually posing with some of the gadgets … [Link]

Mashable » Instagram Started as a Social Network Named After Bourbon

Wednesday 2 July 18:15:07 UTC 2014

Burbon_instaFeed-tw Feed-fbInstagram didn't start out as Instagram. It started out as … Burbn. Kevin Systrom, the creativity researcher Keith Sawyer explains, was a fan of Kentucky whiskeys. So when he created a location-based iPhone app — one driven by the success of networking app Foursquare — he named it after the booze. The app was complicated, but it took Systrom just a … [Link]

Mashable » 15 Action Items for Your Summer Bucket List

Wednesday 2 July 18:14:16 UTC 2014

CanyonresizeFeed-tw Feed-fbYou skied, you ate more meat than you thought was humanly possible and your mom is still mad at you for wearing that hideous sweater to Thanksgiving at your aunt's. That was winter. This is summer. See also: 16 Gorgeous Beaches at U.S. National Parks to Visit This Summer If you can escape mom's wrath, there are a few rugged activities … [Link]

Slashdot » Hierarchical Membrane For Cleaning Up Oil Spills

Wednesday 2 July 18:12:11 UTC 2014

rtoz (2530056) writes Whenever there is a major spill of oil into water, the two tend to mix into a suspension of tiny droplets, called an "emulsion." It is extremely hard to separate them, and they can cause severe damage to ecosystems. Now, MIT researchers have discovered a new, inexpensive way of getting the two fluids apart again. This new … [Link]

Mashable » Linden and Holder Are Not OK in 'The Killing' Final Season Trailer

Wednesday 2 July 18:10:49 UTC 2014

ThekillingnewFeed-tw Feed-fb Linden and Holder are back for a new season of The Killing but with blood on their hands, it's going to be the stickiest season yet. Last season saw the duo bring to an end the life of mass murderer and colleague Lt. Skinner (Elias Koteas) after discovering he'd been the one responsible for killing teenage prostitutes. As this fourth … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook Buys LiveRail to Make Video Ads Better

Wednesday 2 July 18:08:52 UTC 2014

Facebook_liverailFeed-tw Feed-fbFacebook has agreed to acquire LiveRail, a video advertising platform, the two companies announced on Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed. LiveRail was founded in 2007 and helps companies ranging from Major League Baseball to DailyMotion to optimize delivery of video ads on mobile and the web through real-time bidding and its proprietary market data. The company delivers … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook: Emotion Study Was Customer Service

Wednesday 2 July 18:00:50 UTC 2014

Facebook_experimentFeed-tw Feed-fbASPEN, Colo. — During a session on freedom of speech at the Aspen Ideas Festival, hosted by the Aspen Institute and The Atlantic, Facebook's Head of Global Policy Management, Monika Bicker~ was asked about the emotion-manipulation study that has been a subject of controversy over the past few days. "Do you see some regulation about this," an audience member asked, "and how free speech might be influenced … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Let’s Play a Game of “Where’s the Cuttlefish” [Science Video]

Wednesday 2 July 18:00:13 UTC 2014

From SciFri: Cuttlefish change the patterns on their body for courtship rituals, when they eat a snack, and most famously when they want to blend in. How they change their skin patterns may tell us something about how they see the world, says Duke biologist Sarah Zylinski. Her work suggests that when cuttlefish see incomplete shapes, they fill in the … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Ancient water cache may be pristine primordial soup

Wednesday 2 July 18:00:00 UTC 2014

Deep rocks have been cracked open and water isolated for billions of years released – the liquid may represent Darwin's "warm little pond" where life arose [Link]

Mashable » How the Tech IPOs of 2014 Have Fared So Far

Wednesday 2 July 17:43:03 UTC 2014

Gopro-ipoFeed-tw Feed-fbNicholas Woodman and his team at GoPro had every reason to celebrate on their first day as a public company last week. GoPro priced its shares at $24, the high end of its proposed IPO price range, and watched as the stock ticked up by more than 30% that day. GoPro enjoyed similar gains in each of its next few days … [Link]

New Scientist – News » How scared should we be of lab-created flu outbreaks?

Wednesday 2 July 17:33:00 UTC 2014

Reports that artificially created flu viruses could unleash an untreatable pandemic are exaggerated [Link]

Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: Replacing Paper With Tablets For Design Meetings?

Wednesday 2 July 17:27:00 UTC 2014

New submitter faderrider (3726665) writes I work in the healthcare design industry and our firm is looking to get away from using paper during our design meetings. My first thought was to load our reports and plans on a tablet, bring a half dozen or so tablets for attendees and somehow create a local ad hoc network that would allow … [Link]

Mashable » Lily Allen Mocks Mean Bloggers in 'URL Badman' Music Video

Wednesday 2 July 17:18:36 UTC 2014

Lily-allen-url-badmanFeed-tw Feed-fb Lily Allen is firing back at Internet trolls and critical bloggers in her kaleidoscopic music video for "URL Badman," a response to the backlash over her feminist jam "Hard Out Here." Through her lyrics, the 29-year-old British singer assumes the role of a blogger with such lines as "I work at home in my parent's basement; I don't troll, I … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Tibetan altitude gene came from extinct human species

Wednesday 2 July 17:17:00 UTC 2014

The distant ancestors of modern Tibetans interbred with extinct humans called Denisovans, and picked up a gene for living up where the air is thin [Link]

Mashable » U.S. Privacy Watchdog Says NSA Spying Is 'Valuable and Effective'

Wednesday 2 July 17:00:30 UTC 2014

Nsa-hqFeed-tw Feed-fbThe NSA Internet spying programs, including PRISM, have been "valuable and effective" in protecting the United States, according to a new report by a U.S. independent government privacy watchdog published on Wednesday. The bipartisan Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) found that the NSA's collection of Internet data is line with the constitutional and has been key to disrupting terrorist … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Saddest Used Video Game Cover of All Time [Pic]

Wednesday 2 July 17:00:11 UTC 2014

[Reddit | Via NA] [Link]

New Scientist – News » Kill cattle not badgers to halt UK's TB epidemic

Wednesday 2 July 17:00:00 UTC 2014

Badger culls don't work. The most effective way to stop the spread of bovine tuberculosis in the UK would be to cull whole herds of cows, infected or not [Link]

Mashable » It Takes 155 Million Hot Dogs and 15,000 Fireworks to Celebrate the Fourth of July

Wednesday 2 July 16:45:33 UTC 2014

FireworksFeed-tw Feed-fbThis weekend, millions of Americans will celebrate the nation's Independence Day. The Second Continental Congress voted to become independent from Great Britain on July 2, 1776, and approved the Declaration of Independence two days later. John Adams wrote to his wife at the time that the second should be celebrated "with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, … [Link]

Slashdot » Amazon Sues After Ex-Worker Takes Google Job

Wednesday 2 July 16:44:00 UTC 2014

vortex2.71 (802986) writes Amazon is suing a former employee of its cloud services division after he took a similar position at Google. The interesting aspect of the lawsuit is that Google is choosing to vigorously defend the lawsuit, so this is a case of Goliath vs. Goliath rather than David vs. Goliath. According to court documents, Zoltan Szabadi left a … [Link]

Mashable » 'Super-Earth' Looks Promising, But Likely Too Hot for Life

Wednesday 2 July 16:30:11 UTC 2014

Gliese832cFeed-tw Feed-fbOne of the key incentives behind hunting down exoplanets is to find alien worlds with qualities similar to Earth. But in the case of a newly discovered exoplanet orbiting a star only 16 light-years away, although astronomers may call it 'habitable' and a 'super-Earth,' it’s likely anything but. Gliese 832c orbits a red dwarf star and it was discovered by the … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist

Wednesday 2 July 16:30:00 UTC 2014

All the latest on newscientist.com: the Victorian Dr Death, stem cell scandal, El Niño, NASA's flying saucer, carbon-sleuthing satellite launches and more [Link]

Mashable » Everything You Need to Know About the Storm That Could Ruin Your July 4

Wednesday 2 July 16:16:41 UTC 2014

7_2_14_andrew_arthurspaceFeed-tw Feed-fbFor much of the East Coast, it's going to be a wet and breezy Fourth of July, thanks to the first tropical storm of the season — plus a cold front pushing in from the Midwest. This means many fireworks displays will be postponed (sorry, kids). But first, here's the latest on Tropical Storm Arthur. As of 11 a.m. ET on … [Link]

New Scientist – News » NASA carbon sleuth will sniff out 'missing' emissions

Wednesday 2 July 16:10:00 UTC 2014

Five years after the loss of the first Orbiting Carbon Observatory on launch, the probe's clone is ready to take a detailed look at our global carbon cycle [Link]

New Scientist – News » Acid-bath stem cell papers are finally retracted

Wednesday 2 July 16:09:00 UTC 2014

Two Nature papers describing a startlingly simple way to create embryonic-like stem cells have been officially retracted [Link]

Slashdot » Investor Tim Draper Announces He Won Silk Road Bitcoin Auction

Wednesday 2 July 16:04:00 UTC 2014

After some speculation yesterday about the winner of the auction for the first block of bitcoins seized from the Silk Road, the winner went ahead and made his identity public. Tim Draper has won the U.S. Marshals bitcoin auction and is partnering with Vaurum to provide bitcoin liquidity in emerging markets. … Tim offered this in a statement: “Bitcoin frees … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Mom, The Government is Telling lies! [Comic]

Wednesday 2 July 16:00:02 UTC 2014

lying Nope, in this case, the government isn’t lying, proof in case: [Source: Poorly Drawn Lines | Via Dueling Analogs] [Link]

New Scientist – News » Zoologger: Meet the only animal with five legs

Wednesday 2 July 15:56:00 UTC 2014

One of the world's best loved and iconic animals, the kangaroo, has been keeping a secret – it may be the only "pentapedal" animal [Link]

New Scientist – News » El Niño will make Indonesia's deforestation even worse

Wednesday 2 July 15:52:00 UTC 2014

Not only is Indonesia deforesting faster than any other country, the coming El Niño looks set to take forest loss to record levels [Link]

Mashable » Study Finds Humans Have Dozens of Universal Expressions

Wednesday 2 July 15:45:49 UTC 2014

Crying_childFeed-tw Feed-fbAsk a woman from a remote village in Bhutan to act as if she's embarrassed, amused or awed, and chances are, a teenage boy in the United States could guess exactly what emotion she was portraying. Human beings have dozens of universal expressions for emotions, and they deploy those expressions in recognizable ways across several cultures, new research finds. That number is … [Link]

Mashable » 'Sherlock' Returning for Season 4 and a Special, But No Details Yet

Wednesday 2 July 15:44:07 UTC 2014

SherlockfixedFeed-tw Feed-fbSherlock fans knew this news was coming, but that doesn't make it any less brilliant: The show is returning for a three-episode Season 4 and a special, too. "Of course, it's far too early to say what's coming, but we're reasonably confident that the very next thing to happen to Sherlock and John, is the very last thing you'd expect," co-creator … [Link]

Mashable » JPMorgan CEO Seeking Treatment for Throat Cancer

Wednesday 2 July 15:40:08 UTC 2014

Jp-morgan-ceo-cancerFeed-tw Feed-fbJPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, a feisty leader who steered the banking company through the perils of the Great Recession, is battling throat cancer. The condition is considered to be curable, according to a memo to JPMorgan Chase & Co. employees and shareholders that Dimon released late Tuesday. See also: The Anatomy of the World's Top CEOs Dimon, 58, said he … [Link]

Slashdot » Google Acquires Curated Music Service Songza

Wednesday 2 July 15:36:00 UTC 2014

mpicpp (3454017) writes with news that Google is expanding its online music services through acquisition. From the article: Songza focuses on playlists curated by music experts that are designed for specific activities or occasions and then suggested to specific listeners based on seven points of context: day of week, time of day, the device used being used, weather, location, what … [Link]

Mashable » Urban Airship CEO Accused of Sexual Assault

Wednesday 2 July 15:33:20 UTC 2014

Scott-kveton-ceo-urban-airshipFeed-tw Feed-fbUPDATE July 2, 2014, 11:50 a.m. ET: We've added a response from Kveton's attorney. He confirms that the allegations are under investigation but calls the report "sensational reporting of salacious and unproven allegations." Police are investigating allegations that Scott Kveton, CEO of Portland-based mobile technology company Urban Airship, sexually assaulted a former girlfriend. The allegations stem from a relationship with a … [Link]

Mashable » Target Asks Shoppers Not to Carry Guns, Reversing Policy

Wednesday 2 July 15:31:05 UTC 2014

Target.jpgFeed-tw Feed-fbFrom now on, when shopping at Target, please leave your firearm behind. Target Corp. issued a statement Wednesday reversing a company policy that had allowed shoppers to carry firearms in stores where permitted by local laws. John Mulligan, the company's interim CEO, said allowing guns violated the retailer's aim to provide a family-friendly shopping and work environment. See also: Activists Pressure … [Link]

Mashable » Do It for America: There Is a Petition to Rename an Airport for Tim Howard

Wednesday 2 July 15:30:51 UTC 2014

HowardFeed-tw Feed-fbTim Howard isn't a soccer player. He's a national treasure. While the U.S. lost the World Cup match against Belgium on Tuesday, that didn't stop this goalkeeping machine from setting a record of 16 saves during a single game See also: Tim Howard Is an American Hero Soccer fans are paying tribute to Howard in the only way you can celebrate … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook Feels Bad That Emotions Experiment Was 'Poorly Communicated'

Wednesday 2 July 15:26:59 UTC 2014

Sandberg-1Feed-tw Feed-fbFacebook’s No. 2 executive said Wednesday that its psychological experiment that affected nearly 700,000 users was "communicated badly." Speaking with NDTV of India, Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's chief operating officer, said that the company's study was just one piece of a larger research effort. See also: Anger Builds Over Facebook's Emotion-Manipulation Study She also responded to a question about whether Facebook could … [Link]

Mashable » PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi: No, Women Can't Have It All

Wednesday 2 July 15:17:35 UTC 2014

Indra-nooyi.jpgFeed-tw Feed-fbIn an unusually frank interview, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi said she doesn't think that women can "have it all," adding that a career requires women to sacrifice some aspects of motherhood. "I don't think women can have it all. I just don't think so," she told David Bradley, owner of the Atlantic Media Company, at the Aspen Ideas Festival earlier this … [Link]

Mashable » Buzz the Bee Disses Grumpy Cat in Honey Nut Cheerios Ad

Wednesday 2 July 15:15:42 UTC 2014

Grumpy-as-hell-beeFeed-tw Feed-fb Grumpy Cat isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about a sweet bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios, which is exactly why she makes an appearance in its latest ad. Breakfast has never been more surly. Buzz the Bee meets Grumpy Cat for the first time and tries to cheer her up with a bowl of Honey … [Link]

Mashable » Bigfoot's DNA? Scientists Test 30 Hair Samples

Wednesday 2 July 15:02:26 UTC 2014

Bigfoot-drawing-nepalFeed-tw Feed-fbLONDON — DNA testing is taking a bite out of the Bigfoot legend. After scientists analyzed more than 30 hair samples reportedly left behind by Bigfoot and similar mythical beasts like the Himalayan Yeti, they found all of them came from more mundane creatures like bears, wolves, cows and raccoons. In 2012, researchers at Oxford University and the Lausanne Museum of … [Link]

Mashable » A Lot of People Think Landon Donovan Played in the World Cup

Wednesday 2 July 15:01:40 UTC 2014

Landon-donovanFeed-tw Feed-fb Jimmy Kimmel will never miss an opportunity to turn a worldwide event into a prank. So of course, the World Cup has become the subject for his latest "Lie Witness News" gag The comedian "interviewed" alleged soccer fans about USMNT's run in the World Cup thus far, mainly probing them about Landon Donovan's performance. The only problem? Donovan was cut … [Link]

Mashable » The 9 Best Out-of-Office Emails to Get You Ready for Vacation

Wednesday 2 July 14:36:11 UTC 2014

2340521934_0d1318e3d4_oFeed-tw Feed-fbAll of your hard work this year is about to pay off. It's time to bury your subway card, hang up your dress clothes, turn off your alarm and rip the caffeine IV from your arm: You're going on vacation. Of course, people who are still toiling away while you're soaking up rays are going to try to email you, under … [Link]

Mashable » Drone Flies Dangerously Close to Canadian Airport

Wednesday 2 July 14:35:21 UTC 2014

DroneFeed-tw Feed-fbAn unidentified drone flew dangerously close the flightpath at Vancouver's international airport on Monday, prompting a search by police. The drone was flying over a runway when someone at air traffic control spotted it, according to local reports See also: 6 Crazy Drones You Won't Believe Exist The Royal Canadian Mounted Police searched the area, setting up road blocks, but were … [Link]

Mashable » Apple Beefs Up iCloud.com Security With 2-Step Verification

Wednesday 2 July 14:22:34 UTC 2014

Apple_cloudFeed-tw Feed-fbYour iCloud account just got a little more secure. Apple rolled out two-step verification to iCloud.com, its cloud-based service for storing and syncing mail, photos, contacts and other account information among devices. See also: 6 Ways to Boost Productivity With iCloud Two-step verification adds an extra layer to of security to your Apple ID or iCloud account by requiring you provide … [Link]

Mashable » Tim Howard's Yearbook Quote Could Not Have Been More Perfect

Wednesday 2 July 14:20:12 UTC 2014

TimFeed-tw Feed-fbHere’s further proof that USMNT goalie Tim Howard is a god: He has the power of foresight. The star of Tuesdays' USA-Belgium match, who set records and became an American hero by saving 16 of Belgium's shots on goal, apparently always knew he was unstoppableReddit found Howard's senior yearbook picture, and it's eerily on point. (Mashable confirmed the quote with Howard's … [Link]

Mashable » Researchers Create Walking Bio-Bots That Are Powered by Muscle

Wednesday 2 July 14:14:45 UTC 2014

BiobotsFeed-tw Feed-fb Researchers at the University of Illinois are developing what they call “bio-bots," or machines that combine synthetic 3D-printed frameworks with biological muscle tissue. When the muscle fibers are jolted with electricity, they contract. Those muscles are attached to 3D-printed "bones," which are flexible enough to bend under the strain, and the result is forward motion. Scientists can control the speed … [Link]

Slashdot » WebODF: JavaScript Open Document Format Editor Deemed Stable

Wednesday 2 July 14:14:00 UTC 2014

oever (233119) writes with news that WebODF (an Open Document Format editor written entirely using Javascript and natively rendering the XML document using CSS) 0.5.0 has been released, and the developers are declaring this release stable enough for every day use. TheMukt chides Google for not supporting the OpenDocument Format well and claims that the newly released WebODF 0.5.0 in … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Consciousness on-off switch discovered deep in brain

Wednesday 2 July 14:14:00 UTC 2014

Zapping an area deep in our brains turns off consciousness – suggesting this is where perceptions are bound together into a cohesive experience [Link]

Mashable » Facebook Launches 'Missed Call' Ads in India

Wednesday 2 July 13:48:18 UTC 2014

Fb-india.jpgFeed-tw Feed-fbDemonstrating its adaptation to the idiosyncrasies of world markets, Facebook has introduced "missed call" ads in India that address a common practice in the country. Since voice calls are expensive, many Indians call and hang up to communicate a message. Somewhat similar to a collect call, people dial a number and hang up before connecting to save voice minutes and send … [Link]

Slashdot » Bug In Fire TV Screensaver Tears Through 250 GB Data Cap

Wednesday 2 July 13:34:00 UTC 2014

jfruh (300774) writes Tech writer Tyler Hayes had never come close to hitting the 250 GB monthly bandwidth cap imposed by Cox Cable — until suddenly he was blowing right through it, eating up almost 80 GB a day. Using the Mac network utility little snitch, he eventually tracked down the culprit: a screensaver on his new Kindle Fire TV. … [Link]

Mashable » The 150 Most Popular U.S. Microbreweries on Pinterest

Wednesday 2 July 13:30:55 UTC 2014

Beer-mapFeed-tw Feed-fbAmerica loves its beer, and for good reason. In cities across the country, independent breweries are crafting their own unique blends and serving it up to local customers With nearly 3,000 breweries in the U.S. total, craft breweries make up 98 percent of them. There were 2,768 craft breweries in the U.S. by the end of 2013Pinterest celebrated the best with … [Link]

Slashdot » Seven ISPs Take Legal Action Against GCHQ

Wednesday 2 July 12:50:00 UTC 2014

mrspoonsi (2955715) writes with this excerpt from the BBC: ISPs from the U.S., UK, Netherlands, and South Korea have joined forces with campaigners Privacy International to take GCHQ to task over alleged attacks on network infrastructure. It is the first time that GCHQ has faced such action. The ISPs claim that alleged network attacks, outlined in a series of articles … [Link]

Mashable » Chin Up, America: Why You Should Be Happy After World Cup Heartbreak

Wednesday 2 July 12:48:03 UTC 2014

UsabehappyFeed-tw Feed-fbYes, this is 'Merica, where second place is just the first loser. And yes, the hangover of Tuesday's heartbreaking World Cup elimination by Belgium still stings nearly as bad the morning after. But keep your chin up, USA. As rough as Tuesday was, following an inspiring and improbable World Cup run, there are some big, undeniable reasons to be excited for … [Link]

Mashable » How One Man's Vision Changed the Video Game Industry

Wednesday 2 July 12:38:40 UTC 2014

Gridiron2Feed-tw Feed-fb Gaming is the fastest growing sector of the entertainment business, and some of the best storytellers and creative minds populate the industry. But it wasn't so long ago when PC or console games were painfully rudimentary — limited in the types of tales they could weave and activities they could simulate. Enter Christopher Weaver. In the latest episode of the … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » How to Put on Your Pants Without Using Your Hands [Video]

Wednesday 2 July 12:33:15 UTC 2014

[Now 夠了沒 | Via LS] [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day; 68% Off on Futurama: The Complete Series – $63.99 + FREE Shipping

Wednesday 2 July 12:32:13 UTC 2014

For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon has Futurama: The Complete Series for just $63.99 plus free shipping. That’s 68% off on the box set’s regular list price of $199.98. As vast and hilarious as the universe itself, behold the utterly complete collection of FUTURAMA, the gravity-defying, Emmyr Award-winning animated series from The Simpsons creator Matt Groening. Here … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » How to Make Glass Objects Disappear [Video]

Wednesday 2 July 12:31:52 UTC 2014

Invisibility cloaks might sound like science fiction, but Ross of the Live Science Team shows you how a trick of light can make things disappear in this great experiment to try at home! [At-Bristol | Via Neatorama] [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Cool Marvel Stained Glass Pannels [Pics]

Wednesday 2 July 12:30:49 UTC 2014

[GAS] reader K. T. just sent me these really cool stained glass panels her friend “Panovanator” did, and I have to admit, they’re quite beautiful! Above: Captain Marvel. Below: Hawkeye. Both come directly from scenes in actual comic books. [Source: Panovanator on Tumblr] [Link]

Mashable » This Is What the World Looked Like When Belgium Beat the U.S.

Wednesday 2 July 12:30:12 UTC 2014

Usa-bel-twitter-mapFeed-tw Feed-fbIt seemed as if the entire world stopped to watch the World Cup match against Belgium Twitter released a map shortly after the game that pretty much backs up that notion, with geotagged tweets mentioning key World Cup terms surging and falling as they were sent during the match. As the match approached extra time with both teams scoreless and one … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » Questioning the Lambda Architecture

Wednesday 2 July 12:29:42 UTC 2014

Nathan Marz wrote a popular blog post describing an idea he called the Lambda Architecture (“How to beat the CAP theorem“). The Lambda Architecture is an approach to building stream processing applications on top of MapReduce and Storm or similar … [Link]

Slashdot » Unintended Consequences For Traffic Safety Feature

Wednesday 2 July 12:12:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: Traffic engineers had a problem to solve: too many pedestrians were getting hit by cars while using the crosswalks at intersections because they didn't know when the 'WALK' sign would change. Their solution was simple: implement a countdown timer. Countless cities have now adopted these timers, but it turns out to have an undesired consequence: motor … [Link]

Mashable » Liftoff! NASA Finally Launches Major Climate Satellite After 2009 Failure

Wednesday 2 July 12:11:43 UTC 2014

Nasa-oco-21Feed-tw Feed-fbThird time's a charm for NASA The space agency successfully launched a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying its Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) satellite to space early Wednesday morning from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The satellite will track greenhouse gases in an effort to uncover clues about climate change See also: 6 Major Climate Change Myths, Debunked The … [Link]

Mashable » Artist Mixes Photo and Illustration to Create Surreal Self-Portraits

Wednesday 2 July 11:30:31 UTC 2014

Sebastien-handFeed-tw Feed-fbIs it still a selfie if you drew half of it? Straight from the realm of "I will never be able to do something this cool" comes the work of Sébastien Del Grosso. See also: 18 Drawings You'll Swear Are Actual Photographs The French artist combines photographs with illustrations to make a mixture of fantasy and reality, resulting in some of … [Link]

Mashable » The Militants in Iraq Threaten the Entire Middle East (and the U.S.)

Wednesday 2 July 11:29:01 UTC 2014

Isil-1Feed-tw Feed-fbIn recent weeks, Sunni radicals have marched across Iraq, slaying security forces as well as civilians, and swiftly taking large swaths of land The militants, known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (or ISIL), have carved out territory from Syria to Iraq and declared a new Islamic state that pays no attention to existing boundaries See also: The … [Link]

Mashable » Flying Cars Are Coming

Wednesday 2 July 11:25:34 UTC 2014

Flyingcar_thumbnail_playFeed-tw Feed-fb The flying car is finally getting off the ground! Will pigs follow? Elliott Morgan looks at how close we really are to living in a Blade Runner universe. Yesterday, Elliott looked into fauxsumerism, the practice of looking at products but never actually buying anything Read more…More about Social Media, Youtube, and Mashable Minute [Link]

Mashable » 4 Top U.F.O. Theories to Probe Your Brain

Wednesday 2 July 11:07:25 UTC 2014

8139984486_53abc38cda_oFeed-tw Feed-fbWednesday is World U.F.O. Day. (But never mind the oxymoron.) Since 2001, the quirky holiday has titillated Mulder and Scully wannabes across the world, giving them another excuse to check the skies for flying saucers. Or you can join an alien meetup, natch For our contribution, we've broken down the most infamous U.F.O. theories in history so far. Real or fake? … [Link]

Mashable » How to Accommodate Mentoring Requests When You're Really Busy

Wednesday 2 July 11:00:34 UTC 2014

Informational_interviewsFeed-tw Feed-fbLike many of you, I'm busy. I rarely take a day completely off, weekends included. Occasionally, my mom has to text me, "Seriously, are you alive?" because multi-day periods will go by when I can't return her calls. And I think long and hard before taking meetings, signing up for events, or adding anything else to my already jam-packed schedule. So, … [Link]

Mashable » Michelle Howard Is U.S. Navy's First Female Four-Star Admiral

Wednesday 2 July 10:49:37 UTC 2014

Michelle-howardFeed-tw Feed-fbThe Navy has its first female four-star admiral. She is Michelle Janine Howard, promoted on Tuesday to the service's highest rank. The ceremony was held at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at the Arlington National Cemetery, near the Pentagon. See also: The U.S. Navy Wants You — To Solve This Puzzle She will serve as the vice chief … [Link]

Mashable » 3 Ways to Make Sure Your Next Virtual Meeting Runs Smoothly

Wednesday 2 July 10:30:57 UTC 2014

Google-hangout-screen-shotFeed-tw Feed-fbWhen done right, virtual video meetings — specifically Google Hangouts — can bring distant teams together, make sure everyone is on the same page, and allow everyone to be involved without the dim conference room atmosphere (who doesn't love chilling out on the couch for a meeting?). But when done wrong? Google Hangouts can be a huge waste of time, not … [Link]

Mashable » 16 DIY Projects for a Red, White and Blue BBQ

Wednesday 2 July 10:30:14 UTC 2014

RwbFeed-tw Feed-fbThe Fourth of July means showing off your American pride A good, old fashioned barbecue is exactly what you need for an Independence Day feast. While you're firing up the grill, amp up your backyard festivities by flying the nation's colors as far as the eye can see See also: You Do You, America From the food to the decorations, you … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 2 July 2014

Wednesday 2 July 10:28:44 UTC 2014

Experimental Evidence of Massive-scale Emotional Contagion Through Social Networks — I suspect many more people have expressed an opinion on the research than have read the research. Mountain — a new game in which you are (wait for it) a … [Link]

Mashable » How to Completely Delete Facebook From Your Life

Wednesday 2 July 10:04:45 UTC 2014

Facebook-trashFeed-tw Feed-fbHow to delete Facebook from your life Image: MashableIf you're seriously considering deleting your Facebook account, you're not alone Start typing in the letters "dele" into Google and you'll see "delete Facebook account" as a top suggestion. Whether it's to alleviate privacy concerns or avoid digital distractions, more people are trying to figure out how to fully disconnect themselves from the social network giant that we live … [Link]

Mashable » More Than 500 Arrested After Democracy Rally in Hong Kong

Wednesday 2 July 10:03:34 UTC 2014

Hong-kongFeed-tw Feed-fbHONG KONG — Hong Kong police arrested more than 500 people who refused to leave a street in the city's financial district Wednesday, a day after tens of thousands of people joined a massive march to demand democracy that's free from China's interference. The march has become an annual affair held on the anniversary of the day China took over Hong … [Link]

Slashdot » Alleged 'Bigfoot' DNA Samples Sequenced, Turn Out To Be Horses, Dogs, and Bears

Wednesday 2 July 9:19:00 UTC 2014

sciencehabit writes: In North America, they're called Bigfoot or Sasquatch. In the Himalayan foothills, they're known as yeti or abominable snowmen. And Russians call them Almasty. But in the scientific laboratory, these elusive, hairy, humanoid creatures are nothing more than bears, horses, and dogs. That's the conclusion of a new study—the first peer-reviewed, genetic survey of biological samples claimed to … [Link]

Mashable » Grrl Meets Marketing World: Why Brands Are Suddenly Preaching Fempowerment

Wednesday 2 July 9:12:56 UTC 2014

Grrls.jpgFeed-tw Feed-fbYou go, grrrrl. That’s the message from some of the country’s heaviest hitting advertisers these days as they churn out a steady stream of fempowerment campaigns. The ads, with their “women rule” themes, are intended to buff the featured brands and sell everything from shampoo and makeup to educational toys and schooling. Some of the ads have instantly gone viral, such … [Link]

The Joy of Tech » Facebook performance art!

Wednesday 2 July 8:35:15 UTC 2014

JoT thumbA still-relevant retro-Joy, as we take some time off to celebrate Canada Day. If you enjoyed the comic, please retweet, Like, or share the URL! [Link]

Slashdot » IEEE Launches Anti-malware Services To Improve Security

Wednesday 2 July 6:17:00 UTC 2014

New submitter Aryeh Goretsky writes: The IEEE Standards Assocation has launched an Anti-Malware Support Service to help the computer security industry respond more quickly to malware. The first two services available are a Clean file Metadata Exchange (PDF), to help prevent false positives in anti-malware software, and a Taggant System (PDF) to help prevent software packers from being abused. Official … [Link]

Mashable » Biggest Booze-Fueled Rocket to Blast Off in September

Wednesday 2 July 6:09:27 UTC 2014

Beer-keg-rocketFeed-tw Feed-fb Six rocket enthusiasts from Portland, Oregon, are gearing up to launch the only two-stage rocket in history to be powered by kegs of beer A Kickstarter for the rocket raised $2,235, surpassing the team's goal. The rocket is projected to reach a height of 20,000 feet at 650 miles per hour; its first load of cargo is a five-gallon keg … [Link]

Mashable » World Cup Day 20: What Matters More Than Winning

Wednesday 2 July 5:44:48 UTC 2014

451573290Feed-tw Feed-fb“It’s not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." Like most cliches, this quote — actually a misquote from a poem from sportswriter Grantland Rice — is more apt to cause a sneer or an eye roll than anything else. Still, it remains as true today as when Rice wrote it in the early 20th century. Case … [Link]

Slashdot » India Launches Five Foreign Satellites

Wednesday 2 July 5:14:00 UTC 2014

vasanth writes: "India has put into orbit five foreign satellites, including one built by France two from Canada and one each from Singapore and Germany. The PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) has so far successfully launched 67 satellites, including 40 foreign ones, into space. The PSLV costs about 17 million USD and the cost is seen as a major advantage … [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft Opens 'Transparency Center' For Governments To Review Source Code

Wednesday 2 July 4:12:00 UTC 2014

MojoKid writes with news that Microsoft has announced the opening of a 'Transparency Center' at their Redmond campus, a place where governments who use Microsoft software can come to review the source code in order to make sure it's not compromised by outside agencies. (The company is planning another Transparency Center for Brussels in Belgium.) In addition, Microsoft announced security … [Link]

Mashable » Using iRing Is Like Making Beats While Practicing Karate

Wednesday 2 July 3:34:16 UTC 2014

2iring_music_app-6-copyFeed-tw Feed-fb The number of gesture-based wearable devices and systems increases on a monthly basis. But not all gesture tech is created equal, a fact that has led many to question some of the fantastic claims made by new entrants in the space The iRing is different, however. It happens to be one of those rare gesture controllers that works as advertised … [Link]

Mashable » 10 Best Moments From Our New York Pride March Live Show

Wednesday 2 July 3:05:50 UTC 2014

Pride-march-castFeed-tw Feed-fb The 2014 NYC Pride March took over the streets of Manhattan last Sunday, with more than 50 floats, thousands of participants and an estimated 1.7 million spectators. But if you weren't among the crowd who made it to New York, you weren't left outMashable, with the support of NYC Pride and Google, hosted the first-ever PrideCast, a YouTube and Google+ … [Link]

Mashable » Astronaut Chris Hadfield Wrote the Most Canadian Song Ever

Wednesday 2 July 2:45:17 UTC 2014

CanadaFeed-tw Feed-fb Things sure are nice up there in Canada, eh? Astronaut Chris Hadfield definitely thinks so. In honor of Canada's 147th birthday, Hadfield and his brother, Dave, have written a song that celebrates all the wonderful things they love about Canada. The folksy, polite little song lauds every Canadian thing from bagged milk to hockey. See also: Commander Hadfield's Top 5 … [Link]

Slashdot » Russia Moves From Summer Time To Standard Time

Wednesday 2 July 2:16:00 UTC 2014

jones_supa writes: Russia's legislature, often accused of metaphorically turning back the clock, has decided to do it literally – abandoning the policy of keeping the country on daylight-saving time all year. The 2011 move to impose permanent "summer time" in 2011 was one of the most memorable and least popular initiatives of Dmitry Medvedev's presidency. It forced tens of millions … [Link]

Mashable » 73 Years Later, Amelia Earhart Flies Again

Wednesday 2 July 2:10:25 UTC 2014

The_ameliasFeed-tw Feed-fbTaking after her famous aviator namesake, Amelia Rose Earhart took off Thursday to become the youngest woman to fly a single-engine airplane around the world. In spite of their nearly identical names — the original Amelia Earhart's middle name was Mary — there is no biological relation. But that didn't stop the modern-day Earhart from pursuing similar passions See also: Earhart's … [Link]

Mashable » Internet Connection Speeds Are Up Globally, Lag in the U.S.

Wednesday 2 July 1:45:07 UTC 2014

InternetspeedFeed-tw Feed-fbAverage Internet speeds have steadily increased internationally over the last few quarters — but the U.S. isn't keeping up with the growth, a new report suggests. According to cloud services provider Akamai, the average connection speed increased globally 1.8% to 3.9 Mbps in the last quarter. The growth is part of an ongoing trend, as the average connection sped up 13% … [Link]

Slashdot » Shark! New Sonar Buoy Will Warn Beachgoers When Large Sharks Are Near

Wednesday 2 July 1:15:00 UTC 2014

stephendavion writes: While the risk of being attacked by a shark is certainly low, it's one of those terrors that can weigh heavily on the mind of a beach-goer, particularly in higher-risk beaches such as those in Australia and South Africa. A new device is currently being developed to warn swimmers when a shark is detected in the water near … [Link]

Mashable » Oculus Rift Hack Lets You Live Real Life Like a Video Game

Wednesday 2 July 1:06:55 UTC 2014

Oclsrft9870Feed-tw Feed-fb Part of the attraction of the Oculus Rift is its ability to let you experience virtual worlds from a hyper-realistic, real-time perspective But a new, hacked together modification of the device delivers a new kind of out-of-body experience by letting you see yourself in real life from a third-person perspective See also: Oculus Rift Now Lets You Ride the 'Back … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook Faces Investigation in UK Following Emotion-Manipulation Study

Wednesday 2 July 0:55:47 UTC 2014

Mark-z-people-firstFeed-tw Feed-fbFacebook is facing more than just user backlash following news that the social network was purposely trying to manipulate user emotions during a 2012 experiment The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), a data regulator in the United Kingdom, is investigating whether or not Facebook violated data collection laws during a user study more than two years ago, according to the Financial Times … [Link]

Mashable » Is the Emoji-Only Social Network for Real?

Wednesday 2 July 0:41:14 UTC 2014

Emoji_social_mediaFeed-tw Feed-fbThe Internet is no stranger to niche social networking. The Yo app, which simply lets you send the message "yo" to your contacts, became an Internet sensation in a matter of days. So it may come as no surprise that there are now plans for a social network that uses only emoji. And, according to its founders, it's real. Or at … [Link]

Mashable » Monty Python Live: Bloody Good, Says Twitter

Wednesday 2 July 0:39:11 UTC 2014

Monty.python.reunionFeed-tw Feed-fbThe Twitter reaction is in: "Monty Python Live" is, you know, a goer. Nudge, nudge. The men of Monty Python's "Septuagenarian Reunion Tour" were a smash hit Tuesday night at the O2 Arena, the first of a 10-show run over two weeks at the London venue. SEE ALSO:"Mick Jagger or Monty Python: Who Has More Wrinkles? Glad to report that #montypythonlive … [Link]

Slashdot » Reproducing a Monet Painting With Aluminum Nanostructures

Wednesday 2 July 0:25:00 UTC 2014

MTorrice writes: Plasmonic printing is a recently developed method to create color images using different shapes and sizes of gold or silver nanostructures. It relies on the oscillations of electrons in the metal surfaces and can produce images with a resolution 100 times that of a common desktop printer. Now researchers have expanded the color palette of the technique using … [Link]

Mashable » Kickstarter's 3-City Film Festival Will Be Live-Streamed

Wednesday 2 July 0:23:28 UTC 2014

Kickstarter-film-festivalFeed-tw Feed-fbIn the five years since Kickstarter launched, film projects on the crowdfunding platform have raised nearly $225 million in pledges, snagged accolades at awards shows, earned praise at film festivals and nabbed airtime on such TV networks as HBO, PBS and Showtime. This year, a new slate of films partially- or fully-funded through Kickstarter will get time to shine at the … [Link]

Mashable » Why France's Ban on Face Veils Is Bad News for Women

Wednesday 2 July 0:20:20 UTC 2014

Face-coveringFeed-tw Feed-fbFrance’s ban on women wearing face-covering veils is not discriminatory — at least, that was the ruling by the European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday. But there is a good argument to be made that the ruling is bad for women, and certainly France has now joined an undesirable club counting such states as Iran and Saudi Arabia, which believe … [Link]

Mashable » James Patterson Animal-Attack Drama 'Zoo' Becoming a CBS Show

Wednesday 2 July 0:07:13 UTC 2014

JamespattersonFeed-tw Feed-fbJames Patterson's when-animals-attack drama Zoo will be housed at CBS. The network announced today it has given a straight-to-series order for the drama, based on the 2012 bestselling novel. The first season will consist of 13 episodes and air summer 2015. See also: 10 New Summer Series to Keep Your TV Addiction Alive The thriller centers on a wave of violent animal … [Link]

Mashable » Twitter Suffering So Many Feels About U.S. World Cup Loss

Wednesday 2 July 0:02:12 UTC 2014

SadamericanFeed-tw Feed-fbHear that noise? It's just the sound of thousands of American World Cup fans' hearts shattering The U.S. men's national team put up a hell of a fight during Tuesday's World Cup match against Belgium. They held out strong the entire game, taking the match into extra time at 0-0. And even when it all seemed over when Belgium went up … [Link]

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