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.
Mashable » Pro-Russian Rebel Leader Claims Malaysia Airlines Passengers 'Were Dead Before It Crashed'
DONETSK, Ukraine — Bragging on social media about his fighters downing what they thought to be a Ukrainian military transport plane, the self-appointed separatist commander declared: “We did warn you — do not fly in our sky.” A day later, after it had become clear that the aircraft was not a cargo jet transporting government troops but a Boeing 777 carrying … [Link]
Slashdot » $10 Million Lawsuit Against Wikipedia Editors "Stragetically" Withdrawn
First time accepted submitter The ed17 (2834807) writes with new developments in the $10 million defamation lawsuit against a few Wikipedia editors. From the article: On the same day the Wikimedia Foundation announced it would offer assistance to English Wikipedia editors embroiled in a legal dispute with Yank Barry, the lawsuit has been dismissed without prejudice at the request of … [Link]
Mashable » Netflix Tests Privacy Feature to Help Hide Your Embarrassing Viewing Habits
Netflix is giving some of you permission to have a one-night stand with your favorite bad movie. The company is testing a "private viewing" feature that allows users to hide a movie or show from their viewing history and recommendations. See also: 9 Netflix Original Series to Stream in 2014 Now, when you curl up after a long week to watch … [Link]
Mashable » Got a Secret? Singer Mary Lambert Will Snail Mail Yours to a Stranger
In Mary Lambert's new "Secrets" song, she comes clean with a bevy of new and old confessions, as if writing privately in a diary: "I can't think straight, I'm so gay. Sometimes I cry a whole day. I care a lot, use an analog clock," she sings in one verse To complement the single, the "She Keeps Me Warm" singer and … [Link]
Mashable » Google Maps App Will Show Cyclists the Flattest Route
It’s about to get easier for cyclists to use the Google Maps app to plan the best route. Google is rolling out an update to the Android version of Google Maps that will incorporate elevation information into cycling directions and improve voice commands during navigation. See also: How to Get the Most Out of the New Google Maps The new feature … [Link]
Slashdot » Math, Programming, and Language Learning
An anonymous reader writes: There's often debate amongst modern programmers about how much math a professional developer should know, and to what extent programming is math. Learning to program is often viewed as being on a spectrum between learning math and learning spoken/written languages. But in a new article, Jeremy Kun argues that the spectrum should be formulated another way: … [Link]
Mashable » Her Likes Don't Lie: Shakira Is First to 100 Million Fans on Facebook
International sensation Shakira celebrates her life's milestones like many of us — by posting a status update or photo on Facebook for all to see The "Hips Don't Lie" singer announced her pregnancy in a status update in 2012 and shared the first image of the baby via a Facebook photo in 2013. Those intimate moments with her fans have helped … [Link]
New Scientist – News » US satellite may have located Ukraine missile launch
US officials seem to have pinpointed the missile launch that downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. If so, they are likely relying on satellite intelligence 
[Link]
Mashable » 'Homeland' Producers Almost Set Season 4 in Israel
LOS ANGELES — When Homeland returns Oct. 5 for a new season, viewers will find Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) in Pakistan assigned to one of the most dangerous stations in the Middle East. But for a brief period during the season's development, producers almost took the story in a different direction that could have created big problems for the Showtime hit. … [Link]
Mashable » Typhoon Rammasun Slams Mainland China as One of Its Strongest-Ever Storms
Super Typhoon Rammasun came ashore over the northern tip of China's Hainan Island on early Friday morning, eastern time, bringing sustained winds of 150 miles per hour, heavy rain and a storm surge that may have exceeded 20 feet. The storm killed at least one person on Hainan Island, having made a staggeringly rapid comeback after weakening when it hit the … [Link]
Mashable » 'Sex Tape' Cloud Mishap Just Not Plausible
“No one understands the cloud!” At least not the two main characters in the new farce comedy Sex Tape. See also: 10 Things You Didn't Know Dropbox Could Do The movie recounts the tale of a long-married couple, Annie (Cameron Diaz) and Jay (Jason Segel), who want to rejuvenate their sex lives. Their solution? Make a sex tape. Actually, it’s really … [Link]
Slashdot » FTC To Trap Robocallers With Open Source Software
coondoggie writes: The Federal Trade Commission today announced the rules for its second robocall exterminating challenge, known this time as Zapping Rachel Robocall Contest. 'Rachel From Cardholder Services,' was a large robocall scam the agency took out in 2012. The agency will be hosting a contest at next month's DEF CON security conference to build open-source methods to lure robocallers … [Link]
Mashable » A Day in Gaza: A Destroyed Hospital and 'Gut-Slamming Explosion'
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — I woke up on my concrete floor, having slept fitfully with my head on my flak jacket. The night was interspersed with occasional loud booms including one at 3:30 a.m. in which an F-16 took out an apartment just across the street. None of us was too sure what to expect on this, the first day … [Link]
Slashdot » Tesla Model S Hacking Prize Claimed
savuporo sends word that a $10,000 bounty placed on hacking a Tesla Model S has been claimed by a team from Zhejiang University in China. The bounty itself was not issued by Tesla, but by Qihoo 360, a Chinese security company. "[The researchers] were able to gain remote control of the car's door locks, headlights, wipers, sunroof, and horn, Qihoo … [Link]
Mashable » 'Free Arturo': The Campaign to Save a 'Sad' Polar Bear in an Argentine Zoo
The Internet community has a lot of love for its ursine friends — and now it's banding together to save one. A Change.org petition has received more than 250,000 signatures to save Arturo, a 29-year-old polar bear, who currently resides in Mendoza Zoo in Mendoza, Argentina The petition demands that Arturo — the last living in polar bear in the country … [Link]
Mashable » Vladimir Putin's Distorted Reality
MOSCOW, Russia — As he considers his next move after the downing of the Malaysian Air flight MH17, Russian President Vladimir Putin may be thinking about the sinking of the Kursk — the nuclear submarine which sunk during a summer as hot as this in 2000, the first year of his presidency That was the last time a transport-related tragedy shook … [Link]
Mashable » Moon Boot Sneakers Celebrate 45th Anniversary of Apollo 11
General Electric is taking a "small step" into sneaker design to commemorate the role — or rather, sole — it had in mankind's first "giant leap" on the moon. Forty-five years to the day, hour and minute after Apollo 11 moonwalkers Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made the first manned lunar landing at 4:18 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 20, GE … [Link]
Slashdot » Chicago Red Light Cameras Issue Thousands of Bogus Tickets
mpicpp points out a report in the Chicago Tribune saying that thousands of the city's drivers have been wrongfully ticketed for red light violations because of "faulty equipment, human tinkering, or both." The Tribune's investigation uncovered the bogus tickets by analyzing the data from over 4 million tickets issued in the past seven years. Cameras that for years generated just … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » GAS Interviews Elijah Wood from ‘Wilfred’!
Elijah Wood is a jack of all trades, yet a master of them all: Actor, producer, DJ, humanitarian, business owner…the list goes on. For most of you reading this, we grew up with him. From his bit part in Back to the Future: Part II to North to The Faculty to (of course!) The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Elijah … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Shredder: The Later Years [Video]
What happened to Shredder after being defeated by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? You’ll see. [Nacho Punch] [Link]
Mashable » Space Invaders Movie? Pew-Pew-Pew!
The biggest leap ever made between a narratively barren brand and a successful Hollywood film has got to be The Lego Movie, which Warner Bros. somehow fashioned into a raucously fun time at the cineplex for all ages and sensibilities. Even Universal's megaflop Battleship had more "story" for its filmmakers to work with. Now the studio that made colorful plastic bricks … [Link]
Mashable » Future Phone Displays Could Take Your Temperature, Analyze DNA
Your future smartphone display might detect if you have a cold and could even analyze your DNA. Researchers from Polytechnique Montreal and Gorilla Glass manufacturer Corning are working together to develop display sensors that read your spit See also: Is This The Future of Touchscreen Tech? New Video Will Blow Your Mind The sensors would be embedded within the smartphone's display … [Link]
Mashable » 54% of the World's Population Now Lives in Cities
The worldwide movement of people from rural areas to cities continues, according to a new report from the United Nations. The World Urbanization Prospects report [PDF], the UN's annual update on urbanization, shows that 54% of the world's population now lives in cities. In 1950, only 30% of the world lived in urban areas; that figure is expected to reach 66% … [Link]
Mashable » 'Game of Thrones' Dubstep Remix Is a Cover Fit for a King
All men must drop the bass. YouTube user and DJ MetroGnome performs a stunning dubstep cover of the Game of Thrones theme song. Just when you thought the song couldn't get more intense, the driving, electronic beats turn the score up to epic proportions. See also: Raise a Goblet to the 'Game of Thrones' Theme Song on Wine Glasses Perhaps … [Link]
Slashdot » Google To Stop Describing Games With In-App Purchases As 'Free'
An anonymous reader writes After a series of investigations, lawsuits, and fines over how in-app purchases are advertised and communicated to users, Google has agreed to stop labeling games that use in-app purchases as "Free." This change is the result of a request by the European Commission to stop misleading customers about the costs involved with using certain apps. "Games … [Link]
Mashable » 'Prison Break' Alum Wentworth Miller to Play Captain Cold on 'Flash'
Captain Cold is coming to CW's Flash The executive producers announced Friday that the character — who's also known as Leonard Snart — would debut in episode 4 of the freshman season, which kicks off in October, and will be played by Prison Break alum Wentworth Miller. "We'll be seeing his origin and the origin of the Rogues," said executive producer … [Link]
Mashable » The Israeli Hacktivists' Cyber War in Gaza
Late Thursday night, as Israeli tanks advanced into the Gaza strip, civilian Israelis gathered to fight alongside them. The frontline, however, was virtual, the battlefield digital Soon after Israeli soldiers crossed into Gaza, the hacktivism group the Israeli Elite Force (IEF) recruited an army of volunteers. The Hashtag for the operation was #OpIsraelRetaliate and the chosen targets were official Palestinian websites … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Adventures of Middle-Aged Harry Potter [Pics]
Some funny illustrations by artists Jason Mustian and Cole Mitchell picturing Harry as he enters his mid-life crisis. 
View more here. [Source: Happy Place – Someecards.com] [Link]
Mashable » Google Will Stop Labeling Freemium Games as 'Free' Apps
Games like Candy Crush will soon be losing their "free" label in the Google Play Store. Google agreed that it will change the way it labels apps in Google Play so that games with in-app purchases will no longer be listed as "free." The change is in response to meetings with the European Commission, which has expressed concerns over how Google … [Link]
Mashable » Conan, Dave Franco Try (and Fail) to Find Love on Tinder
Conan O'Brien wants to be cool, so obviously he is getting on Tinder Conan enlisted the help of Dave Franco (because he's young and cool) to meet chicks on the popular dating app. They use the aliases Djengus Roundstone and Chip Whitley and proceed to both match with a 74-year-old woman named Gloria — who rejects Conan. They also have … [Link]
Slashdot » Dell Starts Accepting Bitcoin
An anonymous reader writes: Mainstream retail companies have been slow to adopt Bitcoin, perhaps skeptical of its long-term value or unwilling to expend the effort required to put a payment system into place. Today, Bitcoin adoption got a momentum boost with Dell's announcement that it will accept Bitcoin as a payment method. Dell is by far the biggest company to … [Link]
Mashable » Commercial Planes Routinely Fly Over Conflict Zones, From Ukraine to Syria
A Mashable investigation shows that aircraft from many nations, including the U.S., Europe and the Middle East, routinely fly at high altitudes over tense conflict zones such as Ukraine, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. In the wake of the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on Thursday, such overflights may be reexamined. Aviation regulators, including the Federal Aviation Administration, issue warnings … [Link]
Mashable » Israeli Airstrikes Injure Three Journalists in Gaza
At least three journalists were injured by Israeli airstrikes on buildings housing media outlets, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Friday "The Israel Defense Forces know where media outlets are located in Gaza and must ensure that they are not hit as part of its offensive," said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour "Attacking media outlets … [Link]
Mashable » Report: Samsung and Google Butt Heads Over Smartwatches
Are Google and Samsung fighting over Tizen's role in wearables? According to a new report, the answer is yes. According to The Information, Google CEO Larry Page met with Samsung Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee at the Allen & Co. conference in Sun Valley. The purpose of the meeting? To discuss Samsung's plans for wearables See also: Android Wear Review: Google's … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Google Cloud Platform Provides Metrics via Monitoring API
Google Cloud Platform has released the Cloud Monitoring API, which enables users to monitor various metrics for Cloud Platform projects. The initial set of metrics supported in this release includes monitoring data such as response times, disk usage and uptime.
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Mashable » Former Dictator Sues 'Call of Duty' Maker For Portrayal in Popular Game
The extremely popular Call of Duty franchise continues to chug along — creating hit release after hit release — and increasing the realism of the series with enhanced graphics and storytelling — including bringing in House of Cards star Kevin Spacey to model and act a character in the next installment, Call of Duty: Ghosts. But that desire to capture the … [Link]
Slashdot » Point-of-Sale System Bought On eBay Yields Treasure Trove of Private Data
jfruh writes: Point-of-sale systems aren't cheap, so it's not unusual for smaller merchants to buy used terminals second-hand. An HP security researcher bought one such unit on eBay to see what a used POS system will get you, and what he found was disturbing: default passwords, a security flaw, and names, addresses, and social security numbers of employees of the … [Link]
Mashable » Maroon 5 Unveils Album Art Like a Puzzle: Here's the Second Piece
Maroon 5 is tossing fans a musical puzzle by slowly revealing portions of its upcoming album's cover art in five pieces across the web over several days The pop rock band's album, V, debuts September 2 and features the catchy "Maps" single and the yet-to-be-heard "My Heart Is Open" collaboration with Gwen Stefani and Sia See also: 10 Stunning Music Videos … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Pokemon Electric Power Company [Video]
At Pokemon Electric, we believe that Pokemon are a gift….why not use them properly? [rizenvisual] [Link]
New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist
All the latest on newscientist.com: why we should save weird species first, US libraries reinvented, hunting Australia's WIMPs underground and more 
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New Scientist – News » EDGE is the new endangered: The top species to save
Animals with high EDGE scores typically have few close relatives and have distinct looks and ways. If they become extinct there will be nothing like them left 
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New Scientist – News » Londoners, look out for these giant digital eyes
Gaze deep into the shop windows to the digital soul and discover something about your media-age emotions 
[Link]
Slashdot » CCP Games Explains Why Virtual Reality First Person Shooters Still Don't Work
An anonymous reader writes Icelandic studio CCP is better known for EVE Online, but its first foray into virtual reality with space shooter Valkyrie has caused a stir, and is widely seen as a flagship game for the Oculus Rift headset. In a new interview, Valkyrie executive producer Owen O'Brien explains what advantages the game will have when played with … [Link]
Mashable » Warning: The Emoji Live Among Us
Emoji have invaded more than just our text conversations — they've also invaded our lives. Stock footage purveyor Dissolve shows that emoji are also living, breathing beings who we interact with on a daily basis. They've created a documentary about the phenomenon, explaining the blessings and trials brought by these colorful characters. See also: Seinfeld Emoji Are Real, and They're … [Link]
Mashable » Eyewitness at Malaysia Airlines Crash Site: 'I've Never Seen Anything So Horrifying'
GRABOVA, Ukraine —The roads to the crash site are awful, but through the five checkpoints to the site of the Malaysian airlines crash this morning, we encountered surprisingly little resistance from separatist soldiers. The crash site sits in the middle of golden fields of wheat, the peaceful, bucolic expanse scarred black. In one place, the wreckage still smolders. 
The wreckage of … [Link]
Slashdot » Wearable Robot Adds Two Fingers To Your Hand
rtoz writes: Researchers at MIT have developed a robot that enhances the grasping motion of the human hand. This wrist-wearable robot adds two extra fingers that respond to movements in the wearer's hand. The robotic fingers are on either side of the hand — one outside the thumb, and the other outside the little finger. A control algorithm enables it … [Link]
Mashable » Lenovo: Americans Don't Want Small Windows Tablets
For Microsoft, the hits just keep on coming. On the heels of drastic job cuts comes the news that Lenovo — the world's biggest PC vendor — would stop selling small-screen Windows tablets in the U.S. Lenovo confirmed the move Thursday in a statement to PC World, saying the 8.3-inch ThinkPad 8 and 8-inch Miix 2 would no longer be on … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Sorry, tiger: Why we should save weird species first
With more than 4000 species on the brink of extinction and limited resources to help them, conservation needs to move beyond the cuteness factor (full text available to subscribers) 
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Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Guardians of the Galaxy: The Animated Edition [Video]
A thief, two thugs, an assassin, and a maniac are all that stands between the galaxy and a whole bunch of Bad Days… [Cinefix] [Link]
Mashable » Chrome for Windows Finally Getting Sharp, Clean Fonts
On the heels of its recent Chrome 36 software update, Google announced on its official Chromium blog Friday that the beta of Chrome 37 is now available for download. The new software means that Chrome can now support Microsoft Windows' new text-rendering API, DirectWrite. The API replaces Graphics Device Interface (GDI), first developed in the 1980s. See also: Let's Get Weird: … [Link]
Mashable » Yo Confirms $1.5 Million in Funding
Yo, the single-function app that became a cause célèbre over the past month in the tech world, has confirmed a $1.5 million round of funding with investors including Betaworks and Mashable CEO and founder Pete Cashmore. The app, created by Or Arbel, quietly rolled out in April, but became the topic of bemused discussion in tech media circles in June after … [Link]
Mashable » Anti-Illegal Immigration Coalition Plans Weekend of Protests Throughout U.S.
Three staunchly conservative political groups are planning more than 300 protests against President Barack Obama's handling of immigrants, as the crisis at the United States border wears on. The events are scheduled to take place around the country Friday and Saturday The American Legal Immigration Political Action Committee (ALIPAC), Overpasses for America and Make Them Listen are coordinating an effort among … [Link]
Mashable » Map Shows Empty Ukrainian Airspace After MH17 Disaster
The day after Malaysia Airline Flight 17 was shot down, air traffic is being rerouted around Ukraine — with the exception of flights to and from Kiev. The new routes airlines are relying on to get from Europe to Asia take these flights close to the eastern border of Ukraine, but above the Russian side of the border, which is not … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » DREAMS: A Beautiful Cosplay Music Video from London Film & Comic Con 2014 [Video]
From Shades on Production: Every Year, thousands of people realise their dreams and become the heroes of their imaginations. Just some of the fantastic Cosplayers at the London Film & Comic Con in July 2014. A Huge thank you to everyone involved. [ShadesOnProductions] [Link]
Slashdot » The New Science of Evolutionary Forecasting
An anonymous reader writes "Scientists may not be able to predict what life will be like 100 million years from now, but they may be able to make short-term forecasts for the next few months or years. And if they're making predictions about viruses or other health threats, they might be able to save some lives in the process. "Biologists … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Australia will pay dearly for repealing its carbon tax
Axing Australia's landmark carbon tax will probably lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions, and a loss of confidence in carbon trading schemes elsewhere 
[Link]
Mashable » Live Updates on MH17: Emergency Services Have Little to Do at Crash Site
Mashable is following the latest reports on the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. See our previous coverage here. 3 things you need to know: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down on Thursday over eastern Ukraine with 298 people on board — nearly 200 of them were Dutch. There are no known survivors. U.S. officials believe the plane was downed … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Stewart, Colbert Team Up for Charity in Hilarious ‘Star Wars’-Themed Video
Weeknight talk show hosts Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have reunited for a good cause. In the short, hilarious video below, the two satirists promote UNICEF through the Star Wars-themed campaign J.J. Abrams launched on Omaze, a crowdfunding site. What is meant to be a trivia-off quickly escalates into a barely-keeping-it-together Stewart in cosplay, complete with lightsaber. And then…s**t gets … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Stewart, Colbert Team Up for Charity in Hilarious ‘Star Wars’-Themed Video
Weeknight talk show hosts Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have reunited for a good cause. In the short, hilarious video below, the two satirists promote UNICEF through the Star Wars-themed campaign J.J. Abrams launched on Omaze, a crowdfunding site. What is meant to be a trivia-off quickly escalates into a barely-keeping-it-together Stewart in cosplay, complete with lightsaber. And then…s**t gets … [Link]
Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: How Many Employees Does Microsoft Really Need?
An anonymous reader writes: Yesterday, word came down that Microsoft was starting to lay off some 18,000 workers. As of June 5th, Microsoft reported a total employee headcount of 127,005, so they're cutting about 15% of their jobs. That's actually a pretty huge percentage, even taking into account the redundancies created by the Nokia acquisition. Obviously, there's an upper limit … [Link]
Mashable » Jimmy Fallon Teaches Miranda Kerr How to Play College Drinking Games
Welcome to America, Miranda Kerr. The Australian supermodel got a lesson in collegiate drinking games from Jimmy Fallon on Thursday's Tonight Show when the duo played an intense round of "Flip Cup." Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments. Conan, Dave Franco Try (and Fail) to Find Love on Tinder Walter White Took a Beautiful … [Link]
Mashable » Israel Pushes Farther Into Gaza as Death Toll Approaches 300
2:25 p.m. ET: Despite Israel's ground offensive, Hamas has not stopped firing rockets from Gaza toward Israeli cities. On Friday afternoon, several explosions were reported over Tel Aviv, where some rockets were intercepted by the air-defense system called Iron Dome. From a rooftop in Jaffa we just saw between 5-6 missile interceptions. Three above Tel Aviv and 2-3 to the East … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Extra 5 million people in UK should take statins
Despite the long row over anti-cholesterol drugs, the UK's health-advice body now recommends them for people with a relatively low risk of cardiovascular disease 
[Link]
Mashable » How to Become a Spider-Man Super Villain
Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius (better known as "Doc Ock") is one of Spider-Man's most nefarious villains The brainiacs over at MIT — we'll go ahead and assume they're comic book fans, too — created a prototype for a set of robotic limbs that assist workers in building airplanes. They also give the wearer a most-striking resemblance to Octavius. Exhibit A: … [Link]
Mashable » Forbes Sells Majority Stake to International Investors
Forbes, an iconic American financial media brand, will soon be largely owned by investors in Hong Kong Forbes Media announced Friday that it has agreed to sell a majority stake to a group of international investors led by Integrated Asset Management and including Wayne Hsieh, the cofounder of Asus. See also: Can BuzzFeed's Ad Guru Bring Listicle Magic to the Daily … [Link]
Mashable » Photo Series Documents Tiny Kittens From Rescue to Adoption
Photographer Alex Greenshpun put her camera skills to inspiring use when she documented a litter's recovery from abandonment to adoption. In early May, Greensphun and her partner discovered a cardboard box with five small kittens hidden inside. They were dirty and begging for food, and looked no older than a few weeks. She took them into her home, cleaned and fed … [Link]
Slashdot » Preparing For Satellite Defense
Taco Cowboy sends a report into China's development of anti-satellite technology, and efforts by the U.S. and Japan to build defenses for this new potential battleground. Last year, China launched what they said was a science space mission, but they did so at night and with a truck-based launch system, which are not generally used for science projects. Experts believe … [Link]
Mashable » ISIL Threatens Popular Comic Book Creator
For the radical Islamist terrorist group known as the Islamic State, social media is for propaganda, spreading fear, threatening the U.Swith hashtags — and now, calling for the death of a popular comic book author. Accounts associated with the Islamic State (also known as ISIL or ISIS) issued a call to kill author Naif Al-Mutawa, the creator of the popular Islam-inspired … [Link]
Mashable » 'I'm for the Truth': RT Reporter Resigns Over Coverage of Malaysia Airlines Disaster
Sara Firth, an RT correspondent, resigned Tuesday morning over the Kremlin-funded network's coverage of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 disaster in the Ukraine. I resigned from RT today. I have huge respect for many in the team, but I'm for the truthpic.twitter.com/mZ1g0R7N0D — Sara Firth (@Sara__Firth) July 18, 2014 Firth told BuzzFeed that she felt it was "disrespectful" to blame … [Link]
Mashable » Malaysia Airlines Crash: 21 of the World's Most Powerful Front Pages
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by a missile over eastern Ukraine on Thursday with 298 people on board. On Friday, the world began to process the news Newspapers around the globe led their coverage with imagery of the disaster From the de Volkskrant of Amsterdam, the country with the most losses, to the New York Daily News’ “Putin’s War,” … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 45% Off Duracell DRPP600 Powerpack 600 Jump Starter and Emergency Power Source – $120 + FREE Shipping
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon has the Duracell DRPP600 Powerpack 600 Jump Starter and Emergency Power Source for just $120 plus free shipping. That’s 45% off on the Powerpack 600′s regular list price of $219.99. On a full charge a 60W AC appliance runs for 3.5 hrs or 35 cell phones can be charged using the … [Link]
Mashable » A Tearful Michael Sam Inspires at ESPYs
Michael Sam fought back tears in a moving acceptance speech at the 2014 ESPYs. The first openly gay athlete to be drafted into the NFL touched on his life after coming out and offered wisdom to those still struggling for acceptance. See also: Cats Playing Soccer Is What You Need, America Sam, who was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage … [Link]
Slashdot » Verizon's Accidental Mea Culpa
Barryke writes: Verizon has blamed Netflix for the streaming slowdowns their customers have been seeing. It seems the Verizon blog post defending this accusation has backfired in a spectacular way: The chief has clearly admitted that Verizon has capacity to spare, and is deliberately constraining throughput from network providers. Level3, a major ISP that interconnects with Verizon's networks, responded by … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Mythbusters: Cuz Tonight We Do Science! [A Body Count's Cop Killer Parody]
Long time GAS reader “BoneCage” just sent me this awesome song he wrote in homage to the fabulous people over at The Mythbusters, and as most of what he writes, it’s pretty fantastic! Check it out! Who doesn’t love Mythbusters? I like Mythbusters. I also like Body Count, so I wrote this song. Boom! [BoneCage] [Link]
Mashable » Amazon Officially Unveils Kindle Unlimited Subscription Service
Amazon ebook subscription service, Kindle Unlimited, is real and it’s ready to help you consume an endless list of books for $9.99 a month. The formerly rumored service launched on Friday with little more fanfare than a promotional YouTube video. The service promises access to 600,000 books in the Kindle reading library that members can read on their Kindle ereaders and … [Link]
Mashable » ESPN's 'Dota 2' Broadcast Is a Giant Leap For E-sports
Welcome to mainstream television, e-sports. Valve — one of the largest video game developers and makers of the online game distribution service, Steam — announced on Thursday that coverage of its international championship for its professional video game, Dota 2, will be presented on ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, ESPN 3 At a time where professional gaming continues to grow in … [Link]
Mashable » Rebels Admit They Have Weapon System Capable of Downing Flight 17
KIEV, Ukraine — Nearly 24 hours after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down in embattled eastern Ukraine, pro-Russian rebels who have had a stronghold on the area for months admitted they have the type of weapon capable of downing a Boeing 777. As first reported by AP's Nataliya Vasilyeva, Pavel Gubarev, the self-proclaimed governor of the Donetsk People's Republic, said … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Lego Stop-Motion Tribute [Video]
Scenes from the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary recreated through Lego stop-motion. [bookshelfprodutions] [Link]
Mashable » Comic-Con 2014: See This Year's Official Bags
This year's official Comic-Con bags have been revealed, and they're everything you remember them to be — gigantic, colorful and pretty freaking cool. The 13 designs, unveiled today, feature a number of Warner Bros. TV properties, like Arrow, Constantine, The Flash, and Gotham. And this year, two of the bag designs feature the caped crusader himself — with one design celebrating … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Ethical 3D printing begins with plastic waste pickers
Pick the right plastic off a refuse tip, then shred, melt and convert it into feedstock for 3D printers – it's a living for some of India's poorest people 
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Slashdot » New Mayhem Malware Targets Linux and UNIX-Like Servers
Bismillah writes: Russian security researchers have spotted a new malware named Mayhem that has spread to 1,400 or so Linux and FreeBSD servers around the world, and continues to look for new machines to infect. And, it doesn't need root to operate. "The malware can have different functionality depending on the type of plug-in downloaded to it by the botmaster … [Link]
Mashable » Interactive Google Doodle is a Moving Tribute to Nelson Mandela
Google's tribute to Nelson MandelaImage: GoogleIt's been six months since Nelson Mandela, the man who spent his life fighting apartheid in South Africa and endured to become the nation's first Black President, died at the age of 95. Now, on what would have been his 96th birthday, Google is paying tribute to the inspirational leader with an animated Google Doodle. … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » A good nudge trumps a good prediction
Editor’s note: this is part of our investigation into analytic models and best practices for their selection, deployment, and evaluation. We all know that a working predictive model is a powerful business weapon. By translating data into insights and subsequent … [Link]
Slashdot » Russia Prepares For Internet War Over Malaysian Jet
An anonymous reader writes The investigation of a Malaysian passenger jet shot down over Ukrainian rebel held territory is heating up. U.S. and U.K. news organizations are studiously trying to spread the blame, Russian ITAR, which, just earlier today was celebrating the downing of a large aircraft by rebel missiles in Torez (Google cache) is reporting that the rebels do … [Link]
Mashable » Remote Indigenous Tribe Adopts Wi-Fi Network in Hopes of Survival
Davi Kopenawa, a shaman of the indigenous Yanomami tribe in the Brazilian Amazon, walks down a short hallway toward the computer to Skype with me. In his 50s, Kopenawa wears a white, long-sleeve crew neck tucked into khaki slacks. Several strings of small, black beads adorn his neck, and his dark hair is combed neatly across his forehead, pushed behind his … [Link]
Mashable » LeapFrog Launches Smart Gaming Console For Kids
Known for its kid-focused tablet, children's electronics company LeapFrog released a smart TV console aimed at encouraging child education through entertainment. The device can host more than 100 games geared toward kids between the ages of three and eight, featuring popular Disney TV shows like Jake and the Never Land Pirates and Sofia the First. Many of the games focus on … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Feedback: These are prescient vintners
Hiding news under a bushel, subtle diplomatic language, celebrate pi approximately! and more (full text available to subscribers) 
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Mashable » What We Know About the Crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine with 298 people on board. As the news broke, information flooded in from around the world. Families were shattered, nations grieved. See also: Malaysia Airlines Plane 'Blown Out of the Sky' What do we know so far? A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777—200ER with the flight number MH17 departed Amsterdam Airport Schiphol … [Link]
Mashable » United Arab Emirates Plans to Create Space Program, Land Mars Probe
The United Arab Emirates has jumped into the international space race at a full sprint, announcing plans on Wednesday to create a space program and send an unmanned probe to Mars by 2021. "The UAE Mars probe represents the Islamic world’s entry into the era of space exploration," UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, according to Reuters. "We … [Link]
Mashable » Small Businesses Can Benefit From Freelancers, Too
Need new talent, but don't have the resources or desire to take on a full-time employee? Hiring a freelancer is the answer. And with freelance hiring on the rise, you'll just be one of the numerous businesses jumping on the freelance bandwagon. The "freelance revolution" Today's hiring climate is going through a major shift, one in which increased competition will lead … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Ford launches 7 Global Challenges to address urban issues
Ford has launched a series of challenges under the Innovate Mobility umbrella that invites developers to find solutions to communities across the world. The interesting aspect of these challenges is that it aims to address a key issue facing some of the large cities across the world. The problems are uniquely identified for each cities and developers are expected to … [Link]
Mashable » 'Boyhood' by the Numbers: Hours Filmed, Inches Grown, Hairs Cut
Richard Linklater's magnum opus Boyhood expands into theaters nationwide this weekend — and boy, did it take its sweet, sweet time getting there. We've all heard by now how the Dazed and Confused director pulled off his bold vision for a film spanning 12 real-life years of a boy and his all-too-familiarly-flawed family. That accomplishment is nothing short of a filmmaking miracle. … [Link]
Mashable » Thinking of Selling Your Company? 8 Things to Consider First
Many founders consider successfully selling their company to be the hallmark of success. However, once you’ve spent the past few years building a business you’re passionate about, how do you decide if you’re really ready to sell? Is it ever a better choice to stay on board and keep building? To find out the answer, I asked a panel of 8 … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Panning for dark matter in an Australian gold mine
Michael Slezak goes deep under the outback to find a home for the southern hemisphere's first WIMP detector, which could confirm our best direct signal yet 
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Mashable » The Business Case for Re-Hiring Former Employees
As LeBron James proved this week, sometimes you can go home again. And, the Cleveland Cavaliers aren't the only ones who might benefit from giving former employees a second chance. It might be good for your business, too. That's the finding of two studies co-written by a University of Illinois expert in organizational behavior and human resources management. The research revealed that many … [Link]
Mashable » Imgur Redesigns Site to Emphasize Viral Posts
The Internet's favorite photo-sharing platform just made it easier to find the best memes, GIFs and viral photos. Imgur rolled out a redesigned website Thursday that improves search and adds new ways to tag and filter images and galleries. See also: 23 Pictures That You Have to Look at Twice The biggest change is to the site's tagging system. Users can … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 18 July 2014
Questions to Ask when Reviewing a Design (GDS) — GDS made stickers, but I might just put this in poster form on the wall. They missed, “can you make it pop?” though. Saturated — wonderfully unsubdued web palette for prototyping. … [Link]
Mashable » Women and Minority Leaders Are Penalized For Fostering Diversity, Study Finds
Women and minorities don't shy away from hiring their peers out of fear of the competitive threat they may pose, but rather out of fear of the retribution they may incur, new research suggests. The reason they are so reluctant to hire other women and ethnic minorities is because they are often penalized by their bosses for doing so, according to … [Link]
Mashable » Top 10 Jobs With the Highest Work-Life Balance
Image: Isar ChangBalancing your career and personal life is no easy task. But if you're a data scientist, tour guide or social media manager, it may be easier to maintain a healthy work-life balance, according to Glassdoor. See also: Top 10 U.S. Cities With the Most Satisfied Employees The jobs site, which compiles data about workplaces, released a list of … [Link]
Mashable » Chrome Update Intros New Incognito Icon, Security Fixes
Google released this week the latest version of its Chrome web browser — Chrome 36 — for Mac, Windows, Linux and Android. The new update comes with a collection of bug fixes and feature improvements. In addition to routine security repairs, the desktop version has a different Incognito icon. Incognito allows users to browse the Internet without the visited websites being … [Link]
Mashable » Most Passengers on Flight MH17 Were Dutch
The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 that was shot down over eastern Ukraine on Thursday was carrying 298 people from at least 10 countriesThe Associated Press reports more than half of the people on board were from the Netherlands Here is a breakdown of the nationalities of those on board: Netherlands: 173Malaysia: 44 (including 15 crew and two infants)Australia: 28Indonesia: 12 (including … [Link]
Slashdot » Lenovo Halts Sales of Small-Screen Windows 8.1 Tablets Due To "Lack of Interest"
DroidJason1 writes Microsoft has attempted to compete in the small-screen tablet market with Windows 8.1 and Windows RT, but it looks like the growing adoption of small-screen Android tablets are just too much for Lenovo to handle. Lenovo has slammed the brakes on sales of small screen Windows tablets in the United States, citing a lack of interest from consumers. … [Link]
Mashable » 20,000 Gazans in UN Shelters as Israel Launches Ground Invasion
Israel launched a massive military offensive on Thursday, sending thousands of troops into Gaza In a tweet, the Israeli Defense Forces said: "We have hit Hamas hard, and we will continue to hit Hamas hard." But caught between Israel's forces and Hamas’s rockets are approximately 22,000 Palestinians who have taken refuge in one of the United Nations’ 24 designated emergency shelters. … [Link]
Mashable » French Court Fines Blogger For Unflattering Restaurant Review
Blogger Caroline Doudet didn't particularly enjoy a restaurant (not pictured) in the southwestern town of Cap Ferret in France. So like many others do daily on Yelp or Foursquare, Doudet wrote a review criticizing the restaurant on her blog. But because because the blog post was "too prominent" in Google search results, a French judge ruled that Doudet had to pay … [Link]
Slashdot » Heinz Zemanek Passes At 94
Knuckles writes Austrian computer pioneer Heinz Zemanek, the first person to build a fully transistorized computer on the European mainland, died in Vienna, aged 94 (link in German). Officially named Binär dezimaler Volltransistor-Rechenautomat (binary-decimal fully transistorized computing automaton), but known as "Mailüfterl", the computer was built in 1955 and in 1958 calculated 5073548261 to be a prime number in 66 … [Link]
Mashable » Sometimes Fat Cats Are Actually Fat Cats
You might’ve suspected that a fat cat runs your bank. Now you know for sure. A new ad from Affinity Federal Credit Union puts a real feline face on that well-known trope, creating a character that’s a mix between Grumpy Cat and Ebenezer Scrooge. Instead of helping you reach your financial goals, this plump pet would rather bleed you dry, … [Link]
Mashable » 'Brilliant Minds' Perish in Malaysia Airlines Crash
SYDNEY — Organisers for the 20th International AIDS Conference said on Friday a number of colleagues died when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down in Ukraine airspace. Lots of AIDS researchers, activists, officials on downed Malaysia Airlines flight to Melbourne for Intl AIDS Conference. — Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) July 17, 2014 Media reports said as many as 100 researchers, activists … [Link]
Slashdot » New Treatment Stops Type II Diabetes
multicsfan writes Researchers have found that an injection of protein FGF1 stops weight induced diabetes in mice, with no apparent side effects. However, the cure only lasts 2 days at a time. Future research and human trials are needed to better understand and create a working drug. From the story: "The team found that sustained treatment with the protein doesn't … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » JoT #2023: Apple and IBM's wedding!
Does anyone object? If you enjoyed the comic, please retweet, Like, or share the URL! [Link]
Mashable » 'Hell to Pay': U.S. Officials React to Malaysian Airliner Tragedy
If the world hadn’t been paying close attention to the conflict on the eastern border of Ukraine, the downing of the Malaysian airliner there on Thursday made it everybody’s business. The nearly 300 people who died as the plane was shot down en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur came from across the globe. The passengers included children and their parents, … [Link]
Mashable » This Family Got Rebooked and Missed Flight MH17
A married couple from Scotland and their infant narrowly avoided the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight 17 — thanks to the fact that the flight was overbooked. Barry and Izzy Sim and their baby were scheduled to be on board MH17, which crashed after being shot down in Ukraine airspace on Thursday around 12pm ET See also: World Grieves Together After Malaysia … [Link]
Mashable » Android Wear Developers Can Soon Create Custom Smartwatch Faces
Android Wear developers will soon be able to create customized designs for their smartwatch faces. Google will soon be releasing an official API that will enable developers to create third-party watch face designs for Android Wear devices See also: 10 Beautiful Moto 360 Smartwatch Concepts Custom watch faces is one of the most requested Android Wear features developers ask for, said … [Link]
Mashable » World Grieves Together After Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 Shot Down
SYDNEY — The world is grieving after Malaysia Airlines flight 17 was shot down above eastern Ukraine with 298 people on board. The crash has devastated at least 11 nations, with many passengers still yet to be identified All on board perished in the fiery crash in rebel-held territory near Torez, Ukraine at approximately 7.11pm local time. It was en route … [Link]
Slashdot » Australia Repeals Carbon Tax
schwit1 notes that the Australian government has repealed a controversial carbon tax. After almost a decade of heated political debate, Australia has become the world's first developed nation to repeal carbon laws that put a price on greenhouse gas emissions. In a vote that could highlight the difficulty in implementing additional measures to reduce carbon emissions ahead of global climate … [Link]
Mashable » What Does the New Google+ Name Policy Mean for YouTube?
Google has dropped all of its profile name restrictions, meaning users can now choose any name they want for their profile pages This change back to old ways has obvious benefits for anonymity on the Internet — but, to be honest, could it also lead to a resurgence in trolls? See also: The Beginner's Guide to YouTube Lamarr Wilson discusses … [Link]
Mashable » Makeshift Memorials, Mounting Tensions: The MH17 Tragedy in Photos
Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down Thursday while flying over a region of Eastern Ukraine currently controlled by pro-Russian separatists, killing all of the plane's 298 passengers, including three infants. See also: Latest Updates: Malaysia Airlines Plane 'Blown Out of the Sky' The nationalities of some of those on board remain unknown but the majority of the passengers came from … [Link]
Mashable » The Day After: A Look at Friday's MH17 Front Page Headlines
For the second time in less than six months, the loss of a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet tugged on the world's heartstrings. A plane carrying 295 passengers and crew was shot from the sky on Thursday over Ukraine, crashing near the Russia-Ukraine border in an area called Torez. U.S. Intelligence officials confirmed the plane was brought down by a surface-to-air missile, … [Link]
Mashable » How an Act of Aggression Complicates Insurance Questions for Malaysia Airlines
Soon after the news broke of the loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, the question emerged in boardrooms from New York to Kuala Lumpur: Who will pay for the loss of the plane and its nearly 300 passengers and crew, given that the commercial airliner was "blown out of the sky"? Who will be left with the bill that could run … [Link]
Mashable » Malaysia Flight Is 9th Commercial Aircraft in 74 Years Shot Down Around Russia
Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, shot out of the sky Thursday by a surface-to-air missile over eastern Ukraine, joins a growing list of commercial planes carrying civilian passengers downed by military forces around Russia's western border. It's also the second such incident in Ukraine, which shot down a Siberian Airlines plane in 2001 over the Black Sea, killing 78. Ukraine admitted to … [Link]
New Scientist – News » What was the Malaysian jet doing over a war zone?
Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over war-torn eastern Ukraine. But why was it flying in such a dangerous area? 
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Mashable » Where Will Microsoft's 5,000 Job Cuts Come From?
When Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced some 18,000 job cuts on Thursday, he noted in a memo to employees that most of them (between 12,000 and 13,000) would come from the former Nokia. That leaves 5,000 cuts on the table, all of which have to come from various parts of Microsoft. When queried about targets, one Microsoft representative said they would … [Link]
Slashdot » New Map Fingers Future Hot Spots For U.S. Earthquakes
sciencehabit writes Earthquake risk assessments can seem pretty abstract at first glance, with their "percent probabilities" and "peak ground accelerations." But the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS's) national hazard maps, updated periodically, pack a powerful punch: Insurance companies and city planners rely heavily on the maps, which influence billions of dollars in construction every year. Today, USGS scientists released the most … [Link]
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