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 » Why Was Comic-Con So Stingy With Movie News? Here's the Deal
At Comic-Con, no news is not good news. Before this year's nerd prom I predicted a flurry of major movie announcements would come out of Hall H: new titles from Marvel and DC/Warner Bros., some splashy casting announcements, and the inevitable jaw-dropping, out-of-nowhere surprise. I have never been more wrong — we got none of that — and the reasons do … [Link]
Slashdot » OKCupid Experiments on Users Too
With recent news that Facebook altered users' feeds as part of a psychology experiment, OKCupid has jumped in and noted that they too have altered their algorithms and experimented with their users (some unintentional) and "if you use the Internet, you’re the subject of hundreds of experiments at any given time, on every site. That’s how websites work." Findings include … [Link]
Mashable » Spider-Man, Captain America, Naked Cowboy Arrested in Times Square
The New York Police Department cracked down on Times Square characters this weekend, arresting Naked Cowboy, Captain America, Spider-Man and Jessie the Cowgirl from Toy Story. The crackdown followed the Saturday arrest of Junior Bishop, who was dressed as Spider-Man at the time. The practice of dressing up as a kid-friendly character, and taking photos with tourists in exchange for tips, … [Link]
Mashable » Parkour Team Invades Paris to Recreate 'Assassin's Creed Unity'
We've seen LED-powered parkour and even cat parkour (a.k.a. "purr-kour"), but now, a new video takes viewers to the streets of Paris to show us how Assassin's Creed would look in real life Emulating the four-man team shown in the latest version of the game, Assassin's Creed Unity, convincingly costumed freerunners chase two 18th-century French soldiers through the city in … [Link]
Slashdot » Samsung Delays Tizen Phone Launch
New submitter tekxtc (136198) writes Slashdot has reported in the past that a Tizen phone is coming and that the design and photos leaked. But, it has just been announced that the launch of the first Tizen phone has been delayed because of Tizen's small ecosystem. Should it ever ship? Haven't Android and iOS completely cornered the market? Is there … [Link]
Mashable » Islamic State Jihadist Group Opens Marriage Matchmaking Office
The Islamic State, the extremist group that has taken control of large swaths of Syria and Iraq in the last few weeks, has reportedly opened a matchmaking office to help women marry its fighters The group, formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) and long designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State, has … [Link]
Mashable » Goat Gets Stuck in a Hole, Friends Definitely Make It Worse
This is one baaad situation. An adorable goat, perhaps after too much roughhousing, got stuck in a hole at his home in Champaign, Illinois. To make matters worse, the poor little guy's confused bleats for help went unheeded — save for one other goat, who attempted to save him by repeatedly ramming him in the face. Dude, you're making it … [Link]
Mashable » It's Finally Over: Donald Sterling Loses Bid to Block Clippers Sale
Finally, after months of noise and nonsense, the saga of disgraced Donald Sterling and his Los Angeles Clippers appears to have reached its end. Judge Michael Levanas ruled Monday against Sterling's bid to block the sale of the Clippers by his estranged wife Shelly, clearing the way for the $2 billion sale of the team to ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. That … [Link]
Slashdot » A Credit Card-Sized, Arduino-Based Game Device (Video)
Slashdot's Tim Lord was cruising the halls at OSCON, where he spotted Kevin Bates and his tiny Arduino-based device, called the Arduboy. On Kevin's Tindie.com sales page, he says the games it can run include, "Space Rocks, Snake, Flappy Ball, Chess, Breakout, and many more…The most exciting one could be made by you!" || His work with Arduboy got Kevin … [Link]
Mashable » 6 Meteor Showers to Watch For in the Next Month
Each summer, amateur astronomers from all over the world look forward to observing the famous Perseid meteor shower, but often overlook six lesser celestial fireworks displays that reach their peak between July 28 and Aug. 20. This year, a bright nearly-full moon will seriously interfere with Perseid meteor observing, so why not take this opportunity to try and view the other … [Link]
Mashable » Kevin Smith's 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Set May Restore the Magic of Movies
This should go without saying, seeing as how it is Kevin Smith and all, but this 19-minute, uncensored video of the Clerks director recounting his visit to the set of J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII is NSFW due to language. But it's also passionate, funny, insightful, nostalgic, raunchy and beautiful — and it just might remind you why you love … [Link]
Mashable » First Trailer for 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' Declares War
Warner Bros. released the first trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and it asks one crucial question: "Will you follow me, one last time?" Despite hosting a panel during Comic-Con, Warner Bros. waited to release the trailer for the third installment of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy until Monday. In the teaser, we see that Bilbo … [Link]
Slashdot » New Findings On Graphene As a Conductor With IC Components
ClockEndGooner (1323377) writes Philadelphia's NPR affiliate, WHYY FM, reported today on their Newsworks program that a research team at the University of Pennsylvania have released their preliminary findings on the use of graphene as a conductor in the next generation of computer chips. From the article: "'It's very, very strong mechanically, and it is an excellent electronic material that might … [Link]
Slashdot » The Misleading Fliers Comcast Used To Kill Off a Local Internet Competitor
Jason Koebler (3528235) writes In the months and weeks leading up to a referendum vote that would have established a locally owned fiber network in three small Illinois cities, Comcast and SBC (now AT&T) bombarded residents and city council members with disinformation, exaggerations, and outright lies to ensure the measure failed. The series of two-sided postcards painted municipal broadband as … [Link]
Mashable » Rare Tornado Slams Boston Area
A storm system that wreaked havoc across the eastern half of the U.S. spawned a rather rare tornado just north of Boston on Monday, ripping roofs off homes, uprooting dozens of large trees and forcing businesses to close. The tornado — a rarity in Massachusetts and virtually unheard of in the Boston area — touched down in Revere, a coastal city … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » How Much Sleep Do You Actually Need? + How to Get Better Sleep [Science Videos]
The video on how to get better sleep is below! Feeling tired? As our lives get busier and busier we tend to sleep less and less. So what does science say about how much you SHOULD be sleeping? [ASAPScience] [Link]
Mashable » The Countries Where Human Progress Is Fastest and Slowest
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) published its annual Human Development Report, which focuses on human vulnerability worldwide, last week. In measuring progress of human development, the report ranked 187 countries based on indicators such as longevity, education and standard of living. Norway topped the list with very high human development, followed by Australia, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United States. … [Link]
Mashable » Internet Trolls Soccer Star Frank Lampard's #AskLamps Twitter Q&A
Welcome to the world of ill-conceived hashtags, Frank Lampard. The former English national team midfielder and the all-time leading goal scorer for renowned English soccer club Chelsea took to Twitter on Monday to participate in a Q&A, after he recently signed with Major League Soccer's New York City FC on Thursday. See also: Fans Storm Pitch to Nab Selfie With Soccer … [Link]
Mashable » Three Out-of-Print J.D. Salinger Stories Are Now Legally Republished
Right under the noses of J.D. Salinger fans and the publishing world, three out-of-print short stories by Salinger were legally republished and have been available since May. The stories "The Young Folks," "Go See Eddie" and "Once a Week Won't Kill You" were published by small, independent publisher Devault-Graves after a very careful, arduous process of acquiring the rights. See also: … [Link]
Slashdot » A Fictional Compression Metric Moves Into the Real World
Tekla Perry (3034735) writes The 'Weissman Score' — created for HBO's "Silicon Valley" to add dramatic flair to the show's race to build the best compression algorithm — creates a single score by considering both the compression ratio and the compression speed. While it was created for a TV show, it does really work, and it's quickly migrating into academia. … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » How 5 Natural Language Processing APIs Stack Up
The world is awash in digital data. The challenge: making sense of that data. To tackle that challenge, a growing number of companies are turning to natural language processing technology to understand and monetize their data.
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ProgrammableWeb.com » 18F Releases API Standards for Government Agencies
Thanks to the rise of open data initiatives and new laws, government agencies are increasingly looking to distribute their data using APIs. In an effort to support the development of APIs that enable those agencies to effectively serve their stakeholders and the public, the General Services Administration has published a set of API standards.
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Mashable » Amazon Jumps on the 3D Printing Bandwagon
As 3D printing continues to revolutionize a broad range of industries, retail giant Amazon is getting in on the action by launching its own 3D printing store Monday A new tab on the Seattle-based company's website allows users to select objects to print out. More than 200 items are available to choose from, including toys, jewelry, phone cases and even bobbleheads. … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The First Trailer for THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES is Here! [Video]
It’s finally here: the first trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies! [Warner Bros UK] [Link]
Mashable » A Disturbing Look at Today's Celebrities, 60 Years in the Future
Not all of us age with grace. The world of smartphones has brought us countless innovations, drastically changing our everyday lives. But, with these innovative hand computers also comes fun and creative opportunities to waste time. Like making yourself look like a Golden Girls cast member. See also: Celebrity 'Nosemouth' Is Just Snot Normal Apps that modify your appearance are nothing … [Link]
Mashable » Good Luck Finding a Lyft Car in New York City
Lyft officially launched in New York City on Friday, but the ride-sharing service is off to a bumpy start After negotiations with city regulators, Lyft was allowed to launch this weekend, provided that its vehicles were licensed with the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). See also: 5 Premium Apps for Car Enthusiasts The TLC requirements include providing fingerprints … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook's Bolt Faces Challenges Over Its Name Before It's Even Launched
Bolt — the rumored photo messaging app Facebook accidentally leaked — has't even been released, yet it's already facing potential legal threats over its name. Last week, some Instagram users reported seeing in-app ads for a photo messaging app dubbed "Bolt." Rumor has it that Bolt will be Instagram's version of Snapchat and the app could drop as early as this … [Link]
Mashable » OkCupid Defends Human Experiments: 'That's How Websites Work'
While news of Facebook's emotion-manipulation study sparked public outrage and investigations from regulators, dating site OkCupid is letting its users know that human experiments are a reality of using the Internet. In a post called "We Experiment on Human Beings," founder Christian Rudder took to OkCupid's blog Monday to defend human experimentation and remind users that such tests are extremely common … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist
All the latest on newscientist.com: tech for your tongue, fossils on the moon, the intelligence of flocks, nothing spooky about genetic modification and more 
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Mashable » Fitbit Steps Into Windows Phone
If you've been holding back on buying a Windows Phone because you weren't able to use your Fitbit with it, that excuse is officially gone. Fitbit is launching a version of its app for Windows Phone on Monday, letting users sync and share their fitness data via a native app. Fitbit for Windows Phone pairs with a wearable activity tracker like … [Link]
Mashable » New Fears About Ebola Spread After Plane Scare
DAKAR, Senegal — No one knows for sure just how many people Patrick Sawyer came into contact with the day he boarded a flight in Liberia, had a stopover in Ghana, changed planes in Togo, and then arrived in Nigeria, where authorities say he died days later from Ebola, one of the deadliest diseases known to man. Now health workers are … [Link]
Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: Preparing an Android Tablet For Resale?
UrsaMajor987 (3604759) writes I have a Asus Transformer tablet that I dropped on the floor. There is no obvious sign of damage but It will no longer boot. Good excuse to get a newer model. I intend to sell it for parts (it comes with an undamaged keyboard) or maybe just toss it. I want to remove all my personal … [Link]
Mashable » Dramatic 'Batkid Begins' Trailer Relives Leukemia Survivor's Dream Day
Ben Affleck, who will don a bulky Batman suit in the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie, said so himself. Batkid is the "best Batman ever." Sorry, Christian Bale, George Clooney, Val Kilmer, Michael Keaton and every other Batsuit filler ever. Batkid is Miles Scott, a leukemia survivor who last year when he was 5 years old "saved … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Lithium Anode Could Boost Cellphone Battery Life & Electric Car Range
Stanford researchers have created a stable pure lithium anode. It’s a huge step towards a dramatic increase in battery capacity. We currently refer to rechargable batteries in portable devices as being “lithium ion” rather than simply lithium because today’s models only use lithium in the electrolyte and not the anode, which is usually silicon or graphite. A lithium anode would … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Rogue waves: The real monsters of the deep
They were dismissed as sailors' tall tales, but they're real: huge waves that rise without warning and can destroy ships. Is there any way to predict them? (full text available to subscribers) 
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New Scientist – News » Protector gene's evil twin linked to spread of cancer
A newly discovered variant of a protein that helps protect us against cancer may trigger cancer and promote its spread around the body 
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Mashable » More than 90% of Human DNA Is Useless 'Junk,' Study Finds
More than a decade has passed since the completion of the Human Genome Project, the international collaboration to map all of the "letters" in our DNA. The huge effort led to revolutionary genomic discoveries, but more than 10 years later, it's still unclear what percentage of the human genome is actually doing something important. A new study suggests that only 8.2% … [Link]
Mashable » Welcome Back to Baghdad: A Part of My Life I Had Forgotten
Editor’s note: Some of the names used in this dispatch have been changed to protect people’s identities. I arrive at Baghdad Airport shortly before 4 a.m., darkness still covering the desert below as I fly in from Istanbul. After not more than an hour of sleep, I stumble into the Baghdad airport, clear immigration and collect my bags. The airport is … [Link]
Slashdot » Lots Of People Really Want Slideout-Keyboard Phones: Where Are They?
Bennett Haselton writes: I can't stand switching from a slideout-keyboard phone to a touchscreen phone, and my own informal online survey found a slight majority of people who prefer slideout keyboards even more than I do. Why will no carrier make them available, at any price, except occasionally as the crummiest low-end phones in the store? Bennett's been asking around, … [Link]
Mashable » Imminent Windows Phone Update Will Introduce Folder Support
Windows Phone, the land of dynamic live tiles of various sizes, will soon be a little more like iOS and Android: An update to the platform will introduce the ability to drag several live tiles into a single folder on the home screen. For other platforms, the introduction of home screen folders was a housekeeping move (arriving with iOS 4 in … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Star Trek: TNG Pizza Cutter
There’s the traditional Star Trek pizza cutter, and now, there’s also one based on TNG’s iconic Enterprise NCC-1701-D. Engage. [Star Trek: TNG Pizza Cutter – Available @ Amazon.com] [Link]
New Scientist – News » A parent's guide to reading a baby's mind
The Psychology of Babies by Lynne Murray is a fascinating insight into infant minds – but don't be surprised if it turns you into a worried armchair expert 
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ProgrammableWeb.com » The Human Rights Foundation Will Host 'Hack North Korea'
The Human Rights Foundation will host the first ever “Hack North Korea” hackathon next month. The two-day hackathon will focus on developing innovative ways to get information into the walled-off North Korea.
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Mashable » 'Sons of Anarchy' Books 'Glee' Star Lea Michele for Guest Spot
Sons of Anarchy's love of out-of-the-box guest casting continues The latest recruit? Glee's Lea Michele, who tweeted news of her upcoming guest stint on the show Monday, writing, "I'll be appearing on an episode of my favorite show @SonsofAnarchy! Thank you so much @Harparbar & @sutterink #SOAFX." See also: 13 Devastating Emmy Snubs I'll be appearing on an episode of my … [Link]
Slashdot » US States Edge Toward Cryptocoin Regulation
SonicSpike points out an article from the Pew Charitable Trusts' Research & Analysis department on the legislation and regulation schemes emerging in at least a few states in reaction to the increasing use of digital currencies like Bitcoin. A working group called the Conference of State Bank Supervisors’ Emerging Payments Task Force has been surveying the current landscape of state … [Link]
Mashable » Fans Storm Pitch to Nab Selfie With Soccer Star Mario Balotelli
Fan storming the pitch during soccer matches isn't all that uncommon an occurrence in the beautiful game — usually it's a way for spectators to illegally pay homage to their favorite stars. But no one's captured the ol' zeitgeist better than two AC Milan supporters who stormed the field during a friendly on Sunday in Pittsburg, then nabbed a selfie … [Link]
Mashable » What Are Successful Strategies for Establishing a Career in Management?
This question originally appeared on Quora.I'm looking to eventually make my way into management, and looking for general strategies. Is it more important to network, find mentors, stay at a company long-term, build technical skills, do something spectacular or be a career-hopping nomad?Answer by Corrie Hausman, human resources specialist and historian. A few important questions to ask yourself now: Why do … [Link]
Slashdot » Internet Census 2012 Data Examined: Authentic, But Chaotic and Unethical
An anonymous reader writes "A team of researchers at the TU Berlin and RWTH Aachen presented an analysis of the Internet Census 2012 data set (here's the PDF) in the July edition of the ACM Sigcomm Computer Communication Review journal. After its release on March 17, 2013 by an anonymous author, the Internet Census data created an immediate media buzz, … [Link]
Mashable » Italy's Newest Theme Park Crams Every Classic Film on One Surreal Lot
A new amusement park outside Rome celebrates the world of cinema, taking visitors back to the golden age of Italian film production when the Rome-based Cinecittá Studios — still in operation — were known as "Hollywood on the Tiber." Cinecittá is Italian for "Cinema City." "Here, the idea is that people will also enter not only sets, but the confusion of … [Link]
Mashable » Amazon Jumps Into 3D Printing Game With On-Demand Store
Amazon has always been an on-demand marketplace of sorts; it can ship virtually anything in two days. But now, the online retail giant is taking "on demand" to a new level with its first 3D printing product marketplace. As its name suggests, the 3D Printing Store is a place where you can select and customize products that are then 3D printed … [Link]
New Scientist – News » UK failing to protect bees from pesticides, say MPs
A report by the Environmental Audit Committee says the UK's coalition government is too soft on neonicotinoid pesticides that harm pollinating insects 
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Slashdot » Oracle Offers Custom Intel Chips and Unanticipated Costs
jfruh (300774) writes "For some time, Intel has been offering custom-tweaked chips to big customers. While most of the companies that have taken them up on this offer, like Facebook and eBay, put the chips into servers meant for internal use, Oracle will now be selling systems running on custom Xeons directly to end users. Those customers need to be … [Link]
Mashable » 'Orange Is the New Black': How Much Do You Really Know?
How much do you really know about the inmates of Litchfield? Diehard Orange Is the New Black fans are familiar with each character's quirks, from Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren's affinity for pie to Red's obsession with an elusive chicken See also: Keep Frenemies Close With These 10 Tips From 'Orange is the New Black' Printing company Pixaprints and designer Claire Stokoe … [Link]
Mashable » U.N. Releases Satellite Images of Destruction in Gaza
The United Nations this weekend released images showing the destruction in Gaza caused by fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas militants. The pictures show areas in Gaza before the conflict began on July 6 and the damage done by July 25. The images also identify structures that have been destroyed and "severely" or "moderately" damaged in Gaza City, Toffah, Shijaia … [Link]
Mashable » Now You Can Tweet a Coke to a Friend for $5
Following in the footsteps of Starbucks, which launched a similar program last October, Coca-Cola on Monday began letting friends send Cokes to each other via Twitter. The Tweet-A-Coke promotion lets you tweet a link to a friend that, once opened, lets them order a Coke at participating Regal Cinemas locations. To send the Coke, you have to authenticate your Twitter account … [Link]
Mashable » New Travel App Finds Last-Minute Flight Deals for the Spontaneous
There are apps that let you call a car at a moment's notice, or book a hotel for tonight, but last-minute airfare deals haven't yet seen the same level of success. And for good reason: The best airfare prices are usually found more than three weeks before a flight departs. But travelers who have some flexibility could take advantage of falling … [Link]
Slashdot » Attackers Install DDoS Bots On Amazon Cloud
itwbennett (1594911) writes "Attackers are exploiting a vulnerability in distributed search engine software Elasticsearch to install DDoS malware on Amazon and possibly other cloud servers. Last week security researchers from Kaspersky Lab found new variants of Mayday, a Trojan program for Linux that's used to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The malware supports several DDoS techniques, including DNS amplification. One … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Ancient Earth fossils could be found on the moon
Experiments with a large cannon have shown that fossilised algae could have travelled to the moon intact, providing an exciting window into Earth's past 
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Mashable » Enough of the Squatters. Airbnb Has Its Eye on Business Travelers
Airbnb announced its official move into business travel with a partnership with Concur on Monday. Its new portal is designed specifically for businesses. Business travel has already shown promise as a lucrative source of revenue for the popular short-term rental booking site. See also: New York Goes to War Against Airbnb for Disrupting Hotel Business “We know Airbnb isn’t for every … [Link]
Mashable » Cortana Defeats Siri in Windows Phone Ad
Siri is the world's most famous smartphone voice assistant, but she's hardly the only game in town. In fact, one of her rivals, Windows Phone's Cortana, thinks she can do a better job. In the latest ad from Microsoft, Cortana shows off her big differentiators over Siri. First, the owner creates a "person reminder," a type of reminder that's tied … [Link]
Mashable » Apple's iBeacons Come to Lord & Taylor and Hudson's Bay Stores
Apple’s iBeacon sensors will be available at Lord & Taylor stores in the United States and select Hudson's Bay stores in Canada starting Monday, offering customers a more unique in-store shopping experience using mobile devices. iBeacon has rolled out across other retail chains in the past, but this is one of the first instances of such a concentrated effort for a … [Link]
Mashable » The App Apocalypse Is Upon Us
A new report shows that nearly 80% of the apps in Apple's App Store are barely being used The industry coined term for them is, appropriately, "zombie apps." (And who says big-wig analytic folks can't be clever?) See also: 10 Apps That Will Help You Sleep Better In the newest episode of Mashable Minute, Elliott tries to figure why so … [Link]
Mashable » Every Detail of 'World of Warcraft' History in 41 Minutes
Whether you've been exploring the world of Azeroth for years or have only dabbled in World of Warcraft, there is a lot about the franchise's deep history you probably don't know. YouTube user Nobbel87 broke down the entire origin story of the Warcraft franchise — from the strategy games, to World of Warcraft — in one doozy of a video. … [Link]
Slashdot » Google's Mapping Contest Draws Ire From Indian Government
hypnosec writes with news that India's Central Bureau of Investigation has ordered a preliminary enquiry (PE) against Google for violating Indian laws by mapping sensitive areas and defence installations in the country. As per the PE, registered on the basis of a complaint made by the Surveyor General of India's office to the Union Home Ministry, Google has been accused … [Link]
Mashable » 7 iPad Apps to Help Students With Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a language-based disorder that makes reading, recognizing words, spelling and decoding especially difficultMore than 20% of the U.S. population is dyslexic, according to the National Institutes of Health, yet stigma and misconceptions often prevent dyslexic people from seeking help. It's something you're born with, but while dyslexia is a lifelong learning disability, early and effective methods can decrease its … [Link]
Mashable » Would You Pay $100 a Year to Hear What Sarah Palin Has to Say?
Sarah Palin is testing the fervency of her following by offering fans access to her "unfiltered" views and her personal life. The cost: $99.95 per year The former Republican vice presidential nominee and former Alaskan governor has launched a new online subscription TV channel, aptly titled the Sarah Palin Channel, that she bills as "a news channel that really is … [Link]
Mashable » Hamas Shows Off Downed Drone
Two weeks ago, Israel boasted of shooting down an Hamas drone. Now, it's Hamas' turn to try to score some propaganda points by showing off what looks like a downed Israeli drone. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' militant wing, released a new video on Monday in which a masked militant holds what appears to be a damaged Israeli reconnaissance drone … [Link]
Slashdot » Stanford Team Creates Stable Lithium Anode Using Honeycomb Film
puddingebola (2036796) writes "A team at Stanford has created a stable Lithium anode battery using a carbon honeycomb film. The film is described as a nanosphere layer that allows for the expansion of Lithium during use, and is suitable as a barrier between anode and cathode. Use of a lithium anode improves the coulombic efficiency and could result in longer … [Link]
Mashable » TouchPico Projector Turns Any Wall Into a Touchscreen
Handheld projectors are nothing new, but TouchPico from TouchJet offers a new twist that could be useful: the ability to turn any flat surface into an interactive screen. The small, white hand-sized device runs any Android app and projects up to an 854 x 480 pixel, 80-inch image on any wall. At 150 lumens, it lights up any room, and ships … [Link]
Mashable » Study: Not Getting Enough Sleep Can Lead to False Memories
A lack of sleep may cause you to develop memories of events that never actually happened, according to a new study from researchers at Michigan State University and the University of California, Irvine. Stephen Frenda, who helped lead the study, explains he wanted to look specifically at how sleep loss affects people's recollections of detailed events. The experiment involved 104 … [Link]
Slashdot » Build Your Own Gatling Rubber Band Machine Gun
New submitter melarky (3767369) writes This is a fun weekend project that most nerds will appreciate. Step by step instructions and also a handy video will make the construction of this project fast and easy. I have seen lots of plans for sale (or actual guns/kits for sale), but couldn't seem to find any plans for free. I played around … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Our Leader the Mockingjay – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I Trailer [Video]
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1… Coming to theaters November 21, 2014. [The Hunger Games] [Link]
Mashable » Virgin America Files for U.S. IPO
Virgin America, the U.S. airline partly owned by billionaire Richard Branson, has filed for an initial public offering in the U.S. The company hasn't revealed how much it plans to raise by going public yet, though its has previously said it plans to raise $115 million See also: Report: Virgin America and JetBlue Are the Best Airlines in the U.S. Paperwork … [Link]
Slashdot » World's Largest Amphibious Aircraft Goes Into Production In China
stephendavion (2872091) writes "Chinese aircraft manufacturer China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA) has started trial production of its TA600 amphibious aircraft, claimed to be the world's largest of its kind. With an expected maiden flight late next year, the Chinese plane would replace Japan's ShinMaywa US-2 short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft as the largest of its kind globally." Take … [Link]
Mashable » Apple Buys Streaming Talk Radio and Podcast Startup Swell
Apple’s recent acquisitive mood continued with the purchase of Swell, a start-up that runs a popular personalized talk radio and podcast app. The deal, first reported by Re/code, comes in around $30 million. The company had raised $7.2 million in venture funding. See also: 14 Podcasts to Help You Forget About Your Crummy Commute The app, which had been free on … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Bahamian paradise built by bacteria using Saharan dust
The islands of the Bahamas sit on a mysterious limestone column that may have its origins in a desert 8000 kilometres away 
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Mashable » A Really, Really Excited Dog Faints After Reuniting With Owner
Nothing can match the love of a devoted dog. This cute pup was overwhelmed with joy after seeing her owner for the first time in two years — so excited, in fact, that she briefly passed out like a teenager seeing the Beatles in the '60s. Don't worry, though; the dog's owner, Rebecca Ehalt, says that the dog was checked … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2014 Cosplay in Pictures: The Final Day [Photo Gallery]
Noooooo, San Diego Comic-Con 2014 is already over! We’ve posted photo galleries for all previous days, and now, here’s the one for Sunday. A massive thank you to Nick Acott for covering the event for us! If you’re looking for an awesome and dedicated photographer and live in the UK, Nick is always looking for work! I’ve also included a … [Link]
Mashable » Zillow Buying Trulia for $3.5 Billion
The online real estate market moved toward consolidation Monday morning as Zillow announced it was buying Trulia for $3.5 billion. In a statement announcing the all-stock transaction, Zillow said Trulia would maintain its distinct identity. Trulia CEO Pete Flint will remain chief executive of that company, but report to Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff See also: 5 Ways Big Data Is Changing … [Link]
Slashdot » The Oculus Rift DK2: In-Depth Review (and Comparison To DK1)
Benz145 (1869518) writes "The hotly anticipated Oculus Rift DK2 has begun arriving at doorsteps. The DK2s enhancements include optical positional tracking and a higher resolution panel, up from 1280×800 to 1920×1080 (1080p) and moved to a pentile-matrix OLED panel for display duties. This means higher levels of resolvable detail and a much reduced screen door effect. The panel features low … [Link]
Mashable » Vine Star Shawn Mendes Reached No. 1 on iTunes in Just 37 Minutes
“Let’s get this bad boy to No. 1," Vine star Shawn Mendes told nearly 26,000 fans who were watching his live stream commemorating the release of his first EP on Sunday night Smiling at the camera in a small studio in Dallas, the 15-year-old urged the viewers to tweet "#ShawnToNumber1," and within 37 minutes of making the EP available on iTunes, … [Link]
Mashable » Hackers Turn ATM Into Awesome 'Doom' Player
SYDNEY — It's not every day people get excited over an ATM being hacked. That's because the offenders don't normally smash it up to put the legendary game Doom inside. One ingenious Australian lad, who goes by the moniker Aussie50 or Ed Jones, posted a video on YouTube showing off his wicked gaming machine. He gave credit to his partner … [Link]
Mashable » MH17 Black Boxes Reveal 'Missile Explosion' Caused Crash in Ukraine
Black box data from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 indicates that the plane crashed as a result of a "missile explosion," Ukraine defense officials said on Monday Pro-Russian rebels, who were early on scene after the crash and closely guarded the site, turned over the black boxes to Malaysian authorities last week in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk. The flight data … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Robot carers and exoskeletons: Latest disability tech
Inventors are extending the powers and independence of people who are disabled or can't look after themselves – and the tech is spinning off in surprising directions 
[Link]
Slashdot » Suddenly Visible: Illicit Drugs As Part of Silicon Valley Culture
The recent death by overdose of Google executive Timothy Hayes has drawn attention to the phenomenon of illegal drug use (including abuse of prescription painkillers) among technology workers and executives in high-pay, high-stress Silicon Valley. The Mercury News takes a look at the phenomenon; do the descriptions of freely passed cocaine, Red Bull as a gateway drug, and complacent managers … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 68% Off The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy on Blu-Ray (Extended) – $37.99 + FREE Shipping
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon has The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy on Blu-Ray (Extended) for just $37.99 + FREE shipping. THat’s 68% off on the trilogy’s regular list price of $119.98. -The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy on Blu-Ray (Extended) – $119.98 $37.99 + FREE Shipping (68% Off) [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » GAS Interviews Guillermo del Toro! (Yes, THAT Guillermo del Toro!)
Born in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1964, writer-producer-director Guillermo del Toro has been working steadily in the film industry since the early 1990s, but his career really began to take off after directing Mimic in 1997. Right after that came The Devil’s Backbone, Hellboy, the Oscar-winning Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy 2, and of course, Pacific Rim. While he has 17 director credits … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Book Report [Cyanide & Happiness Video]
A Maaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnn. [Cyanide & Happiness] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Getting Engaged Captain Picard-Style [Pic]
[Via Dorkly | /r/pics] [Link]
Mashable » Want to Attend 'The Giver' Premiere? Weinstein Gamifies the Guest List
Sameness. It's the bland plan citizens in The Giver novel and upcoming film adaptation abide by, but it's also a word you could use to describe movie premieres. They're all alike Like Jonas in the colorless tale, however, the Weinstein Company wants fans to experience more, feel more, when it comes to The Giver premiere in New York City. The film … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » A Compilation of Amazing Chemical Reactions [Video]
Check out this video featuring a series of awesome chemical reaction [Arun kumar | Via The Presurfer] [Link]
Mashable » How to Answer Your Most Confusing Emails
Every now and again, I’ll receive one of those emails that makes me say: “Huh?” My face contorts into an expression of massive confusion, and I’m left not quite sure what to respond. I can tell from the length or the content of the email that a response is needed, but something about the message has made even getting started on … [Link]
Mashable » 10 Rising Social Networks You Should Explore
Had enough of Facebook and Twitter? It may be time to switch up your go-to social network With the daily explosion of startups, there are plenty of new social media tools popping up. These newer platforms could be working on the next big thing, so you'll want to keep an eye out. See also: 10 Must-Follow Breaking News Accounts on Twitter … [Link]
Mashable » Let's Talk About 'Lucy': That Nutso Ending Is Using 0% of Your Brain
Editor’s note: Every week Mashable presents "Let’s Talk About," a look back at the biggest WTF stuff from the weekend’s new releases. If you haven’t seen the movie, be warned: This is a SPOILER MINEFIELD. This week: Let's talk about Lucy … No one can accuse Luc Besson of not using 100% of is creative energy on this one. 100% of … [Link]
Mashable » Police Team Abandons Attempt to Reach Ukraine Crash Site
SHAKHTARSK, Ukraine — An international police team abandoned its attempt to reach the crash site of a Malaysia Airlines plane for a second day running Monday as clashes raged in a town on the road to the area. With government troops intensifying their push to claw back more territory from pro-Russian separatist rebels, the death toll is mounting steadily. The United … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 28 July 2014
streisand — sets up a new server running L2TP/IPsec, OpenSSH, OpenVPN, Shadowsocks, Stunnel, and a Tor bridge. It also generates custom configuration instructions for all of these services. At the end of the run you are given an HTML file … [Link]
Mashable » Sexism in Tech Runs Deep and Global
In the cool world of tech, gender discrimination is so uncool that it is rarely overt. But scratch the surface, and you will soon see shades of sexism in startup hubs the world over, from the Bay Area to Bangalore and Beijing. When it comes to women in tech, it seems like there are no borders — they face the same … [Link]
Slashdot » Microsoft's Nokia Plans Come Into Better Focus
Forbes has an update on what sort of future Nokia faces, as Microsoft reveals a strategy for making sense of the acquisition: [Microsoft EVP of devices Stephen] Elop laid out a framework for cost cuts in a memo to employees on July 17. Devices would focus on high and low cost Windows smartphones, suggesting a phasing out of feature phones … [Link]
Mashable » Man Dies After Lightning Hits California Beach
LOS ANGELES — A 20-year-old man died after lightning from a rare summer thunderstorm jolted a Southern California beach, injuring or rattling more than a dozen people, authorities said. Witnesses said they saw a glare of light and heard a tremendous boom as lightning struck the water off of Venice Beach around 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Swimmers cooling off on a muggy … [Link]
Mashable » Second American Infected With Ebola in Liberia
BOONE, N.C. — A second American aid worker has tested positive for the Ebola virus at the same hospital in Liberia where an American doctor became infected while helping to combat an outbreak of the deadly disease, a relief group official said Sunday. Ken Isaacs, a vice president of Samaritan's Purse, told The Associated Press that Dr. Kent Brantly — the … [Link]
Mashable » Amazon Could Be Looking to Launch a Credit Card Reader
Amazon might be preparing to launch a Square-like credit card reader, according to a leaked Staples document obtained by 9to5Mac. In the document, Staples lists an "Amazon card reader" among other similar devices, including Paypal's Here mobile card reader, several Casio cash registers and Staples' own credit card reader See also: Amazon Fire: The Phone That Makes You a Star The … [Link]
New Scientist – News » We're putting a forest on a climate-change fast-track
An ambitious experiment that exposes a natural woodland to rising carbon dioxide levels will tell us what's in store for the world's trees, says Rob Mackenzie 
[Link]
Mashable » Leaked Document Shows Harsh Piracy Crackdown in Australia
SYDNEY — There's a lot of talk in Australia about the high number of pirates hanging out on our shores. Earlier this year, Australia had the highest number of illegal downloads of Game of Thrones season four. The government was not impressed. In response to the high rate of piracy, the Australian government started to look at ways to crackdown on … [Link]
Slashdot » How Bird Flocks Resemble Liquid Helium
sciencehabit (1205606) writes "A flock of starlings flies as one, a spectacular display in which each bird flits about as if in a well-choreographed dance. Everyone seems to know exactly when and where to turn. Now, for the first time, researchers have measured how that knowledge moves through the flock—a behavior that mirrors certain quantum phenomena of liquid helium. Some … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Genetic moderation is needed to debate our food future
GM is now a term loaded with baggage. Scientists must allow for people's objections to show the public there's nothing "spooky" about it, says Susan Watts 
[Link]
Mashable » 'Halt and Catch Fire' Episode 9 Recap: It's a Mac Attack
What is the cost of a PC? In 1983, an IBM Personal Computer could set you back about $5,000; but that’s just the price of the computer itself. What is the cost of the build, of the labor, of the legal battles and all of the dead ends encountered along the way? SEE ALSO: 'Halt and Catch Fire' Episode 8 Recap: … [Link]
Mashable » 'The Leftovers' Episode 5 Recap: A Stone Cold Murder
This week’s The Leftovers, the darkest and most disturbing yet, opens with a familiar face getting stoned to death by a group of masked men. It’s a horrific scene — a Guilty Remnant devotee, the steely-eyed librarian type seen around town on recruiting missions and spreading the religious group’s philosophy of detached enlightenment, breaks her vow of silence to urge the … [Link]
Mashable » Why You Need to Let a Stranger Draw Your Selfie
With more than one million app downloads and counting, it's safe to say that the Titanic-inspired "French Girls" app is off and running. The app's premise is a simple one: take a selfie, send it to a stranger and they'll draw their interpretation of that selfie. Sound risky? It is. See also: 10 Photorealistic Portraits That Will Wow You Sometimes crude, … [Link]
Mashable » 'Hunger Games: Mockingjay' Trailer: Katniss Is Ready to Fight Capitol
The late Philip Seymour Hoffman, portraying the rebellious Hunger Games gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, opens the first official Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 teaser trailer with stern advice for District 13's President Coin (played by Julianne Moore) "Listen to me. No one else can do this but [Katniss]," Heavensbee tells Coin. "We need to unite these people out there. She … [Link]
Mashable » Drone Beat: Obama's Executive Order, a 20-Minute Rescue and More
The U.S. government uses them to bomb alleged terrorists in far-away places. Tech companies like Amazon, Google and Facebook are all toying with the idea of using them, and now they're a photographer's secret weapon. Drones are a big part of our lives, whether we see them or not. Drone Beat collects the best and most important stories every week. Drone … [Link]
Mashable » 'Supernatural' Star Misha Collins Wants You to Beat William Shatner for Charity
It’s a special year for Supernatural star Misha Collins' worldwide charity scavenger hunt, GISHWHES. (Short for the modest title, Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen.) It's their fourth year, they're looking to add three more world records to their existing five, and this is the first year the event features celebrity-led teams The latter point is arguably the … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » JoT #2027: Do the Dynamic Perspective!
Jeff Bezos shows you how to do the latest dance craze! If you enjoyed the comic, please retweet, Like, or share the URL, before your wrists get tired! [Link]
Slashdot » Popular Android Apps Full of Bugs: Researchers Blame Recycling of Code
New submitter Brett W (3715683) writes The security researchers that first published the 'Heartbleed' vulnerabilities in OpenSSL have spent the last few months auditing the Top 50 downloaded Android apps for vulnerabilities and have found issues with at least half of them. Many send user data to ad networks without consent, potentially without the publisher or even the app developer … [Link]
Mashable » Horrifying 'River Of Blood' Appears in China
Locals in the Chinese city of Wenzhou woke up to a mysteriously blood-red river Thursday morning According to China Radio International, the river began to redden at 6 a.m. local time, baffling residents who have spent their entire lives in the town of Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province See also: Chinese Town on Lockdown After Bubonic Plague Death Locals complained … [Link]
Mashable » Animated 'Garden State' Gifs Will Make You Come of Age All Over Again
After 10 years, Zach Braff's cult hit Garden State still holds up with audiences. From the film's universal messages about going home again, to its hilarious scenes about fast food knights, its tenth anniversary is definitely one worth celebrating. See also: 14 Things We Were Freakin' Obsessed With in 'Napoleon Dynamite' The best scenes really have it all; there's a good … [Link]
Mashable » Should Russia Still Get to Host the 2018 World Cup?
Vladimir Putin's 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, were conducted on a massively inflated budget during the open repression of gay people and political activists. Now — amid widespread suspicion about the Kremlin's role in the escalating political crisis in Ukraine that led to the recent downing of a Malaysian passenger jet — some say Putin and Russia should not be … [Link]
Mashable » Viral Video Recap: Naked Dancers Take L.A., Walter White Gets High and More
Many hope the future Earth will look somewhat like Star Wars, spaceships and shiny outfits included. But most of Star Wars culture is based around the fantasies of geeky guys. So where does that leave the women of the future? That's the question Neko Case, Ellie Kemper and Kelly Hogan attempt to answer in their song "These Aren't the Droids," … [Link]
Mashable » Lily Allen's Prank Photograph Gets Australian Police Busted
Australian Federal Police are in hot water after they were involved in a prank gone wrong with British pop star Lily Allen. As members of the police force escorted Allen through the Gold Coast Airport in Queensland, Australia, they posed for a photo in which Allen appeared to be under arrest. See also: Tasmania: The Part of Australia Everyone Forgets The … [Link]
Slashdot » Newly Discovered Virus Widespread in Human Gut
A newly discovered virus has been found by a San Diego State University team to live inside more than half of all human gut cells sampled. Exploring genetic material found in intestinal samples, the international team uncovered the CrAssphage virus. They say the virus could influence the behaviour of some of the most common bacteria in our gut. Researchers say … [Link]
Mashable » Amazon's Video Shorts Site Turns Casual Viewing Into a Shopping Opportunity
Imagine if every video on YouTube were accompanied by items related to the video that you could buy instantly — sort of like YouTube meets the Home Shopping Network. Or, more accurately, YouTube meets Amazon That appears to be the general idea behind a new part of Amazon's Instant Video website called Video Shorts. See also: Amazon Fire: The Phone That … [Link]
Mashable » Superman Has a Weird Relationship With His Birth Parents
Things are pretty strange in the Fortress of Solitude. As far as parent-child communication goes, having sporadic, philosophical arguments in a giant ice castle is probably not the healthiest. See also: How Much Does It Cost to Be Superman in Real Life? Take a look at the comic, below, in which Safely Endangered explores the creepy father-son bonding that goes on … [Link]
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