Anyone who works as a freelancer these days has to be at least a bit familiar with techie things. But it isn’t just that. When I was a kid and those vaguely SF puppet shows were on the television and all the other kids wanted to be Greg Gogetem or Steve Savetheuniverse, I wanted to be the guy in a white coat and glasses called Doc or Brains. Here are some technology-related feeds I find useful and/or entertaining.
Slashdot » NASA Releases Footage of "Flying Saucer" Braking Test, Declares Success
According to the AP, in a story carried by the San Jose Mercury News, NASA engineers insisted Friday that a test of a vehicle they hope to one day use on Mars achieved most of its objectives, despite a parachute that virtually disintegrated the moment it deployed. The engineers laid out at a news conference what they've learned in the … [Link]
Slashdot » Slashdot Asks: Should Schooing Be Year-Round?
Around the world, American schools' long summer break is viewed as an anomaly, and the long summer seems to be getting shorter. While most American primary and secondary schools used to start after Labor Day, more and more of them now open sometime in August (and that's not counting the ones that have gone to a year-round schedule). Some of … [Link]
Slashdot » Enthusiast Opts For $2200 Laser Eye Surgery To Enhance Oculus Rift Experience
An anonymous reader writes After 30 years of wearing glasses, one man says that the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset has prompted him to get laser eye surgery. With farsightedness and astigmatism, he says, "Never thought much about the laser surgery until the Rift, that's for sure." He has an appointment to get the $2200 surgery on the 13th of … [Link]
New Scientist – News » US is wasting money on too many spy satellites
A Congresssional report has scolded the National Reconnaissance Office for buying more satellites than it needs, saying it wastes billions of dollars 
[Link]
Slashdot » Experimental Drug Compound Found To Reverse Effects of Alzheimer's In Mice
Zothecula (1870348) writes "While there has been progress made in the fight against Alzheimer's, our understanding of the dispiriting disease remains somewhat limited, with a definitive cure yet to be found. The latest development comes at the hands of researchers from Yale's School of Medicine, who have discovered a new drug compound shown to reverse the effects of Alzheimer's in … [Link]
Mashable » Billy Joel Sings 'Uptown Girl' to Ex-Wife Christie Brinkley's Face in NYC
Their marriage ended in a divorce in 1994, nine years after they wed, but music legend Billy Joel and model Christie Brinkley will continue to be friends until the end Case in point: She was spotted dancing in the front row at his Madison Square Garden concert this week while he sang "Uptown Girl" during his four-song encore See also: Friend's … [Link]
Slashdot » Old School Sci-fi Short Starring Keir Dullea Utilizes Classic Effects
New submitter Wierzbowski85 (2852925) writes Indie Kickstarter-funded sci-fi short HENRi features classic visual effects and storytelling – with a twist. As detailed in Cinefex magazine (issue 134), the film itself utilizes a mixture of the old and the new — combining live-action sequences with puppetry, quarter-scale miniatures, and modern CGI. Speaking with Wired, the film's director said: "The goal was … [Link]
Mashable » #WhyWeNeedFrat Hashtag Angers Feminists and Greek Life Members
A recent video and accompanying social media push by the Greek Life culture site Total Frat Move, entitled "Why We Need Frat," is polarizing communities on Twitter and Instagram. Aimed to satire the hashtag #WhyWeNeedFeminism, the video and the surrounding conversation closely mirror the language around the feminism movement. See also: What Is Responsible Satire in the Viral Media Age? Featuring … [Link]
Slashdot » Netflix Now Works On Linux With HTML5 DRM Video Support In Chrome
An anonymous reader writes "Beginning with the Chrome 38 Beta it's now possible to watch Netflix without any Wine/Silverlight plug-ins but will work natively using Chrome's DRM-HTML5 video capabilities with Netflix. The steps just involve using the latest beta of Chrome and an HTTP user-agent switcher to tell Netflix you're a Windows Chrome user, due to Netflix arbitrarily blocking the … [Link]
Mashable » Thousands From Iraq Minority Flee to Syria
Thousands of members of a religious minority group under attack by Islamic extremists have fled across the border from Iraq to seek refuge with the Kurds of northeastern Syria, said two Kurdish officials and an activist on Saturday. Ekrem Hasso and Juan Mohammad told the Associated Press that the Yazidis fled after Kurdish fighters were able to open a safe passage … [Link]
Mashable » Female Engineers Try to Lean in But Are Pushed Out, Study Finds
Tracy Van Houten has always been infatuated with space. Over the course of two decades and two degrees, that love took Houten from a pre-engineering class in high school to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she works as an aerospace systems engineer on groundbreaking projects like the Mars Curiosity Rover Like many female engineers, though, the 32-year-old mother of two has … [Link]
Mashable » Judge Rules NCAA Can't Stop Athletes From Profiting From College Sports
“This theory is implausible." Those were just a few of the words that federal judge Claudia Wilken wrote in a 99-page ruling on Friday, demolishing the National Collegiate Athletic Association's long-held reasoning for prohibiting athletes from profiting from college sports. Wilken's ruling, which may open the doors for college football and basketball players to begin earning significant revenue from the sale … [Link]
Mashable » Artist Ruins Happily Ever After With Misbehaving Disney Characters
Happily ever after ends when reality sets in. Disney mashups typically depict your favorite characters and princesses in a new, fun lightGrumpy Cat joined Frozen, movie posters underwent a modern makeover and Disney princesses invaded Star Wars — but this remake isn't quite like the others See also: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Illustrated by Renaissance Namesakes 
Image: Art work ©2014 José … [Link]
Slashdot » For Fast Internet in the US, Virginia Tops the Charts
According to data gathered by Akamai, an analysis from Broadview Networks comes to the conclusion that the top five U.S. states for broadband speed are Virginia (at the top of the list, with an average transfer speed of 13.78 Mbps), Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Washington, with Washington, D.C. slightly edging out the similarly-named state; Alaska comes in dead last. … [Link]
Mashable » 12 Ways to Make a Staycation Feel Like a Real Getaway
Traveling can be so overrated. When you've finally earned some time off, it's important to set some boundaries. Otherwise, you'll end up curled on the couch for the week with your cat and a bag of Doritos See also: 21 Ingenious Accessories to Deck Out Your Backyard Just because you're not leaving home, doesn't mean that your vacation can't be as … [Link]
Slashdot » Brookings Study Calls Solar, Wind Power the Most Expensive Fossil Alternatives
turkeydance (1266624) writes A new study [PDF] from the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, argues that using solar and wind energy may be the most expensive alternatives to carbon-based electricity generation, even though they require no expenditures for fuel…..Specifically, this means nuclear power offers a savings of more than $400,000 worth of carbon emissions per megawatt of capacity. Solar … [Link]
Mashable » Rebel Commander in Ukraine: ‘We’re Completely Surrounded’
DONETSK, Ukraine — The enigmatic commander-in-chief of Russian-backed rebels in this separatist stronghold conceded on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had seized control of a strategically important city in neighboring Luhansk region, and now has his fighters “completely surrounded.” Igor Girkin, a Russian citizen better known by his nom de guerre Strelkov or “The Shooter,” said Krasnyi Luch, a town located at … [Link]
Mashable » 15 Fetching Crafts for Dog-Lovers
At the end of the day, there's nothing better coming home to your tail-wagging companion. Sometimes it's unclear who owns whom: the dog or the human. You'll do anything to keep your pooch happy and healthy — as long as it doesn't drain the bank account. See also: 14 Purr-Fect DIY Projects for Cat People Your dog deserves a little treat … [Link]
Mashable » Obama on Iraq: 'This Is Going to Be a Long-Term Project'
U.S. President Barack Obama announced on Saturday that initial U.S. airstrikes in Iraq had "successfully destroyed" arms and equipment belonging to Islamic State militants (formerly known as ISIS/ISIL), but added that the situation in Iraq would take a long time to repair "I don't think we are going to solve this problem in weeks," Obama said during a press conference from … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Video Game Locations: Can you Guess Them All? [Video]
Can you guess them all? Answers after the break below! —————~ CHEAT SHEET: Armadillo — Red Dead Redemption Bullworth academy — Bully/Canem canis edit City 17 — Half Life 2 Dunwall city — Dishonored Empire bay– Mafia II Facility — Goldeneye 007 Granary — Team Fortress 2 Hyrule — Zelda series Illium — Mass Effect 2 Jerusalem — Assassin’s Creed … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Gaming Nowadays [Animated Gif]
[Memebase] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » HOW TO: Make an Amazing Floating Cube [Video]
How to make a floating cube.A great illusion which looks best if you film it with a camera and watch it back. [Dave Hax] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Quicksand and Liquefaction Explained [Science Video]
The science behind quicksand and liquefaction as explained by Minute Earth! Here we explain how Port Royal – “the most wicked and sinful city in the world”, cars, roads, and huge buildings can sink into the ground during during earthquakes or blasting. [Minute Earth] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Clever Wooden Automata Simulates Droplet Falling Into Water [Video]
The object of this project was to produce an Automata that was inspired by the work of Reuben Margolin. All components were hand made the aim was to recreate the reaction of droplet as it impacts a body of water. [Dean O'Callaghan | Via TA] [Link]
Slashdot » E-Visits To the Doctor To Top 75 Million In the US, Canada This Year
Lucas123 (935744) writes "Telehealth medicine, or communicating remotely with patients through electronic means, will be used by nearly one in six North Americans this year, according to Deloitte. With an aging Baby Boomer population and a growing shortage of primary care physicians, electronic visits (eVisits) reduce both time and cost in treating common ailments. The overall cost of in-person primary … [Link]
Mashable » 12 Things You Can Do With Dryer Sheets Other Than Laundry
No one thinks twice about the purpose of dryer sheets, but they can do much more than make your shirts softer. The little miracle-workers can make your life easier well beyond the laundry room. From cleaning hacks to beauty tricks, there's no limit to what these smelly white sheets can do. See also: 26 Foods You've Been Eating All Wrong Next … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Who's driving? Autonomous vehicles have a problem
There's a strong case to be made for remotely piloted planes and self-driving cars – but letting a machine drive flies in the face of human nature 
[Link]
Slashdot » Wyoming's Natural Trap Cave Yields Huge Trove of Animal Remains
A cave in Wyoming that's easy to fall into, and hard to escape, has become a treasure trove for scientists. Scientists excavating an ancient Wyoming sinkhole containing a rare trove of fossils of Ice Age mammals have unearthed hundreds of bones of such prehistoric animals as American cheetahs, a paleontologist said on Friday. The two-week dig by an international team … [Link]
Mashable » Amazon Escalates Its War of Words With Hachette
Amazon wants to enlist you in its fight against Hachette In an open letter posted late Friday night, the Amazon Books team framed its ongoing dispute with Hachette as being about stopping the publisher from overcharging for books. Amazon then took the unusual step of revealing the email address of Hachette CEO Michael Pietsch, encouraging readers to share their complaints with … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 50% Off South Park: The Stick of Truth (PS3) – $29.99
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon has South Park: The Stick of Truth (PS3) for just $29.99. That’s 50% off on the game’s regular list price of $59.99. THE DEFINITIVE SOUTH PARK EXPERIENCE: Written and voiced by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, The Stick of Truth brings their unique brand of humor to video gaming AN EPIC … [Link]
Mashable » 11 Useful Ways to Organize Your Medicine Cabinet
It’s easy to let your medicine cabinet fall into an unorganized mess. The little cabinet in your bathroom acquires more than it was designed for. One day it's clean and the next there's bobby pins on every shelf, the toothpaste falls out every time you open the door and you can never find what you're looking for. See also: 10 Ways … [Link]
Mashable » 5 Can't-Miss Apps: NFL Now and More
Between reports that Russia-based hackers stole 1.2 billion passwords and all the uproar over the Facebook Messenger split, you may have overlooked some of this week's best new apps. Luckily, Mashable creates a roundup each weekend of our favorite new and updated apps, so you won't miss out. See also: 10 Apps That Will Help You Sleep Better This week's … [Link]
Slashdot » Add a TV Tuner To Your Xbox (In Europe)
jfruh (300774) writes "The Xbox one isn't just a game console: it's also a nifty media set-top box, and it interacts very well with your TV service — as long as you have cable. Cord-cutters will soon be able to attach their Xbox to an antenna — but only in Europe." The peripheral that Microsoft will soon release allows you … [Link]
Mashable » 8 Ice Cream Recipes Worth a Brain Freeze
Life’s too short to eat mediocre ice cream, so churn your own. Listen, we're not saying that your supermarket's two-for-one deals on ice cream cartons aren't an absolute steal. But if you really want ice cream that's rich, creamy and free of ingredients that you can't even pronounce, then homemade is the way to go. See also: 9 Unique Cookie Ice … [Link]
Mashable » 10 Strategies for a Summer Social Media Detox
Facebook is making you sad. Twitter is the root of all your procrastination issues. Instagram is turning your friends into enemies. These are just some of the claims made against social media. Whether there’s truth in these statements or not, there is one thing we can agree on: a social media cleanse can do us all a little good. Stepping away … [Link]
Slashdot » FCC Mandates Text-to-911 From All US Wireless Carriers
An anonymous reader writes "On Friday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to require all U.S. wireless carriers and popular messaging applications to support texting to emergency response units via 911. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile implemented this capability back in 2012; the FCC's vote will make it mandatory for all carriers that operate in the country as well as … [Link]
Mashable » How Schizophrenics Around the World Describe the Voices They Hear
How we define mental illness is one of the most fraught issues in psychiatry; skeptics of the psychiatric establishment fear that broad definitions of mental illness could make people see their symptoms as more problematic than necessary. A small paper in the British Journal of Psychiatry adds to the debate, offering a new perspective on how schizophrenia is experienced across cultures. Stanford anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann worked … [Link]
Mashable » Astronomer Turns Galactic Explosions Into Stellar Music
An astronomer and a graphic artist have teamed up to turn powerful explosions in distant galaxies into spellbinding music and animations. The unique celestial compositions are psychedelic and strangely beautiful. Known as gamma-ray bursts, these explosions of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation are the brightest events known to occur in the universe. Sylvia Zhu, a graduate student in physics at the University of … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 79% Off GOgroove Pal Bot – the Rechargeable Portable Android Speaker System for Smartphones , Tablets , MP3 Players , Laptops , and More Devices! – $14.99
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon has the GOgroove Pal Bot (the Rechargeable Portable Android Speaker System for Smartphones , Tablets , MP3 Players , Laptops , and More Devices!) for just $14.99. That’s 79% off on the Pal Bot’s regular list price of $69.99. Featuring Dual Side-Firing Drivers and a Passive Subwoofer, the Pal Bot can … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » CatCraft [Pic]
[Source: Hello? Yes, This is Dog | Via Dueling Analogs] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » GREAT PARTY! [Comic]
[Source: Maximumble] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Jedi Entrance Only [Pic]
Use the force, Luke! [Via Neatorama] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Balloonified Iron Man Costume [Pic]
[Source: lexxy18 – Reddit] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » How Do We Smell? [Science Video]
An adult human can distinguish up to 10,000 odors. You use your nose to figure out what to eat, what to buy and even when it’s time to take a shower. But how do the molecules in the air get translated into smells in your brain? Rose Eveleth charts the smelly journey through your olfactory epithelium and explains why scent … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » 4 Easy Science Experiments To Try At Home [Video]
Some fun and simple science experiments you can try at home! [Source: Buzzfeed] [Link]
New Scientist – News » I won the Nobel by experimenting on myself
Barry Marshall experimented on himself to prove that H. pylori causes stomach ulcers and he won a Nobel prize. But what if the bug has a good side? 
[Link]
Mashable » Which Online Stylist Service Suits You Best?
Hiring stylists used to be a luxury reserved for the rich and famous. But now, a flurry of online styling sites are shaking up that old notion, offering sartorially challenged shoppers a chance to get professional service Not only do sites like Stitch Fix and Trunk Club employ a team of stylists who pick clothes for you, they also customize them … [Link]
Mashable » Yelp Translator Takes the Guesswork Out of Foreign Reviews
Yelp users traveling overseas may come across language barriers when reading local reviews. But the popular app is now making it easier to experience the platform, with an automatic translator powered by Bing. Bing Translator will bring 15 languages to the site, including Spanish, French, Italian, English, Swedish and Japanese. When the user clicks on a single review or on a … [Link]
Slashdot » NFL Fights To Save TV Blackout Rule Despite $9 Billion Revenue
An anonymous reader writes with word of new movement on an old front: namely, the rule that makes it hard for sports fans to see coverage of local teams. The 39-year-old blackout rule basically "prevents games from being televised locally when tickets remain unsold." The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in response to a 2011 petition by consumers, has decided to … [Link]
Mashable » 'The Next Stalingrad' Awaits in Ukraine
DONETSK, Ukraine — Ukraine’s military is tightening the noose around the separatist strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk, effectively splitting their territory in two and cutting off their lifeline to Russia. Friday’s National Security and Defense Council map of the government’s progress inside its “anti-terrorist operation” zone shows forces closing in from all sides. The swath of land once controlled by separatists … [Link]
Slashdot » New Process Promises Ammonia From Air, Water, and Sunlight
The synthesis of ammonia is one of the globe's most significant industrial applications of chemistry. PhysOrg reports the publication in the August issue of Science (sadly, article is paywalled) the description of a low-energy process to syntheize ammonia for fertilizer using just air, water, and sunlight, by zapping with electricity water bubbling through a matrix of iron oxide, and sodium … [Link]
Mashable » Very Important Analysis of the Monkey Embroiled in the Wikimedia Copyright Controversy
A Celebes crested macaque became one of the most famous faces in the world on Wednesday. By now, you've heard about the heated copyright dispute between a photographer, who owned the camera that held a picture of the monkey, and the Wikimedia Foundation, the U.S.-based organization that owns Wikipedia. So we spoke with Nancy Hawkes, the general curator of the Woodland … [Link]
Mashable » Photographer Inspires Sick Fan With Birthday Surprise
Photographer Benjamin Von Wong came out from behind the camera to surprise a chronically ill fan. Tyler Grace, an aspiring photographer who suffers from fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and nerve damage, sent Von Wong a thoughtful message thanking him for the inspiration to become a photographer. See also: Photographer Captures the True Beauty of Adoption 
Image: Benjamin Von WongIn February, Grace's … [Link]
Slashdot » The Meteors You've Waited All Year For
StartsWithABang (3485481) writes It's finally here! Sure, we witnessed the birth of a new meteor shower earlier this year, but it was a flop. Many other showers have come-and-gone like they do every year, but none of them have given us a significant number of meteors-per-hour. But even with a near-full Moon out, it's finally time for the Perseids, the … [Link]
Mashable » 40 Years After Resignation, Interviews Show Nixon's Softer Side
Newly released interviews with former U.S. president Richard Nixon offer insight into the personal side of political scandal. The Richard Nixon Foundation and the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum republished the interviews to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his resignation Friday Nixon's former aide Frank Gannon conducted 30 hours of interviews in 1983, nine years after Nixon resigned. The segments aired … [Link]
Mashable » Robot Will Tweet You Photos of Storms Approaching Hawaii
While residents of the Big Island of Hawaii prepared for the possible threat of Hurricane Iselle and Hurricane Julio — two storms that could've marked a meteorological phenomenon "unprecedented in modern hurricane records" by both directly hitting the Hawaiian Islands — one robot helped people across the world stay informed through Twitter. You can tweet the Wave Glider — a robot … [Link]
Mashable » 'Boxtrolls' Interactive Theater Standee Trolls You With X-Box Kinect
Here’s something new at the movie theater: a stand-up display that trolls you. To promote its upcoming film The Boxtrolls, LAIKA studios enlisted integrated ad agency Wieden+Kennedy to create this "magic mirror" standee that uses an X-Box Kinect interface. Stand in front of the mirror, do whatever and one of the film's loveable little sewer-dwellers will mimic your every move. SEE … [Link]
Mashable » TV's First All-Female Sports Talk Show Is Coming This Fall
Are you ready for the first weekly all-female sports talk show in national TV history? We'll find out this fall, when CBS Sports says it plans to debut just that. CBS Sports President David Berson told The Big Lead on Friday that the show, which has not yet been given a name, will air on CBS Sports Network and be produced … [Link]
Slashdot » Judge Rejects $324.5 Million Settlement For Tech Workers, Argues For More
An anonymous reader writes with this news from Reuters: A U.S. district judge on Friday ruled that the $324.5 million settlement negotiated by Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe with the tech workers who brought an antitrust lawsuit against them was too low. The judge cited the settlement amount of a similar lawsuit brought against Disney and Intuit last year which … [Link]
Mashable » Sorry, Facebook: Snapchat Still More Popular Among Undergrads
Ever wondered why Facebook continues to try to make its own version of Snapchat? A new study suggests college students— traditionally one of Facebook's biggest demographics— are more engaged with Snapchat than Facebook. The study found that while 70% of college students report posting on Snapchat at least once a day, only 11% report posting on Facebook with the same frequency … [Link]
Slashdot » How Facebook Is Saving Power By 10-15% Through Better Load Balancing
An anonymous reader writes Facebook today revealed details about Autoscale, a system for power-efficient load balancing that has been rolled out to production clusters in its data centers. The company says it has "demonstrated significant energy savings." or those who don't know, load balancing refers to distributing workloads across multiple computing resources, in this case servers. The goal is to … [Link]
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