John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons

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Geekish

Anyone who works as a freelancer these days has to be at least a bit familiar with techie things. But it isn’t just that. When I was a kid and those vaguely SF puppet shows were on the television and all the other kids wanted to be Greg Gogetem or Steve Savetheuniverse, I wanted to be the guy in a white coat and glasses called Doc or Brains. Here are some technology-related feeds I find useful and/or entertaining.

ProgrammableWeb.com » Today in APIs: ProLiteracy to Host Hackathon

Wednesday 20 August 23:57:52 UTC 2014

Proliteracy group announces hackathon in Syracuse September 13, 14. Digital rights activists to hold Wikipedia hackathon in Bogotá and Mexico City. Plus: more on Uber's new API and FDA releases a new device adverse event API. ProLiteracy to Hold a Hackathon for Literacy The group ProLiteracy will hold a hackathon in Syracuse, September 13,14 to leverage APIs. The focus is … [Link]

Slashdot » Study: Seals Infected Early Americans With Tuberculosis

Wednesday 20 August 23:56:00 UTC 2014

mdsolar writes that a study suggests that tuberculosis first appeared in the New World less than 6,000 years ago and it was brought here by seals. After a remarkable analysis of bacterial DNA from 1,000-year-old mummies, scientists have proposed a new hypothesis for how tuberculosis arose and spread around the world. The disease originated less than 6,000 years ago in … [Link]

Mashable » 24 Hours Later, St. Louis Police Release Video of Officers Shooting Knife-Wielding Man

Wednesday 20 August 23:30:54 UTC 2014

St-louis-dotson-shootingFeed-tw Feed-fbA man wielding a knife outside a north St. Louis convenience store was shot dead on Tuesday by St. Louis city police officers, whose department then moved fast to release video and 911 tapes related to the incident. The shooting came less than two weeks after 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot dead in nearby Ferguson, also by a police officer. The … [Link]

Mashable » NFL Adds Football to Apple TV Menu of Sports Channels

Wednesday 20 August 23:26:57 UTC 2014

Appltv90870adfFeed-tw Feed-fbSports fans just got another reason to consider integrating Apple TV into their home entertainment systems, after it was announced on Wednesday that NFL Now is launching on the device With this addition, Apple TV users can access free National Football League content, including archived video highlights of games, NFL.com clips, original shows created by NFL Media, live press conferences and … [Link]

Slashdot » Smartphone Kill Switch, Consumer Boon Or Way For Government To Brick Your Phone?

Wednesday 20 August 23:11:00 UTC 2014

MojoKid writes We're often told that having a kill switch in our mobile devices — mostly our smartphones — is a good thing. At a basic level, that's hard to disagree with. If every mobile device had a built-in kill switch, theft would go down — who would waste their time over a device that probably won't work for very … [Link]

Mashable » 10 Moments From Nicki Minaj's 'Anaconda' Video That Will Destroy Your Innocence

Wednesday 20 August 23:02:17 UTC 2014

Nickiminaj_anacondaFeed-tw Feed-fb (If it wasn't clear from the headline, this video and the GIFs that follow are extremely NSFW.) It's Nicki Minaj's butt's world — we're all just living in it The rapper debuted her video for Anaconda Wednesday and it's, well, oh my god, look at her butt. The song is a throwback to Sir-Mix-a-Lot's 1992 classic "Baby Got Back" that … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » James Bond Plays Goldeneye On N64

Wednesday 20 August 23:00:03 UTC 2014

Specifically Pierce Brosnan, who appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. It seems that back in the day, one of these men played the game more than the other… [Link]

New Scientist – News » Non-fatal diseases increasingly drive assisted suicide

Wednesday 20 August 23:00:00 UTC 2014

More people with non-fatal conditions are travelling to assisted dying clinics in Switzerland [Link]

Mashable » U.S. Troops Tried to Rescue Foley and Others in Syria, But Couldn't Find Them

Wednesday 20 August 22:56:39 UTC 2014

Obama-foleyFeed-tw Feed-fbWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama sent U.S. troops to Syria earlier this summer to rescue a number of Americans held by a violent extremist group, including slain journalist James Foley, but the troops did not find the hostages, senior Obama administration officials said Wednesday. The officials said the rescue mission was authorized after intelligence agencies believed they had identified the location … [Link]

Mashable » Brazilian Judge Wants to Ban Secret App, Wipe It From Phones

Wednesday 20 August 22:42:35 UTC 2014

BrazilsecrectFeed-tw Feed-fbA Brazilian judge wants to ban popular app Secret from Apple's App Store and Google Play, arguing it promotes anonymous bullying. In a preliminary injunction, Judge Paulo Cesar de Carvalho is asking for Secret — which lets you anonymously share posts with the public — to be removed from the two app stores within 10 days, as first reported by 9to5Mac, … [Link]

Slashdot » Scientists Baffled By Unknown Source of Ozone-Depleting Chemical

Wednesday 20 August 22:27:00 UTC 2014

schwit1 writes: Scientists have found that, despite a complete ban since 2007, ozone-depleting chemicals are still being pumped into the atmosphere from some unknown source. "Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), which was once used in applications such as dry cleaning and as a fire-extinguishing agent, was regulated in 1987 under the Montreal Protocol along with other chlorofluorocarbons that destroy ozone and contribute … [Link]

Mashable » Don't Be That Guy Who Orders an Uber and Hops in the Wrong Car

Wednesday 20 August 22:15:51 UTC 2014

LyftapproachFeed-tw Feed-fbThe growing popularity of ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft has made for some awkward situations. Just as the arrival time mark expires on your app, a black car pulls up to the curb, so you hop in. The only problem? It wasn't your ride See also: Uber and Lyft Are in One Big Pissing Match While Lyft drivers often adorn … [Link]

Mashable » Naked Kermit the Frog Risks Life for Ice Bucket Challenge

Wednesday 20 August 22:09:11 UTC 2014

KermitFeed-tw Feed-fb Forget Chris Pratt. Forget Bill Gates. Kermit the Frog's video is an ice bucket challenge to end all ice bucket challenges. The famed Muppet took on the fight against ALS after being called out by WWE CEO Vince McMahon and, in turn, challenged his Muppets: Most Wanted costars Tina Fey, Ty Burrell and Ricky Gervais. You just can't compete with … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » A Brief History of Dungeons & Dragons [Video]

Wednesday 20 August 22:00:24 UTC 2014

Slickly-produced as this clip by The Verge is, it’s definitely more a brief overview than anything in depth. But if your knowledge doesn’t go much beyond “funny-shaped dice” you might learn something, and it puts the recently-released fifth edition into context. For a different take on the culture of D&D players, I can highly recommend the book The Elfish Gene … [Link]

Mashable » 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Spooky Premiere Date Set

Wednesday 20 August 21:56:35 UTC 2014

AhsfreakshowFeed-tw Feed-fb FX is going to get a little freakier in October. The network announced Wednesday the next installment of the American Horror Story franchise, subtitled Freak Show, will premiere Oct. 8 at 10 p.m. See also: Every Fall TV Date You Need to Put on Your Calendar Now Set in Florida in 1952, the fourth installment of the franchise, from Glee … [Link]

Slashdot » At Home with Tim O'Reilly (Videos 3 and 4 of 6)

Wednesday 20 August 21:46:00 UTC 2014

Today's videos are parts three and four of our casual interview with Tim O'Reilly, founder of O'Reilly Media and one of the most influential open source boosters around. (You supplied the questions. He supplied the answers.) We had a lot more to say about Tim yesterday when we ran parts one and two of our video interview with him. (Today's … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Kony Delivers on MADP Ambitions

Wednesday 20 August 21:31:41 UTC 2014

Mobile application development platforms (MADP) are the next big platforms in the enterprise as IT organizations of all sizes look to increase the number of mobile applications they can develop in a given period, while reducing the total cost of developing those applications. Looking to become a major player in the MADP space, Kony today announced that the Kony MobileFabric … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Tempo Becomes First Calendar App To Integrate Uber's API

Wednesday 20 August 21:31:40 UTC 2014

This article is a company-provided press release and ProgrammableWeb cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statements within. If you have questions regarding the information below, please contact the company that issued the press release. [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Unity Now Supports Intel-Based Devices Running Android

Wednesday 20 August 21:31:39 UTC 2014

This article is a company-provided press release and ProgrammableWeb cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statements within. If you have questions regarding the information below, please contact the company that issued the press release. [Link]

Slashdot » Do Readers Absorb Less On Kindles Than On Paper? Not Necessarily

Wednesday 20 August 21:02:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes eBooks are great and wonderful, but as The Guardian reports, they might not be as good for readers as paper books. Results from a new study show that test subjects who read a story on a Kindle had trouble recalling the proper order of the plot events. Out of 50 test subjects, half read a 28-page … [Link]

Mashable » Oh Happy Day: UK Smash TV Show 'Happy Valley' Available for a Netflix Binge

Wednesday 20 August 20:59:31 UTC 2014

Happy.valleyFeed-tw Feed-fb It was the British TV hit that Americans weren't allowed to watch — until Wednesday. UK crime drama Happy Valley is now on Netflix, and at only six episodes, it's beginning to look like Thursday morning will be a little … rough SEE ALSO: 12 Signs You're Addicted to Netflix The kidnap thriller's finale first aired overseas in early June, … [Link]

Mashable » Second Journalist Held By Militants Has Covered Islamic World With Passion

Wednesday 20 August 20:47:48 UTC 2014

Steven-sotloff-thumbnail-1Feed-tw Feed-fbThe gruesome video of freelance journalist James Foley's beheading, released by Islamic State militants on Tuesday, ends with another horrifying sight: The militants threaten to do the same to another captured American journalist. After Foley's execution, the video switches to a man identified on screen as Steven Joel Sotloff. He kneels in an orange jumpsuit as the executioner says, "The life … [Link]

Mashable » This Is What It Takes to Be a Ballperson at the U.S. Open

Wednesday 20 August 20:44:58 UTC 2014

Ballboy-still-1Feed-tw Feed-fb The U.S. Open demands the best out of its participants; the summer heat, grueling sprints and pressure of the crowds can really take a toll. And no, we're not talking about Novak Djokovic or Serena Williams. The unsung heroes of the U.S. Open — and every major tennis tournament, for that matter — are the ball people. Eager boys and … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Some Compliments Aren’t From Far Far Away [Pic]

Wednesday 20 August 20:40:07 UTC 2014

Reddit user hilwise found this posted to their door: [Via: Nerd Approved] [Link]

Mashable » Why the Islamic State Is Scarier Than al-Qaeda in Iraq

Wednesday 20 August 20:27:50 UTC 2014

IsisFeed-tw Feed-fbWhen militants from the Islamic State made their first incursion into Iraq in January, quickly capturing the western city of Fallujah, the images of triumphant radicals parading around the city under black banners left many with a sinking feeling. Within days, the militants (formerly known as ISIS or ISIL) were staging public executions and ordering people to submit to strict Islamic … [Link]

Mashable » Ferguson Teens: Acting Tough. Risking Their Lives. Hiding Their Fear.

Wednesday 20 August 20:22:27 UTC 2014

Ferguson-teens-scared-thumbnailFeed-tw Feed-fb FERGUSON, Missouri — “We young, we strong, we marchin’ all night long.” The crowds of protesters grow louder, more tense as it nears 11 p.m. on Tuesday. But look closer at the faces behind the bandanas and you’ll see hallmark signs of youth: patchy stubble, dewey complexions and expressions of naive passion You’ll find them leading the lines of protests, … [Link]

Slashdot » Tor Browser Security Under Scrutiny

Wednesday 20 August 20:20:00 UTC 2014

msm1267 writes: The keepers of Tor commissioned a study testing the defenses and viability of their Firefox-based browser as a privacy tool. The results (PDF) were a bit eye-opening since the report's recommendations don't favor Firefox as a baseline for Tor, rather Google Chrome. But Tor's handlers concede that budget constraints and Chrome's limitations on proxy support make a switch … [Link]

Mashable » Billy Crystal Will Honor Robin Williams At the Emmy Awards

Wednesday 20 August 20:00:53 UTC 2014

Billycrystal-robinwilliams-emmysFeed-tw Feed-fbRobin Williams will be honored at Monday's Emmy ceremony with a tribute led by his longtime friend, Billy Crystal, the award show's executive producer Don Mischer said Wednesday. Singer Sara Bareilles, who last week dedicated a song on stage during a concert to the late comedian, will perform during the In Memoriam segment. See also: Remembering Robin Williams: His Best Appearances … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Google's fact-checking bots build vast knowledge bank

Wednesday 20 August 20:00:00 UTC 2014

The search giant is automatically building Knowledge Vault, a massive database that could give us unprecedented access to the world's facts [Link]

Mashable » U.S. Warns Travelers: Venezuela Flights Are Getting Scarce

Wednesday 20 August 19:57:53 UTC 2014

CaracasFeed-tw Feed-fbCARACAS, Venezuela — Come to Venezuela and you might get a longer trip than you bargained for. The U.S. Embassy in Caracas issued an advisory Tuesday, urging Americans to be careful when traveling to Venezuela because of the steep drop in airline service to the South American country. See also: Is Venezuela's Government Tightening Its Grip on the Internet? The number … [Link]

Mashable » Officer Is Suspended After Telling Media in Ferguson: 'I Will F*cking Kill You'

Wednesday 20 August 19:44:12 UTC 2014

Officer-go-fk-yourselfFeed-tw Feed-fb UPDATED, 6 p.m. ET to reflect information from the St. Louis County Police. A police officer has been removed from his post after he pointed his gun at a group of people documenting events in Ferguson on Tuesday night and threatened to kill them, St. Louis County Police spokesman Brian Schellman told Mashable. "On Tuesday, August 19, 2014, shortly before … [Link]

Mashable » Musical Robin Williams Tribute Will Remind You to 'Seize the Day'

Wednesday 20 August 19:40:57 UTC 2014

RobinwilliamsFeed-tw Feed-fb YouTube user Melody Sheep created a musical tribute to Robin Williams, auto-tuning some of the actor's finest film moments into a catchy and inspiring song Entitled "Seize the Day," the song centers around Williams' iconic speech in Dead Poet's Society, then pulls from Mrs. Doubtfire, Hook and Jack, among others Several of the songs' lyrics seem especially poignant after Williams' … [Link]

Slashdot » Linus Torvalds: 'I Still Want the Desktop'

Wednesday 20 August 19:37:00 UTC 2014

darthcamaro writes: Linux has clawed its way into lots of places these days. But at the LinuxCon conference in Chicago today Linus Torvalds was asked where Linux should go next. Torvalds didn't hesitate with his reply. "I still want the desktop," Torvalds said, as the audience erupted into boisterous applause. Torvalds doesn't see the desktop as being a kernel problem … [Link]

Mashable » Mo'ne Davis: Get to Know Little League's Biggest Star

Wednesday 20 August 19:32:41 UTC 2014

MdavisFeed-tw Feed-fbMo’ne Davis, the 13-year-old pitcher who has become a Little League World Series sensation, is set to take the mound again on Wednesday night. Her team from Philadelphia plays a squad from Las Vegas on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET Baseball fans and non-fans alike will tune in from across America to follow one of summer's sweetest sports stories. The Internet … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Top 10 Improvised Scenes in Movie History [Video]

Wednesday 20 August 19:30:20 UTC 2014

Number one is actually for a performer’s work rather than a specific scene, but given who it is, it would be churlish to complain. Be aware this contains the home invasion scene from A Clockwork Orange which some people may find particularly unsettling. [Link]

New Scientist – News » Brain drain: Are we evolving stupidity?

Wednesday 20 August 19:30:00 UTC 2014

We got smarter and smarter in the 20th century, but now there are signs that IQs have begun to fall in countries such as the UK and Australia (full text available to subscribers) [Link]

Mashable » Nobody Wants to See Your Excessive Hashtags on Instagram

Wednesday 20 August 19:15:18 UTC 2014

Instagram-1Feed-tw Feed-fbA picture is worth a thousand words. Plus about a novel's worth of hashtags to go with it. Social media-savvy illustrator Djordje Djukanovic of Belgrade, Serbia knows a lot of people who don't have a clue as to what they're doing on Instagram. One of his — and pretty much everyones' — biggest pet peeves is excessive use of hashtags See … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » I Love APIs Conference Focuses on Digital Transformation

Wednesday 20 August 19:11:27 UTC 2014

This year’s I Love APIs Conference, organized by Apigee (to be held Sept. 8-10 in San Francisco), targets the business side of API strategy and unpacks the role APIs are playing in the digital transformation of business. Sam Ramji, VP of strategy at Apigee, spoke with ProgrammableWeb about the event. [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Uber Debuts API and Partners

Wednesday 20 August 19:11:26 UTC 2014

Uber today released an API to all developers who wish to interact with the ride-discovery service. In addition to the API, Uber debuted an Affiliate Program, which will allow developers to earn credits toward free Uber rides. The company has already scared up some big-name partners that have added Uber to their apps. [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Identity and Access Management (IAM) Will Greatly Impact Future Connected Car Sales

Wednesday 20 August 19:11:25 UTC 2014

ProgrammableWeb recently published an article that covers the importance of APIs in solving problems related to the connected car industry, such as the slow pace of automotive development, the lack of Internet availability on many stretches of roadways and ensuring the security of connected car applications. Identity management is another key issue when it comes to connected cars, both for … [Link]

Mashable » Join the Global Discussion at Social Good Summit 2014

Wednesday 20 August 19:03:49 UTC 2014

SgsFeed-tw Feed-fbGlobal meetups play an integral part in the Social Good Summit. Along with the main event in New York City, people convene around the world to take part in the global discussion about how communities are using the digital tools of today to build a brighter future. Largely organized by global UNDP offices, the Social Good Summit has already confirmed 25 … [Link]

Slashdot » Researchers Find Security Flaws In Backscatter X-ray Scanners

Wednesday 20 August 18:55:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: Researchers from UC San Diego, University of Michigan, and Johns Hopkins say they've found security vulnerabilities in full-body backscatter X-ray machines deployed to U.S. airports between 2009 and 2013. In lab tests, the researchers were able to conceal firearms and plastic explosive simulants from the Rapiscan Secure 1000 scanner, plus modify the scanner software so it … [Link]

Mashable » Johnny Clipboard: Manziel Won't Start for Browns (Yet)

Wednesday 20 August 18:40:15 UTC 2014

ManzielhoyerFeed-tw Feed-fbThe NFL's most entertaining training-camp storyline reached its conclusion on Wednesday morning when the Cleveland Browns named underdog hometown hero Brian Hoyer as their starting quarterback to begin the regular season against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 7, relegating the irascible rascal and America's favorite bad-boy Johnny Manziel to the sideline. At least for now. See also: NFL Training Camp Drama: … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Digital textbooks adapt to your level as you learn

Wednesday 20 August 18:30:00 UTC 2014

Struggling with chapter 3? Adaptive textbooks will give you extra, personalised help when you need it [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Working Hard Drive Comes To Minecraft

Wednesday 20 August 18:10:30 UTC 2014

A Minecraft user has created a working hard drive in Minecraft — albeit with a capacity of 1 kilobyte. The drive, created by Reddit user “Smellystring”, works on a simple binary system. Instead of using magnets or transistor cells to store the data, it uses blocks that can be either solid or opaque. Reading from the disc involves beaming a … [Link]

Mashable » Taylor Swift's Many Music Video Personas in One Supercut

Wednesday 20 August 18:09:00 UTC 2014

Taylor-swiftFeed-tw Feed-fb Taylor Swift is a woman of many personalities. She's the girl next door, the cheerleader you love to hate, the disheveled hipster wearing a cat-ear headband and so much more The Daily Dot compiled every T-Swift music video persona into one comprehensive supercut video set to her new single, "Shake It Off." This is genius work, people. Assassin Iggy Azalea's … [Link]

Slashdot » Helsinki Aims To Obviate Private Cars

Wednesday 20 August 18:08:00 UTC 2014

New submitter NBSCALIDBA writes: Eeva Haaramo reports on Helsinki's ambitious plan to transform city transportation. From on-demand buses to city bikes to Kutsuplus mini-transport vans, the Finnish capital is trying to change the whole concept of getting around in a city. "Under the plan, all these services will be accessed through a single online platform. People will be able to … [Link]

Mashable » You Can Share the First Episode of 'Selfie' In a Tweet

Wednesday 20 August 18:00:44 UTC 2014

SelfiefixedFeed-tw Feed-fbThe first episode of ABC's Selfie has been available for streaming since earlier this week, but the network's latest move is going to get the social media-focused show straight into the streams of Twitter users — and let them share it, too. Starting Wednesday morning, ABC made the entire 22-minute pilot episode of the comedy, starring Doctor Who alum Karen Gillian … [Link]

Mashable » Showtime Renews 'Masters of Sex,' 'Ray Donovan'

Wednesday 20 August 17:58:24 UTC 2014

Raydonovan-fixedFeed-tw Feed-fbThe renewal news keeps on coming One day after FX announced The Strain would return for Season 2 and hours after Halt and Catch Fire ESC'd the DEL key at AMC, Showtime has announced that Masters of Sex and Ray Donovan will return for new seasons, set to begin production in early 2015. Masters of Sex was nominated for five Emmy … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Neanderthal demise traced in unprecedented detail

Wednesday 20 August 17:30:00 UTC 2014

A study of 40 archaeological sites in Europe suggests the Neanderthals died out 40,000 years ago, much earlier than thought, and that humans played a role [Link]

New Scientist – News » Seals, not Spaniards, first brought TB to Americas

Wednesday 20 August 17:30:00 UTC 2014

Seals and sea lions may have brought a form of tuberculosis to the Americas, centuries before the Spanish did so [Link]

New Scientist – News » First samples of Antarctic lake reveal thriving life

Wednesday 20 August 17:30:00 UTC 2014

About 4000 microbe species have been found in Lake Whillans, 800 metres beneath Antarctica's ice sheets, raising hopes for life on Mars and Europa [Link]

Slashdot » How To Read a Microbiome Study Like a Scientist.

Wednesday 20 August 17:26:00 UTC 2014

bmahersciwriter (2955569) writes Scientific reports have increasingly linked the bacteria in your gut to health and maladies, often making wild-sounding claims. Did you hear about the mice who were given fecal transplants from skinny humans and totally got skinny! Well, some of the more gut-busting results might not be as solid as they seem. Epidemiologist Bill Hanage offers five critical … [Link]

Mashable » Nick Offerman Reads the Most Profound Shower Thoughts

Wednesday 20 August 17:14:46 UTC 2014

Nick-offerman-shower-thoughtsFeed-tw Feed-fb Deep thoughts recited by a wise man Nick Offerman, with all his grizzled wisdom and vocal gravitas, sat down to share the most profound things ever pondered in a shower. The tidbits of brilliance originated on r/ShowerThoughts, a subreddit awash with soapsuds-covered cleverness Soap up and open your mind. Also, if you enjoyed this video, please check out the r/ShowerThoughts … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Student Discovers Heart Screening May Be Flawed For Black Athletes

Wednesday 20 August 17:07:34 UTC 2014

A British teenager has been praised by judges in a science contest after discovering a factor that could put black athletes with heart conditions at more risk of not being diagnosed. Henry Roth explored the genetic condition hypertropic cardiomopathy. It leads to a thickening of the heart’s muscle walls and, if undiagnosed and untreated, increases the risk of a sudden … [Link]

Mashable » 13 Baby Wombat Photoshops to Cuddle Your Soul

Wednesday 20 August 17:05:07 UTC 2014

BabywombatFeed-tw Feed-fbAnother day, another Reddit Photoshop battle to simultaneously delight and destroy you The star of the Internet this week is a handsome baby wombat See also: 20 Animals So Ugly They're Cute The charismatic and adorable (yet slightly scary) creature emerged on Reddit Tuesday courtesy of ShibbyFresh. By Wednesday, dozens of Redditors had adapted the image into classic movie scenes and … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist

Wednesday 20 August 17:03:00 UTC 2014

All the latest on newscientist.com: why we must daydream, ultimate rejuvenation trial, our place in the universe, police in Ferguson, alien heat and more [Link]

New Scientist – News » Young blood to be used in ultimate rejuvenation trial

Wednesday 20 August 17:00:00 UTC 2014

In California, people with Alzheimer's will be given transfusions of young blood to see if improves their cognition – there's good reason to hope it might [Link]

Slashdot » Google Receives Takedown Request Every 8 Milliseconds

Wednesday 20 August 16:43:00 UTC 2014

Via TorrentFreak comes news that Google is now being asked to remove one million links per day (or an average of one takedown notice every 8ms). In 2008, they received one takedown request approximately every six days. From the article: The massive surge in removal requests is not without controversy. It’s been reported that some notices reference pages that contain … [Link]

Mashable » Obama Mourns Journalist: Islamic State 'Has No Place in the 21st Century'

Wednesday 20 August 16:39:50 UTC 2014

James-foley3Feed-tw Feed-fb In one of his most forceful denunciations of Islamic State militants to date, President Barack Obama on Wednesday condemned the group's barbaric beheading of an American journalist. "The entire world is appalled by the brutal murder of Jim Foley," Obama said in his first remarks since the release of the gruesome online video by the Islamic State (also known as … [Link]

Mashable » Vine Finally Lets You Import Videos From Your Phone

Wednesday 20 August 16:37:43 UTC 2014

Vine-new-camera-3Feed-tw Feed-fbVine is granting the wishes of every star and amateur on its platform by allowing users to import existing videos The absence of this feature on Vine, until now, resulted in some opting for Instagram instead; the platform lets you upload 15-second videos, as opposed to Vine's six seconds that you couldn't pull from elsewhere. See also: 19 Viners Funnier Than … [Link]

New Scientist – News » How many motors can NASA cram on its fryer-oil flier?

Wednesday 20 August 16:30:00 UTC 2014

NASA's grease-fuelled hybrid aircraft seems to have been inspired by a magical movie car [Link]

Mashable » Twitter Confirms Changes to What Users See in Their Timelines

Wednesday 20 August 16:27:37 UTC 2014

Twitter-stock-15Feed-tw Feed-fbTwitter just took another step toward becoming more like Facebook. Several days ago, we noticed that Twitter rolled out an experiment to some users that began showing actions — like favorited tweets — on the main Twitter timeline. (Earlier this month, it experimented with showing tweets from accounts users didn't follow.) At the time, it appeared this feature was just a … [Link]

Mashable » The Modern Classroom: Students, Teachers and Data-Driven Education

Wednesday 20 August 16:07:47 UTC 2014

BigdatapicFeed-tw Feed-fbThe days of paper textbooks seem destined to become as distant a memory as cursive handwriting. In 2014, big data is reshaping the way students receive curriculum and learn, and the tools of the new and digital classroom are changing the dynamics for educators. "Data is changing the way people think," says Eileen Murphy Buckley, founder and CEO of ThinkCERCA, a … [Link]

Mashable » George W. Bush's Ice Bucket Challenge Includes a Plot Twist

Wednesday 20 August 16:07:15 UTC 2014

George-w-bush-ice-bucket-challengeFeed-tw Feed-fb There's something for everyone in George W. Bush's ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video The president's casual attire, a challenge to Bill Clinton and a surprise appearance by Laura Bush — it's really a win-win situation for all Americans. Adorable Toddler Melts Down During a Game of Got-Your-Ear Vin Diesel's Frightful Cover of 'Stay With Me' Now a Shred, Of Course … [Link]

Slashdot » World's First 3D Printed Estate Coming To New York

Wednesday 20 August 16:05:00 UTC 2014

New submitter Randy-tanner (3791853) writes A well known New York architect & contractor has begun construction on what is possibly the largest 3D printing related project ever undertaken. He is 3D printing an entire estate, which includes an in-ground swimming pool, a pool house, and a huge 2400 square foot home. The project is expected to take two years to … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Crowd-control policing in the US is stuck in riot mode

Wednesday 20 August 16:04:00 UTC 2014

Protest policing in the US adheres to outdated, aggressive tactics that only deepen tensions. There is a better way, says Michael Bond [Link]

Mashable » 'Halt and Catch Fire' Is Returning for Season 2

Wednesday 20 August 15:58:23 UTC 2014

HaltandcatchfireFeed-tw Feed-fbHalt and Catch Fire has been renewed for a second season Yes, we're shocked, too See also: Every Fall TV Date You Need to Put on Your Calendar Now Creatively, the computer drama found solid footing toward the end of the freshman season and the live ratings were cool at best. (The season finale earlier this month pulled in just 574,000 … [Link]

Mashable » No One Has Ever Been Sadder About Ice Cream Than Littlefinger From 'Game of Thrones'

Wednesday 20 August 15:50:45 UTC 2014

SadlittlefingerFeed-tw Feed-fbWhy so sad, Littlefinger? Did someone poison your ice cream? Game of Thrones fan oonaghmclaugh recently posted a picture on Instagram exposing Petyr Baelish's detest for cold, sugary treats See also: 'Game of Thrones' Season 4 Bloopers Are Better Than the Purple Wedding We're not sure why the actors who play Littlefinger, Roose Bolton and Varys were in what seems to … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Van Gogh Exploding Tardis Dress [Pics]

Wednesday 20 August 15:40:22 UTC 2014

From ThinkGeek.com: Vincent van Gogh was many things: human, artist, and beard-wearer. But when he met the Doctor and Amy, a spark (however temporary) lit up his life and vaulted it to a new level. Oh, and he also designed dresses. Don’t believe us? Well, just look at this picture of this one. It’s like Vincent arted all over it. … [Link]

Slashdot » Qt Upgrades From LGPLv2.1 to LGPLv3

Wednesday 20 August 15:29:00 UTC 2014

Digia has announced that existing Qt modules will now be covered under the LGPLv3 in addition to the LGPLv2.1, GPLv3, and the enterprise (proprietary) license. New modules will be dropping LGPLv2.1 and GPLv3+ and be released under the LGPLv3 and GPLv2+ instead. This should be a good move: new Qt modules will be Apache license compatible, LGPLv3 code can trivially … [Link]

Mashable » Twitter Is Suspending Accounts That Post Images of Journalist's Beheading

Wednesday 20 August 15:24:10 UTC 2014

James-foley-twitter-blackout-02Feed-tw Feed-fbHours after a video purportedly showing the brutal beheading of American journalist James Foley started circulating online, Twitter announced Wednesday that it is "actively" suspending accounts that share the gory images. As journalists and others rushed to self-censor and stop the spread of the graphic imagery, Twitter was ramping up its effort to avoid becoming an indirect propaganda channel for the … [Link]

Mashable » Next-Gen Solar Panels Are Nearly Invisible to the Naked Eye

Wednesday 20 August 15:15:26 UTC 2014

Solar-panelFeed-tw Feed-fb It’s hard to see the latest solar panel technology — which is kind of the point. Researchers at Michigan State University developed a new type of solar panel that is almost completely transparent. It harnesses solar energy using organic molecules, which glow when exposed to sunlight. See also: Molecules Can Store Solar Energy Indefinitely The panels utilize infrared light with … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Spot ET's waste heat for chance to find alien life

Wednesday 20 August 15:15:00 UTC 2014

A new approach to the search for intelligent aliens looks for the heat from galaxy-spanning technology – and may have found some promising candidates [Link]

Mashable » This Is What It's Like to Feed Thousands of People at a Music Festival

Wednesday 20 August 15:01:54 UTC 2014

Ep5_thumbnailFeed-tw Feed-fb San Francisco's Outside Lands is a major destination for music lovers, but the fairgrounds also offer prime real estate for small businesses looking for awareness among the festival's 65,000 attendees. This year, Azalina added the annual festival to her to-do list. And it couldn't have come at a busier, more stressful time, with her burgeoning food truck business and Whole … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » HONEST TRAILERS: Captain America: The Winter Soldier [VIDEO]

Wednesday 20 August 15:00:31 UTC 2014

You know…the Tony Stark-decrypted files thing is a very good point. [via Screen Junkies] [Link]

Slashdot » 51% of Computer Users Share Passwords

Wednesday 20 August 14:50:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes Consumers are inadvertently leaving back doors open to attackers as they share login details and sign up for automatic log on to mobile apps and services, according to new research by Intercede. While 52% of respondents stated that security was a top priority when choosing a mobile device, 51% are putting their personal data at risk … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Nearby galaxy may be victim of dark matter hit-and-run

Wednesday 20 August 14:47:00 UTC 2014

A massive hole in a small spiral galaxy may have been punched by a huge "subhalo" of dark matter – and the same thing may have happened to the Milky Way [Link]

Mashable » Samsung Unveils the New Nook, and It's Almost All Galaxy Tab

Wednesday 20 August 14:42:37 UTC 2014

Nook3-3197Feed-tw Feed-fbNEW YORK — The transition is complete. Three years after Barnes & Noble first entered the LCD tablet space, Samsung has absorbed the bookseller's tablet business and delivered a new Nook, based entirely on Samsung's Galaxy Tab 4. Barnes & Noble CEO Mike Huseby took the stage at the company's multi-floored Union Square store to unveil and demonstrate the new(ish) hardware. … [Link]

Mashable » It's Uber's World, We're All Just Riding in It

Wednesday 20 August 14:33:27 UTC 2014

UberglobeFeed-tw Feed-fbUber will soon be everywhere. Resistance is futile. The taxi startup has opened its API to all developers, allowing other companies to integrate the ride service into third-party apps. It is a major step for the company to stay ahead of competitors such as Hailo and Lyft. See also: 20 Private Thoughts From the Backseat of an Uber Car Starting on … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » ‘Every’ Easter Egg in Guardians of the Galaxy

Wednesday 20 August 14:30:26 UTC 2014

As you’d imagine, this is spoiler-heavy. So, bearing in mind that “easter egg” is a somewhat loose definition, did anyone spot one that’s missing from this clip? [Link]

Mashable » Apple Stock Hits New All-Time High

Wednesday 20 August 14:27:02 UTC 2014

Tim-cook1Feed-tw Feed-fbApple is back on top — at least on Wall Street. Apple's stock topped its previous split-adjusted all-time intraday trading high of $100.72 in early trading Wednesday. The stock went as high as $100.77, pushing its market cap back above $600 billion, before the stock price dipped back down slightly. See also: Apple Is Starting to Get Exciting Again The Cupertino … [Link]

Mashable » Jimmy Fallon Beats James Bond at His Own Nintendo Game

Wednesday 20 August 14:12:41 UTC 2014

Fallon_piercebrosnanFeed-tw Feed-fb Being James Bond? Every kid's dream. Playing Nintendo with James Bond? Jimmy Fallon's dream When Pierce Brosnan, the James Bond of the '90s, stopped by The Tonight Show on Tuesday, Fallon took the opportunity to play the Nintendo 64 game GoldenEye 007 with 007 himself The best part: Brosnan admits the one time he played the game, he shot himself … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 92% Off on the Wired Magazine (Print + Digital) + FREE Hat – $5

Wednesday 20 August 14:10:45 UTC 2014

For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon offers a 6-month subscription to the Wired Magazine (print + digital + FREE hat) for just $5. That’s 92% off on the magazine’s regular list price of $59.88. The subscription is on auto-renewal, but you can cancel at the end of the 6-month period using Amazon’s Magazine Subscription Manager. WIRED uncovers … [Link]

Slashdot » Interviews: Bjarne Stroustrup Answers Your Questions

Wednesday 20 August 14:08:00 UTC 2014

Last week you had a chance to ask Bjarne Stroustrup about programming and C++. Below you'll find his answers to those questions. If you didn't get a chance to ask him a question, or want to clarify something he said, don't forget he's doing a live Google + Q & A today at 12:30pm Eastern. Share on Google+ Read more of this story … [Link]

Mashable » Why the Ice Bucket Challenge Is a Watershed Moment for Facebook

Wednesday 20 August 14:01:32 UTC 2014

IbcFeed-tw Feed-fbThe Ice Bucket Challenge has been a juggernaut this summer. Everyone in your Facebook feed — from Tim Cook to your parents — is pouring ice water on their heads to raise awareness and money for ALS research. But besides the ALS Association, which has raised more than $15.6 million in just a few weeks, there has been another big beneficiary: … [Link]

Mashable » Report: Snapchat to Get Ads, News

Wednesday 20 August 13:42:29 UTC 2014

Snapchat-ads-01Feed-tw Feed-fbSnapchat is planning to broaden its offerings this fall with ads, TV and movie clips and news articles, according to a report. The popular app, which famously rebuffed a $3 billion acquisition offer from Facebook last year, is in talks with advertisers and media companies about a service called Snapchat Discovery that would display such content, according to The Wall Street … [Link]

Mashable » Photo Series Captures the Ageless Beauty of Senior Women at the Salon

Wednesday 20 August 13:31:40 UTC 2014

RobbiekayethumbFeed-tw Feed-fb There's nothing more beautiful than growing old gracefully, especially when it comes with a fair amount of wisdom. Robbie Kaye was a few months away from turning 50 when she began a photojournalistic study of women in their 70s and older. It turned into Beauty and Wisdom, a full-fledged crusade against beauty double standards and ageism See also: 20 People … [Link]

Slashdot » Kolab.org Groupware 3.3 Release Adds Tags, Notes, and Dozens of Other Features

Wednesday 20 August 13:29:00 UTC 2014

jrepin (667425) writes Version 3.3 of Kolab.org, a free and open source groupware solution, has been released. It is now possible to add tags to email messages, work with notes right in the webclient, and manage your resources more easily. Kolab.org 3.3 introduces a new folder navigation view that allows you to search and subscribe to shared calendars, address books, … [Link]

Slashdot » Kolab.org Groupware 3.3 Release Adds Tags, Notes, and Dozens of Other New Featur

Wednesday 20 August 13:29:00 UTC 2014

jrepin (667425) writes Version 3.3 of Kolab.org, a free and open source groupware solution, has been released. It is now possible to add tags to email messages, work with notes right in the webclient, and manage your resources more easily. Kolab.org 3.3 introduces a new folder navigation view that allows you to search and subscribe to shared calendars, address books, … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » PSA: Backup Early, Backup Often

Wednesday 20 August 13:10:50 UTC 2014

A four-year old girl learns a tough lesson about the temporary nature of digital technology. (And the Internet gets a tough reminder of the meanness of YouTube commenters.) 22 Words explains: As 4-year-old Cadence was playing with a little camera for her and her brothers, she pushed just the right sequence of buttons to delete a photo. When she realized … [Link]

Mashable » 20 Shameless Purchases From That Glorious First Paycheck

Wednesday 20 August 13:00:05 UTC 2014

PaycheckconfessionsFeed-tw Feed-fbThat sweet, sweet first paycheck — when you have more money in your life than you've ever had before. Let's be honest: You probably did something stupid with your first paycheck. Whether it was a bag of Cheetos or something a little more … illegal, you probably didn't invest it like you should have. See also: 25 Apps to Save You … [Link]

Slashdot » Your Phone Can Be Snooped On Using Its Gyroscope

Wednesday 20 August 12:51:00 UTC 2014

stephendavion (2872091) writes Researchers will demonstrate the process used to spy on smartphones using gyroscopes at Usenix Security event on August 22, 2014. Researchers from Stanford and a defense research group at Rafael will demonstrate a way to spy on smartphones using gyroscopes at Usenix Security event on August 22, 2014. According to the "Gyrophone: Recognizing Speech From Gyroscope Signals" … [Link]

Mashable » Endangered Dragonfly Could Be Saved by Lower Speed Limits

Wednesday 20 August 12:45:47 UTC 2014

Hines-emerald-dragonfly-01Feed-tw Feed-fbSlow down, drivers. You could save America's rarest dragonfly. The Hine's emerald dragonfly is the only dragonfly on the federal endangered species list. The insect's largest remaining population lives in Door County, Wisconsin, where sandy beaches and cherry and apple orchards draw tourists from Green Bay and beyond. A 2003 study found these summer drivers kill about 3,300 Hine's emerald dragonflies … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » Not just the governments playbook

Wednesday 20 August 12:29:42 UTC 2014

Whenever I hear someone say that “government should be run like a business,” my first reaction is “do you know how badly most businesses are run?” Seriously. I do not want my government to run like a business — whether … [Link]

Mashable » Hackers Reportedly Exploited Heartbleed Bug to Steal 4.5 Million Patient Records

Wednesday 20 August 12:19:09 UTC 2014

HeartbleedFeed-tw Feed-fbThe hackers who stole 4.5 million patient records from an American hospital network might have exploited the infamous Heartbleed bug to carry out the hack — the first time the bug has been reported to be at the center of a high-profile breach. The attackers, who are suspected to be Chinese hackers, took advantage of a device that had not been … [Link]

Slashdot » Heartbleed To Blame For Community Health Systems Breach

Wednesday 20 August 12:19:07 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: The Heartbleed vulnerability is the cause of the data breach at Community Health Systems, which resulted in 4.5 million records (containing patient data) being compromised. According to a blog post from TrustedSec, the attackers targeted a vulnerable Juniper router and obtained credentials, which allowed them access to the network's VPN. Share on Google+ Read more of this story at … [Link]

Mashable » The Children of Ferguson, on the Front Lines

Wednesday 20 August 12:18:59 UTC 2014

Ferguson-kids-1Feed-tw Feed-fbFERGUSON, Missouri — Parked in a driveway just steps away from an armored police truck was a truck that served a very different purpose on Tuesday night — a stage for five carefree children to perform their song, “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot.” Eight-year-old Meosha was on drums made from a bucket. Shakira, 7, and Aaliyah, 6, were backup dancers, holding up … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Science of Depression

Wednesday 20 August 12:00:58 UTC 2014

ASAP Science takes a look at an often misunderstood condition in a clip that’s well-timed given the recent public debate sparked by the death of Robin Williams by suicide: What exactly is going on inside of a depressed person? We look at the scientific basis for depression, and shed light on the fact that it is a disease with biological, … [Link]

Mashable » 11 Back To School Tips From Pop Culture's Top Slackers

Wednesday 20 August 12:00:29 UTC 2014

Ferris-buellerFeed-tw Feed-fbStudents, rejoice — it's time to prep for back to school. While it might make sense to take tips from Hermione or Rory Gilmore on decorating your notebooks and cramming your summer reading list in a last-minute Netflix marathon, sometimes it's the rebels without a care (for the periodic table) who really have the advice that can get you through another … [Link]

Mashable » What's in That Beef (Label)

Wednesday 20 August 11:45:37 UTC 2014

Florida-cattleFeed-tw Feed-fbFamiliar with the catchphrase "Where's the beef?" It was first used in a hugely successful 1984 ad campaign for Wendy's, the fast-food chain, and it tickled the nation's collective funny bone. Thirty years later, consumers are far more likely to ask "Where's the beef from?" According to a recent Consumer Reports survey on food labels, 88% believe, for example, that a … [Link]

Mashable » Beyond Millennials: How to Reach Generation Z

Wednesday 20 August 11:36:31 UTC 2014

Ap329785977351Feed-tw Feed-fbMillennials are so last year. As the generation that inspired countless thinkpieces eases out of the public eye, marketers are honing in on the next wave of consumers: Generation Z. These folks, born in 1995 or later, make up 25.9% of the United States' population, contribute $44 billion to the American economy and differ from their predecessors in a few key … [Link]

Mashable » 3 Sleepy Cats in Watermelon Hats — You're Welcome

Wednesday 20 August 11:26:01 UTC 2014

WatermelonFeed-tw Feed-fb After a long, hard day, sometimes you just need to sprawl out with your buds in your favorite watermelon hat. We could all use a Zen lesson from these fruit-loving felines. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul Reunite for 'Barely Legal' Exploits Adorable Kids Reenact TV's Grittiest Dramas Letterman on Robin Williams: 'He Could Make You Laugh Under Any Circumstances' Ferguson … [Link]

Mashable » 21 People Not Strong Enough for the Ice Bucket Challenge

Wednesday 20 August 11:00:22 UTC 2014

IcebucketFeed-tw Feed-fbThe ice bucket challenge has completely taken over the digital domain. You can't log on to any social network without seeing everyone, from celebrities to grandparents, dump perfectly good ice water on their head to raise awareness for ALS research. Millions of people are uploading videos or talking about the challenge, and the cause has raised more than $15.6 million in … [Link]

Mashable » How to Use the 7 Least Popular Emoji

Wednesday 20 August 10:33:12 UTC 2014

Emoji_lonelyFeed-tw Feed-fbFar away from our beloved smiley faces, hearts and various anthropomorphic cats are those other emoji — hidden away in the obscure pages of useless keyboards. Neither their meaning nor purpose is clear at first glance, and their lack of utility relegates them to a life of Unicode loneliness in your iPhone or Android. With dozens of emoji, it makes sense … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 20 August 2014

Wednesday 20 August 10:29:09 UTC 2014

Machine Learning for Plant Properties — startup building database of plant genomics, properties, research, etc. for mining. The more familiar you are with your data and its meaning, the better your machine learning will be at suggesting fruitful lines of … [Link]

Mashable » UK to 'Protect Kids' by Rating Music Videos Like Movies

Wednesday 20 August 10:21:38 UTC 2014

Child-on-computerFeed-tw Feed-fbBritish Prime Minister David Cameron has announced a new program that will rate music videos like movies — though it's not clear how effectively it will block inappropriate content "We’re going to help parents protect their children from some of the graphic content in online music videos," Cameron said in a speech to the Royal College of GPs in London on … [Link]

Mashable » California Hospital Tests Patient for Ebola

Wednesday 20 August 9:52:55 UTC 2014

Ebola_virusFeed-tw Feed-fbAn unnamed patient is being tested for Ebola at a northern California hospital, but he or she is at "low-risk" of actually being infected, according to health officials in the state. The virus Ebola, for which there is no known cure, has killed more than 1,200 people in West Africa, with more than 2,000 infections in what's the worst outbreak in … [Link]

Slashdot » How Patent Trolls Destroy Innovation

Wednesday 20 August 9:46:00 UTC 2014

walterbyrd sends this story from Vox: Everyone agrees that there's been an explosion of patent litigation in recent years, and that lawsuits from non-practicing entities (NPEs) — known to critics as patent trolls — are a major factor. But there's a big debate about whether trolls are creating a drag on innovation — and if so, how big the problem … [Link]

Mashable » Fighting Erupts in Gaza After Peace Talks Fail

Wednesday 20 August 8:36:17 UTC 2014

Gaza3Feed-tw Feed-fbGAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Palestinian militants launched dozens of rockets and Israel responded with airstrikes on Wednesday after Egyptian efforts to mediate a lasting truce in the monthlong Gaza war collapsed in a hail of fire a day earlier. The fighting resumed Tuesday when Gaza militants fired rockets at Israeli cities just hours before a temporary cease-fire was set to … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Check Out The First Services To Use Product Hunt's API

Wednesday 20 August 8:29:28 UTC 2014

Product Hunt is website that aids in app and technology discovery. The website’s social functions include a login and an up-vote system to display top trending products. With such valuable data at developer fingertips, it's no wonder why the service has begun to deploy a Product Hunt API. [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Big Titles Scored for AMD’s Mantle API

Wednesday 20 August 8:29:27 UTC 2014

Developed by AMD, Mantle is a 3D rendering API that reduces CPU overhead by utilizing low-level GPU architecture, allowing for complex applications with lower latency. Their API has been met with open arms from game developers who want more control over their device. [Link]

Mashable » Motorcycle Accident Ends in the Craziest Possible Way

Wednesday 20 August 8:16:25 UTC 2014

Bike-crashFeed-tw Feed-fb Bike crashes often don't end well, and very few of them can be called fun. This one, though, caught on a Russian dashboard camera, has the least likely outcome you could imagine — and it seems to leave participants unhurt. The 30-second video, which has a July 30 datestamp, was published on YouTube on Aug. 19. According to Jalopnik, the … [Link]

Slashdot » Wheel Damage Adding Up Quickly For Mars Rover Curiosity

Wednesday 20 August 8:05:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: The folks in charge of the Mars rover Curiosity have been trying to solve an increasingly urgent problem: what to do about unexpected wheel damage. The team knew from the start that wear and tear on the wheels would slowly accumulate, but they've been surprised at how quickly the wheels have degraded over the past year. … [Link]

Mashable » Researchers Create Camouflage Tech Modeled After Octopus Skin

Wednesday 20 August 7:07:52 UTC 2014

OctopusFeed-tw Feed-fb A group of researchers created camouflage tech inspired by octopuses, cephalopods that can change the color of their skin depending on their surroundings, National Geographic reports The team, led by Cunjiang Yu at the University of Houston and John Rogers at the University of Illinois, created a sheet that can detect light falling on it and change color accordingly See … [Link]

Mashable » In Pictures, Pakistani Protesters March on Parliament

Wednesday 20 August 7:03:06 UTC 2014

Pakistan-4Feed-tw Feed-fbThousands of protestors marched on Pakistan's parliament on Tuesday in a bid to oust Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and Canadian cleric Tahir ul-Qadri led twin protest movements into the heart of Islamabad's "Red Zone," which includes the parliament, Sharif's home and office, and Western embassies, Reuters reported. The unrest is yet another problem for Pakistan's new civilian government, … [Link]

Mashable » At Least 39 Journalists Are Still Missing Worldwide, 20 Missing in Syria

Wednesday 20 August 6:49:39 UTC 2014

James-foley1Feed-tw Feed-fbA video purportedly showing the beheading of missing American journalist James Foley was released on Tuesday by an extremist group called the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS/ISIL) News of Foley's alleged death was sudden and tragic, especially because his family and supporters launched a campaign to find him after he was kidnapped in Syria in November 2012. Foley is one … [Link]

Slashdot » Solar Plant Sets Birds On Fire As They Fly Overhead

Wednesday 20 August 6:40:00 UTC 2014

Elledan writes: Federal investigators in California have requested that BrightSource — owner of thermal solar plants — halt the construction of more (and bigger) plants until their impact on wildlife has been further investigated. "Unlike many other solar plants, the Ivanpah plant does not generate energy using photovoltaic solar panels. Instead, it has more than 300,000 mirrors, each the size … [Link]

Mashable » Even Turkish Soccer Fans Are Protesting With Ferguson

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:37 UTC 2014

BesiktasFeed-tw Feed-fbProtests over the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, have officially gone worldwide, even reaching a Champions League soccer match in Turkey. The photo above comes from Tuesday's Champions League play-off match between Premier League side Arsenal and host Besiktas in Istanbul, nearly 6,000 miles from where the unarmed Brown, who was black, was shot dead by a white police … [Link]

Mashable » Hands On With Sprint's Sharp Aquos Crystal Smartphone

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:36 UTC 2014

Sharp_aquos_crystal_thumbnewFeed-tw Feed-fbSharp’s first U.S. Aquos-brand smartphone entry, available now on the Sprint network, is no spec-buster, but its elegant, edge-to-edge screen does evoke the nothing-but screen phones typically seen in most sci-fi television and film fare. The 5-inch, 4.9-ounce Aquos Crystal is not as thin as all that, though. Yes, the 1280×720 resolution LCD screen comes within millimeters of the metal edge … [Link]

Mashable » In Wake of James Foley Beheading Video, Journalists Rush to Self-Censor

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:35 UTC 2014

James-foley-killed-10Feed-tw Feed-fbIt took only minutes before screenshots of a video claiming to show the brutal murder of James Foley spread widely on Twitter. Just as quickly, journalists realized that this social media dissemination is exactly what extremist group the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS/ISIL) had hoped for See also: Islamic Militants Post Video Claiming to Show Beheading of U.S. Journalist I … [Link]

Mashable » Ginger Baker Turns 75: The Strange Life of Rock's Wildest Drummer

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:34 UTC 2014

Ginger-baker-3Feed-tw Feed-fbThe percussive genius behind the legendary British rock trio Cream turned 75 on Tuesday. Ginger Baker, born Peter Edward Baker on Aug. 19, 1939, is regarded as not only one of the greatest drummers to ever grace the instrument — a man many have called a natural with the sticks — but also one of the rock world's craziest musicians off … [Link]

Mashable » NFL Reportedly Asks Halftime-Show Candidates to Pay to Play

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:33 UTC 2014

Unnamed2Feed-tw Feed-fbThe National Football League sees its Super Bowl halftime show as such a valuable promotional platform that it's asking potential artists — including Coldplay, Rihanna and Katy Perry — to pay the league for the gig, according to a new report That would be quite a departure from years past, when the artists essentially played for free, other than having their … [Link]

Mashable » Texas Gov. Rick Perry Gets a Mug Shot

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:32 UTC 2014

PerryFeed-tw Feed-fbTexas Gov. Rick Perry isn't exactly camera-shy. But few would argue that he was happy to pose for his most recent photograph. Perry had his mug shot snapped on Tuesday at Travis County Court in Austin, having been indicted Friday on felony charges for allegedly abusing his authority as governor, and strong-arming a public official. See also: 10 Hysterical Political Parodies … [Link]

Mashable » Little League Star Mo'ne Davis Hits Sports Illustrated's Cover

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:31 UTC 2014

MonedavisFeed-tw Feed-fbMo’ne Davis, the 13-year-old girl whose steely demeanor and ace pitching skills have captivated the nation and powered her team from Philadelphia deep into the Little League World Series, is now gracing the cover of America's most iconic sports publication. See also: The Secret to Little League World Series Success? Girls, Girls, Girls Sports Illustrated's national cover for the this week … [Link]

Mashable » Google Brings Android 360-Degree Photo App to iPhone

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:30 UTC 2014

Phtphs90870Feed-tw Feed-fbGoogle tries to make sure its most popular Android apps are also available to iPhone users, but not everything makes the cut Now Google's Photo Sphere app, designed to help you capture three-dimensional views of your world, has finally come to iOS. See also: Interactive Map Site Lets You Travel the World Through the Lenses of Drones Like Google's other Android-to-iOS … [Link]

Mashable » Air France Crews Petition to Stop Flights to Ebola-Affected Countries

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:29 UTC 2014

Air-franceFeed-tw Feed-fbMore than 700 Air France staff have signed a petition asking the airline to stop flights to the West African countries hit hard by Ebola. Air France flies to Conakry in Guinea and Freetown in Sierra Leone. Despite assurances from world-health officials that Ebola's spread by air travel is unlikely, British Airways and Emirates have already canceled routes as a precaution. … [Link]

Mashable » Griffin von Porkchop: The Snaggletoothed Cat That Will Steal Your Candy

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:28 UTC 2014

GriffinFeed-tw Feed-fbDon’t let that cockeyed scowl fool you. Behind those copper eyes and snaggletooth lies a heart of gold. Griffin von Porkchop, a 4-year-old exotic shorthair living in Vancouver, Canada with three other felines, just began his Internet cat career. Griffin was born with an asymmetrical jaw, which causes his snaggletooth. See also: The Complete Hiss-tory of Cats on the Internet His … [Link]

Mashable » Islamic Militants Post Video Claiming to Show Beheading of U.S. Journalist

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:27 UTC 2014

James-foley-killed-12Feed-tw Feed-fbEditors’ note: There are images in this post that some readers may find distressing. Islamic State militants on Tuesday released a video that purported to show the beheading of James Foley, an American freelance journalist who has been missing since he was kidnapped in Syria in November 2012. The authenticity of the video could not be immediately verified, but Foley's mother … [Link]

Mashable » Taylor Swift and Groot 'Shake It Off' in One Perfect Vine

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:26 UTC 2014

Dancing-taylor-and-grootFeed-tw Feed-fbTaylor Swift and Guardians of the Galaxy's Groot have joined forces in the ultimate pop culture mashup In this Vine from Uproxx's Andy Issac, Groot and Tay share a six-second dance number to Swift's latest single "Shake It Off." See also: 18 Reactions to ‘Shake It Off’ That Taylor Swift Could Write a Song About Say what you will about Swift's … [Link]

Mashable » Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul Reunite for 'Barely Legal' Exploits

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:25 UTC 2014

BryancranstonFeed-tw Feed-fb Is it an TV show ad? Is it a car ad? Is it a spoof of reality show Pawn Stars? Is it a weird Breaking Bad binge-watching-induced dream? Yes In a six-minute Audi-sponsored Emmys ad, titled "Barely Legal Pawn," Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul reunite to run a very legitimate (but creepy) pawn shop. Enter Julia Louis-Dreyfus, shy on cash … [Link]

Mashable » China's MIUI 6 Is the Most Blatant iOS 7 Ripoff Ever

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:24 UTC 2014

Miui6Feed-tw Feed-fbAnd you thought Samsung's TouchWiz was bad Over the weekend, China's biggest smartphone maker, Xiaomi, released the latest version of its customized version of Android — the MIUI 6 See also: 10 Emoji Meanings That Might Surprise You MIUI 6 has a new design that bears a striking resemblance to iOS 7. This isn't the first time Xiaomi has dipped into … [Link]

Mashable » China Is Growing Pears That Look Like Babies

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:23 UTC 2014

22Feed-tw Feed-fbWe’ve heard of talking to plants to help them grow, but not turning them into tiny humans. Using a plastic mold, Chinese farms have started to grow pears that resemble babies and are distributing them in supermarkets. See also: Peach Butts in Panties Are China's Cheeky New Fad The mold gets clamped onto the fruit while it is still small enough … [Link]

Mashable » What Is ALS and the Ice Bucket Challenge?

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:22 UTC 2014

Screen-shot-2014-08-19-at-4.33.56-pmFeed-tw Feed-fb The Ice Bucket Challenge has exploded online as a viral phenomenon, prompting new interest and attention towards the ALS disease ALS, also known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” is a muscular degenerative disorder that affects the muscle neurons of the body. Eventually, it leads to paralysis, vital organ failure and, in some cases, death Since the Ice Bucket Challenge has gone … [Link]

Mashable » Times Square Characters Protest Police Crackdown That's Cutting Into Tips

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:21 UTC 2014

ProtestFeed-tw Feed-fbAs the costumed characters that frequent Times Square are asking for better treatment, authorities say they are cracking down on those very characters to protect tourists in the city. The folks dressed up as Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and the Statue of Liberty proclaimed their right to collect money, taking off their masks to protest what they call a "hostile … [Link]

Mashable » Marvel Releases First Photo of Paul Rudd as Ant-Man

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:20 UTC 2014

Ant-man2Feed-tw Feed-fbThe lonely hero broods on a gloomy morning by the side of a bridge. Seems about right. Paul Rudd, the latest Hollywood A-lister turned superhero, stars as Ant-Man, the alter ego of Marvel character Scott Lang See also: Marvel's 'Ant-Man' Adds 'Mad Men' Star John Slattery, Actually Starts Shooting Ant-Man began filming on Monday and is set to hit theaters in … [Link]

Mashable » Down With Wi-Fi, Support the Team: Soccer Fans Protest In-Stadium Internet

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:19 UTC 2014

FwifiFeed-tw Feed-fbConnected stadiums with free WiFi, special apps and other technological doo-dads are all the rage in sports these days. To compete with the allure living rooms' 80-inch TVs and overstuffed couches, the conventional corporate thinking goes, teams and leagues need to offer some of the modern creature comforts fans can get at home. Some fans of a European soccer club, however, … [Link]

Mashable » Mara Wilson's Sweet Tribute to Robin Williams: 'He Seemed So Vulnerable'

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:18 UTC 2014

Mara_wilsonFeed-tw Feed-fbMara Wilson, who played Robin Williams' daughter in the 1993 film Mrs. Doubtfire, has penned a lengthy and sweet blog post about her movie dad, exposing the actor's surprisingly shy and vulnerable side. Robin was so on so much of the time that I was surprised to hear my mother describe him as “shy.” “When he talks to you,” she told … [Link]

Mashable » U.S. Will Change 'Ineffective' No-Fly List Process After Judge's Ruling

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:17 UTC 2014

Airplane2Feed-tw Feed-fbWASHINGTON – The Obama administration is promising to change the way travelers can ask to be removed from its no-fly list of suspected terrorists banned from air travel. The decision comes after a federal judge's ruling in June that there was no meaningful way to challenge the designation, a situation deemed unconstitutional. In response, the Justice Department said the U.S. will … [Link]

Mashable » NFL Players Honor Michael Brown Before 'Monday Night Football'

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:16 UTC 2014

NflFeed-tw Feed-fbAn unarmed black teenager was shot dead by a white police officer in the middle of America nearly two weeks ago, setting off a string of racially charged clashes between protesters and police for much of the past week in the town where he was killed Now a group of NFL players have decided to pay tribute to the slain teenager … [Link]

Mashable » Curiosity Rover Stalled by Slippery Martian Sand

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:15 UTC 2014

Hidden-valley-curiosityFeed-tw Feed-fbNASA’s Mars rover Curiosity may have to choose a new route to the base of a huge Red Planet mountain. The 1-ton Curiosity rover had been heading for Mount Sharp — a 3.4-mile-high mountain in the center of Mars' Gale Crater — via "Hidden Valley," a sandy swale that's about the length of a football field. But Curiosity turned back shortly … [Link]

Mashable » Has the Media Become a Third Force in Ferguson?

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:14 UTC 2014

Ferguson-media-problemFeed-tw Feed-fbDuring the day, the sidewalks of Ferguson, Missouri, have grown crowded with journalists. At night, the media sometimes appear to outnumber protestors near police lines. As reporters from around the world descend on the small town, the inevitable question has emerged — is the media becoming too big a part of the very story it is covering? It is a particularly … [Link]

Mashable » Steve Ballmer Resigns From Microsoft's Board

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:13 UTC 2014

BallmerFeed-tw Feed-fbMicrosoft’s board of directors is about to get a lot quieter. Steve Ballmer announced Tuesday he is resigning from Microsoft's board effective immediately. The decision comes six months after Satya Nadella succeeded Ballmer as CEO of Microsoft. See also: 5 Things You Should Know About Microsoft's New CEO "Given my confidence and the multitude of new commitments I am taking on … [Link]

Mashable » Adorable Kids Reenact TV's Grittiest Dramas

Wednesday 20 August 5:32:12 UTC 2014

Kidemmy1Feed-tw Feed-fb Nothing spells scintillating drama more than adorable kids in fake beards. Pint-sized performers parody scenes from some of the best dramas on television, including Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad. Joffrey Baratheon, Frank Underwood or Walter White probably would be way more likable if they were as cute that these kiddos. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul Reunite for 'Barely Legal' … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Omega DevCloud Will Facilitate a Ubiquitous IoT

Wednesday 20 August 5:25:03 UTC 2014

RacoWireless has released plans for Omega DevCloud, a comprehensive service aiming to create a ubiquitous communication environment between IoT devices. DevCloud, part of the Omega Management Suite, is projected to interpret and translate communications between any type of device or format, wrapping complex formats in a customizable RESTful API. [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Goodzer Offers Local Services With 2 Million New Locations

Wednesday 20 August 5:25:02 UTC 2014

Goodzer is an app that gives consumers the ability to search and find deals on local products. Last month Goodzer announced that it plans to increase its number of featured locations from 500,000 to 2.5 million. This data expansion is coupled by the recent opening of services to be catalogued alongside goods. [Link]

The Joy of Tech » JoT #2035: Bye Bye Ballmer!

Wednesday 20 August 4:43:14 UTC 2014

JoT thumbAwww, we're gonna miss the big lug. If you enjoyed the comic, please retweet, Like, or share the URL. Thanks! [Link]

Slashdot » Operating Systems Still Matter In a Containerized World

Wednesday 20 August 4:40:00 UTC 2014

New submitter Jason Baker writes: With the rise of Docker containers as an alternative for deploying complex server-based applications, one might wonder, does the operating system even matter anymore? Certainly the question gets asked periodically. Gordon Haff makes the argument on Opensource.com that the operating system is still very much alive and kicking, and that a hardened, tuned, reliable operating … [Link]

Mashable » Parallels Desktop 10: Run Windows on Your Yosemite Mac

Wednesday 20 August 4:01:13 UTC 2014

Ascani_macbook15-15-2Feed-tw Feed-fbFall is around the corner, which means a new version of OS X is almost here. That also means a new version of Parallels — the software that lets you run Windows on a Mac — is almost here, too, and this time there's a big emphasis on speed. With Parallels Desktop 10 installed on your Mac, you won't just be … [Link]

Slashdot » Fifth Edition Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook Released

Wednesday 20 August 3:35:00 UTC 2014

New submitter GammaKitsune writes: "The Player's Handbook for the fifth edition of Dungeons and Dragons, formerly known as "D&D Next," released today to major bookstores and online retailers across the U.S. The Player's Handbook, which contains core rules for gameplay and character creation, is one of thee core rulebooks that developer Wizards of the Coast plans to release in 2014. … [Link]

Mashable » Missouri Governor Calls for 'Vigorous Prosecution' in Michael Brown's Death

Wednesday 20 August 3:30:29 UTC 2014

Jay-nixon-vid-statementFeed-tw Feed-fbIn a video statement released Tuesday night, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said "vigorous prosecution must now be pursued" in Michael Brown's death, prompting some to criticize him for what they perceived to be biased language My message to the people of #MO about the difficult but important test facing us all in #Ferguson https://t.co/FWXHQLdWcw — Governor Jay Nixon (@GovJayNixon) August 20, … [Link]

Mashable » Your Mobile Phone Late Fees May Be Unlawful, Lawyers Claim

Wednesday 20 August 3:25:55 UTC 2014

TelstraFeed-tw Feed-fbSYDNEY — Those pesky $15 late fees charged by your mobile phone company are now at the centre of a proposed class action lawsuit. The major Australian telecommunications companies (telcos) are charging set fees for bills not paid by the due date and ACA Lawyers believe this is unlawful. They have announced a plan for a multi-million dollar class action suit … [Link]

Slashdot » Comcast Training Materials Leaked

Wednesday 20 August 2:35:00 UTC 2014

WheezyJoe writes: The Verge reports on leaked training manuals from Comcast, which show how selling services is a required part of the job, even for employees doing tech support. The so-called "4S training material" explicitly states that 20 percent of a call center employee's rating for a given call is dependent on effectively selling the customer new Comcast services. "There … [Link]

Mashable » Google Glass App Connects Patients With Specialists Quickly

Wednesday 20 August 2:32:58 UTC 2014

Doctor-in-google-glassFeed-tw Feed-fbThe Launchpad is a series that introduces Mashable readers to compelling startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. Name: Remedy One-Liner Pitch: Remedy is a Google Glass application that enables patients to see specialists faster, through the eyes of a physician. Navigating the healthcare system as a patient can be a … [Link]

Mashable » Even Turkish Soccer Fans Are Protesting With Ferguson

Wednesday 20 August 1:35:58 UTC 2014

BesiktasFeed-tw Feed-fbProtests over the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, have officially gone worldwide, even reaching a Champions League soccer match in Turkey. The photo above comes from Tuesday's Champions League play-off match between Premier League side Arsenal and host Besiktas in Istanbul, nearly 6,000 miles from where the unarmed Brown, who was black, was shot dead by a white police … [Link]

Mashable » Hands On With Sprint's Sharp Aquos Crystal Smartphone

Wednesday 20 August 1:21:17 UTC 2014

Sharp_aquos_crystal_thumbnewFeed-tw Feed-fbSharp’s first U.S. Aquos-brand smartphone entry, available now on the Sprint network, is no spec-buster, but its elegant, edge-to-edge screen does evoke the nothing-but screen phones typically seen in most sci-fi television and film fare. The 5-inch, 4.9-ounce Aquos Crystal is not as thin as all that, though. Yes, the 1280×720 resolution LCD screen comes within millimeters of the metal edge … [Link]

Slashdot » Netflix CEO On Net Neutrality: Large ISPs Are the Problem

Wednesday 20 August 0:51:00 UTC 2014

KindMind writes: At Wired, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has posted his take on net neutrality. He lays the problem at the feet of the large ISPs. Hastings says, "Consider this: A single fiber-optic strand the diameter of a human hair can carry 101.7 terabits of data per second, enough to support nearly every Netflix subscriber watching content in HD at … [Link]

Mashable » In Wake of James Foley Beheading Video, Journalists Rush to Self-Censor

Wednesday 20 August 0:17:53 UTC 2014

James-foley-killed-10Feed-tw Feed-fbIt took only minutes before screenshots of a video claiming to show the brutal murder of James Foley spread widely on Twitter. Just as quickly, journalists realized that this social media dissemination is exactly what extremist group the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS/ISIL) had hoped for See also: Islamic Militants Post Video Claiming to Show Beheading of U.S. Journalist I … [Link]

Slashdot » $125,000 Settlement Given To Man Arrested for Photographing NYPD

Wednesday 20 August 0:10:00 UTC 2014

mpicpp sends word of a $125,000 settlement for a man who was arrested for photographing members of the New York Police Department. On June 14th, 2012, the man was sitting in his car when he saw three African-American youths being stopped and frisked by police officers. He began taking pictures of the encounter, and after the police were done, he … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Zombie Escape City-by-City Plans [Posters]

Wednesday 20 August 0:00:10 UTC 2014

Toronto’s Design Different has a range of prints each detailing a map and directions for the quickest route from a major city to the nearest major safe zone, often a conservation area that’s safely fenced off. There are nine cities to choose from, but for an extra fee they’ll create a custom map for your chosen city. [Via: Dude I … [Link]

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