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 » Indian Mars Mission Beams Back First Photographs
astroengine writes India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) got straight to work as it closed in on Martian orbit on Tuesday — it began taking photographs of the Red Planet and its atmosphere and surface as it slowed down to reach its ultimate destination. After a two day wait, those first images are slowly trickling onto the Internet. 
Read more of … [Link]
Slashdot » First Shellshock Botnet Attacking Akamai, US DoD Networks
Bismillah writes The Bash "Shellshock" bug is being used to spread malware to create a botnet, that's active and attacking Akamai and Department of Defense networks. "The 'wopbot' botnet is active and scanning the internet for vulnerable systems, including at the United States Department of Defence, chief executive of Italian security consultancy Tiger Security, Emanuele Gentili, told iTnews. 'We have … [Link]
Mashable » Eric Holder's Five Years As Attorney General in Pictures
Attorney General Eric Holder is going to leave his post as head of the Justice Department as soon as President Barack Obama finds a replacement Holder, 63, made history in 2009 after becoming the first black person to be named attorney general. His five years in the role have been marked by his liberal views on civil rights, especially voting rights … [Link]
Slashdot » FBI Chief: Apple, Google Phone Encryption Perilous
An anonymous reader writes The FBI is concerned about moves by Apple and Google to include encryption on smartphones. "I like and believe very much that we should have to obtain a warrant from an independent judge to be able to take the contents," FBI Director James Comey told reporters. "What concerns me about this is companies marketing something expressly … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Physics Of Space Battles [Science Video]
How scientifically accurate is your favorite sci-fi space battle? Watch this video and find out! Pew pew pew! [It's Okay To Be Smart] [Link]
Mashable » YouTuber Sam Pepper Hit With Sexual-Harassment Claims After 'Ass Pinch' Prank
YouTube personality Sam Pepper, whose "Fake Hand Ass Pinch Prank” outraged fellow YouTubers and his 2.4 million subscribers (and falling), is now facing additional sexual-harassment accusations, some of which allegedly occurred off-camera. Laci Green, a sex-education activist on YouTube, posted a video Thursday that details Pepper's behavior, the uproar and stories from women claiming he has sexually harassed them at some … [Link]
Mashable » Apple Offers First Peek Inside iPhone Test Lab
Apple has already defended the strength of the iPhone 6 Plus against charges that it bends too easily (the so-called "BendGate"). Now, less than 24 hours later, the company is continuing its publicity offensive with a first-ever look at the labs where it stress-tests its smartphones. See also: 10 Apps That Make the Best Use of iOS 8 Earlier on Thursday, … [Link]
Mashable » 16 Things That Bend More Than the iPhone 6 Plus
Positive reviews of the iPhone 6 Plus were quickly forgotten on Tuesday as panic set amongst skinny jean clad owners — the iPhone 6 Plus may bend in your pocket. The disappointing rumors are true, not only could the iPhone 6 Plus blend into a fine dust, but it may also bend in your pocket. The event, dubbed "Bendgate," gained as … [Link]
Slashdot » Study: Multimedia Multitasking May Be Shrinking Human Brains
An anonymous reader writes It seems that switching between laptop, smart phone and tablet may be shrinking our brains and leaving us prone to higher levels of anxiety and stress reports new research from the University of Sussex in the UK. The researchers point out that the link is currently a correlation rather than a proof of causation, but they … [Link]
Mashable » Report: 85% of iPhone 6 Buyers Are Repeat iPhone Customers
Bigger screens for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus aren't convincing many fandroids to switch over to iOS — at least not yet Data from 5,703 shoppers on the weekend of Sept. 12-14 from Slice Intelligence found 85% had previously bought an iPhone. About two thirds were upgrading from either an iPhone 5 or an iPhone 5S: Top 5 Previous … [Link]
Mashable » 'Breaking Bad' Star Bryan Cranston Skypes With Cancer Patient
Bryan Cranston, who famously played meth-cooking cancer patient Walter White on Breaking Bad, helped fulfill a real-life cancer patient's dream. (No blue meth or Jesse Pinkman needed.) Brad Joyner, who was diagnosed with brain cancer last year shortly after graduating from high school, created a "Living List" to inspire him to make the most of his life. After swimming with sharks … [Link]
Slashdot » FAA Clears Movie and TV Drones For Takeoff
alphadogg (971356) writes "The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is taking its first major step toward opening up the skies for commercial drone use, allowing six TV and movie production companies to use drones to shoot video. Commercial flight of drones has been effectively banned by the FAA as it grapples with how to integrate drone traffic into controlled airspace while … [Link]
Mashable » How to Snap the Perfect Hyperlapse Selfie
Selfies just got a whole lot fancier Until now, we could only shoot with the rear-facing camera on Instagram's popular time-lapse video app, Hyperlapse. With the app's new front-facing camera option, selfies will never be the same. Now you can record what the company calls a "selfielapse" with the touch of a button. See also: 9 Flashy Camera Accessories for the … [Link]
Slashdot » John Carmack's Oculus Connect Keynote Probably Had Samsung Cringing
An anonymous reader writes John Carmack, famed keystone developer of 3D networked gaming, has now been working with virtual reality company Oculus for over a year. Much of that time has been spent collaborating with Samsung on the forthcoming Gear VR headset. At his keynote presentation during Oculus Connect, Carmack took to the stage with 90 unscripted minutes of no … [Link]
Mashable » Thank God It's Thursday: What to Expect from the Return of 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Scandal'
The wait is over Thursday night marks the return of Shonda Rhimes-created favorites Grey's Anatomy and Scandal, who will kick off Seasons 11 and 4, respectively See also: 18 New TV Shows to Watch This Fall But what's in store for the doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial and the somewhat insane humans orbiting Olivia Pope? Allow the casts of both shows … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Four ways you can see the multiverse
The multiverse, where every choice spawns many universes, sounds like a philosopher's fantasy, but these four experiments show it may be very real 
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Mashable » Hollywood's Drones Turned Loose for Shooting Film and TV
LOS ANGELES — Hollywood, you are now free to move about U.S. airspace — with your drones. Six entertainment production companies have been granted regulatory exemptions to use drones in domestic airspace, the first step to allowing the film and TV industry widespread use of unmanned aircraft systems for filming purposes, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced Thursday. SEE ALSO: Drones … [Link]
Mashable » The iOS 8.0.1 Disaster Could Have Been the Smart Home's First Fail Whale
When Apple rolled out its 8.0.1 update for the iPad and iPhone on Wednesday, the faulty software caused huge headaches for many. Some lost cellular service, and others couldn't unlock their devices via the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. Apple later pulled the update, and normalcy — for those that reversed the upgrade — returned. See also: The 15 Best Features of … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Yodlee Launches Enterprise API to Unite Banks and Promote Innovation
Yodlee, cloud-based platform driving innovation in digital financial services, has launched the Yodlee Enterprise API.
[Link]
Slashdot » Artificial General Intelligence That Plays Video Games: How Did DeepMind Do It?
First time accepted submitter Hallie Siegel writes Last December, an article named 'Playing Atari with Deep Reinforcement Learning' was uploaded to arXiv by employees of a small AI company called DeepMind. Two months later Google bought DeepMind for 500 million euros, and this article is almost the only thing we know about the company. A research team from the Computational … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Spacecraft duo beam back their first Mars snaps
In their first images, India's orbiter tweets a top-down view of the Red Planet while NASA's spacecraft shows four faces of Mars 
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Mashable » Devon Still's Pep Talk to Cancer-Stricken Daughter Is an NFL Highlight
Suspensions, non-suspensions, domestic violence cases, allegedly duplicitous executives — the NFL has been an absolute mess lately But a bright spot in the league's steady stream of bad news has been the story of Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still and his four-year-old daughter, Leah, which took another feeling-inducing turn on Thursday morning See also: This Mind-Bending NFL Photo Is, Somehow, … [Link]
Slashdot » Catch Oil Polluters With Open Source Tools Using the Homebrew Oil Testing Kit
First time accepted submitter jywarren writes Ever wish you could investigate pollution yourself? Public Lab's recently announced open source kit aims to make it possible for anyone to become a "pollution detective" by comparing samples of oil contamination. Under the hood, the kit is pretty interesting. It uses the ultraviolet fluorescence caused by a Blu-Ray laser pen in oil samples, … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Guardians of the Galaxy + Star Wars + Firefly = LEGO Always Shoot First [Video]
A conversation between Peter Quill, Han Solo, and Malcolm Reynolds, discussing the age old question: when is it ok to shoot first? [BrotherhoodWorkshop] [Link]
Mashable » Mets Serendipitously Troll Beat Writer With Perfectly-Timed Balk
The New York Mets on Thursday afternoon unintentionally (at least, we think it was unintentional) pulled off one of the most well-timed, serendipitous troll moves in the long and storied history of Major League Baseball beat writers' complicated relationships with the teams they cover See also: Finally, Say Goodbye to Derek Jeter and the Longest Goodbye in History Anthony DiComo covers … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Nikola Tesla Dood: Your Genius Can Never Be Repaid [Music Video by Sarah Donner + The Oatmeal]
A fantastic musical homage to Nikola Tesla by The Oatmeal and Sarah Donner. [Matthew Inman] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Chemistry of the Colors of Autumn Leaves [Infographic]
Click Picture to Enlarge! As we’re entering autumn, leaves in trees have already started changing changing color, but did you know that these colors are affected by various chemical compounds? Click on the picture above to learn more about these compounds and how they affect leaves. [Source: Compoundchem.com | Via IO9] [Link]
Mashable » Steve Ballmer Set to Banish Apple Devices at Clippers
Former Microsoft CEO and new Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer proved he's still extremely loyal to his old company Thursday, when he revealed in an interview that the NBA team will "probably" have to get rid of its iPads. "Most of the Clippers are on Windows, some of the players and coaches are not," Ballmer told Reuters. He added that … [Link]
Mashable » At U.N., Obama Warns Leaders to 'Sprint' Into Gear to Fight Ebola Outbreak
President Obama delivered a stark warning to world leaders that there is a high risk that the Ebola virus will continue to ravage West Africa unless more actions are taken soon to slow and stop the outbreak Speaking at a special high-level U.N. meeting on Thursday concerning the largest Ebola outbreak in history, Obama said that how the world responds in … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Tumour traps: How to arrest cancer as it spreads
Some surgery to treat cancer can actually make it spread. But traps to mop up tumour cells as they infiltrate the body can boost chances of survival (full text available to subscribers) 
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Mashable » Jim Gaffigan Came Very Close to Playing for the Colts This Season
The Indianapolis Colts missed a huge opportunity this season when they cut comedian Jim Gaffigan. The ruthlessly self-deprecating 48-year-old tried out for the team this preseason, spending a lot of time eating, talking and bathing — but not much playing football. It also probably didn't help that Gaffigan doesn't know the names of any Colts players. 
Keith Olbermann Rips Apart … [Link]
Slashdot » Drones Reveal Widespread Tax Evasion In Argentina
Tailhook (98486) writes "The Argentine government has used drones to reveal 200 homes and 100 pools in an upper class area about ten miles south of Buenos Aires that had not been detailed on tax returns. Tax officials said the drones took pictures of luxury houses standing on lots registered as empty. The evasions found by the drones amounted to … [Link]
Slashdot » Solar System's Water Is Older Than the Sun
astroengine writes Next time you're swimming in the ocean, consider this: part of the water is older than the sun. So concludes a team of scientists who ran computer models comparing the ratios of hydrogen isotopes over time. Taking into account new insights that the solar nebula had less ionizing radiation than previously thought, the models show that at least … [Link]
Mashable » Everyone Wins When Kids Argue About the Weather
Weather is a hotly debated issue amongst toddlers. And these two mini Al Rokers almost come to blows over "raining" and "sprinkling." The argument doesn't really progress, but it does get increasingly cuter, which is all that counts. The little boy speaks for us all when he says "You poked my heart." Jim Gaffigan Came Very Close to Playing for … [Link]
Mashable » POW! Batman Medley Video Blends 50 Years of Music and Batmobiles
Like a Batarang to the face, this medley of Batman music hits you hard with its classical arrangement and stunningly meticulous visuals that include three Batmobile replicas from the superhero franchise. "Batman Evolution" is the latest creation from The Piano Guys, a group known for taking familiar songs and transforming them into piano-cello renditions for the YouTube audience. The Piano … [Link]
Mashable » Nothing Was the Same: Drake Gets Prayer Hands Emoji Tattoo
And on the eighth day, God sent Drake to the tattoo parlor A recent Instagram post from L.A.-based tattoo artist Dr. Woo shows that Drake is now the proud wearer of a prayer hands emoji tattoo. Nothing was, or will ever be, the same. See also: 10 Emoji Tattoos That Will Leave You Speechless In the photo's caption, Dr. Woo thanked … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Hotspots in India's tiger-trading network revealed
The traders in tiger parts prefer to smuggle their illegal wares via the nation's railway routes, reveals data on 40 years of poaching 
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ProgrammableWeb.com » Dribbble Launches New Beta Version API
Dribbble, a popular discovery site and community for designers, has announced the beta release of the Dribbble v1 API, which allows developers to create third-party applications that can interact and engage with the Dribbble community. This newly launched Dribbble API replaces the original Dribbble API that was launched back in 2010. The original API will be retired on April 8, … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » OutSystems Upgrade Simplifies Mobile Application Development and Deployment
OutSystems this week released a major upgrade to its rapid application development (RAD) environment that makes it easier to deploy native mobile applications that can access a broad range of back-end services.
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ProgrammableWeb.com » APIcon UK: Why Developers Should Take Linked Data Seriously
If you aren't familiar with linked data or the Semantic Web, it's probably a good time to get better acquainted with the concepts, as it seems to be a popular theme that is rippling through the Web development world, with promises of exciting possibilities. At this year's APIcon in London, Markus Lanthaler, inventor of Hydra and one of the core … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » WillowTree Apps Applies Service Virtualization to API Development
Waiting for APIs to be designed and implemented can wind up wasting a lot of application development time because, without an API in place, development teams can’t really work on the rest of the application. To address that issue, WillowTree Apps this week announced the release of a rapid API design and virtualization tool, dubbed Monkeypod, that is accessed via … [Link]
Mashable » Apple on 'BendGate': A Bend in an iPhone Is Extremely Rare
Apple is finally taking a stand on #BendGate and as you might expect it's looking to douse the fire with some cold, hard and illuminating facts. The controversy over whether or not Apple's new iPhone 6 phablet was prone to bending inside people's pockets was sparked first by some reports on social media and then by the now uber-famous "iPhone 6 … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Mapping Agency Builds A Country In Minecraft
A Minecraft map of the United Kingdom based on real mapping data has been updated to offer twice the detail. It’s now made up of blocks covering 25 meters of the real world, meaning many individual buildings can be identified. The map was originally created last year by an intern at Ordnance Survey, the country’s national mapping agency. Joseph Braybook … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Up to half of Earth's water is older than the sun
Modelling suggests much of the solar system's water comes from interstellar space, meaning many exoplanets could well have water too 
[Link]
Mashable » New 'Big Hero 6' Trailer Gives First Good Look at the Whole Team
There was always more to this movie than the characters we'd seen so far, Hiro and Baymax — that's why it's called Big Hero 6, not Big Hero 2. In this trailer from Walt Disney Animation Studios' follow-up to Frozen, we finally get a good look at the rest of the team, including Go Go Tomago (Jamie Chung), Wasabi (Damon … [Link]
Slashdot » Flurry of Scans Hint That Bash Vulnerability Could Already Be In the Wild
The recently disclosed bug in bash was bad enough as a theoretical exploit; now, reports Ars Technica, it could already be being used to launch real attacks. In a blog post yesterday, Robert Graham of Errata Security noted that someone is already using a massive Internet scan to locate vulnerable servers for attack. In a brief scan, he found over … [Link]
Mashable » This Really Depressing Graph About the Economy Is Turning Heads
If it seems like the rich are getting richer, well, the data might just back you up. A new graph based on data from times of growth backs up growing concern that the current economic system is disproportionately favoring those that are already wealthy. See also: How the Sharing Economy and Instant Gratification Will Shape Your Career The graph shows how … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter CEO Finally Gets a Verified Account on Twitter
Congratulations Dick Costolo, you're finally Twitter legit. The CEO of Twitter now has a blue check mark next to his Twitter account name, indicating that his profile is verified. The change, which comes almost exactly five years after Costolo joined the company, appears to have happened very recently, judging by the list of accounts followed by the @Verified account. See also: … [Link]
Mashable » Time-Lapse Selfies Are Now a Thing, Courtesy of Instagram's Hyperlapse
If there's one app that can be credited with the rise of the selfie, it's Instagram. But now the Facebook-owned photo app is introducing a new kind of selfie — the "selfielapse." Hyperlapse, Instagram's newest standalone app for time-lapse videos, got its first major update Thursday that allows users to shoot videos from their iPhones' front-facing cameras. See also: 20 Creative … [Link]
Mashable » Urban Outfitters Is Now the Biggest Seller Of Vinyl In the World
If you're looking for proof that vinyl is here to stay, consider this: Urban Outfitters is now the biggest seller of vinyl records in the world. Calvin Hollinger, the company’s chief administrative officer, announced bragged about this info at a meeting with analysts yesterday. See also: 11 Rad Ways to Relive the '90s "Music is very, very important to the Urban … [Link]
Mashable » Nissan Turns Its Leaf Electric Car Into a Pickup
Here’s a design from Nissan that might leave you asking yourself, "Why?" Engineers at Nissan sawed the back half off a Leaf electric car and bolted the bed from a Frontier pickup in its place to create a one-of-a-kind shop car. See also: All-Electric Car Race Ends in Crash With No Flames, But Plenty of Sparks It’s cherry-red, with rounded … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter CEO Wants All Iranians to Enjoy Their President's Tweets
Twitter diplomacy is back. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani spoke at the United Nations on Thursday, during which time his social media team practically live-tweeted his remarks. Not that any of his fellow countrymen could read them, as Twitter has been blocked in Iran since 2009 Responding to the tweet barrage, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo told Rouhani that he'd love Iranians to … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Make tough tasks seem easier by zapping the brain
Can you trick yourself into feeling stronger? Yes, if you stimulate the brain in the right away 
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Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: Is Reporting Still Relevant?
New submitter MrWHO (68268) writes A while ago we switched for monitoring our systems to the ELK (ElasticSearch, LogStash and Kibana) stack. Our management wanted to keep the reports they got — and possibly never read — flowing in at the beginning of every week with statistics like sites traffic, servers downtime, security alerts and the works. As we migrated … [Link]
Mashable » Taylor Swift Proves She's in on One of Tumblr's Weirdest Jokes
Taylor Swift is hip to your weird inside jokes, teens of the Internet. To promote her upcoming album 1989, which hits stores on Oct. 27, Swift took over over her public Tumblr, which is normally run by the singer's managers. Of course, she wasted no time appealing to the weird, wonderful world of Tumblr culture In a photo posted to her … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Ageing societies will be better for the planet
As lifespans rise and fertility rates fall, the ageing of Western industrial societies could help reduce carbon emissions 
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New Scientist – News » Cosmic inflation is dead, long live cosmic inflation!
The BICEP2 results hailed as demonstrating inflation in the early universe now seem to do the exact opposite, if they can be trusted at all 
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New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist
All the latest on newscientist.com: how to live in the multiverse, gaming bots, modified aubergines and India, looming CubeSat catastrophe and more 
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Mashable » Eric Schmidt on iPhone 6: Samsung Had the Product a Year Ago
Color Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt not impressed. When asked by Bloomberg TV what he thought of the frenzy over Apple's new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Schmidt laughed and said "I'll tell you what I think, Samsung had these products a year ago." See also: Google Tips Helps You Do Cool Stuff With Google Products Even though the former … [Link]
Mashable » There's a Hidden (Offline) T. Rex Game on Google Chrome Canary
Google’s latest Chrome model wants to make lemonade when your Wi-Fi gives you lemons If the Internet cuts out in Chrome Canary — the latest version of Google's browser — you can play an endless running game. You can actually only play the game if the computer isn't connected to the Internet The brave hero is a T. Rex you might … [Link]
Mashable » In the Wake of Shellshock, Mac Users Are Left Waiting for a Patch
A new vulnerability called Shellshock — also called the "Bash Bug" — is affecting both Linux computers and Macs, and it has the potential to let attackers take control of your computer as well as gain access to data and services in the cloud. Shellshock could pose an even greater threat than Heartbleed, another large-scale vulnerability that affected many popular websites … [Link]
Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: How To Keep Students' Passwords Secure?
First time accepted submitter bigal123 writes My son's school is moving more and more online and is even assigning Chromebooks or iPads to students (depending on the grade). In some cases they may have books, but the books stay home and they have user names and passwords to the various text book sites. They also have user names/passwords to several … [Link]
Mashable » Rob Schneider Vents After State Farm Drops Him for 'Anti-Vaxx' Views
Insurer State Farm has yanked an ad featuring comedian Rob Schneider after critics chided his anti-vaccination views. Bowing to pressure from a social media campaign, the brand pulled the weeks-old ad earlier this week. The spot featured Schneider exhuming his Richmeister ("making copies") character from Saturday Night Live. See also: The Most Memorable Brand Wins and Fails of 2013 The following … [Link]
Slashdot » Miss a Payment? Your Car Stops Running
HughPickens.com writes Auto loans to borrowers considered subprime, those with credit scores at or below 640, have spiked in the last five years with roughly 25 percent of all new auto loans made last year subprime, a volume of $145 billion in the first three months of this year. Now the NYT reports that before they can drive off the … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Do Periods Actually Make Women Moody? [Science Video]
Every man and woman needs to watch this! Are women actually more moody on their period? Watch as ASAPScience breaks down the biggest myths about menstruation, periods, and PMS. [AsapSCIENCE] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Using Synthetic Leaves to Colonize Space [Video]
Using chloroplasts and a silk product RCA graduate Julian Melchiorri developed a synthetic biological leaf that absorbs water and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen, just like a real plant! Needless to say, in large quantities, these could help the human race set up space colonies on distant planets such as Mars. Watch the video to find out more! [Dezeen | … [Link]
Mashable » 'Bear at Door' Is A Solid Reason to Not Deliver a Package
“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. Bears do, though. We don't mess with bears." — Unofficial motto of the Canada Post. On Sept. 23, a postal worker left a note on Matthew Fane's Vancouver-area mailbox stating that they were unable to deliver a package to his … [Link]
Slashdot » Euclideon Teases Photorealistic Voxel-Based Game Engine
MojoKid writes Not many would argue that current console and PC graphics technologies still haven't reached a level of "photo-realism." However, a company by the name of Euclideon is claiming to be preparing to deliver that holy grail based on laser scanning and voxel engine-based technologies. The company has put together a six-minute video clip of its new engine, and … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Top 10 Makeup Transformations of All Time (in Movie History) [Video]
From CineFix: Movie makeup can do more than hide imperfections and beautify actors. Well-designed makeup can play a major role in creating a character. These are our top 10 makeup transformations of all time. [CineFix | Via LS] [Link]
Mashable » 15 Upcycled Antique Plates You Won't Find in Your Grandma's House
As much as you appreciate your grandma's antique collection, those dusty, old relics could use an upgrade Artist Joanne DeLomba paints vintage ceramic plates with science fiction and pop culture references. Her creations, which she sells on her Etsy shop With Love Joanne, feature modern characters and icons like Darth Vader, aliens and selfies. See also: 15 Weird Knit Gifts More … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Hugh Everett: The man who gave us the multiverse
The physicist developed the idea that we're living in a multiverse of countless universes, full of copies of each of us. His life was fascinating and tragic 
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Mashable » Obama Just Created the World's Largest Marine Reserve
U.S. President Barack Obama took a historic step on Thursday by dramatically expanding an area of the Pacific Ocean that is off limits to fishing and other marine resources development, such as deep-sea mining. By adding to the existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, which was established under former U.S. President George W. Bush in 2009, Obama is expanding it … [Link]
Mashable » Ferguson Police Chief Apologizes to Mike Brown's Family
Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson apologized to the family of Mike Brown in a video on Friday, about six weeks after a white officer under his command shot and killed the unarmed black teenager in the middle of a street in Ferguson, Missouri “I want to say this to the Brown family: no one who has not experienced the loss of … [Link]
Mashable » Your iPhone 4S Will Run iOS 8, But Is It Worth the Upgrade?
The iPhone 4S can run iOS 8, but can it run it well? When iOS 8 was released last week, Apple said its latest mobile OS was compatible with the iPhone 4S and up, the iPad 2 and up and the fifth-generation iPod touch. Apple is unique in the smartphone game for consistently offering updates on hardware that is three generations … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Modified aubergines could transform farming in India
Next month's trials of genetically modified eggplants in Bangladesh could be a turning point in India's war over GM farming 
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Mashable » President Thanks Attorney General for Service in Press Conference
UPDATE, 4:45 p.m. ET: President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder held a press conference on Thursday afternoon to announce Holder's upcoming departure. In a speech that touched on both Holder's professional record as well as their friendship, Obama praised Holder's years in office, mentioning accomplishments such as his "relentless" fight to defend voting rights, and his challenges against "discriminatory" … [Link]
Slashdot » Amazon Forced To Reboot EC2 To Patch Bug In Xen
Bismillah writes AWS is currently emailing EC2 customers that it will need to reboot their instances for maintenance over the next few days. The email doesn't explain why the reboots are being done, but it is most likely to patch for the embargoed XSA-108 bug in Xen. ZDNet takes this as a spur to remind everyone that the cloud is … [Link]
Mashable » This Nerf Gun Has a Built-In Camera to Film Your Battles
Here’s something you didn't know you wanted: the Nerf N-Strike Elite Nerf Cam ECS-12 Blaster. We'll just call it a Nerf gun with a built-in camera. It's the company's first go at a social media-integrated toy, with capabilities to share video of your "missions," as company PR has dubbed them, on social media. See also: 12 WTF Things at the New … [Link]
Mashable » How to Get Out of Annoying Group Texts in iOS 8
Anyone who's gotten stuck in an unwanted group text knows how terrible it can be. Your phone blows up uncontrollably, and all you can do is hope the thread quiets down soon. For the longest time, the only way to leave a group text was to block your friends, or flat-out tell them to stop texting you. Luckily, Apple's latest mobile … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » 26 Jokes That Only Geeks Might Find Funny [Pic]
[Via TechEblog] [Link]
Mashable » NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio May Have Caused Death of Famous Groundhog
It’s the biggest political cover-up since Watergate: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio may have been responsible for the death of a celebrity groundhog De Blasio has "groundhog blood on his hands," according to the New York Post, which reported that "Staten Island Chuck" died of internal injuries one week after the mayor dropped it 6 feet onto the ground … [Link]
Mashable » Police Could Soon Have Radar Gun for Texting and Driving
You’re not supposed to drive faster than the speed limit. You're not supposed to text while driving, either. Police already have equipment that detects how fast you're going, of course, but a Virginia company is now developing technology to monitor texting and driving from a distance. See also: X-Ray Gun Can Search for Drugs, Money, Weapons Following the radar-gun model, a … [Link]
Mashable » What's More Adorable Than 1 Baby Turtle? 150 Baby Turtles.
A baby turtle is cute, but multiply that cuteness by 150 Leon Duplay grabbed his camera for a journey with 150 turtles from their birth to their excited sprint into the sea. The little guys got an assist from some human friends on Lankayan Island, northeast of the island of Borneo in southeast Asia. See also: 11 Baby Animals So Cute … [Link]
Slashdot » Facebook To Start Testing Internet-Beaming Drones In 2015
Zothecula writes There was an understandable amount of skepticism when Amazon announced its grand plans for delivery drones last year. But if the last twelve months are any indication, Jeff Bezos and his fellow tech heavyweights are actually kinda serious about the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles. Speaking at the Social Good Summit in New York on Monday, engineering director … [Link]
Mashable » UK Arrests 9 Men in Counterterrorism Operation
The United Kingdom's Metropolitan Police counterterrorism division arrested nine men on Thursday for allegedly supporting terrorism or being involved with groups that promote extremism The men range in age from 22 to 51 and are being held at various London police stations. The arrests are reportedly part of a larger counterterrorism operation in which UK police have searched community centers, businesses … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 50% or MORE Off Portable Toshiba Hard Drive and Memory
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, amazon offers 50% or more off select Toshiba hard drives and memory. [50% or MORE Off Select Toshiba Hard Drives and Memory] [Link]
Mashable » Shellshock: The 'Bash Bug' That Could Be Worse Than Heartbleed
Security researchers have discovered a vulnerability in the system software used in millions of computers, opening the possibility that attackers could execute arbitrary commands on web servers, other Linux-based machines and even Mac computers. Some researchers say Shellshock, which affects an application called Bash (which is why it's often simply called the "Bash Bug"), is potentially more serious and widespread than … [Link]
Slashdot » Why India's Mars Probe Was So Cheap
schwit1 (797399) writes "Alan Boyle has some interesting thoughts on why it cost India so little, less than the budget of the movie Gravity, to build and send its probe Mangalyaan to Mars: 'The $74 million Mars Orbiter Mission, also known by the acronym MOM or the Hindi word Mangalyaan ("Mars-Craft"), didn't just cost less than the $100 million Hollywood … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » These Avengers-Themed Cereals Look Mischievously Delicious! [Picture Gallery]
These cereals are unfortunately not real, but thanks to artists Bamboota and Elliot Fernandez, we can at least imagine they are! Some are also available on t-shirts, so if you like the illustrations, get one here! 
[Source: Bamboota | Elliot Fernandez | Via IO9] [Link]
Mashable » Samsung, LG and HTC Troll Apple Over Bendgate
You knew it was coming sooner or later. Samsung, arguably Apple's biggest competitor in the smartphone market, took a jab at Apple early Thursday for the kerfuffle over the news that the new iPhone 6 Plus may bend after sitting in one's pocket for too long. See also: The Apple iPhone 6 Plus 'BendGate' Is Already Out of Control Curved. Not … [Link]
Mashable » The Evolution of Internet Speak
“I can't even right now, I'm literally dying." Anyone who uses the Internet will recognize that ubiquitous expression. "I can't even" gives the sense that one is overwhelmed with emotion, unable to handle the situation he's facing. According to Know Your Meme, the first instance of the saying appeared online in 2005, when Urban Dictionary user JJFADS submitted the phrase It's … [Link]
Mashable » Human Hamster Wheel Could Be the Ultimate Standing Desk
Treadmill desks are so last year. With this new contraption from Artist-in-Residence Robb Godshaw and Instructables Developer Will Doenlen, you aren’t just spinning your wheels. The two of them collaborated at San Francisco-based Pier 9 to build the Hamster Wheel Standing Desk in a 24-hour session. SEE ALSO: Treadmill Washes Your Clothes The wheel runs at the natural speed of the … [Link]
Mashable » Hootsuite Gets $60 Million in Funding, Buys Social Telephony Firm
Social media platform Hootsuite on Thursday announced it closed in on $60 million in new funding, bringing the company's total funding to $250 million. The Vancouver-based firm also said it was buying Zeetl, a Canadian social telephony startup, which will let it integrate voice calls into Hootsuite's dashboard. Ryan Holmes, the CEO of Hootsuite, told Mashable that the feature will let … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The History of Tattoos [Video]
If you have a tattoo, you’re part of a rich cultural history that dates back at least 8,000 years. Where did this practice of body modification come from, and how has its function changed over time? Addison Anderson tracks the history of getting inked. [Ted Ed] [Link]
Mashable » 60+ Events For Tech, Social Media and PR Professionals
Mashable Events Board is a great place to find leading conferences in your industry, whether it's advertising, technology, media or public relations. This week, we're highlighting five events that we think can help move your career forward. If you don't find something that's right for you, check out dozens of event listings featured in our complete listing. Read more… 
Slashdot » Microsoft On US Immigration: It's Our Way Or the Canadian Highway
theodp writes Even as it cuts about 14% of its workforce, Microsoft is complaining that the company might be denied some of the "roughly" 1,000 H-1B visas for foreign workers it intends to seek, and made it clear that the company could shift some work to Canada or overseas if it can't get talent on its terms. "If I need … [Link]
Slashdot » Where Whistleblowers End Up Working
HughPickens.com writes Jana Kasperkevic writes at The Guardian that it's not every day that you get to buy an iPhone from an ex-NSA officer. Yet Thomas Drake, former senior executive at National Security Agency, is well known in the national security circles for leaking information about the NSA's Trailblazer project to Baltimore Sun. In 2010, the government dropped all 10 … [Link]
Mashable » 11 Disney Characters Dressed Up for Halloween
Forget your Halloween costume — what will the Disney princes wear? Artist Isaiah Stephens has the magical ability to reimagine any Disney character with exceptional creativity. His Disney princesses in pop culture costuming imagined Ariel, Snow White and Belle as the likes of Batman, Wonder Woman and Hermione Granger See also: 8 Not-So-Magical Secrets From a Former Disney Princess He's since … [Link]
New Scientist – News » CubeSat craze could create space debris catastrophe
With hundreds of the cheap, popular satellites set to go into orbit, it may only be a matter of time before there's a Gravity-style disaster 
[Link]
Mashable » 5 Climate Change Actions to Go Beyond the Summit
When it comes to climate change, it's easy to talk about it, listen to the latest predictions global doom, and worry, worry, worry. But what can we do besides recycle, reduce, and reuse to take action on climate change? Take to the streets, for one thing. In New York on Sunday, more than 310,000 people, joined by many thousands more around … [Link]
Mashable » U.S. Airstrikes Hit ISIS-Held Oil Sites in Syria
BEIRUT — U.S.-led airstrikes targeted Syrian oil installations held by the militant Islamic State group overnight and early Thursday, killing nearly 20 people as the militants released dozens of detainees in their de facto capital, fearing further raids, activists said. The latest strikes came on the third day of a U.S.-led air campaign aimed at rolling back the Islamic State group … [Link]
Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: How To Keep Student's Passwords Secure?
First time accepted submitter bigal123 writes My son's school is moving more and more online and is even assigning Chromebooks or iPads to students (depending on the grade). In some cases they may have books, but the books stay home and they have user names and passwords to the various text book sites. They also have user names/passwords to several … [Link]
Mashable » 23 Couples Who Didn't Let Bad Weather Ruin Their Wedding Day
You and your significant other can weather any storm — literally. Rain on your wedding day might suit Alanis Morissette more than it suits you, but that doesn't mean it can't be the happiest day of your life. In fact, some cultures even consider bad weather a sign of a prosperous future. See also: Fall in Love With 15 Unforgettably Quirky … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 25 September 2014
NGA Releases Hi-Res Elevation Data — 30-meter topographic data for the world. Soft Robotics — a collection of shared resources to support the design, fabrication, modeling, characterization, and control of soft robotic devices. From Harvard. OpenGov — In many domains, … [Link]
Mashable » ISIS Executes Iraqi Woman Activist
The United Nations says militants with the Islamic State group have publicly killed a rights lawyer in the Iraqi city of Mosul after finding her guilty of apostasy in a self-styled Islamic court. The UN Assistance Mission in Iraq says Samira Saleh al-Naimi was seized from her home on Sept. 17 after allegedly posting messages on Facebook that were critical of … [Link]
Mashable » Apple Apologizes for iOS 8.0.1 Fiasco, Offers a Workaround
A day after its iOS 8.0.1 update started messing with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners' cellular service and Touch ID functionality, Apple has published an official statement on the issue "We apologize for the great inconvenience experienced by users, and are working around the clock to prepare iOS 8.0.2 with a fix for the issue, and will release it … [Link]
Slashdot » Australian Senate Introduces Laws To Allow Total Internet Surveillance
First time accepted submitter Marquis231 writes New laws due to be passed in Australia allow intelligence agency ASIO to spy on domestic internet traffic like never before. The Sydney Morning Herald reports: "Spy agency ASIO will be given the power to monitor the entire Australian internet and journalists' ability to write about national security will be curtailed when new legislation … [Link]
Mashable » Battle of the Status: If Facebook Were More Like 'Street Fighter'
That humblebrag Facebook status isn't just annoying — it's a sonic boom to your News Feed. Director Dennis Liu and comedians from Upright Citizens Brigade imagine how brutal Facebook would be if it were more like the game, Street Fighter. Watch the video, above, to see the battle of the status go down We all know social media is just … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Life in the multiverse means endless possibilities
What if…? Whether or not we live in the best of all possible worlds, the multiverse can help us make the best decisions in this one 
[Link]
Mashable » Australia Is Having One of the Hottest Years on Record
SYDNEY — Even though it feels like the rain never stopped and the chill never left the air, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology says it is going to be one of the hottest years on record. See also: NASA: Arctic Ice at Lowest Level Since 1978 The long-term forecast released on Thursday, predicted a much drier October to December for most … [Link]
Slashdot » Device Allows Paralyzed Rats To Walk, Human Trials Scheduled Next Summer
An anonymous reader writes "A new technique pioneered by scientists working on project NEUWalk at the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology (EPFL) have figured out a way to reactivate the severed spinal cords of fully paralyzed rats, allowing them to walk again via remote control. Human trials are scheduled for next summer. "We have complete control of the rat's hind … [Link]
Mashable » This Greyhound Puppy Is Better at Gaming Than You
"Cat Fishing 2" is a mobile game made exclusively for cats. Violet the Italian Greyhound puppy doesn't care. With the ferocity of Cujo and the accuracy of a slightly inebriated karate master, Violet doesn't rest until she destroys every digital fish she can find. 
Battle of the Status: If Facebook Were More Like 'Street Fighter' Slow-Motion Tattooing Might Permanently Scar … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Minecraft Server Software and Modding Plug-Ins Facing Uncertain Future
The Minecraft community has been on a roller-coaster ride the past few months, driven by complicated and often misunderstood legal issues related to Minecraft software development, including updates to the end-user license agreement (EULA), software licenses and copyright infringement claims (DMCA), and Microsoft's recent acquisition of Minecraft developer Mojang for $2.5 billion.
[Link]
Mashable » NASA: Arctic Ice at Lowest Level Since 1978
NASA research shows Arctic sea ice reached its annual minimum earlier this month. On Sept. 17, Arctic ice covered 1.94 million square miles — the smallest area recorded in all of 2014 and the sixth lowest level since 1978. See also: Rapidly Warming Arctic Leading to Deadly Extreme Weather Events So it’s not the worst we’ve seen — but NASA … [Link]
Mashable » The Most Common Employee Lawsuits — and How to Avoid Them
This article is part of DBA, a new series on Mashable about running a business that features insights from leaders in entrepreneurship, venture capital and management. Most employers think they follow laws to a tee. However, many business owners and their employees are unknowingly breaking federal employment laws, which can lead to time-consuming and costly legal lawsuits. Below, we address the most common forms of … [Link]
Mashable » Vine Challenge: Use the Newest Update to Create Cool Six-Second Videos
Vine’s latest update introduced a ton of new features, the biggest of which is probably video import. iOS users can now upload any video from their camera roll directly into the app, and trim longer ones down to the six-second limit. This, of course, does not mean the good ol' days of #AllNaturalVines are over — anything but! Vine allows a … [Link]
Slashdot » Water Discovered In Exoplanet Atmosphere
PattonPending sends news of the discovery of the smallest exoplanet yet to have water vapor in its atmosphere. Astronomers have detected water vapor in the atmosphere of a planet that orbits a star far beyond our solar system. Observations of the Neptune-sized planet, which lies 120 light years from Earth in the constellation of Cygnus, revealed that its atmosphere was … [Link]
Mashable » 'Big Brother' 16: Did the Right Person Win?
After a summer of Derrick's master manipulation, Cody proving he's more than a pretty face and Victoria's heavily eyelinered blank stares, a Big Brother 16 winner has finally been crowned But who won? Well, after Cody won the final HOH of the season, he kept his promise and took Derrick to the finals, where the jury votes resulted in a 2 … [Link]
Mashable » Chinese Restaurant Admits to Selling Opium-Laced Noodles, Reports Say
The owner of a noodle restaurant in China's northern Shaanxi province has confessed to lacing his dishes with opium to keep customers coming back for more, according to multiple reports. The unusual secret ingredient came to light when customer Liu Juyou tested positive for opium following a routine traffic stop earlier this month, the BBC reported. Liu insisted that he had … [Link]
Mashable » Elena Serova May Be First Female Cosmonaut to Reach Space in 17 Years
A Russian woman may become the first female cosmonaut to travel to space in 17 years on Friday when the Soyuz-TMA-14M spacecraft launches from Kazakhstan and sets course for the International Space Station In the early hours of Friday morning local time, Elena Serova is scheduled to embark on a six-month mission along with fellow cosmonaut Alexander Samokutyaev and NASA astronaut … [Link]
Mashable » #LifeBeforeAbbott: Australians Remember The Days Before Prime Minister
SYDNEY — Australians love having a dig at the Prime Minister, especially on a public forum, so some have taken to Twitter in droves to reminisce about life before current leader Tony Abbott. The hashtag #LifeBeforeAbbott has been trending for more than 24 hours, as hundreds of Australians post their greatest memories of life pre-2013 on the social media platform. Abbott … [Link]
Mashable » Belgian City to Build Underground Pipeline for Beer
In an effort to eliminate disruptive delivery trucks driving through its picturesque streets, the Belgian city of Bruges approved plans Tuesday to create an underground pipeline for transporting beer See also: Prost! Toast Oktoberfest 2014 in Photos Agence France-Presse reported the pipeline is set to connect the historic De Halve Maan brewery to a bottling factory two miles away, eliminating the … [Link]
Slashdot » US Asks Universities To Flag Risky Pathogen Experiments
sciencehabit writes 'Academic scientists with federal funding who work with any of 15 dangerous microbes or toxins will soon have to flag specific studies that could potentially be used to cause harm and work with their institutions to reduce risks, according to new U.S. government rules released today. The long-awaited final rule is similar to a February 2013 draft and … [Link]
Mashable » Nurses Pretend to Die During Ebola Protest in Las Vegas
Dressed in hazmat costumes and red shirts, roughly 1,000 nurses gathered on the Las Vegas strip to call attention to the United States' level of preparedness in fighting a potential Ebola crisis at home. The so-called "die-in" demonstrators, organized by nurses in Vegas for the Planet Nurse convention, said they don't believe U.S. hospitals could handle an Ebola outbreak. The protesters … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Today in APIs: ModoPayments Receives Patent, Offers API
ModoPayments plans to show API at FinDEVr event at the end of the month. WillowTree announces "MonkeyPod", a tool for rapid API design. Plus: Yodlee launches API for FIs, and DriveRight offers AAIA standard API services. ModoPayments to Reveal API at FinDEVr Event, Receives Patent ModoPayments, which develops a payment platform for inshore purchases, is revealing its API at the … [Link]
Mashable » You Can Now Add Items to Your Amazon Wish List With a Tweet
Twitter just became an excellent way to manage your holiday wish list. Amazon revealed a new shopping hashtag Wednesday that allows shoppers to automatically add items to their wish list with a tweet. See also: 9 Breaking News Tweets That Changed Twitter Forever After sending a tweet containing the #AmazonWishList hashtag and a link to the item (or replying to a … [Link]
Slashdot » GNOME 3.14 Released
An anonymous reader writes "GNOME 3.14 was released today and it includes some interesting changes such as re-worked default theme, multi-touch gestures for both the system and applications, and new animations. Information including details on all the new features, can be found here." Read more of this story at Slashdot. 
[Link]
Mashable » Dare Taken: ESPN Suspends Bill Simmons for Blasting Roger Goodell
Bill Simmons absolutely blasted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on his podcast on Monday, calling Goodell a "liar" and saying that the NFL's veil of secrecy surrounding its Ray Rice investigation is "such fucking bullshit." Now the other shoe has dropped — ESPN announced on Wednesday evening that it has suspended its star columnist for three weeks. See also: This Mind-Bending NFL Photo Is, … [Link]
Mashable » A Folksy Ode to the Life of Nikola Tesla
As part of the funding stategy for the construction of the Nikola Tesla Museum, cartoonist Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal teamed up with folkpop artist Sarah Donner to create this hilarious and catchy music video called "Nikola Tesla Dood." Their collaboration is a small part of the fundraising going into the museum that Elon Musk himself has already donated $1 … [Link]
Mashable » Slow-Motion Tattooing Might Permanently Scar Your Brain
A video showing tattooing in slow-motion takes the prize for today’s list of things that make you say “Oh, this shouldn’t be that ba…oh god. NO! STOP! CLOSE THE LAPTOP! NONONO!” Skip ahead to 3:00 and watch an up-close look at what actually happens when someone gets a tattoo. Spoiler: Needles covered in ink pounding into human skin is as brutal … [Link]
Mashable » r/Counting Is Your New Favorite Way to Waste Time
Avid Redditors know that if it exists, there's a subreddit about it. That includes everything from niche Game of Thrones inside jokes to powerwashing "porn" to GIFs of children falling over. Oddly enough, it also includes an entire subreddit simply devoted to counting. On r/Counting, lovers of numbers can gather to do what they do best. Users create threads titled with … [Link]
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