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 » Want To Influence the World? Map Reveals the Best Languages To Speak
sciencehabit writes: Speak or write in English, and the world will hear you. Speak or write in Tamil or Portuguese, and you may have a harder time getting your message out. Now, a new method for mapping how information flows around the globe (abstract) identifies the best languages to spread your ideas far and wide. One hint: If you're considering … [Link]
Mashable » Bill Cosby's wife compares accusations to Rolling Stone rape article
Bill Cosby's wife, Camille, defended her husband publicly for the first time on Monday after a wave of sexual assault allegations from more than 15 women, comparing the accusations to a Rolling Stone article about a campus rape victim that critics have discredited. "We all followed the story of the article in the 'Rolling Stone' concerning allegations of rape at the … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » MUST WATCH: The BEST and Most EPIC Youtube Videos of 2014 [Video Compilation]
Each year, Youtuber Zapatou creates a video compilation of all the best and most epic videos that got published on Youtube. The 2014 edition appeared on his channel a little earlier today. I invite you to check it out, and don’t forget to breathe while watching it! [Zapatou] [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » How 200-Year-Old Citibank Totally Nailed Its Hackathon
The Fortune 500 had better take notice. Citi, a 202-year old institution with 250,000 employees in a stodgy industry perceived to be more boring than watching paint dry, didn't just nail its first public hackathon in the U.S. — it may have broken the mold. [Link]
Slashdot » Jaguar and Land Rover Just Created Transparent Pillars For Cars
cartechboy writes We've all been there, driving down a city street and we miss that pedestrian or bicycle because they are in our blind spot. Not the blind spot behind us, but covered up by the A-pillar on your vehicle. This is a growing concern as pillars and cars in general bulk up to meet new, ever stricter safety standards. … [Link]
Mashable » Big moments of 2014, recreated with Play-Doh
We’ve all experienced some lapses in memory — having trouble remembering things like what you ate for breakfast this morning, what you wore yesterday or who you to most recently on the phone. Trying to remember what happened over the course of a year is next to impossible. See also: 11 DIY ornaments inspired by memes of 2014 Luckily, though, Play-Doh … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » BATMAN vs. SUPERMAN [Comic]
[Source: Dragonarte | Like Dragonarte on Facebook] [Link]
Mashable » Now playing on Amazon Fire TV: HBO Go
Amazon just made its Fire TV set-top box much more competitive with players like Roku and Apple HBO Go is finally available to Amazon Fire TV users, the companies announced Monday. The service is currently available to most cable subscribers on Apple TV, Chromecast and Roku set-top boxes (though notably, Comcast has blocked access to HBO Go on the Roku) See … [Link]
Mashable » Even weak thunderstorms emit some of the most high-energy light on Earth
SAN FRANCISCO — Thunderstorms of all shapes and sized produce high-energy gamma ray bursts, which are potentially harmful to pilots and passengers of aircraft in extraordinarily rare circumstances, scientists reported for the first time on Monday. These bursts of energy, which are thousands of times more intense than typical X-rays, are far more common than once thought as well, occurring on … [Link]
Slashdot » The Pirate Bay Responds To Raid
An anonymous reader writes The Pirate Bay's crew have remained awfully quiet on the recent raid in public, but today Mr 10100100000 breaks the silence in order to get a message out to the world. In a nutshell, he says that they couldn't care less, are going to remain on hiatus, and a comeback is possible. In recent days mirrors … [Link]
Slashdot » The Personal Computer Revolution Behind the Iron Curtain
szczys writes Obviously the personal computer revolution was world-wide, but the Eastern Bloc countries had a story of PC evolution all their own. Martin Malý tells first hand of his experiences seeing black market imports, locally built clones of popular western machines, and all kinds of home-built equipment. From the article: "The biggest problem was a lack of modern technologies. … [Link]
Mashable » Your iPhone isn't a BlackBerry, but it can fake it with the Typo 2
The iPhone's answer to the BlackBerry keyboard, the Ryan Seacrest-backed Typo, is back. Like the first model, the Typo 2 turns your Apple smartphone into one with a QWERTY keyboard But the second version is a bit different — and this makes sense, considering Typo was hit with a lawsuit and pulled off the market for having a design too … [Link]
Slashdot » Linking Drought and Climate Change: Difficult To Do
Geoffrey.landis writes An article about the current California drought on 538 points out that even though global climate warming may exacerbate droughts, it's nearly impossible to attribute any particular drought to climate warming: "The complex, dynamic nature of our atmosphere and oceans makes it extremely difficult to link any particular weather event to climate change. That's because of the intermingling … [Link]
Mashable » Pebble's founder on Kickstarter origins and revolutionizing wearable tech
The Pebble is one of the top wearables on the market today — but the initial prototype of the device didn't start out as a watch. In fact, it didn't even tell time. The idea that sparked Pebble in 2008 was a bike computer that showed text messages, says Eric Migicovsky, the company's founder and CEO. "I quickly realized that, … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » EPIC RAP BATTLE OF HISTORY: Steven Spielberg vs. Alfred Hitchcock vs. Quentin Tanrantino vs. Stanley Kubrick vs. Michael Bay [Video]
5 film directors, one epic rap battle. [ERB] [Link]
Mashable » Joining the real world: A digital approach to accomplishing your goals
Whether you've gracefully accepted the fact that college is over and it's time to join the ranks of the "real world," or you're being dragged into adulthood kicking and screaming, there's no denying it: Growing up is inevitable. See also: Why Today's College Graduates Must Be Self-Sufficient And beyond making your bed every morning and paying your own taxes, becoming a … [Link]
Mashable » 11 gifts to stay fit in the new year
As the holidays roll around, overeating is the norm and even the most devout gym-goers find themselves resorting to any excuse to avoid trekking to the gym in the snow. If you have any fitness buffs on your list this year, look no further. We've rounded up a variety of different gifts for runners, or for those just trying to switch … [Link]
Mashable » Women Laughing Alone With Tablets are having more fun than you
The world of stock photos has an abundance of women laughing alone with their tablets. We may never know what they're laughing at (GIFs of babies falling down? The state of the U.S. economy?), but it's certainly entertaining to watch from afar. See also: 14 Weird Christmas Stock Photos That Make Your Holidays Look Normal One thing we can be sure … [Link]
Mashable » Johnny Schadenfreude: Internet delights in Manziel's very bad day
After a simmering, season-long quarterback controversy in Cleveland, the Browns finally started rookie Johnny Manziel on Sunday against their divisional rival Cincinnati Bengals It did not go well, much to Browns fans' dismay — but to the Internet's derisive delight. As Johnny Football struggled to a 10-18 performance for just 80 yards, two interceptions and three sacks in a 30-0 blowout, … [Link]
Slashdot » Sony Demands Press Destroy Leaked Documents
SydShamino writes In an effort that may run afoul of the first amendment, Sony, through their lawyer David Boies (of SCO infamy), has sent a letter to major news organizations demanding that they refrain from downloading any leaked documents, and destroy those already possessed. Sony threatens legal action to news organizations that do not comply, saying that "Sony Pictures Entertainment … [Link]
Mashable » Foursquare's iPad app is finally here
Foursquare users, your long wait for an official iPad app is finally over The company launched Foursquare for iPad on Monday, and the tablet version of the app includes some new features, specifically travel planning and local recommendation features See also: Why Killing the Check-In Was the Wrong Move for Foursquare The iPad app is a lot like the newly redesigned Foursquare … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Bill Nye Explains Evolution Using Emoji [Science Video]
Watch as Bill Nye explains evolution using Emoji. (#EmojiScience) [The Watercooler] [Link]
New Scientist – News » I want to print personalised cancer drugs in a day
Biohacker Andrew Kessel's open-source drug company aims to make bespoke cancer-fighting viruses using DNA printers – paid for by a Netflix-style subscription (full text available to subscribers) [Link]
Mashable » And now a hilarious song from ABC's 'Men in Tights'-esque comedy 'Galavant'
ABC is playing it anything but safe with their newest comedy Galavant It's a musical, it's ridiculous, and it's a show that's going to appeal a very specific audience. That audience being people with an amazing sense of humor, of course See also: 16 TV shows you should catch up on during Thanksgiving weekend Need proof? Get a taste of … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Clearent Launches Developer Center, V2 of its Transaction API
Clearent, one of the nation's fastest-growing payment processing companies, has launched the Clearent Developer Center. [Link]
Mashable » The scientific way to stay warm this winter
Staying comfy in the cold, whether you're hiking urban canyons or hip deep in backcountry snow, requires paying attention to the science of heat transfer. Loren Greenway, CEO of the Wilderness Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, said that staying warm requires understanding two key principles: conduction and convection. Conduction is the transfer of heat between two solid surfaces that … [Link]
Mashable » Colorado resort towns don't want to be known for pot tourism
BRECKENRIDGE, Colorado — Business is booming in Colorado's mountain resorts, and the addition of recreational marijuana stores this year has attracted customers curious about legalized pot. But there's mounting anxiety that ski towns have embraced stoner culture a little too much, potentially damaging the state's tourism brand. That worry flared up in two resort towns last week. In Breckenridge, residents voted … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Oracle Envisions Mobile Driving Multitier Cloud Architectures
Thanks to the proliferation of REST APIs across the enterprise and the adoption of JavaScript on both the client and server sides of applications, Oracle envisions the emergence of multiple tiers of cloud computing services across the enterprise in 2015. [Link]
Mashable » 14 triumphs and challenges of married sex life
For many couples, the details of their sex lives are kept relatively private, even from the prying ears of close friends Because of this secrecy, it can be difficult to determine how your intimacy and sex life compares to that of your fellow married friends See also: What It's Really Like Filming a Hollywood Sex Scene Secret-sharing app Whisper scoured its … [Link]
Mashable » Can I really take a social media vacation?
Stories about unplugging for the holidays abound at this time of year. Most deal with shutting down email and counsel leaving the computer behind. They also tend to skirt the whole issue of social media. It’s attached to your mobile devices, after all, so it’s pretty hard to leave it all behind. I speak from experience. When I took a two … [Link]
Geek Culture » The sound of a hyperdrive failing…
Why didn't they just mic one? 😛 via Daring Fireball! [Link]
Slashdot » Waze Causing Anger Among LA Residents
KindMind writes According to AP, Waze has caused trouble for LA residents by redirecting traffic from Interstate 405 to neighborhood side streets paralleling the interstate. From the article: "When the people whose houses hug the narrow warren of streets paralleling the busiest urban freeway in America began to see bumper-to-bumper traffic crawling by their homes a year or so ago, … [Link]
Mashable » Why self-tracking apps keep overlooking women
On Sept. 9, a parade of men marched across the stage at Flint Center in Cupertino, California, outlining a variety of new products in the Apple lineage. After the iPhone, Apple Pay and, the doll of the party, the Apple Watch, Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage to give some more details about Apple Health, an app that had been … [Link]
Mashable » 9 gifts for your favorite holiday hosts
They stayed up late to make that last batch of hors d'oeuvres, got home early to put together perfect pitchers of martinis and cosmopolitans, and now they're at the door to greet each of you — taking coats and making introductions. Not to mention the egg nog. And don't leave out the irresistible peppermint bark you got to take home in … [Link]
Mashable » The 233 best viral videos of 2014, in less than 7 minutes
There's never enough time in the day Just in case you missed it, 2014 had a ridiculous number of viral videos. We consumed videos of everything from babies eating lemons in slow motion to daredevils risking their lives to capture the perfect shot Director, actor and video editor Luc Bergeron crammed the best moments from 233 viral videos released in … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Over 54,000 Dominoes Toppled in a Circle Bomb [Video]
Watch as the folks from Sinners Domino Entertainment of Germany set up more than 54,000 dominoes in a circle, to be toppled from the center. [Guinness World Records] [Link]
New Scientist – News » Pretty vacant: What we're not seeing in graphics today
From explaining force-feeding at Guantanamo to rents in London, it takes storytellers and critical minds to make good infographics, as four new books show [Link]
Slashdot » Amazon UK Glitch Sells Thousands of Products For a Penny
An anonymous reader writes For about an hour on Friday a few lucky Amazon UK shoppers were able to take advantage of a price glitch which discounted thousands of marketplace products to the price of 1p. An Amazon spokesman said: "We are aware that a number of Marketplace sellers listed incorrect prices for a short period of time as a … [Link]
Mashable » What we know about the 'spiritual healer' named as the Sydney hostage taker
Almost a year ago to the day when Man Harron Monis took more than two dozen people hostage in a Sydney cafe, he appeared in a Sydney court. See also: Gunman and 2 hostages dead after police storm Sydney cafe But Monis, an Iranian who was granted political asylum in 1996, wasn’t there on a terror-related charges; rather, a month earlier, … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » W3C's Battery Status API Powers Web App Usability
The W3C's Battery Status API defines a way for developers to determine the battery status of a hosting device, enabling them to create more power-efficient Web content and applications. The Battery Status API, a candidate recommendation (CR), can be used to throttle back an application when a device's battery is low. [Link]
Mashable » Windows 10 leak gives closer look at new apps, Cortana on PC
Microsoft is holding an event in January to showcase the "next chapter" of Windows 10, but a consumer build of the operating system leaked online on Sunday. For Windows lovers who just can't wait for the big day, a video demo, above, from WinBeta shows an early version of Windows 10 in action. Some highlights include the PC version of … [Link]
Slashdot » Interviews: Ask Jonty Hurwitz About Art and Engineering
samzenpus (5) writes "Jonty Hurwitz is an artist with a degree in engineering who says each one of his pieces is "a study on the physics of how we perceive space and is the stroke of over 1 billion calculations and algorithms." Recently, his nano sculpture project drew a lot of attention. With help from the Weizmann Institute of Science … [Link]
Mashable » Why no one should multitask — and how I finally stopped
Usually, at any given time, I have about 10 to 20 tabs open on Chrome. I'm also juggling several tasks at once: answering emails as they come in, updating my organization's social media channels, writing an article, browsing the news — you get the picture I used to think this method of tackling everything at once made me more efficient, but … [Link]
Mashable » Coworkers recreate classic art using props found around the office
We all need something to break up the mundane routines of office life. Coworkers Francesco Fragomeni and Chris Limbrick were goofing off at the Squarespace office when they decided to recreate "The Creation of Adam" in a quick snapshot. See also: This cardboard cutout of Bob Dylan has its own Instagram After seeing their version together with an image of the … [Link]
Mashable » Uber's surge pricing is a PR crisis that won't go away
After dealing with weeks of tough headlines about tracking users, threatening journalists and receiving regulatory bans around the world, you could almost imagine a group of Uber executives taking deep breaths in their headquarters and saying, "It could have been worse." And then it got worse. Uber briefly introduced surge pricing up to four times the normal rate in Sydney on … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Teens Play Mega Man (NES) For the First Time [Video]
Yep, Mega man was *HARD*. Welcome to the world of oldschool gaming, kids. [REACT] [Link]
New Scientist – News » Glacial buzz saw takes mountains out at the knees
Why are mountains only as high as they are? Part of the answer is that their structural support is scoured away below the glacier line [Link]
Mashable » Newtown victims' families sue Bushmaster, maker of AR-15 rifle
HARTFORD, Conn. — The families of nine of the 26 people killed and a teacher wounded two years ago at the Sandy Hook Elementary School filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer, distributor and seller of the rifle used in the shooting. The negligence and wrongful death lawsuit, filed in Bridgeport Superior Court and released on Monday, asserts that the Bushmaster AR-15 … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » International Space Station Assembly Time-Lapse Animation [Video]
The ISS project has been going on since 1998, and in this short time-lapse animation, you can see how the whole thing was built up until today, with last module planned for delivery in 2015. The space station is HUGE and measures over 100 meters in length, 75 meters in width, and weigh over 400 tons! The full assembly map … [Link]
Slashdot » The GPLv2 Goes To Court
Jason Baker writes Despite its importance, the GPLv2 has been the subject of very few court decisions, and virtually all of the most important terms of the GPLv2 have not been interpreted by courts. This lack of court decisions is about to change due to the five interrelated cases arising from a dispute between Versata Software, Inc. and Ameriprise Financial, … [Link]
Mashable » Your Monday needs this turtle helping his upside-down friend
This turtle has his friend's back — literally When one turtle spotted his buddy flipped over onto his shell, he immediately got to work helping him. He struggled, but was ultimately successful and the pair headed off for a celebratory hangout. The 233 best viral videos of 2014, in less than 7 minutes Good Samaritan elephant takes out the trash … [Link]
Mashable » Pug shows up Mariah Carey with 'All I Want For Christmas Is Food'
Let's be real. The best part of the holidays isn't new socks, quality time spent with family or a few days off from work — it's the food Nothing brings people together quite like a festive feast accompanied by some Mariah Carey Christmas music, but Doug the Pug's food-centric version of "All I Want for Christmas is You" is something … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist
All the latest on newscientist.com: how to think about computing, deep time, infinity, the big bang and probability, Lima, beyond the Turing test and more [Link]
Slashdot » Apple and Samsung Already Working On A9 Processor
itwbennett writes According to a report in Korean IT Times, Samsung Electronics has begun production of the A9 processor, the next generation ARM-based CPU for iPhone and iPad. Korea IT Times says Samsung has production lines capable of FinFET process production (a cutting-edge design for semiconductors that many other manufacturers, including AMD, IBM and TSMC, are adopting) in Austin, Texas … [Link]
Mashable » Sydney hostage drama: Scenes from the 16-hour standoff
Police stormed a Sydney cafe on Tuesday morning local time to end a dramatic standoff that lasted more than 16 hours. A gunman held a group of people in the Lindt cafe in Martin Place, which is located in a very busy area of the city See also: Uber intros surge pricing during Sydney hostage siege, then backtracks after user outcry … [Link]
Mashable » Hey, teens: Back in our day, video games were actually hard
Kids today have things so easy. A group of teenagers found out just how tough games used to be when The Fine Bros. asked them to play the original Mega Man for its "Teens React" series. It wasn't pretty. In fact, it was a bloodbath. Mega Man, released in 1987 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, had a reputation of being … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Radio-controlled mouse hints at new diabetes treatment
Mice have been genetically altered to release insulin when hit with a burst of radio waves – an approach that could lead to diabetes management minus injections [Link]
Slashdot » Govt Docs Reveal Canadian Telcos Promise Surveillance Ready Networks
An anonymous reader writes "Michael Geist reports that Canadian telecom and Internet providers have tried to convince the government that they will voluntarily build surveillance capabilities into their networks. Hoping to avoid legislative requirements, the providers argue that "the telecommunications market will soon shift to a point where interception capability will simply become a standard component of available equipment, and … [Link]
Mashable » Alaska Airlines offers free entertainment for passengers' personal devices
Forget the seatback video screen, the future of inflight entertainment is your own smartphone and tablet. Alaska Airlines began rolling out an inflight package called Alaska Beyond Monday, including a streaming service with about 100 hours of video entertainment. The airline will outfit its entire fleet of 737s with the service by April. See also: The worst things people do on … [Link]
Slashdot » How Birds Lost Their Teeth
An anonymous reader writes A research team from the University of California, Riverside and Montclair State University, New Jersey, have found that the lack of teeth in all living birds can be traced back to a common ancestor who lived about 116 million years ago. From the article: "To solve this puzzle, the researchers used a recently created genome database … [Link]
Mashable » General strike paralyzes transportation in Belgium
A general strike — the largest in Belgium in years — brought air and rail traffic in the country to a near standstill Monday. The action was the climax of a month's worth of protests against the government's austerity measures, which include plans to cut into workers' income, extend working hours and cut back on social services. See also: The worst … [Link]
New Scientist – News » How to think about… Mathematics
Mathematics has a fearsome reputation as the discipline of iron logic. But for its practitioners sometimes the best way to think clearly is to think vaguely (full text available to subscribers) [Link]
Slashdot » Why Didn't Sidecar's Flex Pricing Work?
Bennett Haselton writes Sidecar is a little-known alternative to Lyft and Uber, deployed in only ten cities so far, which lets drivers set their own prices to undercut other ride-sharing services. Given that most amateur drivers would be willing to give someone a ride for far less than the rider would be willing to pay, why didn't the flex-pricing option … [Link]
Mashable » Shoppers bag items for 1p after technical glitch on Amazon site
LONDON — Christmas came a few weeks early for some shoppers at the weekend as a glitch on the Amazon website meant users could grab items for a penny a piece. See also: Let's make a deal: Amazon introduces haggling for 150,000 items The technical problem was caused by Repricer Express, a service third parties use to keep their prices competitive, … [Link]
Mashable » Apple's holiday ad is a real tearjerker
With just a week or so worth of shopping days left this holiday season, Apple has dropped a tearjerker of an ad designed to get you to fork over some of your remaining cash. The 90-second spot (triple the length of a standard TV ad), tells the story of a girl who finds a vinyl record that her grandmother gave … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » “Personal Massager” Sets 100 Meters Run Record
How do you run the 100 meters in 7.90 seconds? It turns out the answer is: with sex toys and engineering. Those of us of a certain age will remember playing Track and Field, an athletics game from Konami available in arcades and on virtually every computer and console of the 1980s. While the gameplay mechanics varied slightly between each … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » HALO Problems [Video]
Watch as the Halo Games have a family get together to celebrate Halo 2’s birthday! Worst birthday party. Ever. [mashed] [Link]
Mashable » Hackers offer to spare some Sony employees from stolen data leaks
The hacker group that calls itself GOP or "Guardians of Peace" doesn't seem to have any plans to stop dumping information pilfered from its hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment to the press. But now they might be offering some Sony employees a way out if they contact the hackers. In the latest data dump that was sent to reporters, which happened … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Pace of change as a metaphor for full-stack design
I recently sat down with Jeff Veen, vice president of products at Adobe, and CEO and founder of Typekit. Veen has been a designer for more than 20 years; he is an entrepreneur, writer, cyclist, and lover of burritos. His … [Link]
Mashable » Good Samaritan elephant takes out the trash
They say elephants never forget — to take out the trash, of course This good Samaritan pachyderm was recently caught on CCTV footage picking up litter and throwing it into a trash canRedditors were quick to question the video, claiming it was digitally altered, but maybe we should all just enjoy the prospective idea that we live in a world … [Link]
Slashdot » Small Bank In Kansas Creates the Bank Account of the Future
HughPickens.com writes Nathaniel Popper writes at the NYT that the Citizens Bank of Weir, Kansas, or CBW, has been taken apart and rebuilt, from its fiber optic cables up, so it can offer services not available at even the nation's largest bank. In the United States the primary option that consumers have to transfer money is still the ACH payment. … [Link]
Mashable » Man's marriage proposal from a huge crane didn't really go as planned
This one didn't quite go as planned A man in the Netherlands had grand plans for proposing to his girlfriend over the weekend, but ended up accidentally smashing a mobile crane into the roof of a house on Saturday. See also: 'Doctor Who' Marriage Proposal Will Warm Your Whovian Heart Spoiler: She still said "yes." The man planned to descend in … [Link]
Mashable » The real-world test on Microsoft Skype Translator Preview
Our conversation was halting at first. Maria in the south of Spain would start to speak and I would reflexively respond, even though I didn’t understand what she was saying. Our real-time translated conversation continued this way for a few moments, until I learned to pause and let Microsoft Skype Translator Preview do its work. And it does work. Four … [Link]
Mashable » Miss World 2014: Glitter, gowns and South Africa's crown
South Africa's Rolene Strauss was named Miss World 2014 on Sunday. Edina Kulcsar of Hungary was the runner-up and Elizabeth Safrit of the United States took third place. See also: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: The sexy scenes you missed Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss, centre, celebrates after being crowned Miss World 2014, during the finale of the competition at the … [Link]
Slashdot » Sir Richard Branson Quietly Shelves Virgin Submarine Plan
An anonymous reader writes with news that Sir Richard Branson's goal of diving to the deepest part of the ocean has been put on indefinite hold. "Sir Richard Branson has quietly shelved his latest adventure: an ambitious plan to pilot a submarine to the deepest points of the world's five oceans. The entrepreneur had a grand scheme to explore both … [Link]
Mashable » Merriam-Webster names 'culture' word of the year
A nation, a workplace, an ethnicity, a passion, an outsized personality. The people who comprise these things, who fawn or rail against them, are behind Merriam-Webster's 2014 word of the year: culture. The word joins Oxford Dictionaries' "vape," a darling of the e-cigarette movement, and "exposure," declared the year's winner at Dictionary.com during a time of tragedy and fear due to … [Link]
Mashable » France will ban Uber's low-cost service in 2015
French government officials announced Monday that Uber's low-cost service UberPOP will be banned in the country beginning Jan. 1, 2015. The announcement came as hundreds of taxi drivers blocked highways in France in protest, and days after the San Francisco-based car service avoided a ban in French court. On Friday, a French court ordered Uber to remove any language from its … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Forget Turing – I want to test computer creativity
The Turing test is too easy – creativity should be the benchmark of human-like intelligence, says Mark Riedl, inventor of the Lovelace 2.0 test [Link]
Slashdot » Eric Schmidt: To Avoid NSA Spying, Keep Your Data In Google's Services
jfruh writes Google Chairman Eric Schmidt told a conference on surveillance at the Cato Institute that Edward Snowden's revelations on NSA spying shocked the company's engineers — who then immediately started working on making the company's servers and services more secure. Now, after a year and a half of work, Schmidt says that Google's services are the safest place to … [Link]
Mashable » Pirate Bay resurrected by fellow torrent site IsoHunt
A week after Swedish police shut down BitTorrent indexing site the Pirate Bay, torrent search site IsoHunt resurrected it in its entirety In a blog post, IsoHunt explains that, while it encourages Pirate Bay users to switch to IsoHunt (two sites are very similar in functionality), it has preserved the entire Pirate Bay site and put it up at the web … [Link]
Mashable » Mexico's graveyard: Corruption, murder and the disappearance of 43 students
GUERRERO STATE, Mexico—Life in Iguala has always moved at a deliberate pace Located in southwestern Mexico in the pacific coast state of Guerrero, the city is known for its historic, peach-colored church and for the tamarind trees that lend Iguala its nickname: "la Ciudad Tamarindera" – the Tamarind city. Although Mexico's bustling capital of 20 million people is only a three-hour … [Link]
Mashable » Aaron Sorkin rips the media's 'morally treasonous' Sony hack coverage
LOS ANGELES — Having just wrapped the series finale of The Newsroom while enduring his own batch of leaked secrets in the Sony hack, screenwriter extraordinaire Aaron Sorkin is uniquely qualified to comment on how the media has been covering this mess. Suffice it to say, he's not happy with us. SEE ALSO: How Sony lost the Steve Jobs movie: The … [Link]
Slashdot » Sony Pictures Leak Reveals Quashed Plan To Upload Phony Torrents
retroworks writes Motherboard.vice offers an interesting scoop from the hacked Sony Pictures email trove. A plan championed by Polish marketing employee Magda Mastalerz was to upload false versions of highly-pirated Sony programming, effectively polluting torrent sites with false positives. For example, a "Hannibal"-themed anti-piracy ad to popular torrent sites disguised as the first episode. Sony Pictures legal department quashed the … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 50% OFF “Assassin’s Creed: Unity” for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC – $29.99 (+ OTHER Great Deals!)
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon has “Assassin’s Creed: Unity” for just $29.99 (PS4, Xbox One, PC). That’s 50% off on the game’s usual retail price of $59.99! -Assassin’s Creed Unity (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – $59.99 $29.99 (50% Off) Other Great Deals: -$125 Off Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 Tablets -Up to 66% Off Select Celestron Telescopes … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Beautiful Stargate-Inspired Wedding Rings [Pics]
Wow. Just wow. This is one of the most beautiful wedding rings I’ve ever seen… but I’m a massive Stargate fan, so I might be a little biased. From Juan Hidalgo Jewels: White and Yellow gold Stargate themed wedding rings, with saphires and a diamond. One of the most challenging rings I’ve ever made and surely the most detailed weddings … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Sunny Side Up Skull Egg Shaper
From Perpetual Kid: ARRRR ya ready to for a killer breakfast? Make eggs dangerously cool with our Funny Side Up Skull Egg Shaper! Start your day with a fried side of fun! This handy frame shapes and molds two eggs into attractive egg art. Just place the mold in your frying pan, crack two eggs into the rings and soon … [Link]
Mashable » Ambitious iPhone keyboard gets quick funding on Kickstarter
Next Keyboard — an app claiming to be the "perfect keyboard" for the iPhone — reached its funding goal just two days after it was launched on Kickstarter The app's creator, a software development company called Tiny Hearts, sought 10,000 CAD ($8,642) for finishing the app, which they claim was about 75% done. After the Kickstarter launch on Friday, it … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Lima talks set up climate deal for a 'bad outcome'
The outcome of the UN climate talks in Lima has left many people disappointed, raising questions over a climate deal next year in Paris [Link]
Mashable » Fake bus stop posters in London attack Metropolitan Police
LONDON — A series of posters attacking the Metropolitan Police have appeared around the capital this weekend. Adorning bus stops across London, they criticise the police force for their stance on drugs and the shooting of Mark Duggan in 2011, which led to widespread riots at the time. They also claim that the force is "racist" following the statistic that black … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Inside an internet addiction treatment centre in China
Some parents in China are sending kids hooked on the internet to rehabilitation centres where they are denied online access [Link]
Mashable » #illridewithyou hashtag offers solidarity with Australian Muslims during Sydney siege
It’s been a dark day for the people of Sydney, but as fears grew that the siege taking place in the city centre could prompt anti-Muslim actions, people took to social media with expressions of support for the community. See also: Sydney hostage crisis: 5 escape cafe; Islamic flag displayed The #illridewithyou hashtag started after Rachael Jacobs, a commuter on a … [Link]
Mashable » Marijuana growers sprout on Wall Street as pot goes public
Derek Peterson may soon become the first CEO of a public company that cultivates, distributes and sells marijuana. Terra Tech Corp., based in Irvine, California, won approval last week from the Securities and Exchange Commission to raise about $14 million to build and operate medical marijuana operations in Nevada, where the company secured preliminary approvals. See also: 12 highest moments for … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 15 December 2014
How Transferable Are Features in Deep Neural Networks? — (answer: “very”). A final surprising result is that initializing a network with transferred features from almost any number of layers can produce a boost to generalization that lingers even after fine-tuning … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: Advanced Analytics with Spark – $20.99 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL
Get "Advanced Analytics with Spark" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2014-12-16 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]
Slashdot » SpaceX Set To Create 300 New US Jobs and Expand Facilities
littlesparkvt writes The SpaceX manufacturing plant in McGregor, TX is set to spend $46 million on an expansion that would create 300 full-time jobs. SpaceX is proposing to invest $46.3 million in the site during the next five years. They will spend $32.4 million in real property improvements and $13.9 million in personal property improvements. Read more of this story … [Link]
Mashable » 15 cutest kids that made 2014 a little brighter
Apparently, 2014 was a great year for painfully adorable kids Among the standout moments brought to us by the Internet's favorite children were clumsy dance routines, existential questions and an unfortunate situation with a Minion costume. Millions of YouTube views later, these little ones will live on in glory as the ones who brightened our bleary work days and delighted our … [Link]
Mashable » 'Once Upon a Time' midseason finale introduces the Queens of Darkness
In the Season 4 midseason finale of Once Upon a Time, the show said out with the old and in with the new The old: Frozen, who we finally said farewell to for good, and one main character who made a tearful and shocking departure. And the new? A trio of new villains — Ursula, Cruella de Vil, and Maleficent, also … [Link]
Mashable » 9 jobs robots could replace in 2015
Walking through the city, I find myself thinking about all the jobs a robot could do. A robot could probably stand in for my coffee truck guy, though I doubt he’d smile, call me “buddy” and ask if I said “three sugars” or “no sugar.” A robot could probably take over for that guy spraying down the street every morning — … [Link]
Mashable » Japan's Shinzo Abe faces battle on reforms despite election win
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed Monday to prevail over resistance to his plans for economic and political change following a weekend election victory that gives him up to four more years in power. See also: Japan to hold snap election in mid-December In Sunday's snap election, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party that has ruled for most of the post-World War … [Link]
Mashable » Denmark claims North Pole via Greenland ridge link
Scientific data shows Greenland's continental shelf is connected to a ridge beneath the Arctic Ocean, giving Danes a claim to the North Pole and any potential energy resources beneath it, Denmark's foreign minister said. Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard said Denmark will deliver a claim on Monday to a United Nations panel in New York that will eventually decide control of the … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Maximize Holiday Fuel Economy With .Gov Tool
As the holidays approach, many travelers will face high expenses, most notably for drivers consuming fuel on long distance road trips to visit family and friends. In Digital Gov's weekly briefing on government-supported APIs, Bill Brantley recommends using the FuelEconomy.gov Trip Calculator to maximize your gas mileage. [Link]
Mashable » Homeland Episode 11: Calling for the sacrifice play
What do you want more: to take a life or save a life? It seems that every character in Homeland is faced with that dilemma at some point, and in “Krieg Nicht Lieb,” the penultimate episode of the Showtime drama’s fourth season, Quinn is forced to confront that challenging question himself. As a trained, prodigious assassin with scant personal ties, Quinn … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Saavn Leverages Twitter to Create User-Generated Radio Stations
Twitter’s #Music app was pulled from the App Store in April 2014, just a year after its launch. However, the social network is using a different approach to its most recent venture into the competitive world of music streaming. [Link]
Slashdot » 9th Circuit Will Revisit "Innocence of Muslims" Takedown Order
The Associated Press, as carried by ABC News, reports that "An 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena will hear arguments Monday by Google, which owns YouTube, disputing the court's decision to remove Innocence of Muslims from the popular video sharing service." At the heart of the earlier take-down order, which was the result of … [Link]
New Scientist – News » To save animals, we must work with their culture
For the first time, a global treaty has recognised non-human culture. Now we must rethink how we preserve key species, says biologist Philippa Brakes [Link]
Mashable » 'The Newsroom' finale stays true to the series — for good and for bad
The Newsroom ends, but the show goes on That's what we're left with in the final shot of Sunday's series finale: Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy, back at his desk (sans cigarettes) ready to do The News See also: 18 New TV Shows to Watch This Fall Sure, some things have changed. Pregnant McKenzie is now the news director at ACN. … [Link]
Mashable » 10 ways your company can make itself attractive to the Gen Z workforce
A recent report released by Millennial Branding and Randstad found that Gen Z — the generation right after millennials — will bring even more entrepreneurial spirit, open-mindedness and less money motivation to the workforceWithin this generation, there is a clear trend toward desiring more independent work environments with strong support and mentorship systems in place to help them forge a strong … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » JoT #2083: Techie gift ideas!
The stuff geek dreams are made of! If you enJoyed the comic, please make a note to retweet or share the URL. Thanks! [Link]
Mashable » In a country where city workers shoot stray dogs, some Iranians work to save them
Dogs are not always man's best friend. In Iran, having dogs as pets is seen as an undesirable reflection of Western influence. City workers are asked to shoot stray dogs and animal shelters are very rare. However, in the countryside west of Tehran, several kindhearted locals have taken it upon themselves to save and care for unwanted dogs at the Vafa … [Link]
Slashdot » How Identifiable Are You On the Web?
An anonymous reader writes How identifiable are you on the web? This updated browser fingerprinting tool implements the current state of the art in browser fingerprinting techniques(including canvas fingerprinting) to show you how unique your browser is on the web. Good food for thought when three-letter agencies talk about "mere metadata." Read more of this story at Slashdot. [Link]
Mashable » Youth protesters push back against Al Sharpton's role in police brutality marches
If Rev. Al Sharpton ever hoped to lead the "black lives matter" movement that's sweeping the United States, he likely lost that opportunity in one moment on Saturday The moment came during the "Justice For All" march in Washington, D.C., which was organized by Sharpton's National Action Network. The group had a set list of speakers, but Johnetta Elzie, who said … [Link]
Mashable » How drones changed the way we saw the world in 2014
Drones brought news junkies to new heights in 2014, allowing viewers to experience the scope and scale of international events like never before Although the Federal Aviation Administration has tried to tighten regulations around the commercial use of drones, citizen journalists still embraced the technology. From pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong to record-breaking snowstorms in upstate New York, reporters gained … [Link]
Slashdot » Apparent Islamic Terrorism Strikes Sydney
An anonymous reader send this link to a developing situation in Sydney, Australia, being reported on via live feed at the Guardian, and covered by various other news outlets as well. According to CNN's coverage, "CNN affiliate Seven Network said that at least 13 people are being held at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe. It published a photograph of people inside … [Link]
New Scientist – News » How to think about… Probability
Probability is one of those things we all get wrong… deeply wrong. The important thing is not to use your intuition (full text available to subscribers) [Link]
Mashable » Guy crafts personal mistletoe to get kisses from dozens of strangers
Well, that's one way to spread holiday cheer. YouTube user Blake Grigsby crafts himself a portable hanging mistletoe to get a lot of kisses from strangers at a public shopping center in his hometown of Chicago Women of all ages, a couple men and even a baby were happy to give Grisgby a nice little peck or a quick hug. … [Link]
Mashable » Uber intros surge pricing during Sydney hostage siege, then backtracks after user outcry
This post was updated at 10:45 p.m. ET to include an updated statement from Uber Uber briefly charged its users in downtown Sydney a minimum $100 to escape an armed hostage crisis, a result of automatic surge pricing meant to get more drivers online. See also: Sorry, Travis, but I'm boycotting Uber An executive in the city's Central Business District (CBD) … [Link]
Slashdot » Forbes Blasts Latests Windows 7 Patch as Malware
Forbes contributor Jason Evangelho has nothing good to say about a recent Windows 7 patch that's causing a range of trouble for some users. He writes: If you have Windows 7 set to automatically update every Tuesday, it may be to permanently disable that feature. Microsoft has just confirmed that a recent update — specifically KB 3004394 — is causing … [Link]
Mashable » Reflect on the past year of your career in #BizChats Twitter chat
We’re approaching the home stretch of 2014. Throughout the year, some people propelled their career forward, some earned their big break and others stumbled through unforeseen setbacks. Despite your current circumstances, there are important questions you should be asking yourself around this time of year: 'What are the most valuable takeaways are from all my accomplishments and setbacks? How do I … [Link]
Mashable » Three hostages bolt from Sydney cafe, where others held and Islamic flag displayed
An unconfirmed number of hostages are being held in a café in Sydney’s busy city district with reports an Islamic flag has been seen in the window. Police said on Twitter that there was a major police operation ongoing and the public should stay away. Australia's National Security Committee has reportedly met to discuss the emerging situation. Hostages run out of … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Astronaut: A Journey to Space [Video]
Some amazingly beautiful footage of our planet as filmed from the ISS between 2011 and 2014. From Guillaume JUIN: What does astronaut see from up there? From the red soil of africa, the blue water of oceans, to the green lights of the poles and yellow light of human activity, discover, throught this journey to space, something astoundingly beautiful and … [Link]
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