John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons

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Geekish

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

Mashable » Hanukkah celebrations around the world, from Myanmar to Iran to Israel

Tuesday 23 December 23:30:35 UTC 2014

Hanukkah-thumbFeed-tw Feed-fbTonight, the shamash will light the final candle and Hanukkah will come to a close. The Hanukkah Festival, also known as the Festival of Lights, lasts for eight days and is celebrated by Jewish people around the world. Hanukkah celebrates the Jewish uprising in the second century BCE and commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem See also: 10 … [Link]

Slashdot » Docker Image Insecurity

Tuesday 23 December 23:10:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes Developer Jonathan Rudenberg has discovered and pointed out a glaring security hole in Docker's system. He says, "Recently while downloading an 'official' container image with Docker I saw this line: ubuntu:14.04: The image you are pulling has been verified I assumed this referenced Docker's heavily promoted image signing system and didn't investigate further at the time. … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Tradeshift Waives Developer Revenue Share Fees

Tuesday 23 December 23:07:36 UTC 2014

Looking to bolster the number of applications that run or access its business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce cloud service, Tradeshift has announced it no longer requires a 30 percent revenue share requirement from developers that build applications on its platform. [Link]

Mashable » How to track Santa's route on Christmas Eve

Tuesday 23 December 22:19:03 UTC 2014

Santa-hitchhikingFeed-tw Feed-fbWhether you're a kid, live with one or you're just really into circumnavigation, it's once again time to track Santa's whirlwind trip around the globe. British Airways has released Santa's flight plan, and some of the best and brightest minds at places like NORAD and Google are on the case. See also: Your Christmas tree has lived through one hell of … [Link]

Slashdot » Ars: Final Hobbit Movie Is 'Soulless End' To 'Flawed' Trilogy

Tuesday 23 December 22:13:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: The final chapter to Peter Jackson's series of films based on The Hobbit debuted last week, and the reviews haven't been kind. Ars Technica just posted theirs, and it highlights all the problems with Battle of the Five Armies, a two-hour and twenty-four minute film based on only 72 pages of the book. Quoting: "The battles … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Google Completes Self-Driving Car Prototype

Tuesday 23 December 21:57:09 UTC 2014

Google has published photos of its first “complete” prototype of a self-driving car. It hopes to test it on public roads next year. The first mock-up of the company’s vehicle was unveiled back in May but was missing several key features, most notably headlights. Since then Google has built a range of test vehicles, each of which had a different … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » I Think I Should Probably Stay Home Today [Comic]

Tuesday 23 December 21:56:40 UTC 2014

And the same goes for kids going to school. I have multiple friends whose kids have either Influenza or gastroenteritis right now. Fortunately for my family and me, we got it a few weeks ago, so we’ll be fine for our holiday vacation. [Source: Buttersafe Comics] The post I Think I Should Probably Stay Home Today [Comic] appeared first on … [Link]

Mashable » 6 magical things we learned from J.K. Rowling's 'Pottermore Christmas'

Tuesday 23 December 21:41:25 UTC 2014

VoldemortFeed-tw Feed-fbThe twelfth and final gift from J.K. Rowling's "12 days of Pottermore Christmas" was released Tuesday, concluding a week and a half of largely underwhelming Harry Potter revelations. Beginning with a few paragraphs about the town where Lily Potter and Severus Snape grew up, the 12 "gifts" were mostly small, encyclopedic entries about known information from the wizarding universe. Not that … [Link]

Mashable » Here's where you can see 'The Interview' on Christmas Day

Tuesday 23 December 21:30:56 UTC 2014

The.interview.exterior1Feed-tw Feed-fbLOS ANGELES — After a week of outrage that Sony that had pulled The Interview, we learned that it will, in fact, hit select theaters on Christmas Day. Sony decided at the last minute to let smaller North American theater chains and independent cinemas show the film that Kim Jong-un and North Korea reportedly don't want you to see. See also: … [Link]

Slashdot » Serious Economic Crisis Looms In Russia, China May Help

Tuesday 23 December 21:25:00 UTC 2014

jones_supa writes: Russia is facing a "full-blown economic crisis," a former finance minister has warned, as the country is forced to take emergency financial measures. The economy has been battered by a wave of sanctions (set by other countries as a result of tensions over Ukraine), geopolitical uncertainty, and falling oil prices. Analysts have warned that the Russian economy will … [Link]

Slashdot » Serious Economic Crisis Looms Russia, China May Help

Tuesday 23 December 21:25:00 UTC 2014

jones_supa writes: Russia is facing a "full-blown economic crisis," a former finance minister has warned, as the country is forced to take emergency financial measures. The economy has been battered by a wave of sanctions (set by other countries as a result of tensions over Ukraine), geopolitical uncertainty, and falling oil prices. Analysts have warned that the Russian economy will … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Superman Explains Christmas to Wonder Woman [Comic]

Tuesday 23 December 21:00:10 UTC 2014

[Source: Texts from Superheroes] The post Superman Explains Christmas to Wonder Woman [Comic] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Mashable » Hundreds of Muslims are 'trapped' in Central African Republic

Tuesday 23 December 20:41:21 UTC 2014

HrwcarFeed-tw Feed-fb An ongoing conflict in the Central African Republic has left hundreds of Muslims displaced in enclaves, trapped in horrible conditions and unable to seek safety aboard. The information comes form a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released on Monday exploring the "deplorable conditions" faced by these internally displaced people. See also: The Countries Where Human Progress Is Fastest and Slowest … [Link]

Slashdot » The Slow Death of Voice Mail

Tuesday 23 December 20:34:00 UTC 2014

HughPickens.com writes: Duane D. Stanford reports at Bloomberg that Coca-Cola's Atlanta Headquarters is the latest big company to ditch its old-style voice mail, which requires users to push buttons to scroll through messages and listen to them one at a time. The change went into effect this month, and a standard outgoing message now throws up an electronic stiff arm, … [Link]

Mashable » BaneCat is back to ruin your Christmas

Tuesday 23 December 20:33:39 UTC 2014

BanecatFeed-tw Feed-fb Just when you thought it was going to be a Merry Christmas, BaneCat returns to spread his holiday fear The feline villain, who was introduced to the Internet in March, purrs back to terrorize us with his evil rendition of "Silent Night." Live in fear, people — BaneCat will not rest until we all sleep in heavenly peace. 31 holiday … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Spider Santa: Nicer gift-wrap, better sex

Tuesday 23 December 20:30:00 UTC 2014

Packaging their presents in silk means more time between the sheets for some eight-legged lovers (full text available to subscribers) [Link]

Mashable » US moves to end nation's lifetime ban on blood donations by gay and bisexual men

Tuesday 23 December 20:27:54 UTC 2014

BloodFeed-tw Feed-fbWASHINGTON — Federal health officials are recommending an end to the nation's lifetime ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, a 31-year-old policy that many medical groups and gay activists say is no longer justified. See also: U.S. Doctor Who Survived Ebola Donates Blood to Journalist With the Virus The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it favors replacing … [Link]

Mashable » Google unveils 'first real build' of its self-driving car prototype

Tuesday 23 December 20:11:30 UTC 2014

Google-carFeed-tw Feed-fbGoogle first revealed its self-driving car back in May, but on Monday, the tech giant showed the world the "first real build" of the vehicle. The first version — which was shown off in a demo video — was merely an early mockup, according to Google. It didn't even have working headlights, for example See also: 8 Big Questions About Google's … [Link]

Mashable » The first bro-y trailer for the 'Entourage' movie has arrived

Tuesday 23 December 20:03:49 UTC 2014

EntourageFeed-tw Feed-fb They're back and bro-ier than ever The first trailer for Entourage has finally dropped, dispelling any will-it-won't-it rumors about the film actually heading to theaters. The film was first greenlit years ago, but was held up over salary negotiations and an executive producer who was less than enthuastic (Doug Ellin, who was also a producer for the show). See also: … [Link]

Mashable » Move over, New York, Florida is now the No. 3 most-populous state

Tuesday 23 December 20:02:23 UTC 2014

FloridaFeed-tw Feed-fbThe sunshine state is hot. Florida on Tuesday became the third most-populous state in the U.S. with 19.9 million residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That means New York, with 19.7 million, is now No. 4. The top two are still California (38.8 million) and Texas (27 million) Momentum is clearly on Florida's side. The state added 293,000 residents between … [Link]

Slashdot » Thunderbolt Rootkit Vector

Tuesday 23 December 19:46:00 UTC 2014

New submitter Holi sends this news from PC World: Attackers can infect MacBook computers with highly persistent boot rootkits by connecting malicious devices to them over the Thunderbolt interface. The attack, dubbed Thunderstrike, installs malicious code in a MacBook's boot ROM (read-only memory), which is stored in a chip on the motherboard. It was devised by a security researcher named … [Link]

Mashable » 7 signs that you're acing an in-person job interview

Tuesday 23 December 19:34:04 UTC 2014

Interview_handshakeFeed-tw Feed-fbThis question originally appeared on Quora. What are some tell-tale signs that you are acing a job interview? Answer below by Quora user Jeff Schaffzin, outbound marketer In general, it is hard to tell if you are doing well during the interview, but there are a few signs that show you have a better than average chance of being moved forward: … [Link]

Mashable » Lego's secret 'Frozen' castle is on sale for Christmas — if you know where to look

Tuesday 23 December 19:32:09 UTC 2014

Lego-frozenFeed-tw Feed-fbDo you want to build a snowman? Kids and adults who love both Lego and Frozen — and we have a feeling there's some overlap — should be thrilled to know that Lego has created an amazing Frozen-themed set called Elsa's Sparkling Ice Castle. Yes, it even includes your very own Lego Olaf. Lego Frozen 01 Image: Jonathan Ellis/MashableThe only problem? Lego is not … [Link]

New Scientist – News » The search for ET: how close are we?

Tuesday 23 December 19:30:00 UTC 2014

If extraterrestrial intelligence exists, why haven't we found it? Here's our guide to humanity's best attempts [Link]

Mashable » Hipster comedians poke fun at Australia's ridiculous coffee obsession

Tuesday 23 December 19:25:17 UTC 2014

NickFeed-tw Feed-fb AUSTRALIA — The coffee culture here just got a little more obnoxious, thanks to the Bondi Hipsters' new Vittoria campaign. The comedians behind the skit, Christiaan Van Vuuren and Nick Boshier, love nothing more than producing videos about Australian hipster culture that force us to take a good, hard look at our ridiculous attitudes. See also: Bondi Hipsters Show Reality … [Link]

Mashable » New York honors fallen NYPD officers with moment of silence

Tuesday 23 December 19:14:53 UTC 2014

Nypd-moment-of-silenceFeed-tw Feed-fbNew York Mayor Bill de Blasio held a moment of silence at 2:47 p.m. EST on Tuesday to "honor the memories" of NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu at City Hall The mayor's office, the NYPD and the FDNY called on all New Yorkers to join him in the moment of silence, which is taking place at the time the … [Link]

Slashdot » Sony: 'The Interview' Will Have a Limited Theatrical Release

Tuesday 23 December 18:57:46 UTC 2014

New submitter clovis writes: It's not over until it's over. Sony Pictures has announced that The Interview will be getting a limited theatrical release after all. The Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain has authorization to show the film, and The Plaza Theater in Atlanta will show it as well. It's not yet clear whether the major theater chains will choose … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Google Play Games Adds New Publishing API

Tuesday 23 December 18:53:49 UTC 2014

Just six months after the launch of the Google Play Developer Publishing API, Google has added the Google Play Game Services Publishing API to automate the configuration and publishing of game services resources. The first two resources available through the API are achievements and leaderboards. [Link]

Mashable » Russian prime minister warns of 'deep recession' in 2015

Tuesday 23 December 18:48:31 UTC 2014

Ap554864187504Feed-tw Feed-fbRussian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned on Tuesday that the country’s economy is at risk of sliding into “deep recession” next year. Medvedev, speaking at a United Russia party meeting, said the government will not back away from its spending plans, otherwise, the country’s economy could nosedive. Economists have in previous weeks predicted that Russia’s energy-dependent economy will experience serious economic … [Link]

Mashable » What happened to North Korea's Internet?

Tuesday 23 December 18:47:19 UTC 2014

Kim1Feed-tw Feed-fbThe Internet in North Korea went completely dark for more than 9 hours on Monday — and was still experiencing intermittent outages Tuesday It didn't take long before rumors spread that the outage might have been a cyberattack — perhaps from the United States. On Friday, the FBI accused North Korea of being responsible for the massive and embarrassing hack, and … [Link]

Slashdot » "Star Trek 3" To Be Helmed By "Fast & Furious" Franchise Director Justin Lin

Tuesday 23 December 18:37:00 UTC 2014

Dave Knott writes Although J.J. Abrams directed the first two films in the popular revamped Star Trek series, his new job masterminding the Star Wars sequels had left Star Trek 3 as one of the most prestigious unfilled directing assignments in Hollywood. No longer. It is now known that Justin Lin will direct the third Star Trek film. Lin is … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Astronomically Correct “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” Song [Video]

Tuesday 23 December 18:31:08 UTC 2014

This is the best science-themed adaptation of a regular song EVER. Buy the e-book right here. Astronomically Correct Twinkle Twinkle is a beautifully illustrated astronomy lesson written in verse. Learn about black holes, why stars actually twinkle, and more in this fun, educational retelling of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. [MinutePhysics] The post The Astronomically Correct “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” Song … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Worst Installment Ever in the Harry Potter Series [Pic]

Tuesday 23 December 18:30:17 UTC 2014

For those who didn’t know, J.K. Rowling is releasing 12 new stories from the Potterverse this month, and honestly, I’m a little disappointed that this one isn’t part of them. [Source: @DeweyDecibelle on Twitter | Via Neatorama | Original Text Source: Journal of Medical Ethics] The post The Worst Installment Ever in the Harry Potter Series [Pic] appeared first on … [Link]

Mashable » The ghosts of London past: Christmas in the capital through the ages

Tuesday 23 December 18:10:30 UTC 2014

Uk_before_after-6_cvFeed-tw Feed-fbLONDON — Christmas in the capital: you either love it or hate it Whether you can't get enough of the festive markets, ice rinks and last minute shopping, or run to the hills as soon as December rolls around, it's hard to deny London gets a bit more epic at this time of year. See also: 40 photographers team up to … [Link]

Mashable » Your charity checklist: 5 things to consider before donating

Tuesday 23 December 18:04:58 UTC 2014

Charity_givingFeed-tw Feed-fbThe holiday season is one of the most popular times of year to give back. But how do you know which organizations will ensure your charitable dollar has the most impact? See also: 5 Chrome extensions that make charity effortless We spoke to experts about their most crucial tips for the average do-gooder looking to support a worthy cause. From researching … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Huge Threadless Sale: Over 180 T-Shirts Starting at just $9.95 Each!

Tuesday 23 December 18:00:25 UTC 2014

tees Just a quick post to let you guys know that Threadless is currently having a HUGE t-shirt sale right now, offering hundreds of shirts (for men AND women) starting at just $9.95 each. Check it out! Edit: The selection for ladies is quite different, so be sure to check these out as well! [HUNDREDS of Threadless Tees Starting at just … [Link]

Mashable » 6 trends redefining the way we watch television

Tuesday 23 December 17:59:58 UTC 2014

TvtrainFeed-tw Feed-fbA decade ago, families huddled around the living room TV in eager anticipation of their favorite shows. They'd been waiting weeks to catch up with their favorite characters through the holiday lullTwitter was nonexistent, and Facebook was still in its burgeoning days, so spoilers via social media were virtually unheard of — and everyone let out a collective groan when a … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Galaxy-mapping megacamera falls victim to loose fibres

Tuesday 23 December 17:55:00 UTC 2014

The European Space Agency's Gaia space telescope has loose fibres that are scattering too much light into its camera, making it harder to map the Milky Way [Link]

Mashable » Reddit is trying to make one lucky person a millionaire

Tuesday 23 December 17:53:54 UTC 2014

Reddit_moneyFeed-tw Feed-fbIf 1 million people donated $1 to a single person, a millionaire can be made The simple idea was posted to r/ShowerThoughts by Redditor moizmie on Nov. 19, and has prompted more than 119,000 Redditors to enter a drawing to become the first Reddit community-made millionaire See also: The 20 Most Brilliant Shower Thoughts Ever After the original post hit the … [Link]

Slashdot » Hotel Group Asks FCC For Permission To Block Some Outside Wi-Fi

Tuesday 23 December 17:51:00 UTC 2014

alphadogg writes The FCC will soon decide whether to lay down rules regarding hotels' ability to block personal Wi-Fi hotspots inside their buildings, a practice that recently earned Marriott International a $600,000 fine. Back in August, Marriott, business partner Ryman Hospitality Properties and trade group the American Hotel and Lodging Association asked the FCC to clarify when hotels can block … [Link]

Mashable » Mongooses playing in a ball pit couldn't be more joyous

Tuesday 23 December 17:45:48 UTC 2014

Mongoose_ballpitFeed-tw Feed-fb Want to see what happiness looks like? Just give a bunch of mongooses a ball pit to frolic in The Houston Zoo filled a kiddie pool with plastic balls and placed it in the mongoose habitat as a form of "enrichment" for the animals, the YouTube description reads "Mongooses dig as a part of their natural behavior, and a ball … [Link]

Mashable » Man has incredibly adorable reaction to girlfriend's PS4 Christmas surprise

Tuesday 23 December 17:40:12 UTC 2014

Playstation_4_stock-18Feed-tw Feed-fb Karem Piedra-Jimenez may as well throw on an elf hat and move to the North Pole because she's performing Christmas miracles like one of Santa's little helpers. Piedra-Jimenez surprised her boyfriend with a PlayStation 4 as a present — he couldn't afford it himself after some unexpected expenses arose. Her boyfriend's priceless reaction is basically all the Christmas spirit you'll … [Link]

Mashable » Sony warns Twitter: Take action against users posting 'stolen' data or else

Tuesday 23 December 17:39:45 UTC 2014

Twitter_leakFeed-tw Feed-fbBeleaguered Sony Pictures continues to scramble as its highly sensitive data is leaked all over the web. This time, the company is setting its sights on Twitter. Sony sent a letter to Twitter on Monday that warns it will be held responsible if action isn't taken to stop accounts sharing stolen information. Sony has sent similar messages to media organizations and … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Interview' is coming to some theaters on Christmas, after all

Tuesday 23 December 17:31:25 UTC 2014

The.interview.christmas.releaseFeed-tw Feed-fbLOS ANGELES — If all you wanted for Christmas was to see The Interview, it looks like Santa is coming through — in select cities, at least. "Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced that The Interview will have a limited theatrical release in the United States on Christmas Day," read a statement from the studio on Tuesday. See also: A complete recap … [Link]

Mashable » Southwest plane wing clipped on its way out of LaGuardia terminal

Tuesday 23 December 17:20:57 UTC 2014

Unnecessary-plane-partFeed-tw Feed-fbIt’s never a good sign when an airline worker is spotted carrying a piece of your plane that you're pretty sure is required for takeoff. Southwest Flight 449 was scheduled to leave LaGuardia Airport in New York on Tuesday when it had a minor run-in with another carrier. The plane's winglet was clipped by an American Airlines plane while on its … [Link]

Mashable » Storm snarling holiday travel to make Christmas Eve feel more like Easter for many

Tuesday 23 December 17:17:24 UTC 2014

MiserymapthumbFeed-tw Feed-fbSo remember that storm that made pre-Thanksgiving travel a nightmare along the East Coast? Yeah, well, it's happening again for pre-Christmas travel, except that despite being one month later than the Thanksgiving event, this storm is actually milder than its predecessor. A series of storm systems, which will eventually coalesce into one powerful area of low pressure across the Midwest, is … [Link]

Mashable » A flying Christmas tree is the ultimate show of holiday spirit

Tuesday 23 December 17:01:33 UTC 2014

Flying-christmas-treeFeed-tw Feed-fb Santa isn't the only one flying this Christmas Otto Dieffenbach propelled his (fake) Christmas tree to new heights after outfitting it with remote controlled aerial devices. As the proprietor of Flyguy Promotions, a company that specializes in customizable flying figures, Dieffenbach has previously created a flying Superman and a flying TARDIS. Merry Christmas. Here is a dog, dressed as Santa, … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Gift Giving in a Nutshell [Comic]

Tuesday 23 December 17:00:44 UTC 2014

Three letters that often resume the experience of gift giving… but not always! 🙂 [Source: Loading Artist] The post Gift Giving in a Nutshell [Comic] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Slashdot » Apple Pushes First Automated OS X Security Update

Tuesday 23 December 16:58:00 UTC 2014

PC Magazine reports (as does Ars Technica) that Apple this week has pushed its first automated security update, to address critical flaws relating to Network Time Protocol: The flaws were revealed last week by the Department of Homeland Security and the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute—the latter of which identified a number of potentially affected vendors, including FreeBSD Project, … [Link]

Mashable » I survived Ebola: How one man lost everything and found a new purpose

Tuesday 23 December 16:45:50 UTC 2014

Ebola-survivorFeed-tw Feed-fb Korlia Bonarwolo was working in Redemption Hospital in New Kru Town, Liberia, when he came into contact with an Ebola victim. After going through weeks of treatment, Korlia was one of the fortunate few patients in the hospital to live to tell the tale Mashable teamed up with MediaImpact.org's #ISurvivedEbola campaign to tell Korlia's story. See more survivor stories on … [Link]

Mashable » 'A city with a broken heart': Tributes flood in for Glasgow truck crash victims

Tuesday 23 December 16:41:16 UTC 2014

Glasgow_cFeed-tw Feed-fb LONDON — Tributes have poured in for the victims of Monday’s truck accident in Glasgow. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon laid flowers at the scene as hundreds express condolences on social media. Police confirmed Tuesday that five females and one male were killed in the accident; three were related. Jack Sweeney, his wife Helen Lorraine, and his granddaughter Erin McQuade … [Link]

Mashable » Los Angeles to vote on launching a taxi app, with inspiration from Uber

Tuesday 23 December 16:27:42 UTC 2014

California-sues-uberFeed-tw Feed-fbLos Angeles will consider launching an Uber clone in an attempt to keep its taxi drivers competitive with the car service startups that have grown rapidly in 2014 The city's Board of Taxicab Commissioners will vote on whether to require its drivers to use an app, which would have hailing and payment options similar to those of Uber and Lyft, according … [Link]

Mashable » Microsoft in 2015: Windows 10 must repair the damage from Windows 8

Tuesday 23 December 16:09:53 UTC 2014

Microsoft-satyaFeed-tw Feed-fbWhat lies ahead for Microsoft in 2015 can be summarized in just two words: Windows 10. The company's fate has always been deeply intertwined with Windows, but next year's upgrade carries unusual weight. Like Windows 7 did in 2009, Windows 10 needs to undo the damage done by its predecessor, Windows 8. It's no exaggeration to say that Microsoft can't afford … [Link]

Slashdot » BT, Sky, and Virgin Enforce UK Porn Blocks By Hijacking Browsers

Tuesday 23 December 16:08:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes with this story at Ars Technica, excerpting: BT, Sky, and Virgin Media are hijacking people's web connections to force customers to make a decision about family-friendly web filters. The move comes as the December deadline imposed by prime minister David Cameron looms, with ISPs struggling to get customers to say yes or no to the controversial … [Link]

Mashable » JPMorgan Chase could have avoided massive data breach with simple fix

Tuesday 23 December 16:01:29 UTC 2014

Ap490226224539Feed-tw Feed-fbThe cyberattack on JPMorgan Chase that enabled the largest known American bank intrusion to date could have been prevented with a simple security fix, according to new data. A report from the New York Times identifies the hackers' entry point. The attack, which ultimately compromised the contact information of 76 million households and 7 million small businesses, started last spring when … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Day Thanos Became Santa [Video]

Tuesday 23 December 16:00:21 UTC 2014

His latest schemes against the Inhumans finds Thanos forced to impersonate a beloved and jolly holiday figure! Also featuring Hawkeye, Hulk, Spider-Man, and more! Watch the holiday hijinx ensue in the latest episode of Marvel Super Heroes: What The–?! [Marvel Entertainment] The post The Day Thanos Became Santa [Video] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Mashable » Rand Paul makes bold 2016 presidential campaign statement — with a turtleneck

Tuesday 23 December 15:59:00 UTC 2014

Rand-paul-turtleneck-01Feed-tw Feed-fbIn what may be the first time a potential presidential candidate announced his bid by turtleneck, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul sent out a tweet on Tuesday that appeared to do just that. His wink to the 2016 presidential race was boldly emblazoned next to a photo of a black turtleneck posted to his official Twitter account. He also gave a hat-tip … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » A Gift That’s Not Meant to be Safe [Comic]

Tuesday 23 December 15:49:45 UTC 2014

“IT’S A SWORD, IT’S NOT MEANT TO BE SAFE.” An illustrated scene from “The Hogfather,” Terry Pratchett’s 20th Discworld novel by artist AdiFitri. [Source: AdiFitri] The post A Gift That’s Not Meant to be Safe [Comic] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Mashable » Solo weddings in Japan: All of the glamour, none of the relationship

Tuesday 23 December 15:39:42 UTC 2014

BrideFeed-tw Feed-fbIf he liked it then he should've put a ring on it — but since he didn't, there's no reason you can't. Or at least, that's one Japanese travel agency's message to women. See also: Japan's levitating train travels 300 mph and just carried its first passengers Cerca Travel, an agency which also offers Kyoto, Japan, food and art tours among … [Link]

Mashable » Ukraine votes to move toward NATO, infuriating Russia

Tuesday 23 December 15:32:06 UTC 2014

Ap144428665365Feed-tw Feed-fbUkraine’s parliament on Tuesday voted to drop the country's non-aligned status, allowing it to work towards NATO membership. While Kiev hailed the move as historic, Russia did not mince words in voicing its opposition to Ukraine’s pivot towards NATO and the West. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the move "counterproductive" and said it would inflame tensions. See also: Ukraine: ‘Real … [Link]

Mashable » France deploys troops after attackers plow into holiday crowds

Tuesday 23 December 15:31:36 UTC 2014

France-police-holiday-marketFeed-tw Feed-fbFrance will deploy its troops in public areas across the country over Christmas, Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced, after three attacks in three days raised the specter of terrorism. See also: On the run from ISIS: Stories from Iraq "What we are seeing with events in Dijon and Nantes is that they are creating copy-cat reactions," Valls said of the attacks … [Link]

Mashable » Please never leave Coca-Cola a voice mail again

Tuesday 23 December 15:29:13 UTC 2014

Coca-cola-voicemail1Feed-tw Feed-fbCoca-Cola has no time for voice mail. The soft drink giant shut down its voice mail earlier this month to "simplify the way we work and increase productivity," according to a memo from Ed Steinike, the company's chief information officer, which was obtained by Bloomberg. See also: What Your Coffee Preference Says About You So if you call a Coke employee, … [Link]

Slashdot » Samsung Announces Production of 20nm Mobile LPDDR4, Faster Than Desktop DDR4

Tuesday 23 December 15:12:00 UTC 2014

MojoKid writes Samsung announced today that it has begun volume production of its 8Gb LPDDR4 memory chips, with expected commercial shipments in 2015. The announcement is noteworthy for a number of reasons. First, one of the most important characteristics of a modern mobile device is its battery life, and moving to a new memory standard should significantly reduce the memory … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: Amazon’s Amazing Game Sale

Tuesday 23 December 15:10:31 UTC 2014

For today’s edition of deal of the day, amazon offers some great deals of a large selection of digital video games. Here are some of our favorites: -Guild Wars 2 Heroic Edition [Online Game Code] – $39.99 $19.99 (50% Off) -The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [Online Game Code] – $19.99 $4.99 (75% Off) -Dark Souls 2 [Online Game Code] – … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » 7 Amusing and Creative Geeky Tip Jar Signs [Pics]

Tuesday 23 December 15:00:46 UTC 2014

A compilation of 7 amusing and geeky tip jar signs which could help customers tip just a little more at the end of a good meal or at a local café. For those of you who work in establishments that accept tipping for its employees, do you think signs such as these ones could make a difference? Let us know … [Link]

Mashable » Keurig recalls 7 million coffee makers that may spray hot water

Tuesday 23 December 14:54:09 UTC 2014

Smart_brewerFeed-tw Feed-fbWASHINGTON — Keurig is recalling some 7 million of its single-serve coffee brewing machines because of reported burns. Keurig says its Mini Plus Brewing Systems, with model number K10, can overheat and spray water during brewing. Keurig says it had received about 200 reports of hot liquid escaping from the brewer, including 90 reports of burn-related injuries. The company warned that … [Link]

Mashable » The U.S economy ho-ho-hums along with best growth in 10 years

Tuesday 23 December 14:43:17 UTC 2014

Economy_growthFeed-tw Feed-fbSanta came a little early for businesses in the United States. Strong consumer spending boosted the country's economy in the third quarter of 2014, sending gross domestic product up at a 5% annual rate. That accounts for the best quarter since 2003. The economic report issued on Tuesday by the Commerce Department revised the previous report of 3.9% growth. Forward projections … [Link]

Mashable » Astronaut's stunning space timelapse shows gorgeous auroras over Earth

Tuesday 23 December 14:37:53 UTC 2014

Space-timelapseFeed-tw Feed-fb German astronaut Alexander Gerst has released a stunning six-minute timelapse showcasing 12,500 extraordinary images of Earth, including auroras, lightning, the Milky Way galaxy and other spacecrafts like the Soyuz. Gerst captured the images over the course of six months while in Lower Earth Orbit aboard the International Space Station during what was called the Blue Dot Mission. See also: I'm … [Link]

Slashdot » JP Morgan Breach Tied To Two-Factor Authentication Slip

Tuesday 23 December 14:25:00 UTC 2014

itwbennett writes The attackers who stole information about 83 million JPMorgan Chase customers earlier this year gained a foothold on the company's network because a server reportedly lacked two-factor authentication, despite the company's practice of using two-factor authentication on most of its systems. The story, reported in the New York Times, echoes the warnings of security experts over the years … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Ultimate Advanced Useless Machines [Videos]

Tuesday 23 December 14:00:45 UTC 2014

I’m sure you’ve all seen a video of one of those fun “useless” machine on the web at some point, but these advanced versions of the concept (above and below) really take things to a whole new level. [Xpresssive | JK Brickworks] The post The Ultimate Advanced Useless Machines [Videos] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Slashdot » 'Citizenfour' Producers Sued Over Edward Snowden Leaks

Tuesday 23 December 13:43:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes with this news from The Hollywood Reporter: Horace Edwards, who identifies himself as a retired naval officer and the former secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation, has filed a lawsuit in Kansas federal court that seeks a constructive trust over monies derived from the distribution of Citizenfour. Edwards … seeks to hold Snowden, director Laura … [Link]

Mashable » One Direction, Jimmy Fallon remix 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town' with classroom instruments

Tuesday 23 December 13:36:11 UTC 2014

Onedirection_fallonFeed-tw Feed-fb Guess the One Direction fandom has been nice this year, because they just got the Christmas present of a lifetime. The British boy band appeared on Monday's Tonight Show and jammed out on classroom instruments to a remixed version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," alongside Jimmy Fallon and The Roots Nothing is jollier than Harry Styles, in an … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » Hardware start-ups now look a lot like software start-ups

Tuesday 23 December 13:26:49 UTC 2014

Editor’s note: this interview with Joichi Ito is an excerpt from our recent report, When Hardware Meets Software, by Mike Barlow. The report looks into the new hardware movement, telling its story through the people who are building it. For … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » Computational power and cognitive augmentation

Tuesday 23 December 13:25:49 UTC 2014

Editors note: this is an excerpt from our new report Data: Emerging Trends and Technologies, by Alistair Croll. Download the free report here. Heres a look at a few of the ways that humans — still the ultimate data processors … [Link]

Mashable » Arizona officials cleared in 2-hour execution, but lethal drugs will change

Tuesday 23 December 13:01:58 UTC 2014

LethalinjectionFeed-tw Feed-fbTUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona officials said Monday they have been cleared of any wrongdoing in an execution this year that lasted nearly two hours, but they are nevertheless changing the drugs they use to put inmates to death. According to a letter from Department of Corrections Director Charles Ryan to Gov. Jan Brewer, the agency no longer will use the drug … [Link]

Mashable » What's the deal with Tumblr's logo? It's promoting 'Seinfeld' reruns on Festivus

Tuesday 23 December 12:55:40 UTC 2014

90s-holiday-seinfeldFeed-tw Feed-fbTumblr is offering its first logo takeover. What's the occasion? Festivus The jokey Seinfeld holiday is the reason for the seasonal takeover, which renders the Tumblr logo in Seinfeld style for a full 24 hours on Dec. 23. If you click the option to "enable Festivus mode," you can also hear the Seinfeld theme while you scroll the page. See also: … [Link]

Mashable » BBC presenter giggles on camera while filming next to burning hashish

Tuesday 23 December 12:34:05 UTC 2014

HashishFeed-tw Feed-fb LONDON — Anyone who's stood in front of a camera knows how hard it can be to nail down the perfect delivery, especially when you've got a case of the giggles. The BBC's Quentin Sommerville found it even harder, when he tried to present a segment next to a burning pile of drugs. See also: TV host wore the same … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Go with the flow: See all 250,000 rivers in the US

Tuesday 23 December 12:30:00 UTC 2014

Explore all the rivers in the US in this interactive map, in which each waterway is coloured according to its direction of flow [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 23 December 2014

Tuesday 23 December 11:27:58 UTC 2014

Metrics for Operational Performance — you’d be surprised how many places around your business you can meaningfully and productively track time-to-detection and time-to-resolution. Steel Mill Hacked — damage includes a blast furnace that couldn’t be shut down properly. Cerebros — … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: Refactoring for Software Design Smells – $34.98 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL

Tuesday 23 December 11:27:17 UTC 2014

Get "Refactoring for Software Design Smells" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2014-12-24 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]

Mashable » 18 TV shows to watch this holiday weekend

Tuesday 23 December 10:58:51 UTC 2014

ThefallFeed-tw Feed-fbIn case you didn't get around to it during Thanksgiving, our "you gotta watch this" list is back and bigger than ever. Now, our hefty helping of recommendations is up by two shows, both imports that you should feast on if you have the time between, well, feasting on food See also: The shows you're DVRing — and those you're not … [Link]

Slashdot » How a Wildfire Helped Spread the Hashtag

Tuesday 23 December 10:40:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: Chris Messina is credited with originating the use of hashtags at Twitter. What's not widely known is the role of San Diego's wildfires in making hashtags reach a tipping point. Messina, who was Twitter user 1,186, says in the fall of 2007, Web developer Nate Ritter started posting updates on the firestorms using the hashtag #sandiegofire. … [Link]

Mashable » Study: Tablets might be messing with your sleep

Tuesday 23 December 10:36:19 UTC 2014

17Feed-tw Feed-fb If your bedtime ritual involves reading on a tablet, we’ve got some bad news for you According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, your tablet might be keeping you up at night — and making you sleepy the next morning. See also: 25 Best Free Android Apps While we’ve been hearing about this … [Link]

Mashable » Elon Musk promises to reveal Tesla Roadster update this week

Tuesday 23 December 9:41:27 UTC 2014

Tesla-roadsterFeed-tw Feed-fb2014 was a good year for Tesla aficionados, as the company has seen a strong international expansion, opened a bevy of new Superchargers throughout the year and unveiled the Tesla D in October. But company CEO Elon Musk has one more surprise up his sleeve for this year: An update to Tesla Roadster Written as a reply to a tweet about … [Link]

Mashable » 17,000 join nationalist march in Dresden

Tuesday 23 December 9:40:51 UTC 2014

Dresden_cFeed-tw Feed-fbA record 17,000 people have turned up to the latest in a string of "anti-Islamisation" demonstrations in Dresden in eastern Germany. Monday night's gathering outside the city's Semperoper opera house was organised by far-right movement Patriotic Europeans Against Islamisation of the West. See also: Where to see the Berlin Wall 25 years after the fall The group, also known as Pegida, … [Link]

Mashable » LG introduces speakers you can text

Tuesday 23 December 9:38:40 UTC 2014

Lg-text-speakersFeed-tw Feed-fbLG has a novel idea for controlling your speakers: just send them a text message The new Wi-Fi Music Flow speakers, which the company will unveil at CES 2015 in January, can accept commands from the messaging service Line. Besides the usual play and skip commands, you'll be able to use some natural language: For instance, "play music for party" will … [Link]

Slashdot » Quadcopter Drone Packs First All-Linux Autopilot

Tuesday 23 December 9:09:00 UTC 2014

DeviceGuru writes: Erle Robotics has launched what is claimed to be the first drone to run both a Pixhawk APM autopilot and ROS directly on Linux. Over the last year Erle Robotics and 3DRobotics have collaborated on developing an open source, all-Linux BeagleBone Black-based autopilot for drones using the popular 3DR APM architecture, but without using Nuttx RTOS for the … [Link]

Mashable » Hilarious reactions to Australian PM saying women look after household budget

Tuesday 23 December 8:55:41 UTC 2014

WomanFeed-tw Feed-fbWhile you were busy ironing handkerchiefs, Australia's Prime Minister and Minister for Women Tony Abbott has been busy fighting for women's rights. One household budget at a time. First, he added another woman — Sussan Ley — to his one-woman cabinet show starring Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. To flex his pro-women agenda a little more, he also promoted Kelly O'Dwyer and … [Link]

Mashable » Lego Farmer features in Aussie 12 Days of Christmas extravaganza

Tuesday 23 December 8:05:38 UTC 2014

LegoleadFeed-tw Feed-fbThere is no better way to illustrate the 12 Days of Christmas Aussie style than with an Aussie Lego Farmer 24-year-old Aimee Snowden, who lives and works on her family's irrigation farm in southern New South Wales, was inspired by the Lego Travellers to document life on the property. Her love of agriculture and a macro camera allowed her to bless … [Link]

Slashdot » Comcast's Lobbyists Hand Out VIP Cards To Skip the Customer Service Wait

Tuesday 23 December 7:41:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: A lengthy story about how David Gregory lost his job hosting Meet the Press holds an interesting tidbit: Comcast's team of lobbyists regularly hands out VIP cards to influential (and influence-able) people in Washington that lets them bypass normal customer service and fast-track their support problems. "Its government-affairs team carried around 'We'll make it right' cards … [Link]

Slashdot » Devuan Progress Report Published

Tuesday 23 December 6:49:00 UTC 2014

zdzichu writes: The group of anonymous Italians behind the recent Debian fork have published their first progress report. It covers a wide range of topics: the 4.5k€ of donations received so far, moving distro infrastructure from GitHub to GitLab, progress on LoginKit (which replaces systemd's logind), fraud accusations, logo discussions, and few more important points. Share on Google+ Read more of this story … [Link]

Slashdot » Study: Light-Emitting Screens Before Bedtime Disrupt Sleep

Tuesday 23 December 5:47:00 UTC 2014

jfruh writes: Tablets and e-readers are more convenient in many ways than paper books, but many people have complained that the physical experience of using them isn't as good. And now we have some specific quantification of this fact: a study has shown that people who read text on a tablet before bed don't sleep as well as those who … [Link]

Geek Culture » Spend 10 minutes coming back to Earth

Tuesday 23 December 4:57:59 UTC 2014

[Link]

Mashable » 125 songs to get you in the holiday spirit

Tuesday 23 December 4:52:21 UTC 2014

5251637865_9112d7792c_bFeed-tw Feed-fbIt’s the most wonderful time of the year, in case you haven't noticed There truly is nothing better than the holidays — we get to spend time with loved ones, indulge in holiday treats and cocktails and enjoy countless hours of holiday music. See also: 28 songs for your holiday travel home Since no one feels like working during the holidays, … [Link]

Slashdot » NetworkManager 1.0 Released After Ten Years Development

Tuesday 23 December 4:40:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: After ten years of development focused on improving and simplifying Linux networking, NetworkManager 1.0 was released. NetworkManager 1.0 brings many features including an increasingly modernized client library, improved command-line support, a lightweight internal DHCP client, better Bluetooth support, VPN enhancements, WWAN IPv6 support, and other features. Share on Google+ Read more of this story at Slashdot. [Link]

Mashable » Olympic Games costume drama may be over — 14 years later

Tuesday 23 December 4:26:47 UTC 2014

Cathyfreeman1Feed-tw Feed-fbIt has been an enduring mystery of Sydney's 2000 Olympic games: whatever happened to Australian athlete Cathy Freeman's body suit, the main costume of the opening ceremony, after she lit the Olympic flame? Now, 14 years on, it may just have returned from its mysterious absence On the night of Sept. 15, 2000, Freeman stood under a waterfall as she lit … [Link]

Mashable » Window washer who survived 11-story fall raises $17,000 in seven hours

Tuesday 23 December 4:00:14 UTC 2014

Ww1Feed-tw Feed-fbA window washer who fell 11 stories from the top of a building in San Francisco last month is on his way to recovery, but his family says they are struggling to make ends meet without his steady paycheck. Pedro Perez, 58, was released from the hospital just in time to spend Christmas with his family, but the extensive injuries he … [Link]

Slashdot » ESA Carries Out Asteroid Impact Drill

Tuesday 23 December 3:54:00 UTC 2014

Zothecula writes: If there were any dinosaurs around, they could tell you that an asteroid impact can ruin your whole day. But if we did learn that one was actually going to strike the Earth in a month, what would the authorities do? To find out, the European Space Agency held its first ever mock asteroid drill to work on … [Link]

Mashable » 9 hours 31 minutes later, North Korea is back online

Tuesday 23 December 3:23:08 UTC 2014

Ap499652678155Feed-tw Feed-fbWhoever or whatever was blocking North Korea's Internet connection isn't doing so any more, according to multiple Internet experts The Hermit Kingdom, which didn't have much in the way of Internet traffic to begin with, went completely offline in mysterious circumstances earlier Monday. The outage lasted for a grand total of 9 hours and 31 minutes, reported the networking analysts at … [Link]

Mashable » Last-minute stocking stuffers for the traveler in your life

Tuesday 23 December 2:13:20 UTC 2014

StockingsFeed-tw Feed-fbChristmas is nearly here — but it's alright if you aren't done with your shopping yet. Many of us are in the same boat When it comes to buying the perfect gift for a traveler, form should meet function. We're talking something creative, personal, stylish — but necessary. See also: 20 best travel gifts for the explorer in your life And … [Link]

Slashdot » Does Journal Peer Review Miss Best and Brightest?

Tuesday 23 December 1:53:00 UTC 2014

sciencehabit writes: A study published today indicates that the scientific peer review system does a reasonable job of predicting the eventual interest in most papers, but it may fail when it comes to identifying really game-changing research. Papers that were accepted outright by one of the three elite journals tended to garner more citations than papers that were rejected and … [Link]

Mashable » 14 artistic shots of hands that tell stories

Tuesday 23 December 1:34:23 UTC 2014

02_mashableFeed-tw Feed-fbHands can tell you a great deal about a person — his or her personality, health, experiences and more. While palm readers meticulously study skin ridges and finger lengths to conduct a reading, a lot can be said through a simple photograph. Last week, we challenged you to tell stories through artistic images of handsTua Marika, a designer and photographer who … [Link]

Slashdot » An Automated Cat Litter Box With DRM

Tuesday 23 December 1:10:00 UTC 2014

HughPickens.com writes: Jorge Lopez had always wanted an automatic cat litter box, and finally found one called the CatGenie, a fully automated self-washing litter box connected to water, electricity and the sewer that cleans itself with water and soap. "It's the Rolls Royce of cat litter boxes, a hefty device that scoops, cleans, and disposes of the waste all on … [Link]

Mashable » Experts: Internet privacy will be hard to find in 2025

Tuesday 23 December 1:08:16 UTC 2014

PrivacyFeed-tw Feed-fbActivists and developers are trying to find ways to protect privacy in a time of heightened government surveillance. But it may all be for naught, according to a new study The Pew Research Center published a report last Thursday in which a majority of experts agree that our current expectations of digital privacy may be completely gone by 2025. See also: … [Link]

Slashdot » Uber Pushing For Patent On Surge Pricing

Tuesday 23 December 0:27:00 UTC 2014

mpicpp sends news that Uber is renewing its push for a patent on "surge pricing," the practice of increasing rider fees when many people are trying to find transportation. The system measures supply (Uber drivers) and demand (passengers hailing rides with smartphones), and prices fares accordingly. It’s one of at least 13 U.S. patent applications filed by Uber or its … [Link]

Mashable » Israel approves $3.3 million for tourism center in West Bank

Tuesday 23 December 0:20:30 UTC 2014

BarkanFeed-tw Feed-fbIsrael’s finance committee has approved a plan to build a $3.3 million tourism center in the Barkan settlement in the West Bank. The center appears to be part of a broader package of economic stimulus. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has raised the minimum wage for government employees by about 20%, and also imposed a 30% price reduction for 20,500 new … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » A Robotic Spider Dress That Attacks People When They Get Too Near Too Fast [Video]

Tuesday 23 December 0:00:21 UTC 2014

This is super creepy. Aptly called the ‘Spider Dress’, this piece of wearable tech features animatronic mechanical limbs that respond to external stimuli while defending the personal space of the wearer. The dress provides an extension of the wearers intuition: It uses proximity sensors as well as a respiration sensor to both define and protect the personal space of the … [Link]

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