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 » Sony's PlayStation Network is still down from Christmas Day attack

Friday 26 December 23:32:16 UTC 2014

PsnFeed-tw Feed-fbSony’s PlayStation Network remains unavailable after an attack on the system took it down on Christmas Day, just as recipients of new consoles looked to log online. Xbox's system appeared to have recovered quickly from the distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks launched by a group that calls itself Lizard Squad. DDoS efforts are relatively common and attempt to disrupt systems … [Link]

Slashdot » Romanian Cybersecurity Law Will Allow Warrantless Access To Data

Friday 26 December 23:27:00 UTC 2014

jfruh writes: The Romanian Parliament has passed a bill that will allow its security services widespread access to data on privately owned services without a warrant, and once the president signs it, it will become law. The law would have widespread impact beyond Romania because the country is a hub for IT outsourcing. Share on Google+ Read more of this story at Slashdot. … [Link]

Mashable » Ukraine's government and pro-Russian rebels swap prisoners

Friday 26 December 23:14:19 UTC 2014

Ap787415843594Feed-tw Feed-fbUkraine’s government and pro-Russian separatists exchanged hundreds of prisoners on Friday in a rare sign of cooperation. The swap took place under the cover of darkness north of the separatist stronghold of Donetsk, near the city of Konstantinovka, after the two sides agreed to the trade on Wednesday. See also: 'We simply survive': What life is like for Ukrainian prisoners of … [Link]

Mashable » The 'Transformers' writer is no longer penning or directing the next 'Star Trek'

Friday 26 December 23:06:41 UTC 2014

Bob.orci_Feed-tw Feed-fbLOS ANGELES — The next Star Trek is due to arrive in summer 2016 with Kirk and Spock and phasers and all the stuff you've come to expect from a modern Star Trek movie — except for a script by Roberto Orci For reasons that aren't entirely clear, the polarizing writer and producer, who was going to make Star Trek 13 … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Alexander Gerst’s Breathtakingly Beautiful Earth Timelapses [Video]

Friday 26 December 23:00:05 UTC 2014

Watch Earth roll by through the perspective of ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst in this six-minute timelapse video from space. Combining 12 500 images taken by Alexander during his six-month Blue Dot mission on the International Space Station this Ultra High Definition video shows the best our beautiful planet has to offer. Marvel at the auroras, sunrises, clouds, stars, oceans, the … [Link]

Slashdot » Lizard Squad Targets Tor

Friday 26 December 22:35:00 UTC 2014

mrspoonsi tips news that Lizard Squad, the hacker group who knocked Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network offline on Christmas morning, has now turned its attention to Tor. After tweeting that they were targeting a Tor-related zero-day flaw, the group is now in control of 3,000 exit nodes — almost half of them. "If one group is controlling the majority … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » A Sweded Version of the New “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Trailer [Video]

Friday 26 December 22:00:03 UTC 2014

Check out this fun sweded version of the new “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” trailer by the folks over at Dumb Drum. Watch the side-by-side comparison here: [Dumb Drum] The post A Sweded Version of the New “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Trailer [Video] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » VerticalResponse Launches API and Developer Program

Friday 26 December 21:55:42 UTC 2014

Email marketing platform VerticalResponse has launched an API and developer program. Using the company's new API, developers can build applications that enable users to create and manage contacts and marketing campaign lists, set up and schedule the distribution of email and social media posts, and retrieve "> [Link]

Mashable » California gets ready for immigrant driver's licenses

Friday 26 December 21:54:39 UTC 2014

HighwayFeed-tw Feed-fbBeginning Jan. 2, undocumented immigrants will be able to apply for a driver's license in California. Assembly Bill 60, or the Safe and Responsible Drivers Act, removes the need for individuals to prove that they are in the country legally, while the rest of the process for getting a driver's license remains the same. See also: Immigration reform: What's happening and … [Link]

Mashable » Pregnant woman taken off life support in Ireland

Friday 26 December 21:46:24 UTC 2014

Ireland-abortion_roug-1Feed-tw Feed-fbDUBLIN (AP) — A brain-dead pregnant woman was taken off life support Friday after a court ruled that her 18-week-old fetus was doomed to die — a case that exposed fear and confusion among doctors over how to apply Ireland's strict ban on abortion in an age of medical innovation. See also: Lawmaker stands by abortion bill requiring man's consent: 'It's … [Link]

Slashdot » Tesla Roadster Update Extends Range

Friday 26 December 21:32:00 UTC 2014

mrflash818 sends word that Tesla Motors has announced an upgrade for their Roadster vehicles that boosts the range from about 240 miles to almost 400. In addition to the battery improvements made since the Roadster launched in 2008, Tesla has a kit to retrofit the body to reduce its drag coefficient from 0.36 to 0.31. They also have new tires, … [Link]

Mashable » Turkish teen accused of insulting Erdogan freed, but could still get 4 years

Friday 26 December 21:25:27 UTC 2014

ErdoganFeed-tw Feed-fbANKARA, Turkey — A high school student who was jailed for allegedly insulting Turkey's leader was released from custody on Friday after his arrest caused uproar and intensified fears that Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is lurching toward more authoritarian rule. The 16-year-old boy was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly calling Erdogan a thief, a day after he took part … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Sweet Hat Bro: Patrick Stewart’s Totally Ridiculous Dancing Christmas Hat [Video]

Friday 26 December 21:00:44 UTC 2014

This is what Patrick Stewart’s wife Sunny Ozell got to her husband for Christmas. Poor guy. [madameozell | Via] The post Sweet Hat Bro: Patrick Stewart’s Totally Ridiculous Dancing Christmas Hat [Video] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Mashable » This pig savoring his treats is living his best life

Friday 26 December 20:42:39 UTC 2014

PigeatingFeed-tw Feed-fb Hamilton the pig has an unusual way of expressing his love of treats. While most pigs bulldoze through their lunch, Hamilton dwells in the moment of pure bliss for as long as he possibly can. There are clearly a lot of flavors here to enjoy, and Hamilton is going to savor every last one. You might even say this piggy … [Link]

Mashable » The most hilarious local news bloopers of 2014

Friday 26 December 20:32:39 UTC 2014

BloopersthumbFeed-tw Feed-fb This year gave us an astounding number of local news celebrities. So many, in fact, that trolling local news started to look like a viable career pathway There was the smooth-talking Apparently Kid, the fierce voguer Brendan Jordan (who now has his own YouTube channel and a modeling contract with American Apparel) and the Dutch reporter who took a tumble … [Link]

Slashdot » Paul Graham: Let the Other 95% of Great Programmers In

Friday 26 December 20:29:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: Y Combinator's Paul Graham has posted an essay arguing in favor of relaxed immigration rules. His argument is straight-forward: with only 5% of the world's population, the U.S. can only expect about 5% of great programmers to be born here. He says, "What the anti-immigration people don't understand is that there is a huge variation in … [Link]

Mashable » Hackers who say they attacked Xbox and PlayStation have a new target: Tor

Friday 26 December 20:16:11 UTC 2014

TorFeed-tw Feed-fbUpdated December 26, 2014, 7:41 p.m. ET On to the next one. One day after a group of hackers took credit for compromising the networks of PlayStation and Xbox, they now appear to be targeting Tor, a network that helps its users stay anonymous online. Tor is not a household name, so any attack on the service would not be felt … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Interview' pulls in $1 million at theaters, but on-demand is the big mystery

Friday 26 December 19:36:01 UTC 2014

The.interview.box_.officeFeed-tw Feed-fbLOS ANGELES — A million dollars in Christmas Day ticket sales isn't exactly Sony acing The Interview. But the experience of the world's first premium video-on-demand release is a nice thing to have on the résumé. Playing at only 330 hastily arranged independent U.S. theaters after the studio meltdown heard 'round the world, The Interview averaged about $3,000 per venue on … [Link]

Slashdot » Net Neutrality Comments Overtaxed FCC's System

Friday 26 December 19:30:00 UTC 2014

Presto Vivace writes with news that the FCC has had trouble dealing with the sheer volume of comments submitted about net neutrality. There were millions of them, and they caused problems with the agency's 18-year-old Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). When the FCC attempted to dump the comments into XML format to make download and analysis easier, problems with Apache … [Link]

Mashable » 8 totally rad flyers inspired by movies that turned 30 in 2014

Friday 26 December 19:00:16 UTC 2014

80smoviesFeed-tw Feed-fbThe Ghostbusters had to get their marketing done somehow without Facebook. Designers at online stationer Moo.com created clever flyers for eight iconic movies from 1984. Their designs imagine the daily lives (and advertising needs) of memorable movie characters, including a show poster for Spinal Tap and a business flyer for Mr. Myagi. See also: Movie Characters Jumpstart New Careers With Business … [Link]

New Scientist – News » The mystery of yawning: We all do it, but why?

Friday 26 December 18:30:00 UTC 2014

Hot, tired brains and an excess of stress hormones. Could these be the reasons why we yawn, asks neuroscientist Simon Thompson (full text available to subscribers) [Link]

Slashdot » High Speed DIY M&M Sorting Machine Uses iPhone Brain

Friday 26 December 18:28:00 UTC 2014

HughPickens.com writes: Canoe Tech reports that M&M sorting machines are a popular project for people who like combining electronics, programming and machine building. Most of them send a single M&M down a chute to a simple color sensor where the color sensor will then take a second or two to figure out the color. A servo motor will then rotate … [Link]

Mashable » Two Hong Kong highway cash grabbers arrested

Friday 26 December 18:19:42 UTC 2014

CashgrabthumbFeed-tw Feed-fbThis Christmas present may have seemed too good to be true, and it definitely was. Police in Hong Kong arrested two people Thursday night who snatched money off of a Hong Kong highway after bins containing nearly US$2 million in cash (more than HK$15 million) fell from the back of an armored truck and showered the eight-lane section of Gloucester Road. … [Link]

Mashable » Mourners gather to remember slain NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos

Friday 26 December 18:00:12 UTC 2014

Ramos-hearseFeed-tw Feed-fbMourners gathered Friday at a church in Queens for the wake of Officer Rafael Ramos of the New York Police Department, who was killed along with his partner in an ambush shooting last week. Ramos, who turned 40 this month, had long been a committed member at the Christ Tabernacle Church, those who knew him said. His funeral is also scheduled … [Link]

Mashable » Tesla's Roadster will go almost 400 miles on a single charge, according to Elon Musk

Friday 26 December 17:46:25 UTC 2014

Tesla-roadsterFeed-tw Feed-fbTesla Roadster owners are in for one last holiday gift. The sporty electric car produced by Elon Musk's company will soon receive an upgrade to the car's battery that will almost double its range, Musk said on Twitter. The Roadster can currently go about 244 miles on a single change. The new update will bump that number up to 400 Roadster … [Link]

Mashable » The dangers lurking in your Christmas decorations

Friday 26 December 17:45:48 UTC 2014

Cat-in-christmas-treeFeed-tw Feed-fbEach winter, many people decorate their homes and offices with holiday lights, ornaments and tinsel. They chop down fir trees, and sit near them at home, breathing in the sharp evergreen scent. But while many people use the holiday season to relax and recharge their batteries, sometimes these festive pastimes can be downright dangerous, as people — and cats, dogs and … [Link]

Mashable » Russia dubs NATO major threat in new military doctrine

Friday 26 December 17:31:00 UTC 2014

Ap411348095277Feed-tw Feed-fbPresident Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a revised version of Russia’s military doctrine that names “NATO's military buildup” and expansion in Eastern Europe as the main external threats to the country’s security, according to a Kremlin statement. Russia's Security Council said after a meeting last week that the new military doctrine was necessary due to "the emergence of new threats for … [Link]

Slashdot » Crowds (and Pirates) Flock To 'The Interview'

Friday 26 December 17:24:00 UTC 2014

Rambo Tribble writes: Many of the 300+ theaters showing The Interview on Christmas were rewarded with sell-out crowds. While reviews of the comedy have been mixed, many movie-goers expressed solidarity with the sentiment of professor Carlos Royal: "I wanted to support the U.S." Despite sellout crowds, the movie's limited release meant it only brought in about $1 million on opening … [Link]

Mashable » TSA employees could use some work on their gift wrapping skills

Friday 26 December 17:09:55 UTC 2014

Tsa-presentFeed-tw Feed-fbThe Transportation Security Administration is clear about its regulations on wrapped presents: They're not allowed. But that doesn't mean everyone follows the rules. See also: The worst things people do on airplanes, ranked If you had a carefully wrapped present in your checked baggage this holiday, consider yourself lucky if it made it through the trip without being mauled. TSA agents … [Link]

Mashable » 14 beautiful viral photography series of 2014

Friday 26 December 17:00:22 UTC 2014

Maria-chubbyFeed-tw Feed-fbPhotographers mesmerized the Internet in 2014 with beautiful series that put soulful subjects into focus We saw the softer sides of pit bulls, drooled over knitted foods softer than a favorite blanket and peeked into the secretly lonely lives of the pop culture world's biggest crime fighters. See also: 27 weirdest news stories of 2014 Take a look back at our … [Link]

Mashable » A decade on, Thailand remembers the horrific Boxing Day tsunami

Friday 26 December 16:46:10 UTC 2014

TsunamiFeed-tw Feed-fbPATONG, Thailand — Ten years on from the devastating tsunami that rocked South Asia, there are still small reminders of the tragedy here in the tourist heart of Thailand's Phuket island. In hotels, a small emergency flashlight sits in each and every room, while tsunami hazard signs show what to do if another massive wave of destruction moves up the shore. … [Link]

Mashable » The cosmic origins of your toothpaste

Friday 26 December 16:45:21 UTC 2014

Crest-toothpaste-brushFeed-tw Feed-fbIt may only take brushing your teeth to help you feel connected to the cosmos. New research suggests that fluorine, an element in toothpaste, may have been forged billions of years ago inside stars that are now long dead. Fluorine is commonly found in products like toothpaste, refrigerants and pharmaceuticals, and it's the 13th most abundant element on Earth. Astronomers already … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Skyrim in a Nutshell [Video]

Friday 26 December 16:31:43 UTC 2014

From Ferhod: This project was actually close to completion before I even started my previous video, but I ended up postponing it several times. At long last, it was coincidentally finished on Christmas. You can’t exactly put it under the tree, but here’s my present for you! [Ferhod] The post Skyrim in a Nutshell [Video] appeared first on Geeks are … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » JibJab’s 2014 Year in Review: “2014, You Are History!” [Video]

Friday 26 December 16:30:53 UTC 2014

Did data breaches, ice bucket challenges, and the wild events of 2014 really #BreakTheInternet? Find out in JibJab’s 2014 Year in Review — it’s one for the history books! [JibJab] The post JibJab’s 2014 Year in Review: “2014, You Are History!” [Video] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Slashdot » Donald Knuth Worried About the "Dumbing Down" of Computer Science History

Friday 26 December 16:20:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: Thomas Haigh, writing for Communications of the ACM, has an in-depth column about Donald Knuth and the history of computer science. It's centered on a video of Knuth giving a lecture at Stanford earlier this year, in which he sadly recounts how we're doing a poor job of capturing the development of computer science, which obscures … [Link]

Mashable » Amazon says 10 million new customers tried Prime for the holidays

Friday 26 December 16:06:51 UTC 2014

Bezos-fireFeed-tw Feed-fbAmazon has come out swinging on Boxing Day. The ecommerce behemoth said on Friday that more than 10 million customers had signed up to try its Prime delivery service during the holiday season See also: Amazon Is Unprofitable — and It's Completely on Purpose Amazon has closely guarded the number of customers who pay for the service, which also includes streaming … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Localo Aims To Connect UK Waste Services

Friday 26 December 15:30:13 UTC 2014

Recently conceived at a LocalGov Makers Hack Day, Localo is attempting to improve UK government waste management services by developing data specifications for use in an API and web services. [Link]

Slashdot » NSA Reveals More Than a Decade of Improper Surveillance

Friday 26 December 15:17:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes: On Christmas Eve, the NSA quietly dropped 12 years worth of internal reports on surveillance that may have broken laws, including reports that were illegally withheld and the subject of a FOIA lawsuit in 2009. "The heavily-redacted reports include examples of data on Americans being e-mailed to unauthorized recipients, stored in unsecured computers and retained after … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Thinkgeek’s Big After Holiday Sale: Up to 80% OFF on HUNDREDS of Items!

Friday 26 December 15:15:14 UTC 2014

As part of its “After Holiday” sale, Thinkgeek is offering up to 80% off on HUNDREDS of items, including A LOT of pretty sweet t-shirts, hoodies, toys, gadgets, and A LOT MORE! [Thinkgeek’s After Holiday Sale: Up to 80% OFF on HUNDREDS of Items!] —————~ The post Thinkgeek’s Big After Holiday Sale: Up to 80% OFF on HUNDREDS of Items! … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Year in News: What Happened Next (Stories From March-April 2014)

Friday 26 December 15:14:28 UTC 2014

As we continue our look back on the stories we covered in 2014 — and the subsequent developments — we reach March. A group of more than a million players joined forces to beat Pokemon Red/Blue through a project that translated chat room comments into commands on a game broadcast over Twitch. That inspired similar projects later in the year … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Bison Rifle [Comic]

Friday 26 December 15:13:57 UTC 2014

[Source: Neil Kohney’s The Other End Comics (CC)] The post The Bison Rifle [Comic] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Christmas for Most People vs. Christmas for Whovians [Pic]

Friday 26 December 15:12:46 UTC 2014

[Source: killashandra-falta on Deviantart] The post Christmas for Most People vs. Christmas for Whovians [Pic] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Origin of Rudolph’s Red Nose [Comic]

Friday 26 December 15:11:16 UTC 2014

[Source: The Odd 1’s Out Comics!] The post The Origin of Rudolph’s Red Nose [Comic] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Deal of the Day: Amazon’s Amazing Year-End Deals

Friday 26 December 15:10:30 UTC 2014

Some great after-Christmas deals we Stumbled on on Amazon.com today. Check ‘em out! -50% Off or More on Headphones -50% Off or More on Flash Memory -50% Off or More on Solid-State Drives -50% Off or More on External Hard Drives -40% Off or More on PC Games -40% Off or More on PlayStation 4 Games -40% Off or More … [Link]

Mashable » Cops deliver baby boy on Philadelphia's subway Christmas Day

Friday 26 December 15:07:53 UTC 2014

Baby4Feed-tw Feed-fbTwo transit cops had the privilege of welcoming one of Philadelphia's newest residents to the world Christmas evening. "When she was on the train I guess the baby said, 'I'm ready to come out now,'" Toney Harris-Saunders, who was on the same subway train headed to see family, told NBC 10. He saw the woman going into labor, and called 911. … [Link]

Mashable » 20 movies turning 20 in 2015

Friday 26 December 15:00:36 UTC 2014

Toystory2Feed-tw Feed-fbYou’re old — get over it. As if Movies can act like cultural timepieces, bringing us back to the year of their debut. But when you think back to a classic hit like Clueless, it's hard to imagine that Cher Horowitz like totally graced screens 20 long years ago See also: 28 things you can't unsee from 2014 Take a convertible … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Disney and Pokemon Pranks (With Friends) [Video]

Friday 26 December 15:00:05 UTC 2014

A compilation of hilarious Disney and Pokemon-themed pranks by Thomas Sanders. [Topcompilation] The post Disney and Pokemon Pranks (With Friends) [Video] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]

Mashable » Putin to Cabinet ministers: No holiday for you

Friday 26 December 14:59:09 UTC 2014

Putin2Feed-tw Feed-fbMOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has scrapped New Year's holidays for government ministers because of the unfolding economic crisis. Russian company employees throughout the country are entitled to holiday from Jan. 1 to Jan. 12 when Russians celebrate the New Year, the main holiday in Russia, as well as Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7. See also: Russians 'invest' in booze … [Link]

Mashable » Flight diverted after passenger makes threats onboard

Friday 26 December 14:38:42 UTC 2014

DeltaFeed-tw Feed-fbA passenger making threats caused a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles to divert to Albuquerque on Christmas Day. Flight 81 landed at the Albuquerque International Sunport just after 6 p.m., where authorities met the plane and the man was arrested. The man was not charged, but he was not allowed to get back on the plane. See … [Link]

Slashdot » MIT Unifies Web Development In Single, Speedy New Language

Friday 26 December 14:15:00 UTC 2014

itwbennett writes: A new programming language out of MIT, called Ur/Web, provides a way for developers to write pages as self-contained programs. It incorporates many of the most widely-used web technologies, freeing developers from working with each language individually. Ur/Web's author, Adam Chlipala, an MIT computer science assistant professor, will present his work next month at the Association for Computing … [Link]

Geeks are Sexy Technology News » 2014 in Gaming: The Year in Under 2 Minutes

Friday 26 December 14:00:58 UTC 2014

From Malcolm Klock: 2014 has been an intense time for games. It has been a year of big delays, messy launches, and non-stop controversy. It has also been a year in which both AAA and indie developers produced innumerable games that overflowed with both artistry and ambition. This is a celebration of their work, and hopefully a re-affirmation that video … [Link]

Mashable » PlayStation Network and Xbox Live still have outages as hackers claim credit

Friday 26 December 13:32:10 UTC 2014

Sony-playstationFeed-tw Feed-fbAfter failing on Christmas, Sony's PlayStation Network and Microsoft's Xbox Live are still experiencing problems that are preventing many users from signing on to the services, just as gamers are hoping to try out their new gifts. At least one hacker group is taking credit for bringing down the services, though there's been no confirmation as to whether the problems are … [Link]

Mashable » College is still worth it, because the alternative is so much worse

Friday 26 December 13:15:48 UTC 2014

Graduation-capsFeed-tw Feed-fbThe early admissions deadlines for universities across the country have come and gone, and acceptance letters are on their way. But with the cost of a four-year college education rising an average of 5% a year, many students and parents are likely wondering whether the cost of a degree is worth it. The simple answer is yes because people with degrees … [Link]

Slashdot » Why Lizard Squad Took Down PSN and Xbox Live On Christmas Day

Friday 26 December 13:14:00 UTC 2014

DroidJason1 writes Early Christmas morning, hacker group Lizard Squad took credit for taking down PlayStation Network and Xbox Live for hours. This affected those who had received new Xbox One or PS4 consoles, preventing them from playing online. So why did they do it? According to an exclusive interview with Lizard Squad, it had to do with convincing companies to … [Link]

Mashable » 16 people that will make you feel better about your bad life choices

Friday 26 December 13:00:41 UTC 2014

CrashFeed-tw Feed-fbSometimes it's just one of those days No matter what you do or however much positive mental attitude you project into the world, a bad day is inevitably going to find its way to you eventually See also: 23 Kids Having a Worse Monday Than You However, on the Internet, a bad day for one unlucky person can be turned into … [Link]

Mashable » 10 authors of color to keep an eye on in 2015

Friday 26 December 12:06:01 UTC 2014

HboFeed-tw Feed-fbYour book list is going to get a bit longer For 2015, we want to shine a light on a few diverse authors whom everyone should know. Though not perfectly comprehensive, we've highlighted writers who demand your attention. Some have been around for a while and are finally on the rise, while others just made their debuts in 2014. See also: … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 26 December 2014

Friday 26 December 11:26:03 UTC 2014

How Bad Software Leads to Bad Science — 21% of scientists who write software have never received training in software development. Roaring Bitmaps — compressed bitmaps which tend to outperform conventional compressed bitmaps such as WAH, EWAH or Concise. In … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: Effective Modern C++ – $21.49 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL

Friday 26 December 11:25:20 UTC 2014

Get "Effective Modern C++" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2014-12-29 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]

Mashable » 'The Interview' is a hit on torrent sites

Friday 26 December 10:24:35 UTC 2014

The-interview2Feed-tw Feed-fbThe Interview has been pirated approximately 900,000 times in the first 24 hours after it appeared on various torrent sites, Variety reports. The report quotes piracy-tracking firm Excipio, which claims the movie has been downloaded by 904,237 clients at around 4 p.m. ET Thursday See also: How to watch 'The Interview' right now And TorrentFreak said late Thursday that by their … [Link]

Slashdot » Bill Gates Sponsoring Palladium-Based LENR Technology

Friday 26 December 10:09:00 UTC 2014

Baldrson writes Kitco.com reports that: "Low energy nuclear reactor (LENR) technology, and by extension palladium, is attracting the attention of one of the richest men in the world and a pioneer inventor of new technology… In a recent visit to Italy, billionaire business man, investor and inventor Bill Gates said that for several years he has been a believer in … [Link]

Mashable » 'Downton Abbey' Christmas special ends season on a sweet note

Friday 26 December 8:22:46 UTC 2014

DowntonabbeychristmasFeed-tw Feed-fbEditor’s note: The following article contains spoilers about the new season of Downton Abbey, which has just completed airing in the UK. If you wish to remain spoiler-free until Season 5 starts in the United States on Jan. 4, please avert your eyes. LONDON, ENGLAND — The festive Christmas episode of Downton Abbey was full of surprises, thrills, and a whole … [Link]

Slashdot » Kodak-Branded Smartphones On the Way

Friday 26 December 7:06:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader sends news about Kodak's latest attempt to come back from the grave. "For a while there it looked like Kodak's moment had come and gone, but the past few months have seen the imaging icon fight back from the brink of irrelevance. Now the company's planning to push a Kodak-branded smartphone, and thankfully it's not going to … [Link]

Mashable » Marshall Woburn: This Bluetooth speaker is built to rock

Friday 26 December 6:00:44 UTC 2014

Mrshll1Feed-tw Feed-fb Everybody who’s really into rock knows the Marshall brand. Marshall made the amps that guitar legends like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Deep Purple’s Richie Blackmore used for their classic recordings. Now you can find the Marshall moniker applied to headphones and Bluetooth speakers, too. The $600 Woburn is the latest in the company’s Bluetooth speaker line. The Woburn looks … [Link]

Mashable » 10 wacky Kickstarter projects funded in 2014

Friday 26 December 5:05:33 UTC 2014

Whacky-kickstarter-thumbnailFeed-tw Feed-fbIf we've learned one thing this year, it's that you should never underestimate the power of potato salad and a few royal robe-donning pugs. Thanks to Kickstarter, a handful of wacky projects that might have otherwise never seen the light of day found their way on the market and into our hearts this year. See also: 27 weirdest news stories of … [Link]

Slashdot » PlayStation Game-Streaming Service Comes To Samsung Smart TVs In 2015

Friday 26 December 4:09:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader writes Sony and Samsung are jointly launching the PlayStation Now game streaming service on select Samsung Smart TVs next year. The service will allow users to play PlayStation games without the need of a gaming console. From the article: "…Sony says some 200 PlayStation 3 games will be available to stream, and that the service runs at … [Link]

Mashable » 'Doctor Who' dreams up a Christmas masterpiece

Friday 26 December 4:05:24 UTC 2014

DwchildreninneedchrisspecialFeed-tw Feed-fb“There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago." — It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, 1963Warning: the following review contains spoilers, and the spoilers get greater the deeper you go. Do not read unless you want to get spoiled. Seriously. Were you fooled? I certainly was. Steven Moffat, erstwhile trickster and Doctor … [Link]

Mashable » Before and After: Boxing Day Tsunami 10th anniversary

Friday 26 December 3:45:15 UTC 2014

Tsunami-thumbFeed-tw Feed-fbTen years ago, the Boxing Day Tsunami struck Indonesia A 9.2 magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. The earthquake triggered a series of tsunamis that devasted the coastlines of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. The waves of the tsunami first hit the Aceh province on Sumatra and killed an estimated 230,000 … [Link]

Mashable » So you wanna be a data scientist? A guide to 2015's hottest profession

Friday 26 December 3:02:50 UTC 2014

Unnamed1Feed-tw Feed-fbAre you good at math? Like, really good at math? Do you also know Python and, oh yeah, have deep knowledge of a particular industry? On the off chance that you possess this agglomeration of skills, you might have what it takes to be a data scientist. If so, these are good times. LinkedIn just voted "statistical analysis and data mining" … [Link]

Mashable » In Berkeley, after another black teenager shot dead, divisions deepen

Friday 26 December 2:15:09 UTC 2014

Dscf03371Feed-tw Feed-fbBERKELEY, Missouri — Tia Carrie is as sweet a teenage girl as you can image Nothing about her — not her big smile wired with colorful braces, or her florescent pink sweatshirt and elaborately dressed hair — would make you think she is angry. But she is “damn angry.” It showed on Wednesday night only when the 17-year-old was facing down … [Link]

Mashable » Freedom prevails! 'The Interview' killed it in 330 theaters nationwide

Friday 26 December 1:57:12 UTC 2014

Uncle.sam_.santa_.the_.interviewFeed-tw Feed-fb The threats were empty. The movie theaters were full. The Interview played without incident to packed arthouse cinemas all over the U.S. on Christmas Day, where the biggest threat wasn't Kim Jong-un and his alleged cyber goons, but the surprise VOD release that Sony orchestrated the day before. And not even the chance to watch at home for $5.99 — … [Link]

Mashable » Americans love getting guns for Christmas

Friday 26 December 1:31:54 UTC 2014

GunsFeed-tw Feed-fbUnsurprisingly, guns were a popular Christmas gift for Americans this year. The National Retail Federation predicted that gun sales would rise 4% in November and December as holiday shoppers sought firearms to put under Christmas trees. On Black Friday alone, 175,000 federal background checks were conducted — a record. Nothing says merry Christmas like a gun pic.twitter.com/MWZu4Suddi — Casey McKlindon (@casey_mcklindon) … [Link]

Mashable » Teen is pleasantly surprised after being pulled over by cop

Friday 26 December 1:25:09 UTC 2014

TicketprankthumbFeed-tw Feed-fb A Wisconsin teen received the best two tickets of her life after being pulled over by a cop. Audra Daniloff was pulled over by a Saukville police officer who told her she'd rolled through a stop sign and was going to be receiving two tickets — but the tickets she received were far from what she'd been expecting. One was … [Link]

Slashdot » NASA Makes 3-D Printed Wrench Model Available

Friday 26 December 1:20:00 UTC 2014

First time accepted submitter smsiebe writes You can now download a piece of history by getting the designs for the wrench that NASA recently emailed to astronauts on the ISS. The wrench took four hours to complete and was the first "uplink tool" printed in space. You can check out a number of models and images on NASA's 3D Resources … [Link]

Mashable » Patrick Stewart's singing Christmas hat is next-level festive

Friday 26 December 0:52:35 UTC 2014

PatrickstewartFeed-tw Feed-fb Patrick Stewart clearly has better things to be doing than wearing a light-up, singing Christmas hat Perhaps posing with his BFF Ian McKellen while wearing a different hat? Lounging in a ball pit? Tweeting up a storm? The jovial spirit of the holiday is alive and well on top of Stewart's bald head, but judging by his sheepish face, he … [Link]

Slashdot » Rackspace Restored After DDOS Takes Out DNS

Friday 26 December 0:19:00 UTC 2014

An anonymous reader sends word that Rackspace has recovered from a severe distributed denial of service attack. "Over on the company's Google+ page Rackspace warned of 'intermittent periods of latency, packet loss, or connectivity failures when attempting to reach rackspace.com or subdomains within rackspace.com.' The company's status report later confirmed it had '… identified a UDP DDoS attack targeting the … [Link]

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