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 » California attorney general attempts to block bid for 'kill the gays' law
California’s top lawyer said Wednesday she will ask a judge to block a proposed California ballot initiative that calls for gays to be "put to death by bullets to the head." Without approval from the court, Attorney General Kamala Harris would be forced to issue a title and summary for the so-called Sodomite Suppression Act, allowing the author to collect votes … [Link]
Slashdot » Facebook Makes Messenger a Platform
Steven Levy writes At Facebook's F8 developer conference, the ascension of the Messenger app was the major announcement. Messenger is no longer just a part of Facebook, but a standalone platform to conduct a wide variety of instant communications, not only with friends, but with businesses you may deal with as well. It will compete with other messaging services such … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook's embeddable video player won't let you livestream
When Facebook announced its new embeddable video player at F8 on Wednesday, the social network didn't touch live video. That's because live video won't be embeddable when the player rolls out for all users on Wednesday. Facebook, to be fair, doesn't currently offer an in-house live video solution. Live video on Facebook until now — this week's F8 stream, a fireside … [Link]
Mashable » Leah's cancer in remission: A happy turn to a feel-good NFL story
As the NFL turned rotten last autumn with a crisis of domestic violence and credibility, one feel-good story emerged to offer a bittersweet counterpoint to the continuous stream of bad news Now that story has taken a big and happy turn, as Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still announced on Wednesday that his daughter Leah's cancer is in remission See also: Football … [Link]
Mashable » The fate of Ellen Pao's historic gender bias suit is now in jurors' hands
SAN FRANCISCO — After four and a half weeks of courtroom drama, Ellen Pao's high-profile gender bias suit against venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers was turned over to the jury for deliberations on Wednesday morning. As soon as closing arguments were finished, the six men and six women of the jury — a diverse group that includes a … [Link]
Mashable » Starbucks celebrates 20 years of icy beverages with Birthday Cake Frappuccino
Just when you thought you shoved enough Starbucks down your throat, the company introduces a limited edition flavor for you to love and watch disappear To celebrate the frappuccino's 20th anniversary, Starbucks is rolling out a "Birthday Cake Frappuccino" for just five days of caffeinated-goodness, because everything you love in life will one day disappear See also: Strawberry cheesecake frappuccinos are … [Link]
Mashable » Steven Spielberg straps in for 'Ready Player One' movie at Warner Bros.
LOS ANGELES — Among working directors today, Steven Spielberg is still the No. 1 player — and he's ready to tackle a huge cinematic challenge. Spielberg has committed to direct an adaptation of Ready Player One, Ernest Cline's '80s pop-culture laced sci-fi novel set in a virtual reality world, Mashable has confirmed. If Spielberg goes through with this — and that's … [Link]
Slashdot » NASA's ARM Will Take a Boulder From an Asteroid and Put It In Lunar Orbit
coondoggie writes NASA officials today said they have picked the specific asteroid mission and offered new details for that mission which could launch in the 2020 timeframe. Specifically, NASA's associate administrator Robert Lightfoot said the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) will rendezvous with the target asteroid, land a robotic spacecraft on the surface, grab a 4 meter or so sized boulder … [Link]
New Scientist – News » First year-long stay on the ISS about to begin
One twin will spend the year in space, the other on the ground. Monitoring their health could let us tease apart the effects of space flight from genetics 
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Mashable » Introducing The StarTrack Online Retail Industry Awards
Hold the phone, there’s a new awards night in town. They’re called the StarTrack Online Retail Industry Awards (ORIAS) and they celebrate the best in the business. The StarTrack ORIAS are the largest and most prestigious awards in Australasia. They exist to recognize excellence in ecommerce retailing; an irrefutably growing market which, according to NAB’s Online Retail Sales Index, now accounts … [Link]
Mashable » 13 things to create the perfect One Direction shrine to cry in
You know the stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, retail therapy… You're sad about Zayn leaving One Direction , and that's exactly how you should be feeling right now. But you need to focus all that energy somewhere, so obviously it's time to start turning your bedroom into the One Direction shrine you've always dreamed of See also: The Internet … [Link]
Mashable » The Most Interesting Man in the World can't get you out of a ticket
Drivers are desperate to get out of rush-hour traffic any way they can. This desire occasionally manifests itself in the form of, let's call it, a creative bending of the carpool lane laws. One carpool lane driver in Washington state was pulled over when an officer noticed a familiar face in the passenger side of his car — none other than … [Link]
Mashable » FBI must evolve to keep up with terror threats, report finds
The FBI must scramble to keep up with increasingly sophisticated terrorists and improve its ability to gather intelligence on global threats to the nation's security, according to an outside review released Wednesday. See also: The FBI impersonated a journalist, and that's kind of a big deal The report said the FBI has made significant strides since the Sept. 11 terror attacks, … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook's F8 keynote in under 2 minutes
Facebook's annual F8 Developer Conference took place today in San Francisco. CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his team had a slew of announcements from immersive, 360-degree "spherical videos" to embedding Facebook videos directly to websites. Watch all of the highlights in under 2 minutes. Sith Lords approve of this man's Imperial Star Destroyer drone Canadian woman calls to wild lynx like … [Link]
Mashable » U.S.-led airstrikes target ISIS militants in Tikrit
A U.S.-led coalition began airstrikes on the embattled Iraqi city of Tikrit on Wednesday to support an Iraqi ground offensive that has struggled to retake the city from Islamic State (ISIS) fighters. The strikes were at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, according to statement from the Combined Joint Task Force responsible for the coalition operation in Iraq and … [Link]
Slashdot » Amazon Robot Contest May Accelerate Warehouse Automation
moon_unit2 writes Amazon is organizing an event to spur the development of more nimble-fingered product-packing robots. Participating teams will earn points by locating products sitting somewhere on a stack of shelves, retrieving them safely, and then packing them into cardboard shipping boxes. Robots that accidentally crush a cookie or drop a toy will have points deducted. The contest is already … [Link]
Mashable » 11 dads react to Zayn leaving One Direction
Leave it to dad to find the silver lining in any situation. While the world has been drowning in a sea of teen tears since Zayn left One Direction, hilarious dads everywhere are making light of situation. Armed with dad jokes galore, these fatherly figures try to comfort their daughters the only way they know how. See also: The 20 best … [Link]
Mashable » Everything you need to know about the changes coming to Facebook
Facebook announced a series of features and updates at its annual F8 Developer Conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, and while the news is mostly targeted for developers and app designers right now, it could eventually mean big things for Facebook users CEO Mark Zuckerberg kicked off the two-day long conference with a major update to the Facebook Messenger chatting platform. … [Link]
Mashable » Deep-fried nachos on a stick are coming to Milwaukee Brewers fans
For baseball fans, the start of this year's season isn't simply a fresh start for their teams. It also means loosening belts a notch to make room for artery-clogging ballpark snacks like nachos on a stick, which are no longer just a pipe dream This year, Milwaukee Brewers can get their hands on the "Inside The Park" nachos on a stick … [Link]
Mashable » 15 major book moments missing from the 'Lord of the Rings' movies
Major spoiler warnings for a 60-year-old trilogy ahead, proceed at your own risk. Rejoice, for today is Tolkien Reading Day, an annual celebration held on March 25 to commemorate the downfall of the original Dark Lord, Sauron The founders of the event, The Tolkien Society have put together great videos of authors and scholars reading some of their favorite passages to … [Link]
Slashdot » First Nuclear Power Plant Planned In Jordan
jones_supa writes Jordan has signed an agreement with Russia's state-owned nuclear power giant Rosatom, that sets the legal basis for building the kingdom's first nuclear power plant with a total capacity of 2,000 MW. The agreement is worth $10 billion and it envisages the construction of a two-unit power plant at Amra in the north of the kingdom by 2022. … [Link]
Mashable » Lakers start first Asian-American backcourt in NBA history
The Los Angeles Lakers game on Tuesday night was, in most ways, typical of what's been a rough season for one of the NBA's most storied franchises. They lost by 10 on the road to the injury-depleted Oklahoma City Thunder, bringing their record on the year to an atrocious 18-51 But the game also included a neat bit of basketball history … [Link]
Mashable » These 10 U.S. counties vastly improved their premature death rates
When looking where to move, you might check out counties based on crime rates and school districts. A new report suggests you should seriously consider health as well See also: 26 Foods You've Been Eating All Wrong The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute released their 2015 County Health Rankings Wednesday, which compare improvements … [Link]
Mashable » 14 Internet slang terms written in Tolkien-style runes
Bilbo and Frodo Baggins pretty much invented YOLO. Using the Hobbit Rune Generator, common Internet slang phrases we use every day are translated into language more appropriate for characters in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. See also: All 212,470 on-screen deaths in 'The Lord of the Rings' If only the various inhabitants of Middle Earth could have … [Link]
Mashable » Warren Buffett is quietly creating America's largest junk-food conglomerate
Warren Buffett has said that "he eats like a 6-year-old." It seems like that influences his investing decisions, too See also: ‘The Most Amazing Sight Ever’: The Teens Behind That McCartney-Buffett Photo How else would you explain Buffett's quietly creating a portfolio that now includes many of the most beloved junk-food brands in the U.S., from Diary Queen to Coca-Cola? While … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Alzheimer's progress slowed by plaque-busting drug
A clinical trial has shown that the drug aducanumab slows cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer's and reduces the amount of amyloid plaque in their brain 
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Mashable » 'Super Troopers 2' is a go after raising $2 million in 1 day
LOS ANGELES — Do you know how fast you were raising money? In just over 24 hours, comedy group Broken Lizard raised the $2 million it needed to hit the gas on Super Troopers 2, a sequel to the 2001 cult classic about a bunch of screwball Vermont state troopers and their "local cops" rivals. SEE ALSO: All your questions … [Link]
Mashable » Harry Styles cries on stage during One Direction's first official gig without Zayn Malik
Everyone is crying in public because Zayn Malik left One Direction. First, it was Directioners at their high schools, and now, it's Zayn's former bandmates. Since the news has gone public, the boys are free to be openly emotional Harry Styles, dressed somberly in all black, had to take a break from the spotlight to shed some tears during One … [Link]
Mashable » 'Gaming is the next step of interactive entertainment': Celebrity gamers speak out at Mazda event
We’re in a 'Golden Age' of gaming. Consoles have turned into supercomputers; controllers have turned into our bodies; multiplayer gaming sessions have turned into global networking events. And at the SXSW Gaming Expo, the 'Golden Age' was on full display. "It’s bigger than movies in some regards; it's much larger than music in some regards," said Xbox Live Programming Director, Major … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Ustream Opens Mobile Live Streaming SDK and APIs
Meerkat, a mobile live video streaming app, was the breakout star at this year's SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, and many believe the rapid rise of the app will usher in live mobile video streaming as the next big social media trend.
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Slashdot » Dueling Home Automation Systems at SXSW (Video)
Austin has a strong western heritage and more country and western music than you can shake a fiddle bow at. So when Timothy came back from SXSW with video clips from two home automation companies with different approaches to this question: "How can you work with a whole bunch of lights and thermostats and other IoT home automation pieces that … [Link]
Mashable » Your poop is literally a gold mine
Instead of flushing millions down the toilet, humans could be mining their poop for gold. That's at least what some researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) think. They're looking for ways to squeeze metals like gold and silver out of solid waste. SEE ALSO: The poop on pooping: 5 misconceptions explained When poop arrives at a wastewater treatment plant, it … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Rare giants of coral reefs gather in London
A collection of coral reef rarities and giant specimens are poised to take centre stage in an exhibition opening this week at London's Natural History Museum 
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Mashable » 3 ways to reduce your burn rate
This article is part of DBA, a new series on Mashable about running a business that features insights from leaders in entrepreneurship, venture capital and management. This year Amazon joined Netflix and the usual TV and cable outlets in contention for one of Hollywood’s most prestigious awards — the Golden Globe for best TV series. This has prompted many in the … [Link]
Mashable » What are the top 10 Jeopardy categories, Alex?
If you've been playing along with Jeopardy! at home every day of the week for the past 30 years — and no one is going to poke fun if you have — then you've undoubtedly noticed that some categories pop up far more often than others. And now you can see exactly what the most popular categories have been, thanks to … [Link]
Mashable » The 'Uptown Funk' Passover parody you'll be humming at the Seder table
Just in time for Passover, here's a new song to get stuck in your head at the Seder table. A cappella group Six13 is known for its Jewish parody covers of modern songs. Think of them as Weird Al Yankovic's cousins who went on Birthright, and decided to never leave Israel. The group has become somewhat of a staple in … [Link]
Slashdot » RadioShack Puts Customer Data Up For Sale In Bankruptcy Auction
itwbennett writes For years, RadioShack made a habit of collecting customers' contact information at checkout. Now, the bankrupt retailer is putting that data on the auction block. A list of RadioShack assets for sale includes more than 65 million customer names and physical addresses, and 13 million email addresses. Bloomberg reports that the asset sale may include phone numbers and … [Link]
Mashable » The best place to put your router, according to physics
Electromagnetic radiation — it might sound like something that you'd be better off avoiding, but electromagnetic waves of various kinds underpin our senses and how we interact with the world — from the light emissions through which your eyes perceive these words, to the microwaves that carry the Wi-Fi signal to your laptop or phone on which you're reading it. More … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Know it all: 10 secrets of successful learning
Forget highlighting and mnemonics – embrace the memory-enhancing power of quizzes, distractions, video games, good timing and just chilling (full text available to subscribers) 
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Mashable » Parody iPhone 6 ads poke fun at your crappy selfies
Apple’s "Shot on an iPhone 6" campaign consists of billboards of beautiful vistas and high-quality images taken with the company's flagship smartphones Designed to showcase the impressive quality of the latest iPhone's camera, the campaign's only flaw is that it ignores the most common type of photos iPhone users take: bad ones. See also: 20 cat pranks for when humans aren't … [Link]
Mashable » Mitt Romney on joining Meerkat: 'Just another old guy trying to keep up'
He isn't running for president — that much we know — but that won't stop Mitt Romney from joining the hot new live streaming app Meerkat. See also: Inside the Meerkat Bubble, where the air is fine The 2012 presidential contender exploded onto the Meerkat scene on Wednesday with a notification to those who had the app installed and already followed … [Link]
New Scientist – News » North Dakota curbs wasteful flares of oil drilling gas
Oil companies are burning money by flaring off the gas produced in oil extraction. North Dakota, one of the worst offending states, is cleaning up its act 
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New Scientist – News » 9/11 firefighters hit by autoimmune diseases
Emergency crews who spent months clearing up after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York have higher rates of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus 
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Slashdot » Gen Con Threatens To Leave Indianapolis Over Religious Freedom Bill
Grymalkin writes A controversial religious freedom bill has passed the Indianapolis Senate and is now awaiting Governor Mike Pence's signature to become law. Supporters claim that this bill will protect business owners from excessive government control while opponents argue it is just a veiled attempt to allow those same business owners to deny services to individuals because of their sexual … [Link]
Mashable » Tweet your thanks at the people who matter most
You know all those ‘thank you’ notes you meant to, or should have written? Well, there’s an easy way for you to make it right –- and stop beating yourself upMashable is partnering with American Greetings to bring you the #ThankList challenge We’re putting the Twitterverse on notice -– encouraging anyone with a handle to be thoughtful, earnest, and above all … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Warn people of genetic health risks, says deCODE boss
By 2016, Icelandic genetics company deCODE will have data on half the country's population. Releasing the data will be controversial, but could save lives 
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Mashable » Ask A Dev: What makes HTTP2 so exciting?
In the latest Ask A Dev episode, Braden O'Guinn tells us why developers and casual web browsers alike should be excited about HTTP2, the first big Internet protocol change in 16 years. O'Guinn explains how multiplexing will make everything faster by allowing multiple files to be requested and sent at the same time. This replaces ordered requests, so the page … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » HODOR vs GROOT RAP BATTLE [Video]
What could be better than a rap battle between Hodor and Groot? Also, once you’re done, change the subtitles/CC option under the little gear icon on the media player to “English (United States) Translation Lyrics.” [The Warp Zone] The post HODOR vs GROOT RAP BATTLE [Video] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]
Mashable » Go-go nostalgia! Netflix releases 'Inspector Gadget' trailer and date
The first full trailer from Netflix's CGI remake of Inspector Gadget. Inspector Gadget, Penny, Brain and Chief Quimby are back to fight their nemesis, Dr. Claw, who recently reactivated his global crime syndicate, M.A.D. in an all-new animated series The show was announced in February, and will consist of 26 episodes which will be available for streaming on Friday, March … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Uber opens up to let any object or app call you a cab
Soon an Uber driver could wait outside your office as you leave your final meeting, alerted by your online calendar – but will automatic cab-hailing catch on? 
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Slashdot » Scientists Create Permanently Slick Surface So Ketchup Won't Stay In Bottle
HughPickens.com writes Much of what we buy never makes it out of the container and is instead thrown away — up to a quarter of skin lotion, 16 percent of laundry detergent and 15 percent of condiments like mustard and ketchup. Now Kenneth Chang reports at the NYT that scientists have just solved one of life's little problems — how … [Link]
Mashable » Ted Cruz hates avocados, loves 'The Princess Bride' and more interesting factoids
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz became the first official 2016 presidential candidate earlier this week when he announced his run on Twitter, so naturally we're going to tell you some funny stuff about him Cruz is seen as a Tea Party favorite, but is considered a long shot to win the Republican primary and the presidency See also: 'We ought to bomb … [Link]
Mashable » Texas teacher remixed 'Uptown Funk' just in time for exams
Ok, universe, we understand that you can't get enough "Uptown Funk" remixes. Middle school teacher Kelli Hauser thought she'd get her students pumped up for their State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test by making a funky, fedora-filled remix of Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk." "Too smart for exams, call the doc for a genius exam." Ok. Kevin Hart … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Nerdist to Open Own Comedy School with 12-Hour Improv Marathon
The Groundlings and the Upright Citizens Brigade are Los Angeles institutions, especially for aspiring comics. Now, Nerdist Industries is throwing its hat into the ring. In an exclusive with The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Hardwick said that The Nerdist School will host a 12-hour improv marathon to kick of the opening on Saturday, March 28. “The Nerdist Showroom has spent the … [Link]
Mashable » You can fight with customer service over Facebook Messenger
Now Facebook users can chat with the businesses they buy from the same way they chat with their friends Facebook is rolling out a new option to let people chat with businesses directly through its Messenger application. The move strengthens Facebook's bid to ask consumers for their debit cards and bank account information to transfer cash With Messenger Business, Facebook Messenger's … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist
All the latest on newscientist.com: Abel prize winner, turbo termites threat to Florida, how to fix the LHC, why did the Germanwings jet crash, and more 
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Mashable » How the Internet is talking about March Madness
Let’s get nerdy, hoops fans. Data from Twitter, Facebook and Google shows how the Internet is talking about March Madness so far. Ahead of the Sweet 16 tipping off Thursday and Friday, let's take a look back at the buzziest games to date, most popular searches and which teams are generating the most chatter in different corners of the United States … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Germanwings crash: Why did jet descend into ravine?
The A320 is one of the safest planes around, but flight 4U 9525 descended inexplicably into the Alps until it crashed. New Scientist investigates the possible reasons 
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Mashable » Zaynks for the Memories: 16 of Zayn Malik's best One Direction songs
Where do broken hearts go after one-fifth of the world's biggest boyband suddenly quits? That's right. Zayn Malik, arguably the best voice One Direction had to offer, quit the band on Wednesday, less than a week after leaving its global tour See also: 8 most hirable boy band replacements for Zayn Malik As imagined, teens are not handling the news very … [Link]
Slashdot » Researchers: Smartphone Use Changing Our Brain and Thumb Interaction
Rambo Tribble writes Researchers from the University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, and University of Fribourg have found evidence that smartphone use changes the way your brain interacts with your thumbs. Using electroencephalography to study brain activity in smartphone users vs. feature-phone users, they found apparently persistent, increased activity in areas of the brain associated with the thumbs. Of course, this … [Link]
Mashable » The startup seeking to revolutionize immigration paperwork
Felice Gorordo was just a normal guy until last week -– insofar as being CEO of a small startup can be considered “normal.” Still, when he entered the MasterCard® Priceless® Elevator Pitch contest, no one thought twice about it. Like all contestants, Felice delivered a 60-second elevator pitch for his business, ClearPath, which he described as the “TurboTax for immigration forms.” … [Link]
Mashable » Embedding Facebook videos on websites is now possible
You can finally force even more people to watch that video of your cute baby or adorable cat. Deborah Liu, Facebook's manager of product marketing, announced the launch of the Facebook's embedded video player, a way for users to, well, embed videos uploaded to Facebook across the web. See also: Big changes are coming to Facebook Messenger: How to watch the … [Link]
Mashable » Airline worker arrested for stealing cash from tray at airport security
Here’s something that will make you think twice before you empty your pockets at airport security. A United Airlines employee was arrested for stealing $576 from a passenger's wallet in a tray at a security checkpoint at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport. See also: This is a great year for a European vacation Joseph A. Bruno, 52, was caught on … [Link]
Mashable » Social Good Summit quotes to inspire you before Friday's +SocialGood UK
Tickets are going fast for Friday's +SocialGood UK conference in London, which will bring together elected officials, activists, leaders and influencers to explore how technology and digital media drive social change in the UK and beyond. Inspired by the Social Good Summit, +SocialGood UK aims to amplify the voices of people who want to share world-changing ideas, and spark action throughout … [Link]
Mashable » DJ spins music from the heart using Bluetooth® stethoscope at SXSWi
You might not always realize it, but you’re never more than 10 feet away from 3M Science. From Scotch® tape and Post-it® notes to Scotchlite™ reflective lettering on street signs and the Thinsulate™ insulation that keeps you warm without bulk, 3M makes more than 55,000 products – many of which improve your life every day 
Image: 3MTo create an environment where … [Link]
Mashable » If we can't close the wage gap, we'll just 3D print some penises
Senior women's issues correspondent Kristen Schaal stopped by the The Daily Show to talk about wage inequality. A new report from The Institute for Women's Policy Research predicts that the wage gap won't close until 2058, nearly 100 years after JFK signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963. See also: 11 comedians who jumpstarted their careers on 'The Daily Show' Schaal … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Dwarf planet Ceres might have right stuff for life
NASA hopes Dawn mission can answer the big question: could life lurk in icy volcanoes on Ceres, the asteroid belt's biggest resident? 
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New Scientist – News » Three ways to fix the LHC before its big reboot
The Large Hadron Collider has got a short circuit, which could delay the monster machine's restart by weeks. Here are three possible fixes 
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Mashable » The Internet is flooded with crying teens because Zayn left One Direction
The world is a fountain of endless suffering. Case in point: Zayn Malik leaving One Direction. The news came today when American teenagers were in school, and classrooms promptly became dedicated mourning stations See also: 8 most hirable boy band replacements for Zayn Malik There's no point asking the teenagers if they're okay right now, because they are not, and that's … [Link]
Mashable » Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl charged with desertion
Nearly one year after he was freed from the Taliban in a controversial prisoner exchange, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has been charged for leaving his Afghanistan base, an army spokesperson said at a press conference on Wednesday. See also: Bergdahl's Letters From Prison Show He Knew Controversy Was Coming Bergdahl was charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, Col. Daniel King, … [Link]
Mashable » Yup, being a travel show host is just as cool as it looks
This question originally appeared on Quora.What is it like to be a travel show host? I want to know if the job profile is really as fun as it looks like on TV.Answer below by Janet Hsieh, television show host (Discovery, TLC) and actress. There are several types of travel show hosts, so I can only speak for what I do … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Killer seals develop a taste for shark guts
Seals and sharks usually eat smaller fish, but striking images from South Africa suggest seals may be preying on sharks their own size 
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Mashable » The 20 best reactions ever to Zayn leaving One Direction
“It is the Beatles' breakup of our generation." – Random teenage girl. Zayn Malik has left One Direction to pursue life as a "normal 22-year-old" (has he been listening to too much Taylor Swift?) See also: 8 most hirable boy band replacements for Zayn Malik In the wake of his decision, he has left crushed and broken 1D fans globally, wondering … [Link]
Mashable » Girl brings prom to hospital after date injured in car accident
Prom can be one of the most exciting moments in a student's high school experience, but sometimes daydreams of the big day don't always pan out. Although Mesquite High School student Alyah Mitchell was forced to attend her senior prom alone on Saturday, her spirits were still high See also: Robert Downey Jr. gives 7-year-old bionic Iron Man arm Mitchell's date, … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook's next step to world domination is the Internet of Things
Facebook announced a new software development kit (SDK) on Wednesday to support the growing influx of web-connected devices for the home, like smart garage door openers and refrigerators. The company will be opening its mobile app building suite, Parse, to web-connected devices to support the Internet of Things. See also: Big changes are coming to Facebook Messenger: How to watch the … [Link]
Mashable » Jesse Eisenberg looks sinister as Lex Luthor in 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'
With details for next year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice shrouded in mystery, this a rare treat. Entertainment Weekly just published a first look at Jesse Eisenberg's stone-cold, expressionless face as Superman's archenemy Lex Luthor. See also: The First Official Image of the Batmobile From 'Batman v Superman' 
Image: Entertainment Weekly Clay EnosZack Snyder, director of the much-anticipated film, told … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Maggie: A Different Kind of Zombie Movie Featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger [Trailer]
Finally, a movie that takes a different approach to what we usually see in conventional zombie movies. Maggie tells the story of a teenage girl that gets infected with a zombie virus that turns the infected into cannibalistic zombies. During the transformation process, her loving father (Schwarzenegger) stays by her side. Directed by Henry Hobson, the story follows Arnold Schwarzenegger … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » So That’s What’s In the Cave of No Return [Comic]
You ever wonder where some of these places in fantasy games get their names? So did the fine folks over at Nuklear Power. You gotta admit, that wizard makes a great point. [By Nuklear Power] The post So That’s What’s In the Cave of No Return [Comic] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]
Mashable » Be drunk forever with the new Keurig for Jell-O shots
The dawn of the Keurig has made getting your morning cup of coffee faster and more efficient than ever before. Now, that same phenomenon can happen with Jell-O shots. The Jevo is an automated Jell-O shot maker, marketed as being able to create 20 Jell-O shots in just 10 minutes. College party houses everywhere rejoice: a new, drunken dawn is on … [Link]
Slashdot » Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser Could Land At Ellington Space Port Near Houston
MarkWhittington writes Despite having been rejected in NASA's commercial crew program, Sierra Nevada has been very busy trying to develop its lift body spacecraft, the Dream Chaser. Having rolled out a smaller, cargo version of the spacecraft for the second round for contracts for commercial cargo to the International Space Station, the company has amended the unfunded Space Act Agreement … [Link]
Mashable » Ford recalls more than 6,000 ambulances over defect that shuts down engines
Ford announced that it wants to pull more than 6,000 ambulances off the road to fix a defect that causes their engines to spontaneously shut down and refuse to restart "The exhaust gas temperature sensors may not function properly, causing the vehicle to incorrectly identify a high temperature condition," Ford said in statement. The recalls, announced on Wednesday, came as part … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook unveils VR-ready 'spherical videos' for News Feed
The next frontier for Facebook isn't video, it's "spherical videos" — immersive, 360-degree videos that work right in the News Feed. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the new feature on stage at the social network's annual F8 developer conference in San Francisco on Wednesday. See also: What to expect at Facebook's F8 conference Spherical videos are 360-degree videos that will … [Link]
Mashable » 10 Kraft and Heinz pairings made in snack food heaven
After years of kids mixing Heinz Tomato Ketchup into their bowls of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, the two brands made their relationship official On Wednesday, HJ Heinz bought Kraft to create a mind-boggling $28 billion company. We're sure these two will be very happy together. See also: HJ Heinz buys Kraft to build a $28 billion food giant To celebrate this … [Link]
Mashable » Sarah Jessica Parker throws shade at national treasure Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks has a reputation for being completely delightful Whether he's helping Girl Scouts sell cookies or dancing through the streets of Manhattan in a Carly Rae Jepson video, the actor always seems like the kind of guy who is too good be be true. And maybe he is See also: 14 Stunning Photographs That Bridge Past and Present Hanks was … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » MasterCard Places API Helps Build Location-Driven Apps
MasterCard has released the new MasterCard Places API, which allows developers to build intelligent location-driven applications using MasterCard Places data. The Places API is powered by what MasterCard calls "near-real-time, aggregated, anonymous transaction data." The new MasterCard Places API is available in the U.S.
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Slashdot » How Nuclear Weapon Modernization Undercuts Disarmament
Lasrick writes: John Mecklin details exactly how nuclear weapons modernization is kick-starting a new arms race, and how modernizing these weapons to make them more accurate and stealthy puts the world at even greater risk of nuclear war: "[T]his is precisely why the U.S. Congress rejected the Air Force’s requests for low-yield, precision-guided nuclear weapons in the 1990s: Their very … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Mars One Project Might Be A Scam
We all know about the Mars One trip that everyone has been talking about. Sending humans to inhabit Mars with the knowledge and understanding they WILL die up there, but will also help make huge leaps scientifically. While it sounded like a cool plot for the Interstellar sequel, seems some people may think this is all one, giant scam. ToplessRobot … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Watch these Colorblind People See Color for the First Time [Video]
EnChroma makes glasses that allows certain people who suffer from color blindness to experience colors for the first time. This video shows the reaction of these people after putting Enchroma’s glasses on. Nearly 300 million people experience the world without certain colors every day. ‘Color For the Colorblind’ is a short documentary about what happened when we partnered with EnChroma, … [Link]
Mashable » See the cover art for Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' sequel
Book lovers, rejoice. We're one step closer to getting our hands on the To Kill a Mockingbird sequel HarperCollins debuted on Wednesday morning the cover of Go Set a Watchman on People.com. It is reminiscent of the iconic cover of Harper Lee's 1960 novel, recalling the tree in the foreground. The new cover, in shades of blue and yellow, also features … [Link]
Mashable » Sweet 16 preview: March Madness levels up as the Final Boss awaits
Think back to those old-school arcade games, from when you actually had to go to arcades to play games. You'd slot in some quarters, jostle the sticks and level up to face boss after boss. Beat one boss and advance to the next, as the crowd around you grew That ascending journey was all good fun, but half the thrill resided … [Link]
New Scientist – News » NASA's Curiosity rover finds fatty acids on Mars
The lard-like molecules that showed up in Mars's Gale Crater are important for life, but could still be non-biological in origin 
[Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » API Economy Sees Increased Venture Capitalists Interest
According to powerful Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, software is eating the world. And if that’s true, APIs are a big part of the trend. But despite the popularity and importance of APIs to the modern software industry, many investors are still somewhat skeptical about API-centric companies. That, however, could be changing in a big way.
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Slashdot » Do Robots Need Behavioral 'Laws' For Interacting With Other Robots?
siddesu writes: Asimov's three laws of robotics don't say anything about how robots should treat each other. The common fear is robots will turn against humans. But what happens if we don't build systems to keep them from conflicting with each other? The article argues, "Scientists, philosophers, funders and policy-makers should go a stage further and consider robot–robot and AI–AI … [Link]
Mashable » SEC allows regular Americans to become venture capitalists, no Silicon Valley cred required
Get the PayPal account ready. Startups can now raise up to $50 million by selling stock online to anyone, opening the door for Internet-based equity crowdfunding platforms to begin operation The Securities and Exchange Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to adopt rules that permit startups to raise money from the vast majority of Americans, including provisions that allow for deals to … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Time for a Reality Check [Comic]
[Source: Poorly Drawn Lines | Like Poorly Drawn Lines on Facebook | Follow Poorly Drawn Lines on Twitter] The post Time for a Reality Check [Comic] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]
New Scientist – News » Turbo termites threaten to eat Florida
Two species of super-destructive termites may be interbreeding in southern Florida. And the offspring grow, and eat, twice as fast as their parents 
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Slashdot » No, It's Not Always Quicker To Do Things In Memory
itwbennett writes: It's a commonly held belief among software developers that avoiding disk access in favor of doing as much work as possible in-memory will results in shorter runtimes. To test this assumption, researchers from the University of Calgary and the University of British Columbia compared the efficiency of alternative ways to create a 1MB string and write it to … [Link]
Mashable » 3 generations of one family among victims in Germanwings crash
One day after a Germanwings Airbus 320 crashed, killing all 150 passengers on board, information about the victims' identities has begun to emerge. Several children, including two infants, are among the dead. There were six crew members and 144 passengers on the plane in total. Germanwings has not yet provided a final toll of the victims' nationalities, and said it's still … [Link]
Mashable » Charming uncle wears princess dress to help shy niece
Prince Charming, meet your dress-clad match. Michigan actor Jesse Nagy and his 4-year-old niece Izzy recently planned a princess day to see Cinderella in a local theater. But, when Izzy was too nervous to go outside in her Cinderella dress, Nagy knew he could help. 
Image: Facebook Jesse NagyNagy spoke with ABC News, saying Izzy suggested that her uncle dress the … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » FIRST LOOK: Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor! [PHOTO]
Entertainment Weekly has revealed the first photo of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor in next year’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice! What do you think?????? 
According to EW: “He’s not any of the Lexes that you’ve seen, that’s for sure,” says [director Zack] Snyder…”Our Lex is disarming and he’s not fake. He says what he believes and he says … [Link]
Mashable » Kevin Hart recalls his terrible 'SNL' audition on 'Conan'
It's a comedian's dream to audition for Saturday Night Live, but that opportunity can quickly turn into an awful experience Fortunately, for Kevin Hart, his embarrassing SNL audition story is now a great bit, which he recalled on Conan. Leslie Jones is us all when smelling Chris Hemsworth Jimmy Fallon dances on his desk at the request of a little … [Link]
Mashable » New inflatable habitat is ready for its first space station trip
A new, inflatable addition to the International Space Station is ready for its close-up. NASA officials viewed Bigelow Aerospace's Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) at the company's facility in Las Vegas on March 12. BEAM is scheduled to depart later this year for NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and then blast toward the station atop SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster. SEE … [Link]
Mashable » Insane video of elite sailboat doing a 'death roll' in Southern Ocean
This frightening and nauseating video was taken early this week on board a vessel taking part in the around-the-world Volvo Ocean race, as it encountered rough weather in the tumultuous Southern Ocean. The MAPFRE team's vessel did an involuntary "Chinese gybe," also known as a "death roll," while located about 2,000 miles from the nearest landmass. Two other teams did … [Link]
Mashable » There's nothing happier than a bull in a cow-cleaning machine
Sure, you're happy. But are you bull-in-a-cow-cleaning-machine happy? That is your new life goal. At an animal sanctuary in Butjadingen, Germany, a young bull named Paul discovered the delights of a rotating head scratch. His joy is positively moo-ving. Sorry. Kevin Hart recalls his terrible 'SNL' audition on 'Conan' New 'Entourage' trailer is exactly what you'd expect Maisie Williams watches … [Link]
Mashable » Germanwings plane's mangled black box contains audio that may reveal cause of crash
French investigators cracked open the mangled black box of a German jet on Wednesday and successfully retrieved the data inside, hoping the cockpit recordings would help them unlock the mystery of what caused the plane to drop unexpectedly and smash into a rugged French Alps, killing all 150 on board. See also: German flight's 8-minute descent is key mystery in crash … [Link]
Slashdot » Researchers Identify 'Tipping Point' Between Quantum and Classical Worlds
wjcofkc sends this report from R&D Magazine: If we are ever to fully harness the power of light for use in optical devices, it is necessary to understand photons — the fundamental unit of light. Achieving such understanding, however, is easier said than done. That's because the physical behavior of photons — similar to electrons and other sub-atomic particles — … [Link]
Mashable » Russia unveils plan for superhighway from London to Alaska
When it comes to the future, Russia is thinking big. Vladimir Yakunin, head of transportation company Russian Railways, unveiled a plan on Monday for a Trans-Eurasian corridor — including a superhighway and high-speed railway — that will link to existing networks in Europe and Asia to connect London and Alaska. See also: 'A nation of optimists': Russians are excited about 2015 … [Link]
Mashable » Cyanogen wants to seize Android from Google, and now it has the cash to do it
In just 18 months, Cyanogen Inc., the commercial arm of the popular CyanogenMod Android variant, has raised over $110 million The latest round was for a whopping $80 million, and included investors such as Twitter Ventures, Qualcomm and Rupert Murdoch See also: Cyanogen versus Google: Biting the Android that feeds Investors are betting on Cyanogen because they believe it has the … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Force is ADORABLE with These ‘Star Wars’ Itty Bittys [PICS]
Hallmark’s Itty Bitty Collection is now home to Star Wars. The plush toys are available both individually and in sets. The A New Hope collection costs about $30, while the Han Solo and Princess Leia duo totals $15. 
Chewbacca, R2-D2, Darth Vader, and Yoda are also available, along with exclusive plushies being made available at the upcoming Star Wars Celebration … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Black holes devour stars in gulps and nibbles
Black holes rip stars apart and feast on them when they approach too close – but some black holes are gluttons while others play with their food 
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Mashable » New 'Entourage' trailer is exactly what you'd expect
At this point, HBO is just wasting time and energy editing together these trailers for the new Entourage movie. That's because there are already bros from here to SoCal lining up to watch Vince, Ari and the gang have cooler lives than themselves From yachts and jets to fast cars and bikini-clad women, the new trailer, which dropped Tuesday night, … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » All Disney Openings From Last Three Decades
One thing we can all recall clearly from our childhoods (and entire lives) is that Disney opening shot with the castle and logo. What we might be unaware of is much that logo has advanced in the past thirty years of screen time. Take a gander at this video to see how much the Disney opening has advanced and changed … [Link]
Mashable » Survey shows fliers are willing to pay more for better air travel — but not much
Air travel in the U.S. is, if you haven't noticed, kind of miserable. Lines are long, airlines are reducing the size of seats, flights are fuller than ever, many airports are rundown and "ancillary fees" are becoming the norm And travelers are not happy about it. In a new survey by the U.S. Travel Association, 62% of respondents said they were … [Link]
Slashdot » Michael Stonebraker Wins Turing Award
An anonymous reader writes: Michael Stonebraker, an MIT researcher who has revolutionized the field of database management systems and founded multiple successful database companies, has won the Association for Computing Machinery's $1 million A.M. Turing Award, often referred to as "the Nobel Prize of computing." In his previous work at the University of California at Berkeley, Stonebraker developed two of … [Link]
Mashable » BBC won't be renewing Jeremy Clarkson's 'Top Gear' contract
LONDON — The BBC will not be renewing Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear contract. Director general Tony Hall said the decision was made with "great regret" following an investigation into a physical assault on producer Oisin Tymon that required hospital treatment. Top Gear will be renewed without Clarkson for 2016. See also: 'Top Gear': BBC's prize machine has high ownership costs The … [Link]
Mashable » Kids singing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' into electric fans at Walmart is America
Some go to Walmart for the deals, others go for the supreme people-watching. Anyone who grew up without the luxury of air conditioning will understand just how entertaining talking, singing or screaming into a fan can be — especially if you've got a few friends to master a three-part harmony with you Fortunately, the youth of America still find this … [Link]
Mashable » Drama as Ukraine arrests officials suspected of corruption on live TV
DONETSK, Ukraine — They were arrested on live television. Ukrainian police walked into a nationally televised meeting of the country's cabinet of ministers in Kiev on Wednesday, and with cameras rolling, slapped cuffs on the chief and deputy chief of the emergencies services ministry The charges: corruption. See also: Gaming out Russia's next move in Ukraine Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: Interstellar (Blu-Ray/DVD Combo) for $19.99, Cheap 256GB Flash Drive, Up to 40% Off Hasbro Toys
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, we have a few great deals for you: A cheap 256GB flash drive, Interstellar (Blu-Ray/DVD Combo) for just $19.99 (the price just went down,) and some great deals on Hasbro toys (up to 40% Off!) -Interstellar [Blu-Ray/DVD Combo] – $39.99 $19.99 (50% Off) -PNY Turbo 256GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive – $129.99 … [Link]
Mashable » Product Hunt's Chrome extension shows new products in browser tabs
Product Hunt, the "Reddit for products" site favored by many investors, tech journalists and entrepreneurs looking for the next big app or startup, is once again making it easier for people to use the website. The startup added Chrome browsers to the growing list of platforms it supports on Wednesday with the addition of a new Chrome extension. See also: The … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » This Baymax LED Lamp Wants to Be Your Personal Lighting Companion at Night
This amazingly cute Baymax LED lamp wants to be your personal lighting companion at night! The lamp features 5 lighting modes (Fade Mode, Smooth Breathing Mode, Flash Mode, Multi Effects mode, Soothing Sleep Mode,) a brightness control, and a movable head and hands. The Baymax LED lamp is currently available for per-order for $49 and is scheduled to ship in … [Link]
New Scientist – News » A Beautiful Mind mathematician wins Abel prize
John Nash, made famous by the film A Beautiful Mind, has won the Abel prize – but not for his best-known work 
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Mashable » J.K. Rowling responded perfectly to 'Harry Potter' fan who couldn't see Dumbledore as gay
LONDON — J.K. Rowling doesn't tweet a lot, but when she does, she makes it count. Harry Potter fan Ana Kovovic tweeted to the author about Hogwarts' headmaster Albus Dumbledore, saying that she couldn't see him as gay man. See also: A brief history of female authors with male pen names Nicely done, @jk_rowling..pic.twitter.com/7tc2KQ~ — Robert Perry (Pez) (@pez_sez) March 24, … [Link]
Mashable » A very important lesson on how not to do 'Uptown Funk'
"Uptown Funk," eh? Pretty good song, fun to watch teachers dance to, funny when recited with Family Guy voices, even works well as a Death Eater jam. Not so good when Nick Clegg gets his hands on it. The UK politician and leader of the Liberal Democrats jumped — pretty late — onto the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars bandwagon for this … [Link]
Slashdot » Wikipedia Admin's Manipulation "Messed Up Perhaps 15,000 Students' Lives"
Andreas Kolbe writes: Recently, "ArbCom", Wikipedia's highest court, banned an administrator account that for years had been manipulating the Wikipedia article of a bogus Indian business school – deleting criticism, adding puffery, and enabling the article to become a significant part of the school's PR strategy. Believing the school's promises and advertisements, families went to great expense to send sons … [Link]
Mashable » Car-sized salamander with 'toilet seat' head lived among the first dinosaurs
Today’s amphibians had much larger, formidable ancestors, according to a study that describes a newly found salamander-like animal that was the size of a car. The predator, named Metoposaurus algarvensis, lived around 220 million years ago and likely ate mostly fish. SEE ALSO: Big, ugly salamander may get protected: photos Project leader Steve Brusatte told Discovery News that the early amphibian … [Link]
Mashable » Maisie Williams watches 'Game of Thrones' with her tipsy grandma
For Game of Thrones viewers, watching the show with a family member means awkwardly traversing a minefield of sex, nudity and violence. For Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark on GoT, watching with her grandma takes things to an entirely different level of discomfort. Luckily, she has a trick for diffusing the awkwardness. On Jimmy Kimmel Live, Williams revealed her … [Link]
Mashable » In which a 1937 photo spread taught wives 'how to undress'
“Attractive undressing technique is here being demonstrated by June St. Clair (right), of the Allen Gilbert School of Undressing."Image: Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty ImagesThe "School of Undressing" was founded in Manhattan in 1937 by Allen Gilbert. Operating burlesque shows at Manhattan's Apollo and Philadelphia's Shubert Theatres, Gilbert~ the noble intention of "dedicating my school to the sanctity of the American home." The aim of the course … [Link]
Mashable » ISIS is keeping tourists from 'Tatooine'
The inspiration behind the fictional harsh desert town of Tatooine has become the site of real-life conflict. Tourists are being warned to steer clear of Tataouine, the town in Tunisia surrounded by desert and cliffs that served as backdrops in the Star Wars films. See also: Tunisia terror attack threatens country's tourism industry The town, which inspired the name for Tatooine, … [Link]
Mashable » Leap Motion will come embedded in Razer's new OSVR headsets
Leap Motion is making a new push into virtual reality. The company announced a new partnership with Razer that will put Leap Motion's motion-tracking capabilities directly in the OSVR headset when it ships later this year. When Razer's Hacker Development Kit (HDK) headset for OSVR becomes available later in 2015, developers will have the option of buying a faceplate that has … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook accidentally reveals new project called Teleportation Station
Facebook is expected to announce a lot of news at its F8 Developer Conference in San Francisco later on Wednesday, but thanks to an apparent error by the team handling the official conference app, we got some early clues about what's coming On Wednesday morning, the official F8 app sent out a notification to users that named some of the stuff … [Link]
Mashable » HJ Heinz buys Kraft to build a $28 billion food giant
H.J. Heinz Co. is buying Kraft Foods, creating one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world with annual revenue of about $28 billion. The Kraft Heinz Co. will own Kraft, Heinz, Oscar Mayer, Ore-Ida and other brands. Eight of those brands have annual sales of $1 billion or more and five others log sales between $500 million and … [Link]
Slashdot » New Bill Would Repeal Patriot Act
schwit1 points out a new piece of bipartisan legislation that aims to repeal the Patriot Act and the FISA Amendments Act, which the NSA has used to justify broad domestic surveillance. House Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) introduced the bill yesterday, calling it the Surveillance State Repeal Act (PDF). Pocan said, "This isn't just tinkering around the … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 25 March 2015
RadioShack’s Customer Data For Sale (Ars Technica) — trying to sell customer data as part of court-supervised bankruptcy. Classp: A Classier Way to Parse (Google Code) — The abstract syntax tree is what programmers typically want to work with. With … [Link]
Mashable » POV clip of climber scaling Hong Kong tower will make your heart pound
A German teenager joins the ranks of daredevil climbers with new GoPro footage showing his ascent to the top of Hong Kong's 700-foot-tall Lee Gardens One Tower (formerly known as Manulife Plaza) Eighteen-year-old Andrej Ciesielski is known to scale buildings with no safety equipment to catch him should he slip and fall. In fact, all he carries with him on … [Link]
Slashdot » Developers and the Fear of Apple
An anonymous reader writes: UI designer Eli Schiff has posted an article about the "climate of fear" surrounding Apple in the software development community. He points out how developers who express criticism in an informal setting often recant when their words are being recorded, and how even moderate public criticism is often prefaced by flattery and endorsements. Beyond that, the … [Link]
Mashable » Scots agreeable and Welsh neurotic, according to new personality maps
LONDON — It's not your imagination, people who live in different parts of Britain do have distinct regional personalities. See also: This site transforms Earth into a 'Tron' map of the world An online survey of almost 400,000 people carried out by researchers from Cambridge University and published in PLOS ONE this week shows that personality traits are unevenly distributed, with … [Link]
Mashable » NASA's Opportunity rover completes first-ever Mars marathon
It took 11 years and two months, but NASA's Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover did it: It traversed 26.22 miles (42.19 km) on Mars, effectively finishing the first marathon on the Red Planet "This is the first time any human enterprise has exceeded the distance of a marathon on the surface of another world," said John Callas, Opportunity project manager at NASA's … [Link]
Mashable » What your Meerkat addiction is costing you
Adam Leidhecker, a serial entrepreneur, didn’t expect to become addicted to live-video-streaming app Meerkat, yet he found uses for it everywhere At SXSW, he toted his smartphone around to broadcast tours of Austin, share impressions of panels and gave his followers tips on the best places to get craft beer. Before Leidhecker knew it, his avid Meerkatting had burned through his … [Link]
Mashable » Big changes are coming to Facebook Messenger: How to watch the news live
Facebook is expected to announce some major changes coming to its Facebook Messenger app on Wednesday that could turn the chatting platform into massive hub for users If the rumors are true, we could soon be able to use advanced photo tools, conduct searches, share travel arrangements and perform other tasks as a part of Facebook Messenger. Considering the social network … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: HTML5, JavaScript, and jQuery 24-Hour Trainer – $22.49 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL
Get "HTML5, JavaScript, and jQuery 24-Hour Trainer" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2015-03-26 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]
Mashable » Germanwings staff refuse to fly, forcing airline to cancel flights after crash
A number of Germanwings staffers are refusing to operate aircraft following the crash of one of the airline's planes Tuesday in the French Alps. Flight 9525, an Airbus A320 carrying 144 passengers and six crew members from Barcelona to Dusseldorf, crashed 430 miles south-southeast of Paris, killing everyone on board. See also: 'There is nothing left': Plane crashes in French Alps … [Link]
Mashable » Inside an abandoned NASCAR speedway that has run its final lap
The North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina is a shadow of its former self. A longstanding pillar in the NASCAR circuit, the former speedway closed its doors in 1996. After briefly patching up and reopening in 2010, the stadium has quickly fallen into a state of spooky apocalyptic decay Photojournalist Seph Lawless captured the scene as part of a photo book … [Link]
Mashable » New short film from Knorr celebrates the greatest flavor on earth
70% of people think the best recipe in the world is the one Mom used to make. Whether it’s a dish she made every weekend, or one that was a family tradition for the holidays, the world agrees that the best recipe always came from Mom According to research, our favorite flavors are rooted in much more than taste: Specific flavors … [Link]
Mashable » IKEA Australia says no to mass hide-and-seek games
IKEA is killing the fun everywhere. The store known for breaking up relationships has gone a step further and is breaking up the good times Earlier this month, IKEA banned people playing the popular childhood game hide-and-seek in stores across the Netherlands, and now the company has its sights set on keeping hiders and seekers out of stores across Australia. See … [Link]
Slashdot » Uber To Turn Into a Big Data Company By Selling Location Data
Presto Vivace sends news that Uber has entered into a partnership with Starwood Hotels that hooks accounts from both companies together. If you're a customer of both, you'll get a small benefit when chartering Uber rides, but the cost is that Uber will share all their data on you with Starwood. The article says, This year, we are going to … [Link]
Mashable » Winner of this week's 'The Voice' goes to the gals
Let’s hear it for the women. This week on The Voice they absolutely killed it. Of the two knockout rounds we've watched, Monday's performances were much more impressive than those from Tuesday's episode. However, the ladies really outshone the men. Yes, there were definitely stellar performances for male contestants like Sawyer Fredericks and Corey Kent White, but overall, the women impressed. … [Link]
Mashable » Ironically, offline Internet could help bridge the digital divide
Entrepreneurs, nonprofits and governments have tried for years to come up with a plausible way to bridge the digital divide, the gap between communities with access to digital technology and those without But despite noteworthy efforts, none has offered a global solution. One project, however, which has evolved over the past 14 years, stands out as a sort of hybrid — … [Link]
Mashable » Fake Apple Store employees diss Apple, promote Microsoft products
Imagine asking an Apple Store employee for advice, and getting the response that Apple products aren't very good This is exactly what happened to Apple customers who ran into one of the four pranksters, known on YouTube as NelkFilmz, disguised as Apple employees. One customer seems to be on the verge of actually giving up on Apple and going into … [Link]
Slashdot » Short Circuit In LHC Could Delay Restart By Weeks
hypnosec writes: On March 21 CERN detected an intermittent short circuit to ground in one of the LHC's magnet circuits. Repairs could delay the restart by anywhere between a few days and several weeks. CERN revealed that the short circuit affected one of LHC's powerful electromagnets, thereby delaying preparations in sector 4-5 of the machine. They confirmed that seven of … [Link]
Mashable » 'Girls' Season 4 finale: Hannah's rebirth
After a long season of false starts into responsible adulthood, Hannah finally seems to be growing up. Girls' Season 4 finale, titled "Home Birth," is an obvious metaphor for our typically immature protagonist's coming of age. While Caroline is literally giving birth to her daughter Jessa-Hannah Bluebell Poem (yes, you read that correctly), Hannah is experiencing a rebirth as an adult. … [Link]
Mashable » Meteorite impact zone in Australia may be the largest ever discovered
The impact zone of a meteorite that may have hit the Earth in the Australian outback around 300 million years ago is double the size originally thought, making it the largest ever discovered. The 400-kilometre wide crash site — near the border of South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory — is now believed to have been caused by a meteorite … [Link]
Mashable » Olympus still knows how to build a badass mirrorless camera
There's no end in sight to Olympus's winning streak Three years ago, Olympus surprised everyone with the OM-D E-M5. It was a revolutionary camera not just in design, but in performance. It was the first mirrorless camera to have a 5-axis image stabilization system to combat shaky hands. The E-M5 convinced everyone to take mirrorless cameras as serious DSLR replacements. … [Link]
Slashdot » Stanford Breakthrough Could Make Better Chips Cheaper
angry tapir writes: Researchers at Stanford University have come up with a new way to make chips and solar panels using gallium arsenide, a semiconductor that beats silicon in several important areas but is typically too expensive for widespread use. "[I]t can cost about $5,000 to make a wafer of gallium arsenide 8 inches in diameter, versus $5 for a … [Link]
Slashdot » Indian Supreme Court Strikes Down Law Against Posting 'Offensive' Content Online
palemantle writes: The Indian Supreme Court has overturned the controversial Section 66A of the IT Act which included a provision for a three-year jail term for sending "offensive" messages through a "computer resource or a communication device." In its judgement, the Supreme Court held "liberty of thought and expression as cardinal" and overturned the provision (66A) deeming it "unconstitutional." It's … [Link]
Mashable » Lee Lin Chin proves she is a Twitter God and reads out her own mean tweets
The acid-tongued news presenter turned comedian Lee Lin Chin, also know as "The Chin," has shown why she is one of the most respected women on Australian television. Turning the concept of "Celebrities Read Mean Tweets" on its head, because they don't deserve anymore pity, Chin reads out the mean tweets she has served up to a range of targets … [Link]
Mashable » Ellen Pao's lawyer: Kleiner Perkins is not 'above the law'
SAN FRANCISCO — Lawyers from each side of a high-profile gender bias suit sought to connect the dots of their respective cases during closing arguments on Tuesday as the month-long trial that has gripped Silicon Valley rounds into its home stretch. At stake is the $16 million and perhaps millions more in punitive damages that Ellen Pao stands to gain if … [Link]
Mashable » MashFlix presents tech thriller 'Ex Machina' with director Alex Garland
If there's anything we like to talk about here at Mashable, it's certainly what's next That's why we're proud to announce the relaunch of MashFlix, our digital and IRL film club, with Alex Garland's latest feature film, Ex Machina, a tale of technology and the complications of artificial intelligence We'll be spending the next few weeks showcasing content and contests about … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » JoT #2122: Must-have Apple Watch accessories!
Watch comes, and an accessory frenzy begins… If you enJoyed the comic, please retweet or share the URL… thanks! [Link]
Mashable » Fisherman spends two hours reeling in massive shark
An Australian fisherman has used old fashioned hard work to haul in a shark with just a hand reel. Brendon Hilder spent two hours trying to drag the four-metre tiger shark to shore at Shelley Beach, Western Australia on Tuesday. The event was filmed by shocked onlookers, who watched as Hilder struggled with the beast before using the assistance of … [Link]
Mashable » Yankees players adorably recreate the Babe Ruth scene from 'The Sandlot'
“But it was signed by Babe Ruth!" That line was good in the coming-of-age classic The Sandlot in 1993, but watching Yankees player Jacoby Ellsbury channel his inner Squints—wearing black-rimmed glasses, no less— in 2015 could warm even the coldest of hearts. See also: Snoop Dogg teams with Hulk Hogan on 'Raw,' proving life is beautiful Ellsbury and his teammates, including … [Link]
Slashdot » Draconian Australian Research Law Hits Scientists
An anonymous reader writes: The Australian government is pushing ahead with a draconian law placing "dual use" science (e.g. encryption, biotechnology) under the control of the Department of Defence. The Australian ACLU, Civil Liberties Australia, warns the law punishes scientists with $400,000 fines, 10 years in jail and forfeiture of their work, just for sending an "inappropriate" e-mail. Scientists — … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Sugar Vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup – What’s The Difference?
So, What’s the big difference between sugar and high fructose corn syrup? For the answer, check out this enlightening video from our friends over at Reactions: It seems like it’s in just about every product on store shelves: High fructose corn syrup. What is it and how is it different from regular old sugar? Reactions is here to answer those … [Link]
Mashable » Beer finally gets the musical it deserves
Have you ever loved beer so much you could sing? At a West Village beer hall in New York City, one patron was having a hard time choosing what beer to drink, so much so that he had to burst into song. Surprising all the customers around him, others joined in with harmonies, drum beats and choreographed dance moves. See … [Link]
Slashdot » Flash-Based Vulnerability Lingers On Many Websites, Three Years Later
itwbennett writes: The vulnerability known as CVE-2011-2461 was unusual because fixing it didn't just require the Adobe Flex Software Development Kit (SDK) to be updated, but also patching all the individual Flash applications (SWF files) that had been created with vulnerable versions of the SDK. The company released a tool that allowed developers to easily fix existing SWF files, but … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » “Seamless: No Human” – Because Saying “Thank You” to a Delivery Person is Just Too Much “Human”
Because when it comes to having stuff delivered to your door, any human is just too much human. A parody video of online delivery services by The Bilderbergers. [The Bilderbergers] The post “Seamless: No Human” – Because Saying “Thank You” to a Delivery Person is Just Too Much “Human” appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]
Mashable » Meerkat meets 'Game of Thrones': What it was like to livestream the red carpet
Meerkat, the livestreaming video app where viewers' tweets appear on screen, is the hottest thing on the Internet right nowGame of Thrones continues to be the hottest thing on television. It was inevitable that the two would meet That happened Monday night, when Mashable became the first news organization to bring Meerkat to a so-called red carpet event — an … [Link]
Mashable » After years of testing, Facebook releases On This Day personal history reminders
If you're one of the billion or so people using Facebook to connect with friends and family, you now can use the social networking site to automatically celebrate your important memories On This Day, a tool launched by Facebook on Tuesday, takes anything from birthdays to wedding anniversaries logged on the site and notifies you of the special moments on a … [Link]
Mashable » 'Mail a Spud' is the perfect, starchy gift for your friends — or enemies
In the grand tradition of shipping people things in the mail — like glitter or edible bags of penises — comes another company hoping to ship something not just weird but possibly helpful, depending on whether your victim is going to a barbecue or not. For $9.99, Mail a Spud ships a whole Russet potato to anyone you wish in … [Link]
Slashdot » GNU Nano Gets New Stable Release
jones_supa writes: GNU Nano 2.4.0 has been released as the first stable update to this UNIX command line text editor in a number of years. The release codenamed "Lizf" brings a wide variety of changes: full undo system, Vim-compatible file locking, linter support, formatter support, flexible syntax highlighting, and random bugfixes. 
Read more of this story at Slashdot. [Link]
Mashable » Twitter is now in the venture capital business
Twitter, the company better known for its short status updates, is learning to embrace the long term with venture capital investments On Monday, Twitter's name appeared on a list of investors that had collectively poured $80 million into Cyanogen, a startup founded in 2009 that is building a mobile operating system to rival Android and iOS. This marks the inaugural investment … [Link]
Slashdot » Public Records Request Returns 4.6M License Plate Scans From Oakland PD
schwit1 points out a report from Ars Technica on how they used a public records request to acquire an entire License Plate Reader dataset from the Oakland Police Department. The dataset includes 4.6 million total reads from 1.1 million unique plates. They built a custom visualization tool to demonstrate how this data could be abused. "For instance, during a meeting … [Link]
Mashable » Where are the mainstream TV shows about American Indians?
On television screens, American Indian characters are virtually invisible. Despite the recent TV diversity breakthrough (see: Black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, Jane the Virgin and the record-breaking Empire), native people as a whole are still largely left out of the picture on the small screen. They make cameos in subplots (e.gUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, House of Cards), but don't get the reins … [Link]
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