John Gordon Ross

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

Slashdot » Interview With An 'NSA Hacker' Published By The Intercept

Sunday 3 July 23:33:00 UTC 2016

The Intercept published a 4,000 word article based on a journalist's three-hour interview with an "NSA hacker" who recently left the agency for a career in cybersecurity. Offering a portrait of life within the U.S. intelligence agency, "Lamb" says he worked on "ridiculously cool projects that I'll never forget… Technically challenging things are just inherently interesting to me." He's the … [Link]

Mashable » Ordinary Vulcan couple looks for a home to settle down in new 'Star Trek' ads

Sunday 3 July 23:20:40 UTC 2016

The life of a Vulcan isn't all intergalactic adventures and heroic feats of intelligence. A new set of ads for Quicken's Rocket Mortgage imagines a family of Spock's fellow Vulcans with a simpler domestic life, their race's characteristic emotionless logic applied to more mundane household chores — like finding the right home mortgage. SEE ALSO: Zachary Quinto honors 'Star Trek' co-star … [Link]

Slashdot » That Digital Music Service You Love Is a Terrible Business

Sunday 3 July 22:33:00 UTC 2016

An anonymous Slashdot reader quotes an article from Fortune: Rdio goes bankrupt, Pandora hangs out a 'For Sale' sign and then gets rid of its CEO, artists and labels ramp up their criticism of YouTube. Now we have Tidal in acquisition talks with Apple, while Spotify complains about Apple treating it unfairly… the digital music business is becoming an industry … [Link]

Mashable » Apple releases 4 new emoji sticker packs for iOS 10 beta users

Sunday 3 July 22:24:36 UTC 2016

Apple recently revealed that its upcoming iOS 10 update holds some good news for emoji lovers: The iPhone's pictograph palette will soon be more extensive than ever. The Cupertino company gave a clearer picture of what that new emoji-verse will look like this weekend with the release of four new animated sticker packs for those testing the beta version of … [Link]

Slashdot » Uber Plans To Start Monitoring Their Drivers' Behavior

Sunday 3 July 21:34:00 UTC 2016

An anonymous Slashdot reader writes: Uber "has developed a new technology that it plans on using to track driver behavior, specifically if drivers are traveling too fast or braking too harshly…" according to the San Francisco Chronicle, which writes that "Information about how a driver is performing will be shared with Uber, but will also be shared with the driver, … [Link]

Mashable » Zachary Quinto honors 'Star Trek' co-star Anton Yelchin on Stephen Colbert

Sunday 3 July 21:29:39 UTC 2016

During a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, actor Zachary Quinto honored the memory of his recently deceased co-star Anton Yelchin Quinto, who plays the mostly emotionless Spock in the latest Star Trek film series, struck a serious tone when he said, "This has been absolutely devastating for all of us. I think our goal has to … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » How The French Government is Getting Hip to APIs

Sunday 3 July 20:35:52 UTC 2016

It's no secret that APIs are at the center of many open data initiatives. Governments are well positioned to take advantage of APIs to provide access to troves of data that often belong to the public domain. [Link]

Slashdot » How China Took Control of Bitcoin

Sunday 3 July 20:32:00 UTC 2016

Slashdot reader Rick Zeman quotes the New York Times: In its early conception, Bitcoin was to exist beyond the control of any single government or country. It would be based everywhere and nowhere… Yet despite the talk of a borderless currency, a handful of Chinese companies have effectively assumed majority control of the Bitcoin network. They have done so through … [Link]

Mashable » Man seriously injured after blast in New York's Central Park

Sunday 3 July 20:00:00 UTC 2016

An 18-year-old man may have lost a foot in an explosion in Central Park on Sunday, police said. A New York Police Department spokesperson told Mashable that the cause of the blast remained unknown as of Sunday afternoon, but emergency personnel at the scene reportedly suspected fireworks. The victim — who has since been identified as a tourist, Connor Golden, … [Link]

Mashable » 8 best albums of 2016 (so far)

Sunday 3 July 19:00:00 UTC 2016

It's the halfway point of 2016, a perfect time to take stock of the best entertainment offerings of the half-year. Check out our picks for the best albums of the year below — and since "The top 16 of 2016" is exactly 50% premature, we chose the Top 8. Our picks for best movies, games, TV episodes, beauty trends and … [Link]

Slashdot » Israel Accuses Facebook Of Aiding Terrorists and Hampering Police Investigations

Sunday 3 July 18:34:00 UTC 2016

"The young generation in the Palestinian Authority suckles all of its incitement against Israel from Facebook and, in the end, goes and commits murders," Israel's Minister of Internal Security said Saturday. "Some of the blood of the victims of the recent attacks…is unfortunately on the hands of Mark Zuckerberg, because the police and security forces could have been told about … [Link]

Slashdot » ICANN: We Won't Pass Judgment On Pirate Sites

Sunday 3 July 18:30:00 UTC 2016

From a TorrentFreak report:Following more pressure from rightsholders, domain name oversight body ICANN has again made it clear that it will not act as judge and jury in copyright disputes. In a letter to the president of the Intellectual Property Constituency, ICANN chief Stephen Crocker says that ICANN is neither "required or qualified" to pass judgment in such cases. This … [Link]

Mashable » 14 dating app features that need to exist

Sunday 3 July 18:00:00 UTC 2016

Ah, the wonderful world of modern romance. These days, the journey to find love can be quite a struggle. With dating apps, a whole lot of swiping, stalking, messaging and frustration takes place before you decide whether someone is worthy of an in-person date. Since more and more people are turning to the digital world of Tinder and Bumble in hopes … [Link]

Slashdot » A New Corporate AI Can Read Your Emails – and Your Mind

Sunday 3 July 17:35:00 UTC 2016

"Okay, as of last night, who were the people who were most disgruntled…? Show me the top 10." An anonymous Slashdot reader shares their report on a fascinating Fortune magazine article: "One company says it can spot 'insider threats' before they happen — by reading all your workers' email." Working with a former CIA consultant, Stroz Friedberg developed a software … [Link]

Mashable » Baghdad car bombings leave 126 dead, including 25 children

Sunday 3 July 17:00:00 UTC 2016

At least 126 people were killed Sunday in two bombings in the Iraqi capital, including a large-scale attack claimed by the Islamic State group that killed 86 people — among them 25 children — in a central shopping district, officials said. The bombings demonstrated the extremists' ability to mount significant attacks despite major battlefield losses, including the city of Fallujah, … [Link]

Slashdot » Multitasking Drains Your Brain's Energy Reserves, Researchers Say

Sunday 3 July 16:33:00 UTC 2016

An anonymous reader quotes an article from Quartz: When we attempt to multitask, we don't actually do more than one activity at once, but quickly switch between them. And this switching is exhausting. It uses up oxygenated glucose in the brain, running down the same fuel that's needed to focus on a task… "That switching comes with a biological cost … [Link]

Mashable » Video game masters give back in Summer Games Done Quick

Sunday 3 July 16:30:00 UTC 2016

Summer Games Done Quick kicks off at 9:30 a.m. PDT on Sunday, July 3, and runs through to Sunday, July 10.  The annual charity event brings together superhumanly talented gamers to show off their skills in a week-long marathon. Donations raised during this year's event support Doctors Without Borders, an international organization that provides medical aid in regions that need … [Link]

Mashable » San Diego Comic-Con to honor 'Star Trek' and Leonard Nimoy

Sunday 3 July 16:00:00 UTC 2016

This year, Comic-Con showgoers will take a little bit of Leonard Nimoy with them. A stark blue, black and white portrait of the late actor, who played Star Trek's Vulcan science officer Spock on and off for nearly 50 years, will be featured on the cover of this year's San Diego Comic-Con event guide. SEE ALSO: Inside 'Star Trek: The … [Link]

Mashable » 'Finding Dory' is #1, but 'The Purge' wins big at the weekend box office

Sunday 3 July 15:56:03 UTC 2016

Small budget, big audience: that's The Purge way. Writer/director James DeMonaco has a great thing going with his action/thriller series. Where most of the big summer openings look at a $30.9 million debut weekend and worry, that estimated total amounts to great business for The Purge: Election Year. SEE ALSO: 'The Purge: Election Year' confronts ugly realities with B-movie thrills … [Link]

Slashdot » NASA's Juno Spacecraft Braves Jupiter Radiation For a 4th of July Arrival

Sunday 3 July 15:35:00 UTC 2016

MarkWhittington writes: July 4, if all goes well, will be an occasion for celebration at NASA as the Juno spacecraft, after a nearly five-year voyage, will go into orbit around Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system. Juno will spend its time in a zone of intense radiation, against which it has been armored, in an effort to ferret … [Link]

WIRED » Gawk at the Inner Workings of France’s Pre-War Classic Cars

Sunday 3 July 15:00:44 UTC 2016

The Mullin Automotive Museum invited visitors to gawk at the inner workings of its collection of French vehicles. The post Gawk at the Inner Workings of France's Pre-War Classic Cars appeared first on WIRED. [Link]

Mashable » Dreamlike color photos capture English beaches at the turn of the century

Sunday 3 July 15:00:22 UTC 2016

Image: SSPL/Getty ImagesBorn in Switzerland in 1855, Otto Pfenninger moved to England in the 1880s, where he became a pioneer in the emerging field of color photography.In 1905, he designed and built a unique camera which used three color-separated plates to capture a full-color image in a single exposure.The following summer, he tested his new contraption on the sunny beaches and … [Link]

Mashable » 22 pictures you need to look at twice

Sunday 3 July 15:00:00 UTC 2016

Sometimes things aren't aways what they seem. Our eyes and mind have become incredibly successful at playing tricks on us. We see what we want to see, and at a quick glance, optical illusions can make a very normal photo seem off, weird or downright wrong.  SEE ALSO: 25 people who will never forget to properly apply sunscreen ever again … [Link]

Slashdot » American Cities Are Installing DHS-Funded Audio Surveillance

Sunday 3 July 14:30:00 UTC 2016

"Audio surveillance is increasingly being used on parts of urban mass transit systems," reports the Christian Science Monitor. Slashdot reader itwbennett writes "It was first reported in April that New Jersey had been using audio surveillance on some of its light rail lines, raising questions of privacy. This week, New Jersey Transit ended the program following revelations that the agency … [Link]

Mashable » 8 best movies of 2016 (so far)

Sunday 3 July 14:13:07 UTC 2016

It's the halfway point of 2016, a perfect time to take stock of the best entertainment offerings of the half-year. Check out our picks for the best movies of the year below — and since "The top 16 of 2016" is exactly 50% premature, we chose the Top 8. Our picks for best games, TV episodes, beauty trends and more … [Link]

Mashable » Massive Attack protests Brexit with harsh words and a surprise song

Sunday 3 July 14:00:00 UTC 2016

Massive Attack has had it with the "bigots and racists" supporting Brexit. Robert Del Naja, one half of the famed trip-hop duo, had some strong words to share about the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union during a Friday set at the British Summer Time festival in Hyde Park. SEE ALSO: Hi Americans, we Googled 'Brexit' for you … [Link]

Slashdot » Rolling Drone Delivery Robots Have Arrived

Sunday 3 July 13:30:00 UTC 2016

Starship Technologies has begun testing their on-demand delivery robots in cities around the world — including Washington, D.C. — to manage the "last mile" for small deliveries. Slashdot reader Okian Warrior quotes the Starship Technologies site: Capable of carrying the equivalent of two grocery bags, the robots can complete local deliveries within 5-30 minutes from a local hub or retail … [Link]

Mashable » Can you ID these '00s summer jams from just one video frame?

Sunday 3 July 13:00:00 UTC 2016

We all miss the carefree summer nights of the aughts, but who misses them the most? Challenge: see who among your friends can identify the most chart-topping summer tracks from years past — using only a single frame from each music video.  SEE ALSO: 11 dark horse contenders for song of the summer Then, check out the answers at the … [Link]

WIRED » 4 Browsers That Might Break Your Chrome Addiction

Sunday 3 July 12:24:15 UTC 2016

Now more than ever, there's life after Chrome. The post 4 Browsers That Might Break Your Chrome Addiction appeared first on WIRED. [Link]

Mashable » We're about to get our closest-ever look at Jupiter

Sunday 3 July 12:00:00 UTC 2016

Jupiter is a world of extremes.The gas giant is the largest planet in our solar system, containing more mass than all the other planets combined. The gas giant plays host to 67 known moons and Jupiter’s gravity exerts its influence over all of them, deforming many of their orbits.Though scientists have been studying the giant world for hundreds of years, we still … [Link]

Slashdot » UN Council: Seriously, Nations, Stop Switching Off the Internet!

Sunday 3 July 11:33:00 UTC 2016

An anonymous reader writes: "The United Nations officially condemned the practice of countries shutting down access to the internet at a meeting of the Human Rights Council on Friday," reports the Register newspaper, saying Friday's resolution "effectively extends human rights held offline to the internet," including freedom of expression. "The resolution is a much-needed response to increased pressure on freedom … [Link]

WIRED » With Tacoma, the Developers of Gone Home Venture Into Space

Sunday 3 July 11:30:38 UTC 2016

A desire to take the "walking simulator" genre of exploration-based storytelling games to new heights is why Tacoma is set in an abandoned space station. The post With Tacoma, the Developers of Gone Home Venture Into Space appeared first on WIRED. [Link]

WIRED » The Oracle of Arithmetic Works Best Without Writing Down a Thing

Sunday 3 July 11:30:21 UTC 2016

At 28, Peter Scholze is uncovering deep connections between number theory and geometry. The post The Oracle of Arithmetic Works Best Without Writing Down a Thing appeared first on WIRED. [Link]

WIRED » While You Were Offline: You Stay Classy, #HeterosexualPrideDay

Sunday 3 July 11:30:19 UTC 2016

Also, Hillary Clinton wrote a good-bye letter to a beloved website and we're still unable to take our eyes off Brexit. Just another week in paradise. The post While You Were Offline: You Stay Classy, #HeterosexualPrideDay appeared first on WIRED. [Link]

Mashable » Brexit could make it even harder for Irish women seeking abortions in the UK

Sunday 3 July 8:30:00 UTC 2016

LONDON — As the United Kingdom absorbs the European Union referendum results, the impact of a "Brexit" on daily life is at the forefront of the British public's mind. SEE ALSO: 67 ways your life may change if the UK 'Brexits' In the aftermath of the vote, Brits are questioning how leaving the EU will affect their jobs, their retirement, … [Link]

Slashdot » Self-Driving Tesla Owners Share Videos of Reckless Driving

Sunday 3 July 7:33:00 UTC 2016

An anonymous reader writes: The driver killed in a Tesla car accident "celebrated the Autopilot feature that made it possible for him to cruise the highways, making YouTube videos of himself driving hands-free," reports the New York Times, adding that one of his videos of a near-miss went viral just 11 weeks before his death — after it was shared … [Link]

Mashable » No vomiting allowed on Twitch's new social eating channel

Sunday 3 July 6:25:19 UTC 2016

Having a quiet afternoon and think you might like to watch someone binge their way through Korean barbecue or an In-N-Out burger? Look no further. The social video platform Twitch, best known as a place where people live stream their video gameplay, launched a new experimental category called "social eating" Friday. While YouTube has long been a source of competitive … [Link]

Mashable » 7 can't-miss apps: Sportle, Cutesy, Dungeon Tiles and more

Sunday 3 July 5:02:14 UTC 2016

With Facebook changing its news feed again and Google's new feature that lets you see your entire Google life, you may have missed this week's app news. Each weekend, we round up a few of our favorite new and updated apps. This week's list includes an app that lets you see and share street art, a pet-rating app and a LEGO … [Link]

Mashable » 'I will always love EU': The best signs from London's anti-Brexit march

Sunday 3 July 3:40:10 UTC 2016

Tens of thousands of people flooded the streets of London Saturday in protest of the UK's vote to leave the European Union. The country's economic and social prospects may have been troubled as they marched from Hyde Park to Parliament, but the puns were still numerous. "We want EU back," "I can't live, if living is without EU" and "I will … [Link]

Slashdot » Will Brexit Hurt International Cyber-Security?

Sunday 3 July 3:30:00 UTC 2016

The Brexit shock continues to reverberate throughout the global economic and policy worlds. Andrea Limbago from the security company Endgame responds to a poll showing that most security professionals have concerns about Brexit: Will it weaken cybersecurity because of additional bureaucratic hurdles to information sharing with the EU, as well limited cross-national collaboration in fighting cyber criminals? There is also … [Link]

Mashable » Meet 'Pillo,' the robot that aims to be your personal pharmacy

Sunday 3 July 1:45:17 UTC 2016

This precious robot is the pharmacist of the future. "Pillo" can monitor health data, give nutrition information and even distribute medication. Read more…More about Medicine, Tech, Robot, Pillo, and Gadgets [Link]

Slashdot » Google Searches For 'VR Porn' Increase 10,000%

Sunday 3 July 1:34:00 UTC 2016

Slashdot reader Bob768 writes: Over the last 20 months, with the rise of virtual reality technology, the number of Google searches for the phrase 'VR Porn' have soared nearly 10,000%. The leading country for these searches is Norway. Last November searches for the term experienced the "spike of all spikes", according to a post on the VR Talk forum, which … [Link]

Mashable » Australian election won by sausage outrage, Harambe and uncertainty

Sunday 3 July 0:46:43 UTC 2016

As Australians wake Sunday, they will find themselves without a clear election winner, but with some definite winners on social media. The results of the federal election Saturday remain up in the air, with some analysts predicting the close count will create a hung parliament, with neither of the two major parties given a firm mandate to lead. The final tally … [Link]

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