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.

Mashable » Fox Super Bowl pregame show includes Bill O’Reilly interview with Donald Trump

Tuesday 17 January 23:43:12 UTC 2017

President Elect Donald Trump can now join your Super Bowl Sunday festivities — should you decide to watch Fox News. On Tuesday, the network said its anchor Bill O'Reilly will interview the soon-to-be President during FOX's Super Bowl pregame show. SEE ALSO: Meryl Streep’s Globes speech was beautiful, heartfelt and played right into Donald Trump’s hands "The interview will take place … [Link]

Mashable » Interracial couples are finally getting some emoji representation

Tuesday 17 January 23:41:49 UTC 2017

Interracial couples are finally getting emoji representation, and the company that's doing it first might come as a surprise.  Microsoft quietly added support for interracial emoji couples in its most recent preview build for the upcoming Windows Creator update. The change, first noticed by Emojipedia, makes Windows the first major platform to support the characters. SEE ALSO: The ultimate guide to … [Link]

Mashable » Fiona Apple debuts catchy anti-Trump chant just in time for the Women's March

Tuesday 17 January 23:24:33 UTC 2017

Fiona Apple doesn't like Donald Trump, that much she's made clear.  Her musical resistance started with Trump's Nuts Roasting On An Open Fire, a Christmas-slash-protest song for the whole family to play while morosely decorating their tree. Now, she's gifted us with a chant that is short, sweet and delightfully salty. SEE ALSO: At least 1,000 more buses ask to park … [Link]

Mashable » Someone made a really, really cute game based off that 'This is fine' dog

Tuesday 17 January 23:20:26 UTC 2017

The "This Is Fine" dog meme perfectly described 2016, and now it's getting a video game to boot. The internet's favorite in denial dog has been immortalized in free game form to continue to show us that we can all try to keep it together, while the world around us is falling apart.  The game, based on the KC Green comic, … [Link]

Slashdot » Verizon Looking To Buy Comcast or Charter, Says Report

Tuesday 17 January 23:20:00 UTC 2017

"Two well-placed sources" told The New York Post that Verizon is considering purchasing a big cable company to help it grow demand for its wireless data products. The source said the most likely targets would be "Charter or Comcast." New York Post reports: Verizon Chief Executive Lowell McAdam may be getting ready to answer rival ATT's moves to buy DirecTV … [Link]

Mashable » 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee' moves to Netflix with new Jerry Seinfeld deal

Tuesday 17 January 23:09:17 UTC 2017

Crackle’s loss is Netflix's gain — Jerry Seinfeld is headed to Netflix. The comedian has signed a multifaceted production deal with the Los Gatos, Calif.-based streaming giant. Netflix confirmed the move in a statement Tuesday. Under the new deal, Seinfeld will film two new stand-up specials exclusively for the streaming service, and will help develop scripted and unscripted comedy programming. His … [Link]

Mashable » Mind-blowing video shows how all Pixar films are connected

Tuesday 17 January 23:01:06 UTC 2017

For years, people have touted a theory that all Pixar films are connected. Through a video posted on the official Toy Story Facebook page, Disney would like to let us know that theory is absolutely true. The video features short clips from every single Pixar movie to date and shows fans exactly where to find the Easter eggs that bring them … [Link]

Mashable » Cat knows exactly how to get the best scratches

Tuesday 17 January 22:58:13 UTC 2017

After a while, pets can get pretty good at manipulating their humans to get what they want. Check out this cat named Gus. He knows exactly how to guilt his human into giving him a head scratch by hopping on the table and letting out a meow that sounds a lot like "now."   You're a true hero, Gus. [h/t:Reddit] … [Link]

Mashable » Even the LA Chargers' new coach calls the NFL's lamest team the San Diego Chargers

Tuesday 17 January 22:57:46 UTC 2017

You couldn't have scripted a more perfect blunder.  A week after the San Diego Chargers left their fans in the cold to move to Los Angeles following San Diegans' refusal to finance a new stadium with public money, the team's biggest hire is apparently still living in the past.  SEE ALSO: The San Diego, er, Los Angeles Chargers epitomize the rotten … [Link]

Mashable » With great regret I, Laffy the children's party clown, must pull out of my inauguration performance

Tuesday 17 January 22:45:33 UTC 2017

To my most loyal fans, their parents, older siblings and the various friends and family members also on my email list: It is with great sadness that I, Laffy the ventriloquist party clown, must pull out of my performance at the the inauguration of Donald Trump. As a children's party clown of the highest order, I viewed the president-elect's offer to … [Link]

Slashdot » Ambulances In Sweden Will Be Able To Hijack Car Radios During Emergencies

Tuesday 17 January 22:40:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Digital Trends: The Swedish government wants to make it impossible to be caught off guard by a speeding ambulance. Sure, their sirens are loud — but soon they'll be able to take over your car's radio. Swedish students at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm have developed a way for emergency … [Link]

Mashable » Chelsea Manning will go free. Now, about Julian Assange's extradition …

Tuesday 17 January 22:37:40 UTC 2017

WikiLeaks made a big offer just five days ago. If President Barack Obama commuted Chelsea Manning, Julian Assange would allow himself to be sent back to the U.S. to face charges for disseminating classified information. That offer is being put to the test. On Tuesday afternoon, news broke that Obama had used his power as president to release Manning, a former … [Link]

Mashable » Intel wants to use sensors and robots to overhaul in-store shopping

Tuesday 17 January 22:28:09 UTC 2017

A wave of new technology is set to reinvent the way people shop in stores, and Intel wants to be at the center of it. The chip giant announced the launch of a new platform for brick-and-mortar retailers this week that will tie together a set of software systems, sensors and other tech aimed at streamlining and improving store operations. SEE … [Link]

Mashable » 'Die Hard' director emerges from 14-year exile, and makes the 'Ghost Recon' trailer

Tuesday 17 January 22:22:00 UTC 2017

It's hard to believe John McTiernan—arguably Hollywood's most celebrated director of pure action movies—has been away this long. Or that this is how he chose to start what we hope is a big comeback. Predator, Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October, even Last Action Hero—McTiernan is a titan of the genre from the 1980s and '90s, but he virtually … [Link]

Mashable » Here's who took home the majority of $3.7 million at WESG 2016

Tuesday 17 January 22:18:51 UTC 2017

The first major esports event of the year took place in Changzhou, China this past weekend. The event featured Counter-Strike, Starcraft 2, Dota 2, and Hearthstone, with players from around the world battling for a massive 3.7 million USD prize pool. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Esports Tournament, China, Recap, and Tournament [Link]

Popular Science » A mysterious stranding left nearly 100 dead dolphins off the coast of Florida

Tuesday 17 January 22:06:21 UTC 2017

Environment Scientists aren't sure why they stranded themselves in the mangroves Seventy-two false killer whales died of natural causes after being stranded in Everglades National Park. Another 10 were euthanized and 13 remain unaccounted for. [Link]

Slashdot » President Obama Commutes Chelsea Manning's Sentence

Tuesday 17 January 22:00:00 UTC 2017

The New York Times is reporting that President Obama has commuted Chelsea Manning's sentence. What this translates to is a reduced sentence for Manning, from 35 years to just over seven years. Since Manning has already served a majority of those years, she is due to be released from federal custody on May 17th. The Verge reports: While serving as … [Link]

Mashable » Obama directs $500 million to Green Climate Fund just before Trump takes office

Tuesday 17 January 21:54:28 UTC 2017

The Obama administration wrote a second check for $500 million on Tuesday to the Green Climate Fund, an international organization designed to help the developing world adapt to global warming and deploy more clean energy technologies.  The announcement from the State Department comes less than three days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. During the campaign, Trump vowed to choke off … [Link]

Mashable » This robot could be the future of home farming

Tuesday 17 January 21:41:44 UTC 2017

The open-source 'FarmBot' plants, waters and monitors your garden 24/7. Design your plant layout and growing regimen and let the machine do the rest. Read more…More about Organic, Food, Gardening, Real Time Video, and Real Time [Link]

Mashable » Obama commutes majority of Chelsea Manning's sentence

Tuesday 17 January 21:37:09 UTC 2017

President Barack Obama commuted the vast majority of Chelsea Manning's sentence on Tuesday, shrinking her time behind bars from another 28 years down to four more months. After spending around seven years in prison, she is now set to be released on May 17, 2017. SEE ALSO: Edward Snowden issues heartfelt plea to Obama to pardon Chelsea Manning Manning was convicted … [Link]

Mashable » Mario enters the real world in hilarious 'Grand Theft Auto' mod

Tuesday 17 January 21:25:54 UTC 2017

Nintendo gave the world a glimpse of its upcoming game Super Mario Odyssey last week, which showed Mario running and leaping around a brand new setting for the Mario series: a real-looking city. The internet thought it looked a bit like Grand Theft Auto with the mustachioed goomba-stomper as the main character, which is a pretty funny idea, juxtaposing the … [Link]

Mashable » Can you help solve this creepy internet mystery?

Tuesday 17 January 21:25:31 UTC 2017

Guys, I'm scared. Imagine being a teen, being home alone, minding your own business, fooling around on Musical.ly, watching back the video you just made and noticing something … odd. SEE ALSO: Snake emerging from woman's car mid-drive is the stuff of nightmares In this video posted on YouTube by user MrBunnyfingers, it looks as though this girl is not as … [Link]

Slashdot » Porn Pirates Exploit Well-Known Loophole To Upload Raunchy Videos On YouTube

Tuesday 17 January 21:20:00 UTC 2017

Adult video websites appear to be exploiting a YouTube loophole to host explicit material on the platform. An anonymous reader shares a report on The Next Web: A number of adult streaming websites have begun using a known backdoor that ultimately makes it possible to store infringing material on Google's servers — entirely free of charge. To pull this off, … [Link]

Mashable » Taking a ride on this Lego train is simply mesmerizing

Tuesday 17 January 21:12:37 UTC 2017

If you have ever wished you could actually ride a toy train, this video will give you a deep sense of fulfillment. YouTuber TrainGuy 659 takes us through a house and garden from the point of view of a Lego train, peacefully trundling along on its Lego tracks. This train goes everywhere, from under a bed to along a driveway. … [Link]

Mashable » 30 years after the real 'Cool Runnings,' Jamaican bobsled team crowdfunds for a coach

Tuesday 17 January 20:56:38 UTC 2017

It’d be quite a story, that's for sure.  Jamaica could win its first-ever medal in bobsled next year at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea — exactly 30 years after the Caribbean island nation improbably debuted in the sport at the 1988 Olympics, a tale later immortalized in the Hollywood classic Cool Runnings.  But there's just one problem: The Jamaican … [Link]

Mashable » One of the most underrated heroes in comics is back. Here's a first look

Tuesday 17 January 20:47:34 UTC 2017

For years, Valiant Comics has been a leading publisher in the indie market. It's been nominated for several Harvey Awards and has top-notch titles like Harbinger and Bloodshot on its roster.  But Valiant Comics' underrated flagship was a series called X-O Manowar. After its launch back in 1992, it became an indie classic, selling more than 8 million copies. Now, 25 … [Link]

Slashdot » Uber Sues City of Seattle To Block Landmark Driver Union Ordinance

Tuesday 17 January 20:40:00 UTC 2017

Seattle's landmark law that lets drivers for ride-hailing companies decide if they want to bargain collectively was set to go into effect today, but an Uber subsidiary has sued to block key rules of the ordinance governing which drivers get to vote on unionization and other key rules. From a report: Uber subsidiary Rasier filed a petition in King County … [Link]

Mashable » Google's first Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches are coming in February

Tuesday 17 January 20:33:29 UTC 2017

Google will launch two new smartwatches running Android Wear 2.0 on Feb. 9, a new report says. VentureBeat spilled the beans on the new Google smartwatches on Tuesday. The report says Google's two wearables will be built by LG and start shipping in the U.S. the day after they're announced. SEE ALSO: Google to fight Apple Watch head-on with its own … [Link]

Mashable » Raspberry Pi has a fancy new toy for its most demanding fans

Tuesday 17 January 20:26:52 UTC 2017

There’s a powerful new toy for DIY-ers who love to customize their gadgets—and it'll only set you back $30. The Raspberry Pi Foundation announced the Compute Module 3 (CM3) on Monday, a new board that will help manufacturers produce cost effective, high quality hardware. There's a less powerful Compute Module 3 Lite (CM3L) for $25.  While the Pi products are directed … [Link]

Mashable » Here's why two players didn't attend the Chicago Cubs' White House visit

Tuesday 17 January 20:15:08 UTC 2017

As teams across sports hedge on whether or not they'll visit the White House (a customary stop for championship teams) during a Trump presidency, the Chicago Cubs bypassed the debate altogether, squeezing in a visit during President Obama's last week in office.  SEE ALSO: This is why it's a bad idea to Facebook Live in the locker room Obama celebrated the … [Link]

Mashable » This cat hanging with his boys took the best selfie of all time

Tuesday 17 January 20:15:01 UTC 2017

It’s a depressing thing, to see a picture and instantly know you aren't cool enough to hang with a cat and some dogs. A selfie taken by Manny, the selfie-loving cat, is already being called the best of 2017. I try to avoid hyperbole so know that I mean to be taken literally when I say that this is in fact, … [Link]

Mashable » Internet Archive wants to get rid of link rot

Tuesday 17 January 20:05:06 UTC 2017

You know that thing where you're reading something interesting but then you see a super interesting link and you're like, yeah, I'm gonna click the shit out of this, and then you do, and your computer fritzes, blinks at you, and then you get a 404 error? Internet Archive has built a tool to make that stop happening.  SEE ALSO: Attention … [Link]

Slashdot » Netflix is 'Killing' DVD Sales, Research Finds

Tuesday 17 January 20:00:00 UTC 2017

Netflix has become the go-to destination for many movie and TV fans. The service is bringing in billions for copyright holders, but it also has a downside. New research shows that the availability of content on Netflix can severely hurt physical disc sales, which traditionally have been the industry's largest revenue source. From a report: A new study published by … [Link]

Mashable » Ed Sheeran just scored his first No. 1 song with 'Shape of You'

Tuesday 17 January 19:48:54 UTC 2017

Ed Sheeran's 2017 is shaping up quite nicely — he just made Billboard history by becoming the first to have two songs debut in the Hot 100 Top 10.  "Shape of You" is the British singer's first song to hit the top slot of the Billboard Hot 100 and "Castle On the Hill" is not far behind in the No. 6 … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Microsoft Makes API Changes to Azure Storage Service

Tuesday 17 January 19:35:59 UTC 2017

Microsoft has released a number of API changes within its Azure Storage Service. The REST APIs for the service offer programmatic access to blob, queue, table, and file service in both Azure and development environments. [Link]

Mashable » What the end of Vine means for creativity on the internet

Tuesday 17 January 19:35:54 UTC 2017

Vine, one of the internet’s most creative social platforms, shuts down today, leaving behind a legacy of comedy, magic, music, vulgarity and the inherent frailty of our social media obsessions. Similar to its parent company, Twitter, Vine couldn’t grow beyond its roots. There were millions of users but only a fraction of them created the content that drove Vine into public … [Link]

Mashable » Charity speedrun commentator tells distracting audience to stand in front of a bus

Tuesday 17 January 19:29:32 UTC 2017

At the top level of competitive gaming, the best of the best give it their all to win big. On their way to victory, professional esports players will inevitably make some jaw-dropping plays… or epic fails. Each week, Mashable rounds up the most mind-blowing highlights in esports for your enjoyment. Over the past week, Overwatch teams competed for spots in the … [Link]

Mashable » Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant get their hands bloody in 'Santa Clarita Diet' trailer

Tuesday 17 January 19:26:14 UTC 2017

What if a family member dies — but still keeps living? In Netflix's upcoming Santa Clarita Diet, Drew Barrymore plays the undead Sheila Hammond ("zombie" has a negative connotation), your everyday realtor trying to spend time with her family and curb her urges to consume human flesh. SEE ALSO: This recut trailer of 'Fargo' is your new favorite holiday movie … [Link]

Popular Science » Hey look, Venus is smiling

Tuesday 17 January 19:23:51 UTC 2017

Space A curved line marked the planet's surface for four days A smile-shaped feature running through the atmosphere of Venus persisted for four days, despite 220-mph winds. [Link]

Mashable » This redesigned belt is built to fit perfectly

Tuesday 17 January 19:21:31 UTC 2017

This belt design could be your new favorite accessory. It is easily adjustable and can be adjusted to fit you every single time. Read more…More about Adjustable, Venturi Belt, Venturi, Reinvented, and Belt [Link]

Slashdot » Toshiba Might Spin Off Its Semiconductor Business

Tuesday 17 January 19:20:00 UTC 2017

Toshiba is considering spinning off its semiconductor business and selling a partial stake in the unit to Western Digital, the Nikkei financial daily reported on Wednesday. From the report: Toshiba will sell a roughly 20% interest in the unit for about 200 billion yen-300 billion yen ($1.77 billion-$2.66 billion) while retaining a majority stake, the newspaper reported. Besides Western Digital, … [Link]

Mashable » Activists are throwing a massive LGBTQ dance party right outside Mike Pence's house

Tuesday 17 January 19:18:45 UTC 2017

Chevy Chase, the quiet D.C. neighborhood soon to be home to Vice President-elect Mike Pence, is about to get really, really loud. Activists behind WerkForPeace and #DisruptJ20 have joined together to plan a huge queer dance party outside of Pence's new home this Wednesday, Jan. 18th. Queer dancers and their allies will follow a dancing route through Pence's new neighborhood, hoping … [Link]

Mashable » Margot Robbie totally transforms into Tonya Harding for biopic

Tuesday 17 January 19:07:41 UTC 2017

Margot Robbie's moment is just beginning.  Though it's still in production, the first images have surfaced of Robbie as Tonya Harding in I, Tonya.  The Australian actress is strapping on her skates to portray the American figure skater, who famously pleaded guilty to orchestrating an attack on fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan in 1994. SEE ALSO: This Margot Robbie obstacle course might … [Link]

Mashable » The Obamas paid a visit to Sasha and Malia's donated swing set

Tuesday 17 January 19:01:28 UTC 2017

Parting is such sweet sorrow. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama donated their daughters' swing-set to charity after President-elect Donald Trump turned down an offer to keep it on the White House grounds.  On Monday, the Obama family paid the set — and the kids who now call it their own — a visit at … [Link]

Mashable » Amazing 2 year old makes free throws like a pro

Tuesday 17 January 18:47:50 UTC 2017

Meet Calvin. Calvin's hand-eye coordination puts all of ours to shame. Calvin's parents have been documenting his ball skills via Twitter and YouTube, and his amazing shots have gone viral. He has even been featured on SportsCenter. One look at this video, and it's easy to see why. We'll see you in the NBA, Calvin. Irish son pranks his mom with … [Link]

Mashable » Irish son pranks his mom with the most dad joke ever

Tuesday 17 January 18:46:29 UTC 2017

The classic "leek" joke just never seems to get old.  Professional dad joker John Coen recently had a pretty good time pranking his mom with the age-old leek joke. After informing her that she had a 'leak' in her sink, she went to work to find the source, because nobody wants mold. Of course when the woman discovered that her … [Link]

Mashable » Man proves all you need to wash a car is soap, water and a baby

Tuesday 17 January 18:42:31 UTC 2017

Doing chores just got cuter. In his ever popular YouTube Series, How to Dad, Jordan Watson provides tips and tricks to parents in order for them to teach their children important life lessons like how to clean the house or how to fetch a beer.  In his latest video Watson shows off his baby's unique and effective car washing skills. … [Link]

Mashable » SpaceX did something amazing over the weekend

Tuesday 17 January 18:41:50 UTC 2017

SpaceX’s first flight since a devastating explosion in September succeeded, carrying 10 communication satellites into orbit on Jan. 14, 2017. Read more…More about Successful Launch, Rockets, Real Time Video, Technology, and Science [Link]

Mashable » India opens its first school for transgender people

Tuesday 17 January 18:41:12 UTC 2017

India’s southern state of Kerala is now home to the country's first school for transgender people.  Set up by an LGBTQ activist in the city of Kochi, Sahaj International will admit transgender adults who dropped out of mainstream schooling because of discrimination, the BBC reported.  SEE ALSO: India's first transgender college principal resigns as colleagues fail to get over her sexual … [Link]

Slashdot » Windows 10 Privacy Changes Appease Watchdogs, But Still No Data 'Off-Switch'

Tuesday 17 January 18:40:00 UTC 2017

Earlier this month, Microsoft announced several privacy changes in Windows 10, but it didn't give users an option to completely opt-out of data-collection feature. The announcement came at a time to coincide with a statement by the Swiss data protection and privacy regulator, the FDPIC, which last week said it would drop its threats of a lawsuit after the company … [Link]

Mashable » Trump is using Facebook ads to unload Inauguration tickets

Tuesday 17 January 18:39:00 UTC 2017

With just a few days remaining until is inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump seems to be taking strange steps to unload tickets for the big event, scheduled for this Friday, January 20, 2017. SEE ALSO: Don's Johns: Port-a-potties get censored for Trump’s inauguration Several users have noticed a sponsored video from Trump appearing on their Facebook timelines with Trump offering them a … [Link]

Mashable » Chelsea Handler blames Trump's presidency on the Kardashians

Tuesday 17 January 18:38:35 UTC 2017

As usual, Chelsea Handler has a hot take.   In a new interview with Variety, Handler shared her interesting perspective on the Kardashian's role in getting Donald Trump elected. SEE ALSO: Chelsea Handler to lead 'Women's March' at the Sundance Film Festival When asked what people could have done differently during the presidential campaign, Handler had a straightforward response: "Stop covering … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Curiosity finds Mars rock that may be a meteorite made from iron

Tuesday 17 January 18:34:26 UTC 2017

Last week, NASA’s Curiosity rover took a picture that appears to show a new iron-nickel meteorite on Mars, one of only eight that have been discovered by rovers there so far [Link]

Mashable » London's most popular man on Happn tells us how to build the best profile

Tuesday 17 January 18:32:57 UTC 2017

LONDON — Being an online dater might bring a wealth of possible matches to your fingertips, but attracting those matches isn't all that simple. That's why carefully crafting your profile is of the utmost importance.  SEE ALSO: Guys show us their best poses for Tinder profile photos But with no real rulebook for creating the perfect dating profile, it's hard to … [Link]

Mashable » This inflatable backpack could save your life in an avalanche

Tuesday 17 January 18:18:58 UTC 2017

This backpack from Black Diamond Equipment is what every adrenaline junkie needs.   Read more…More about Winter Sports, Science, Ski, Inflating Backpack, and Black Diamond Equipment [Link]

Mashable » I'm a millennial and, believe me, coffee is not the reason I'm broke

Tuesday 17 January 18:17:36 UTC 2017

There are many of life's little luxuries I could live without, but coffee is not one of them. That's why I was dismayed to read yet another article shaming me for spending my money on skinny lattes and espressos.  This morning, as I trawled through my Twitter feed with bleary, pre-caffeinated eyes, I saw the "news" that millennials are "spending more … [Link]

Mashable » Using a drone during the inauguration could get you fined $1,414

Tuesday 17 January 18:16:22 UTC 2017

Drone footage from Friday's inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump would be pretty cool to see for a lot of folks who won't be there. But it's not happening, unless some drone pilot out there is willing to risk a fat fine. The nation's capital is legally closed to drones, as the Secret Service has ever-so-gently reminded the public in the days … [Link]

Mashable » 'Rogue One' wasn't all that empowering for women, data says

Tuesday 17 January 18:15:48 UTC 2017

Rogue One was the second Star Wars movie in as many years to boast a female lead. Jyn Erso, leader of the team that stole the Death Star plans, and Mon Mothma, leader of the Rebel Alliance, gave hope to anyone who believes in gender equality — even in a galaxy far, far away. But according to one data scientist's analysis, … [Link]

Mashable » The science of the puke-filled space date on 'The Bachelor'

Tuesday 17 January 18:15:01 UTC 2017

The Bachelor got a little spacey on Monday night.  Bachelor Nick Viall and contestant Vanessa Grimaldi, a special education teacher from Montreal, took a flight aboard a plane that designed to simulate the feeling of weightlessness you get in space. All in all, it's a pretty nerdy outing for a show that once sent a contestant on a Cinderella date. Clearly … [Link]

Mashable » Supportive mom throws daughter a party for starting her period

Tuesday 17 January 18:08:04 UTC 2017

For young girls, starting your period is a weird time.  Your body is doing new stuff, you feel gross and moody and you feel like no one else in the world knows what you're going through. And although starting to menstruate is a natural thing, talking about it to friends or, especially, family, can be uncomfortable and embarrassing.  For 12-year-old Brooke … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook spent even more on Oculus than everyone realizes

Tuesday 17 January 18:06:14 UTC 2017

Back in March 2014, Facebook announced it acquired Oculus, the "leader in immersive virtual reality technology, for a total of approximately $2 billion."  Turns out that was fake news — or maybe just a poorly written lede.  SEE ALSO: How Oculus could revive the 3D-printing revolution that never happened Facebook did acquire Oculus, but the price tag was much larger than … [Link]

Slashdot » Safari Users Unable to Play Newer 4K Video On YouTube in Native Resolution

Tuesday 17 January 18:00:00 UTC 2017

It appears Google recently turned on VP9 codec on YouTube for delivering 4K video. However, because of this, Safari users are unable to watch videos uploaded to the service since early December in full 4K resolution. From a report: Specifically, YouTube appears to be storing video on its servers using either the more efficient VP9 codec or the older H.264 … [Link]

Mashable » Using this symbol in a video game violates international law

Tuesday 17 January 17:55:57 UTC 2017

Developers of the video game Prison Architect have found themselves in breach of international and British law for displaying a red cross on a white background. SEE ALSO: Why Nintendo Switch games come on tiny little cards The symbol appears in the game as a five-pixel red cross on the hood of ambulances and health packs. However the British Red Cross … [Link]

Mashable » At least one version of the Samsung Galaxy S8 could have a massive 6-inch screen

Tuesday 17 January 17:45:12 UTC 2017

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S8 is shaping up to be quite the feature-packed flagship phone. The latest rumors suggest Samsung could grow the displays yet again for the S8 — and without significantly increasing the overall dimensions of the phones over the current S7 and S7 Edge. SEE ALSO: Everything we think we know about the Samsung Galaxy S8 According to 3D … [Link]

Mashable » Girl convinces a dude that she's a beet farmer using quotes from 'The Office' on Tinder

Tuesday 17 January 17:26:10 UTC 2017

Jim Halpert would be proud of this level of trolling.  A college freshman named Caroline channeled her inner Dwight Schrute and successfully convinced a guy she met on Tinder that she was a beet farmer, with a very modest 60-acre beet farm in her name. SEE ALSO: Website curates all the stares from 'The Office' into a glorious 'stare machine' The … [Link]

Mashable » Stephen Colbert brings back 'The Werd' because that's what America needs

Tuesday 17 January 17:20:39 UTC 2017

If we're going to make America great again, let's bring back The Colbert Report. Or at least a part of it. The Late Show host Stephen Colbert returned to his comedy news roots on Monday by bringing back his regular Report segment "The Word." Now rebranded as "The Werd," the segment focuses on a singular news topic in Colbert's explanation … [Link]

Mashable » Sea lion becomes mesmerized by some guy's hand and everybody gets a show

Tuesday 17 January 17:20:17 UTC 2017

Sea lions fanatics everywhere want to know: What makes them tick? Are there secret movement-animal-body part combinations that unlock weird animal behaviors? Well, in this brief 43 second video, a sea lion frantically follows the movements of some dude's hand. Just some dude! Not even a trainer!  He handles this unexpected power with such grace.  Perhaps if your heart is … [Link]

Slashdot » Facebook's Price Tag For Oculus Actually $3 Billion, Zuckerberg Reveals in Court

Tuesday 17 January 17:20:00 UTC 2017

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed in court testimony Tuesday that the company actually paid $3 billion to buy Oculus. From a report on CNBC: His testimony came in a Dallas courtroom, when game maker ZeniMax alleges that Oculus, bought by Facebook in 2014, stole the company's intellectual property. ZeniMax's attorney pressed Zuckerberg on the total Facebook paid for the company. … [Link]

New Scientist – News » In an era of nationalism the net needs its freethinking champion

Tuesday 17 January 17:17:26 UTC 2017

With a rise in isolationist politics and totalitarianism, we must back the body that has quietly defended internet freedom for 10 years, says Carl Miller [Link]

New Scientist – News » Electronic gene control could let us plug bacteria into devices

Tuesday 17 January 17:17:25 UTC 2017

Hooking up custom-made microbes to electronics could have a host of applications in medicine and industry, such as smarter drugs and better health apps [Link]

New Scientist – News » Calorie restriction diet extends life of monkeys by years

Tuesday 17 January 17:17:24 UTC 2017

Macaques on permanent diets live significantly longer – the equivalent of nine years in people. But is the detailed meal planning and loss of libido worth it? [Link]

Mashable » Very brave men wrangle a giant snake out of a car engine

Tuesday 17 January 17:12:21 UTC 2017

Snakes continue to be creepy by hiding in toilets, plane cabins and now… car engines. In a video posted on Facebook by Noppakaew Sakda, some very, very brave men take on the task of removing this giant snake from the inside of a car engine.  SEE ALSO: Oh nothing, just a terrifying snake eating another freaking snake on video Being the … [Link]

Mashable » Teen is raising money to send girls to see 'Hidden Figures'

Tuesday 17 January 16:54:30 UTC 2017

Every once in a while Hollywood produces a movie so compelling that it almost becomes necessary viewing. For 13-year-old aspiring astronaut Taylor Richardson that was the case with Hidden Figures — a film that shines the spotlight on three brilliant black women at NASA who helped launch astronaut John Glenn into orbit. After having the opportunity to attend a Hidden Figures … [Link]

Slashdot » People Don't Realize How Deep AI Already Is In So Many Things, Salesforce CEO Benioff Says

Tuesday 17 January 16:40:00 UTC 2017

Evolving technologies should develop at a steady enough pace to adequately replace the jobs they eliminate, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff told CNBC on Tuesday. From the report: "Technology's always taken jobs out of the system, and what you hope is that technology's going to put those jobs back in, too. That's what we call productivity," Benioff said on "Squawk Box" … [Link]

Mashable » We might finally be getting an explosion-proof smartphone battery

Tuesday 17 January 16:38:08 UTC 2017

Lithium-ion batteries power most of the portable devices we carry with us every day. The vast majority are designed safely, but occasionally there can be a problem that makes the batteries overheat. If that happens, there's a chance the battery can catch fire.   The potential volatility of lithium-ion batteries received unprecedented attention this past fall because of the Samsung Galaxy … [Link]

Popular Science » 3 weird ways we can remotely control animals and bacteria

Tuesday 17 January 16:32:04 UTC 2017

Science A zap of electricity can make E. coli swim A gentle pulse of electricity can make bacteria dance (or rather, swim) to scientists’ tune. [Link]

Mashable » Brainiac is pulling superheroes' strings in new 'Injustice 2' trailer

Tuesday 17 January 16:31:37 UTC 2017

Things are stirring up in the DC universe with the latest Injustice 2 trailer revealing some of the story behind the superhero fighting game coming in March. After the world-changing events of the first Injustice game, Tuesday's trailer gives players some nuggets to look forward to, including the introduction of the supervillain Brainiac into the series. Brainiac is an android … [Link]

New Scientist – News » How to protest against Trump in his expanded surveillance state

Tuesday 17 January 16:30:00 UTC 2017

Trump plans to follow the UK's lead in extending domestic snooping powers. From Tor's hidden dangers to the right secure chat apps, here’s how to stay under the radar [Link]

Mashable » A big Antarctic ice crack is forcing scientists to evacuate research station

Tuesday 17 January 16:29:01 UTC 2017

Scientists stationed in East Antarctica are being forced to evacuate after another big ice crack appeared near their base.  The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) said it was making a highly unusual move and closing its Halley VI Research Station during Antarctica's winter season, which runs from March to November 2017.  Scientists will evacuate in March, the BAS said, due to concerns … [Link]

Mashable » Seth Meyers takes 'A Closer Look' at Trump's groundless attacks on John Lewis

Tuesday 17 January 16:24:35 UTC 2017

Every time you think it can't get any worse, Trump's Twitter strikes again. Last night on Late Night, Seth Meyers took "A Closer Look" at the series of tweets President-elect Trump directed at civil rights icon John Lewis, James Comey's unbelievable irony at a senate hearing last week, and Ben Carson's possible mission statement for the Trump presidency. Find out … [Link]

Mashable » The force is strong with this homemade 'Star Wars' cat parody

Tuesday 17 January 16:12:50 UTC 2017

Everyone knows cats rule the internet. This just proves the point. Youtuber Pasdidée wrangled up their pet cats in order to performa great service to the galaxy, by recreating on of Star Wars's most iconic scene, shot for shot. The two precious felines, with some help from their human, performed the scene in Empire Strikes Back, where Darth Vader tells … [Link]

Mashable » Someone named Best_Korea hacked their way to the top of the 'Street Fighter V' leaderboard

Tuesday 17 January 16:09:08 UTC 2017

If you didn't know any better, it sure looks like North Korea is home to the best online Street Fighter V player in the world. A SFV player that goes by the name Best_Korea somehow manipulated the game to take the coveted first place ranking on the online leaderboard, where they have continued to sit for four days. Best_Korea, whose home … [Link]

Mashable » How to download your Vines before they're gone forever

Tuesday 17 January 16:05:20 UTC 2017

If you haven't done so already, Tuesday is your last day to download your Vines before they're gone forever. As laid out last year, Vine's shutting down and Twitter is paring the app down to just its camera. Yes, we know, it's sad, but what can you do? Vine's biggest stars have moved on to Snapchat and YouTube. SEE ALSO: Twitter … [Link]

Slashdot » Opera Presto Source Code Leaks Online

Tuesday 17 January 16:01:00 UTC 2017

Catalin Cimpanu, writing for BleepingComputer: An unknown third-party has leaked the source code of the old Opera Presto browser engine on GitHub, and later on Bitbucket, two services for hosting and sharing source code online. Opera Presto is the layout engine at the heart of the old Opera browser. Opera Software used Presto between Opera 7 and Opera 14 and … [Link]

Mashable » YouTube to premiere Gigi Gorgeous documentary at Sundance Film Festival

Tuesday 17 January 16:00:00 UTC 2017

This time last year, YouTube was getting ready to promote its first ever slate of originals at Sundance Film Festival. Now, the video giant isn't just promoting its originals in Park City, Utah, it's premiering one of them. For the first time ever, YouTube will hold a world premiere for one of its projects — This Is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous — … [Link]

Mashable » Adorable puppy loses the fight against sleep, face plants

Tuesday 17 January 15:53:55 UTC 2017

The internet has never seen a cuter face plant.  SEE ALSO: Gather round and be blessed by this precious puppy's 'newborn' photoshoot Kris Paterson blessed Twitter with a video of his sweet little puppy falling asleep and it went viral. She's so sleepy😂 pic.twitter.com/mxIrL0l5a7 — pud (@KrisPaterson_) January 15, 2017 We dare you not to smile as the teeny pup dozes … [Link]

Mashable » Before Belle, Emma Watson turned down the chance to be Cinderella

Tuesday 17 January 15:50:21 UTC 2017

She's a funny girl, that Emma Watson. Most girls would jump at the chance to portray iconic fairy tale heroine Cinderella, but the actress declined to play that particular Disney princess. In the latest issue of Total Film magazine, Watson discussed why Belle spoke to her when Cinderella didn't. SEE ALSO: Emma Watson wows in first song as Belle from … [Link]

Mashable » Yes, Betty White is still alive. And it's her 95th birthday.

Tuesday 17 January 15:46:10 UTC 2017

Today, one of the great stars of our time, Betty White, turns the tender age of 95.  Given that 2016 packed in a number of unexpected celebrity deaths such as Prince, George Michael, Alan Thicke, David Bowie and Carrie Fisher, some of the internet was shocked to learn that White was still alive and kicking.  SEE ALSO: 8 reasons we'd go … [Link]

Mashable » The New York Times releases its 2020 report, points to its digital shortcomings

Tuesday 17 January 15:41:05 UTC 2017

The New York Times has changed a lot in the past 10 years, embracing digital subscriptions and growing into online video and specialty areas like cooking. It has not been enough to prepare the company for the future, according to the paper's own 2020 report released on Tuesday. "While the past two years have been a time of significant innovation, the … [Link]

Mashable » Here's what the Xbox One's new Dashboard 'Guide' will look like

Tuesday 17 January 15:35:42 UTC 2017

Microsoft teased last week that they'd be making the Xbox One's dashboard just a little bit faster. And in a gameplay stream of Telltale's The Wolf Among Us, we got a really quick look at it. Ten minutes into his stream on Beam, Microsoft's head of platform engineering Mike Ybarra quickly clicked into the new Guide overlay so his viewers could … [Link]

Mashable » Gwyneth Paltrow wants you to put a rock in your vagina. Seriously.

Tuesday 17 January 15:33:13 UTC 2017

Gwyneth Paltrow has suggested a lot of wacky things in her Goop newsletter (vagina steaming, anyone?), but now she thinks ladies should start walking around with rocks in our hoohaasJade stones in the shape of eggs, to be precise. Yes, you read that right. The magical item starts at $55 and is available from Goop’s “beauty guru/healer/inspiration/friend&#822~ Shiva Rose. She elaborated … [Link]

Mashable » Young Thug didn't show up to a music video shoot but that didn't stop the director

Tuesday 17 January 15:31:37 UTC 2017

If you had $100,000 to shoot a music video but the star never showed up, what would you do? Pomp&Clout director Ryan Staake faced this dilemma on a shoot for rapper Young Thug's song "Wyclef Jean." But, Young Thug never actually stepped foot on set.  Rather than scrape together footage to create a makeshift video, Staake cleverly turned the whole situation … [Link]

Slashdot » Facebook To Stop Paying Publishers To Make Live Videos

Tuesday 17 January 15:22:00 UTC 2017

Last year, publishers worldwide began making live videos on Facebook. The social juggernaut had cut deals with them, offering lofty amounts and promising big future moving forward. Turns out, Facebook's experimental project is over. Recode reports: Facebook spent more than $50 million last year paying publishers and celebrities to create live video on the social network. Now numerous publishers tell … [Link]

Mashable » Man brilliantly/stupidly decides to destroy wasp nest with his bare hands

Tuesday 17 January 15:01:32 UTC 2017

Chantel is a very lucky lady to have such a fearless man. A wasp killer like no other demonstrated his special skill to a camera in his front yard last week. According to the clip, the Florida man grew up in Trinidad, and has been murdering wasps and destroying their nests using just his bare hands for more than 20 … [Link]

Mashable » Here's what we imagine the schedule for Donald Trump's inauguration will look like

Tuesday 17 January 15:00:00 UTC 2017

Well, it's almost time. On January 20th, noted L.L. Bean fanatic Donald Trump will take the oath of office and be inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States in the nation's capital. It should be a really interesting time. SEE ALSO: I wrote Obama's farewell address for him and here is the text We were able to get our … [Link]

Mashable » Watch Michelle Obama transform from spunky toddler to fabulous FLOTUS in one GIF

Tuesday 17 January 14:56:32 UTC 2017

Happy birthday, Michelle Obama! FLOTUS is turning 53 today (we know, we can't believe it either,) and with less than a week until Donald Trump's inauguration 😳  it seems like the perfect time to look back on how the inspiring first lady has grown over the years. SEE ALSO: Let us now remember 11 of Michelle Obama's coolest moments From stylishly … [Link]

Mashable » 7 year-old's Taylor Swift impersonation is pretty close to perfect

Tuesday 17 January 14:53:22 UTC 2017

Watch out Taylor Swift—you've got some stiff, pint-sized competition in 2017.  Seven-year-old Xia Vigor absolutely slays in her performance as a mini-Swift during a segment of  “Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids," a Philippine TV show in which kids perform hit songs from their favorite musicians.  While Vigor has performed on the show before, her rendition of Swift's "You Belong With … [Link]

Mashable » This intelligent chair parks itself at your desk

Tuesday 17 January 14:50:37 UTC 2017

Promoting the "Intelligent Park Assist" feature of its cars, Nissan developed an office chair with self-parking capabilities. Read more…More about Real Time Video, Real Time, Inventions, Design, and Chair [Link]

Slashdot » Worldwide App Downloads Grew 15% and Revenue Soared 40% in 2016

Tuesday 17 January 14:43:00 UTC 2017

Downloads, revenue, and time spent in apps all grew by double digits during 2016, according to a report by market researcher App Annie. From a report on VentureBeat: Time spent in apps grew more than 20 percent to nearly 900 billion hours in 2016, according to the year-end report. That's just one sign that the global app economy saw healthy … [Link]

Mashable » Modified Tesla Model S goes from 0-62 mph in 2.1 seconds

Tuesday 17 January 14:38:36 UTC 2017

We already know that the Tesla Model S, especially in its most powerful, 100D iteration, can get ludicrously fast.  But it doesn't stop there. A modified version of the fastest Model S, created for the Electric GT Championship, is even faster, reaching 0-100kmh (0-62mph) in an insane 2.1 seconds.  SEE ALSO: Tesla's Gigafactory is officially open for business The number, which … [Link]

Popular Science » James Bond has been teaching kids to smoke for over half a century

Tuesday 17 January 14:30:00 UTC 2017

Health But with better intelligence, he's smoking less Over the course of six decades, James Bond eluded thousands of enemy bullets, averted global wars and deactivated some potent bombs. But he may have also encouraged kids… [Link]

Mashable » Farmer comes up with legen-dairy way of popping the question

Tuesday 17 January 14:16:24 UTC 2017

There are traditional ways of proposing and then there’s this. It was Christmas Eve in Fivemiletown, County Tyrone when Anna Martin’s boyfriend Ashley Farrell led her to the cow shed to receive her present. She had already been told she was getting a cow for Christmas. It was only after she spotted the calf that Anna began to get suspicious.  SEE … [Link]

Mashable » Tom Hardy is definitely returning to 'Mad Max,' but what about James Bond?

Tuesday 17 January 14:10:48 UTC 2017

Tom Hardy has made a career out of humanizing larger-than-life characters — from infamous real-world criminals like Charles Bronson and the Kray twins to pop culture icons such as Max Rockatansky, Heathcliff and Bane.  In unsteadier hands, such titans could easily slip into caricature, but Hardy has somehow always managed to excavate the humanity in his villains and the fallibility in … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Antelope revived in Sahara years after going extinct in the wild

Tuesday 17 January 14:07:10 UTC 2017

Scimitar-horned oryx were hunted to extinction in the 1990s, but are now returning to the wild, thanks to breeding in captivity and reintroduction efforts in Chad [Link]

Slashdot » Apple App Store Prices Rise in UK, India and Turkey

Tuesday 17 January 14:04:00 UTC 2017

Apple is to put up the price it charges for apps in the UK, India and Turkey. From a report on BBC: UK costs will numerically match those of the US, meaning that a program that costs $0.99 will now be 99p. That represents a 25% rise over the previous currency conversion, which was 79p. "Price tiers on the App … [Link]

Mashable » The White House's digital arm is using Steve Jobs' words to lure tech talent

Tuesday 17 January 13:57:48 UTC 2017

With only a few days left in President Obama's administration, the White House branch that handled some of his most important technological endeavors is looking to raise its profile in Silicon Valley. The U.S. Digital Service, an Obama-founded White House branch dedicated to improving and expanding the federal government's various online services, launched a new marketing campaign on Tuesday that appeals … [Link]

Mashable » This country downloaded and used the most Android apps in 2016

Tuesday 17 January 13:48:40 UTC 2017

With advent of smartphones and improving internet penetration come great affinity for downloading apps. Just take India for an example.  SEE ALSO: Paytm's mobile wallet surpasses all plastic card transactions in India Indians are showing an increasingly growing interest in trying out different apps. And in 2016, they left everyone behind.  India surpassed the United States and Brazil last year to … [Link]

Mashable » Move over Australia, the world's largest cricket stadium is being built in India

Tuesday 17 January 13:44:43 UTC 2017

India will soon beat Australia to house the world's biggest cricket stadium.   The Sardar Patel Stadium in Gujarat state is being rebuilt to seat 110,000 people. It will surpass the 90,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground on completion, the Press Trust of India reported. The stadium could seat 54,000 before being razed down.  SEE ALSO: Stadium security makes spectacular mid-game catch look … [Link]

Mashable » Dear Donald, you're messing with the wrong Ivanka

Tuesday 17 January 13:31:01 UTC 2017

The wrong Ivanka that Donald Trump addressed on Twitter has hit back at the US president-elect by urging him to take care in his tweets and learn about climate change.  SEE ALSO: Donald Trump accidentally tweets at random woman rather than his own daughter Ivanka Majic, a digital consultant from Brighton, UK, was mentioned by Trump in a tweet praising his … [Link]

Mashable » This musical robot can play the bagpipes better than you

Tuesday 17 January 13:18:28 UTC 2017

If you've ever been curious about what a bagpipe playing robot sounds like, then here you have it. SEE ALSO: That feeling when a robot isn't just a robot John Dingley shared his quirky robotic inventions on his Youtube page XenonJohn and he recently shared this video (above) of his bagpipe playing robot.  The fingers and thumbs are 3D printed … [Link]

Slashdot » Caffeine May Counter Age-Related Inflammation, Says Study

Tuesday 17 January 13:00:00 UTC 2017

According to a new Stanford study published in the journal Nature Medicine, caffeine may help to counter the inflammatory process that occurs in some older people. The researchers have found a connection between advancing age, systemic inflammation, cardiovascular disease and coffee consumption by analyzing blood samples, survey data and medical and family histories obtained from more than 100 human participants … [Link]

Mashable » This man's crafty Snapchat post is not at all what it seems

Tuesday 17 January 12:44:47 UTC 2017

LONDON — When it comes to Snapchat, you have to take what you see with a pinch of salt. Because outside that vertical little window, who really knows what's going on? SEE ALSO: What kind of Snapchatter are you? On Monday, James Greator perfectly summed up this phenomena in one viral tweet: Nailed itpic.twitter.com/L7mrWA2xC2 — James (@JayGreatorex) January 16, 2017 Yep: … [Link]

Mashable » 'Bridget Trump's Diary' is the parody Twitter account we all need in our lives

Tuesday 17 January 12:35:30 UTC 2017

LONDON — It is a truth universally acknowledged that Donald Trump LOVES Twitter.  In fact, his stream of consciousness tweets and personal musings could be considered a pithy Bridget Jones-esque diary about the ups and downs of life as PEOTUS.  SEE ALSO: Calling Bridget Jones one of the most influential women of the past 70 years is problematic One comedian has … [Link]

Mashable » App Store prices in the UK to rise 25% due to Brexit pound slump

Tuesday 17 January 12:22:54 UTC 2017

Prices of apps and in-app purchases in the UK's App Store will rise 25% due to the weak pound exchange rate after the Brexit vote in June.  SEE ALSO: Brexit pound slump could be responsible for higher iPhone 7 prices in the UK An app previously sold for £0.79 will now cost £0.99 ($1.21) while the price of a Tier 2 … [Link]

Mashable » Indian tech startup that is changing healthcare globally just raised $55 million

Tuesday 17 January 12:19:54 UTC 2017

An Indian technology startup, that claims to be the world's largest appointment-booking platform for doctors, today announced it has raised more money.  SEE ALSO: Reliance Jio is bringing Apple's HealthKit features to India with its new app Bangalore-based Practo has raised $55 million in its Series D funding led by Chinese internet giant, Tencent. The round also saw participation from a … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Don’t judge drug funding on political grounds

Tuesday 17 January 12:18:41 UTC 2017

A cash-starved health service like the NHS has to make tough decisions on drug funding – but the “worthiness” of patients shouldn’t be a factor [Link]

Mashable » Marketplace app Letgo raises $175 million in quest to take on Craigslist

Tuesday 17 January 12:00:00 UTC 2017

Secondhand marketplace app Letgo just got a big boost in its quest to become the Craigslist of the smartphone era. The e-commerce company announced Tuesday that it has raised $175 million in its third major funding round following a year of breakneck growth. The sum brings the startup's total investor backing to $375 million, including money raised from a previous round … [Link]

Mashable » Please enjoy this sweaty clip from Idris Elba's new documentary 'Fighter'

Tuesday 17 January 11:28:37 UTC 2017

If ever you needed more proof that Idris Elba is a complete and utter badass, just feast your eyes on his kickboxing skills. The clip above is from his new documentary Idris Elba: Fighter, which follows the actor during a painful-looking journey to become a genuine, professional kickboxer. SEE ALSO: Watch Idris Elba kickboxing and be thankful you're not fighting … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: Learning Web Development with React and Bootstrap – $15.99 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL

Tuesday 17 January 11:26:44 UTC 2017

Get "Learning Web Development with React and Bootstrap" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2017-01-18 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]

Mashable » Mysterious discovery under the water in China will awaken your inner Indiana Jones

Tuesday 17 January 11:20:52 UTC 2017

When the water levels were lowered in an eastern China reservoir due to a renovation project, no one was expecting to find a 600-year-old Buddha statue.  SEE ALSO: Study makes new claims about world's oldest human civilization A local villager in Jiangxi province first spotted the half-submerged head of the Buddha sitting against a cliff and gazing over the water.  A … [Link]

Mashable » J.K. Rowling has a cutting response to Trump's quote about 'heroes'

Tuesday 17 January 10:58:26 UTC 2017

LONDON — It's surely only a matter of time before Donald Trump goes on a wild, 5am Twitter rant about J.K. Rowling. The Harry Potter author has been aiming a steady campaign of social media-based ribbing at the President-elect for a while now — and in the last week her volume of Trump-based burns have really peaked. SEE ALSO: J.K. Rowling … [Link]

Mashable » MacBook Pro might become a lot more 'pro' this year, report claims

Tuesday 17 January 10:39:08 UTC 2017

There was no shortage of complaints about Apple's refreshed, 2016 MacBook Pro line, be it shoddy battery life or absence of any ports besides USB-C. But one complaint stood above others as it indicated that Apple may be neglecting a crucial target market: With aging processors and a maximum of 16GB of RAM, the new MacBook Pro does not appear to … [Link]

Mashable » How Alice's 'Resident Evil' homecoming will change everything

Tuesday 17 January 10:36:46 UTC 2017

All good stories come full circle, so it’s no surprise that we find ourselves back with Alice in the place where it all began in Resident Evil’s last installment: The Final Chapter. The sixth and final installment of the Resident Evil franchise is coming February 2017, and will see Alice’s final stand off with Umbrella Corp bring her right back to … [Link]

Mashable » This 'smiling' dolphin is being hunted into extinction

Tuesday 17 January 10:31:54 UTC 2017

The nearly extinct "smiling" Irrawaddy dolphins continue to get hunted in Myanmar's waters by illegal fishermen. According to AFP, water pollution and electrofishing — where people use car batteries to shock the dolphins — are chiefly responsible for the dolphins' deaths. SEE ALSO: This bone found in Siberia could help resurrect the woolly mammoth The smiley dolphin can generally be found … [Link]

Mashable » Scientists are catching sea turtles 'rodeo style' for an important reason

Tuesday 17 January 10:28:10 UTC 2017

Turtles have an excellent sense of direction, and how they manage to find their way home time after time has long been a source of fascination for scientists. While it's believed turtles use the Earth's magnetic fields to navigate when migrating long distances, researchers think sunrises might be a factor in helping them pinpoint their final destination. SEE ALSO: Arsonist pet … [Link]

Slashdot » Scientists Turn Docile Mice Into Ruthless Hunters

Tuesday 17 January 10:00:00 UTC 2017

BenBoy writes: A couple of years ago, a story surfaced about smarter mice: Scientists Create Super-intelligent Mice, Discover They're Also Very Laid Back. Well, implicit challenge accepted! 2017 brings us a report from Cell, via The Scientist: "Neural circuits in the amygdala are responsible for predatory behavior in mice, according to a study published January 12 in Cell. Using optogenetics, … [Link]

Mashable » Goodnight, MH370: World unites in grief after search party for Malaysian airline gives up

Tuesday 17 January 9:19:41 UTC 2017

Families of those onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 are in grief, after the official search party gave up looking for the airliner. The airplane disappeared three years ago with 230 people on board enroute from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur. The search, led by the governments of Australia, Malaysia and China, has been ongoing for more than two years. SEE … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Angular 2: What’s Working, What Needs Work and Where It’s Heading

Tuesday 17 January 9:06:28 UTC 2017

Angular 2, the full-platform successor to Google’s Angular 1 Web application framework first announced in October 2014, was released in September 2016 as the complete, final version of the framework. Based on newer JavaScript standards and a new architecture, Angular 2 was created to provide developers with a better framework for building complex applications for both Web and mobile platforms. … [Link]

Mashable » Teenage Bollywood actor faces vicious social media abuse and no one knows why

Tuesday 17 January 8:44:47 UTC 2017

She’s sixteen, talented, newly famous. And unfortunately, facing vile abuse on social media.  Zaira Wasim, the young actor who dazzled audiences with her flawless debut in Dangal — India's highest-grossing film ever — posted an inexplicable "confession/apology" on Facebook last night.  And then, she deleted it in no time.  SEE ALSO: 'Dangal' becomes the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time Not … [Link]

Mashable » Chinese lady stabs enforcement officer in the neck with fruit on a skewer

Tuesday 17 January 7:12:40 UTC 2017

Another city security officer has found himself in an unfortunate clash with a street vendor in China. In a shocking incident captured on social media, an officer in China was stabbed in the neck with a bamboo skewer by an illegal street vendor selling candied fruit on a stick. SEE ALSO: London police stop to help 'collapsed person,' get an odd … [Link]

Slashdot » Japanese Spacecraft Spots Massive Gravity Wave In Venus' Atmosphere

Tuesday 17 January 7:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: The Japanese probe Akatsuki has observed a massive gravity wave in the atmosphere of Venus. This is not the first time such a wave was observed on the Solar System's second planet, but it is the largest ever recorded, stretching just over 6,000 miles from end to end. Its features also … [Link]

Mashable » India's Reliance Jio snags 72.4 million 4G LTE subscribers in just 4 months

Tuesday 17 January 6:52:13 UTC 2017

The telecom operator owned by India’s richest man continues to win over half-a-million subscribers each day. SEE ALSO: Inside Reliance Jio's audacious plan to disrupt India's internet landscape The 4G LTE-only Reliance Jio from India’s largest industrial house Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has revealed it has over 72.4 million subscribers on its network.  The feat comes just four months after the … [Link]

Mashable » Lin-Manuel Miranda drops pitch-perfect 'West Wing' tribute rap

Tuesday 17 January 6:51:41 UTC 2017

Hamilton mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda and Aaron Sorkin, the creator of The West Wing, have a lot in common. They're both fiery wordsmiths, well-known for their ability to write spellbinding swathes of dialogue, not to mention their shared fascination with American politics. Given those similarities, it seemed inevitable that their minds would meet. And now they have (sort of) in the … [Link]

Mashable » You're breaking my balls: Tennis pro smashes rival in the groin during match

Tuesday 17 January 6:30:54 UTC 2017

That must've hurt. The tense five-setter to reach the Australian Open second round on Monday took a dramatic turn when pro Stanislas Wawrinka slammed a ball at his rival, Martin Klizan's groin.  The defenceless Klizan, standing by the net, was taken by surprise to say the least. Wawrinka, who later won the match, immediately jumped over the net to apologise. … [Link]

Mashable » Conservative decries Volleys ad for being "all about rooting" and Twitter is obsessed

Tuesday 17 January 6:12:23 UTC 2017

When the folks over at Volley Australia dreamt up their 2016 #Grassroots campaign, it's likely they were mostly just trying to sell shoes. But according to Wendy Francis, a prominent member of the Australian Christian Lobby, they had something much more insidious on their mind: A bit of good ol' fashioned rooting. That's "doing the sex" in Australian speak. Naturally, Twitter's … [Link]

Mashable » A ring of 50 Chinese factories making fake, toxic brand name sauces has been discovered

Tuesday 17 January 6:06:45 UTC 2017

Another food scandal has been uncovered in China. A group of some 50 factories have been found to be manufacturing artificial sauces and flavourings, some with illegal ingredients, in the Chinese city of Tianjin, the Beijing News reports. SEE ALSO: Chinese regulators: Alibaba fails to block fake goods, faces 'credibility crisis' The investigative report revealed that the products were being falsely … [Link]

Mashable » Leonie the shark don't need a man, begins impregnating herself instead

Tuesday 17 January 5:40:47 UTC 2017

Parthenogenesis — a natural form of asexual reproduction — is something that's common amongst plant species, insects, amphibians and many other life forms. Meaning "virgin creation" in Greek, it describes the development and growth of an embryo without fertilisation. The phenomenon occurs in sharks too, but one shark has shown a remarkable ability to switch between reproduction styles. SEE ALSO: Twitter … [Link]

Mashable » Doctors take inspiration from online dating to build organ transplant AI

Tuesday 17 January 5:19:32 UTC 2017

When Bob Jones performed one of Victoria's first liver transplants in 1988, he could not imagine that 29 years later he'd be talking about artificial intelligence and online dating. Jones is the director of Austin Health's Victorian liver transplant unit in Melbourne, Australia, and along with his colleague Lawrence Lau, he has helped develop an algorithm that could potentially better match … [Link]

Mashable » Donald Trump accidentally tweets at random woman rather than his own daughter

Tuesday 17 January 4:16:30 UTC 2017

President-elect of the United States Donald J. Trump sure loves getting compliments.  He loves them so much that if you send him one over Twitter, he might even retweet or quote it. SEE ALSO: Don's Johns: Port-a-potties get censored for Trump’s inauguration That's what happened when Twitter user Lawrence Goodstein set out to praise Trump's daughter Ivanka, calling her a "woman … [Link]

Slashdot » Study Finds Link Between Profanity and Honesty

Tuesday 17 January 3:30:00 UTC 2017

A team of researchers from the Netherlands, the UK, the U.S. and Hong Kong report in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science that people who use profanity are less likely to be associated with lying and deception. Neuroscience News reports: Profanity is obscene language which, in some social settings is considered inappropriate and unacceptable. It often refers to language … [Link]

Mashable » Guy becomes 'best friends' with a kookaburra after giving it CPR

Tuesday 17 January 3:22:52 UTC 2017

What would you do to save one of your country's most famous animals? If your name is Majid Shahen the answer is: Whatever it takes. SEE ALSO: Cackling albino kookaburra is either laughing with you or right at you After Sydney man Shahen spotted a kookaburra drowning in his pool, the gallant Australian hero leapt into action, fishing the animal out … [Link]

Mashable » Inflatable Xbox One controller is perfect if you ever manage to go outside

Tuesday 17 January 2:17:37 UTC 2017

It’s peak summer in Australia right now, and despite the blazing heat, there's plenty of people who'd rather play video games inside. But if peer pressure sees you forced into going outside, there's now an inflatable pool toy in the shape of the Xbox One S controller, so you can show where your allegiances truly lie. SEE ALSO: 1 laptop, 3 … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple To Offer 32GB of Desktop RAM, Kaby Lake In Top-End 2017 MacBook Pro, Says Analyst

Tuesday 17 January 2:00:00 UTC 2017

AppleInsider has obtained a note to investors from KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that says Apple's 2017 laptop line will focus on internal component updates, including the platform-wide adoption of Intel's Kaby Lake architecture. What's more is that Apple is expected to manufacture a 15-inch MacBook Pro with up to 32GB of RAM in the fourth quarter of 2017. AppleInsider reports: … [Link]

Mashable » The internet is loving this pizza guy's brutally honest 'sick note'

Tuesday 17 January 1:43:38 UTC 2017

You know what it's like: You're having a great time day drinking with your pals, when suddenly you remember there's that thing called work. What to do? The answer, according to Blake Pendlebury, is simply tell the truth. SEE ALSO: Restaurant's response to unusual order from sick customer will warm your cold heart After spending an afternoon at a horse race, … [Link]

Mashable » The 'How I Met Your Mother' Facebook page rewrote MLK's 'I Have a Dream' and it is bad

Tuesday 17 January 1:30:35 UTC 2017

Barney Stinson might be funny for his unapologetic womanizing on How I Met Your Mother. But mixing his character with revered civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. seems destined to go wrong. SEE ALSO: Why everyone is pissed the FBI is celebrating MLK Day on Twitter The Facebook page for the TV show — which ended in 2014 — published … [Link]

Slashdot » Oculus Accused of Destroying Evidence, Zuckerberg To Testify In $2 Billion Lawsuit

Tuesday 17 January 1:20:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: ZeniMax Media, the parent company of both Bethesda Softworks and Id Software, says it will prove at trial that John Carmack and others at Oculus stole trade secrets to "misappropriate" virtual reality technology that was first developed while Carmack was working at Id Software. What's more, ZeniMax is now accusing Oculus … [Link]

Mashable » Prepare to be very jealous of President Obama's custom Air Jordans

Tuesday 17 January 1:14:00 UTC 2017

It’s good being president. Not only do you get to hang with celebs like Tom Hanks and Solange, you also get some pretty cool gear. No, we're not talking about President Barack Obama's dad jeans. On Monday, he got a visit from the Chicago Cubs, who presented him with his very own personalized pair of Air Jordans. SEE ALSO: What it's … [Link]

Mashable » Alibaba unites with Louis Vuitton and Samsung to clean up its reputation

Tuesday 17 January 1:09:40 UTC 2017

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has a mixed reputation when it comes to counterfeit goods, but it's working hard to make nice. Alongside partners including Louis Vuitton, Samsung and Mars, the company announced the Alibaba Big Data Anti-Counterfeiting Alliance on Monday. The Alliance will use machine learning and other technologies to identify and remove counterfeit goods from its platforms, Alibaba said in … [Link]

Slashdot » Amazon Seeks FCC Permission To Run Wireless Tests In Washington State

Tuesday 17 January 0:40:00 UTC 2017

Amazon has filed an application with the U.S. federal government that details plans to experiment with wireless communications technology. The application asks the FCC for permission "to test undisclosed prototypes and their related software for five months in and around its Seattle headquarters," reports Christian Science Monitor. "The experiments will involve mobile devices and anchored stations alike, according to an … [Link]

Mashable » Let this 94-year-old gym junkie be your 2017 fitness fairy godmother

Tuesday 17 January 0:25:04 UTC 2017

Sticking to a gym plan is hard. Like, really hard. But if you're looking for a little bit of inspiration (or a healthy dose of shaming) check out the story of Edna Shepherd. The 94-year-old woman from Hume, Australia, who pumps iron a staggering ten times a week. Even on her one day off, she's still getting the muscles moving … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » A Look at the Most Used SDKs Across Mobile Apps

Tuesday 17 January 0:07:32 UTC 2017

When building a mobile app, you don’t want to reinvent the wheel. SDKs often accelerate development by providing access to third party tech that can help add new features, understand app performance, and monetize your efforts. [Link]

Mashable » How 'genderless nipples' is challenging Instagram's nudity policy

Tuesday 17 January 0:05:42 UTC 2017

Instagram’s insistence on removing photos of any nipples belonging to women (and only women) is well-known. One account, aligned with the #FreeTheNipple cause, is tricking the platform's strict nudity policies. Genderless_Nipples posts close-up photos of nipples that make it hard to tell whether the photo is of a man or a woman.  SEE ALSO: 'OITNB' star joins #FreeTheNipple campaign by Photoshopping … [Link]

The Joy of Tech » JoT #2372: The Greatest Shitshow on Earth!

Tuesday 17 January 0:03:15 UTC 2017

I’m afraid of clowns! [Link]

Slashdot » AT&T Denies Refunds For DirecTV Now Customers, Despite the Service's Performance Issues

Tuesday 17 January 0:00:00 UTC 2017

A number of consumers report they're unable to get a refund for their subscription to AT&T's recently launched streaming service, DirecTV Now — something they've requested after being unhappy with the new service's performance. From a report on TechCrunch: According to several postings on AT&T's official forums, customers found the only way to get help was through a hard-to-find chat … [Link]

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