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 » There are hidden iPad keyboards in iOS 10.3 that Apple won't let you use

Wednesday 25 January 23:54:12 UTC 2017

There’s one thing you can always count on when Apple releases a new beta version of iOS: Developers digging through its code in search of new features. As always developer Steve Troughton-Smith was quick to discover there are two hidden keyboards for iPad that Apple is likely testing internally within the newly released iOS 10.3 beta.  SEE ALSO: The iPhone has … [Link]

Mashable » Some Facebook users will start seeing ads in an unexpected place

Wednesday 25 January 23:51:19 UTC 2017

Facebook can only pop so many advertisements into your News Feed before it drives you crazy. But it needs to keep selling more and more of them to keep up its juggernaut growth. And the company is worried that it could run out of ad space in its News Feed this year. SEE ALSO: Brands and their Facebook bots can now … [Link]

Slashdot » Deep Learning Algorithm Diagnoses Skin Cancer As Well As Seasoned Dermatologists

Wednesday 25 January 23:40:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from ExtremeTech: Remember how that Google neural net learned to tell the difference between dogs and cats? It's helping catch skin cancer now, thanks to some scientists at Stanford who trained it up and then loosed it on a huge set of high-quality diagnostic images. During recent tests, the algorithm performed just as well … [Link]

Mashable » Fighting game community is in a heated debate over teabagging

Wednesday 25 January 23:28:41 UTC 2017

The fighting game community is currently embroiled in a heated moral debate: Should teabagging be allowed at the professional level? Ahead of the Killer Instinct World Cup, organizer Brandon Alexander announced Monday that teabagging will not be allowed at the event, igniting arguments on social media over teabagging’s place in professional competitions. Alexander later told Yahoo! Esports that the announcement was … [Link]

Mashable » Trump's voter fraud investigation may want to start with his own daughter

Wednesday 25 January 23:17:32 UTC 2017

Donald Trump brought out the ALL CAPS Wednesday to show just how seriously he's taking his unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the election that he won. "I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD," he wrote over two tweets, "including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and even those registered to vote … [Link]

Mashable » These dogs will have better insurance than 18 million Americans if Obamacare is repealed

Wednesday 25 January 23:14:22 UTC 2017

In their very first month in office, Congressional Republicans have been busy chipping away at the law that gave 20 million Americans health insurance, then replacing it with their brand-new vision: [blank]. Sure, there are a few wonky replacement plans floating around, but nearly all put the most vulnerable Americans at risk. By choosing to repeal the Affordable Care Act and … [Link]

Slashdot » Gmail Will Soon Block JavaScript File Attachments

Wednesday 25 January 23:10:00 UTC 2017

Starting February 13, 2017, Google will not allow JavaScript files to be sent as an attachment via Gmail in an effort to reduce malicious attacks. Android Police reports: Malicious emails often attach various forms of executable programs and trick users into running them. These include standard Windows executables (.exe), batch files (.bat), and even JavaScript files (.js). If you're not … [Link]

Mashable » Google purges nearly 200 websites in fake news crackdown

Wednesday 25 January 22:53:11 UTC 2017

Google has shut out nearly 200 websites from its advertising platform since announcing it would purge fake news publishers last November. The search giant released the number as part of its annual fraudulent advertising report, in which the company recaps its efforts to fight scams, malware and other harmful ads over the course of the past year.  SEE ALSO: Google brags … [Link]

Mashable » Trump’s political appointees will vet EPA’s scientific work before release

Wednesday 25 January 22:52:45 UTC 2017

The Trump administration is mandating that any studies or data from scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) undergo review by political appointees before they can be released to the public. The communications director for President Donald Trump's transition team at EPA, Doug Ericksen, said Wednesday the review also extends to content on the federal agency's website, including details of scientific … [Link]

Slashdot » Dropbox Kept Files Around For Years Due To 'Delete' Bug

Wednesday 25 January 22:40:00 UTC 2017

Dropbox has fixed a bug that caused old, deleted data to reappear on the site. The bug was reported by multiple support threads in the last three weeks and merged into one issue here. An anonymous Slashdot reader writes: In some of the complaints users reported seeing folders they deleted in 2009 reappear on their devices overnight. After seeing mysterious … [Link]

Mashable » Here's proof that 'Finding Dory' is better with a bunch of swearing

Wednesday 25 January 22:29:02 UTC 2017

Chronicling Dory the blue tang's journey to discover her roots, Finding Dory is a delightful, earnest animated film perfect for both children and adults.  But if what if it had, like, a bunch of swearing in it? Let Ellen DeGeneres show you what you'e been missing — with a perfect assist from co-star and animated octopus Ed O'Neill. Watch Oprah lose … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Vidyo.io Video Communications Platform is Now Generally Available

Wednesday 25 January 22:23:05 UTC 2017

Vidyo, a video technology company, has announced that Vidyo.io the company’s new video communications platform is now out of beta and generally available. Vidyo.io is a step forward from the company’s original VidyoWorks API platform. Vidyo.io is a new Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) that enterprises and application developers can use to add multiparty video chat and collaboration capabilities to Web, mobile, … [Link]

Mashable » Stop everything: the nation's zoos are in a vicious, wonderful #CuteAnimalTweetOff

Wednesday 25 January 22:19:25 UTC 2017

We interrupt your regularly scheduled selection of depressing news stories and dismaying tweets to bring you the most amazing thing that happened on the internet today.  The amount of cute animals you are about to see is almost unhealthy. Almost. SEE ALSO: Red panda cub is very attached to a fluffy toy that looks just like her Zoos and aquariums across … [Link]

Mashable » This giant offshore wind farm will be the largest in the U.S.

Wednesday 25 January 22:17:38 UTC 2017

The largest offshore wind farm in the United States is one step closer to becoming a reality. The 90-megawatt project planned near Long Island, New York, would be only the second offshore wind farm to operate in the country, which lags way behind Europe and China when it comes to offshore wind. The wind farm cleared a major hurdle on Wednesday … [Link]

Mashable » This pair of glasses can change focus based on what you look at

Wednesday 25 January 22:15:38 UTC 2017

If you need different pairs of glasses for seeing different things (say, reading vs. distance) or wear bifocals or progressive lenses, the future is looking bright: Someone has invented a pair of glasses with lenses that can adjust themselves on the fly. A team of computer and electrical engineers at the University of Utah has unveiled a device with lenses that … [Link]

Mashable » Sleep peacefully in these germ-free bed sheets

Wednesday 25 January 22:12:47 UTC 2017

By infusing copper threading in bamboo sheets, '29 linens' claims they can kill 99.9% of the bacteria on your sheets in just 30 minutes. Read more…More about Real Time Video, Real Time, Copper, Self Cleaning, and Cleaning [Link]

Mashable » 31-year-old hottie and his 89-year-old BFF are almost too cute to be believed

Wednesday 25 January 22:09:14 UTC 2017

If you love unlikely friendships, have we got a story for you: Enter Norma Cook, an 89-year-old California woman, and her BFF, 31-year-old Chris Salvatore. The pair met when he moved into the apartment complex in West Hollywood four years ago. She invited him in for a glass of champagne and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Chris told People, “I love … [Link]

Mashable » Roxane Gay pulls her latest book from Simon & Schuster amidst Milo Yiannopoulos Controversy

Wednesday 25 January 22:04:49 UTC 2017

One more person has come forward against publishing house Simon & Schuster.  Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist and An Untamed State, joins Leslie Jones, Bradley Trevor Greive and others in criticizing the publisher for granting Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos a book deal.  Gay recently revealed on Twitter this week that she would be pulling her latest book from Simon & … [Link]

Slashdot » Trump's FCC Chairman Pick Ajit Pai Vows To Close Broadband 'Digital Divide'

Wednesday 25 January 22:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: On his first full day as Federal Communications Commission Chairman, Republican Ajit Pai yesterday spoke to FCC staff and said one of his top priorities will be bringing broadband to all Americans. "One of the most significant things that I've seen during my time here is that there is a digital … [Link]

Popular Science » Engineering students aim to brew beer on the moon

Wednesday 25 January 21:59:54 UTC 2017

Space Now that's what we call a light beer Space is definitely BYOB. [Link]

Mashable » Report: Trump is still using his old, unsecured Android phone

Wednesday 25 January 21:43:02 UTC 2017

President Donald Trump is still using the Android phone he tweeted with during and after his campaign, even though it's an unsecured device, The New York Times reports. SEE ALSO: Who to follow on Twitter in Trump's America The article, which documents President Trump's shut-in lifestyle in his first few days at the White House, is filled with juicy tidbits about … [Link]

Mashable » Man who lost his testicles while showing off his scuba bong is fake news

Wednesday 25 January 21:36:27 UTC 2017

The AP is cracking down on fake news, even if it's old and has already been debunked. In September a story surfaced of a man losing his testicles after a freak accident involving a bong and a scuba tank. It appears as if the story first was reported on the site IsThatLegit.com, and let me tell you, it's not legit at … [Link]

Slashdot » UK 'Pirates' Get 20-Day Grace Period After Each Warning

Wednesday 25 January 21:20:00 UTC 2017

UK Internet providers will soon begin sending piracy warnings to subscribers whose accounts are used to share copyright-infringing material. The associated "Get It Right" campaign has now published a detailed website, answering the most asked questions, while adding some new information as well. From a report: "After an Educational Email has been sent, there is a 20 day grace period … [Link]

Mashable » WikiLeaks wants any climate change data that Trump is ignoring

Wednesday 25 January 21:14:07 UTC 2017

WikiLeaks wants your scientific data. In a post Wednesday, the secret leaking organization asked for data that might get swept under the rug by the President Donald Trump administration.   SEE ALSO: Government scientists are caught between new gag order and their own ethics policies For scientists, the new presidency may signal a difficult period for research, especially as Trump continues … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Gene-blocking therapy reverses Alzheimer’s-like symptoms in mice

Wednesday 25 January 21:13:00 UTC 2017

An antisense therapy that targets tau protein tangles in the brain has improved memory and extended lifespan in mice, and successfully targeted tau in monkeys [Link]

Mashable » Firefighters in Dubai are using jetpacks to put out fires

Wednesday 25 January 21:11:35 UTC 2017

The future of firefighting could include water-powered jetpacks. Dubai is incorporating the packs into their fire safety routinesWhile the method is certainly innovative, it's also pretty expensive. Each of the jetpacks cost around $35,000.   Read more…More about Efficient, Flames, Jetpacks, Middle East, and United Arab Emirates [Link]

Mashable » Watch Oprah lose her mind when she meets Mary Tyler Moore

Wednesday 25 January 20:47:53 UTC 2017

"People write me letters, I go 'Who would I think that about?'" Oprah asked herself on the set of her talk show in 1997. "Mary." Mary Tyler Moore, who passed away on Wednesday, was a powerful role model for women in entertainment for generations. 20 years ago, Moore surprised Oprah on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the host's emotional reaction … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple Expands Qualcomm Legal Spat To China

Wednesday 25 January 20:40:00 UTC 2017

Apple's legal battle with Qualcomm has gone international. From a report: The iPhone maker on Wednesday filed two lawsuits against Qualcomm in China, according to Reuters, which cited a press release from Beijing's Intellectual Property Court. The first alleges that Qualcomm "abused its clout in the chip industry," a violation of China's anti-monopoly law. Apple seeks 1 billion yuan ($145.32 … [Link]

Mashable » Brent Musburger, iconic sports broadcaster who lit up internet, retires from ESPN

Wednesday 25 January 20:29:02 UTC 2017

You are looking live at the end of an era.  Brent Musburger — whose sonorous voice and signature "you are looking live" introduction to games were synonymous with sports telecasts — will call his final game for ESPN this month.  Musburger became a household name as television grew into the dominant medium of the sports-entertainment industrial complex. On social media, however, … [Link]

Mashable » Usain Bolt loses gold medal for teammate's banned substance use

Wednesday 25 January 20:24:08 UTC 2017

Eight-time gold medalist Usain Bolt is now seven-time gold medalist Usain Bolt. The Jamaican sprinter will have to hand back a gold medal he earned in the 4×100-meter relay at the 2008 Olympics. Nesta Carter, Bolt's teammate in the 4×100-relay, tested positive for methylhexaneamin, meaning the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will revoke the gold medals of all four members of Jamaica's … [Link]

Mashable » 9 quick 'Resident Evil 7' Do's and Don'ts to help you survive

Wednesday 25 January 20:20:11 UTC 2017

You’re going to die in Resident Evil 7. Multiple times, probably.  Don't worry, it's not your fault! I mean… OK, no, it probably is. But you're meant to fail. You're meant to learn things the hard way. No amount of advice we can give you — short of a detailed walkthrough — will save you. SEE ALSO: 'Resident Evil' is back … [Link]

Mashable » This Valentine's Day, give the gift of a hissing cockroach

Wednesday 25 January 20:00:24 UTC 2017

Still searching for a perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your special someone? Have you considered a hissing cockroach? If you didn't just sprint screaming from the room, hear us out. You're not giving anyone an actual, living insect. Instead you're naming a cockroach after your loved one. And not just any roach, one of the Bronx Zoo’s Madagascar hissing cockroaches. You … [Link]

Slashdot » More Than 8M People Own an Amazon Echo As Customer Awareness Increases 'Dramatically'

Wednesday 25 January 20:00:00 UTC 2017

Amazon continues to see more and more traction with its voice-enabled speaker. An anonymous reader writes: A new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) estimates that there are now 8.2 million customers who own an Amazon Echo device, which first went on sale in late 2014 to Prime members and became generally available in June 2015. That's up 60 … [Link]

Mashable » Dude makes extremely smooth save after face-planting on the stairs

Wednesday 25 January 19:53:51 UTC 2017

If you've ever walked down a flight of stairs, you probably also share an irrational fear of falling down with an crowd of people watching you. It's OK, it's totally normal. SEE ALSO: Adorable puppy loses the fight against sleep, face plants This dude decided to play it real risky and use his phone while walking down the left side on … [Link]

Mashable » Trump the business is already benefitting from Trump the president

Wednesday 25 January 19:48:25 UTC 2017

The Trump business is already profiting from the Trump presidency.  Mar-a-Lago, the Trump Organization's "Winter White House" in Palm Beach, Florida, doubled its initiation fee to $200,000 a year at the beginning of January, CNBC reported.  The introductory fee used to be $200,000 before Bernie Madoff took victim of so many Palm Beach residents. After that, the resort slashed it to … [Link]

Mashable » Daisy Ridley won't even tell her co-star what 'The Last Jedi' means

Wednesday 25 January 19:47:54 UTC 2017

Ever since the name of the next Star Wars film was announced on Monday, the internet has riled itself up over what The Last Jedi actually means. People have reached out to the actors themselves to see if they will give them anything, about what the title means and what we can expect from the next film. It turns out that … [Link]

Mashable » Dude skis right off a cliff and captures the whole thing on his helmet cam

Wednesday 25 January 19:47:35 UTC 2017

“Turns out I am afraid of heights." Skier Devin Stratton managed to ski himself off of an unmarked 150-foot cliff last week in the backcountry of the Wasatch Range in Utah, and escaped without so much as a bruise. SEE ALSO: Watch this skier straight up trigger an avalanche A video posted by Devin Stratton (@devins223) on Jan 24, 2017 at 2:49pm … [Link]

Mashable » Mary Tyler Moore dies at 80

Wednesday 25 January 19:47:21 UTC 2017

Mary Tyler Moore, who rode the line between eternal optimism and female empowerment during her decades-long career as an actress on TV and film, has died, her rep confirmed to Mashable. She was 80. Moore, best known for her roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970-1977 and The Dick Van Dyke Show in the 1960s, had been in failing … [Link]

Popular Science » This moon looks just like the Death Star, which isn't suspicious at all

Wednesday 25 January 19:44:39 UTC 2017

Space Keep an eye on Tethys Everything is fine and totally normal, and Saturn's moon looks exactly like a planet-killing weapon of mass destruction. [Link]

New Scientist – News » Gene editing has saved the lives of two children with leukaemia

Wednesday 25 January 19:30:00 UTC 2017

Two young girls are both doing well more than a year after being treated with gene-edited cells. Clinical trials of the therapy are now getting started [Link]

Mashable » Snapchat cash is no joke for the media

Wednesday 25 January 19:27:45 UTC 2017

Snapchat may be fun for users, but the app is starting to mean serious money for the media.  Numerous publishers are making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year on Snapchat, with a select few bringing in tens of millions, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. These profits come at a crucial time, as the media industry's patience in … [Link]

Slashdot » Mark Zuckerberg 'Reconsidering' Lawsuits To Force Property Sales in Hawaii

Wednesday 25 January 19:20:00 UTC 2017

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he is "reconsidering" a set of lawsuits that he recently filed to compel hundreds of Hawaiians to sell him small plots of land they own that lie within the boundaries of 700-acre beachfront property on the island of Kauai. From a report on CNBC: The billionaire's potential about-face came after widespread publicity last week about … [Link]

Mashable » The D.C. march for science will be the most wonderfully nerdy demonstration ever

Wednesday 25 January 19:19:54 UTC 2017

Scientists are taking a cue from last week's Women's Marches and planning their own protests in Washington, D.C., and far beyond. Frustrated and alarmed by what they said were President Donald Trump's "clear anti-science actions," march organizers told Mashable they hoped to bring together people from across the political spectrum to stand up for scientific progress. "This is not a partisan … [Link]

Mashable » 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy' is coming back and all we can say is 'No'

Wednesday 25 January 19:15:59 UTC 2017

As authoritarianism breathes down our neck, it may feel delightfully nostalgic to rage against Bravo's, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. But rage we must.  Entertainment Weekly recently learned that Netflix would be rebooting the "groundbreaking" (their words, our ironic quotes) series and taking them to the Red States, where they hope to make them "go pink." This show is profoundly … [Link]

Mashable » Mario Batali can't resist a plate of nachos, either

Wednesday 25 January 19:10:37 UTC 2017

You might expect an American Iron Chef and lauded restaurateur to serve caviar, champagne and tiny cakes at his Super Bowl party.  Mario Batali, who has a soft spot for "jacked Doritos and any salsa as long as salsa has some Tabasco on the side," doesn't party like that.  Mario, as a lifelong football fan (who loves both the Seattle Seahawks … [Link]

Mashable » Twitter users finding hope in 'badass' national parks

Wednesday 25 January 19:02:45 UTC 2017

In the first few days of the Donald Trump presidency, National Park Service Twitter accounts have emerged as small but shining spots of hope for the anti-Trump crowd.  Multiple parks accounts have deleted tweets since Trump became president, after having sent tweets into the world that were seemingly against the administration's wishes.  SEE ALSO: The Badlands Twitter account is the ultimate … [Link]

Mashable » Pixie is the 'Pokémon Go' for finding your lost stuff

Wednesday 25 January 18:58:45 UTC 2017

There’s not much worse than losing your stuff — except maybe the time you wind up wasting looking for it. Nothing is more infuriating than being held up on the way out the door because the car keys seem to have disappeared into some fifth dimension, especially when they turn up mysteriously in a particularly obvious (yet somehow completely covert) hiding … [Link]

Mashable » Finding Hillary: A new kind of American leader and her careful digital footprint

Wednesday 25 January 18:56:28 UTC 2017

Since losing the election in November, Hillary Clinton had tweeted only eight times—until last weekend, when millions of people, spurred by the victory of her political rival Donald J. Trump, marched for gender equality. The Women's March on Washington and its sister events around the world had no ties to Clinton. Her name wasn't even included on its list of honorees … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook Stories?! Snapchat's main feature is copied again

Wednesday 25 January 18:51:20 UTC 2017

The competition couldn't be more heated. Facebook has released a near identical clone of Snapchat Stories, the company announced Wednesday.  It wouldn't be the first time. Back in August, Facebook-owned Instagram released Instagram Stories, which almost exactly copied the photo-and-video feature created by Snapchat. That's turned out quite successful for Facebook. Instagram Stories has more than 150 million daily active users, … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » AdStage V2 Released Alongside New Universal Data API

Wednesday 25 January 18:42:41 UTC 2017

AdStage, a cross-channel advertising platform, has announced its Universal Data API alongside the release of AdStage V2. The Universal Data API allows users to import custom data from business intelligence tools (e.g. CRM systems, CMS, marketing automation systems, etc.). [Link]

Slashdot » Mac Sales Declined Nearly 10 Percent Last Year

Wednesday 25 January 18:40:00 UTC 2017

It's not surprising that Mac sales dropped for Apple in 2016 as they experienced their first year over year sales decline since 2001. What is interesting, however, is that as Mac sales dropped roughly 10% and personal computers overall dropped 5.7% for the year, the top four leaders in the market all saw growth as Apple was pushed to number … [Link]

Mashable » Cinephiles will be jazzed by this supercut of all the film references in 'La La Land'

Wednesday 25 January 18:38:08 UTC 2017

You knew La La Land is a love letter to Hollywood, but if you didn't know many scenes are direct nods to legends of the silver screen, here's a primer. From Ryan Gosling's streetlight serenade inspired by Singin' In the Rain to an updated drive through Los Angeles lit the marquees originally from Singin' in The Rain — yes, it owes … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Apple to Improve App Review Experience For Devs and Users

Wednesday 25 January 18:37:57 UTC 2017

iOS 10.3 introduced new app review tools for developers in the form of the Reviews API. The goal, says Apple, is to allow developers to ask for feedback in a less intrusive way while also giving them the opportunity to respond publicly. The end result should be a win-win for developers and app users alike. [Link]

Mashable » Ta-Nehisi Coates explains why there could never be a 'black Donald Trump'

Wednesday 25 January 18:37:20 UTC 2017

Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates latest piece for The Atlantic, "My President Was Black," is an expansive conversation with former president Barack Obama leading up to November's election, and Coates stopped by Late Night with Seth Myers to reveal what the process of asking the president for interviews was like.  In conversation with Meyers, the award-winning journalist also delved a bit into … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Should NHS limit spending on treatments for rare diseases?

Wednesday 25 January 18:30:00 UTC 2017

As pressures on the National Health Service grow, should costly new treatments for rare diseases get a tougher ride, wonders Zara Aziz [Link]

New Scientist – News » Earth’s water must have arrived here earlier than we thought

Wednesday 25 January 18:30:00 UTC 2017

Our best theory said meteorites brought water to Earth 4.5 billion years ago, now it seems they struck far earlier, while our planet’s core was still forming [Link]

New Scientist – News » Animals that grow designer organs for humans are a step closer

Wednesday 25 January 18:30:00 UTC 2017

For the first time mouse pancreases have developed in rats, with islet cells used to cure mouse diabetes. This raises hopes we could grow human organs in pigs [Link]

New Scientist – News » Earth’s water must have arrived here earlier than we thought

Wednesday 25 January 18:30:00 UTC 2017

Our best theory said meteorites brought water to Earth 4.5 billion years ago, now it seems they struck far earlier, while our planet’s core was still forming [Link]

New Scientist – News » Dried-up slime could help microbes survive briny waters on Mars

Wednesday 25 January 18:30:00 UTC 2017

Colonies of bacteria called biofilms live longer in Mars-like waters – especially if they were dried out first, as they would be after hitching a ride through space [Link]

New Scientist – News » AI rivals dermatologists at spotting early signs of skin cancer

Wednesday 25 January 18:30:00 UTC 2017

A neural network performs as well as dermatologists at spotting cancerous moles and could let people check any skin lesions at home with an app [Link]

New Scientist – News » Vacuum transfer advance will help redefine kilogram next year

Wednesday 25 January 18:29:00 UTC 2017

Abandoning the old prototype kilogram stored in Paris will require accurate mass measurements in a vacuum, something new techniques will make easier [Link]

New Scientist – News » New hermit crab has candy-stick legs and a giant spoon-like claw

Wednesday 25 January 18:25:00 UTC 2017

A previously unknown Caribbean crab has been seen – it’s just a few millimetres long, sports bright red and white stripes, and has a large scoop-like claw [Link]

Mashable » 3-year-old wants Falcons to win the Super Bowl, but doesn't get it quite right

Wednesday 25 January 18:22:12 UTC 2017

The New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons will battle it out at the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 5. Those who follow football know exactly who they want to win and lose. This little fan is no exception.  In a Youtube video posted by user Brett Stoner, he asks his 3-year-old son which team he wants to win the big … [Link]

Mashable » Merriam-Webster's Twitter is the political shade queen

Wednesday 25 January 18:12:45 UTC 2017

Merriam-Webster is way more than a dictionary, it's a social media queen that isn't afraid to say it how it is while taking advantage of the English language in the best way possible. The dictionary's Twitter account, which has a healthy fan base of 240,000 followers, throws down a substantial amount of shade, usually of the political variety. It does it … [Link]

Mashable » Please enjoy this dog's spruced up recovery cone

Wednesday 25 January 18:02:57 UTC 2017

Human life is a long series of disappointments, but at least we have photos of dogs dressed in cute costumes to ease the pain. SEE ALSO: Graceful dog jumps over doggy gate like it's NBD Today's dog-in-cute-costume comes courtesy of Bailey McConnell on Twitter, whose mom gave the family dog's recovery cone a much-needed makeover.  More than 29,000 retweets later, McConnell's … [Link]

Mashable » Lyft catches up to Uber, adds pre-tax commuter benefits

Wednesday 25 January 18:00:00 UTC 2017

If you've been using your commuter benefits for Uber, now you can add them to Lyft, too.  The underdog ride-hailing company is adding pre-tax commuter benefits to its payment options, five months after Uber introduced the service in New York and a week after Uber expanded that program to a dozen more cities.  Lyft's commuter benefits option will look pretty much … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook is making an immediate and massive change to 'Trending Topics'

Wednesday 25 January 18:00:00 UTC 2017

Facebook is rolling out a major change to its "Trending Topics" section that will result in everyone in the U.S. seeing the same news stories, which should become timelier and more in line with the news of the moment — and a bit more resistant to "fake news." Facebook's automated system will now select which articles to feature based on a … [Link]

Mashable » Protesters hang 'Resist' banner from crane visible from the White House

Wednesday 25 January 18:00:00 UTC 2017

A group of Greenpeace protesters scaled a crane in close proximity to the White House on Wednesday morning and hung a giant banner reading "RESIST," an act of defiance that was visible from the White House. SEE ALSO: Mysterious Twitter account steps forward to lead the National Park resistance Greenpeace name-checked Rex Tillerson, the Women's March, and Donald Trump's controversial actions … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple Seemingly Censors UltraFine 5K Monitor Reviews After Poor Feedback

Wednesday 25 January 18:00:00 UTC 2017

It appears Apple is filtering and censoring bad reviews of the LG's UltraFine 5K display. From a report on The Next Web: The deletion was first spotted by a Reddit user four days ago. Though it's possible the reviews were removed for some other reason, at first glance, it looks like censorship. It's not a good look for the company. … [Link]

Mashable » Tim Kaine spent inauguration night marrying a same-sex couple

Wednesday 25 January 17:54:19 UTC 2017

After attending the swearing in of his political opponents on January 20th, good ol' uncle Tim Kaine quietly ignored the inaugural celebrations and instead, wed a lesbian couple.  Dea Jones and Shea McLeod weren't planning on getting married quite yet— after meeting in 2000, they had a commitment ceremony in 2002 before same-sex marriage was legal. "We hadn’t been in a … [Link]

Mashable » Lyft launches in 40 new cities, 3 new states

Wednesday 25 January 17:53:34 UTC 2017

Lyft isn't giving in to Uber just yet.  The underdog ride-hailing company is launching in 40 U.S. cities on Thursday. The launch brings Lyft to three new states: New Hampshire, Delaware and Missouri.  The 40 cities are spread throughout the United States. Many on Lyft's list already have Uber, but a few in California, Tennessee and Arizona do not, according to … [Link]

Mashable » Lily Allen's Rufus Wainwright cover for the Women's March will give you chills

Wednesday 25 January 17:43:26 UTC 2017

Hell hath no emotional resonance like a Rufus Wainwright song.  That's why Lily Allen's cover of "Going To A Town" — featuring music from Mark Ronson and Bafic's stunning black-and-white video footage from the Women's March in London — is guaranteed to make you feel at least six feelings. And if you're looking to continue your anti-Trump jam sesh, the … [Link]

Mashable » Courageous kid balances on 16-foot-tall tower of milk crates

Wednesday 25 January 17:23:21 UTC 2017

Milk crates seem sturdy enough to stand on, right? This undeterred climber decided to stand on top of 19 of them.  YouTuber SB documented his nephew's harrowing quest to reach a leap of faith bar that was 20 feet up in the air. According to the video's description, 19 milk crates equals 16 feet. While we can see that the … [Link]

Slashdot » Chrome To Introduce Timer To Throttle Background Pages

Wednesday 25 January 17:20:00 UTC 2017

Google plans to roll out a change in Chrome Stable soon that will have the browser throttle timers in background tabs to improve battery life and browsing performance. From a report: The motivation behind the chance is that some pages consume a lot of CPU when they are in the background. Google mentions JavaScript advertisements and analytics scripts explicitly but … [Link]

Mashable » Playboy Club returning to NYC after 30 years, for better or worse

Wednesday 25 January 17:17:38 UTC 2017

In the last few years, Playboy has been on a mission to rebrand: they've removed the whole "full nudity" thing from their print magazine, introduced a safe-for-work website, and even sold the legendary Playboy mansion (kind of).  Now, instead of moving forward, they've announced they're bringing back a bit of bunny nostalgia from the magazine's heyday: the Playboy Club.  SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » How Star Wars helped uncover a Death Star-sized army of bots

Wednesday 25 January 17:08:55 UTC 2017

Little is known about Twitter botnets, massive groups of automated accounts that are controlled by a master and can pose a threat to social media users through spam and other malignant techniques.   SEE ALSO: Drop everything: 'Star Wars: Episode VIII' has a title Twitter has been quite active in trying to identify and remove malign botnets. But, in some case, … [Link]

Mashable » Francis Ford Coppola is working on an 'Apocalypse Now' video game

Wednesday 25 January 17:00:00 UTC 2017

Apocalypse Now is one of the greatest films ever made, and now it's going to be a video game. Maybe. The game's creators — including filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola — are seeking $900,000 on Kickstarter to get development of the game moving. The plan is for a 2020 release. SEE ALSO: 3.5 million people supported Kickstarter projects in 2016 "Forty years … [Link]

Mashable » WikiHow apologizes for whitewashed image of Beyoncé, Jay Z and Barack Obama

Wednesday 25 January 16:48:09 UTC 2017

After a controversial image was posted on wikiHow, the site full of easy, step-by-step informative instructions, it's taking some direction from its "How to make a genuine apology" article.  The website recently came under fire after being called out for posting a cartoon image of a meeting between Beyoncé, Jay Z and former president Barack Obama that depicted the three with … [Link]

Popular Science » This parasitic wasp forces other parasitic wasps to do its dirty work, then eats them

Wednesday 25 January 16:45:16 UTC 2017

Animals It's parasitic wasps all the way down Wasp on wasp action has never been so un-sexy… [Link]

Mashable » The most promising jobs of 2017, according to LinkedIn

Wednesday 25 January 16:42:04 UTC 2017

It may feel like there isn't much to look forward to in 2017, but LinkedIn has a few suggestions for how to find some potential in the year.  The professional network ranked the most promising jobs of 2017 based on those positions' potential for career advancement, job growth and salary. 2017's list is the first time LinkedIn ranked jobs in this … [Link]

Slashdot » Elon Musk Says He'll Start Digging a Tunnel From SpaceX HQ Next Month

Wednesday 25 January 16:40:00 UTC 2017

It appears Elon Musk is really serious about digging a tunnel to fix the traffic jams on roads. Last month, the SpaceX CEO sent out a string of tweets complaining about traffic. He suggested that a possible solution might be to start a tunnel-digging firm called — wait for it — The Boring Company, following it up by saying "I … [Link]

Mashable » UK postal service lets David Bowie live on through their stamps

Wednesday 25 January 16:36:22 UTC 2017

Put a little Stardust on your mail. The Royal Mail Group, a postal service in the United Kingdom, has chosen to honor David Bowie, who passed away in January of last year, in the best way: by putting his face on their stamps. SEE ALSO: Eerie new music video drops for the late David Bowie's 70th birthday Starting on March 14, … [Link]

Mashable » Hilarious bad lip reading of the inauguration will lift your spirits

Wednesday 25 January 16:33:40 UTC 2017

Bad Lip Reading always knocks it out of the park with its absurd interpretations of what people are saying based on the way their mouths are moving. They've made NFL stars sound like children and politicians sound foolish. In other words, they are doing important work. Without missing a beat, Bad Lip Reading has released a new video where it … [Link]

Mashable » How to mute on Twitter

Wednesday 25 January 16:32:36 UTC 2017

As much as we love Twitter, we'd be the first to agree that sometimes the platform can get a little…noisy. Also, given a certain new world leader's propensity to use it as a megaphone, many users may be rethinking how they use the service. SEE ALSO: Twitter's complicated relationship with developers just got worse Twitter is excellent at bringing you news … [Link]

Mashable » Hydraulic Press duo tests the waters with burning hot steel and a frozen lake

Wednesday 25 January 16:31:25 UTC 2017

Your favorite couple behind the Hydraulic Press Channel have ventured beyond the press and into some pretty hot territory. Watch as they submerge 20 kilograms (about 45 pounds) of red hot steel into a very thick frozen lake to investigate whether the steel will sizzle its way into the abyss below. All in all, it seems like a good pivot … [Link]

Mashable » Rare albino alligator looks like it's made of clay

Wednesday 25 January 16:28:11 UTC 2017

In news that may horrify or delight you, this alligator is not made of clay. She is real. Pearl, a 10-year-old, 105-pound albino gator, has quickly become the star of Florida park Gatorland for her unpigmented skin and startling pinkish-white eyes. SEE ALSO: NBD, just a massive alligator out for a stroll Ah, yes. What a beauty she is. Pearl and … [Link]

Mashable » 'Tiny Beautiful Things' is the advice column at its best

Wednesday 25 January 16:25:34 UTC 2017

Often, the most meaningful life advice is also the simplest. That's certainly true for the wisdom Cheryl Strayed delivers in her advice/essay collection, Tiny Beautiful Things, released in 2012. Tiny Beautiful Things started out as an advice column by Steve Almond in 2009, written on the literary website The Rumpus. Advice came from the anonymous "Sugar" persona, a figure who was both kind … [Link]

Mashable » HP recalls 101,000 laptop batteries that could catch fire

Wednesday 25 January 16:14:33 UTC 2017

Another day, another battery recall. HP's expanding on a battery recall issued last June to include batteries in several HP, Compaq, HP ProBook, HP Envy, Compaq Presario and HP Pavilion laptops. The reason for the additional recall is the same as most battery recalls: they could overheat and catch fire. The recall affects 101,000 laptop batteries sold between March 2013 through … [Link]

Mashable » Getting everything out of a tube will never be a struggle again

Wednesday 25 January 16:11:46 UTC 2017

This gadget can easily squeeze every ounce of product out of your toothpaste tube with its special gears. It's also built to withstand the strongest of tubes and last a lifetime. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Real Time Video, Real Time, Tool, and Tools [Link]

Mashable » How to secure a smartphone for the tweeter-in-chief

Wednesday 25 January 16:08:28 UTC 2017

As President Donald Trump takes office, he has also taken up a new, digital symbol of the presidency. Before, during and since the campaign, he used an Android smartphone to conduct his business and tweet prolifically, directly reaching millions of followers. But when he was inaugurated, Trump surrendered that device and accepted in its place a smartphone that has somehow been … [Link]

Mashable » Turtle funeral makes this boy look like the most thoughtful human on Earth

Wednesday 25 January 16:08:17 UTC 2017

Amazingly enough, this is not from Children of the Corn.  In a shock probably twice as scary as the movie (all disrespect to the movie, none to this great kid), Redditor conor_goggles writes, "My uncle caught this towards the end of the ceremony."  SEE ALSO: New cookie dough shop opens in NYC to be your best friend Apparently this small and … [Link]

Mashable » Health experts are worried about more quarantines under President Trump: Here's why

Wednesday 25 January 16:06:50 UTC 2017

New federal health rules will give the U.S. government more leeway to put people in quarantine during an epidemic — a fact that has some public health experts worried as President Donald Trump begins his term. The regulations, released on former President Barack Obama's last full day in office, were created to better protect the public from communicable diseases like the … [Link]

Mashable » Dream Kardashian seems to be the only one laughing about her strange relationship to Kylie Jenner

Wednesday 25 January 16:05:45 UTC 2017

Keeping up with these family relationships is exhausting. Dream Kardashian, offspring of former couple Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna, was photographed having a sweet moment with her favorite aunt (sorry everyone but you know it's true), Khloe Kardashian. The photo featured baby Kardashian giggling while Khloe held her and it seems like Dream can't resist her aunt's joking side. SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » There are now Amazon Dash buttons for Colgate, KY, Emergen-C and more

Wednesday 25 January 16:03:22 UTC 2017

If you needed another reason to jump on Amazon's ultra-convenient Dash buttons, the online retail giant is giving you a whole lot more.  Today, Amazon added more than 50 new items to the instant ordering service, pushing the roster of different flavors to above the 250-item mark.  SEE ALSO: Amazon, FreshDirect will start accepting food stamps Brands now available for the … [Link]

Popular Science » Trashed electronics are piling up across Asia

Wednesday 25 January 16:02:38 UTC 2017

Environment E-waste has risen by 63 percent in just 5 years In East and Southeast Asia, e-waste volume increased by 63 percent between 2010 and 2015. [Link]

Slashdot » Viruses, Spyware Found in 'Alarming' Number of Android VPN Apps

Wednesday 25 January 16:00:00 UTC 2017

When the Federal Court blocked access to file-sharing websites like The Pirate Bay last December, VPN (Virtual Private Network) providers reported a surge in subscription rates. Australian company Vanished VPN said its subscription rates had doubled in the past six months and VPN Unlimited said it had seen a 12.5 percent monthly jump since the court's decision. People were using … [Link]

Mashable » This tiny patch will make you sit up straight

Wednesday 25 January 15:58:24 UTC 2017

‘UPRIGHT’ is a tiny device that sticks on your lower back and tracks the movement of your spine. It gently reminds you when you are slouching, helping your muscles relearn to keep your posture perfect. Read more…More about Real Time Video, Real Time, Tech Utility, Kickstarter, and Apps And Software [Link]

Mashable » Twinkies ice cream has arrived on a planet that might not be ready for it

Wednesday 25 January 15:55:05 UTC 2017

It’s been a stressful couple of days with more tumult in the future.  Chances are, you're eating your feelings. And Twinkie ice cream is now here to make that endeavor even more nostalgic.  SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Hostess Limited Edition Twinkies and Sno Balls Ice Creams https://t.co/b4RFR3Xkyc pic.twitter.com/8iuKAlXtCU — The Impulsive Buy (@theimpulsivebuy) January 23, 2017 SEE ALSO: Twinkies? Chris Christie Doesn't … [Link]

Mashable » Who to follow on Twitter in Trump's America

Wednesday 25 January 15:53:53 UTC 2017

Donald Trump has had many titles over the years, but he is most recently know as the President and Commander of Tweets of the United States of America. As of Jan. 20, Trump's America is a reality, so it's time to stay informed, stay sensible and start using POTUS's go-to method of communication in a positive mannerMashable has put together a … [Link]

Mashable » CNN trolls Trump after he bashes inauguration ratings on Twitter

Wednesday 25 January 15:51:40 UTC 2017

CNN is fed up with Donald Trump and his "alternative facts." On Tuesday evening, the tremendously mature POTUS reignited his obsession with bashing CNN by offering his two cents on the news network's inauguration ratings. This time, however, CNN's Public Relations department wasn't having it, and it delivered a swift fact check and effective Twitter burn that is sure to add … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple is Bringing Night Shift Mode To Its Desktop OS

Wednesday 25 January 15:20:00 UTC 2017

Apple is bringing Night Shift, a feature aimed at changing the tone of the display to better suit the eyes at different time of the day, to its desktop operating system. From a report: macOS Sierra 10.12.4, seeded to developers this morning, introduces a major new feature: Night Shift for the Mac. Night Shift can be toggled on and off … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Does UK-EU science have a future with a hard Brexit looming?

Wednesday 25 January 15:08:00 UTC 2017

Astronomer Chris Leigh campaigned for the UK to leave the EU. With a hard Brexit likely, he sets out his vision for preserving British-European research ties [Link]

Slashdot » LG Continues To Bleed Money, Thanks To Smartphones

Wednesday 25 January 14:40:00 UTC 2017

LG's big bet on modular smartphone G5 didn't pan out the way it wanted, and its mobile business continues to bleed money. From a report on Engadget: The final quarter of 2016 saw the company take a severe blow, actually losing $223.98 million, mostly thanks to its failing handset division. […] The numbers are buried deep in its figures, however, … [Link]

Mashable » Pizza chain offers an 'alternate facts' meaty pizza with no calories

Wednesday 25 January 14:32:28 UTC 2017

Democracy may be on the decline in America, but one pizza chain isn't giving up without a fight and some extra cheese. After master of spin Kelly Ann Conway announced that White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer wasn't lying about the size of his inauguration — just presenting what she called "alternative facts" — the internet lost its goddamn mind. So, … [Link]

Mashable » Will that 'Arrow' death bring Oliver and Felicity closer together?

Wednesday 25 January 14:30:00 UTC 2017

Arrow’s winter finale left the team in disarray: Oliver was tricked into killing Felicity's new boyfriend, Billy Malone, by the villain Prometheus; Diggle was recaptured after an ill-advised jailbreak earlier in the season; Curtis' extracurricular vigilante activities seemingly cost him his marriage; and Laurel Lance seemingly returned from the dead. All in a day's work for the residents of Star City. … [Link]

Mashable » Government report finds that employers routinely use illegal, sexist dress codes

Wednesday 25 January 14:28:21 UTC 2017

LONDON — Forcing women to wear heels, revealing clothing and makeup in the workplace is evidence that existing equality legislation is not "fully effective", according to a new government reportThe government inquiry into workplace dress codes comes after a woman was sent home from her temp job for refusing to wear high heels. Her story prompted over 150,000 people to sign … [Link]

Mashable » Chicago PD's top tech officer is betting on sensors and smartphones to curb shootings

Wednesday 25 January 14:26:59 UTC 2017

Drill down a layer, and the violent crime statistics that look bad for the city of Chicago begin to look even worse for its police department. As bullets find victims in numbers unseen in more than two decades, a vast share of shooters are going unapprehended. After fielding 746 homicides in 2016 — a majority of them committed with guns — the … [Link]

Mashable » This weird, winged contraption can get your facial muscles in shape

Wednesday 25 January 14:20:06 UTC 2017

Preaching to the masses of women on a quest for slim faces, this Japanese contraption from Facial Fitness PAO promises to narrow out those chubby cheeks if you use it for 30 seconds each day. Read more…More about Winged Contraption, Facial Muscles, Facial Fitness Pao, Face, and Aging [Link]

Mashable » 'This is Us' reminds us of the power of Grand Romantic Gestures

Wednesday 25 January 14:06:15 UTC 2017

This week: Kevin’s true love is revealed (and it’s not his mirror), Kate goes to fat camp and remembers Jack’s funeral (gasp!) and William learns to drive.  As Dan Fogelman and the show’s writers continue to slowly dole out morsels of info, we’re seeing the seeds of the Big Three’s personal joys and pains and we wince in empathy at how … [Link]

Slashdot » HP Recalls Another 100,000 Laptop Batteries After Reports of Overheating and Damage

Wednesday 25 January 14:00:00 UTC 2017

HP is continuing its recall of laptop batteries that could pose a risk to consumers. The company has recalled more than 100,000 lithium-ion batteries used in its notebook computers, according to Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recall expands one from HP in June, when an additional 41,000 batteries were recalled in the US. From a report on TechRepublic: The affected … [Link]

Mashable » Behind the scenes on the making of a CG trailer

Wednesday 25 January 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Imagine condensing 2,500 hours’ worth of work into two minutes.  It sounds crazy, but that’s exactly what Bläck Studios — in conjunction with motion capture sister studio Imagination Studios, under the Goodbye Kansas Entertainment Group umbrella — does on a regular basis.  It took 40 people, 23 shots and 2,500 hours to create this cinematic trailer for Conan Exiles, Funcom’s … [Link]

Mashable » We thought he was kidding: Elon Musk is serious about digging a tunnel from his office

Wednesday 25 January 13:50:40 UTC 2017

Being stuck in traffic is bad. You start to fantasize about all sorts of things that could stop the agony, like teleportation or, in Elon Musk's case, building a tunnel that leads from the Los Angeles airport right to his SpaceX office.  Only in Musk's case, it may not only be fantasy. Musk originally proposed he would "build a tunnel boring … [Link]

Slashdot » Should College Tuition Vary By Major, Based On the College's Costs For the Major?

Wednesday 25 January 13:00:00 UTC 2017

Registered Coward v2 writes: Vault, in a blog post, discusses whether colleges should base tuition on the actual cost of providing the education rather than on a one-price-for-all-credits basis. Their argument is based on a Quartz article that shows engineering and science degrees cost schools a lot more than liberal arts degrees for a variety of reasons, including higher professor … [Link]

Mashable » The internet baes who 'breadcrumb' you and never meet you in person

Wednesday 25 January 12:50:55 UTC 2017

Online dating is kind of infuriating. You spend night after night swiping left and right in the hunt for the perfect match.  SEE ALSO: Swiping is the new cheating—or is it? But, just when you think you've found them, you get "breadcrumbed". And, the internet is precisely where they'll stay. A trail of flirtatious morsels  So, what exactly is "breadcrumbing"? Just … [Link]

Mashable » Apple's website just got an update only total geeks will notice

Wednesday 25 January 12:50:35 UTC 2017

Eagle-eyed Apple fans got a little treat Tuesday — and we do mean little, so don't get too excited. SEE ALSO: Apple's iOS 10.3 brings cricket support for Siri and a way to find your lost AirPods The official Apple website has switched fonts from "Myriad" to "San Francisco," MacRumors spotted. That brings the site in line with the iPhone, Apple … [Link]

New Scientist – News » The Alzheimer’s problem: Why we are struggling to find a cure

Wednesday 25 January 12:45:00 UTC 2017

Touted breakthroughs keep coming to nothing. Are we close to a cure, or have we got the disease all wrong? The results of three trials should tell us [Link]

Mashable » Scary helmet cam footage catches Smart car dodging around traffic

Wednesday 25 January 12:43:01 UTC 2017

We're pretty sure this isn't what the makers of Smart cars had in mind when they came up with the design. SEE ALSO: Intense helmet cam shows how a motorcyclist ended up on the trunk of a car The video above was shared on the YouTube channel Riding with Sphinx, which chronicles "daily adventures on the roads of London". The … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Hit threatening asteroids’ bright spots to deflect them

Wednesday 25 January 12:30:00 UTC 2017

Paler, softer rock is the best target if we want to knock incoming asteroids off course, suggests a study of the Chelyabinsk meteor that blew up over Russia [Link]

Mashable » These sisters did a Beyoncé medley and they sound heavenly

Wednesday 25 January 11:39:29 UTC 2017

Bow down. These Irish sisters singing a Beyoncé medley are absolutely flawless. SEE ALSO: This cello cover of the 'Game of Thrones' theme might be the classiest we've heard Megan Burke uploaded a Youtube video of her and her sister Sally-Anne Burke covering some of Beyoncé's greatest hits — and let's just say this duo really knows how to belt … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Can IBM’s principles for taming AI win over public doubts?

Wednesday 25 January 11:37:00 UTC 2017

Technology giant IBM has unveiled key pledges to encourage us to trust in artificial intelligence. Will it work, wonders Jamais Cascio [Link]

Mashable » This farmer's homemade cow-scratcher brings all the cows to the yard

Wednesday 25 January 11:36:19 UTC 2017

If you've yet to watch a sped-up video of happy cows itching their chunky behinds on a homemade cow-scratching device, then today is your lucky day. Farmer George Sanders shared the clip above on YouTube, which features his herd of merry bovines queuing up to use his genius invention (basically a brush on a spring that's been fixed to a … [Link]

Mashable » The story of this elderly couple's 65-year marriage will move you to tears

Wednesday 25 January 11:33:32 UTC 2017

This story about a husband and wife's 70-year-long romance is enough to make anyone a blubbering mess. Millions of people have been captivated by John's story, which he told during an appearance on the Channel 4 show 24 Hours in A&E after he was admitted to hospital for a heart problemAlmost 70 years ago, John and his wife went on … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Last Jedi' director shares an exciting peek of the opening crawl

Wednesday 25 January 11:30:01 UTC 2017

Lucasfilm has announced the title for Episode VIII — Star Wars: The Last Jedi — so the movie's director, Rian Johnson, can finally drop it into the opening crawl.  SEE ALSO: The new Star Wars episode title means more than you think To the boundless excitement of Star Wars fans, Johnson shared on Instagram a glimpse of his ongoing editing process … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: R for Data Science – $16.99 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL

Wednesday 25 January 11:26:58 UTC 2017

Get "R for Data Science" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2017-01-26 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]

Mashable » Maisie Williams drops hints about Arya Stark's 'Game of Thrones' S7 journey

Wednesday 25 January 11:22:35 UTC 2017

Gone are the days when Game of Thrones actors would enter an interview and casually drop spoilers about what was in store further down the line. By now they're wise to it, and Maisie Williams' recent interview on ITV's This Morning was no exception. Still, with the nightmarishly long wait before Season 7, we've got to take whatever scraps of … [Link]

Mashable » India is remeasuring Mount Everest to find out if it shrunk after earthquake

Wednesday 25 January 10:34:23 UTC 2017

Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, might have shrunk after a devastating earthquake in the region two years ago, believe some scientists. India is sending an expedition to "remeasure" the mountain, PTI reported.  SEE ALSO: This unbelievable footage of the Swiss Alps is not CGI The April 2015 quake in Nepal, which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale and affected 80 … [Link]

Mashable » Here's what Mark Hamill's got to say about the new 'Star Wars' title

Wednesday 25 January 10:29:04 UTC 2017

LONDON — If there's one thing Mark Hamill loves, it's teasing Star Wars fans with possible spoilers. SEE ALSO: The new Star Wars episode title means more than you think Remember March 2016, when he tweeted two jokey "hints" about Luke Skywalker's relationship to John Boyega and Daisy Ridley's characters? Well, it looks like he may have changed his ways. In … [Link]

Mashable » More Samsung Galaxy S8 rumors: 'Infinity display,' iris scanner and yes, a headphone jack

Wednesday 25 January 10:06:13 UTC 2017

Hot on the heels of the news that Samsung's Galaxy S8 won't launch in February comes a bevy of new rumors about the device, some of which contradict previous reports. The Guardian published quite an in-depth report Tuesday, claiming Samsung will launch two devices in late March, with availability around April 21. These phones, codenamed "Dream" and "Dream 2," will be … [Link]

Slashdot » George Orwell's '1984' Tops Amazon's Bestseller List

Wednesday 25 January 10:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Sales of George Orwell's dystopian drama 1984 have soared after Kellyanne Conway, adviser to the reality-TV-star-turned-president, Donald Trump, used the phrase "alternative facts" in an interview. As of Tuesday, the book was the sixth best-selling book on Amazon. Comparisons were made with the term "newspeak" used in the 1949 novel, which … [Link]

Mashable » This amazing selfie app is China's newest beauty obsession

Wednesday 25 January 9:37:51 UTC 2017

You’ve probably heard of Meitu, a Chinese beauty filter app that has recently taken the internet by storm. But people are moving on to their next beauty obsession — Pitu.  The app doesn't just beautify you, it transforms you into a fantasy character. SEE ALSO: That cute anime selfie app is collecting a lot more data than it needs So whether … [Link]

Mashable » People paid migrant workers to stand in line overnight for barbecue pork

Wednesday 25 January 8:17:14 UTC 2017

People go crazy for barbecue pork this time of year in Singapore, with lines typically forming round the block for the grilled treat. This year however, people are buzzing about the lines of foreign workers — most, if not all in blue-collar jobs — standing in line for their employers, at just S$5 ($3.50) an hour. SEE ALSO: This ramen joint … [Link]

Mashable » There are now as many internet users in China as there are people in Europe

Wednesday 25 January 7:35:33 UTC 2017

China now has 731 million people online — or nearly the entire population of Europe, according to a global survey. The China Internet Network Information Center (CINIC) says that the majority of the country's internet users are online via their smartphones, at 695 million.  SEE ALSO: China moves to stop 'internet addiction' rehab camps from using shock therapy on teens And … [Link]

Mashable » Apple's iOS 10.3 brings cricket support for Siri and a way to find your lost AirPods

Wednesday 25 January 7:32:59 UTC 2017

The latest iOS 10 beta update, 10.3, is sure to bring cheer for Indian users as Siri, Apple's digital assistant, will now be offering cricket scores, stats and trivia.   SEE ALSO: Apple had its best year ever in world's fastest growing smartphone market The new feature makes Apple's intent in its fastest-growing market very clear. India is a cricket-crazy nation … [Link]

Mashable » Detective Stabler a.k.a Chris Meloni is mad as hell and he's not gonna take it anymore

Wednesday 25 January 7:05:53 UTC 2017

The revolution is upon us! And hey — my eyes are up here. We may be paraphrasing, but those were just some of the statements tweeted by adored actor and real life Detective Elliot Stabler, Chris Meloni Monday night. It seems the poster boy for perfect glutes is as mad as hell and he's not gonna take it anymore. The cause? … [Link]

Slashdot » India To Send Surveyors To Find Out If Everest Shrunk From Nepal Earthquake

Wednesday 25 January 7:00:00 UTC 2017

OffTheLip writes: Recent scrutiny into the officially recorded height of the world's tallest mountain will lead to a re-measurement. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Nepal in 2015 is being eyed as the reason. India's surveyor general Swarna Subba Rao said, "We will remeasure it. Two years have passed since the major Nepal earthquake and there's doubt in the scientific community that … [Link]

Mashable » Australia: You can now go live on Instagram along with everybody else

Wednesday 25 January 6:59:34 UTC 2017

Australia is finally able to kick the FOMO and livestream on every damn app out. Following a U.S. launch in Dec. 2016, Instagram kicked off its live function in Instagram Stories locally on Wednesday.  Australians have already been able to watch foreign livestreams on the app, but now they'll be able to make their own by toggling into live in the … [Link]

Mashable » Video of former Pakistan president dancing to a Bollywood song sets tongues wagging

Wednesday 25 January 6:08:47 UTC 2017

A short, grainy, shaky video of a man grooving to a popular song has gone viral on social media.  SEE ALSO: Vin Diesel does a Kevin Spacey in India, grooves to 'Lungi Dance' The man in question is former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharaf, who's seen dancing to Dilliwali Girlfriend — a song from the 2013 hit Bollywood film Yeh Jawaani … [Link]

Mashable » 13 striking photos that capture India's 68th Republic Day preparations

Wednesday 25 January 6:02:44 UTC 2017

India is gearing up for its 68th Republic Day on Jan. 26 and the capital city of New Delhi, host to a grand parade, has been taken over by dress rehearsals.  SEE ALSO: Obama in India: The top moments from the extravagant parade The annual parade is a grand affair. It sees a variety of drills from about 25 marching and … [Link]

Mashable » Trump announces a terrible thing in a misspelled tweet

Wednesday 25 January 4:48:46 UTC 2017

It’s actually happening. Donald Trump will order the construction of his ill-conceived Mexican border wall, White House officials said Tuesday night.  SEE ALSO: 6 ways to push your online activism into the real world in the Trump era More details will come Wednesday, Trump announced in a tweet … before he deleted it. Was he suddenly gripped by regret?  Nope, he … [Link]

Mashable » Apple had its best year ever in world's fastest growing smartphone market

Wednesday 25 January 4:28:51 UTC 2017

Apple CEO Tim Cook’s desperate bet to make India its next big market is starting to pay off. SEE ALSO: Apple's 13-year winning streak ends now Last year was Apple’s best year in India. The company shipped about 2.5 million iPhones in the country, according to figures from the marketing research firm Counterpoint. The firm told Mashable India that Apple had … [Link]

Mashable » New Zealand wants to know how Trump's tech buddy became a secret citizen

Wednesday 25 January 4:21:33 UTC 2017

It looks like Peter Thiel wants a back-up plan. Whether his back-up wants him is another question. While investigating who owned a substantial property in Wanaka on New Zealand's South Island, the New Zealand Herald uncovered that the Trump cheerleader and venture capitalist was a New Zealand citizen.  On Wednesday, the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) confirmed to Mashable that Thiel … [Link]

Mashable » PSA: This Zoo wants your help to catch deadly spiders and nope, we're good

Wednesday 25 January 3:43:21 UTC 2017

When most people see those venomous eight-legged demons known as "spiders," their instinct is to run. But according to one zoo's new PSA, people should be picking them up. Carefully, mind you. With a jar.  The Australian Reptile Park has issued out a country-wide call out for "responsible adults" to embrace their fears and capture deadly funnel-web spiders, in an … [Link]

The Joy of Tech » JoT #2375: Brain freeze!

Wednesday 25 January 3:34:12 UTC 2017

What are you going for the next four years? [Link]

Slashdot » Scientists Create 3D Bioprinter Capable of Printing Living Human Skin

Wednesday 25 January 3:30:00 UTC 2017

New submitter drunkdrone quotes a report from International Business Times: Spanish scientists say they have developed a prototype 3D printer that is capable of printing "functional" human skin that can be used for transplant patients, as well as an ethical alternative to animal testing. The so-called bioprinter uses special "ink" consisting of human cells and other biological components to reproduce … [Link]

Mashable » 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy' is getting a red state makeover for Netflix

Wednesday 25 January 2:40:38 UTC 2017

Netflix is launching another reboot.  Bravo's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy will be reimagined in an eight-episode season, the streaming giant said Tuesday. "In a time when America stands divided and the future seems uncertain, a team of five brave men will try to bring us closer together with laughter, heart, and just the right amount of moisturizer," Netflix said … [Link]

Mashable » Google just dropped the last Android Wear update before its launch

Wednesday 25 January 2:05:38 UTC 2017

Google’s big Android Wear update is almost ready for primetime. After months of delays, the company pushed out the final version of the developer preview for the upcoming Android Wear 2.0 update, confirming the official release is coming next month. SEE ALSO: Google's first Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches are coming in February The update includes support for one of the most … [Link]

Slashdot » USDA Scrambles To Ease Concerns After Researchers Were Ordered To Stop Publishing Publicly Funded Science

Wednesday 25 January 2:05:00 UTC 2017

Layzej writes: Popular Science reports that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now barred from communicating with the public. [And early this morning, BuzzFeed revealed that] The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has banned scientists and other employees from sharing the results of its taxpayer-funded research with the broader public. From the report: "The memo outlining these new rules has … [Link]

Mashable » Because everything is awful, 'Fake News' is 2016's word of the year

Wednesday 25 January 2:01:37 UTC 2017

After a conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton running a child sex ring inside a Washington D.C. restaurant resulted in a North Carolina man taking a gun in to "investigate," it seemed inevitable that "fake news" would define 2016. And now it's official, with the word being chosen as Macquarie Dictionary's word of the year. If you don't laugh, you might cry. … [Link]

Mashable » Pop artist donates over $100K to Planned Parenthood after retweet promise

Wednesday 25 January 1:38:07 UTC 2017

Indie-pop hero Halsey has just helped prove that even if Twitter can't save the world, it can certainly assist in changing it. Following Trump's inauguration, the immensely popular "New Americana" singer has made her support of reproductive health services like Planned Parenthood — services at direct risk under a new government — well known.  Her support came in the form of … [Link]

Slashdot » Wine 2.0 Released

Wednesday 25 January 1:25:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Softpedia: It's finally here! After so many months of development and hard work, during which over 6,600 bugs have been patched, the Wine project is happy to announce today, January 24, 2017, the general availability of Wine 2.0. Wine 2.0 is the biggest and most complete version of the open-source software project that … [Link]

Mashable » Target launches mobile payment system — because you definitely needed another app

Wednesday 25 January 1:09:03 UTC 2017

Mobile payment is supposed to simplify the checkout process by eliminating the need to fumble around with cash or credit cards. But how much time does it actually save when every store runs on a separate app? Target became the latest retail chain to announce plans for an in-app store payment option this week, following in the footsteps of big box … [Link]

Mashable » How Trump has already taken us into full-on 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' territory

Wednesday 25 January 1:07:08 UTC 2017

Well, that didn't take long. When we started the Dystopia Project two weeks ago, with the aim of writing a story on every dystopian novel that might apply to the Trump presidency, we figured it would be a while before we had reason to cover the heavyweight champ of the genre: Nineteen Eighty-Four.  George Orwell's 1949 classic is about a state … [Link]

Mashable » Gov. Brown declares war on Trump's 'alternate universe of non-facts'

Wednesday 25 January 1:05:24 UTC 2017

Under a Donald Trump presidency, California has no plans to back down as a haven of liberal progress. That's what the state's Gov. Jerry Brown told fellow lawmakers Tuesday, during a fiery speech that saw him vow to fight back fiercely at the Trump administration on issues like climate change and immigration in an "alternate universe of non-facts." SEE ALSO: Legendary … [Link]

Slashdot » Amazon Updates Echo, Echo Dot To Let You Address It As 'Computer'

Wednesday 25 January 0:45:00 UTC 2017

ewhac writes: "Computer, what is the time, please?" is now a spoken command that will actually work with Amazon's updated Alexa/Echo smart speaker. Previously, your options were "Alexa," "Echo," and "Amazon." Now you can also choose, "Computer." In practice, it's a bit clunkier than you might hope, depending on how often you speak the word "computer" on a day-to-day basis; … [Link]

Mashable » 'You wouldn't steal a car': A safety message about celebrating 'Invasion Day'

Wednesday 25 January 0:44:12 UTC 2017

Seen a bunch of Australians talking about #ChangeTheDate on social media and don't know what the hell they're referring to? Here's a 47-second explainer, just for you. Following their previous biting take on Jan. 26, satirical YouTubers Juice Media have again tackled "Australia Day" or "Invasion Day," as it's sometimes called, with a riff on that old anti-piracy video. Marking … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Starting periods at a young age is linked to early menopause

Wednesday 25 January 0:35:00 UTC 2017

Girls who begin menstruating before their 12th birthday may be more likely to hit the menopause before age 40, and find it more difficult to have children [Link]

New Scientist – News » The folds in your brain may be linked to how neurotic you are

Wednesday 25 January 0:31:00 UTC 2017

Brain scans of 500 people have revealed an association between the thickness and structure of the cortex, and how neurotic or open a person is [Link]

New Scientist – News » Parasite turns wasp into zombie then drills through its head

Wednesday 25 January 0:31:00 UTC 2017

It’s Russian dolls of nature’s manipulators: a wasp that fools oak trees to make it a crypt to live in is in turn made to drill a route out of the crypt by another wasp [Link]

Mashable » Korean Basketball League is super late to mannequin challenge, still slays it

Wednesday 25 January 0:22:51 UTC 2017

You thought it was over. Shoot, we all thought it was over.  But this is 2017, an uncharted mystery of a year where rules don't apply, and even things like the mannequin challenge can find life again. So here, we have the latest iteration. And while every new installment of the mannequin challenge is perennially dubbed "the best yet," this … [Link]

Mashable » This nifty trick lets Android users download all the Netflix movies they want

Wednesday 25 January 0:16:11 UTC 2017

Netflix’s movie and TV shows download feature is pretty great. Wanna know what's not so great? If you're an Android user and you don't have enough internal storage left to store videos. A new update to the Android app fixes that. Users with Android mobile devices that support microSD cards can now download videos to the external storage. SEE ALSO: Everything … [Link]

Mashable » Elon Musk just endorsed Trump’s secretary of state pick, and it makes no sense

Wednesday 25 January 0:08:01 UTC 2017

Something strange is happening to Elon Musk.  First, he joined President Donald Trump's orbit as a business advisor. Now, the evangelist for clean energy who oversees Tesla, SolarCity and SpaceX has endorsed Trump's controversial secretary of state pick, the longtime ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson. This is the equivalent of the Wright Brothers endorsing the inventor of the horse and buggy. SEE … [Link]

Slashdot » Researchers Discover Massive Networks of Fake Twitter Accounts

Wednesday 25 January 0:05:00 UTC 2017

mi writes: Turns out, there are researchers studying ways to identify bots on Twitter — fake accounts used by individuals or groups for various purposes. They identified, what seems like a collection of 350,000 accounts, all of which share the same subtle characteristics: tweets coming from places where nobody lives; messages being posted only from Windows phones; exclusively including quotes … [Link]

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