John Gordon Ross

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

Slashdot » Wikipedia Bans Daily Mail As 'Unreliable' Source

Wednesday 8 February 23:50:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Wikipedia editors have voted to ban the Daily Mail as a source for the website in all but exceptional circumstances after deeming the news group "generally unreliable." The move is highly unusual for the online encyclopaedia, which rarely puts in place a blanket ban on publications and which still allows links … [Link]

Mashable » Steph Curry burns Trump after president gets praise from Under Armour CEO

Wednesday 8 February 23:45:07 UTC 2017

Add Golden State Warriors star and back-to-back NBA MVP Steph Curry to the list of sports figures who've recently criticized Donald Trump.  But this is on another level.  And the most interesting part? It likely wouldn't have happened at all if one of Curry's primary employers hadn't sung the president's praises.  SEE ALSO: The most dad-ass dad sneaker of all time … [Link]

Mashable » Something is very, very wrong with the Arctic climate

Wednesday 8 February 23:41:51 UTC 2017

This Arctic winter has startled even the most even-keeled scientists, with records set for low sea ice extent, high temperatures and other indicators of a climate gone awry.  Sea ice has plummeted to record lows and stayed there as pulses of unusually warm air have swept across the region, with the latest one set to reach the North Pole on Thursday. … [Link]

Mashable » Oakland Raiders roast each other on Twitter with savage celebrity look-alikes

Wednesday 8 February 23:38:28 UTC 2017

The Oakland Raiders' storybook season ended in devastating fashion last month, but based on their recent Twitter activity, the players appear to have put their Wild Card playoff loss in the past.  A handful of players essentially had a doppelgänger battle on Twitter Tuesday night, throwing celebrity look-alikes back and forth.  SEE ALSO: Pornhub reveals that Super Bowl halftime porn is … [Link]

Mashable » Wikipedia pretty much bans 'Daily Mail' as 'unreliable' source

Wednesday 8 February 23:23:11 UTC 2017

Prepare yourself for less celebrity gossip on Wikipedia. Editors for the site (who are all volunteers) voted Wednesday to almost entirely ban the British tabloid newspaper the Daily Mail as a source, calling the publication "generally unreliable." SEE ALSO: Early newspaper editions could not keep up with that legendary Super Bowl ending The Daily Mail's reliability has been a point of … [Link]

Slashdot » Police Arrest Five Men For Selling Kodi Boxes 'Fully Loaded' With Illegal Streaming Apps

Wednesday 8 February 23:20:00 UTC 2017

Five people have been arrested in early morning raids for selling "fully loaded Kodi boxes," which are set-top boxes modified to stream subscription football matches, television channels and films for free. The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) said it believed the suspects had made roughly $250,000 selling the devices online. BBC reports: Kodi is free software built by volunteers to … [Link]

Popular Science » A wireless charging port for 74 percent off? I'd buy it

Wednesday 8 February 22:53:00 UTC 2017

Gadgets Run like the wind! Be one with the deal! A wireless charger port for 74 percent off? I'd buy it. Run like the wind! Be one with the deal! [Link]

Slashdot » Comcast Should Stop Claiming It Has 'Fastest Internet,' Ad Board Rules

Wednesday 8 February 22:50:00 UTC 2017

The advertising industry's self-regulation body said Comcast should stop saying in advertisements that it "delivers the fastest internet in America" and the "fastest in-home Wi-Fi." The evidence Comcast uses to substantiate those claims is not sufficient, ruled the National Advertising Review Board (NARB). Ars Technica reports: Verizon had challenged Comcast's advertising claims, leading to today's ruling. Comcast said today that … [Link]

Mashable » Daring cat tries to steal food from a bird feeder and it's intense

Wednesday 8 February 22:25:55 UTC 2017

Sometimes you have to risk it all to get your paws on some delicious snacks.  After impressively scaling a tiny tree branch in Russia, this agile feline managed to steal a chunk of bacon from a makeshift bird feeder by precariously dangling by its hind legs.  Sorry, birds. Hungry squirrel and mean crow engage in a battle over coveted pizza slice … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook will block certain ads if they're targeted by race

Wednesday 8 February 22:22:47 UTC 2017

Facebook is taking more steps to address accusations that it enables advertisers to illegally discriminate by race. The social network announced Tuesday that it would begin using its artificial intelligence tools to identify ads for housing, credit and jobs, then shut them down if they are targeted by "ethnic affinity" — essentially Facebook's proxy for race. SEE ALSO: Facebook sued over … [Link]

Mashable » Chrissy Teigen pokes fun at media coverage of her car accident

Wednesday 8 February 22:18:42 UTC 2017

Fans of Chrissy Teigen were concerned Tuesday night after it was reported that she'd been involved in a hit-and-run car accident. Thankfully, she emerged uninjured — and because it's Chrissy Teigen, somehow gave us some good tweets about it. First, she linked to a particularly dramatic article about the crash from UK tabloid The Daily Star. "Sad news," the headline reads, … [Link]

Mashable » Nicki Minaj stands up for bullied kid in heartwarming Instagram

Wednesday 8 February 22:13:27 UTC 2017

Nicki Minaj has an empire to run, hit records to create and a fake pregnancy to laugh about, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have time to say a little something against elementary school bullying.  When her fifth grade teacher, Liz Smith-Breslin, posted a heartbreaking Instagram video with her son about the harassment he had experienced in school, Nicki shared an … [Link]

Mashable » This blind skater proves that humans are amazing

Wednesday 8 February 22:12:52 UTC 2017

Dan Mancina is showing off his skating skills to challenge presumptions people may have about blind people. The 29-year-old hopes to win a grant to fund a global tour as an ambassador for blind ambition from the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired institute. Read more…More about Standalone Featured, Real Time Video, Real Time, Viral Videos, and Inspiring [Link]

Slashdot » Programmer Develops Phone Bot To Target Windows Support Scammers

Wednesday 8 February 22:11:52 UTC 2017

Trailrunner7 quotes a report from On the Wire: The man who developed a bot that frustrates and annoys robocallers is planning to take on the infamous Windows support scam callers head-on. Roger Anderson last year debuted his Jolly Roger bot, a system that intercepts robocalls and puts the caller into a never-ending loop of pre-recorded phrases designed to waste their … [Link]

Slashdot » Pioneering Data Genius Hans Rosling Passes Away At Age 68

Wednesday 8 February 22:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: On Tuesday, Sweden's prime minister tweeted that Hans Rosling "made human progress across our world come alive for millions," and the public educator will probably best be remembered as the man who could condense 200 years of global history into four minutes. He was a geek's geek, a former professor of global health who "dropped out" … [Link]

Mashable » Bathrobe Trump gets comfortable in some strange places with this Photoshop battle

Wednesday 8 February 21:47:59 UTC 2017

Trump loves a good bathrobe as much as Reddit loves a Photoshop battle. It all started when a New York Times story reported on President Donald Trump's television habits, saying he channel surfs cable news in a bathrobe. SEE ALSO: The White House mailbox is full of postcards to #PresidentBannon It then escalated when White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer insisted … [Link]

Mashable » High school hoop star LaMelo Ball's 92-point game ignites backlash online and IRL

Wednesday 8 February 21:43:27 UTC 2017

LaMelo Ball, a lanky high school sophomore from Southern California, scored 92 points in a high school basketball game. That is an absolutely astounding, astonishing, incredible and damn-near inconceivable amount of points for anyone to score in a basketball game — much less coming from a high school sophomore.  But if only this story were quite that simple.  SEE ALSO: The … [Link]

Mashable » Signal, Snowden's favorite private messenger, is testing a video call feature

Wednesday 8 February 21:42:37 UTC 2017

Signal, better known as Edward Snowden's favorite private messaging app, is testing a feature that lets users make video calls.  A beta version of the secure messaging platform is now available on Google Play, which includes an additional toggle for "video calling beta" when you go into settings. Users can make encrypted video calls to other Signal users who have also … [Link]

Mashable » Everything we know about Disney's secretive Star Wars Land

Wednesday 8 February 21:27:35 UTC 2017

Disney theme park guests on both coasts will get to visit a galaxy far, far away — but only after they've waited in line for two more Star Wars movies. That was the word from Disney CEO Bob Iger, who announced in an earnings call Tuesday that two "Star Wars Lands" will open some time in 2019 — one in Anaheim, … [Link]

Slashdot » E3 Will 'Officially' Open To The Public this Year

Wednesday 8 February 21:20:00 UTC 2017

E3 has traditionally been a media-only event — at least in theory. But starting in 2017, you won't even need a WordPress account to get access to the latest and greatest in gaming. From a report: The Entertainment Software Association, which organizes the event, announced on Wednesday that it is reserving 15,000 tickets for the general public to attend the … [Link]

Mashable » Hungry squirrel and mean crow engage in a battle over coveted pizza slice

Wednesday 8 February 21:11:39 UTC 2017

Even this squirrel knows that you should always fight for the last slice. In this video posted on Youtube by The Weather Network, one lucky squirrel hits the jackpot after finding a stray slice of pizza on a street in Nova Scotia. It's in the clear to enjoy the slice until a hostile crow swoops in and tries to swipe … [Link]

Mashable » Silicon Valley is struggling to work together against Trump's havoc

Wednesday 8 February 21:11:10 UTC 2017

On a daily basis, Stewart Butterfield roasts Donald Trump on Twitter. The Slack CEO is among the most outspoken leaders in the tech community when it comes to the new president, which made it all the more surprising to see his company missing from the list of 97 tech giants that signed onto an amicus brief opposing the recent Muslim travel … [Link]

Popular Science » Just 6 rad kites for celebrating National Kite Flying Day

Wednesday 8 February 21:00:00 UTC 2017

Gadgets Let out some slack and take flight. If you have a chance to go outside, make sure to fly a kite for us. We wish we could join you. [Link]

Mashable » 'Arrow' star David Ramsey says Diggle is a changed man post-prison

Wednesday 8 February 20:58:58 UTC 2017

Prison can really change a person. Going to prison twice for a crime you didn't commit? Now that's grounds for a complete personality change. Thankfully, Diggle (David Ramsey) was released from his incarceration before any permanent damage could be done to his psyche on Arrow, but he didn't escape completely unscathed.  Team Arrow's favorite bodyguard-turned-crime-fighting-par~ can put all his legal woes … [Link]

Popular Science » Mysterious geoglyphs can teach us about the Amazon's past—and its worrisome future

Wednesday 8 February 20:51:39 UTC 2017

Environment Enormous shapes etched onto the Earth Large geometric shapes found in the Amazon rainforest suggest that humans have been altering forests there for thousands of years… [Link]

Popular Science » This male birth control worked for over a year (in monkeys)

Wednesday 8 February 20:46:08 UTC 2017

Health It gives ‘are you gellin’?’ a whole new meaning Nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. We can do better. [Link]

Mashable » 10-year-old girl moves birthday party to nursing home to celebrate with her grandma

Wednesday 8 February 20:40:27 UTC 2017

When 10-year-old Ellie realized that her grandmother Rita wouldn't be able to attend her birthday party due to health concerns, she considered canceling it all together. But her mother Kimber (who asked Mashable to omit her last name) came up with a better solution: bring the party to granny's nursing home. SEE ALSO: Bob Ross-themed birthday party delighted the internet In … [Link]

Slashdot » We Finally Have a Computer That Can Survive the Surface of Venus

Wednesday 8 February 20:40:00 UTC 2017

Planet Venus is one of the most inhospitable places in the solar system. The surface temperature there is 470C (878F). This has been one of the key challenges that has prevented us from deeply exploring Venus. Normal chips can only function until around 250C, but it appears, we will soon have a computer that can withstand Venus' weather. From a … [Link]

Mashable » Mandy Moore's parents offer unsolicited advice to her 'This Is Us' character

Wednesday 8 February 20:27:38 UTC 2017

Your parents are never going to turn down an opportunity to tell you what you did wrong, even if you're just following a script. Mandy Moore's mom and dad are also very emotionally invested in the Pearson family's ups and downs on This Is Us, but unlike you, they have her phone number. So they text her to figure out what's … [Link]

Mashable » Gamers donated over $70,000 to get 'Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3' to Evo 2017

Wednesday 8 February 20:27:04 UTC 2017

The fundraising war is over and the ninth game at the biggest fighting game tournament in the world is decided: Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. Multi-title fighting game event Evo 2017 is hosting nine different fighting game tournaments in July — eight chosen by the Evo tournament organizers and one chosen by the community. Instead of holding a simple multiple choice … [Link]

Mashable » 'The OA' will return for a trippy Season 2

Wednesday 8 February 20:26:49 UTC 2017

Netflix has renewed its latest bingeable thriller, The OA, for Season 2 — and it has the cryptic teaser trailer to prove it. Created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, The OA stars Marling as Prairie Johnson, a blind girl who went missing for seven years and returned to her hometown with her sight restored. Prairie refuses to talk about … [Link]

Mashable » San Jose Sharks trolled the Atlanta Falcons after they dropped a lead and lost in overtime

Wednesday 8 February 20:20:08 UTC 2017

Oh, the agony of watching a big lead slip right through your fingers on the biggest stage.  The Golden State Warriors have felt it. The Cleveland Indians have felt it. And, most recently, the Atlanta Falcons have felt it.  SEE ALSO: Sad Atlanta Falcons fan buries team gear as a warning for the future The San Jose Sharks poked some fun … [Link]

Mashable » 'Call of Duty' developer takes us on a tour of the new Zombies map

Wednesday 8 February 20:12:15 UTC 2017

“Rave in the Redwoods," the new Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Zombies map, is pretty damn cool. I got a tour of the map on Feb. 7 from none other than Lee Ross, associate project director on Infinite Warfare's Zombies maps. For 20 rounds, we smashed the undead and talked at length about Call of Duty, broadcasting every moment of it … [Link]

Mashable » Kylie Jenner might be scamming lip kit customers by repackaging old shades

Wednesday 8 February 20:11:37 UTC 2017

Kylie Jenner is the beauty guru version of Pinnochio, except if she lies, her lips might get plumper and her wallet gets fatter. Now Kylie Costmetics is embroiled in another kontroversy after fans started accusing the celebriteen of repackaging old lip kit shades as "limited edition" hues. The Holiday Lip Kit Set included a shade called Blitzen, billed as a "warmer … [Link]

Mashable » Intel meeting with Trump turned into a really awkward infomercial

Wednesday 8 February 20:05:43 UTC 2017

Chip tech giant Intel held a press conference with Donald Trump Wednesday, but instead of just the usual photo op and quick announcement about jobs and innovation, this meeting awkwardly veered into infomercial territory. SEE ALSO: These are the tech giants who didn't sign Silicon Valley's letter against Trump's travel ban It started typically enough with the company's CEO Brian … [Link]

Slashdot » Intel To Invest $7 Billion in Factory in Arizona, Employ 3,000 People

Wednesday 8 February 20:00:00 UTC 2017

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich met with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, where the company announced it will invest $7 billion in a factory employing up to 3,000 people. From a report: The factory will be in Chandler, Arizona, the company said, and over 10,000 people in the Arizona area will support the factory. Krzanich confirmed to CNBC that the investment … [Link]

Mashable » Oculus Rift gets voice-controlled search in VR

Wednesday 8 February 19:58:07 UTC 2017

One the most frequent requests from Oculus Rift users is the ability to search for apps on Oculus Home, a basic but missing tool in the Oculus virtual reality environment — until now.  A new update, only available to some users right now, offers a search feature called Oculus Voice.  SEE ALSO: Facebook's VR social network is surprisingly stunning Currently, for … [Link]

Mashable » Watch rich people gaze wistfully in the trailer for Sofia Coppola's 'The Beguiled'

Wednesday 8 February 19:56:37 UTC 2017

The Beguiled, the latest film from Sofia Coppola, is a thriller about a Union soldier who finds himself at a Confederate boarding school full of "vengeful bitches." There are a lot of excellent dresses and no one's happy.  The film stars Coppola favorites Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning as well as newcomers to her meticulously curated world, Colin Farrell and … [Link]

Mashable » HoloLens app mixes AR and VR to put a room on the top of Mt. Fuji

Wednesday 8 February 19:40:51 UTC 2017

We hear many descriptions of future applications around mixed reality — the intersection of augmented reality and virtual reality — but we don't see much in the way of real demonstrations of the technology.  Now a new HoloLens experiment from a Japan-based developer shows us what one version of mixed reality actually looks like.  SEE ALSO: HoloLens magic brings 'Portal' to … [Link]

Mashable » This wearable can record everything you say — then write it down

Wednesday 8 February 19:40:03 UTC 2017

We’ve all been struck by a jolt of inspiration at the most inopportune moment, only to have the brilliant idea slip away before it can be jotted down. A new voice-recording wearable could ensure that never happens again. Launched on Kickstarter earlier this month, Senstone is a compact brooch-sized device designed to capture your spur-of-the-moment thoughts at the tap of a … [Link]

Mashable » 'Rocket League' is really growing this year

Wednesday 8 February 19:35:11 UTC 2017

The competitive Rocket League scene is growing, and its developers are gearing up to support it in 2017 with more money, more tournaments and more support for the esports community. Rocket League developer Psyonix is putting more than $2.5 million into Rocket League esports in 2017, the company said today, listing off all the ways the money will go into expanding … [Link]

Mashable » How computer hacking is becoming Russia’s weapon of choice

Wednesday 8 February 19:35:04 UTC 2017

In his 2007 address to the Annual Security Conference in Munich, Vladimir Putin threw down a gauntlet to the West. Attacking what he called "illegal" unilateral military action by the US, he hinted that Russia would build its capability in information warfare to counter American and NATO expansion. In the same year, a Russian policy doctrine noted that as the world … [Link]

Mashable » Kate McKinnon to voice Miss Frizzle in Netflix's 'Magic School Bus' reboot

Wednesday 8 February 19:33:58 UTC 2017

Kate McKinnon has impersonated famous personas from Justin Bieber to Hillary Clinton, and soon she'll bring to life the iconic Miss Frizzle in Netflix's The Magic School Bus Rides Again. SEE ALSO: Drew Barrymore is all about that zombie mom life in Netflix's 'Santa Clarita Diet' According to People, McKinnon will voice Fiona — the sister of Valerie, the original Miss … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Glass from nuclear test site shows the moon was born dry

Wednesday 8 February 19:30:00 UTC 2017

Examining residue from the first detonation of a nuclear weapon has helped explain why the moon seems to have so few volatile elements like water and methane [Link]

Mashable » The secret love affair between Harry Potter and Voldemort

Wednesday 8 February 19:30:00 UTC 2017

J.K. Rowling wrote a secret love story in the Harry Potter series and we did a little mischief management to get it from her! Don't miss the newest franchise installment this Valentine's Day. Visit CineFix for more episodes and movie-related content.  Read more…More about Ralph Fiennes, Daniel Radcliffe, Recut Trailer, J.K. Rowling, and Harry Potter Books [Link]

New Scientist – News » Antibiotics might kill gut bacteria that protect newborn lungs

Wednesday 8 February 19:30:00 UTC 2017

A study in mice has found that gut bacteria send signals that protect young lungs from pneumonia, prompting concern over antibiotic use in Caesarean sections [Link]

Mashable » Leak suggests Samsung is going after the Surface Pro with an impressive tablet PC

Wednesday 8 February 19:28:23 UTC 2017

Samsung’s TabPro S did a good job modeling itself off the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and iPad Pro, but it was no Surface Pro killer. With no Surface Pro 5 available (yet), Samsung might get its chance to leap ahead of the competition, assuming leaked product details from The Leaker turn out to be the real deal. SEE ALSO: Samsung's new … [Link]

Mashable » Ted Cruz congratulated a woman on having multiple sclerosis. Seriously.

Wednesday 8 February 19:22:37 UTC 2017

There are many appropriate responses to when someone is sharing a difficult situation his or her life. To congratulate that person is not one of them.  Sen. Ted Cruz squared off against Sen. Bernie Sanders in a CNN debate over the future of the Affordable Care Act Tuesday night. And, unfortunately, when Cruz was asked a question by an audience member … [Link]

Popular Science » Is it too late for me to get a flu shot?

Wednesday 8 February 19:22:16 UTC 2017

Health Don’t throw away your shot It’s somehow already February, people in your office are succumbing to the flu one by one, and you’re wondering: is it too late for me to get my flu shot? [Link]

Slashdot » Why Has Cameroon Blocked the Internet?

Wednesday 8 February 19:20:00 UTC 2017

It has been over three weeks since English-speaking parts of Cameroon, a country on the west coast of Africa between Nigeria and Gabon, has had no internet connectivity. Residents believe, according to a BBC report, that the government is behind it. From the report: The two regions affected, South-West and North-West, have seen anti-government protests in recent months. Just a … [Link]

Popular Science » How to survive the 'Little House' books

Wednesday 8 February 19:19:00 UTC 2017

DIY The Ingalls family almost died. A lot. We chose one near-death experience from each Little House book and compared the family’s survival technique to today’s best practices. [Link]

Mashable » Browsing Pinterest is about to get as easy as snapping a pic

Wednesday 8 February 19:18:03 UTC 2017

You can now browse Pinterest via your smartphone camera. Pinterest introduced a new feature called Lens, which allows users to search for Pins with their smartphone camera. SEE ALSO: These are the hottest trends for 2017 according to Pinterest Available "in the coming weeks" for iOS and Android (in beta), the feature lets you snap photos of objects you come across … [Link]

Mashable » Young snake catcher dies while attempting to kiss a cobra

Wednesday 8 February 19:07:52 UTC 2017

It’s a tale of tragic ironies.  A 21-year-old snake catcher in India died after attempting to kiss a cobra. He was admitted to a civic hospital with a venomous snakebite on his chest and succumbed to it three days later, the Times of India reported.  SEE ALSO: Woman's pet snake got stuck in her gauged earlobe and we're screaming Somnath Mhatre … [Link]

Mashable » Trump's 'Easy D' tweet took the internet straight to penis jokes

Wednesday 8 February 19:04:30 UTC 2017

“Easy D" could mean many things to people. And few of them are probably what the President actually wants. We know because we took 15 seconds to loudly express confusion, disbelief and wonder over Donald Trump's midday tweet on Wednesday. Big increase in traffic into our country from certain areas, while our people are far more vulnerable, as we wait for … [Link]

Mashable » To hunt in the dark, these fish bring their own 'flashlights'

Wednesday 8 February 19:01:40 UTC 2017

If you're hunting for food on a pitch-black night, it helps to bring a flashlight. That's exactly how reef-dwelling Anomalops katoptron fish find and gobble up their planktonic prey, German scientists found. SEE ALSO: Video of elusive ghost shark is both majestic and creepy Splitfin flashlight fish have bean-shaped organs beneath their eyes that host light-producing bacteria. The fish can turn … [Link]

Mashable » Netflix's 'Girlboss' will get you hella inspired

Wednesday 8 February 18:52:48 UTC 2017

Get ready, Nasty Gals. Netflix's series #GirlBoss, based on Sophia Amoruso's New York Times bestseller, will launch on Netflix April 21. The 13-episode comedy series stars Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland). It is inspired by the book, which follows Amoruso as she shares how she went from "dumpster diving" to founding popular online fashion retailer Nasty Gal.  Kay Cannon, writer of the … [Link]

Mashable » Trump's attack on Nordstrom over Ivanka gets the POTUS Twitter boost

Wednesday 8 February 18:52:24 UTC 2017

UPDATED 2:15 p.m. ET to add comment from White House spokesman Sean Spicer regarding tweet President Trump is now upping the ante on his attack tweets, finally taking to the @POTUS Twitter account to retweet himself attacking clothing chain Nordstrom for dropping daughter Ivanka Trump's clothing line.  Late Wednesday morning, Trump sent a tweet from his personal account slamming Nordstrom for … [Link]

Mashable » Customs agents seize 3,947 pounds of weed disguised as limes

Wednesday 8 February 18:52:00 UTC 2017

Despite it becoming easier and easier for Americans to legally consume cannabis, thousands of pounds of of weed still comes across the border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Texas discovered 3,947 pounds of "alleged marijuana" inside a shipment of key limes. Even a quick glance at the "limes" would alert anyone who has ever seen a lime before that … [Link]

Slashdot » Story Of a Founder Who Burned Through $21M While His Social App Fling Crashed

Wednesday 8 February 18:50:32 UTC 2017

London-based social media app Fling, which never brought in any revenue, burned through $21 million in less than three years. According to a Business Insider report, the founder splashed out on 1st class flights, Ibiza hotels, and Michelin-star restaurants (Editor's note: The link could ask users to disable their adblockers; alternate source. From the report: In early July 2015, temperatures … [Link]

Mashable » Netflix's 'Dear White People' gets a release date

Wednesday 8 February 18:44:13 UTC 2017

Dear White People star Logan Browning says "People's eyes bug out" at the title of her upcoming Netflix show. Be that as it may, the show has one missive: Listen up. SEE ALSO: Everything you may have missed in the 'Stranger Things' Season 2 teaser Dear White People takes place at an Ivy League campus, where even highly educated students … [Link]

Mashable » Microsoft Office beta testers will soon get MacBook Pro Touch Bar support

Wednesday 8 February 18:40:23 UTC 2017

The jury is still out on whether the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pros are a total gimmick or not — some people really like it but others, not so much. While it'll take some time before there's a healthy crop of apps with Touch Bar support, Microsoft Office is ready to finally join the club. SEE ALSO: MacBook Pro with … [Link]

Mashable » Experience true wedded bliss with the new Domino's pizza registry

Wednesday 8 February 18:30:04 UTC 2017

If you're a newly engaged human, we bet you don't want a lot of the gifts on the average wedding registry. Napkin rings? Boring. Also, what even is a ramekin? Well, Domino's is here to save you from wedding gift ennui. Using its new Domino's Wedding Registry, you can now ask your guests for what you really want — a shit … [Link]

Mashable » 'Legion' creator wants the show to prove itself before you call it an X-Men series

Wednesday 8 February 18:30:01 UTC 2017

Keep this in mind when you tune into Legion: series creator Noah Hawley isn’t just messing with the head of the mentally unstable — but very psychically powerful — mutant David Haller, he’s also messing with yours a little bit. Hawley, of course, is the mastermind behind FX’s event series Fargo, which managed to retain the crime-noir-but-quirky sensibility of the beloved … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Age verification for online porn will be a security disaster

Wednesday 8 February 18:30:00 UTC 2017

The UK’s Digital Economy bill will force users to prove their age before they access porn. This is not only hard to do, it’s also a goldmine for blackmailers and hackers [Link]

New Scientist – News » Why some people with HIV can now ditch condoms

Wednesday 8 February 18:30:00 UTC 2017

If you take your meds regularly, and you are monogamous, two new studies show a negligible chance of passing on HIV. How will this change lives? [Link]

New Scientist – News » More than 100 tech firms sign letter opposing Trump travel ban

Wednesday 8 February 18:30:00 UTC 2017

Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft claim the president’s ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries inflicts "substantial harm on US companies” [Link]

New Scientist – News » Rare mid-weight black hole found at heart of bright star cluster

Wednesday 8 February 18:30:00 UTC 2017

Intermediate-mass black holes – weighing a few hundred to a few thousand solar masses – are the Bigfoot of astronomy, but now we may have seen one in our galaxy [Link]

Popular Science » The quinoa genome could help scientists get it out of the health food aisle

Wednesday 8 February 18:30:00 UTC 2017

Science It's the first step to bringing the super grain to the masses The genome of quinoa has been sequenced. Nutritious and grown in harsh environments, quinoa deserves more efforts to become a true commodity crop, researchers say. [Link]

Mashable » This gaming smartwatch has Atari classics built right in

Wednesday 8 February 18:28:25 UTC 2017

Since we now have smartphones with us at all times, we can carry our favorite video games in our pockets. If you're a really dedicated gamer, though, you'll want to be wearing the classics right on your wrist.  You can do exactly that with the Gameband, a smartwatch gaming platform that comes with 20 preloaded Atari classics like Pong, Breakout and … [Link]

Mashable » Your dates are definitely judging you for your crappy old phone

Wednesday 8 February 18:26:51 UTC 2017

We all love our phones. But if you're trying to find an actual person to love, your ancient Android or scratched up iPhone could be hurting your chances. New survey data shows that your device of choice and how you use it can speak volumes about you. Though you may not have to buy a new phone just yet. It turns … [Link]

Mashable » Netflix wants to start selling you merch

Wednesday 8 February 18:23:51 UTC 2017

Get ready for Frank Underwood action figures. Netflix is looking to hire a "senior manager of licensing, merchandising and promotion," a position that underscore's the streaming service's aspirations to get into the merch business. "We are pursuing consumer products and associated promotion because we believe it will drive meaningful show awareness/buzz with more tangible, curated ways to interact with our most … [Link]

Mashable » George Lopez faces Twitter's rage for an anti-black joke and lashing out at audience member

Wednesday 8 February 18:14:02 UTC 2017

George Lopez is trending online in 2017 and no, it's not because there's a George Lopez Show revival in the works.  The comedian is in the middle of a heated Twitter debate after footage was released by TMZ of Lopez telling racially charged joke from his stand-up performance in Phoenix—and his retort to an audience member's reaction was not the most … [Link]

Mashable » This slash-resistant shirt could save lives

Wednesday 8 February 18:12:31 UTC 2017

The 'Cut-Tex Pro' fabric is slash resistant and claims to be five times stronger than Kevlar, the material used in bulletproof vestsThis fabric could be used to help save the lives of those in law enforcement, as well as a variety of other uses.  Read more…More about Shirt Saving Lives, Wearable Tech, Wearables, Tech, and Shirt [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft Now Offers Patent Troll Defense For Azure Customers

Wednesday 8 February 18:10:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: Microsoft Azure will now offer customers protection against patent trolling, via Redmond's considerable collection of 10,000 legal patents. The practice of patent trolling has become an industry hazard for startups in the last fifteen years, with companies forming solely for the purpose of exploiting obscure or difficult-to-research patents which may overlap with the IP of startups. … [Link]

Mashable » New Facebook bot helps you find upcoming protests near you

Wednesday 8 February 18:06:30 UTC 2017

As protests continue to spring up around the country — and the world — in response to President Donald Trump's policies and rhetoric, keeping track of local demonstrations can be hard.  But a new chatbot is here to do some of the legwork for youWeBot, which launched Wednesday, is a Facebook Messenger bot that lets you easily find protests in your … [Link]

Mashable » It's 73 degrees in the Mid-Atlantic today. Tomorrow it will snow.

Wednesday 8 February 18:03:17 UTC 2017

If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, get ready for an acute case of weather whiplash.  On Wednesday in Washington, D.C., a 117-year-old temperature record was broken as temperatures surged past 70 degrees, which is nearly unheard of for early February. This came on the heels of a record warm Tuesday. The D.C. warmup up comes courtesy of a push … [Link]

Mashable » 'Overwatch' hero Doomfist may be coming soon, evidence suggests

Wednesday 8 February 17:57:18 UTC 2017

An intrepid Overwatch investigator uncovered evidence on the game's public test region that may point to a new, upcoming Overwatch hero: Doomfist. Redditor Venxa posted today that Overwatch's latest PTR update includes a model of the payload on the map Numbani where its glass case has been shattered. That payload, which currently exists in the game, carries Doomfist's gauntlet, but the … [Link]

Mashable » When 44 men tried to silence Elizabeth Warren, she took her voice to Facebook Live

Wednesday 8 February 17:54:52 UTC 2017

If you were one of the thousands of panicked politics dorks watching C-SPAN 2 last night, you witnessed something remarkable: Sen. Mitch McConnell, along with 48 other Republican senators, voting to temporarily but formally silence Sen. Elizabeth Warren. It was a spectacularly theatrical — and of course, devastatingly sad moment — in our recent traumatic political history. McConnell invoked an arcane … [Link]

Popular Science » A 'bridge of stars' connects two of our closest galaxies

Wednesday 8 February 17:50:33 UTC 2017

Space Sadly it's not walkable Europe's Gaia spacecraft has spotted a 'bridge of stars' between two dwarf galaxies. The halo is 43,000 light-years long. [Link]

Mashable » College student unclear on difference between pregnancy test and thermometer

Wednesday 8 February 17:39:54 UTC 2017

Clearly Jeremy from Transcendentalism needs a refresher on how pregnancy tests work. Twitter user at @han_NASTY shared a screenshot proving the dangers of texting a classmate a photo of your thermometer. SEE ALSO: Stellar pregnancy announcement features a dog wearing glasses "Umm should I be worried about this kid from my English class," she captioned the image. Umm should I be … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Box Overhauls its Developer Experience

Wednesday 8 February 17:34:22 UTC 2017

Today, Box announced a number of new features intended to reimagine the developer experience with the entire Box platform, including its APIs. New developer tools including an API Navigator, an API explorer, and crowd-sourced API docs deliver greater access and flexibility when working with Box APIs and documentation. As the company continues to market itself as a platform as opposed … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Massive lake drained for hydropower leaves dry bed and no fish

Wednesday 8 February 17:34:00 UTC 2017

A large artificial lake in Bosnia’s Neretva valley has been emptied by an energy firm, leaving locals crying foul over damage to wildlife [Link]

Slashdot » Samsung Factory Fire Caused By Faulty Batteries

Wednesday 8 February 17:30:00 UTC 2017

A fire that drew out 110 firefighters and 19 trucks to a factory operated by Samsung Galaxy Note 7 battery supplier, Samsung SDI, was caused by discarded faulty batteries, the company has said. From a report: A "minor fire" broke out Wednesday in a Samsung SDI plant in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin and had to be extinguished, according … [Link]

Mashable » 'Counter-Strike' player gets 1,000-year ban for sexually harassing an alleged minor

Wednesday 8 February 17:24:01 UTC 2017

After Counter-Strike players compiled and posted evidence that a fellow player was sexually harassing an alleged minor, competitive Counter-Strike community and league organizer ESEA hit him with an unprecedented ban to last 1,000 years. 25-year-old Counter-Strike player Reece "Bloominator" Bloom was banned from ESEA until June 5, 3016 after community members posted photos of conversations he had with an alleged 15-year-old … [Link]

Mashable » Here's a handy Mad Libs script to help you through your Congress-calling jitters

Wednesday 8 February 17:10:22 UTC 2017

Members of Congress have received an influx in calls lately because, ya know, the world is falling apart and people have something to say about it.  SEE ALSO: Mr. No Fun Paul Ryan shuts down kid who tries to dab Gathering all of your thoughts together for one short voicemail could be tough, but with this handy Congress Calling Madlibs created … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook's 'Lite' app for developing areas now has 200 million monthly users

Wednesday 8 February 17:01:02 UTC 2017

Facebook’s investment in the developing world is paying off.  More than 200 million people now use FB Lite every month, the company announced Wednesday. That's up from 100 million last March.  Facebook Lite, or FB Lite, is a standalone Android app made for lower end phones and optimized for users with limited internet access.  The social network announced it will expand … [Link]

Mashable » With Android Wear 2.0, Google targets the Apple Watch by imitating it

Wednesday 8 February 17:00:00 UTC 2017

Android Wear's second coming is finally here After months of delays and more than a few leaks, Google is finally launching  Android Wear 2.0 with two new watches from LG: the LG Watch Style and the LG Watch Sport, both of which go on sale Friday. The update, which will roll out to more watches later this month, is a complete … [Link]

Mashable » Google missed its big chance to stomp all over the Apple Watch

Wednesday 8 February 17:00:00 UTC 2017

There are two kinds of people: Those who are fine with a smartwatch being a "companion" device for their phones and those who want it to replace their phones, at least in some respects. I always thought I would fall into the latter group — because, honestly, who would rather carry around a giant phablet instead of a do-it-all smartwatch? — … [Link]

Mashable » Arnold Schwarzenegger shows off his emotions, beard in new 'Aftermath' trailer

Wednesday 8 February 16:55:29 UTC 2017

He came back. And he has a beard. Arnold Schwarzenegger is making his return to the big screen in Aftermath, the story of a man who lost his wife and daughter due to a terrible plane crash caused by negligence. The movie, which is inspired by true events, has Schwarzenegger hunting down the person who caused the crash with his … [Link]

Mashable » Supplier that built the Note7's explosion-prone batteries catches on fire

Wednesday 8 February 16:52:18 UTC 2017

Sometimes the irony is just too much. According to Bloomberg, a fire broke out at a factory in Tianjin, China, that may have manufactured the faulty batteries that led to Galaxy Note7 smartphones catching on fire worldwide last year.  A factory of Samsung SDI, a Samsung affiliate battery division that was responsible for the Note7's batteries, experienced a "minor" fire and … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple Seeks To Position Metal as Part of New 3D Graphics Standard For Web

Wednesday 8 February 16:50:00 UTC 2017

Mikey Campbell, writing for AppleInsider: Apple's WebKit team on Tuesday proposed a new Community Group at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that will focus on developing a new standard API, perhaps based on Metal, for accelerating GPU-based 3D graphics and general computation for the web. Announced through Apple's WebKit blog, the new 'GPU for the Web' Community Group will … [Link]

Mashable » Season 5 of 'Orange is the New Black' gets release date, trailer

Wednesday 8 February 16:47:02 UTC 2017

Soon all our Season 4 Orange is The New Black cliffhangers will be answered. Netflix dropped a short 15-second teaser on Wednesday, announcing the drama will return on June. 9. SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'Iron Fist' trailer looks worthy of its Marvel brethren Though quick, the teaser still gives us a peak at familiar characters, including Daya who last we saw … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook's Safety Check now lets you offer help during a crisis

Wednesday 8 February 16:42:43 UTC 2017

Facebook is expanding Safety Check with a new feature meant to help users connect with each other after a disaster or other emergency.  Called Community Help, the feature opens up Safety Check so Facebook users can connect with each other to offer help after a crisis. SEE ALSO: Black Lives Matter app lets social media users mark themselves 'unsafe' in America … [Link]

Mashable » Tom Hiddleston insists Hiddleswift wasn't fake news

Wednesday 8 February 16:38:56 UTC 2017

Take a moment to remember simpler times back in summer '16 when the fake news everyone debated involved the beach strolls of Taylor Swift, Tom Hiddleston and the paparazzi, forever known collectively as Hiddleswift.  Now Tom Hiddleston is telling his side of the love story in the latest issue of GQ. And yes, he insists that, for a time, it was … [Link]

Mashable » Twitter has a grand old time with Trump's unfinished sentence

Wednesday 8 February 16:34:57 UTC 2017

Donald Trump has so very much to tweet that sometimes, he needs multiple tweets to get his point across. And he loves a long, suspenseful ellipsis. But on Wednesday, Trump forgot one of the key facets of tweet-splitting. After the ellipsis, you gotta remember to post the rest of your thoughts. SEE ALSO: 6 ways to push your online activism into … [Link]

Mashable » Google guy builds bot that earns money from Trump tweets

Wednesday 8 February 16:30:33 UTC 2017

President Donald Trump spends a lot of time on Twitter, and he often tweets about publicly traded companies. These tweets often cause the stock prices of these companies to rise and fall sharply — for example, when Trump tweeted negatively about Lockheed Martin, the company's stock price plummeted.  Now, Max Braun, the head of software for Google X's Robotics division, decided … [Link]

Mashable » Harry Potter and Voldemort were in love and we have proof

Wednesday 8 February 16:30:00 UTC 2017

Their love was forbidden and kept in the chamber of secrets until we used the revelio charm and managed to steal it from J.K. Rowling. Don't miss the latest Harry Potter film this Valentine's Day. Visit CineFix for more episodes and movie-related content.  Bill Nye reveals his new Netflix series with a mic-dropping trailer Colleen Wing kicks butt in new 'Iron Fist' … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Women with a thicker brain cortex are more likely to have autism

Wednesday 8 February 16:30:00 UTC 2017

The outer layer of the brain is usually thicker in men than in women. Brain scans have found that having a thicker cortex is linked to autism spectrum disorder [Link]

Mashable » E3, gaming's biggest annual trade show, is now a public event

Wednesday 8 February 16:18:01 UTC 2017

That thumping sound you hear is an industry of writers and editors smacking their heads into desks simultaneously. The Electronic Entertainment Expo — or E3, as it is commonly known — is opening its doors to the public for the first time. Technically, there are physically larger trade shows devoted to video games — such as Gamescom or Tokyo Game Show … [Link]

Mashable » Lady Gaga addresses all the nonsense body shaming she received after the Super Bowl

Wednesday 8 February 16:17:20 UTC 2017

Even after her spectacular 2017 Super Bowl halftime show, Lady Gaga wasn't exempt from internet trolls and their incessant need to comment on people's bodies. Several articles were written, published and shared commenting on her stomach, among other things.  SEE ALSO: 'The Simpsons' foretold Lady Gaga's entire Super Bowl performance years ago It feels silly even acknowledging the fully unnecessary critiques … [Link]

Mashable » #ShePersisted becomes new rallying cry for Elizabeth Warren supporters

Wednesday 8 February 16:11:44 UTC 2017

Just as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell angered supporters of Sen. Elizabeth Warren by literally shutting her down mid-debate, they turned the tables against him by taking up his own words as their new rallying cry. SEE ALSO: Elizabeth Warren takes to Facebook Live after being silenced in the Senate McConnell said he halted Warren's speech during the senate's debate over … [Link]

Slashdot » Story Of a Founder Who Burned Through $21M As His Social App Fling Crashed

Wednesday 8 February 16:10:00 UTC 2017

London-based social media app Fling, which never brought in any revenue, burned through $21 million in less than three years. According to a Business Insider report, the founder splashed out on 1st class flights, Ibiza hotels, and Michelin-star restaurants. From the report: In early July 2015, temperatures were rising in the boardroom on the top floor of a 12-story office … [Link]

Mashable » Spotify and the New York Times launch an intriguing digital deal

Wednesday 8 February 16:06:07 UTC 2017

“I read the news today, oh boy…" The New York Times and Spotify have struck a deal to create one of the newest and most intriguing bundles in modern media.  People who subscribe to a one-year "All-Access" digital subscription to the Times will also have access to Spotify's premium music streaming service, the companies announced on Wednesday.  The partnership pairs two … [Link]

Mashable » 'Man Seeking Woman' creator Simon Rich on the show you need to be watching

Wednesday 8 February 16:05:33 UTC 2017

When asked how to describe his brainchild Man Seeking Woman, series creator Simon Rich has to pause to think. "It’s a magical, surrealist show about dating, so we have some universal themes and experiences that we’ve all been through and we try to illustrate them through a series of high-stakes metaphors," he says. The absurdist comedy, now in its third … [Link]

Mashable » Colleen Wing kicks butt in new 'Iron Fist' clip

Wednesday 8 February 15:52:04 UTC 2017

"This little girl things she can fight me?" a muscled man yells at the sight of Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) in Iron Fist. Um, yeah, she does, and she's right.  SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'Iron Fist' trailer looks worthy of its Marvel brethren Wing kicks the cocky crap out of two opponents in this clip from Netflix's upcoming Marvel drama, and … [Link]

Popular Science » Bill Nye's new Netflix show finally has an airdate

Wednesday 8 February 15:52:00 UTC 2017

Entertainment Coming to a screen near you on April 21 "Bill Nye Saves the World" will air on April 21. And it can't come soon enough. [Link]

Mashable » 'This is Us' showed us Rebecca and Jack's wedding, and yup we're crying

Wednesday 8 February 15:44:22 UTC 2017

While the title of this episode was “I Call Marriage,” the underlying theme was loss.  First, when Miguel and Shelly tell Jack and Rebecca they’re divorcing. Then when we see Randall having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that William will die sooner rather than later, but Randall’s unwillingness to deal with this fact is manifested by his … [Link]

Mashable » Artist comes up with a creative way to cope with her disorder

Wednesday 8 February 15:38:04 UTC 2017

Liz Atkin has come up with a way to creatively cope with her skin picking disorder — one charcoal drawing at a time. The London-based artist suffers from "dermatillomania," a condition in which individuals habitually and excessively pick at their skin. SEE ALSO: Artist creates stunning statue out of knives to raise awareness about knife violence In order to keep her … [Link]

Slashdot » The Most Mentioned Books On StackOverflow

Wednesday 8 February 15:30:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: People over at DevBooks have analyzed more than four million questions and answers on StackOverflow to list the top of the most mentioned books. You can check out the list for yourself here, but here are the top 10 books: Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael C Feathers; Design Patterns by Ralph Johnson, Erich Gamma, … [Link]

Mashable » These extremely detailed 3D models of favorite TV shows are works of art

Wednesday 8 February 15:30:00 UTC 2017

There is at least one TV show you probably consider yourself an expert in. You've watched the entire series multiple times though, you're able to quote it on command and you're able to answer even the most obscure of trivia about it. SEE ALSO: The hidden clues lurking in the 'Stranger Things' Season 2 trailer It takes another level of dedication, … [Link]

Mashable » Bill Nye reveals his new Netflix series with a mic-dropping trailer

Wednesday 8 February 15:05:25 UTC 2017

It's happening. Bill Nye (THE SCIENCE GUY) is back. And he's here to save the world (not literally, unfortunately). Bill Nye Saves the World comes to Netflix on April 21, 2017. That's the day before Earth Day, folks. Maybe Bill will save us all. The series, which Nye will host alongside a gang of correspondents — including Karlie Kloss, Derek … [Link]

Slashdot » US Visitors May Have to Hand Over Social Media Passwords: DHS

Wednesday 8 February 14:50:00 UTC 2017

People who want to visit the United States could be asked to hand over their social-media passwords to officials as part of enhanced security checks, the country's top domestic security chief said. From a report on NBC: Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told Congress on Tuesday the measure was one of several being considered to vet refugees and visa applicants … [Link]

Mashable » The internet is desperately trying to reunite this lost teddy bear with its owner

Wednesday 8 February 14:43:40 UTC 2017

No small, pink teddy bear should have to struggle through this cruel world alone. SEE ALSO: Random act of kindness helps Londoner find lost cardigan in unlikely spot On Sunday, Ireland's Cork Airport shared a poignant post about the following, mislaid travel companion. "This pink Teddy should have been heading off on a flight earlier today but got separated from his … [Link]

Popular Science » Carnivorous plants aren’t as cool as you think

Wednesday 8 February 14:30:00 UTC 2017

Science But their evolutionary history is Carnivorous plants aren't all that cool—they're just desperate. [Link]

Mashable » 'Pokémon Go' has a bunch of goodies lined up for Valentine's Day

Wednesday 8 February 14:27:07 UTC 2017

Love is in the air for Pokémon Go fans. Valentine's Day is less than a week away, and Niantic will celebrate the Hallmark holiday with a new in-game event. You might remember similar events around Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. SEE ALSO: Someone built a 60-hour 'Pokémon' game into 'Minecraft' and it's beautiful The Valentine's Day event kicks off at 11 a.m. … [Link]

Slashdot » EU Agrees To Cross-Border Access To Streaming Services

Wednesday 8 February 14:10:00 UTC 2017

Putting in place the first piece of its hoped-for unified digital market, the European Union has agreed on new rules allowing subscribers of online services in one E.U. country access to them while traveling in another. From a report: "Today's agreement will bring concrete benefits to Europeans," said vice president in charge of the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip, in … [Link]

Mashable » Flipboard wants you to love the news – by giving you the news you love

Wednesday 8 February 14:06:42 UTC 2017

Flipboard, the media-aggregation app, wants you to get lost in your reading about your passions.  The company on Wednesday released an overhauled redesign of how its digital magazines are presented, introducing more machine learning and editorial insight to show what stories are displayed. A new feature called Smart Magazines adds more personalization and narrowed discovery to topics a user follows.  SEE … [Link]

Mashable » Big, beautiful vertical forests suck in toxic smog

Wednesday 8 February 14:06:19 UTC 2017

An Italian architecture studio built the world's first vertical forests in Milan.  Now, several years later, they have designed two more green towers, which will be constructed in China's southern Jiangsu province. The buildings, lined with thousands of trees and plants, will produce 60 kilograms of oxygen every day.  Read more…More about Oxygen, Concrete Jungles, Real Time Video, Pollution, and Smog … [Link]

Popular Science » Droughts actually make West Nile virus worse

Wednesday 8 February 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Animals An itch we can’t scratch Droughts bring a whole host of problems to humanity; limited water supplies, more wildfires, and also the perfect conditions for a West Nile virus epidemic. [Link]

Mashable » John Oliver tells Stephen Colbert that he's 'slightly concerned' about his green card under Trump

Wednesday 8 February 13:32:09 UTC 2017

John Oliver, one of the smartest people on television right now, has no idea what to expect from Trump. The comedian joined Stephen Colbert on The Late Show to discuss his upcoming plans for the show and the political chaos of the last few months. Oliver joked that there hasn't been that much of a transition over the past few … [Link]

Mashable » The story behind those viral European videos trolling Trump

Wednesday 8 February 13:24:26 UTC 2017

Spoof tourism videos perfectly mimicking Donald Trump have been spreading across Europe and going viral, in what appears to be a co-ordinated trolling effort by comedians across the continent.  SEE ALSO: Europe is trolling the hell out of Trump one hilarious video at a time After Trump vowed to put "America first," late-night shows in different European countries have been stating … [Link]

Mashable » You can now get paid to shove chocolate into your face hole

Wednesday 8 February 13:17:11 UTC 2017

Chocolate is one of life's major joys. But spending your working day indulging your love of chocolate isn't really an option for most people.  SEE ALSO: Controversial tweet ranking chocolate has caused online chaos Mondelēz International — which makes Cadbury and Oreo — is hiring a chocolate taster for the very important task of sampling and giving feedback on chocolate products … [Link]

Slashdot » NYC Fines Airbnb Hosts For 'Illegal' Home Rentals

Wednesday 8 February 13:00:00 UTC 2017

In October, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law one of the nation's toughest restrictions on Airbnb, which includes hefty fines of up to $7,500 for people who rent out space in their apartments. Several month have passed and the New York Post has learned of "the first casualties of [the] newly enforceable law." The city has reportedly charged … [Link]

Mashable » Céline Dion photobombed a couple's proposal and her reaction was priceless

Wednesday 8 February 12:51:09 UTC 2017

Céline Dion knows how to belt a love song, so what better place to propose to your girlfriend than at Dion's Las Vegas residency show? SEE ALSO: Newborn baby becomes ideal wingman in father's surprise proposal Austin McMillan and her boyfriend, Nick Janevsky, attended a pre-show meet-and-greet on Friday to meet McMillan's favorite performer. When the couple got in front of … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook to give employees more time to grieve

Wednesday 8 February 12:44:03 UTC 2017

Facebook has extended paid leave for family bereavement, and will give up to six weeks of leave to take care of sick family members, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said.  SEE ALSO: Sheryl Sandberg leans into Trump with pro-immigrant Facebook post In a statement that combined the personal and the professional, Sandberg, who lost her husband Dave Goldberg in 2015, advocated … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Evolved instincts shaped democracy to resist bullies like Trump

Wednesday 8 February 12:36:00 UTC 2017

Take heart America: US democracy's ability to stem autocracy is rooted in moral codes developed when we were all hunter-gatherers, says Christopher Boehm [Link]

Mashable » This footballer's secret handshakes are a simple joy to behold

Wednesday 8 February 12:05:08 UTC 2017

LONDON — Ever had a special handshake that only you and one other person know? Footballer Son Heung-min has a whole bunch of them. SEE ALSO: Father sneakily names daughter after favourite football team, wife finds out 2 years later His club Tottenham Hotspur recently shared a video on Twitter of the forward shaking hands with various different teammates. Genius. The … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: Scientific Computing with Python 3 – $19.99 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL

Wednesday 8 February 11:57:00 UTC 2017

Get "Scientific Computing with Python 3" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2017-02-09 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]

Mashable » Indian government feels cyber attacks heat with over 700 websites hacked in four years

Wednesday 8 February 11:56:35 UTC 2017

Just like pretty much everyone else lately, the Indian government is feeling the heat of growing cyber attacks. SEE ALSO: Hackers target India's defense, intelligence personnel via WhatsApp Approximately 707 websites associated with the Indian government — both central and state — have been hit with security breaches in the past four years, Kiren Rijiju, the minister of state for home … [Link]

Mashable » Sheldon from 'Big Bang Theory' debunks some truly ludicrous fan theories

Wednesday 8 February 11:10:24 UTC 2017

Believe or not, Big Bang Theory is coming up on its tenth season. That's a lot of time for fans to come up with some pretty creative theories about the show's beloved characters. SEE ALSO: James Corden dusts off his best wigs for a stellar performance with Jim Parsons In the video above, Jim Parsons — who plays Sheldon Cooper … [Link]

Mashable » Dad receives unintentionally hilarious letter from son's school

Wednesday 8 February 11:06:15 UTC 2017

LONDON — Letters sent home to parents from a child's school are nothing new, but we're willing to bet no other parent in history has ever received a letter quite like this. SEE ALSO: Student turns her Oxford rejection letter into a magnificent work of art On Tuesday afternoon, Paul Hunt from Somerset, England, took to Twitter to share a letter … [Link]

Mashable » Google Maps images will be used to measure environmental damage in this city

Wednesday 8 February 11:04:04 UTC 2017

The Bombay High Court is planning to put Google Maps to unique use. It has announced that old and new map images will be compared to assess the environmental damage caused by real estate development in Mumbai city. SEE ALSO: Google Maps adds new shortcuts to anticipate your every need The court was hearing public litigations against various construction projects that … [Link]

Mashable » Elizabeth Warren takes to Facebook Live after being silenced in the Senate

Wednesday 8 February 10:30:48 UTC 2017

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is not someone who agrees to be shut down and put in a corner.  After she was silenced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the rest of Senate Republicans for impugning a fellow senator's character, Warren took to Facebook Live to finish her remarks.  SEE ALSO: After Elizabeth Warren is shut down, people demand Senate #LetLizSpeak From … [Link]

Mashable » People can't believe a supermarket is selling a single boxed strawberry for $22

Wednesday 8 February 10:23:11 UTC 2017

As far as fruit packaging goes, this is perhaps the least Earth-friendly one by far. A Hong Kong supermarket has come under fire from shoppers for carrying an elaborately packed single strawberry from Japan. The strawberry, sold by the upscale CitySuper, is packaged in a box, nestled in a straw nest and fruit sock within. Its price tag? HKD $168 ($21.60). … [Link]

Mashable » J.K. Rowling's response to this meme about her death is absolutely classic

Wednesday 8 February 10:15:19 UTC 2017

LONDON — Sometimes, even the most well-meaning tributes can come across a bit odd. Expressing the emotions you'll feel when someone you admire dies, for instance, is totally fine. Tagging them in the meme you've created specifically to address that event, though — well, that might come across as a little strange. SEE ALSO: J.K. Rowling and Ricky Gervais join forces … [Link]

Slashdot » Sony's Latest Smartphone Camera Sensor Can Shoot At 1,000fps

Wednesday 8 February 10:00:00 UTC 2017

Sony has taken the wraps off of its latest smartphone camera sensor which it says can shoot 1080p slow-motion video at 1,000 frames per second. "The new 3-layer CMOS sensor — an industry first — can capture slow motion video about eight times faster than its competition with minimal focal pane distortion, according to Sony," reports The Verge. From their … [Link]

Mashable » Here's what a 5,000 year old beer recipe tastes like

Wednesday 8 February 9:53:33 UTC 2017

Did you know that the Chinese brewed beer about 5,000 years ago? A group of researchers at Stanford were able to piece together the ancient recipe by analysing a yellowish residue found in 5,000-year-old Chinese clay funnels. SEE ALSO: Oreo beer is here to add some cookie to your cold one With that recipe, a group of students managed to do … [Link]

Mashable » Pornhub reveals that Super Bowl halftime porn is a thing

Wednesday 8 February 9:36:21 UTC 2017

Websites usually don't like to talk about huge dips in their traffic, but that's exactly what Pornhub did, revealing exactly how much it traffic suffered during the Super Bowl.  According to a blog post (SFW link) Monday, U.S. traffic on the porn site dropped by 27% compared to usual levels shortly after the game began Sunday. It appears to have recovered … [Link]

Mashable » Elon Musk: Tesla Model 3 won't come with a 100 kWh battery

Wednesday 8 February 9:17:32 UTC 2017

If you wondered just how big a battery will Tesla pack into its upcoming Model 3 electric car, we've got some bad news for you: It won't have a 100 kWh capacity like some Model S and Model X models. Elon Musk confirmed that in a reply on Twitter on Tuesday, explaining that the Model 3's wheelbase just can't fit such … [Link]

Mashable » China wants to control what apps citizens use, but can Google play along?

Wednesday 8 February 8:35:21 UTC 2017

Google is mulling a new way to finally get its official Play Store through the Great Firewall of China. But it faces an uphill battle, as the country tightens its grip on what apps its citizens have on their smartphones. The Information reports that Netease, China's second-largest games firm, has approached Google to form a joint venture, in order to launch … [Link]

Slashdot » A Supermassive Black Hole Has Been Devouring a Star For a Decade

Wednesday 8 February 7:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from USA Today: A massive black hole devoured a star over a 10 year period, setting a new record for the longest space meal ever observed, according to new research. Researchers spotted the ravenous black hole with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Swift satellite as well as ESA's XMM-Newton, according to a statement from … [Link]

Mashable » Sir David Attenborough is very stoked to get a new snail named after him

Wednesday 8 February 6:50:28 UTC 2017

Sir David Attenborough has had numerous species named after him, but now he can add another one to his resumé. And it pleases him. The legendary nature filmmaker has had a newly-discovered snail named after him, which is only found in a small area in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia.  SEE ALSO: This terrifying sea creature could be one of our … [Link]

Mashable » Tesla to 'hopefully' launch the Model 3 in India this summer: Elon Musk

Wednesday 8 February 6:23:25 UTC 2017

India’s wait to drive — and the world’s wait to see it ride —  Tesla’s autonomous and electric car Model 3 on its poorly maintained, and overly crowded roads will come to an end this year. SEE ALSO: Tesla Model S P100D just hit a ridiculous record in new speed test Addressing a person's question, Elon Musk said Tuesday night the … [Link]

The Joy of Tech » JoT #2380: Elon's Tech Suggestions!

Wednesday 8 February 6:12:46 UTC 2017

He just needs to Trump-ize his ideas a bit! [Link]

Mashable » DARPA designed tech that can snag 1,100-pound drones right out of the air

Wednesday 8 February 6:08:00 UTC 2017

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is working on a way to launch drones into flight and then snag them right out of the air with a system that can be loaded onto a truck or ship.   The agency recently released test footage of the next-gen drone tech, currently being developed under the callsign SideArm. It's designed to … [Link]

Mashable » Prankster sneaks a bunch of incredible fake albums into a record store

Wednesday 8 February 5:14:48 UTC 2017

Forget Pitbull — everyone knows the real music lovers are blasting Songs To Drive Off A Cliff To: Volume 3. While that particular album might not technically be real, it didn't stop glorious prankster, Jeff Wysaski (A.K.A ObviousPlant on Imgur) from dropping off a copy of the record at his local music store — along with a host of other fake … [Link]

Mashable » Coal-fired electricity is at its lowest since officials started keeping track

Wednesday 8 February 5:01:00 UTC 2017

President Donald Trump has vowed to restore the long-struggling U.S. coal sector. The only problem? America's power plants have already moved on. Natural gas and renewable energy together produced half of U.S. electricity supplies in 2016, while coal made up just 30 percent — its smallest share since officials started keeping track 70 years ago. SEE ALSO: No, U.S. climate scientists … [Link]

Mashable » After Elizabeth Warren is shut down, people demand Senate #LetLizSpeak

Wednesday 8 February 4:44:38 UTC 2017

Nobody expected for Elizabeth Warren to be shut down like that.  The Democratic senator from Massachusetts was arguing Tuesday night against the confirmation of Sen. Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general.  SEE ALSO: 6 ways to push your online activism into the real world in the Trump era When she started reading a letter from Coretta Scott King — the widow … [Link]

Mashable » Mash up all your favourite 2000s tunes with this very addictive website

Wednesday 8 February 4:37:49 UTC 2017

Remember your salad days? Shouting the lyrics to Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz track "Get Low," or actually enjoying Evanescence's "Bring Me To Life" before it became a meme?  Well prepare for your mind to be blown, because it turns out they work very well when mashed up together. SEE ALSO: 'Chicken Attack' is an oddly great music video featuring … [Link]

Mashable » This powerful marriage equality ad just wants politicians to 'do their job'

Wednesday 8 February 3:40:11 UTC 2017

It is astounding that anyone would need to make an ad about the not-particularly-revolutionary idea that members of the LGBTQ community are real people (shock horror!) who deserve to get married if they wish to. But here we are, in the year 2017, and same-sex marriage is still not legal in Australia. To help remedy that injustice, the folks behind … [Link]

Slashdot » There Are Now Twice As Many Solar Jobs As Coal Jobs In the US

Wednesday 8 February 3:30:00 UTC 2017

According to a new survey from the nonprofit Solar Foundation, the solar industry now employs more than 260,000 people even though solar power provides just 1.3 percent of America's electricity. Last year, the industry accounted for one of every 50 new jobs nationwide. "Solar employs slightly more workers than natural gas, over twice as many as coal, over three times … [Link]

Mashable » Spotify has tapped an unexpected source to build you the perfect playlist

Wednesday 8 February 3:28:08 UTC 2017

Spotify has tapped an unexpected source to cue up a perfect playlist for your day: the weather report.  Partnering with Accuweather, Spotify built Climatune, a website that generates playlists based on the weather in your location. The playlist-generator follows a yearlong research project that compared music streamed on Spotify to data compiled at 1,000 weather stations. Turns out, the weather seems … [Link]

Mashable » Widower who wanted a fishing mate had a great time with his new BFF

Wednesday 8 February 2:59:58 UTC 2017

See folks, the internet can sometimes be a lovely place. Take the story of South Australian man Ray Johnstone, who two weeks ago posted an ad searching for a fishing buddy on a classifieds website. SEE ALSO: Wild koala and dog hang out, proving that we really can all get along "I'm a widowed pensioner who is looking for a fishing … [Link]

Mashable » 'Chicken Attack' is an oddly great music video featuring a transforming ninja chicken

Wednesday 8 February 2:57:02 UTC 2017

Sure, the plotline is weird, but this is one heck of a catchy song. The Gregory Brothers (of Songify the News fame) have enlisted Japanese Yodeler Takeo Ischi for their latest hit, where Ischi plays a martial arts master aided by his transforming ninja chicken familiar.  Ischi has made a name for himself in Germany for yodeling to chickens, so … [Link]

Mashable » 8 times Jason Kipnis won social media this MLB offseason

Wednesday 8 February 2:14:56 UTC 2017

Though the Cleveland Indians blew a 3-1 lead and lost the 2016 World Series, Tribe second baseman Jason Kipnis has been killing it on social media this MLB offseason. With weddings, trips to Puerto Rico and a big helping of humor, Kipnis' posts show he's put that rough loss behind him. After all, he and the Indians had three chances to … [Link]

Mashable » Phil Jackson's cryptic tweet sure seems to throw Carmelo Anthony under the Knicks' bus

Wednesday 8 February 1:56:06 UTC 2017

Legendary NBA coach Phil Jackson's first-ever tweet back in 2013 was a cryptic if innocuous one. He posted another cryptic tweet Tuesday — his first in over a month — but this digital missive contains multitudes. And it certainly seems to escalate some drama with Carmelo Anthony.  SEE ALSO: NBA star J.R. Smith shares moving photo after baby daughter's preterm birth … [Link]

Mashable » Pray for Trumble: A sinkhole opened up near the Australian PM's house

Wednesday 8 February 1:49:04 UTC 2017

Poor Prime Minister Trumble has had a pretty hard time of it lately. The Australian leader (his real name is Malcolm Turnbull, Sean Spicer), has been yelled at by Donald Trump, forced to reveal that he sank more than one million dollars of his own money into his 2016 election campaign, and watched in horror as one of his own party … [Link]

Slashdot » Goldman Sachs Automated Trading Replaces 600 Traders With 200 Engineers

Wednesday 8 February 1:45:00 UTC 2017

Goldman Sach's New York headquarters has replaced 600 of its traders with 200 computer engineers over the last two decades or so, thanks to automated trading programs. (Though, the effort to do so has accelerated over the past five years.) "Marty Chavez, the company's deputy chief financial officer and former chief information officer, explained all this to attendees at a … [Link]

Mashable » Under Armour CEO endorses Trump, Twitter users endorse shopping elsewhere

Wednesday 8 February 1:41:05 UTC 2017

Amid growing consumer backlash against corporations that associate with Donald Trump, at least one business leader isn't shy about his support of the president. Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank praised Trump's agenda in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday. "To have such a pro-business president is something that is a real asset for the country," Plank told the financial news channel. … [Link]

Slashdot » Battlestar Galactica Actor Richard Hatch Dies At 71

Wednesday 8 February 1:15:00 UTC 2017

New submitter computerman413 writes: TMZ reports that Richard Hatch has passed away at 71 from pancreatic cancer. Hatch played Apollo on the original Battlestar Galactica, and had a recurring role as terrorist Tom Zarek on the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. Read more of this story at Slashdot. [Link]

Mashable » Kellyanne Conway follows @NoToFeminism, but does she get the joke?

Wednesday 8 February 1:06:27 UTC 2017

Donald Trump advisor and Bowling Green Massacre memorialist, Kellyanne Conway's Twitter follow list is a conservative smorgasbord, as you might expect. However, one account does stand out among this dank closet of retrograde opinion: @NoToFeminism.  A parody account created by Australian writer and comedian Rebecca Shaw, the hilarious account (which has even been published into a book) skewers the arguments of … [Link]

Mashable » 13 perfect Galentine's Day gifts for your forever friends

Wednesday 8 February 1:00:00 UTC 2017

Yes, Valentine's Day is coming up, blah blah whatever. What's more important is that Galentine's Day is also coming up. SEE ALSO: Can love survive the 'Fifty Shades Darker' trailer? Can any of us? If you need a refresher about what that is, here's Leslie Knope explaining Galentine's Day: Thanks, Leslie. Here are 13 gift ideas to get you ready for … [Link]

Mashable » Richard Hatch of 'Battlestar Galactica' dies at age 71

Wednesday 8 February 0:57:42 UTC 2017

Richard Hatch, who played space heartthrob Captain Apollo on the original TV series Battlestar Galactica, has died. He was 71. Hatch had been in hospice care for pancreatic cancer at the time of his death, TMZ reported Tuesday. His manager Michael Kaliski confirmed the news to Variety, saying, “I will always remember him fondly for his inspiring sense of youthful wonder, … [Link]

Mashable » Mum slams Trump on Facebook for calling daughter's murder 'terrorism'

Wednesday 8 February 0:48:24 UTC 2017

A mother of a backpacker murdered in Australia has slammed Donald Trump for his assertion that her death was a terrorist attack, arguing that her daughter's death was being used to justify the "insane persecution of innocent people." British backpackers Mia Ayliffe-Chung and Tom Jackson died after they were stabbed at a hostel in Queensland in August 2016. The incident is … [Link]

Slashdot » 72% of 'Anonymous' Browsing History Can Be Attached To the Real User

Wednesday 8 February 0:45:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Stack: Researchers at Stanford and Princeton have succeeded in identifying 70% of web users by comparing their web-browsing history to publicly available information on social networks. The study "De-anonymizing Web Browsing Data with Social Networks" [PDF] found that it was possible to reattach identities to 374 sets of apparently anonymous browsing histories … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Why grey wolves kill less prey when brown bears are around

Wednesday 8 February 0:37:48 UTC 2017

We’ve long assumed wolf packs are forced to kill more often to make up for having meals stolen by scavenging bears – but the opposite is true, they kill less [Link]

New Scientist – News » Bird lookouts make alarm calls to save themselves, not the group

Wednesday 8 February 0:37:47 UTC 2017

Arabian babbler birds that go it alone continue to sound alarm calls when they see threats, showing there must be selfish motives behind sentinel behaviour [Link]

Mashable » 'Shade' is officially in the dictionary, honey

Wednesday 8 February 0:23:25 UTC 2017

From reality TV to the dictionary. On Tuesday, "shade" was among the 1,000 words added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. The definition, in the context of "throwing shade," is "to express contempt or disrespect for someone publicly especially by subtle or indirect insults or criticisms."  SEE ALSO: Start your engines for this possible RuPaul's Drag Race-inspired LEGO set The phrase "throwing shade" … [Link]

Slashdot » The Metropolitan Museum of Art Makes 375,000 Images Available For Free

Wednesday 8 February 0:05:00 UTC 2017

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced Tuesday that more than 375,000 of its "public-domain artworks" are now available for unrestricted use. "We have been working toward the goal of sharing our images with the public for a number of years," said Thomas P. Campbell, director and CEO of the Met, in a statement. "Our comprehensive and diverse museum collection spans … [Link]

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