Geekish

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 » Douglas Crockford Envisions A Post-JavaScript World

Saturday 4 March 23:34:00 UTC 2017

JavaScript developer (and JSON proponent) Douglas Crockford recently described "a theoretical post-JavaScript World," according to InfoWorld. Crockford "believes the web development staple needs a successor that can fix multiple programming nuances." An anonymous reader summarizes their report: Despite its status as the world's most popular language, Crockford told an audience at the Oracle Code conference, "It would be sad if … [Link]

Mashable » Pizza dipped in milk is the most disrespectful pizza crime yet

Saturday 4 March 23:16:40 UTC 2017

As head of the Department of Pizza Crime (just go with it), I hereby denounce pizza dipped in milk as the most heinous pizza offense yet. The ghastly combo hit the internet earlier this week, when a 20-year-old college student posted a photo of it to Twitter. She's since made her account private, but people have reposted it anyway—accompanied, of course, … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Americans' lucks out with its ads in the New York Times

Saturday 4 March 23:07:46 UTC 2017

After Russia re-entered the news, The Americans knew its fifth season would be relevant. But nobody could've known just how relevant it would actually be. Days before the show—which follows two Soviet spies living deep undercover near Washington, D.C. in the 1980s—returns for its new season on FX, the series got some prime ad placement on the New York Times website. … [Link]

Mashable » Mike Pence wants an apology after the AP publishes second lady's email address

Saturday 4 March 22:56:56 UTC 2017

Vice President Mike Pence's email controversy is growing. Pence is demanding the Associated Press take down the private email address of his wife, Karen, after the AP published it, in a report detailing how the Pences used private email addresses to carry out official business for years when Mike Pence was the governor of Indiana. SEE ALSO: The internet refuses to … [Link]

Slashdot » New Technique Turns Random Objects Into FM Radio Stations

Saturday 4 March 22:25:00 UTC 2017

"A new technology is enabling everyday objects, such as posters and clothing, to be transformed into FM radio stations," reports The Stack, citing research from the University of Washington. An anonymous reader quotes their report. The team has introduced a technique called "backscattering" which uses ambient low-power radio signals to broadcast messages from random objects to smartphones in the local … [Link]

Mashable » Why won't Trump talk about technology?

Saturday 4 March 22:21:53 UTC 2017

Vice President Mike Pence’s embarrassing use of an AOL email account is just another painful reminder of something that should be crystal clear to everyone: this administration doesn’t understand or care a lick about technology. It’s an especially painful reality as we come off the high of an administration’s 8-year-love affair with technology and social media. They held Maker Fairs on … [Link]

Mashable » It's no dislike button, but we might get dislike reactions on Facebook Messenger

Saturday 4 March 21:53:59 UTC 2017

Besides stopping the spread of fake news, a dislike button is probably the feature Facebook users ask for more than anything. And despite years of rumors, we've never gotten one. But now, we might finally get a dislike feature. Caveat: It's only on Facebook Messenger. According to TechCrunch, Facebook is testing a feature that would let users post reactions to private … [Link]

Mashable » Looks like Hillary Clinton and the internet are on the same page about this Mike Pence email thing

Saturday 4 March 21:50:40 UTC 2017

By now, you've seen the photo. Snapped by Clinton communications manager Caitlin Quigley, it shows Hillary Clinton on a flight to LaGuardia Airport, her gaze fixed on a USA Today headline: "Pence used personal email in office." The former presidential candidate has a certain look in her eyes— a look that, by now, much of the country can probably relate to. … [Link]

Mashable » Sad military drone that just wanted to fly around for a bit crashes into tree 🙁

Saturday 4 March 21:47:05 UTC 2017

Here is a fun thing that happened: On Jan. 31, the military sent a 450-pound mostly autonomous machine into the sky, and— according to a Stars and Stripes report on Thursday—lost it. The army sent a drone above the Arizona desert as part of a training mission, but lost touch with it soon after it left the earth. SEE ALSO: Video … [Link]

Slashdot » US Suspends 'Expedited' H-1B Visas

Saturday 4 March 21:25:00 UTC 2017

"Starting April 3, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions," read Friday's announcement, which says the suspension "may last up to 6 months." Slashdot reader elrous0 sees it as part of the "ongoing efforts to curb abuses in the controversial H-1B program." The San Francisco Chronicle reports: While it could be difficult … [Link]

Mashable » This week in apps: McDonald's, Duolingo's flashcards, and Meet by Google

Saturday 4 March 20:26:28 UTC 2017

With the clearest images of Samsung's Galaxy S8 yet, WhatsApp reportedly testing new features for businesses, and Korean messaging giant Line introducing its own assistant, you may have missed some of this week's best new apps. Luckily, we're keeping score for you for you. Each week, we round up the latest app news, along with a few of our favorite new … [Link]

Slashdot » Facebook Begins Marking 'Fake News' As 'Disputed'

Saturday 4 March 19:53:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: Facebook is now marking fake news as "disputed," several sites reported today. "According to Facebook's Help Center, news stories that are reported as fake by people on Facebook may be reviewed by independent, third-party fact-checkers," writes WDRB Media. "The fact-checkers will be signatories of the non-partisan Poynter Code of Principles. A story will be marked as … [Link]

Mashable » The Russian government trolled Sarah Jessica Parker and 2017 is the weirdest year of our lives

Saturday 4 March 19:43:09 UTC 2017

You’d think the strangest story of the day would be two Hollywood stars-turned-politicians, fighting over their shared reality TV gig, but…you'd be wrong. The Russian government is trolling Sarah Jessica Parker. SEE ALSO: The Russian Embassy tweeted about U.S. relations and everyone is so lost To be fair, the Sex and the City actress started it, on Thursday, with a bit … [Link]

Mashable » Obama hit North Korea's nuclear program with cyber attacks

Saturday 4 March 19:22:57 UTC 2017

Former President Barack Obama wasn't impressed by the United States' missile defense systems. They constantly missed incoming blasts in practice, to say nothing of how they might fare in the face of an actual assault. Obama was thinking about North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un, who's often going on about developing a nuclear warhead that can be fired atop an … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Daily API RoundUp: Oracle, Burner, Virool, Sportradar, USGS

Saturday 4 March 18:57:58 UTC 2017

Every day, the ProgrammableWeb team is busy, updating its three primary directories for APIs, clients (language-specific libraries or SDKs for consuming or providing APIs), and source code samples. [Link]

Mashable » Watch this bro get into the Trolling Hall-of-Fame while taking a selfie with Kellyanne Conway

Saturday 4 March 18:43:17 UTC 2017

Taking a video while someone thinks they're smiling for a photo is bad enough. But a sneaky man did Kellyanne Conway one better. In a video circulating Twitter, Instagram user AJ Pelicci poses for a selfie with Kellyanne Conway, advisor of President Donald Trump and onetime stand-up comedian. Instead of "say cheese," he chooses "Say 'I'm ruining America!'" Conway doesn't seem … [Link]

Mashable » Here is a glorious infographic ranking Kellyanne Conway's most embarrassing moments

Saturday 4 March 18:34:44 UTC 2017

Since Donald Trump named Kellyanne Conway counselor to the president, she's thrown a good amount of fuel into the already-raging political dumpster fire crackling throughout America. From her questionable inauguration attire to her startling couch etiquette, the self-declared anti-feminist has caused a fair share of controversy —no “ifs," “ands” or “alternative facts” about it. It can be hard to keep up … [Link]

Slashdot » Jolla Sailfish Will Build A Google-Free Mobile OS For China

Saturday 4 March 18:34:00 UTC 2017

Jolla released their Android-free mobile Linux OS (Sailfish) on their own smartphones, "but has always intended to offer it to other manufacturers," according to Silicon. The next Sailfish smartphone was the Inex Aqua Fish, and people with Sony Xperia phones can now also run Sailfish through the Sony Open Devices Program. But their next big customer is the nation of … [Link]

Mashable » You need to watch the 'Deadpool 2' teaser playing before 'Logan' right now, because it's just that perfect

Saturday 4 March 18:26:31 UTC 2017

For superheroes (and antiheroes), costume changes are like capes: visually striking and highly impractical. That's the lesson Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool learns in this new Deadpool 2 teaser, which is now playing before screenings of Logan. In the clip, which Reynolds also shared on Twitter, Wade Wilson rushes into a phone booth for a pre-rescue quick change, and it…doesn't go well. … [Link]

Mashable » This Uber executive sure sounds defensive about not taking the fall for Uber's harassment crisis

Saturday 4 March 18:10:08 UTC 2017

Uber has spent the past two weeks embroiled in its biggest PR (and HR) crisis ever. But according to a report in Business Insider, the company's head of operations, Ryan Graves, has been missing from the office. Graves used to oversee HR in his role in operations, and was Uber's first CEO before Travis Kalanick. As per a Business Insider source, … [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft Finally Releases A Beta Version of Skype For Linux

Saturday 4 March 17:34:00 UTC 2017

"We want to create a Linux version of Skype that is as feature rich as the existing Skype on desktop and mobile platforms," read Thursday's announcement from Microsoft's Skype team. "Today, we're pleased to announce that we are ready to take the next step and promote Skype for Linux from Alpha to Beta." They're promising more than just better performance … [Link]

Mashable » Louis Tomlinson arrested for battery so yes of course One Direction fans are calling for justice

Saturday 4 March 17:18:53 UTC 2017

Like the old adage goes: Nothing's sure in life but death, taxes, and One Direction fans going ride-or-die for their boys, no matter what. According to TMZ, erstwhile One Direction member Louis Tomlinson was arrested Friday, after allegedly pulling a overbearing paparazzo to the ground at LAX. After the altercation, the photographer reportedly made a citizen's arrest, and Tomlinson was later … [Link]

Mashable » Trump slams Arnold Schwarzenegger in one last parting tweet to end weird 'Apprentice' feud

Saturday 4 March 17:06:26 UTC 2017

Imagine it's 1999, everyone's bright-eyed, with possibilities of a new millennium, and the glory it could bring. And now imagine being told that in a mere 18 years, The Terminator would transform into the governor of California, only to devolve back into an aging reality TV host, in a feud with a tabloid-obsessed billionaire, who himself became president only after he … [Link]

Mashable » Beautifully unguarded portraits capture the spectators at a 1943 parade

Saturday 4 March 17:00:00 UTC 2017

Image: Library of CongressIn July 1943, a few months before embarking on a four-week trip documenting bus travel in America, newly-minted Office of War Information photographer Esther Bubley was assigned to cover a parade in Washington, D.C.The procession was one of many publicity efforts to drum up volunteers for civil defense programs.Bubley snapped a few obligatory shots of the marchers, but … [Link]

Slashdot » Google Open Sources Encrypted Email Extension For Chrome

Saturday 4 March 16:34:00 UTC 2017

Last week Google released E2EMail, "a Gmail client that exchanges OpenPGP mail." Google's documentation promises that "Any email sent from the app is also automatically signed and encrypted… The target is a simple user experience — install app, approve permissions, start reading or send sending messages." Trailrunner7 quotes On The Wire: People have been trying to find a replacement for … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook has quietly rolled out its long-awaited solution to fake news

Saturday 4 March 16:09:28 UTC 2017

Since people first started complaining about "fake news" on Facebook, the phrase has evolved—from a useful way to identify false-information-masquerading-as-t~ to a term that means basically nothing, now wielded by President Donald Trump against stories he doesn't like, and also, drunk people in bars screaming about things and/or sports results they disagree with. But the original problem still genuinely exists. And … [Link]

Mashable » Trump accuses 'sick' Obama of wiretapping him and his proof is [INSERT PROOF HERE]

Saturday 4 March 15:56:04 UTC 2017

As is custom in the United States, we wake up, yawn, remember that it's 2017, grab our phones, and then, bleary-eyed, go on Twitter to see what messages our president has hastily tapped that will rule our lives for the next 24 hours. And on Saturday, like clockwork, President Donald Trump was at it again, tweeting about "wire tapping." SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » 'Divide' is a choose-your-own adventure Ed Sheeran experience

Saturday 4 March 15:52:27 UTC 2017

Is Ed Sheeran the right person to be singing Ed Sheeran songs? That’s something he’s trying to grapple with on ÷ (or Divide), which takes a bolder divide and conquer approach to the British songwriter's well charted genre-hopping ways. The point was clear from the get-go, when he kicked things off by simultaneously releasing two very different lead singles. "Castle on … [Link]

Mashable » Forget about Mars for a minute: Let's talk about these rad moon missions

Saturday 4 March 15:38:31 UTC 2017

While the 2030s might be owned by missions to Mars, the 2020s belong to the moon. A number of companies and nations are now planning to send crewed and uncrewed missions to the vicinity of the moon in the coming decade. SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about SpaceX's big moon announcement Even though many have a "been there, done … [Link]

Slashdot » Free Software Foundation Challenges Tim Berners-Lee On DRM

Saturday 4 March 15:34:00 UTC 2017

Slashdot reader Atticus Rex writes: On Monday, W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) director Tim Berners-Lee released a post defending his decision to allow Netflix, Microsoft, Apple and Google to enshrine DRM in Web standards, arguing that blocking it would be pointless. Zak Rogoff, FSF campaigns manager, writes in the response: "As Director of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium), Berners-Lee … [Link]

Mashable » How to protect your phone from border guards, and why it's probably a bad idea

Saturday 4 March 15:34:00 UTC 2017

If the government wants your data, they're probably going to get it — one way or another. As many are belatedly realizing under the administration of Donald Trump, Fourth Amendment protections against "unreasonable search and seizure" pretty much go up in smoke at the U.S. border. Travelers entering the country have long been accustomed to handing over luggage for inspection, but … [Link]

Mashable » The world's first craft beer hotel wants to soak you in a hot tub full of beer

Saturday 4 March 15:12:27 UTC 2017

Imagine walking into a well appointed hotel room. It's clean, maybe even tastefully decorated. As you walk towards a neatly-made bed, you notice a glint of silver catch the corner of your eye. Turning, you see… a tap? And there's a mini-fridge underneath it, stocked completely full of beer? Are you in heaven right now? Nope, but you just could be … [Link]

Mashable » Meet your new takeout ordering hero, Mozzarella Stick Guy

Saturday 4 March 15:06:26 UTC 2017

The next time you eat enough takeout for a small family by yourself, pour out some ketchup for this brave diner. Redditor adri164, who works at Toronto takeout spot Fresco's Fish and Chips, shared a receipt Friday from a customer who ordered the true motherlode of fried, delicious foods: Three orders of mozzarella sticks and fried pickles, meaning this person was … [Link]

Mashable » Cancel your gym membership — this one gadget is like a full gym

Saturday 4 March 15:00:00 UTC 2017

The 'Spyder 360' could be the most versatile workout gadget yet. It can roll with ease on any surface and can be used for physical therapy and athletic training. Read more…More about Real Time Video, Real Time Video, Real Time, Versatile, and Athletic Training [Link]

Mashable » Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart know why Magneto isn't in 'Logan'

Saturday 4 March 15:00:00 UTC 2017

Used to be there could be no conceived X-Men movie without Sir Ian McKellen, but that was a world before prequels and standalones. The actor hasn't been in all the X-Men movies, but when it came time for Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman to shoot Logan, he was missed. SEE ALSO: Catch up on all things Wolverine before 'Logan' opens … [Link]

Mashable » The directors of 'XX' reveal their horror inspirations

Saturday 4 March 14:30:00 UTC 2017

XX is a film that's truly one of a kind (which is a damn shame) — a horror anthology that's wholly written and directed by women: Roxanne Benjamin, Jovanka Vuckovic, Karyn Kusama and Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent), with stop-motion interstitials by Sofia Carrillo. The movie had its world premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival and is now available in … [Link]

Mashable » Inflatable dummy tanks were a critical tactic in battlefield deception

Saturday 4 March 14:00:00 UTC 2017

c. 1939Soldiers lift up an inflatable rubber dummy tank in England.IMage: Roger Viollet/Getty ImagesFrom their first use on the Western Front in 1916, heavily armed and armored tanks could sway the outcome of a battle with their presence. As such, armies quickly developed techniques to confuse enemies about the location and number of their tanks.In the later years of World War … [Link]

Slashdot » FCC Chair Wants Carriers To Block Robocalls From Spoofed Numbers

Saturday 4 March 13:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The FCC in 2015 made it clear that voice service providers can offer call blocking tools to customers, but commissioners said at the time that more needed to be done about Caller ID spoofing. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has now scheduled a preliminary vote for March 23 on new rules designed … [Link]

Slashdot » Curated Advertising Is Coming To Highway Billboards

Saturday 4 March 10:00:00 UTC 2017

Curated advertising may be coming to a highway near you. "A startup called Synaps Labs has brought it to the physical world by combining high-speed cameras set up a distance ahead of the billboard (about 180 meters) to capture images of cars," reports MIT Technology Review. "Its machine-learning system can recognize in those images the make and model of the … [Link]

Mashable » Are foodie millennials really fueling food waste?

Saturday 4 March 9:30:00 UTC 2017

I simply love food. For me, my love of food isn't just about eating, going to new restaurants, or cooking an exciting meal. It's also about getting to explore new cultures, being creative, and reflecting that on my Instagram. SEE ALSO: I'm a millennial and, believe me, coffee is not the reason I'm broke So reports that the "Instagram generation" were … [Link]

Slashdot » New Research Suggests Earth's Mantle Might Be Hotter Than Anyone Expected

Saturday 4 March 7:00:00 UTC 2017

schwit1 quotes a report from ScienceAlert: New data suggests that the upper parts of Earth's mantle are around 60C (108F) hotter than previously expected. The mantle is the layer between our planet's super-hot core and outer crust, and it plays an incredibly important role in things like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tectonic shifts. But despite the impact the mantle has … [Link]

Slashdot » Researchers Create New Form of Matter

Saturday 4 March 3:30:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Phys.Org: MIT physicists have created a new form of matter, a supersolid, which combines the properties of solids with those of superfluids. By using lasers to manipulate a superfluid gas known as a Bose-Einstein condensate, the team was able to coax the condensate into a quantum phase of matter that has a rigid … [Link]

Mashable » MashTalk: Are BlackBerry and Nokia really back from the dead?

Saturday 4 March 3:14:41 UTC 2017

Welcome back to another week of MashTalk. On this week's podcast, the Mashable tech team recaps the best gadgets from Mobile World Congress 2017, discuss Snap Inc's IPO, and debate whether Apple would actually replace the iPhone's Lightning port with USB-C. SEE ALSO: 9 things from Mobile World Congress you should be excited about As always, MashTalk is hosted by … [Link]

Mashable » Thirsty T-Mobile is giving out free iPhone 7s to join its network

Saturday 4 March 2:52:42 UTC 2017

T-Mobile is, if nothing else, super thirsty. From one-upping Verizon's unlimited data plan via tweetstorm from CEO John Legere to its BDSM-tinged, slightly NSFW Super Bowl Twitter feud with, again, Verizon, there's not much the self-proclaimed "Un-carrier" won't do to stir up social attention. T-Mobile's latest move isn't as controversial as some of its other recent promotions — but it is … [Link]

Slashdot » Snapchat Wanted $150K To Not Run NRA Ads On Gun Control Group Videos

Saturday 4 March 2:10:00 UTC 2017

New submitter bababoris writes: It appears that Snapchat's Rob Saliterman attempted to "encourage" Everytown for Gun Safety to advertise with Snapchat or risk having National Rifle Association (NRA) ads run during their Live Story promoting gun safety. The Next Web reports: "Everytown for Gun Safety is an advocacy group that focuses on gun safety and violence issues. According to Mic, … [Link]

Mashable » Chelsea Clinton and Kellyanne Conway just had a friendly Twitter moment. Seriously.

Saturday 4 March 1:32:43 UTC 2017

Chelsea Clinton did possibly the most unlikely thing ever and came to the defense of Kellyanne Conway on Twitter on Friday. SEE ALSO: Chelsea Clinton burns Trump on Twitter for his baffling Sweden remark It all happened after Conway was at the center of lewd remarks by Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana. Richmond's words drew outrage on Twitter and from … [Link]

Slashdot » Bill Would Legalize Active Defense Against Hacks

Saturday 4 March 1:30:00 UTC 2017

Trailrunner7 quotes a report from On the Wire: A new bill intended to update the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act would allow victims of computer attacks to engage in active defense measures to identify the attacker and disrupt the attack. Proposed by Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.), the bill would grant victims of computer intrusions unprecedented rights. Known as the Active … [Link]

Mashable » This 'Basket of Deplorables' board game is perfect for Trump haters

Saturday 4 March 1:07:31 UTC 2017

One Bernie Sanders supporter is still feeling the burn and in anticipation for the next presidential election (no, not again!) has created an aptly named political board game, "Basket of Deplorables." SEE ALSO: Bernie Sanders is now a fashion icon and he's not sure what to make of it As you move along the board (aka the "campaign trail") as either … [Link]

Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: Why Are There No Huge Leaps Forward In CPU/GPU Power?

Saturday 4 March 0:50:00 UTC 2017

dryriver writes: We all know that CPUs and GPUs and other electronic chips get a little faster with each generation produced. But one thing never seems to happen — a CPU/GPU manufacturer suddenly announcing a next generation chip that is, say, 4-8 times faster than the fastest model they had 2 years ago. There are moderate leaps forward all the … [Link]

Slashdot » Amazon Pledges To Cover 15 Massive Warehouse Rooftops With Solar Panels

Saturday 4 March 0:10:00 UTC 2017

Amazon announced earlier this week that it would install solar panels on 15 of its fulfillment and sorting centers around the U.S. in 2017. "Depending on the specific project, time of year, and other factors, a solar installation could generate as much as 80 percent of a single fulfillment facility's annual energy needs," Amazon wrote in a press release. "That … [Link]

John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons