John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons

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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.

Mashable » Watch: You'll never hear these words uttered in an office (and if you do, run)

Thursday 9 March 23:53:39 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Doesn't office work just excite you?  The random LinkedIn connection requests, meetings full of delightful and relevant information, the always-perfect air conditioning temperatures. Why ever take a holiday? It's just bliss. To revel in how *great* office life is, Australian comedy group Collective Noun have put together a video of things you'll never hear inside one.   It's just baffling … [Link]

Mashable » The ACLU is fighting police who want private info on a political Facebook group

Thursday 9 March 23:45:10 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIn a potentially troubling move for the future of online organizing, police in Washington are looking to dig up private information on members of a political Facebook group. A judge recently granted the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department a warrant served on Facebook that seeks out the "messages, photos, videos, wall posts and location information (IP address login)" on a group opposed … [Link]

Mashable » Makeup artist creates 'Stranger Things' and 'Harry Potter' masterpieces on her arm

Thursday 9 March 23:42:21 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIf you're into doing your makeup, or just watching makeup tutorials, you know that you rely on the swatch color to show you what the product will look like on skin.  SEE ALSO: Instagram rips off yet another feature from Snapchat Well, one Instagram makeup artist named Daisy Weigt is taking advantage of this technique and creating complete detailed works of … [Link]

Slashdot » Google's Compute Engine Now Offers Machines With Up To 64 CPU Cores, 416GB of RAM

Thursday 9 March 23:20:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a TechCrunch report: Google is doubling the maximum number of CPU cores developers can use with a single virtual machine on its Compute Engine service from 32 to 64. These high-power machines are now available in beta across all of Google's standard configurations and as custom machine types, which allow you to select exactly how many … [Link]

Mashable » Atari arcade classics return as IRL board games

Thursday 9 March 23:05:25 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookAtari’s quirky comeback continues. First, it was a slick-looking wearable. Now? Board games. The brand behind some of the earliest video game hits has partnered up with IDW Games on a series of upcoming releases based on Atari classics. First up is a Centipede board game, coming in fall 2017, followed by tabletop versions of Asteroids and Missile Command. SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Popular Science » How we know that climate change is happening—and that humans are causing it

Thursday 9 March 23:05:00 UTC 2017

Environment It's a matter of how, not if How can we know if the climate is really changing? And does it really present the kinds of threats that have now become a familiar, but jarring, refrain? Read on. [Link]

Mashable » Starbucks releases special spring cups for the first time ever

Thursday 9 March 23:03:37 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThis month, diehard Starbucks fans will notice a slight change when they make an order: a decorative spring cup.  The company began releasing seasonal cups 20 years ago. This, however, marks the first year it will be releasing one for spring. While Starbucks has seen its fair share of controversy involving its holiday cups in recent years, the new pastel-colored cups … [Link]

Popular Science » Six irrefutable pieces of evidence that prove climate change is real

Thursday 9 March 22:55:00 UTC 2017

Environment Here's everything you need to know Need proof that climate change is real, and caused by human emissions? Read on. [Link]

Mashable » 5 horrifying zits we hope Dr. Pimple Popper can cure with her new skincare line

Thursday 9 March 22:45:16 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSandra Lee, M.D., known to her fans as Dr. Pimple Popper, has a new venture on the horizon: A line of skincare products for all the zit-prone folks out there. The internet-famous dermatologist announced the line's launch in a post to — where else — her enormously popular Instagram account. SEE ALSO: NSFL: Salivary stones are even more disgusting than popping … [Link]

Slashdot » Filmmakers Take Dutch State To Court Over Lost Piracy Revenue

Thursday 9 March 22:40:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TorrentFreak: A coalition of Dutch film and TV producers is following through on their threat to file a lawsuit against the local Government. The filmmakers hold the authorities responsible for the country's high piracy rates. They claim the government tolerated and even encouraged unauthorized downloading for years and want to see compensation as … [Link]

Mashable » Patrick Stewart greeting his rescue dog is all sorts of adorable

Thursday 9 March 22:39:26 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSure, Patrick Stewart is adorable and anyone would be lucky enough to call him a friend. But a delighted Patrick Stewart greeting his new furry companion? That's whole new levels of endearing.  The actor teamed up with American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and Wags and Walks to adopt Ginger, a pitbull, and shared the sweetest video … [Link]

Mashable » Congress doesn't like Trump's deleted tweets (and it's not because of the typos)

Thursday 9 March 22:34:42 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIf there's one thing that's predictable about President Donald Trump's tweets, it's that he'll eventually commit a few typos. But it's what happens after these typos that has one Congressional committee a bit twisted. SEE ALSO: Inside the shadowy Skype seat selection process On Wednesday, the Committee on Government Oversight and Reform sent a letter to the White House expressing concern … [Link]

Mashable » You'll want this 'Hamilton' lullaby right now — um, for your kids

Thursday 9 March 22:26:52 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIt’s been a few months since the Hamilton mixtape, did you think the smash musical had fizzled out? Apart from ongoing sold-out performances in New York and Chicago, Hamilton is getting a new cover — this time by Rockabye Baby, with several of the songs rendered as lullabies. SEE ALSO: For International Women's Day, 'Hamilton' cast donated salaries from last night's … [Link]

Mashable » Google is Slackifying Hangouts

Thursday 9 March 22:07:41 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookGoogle is making massive changes to Hangouts. After what feels like years without significant updates, the company announced a total overhaul of the messaging app. In an effort to make Hangouts more business-friendly, Google is splitting the service into two separate apps: Hangouts Meet, a videoconferencing app, and Hangouts Chat, a Slack-like messaging app designed for teams.  SEE ALSO: We tested … [Link]

Mashable » Instead of telling women who might get pregnant they can't drink, study suggests trusting them

Thursday 9 March 22:01:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSay it together now: Women know their bodies. Women can be trusted with their bodies.  It's not every day that a reputable study comes along to support these obvious truths, given that women, of course, still routinely hear patronizing messages — including from the medical community — about things like menstruation, birth control, abortion and childbirth.   Now a new study … [Link]

Slashdot » PlayStation 4.5 Update Brings HDD Support, PS4 Pro 'Boost Mode'

Thursday 9 March 22:00:00 UTC 2017

Sony has officially pushed out the PlayStation 4.5 System Update, codenamed "Susuke," which brings a new Boost Mode for PS4 Pro owners and lets PS4 owners download and install games directly to USB 3.0 hard drives up to 8TB in size. The INQUIRER reports: PS4 Pro owners are also being treated to a new Boost Mode, will offer improved performance … [Link]

Mashable » How to get free 'Hearthstone' cards during the 'Hearthstone' Global Games

Thursday 9 March 21:40:49 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe Hearthstone Global Games are almost upon us and voting for your favorite player in your   home country will earn you some free Whispers of the Old Gods cards. Similar to the Overwatch World Cup, the Hearthstone Global Games brings together the top Hearthstone players from 48 countries around the world to compete for glory and a $300,000 prize pool. Teams … [Link]

Mashable » A song of ice and fail: Why HBO's 'Game of Thrones' stunt was the worst

Thursday 9 March 21:30:54 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookYou often hear the old canard "all publicity is good publicity," and that's true — if you don't care about potential customers reinforcing negative stereotypes around your product.  What is the most damaging negative perception around HBO's hit Game of Thrones (which, to be clear, I love) if you want people to keep watching it?  The perception that it drags on … [Link]

Mashable » Instant karma comes for driver skipping line of cars on the freeway

Thursday 9 March 21:22:22 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookAnyone who frequently drives on the highway knows how annoying it can be when a driver tries to jump the line at a busy junction, but there's usually not much drivers can do about it.  In this clip, cars start to pileup in the righthand lane as the driver with the dash cam speeds past. There are plenty of opportunities for … [Link]

Slashdot » T-Mobile Raises Deprioritization Threshold To 30GB

Thursday 9 March 21:20:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TmoNews: T-Mobile's new deprioritization threshold is 30GB of usage in a single billing cycle. While T-Mo didn't make an official announcement about the change, you can see in this cached page that the network management policy says 28GB: "Based on network statistics for the most recent quarter, customers who use more than 28GB … [Link]

Mashable » Hillary Clinton Snapchats an empowering video, but the internet only cares about her new haircut

Thursday 9 March 21:19:41 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookHillary’s back, but so are the old stigmas.  Hillary Clinton recorded what was meant to be an inspirational Snapchat Discover story on Wednesday — clad in red for International Women's Day, she gave a call to arms for the future. Unfortunately, the internet didn't spend too much time listening to her words. SEE ALSO: YouTube is going big for International Women’s … [Link]

New Scientist – News » NASA’s new budget is big on other worlds but ignores our own

Thursday 9 March 21:12:00 UTC 2017

The NASA Transition and Authorization Act instructs the space agency to send humans to Mars, robots to Europa and look for life – but not to study Earth [Link]

Mashable » Ellen DeGeneres sneaks into Ciara's, er, interesting maternity photo

Thursday 9 March 21:02:43 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookOne big funny family. Ciara recently teamed up with Harper's Bazaar for a maternity photoshoot and interview in which she discussed her upcoming music, her son, Future Jr. and her happy marriage to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. The singer posted a sweet picture from the shoot of the foursome on Twitter in which Wilson is crouching behind her holding her … [Link]

Mashable » Inspired by Chance the Rapper, NFL star pledges to donate all his endorsement money

Thursday 9 March 21:02:30 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSeattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett has long been outspoken on social issues. Now the NFL star is putting his money where his mouth is in a major way.  His inspiration? A do-good rapper.  SEE ALSO: How Derek Jeter's once-mocked startup became a sports media powerhouse Bennett announced in an Instagram post Thursday that he plans to donate every endorsement dollar … [Link]

Mashable » This girl has her very own Batsignal built into her teeth

Thursday 9 March 21:01:41 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookNa na na na, na na na na Batman…teeth? SEE ALSO: Bold kid crashes local weather report, forecasting 'farts and toots' Reddit user roxymoxi posted this photo of a friend's sister, whose teeth are growing back in the coolest, most ~super~ way:  Shine a light through those teeth and this kid will have Batman by her side in seconds. We might … [Link]

Mashable » Drop everything: Kate Middleton needs a new private secretary

Thursday 9 March 21:01:06 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIt’s a job fit for a queen — or at least an aspiring princess.  Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, needs a new private secretary, which is a personal helper, which is really a glorified servant. But you get to be close to a princess all the time!  That could be you in the picture above, carrying all the things, trying … [Link]

Popular Science » 13 things inside the perfect work bag

Thursday 9 March 20:58:13 UTC 2017

What To Bring To Work Gadgets For a happier commute. Make your journey to work less miserable with these 13 things. Read on. [Link]

Popular Science » Gluten-free diets are not actually linked to diabetes

Thursday 9 March 20:58:11 UTC 2017

Sliced bread Health Low gluten consumption might be relevant, but no one really knows at this point In the pantheon of fad diets, there is perhaps none more hated on than gluten free. But is gluten actually bad for people who don’t have a problem with it? [Link]

Mashable » Behold, the glory of our Trump White House LEGO set

Thursday 9 March 20:56:27 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookImmortality comes in many forms, even LEGO sets. SEE ALSO: The real stories of the NASA women celebrated in Lego form In the wake of the good vibe wave surrounding the news that LEGO would produce a "Women of NASA" set, we at Mashable put our heads together, and brainstormed: Who else deserves the LEGO treatment in 2017?  And the answer … [Link]

Mashable » Airbnb raises another $1 billion, and it's actually profitable

Thursday 9 March 20:53:17 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookDoes Airbnb need more money?  Apparently so. The home-rental company just finished raising another $1 billion, putting its total funding above $3 billion. SEE ALSO: Airbnb offers free housing to those affected by Muslim travel ban That means Airbnb is now valued at $31 billion, compared to the measly $30 billion it was valued at last September.  CNBC noted Airbnb's filing … [Link]

Slashdot » Seattle Tech Engineers Are More Loyal Than Those in San Francisco, Data Shows

Thursday 9 March 20:40:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report: Software engineers in Seattle stay at companies an average of six months longer than do their counterparts in San Francisco, according to data from online job search giant Indeed. That may seem like a small difference, but it's actually quite significant when compared to the total time engineers tend to stay with a company. … [Link]

Popular Science » Hack Netflix with these add-ons and tricks

Thursday 9 March 20:31:32 UTC 2017

There's plenty hidden beneath the surface of Netflix. DIY Supercharge your streaming Discover how you can get more out of Netflix with this collection of expert tips, hidden tricks, and third-party add-ons for the popular streaming service. [Link]

Mashable » Lorde blesses us all with another new song and album release date

Thursday 9 March 20:31:24 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIn case you haven't heard—everyone's favorite Kiwi is back.  Lorde surprised us all with the lush first single "Green Light" earlier this month, and now she's officially given us a date for her long-anticipated album release. SEE ALSO: Lorde is back with a euphoric breakup song, 'Green Light' The New Zealand native announced that on June 16 the world will be … [Link]

Mashable » Cadillac's new cars can talk to each other about road conditions

Thursday 9 March 20:28:10 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookCars that can "talk" to each other are ready to hit the open road.  Cadillac announced its 2017 CTS sedan will be the first car in the U.S. market to include a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system as a standard feature, adding an extra layer of smart safety to the the luxury line. V2V-enabled autos share information about road conditions with other … [Link]

Mashable » The internet wants to bring a rare picture of Harriet Tubman back to her homestead

Thursday 9 March 20:22:33 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookHarriet Tubman, renowned abolitionist and creator of the Underground Railroad, is the subject of very few photos. There was a bounty on her head for many years, so keeping her appearance a mystery was a matter of life and death.  Thus, the discovery of a portrait of a young Tubman last month was huge for the historical community, and in particular, … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Mashable Show' has a stacked lineup from SXSW for Twitter Live

Thursday 9 March 20:05:58 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookGreat news, everyone! Your SXSW FOMO is over. For those who can't make it down to Austin to experience those SXSW vibes firsthand, have no fear — Mashable and Twitter are teaming up to bring the best of SXSW 2017 to a screen near you. "The Mashable Show" — an exclusive 90-minute live stream of all things Interactive, Film and Music … [Link]

Mashable » Twitter has pretty cold feelings toward the 'Game of Thrones' block of ice stunt

Thursday 9 March 20:03:54 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookGame of Thrones has done some pretty unforgivable things, like using women as props and killing our faves — but the latest for loyal fans of the HBO show was being forced to watch a block of ice melt live on the internet in order to uncover the Season 7 release date. The live Facebook video (which stalled more than once) … [Link]

Slashdot » Amazon Says It's Open To Pushing Content Through Cable Boxes

Thursday 9 March 20:00:00 UTC 2017

Amazon, the e-commerce giant that's shaking up the entertainment industry, says it's open to pursuing deals to stream content through cable operators' set-top boxes, much like Netflix has done in the U.S. and Europe. From a report on Bloomberg: "Amazon is definitely open to those partnerships and to be fair, we haven't done as much there as Netflix have done," … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Five designer chromosomes bring synthetic life a step closer

Thursday 9 March 19:30:00 UTC 2017

An international effort to build a carefully edited version of the yeast genome from scratch has reached a milestone by completing five more of 16 chromosomes [Link]

New Scientist – News » Special steel inspired by bone is more resistant to cracking

Thursday 9 March 19:30:00 UTC 2017

Giving steel a layered nanostructure similar to that of bone makes it more resilient to metal fatigue and could lead to safer structures [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Getting Started with Server-Side Swift Using the Vapor Web Framework

Thursday 9 March 19:26:43 UTC 2017

Ever since Apple open-sourced Swift, the developer community saw a greater potential for the language than mere client-side iOS development. That community envisioned a language that could become more universal and cross-platform, as evidenced by the emergence of server-side Swift powered by the Vapor Web Framework. [Link]

Slashdot » Google Hangouts' New Features Make Work Meetings Slightly Less Annoying

Thursday 9 March 19:20:00 UTC 2017

Google is rolling out two new features in its communication and messaging app, Hangouts. From a report: (Unfortunately, neither tools help decrease the utterances of such phrases like "How will this scale?" and "Run it up the flagpole.") The first is a video conferencing feature called Hangouts Meet. Meet allows people to hop on meetings via a web link through … [Link]

Mashable » Neymar savagely roasts Paris Saint-Germain after historic comeback win

Thursday 9 March 19:18:47 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookNeymar isn't just a fantastic soccer player — he also knows how to add insult to injury.  After assisting on the winning goal to complete a historic FC Barcelona comeback victory over Paris Saint-Germain in Europe's top soccer competition Wednesday, the Brazilian star used social media to rub some salt in the gaping wound.  SEE ALSO: How Derek Jeter's once-mocked startup … [Link]

Mashable » 'Game of Thrones' Season 7 gets a release date…and it's in ice?

Thursday 9 March 19:11:49 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWinter is coming to HBO in summer — specifically, on July 16. Game of Thrones Season 7 announced its release date via Facebook Live on the official Game of Thrones page, where the date was in a block of ice and could only be melted down when fans typed "FIRE" in the comments. SEE ALSO: Ian McShane thinks 'Game of Thrones' … [Link]

Mashable » Brave woman rescues skunk that got its head stuck in a jar

Thursday 9 March 19:10:15 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookA brave woman risked her future scent to rescue a skunk that got its head stuck inside a jar. Brandy McNeil of Hollandale, Wisconsin noticed a skunk in need on the side of the road while driving on Tuesday. The skunk managed to get its head stuck on a glass jar, probably while looking for some snacks. SEE ALSO: Smell like … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Lyft Extends Transportation Network Beyond the Lyft App

Thursday 9 March 19:07:39 UTC 2017

This week, Lyft introduced its new Dispatch Developer Program. The program allows developers to use Lyft APIs to integrate with third party apps in a manner that no longer requires riders to sign up for a Lyft account. Instead, Lyft account management is handled between the third party app and Lyft directly, while the rider need only manage the relationship … [Link]

Mashable » Americans don't use bidets. This startup founder wants to change that.

Thursday 9 March 19:05:58 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWhen Miki Agrawal founded Thinx — the company that sells underwear that can replace tampons and pads — she got everyone talking about periods. Now, she wants them to talk about bidets. The entrepreneur's next project is Tushy, a startup selling bidet attachments that could replace toilet paper in homes across the U.S.  SEE ALSO: Some transgender men need period underwear … [Link]

Mashable » Silicon Valley boy king Mark Zuckerberg announces he's having another Zuckerbaby

Thursday 9 March 19:05:43 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookOne baby's cool. You know what's really cool? A billion babies.  But two works, too. And when 1.86 billion active users isn't enough, sometimes, you just have to grow your audience the old fashioned way.  Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg today announced that he and his wife Priscilla Chan are expecting a second child. Like their tiny bundle of joy Max, it's … [Link]

Mashable » Nintendo Switch has cut deep into porn traffic

Thursday 9 March 19:05:29 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookTurns out you can't watch porn and play video games at the same time, but you can watch porn about video games. YouPorn reports that their traffic dropped noticeably after the release last weekend of the highly anticipated new gaming system the Nintendo Switch. It seems people were so excited to play with their new device that they didn’t need to … [Link]

Mashable » Ivanka Trump's brand claims sales spiked after White House controversy

Thursday 9 March 19:02:59 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookKellyanne Conway might have a promising career in infomercials should she ever leave politics. The Ivanka Trump brand claims sales of the first daughter's products have soared since early February, despite a widespread consumer boycott movement and pullback from several retailers. SEE ALSO: Here are the stores that have dumped Trump As it happens, that's around the same time the White … [Link]

Popular Science » How healthy are low-gluten diets anyway?

Thursday 9 March 18:57:59 UTC 2017

Sliced bread Health Eating less gluten is associated with a higher risk of diabetes, but it's more complicated than that In the pantheon of fad diets, there is perhaps none more hated on than gluten free. But is gluten actually bad for people who don’t have a problem with it? [Link]

Mashable » Emma Watson's feminist evolution is more relatable than you think

Thursday 9 March 18:53:57 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookShowing a little bit of underboob might sound pretty innocuous, but when a feminist activist does it, the internet has a lot to say about it. That's precisely what Emma Watson learned after a braless image from her Vanity Fair photoshoot divided the internet, and saw her branded a hypocrite and a bad feminist. SEE ALSO: Emma Watson is being called … [Link]

Mashable » Paul Ryan's janky healthcare PowerPoint is perfect as a meme, really, how did he not see this coming?

Thursday 9 March 18:53:41 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSomewhere, right now, and some high school somewhere in the world, a teacher has flicked off the lights, and booted up a PowerPoint presentation. And in five minutes, at least half of that class, without fail, will probably be asleep.  Such was the case when House Speaker Paul Ryan wheeled out a PowerPoint presentation on Thursday to get Americans to pay … [Link]

New Scientist – News » EPA boss says carbon dioxide not primary cause of climate change

Thursday 9 March 18:42:00 UTC 2017

The statement from Scott Pruitt, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, contradicts all the scientific evidence [Link]

Slashdot » Despite Netflix and Amazon Prime, Most of the World Watches Pirated Content

Thursday 9 March 18:40:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a TechInAsia report: More than half of the people surveyed across the world still watch pirated movies and TV shows, a new survey shows. The study, conducted by digital security firm Irdeto, asked more than 25,000 adults across 30 countries about video watching trends. Here's what it found: 52 percent of those surveyed said they watch … [Link]

Mashable » Artist beautifully illustrates ABCs of mental health to help destroy stigma

Thursday 9 March 18:32:07 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookOne illustrator is using the alphabet to send a powerful message about mental health. Bangalore-based artist Sonaksha Iyengar has launched a series of gorgeous illustrations on Instagram called #AtoZofMentalHealth, through which she depicts conditions like anxiety, PTSD and narcolepsy. The 22-year-old hopes her art will spread awareness about mental illness, and tackle stigma in the process. SEE ALSO: Grassroots Facebook pages … [Link]

Mashable » Watch these couples remind you just how awkward telling someone "I love you" for the first time truly is

Thursday 9 March 18:27:45 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook You don't need to be in a relationship to know that saying "I love you" to someone is, first and foremost, an incredibly awkward ordeal.  Most of the time, the phrase isn't accompanied by any kind of grand romantic gesture or sweeping background music so much as it is a mumbled or unplanned happening. And of course, when asked about … [Link]

Mashable » Harry Potter robotics master lets a hyper realistic leopard on the loose in London

Thursday 9 March 18:23:28 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook John Nolan is an animatronics visionary, known for having created the terrifying baby Voldemort for the Harry Potter films.  Now he's teamed up with National Geographic for Big Cat Week to create the world's first hyper-realistic leopard.  The giant animal robot is 1.3 meters tall and has over 40 moving parts, most of which are focused on detailed facial expressions … [Link]

Mashable » Dog valiantly trying to catch a toy gets the Photoshop battle he deserves

Thursday 9 March 18:20:20 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookNothing says "it's Photoshop battle time" like a weird-ass picture of a dog. It began like all good battles – with Reddit user rocklou uploading one worthy photo of a potential muse. We present to you, "dog trying to catch a toy with his paws." SEE ALSO: Little pug helps his doggie friend out by giving him a great back scratch … [Link]

Mashable » Exclusive: Samsung to bring Samsung Pay to non-premium smartphones

Thursday 9 March 18:04:36 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSamsung is exploring new ways to get its flagship mobile payments solution in more markets around the world—and their latest attempt involves markets that aren't covered in their premium phones.   The South Korean technology company plans to bring support for Samsung Pay on their non-premium smartphones lineup, including its budget J series models in India, according to two sources familiar … [Link]

Mashable » 'Kong: Skull Island' review: The monster becomes a hero

Thursday 9 March 18:00:31 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookNo one goes to a monster movie for the humans, and yet it's hard to imagine a monster movie without them. They're supposed to be the characters that ground us — the ones we relate to, root for and fear for, even as the world around them gets wilder and weirder. Those humans are there in Kong: Skull Island, too, serving … [Link]

Slashdot » Indiegogo Halted Retro Computer Campaign

Thursday 9 March 18:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report on BBC: Crowdfunding platform Indiegogo intervened to stop a handheld retro computer console campaign from acquiring further funding, the BBC has learned. The Spectrum ZX Vega+, backed by Sir Clive Sinclair, had achieved its original crowdfunding target. But then Indiegogo halted further fundraising because of delivery delays and a lack of communication to backers. … [Link]

Mashable » Here's why Thor has a new haircut in 'Thor: Ragnarok'

Thursday 9 March 17:44:46 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookAvengers — they’re just like us. They, too, geek out over their favorite larger-than-life heroes.  At least that’s the case in Thor: Ragnarok, which sends the God of Thunder to the planet Sakaar. There, he comes across Valkyrie, a tough-gal warrior played by Tessa Thompson. Turns out he’s a longtime admirer. “Thor is a bit of a fanboy for the Valkyrie, … [Link]

Slashdot » China Developing Manned Space Mission To the Moon

Thursday 9 March 17:20:00 UTC 2017

China is building a manned spacecraft capable of sending astronauts to the moon as well as near-Earth orbit flight, according to Chinese state media. From a report on CNBC: The official newspaper of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China cited system chief architect Zhang Bainan who claimed the craft is being designed to carry as many as six … [Link]

Mashable » Patient shows brain activity for 10 minutes after death

Thursday 9 March 17:18:02 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWhen are we no longer considered alive? When, exactly, do we cross into the land of the dead? The answer may not be as clear-cut as we previously thought, a new paper suggests. Doctors in a Canadian intensive care unit said they witnessed a strange event after withdrawing life support from four critically ill patients.  SEE ALSO: Dying author pens heartbreaking … [Link]

Mashable » Wikileaks says it wants to help tech companies thwart CIA hacking

Thursday 9 March 17:16:54 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWikileaks mastermind Julian Assange says he wants to help tech companies block the CIA's hacking techniques.  "We have decided to work with them, to give them some exclusive access to some of the technical details we have, so that fixes can be pushed out," he said during a Facebook Live news conference on Thursday.  SEE ALSO: WikiLeaks document dump alleges the … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Why overzealous breastfeeding advice can be bad for babies

Thursday 9 March 17:11:00 UTC 2017

An excessive focus on breastfeeding at all costs in the first few days after birth may be harming babies when their mums can’t make enough milk [Link]

Mashable » Clever dude masterfully Photoshops himself into every Best Picture Nominee poster

Thursday 9 March 17:09:03 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookJust because the Oscars ended doesn't mean the Oscars content has to. Reddit user Gmadjar ended our 2017 Oscars respite in an incredibly funny way, by photoshopping himself into all of the Best Picture nominee's posters. SEE ALSO: How 'Moonlight' made Oscars history Guy Madjar from Chicago says he is an aspiring graphic designer and has been photoshopping himself and friends … [Link]

Mashable » 'Beauty and the Beast' inspires Doug the pug to find his own love

Thursday 9 March 17:03:48 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookYes, we are all very excited about the upcoming release of Beauty and the Beast. All of the promos, trailers and clips only confirm how magical this movie is going to be. The following video does just more of the same. Emma Watson looks absolutely ravishing in that iconic yellow gown, the Beast's character transformation is so eloquently portray— SEE ALSO: … [Link]

New Scientist – News » That faddish gluten-free diet may be raising your diabetes risk

Thursday 9 March 17:00:00 UTC 2017

Going gluten-free without a diagnosis? Growing evidence of potential health harms suggests you might want to think again, says Angry Chef Anthony Warner [Link]

Mashable » Russell Brand weighs in on the Piers Morgan/Emma Watson feud

Thursday 9 March 16:56:47 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Russell Brand has weighed in on the recent feud between Emma Watson and Piers Morgan — and it seems pretty clear whose side he's on. For the latest episode of his YouTube series "The Trews", Brand examined Morgan's reaction to Watson's braless Vanity Fair photoshoot. SEE ALSO: Emma Watson schools critics on what feminism actually means "I think what happened … [Link]

Mashable » Brie Larson finally talks about not clapping for Casey Affleck winning his Oscar

Thursday 9 March 16:56:03 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIt didn't go unnoticed this award season that Brie Larson presented Casey Affleck his awards at the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.  During the Oscars last month, the staunch advocate for survivors of sexual assault decided not to applaud the Best Actor win for Affleck—who was accused of sexual misconduct—and her actions were discussed by many. But she recently spoke … [Link]

Mashable » Saturn's tiny, bizarre moon Pan looks like a flying saucer… or Trump's face

Thursday 9 March 16:53:14 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSaturn’s moon Pan is a weird one. The little moon, which has been compared to a ravioli, President Donald Trump and a UFO, seems to have a rocky ridge growing out of its middle section.  SEE ALSO: Cassini spacecraft snaps new photos of Saturn's weirdest moon That ridge — which is prominently seen in new photos taken by the Cassini spacecraft … [Link]

New Scientist – News » First results of CRISPR gene editing of normal embryos released

Thursday 9 March 16:53:00 UTC 2017

Until now, CRISPR has only been tested in human embryos unable to develop into children. New results suggest the technique works much better on healthy embryos [Link]

New Scientist – News » Obamacare’s replacement a giant step backwards for US healthcare

Thursday 9 March 16:52:00 UTC 2017

A Republican overhaul of health reforms pledged by Donald Trump will turn out to be a big blow for the well-being of millions of Americans, warns Laudan Aron [Link]

Mashable » Google's officially pitching a (new, expensive) tent in Mountain View

Thursday 9 March 16:49:06 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookGoogle’s not going to let Apple get all the new, shiny campus glory in Silicon Valley. On Tuesday, the City of Mountain View gave the tech giant the go-ahead to begin construction on its newest building, its tent-like Charleston East building. SEE ALSO: The 'Apple Park' spaceship campus will open in April…and it looks amazing Plans have been in the works … [Link]

Mashable » 'Overwatch' reveals one of its playable characters is on the autism spectrum

Thursday 9 March 16:48:39 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIn a response to a fan's letter, Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan confirmed that the playable character Symmetra is on the autism spectrum. An Overwatch fan named Samuel shared a letter he received from Kaplan on Tumblr, in which Kaplan replied to the fan's questions about Symmetra and confirmed that she is autistic.  "Symmetra is autistic," Kaplan wrote. "She is one … [Link]

Mashable » British newspapers want Facebook and Google investigated over fake news

Thursday 9 March 16:43:25 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookUK news publishers think they've found a solution for the rise of "fake news": investigate the "duopoly" of Google and Facebook.  The News Media Association (NMA), which represents the UK newspaper industry, called on British lawmakers to grill representatives from both companies and hold them to account for spreading and profiting from the phenomenon.  SEE ALSO: Fox News' Shep Smith attempts … [Link]

Slashdot » Google Confirms Small Number of Pixel Phones Have Broken Microphones

Thursday 9 March 16:40:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report on The Verge: Google says that a small number of Pixel phones have broken microphones that need to be sent back for replacement. The issue is seemingly not that widespread. Google claims the issue is present on less than 1 percent of devices — the company also announced that it would replace defective phones … [Link]

Mashable » You can now record virtual oral sex. But you have to lick your phone.

Thursday 9 March 16:32:06 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThere are already virtual blow jobs for men, so why shouldn’t women be allowed to have their own virtual fun? That’s what the webcam platform CamSoda is trying to achieve with “O-Cast,” which they’re calling “the iTunes of oral sex for women.” Basically they've devised an app (for iOS and Android) that allows you to record your own unique brand of … [Link]

Mashable » Chelsea Clinton horrified the internet with spinach pancakes

Thursday 9 March 16:27:14 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe great food wars of 2017 continues with no end in sight. Chelsea Clinton celebrated the fake holiday National Pancake Day on Tuesday by creating some fake ass pancakes. SEE ALSO: Just a load of animals with pancakes because humans are weird Spinach pancakes for #NationalPancakeDay (we won't eat them all tonight although Charlotte would if we let her)! pic.twitter.com/9zgWZ0k94W — … [Link]

Mashable » Retail chains are floundering and it's not because of Amazon

Thursday 9 March 16:25:19 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIs Amazon really the killer everyone says it is? More retailers are on the brink of death than any time since the Great Recession, according to ratings firm Moody's. Hundreds of department stores are closing, and once-chic clothing brands are barely treading water — or, in the case of American Apparel and The Limited, recently departed. In that kind of atmosphere, … [Link]

Mashable » For International Women's Day, 'Hamilton' cast donated salaries from last night's show

Thursday 9 March 16:20:11 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThey didn't throw away their shot to honor the ladies. Yesterday the world celebrated International Women's Day, a day full of honoring all of the inspiring women in our lives. To mark this occasion, the cast of the Broadway hit Hamilton decided to donate their collective salaries from their nightly performance to Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization that supports women … [Link]

Mashable » EPA chief doesn't think carbon dioxide is main cause of global warming and… wait, what!?

Thursday 9 March 16:14:59 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWell, that didn't take long.  Soon after moving to slash his agency's budget and staff, Scott Pruitt, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said on Thursday that he doesn't believe that the human-caused buildup in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations is the primary contributor behind global warming. In an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box," Pruitt said: "I think that … [Link]

Mashable » Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' will probably break a box office record

Thursday 9 March 16:12:41 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookAlthough Beauty and the Beast won’t open for another week, it’s doing monster business in ticket pre-sales, and has already beat out Finding Dory to become the fastest-selling family film in history, according to Fandango, the online ticket retailer.  SEE ALSO: The reviews are in and 'Beauty and the Beast' is exactly what you'd expect, apparently Fandango managing editor Erik Davis … [Link]

Mashable » 'No Man's Sky' photo mode leveled up and look at the amazing things it can do

Thursday 9 March 16:07:33 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookFor all the controversy around its launch, No Man's Sky sure does continue to get more and more awesome. The game's latest update — dubbed "Pathfinder Update" — adds a handful of new features to the game, including a permadeath mode, base-sharing via Steam Workshop, ship specializations, ground vehicles, a wider range of graphics settings and PlayStation 4 Pro support. Also … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Discovery of tiny moon completes the set for worlds past Neptune

Thursday 9 March 16:04:00 UTC 2017

The third-largest dwarf planet has a small satellite, meaning every object bigger than 1000 kilometres across in the outer solar system has a moon of its own [Link]

Mashable » Uber says it will review its creepy Greyball feature

Thursday 9 March 16:02:08 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookUber finally addressed its latest controversy — but don't expect it to offer any apologies.  The New York Times last week reported Uber's use of Greyball, an internal tool meant to determine if the rider was actually a government investigator. If they were flagged, the targeted user saw a different version of the apps that would show fake cars and cancel … [Link]

Mashable » Amazon's Alexa gets super sketchy when you ask her about the CIA

Thursday 9 March 16:00:30 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookBetter sleep with one eye open because you might have an unexpected spy living in your home.  When the woman in this video asks her Amazon Alexa if she would ever lie to her, Alexa assures her that the woman can trust her and that she would never intentionally lie to anyone. Okay, that's nice. So, we can all trust our … [Link]

Slashdot » How Wiretaps Actually Work

Thursday 9 March 16:00:00 UTC 2017

David Kris, assistant attorney general for national security from 2009 to 2011, has responded to the recent accusations made by president Donald Trump. On Saturday, Trump accused former president Obama of orchestrating a "Nixon/Watergate" plot to tap the phones at his Trump Tower headquarters in the run-up to last fall's election. He writes in an opinion piece for The Washington … [Link]

Mashable » Lyft already met its 2017 goal to expand to 100 new cities

Thursday 9 March 15:41:08 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookLyft has already met its major goal for 2017.  The ride-hailing company on Thursday launched in 10 new cities, bringing its total new launches past 100 — the goal it announced at the beginning of the year. Lyft added its first 40 cities of 2017 in late January, and added 54 more in late February at the peak of #DeleteUber.  SEE … [Link]

Mashable » The 'Love Actually' sequel will feature more of Andrew Lincoln stalking people

Thursday 9 March 15:41:05 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIt wouldn't be a Love Actually film without Andrew Lincoln behaving creepily, and it doesn't look like the 10-minute sequel — which has just finished being filmed for Red Nose Day — is going to disappoint. SEE ALSO: The painful reason Emma Thompson won't be in the Love Actually reunion Script Editor Emma Freud, who's been live-tweeting behind-the-scenes images from the … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Fate of the Furious' trailer is the most delightfully ridiculous thing you'll see all day

Thursday 9 March 15:41:03 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Get ready for a family reunion. Universal is coming in hot with a brand-new trailer for The Fate of the Furious — and it might somehow be even more ridiculous than the promos that have come before it. Among other things, this one has Dwayne Johnson singlehandedly steering a torpedo across ice and Charlize Theron controlling every car in New … [Link]

Mashable » Google's keyboard on Android finally gets GIF and emoji suggestions

Thursday 9 March 15:31:08 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookGboard is giving some overdue TLC to its Android users. Google announced several new features for its keyboard app Thursday, including GIF and emoji suggestions, all of which finally catch Gboard up to its iOS version. The keyboard came to Android in December of last year, seven months after the iOS launch. SEE ALSO: Type 'ceo' into your iPhone keyboard for … [Link]

Mashable » Meet 13 of the most innovative companies at Mobile World Congress 2017

Thursday 9 March 15:29:03 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWhen you want to stay in the know and keep your ear to the ground on the newest innovations within the mobile industry, you go to the Mobile World Congress (MWC). This year, the MWC took place in Barcelona and featured scores of industry leaders looking to promote what they do best and spread the word of their latest accomplishments. Meet … [Link]

Mashable » Apple starts selling refurbished 2016 MacBook Pro laptops

Thursday 9 March 15:20:05 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookApple’s 2016 MacBook Pro is a sleek, beautiful machine, but it's not cheap. The cheapest new MacBook Pro, the one with just two USB-C ports and no Touch Bar, starts at $1,499.  There is now a way to get it cheaper, as Apple started adding that particular variant of the 2016 MacBook Pro, to its online store of refurbished products.  SEE … [Link]

Slashdot » Samsung Group Chief Denies All Charges as 'Trial of the Century' Begins

Thursday 9 March 15:20:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a Fortune report: The head of South Korea's Samsung Group, Jay Y. Lee, denies all charges against him, his lawyer said on Thursday, at the start of what the special prosecutor said could be the "trial of the century" amid a political scandal that has rocked the country. Lee has been charged with bribery, embezzlement and … [Link]

Popular Science » Scientists are experimenting with an entire town's sleep

Thursday 9 March 15:15:05 UTC 2017

Entertainment Meet the first Chrono City A team of chronobiologists in Germany is experimenting with optimizing the sleep patterns of one community. [Link]

Mashable » Facebook's Snapchat clone is perfect for laying down thirst traps for crushes

Thursday 9 March 15:10:33 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookRumors have swirled for months that Facebook is working on a true Snapchat clone. And today they've been confirmed, as the company just introduced a new and distinctly Snapchat-like feature to its Messenger app called "Messenger Day." But, before we issue a collective eye roll in Facebook's direction, it's worth giving Messenger Day a closer look — because it could massively … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Ebola vaccine promising in chimps but may never be used

Thursday 9 March 15:09:00 UTC 2017

A promising oral vaccine could help protect Africa’s big apes from the deadly Ebola virus, but a ban on captive ape research means it may never see the light of day [Link]

Mashable » Samantha Bee's 'Full Frontal' looks pretty different without women

Thursday 9 March 15:02:55 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook With many women striking on Day Without A Woman, Samantha Bee's female and feminist staff decided to show solidarity. A teaser for Wednesday's episode showed Bee swimming in and out of focus in front of shoddy graphics before stopping the taping to address her remaining staff.  The four men on Bee's staff answer her questions about where the entire staff … [Link]

Slashdot » China Expresses Concern at Revelations in Wikileaks Dump of Hacked CIA Data

Thursday 9 March 14:40:00 UTC 2017

China has expressed concern over revelations in a trove of data released by Wikileaks purporting to show that the CIA can hack all manner of devices, including those made by Chinese companies. From a report on Reuters: Dozens of firms rushed to contain the damage from possible security weak points following the anti-secrecy organization's revelations, although some said they needed … [Link]

Mashable » Stephen Colbert thinks the GOP's Trumpcare seems a lot like 'Game of Thrones'

Thursday 9 March 14:28:11 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Stephen Colbert never disappoints, and on Wednesday's Late Show he took on the healthcare plan Republicans have suggested in lieu of Obamacare. He points out how long it took for the plan to even be released, comparing Republican lawmakers to George R.R. Martin and the infernal wait for the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. … [Link]

Mashable » Finery wants to fix your wardrobe malfunction

Thursday 9 March 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookFiguring out what to wear is such a drag that some smart people don what amounts to a uniform each day. Steve Jobs did it, Dean Kamen does itThis woman did it. SEE ALSO: Dodge baggage fees with this jacket that doubles as a secret carry-on luggage It’s not just choosing what to wear, but knowing your own clothing inventory. How … [Link]

Slashdot » Uber Admits Its Ghost Driver 'Greyball' Tool Was Used To Thwart Regulators, Vows To Stop

Thursday 9 March 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Uber has admitted it used a tool to thwart city regulators, and announced a review of its controversial Greyball technology. From a report on USA Today: Greyballing, a play on blackballing, was a way for Uber officials to remotely provide ghost driver information to a targeted individual. A March 3 report on the program in The New York Times cited … [Link]

Mashable » This sheep with its head stuck in a straw bale is our spirit animal

Thursday 9 March 13:59:46 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIt’s not every day that you spot two sheep with their heads shoved into both ends of a massive bale of hay. That's why Graham Findlay drove home to grab his camera after spotting the peculiar sight in Aberdeenshire, Scotland last Friday. SEE ALSO: Ponies get matching sweaters for trip to meet their relatives By the time he returned to the … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Translucent helmeted cockroach looks like an alien with a halo

Thursday 9 March 13:41:00 UTC 2017

A new species of cockroach has been found in a lava cave in Vietnam, and has strange behaviours to match its bizarre appearance [Link]

Mashable » Some 'Beauty and the Beast' fans think the Beast is actually the hot one

Thursday 9 March 13:33:01 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookAs anyone who's seen Beauty and the Beast will know, the Beast is meant to be a "hideous" creature to behold. The Prince he's been transformed from is meant to be the hot one. SEE ALSO: 'Beauty and the Beast' director reveals Disney's first openly gay character In the run-up to the release of the live action Beauty and the Beast, … [Link]

Mashable » Man posed as Justin Bieber to groom hundreds of young victims online

Thursday 9 March 13:27:38 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookJustin Bieber fans and their parents are being urged to be extra careful when using the internet after a man pretended to be the pop star in order to commit hundreds of child sex offenses.   The Australian man allegedly used online platforms like Facebook and Skype to communicate with his victims.  SEE ALSO: Ashley Judd refuses to be bullied by … [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft Is Spamming Windows 10 File Explorer With Ads For OneDrive Storage

Thursday 9 March 13:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Digital Trends: While Microsoft is addressing some other complaints about Windows 10 in the upcoming Creators Update — such as privacy concerns over the data that's being transmitted and issues regarding how the operating system updates itself — the company seems intent on retaining Windows 10's advertising functionality. In fact, it has apparently … [Link]

Mashable » Small child meets the Queen, throws wildly unimpressed tantrum

Thursday 9 March 12:51:06 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSmall children have little time for royalty. Even the Queen. SEE ALSO: 11 badass facts about the Queen that might surprise you During the unveiling of a War Memorial for the people who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Queen and Prince Philip were given flowers by two attending officers. In the company of the female officer was a small boy … [Link]

Mashable » Muslim woman attacked online for singing a Hindu song on a TV show

Thursday 9 March 12:46:21 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookReligious intolerance has raised its ugly head again in India.  A 22-year-old Muslim woman has been trolled for singing a Hindu devotional song on a television show. SEE ALSO: 5 times when intolerant India had a problem with Bollywood Suhana Sayed, a participant in a popular reality show on a Kannada (language spoke in the state of Karnataka) television station, had … [Link]

Mashable » Human giraffe mom announces her birth with a ridiculous Facebook post

Thursday 9 March 12:21:20 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe world is still watching and waiting in anticipation for April the giraffe to give birth to her calf on livestream. However, for the giraffe birth video spoofer Erin Deitrich, the wait is finally over. SEE ALSO: This giraffe birth livestream is driving the internet insane Dietrich — whose hilarious livestream spoof of the giraffe birth went viral last week — … [Link]

Mashable » Salman Khan may soon have his own line of smartphones

Thursday 9 March 12:02:37 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookMove over Apple and Google, the next smartphone to make buzz in India could be from superstar Salman Khan — or that’s the plan. The 51-year-old Bollywood actor’s Being Human charity is planning to launch a range of smartphones in India, reports the Economic Times.  SEE ALSO: Indians are busy figuring out how the blackbuck died after Salman Khan claimed 'natural' … [Link]

Mashable » Theresa May laughs awkwardly in Parliament, instantly becomes meme

Thursday 9 March 11:33:41 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWhen you're a politician, you're always just one slightly awkward laugh away from becoming a meme. On Wednesday, during Prime Minister's Questions, Theresa May demonstrated this phenomenon perfectly. SEE ALSO: Illustrator perfectly sums up how Brits feel about Theresa May holding Trump's hand Here she is laughing at something Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: In Parliament, it was likely a passing … [Link]

Mashable » David Letterman and Michael Stipe are basically the same person and here's the proof

Thursday 9 March 11:32:59 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWhat do a legendary late night comedian in retirement and the former leader of a legendary rock band have in common (beside being legendary and retired)?  SEE ALSO: David Letterman to Retire From 'Late Show' in 2015 Growing a legendary beard, of course.  Enter David Letterman, the beloved late-night host who stepped down in 2015 after 22 years of service, smiling … [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: Advanced Penetration Testing – $24.99 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL

Thursday 9 March 11:27:48 UTC 2017

Get "Advanced Penetration Testing" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2017-03-10 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]

O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: Python for Data Analysis, 2E – $21.49 (Save 50%) Use code MSDEAL

Thursday 9 March 11:26:48 UTC 2017

Get "Python for Data Analysis, 2E" today using code MSDEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2017-03-10 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]

Mashable » Emma Watson honored female heroes by leaving feminist books at their memorials

Thursday 9 March 11:21:10 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookYesterday, the world celebrated International Women's Day. In honor of IWD, Emma Watson announced via her Twitter that she and the international band of feminist book fairies would be hiding feminist books throughout their respective cities. SEE ALSO: J.K. Rowling slams International Women's Day trolls in 1 perfect tweet Today I'm a red-striking ninja book-fairy out to spread some wise women's … [Link]

Mashable » 'Ancient Earth' series brings rare and wonderful dinosaurs back to life

Thursday 9 March 11:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Sure, we all know about the T. rex and stegosaurus. But what about those beaked herbivores that looked like dachshunds and waddled across Pangea? Or the 15-foot-long beast that ate them? Ancient Earth, a new documentary series on CuriosityStream, takes viewers back hundreds of millions of years, to a time before comets and toxic volcanic activity wiped out the dinosaurs … [Link]

Mashable » Samuel L. Jackson recreates Samuel L. Jackon's entire film career in 11 minutes

Thursday 9 March 10:59:44 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook As James Corden points out at the beginning of the above segment, Samuel L. Jackson has been in a lot of films. That doesn't mean they can't all be compressed into 11 gloriously chaotic minutes, though. SEE ALSO: Tom Cruise recreates Tom Cruise's entire film career in 9 minutes For his "Roll Call" segment on The Late Late Show, Corden … [Link]

Mashable » CNN series stirs controversy for 'offensive' portrayal of Hinduism

Thursday 9 March 10:51:37 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookCNN’s newest original series Believer With Reza Aslan, which premiered Sunday, has been termed "callous," "reckless," "disgusting" and other such uncharitable things. Social commentators have raised concerns over the show's impact at a time when the U.S. is infested with fears about the "outsider."  Here's what happened.  SEE ALSO: CNN says the 'future of media' is all male, and the internet … [Link]

Mashable » This iconic Game of Thrones location just collapsed into the sea

Thursday 9 March 10:33:49 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookRemember the first episode of Game of Thrones?  The Dothraki wedding between Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo takes place in a stunning location, with a picturesque limestone arch as a backdrop.  Image: HBOHere's another scene from that first episode, featuring Ser Jorah Mormont: Image: HBOSadly that arch, known as the Azure Window or Dwejra Window, is no more.  It collapsed into … [Link]

Mashable » Pocket-sized starshooting camera will ship with a bunch of new lenses

Thursday 9 March 10:22:34 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThat little pocket camera made to shoot the night sky is nearly ready. The Tiny1 from Singapore startup TinyMOS blew through its Indiegogo fundraising campaign in July last year to raise nearly $430,000 — over three times its goal. SEE ALSO: Taking underwater photos with your iPhone just got way easier When we saw an initial prototype last year, it was … [Link]

Mashable » The first 'Game of Thrones' Season 7 poster is here and it's pretty badass

Thursday 9 March 10:13:53 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThere’s good news and there's bad news, Game of Thrones fans. The good news is we have a delightful new teaser poster for Season 7 to feast our hungry eyes on. The bad news? There's still no release date. SEE ALSO: Jim Broadbent drops hints about his 'Game of Thrones' Season 7 character Never mind that right now, though, because the … [Link]

Slashdot » Study Suggests Potatoes Can Grow On Mars

Thursday 9 March 10:00:00 UTC 2017

The International Potato Center (CIP) has launched a series of experiments to discover if potatoes can grow under Mars' atmospheric conditions, as well as under extreme conditions on Earth. The CIP placed a potato inside a "specially constructed CubeSat contained environment" that simulates Mars temperature, air pressure, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. They then used sensors and live-streaming cameras to … [Link]

Mashable » WikiLeaks says there's still a lot of CIA documents to come

Thursday 9 March 9:55:08 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWikiLeaks’s "Year Zero," the first part of the "Vault 7" trove of alleged CIA documents, is 8,761 documents big, but it's just a tiny part of the entire stash.  According to WikiLeaks, the documents released Tuesday constitute "less than 1%" of the total Vault 7 files.  SEE ALSO: Edward Snowden weighs in on WikiLeaks CIA dump This is a scary proposition … [Link]

Mashable » Twitter is now marking entire profiles as 'sensitive'

Thursday 9 March 9:04:51 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookTwitter is trying to take on its troll problem in 2017, but the campaign is not without problems. In addition to a range of tools aimed at filtering abusive tweets, the platform now appears to be quietly marking entire accounts as sensitive.  SEE ALSO: Inside Twitter's decision to keep Periscope and abandon everything else On Thursday, a Mashable reporter clicked on … [Link]

Mashable » Google says it already fixed 'many' of the security flaws from Vault 7 leak

Thursday 9 March 8:58:14 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookOn Tuesday, WikiLeaks released a large trove of documents, allegedly containing CIA hacking tools and security exploits for all major software platforms, including Android.  Now, Google has publicly responded to the leak, claiming "many" of the vulnerabilities are already fixed.  SEE ALSO: WikiLeaks document dump alleges the CIA can hack almost everything "As we’ve reviewed the documents, we're confident that security … [Link]

Mashable » Malaysian bank offers year-long maternity leave, but with a catch

Thursday 9 March 8:09:53 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookMalaysia’s Maybank has announced a very generous maternity leave extension of up to a year for new mums. This is significantly longer than the national mandatory 60 days, or two months, that mothers get. SEE ALSO: What does workplace flexibility mean in 2017? But Maybank's maternity leave isn't fully paid. Just the first three months is paid, and employees will have … [Link]

Mashable » Qatar Airways is launching in one of the biggest aviation markets in the world

Thursday 9 March 7:19:31 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookQatar Airways, which was running for the title of the world's longest flight operator last year, is soon launching an airline in India — one of the top ten aviation markets in the world. QA chief Akbar Al Baker announced at the ITB Berlin Travel Show on Wednesday that the carrier would be making an application to the India government soon, … [Link]

Slashdot » FCC Investigating Coast-To-Coast 911 Outage For AT&T Wireless Users

Thursday 9 March 7:00:00 UTC 2017

AT&T says it has fixed a nationwide outage that prevented its wireless customers from making 911 emergency calls. "Service has been restored for wireless customers affected by an issue connecting to 911. We apologize to those affected," the company officials said in a statement. The outage was serious enough to gain the attention of the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC … [Link]

Mashable » BBC's shortwave transmissions from Thailand go dark, after talks fail

Thursday 9 March 6:49:26 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe British Broadcasting Corporation announced Wednesday it is ending its shortwave transmissions from Thailand after 20 years of operation, because it failed to reach agreement with Thailand's military government on a renewal of its operating permit. SEE ALSO: Facebook blocks posts in Thailand that the government has blacklisted Shortwave transmissions are radio broadcasts in the AM band. Demand for AM receivers … [Link]

Mashable » Nicole Kidman has a pretty legit excuse for her weird seal clap at the Oscars

Thursday 9 March 5:52:05 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookClapping is one of those innate human maneuvers that's hard to mess up, like blinking or scratching. Yet for weeks, we've scratched our heads at Nicole Kidman's entrancing seal-like clap at the Oscars.  SEE ALSO: Oh nothing, just Chris Hemsworth crashing a couple's wedding photos The angle at which Kidman's fingers point and the weird contact she makes between the bottom … [Link]

Mashable » Here's the woman who offered U.S. citizenship to the highest bidder at the Shanghai marriage market

Thursday 9 March 5:06:46 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThat’s certainly one way to get noticed. At the Shanghai marriage market, parents of single folks gather to show off their children's credentials, in hopes of netting them a spouse. But over the weekend, a woman, dressed in a wedding gown and holding her American passport, caught the eye of many for the prize she was dangling — U.S. citizenship. Image: … [Link]

Mashable » Finding your chill in VR is easy when you can meditate on Mars

Thursday 9 March 3:58:53 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookCurrently, most of the virtual reality developer brainpower is being directed toward creating amazingly immersive games (and to a lesser extent, film and non-gaming interactive experiences). But when you just want to kick back and find your chill, the options in VR are surprisingly limited.  That said, I think I've found the best of the bunch.  SEE ALSO: Oculus Rift's 'Robo … [Link]

Mashable » Kid who created his own campaign posters sure knows how to troll an election

Thursday 9 March 3:58:16 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookElection time means an overload of politicians chattering away, taking up plenty of screen and radio space. Then of course, there's the glut of campaign signs littered in front of homes and hastily taped to electricity poles. No one really pays attention to them, so 15-year-old Connor Barney decided to crash the party.  Creating and printing his own campaign posters, he … [Link]

Mashable » Internet sleuth tracks down stolen trailer in less than 15 minutes with Facebook post

Thursday 9 March 3:42:32 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWhen Mike Schmidt got to his business on Tuesday, he realized his trailer was missing.  It had been stolen. Like a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, he sprung into action, setting in motion an epic investigation that would last almost 15 minutes. SEE ALSO: Twitter helps brands become more than faceless monoliths to their customers His brilliant move? Posting a photo of his … [Link]

Slashdot » Quantum Computer Learns To 'See' Trees

Thursday 9 March 3:30:00 UTC 2017

sciencehabit writes from a report via Science Magazine: Scientists have trained a quantum computer to recognize trees. That may not seem like a big deal, but the result means that researchers are a step closer to using such computers for complicated machine learning problems like pattern recognition and computer vision. The team fed hundreds of NASA satellite images of California … [Link]

Mashable » A very confident Tesla launches the new Powerwall 2 in Australia

Thursday 9 March 3:24:58 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookElon Musk's home battery is returning to Australia for a second round. The new Powerwall 2 has about double the capacity of Tesla's original Powerwall, and will roll out from April. Vice President for energy products at Tesla Lyndon Rive, who incidentally is Musk's cousin, was in Melbourne Thursday for the launch. SEE ALSO: Hawaiian island gets a huge renewable energy … [Link]

Mashable » The internet could barely handle Barcelona's stunning Champions League comeback

Thursday 9 March 1:49:41 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIf your social feeds mysteriously erupted around midday Wednesday, you might be friends with a lot of soccer fans.  The cause of all the commotion? FC Barcelona made Champions League history by completing a stunning comeback against Paris Saint-Germain to advance in Europe's premier soccer tournament.  More importantly, the stunning reversal provided us with some Very Good Internet.  SEE ALSO: How … [Link]

Mashable » Lady Gaga pulls off the perfect prank on 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' and we're ded

Thursday 9 March 1:42:02 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIn the immortal words of RuPaul, "We're born naked and the rest is drag."  While a wise statement on the nature of gender, the quote could just as easily be a sartorial summary of Lady Gaga.  Having played with gender her whole career, it only makes sense that the musician would appear on the new season of RuPaul's Drag Race to … [Link]

Slashdot » IBM Researchers Prove It Is Possible To Store Data In a Single Atom

Thursday 9 March 1:40:00 UTC 2017

In an experiment published today in Nature, IBM researchers have managed to read and write data to a single atom. A previous atomic storage technique, as mentioned by TechCrunch, doesn't actually store data in the atom, but moves them around to form readable patterns. "This means that imbuing individual atoms with a 0 or 1 is the next major step forward … [Link]

Mashable » Empire State Building turns pink to celebrate women across the world

Thursday 9 March 1:36:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWomen and supporters wore red this International Women's Day to show solidarity for strikers participating in "A Day Without A Woman." One very famous landmark, on the other hand, lit up in pinks and purples to celebrate female empowerment, rights and achievements. SEE ALSO: Wall Street's Charging Bull statue has a fearless new opponent for International Women's Day The Empire State … [Link]

Mashable » Elmo is super desperate to meet Adele and he's telling anyone who'll listen

Thursday 9 March 1:29:33 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookElmo really, really wants to meet you, Adele. Both the singer and the monster toddler are in Australia at the moment: Adele has been tearing up in her nationwide tour, while Elmo is helping promote Sesame Street's 47th year on the air.  Despite the Sesame Street's many recent big time guests like Sia, Jason Derulo and James Corden, Elmo is desperate … [Link]

Mashable » IBM fit an entire bit of data on a magnet made with a single atom

Thursday 9 March 1:16:37 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookA team of IBM researchers just created the world's smallest magnet using a solitary atom — and if that wasn't enough of a challenge, they packed it with one bit of digital data for good measure. The breakthrough, which was recently described in the journal Nature, could lead to exciting data storage systems in the future. Current tech depends on hard … [Link]

Slashdot » Tesla's New Solar Energy Station On Kauai Will Power Hawaii At Night

Thursday 9 March 1:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Engadget: The Kapaia project is a combination 13MW SolarCity solar farm and 53MWh Tesla Powerpack station on the island of Kauai. In partnership with the KIUC (Kauai Island Utility Cooperative) the project will store the sun's energy during the day and release it at night. The station (along with Kauai's other renewable resource … [Link]

Mashable » Twitter cofounder Biz Stone now works for Pinterest

Thursday 9 March 0:48:26 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookTwitter cofounder Biz Stone is joining Pinterest. Pinterest announced Wednesday that it's acquiring Jelly, the Q&A app Stone founded in 2013. Both Stone and cofounder Ben Finkel are joining Pinterest as a result of the acquisition. Stone in a special adviser role (he will work with Chief Product Officer Evan Sharp) and Finkel as part of the growth product team. SEE … [Link]

Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: Should You Use Password Managers?

Thursday 9 March 0:20:00 UTC 2017

New submitter informaticsDude writes: What do Slashdot users recommend regarding the use of password managers? The recent election underscored the hackability of many personal accounts. One solution is to use different passwords for every digital experience. But, of course, humans are lousy at remembering large numbers of large random strings. Another solution is to use a password manager. However, password … [Link]

Mashable » FBI director says 'there is no such thing as absolute privacy in America.' Welp.

Thursday 9 March 0:16:48 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThere’s no such thing as total privacy in the United States, but it's a vital part of being an American. That was the somewhat convoluted message from FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday as he spoke at a cybersecurity conference in Boston.  SEE ALSO: WikiLeaks document dump alleges the CIA can hack almost everything "There is no such thing as absolute … [Link]

Mashable » The CIA won't admit if the WikiLeaks 'Vault 7' dump is authentic, but wants you to be upset anyway

Thursday 9 March 0:14:20 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe facts may or may not be legit, but either way, you should be upset with WikiLeaks for giving them to you.  That's the message coming out of the CIA following yesterday's massive "Vault 7" intelligence dump by the whistleblowing site. The agency, through a spokesperson, made it clear that having one's cake and eating it too is a long-since mastered … [Link]

Mashable » Oh nothing, just Chris Hemsworth crashing a couple's wedding photos

Thursday 9 March 0:05:27 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookYour wedding day is already meant to awesome. But having Thor drop by your celebrations? That's icing on the cake. A newlywed couple "Anneka and Kent" were getting their wedding day portraits taken in Byron Bay, Australia, when the photographer noticed the actor on the beach.  "It was Chris Hemsworth on the beach and he (the best man) was like, 'Hey, … [Link]

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