John Gordon Ross

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

Mashable » EPA chief calls historic climate treaty a 'bad deal' because this is our life now

Sunday 26 March 23:52:12 UTC 2017

The Trump administration has made no secret of its plans to dismantle the climate policies of former President Barack Obama. But what Trump officials bring in fervor, they sometimes lack in understanding. Scott Pruitt, head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), railed against the Paris Climate Agreement in an interview with ABC News on Sunday. He called the landmark climate change … [Link]

Mashable » MashReads Podcast: 'Fever Dream' is a surrealist 'WTF!?' kind of novel

Sunday 26 March 23:51:25 UTC 2017

If you were to look back on the past, could you pinpoint the exact moment that shaped the course of your life? It's this very challenging and quixotic task that propels Samanta Schweblin's surrealist novel Fever Dream.  SEE ALSO: Listen here: 10 great podcasts for book lovers The book follows Amanda, a mother who lies in her deathbed as she tells … [Link]

Mashable » Celebrities are weighing in on the United Airlines legging mess

Sunday 26 March 23:15:32 UTC 2017

When two young girls were barred from boarding a United Airlines flight because they were wearing leggings (an apparent dress code violation on the airline), the internet went nuts. Activist Shannon Watts first tweeted about the situation on Sunday morning, and since then, everyone from Chrissy Teigen to William Shatner weighed in on leggings-gate with hilarious and insightful remarks.  SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Slashdot » After 20 Years, OpenSSL Will Change To Apache License 2.0, Seeks Pasts Contributors

Sunday 26 March 22:59:00 UTC 2017

After nearly 20 years and 31,000 commits, OpenSSL wants to change to Apache License v2.0. They're now tracking down all 400 contributors to sign new license agreements, a process expected to take several months. Slashdot reader rich_salz shares links to OpenSSL's official announcement (and their agreement-collecting web site). "This re-licensing activity will make OpenSSL, already the world's most widely-used FOSS … [Link]

Mashable » Fake VHS ad for Star Wars 'Rogue One' looks straight out of the '70s

Sunday 26 March 22:52:02 UTC 2017

Despite the weird uncanny valley performances from some of its digital characters, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story does a great job of time-traveling back to a time before the first film in the series.  So it's only fair that we get to see what the VHS videotape version of the home video might look like if Rogue One had … [Link]

Mashable » Meet the woman behind 'Feud's' most fascinating character

Sunday 26 March 22:27:10 UTC 2017

You’d have to possess a pretty colorful character, not to mention some serious acting chops, to steal scenes away from Jessica Lange while she's channeling screen diva Joan Crawford. Fortunately, Jackie Hoffman has both. From the moment she makes her first appearance in Feud: Bette and Joan, you can’t take your eyes off Hoffman’s tightly-wound but infinitely patient Mamacita — Crawford’s … [Link]

Mashable » Aaron Sorkin is just now discovering there's a diversity problem in Hollywood

Sunday 26 March 22:24:06 UTC 2017

Despite working in the industry for over 20 years, Aaron Sorkin apparently didn't realize white men had an easier time in Hollywood.   The Academy Award-winning screenwriter and executive producer of “The West Wing” and “The Newsroom” was at the Writers Guild Festival on Saturday, and was reportedly fixated on the issue of diversity in Hollywood—a topic he shockingly didn't seem … [Link]

Mashable » Orca shows on the rise in China because humans just can't leave whales alone

Sunday 26 March 22:12:48 UTC 2017

SeaWorld is winding down its killer whale shows and breeding programs in the United States, earning resounding applause from animal welfare groups. But as marine parks wither in America, they're flourishing in China, sparking fresh concerns about captive orcas. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, the largest aquarium in China, recently debuted killer whales at the facility in Zhuhai, a city known as "China's … [Link]

Mashable » Sean Hannity is so very sad that Ted Koppel thinks he's bad for America

Sunday 26 March 22:01:34 UTC 2017

Sean Hannity strong. Sean Hannity love America. So Sean Hannity sad when Ted Koppel say he bad for America.  Here's the transcript, from Sunday Morning on CBS:  SEE ALSO: Even this Fox News anchor thinks Trump's 'ridiculous' lies have gone too far Hannity: "Do you think we’re bad for America? You think I’m bad for America?” Koppel: “Yeah.” Hannity: “You do?” … [Link]

Slashdot » Is Microsoft Building A Foldable 'Surface' Phone?

Sunday 26 March 21:34:00 UTC 2017

"This past week, Microsoft received a new patent for a foldable handset, and once again there are rumors that it is related to the long awaited, mythical Surface Phone," writes HardOCP, noting Samsung and LG are also rumored to be working on foldable phones. An anonymous reader quotes Hot Hardware: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made it clear that he doesn't … [Link]

Mashable » Now that SXSW is over, here was, for sure, my favorite part

Sunday 26 March 21:01:12 UTC 2017

SXSW is 10 days of fun. Many of colleagues (I see you Brett Williams) teased me (on Slack) for having a "great time with all the work down there." But, hey, it's actually work. Attending panel after panel, speaking on your own panels, BBQ after BBQ, happy hour after happy hour isn't easy — no matter how fun it looks from … [Link]

Mashable » Rampant Krispy Kreme product placement is the true hero of 'Power Rangers'

Sunday 26 March 20:40:32 UTC 2017

There’s a sixth ranger in the new Power Rangers film you may have never expected to see. No, we're not talking about the Green Ranger or the White Ranger. This one actually has a mix of Green, White and even some Red. SEE ALSO: The Internet is so not feeling the new 'Power Rangers' suits Meet Krispy Kreme, the unexpected hero … [Link]

Slashdot » London Terrorist Used WhatsApp, UK Calls For Backdoors

Sunday 26 March 20:34:00 UTC 2017

Wednesday 52-year-old Khalid Masood "drove a rented SUV into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before smashing it into Parliament's gates and rushing onto the grounds, where he fatally stabbed a policeman and was shot by other officers," writes the Associated Press. An anonymous reader quotes their new report: Westminster Bridge attacker Khalid Masood sent a WhatsApp message that cannot be accessed … [Link]

Mashable » After United Airlines incident, women share stories of being shamed for their clothing

Sunday 26 March 20:12:04 UTC 2017

In response to United Airline's legging-gate, women are speaking out.  Two young girls wearing leggings were banned from a flight on Sunday morning due to a violation of the airline's internal dress code. The situation, which was live-tweeted by activist Shannon Watts, sparked outrage from thousands on social media who called out the company for policing the girls' attire.   Author … [Link]

Mashable » Dad trolls son at Cavs game to make him get better grades

Sunday 26 March 19:50:49 UTC 2017

Parenting 101: Trolling your kids is the best way to get them to do something.  Imagine you're a young Cavs fan, eager to watch LeBron James dominate in person. You turn on the TV to watch the game and you see… this.  Whose dad is this #Cleveland? 😂 @cavs pic.twitter.com/F2NZIEzD0Q — Mona Kosar Abdi (@MonaAbdiWEWS) March 25, 2017 Poor Thomas. His … [Link]

Slashdot » New Release Of StarCraft In 4K Ultra High Definition Annouonced

Sunday 26 March 19:34:00 UTC 2017

The classic 90s-era videogames StarCraft and StarCraft: Brood War will be re-released this summer — remastered in 4K Ultra High Definition. An anonymous reader quotes The Verge: It will also include a number of updates, such as remastered sound, new additional illustrations for the campaign missions, new matchmaking capabilities, the ability to connect to Blizzard App, the ability to save … [Link]

Mashable » Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anna Kendrick and more celebs 'audition' to be Stephen Hawking's new voice

Sunday 26 March 18:54:29 UTC 2017

Stephen Hawking's synthesized voice is perhaps just as famous as his brilliant mind. The theoretical physicist and cosmologist has "spoken" using the same Intel-made computer system for the past two decades. Now, however, Hawking says he's ready for a replacement. SEE ALSO: Stephen Hawking has a message for Trump: Don't ignore climate change In a spoof video, the English scientist sifts … [Link]

Mashable » 'Power Rangers' fans are hyped about that credits scene—here's why

Sunday 26 March 18:34:07 UTC 2017

Like most geek-friendly blockbusters coming out of Hollywood these days, Lionsgate's Power Rangers reboot sets up the sequel with a "stinger" — a scene inserted into the end credits. That's what I'm here to fill you in on. Needless to say, spoilers ahead. SEE ALSO: 7 butt kickin' secrets you probably didn't know about the 'Power Rangers' Midway through the credit … [Link]

Slashdot » 17-Year-Old Corrects NASA Mistake In Data From The ISS

Sunday 26 March 18:34:00 UTC 2017

"A British teenager has contacted scientists at NASA to point out an error in a set of their own data," writes the BBC. An anonymous reader quotes their report. A-level student Miles Soloman found that radiation sensors on the International Space Station (ISS) were recording false data… The correction was said to be "appreciated" by NASA, which invited him to … [Link]

Mashable » 'Beauty' still a box office beast as 'Power Rangers' opens at #2

Sunday 26 March 18:06:53 UTC 2017

Another weekend, another pile of money for Disney. Beauty and the Beast finishes its second weekend at the domestic box office with an estimated $88.3 million. It's another #1 weekend for the live-action remake of Disney's animated classic from 1991. SEE ALSO: Well, what do you know: 'Power Rangers' is surprisingly OK No one expected Beauty to come close to its … [Link]

Mashable » This shape-shifting chair is perfect for tiny apartments

Sunday 26 March 18:00:00 UTC 2017

Need somewhere to sit but don't have the space for more furniture? Check out the 'Ollie Chair,' which can transform from a chair to a hanging art piece in just seconds. Read more…More about Real Time Video, Real Time Video, Real Time, Real Time Video, and Real Time [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » How and When to Use Various API Authentication Methods

Sunday 26 March 17:55:57 UTC 2017

There are three standard ways to manage API authentication these days: API keys, OAuth tokens and JSON Web tokens (JWT). Adam Duvander over at the Zapier engineering blog explains how and when to use them. [Link]

Mashable » United Airlines bans 2 girls with leggings from flight because they weren't 'properly clothed'

Sunday 26 March 17:54:31 UTC 2017

United Airlines is in hot water after a dress code incident on Sunday morning.  In a series of live tweets, activist Shannon Watts explained that two girls who were wearing leggings were asked by the United Airlines gate agent to either change clothing or not board their flight to Minneapolis.  SEE ALSO: Teenagers spot fire on plane flying overhead, avert major … [Link]

Slashdot » Aerospace Startup Will Build A Supersonic Mach 2.2 Aircraft

Sunday 26 March 17:34:00 UTC 2017

A new commercial aircraft will fly more than twice the speed of sound, traveling from New York to London in 3.4 hours. An anonymous reader quotes Fortune: Colorado-based startup Boom Supersonic is one step closer to making such travel a reality after securing $33 million in investments to construct and fly its first supersonic jet, the XB-1 demonstration and testing … [Link]

Mashable » Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli are now officially married and wow, it looked beautiful

Sunday 26 March 16:58:36 UTC 2017

It’s tough to swallow the fact all our invitations were lost in the mail to Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli's wedding, but thankfully we got a glimpse of a photograph from the celebration to ease the FOMO.   The couple met on the set of Orange is the New Black, where Wiley plays Poussey Washington and Morelli is a producer and … [Link]

Slashdot » Theranos To Investors: Please Don't Sue! Here, Have Some More Shares

Sunday 26 March 16:34:00 UTC 2017

Theranos "plans to give additional shares to investors who pledge not to sue," reports the Wall Street Journal. An anonymous reader quotes Silicon Beat: The deal, which hasn't been disclosed publicly, was approved by the Palo Alto-based company's board last month, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous "people familiar with the matter." They said most investors have tentatively agreed … [Link]

Mashable » These scientists turned spinach leaves into beating heart tissue

Sunday 26 March 16:07:46 UTC 2017

Popeye was fond of cramming cans of spinach to beef up his cartoon biceps. Now scientists say the leafy green really could help build a real-world muscle, only this time, it's the human heart. A team of U.S. researchers found a way to use the veins of the spinach leaf to build a miniature version of a beating heart muscle. Their … [Link]

Mashable » How one sleepy town spent Saturday afternoon in the Great Depression

Sunday 26 March 16:00:00 UTC 2017

Image: Library of CongressFounded in 1762, the small city of Hagerstown, Maryland sits just south of the Mason-Dixon line and changed hands several times during the Civil War.In October 1937, Farm Security Administration photographer Arthur Rothstein, in the course of his assignments covering everyday life across the country, passed throughHe paused there for an afternoon, strolling the streets of the humble … [Link]

Mashable » One Direction's Liam Payne is officially a father

Sunday 26 March 15:42:52 UTC 2017

It seems like just yesterday the members of One Direction were young kids on The X Factor, but in news that might make you feel very old, some of the guys now have kids themselves. Liam Payne is the second member of the boy band to welcome a little one into the world. On Saturday, he shared an Instagram post announcing … [Link]

Slashdot » Over 14K 'Let's Encrypt' SSL Certificates Issued To PayPal Phishing Sites

Sunday 26 March 15:34:00 UTC 2017

BleepingComputer reports: During the past year, Let's Encrypt has issued a total of 15,270 SSL certificates that contained the word 'PayPal' in the domain name or the certificate identity. Of these, approximately 14,766 (96.7%) were issued for domains that hosted phishing sites, according to an analysis carried out on a small sample of 1,000 domains, by Vincent Lynch, encryption expert … [Link]

Mashable » Zombie Javier Bardem is NOT happy in the new 'Pirates' trailer

Sunday 26 March 15:16:23 UTC 2017

Here’s a fun bit of triviaPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is actually the second longest title in the series. It falls one short of the 10-word mouthful that was Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Javier Bardem is an angry ghost pirate in Disney's next Pirates adventure. If you're looking for a reason … [Link]

Mashable » 6 things about adulthood that 'Kenan & Kel' did not adequately prepare me for

Sunday 26 March 15:00:00 UTC 2017

If you were raised in the '90s, it's not that far of a reach to say that television played a sizable role in your upbringing. Luckily for us '90s kids, we just happened to grow up with some of the best television in recent memory and everything seemed to have a specific life lesson embedded into its content.  For instance, Kenan … [Link]

Mashable » 'Westworld' boss reveals huge moment you probably missed in the Season 1 finale

Sunday 26 March 14:53:17 UTC 2017

Westworld won't be back on our screens until 2018 — so it's no surprise that the spoiler-averse showrunners, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, kept a lid on any details about Season 2 at the show's PaleyFest panel on Saturday night. That didn't stop fans or the intrepid moderator from trying, of course: They grilled Nolan on everything from whether we'll see … [Link]

Mashable » The trailer for Harry Styles' solo debut has everyone freaking out

Sunday 26 March 14:40:05 UTC 2017

There’s teasing new music with a cryptic Instagram post, and then there's really teasing new music with a full-blown television commercial.  Harry Styles—yes, the one from One Direction—is going the trailer route to promote what will be his debut single as a solo artist and the mass hysteria has officially begun. SEE ALSO: Hugh Jackman shares skin cancer removal selfie so … [Link]

Slashdot » A 21st-Century Version Of OS/2 Warp May Be Released Soon

Sunday 26 March 14:34:00 UTC 2017

dryriver writes: A company named Arca Noae is working on a new release of the X86 OS/2 operating system code named "Blue Lion" and likely called ArcaOS 5 in its final release. Blue Lion wants to be a modern 21st Century OS/2 Warp, with support for the latest hardware and networking standards, a modern accelerated graphics driver, support for new … [Link]

Mashable » Blizzard remastered the original 'StarCraft' so you can game like it's 1998

Sunday 26 March 14:24:18 UTC 2017

Well that was unexpected. StarCraft is coming back. Not as a sequel or as yet another expansion for StarCraft II. Instead, Blizzard Entertainment is cooking up a remaster of the 1998 original, with a spruced up 4K resolution sheen and an assortment of modern contrivances aimed at making it easier to play a 20-year-old game in 2017. SEE ALSO: Everyone … [Link]

Mashable » 13 things only drunk people can do

Sunday 26 March 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Often drunk people are considered a nuisance to society. Not here, not today.  For now, we will celebrate our weekend alter-egos. The alter-egos society, our friends, parents and strangers alike have unanimously decided were the "worst version of ourselves." Let us take a moment away to examine what, when we are slurring our words and calling our engaged exes, we really … [Link]

Mashable » These tiny pies can fit in the palm of your hand

Sunday 26 March 14:00:00 UTC 2017

‘Tiny Pies' in Austin, Texas sells pies that are a size of a cupcake. They are made with love every morning from bakers in their shop. Every pie looks unique but they all taste the same. Read more…More about Food, Pies, Pie, Texas, and Austin [Link]

Mashable » 'The Hate U Give' is required reading for this American moment

Sunday 26 March 14:00:00 UTC 2017

To read The Hate U Give as a young black person is to stand in front of a mirror.The No. 1 New York Times best-selling young adult novel that’s been swept up under the category of “Black Lives Matter” books is a true reflection of the life of a young person of color in America—and thank goodness, because there really hasn’t … [Link]

Mashable » Gorgeous hand-colored photos capture Japan on the brink of modernity

Sunday 26 March 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Street minstrel, Gose.Image: Metropolitan Museum of ArtIn the 1850s and ‘60s, Japan gradually loosened the restrictions on foreign trade and visitors which had isolated it for centuries.Western travelers and technologies began to flow in through a handful of ports, including Yokohama, where photographers such as Felice Beato opened studios to introduce photography to Japan.Suzuki Shin’ichi was one of the first Japanese … [Link]

Slashdot » UK Broadband Customers Set To Receive Millions In Compensation For Bad Service

Sunday 26 March 13:34:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes The Stack: British telecoms regulator Ofcom has revealed new plans which would see consumers who experience poor service automatically compensated, in cash or credit, by their landline or broadband providers. As part of the scheme, customers who have had to put up with delayed repairs, missed installation or engineer appointments, will be paid up to £30 … [Link]

Slashdot » US Workers Face A Higher Risk Of Being Replaced By Robots

Sunday 26 March 10:34:00 UTC 2017

There's a surprising prediction for the next 15 years from the world's second largest professional services firm. An anonymous reader quotes CNN: Millions of workers around the world are at risk of losing their jobs to robots — but Americans should be particularly worried. Thirty-eight percent of jobs in the U.S. are at high risk of being replaced by robots … [Link]

Mashable » Lyft will let you round up the cost of your ride and donate the rest to charity

Sunday 26 March 9:00:00 UTC 2017

Lyft is building on its good PR streak with a new way to donate to charity.  Riders who #DeletedUber or just really like Lyft will be able to round up the cost of their ride to the nearest dollar and donate the rest to charity. SEE ALSO: Meet Roadie, the Ludacris-backed Uber for rideshare-transporting your stuff Lyft users can't choose exactly … [Link]

Mashable » 10 things named after Sir David Attenborough

Sunday 26 March 8:30:00 UTC 2017

Sir David Attenborough is accruing quite a substantial collection of things named after him. This week our favourite documentarian was the inspiration for the name of a 430 million year old fossil.  And there's an an abundance of other species and objects, including a boat, that carry the Attenborough name.  SEE ALSO: Watch Kids Narrate 'Planet Earth' Here are ten of … [Link]

Mashable » Uh oh: The 'Pretty Little Liars' series finale will have a 'huge twist'

Sunday 26 March 7:35:17 UTC 2017

Pretty Little Liars is notorious for creating a dozen more questions for every one it answers, so it’s no surprise that the Freeform show set up a big mystery even before it kicked off its panel at the fan-friendly PaleyFest on Saturday. Before the cast (Ashley Benson, Tyler Blackburn, Shay Mitchell, Andrea Parker, Janel Parrish, Sasha Pieterse and Ian Harding) and … [Link]

Slashdot » Terrifying Anti-Riot Vehicle Created To Quash Any Urban Disturbance

Sunday 26 March 7:34:00 UTC 2017

"Are you an urban police force thinking about how to control your fellow humans?" jokes Cory Doctorow. "Look no farther! Your pals at Bozena have an all-new RIOT system, a crowd-control killdozer for all your protest-suppressing needs!" He's one of several web commentators marveling at the marketing copy for a Slovakian company's new anti-riot machinery, also spotted by Slashdot reader … [Link]

Mashable » Hey, Paul Ryan: Twitter thinks it's time to call your office

Sunday 26 March 5:54:51 UTC 2017

President Donald Trump is doing just great after the Republican healthcare bill failed to make it to a vote Friday, thank you so much. No heads will roll for that humiliating defeat. Especially not the Just Cuts noggin of House Speaker Paul Ryan. It's all love and affection and onwards and upwards on Pennsylvania Avenue. SEE ALSO: Trumpcare might be gone … [Link]

Slashdot » Still More Advertisers Pull Google Ads Over YouTube Hate Videos

Sunday 26 March 4:34:00 UTC 2017

"A week after Google apologized for running customers' advertisements alongside objectionable videos, triggering a change in policy, its YouTube site is still rife with examples that are angering more big advertisers and causing some to cut spending with the tech giant," reports the Dow Jones Newswire. Reporters from the Wall Street Journal spotted ads from Microsoft, Amazon, and Procter & … [Link]

Mashable » This week in apps: Mario 'runs' onto Android, Uber for teens and a Google search redesign

Sunday 26 March 2:54:50 UTC 2017

This week was full of tech newsApple launched a (RED) iPhone, we heard Instagram is adding bookings to the app and Elon Musk just teased Tesla's next car. It's a lot, so you may have missed some of the best new apps out there.  We've kept up for you. Each week, we round up the latest app news, along with a … [Link]

Mashable » The difference in Jyn: How Felicity Jones became a badass for 'Rogue One'

Sunday 26 March 2:05:41 UTC 2017

This is a rebellion, isn't it? You need to be in shape to rebel.  As Rogue One's action hero Jyn Erso, Felicity Jones — an actress formerly known for cerebral dramas like The Theory of Everything — had to up her exercise game.  SEE ALSO: In the first 'Rogue One' script, these two characters survived "This has been the most physical … [Link]

Slashdot » SAS Mocked For Recommending 60% Proprietary Software, 40% Open Source

Sunday 26 March 1:34:00 UTC 2017

This week SAS wrote that open source technology "has its own, often unexpected costs," recommending organizations maintain a balance of 60% proprietary software to 40% open software. An anonymous reader quotes InfoWorld: How they arrived at this bizarre conclusion is hard to fathom, except that SAS sells more than $1 billion worth of proprietary software every year and presumably would … [Link]

Mashable » Carrie Fisher's memorial featured R2-D2 and James Blunt, of course

Sunday 26 March 1:30:19 UTC 2017

It was a show, not a memorial. That's how Todd Fisher described the public service he organized for his sister Carrie Fisher and mom Debbie Reynolds in Los Angeles on Saturday.  SEE ALSO: Here's what it's like waiting in line with fans at Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' memorial Held at the Forest Lawn Cemetery, the event drew more than 1,200 … [Link]

Archive

20 Apr 2024  19 Apr 2024  18 Apr 2024  17 Apr 2024  16 Apr 2024  15 Apr 2024  14 Apr 2024  13 Apr 2024  12 Apr 2024  11 Apr 2024  10 Apr 2024  09 Apr 2024  08 Apr 2024  07 Apr 2024  06 Apr 2024  05 Apr 2024  04 Apr 2024  03 Apr 2024  02 Apr 2024  01 Apr 2024  31 Mar 2024  30 Mar 2024  29 Mar 2024  28 Mar 2024  27 Mar 2024  26 Mar 2024  25 Mar 2024  24 Mar 2024  23 Mar 2024  22 Mar 2024  21 Mar 2024  20 Mar 2024