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.

Slashdot » Something Big Is Warping Our Outer Solar System

Saturday 1 July 23:02:00 UTC 2017

schwit1 quotes Futurity: The plane of our solar system is warped in the outer reaches of the Kuiper Belt, suggesting the presence of an unknown Mars-to-Earth-mass planetary object far beyond Pluto — but much closer than Planet Nine. An unknown, unseen "planetary mass object" may lurk in the outer reaches of our solar system, according to new research on the … [Link]

Mashable » Apple ARKit user puts a color changing Tesla Model 3 in his driveway before the car's release

Saturday 1 July 22:04:42 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookElon Musk is working hard to make Tesla vehicles everyone can afford, but the only available versions of the tech-centric electric vehicle are still too pricey for some of us — but not in augmented reality!  That's what one Norway-based 3D designer decided when he used Apple's new ARKit to create his own augmented reality version of the upcoming Tesla Model … [Link]

Slashdot » Large-Scale Study 'Shows Neonic Pesticides Harm Bees'

Saturday 1 July 21:58:00 UTC 2017

Long-time Slashdot reader walterbyrd shared an article from the BBC: The most extensive study to date on neonicotinoid pesticides concludes that they harm both honeybees and wild bees. Researchers said that exposure to the chemicals left honeybee hives less likely to survive over winter, while bumblebees and solitary bees produced fewer queens. The study spanned 2,000 hectares across the UK, … [Link]

Slashdot » GitHub Urges Companies To Participate In 'Open Source Fridays'

Saturday 1 July 20:54:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes VentureBeat: GitHub wants to help more people become open source contributors with a new initiative called Open Source Friday. As the name implies, the program encourages companies to set aside time at the end of the week for their employees to work on open source projects. It's designed to bolster the ranks of open source contributors … [Link]

Mashable » 'Babe' actor sentenced to one week in jail for climate protest

Saturday 1 July 20:43:12 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe friendly farmer from Babe is facing jail time — for a cause.  James Cromwell, a climate activist, was sentenced to one week in jail for his arrest during a protest at a New York power plant in 2015. Two other environmental activists, Pramilla Malick and Madeline Shaw, were also sentenced by a judge in Wawayanda, N.Y.  Cromwell helped stage a … [Link]

Mashable » Michel Gondry debuts film shot entirely on Apple's iPhone 7

Saturday 1 July 20:33:42 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookFrench director Michel Gondry is well known for his many innovative approaches to shooting film and music videos, but none may be more disruptive than his recent decision to shoot a short film using an iPhone 7.  SEE ALSO: Does the OnePlus 5 have a better camera than the iPhone 7 Plus? The ten-minute film, titled Détour, which is in French … [Link]

Slashdot » New Google Project Lets You Collaborate On Doodles With A Neural Network

Saturday 1 July 19:50:00 UTC 2017

Long-time Slashdot reader Giant Robot writes: Google Brain's latest experiment is a neural network that allows you to collaboratively draw with it inside of your web browser in real-time. The neural network is trained using the drawings collected from an earlier web game called Quick, Draw! released a few months earlier. "Once you stop doodling, the neural network takes over … [Link]

Mashable » Justin Trudeau forgot a whole province during his Canada Day speech

Saturday 1 July 19:43:57 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWell, well, well… look who's human after all. Justin Trudeau accidentally forgot to mention Alberta while passionately listing Canada's states and provinces during his Canada Day speech Saturday. SEE ALSO: Ring in Canada Day with Trudeau's best moments (and forget about Trump for a while) The gaffe did not go unnoticed. We're only counting 12 in this list… is there something … [Link]

Slashdot » The White House Now Has Zero Science Advisors

Saturday 1 July 18:46:00 UTC 2017

DogDude shares an article from CBS News: The science division of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy was unstaffed as of Friday as the three remaining employees departed this week, sources tell CBS News… On Friday afternoon, Eleanor Celeste, the assistant director for biomedical and forensic sciences at the OSTP, tweeted, "Science division out. Mic drop" before … [Link]

Mashable » People lined up at midnight and took out extra cash for the first day of legal weed in Nevada

Saturday 1 July 18:31:56 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookJuly 1 was a big day in Nevada.  At midnight, dispensaries could legally start selling marijuana for recreational use. Nevada voters chose to legalize recreational marijuana back in November, and that decision went into effect on Saturday.  People over 21 years old can buy weed with ID at the state's dispensaries. Buying from anyone not licensed by the state and smoking … [Link]

Mashable » Steph Curry lands richest contract in NBA history at $201 million

Saturday 1 July 18:26:36 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe golden boy of the NBA's champion Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry, is officially the best paid player in the entire league.  Curry's new contract, which was confirmed early Saturday morning during the NBA's free agency period, will pay the two-time league MVP a whopping $201 million of the course of five years. SEE ALSO: ESPN launches new podcast series, bringing … [Link]

Mashable » Bring the movie theater anywhere with this portable drive-in projector

Saturday 1 July 18:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook‘Hitch Theaters' is a portable movie screen and projector stand that attaches to the back of your vehicle. Read more…More about Movies, Travel, Kickstarter, Traveling, and Movie [Link]

Slashdot » New Fidget Spinners Are Catching On Fire

Saturday 1 July 17:42:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes Newsweek's latest story about fidget spinners: In a development that now seems like it was inevitable, the three-pronged toys are starting to catch on fire. Gizmodo on Thursday pointed to two recent instances of Bluetooth-enabled fidget spinners going up in flames while they were charging. In Alabama, a fidget spinner owned by the son of Gardendale … [Link]

Slashdot »  Study Claims Discarded Solar Panels Create More Toxic Waste Than Nuclear Plants

Saturday 1 July 16:38:00 UTC 2017

Templer421 shares an article from National Review: A new study by Environmental Progress warns that toxic waste from used solar panels now poses a global environmental threat. The Berkeley-based group found that solar panels create 300 times more toxic waste per unit of energy than nuclear-power plants. Discarded solar panels, which contain dangerous elements such as lead, chromium, and cadmium, … [Link]

Mashable » That time Amazon had a social network years before Facebook

Saturday 1 July 16:25:22 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIt may seem like Amazon is suddenly hungry to take over the world, but the company has been focused on dominating the internet for a very long time, a fact we were recently reminded of via a profile on early social networking site PlanetAll.  If you've never heard of PlanetAll, that's because it's one of the few social networks born in … [Link]

Mashable » The internet has a lot to say about the 'Stay Woke' category on 'Jeopardy!'

Saturday 1 July 16:21:38 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookRest in peace, "stay woke." You had a good run. Yes, Jeopardy! featured a "Stay Woke" category on Friday night's show, but it gets weirder: the category was literally about sleep issues and stimulants. SEE ALSO: Awkward 'Final Jeopardy' with one contestant is painful to watch We can always count on Jeopardy! for a slew of powerful dad vibes, but this … [Link]

Mashable » Over 20,000 people lit up a park to celebrate pride

Saturday 1 July 16:03:14 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookMore than 20,000 Singaporeans came to Pink Dot, the city's annual LGBTQ festival this year, according to organisers. There were so many people who tried to join the event — which sported a rainbow theme this year — that the park where it was held had to be closed at 7 p.m. for capacity. That's no small feat considering the number … [Link]

Mashable » Apple iMac 27-inch 5K review: It sucks… you right in

Saturday 1 July 16:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook“Apple doesn't care about the Mac anymore" is the overarching narrative that's been tossed around over the last few years. There's some truth to the sentiment, even if you're a long-time Apple user and Mac supporter. The MacBook's still too underpowered, overpriced, and still only has a single USB-C port. The new MacBook Pros force you into dongle hell and if … [Link]

Slashdot » NSA 'Traffic Shaping' Can Divert US Internet Traffic For Easier Monitoring

Saturday 1 July 15:34:00 UTC 2017

schwit1 shares an article from ZDNet: A new analysis of documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden details a highly classified technique that allows the National Security Agency to "deliberately divert" U.S. internet traffic, normally safeguarded by constitutional protections, overseas in order to conduct unrestrained data collection on Americans. According to the new analysis, the NSA has clandestine means of "diverting … [Link]

Mashable » Self-driving cars can handle anything, except kangaroos

Saturday 1 July 15:17:03 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSelf-driving cars can make it through ice, snow, thunderstorms, and the winding streets of Pittsburgh.  What can't they handle? Kangaroos.  Volvo admitted this week that its self-driving technology's "Large Animal Detection system" was flummoxed by kangaroos.  SEE ALSO: Check out the first photos of Waymo's self-driving big rig The cars can deal with roaming deer, elk, and caribou, but can't process … [Link]

Mashable » Here's a man getting showered by a giant water balloon in slow motion

Saturday 1 July 15:04:54 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Looking for a way to stay cool this summer? Try letting a 6-foot water balloon explode just above your helpless body. That's precisely the premise of the latest video from The Slow Mo Guys, who are celebrating the end of their "Water Balloon June" series. What a way to go out. In all seriousness, though, please don't try this at … [Link]

Mashable » J.K. Rowling has an explanation for all of Trump's deranged tweets

Saturday 1 July 15:03:24 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookPresident Donald Trump has been on a roll recently — when it comes to tweeting offensive, nonsensical thoughts early in the morning.  After another week of sexist insults, media-bashing, and voter fraud paranoia on Twitter, J.K. Rowling came up with one explanation for our new presidential reality.  Nobody wants to find out that the President of the USA is constantly drunk, … [Link]

Popular Science » Use these online office suites to get your work done anywhere

Saturday 1 July 15:00:00 UTC 2017

Laptop typing DIY Work wherever you have Wi-Fi. Apple, Google, and Microsoft have online office apps you can use free of charge, just by loading them up in your regular web browser. [Link]

Mashable » 5 sports storylines we can't wait to see unfold through the rest of 2017

Saturday 1 July 14:52:54 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWe recently looked back at 8.5 of our favorites sports moments so far this year, but guess what?  We still have half of 2017 yet to come! With that in mind, here are five more sports storylines we can't wait to see unfold between now and year's end.  Mayweather vs. McGregor Two famous fighters eye a big payday. Two famous fighters eye a big payday.Image: ap/shutterstock compositeLet's call … [Link]

Mashable » It's Chris-mas in July. Here's how to celebrate

Saturday 1 July 14:48:34 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThis summer, more than ever, the internet and world at large is in the throes of peak Chris madness. For serious scientific reasons enumerated below, Mashable has dubbed today, July 1st, the year of our lord 2017 as…Chris-mas. What is Chris-mas? Christmas, but for Chrises! Christmas in July — but Chris-mas, in July. On this day we celebrate our Chrises in … [Link]

Slashdot » 24 Women Allege Sexual Harassment By Investors, and Another VC Gets Demoted

Saturday 1 July 14:34:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: Friday technology investor Dave McClure tweeted a link to a statement from the new CEO of the start-up incubator he co-founded which announces his demotion after engaging in "inappropriate interactions with women in the tech community." The new CEO of 500 Startups says "I sincerely apologize for the choices he made and the pain and stress … [Link]

Mashable » Glamorous pet owners are getting matching manicures with their cats

Saturday 1 July 14:33:42 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookFirst thing's first: you should never, ever paint your pet's claws with actual nail polish. It's toxic to them! But should you hunger for you and your cat to have matching manicures, there's a glamorous alternative. Cristi, a cat owner from California, routinely purchases nail caps for her cat, Wednesday. One day, she found a purple, glittery set — the same … [Link]

Popular Science » 9.5 tips to scientifically enhance your grill game

Saturday 1 July 14:19:52 UTC 2017

grill DIY We got you. Burgers: check. Hotdogs: check. Beers: check. Fresca: sure, why not? You’ve got everything ready for your big BBQ. But are YOU ready? [Link]

Mashable » Pedal across the ocean surface with this breezy board

Saturday 1 July 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookMirage Eclipse has pedals and a handlebar for you to pedal across the water. The large fins move you forward. Generate speed or freely cruise at a relaxed paced. The handlebar and rudder comes off so the board fits right on top of your car.  Read more…More about Summer, Water, Vacation, Ocean, and Oceans [Link]

Mashable » These trick mirror photos were once thought to be the future of portraiture

Saturday 1 July 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook1897Frederic and Francis Almy (twins). O.A. Taft Studio, Buffalo, New York.Image: collection of Christopher B. SteinerThese photographs, collected by Connecticut College art history and anthropology professor Christopher B. Steiner, were created using a photo-multigraph or “trick mirror” techniqueInvented by James B. Shaw in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the early 1890s, a photo-multigraph is created by placing the sitter between two … [Link]

Mashable » Why are these weird distorted brand logos so funny?

Saturday 1 July 13:59:42 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookA ridiculous new aesthetic of corporate mockery is taking hold online.  A strain of dedicated Photoshop artists have inexplicably committed themselves to jumbling major brand logos into nonsense words — and their work is oddly amusing. SEE ALSO: Tech dominates ranking of the world's most valuable brands "Subway, Eat Fresh," for instance, is remixed into "Sbubby, eef freef." Burger King is … [Link]

Mashable » This airport is already using facial recognition on U.S. citizens

Saturday 1 July 13:40:43 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookCustoms and Border Protection (CBP) evidently doesn't need Congress to begin using facial recognition of United States citizens.  Officials at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Logan International Airport in Boston earlier this week began to scan faces of U.S. citizens and other passengers on specific flights. Congress has nine times passed legislation authorizing the use of biometric technology on … [Link]

Popular Science » Outfit your bathroom to be the best space in your house

Saturday 1 July 13:30:21 UTC 2017

Essentials bathroom items Gadgets It takes more than a padded toilet seat cover and novelty shower curtain to level up your lavatory. These items are refreshing ways to clean, illuminate, and update your lavatory. Read on. [Link]

Slashdot » Uber, Airbnb Lead the Way as Sharing Economy Expands

Saturday 1 July 13:00:00 UTC 2017

As trust and familiarity with sharing economy services continues to grow, so too will the number of users, estimates marketing research firm eMarketer. From the article: Over a quarter (26.0%) of US adult internet users — or 56.5 million people — will use a sharing economy service at least once in 2017. This is a higher figure than previously projected … [Link]

Mashable » Why AirPods will eventually come free with every iPhone

Saturday 1 July 13:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe iPhone of the future may or may not look much like its predecessors, but at some point in the next few years it's almost a sure bet that Apple is going to get rid of the Lightning port. The industry's move toward wireless charging is clear, and by killing the headphone jack, Apple clearly has no love for any particular … [Link]

Mashable » This week in apps: Hail an UberBOAT, be green, fight UFOs, and much more

Saturday 1 July 12:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIt’s completely possible that you weren't able to keep up with app updates this week considering all of the speculation of what the iPhone will look like in 2020. If that's the case, there's no need to worry. We've got you covered. SEE ALSO: Why your iPhone photos look so bad Each week we round up the most important app news … [Link]

Mashable » Ring in Canada Day with Trudeau's best moments (and forget about Trump for a while)

Saturday 1 July 12:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookO Canada! it's a big day, eh? To celebrate Canada Day 2017, which marks 150 years since the country's founding on July 1, 1867, please allow us to reminisce fondly on Justin Trudeau's year in the spotlight. In the midst of America's own political dumpster fire, Canada's prime minister has captured hearts and inspired joy with his charming demeanor and undeniably … [Link]

Mashable » These Facebook marketing skills can help you become more hirable

Saturday 1 July 11:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookJust to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. Let's be real. After you picked up that fancy diploma, you lost all interest in learning skills that won't help you earn a higher paycheck.  If you work in marketing, you probably already know the importance of Facebook in advertising, building brand awareness, and … [Link]

Mashable » Check out the micro drone that got more than $3.5 million on Indiegogo

Saturday 1 July 11:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookJust to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. While smartphone-based VR is still in the early stages, there are some drones that prove the technology is coming along quicker than we think.     Smart, fast, and able to fit in the palms of your hands, the Micro Drone 3.0 is what we’ve … [Link]

Slashdot » 'You're Doing Your Weekend Wrong'

Saturday 1 July 10:03:19 UTC 2017

"If you don't feel rejuvenated and keen to face Monday after two work-free days, there might be a reason: You're doing your weekend wrong," an anonymous reader writes, citing a Quartz article. From the article: According to University of Calgary sociologist Robert Stebbins, most leisure falls into two categories: casual and serious. Casual leisure pursuits are short lived, immediately gratifying, … [Link]

Mashable » I tried to write a novel in a month and now I have a publishing offer

Saturday 1 July 8:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookBack in December 2015, I wrote a fairly waffling account of my attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days for National Novel Writing Month. You can read the whole thing here if you want, but the TL;DR version is this: I had very little sleep, drank far too much tea, and all-in-all felt like I had aged about 10 years … [Link]

Slashdot » Nike Thought It Didn't Need Amazon — Then the Ground Shifted

Saturday 1 July 7:30:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report: For years, Nike was one of the biggest holdouts against Amazon.com, refusing to provide its sneakers and athletic clothing for sale on the hulking e-commerce site. Its products were so cool, the company reasoned, it didn't need or want the help. Recently, Nike reversed course. Behind that decision lies a dramatic shift in the … [Link]

Slashdot » Germany Approves Plans To Fine Social Media Firms Up To $57M

Saturday 1 July 4:00:00 UTC 2017

Social media companies face fines of up to 50m Euro ($57m) if they persistently fail to remove illegal content from their sites under a new law passed in Germany. From a report: The German parliament on Friday approved the bill aimed at cracking down on hate speech, criminal material and fake news on social networks — but critics warn it … [Link]

Slashdot » Investors Who Back VC Funds Are Worried About Valley Culture

Saturday 1 July 3:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report: Limited partners in venture capital funds are having conversations about how to prevent themselves from investing in the next Binary Capital, the Silicon Valley firm that has collapsed over allegations that one of its co-founders sexually harassed female entrepreneurs. This includes the largest LP trade group — the Institutional Limited Partners Association — which … [Link]

Mashable » The Rock can't wait to meet Elizabeth Warren, who is apparently a huge 'Ballers' fan

Saturday 1 July 2:49:48 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookDwayne "The Rock" Johnson can smell what Elizabeth Warren is cooking … and he likes it.  On Friday afternoon, the movie star tweeted this after it was revealed that the Democratic senator from Massachusetts was a big fan of the HBO show Ballers, which is basically Entourage but with sports agents: Can't wait to meet Senator Warren one day. She's got … [Link]

Mashable » Party, down: Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland arrested and charged with wire fraud

Saturday 1 July 2:45:47 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Https%3a%2f%2fvdist.aws.mashable.com%2fcms%2f2017%2f5%2f398a6713 b681 c4d9%2fthumb%2f00001 Read more… {"player":{"descript~ festival wasn't so LIT. ","image":"http~ luxury Fyre Festival for rich kids turned into total mayhem","sources":[{~ festival,real-time,real-time video,real time,real-time-video,us & world,real time video,fyre,fyre festival,chaos at fyre festival,mayhem,insanity at fyre,instagram models nightmare","sec0":nu~ festival,real-time,real-time video,real time,real-time-video,us & world,real time video,fyre,fyre festival,chaos at fyre festival,mayhem,insanity at fyre,instagram models nightmare","videoSeriesNa~ More about Fyre Festival, Fyre Fest, Billy Mcfarland, Entertainment, and Music [Link]

Mashable » 'True Detective' Season 3 could star Mahershala Ali and suddenly we're interested again

Saturday 1 July 2:08:15 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookOscar winner and professional scene-stealer Mahershala Ali has single-handedly renewed our interest in True Detective Season 3. The Moonlight star is currently in early talks to star in the third season of HBO's anthology crime drama, Mashable has confirmed, although a deal is not yet in place. HBO declined to comment on Ali's potential involvement, which was first reported by the … [Link]

Slashdot » With a Single Wiretap Order, US Authorities Listened In on 3.3 Million Phone Calls

Saturday 1 July 1:55:00 UTC 2017

US authorities intercepted and recorded millions of phone calls last year under a single wiretap order, authorized as part of a narcotics investigation, ZDNet's Zack Whittaker reports. From the article: The wiretap order authorized an unknown government agency to carry out real-time intercepts of 3.29 million cell phone conversations over a two-month period at some point during 2016, after the … [Link]

Mashable » EPA to actually hold 'red-team' climate debates, in a new level of 'head-in-the-sand bullshit'

Saturday 1 July 1:52:24 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIn what many climate scientists see as a direct assault on the scientific process, the Trump administration is moving ahead with a plan to hold so-called "red team, blue team" climate science debates. The plan, which was first reported by ClimateWire on Friday morning and then detailed by the New York Times, would involve government-appointed experts chosen with the help of … [Link]

Slashdot » Facebook Inches Closer To Its Goal of Beaming Internet to World's Remotest Places

Saturday 1 July 1:15:00 UTC 2017

Facebook has completed a second test of a solar-powered drone — called Aquila — designed to bring internet access to remote parts of the world. From a report: Facebook plans to develop a fleet of drones powered by sunlight that will fly for months at a time, communicating with each other through lasers and extending internet connectivity to the ground … [Link]

Slashdot » Japan Wants To Put a Man On the Moon, Accelerating Asian Space Race

Saturday 1 July 0:35:00 UTC 2017

Japan plans to put a man on the moon around 2030, according to a new proposal by the government's Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). From a report: It is the first time JAXA has revealed an intention to send Japanese astronauts beyond the International Space Station, and it will mostly likely be part of an international mission, the agency said. … [Link]

Mashable » A new tool will check if you're vulnerable to the hack that brought down computers across the globe

Saturday 1 July 0:15:20 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWannaCry paralyzed hospitals. NotPeya crashed banks. But how to know if you're vulnerable to the stolen National Security Agency exploit that fueled two major cyber attacks and helped bring down computers across the globe? Thankfully, a new tool has your back.  SEE ALSO: Ransomware has been around for almost 30 years, so why does it feel like it's getting worse? After … [Link]

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