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 » Power Outage Strands Thousands at US Airport. 600 Flights Cancelled

Sunday 17 December 23:34:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes CNN: A power outage at the world's busiest airport left thousands of passengers stranded in dark terminals and in planes sitting on the tarmac, amid a nationwide ground stop. Incoming and outgoing flights at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport were halted indefinitely as crews worked to restore power, leading to hundreds of flight delays and cancellations. Atlanta … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Jobs Data Shows Java, Python, Javascript Lead in Terms of Required Skills

Sunday 17 December 23:32:17 UTC 2017

Software development is a dynamic field. New programming languages, frameworks and technologies can emerge, become popular, and then fade away in the course of a few years. Developers need to constantly be learning new skills to stay relevant. At Coding Dojo, we’re continually evaluating which programming languages are in high demand from employers so we can prepare our students to … [Link]

Mashable » Rose McGowan slams women planning to protest Golden Globes by wearing all black

Sunday 17 December 23:05:54 UTC 2017

Rose McGowan is not interested in your symbolic protests, Hollywood. On Saturday, McGowan turned her attention to Meryl Streep and others who reportedly support a rising push for female actors to attend the upcoming Golden Globes awards show clad in all black. The gesture is intended as a protest of the sexual misconduct that's run rampant through Hollywood for decades. SEE … [Link]

Slashdot » Google Reveals the Most-Trending Searches of 2017

Sunday 17 December 22:56:00 UTC 2017

"Google's annual list of the most popular searches is here, offering a peek into what people are really thinking about," writes CNN. An anonymous reader quotes their report: This year, you wanted to know more about one of the most powerful storms on record, the devastating Hurricane Irma. But you were also curious about [hip hop artist] Cardi B. and … [Link]

Mashable » Microsoft surprises a thoughtful 9-year-old who gave up his Xbox to help the homeless

Sunday 17 December 22:20:14 UTC 2017

In early December, 9-year-old Mikah Frye decided that instead of getting an Xbox One for Christmas, he'd rather use that $300 to donate blankets to the homeless. Microsoft caught wind of Frye's generosity, Fox 8 reported Saturday, and decided to set up a surprise for him: a limited edition Minecraft-themed Xbox One X from none other than Santa himself. SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » Google's taking another big step to stop the spread of fake news

Sunday 17 December 22:06:19 UTC 2017

The internet is filled with too many fake news websites — not the ones Donald Trump keeps falsely accusing, but real sources of provably false information — and Google's taking another step to stop this garbage from misleading people. The tech giant is now blocking websites from showing up in search results on Google News when they mask their country of … [Link]

Slashdot » Stolen Car Recovered With 11,000 More Miles — and Lyft Stickers

Sunday 17 December 21:52:00 UTC 2017

The San Francisco Bay Area has more car thefts than any region in America, according to SFGate.com. A National Insurance Crime Bureau report found that between 2012 and 2014, there were an average of 30,000 car thefts a year just in the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and Hayward. But one theft took a strange turn. An anonymous reader quotes … [Link]

Slashdot » What's The Best TV Show About Working in Tech?

Sunday 17 December 20:52:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: Recently Gizmodo hailed "the best show ever made about Silicon Valley", asking its readers one question: why didn't you watch it? They're talking about AMC's Halt and Catch Fire, which their Senior Reviews Editor says "discovered the fascinating, frustrating human side to the soulless monsters who built Silicon Valley." Unfortunately, "nobody watched it. The show never … [Link]

Mashable » Wearing Uggs into this airline's lounge is apparently a huge no-no

Sunday 17 December 20:03:33 UTC 2017

Every editorial product is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our journalism. Putting aside how basic wearing Uggs makes you look, people love the boots because they're warm and comfy. But did you know the fleece-lined boots will alsoprevent you from entering an airport lounge? Yeah, we had … [Link]

Slashdot » Former Exec Who Said Facebook Was 'Destroying Society' Still Loves Facebook

Sunday 17 December 19:52:00 UTC 2017

Remember that former Facebook exec who felt "tremendous guilt" about creating tools "that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works"? He's now walking back his criticism — at least somewhat. Gizmodo reports: Palihapitiya said that he believes that "Facebook is a force for good in the world," and went on to express his belief that the social … [Link]

Mashable » The 12 best apps of 2017

Sunday 17 December 18:59:20 UTC 2017

Every editorial product is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our journalism. Just when you thought apps had gotten boring and derivative, developers have leveraged new technologies to breathe new life into mobile experiences. From games we couldn't put down to powerful camera apps to augmented reality finally … [Link]

Mashable » Hollywood power players team up to fight sexual misconduct, led by Anita Hill

Sunday 17 December 18:41:03 UTC 2017

A collection of some of the most powerful people in Hollywood have formed a commission to address issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in the workplace, naming Anita Hill as its lead. SEE ALSO: Matt Damon attempts to speak about sexual harassment and shows he STILL doesn't get it After the past few months saw dozens upon dozens of accusations … [Link]

Slashdot » Flat Earther Now Wants To Launch His Homemade Rocket From a Balloon

Sunday 17 December 18:34:00 UTC 2017

A Maine alternative newsweekly just interviewed self-taught rocket scientist "Mad" Mike Hughes, who still believes that the earth is a flat, Frisbee-shaped disc. ("Think about this. Australia — which is supposedly on the other side of the planet — is upside down yet they're holding the waters in the ocean. Now how is that happening?") And Mike's got a new … [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft Releases a Preview of OpenSSH Client and Server For Windows 10

Sunday 17 December 17:34:00 UTC 2017

kriston (Slashdot user #7,886) writes: Microsoft released a preview of the OpenSSH server and client for Windows 10. Go to Settings, Apps & Features, and click "Manage optional features" to install them. The software only supports AES-CTR and chacha20 ciphers and supports a tiny subset of keys and KEXs, but, on the other hand, a decent set of MACs. It … [Link]

Mashable » How the White House press conference became 2017's must-see TV

Sunday 17 December 17:30:00 UTC 2017

On Saturday, January 21, 2017, the Trump administration began not with a gentle dose of diplomacy but with a red-faced tirade delivered by Press Secretary Sean Spicer, lambasting the media over reports of low attendance at the previous day's inauguration festivities. At the time, Spicer's tantrum felt unprecedented, a press secretary shoved out to defend the embattled new president against charges … [Link]

Mashable » Samsung Galaxy S9 might be announced in February

Sunday 17 December 17:18:20 UTC 2017

Ready or not, Samsung's Galaxy S9 is coming. The Korean electronics giant's next flagship Android phone might be announced in February, according to a report from Bloomberg. SEE ALSO: Samsung is making a 512GB chip to give smartphones an insane amount of storage There were murmurs that Samsung would switch things up this year and reveal the Galaxy S9 at CES … [Link]

Mashable » 16 gifts that will make shaving a little bit easier for your significant other

Sunday 17 December 17:00:00 UTC 2017

Every editorial product is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our journalism. Everyone needs to work on perfecting their grooming habits. There is nothing wrong with trimming some hairs to present the world with the best version of yourself. The good folks at Mashable have decided to … [Link]

Mashable » 7-year-old student's heart-breaking letter to Santa inspires overwhelming support

Sunday 17 December 16:43:44 UTC 2017

When a 7-year-old student wrote to Santa asking for food and a blanket, her town stepped up and made her Christmas wishes come true — for her and her fellow students in need. SEE ALSO: Adorn the top of your Christmas tree with these inspirational women First grade teacher Ruth Espiricueta at Monte Cristo Elementary shared a heart-breaking letter that one … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Last Jedi' rules the 2017 box office with a chart-topping $220 million opening

Sunday 17 December 16:29:53 UTC 2017

In news that should surprise precisely no one, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is poised to become the proud owner of 2017's biggest opening weekend at the U.S. box office. Take a moment to process this not-at-all-unexpected development. I'll wait. SEE ALSO: Here's a breakdown of the beloved 'Star Wars' character, the porg Sunday estimates point to a massive $220 million … [Link]

Slashdot » Trump Administration Prohibits CDC Policy Analysts From Using the Words 'Science-Based'

Sunday 17 December 16:29:00 UTC 2017

Long-time Slashdot reader hey! writes: On Friday the Washington Post reported that the Trump Administration has forbidden the Centers for Disease Control from using seven terms in certain documents: "science-based", "evidence-based", "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," and "fetus". It's important to note that the precise scope and intent of the ban is unknown at present. Scientific and medical personnel as of … [Link]

Mashable » Prince Harry interviewed Obama and it looks like it'll be hilarious

Sunday 17 December 15:37:08 UTC 2017

Back in September, Prince Harry and Barack Obama sat down for a one-on-one radio interview, and it's finally seeing the light of day later this month. SEE ALSO: Oh god, here's Barack Obama playing Santa Claus One of the roal family's Twitter accounts posted a little preview of the chat between the prince and the United States' 44th president, and it … [Link]

Slashdot » Windows 10 Bundled a Password Manager with a Security Flaw

Sunday 17 December 15:24:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: A Google security researcher has found and helped patch a severe vulnerability in Keeper, a password manager application that Microsoft has been bundling with some Windows 10 distributions this year… "This is a complete compromise of Keeper security, allowing any website to steal any password," Tavis Ormandy, the Google security researcher said, pointing out that the … [Link]

Mashable » Mark Hamill destroys the guy who killed Net Neutrality with an epic 'Star Wars' tweet

Sunday 17 December 15:23:12 UTC 2017

Net Neutrality is dead thanks to the Federal Communication Commission's idiot chairman Ajit Pai, and Mark Hamill is pissed. The Last Jedi star took some time out of the movie's huge opening weekend to rip Pai a new one on Twitter, and man was it an epic diss of galactic proportions. SEE ALSO: Whatever you do, don't watch 'Star Wars: The … [Link]

Mashable » Gift ideas for your child that wants a pet that aren't a pet, ranked from worst to best

Sunday 17 December 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Christmas is the time that most kids ask their parents for a pet, but parents rarely want to add that responsibility into their lives, knowing they'll be the ones doing most of the work. SEE ALSO: Gifts under $20 that are actually useful So if your child is demanding a pet this year, here is a list of gift ideas for … [Link]

Mashable » Omarosa visits 'SNL' Weekend Update to set the record straight on her White House exit

Sunday 17 December 13:58:53 UTC 2017

In a Saturday Night Live Weekend Update sketch filled with blistering one-liners directed at accused pedophile Roy Moore, admitted womanizer Donald Trump, and the ever-growing lineup of Terrible Hollywood Men, it was still Leslie Jones who stole the show. Jones stormed the Weekend Update set in the guise of Omarosa Manigault, the reality TV star and Donald Trump pal who … [Link]

Mashable » Kevin Hart joked about gender roles in parenting on 'SNL' and it didn't go so well

Sunday 17 December 13:36:39 UTC 2017

Kevin Hart is a funny man, but his opening monologue on Saturday Night Live this week felt like it came a few years too late. Hart, who just had his third child, used his 6-minute opening monologue to fire off joke after joke about parenthood. It was all going fine, too, until the comedian veered into gender roles. Women, he … [Link]

Mashable » Kevin Hart's over-the-top bathroom breakdown is peak 'SNL' hilarity

Sunday 17 December 12:48:03 UTC 2017

We've all been there. Lunch just ended and it's right into a big meeting. And that's when you realize: Tacos were a terrible idea. Guest host Kevin Hart brought to life every office worker's nightmare on Saturday Night Live this week. Toilet humor may be one of the lowest-hanging fruits in comedy, but Hart's scenery-chewing take on a guy who's … [Link]

Slashdot » Do More People Use Firefox Than Edge and IE Combined?

Sunday 17 December 12:19:00 UTC 2017

A funny thing happened when Net Applications' statistics began excluding fake traffic from ad-defrauding bots. Computerworld reports: Microsoft's Edge browser is less popular with Windows 10 users than earlier thought, if revised data from a U.S. analytics vendor can be believed. According to Net Applications of Aliso Viejo, Calif., Edge has been designated the primary browser by fewer than one … [Link]

Mashable » Scarlett Johansson makes perfect return as Ivanka Trump on 'SNL'

Sunday 17 December 11:47:41 UTC 2017

Last week's Christmas cold open didn't really count, and neither did last last week's, so let's ignore them for now to focus on Saturday's special Christmas message from the Saturday Night Live White House, starring Alec Baldwin as everyone's favorite Commander-in-Chief and a surprise appearance by Scarlett Johansson as the ever-complicit first daughter. They're here to deck the halls and … [Link]

Slashdot » Artificial Intelligence Is Killing the Uncanny Valley and Our Grasp On Reality

Sunday 17 December 8:44:00 UTC 2017

rickih02 writes: In 2018, we will enter a new era of machine learning — one in which AI-generated media looks and sounds completely real. The technologies underlying this shift will push us into new creative realms. But this boom will have a dark side, too. For Backchannel's 2018 predictions edition, Sandra Upson delves into the future of artificial intelligence and … [Link]

Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: How Can Programmers Explain Their Work To Non-Programmers?

Sunday 17 December 5:09:00 UTC 2017

Slashdot reader Grady Martin writes: I disrespect people who describe their work in highfalutin terms… However, describing my own work as "programming solutions to problems" is little more than codifying what just about anyone can perceive through intuition. Case in point: Home for the holidays, I was asked about recent accomplishments and attempted to explain the process of producing compact … [Link]

Slashdot » Bitcoin Jumps Another 10% in 24 Hours, Sets New Record at $19,000

Sunday 17 December 3:13:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes Ars Technica: Bitcoin's price set a new record on Saturday as the virtual currency rose above $19,000 for the first time on the Bitstamp exchange. The gains came just hours after the currency crossed the $18,000 mark. Bitcoin's value has doubled over the last three weeks, and it's up more than 20-fold over the last year. … [Link]

Slashdot » 'State of JavaScript' Survey Results: Good News for React and TypeScript

Sunday 17 December 0:59:00 UTC 2017

"The JavaScript world is richer and messier than ever," reports this year's annual "State of JavaScript" survey, which collected data from over 28,000 developers on everything from favorite frameworks to flavors of JavaScript. SD Times reports: "A few years back, a JavaScript survey would've been a simple matter. Question 1: are you using jQuery? Question 2: any comments? Boom, done!," … [Link]

John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons