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 » How Hotmail Changed Microsoft (and Email) Forever

Friday 29 December 23:20:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Twenty years ago this week, on December 29, 1997, Bill Gates bought Microsoft a $450 million late Christmas present: a Sunnyvale-based outfit called Hotmail. With the buy — the largest all-cash Internet startup purchase of its day — Microsoft plunged into the nascent world of Web-based email. Originally launched in 1996 … [Link]

Mashable » Taiwan accidentally put Dulles Airport on its e-passports and Google Images could be why

Friday 29 December 23:19:16 UTC 2017

Confusing a major American airport for a Taiwanese travel hub seems unlikely in official government documents, but that's exactly what happened with Taiwan's new e-passports. SEE ALSO: Google's new Maps feature highlights different locations based on what you're doing An exterior shot of Washington Dulles International from the American capital made it onto the background of Taiwan's newly issued digital passports. … [Link]

Mashable » 2 guys named their company Steve Jobs Inc. — and got away with it

Friday 29 December 23:01:24 UTC 2017

Steve Jobs was many things, but trademarked he was not. At least, that's how a court ruled in a two-year-long legal battle between Apple and the company that can now officially call itself Steve Jobs Inc. Steve Jobs Inc. was founded by two Italian brothers, Vincenzo and Giacomo Barbato, according to Business Insider Italia (via Quartz). The brothers told Business Insider … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » ProgrammableWeb's Most Interesting APIs in 2017: Health, IoT, Environment

Friday 29 December 22:56:03 UTC 2017

Cities, communities, homes, workplaces, and humans are becoming more energy efficient, healthier and smarter, thanks to modern technology and the APIs developers are using to create Smart Home, Health and Environment applications. [Link]

Mashable » Someone swapped photos of Trump with his animatronic, and plz let my mom know I am dead

Friday 29 December 22:55:56 UTC 2017

This photoshop says a thousand words, all of which are "help." For Twitter user's @Bornmiserable's latest creation, he swapped photos of the real Trump with his now legendary Disney animatronic figure. The result was just as upsetting as you always imagined it would be. SEE ALSO: Disney's new weapon in the war on Netflix: Hulu @BornMiserable says it's an improvement, which … [Link]

Slashdot » How Climate Change Deniers Rise To the Top in Google Searches

Friday 29 December 22:40:00 UTC 2017

If you searched for the words "climate change" into Google, until earlier this week, you could have gotten an unexpected result: ads that call global warming a hoax. "Scientists blast climate alarm," said one that appeared at the top of the search results page during a recent search, pointing to a website, DefyCCC, that asserted: "Nothing has been studied better … [Link]

Mashable » 'Swatting' comes to its terrible, predictable culmination as man reportedly dies

Friday 29 December 22:37:37 UTC 2017

For years, "swatting" has been a vicious prank played on video game streamers, and it was only a matter of time before someone died as a result. On Thursday night, a Wichita police officer shot a man, Andrew Finch, in his home. Police now believe that the department deployed the team based on a fake tip made by a Twitch streamer. … [Link]

Mashable » Blue Ivy makes her acting debut in the music video for Jay-Z's 'Family Feud'

Friday 29 December 22:36:05 UTC 2017

Happy belated holidays from Jay-Z (and Beyoncé) — and about a million more of your favorite industry heavyweights. "Family Feud" featuring Beyonce off of Jay's latest studio album 4:44 gets a stunning visual treatment, directed by Ava DuVernay and starring everyone from Mindy Kaling to Janet Mock to Jessica Chastain to Thandie Newton to Moonlight's Trevante Rhodes to Michael B. Jordan … [Link]

Mashable » Hey Hollywood, Chance the Rapper's got an film idea for you

Friday 29 December 22:26:29 UTC 2017

If it hasn't already been proven that Chance the Rapper is more than just a rapper, let the case close on this once and for all. The Chicago native hopped online on Friday to share pitch a movie to the good people of Twitter and attempt to crowdsource a film, 280 characters at a time. His idea is an interesting, and … [Link]

Mashable » Parents turned their daughter's request for Lorde tickets into an amazing prank

Friday 29 December 22:15:03 UTC 2017

What do Lorde and Pastor Joel Osteen have in common? Not much at all, if we're being honest, but the two were roped in a hilarious holiday prank thanks to some witty parenting. SEE ALSO: Twitter's most popular tweets, accounts, and hashtags of 2017 Twitter user Jorji Kellogg shared a present on social media of a card from her parents and … [Link]

Slashdot » Trump Wants Postal Service To Charge 'Much More' For Amazon Shipments

Friday 29 December 22:00:00 UTC 2017

President Donald Trump said the U.S. Postal Service should charge Amazon more to deliver packages, the latest in a series of public criticisms of the online retailer and its billionaire founder. From a report: "Why is the United States Post Office, which is losing many billions of dollars a year, while charging Amazon and others so little to deliver their … [Link]

Mashable » Apple faces over a dozen lawsuits. Here's why it might win them all

Friday 29 December 21:50:50 UTC 2017

There are currently many, many people trying to sue the pants off Apple. But commercial law experts predict that if the company ends up on trial, it may come out on top. Before we get too deep into this, it's important to understand the backstory: On Dec. 20, Apple confirmed a rumor that it does, in fact, slow down iPhones to … [Link]

Mashable » What the heck is Ripple? A brief look at the hottest cryptocurrency of the moment.

Friday 29 December 21:49:33 UTC 2017

Move over ethereum and litecoin — ripple is suddenly the hot new cryptocurrency. But ripple is different. It can't be mined. It can't be used to go shopping. And it's operated by a private company. Ripple is still far smaller than bitcoin, the reigning king of cryptocurrencies, but it's had a remarkable 2017. Ripple has increased by 29,000 percent in the … [Link]

Slashdot » Slashdot Asks: How Should Apple Have Responded To the Battery Controversy?

Friday 29 December 21:20:00 UTC 2017

Yesterday, Apple officially apologized for slowing down older phones in order to compensate for degrading batteries. In a letter to customers, Apple said, "We apologize," offering anyone with an iPhone 6 or later a battery replacement for $29 starting in late January through December 2018 — a discount of $50 from the unusual replacement cost. They're also promising to add … [Link]

Slashdot » AT&T Sheds Thousands of Employees After Touting GOP Tax Plan, Giving Out Bonuses

Friday 29 December 20:40:00 UTC 2017

Prior to Christmas, AT&T and DirecTV gave layoff notices to a large number of landline, legacy service, and home installers spanning the country. "It is not clear if the firings relate to the pending AT&T and Time Warner acquisition, or how it specifically relates to the announcement that the company was giving $1,000 bonuses to 200,000 employees in commemoration of … [Link]

Mashable » Our favorite blockchain pitches of 2017

Friday 29 December 20:27:44 UTC 2017

Blockchain had a big 2017The technology upon which bitcoin operates is suddenly the hot new thing. Acolytes believe it will change how we conduct business, elections, and even finding a mate (more on that later). Suddenly, there’s a blockchain startup for just about everything.As much as we wish we could, we can’t write about them all. But when thinking back on … [Link]

Slashdot » Trump's Website Is Coded With a Broken Server Error Message That Blames Obama

Friday 29 December 20:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: If you're a fan of Easter eggs hidden in source code, this is a pretty good one. Apparently, as Washington Post data reporter Christopher Ingraham observed on Twitter, some Trump administration and GOP websites have a portion of code with a joke that throws shade at Obama's golf habits, the irony nowhere … [Link]

Mashable » The latest 'Fantastic Beasts' sequel photos are all about fantastic coats

Friday 29 December 19:43:13 UTC 2017

Forget the fantastic beasts – the latest photos from Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald are all about fabulous coats. There are shiny ones and woolly ones, patterned ones and tweedy onesFantastic Beasts may pit good against evil, but the one thing both sides have in common, apparently, is a passion for fine outerwear. SEE ALSO: 'Fantastic Beasts' isn't going to … [Link]

Mashable » From an eclipse to an interstellar visitor: Our 5 favorite space moments of 2017

Friday 29 December 19:32:13 UTC 2017

Even though 2017 sometimes felt like a slow descent into madness, some truly amazing things happened this year as well. But not all of them were on Earth. SEE ALSO: Google released some fascinating data about the coming total eclipse From a total solar eclipse to an interstellar asteroid, space news was filled with incredible stories in 2017. Here are our … [Link]

Mashable » Here are the government organizations and officials Trump insulted in 2017

Friday 29 December 18:50:41 UTC 2017

2017 is almost done, and it's definitely safe to say that this year President Trump kept up one of his most infamous hallmarks: insulting people on Twitter. Or, if you're a Trump supporter, he's "just keeping it real u liberal snowflake lol #MAGA." SEE ALSO: The mystery of Trump's Twitter mentions and where he finds those awful retweets Besides taking shots … [Link]

Slashdot » The Biggest Rocket Launches and Space Missions We're Looking Forward To in 2018

Friday 29 December 18:42:00 UTC 2017

Loren Grush, writing for The Verge: Next year is already overflowing with exciting missions to space. NASA is launching a new lander to Mars, as well as a spacecraft that will get closer to the Sun than ever before. And two of NASA's vehicles already in space will finally arrive at their intended targets: one will rendezvous with a nearby … [Link]

Mashable » Well the weather in Chicago is frightful, but these sad tweets are so delightful

Friday 29 December 18:23:00 UTC 2017

If you're currently residing in an area where temperatures are below zero, you are not alone. As a deep freeze settles in across America, there are so many people who are currently colder than you — and that alone should give you solace. All across the country except in beautiful sunny, better Los Angeles (sorry New York), temperatures are dropping into … [Link]

Mashable » This guy is the face of the bitcoin bubble

Friday 29 December 18:22:25 UTC 2017

In 2013, James Altucher called bitcoin “a fad, or a scam, or a ponzi scheme, or worse.” Now, he’s become the face of the bitcoin bubble, appearing in ads across the internet touting the cryptocurrency — along with his paid newsletters with titles like, “Bitcoin Expert Reveals 3-Step Secret To Retire Rich.” Altucher is just one of a growing number of … [Link]

Mashable » Record cold in the U.S. and Canada has no end in sight — a running list of the records so far

Friday 29 December 18:18:27 UTC 2017

The winter of 2017-18 has recently become a throwback to the winters of yore — the ones your parents told you about. You know, back when they had to walk uphill both ways to school in the blinding snow and 0-degree temperatures? This time around, it's not just the severity of the cold that's getting to people. It's also the duration. … [Link]

Mashable » There's a growing #resistance to cryptocurrency, and is anyone surprised?

Friday 29 December 18:09:30 UTC 2017

There comes a moment in any digital revolution when its most ardent mansplaining soldiers become so insufferably, unapologetically obnoxious, a resistance is born. Currently, there is a growing opposition to cryptocurrency in all its forms. Many, many people are getting very weary of all the Bitcoin Boys, Ethereumytes, and some litecoin hanger-ons. Sometimes a resistance is powerful enough to strike fatal … [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft's Fall Creators Update Already on More Than Half of All Windows 10 PCs

Friday 29 December 18:02:00 UTC 2017

Wayne Williams, writing for BetaNews: Microsoft releases two big feature updates a year for Windows 10. 2017 saw the arrival of the Creators Update in April, followed by the Fall Creators Update in October. The Creators Update was a slow and at times problematic release. A quarter of Windows 10 users still didn't have it by the time its successor … [Link]

Mashable » Obama is attempting to restore our faith in humanity before 2018. Bless.

Friday 29 December 17:35:05 UTC 2017

Despite all the bad that has happened in 2017, Barack Obama is going into the New Year with a positive attitude, and he wants everyone else to do the same. On Friday morning in an attempt to restore America's faith in humanity, the former President of the United States shared an inspiring and much-needed mini-thread of good news stories on Twitter. … [Link]

Slashdot » That Game on Your Phone May Be Tracking What You're Watching on TV

Friday 29 December 17:20:00 UTC 2017

Rick Zeman writes: The New York Times (may be paywalled) has an article describing how some apps track TV and movie viewing even when the loaded app isn't currently active. These seemingly innocuous games, geared towards both adults and children work by "using a smartphone's microphone. For instance, Alphonso's software can detail what people watch by identifying audio signals in … [Link]

Mashable » 'Black Mirror' Season 4 isn't f*cking around

Friday 29 December 17:00:00 UTC 2017

Warning: The following post contains spoilers for Black Mirror Season 4, episode 1, "U.S.S. Callister." After three seasons of exploring the perverse perils and promise of technology, we know what we're signing up for with Black Mirror. In its fourth season – second on Netflix – Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones' twisted reflection of our society works like a well-oiled … [Link]

Mashable » Here's when all your favorite new phones might be coming out in 2018

Friday 29 December 16:58:47 UTC 2017

Another year of smartphones will be upon us soon. We'll likely see new versions of all of 2017's major flagship Android phones. But when can you expect them to come out? How long will you have to wait? A newly leaked list might have revealed 2018's roadmap. SEE ALSO: 9 reasons why 2018's smartphones are going to kick major ass The … [Link]

Mashable » Tobi’s Unbelievable Doggy Genetics – What's Your Mutt?

Friday 29 December 16:56:00 UTC 2017

On What's Your Mutt?, we test the doggy DNA of one pooch to reveal its exact breed mix and genetic makeup, once and for all! Don't miss the shocking results of our “pawternity” tests, each week! Aside from being furry, cuddly and cute, no one knows exactly what Tobi is. Today, we reveal her specific breed makeup, and her owner is … [Link]

Mashable » Another day, another Apple lawsuit (this time, from Texas)

Friday 29 December 16:51:48 UTC 2017

Things still aren't looking great for Apple. Three individuals in Texas have filed a class action lawsuit against the company for purposefully slowing down older phones. SEE ALSO: Here come the first Apple lawsuits over the slowing down of iPhones The suit is the first of its kind to come from Texas, reports Patently Apple, and was filed on behalf of … [Link]

Slashdot » A Glitch Stole Christmas: S.C. Lottery Says Error Caused Winning Tickets

Friday 29 December 16:42:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report: The South Carolina lottery game is called Holiday Cash Add-A-Play, and the rules are pretty simple: Get three Christmas tree symbols in any vertical, horizontal or diagonal line, and you win a prize. Monday was Christmas, and some folks in the Palmetto State were feeling jolly. "I don't play the lottery that much," Nicole … [Link]

Mashable » To see 'Hamilton' for free, head to … PornHub

Friday 29 December 16:35:56 UTC 2017

Current wait time for a pair of Hamilton tickets is approximately >100 centuries. But you can see it sooner if you aren't ashamed of your browsing history There is a faster way to see the Broadway smash hit/cultural force, and it's all because of the thankless work of trolls. Recently, internet pirates have been uploading videos of one of the original … [Link]

Mashable » Star-crossed Redditors reunite a lost Nintendo Switch with its owner

Friday 29 December 16:18:08 UTC 2017

Turns out, Reddit makes for a pretty good lost and found. On Thursday night, a Reddit user posted on the Nintendo Switch subreddit, saying that they found a Nintendo Switch and contacted Nintendo on what to do next, asking fellow redditors what other measures could be taken. An hour and 15 minutes later, a Reddit user posted on the Nintendo Switch … [Link]

Mashable » Dude falls on his face at a wedding, becomes an internet classic

Friday 29 December 16:11:50 UTC 2017

Just when you think you've seen every single video possible of someone falling down, a new one shows up to convince you that the internet is full of wonders. Redditor nearlearl was serving as a groomsman at a wedding, when gravity reared its ugly head and brought the floor up to meet his poor face. He was brave in the … [Link]

Mashable » How the Apple Store in Chicago became a dangerous place this winter

Friday 29 December 16:04:31 UTC 2017

Ominous, high-hanging icicles have turned Apple's sleek, MacBook-inspired waterfront store in Chicago into a potentially perilous environment. Apple has cordoned off, with caution tape and signage, vulnerable areas where the sharp ice could fall. Chicago blogger Matt Maldre first spotted the architectural mishap, brought on by this winter's severe Arctic blast. SEE ALSO: Apple finally issues an apology after its iPhone … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple's MacBook Air-like Store Roof Wasn't Designed To Handle Snow… in Chicago

Friday 29 December 16:03:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report Apple opened its new flagship retail store in Chicago earlier this year to much acclaim, but as the weather turns from fall to winter, a design oversight is causing some problems. As reported by Chicago blog Spundart, Apple seemingly didn't design the MacBook Air-like roof of the store to account for snow… in Chicago. … [Link]

Mashable » 7 Things You Didn’t Know About 'Scream'

Friday 29 December 15:59:56 UTC 2017

Read more…More about Horror Movies, Horror Films, Movie Trivia, Mashable Reels, and Entertainment [Link]

Mashable » Popular Chrome extension is secretly mining cryptocurrency

Friday 29 December 15:26:15 UTC 2017

Have you heard of cryptojacking? It's the practice of secretly using your computer's resources to mine cryptocurrency without the user's permission. Typically, you'll see the practice on shady websites — popular Bittorrent site The Pirate Bay appears to have experimented with it at one point — but a cryptojacking program has recently been found in a popular Chrome extension. SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Slashdot » Filmmakers Want The Right To Break DRM and Rip Blu-Rays

Friday 29 December 15:20:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report: Breaking DRM or ripping Blu-Rays discs is a crime In the United States. While there are fair use exemptions, these don't apply to the public at large. Interestingly, filmmakers themselves are now urging the Copyright Office to lift some of the current restrictions, so that they can make the films they want. […] Technically … [Link]

Mashable » Entertain your kid and get a workout at the same time with this reinvented stroller

Friday 29 December 15:02:32 UTC 2017

Kidrunner is an all-terrain kid jogger that attaches a child-sized buggy to the back of an adult. Read more…More about Transportation, Children, Running, Innovation, and Safety [Link]

Slashdot » Two Romanians Charged With Hacking Washington DC Police Surveillance Cameras Days Before Trump's Inauguration

Friday 29 December 14:40:00 UTC 2017

US prosecutors have charged two Romanians with hacking Washington DC police computers linked to surveillance cameras just days before President Donald Trump's inauguration. From a report on BBC: The pair are being held in Romania, having been arrested at Bucharest Otopeni airport on 15 December. Mihai Alexandru Isvanca, 25, and Eveline Cismaru, 28, allegedly accessed 123 outdoor surveillance cameras as … [Link]

Mashable » Dad loves dogsitting so much he calls himself 'gramps'

Friday 29 December 14:12:28 UTC 2017

It is a truth universally acknowledged that dogs are not just pets. They're a core part of the family. That's why this excellent father treated his daughter's dog like a grandchild when she was away over the holidays. SEE ALSO: You can now have matching PJs with your dog Meghan Specksgoor tweeted screenshots of her dad's text updates about Chance the … [Link]

Mashable » Ripple overtakes Ethereum as the second largest cryptocurrency

Friday 29 December 14:08:42 UTC 2017

After a period of tremendous growth, the banking-oriented cryptocurrency Ripple has overtaken Ethereum and is currently the second largest coin in terms of market cap behind Bitcoin. Ripple's price rose 42.7 percent in the last 24 hours alone according to CoinMarketCap, with its market cap surging to $73.6 billon. SEE ALSO: 2018 will be the year of Bitcoin's rivals This is … [Link]

Slashdot » Chrome Extension with 100,000 Users Caught Pushing Cryptocurrency Miner

Friday 29 December 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Catalin Cimpanu, reporting for BleepingComputer: A Chrome extension with over 105,000 users has been deploying an in-browser cryptocurrency miner to unsuspecting users for the past few weeks. The extension does not ask for user permission before hijacking their CPUs to mine Monero all the time the Chrome browser is open. Named "Archive Poster," the extension is advertised as a mod … [Link]

Mashable » Irish dad is not happy about being served a 'blackbird' for Christmas dinner

Friday 29 December 13:39:12 UTC 2017

Burnt spuds, overcooked sprouts and dry turkey are just a few of the standard Christmas dinner complaints. But, sometimes our festive dinners don't exactly turn out as planned. This dad from Sligo, Ireland, was less than enthused at the puny size of the turkey served up to him on Christmas day. After staring with confusion at a tiny roasted bird … [Link]

Mashable » Stop pretending like you understand cryptocurrency and take these online courses

Friday 29 December 13:11:18 UTC 2017

Heads up: All products featured here are selected by Mashable's commerce team and meet our rigorous standards for awesomeness. If you buy something, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. Most years, December is the time you justify your procrastination by gift shopping, reviewing essential "Best Of" lists, and planning extremely well-deserved holiday vacations. However, in staying true to its persistent weirdness, … [Link]

Mashable » The HyperChiller can cool wine, coffee — whatever — in one minute

Friday 29 December 13:11:17 UTC 2017

Heads up: All products featured here are selected by Mashable's commerce team and meet our rigorous standards for awesomeness. If you buy something, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. News flash: Coffee tastes better when it's iced. It just does. Luckily, there's the Hyperchiller, a genius device that cools liquids in less than a minute. The only thing better than one … [Link]

Mashable » RuPaul star brutally drags YouTuber Zoella's bold eye makeup tutorial

Friday 29 December 13:11:16 UTC 2017

Viewer beware: this video contains some pretty brutal dragging When it comes to makeup, drag queens know their stuff. Like, really, really know their stuff. And, former RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Willam was less than impressed by YouTuber Zoella's makeup tutorial for a festive smoky eye. So, she read her for filth. "I have five different Pat McGrath eyeshadows on … [Link]

Slashdot » Kodi 18 'Leia' 64-Bit For Windows Is Finally Ready To Replace the 32-bit Version

Friday 29 December 13:00:00 UTC 2017

BrianFagioli shares a report from BetaNews: Earlier this year, we shared with you that a pre-release version of Kodi 18 "Leia" 64-bit for Windows was available. There was a big catch, however — it was not up to par with its 32-bit brother. And so, many people just stuck with the 32-bit version, because, well… why not? It is finally … [Link]

Mashable » Woman brings new meaning to 'head over heels' by falling over after marriage proposal

Friday 29 December 12:09:35 UTC 2017

One woman brought a whole new meaning to falling head over heels in love with someone. Only this time, it was a case of falling head over skates. During a delightful festive proposal at the Rockefeller ice rink things appeared to be going pretty smoothly. That is, until the newly-engaged woman kissed her new fiancé and proceeded to slip on … [Link]

Mashable » 2017's definitive pop culture moments explained with cheese

Friday 29 December 12:00:00 UTC 2017

While this story contains myriad mouth-watering pictures of tasty cheeses, it's also bursting at the seems with spoilers for 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' and 'Game of Thrones'. 2017 brought us a veritable platter of pop culture moments to feast upon. There were pop music comebacks, hotly-anticipated engagements, live-streamed animal pregnancies, and side-splittingly funny fails. SEE ALSO: 20 pop culture duos … [Link]

Mashable » Chrissy Teigen is obsessed with WrestleMania and we just fell in love all over again

Friday 29 December 11:01:36 UTC 2017

Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the realest tweeter of them all? Um, Chrissy Teigen, obvs! But, seriously, just when you thought Chrissy couldn't be any realer, she goes and drops another solid gold Twitter exchange that'll make you nod your head and yell: "Same!" Chrissy Teigen confessed her undying obsession for WrestleMania—a WWE wrestling event—in a series of gushy tweets. … [Link]

Mashable » Meghan Markle is the princess of British Google search trends in 2017

Friday 29 December 10:00:00 UTC 2017

2017 was the year the UK really wanted to find out who this Meghan Markle person was. The Suits actress is the top person that the UK searched for this year, and her name is the top trending term. Funnily enough, her new fiancé, Prince Harry, didn't even crack any of the top 10 lists. SEE ALSO: Watch 11-year-old Meghan Markle … [Link]

Slashdot » A Manager of the Exmo Bitcoin Exchange Has Been Kidnapped In Ukraine

Friday 29 December 10:00:00 UTC 2017

CaptainDork shares a report from BBC: A manager of the Exmo Bitcoin exchange has been kidnapped in Ukraine. According to Russian and Ukrainian media reports Pavel Lerner, 40, was kidnapped while leaving his office in Kiev's Obolon district on December 26th. The reports said he was dragged into a black Mercedes-Benz by men wearing balaclavas. Police in Kiev confirmed to … [Link]

Mashable » Even Australia's prime minister isn't immune from being fined

Friday 29 December 7:24:42 UTC 2017

Politics might've been mad as ever in 2017, so perhaps there's something oddly normal about a country's leader getting what is a rather boring fine. Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was issued a A$250 ticket (US$193) on Friday for not wearing a lifejacket when he was moving his dinghy near his Sydney home earlier this week. SEE ALSO: 15 of the … [Link]

Mashable » Look, your day might resemble a bin fire, but here's a newborn baby white rhino

Friday 29 December 7:05:34 UTC 2017

Having a bit of a crap day? Look, it's been a weird year. But in the final days of 2017, a little white rhinoceros born at Toronto Zoo on Christmas Eve has provided a sliver of light at the end of a rather tumultuous tunnel. SEE ALSO: 50 actually nice things that happened in 2017 Born to first-time mum Zohari, a seven-year-old … [Link]

Slashdot » Russia Lost a $45 Million Satellite Because 'They Didn't Get the Coordinates Right'

Friday 29 December 7:00:00 UTC 2017

Last month, Russia lost contact with a 6,062-pound, $45 million satellite. Turns out, that happened because the Meteor-M weather satellite was programmed with the wrong coordinates. Gizmodo reports: On Wednesday, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told the Rossiya 24 state TV channel that a human error was responsible for the screw-up, according to Reuters. While the Meteor-M launched last … [Link]

Mashable » Did the NY Times go too easy on Donald Trump?

Friday 29 December 5:51:24 UTC 2017

President Donald Trump gave an "impromptu" interview to the New York Times on Thursday and it's as incoherent and self-aggrandizing as you might expect. At the Grill Room at Trump's golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, the president and Times reporter Michael S. Schmidt talk about the tax bill, Russia, Hillary Clinton and North Korea. SEE ALSO: Hey Donald Trump, … [Link]

Mashable » Guy Fieri's Times Square restaurant is closing, and people are sad, sorta

Friday 29 December 5:36:18 UTC 2017

In a way, Guy Fieri's Times Square restaurant embodied the man himself: Snubbed by critics, but pretty damn popular. Despite being one of America's highest grossing independent restaurants, racking up $17 million in sales in 2017, Guy's American Kitchen and Bar is closing on Dec. 31 for yet-to-revealed reasons, according to a report by Eater. SEE ALSO: A food critic is … [Link]

Mashable » The Avengers wish Stan Lee a happy 95th birthday on Twitter

Friday 29 December 3:33:00 UTC 2017

Marvel icon and perpetual film cameo fiend Stan Lee turned 95 on Thursday. The co-creator of X-Men, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Hulk, Doctor Strange, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Daredevil, Thor and so many, many more heroes seen in comics, television, film and games is celebrating his birthday, with well-wishers posting messages on Twitter. SEE ALSO: Did you catch this awesome 'Civil War' … [Link]

Slashdot » There's No Evidence Comcast's New 'Network Investment' Is Because of Net Neutrality Repeal or Tax Cuts

Friday 29 December 3:30:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Motherboard: Comcast issued a statement last week claiming that the government's new tax plan and the end of net neutrality will directly result in a dramatic spike in Comcast's network investment and job creation plans. If you look at Comcast's capital investments over the past 12 months and calculate continued investment growth at … [Link]

Mashable » T. rexes crashed a news segment and it was glorious

Friday 29 December 2:23:45 UTC 2017

Live news segments gave us plenty of glorious memories in 2017 (remember BBC kid?), and thankfully those spontaneous moments aren't slowing down any time soon. The latest comes courtesy of a few folks who donned T. rex costumes and made their way onto a live MSNBC shot on Thursday. The result is a hilarious fight in the background of a very … [Link]

Mashable » Hey Donald Trump, this is the difference between climate and weather

Friday 29 December 1:42:47 UTC 2017

No, Donald. Just … no. The president of the United States sent out an irresponsible and flat-out wrong tweet on Thursday that shows his total ignorance on the issue of climate change. SEE ALSO: Global warming could cause surge in European asylum seekers in coming decades In case you hadn't heard, it's very cold in the Midwest and Northeast U.S. and … [Link]

Mashable » Here's Roger Federer just taking casual selfies with adorable quokkas

Friday 29 December 1:31:57 UTC 2017

Sure, Roger Federer will experience highs like no other by being one of the best tennis players of his generation. Yet surely there's no other joy like getting up close and taking a selfie with a quokka, the ultra-cute marsupial that's native to Australia's Rottnest Island. SEE ALSO: The cutest, most Instagram-famous pets of the internet The 36-year-old player did just … [Link]

Mashable » Apple finally issues an apology after its iPhone battery fiasco

Friday 29 December 1:01:48 UTC 2017

Following huge waves of criticism and several lawsuits slamming Apple for purposely slowing down older iPhones to balance power consumption from aged batteries, the tech giant has now issued an apology and has reduced the cost of an out-of-warranty battery replacement from $79 to $29. In a message posted to its website, Apple acknowledges that it miscommunicated what was happening with … [Link]

Slashdot » Windows 10 Visits To US Government Sites Surpass Windows 7 For the First Time

Friday 29 December 1:00:00 UTC 2017

In what may be a signal of changing attitudes for Windows 10, visits to U.S. government sites via Windows 10 have surpassed Windows 7 for the first time. On MSFT reports: This United States government website reports that of the 2.54 billion visits to U.S. Government websites over the past 90 days, 20.9% came from Windows 10, and 20.7% from … [Link]

Slashdot » Italian Clothing Company Defeats Apple, Wins the Right To Use Steve Jobs' Name

Friday 29 December 0:20:00 UTC 2017

An Italian clothing company that uses the name "Steve Jobs" as its brand will be able to continue using the moniker after winning a multi-year legal battle, reports Italian site la Repubblica Napoli. Mac Rumors reports: Brothers Vincenzo and Giacomo Barbato named their clothing brand "Steve Jobs" in 2012 after learning that Apple had not trademarked his name. "We did … [Link]

John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons