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.

Slashdot » Apple Launches Free Repair Program For 'No Service' IPhone 7 Bug

Saturday 3 February 23:09:00 UTC 2018

Mark Wilson writes: Apple has launched a new repair program aimed at iPhone 7 users who are experiencing a "No Service" problem. Apple says that affected models that were sold since September 2016 will be repaired free of charge. The company explains that the No Service bug only affects a "small number" of handsets, and it is caused by a … [Link]

Slashdot » Wells Fargo Hit With 'Unprecedented' Punishment Over Fake Accounts

Saturday 3 February 22:04:00 UTC 2018

An anonymous reader quotes CNN: The Federal Reserve has dropped the hammer on Wells Fargo, [handing] down unprecedented punishment late Friday for what it called the bank's "widespread consumer abuses," including its notorious creation of millions of fake customer accounts. Wells Fargo won't be allowed to get any bigger than it was at the end of last year — $2 … [Link]

Mashable » Apple is offering free repairs if your iPhone 7 won't connect to a cellular network

Saturday 3 February 22:03:01 UTC 2018

Apple is providing iPhone 7 owners with free repairs if they have one of the "small percentage" of devices that do not properly connect with a cellular network.  The affected iPhone 7 devices will show "No Service" in the status bar at times even when cellular coverage is available in the area. The defect comes from a failed component on the … [Link]

Mashable » Uma Thurman's story about Quentin Tarantino adds another layer to the #MeToo conversation

Saturday 3 February 21:52:05 UTC 2018

After The New York Times published Uma Thurman's #MeToo account on Saturday, one person dominated the coverage — Harvey Weinstein. But the actress recounted two stories of abuse in the Times piece, one featuring Harvey Weinstein and the other, Quentin Tarantino. Only the Weinstein story featured sexual assault and misconduct, which is why only one would be classified as a traditional … [Link]

Slashdot » 'King of Kong' Billy Mitchell Stripped Of Donkey Kong Record For Emulator Cheating

Saturday 3 February 20:59:00 UTC 2018

MojoKid writes: More drama is unfolding in the ultra-competitive retro arcade gaming scene… Billy Mitchell, the arcade legend who appeared as a central character opposite Steve Wiebe in the documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, has been accused of cheating his way into the record books for high scores in Donkey Kong. As a result, he's now … [Link]

Mashable » What's in a hashtag? A spark for our passions, in love and in war

Saturday 3 February 20:37:35 UTC 2018

I found love in a hopeless place. Yeah, some would argue that a Twitter hashtag is something terrible. They can be manipulated by bots and trolls (#ReleaseTheMemo). They can be hijacked by angry users (#TellingItLikeItIs). They can be just all around strange (#KanyesAnalPlaylist).  The hashtag's intended purpose — what Chris Messina pitched to Twitter in 2007 — was to bring people … [Link]

Slashdot » Family of 'Swat' Victim Sues Kansas Police, Lawmakers Propose 40-Year Jail Terms

Saturday 3 February 19:54:00 UTC 2018

An anonymous reader brings more updates about the 'Swat' call that led to a fatal police shooting: The gamer who dared another gamer to send police officers to his home had offered the address where he used to live, until his family was evicted in 2016. While he may also be charged for the fatal shooting that followed, the victim's … [Link]

Mashable » The internet is having a field day with Paul Ryan's oblivious #GOPTaxScam tweet

Saturday 3 February 19:10:23 UTC 2018

Paul Ryan is boasting on Twitter about all the good the G.O.P. tax plan will do. In related news, the House Majority Leader might not understand how money works for most people. Ryan, tweeting from his personal account, earned himself a good, old-fashioned public shaming on Saturday after he tried to hype the recently passed tax bill. The extra $1.50 in … [Link]

Slashdot » WHATIS Going To Happen To WHOIS?

Saturday 3 February 18:49:00 UTC 2018

dmoberhaus writes: A European data privacy law goes into effect in May, but it's already having far reaching consequences, especially when it comes to publicly available WHOIS data. Motherboard spoke to a domain registrar, ICANN and some security researchers about how anticipation of the EU privacy laws implementation has already gutted WHOIS data, why this is dangerous and what the … [Link]

Slashdot » Hawaii Missile Alert Worker Fired, Will Sue State for Defamation

Saturday 3 February 17:44:00 UTC 2018

This week Hawaii finally fired the employee who issued a false missile alert warning to the entire state, while the head of the state's emergency management agency resigned, another official quit, and a fourth was suspended over the incident. But new details also emerged about the incident: After alerting workers on the wrong shift, the night supervisor "had started the … [Link]

Mashable » Uma Thurman opens up about her anger at Harvey Weinstein and Quentin Tarantino

Saturday 3 February 17:06:00 UTC 2018

In November, actress Uma Thurman said she was waiting to speak out about sexual harassment and sexual assault until she felt less angry. That day has arrived. Thurman finally told her story to The New York Times in a devastating account published Saturday. In it, Thurman alleges that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein attacked her multiple times. Thurman also recounts several strange … [Link]

Mashable » Legless jeans: Has denim gone too far?

Saturday 3 February 17:00:00 UTC 2018

Every product here is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our work. The past few days have been weird for denim.  On Tuesday, the New York Post reported that Unravel Project, a streetwear brand worn by Kim Kardashian West and Rhianna, had revealed a pair of crotchless, legless … [Link]

Slashdot » Elon Musk Sells $10 Million in Flamethrowers in Four Days

Saturday 3 February 16:39:00 UTC 2018

An anonymous reader quotes Reuters: A handful of tweets and four days later, Silicon Valley billionaire Elon Musk has closed orders for his latest novelty product, after selling 20,000 flamethrowers at $500 a piece. "Guaranteed to liven up any party!" was Musk's tagline for a sale which raised $10 million for his high-speed tunnel venture The Boring Company… "When the … [Link]

Mashable » Tesla is coming to 800 Home Depot stores

Saturday 3 February 16:21:29 UTC 2018

Tesla is going mainstream. No, not the electric cars.  Elon Musk is bringing his solar panels and Powerwall batteries to 800 Home Depot locations in the U.S., Bloomberg reported this week. That's a big boost for the venture, previously known as SolarCity. The products, also available for sale on Tesla's website, will now be exposed to more customers' eyes. SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » Download this: YouTube Go is here to save your data plan

Saturday 3 February 15:38:57 UTC 2018

YouTube doesn't have to be a data hog. At least, not if you're using YouTube Go, the company's data-saving version alternative for video streaming. First released in India in 2016, the Android app has now expanded to 130 countries. SEE ALSO: Can a media company succeed without Facebook? This startup says yes. YouTube Go is designed to give users more control … [Link]

Slashdot » Investigators Crack DB Cooper Code, Identify Suspect With Possible CIA Connections

Saturday 3 February 15:34:00 UTC 2018

An anonymous reader quotes the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: A private investigative team announced Thursday morning that members now believe D.B. Cooper was a black ops CIA operative possibly even involved with Iran-Contra, and that his identity has been actively hidden by government agents. The 40-member cold-case team comprised of several former FBI agents and led by Thomas and Dawna Colbert made … [Link]

Mashable » Adorable little kids imitate CNN anchors to celebrate black excellence

Saturday 3 February 15:20:07 UTC 2018

BREAKING: These children are perfect. A new video by Because Of Them We Can features five tiny little kids dressed up as black anchors from CNN, including Don Lemon, Bakari Sellers, Angela Rye, Symone Sanders and April Ryan. Because Of Them We Can celebrates figures from black culture, past and present, to help challenge persistently negative stereotypes. Watch and coo … [Link]

Mashable » Lady Gaga tweets a heartfelt apology after canceling final 10 tour dates

Saturday 3 February 15:14:40 UTC 2018

Lady Gaga has cancelled the rest of the Joanne World Tour due to "severe pain," according to a statement tweeted on Saturday. SEE ALSO: Lady Gaga's Grammys performance was straight fire, especially that epic high note "I'm so devastated I don't know how to describe it. All I know is that if I don't do this, I am not standing by … [Link]

Mashable » 'This Is Us' hilariously scrambles to clear Crock-Pot's name before Super Bowl with new promo

Saturday 3 February 14:20:38 UTC 2018

Warning: Spoilers for the second season of This Is Us ahead. This Is Damage Control at its FINEST. You've probably heard by now, but during its last episode NBC's This Is Us revealed that a faulty Crock-Pot is what started the fire that potentially kills everyone's favorite TV dad, Jack Pearson. Since then, despite many attempts (and a newly created Twitter … [Link]

Mashable » Get workout headphones for 50% off

Saturday 3 February 13:00:00 UTC 2018

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. If you’re doing something at the gym that’s more active than watching Real Housewives while sort of moving on the elliptical (guilty), you need headphones that can keep up with you.  But … [Link]

Mashable » 5 of the most important skills data analysts can learn using Microsoft programs

Saturday 3 February 13:00:00 UTC 2018

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. Are you the type of person who flaunts their Excel and Powerpoint skills at every opportunity? Microsoft's Office Suite is pretty much essential to any kind of job, and knowing how to … [Link]

Mashable » Easy Valentine's Day gifts for her

Saturday 3 February 13:00:00 UTC 2018

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. Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and while February 14 is all about spending time with your special lady friend, we'd be lying if we said she isn't expecting a present. … [Link]

Slashdot » Uber Study Says Self-Driving Trucks Will Result In More Truck Drivers, Not Less

Saturday 3 February 13:00:00 UTC 2018

_Sharp'r_ writes: According to a new study by Uber's Advanced Technology Group, widespread adoption of self-driving trucks would happen primarily on long-haul routes. The increase in efficiency would lead to more goods being trucked, causing enough additional local delivery routes driven by humans to overall increase the need for truck drivers. Driver contracts may need to be updated to pay … [Link]

Slashdot » Gut Microbes Combine To Cause Colon Cancer, Study Suggests

Saturday 3 February 10:00:00 UTC 2018

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The New York Times (Warning: source may be paywalled; alternative source): Two types of bacteria commonly found in the gut work together to fuel the growth of colon tumors, researchers reported on Thursday. Their study, published in the journal Science, describes what may be a hidden cause of colon cancer, the third most … [Link]

Mashable » 9 short stories from female British writers you need to read before you die

Saturday 3 February 9:30:00 UTC 2018

Short stories may not take as long as novels to put together, but that doesn't make them any easier to perfect. SEE ALSO: I tried to write a novel in a month and now I have a publishing offer Crafting a short story that really sings off the page — one that stays with the reader after the book's been slotted … [Link]

Slashdot » India Rejects Cryptocurrency, But It Isn't Giving Up On Blockchain

Saturday 3 February 7:00:00 UTC 2018

Mark Wilson shares a report from BetaNews: A budget speech given by India's finance minister led to numerous reports that India was banning the use of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum within the country. While Arun Jaitley noted in a speech that the Indian government does not recognize cryptocurrencies as legal tender, his slightly ambiguous language resulted in something … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Tropical plants are blooming as they gorge on our pollution

Saturday 3 February 6:21:56 UTC 2018

We are pouring carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, heating the planet, but some plants are using the excess carbon dioxide to make more flowers [Link]

New Scientist – News » Leaked photos suggest China may now have a hypersonic railgun

Saturday 3 February 6:21:54 UTC 2018

A ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun, firing projectiles at more than Mach 6 over great distances, could let China dominate the seas [Link]

New Scientist – News » Shark-free world? That’s a wish that would come back to bite us

Saturday 3 February 6:21:53 UTC 2018

Sharks may be hard to love for many people, including the US president, but these animals are essential to the health of our oceans, says Lesley Evans Ogden [Link]

New Scientist – News » Shrinking black holes avoid paradox by oozing hidden information

Saturday 3 February 5:41:00 UTC 2018

As black holes evaporate, they release particles that may carry more information than we thought, so black holes may not break the laws of physics after all [Link]

Slashdot » NIH Study Links Cellphone Radiation To Cancer In Male Rats

Saturday 3 February 3:30:00 UTC 2018

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: New studies from the National Institutes of Health — specifically the National Toxicology Program — find that cell phone radiation is potentially linked with certain forms of cancer, but they're far from conclusive. The results are complex and the studies have yet to be peer-reviewed, but some of the findings are clearly … [Link]

Mashable » Drone gets way too close to an airplane in terrifying video

Saturday 3 February 3:07:02 UTC 2018

Hey, if you own a drone, maybe don't fly it over an airplane filled with passengers? The FAA is investigating a video that seems to show a drone's close call with a commercial airliner landing at McCarran International Airport near Las Vegas, according to the local CBS affiliate.  SEE ALSO: Dan Harmon reunited a lost drone with its pilot using the … [Link]

Slashdot » As Sony CEO Kaz Hirai Steps Down, the Future of Some Products Is In Question

Saturday 3 February 1:30:00 UTC 2018

After six years with the company, Sony CEO Kaz Hirai will step down from his post on April 1, 2018. He will remain with the company as chairman, and the CEO seat will be filled by current CFO Kenichiro Yoshida. Samuel Axon reports via Ars Technica of the reputation his successor has built for making touch cuts to get back … [Link]

Mashable » Facebook deletes angry DC fanboy group trying to bring down 'Black Panther'

Saturday 3 February 1:12:56 UTC 2018

Dear bitter internet trolls who are pissed that Black Panther is already blowing every superhero movie out of the water: boy, bye. That's basically what Rotten Tomatoes and Facebook told a short-lived campaign to bring down the upcoming film's audience score before anyone even saw the damn thing. After critics who attended early screenings of Black Panther raved about it on … [Link]

Mashable » Very high woman fresh out of surgery really wants the Eagles to win the Super Bowl

Saturday 3 February 1:02:19 UTC 2018

Getting your wisdom teeth out can be a harrowing experience, especially when it's right before the Super Bowl. Poor Haley freaked out after her oral surgery because she thought she slept through the game. "Did I miss the Super Bowl?" she cried through a mouthful of cotton balls, "Oh my god." "They're playing Sunday," her mother tried to reassure her, … [Link]

Slashdot » Cloudflare Is Liable For Pirate Sites and Has No Safe Harbor, Publisher Says

Saturday 3 February 0:50:00 UTC 2018

After dragging Cloudflare to court and accusing the web services company of various types of copyright and trademark infringement, noting that several customers used Cloudflare's servers to distribute pirated content, adult publisher ALS Scan told the California District Court this week that the company should be held liable for copyright infringements committed by its customers. According to TorrentFreak, "The company … [Link]

Slashdot » Tesla Will Sell Solar Panels, Powerwalls At Home Depot

Saturday 3 February 0:10:00 UTC 2018

Tesla is bringing photovaltaic panels and Powerwall batteries to U.S. retail giant Home Depot. According to Bloomberg, "The tech pioneer is beginning to roll out Tesla-branded selling spaces at 800 of the retailer's locations. The areas, which will be outfitted during the first half of this year, are staffed by Tesla employees and can demonstrate its solar panels and Powerwall … [Link]

Mashable » Uber, Lyft pledge to co-exist with public transit, but they're still a big traffic problem

Saturday 3 February 0:01:26 UTC 2018

Let’s call them transportation goals. With 15 transportation companies, including ride-hailing apps Uber and Lyft, signing an ambitious list of "shared mobility principles" this week, these companies are promising to "prioritize people over vehicles." The pledge, also signed by bike-share companies and other ride-hailing apps like China's Didi Chuxing and India's Ola, is about making cities livable and sustainable, meaning less … [Link]

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