David Lidsky's Blog, page 2808
January 19, 2016
Stephen Hawking Foretells The End Of The World (Again)
The renowned physicist says that our advances in science and technology are only bringing about "new ways things can go wrong."
Stephen Hawking is (yet again) a harbinger of bad things to come: During the BBC's yearly Reith Lectures, the physicist said the science and technology advances made by the human race would likely be its undoing. In response to a question about how the world would end, Hawking pointed to nuclear warfare, global warming, and genetically engineered viruses as examples of how man-made threats could bring about its demise.
Does Verizon's FreeBee Sponsored Data Program Trash Net Neutrality?
Verizon became the third wireless provider to offer select content that doesn't count against monthly data caps. Is this fair to everyone?
Anyone even remotely following technology news in recent weeks probably caught the firestorm between some advocates of net neutrality (no special preference for content providers) and T-Mobile's self-described "foul mouthed" CEO, John Legere. At issue is whether T-Mo's Binge On program, which exempts certain content from eating into customers' data buckets, gives those video providers an unfair advantage over video sources that don't participate in the program. AT&T also has a cap-exempt data program, called "Sponsored Data," though it has only four obscure companies participating.
You Can't Use A Drone To Film Yourself Skiing But These Ex-Googlers Will Do It For You
Cape Productions has the exclusive buy-in from ski resorts to offer customers drone footage, and it's because of its commitment to safety.
Talk about being on stage. I'm lying in at least a foot of fresh powder from the snowstorm overnight, frantically trying to re-attach the ski that went flying when I face-planted. There's almost no one around, but my every move is being watched, and filmed in HD, by a drone hovering just overhead.
This Fun Literature Project Replaces Google Ads With Short Stories
Matchbook is calling for authors to submit 70-character stories to subvert those hyper-personalized ads in your search sidebar.
Imagine that you search for "short story" in Google. More likely than not, any ads that pop up next to your search will (hopefully) be related to short stories, or fall within the realm of literature in general.
Election 2016: Heartburn Was The Case That It Gave Me
I think it's too late for Palin, hold up.
AGELESS PHONE, AT ONCE ANCIENT AND NEW. WHO THIS?
Ex-Twitter CEO Dick Costolo To Build Fitness Startup
In addition to launching a personal fitness platform, Costolo will be taking his talents to venture capital firm Index Ventures.
Former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo took to Twitter (where else?) on Tuesday to announce his latest undertaking: a platform for personal fitness that will "make the road to personal transformation fun and social." Sharing screenshots of his Notes app, Costolo explained that the new company would "go beyond measurement to motivate," supplementing the work of wellness professionals like cofounder Bryan Oki.
Security Firm Sued Over Alleged Failure To End Casino Cyberattack
In one of the first cases of its kind, a casino operator is suing a cybersecurity firm for allegedly failing to contain a data breach.
Nevada casino operator Affinity Gaming is suing cybersecurity firm Trustwave, alleging that Trustwave failed to contain or detect the extent of a 2013 cyberattack. The breach led to customer credit card numbers being stolen.
January 18, 2016
Medical Space Race: Inside The Two Moonshots To Cure Cancer
Key players agree that cancer cures are within reach. Two major, sometimes overlapping, efforts are underway—one public and one private.
In his final State of the Union address, President Obama announced a "moonshot" program to cure cancer. Obama named Vice President Joe Biden, whose son Beau died from brain cancer last year, to lead the government effort, which could even have bipartisan appeal. In 2015, House Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly passed the 21st Century Cures Act, which raises funding and lowers barriers for audacious medical research. (The Senate is considering its own version.) The bill's sponsor (and Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee), Fred Upton, tweeted his support for the Obama-Biden effort.
LastPass Users Could Be Vulnerable To A Phishing Attack, Warns A Security Expert
Malicious websites could steal passwords with a fake LastPass login prompt indistinguishable from the real one.
Users of password manager LastPass should beware of phishing attempts that impersonate the program's browser extension pop-ups to steal their passwords, warns security expert Sean Cassidy.
Why Today Is The Most Depressing Day Of The Year (And How To Overcome It)
Today is "Blue Monday," the most depressing day of the year. Here are seven ways to beat the winter blues.
The third Monday of January is known as Blue Monday—the most depressing day of the year. It's when New Year resolutions die, holiday credit card bills start to show up in the mail, and winter is in full force, with many more weeks of it on the horizon. But is it real?
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