Keanu Reeves to Star in Action TV Series ‘Rain’ From Slingshot Global Media

Slingshot Global Media announced Monday that Keanu Reeves will star in and executive produce its upcoming television series “Rain,” based on the best-selling novels from Barry Eisler.

Reeves will play John Rain, a half-Japanese, half-American contract assassin who struggles to find an identity beyond being a killer. It will be Reeves’ first starring and producing role in television, and Slingshot’s first announced project since the company formed in February.

Pint-sized Porsche Macan SUV proves agile, quick, and lustworthy

If the name Cayenne wasn’t already taken by Porsche’s midsized luxo-SUV, it would suit the Macan very well, because this new compact crossover may be the hottest, sportiest-driving SUV to date.

The peculiar Macan moniker supposedly comes from an Indonesian word for tiger. (Not to be confused with Volkswagen’s Tiguan, named for both a tiger and iguana. Don’t ask.) Natural competitors would include the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLK, but the Macan is an order of magnitude pricier.

We just bought a Macan in the lower of its two trim lines, S. With its typical array of options, our Macan set us back $63,290. For someone like me, who happens to have a 160-mile daily commute, the Macan is proving to be an exceptionally enjoyable and engaging way to munch those miles.

Gun vs. iPhone Case + Slow Motion = Awesome

Skip to the two minute mark if you just want to see this thing get blown to bits.

Game Developer Harassment As Bad As Ever?

Is game developer harassment as bad as this article makes it seem or does the game industry just need to grow thicker skin?

So what difference has a year made? Not much, it seems. Developers are still harassed, the IGDA decided against support groups but are creating a special interest group to investigate mental health. It is also looking at ways to train gamers to be more polite in their interactions with developers.

Steve Ballmer Steps Down As Board Member At Microsoft

I don't care what anyone says, if I was Steve Ballmer, I'd take my bag o' billions and split too.

Given my confidence and the multitude of new commitments I am taking on now, I think it would be impractical for me to continue to serve on the board, and it is best for me to move off. The fall will be hectic between teaching a new class and the start of the NBA season so my departure from the board is effective immediately.

U.S. Court Grants Order to Wipe Pirate Sites from the Internet

Exactly how do you go about "wiping pirate sites from the internet?"

A U.S. federal court in Oregon has granted a broad injunction against several streaming sites that offer pirated content. Among other things, the copyright holder may order hosting companies to shut down the sites' servers, ask registrars to take away domain names, and have all search results removed from Google and other search engines.

Google Eyes Kid-Friendly Accounts For YouTube, Gmail

I don't know, kid-friendly accounts for YouTube and Gmail seems like a pretty good idea. What do you think?

The Web giant is reportedly working on versions of YouTube and Gmail that are specifically geared towards children. If Google goes through with the plan, it would be the first time the company has offered accounts to children under 13 years old, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed people familiar with Google's plans.

Live updates: Ferguson protests, Day 10

City officials call for 'nighttime quiet' after another night of chaos, arrests.

It was another episode of chaos and unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, on Monday night and early Tuesday as two people were shot and 78 people arrested — including several journalists — during clashes between police and protesters just hours after President Barack Obama called for calm and Gov. Jay Nixon lifted a curfew in the hopes that National Guard troops could maintain order. Below, updates from Day 10 of the protests.

4:30 p.m. ET: Ferguson Mayor James Knowles said that he is concerned Tuesday's fatal shooting in north St. Louis will give "agitators" another reason to riot.

"The slightest thing can inflame people's anger," the mayor said on CNN.

Earlier on MSNBC, Knowles said racial tensions are not present in Ferguson.

“I don’t believe that’s the case," Knowles said. "There’s not a racial divide in the city of Ferguson."

“According to whom?” MSNBC's Tamron Hall replied. “Is that your perspective, or do you believe that is the perspective of African-Americans in your community?”

“That is the perspective of all residents in our city, absolutely,” Knowles said.

Facebook, Twitter, and What a Social Network Owes Its Members

Over the past few days, Topic A on Twitter has been the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Mike Brown by police in Ferguson, Missouri, and the ensuing protests and the police response.

For much of that time, Topic B has been “Why hasn’t this been Topic A on Facebook?”

Sociologist Zeynep Tufekci asked that in a post on Medium. Why, she asked, would one social network apparently ignore the biggest topic on another network?

The disparity didn’t last long, she wrote, but what if Twitter’s unfiltered feed hadn’t helped this discussion take off? “Would it ever make it through the algorithmic filtering on Facebook? Maybe, but with no transparency to the decisions, I cannot be sure.”

Watch Fearless Trucker Save the Day After Fiery Highway Crash

Black smoke poured from the wreck, with flames erupting across the highway.

The fireball formed Aug. 11, after the driver of a Lincoln Town Car failed to yield while merging in 70-mph traffic along the I-10 Freeway in Gulfport, Mississippi. The car collided with an 18-wheeler, crashing into the truck’s gas tank.

Trucker David Fredericksen approached the crash, stopping his vehicle a safe distance away.

“Holy cow!” his partner Walter Letterman said. “That guy’s dead, dude.”
“You want me to go out there and see if I can get him out of the car?” Fredericksen said.
“No, what are you gonna do?” Letterman said.
Fredericksen paused. “I got a fire extinguisher,” he said.

Facebook Court Ruling of the Day

Ummm, someone ain't getting laid tonight.

A court in Naples has ordered a woman to take down photos posted on Facebook from her honeymoon after her husband complained that he did not give his permission for her to post them. She may even have to pay damages.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry indicted - 2 Counts

 

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, was indicted on Friday on charges relating to his efforts to try and force a local district attorney to resign.

A Travis County grand jury handed up the charges.

Ferguson police chief: Officer didn't stop Brown as robbery suspect

Ferguson, Missouri (CNN) -- The Ferguson police officer who shot Michael Brown didn't stop him because he was suspected in a convenience-store robbery, but because he was "walking down the middle of the street blocking traffic," the city's police chief said Friday.

Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson -- hours after documents came out labeling the 18-year-old Brown as the "primary suspect" in the store theft -- told reporters the "robbery does not relate to the initial contact between the officer and Michael Brown."

So why did Ferguson police decide to release surveillance video of the convenience-store incident Friday -- the same day they named, six days after the shooting, the white police officer who fatally shot the African-American teenager -- if the two situations are not related?

Jackson said he distributed the store videotape "because the press asked for it," noting he couldn't withhold it indefinitely.

The chief added "we needed to release that at the same time we needed to release the name of the officer involved in the shooting," though he didn't elaborate on why. This week, as days and nights of demonstrations passed without the officer being identified, pressure mounted on authorities, as did allegations from some of a coverup.

Marine who urinated on corpses in Afghanistan dies

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A decorated retired Marine whose career as a sniper was derailed by a video that showed him urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters has died, his attorney said Friday.

Cpl. Robert Richards, 28, was found dead Wednesday by his wife at their Jacksonville home, Attorney Guy Womack said. Neither foul play nor suicide is suspected.

The death was most likely from Richards changing medications he took because of injuries he suffered in a roadside bomb during one of his three tours in Afghanistan, Womack said.

Self-Assembling Thousand-Robot Swarm

I can almost hear Arnold's voice in my head saying something about "becoming self-aware" two weeks from now and killing us all.
 

Call of Duty's 3 Year Cycle Gives Devs "Freedom To Fail"

I had no idea that developers even needed freedom to fail. Hell, most of us can do that failing part without even trying.

"That extra year of development time, particularly with the new consoles and the more powerful hardware, has really paid off thus far to iterate, innovate and try new things," said Hirshberg. "To find out which things didn't work and have the freedom to fail in the creative process, so what goes on the disc is the best ideas."

Toyota Reveals Two New Versions Of Supra-Previewing FT-1 Concept: Video

Toyota has revealed two new versions of its stunning FT-1 sports car concept, which is thought to preview the look of an upcoming Supra successor as well as lay the groundwork for the design of future models from the Japanese automaker. The original FT-1 concept was shown back in January at the Detroit Auto Show; one of the new versions will be shown at a Monterey event coinciding with this weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance while the other will remain in virtual form only, at least for now.

We already knew the virtual version, which is dubbed the FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo, due to its association with the 15th anniversary celebration of the Gran Turismo video game series, was coming. But the second car, which features a graphite exterior hue, is quite the surprise. Toyota calls this additional version an “upscale interpretation” of the FT-1 and the concept hints at what the Supra successor could offer buyers in terms of luxury and refinement.

Police: Teen shot by cop suspect in recent robbery

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — A suburban St. Louis police chief on Friday identified the officer whose fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager ignited days of heated protests, and released documents alleging the teen was killed after a robbery in which he was suspected of stealing a $48.99 box of cigars.

Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson released several police reports and documents during a news conference where he also identified the officer involved as Darren Wilson, who has been on administrative leave since he shot 18-year-old Michael Brown on Aug. 9. VIDEO

A giant house: Too much of a good thing?

 

At Yahoo Homes, we've written about a tiny home adorned with tomato cans and grocery bags, young designers' experiments with college housing that fits in a parking spot, and even (our recent favorite) a TV star's tiny, clever house.

Man Punches Pregnant Woman In Brutal ‘Knockout Game’ Attack [VIDEO]

 

A 34-year-old Brooklyn woman who is six-months pregnant was laid out cold in a vicious “knockout game” attack.

The violent assault was caught on video which was published by the New York Post.

The victim, Jannatul Ferdous, was walking with her sister in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood Thursday when 33-year-old Willie Stephens slugged the pregnant woman with one single blow, knocking her unconscious.

Wal-Mart's Supercenters Are Becoming A Major Problem

 

A customer pushes her shopping cart past a display at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Rogers, Arkansas June 5, 2008.

Wal-Mart's supercenters are struggling as consumers increasingly choose convenience stores over one-stop shops.

The retail giant's mega stores suffered a .3% same-store sales decline in the second quarter compared with last year. During the same period, foot traffic for Wal-Mart's U.S. stores fell by 1.1%.

By comparison, Wal-Mart's smaller-format stores, or Neighborhood Markets, generated same-store sales growth of 5.6% and traffic increased by 4.1%.

Reminder: You Have a Right to Record the Police

A suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, has been under a dramatic siege since Saturday, when a police officer shot and killed an unarmed black teenager named Michael Brown. In the wake of the killing, protests have engulfed the community — drawing a heavy-handed police crackdown with St. Louis County police officers armed with assault weapons and outfitted with military equipment. Many of the striking images have come from reporters on the front lines, but also from citizens and their smartphones.

Around 10 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday night, a St. Louis County police line demanded that a crowd of protesters turn off their cameras. Minutes earlier, the police had ordered what appeared to be a peaceful crowd to disperse, firing smoke grenades and rubber bullets. But none of them have to turn their cameras off.

Titanfall: Free The Frontier Trailer

I'll go ahead and just leave this right here. You're welcome.

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Reversible USB Cable Design Finished

The new USB Type-C cable design is finished. Now all you have to do is wait until manufacturers start using this and then we'll still be stuck needing "old" USB cables until devices that use them are finally phased out.

Man Stabbed In Heart For Walking And Texting

Bump into someone while texting and walking? That's a stabbin."

The 33-year-old victim had "inadvertently bumped shoulders with one of the men while texting on his phone" at about 12:30 a.m. local time, police said in a statement. "The man he bumped into took exception as a perceived slight and attacked the victim."

Porsche Carrera GT worth $440,000 left neglected in Canadian parking garage

 

What was once a gleaming, $440,000 masterpiece is now covered in dust – and has been for over a year. It sits in a Canadian parking garage, neglected and unloved. The battery is dead, and the registration has expired. The passenger's window reads "Clean Me," as bemused passersby wonder why on earth this rare supercar is being left to die. You might assume that the owner of this Porsche Carrera GT had no choice but to leave the car behind: Perhaps he has been away on business for a prolonged period of time? Or maybe he was forced out of the country without warning, abandoning all of his possessions?

The Future of Airplanes Could Be a Windowless Jet

 

An exterior view of the Ixion windowless jet. (Photo: Technicon Design)

Would you fly in a windowless plane? It sounds like a claustrophobic nightmare, but it’s not what you think.

Instead of windows, designers from Technicon Design used flexible screens to cover the walls and ceilings of the cabin in their windowless jet concept. Those screens can display panoramic exterior views in real time using fuselage and wing mounted cameras. Essentially, you can see outside without actually seeing outside.

Silent Hills Gamescom 2014 Teaser

Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro working on a new Silent Hill game starring Norman Reedus from The Walking Dead? This better be coming to the PC.

World's First Levitating Bluetooth Speaker

While this is more of a novelty than anything else, I still wouldn't mind having one.

17 Year Old Secret Message Found In Dungeon Keeper Code

This is a pretty cool story. Amazing that no one discovered this hidden message in the code in all these years. Thanks to MrAgmoore for the heads up.

"I am writing this at 4AM on Keeper's last day," reads the all-caps text. "I look around the office and all I see are the tired, pale faces of the Keeper team. This project has destroyed the health and social lives of each member, so I hope you like the game. Amazingly, after sixteen hours a day, 7 days a week, for nearly 5 months, we still do. This game has been written with a passion I am proud to be part of ... I do not just hope you like it, I also hope you are aware of the huge amount of work we have all done."

Facial Recognition Helps Feds Catch Fugitive After 14 Years

If you are a fugitive on the run, you better watch your back, the FBI is going all high-tech on your ass.

At about the same time, a special agent with the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)—a branch of the U.S. Department of State whose mission includes protecting U.S. Embassies and maintaining the integrity of U.S. visa and passport travel documents—was testing new facial recognition software designed to uncover passport fraud. On a whim, the agent decided to use the software on FBI wanted posters. When he came upon Stammer’s poster online, a curious thing happened: Stammer’s face matched a person whose passport photo carried a different name.

Porn Star Christy Mack Describes Savage Attack (GRAPHIC PHOTOS)

A porn star who was put in the hospital after she says she was beaten by her MMA fighter ex-boyfriend has released a statement detailing her experience.
Las Vegas police say Christy Mack was left with severe, but not life-threatening, injuries early Friday morning when she was confronted and beaten by MMA fighter Jonathan Koppenhaver, who brawls under the name War Machine.
Koppenhaver, who has also performed in porn, is still on the run.

Brazil's Appalling 'Virginity Test' For Women Sparks Outrage

The Public Prosecutor's Office in the Brazilian state of São Paulo is investigating why women are being asked to either submit to gynecological tests or, in some cases, prove their virginity in order to apply for state jobs.

KISS Frontman Gene Simmons: If Immigrants Want Success In The U.S., 'Learn Goddamn English'

Gene Simmons, nee Chaim Witz, immigrated to the United States with his mother when he was eight years old. In the 56 years since, Simmons has carved out a place in music history with his band, KISS, and become a cultural icon. As an immigrant who found such monumental success, he has some blunt advice for others who come to America in search of prosperity.
Simmons stopped by HuffPost Live on Monday to chat about KISS's new tour and the reality series "4th and Loud," which documents the band's Arena League football team, the Los Angeles Kiss. The conversation quickly turned into Simmons opining about immigrants today and their reluctance, in his mind, to learn English.
"I'm actually saying the thing that needs to be said because the politically-correct climate is bullshit," Simmons told host Ricky Camilleri. "You don't want to upset anybody by saying, 'Learn to speak goddamn English.' So, as an immigrant, I'm telling you: learn to speak goddamn English. It is the key that will unlock the keys to the kingdom."
Pressed on the matter, Simmons didn't back down from his position.
"How about this: if Siri can't understand you, you're in trouble," Simmons said.
Simmons expounded on his views for more than 10 minutes, as you can watch in the clip above. Catch the rest of Simmons' hijinks in the full HuffPost Live conversation here. VIDEO