Wednesday, October 31, 2007

How to fix a dented ping pong ball

This is a quick and easy fix for dented ping pong balls. For any school or club that has ping pong tables this will help cut down on the number of balls you have to buy. This is great, now I can slam the ball without having to worry about denting it!
How to fix a dented ping pong ball

Steve Riley on Security : More on Autorun

Last month, in my post "Autorun: good for you?" I described why I believe you should disable Autorun on all computers in your organization. I also explained how you can do this for XP and Vista computers.
Steve Riley on Security : More on Autorun

10 Free Microsoft Apps That Don’t Suck

Microsoft as a company is not usually associated with cool and free products. In that sense, Google is way ahead, it has Gmail, Google Reader, Calendar, Google Docs and dozens of other useful services. Nonetheless, there are a bunch of FREE Microsoft tools that are definitely worth a look. While some of them are yet to be released, others have been around for a a while.
10 Free Microsoft Apps That Don’t Suck

The Most Curious Comestibles Found Online

Mmm, mmm … gross? In celebration of strange sustenance chowed 'round the world, we've put together a list of freaky foodstuffs for the audacious, fearless gluttons for gourmet punishment.
The Most Curious Comestibles Found Online

The Art of sharpening Pencils

Welcome to the world of pencil sharpening - this may sound like a dull topic but there is actually a lot more to it than you think. There are a number of different sharpening styles and methods; all good artists should know them. The trick is using the right one at the right time.
The art of sharpening pencils

The Ultimate Consumerist Guide To Fighting Back (Revised Edition)

We've posted recently about how to fight back when a business screws you over, and we've posted a lot of executive contact info over the years. Now we're packaging the two together into one big mega-post of usefulness: a one-stop-stop for figuring out what you need to do to start a customer complaint, or how to escalate a stalled one so that it can be resolved.
The Ultimate Consumerist Guide To Fighting Back (Revised Edition)

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

How To Set Up a Network Router

This guide explains how to set up a router for home computer networks. The exact names of configuration settings on a network router vary depending on the model and whether it is wired or wireless. However, this general procedure will guide you through the process for the common kinds of home network equipment.
Router Setup and Configuration Guide - Setup a Router

Monday, October 29, 2007

Births, Australia, 2006

Australia's total fertility rate (TFR) in 2006 was 1.81 babies per woman, the highest since 1995 (1.82).
The increase in the TFR between 2005 and 2006 was largely due to births to women aged 30 to 39 years.
Women aged 30-34 years experienced the highest fertility of all age groups in 2006, with 120.1 babies per 1,000 women. This was the highest rate recorded for women aged 30-34 years since 1963.
Fertility of women aged 35-39 years increased to 63.3 babies per 1,000 women, the highest rate since 1961.
Fertility of women aged 25-29 years decreased slightly from 2005, to 100.8 babies per 1,000 women in 2006. Women aged 25-29 years continued to record the second highest fertility of all age groups.
Fertility of women aged 40-44 years in 2006 was the highest since 1971.
At the national level, teenage fertility continued to decline.
Births, Australia, 2006

Birthrate hits 35-year high

Australia is experiencing its biggest baby boom in more than three decades, as more couples are choosing to start a family later in life.
Birthrate hits 35-year high

Airbus A380 - the complete guide

For Stephen Bleach, being a part of the inaugural A380 flight on Thursday was revolutionary... but not for all the right reasons.
Airbus A380 - the complete guide

10 Useful Secrets the Major Airlines Don’t Want You to Know

Ironically, traveling by air is getting more and more inconvenient as overbooked flights, lost luggage, and pricey ticket sales become more common. Unfortunately, booking a flight is sometimes just plain necessary, a fact that airlines know all too well, allowing them to continue maximizing profits while we passengers often get stuck on the ground.
10 Useful Secrets the Major Airlines Don’t Want You to Know

27 Very Strange & Funny Signs

27 Very Strange & Funny Signs

Extending the History of Words: The Case of "Ms."

Ms. is “used as a title preceding the surname of any woman regardless of her marital status, sometimes with her forename(s) intervening.” This is obviously a rather recent invention, compared to the title Mrs. for a married woman (from the late 15th century) and Miss for an unmarried woman (from the mid-17th century). But just how recent is it?
Extending the History of Words: The Case of "Ms."

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Top 87 Bad Predictions about the Future

Here's a fine collection of 87 bad futuristic predictions from years gone by -- many of them are risible because of their skepticism.
Top 87 Bad Predictions about the Future

New UN environmental report paints a very bleak future for Humanity

Everywhere you turn there's more bad news on the environment. According to a new report released by the UN, it's not just other species that are in danger, humans are too. The United Nations Environment Program has released the Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4) report, and it doesn't make for happy reading.
New UN environmental report paints a very bleak future for humanity

Friday, October 26, 2007

Seven topics to avoid if you don't want to risk being a bore

I hesitate to disagree with the immortal La Rochefoucauld, but I think he was wrong when he wrote, "We are always bored by those whom we bore.”
Not always (though I often remind myself of this observation when I'm feeling bored by someone else). I think that sometimes we find a topic so interesting that it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that it might not be interesting to someone else. And most of us want to make a good impression and avoid boring other people.
Seven topics to avoid if you don't want to risk being a bore

What is your Word of the Century so far?

Susie Dent, author of OUP’s annual Language Report, has told us that the word of the year for 2007 is “footprint”, but can any one word sum up the 21st century so far?
They are conducting a poll over at the AskOxford website, and would love you to take part. You can either choose from one of the selection that Susie has put together from her five years of monitoring the language for her books, or if you don’t agree with any of them, you can nominate your own.
What is your Word of the Century so far?

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Password-cracking chip causes security concerns

A technique for cracking computer passwords using inexpensive off-the-shelf computer graphics hardware is causing a stir in the computer security community.
Password-cracking chip causes security concerns

Full Moon is really BIG and BRIGHT in October

On Thursday night, October 25, and into Friday morning, October 26, 2007, the Moon will be visually much larger and brighter than usual.
Full Moon is really BIG and BRIGHT in October

Free Online File Storage

Online file storage services allow you to save, browse and share files, photos, and documents from any computer or mobile device.
Free Online File Storage

Making Documents Look Much Better in MS Word

Do you spend a lot of time formatting documents in Microsoft Word? If so, there are a number of under-the-hood features that can make you more efficient at it, and make your documents look better.
Making Documents Look Much Better in MS Word

10 of The World’s Most Unique Restrooms

Next to eating, drinking and sleeping, going to the restroom is something that we all do quite frequently. Most of the time, we tend to forget that the design of a restroom, especially public bathrooms, have an impact on the individual and on society as a whole. Come witness a worldwide initiative designed to educate society and to improve the designs and structures of public restrooms.
10 of The World’s Most Unique Restrooms

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Consumer Price Index, Australia, Sep 2007

Weighted average of eight capital cities.
Consumer Price Index, Australia, Sep 2007

Opening Video from the 2007 Elvis 30th Anniversary Concert

Attendees to the 2007 Elvis 30th Anniversary Concert at the FedExForum in Memphis on August 16th experienced a dream-like video sequence that featured Jerry Schilling, George Klein and Joe Esposito to open the concert.
Opening Video from the 2007 Elvis 30th Anniversary Concert

Ten of the Strangest Things Caught While Fishing

Ten of the Strangest Things Caught While Fishing

25 Skills Every Man Should Know - Essential DIY

These days, you can outsource almost any job—but some things you need to know how to do yourself. Study this master list with step-by-step tips from the experts, and test your DIY aptitude each step of the way.
25 Skills Every Man Should Know

5 Tips to Maximize Your Ability to Concentrate

The quality and quantity of work you can produce is dependent, not only on the effort you put in, but on your ability to concentrate. No matter how hard to you try, if your brain isn’t performing well, you won’t be as productive as you should be.
5 Tips to Maximize Your Ability to Concentrate

5 Reasons Why You Should Simplify What You Say, and How to Do It

One of the trickier things about social skills is to get your message across.
One reason why people have difficulty with this is because they use more words than needed.
5 Reasons Why You Should Simplify What You Say, and How to Do It

Everyone’s Guide to By-Passing Internet Censorship

For Citizens Worldwide.
Everyone’s Guide to By-Passing Internet Censorship

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Eight Keys to a Happier Marriage

Newly weds are often asked ‘how’s married life?’ As with everything in life, the answer depends on you. For some, marriage is another word for frustration and even misery. For others it is the bedrock of strength and support they build the rest of their lives around.
Eight Keys to a Happier Marriage

13 Bargain Websites That are Cheaper than eBay

Looking for a place to find some good deals or bargain discounts while shopping online for electronics, clothing, accessories, etc? Well, there are a good number of sites out there other than Fatwallet, which everyone in the world knows about.
13 Bargain Websites That are Cheaper than eBay

3 highly effective tips to handle criticism

People react differently to criticism. The most common reactions are either getting angry and take it personally or else get unmotivated and simply give up in what you are doing (normally the subject of criticism). This post gives three tips on how to deal with criticism to avoid any of the two extreme reactions mentioned above.
3 highly effective tips to handle criticism

Education News, Oct 2007

This newsletter highlights the latest curriculum related teaching resources, student activities and statistical tools that have been developed by ABS Education Services as well as other ABS resources that are useful for schools.
Education News, Oct 2007

Get Lost in Translation Sites

The web makes it possible to search for documents written in every conceivable language, but what if you don't actually know the language you find that special somethin' written in? No worries - there are plenty of online translation services that can give you anything from just a good idea to a complete translation of what you're looking at.
Get Lost in Translation Sites

Scans Reveal Mona Lisa Secrets

For centuries, the "Mona Lisa" has beguiled art buffs unable to resist speculating on its origins and meaning. Now a French inventor claims to have some answers, including the fate of the enigmatic subject's famously missing eyebrows and lashes.
Parisian engineer Pascal Cotte says his ultra-detailed digital scans of the painting allow him to effectively burrow through layers of paint to "see" into the past of Leonardo Da Vinci's 16th-century portrait of a Florentine merchant's wife.
Scans Reveal Mona Lisa Secrets

Monday, October 22, 2007

How to Taste Wine

Whether you are vacationing in California, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France or Italy, wine tasting is one of the most rewarding excursions available. If you long to walk through the vineyards and admire the grapevines and picturesque backdrop, wine glass in hand, you must first learn to appreciate the subtle beauty of wine.
How to Taste Wine

When is Someday?

Let’s see, there’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday… but when is Someday?
Show me Someday on the calendar. Point it out to me in your daytimer. How long is a month of Somedays? Even blue moons happen once in a while (second full moon in a month), but Someday? The closest day to Someday is Never.
When is Someday?

Solar cars race from Australia's top to bottom

Sun-powered-car enthusiasts from around the world raced into the Australia outback on Sunday at speeds nearing 100 kilometres-per-hour at the start of the World Solar Challenge.
Thousands of onlookers crowded the streets of Darwin in Australia's tropical north for the beginning of the 3,000-km (1,863 mile) race, a biennial event since 1987, gawking at the sleek foil-like vehicles resembling giant microchips.
Solar cars race from Australia's top to bottom

10 Surefire Ways to Kill Your Crabby Mood

Having a happy day is well within your reach even if you are feeling totally down in the dumps. Being happy is a choice and there are things you can do to make it happen. Just like when you feel a decrease in energy, the best thing to do is to get your body moving - the same thing is true with cultivating happiness. You must literally pick yourself up and get moving on some actions that will create happiness.
10 Surefire Ways to Kill Your Crabby Mood

Preparing Food in Advance for a House Full of People

Looking for ways to minimize the costs associated with many guests?
Preparing Food in Advance for a House Full of People

Sunday, October 21, 2007

The Power Traveler's Checklist, Part One: Pre-Flight

Follow these simple steps to ensure your trip is as inexpensive and relaxing as it is streamlined.
The Power Traveler's Checklist, Part One: Pre-Flight

Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia, 12 months ended 31 October 2006

Vehicles registered in Australia travelled 209 billion kilometres in the 12 months ended 31 October 2006, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The average distance covered by the 14.4 million registered vehicles in Australia was 14,600 km, with Queensland vehicles travelling the furthest - 15,600 kilometres on average. Tasmanian vehicles travelled the least of all states and territories, covering 13,500 kilometres on average.
Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia, 12 months ended 31 October 2006

Sales of New Motor Vehicles, Australia, Sep 2007

The September 2007 trend estimate for new motor vehicle sales (87 309) increased 0.2% when compared with the August 2007 estimate. The trend estimate has now been increasing for over 15 consecutive months. When compared to August 2006, the trend estimate increased by 8.0%.
Sales of New Motor Vehicles, Australia, Sep 2007

How to Save Water

The reason for this topic is simply because Australia is facing severe drought conditions.
how to save water

31 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise

How do you find motivation to exercise when you just don’t feel like getting off your butt?
31 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise

How to Be Optimistic

Tired of always focusing on the downside of everything? Wish you could temper your negative thoughts with occasional reassurance? Web site wikiHow offers a good roundup of ways to counter pessimism, including a little Moleskine-powered mind hacking.
Mind Hacks: How to Be Optimistic

Saturday, October 20, 2007

10 Ways to Find a Lost Word .doc

Accidentally delete your work? Or save it somewhere and you can't find it? Or the power went out? Before you start frantically emailing your professor, follow these steps...
10 Ways to Find a Lost Word .doc

How to Sell Yourself

To get ahead in life, you need to be in the business of selling. If this statement makes you cringe, it is probably because the word “sales” evokes images of annoying telemarketers and pushy car dealers. Relax, though, as this article is about a product so wonderful and special you should have no qualms in selling it. The product? You.
How to Sell Yourself

Friday, October 19, 2007

Why Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness

If money doesn't buy happiness, what does? Grandma was right when she told you to value health and friends, not money and stuff.
Why Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness

Arctic Moving Toward Tipping Point

The record loss of sea ice and thinning of ice throughout the Arctic this summer are only two brush strokes in the mosaic of scientific data that depict the Arctic as a “system under significant stress from warming atmosphere,” as the chief editor of the State of the Arctic report card put it.
Arctic Moving Toward Tipping Point

Pixoo Fixes Your Face

Pixoo is a new service that will edit your images for you, and send them back all prettified. It costs about $20 and takes around 24 hours for them to fix your face.
Pixoo Fixes Your Face

Zimmer's Words Of The Week

Slang Word of the Week - egg in your beer
Zimmer's Words Of The Week

Mind Reading

Whether we know it or not, we're all street-corner psychics. Without the ability to divine others' thoughts and feelings, we couldn't handle the simplest social situations—or achieve true intimacy with others.
Mind Reading

Charts And Graphs: Modern Solutions

Charts are supposed to visualize data in order to give a more profound understanding of the nature of a given problem or recent developments. Whatever type of data presentation you prefer (pie charts, bubble charts, bar graphs, network diagrams etc.), you can create charts in graphic editors manually or use special desktop-software instead. In both cases you have a major problem: once you’d like to update an old chart, or create a new one, you have to run the application and create new images over and over again. That’s not flexible. That’s also not usable — e.g. if you’d like to update your chart live.
Charts And Graphs: Modern Solutions

25% of computers have vulnerable IrfanView installed

Stefan Cornelius of Secunia Research has discovered a vulnerability in the Irfanview image viewer software. The vulnerability is easily exploitable, as it only requires that a user is tricked into opening a specially crafted palette (.PAL) file. If you receive an email or view a website where you are asked to view a malicious .PAL file, please take caution and make sure that you trust the source. Otherwise, you may be allowing a malicious attacker to install and run arbitrary programs on your system, including malware, spyware, information stealers, keyloggers, and so on.
25% of computers have vulnerable IrfanView installed

Thursday, October 18, 2007

The amazing history of pi

Created by Professor Laura Ackerman Smoller from the Department of History, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, this website provides a collection of information on the history of pi.
The amazing history of pi

Top 10 Most Expensive Car Crashes of All Time

An attempt to review the most expensive world car crashes. No matter it was done by a celebrity or not, a beautiful metal horse was wrecked.
Top 10 Most Expensive Car Crashes of All Time

30+ Tools to Name and Register Your Domain

We’ve been covering topics such as how to design your site, and even how to code it, but before you do all that, you need to register a domain name. Here are 30+ tools to help you figure out a good name and register it.
30+ Tools to Name and Register Your Domain

Six Gadgets for Plenty of Peace of Mind

It may not quite be the holiday season yet, but it’s always good to review your options when it comes to cool gadgets. Sometimes a single little device can make you more efficient and change the way you work.
Six Gadgets for Plenty of Peace of Mind

Windows Tip: Hibernate vs. Standby

Quick: What's the difference between putting your PC in Hibernate or Standby mode? Yeah, we weren't sure either. Luckily the Productivity Portfolio weblog schools us on the finer details of Windows XP power schemes.
Windows Tip: Hibernate vs. Standby

And the Photoshop-smiting award goes to...

...the German computer-graphics experts who unswirled the image to nail a pedophile who photographed himself (or had himself photographed) abusing various young boys. The BBC has the unswirled photo of Christopher Paul Neil, currently the world's most hunted Canadian, along with a very recent security-camera snapshot.
And the Photoshop-smiting award goes to

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Junkbusters Anti-Telemarketing Script

Telemarketers always use a script: why shouldn't you? What to say when they call if you don't want junk calls.
Junkbusters Anti-Telemarketing Script

28 Ways To Interpret A Photo

On September 18th, I asked my fellow photographers to join me in an artistic experiment. I wanted to see how a single photo could be interpreted by different people.
28 Ways To Interpret A Photo

Should managers pitch in or just manage the action?

What's the best role for managers in the workforce: Guiding hand or foreman? Toni Bower's shares her experiences from the industry.
Should managers pitch in or just manage the action?

Top 10 Ways to Sleep Smarter and Better

Nothing kills your ability to get things done faster than a bad night's sleep. Studies show that sleep deprivation costs significant work productivity; yawning employees can't stay alert, make good decisions, focus on tasks or even manage a friendly mood at the office. There are lots of ways to beat insomnia, increase the quality of your sleep, and master the power nap. Today we've got our top 10 favorite sleep techniques, tips and facts.
Top 10 Ways to Sleep Smarter and Better

What Will U.S. Air Travel Look Like in Ten Years?

We’ve blogged quite a bit about airline travel over the past couple of years, covering everything from the future of pilotless airplanes to security snafus to the likelihood of an all-business-class U.S. airline. I don’t think this reflects our overwhelming curiosity about the subject as much as the fact that we both happen to be on planes a lot.
What Will U.S. Air Travel Look Like in Ten Years?

Best Practices For Bulletproof E-Mail Delivery

Have your e-mails already been flagged as spam, although you’ve sent a seemingly legitimate proposal to your client? Have you ever wondered why the efficiency of your newsletter campaigns suddenly dropped down? In both cases you deal with a problem which is harder to get done with than you think it is: bulletproof e-mail delivery.
Best Practices For Bulletproof E-Mail Delivery

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Our Favorite 100 Blogs 2007

From PC Mag - happy reading!
Our Favorite 100 Blogs 2007

The Emperor's New Security

Yeah, I feel safer already: The TSA's assurance that new scanning software that digitally undresses people won't be misused just makes me feel so much better.
The emperor's new security

"Because you are dangerous, you must not enter"

A couple of good signs from the always enjoyable Engrish.com.
"Because you are dangerous, you must not enter"

American Lawbreaking

At the federal prosecutor's office in the Southern District of New York, the staff, over beer and pretzels, used to play a darkly humorous game. Junior and senior prosecutors would sit around, and someone would name a random celebrity—say, Mother Theresa or John Lennon.
It would then be up to the junior prosecutors to figure out a plausible crime for which to indict him or her. The crimes were not usually rape, murder, or other crimes you'd see on Law & Order but rather the incredibly broad yet obscure crimes that populate the U.S. Code like a kind of jurisprudential minefield: Crimes like "false statements" (a felony, up to five years), "obstructing the mails" (five years), or "false pretenses on the high seas" (also five years). The trick and the skill lay in finding the more obscure offenses that fit the character of the celebrity and carried the toughest sentences. The, result, however, was inevitable: "prison time."
American lawbreaking

Social Network Spamming

Lately, I get so many invites on various social networks, that its becoming a part time job, just responding to the various stupidity. Most of the friend requests are from people I don't know and who don't know me. I often respond, "How do I know you?" I get three follow-ups from there.
Social Network Spamming

Horror shows in the whites of your eyes

A horrified look on your face is a sure-fire way of grabbing someone's attention, according to US researchers who've measured how fast people process facial expressions.
They believe fearful facial expressions go straight to the alarm centre of the brain known as the amygdala, cuing humans to potential threats.
Horror shows in the whites of your eyes

Monday, October 15, 2007

Urine is found to grow big Cabbages

Kuopio, Finland researchers have discovered that human urine is better than commercial fertilizers in growing bigger cabbages.
Urine is found to grow big Cabbages

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Query Nuclear Explosions Database

Geoscience Australia maintains a database of nuclear explosions with the location, time and size of explosions around the world since 1945. You can query this database by filling in the form below.
Query Nuclear Explosions Database

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Make Crystal Clear Ice!

How to make crystal cear ice without any special equipment! It is super easy! You will be surprised!
make crystal clear ice!

Vatican publish Knights Templar documents

The Vatican has published a slew of centuries-old documents about the Knights Templar, a Christian military order that operated in the Middle Ages and remains a source of endless fascination for conspiracy theorists, Holy Grail seekers, occultists, and Dan Brown readers.
Vatican publish Knights Templar documents

Nobel Prize Award Laureates, 2007; Nobel Award Database

Several ready reference links from the Nobel Foundation.
Nobel Prize Award Laureates, 2007; Nobel Award Database

Cheat DVD Regional Encoding

You might think a DVD is just a DVD, and that it will play in any DVD player. Unfortunately, you're wrong. The film industry has segregated the world into seven "regions," and DVDs are generally encoded for playback in only one region.
Cheat DVD Regional Encoding

8 Simple Ways to Enjoy Life Every Day

This article is targeted at the professional stuck in the 9 to 5 grind who longs for the weekend and, in the process, has given up on trying to find pleasure in the ordinary experiences we have every day.
8 Simple Ways to Enjoy Life Every Day

Friday, October 12, 2007

Use eBay

Ahhhh, eBay… the ultimate worldwide flea market. Everyone from Midwestern grannies to jobless goatee-ed neo-hippies (as if there are any other kind) are in on the action, peddling their wares in the wee hours of the morning. Chances are if you want to buy, some poor sucker is selling, and if you want to sell, there's some poor sucker willing to buy.
We know what you're thinking: How do I avoid being the aforementioned "poor sucker"? Well, we're here to save your sorry ass. But first we have to make one thing clear: This article will assume you have at least a basic understanding of how eBay works.
Use eBay

Too Sick to Work?

What’s a good enough reason to call in sick? If you wake up feeling sneezy, sleepy, dopey and grumpy, as if you turned into nearly all of Snow White’s dwarves overnight, you might be wondering whether you should tough it out or just stay home. Here’s some advice on how to tell when your symptoms warrant staying at home – or when you have to roll out of bed and get to work.
Too Sick to Work?

Airline meal ‘used to kill activist’

The former head of Indonesia’s national airline faces 20 years in jail over the killing of an outspoken human rights activist whose in-flight meal was laced with a massive dose of arsenic. (I'll fly Qantas, thanks!)
Airline meal ‘used to kill activist’

Swiss Ice Storm

Nice (cold) photos...
Swiss ice storm

Gore climate film's 'nine errors'

A High Court judge who ruled on whether climate change film, An Inconvenient Truth, could be shown in schools said it contains "nine scientific errors".
Gore climate film's 'nine errors'

Cheaper Running Shoes win comfortably

Expensive running shoes might look flash, but cost does not necessarily buy better cushioning, says a team of UK medical engineers. In fact, cheaper might do it better when it comes to absorbing shock.
Cheaper running shoes win comfortably

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Migrant Statistics News, Oct 2007

Migrant Statistics News is the half-yearly newsletter of the National Migrant Statistics Unit. The newsletter highlights developments in migrant and ethnicity related statistics, and provides relevant information for researchers, policy makers, service providers and others with an interest in this field.
Migrant Statistics News, Oct 2007

How Much Email?

It almost seems like there are fashions in email. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about handling email stress or even resorting to the nuclear option of email bankruptcy. Most of our fascination with email (and ways to handle it) seems to be driven by the common perception that we’re drowning under an avalanche of the stuff. Indeed, in some circles it’s fashionable to boast about the size of one’s inbox or the number of hundreds of messages that one gets per day.
How Much Email?

More on Excel

You may have recently read of an issue in Excel 2007 involving calculation of numbers around 65,535 where Excel 2007 would return a value of 100,000 instead of 65,535. Excel incorrectly displays the result of a calculation in 12 very specific cases. The key here is that the issue is actually not in the calculation itself (the result of the calculation stored in Excel’s memory is correct), but only in the result that is shown in the sheet.

You can get more detail on the problem here:
Microsoft Excel : Calculation Issue Update

Microsoft have just released an update for both Excel 2007 and Excel Services in Office SharePoint Server 2007 that fixes this problem.
Description of the Excel 2007 hotfix package: October 9, 2007
Excel Services in Office SharePoint Server 2007 hotfix package: October 9, 2007

For all the latest information on Excel and Excel Services make sure you regularly visit the Excel team blog:
Microsoft Excel Team Blog

HDTVs: Australia to Ban All Plasmas

If a revised Australian energy rating guide gets passed, then all plasma televisions would be banned from sale by 2011. That's right, all plasmas and even many power-hungry LCDs would be taken off store shelves due to their high energy consumption. But listen to this, it gets worse.
HDTVs: Australia to Ban All Plasmas

24 Things You Can Do With an Index Card

YES YES YES!
24 Things You Can Do With an Index Card

Excel number formatting problem fixed

Microsoft has released a patch for Excel 2007 to fix a bug that caused certain numbers to be displayed incorrectly.
Excel number formatting problem fixed

24 Warning Signs You Cannot Afford To Ignore

These common aches and ailments could very well be nothing. Or something far, far worse. Here are 24 warning signs that you need to take seriously, and what you should do if you experience them.
24 Warning Signs You Cannot Afford To Ignore

Confusing Words

Here's another site already listed on the Black Stump Words site some time ago. Worth highlighting again.
Confusing Words

Essential Music and Audio Websites

As well as our own listing of sites at Black Stump here is another annotated list.
Essential Music and Audio Websites

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

10 Most Incredible Things to Do Before You Die

It would cost a pretty penny to engage in most of these activities, but what the heck, you can't take it with you anyway and if you should die in pursuit of completing this list, then you'll have died doing what only a handful of other people have done in their lifetime.
10 Most Incredible Things to Do Before You Die

Optical Illusions and Architecture

Illusions which rely on some form of architecture and all create an effect which deserves a mention.
optical illusions and architecture

Overcoming Shyness

Shyness is rooted in fear — an irrational fear of speaking up and being humiliated or ignored. Why are some people so afraid of speaking out?
Overcoming Shyness

66 Celebrities that Blog

Think evil gossip mongers are the only ones blogging? Think again! Your favorite celebrities are also blogging. Many of them enjoy writing and it’s a great way to keep in touch with their fans.
66 Celebrities that Blog

who.hasfiles Online Storage

Sign up to get a free 100 MB remote drive, accessible via net! You can upgrade to a paid account and get up to 100 GB anytime.
who.hasfiles Online Storage

How to iron a button down shirt in 5 easy steps

Funny thing about men: when it comes to choosing what to wear, you can be just as vain as most women. Surprisingly though, unlike women, most men have no problem wearing those same clothes with the 'just-slept-in-look'.
How to iron a button down shirt in 5 easy steps

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Discover the .EDU Underground

Little appreciated outside the world of academia, there are literally thousands of .edu (AU - or edu.au, of course) sites bursting with incredibly useful and interesting information and resources. Most of these sites won't pop up to the surface of the average search engine quest, and so they wait, neglected and underused...until now. Keep reading for a quick tour through the mysterious underground world of .edu.
Discover the .EDU Underground

The Rules of Sarcasm

Sarcasm is so ubiquitous these days, it almost goes unnoticed. The trick is to use sarcasm intelligently, and sparingly.
The Rules of Sarcasm

Ten Terrific Troubleshooting Tricks and Tools

The bad news: PCs have been around for 30 years, and they still find in new and unusual ways to break. The good news: I've discovered a kitbag full of tools that troubleshoot and fix perplexing tech problems.
Ten Terrific Troubleshooting Tricks and Tools

Digitizing records and tapes with Audacity

You've been ripping CDs for years, but what about those dusty cassette tapes in your attic and all that bargain-basement vinyl at used book sales? With Audacity, you can capture those vintage tunes, clean up their sound, and carry them around on your MP3 player.
Audacity is a powerful free cross-platform audio editor. It includes tools such as noise removal filters and automatic track splitting that can speed up the process of turning your antique audio into shiny new MP3s or Oggs.
Digitizing records and tapes with Audacity

Batteries: Revive a Dead Laptop Battery in the Freezer

Looks like a little freezer time can save more than just a dead hard drive: according to this video over at Metacafe, you can also revive a dead laptop battery by freezing it for 14 to 15 hours.
Batteries: Revive a Dead Laptop Battery in the Freezer

Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.13

This latest version includes a full installation of the Web browser and the most recent version of Outlook Express, the e-mail client that is included with Internet Explorer.
Download Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.13

Monday, October 08, 2007

How to Read a Painting

Art is a great status symbol in modern society and because of that it can be quite intimidating to the casual viewer. For many the first impulse is to blow it off, to see it as a worthless plaything for the rich and boring. This is too bad, not only because art can be a great source of pleasure in our lives, but because even a passing acquaintance with art can enrich and deepen our understanding of the world around us.
How to Read a Painting

Do Try This at Home

Discover the speed of light with a bar of chocolate, why spaghetti always breaks in three places and how ants can survive a switched-on microwave. Our correspondent reveals the amazing appliance of oddball science.
Do try this at home - Times Online

Four Rules to Understand What Makes People Tick

Breaking down human behavior into rules might seem like a gross simplification. But even with the complexities, it is easy to fall into the same mistakes. Many heated fights, lost sales and broken hearts are caused by a few critical errors. If you make the wrong assumptions, you’ve lost before you begin.
Four Rules to Understand What Makes People Tick

7 Rules for Communicating Clearly and Concisely in Email

As email is the prevalent form of communication for many web workers, it’s gotten a lot of attention: how to handle your email, how to empty your inbox, email etiquette, and more.
But perhaps not enough time is spent learning about how to communicate with email. And more specifically, how to communicate clearly and concisely, two crucial aspects of communication that are often overlooked.
7 Rules for Communicating Clearly and Concisely in Email

Photoshopping Masterpieces

A great painting captures a moment in time. But, after the masterpiece is finished, life goes on. Even the most prolific painter couldn't catch every scene as it happened - but now you can.
Photoshopping Masterpieces

Amazing Way to Tie Your Sneakers

Amazing Way to Tie Your Sneakers

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Windows Tip: Make a Folder Invisible

By giving a file folder a blank name and blank icon, unless you're specifically looking for it, the folder's existence isn't immediately apparent.
Windows Tip: Make a Folder Invisible

Friday, October 05, 2007

The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) : October 2007 Advance Notification

We’ve just posted our Advance Notification for next week’s bulletin release on Tuesday October 9, 2007 at or around 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
A reminder that the information we post is intended to help with your planning for next week, but because it is preliminary information it is subject to change.
The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) : October 2007 Advance Notification

IE7 Update Available for Download

Microsoft has just released an updated version of Internet Explorer 7, with a few new minor features, and broader availability to more users. Windows Genuine Advantage validation is no longer required for the installation of IE 7, and is now accessible to all Windows XP users. Those who are already running IE7 will not get it again through Automatic Updates.
IE7 Update Available for Download

UK gov't to Heathrow: fix your bloody security queues

Flying through Heathrow a lot? It has all the charm of a colonoscopy and all the comfort of being trapped in a cargo container. The lines are like something out of the ninth pit of hell, especially in the Virgin terminal, and the rules about carry-ons and so forth keep getting more and more inhospitable.
UK gov't to Heathrow: fix your bloody security queues

Screensavers - Best Of

We don’t need screensavers any more, however we tend to use them as eye-candy for our coffee breaks. Particularly complex and colourful 3D-screensavers are extremely nice to look at. But also if you’d like to lift your spirit with some calm and relaxing animations screensavers can definitely be just what you are looking for.
Screensavers - Best Of

Yahoo!7 takes the Pulse of Aussie web surfers

Yahoo!7's new Pulse service identifies what Australians are reading, watching and asking.
Yahoo!7 takes the Pulse of Aussie web surfers

One-Hit Wonders: From Hapax to Googlewhacks

The latest edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is a pleasing mix of the old and the new, with musty archaisms sharing the page with the leading edge of English vocabulary. Unlike the full Oxford English Dictionary, however, the Shorter doesn’t take up space with anything too archaic, using 1700 as the arbitrary cutoff date.
One-Hit Wonders: From Hapax to Googlewhacks

Breaking Rules makes your Brain light up

Researchers say they have identified the part of the brain that processes the threat of punishment for flouting social rules.
Breaking rules makes your brain light up

Zimmer's Words Of The Week

Zimmer's Words Of The Week

Aussies 'could become fatter than Americans'

Australians have been warned they could be fatter than Americans by 2020, as the Pedestrian Council urged them to take part in national Walk to Work Day today.
Aussies 'could become fatter than Americans'

Thursday, October 04, 2007

5 Things I learned about Personal Growth by Moving

Did you ever have a learning experience after a major change in your life that made you realize you could have learned that same lesson without having gone through the major change?
Obviously the change was a necessary catalyst for the lesson, but it still gives you the opportunity to slap yourself in the forehead and say, "I could have learned this years ago!".
5 Things I learned about Personal Growth by Moving

Marriages, Australia, 2006

Marriages, Australia 2006 provides information on marriages registered in Australia during the 2006 calendar year. Key indicators of marriages at the national and state level are included in the analytical commentary.
Marriages, Australia, 2006

'Phishing' catches Australians online

Alarming numbers of Australians still don't know what the internet scam called 'phishing' is, nor are they adequately protected against it, a Galaxy survey has found.
Phishing is a type of online fraud that tricks people into supplying sensitive information to someone they shouldn't through spoof websites or phony emails, often offering lucrative deals.
'Phishing' catches Australians online

Things to Consider Before Getting Married

Here are a handful of things that have become common themes. So before you say "I Do", make sure you have at least considered these.
Things to Consider Before Getting Married

Who Is Your Visitor? An Average Profile

You never really know who is going to visit your web-site next. You have no idea which configuration will be used, what browser will be installed, which screen resolution will be in use. However, since you’d like to comfort most of your web users, you need to know their habits and the profile of your average visitor — to adapt the design and layout to your users’ needs.
Who Is Your Visitor? An Average Profile

How Well Does Google Translator Cope With Idioms?

Google once boasted that their in-house machine translation efforts are award-winning. However, their internal software still hasn’t been released for all the translation language pairs their offer. The German - English language pair is one such example using an external translation provider.
How Well Does Google Translator Cope With Idioms?

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

GuerrillaMail - Disposable Temporary E-Mail Address

Guerrilla Mail provides you with disposable e-mail addresses which expire after 15 Minutes. You can read and reply to e-mails that are sent to the temporary e-mail address within the given time frame.
GuerrillaMail - Disposable Temporary E-Mail Address

Northern Territory, Australia

In Australia the harsh climate and landscape have shaped numerous indigenous languages that are now in real danger of extinction.
Northern Territory, Australia

Winners of 2007 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge

The journal Science and the National Science Foundation have announced the winners of their fifth annual Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge.
Winners of 2007 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge

Interesting Elevators

Here are some that may actually be enjoyable to ride.
Interesting Elevators

Strange and Bizarre Odours That Some People Love

There's no accounting for taste, or smell, in this case. Here are six intriguing, strange odours that some people love. Strange and Bizarre Odours That Some People Love

3 Things Your Customers Won’t Tell You … Unless You Ask

When it comes to driving your business, you want to have two magical things happen:
You want your customers to become even better customers
You want those customers to tell people about you.
3 Things Your Customers Won’t Tell You … Unless You Ask

Writing Blunders

It's amazing how many of the same mistakes you see over and over again. Different authors, same flaws.
Writing Blunders

10 Lessons to Teach Your Kids About Money

Teaching kids about money is a controversial thing — no one argues that you should teach them, but the how is a tougher question.
10 Lessons to Teach Your Kids About Money

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Why Women Worry So Much

Scientists have known that on the whole, females of all ages tend to worry more and have more intense worries than males. Women also tend to perceive more risk in situations and grow more anxious than men.
Now we know why.
Why Women Worry So Much

Happy 30th birthday, Atari 2600!

See that Wii or Xbox sitting under your TV? The PSP or DS tucked away in your messenger bag? That copy of Pac-man on your cellphone which cost five bucks and expires next month? Each of them owe a debt of gratitude to the granddaddy of all videogame consoles, the Atari 2600, which ushered in an era of unprecedented television usage, and which turns 30 years old this month.
Happy 30th birthday, Atari 2600!

Monday, October 01, 2007

10 Tips for a Killer Presentation

Presentations are something that we’re all familiar with. Whether you are watching a presentation or giving a presentation, chances are you know what sucks and what doesn’t. However, in case you don’t know the suck from the not, here are ten tips to help ensure you are giving a good presentation.
10 Tips for a Killer Presentation

InterviewUp Aims to Help You Prep For Job Interviews

InterviewUp is a new Web 2.0 job site with the idea of helping you prep for that next big interview by getting you ready by reading possible questions your interviewer will have for you.
InterviewUp Aims to Help You Prep For Job Interviews

7 Tips for Resolving Conflicts Quickly and Peacefully

Everyone has to deal with difficult people, whether they are argumentative, abusive, stubborn, or combative. The question is, how can you assert your own rights without creating an unnecessary incident?
Resolving Conflicts Quickly and Peacefully

Staying Motivated to Exercise

Exercise is always a do-it-yourself venture. No other person and no machine can do it for you. Hence, it is important to have those motivating factors so that a person who is into exercise in order to lose weight will hang about.
Staying Motivated to Exercise

Enduring Voices Project, Endangered Languages Facts, Photos, Map

Every 14 days a language dies. By 2100, more than half of the more than 7,000 languages spoken on Earth—many of them never yet recorded—will likely disappear, taking with them a wealth of knowledge about history, culture, the natural environment, and how the human brain works.
Enduring Voices Project, Endangered Languages Facts, Photos, Map