Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Three Great Scientific Discoveries of 2013

2013 has been a terrific year in the field of science with so much having been accomplished, but what are the biggest discoveries of the year? YouTube channel SciShow looks at three very big scientific discoveries that changed how we look at physics, Mars, and our ourselves!
Three Great Scientific Discoveries of 2013

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Saturday, December 28, 2013

The Most Cringe-Worthy News Fails of 2013 [VIDEO]

Just because you're responsible for reporting the news doesn't mean you can't be the news. News anchors and reporters alike made plenty of headlines this year for their gaffes, hot mic snafus and awkward on-camera moments.
The Most Cringe-Worthy News Fails of 2013 [VIDEO]

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Fire Ready Kit - Country Fire Authority

The Fire Ready Kit has been designed to help you plan for survival, beginning with the basics of preparing before the fire season, through to planning what to do if fire is in your area and you cannot leave.
Fire Ready Kit - Country Fire Authority

Friday, December 20, 2013

Insane Bike Trick Seems To Murder The Laws Of Physics

We no longer live on Earth, my friends. We’re in some weird world where people can do the impossible. Do you want to fly? You should try. Do you want to spin in the air in both directions? I think you can. Because this insane Superman double backflip bicycle trick destroys everything that should be humanly possible. The rider does a full back flip while fully extended in a Superman pose, somehow re-gathers himself onto the bike and then does another full back flip. All in one jump. Sweet.
Insane Bike Trick Seems To Murder The Laws Of Physics

Free-range Scanning

The other day my desktop printer/scanner decided it would no longer scan. I may be the last person in the world to make this discovery, but just in case you were equally unaware: your cell phone and your tablet are scanners too.
Free-range Scanning

Thursday, December 19, 2013

50 Stunning Sports Photos From 2013

Some are silly. Some are poignant. Some are action-packed, others reflective and still others defy any simple description. Some show iconic athletes and seminal sports moments. Others show athletes you've never heard of and never will again.
50 Stunning Sports Photos From 2013

Sports! YouTube! 2013's 10 Hottest Videos

Sports and YouTube are a match made in heaven. Here above are the 10 most popular sports videos of 2013, according to — you guessed it — YouTube.
Sports! YouTube! 2013's 10 Hottest Videos

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Five Surprising Things That Will Happen In The Next Five Years

IBM Research’s 5 in 5 list — five things that will happen in the next five years — is here. Some are quite surprising and awesome. The bad news: no flying cars and/or realistic sex robots yet. The good news: doctors routinely using your DNA information to heal you effectively.
Five Surprising Things That Will Happen In The Next Five Years

Monday, December 16, 2013

9 Fun Facts That Are Total Lies

Everybody loves fun facts. But sometimes these little nuggets of trivia can be more fun than they are fact. And sometimes, they’re outright lies. Like these!
9 Fun Facts That Are Total Lies

Rat trapped on an escalator

This poor rat got stuck on the escalator at the Civic Center BART Station, and there's something infinitely poignant about its treadmill race.
Rat trapped on an escalator

Sunday, December 15, 2013

China's on the Moon

A little after 8:00 am Eastern Time today, China's Chang'e 3 became the first object to make a soft landing on the surface of the Moon since 1976. That's a shot of the Moon's surface above, taken by the lander after it made touchdown.
China's on the Moon

Saturday, December 14, 2013

How to block Gmail from displaying images in emails by default

Most email providers and programs nowadays do not display images and other data linked to third party servers by default when you open emails on their websites or in email clients. Google announced a change to the way images are handled on Gmail. Starting with today, images are automatically displayed in emails thanks to a new proxy technology that it has implemented on the site.
How to block Gmail from displaying images in emails by default

Friday, December 13, 2013

12 Web Acronyms You've Never Heard Of

Ever heard of FTFY? How about GOMB, DIAF or GLHF? If these new Internetisms don't seem worth your time, you can just FGDAI (Fuhgedaboudit).
12 Web Acronyms You've Never Heard Of

Thursday, December 12, 2013

New Video Shows Asiana Plane Flipping in the Air Before Crash

On July 6, a Boeing 777 operated by Asiana Airlines crashed while landing in San Francisco. The reasons for the crash are still unclear, which is why the National Transportation Safety Board called an 11-hour marathon hearing Wednesday.
New Video Shows Asiana Plane Flipping in the Air Before Crash

'60-Year-Old-Girl' Meme Is Funny Enough to Give You Hot Flashes

Benjamin Button, meet your match. The "60-year-old Girl" meme hit Reddit on Wednesday and the jokes haven't aged yet. The memes, which poke fun at a little girl who resembles an older woman, stem from an image posted on Reddit one day earlier.
'60-Year-Old-Girl' Meme Is Funny Enough to Give You Hot Flashes

Pope Francis Is Time's Person of the Year

Pope Francis is TIME magazine's person of the year. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the current Pope of the Catholic Church was elected on March 13, 2013. In his nine months of office, he shunned many of the perks of his position (papal Mercedes included), and opted for a much more modest appearance than his predecessor, Pope Benedict, capturing the sympathies of many.
Pope Francis Is Time's Person of the Year

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

It's official: the coldest place on Earth

The coldest place on Earth is a high ridge on the East Antarctic Plateau where temperatures plunged to a record minus 93.2°C on 10 August 2010, according to NASA.
It's official: the coldest place on Earth

Saturday, December 07, 2013

Shanghai's Disappearing Skyline: 21 Images of Record Pollution

Shanghai's iconic skyline has been slowly disappearing all week, cloaked by a thick acrid haze of smog. Reports of heavy pollution have circulated since Monday, but levels hit a new high on Friday.
Shanghai's Disappearing Skyline: 21 Images of Record Pollution

Friday, December 06, 2013

Air travel in the 50s and 60s sucked

Smoke, vomit, boredom, segregation and death: and you paid about five times as much for the privilege.
Air travel in the 50s and 60s sucked

Thursday, December 05, 2013

How-To Geek’s Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Toys for Geeks of All Ages

One of the best things about geek culture is that you’re never too old to play with toys big and small. Read on as we highlight great picks from the toy aisle for geeks of all ages on your holiday gift list.
How-To Geek’s Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Toys for Geeks of All Ages

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Dramatic Footage Shows Survivor of Sunken Ship's Unlikely Rescue [VIDEO]

In a remarkable story of survival that made headlines last June, a Nigerian chef miraculously lived through three days trapped at the bottom of the sea in an air pocket of a sunken ship. Six months later, newly-released footage shows the survivor's dramatic and unlikely rescue.
Dramatic Footage Shows Survivor of Sunken Ship's Unlikely Rescue [VIDEO]

The 25 Best Films of 2013 in 11 Minutes

Ain't nobody got time to go to the movies. So it's a good thing David Ehrlich has you covered. This 11-minute montage for Film.com counts down the 25 best films of 2013. This year's roundup includes blockbusters like The Bling Ring and The Great Gatsby, Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine and even films yet to be released like Wolf of Wall Street.
The 25 Best Films of 2013 in 11 Minutes

NORAD's Santa Tracker Is Back With A Touch-Friendly Website

The holidays are all about traditions, and once again NORAD is back with an updated version of its Santa tracker, letting kids keep tabs on Saint Nick as Christmas Eve creeps closer and closer. In addition to updated apps for iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices, the NORAD Tracks Santa website has also been spiffied up with a new design that makes it a little easier to use on touch-friendly devices.
NORAD's Santa Tracker Is Back With A Touch-Friendly Website

Friday, November 29, 2013

First-Person Videos Of Pilots Ejecting Will Make You Hyperventilate

I’ve seen pilots ejecting from fighter planes in extreme situations. It looks scary, but it’s nothing compared to listening to the minutes prior to the ejection. That’s when you start to hyperventilate just by watching them.
First-Person Videos Of Pilots Ejecting Will Make You Hyperventilate

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Ad Recall: Why That Ad Wasn't as Awesome as You Thought

Creating an ad that both entertains and deftly makes a product pitch is, of course, not an easy task. If it were, then there would be no reason for ad agencies. (Some insist that there still isn't.) Fortunately, measuring recall is a fairly simple process. All you need to do is ask consumers if they remember an ad.
Ad Recall: Why That Ad Wasn't as Awesome as You Thought

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

How to Convert Email Messages to PDF through Email Itself

Google Chrome has a built-in PDF writer so you can easily convert any email message into a PDF file within the browser itself but if you are reading your emails on a mobile phone or a tablet, you would need some sort of a PDF conversion app.
How to Convert Email Messages to PDF through Email Itself

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Listen To 100 White Albums Played At Once

Rutherford Chang is a vinyl collector with a singular focus: The White Album. The New York-based artist has built up an impressive catalogue of almost 700 (!) numbered copies of the 1968 double album. Taken together, his findings have become a kind of beautiful exhibition, but Chang has also recorded audio from 100 pressings, and overlaid them into a single track. And it is incredible.
Listen To 100 White Albums Played At Once

20 Secret Santa Gifts Under $20

Finding the perfect Secret Santa present is a true challenge. The item has to show you know a little something about what makes your giftee an individual and ideally inject a little good-natured humor into the gift-giving process. It's not always an easy ask, especially when you're working with a set budget.
20 Secret Santa Gifts Under $20

Saturday, November 23, 2013

​8 Basic Life-Saving Skills Everyone Should Know

We’ve featured a lot of survival tips over the years that can help you get out of trouble, but what if you’re next to someone else who’s having a medical emergency? Don’t just stand there as the person chokes or faints! Know what to do in these life-or-death situations.
​8 Basic Life-Saving Skills Everyone Should Know

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 12/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on Beyond The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 12/2013 - November 24, 2013:

How to record any streaming video on the Internet

Sometimes it may not be enough to just watch a streaming video while it is broadcasted. Maybe you are in a webcam session with your colleagues or better-half and want to record it for safe keeping, or maybe, you are watching a presentation or live gaming session and want to save it to your local system so that you can re-watch it at any time and without Internet connection.
How to record any streaming video on the Internet

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Elephant isn't very good at playing piano, but rather enjoys it

In this clip from the Music for Elephants series, Peter the elephant joins in on a rollicking 12-bar blues performed on a outdoor piano in Thailand.
Elephant isn't very good at playing piano, but rather enjoys it

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Gripping Photos Capture Tornadoes' Destruction in U.S. Midwest

A series of large, fast-moving tornadoes tore through the U.S. midwest on Sunday, leaving carnage in their wake. Tornado watches are in effect for parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri, according to the National Weather Service. The tornadoes have produced large hail and damaging winds.
Gripping Photos Capture Tornadoes' Destruction in U.S. Midwest

Terrifying Typhoon Haiyan Footage Continues To Emerge

Typhoon Haiyan was the most powerful storm ever recorded in our history on this planet, and it came to bear on the Philippines with terrifying force. This eyewitness footage shows off just how deadly the resulting storm surge was.
Terrifying Typhoon Haiyan Footage Continues To Emerge

Sunday, November 17, 2013

This Is What The Hottest Place On Earth Looks Like

You’re looking at a satellite image of the Dasht-e Lut salt desert in southeast Iran. If you think it looks a bit weird, that’ because it is: it’s widely regarded as the hottest place on Earth.
This Is What The Hottest Place On Earth Looks Like

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Silly U.S. Laws Come Alive in This Photo Series

If you ever feel compelled to put a coin in your ear while in Hawaii, hold back — it's illegal. Photographer Olivia Locher was inspired to photograph the coin ban and other outdated and otherwise ridiculous laws in place throughout the United States.
Silly U.S. Laws Come Alive in This Photo Series

What Hand Signals Should I Avoid When Traveling Abroad?

When you’re trotting the globe, it’s important to know when to keep your hands to yourself.
What Hand Signals Should I Avoid When Traveling Abroad?

The 20 Most Popular Passwords Stolen From Adobe

It's no secret that people choose dumb passwords. But when a large database of passwords gets hacked and exposed, it can still be shocking that users still go with such easy-to-guess passwords. But that's exactly what many Adobe customers did. As it turns out, according to one password cracker, the three most popular passwords among Adobe users, whose account details were stolen by hackers, are: "123456," "123456789," and "password."
The 20 Most Popular Passwords Stolen From Adobe

9 Ways to Help Victims of Typhoon Haiyan

Typhoon Haiyan ripped through the Philippines on Friday, causing a 20-foot rise in sea waters and packing winds of up to 147 miles per hour. Authorities are calling it one the country's worst natural disasters on record.
9 Ways to Help Victims of Typhoon Haiyan

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

These Domino Tricks Will Knock You Down With Amazement

Dominoes is a complex game involving foresight, planning and strategy — but really, they're for building intricate chain reactions of miniature destruction. Nobody understands this better than Hevesh5 and MillionDollarBoy, who spent three months organizing more than 20,000 dominoes into the masterpiece of clicks and clatters you can watch below.
These Domino Tricks Will Knock You Down With Amazement

Telstra Offering Free Calls To The Philippines During Typhoon Crisis

Super-Typhoon Haiyan has torn through the Philippines in the last few days. In one area alone, up to 10,000 people are feared dead. If you have family in the area and are on Telstra, you’ll be able to call or text them free of charge.
Telstra Offering Free Calls To The Philippines During Typhoon Crisis

Typhoon Haiyan Even Looks Terrifying From 35,400 Kilometres Away

Haiyan was probably the strongest recorded typhoon to ever make landfall when it crashed through the Philippines on November 8 — and it looks just as intimidating from 35,400km away.
Typhoon Haiyan Even Looks Terrifying From 35,400 Kilometres Away

Google Sets Up Person Finder and Relief Map for Typhoon Haiyan

Google launched several crisis tools for those affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever, which has ravaged towns and villages across central Philippines, leaving a suspected 10,000 people dead in just one city and more than 600,000 displaced. Over the weekend, it weakened to a severe tropical storm and hit northern Vietnam.
Google Sets Up Person Finder and Relief Map for Typhoon Haiyan

Sunday, November 10, 2013

How to Use An Antivirus Boot Disc or USB Drive to Ensure Your Computer is Clean

If your computer is infected with malware, running an antivirus within Windows may not be enough to remove it. If your computer has a rootkit, the malware may be able to hide itself from your antivirus software.
This is where bootable antivirus solutions come in. They can clean malware from outside the infected Windows system, so the malware won’t be running and interfering with the clean-up process.
How to Use An Antivirus Boot Disc or USB Drive to Ensure Your Computer is Clean

"Huh" is the universal word

"Is 'Huh?' a universal word? Conversational infrastructure and the convergent evolution of linguistic items is a new paper in PLoS One by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The authors propose that "Huh" is a word, and that convergent evolution has driven multiple, unrelated languages to produce it.
"Huh" is the universal word

Friday, November 08, 2013

Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) slams Philippines, may be most powerful typhoon to ever hit land

The typhoon known as Super Typhoon Haiyan (or Super Typhoon Yolanda, as it is referred to within the Philippines) hit the central islands of the Philippines on Friday, with wind speeds at almost 200 miles an hour. For comparison, a commercial airplane takes off at speeds in the range of 160mph.
Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) slams Philippines, may be most powerful typhoon to ever hit land

11 Free Google Helpouts To Get Expert Tips For Your Everyday Problems

Google Helpouts is a new service that connects you to real experts who can help you with a variety of problems. Whether it’s a household plumbing problem, a tricky tech problem or how to stick to your diet, there’s someone on Helpouts who can assist. Here’s a look at some of the best and most useful Helpouts we could find.
11 Free Google Helpouts To Get Expert Tips For Your Everyday Problems

The Scientifically Best Time To Drink Coffee

Ever wonder what the best time is to drink your coffee? You probably know it is not a good idea to drink part of your daily dose of caffeine in the afternoon. Especially for those who have problems sleeping. But, do you ever drink your coffee and feel like it just didn’t work?
The Scientifically Best Time To Drink Coffee

Super Typhoon Haiyan Barrels Toward the Philippines

One of the most powerful cyclones ever observed is on track to cross over the Philippines on Friday morning Eastern time.
Super Typhoon Haiyan Barrels Toward the Philippines