Annual Cabinet release - National Archives of Australia

On 1 January each year, the National Archives releases the Cabinet records from 30 years before.
Annual Cabinet release - National Archives of Australia

Best Of 2007: Twenty Top 10's of 2007

The top 20 most-viewed Lifehacker Top 10 lists of 2007.
Best Of 2007: Twenty Top 10's of 2007

TSA Cracks Down on Batteries

As of January 1, there are formal rules dealing with lithium batteries on airplanes. If you’re planning air travel in the new year with electronics, here’s what you need to know,
TSA Cracks Down on Batteries

Fun Ways to Live Longer

A healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean treadmills and salads everyday. Many activities that are fun and pleasurable are also good for you. By understanding how these activities can help you live longer and what to do to get the most benefits, you'll be putting some fun into healthy living.
Fun Ways to Live Longer

22 Items You Need in Your Cleaning Kit

With these inexpensive products and tools, you’ll have everything you need to tackle the whole house.
22 Items You Need in Your Cleaning Kit

17 home remedies for bites, aches and burns

Home remedies are a staple of natural medicine. They are cheap and fast, often work just as well as a drugstore fix, and may be as near as your spice cabinet, refrigerator or laundry room. To update your arsenal, “Prevention” magazine asked seven experts to share their latest discoveries, from headache panaceas to simple solutions for stiff backs, indigestion, charley horses and more.
17 home remedies for bites, aches and burns

The Secret to Raising Smart Kids

Hint: Don't tell your kids that they are. More than three decades of research shows that a focus on effort—not on intelligence or ability—is key to success in school and in life.
The Secret to Raising Smart Kids

12 Things To Do Online Before The End Of 2007

2007 is quickly coming to a close, and it’s time to do all of those things you’ve been meaning to do all year long. We’ve put together a checklist to help you along, but we can’t do it all for you, so you best get cracking before another year flies by!
12 Things To Do Online Before The End Of 2007

AOL Says Goodbye to Netscape Navigator

Netscape Navigator, once the dominant Web browser back in the 1990s, will no longer be supported as of February 1, 2008. In a posting to Netscape’s blog, Tom Drapeau writes:
AOL Says Goodbye to Netscape Navigator

Funny and Creative Animated Videos

The new year is just few days away; however, not all parties are planned, not all presents are packed and not all work is done. If you feel under the weather, bored or overwhelmed by the late shopping or working chaos, it’s just the right time to take a short break and get into the right mood.
Funny and Creative Animated Videos

The technology with impact 2007

The last 12 months have seen plenty of talking points around technology - from the iPhone, to Facebook, the launch of Vista and the XO laptop - but what were the developments, stories or gadgets which had the biggest impact?
The technology with impact 2007

How to Install Third-Party Apps on Your New iPhone or iPod Touch

If a new iPhone or iPod touch found its way under your tree and you just can't wait until Apple officially supports third-party application development to extend its functionality (who can wait until February?), it's time you jailbreak your favorite new portable device.
How to Install Third-Party Apps on Your New iPhone or iPod Touch

Finally, Evonne gets a gong - Tennis

Australia has its first women’s tennis No. 1 — more than three decades after the event.
National treasure Evonne Goolagong Cawley will today receive a bonus prize when she is announced as the retrospective holder of the coveted top ranking for a two-week period in 1976.
Finally, Evonne gets a gong

GPS to Track Alzheimers Sufferers

The UK Alzheimer's Society wants to tag bewildered old folk so they can wander the streets safely.
GPS to Track Alzheimers Sufferers

Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2007

Welcome to the first annual Wired News rundown of the year's 10 most important scientific breakthroughs. 2007 was an amazing year for science.
Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2007

Reference and News Materials: Benazir Bhutto Assassination

Reference and News Materials: Benazir Bhutto Assassination

Our Nameless Decade: What "Aught" We Call It?

Why don’t we have a suitable name for the first decade of the 21st century? It’s a curious situation: here we are at the end of 2007, and we still lack a commonly accepted term for the current decade.
Our Nameless Decade: What "Aught" We Call It?

Take Your Best Driver's License Photo Ever

After a recent two-hour sit at the DMV, I watched most people leaving bitter and complaining about the photo on their new driver's license. This reaction to a bad photo isn't surprising, considering you have to live with it for years. These days, you've got to show your driver's license just about every time you use a credit card or fill a prescription. People have commented I always take a good driver's license photo. There's a trick to it and today I will detail the steps I take to get a good pic.
Take Your Best Driver's License Photo Ever

Internet Anagram Server : Anagram Hall of Fame

Internet Anagram Server : Anagram Hall of Fame

Mashable’s 2008 Predictions: Adam’s List

There are a few ways you can go with prediction posts. You can speculate wildly (perhaps a little more fun), make some educated guesses, or, take a look at some trends from the prior year and make some predictions about how they’ll play out when the calendar switches over.
Mashable’s 2008 Predictions: Adam’s List

Top 10 money drains

It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings.
Top 10 money drains

ResourceShelf >> Check Santa’s Likely Track to Your House Today

3D visual updates on Santa’s location throughout Christmas STARTING at 7:00 AM EST. Track and see the likely route that Santa will take to get from his location to your house (already live).
ResourceShelf » Check Santa’s Likely Track to Your House Today

How to Prevent Lost Luggage

When you fly, do you check in your bags? Watch out: Once that bag leaves your side, anything could happen to it. For every 1,000 bags, the typical airline mishandles 6.
Sure, the odds don't sound too bad. But what if the dice doesn't roll in your favor one day? What do you do if the airline loses or damages your bag? More importantly, how do you prevent your bag from becoming a statistic?
How to Prevent Lost Luggage

Regret the Error » Crunks 2007: The Year in Media Errors and Corrections

Written and compiled by Craig Silverman
Trends of Note
Regret the Error » Crunks 2007: The Year in Media Errors and Corrections

Mashable’s 2008 Predictions: Mark’s List

I’ve been sitting on my 2008 predictions for a good couple of weeks now. I’ve put a good deal of thought into this, and I’ve consulted several experts in the related businesses, as well as applied my own impeccable and infallible brainpower into coming up with these.
Mashable’s 2008 Predictions: Mark’s List

Top 25 Science Stories of 2007

The past year has been both tempestuous and exciting—from pet food, E. coli and toy poisoning scares to political fireworks over embryonic stem cell research to forest fires ravaging California. A controversial Nobel scientist (James Watson) went down in a blaze of infamy, tumbling from grace after putting his foot in his mouth one time too many, whereas a former vice president and defeated presidential candidate (Al Gore) rose from the ashes to become a Nobel Peace prize (and Oscar) winner for raising awareness on the urgency of global warming.
Top 25 Science Stories of 2007

Celebrities Before and After

Celebrities Before and After

Cricket Scores in Google News

We're excited to share a new feature for Google News India: you can now get the latest cricket scores right on the front page! If there's a cricket match going on somewhere in the world (and there always is) you will have the latest information available.
Cricket Scores in Google News

Australians embrace life-long learning

Over one-third (4.2 million or 38%) of Australians aged 25 to 64 years participated in formal or non-formal learning in the year to June 2007, according to a survey run for the first time by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Australians embrace life-long learning

How to Have Less Awkward Conversations: Assuming Rapport

Assuming rapport. This is definitely one of the best social skill tips I have ever learned about. Unfortunately I’ve forgotten a bit about it lately. Maybe you have too. Or missed it altogether. So I thought I’d bring it up again.
How to Have Less Awkward Conversations: Assuming Rapport

The Best ‘Best of’ Lists of 2007

Without further ado, here’s a quick compilation of some of the most interesting ‘Best of 2007′ lists I’ve come across during the frantic media recap of ‘What Was in 07′, before the manic, mad dash to xmas seasonal insanity, and the consequent post-holiday crash into 2008.
The Best ‘Best of’ Lists of 2007

Top 25 Life-Improving Christmas Gifts for Under $10

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to give cheap but meaningful gifts. Yes, I’m a cheapskate, but I’m a happy one.
Top 25 Life-Improving Christmas Gifts for Under $10

Why We do Dumb or Irrational Things

"I have been primarily interested in how and why ordinary people do unusual things, things that seem alien to their natures. Why do good people sometimes act evil? Why do smart people sometimes do dumb or irrational things?" --Philip Zimbardo
Why We do Dumb or Irrational Things

The 23 Best iTunes Add-ons

iTunes may not be the best media player on the market, but let's face facts: with its tight integration with our iPods and its excellent playlisting tools, it's very likely the digital jukebox you're using every day to manage your music. With that in mind, it's time you take iTunes to the next level. We've already tackled the 20 Best iPod Utilities, so today we're taking a look at the 25 iTunes add-ons that can take your iTunes experience from good to great.
The 23 Best iTunes Add-ons

10 Ways to Make Your iPod a Better Learning Gadget

The iPod can supercharge your learning. But it’s often a matter of finding the right software and content. Below, we’ve listed several new pieces of software that will let you suck more educational media (DVDs, web videos, audio files, etc.) into your iPod. And we’ve also listed some important pieces of content that will make your iPod a better learning gadget.
10 Ways to Make Your iPod a Better Learning Gadget

Twelve tips to avoid seeming like an arrogant, know-it-all jerk.

A lot of people go through the motions of being humble, but you really have to mean it.
Twelve tips to avoid seeming like an arrogant, know-it-all jerk

The Worst Band Names Of '07

Each year, The A.V. Club receives hundreds of albums, thousands of press releases, and several thousand more show listings for hundreds of venues around the country. At any given moment, our editors are besieged by information on bands, most of which we've never heard of. Sifting through all that info, we inevitably encounter questionable band names.
The Worst Band Names Of '07

Top 10 Weirdest Guinness World Records!!

Since the advent of circuses and fairs, people have been fascinated by the outlandish. Freak shows have taken advantage of this curiosity and soon people were flocking to observe deformed people and other human phenomena.
Over time, tastes grew sharper and some have begun to attempt eccentric feats to satisfy public demand, while quenching their own exhibitionist desires. Records are now established and broken every day, in every walk of life. Here are the top ten weirdest records in the world according to Guinness, and based on the funhigh.com oddness meter.
Top 10 Weirdest Guinness World Records!!

The Zen of Shaving: How a Double-edge Razor Can Change Your Life

If I told you a way you could improve your health, save money, help the environment, and feel better about yourself by doing something you already do every day, would you be interested?
The Zen of Shaving: How a Double-edge Razor Can Change Your Life

Lifehacker Zeitgeist 2007

2007's been another fantastic year at Lifehacker, and in case you've missed any of it, today we've got the highlights reel.
Lifehacker Zeitgeist 2007

You Have Been Warned

Another year, another group of winners in M-LAW's "Wacky Warning Label" Contest, which we featured in the The World Almanac 2008. The contest, which is sponsored by a Michigan anti-lawsuit group, highlights the questionable advice amending the labels or instruction manuals of consumer products. Last year's group of dubious winners, for instance, featured the instruction manual for a personal watercraft, with the following sage advice on its gas tank: "Warning: Never use a lit match or open flame to check fuel level."
You Have Been Warned

A tip for updating an unlocked iPhone in Australia

For the Aussies out there who have been brave enough to obtain an unlocked iPhone for use in Australia, I spotted a tip which might help you.
A tip for updating an unlocked iPhone in Australia

Five ways to get an edge over other air travelers

Most travelers head to the airport, check in, and let the airline take care of the rest. That’s not good enough. Especially if anything goes wrong — and things DO go wrong. You need be your own advocate, and you need a game plan, backed up with information and technology.
Five ways to get an edge over other air travelers

Australians still keen on sport

Australians are as keen on sport as ever, with more than a quarter of the population involved in organised sport or physical activity, according to a report released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
In the year to April 2007, 3.8 million people played an organised sport, and 1.6 million were in a support role such as coach, referee or committee member.
Australians still keen on sport

Top 10 Viral Videos of 2007

2007 has certainly brought us some unique and bizarre viral videos, perhaps proving once again, anyone can become famours.
Top 10 Viral Videos

Nielsen’s Top Ten Social Networks

Like many news outlets that cover the Web, each month we get a report from Nielsen Online, with their measurements of traffic at the top ten social networking sites. Some months there are trends worth reporting on, others there are not. Today’s report allows us to touch on some numbers relating to several different stories in the news this week, so I figured I’d share them.
Nielsen’s Top Ten Social Networks

Don’t Break Your Back! Tips to Healthy Posture

When you were a child, you may have been told to “Stand up straight!” or “Don’t slouch!” from your parents and teachers. I remember when I was younger, my mother would poke my back out of nowhere to remind me to stand up straight. I hated this as a teen and was determined to rebel for no reason other than to be stubborn and go against what I was told. My purposeful slouching eventually turned into a habit and carried with me into adulthood.
Don’t Break Your Back! Tips to Healthy Posture

Some Useful Condescending Phrases

Some useful phrases to use as an Evil Overlord as given by Steve Meredith. These humorous cuts were originally listed as useful phrases to use around work but they probably only work well if you are a Evil Overlord(TM).
Some Useful Condescending Phrases

The 100 Best Songs of 2007

Jay-Z triumphed, and Rihanna offered us shelter under her umbrella, while Springsteen, Bright Eyes and Arcade Fire reported on the storm.
The 100 Best Songs of 2007

How Brain Death Works

In this edition of HowStuffWorks, you'll learn about the diagnosis of "brain death" and how it compares with coma and cardiac death.
How Brain Death Works

Top 5 Websites of 2007 We’re Tired Of

Day-in, day-out, we get inundated with news around here about every website and company under the sun. Launches, re-launches, “we changed the color of our banner!”, we hear it all. But, some companies are worse than others: everything they do, every little insignificant change they make, and the entire blogosphere is writing about it like there’s no tomorrow. And, of course, we do, too. So, ladies and gents, here you go, the five websites even WE are tired of discussing.
Top 5 Websites of 2007 We’re Tired Of

Lifehacker's 2007 Guide to Free Software and Webapps

Throughout Lifehacker's archive of over 14,000 posts, we've mentioned hundreds of free web and desktop apps that help you get things done—but which are the best? As we wrap up the year 2007, it's the perfect time to put together an authoritative guide to our favorite pieces of free software and web services for common computing tasks on every platform.
Lifehacker's 2007 Guide to Free Software and Webapps

David Allen: Three Cheers For Sloth, Indolence, And Procrastination!

"Folks, can we hear it for sloth, indolence, and procrastination!!!!!???" (Thunderous applause and raucous cheers.)
David Allen: Three Cheers For Sloth, Indolence, And Procrastination!

14 Stress-Free Ways to Kick Weight Loss in the Butt

Let’s be honest: Losing weight isn’t the easiest thing in the world. All our best intentions end up doing nothing.
14 Stress-Free Ways to Kick Weight Loss in the Butt

World Inmate Populations

The U.S. has the world's largest prison population: 2,245,189 prisoners (including pre-trial detainees/remand prisoners) as of mid-2006. China followed with 1,565,771; Russia 889,598; Brazil 419,551; and India 332,112.
World Inmate Populations

Many of us procrastinate. Now we know why.

According to a ten-year-plus study by Canadian psychologist Piers Steel, postponing things is a serious problem and he has four primary reasons why it is such a serious problem for many people.
Many of us procrastinate. Now we know why.

127 Foods That Fight Fat

Weight loss starts with shopping. Taking control of what you eat begins with taking control of what you buy.
Every time you toss a low-calorie food into the cart, you're taking responsibility for losing weight—even before you sit down to a meal.
127 Foods That Fight Fat

Top 10 ways to un-bake your brain

Feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed or fatigued? Having trouble making decisions, falling and staying asleep and solving problems? A bit low on energy, just all-around baked? Life does that to us sometimes. The good news is…there’s a short list of simple practices that, done regularly, can pretty quickly un-bake your brain…and your body!
Top 10 ways to un-bake your brain

Best of 2007: Trends That Shaped the Web

The web, even at this age, is still an ever developing landscape. New trends come and go, some of them will last, some won’t. This is a list of five we felt shaped this year, and probably will in 2008 also.
Best of 2007: Trends That Shaped the Web

20 Signs You May Be About to Die

I recall reading about an obscure native culture in which the concept of death is fluid rather than fixed. You might be “dead” (somewhat sick), “very dead” (extremely ill) or “completely dead” (actually deceased) according to their terminology. The following 20 funny photos have been organized by these darkly funny and fatalistic categories!
20 Signs You May Be About to Die

15 Can’t-Miss Ways to Declutter Your Mind

The world of stresses and worries and errands and projects and noise that we must all endure inflicts upon us a mind full of clutter and chaos.
A mind that sometimes cannot find the calm that we so desperately seek.
15 Can’t-Miss Ways to Declutter Your Mind

6 Steps to Deflate Self-Defeating Fears

Have you ever justified your lack of success towards a goal with the excuse that you lacked the experience? Or that you lacked the resources: money and time? Did you give up before you even tried?
6 Steps to Deflate Self-Defeating Fears

Southern Australia has its hottest year

Southern Australia is on track to have its hottest year on record, say weather experts.
Southern Australia has its hottest year

AskEraser Keeps Your Searches Private - Or Does It?

A couple of days ago search engine Ask.com unveiled the AskEraser option, which erases all of your data (IP addresses, user IDs, cookies, search queries) from their servers in a couple of hours, thus - in theory - securing your privacy. However, as InformationWeek points out, things may not be exactly as they seem here.
AskEraser Keeps Your Searches Private - Or Does It?

Even though it's sometimes stressful to have to give gifts, turns out that it's important to happiness.

I’ve always been fascinated by gift exchange – in particular, potlatch. It was my preoccupation with potlatch that eventually led me to write Profane Waste.
But although I’m intellectually interested in the impulse toward gift-giving, I don’t like gift-giving much, myself.
Even though it's sometimes stressful to have to give gifts, turns out that it's important to happiness.

Holiday Gifting: 14 Ways to Give More Meaning and Less Stuff

It's the time of year when gift-giving is on everyone's mind. I don't know about you, but it drives me nuts to give and receive so much meaningless stuff, just out of tradition.
14 Ways to Give More Meaning and Less Stuff

Google Zeitgeist 2007

We're bidding adieu to 2007 with a look back at the breaking news, the big events and the must-have gadgets that captivated us this year (give or take a few weeks; we compile this list by early December). To get a glimpse of what's been on our collective consciousness, we mined billions of search queries to discover what sorts of things rose to the top. We encourage you to check out our findings to see if you, too, reflect the zeitgeist — the spirit of the times.
Google Zeitgeist 2007

Six Tech Predictions for 2008

It’s only a matter of days until 2008, and next year promises to bring some significant changes that will affect web workers. In this post are six predictions that may affect you next year, in some cases possibly profoundly.
Six Tech Predictions for 2008

Best Of 2007: Lifehacker's 2007 Software Superlatives

Who had the Most Obnoxious Icon, Best Splash Screen, and Best Easter Egg of the Year? Find out after the jump, where we'll also hand out our Most Likely to Make You Downgrade and Most Likely to Turn Completely Evil honors.
Best Of 2007: Lifehacker's 2007 Software Superlatives

Quarterly updates - Oxford English Dictionary

Every quarter, a range of entries in OED Online will be replaced by updated versions produced by the OED's revision programme. New entries will also be added across the alphabet.
Quarterly updates - Oxford English Dictionary

Sellout Songs

The Moby Quotient, generated by the formula below, determines the degree to which artists besmirch their reputations when they lend their music to hawk products or companies.
Sellout Songs

Windows Vista Service Pack 1

The Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Release Candidate (RC) is now available to the public. In addition to previously released updates, SP1 contains changes focused on addressing specific reliability and performance issues, supporting new types of hardware, and adding support for several new technologies. SP1 also addresses some management, deployment, and support challenges.
Windows Vista Service Pack 1

6 Simple Steps to Achieve Laser-Like Focus

Does focus elude you? Do you multi-task at the cost of focusing on your more important projects? Have you ever wished that you could have laser-like focus? Ever thought, "Hmm, I wish I could just take a pill that would help me focus." Well, as we all know, there is medicine for this type of need. But I think even people who take focus-enhancing medicine will attest that unless you have a good process and discipline, you're still not going to have great success with just a pill.
6 Simple Steps to Achieve Laser-Like Focus

11 Tips for Nuking Laziness Without Becoming a Workaholic

Rest is important for productivity. Trying to work straight without recovering your energies leads to a wandering attention, procrastination and, in extreme cases, death. But when does “recovering your energies” just become an excuse to waste time? How do you draw the line between constructive rest and laziness?
11 Tips for Nuking Laziness Without Becoming a Workaholic

Zoho Tackles Powerpoint With Zoho Show

The folks at Zoho just don’t seem to get tired: they announce new features, products and services for their online office suite on an almost weekly basis, which is what we usually expect from Google. This time, they’ve launched a new version of Zoho Show, an online tool for creating presentations, which we can most easily describe as the online version of Microsoft’s Powerpoint.
Zoho Tackles Powerpoint With Zoho Show

Are you an over-buyer or an under-buyer?

A quiz--Are you an over-buyer or an under-buyer?
I love a good self-diagnosis quiz. What kind of clutterer are you? Are you organized or disorganized? Are you at risk for dropping out of your exercise program?
Are you an over-buyer or an under-buyer?

Why pregnant women don't fall over

Women do not tip over during pregnancy because their spines are built differently from men's – and have been ever since our ancestors began walking upright. The difference allows a pregnant woman to lean backward to counterbalance the weight of her developing fetus.
Why pregnant women don't fall over

7 Stupid Thinking Errors You Probably Make

The brain isn’t a flawless piece of machinery. Although it is powerful and comes in an easy to carry container, it has it’s weaknesses. A field in psychology which studies these errors, known as biases. Although you can’t upgrade your mental hardware, noticing these biases can clue you into possible mistakes.
7 Stupid Thinking Errors You Probably Make

Earth From Above

French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand's beautiful images of the planet have become a coffee table favorite across the world. Today we are excited to present a new Google Earth layer of nearly 500 of his images, many taken from hot air balloons and all taken from above the earth.
Earth From Above

3 Riddles

How are these three phenomena possible, and how could they be reproduced?
3 Riddles

Lifehacker Gift Guide 2007

It's not easy finding the right gift for everyone on your list, especially if you've got a lot of people to buy for, so today we're taking a look at gifts small and large—from under $10 to the over $50 set—perfect for the life-hacking loved one on your list (even if that's you).
Lifehacker Gift Guide 2007

Why Are You Reading All That News?

You’re feeling stress about your RSS feeds? Talk about self-created problems. The real solution to managing RSS feeds is to stop reading RSS feeds. It’s simple … when a purely optional “convenience” technology is causing stress, it’s time to re-evaluate at a pretty fundamental level.
Why Are You Reading All That News?

Sleep, Attention, and Memory: Not (Maybe) What You Thought

Most of us can remember at least one occasion on which we sat in class, half asleep, trying to pay attention and learn what we were being taught – to no avail. Why is this?
Sleep, Attention, and Memory: Not (Maybe) What You Thought

Reminders as Effective as Trainers at Exercise Enforcement

Find yourself falling behind on your fitness goals? A reminder system can be just as helpful as having a personal trainer to report to. That's according to researchers at Stanford University, where a study found that a group of exercisers who received reminder phone calls exercised an average of nearly 40 minutes per week more than those who were left to their own willpower.
Reminders as Effective as Trainers at Exercise Enforcement

Absurd Windows Errors Invade Planet

Reports all over the world confirm the worst: the best Windows error ever was just the beginning of a planetary invasion by alien forces using time-space-twisting software code. There's no other explanation for this gallery of demoniacally absurd errors.
Absurd Windows Errors Invade Planet

» Complete This Sentence

If anyone would like to try completing this sentence by figuring out the missing letters, please help out.
» Complete This Sentence

The Only 4 Principles of Weight Loss You Need To Know

Visit a nearby newsstand and I am sure that you will come across some magazines promoting miraculous weight-loss formulas. Sometimes they turn to the mythic properties of fruit, like with the “Lemon Diet” or with the “Papaya Diet.” Other times they just create special nutritional plans, say the “Low-Carb Diet.” There are also the magic workouts and exercises that are supposed to reduce your belly circumference by 10 centimeters in three days – while toning your muscles….

Come on!

The Only 4 Principles of Weight Loss You Need To Know

What Makes Us Moral

If the entire human species were a single individual, that person would long ago have been declared mad. The insanity would not lie in the anger and darkness of the human mind—though it can be a black and raging place indeed.
What Makes Us Moral

MySpace, Facebook a danger to our children?

Recently parents at an Australian private school received a notice from the principal advising them that incidents of cyber bullying at the school had been discovered. The letter went on to warn parents that they should closely monitor the online activities of their children and stop them from joining social networks such as MySpace and Facebook. Is this sound advice or unnecessarily alarmist?
MySpace, Facebook a danger to our children?

25 Easy Ways to Fit in 10 Minutes of Exercise

Experts recommend working out 45 minutes to an hour a day (30 minutes for beginners) for weight loss and fitness. But if you're like most women, you don't always have a block of 30 to 60 minutes a day to devote exclusively to doing your workouts.
25 Easy Ways to Fit in 10 Minutes of Exercise

Is it healthier to be fit and fat—Or lazy and thin?

Are you a thin couch potato? Think that because you're slim, you don't have to work out? Wrong.
Is it healthier to be fit and fat—Or lazy and thin?

Strictly No Photography

Features user-submitted photos taken in all the places where photography is strictly off-limits. Concerts, museums, classified government installations, etc
Strictly No Photography

The 5 Myths of Positive Mental Attitude

Okay, so there’s no myth that I am a positive person, or at least striving to be one. However, I am aware that I’m not positive all the time. I am continuously working to become conscientious of my choices, thoughts and reactions. I frequently get asked about positive thinking, and I wanted to first clear up some points of confusion.
The 5 Myths of Positive Mental Attitude

Negative Calorie Foods: 15 Foods That Actually Burn More Calories Than They Contain

No, we’re not advocating the battle to see how few calories you can consume each day or promoting crash diets in any form or function; however, if you’re a snack-o-holic who can’t stop munching and crunching in between meals, try snacking on one of these negative calorie foods instead of gobbling down a cupcake or big bag of chips.
Negative Calorie Foods: 15 Foods That Actually Burn More Calories Than They Contain

I'll be so happy once I'm thin. Or rich. Or successful. Or engaged. Right?

Kate Harding makes several interesting arguments, but her key point is the tendency for people to think, “When I’m thin, I’ll be different. I’ll be more adventurous, or more sociable, or happier in my relationship.” Her message: No, you won’t. You’ll still be yourself.
I'll be so happy once I'm thin. Or rich. Or successful. Or engaged. Right?

What we learn from the dying

My first day of medical school was a series of inspirational talks. The tone, set by the anesthesiologist who led off, was lighthearted. His subject was "Everything you will ever need to know about medicine." This turned out to be just three things, which he had us all recite: Air goes in and out. Blood goes round and round. Oxygen is good. Just keep these in mind, he said, and you'll be okay.
What we learn from the dying

Tip of the Week: Leave Your Desk Messy «

Spend too much time worrying about getting your desk perfectly clean and your work perfectly excellent and you might put yourself at risk for psychological problems.
Tip of the Week: Leave Your Desk Messy «

May I take your order?

It was a night like any other - people inviting us out to a steakhouse. We get there, we are seated in a private room. All was well. Niceties aside, we prepare to order. I ask my wife what I should get. She says, “Go ahead and look at the menu - it’s in English.”
“Oh Really?”
May I take your order?

New Words on the Block: Back When "Movies" Were Young

When we think about new additions to the English lexicon such as locavore or tase (or other candidates for the New Oxford American Dictionary Word of the Year), it’s easy to forget that some of our most common vocabulary items were once awkward newcomers, like transfer students desperately trying to fit in with the other kids in class.
New Words on the Block: Back When "Movies" Were Young

Cool Tool: BookGem

Reader-diners know the pain of trying to balance a thick book and a meal without losing your page or spilling food.
Cool Tool: BookGem

Google Releases Chart Image Generator

Google released a chart generator service they are calling the Google Chart API. Usage is quite straightforward: you link to an image in the form of a parameterized URL.
Google Releases Chart Image Generator

Partial Recall: Why Memory Fades with Age

As we age, it becomes harder and harder to recall names, dates—even where we put down our keys. Although we may fear the onset of Alzheimer's, chances are, our recollective powers have dulled simply because we're getting older—and our brains, like our bodies, are no longer in tip-top shape.
Partial Recall: Why Memory Fades with Age

Environmental Issues: People's Views and Practices, Mar 2007

Grey water was being used by more than half (55%) of all Australian households in 2007, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.
Grey water was the second most common source of water after mains/town water. Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory had the highest proportion of households using grey water, at 72% and 63% respectively.
Environmental Issues: People's Views and Practices, Mar 2007

Try Honey for Children's Coughs

A teaspoon of honey before bed seems to calm children's coughs and help them sleep better, according to a new study that relied on parents' reports of their children's symptoms.
Try Honey for Children's Coughs

Feature: The 20 Best iPod Utilities

With a new generation of iPods on the market this holiday season, your reliable old iPod may not seem as shiny as it once did. But with the help of third party applications and utilities, you can unlock tons of useful functionality you never knew was there and revive that aging iPod so it doesn't look quite so bad next to its successors. Whether new or old, the following 20 iPod utilities can help you get the most from your iPod.
Feature: The 20 Best iPod Utilities

Google Reveals Fast-Growing Search Terms of 2007

Not to be confused with Google Zeitgeist’s year-end top searches, which has yet to be released, Google revealed today a list of the “fast rising U.S. search terms” for 2007. Marissa Mayer, VP of Search & User Experience at Google, made an appearance Tuesday morning at NBC’s “Today Show”, where she revealed, not surprisingly, that the “iPhone” was number one on the list. Within the past 24 hours, Google has also released year-end search trends for various countries throughout the world, including Australia.
Google Reveals Fast-Growing Search Terms of 2007

To My Great-Great-Grandchildren: Hows Your Climate?

Simon Donner, a climate scientist at the University of British Columbia, contributed one of the “100-Year Letters” over at DeSmogBlog.com that I mentioned in Science Times this week.
That project is one of various efforts to find more engaging ways to tell the climate story, which sprawls across time and geography and relates to every life decision, from turning off the lights to pulling a lever in a voting booth to choosing a vocation.
To My Great-Great-Grandchildren: Hows Your Climate?

Lose that belly boys, eat red meat

A new study conducted by Australia's Commonwealth Science and Inductrial Research Organization has found that overweight and obese men can strip inches off their waist-line and lose weight effectively and safely on a high protein red meat diet. In fact, a balanced red meat diet was found to be better for tightening the belt buckle than a balanced carb diet.
Lose that belly boys, eat red meat

How to Block Facebook Beacon

On November 6th, 2007 Facebook launched a new feature called Beacon which collects data on the behavior of Facebook users on several commercial websites such as eBay, Fandango, Zappos and Overstock.com. When a Facebook user purchases an item at one of these websites, Facebook provides a way for the user to advertise their purchase on their Facebook News Feed. While users can decline sending out the advertising, Facebook does not allow users to opt out of the data collection and behavior monitoring. Even if you opt out, click "no thanks", and log out of Facebook, Beacon will still be surreptitiously collecting your web browsing behavior data and sending it to Facebook.
How to Block Facebook Beacon

Bring Your ABC to the Desktop with ABC Now

Our national broadcaster has added another string to its multimedia bow with the release of desktop gadget ABC Now, which is essentially a media player which lets you get ABC news headlines, radio streams, podcasts and TV highlights on your PC. You can also get weather updates.
Bring Your ABC to the Desktop with ABC Now

The Ask.com Blog: Our Search Top 10's for 2007

"If you want to see how a society thinks, look at what it searches for."
--George Bernard Shaw

Okay, George Bernard Shaw didn't say that. I made it up. BUT, if you want to take a look at what fascinated people this year, our big list of 2007 Most Popular searches is a great place to look.
The Ask.com Blog: Our Search Top 10's for 2007

How to Track Down Anyone Online

When you're trying to find someone online, Google's not the only game in town. In the last two years, a handful of new people search engines have come onto the scene that offer better ways to pinpoint people info by name, handle, location, or place of employment. While there's still no killer, one-stop people search, there are more ways than ever to track down a long-lost friend, stalk an ex, or screen a potential date or employee. The next time you wonder, "What ever happened to so-and-so?" you've got a few power people search tools to turn to.
How to Track Down Anyone Online

7 Myths about the Internet

Apparently the Italians share some misconceptions about Internet usage with their U.S. counterparts. Here’s a video of a speech by Italian TV host and blogger Marco Montemagno describing myths Italians hold about the Internet and identifying Web 2.0 opportunities for businesses.
7 Myths about the Internet

Microsoft exec kicks off new browser security war

Internet Explorer is more secure than Firefox, according to a senior Microsoft executive, who compared how many vulnerabilities were found in the two browsers -- but critics say his study is flawed.
Microsoft exec kicks off new browser security war

How Australians are accidentally breaking their phones

Australia’s largest telecommunications company, Telstra, has released a report on the top five ways Australians are accidentally damaging their mobile phones, in what must be putting a smile on the dial of phone manufacturers who end up selling more phones.
How Australians are accidentally breaking their phones

Australia's population passes 21 million

Australia's population reached a milestone 21 million during the June quarter 2007 fuelled by the highest population growth rate since 1989, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.
Australia's population passes 21 million

Top 8 most Dangerous roads in the World

Photos follow.
Top 8 most Dangerous roads in the World

Australia ratifies Kyoto Protocol

Australia has ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd signed the instrument of ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in his first act after being sworn in this morning.
Australia ratifies Kyoto Protocol

The Art of Portrait Photography

So you're interested in portrait photography, and you want to know what separates snapshots from art? Here are the things I consider vitally important.
The Art of Portrait Photography

Beacon: The Eye of Facebook

Facebook first took a beating when its Beacon service was ruining Christmas by broadcasting information about gifts Facebook users had just purchased to all of their Facebook friends. But this was just scratching the surface of larger invasion of privacy issues with Beacon.
Beacon: The Eye of Facebook

Most popular Aussie web searches of ’07 from Yahoo!7

Yahoo!7 have announced the annuals rankings of the most popular Australian searches of 2007 were celebrities, scandals, wild weather and home ownership, with Britney Spears topping three of the lists and Apple’s iPod Nano topping the tech section.
Most popular Aussie web searches of ’07 from Yahoo!7

Oxford Place Of The Year: Warming Island

I’ve been blogging about the Place of the Week for nearly two years now, choosing a new location every seven days that I knew little about but had caught my attention or that appeared in the news. In the last year global warming has become much more than another subject debated within academia; in fact its found its way into our language, popular culture, and even our shopping habits. As I thought about this while I tried to pick my first Place of the Year, I kept coming back to the very visible ways the Earth’s landscape has been altered by the phenomena.
Oxford Place Of The Year: Warming Island

14 Foods that Lower Cholesterol

After reviewing my research on healthy foods and cholesterol from this year I came up with the top 14 Foods that Lower Cholesterol.
1. Whole grains and oats - a five-year Insulin Resistance Athersclerosis Study showed that people whose diets contain the most whole grains “had the thinnest carotid artery walls and showed the slowest progression in artery wall thickness.”
14 Foods that Lower Cholesterol

The Coolest 35 Facts You’ve Never Heard

Like...#35. “Stewardesses” is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.
The Coolest 35 Facts You’ve Never Heard

Print to Any Computer Over the Internet with PrinterAnywhere

Send print jobs to any computer from any computer over the internet--like to your home printer from work--with freeware application PrinterAnywhere. Just install the software and register for a free PrinterAnywhere account (requires a username and email address) to get started. PrinterAnywhere is freeware, Windows only.
Print to Any Computer Over the Internet with PrinterAnywhere

Obsessive- Compulsive’s Guide: Top 12 Organizing Tips

Is your life in disarray? Do you have trouble finding things? Do you constantly forget stuff? If so, don’t worry — you’re like most of the human population.
Obsessive- Compulsive’s Guide: Top 12 Organizing Tips

Buy a Car Without Getting Screwed

Car guy Rob Gruhl gives some great, practical advice on how to find, finance and negotiate buying a new car.
Buy a Car Without Getting Screwed

5 Signs You Are On Autopilot

I was on autopilot for many years. Sure, I was traveling through life with my eyes open and my hands on the wheel. But it seemed as if I was heading toward some pre-determined destination that had been chosen for me by others. Are you on autopilot?
5 Signs You Are On Autopilot

Free Answers to Your Tech Questions–Fast

Sometimes when you have a question, you don’t just need an answer, you need a consensus. If you can relate to that, definitely give Ask500People a try. Unlike Yahoo! Answers and some of the more specialized question answering sites on the web, Ask500People seeks group approval of interesting questions before they are asked, through online voting that causes the most intriguing questions to rise to the top.
Free Answers to Your Tech Questions–Fast

Social Site Rankings (October, 2007)

Some numbers on traffic to social sites (comScore calls them social networking sites, but they are not all social networks. Below are the results, which show both absolute traffic in the U.S. and percentage change where comparable data from October, 2006 is available.
Social Site Rankings (October, 2007)

What causes hiccups?

If a person gets hiccups and wants to know what has set them off, there is a long list of medical or physiological disorders that are associated with hiccups and seem to cause them.
What causes hiccups

The Ten Videos to Change How You View the World

I believe that a sign of good information is that it makes you think. If reading a book, listening to a lecture or watching a video doesn’t change how you think, it probably isn’t that important. But if you encounter something that forces you to change your views, even if you don’t completely agree with it, you’ve found something valuable.
The Ten Videos to Change How You View the World

SMS for the nearest toilet

The UK's first SMS service for finding the nearest toilet launched in London today. Just text the word "toilet" and SatLav, run by the Westminster City Council, points you the nearest public toilet.
SMS for the nearest toilet

Patterns of internet access in Australia, 2006

There has been significant growth in Australia's access to/use of the Internet between 2001 and 2006. In 2001, 35% of Australian dwellings had access to the Internet in the week prior to the Census date. In 2006, 63% of Dwellings had access to the Internet.
Patterns of internet access in Australia, 2006

Corrective Services, Australia, Sep 2007

This publication presents information on persons in custody and community-based corrections. The statistics are derived from information provided to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) from administrative records held by corrective services agencies in each state and territory, and from the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department for details on federal prisoners.
Corrective Services, Australia, Sep 2007

The Top 25 Entertainers of the Year

Meet the extraordinary talents who shined brightest in 2007, from George Clooney to Johnny Depp to Carrie Underwood to...EW's pick for Entertainer of the Year!
The Top 25 Entertainers of the Year

Best 101 Lists by Interesting Observations

Coming up with 101 lists has been a trend these days! So, here is a Master List of the best ‘101′ lists out there!
Best 101 Lists by Interesting Observations

How to Doggedly Pursue Your Dreams in the Face of Naysayers

What do you do if you have a dream, but everyone around you keeps telling you to be more realistic and to give up the dream? What if they want you to pursue a more “sensible” and traditional career route?
You ignore them. You shut out the naysayers, and you stay focused on your dream.
How to Doggedly Pursue Your Dreams in the Face of Naysayers

Memorize Anything

Perhaps the first thing you should start doing before tackling extraordinary tasks of memorization is:
a. Get some sleep
b. Get a light snack (emphasis on light).
c. Amp Up Your Brain
Memorize Anything

Disable Facebook Beacon

Privacy and social networking may be mutually exclusive but there are measures you can take to protect your personal information. Lately Facebook's been under the spotlight for the privacy implications of its Beacon tool which can link up advertisers and third parties to report things on Facebook, like your purchasing habits.
Disable Facebook Beacon

Six Techniques to Get More from the Web than Google Will Tell You

The Internet has changed research dramatically. Now, it’s hard to resist defaulting to search engines, especially Google, as its capabilities grow. But you miss opportunities to get valuable insights into IT topics if you rely only on search engines.
Six Techniques to Get More from the Web than Google Will Tell You

The top 10 IT disasters of all time

From faulty satellites nearly causing World War III to the Millennium Bug, poorly executed IT has had a lot to answer for over the years.
The top 10 IT disasters of all time

12 Cold-Weather Remedies

The 12 cold-weather herbal remedies recommended here should help you stay well, or at least help cut the duration of most winter health challenges. There are remedies for sore throats, chapped lips and even chest congestion in this list.
12 Cold-Weather Remedies

Windows XP Speed Boost Coming with SP3

After pronouncing Windows Vista SP1 a "performance dud" two weeks ago, Devil Mountain Software, a Florida-based software development firm, reported that an upcoming update for Windows XP will offer substantial performance gains.
Windows XP Speed Boost Coming with SP3

Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, Summary Results, Australia, 2006

Information from the 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey. The results will assist in answering questions of whether Australians' literacy skills are adequate for the challenges they face in work and daily life.
Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, Summary Results, Australia, 2006

Self Improvement Advice from the Devil

The Internet is full of self improvement advice. You can’t browse a blog these days without someone telling you how you should be living your life.
Well it is about time we shook things up a little…
Self Improvement Advice from the Devil

Computer Randomly Plays Classical Music

During normal operation or in Safe mode, your computer may play "Fur Elise" or "It's a Small, Small World" seemingly at random. This is an indication sent to the PC speaker from the computer's BIOS that the CPU fan is failing or has failed, or that the power supply voltages have drifted out of tolerance. This is a design feature.
Computer Randomly Plays Classical Music

The 10 Most Ridiculous Inventions Ever Patented

The wheel. The light bulb. Big Mouth Billy Bass. Great inventions inspire awe, while providing comfort and convenience to the masses. Other inventions inspire second-hand embarrassment and provide a window into the dark souls of the men who created them.
The 10 Most Ridiculous Inventions Ever Patented

Outlook: How To Delete Duplicated Contacts

Sometimes syncing Outlook with another application or device can result in the addition of a duplicated list of contacts. Removing this list can be quite cumbersome if you take the time to delete each one, especially if you have collected a large number of addresses and such.
Outlook: How To Delete Duplicated Contacts

Ensure a Fast Internet Connection When You Need It

Your internet connection is an indispensable part of your life, but between BitTorrent, Xbox Live, web browsing, and VoIP, sometimes there's not enough bandwidth to go around. But rather than running around the house shutting down all of your computers next time you're experiencing a little lag on Xbox Live or Skype is breaking up on you, you can set up Quality of Service (QoS) rules on your router to distribute bandwidth to your different gadgets and applications based on your priorities.
Ensure a Fast Internet Connection When You Need It

How Babies Know What You're Up To (or Not)

When it comes to watching the actions of others, we all have a little Nostradamus in us. When someone begins a physical action we can often "predict" the outcome before it occurs -- that is, our eyes move to the action's end point before the actor reaches it himself.
How Babies Know What You're Up To (or Not)

Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for her

So you want to get your girl something gadgety for the holidays, but don't quite know what. We've got you covered. In addition to our own thoughtful ideas, we also roped in Engadget-ladyfriends Veronica Belmont and Jill Fehrenbacher to make some suggestions and ensure we're not too far off base. (In other words, if you're looking for a totally trite list of pink gadgets you'll want to look elsewhere.)
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for her

Census of Population and Housing

The second release of 2006 Census data is here! All the valuable data you and the rest of Australia provided has been processed and is now available. You can discover information online about the people of Australia and your local community for free!
Census of Population and Housing

One way to try to figure out what someone REALLY thinks.

Sometimes when we ask an important question, we know that people might be reluctant to give a true opinion. Maybe they’re worried about angering someone else, or appearing unsophisticated, or maybe they feel uncomfortable with what they think.
Tyler Cowen made an observation that I think is absolutely fascinating, and one that provides a possible solution to this non-disclosure problem.
One way to try to figure out what someone REALLY thinks

Hey, Kids, MySpace Can Hurt You

Whenever some agency creates a site aimed at young people, you can be absolutely sure that kids will a) never ever visit it and b) if they do visit it, they’ll laugh at it. This will probably be the case with ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) and their site which should explain UK kids that MySpace data is not private, and that it can be stolen and misused which can hurt them in the long run.
Hey, Kids, MySpace Can Hurt You

Want to live longer? Buy yourself a pogo stick

We all know the mantra - to live longer we need to eat more fruit and veg, take regular exercise, drink in moderation and cut out cigarettes.
Then last week the World Cancer Research Fund declared that we also need to give up bacon, pork chops and salt. Thankfully, there are other, less tedious ways to add years to your life. Here, the Mail shows you how...
Want to live longer? Buy yourself a pogo stick

Google Street View hits Australia

The controversial Google Street View project has arrived in Australia taking snaps in our major cities and towns.
The project has already captured images in 17 cities in North America, taken at street level and attached them to the highly popular Google Maps online application.
Google Street View hits Australia

Eight Ways to Fight Memory Loss

Memory loss can occur for a variety of reasons. Some loss of memory with aging is natural – it is normal to experience short-term forgetfulness, such as the inability to remember a person’s name you met recently.
Eight Ways to Fight Memory Loss

Your Eyes Don’t Lie - Reading Thoughts By Eye Movements

The eyes have this habit of positioning themselves according to the thoughts that are in your head, and other people can often understand what you are thinking about just by watching your eyes.
Your Eyes Don’t Lie - Reading Thoughts By Eye Movements

30 Interview Questions You Can't Ask and 30 Sneaky, Legal Alternatives to Get the Same Info

In every job interview, the goal is to obtain important information while building a friendly rapport with the candidate. But some questions are just a little too friendly. Protect yourself and your company from legal trouble and embarassment by avoiding the wrong questions while still getting to the root of the concern behind the question. Read on for 30 ways to turn litigious questions into harmless, legal alternatives.
30 Interview Questions You Can't Ask and 30 Sneaky, Legal Alternatives to Get the Same Info

Easily Show The Contents of Password Fields

How to recover passwords from your browser. It doesn't require any software to reveal hidden passwords under asterisks and don't need to waste your time in cracking master password.
Easily Show The Contents of Password Fields

JAXA | KAGUYA (SELENE) World's First Image Taking of the Moon by HDTV

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) have successfully performed the world's first high-definition image taking by the lunar explorer "KAGUYA" (SELENE,) which was injected into a lunar orbit at an altitude of about 100 km on October 18.
JAXA | KAGUYA (SELENE) World's First Image Taking of the Moon by HDTV

How to Study Less by Learning Things Once

You read over your notes. Then you read them over again. Then you read them over a third time. Then you take the test and are surprised at just how much you missed. Despite reading everything three times!
A lot of study time is wasted because of one problem: you fail to learn things the first time around.
How to Study Less by Learning Things Once

Don’t Want to Shell Out for MS Office? Get a Free Alternative

Among free productivity application suites that can save you from shelling out money for Microsoft’s Office suite, GoogleDocs and OpenOffice tend to get all the attention. Lately, though, I’ve been experimenting with some alternatives, and they’re more than good enough to use in place of Microsoft’s applications. ThinkFree Office, in particular, is worth a look.
Don’t Want to Shell Out for MS Office? Get a Free Alternative

Six Ideas That Will Change the World

They are making orange peel plastic and robots that can heal themselves. They are six researchers with six ideas that will one day change the world.
Six Ideas That Will Change the World

Lifehacker guide to election day

It's election eve in Australia, so we've compiled a roundup of all the information you need for voting tomorrow. Below the cut you can find information on the best information available online to find out who your candidates are and where to vote, along with the a wrap up of the election guides that are available online, and even how to get the election results SMSed to you!
Lifehacker guide to election day

New words - Oxford English Dictionary

On 14 September 2007 the alphabetical range proter-purposive was added to the New Edition: every word in this range has been thoroughly revised and updated. Below are listed all the new words in the range. We have also added a further list of new words from across the alphabet.
New Words - Oxford English Dictionary

The Social Media Manual: Read Before You Play

So many questions from people about Digg, Propeller, Reddit, Stumbleupon, and other social news sites every day - decided to write this little "manual" as something to read before you jump in head first into any social site, and to keep by your side as you progress through the ranks. It should not only help you succeed with your social media marketing efforts, but also help you avoid some of the mistakes.
The Social Media Manual: Read Before You Play

Products in Translation: Photos

One of the great adventures of travel is sampling the local fare. To do so, it sometimes has a few odd translations for product names, signs and food labels.
Products in Translation: Photos

The Hidden Truth Behind Hotel Drinking Glasses

I've always wondered where that wonderful flavor comes from. Now I know.
The Hidden Truth Behind Hotel Drinking Glasses

The Rolling Bridge

Rather than a conventional opening bridge mechanism, consisting of a single rigid element that lifts to let boats pass, the Rolling Bridge gets out of the way by curling up until its two ends touch.
The Rolling Bridge

250 Things You Wish You Know That Will Guarantee Your Speaking Success

#1. Audience always comes first, ask yourself “How can they benefit from listening to me?”
etc
250 Things You Wish You Know That Will Guarantee Your Speaking Success

On Being Pretty Ugly: A Nice But Quaint Oxymoron

The etymology of the adjective pretty has been investigated reasonably well. Many questions still remain unanswered, but it is the development of the word’s senses rather than its origin that amazes students of language. The root of pretty, which must have sounded approximately like prat, meant “trick.”
On Being Pretty Ugly: A Nice But Quaint Oxymoron

How does Bluetooth work?

We go straight to the source and get Bluetooth executive director Michael Foley to wirelessly transmit an answer to this query.
How does Bluetooth work?

The 10 People you'll find in any Gym

Step in any gym in any city in any state in this entire country and you're sure to find the same people. Of course not the exact same people, but the same types of people.
The 10 people you'll find in any gym

10 things you can do to get a promotion

Very few people hire on with any company or organisation with the intention of remaining indefinitely at the position for which they were hired. These ten tips will help you ask for advancement.
10 things you can do to get a promotion

How to Win at Monopoly ® - a Surefire Strategy

I'm a big Monopoly fan and I recently saw a great website that did something I've always wanted to do: calculate how long it takes to return your investment in the various properties and houses/hotel purchases. Knowing this is really the key to developing a strategy to win the game. Without it, how do you know whether to focus on putting hotels on Boardwalk or buying all the Railroads? You can't do everything - the key to winning is making the right trades and decisions at the different stages of the game. This is just my interpretation of the numbers, but I propose a winning strategy below and then back it up with the data.
How to Win at Monopoly ® - a Surefire Strategy

Lose Belly Fat - Is It Really Possible?

Yes! Of course it is! Don’t give up! There is hope. The key is to understand how your body works and to have a comprehensive plan that you will execute over a reasonable period of time. Translation: this is not a quick fix. But, remember, it is doable! Take the turtle approach, slow and steady, and you’ll get there.
Lose Belly Fat - Is It Really Possible?

Telework is Good For You

Or, to be more precise, “telecommuting has mostly positive consequences for employees and employers,” according to a press release from the American Psychological Association. The release summarizes the findings of a paper from Journal of Applied Psychology that performed a meta-analysis of 46 different studies of telecommuting over the years.
Telework is Good For You

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Once per year at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse they shut down the weak insipid modern (presumably electric) light and switch over the the 5 kerosene lamps and fresnel lens of the original, as it was 135 years ago.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Interesting Web Browsers You Have Never Heard Of

There are more browsers than you are aware of. Besides Firefox, Opera and Internet Explorer there is a number of promising alternatives which can improve your flexibility, increase your productivity and enrich your browsing experience.
Interesting Web Browsers You Have Never Heard Of

Global Personal Taxation Comparison

Mercer's Worldwide Individual Tax Comparator Report analysed the tax and benefits systems across 32 markets focusing on personal tax structures, average salaries and marital status.
Global personal taxation comparison survey

Constitution Day - National Archives of Australia

The National Archives is embarking on a new Constitution Day initiative and is seeking partners to support its move to create an annual event program on a national scale, culminating in a new national celebration.
Constitution Day - National Archives of Australia

7 Bad E-Mail Habits that Make People Want to Kill You

E-mail is a shallow way to communicate. It’s easy, fast and lacks the depth of understanding most people have face-to-face. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize just how much of this understanding is lost. As a result, they pick up bad habits and start driving coworkers, bosses and friends crazy.
7 Bad E-Mail Habits that Make People Want to Kill You

How to Cut Crutch Words When Giving a Speech

You’ve all seen it before. What would otherwise be a great presentation becomes one interrupted jumble of syllables. Instead of taking those key pauses to let the audience digest, every moment of hesitation is filled with a crutch word. Maybe it happens to you.
How to Cut Crutch Words When Giving a Speech

How to Shave Ten Hours Off Your Work Week

Almost everyone I know is working more time than they would like. That’s why a book like The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss has been such a big bestseller. This is a great book, but the promise is a little over the top. I don’t know of anyone, including Tim Ferriss, who really only works four hours.
How to Shave Ten Hours Off Your Work Week

7 Incredible Natural Phenomena you've never seen

7 Incredible Natural Phenomena you've probably never seen!
Natural Phenomena

Quitting the Day Job: Finding the Guts to Pursue Your Dreams

Something amazing has happened in the past eighteen months. While I’ve been learning about personal finance — and sharing my knowledge with you — Get Rich Slowly has grown from a small site with a couple hundred readers into a real-life business. GRS currently has 35,000 subscribers and generates $5,000 in monthly revenue. It also takes most of my time. This is a blessing and a curse.
Quitting the Day Job: Finding the Guts to Pursue Your Dreams

Eight Essential Tips to Overcoming Shyness and Making a Good Impression

Many of us wish we were one of those people who walked into a room and had friends-to-be flock to them. Anyone would agree that those of us who make friends easily and are innately likable will probably have an easier and more pleasant time of things than those who are incredibly shy or find it very hard to make friends.
Eight Essential Tips to Overcoming Shyness and Making a Good Impression

The Vista Death Watch

Microsoft has extended the life of Windows XP because Vista has simply not shown any life in the market. We have to begin to ask ourselves if we are really looking at Windows Me/2007, destined to be a disdained flop.
The Vista Death Watch

JAXA | KAGUYA (SELENE) Image Taking of Earth-Rise by HDTV

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) have successfully performed the world's first high-definition image taking of an Earth-rise* by the lunar explorer "KAGUYA" (SELENE,) which was injected into a lunar orbit at an altitude of about 100 km on October 18, 2007.
JAXA | KAGUYA (SELENE) Image Taking of Earth-Rise by HDTV

The Art of Punctuation: What your use of quotation marks says about you

Today I’m bringing you an excerpt from our book The Art of Punctuation by Noah Lukeman. Here Lukeman talks about how a feast or famine of quotation marks can say a lot about the kind of writer (and even the kind of person you are). Who knew that a writer’s use of quotations marks could be so revealing?
In many cases a publishing professional need only flip through a manuscript to get an immediate idea of its worth: quotation marks tell the story.
The Art of Punctuation: What your use of quotation marks says about you

Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Aug 2007

Full-time adult ordinary time earnings rose by 5.2% for males and 4.8% for females in the twelve months to August 2007.
Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Aug 2007

Australia's election map redrawn

Australia's federal election is on 24 November 2007, and the campaign is well and truly in its final stages. Prime Minister Howard and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd are adding final details to their policies and making their final appeal for votes.
Australia's election map redrawn

The truth about recycling

As the importance of recycling becomes more apparent, questions about it linger. Is it worth the effort? How does it work? Is recycling waste just going into a landfill in China? Here are some answers.
The truth about recycling

Oddly, Hypocrisy Rooted in High Morals

Morally upstanding people are the do-gooders of society, right? Actually, a new study finds that a sense of moral superiority can lead to unethical acts, such as cheating. In fact, some of the best do-gooders can become the worst cheats.
Stop us if this sounds familiar.
Oddly, Hypocrisy Rooted in High Morals

17 Tips to Be Productive with Instant Messaging

The best way to be productive with instant messaging (or chat)? Don’t do it.
Seriously, IM can take up your entire day if you let it. Those who stay away from it can get a lot more done.
17 Tips to Be Productive with Instant Messaging

Be aware of the threat of hidden keystroke-logging devices

Keystroke loggers are a particularly dangerous security threat because users typically don't realise they're even there.
Be aware of the threat of hidden keystroke-logging devices

How many things can you plug into an electrical outlet before it catches fire?

It seems to happen most around the holidays -- the electrical outlet begins putting on extra weight. There are nine strings of lights for the tree, electric candles, a CD player with holiday music and -- for some reason -- a George Foreman Grill. It seems like just staring at this mess of electrical cords for too long will give it just the extra boost it needs to catch fire.
"How many things can you plug into an electrical outlet before it catches fire?"

Conquering your fear of public speaking

People fear public speaking more than anything else. Anxiety over a simple presentation can be debilitating. Moreover, sufferers are typically embarrassed and reluctant to admit they have a problem. They hide a deep concern about the phobia's affect on their careers in an industry that values presentation skills so highly.
Conquering your fear of public speaking

How to Survive Creative Burnout

The longer you work at creating things, whether it’s software, websites, essays or paintings, the greater the odds you’ll hit a day where you don’t feel like doing it anymore. Up until then, you may have heard others describe burnout, but you just shrugged it off as superstition, or perhaps believed yourself immune.
How to survive creative burnout

Top 25 Craziest Deaths

This is a list of crazy, weird and even funny deaths of prominent people in the last 100 years.
Top 25 Craziest Deaths

Cool Tool: Vinegar

I recently became a vinegar convert after acquiring this book whose intriguing subtitle says it all: Over 400 Various, Versatile, and Very Good Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of.
Cool Tool: Vinegar

Oxford Word Of The Year: Locavore

It’s that time of the year again. The New Oxford American Dictionary is preparing for the holidays by making its biggest announcement of the year. The 2007 Word of the Year is (drum-roll please) locavore.
Oxford Word Of The Year: Locavore

The Downside of Optimism

Optimism, it turns out, is best in moderation.
The Downside of Optimism

Melbourne 'on track to be Australia's biggest city'

New population growth figures show Melbourne is closing the gap on Sydney as Australia's largest city.
Consultancy firm KPMG has found 62,000 people moved to Melbourne last financial year, nearly twice the increase in the population of Sydney.
Melbourne 'on track to be Australia's biggest city'

Hear This: 10 Ways to Become a Better Listener and Change Your Life Forever

Learning to listen — I mean really listen — is the single-most important thing you can do to improve communication in your life. It’s unreal how many varied aspects of our lives are directly and indirectly controlled by our ability (or, most often, inability) to listen.
Our romantic relationships run into communication problems everyday. Friendships can get too one-sided and devolve into arguments about taking too much. Even consumerism is dependent upon listening — advertising and referrals help us determine what to buy and where to buy it.
Hear This: 10 Ways to Become a Better Listener and Change Your Life Forever

World Records day sees snakes, swords and strong ears

The daring, the ditzy and the downright deluded were out in force across the globe on a day of mass attempts to break world records.
A wealth of weird and wacky attempts were scheduled which involved kissing cobras, pulling buses with ears, firewalking, bathing with rattlesnakes, tying bras together and samurai sword assaults on apples.
World Records day sees snakes, swords and strong ears

10 Simple, Sure-fire Ways to Make Today Your Best Day Ever

This morning as I took my kids to school, I was feeling rushed and harried. Stress levels high, my face wore a permanent frown, my mind was in a million different places, and my two youngest kids (3 year old, and 20 months) were quiet in their car seats.
Then I realized: while my mind is elsewhere, I’m missing some prime moments with my kids. And not really enjoying my day.
And so I changed the moment, and in doing so changed my day.
10 Simple, Sure-fire Ways to Make Today Your Best Day Ever

The 7 deadly sins of instant messaging

I heart instant messaging, but I heart it too much. If you’re a chat addict like me, you understand the lure. It’s convenient, connecting you to faraway buddies with little cost. It’s safe, releasing you from the worry of looking pretty or sounding sexy. And its deliciously fun. How can you not love video effects, screensharing, and presentation-hosting in Leopard’s iChat?
Despite the benefits, instant messaging can turn you into a mindless chat drone. Too much chatting replaces real interactions and, soon, people turn into pixels.
The 7 deadly sins of instant messaging

Deaths, Australia, 2006

This publication brings together statistics on deaths and mortality in Australia. In the main, statistics refer to deaths registered during the calendar year shown, unless stated otherwise. Populations used in the calculation of rates for 2006 are preliminary estimated resident population by age and sex at 30 June 2006. State/territory relates to the state/territory of usual residence of the deceased at the time of death, unless stated otherwise.
Deaths, Australia, 2006

Household Wealth and Wealth Distribution, Australia, 2005-06

This publication presents a summary of findings about household wealth and wealth distribution in Australia compiled from the 2005-06 Survey of Income and Housing (SIH). The survey collected detailed information about the income, assets, liabilities and household characteristics of persons aged 15 years and over resident in private dwellings throughout Australia. In this publication, net worth is the main measure used to describe wealth.
Household Wealth and Wealth Distribution, Australia, 2005-06

How to Construct a Killer Resume, From Start to Finish

Go through the entire process of creating a strong resume, step by step.
How to Construct a Killer Resume, From Start to Finish

25 Moving Movie Moments for Men

Real men don't cry, right? Heck, they don't show any emotion at all. The average guy is a rock steady super-human, who, in the infamous words of Dennis Leary, is a "suburbanized slob" who likes "football and porno and books about war." Indeed.
25 Moving Movie Moments for Men

Looking for a way to be happier AND smarter? Try idle chit-chat.

One of the key points about happiness is that having strong social bonds is a critical – probably THE critical – element of a happy life.
Over and over, studies show that relationships with other people make us happy. The more friends we have, the more likely we are to be happy. Even short interactions with other people boost mood—and this is true, surprisingly, even for introverts. It's really important to work on your connections with other people.
The Happiness Project: Looking for a way to be happier AND smarter? Try idle chit-chat

Track New Albums by RSS with Music-Alerts

Find yourself constantly sifting through "new music" and "artist alert" emails from certain unnamed online music retailers? New website Music-Alerts helps you keep tabs just on your favorite artists' new releases through a custom RSS feed.
Track New Albums by RSS with Music-Alerts

40+ Excellent Freefonts For Professional Design

The importance of typography in design can’t be overestimated. The accuracy, precision and balance of geometric forms can give letters the elegance and sharpness they deserve. Besides, elegant fonts can help to convey the message in a more convenient way.
40+ Excellent Freefonts For Professional Design

How Do "Miss Steaks" Go Unnoticed? It's Along Story

Last week’s column focused on the havoc that automated spellcheckers can wreak when a suggested “correction” turns out to be utterly wrong. More often, though, people who over-rely on spellcheckers can run into trouble when a misspelling is actually a legitimate word and therefore isn’t flagged as an error. There’s a well-circulated bit of verse (with variations going back to 1992) poking fun at people’s tendency to ignore mistakes that spellcheckers miss:
How Do "Miss Steaks" Go Unnoticed? It's Along Story

Causes of Death Are Linked to a Person’s Weight

About two years ago, a group of federal researchers reported that overweight people have a lower death rate than people who are normal weight, underweight or obese. Now, investigating further, they found out which diseases are more likely to lead to death in each weight group.
Causes of Death Are Linked to a Person’s Weight

A Troubled Marriage Between A Skeptic and an Ascetic, or, The Oddest English Spellings

Confusing as English spelling may be, it has one well-publicized, even if questionable, merit: it tells us something about the history of the language. For example, sea and see were indeed pronounced differently in the past. This fact is of no importance to a modern speaker of English but can be put to use in a course “Spelling as Archeology.” In other cases, modern spelling only puzzles and irritates.
A Troubled Marriage Between A Skeptic and an Ascetic, or, The Oddest English Spellings

Meditation for Beginners: 20 Practical Tips for Quieting the Mind

Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness.
Meditation for Beginners: 20 Practical Tips for Quieting the Mind

House Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities, Sep 2007

House prices rose this quarter in Melbourne (+6.7%), Adelaide (+5.1%), Darwin (+5.1%), Brisbane (+4.0%), Hobart (+3.9%), Canberra (+3.9%), Sydney (+1.5%) and Perth (+1.1%).
House Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities, Sep 2007

How To: Back Up A Trailer

If you've ever tried to back up a trailer, you know how insanely difficult it can be. Popular Mechanics has a quick how-to that should make this process less crazymaking.
How To: Back Up A Trailer

Curing Insomnia Without the Pills

Better sleep doesn’t have to come in a pill.
For people with chronic insomnia, studies show that simple behavioral and psychological treatments work just as well, and sometimes better, than popular medications, according to a report in The Journal of Family Practice.
Curing Insomnia Without the Pills

How to Really Maximize Your Credit Card Rewards

Credit card reward cards are extremely popular but odds are you aren't getting the most out of yours. In fact, poor execution or poor planning can actually result in your credit or account balance being negatively impacted by the use of these cards.
How to Really Maximize Your Credit Card Rewards

Why it can be selfless to be selfish, or, how you can be generous by TAKING.

The pleasure of giving—giving help, giving advice, giving a recommendation, satisfying a desire—is one of the most exquisite pleasures imaginable. But to experience this pleasure, someone must accept your gift. Or, perhaps, even ask for it. And so sometimes, you must be the selfish one, asking and accepting.
Why it can be selfless to be selfish, or, how you can be generous by TAKING.

Die and you're under arrest!

Queen Elizabeth II's speech in the British Parliament overnight may have been routine, but at least nobody got bored to death. That would have been against the law.
Dying in Parliament is an offence and is also by far the most absurd law in Britain, according to a survey of nearly 4,000 people by a television channel showing a legal drama series.
Die and you're under arrest! Britain's stupidest laws revealed

80+ File Conversion Services And Tools

Converting files from one to another format can be a complex task, especially because not many users have the necessary tools handy. Here’s our collection of online conversion services as well as offline desktop tools which provide an easy way to convert files of various types and formats ranging from images, video to audio.
80+ File Conversion Services And Tools

Car Maintenance Schedules

Car maintenance schedules, car recalls, and car dealership marketing and appointment scheduling software.
ServiceBeacon.com

Secrets of Long Life

Newsflash! Scientists have discovered the secret to living literally hundreds of years. The key ingredients? A sedentary lifestyle, slightly chilly climate, friendly neighbors, close proximity to the sea...
Secrets of Long Life

Weird and wonderful Foreign Phrases

English is a rich and wonderful language - but sometimes it's just not good enough.
For example, have you ever searched around in vain for a word to describe someone who gets excited by eating garlic?
Or wondered why there isn't a nice pithy term for a person who is only attractive if they're standing quite far away?
Weird and wondrful foreign phrases

Resolve Conflict Quickly with The Four Agreements

I dread conflict. In fact, when I know a confrontation is imminent, it’s all I can think about. I mull it over when I could be labeling file folders, I ponder it while my inbox burgeons, while my 3x5 cards gather dust. Conflict is my productivity disaster.
Resolve Conflict Quickly with The Four Agreements

1960's Polaroid Pictures of Signs

1960's Polaroid Pictures of Signs

Productive Arguing

These tips from Relationship psychotherapist Paula Hall can help stop your arguments becoming destructive and painful.
BBC - Relationships - Couples - Productive Arguing

Disable Windows Defender in Vista

Even if Windows Defender is offered for free and it has decent protection features, some people might prefer other applications to secure their system from spyware and other threats. In this case there is no point in having two similar applications running at the same time, both of them consuming system resources. This is why disabling Windows Defender can be a good idea.
Disable Windows Defender in Vista

25 Photographs Taken at the Exact Right Time

Timing is everything, particularly in the case of amazing photography. Sometimes that means waiting through a whole sports game and getting lucky to catch just the right shot. Other times than means trudging through nature for weeks to get the perfect environmental photograph. Here are 25 examples of perfectly timed images from around the world and in various genres.
25 Photographs Taken at the Exact Right Time

11 Phenomenal Images of Earth

11 incredible photos taken from space which illustrate just a few of earth’s fascinating geographical features and nature’s frightening unpredictability.
11 phenomenal images of earth

How to convert your vinyl into mp3s

Playing vinyl may be a long-dead activity in most homes, but we’re willing to bet that you’ve at least a few classic records tucked away in the loft.
Whether you’ve got a working turntable or not, in this brave new world of digital music collections and wireless streamers it’s just too much hassle to get everything out of storage and slide those unwieldy records from their paper sleeves.
How to convert your vinyl into mp3s

When Spellcheckers Attack: Perils of the Cupertino Effect

Dictionaries, for all their virtues, can sometimes be troublemakers. Ever since the dawn of word processing, dictionaries have been mined to create wordlists for automated spellcheckers.
When Spellcheckers Attack: Perils of the Cupertino Effect

Ways to Minimize The Effects of a Hangover

Why Do You Have A Hangover?
Headaches, Irritability, Stomach pains, Nausea, Vomit are well known symptoms of those who are accustomed to alcohol. The following hypotheses have been given to explain the symptoms of a hangover...
Ways to Minimize The Effects of a Hangover

Extremely Flexible Woman

Yup, seeing is believing!
Extremely Flexible Woman

Five Simple Hacks to Get Your Email Inbox to Empty

You’ve probably read a few articles on how to get your email inbox to empty (if not, read David Allen, Merlin Mann, or even a couple articles by me). Clearing your inbox and keeping it clear is just a tremendous boost to your psyche and sanity, if not your productivity.
Five Simple Hacks to Get Your Email Inbox to Empty

Top 10 Free Video Rippers, Encoders, and Converters

So many video file formats, so many handheld video players, so many online video sites, and so little time. To have your favorite clips how you want them—whether that's on your DVR, iPod, PSP or desktop—you need the right utility to convert 'em into the format that works for you. Commercial video converter software's aplenty, but there are several solid free utilities that can convert your video files on every operating system, or if you've just got a web browser and a quick clip. Put DVDs on your iPod, YouTube videos on DVD, or convert any video file with today's top 10 free video rippers, encoders and converters.
Top 10 Free Video Rippers, Encoders, and Converters

Monthly Gleanings : OUPblog

The death of the adverb. One of our correspondents notes that students in creative writing tend to put adverbs at the beginning of the sentence, as in “Happily, she met her boyfriend at the mall.” The adverb, nearly wiped out by morphology in American English, is doing “just fine” in syntax. For instance, the authors of scholarly publications love the word undoubtedly; they use it when arguments are weak and doubt exists. Obviously, certainly, and definitely serve the same purpose. Actually has become the bane of our life.
Monthly Gleanings : OUPblog

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)