Vacuuming the Lungs

How to breathe deeply when you're nervous.
Vacuuming the Lungs

BBC - Human Body and Mind - Sleep

Whether you have trouble sleeping or not, take the Sleep Profiler and get tailored advice on how best to optimise your sleep.
BBC - Human Body and Mind - Sleep

Nice lllusion

This picture is not animated!
Nice lllusion

What Kind of Memory Does My Computer Have Installed?

If you are looking to upgrade the memory in your computer, you are probably wondering how many open slots you have, what type of memory is already installed, and what you need to buy for an upgrade… without having to open your computer.
Since you shouldn't have to open up the computer just to figure out what you have installed, here's a couple of options for detecting the type of memory already installed in your system.
What Kind of Memory Does My Computer Have Installed?

10 Google Video Documentaries You Have To Watch

NicheGeek.com posted a list of top 10 documentaries hosted on Google Video.
10 Google Video Documentaries You Have To Watch

10 Benefits of Power Napping, and How to Do It

College students and kindergartens love them. Now, there may be proof that catching a few zzz’s in the afternoon can be beneficial to your health.
Researchers have found in recent years that the human body requires only as much sleep as the brain will allow it. In other words, so long as the brain is functioning at full capacity, there’s no great requirement for sleep.
10 Benefits of Power Napping, and How to Do It

Top 10 Freeware Software Nobody Knows About - But Should

It’s always a shame when a great program is not heard about by most people - especially when it’s free. Here are the top 10 freeware software that many people still haven’t tried, but definitely should.
Top 10 Freeware Software Nobody Knows About - But Should

Does Exercise Really Make Us Thinner?

Why most of us believe that exercise makes us thinner—and why we're wrong.
Does Exercise Really Make Us Thinner?

jZip - a free alternative to WinZip

The new free jZip.
Create, extract and manipulate Zip, RAR, TAR, GZip, 7-Zip and other file archives.
jZip is absolutely FREE for everybody, home and enterprise users.
jZip is an easy to use and fast archiving software.
jZip is based on proven 7-Zip technology by Igor Pavlov.
jZip - a free alternative to WinZip

Graphics Goodies for MS Excel–Seven Top Tips

Many computer users reach for Microsoft Excel to do much more than just standard spreadsheets. Many people reach for it as their preferred way to produce charts and graphics, or do graphical prototyping. Here are some useful ways to do Excel graphics and charts more efficiently, and make them look better.
Graphics Goodies for MS Excel–Seven Top Tips

50 Green Tips for Earth Day and Beyond

It doesn't have to be Earth Day for me to think about how I can make an impact (or less of an impact) on our planet. Here are a few of my favorite tips.
50 Green Tips for Earth Day and Beyond

101 Zen Stories

101 Zen Stories

Clever Uses For Dental Floss

I had forgotten that a woman I know used dental floss this past May to expertly cut a white sheet cake into 60 slices. Not that you'll be traveling with huge sheet cake, but it's good to know that if you were, and if you had dental floss, you'd have a way to wow the crowd.
Clever Uses For Dental Floss

Outback Race to Flush out Fastest Dunny

The world's eyes, and noses, are on the outback central western Queensland town of Winton today for the Australian Dunny Derby.
Outback race to flush out fastest dunny

Don't Forget: Drink a Beer—Or Two—Daily!

You may be hard-pressed to recall events after a night of binge drinking, but a new report suggests that low to moderate alcohol consumption may actually enhance memory.
Don't Forget: Drink a Beer—Or Two—Daily

Fruits, Veggies Won't Lower Colon Cancer Risk

Although eating lots of fruits and vegetables is good for your health, doing so will not reduce your risk for colon cancer, a Canadian study finds.
But fruits and veggies can still help ward off heart diseases and other cancers, one expert says.
Fruits, Veggies Won't Lower Colon Cancer Risk

How to Accept Criticism with Grace and Appreciation

How do you deal with criticism? I think the first reaction for most of us is to defend ourselves, or worse yet to lash back.
And yet, while criticism can be taken as hurtful and demoralizing, it can also be viewed in a positive way: it is honesty, and it can spur us to do better. It’s an opportunity to improve.
How to Accept Criticism with Grace and Appreciation

Coin Stacking Pictures

The following is the basic pattern for building cantilevered structures with Pennies. Although it looks trivial, we can build amazing structures with these pillars. All penny columns are ten high, a "stack". Two side-by-side pennies held in place by a penny above them is called a "triad". Below is a stack with two triads resting on top.
Coin Stacking Pictures

Ten Timeless Persuasive Writing Techniques

Want to convince your readers to do something or agree with your point of view?
OK, that was a silly question. Of course you do.
Ten Timeless Persuasive Writing Techniques

30 Fundamentals of a Wonderful Life

Here are 30 fundamentals of a wonderful life. Yes -I’m sure there are more, but if you can manage to get each of these under control you will have a strong foundation upon which to build a wonderful life.
30 Fundamentals of a Wonderful Life

Jaxtr Doubles to Two Million Users in 30 Days

It was exactly one month ago that we reported that Jaxtr had reached one million users. Today, the company that offers widgets that let people call you from your social networking profiles is announcing they have surpassed the two million user mark.
Jaxtr Doubles to Two Million Users in 30 Days

Searching For Music and Personalizing Those Results

If you're into music you might want to take a look at Pandora. Pandora allows you to list the songs and artists you like. Then, makes suggestions about songs and groups that you might also like to listen to. Then listen on the web.
Where does the information (metadata) originate to find similarities in the music so suggestions can be made?
Humans.
Searching For Music and Personalizing Those Results

The Lowly Hyphen: Reports of Its Death are Greatly Exaggerated

When a new edition of a dictionary is published, you never know what people are going to pick up on as noteworthy. Last week, when the sixth edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary was officially launched, much of the surrounding publicity had to do with the all the brand-new material: the 2,500 new words and phrases and 1,300 new illustrative quotes. But what’s gotten just as much attention is something that’s missing. The hyphen.
The Lowly Hyphen: Reports of Its Death are Greatly Exaggerated

A Year of Following All the Rules in the Bible

The guy who wrote The Know-It-All, a book about reading the entire Encyclopedia, recently spent a year trying to follow all 700 plus rules he found in the Bible. These rules ranged from the obvious Ten Commandments to the more obscure details of Old Testament laws, which ultra orthodox Jews might follow: leaving side hair uncut, dwelling in huts on certain holidays, strict dietary routines.
A Year of Following All the Rules in the Bible

10 Things You Can Do Today to Simplify Your Life

Simplifying can sometimes be overwhelming. The amount of stuff you have in your life and the amount of things you have to do can be too big a mountain to tackle.
But you don’t have to simplify it all at once. Do one thing at a time, and take small steps. You’ll get there, and have fun doing it.
10 Things You Can Do Today to Simplify Your Life

Quick Tip: Change the Registered Owner in Windows

If you've ever wondered how to change the name of the person that Windows is registered to, this is the quick tip for you. It's not all that useful, but it might come in handy if you got a computer from somebody else.
Quick Tip: Change the Registered Owner in Windows

World Freedom Atlas

The world freedom atlas is a geovisualization tool for world statistics.
World Freedom Atlas

Microsoft Excel : Calculation Issue Update

Yesterday we were alerted to an issue in Excel 2007 (and Excel Services 2007) involving calculation of numbers around 65,535. The Excel team would like to provide a description of the issue and explain what we're doing about it.
Microsoft Excel : Calculation Issue Update

Think you know who's calling? Don't be so sure

When your phone rings and the caller's number or name pops up on the screen, don't assume that it's really their phone calling you. You could be being tricked.
Think you know who's calling? Don't be so sure

Watch For Ice!!!

Watch For Ice!!!

Australian Culture and Recreation News, Sep 2007

Culture and Recreation News is the half-yearly newsletter of the National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics (NCCRS). The newsletter highlights developments in arts and cultural heritage, and sports and recreation statistics, and provides relevant information for researchers, policy makers, service providers and others with an interest in this field.
Culture and Recreation News, Sep 2007

At last! Your real DVT risk

Researchers say they have finally nailed down the absolute risk of getting a blood clot from a long-haul flight: 1 in 4656.
At last! Your real DVT risk

Experienced Spiders pick smaller Mates

From post-coital cannibalism to love at first sight, the sex life of the African jumping spider is full of surprises, according to a new study.
Experienced spiders pick smaller mates

Excel 2007 Multiplication Bug

The example that first came to light is =850*77.1 — which gives a result of 100,000 instead of the correct 65,535. It seems that any formula that should evaluate to 65,535 will act strangely.
Excel 2007 Multiplication Bug

More on the necessity of antivirus software

Steve Riley on Security
A few days ago, I wrote a brief post about my non-use of antivirus software on my own computers. A number of people have asked me privately if I am recommending such a stance to other individuals or to organizations. Let me be perfectly clear: absolutely not. For the vast majority of folks, the four important steps to protect your PC still hold.
More on the necessity of antivirus software

Why You Should Mouse with the Other Hand

By switching the side of your mouse-pad you will force yourself to use your non-dominant hand. This, in turn, will stimulate the neural connections between the right and left hemispheres on your brain. Scientific research confirmed that people that use both hands equally have 10% more nerve fibers joining the two sides of the brain.
Why You Should Mouse with the Other Hand

How to stop a headache before it starts

8 drug-free tips to avoid agony and painproof your day.
How to stop a headache before it starts

The Magic Trick

It`s just unbelievable.
The Magic Trick

“Simpsons” Scenes and their Reference Movies

Here’s something for you film buffs who are also Simpsons buffs: 66 stills from various episodes of The Simpsons, each one beside the still from the movie scene to which they refer.
“Simpsons” Scenes and their Reference Movies

Parallel Universes Exist

Parallel universes really do exist, according to a mathematical discovery by Oxford scientists described by one expert as "one of the most important developments in the history of science".
Parallel universes exist

Forbidden Words: What Employees Can and Cannot Say to Customers

Rude store employees? This Chinese clothing store solved the problem by putting up a poster of what their workers can and cannot say to customers!
What Employees Can and Cannot Say to Customers

Sci-Doku Puzzle

SCI-DOKU is a sudoku puzzle that uses letters instead of numbers, with an added twist: a science-related clue accompanies each puzzle and the answer is spelled out in one row or column of the puzzle.
Sci-Doku Puzzle

Fight for the Top of the World

The Arctic has never been immune from politics; during the Cold War, U.S. and Soviet submarines navigated its frigid waters. But now that global warming has rendered the Arctic more accessible than ever — and yet at the same time more fragile — a new frenzy has broken out for control of the trade routes at the top of the world and the riches that nations hope and believe may lie beneath the ice. Just as 150 years ago, when Russia and Britain fought for control of central Asia, it is tempting to think that — not on the steppe or dusty mountains but in the icy wastes of the frozen north — a new Great Game is afoot.
Fight for the Top of the World

Australian Largest Population increase ever

Australia recorded its largest annual population increase ever, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Australia grew by an estimated 307,100 people for the year ended March 2007, the largest increase since record keeping began in 1789. The increase gave Australia an annual growth rate of 1.5% (the highest rate since 1990), and brings the population to an estimated 20.9 million.
Australian Largest Population increase ever

Nice job!

Hmmm...Nice job!

7 Amazing Holes

Looking at these photos is both scary and fascinating. The sheer scale of these holes reminds you of just how tiny you are.
7 Amazing Holes

List of Misquotations

Consists of things that many people think are correct quotes but are actually incorrect. Does not include quotes that were actually blunders by the people that said them.
List of Misquotations

The Right Angle

Sometimes, it doesn't matter what equipment you have or how much experience you've got. Sometimes, you just have to be at the right place at just the right angle.
The Right Angle

The Bug Bible

Did you know that around two million Australian's are affected by foodborne illness every year? Illnesses such as food poisoning are becoming more common as our lifestyles change - for one thing, we eat out more. However, it is still estimated that 20% of cases of foodborne illness are a result of meals eaten at home!
The Bug Bible

Food Shopping

Follow the advice below to make sure you not only have a well-stocked pantry for healthful eating, but are buying the right products at the right time in the right way. You’ll notice, by the way, that many of the tips below have you looking at a food product’s nutrition label and ingredients list for information. If you haven’t become expert at this, time to study up.
Food Shopping

Web 'censorship' bill brings police state one stop closer

Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) has slammed moves to give the Federal Police powers to ban access to certain Internet content as "another step in Australia's descent into a police state".
Web 'censorship' bill brings police state one stop closer

5 nutritious habits of the planet's healthiest countries

If you've vacationed in an international destination, you know that learning about its food is one of the best ways to become familiar with a new culture. But lately, there is a greater interest in global cuisine because of health benefits attributed to certain styles of eating.
5 nutritious habits of the planet's healthiest countries

Japanese Vending Machines

PhotoMann has a large 'collection' of images of unique vending machines found around Japan. Over 50 of them can be seen here. The machines are everywhere.
Japanese Vending Machines

Is Your Computer Connecting To Websites Without Your Knowledge

If you are worried that some programs on your PC are secretly making connections to websites in the background, here's a quick tip that uses a simple DOS command to detect and prevent such suspicious activity.
Is Your Computer Connecting To Websites Without Your Knowledge

Do Martians live in Caves?

The NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor orbital probes have found entrances to seven probable caves (nicknamed “Seven Sisters”) located on the slope of the Martian volcano Arsia Mons.
Do Martians live in caves?

Is Australia the New China?

Several privacy advocates are in an uproar in response to a bill introduced by Australia’s Parliament, which would grant the country’s federal police the power to control which sites can be accessed by users of the Internet.
Is Australia the New China?

4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit

The Main Problems
So why do most people have trouble making exercise a regular habit? Well, there are probably a number of factors, but here are the main ones as I see it.
4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit

Real-Time Collection: Flight Tracking with Flight Explorer

As we continue to build our collection of real-time or near real-time data resources on the Internet, we’re adding another service that offers near real-time tracking of aircraft either in or arriving, departing U.S. airspace.
Real-Time Collection: Flight Tracking with Flight Explorer

Testing the People Search Engines

Somehow, a bunch of companies seem to have decided that “searching for people” is one of the great unsolved problems of the Internet. I admit that I do end up searching for information on people now and then, but Google has generally done pretty well for me. Still, Spock, SquidWho, WhoZat?, and Wink are all pitching the notion that they can supply some secret sauce that Google is missing in the people search arena.
Testing the People Search Engines

My Word Mate

"MyWordMate.com" is a project that aims to find as many synonyms as possible for different words.
My Word Mate

SMILEY:25 YEARS OLD AND NEVER LOOKED HAPPIER!

By Scott Fahlman
A lot of people have asked me about this. Yes, I am the inventor of the sideways “smiley face” (sometimes called an “emoticon”) that is commonly used in E-mail, chat, and newsgroup posts. Or at least I’m one of the inventors.
SMILEY:25 YEARS OLD AND NEVER LOOKED HAPPIER!

Laptop or Desktop Computer? - Lifehacker

Blogger Ron Schenone insists that the desktop computer is no longer needed to run heavy software, since laptops are nearly if not just as capable as most desktops on the market. Add to that the portability, small footprint and dramatic price drops for good laptops, and Schenone wonders why any normal user should buy a full desktop computer. So what I'd like to know is: 1) What are you using right now? and 2) Which would you purchase right now?
Laptop or Desktop Computer? - Lifehacker

Armless Artist Questioned In Neighbour's Death

Relatives of Charles Keith Teer, 47, claim he died after the armless man, William Russell Redfren, head-butted and kicked Teer during a fight.
Armless Artist Questioned In Neighbour's Death

10 Technologies That Will Change The World

ABCNews asked weekly columnists Jonathan Blum and Dan Evans to tell us about 10 technologies they believe will change the world. This is what they said.
10 Technologies That Will Change The World

Art of Writing - Writing Tips

As the world becomes increasingly digital, writing becomes more important. This is especially true for non-writers. If you work in an office, the majority of your communications are made with text by email or IM.
Art of Writing - Writing Tips

Oomphy Wordsmithery of the Anglosphere

Today’s an exciting day for OUP, as we launch the sixth edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. If this were a birth announcement, we’d have to give the vitals: Oxford University Press joyfully announces the arrival of twin volumes, weighing a total of 13.6 pounds (6.2 kilograms), with 3,800 pages, 6 million words of text, more than half a million definitions, and 84,000 illustrative quotations.
New Entries in the Shorter OED

Corrective Services, Australia, June 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. Details are provided for each state and territory on: prisoner numbers and imprisonment rates by type of custody (i.e. open or secure custody or periodic detention); prisoner numbers by legal status (sentenced or unsentenced) for all prisoners and for Indigenous prisoners; the number of sentenced receptions into custody; the number of federal prisoners; and the numbers and rates of persons serving community-based corrections orders. Experimental data on the Indigenous status of persons in community-based corrections are also included in the Appendix.
Corrective Services, Australia, June 2007

2007 Australian Federal Election

Follow Australian politics with our map, videos, gadgets & more.
2007 Australian Federal Election

Malacca Strait Pirates

Modern pirates have long plagued Southeast Asia’s Strait of Malacca, robbing sailors, kidnapping crews, and stealing entire ships.
Malacca Strait Pirates - Photo Gallery - National Geographic Magazine

Skull-A-Day: FREE Skull Font!

Skullphabet free font TrueType (for PC) and Opentype (for MAC).
FREE Skull Font!

WOMEN vs. MEN

Punctuation is powerful!
WOMEN VS. MEN

The Steepest Streets in the World

A selection of some of the steepest streets on earth. To explain the grade percentage: as an example, a road with a 30% grade would rise 30 feet in height for every 100 feet travelled horizontally.
the steepest streets in the world

East or West...

All over the world when people decide to name cardinal points, they look at the sky. Terms used for orientation should therefore be immediately transparent: we expect them to mean “toward sunrise,” “toward sunset,” “related to a certain constellation,” “in the direction of a certain wind,” and so forth. And indeed, Latin oriens “east” is akin to oriri “to rise,” while occidens “west” is a cognate of occidere “to fall down.”
East or West...

Do You Recognize These 10 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking?

Whether you’re trying to solve a tough problem, start a business, get attention for that business or write an interesting article, creative thinking is crucial. The process boils down to changing your perspective and seeing things differently than you currently do.
Do You Recognize These 10 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking?

Stop: Don’t Send That Angry E-mail!

Over the course of my career, I have fired off my share of angry letters and e-mail. However, I cannot think of a single time when these communiques had a positive effect. Usually, they only served to escalate the conflict and alienate the recipient.
Stop: Don’t Send That Angry E-mail!

Home Inspection Nightmares

The best of the worst home inspection discoveries, courtesy of the ASHI Reporter.
Home Inspection Nightmares

10 Easy Arithmetic Tricks

Math can be terrifying for many people. This list will hopefully improve your general knowledge of mathematical tricks and your speed when you need to do math in your head.
10 Easy Arithmetic Tricks

How to Crack a "Master Lock" Combination Lock

If you’ve forgotten the combination to a Master Lock combination lock, you have a few options. If the lock isn’t locked onto anything, you can make a photocopy of the serial number and send that into Master Lock for the combination. If, however, your lock is attached to something, you can break the lock, call a locksmith, use a shim, or figure out the combination. Of these options, only the last will leave you with a usable lock without emptying your wallet.
How to Crack a "Master Lock" Combination Lock

Number of Lefties Bounces Back

Lefties have been bouncing back in recent decades, following a decline in the beginning of the 20th century, a new study shows.
Number of Lefties Bounces Back

IBM offers free Office Suite

IBM has revived the Lotus Symphony brand, applying it this time to its OpenOffice-derived word processor, spreadsheet and presentation programs.
IBM offers free office suite

Top 10 Ways to Fire the Client From Hell

Clients are the lifeblood of any business. Without them, your venture simply doesn't exist. On the other hand, some clients are so bad that your business, not to mention your personal sanity, is better off without them. So what do you do when you have a client that pushes you to the brink? You fire them! Here's how to give 10 of the worst offenders the pink slip without burning bridges.
Top 10 Ways to Fire the Client From Hell

60+ Free Password Managers and Form Fillers

If you’re an active internet user with accounts on dozens of websites, chances are you already have dozens of user IDs and passwords to remember. An identity system like OpenID may eventually solve all your problems, but until that time you can make use of various tools to save your passwords and automatically fill out forms.
60+ Free Password Managers and Form Fillers

Cancer-Proof Your Body

Recent research reveals 8 stealth strategies to keep the killer at bay. It's time to raise your carcinogen shields -- and your overall health -- using these smart anti-C moves.
Cancer-Proof Your Body

Winamp Goes Where iTunes Doesn't Dare

Winamp 5.5 (Beta) sports two new and potentially controversial features: support for mp3 blogs and the ability to stream your music collection over the Internet.

read more | digg story

5 Essential Things To Do In Space

Since Sputnik, planetary exploration has gone through several waxing and waning phases. The 1980s, for instance, might as well have been the dark side of the moon. The present looks brighter: dozens of probes from the world’s space programs have fanned out across the solar system, from Mercury to Pluto. But budget cuts, cost overruns and inconsistency of purpose have cast long shadows over NASA. At the very least the agency is going through its most unsettled period of transition since Nixon shot down the Apollo moon missions 35 years ago.
Are the world’s planetary exploration programs are on track? The list of goals that follows synthesizes their priorities.
5 Essential Things To Do In Space

The Hormone That Helps You Read Minds

We've long accepted that hormones can make you amorous, aggressive, or erratic. But lately neuroscience has been abuzz with evidence that the hormone oxytocin -- which also acts as a neuromodulator -- can enhance at least one cognitive power: the ability to understand the gist of what others are thinking.
The hormone that helps you read minds

Smelly Boyfriend? That's your Genes Talking

When it comes to a man's body odour, the fragrance or stench is in the nose of the beholder, according to US researchers.
Smelly boyfriend? That's your genes talking

The Ultimate Resource Guide for Commuting by Bicycle

With the rise of oil prices and the growing ‘green’ movement, people everywhere are evaluating commuting to work by bicycle.
The Ultimate Resource Guide for Commuting by Bicycle

How to Sleep On a Plane

Step 1: Book the right seat.
Read on....
How to Sleep On a Plane

Useful Items You Never Knew You Could Print Out

The definitive ultimate guide. Enjoy!
Useful Items You Never Knew You Could Print Out

Get Out Stains with These Homemade Stain Removers

Stains. What I hate more than stains is paying $5 for a stain remover that never seems to do what it says on the box. "Surely there are better products I can make at home, using things I already have"?
Get Out Stains with These Homemade Stain Removers

Quick Cleaning Solutions for Every Room

What to do around the house if you have 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, or half a day to clean.
Quick Cleaning Solutions for Every Room

Recreational Exercise and Pregnancy

A leaflet explaining the risks and benefits of recreational exercise, what to avoid and when to stop (during pregnancy and immediately after the birth).
Recreational Exercise and Pregnancy

Tallest Building in the World

Dubai skyscraper reaches 555 metres; eclipsing Canada’s CN Tower
Tallest Building in the World

Advice for Students: Taking Notes that Work

Note-taking is one of those skills that rarely gets taught. Teachers and professors assume either that taking good notes comes naturally or that someone else must have already taught students how to take notes. Then we sit around and complain that our students don’t know how to take notes.
Advice for Students: Taking Notes that Work

7 Ingenious Don't Drive Drunk Ads

Here are some of the most eye-catching ways advertisers are highlighting the dangers of alcohol, alcohol awareness and drunk driving awareness in recent ad programs.
Stop Your Boozing - 7 Ingenious Don't Drive Drunk Ads

World's Worst Polluted Places 2007

From environmental health organization "Blacksmith". Worst is Sumgayit, Azerbaijan, followed by Linfen, China; Tianying, China; Sukinda, India; Vapi, India; La Oroya, Peru; Dzerzhinsk, Russia; Norilsk, Russia; Chernobyl, Ukraine; Kabwe, Zambia.
World's Worst Polluted Places 2007

Underwater Lost Cities: 7 Submerged Urban Wonders of the World

A wealth of human history lies submerged in ancient cities at the bottoms of lakes, seas and oceans of the world. Some of these were sent into the water via earthquakes, tsunamis or other disasters thousands of years ago.
Underwater Lost Cities: 7 Submerged Urban Wonders of the World

Clouds that look like UFOs

Lenticular clouds.
Clouds that look like UFOs

Missing van Gogh Discovered

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, have discovered a painting by Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) underneath the artist’s painting Ravine, owned by the MFA.
Missing van Gogh Discovered

Why You Should Write Things Down

This is a reminder.
You probably already know all - or most - of this. But reminders can be useful.
Why You Should Write Things Down

Survival Guide: Online Social Networking

Online social networking provides you with a venue to connect with people whom you already know, grow your relationships and find new people connected to you by a common contact. Effective utilisation of your personal network is no longer a competitive advantage, it is a survival tool.
Survival Guide: Online Social Networking

7 Ways to Make Your Own Good Luck

When Napoleon was asked if he preferred courageous generals or brilliant generals, he replied neither. He preferred lucky generals. So, how do you get lucky?
7 Ways to Make Your Own Good Luck

2007 Australian Federal Election

A federal election is anticipated to be held before the end of the year. You can be sure as the Australian parties get out on the hustings, babies will be kissed, doors knocked and hands vigorously shook -- but this election campaign is already a lot different to others, with digital media playing a new and important role.
Australian voters can have an intimate look at the parties, candidates and election issues, all in one Google location. These services, spanning Search, Maps, News, video, Earth, Trends, and iGoogle, enable voters to organise, find and share Australian election information more easily than ever.
2007 Australian Federal Election

404 Error Pages: Reloaded

40 working examples of user-friendly, creative and outstanding 404 error pages - in a brief overview.
404 Error Pages: Reloaded

Weird & Wonderful Word of the Week

Weird & Wonderful Word of the Week, Slang Word of the Week and other nerdy wordy things!
Weird & Wonderful Word of the Week

Signs Stating the Obvious

Campaigners for the English language have attacked a growing tendency for "obvious" public information posters, such as a police sign urging people: "Don't Commit Crime."
Other examples highlighted by the Plain English Campaign, which fights for the effective use of English, include "Warning: Platform ends here" on the end of rail station platforms, and "May cause drowsiness" on sleeping pills.
Language defenders take aim at signs stating the obvious

Luna 2, first spacecraft to Moon’s surface, launched 48 years ago

On September 13, 1959 (September 12, Moscow time, at 06:39:42 UTC), the Soviet Union’s Luna 2 was launched to the Moon. Thirty-three-and-one-half hours later, it impacted the Moon, the first spacecraft to reach the lunar surface.
Luna 2, first spacecraft to Moon’s surface, launched 48 years ago

Fact or Fiction?: An Opera Singer's Piercing Voice Can Shatter Glass

Can the high C of a trained soprano quiver glass into dissolution?
Fact or Fiction?: An Opera Singer's Piercing Voice Can Shatter Glass

Roundup of Federal Election websites

The Australian's Media section had an interesting roundup of the websites which are springing up to cover (and cash in on) the upcoming federal election. It says that Google is going to launch its own election website tomorrow, replete with "video footage, user-generated content and customised information feeds."
Roundup of Federal Election websites

Rock the Podium

Wired's How to Wiki has some tips for public speaking by blogger, writer and Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow.
Rock the Podium

Russian 'sex day' to boost Births

The governor of Ulyanovsk region in Russia is offering prizes to couples who have babies in exactly nine months - on Russia's national day on 12 June. Sergei Morozov wants couples to take the day off work to have sex. If a baby is born on national day, they will receive cars, TVs or other prizes.
Russian 'sex day' to boost births

GeoHive: Global Statistics

GeoHive is a site with geopolitical data, statistics on the human population, Earth and more. The main kind of data you can find here is population statistics of regions, countries, provinces and cities. Next to that there are some statistics on economic factors like wealth, infrastructure; statistics on natural phenomena.
GeoHive: Global Statistics

Oxford English Dictionary Adds New Words

Two categories:
1) Words in the fully revised range: proter-purposive
2) New words from across the alphabet
Oxford English Dictionary Adds New Words

Endangered Species List is more bad News

More than one in three species assessed by the World Conservation Union is threatened with extinction, according to the group's latest "Red List" of endangered species.
Endangered Species List is more bad News

Viva Las Vegas TV Documentary Promo Video

View the promo video for the' Viva Las Vegas' TV documentary to screen on ABC in the USA on September 18.
Viva Las Vegas TV documentary Promo Video

Terrorist Organization Logos

Terrorist groups, like any organization, need brand identities. With so many groups claiming credit for terrorist acts, and so many videotapes being put out featuring men in ski masks, it’s hard to keep track of which group committed what violent act. So terrorist organizations have logos.
Terrorist Organization Logos

Not a Word

It was an old tradition in encyclopedias to put in a fake entry to protect copyright. So when word leaked out that the second edition of the New Oxford American Dictionary contained a made-up word that starts with the letter “e,” an independent investigator set himself the task of sifting through NOAD’s thirty-one hundred and twenty-eight “e” entries in search of the phony.
Not a Word

Microsoft Office Tips Roundup

Helpful tips to do some of those tricky, pesky things.
Microsoft Office Tips Roundup

The World According to Americans

With all due apologies to my American friends...but is this one of the new maps Miss North Carolina(?) was talking about? This was posted by a kangaroo...

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Beta Whitepaper

This white paper presents an overview of Windows Vista SP1 and the improvements it contains.
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Beta Whitepaper

The World’s Most Shark-Infested Beaches

Planning a vacation?
The World’s Most Shark-Infested Beaches

14 Great Programs You Didn't Even Know You Needed

It's the little things that frustrate. No need to endure the same tiresome annoyances and petty, repetitious tasks because you don't know that something better lies just over the next download. Don't assume that what you have is as good as it gets.
14 Great Programs You Didn't Even Know You Needed

Coping with the Common Cold

These five suggestions are intended to help you cope with the common cold. They will provide some comfort, and they may reduce the lengthy time the common cold usually takes to run its course.
Coping with the Common Cold

Filter By File Type in Windows Explorer with QT ToolBar

Windows only: Freeware application QT ToolBar adds quite a few file manipulation and filtering techniques to Windows Explorer. With QT ToolBar you can enter a specific file extension and select all similar files in bulk.
Filter By File Type in Windows Explorer with QT ToolBar

Polar bears feel heat of climate change

The world's polar bear population could be reduced by two-thirds within 50 years if predictions of melting sea ice hold true, a new report says.
Polar bears feel heat of climate change

Australia impatiently awaits iPhone launch

Apple will not be selling its iPhone in Australia till early 2008 but an increasing number of hacks and cracks, which allow the phone to be used on local networks, have allowed the wealthy few to get their hands on a device that has already become a top seller in the US.
Australia impatiently awaits iPhone launch

Australia's Oldest Printed Document Returns Home

The Canadian Prime Minister has presented the National Library with the oldest surviving document printed in Australia.
Australia's oldest printed document returns home

Where the Grass is Greener

With low crime, little threat from instability or terrorism and a highly developed transport and communications infrastructure, Canada and Australia are home to the most liveable destinations in the world. Four of the ten most liveable cities surveyed by the Economist Intelligence Unit are in Australia, and two of the top five are Canadian. Vancouver is the most attractive destination, with a liveability index of just 1.3% and Melbourne is second at 1.8%.
Where the Grass is Greener

Tennis balls: Little. Yellow. Useful.

Many household items have earned a spot in the ultimate do-it-yourself toolbox: duct tape, vinegar, lemon juice, aluminum foil, wire hangers; but there's one multi-task tool that many people might overlook: the tennis ball.
Tennis balls: Little. Yellow. Useful.

Education News, Sep 2007

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

Ecoregions prioritised for Conservation, in the Arctic

Ecoregions represent large areas with geographically characteristic fauna, flora and climate - both marine and terrestrial. This graphic presents the ecoregion definitions identified by the World Wildlife Fund and associated experts, and specifically those ecoregions that have been designated as priority areas (Global 200 database) for conservation. This means that these ecoregions represent unique biodiversity characteristics, and also that there is a threat from human activities.
Ecoregions prioritised for conservation, in the Arctic

10 Ways Your Resume Irks Hiring Managers

Job seekers do themselves a disservice when they send out resumes with more information than they need. Most employers don't have the time or patience to sift through the irrelevant details. Here are 10 things your resume could do without:
10 Ways Your Resume Irks Hiring Managers

13 Step Method For Buying A Car

It works only if you truly are willing to walk away...and then refuse to bend when they try to put you off or change the terms. Stay civil, do not let any emotion in.
13 Step Method For Buying A Car While Controlling The Sale And The Price

21 Ways to Add More Hours to the Day

A twenty five hour day isn’t coming any time soon. As long as your feet stay planted on the ground here, twenty four is all you’re going to get. However, with a bit of skill you can squeeze out a couple more hours to add to your day. Here’s how:
21 Ways to Add More Hours to the Day

How to Recover from a Fumble at Work

Let’s be honest: we all make the occasional mistake at work. Some of us, more than others.
Some people say things “fell through the cracks” or they “dropped the ball”. Whatever you call it, making a mistake at work is a stressful, frustrating experience. Yes, it happens to all of us from time to time. The important thing to remember is that mistakes can not simply be ignored. They must be dealt with.
How to Recover from a Fumble at Work

Secrets & Features of iTunes 7.4

Coinciding with yesterday’s major product announcement, Apple has now also released its latest version of iTunes. This new version provides the necessary device support for the new iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch, as well as a number of other new features.
Secrets & Features of iTunes 7.4

12 Things to Do with Coca Cola

Coca Cola (the real one) is not only great to drink, it also has many uses around the home.
This list of uses was tested on ordinary, original Coca Cola, not the diet kind, or any of the variations there are available.
12 Things to Do with Coca Cola

Dumb Bank Robber

09-06-2007 Little Rock , Arkansas
Security cam shows a man walking into a bank and handing a note to the teller that said this is a robbery , give me the money. What the robber didn't notice was a Police officer "in uniform" to his left.
Dumb Bank Robber Video

So True...

The Hamburger Method of Constructive Criticism

When offering a critique, you begin with a constructive compliment on something the person does well (Otherwise known as the fluffy bun part). You then get to the meat of the matter, which of course is the constructive criticism part. Finally, you end with another constructive compliment (i.e. the other half of the fluffy bun).
Hamburger Method of Constructive Criticism … Works for Vegetarians Too!

Bush confuses Austria and Australia in latest gaffe

The US president thanked Australian premier John Howard for visiting 'Austrian troops' in Iraq.
Bush confuses Austria and Australia in latest gaffe

Funny typo on Greeting Card Catalog Cover

"Reliability ...always upholding the highest standards for every detal."
Funny typo on greeting card Catalog Cover

Eight Steps to Thriving on Information Overload

“So how do I keep on top of everything that’s happening?” In a world in which the pace of developments and amount of information available in any given domain is soaring out of sight, it’s a very valid question.
Eight steps to thriving on information overload

Power Your Gadgets From An Airplane Headphone Jack

The Inflight USB Power Unit connects directly to the headphone jack found in the armrests of most commercial airplane seats and passes power to your gadgets via a USB connection. It would be convenient as hell to have outlets at every seat instead of headphone jacks, but now you can get the best of both worlds.
Power Your Gadgets From An Airplane Headphone Jack

Aust Bees blamed for missing US Colonies

It has being suggested that Australian bee exports to the United States could have contributed to the disappearance of billions of bees.
Colonies have been vanishing en masse in the US, and a report published in the online edition of the Science magazine says the bees might have been struck by a virus unknowingly imported from Australia.
Aust Bees blamed for missing US Colonies

Dive Into the Wired How To Wiki

The Wired How To Wiki, a collaborative site dedicated to the burgeoning DIY culture. Here you'll find all kinds of projects, hacks, tricks and tips on how to live, work and play better.
Wired How To's

10 Big Lessons from Little Kids

Have you ever watched a child completely engrossed in a project? They have the unusual ability to be serious about what they’re doing without taking it too seriously. You can do the same with your life. You can live every day with more focus, and every week with more motivation.
10 Big Lessons from Little Kids

Science Elements

Science elements is a weekly podcast from the American Chemical Society which covers a wide range of topics such as cholesterol, bitterness in coffee, biofuels, drug delivery, fluorescent sensors and plastics recycling.
Science Elements

20 Tools to Get the Junk Off Your PC

All that crud on your system is slowing it down and, likely as not, producing mysterious problems. Here are some great tools you can use to take out the trash!
20 Tools to Get the Junk Off Your PC

Powerful Ads from Around the World

It appears that some of the most creative and inventive advertising is coming from nonprofits these days. Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign and work towards the international recognition and support of human rights. Take a look at some of their most creative and attention getting advertising campaigns.
Stopping Torture, Murder and Mayhem - Powerful Ads from Around the World

How Much Booze Is Good For You?

Light Drinking Helps Health, But A Little Too Much Is Far Worse Than None.
Light drinking helps heart health. But more than one drink a day for women and more than two daily drinks for men are harmful.
How Much Booze Is Good For You?

Early to Bed, early to Rise: That’s Bad!

According to a Japanese research study, people who regularly awaken before 5 a.m. had an increase in the chance of developing serious medical conditions such as heart attack, high blood pressure/hypertension, and stroke.
iTWire - Early to bed, early to rise: that’s bad!

Industrial Disputes, Australia

Statistics on the number of industrial disputes, workings days lost and employees involved in industrial disputes.
Industrial Disputes, Australia, June 2007

Science of Boomerangs - How to Throw - How to Make

Science of Boomerangs: How to Make & Throw the Aussie Magic. Throwing a boomerang is part science, part magic — and, as Eric Darnell knows, so is making one.
Science of Boomerangs - How to Throw - How to Make

How to Write Faster, Better, and Easier

If you are a writer, you’ve probably wished that you could write faster, better, and easier. This system is about being organized and prepared. This will allow your ideas to flow at their fastest rate.
How to Write Faster, Better, and Easier

Psychological "torture bible" published in 1961 Reappears

If you were to begin researching interrogation, interviewing, and brainwashing techniques, you would eventually notice that one particular interesting-sounding volume appears over and over again in the relevant bibliographies: something called The Manipulation of Human Behavior, published in 1961 [by John Wiley & Sons].
Psychological "torture bible" published in 1961 reappears online

The First Photograph

Long before the first public announcements of photographic processes in 1839, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, a scientifically-minded gentleman living on his country estate near Chalon-sur-Saône, France, began experimenting with photography. Fascinated with the craze for the newly-invented art of lithography which swept over France in 1813, he began his initial experiments by 1816.
The First Photograph

Smashing 1st Anniversary Giveaway

Smashing Magazine has contacted designers and developers and asked them to celebrate their anniversary with them — giving away some software packages, licenses, accounts and credits. What came out of it is 48 presents they are happy to give you for free.
How can I participate?"
Smashing 1st Anniversary Giveaway

The Critical 7 Rules To Understand People

Most people tend to make the same mistakes. These mistakes are frequent enough that they create conflicts later. Remembering these seven rules will help you avoid these mistakes.
The Critical 7 Rules To Understand People

How Fast Does Language Change?

Language changes through variation. Some people say sneaked, others say snuck. The two forms may coexist for a long time, almost forever, or one of them may be considered snobbish, and, once the snobs die out, the form will go to rest with them.
How Fast Does Language Change?

Snapped Before Impact

This is a shot of a yellow plane nose diving into the ground, it was snapped a few microseconds before the impact. Through the window you can see the pilot and co-pilot bracing themselves for the inevitable collision with the ground.
Snapped Before Impact

Google’s 10 Oddest Patents

Google has a number of patents listed at the USPTO that have little to do with search - things like a waterproof cellular telephone case, or a medical instrument that can be “introduced into an animal or human body.”
Google’s 10 Oddest Patents

10 Tech Skills you should develop during the next Five Years

If you want a job where you can train in a particular skill set and then never have to learn anything new, IT isn't the field for you. But if you like to be constantly learning new things and developing new skills, you're in the right business. In the late 80s, NetWare and IPX/SPX administration were the skills to have. Today, it's all about TCP/IP and the Internet.
10 Tech Skills you should develop during the next Five Years

Woman visits her own Heart

Transplant patient Jennifer Sutton paid a visit to an exhibition in London called The Heart today, mainly to check out a particular item on display - her own heart.
Woman visits her own Heart

Password Policies. Once again.

Recently in the newsgroups (news:microsoft.public.security, to be specific) the question of password polices and the out-of-box defaults came up. The poster lamented a number of things: that Microsoft doesn't enable account lockout by default, that they don't have a built-in mechanism for automatically disabling unused accounts, that the 42-day default expiration is troublesome.
Password Policies. Once again.

Traffic lights see into the Future

A traffic system that predicts whether two cars will collide could help motorists avoid crashes, especially at intersections that lack lights or signs.
Traffic lights see into the future

Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, Jul 2007

In trend terms, short-term visitor arrivals to Australia during July 2007 (468,300 movements) decreased 0.5% compared with June 2007 (470,600 movements). Currently, short-term visitor arrivals are 3.0% higher than in July 2006.
Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, Jul 2007

"Storm worm" adds millions of Computers to Botnet

The authors behind a specific strain of malware are trying every trick in the book to get users to succumb to their ill-meaning plans. You name it, they've used it: weather news, personal greetings, reports that Saddam Hussein is still alive, reports that Fidel Castro is dead, sexy women, YouTube, and even blogs. The group seems hellbent on creating the largest botnet to date, and they just might do it.
"Storm worm" adds millions of computers to botnet

How to Learn More and Study Less

Time spent studying does not equal learning.
More studying time won’t help if the way you are studying is flawed to begin with.
How to Learn More and Study Less

From Egg To Chicken… The Cycle of Life…

Two neat articles from Quedat.
From Egg To Chicken… The Cycle of Life…
and
25 of The World’s Most Interesting Animals

Air Show Collision

(Sept. 1) - Two small planes collided during an acrobatic display at an air show in Poland on Saturday, killing both pilots. Photos and Video follow.
Air Show Collision

Longest Word in the Dictionary

“What’s the longest word in the dictionary?”
“It depends on what counts as a ‘word,’ and it depends on the dictionary.” That answer doesn’t satisfy most people, since the follow-up question is typically something like, “No, really, is it antidisestablishmentarianism or supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?”
Longest Word in the Dictionary

Muslim Journeys in Australia

From the Afghan camel drivers who helped open the Australian continent's vast interior, to the Turkish families who answered a call for willing workers in the 1970s, Muslims have contributed much to Australian life. They journeyed to an unfamiliar land, bravely seeking opportunities in a culture inclined to view them with suspicion. Their surprising stories of adventure and adversity can be explored through the rich collections of the National Archives.
Muslim Journeys in Australia

Pussy in the Well?

Jennifer and Jim kept getting huge water bills. They knew beyond a doubt that the bills weren't representative of their actual usage. But no matter how they tried to conserve, the high bills continued. Although they could see nothing wrong, they had everything checked for leaks or problems: first the water meter, then outdoor pipes, indoor pipes, underground pipes, taps, toilets, washing machine and dishwasher - all to no avail.
Pussy in the Well ?

Dumbest Drivers in the World

Think of this like the Darwin Awards of driving!
Dumbest Drivers in the World

DIY: Whiten your Teeth with Strawberries

The secret to this inexpensive home whitening method is malic acid, which acts as an astringent to remove surface discoloration. Combined with baking soda, strawberries become a natural tooth-cleanser, buffing away stains from coffee, red wine, and dark sodas.
DIY: Whiten your Teeth with Strawberries

Digital Collections; Music Australia

Explore the Australian story through captivating pictures, rare historical maps, early Australian sheet music, manuscripts belonging to famous Australians, selected printed works from our Australian and overseas collections, and selected audio recordings of our oral history and folklore items.
National Library of Australia Digital Collections; Music Australia

24 Tips To Becoming An Early Riser

Getting up is crucial to success as an entrepreneur. And better yet: waking up early is really just a habit. You don't need any skill to do it. You just need to wake up consistently to condition your body to the routine. Here are some tips.
24 Tips To Becoming An Early Riser

The Way Of All Flesh

A small cosmetics case picked up at a flea market was found stuffed with photos almost all of which were of the same woman. The bulk of the photos were photobooths and portraits documenting her as she aged over the course of about 50 years or so. The dates where available are underneath each photo. Given the date of the first photo she was probably born in late 1937 or early 1938. The last photo dates from the early 90s so she's somewhere in her early-to-mid 50s there.
The Way Of All Flesh

16 Ways to Get Motivated When You’re in a Slump

Even the most motivated of us can feel unmotivated at times. In fact, sometimes we get into such a slump that even thinking about making positive changes seems too difficult.
But it’s not hopeless: with some small steps, baby ones in fact, you can get started down the road to positive change.
16 Ways to Get Motivated When You’re in a Slump

Top 10 Greatest Hoaxes of all Time

A hoax is an attempt to trick an audience into believing that something false is real. We came up with a selection of the Top 10 Greatest Hoaxes of all time.
Top 10 Greatest Hoaxes of all Time

Earn More Money by Demanding It

The hardest part of negotiating a work contract is the pay. This article is written from a female perspective, but it can apply to men, too.
Earn More Money by Demanding It

How To Ride Your Bike To Work

"If I told you that I was going to give you a magic device that would save you money, save the planet, and, oh yeah, firm up that flab you have been carrying around with you for the last couple of year (all for three easy payments of $19.95!), what would you say? Most people would be pretty stoked, but when I tell people that this magic device is a bicycle, the thrill dies down a little."
How To Ride Your Bike To Work

How to create a secured and locked folder in Windows XP

If you’ve come across this page looking for a way to create a password protected, secure, hidden or locked folder in Windows XP for free, you’ve come to the right place.
How to create a secured and locked folder in Windows XP

The First Virus

What began as a ninth-grade prank, a way to trick already-suspicious friends who had fallen for his earlier practical jokes, has earned Rich Skrenta notoriety as the first person ever to let loose a personal computer virus.
The First Virus

How To Beat Carnival Games

Tips to win a knock-off stuffed animal or dusty mirror next time you're counting mullets at the fair.
How To Beat Carnival Games

I Told You I Was Sick

William H. Hahn, JR. buried in his large family plot, is known for the epitaph on his flat headstone.
I Told You I Was Sick

6 Steps to Lose the Buddha (Belly)

The belly: it’s the first spot to get paunchy and the last place to look sleek. A tight core is the one thing we all want (possibly even more than another new online community).
6 Steps to Lose the Buddha (Belly)

The World's 100 Most Powerful Women

For the second year in a row Angela Merkel, the first woman to become chancellor of Germany, ranks No. 1 on our list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women. She continued to impress the world with her cool leadership.
The World's 100 Most Powerful Women

How to Address An Embarrassing Problem

Unless you're a total hermit, you will eventually be faced with a friend or co-worker who is suffering from an embarrassing problem. Depending on your relationship with the person, it may be difficult to broach the subject.
How to Address An Embarrassing Problem

Google Earth Flight Simulator

Some time last week, Google expanded Google Earth with Google Sky. As fascinating as Google Sky is, that's not the focus of this post. Along with the latest update comes a hidden which is not in the release notes and a search on Google produces no results. Seems Google have done one of their unpublicised updates they're becoming well-known for.
Google Earth Flight Simulator