Wednesday, December 31, 2008

21 Settings, Techniques and Rules All New Camera Owners Should Know

A list of photography tips and techniques that new camera owners might like to work through in the coming weeks. Some are very basic while others go a little deeper - but all have been selected from our archives specifically for beginners and new camera owners. Enjoy.
21 Settings, Techniques and Rules All New Camera Owners Should Know

Can you cure a hangover?

If you've ever dragged yourself into work a little bleary-eyed after a festive night out, you'll have heard people saying "Now what you need is…" followed by some improbable and unpalatable home remedy.
Can you cure a hangover?

How to Clean a Toilet With Coke

Is your toilet full of limescale and other nasty stains and you don't have a chemical toilet cleaner on hand? Or are you looking for less expensive and/or non-toxic cleaning solutions? Don't worry, just reach for the fridge, and grab a Coke!
How to Clean a Toilet With Coke

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Pointless Pursuit of More: When is Enough Enough?

Wants are almost insatiable; that one want satisfied makes way for another. … economically we have a boundless field before us; that there are new wants which will make way endlessly for newer wants, as far as they are satisfied.
The Pointless Pursuit of More: When is Enough Enough?

Everything You Need to Know How to Do in Windows

A review of the most popular Lifehacker Windows tutorials ever published.
Everything You Need to Know How to Do in Windows

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all!

Thanks for stopping by in 2008 and we'll see you again in early 2009. Until then, have a Good One!

Pete

Happy Birthday Earthrise

Forty years ago, the biggest TV audience in history tuned in to watch humankind's first close encounter with another world, as the crew of Apollo 8 reached lunar orbit. Here, the Apollo historian and film-maker Dr Christopher Riley gives his perspective on the mission and how that Christmas Eve of 1968 changed the world.
Happy Birthday Earthrise

Help Clueless Relatives with Their Computer Problems

"Can you take a look at my computer?" is the dreaded question your clueless family member will ask when you're home for the holidays. Let's review some common computer complaints and the easiest solutions.
Help Clueless Relatives with Their Computer Problems

Top 100 Products of 2008

In this post we've done a megalist, the top 100 products of 2008.
Top 100 Products of 2008

News review 2008: The year in science

It was a year when everything seemed to fall apart. Fuel, food, finance - it all went wrong, and the consequences will dog the world next year and beyond. It wasn't all doom and gloom, however.
News review 2008: The year in science

The 12 Graphs of Christmas

It’s the time of year when people from many parts of the earth take time off to eat, drink and be merry, or something like it. But just how excited is the social media universe about the upcoming holidays? Here are some metrics to put the holiday mindshare into perspective.
The 12 Graphs of Christmas

8 Santa Trackers For Christmas Eve 2008, From NORAD Santa To Twitter

It’s Christmas Eve, and that means Santa Claus is out doing his run. But where is Santa right now? Thanks to the internet, there’s a huge number of ways to get Santa sightings. Below, a summary that covers online video sightings, Santa’s phone number (he has elves to talk for him while driving), email updates, tracking him via your mobile phone and yes, even getting Twitter updates.
8 Santa Trackers For Christmas Eve 2008, From NORAD Santa To Twitter

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

How to stick to your New Year’s resolutions – 12 tips.

It’s almost New Year’s Eve, and that means it’s the season for resolutions. I’ve always been part of the 44% of Americans who make (and also break) New Year’s resolutions; I’m a big believer in the power of small changes to make us happier.
How to stick to your New Year’s resolutions – 12 tips

Top 10 Places Already Affected by Climate Change

Cities deep underwater, frozen continents, the collapse of global agriculture: so far, much of the discussion about climate change has focused on these distant, catastrophic effects of a superheated world. What's less talked about is how global warming is making itself felt already. Even the modest temperature rise we've already experienced has set in motion fundamental shifts—and the further warming we can expect in the next few decades has the potential to set off dramatic changes.
Top 10 Places Already Affected by Climate Change

9 Strong Reasons To Eat Slowly

The most prominent benefit of eating slowly is reduced intake of food and, therefore, weight loss, which has its own health benefits like lowering blood pressure or arthritis prevention.
9 Strong Reasons To Eat Slowly

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

How to Get Rid of Fleas

Sometimes pets accidentally bring some friends home to play, and those friends happen to be tiny, blood-sucking, and persistent. Here's how to get rid of the unwelcomed guests.
How to Get Rid of Fleas

Geometry Fail

Triangular square?
Geometry Fail

How to Iron Clothes Without an Iron

If your iron just broke (or you just don't feel like pulling it out) try this little trick from essortment:
How to Iron Clothes Without an Iron

Monday, December 22, 2008

Cricket Australia Launches YouTube Channel

If wall-to-wall TV broadcasts of cricket over summer aren't enough for you, Cricket Australia has the solution: its own YouTube channel for even more leather-and-willow goodness. The channel's currently dominated by background information on current players and recent activities, but Cricket Australia is promising more archive footage in the future.
Cricket Australia Launches YouTube Channel

The World From Above: The Beauty Of Aerial Photography

Aerial photography offers a drastically different perspective than the one you get from shooting on the ground. It includes photographs taken from aircraft, helicopters, balloons, rockets, kites, skydives, etc. It can be a rewarding, challenging and enriching experience. It can produce unique shots that look different than any other ground shot you have ever taken. Scenic flights can give you some great, memorable photos.
The World From Above: The Beauty Of Aerial Photography

Over 238 000 people were killed by catastrophes in 2008

Preliminary Swiss Re sigma estimates that over 238 000 people were killed by catastrophes in 2008, insured losses soar to USD 50 billion.
Over 238 000 people were killed by catastrophes in 2008

Sunday, December 21, 2008

24 Most Underrated Websites of 2008

Over the past year we’ve reviewed sites from just about every cross-section of the web. And yet, so many ground breaking new services haven’t received the recognition they deserve: we aim to set that straight.
24 Most Underrated Websites of 2008

10 ways to achieve financial success

In scary times like these it’s all too easy to forget the financial basics. The other day, Patricia Q. Brennan, a certified financial planner and professor emerita at Rutgers University, who has been teaching women about personal finance for almost 40 years, gave a talk on the 10 essential things women need to do. We think her advice applies just as well to that other gender.
10 ways to achieve financial success, even now

Nine Creative Ways to Utilize Leftovers from Common Meals

One of the best ways to really extract the value from a meal is to utilize every bit of the leftover food instead of merely throwing it away. Not only does this reduce waste, it also drastically reduces the cost per meal in your household, and over the long term, that can add up to a lot of money.
Nine Creative Ways to Utilize Leftovers from Common Meals

The Best and Worst Places to Stash Cash in Your Home

The current economy has many people considering a simpler method of financial security – cold, hard cash. And while we all agree that a buck has value, it is also a bit vulnerable when not hidden properly. Forget the $3000 hi-tech safe, and stick with these affordable tricks.
The Best and Worst Places to Stash Cash in Your Home

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Living in the Future: The Dangers of Overplanning

Everywhere on and off the web, people talk about the benefits of planning. Plans help you define your goals, help you determine what tasks are needed and when you need to do them. And plans help you stay on track when distractions set in. So, what’s not to love about plans?
Living in the Future: The Dangers of Overplanning

A visit to the coldest town on Earth

Founded by Mongols in the time of Ghengis Kahn, the town of Oymyakon is the coldest permanently inhabited place on earth.
A visit to the coldest town on Earth

David Pogue's Best Photography Tricks

Tech columnist David Pogue pulls out "The Best Photography Tricks of All Time" for anyone shooting digital, including the crafty use of a lampshade.
Digital Photography: David Pogue's Best Photography Tricks

Digital camera Ratings: Good choices for every budget

What could possibly make a compact worth considering for $500 or so? Three such cameras—the Canon PowerShot G10, $470, Panasonic DMC-LX3, $500, and Nikon Coolpix P6000, $450—are loaded with special features.
Digital camera Ratings: Good choices for every budget

The scientific guide to gift wrapping

Need to squash all your presents into the smallest parcel possible? Here's how...
The scientific guide to gift wrapping

Make your own Alka Seltzer for a fraction of the cost

Over on Instructables, Belsey shows how to make your own Alka Seltzer for a fraction of the cost.
Make your own Alka Seltzer for a fraction of the cost

30 Unforgettable Movie Opening Sequences

We all know that first impressions are important, right? Well, the same goes for film. The opening title sequence of a film is that film’s opportunity to make a good first impression on you, the viewer. A well-crafted title sequence introduces the audience to the tone and theme of the film as well as the cast and crew.
30 Unforgettable Movie Opening Sequences

Friday, December 19, 2008

Blackstump Australia Issue 47 - December 21, 2008

This weeks latest new family friendly sites from The Black Stump...the final issue for 2008 - see you in early January!!!
Blackstump Australia Issue 47 - December 21, 2008

FilePhile: Free Unlimited File Transfer

Secure Unlimited File Transfers. Any Computer, Any File, Any Size, Anywhere With Professional Grade Encryption.
FilePhile: Free Unlimited File Transfer

Most Popular DIY Projects of 2008

When it comes to saving time and money, sometimes the best approach means rolling up your sleeves and doing it yourself. Check out the best DIY projects featured here in 2008 and beyond.
Most Popular DIY Projects of 2008

Baby Blogging: 8 Trendy Tools Compared

When baby needs to blog, and in this day and age it seem almost a life necessity with babies twittering from the cradle, where does mommy turn for a child and parent-friendly site for micro and macro baby publishing?
Baby Blogging: 8 Trendy Tools Compared

21 Sites To Find Out What’s Hot Online

Is it important for you to stay informed of daily news? Do you try to always be up-to-date with what people are talking about throughout the world? If “yes” is the answer to both of the questions, then today’s post on how to spot internet hot trends is right for you!
21 Sites To Find Out What’s Hot Online

Thursday, December 18, 2008

What is Gibberish to One is an Etymology to Another

Gibberish is an undignified word, and this is the reason we have difficulties in discovering its origin.
What is Gibberish to One is an Etymology to Another

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Internet Explorer Exploit Temporary Fix Now Available

Microsoft will be pushing out an unscheduled security patch for Internet Explorer's recently-discovered vulnerability tomorrow, but you can get a temporary patch from British software security firm Prevx today.
Internet Explorer Exploit Temporary Fix Now Available

Preservation for Home Movies

Home movies all too often get relegated to basements where they sit with recordings of made-for-TV movies or other equally-neglected videos. Of course, there are always the semi-annual walks down memory lane where people pull out the documentation of times past, but as a general rule, our home movies are going the way of dinosaurs. Please add to the growing collection at Internet Archive. Keep your footage safe while sharing in a collective vision to archive our heritage. If you have uploaded a home movie on the archive and would like it added to this collection, please contact skip@avgeeks.com.
Preservation for Home Movies

Disk Wipe Utility

Disk wiping describes the process of deleting data of a partition or entire hard drive so that the data cannot be recovered by data recovery software. Copy Wipe is a disk wipe utility for DOS or Windows that can be used to delete the contents of a partition or hard drive permanently. It can also be used to copy data from one partition or hard drive to another as well hence the name Copy Wipe.
Disk Wipe Utility

OPEN WEB AWARDS: People’s Choice Winners

Today we’re pleased to announce the winners of The 2nd Annual Open Web Awards, a multilingual, international online voting competition that covers major innovations in web technology. Through an online nominating and voting process, the Open Web Awards recognizes and honors the top achievements of websites and services in 26 categories.
OPEN WEB AWARDS: People’s Choice Winners

How To Polish Shoes With A Banana

No need for shoe polish when you have a banana around. You can eat the banana itself, just remember to keep the banana skin.
How To Polish Shoes With A Banana

Effective Communication

We’ve all seen spam emails and hyped-up sales pages that look so sleazy. We see large fonts, boldface, red text, and sometimes even blinking text. Everyone claims to be able to change your life with this one secret you absolutely need. Effortless abundance is there for the taking, but you must ACT NOW because they only have one product left.
Effective Communication

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

How to Convert Vinyl to MP3

These two videos show you how to convert your records to MP3 format using a free program called audacity.
How to Convert Vinyl to MP3

6 Ways to Convert a PDF to a JPG

PDF files can be a pain. You need a special program to view them which could mean long loading times.
6 Ways to Convert a PDF to a JPG

Most Popular Free Windows Downloads of 2008

Here's the full run-down of the 12 most popular Windows downloads of 2008.
Most Popular Free Windows Downloads of 2008

Cool Tools: Gift Guides 2008

The holiday shopping season is in full swing. By now, you're either finished (congrats) or catching up. Here's a few gift guides we recommend, because unlike a lot of year-end round-ups, they don't simply list what's new or flashy, but in most cases make a compelling case for why the stuff's interesting, fun and worth considering.
Cool Tools: Gift Guides 2008

Australian court rules that Facebook "Wall" scribbles are legal notice

An Australian court has ruled that a posting on someone's Facebook page can serve as legal notice.
Australian court rules that Facebook "Wall" scribbles are legal notice

The 10 Most Popular Slide Shows of 2008: Scientific American

Here we present Scientific American.com's most-viewed slide shows of 2008.
The 10 Most Popular Slide Shows of 2008

Microsoft warns of Internet Explorer security flaw

Users of the world's most common web browser have been advised to switch to another browser until a serious security flaw has been fixed.
Microsoft warns of Internet Explorer security flaw

Monday, December 15, 2008

Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories

From the ABS. In the 12 months to 30 June 2008, the Australian population increased by 359,000 people, reaching 21,374,000. The annual growth rate for the year ended 30 June 2008 (1.7%) was higher than that recorded for the year ended 30 June 2007 (1.5%).
Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories

How to Compromise with Your Spouse

Always feeling like the doormat when it comes to making decisions with your spouse? Or perhaps it's you who always calls the shots and your spouse meekly obliges, to the point where you feel they no longer contribute enthusiastically to the relationship. Either way, compromise between spouses is a key skill essential to a lifetime of cooperation, ever-growing love and continued respect for one another.
How to Compromise with Your Spouse

18 Top Tips for Buying Used Clothes

If the national media is any indication, more people are embracing the notion of buying used clothing from thrift stores and consignment shops. Last week, USA Today ran a story describing how secondhand stores are reaping the benefits of recession.
18 Top Tips for Buying Used Clothes

Is This the Thinnest House in the World?

May be the thinnest, smallest house in any city in the world.The house is located in Amsterdam.
Is This the Thinnest House in the World?

Sunday, December 14, 2008

How to Avoid Spiked Drinks

There are many stories about spiked drinks and some of them unfortunately are true.[1][2] Spiking drinks with drugs is done with the aim of taking advantage of a person while their sense of reality is distorted, and sometimes this leads to assaults such as date rape, making people ill so that they cannot perform in sport etc., and robbery.[3] The type of drugs used in drinks to create drowsiness or even unconsciousness include Rohypnol, GHB and Ketamine.[4] If you have any concerns because you are alone or you don't feel that the situation is quite right, it pays to keep alert and pull back on your drinking. Here are some suggestions to help you avoid spiked drinks when out partying.
How to Avoid Spiked Drinks

Top 10 DIY Photography Tools

As productivity thinker Merlin Mann recently wrote, getting better at photography can be a long-haul test of willpower and humility. It doesn't have to be expensive, though.
Top 10 DIY Photography Tools

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Most Popular How-To Features of 2008

From classic topics like Windows tweaking and iPod how-tos to more recent favorites like the iPhone or Wii, our most popular how-to features of 2008 souped up your hardware and squeezed more from your PC.
Most Popular How-To Features of 2008

Friday, December 12, 2008

Scientists extract images directly from brain

Researchers from Japan’s ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories have developed new brain analysis technology that can reconstruct the images inside a person’s mind and display them on a computer monitor, it was announced on December 11. According to the researchers, further development of the technology may soon make it possible to view other people’s dreams while they sleep.
Scientists extract images directly from brain

Blackstump Australia Issue 46 - December 14, 2008

This weeks latest new family friendly sites from The Black Stump...
Blackstump Australia Issue 46 - December 14, 2008

Giz Explains: Everything You Need to Know About Hard Drives

Some say that the end of the trusty hard drive is near, killed by SSD. But let's not be so quick to give up on a technology that stores a whole terabyte for $100.
Giz Explains: Everything You Need to Know About Hard Drives

Quick Media Converter

Quick Media Converter is free software that can be used to convert video formats easily. It comes with an easy and expert mode to suite experienced and inexperienced users. The easy mode is basically a one-screen media converter. Users begin by picking the desired output format from a list of available ones.
Quick Media Converter

New migraine drug shows promise

If you've never had a migraine, you might think of one as no worse than a bad headache. But the reality is that migraines can cause severe pain that lasts for several days, often accompanied by nausea and unpleasant sensitivity to light and sound. According to the World Health Organization, migraines are one of the most disabling long-term conditions.
New migraine drug shows promise

First images of the damage that shut the LHC

In September, in a circular 27-kilometre tunnel beneath the Swiss-French border, the most complex machine ever built was switched onMovie Camera. Riding on the Large Hadron Collider were the hopes of hundreds of excited physicists, who hoped that by colliding proton beams at near light speed it would reveal new particles and solve old mysteries. Yet after just nine days of operation, an accident closed the LHC down. See images showing the damage caused, and learn more about what happened.
First images of the damage that shut the LHC

How to Remove Red Wine from Fabric

Whether you're a red wine enthusiast or you're serving it to a group of people (and you know there's a good chance some of it will end up on someone's clothes, the sofa, or the tablecloth) here are some ways you can pull out the stain before it sets. The important thing is to use any of these solutions as soon as possible after the wine was spilled.
How to Remove Red Wine from Fabric

Want an out-of-body experience? Research shows you can!

Swedish neuroscientists have produced the phenomenon called “body-swap illusion” in experimental volunteers. A male, for instance, can experience the movements of a women’s hands like they were his own.
Want an out-of-body experience? Research shows you can!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

How to Unshrink Your Clothes

Don’t give your shrunken clothes to needy children—make them wearable again instead! All you need is white vinegar and a sponge.
How to Unshrink Your Clothes

How to Stop Hesitating

Be bold - decisive! What? You can't? Do you find yourself suffering angst and taking forever over the smallest of decisions? Discover how to step up!
How to Stop Hesitating

How to Avoid Jet Lag

Timezone travel is a pain. When you're flying across timezones, it can take your body a bit of time to adjust. In the meantime, you're graced with unpleasant symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, constipation, diarrhea, confusion, and more - enough to make any trip or vacation difficult to enjoy - while your body matches its internal clock to your new external clock. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to ease and speed up the transition.
How to Avoid Jet Lag

Overcoming Negative Self-Talk

I was sitting in my car in bumper-to-bumper traffic and I was not happy about it. I was due into my office for a 9 a.m. meeting and I knew I would never make it on time. All sorts of thoughts started to run through my head. Wasn’t I a fool for not leaving enough time for my drive? What if my boss reprimanded me for being late, or worse yet, fired me? Why shouldn’t I be on time when my co-workers were going to be? As my mind raced from one thought to the next, I started to get a headache. My heart was thumping and the back of my neck was beginning to sweat. All in all, I felt terrible.
Overcoming Negative Self-Talk

10 Tips for Looking Your Best

Tim Gunn, one of the most reputable voices in the fashion industry, has a list of ten essential items every woman must have in her wardrobe. They are:
10 Tips for Looking Your Best

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Google Zeitgeist 2008

As the year comes to a close, it's time to look at the big events, memorable moments and emerging trends that captivated us in 2008. As it happens, studying the aggregation of the billions of search queries that people type into the Google search box gives us a glimpse into the zeitgeist — the spirit of the times. We've compiled some of the highlights from Google searches around the globe and hope you enjoy looking back as much as we do.
Google Zeitgeist 2008

Your retirement or your kids?

Helping out financially isn’t always the best thing—for you or for them.
Your retirement or your kids?

2008 to be extended by one second

Those eager to see 2008 come to a close will have to wait a second longer. A single leap second will be added at the end of the year to accommodate a subtle slow-down in the Earth's rotation.
2008 to be extended by one second

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Victoria - 101 Must Do's

Read why people voted and why you should get out and explore all that Victoria has to offer.
Victoria - 101 Must Do's

How to Remove a Ring That's Stuck on Your Finger

Maybe it’s the salty food that did it. Or could be you squeezed someone else’s engagement ring on your hand to see what it looks like, and then panicked when it wouldn’t come off.
How to Remove a Ring That's Stuck on Your Finger

The Savvy Shopper's Guide to This Year's Online Deal Finders

With all the belt-tightening going on in this economy, it's no surprise that coupon codes and deal finders—especially for online shoppers—are the hottest tools on the web right now. With only a week or so left to finish your online holiday shopping in time for the packages to show up at your door before the 24th, it's time to fill those virtual carts and get to hitting "Checkout."
The Savvy Shopper's Guide to This Year's Online Deal Finders

John Lennon Died 28 Years Ago Today; a Word to Boing Boing from Yoko

Yoko Ono has kindly emailed Boing Boing this beautiful photograph of her husband, former Beatle John Lennon, who was murdered on this day in 1980. Photographer Allan Tannenbaum took the image on November 26, 1980, just a couple of weeks before Lennon passed away.
John Lennon Died 28 Years Ago Today; a Word to Boing Boing from Yoko

Monday, December 08, 2008

How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are caused when skin changes shape too quickly (think weight gain, weight loss, or pregnancy). This sudden change causes a tear in the middle layer of your skin, the dermis. The collagen and elastin fibers in the dermis rupture, and you end up with "underground" scars that look like stripes on the affected area. The sooner you treat them, the better your chances of removing them, but that doesn't mean you're out of options if you've had your stretch marks for years.
How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Get Stuff Done by Becoming a Weekend Luddite

Reinhard Engels over at the self improvement blog Everyday Systems, found that his weekends were astoundingly unproductive. Despite having a job that had him stuck in front of a desk every day all week, he would gravitate towards his computer on the weekends and wile away the hours.
Get Stuff Done by Becoming a Weekend Luddite

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Australia's Internet filtering too ambitious, doomed to fail

It's tough being a government these days; who has the energy to clean up the Internet after a hard day's work bailing out the financial sector? Not the Australian government, it seems. Rather than actually doing something about illegal content, they just make a list of it and tell ISPs to filter everything that's on the list. Sidestepping the murky political details and—for the moment—the civil liberties problems inherent in this approach, let's take a closer look at the technical aspects of such a plan.
Australia's Internet filtering too ambitious, doomed to fail

Blackstump Australia Issue 45 - December 7, 2008

This weeks latest sites ftom The Black Stump...
Blackstump Australia Issue 45 - December 7, 2008

How to Craft the Perfect Speech

At some or other point in our lives, we’re likely to be called upon to make a speech, be it for a family wedding or a presentation at work. While maintaining a degree of spontaneity is crucial, winging the whole thing is probably not the best option. Instead, taking the time to prepare something solid can leave a memorable impression for years to come.
How to Craft the Perfect Speech

404 Error Page Best Of

Following a link or entering an url manually can have two results in the web browser. A website is loaded or an error message is shown. One of the most dreaded error messages of them all is the 404 error page not found.
404 Error Page Best Of

How is Your Home Wi-Fi Network Performing?

Have you taken a look at the speeds you’re getting with your home Wi-Fi network lately? Many web workers work out of their homes, and if that’s you and you work wirelessly, it makes a lot of sense to do a checkup.
How is Your Home Wi-Fi Network Performing?

Safely Remove Stains from Leather Furniture

Vinegar has so many uses: It cleans your microwave, allows you to iron a permanent crease in your pants, prevents residue buildup in your dishwasher—and cleans leather furniture!
Safely Remove Stains from Leather Furniture

Ditch the salt, keep the flavour

When cooking, taste your food before adding salt. Try other flavor enhancers, such as herbs and spices, salt-free seasoning blends, citrus juice or zest, and flavored vinegars instead of salt.
Ditch the salt, keep the flavour

Astrometry Photos

Flickr: The astrometry Pool.Astrometry Photos

Most Underhyped Apps of 2008

Now that you've seen all the big names and launches of 2008, it's time to give a nod to the apps that didn't get the attention they should have this past year. If you're sick of hearing about Firefox and the iPhone and Gmail and Chrome, you're in the right place. Let's take a look at the least hyped software that launched or saw great improvements in 2008, and give 'em the love they deserve.
Most Underhyped Apps of 2008

Brain quirk makes eyewitnesses less reliable

Eyewitness accounts of crimes could be more untrustworthy than we thought. Describing an event straight after it occurs makes witnesses more susceptible to providing false information in subsequent retellings, a new study finds.
Brain quirk makes eyewitnesses less reliable

Friday, December 05, 2008

HOW TO: Get the Most Out of Google Maps

Google Maps has become the standard mapping utility for everything from getting directions and finding nearby food options to viewing the surface of the moon. Are you getting the most out of your Google Maps experience? Keep reading to get some helpful hints on how to maximize (or minimize) all your mapping desires.
HOW TO: Get the Most Out of Google Maps

Telstra says Net filtering useless, GetUp wants re-think

Telstra’s Greg Winn has poured cold water over the Government’s filtering plans, saying it's akin to trying to “boil the ocean” and that people will find a way around it, while GetUp!’s campaign to “Save the Net” draws huge support from Australians.
Telstra says Net filtering useless, GetUp wants re-think

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Use Coca-Cola to Remove Scratches from DVDs

Here’s another interesting suggestion from jackald at Metacafe.
Use Coca-Cola to Remove Scratches from DVDs

Paint Job Win

Burning...
Paint Job Win

Open Web Awards: The Finals

The moment is here. After more than 50,000 nominations and in excess of 80,000 verified votes from the web community, we’re pleased to announce the finalists in the Open Web Awards, an open, international contest to find the web’s best sites and services. Congratulations to all the finalists!
Open Web Awards: The Finals

Funny Pic: Lunch

Its the animal kingdom version of a sushi train. Lunch on the run, killer whale style.
Funny Pic: Lunch

Conundrum: A Cold Spoor Warmed Up

No talk show about words and no word column can do without a question about conundrum. Since the label “of unknown origin” has stuck fast to it, the questions will never cease, and therein lies their main beauty.
Conundrum: A Cold Spoor Warmed Up

Women in science group want a female Doctor Who

The UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology is calling for the next Doctor Who to be a woman, in order to inspire girls to take up careers in science (and time-lording).
Women in science group want a female Doctor Who

AOL 2008 Year in Review: The Hottest Search Trends

The presidential election reigned supreme in the land of America (Online), as politically charged queries ranged across more than 40 categories in AOL’s annual lists of top Web, mobile and video searches. Celebrity news, captivating headlines and pop culture continued to captivate the online audience; emerging mobile devices bumped activity for social apps like MySpace and Facebook, as well as sharing videos downloaded via apps for the iPhone.
AOL 2008 Year in Review: The Hottest Search Trends

Google 2008 Year-End Zeitgeist; Fastest Rising Searches

Google’s official list of the most popular search activity for 2008, aka Zeitgeist, has yet to make its debut, but the search giant has been leaking out tasty tidbits of data to get us salivating for even more search data.
Google 2008 Year-End Zeitgeist; Fastest Rising Searches

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

12 mental exercises -- zany but productive

Dorothea Brande was an American writer and editor, well known for her books Wake Up and Live and Becoming a Writer (a useful resource for writers, by the way). In Wake Up and Live, she suggests twelve mental exercises to make your mind keener and more flexible.
12 mental exercises -- zany but productive

'Port' and 'sherry' out as Canberra signs wine deal with EU

FIRST it was champagne. Now Australia has agreed to European demands to drop the terms "port" and "sherry" to describe locally made fortified wines.
'Port' and 'sherry' out as Canberra signs wine deal with EU

100+ More Ways to Organize Your Life

From basic to do lists to event planning, fitness, educational organizers, and more, here are 100 new applications to get you even more organized.
100+ More Ways to Organize Your Life

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Australia experiences record population growth: ABS

Australia recorded its fastest population growth since 1989, according to figures released today from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. As at 30 June 2008, Australia's population had grown to 21,374,000, an increase of 1.7% or 359,000 people. Net overseas migration contributed 213,500 people (or 59% of growth) to Australia's population and natural increase (the excess of births over deaths) contributed 145,500 (41%).
Australia experiences record population growth: ABS

Manage Your Online Reputation

Are you happy with the results people get back when they Google your name? If not, there are easy ways to monitor and guide what information is published about you online. Two years ago we covered how to have a say in what Google says about you, and more recently, and how to track down anyone online. But a rash of social media sites have arisen that give you more tools to help you manage your online reputation and become more findable.
Manage Your Online Reputation

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year 2008

With politics and the economy foremost on the minds of many, it is no wonder that bailout—a word ubiquitously featured in discussions of the presidency and fiscal policy—took home honors as Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year for 2008.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year 2008

NORAD TRACKS SANTA 2008

All the preparations for this year are in place! Return on Christmas Eve to track St. Nick on his magical flight around the world! Until then, come back each day to receive updates from the North Pole and to discover new surprises in the Kids' Countdown.
NORAD TRACKS SANTA 2008

Year in Review 2008 from Yahoo! Buzz

Olympian highs and politics as unusual, to celebrity hopefuls and market meltdowns: Through millions of searches and thousands of stories each day, people sought to make sense of the world around them. Take a look back at what captivated our imagination and fueled our passions in 2008, a very historic year indeed.
Year in Review 2008 from Yahoo! Buzz

Ask Top 2008 Searches

The lowdown on 2008 from Ask.
Ask Top 2008 Searches

Smiley sky above Oz

Jupiter and Venus line up to create a smiley face with the crescent-shaped moon.
Smiley sky above Oz

Woman has perfect "episodic memory"

"People say to me: Oh, how fascinating, it must be a treat to have a perfect memory," she says. Her lips twist into a thin smile. "But it's also agonizing."
Woman has perfect "episodic memory"

The 100 Best Movies of 2008

Times and Sunday Times critics pick their favourite films of the year.
The 100 Best Movies of 2008

How to Choose a Haircut That Flatters Your Facial Shape

Your hair is your crown, so it should be treated like a crown and make you feel like royalty. A good hair day needs a good haircut and good haircuts are made with more than just scissors and gel. The two most noticeable things about you would definitely be your face and your personality (unless of course you have 3 arms or something) so you should definitely take these things in account when choosing your hairstyle.
How to Choose a Haircut That Flatters Your Facial Shape

Monday, December 01, 2008

Diamond Ring Buying Tips

It pays to learn as much as you can before purchasing a diamond ring. Knowing all about the four Cs, having a budget and thoroughly vetting your jeweler are tips that will help you buy the diamond ring of your dreams.
Diamond Ring Buying Tips

HD or Standard Def? One in Five HDTV Owners Don't Know the Difference

If it's flat and has a big-screen, it's high-def, right? Apparently, a lot of HDTV buyers think so.
HD or Standard Def? One in Five HDTV Owners Don't Know the Difference

Laptop Buying Guide

Laptops are diversifying. Depending on your needs, you can find a model with a 7-, 9-, 13-, 14-, 15-, 17, or even 20-inch display. Battery life is getting longer, smaller systems are getting lighter (though at the expense of speed). Larger models are still hefty, but they're getting faster, rivaling desktop models.
Laptop Buying Guide

Five Best CD and DVD Burning Tools

The internet has made it easier than ever to share media and data with friends, family, and co-workers, but that doesn't mean burning your own CDs and DVDs is a thing of the past. Blank optical discs are dirt cheap, they work virtually everywhere, and if you bought your computer sometime in the last 5 years, chances are you've got the necessary hardware to quickly burn anything you want to a disc in just a few minutes. Now all you need is the right authoring tools.
Five Best CD and DVD Burning Tools

The Best Online Sources To Play & Learn Chess

Sites to play and learn chess.
The Best Online Sources To Play & Learn Chess