Friday, November 30, 2012

What to do on Mt. Everest when you're dead

We all know that people do sometimes die while attempting to climb Mt. Everest. But it's easy to overlook what happens to those people after they've died. You can't bring a body down from the mountain. In fact, many of the people who have died there had to be abandoned before they were dead because they couldn't walk and no one could carry them safely back to a place they could get medical care. And that means Mt. Everest is littered with dead bodies.
What to do on Mt. Everest when you're dead

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Planhacker: Every Australian 4G Contract Mobile Phone Deal Compared

Want a super-speedy 4G mobile phone but can’t afford to buy it outright? We’ve rounded up every 4G phone available on contract in Australia so you can compare and make the best choice for your needs.
Planhacker: Every Australian 4G Contract Mobile Phone Deal Compared

North Korea May Launch Rocket, Photo Shows

North Korea may be preparing to attempt another rocket launch in the next few weeks, new satellite imagery suggests.
North Korea May Launch Rocket, Photo Shows

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Apollo 11 Moon Rocks Found in Storage Area

When Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins came back to Earth on July 24, 1969, they also brought home 22 kilograms of lunar rocks.
President Nixon gave out many of those rocks as gifts, including a little desktop display and plaque that went to each state. Over the years, some of those rocks were lost. But five of them have just been found — in a storage area belonging to the Minnesota National Guard.
Apollo 11 Moon Rocks Found in Storage Area

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The Bing Top Searches of 2012 Report

Believe it or not, it’s already time to look back at 2012 and reflect on the moments that most fascinated Americans this year. From one of the most hotly contested elections in US history, the pageantry of the Olympic Games in London and high profile IPOs to rising stars, reality TV and Gangnam Style, it’s been a pretty exciting twelve months.
The Bing Top Searches of 2012 Report

Monday, November 26, 2012

The Four Leading Electric Novelties of 1897

Scanned and Flickr'd by Captain Geoffrey Spaulding, an ad for Ohio Electric Works, 1897.
The Four Leading Electric Novelties of 1897

Friday, November 23, 2012

How to Pinpoint Food Allergies: 13 steps

If you suspect you have a food allergy, there are several key ways to identify the particular food or foods that are causing problems. Follow these steps to pinpoint your potential food allergies.
How to Pinpoint Food Allergies: 13 steps

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Watch This Spectacular Water Spout Lash The Australian Coastline

Sea tornados off the coast of Australia are not new. But this one is particularly striking and huge. It was filmed this Sunday at Batemans Bay, in New South Wales.
Watch This Spectacular Water Spout Lash The Australian Coastline

5 Ways to Protect your Accounts When Shopping Online

As we gear up for the holiday shopping season, it’s important to remain mindful of online identity theft and cybersecurity.
Whether you’re part of the 41% to 45% of consumers concerned about online privacy, computer viruses or identity theft, it doesn’t hurt to be aware of how to make yourself more secure.
Although it’s tempting to find a deal and splurge during the gift-giving time of year, the five tips below encourage you to be extra cautious while serving as a guide to protecting yourself.
5 Ways to Protect your Accounts When Shopping Online

Monday, November 19, 2012

A Map Of Stupid Things People Have Said To US Airport Security Officials

The first rule of air travel in the modern world is to avoid making jokes about bombs at the security checkpoint, but that doesn’t stop people coming out with comments like “I have a torpedo in my brassiere”. We’ve mapped some of the most ridiculous offenders.
A Map Of Stupid Things People Have Said To US Airport Security Officials

Friday, November 16, 2012

Microsoft Skydrive: now with selective synchronization

Microsoft has improved its file hosting and synchronization service Skydrive in wake of the deeper integration into the Windows 8 operating system. Some features are only available to users of the operating system, like the synchronization of account related preferences and customizations, while the bulk of improvements are available for all systems. Microsoft Group Program Manager for SkyDrive apps Mike Torres revealed today that SkyDrive usage has doubled in the past six month period, which does not come as a surprise.
Microsoft Skydrive: now with selective synchronization

Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Best Places To Hide Valuables In Your House

There’s more to hiding your valuables than making them hard to find. Whether you’re hiding a money stash from burglars or secret documents from an enemy spy, here are a few tips anyone can use to keep something under wraps.
The Best Places To Hide Valuables In Your House

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Teller explains the psychology of magic

Teller had a great piece in last March's Smithsonian magazine, explaining the overarching principles behind all magic tricks. It's a great look at the way that our brains can be enticed to fool themselves.
Teller explains the psychology of magic

Oxford University Press Announces GIF as 2012 Word of the Year

Oxford American Dictionaries announced today that it chose the verb GIF as its 2012 Word of the Year. According to Oxford Dictionaries Online GIF is defined as:
GIF, verb; to create a GIF file of (an image or video sequence, especially relating to an event).
Oxford University Press Announces GIF as 2012 Word of the Year

Monday, November 12, 2012

Power A Laptop With AA Batteries

Laptop batteries are designed to deliver a specific voltage and amperage, and deviating from those can be bad for the device in the long term. However, it is possible to run a laptop off a set of AA batteries, and doing so is a good education in basic electronics.
Power A Laptop With AA Batteries

How To Be Happy

My inbox is often inundated with emails from readers all over the world, most of them have a problem, some have more than one. The issue though is not that they have problems, it is that they are unable to remain happy among such problems. It is therefore a common belief that if my problem disappears, so will my pain and if there is no pain, I will feel happy. That is rarely the case.
How To Be Happy

Australian Mazes: Lifehacker’s Complete List

With the Christmas break fast approaching, visiting a maze is a great way to entertain the family. We’ve gathered together all of Australia’s commercially-operated mazes on a single map so you can get lost in the maze of your choice.
Australian Mazes: Lifehacker’s Complete List

Sunday, November 11, 2012

‘A Person Becomes Old When His Mind Is More Occupied By Memories Than Aspirations’

This quotation comes from web designer Navin Kulkarni in a Quora thread about the point in life when a person becomes old.
‘A Person Becomes Old When His Mind Is More Occupied By Memories Than Aspirations’

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Friday, November 09, 2012

Would You Fly On An Airplane Without Any Seats?

Ryanair absolutely loves to stir up publicity by way of controversy, and it has another idea for its aeroplanes: no seats. As if charging to use the restroom wasn’t enough, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary believes that seatbelts on planes are useless, so therefore it’s a waste to even have seats. Make people stand!
Would You Fly On An Airplane Without Any Seats?

Insane Attempted Plane Theft Ends in Big Crash [VIDEO]

Here’s something you don’t see everyday: a man attempting to steal a plane from the airport and using reverse thrust — typically deployed to slow a plane down after landing — to drive the plane backward, then crashing into a terminal. This all happened at the SkyWest Airlines home base airport in St. George, Utah, back in July, according the news site NYCaviation.com, but the astonishing video of the incident (embedded above) just became available on Thursday.
Insane Attempted Plane Theft Ends in Big Crash [VIDEO]

How to Listen Music Online Legally and for Free

One of our most loved multimedia mediums is music. An art that has been around since the dawn of time and has risen up to become one of the biggest businesses in the world and one of the most influential media of all. This billion dollar industry has sculpted generations upon generations of people and has changed with the times, evolved and has now reached the Internet era. Nowadays, music is widely available on the Internet, be it legally posted by the artists or record companies, or illegally for anyone to download.
How to Listen Music Online Legally and for Free

Thursday, November 08, 2012

The Filter Is Dead: Australian Government Dumps Controversial Filtering Project

Almost three years ago now, Senator Stephen Conroy stepped up to the plate to deliver a bold new vision. A vision of a filtered, “safer” internet. The plan was met by hostility from internet rights activists, poiticians, internet users, internet service providers and interest groups alike. Tonight, however, the Labor government’s proposed mandatory internet filter is dead.
The Filter Is Dead: Australian Government Dumps Controversial Filtering Project

Hurricane Sandy: Health-Related Resources

From the NIH:
Hurricane Sandy: Health-Related Resources

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

The 5 Biggest Myths About Slow PCs

Computers are supposed to make our lives easier, yet sometimes it feels like they exist only to cause us endless amounts of frustration. Popular advice for fixing slow computers includes checking for malware, upgrading your RAM, or even reinstalling Windows from scratch. However, many of these ideas are more myth than reality. We’re busting some of the more pervasive myths, and explained how to actually get your PC running fast again.
The 5 Biggest Myths About Slow PCs

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Surviving a plane crash is surprisingly common

A few years ago, I learned that it's actually pretty common to survive a plane crash. Like most people, I'd assumed that the safety in flying came from how seldom accidents happened. Once you were in a crash situation, though, I figured you were probably screwed. But that's not the case.
Surviving a plane crash is surprisingly common

Friday, November 02, 2012

31 Arresting Photos of Hurricane Sandy's Destruction

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, millions of residents from Cuba to Canada continue to deal with unprecedented destruction -- from power outages to flooding and damaged property.
31 Arresting Photos of Hurricane Sandy's Destruction

Hurricane Sandy, as seen from the NYT building

3-days of storm & aftermath compressed into 4:35-minute video, from rooftop camera.
Hurricane Sandy, as seen from the NYT building

Google Earth 7 with tour guides and 3D imagery

Google released a new version of Google Earth, the company’s “world exploration” software yesterday. The new program version is already available on the official website where it can be downloaded for Windows, Mac and Linux. The two major changes in the new version of Google Earth are tour guides and 3D imagery of select cities.
Google Earth 7 with tour guides and 3D imagery

Thursday, November 01, 2012

Australian Laws For Using Your Mobile Phone While Driving

NSW has introduced new laws, in effect from today, which make it illegal to handle your phone at all while driving. What rules apply in the rest of the country? We’ve rounded up the current laws for every state and territory.
Australian Laws For Using Your Mobile Phone While Driving