In Australia the harsh climate and landscape have shaped numerous indigenous languages that are now in real danger of extinction.
Northern Territory, Australia
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Northern Territory, Australia
Posted by Blacky at 12:22 pm 0 comments
Winners of 2007 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge
The journal Science and the National Science Foundation have announced the winners of their fifth annual Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge.
Winners of 2007 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge
Posted by Blacky at 12:15 pm 0 comments
Interesting Elevators
Here are some that may actually be enjoyable to ride.
Interesting Elevators
Posted by Blacky at 12:12 pm 0 comments
Strange and Bizarre Odours That Some People Love
There's no accounting for taste, or smell, in this case. Here are six intriguing, strange odours that some people love. Strange and Bizarre Odours That Some People Love
Posted by Blacky at 12:09 pm 0 comments
3 Things Your Customers Won’t Tell You … Unless You Ask
When it comes to driving your business, you want to have two magical things happen:
You want your customers to become even better customers
You want those customers to tell people about you.
3 Things Your Customers Won’t Tell You … Unless You Ask
Posted by Blacky at 12:05 pm 0 comments
Writing Blunders
It's amazing how many of the same mistakes you see over and over again. Different authors, same flaws.
Writing Blunders
Posted by Blacky at 12:02 pm 0 comments
10 Lessons to Teach Your Kids About Money
Teaching kids about money is a controversial thing — no one argues that you should teach them, but the how is a tougher question.
10 Lessons to Teach Your Kids About Money
Posted by Blacky at 11:58 am 0 comments
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Why Women Worry So Much
Scientists have known that on the whole, females of all ages tend to worry more and have more intense worries than males. Women also tend to perceive more risk in situations and grow more anxious than men.
Now we know why.
Why Women Worry So Much
Posted by Blacky at 9:47 am 0 comments
Happy 30th birthday, Atari 2600!
See that Wii or Xbox sitting under your TV? The PSP or DS tucked away in your messenger bag? That copy of Pac-man on your cellphone which cost five bucks and expires next month? Each of them owe a debt of gratitude to the granddaddy of all videogame consoles, the Atari 2600, which ushered in an era of unprecedented television usage, and which turns 30 years old this month.
Happy 30th birthday, Atari 2600!
Posted by Blacky at 9:41 am 0 comments
Monday, October 01, 2007
10 Tips for a Killer Presentation
Presentations are something that we’re all familiar with. Whether you are watching a presentation or giving a presentation, chances are you know what sucks and what doesn’t. However, in case you don’t know the suck from the not, here are ten tips to help ensure you are giving a good presentation.
10 Tips for a Killer Presentation
Posted by Blacky at 3:03 pm 0 comments
InterviewUp Aims to Help You Prep For Job Interviews
InterviewUp is a new Web 2.0 job site with the idea of helping you prep for that next big interview by getting you ready by reading possible questions your interviewer will have for you.
InterviewUp Aims to Help You Prep For Job Interviews
Posted by Blacky at 7:44 am 0 comments
7 Tips for Resolving Conflicts Quickly and Peacefully
Everyone has to deal with difficult people, whether they are argumentative, abusive, stubborn, or combative. The question is, how can you assert your own rights without creating an unnecessary incident?
Resolving Conflicts Quickly and Peacefully
Posted by Blacky at 7:39 am 0 comments
Staying Motivated to Exercise
Exercise is always a do-it-yourself venture. No other person and no machine can do it for you. Hence, it is important to have those motivating factors so that a person who is into exercise in order to lose weight will hang about.
Staying Motivated to Exercise
Posted by Blacky at 7:26 am 0 comments
Enduring Voices Project, Endangered Languages Facts, Photos, Map
Every 14 days a language dies. By 2100, more than half of the more than 7,000 languages spoken on Earth—many of them never yet recorded—will likely disappear, taking with them a wealth of knowledge about history, culture, the natural environment, and how the human brain works.
Enduring Voices Project, Endangered Languages Facts, Photos, Map
Posted by Blacky at 7:24 am 0 comments
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Vacuuming the Lungs
How to breathe deeply when you're nervous.
Vacuuming the Lungs
Posted by Blacky at 12:33 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 10:02 am 0 comments
Saturday, September 29, 2007
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?
Posted by Blacky at 11:32 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 11:31 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 11:26 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 11:22 pm 0 comments
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?
Posted by Blacky at 8:29 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:26 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:25 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:21 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:18 pm 0 comments
Friday, September 28, 2007
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
Posted by Blacky at 12:17 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 9:39 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 9:12 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:26 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:09 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:07 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:05 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:02 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:59 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:57 am 0 comments
Thursday, September 27, 2007
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:49 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:42 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:39 am 0 comments
World Freedom Atlas
The world freedom atlas is a geovisualization tool for world statistics.
World Freedom Atlas
Posted by Blacky at 6:38 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:34 am 0 comments
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
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
Posted by Blacky at 1:23 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 12:59 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:26 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:24 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:21 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:18 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:13 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:11 am 0 comments
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
“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
Posted by Blacky at 10:36 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 10:32 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 10:23 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 10:16 am 0 comments
Monday, September 24, 2007
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
Posted by Blacky at 12:15 pm 2 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 12:08 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:54 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:50 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:48 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:44 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 6:40 am 0 comments
Sunday, September 23, 2007
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
Posted by Blacky at 9:40 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 3:11 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 2:22 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 2:12 pm 0 comments
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?
Posted by Blacky at 1:51 pm 0 comments
Saturday, September 22, 2007
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?
Posted by Blacky at 1:50 pm 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 10:53 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:52 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:41 am 0 comments
Friday, September 21, 2007
My Word Mate
"MyWordMate.com" is a project that aims to find as many synonyms as possible for different words.
My Word Mate
Posted by Blacky at 7:50 am 0 comments
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!
Posted by Blacky at 7:48 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:21 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:19 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:17 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:13 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:06 am 0 comments
Thursday, September 20, 2007
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
Posted by Blacky at 12:08 pm 0 comments
2007 Australian Federal Election
Follow Australian politics with our map, videos, gadgets & more.
2007 Australian Federal Election
Posted by Blacky at 6:08 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 5:21 am 0 comments
Skull-A-Day: FREE Skull Font!
Skullphabet free font TrueType (for PC) and Opentype (for MAC).
FREE Skull Font!
Posted by Blacky at 5:19 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 5:13 am 0 comments
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...
Posted by Blacky at 5:10 am 0 comments
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?
Posted by Blacky at 5:07 am 0 comments
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!
Posted by Blacky at 4:47 am 0 comments
Home Inspection Nightmares
The best of the worst home inspection discoveries, courtesy of the ASHI Reporter.
Home Inspection Nightmares
Posted by Blacky at 4:21 am 0 comments
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
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
Posted by Blacky at 10:44 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:37 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:36 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:32 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:31 am 0 comments
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
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
Posted by Blacky at 11:26 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:40 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:37 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 8:33 am 0 comments
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
Posted by Blacky at 7:48 am 0 comments