Wednesday, October 24, 2007
25 Skills Every Man Should Know - Essential DIY
These days, you can outsource almost any job—but some things you need to know how to do yourself. Study this master list with step-by-step tips from the experts, and test your DIY aptitude each step of the way.
25 Skills Every Man Should Know
Posted by Blacky at 9:42 am 0 comments
5 Tips to Maximize Your Ability to Concentrate
The quality and quantity of work you can produce is dependent, not only on the effort you put in, but on your ability to concentrate. No matter how hard to you try, if your brain isn’t performing well, you won’t be as productive as you should be.
5 Tips to Maximize Your Ability to Concentrate
Posted by Blacky at 9:38 am 0 comments
5 Reasons Why You Should Simplify What You Say, and How to Do It
One of the trickier things about social skills is to get your message across.
One reason why people have difficulty with this is because they use more words than needed.
5 Reasons Why You Should Simplify What You Say, and How to Do It
Posted by Blacky at 9:36 am 0 comments
Everyone’s Guide to By-Passing Internet Censorship
For Citizens Worldwide.
Everyone’s Guide to By-Passing Internet Censorship
Posted by Blacky at 1:25 am 0 comments
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Eight Keys to a Happier Marriage
Newly weds are often asked ‘how’s married life?’ As with everything in life, the answer depends on you. For some, marriage is another word for frustration and even misery. For others it is the bedrock of strength and support they build the rest of their lives around.
Eight Keys to a Happier Marriage
Posted by Blacky at 10:30 am 0 comments
13 Bargain Websites That are Cheaper than eBay
Looking for a place to find some good deals or bargain discounts while shopping online for electronics, clothing, accessories, etc? Well, there are a good number of sites out there other than Fatwallet, which everyone in the world knows about.
13 Bargain Websites That are Cheaper than eBay
Posted by Blacky at 9:27 am 0 comments
3 highly effective tips to handle criticism
People react differently to criticism. The most common reactions are either getting angry and take it personally or else get unmotivated and simply give up in what you are doing (normally the subject of criticism). This post gives three tips on how to deal with criticism to avoid any of the two extreme reactions mentioned above.
3 highly effective tips to handle criticism
Posted by Blacky at 9:17 am 0 comments
Education News, Oct 2007
This newsletter 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, Oct 2007
Posted by Blacky at 9:13 am 0 comments
Get Lost in Translation Sites
The web makes it possible to search for documents written in every conceivable language, but what if you don't actually know the language you find that special somethin' written in? No worries - there are plenty of online translation services that can give you anything from just a good idea to a complete translation of what you're looking at.
Get Lost in Translation Sites
Posted by Blacky at 9:10 am 0 comments
Scans Reveal Mona Lisa Secrets
For centuries, the "Mona Lisa" has beguiled art buffs unable to resist speculating on its origins and meaning. Now a French inventor claims to have some answers, including the fate of the enigmatic subject's famously missing eyebrows and lashes.
Parisian engineer Pascal Cotte says his ultra-detailed digital scans of the painting allow him to effectively burrow through layers of paint to "see" into the past of Leonardo Da Vinci's 16th-century portrait of a Florentine merchant's wife.
Scans Reveal Mona Lisa Secrets
Posted by Blacky at 8:58 am 0 comments
Monday, October 22, 2007
How to Taste Wine
Whether you are vacationing in California, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France or Italy, wine tasting is one of the most rewarding excursions available. If you long to walk through the vineyards and admire the grapevines and picturesque backdrop, wine glass in hand, you must first learn to appreciate the subtle beauty of wine.
How to Taste Wine
Posted by Blacky at 8:43 pm 0 comments
When is Someday?
Let’s see, there’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday… but when is Someday?
Show me Someday on the calendar. Point it out to me in your daytimer. How long is a month of Somedays? Even blue moons happen once in a while (second full moon in a month), but Someday? The closest day to Someday is Never.
When is Someday?
Posted by Blacky at 9:07 am 0 comments
Solar cars race from Australia's top to bottom
Sun-powered-car enthusiasts from around the world raced into the Australia outback on Sunday at speeds nearing 100 kilometres-per-hour at the start of the World Solar Challenge.
Thousands of onlookers crowded the streets of Darwin in Australia's tropical north for the beginning of the 3,000-km (1,863 mile) race, a biennial event since 1987, gawking at the sleek foil-like vehicles resembling giant microchips.
Solar cars race from Australia's top to bottom
Posted by Blacky at 8:59 am 0 comments
10 Surefire Ways to Kill Your Crabby Mood
Having a happy day is well within your reach even if you are feeling totally down in the dumps. Being happy is a choice and there are things you can do to make it happen. Just like when you feel a decrease in energy, the best thing to do is to get your body moving - the same thing is true with cultivating happiness. You must literally pick yourself up and get moving on some actions that will create happiness.
10 Surefire Ways to Kill Your Crabby Mood
Posted by Blacky at 1:07 am 0 comments
Preparing Food in Advance for a House Full of People
Looking for ways to minimize the costs associated with many guests?
Preparing Food in Advance for a House Full of People
Posted by Blacky at 1:06 am 0 comments
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The Power Traveler's Checklist, Part One: Pre-Flight
Follow these simple steps to ensure your trip is as inexpensive and relaxing as it is streamlined.
The Power Traveler's Checklist, Part One: Pre-Flight
Posted by Blacky at 9:17 am 0 comments
Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia, 12 months ended 31 October 2006
Vehicles registered in Australia travelled 209 billion kilometres in the 12 months ended 31 October 2006, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The average distance covered by the 14.4 million registered vehicles in Australia was 14,600 km, with Queensland vehicles travelling the furthest - 15,600 kilometres on average. Tasmanian vehicles travelled the least of all states and territories, covering 13,500 kilometres on average.
Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia, 12 months ended 31 October 2006
Posted by Blacky at 9:05 am 0 comments
Sales of New Motor Vehicles, Australia, Sep 2007
The September 2007 trend estimate for new motor vehicle sales (87 309) increased 0.2% when compared with the August 2007 estimate. The trend estimate has now been increasing for over 15 consecutive months. When compared to August 2006, the trend estimate increased by 8.0%.
Sales of New Motor Vehicles, Australia, Sep 2007
Posted by Blacky at 9:04 am 0 comments
How to Save Water
The reason for this topic is simply because Australia is facing severe drought conditions.
how to save water
Posted by Blacky at 9:02 am 0 comments
31 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise
How do you find motivation to exercise when you just don’t feel like getting off your butt?
31 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise
Posted by Blacky at 9:00 am 0 comments
How to Be Optimistic
Tired of always focusing on the downside of everything? Wish you could temper your negative thoughts with occasional reassurance? Web site wikiHow offers a good roundup of ways to counter pessimism, including a little Moleskine-powered mind hacking.
Mind Hacks: How to Be Optimistic
Posted by Blacky at 8:59 am 0 comments
Saturday, October 20, 2007
10 Ways to Find a Lost Word .doc
Accidentally delete your work? Or save it somewhere and you can't find it? Or the power went out? Before you start frantically emailing your professor, follow these steps...
10 Ways to Find a Lost Word .doc
Posted by Blacky at 8:58 pm 0 comments
How to Sell Yourself
To get ahead in life, you need to be in the business of selling. If this statement makes you cringe, it is probably because the word “sales” evokes images of annoying telemarketers and pushy car dealers. Relax, though, as this article is about a product so wonderful and special you should have no qualms in selling it. The product? You.
How to Sell Yourself
Posted by Blacky at 8:52 pm 0 comments
Friday, October 19, 2007
Why Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness
If money doesn't buy happiness, what does? Grandma was right when she told you to value health and friends, not money and stuff.
Why Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness
Posted by Blacky at 10:10 pm 0 comments
Arctic Moving Toward Tipping Point
The record loss of sea ice and thinning of ice throughout the Arctic this summer are only two brush strokes in the mosaic of scientific data that depict the Arctic as a “system under significant stress from warming atmosphere,” as the chief editor of the State of the Arctic report card put it.
Arctic Moving Toward Tipping Point
Posted by Blacky at 8:51 am 0 comments
Pixoo Fixes Your Face
Pixoo is a new service that will edit your images for you, and send them back all prettified. It costs about $20 and takes around 24 hours for them to fix your face.
Pixoo Fixes Your Face
Posted by Blacky at 8:48 am 0 comments
Zimmer's Words Of The Week
Slang Word of the Week - egg in your beer
Zimmer's Words Of The Week
Posted by Blacky at 8:45 am 0 comments
Mind Reading
Whether we know it or not, we're all street-corner psychics. Without the ability to divine others' thoughts and feelings, we couldn't handle the simplest social situations—or achieve true intimacy with others.
Mind Reading
Posted by Blacky at 8:44 am 0 comments
Charts And Graphs: Modern Solutions
Charts are supposed to visualize data in order to give a more profound understanding of the nature of a given problem or recent developments. Whatever type of data presentation you prefer (pie charts, bubble charts, bar graphs, network diagrams etc.), you can create charts in graphic editors manually or use special desktop-software instead. In both cases you have a major problem: once you’d like to update an old chart, or create a new one, you have to run the application and create new images over and over again. That’s not flexible. That’s also not usable — e.g. if you’d like to update your chart live.
Charts And Graphs: Modern Solutions
Posted by Blacky at 8:42 am 0 comments
25% of computers have vulnerable IrfanView installed
Stefan Cornelius of Secunia Research has discovered a vulnerability in the Irfanview image viewer software. The vulnerability is easily exploitable, as it only requires that a user is tricked into opening a specially crafted palette (.PAL) file. If you receive an email or view a website where you are asked to view a malicious .PAL file, please take caution and make sure that you trust the source. Otherwise, you may be allowing a malicious attacker to install and run arbitrary programs on your system, including malware, spyware, information stealers, keyloggers, and so on.
25% of computers have vulnerable IrfanView installed
Posted by Blacky at 8:39 am 0 comments
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The amazing history of pi
Created by Professor Laura Ackerman Smoller from the Department of History, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, this website provides a collection of information on the history of pi.
The amazing history of pi
Posted by Blacky at 3:33 pm 0 comments
Top 10 Most Expensive Car Crashes of All Time
An attempt to review the most expensive world car crashes. No matter it was done by a celebrity or not, a beautiful metal horse was wrecked.
Top 10 Most Expensive Car Crashes of All Time
Posted by Blacky at 3:31 pm 0 comments
30+ Tools to Name and Register Your Domain
We’ve been covering topics such as how to design your site, and even how to code it, but before you do all that, you need to register a domain name. Here are 30+ tools to help you figure out a good name and register it.
30+ Tools to Name and Register Your Domain
Posted by Blacky at 12:40 pm 0 comments
Six Gadgets for Plenty of Peace of Mind
It may not quite be the holiday season yet, but it’s always good to review your options when it comes to cool gadgets. Sometimes a single little device can make you more efficient and change the way you work.
Six Gadgets for Plenty of Peace of Mind
Posted by Blacky at 12:37 pm 0 comments
Windows Tip: Hibernate vs. Standby
Quick: What's the difference between putting your PC in Hibernate or Standby mode? Yeah, we weren't sure either. Luckily the Productivity Portfolio weblog schools us on the finer details of Windows XP power schemes.
Windows Tip: Hibernate vs. Standby
Posted by Blacky at 12:36 pm 0 comments
And the Photoshop-smiting award goes to...
...the German computer-graphics experts who unswirled the image to nail a pedophile who photographed himself (or had himself photographed) abusing various young boys. The BBC has the unswirled photo of Christopher Paul Neil, currently the world's most hunted Canadian, along with a very recent security-camera snapshot.
And the Photoshop-smiting award goes to
Posted by Blacky at 8:48 am 0 comments
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Junkbusters Anti-Telemarketing Script
Telemarketers always use a script: why shouldn't you? What to say when they call if you don't want junk calls.
Junkbusters Anti-Telemarketing Script
Posted by Blacky at 2:05 pm 0 comments
28 Ways To Interpret A Photo
On September 18th, I asked my fellow photographers to join me in an artistic experiment. I wanted to see how a single photo could be interpreted by different people.
28 Ways To Interpret A Photo
Posted by Blacky at 2:02 pm 0 comments
Should managers pitch in or just manage the action?
What's the best role for managers in the workforce: Guiding hand or foreman? Toni Bower's shares her experiences from the industry.
Should managers pitch in or just manage the action?
Posted by Blacky at 1:59 pm 0 comments
Top 10 Ways to Sleep Smarter and Better
Nothing kills your ability to get things done faster than a bad night's sleep. Studies show that sleep deprivation costs significant work productivity; yawning employees can't stay alert, make good decisions, focus on tasks or even manage a friendly mood at the office. There are lots of ways to beat insomnia, increase the quality of your sleep, and master the power nap. Today we've got our top 10 favorite sleep techniques, tips and facts.
Top 10 Ways to Sleep Smarter and Better
Posted by Blacky at 1:58 pm 0 comments
What Will U.S. Air Travel Look Like in Ten Years?
We’ve blogged quite a bit about airline travel over the past couple of years, covering everything from the future of pilotless airplanes to security snafus to the likelihood of an all-business-class U.S. airline. I don’t think this reflects our overwhelming curiosity about the subject as much as the fact that we both happen to be on planes a lot.
What Will U.S. Air Travel Look Like in Ten Years?
Posted by Blacky at 1:47 pm 0 comments
Best Practices For Bulletproof E-Mail Delivery
Have your e-mails already been flagged as spam, although you’ve sent a seemingly legitimate proposal to your client? Have you ever wondered why the efficiency of your newsletter campaigns suddenly dropped down? In both cases you deal with a problem which is harder to get done with than you think it is: bulletproof e-mail delivery.
Best Practices For Bulletproof E-Mail Delivery
Posted by Blacky at 1:44 pm 0 comments
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Our Favorite 100 Blogs 2007
From PC Mag - happy reading!
Our Favorite 100 Blogs 2007
Posted by Blacky at 7:40 am 0 comments
The Emperor's New Security
Yeah, I feel safer already: The TSA's assurance that new scanning software that digitally undresses people won't be misused just makes me feel so much better.
The emperor's new security
Posted by Blacky at 7:36 am 0 comments
"Because you are dangerous, you must not enter"
A couple of good signs from the always enjoyable Engrish.com.
"Because you are dangerous, you must not enter"
Posted by Blacky at 7:32 am 0 comments
American Lawbreaking
At the federal prosecutor's office in the Southern District of New York, the staff, over beer and pretzels, used to play a darkly humorous game. Junior and senior prosecutors would sit around, and someone would name a random celebrity—say, Mother Theresa or John Lennon.
It would then be up to the junior prosecutors to figure out a plausible crime for which to indict him or her. The crimes were not usually rape, murder, or other crimes you'd see on Law & Order but rather the incredibly broad yet obscure crimes that populate the U.S. Code like a kind of jurisprudential minefield: Crimes like "false statements" (a felony, up to five years), "obstructing the mails" (five years), or "false pretenses on the high seas" (also five years). The trick and the skill lay in finding the more obscure offenses that fit the character of the celebrity and carried the toughest sentences. The, result, however, was inevitable: "prison time."
American lawbreaking
Posted by Blacky at 7:30 am 0 comments
Social Network Spamming
Lately, I get so many invites on various social networks, that its becoming a part time job, just responding to the various stupidity. Most of the friend requests are from people I don't know and who don't know me. I often respond, "How do I know you?" I get three follow-ups from there.
Social Network Spamming
Posted by Blacky at 7:29 am 0 comments
Horror shows in the whites of your eyes
A horrified look on your face is a sure-fire way of grabbing someone's attention, according to US researchers who've measured how fast people process facial expressions.
They believe fearful facial expressions go straight to the alarm centre of the brain known as the amygdala, cuing humans to potential threats.
Horror shows in the whites of your eyes
Posted by Blacky at 7:27 am 0 comments
Monday, October 15, 2007
Urine is found to grow big Cabbages
Kuopio, Finland researchers have discovered that human urine is better than commercial fertilizers in growing bigger cabbages.
Urine is found to grow big Cabbages
Posted by Blacky at 8:31 am 0 comments
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Query Nuclear Explosions Database
Geoscience Australia maintains a database of nuclear explosions with the location, time and size of explosions around the world since 1945. You can query this database by filling in the form below.
Query Nuclear Explosions Database
Posted by Blacky at 10:24 pm 0 comments
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Make Crystal Clear Ice!
How to make crystal cear ice without any special equipment! It is super easy! You will be surprised!
make crystal clear ice!
Posted by Blacky at 7:22 pm 0 comments
Vatican publish Knights Templar documents
The Vatican has published a slew of centuries-old documents about the Knights Templar, a Christian military order that operated in the Middle Ages and remains a source of endless fascination for conspiracy theorists, Holy Grail seekers, occultists, and Dan Brown readers.
Vatican publish Knights Templar documents
Posted by Blacky at 7:20 pm 0 comments
Nobel Prize Award Laureates, 2007; Nobel Award Database
Several ready reference links from the Nobel Foundation.
Nobel Prize Award Laureates, 2007; Nobel Award Database
Posted by Blacky at 7:19 pm 0 comments
Cheat DVD Regional Encoding
You might think a DVD is just a DVD, and that it will play in any DVD player. Unfortunately, you're wrong. The film industry has segregated the world into seven "regions," and DVDs are generally encoded for playback in only one region.
Cheat DVD Regional Encoding
Posted by Blacky at 7:15 pm 0 comments
8 Simple Ways to Enjoy Life Every Day
This article is targeted at the professional stuck in the 9 to 5 grind who longs for the weekend and, in the process, has given up on trying to find pleasure in the ordinary experiences we have every day.
8 Simple Ways to Enjoy Life Every Day
Posted by Blacky at 12:06 am 0 comments
Friday, October 12, 2007
Use eBay
Ahhhh, eBay… the ultimate worldwide flea market. Everyone from Midwestern grannies to jobless goatee-ed neo-hippies (as if there are any other kind) are in on the action, peddling their wares in the wee hours of the morning. Chances are if you want to buy, some poor sucker is selling, and if you want to sell, there's some poor sucker willing to buy.
We know what you're thinking: How do I avoid being the aforementioned "poor sucker"? Well, we're here to save your sorry ass. But first we have to make one thing clear: This article will assume you have at least a basic understanding of how eBay works.
Use eBay
Posted by Blacky at 10:33 am 0 comments
Too Sick to Work?
What’s a good enough reason to call in sick? If you wake up feeling sneezy, sleepy, dopey and grumpy, as if you turned into nearly all of Snow White’s dwarves overnight, you might be wondering whether you should tough it out or just stay home. Here’s some advice on how to tell when your symptoms warrant staying at home – or when you have to roll out of bed and get to work.
Too Sick to Work?
Posted by Blacky at 10:29 am 0 comments
Airline meal ‘used to kill activist’
The former head of Indonesia’s national airline faces 20 years in jail over the killing of an outspoken human rights activist whose in-flight meal was laced with a massive dose of arsenic. (I'll fly Qantas, thanks!)
Airline meal ‘used to kill activist’
Posted by Blacky at 8:41 am 0 comments
Gore climate film's 'nine errors'
A High Court judge who ruled on whether climate change film, An Inconvenient Truth, could be shown in schools said it contains "nine scientific errors".
Gore climate film's 'nine errors'
Posted by Blacky at 8:37 am 0 comments
Cheaper Running Shoes win comfortably
Expensive running shoes might look flash, but cost does not necessarily buy better cushioning, says a team of UK medical engineers. In fact, cheaper might do it better when it comes to absorbing shock.
Cheaper running shoes win comfortably
Posted by Blacky at 8:32 am 0 comments
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Migrant Statistics News, Oct 2007
Migrant Statistics News is the half-yearly newsletter of the National Migrant Statistics Unit. The newsletter highlights developments in migrant and ethnicity related statistics, and provides relevant information for researchers, policy makers, service providers and others with an interest in this field.
Migrant Statistics News, Oct 2007
Posted by Blacky at 11:54 am 0 comments
How Much Email?
It almost seems like there are fashions in email. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about handling email stress or even resorting to the nuclear option of email bankruptcy. Most of our fascination with email (and ways to handle it) seems to be driven by the common perception that we’re drowning under an avalanche of the stuff. Indeed, in some circles it’s fashionable to boast about the size of one’s inbox or the number of hundreds of messages that one gets per day.
How Much Email?
Posted by Blacky at 10:25 am 0 comments
More on Excel
You may have recently read of an issue in Excel 2007 involving calculation of numbers around 65,535 where Excel 2007 would return a value of 100,000 instead of 65,535. Excel incorrectly displays the result of a calculation in 12 very specific cases. The key here is that the issue is actually not in the calculation itself (the result of the calculation stored in Excel’s memory is correct), but only in the result that is shown in the sheet.
You can get more detail on the problem here:
Microsoft Excel : Calculation Issue Update
Microsoft have just released an update for both Excel 2007 and Excel Services in Office SharePoint Server 2007 that fixes this problem.
Description of the Excel 2007 hotfix package: October 9, 2007
Excel Services in Office SharePoint Server 2007 hotfix package: October 9, 2007
For all the latest information on Excel and Excel Services make sure you regularly visit the Excel team blog:
Microsoft Excel Team Blog
Posted by Blacky at 10:06 am 0 comments
Labels: excel
HDTVs: Australia to Ban All Plasmas
If a revised Australian energy rating guide gets passed, then all plasma televisions would be banned from sale by 2011. That's right, all plasmas and even many power-hungry LCDs would be taken off store shelves due to their high energy consumption. But listen to this, it gets worse.
HDTVs: Australia to Ban All Plasmas
Posted by Blacky at 8:15 am 0 comments
24 Things You Can Do With an Index Card
YES YES YES!
24 Things You Can Do With an Index Card
Posted by Blacky at 8:13 am 0 comments
Excel number formatting problem fixed
Microsoft has released a patch for Excel 2007 to fix a bug that caused certain numbers to be displayed incorrectly.
Excel number formatting problem fixed
Posted by Blacky at 8:10 am 0 comments
24 Warning Signs You Cannot Afford To Ignore
These common aches and ailments could very well be nothing. Or something far, far worse. Here are 24 warning signs that you need to take seriously, and what you should do if you experience them.
24 Warning Signs You Cannot Afford To Ignore
Posted by Blacky at 8:07 am 0 comments
Confusing Words
Here's another site already listed on the Black Stump Words site some time ago. Worth highlighting again.
Confusing Words
Posted by Blacky at 8:06 am 0 comments
Essential Music and Audio Websites
As well as our own listing of sites at Black Stump here is another annotated list.
Essential Music and Audio Websites
Posted by Blacky at 8:04 am 0 comments
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
10 Most Incredible Things to Do Before You Die
It would cost a pretty penny to engage in most of these activities, but what the heck, you can't take it with you anyway and if you should die in pursuit of completing this list, then you'll have died doing what only a handful of other people have done in their lifetime.
10 Most Incredible Things to Do Before You Die
Posted by Blacky at 7:08 am 0 comments
Optical Illusions and Architecture
Illusions which rely on some form of architecture and all create an effect which deserves a mention.
optical illusions and architecture
Posted by Blacky at 7:07 am 0 comments
Overcoming Shyness
Shyness is rooted in fear — an irrational fear of speaking up and being humiliated or ignored. Why are some people so afraid of speaking out?
Overcoming Shyness
Posted by Blacky at 7:06 am 0 comments
66 Celebrities that Blog
Think evil gossip mongers are the only ones blogging? Think again! Your favorite celebrities are also blogging. Many of them enjoy writing and it’s a great way to keep in touch with their fans.
66 Celebrities that Blog
Posted by Blacky at 7:04 am 0 comments
who.hasfiles Online Storage
Sign up to get a free 100 MB remote drive, accessible via net! You can upgrade to a paid account and get up to 100 GB anytime.
who.hasfiles Online Storage
Posted by Blacky at 7:03 am 0 comments
How to iron a button down shirt in 5 easy steps
Funny thing about men: when it comes to choosing what to wear, you can be just as vain as most women. Surprisingly though, unlike women, most men have no problem wearing those same clothes with the 'just-slept-in-look'.
How to iron a button down shirt in 5 easy steps
Posted by Blacky at 7:02 am 0 comments
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Discover the .EDU Underground
Little appreciated outside the world of academia, there are literally thousands of .edu (AU - or edu.au, of course) sites bursting with incredibly useful and interesting information and resources. Most of these sites won't pop up to the surface of the average search engine quest, and so they wait, neglected and underused...until now. Keep reading for a quick tour through the mysterious underground world of .edu.
Discover the .EDU Underground
Posted by Blacky at 9:41 am 0 comments
The Rules of Sarcasm
Sarcasm is so ubiquitous these days, it almost goes unnoticed. The trick is to use sarcasm intelligently, and sparingly.
The Rules of Sarcasm
Posted by Blacky at 9:33 am 0 comments
Ten Terrific Troubleshooting Tricks and Tools
The bad news: PCs have been around for 30 years, and they still find in new and unusual ways to break. The good news: I've discovered a kitbag full of tools that troubleshoot and fix perplexing tech problems.
Ten Terrific Troubleshooting Tricks and Tools
Posted by Blacky at 8:56 am 0 comments
Digitizing records and tapes with Audacity
You've been ripping CDs for years, but what about those dusty cassette tapes in your attic and all that bargain-basement vinyl at used book sales? With Audacity, you can capture those vintage tunes, clean up their sound, and carry them around on your MP3 player.
Audacity is a powerful free cross-platform audio editor. It includes tools such as noise removal filters and automatic track splitting that can speed up the process of turning your antique audio into shiny new MP3s or Oggs.
Digitizing records and tapes with Audacity
Posted by Blacky at 8:51 am 0 comments
Batteries: Revive a Dead Laptop Battery in the Freezer
Looks like a little freezer time can save more than just a dead hard drive: according to this video over at Metacafe, you can also revive a dead laptop battery by freezing it for 14 to 15 hours.
Batteries: Revive a Dead Laptop Battery in the Freezer
Posted by Blacky at 8:49 am 0 comments
Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.13
This latest version includes a full installation of the Web browser and the most recent version of Outlook Express, the e-mail client that is included with Internet Explorer.
Download Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.13
Posted by Blacky at 8:45 am 0 comments
Monday, October 08, 2007
How to Read a Painting
Art is a great status symbol in modern society and because of that it can be quite intimidating to the casual viewer. For many the first impulse is to blow it off, to see it as a worthless plaything for the rich and boring. This is too bad, not only because art can be a great source of pleasure in our lives, but because even a passing acquaintance with art can enrich and deepen our understanding of the world around us.
How to Read a Painting
Posted by Blacky at 2:48 pm 0 comments
Do Try This at Home
Discover the speed of light with a bar of chocolate, why spaghetti always breaks in three places and how ants can survive a switched-on microwave. Our correspondent reveals the amazing appliance of oddball science.
Do try this at home - Times Online
Posted by Blacky at 8:53 am 0 comments
Four Rules to Understand What Makes People Tick
Breaking down human behavior into rules might seem like a gross simplification. But even with the complexities, it is easy to fall into the same mistakes. Many heated fights, lost sales and broken hearts are caused by a few critical errors. If you make the wrong assumptions, you’ve lost before you begin.
Four Rules to Understand What Makes People Tick
Posted by Blacky at 8:50 am 0 comments
7 Rules for Communicating Clearly and Concisely in Email
As email is the prevalent form of communication for many web workers, it’s gotten a lot of attention: how to handle your email, how to empty your inbox, email etiquette, and more.
But perhaps not enough time is spent learning about how to communicate with email. And more specifically, how to communicate clearly and concisely, two crucial aspects of communication that are often overlooked.
7 Rules for Communicating Clearly and Concisely in Email
Posted by Blacky at 8:47 am 0 comments
Photoshopping Masterpieces
A great painting captures a moment in time. But, after the masterpiece is finished, life goes on. Even the most prolific painter couldn't catch every scene as it happened - but now you can.
Photoshopping Masterpieces
Posted by Blacky at 8:44 am 0 comments
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Windows Tip: Make a Folder Invisible
By giving a file folder a blank name and blank icon, unless you're specifically looking for it, the folder's existence isn't immediately apparent.
Windows Tip: Make a Folder Invisible
Posted by Blacky at 10:20 am 0 comments
Friday, October 05, 2007
The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) : October 2007 Advance Notification
We’ve just posted our Advance Notification for next week’s bulletin release on Tuesday October 9, 2007 at or around 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
A reminder that the information we post is intended to help with your planning for next week, but because it is preliminary information it is subject to change.
The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) : October 2007 Advance Notification
Posted by Blacky at 12:21 pm 0 comments
IE7 Update Available for Download
Microsoft has just released an updated version of Internet Explorer 7, with a few new minor features, and broader availability to more users. Windows Genuine Advantage validation is no longer required for the installation of IE 7, and is now accessible to all Windows XP users. Those who are already running IE7 will not get it again through Automatic Updates.
IE7 Update Available for Download
Posted by Blacky at 9:59 am 0 comments
UK gov't to Heathrow: fix your bloody security queues
Flying through Heathrow a lot? It has all the charm of a colonoscopy and all the comfort of being trapped in a cargo container. The lines are like something out of the ninth pit of hell, especially in the Virgin terminal, and the rules about carry-ons and so forth keep getting more and more inhospitable.
UK gov't to Heathrow: fix your bloody security queues
Posted by Blacky at 9:56 am 0 comments
Screensavers - Best Of
We don’t need screensavers any more, however we tend to use them as eye-candy for our coffee breaks. Particularly complex and colourful 3D-screensavers are extremely nice to look at. But also if you’d like to lift your spirit with some calm and relaxing animations screensavers can definitely be just what you are looking for.
Screensavers - Best Of
Posted by Blacky at 9:52 am 0 comments
Yahoo!7 takes the Pulse of Aussie web surfers
Yahoo!7's new Pulse service identifies what Australians are reading, watching and asking.
Yahoo!7 takes the Pulse of Aussie web surfers
Posted by Blacky at 9:50 am 0 comments
One-Hit Wonders: From Hapax to Googlewhacks
The latest edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is a pleasing mix of the old and the new, with musty archaisms sharing the page with the leading edge of English vocabulary. Unlike the full Oxford English Dictionary, however, the Shorter doesn’t take up space with anything too archaic, using 1700 as the arbitrary cutoff date.
One-Hit Wonders: From Hapax to Googlewhacks
Posted by Blacky at 9:48 am 0 comments
Breaking Rules makes your Brain light up
Researchers say they have identified the part of the brain that processes the threat of punishment for flouting social rules.
Breaking rules makes your brain light up
Posted by Blacky at 9:42 am 0 comments
Aussies 'could become fatter than Americans'
Australians have been warned they could be fatter than Americans by 2020, as the Pedestrian Council urged them to take part in national Walk to Work Day today.
Aussies 'could become fatter than Americans'
Posted by Blacky at 9:37 am 0 comments
Thursday, October 04, 2007
5 Things I learned about Personal Growth by Moving
Did you ever have a learning experience after a major change in your life that made you realize you could have learned that same lesson without having gone through the major change?
Obviously the change was a necessary catalyst for the lesson, but it still gives you the opportunity to slap yourself in the forehead and say, "I could have learned this years ago!".
5 Things I learned about Personal Growth by Moving
Posted by Blacky at 12:33 pm 0 comments