The following post on The Secrets to Ultra-Sharp Photos is by San Francisco based photographer Jim M. Goldstein.
The Secret to Ultra-Sharp Photos
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
The Secret to Ultra-Sharp Photos
Posted by Blacky at 9:52 pm 0 comments
Pranks: Just Say 'Yes' To Telemarketers
Want to drive a telemarketer crazy and amuse yourself at the same time? Here's an example of how to do it.
Pranks: Just Say 'Yes' To Telemarketers
Posted by Blacky at 10:31 am 0 comments
7 Most Unhealthy Carnival Foods
There are few things in the universe more evil than carnival food. Why do they feed us deep-fried sugary food before we get on rides that spin us around and around? Why is it that carnies aren't all 500 lbs.? Must be the meth. Check out Newsweek's list of the 7 most unhealthy carnival foods.
7 Most Unhealthy Carnival Foods
Posted by Blacky at 10:28 am 0 comments
How to get the most from Qantas' new Frequent Flyer program
Qantas today unveiled major changes to its Frequent Flyer program, adding options to fly on any day where seats are available and an expanded range of other products to its traditional use-points-and-fly-if-you're-lucky approach. Where can the best deals be had and how can you ensure you get the flights you want?
How to get the most from Qantas' new Frequent Flyer program
Posted by Blacky at 10:23 am 0 comments
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
10 Essential Sites for Tips and How-To’s
The advent of the Internet and social media have spawned a number of how-to sites, which has made finding tips and resources easier than ever before. We’ve put together a list of 10 essential sites where you can find or in some cases contribute tips and how-to’s on a wide range of topics. And the eleventh is The Black Stump!
10 Essential Sites for Tips and How-To’s
Posted by Blacky at 8:11 am 0 comments
Monday, June 30, 2008
The iPhone gets a price and Telstra joins the party
It turns out the rumours were true: Telstra will begin selling the iPhone 3G on July 11, joining Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has also become the first company to reveal any Australian pricing for the iPhone.
The iPhone gets a price and Telstra joins the party
Posted by Blacky at 7:02 pm 0 comments
Access Your Computer Remotely
Afraid you'll be bored on the Big Island this summer? Nervous about seven mind-numbing days on Nantucket? Thanks to virtual network computing, you can access your home machine from anywhere.
Access Your Computer Remotely - Wired How-To Wiki
Posted by Blacky at 9:11 am 0 comments
Cutting Email Down to Size
IBM’s Luis Suarez is the latest social networker to argue for reducing your dependence on email as a productivity tactic. Tired of spending hours a day on email, Suarez worked to stop the cycle of emails generating emails, reducing his incoming stream by 80% in a week.
Cutting Email Down to Size «
Posted by Blacky at 9:06 am 0 comments
Sunday, June 29, 2008
How To Write an Effective Thank You Note for Any Occasion
Thank you notes can be a big source of anxiety for many people and it’s often something that’s put off until later because of that anxiety. To help get through that anxiety, here’s a guide to thank you notes, covering when they’re appropriate to send and how to assemble an effective one.
How To Write an Effective Thank You Note for Any Occasion
Posted by Blacky at 10:41 am 0 comments
Pictures From the Sky
As it says, an eclectic mix of pictures from the sky.
Pictures From the Sky
Posted by Blacky at 10:38 am 0 comments
Saturday, June 28, 2008
How to Get a Lot Done – 7 Tips to Achieve More
Have you ever written out a list of goals you’d like to achieve and thought, ‘How can I get all this done’? Or seen an opportunity that you’ve had to pass by because you are just flat out? Life is a torrent of choices and possibilities, and often it’s hard to let them go. Should you compromise? Or do you just need a better game plan?
How to Get a Lot Done – 7 Tips to Achieve More
Posted by Blacky at 10:30 pm 0 comments
10 Free MS Word Alternatives You Can Use Today
While many people believe that they are “locked” into using Microsoft Word for all their document creation needs, it simply isn’t true. There are many free alternatives to the costly application from Microsoft, many of which are free. Today we’re going to talk about ten alternatives to Microsoft Word that you can quickly and easily start using today. Some will be online and some will be downloadable applications that can be installed on your local computer, but all will enable you to wean yourself off of Microsoft Word and still be productive.
10 Free MS Word Alternatives You Can Use Today
Posted by Blacky at 1:59 pm 0 comments
How Can I Find Out If a File Really Has a Virus?
I love my AV app, but is there a better way I can verify whether or not a file really contains a virus?
How Can I Find Out If a File Really Has a Virus?
Posted by Blacky at 10:49 am 0 comments
Friday, June 27, 2008
Australian Population by Age and Sex
This issue contains estimates of the resident population of Australian states and territories as at 30 June of each reference year. Estimates up to 2006 are final, based on the results of the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, and 2007 estimates are preliminary.
Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories, Jun 2002 to Jun 2007
Posted by Blacky at 11:52 am 0 comments
Thursday, June 26, 2008
10 tips to help relieve insomnia
Having trouble sleeping? Here we list 10 favoured remedies.
10 tips to help relieve insomnia
Posted by Blacky at 3:18 pm 0 comments
Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia, 2007
This publication presents national crime statistics relating to victims of a selected range of offences that have been recorded by police. These statistics provide indicators of the level and nature of recorded crime victimisation in Australia and a basis for measuring change over time.
Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia, 2007
Posted by Blacky at 3:15 pm 0 comments
French Kissing Confusion Over…
Have you ever been to France and felt awkward when one of them kisses you on the cheek?
French Kissing Confusion Over…
Posted by Blacky at 7:49 am 0 comments
All The Best Tips on Getting In Shape, In One Handy List | Zen Habits
A bunch of articles about health, fitness, and the challenges of getting in shape.
All The Best Tips on Getting In Shape, In One Handy List | Zen Habits
Posted by Blacky at 7:40 am 0 comments
Top 10 Ways to Trick Yourself into Saving Money
Good money management is a mental exercise in self-regulation and focusing on the long-term goal, even when you're sure you just can't go on another day without buying that Kindle or MacBook. Even the most uber-organized and priority-minded people can stumble when it comes to money—how to save more of it, how to stop spending it, and how to keep doing both over and over again.
Top 10 Ways to Trick Yourself into Saving Money
Posted by Blacky at 7:38 am 0 comments
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Extraordinary Uses for Lemons
Discover this popular fruit's 34 clever uses.
Extraordinary Uses for Lemons: Around the House Advice and Know-How
Posted by Blacky at 9:38 pm 0 comments
Alerting All Stalkers: You Can Find Me Here
It seems these days we are becoming obsessed with continuously telling the world what we are doing, who we are doing it with, and now the hot ticket item seems to be letting everyone know where we are.
Alerting All Stalkers: You Can Find Me Here
Posted by Blacky at 8:25 am 0 comments
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Australia's population increases at fastest rate since 1988
Australia's population grew at its fastest rate since 1988 according to figures released today from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The population growth rate for Australia during 2007 was 1.6% (or 331,900 people), for a total of 21,181,000 people.
Australia's population increases at fastest rate since 1988
Posted by Blacky at 12:36 pm 0 comments
Monday, June 23, 2008
Avoid speed cameras with Speedwarnings
Heading out in the car but don't want to get pulled up by cops or caught out by speed cameras? Speedwarnings offers an SMS update service; text a regional shortcode to receive regular updates on police and camera activity in your area (as tracked by parent company Road Info; there's a phone number for ringing in your own reports).
Avoid speed cameras with Speedwarnings
Posted by Blacky at 3:26 pm 0 comments
Weird science: 10 unexplained phenomena - Science
Science has the power to harness energy, allow human flight, help cure the sick, and explain much about the world. But as amazing and beneficial as science is, it cannot explain everything.
Scientists may never know exactly how the universe began, or help to settle matters of faith. The same is true for the paranormal world. Though science can explain many strange phenomena, some mysteries remain to be solved -- often because there is simply not enough information to reach a definitive conclusion.
Weird science: 10 unexplained phenomena
Posted by Blacky at 8:26 am 0 comments
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Photographer Documents Secret Satellites -- All 189 of Them
BERKELEY, California -- For most people, photographing something that isn't there might be tough. Not so for Trevor Paglen.
His shots of 189 secret spy satellites are the subject of a new exhibit -- despite the fact that, officially speaking, the satellites don't exist. The Other Night Sky, on display at the University of California at Berkeley Art Museum through September 14, is only a small selection from the 1,500 astrophotographs Paglen has taken thus far.
Photographer Documents Secret Satellites -- All 189 of Them
Posted by Blacky at 9:59 am 0 comments
The-3-000-Mile-Oil-Change-Myth
According to a recent study by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, 73 percent of California drivers change their oil more frequently than required. This same scenario no doubt repeats itself across the country. Besides wasting money, this translates into unnecessary consumption of $100-a-barrel oil, much of it imported.
The-3-000-Mile/5-000-Kilometre-Oil-Change-Myth
Posted by Blacky at 9:54 am 0 comments
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Today is the happiest day of the year according to Cliff Arnall's maths formula
June 20 is the happiest day of the year according to a maths formula worked out by an academic. But rather a pity the formula doesn't account for which hemisphere you live in....
Today is the happiest day of the year according to Cliff Arnall's maths formula
Posted by Blacky at 11:07 am 0 comments
100 Useful Niche Search Engines You’ve Never Heard Of
Though the general Google site is often touted as the number one search engine online, college students sometimes need more specific tools to help them uncover quality information on the Web that they can use for class projects, research papers, and even job and apartment searches. This list features a huge variety of search engines that can be useful to students, including tools that find photos, sound effects, summer internships, health and medical information, reference guides, and a lot more.
100 Useful Niche Search Engines You’ve Never Heard Of
...and dont forget this one...Useful Australian Search Engine You May Never Have Heard Of
Posted by Blacky at 11:01 am 0 comments
Friday, June 20, 2008
Family Characteristics and Transitions, Australia, 2006-07
Providing information about changing patterns of family and household composition in contemporary Australia. Information on family transitions such as relationship history, relationship expectations, children born and fertility expectations is also presented in this publication.
Family Characteristics and Transitions, Australia, 2006-07
Posted by Blacky at 12:19 pm 0 comments
Top 10 Easy, Eco-effective Travel Tips
Wondering how small changes can make a big difference? Individually, they may not. But when enough of us make the changes we will make the world a more livable, sustainable place—and enjoy ourselves while we’re at it.
Top 10 Easy, Eco-effective Travel Tips
Posted by Blacky at 6:54 am 1 comments
Thursday, June 19, 2008
JukeBo: Online Music Video Database
If you’re perusing the Web for music videoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_video , you’re likely to search YouTubeYouTube for content. Or DailyMotion. Or Yahoo, or AOL, or Last.fm. The choices are many, and they’re all quite good both in depth and delivery. But in your quest for convenience, perhaps you’d like to browse multiple video hosts at once, rather than visit each singularly.
JukeBo: Online Music Video Database
Posted by Blacky at 6:25 am 0 comments
BBtv: "Improbable Research Collections" debut
Today, BBtv is proud to share a sneak peek at the new "Improbable Research Collections" internet tv series.
The Improbable Researchers are a group of scientists who collect and conduct research to provoke both laughter and thought. They publish a bi-monthly magazine, "Annals of Improbable Research;" they award the coveted " Ig Nobel Prizes;" and they oversee the exclusive and ridiculous Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists ("for scientists who have, or believe they have, luxuriant flowing hair").
BBtv: "Improbable Research Collections" debut
Posted by Blacky at 6:22 am 0 comments
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Eleven tips for broaching difficult subjects
We’ve all had to start conversations that we dreaded having – everything from asking for a raise to asking for a divorce to asking for help with the laundry. These strategies help the conversation go more smoothly -- at least, that's the hope.
Eleven tips for broaching difficult subjects
Posted by Blacky at 10:38 pm 0 comments
The 25 Best High-Tech Pranks
Everyone loves a good laugh, and in the age of electronics, high-tech hijinks are just waiting to be pulled off. So snuggle up to your screen and get ready to unleash all sorts of shenanigans as we present the 25 best high-tech pranks known to man. Our apologies in advance to your friends and co-workers.
The 25 Best High-Tech Pranks
Posted by Blacky at 10:25 pm 0 comments
Australian finds vulnerability in his coffee maker
An Australian man has discovered security holes in his internet-connected coffee maker that could allow a remote attacker to not only take over his Windows XP-based PC but also make his coffee too weak.
Australian finds vulnerability in his coffee maker
Posted by Blacky at 12:24 pm 0 comments
How to Make Yourself Indispensable
Let me ask you a question: could you disappear? If you didn’t show up at work tomorrow, if you weren’t home at 6:00 for dinner, if nobody ever heard from or saw you again, would it matter?
OK, these are depressing things to think about, but that’s exactly how many people feel, day in and day out, in their jobs and even at home. They feel unappreciated, unchallenged, ineffective, and in the end, completely irrelevant.
How to Make Yourself Indispensable
Posted by Blacky at 11:22 am 0 comments
50 office-speak phrases you love to hate
Management speak - don't you just hate it? Emphatically yes, judging by readers' responses to writer Lucy Kellaway's campaign against office jargon. Here, we list 50 of the best worst examples.
50 office-speak phrases you love to hate
Posted by Blacky at 11:18 am 0 comments
The Ultimate Guide To What’s Good In Firefox 3
Ok, so Firefox 3 final is out. You don’t really care that much about its compatibility with every standard under the sun; you just want to know which new features are actually useful? Good, so do we. Here’s our rundown of the stuff that makes the latest iteration of this cool Web browser worth your while.
The Ultimate Guide To What’s Good In Firefox 3
Posted by Blacky at 11:16 am 0 comments
How to Make Windows Vista Less Annoying
Whether it's the nagging prompts or the irritating notifications, Windows Vista's default settings can grate on your nerves... which doesn't help you be the productive person you want to be. A few simple tweaks can cut down on the irritation—and drastically alter your views on Vista. Let's take a look at some of the best ways to tame the Vista beast and make it a less naggy operating system to work on.
How to Make Windows Vista Less Annoying
Posted by Blacky at 11:12 am 0 comments
Why You Should Download Firefox 3 Right Now
Firefox 3 — available for download at 10am PDT Tuesday — is the culmination of a two-year quest to build the best browser ever. And while it’s not perfect, it comes pretty close.
Why You Should Download Firefox 3 Right Now
Posted by Blacky at 11:05 am 0 comments
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Archive Shoeboxed: Organise Your Receipts
Launched around a year ago, Shoeboxed provides a simple service for uploading, storing and organizing all those paper receipts that are stuffed into real shoeboxes around our homes and offices, into over-sized wallets and purses, largely lost or disorganized until summoned by our accountants and tax authorities!
Archive Shoeboxed: Organise Your Receipts
Posted by Blacky at 6:59 am 0 comments
Is it Time to Retire the Never-Ending List?
One afternoon, earlier this year, as I was scanning a long list that I was adding to endlessly, I realized, "I'll never get it all done. That's probably just fine. But this endless list and this feeling of being completely scheduled...it's not working right now."
Is it Time to Retire the Never-Ending List?
Posted by Blacky at 6:55 am 0 comments
Monday, June 16, 2008
Retrain Your Brain
Can't remember where you put your glasses? Blanked on your new colleague's name? "Forgetting these types of things is a sign of how busy we are," says Zaldy S. Tan, MD, director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. "When we're not paying good attention, the memories we form aren't very robust, and we have a problem retrieving the information later."
Retrain Your Brain:
Posted by Blacky at 4:24 am 0 comments
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Toilet Signs Across the World
Male and females are represented differently all across the world. One of the proofs for this statement is the diverse representations of toilet signs in different corners of the globe. While some tried to make the signs as obvious as they can get, others went out of their way to be creative. Here are some of the wackiest, funniest or oddest men and women toilet signs.
Toilet Signs Across the World
Posted by Blacky at 9:13 pm 0 comments
Friday, June 13, 2008
The 30 Most Salacious Sites For Celebrity Gossip
Feel a burning need to know the latest happenings in Lindsay Lohan’s life? Can’t wait to find out about the latest addition to the Brangelina family? If so, this list is definitely for you.
The 30 Most Salacious Sites For Celebrity Gossip
Posted by Blacky at 10:29 pm 0 comments
RepairPal Tracks the “Health” of your Car, From Buy to Sell
What if you could keep tabs on your automobile’s “health” in the same manner Google is hoping you’ll manage your own healthcare? There are a few services out there that hope to aid you in your pursuit of automobile happiness, including sites like Carfax that give you itemized records of car maintenance so you can decide whether or not the used car you’ve been eying is a lemon.
RepairPal Tracks the “Health” of your Car, From Buy to Sell
Posted by Blacky at 6:07 am 0 comments
De-duplicate Your Data with Free Tools
When your hard drive's cluttered with hundreds of files in folders scattered everywhere, chances are you're using up disk space with multiple copies of the same data. Whether multiple memory card downloads have plagued your photo library, or swapping MP3s with friends who have similar tastes left you with double copies of the same songs, or you've saved and re-saved the same documents in different places, a good file de-duping can recover hard drive space and help you get organized.
De-duplicate Your Data with Free Tools
Posted by Blacky at 6:05 am 0 comments
The Celebrity 100 - Forbes
IT IS THE YEAR OF THE TWEEN. Coming off a concert tour, a hit 3-D movie and a risqué picture in Vanity Fair, pop star Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Hannah Montana) leads a slew of young stars onto our annual Celebrity 100 ranking of the world's ultrafamous. Also building buzz, and drawing dollars, from the under-18 crowd: Daniel Radcliffe, Zac Efron and Ashley Tisdale.
The Celebrity 100 - Forbes
Posted by Blacky at 6:01 am 0 comments
The Growing List of Things You Can Do With Google Maps
The Google Maps team has been hard at work launching a number of new features in recent months. In case you’ve missed them, here are a few of the features available in Google Maps these days.
The Growing List of Things You Can Do With Google Maps
Posted by Blacky at 5:53 am 0 comments
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Quarterly updates - Oxford English Dictionary
Every quarter, a range of entries in OED Online will be replaced by updated versions produced by the OED's revision programme. New entries will also be added across the alphabet.
Quarterly updates - Oxford English Dictionary
Posted by Blacky at 10:15 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Fourteen tips to avoid nagging
In marriage, or any partnership, chores are a huge source of conflict. How do you get your sweetheart to hold up his or her end, without nagging?
Fourteen tips to avoid nagging
Posted by Blacky at 11:47 pm 0 comments
Australia's most gullible: Top victims of cybercrime?
Australians experience one of the highest levels of cybercrime in the world, according to a new survey — but are Aussies really such easy targets?
Australia's most gullible: Top victims of cybercrime?
Posted by Blacky at 11:44 pm 0 comments
Top Tourist Spots Americans Can’t Visit
Looking for someplace special to spend the Fourth of July? FP investigates five fabulous destinations where a summer getaway is next to impossible.
Top Tourist Spots Americans Can’t Visit
Posted by Blacky at 11:40 pm 0 comments
How to Recover Deleted Files with Free Software
Ack! The computer ate my term paper! We've all been there at some point. You delete an important file, somehow it skips your Recycle Bin altogether, and for all practical purposes, it's disappeared into the ether. But before you hit the big red panic button, there's a very good chance that your file is still alive and kicking somewhere on your hard drive—you just need to know how to find it. With the right tools, finding and recovering that deleted file can be as simple as a few clicks of your mouse.
How to Recover Deleted Files with Free Software
Posted by Blacky at 7:00 am 0 comments
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The 50 Best Pun Stores
Pun stores. Stores with puns in the title. Bet you didn’t think we could rank the 50 best ones. But you didn’t even think there were 50. Well guess again. BWE.tv has scoured the internet and pulled together the 50 Best Pun Establishments. And here we go:
The 50 Best Pun Stores
Posted by Blacky at 5:05 pm 0 comments
Monday, June 09, 2008
Get Rid Of Ants Without An Exterminator
Has warm weather brought a plague of ants down upon your home?
Get Rid Of Ants Without An Exterminator
Posted by Blacky at 1:49 pm 0 comments
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Five job interview bear traps
In a tough job interview even the smoothest candidate can come unstuck. And the interview episode of The Apprentice showcases tactics to test the mettle of prospective employees. How to respond if you find yourself in a job interview from hell?
Five job interview bear traps
Posted by Blacky at 8:35 am 0 comments
Eight ways to get exactly what you want - being-human
Cajole your boss into giving you a raise, win someone round to your point of view, or persuade your partner it's their turn to put out the trash - getting people to do what you want can be very handy. Persuasion is a key element of all human interaction, from politics to marketing to everyday dealings with friends, family and colleagues.
Eight ways to get exactly what you want - being-human
Posted by Blacky at 8:33 am 0 comments
Friday, June 06, 2008
The Ultimate Guide to Motivation - How to Achieve Any Goal
One of the biggest challenges in meeting any goal, whether it be related to productivity, waking early, changing a habit, exercising, or just becoming happier, is finding the motivation to stick with it.
If you can stick with a goal for long enough, you’ll almost always get there eventually. It just takes patience, and motivation.
The Ultimate Guide to Motivation - How to Achieve Any Goal
Posted by Blacky at 7:58 pm 0 comments
Human Body and Mind
Surveys and Psychology Tests.
BBC - Science & Nature - Human Body and Mind - Surveys
Posted by Blacky at 7:06 am 0 comments
Five Best Antivirus Applications
The internet is a glorious and exciting world, but unless you're properly protected with a good antivirus application, it can also be a dangerous one. We've come a long way since the days of Norton, with handfuls of excellent freeware software that can keep your computer safe from malware just as well as their bloated, more expensive counterparts.
Five Best Antivirus Applications
Posted by Blacky at 7:02 am 0 comments
Thursday, June 05, 2008
The Skinny on Fat: You're Not Always What You Eat
Ever wondered why some people seem able to gobble down anything and still stay slim?
New research shows that the answer may lie in serotonin, a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger produced by nerve cells.
The Skinny on Fat: You're Not Always What You Eat
Posted by Blacky at 11:08 pm 0 comments
The Most Risky Web Locales
Where should you be careful when you’re online? That’s the question that McAfee Research has tackled in its newly released report The Most Dangerous Domains to Surf and Search on the Web. The report seeks to pin down which general types of domains give you a good chance of picking up malware, and gets into which parts of the world those domains are usually associated with.
The Most Risky Web Locales
Posted by Blacky at 11:04 pm 0 comments
Complaint Letters: Professional Complaint Letter Writer Shares His Secrets
"Praise with faint damn" is the underlying secret to how professional complaint letter writer Bruce Silverman is able to be so successful in getting companies to give him free stuff.
Complaint Letters: Professional Complaint Letter Writer Shares His Secrets
Posted by Blacky at 2:27 pm 0 comments
New Hints Seen That Red Wine May Slow Aging
Red wine may be much more potent than was thought in extending human lifespan, researchers say in a new report that is likely to give impetus to the rapidly growing search for longevity drugs.
New Hints Seen That Red Wine May Slow Aging
Posted by Blacky at 2:23 pm 0 comments
5 salts from around the world
Salt is one of those ubiquitous ingredients that not only makes food taste better, but is a necessary part of the human diet. Chemically speaking, it’s a compound formed by sodium and chloride ions arranged in a lattice structure which is why it forms crystals.
While many take it for granted these days, there was a time when salt was more valuable than gold, influencing the growth and migration of civilizations and inciting wars. A recent tome to Salt recounts the epic history of this every-day ingredient revealing that it’s anything but mundane.
5 salts from around the world
Posted by Blacky at 9:52 am 0 comments
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Eight tips for making yourself happier IN THE NEXT HOUR
If you’re experiencing a blues emergency, you can lift your spirits right now by using some of the following strategies. The more items you tackle, the bigger the boost you’ll receive.
Eight tips for making yourself happier IN THE NEXT HOUR
Posted by Blacky at 8:31 pm 0 comments
Key to All Optical Illusions Discovered
Humans can see into the future, says a cognitive scientist. It's nothing like the alleged predictive powers of Nostradamus, but we do get a glimpse of events one-tenth of a second before they occur.
Key to All Optical Illusions Discovered
Posted by Blacky at 9:00 am 0 comments
The 30 skills every IT person should have
An IT manager's guide on how to be better at what you do, no matter how experienced you are.
The 30 skills every IT person should have
Posted by Blacky at 8:52 am 0 comments
The Panacea for Putting Things Off
Can you recall a time when you wanted to do something important, yet you’ve managed to make enough excuses to leave it for a later date? Putting something off once makes it easier to put it off again, and before you know it, several weeks have past and you still haven’t done it?
The Panacea for Putting Things Off
Posted by Blacky at 8:47 am 0 comments
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Navigating Food Labels
Did you know the label "100 Percent Natural" has different meanings for chicken fingers, cookies and various other foods? Or that those "cage-free" chickens might not ever have seen the outdoors? Here's a guide to help sort out what's meaningful, what's dubious — and what's total fluff.
Navigating Food Labels
Posted by Blacky at 8:50 am 0 comments
Five Secret Japanese Tricks to Make Life Better
In Japan, there's an organic, non-commercial cure for almost anything. It's a tradition that blossomed in the post-WW2 era when people had to save money and space for economic reasons. Today, this habit of utilitarian thriftiness paired with a quirky national sensibility has spawned a phenomenon called urawaza--a collection of offbeat life hacks and unmapped shortcuts.
Five Secret Japanese Tricks to Make Life Better
Posted by Blacky at 8:45 am 0 comments
Pringles can designer dies; remains buried in Pringles can
Dr. Fredric J. Baur was so proud of having designed the container for Pringles potato crisps that he asked his family to bury him in one.
Pringles can designer dies; remains buried in Pringles can
Posted by Blacky at 8:39 am 0 comments
Digital Forensics: 5 Ways to Spot a Fake Photo
This story is a supplement to the feature "Digital Forensics: How Experts Uncover Doctored Images" which was printed in the June 2008 issue of Scientific American.
Digital Forensics: 5 Ways to Spot a Fake Photo
Posted by Blacky at 8:36 am 0 comments
Digital Forensics: Photo Tampering Throughout History
Photography lost its innocence not long after it was born. As early as the 1860s photos were already being manipulated—only a few decades after Joseph Nicéphore Niépce created the first photograph in 1826. With the advent of high-resolution digital cameras, powerful personal computers and sophisticated photo-editing software, the manipulation of digital images has proliferated. Here, I have collected some examples of tampering throughout photography's over 180-year history.
Digital Forensics: Photo Tampering Throughout History
Posted by Blacky at 8:33 am 0 comments
Monday, June 02, 2008
How To Entertain Yourself in an Airport
Flight delayed? Have a long layover? Think you’re going to go crazy? Fear not. There are ways to keep sane and entertained.
How To Entertain Yourself in an Airport
Posted by Blacky at 1:26 pm 0 comments
Sunday, June 01, 2008
50 Weight Loss Secrets: Small Changes, Big Weight Loss
This is not a diet -- or a rigorous exercise program. (Nobody can stick to those for long.) Instead, it's a simple way to make weight loss a natural part of the life you already live. And guess what? It's fun! You don't have to give up the foods you love or join a gym. It's about balancing calories in tiny ways that add up to big benefits. You just adopt some tricks naturally lean people do. Pick the ones you like, stick with them, and you'll slim down and tone up -- for good!
50 Weight Loss Secrets: Small Changes, Big Weight Loss
Posted by Blacky at 10:41 am 0 comments
10 Items You Think Make You Cool, But Don’t
Being cool is normally subjective. But there are some things that unequivocally make you uncool. We’re not saying we’re cool, we’re just saying if you own any of these items, you’re not.
10 Items You Think Make You Cool, But Don’t
Posted by Blacky at 10:40 am 0 comments
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Scientific American: Swedish Spruce Is World's Oldest Tree
What's sixteen feet tall and 9,550 years old? It’s the world's oldest tree. The worn and weathered spruce grows in Sweden's windswept tundra. But, until recently, well, recent to the tree at least, it barely resembled a tree at all. Before this last warm century, the spruce grew more like a shrub to survive the harsh conditions of its cold landscape. But rising temperatures convinced the tree to give up its shabby lifestyle, shed the majority of its needles and go with the single-trunk look.
Scientific American: Swedish Spruce Is World's Oldest Tree
Posted by Blacky at 8:51 am 0 comments
Google Earth: Now in your browser!
Google just released a new browser plugin that lets users experience Google Earth from directly inside a webpage. The new plugin is accompanied by an API that web developers can use to easily incorporate Google Earth into their applications, just like what they did with Google Maps a long time ago.
Google Earth: Now in your browser!
Posted by Blacky at 8:47 am 0 comments
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Word Clock (Mac)
Word Clock is a typographic screensaver for Mac OS X. It displays a fixed list of all numbers and words sufficient to express any possible date and time as a sentence. Word Clock displays time by highlighting appropriate words as each second passes.
Word Clock
Posted by Blacky at 8:51 am 0 comments
Protect Your Stolen Mobile Phone
You've synced your email, address book, and calendar to your fancy smartphone, which has internet access, photos, and videos on it, too—but how do you keep a thief from ringing up your bill, or worse, stealing your identity using your phone?
Protect Your Stolen Mobile Phone
Posted by Blacky at 8:49 am 0 comments
RestyleMe Answers the Question: “How Do I Look?”
How do I look? It’s the classic question friends ask before they walk out the door. Most of us would say “fine,” but what if you had the chance to really point out the flaws in someone without feeling bad about it? RestyleMe is a social network for girls (and boys) who seek constructive criticism on how to fix their appearances. In other words, they want to be told how to look better. RestyleMe describes itself as “the ultimate style advice community website that features a novel way to get style advice.”
RestyleMe Answers the Question: “How Do I Look?”
Posted by Blacky at 8:47 am 0 comments
Old filmstrip: "Bicycle Safety"
Once again, Derrick Bostrom of Bostworld provided an invaluable service to the world by scanning a vintage educational filmstrip and uploading it to YouTube.
Old filmstrip: "Bicycle Safety"
Posted by Blacky at 8:45 am 0 comments
A Runner's Primer
Everything your ever wanted to know about running but were too lazy to google yourself.
A Runner's Primer
Posted by Blacky at 8:43 am 0 comments
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
10 things you can do when Windows XP won’t boot
When your computer hardware appears to power up okay, but the Windows XP operating system won’t boot properly, you have to begin a troubleshooting expedition that includes getting into the operating system, determining the problem, and then fixing it. To help you get started on this expedition, here are 10 things you can do when Windows XP won’t boot.
10 things you can do when Windows XP won’t boot
Posted by Blacky at 6:53 am 0 comments
The Essential Bookshelf: The Only Eight Books I’ve Kept
Over the last two years, I’ve reviewed in detail more than a hundred (actually approaching two hundred) personal finance and personal productivity books on The Simple Dollar - for more than a year, I reviewed two a week.
The Essential Bookshelf: The Only Eight Books I’ve Kept
Posted by Blacky at 6:52 am 0 comments
Monday, May 26, 2008
Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview
Provides a statistical overview of culture in Australia. Contains information on a range of topics including employment in culture, time spent on cultural activities, attendances at cultural venues and events, expenditure on culture, and imports and exports of cultural goods and services. Also provides profiles of the cultural sectors, grouped according to the Australian Culture and Leisure Industry Classification.
Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview
Posted by Blacky at 7:58 pm 0 comments
Fix a stripped screw hole with a golf tee
Don't you just hate it when a hinge on a door or cabinet just won't stay put because the screw hole is stripped out? Sure, you can use a bigger or longer screw, but then it won't match.
Fix a stripped screw hole with a golf tee
Posted by Blacky at 6:16 am 0 comments
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Subliminal Advertising: KFC Wants You To Think There's Money In Your Sandwich
Subliminal messages in advertising has been a controversial topic for years. Is it underhanded? Does it even work?
Subliminal Advertising: KFC Wants You To Think There's Money In Your Sandwich
Posted by Blacky at 8:20 am 0 comments
Does a Site Have Malware? Google Provides Diagnosis
Google put up a new* malware diagnosis service; just append any domain – your domain or another site you want to check on – to the end of the URL “google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=".
Does a Site Have Malware? Google Provides Diagnosis
Posted by Blacky at 8:16 am 0 comments
Friday, May 23, 2008
Email Etiquette Pages Explain So You Don't Have To
Why waste time schooling clueless email senders one by one when you can build a web site to do it for you? A recent trend among email-overloaded web developers who don't want to explain the basics of email etiquette to frequent senders is to set up a web page that does it instead—then reply to senders with a link to the page, or just include it in their signature.
Email Etiquette Pages Explain So You Don't Have To
Posted by Blacky at 10:55 pm 0 comments
Six 'uniquely' human traits now found in animals
So you think humans are unique? Six articles from the New Scientist archive that tell a similar story and six videos of animals displaying 'human' abilities.
Six 'uniquely' human traits now found in animals
Posted by Blacky at 9:18 pm 0 comments
Starving yourself may fend off jet lag
Starving yourself before a long flight may help prevent jet lag, according to US researchers.
Starving yourself may fend off jet lag
Posted by Blacky at 8:29 pm 0 comments
Web banking: It's time to write down your password
Banks should stop forcing customers to create long, alphanumeric passwords because they can't protect against today's threats, according to AT&T computing researcher William Cheswick.
Web banking: It's time to write down your password
Posted by Blacky at 3:05 pm 0 comments
Why Zappos Pays New Employees to Quit
“The Offer.” Zappos, which works hard to recruit people to join, says to its newest employees: “If you quit today, we will pay you for the amount of time you’ve worked, plus we will offer you a $1,000 bonus.” Zappos actually bribes its new employees to quit!
Why Zappos Pays New Employees to Quit
Posted by Blacky at 1:43 pm 0 comments
How to Make a Color Image Look Like a Sketch in Photoshop
A sketch is a free hand drawing. In Adobe Photoshop, you can add a sketch effect to any color image or photograph and give it an artistic feel, or perhaps trick your friends into thinking you've suddenly become an amazing sketcher.
How to Make a Color Image Look Like a Sketch in Photoshop
Posted by Blacky at 1:38 pm 0 comments
HomeCamera Turns Your Webcam into a Surveillance Camera
Web site and software HomeCamera turns your desktop webcam into a web-enabled surveillance camera. Just sign up and download their desktop software to get started. In just a few minutes, you can check an image or video from your webcam in real-time from any browser. Even better, you can set up motion-detecting alerts that will email you with a shot or short clip of what triggered the alert.
HomeCamera Turns Your Webcam into a Surveillance Camera
Posted by Blacky at 1:37 pm 0 comments
Thursday, May 22, 2008
11 tips for sticking to a schedule of regular exercise
Exercise is a KEY to happiness. Research shows that people who exercise are healthier, more energetic, think more clearly, sleep better, and have delayed onset of dementia. They get relief from anxiety and mild depression, comparable to medication and therapy. They perform better at work.
11 tips for sticking to a schedule of regular exercise
Posted by Blacky at 11:38 am 0 comments