Monday, July 28, 2008

7 Ways to Manage Your Passwords

One inescapable facet of web work is the need to come up with, and remember, usernames and passwords. The days when you could get away with picking a single combination and using them everywhere are pretty much gone: that strategy reduces your security to that of the weakest site you use. It’s simply not worth risking that the person who gets hold of some Web 2.0 startup’s database can also get into your online banking.
WebWorkerDai7 Ways to Manage Your Passwords

Friday, July 25, 2008

Paper misspells its name on front page

New Hampshire and Vermont’s* Valley News could be a favorite for 2008’s Typo of the Year, thanks to it misspelling its own name on the front page on July 21. It published an editor’s note yesterday.
Paper misspells its name on front page

30+ Tools for Synching Files and Folders

The amount of important data that we now store digitally on our desktops, laptops, mobile phones, and PDA’s is growing exponentially every year and accessing that data whenever we want from wherever we want is not an easy task. So whether you have GB’s of family pictures and music stored on your computer or lots of MS Office documents with critical business data, here’s a list of over 30 resources to sync your data between computers and mobile devices so you can have ubiquitous access.
30+ Tools for Synching Files and Folders

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Follow The Sun - Australian Travel Posters 1930s - 1950s

The posters in this exhibition are drawn from the collections of the National Library of Australia.
Follow The Sun - Australian Travel Posters 1930s - 1950s

Statue of 'Elvis' chiselled 1800 years before his birth

With his dashing chiselled features, swept back hair and perky bouffant the resemblance is unmistakable.
But incredibly this carving of Elvis Presley was created around 1800 years before the King of Rock and Roll first warbled his first note.
Statue of 'Elvis' chiselled 1800 years before his birth

Human Mirror

For our latest mission, we filled a subway car with identical twins, creating a human mirror. Enjoy the video first and then see below for our report with tons of photos.
Human Mirror

How to Fix a Stuck Pixel on an LCD Monitor

If your LCD screen has a stuck or dead pixel (a point on the screen that is always lit or always dark), it is usually due to a transistor malfunction or uneven distribution of liquid in the liquid crystal display (TFT LCD). This can often be fixed.
How to Fix a Stuck Pixel on an LCD Monitor

Top 10 Water Wasters

Many of us use water thoughtlessly; it seems as abundant as the air we breathe and a free swig is available almost anywhere. But fresh, potable water is already a precious commodity in many drier parts of the world, and as it grows rarer—and thus, dearer—in developed countries, the true value of H2O is beginning to seep in.
Top 10 Water Wasters: From Washing Dishes to Watering the Desert

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

How to Maximize Your Memory

Students (of all ages) might have more on their minds now than ever before — from work, to school to all of the other distractions pulling at them. So how can they be expected to concentrate, focus, memorize and execute the educational materials they have in front of them each night?
How to Maximize Your Memory

Best global roaming deals for iPhone travellers

Travelling from Australia with your iPhone overseas? Here's the best value for your data-roaming dollar!
Best global roaming deals for iPhone travellers

Encrypt Your USB Stick

Encryption is absolutely essential, especially if you’re the kind of person that carries their USB stick around as if it’s your car keys or your lipstick. USB sticks are so small that they are easily lost and they are also easily stolen. Just think of all the information that gets stored on one of these things.
Encrypt Your USB Stick With Truecrypt

Monday, July 21, 2008

UNESCO World Heritage Centre - Twenty-seven new sites inscribed

The World Heritage Committee, meeting for its 32nd session, finished inscribing new sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List on 8 July with the addition of 19 cultural sites and eight natural sites to the List.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre - Twenty-seven new sites inscribed

11 ways to eat the 11 best healthy foods that you aren't eating

When I was a kid, my grandmother never relied upon the classic "Because I said so!" when pressed with the ubiquitous "Why?" Instead, she would give very concrete, inarguable reasons supporting her statements and if she wasn't quite certain, she'd make something up that sounded good.
11 ways to eat the 11 best healthy foods that you aren't eating

Saturday, July 19, 2008

How to prepare for an interview

Ok, you’ve graduated. You’ve just spent tens of thousands of dollars and a large chunk of your life to get your degree. Why?
My guess is that you’re hoping to get a great, well paying, fulfilling job that matches your interests, skills, and abilities as well as your degree. To get that job, you’ll first have to “WOW” your potential employer in an interview.
How to prepare for an interview

Photograph of jumping shark behind surfers

Photog Kem McNair snapped this amazing shot of a spinner shark jumping out of the water behind surfers at New Smyrna Beach, Florida. No, it isn't Photoshopped.
Photograph of jumping shark behind surfers

Backyard Cooking: A Guide

Light a grill and he will come: the know-it-all meat expert—usually a male relative—with dubious advice. To help you silence such goons, Steven Rinella, author of The Scavenger's Guide to Haute Cuisine, shares his best cooking philosophies. Learn them and defeat all comers.
Backyard Cooking: A Guide

How to Reach Age 99: 100 Essential Habits

Are you competitive? Maybe you just want to beat the odds of the average lifespan for most Americans? The average lifespan of an American born today is between 77.5 to 80.0 years of age, so you would live almost a full quarter century past this average if you make it to age 99. The first step you might want to take is to move to Australia, where life expectancy is, on average, age 81.
How to Reach Age 99: 100 Essential Habits

The Most Dangerous Roads in the World

North Yungas Road is hands-down the most dangerous in the world for motorists. If other roads could be considered impassable, this one clearly endangers your life. It runs in the Bolivian Andes, 70 km from La Paz to Coroico, and plunges down almost 3,600 meters in an orgy of extremely narrow hairpin curves and 800-meter abyss near-misses.
The Most Dangerous Roads in the World

How To Demolish A Skyscraper One Floor At A Time

What you are going to see in this post, is one of those rare things in life that leaves you truly speechless, and one more reason to say that technology in these days has no limits.
How To Demolish A Skyscraper One Floor At A Time

Friday, July 18, 2008

Blurred Out: 51 Things You Aren't Allowed to See on Google Maps

Depending on which feature you use, Google Maps offers a satellite view or a street-level view of tons of locations around the world. You can look up landmarks like the Pyramids of Egypt or the Great Wall of China, as well as more personal places, like your ex’s house. But for all of the places that Google Maps allows you to see, there are plenty of places that are off-limits. Whether it’s due to government restrictions, personal-privacy lawsuits or mistakes, Google Maps has slapped a "Prohibited" sign on the following 51 places.
51 Things You Aren't Allowed to See on Google Maps

Top 20 Productivity Lists to Rock Your Tasks

The productivity list is a common animal these days (goodness knows I’ve done my share), but how do you sort among them all?
You’d need a list of the best lists, that’s how.
Top 20 Productivity Lists to Rock Your Tasks

Top 10 Computer Annoyances and How to Fix Them

Computers are supposed to make our lives easier, but too much of the time they can be frustrating, time-wasting, stubborn machines. From the irritating "Access Denied" message when you can't remember your 147th password, to all the useless email that clutters your inbox, to IT lockdown restrictions that keep you from getting your job done, let's take a look at 10 of the more common gripes amongst computer users.
Top 10 Computer Annoyances and How to Fix Them

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

7 Free Books That Should Be On Your Shelves

Who doesn’t like free stuff? And if we’re talking about stuff that will actually help you out in the long run, it’s hard to find a reason to turn it down. Free books, for example, are more than worth their price, especially if they are good reference materials. But sometimes it can be hard to find free books — it’s not necessarily something that’s advertised.
7 Free Books That Should Be On Your Shelves

Our Googley advice to students: Major in learning

Management guru Peter Drucker noted that companies attracting the best knowledge workers will "secure the single biggest factor for competitive advantage." We and other forward-looking companies put a lot of effort into hiring such people. What are we looking for?
Our Googley advice to students: Major in learning

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

30 Most Incredible Abstract Satellite Images of Earth

Indeed, the world reproduces itself not only in the course of several gyrations, but at several different heights. At ground level, one can only imagine the sheer beauty of mountain ranges, deserts and deltas seen high up from NASA’s satellites.
30 Most Incredible Abstract Satellite Images of Earth

How Our Bodies Age

Aging is the natural wear and tear of the body's component parts. It's inevitable, and endlessly intriguing. While many age-related changes cannot be prevented, a lifestyle that includes exercise and a well-balanced diet will slow or minimize many problems related to aging.
How Our Bodies Age (And What You Can Do About It)

Monday, July 14, 2008

Best Life Magazine: Body: The 10 Machines You Must Avoid at Your Gym

Defenders of stationary equipment argue that machines are designed to limit what you can do wrong. But seated machines often put heavier loads on the back and joints than is necessary.
The 10 Machines You Must Avoid at Your Gym

Waiters Share Restaurant Stories

Waiters share insider secrets about restaurant -- from what days to avoid dining out to how much to tip.
Waiters Share Restaurant Stories

Saturday, July 12, 2008

7 Super Snacks That Heal

What most people don’t realize is that the first line of defense against stress, fatigue, depression, and so many other maladies is found in supermarket aisles, not in the drug store.
7 Super Snacks That Heal

Friday, July 11, 2008

Is your car likely to be stolen?

If you're in the market for a new car, or just wondering how secure your current set of wheels is, the RACV's annual review of how secure different models are is essential reading. While some manufacturers produced consistently good results, there are plenty who aren't doing enough, especially with cheap but effective technologies such as self-voiding vehicle labels.
Is your car likely to be stolen?

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Michael Jordan's 10 Secrets To Reaching the Top

Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player that ever lived. Was he genetically predisposed to be faster and stronger, or was it his iron discipline that was responsible?
Michael Jordan's 10 Secrets To Reaching the Top

How to win Arguments

There is not much point in having brilliant ideas if we cannot persuade people of their value. Persuasive debaters can win arguments using the force of their reason and by the skillful deployment of many handy techniques. Here are some general dos and don’ts to help you win arguments together with some sneaky tactics to be aware of.
How to win Arguments - Dos, Don’ts and Sneaky Tactics

Digital TV in Australia

The five major Australian cities are due to have analog TV turned off at the end of next year, progressively the remainder of the country will be forced to convert by 2013. So, knowing that any equipment older than around 5 years will stop working in 18 months, how are we doing?
Digital TV in Australia

The Golden Money List: Hundreds of Tips for Turning Your Financial Life Around

A list of the best money articles on Zen Habits and a resource for anyone trying to live more frugally, get out of debt, save money, or simply create a better financial system in their lives. Bookmark it for future reference if you like. Enjoy!
The Golden Money List: Hundreds of Tips for Turning Your Financial Life Around

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

How to Calculate How Much Money You Need to Retire

Whether you've reached middle age and you are just now starting to wonder if you are going to be able to retire comfortably at a reasonable age, or you're one of those few people in your 20s or 30s who's already thinking about retirement, you need to crunch some numbers in order to make it happen.
How to Calculate How Much Money You Need to Retire

Print to PDF in Windows Vista

The go-to Vista fix-it guy, The How-To Geek, offers a much-needed tutorial and walk-through on installing print-to-PDF functionality in Windows Vista.
Print to PDF in Windows Vista

9 July – Happy Constitution Day!

The National Archives of Australia is embarking on an annual Constitution Day event program for 9 July. The date is special for all Australians yet few understand why.
9 July – Constitution Day

History of "jet lag"

Air & Space magazine posted a fascinating short history of "jet lag," beginning with what appears to be one of (?) the first printed appearances of the phrase in a 1966 L.A. Times article.
History of "jet lag"

Monday, July 07, 2008

Eight Handy Tools in Microsoft Word You Probably Don't Know About

Microsoft Word is full of tools that can help you work faster and smarter—but only if you know about them. Here's a list to remind you of just what Word can do for you. You're probably familiar with some of these. Your neighbor knows a few, too, but not the same few. Eight Handy Tools in Microsoft Word You Probably Don't Know About

5+ Ways To Watch The Tour De France

The Tour de France began earlier today out of Brest, Valverde raised his fists in triumph, and we haven’t told the cycling fans among you how to watch the action.
5+ Ways To Watch The Tour De France

Saturday, July 05, 2008

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

AVG Fakes User Agent, Floods the Internet

Anti-virus provider AVG is spamming the internet with deceptive traffic pretending to be Internet Explorer. Essentially, users of the software automatically pre-crawl search results, which is bad, but they do so with an intentionally generic user agent. This is flooding websites with meaningless traffic.
AVG Fakes User Agent, Floods the Internet

Your brain lies to you

The brain does not simply gather and stockpile information as a computer's hard drive does. Facts are stored first in the hippocampus, a structure deep in the brain about the size and shape of a fat man's curled pinkie finger. But the information does not rest there. Every time we recall it, our brain writes it down again, and during this re-storage, it is also reprocessed.
Your brain lies to you

Friday, July 04, 2008

10 Spectacular Cockpit Photos

Gliders, Space Shuttles, Airbus...
10 Spectacular Cockpit Photos

How to Reset Your Body Clock

Not an unusual predicament for web workers. Especially since we own our time. Although we don’t necessarily have a boss who prefers that we start at 9:00 am, waking up late in the afternoons isn’t ideal either.
So how can we fix a broken body clock?
How to Reset Your Body Clock

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Who’s Mindful of Who’s Apostrophes’?

While rambling incognito through a remote town, I saw this sign gracing the upper floor of a restaurant: “The Party’s at Sally’s.” I was intrigued. The quotes look out of place, I thought, unless the whole is the title of a movie or musical. However, the smell coming out of the building in conjunction with rather wild music convinced me that the establishment was indeed an “eatery” in which the party was never over. But forget the quotes. What is “party’s”?
Who’s Mindful of Who’s Apostrophes’?

How to stop Junk Mail

From Matt Cutts, Google. I’ve been learning how to stop receiving junk mail, and I thought I’d share what I’ve learned.
How to stop junk mail

Australians making odd choices for Funeral Songs

A large cemetery and crematorium in Adelaide, Australia reports that Frank Sinatra's "My Way" has become the most-played funeral song. Second on the charts is "Wonderful World" sung by Louis Armstrong. Only two traditional Christian hymns are in the top 10.
Australians making odd choices for funeral songs

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

20 Ways to Attack Shyness

Can you remember the last time you stepped into a room full of strangers and felt that self-conscious and awkward feeling rush over you? Or that heart thumping moment when you wanted to ask someone on a date, but were too shy to do so? Or wanting to approach someone for business, but was too hesitant to actually do it? That anxiety in the pit of your stomach in social situations? Does it always feel like something is holding you back?
20 Ways to Attack Shyness

The Secret to Ultra-Sharp Photos

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 «

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

Pictures From the Sky

As it says, an eclectic mix of pictures from the sky.
Pictures From the Sky

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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