You are the victim of identity theft and the fraudster calls your bank to transfer money into their own account. But instead of asking them for your personal details, the bank assistant simply presses a button that causes the phone to produce a brief series of clicks in the fraudster's ear. A message immediately alerts the bank that the person is not who they are claiming to be, and the call is ended.
Our ears may have built-in passwords
Monday, April 13, 2009
Our ears may have built-in passwords
Posted by Blacky at 9:22 pm 0 comments
The Best Cure for Being Unhappy Is...
"The best thing for being sad," replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails.
The Best Cure for Being Unhappy Is...
Posted by Blacky at 9:53 am 0 comments
Find Thousands of Easter Eggs at the Easter Egg Archive
Hard boiled and chocolate filled don't have to be the only Easter eggs you see today. Check out the tasty little treasures buried in software and media you can discover without the grass stains.
Find Thousands of Easter Eggs at the Easter Egg Archive
Posted by Blacky at 9:52 am 0 comments
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Top 10 Must-Have Firefox Extensions
Lifehacker's Grandmaster list of the best Firefox add-ons.
Top 10 Must-Have Firefox Extensions
Posted by Blacky at 10:38 am 0 comments
Saturday, April 11, 2009
10 Most Extraordinary Twitter Updates
Twitter updates are used to communicate everything from birthday wishes to political opinions. But there are some special, shining cases where the status update has been used to do some extraordinary things, from marriage proposals to breaking news, and much more.
10 Most Extraordinary Twitter Updates
Posted by Blacky at 8:57 am 0 comments
How to Be a Twitter Celebrity
Being popular on Twitter can help you market your business or publicize your blog. The most well-connected users on Twitter have over 100,000 followers, and some even have over 500,000.[1] Most of those users were quite well-known before they started tweeting, but that doesn't mean you can't climb your way to the top.
How to Be a Twitter Celebrity: 6 steps (with video)
Posted by Blacky at 8:46 am 0 comments
Friday, April 10, 2009
Establishing Positive Habits and Routines
Establishing patterns and routines was always a challenge. I would be aware that I should be doing one thing, but there was always something else going on that would intrigue me more in the moment, and then I’d find myself pushing up against deadlines.
Establishing Positive Habits and Routines
Posted by Blacky at 8:24 pm 0 comments
How To View Experts Exchange Answers Without Account
A recent post over at Techie Buzz explained how to access the answers of the Expert Exchange forum. Users who regularly search the Internet for solutions will eventually stumble upon that forum which on first glance provides answers to questions only to registered - meaning paying in this case - users.
How To View Experts Exchange Answers Without Account
Posted by Blacky at 11:59 am 0 comments
That Pesky Conficker Gets Busy
CNET reports that the widespread PC worm Conficker—which was scheduled to wreak havoc on April 1 but didn't do much at all—has updated via P2P and downloaded a large program (possibly a keylogger). So while it hasn't caused many problems yet, Conficker's not dead yet, and it's still looking to do some damage.
That Pesky Conficker Gets Busy
Posted by Blacky at 11:39 am 0 comments
Moon1 vs. Moon2: Differences in U.S. manned lunar programs
NASA is preparing to return astronauts to the Moon beginning around the year 2020. As its April 8, 2009 article states in its title “Beyond Apollo: Moon Tech Takes a Giant Leap," there really is a big difference in how we did it back in the 1960s and how we will do it in the 2010s.
Moon1 vs. Moon2: Differences in U.S. manned lunar programs
Posted by Blacky at 11:08 am 0 comments
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Internet Activity, Australia
The Internet Activity Survey (IAS) collects details on aspects of internet access services provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Australia. This release contains results from all ISPs operating in Australia as at 31 December 2008.
Internet Activity, Australia
Posted by Blacky at 5:26 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Distance to celestial objects chart
This beautiful old chart, headed "Unbelievable Time Required to Cover Immense Distances of Space", displays the time it would take to get to various "nearby" celestial objects, using an unspecified propulsion system.
Distance to celestial objects chart
Posted by Blacky at 9:56 pm 0 comments
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Do you use Twitter?
Twitter is a service which really baffles me. It is an absolute killer idea, but I am still astounded by the volume of traffic it has.
Do you use Twitter?
Posted by Blacky at 7:20 pm 0 comments
10 Best Geeky Last Words
I'd hate to die twice. It's so boring. —Richard Feynman
10 Best Geeky Last Words
Posted by Blacky at 7:10 am 0 comments
Image Resizer Powertoy Clone Resizes Pictures Easily
Windows only: The Image Resizer Powertoy Clone adds an option to the Windows explorer context menu for quickly resizing pictures—without opening an image editor.
Image Resizer Powertoy Clone Resizes Pictures Easily
Posted by Blacky at 7:05 am 0 comments
Monday, April 06, 2009
Five Best Image Editing Tools
Long gone are the days where snapshots came back from the photo lab and disappeared into albums and shoe boxes. Now, digital photos are tweaked, adjusted, and remixed in ways their analog counterparts couldn't imagine.
Five Best Image Editing Tools
Posted by Blacky at 7:48 am 0 comments
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Top 10 Home Office Hacks
Whatever kind of work you do at home, your office is one place you want to spend the time to make comfortable and convenient. Take 10 of our tips on organizing, fixing, and streamlining that space.
Home Office Hack
Posted by Blacky at 7:58 am 0 comments
6 Solid Online Resources to Help You Find a Job
When job searching, those who have access to the best tools can keep their advantage in a tough market. Here are my favorite 6 online resources designed to help you find a job.
6 Solid Online Resources to Help You Find a Job
Posted by Blacky at 7:56 am 0 comments
Showcase Of Beautiful Sports Websites
This article showcases the most beautiful website designs from the North American sports industry, including ones for news, teams and leagues, sports apparel and more.
Showcase Of Beautiful Sports Websites
Posted by Blacky at 7:54 am 0 comments
Saturday, April 04, 2009
How to recognize and answer illegal interview questions
Job seekers are protected by a myriad of anti-discrimination laws. Despite these laws many potential employers still want employees that fit a narrow profile and they may ask probing questions to find out if you fit. Here is how you can recognize which questions are potentially illegal for an employer to ask, and what you can do if you encounter these questions.
How to recognize and answer illegal interview questions
Posted by Blacky at 10:15 am 1 comments
Want to Feel Happier? A Menu of Resolutions
If you’re trying to think of resolutions for boosting your own happiness, this list is a great place to get ideas. (The list is aimed at college students living in Charlottesville, but it's easily adapted to other situations.)
Want to Feel Happier? A Menu of Resolutions
Posted by Blacky at 9:16 am 0 comments
Let's Get Ready to Rumble! April 4th is International Pillow Fight Day
Saturday, April 4, is International Pillow Fight Day, with combatants in more than 75 cities worldwide participating. (The photo shows Vancouver's 2006 pillow fight). The official Pillowfightday.com Web site isn’t clear on the origins of this global pillow-pugilism party except to say that “organizing a massive pillow fight is perhaps the simplest of free events or interventions, but also one of the most rewarding.”
Let's Get Ready to Rumble! April 4th is International Pillow Fight Day
Posted by Blacky at 9:14 am 0 comments
Friday, April 03, 2009
Nine Words You Might Think Came from Science but Which Are Really from Science Fiction
We were pretty excited around here when Brave New Words won the Hugo Award. Now that Brave New Words is available in paperback we asked Jeff Prucher, freelance lexicographer and editor for the Oxford English Dictionary’s science fiction project, to revisit the blog. Below are Prucher’s picks of words that may seem to come from science, but really originate in science fiction.
Nine Words You Might Think Came from Science but Which Are Really from Science Fiction
Posted by Blacky at 9:44 pm 0 comments
Namechk Finds Where Your Username Is Taken or Available
Web application Namechk finds available usernames or vanity URLs on more than 80 web sites—so you can own your online presence.
Namechk Finds Where Your Username Is Taken or Available
Posted by Blacky at 7:38 am 0 comments
Gadget and Gear Deals of the Day
Gather around boys and girls, it's that deal-a-riffic time of day again. We've got vacuums, cameras, and free audio books to boot.
Gadget and Gear Deals of the Day
Posted by Blacky at 7:37 am 0 comments
Copy Files To Multiple Locations
If you want to copy files in Windows Explorer you can do so from one location to another at the same time. There is no way to copy or move files from multiple locations to multiple locations easily. While it is possible to start several file copying processes and run them simultaneously it usually means a reduced overall process.
Copy Files To Multiple Locations
Posted by Blacky at 7:35 am 0 comments
Making a family first aid kit
Whether it’s a scrape, a sting or a sore throat, being prepared and having the right antidote on hand can soothe almost anything that ails you or your children. Creating a family-friendly first aid kit doesn’t have to be a pain in the aspirin.
Making a family first aid kit
Posted by Blacky at 7:33 am 0 comments
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Taken for Granted? 5 Tips for Dealing with Feeling Unappreciated
Oh, how I crave gold stars. One of my worst qualities is my insatiable need for credit; I always want the recognition, the praise, the gold star stuck on my homework. I struggle to master my need for gold stars, because it makes me a resentful score-keeper.
Taken for Granted? 5 Tips for Dealing with Feeling Unappreciated
Posted by Blacky at 7:03 am 0 comments
10 Literary Terms You Might Not Know
Hyperbole, allusion, alliteration. These are all familiar words to anyone with a basic knowledge of literary terms. Although English majors the world over probably feel like they have literary terms coming out of their ears, they might have difficulty coming up with the definition for lipogram or clerihew, never mind writing one.
10 Literary Terms You Might Not Know
Posted by Blacky at 7:00 am 0 comments
April fools gets geeky: Can you spot the genuine story?
Did any of this year's April Fools Day gags get your goose? Test your nerd knowledge by pinpointing the actual story below. (Props to TechCrunch for pulling together an impressive fools list.)
April fools gets geeky: Can you spot the genuine story?
Posted by Blacky at 6:55 am 0 comments
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) : Update on Conficker.D
We’ve received a lot of questions from customers about April 1, 2009 and the latest Conficker variant discovered earlier this month, Worm:Win32/Conficker.D (also known as Conficker.C or Downadup.C by some other companies). I wanted to let you know that we’ve put some new information up about Conficker.D today from our work with our partners in the Conficker Working Group.
The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) : Update on Conficker.D
Posted by Blacky at 11:10 pm 0 comments
How Much Do You Need to Save for Retirement?
The problem is that nobody seems to agree on what assumptions to make when planning for retirement. How much should you assume for inflation? For investment returns? For rising health-care costs? How long should you expect to live?
How Much Do You Need to Save for Retirement?
Posted by Blacky at 11:06 pm 0 comments
Tips for an Odour Free Toilet
Toilets are generally not thought to be the cleanest part of the home. By nature of their duty, they are likely to get dirty and smelly on a regular basis.
Tips for an Odour Free Toilet
Posted by Blacky at 11:01 pm 0 comments
Beautiful Science: Ideas that Changed the World
Highlights four areas for visitors to explore: astronomy, natural history, medicine, and light.
Beautiful Science: Ideas that Changed the World
Posted by Blacky at 7:56 pm 0 comments
Your Guide to Preventing Medical Mistakes
The terrifying truth: Our big, complex, and imperfect health-care system can sometimes make you sicker. In this three-part series, Health investigates why more than 100,000 people a year are dying from medical errors and millions are being injured, what safety measures may help, and how you can protect yourself during your three points of vulnerability—at the hospital, your doctor’s office, and the drugstore.
Your Guide to Preventing Medical Mistakes
Posted by Blacky at 7:51 pm 0 comments
Alaska Volcano Observatory - Redoubt - Activity Page
Redoubt Volcano is a steep-sided cone about 10 km in diameter at its base and with a volume of 30-35 cubic kilometers.
Alaska Volcano Observatory - Redoubt - Activity Page
Posted by Blacky at 7:49 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Taking a small break...
Hi Folks,
We'll be back in week or so...enjoy the reduced RSS load in the meantime!
cheers
Pete
Posted by Blacky at 8:24 pm 0 comments
Blackstump Australia Issue 10 - March 26, 2009
The latest issue of new family friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Blackstump Australia Issue 10 - March 26, 2009
Posted by Blacky at 8:22 pm 0 comments
Website Monitor And Downloader
Wysigot is a browser that acts both as a website monitor and downloader. One of its main functions is the download of entire websites or selected pages. The process has been streamlined to make it as easy as possible.
Website Monitor And Downloader
Posted by Blacky at 7:55 pm 0 comments
Women still do majority of housework
A snapshot of Australian social trends shows couples are more likely to live together before marriage, but women are still doing most of the housework.
Women still do majority of housework
Posted by Blacky at 7:51 pm 0 comments
Etymology of Exception Proves the Rule
Native speakers of English accept without pause the many seemingly nonsensical sayings that are part and parcel of the vernacular. For instance, we blithely announce 'It's raining cats and dogs' to communicate the concept of a heavy downpour, yet spare precious little thought to the realization that neither felines nor canines play any part in the process of rainfall. For us, it's the saying's easy conveyance of meaning, not how it was put together, that matters. Another seemingly nonsensical familiar expression is 'The exception proves the rule.'
Etymology of Exception Proves the Rule
Posted by Blacky at 7:49 pm 0 comments
Bushfire origins lie in Indian Ocean
A weather pattern centred on the Indian Ocean may provide an early warning system for major bushfires in southern Australia, climate experts say.
Bushfire origins lie in Indian Ocean
Posted by Blacky at 7:47 pm 0 comments
101 Undiscovered Freebies: The List - PC World
We scoured the Internet to come up with 101 innovative, entirely free downloads and services. Here's the whole collection.
101 Undiscovered Freebies: The List - PC World
Posted by Blacky at 7:43 pm 0 comments
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Google Street View Expands Australian Coverage
The coverage of Google Street View in Australia was already pretty comprehensive when it rolled out last August, but the search giant is continuing to expand its reach. The Google Australia blog says that a recent update has added extra coverage around Port Lincoln, Tweed Heads, Cairns - and a few more areas of a little city called Sydney.
Google Street View Expands Australian Coverage
Posted by Blacky at 10:39 pm 0 comments
Web Search Tips for Internet Explorer 8
Internet Explorer 8 has many useful features that improve the way you search and browse the web.
Web Search Tips for Internet Explorer 8
Posted by Blacky at 7:05 am 0 comments
Sunday, March 22, 2009
8 Smart Strategies to Make Your Home Dust-Proof
Strategies that vastly reduce the never-ending dusting chore.
8 Smart Strategies to Make Your Home Dust-Proof
Posted by Blacky at 4:53 pm 0 comments
Search Google Images By Color
Google Image search can now be restricted to return results of a specific color. While this isn’t available as option in the advanced settings, you can use e.g. “imgcolor=green” or “imgcolor=blue,red” as parameter right in the URL.
Search Google Images By Color
Posted by Blacky at 8:19 am 1 comments
Link to a specific part of a YouTube video
If you want to link to a specific part of a video on YouTube, you can.
Link to a specific part of a YouTube video
Posted by Blacky at 7:49 am 0 comments
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Windows Registry Watcher
The Windows Registry is one of the major attack locations for malicious software and should therefor be protected by security software to ensure that no settings get changed or added to it. One prime example is the addition of new startup items to the Windows operating system. The Windows Registry contains several locations where those new files can be placed so that they are loaded during system startup.
Windows Registry Watcher
Posted by Blacky at 9:49 am 0 comments
Friday, March 20, 2009
How to Recognize Bias in a Newspaper Article
When all you want is the facts, navigating the newspaper might be a tricky ordeal. Sometimes bias is the result of laziness, and sometimes it's a deliberate attempt to push a particular point of view. Either way, you should always be on the lookout for bias.
How to Recognize Bias in a Newspaper Article
Posted by Blacky at 7:35 pm 0 comments
Netiquette: Undo Send Gives You Five Seconds to Stop a Bum Email
Ever hit send and realize immediately that you'd made a mistake? Wish you could unsend that email? With Gmail Labs' new Undo Send feature, you've got five seconds to reclaim that email and fix your mistake.
Netiquette: Undo Send Gives You Five Seconds to Stop a Bum Email
Posted by Blacky at 7:22 pm 0 comments
Population by Age and Sex, Australia
In the 12 months to 30 June 2008, the Australian population increased by 359,000 people, reaching 21,374,000. The annual growth rate for the year ended 30 June 2008 (1.7%) was higher than that recorded for the year ended 30 June 2007 (1.5%).
Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories
Posted by Blacky at 7:18 pm 0 comments
Internet Explorer 8 Available for Download
Windows only: The final version of Internet Explorer 8 is now available for download from the IE home page.
Internet Explorer 8 Available for Download
Posted by Blacky at 8:23 am 0 comments
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Don't Panic! Your TV Will Not Stop Working After May 1
If any of you happened to read the Herald Sun article on Monday entitled "Clock ticks for plasmas, LCDs" by Peter Familari and were wondering "what the f%*k?! How can a brand new TV be obsolete in less than 2 months?", you can now rest easy. The article is a load of rubbish. It's actually pretty unbelievable just how wrong the story is, even though the underlying issue is well worth looking at.
Don't Panic! Your TV Will Not Stop Working After May 1
Posted by Blacky at 10:55 pm 0 comments
Odd traveler complaints
Telegraph Travel put together a list of the "20 most ridiculous complaints received by tour operators".
Odd traveler complaints
Posted by Blacky at 10:25 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Rare Trove of Army Medical Photos Heads to Flickr
An archivist has begun a massive project to make public a newly digitized collection of unique and sometimes startling military medical images, from the Civil War to Vietnam, without the Army's blessing.
Rare Trove of Army Medical Photos Heads to Flickr
Posted by Blacky at 9:36 pm 0 comments
Earth Class Mail
Use an Internet-Powered P.O. Box or a prestige address, then view images of your envelopes in email or online and have your mail securely scanned into a PDF, recycled, shredded, or forwarded.
The Ultimate PO Box, Post Office Box and Mail Forwarding Service
Posted by Blacky at 9:31 am 0 comments
THE VINTAGE WEB
Celebrates so many of the things we look for:
* “Under Construction” animated gif
* Blink tags
* Use of “Web Log” to denote an online diary
* Cursor animation
* “Digital” visitor counter at the bottom
* Tiled background image
THE VINTAGE WEB
Posted by Blacky at 9:29 am 0 comments
PDFVue Beta: Another Web-Based PDF Editing Solution
There’s less and less reason to fork over the expensive license fee for a full version of Adobe Acrobat these days. The web is littered with free, lightweight options that will allow you to do pretty much anything you’d want to do with Acrobat. Web app PDFVue is a relative newcomer to the field, and it brings a lot of useful PDF editing features to the table for the budget-conscious web worker.
PDFVue Beta: Another Web-Based PDF Editing Solution«
Posted by Blacky at 9:24 am 0 comments
Acrobat.com Sends Large Files Through Outlook for Free
Windows only: Adobe's Acrobat.com web site gives you 5GB of online file hosting for free, and their new Office add-in lets you easily upload and share your documents directly within Outlook 2007.
Acrobat.com Sends Large Files Through Outlook for Free
Posted by Blacky at 9:22 am 0 comments
Tactile illusions: Seven ways to fool your sense of touch
It's surprisingly easy for your body to fool your brain. Graham Lawton puts his sense of touch to the test.
Tactile illusions: Seven ways to fool your sense of touch
Posted by Blacky at 9:21 am 0 comments
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
5 Ways to Stay Motivated to Finish What You Started
There must be a reason why many people quite often start projects or tasks, big or small, and at some point while working on the tasks they feel overwhelmed, frustrated and stressed, so much so that in the end they quit or feel like quitting.
5 Ways to Stay Motivated to Finish What You Started
Posted by Blacky at 11:42 pm 0 comments
Self-cleaning toilets: Genius!
Apartment Therapy recently posted an article that immediately caused me to remember a similar Gizmodo post that I loved from a couple years ago. Ever since I first saw that Gizmodo article I have decided that people in Switzerland are brilliant.
Self-cleaning toilets: Genius!
Posted by Blacky at 11:41 pm 0 comments
Privacychoice Stops Advertisers From Profiling You
Web site Privacychoice rolls the opt-out routines for a couple dozen advertising networks into a single javascript button—so you can stop them tracking you without having to mess with cookie settings.
Privacychoice Stops Advertisers From Profiling You
Posted by Blacky at 11:37 pm 0 comments
Tip of the Day: How to avoid dangers at home
Along with the spring cleaning you'll do over the coming weeks, conduct a thorough safety inspection of your home to uncover and deal with home dangers related to the products, systems, or areas of your home below.
Tip of the Day: How to avoid dangers at home
Posted by Blacky at 11:35 pm 0 comments
Blackstump Australia Issue 9 - March 18, 2009
The latest issue of new family friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Blackstump Australia Issue 9 - March 18, 2009
Posted by Blacky at 11:30 pm 0 comments
Monday, March 16, 2009
Take Better Self-Portraits
Taking a good self-portrait is both a handy skill and a way to expand your photographic repertoire. Save your next profile picture from the camera-held-at-arms-length cliche with these tips.
Take Better Self-Portraits
Posted by Blacky at 6:56 am 0 comments
BBC exposes global cybercrime risk
The BBC in the UK has reported that it has easily acquired its own botnet controlling thousands of home computers as part of an investigation into global cybercrime.
BBC exposes global cybercrime risk
Posted by Blacky at 6:52 am 0 comments
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The magic number
At Google, they're getting ready to celebrate Pi Day, which culminates tomorrow, March 14 at 1:59pm, a date and time that correspond to the first six digits of pi: 3.14159. (Some people celebrate at 1:59am.) Of course, since pi is a member of a select group of irrational numbers, meaning they can't be expressed as a fraction, there are an infinite number of digits in pi. You can even set a world record for reciting pi from memory if you have the spare brain cells to remember 100,000 or so digits. Odds are, you certainly won't remember the one trillion digits past the decimal point that computers have calculated.
The magic number
Posted by Blacky at 3:21 pm 0 comments
Downgrade Vista to XP in seven easy steps
Windows 7's arrival is just a few months away, but many people aren't waiting and just want to replace Vista's newness — some say weirdness — for the familiarity of XP.
Downgrade Vista to XP in seven easy steps
Posted by Blacky at 3:17 pm 0 comments
How to Stop Being a Workaholic
It is dangerous to be a workaholic. Although you may finish a lot of work, you may endanger your marriage, ruin your relationships with your children, get burnt out, and end up in an early grave. If you want time to live a more enjoyable, meaningful life, the following steps will point the way.
How to Stop Being a Workaholic
Posted by Blacky at 2:09 pm 0 comments
Friday, March 13, 2009
Passwords You Should Never, Ever Use?
You can preach the gospel of secure password schemes 'til you run out of breath or typing strength—sometimes it's the bad examples that really teach us what not to do.
Passwords You Should Never, Ever Use?
Posted by Blacky at 8:20 am 0 comments
Quarterly updates to OED Online
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 to OED Online
Posted by Blacky at 12:47 am 0 comments
Thursday, March 12, 2009
How to Green Your Lighting
Given high energy prices, many aspects of the way in which we live have been brought to the fore. And not least of these is our demand for electricity. We can blame politicians and electricity suppliers for bad planning to a certain extent, but we can’t defer our responsibility for continuing to drive demand. Rather than being careless in our approach to the design of our homes, it would pay us to pay more attention to how we use our energy. And the easiest and cheapest place to start, is with our lighting.
How to Green Your Lighting
Posted by Blacky at 5:10 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
100 top sites for the year ahead
Two years after we last picked the web's cream of the crop, our latest selection finds that location-based services, work-anywhere collaboration and video are prominent.
100 top sites for the year ahead
Posted by Blacky at 1:03 pm 0 comments
Add an extra 14 years to your life
Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, not smoking, and drinking alcohol moderately could add 14 years to your life, according to British researchers.
Add an extra 14 years to your life
Posted by Blacky at 10:19 am 0 comments
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
How to Deodorize a Room
We've all been there. Your room has 'acquired' a smell, and you just can't seem to get rid of it. Things that are clean generally shouldn't smell, but some odors have a way of getting all over everything. Here are several ways that really work to lessen odors in a room, in order of effectiveness and relative ease. Use the ones that seem most appropriate to your situation, but for really bad odors it may be worth using multiple methods to attack the smell. Finally, don't panic - these really do work and with a little time and effort the odor can be significantly reduced in a couple of days.
How to Deodorize a Room
Posted by Blacky at 11:31 pm 0 comments
7 Tearfully-Pleasing Uses for Onions
People, despite getting teary-eyed, enjoy the numerous culinary uses of the onion. The gas containing vegetable is both a primary ingredient and a flavor enhancer in many dishes. If you think its list of uses end at the kitchen, you better think again. It is proven to be a medicinal wonder, as well as a metal polisher and an insect repellent. With its number of alternative uses, the onion may induce tears of joy to any DIY pundit. Here are seven of its tearfully - pleasing uses.
7 Tearfully-Pleasing Uses for Onions
Posted by Blacky at 11:29 pm 0 comments
25 Useful Financial Rules of Thumb
A rule of thumb is a general guideline, an easy way to approximate a value quickly. It’s not meant to be completely accurate.
25 Useful Financial Rules of Thumb
Posted by Blacky at 11:23 pm 0 comments
Monday, March 09, 2009
How to Make Work Feel Effortless
Sometimes work feels like a drag. You get caught up in trying to be more productive and suddenly your life turns into a series of to-do lists. You gauge your measure of success by how much you accomplish. You even determine how happy you allow yourself to be by how much you’ve gotten done in the day. When this occurs, work turns into a chore. You don’t enjoy the work, you just to do it so it can be over with. Then you can feel good, right? But wait, there’s that thing you forgot about. You still need to do that. And oh yeah, there’s that other thing you haven’t done yet.
How to Make Work Feel Effortless
Posted by Blacky at 10:34 pm 0 comments
Find Free Transport In Most Australian Capital Cities
Australia's different capital city public transport systems don't have much in common -- but many of them do offer free bus services in their CBD areas (along with the occasional no-cost tram or train). Check out this comprehensive listing to save money (and traffic jams) the next time you're in an unfamiliar city.
Find Free Transport In Most Australian Capital Cities
Posted by Blacky at 12:44 pm 0 comments
Microsoft Time Zone
There is no build in way to display different time zones in Microsoft operating systems. The clock in the system tray will always display the time of the selected time zone. Users have to rely on third party programs or the Internet to view multiple time zones at once. One of the possibilities is a small Microsoft application that can be used to display the times of various time zones in the Windows system tray. The application will pull the information directly from the default time zone list of the Windows operating system which means that every time zone in the world is covered by it.
Microsoft Time Zone
Posted by Blacky at 10:42 am 0 comments
International Women's Day: Web and Social Media Resources
If you’re wondering why “Happy International” is a top trend on Twitter today, it’s because today is International Women’s Day, an important day that celebrates the achievements of women everywhere. This year will be the 98th celebration of International Women’s Day. And although we celebrate the advances women have made today, we are also humbled by the reminder that there is still a lot of work to be done in the realm of gender equality.
International Women's Day: Web and Social Media Resources
Posted by Blacky at 10:40 am 0 comments
Spoof Magazine Covers and More at WriteOnIt
Your mother always told you you'd never sell enough gold records, or fall hard enough from a high enough office, to make the cover of a magazine. Prove her wrong with spoof site WriteOnIt.
Spoof Magazine Covers and More at WriteOnIt
Posted by Blacky at 10:33 am 0 comments
Saturday, March 07, 2009
HTML to PDF Converter Turns Web Sites into PDF Files
If you'd like to save a web site for posterity without the mess of saving the page and all its files, the web-based HTML to PDF Converter can crank out a PDF.
HTML to PDF Converter Turns Web Sites into PDF Files
Posted by Blacky at 6:06 pm 0 comments
Blackstump Australia Issue 8 - March 8, 2009
The latest issue of new family friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Blackstump Australia Issue 8 - March 8, 2009
Posted by Blacky at 3:54 pm 0 comments
Friday, March 06, 2009
When fast-food's nearby, stroke risk is high
For me, and no doubt many others, proximity to fast-food breeds consumption. Now, a new study suggests that easy access to fast-food may also be tied to a higher risk of stroke.
When fast-food's nearby, stroke risk is high
Posted by Blacky at 10:23 pm 0 comments
Ten Things That Won’t Matter In Ten Years’ Time – And Ten Things That Will
You’re stressed, overworked, and tired. You feel like you’re dropping the ball on so many things. You find yourself lying awake in the early hours, thinking about those items still on your to-do list, those emails not yet cleared.
Ten Things That Won’t Matter In Ten Years’ Time – And Ten Things That Will
Posted by Blacky at 10:12 pm 0 comments
Tough geometric brain teaser
Good luck!
Tough geometric brain teaser
Posted by Blacky at 10:10 pm 0 comments
Funny traffic sign hack
A cleverly-placed sticker.
Funny traffic sign hack
Posted by Blacky at 10:05 pm 0 comments
Roman Catholic bishops to faithful: Give up cell phone and Internet during Lent
Concerned that Christians are not entering the Lenten season (which began last week on Ash Wednesday) with the proper spirit, some clergy are calling on their flock to nix text messaging for the next six Fridays leading up to Easter on April 12. Christians are annually asked to refrain from eating meat on Fridays and to pray more regularly during Lent, but the church has apparently gotten hip to the hold that technology has on its brethren.
Roman Catholic bishops to faithful: Give up cell phone and Internet during Lent
Posted by Blacky at 7:23 am 0 comments
New Google Site to Share Money-Saving Tips
Google offers a new Google Moderator-based application called Tip Jar. The purpose of the mostly green-color-themed site is for people to contribute money saving tips and tricks in areas like work, family, transit and more.
New Google Site to Share Money-Saving Tips
Posted by Blacky at 7:00 am 0 comments
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Image Of The Day: What Is This?
What the hell is this? Neurons firing up inside a brain? An installation with several Tesla coils? A weird electrical storm phenomenon? A color-inverted photo of an spiders orgy? A new nano-technology organic-based processor?
Image Of The Day: What Is This?
Posted by Blacky at 8:04 am 0 comments
Windows 7 Lets You Finally Uninstall Internet Explorer (Kinda)
The AeroXperience weblog has uncovered a shocking change in the latest release candidate of Windows 7—Internet Explorer can be removed through the Windows Features dialog. Finally!
Windows 7 Lets You Finally Uninstall Internet Explorer (Kinda)
Posted by Blacky at 8:01 am 0 comments
Best and Worst 2009 Cars
Here are the Consumer Reports top-rated vehicles in ten categories (with previous years’ top cars in parentheses):
The Consumer Reports Auto Issue: Best and Worst 2009 Cars
Posted by Blacky at 7:58 am 0 comments
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
How to Cultivate Compassion in Your Life
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~ Dalai Lama.
How to Cultivate Compassion in Your Life
Posted by Blacky at 9:17 pm 0 comments