Mashable: Each Friday we choose a Lunchtime Poll topic to get a sense of how Mashable readers feel about the chosen topic of the week. Below are the results from last Friday’s poll, where we asked your favorite iPhone apps.
Top 10 iPhone Apps as Judged by Mashable Readers
Friday, October 16, 2009
Top 10 iPhone Apps as Judged by Mashable Readers
Posted by Blacky at 5:44 pm 0 comments
Thursday, October 15, 2009
HOW TO: Organize an Event on Facebook
This guide will show you how to successfully run an event on Facebook.
HOW TO: Organize an Event on Facebook
Posted by Blacky at 9:36 pm 0 comments
Seven Tips If You’re Chronically Late
Feeling as though you’re always running twenty minutes behind schedule is an unhappy feeling. Having to rush, forgetting things in your haste, dealing with annoyed people when you arrive…it’s no fun.
Seven Tips If You’re Chronically Late
Posted by Blacky at 9:32 pm 0 comments
Clothes no cover for airport scanner
A human x-ray machine which produces "naked" images of passengers is being tested at an airport in Britain. Here's a video of how it works from Scientific American.
Clothes no cover for airport scanner
Posted by Blacky at 7:53 am 0 comments
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Want to Remotely Start Your Car? There's an App for That
If you live some place where it gets really cold in the winter — you might already be familiar with the advantages and convenience of a remote-start car system. Rather than fumbling to open an icy door or waiting a few minutes for the car to start and the heat to come on, you can start the car using a keyremote and even turn the heat on, so that by the time you get to the car, it’s on and warm.
Want to Remotely Start Your Car? There's an App for That
Posted by Blacky at 7:28 am 0 comments
The Forgetful Mind
Whenever I have a stray thought that might be useful at all to remember later, I jot it down in a “thought notebook” and then review it later, usually a couple of reviews a day. Figuring this out has truly been world-changing to me. It’s helped me to retain good ideas, remember to do certain things, and record data that I’ll need later on (like addresses and phone numbers and such).
The Forgetful Mind
Posted by Blacky at 7:07 am 0 comments
The Web’s Inventor Regrets One Small Thing
Any conversation with Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the Web’s bedrock software standards, tends to be fast-paced and nonlinear. A historical question then. If he were do it over again today, would he do anything differently? Any regrets?
The Web’s Inventor Regrets One Small Thing
Posted by Blacky at 6:53 am 1 comments
The 2009 Nobel Prizes
Explore the advances that earned this year's crop of Nobelists one of the world's most famous prizes--and in some cases, read about the prizewinning discoveries as chronicled by the researchers themselves in Scientific American.
The 2009 Nobel Prizes: In-Depth Reports
Posted by Blacky at 6:39 am 0 comments
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
A cure for jet lag?
A pill that cures jet lag is a step closer today, after scientists discovered how signals from the brain control our biological clocks.
A cure for jet lag?
Posted by Blacky at 7:56 am 0 comments
Sunday, October 11, 2009
20 Fantastic Free iPhone Apps for Parents
It’s hard to believe that a little device that’s the size of your hand can actually help parents become more organized, time-efficient, knowledgeable, even relaxed. However, that’s the beauty of an iPhone. The key, though, is to find the right apps to get you there, and with so many choices (more than 75,000), it takes time and effort to find good ones.
20 Fantastic Free iPhone Apps for Parents
Posted by Blacky at 7:35 am 0 comments
Top 10 Reminder Tools for Forgetful Minds
Tweak your workflow and inboxes all you want, but your mental memory might always be the weakest link in your day-to-day life. These 10 tools take some of the workload off your brain, and prevent a few forehead slaps.
Top 10 Reminder Tools for Forgetful Minds
Posted by Blacky at 7:32 am 0 comments
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 30 - October 11, 2009
The latest issue of new family friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 30 - October 11, 2009
Posted by Blacky at 9:48 pm 0 comments
10 Ways To Conquer Fear of Public Speaking.
The most common phobia people have is the “Fear of public speaking”. Some people dread public speaking even more than death. Most of us live with this fear throughout our lives. Being an underrated skill we fail to get proper guidance to overcome our stage fright. As schools and colleges do not provide any training on public speaking, most of us lack the confidence to speak in public when we reach adulthood.
10 Ways To Conquer Fear of Public Speaking.
Posted by Blacky at 9:29 pm 0 comments
Friday, October 09, 2009
Ping: Free iPhone-to-iPhone Text Messaging
Ping! is simplified iPhone-to-iPhone messaging with push notifications (also works with iPod Touch). It uses a unique Ping! ID, and works similar to Blackberry Messenger so that messages can extend to friends anywhere in the world without text messaging costs.
Ping: Free iPhone-to-iPhone Text Messaging
Posted by Blacky at 9:09 pm 0 comments
Leaked Hotmail Password Data Analysis
Remember back then when AOL decided to provide downloads of an anonymized snapshot of their search engine logs? One of the first things that Internet
Marketers did was to analyze the data to see what users where looking for. Groups focused on privacy would analyse the data to see if it was possible to identify single users from the data that was offered by AOL.
Leaked Hotmail Password Data Analysis
Posted by Blacky at 8:11 pm 0 comments
A Doctor's Advice On How To Read Health News (And Know Whether It's Full of Crap) - Boing Boing
Biased and badly done are two very different things. I don't have data on this, but I think it's fair to say that, when the main-stream media gets a health story wrong, it usually isn't trying to be intentionally wack. Trouble is, whatever the intent, it leaves you--the reader--in the same place. Conflused.
A Doctor's Advice On How To Read Health News (And Know Whether It's Full of Crap) - Boing Boing
Posted by Blacky at 7:12 am 0 comments
8 Awesome Mashups Made Possible by APIs
Thanks to APIs, new programs can be built up that take advantage of one or more services in ways the original creators might not have intended or even imagined. That allows the creativity and ingenuity of the developer community at large to shine by creating highly useful new services without requiring complicated licensing protocols and fees or even specific partnerships between the companies.
8 Awesome Mashups Made Possible by APIs
Posted by Blacky at 7:11 am 0 comments
Watch NASA’s Exploding Moon Rocket Live on NASA TV
Remember the LCROSS project, the one in which NASA plans to fire a huge exploding rocket into the moon? The goal is to eject debris from the surface of one of moon’s craters and discovering whether there’s frozen water there.
Watch NASA’s Exploding Moon Rocket Live on NASA TV
Posted by Blacky at 7:09 am 0 comments
Go Straight to Your Unread Gmail Messages with a Shortcut
You probably already know how to find unread messages in Gmail (just search is:unread in:inbox), but if you want quick, bookmarkable access to only those unread messages in your inbox, CNET has a simple suggestion.
Go Straight to Your Unread Gmail Messages with a Shortcut
Posted by Blacky at 7:06 am 0 comments
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Make Your Battery Last Longer
Over on TheAppleBlog, Liam posted “14 Ways to Be Kind to Your Battery,” a list of simple measures you can take to conserve battery power if you’re away from an outlet. Check out Liam’s post for the full list of tips and more detail. These tips aren’t only useful for Apple hardware; most of them would work equally well on any make of laptop or netbook.
Make Your Battery Last Longer
Posted by Blacky at 8:27 am 0 comments
Phishing Protection Tips
It is time to update the phishing protection article that we published some time ago (see Phishing explained) with the recent news that thousands of Hotmail users (and apparently Gmail users as well) fell pray to yet another phishing scam. What is phishing? Phishing, which stands for password fishing, is a popular technique to get collect data from users without their knowledge. This data is usually sensitive in nature, like credit card information or usernames and passwords. The attackers need to get a user on a specifically prepared website first which often is looks exactly like the real website the user wants to visit.
Phishing Protection Tips
Posted by Blacky at 12:11 am 0 comments
Most Common Hotmail Password Revealed!
A researcher who examined 10,000 Hotmail, MSN and Live.com passwords that were recently exposed online has published an analysis of the list and found that “123456″ was the most commonly used password, appearing 64 times.
Most Common Hotmail Password Revealed!
Posted by Blacky at 12:05 am 0 comments
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Price Comparison With Invisible Hand For Firefox
Price comparison is one of the essentials things that Internet users should do before buying a product on the Internet. It does not matter if they do it manually by visiting several Internet shops that carry the product or use one of the price comparison services. Users can save lots of money when comparing prices before buying a product.
Price Comparison With Invisible Hand For Firefox
Posted by Blacky at 7:26 am 0 comments
Phishing Attack! Gmail, Yahoo Mail Join Hotmail; Passwords Exposed
Google’s Gmail and Yahoo’s Mail were also targeted by a large-scale phishing attack, perhaps the same one that harvested at least 10,000 passwords from Microsoft’s Windows Live Hotmail, according to a report by the BBC.
Phishing Attack! Gmail, Yahoo Mail Join Hotmail; Passwords Exposed
Posted by Blacky at 7:24 am 0 comments
Reviews of 8 Free Twitter Clients
All of the clients are free to download and use. The first link takes you to a PC World Slideshow with a screenshot and brief overview. The second link labeled “Review” takes you to a complete product review from PC World’s sister publication, Computerworld.
Reviews of 8 Free Twitter Clients
Posted by Blacky at 7:23 am 1 comments
How to Stop Buying Clothes You Never Wear
These tips are applicable to women and men, whether you’re a high-power attorney or a stay-at-home parent.
How to Stop Buying Clothes You Never Wear
Posted by Blacky at 7:22 am 0 comments
Illusions: What's in a face?
Our brains are exquisitely tuned to perceive, recognize and remember faces. We can easily find a friend’s face among dozens or hundreds of unfamiliar faces in a busy street. We look at each other’s facial expressions for signs of appreciation and disapproval, love and contempt.
Illusions: What's in a face?
Posted by Blacky at 7:20 am 0 comments
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
PhotoSketch: Photoshop + Image Recognition = Awesome
This technology is just mind-boggling. PhotoSketch may be the coolest program we’ve seen or written about since the invisible speakers.
PhotoSketch: Photoshop + Image Recognition = Awesome
Posted by Blacky at 11:13 pm 0 comments
5 Ways Self Storage Units Are More Sad Museums Than Savvy Solutions.
Although self storage (like easy credit), can be beneficial to a percentage of the population, it's a pact with Satan for many folks who don't have an iron fist over their finances or excellent time management skills. Quite simply, it's bad on several fronts.
5 Ways Self Storage Units Are More Sad Museums Than Savvy Solutions.
Posted by Blacky at 2:30 pm 0 comments
Hotmail Phishing Attack: Time To Change Passwords
Microsoft has recently confirmed that thousands of Windows Live Hotmail customer’s credentials were exposed on a third party website. According to Neowin the account information were posted by an anonymous user at the pastebin website. The list that was posted contained over 10.000 account details of accounts starting with the letters A and B which suggests that additional lists might be in the hands of the attackers. Initial investigations suggest that only accounts used to access Windows Live Hotmail were affected (which includes email accounts ending with hotmail.com, msn.com or live.com.
Hotmail Phishing Attack: Time To Change Passwords
Posted by Blacky at 12:52 pm 0 comments
Monday, October 05, 2009
Use a Tennis Ball to Buff Out Scuffs and More
If you've got a few tennis balls laying around not earning their keep on the court, you can put them to work around your home. Check out some (more) novel uses for tennis balls.
Use a Tennis Ball to Buff Out Scuffs and More
Posted by Blacky at 8:03 am 0 comments
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Video of Anne Frank Surfaces on YouTube
The only existing film footage of Anne Frank has been uploaded to YouTube by the Anne Frank House. The Amsterdam museum is hoping to bring attention to Anne’s story and diaries and reach a new generation who may be unfamiliar with her story.
Video of Anne Frank Surfaces on YouTube
Posted by Blacky at 12:44 pm 0 comments
Web Resources for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Web Resources for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Posted by Blacky at 12:34 pm 0 comments
Friday, October 02, 2009
Best of the Ig Nobel prizes 2009
Why don't pregnant women topple over? Do cows notice kindness? Does cracking your knuckles bring on arthritis? And is there more than one use for a bra? These questions and more inspired the research rewarded at the Ig Nobels, which were handed out on Thursday at Harvard University in a ceremony organised by the Annals of Improbable Research.
Best of the Ig Nobel prizes 2009
Posted by Blacky at 10:10 pm 0 comments
Can't remember last time you had a good night's sleep?
A U.S. study finds that not getting enough sleep each night could play a role in the development of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers suggest that sleeplessness should be evaluated when treating Alzheimer’s.
Can't remember last time you had a good night's sleep?
Posted by Blacky at 7:11 am 0 comments
Thursday, October 01, 2009
The Official Appreciation Page for the Best of the Wikipedia Rejects
It's been a couple of years since I checked on Clifford Pickover's The Wikipedia Knowledge Dump, a blog about deleted (or marked for deletion) Wikipedia articles. I forgot how much fun it is!
The Official Appreciation Page for the Best of the Wikipedia Rejects
Posted by Blacky at 7:34 am 0 comments
Aluminum versus aluminium and more
This pair is another famous example of the difference between American and British English, second perhaps only to fall ~ autumn, truck ~ lorry, and sidewalk ~ pavement. Sir Humphrey Davy called his invention (1812) aluminum, but in England i was later added to it on the analogy of chemical substances like sodium. American English preserves the earliest form.
Aluminum versus aluminium and more
Posted by Blacky at 7:32 am 0 comments
Google’s Nifty Document Viewer
Sometimes the simplest things are the most useful, you know? Google has announced a handy dandy Docs viewer, available at http://docs.google.com/viewer. This viewer allows you to generate links to view PDFs, Powerpoints, and TIFF documents from the comfort of your own browser.
Google’s Nifty Document Viewer
Posted by Blacky at 7:25 am 0 comments
Eighteen Tips that Aren't, It Turns Out, From a Churchyard.
I always thought Desiderata was an inscription in an old churchyard, but it was actually written by Max Ehrmann in 1927. This bit of information detracts from its mystique somewhat, but it's still an interesting list.
Eighteen Tips that Aren't, It Turns Out, From a Churchyard.
Posted by Blacky at 7:22 am 0 comments
Facial recognition face-off: Three tools compared
Last week's Picasa software update from Google brought with it a neat trick--facial recognition. But it wasn't the first free consumer photo-editing software to find faces. In January, Apple unveiled the latest version of iLife, which included an updated version of iPhoto that could detect and recognize faces in your photos. And this time last year, Microsoft released an updated version of its Windows Live Photo Gallery desktop software that could find faces inside of photos, though it couldn't (and still can't) recognize who's in them.
Facial recognition face-off: Three tools compared
Posted by Blacky at 7:13 am 0 comments
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 29 - October 1, 2009
The latest issue of new family friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Blackstump Australia Issue 29 - October 1, 2009
Posted by Blacky at 6:17 pm 0 comments
Monday, September 28, 2009
What Happens To Your Luggage Once It’s Checked In?
Travelling by air without checked luggage is often a sensible goal, but sometimes you have no choice but to stow your bags in the hold. What happens to them once you’ve handed them over to a hassled check-in clerk?
What Happens To Your Luggage Once It’s Checked In?
Posted by Blacky at 5:58 pm 0 comments
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Lamest. Foodstuff Name. Ever.
They could have taken all sorts of inspiration for naming the “new” vegemite. They settled on a naming convention cornered by Apple. Lame. Seriously lame.
Lamest. Foodstuff Name. Ever.
Posted by Blacky at 9:44 pm 0 comments
Best Of The Best: Tools And Apps, Third Quarter 2009
From Lifehacker Australia. The third quarter of 2009 was filled with all sorts of useful communication tools, time saving applications and software to help you get things done. Here’s a look back at the winners in each of the categories.
Best Of The Best: Tools And Apps, Third Quarter 2009
Posted by Blacky at 10:54 am 0 comments
Examine Hand Gestures and Smiles to Detect Lying
Some people are better liars than others. The next time you want to gauge whether someone's pulling your leg, try searching for clues based on their hand gestures and smile. It goes without saying that the following suggestions are not hard-and-fast rules, but more potential tip offs that someone may be fibbing.
Examine Hand Gestures and Smiles to Detect Lying
Posted by Blacky at 10:49 am 0 comments
Banned Books Week
Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books.
Banned Books Week
Posted by Blacky at 10:43 am 0 comments
Reclaiming the night sky: award-winning astrophotography
Iranian photographer Babak Tafreshi has won the 2009 Lennart Nilsson scientific photography prize. According to the award panel, his images "reclaim a night sky that most modern people have lost" – see some of them here.
Reclaiming the night sky: award-winning astrophotography
Posted by Blacky at 10:39 am 0 comments
Tip of the week: How to best email your digital photos
Everyone at one time or another has received an email with a very large image file attached. It can be very annoying. I've even deleted some emails that were just way too big. Here's how to do away with the problem by reducing the size of your photos before you email them.
Tip of the week: How to best email your digital photos
Posted by Blacky at 10:37 am 0 comments
How to Tell if You're Watching TV in HD
High Definition Television (HDTV) is a form of Digital Television capable of "near photo" quality images on an HDTV screen. Unsure if you're seeing an HDTV signal or not? Read on for help.How to Tell if You're Watching TV in HD
Posted by Blacky at 10:36 am 0 comments
Knowing When to Walk Away: Financial Planning for an Unknown Ending
People somehow have a built upon a notion that they must amass a certain amount of money, no matter how long it takes, before they can retire. Yet, what if it took you 40 years of work to reach $1 million, and the very next year you died? Would all your work be for naught? It depends on how much you enjoyed your work, of course, but for the most part, this scenario is not ideal.
Knowing When to Walk Away: Financial Planning for an Unknown Ending
Posted by Blacky at 10:34 am 0 comments
Friday, September 25, 2009
Cheap Passport Pictures
Below are four online passport photo companies, each offering varying levels of service (with corresponding costs).
Cheap Passport Pictures
Posted by Blacky at 5:24 pm 0 comments
The Best Online Tools for Families
It’s easy to feel absolultely overwhelmed when you look for a tool or useful website online. There are hundreds of choices, and sometimes, it feels like they’re all pretty similar. There’s a theory that in this age of information, our range of choices — from toothpaste flavors to online calendars — stress out our bodies and our minds to the point that we’re actually less able to make sound decisions.
The Best Online Tools for Families
Posted by Blacky at 5:09 pm 0 comments
USB Car Adapter Charges Any USB Device On-the-Go
The iLuv Micro USB Car adapter turns your car's cigarette outlet into a universal USB charger, so you don't have to buy specialized car chargers for all of your USB-chargeable gear.
USB Car Adapter Charges Any USB Device On-the-Go
Posted by Blacky at 7:02 am 0 comments
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Australian Social Trends, Sep 2009
The September issue reveals that extra hours, multiple jobs and weekend work are all cutting into Australian family life, while one-quarter of our children are overweight or obese. People may also find it hard to balance employment and care, while Australia's links to China and India continue to grow through migration, trade and education.
Australian Social Trends, Sep 2009
Posted by Blacky at 9:18 pm 0 comments
Six Tips for Coping with the Fact that You've Forgotten Someone's Name
If you’re like me, you sometimes have trouble remembering people’s names, or even how you know them.
Six Tips for Coping with the Fact that You've Forgotten Someone's Name
Posted by Blacky at 8:10 am 0 comments
5 Focus Killers … and How to Beat Them
It doesn’t matter how focused you are, working from your remote office likely entails more than a few distractions. For each of us those distractions will be different (I just had to break my morning’s work to move my goat to a new patch of grass; you may not have to cram this particular commitment into your schedule). And, truth be told, they’re not always unwelcome.
5 Focus Killers … and How to Beat Them
Posted by Blacky at 8:08 am 0 comments
Dust storm chokes Sydney
Sydneysiders are being warned that a huge dust cloud will continue to affect the city through the day, after they woke to an eerie red dawn.
Dust storm chokes Sydney
Posted by Blacky at 8:01 am 0 comments
Amazing video of girl barely missing an out-of-control car
A 6-year-old girl very narrowly misses getting squashed by an out of control car.
Amazing video of girl barely missing an out-of-control car
Posted by Blacky at 7:59 am 0 comments
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
7 ways to fewer wrinkles
Some people are born lucky—but for the rest of us wrinkles are a natural part of aging.
7 ways to fewer wrinkles
Posted by Blacky at 11:29 pm 0 comments
Oxford English Dictionary Update
On 10 September 2009 the New Edition was updated with new materials which fall into three main categories: (a) alphabetical series of revised entries based around significant words from across the alphabet; (b) the sequence of revised entries from red to refulgent; (c) a series of new entries and senses from across the alphabet. The table below shows the ranges which were covered, together with some of the more notable entries within them.
Oxford English Dictionary Update
Posted by Blacky at 11:25 pm 0 comments
Directory Size Calculator
The best way to free up some hard drive space is to sort the files and folders of that hard drive by size. Windows Explorer is able to sort the files by size but not the folders. It is possible to get the folder size of one folder by right-clicking on that folder and selecting properties but that’s not practicable if there are more than a few on that drive.
Directory Size Calculator
Posted by Blacky at 11:22 pm 0 comments
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Last Words
Last week, reports of executions — one postponed in Ohio, one carried out in Texas — punctuated the news more frequently than usual. These reports prompted me to reflect on an archive of executed prisoners’ last words I found on the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Web site while researching parole terms. The archive’s earliest entry dates from Dec. 7, 1982; the most recent was added after Stephen Moody was executed on Wednesday by lethal injection for murder.
Last Words
Posted by Blacky at 7:00 am 0 comments
Monday, September 21, 2009
Fastest PDF File Viewer
Adobe PDF is not the fastest pdf reader that is available these days even with programs like Adobe Reader Speedup which remove some of the unneeded features. There are quite a few popular alternatives like Foxit PDF Reader which provide a similar functionality but offer faster startup and loading times.
Fastest PDF File Viewer
Posted by Blacky at 7:50 am 0 comments
How to Use a Dash in an English Sentence
Do you use a dash a lot? What about a hyphen? Many people can not tell the difference between them. Some people even think they are the same thing. If you are one of them, check this out and master the dash.
How to Use a Dash in an English Sentence
Posted by Blacky at 7:40 am 0 comments
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Swine flu and a new age of social greetings
The swine flu pandemic has wreaked havoc on traditional greetings worldwide. France’s health ministry has recommended that countrymen avoid “la bise,” and Spain has reportedly recommended halting their “besos”—both are the traditional kisses on the cheeks.
Swine flu and a new age of social greetings
Posted by Blacky at 2:23 pm 0 comments
Saturday, September 19, 2009
How To Hang Artwork Easily & Precisely
Tutorial on how to hang artwork in a grid "easily and precisely".
How To Hang Artwork Easily
Posted by Blacky at 10:23 am 0 comments
The Best Retirement Calculator - Ever
Have you seen the investment calculator on WolframAlpha? It's amazing. With a few simple inputs like portfolio starting value, age, and other values, you can get a huge amount of data crunching power at your finger tips.
The Best Retirement Calculator - Ever
Posted by Blacky at 10:17 am 0 comments
How to Sample Wine Without Looking like a Clown
Here's some more unpretentious wine instruction from Kathryn Borel Jr.
How to Sample Wine Without Looking like a Clown
Posted by Blacky at 10:12 am 0 comments
Moon is coldest known place in the solar system
Poor Pluto. First it gets kicked out of the planet club, now it's not even the coldest place in the solar system. Dark craters near the moon's south pole have snatched that title – which is good news for the prospects of finding water ice on Earth's companion.
Moon is coldest known place in the solar system
Posted by Blacky at 10:10 am 0 comments
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 28 - September 19, 2009
The latest issue of new family friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 28 - September 19, 2009
Posted by Blacky at 12:47 am 0 comments
Beatles remasters: the Metzger review
The definitive review on the recently-released Beatles remasters.
Beatles remasters: the Metzger review
Posted by Blacky at 12:37 am 0 comments
Friday, September 18, 2009
Unclog a Toilet with Dishwasher Detergent
It's not a clever hack any of us want to have to use, but the Art of Manliness blog has a homebrew fix for the next time your restroom trip ends in disaster.
Unclog a Toilet with Dishwasher Detergent
Posted by Blacky at 8:12 am 0 comments
How to Add 5 Consecutive Numbers Quickly
Bet someone you can add five consecutive numbers faster than they can. You can use this as a bar trick, with your friends, or (if you are a student) impress your teacher!
How to Add 5 Consecutive Numbers Quickly
Posted by Blacky at 8:10 am 0 comments
Underwater Suffering: Do Fish Feel Pain?
Many a seafood fan has parroted the popular idea that fish and crustaceans do not feel pain. New research, however, suggests that they may, revealing that their nervous system may be more complex than we thought—and our own awareness of pain may be much more evolutionarily ancient than suspected.
Underwater Suffering: Do Fish Feel Pain?
Posted by Blacky at 8:09 am 0 comments
Recovered meteorite points to an unusual origin
In 2007, a sky-watching program known as the Desert Fireball Network tracked a streak of light over Australia that led researchers to meteorite fragments on the ground. Through an analysis of its composition and orbital characteristics, the meteorite, known as Bunburra Rockhole, has revealed itself to be out of the ordinary.
Recovered meteorite points to an unusual origin
Posted by Blacky at 8:08 am 0 comments
Thursday, September 17, 2009
After the big LA fires, terrain looks like a post-war moonscape: death, charred remains
We were escorted by LA County Sheriff's deputies. We were stunned by what we saw, and inattentive to keeping the little Flip video camera stable and accurately pointed. The devastation speaks for itself.
After the big LA fires, terrain looks like a post-war moonscape: death, charred remains
Posted by Blacky at 5:00 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Telstra Split 101
Yesterday’s announcement that Telstra will be forced to split its existing infrastructure business from the rest of the companyis going to be fodder for news journalists and communications junkies for months to come. But what difference will it make to the average Internet user?
The Telstra Split 101
Posted by Blacky at 5:02 pm 0 comments
"The Internet Is Both My Lifeline and the Plastic Bag Over My Head."
Manisha Alboher is a former financial analyst/portfolio manager (among other things) who writes and speaks a lot about personal money management. She wrote On My Own Two Feet and her next book, Get Financially Naked: How to Talk Money With Your Honey, is coming out in a few months. She also has a blog and often appears on TV to talk about money. The relationship between money and happiness is one of the most fascinating sub-topics within the large subject of happiness.
"The Internet Is Both My Lifeline and the Plastic Bag Over My Head."
Posted by Blacky at 12:20 pm 0 comments
Web Browsers Have Impact On Battery Life
A recent Anandtech study suggests that the web browser has an impact on a mobile PCs battery usage. The test, which analyzed battery performance under various popular web browsers and three websites, can probably not be seen as representative but it could indicate which web browser uses less battery power to operate. A test with more websites would certainly help to get a global result. Still, test results were somewhat surprisingly as the difference between the best and worst performing web browser were greater than two hours.
Web Browsers Have Impact On Battery Life
Posted by Blacky at 12:07 pm 0 comments
For Visual Searches, Try a Few Different Approaches
Microsoft has announced a new feature in its Bing search engine, focused on visual searches. Like some of the dedicated visual search engines, it presents a way to do web searches by clicking through collected visual images, instead of entering keywords. Initially, it’s only available for certain types of search categories.
For Visual Searches, Try a Few Different Approaches
Posted by Blacky at 11:22 am 0 comments
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Google Maps adds Traffic Information
Google Maps has just activated real time traffic information to its maps. Information is taken from Intelematics, which you may recognise as the company behind the SUNA live GPS system that provides real time traffic information to GPS units through a discrete FM radio signal. The breadth of coverage around Melbourne is staggering and Google plans to further expand traffic information by transmitting anonymous speed readings from those using the mobile version of the Google Maps Application.
Google Maps adds Traffic Information
Posted by Blacky at 11:44 pm 0 comments
Monday, September 14, 2009
Internet Activity, Australia, Jun 2009
The Internet Activity Survey (IAS) collects details on aspects of internet access services provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Australia.
Internet Activity, Australia, Jun 2009
Posted by Blacky at 7:13 pm 0 comments
Sunday, September 13, 2009
7 Ways to Reuse a Banana Peel
To be honest, the only things we’ve ever thought banana peels were good for were to fill the compost and to make people fall. Then we came across these genius ways to reuse the slippery guys…
7 Ways to Reuse a Banana Peel
Posted by Blacky at 10:48 am 0 comments
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Photos of NYC in the 1940s
Here's a LIFE gallery of remarkable shots from NYC in its Golden Age, the 1940s, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson first sailing up the river that bears his name, past the island that would be Manhattan. The Forties' art, music, sports, finance, technology -- what a time it was.
Photos of NYC in the 1940s
Posted by Blacky at 1:55 pm 0 comments
Foods To Help Fight Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer kills an estimated 3000 men in Australia each year. The undignified means of diagnosis is arguably a factor, but there’s nothing inelegant about a suggested diet to help ward off the disease. UK scientist Professor Margaret Rayman has co-ordinated a recipe book (the imaginatively titled Prostate Care Cookbook) which contains recipes said to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Foods To Help Fight Prostate Cancer
Posted by Blacky at 1:44 pm 0 comments
“Should I Buy It?” Flowchart Helps You Make Smarter Purchases
Advertisers would have us believe that we need a lot of things that we really only want, and that brand names are always better. This simple purchasing flowchart walks you through your purchasing decision-making process to help you make the smart choice.
“Should I Buy It?” Flowchart Helps You Make Smarter Purchases
Posted by Blacky at 1:43 pm 0 comments
Remembering 9/11 Through Social Media
September 11 - The eight-year anniversary of the shocking 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon building in Washington, DC, and the crash of United Airlines flight 93 in rural Pennsylvania. In 2001, social media was just in its infancy, but now that people have such an easily accessible global outlet to share their memories, grief, anger, frustrations, and pain, social web sites are being used as gathering places for those remembering the September 11th attacks.
Remembering 9/11 Through Social Media
Posted by Blacky at 1:34 pm 0 comments
Friday, September 11, 2009
12 Clever Substitutions That Save Money (Nearly) Effortlessly
One of my favorite ways to trim money from my spending is to find simple little substitutes for my regular expenses. If I can trim a few bucks from the cost of household supplies, routine purchases, and other things like that, over the long run, that can add up to a lot of money with virtually no change in my life. Here are twelve of my favorites (not including my “infamous” homemade laundry detergent).
12 Clever Substitutions That Save Money (Nearly) Effortlessly
Posted by Blacky at 8:09 am 0 comments
Install iTunes Without Unnecessary Software
Apple has just released iTunes 9 and the web is full of reviews that compare the new version to previous ones and outline the changes and new additions that Apple has packed into the new version of their popular music management software. The new version does not offer that many new features but most users would probably like to update their old version of iTunes anyway. Something that has not changed is the inclusion of many additional software programs and services that many users consider unnecessary. These software programs include the Bonjour service, Apple Quicktime, MobileMe support or the iTunesHelper and iPodService startup processes.
Install iTunes Without Unnecessary Software
Posted by Blacky at 8:07 am 0 comments
Speak Up To Look Smarter Than You Are
Although you may have committed yourself to keeping your mouth shut unless you absolutely had something critical to add to a business meeting, you may be doing yourself a disservice. Frequent talkers are perceived as more intelligent and competent.
Speak Up To Look Smarter Than You Are
Posted by Blacky at 8:05 am 0 comments
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Make Your Computer Faster Instead of Buying a New One
Buying a new computer can be a very exciting time...until you get the bill. What most people don't realize is that you don't need a Quad Core chip for email and Internet browsing. But after you've had your computer for a while and it starts to get sluggish, a lot of people start thinking that a fancy, new machine will cure what ails them.
Make Your Computer Faster Instead of Buying a New One
Posted by Blacky at 5:28 pm 0 comments
MythBusters: 'Using your head is a lot of fun'
Can a lead balloon fly? Can tooth fillings pick up radio stations? Each week millions watch Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, aka the MythBusters, test urban legends on their Discovery Channel TV show. Peter Aldhous joined them on set in San Francisco to find out how these special-effects wizards became standard-bearers for TV science.
MythBusters: 'Using your head is a lot of fun'
Posted by Blacky at 5:12 pm 0 comments
The big day for Beatles fans: A primer
Today’s the day the Beatles Rock Band music game, along with remastered versions of their albums, becomes available. Curious about these launches, but haven’t had time to get up to speed on them?
The big day for Beatles fans: A primer
Posted by Blacky at 7:11 am 0 comments
Apple Announces iTunes 9
Today is Apple’s Rock and Roll keynote, where the company is expected to announce a range of new products and software upgrades. One of new products has leaked a little early though: iTunes 9.
Apple Announces iTunes 9
Posted by Blacky at 7:03 am 0 comments
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
New look at Alzheimer's could revolutionise treatment
GENES that increase the risk of Alzheimer's and a blood protein that speeds up cognitive decline are radically changing our view of the devastating illness. Reported this week, both findings suggest new causes for Alzheimer's, boosting prospects for its treatment and prevention. "What we've found is absolutely fascinating, and will change the course of research into Alzheimer's".
New look at Alzheimer's could revolutionise treatment
Posted by Blacky at 11:41 pm 0 comments
Gone Phishing: How To Avoid Being Caught By Scammers
“Phishing” is the process by which a criminal disguises himself as a trusted entity in order to fraudulently obtain sensitive information. Although phishing can occur in many forms, the most common of these attacks involves the creation of an e-mail, one which prompts the recipient to enter specific personal information. This allows the criminal to “catch” the resulting data.
Gone Phishing: How To Avoid Being Caught By Scammers
Posted by Blacky at 11:39 pm 0 comments
"Up To" and Other Common Car Dealer Phrases to Watch For
Car dealerships have cultivated countless ways to take you for a ride (pun intended). Foremost among them: the use of industry-specific jargon. Consumer-focused automotive web site Edmunds takes a look at common linguistic lies.
"Up To" and Other Common Car Dealer Phrases to Watch For
Posted by Blacky at 10:35 am 0 comments
How to Speed Up a Slow Windows Computer for Free: 11 steps
Windows PCs typically slow down as applications are installed and used. Each application increases the size of the Windows Registry file resulting in increasing the amount of time for the file to be processed and loaded. Whether using word processing, spreadsheets, internet, games or anything else, hard drives fill with temporary files that do not always get removed when no longer needed. Read on to learn of ways to help keep a PC running smoothly with little or no money.
How to Speed Up a Slow Windows Computer for Free: 11 steps
Posted by Blacky at 9:38 am 0 comments
19 Free Web Services That Keep Saving You Money
Sifting through all of the free sites and services available on the Web, you've probably come up with some favorites, such as instant messaging tools or video streaming sites like Hulu. Those are great, but what about freebies that displace something for which you usually pay?
19 Free Web Services That Keep Saving You Money
Posted by Blacky at 8:35 am 0 comments
New genetic associations for Alzheimer's disease
The long and winding journey to the roots of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, has turned up three new genetic clues—the first major ones in 15 years.
New genetic associations for Alzheimer's disease
Posted by Blacky at 8:05 am 0 comments