Auditory Illusions: Scientific American Podcast

First up a classic illusion from Diana Deutsch at the University of California, San Diego. It's a recording of repeating sounds, which our brains perceive as specific words. Listen to this.
Auditory Illusions

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 9/2010

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 9/2010

Satellites Will Issue Speeding Tickets from Space

UK drivers had better stay under that speed limit, because the traffic authorities are watching… from outer space. According to The Telegraph, an American company called PIPS Technology has developed a system that uses two cameras on the ground and one satellite in orbit to catch speeders.
Satellites Will Issue Speeding Tickets from Space

Google Confirms Free Turn-by-Turn Directions Coming to iPhone

Free turn-by-turn Google Maps Navigation has already threatened an entire industry of GPS navigation companies whose livelihood depends on selling paid versions of what the search giant is now giving away for free. Currently Google Maps Navigation is available for Android phones only, but in a London press conference Google said it will bring free navigation to the iPhone along with other platforms.
Google Confirms Free Turn-by-Turn Directions Coming to iPhone

How Do You Know If Your Download Really Has a Virus?

Antivirus and anti-malware apps fill an important need on our computers, but they're not foolproof (*ahem*, McAfee). More often than you'd think, they're just plain wrong. Here's what to do when you're not sure whether a download has a virus.
How Do You Know If Your Download Really Has a Virus?

Government requests directed to Google and YouTube

Like other technology and communications companies, we regularly receive requests from government agencies around the world to remove content from our services, or provide information about users of our services and products. The map shows the number of requests that we received between July 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009, with certain limitations.
Government requests directed to Google and YouTube

USGS Photo Glossary of Volcanic Terms

From aa to Vulcanian eruption. With images.
USGS Photo Glossary of Volcanic Terms

The Oddest English Spellings, Part 16: Wistful Whistplayers and Other Wherry Important Words

The number of people in the English speaking world who distinguish in pronunciation between witch and which, wine and whine, wen and when is relatively small, and those who make this distinction do not say w-hitch, w-hine, and w-hen, but rather hwitch, hwine, and hwen. What follows is a breathtaking story of the hw-sound and the wh-spelling.
The Oddest English Spellings, Part 16: Wistful Whistplayers and Other Wherry Important Words

Windows Maintenance Tips: The Good, Bad And Useless

Everybody’s got an opinion on how to keep a Windows system running fast and smooth. Some tips are timeless, others are bunk but always recirculating. Here’s a closer look at what really helps and hurts your Windows PC.
Windows Maintenance Tips: The Good, Bad And Useless

Nepal to send Sherpas to "death zone" to rescue the dead

The Nepalese government is sending a team of 20 Sherpas to Everest's "death zone" to clean up the dead bodies of those who never made it back from their expeditions. 300 people have died there since 1953; there is also a lot of garbage from spent oxygen tanks and other crap that people couldn't or didn't want to take down with them because of the extra weight. The plan is to leave on May 1st, set up camp at 26,240 feet, and climb up to the most dangerous crux of the ascent.
Nepal to send Sherpas to "death zone" to rescue the dead

How Do I Find My IP Address

If you ware working in tech support you keep hearing questions very often. One of these questions is “How do I find my IP address”. The IP, or Internet Protocol, address is assigned to devices in a computer network for identification and addressing purposes. The current version of the Internet Protocol, IPv4, knows public and private addresses. Public IP addresses are unique while private ones do not need to be. The main reason for this is to conserve public IPs as IPv4 reaches exhaustion.
How Do I Find My IP Address

“Houston, we’ve had a problem”

The now famous words spoken by Jim Lovell in 1970 in the ill-fated Apollo 13 flight. There was a reunion of astronauts and control crew to celebrate the 40th anniversary. NASAimages has many great photos and video from the flight. Here are a few favorites.
“Houston, we’ve had a problem”

Eyjafjallajokull Volcano Pictures

As ash from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano continued to keep European airspace shut down over the weekend, affecting millions of travelers around the world, some government agencies and airlines clashed over the flight bans. Collected here are some images from Iceland over the past few days.
Eyjafjallajokull Volcano Pix

AnyHub Is A No-Fuss Small File Uploader

AnyHub is a minimalistic webapp lets you quickly upload and share small files of any kind, without the need to register for any type of account.
AnyHub Is A No-Fuss Small File Uploader

How To Upgrade Your Tiny Hard Drive To A Spacious New One And Keep Your Data Intact

You’re planning on upgrading your hard drive, but there’s one small problem: How do you get your data from the old hard drive to the new one, without reinstalling everything? Here’s a step-by-step guide to seamlessly transition to a new drive.
How To Upgrade Your Tiny Hard Drive To A Spacious New One And Keep Your Data Intact

Microsoft Fix It Center Online

Microsoft Fix it solutions provide one-click help for problems that are encountered in Microsoft products. The small portable programs are not available for every support issue a Microsoft user might have but their number is increasing as Microsoft seems to have grown fond of these one-click solutions.
Microsoft Fix It Center Online

7 Ways To Maintain A Positive Attitude

In today’s life when one is thronged with worries and tensions all around, it is very difficult to maintain a positive attitude. And often the more you try and be positive, the more it seems the negative energy around you gains strength. So here are 7 ways to change our modus operandi, be positive and work towards a healthier lifestyle.
7 Ways To Maintain A Positive Attitude

Volcano “Ash Plume” Captured By NASA, On Google Earth

The ash apparently creates a dangerous condition for planes, and so most airports across Europe grounded flights, which is continuing today. Calling the travel situation “chaos,” the NY Times reports that the domino effect of these closures may disrupt travel for weeks. If you’re interested to see satellite images of the volcanic ash in the atmosphere you can now do so on Google earth, courtesy of NASA satellite imagery.
Volcano “Ash Plume” Captured By NASA, On Google Earth

Shift Your Fingers One Key To The Right For Easy-to-Remember But Awesome Passwords

You’re constantly told how easy it would be to hack your weak passwords, but complicated passwords just aren’t something our brains get excited about memorising. Stick with your weak, dictionary password if you must; just move your fingers over a space on the keyboard.
Shift Your Fingers One Key To The Right For Easy-to-Remember But Awesome Passwords

14th Annual Webby Awards: Here Are the Nominees

The nominees for the 14th Annual Webby Awards have just been announced. For 13 years, the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences has given out Webby Awards to blogs, web TV shows and other new media that has set a standard of excellence in web content.
14th Annual Webby Awards: Here Are the Nominees

10 Amazing Musical Instrument iPhone Apps

As anyone who has browsed the App Store will know, musical instrument apps don’t have their own category, but are in fact spread out across “Music” and “Entertainment,” alongside what seems like an unholy number of fart- and burp-themed efforts. To separate the proper musical apps from some less desirable offerings, we’ve highlighted 10 great iPhone apps that provide a darn good musical experience on your handset.
10 Amazing Musical Instrument iPhone Apps

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 8/2010 - April 14, 2010

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 8/2010 - April 14, 2010

Black Stump heading out way Beyond

We'll be AWOL for about a week, taking a little break - see you soon!

Short Sharp Science: A day of April Fools' science

The alarm went off this morning and I checked my emails. For breakfast I visited the Ben and Jerry's website as new nanotechnology developed by NASA allowed me to have a quick taste of virtual ice cream. I visited Google's new animal translation service and chatted to the cat before I left for the day.
Short Sharp Science: A day of April Fools' science

Butterfly Attack: The Making of Qualcomm's Viral April Fool's Day Joke

On March 30, footage from two separate savage butterfly attacks was leaked to the web, stirring up speculation about “butterflies gone wild.”
Butterfly Attack: The Making of Qualcomm's Viral April Fool's Day Joke

April Fool: 13 Jokes and 2 Roundups

April Fools’ Day is getting to be a busy time on the Web! This morning while going through my feeds and e-mail alerts I came across lots and lots of foolin’. Here’s a brief list of thirteen April Fools’ Day pranks with two roundups (one liveblogged so you can keep up with the fun all day long!)
April Fool: 13 Jokes and 2 Roundups

Your April Fools' Day Prank Spoiler

A few of the obligatory April Fools' Day pranks tech firms will roll out today will be funny. Some will be believable. To confirm the jokes, and help you avoid endless "Did you see this" emails, we're rounding them up here.
Your April Fools' Day Prank Spoiler

Why You Should Never Pay More Than $10 For HDMI Cables

You've probably guessed that gold-plated cables for your home theater are entirely unnecessary. Still, there must be some small quality difference for all that price, right? Mint.com's blog lays out the answer: No, not at all.
Why You Should Never Pay More Than $10 For HDMI Cables

Remove Admin Access to Halt Most Windows Security Flaws

A study of all of Microsoft’s security bulletins in 2009 showed a common thread that you should keep in mind when setting up computers for your friends, relatives or coworkers: 90 per cent of the most serious vulnerabilities were nullified by removing Administrator privileges.
Remove Admin Access to Halt Most Windows Security Flaws

5 Free Ways to Identify that Song Stuck in Your Head

Getting a tune stuck in your head and not being able to identify it, or hearing the best song ever and not knowing who it is by, are two of the most annoying things that plague human kind. To help you out of such musical dilemmas, we’ve pulled together a handy list of resources that can help you out, and all for gratis.
5 Free Ways to Identify that Song Stuck in Your Head

How I’d Hack Your Weak Passwords

Internet standards expert, CEO of web company iFusion Labs, and blogger John Pozadzides knows a thing or two about password security — and he knows exactly how he’d hack the weak passwords you use all over the internet.
How I’d Hack Your Weak Passwords

Australian Censorship: Google Vs. The Communications Minister

In a radio interview on 29 March, Australia’s communications minister Stephen Conroy had some strong things to say about Google:
Australian Censorship: Google Vs. The Communications Minister

Internet Activity, Australia, Dec 2009

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 with more than 1,000 active subscribers as at 31 December 2009.
Internet Activity, Australia, Dec 2009

Why You Should Install Perspectives For Firefox Right Now

Maybe you have already read the news that it is possible to subvert SSL which is used to improve the security when connecting to websites. Financial sites like PayPal and Bank of America, shopping sites like eBay or Amazon and government sites use SSL which is shown by displaying https in the browser’s address bar instead of http. There are other indicators including a closed padlock that, when clicked, should display additional information about the website including the issued certificate.
Why You Should Install Perspectives For Firefox Right Now

Use Different Passwords to Increase Security

The founder of Facebook has been accused of using information from Facebook to break into email accounts at Harvard Crimson (Harvard’s newspaper). While I don’t know if it is true or not, the technique is plausible and is an excellent demonstration of why you shouldn’t use the same password for every website and how important it is to create secure passwords.
Use Different Passwords to Increase Security

5 Big Twitter Trends to Follow Right Now

As Twitter celebrates its fourth birthday, we thought it appropriate to take another step back from the day-to-day happenings of the Twitterverse and analyze some of the bigger trends. There are many indicators that can clue us in to what’s in store for the social network.
5 Big Twitter Trends to Follow Right Now

Top 10 Tips And Tricks For Making Your Stuff Last Longer

We live in a disposable world, but just because things weren’t meant to last doesn’t mean you can’t make them last. These 10 tips and tricks will help you squeeze more life from your batteries, appliances, flowers, razor blades and more.
Top 10 Tips And Tricks For Making Your Stuff Last Longer

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 7/2010 - March 29, 2010

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 7/2010 - March 29, 2010

No Virus Thanks Is A Virus Total Alternative

Virus Total is one of the most useful security services on the Internet. The service can be used by everyone to upload and scan files using multiple antivirus engines. It can be used directly from their website or by installing the Virus Total Uploader in Windows to send files directly from Windows Explorer.
No Virus Thanks Is A Virus Total Alternative

10 Essential Money-Saving iPhone Apps

Despite a recession allegedly in our rear view mirror, frugality remains a hot, trendy topic. Nowhere is that more evident than in the often expensive world of consumer tech. But remember, a one-time splurge could pay dividends in the long run if you do your homework.
10 Essential Money-Saving iPhone Apps

AVG Rescue CD Cleans Your Infected Windows PC

There's any number of great antivirus tools that help protect your PC from viruses, but what about when you encounter an already-infected PC? Your best bet is a boot CD, and the free AVG Rescue CD cleans viruses easily.
AVG Rescue CD Cleans Your Infected Windows PC

How To Automatically Sync Any Song You Download To iTunes

iTunes has never been great at automatically syncing new songs or folders of music, but with a little finesse and the latest version of iTunes, you can automatically sync any new music you download to iTunes, with relative ease.
How To Automatically Sync Any Song You Download To iTunes

500 Worst Passwords! Is Yours on the List?

123456! QWERTY! Password! These are some of the 500 worst passwords listed down by Dave Kleiman in his book Perfect Password: Selection, Protection, Authentication. Hilarious to see some of the passwords listed down there – one of them being ZZZZZZZ!!
500 Worst Passwords! Is Yours on the List?

Australia's population exceeds 22 million

Australia's population reached 22,066,000 as at 30 September 2009, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.This is an increase of 451,900 people over the previous year, keeping the growth rate high at 2.1%.
Australia's population exceeds 22 million

12 Ways to Find More Time

Here are twelve ways to claw some if it back.
12 Ways to Find More Time

Google, Yahoo and Others Criticize Aussie Government Internet Filtering Plan

Google, Yahoo and Others Criticize Aussie Government Internet Filtering Plan.
Google, Yahoo and Others Criticize Aussie Government Internet Filtering Plan

Windows Product Key Finder

There may come a time where a user needs to retrieve the product key from an installed operating system. A possible scenario is for instance the desire to install the operating system on a new computer system. The only way to retrieve the Windows product key is to use a software program
that can display the product key if the product box that listed the key is no longer available.
Windows Product Key Finder

Snake Oil Chart Highlights The Worth (Or Lack Thereof) Of Supplements

We’ve all got that friend or family member that swears by a supplement promising to stave off colds, cure headaches or fix some other malady, but often they’re little more than snake oil. This Snake Oil chart matches supplements to scientific support.
Snake Oil Chart Highlights The Worth (Or Lack Thereof) Of Supplements

China to Google: Nyah Nyah Nyah!

Google killed Google China Search Engine today. The answer from China is here.
China to Google: Nyah Nyah Nyah!

Zosh Fills Out and Signs Docs from Your iPhone, Makes Fax That Much More Useless

Zosh Fills Out and Signs Docs from Your iPhone, Makes Fax That Much More UselessiPhone: Hate the outmoded world of faxing but still occasionally need to fill out and sign forms? iPhone application Zosh offers an interesting solution: Using Zosh, you can fill out, sign, and send forms from your iPhone, no printing or fax required.
Zosh Fills Out and Signs Docs from Your iPhone, Makes Fax That Much More Useless

Breakthrough in sewing needles

Minnesotan mom Pam Turner took it upon herself to design and produce the world’s first dead-simple sewing needle.
Breakthrough in sewing needles

A new approach to China

Earlier today Google stopped censoring search services—Google Search, Google News, and Google Images—on Google.cn. Users visiting Google.cn are now being redirected to Google.com.hk, where we are offering uncensored search in simplified Chinese, specifically designed for users in mainland China and delivered via Google servers in Hong Kong.
Official Google Blog: A new approach to China

Five Best Offline Backup Tools

Online backup has many benefits—safety from local catastrophe, storage on professionally maintained servers, etc.—but economy, control, and 100% guaranteed privacy aren't among them. Check out these five popular tools for making safe and sound local backups.
Five Best Offline Backup Tools

Mute The Computer On Startup

Have you ever started your laptop in a crowded area and felt embarrassed because of the loud startup sound that it played once it loaded the operating system? Some PC users turn off all system sounds to avoid this problem while others do not want to work without those sounds and have to rely on other methods to mute the computer on system startup.
Mute The Computer On Startup

Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week [CHART]

Justin Bieber remains an immutable force of Twitter trend power, taking the top slot again for the third week in a row. Tweeters also showed their love (and/or disdain) for a number of other pop singers, and celebrated a few holidays this past week.
Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week [CHART]

SpyDLL – A Free Spyware Removal Tool

When we look at the background processes running in our Windows PCs, it is very tough to make sense of each of the processes, especially since there are so many of them running at a time. There are some tools like SVCHost Viewer which lets you know and understand about each of the SVChost.exe running on the system, but what about hundreds of DLLs which get loaded and run all the time?
SpyDLL – A Free Spyware Removal Tool

Facebook Warns of New E-mail Scam [ALERT]

Facebook has warned users to “delete e-mails asking you to open an attachment to get a new Facebook password,” in the wake of a new scam making its way around the web.
Facebook Warns of New E-mail Scam [ALERT]

How to Hang a Picture

Have you always had much difficulty getting that picture to hang straight? Follow these steps to get it just right, every time.
How to Hang a Picture

How to Help a Dog Who Has Canine Epilepsy

Canine epilepsy is hard on your dog, and almost as hard on you - it hurts to see your beloved pet agitated and anxious in the wake of a seizure or episode. Learn the best ways to treat your pet and give it the best life possible despite this condition.
How to Help a Dog Who Has Canine Epilepsy

Aussies line up for world's largest toilet queue

Around 300 Melburnians have lined up to become part of the world's largest toilet queue. They are hoping to break a world record, along with people from around the world, to raise awareness about the lack of clean toilets and water in developing countries.
Aussies line up for world's largest toilet queue

Australian Recorded Crime - Offenders, 2008-09

This publication presents statistics about the characteristics of alleged offenders who were proceeded against by police during the period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009, for all states and territories.
Australian Recorded Crime - Offenders, 2008-09

Speed Up Windows 7 Taskbar Navigation With A Registry Hack

Windows 7’s taskbar is undoubtedly a great addition to Windows, but if you’ve got more than one application window open, you’ve got to either click twice or patiently hover to navigate to an open window.
Speed Up Windows 7 Taskbar Navigation With A Registry Hack

Warren Buffett's Investment Advice: Why It's So Hard to Follow

From WiseBerad: A year ago, I wrote a piece called Cash is King: Now What Should I do With It? After going through all the responsible options of what I could do with our pile of cash, I added one last one: what if I just threw it in the stock market and tried to double it?
Warren Buffett's Investment Advice: Why It's So Hard to Follow

Seven Foods That Will Prevent You from Overeating - DivineCaroline

David A. Kessler, the author of The End of Overeating, explains very well how people become addicted to foods that are high in sugar, fat, and salt. Like addiction does, this causes people to crave so they eat more and more foods that are loaded with unhealthy ingredients and many times, completely devoid of any nutrients.
Seven Foods That Will Prevent You from Overeating - DivineCaroline

Transfer Your iTunes Music Library

So, for whatever reason, you need to move that iTunes library that you’ve spent so much time and money on to a new location. Follow the questions in this wizard to find the solution that works best for you.
Transfer Your iTunes Music Library

Image Sharing

With the advent of the digital age and the seemingly ever-lowering cost of purchasing computers, cameras, cell phones, and mp3 players that double as image capturing devices, it is no wonder that there has been an explosion in the use of online image and photo sites, to not only store, organize, and share images, but also to tag, mashup, and create new and unique applications for digital image content.
Image Sharing

Download Internet Explorer 9 Preview

Microsoft has released many new information about their upcoming Internet Explorer 9 web browser. Even better than the information that they have showcased at the Mix10 conference is the release of a Internet Explorer 9 preview release which they call Internet Explorer Platform Preview.
Download Internet Explorer 9 Preview

Beware, the Antarctic Methane Fart of Doom!

Scientists from the University of Bristol in England believe that microbes living under ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland could be emitting large quantities of the greenhouse gas methane. "It could mean that as ice sheets melt under warmer temperatures, they would release large amounts of heat-trapping methane gas." Oh no! Not the dreaded giant Antarcti-fart!
Beware, the Antarctic Methane Fart of Doom!

Australian Social Trends, March 2010

Since 1994 Australian Social Trends has presented articles and key statistics across all areas of social concern. Is life in Australia getting better?
Australian Social Trends

The 7 Laws of Negotiation

Sometimes, it takes an economic downturn for folks to rediscover a lost art. I've heard all the buzz lately about people beginning to negotiate the price of everything from new shoes to cell phone plans. When we see companies slashing prices and luring us in with incentives and other goodies, we rightly begin to wonder just how firm the price was in the first place. Finally, America is taking the haggle out of the used car lot and applying it a bit more liberally.
The 7 Laws of Negotiation

State of the Climate

This snapshot provides observations and analysis of Australia’s climate and the factors
that influence it. Two organisations, CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology
have combined to present this current picture of Australia’s climate. (pdf)
State of the Climate

How to Check who has visited my Facebook Profile? [Scam]

Of late I am being bombarded with loads of notifications on my Facebook profile and most of them are about me being tagged in a photo and a comment following that. They are about my friends checking ‘Who is glancing through my profile?’ or ‘Who has seen my profile?’
How to Check who has visited my Facebook Profile? [Scam]

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 6/2010 - March 15, 2010

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 6/2010 - March 15, 2010

5 Must-See Google Easter Eggs

There’s no doubt Google has a sense of humor — its excellent April Fools jokes are a testament to that. But there’s a wealth of funnies that can found any time of the year too. Here we pull together a handy list of Google “Easter eggs” that you can uncover right now.
5 Must-See Google Easter Eggs

Pi Day in Wolfram|Alpha

The holiday in question is Pi Day. As with a large number of other holidays, simply typing its name (in this case, “pi day”) into Wolfram|Alpha gives you basic calendrical information about it.
Pi Day in Wolfram|Alpha

4 Deadly Mistakes You Must Avoid When Pursuing Your Dreams

The mistakes people make while going after their dreams. If you can identify with any of these mistakes, you might want to get it corrected as fast as possible. It will help you get back on track to moving towards making your dreams a reality instead of moving away from them.
4 Deadly Mistakes You Must Avoid When Pursuing Your Dreams

How To Whitelist Cookies And Delete The Rest Regularly

Cookies are needed on many Internet sites. They are however also used for tracking purposes to track the movement of Internet users and can pose a privacy risk as they might reveal websites that the user visited in the past. Most web browsers offer a basic cookie management module that can be used to delete some or all cookies and to configure how and when websites may store cookies on the computer system. But they usually do not offer more sophisticated means of working with cookies like whitelisting some cookies that are needed and deleting the rest.
How To Whitelist Cookies And Delete The Rest Regularly

Reporter Freaks Out on Air, Internet Laughs and Laughs

Live TV can be tough, especially if you’re in a cranky mood. Case in point: WVLT TV Volunteer News reporter Gordon Boyd, whose on-air freak-out has gone viral this week.
Reporter Freaks Out on Air, Internet Laughs and Laughs

Little Billy's Letters to famous and infamous people

In the 1990s Bill Geerhart was an unemployed, not-so aspiring screenwriter in his 30s. To pass the time, he channeled his inner child, 10-year-old Billy, and started writing letters to famous and infamous people and institutions. These letters, written in pencil on elementary school ruled paper, asked funny but relevant questions to politicians, serial killers, movie stars, lobbyists, CEOs, and celebrity lawyers.
Little Billy's Letters to famous and infamous people

Twitter Profiles of All Cricketers

"With IPL 2010 just around the corner, I thought of listing down the twitter profiles of all the cricketers (and those deeply associated with cricket). The idea was to make this an exhaustive and a complete list for easy reference. It was quite an overwhelming task when I set out, since I didn’t know from where to start. I decided to get some clues from Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman whom I have been following for a long time now".
Twitter Profiles of All Cricketers

Common painkillers might make you hard of hearing

Loud music or noise isn't the only thing that can damage your hearing. A new study in men hints that popping over-the-counter painkillers regularly can also lead to hearing loss, especially in younger men.
Common painkillers might make you hard of hearing

Top 10 Online Services to Encrypt Email and Text Messages for Free!

Online privacy has started to sound like an oxymoron! Every e-mail (confidential or not) you send is sent as a plain text and if intercepted, it will just be a sitting duck with no protection whatsoever.
Top 10 Online Services to Encrypt Email and Text Messages for Free!

Google’s Latest Tool to Search Public Data

Google has just launched their brand new tool called Google Public Data Explorer, which is an experimental visualization tool in Google Labs aimed at providing an array of data in visual form based upon the statistics gathered from World Bank and other firms.
Google’s Latest Tool to Search Public Data

How the venus flytrap eats a frog

It's electrical signals that allow the lobes of a venus flytrap to snap shut faster than a frog can flee. In animals, those sort of signals travel via the nervous system, which plants like the flytrap conspicuously lack. In a way, it's like the plants can send email without the Internet. How's it work? Science writer Ferris Jabr explains.
How the venus flytrap eats a frog

Awareness tools

Awareness tools provide you with a number of ways of finding useful, thought-provoking, humorous, or interesting content you may not normally find. Before the Internet came along, people mostly got their news from a handful of sources - newspapers, radio, television, friends and family, etc. But awareness tools allow you to find a wide variety of content on a scale like never before; you can still find traditional news articles from major newspapers, but now you can also find global news articles, local news articles, web-based games, movie reviews, blog posts, photos or photo collections, cartoons, and the list goes on and on. In fact, perhaps the biggest appeal of these types of tools is that they allow you to find and filter information from virtually anywhere on the web.
Awareness tools - IPL Wiki

The Ask-Our-Computer Service (from 1967)

This snippet is from Popular Science, May 1967.
The Ask-Our-Computer Service (from 1967)

How to Remove Stains from Tea Cups

Drinking tea and coffee in cups results in a residue build-up over time. There's no need to use harsh chemicals to remove it; follow this method for ease of removal and mere baking soda will do the trick.
How to Remove Stains from Tea Cups

Run a Total Background Check on Yourself with Free Online Tools

Consumer-advocate blog Consumerist is always looking to help you keep tabs on Big Brother and any of your personal information He's tracking. Toward that end, their comprehensive list of online background-checking tools is worth a look.
Run a Total Background Check on Yourself with Free Online Tools

Parking Strategies

I’m amazed at how much time people are willing to spend driving around a parking lot looking for a space to park. I’m not talking about places where it is snowing and there are only limited slots in covered parking. I’m talking about the people who will drive around the lot for 15 minutes trying to avoid a 2 minute walk from the empty spaces just beyond the spots everyone is fighting for.
Parking Strategies

What The Numbers On Your Credit Card Mean

The string of numbers on you credit card houses a batch of information. For instance, the first number tells you what kind of card it is — 4 for Visa, 5 for MasterCard, and so on. Visa cards are always 16 digits long and have other identifying characteristics.
What The Numbers On Your Credit Card Mean

What's the Registry, Should I Clean It, and What's the Point?

There's nothing more mysterious on a Windows PC than the Registry, and today we'll explain exactly what it is, how it works, and whether you should bother cleaning it. We'll also go about debunking a few widespread registry myths along the way.
What's the Registry, Should I Clean It, and What's the Point?

Women’s History Month Begins Today

Here are a few resources that might be value to you for Women’s History Month that begins today.
Collection of Web Resources: Women’s History Month Begins Today

Tsunami reaches Australia after Chile quake

Australian officials have recorded the first effects of a wide-ranging tsunami generated by the Chile earthquake, reporting a rise in sea levels but no major waves. Water levels surged by a few centimetres off Tasmania, with waves expected to increase in size over the next few hours.
Tsunami reaches Australia after Chile quake

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 5/2010 - March 1, 2010

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 5/2010 - March 1, 2010

Chile Earthquake/Pacific Tsunami Resources

Chile Earthquake/Pacific Tsunami Resources From Google & Others, Including Several Twitter Feeds.
Chile Earthquake/Pacific Tsunami Resources

Chile Earthquake Pictures: Twitter Photos Tell the Story [PHOTOS]

The magnitude-8.8 earthquake that rocked Chile early this morning was similar to many breaking-news events in that images from the disaster began spreading over social networks at lightning speed.
Chile Earthquake Pictures: Twitter Photos Tell the Story [PHOTOS]

Google Person Finder: Chile Earthquake

What is your situation?
- I'm looking for someone
- I have information about someone
Google Person Finder: Chile Earthquake

Tracking Tsunami Warnings Online

A major earthquake of magnitude-8.8 struck Chile early Saturday, causing extensive damage. As a result, a tsunami warning has been issued for Hawaii, Polynesia and Tonga, with waves expected to reach Hawaii at 11:19 a.m. local time (4:19 p.m. EST). A tsunami advisory has been issued for California, while tsunami warnings have been issued for 53 countries in total, including Australia and New Zealand
Tracking Tsunami Warnings Online

Australia's chief censor redacts official website to downplay his role in censorship

Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy -- who has been responsible for pushing through Australia's national Internet censorship program -- has been caught censoring his own website: the script that creates a tag cloud of topics covered on his site had been modified to ignore any references to his censorship initiatives. This means that visitors to his site would not have an easy means of reading the Minister's statements in support of censorship, and anyone who relied on the tag-cloud to understand the Minister's agenda would have no way of knowing he'd been involved in the censorship initiative.
Australia's chief censor redacts official website to downplay his role in censorship

Random Viral Whatsit of the Day: My Little Pony Musical [VIDEO]

Often, whilst trolling through the feeds, we come across viral sensations that don’t really fit anywhere — aside from lodged in the pleasure center of our fevered brains. Today, that odd puzzle piece something is this video, depicting live-action My Little Ponies singing show tunes.
Random Viral Whatsit of the Day: My Little Pony Musical [VIDEO]