Announcing the Wolfram Investment Calculator and Gaming Odds Reference Apps

We are happy to announce that we released two new entries into our line of Wolfram|Alpha-powered iOS apps: the Wolfram Investment Calculator Reference App and the Wolfram Gaming Odds Reference App. The Wolfram Investment Calculator Reference App was built specifically to help users get the most from their investments, and the Wolfram Gaming Odds Reference App provides the probabilities and odds of winning many popular card and lottery games.

Announcing the Wolfram Investment Calculator and Gaming Odds Reference Apps

Namerick Helps You Remember Names

iOS: Need a little help cementing your new acquaintance’s name in your brain so you won’t need to embarrass yourself next time you meet? iPhone application Namerick uses tried-and-true techniques to help you remember the name of a person you’ve just met, creating memory mnemonics, sending you followup reminders, and more.

Namerick Helps You Remember Names

How To Disable The Caps Lock Key Permanently

When I was working in IT I sometimes dealt with support requests that involved the caps lock key. Users were complaining that they could not enter their password, or that they locked their account even though they were sure that they had entered the right password, or that their username was displayed in upper case letters.

The caps lock key, next to num lock, was the culprit here most of the time. Most computer users do not need the caps lock key on the keyboard anymore. The following guide explains how you can disable the caps lock key permanently.

How To Disable The Caps Lock Key Permanently

Deaths, Australia, 2010

Presents statistics on deaths and mortality for Australia, states and territories, and sub-state regions. Information on characteristics of the deceased include place of usual residence, age at death, sex, Indigenous status and country of birth. Information is also provided on infant deaths, life expectancy and death rates.
Deaths, Australia, 2010

How to Hide a Drive in Windows So that No One Will Know it’s There

When you add a drive to your PC, by default it gets a drive letter, whether it is a removable drive or even a fixed hard drive inside of your PC. Lets take a look at how we can hide these drives.
How to Hide a Drive in Windows So that No One Will Know it’s There

How To Enable The Secret Panorama Mode In The iPhone’s Camera

The iPhone camera has a secret easter egg: a panorama mode. This special mode, which Apple has not enabled for consumers yet, will allow you to capture large panoramic scene using multiple photos. This is how to enable it.
How To Enable The Secret Panorama Mode In The iPhone’s Camera

What happens when you flush a toilet in the world's tallest building

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. It's located in Dubai, a city with a lot of other skyscrapers. What Dubai doesn't have: A central sewage infrastructure that can accommodate the needs of a bunch of skyscrapers.
What happens when you flush a toilet in the world's tallest building

Ask physicist Brian Greene anything

Last week, physicist Brian Greene answered a lot of questions—including a few submitted by BoingBoing readers!—at a live event in New York City. If you missed it, you can watch a recording of the event online now.

But wait, there's more! Dr. Greene only had an hour to talk, and a metric crap ton of very good questions—including, again, some from BoingBoing readers—went unanswered. That's why I'm pleased to announce that the World Science Festival has added a new column to their website, called Ask Brian Greene Anything. For the next month, he'll be sifting through leftover questions from the live event as well as new submissions to answer a physics question every day.

Ask physicist Brian Greene anything

20 of the Best Stupid Geek Tricks to Impress Your Friends

Have you ever surprised and impressed a non-geek friend when you were doing something on your computer that you thought was simple? If so, you performed a Stupid Geek Trick. These are simple, sometimes not very useful, computer tasks.

Whether you’re the geek performing the Stupid Geek Trick and you want to learn more geeky tricks, or you’re the non-geek friend wishing you could do what your geeky friend did, here is a collection of some of the best of our Stupid Geek Tricks.

20 of the Best Stupid Geek Tricks to Impress Your Friends

How To Restore Firefox Bookmarks

One of the things that I migrate to new computer systems that I build or but are my bookmarks. I have a collection of a few hundred sites in my bookmarks that I use regularly thanks to browsers recommending bookmarks when entering text into the address bar.

A corrupt or accidentally deleted bookmarks file could have a serious impact on my work day. Most modern web browsers come with synchronization and backup options that can be used to restore data in the browser. The majority of those features need to be activated though before they can be used to restore data.

Firefox users who cannot access all or part of their bookmarks anymore can make use of the browser’s built-in restoration option to restore bookmarks in the browser. This feature is enabled by default. Here is how it is done.

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-b to open the bookmarks manager. Locate the Import and Backup menu at the top and click it to display its menu options.

Move the mouse cursor over the Restore menu to display a list of bookmark backups that can be restored. Firefox by default backs up the bookmarks once per day (if the browser is used).

Click on a data to restore that bookmarks backup in the browser. Please note that Firefox will overwrite the existing bookmarks with the backup. Bookmarks that you have added in the meantime will not be available once the restoration has completed.

Firefox users can make use of the export bookmarks to HTML in the same menu to create a manual backup of their current bookmarks file. It is always a good idea to backup the file before restorations. This manual copy can then be restored by selecting the Import bookmarks from HTML option in the same menu.

Bookmarks can also also be backed up as JSON files instead by selecting the Backup option of the menu. These bookmark backups can then be restored via the Restore > Choose File option.

How to Add a Stopwatch to Powerpoint

Many PowerPoint users like to set their presentations to run in a slideshow while discussing the content and leading the conversation. However, some presentations may call for several slides to flip past without any verbal commentary. Here's how to add a stopwatch effect to PowerPoint to allow for slides to advance automatically.

How to Use Refresh and Reset in Windows 8 to Easily Reinstall Your PC

Sick of formatting? Then learn how to breathe new life into your machines without formatting using the new Refresh and Reset features present in Windows 8.
How to Use Refresh and Reset in Windows 8 to Easily Reinstall Your PC

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 20/2011

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 20/2011

Beyond Barrel Roll: 10 Hidden Google Tricks

Oh, those whimsical Google nerds. The Mountain View-based search giant may not have Apple’s design chops, but it certainly knows how to code a good joke.
Beyond Barrel Roll: 10 Hidden Google Tricks

How to Reset Your Windows Password Without an Install CD

If you’ve forgotten your Windows password and you don’t have an install CD laying around, there’s no need to worry. Not only are there half a dozen complicated ways to reset the password, you can do it easily with the Offline Windows Password editor.
How to Reset Your Windows Password Without an Install CD

Snake in ATM machine

A resident in Llodio, Alava, got a shock when a snake came slithering out of the slot of a cash machine when he withdrew his money.
Snake in ATM machine

Startling photo of volcanic lightning

No, this is not a still from the Radiers of the Lost Ark scene when the ark is opened, but an absolutely magnificent image of southern Chile's Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcano spewing lightning-topped ash.
Startling photo of volcanic lightning

Gmail Changes Again: Google Rolls Out New Look

The new-look Gmail that Google accidentally told us about last week is now rolling out to all users. The changes, officially announced in a blog post Tuesday, allow Gmail users much more control over the look of the service.
Gmail Changes Again: Google Rolls Out New Look

Top 9 Ways To Unlock The Unlockable

Getting locked out of your home, your computer or anywhere else you want to be can suck. The same goes for those times when your gadgets prevent you from doing what you want to do with them, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are the top 10 ways you can break into virtually anything with a literal or figurative lock.
Top 9 Ways To Unlock The Unlockable

How To Break Into A PC (And Prevent It From Happening To You)

If you’re trying to break into a Windows computer — whether you’ve forgotten your password or are hatching an evil plan — you have quite a few options. Here’s how to do it, and how to keep your own computer protected.
How To Break Into A PC (And Prevent It From Happening To You)

iPhone vs. Android: The Social App Activites That Set Users Apart

Okay, so maybe Mac and PC people have their differences — a lot of them. But, the same can’t be said about Android and iPhone users. Or can it? New analysis from mobile data management startup Onavo, shared exclusively with Mashable, sheds some light on the differences between iPhone and Android users, at least when it comes to their mobile social networking behaviors.
iPhone vs. Android: The Social App Activites That Set Users Apart

A Guide To Sniffing Out Passwords And Cookies (And How To Protect Yourself Against It)

Roughly one year ago, a tool called Firesheep introduced a lot of us to just how easily another person on the same network as you can snoop on your browsing session and even masquerade as you on sites that require a login (with Facebook perhaps the most notable example). Here’s a closer look at how network snooping works and how to protect yourself from it.Photo remixed from Anton Prado/Shutterstock.
A Guide To Sniffing Out Passwords And Cookies (And How To Protect Yourself Against It)

“World’s First Spherical Flying Machine” Can Land and Fly Almost Anywhere

The sci-fi classic Star Wars: A New Hope features a famous scene in which Luke Skywalker practices Jedi Lightsaber skills on a small, flying sphere that can hover and move quickly in any direction. Now, Japan’s Ministry of Defense has developed what may be a precursor to the Jedi training ball, though they call it a “Spherical Flying Machine.”
“World’s First Spherical Flying Machine” Can Land and Fly Almost Anywhere

Man Hysterically Fails at Explaining Klout to His Boss [VIDEO]

In this 3D animation, a man amusingly describes Klout to his boss during a performance review. The overly excited employee mentions “free stuff” (a.k.a. Klout Perks) and explains how he’s influential about social media, popcorn and Justin Bieber, who has the highest Klout score in the world.
Man Hysterically Fails at Explaining Klout to His Boss [VIDEO]

Beautiful video of the demolition of the Alaskan Way viaduct at night

3ric Johanson of Hackerbot Labs shot this beautiful video. He says it "shows the upper deck of the viaduct being demolished by massive jackhammers, while a brave construction worker sprays water to keep the dust down. It looks like we should expect an alien to come jumping out of this video at any moment."
Beautiful video of the demolition of the Alaskan Way viaduct at night

Ultra PDF Merger, Join Multiple PDF Documents

Sometimes you may download or create multiple pdf documents that you may want to merge into one document. Maybe you have used a program like WinScan2PDF that turns scans into pdf files or Joliprint which turns web pages into pdf documents, or you are receiving reports in pdf format regularly. If you end up with multiple pdf files you may want to join them together to improve the accessibility of said files.
Ultra PDF Merger, Join Multiple PDF Documents

Births, Australia, 2010

It's been another record year for Australian births, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. A total of 297,900 births were registered in Australia in 2010, the highest number of births ever registered in a calendar year. Of these, 16,100 births were registered where at least one parent was an Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person.
Births, Australia, 2010

The 7 Lifestyle Changes That Can Add A Decade To Your Life

Cardiologist Dr Clyde Yancy has compiled a list of the seven main lifestyle changes that lead to a longer lifespan and while they’re mostly common sense, adapting all of the strategies to your own behaviour can add nearly a decade of healthy years to your lifespan.
The 7 Lifestyle Changes That Can Add A Decade To Your Life

Where oh where did the satellite crash?

The defunct German satellite ROSAT came plunging back to Earth early on Sunday, October 23, 2011, but we’re not really sure where pieces of it landed after surviving its dramatic descent through Earth's atmosphere.
Where oh where did the satellite crash?

10 Years Of Australia’s Fires As Seen From Space

NASA’s latest visualisation tracks fires across the planet and their effect on vegetation as they go. It’s frightening and yet hypnotic viewing. Imagine, if you will, a terribly serious documentary about fire. Inevitably, a stern toned man would pipe up about how fire was man’s first tool, and at the same time one of his deadliest foes. Fires can be warming, but they can also be devastating, and Nasa’s visualisation of the world’s fires makes for compelling but disturbing viewing.
10 Years Of Australia’s Fires As Seen From Space

The 20 Best Windows 7 Start Menu and Taskbar Tips and Tricks

If you have moved from Windows XP to Windows 7, it might take some time to get used to the new Start menu and Taskbar. Here is a list of useful tips to help you make the most of each.
The 20 Best Windows 7 Start Menu and Taskbar Tips and Tricks

Hide iOS 5′s Newsstand App In A Folder With This Trick

f you don’t like the Newsstand app in iOS 5 and want to hide it, you’ll realise you can’t just put it into a folder like a normal app. With a bit of quick swiping, though, you can.
Hide iOS 5′s Newsstand App In A Folder With This Trick

Get Your External IP Address With A Quick Search For ‘IP’

Need to get your network’s external IP address on the quick — say for a quick round of port forwarding testing? You could head to your router’s admin page, but that’s kind of a hassle. You could point your browser to a single-purpose website like WhatIsMyIP.com. Or, even better, you can just search for IP. If you’re using Google or DuckDuckGo, those search engines will return your IP address above their top result. Handy!
Get Your External IP Address With A Quick Search For ‘IP’

The Best To-Do App For iPhone

If you thought there were tons of to-do app options for Mac, meet the iPhone. You could fill pages with all your different choices. We’ve tested plenty and Wunderlist was an easy favourite thanks to its focused feature set, great syncing capabilities, cross-platform support, good looks and $0 price tag.
The Best To-Do App For iPhone

The How-To Geek Guide to Getting Started with LastPass

It’s all too easy to get sloppy with your password security as the number of accounts and accompanying passwords pile up. It’s time to start letting LastPass generate and manage your stable of secure passwords.
The How-To Geek Guide to Getting Started with LastPass

How Science Can Teach You To Easily Spot A Liar

We’ve mentioned a few ways to detect liars, but Pamela Meyer has discovered just about all of them. She’s taken a look at the most common behaviours of liars, scientifically, and shares her expertise on how to detect them.
How Science Can Teach You To Easily Spot A Liar

iPhone 4S: Siri Politely Answers 10 Absurd Questions [PICS]

What happened when we put the iPhone 4S’s (somewhat) intelligent agent Siri on the spot, asking her absurd questions? You’d be surprised.
iPhone 4S: Siri Politely Answers 10 Absurd Questions [PICS]

Horrific Crash Of A Chinese Fighter Jet Captured On Video

A Chinese FBC-1 fighter jet plane was performing at an air show until things went horrifically wrong. The fighter jet started spiralling out of control and then plunged straight down, crashing into the ground and exploding on impact.
Horrific Crash Of A Chinese Fighter Jet Captured On Video

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 19/2011

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 19/2011

5 Hidden Gems in iOS 5

This week we’ve given iOS 5 the in-depth treatment and highlighted 10 of our favorite features — and we’re still not done exploring everything the new iOS 5 has to offer.
5 Hidden Gems in iOS 5

Household Wealth and Wealth Distribution, Australia, 2009-10

This publication presents estimates of the assets, liabilities, net worth and other characteristics of households and persons resident in private dwellings in Australia, compiled from the 2009-10 Survey of Income and Housing (SIH). It includes estimates of the distribution of net worth across the population.
Household Wealth and Wealth Distribution, Australia, 2009-10

Bargaining 101: How to get lower prices on everything

Bargaining, “wheeling and dealing” or just getting a deal—whatever you call it, it isn’t always easy to find exactly the item or service you want, and then ask for a lower price. Our American culture often views this sort of thing as the move of a cheapskate, or disrespectful/distrustful of the merchant and his or her pricing.
Bargaining 101: How to get lower prices on everything

Use WolframAlpha As a Secure Password Generator

Need a secure password and you’re away from your favorite password management app? WolframAlpha, the mathematical search engine, can generate a customizable secure password for you on the fly.
Use WolframAlpha As a Secure Password Generator

In the News: Nobel Peace Prize

The 2011 winners of the Nobel Peace Prize have now been announced! Learn about the three new Nobel Laureates, and the ongoing efforts of past Laureates and others around the world dedicated to the cause of peace.
In the News: Nobel Peace Prize

How to Avoid Fads

Are you or is someone you care about following that latest fad or craze without truly reflecting on why? In reality, fads make money out of our eagerness to allow our egos to be stroked and to be both like others and to not miss out on what others are enjoying. That said, it's very hard to resist a fad when your friends and family are keen about the latest object that seems like a must-have. It can be really hard to say no to what the rest of your tribe is playing with and using. And yet, you don't have to follow whatever your peers are wearing, saying or doing. And in so doing, you are not any lesser a person, nor are you missing out. Quite the opposite, you're showing other people that resistance is intelligent and likely to improve your wealth quotient too.
How to Avoid Fads

How to Save Photos

This has happened to me and can happen to you as well; I returned from a wonderful trip and, in a hurry, downloaded the photos into a folder that I later deleted by accident. Imagine the anger, the angry face and the despair. Even though I realized there must be a solution to get back the photos which were deleted, for some minutes, I stood there thinking that the memories of a wonderful trip to Italy have been lost and I won’t be able to watch them later.
How to Save Photos

How To Figure Out The Day Of The Week Any Date Falls On

You know those people who somehow manage to pull the day of the week out of thin air, past or present, no matter how far off a date is? As it turns out, all it takes is a few simple mental tricks and you can wow the world with your uncanny ability to figure out any date’s day of the week.
How To Figure Out The Day Of The Week Any Date Falls On

When Returning From The Moon, Don’t Forget To Fill Out Your Customs Form

Despite the fact that every single facet of NASA’s moonwalks were government-controlled expeditions, astronauts were not exempt from the annoying processes involved with foreign travel. Case in point, this customs form, signed by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
When Returning From The Moon, Don’t Forget To Fill Out Your Customs Form

How to Check if a Number Is Prime

There are several methods for testing primality of integers. The best choice depends on the circumstances. Some of the methods are faster than others, while some popular tests are actually only probabilistic algorithms that will occasionally falsely characterize a number as prime or composite. The faster methods are primality tests, not factorization algorithms, so even if they show a number to be composite, they reveal nothing about its prime factors. This article will help you to explore a few of the methods.
How to Check if a Number Is Prime

HowTo: Setup secure and private Facebook browsing

This howto guide will take you through securing your Facebook account, enable settings for improved privacy, disabling features where your Facebook information can be shared with third-party sites, and finally setting up your browser for private sharing.
HowTo: Setup secure and private Facebook browsing

Teach Parents Tech, Tutorial Videos For Common PC Issues

Teach Parents Tech is a free website that you can use to send your parents or other users tech tutorial videos. The site is maintained by Google which may come as a surprise to some.
Teach Parents Tech, Tutorial Videos For Common PC Issues

HackNotifier, Check If Online Accounts Have Been Compromised

News about big hacks and the publication of user databases have slowed down considerably in past months. Before that reports of hacks were nearly daily in the news with companies like Sony, Gawker or Ashampoo the target.
HackNotifier, Check If Online Accounts Have Been Compromised

Fix Stuck Zippers With Windex

If your zipper’s caught on to the surrounding fabric and holding on with the jaws of life, a bit of Windex can make it slide freely once again, as Lifehacker reader Java-Princess explains.
Fix Stuck Zippers With Windex

Australian Pricing For Apple iPhone 4S And New iPod Models

Apple’s newly-announced iPhone 4S goes on sale October 14 in Australia (with pre-orders from October 7), along with new iPod Nano and Touch models. Here’s what you’ll pay (and how much more you’ll pay than American buyers).
Australian Pricing For Apple iPhone 4S And New iPod Models

What Australians Don’t Get With The iPhone 4S

The iPhone 4S is the first iPhone that’s going to hit Australian shelves at the same time as the US. But despite that improvement, there are some aspects of the local market it won’t take advantage of.
What Australians Don’t Get With The iPhone 4S

Apple iPhone 4S: Everything You Need To Know

Apple’s new iPhone 4S is just last year’s design loaded with a new brain and more memory. It will run your apps faster and Apple’s new iOS5′s Assistant, an artificial intelligence program that listens and interprets your orders, and a new camera.
Apple iPhone 4S: Everything You Need To Know

Introducing the iPhone 4S [VIDEO]

Apple announced its latest handset, the iPhone 4S, on Tuesday. Over at Apple.com, the company also posted this video showcasing the device and its new features.
Although the iPhone 4S looks almost identical to the iPhone 4, inside, the phone has been totally overhauled. Not only does it have a faster processor, higher storage capacity and better camera, it can take 1080p video, has a better battery and a redesigned antenna system.
Introducing the iPhone 4S [VIDEO]

iPhone 5 A No-Show: Did Apple Fail To Manage Expectations?

For the past year, we’ve endured a near-daily slew of rumors about a device called the iPhone 5. When Apple delayed its release of a new phone until Fall 2011, it only heightened expectations. Surely, if we were to wait more than the usual year between versions of the iPhone, the result must be something spectacular.
iPhone 5 A No-Show: Did Apple Fail To Manage Expectations?

How to Use Google SketchUp - wikiHow

Google SketchUp is a powerful 3D graphics program. It can be used to create elaborate three dimensional models of structures. SketchUp is a program with so many facets that it is not possible to simplify its use in a single article. However, it is possible to provide an overview of its many possibilities so that you can explore it in much greater detail.
How to Use Google SketchUp

PassMyWill Sends Out Your Passwords After You Die

After we die, our social networking profiles, bank accounts and email passwords are lost to anyone who might need them. If you want to ensure your digital identity is destroyed or passed on appropriately, PassMyWill will send out emails with your passwords.
PassMyWill Sends Out Your Passwords After You Die

Slate’s ‘Dumbest Inventions Ever’ List

Ladies and gentlemen, these are our ancestor’s infomercial products. Judge them lightly, but laugh heartily, for in 50 years’ time our great grandkids will laugh openly at our most-loved TV-bought gadgets.
Slate’s ‘Dumbest Inventions Ever’ List

General Social Survey: Summary Results, Australia, 2010

78% of Australians aged 18 years and over were satisfied with their lives, similar to the 76% who reported being satisfied in 2001, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2010 General Social Survey (GSS). In 2010, 43% were pleased or delighted with their lives, while 34% reported being mostly satisfied. Those who were married (82%), widowed (78%) or never married (76%) were more likely to be satisfied with their lives than those who were divorced (66%) or separated (56%). People who had contact with friends and family outside their household at least weekly were much more likely to be satisfied with their lives (78%) than those who either had no recent contact (33%) or who had no friends or family outside their immediate household (28%).
General Social Survey: Summary Results, Australia, 2010

How To Watch The 2011 Grand Finals From Anywhere

Can you watch the AFL Grand Final in HD? Can you catch the NRL Grand Final from overseas? From free-to-air to internet, here are the options (such as they are) for catching the sporting action this weekend.
How To Watch The 2011 Grand Finals From Anywhere

The New Facebook: How to Take Control of Your Privacy

Facebook took a huge step toward ubiquitous sharing with its new timeline and sharing features. And it rightfully creeps some people out. Not everybody wants to share their life story on their profile, see their friends’ activities in real time or have their preferences in music, movies and reading shared as they’re consuming media.
The New Facebook: How to Take Control of Your Privacy

Facebook Privacy: 3 Fights to Expect When You Get the New Timeline

As an adult, you have responsibilities — an income, maybe a mortgage, possibly children. That’s great! Congrats. Now is certainly not the time to be throwing caution to the wind — just know that Facebook will be doing that for you.
Facebook Privacy: 3 Fights to Expect When You Get the New Timeline

Internet Activity, Australia, June 2011

HIGHLIGHTS
- At the end of June 2011, there were 10.9 million internet subscribers in Australia (excluding internet connections through mobile handsets). This represents annual growth of 14.8% and an increase of 4.4% since the end of December 2010.
- The phasing out of dial-up internet connections continued with 95% of internet connections being broadband.
- Australians continued to access increasingly faster download speeds, with 87% of access connections offering a download speed of 1.5Mbps or greater.
- Mobile wireless internet (excluding mobile handset) connections (44%) now exceed Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connections (41%) in Australia. Mobile wireless (excluding mobile handset connections) was the fastest growing internet access technology in actual numbers, increasing from 4.2 million in December 2010 to 4.8 million in June 2011.
Internet Activity, Australia, June 2011

Hide the Past Before Opening your Facebook Profile to Subscribers

You have been using Facebook all this while to share pictures and other personal stuff with your close friends and suddenly, Facebook added the subscribe button that is enticing you to open your personal profile to the outside world.
Hide the Past Before Opening your Facebook Profile to Subscribers

Simple Performance Boost For Windows

One of the things that I like about Windows is the fact that you can tweak the operating system to suite your needs. You can do that by clicking through menus, editing the Registry, running scripts or using tweaking software. Simple Performance Boost is such a tweaking software for Windows. It comes from the same developers that have created the Windows Repair software. The program itself is offered as a portable version and installer.
Simple Performance Boost For Windows

How To Stop Facebook From Tracking You Across The Internet

If you want to use Facebook, but don’t want Facebook’s tendrils extending all over the internet and following your account, you’ll want this. Facebook Disconnect completely blocks the social network’s ability to track your account across the web.
How To Stop Facebook From Tracking You Across The Internet

How tide predicting, analog computers won World War II

Without Lord Kelvin, there would have been no D-Day. There's some very cool science history in the September issue of Physics Today, centering around a collection of analog computers, developed in the 19th century to predict tides. This was a job that human mathematicians could do, but the computing machines did the job faster and were less prone to small errors that had big, real-world implications.
How tide predicting, analog computers won World War II

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 18/2011

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 18/2011

NASA Details Space Exploration Plans

NASA has just published the Global Exploration Roadmap, a document detailing the agency’s plans for the next 25 years of space exploration. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in the future of space technology, travel and exploration.
NASA Details Space Exploration Plans

10 under-appreciated women in science

Over at Smithsonian.com, Sarah Zielinski has a great piece about important female scientists whose names aren't as publicly well-known as they ought to be. She lists 10 smart, sciencey ladies.
10 under-appreciated women in science

Windows Repair, Troubleshoot Windows Issues

When you are using Windows regularly, you likely run into issues eventually. This can be easy to fix stuff like running out of disk space or broken shortcuts to more serious problems like a virus infection or programs that won’t start up anymore. The troubleshooting and repair depends largely on the issue that is experienced on the computer system. If you suspect a virus you’d run up to date antivirus software, if a program does not run anymore you might be tempted to use System Restore or re-install the program to see if it fixes the issue.
Windows Repair, Troubleshoot Windows Issues

Learning that life can be a bit sour

One of the joys of interacting with babies is their complete lack of guile. Whatever they experience and feel — hunger, happiness, fear — is immediately and honestly reflected in their facial expressions.
Learning that life can be a bit sour

Australian Social Trends, Sep 2011

Australian Social Trends draws on a wide range of data, sourced both from ABS and other agencies, to present a picture of Australian society. This publication aims to inform decision-making, research and discussion on social conditions in Australia. It covers social issues of current and ongoing concern, population groups of interest, and changes over time.
Australian Social Trends, Sep 2011

NASA’s Not Sure Where In The World This Satellite Will Crash

The 20-year-old UARS satellite has dropped out of orbit — as old satellites are wont to do — and is reentering the atmosphere. Too bad NASA can’t pinpoint where — or when — exactly it will land. Could be the middle of the Pacific, could be the middle of Paris — it’s a surprise!
NASA’s Not Sure Where In The World This Satellite Will Crash

Top 5 Smelly Things That Should Be Banned In Aeroplanes

The US Department of Transportation wants to ban electronic cigarettes, even while they only produce water vapour that doesn’t contain any cancerous chemicals. They say this will increase the comfort of other passengers. Perhaps they should ban other things first.
Top 5 Smelly Things That Should Be Banned In Aeroplanes

How To Deal With ‘Hand Wash Only’ Clothes

The “hand wash only” label on clothes is as annoying as the “dry clean only”, maybe even more so. How exactly should you wash those delicate silk or wool items? How much soap do you need? Can’t you just stick it in the washing machine?
How To Deal With ‘Hand Wash Only’ Clothes

Download Windows 8 Developer Preview

Microsoft just gave a full fledged preview of Windows 8, which has left many geeks and non-geeks dying to experience the brand new OS. Right from Metro style UI to Touch Gestures to Full screen apps, Microsoft has managed to shake up the way we have been using the Windows OS. Those who saw the keynote today were left astounded by the super-fast boot times of Windows 8, be it on the desktops or laptops or the tablets.
Download Windows 8 Developer Preview for Free!

Everything You Need To Know About Windows 8 In 8 Minutes

Want to get to know Windows 8 but don’t have time to sit through the lengthy keynote? We’ve cut it down to the necessities so you can find out everything you really need to know in only eight minutes.
Everything You Need To Know About Windows 8 In 8 Minutes

Kogan Now Offers Canon, Apple, Nikon, Acer & More

Kogan today began the next phase in our mission to make the latest technology affordable for all. Kogan.com now sells more of the World’s most popular consumer electronics brands and products at the World’s best prices.

In true Kogan style, we are ensuring we smash the competition on price by cutting out the middle-men - sourcing brands like Canon, Nikon, Apple and Samsung higher up in the supply chain, and selling direct to you through Kogan.com.
Kogan Now Offers Canon, Apple, Nikon, Acer & More

Windows 8 Has Finally Updated The Blue Screen Of Death

It took Microsoft long enough, but they’ve finally (FINALLY!) changed the blue screen of death to be something a little more friendly and a little less scary.
Windows 8 Has Finally Updated The Blue Screen Of Death

How To Dual-Boot Windows 7 And Windows 8 Side By Side

The Windows 8 developer preview is out for all to try, but installing it over your main Windows setup is a scary prospect. Here’s how to dual boot them so you can run them both side by side.
How To Dual-Boot Windows 7 And Windows 8 Side By Side

How big are solar flares, really?

Eye opening perspective.
How big are solar flares, really?

Microsoft Launches Windows 8

Say hello to Windows 8, Microsoft’s next-generation operating system. Microsoft is unveiling the new OS at its Build Conference in Anaheim, Calif. The OS, a complete rebuild of Microsoft’s flagship product, is designed to work with both tablets and PCs.
Microsoft Launches Windows 8

10 Signs That An Australian Banknote Might Be Forged

Australia’s banknotes incorporate a huge number of features that make them difficult to counterfeit, but that doesn’t mean criminals don’t have a crack at it now and then. Here are the ten most obvious signs that a note might be a fake.
10 Signs That An Australian Banknote Might Be Forged

How has skyscraper design changed since 9/11?

Miles O'Brien did a report for PBS NewsHour on how the technology and design of skyscrapers has changed since 9/11. Video here, transcript here.
How has skyscraper design changed since 9/11?

Physical Activity in Australia: A Snapshot

Physical activity is an important factor in maintaining good overall health and wellbeing. Being physically active has significant health benefits, including reducing the risk of some chronic conditions, helping to control weight, and improving mental wellbeing. Some forms of physical activity may also help manage long-term conditions, such as arthritis and Type 2 diabetes, by reducing their effects and improving quality of life.
Physical Activity in Australia: A Snapshot

The Quickest Way to Reveal What Really Matters in Life

Are you being bombarded from all sides with a barrage of tasks and people demanding your time? There always seems to be something important to do, and someone else who wants a piece of your attention. Pretty soon it all gets out of control and you struggle to keep a grip on everything. So, we create lengthy To-do lists. We fill our schedules and diaries with appointments and decorate our calendars with red marker pen circles.
The Quickest Way to Reveal What Really Matters in Life

Microsoft out-of-cycle patch to fix DigiNotar bogus certificates

Some weeks ago, nefarious people hacked a digital certificate vendor and issued themselves bogus certificates. The main browser producers are responding. iTWire recommends updating ALL browsers immediately.
Microsoft out-of-cycle patch to fix DigiNotar bogus certificates

TIME: Revisiting 9/11

Today, TIME magazine released its issue commemorating 10 years since 9/11, with a wide array of interviews and photos (including images never before published).
TIME: Revisiting 9/11

NASA Releases High Resolution Photos of Moon Landing Sites

If you’re an astronomy buff with an interest in the lunar program, you don’t want to pass up these newly released high resolution photos of the landing sites and impact craters our moon explorations left behind.
NASA Releases High Resolution Photos of Moon Landing Sites

Photographic proof: the Apollo moon landings were real

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has taken the clearest images yet of the various Apollo landing sites. Memo to the nay-sayers: the landings really did happen - here's photographic proof.
Photographic proof: the Apollo moon landings were real

Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Summary of Results, 2009-10

Half the money that Australian households spend on goods and services goes on housing, food and transport, according to a major survey released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The latest Household Expenditure Survey (HES) showed the average Australian household spent $1,236 per week on goods and services in 2009–10, an increase of 38% ($343 per week) from the previous 2003–04 survey. In contrast, prices as measured by the consumer price index (CPI) increased by 19%, indicating a rise in real living standards over the five years.
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Summary of Results, 2009-10

Top 10 Repair Projects You Should Never Pay For

Things break down, whether due to accidents, negligence on our part, or just plain wear and tear. Instead of shelling out for an expensive repair or replacement, though, you can often fix the problem yourself for much less. Here are 10 repairs you should never pay for.
Top 10 Repair Projects You Should Never Pay For

New iPhone 5 Clue: Will It Have a 4-Inch Screen?

As we get closer to the rumored release date of the iPhone 5, yet another clue about its true nature has surfaced today. Here’s a new set of extrapolations, taken to a speculative conclusion by our friends at MacRumors. When they snagged a couple of publicly available third-party cases that purport to fit the iPhone 5, they noticed that the case is so much wider that it strongly suggests a 4-inch screen on the new iPhone, larger than the iPhone 4′s 3.5″ display.
New iPhone 5 Clue: Will It Have a 4-Inch Screen?

Increase Windows 7 Performance in 4 Easy Steps

Even if you’ve just bought a brand new computer complete with Windows 7, you may find you’re lacking some power. Most new computers are pretty quick these days, but they are usually set to some default settings that can be tweaked to give you more power for nothing. These tips aim to show you a few easy to change settings that will release some extra power and speed up your computer without having to install anything.
Increase Windows 7 Performance in 4 Easy Steps

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 17/2011

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 17/2011

How Does Your Email Closing Line Come Off?

I’ve long thought using “best” as your email close was insincere at best, and dismissive at worst. But how do other email closers come off? Bobulate‘s chart from 2007 tries to classify.
How Does Your Email Closing Line Come Off?