It all started with a simple query on Whirlpool from a somewhat perplexed new contributor. We now see Telstra in a world of trouble from the Privacy Commissioner and Telecommunications authorities.
Telstra: Oh what a tangled web we weave
Monday, July 02, 2012
Telstra: Oh what a tangled web we weave
Posted by Blacky at 8:00 am 0 comments
'Leap Second Bug' Causes Glitches for LinkedIn, Reddit, More
After an extra second was added to the clock on Saturday to better align it with the Earth’s rotation schedule, a whole slew of websites from LinkedIn, Foursquare and Reddit to Mozlila, Yelp and Gawker sites experienced technical issues.
'Leap Second Bug' Causes Glitches for LinkedIn, Reddit, More
Posted by Blacky at 7:57 am 0 comments
Sunday, July 01, 2012
This World Map Of Earthquakes Is As Terrifying As It Is Beautiful
Compared to the rest of the world, Australia is quite fortunate when it comes to earthquakes. The worst we’ve had recently was Melbourne’s rumble a few weeks back — a joke really, when you consider the suffering countries like Japan and New Zealand experienced in 2011. The image above, which plots earthquakes of magnitudes 4.0 or greater from 1898 onwards, shows just how active our planet is, especially near the aforementioned hot spots.
This World Map Of Earthquakes Is As Terrifying As It Is Beautiful
Posted by Blacky at 1:08 pm 0 comments
Texting and Driving: A Crash Course [INFOGRAPHIC]
Texting and driving a car at the same time is a dangerous and irresponsible combination — but people do it anyway. A series of sparse, haunting public service ads from AT&T provides a spooky reminder that even sending or receiving short messages can lead to death or lifelong crippling injury.
Texting and Driving: A Crash Course [INFOGRAPHIC]
Posted by Blacky at 1:03 pm 0 comments
Saturday, June 30, 2012
This Is The Oldest Vinyl Album In The History Of The World
Sometime in 1890, Emile Berliner recorded the first album in the history of the world. Then, that record by the father of the gramophone was destroyed. Today, Patrick Feaster, a sound historian at Indiana University, recreated the album using just a printed photograph of the album. His technique defies belief.
This Is The Oldest Vinyl Album In The History Of The World
Posted by Blacky at 1:49 pm 0 comments
Friday, June 29, 2012
Data after a death?
Open question: when a friend dies, what should her loved ones do with the data on her hard-drives?
Data after a death?
Posted by Blacky at 7:49 am 0 comments
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Causes of death: 1900 and 2010
An editorial in the 200th anniversary issue of the New England Journal of Medicine looks at mortality and health through the centuries, and includes this chart of causes of death from the turn of the last century, which makes for quite a comparison. We're doing great on kidneys, but hearts not so much.
Causes of death: 1900 and 2010
Posted by Blacky at 9:35 pm 1 comments
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
How to Banish Duplicate Photos with VisiPic
You meant well, you intended to be a good file custodian, but somewhere along the way things got out of hand and you’ve got duplicate photos galore. Don’t be afraid to delete them and lose important photos, read on as we show you how to clean safely.
How to Banish Duplicate Photos with VisiPic
Posted by Blacky at 9:01 am 0 comments
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Facebook Switched Your Email to One You've Probably Never Used
Whether you’ve noticed or not, you have a new primary email address listed as your Facebook contact and most likely, it’s an address you’ve never used.
Facebook Switched Your Email to One You've Probably Never Used
Posted by Blacky at 5:42 pm 0 comments
Facebook’s Six Sneakiest Settings (And How To Fix Them)
Facebook’s sneaky change to email settings reminds us that the social networking giant rarely has the interests of its users front and centre. Here are seven sneaky Facebook settings you might have forgotten about.
Facebook’s Six Sneakiest Settings (And How To Fix Them)
Posted by Blacky at 5:41 pm 0 comments
Do You Live Near A High Containment Biohazard Laboratory?
The Federation of American Scientists has a very interesting map for all the hypochondriacs and people living in permanent fear of a deadly virus epidemic. Or a zombie outbreak. These are all the (known) Biosafety Level 3 and 4 facilities in the world — high containment laboratories that work with “dangerous and emerging pathogens.” Zoom in the image to see if there’s any near you.
Do You Live Near A High Containment Biohazard Laboratory?
Posted by Blacky at 5:32 pm 0 comments
Monday, June 25, 2012
How to Find Your Computer’s Private & Public IP Addresses
An IP address (or Internet Protocol address) identifies each networked computer and device on a network. When computers communicate with each other on the Internet or a local network, they send information to each other’s IP addresses. Your computer likely has public and private IP addresses. You’ll need the IP address if you’re hosting server software – the client computers will need your computer’s IP address to connect to it.
How to Find Your Computer’s Private & Public IP Addresses
Posted by Blacky at 7:16 am 0 comments
Live Capture is a versatile screen capturing program
Taking full screen screenshots has always been an easy process in the Windows operating system. Just hit the print key and the current screen is saved to the Clipboard, from where you can be paste into an image editor to edit and finally save it. Screenshot software for Windows usually optimizes the process in two ways: most programs allow you to save screenshots automatically once you tap on the print screen, and also offer to capture only part of the screen, or even elements that are not visible. The latter may include a window, a scrolling web page, a rectangular block, or even a freehand option.
Live Capture is a versatile screen capturing program
Posted by Blacky at 7:15 am 0 comments
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Growing Plants that have been Exposed to Lunar Soil [Video]
Lunar soil was brought back to Earth during the days of NASA’s Apollo program and scientists eagerly started conducting experiments with it. This short video discusses some of the research and results when plants from Earth were exposed to soil from the Moon.
Growing Plants that have been Exposed to Lunar Soil [Video]
Posted by Blacky at 5:32 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Microsoft Surface: Everything You Need to Know
Microsoft made waves in the tech world on Monday night with the announcement of Surface, its new Windows tablet. Everything about Surface—from the shroud of mystery around the Los Angeles launch event to the presentation’s focus on hardware and design—is out of character for Microsoft.
Microsoft Surface: Everything You Need to Know
Posted by Blacky at 2:05 pm 0 comments
Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2011
Australia's annual population growth rate was 1.4% for the year ending 31 December 2011, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Over the same period, Australia's population increased by 302,600 people to 22.5 million (22,485,300) people. Net overseas migration accounted for 55% of the growth for the year ending December 2011, with the remaining 45% due to natural increase (births minus deaths).
Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2011
Posted by Blacky at 12:51 pm 0 comments
Switzerland is one gigantic booby-trap
Geoff Manaugh at BLDGBLOG has been exploring the bizarre world of Swiss self-destructing infrastructure, documented in La Place de la Concorde Suisse, John McPhee's "rich, journalistic study of the Swiss Army's role in Swiss society." It turns out that the Swiss Army specifies that bridges, hillsides, and tunnels need to be designed so that they can be remotely destroyed in the event of societal collapse, pan-European war, or invasion. Meanwhile, underground parking garages (and some tunnels) are designed to be sealed off as airtight nuclear bunkers.
Switzerland is one gigantic booby-trap
Posted by Blacky at 9:02 am 0 comments
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Why Sitting Too Much Is Dangerous
Sitting is one of the worst positions for the body to maintain. After just 20 minutes hunched over in a chair, blood pools in the legs and immense pressure builds on the spine. Now, imagine the effects of sedentary workdays long term.
Why Sitting Too Much Is Dangerous
Posted by Blacky at 5:37 pm 0 comments
10 Best Yo-Yo Tricks on YouTube
Not a lot about the yo-yo itself has changed over the decades, but its tricks have become a thousand times more complicated. Ever heard of Buddha’s Revenge? The Brain Buster? What about the Mach 5, the Spaghetti, the Zipper, the World Tour, the 3-Leaf Clover or the Double Gerbil?
10 Best Yo-Yo Tricks on YouTube
Posted by Blacky at 5:34 pm 0 comments
Monday, June 18, 2012
Australian Government Agencies Asking Google To Remove Even More Content
Someone in a Canberra office has been busy with their browser. Between July and December last year, Australian government agencies asked Google to remove 646 items online.
Australian Government Agencies Asking Google To Remove Even More Content
Posted by Blacky at 11:28 pm 0 comments
Turn the Internet connection on or off
Sometimes you may want to turn off your Internet connection in an instant, for instance if you have noticed that malware is running on a system to avoid it leaking information or data. A switch to turn off the Internet can be useful in other situations as well, like during software installations to block applications from phoning home, or cutting off all network traffic to have those resources available for other more important tasks on the system. Lastly, you could also use it to avoid distractions during work by turning of the connection.
Turn the Internet connection on or off
Posted by Blacky at 10:50 pm 0 comments
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Rare photo of honeybee leaving its stinger behind
Kathy Keatley Garvey has won the Association for Communication Excellence gold medal for her rare photo of a honeybee leaving behind its stinger in an unfortunate (but now immortalized) human. Ms Garvey comes from a line of California dairy farmers who have kept bees since the mid 19th century.
Rare photo of honeybee leaving its stinger behind
Posted by Blacky at 11:02 am 0 comments
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Carat Tells You Which Apps Drain Your Battery
Battery power on an iPhone or Android phone is always a bit of a crapshoot. However, Carat is an app that shows you which apps suck up power so you can shut them down and improve battery life.
Carat Tells You Which Apps Drain Your Battery
Posted by Blacky at 12:04 pm 0 comments
Montage of car dashboard camera incidents
Miss Cellania of Neatorama says: "Many Russian drivers use a constantly-recording dashboard camera for legal defense in case of trouble, which leads to some awesome clips for the internet audience."
Montage of car dashboard camera incidents
Posted by Blacky at 11:55 am 0 comments
The Black Stump on Facebook
You can follow the Black Stump on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BlackStump.com.au
The Black Stump on Facebook
Posted by Blacky at 11:19 am 0 comments
How to burn a Video_TS folder with ImgBurn
ImgBurn is my burning software of choice. This has a number of reasons, from the fact that it supports every writing operation that I ever need access to – and dozen others – to the fact that it is available free of charge and not bloated.
How to burn a Video_TS folder with ImgBurn
Posted by Blacky at 11:17 am 0 comments
Friday, June 15, 2012
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 10/2012
The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 10/2012
Posted by Blacky at 12:26 pm 0 comments
Movies.io Is A Visual Movie Search Tool
If you don’t need the full power of IMDB, Movies.io is a great way to look up basic information about any film. It provides a short synopsis, basic statistics, and it has a great interface that includes posters and trailers. It’ll also autocomplete as you type if you’re not sure of the movie’s name.
Movies.io Is A Visual Movie Search Tool
Posted by Blacky at 10:17 am 0 comments
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
120 Hilarious Seconds of Models Falling on Runways [VIDEO]
We all know Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down. Runway models sure do, though. Comedy engine Worldwide Interweb rounded up the most epic tumbles in the above video and used Joe Crocker’s “You Are So Beautiful” to set the mood.
120 Hilarious Seconds of Models Falling on Runways [VIDEO]
Posted by Blacky at 5:53 pm 0 comments
Follow Your World Notifies You When Satellite Images Update
Satellite images update infrequently enough to make manually checking for new photos of interesting locations impractical; automate the process with notifications from Follow Your World.
Follow Your World Notifies You When Satellite Images Update
Posted by Blacky at 5:52 pm 0 comments
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Draw A Perfect Circle Without Any Extra Tools
If your circles always end up looking like a deformed eggplant and you don’t have a compass nearby, here’s a simple trick to drawing a perfect circle with just a pencil and your finger.
Draw A Perfect Circle Without Any Extra Tools
Posted by Blacky at 5:40 pm 0 comments
Monday, June 11, 2012
Windows 8: Enable the hidden Administrator Account
Windows 8 just like its predecessor Windows 7 ships with an administrator account that is disabled by default. While it is not suggested to enable and use the administrators on a day to day basis, it can be used for a variety of purposes. One of the reasons is to use it as a fallback account in case you can’t log in to a regular user account, or for tasks that require administrative privileges.
Windows 8: Enable the hidden Administrator Account
Posted by Blacky at 10:55 pm 0 comments
Saturday, June 09, 2012
The 30 Most Popular Passwords Stolen From LinkedIn [INFOGRAPHIC]
Think your password is unique and clever? A new inforgraphic from security firm Rapid7 has revealed the top passwords stolen from this week’s LinkedIn security breach. There are hundreds of duplicates and patterns associated with the compromised log-in information.
The 30 Most Popular Passwords Stolen From LinkedIn [INFOGRAPHIC]
Posted by Blacky at 3:00 pm 0 comments
A World Map of the Most Visited Websites
This world map represents the most popular websites by country. No big surprises here as Google reigns supreme in most parts of the world followed by Facebook. Yahoo is still the most visited website in Japan and Congo while Baidu is the Google of China in every sense.
A World Map of the Most Visited Websites
Posted by Blacky at 12:46 pm 0 comments
Friday, June 08, 2012
LinkedIn Hacked, Are You Affected?
LinkedIn yesterday confirmed that there was a breach of security, and that member passwords were dumped by the attackers. The password hashes have been posted on the Internet in a 250 Megabyte text file, and it is generally assumed that people have started to break the hashes to reveal the underlying passwords. All in all, about 6.5 million LinkedIn user accounts are affected by this.
LinkedIn Hacked, Are You Affected?
Posted by Blacky at 12:37 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Apps to Lock and Hide Files on iPhone
To protect your files from the peeking eyes of others. Many of us have sensible information on our smartphones, and we wouldn’t want to that information to be at anyone’s disposal, so these apps help us keep those folders private.
Apps to Lock and Hide Files on iPhone
Posted by Blacky at 5:32 pm 0 comments
Australian 4G Frequencies Explained
1800MHz? 2100MHz? 700MHz? What frequencies are Australian 4G networks on right now, and what does the future hold? Here’s what you need to know.
Australian 4G Frequencies Explained
Posted by Blacky at 2:00 pm 0 comments
Solar Impuse: How to Watch Online
Aviation history is being made right this very second, and your Internet browser can give you a front-row seat. The Solar Impulse, an aircraft powered entirely by solar power, began an epic transatlantic crossing attempt late last month. On Tuesday morning, Solar Impulse and one of her pilots, former balloonist Bertrand Piccard, was completing the second leg of the journey: an airborne hop from Spain to the Moroccan capital of Rabat.
Solar Impuse: How to Watch Online
Posted by Blacky at 7:40 am 0 comments
The Beginner's Guide to Twitter
Do you have a parent, friend or colleague ready to ditch his or her digital training wheels and head into Twitter’s open wilderness? These pointers should get them started. And even Twitter experts might benefit from a quick refresher on the platform’s valuable tools.
The Beginner's Guide to Twitter
Posted by Blacky at 7:39 am 0 comments
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
China Bans Tiananmen Searches on Anniversary of Protests
Chinese web users trying to discuss the 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising on its 23rd anniversary Monday are incurring the wrath of China’s web censors.
China Bans Tiananmen Searches on Anniversary of Protests
Posted by Blacky at 12:21 am 0 comments
Sunday, June 03, 2012
Radical Skateboarding Tricks Dazzle in Super Slow-Motion [VIDEO]
You’ll have a newfound respect for skateboarders’ skills after watching these two minutes of tricks in super slow-motion. Adam Shomsky shot 13 uncommon flips and twists at 1,000 frames per second with a Redlake N3 high-speed camera and turned it into this rad mix.
Radical Skateboarding Tricks Dazzle in Super Slow-Motion [VIDEO]
Posted by Blacky at 10:55 pm 0 comments
HTG Explains: Why You Only Have to Wipe a Disk Once to Erase It
You’ve probably heard that you need to overwrite a drive multiple times to make the data unrecoverable. Many disk-wiping utilities offer multiple-pass wipes. This is an urban legend – you only need to wipe a drive once. Wiping refers to overwriting a drive with all 0’s, all 1’s, or random data. It’s important to wipe a drive once before disposing of it to make your data unrecoverable, but additional wipes offer a false sense of security.
HTG Explains: Why You Only Have to Wipe a Disk Once to Erase It
Posted by Blacky at 10:54 pm 0 comments
Saturday, June 02, 2012
This Is How You Should Secure Your iPhone
Your iPhone features a simple passcode functionality that secures the device by requiring a four-digit PIN (by default) to unlock your phone. But a four-digit PIN isn’t the most secure. To address this, Apple allows you to enter a longer, more secure alphanumeric password, but compared to the considerably easier-to-tap numeric keyboard, the alphanumeric keyboard is a pain to type into every time you unlock. Fortunately, Apple built in a simple compromise.
This Is How You Should Secure Your iPhone
Posted by Blacky at 4:56 pm 0 comments
Income inequality can be seen from space
How? It's surprisingly simple. Turns out, demand for trees in neighborhoods behaves a lot like a luxury item, as opposed to a basic necessity.
Income inequality can be seen from space
Posted by Blacky at 11:55 am 0 comments
HitmanPro Alert Mitigates Trojan-based Browser Attacks
HitmanPro Alert is a new free security program by the makers of HitmanPro that attempts to mitigate browser-based attacks by known and new trojans. According to the makers of the products, it is able to “instantly detect over 99% of all known and new banking trojans”.
HitmanPro Alert Mitigates Trojan-based Browser Attacks
Posted by Blacky at 11:46 am 0 comments
Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Black Stump on Facebook
The Black Stump on Facebook....
The Black Stump - blackstump.com.au
Posted by Blacky at 11:28 pm 0 comments
Webby Nominees
Webby Honorees, Nominees and Winners truly represent the best of the Web. They are but a small percentage of total entries and chosen by members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. See them all here.
Webby Nominees
Posted by Blacky at 11:22 pm 0 comments
Test if your system is infected with Flamer, The latest threat on the Internet
You have probably already heard about Flamer, Flame or Flamy, as some antivirus companies call the malware. Flamer was only recently discovered, despite indicators that it has been spread on targeted systems at least since 2010.
Test if your system is infected with Flamer, The latest threat on the Internet
Posted by Blacky at 10:00 am 0 comments
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Japan’s hidden tropical island: Aogashima
Aogashima (“blue island”) is a tropical, volcanic island in the Phillipine Sea. Despite being over 200 miles away from the country’s capital, Aogashima is governed by Tokyo. In fact, a whole stretch of tropical and sometimes uninhabited islands called the Izu Islands are technically part of Tokyo. Volcanic islands? Not typically what comes to mind when you think of Tokyo.
Japan’s hidden tropical island: Aogashima
Posted by Blacky at 9:15 am 0 comments
Saturday, May 26, 2012
WOOPSIE: Grandma Slips Out Of Skydiving Harness
Almost Dying, GeroniNOOOOOOOOOOOO!, Good Job, Houston We Have A Clinger.
WOOPSIE: Grandma Slips Out Of Skydiving Harness
Posted by Blacky at 10:17 am 0 comments
Friday, May 25, 2012
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 9/2012
The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 9/2012
Posted by Blacky at 8:28 pm 0 comments
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Year Book Australia, 2012
Year Book Australia provides a comprehensive and detailed statistical overview of Australia's environment, society, industry and economy. As well as providing a statistical picture of contemporary Australia the 2012 Year Book includes feature articles that recognise and celebrate the National Year of Reading, the Australian Year of the Farmer and the International Year of Co-operatives.
1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2012
Posted by Blacky at 2:49 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Double Take « Bits and Pieces
Some interesting photos!
Double Take « Bits and Pieces
Posted by Blacky at 4:39 pm 0 comments
‘If You Don’t Know It’s Impossible, It’s Easier To Do’
You have no idea what you’re doing. This is great, says author Neil Gaiman in a commencement speech at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Being unfamiliar with established rules and limits is a plus when you’re trying to be creative and make things: “If you don’t know it’s impossible, it’s easier to do.”
‘If You Don’t Know It’s Impossible, It’s Easier To Do’
Posted by Blacky at 8:06 am 0 comments
Classes of annoying customers
Joel Anaya, a Hospitality Business Management student from Washington State University, studied entries from Web sites like dinnersfromhell.com, flightsfromhell.com, and notalwaysright.com to identify seven classes of annoying customers. Now, Anaya's data set was certainly limited, but his breakdown seems pretty good to me. I'm not sure though if "loud talkers/laughers" would fit under "Service rule breakers."
Classes of annoying customers
Posted by Blacky at 8:00 am 0 comments
Easiest way to show windows side by side in Windows
When I’m working on a computer that is connected to a single monitor, I often like to display two windows side by side, especially when writing a new blog post. I usually display the WordPress admin interface where I write the post in one window, and the developer web page or another source in the second window. This allows me to access information directly and without having to juggle around with open windows or tabs in a single browser window.
Easiest way to show windows side by side in Windows
Posted by Blacky at 7:48 am 0 comments
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The Lifehacker Total Security Guide
Security is one of our perennial Lifehacker topics: as fast as technology advances, criminals find new ways to exploit it. Here are our 10 most popular guides to security, covering every aspect of your online life.
The Lifehacker Total Security Guide
Posted by Blacky at 9:47 pm 0 comments
Find The Address Of Any Location With Google Maps
Most of the time you head to Google Maps with an address in your head (or clipboard) with the goal of seeing it on a map. For those times when you’re looking at a map and thinking “I wonder what the address is here,” Google Maps has a handy shortcut for you.
Find The Address Of Any Location With Google Maps
Posted by Blacky at 7:53 am 0 comments
Friday, May 18, 2012
Planhacker: Complete NBN Plan Guide May 2012
The range of National Broadband Network (NBN) plans continues to expand, and there are many more to come. Planhacker covers all the plans on offer in Australia right now in a custom spreadsheet you can use to find the best option for you.
Planhacker: Complete NBN Plan Guide May 2012
Posted by Blacky at 9:50 pm 0 comments
‘I Don’t Know’ Is One Of The Smartest Things You Can Say
When it comes to our brains, black is white and up is down. Any time we try to achieve a desired result, we end up doing the opposite. Such is the case with trying to be smart. We like to come off as intelligent, and so we often act like we know more than we do to achieve that effect. In reality, however, saying “I don’t know” can be a whole lot smarter.
‘I Don’t Know’ Is One Of The Smartest Things You Can Say
Posted by Blacky at 8:41 am 0 comments
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Facebook for Beginners
Against all odds, you likely know someone who still hasn’t succumbed to the lure of Facebook. Maybe you’re a beginner yourself. Or perhaps you just haven’t had the gosh darn time to explore every last corner of the world’s most expansive social network.
Facebook for Beginners
Posted by Blacky at 8:57 pm 0 comments
Apollo 10 space-a-versary: Space Meal, 1969
To commemorate the May 18, 1969 launch of Apollo 10, our friends at the Smithsonian are celebrating the launch by sharing this photo of a meal package from the Apollo 10 mission.
Apollo 10 space-a-versary: Space Meal, 1969
Posted by Blacky at 8:39 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Ten Habits of Passionate People
Habits are what differentiate successful people from others.
The habits that you’ve developed in the LOST phase – where you used to wander aimlessly without a clear passion or purpose – won’t help you build a life of passion.
That’s why you need to develop a new set of habits to serve you in your newly passionate pursuit.
These are 10 habits of passionate people that you can start cultivating today.
The Ten Habits of Passionate People
Posted by Blacky at 5:31 pm 0 comments
Footy Stats
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in partnership with the Australian Football League (AFL) have developed a program that uses football to improve the statistical literacy of young Australians. The ABS Footy Stats program provides a fun and interactive introduction to the world of statistics. The program involves kids participating in a range of footy activities and learning how to collect, analyse, interpret and communicate basic statistical concepts with the guidance of a facilitator.
Footy Stats
Posted by Blacky at 2:29 pm 0 comments
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Cascade of 60,000 dominoes
FlippyCat assembled 60 walls, each consisting of 990 dominoes, and an additional field of 600 dominoes. The project took 65 hours over 8 days and some painful failures along the way. But when he finally pushed it over at 0:55, he made a beautiful cascade of color and sound.
Cascade of 60,000 dominoes
Posted by Blacky at 10:13 pm 0 comments
Monday, May 14, 2012
10 Things You Should Do Immediately After Losing Your Wallet
We all know that sense of panic when we realize that our wallet or purse is missing. If you’re like me, half of your life is in your wallet. Credit cards, debit cards, ID, insurance cards, money — you name it, it’s in there. And if it falls into the wrong hands, it could be devastating. The least that can happen is you lose a little money. But you could be the victim of identity theft and fraud that could have repercussions for years.
10 Things You Should Do Immediately After Losing Your Wallet
Posted by Blacky at 8:40 pm 0 comments
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Learn To Quickly Memorise Lists
The key to remembering things is to make them memorable. Turn names, numbers, and abstract words into images that are gross, funny, or absurd. In this video, Nelson Dellis, USA Memory Champion, demonstrates how to do this — using an example list of random words. Memory champions use this technique of creating pictures out of words and weaving them into a story.
Learn To Quickly Memorise Lists
Posted by Blacky at 10:47 pm 0 comments
Friday, May 11, 2012
If you put all the water on Earth in one place
Put all the water on this planet into a single sphere and it would have a diameter of about 860 miles, says the United States Geological Survey.
If you put all the water on Earth in one place
Posted by Blacky at 8:58 am 0 comments
Thursday, May 10, 2012
How to Find the Location where a Picture was taken?
Say you are exploring interesting places on the Internet and come across a gorgeous destination that you would like to visit sometime in future. The only problem is that the web photograph carries no text caption and you therefore have no clue of the location where that picture was possible taken.
How to Find the Location where a Picture was taken?
Posted by Blacky at 10:56 pm 0 comments
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
10 Biggest Computer Security Myths Busted
Keeping your computer secure can be confusing, so it’s not surprising that mistaken beliefs often end up taking root. Here are the ten biggest myths about computer security, busted once and for all.
10 Biggest Computer Security Myths Busted
Posted by Blacky at 5:18 pm 0 comments
Excellent vintage film about the first accurate atomic clock
This short film was produced by the film unit of the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the 1950s, and explains the principles behind the first accurate atomic clock, which was designed by Louis Essen and built at the National Physical Laboratory in 1955. The NPL's YouTube channel has other videos of interest to science geeks.
Excellent vintage film about the first accurate atomic clock
Posted by Blacky at 5:17 pm 0 comments
13 Spectacular 'Supermoon' Photos From Mashable Readers
Over the weekend, the moon was not just full, it also got the closest to Earth than it’ll get all year. The result was what some are calling a “supermoon,” a yearly phenomenon that draws out night sky watchers and photographers.
13 Spectacular 'Supermoon' Photos From Mashable Readers
Posted by Blacky at 8:49 am 0 comments
CIA thwarts new al-Qaida underwear bomb plot
The CIA thwarted an ambitious plot by al-Qaida's affiliate in Yemen to destroy a U.S.-bound airliner using a bomb with a sophisticated new design around the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden.
CIA thwarts new al-Qaida underwear bomb plot
Posted by Blacky at 7:50 am 0 comments
Shocking new photos from BP disaster unearthed by Greenpeace
Kate Sheppard at Mother Jones writes about a trove of new photographs documenting the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, which released nearly 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico two years ago.
Shocking new photos from BP disaster unearthed by Greenpeace
Posted by Blacky at 7:49 am 0 comments
Friday, May 04, 2012
Space Mountain with the lights on
The Disney Blog's John Frost captures one of my favorite sights: the interior of the Walt Disney World Space Mountain with the lights on, as seen from the silently retrofuturistic maglev safety of the Wedway Peoplecrusher.
Space Mountain with the lights on
Posted by Blacky at 9:16 am 0 comments
Thursday, May 03, 2012
This week in TSA awfulness: a recap of recent American airport atrocities
In case you missed it, there have been a number of Boing Boing posts of late documenting outrageous TSA incidents:
This week in TSA awfulness: a recap of recent American airport atrocities
Posted by Blacky at 11:21 am 0 comments
‘Force Quit’ Yourself To Get Your Sleep Schedule Back On Track
It’s easy enough to decide to go to bed strictly at a certain time, but actually doing it is another story. We often get carried away in the late hours of the night, trying to knock off just a few more things we wanted to do, whether it’s for work or fun. The next day, we’re tired and filled with regret, yet we don’t stop. If this sounds like you, it’s time to start “force quitting” yourself at the end of the day. Here’s how.
‘Force Quit’ Yourself To Get Your Sleep Schedule Back On Track
Posted by Blacky at 9:18 am 0 comments
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Apple Is Australia’s Most Reputable Brand, But How Did Australia Post Come Second?
It’s no surprise that Apple has topped an index of Australia’s most reputable brands — it’s a highly-regarded company with massive market share. But how on earth did Australia Post come second?
Apple Is Australia’s Most Reputable Brand, But How Did Australia Post Come Second?
Posted by Blacky at 5:20 pm 0 comments
Medicare To Dump Cash Payments This Year
Medicare is going to eliminate cash payments in its offices from this year, offering instant direct deposits into your bank account using your EFTPOS card instead.
Medicare To Dump Cash Payments This Year
Posted by Blacky at 5:19 pm 0 comments
Rare and unseen 1945 photos of Hitler's bunker and Berlin, destroyed
LIFE has posted a powerful series of rare and unpublished photographs shot by William Vandivert, 33, the first Western photographer inside Adolph Hilter's Führerbunker. Vandivert was on the scene shortly after Berlin fell in April of 1945.
Rare and unseen 1945 photos of Hitler's bunker and Berlin, destroyed
Posted by Blacky at 5:01 pm 0 comments
DIY astrophotographers track spy satellites
Amateur astrophotographers are hacking together sophisticated telescopes enabling them to track and document orbiting satellites, including spy satellites.
DIY astrophotographers track spy satellites
Posted by Blacky at 4:56 pm 0 comments
"What Cancer Has Taught Me About Writing And Living"
Two weeks after historical fiction writer Anne Clinard Barnhill's debut novel was released, she was diagnosed with stage 3 endometrial cancer. She writes about how the diagnosis changed her, and about what the experience has taught her about writing and living.
"What Cancer Has Taught Me About Writing And Living"
Posted by Blacky at 4:54 pm 0 comments
Your Facebook Account has Three Passwords
This is interesting. You can log into your Facebook account using three passwords – one is the main password that you created and the other passwords can be constructed by toggling the case of characters that form your original password.
Your Facebook Account has Three Passwords
Posted by Blacky at 4:49 pm 0 comments
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Foil ATM Card Skimmers By Covering Your Hand When Entering Your PIN
We’ve shown you how to spot an ATM skimmer, but now that debit card thieves are dealing with a savvy bunch they’ve decided to step up their game. The latest technology is much harder to detect, but you can foil it pretty easily by just covering your hand when you enter your PIN.
Foil ATM Card Skimmers By Covering Your Hand When Entering Your PIN
Posted by Blacky at 8:39 am 0 comments
Friday, April 27, 2012
View 4 Million Digits of Pi in a Single Image
We came across a visualization of Pi you won’t believe. Pi represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, and is an irrational number, which means the places after its decimal point extend into infinity. And this image, created by design studio TWO-N, approaches just that.
View 4 Million Digits of Pi in a Single Image
Posted by Blacky at 8:08 am 0 comments
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Girl swallowed by pavement
In Northern China a schoolgirl plunges through a weak section of pavement into a deep hole.
Girl swallowed by pavement
Posted by Blacky at 8:46 am 0 comments
xkcd: Approximations
A Table of Slightly Wrong Equations and Identities Useful for Approximations and/or Trolling Teachers.
xkcd: Approximations
Posted by Blacky at 8:44 am 0 comments
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
What To Eat Before And After Your Workout To Stay In Top Training Shape
The foods you eat before and after a good workout, and the fluids you drink during your workout go a long way towards making sure your exercise has the best impact on your health as possible. Whether you’re staying hydrated with a bottle of water while you’re out on a run, or debating what to munch on for a little post-workout energy, Eating Well magazine has some tips to help maximise your workout and keep you satisfied in the process.
What To Eat Before And After Your Workout To Stay In Top Training Shape
Posted by Blacky at 11:32 am 0 comments
The Most Detailed Images Of Polar Ice Cap Thickness Yet
In 2010, the European Space Agency launched Cryosat, a spacecraft designed to monitor changes in the shape and thickness of polar ice on Earth. It’s taken the scientists behind the project some time to crunch through all the data — but they’ve managed it, and the new images offer an unprecedented view of the state of our ice caps.
The Most Detailed Images Of Polar Ice Cap Thickness Yet
Posted by Blacky at 11:25 am 0 comments
Google Drive is real: here’s what it means
Do you want to put about 16 terabytes of data online? If you do, you might want to give Google a call. Mind you, it isn’t going to be cheap — that amount of storage will cost about $800 a month. On Tuesday, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company is taking the covers off its much hyped and long awaited online storage service, and it will be called Google Drive. It is available at drive.google.com. The Drive, which starts with 5 GB of free storage, is available to anyone with a Google account, including Google Apps for business accounts.
Google Drive is real: here’s what it means
Posted by Blacky at 11:22 am 0 comments
Watch Destruction, Explosions, and Experimental Mayhem in Slow Motion
Have you ever wondered what it would actually look like if you could try crazy experiments using items such as firecrackers, lawn mowers, chain saws, and more? This compilation video from Danish TV show “Dumt & Farligt” (Stupid & Dangerous) lets you have a close-up view of the action in slow motion without the risk.
Watch Destruction, Explosions, and Experimental Mayhem in Slow Motion
Posted by Blacky at 11:12 am 0 comments
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
We Finally Know What Really Causes Brain Freezes
Everyone has experienced that sharp, shooting headache as a result of stuffing their face with ice cream. Previously, scientists have suggested it’s just a result of the rapid cooling and rewarming of blood vessels in the sinuses, but a new study shows that the cause is actually buried much deeper.
We Finally Know What Really Causes Brain Freezes
Posted by Blacky at 1:41 pm 0 comments
SkyDrive For Windows Is Like Dropbox From Microsoft
The offer of 25GB of free space has always been one of the most attractive features of Microsoft’s SkyDrive, but surprisingly it’s never been particularly easy to integrate that space with a Windows machine. While Windows 8 promises a much tighter level of SkyDrive integration, a newly-released tool from Microsoft makes files in your SkyDrive easily accessible from any Windows 7 or Vista machine. The one catch? If you haven’t already used SkyDrive, you now only get 7GB, not 25GB.
SkyDrive For Windows Is Like Dropbox From Microsoft
Posted by Blacky at 9:38 am 0 comments
Monday, April 23, 2012
10 Uses of Google Earth That Have Made Positive Impacts on the World
When Google acquired Keyhole — the tool that would become Google Earth — in 2004, the company believed it would become the ultimate video game. Google thought travelers could peruse potential vacation destinations and movie makers could use the detailed satellite imagery as a backdrop in films.
10 Uses of Google Earth That Have Made Positive Impacts on the World:
Posted by Blacky at 5:20 pm 0 comments
Friday, April 20, 2012
Airliner's Close Call Blamed on Pilot's Texting [VIDEO]
A pilot’s preoccupation with his cellphone caused his crew to forget to lower the landing gear just 500 feet above ground, according to a report issued Thursday by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Airliner's Close Call Blamed on Pilot's Texting [VIDEO]
Posted by Blacky at 8:06 pm 0 comments
10 Google Bombs That Will Live in Infamy
What does it mean to “Google bomb” something — or someone? For starters, a Google bomb isn’t as sudden and life-threatening as it sounds. Some of these bombs can actually take months to execute.
10 Google Bombs That Will Live in Infamy
Posted by Blacky at 8:05 pm 0 comments
Imploding iceberg in Antarctica
There are two kinds of icebergs, tabular and non-tabular. The tabular ones are what they sound like, big flat sheets of ice. Non-tabular are different—irregular shapes that become even more irregular as bits and pieces of them melt. Judging by the arched shape this iceberg had taken on, it probably falls into the non-tabular category. Implosion happens when melting weakens key structural support within that shape and bits of the iceberg begin to crash in on itself, accelerating the breakup.
Imploding iceberg in Antarctica
Posted by Blacky at 7:47 am 0 comments
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Garbage Men Take Amazing Photos With Giant Dumpster Cameras
The Trashcam Project is a group of garbage collectors from Hamburg, Germany, who take stunning photographs using 110-litre dumpsters that have been transformed into pinhole cameras.
Garbage Men Take Amazing Photos With Giant Dumpster Cameras
Posted by Blacky at 6:11 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
9 Tips for Overcoming Jet Lag
Jet lag is inevitable when you are traveling long distances by plane, and it can leave you feeling completely wrecked for several days to a week after you arrive at your destination. For people who simply cannot afford the few days to completely recover from the physical and mental exhaustion of jet lag, there are a number of simple preparatory steps you can do before, during and after your long flight to minimize your jet lag fatigue.
9 Tips for Overcoming Jet Lag
Posted by Blacky at 8:45 pm 0 comments