Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth

To celebrate the sunny days of summer (in the northern hemisphere at least), today we're launching new satellite imagery for Google’s mapping products. This stunning global view is virtually cloud-free and includes refreshed imagery in more locations—giving you an even more accurate and comprehensive view of our planet's landscape.
Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth

Hands On With Windows 8.1

Windows 8 may not have caught every PC user's imagination just yet, but Microsoft is pressing on with updates regardless. At the Build conference for its developers in San Francisco on Wednesday, the software giant officially unveiled its first big update to the OS with the Modern (formerly Metro) interface.
Hands On With Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 Preview Released: What it Means and How to Get It

Microsoft released a preview of their update to Windows 8 today, and we’ve got all the details, starting with how to get your hands on it.
Windows 8.1 Preview Released: What it Means and How to Get It

20 Secret Passageways And Hidden Rooms Hiding In Plain Sight

History can be told in terms of secret passageways, hidden rooms and obscure tunnels. Wars have been won and lost by them, coup d’états sprung, and entire countries altered, thanks to a well-place nook or cranny. There are also plenty of modern-day uses, as you’ll see below — from drug smuggling tunnels from Tijuana to hidden doors that protect your most valuable chianti. Check out 20 of the best, below.
20 Secret Passageways And Hidden Rooms Hiding In Plain Sight

Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

The beginning of summer doesn't necessarily make it any easier to battle a case of the Mondays. So to beat the sunny swelter and beat the Mondays in one sitting, go find some air conditioning and watch this week's viral video recap above.
Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

Nik Wallenda Survives Insane Grand Canyon Tightrope Crossing [VIDEO]

Nik Wallenda, you're more man than the rest of us will ever be. Or you're just nuts. The professional daredevil completed a quarter-mile crossing of an offshoot of the Grand Canyon on Sunday, with one small catch: he was on a tightrope 1,500 feet above the canyon floor. NBD, right?
Nik Wallenda Survives Insane Grand Canyon Tightrope Crossing [VIDEO]

Three Steps You Can Take To Protect Yourself From Online Spying

The recent PRISM scandal has validated both the general public’s growing unease with federal law enforcement agencies, and many of the fringe element’s accusations about Big Brother’s online behaviour. Just knowing governments can rummage through your online life doesn’t sit well with many folks. Here are some simple and effective ways of keeping your digital identity anonymous and your data your own.
Three Steps You Can Take To Protect Yourself From Online Spying

TWA Flight 800 Spawned the Internet's First Conspiracy Theories

On July 17, 1996, TWA Flight 800 crashed just south of Long Island, claiming all 230 lives aboard the Boeing 747. A four-year National Transportation Safety Board investigation determined a fuel tank explosion was to blame for the incident. Even before NTSB investigators arrived at the scene, however, conspiracy theories began to float: Was it a terrorist armed with a shoulder-fired missile? Did somebody have a bomb on board? Or did the military accidentally shoot down the airplane?
TWA Flight 800 Spawned the Internet's First Conspiracy Theories

15 Hilarious Technology Ads From the 1980s

If you flip back to photos of your childhood, sometimes you'll wish that you hadn't. Perhaps your awkward haircuts and awkward poses weren't funny then, but they certainly are now. These tech ads make you feel the same way. The gadgets are clunky, the text is cheesy, and the graphics are so 80s.
15 Hilarious Technology Ads From the 1980s

Add Wireless Charging To Any Smartphone

We’ve seen plenty of phones that support wireless charging, but it’s still not a common feature on most phones. Over on Instructables, user Harari shows you how to add a wireless charging system to just about any mobile phone that charges with a USB.
Add Wireless Charging To Any Smartphone

5 Mistakes Job Interviewers Secretly Hate

Picture this: You’re a job candidate up for a role in a coveted organization. You’ve got the experience and referrals, and you’ve even managed to land an interview. So, come interview time, you’re pretty confident about your chances. Weeks later, you still haven't heard from the interviewer or the company. What gives?
5 Mistakes Job Interviewers Secretly Hate

How to Test if Your ISP is Throttling Your Internet Connection

We’ve all heard the rumors and seen occasional evidence — some Internet service providers slow down certain types of traffic, like BitTorrent traffic. Other ISPs slow down their customers’ connections if they download too much data in a month. But does your ISP do any of this? Here are a few simple ways you can test whether your ISP is performing any traffic shaping or bandwidth throttling on your connection.
How to Test if Your ISP is Throttling Your Internet Connection

It may be time to switch to DuckDuckGo or Startpage for web search

News about the government surveillance system PRISM broke only a couple of days ago even though it appears to have been in use for years. Major tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook or Apple have reportedly been involved in the program. While it is not clear how each company is involved, newspapers like The Guardian report that the NSA had access to email, chat messages, video conferencing or file transfers.
It may be time to switch to DuckDuckGo or Startpage for web search

Format Factory 3.1.0

Format Factory is a free audio, video and photo converter that supports a large range of formats for encoding and ripping. You can convert either single files or entire folders from one format to another.
Format Factory 3.1.0

15 System Tools You Don’t Have To Install on Windows Anymore

Windows includes its own versions of many widely used system utilities. A variety of new utilities were added to Windows 8, but many of these utilities are available on Windows 7, too.
15 System Tools You Don’t Have To Install on Windows Anymore

Should You Buy a More Expensive Product?

In general, people want to make financially responsible decisions when they go shopping. Often times, I look at two apparently identical items that priced differently. On some occasions, the difference between two products is as obvious as the price. The question is: should you buy the cheaper item or the more expensive one? Do you purchase entry level items or upgraded ones?
Should You Buy a More Expensive Product?

This Fun Visualisation Shows You What People Are Googling In Real Time

Ever wanted to know what people are looking for on Google right now? This visualisation should help you out.
This Fun Visualisation Shows You What People Are Googling In Real Time

Hands On With iOS 7: It's Just the Beginning

When Tim Cook unveiled iOS 7 at WWDC this week, he called it "the biggest change to iOS since the original iPhone."
Hands On With iOS 7: It's Just the Beginning

Hilarious Prank Captures Awkward Photo Poses [VIDEO]

The few seconds before someone snaps your picture is the ultimate moment of vulnerability. So imagine the prolonged embarrassment when those moments are captured in a video rather than a photograph.
Hilarious Prank Captures Awkward Photo Poses [VIDEO]

Check Out This Otherworldly Footage Of A Storm Supercell Forming

It took photographer/storm chaser/all-around brave guy Mike Olbinski four years to capture this footage of the formation of a supercell near Booker, Texas. That is some real commitment, and it finally paid off in an awesome way.
Check Out This Otherworldly Footage Of A Storm Supercell Forming

Save The Output Of Any Terminal Command With One Parameter

Windows/Mac/Linux: The command line is an extremely useful tool. If you have a command that returns a wall of text, you can save it to a single text file with this simple parameter.
Save The Output Of Any Terminal Command With One Parameter

10 Tech Accessories Your Dad Will Love

Dads are super supportive — they fix our broken bikes and help us with math homework. Now, you can return the favor and give your digital-savvy dad the support he needs — in the form of tech accessories.
10 Tech Accessories Your Dad Will Love

Apple Unveils iOS 7, 'Biggest Change Since the Original iPhone'

At WWDC 2013, Apple has officially unveiled the next generation of iOS, iOS 7. Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced iOS 7, calling it "the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone."
Apple Unveils iOS 7, 'Biggest Change Since the Original iPhone'

How to Change the Background of a Picture

A common problem that may occur when taking photos is represented by the fact that a photo has a great subject but an awful background. The background may be over-exposed, may have an ugly color or maybe you just don’t like it and you want to change it. What can you to do to remedy this?
How to Change the Background of a Picture

Five Things I Learned At TechEd 2013

Last week our 2013 World Of Servers series reached its climax with a trip to New Orleans for Microsoft’s TechEd North America 2013 conference. Here are the five big lessons I took away from that event (plus a round-up of what our competition-winning bloggers thought about it).
Five Things I Learned At TechEd 2013

13 Clichéd Photo Poses You're Totally Guilty of Doing

Looking cute in a photo can be tough.
Sometimes, the waiter taking a picture of your birthday dinner is standing so close that you know you're about to look like a giantess. Or maybe you're stranded without a drink to hold onto, no pockets and no idea where to put your arms.
13 Clichéd Photo Poses You're Totally Guilty of Doing

What Is PRISM? The Secret US Government Program Explained

Yesterday, the Washington Post and The Guardian dropped concurrent bombshell reports. Their subject was PRISM, a covert collaboration between the NSA, FBI, and nearly every tech company you rely on daily. PRISM has allowed the government unprecedented access to personal information for at least the last six years. But what is it, exactly?
What Is PRISM? The Secret US Government Program Explained

The Tech Companies In PRISM Aren’t Telling The Complete Truth

Apple. Facebook. Google. Microsoft. Yahoo. AOL. YouTube. Skype. PalTalk. The tech companies that have been associated with PRISM have all unequivocally denied involvement with the spying program. But are they speaking the whole truth? Or are they simply using choice words to evade the real question? It definitely doesn’t look like the whole truth.
The Tech Companies In PRISM Aren’t Telling The Complete Truth

Google Official Blog: What the ...?

Dear Google users—
You may be aware of press reports alleging that Internet companies have joined a secret U.S. government program called PRISM to give the National Security Agency direct access to our servers. As Google’s CEO and Chief Legal Officer, we wanted you to have the facts.
Google Official Blog: What the ...?

No Big Deal, Just a Giant Hole in the Sun

Coronal holes are areas on the sun's corona that are darker, lower-density, and (relatively) colder than the rest of the plasma on the surface of our nearest star. They're the source of the kind of solar wind gusts that carry solar particles out to our magnetosphere and beyond, causing auroras (and, less awesomely, geomagnetic storms) here on Earth.
No Big Deal, Just a Giant Hole in the Sun

An Awesome Number Trick to Impress Your Friends With

Want to look like a mathematical genius in front of all your friends? Then you will love this awesome number trick from Numberphile! The best part will be the looks on their faces when you surprise them by having predicted the answer ahead of time…
An Awesome Number Trick to Impress Your Friends With

The Biggest Interview Mistakes HR Experts See (And How To Avoid Them)

They meet more people in an afternoon than most of us do in a year. But what faux pas do human resources pros see again and again during the interview process? We picked the brains of two high-profile executives to find out what you definitely should and shouldn’t say, as well as what they secretly think of your résumé.
The Biggest Interview Mistakes HR Experts See (And How To Avoid Them)

Check Out the 'World's Most Advanced' Street Sign

Studies suggest humans have an innate sense of direction, yet we get lost all the time. Certainly GPS would never have become so pervasive if we honed our once-natural ability to find our way. It's a good thing there are street signs everywhere, though you've likely never seen one like this.
Check Out the 'World's Most Advanced' Street Sign

How To Save Money When Building Your Own PC

Computers are expensive, and every dollar counts if you’re building one on a budget. If you pick the right parts, shop in the right way, and use a few simple tricks, you can save quite a bit on that new PC.
How To Save Money When Building Your Own PC

Nikola Tesla’s Best Productivity Tricks

Inventor Nikola Tesla has become one of the internet’s darlings over the years. Part of the reason for that is because he managed to do a lot with his life. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what was behind the brain that helped make Tesla so productive.
Nikola Tesla’s Best Productivity Tricks

Watch This Mind-Controlled Robot Fly

One of the most coveted superhero powers is psychokinesis, or the ability to move objects without moving a muscle. In works of science fiction and fantasy, the mind has appeared often as a weapon infinitely more powerful than a sword or lightsaber — and rightly so. Its capabilities seem endless, as neuropsychologists continue to learn more and more about how, exactly, the human brain functions.
Watch This Mind-Controlled Robot Fly

These Incredible Maps Were Made With Thousands Of Photographs

Japanese photographer Sohei Nishino created these wonderful pieces of art by actually using individual pictures of landmarks and locations to map out the city. Nishino walks around each city for months and takes the photographs himself. It’s a map that shows you the actual city, not just an outline.
These Incredible Maps Were Made With Thousands Of Photographs

Fine retorts, collected

If you liked Al Jaffee's Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions from MAD Magazine (and if you didn't, boy are you in the wrong place!), I think you'll enjoy this Reddit thread: "What was your best "comeback line" that left the other person totally speechless?" There's plenty of stuff that I'm betting is really esprit d'escalier, but if even half of it is genuine, it is proof of some fundamental rightness woven into the very fabric of the universe.
Fine retorts, collected

5 Items You Should Buy Secondhand

I’m a big believer that there are goods and services that you should buy retail to ensure quality, customer service, and a perfect fit for your needs. However, that does not mean that you should always pay full price or even a discounted online price. In fact, I’d say there are some items that you should (almost) always buy second hand.
5 Items You Should Buy Secondhand

This BASE Jump Off Mount Everest Is Absolutely Insane

Earlier this month, 48-year-old Russian BASE jumper Valery Rozov took a leap off Mount Everest from an elevation of 23,687 feet. It’s the highest ever BASE jump to date, some 60 years after Everest was first summited.
This BASE Jump Off Mount Everest Is Absolutely Insane

10 Little Known Google Drive Features

Google Drive is one of the best cloud storage service out there, but is it the only thing it is capable of doing? Did you know that Google Drive is capable of doing all your office productivity tasks as well? Learn some little known features of Google Drive and some 3rd party extensions that adds more functionality to it.
10 Little Known Google Drive Features

Microsoft confirms Windows 8.1 features, announces Internet Explorer 11

The Internet rumor mill is buzzing with noise ever since Microsoft announced that it would release an update for Windows 8 this year. Windows Blue, or Windows 8.1, is not a service pack according to Microsoft but a feature upgrade for the operating system. Windows 8 has been heavily criticized ever since first public versions were made available by Microsoft for testing purposes.
Microsoft confirms Windows 8.1 features, announces Internet Explorer 11

Google Street View Now Lets You Explore Central Park, 9/11 Memorial

Without Google Maps and Street View, I’d be utterly lost in New York, or anywhere in the world for that matter. And for all its usefulness, we’ve always had a few good laughs too. Today’s update to three distinct areas of New York might make you laugh, cry or sit back in astonishment.
Google Street View Now Lets You Explore Central Park, 9/11 Memorial

Pro Golfer's Astounding Club Tricks Caught on GoPro [VIDEO]

Meet Romain Bechu. He's a French pro golfer. But maybe, just maybe, his future with the game isn't in trying to win tournament purses. Maybe insane YouTube videos are his true calling.
Pro Golfer's Astounding Club Tricks Caught on GoPro [VIDEO]

5 Ways of Creating Word Documents Online

Microsoft Word is a great application that comes as part of the Microsoft Office suite. The application can create a wide range of documents, from simple letters and reports to more complex projects, includes spelling and grammar check functions. The lack of the portability or the expensive cost of the entire suite of Microsoft tools can represent big disadvantages for those wishing to create documents.
5 Ways of Creating Word Documents Online

Eyewitnesses Tweet Baltimore Train Derailment and Explosion

A train derailed and later reportedly triggered a massive explosion seen for miles away near Baltimore, Maryland on Tuesday afternoon. One witness, Twitter user @KRL224, tweeted pictures from the derailment. He escaped danger only moments before the blast, which was captured by others in the area.
Eyewitnesses Tweet Baltimore Train Derailment and Explosion

The Australian Spy Agency Lost Its HQ Blueprints To Chinese Spies

State-sponsored hacking attacks on sensitive targets is a new reality that Australian security forces have to deal with these days, but it sucks when one of the bad guys gets through the net. It was revealed last night that spies, reportedly from China, hacked their way into secure systems, making off with detailed blueprints to Australia’s peak spy agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).
The Australian Spy Agency Lost Its HQ Blueprints To Chinese Spies

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 7/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 7/2013

Take a 3D Tour of Mount Everest With This App [VIDEO]

A new app lets users explore Mount Everest in lifelike detail without ever having to leave the couch. Called Mount Everest 3D, the iOS app shows the world's highest mountain from "any perspective" in the form of a 3D map.
Take a 3D Tour of Mount Everest With This App [VIDEO]

Collapsed Washington Bridge Already Removed From Google Maps

Google wastes little time updating its maps: The four-lane bridge in Washington state that partially collapsed on Thursday has been removed from Google Maps 12 hours after falling into the Skagit River. An empty placeholder now fills the bridge's location.
Collapsed Washington Bridge Already Removed From Google Maps

Add the Ability to Copy the Contents of Any Text File to Your Send To Menu

We have previously covered how to add the ability to copy the contents of a TXT file to the right-click context menu, however this method would require you to create a separate registry entry for each type of file you wanted the ability to do this with (e.g. JS, BAT, LOG, HTM, CSS, etc.).
As an alternate method, you can easily add this functionality to your Windows Send To menu, which enables this feature for any type of file without having to touch the registry.
Add the Ability to Copy the Contents of Any Text File to Your Send To Menu

10 Best iPhone Chargers

Do you want more from your iPhone charger than Apple's simple, in-box option offers? We have taken a look at some rather nifty third-party charging solutions.
10 Best iPhone Chargers

Lost Apollo 11 Moon Dust Found in Storage

Vials of moon dust brought back to Earth by the first men on the moon have been found inside a lab warehouse in California after sitting in storage unnoticed for more than 40 years.
Lost Apollo 11 Moon Dust Found in Storage

NetChecker: repair Internet connection issues

It can be a frustrating experience if your Internet connection is not working when you need it the most, or if it dies quite often and especially in situations where it is inconvenient. Troubleshooting the Internet connection can be quite the daunting task.
NetChecker: repair Internet connection issues

How to Migrate Your Google Account to a New One

Whether you’ve outgrown your college era email address and you want a professional one, or you want to change your firstname.maiden account to firstname.marriedname one, we’ve got you covered with a start-to-finish Google migration guide.
How to Migrate Your Google Account to a New One

Father of GIFs: 'It's Pronounced JIF'

Steve Wilhite, father of the Graphics Interchange Format, has ended the heated debate on how to pronounce "GIF."
Father of GIFs: 'It's Pronounced JIF'

Handbags: Filthier Than Toilet Seats?

The next time your wife is rummaging around in her handbag for her lippy or car keys, you may want to surreptitiously hand her a wet wipe. A new study from UK washroom company Initial Hygiene has found that women’s handbags are often crawling with harmful bacteria that can pose a significant health risk to humans.
Handbags: Filthier Than Toilet Seats?

Top 25 Free iPhone Apps of All Time

Apple’s App Store recently hit its 50 billionth download. Since its launch in July 2008, the store has been the go-to place for mobile apps. To this day, mobile developers often choose to release their apps here first. Popular from the start, just seven months after the App Store’s launch, the store surpassed one million third party apps, many of those free.
Top 25 Free iPhone Apps of All Time

CommaFeed Is A Minimalist Google Reader Replacement

As the countdown to the death of Google Reader on 1 July continues, the list of potential alternatives grows. Another to consider: CommaFeed, a web-based service that closely replicates the standard Google Reader look.
CommaFeed Is A Minimalist Google Reader Replacement

Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

If our viral video recap is any indicator, there's a boatload of animal news to catch up on this week. Good thing it's the weekend, so snuggle up and prepare for a healthy dose of furry fun.
Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

The places Soviet tourists could not visit in the 1950s

Apparently, there were some private citizens from the USSR who were allowed into the U.S. for travel during the Cold War. But they couldn't just visit anywhere they wanted.
The places Soviet tourists could not visit in the 1950s

This Cheat Sheet Teaches You How To Match Shirt And Tie Patterns

Learning to match your shirts and ties together so they work well may be an art, but it’s one you can learn. This infographic from men’s designer footwear company Beckett Simonon shows you how to mix the riskiest kinds of shirts and ties: ones with patterns.
This Cheat Sheet Teaches You How To Match Shirt And Tie Patterns

How to Selectively Sync Folders From Your SkyDrive to Your PC

Windows 8 ships with a built-in SkyDrive app however it doesn’t allow you to add files to your SkyDrive account. For that we have the Desktop SkyDrive app which has a handy selective sync feature as well.
How to Selectively Sync Folders From Your SkyDrive to Your PC

What Is Australia’s Favourite Takeaway Food?

When you grab a takeaway meal for dinner, what’s your usual go-to cuisine? According to a new study, Chinese food remains the #1 takeway choice nationwide. However, each state has its own particular favourites, with Thai, Italian and US fast food chains topping the list in certain parts of Australia. Read on to find out if your food preferences fall in line with your state.
What Is Australia’s Favourite Takeaway Food?

Google's Atari Breakout Easter Egg

Is this the first Google Image Search Easter Egg? Search for [atari breakout] and you can play Atari's Breakout game. It's an arcade game introduced in April 1976. The game has an interesting story that involves Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and it influenced Steve Wozniak's design for the Apple II computer.
Google's Atari Breakout Easter Egg

Top 10 Computer Tricks Every Geek Should Know

We’ve talked before about the things every computer user should know how to do, but we geeks are special: we want to go above and beyond, to explore every nook and cranny of our system and make everything easier. Here are 10 ways to do just that.
Top 10 Computer Tricks Every Geek Should Know

You’ll Be Terrified Of Rips After Seeing This Photo Of One Off The Coast Of Western Australia

Rips. They’re one of the first things new swimmers are warned about, right behind staying between the flags. That said, you might not comprehend just how dangerous a rip can be, fortunately, we have photos like the one below to highlight exactly what the fuss is about.
You’ll Be Terrified Of Rips After Seeing This Photo Of One Off The Coast Of Western Australia

How To Quickly Get The MAC Address of any Windows PC on Your Network

Did you know you can get any Windows computer’s MAC address without leaving your chair?
How To Quickly Get The MAC Address of any Windows PC on Your Network

Erupting Volcano Seen From Space

Erupting volcanoes are best viewed from a distance, as the recent deadly tragedy on Mount Mayon in the Philippines proves. In the case of Paluweh volcano, the ideal spot to see the eruption was from 705 kilometers (438 miles) above the Earth.
Erupting Volcano Seen From Space

Watch A Sand Storm From The Top Of The Tallest Building In The World

Dubai-based photographer Gerald Donovan went to the top of the tallest skyscraper in the world — the 830m tall Burj Khalifa — just in time to watch a sand storm engulfing the city. It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but he captured it on this video.
Watch A Sand Storm From The Top Of The Tallest Building In The World

Solar Eclipse Will Turn Sun Into 'Ring of Fire' This Week

The moon will block the sun in a potentially spectacular solar eclipse this week — a celestial event that will transform the sun into a cosmic "ring of fire" in the daytime sky. The ring-shaped solar eclipse, known as an annular eclipse, will occur Thursday and Friday (May 9 and 10) Eastern time. Weather permitting, the eclipse will be visible in certain parts of Australia and the Southern Pacific Ocean, where the local time will be Friday.
Solar Eclipse Will Turn Sun Into 'Ring of Fire' This Week

Registry Alert monitors the Windows Registry for unwanted modifications

Some programs that you install on your version of Windows add entries to sensitive locations in the Windows Registry. One of those places are the startup locations in the Registry that programs can make use of to autostart with Windows. While that is sometimes wanted, for instance for security software, it is often unwanted as the gain from doing so is minima, and that only if the program is trustworthy. Malware and spyware is often added to an autostart location so that it is autorun with the system.
Registry Alert monitors the Windows Registry for unwanted modifications

What’s a Bitcoin and why would you want one?

You might have heard in recent weeks about Bitcoin millionaires — people who raked in vast sums of real money riding this relatively new form of currency. Bitcoins offer both a fascinating, new approach to money and many potential pitfalls. Here’s what you should know about this online phenomenon.
What’s a Bitcoin and why would you want one?

11 Useful Free Messaging Apps

These days, we grow more and more dependent on our mobile devices, especially our smartphones, which help us conclude business, are a means of entertainment and extend their functionality to finances and other areas of our lives. But the downside of this dependence is the cost of our monthly bill, which keeps on getting bigger. Text messaging is one of the most used methods of communicating, and it’s no surprise that many have tried to find cheaper alternatives.
11 Useful Free Messaging Apps

The Webby Awards Gallery

Check out the 2013 Winners...
The Webby Awards

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 6/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 6/2013

Mathematical Proof That Growing Old Means Getting Boring

What happens when you crunch a heap of Facebook data with one of the most sophisticated computational tools in the world? Mathematical proof for the myriad ways your life gets boring as you get older. That’s right, as you get older, you’re going to spend even more time whining about the weather and the government and less time thinking about important things like video games.
Mathematical Proof That Growing Old Means Getting Boring

Watch A Woman From The 1990s Explain What A Computer Is

One of the things that will never fail to make me happy: seeing people stuck in time explain what modern day technology is. Kim Komando hosted an educational series about computer and explains the basics of its hardware, DOS, Microsoft Windows, Writeand more.
Watch A Woman From The 1990s Explain What A Computer Is

25 Incredible Moments in Photos

After a week filled with all forms of memorable events, Mashable brings you those best captured in photos. Last Monday the annual Boston Marathon was victim to a terrible act. Yet, looking beyond that the people of Boston managed to stick together and help those who were in need during the chaos and confusion. In London, protesters gathered in George Square to recognize the industries that suffered under the government of former British Prime Minister Baroness Margaret Thatcher, on the day of her funeral.
25 Incredible Moments in Photos

25 Completely Bizarre Fortune Cookie Messages

Fortune cookies tend to have a 50:50 satisfying-to-disappointing ratio. Sometimes, you'll get a cookie that's stale, soggy and obviously past its expiration date. What's most disappointing, though, is when your fortune — a term that, for the sake of this post, we'll be using quite loosely — is less inspirational and more ... you know .. WTF-y.
25 Completely Bizarre Fortune Cookie Messages

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Did you know that Pepsi traded soda syrup for a small fleet of Soviet warships? Did you know that the Iranian government banned mullets in 2010?
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier

Rolf Dobelli, author of the forthcoming book, The Art of Thinking Clearly, has an essay in the Guardian that explains the many reasons why you shouldn't read, listen to, or watch news.
News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier

Reddit users may have discovered a murder on Google Maps

The image ... is really a Rorschach test more than anything else. Do you see two people standing over a body wrapped in black plastic with an enormous trail of blood behind it? Or do you see two people about to pet a dog that’s just shaken itself off?
Reddit users may have discovered a murder on Google Maps

Reddit stories on the Boston marathon explosions.

One of the largest online communities, Reddit, is often a great source of breaking news, and right now it's proving it with a story on the Boston marathon explosions.
There was just an explosion at the Boston Marathon - Will use this to live update : news

3 Ways To Accept Your Life

Read the following sentences and see if you relate -
“I don’t like anything in my life”
“Life sucks”
“I hate my job”
“I am a loner, nobody likes me”
“Life is a struggle”
In all these not-so-happy words there is only one important thing missing and that is acceptance.
3 Ways To Accept Your Life

2013 Boston Marathon Explosion: Official Information Sources

Following today’s explosions at the Boston Marathon, social media channels were immediately swamped with reports, graphic images and videos from the scene. Race officials immediately held runners on course, and canceled the rest of the event.
2013 Boston Marathon Explosion: Official Information Sources

Time and Navigation: How We Found Our Way in the World

Type an address into your phone, and up will pop a step-by-step route from where you are to where you want to be. This is, in its way, magic. But it's magic that has, at this point, been rubbed and polished into a simple fact of life. The ease with which we machine-carrying humans make our way through the world, however, is quite new — and the product of a long, painstaking history: of people plotting a course, getting lost, and finally finding their way.
Time and Navigation: How We Found Our Way in the World

Australian Social Trends, April 2013

Australian Social Trends (AST) is an Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) flagship publication presenting a picture of Australian society through a selection of articles. The articles aim to address current and on-going social concerns, and focus on population groups of interest and changes over time. Each tells a story and provides a sense of the social and historical context of its topic.
Australian Social Trends, April 2013

Internet Activity, Australia, December 2012

This release contains details of internet activity supplied by Internet Service Providers in Australia with more than 1,000 active subscribers. It includes information on internet subscribers and their type of access connection, the type of user (i.e. business/household), the volume of data downloaded, the speed of internet connection and the location of the subscriber (by state or territory).
Internet Activity, Australia, December 2012

Decide what happens to your Google account when you die

What happens to your online accounts when you die? Some may not care at all, after all, they are dead by then and there is not really anything that can be done about that. Others may want to control what is happening to their accounts. Maybe they want them closed right away, kept open only with a different and permanent status message, or maintained by a family member or loved one.
Decide what happens to your Google account when you die

Shark Scares the Crap Out of Kayaker [VIDEO]

Who says you need a big fancy boat to fish? While deep sea fisherman may have space on deck to catch fish by the tons, Isaac Brumaghim caught a fish, which attracted a much larger shark that he named "Chompy."
Shark Scares the Crap Out of Kayaker [VIDEO]

How to Identify and Run a File with an Unknown Extension

Ever got stuck with a file that has some mysterious extension? Where no matter how much you try, the Jigsaw puzzle doesn’t seem to fit together? So, for instance, if the file has the extension (characters after the last period in the file’s name) doc or docx, you know you need Microsoft Office or its alternative productive suites such as LibreOffice or Google Doc to view and edit that file. But what if the file extension is something you have never heard of before, or something your computer can’t decide the appropriate software for?
How to Identify and Run a File with an Unknown Extension

Life on the Moon as imagined in 1836

In the old days, Mars was peopled by one vast thinking vegetable, and the Moon was peopled by stick-wielding bat-men and moth-winged moon maidens.
Life on the Moon as imagined in 1836

Snake Oil's secret ingredients

There was no actual snake oil in old timey snake oil. Rather, most of the lotions and potions sold by early 20th century miracle medicine salesmen actually contained mercury and lead. Now, don't you feel better?
Snake Oil's secret ingredients

How to Send Emails from Different Addresses in Gmail

Most of us have more than one email address these days – it makes it easier to keep different areas of life separate. But having to switch between email accounts can be a pain. With Gmail, you can set things up so you can send from multiple accounts without the need to keep switching.
How to Send Emails from Different Addresses in Gmail

7 Emergency Apps Every iPhone and Android User Should Have

There are certain applications that do not have a proper use in day-to-day activities, but they may prove a necessity in critical situations. Whenever a hurricane strikes, a massive flood is coming or a snow that treats to lock you down for a couple of days is announced, you must be warned.
7 Emergency Apps Every iPhone and Android User Should Have

Animal Planet Sets Up Cockroach Cam

The Internet loves a good kitten and puppy cam, but isn't that so, like, five years ago? Okay, not really. We'll gladly watch 24/7 live footage of adorable creatures crawling on top of each other.
Animal Planet Sets Up Cockroach Cam

This Is How Far North Korea's Missiles Can Reach

North Korea on Friday reportedly moved two mobile missiles believed to be of intermediate range to the country's east coast, potentially putting them within striking distance of Japan and American bases in Guam. If the reports are accurate, it's the latest escalation in an increasingly tense situation which may result in a military conflict.
This Is How Far North Korea's Missiles Can Reach

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Gather 'round the computer screen kids, and bask in the frothy glow of knowledge. It's time for another edition of Reddit Facts, our weekly dive into the fascinating tidbits we learn from the front page of the Internet.
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Recuva 1.46 update brings improvements across the board

Data recovery software can come in handy in several situations, most notably when you deleted files permanently on your system or when a third party software or even a virus did so. All recovery programs for Windows scan the free space of a selected partition or hard drive for files that have been deleted on the system but not yet removed from the hard drive. The main difference between them is functionality, performance, and how the scanning is done.
Recuva 1.46 update brings improvements across the board