Rare "Smiling" Bird Photographed for First Time

Call him the Mona Lisa of the bird kingdom.
The rare recurve-billed bushbird, recently rediscovered by scientists in Colombia after a 40-year absence, sports a curving beak that gives the illusion of an enigmatic smile.
Rare "Smiling" Bird Photographed for First Time

Come fly with me (but maybe not with them)

I was loving yesterday's NYTimes.com story about the guy who used one of the tiny videocameras his company sells to rescue himself and his fellow passengers from one of those planes that sits on the runway and never goes anywhere. Read on...
Come fly with me (but maybe not with them)

07/07/07: Is This Your Lucky Day?

Those superstitious types who freaked out last year when the calendar read 06/06/06 will have something to smile about on the 7th day of the 7th month, 2007.
07/07/07: Is This Your Lucky Day?

September-quarter Weather Outlook Australia

The national outlook for total September-quarter rainfall (July to September), shows no strong swings in the odds towards either above-normal or below-normal rainfall. Over Australia the chances of accumulating at least average rain for the season are relatively close to 50%.
50:50 chances for above average September-quarter Rainfall

The national outlook for maximum temperatures averaged over the September quarter (July to September) shows a moderate shift in the odds towards warmer than normal conditions over much of the country, especially in the north and west.
Warmer September quarter for much of Australia

2006 Census Media Releases and Fact Sheets

For Example:

Australia's big picture: Census highlights the changes in Australian society
Census provides an updated picture of the average Australian
Census paints a picture of the average Australian family
Census puts our ageing population in perspective
Census shows non-Christian religions continue to grow at a faster rate
Census shows increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population
More than one in five Australians born overseas: Census
Census: one in eight Australians lives alone
Census shows marriage still the norm for couples
Census reveals many young adults still live with their parents
Fewer Australian homes are paid-off: Census
Australia connected: Census reveals 58% of households have Internet
More than one in 25 Australians needs help with basic activities: Census
One in five Australians engages in voluntary work: Census
More than a quarter of Australians provide child care: Census
Census proves more of the domestic workload is shouldered by women
Balance of the sexes favours women
Some quirky Census facts.

2006 Census of Population and Housing: Media Releases & Fact Sheets

Australia Census of Population and Housing

After many years of planning, collecting, and processing the millions of Census forms, the first release of 2006 Census data is here. The valuable data you and the rest of Australia provided has been processed and is now available. You can discover information online about the people of Australia and your local community for free!

According to the 2006 Census, the median age of the Australian resident population was 37 years, up from 35 years in the 2001 Census.

Census of Population and Housing

CIA Document Dump

Okay, it ain't the "family jewels" -- the CIA's documents, detailing Cold War assassination plots, kidnappings, and "behavior modification experiments." But, "very quietly, the Agency has put literally thousands of documents online on their website," Entropic Memes points out. Many of them are formerly classified. And they cover everything from spy satellites to "screwballs" to Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
UFOs, Laser Weapons, "Screwballs" in CIA Document Dump

Talented Young Aussies

A break-dancing hip-hop group, a Tasmanian photography student and a young lawyer were among the National Youth Week Talent Competition winners announced today.
Minister for Community Services, Senator Nigel Scullion said a high standard had been set by the hundreds of entries that had been received from right across Australia.
Competition Showcases Talented Young Aussies

Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia

This publication provides estimates of the quantity of beer and wine available for consumption for the financial years 2003-04 to 2005-06. It also includes estimates of the annual apparent per person consumption of these products by persons aged 15 years and over. Estimates of pure alcohol available for consumption from these products, as well as from spirits, are also included, together with the apparent per person consumption of pure alcohol from these products by persons aged 15 years and over.
Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2005-06

25 Web Sites to Watch

Think that all of the great Web sites have already been invented? Think again. The Internet is evolving in new and inventive ways thanks to mashups that pull data from all over the Web and to AJAX-based interfaces that give sites the same degree of interactivity and responsiveness that desktop apps possess.
25 Web Sites to Watch

90+ Online Photography Tools and Resources

Photos are everywhere on the web. From sharing with friends, to editing, printing, buying, selling, searching, remixing and free hosting, here's a plethora of resources for photo fiends.
90+ Online Photography Tools and Resources

World's Ugliest Dog

Elwood, a 2-year-old Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix, was crowned the world's ugliest dog Friday, a distinction that delighted the New Jersey mutt's owners.
World's Ugliest Dog

10 Books That Shaped My Life | zen habits

I’m a book lover, to be honest, and to choose just a few books that have influenced me is like choosing among your babies. However, I’ve decided to share a few books that have shaped the way I think, and that I would highly recommend.
10 Books That Shaped My Life, and 40 Others I Love

5 Tips for Making a Room Look Bigger

“In a small space, everything counts.” - That’s the main idea behind this article, and how we can make a small room look bigger, with some clever tricks.
5 Tips for Fooling the Eye and Making a Room Look Bigger

How to Sleep More Effectively, Starting Tonight

Tired after getting a full nine hours and still feeling exhausted? You sleep the sleep of the innocent - you nod off quickly, don’t have nightmares and have no trouble breathing - and still you can hardly get up in the morning and seldom feel totally awake, no matter how long you slept the previous night. You are suffering from a clear-cut case of ineffective sleep.
How to Sleep More Effectively, Starting Tonight

Mosquito Bite Itch Relief Tips

Here are more than 40 mosquito bite itch relief tips organized in one neat file, each bullet tip is a single method.
Mosquito Bite Itch Relief Tips

American Film Institute: 100 Years - Top 100 Movies

You've come to the right place to find official information and downloads for AFI's 100 Years . . .100 Movies series. Ten years after the very first list in the series -- the 100 greatest American films of all time -- AFI's experts have taken another look and movie lovers have been waiting for the result. Now, the new top 100 movies list has been revealed.
American Film Institute: 100 Years - Top 100 Movies

Digital Da Vinci Codes: Thousands of Leonardo's Papers Go Online

The tiny brick library in Leonardo Da Vinci's hometown is putting 3,000 pages of the genius' work online in a high-resolution, searchable archive.
The Leonardian Library in Vinci, Tuscany, is making the Madrid Codices and the Codex Atlanticus -- two collections of scientific and technical drawings -- available as a free digital archive called e-Leo.
Digital Da Vinci Codes: Thousands of Leonardo's Papers Go Online

Word Processor Review — DonationCoder

Review by Zaine Ridling
Welcome to the DonationCoder comprehensive review of Modern Word Processors. In part one we look at the major players; in part two we try out the second-tier contenders; part three examines the online word processors challenging the desktop heavy hitters.
Word Processor Review

Year Book Australia 2007

Year Book Australia provides a comprehensive and detailed statistical overview of various aspects of our great nation. This magnificent volume contains 30 chapters dealing with Australia's geography and climate, government, international relations, defence, education and health and welfare support systems; plus many more interesting topics. Copies of this limited edition Australian Bureau of Statistics flagship publication cost $97.00.
Year Book Australia 2007