Confusing as English spelling may be, it has one well-publicized, even if questionable, merit: it tells us something about the history of the language. For example, sea and see were indeed pronounced differently in the past. This fact is of no importance to a modern speaker of English but can be put to use in a course “Spelling as Archeology.” In other cases, modern spelling only puzzles and irritates.
A Troubled Marriage Between A Skeptic and an Ascetic, or, The Oddest English Spellings
Thursday, November 08, 2007
A Troubled Marriage Between A Skeptic and an Ascetic, or, The Oddest English Spellings
Posted by Blacky at 6:57 am 0 comments
Meditation for Beginners: 20 Practical Tips for Quieting the Mind
Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness.
Meditation for Beginners: 20 Practical Tips for Quieting the Mind
Posted by Blacky at 6:53 am 0 comments
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
House Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities, Sep 2007
House prices rose this quarter in Melbourne (+6.7%), Adelaide (+5.1%), Darwin (+5.1%), Brisbane (+4.0%), Hobart (+3.9%), Canberra (+3.9%), Sydney (+1.5%) and Perth (+1.1%).
House Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities, Sep 2007
Posted by Blacky at 11:42 am 0 comments
How To: Back Up A Trailer
If you've ever tried to back up a trailer, you know how insanely difficult it can be. Popular Mechanics has a quick how-to that should make this process less crazymaking.
How To: Back Up A Trailer
Posted by Blacky at 11:39 am 0 comments
Curing Insomnia Without the Pills
Better sleep doesn’t have to come in a pill.
For people with chronic insomnia, studies show that simple behavioral and psychological treatments work just as well, and sometimes better, than popular medications, according to a report in The Journal of Family Practice.
Curing Insomnia Without the Pills
Posted by Blacky at 11:37 am 0 comments
How to Really Maximize Your Credit Card Rewards
Credit card reward cards are extremely popular but odds are you aren't getting the most out of yours. In fact, poor execution or poor planning can actually result in your credit or account balance being negatively impacted by the use of these cards.
How to Really Maximize Your Credit Card Rewards
Posted by Blacky at 11:36 am 0 comments
Why it can be selfless to be selfish, or, how you can be generous by TAKING.
The pleasure of giving—giving help, giving advice, giving a recommendation, satisfying a desire—is one of the most exquisite pleasures imaginable. But to experience this pleasure, someone must accept your gift. Or, perhaps, even ask for it. And so sometimes, you must be the selfish one, asking and accepting.
Why it can be selfless to be selfish, or, how you can be generous by TAKING.
Posted by Blacky at 11:34 am 0 comments
Die and you're under arrest!
Queen Elizabeth II's speech in the British Parliament overnight may have been routine, but at least nobody got bored to death. That would have been against the law.
Dying in Parliament is an offence and is also by far the most absurd law in Britain, according to a survey of nearly 4,000 people by a television channel showing a legal drama series.
Die and you're under arrest! Britain's stupidest laws revealed
Posted by Blacky at 11:09 am 0 comments
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
80+ File Conversion Services And Tools
Converting files from one to another format can be a complex task, especially because not many users have the necessary tools handy. Here’s our collection of online conversion services as well as offline desktop tools which provide an easy way to convert files of various types and formats ranging from images, video to audio.
80+ File Conversion Services And Tools
Posted by Blacky at 11:21 am 0 comments
Car Maintenance Schedules
Car maintenance schedules, car recalls, and car dealership marketing and appointment scheduling software.
ServiceBeacon.com
Posted by Blacky at 11:20 am 0 comments
Secrets of Long Life
Newsflash! Scientists have discovered the secret to living literally hundreds of years. The key ingredients? A sedentary lifestyle, slightly chilly climate, friendly neighbors, close proximity to the sea...
Secrets of Long Life
Posted by Blacky at 11:18 am 0 comments
Weird and wonderful Foreign Phrases
English is a rich and wonderful language - but sometimes it's just not good enough.
For example, have you ever searched around in vain for a word to describe someone who gets excited by eating garlic?
Or wondered why there isn't a nice pithy term for a person who is only attractive if they're standing quite far away?
Weird and wondrful foreign phrases
Posted by Blacky at 11:11 am 0 comments
Resolve Conflict Quickly with The Four Agreements
I dread conflict. In fact, when I know a confrontation is imminent, it’s all I can think about. I mull it over when I could be labeling file folders, I ponder it while my inbox burgeons, while my 3x5 cards gather dust. Conflict is my productivity disaster.
Resolve Conflict Quickly with The Four Agreements
Posted by Blacky at 11:09 am 0 comments
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Productive Arguing
These tips from Relationship psychotherapist Paula Hall can help stop your arguments becoming destructive and painful.
BBC - Relationships - Couples - Productive Arguing
Posted by Blacky at 11:29 am 0 comments
Disable Windows Defender in Vista
Even if Windows Defender is offered for free and it has decent protection features, some people might prefer other applications to secure their system from spyware and other threats. In this case there is no point in having two similar applications running at the same time, both of them consuming system resources. This is why disabling Windows Defender can be a good idea.
Disable Windows Defender in Vista
Posted by Blacky at 11:27 am 0 comments
25 Photographs Taken at the Exact Right Time
Timing is everything, particularly in the case of amazing photography. Sometimes that means waiting through a whole sports game and getting lucky to catch just the right shot. Other times than means trudging through nature for weeks to get the perfect environmental photograph. Here are 25 examples of perfectly timed images from around the world and in various genres.
25 Photographs Taken at the Exact Right Time
Posted by Blacky at 11:24 am 0 comments
Saturday, November 03, 2007
11 Phenomenal Images of Earth
11 incredible photos taken from space which illustrate just a few of earth’s fascinating geographical features and nature’s frightening unpredictability.
11 phenomenal images of earth
Posted by Blacky at 1:49 pm 0 comments
How to convert your vinyl into mp3s
Playing vinyl may be a long-dead activity in most homes, but we’re willing to bet that you’ve at least a few classic records tucked away in the loft.
Whether you’ve got a working turntable or not, in this brave new world of digital music collections and wireless streamers it’s just too much hassle to get everything out of storage and slide those unwieldy records from their paper sleeves.
How to convert your vinyl into mp3s
Posted by Blacky at 1:43 pm 0 comments
Friday, November 02, 2007
When Spellcheckers Attack: Perils of the Cupertino Effect
Dictionaries, for all their virtues, can sometimes be troublemakers. Ever since the dawn of word processing, dictionaries have been mined to create wordlists for automated spellcheckers.
When Spellcheckers Attack: Perils of the Cupertino Effect
Posted by Blacky at 9:19 pm 0 comments