Saturday, May 28, 2011

Banks block cards after security scare - UPDATED

Leading Australian banks have blocked thousands of customer credit cards after a potential security breach was uncovered. While the banks have gone secret squirrel about which merchant or network was to blame, an eftpos terminal in a small business is understood to be at the root of the problem.
Banks block cards after security scare - UPDATED

Watching Endeavour’s Junk Parts Fall Back To Earth Is Worth 37 Minutes Of Your Life

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was watching an experimental film and not footage of Space Shuttle Endeavour’s last launch. At times, the visuals contained within the 37-plus minutes can only be described as accidentally beautiful. In fact, CNET pretty much nails that sentiment with their description of the segment which transpires between the 16 and 20 minute marks.
Watching Endeavour’s Junk Parts Fall Back To Earth Is Worth 37 Minutes Of Your Life

Australia Building Plane Boneyard In Alice Springs

When a commercial jet gets decommissioned, it generally gets retired to the Pinal Airpark in Arizona (pictured). Soon, it may get retired to Alice Springs, with the red centre of Australia’s airport being selected as the site for the first Aircraft “boneyard” outside the US.
Australia Building Plane Boneyard In Alice Springs

Faulty Pitot Tubes To Blame In Air France Flight 447 Crash

Faulty Pitot tubes – speed sensors that are crucial for auto-pilot navigation – were one of the leading theories as to why Air France 447 crashed in 2009. The latest black box analysis confirms that invalid readings were provided right before the plane crashed.
Faulty Pitot Tubes To Blame In Air France Flight 447 Crash

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The oddest English spellings, part 17: The letter H

Because of the frequency of the words the, this, that, these, those, them, their, there, then, and with, the letter h probably occurs in our texts more often than any other (for Shakespeare’s epoch thee and thou should have been added). But then of course we have think, three, though, through, thousand, and words with ch, sh, ph, and gh.
The oddest English spellings, part 17: The letter H

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 10/2011

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 10/2011

A Visual Guide to How Many Fruits and Veggies You Should Eat for a Serving

We all grew up knowing the "food pyramid" by heart, but it wasn't easy to apply to the real world because it was all based on servings. If all food came in packages by the serving, then everything would make sense, but that's not the case. Food site CHOW's handy visual guide for popular fruits and vegetables attempts to fix that problem.
A Visual Guide to How Many Fruits and Veggies You Should Eat for a Serving

Top Ten Myths About the Brain

When it comes to this complex, mysterious, fascinating organ, what do—and don’t—we know?
Top Ten Myths About the Brain

Tsunami photos from Fukushima

Last week, the Japanese utility company Tepco released photos taken of the March 11 tsunami as it struck the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Tsunami photos from Fukushima

Century of Aussie inventions go online

From the Hills hoist and Vegemite to the bionic eye and cervical cancer vaccine, more than 100 years of Australian patent applications appear on a new online database launched this week.
Century of Aussie inventions go online

HOW TO: Set Up a Facebook Page

There are 500 million active users on Facebook — it’s about time you get in on the action and start a Facebook Page for your business. After all, the best marketing reaches out to consumers where they already are, and people spend more than 700 billion hours a month on the site. Exposure to that many eyeballs could translate to a lot of business for your company.
HOW TO: Set Up a Facebook Page

Friday, May 20, 2011

And the 2011 U.S. Doodle 4 Google winner is...

With more than 5 million votes cast, the anticipation has been building in this year’s Doodle 4 Google competition. Today, the wait is finally over—seven-year-old Matteo Lopez of South San Francisco, Calif. is the national winner with his imaginative doodle, entitled “Space Life.
And the 2011 U.S. Doodle 4 Google winner is...

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

How to Block All Cookies Except for Sites You Use

Cookies can be useful when you’re in control of them. Today we’re taking a look at how you can control cookies by blocking them except for when you want them to enhance your user experience.
How to Block All Cookies Except for Sites You Use

YouTube Blog: The YouTube 100 music chart is live

We’re introducing the first YouTube chart to track song popularity in user-generated and professional music videos. The YouTube 100 measures song traffic across official music videos, user-uploaded videos and viral debuts, and uses this data to provide a holistic view of song popularity. The new chart is published weekly, and shines a new light on the YouTube community's engagement and creativity.
YouTube Blog: The YouTube 100 music chart is live

Monday, May 16, 2011

HTG Explains: Cameras, Lenses, and How Photography Works

Confused by that digital SLR you have, and all the photography jargon that goes along with it? Take a look at some photography basics, learn how your camera works, and how that can help you take better pictures.
HTG Explains: Cameras, Lenses, and How Photography Works

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Access Denied! 18 Places Google Maps Won’t Let You See

Google has always tried to keep a very open policy with the general public, but it can’t always be entirely forthcoming, as is the case with Google Maps. Google has very little say in what gets censored and what doesn’t, be it for personal privacy or national security. Finding censored objects on Google Maps isn’t the easiest task, as most look like imaging anomalies, rather than some big black bar with “CENSORED” written in large text.
Access Denied! 18 Places Google Maps Won’t Let You See

Thursday, May 12, 2011

How Did This Boat Get On Top Of A House?

The image of the boat balancing itself in the aftermath became one of the lasting images of the tsunami and showed the world the strength and all around destruction she left behind. But it also meant something to Japan. Many people thought the ship should be left on top of the house as a symbol of the tsunami’s destruction, a sort of reminder for the tragedy that the country had to endure. But given safety concerns for the house underneath it, officials decided otherwise.
How Did This Boat Get On Top Of A House?

How A Million-Pound Jumbo Jet Tests Its Brakes

Watch this amazing video of what happens when Boeing wants to make sure the carbon ceramic brakes on its new Boeing 747-8 work under the worst possible conditions. Specifically, Boeing has to simulate the worst possible conditions: a rejected take-off with no reverse thrusters on worn-out brakes. The result? Red-hot 1400C brakes. Yowch!
How A Million-Pound Jumbo Jet Tests Its Brakes

Build a complete Windows 7 safety net

From Fred Langa, Windows Secrets...
Every copy of Windows 7 includes a complete suite of backup tools. The suite contains everything you need to back up (and restore) your entire system.
Build a complete Windows 7 safety net

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Just Weeks Away, A Preview Of The Google +1 Button For Websites

Today at the Google I/O conference, Google gave developers a preview of how the Google +1 button can be inserted into websites, some of the stats it will offer and said it would be available “in a matter of weeks.”
Just Weeks Away, A Preview Of The Google +1 Button For Websites