Japan's scariest suspension bridge

This rickety old suspension bridge in Japan is the stuff of nightmares. The sound of the wind adds to the dreadfulness.
Japan's scariest suspension bridge

Windows 7: How to Dual Boot Windows 7 with XP or Vista

If you're dying to try out Windows 7 but aren't ready to give up your installation of XP or Vista, let's take a look at how to dual boot Windows 7 with XP or Vista.
How to Dual Boot Windows 7 with XP or Vista

What You Should Expect from the Windows 7 Beta

If you haven't already heard, the Windows 7 Public Beta is going to be released today through the Microsoft website, and the first 2.5 million people to register with Microsoft will receive access to the Beta 1 version. Today we'll run through the features and what you should expect.
What You Should Expect from the Windows 7 Beta

Where Your Laptop's Power Really Goes

A pie chart drawn up by Windows 7 engineers shows how much each part of your laptop draws from your slowly-discharging battery. Check out where a typical Windows system spends its juice below.
Where Your Laptop's Power Really Goes

How to Make Skies Beautiful with GIMP

Do the skies in your photographs look somewhat "blah"? So long as you take your photographs thoughtfully, you can make them pop with a few easy tweaks in GIMP, the renowned open-source image editor. These tweaks are also a great introduction to some of GIMP's more advanced features, such as layers, layer modes and layer masks. Here's how to do it.
How to Make Skies Beautiful with GIMP (with pictures)

Quarterly updates - Oxford English Dictionary

Every quarter, a range of entries in OED Online will be replaced by updated versions produced by the OED's revision programme. New entries will also be added across the alphabet.
Quarterly updates - Oxford English Dictionary

Google Maps: 100+ Best Tools and Mashups

Most people think of Google Maps in terms of finding a place or business, or getting directions from one point to another. Others use the satellite images and terrain mapping features. But there are tons of other uses out there for Google maps.
Google Maps: 100+ Best Tools and Mashups

Rip DVD Movies

Oh noes, not another software program to rip DVD movies. Yes, there are mini different applications that can rip DVD movies. Some do not work with copy protected DVD movies while others make use of a complex interface. Your Free DVD Ripper is a one-click solution to rip DVD movies. Well, it’s actually a few more clicks but all accessible from the main interface.
Rip DVD Movies

Many Ways to Plug In to Tech Savings

It’s a new year, all right, but economically, it still feels a lot like the old one. Seems that everywhere you look, things are being downsized: companies, paychecks, parties, trade shows and on and on. People aren’t just tightening their belts; they’re punching new holes in them.
Many Ways to Plug In to Tech Savings

Mount Everest climbers show survival on record-low oxygen

It's no secret that scaling Mount Everest tests the limits of human survival; more than 200 people have died trying to reach its summit. Today we have new information about just how seriously climbers push their bodies on the world's highest peak: Those who manage to stay alive do so on an amount of oxygen so minute that, at sea level, would only be seen in people who were in cardiac arrest or dead.
Mount Everest climbers show survival on record-low oxygen

Tips for Thinking from an Extraordinary Thinker

Daniel Tammet is the author of two books, Born on a Blue Day and Embracing the Wide Sky, which comes out this month. He’s also a linguist and holds the European record for reciting the first 22,514 decimal points of the mathematical constant Pi. Mind Matters editor Jonah Lehrer chats with Tammet about how his memory works, why the IQ test is overrated, and a possible explanation for extraordinary feats of creativity.
Inside the Savant Mind: Tips for Thinking from an Extraordinary Thinker

Microsoft Windows 7: Review of reviews

The curtain has been raised (slightly) on the next installment of Microsoft's Windows operating system - Windows 7.

Microsoft hope it will bring the internet, mobile phone and PC closer together. But reviews have so far been mixed, although reviewers have been limited to trying the (pre-beta version).

The full version is expected to be capable of working with a touchscreen screen, navigating documents and the Web similar to Apple's iPhone. It is officially released at the end of 2009.
Microsoft Windows 7: Review of reviews

5 Ways To Clone & Copy Your Hard Drive

One of the most annoying things about owning a computer is the maintenance. It’s easily neglected. After all you don’t really notice the slow decline of your system’s performance, do you?

But then again it’s a delight to work on a freshly installed machine, where everything is smooth and responds quickly. But customization is tedious. And when your hard drive decides to break spontaneously, time is something you won’t have for sure.

For emergencies it’s better you have a data and a system backup available. Here are the 5 best tools to clone or copy your hard drive in no particular order.
5 Ways To Clone & Copy Your Hard Drive

The Lateral Career Move

Have you encountered a log-jam in your business channel? Do you feel that you have outgrown your current position? As I write this, the economy brings uncertainty with it… which is why this might just be time for a lateral career move. Your new position may not be for more pay… but in the long run, you will be happier if you’re not bored or pigeon-holed into one area of expertise.
The Lateral Career Move: Why It's Worth the Effort

Sea ice area returns to 1979 level

Based on satellite observations, the University of Illinois' Arctic Climate Research Center reports that the amount of sea ice on the planet is the highest in 29 years, when satellite record-keeping began.
Sea ice area returns to 1979 level

And the Winner of the Google Docs Easter Egg Hunt Is ...

We might have been overly optimistic hoping for no less than 15 winners – after all, holidays are traditionally spent with family and friends, not searching Google Spreadsheets for mysterious Easter Egg function. We did get 1 winner though.
And the Winner of the Google Docs Easter Egg Hunt Is ...

Bikers wearing pumpkin helmets

Some Nigerian motorcyclists are attempting to get around a new helmet law by wearing dried pumpkins shells on their heads.
Bikers wearing pumpkin helmets

Eight tips for dealing with criticism

More and more, I see the connection between perfectionism, control, and anger. Zoikes, how I try to be more mild-mannered and easy-going! Here are some of the strategies that I try to use to accept criticism. If I manage to use them, they never fail me, but it can be hard to have the mindfulness needed to apply them.
Eight tips for dealing with criticism

A Simple Way to Remove Stickers from Books

Sometimes you can peel a sticker right off a book, but other times, it leaves behind a sticky residue.
A Simple Way to Remove Stickers from Books

How to Lose Belly Fat

There are a lot of gimmicks and commercials flying around about how to get rid of that pesky, unflattering belly fat. While there's no "magic bullet" that will target abdominal fat in particular, this article will explain what causes an expanding waistline, and how you can make the extra baggage go away.
How to Lose Belly Fat

Start the Year with an Empty Inbox!

ere’s a nice Gmail tip that will make you feel like a million bucks: empty out your crufty email inbox. There’s nothing like an empty inbox to motivate you and give you a fresh start for the year.
Start the Year with an Empty Inbox!

2008 Review of Books

From Aaron Swartz: I read exactly 100 books this year. I mistakenly told someone over the summer that I read a hundred books a year (I only read 70 last year, although 120 the year before that) and as the new year approached I felt duty-bound to make that true. (This led to spending a lot of New Year's Eve in a corner reading, as this list may suggest.)
2008 Review of Books

Museum of Modern Betas: 2008 Beta Releases of the Year

Some cool tools (most free) that might be of interest.
Museum of Modern Betas: 2008 Beta Releases of the Year

9 Methods for Mastering Your Money in 2009

2008 was a miserable year for money. The stock market tumbled, unemployment soared, the housing market continued to crumble, and retirement savings shriveled away. Whew! Here’s hoping 2009 will be better!

But hope can only do so much. Hope cannot bring change. Action brings change.

If one of your goals for 2009 is to take control of your money (instead of letting it keep control of you), this crash course in financial basics can help guide the way. Here are nine simple but effective actions you can take to build a better financial future.
9 Methods for Mastering Your Money in 2009

Playing golf can 'damage hearing'

Keen golfers are being warned by doctors that they could be risking their hearing for their sport. Players who use a new generation of thin-faced titanium drivers to propel the ball further should consider wearing ear plugs, experts advise.
Playing golf can 'damage hearing'

How to Work Smart, Not Hard

Working smart, not hard, is an age-old adage, and if you master the concept, your entire working life will be easier. There are simple techniques that you can employ to save steps and tedium from almost any task.
How to Work Smart, Not Hard

How to Text Message Online

If you pay for each text message you send, text internationally, or prefer typing over texting, knowing how to send an SMS message through the Internet can come in handy (and possibly save you money).
How to Text Message Online

Our 12 (Or So) Favorite Techy Cartoons of 2008

The principles that drive tech innovation are based on a certain amount of hopeful enthusiasm that is hard to make fun of sometimes. Many new gadgets focus on dry accumulative hardware developments that are technically dense and the personalities driving them are often, on the surface, quite serious. But with a skillful drawing, a great cartoonist can find insightful humor in anything. And often, the artist expresses commentary that can be more than funny. It can be reflective, mocking, or brutally honest in a single panel of narrative.
Our 12 (Or So) Favorite Techy Cartoons of 2008

Index.dat

A recent analysis of index.dat files on a Windows XP Service Pack 3 test system revealed hundreds of entries. Index.dat files are hidden files that contain information about visited urls, cookies and other cache related files. The information are only recorded when Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is being used to browse the Internet. What many users do not realize is that data is also recorded if a software program makes use of the Internet Explorer rendering engine.
Index.dat

Top Technology Breakthroughs of 2008

The economy may be tanking, but innovation is alive and well.
Top Technology Breakthroughs of 2008

Most extreme news stories of 2008

It's been a year of extremes for science and technology. From camera footage of the deepest living fish, swimming some 5 miles beneath the surface of the Pacific ocean, to the creation of the smoothest ever surface - a lead and silicon film.
Most extreme news stories of 2008

What’s Your Why? The Importance of Finding Meaning in Your Life

You’ve heard the phrase, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” I’ve often wondered about that — should we really settle for half the return just to have a sure thing right now? It could be argued, and convincingly, that our love of immediate gratification is why so many people have so much debt now.
What’s Your Why? The Importance of Finding Meaning in Your Life

How to Clear a Stuffy Nose

A stuffy nose is caused by inflamed blood vessels in the membranes lining the inside of your nostrils. While this can be life-threatening to newborns, for most people it's just an annoyance, albeit a very uncomfortable one. The most obvious solution is to use a store-bought or prescribed nasal decongestant, but there are also many home and alternative remedies that might do the trick.
How to Clear a Stuffy Nose

United State of Pop 2008

Here are bits of the Top 25 hits of the year, according to Billboard Magazine, arranged into a four and a half minute song. This is a follow-up to last year’s mashup of the Top 25 hits of 2007.
United State of Pop 2008

Seven new wonders of the world

Amidst much bad news, it's worth remembering that we live on an amazing planet – here are some of the most exciting stories revealed in 2008.
Seven new wonders of the world

Top 500 Worst Passwords

From Mark Burnett's 2005 book Perfect Passwords: Selection, Protection, Authentication, a table of the "Top 500 Worst Passwords Of All Time."
Top 500 worst passwords

Opening Titles of B-movies

Mr. Bali Hai has compiled a fair-sized gallery of B-movie opening titles. I've seen a few of these movies, and it's probably safe to say that the titles are the best parts.
Opening titles of B-movies

Amazon.com "Best of 2008" Lists

Amazon.com today released its "Best of 2008" lists, which include the bestselling, most positively reviewed, most-wished-for and favorite gift products as determined by Amazon.com customers in 2008.
Amazon.com Announces "Best of 2008" Lists

Popular Medical Myths Put to Rest

With the recession causing enough stress for all of us, the British Medical Journal decides to bust several common medical myths—for example, reading in dim light won't ruin your eyesight, so go nuts.
Popular Medical Myths Put to Rest

7 Steps to Avoid a Computer Virus

Follow these seven steps to keep your computer virus-free.
7 Steps to Avoid a Computer Virus

Ten Tips To Dress Thinner

Pick the right clothing to make you appear leaner.
Ten Tips To Dress Thinner

Three Top Windows Freeware Applications

It’s one of my favorite pursuits to try out bushels of open source and freeware applications, looking for gems. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose on the hunt, but there are definitely a lot of applications out there that cost nothing but pack powerful punches.
Three Top Windows Freeware Applications

How to Get Fit for Free

If you’d love to get fit but don’t have any funds just now to join a gym or buy the latest fitness equipment, don’t despair - you can still get fit without spending money at all.
How to Get Fit for Free - wikiHow

The Science of Weight Loss

If you've made shedding pounds a New Year's resolution, here's a guide to the research behind dieting and exercise.
The Science of Weight Loss

Blackstump Australia Issue 1 - January 4, 2009

This weeks latest new family friendly sites from The Black Stump.
Blackstump Australia Issue 1 - January 4, 2009

How to Calculate How Many Calories You Need to Eat to Lose Weight

The key to fat loss is first figuring out how many calories you should be taking in each day. Many people skip right over this step and jump straight into “eating healthy” but if you have no idea how many calories you should be eating, how can you ensure you are feeding your body what it needs to function and in turn will allow you to lose the fat you want to shed?
How to Calculate How Many Calories You Need to Eat to Lose Weight

Windows Startup Speed Benchmark

The startup speed of an operating system usually receives more attention than it deserves. Only a few users are booting their systems more than a few times per day, most users probably only once and it should not really matter if that startup takes 30 seconds or 2 minutes. The startup is on the other hand the first impression about an operating system and if it starts slowly the assumption could be made that everything else would be slow as well.
Windows Startup Speed Benchmark

One year in 40 seconds

So I started shooting images with my Canon 400D. From the same spot each time, but not through my window. I found a spot outside that gave more or less the same framing each time I placed my camera. So, I went out on our balcony snapping some images at pretty irregular intervals all through 2008.
One year in 40 seconds

New Scientist Gallery: Most stunning images of 2008

Selection of the most stunning images from our galleries this year including the propagation and reflection of a blast wave, a planetary nebula and a baby kangaroo suckling in a pouch...
New Scientist Gallery: Most stunning images of 2008

Cryptomundo » The Top 10 Cryptozoology Stories of 2008

From an alleged Bigfoot in ice to a mysterious body on a beach, from a new manta ray to a giant elephant shrew, it was quite a year. It might not have been the year we wanted but it sure was the one we got.
Cryptomundo » The Top 10 Cryptozoology Stories of 2008