Friday, August 24, 2012

Aussie In Hot Water After Tracking His Stolen iPad

Presumably, when one of your iDevices is stolen with iCloud activated it means you can find where it’s gone with the help of the police, right? After all, Apple helps you track the thing on a satellite map? Not so much for one Canberra man who is currently up on charges of digital trespass for tracking down his allegedly stolen iPad.
Aussie In Hot Water After Tracking His Stolen iPad

How To Beat Facial Recognition Technology

Facial recognition technology isn’t part of science fiction anymore, it’s something that’s being employed by a handful of governments around the world, and even private enterprise is getting in on it with applications like Facedeals. If you don’t want to be pinged in public by a surveillance suite though, hacktivist group Anonymous have made a handy instructional video to keep you safe.
How To Beat Facial Recognition Technology

Unfortunate vintage ads

Unfortunate-in-hindsight vintage ads over at Collectors Weekly.
Unfortunate vintage ads

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 13/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 13/2012

Lolz! Oxford Dictionary Adds Ridic New Words

Hey, tweeps. Done any photobombing lately? You know, while you lifecasted your date night with that ripped Wikipedian; he said he was an ethical hacker, but turned out to be a douche who just wanted to talk vajazzling. Totes ridic, right? Lolz.
Lolz! Oxford Dictionary Adds Ridic New Words

New Zealand Roaming Rorts To Continue

Australia and New Zealand often boast of their close relationship, but if you use a mobile phone from Australia in New Zealand or vice versa, you’ll pay the same ludicrous roaming charges that apply to countries on the other side of the world. A joint government investigation which began back in May 2010 has finally issued a draft report, but all we’re going to get from it is a direction to make pricing clearer. Fat lot of help that is.
New Zealand Roaming Rorts To Continue

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The Little Games We All Play Inside Our Heads [VIDEO]

Do you still avoid stepping on sidewalk cracks for fear of breaking your mother’s back? Or embrace your inner Gabby Douglas and teeter on railroad tracks, retaining walls or anything that resembles a balance beam?
The Little Games We All Play Inside Our Heads [VIDEO]

How to Identify a Scam Email

Remember the good-old days, when a Nigerian Prince would offer you riches beyond belief if you’d just help him get some of his ill-gotten gains out of the country? That prince hasn’t e-mailed me in years. He’s been replaced by a wide variety of scam tales, all of them just as hell-bent on making you do things you’re sure to regret later on.
How to Identify a Scam Email

The Most Difficult Security Questions You Will Ever See

This security check is used to prevent the creation of fictitious accounts. Please provide answers to the 2 security questions listed below.
The Most Difficult Security Questions You Will Ever See

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

‘You Can Do Anything, But Not Everything’

The world is filled with things to do, make and accomplish, but not with a lot of time. This quotation from David Allen, the creator of the Getting Things Done productivity system, is a reminder that we have to remember what’s important to do rather than trying to do it all.
‘You Can Do Anything, But Not Everything’

The Most Amazing Humpback Whale Photos You’ve Ever Seen

Humpback whales swimming in the waters off San Luis Obispo, Calif. created an unexpected and incredible photo opportunity for Bill Bouton.
The Most Amazing Humpback Whale Photos You’ve Ever Seen

Friday, August 17, 2012

Everyday Items Developed By NASA

NASA is often criticized for wasting taxpayer dollars. The $2.5-billion rover that recently landed on Mars has brought this issue to center focus once again.
But the Space Program's research and advancements extend well beyond spaceflight into everyday life. Since the agency's creation in 1958, technologies originally developed for space missions have been adapted for commercial products and services on Earth.
Everyday Items Developed By NASA

Tightrope Walker Defies Death in Heart-Stopping Volvo Ad

Volvo’s new advertising plan for its line of trucks could give potential customers a case of sweaty palms before they ever get behind the wheel.
The Swedish automaker hired Hollywood stunt director Peter Pedrero to coordinate a daredevil feat that involved two speeding semis, a tightrope and a few moments of pure terror.
Watch and then take a deep breath.
Tightrope Walker Defies Death in Heart-Stopping Volvo Ad [VIDEO]

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Why You Should be Careful About Cloud Storage

This is not an article meant to compare the advantages and the disadvantages of cloud storage. You already know what the cloud can do for you, but maybe because it’s so easy accessible and at hand, you might not be aware of the minuses that cloud storage presents. While you might be lured into the beauty and versatility of cloud storage, you should be aware of the dangers that it represents.
Why You Should be Careful About Cloud Storage

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The Top 10 Memes of the Olympics Will Impress Even McKayla

The London 2012 Olympics bid a British song-and-dance farewell Sunday night, but the memes spawned at the Games will live forever. Or at least until something else catches the Internet’s attention.
The Top 10 Memes of the Olympics Will Impress Even McKayla

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Science of Total Recall

Like many people, I went to see Total Recall recently. Much of the story for this science fiction thriller (based loosely on a short story by Philip K. Dick) concerns “The Fall.” As explained in the introduction for the movie, “The Fall” is a tunnel bored through the center of the Earth that connects the fictional United Federation of Britain and The Colony, which is located in present day Australia.
The Science of Total Recall

For his birthday, (almost) all of Alfred Hitchcock's cameos

In honor of Alfred Hitchcock's birthday - which would have been his 113th - here is a very decent compilation of nearly all the cameos made by the Master of Suspense. He may not have been an angel, but he made us some pretty excellent movies, in which he made some pretty clever cameos.
For his birthday, (almost) all of Alfred Hitchcock's cameos

Google Earth locates lost pyramids

A recent survey using a satellite that provides data to Google Earth found two previously unknown pyramid groupings about 145 kilometers (90 miles) apart in Egypt. Further research will verify the archaeological find.
Google Earth locates lost pyramids

Monday, August 13, 2012

Cloud Storage

Want your files to be everywhere you are? Throw away your thumb drives, and think cloud storage. With so many big companies clamoring to give you free online storage, cloud storage is hot. And, as with many online tools, there is no rule saying you have to stick to just one vendor.
Cloud Storage

10 Terrifying Shark Clips on YouTube

Hurrah! It’s the most wonderful time of the year again. No, we don’t mean the holidays — we mean Shark Week. To celebrate all things great-big-scary-fish-related, we have collected some awesome, user-generated shark clips.
10 Terrifying Shark Clips on YouTube

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Tips From A Baggage Handler On How To Avoid Damage To Your Luggage

Baggage handlers have to pick up and move luggage hundreds of times day. The ones that get treated the most carelessly are those that are heaviest, according to a baggage handler, who offers other tips for keeping your luggage intact.
Tips From A Baggage Handler On How To Avoid Damage To Your Luggage

These 11 Olympic Fails Will Make You Cringe

Olympic athletes are at the top of their game, having labored tirelessly for years to prepare their bodies for the grandest of stages. And because of this ceaseless conditioning, no athlete ever makes an error.
These 11 Olympic Fails Will Make You Cringe

Tuesday, August 07, 2012

7 Tricks Your Mind Plays On You (And How To Fight Back)

Have you ever noticed that your own mind is sabotaging your path to happiness? While your mind may not be the sole culprit, it is a clever foe. Your brain can mislead you and make you miserable… and you won’t even know it.
7 Tricks Your Mind Plays On You (And How To Fight Back)

Sunday, August 05, 2012

Top 10 Ways To Boost Your Home Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is one of the most useful and important parts of using a computer, and yet it’s also one of the most frustrating. If you’re plagued by slow speeds, bad reception, and other Wi-Fi issues, here are 10 ways you can power up the Wi-Fi in your home.
Top 10 Ways To Boost Your Home Wi-Fi

Learn How to Tie a Bow Tie with Bill Nye the Science Guy [Video]

You’ve got the lab coat, you’ve got the slacks and sensibly comfortable shoes, you almost have your dashing scientist look down pat–you just need the nail that bow tie. Who better to teach you than the bow tie wearing Bill Nye?
Learn How to Tie a Bow Tie with Bill Nye the Science Guy [Video]

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Increase the Security of Your LastPass Account with Two New Options

Two new security options are now available to LastPass users in the account settings dialog, which can be opened from the LastPass vault: the ability to restrict logins to selected countries and to disable access from TOR.
Increase the Security of Your LastPass Account with Two New Options

Beating The Australia Tax: Can The Government Do Anything To Stop It?

The Government’s inquiry into local price gouging for tech seems to be going swimmingly, but now that the first hearings are over and the dust is beginning to settle, questions are emerging as to what the government can actually do to stop these companies charging Australians through the nose. Can the government actually stop industry gouging? We can reveal new information that says that perhaps it can.
Beating The Australia Tax: Can The Government Do Anything To Stop It?

How bus passengers avoid each other

Yale University sociologist Esther Kim traveled thousands of miles on buses to study "nonsocial transient behavior," basically how passengers keep their distance. Of course, the most obvious unspoken rule is that you should never sit beside someone if you can avoid it.
How bus passengers avoid each other

Gmail vs Outlook - Ten Reasons to Love the new Outlook.com

Several unique and useful features in Outlook.com that you will surely miss inside Gmail.
Gmail vs Outlook - Ten Reasons to Love the new Outlook.com

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Revealing the Psychology of Playing Card Magic

For thousands of years, magicians have amazed audiences by developing and applying intuitions about the mind. Skilled magicians can manipulate memories, control attention, and influence choices. But magicians rarely know why these principles work. Studying magic could reveal the mechanisms of the mind that enable these principles, to uncover the why rather than just the how.
Revealing the Psychology of Playing Card Magic

How to Get the Outlook.com Email Address You Want

Microsoft just completely overhauled Hotmail, rebranding it as Outlook and moving the whole email service to Outlook.com. The app is actually much improved, but longtime Hotmail users will probably have tons of questions — the most important being: What’s my email address now?
How to Get the Outlook.com Email Address You Want:

Microsoft pushes out Outlook.com mail preview

Todays craze in the tech world is Microsoft’s launch of outlook.com, a preview of an email service that may replace Hotmail eventually, or act as a completely independent service. No on knows yet for sure. What everyone suggests though is that you grab your outlook.com email address before it is picked up by someone else.
Microsoft pushes out Outlook.com mail preview

[How to] Upgrade to Outlook.com Email from Hotmail or Live.com

Hotmail, the world’s first webmail service is no more. Technically, it isn’t dead yet, but Microsoft is rebranding Hotmail.com as Outlook.com and will soon phase it out of the interwebs.
[How to] Upgrade to Outlook.com Email from Hotmail or Live.com

Friday, July 27, 2012

Gender Indicators, Australia, Jul 2012

The indicators presented in the July 2012 issue of Gender Indicators, Australia, are organised in six domains representing major areas of social concern for gender equality - Economic security, Education, Health, Work and family balance, Safety and justice, and Democracy, governance and citizenship.
Gender Indicators, Australia, Jul 2012

10 Budget Airfare Tools Every Traveler Should Know

If you’re daydreaming about white sand, cobbled streets or medieval cityscapes, you’re probably in need of a vacation. Being strapped for cash shouldn’t keep you from traveling.
10 Budget Airfare Tools Every Traveler Should Know

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 12/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 12/2012

Facts at your Fingertips: Health, 2011

The average Australian is a little heavier and taller than a decade ago, according to health reports released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

On average, men and women aged 18 and over were both around 3 kilograms heavier in 2007–08 than they were in the mid-nineties. However the height increase of men was almost twice that of women, at 1.2 cm for men and 0.7 cm for women.
Facts at your Fingertips: Health, 2011:

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Google Maps Adds Sydney Public Transport Directions (At Last!)

Sydneysiders rejoice! Google Maps has finally added public transport directions for buses, trains and ferries.
Google Maps Adds Sydney Public Transport Directions (At Last!)

Sharing Works: 100,000 concert recordings for free

We just hit a milestone: 100,000 free concert recordings from over 5,200 bands!
Sharing Works: 100,000 concert recordings for free

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

What You Probably Didn't Know About London [VIDEO]

The Olympic Games direct the attention of the world to London this summer, but how much do you really know about the UK capital? YouTube’s resident knowledge bestower C.G.P. Grey shares a fascinating lesson on London and the City of London — yes, they’re two different places.
What You Probably Didn't Know About London [VIDEO]

Monday, July 23, 2012

The Cloud: questions you should ask yourself before storing data in it

Hosting data in the cloud has consequences though, and it is highly recommended to understand what those consequences will be before making any data available in the cloud. The following questions can help you significantly in making that decision.
The Cloud: questions you should ask yourself before storing data in it

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

ExpenseMagic Turns Receipts Into Reports By Photographing Them

iOS: Got a wallet or drawer full of receipts you need to track? ExpenseMagic is a service that lets you photograph them on your iPhone and then has the data from them typed into a monthly expense report for you
ExpenseMagic Turns Receipts Into Reports By Photographing Them

Heroic Bus Driver Catches Girl in Three-Story Fall [VIDEO]

Stephen St. Bernard braced himself for impact and in a flash, the weight of a 7-year-old child plummeting three-stories crashed into his arms.
Heroic Bus Driver Catches Girl in Three-Story Fall [VIDEO]

Bleeding Virgin Mary statue attracts crowds in Baton Rouge

Believers are flocking to this Baton Rouge neighborhood to see a statue of Mother Mary with their own eyes. You see, everyone here believes the statue is bleeding.
Bleeding Virgin Mary statue attracts crowds in Baton Rouge

Become an Antarctic explorer with panoramic imagery

Today we’re bringing you additional panoramic imagery of historic Antarctic locations that you can view from the comfort of your homes.
Become an Antarctic explorer with panoramic imagery

Sunday, July 15, 2012

NASA Releases Awesome Images of Massive Solar Flare Heading Toward Earth [VIDEO]

NASA is keeping a close eye on that solar flare that started on Thursday, July 12, and now it’s released dramatic time-lapse video and photos of the flare that’s found its way to Earth.
NASA Releases Awesome Images of Massive Solar Flare Heading Toward Earth [VIDEO]

Billabong website hacked; reveals passwords of 21,000 users

In order to make life easy for all concerned, Billabong chose to store details for their web site subscribers in plain text. How very thoughtful.
Billabong website hacked; reveals passwords of 21,000 users

Friday, July 13, 2012

Microsoft Malware Prevention troubleshooter

The Microsoft Malware Prevention trouble shooter is designed to scan your computer and make recommended changes based on your current settings to provide you with the most up to date security for your Windows operating system. Building up your computer’s defenses helps secure your computer against viruses and other malicious software.
Microsoft Malware Prevention troubleshooter

Watch How Snake Venom Destroys Your Blood [VIDEO]

It’s bad to get bitten by a poisonous snake. That’s obvious. But just what does snake venom do once it’s released from the fangs that have pierced your flesh? This video provides a terrifying illustration.
Watch How Snake Venom Destroys Your Blood [VIDEO]

Why is 98.6 just right for your body but too hot for the weather?

Slate has a nice explainer covering heat wave health problems. The central question: If my body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, why am I uncomfortable when it's 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit outdoors?
Why is 98.6 just right for your body but too hot for the weather?

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Windows 8 RTM Coming in First Week of August, General Availability in October

Today at Microsoft’s annual Partner Conference, Tami Reller, Windows Chief Marketing Officer, revealed some big news about Windows 8. She announced that Windows 8 RTM will be released in the first week of August, and Windows 8 will reach general availability by the end of October.
Windows 8 RTM Coming in First Week of August, General Availability in October

Monday, July 09, 2012

These Pool Trick Shots Defy The Laws Of Physics

This video is amazing, but it serves as more of a public service announcement than a trick shot video. The announcement? Never make a bet involving with these guys. You will lose all of your money, all of your dignity and maybe even your significant other to these gravity-defying masters of felt.
These Pool Trick Shots Defy The Laws Of Physics

DNSChanger - what should you do?

Midnight tomorrow, Eastern US Daylight time, the FBI's DNSChanger redirector will be turned off. If you're affected by the DNSChanger malware, you will lose your ability to navigate the Internet. Here's what you should do.
DNSChanger - what should you do?

Here's the Most Stunning Photo of Mars the World Has Ever Seen

NASA has released a new panorama from its Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, showing the terrain where the robot spent the four-month Martian winter. The full-circle scene combines 817 images shot by the panoramic camera (Pancam). You can download the complete image and learn more about the expedition on NASA’s website.
Here's the Most Stunning Photo of Mars the World Has Ever Seen

Common Questions When Buying an HDTV Set

With the Summer Olympics about to start and lots of great things to view on a big screen TV like games, streaming movies, Blu-ray movies and more, here's a set of questions we are commonly asked about buying a new HDTV set.
Common Questions When Buying an HDTV Set

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Stay Smart Online unsmartly loses user data offline

Stay Smart Online, the Federal Government website designed to educate Australians about cyber security risks, has managed to lose details of a large number of its subscribers.
Stay Smart Online unsmartly loses user data offline

Saturday, July 07, 2012

Are You Comfortable With Airlines Researching You On Google?

According to the London Evening Standard, British Airways is beginning a program in which employees google the faces of passengers for upcoming flights so that they may immediately greet them upon entry to the airport gate/aeroplane.
Are You Comfortable With Airlines Researching You On Google?

Man Interviews His 12-Year Old Self [VIDEO]

What would it be like if you could go back in time and talk to a younger version of yourself? Filmmaker and actor Jeremiah McDonald got to experience that process — in a way — thanks to a video tape he made for his future self back in 1992.
Man Interviews His 12-Year Old Self [VIDEO]

Wimbledon Fan Advises Backhand; Player Agrees, Wins Point [VIDEO]

Can crowdsourcing work at a tennis match? If one piece of shouted advice at Wimbledon is any clue, the answer is yes.
Wimbledon Fan Advises Backhand; Player Agrees, Wins Point [VIDEO]

My stupidest moment as a customer, ever

Reddit thread on stupid customer stories.
My stupidest moment as a customer, ever

Infographics from 1917 on the exciting future of aviation

A page of charts and graphs from the July 7, 1917 issue of The Graphic displays, among other things, Lord Montagu's ideas for how to divvy up airspace, the estimated annual cost of running a London-Paris air route, and the distances covered in one hour by different methods of transportation of the day. Perhaps the most entertaining part is its warning that with the coming age of non-military aviation, 'there may be a revival of smuggling.
Infographics from 1917 on the exciting future of aviation

Friday, July 06, 2012

Thursday, July 05, 2012

When Will You Get Your Tax Refund?

From today, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) begins processing 2011-2012 tax returns. If you have submitted using e-tax, you should get a refund within 12 business days. That’s slower than the ATO promised last year, and there are some caveats.
When Will You Get Your Tax Refund?

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Know The Effects Of Dehydration To Stop Them Before They Start

In most cases, knowing you’re dehydrated is as simple as feeling thirsty. However, sometimes you might miss that feeling or your body will tell you in other ways. Health blog Greatist breaks down the common signs of dehydration so you can fend it off before it starts.
Know The Effects Of Dehydration To Stop Them Before They Start

Monday, July 02, 2012

Telstra: Oh what a tangled web we weave

It all started with a simple query on Whirlpool from a somewhat perplexed new contributor. We now see Telstra in a world of trouble from the Privacy Commissioner and Telecommunications authorities.
Telstra: Oh what a tangled web we weave

'Leap Second Bug' Causes Glitches for LinkedIn, Reddit, More

After an extra second was added to the clock on Saturday to better align it with the Earth’s rotation schedule, a whole slew of websites from LinkedIn, Foursquare and Reddit to Mozlila, Yelp and Gawker sites experienced technical issues.
'Leap Second Bug' Causes Glitches for LinkedIn, Reddit, More

Sunday, July 01, 2012

This World Map Of Earthquakes Is As Terrifying As It Is Beautiful

Compared to the rest of the world, Australia is quite fortunate when it comes to earthquakes. The worst we’ve had recently was Melbourne’s rumble a few weeks back — a joke really, when you consider the suffering countries like Japan and New Zealand experienced in 2011. The image above, which plots earthquakes of magnitudes 4.0 or greater from 1898 onwards, shows just how active our planet is, especially near the aforementioned hot spots.
This World Map Of Earthquakes Is As Terrifying As It Is Beautiful

Texting and Driving: A Crash Course [INFOGRAPHIC]

Texting and driving a car at the same time is a dangerous and irresponsible combination — but people do it anyway. A series of sparse, haunting public service ads from AT&T provides a spooky reminder that even sending or receiving short messages can lead to death or lifelong crippling injury.
Texting and Driving: A Crash Course [INFOGRAPHIC]

Saturday, June 30, 2012

This Is The Oldest Vinyl Album In The History Of The World

Sometime in 1890, Emile Berliner recorded the first album in the history of the world. Then, that record by the father of the gramophone was destroyed. Today, Patrick Feaster, a sound historian at Indiana University, recreated the album using just a printed photograph of the album. His technique defies belief.
This Is The Oldest Vinyl Album In The History Of The World

Friday, June 29, 2012

Data after a death?

Open question: when a friend dies, what should her loved ones do with the data on her hard-drives?
Data after a death?

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Causes of death: 1900 and 2010

An editorial in the 200th anniversary issue of the New England Journal of Medicine looks at mortality and health through the centuries, and includes this chart of causes of death from the turn of the last century, which makes for quite a comparison. We're doing great on kidneys, but hearts not so much.
Causes of death: 1900 and 2010

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

How to Banish Duplicate Photos with VisiPic

You meant well, you intended to be a good file custodian, but somewhere along the way things got out of hand and you’ve got duplicate photos galore. Don’t be afraid to delete them and lose important photos, read on as we show you how to clean safely.
How to Banish Duplicate Photos with VisiPic

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Facebook Switched Your Email to One You've Probably Never Used

Whether you’ve noticed or not, you have a new primary email address listed as your Facebook contact and most likely, it’s an address you’ve never used.
Facebook Switched Your Email to One You've Probably Never Used

Facebook’s Six Sneakiest Settings (And How To Fix Them)

Facebook’s sneaky change to email settings reminds us that the social networking giant rarely has the interests of its users front and centre. Here are seven sneaky Facebook settings you might have forgotten about.
Facebook’s Six Sneakiest Settings (And How To Fix Them)

Do You Live Near A High Containment Biohazard Laboratory?

The Federation of American Scientists has a very interesting map for all the hypochondriacs and people living in permanent fear of a deadly virus epidemic. Or a zombie outbreak. These are all the (known) Biosafety Level 3 and 4 facilities in the world — high containment laboratories that work with “dangerous and emerging pathogens.” Zoom in the image to see if there’s any near you.
Do You Live Near A High Containment Biohazard Laboratory?

Monday, June 25, 2012

How to Find Your Computer’s Private & Public IP Addresses

An IP address (or Internet Protocol address) identifies each networked computer and device on a network. When computers communicate with each other on the Internet or a local network, they send information to each other’s IP addresses. Your computer likely has public and private IP addresses. You’ll need the IP address if you’re hosting server software – the client computers will need your computer’s IP address to connect to it.
How to Find Your Computer’s Private & Public IP Addresses

Live Capture is a versatile screen capturing program

Taking full screen screenshots has always been an easy process in the Windows operating system. Just hit the print key and the current screen is saved to the Clipboard, from where you can be paste into an image editor to edit and finally save it. Screenshot software for Windows usually optimizes the process in two ways: most programs allow you to save screenshots automatically once you tap on the print screen, and also offer to capture only part of the screen, or even elements that are not visible. The latter may include a window, a scrolling web page, a rectangular block, or even a freehand option.
Live Capture is a versatile screen capturing program

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Growing Plants that have been Exposed to Lunar Soil [Video]

Lunar soil was brought back to Earth during the days of NASA’s Apollo program and scientists eagerly started conducting experiments with it. This short video discusses some of the research and results when plants from Earth were exposed to soil from the Moon.
Growing Plants that have been Exposed to Lunar Soil [Video]

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Microsoft Surface: Everything You Need to Know

Microsoft made waves in the tech world on Monday night with the announcement of Surface, its new Windows tablet. Everything about Surface—from the shroud of mystery around the Los Angeles launch event to the presentation’s focus on hardware and design—is out of character for Microsoft.
Microsoft Surface: Everything You Need to Know

Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2011

Australia's annual population growth rate was 1.4% for the year ending 31 December 2011, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Over the same period, Australia's population increased by 302,600 people to 22.5 million (22,485,300) people. Net overseas migration accounted for 55% of the growth for the year ending December 2011, with the remaining 45% due to natural increase (births minus deaths).
Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2011

Switzerland is one gigantic booby-trap

Geoff Manaugh at BLDGBLOG has been exploring the bizarre world of Swiss self-destructing infrastructure, documented in La Place de la Concorde Suisse, John McPhee's "rich, journalistic study of the Swiss Army's role in Swiss society." It turns out that the Swiss Army specifies that bridges, hillsides, and tunnels need to be designed so that they can be remotely destroyed in the event of societal collapse, pan-European war, or invasion. Meanwhile, underground parking garages (and some tunnels) are designed to be sealed off as airtight nuclear bunkers.
Switzerland is one gigantic booby-trap

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Why Sitting Too Much Is Dangerous

Sitting is one of the worst positions for the body to maintain. After just 20 minutes hunched over in a chair, blood pools in the legs and immense pressure builds on the spine. Now, imagine the effects of sedentary workdays long term.
Why Sitting Too Much Is Dangerous

10 Best Yo-Yo Tricks on YouTube

Not a lot about the yo-yo itself has changed over the decades, but its tricks have become a thousand times more complicated. Ever heard of Buddha’s Revenge? The Brain Buster? What about the Mach 5, the Spaghetti, the Zipper, the World Tour, the 3-Leaf Clover or the Double Gerbil?
10 Best Yo-Yo Tricks on YouTube

Monday, June 18, 2012

Australian Government Agencies Asking Google To Remove Even More Content

Someone in a Canberra office has been busy with their browser. Between July and December last year, Australian government agencies asked Google to remove 646 items online.
Australian Government Agencies Asking Google To Remove Even More Content

Turn the Internet connection on or off

Sometimes you may want to turn off your Internet connection in an instant, for instance if you have noticed that malware is running on a system to avoid it leaking information or data. A switch to turn off the Internet can be useful in other situations as well, like during software installations to block applications from phoning home, or cutting off all network traffic to have those resources available for other more important tasks on the system. Lastly, you could also use it to avoid distractions during work by turning of the connection.
Turn the Internet connection on or off

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Rare photo of honeybee leaving its stinger behind

Kathy Keatley Garvey has won the Association for Communication Excellence gold medal for her rare photo of a honeybee leaving behind its stinger in an unfortunate (but now immortalized) human. Ms Garvey comes from a line of California dairy farmers who have kept bees since the mid 19th century.
Rare photo of honeybee leaving its stinger behind

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Carat Tells You Which Apps Drain Your Battery

Battery power on an iPhone or Android phone is always a bit of a crapshoot. However, Carat is an app that shows you which apps suck up power so you can shut them down and improve battery life.
Carat Tells You Which Apps Drain Your Battery

Montage of car dashboard camera incidents

Miss Cellania of Neatorama says: "Many Russian drivers use a constantly-recording dashboard camera for legal defense in case of trouble, which leads to some awesome clips for the internet audience."
Montage of car dashboard camera incidents

The Black Stump on Facebook

You can follow the Black Stump on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BlackStump.com.au
The Black Stump on Facebook

How to burn a Video_TS folder with ImgBurn

ImgBurn is my burning software of choice. This has a number of reasons, from the fact that it supports every writing operation that I ever need access to – and dozen others – to the fact that it is available free of charge and not bloated.
How to burn a Video_TS folder with ImgBurn

Friday, June 15, 2012

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 10/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 10/2012

Movies.io Is A Visual Movie Search Tool

If you don’t need the full power of IMDB, Movies.io is a great way to look up basic information about any film. It provides a short synopsis, basic statistics, and it has a great interface that includes posters and trailers. It’ll also autocomplete as you type if you’re not sure of the movie’s name.
Movies.io Is A Visual Movie Search Tool

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

120 Hilarious Seconds of Models Falling on Runways [VIDEO]

We all know Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down. Runway models sure do, though. Comedy engine Worldwide Interweb rounded up the most epic tumbles in the above video and used Joe Crocker’s “You Are So Beautiful” to set the mood.
120 Hilarious Seconds of Models Falling on Runways [VIDEO]

Follow Your World Notifies You When Satellite Images Update

Satellite images update infrequently enough to make manually checking for new photos of interesting locations impractical; automate the process with notifications from Follow Your World.
Follow Your World Notifies You When Satellite Images Update

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Draw A Perfect Circle Without Any Extra Tools

If your circles always end up looking like a deformed eggplant and you don’t have a compass nearby, here’s a simple trick to drawing a perfect circle with just a pencil and your finger.
Draw A Perfect Circle Without Any Extra Tools

Monday, June 11, 2012

Windows 8: Enable the hidden Administrator Account

Windows 8 just like its predecessor Windows 7 ships with an administrator account that is disabled by default. While it is not suggested to enable and use the administrators on a day to day basis, it can be used for a variety of purposes. One of the reasons is to use it as a fallback account in case you can’t log in to a regular user account, or for tasks that require administrative privileges.
Windows 8: Enable the hidden Administrator Account

Saturday, June 09, 2012

The 30 Most Popular Passwords Stolen From LinkedIn [INFOGRAPHIC]

Think your password is unique and clever? A new inforgraphic from security firm Rapid7 has revealed the top passwords stolen from this week’s LinkedIn security breach. There are hundreds of duplicates and patterns associated with the compromised log-in information.
The 30 Most Popular Passwords Stolen From LinkedIn [INFOGRAPHIC]

A World Map of the Most Visited Websites

This world map represents the most popular websites by country. No big surprises here as Google reigns supreme in most parts of the world followed by Facebook. Yahoo is still the most visited website in Japan and Congo while Baidu is the Google of China in every sense.
A World Map of the Most Visited Websites

Friday, June 08, 2012

LinkedIn Hacked, Are You Affected?

LinkedIn yesterday confirmed that there was a breach of security, and that member passwords were dumped by the attackers. The password hashes have been posted on the Internet in a 250 Megabyte text file, and it is generally assumed that people have started to break the hashes to reveal the underlying passwords. All in all, about 6.5 million LinkedIn user accounts are affected by this.
LinkedIn Hacked, Are You Affected?

Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Apps to Lock and Hide Files on iPhone

To protect your files from the peeking eyes of others. Many of us have sensible information on our smartphones, and we wouldn’t want to that information to be at anyone’s disposal, so these apps help us keep those folders private.
Apps to Lock and Hide Files on iPhone