The Louvre iPhone App's Like Being There Without the Plane Ticket

If you're not traveling to Paris anytime soon to visit The Louvre, then grab the art museum's free iPhone app. It's packed with enough info about its famous paintings to make you feel like you're there on a private tour.
The Louvre iPhone App's Like Being There Without the Plane Ticket

WhoCrashed Explains Why Your Windows PC Crashed

Generally, when your computer crashes, your best hope of figuring out what went wrong (and thus preventing future crashes) usually hinges on sifting through complex log files. WhoCrashed aims to make this process easier by summarising what happened when your computer went down, including specific information on exactly what piece of hardware, software, or driver caused the crash.
WhoCrashed Explains Why Your Windows PC Crashed

Australian Bushfire Map Offers Up-To-Date Fire Tracking

Bushfire season is in full swing early, and online resources are key to keeping track of where things are happening. The Australian Bushfire Map integrates fire warnings for four states (NSW, Victoria, Queensland and SA) with Google Maps to provide up-to-date news of current fires.
Australian Bushfire Map Offers Up-To-Date Fire Trackin

John Lennon tribute: "War is Over!" crowd-sourced translations

Yesterday, December 8, marked the anniversary of the death of John Lennon. In tribute, Yoko Ono and the Imagine Peace team are crowd-sourcing translations of the famous John & Yoko "WAR IS OVER!" poster for people to print and share over the holiday season as cards or posters.
John Lennon tribute: "War is Over!" crowd-sourced translations

Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories, Jun 2009

This issue contains estimates of the resident population of Australian states and territories as at 30 June of each reference year. Estimates up to 2006 are final, based on the results of the 2006 Census of Population and Housing. Estimates for June 2007 have been revised and estimates from June 2008 onwards are preliminary.
Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories, Jun 2009

Japanese subway etiquette poster campaign

I like the art and colors of these Japanese subway posters that remind people to be considerate of others.
Japanese subway etiquette poster campaign

namebench - DNS Benchmark Utility

Are you a power-user with 5 minutes to spare? Do you want a faster internet experience? Try out namebench. It hunts down the fastest DNS servers available for your computer to use.
namebench - DNS Benchmark Utility

How to Never Be Late For Work or Anything Again

I hate to be late. If I’m driving to a business meeting and get stuck in traffic, I whip myself into a frenzy, imagining the person on the other end checking their watch every two minutes and cursing me for having such little regard for their time.
How to Never Be Late For Work or Anything Again

How to Know When Your DNS Servers Are Failing

Now that both Google Public DNS and OpenDNS offer alternative, public DNS services anyone can use instead of their service provider's DNS servers, the question is: How do you know if your DNS service isn't working properly and if you should switch?
How to Know When Your DNS Servers Are Failing

Google Launches Real-time Search

We knew that it would be coming eventually and the time apparently has come today. At least for some users that is as Google stays true to its policy to roll out changes to their services over time. Real-time search is an addition to the standard Google search results that users see when they perform a search in the search engine.
Google Launches Real-time Search

The Top 10 Gadgets of the Decade; Will the Data These Devices Hold Be Accessible in Another 10 Years?

We love gadgets and it’s likely many of you also love them. The same goes for lists. So when a list containing selections for the Top 10 Gadgets of the Decade, we have to make mention of it.
The Top 10 Gadgets of the Decade; Will the Data These Devices Hold Be Accessible in Another 10 Years?

Q&A: To treat or not to treat visual migraines?

Every couple of months I get a visual migraine—flashing lights in my field of vision, but no headache. My ophthalmologist says not to worry and that I don’t need any treatment. Is he right?
Q&A: To treat or not to treat visual migraines?

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 34 -December 6, 2009

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 34 -December 6, 2009

100 Blogs that Will Inspire You to Be a Better Person

Everyone needs a little help sometimes in getting motivated, relaxing, feeling happy or just getting those creative juices flowing. Luckily, the Internet is full of places to find inspiration. These blogs can help you get moving towards your goals, whether you want to give back more to the community, feel better about yourself, or just get in shape.
100 Blogs that Will Inspire You to Be a Better Person

Eight Tips to Know If You're Being Boring

How do you know if the other person is interested in your conversation – or not? One challenge is that the more socially adept a person is, the better he or she is at hiding boredom. It’s a rare person, however, who can truly look fascinated while bored.
Eight Tips to Know If You're Being Boring

Is it time to kill the Antarctic Treaty?

Fifty years ago, 12 nations—Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Britain, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union and the U.S.—agreed to cede their claims to Antarctica. The continent would belong to no nation and become a nature preserve and scientific laboratory open to all.
Observations: Is it time to kill the Antarctic Treaty?

iPhone Constantly Running Low on Juice? Try a $15 External Battery

A $15 external iPhone battery from MonoPrice that can store enough juice to charge the phone twice over.
iPhone Constantly Running Low on Juice? Try a $15 External Battery

Step-by-Step Math

Have you ever given up working on a math problem because you couldn’t figure out the next step? Wolfram|Alpha can guide you step by step through the process of solving many mathematical problems, from solving a simple quadratic equation to taking the integral of a complex function.
Step-by-Step Math

NORAD Santa Tracker 2009 Goes Live

The NORAD Santa Tracker service has just gone live for those who are ready to start searching for St. Nick. While you won’t actually get to track him until Christmas Eve, there are resources at the site now.
NORAD Santa Tracker 2009 Goes Live

Lasik: is it worth $6000?

Excimer laser technology was first used and developed by IBM to make etchings on computer chips in the 70s. The first excimer eye surgery was conducted in 1988, and the basic underlying technology has remained pretty much the same since then. There are a few things that are new now.
Lasik: is it worth $6000?

AOL’s List Of Lists – Top Searches 2009

AOL has weighed in with a heavy hitting list of 2009’s top searches in the categories below.
AOL’s List Of Lists – Top Searches 2009

Official Google Australia Blog: ​Melbourne in 3D on Google Earth

Been to Melbourne lately? If not, it has become a whole lot easier to get your Melbourne fix without jumping on a plane, thanks to recent updates to the 3D buildings layer in Google Earth.
Official Google Australia Blog: ​Melbourne in 3D on Google Earth

Yahoo Releases Top Searches of 2009 (Twitter Nowhere to Be Found)

2009 was a year of ups and downs for Yahoo search. While we wait for the Yahoo/Microsoft search deal to take effect, we know that Yahoo still holds firm as the number two search site, with 18.8% market share (to Google’s 64.9%) according to October data from comScore.
Yahoo Releases Top Searches of 2009 (Twitter Nowhere to Be Found)

Google’s 2009 Aussie Zeitgeist results zoom into the room!

Google’s top list of Australian searches for 2009 has been revealed, showing the ideas and spirit of the times as they were down under, and as you can imagine, many of the major Australian and international events of the year such as Twilight, Susan Boyle and stimulus packages all definitely make the cut!
Google’s 2009 Aussie Zeitgeist results zoom into the room!

Find of the Month - National Archives of Australia

Long before the six white boomers of Rolf Harris and Christmas cards of Ken Done, Lionel Lindsay created uniquely Australian greeting cards. From the cattle dog stealing the Christmas turkey to the big boomer acting as Santa Claus, and native animals toasting in the New Year, Lindsay’s cards took a whimsical look at how ordinary Australians and our native wildlife might celebrate the festive season.
Find of the Month - National Archives of Australia

Do You Really Need More Than 4GB of RAM?

With the price of upgrading system RAM extremely low these days, people are always asking me whether it's really worth it to upgrade beyond 4GB; today we'll answer that question for everybody.
Do You Really Need More Than 4GB of RAM?

Twitter Declared Most Popular English Word of 2009

While Twitter may have taken second place in Bing’s 10 most searched topics of 2009, we’ve now learned that it has become top dog in something far bigger: the entire English language.
Twitter Declared Most Popular English Word of 2009

Top Bing Searches in 2009

Cue Music. Awwww, 2009. It was a year of UFO shaped dirigibles, mom jeans on pop stars, real housewives, a new president, and a new decision engine. Oh and there may have been something about Vampires too, we weren’t really paying attention. Yes, it was quite a year and what better way to reminisce then by taking a trip down memory lane with a look back at what topped the list of Bing searches. If you’re curious how we determined the top searches, we analyzed billions of search queries and developed the list based on searches made with Bing.
Top Bing Searches in 2009

10 Views of Earth from the Moon, Mars and Beyond

For more than 40 years, missions throughout the solar system have sent back stunning images of our home planet.
10 Views of Earth from the Moon, Mars and Beyond

How to Fix Your Relatives' Terrible Computer

Drop your bags, grab a drink, and grab the XP CD—it's time for the holiday ritual of fixing up your relatives' computer. Here are some tips and downloads to keep handy while you're cursing all the auto-starting crapware.
How to Fix Your Relatives' Terrible Computer

How to Light a Fire in a Fireplace

Lighting a fire in a fireplace is, in general, viewed as an easy task. Because of this, a majority of people may forget a few key steps in the process that would help them enjoy their fire better. What could have been a nice night by the fire can easily become a smoke filled room. Here is a recommended method that if followed, should help make your fire enjoyable from the start.
How to Light a Fire in a Fireplace

61 Free Apps We're Most Thankful For

Cornucopia of excellent free software and webapps we're extremely thankful for. So whether you're an American celebrating the season or not, the selection of apps below is like gravy-drenched turkey and mashed potatoes for your computer.
61 Free Apps We're Most Thankful For

Diamond optical illusion

Antonio at Fogonazos writes about this interesting optical illusion. The four rows of diamonds appear to be colored with different shades of gray, but all the diamonds are identical. In fact, the diamonds aren't solid gray, they are tinted with a gradient (lighter on the top, darker on the bottom).
Diamond optical illusion

How to maximize coupon savings

Yesterday we came across this amazing YouTube video of a Good Morning America segment profiling Kathy Spencer, who runs How to Shop for Free. By using a few techniques highlighted in the video, she manages to feed her family of six for less money than you probably have in your sofa cushions right now.
How to maximize coupon savings

Cash is King: Proverbs about money

With yet more stories in the press about banks, bailouts, recession, and the economy, I wondered what the new edition of The Little Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs had to say about money. Unsurprisingly, it’s something that has preoccupied people for a very, very long time. Here’s a selection of money-related proverbs from across the centuries.
Cash is King: Proverbs about money

How to Do Laundry While Traveling

If you're going to be away from home for more than a few days, washing clothes along the way will mean carrying far less. On an extended trip, washing clothes may be the only way to travel. It's not difficult or even time consuming to wash your own clothes while you are away.
How to Do Laundry While Traveling

Deaths, Australia, 2008

Death rates in Australia have remained steady over recent years, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The standardised death rate was 6 deaths per 1000 people in 2008 - unchanged since 2005. Twenty years ago, the rate was 9 deaths per 1000 people. There were 143,900 deaths (73,500 men and 70,400 women) registered in 2008.
Deaths, Australia, 2008

10 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Getting Cancer

Below is an expanded list of things you can do to reduce your risk of getting cancer.
10 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Getting Cancer

Gmail, Windows Live Hotmail and Yahoo Mail Comparison

Have you ever asked yourself how you did end up with the email account that you are currently using? Chance is that you have at least one account at one of the three most popular web based email service providers Gmail, Yahoo Mail or Windows Live Hotmail.
Gmail, Windows Live Hotmail and Yahoo Mail Comparison

Math tackles the rear-end collision

According to U.S. researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology, rear-end collisions can be avoided by a simple algorithm inserted into your car’s computer that tells a driver that the car in front is going slower than they are.
Math tackles the rear-end collision

Buzzword: Teeth bleachorexia

Bottom line: With so much still unknown, we think you should take it easy on how frequently you use tooth whiteners. If a super-white smile is especially important to you, break out the kits for special occasions, like before you greet your friends over the holidays. With any luck, that should tide you over until at least swimsuit season.
Buzzword: Teeth bleachorexia

Simple, cheap remedy for toenail fungus

I used to cringe when my yoga instructor told us to “take off your socks.” The big toenail on my right foot was an ugly flakey brownish gray, a condition I’ve had for years. It may have started when I was taking Tae Kwon Do and kept landing on my big toe while trying to do roundhouse kicking.
Simple, cheap remedy for toenail fungus

How to Make Luggage Easier to Spot

After a long flight, the last thing you want to do is pull a dozen pieces of luggage off a baggage carousel to check if they're yours, since they all look pretty much the same. The best way to avoid this is to buy unique luggage, but if you've already got luggage that looks like everyone else's, here are some ways to make it stand out.
How to Make Luggage Easier to Spot

Digger's diary recounts 'hell on earth'

After 94 years of research and historical writing, you might expect that we would know everything there is to know about the Gallipoli landings. But the State Library of New South Wales has just proven that there is more to learn, especially on a personal level. The library took possession of a digger's diary, largely penned in the trenches by a young soldier from Sydney called Charles Hardy.
Digger's diary recounts 'hell on earth'

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 33 -November 22, 2009

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 33 -November 22, 2009

8 Reasons We Don't Do Things We Should and How To Break the Mould

Our lives are full of things we “should” do but for a range of reasons we don’t do them. Whatever it is – exercise, healthy eating, saving money – most of the time we choose to take the easier road, the road well traveled.
8 Reasons We Don't Do Things We Should and How To Break the Mould

The Ten Most Influential Internet Moments of the Decade

Earlier today, the organisers of the Webby Awards announced their selection of the most influential moments on the Internet in the past decade.
The Ten Most Influential Internet Moments of the Decade

Save Your Lungs, Blow Real Air With Your iPhone [Video]

We know how hard it is: birthday after birthday, those stubborn candles aren’t extinguishing themselves, and your poor lungs aren’t getting any younger. You know the drill: there’s an app for that! The iPhone app is called Blower and it works by moving air through the speakers of your iPhone (strictly speaking, the same thing happens when you play music through those speakers, but let’s not be too harsh on the novelty part of the application).
Save Your Lungs, Blow Real Air With Your iPhone [Video]

International Travel Tips

You should try to get as much information as possible about the country you are visiting, but this list of tips should give you some good starting points that are relevant for most any destination.
International Travel Tips

Do Speedy Math in Your Head

Arthur Benjamin is a wizard at maths. Literally. At Hollywood's Magic Castle, the world-famous conjurer's club, he wows the crowd by multiplying big numbers — quick, what's 57,682 squared? — faster than you can use a calculator. Here he shares three cool tricks. (The answer, by the way: 3,327,213,124. See how easy it is?)
Do Speedy Math in Your Head