Useful General Information

Environmental and Living Issues

Canberra to have free e-Waste Recycling Scheme from 15 May 2012 This covers disposal of TVs, Computers and Associated Products. You have to take them to Mitchelll or Mugga Lane. TAMS information on the Free TV and Computer Recycling Services

Recent add on Recycling old computers and TVs These prices are slightly cheaper than the ACT Govt prices for computers but more expensive for TVs. Charity Computers They will take unwanted computers and e-waste (TVs for $50, Computer Monitors $15, Printers $5) at their Charnwood facility. Prices are for "working or not" condition. Not sure these groups will continue when the Govt free service gets going!

State of the Climate - 2012 Many of use will struggle to reconcile climate change predictions of a trend in SE Australia towards increased droughts in Southeast Australia with the floods of 2011 and 2012. The recently released CSIRO-BOM report on the State of the Climate 2012 predicts that as well as droughts it is also likely that there will be an increase in intense rainfall events in many areas

Atlas of Living Australia The Atlas is an information system that aggregates data on all Australian species of flora and fauna and provides a capability to analyse the data geospatially. The partners are the usual Government and University agencies in such things like CSIRO, and various museums

Gumtree Canberra for jobs, rentals, selling things

Friends of the Earth Nanotechnology Project See their Safe Sunscreen Guide. This is important as it allows you to select sunscreens free from nanoparticles

Front Page of Newspapers Around the World Just put your mouse on a city anywhere in the world and the newspaper headlines pop up. Double click and the page gets larger. You can read the entire paper on some if you click on the right place. You can spend forever here. Thanks to Peter Tilley

Online Newspaper Directory for the World This does seem to list most newspapers including regional ones and provide links to their sites

Ginninderra Landcare Group January 2012 Newsletter

Canberra Times Lists Canberra's top 20 Eateries

Trip Advisor Lists 583 Restaurants in the ACT with reviews of the first 333

The Varroa Mite is responsible for the collapse and death of managed honeybee colonies wherever it is present. Paul Zarb has advised that Australia is one of the few places on Earth without the mite. It explains why honey is so expensive overseas. Read about the mite

Knife Sharpening with the Edge Pro Apex Interesting You Tube presentations on this sharpening device

Is the Income Derived from Solar Panels on Your Roof Taxable?

ACT Government free collection of bulky waste for eligible pensioners by Tiny's Green Shed The ACT relevant waste disposal and options page

U3A ACT 50+ or retired? Consider U3A

One Laptop per Child Project (OLPC) Donations can also be made through Google and Paypal Could be a cause the Shed could take on board

How Much Carbon in a Litre of Milk Comments and deductions from MacroBusiness SuperBlog

Action on Indian Myna Birds These are an introduced and aggressive species damaging the local bird population in the ACT and region. A local action group, the Canberra Indian Myna Action Group Inc has been successful in developing strategies to capture and rid areas of these birds. The link above is their site if you need more information including data on building traps and how to dispose of them. Bill Handke of the Canberra Indian Myna Action Group presented to the shed on 10th Dec 2010 on this issue. ABC Stateline program on Indian Myna Birds

Commercial Indian Myna Bird Cage This product costs $199 but looks better made than the CIMAG cage. They have some alternative guidance on attracting the birds. The provider has an ACT Mitchell address

Gardening and Planting Guide Choose Cool/Mountain zone for ACT. Looks like and excellent guide for monthly planting of vegetables and herbs

Advice on maximising discount on the Woolworths Everyday Rewards Cards? In our Newsletter No 85 of 10th June 2011 it was advised how to maximise the availability of higher petrol discounts. Here is the advice reprinted. By the way! It does work!

"Do you and your partner have linked Woolworths Everyday Rewards Cards? Well, if you do, here's a clue that may help you achieve 9, 12 or 15 cents discount on up to 150 litres of fuel from a Woollies/Caltex service station." For about a month, only use one of your two linked cards. Shortly thereafter the owner of the unused card will get an email saying something like: 'We haven't seen you in a while, and you're a valued customer. To welcome you back, here's a great offer when you shop at Woolworths. Remember to activate this offer before you shop.' You'll have to click on the 'Activate' message and then use the 'unused' card for a single purchase of at least a specified value (usually $30 - $150) and you'll be credited with the promised fuel voucher within 7 days. Remember, you heard it here! And it works, time and time again!"

Interesting papers by Australian Institute of Landscape Architects. Thanks to John A for discovering these

Information on use of words and phrases in books. Since 2004, Google has digitised more than 15 million books, mostly to build its Google Books service. But recently Google Labs released a nice little spinoff product, the Ngram Viewer, that provides a window into how we have historically used words, and what these usages say about our culture

NearMap This is provided by Nearmap a photomap and location based media company providing great photomaps of our major cities and soon regional centres. There is some integration with Open Street maps. The resolution on these photo maps is better than Google maps

Nearmap updated aerial photos for ACT The latest nearmap pictures are from 29 Dec 2011. You have to sign up but its free for individuals for personal use. Click on thumbnails below for examples

Sample Photoview of Melba Shed and Environs

Sample Closeup Photoview of Melba Shed

Price USA Want to buy something online from the USA. But they won't deliver to you or the delivery costs are exorbitant? Check out this site

The Essentials of Communicating with Skype A site under Dummies.com that explains a lot of the Skype stuff

Get Wordpress This site defines the differences between Wordpress.com and Wordpress.org. Worth understanding

Canberra Organic Growers Society. Very interesting information on community gardens, organic gardens and lots of great tips

The End of the World as we Know It. Forget man-made threats – the catalyst for the apocalypse will come from outer space, warns astronomer Chris Impey. An article by Impey was published in the Weekend Australian Magazine of 3-4 July 2010. Now you can read the article in the UK Independent. In this article he describes how the sun will, as part of its life cycle, expand and eventually burn up the earth in about 7.5 Billion years. Unfortunately in 500 Million years or so the heat from the sun will be so hot that life on earth will become impossible. Its the ultimate global warming. No a carbon tax will not save us! Its the ultimate irony. This is scary stuff!

What Caffeine Actually Does To Your Brain Lifehacker article

Removing Bee Hives. Paul Zarb advised that people should contact an expert using the Swarm List. This includes Paul as well, but offers a list of expert people who are qualified in removing bee hives. Article from Canberra Times on beekeeping featuring our Paul

Deterring Cats. As much as we love them, some neighbours cats can do the wrong thing on our lawns and gardens. I was looking for solutions to this. Some research so far has found some useful sites and information. The Cat Repellant and Deterrent Site. An electronic control device Catwatch. Feedback on Catwatch. GardenWeb also has some great ideas from Violet_Z6.

Broadband for Seniors Has been considered by the Committee in the past but might be useful for other organisations if you have any association with such bodies

KIna Grannis Videos Young Californian who has gained recognition through her You Tubes videos. Quite nice music

Rory Faithfield's 'Again' from the Album 'Circle Dance' (2007) Listen to the track on broadband. Compelling modern celtic influenced folk lyrics. His website His music can be purchased and downloaded here

Megan Washington performing The Church's 'Unguarded Moment' - 2010 Aria Awards ceremony Broadcast October 30, 2010. All Rights, SBS. You Tube link

Tina Arena - 'Here Comes The Star' - ARIA Hall Of Fame, 27 Oct 2010 You Tube link. Some daunting music

E-Book Readers and Tablets

Techguide Reviews of the latest Kindle They also have a review on a In-car mount can hold and charge any smartphone from Mr Mobile

Best e-readers in Australia from CNet Australia. Also their Ebooks and e-readers: FAQ is useful. However to say that e-readers can break but not books is denying the obvious that books can be damaged, get wet and wear out. Also saying you can't share ebooks is not exactly correct. However to be fair there are some limitations with ebooks, especially with colour and writting notes on the page.

Various Kindle Models at Sep 2011. Comparison overview of all Kindle models as at 30th Sep 2011. These all appear to be Kindle 3 or later models. The model Greg H bought in Dec 2009 was a Kindle 2 (Keyboard and 3G). The closest current model is Kindle Keyboard. Confused! Then Wikipedia gives a good overview of Kindle models naming and numbering. OK so you want something else. Check out the Wikipedia comparison of E-book Readers. Note sometimes it hard to get all options in Australia. Note that the B&N Nook, Sony and Kobo are recognised as good e-book readers.

BigW and Dick Smith are selling some models of the Kindle. You can also buy eBook readers and Tablets direct from Sony.

You can buy the Kobo eBook Reader in Australia from Collins Booksellers or Angus & Robertson, Borders, and JB Hi Fi. Delimiter has an article on price cuts for the Kobo. You can get the Wifi model for $99.99 or the Touch version for $139 .99. Hands on: Kobo eReader Touch. Good review of the Kobo Touch by the SMH

How the Amazon Fire Compares to the Ipad Internet Evolution looks at the new Kindle Fire and compares it to the iPad

Wikipedia's Comparison of Tablets A range of Tablets, Apple Ipad, Acer Iconia, Toshiba, etc can also function as E-Readers and even run Amazon Kindle software

Amazon's Best Books for 2011 This is in about 10 diff

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