Dear Lifehacker, Since it is scorching hot here in Melbourne, I need some tips on how we can keep ourselves cool — particularly if you are currently renting and you are not allowed to install any air conditioning! Thanks, IHate40Degrees More »
It’s nearly summer and the music festivals are about to start. If you hit a festival, you might find you’re asked to buy drinks tickets or tokens rather than paying at the bar directly. Is that a useful way to speed up service, or a major hassle? More »
We told you about the Cancer Council’s SunSmart iOS app almost a year ago. A recent update to the app adds a sunscreen calculator, suggesting how much sunscreen you need based on your size and the amount of clothing you’re wearing. More »
iOS: Weather apps aren’t exactly an unusual category, but the SunSmart app has a couple of features to recommend it. It’s backed by Cancer Council Victoria, and it offers advice on what the UV levels are expected to be in your location. More »
If wall-to-wall TV broadcasts of cricket over summer aren’t enough for you, Cricket Australia has the solution: its own YouTube channel for even more leather-and-willow goodness. The channel’s currently dominated by background information on current players and recent activities, but Cricket Australia is promising more archive footage in the future. Crciket Australia @ YouTUbe
Telstra’s Whereis map service has added information on 300 Australian beaches from Surf Life Saving Australia, including whether the beach is patrolled and an overall safety rating. The data can be accessed via Whereis-based GPS systems, or on the Whereis site — though the navigation to find individual beaches from the master list is pretty awkward. Despite that minor glitch, it’s potentially useful information when you’re planning summer beach trips. Whereis
If a careless weekend in the sun has you red-faced and uncomfortably squirming in your chair, weblog Wise Bread rounds up a handful of cheap home remedies for your poor, sunburned skin. From vinegar to a crushed aspirin-and-water concoction, you can throw together most of the remedies using items you’ve already got in your pantry. Of course, a better solution is a good defense against the sun, but if you spent your weekend under a 97-degree springtime sun like I did, these tips—which don’t include our previous oatmeal sunburn soother—could be just what your suffering skin needs. Photo by A. M. Kuchling. Cheap and Simple Sunburn Remedies that Really Work [Wise Bread]
If you’ve got a hankering to hit the road and take an all-American scenic road trip this summer—despite the astronomical gas prices—Yahoo Travel rounds up a few editor-favourite routes. The article highlights: …everything from the obvious Highway 1 in California to the less-obvious — but brilliantly named — Going-to-the-Sun Road in Montana. We’ve picked routes for their history; for their natural scenery; for their romantic appeal; and for their remote wild beauty.
Got a favourite stretch of road in your neck of the woods? Let’s hear about it in the comments. And before you’re taking that drive, check out our many tips for saving on gas. Photo by cadmanof50s. Best Scenic Drives in the U.S. [Yahoo Travel]
Few foods evoke the feeling that warm weather has returned like the pineapple, but even fewer foods inspire such quizzical reactions when it comes time to actually serve the thing. Instructables posts a guide to getting the most juicy yellow stuff out of that expensive (for moderate-climate buyers, anyway) purchase. You’ll need a large, sharp knife and a small thin blade, but the author notes a bread knife and thin fillet or boning knife are the best combo. Need to cut for rings or slices? Check out one of my favourite one-purpose sites, How to cut a pineapple. How to Chunk a Pineapple Like a South Seas Island Boy Instructables]
As the temperature shoots up to 40 degrees and above, most of us are melting in our shoes and dreaming of escaping to the Antarctic for a few days. If you can afford to do that, go for it.But if you’re like most of us and stuck in the office through the summer, here’s a guide to beating the heat and keeping your cool. Read on for Lifehacker’s tips to choosing summer-friendly clothing and shoes, how to survive commuting hell, and how to stay cool in the office. More »
