This month — the month of Halloween — has been chock full of hand wringing and fretting, some of it centred around trick-or-treating and the children. People are (rightly) concerned about handing lollies to kids in the safest way possible, but they’re also worried about the lasting trauma that a…
It’s hard to keep track of all the things kids are missing out on right now by learning from home all (or most) of the time, from the social to the educational. One thing you might not have thought of, though, particularly for little kids: They’re not practicing all those…
This year’s been tough for everyone and it’s time to do our part and give back to the community. Raising awareness about a good deed, however, can easily become a shameless brag, especially in today’s hyper-connected social media culture. Lucky for you, there are a few ways to avoid getting…
Have you ever put bread or cake in your oven, only for it to come out burnt on one side and pale on the other? Or just came out way over/under cooked despite following the recipe perfectly? It’s probably not your fault, and is just because ovens are fickle boxes…
Spring and summer in Australia and the gradual easing of restrictions means we can expect weddings, with more guests, back on the calendar. However, any wedding you plan or attend will be quite different to one held before COVID-19. The rules around how many wedding guests are allowed change over…
We all have certain skills we’re particularly good at and may have been perfecting since childhood — things like art, cooking or fixing electronic gadgets. But as we age, we become painfully aware of our shortcomings and might decide we want to take up a new hobby and learn new…
After a winter of ongoing protests over police violence — including the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor — greater numbers of people are starting to understand the facets of systemic racism. Of course, it’s not only an issue in the United States, and over the past two weeks…
There are few gifts more blissful to receive than a lovingly handmade item — maybe a sweater in your exact size and favourite colour, knitted by a grandmother who cares for you and wants you to be happy. A crappy handmade gift, on the other hand, is the worst. And…
We’re all guilty of thinking we’re going to be super healthy while at the shops, and then a week later realise that the crisper in the fridge is now full of less-than-crisp fruits and vegetables. But don’t despair! There are plenty of ways you can turn sad produce into delicious…
The perfect pork crackling is within your grasp.
You know how people say that phrase “once in a blue moon”, meaning something is very rare? That’s an actual thing, and it doesn’t refer to the colour of the moon. A typical lunar cycle is about 29.53 days, which doesn’t divide cleanly into the 365.24 days in a year…
For many of us — especially before the start of the pandemic — walking was a means to an end, a straightforward way to get to a planned destination. Since COVID hit though, more people are walking around their neighbourhoods or on trails simply for the benefit of their physical…
There’s a report going around that U.S. President Trump’s Twitter account was hacked — again — by a Dutch security researcher who just happened to guess the correct password: “maga2020!” I think the story is absolutely bogus, but it’s still a great reminder that you shouldn’t be lazy with your…
Have you noticed your milk getting frosty? Meat spoiling quickly? It’s likely your refrigerator is set to the wrong temperature. It’s recommended you keep your refrigerator at or below 4° C, and your freezer at -18° C to keep your food fresh the longest and prevent the growth of bacteria…
Learning to edit video and audio is tough, and complicated software interfaces don’t make things any easier. If that rings true for your editing experience, you may want to try Descript, a desktop video and audio editing program for Windows and Mac that transcribes videos and lets you trim, rearrange, and…
I normally don’t like to wade into other peoples’ business, especially when it relates to their consumption of adult material on the web. As long as your hobbies aren’t illegal, super-creepy, or otherwise hurting other people, you’re free to do as you like.
There was a lot of chatter this month around who would come out a winner, and who a loser, off the back of the new Federal Budget. And some of that talk turned into speculation that the Reserve Bank of Australia may make a small cut to interest rates. While…
Apple’s shiny new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are now on sale in Australia, which means that many folks are enjoying their new iPhones from today. The one step you should take the moment you take that new iPhone out of the box? Drop a case onto it, pronto….
While we may not be travelling much right now, someday (hopefully) we’ll be able to safely hop on planes and visit other states and countries with some regularity. In pre-pandemic times, you may never have thought twice about using sites like Kayak or Expedia, or simply googling to make your…
There are so many emojis at your fingertips nowadays, they’ve practically become their own language. Even still, sometimes you’ll find that there isn’t one that quite fits what you’re trying to say. The solution? Mash up two to create your own.
We all have our own unique challenges during this time; no one is completely free from the stress a pandemic brings. But parents of kids with ADHD in particular struggled with — and perhaps gave up entirely on — virtual learning when things first shut down this spring. Unfortunately, that…
Exercise shouldn’t feel horrible — although it can often feel hard. It’s tempting to think of soreness or sweat as a sign of a good workout, but neither of those really tell you whether what you’re doing is improving your health or making progress toward your goals. Instead, look at…
Contracts suck. If you’re looking for a new NBN plan, there’s no reason to shackle yourself to a provider for two or three years when there are plenty of commitment free options. Contract-free plans are great because you can leave whenever, for whatever reason. Maybe you’ve found a better deal,…
While installing security cameras in your home is an ideal way to keep yourself alert of any break-ins or unexpected activity, there are more benefits to them than you might realise. If you’re looking to protect your home and your family in more ways than one, installing a security camera…
The pedantic criticism of appliances with devoted followings is not something I consider worthwhile. While I understand that it is human nature to want to push back against anything that achieves sudden and ubiquitous popularity, it’s helpful to stop and consider why things become popular, generally. Whether a collection of…
I avoid mincing garlic at all costs. My technique is not the issue — my will is. I hate doing it, so I don’t. Having made every recipe I know with smashed, chopped, sliced, or puréed garlic instead of the ubiquitous mince, I’m here to tell you that mincing is…
Mouthwash is designed to kill germs in your mouth. It is, I’d have to say, pretty good at its job. And yet: we do not seriously trust mouthwash to prevent the transmission of common colds, strep infections, or any other mouth-germ-y illness. We shouldn’t get our hopes up it will…
Netflix US has just announced its lineup for November 2020, and it’s putting Hallmark on notice. Not content to let the greeting card company-turned seasonal industrial complex powerhouse dominate the holidays, the streamer is launching a salvo of original Christmas films aimed at soothing your post-election (but probably pre-knowing-who-will-be-president) nerves…
As far as breakfast options go, there’s very few things that can top frying up a few juicy strips of bacon on your stovetop or BBQ. You can’t argue against how good it tastes, but sometimes the process can get a little messy. But what if there was another way…
It’s almost Halloween, which means we’re about to enter the roughly two-month period at the end of every year known as The Holidays. Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa New Year’s Eve/Day — as soon as one hits, the next seems to arrive, until they all begin to run together. Or maybe they…
Finding a paediatrician you trust — and who is reliable, accessible and conveniently located — is no easy feat. I know this because I am currently attempting to do so for the third time in the 10 years since my son was born. Over that decade, I found two doctors…
Listen, I get it. The line between office and home has become so fine that we can’t tell the difference between, say, when it’s acceptable to masturbate and when it’s absolutely not. Since we do honest service journalism at Lifehacker, I want to share personal tips I’ve learned to keep…
Look, I know we’re all desperate to salvage something, anything, for our kids this year. They have been dealt one crushing disappointment after another for so many months now that I’ve stopped counting. And I know we’ve all had our moments of temporary (or prolonged) insanity during this pandemic. But…
