KEY POINTS:
What message is the Justice Ministry trying to send with these Youth Court pamphlets - one for offenders (left) and one for victims. Hoodies bad, caps good? Or something more insidious? (Nicely spotted by Nid Satjipanon).
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A study of newspaper headlines has found they are a strong predictor of future crises. A study by Bond University found newspaper headlines forecast the present financial crisis in 2006. And if their predictions are accurate, terrorism, water and other environmental issues are bound to cause problems for Australia. Researchers pored over thousands of newspapers from Australia, the UK and America searching for the word "crisis" in the headline. "We have found there is something more to newspaper headlines than meets the eye when you look at the big picture across three countries," researcher Hamish McLean said. (Source: AAP)
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Too generous: A US casino sent a free offer, intended for 1000 VIP customers, to its entire database of 55,000 people. The Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course said the offer included US$100 in poker machine credits and two free visits to the buffet. If everyone sent the offer claims the reward, the casino would be out US$29 million. It blamed its direct mailing company and said it would partially honour the offer by saying it must be taken up before Christmas. (Source: telegraph.co.uk)
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Rachel Morton of Ponsonby writes: "Ever the opportunist ... I see the so-called Mayor of Newmarket Cameron Brewer is trying to get David Beckham into Broadway. One has to wonder if offering him his favourite food, Nando's Chicken, for free is much of a draw card given his contract with LA Galaxy is worth US$250 million alone. Flame-grilled chicken certainly wouldn't be his wife's thing, so given he's alone with the boys maybe David will be hightailing it to Newmarket for a free feed!"
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Benedict Harkins, 46, filed an insurance claim for a trip-and-fall back injury from a rug in a New York supermarket. Unfortunately for Harkins, a surveillance camera and video showed him lowering himself to the floor and arranging the rug in a dishevelled way. The claim was withdrawn but charges were laid against him. (Source: WeirdUniverse.net).
today's sideswipe link:
Today's Webpick: A bear is not a dog and shouldn't be chained up in your backyard.
Watch the clip here.
These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room
