Halloween costumes don't have to be all blood and guts, as these awesome Lego brick outfits prove. Go to instructables.com and search for "Lego Halloween" for instructions on how to make them.
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Simon points to a story in the Telegraph on the subject of tourism slogans. The writer says there are two schools of thought: the dull two-word line (Amazing Thailand or Enjoy England) and the pithy phrase. "Some countries are unintentionally hilarious," says journalist James Hall. "I am sure that the Colombian tourism ministry did not see the double meaning when it settled on 'Columbia - The only risk is wanting to stay'," he says. And of our new Tourism NZ ad targeting backpackers, he says: "Others try too hard to be clever. New Zealand's new wink-wink, nudge-nudge slogan is 'Go all the way', which is a clear attempt to sex up one of the world's more staid countries."
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A New York federal court wiped a woman's US$460,000 ($621,000) mortgage debt because the paper trail was so messy and complicated that the mortgage lender couldn't prove that it actually owned the debt. However, the problem remains for the homeowner. Without a clear title, the owner would have difficulty selling her home. (Source: New York Times)
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Here's something earth-shattering, writes Ursula Macfarlane of Tauranga: "Beware the offers of value packs when it comes to Purex toilet paper. The 18-pack purports to be a bargain, but if you check the details it says that each roll has 200 sheets on it. The packs of four, eight and 12 contain rolls with 220 sheets. Not much difference, you may say, but likely to be a good deal of money for Purex when multiplied by sheer numbers of customers."
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Schoolchildren in Britain are to learn basic DIY amid concerns that the skills are dying out. The lessons will teach pupils the art of painting or papering a wall, putting up a shelf, fixing a leaking tap and hanging a picture. Research suggested parents are no longer passing on basic skills. The young are forced to rely on grandparents for advice about ways of maintaining the home, it found. Now, increased working hours and hectic schedules mean that parents do not have time for these activities. The scheme's developers hope it will be offered to all pupils to help counter a growing throwaway culture where youngsters simply replace broken possessions instead of trying to fix them. (Source: The Telegraph.co.uk)
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Who's a good girl? A woman in Athens, Georgia, scared off a would-be burglar by acting like a dog. Police said the woman got on the floor and began scratching at the door and acting like a large dog when the man tried turning a door knob at her home. The man fled and was not found.
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Bill Morley of Waitakere Civil Defence explains Piha's tsunami evacuation signs. "Monique Olivier's thinking suits those with good local knowledge of Piha but the signs are important and directed primarily at visitors. The reality is that if the sirens go off, visitors will get into their cars to get out. It would be difficult to stop tourists getting into vehicles and try to persuade them to go to higher ground on foot. However, we do tell locals not to use their vehicle unless it's essential."
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View today's Herald cartoon
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Today's Webpick: Five Thai students perform a song and dance to help prevent the swine flu. Hilarious. Go here and make a comment.
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