KEY POINTS:
Fowl goings-on in this Australian kitchen or just preparing themselves for another roasting day?
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Australia's postal service has increased the maximum weight for potential posties by 15kg in an attempt to attract more employees. Australia Post had a policy of not employing posties who weighed more than 90kg because its 110cc motorcycles had a safe working limit of 130kg - 40kg for letters and up to 90kg for fully clothed posties. But in talks with motorcycle manufacturer Honda, it was agreed the bikes could safely carry a postie weighing 105kg, said Sydney's Daily Telegraph. And the posties will carry only 25kg of mail.
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Bain Divine says an expat Kiwi friend, who has just moved to a forested area of London, posted home this "overseas experience": "A fox peed on my scarf the other day. I'd left it outside by accident. Unfortunately I didn't realise this, until I'd wound the scarf around my neck, run to the train, and sat down. A rich, musky, pheromone smell filled the carriage. Someone, somewhere said, 'Fox'. I spent the next 20 minutes trying not to throw up. The smell didn't die down while I was at work, so I came home and googled for a remedy. It said I had to have a tomato juice bath, which I did. Seemed to work, although the bathroom looked like a scene out of Psycho by the time I finished."
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Would Abba take a chance on him? Republican presidential front-runner John McCain is not so sure and says he opted against playing the 1977 hit Take a Chance on Me by the Swedish group at his campaign rallies because of licensing and other concerns. "It's more difficult to play Take a Chance on Me than I thought," the Arizona senator told reporters. "It gets expensive in a big hurry and if you're not careful you can alienate some Swedes," he joked. "If word gets out to Stockholm that we're using Abba music, then there'll be a worsening in US-Swedish relations."
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The Auckland Regional Transport Authority is restoring commuter train services to Helensville this year after a 30-year absence. Enthusiasts can experience the trip early with a special excursion train running to the Helensville A&P Show this Saturday. The Maxx timetable says the train leaves from Britomart at 8.55am and arrives at Helensville at 10.24am, with stops at Newmarket, New Lynn and Henderson and smaller western stations. Be warned, however, there is no loo for what could be a two-hour journey. Parents of wee ones, and anyone with a weak bladder, might find the journey difficult. (Go to Maxx.co.nz for information).
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Today's Webpick: Crimes of Carelessness - a 1950s educational film with some sage advice about avoiding accidents. Watch it here.
These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room.
