KEY POINTS:
Mark Robinson claims to have found a new species of Octopus at Kelly Tarlton's (right). Instead of the standard eight-tentacled creature you'd expect, this six-"limbed" soft toy named Octavious, which Mark bought for his daughter, either suffered a run in with a hungry shark or Kelly Tarlton's got a really good deal on these from the wholesaler and hoped punters wouldn't notice.
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A 34-year-old Florida man is being charged with theft after he stopped at a supermarket bulk bin and put an unspecified number of jelly beans in his mouth. According to the police report, an off-duty officer confronted the suspect after he had paid for the rest of his groceries and asked him if the jelly beans were good. "Yes," the suspect replied.
The officer told a manager the suspect had taken about 10 of the raspberry-flavoured jelly beans, but the man denied taking more than two. A store manager confirmed that the store had a zero tolerance policy against shoplifting. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News)
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A Christchurch reader makes a really good point. "Given that ASB's big 'I want a home' competition is open only to people with a mortgage with the bank, shouldn't it really be called the 'I want an investment property' competition?"
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Tattoos and piercings aren't edgy enough for today's young urban professionals who, says the Daily Mail, prefer the latest body modification trend - branding. These trendsetters pay up to £70 ($185) to have red-hot metal brands or cauterising pens, which burn at more than 1000C, permanently scar their skin with a design. Although animal welfare legislation has outlawed the hot branding of livestock, there is nothing to stop humans voluntarily having their skin burnt as a fashion statement.
Insurance clerk Paul Doling had eight circles in two lines burnt on to his forearm, which took an hour to complete. He told the newspaper: "It was an incredible experience. There was smoke coming out of my arm and my burnt flesh smelled like a cross between chicken and bacon. It's about pushing yourself and seeing how much you can take. In the end the adrenalin rush masked the pain."
Today's Video Webpick: A poll reveals the number one issue for voters in the US election is a real vote influencer worldwide. I would expect this very issue to be the biggest influencer in Australia come November and NZ in 2008. Watch it here. Scroll down.
These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room.
