Weekend tales prevail

LONDON. A quarter of Britons fib about their weekend activities in a bid to impress others, a study has revealed.

Fine feathered factional friends

If Malcolm Turnbull had been looking for an exit strategy he couldn't have found a better example than the one he activated on Thursday. Threatening to quit if the Liberal party backbench did not support his Emissions Trading Scheme negotiations, he told ABC radio: "I will not lead a party that is not as committed to effective action on climate change as I am."

Whats New At A Store Near You

Have a V8 awakening Wake up to a realistic V8 engine-sounding alarm with this easy to use clock thats sure to be a hit with any motoring enthusiast. Not only does this analogue clock have realistic accelerator and brake pedals for demo and clock controls, its rim imitates a spinning brake disc rotating at 34rpm when the alarm or demo is activated. The clock sits in a PVC tyre base and will greet you with a pleasant good morning after roaring in your ear. The clock costs $24.95. Consumer ...

Most Ships Anchored

? MOST ships anchored off Newcastle heeded advice about poor weather and headed further out to sea yesterday, as Newcastle Port Corporation activated new safety measures implemented after the Pasher Bulker's grounding.

Tech Tip

IF you find tapping out search terms on your BlackBerry's keyboard frustrating, make your fingers stop walking and just start talking. Yahoo's oneSearch software offers voice-activated control that lets you speak your keywords out loud to send the browser running for results for movie listings, restaurant addresses, websites and more. The voice-enabled version of oneSearch can be downloaded to your phone at m.yahoo.com/voice.

Nib Listing Heralds Change In The Private Health Sector

INSTITUTIONAL investor appetite for the shareholder-activated private health market will be tested today as corporate advisers to NIB, the country's sixth-largest insurer, begin a book-building operation before its stock market listing this week.

Racing Chiefs Should Act To Save Carnival

THE spring racing carnival is under threat - make no mistake, all it will take will be for one equine influenza case to be detected in Victoria and the quarantine restrictions and standstills will be activated.

Demons Activated In Chase For Superstar

There are few players on the Melbourne list whom the club would not give up to get their hands on Chris Judd.

Wollongong At The Centre Of State Emergency

ILLAWARRA was at the heart of yesterday's tsunami alert, as the NSW Tsunami Emergency Plan was activated for the first time.

Simmo On The Market

ORIGIN star Steve Simpson has activated a clause in his Knights contract and will consider offers from other clubs before signing the biggest deal of his rugby league career.

Man 'driving From The Devil' Avoids Jail For Fatal Crash

A MENTALLY ill man who crashed into a car after a police pursuit in Geelong, killing a father of two, has avoided jail. The County Court heard that Adam Thomas Carter Drake was paranoid and spoke of being chased by the devil when police activated their lights for a random traffic inspection on December 23, 2004.

Fan Alerted Timekeeper To Siren Debacle

A FAN in a corporate box tapping on the timekeepers' window with a stubbie was the only reason the official realised play continued after he activated the siren in the shambolic conclusion to Sunday's St Kilda-Fremantle match.

Childhood Trauma Rotary Dial Telephone

WHAT: Audio communication device activated by placing one's finger in a numbered hole and turning a dial. Sometimes, when you were bored, you'd dial with your pinky finger and it would get stuck between the dial thing and the phone. It hurt.

Tough Border Security

AIRCRAFT could be turned away from Australia under the Federal Government's border security plan, to be activated if the flu threat intensifies.

The Death Of Mr De Menezes

We know who pulled the trigger, but who really killed Jean Charles de Menezes at London's Stockwell Tube station? The shoot-to-kill policy activated following the London bombings leaves no room for error. Mistakes can only be fatal, as the killing of this innocent young man so tragically attests. The many decisions which led anti-terrorism units to pursue the Brazilian electrician on to a train, then pin him down and fire five bullets into his head, will be painstakingly picked apart by at least ...

Mixed Smoke Signals

SO the NSW Government has finally activated the next phase of its bid to eradicate smoking from pubs and clubs.

Taking The Piss Out Of Punters Is No Joke

It certainly is a novel way to fight crime. In an attempt to deter men from spiking drinks, Manly Council has installed motion-activated speakers in pub urinals.

Security Screens Foil Robbery

A MAN demanded money at Fairy Meadow's Bendigo Bank yesterday, but left empty-handed after the teller activated security screens.

Audi's Tt Coupe De Grace

IT'S ARGUABLY the model with which Audi should have launched its TT coupe range: a V6-engined, all-wheel-drive version with a trick paddle-activated gearbox.

Off-course Pilot Wasn't Warned

Air traffic controllers did not contact the pilot of a plane which was clearly off course before it crashed in north-east Victoria, killing six people, an interim report has found. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau yesterday released its report on the crash of a twin-engine Piper Cheyenne, which was 4 degrees off course when it hit a mountain as it approached Benalla airfield on July 28. According to the report, the air traffic control's route advisory monitoring alert had been activated ...