An Airbus A330-300 aircraft of Taiwan's Eva Airlines is seen with Hello Kitty motifs in Taoyuan International Airport, northern Taiwan, April 30, 2012.PICHI CHUANG
For many of us, Monday to Friday races by in a blur. We know it can be a struggle to delve beyond the big headlines and keep on top of all the interesting stories out there. We're here to lend a hand: In case you missed them the first time, a collection of stories you may have missed this week on globeandmail.com.
Five superstitions you probably buy into
Think superstitions are silly? You're too rational for that nonsense, right? Chances are you engage in one of these five superstitions. But don't beat yourself up. While the actions may be foolish, they have an upside.
Your digital back-up plan
You've spent hours (and many dollars) building up your digital music collection, but have you taken the time to back up those files? What about that precious video of your baby's first steps? Most people know it's a good idea to back up their computer files but never get around to doing so, fearing it's too difficult or time-consuming. But it doesn't have to be. Hugh Thompson shows us how to create a low-maintenance plan that could save your digital assets.
Cashing a cheque with your phone
As early as this summer, cashing a cheque will no longer require an inconvenient trip to the bank. Canadian banks are poised to introduce photo cheque cashing, which means all you have to do is use a smartphone to take a picture of each side of your cheque and e-mail it to your financial institution. The funds are deposited into your account within minutes. Suddenly those birthday cheques from grandma are a lot less irksome.
A work of art?
The psychotic serial killer was only a figment of a Montreal man's imagination. But the character created by special effects artist Remy Couture in an online series of films was disturbing enough to result in charges of "moral corruption." Now the 34-year-old is engaged in a drawn out legal battle over whether his drive to disgust audiences is obscene or simply just art.
A flight for fanatics
Hello Kitty, that cute-as-a-button cartoon kitten, is soaring to new heights after a Taiwanese airline began operating flights themed after the feline. From the boarding pass to the in-flight meals to the design of the plane, nothing is overlooked in the Hello Kitty experience. It's too bad you have to have a fondness for cartoon cats to get that kind of attention to detail from an airline.