If it’s news to me, it must be news to you!‘
Sharpen up: A pencil obsessed man in Pakistan has set a world record for crafting the largest swing made entirely of pencils.
Tasty: Looking for a fun day out for all the family? Try the Disgusting Food Museum in Malmö, Sweden, which includes mouth-watering exhibits such as spicy rabbit heads, three penis wine and a goat kid’s rennet cheese described as tasting of gasoline and ammonia mixed with wax.
Grin and bear it: The Katmai National Park in Alaska has been celebrating Fat Bear Week to crown their chubbiest ursine which this year went to Beadnose.
Don’t Vote: The Knock the Vote campaign to encourage young people to register to vote in the November mid-term elections in the US came up with the telling video on the right.
Pressed for time? If you need to iron a few items of clothing quickly, try this life-hack of adding two or three ice cubes in your dryer.
Be afraid: If you fear you have something to fear you might well be suffering from phobophobia.
Doodles: The Museum of English Rural Life has published the doodles of thirteen-year-old Richard Beale from the margins of his maths book in 1784.
Snowflakes: The students union at Kent University has issued guidelines for Halloween fancy dress costumes. On the banned list are cowboys, nuns, Isis bombers and Jimmy Savile. Helpfully they add that cavemen, ancient Greeks and nurses are acceptable.
Trailer: Director Peter Jackson has taken 100-year-old silent footage from the First World War and added colour, sound and the words of those shown to create They Shall Not Grow Old which premieres on Tuesday. You can see the trailer on the right – our tickets are booked!
A giant leap for mankind: ‘Canada’s No. 1 casual eating brand‘ has developed a pizza delivery box that turns into a food tray so you can eat it in bed.
Trivia of the week: The word for the inside of the elbow is ‘chelidon’. (See other quirky QI facts)
Brief lives: Walking Dead actor Scott Wilson; Beatles recording engineer Geoff Emerick; The Snowman animator Roger Mainwood; former South African foreign minister Pik Botha; former Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis; MI5 double-agent and IRA informer Michael Bettaney; Jethro Tull and Fairport Convention guitarist Maartin Allcock and; Ray Galton, genius co-creator of Hancock’s Half Hour and author of one of the greatest gags of all time (right) from Twelve Angry Men.