Sideswipe: Aug 16: Castles come cheaper

How engorged is the Auckland property market? Reader Michael Bennett found a number of property options from around the world for less than the $850,000 price of this 2-bedroom place in Grey Lynn.

1. A 30m canal barge built in 1893, moored in Paris. 3 bedrooms and 90sq m lounge room. $349,000.

2. A 12th century monastery in France with church and 4-bedroom priory, on 1ha of land. $828,000.

3. A three-storey Balinese house in Ubud among rice paddies, with swimming pool and water garden. $683,491.

4. A castle in Romania. Some DIY needed, approved to be converted into 23 apartments. $531,767.

5. An established 13ha hazelnut farm in Poland. $295,000.

Lost for words?

Try these new words, which have been added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

aha moment: A moment of sudden realisation, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension [Oprah Winfrey's signature phrase].

craft beer: A specialty beer produced in limited quantities; microbrew.

cloud computing: The practice of storing regularly used computer data on multiple servers that can be accessed through the internet.

flexitarian: One whose normally meatless diet occasionally includes meat or fish.

gastropub: A pub, bar, or tavern that also offers meals of high quality.

man cave: A room or space (as in a basement) designed according to the taste of the man of the house to be used as his personal area for hobbies and leisure activities.

obesogenic: Promoting excessive weight gain.

shovel-ready: Of a construction project or site; ready for the start of work.
sexting: The sending of sexually explicit messages or images by cell phone.

(Via The Atlantic Wire.com)

Aha moment for interviewer

Not all women are clothes horses: This from an interview in Kyrgyzstan of US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Interviewer: Okay. Which designers do you prefer?

Hillary Clinton: What, designers of clothes?

Interviewer: Yes.

Hillary Clinton: Would you ever ask a man that question?

Interviewer: Probably not. Probably not.

Just a few moments before, Clinton had fielded a question on the extra challenges women face because they're judged more than men on their appearance. (Via Politix.topix.com)