Search

Surprising city dubbed Australia's coolest place

An American publication has given the title of "Australia's coolest city" to a surprising contender. While most might think the crown would go to either Sydney or Melbourne, it seems the Wall Street Journal believes Adelaide is the coolest capital city in Australia. WSJ reporter Emily Pennington penned the surprising winner of the title, saying the South Australian capital has more on offer to travellers than you might think. "Sydney and Melbourne might pull in more tourists but Adelaide has quietly made its name as a go-to escape for gastronomes and nature lovers," she wrote. Pennington cited the "compact" nature of the city being a major selling point, making it easy for travellers to explore all the best that Adelaide has to offer. She wrote, "Despite such a compact footprint, the one-square-mile city centre is full of shops and restaurants. Beyond that, leafy suburbs give way to the Adelaide Hills, where koalas roam, and to the sea." But what really tips Adelaide over the edge on the "cool" scale, according to the article, is its foodie scene, thanks to its proximity to both the ocean and lush valleys of locally-grown produce. "Best of all it's supremely easy to wander Adelaide by foot, stumbling upon discoveries while enjoying long, post-food-coma strolls." Predictably, the feedback on the article has been mixed. "It's a good place if you like wine and or want to retire but that's about it," one person wrote on Instagram. However, one Adelaide native who has been residing in New York for over two decades defended their hometown, writing, "I'll refer to this article next time a fellow Aussie says 'I'm sorry' when I say I'm originally from Adelaide." Image credits: Getty Images

Domestic Travel

Small town's Christmas display dubbed the "worst in history"

The Port Macquarie Council have been widely roasted online after the unveiling of their Christmas tree display, which has been dubbed the "worst in history". Families and community members turned out by the hundreds to see NSW Central Coast town light up its Christmas tree last week, which was met with a very mixed reaction. The long-anticipated reveal, which forced onlookers to wait until midnight for the lights to be turned on, was met with a chorus of disappointed sighs as the underwhelming tree was finally illuminated. Families expecting a glowing symbol of Christmas cheer were instead treated to a sight of Christmas gloom with sad looking fairy light strings barely clinging onto the huge pine tree's branches. Port Macquarie Hastings Council took the disappointment in its stride, mocking its own tree with an 'Instagram vs Reality' meme on Facebook. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpmhcouncil%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02tkGEispQKQLt4tsc5X3VP8iUQTyp2AFyMqLc1sQKw2CKZdGxsNHJKfSfCXVywhPVl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="677" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> "What can we say except ... you're welcome," the council wrote on Friday, alongside a smirk face emoji. "With everything our community has been through recently, we know everyone appreciates a good laugh!" "We are glad our very sad Christmas tree could provide that for everyone." "So let's be real. Our poor tree does look like it was decorated by Santa after he's whizzed around the world and had too many eggnogs." The council said its tree decoration was done with "the best of intentions" however "extraordinary winds and rain" had destroyed the lights. "Just like the rest of us - she's battered and bruised, but she's still standing," they said. Just days after the tree lights were turned on, the council confirmed it needed to strip the sad looking tree because it had become a "safety risk" to locals. "We have enjoyed your good humour and appreciation of our abstract piece of art," the council joked. "Unfortunately, the infamous lights will be removed, as they are slipping further down the tree and pose a safety risk and we are concerned if we leave the inflatable baubles up, we may not have any left by Christmas." Port Macquarie Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson later said the council was working hard to install their "original outdoor tree will be installed and working for everyone's enjoyment well before Christmas". "Again, I am so thankful to the community for coming and celebrating. Merry Christmas to our wonderful, witty and resilient community," she said. Image credits: Facebook

Travel Trouble

Diana dubbed an “icon” of this winter fashion trend

Those hitting the slopes this winter have been inspired by a surprising fashion icon, with Princess Diana’s iconic ‘après-ski’ style being adopted on the snow and runway. Though many of us might turn to snow jackets and pants, insulating thermals, and helmets for a trip to the snow, the trend of ‘après-ski’ - meaning the ‘after ski’ socialising Diana is considered an icon of - has even made an appearance in Balenciaga’s latest runway show, starring Bella Hadid in a faux snow field. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbXoLJ9g93L/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbXoLJ9g93L/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bella 🦋 (@bellahadid)</a> </div> </blockquote> Leather pants, chunky knits, faux fur headbands and stirrup leggings are mainstays of this trend, with celebrity stylist Elliot Garnaut noting that it is all “about transitioning” from the slopes to socialising. “The key to a chic après look is incorporating your pieces from the slopes: your ski jacket becomes your going-out jacket,” Mr Garnaut told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/fashion-trends/bye-bye-helmet-apresski-style-you-need-to-know-this-snow-season/news-story/1d581d07e6e1aa3ec2d6689632e3c8ab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>. “Ditch the thermals and skivvys from day, replace with an oversized knitted turtle neck for evening. “Bye bye helmet, woollen hat or beanie, replace your face covering with your favourite scarf. It’s as simple as replacing your technical elements with those of fashion items.” LA-based Australian luxury fashion expert Gab Waller said her clients have requested “unique pieces” to dress up their post-skiing outfits, adding that ski capsules are a feature across the major fashion houses each year. “As always, whatever the celebs wear on their ski holidays tends to influence the slope style for the season,” Ms Waller explained. “So when Kendall Jenner wore New Zealand brand, Entire Studio, snowboarding we got several requests for their oversized puffers.” She pointed to Diana - known for styling thick headbands and red snowsuits - as an icon of this trend. “I am a huge fan of the iconic looks by Princess Diana from the 90s,” she said. “My tip for great après-ski style is definitely to stay warm but play with colour and accessories to accentuate your look. “A bold ski goggle or helmet goes a long way to making a look pop.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/diana-apres-ski.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Princess Diana’s bold snow-suits and ski attire have made her an icon of the après-ski style. Image: Getty Images Unsurprisingly, this trend isn’t a new one, with Vogue Australia fashion features director Alice Birrell noting that après-ski was at the fore in the 1960s. “From cocktails on the slopes at ice bars, to stand-up picnics and drinks by the (heated) pool, there was an occasion to dress for and, continuing through to today, it demanded comfort as much as style,” Ms Birrell said. “Après-ski means high-winter style cues like faux fur-accents, luxurious soft knits, with an undercurrent of sportswear; think athleisure with the glamour factor dialled up. “More than anything, it’s an attitude. In a throwback to those salad days of the jet-set, it’s about luxuriating in the post-ski glow of knowing you’ve put in a decent session on the slopes and rewarding yourself with a hot buttered rum (the drink de jour back then) in an outfit that signals elevated ease.” For those looking to adopt this attitude in their own outfits, Ms Birrell suggested trying a matching knit set in a monochrome or matching print. “Those who prefer the sportier side of ski are leaning into second-skin jumpsuits – think a modern catsuit worn under boots- or leggings,” she continued. “Look for accents that nod to performance wear like contrast colour details, or high-vis colours. For accessories it’s oversized sunglasses – to block out the glare – and the return of the moon boot.” Images: Getty Images / @bellahadid (Instagram)

Beauty & Style

New Zealand town dubbed one of ‘World’s Greatest Places’

Queenstown has been named one of the “World’s Greatest Places” by Time Magazine, making it one of 50 “extraordinary travel destinations” from around the world that have been recognised. The South Island town is the only New Zealand destination to make the list, joining the likes of the Galapagos Islands, Seoul, Detroit, Nairobi, and Toronto. Time compiled the list from a collection of nominations from its international network of correspondents and contributors that included countries, regions, cities and towns that offer new and exciting experiences. Mat Woods, the chief executive of Destination Queenstown, was delighted by the news. “International recognition like this is a great reminder that we live in one of the world’s greatest places … It’s fantastic to be acknowledged internationally, especially after a tough couple of years,” he said. As for Australia, two locations made the list. Unsurprisingly, the Great Barrier Reef made the list, along with Fremantle in Western Australia. To see Time’s full list of the World’s Greatest Places, head <a href="https://time.com/collection/worlds-greatest-places-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: @federico_pinna_photography (Instagram)

Domestic Travel

The political history of dubbing in films

English-speaking audiences rarely come across dubbed films and television programmes. This probably explains why they tend to find dubbing so, well, weird. Dubbed voices usually sound a bit flat and never quite sync up with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjBJZPJtD3w">the mouths we see onscreen</a>. This can be off-putting and perhaps even a bit unsettling. But since the birth of sound cinema in the late 1920s and 1930s, dubbing has been commonplace in many countries, including (looking just at Europe) <a href="https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/dubbing-map">Italy, Spain and Germany</a>. Dubbing is still used in many of these countries as a way of translating <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21523643">foreign films and television</a>. In Italy, the dubbing system became so developed in the 1930s that it was even used to add voices to Italian films, right up until the 1980s when the growth of TV (which used directly recorded sound) led to changes in standard industry practice. So why did such a seemingly bizarre practice gain a foothold in these countries’ burgeoning film industries? After all, aren’t subtitles a better way to <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2020/02/subtitles-vs-dubbing-what-you-need-to-know-1202212800/">keep the original film intact</a> and translate it at the same time? There are a few reasons. <h2>Nationalist voices</h2> In the early 20th century, much of Europe’s film-going population had low literacy levels. Subtitles are useless if you can’t read them (or read them fast enough). There’s also the argument that subtitles ruin a film’s images and keep the viewer’s eyes glued to the bottom of the screen. However, perhaps the most important reason for dubbing’s favour was political. Dubbing is a brilliant tool for film censorship. Sound films began to appear in the early 1930s, a time when many countries were falling under the sway of totalitarian regimes. In Europe, these included those of Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco and the Nazis. Censorship had been a feature of film production and distribution in Italy, Spain and Germany since before these dictatorships took power, but it increased markedly after they did so. Italy and Spain, in particular, found dubbing ideologically useful. Mussolini’s Fascists, for example, manipulated foreign films <a href="https://jbilocalization.com/italian-dubbing-growing-industry/">during the dubbing process</a> by changing dialogue to remove any unflattering reference to Italy or Italians. They also used dubbing to alter morally undesirable elements of film plots. For example, the Italian dub of the 1931 American film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022137/">Men in Her Life</a> was altered to <a href="https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/meta/1900-v1-n1-meta0432/1013946ar/">remove a reference to Mussolini</a>. Perhaps even more nefariously, they also insisted that films be dubbed into standardised national Italian (the official form of the language that was generally understood around the country). This was an effort to stop people in different regions from speaking local dialects and minority languages, and to prevent foreign words from entering Italian culture. Dubbing became a key nationalist tool that could unify and isolate Italy at a fundamental socio-cultural level. The same story played out <a href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/spanish-cinema-why-all-the-dubbing/">in Franco’s Spain</a> where dubbing kept films ideologically acceptable and marginalised minority languages like Catalan, Basque and Galician. In post-Nazi Germany, dubbing was used to alter film dialogue to play down references to the country’s Nazi past and the atrocities it entailed. For example, the Nazis in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1946 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhMyp8ZvjWs&ab_channel=BFI">Notorious</a> were <a href="https://www.goethe.de/en/kul/flm/20894148.html">rebranded as generic drug smugglers</a>. <h2>International voices?</h2> In the post-second world war period, western Europe (with the exception of Spain) broke free of totalitarianism and literacy began to increase, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/18/style/IHT-when-in-rome-dont-trust-actors-voices.html">but dubbing remained</a>. This was partly because it had become an established and familiar habit. But dubbing had also become vital to the system of co-production, which European cinema was increasingly reliant upon. Co-production basically involved two (or more) production companies in different countries teaming up and <a href="http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Academy-Awards-Crime-Films/Co-productions-THE-POSTWAR-ERA.html">making a film together</a>. It was popular with producers as it meant they could pool resources and access grants and tax relief from multiple governments. Like censorship, co-production had been around since the early days of commercial cinema. It was (and still is) a key initiative that allowed relatively small European countries to team up and push back against the ever-growing domination of Hollywood imports. Again, dubbing was crucial here as these co-produced films usually featured casts from several countries. Dubbing meant that each actor could act in the language of their choosing on-set (if you watch an old dubbed film closely, you can often tell that actors are speaking different languages. Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a clear example of this practice). The films were shot without sound and a range of different dubs in different languages were produced in post-production, using various teams of voice actors. Many film directors <a href="http://landscapesuicide.blogspot.com/2010/07/realisms-8-or-everything-was-lost-in.html">hated this system</a>, seeing dubbing as a way of erasing films’ national origins. And some claimed it was part of a wider political drive to homogenise Europe (NATO and the Common Market were also driving European integration at this time). In other words, totalitarianism may have waned, but for many dubbing was still a political tool. Dubbing is still used as a key method of audio-visual translation in many countries and it still attracts politicised debates. For example, the film market in French-speaking Canada has argued that dubs produced in European French are <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/arts/kevin-tierney-quebec-movies-have-a-dubbing-problem">not appropriate for that territory</a>. Dubbing frequently and unsurprisingly ends up at the centre of debates around the politics of language and cultural imperialism, the imposition of one country’s culture onto another country or people. What the political history of dubbing tells us is that even seemingly minor, technical or banal elements of film and television production can serve very concrete and significant political ends. In a world increasingly saturated with audio-visual media, we should take this lesson seriously. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-political-history-of-dubbing-in-films-164136" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Movies

Charges against the Queen and 75 others dubbed a “work of legal fiction”

Social media posts celebrating the fact that the Queen, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Pope Francis are among 75 individuals charged with “crimes against humanity” have been dubbed a work of fiction by experts.According to <a href="https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/arrest-warrants-for-queen-and-pope-a-work-of-legal-fiction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AAP FactCheck,</a> the so-called “International Common Law Court of Justice” has no legal authority to issue arrest warrants and its judgements are meaningless, despite the claims made online.Posts have emerged from <a href="http://archive.today/0ctCR" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia</a> and <a href="https://archive.ph/0gl6U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Zealand</a> claiming the International Common Law Court of Justice has convicted the individuals to life imprisonment for their crimes.“After a four-month trial convened under International Law, the judges of the International Common Law Court of Justice (ICLCJ) issued their historic verdict and sentence today, along with Arrest and Expropriation Warrants against the defendants,” a Facebook post read.The post also contained a link to a <a href="https://www.bitchute.com/video/4L4VdCi0QEl9/?fbclid=IwAR2hyrAAxKeSaFaJDp7IOKprKJy2TKmft6oXg_n4VbfvqsXL5BAAUBhezv4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bitchute</a> video of a man who introduces himself as “Kevin Annett Eagle Strong Voice” and claims to be the chief advisor to the ICLCJ in Brussels.<img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/kevin-annett1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />Kevin Annett, the man seemingly behind the International Common Law Court of Justice, reads out the court’s ‘judgement’ against the Queen, world leaders, and the CEO of Pfizer. Image: Murder By DecreeThe full video, available along with the judgement details on a website for Mr Annett’s book, <a href="http://murderbydecree.com/2022/01/14/breaking-news-from-the-international-common-law-court-of-justice-january-15-2022-gmt-big-pharma-government-church-leaders-face-arrest-as-court-convicts-them-of-genocide-prohibits-injections/?fbclid=IwAR211sRCsw1jEQDI0uVz7ymp0S1JF_rfvHrb0HS8tvb6zviBumkdDVUAnDQ#page-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Murder By Decree</a>, claims to be an “international press conference” going out as a “cause of hope to people labouring under the Covid Corporate Police State”.Mr Annett, a former Canadian church minister who was <a href="https://pacificmountain.ca/kevin-annett/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">removed for spreading conspiracy theories</a>, goes on to share a summary of the court’s “judgement” on its behalf.Along with the Queen and the Pope, others who have been “charged” include Albert Boula, the CEO of Pfizer, and Emma Walmsley, the CEO of GlaxoSmithKline.As well as sentencing the 75 individuals to life imprisonment, the verdict also “seizes their assets and disestablishes their corporations, and lawfully prohibits the further manufacture, sale or use of their COVID vaccines”.Documents on Mr Annett’s website also claim that the COVID-19 vaccine is part of a “Criminal Conspiracy to reduce humanity to slavery” and “master plan of global Eugenics”.In addition, the court’s ‘judgement’ allegedly empowers “not only our Sheriffs and deputised police, but people everywhere to enforce the Court’s verdict by arresting the convicted felons, seizing their assets, and halting the sale and use” of the vaccines.<img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/queen-guard.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />Though the ICLCJ may allow it, arresting Queen Elizabeth II may not be the best of ideas. Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesHowever, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported that the ICLCJ doesn’t exist as a legal authority in any jurisdiction, and that it isn’t listed on the United Nations’ list of courts and tribunals.An investigation by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-vatican-pope-idUSL1N2RT0XP" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> also found that the court had no legal standing and appeared to have been invented by Mr Annett.Professor Kevin Heller, an expert in international law and human rights at the Australian National University (ANU), described ICLCJ as a fabrication.“It is a private initiative that has adopted a fancy name to make it seem like a real one,” Professor Heller shared with AAP FactCheck in an email.“Basically a right-wing version of a People’s Tribunal (such as the Russell Tribunal during the Vietnam War). Because it’s not a real court, it has no authority to issue an arrest warrant for anyone.“So any ‘conviction’ of the Queen or Pope or anyone is meaningless.”Professor Heller, who is also a special advisor to the International Criminal Court Prosecutor for International Criminal Law Discourse, said that the only international court with the power to prosecute individuals was the International Criminal Court (ICC).Emeritus professor Steven Freeland also told the publication that there was no such thing as the ICLCJ, and that the International Criminal Court can only prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.Image: Murder By Decree

Legal

Slow-cooked meat pie hack dubbed a "game-changer"

A fan of a slow cooker has surprised others by using it to cook a meat pie, potatoes and mushy peas. Home cook Alison came up with the idea after seeing a similar meal online and posted it to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/slowcookedwonders" target="_blank">Slow Cooker Wonders</a> Facebook group. "Husband's dinner tonight, hope it works!" she wrote. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842268/slow-cooker-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7f3bbd4791454a5faa4d29fa4ff8fd04" /> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Many were fascinated by the idea. “I hope this comes out good, it’ll revolutionise teatime,” said one. “I need to know too, please, would be a game changer for me.” Others were surprised by the backlash, as group members were quick to criticise. “Those mushy peas (are) definitely going to run all over the pie lid and potatoes! Good idea if it works, but I would definitely put a few air holes in that pie lid or it might explode,” one group member pointed out. “Why can’t people just be kind? She’s cooking, it’s her husband. Are you eating it? No, her husband is. What’s wrong with experimenting and trying things? Jeez, get a grip,” said one. “The peas will soggy it all and potatoes won’t cook. Intrigued.” Alison did not mention how the meal went or whether her husband enjoyed it. Photo credits: Facebook </div> </div> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

To Vietnam and back: Asian seafood journey dubbed "crazy"

A surprised Coles customer has taken her voice to Facebook after discovering something interesting about her seafood. Avid shopper Bronwyn read the small print on a packet of Coles Australian Whiting Mini Fillets, only to discover that the fish was “filleted in Vietnam” despite being made in Australia from at least 95% Australian ingredients. She questioned why Australian fish is sent all the way to Vietnam to be prepared, only to be sent back to Australia. “Could someone please explain why this is necessary, to transport Australian fish thousands of kilometres to Vietnam to be filleted?” asked Bronwyn. “I bought these yesterday noting the Australian Whiting and 95% Aussie ingredients ... Then have just noticed the filleting in Vietnam. “Not so keen to eat them now. Fresh, I think maybe not. No way of knowing how old they might actually be!” A Coles spokesperson explained to 7News that the fish has met its “country of origin” obligations with the products packaging. “All Coles Own Brand seafood including seafood available at the deli, canned Own Brand tuna in the grocery aisle and frozen Own Brand products such as fish fingers have been responsibly sourced since 2015,” the spokesperson said. “This product uses Australian whiting, which is filleted overseas, but is then crumbed and processed back in Australia. “In line with our Country of Origin obligations, this is clearly labelled on the front of the pack. “As always, customers who are unhappy with a Coles Brand product can return it to any store for a full refund.” Learning this information has put Bronwyn off, saying that the realisation was “crazy”. “Crazy isn’t it?” responded Bronwyn to Facebook users in disbelief at the new information. “But how old is the fish now, lol? And how many times has it been frozen?” Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/food/its-crazy-coles-shoppers-outrage-over-new-asian-seafood-scandal-c-1071915" target="_blank">7news</a>

International Travel

Margaret Court dubbed the “racist grandpa” of Australian tennis

Journalist Gideon Haigh has labelled Margaret Court the “racist grandpa” of Australian tennis after reports emerged that Tennis Australia plans to <a href="https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/tennis-legends-divided-over-margaret-court-grand-slam-celebrations/73346c2e-e629-4eef-8118-9d2f7ded0563">recognise but not celebrate</a> the tennis great’s achievements. Court won all four majors in a single calendar year in 1970 and ended her career with 24 grand slam singles titles, the most in history. The former tennis player has called on the sport’s governing body to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p53821">celebrate her 50th anniversary of grand slam winning year</a> at next year’s Australian Open in the same way it honoured Rod Laver’s 1969 grand slam during this year’s tournament. However, the 77-year-old has attracted controversy for voicing opposition against homosexuality and same-sex marriage and saying tennis is “<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/margaret-court-lgbt-rights-tennis-lesbians-french-open-australian-a7765041.html">full of lesbians</a>”, prompting calls for her name to be removed from Melbourne Park’s Margaret Court Arena. Court said she had not been invited by the sport’s chiefs to attend the coming Australian Open, which is set to take place from January 20. “I think Tennis Australia should sit and talk with me,” Court told <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p53821">The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age</a>. “They have never phoned me. Nobody has spoken to me directly about it. I think they would rather not confront it.” Speaking on ABC’s Offsiders Sunday morning, Haigh said Court’s achievements should still be celebrated despite of her controversial views. “Margaret Court is tennis’ racist grandpa at Christmas,” Haigh said. “She’s a bit embarrassing, but, you know, you still love your grandpa and it is Christmas. “Court is a very great champion. She won more Grand Slams than [Rod] Laver; she’s been comparatively underrecognised too, because so has women’s sport. “You might find her opinions antediluvian, but if we anathematised every great athlete who had unfortunate opinions, opinions that we disagree with or an unattractive personality, then we might not have too many left, frankly.” Former Davis Cup champion and current government backbencher John Alexander also said Court’s legacy should not be dismissed. “What is popular and accepted these days may not be consistent with her views so she has been vilified,” Alexander told <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/tennis-australia-will-recognise-but-not-celebrate-margaret-court-anniversary-20191107-p538hs.html">The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age</a>. “But to deprive her of any acknowledgement of what a great player she was is not right. “If you go back to the time when Billie Jean King was openly gay and left her husband for a woman Margaret would have been seen with her Christian virtue as a pillar of society. She hasn’t changed, but now we totally accept the right of people to marry someone of the same sex. Margaret hasn’t changed, but the times have changed.”

Domestic Travel

'It's a joke': Ban on backyard barbecue smoke dubbed un-Australian

One state in Australia is receiving backlash after drafting laws that aims to reduce the smoke created by backyard barbecues. The Tasmanian Government has released draft smoke laws that include limiting the number of landholders allowed to burn vegetation and toughening standards around wood-heater emissions. The Tasmanian BBQ Society has spoken out against the changes, which have been labelled as ‘un-Australian’, in fear it will make it easier to fine people if their barbecues produce too much smoke. "When you're talking about the amounts of smoke that some of these permit and controlled burns give off, in comparison to what is an Australian way of life — the barbecue — it's a joke," president Rowan Peterson told the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-19/barbecue-smoke-ban-dubbed-un-australian/10012644">ABC</a>. The draft regulations state that barbeque smoke is unlawful it is: (a) visible for a continuous period of 10 minutes or more; and (b) during that continuous 10-minute period is visible for a continuous period of 30 seconds — (i) in the case of a heating appliance or fireplace in a building, or part of a building at a distance of 10 metres or more from the point on the building, or part of the building, where the smoke is emitted; or (ii) in the case of a heating appliance or outdoor heating or cooking appliance or fireplace that is not in a building, or part of a building — at a distance of 10 metres or more from the point where the smoke is emitted. Mr Peterson believes that these laws could be maliciously used in spats between neighbours. "If you have a nasty neighbour and/or a grumpy person that lives in your street, in my opinion it's just a tenuous argument that they can use to cause more issues," he said. While much of the Draft Smoke Act is rewording of the rules introduced in 2007, the consequences have ramped up. Under the new changes, barbecuing Tassies could be fined two penalty units if their fire breaks smoke rules. Magistrates will also be able to impose fines of up to $1,600 as a maximum penalty in courts. "There's so many forms of barbecue that relate to so many cultures in Australia," Mr Peterson said. "Not only does it affect your backyard bloke doing chops and snags, it'll affect anyone potentially who wants to cook outdoors." Fellow member of the Tasmanian BBQ Society, Rowan Armitage, said authorities should be "tackling the big end of town". "How much damage does 500 barbecues on a Sunday afternoon do compared to the huge forestry burn-offs?" he asked. On social media, many residents criticised the changes. "Bugger off fun police, a smoking BBQ keeps the mozzies away," Brendon Nowak said. "They can fine me all they like I'll be still having a nice smoking BBQ unless it's a total fire ban," added Quinton Turner. What are your thoughts on the smoke laws? Let us know in the comments below.

Home & Garden

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Surprising city dubbed Australia's coolest place

Small town's Christmas display dubbed the "worst in history"

Diana dubbed an “icon” of this winter fashion trend

New Zealand town dubbed one of ‘World’s Greatest Places’

The political history of dubbing in films

Charges against the Queen and 75 others dubbed a “work of legal fiction”

Slow-cooked meat pie hack dubbed a "game-changer"

To Vietnam and back: Asian seafood journey dubbed "crazy"

Margaret Court dubbed the “racist grandpa” of Australian tennis

'It's a joke': Ban on backyard barbecue smoke dubbed un-Australian

Our Partners