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Hunter Valley bus driver learns his fate

The judge has handed down his sentence to Hunter Valley bus driver Brett Button, who was behind the wheel of one of Australia's deadliest crashes that killed 10 people and injured 25 others. After a three-day hearing, Button, 59, was sentenced before Judge Roy Ellis at Newcastle District Court on Wednesday afternoon to 32 years behind bars with a non-parole period of 24 years beginning May 8th. He will be eligible for release on parole on May 7th, 2048. When the judge read his sentence, gasps were heard within the courtroom from survivors of the crash, while many victims' families broke down in tears. In sentencing, Judge Ellis said Button was under the influence of the opioid-based painkiller tramadol and had “abandoned his responsibility” to his 35 passengers at the time of the crash. “Words cannot adequately express the pain, anger, and sadness that permeated the first two days of these proceedings as victim impact statement after victim impact statement was read by and for absolutely distraught, depressed, and devastated family members of the deceased and survivors," Judge Ellis said. Judge Ellis said that in his 50 years in the justice system he had never “dealt with, seen, or even read about a case that involved anywhere near the same extent of extraordinary devastation”. “Surviving passengers described the trauma of their injuries and scenes of the crash, with unwanted memory of the carnage still present and easily triggered,” Judge Ellis told the court. Outside the courtroom after the sentence had been handed down, Leoni Bowey, who lost her sister Nadene McBride and niece Kyah McBride in the crash, said the family was surprised by the result but she didn’t “think there was ever an end to this”. “I don’t think closure ever happens,” she said. “Listening to the stories, I realised many of the victims that were on the bus that night are all living with trauma, depression, and anxiety - all things that will be with us for the rest of our lives." “I was having an anxiety attack because it was taking so long to get the numbers, and I had no idea what it all meant... but I will say I didn’t think we would get that sentence. I am really surprised.” <p style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Image credits: 7News

Legal

Hunter Valley bus driver finally speaks out over horror crash

The man who was behind the wheel of the deadly Hunter Valley bus crash in June 2023 has finally taken the stand, saying he is deeply sorry for the hurt he has caused the victims and their families. Brett Button, 59, was transporting wedding guests from the reception ceremony at the Wandin Valley Estate back to Singleton when the bus flipped, causing the deaths of 10 people and injuring 25 others. After pleading guilty to 19 charges, including dangerous driving occasioning death and grievous bodily harm, Button appeared before Newcastle District Court on Tuesday to hear emotional <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hunter-valley-crash-survivor-s-demands-of-killer-bus-driver" target="_blank" rel="noopener">victim statements</a> from survivors and family members of those who were killed. On Wednesday, Button finally broke his silence on the fatal crash, issuing an emotional apology to all those impacted by the devastating crash. "I've tried to figure out the words to say I'm sorry, but how do you say you're sorry for such a horrible tragic event that has ruined the lives of hundreds of people," he told the court. <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> "I can't forgive myself. I can't believe I caused this, I never meant to cause it and every single person that died and was injured and everyone involved in this, I truly wish it never happened and I could apologise where people actually believe me." </div> "I live with this every day and I hate myself. I've caused parents to have to bury their children, which has been my biggest nightmare all my life, and now I've done it to so many families." "I'm sorry to everyone involved, including the police and everyone, my family — I've shamed everyone." Button also shared with the court that he had been taking the opioid tramadol since 1994, and admitted on the day of the crash, he had taken “in excess” of his prescribed dose of painkillers. When asked by his barrister Paul Rosser KC if he felt he was addicted, Button said he was "certainly dependent", adding that a pain specialist warned Button one year before the crash that he was at risk of addiction. When further questioned, Mr Button said he had no perception on that night the drug had impaired his driving. "I take responsibility for the death and injuries, it was no way purposeful and I wasn't negligent," he told the court. "I didn't do it deliberately." Andrew Scott, 35, and wife Lynan Scott, 33, Nadene McBride, 52, daughter Kyah McBride, 22, and her partner, Kane Symons, 21, Darcy Bulman, 30, Rebecca Mullen, 26, Zachary Bray, 29, Tori Cowburn, 29, and Angus Craig, 28, were killed in the crash on June 11th 2023, with the crash now known as one of Australia's worst ever fatal road incidents. Judge Roy Ellis will consider 40 victim impact statements as part of his sentencing. Image credits: 7News

Legal

Hunter Valley crash survivor's demands of killer bus driver

A man who survived the devastating bus crash in the Hunter Valley in June 2023 that claimed the lives of 10 people has confronted the man who was behind the wheel with an emotional victim statement in court. On that fateful day, Brett Button was transporting wedding guests to the reception venue when the bus flipped at a roundabout at Greta, with the crash claiming the lives of 10 people and injuring another 25 passengers. As a result, Button, 59, has pleaded guilty to 19 charges, including dangerous driving occasioning death and grievous bodily harm, appearing before Newcastle District Court on Tuesday to hear emotional victim statements from survivors and family members of those who were killed. Taking the stand to deliver his impact statement following a day and a half of hearings, one survivor demanded Button look at him before telling him he'd trapped him in a “bus of hell”. “My friends didn’t deserve to die, the others didn’t deserve to die,” he said. “The families here don’t deserve to be here. My future has been destroyed because of your actions. I can no longer be the person I was. The intergenerational trauma you have caused is enormous.” Earlier on Tuesday, Steve Symons, whose son Kane died in the crash, fought back tears to tell Button about how his son had seized on a “second chance” after a childhood injury only to have it “cruelly” robbed from him. “Kane’s death has shattered our lives. It has left an unrepairable void. He was a vibrant and ambitious young man who had been given a rare second chance at life,” Mr Symons told the court. “He lived with an acute awareness of just how precious life is and embraced every moment of it. To lose him now after he was given that second chance at life is both cruel and unjust.” Zachary Bray was also given a “second chance” after a battle with stage-3 bowel cancer, as his mother, Jackie, said he “always chose the right path” in another emotional statement. “In many ways, Zac was the perfect child if there ever was one. He just wanted to please and did so his entire life, making his family, friends and colleagues proud in everything he did,” she said. “He and his friends did what they were told to do: have a plan B. They trusted the bus driver would get them home safely, but my son who did everything right still didn’t make it home." “Zac got a death sentence, and his family and friends got a life sentence.” At least 35 people are expected to provide witness impact statements to the court during a marathon three-day sentence hearing that began on Monday morning before Judge Roy Ellis, who is expected to hand down his sentence to Button on Wednesday. Andrew Scott, 35, and wife Lynan Scott, 33, Nadene McBride, 52, daughter Kyah McBride, 22, and her partner, Kane Symons, 21, Darcy Bulman, 30, Rebecca Mullen, 26, Zachary Bray, 29, Tori Cowburn, 29, and Angus Craig, 28, were killed in the crash on June 11th 2023, with the crash now known as one of Australia's worst ever fatal road incidents. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Royal photographers weigh in on photo editing fiasco

Royal photographers, brothers Zak and Samir Hussein have opened up about the realities of altering royal images - including what is and isn't allowed. "It's pretty clear what we're allowed to do – we're allowed to basically use darkroom techniques," Samir - who has also taken official portraits of members of the royal family - told 9Honey. He then explained what darkroom techniques entail: "So what photographers in the days when they were shooting film used to do in the dark rooms. "We're pretty limited in what we can do, it's sort of a basic crop, maybe a bit of colour correcting and that's how we edit our photos basically. "Sometimes you look at picture and you think 'Oh, if I crop it like this, it will stand out more, this will be more impactful'. So it's usually, if I'm honest, when looking back at the picture that's taken, that's the first thing I look at – how can this be cropped to make it have the impact that it should really." Zak, who has taken many photos of Prince Harry and Meghan as well as other royal family members agreed and said that the photographers do their best to get the shot right to reduce the need for editing. "You try and get it right first time around when you're taking the picture," he told 9Honey. "Ideally, you don't want to have to do too much to the picture but yeah, it's very basic what we do. "I think cropping is really important because you're trying to find the best version of that picture, so if it means cropping in tighter to make it a nice portrait or keeping it wider to show more in what's going on in the event. "It's pretty basic what we do to the picture because it's all about when you take the picture, you're looking through the viewfinder [and] that's when you want to get it right." The topic of re-touching royal photos sensationally <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/princess-kate-sensationally-speaks-out-over-photo-fiasco" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made headlines</a> over a manipulated image posted by Kate Middleton, and has now made its way back into the spotlight following the launch of the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/incredible-treasure-trove-of-unseen-royal-images" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new exhibition</a> at The King's Gallery exhibition in the Buckingham Palace. The exhibition which runs until October 6 has noted darkroom techniques including cropping and framing out backgrounds or brightening up levels in a few of the negatives, including one label that read: "retouching is an essential part of photography. "Analogue retouching can occur at three stages: Modifying the negative, Manipulating the image during printing, direct retouching on the final print." Image: 9Honey/ Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2024.

Art

Hunter Valley bus driver breaks silence

Brett Andrew Button, 59, who allegedly caused a fatal bus crash that <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/hunter-valley-bus-driver-hit-with-new-charges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed 10 people</a> and injured 25 others has broken his silence over the incident for the first time. Button appeared before Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday as he faces almost 90 charges associated with the horror crash. In a statement read by his lawyer, Chris O’Brien, Button said that there was “not a day that goes by that I don’t think about what happened that night”. “There isn’t an hour that goes by that I’m not thinking of the families that have been affected by the crash. “I truly feel for anyone involved, including the emergency services. “I am devastated by what has occurred and I am truly deeply sorry.” Button was the bus driver in charge of driving wedding guests to a Hunter Valley venue when the vehicle allegedly lost control and crashed. Husband and wife Andrew and Lynan Scott were killed in the crash and farewelled in ceremonies weeks later. Nadene and Kyah McBride who were among the ten wedding guests killed in the crash, were also <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/a-moving-time-hunter-valley-bus-crash-victims-honoured-at-aflw-grand-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">honoured with a tribute</a> at the AFLW grand final in December. Zach Bray, Angus Craig, Darcy Bulman, Tori Cowburn and Rebecca Mullen were the other victims of the horror crash. Button faces 89 charges including nine counts of negligent driving occasioning death and 16 counts of driving a motor vehicle furiously doing or causing harm. He has not entered any pleas. Image: Getty

Legal

Limited edition King Charles stamps up for grabs

Australia Post has released a limited edition stamp collection to celebrate King Charles' 75th birthday. Two of the stamps will mark the King's birthday on the 14th of November, while the third will commemorate his coronation. This is the first time the King has featured on an Australia Post stamp since his coronation. Australia Post said that the special one-off collection “serves as a tribute to his dedicated service, education, and the betterment of society”. In a media release they also said that "The collection encapsulates the essence of King Charles III's legacy, embodying his continued commitment to tradition and progress." The first stamp features a black-and-white photo of young King Charles during his journey to Sydney in 1966, where he was greeted by then Prime Minister Harold Holt. The second one is of the King in 2018 which “showcases His Majesty seated at his desk, symbolising a lifetime of duty and leadership”. The third picture highlights his coronation as the King is pictured in his crown. All three limited edition stamps are priced at $1.20 and are now on sale across the country at participating post offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and <a href="https://auspost.com.au/shop/collectables" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online</a>. Images: Australia Post/ The Royal Family

Money & Banking

"Family always first": Block judge reveals real reason for sudden departure

Neale Whittaker has shared his frustrations over the premier episode of the new season of The Block, saying a vital piece of information was edited out. Audiences were shocked on Sunday night when Neale told his fellow judges Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer that he had some important news to tell them before commencing their judging duties. Visibly emotional, he confessed that he would be “breaking up the band,” and wouldn’t be able to join them as a full-time judge this season, saying he "can't be here every weekend this year". His longtime colleagues embraced him and told him he had their full support, and then the moved on to judging rooms, with viewers not told the reason for Whittaker’s decision. After the episode aired, Neale took to Instagram to share his frustrations with the edit, and shared the reasoning behind his impending absence to his followers. Sharing a clip of the moment as it went to air, he wrote, “There’s nothing more frustrating than an unexplained decision or an incomplete narrative – especially where health and family are concerned." <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvnn9S-vkXO/?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/Cvnn9S-vkXO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by NEALE WHITAKER (@nealewhitaker)</a> </div> </blockquote> “This is what went to air tonight on the first episode of The Block’s 19th season, my 17th. I broke the news to Shaynna and Darren that I would be unable to join them each week and explained my reasons. It was an emotional conversation for all of us. Unfortunately those important reasons didn’t make the cut so here goes.” Whittaker explained that he’d “chosen to put family first,” and support David, his partner of 20 years, through “some serious and ongoing health issues.” “Melbourne real estate expert Marty Fox will be standing in for me on the weeks I can’t be there, but I’ll still be popping up from time to time over the next 12 weeks. The good news is that David is making great progress, my Block family has been fully supportive of my decision and I’m looking forward to returning to The Block full time for the show’s 20th anniversary season in 2024,” he continued. The post was flooded with comments of support and well wishes, with previous Block contestants Elise and Matt writing, "Family always first buddy ❤️ when we all heard the news we put David straight into our prayers ❤️❤️❤️ we hope he’s on this way to a full recovery." Another fan wrote, "Family is so important Neale! I’ll be waiting to see you pop in, over the next 12 weeks." Image credits: Getty Images

Police raid Hunter Valley bus crash depots

Police have issued defect and infringement notices to the transport company involved in the Hunter Valley bus tragedy after conducting raids on two depots. The crash on June 11 was the deadliest seen on Australian roads in over 30 years, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/more-than-we-can-bear-hunter-valley-bus-crash-victims-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaving 10 dead and nine in hospital</a>. Police and National Heavy Vehicle Regulator inspectors checked 20 buses at Linq Busline depots in Wyong, on the NSW Central Coast, and East Gresford, near Newcastle, on June 15. Seven defect and two infringement notices were issued after a cracked windscreen, oil leaks, inoperative seatbelts and vehicle lights, and insecure seats were discovered. A defect notice is issued when a problem needs to be fixed before the vehicle can be deemed safe to drive. “The joint operation involved a comprehensive audit of documentation relating to fatigue, driver management, vehicle servicing and maintenance records, and safety management systems,” police said. Linq said “one major defect identified in the fleet has been rectified” and minor defects were being rectified in accordance with the timelines set by the regulator. The evening of June 15 saw heartbroken family and friends of the victims gathered near the crash site to mourn their loved ones and thank frontline workers. Most of the 25 survivors sent to hospital following the crash have since been discharged. The nine who remain in hospital are in stable condition, with seven at John Hunter Hospital and two at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, according to NSW Health. Over 900 donations have been made since June 14 to fund survivors and victims’ families, with almost $500,00 raised. The tragedy has shaken the Singleton community, with seven locals among the 10 people killed when the bus crashed on its way back from a wedding. Cessnock mayor Jay Suvaal said the community came together to support the loved ones of those lost in the crash and pay tribute to the first responder. “We’re a really tight-knit community that does come together and support each other in times of need,” he told AAP. Locals have offered accommodation and support for victims’ families. “People are just dropping in things like cake and biscuits to our crisis centres to make sure there’s food available for the people there,” Suvaal said. Devastated friends and family continue to visit a makeshift memorial at the crash site, which is strewn with flowers, cards and teddy bears. Counselling and support is being offered at centres in Singleton and Branxton. Health Minister Ryan Park said mental health services would remain available as long as necessary. “What I do know about these types of traumatic and devastating events is that often it’s not in the hours and days afterwards when people need additional support — it’s often in the weeks and months,” he said. “They’ve been through unimaginable grief and suffering.” The insurer managing the crash compensation claims is being urged to ensure that extended family and friends of the victims receive support. Under the state’s compulsory third-party scheme, only those directly involved in the crash or who had suffered psychological trauma due to the death or severe injury of a close relative are eligible for support. Slater and Gordon layer Doug Williams urged the insurer to show compassion to those who have suffered due to the cash regardless of their ties to the victims. “It’s (the scheme) so limited that the close friends and the extended family as well as members of the small community where many of those killed lived would be ineligible to claim treatment,” Williams said. Many of the victims were heavily involved with the Singleton Roosters AFL club and the AFL Central Coast has cancelled its senior matches the weekend following the crash out of respect. Sydney Swans players will be bearing black armbands ahead of their next game against the Lions in memory of the victims. “We are deeply saddened by the horrific events over the weekend,” Swans chief Tom Harley said. The bus driver, Brett Button, 58, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/hunter-valley-bus-driver-faces-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faced Cessnock Local Court</a> on June 13 charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving causing death. Image credit: Getty

Legal

Limited edition Mother's Day treat for the mum who has everything

Tim Tam has released a limited edition gift box just in time for Mother’s Day. The Australian made Tim Tam scented candle and reed diffuser set will leave the house smelling like a “rich and decadent chocolate oasis”. At just $100, the scented candle and reed diffuser is vegan and cruelty-free. “This premium set has been carefully blended to truly immerse yourself in the aromatic layers of Tim Tam decadence,” the Tim Tam website reads. “Indulge your senses with rich, decadent, cocoa notes from a chocolate absolute accented with layers of caramel, tonka bean and a hint of sandalwood.” Each box contains a one Tim Tam scented Diffuser 200ml, a Tim Tam scented Candle 300g, a packet of Tim Tam Deluxe Salted Caramel Brownie 175g and a packet of Tim Tam Original 200g. For more brilliant gift ideas for Mum, check out the full range of <a style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: #ffffff; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; font-size: 16px; border: 0px; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" href="https://www.innovations.com.au/p/gifts/mothers-day-gifts?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=nativearticle&utm_campaign=MothersDayGifts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Innovations Mother’s Day Gift Ideas here</a>. Image: Tim Tam Shop

Family & Pets

Queen Elizabeth’s 21st birthday speech edited in Harry and Meghan doco

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new documentary has edited the Queen’s 21st birthday speech to give it a completely new meaning. The first three episodes of the Sussexes new documentary Harry and Meghan have now aired on Netflix. And now voice coach Susie Ashfield has pointed out that in the first episode, the Queen's speech – in which she says “whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong” – is included. Then she takes viewers to episode three, in which the Queen’s speech has been edited, giving it a completely new meaning. “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong.” She shared another video showing glaring edits of the late Monarch titled: “The Queen Vs Netflix. Spot the difference…”. “I wasn't going to say anything about the Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary because it's nothing to do with me,” she said. "I'm a communications coach. I help people make speeches." <p dir="ltr" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Roboto, Rubik, 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;"> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 619px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7176949431789505798&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40royal_family_2022%2Fvideo%2F7176949431789505798%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1%26q%3DSusie%2520Ashfield%2520%26t%3D1671075706777&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-va.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-maliva-p-0068%2F76ca61686cde4add87422c08f0ebf380_1671013766%3Fx-expires%3D1671094800%26x-signature%3Da9QorsOB83kO1sfr6MVMnQwclsE%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> “But I really like speeches, which is why when somebody told me about some potential editing that might have happened on the Queen's 21st birthday speech. I had to check it out. “So let's play a game together. Spot the difference,” she said, before showing part of the Queen's unedited speech. “I should like to make that dedication now, it is very simple,” Queen Elizabeth II is heard saying. “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service, and to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong.” Susie then points out: “That was the original, unedited copy and the transcript reads the same. Now let's look at Harry and Meghan's version." The Queen’s voice is then heard saying: “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong. “Did you hear the difference?" asks Susie. "And did you notice how just removing a few words changes the meaning of the statement entirely?" The words 'to your service and' were edited out of the Queen's speech. “I don't know what the lesson to learn is here, but I suppose if you are going to be speaking and it will be recorded there is a chance you will get misquoted, your words might get taken out of context or in this case some part might be removed to change the meaning of the statement itself. “So try not to let that happen to you. And if it does happen to you, remember there will be some people out there who might notice.” Images: TikTok/Getty

Toni Collette forced to edit statement announcing divorce

Toni Collette has edited her statement announcing her divorce from husband David Galafassi after explosive images of him kissing another woman surfaced. The Aussie actress, 50, took to Instagram to confirm that she and husband Galafassi, 44, have broken up after photos emerged of him making out with another woman. However, just a few days later, Collette was forced to edit her statement to explain that she and Galafassi had been separated for a “substantial period”. Her new statement reads: “After a substantial period of separation, it is with grace and gratitude that we announce we are divorcing. “We’re united in our decision and part with continuing respect and care for each other. “Our kids are of paramount importance to us and we will continue to thrive as a family, albeit a different shape. <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/Cl3-GTgBYtF/?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/Cl3-GTgBYtF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by TONI COLLETTE (@toni_collette_official)</a> </div> </blockquote> “We’re thankful for the space and love you grant us as we evolve and move through this transition peacefully. “Big thanks.” Collette’s shock statement came less than 24 hours after the paparazzi images were published in the Daily Mail. The pair share two children together, aged 14 and 11, and split their time between Australia and the United States. They first met back in 2002 at the launch of Galafassi’s band Gelbison's debut album Metal Detector in Sydney. They ran into each other again a few days later and Collette said “he was the first person I saw when I walked in the door”. “He kissed me on the cheek and I just kind of melted. I planned to stay for ten minutes… I was there for 12 hours. It was a good day,” she said at the time. Images: Getty

Relationships

Tabloid slammed for bizarre photoshop edit of Kate Middleton

British publication The Mirror appears to have edited a photo of Kate Middleton to the point where she is almost unrecognisable. The popular UK-based tabloid covered a story about the Royal Family attending a Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in London recently. Joining Kate Middleton at the event were King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William and the Princess of Wales. Despite the attendance of the other royals, the outlet still chose to use a sombre photo of Catherine on the front page. The tabloid was then widely called out for the bizarre photoshop edit of that image. A very confused audience took to social media, calling out the publication for the rough photoshop hatchet job of the Princess. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> When i saw an image of kate doing rounds on Twitter, i thought it was photoshoped. This morning I went to my local co-op and took this pic of todays <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DailyMirror?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DailyMirror</a>. Surely <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KateMiddleton?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KateMiddleton</a> doesn’t look like this? <a href="https://t.co/kysKlr27zt">pic.twitter.com/kysKlr27zt</a> — HK (@hasifah23) <a href="https://twitter.com/hasifah23/status/1592082881781805056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> What in the ever loving god did they do to Princess Catherine’s picture? How disgusting to photoshop the photo in this way! <a href="https://t.co/ziMhSnVy2h">pic.twitter.com/ziMhSnVy2h</a> — Royal Tea With Brittany (@brittanygadoury) <a href="https://twitter.com/brittanygadoury/status/1591962064050098176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2022</a></blockquote> Both The Royal Family or The Mirror are yet to comment. Images: Twitter

Beauty & Style

Nespresso launches limited-edition festive collection

Nespresso and world-renowned pastry chef and chocolatier Pierre Hermé are thrilled to join forces and announce a limited-edition capsule collection to kick off the festive season. The exclusive coffees and accessories are a celebration of refined tastes and indulgence, representing the best when it comes to tasting pleasures. The limited-edition collaboration builds upon Pierre Hermé’s extensive background as an expert of flavour, bringing to life a collection that focuses on shared moments with friends and family over the festive period. Of all the festive scenes in the world, Parisian design and culinary science is the pinnacle - the lights, the Christmas markets, the extravagant art, the city’s infectious energy - all these make Paris during Christmas a dream. Australians have long looked to Europe for inspiration when it comes to Christmas and with this new collection, Aussies will have the chance to experience Parisian finesse without leaving the country. From the creator of the Haute Pâtisserie, Pierre Hermé’s pastries are at the apex of avant-garde design, skilled technique and refined flavours. Decades of experience beginning with an apprenticeship at age 14 for Gaston Lenôtre, widely considered the father of modern pastry, led to Pierre Hermé being crowned the prestigious title of World’s Best Pastry Chef in 2016. With namesake boutiques and cafés all over the globe, Pierre Hermé’s creativity and sophistication in gastronomy is unparalleled. His unmistakably modern imagination pairs with technique to craft the ultimate coffee for the most discerning of palates – foodies will delight in the complex flavours while rejoicing in the ease of use, all from the comfort of home. If you're a devote Nespresso fan make sure you pick up the limited edition advent calendar. Containing 24 coffees and a surprise gift for the last day. The coffees are a mix of favourites from Nespresso’s permanent range and Pierre Hermé’s co-created limited edition collection. All presented in an exquisite box designed to be reused afterwards. In addition to the limited edition coffee pods, Nespresso have come out with three limited edition coffee machines including: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/Coffee-machines-new.jpg" alt="" width="835" height="414" /> The Nespresso | The Pierre Hermé collection is available now in Nespresso boutiques worldwide and online. As with all shared moments, the collection is available for a limited time only and while supplies last. You can check out the beautiful new collection here: Images: Supplied

Food & Wine

Bluey was edited for American viewers – but global audiences deserve to see all of us

Beloved children’s program Bluey has received some backlash. Not due to the program, but to Disney’s decision to make edits to various episodes for the US market. Dubbed “<a href="https://mouthsofmums.com.au/7-things-disney-apparently-censored-in-bluey-season-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">censorship</a>” by some publications, the changes to the third season, released in America on Disney+ this month, include Bandit not being hit in a sensitive area, a conversation about getting a vasectomy replaced with “getting dog teeth removed”, the horse Buttermilk no longer stands next to poo on screen and Aunt Trix is no longer seen on the toilet during a video call. One episode, Family Meeting, where Bluey accuses dad Bandit of farting in her face, was removed entirely – although due to the backlash it appears this decision has been <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/streaming/bluey-episode-banned-on-disney-in-the-us-for-bizarre-reason/news-story/b5877d7134a6b217234398eb7892d4da" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rescinded</a>. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Parents who watch Bluey on Disney… there’s an extra episode via CBBC which Disney doesn’t allow to be on their platforms! It’s called Dad Baby!!! <a href="https://t.co/JMeCMYvtz4">pic.twitter.com/JMeCMYvtz4</a> — Kirstie 🤍 (@kirstieandco) <a href="https://twitter.com/kirstieandco/status/1560526183741243392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2022</a></blockquote> Episodes in previous seasons have also been <a href="https://twitter.com/blueymoments/status/1261872704237551618" target="_blank" rel="noopener">edited</a> or <a href="https://blueypedia.fandom.com/wiki/Dad_Baby" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unavailable</a> to stream on Disney+. This decision by Disney comes at a time when there has been a fundamental shift, both in the way audiences consume content and how content is distributed. Through global streaming services, content previously produced for a local market now has a greater opportunity to reach a global audience. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/arts/television/bluey-cartoon-dog-australia.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> has said Bluey “could rival The Wiggles as Australia’s most popular children’s cultural export”. But can screen content truly be considered a cultural export if it is re-edited to reflect cultural aspects of the market it is being distributed in? <h2>Content for global audience</h2> Australian media content being changed for the US market is not a new phenomena. More than 40 years ago, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079501/alternateversions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mad Max</a> was dubbed with American accents for the US market. More recently, Australian television shows like <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2011/06/watch_the_original_australian.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wilfred</a> (2011), <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-30/american-version-kath-and-kim-tv-remakes/100689218" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kath & Kim</a> (2009) and <a href="https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/the-slap/the-slap-australia-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Slap</a> (2015) have been reproduced for a US market. Since these Americanised series premiered, there has been a shift in the commissioning of media. Content distributors no longer solely rely on local broadcasters: they now are able to go direct to a global audience through streaming services. Since the start of 2022, Netflix has commissioned content <a href="https://www.ampereanalysis.com/press/release/dl/netflix-looks-to-international-commissions-for-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">from 44 territories</a>, Warner Bros commissioned work across 27 territories for HBO Max and Discovery+, Disney 23 and Amazon 21. These streaming platforms aren’t looking for local hits: they’re looking for global hits, from anywhere. It’s not just about making the next Stranger Things, it’s <a href="https://www.screendaily.com/news/netflix-commissions-originals-from-a-record-28-international-markets/5173422.article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about making</a> the next Money Heist – the Netflix hit from Spain – or the next South Korean juggernaut Squid Game. <h2>A question of quotas</h2> In 2021, the federal government removed the quota requiring local children’s programming on Australian commercial television. This has resulted in a significant <a href="https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/08/2021-content-quotas-soaps-deliver-but-kids-tv-in-freefall.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decline</a> in the broadcast of children’s content. We have seen <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/spending-subscription-video-demand-providers-2020-21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased investment</a> of Australian content by streaming services. Together, Amazon Prime, Disney, Netflix and Stan spent A$178.9 million in the 2020–21 financial year, including children’s television. This is up more than $25 million in the <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/spending-subscription-video-demand-providers-2019-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous year</a>. Earlier this year, <a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-has-a-new-development-funding-initiative-with-the-australian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Netflix launched</a> a partnership with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation to fund the development of original Australian children’s series. Disney has <a href="https://mumbrella.com.au/disney-releases-first-wave-of-local-content-commissions-with-9-australian-originals-737567" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also announced</a> its planned investment in local Australian children’s content. This increase by streaming service is yet to fill the shortfall by commercial television. <h2>But is it Australian?</h2> In June, the <a href="https://makeitaustralian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Make It Australian</a> campaign was launched at the Sydney Film Festival. The campaign calls for Australian stories to be “told on Australian screens by us, to us, about us”. At the campaign launch, arts minister Tony Burke said international and commercial success for Australian films is “wonderful, but that is a bonus.” The “first objective” for Australian films, he said: <blockquote> is to make sure our stories are told so that we know better ourselves; we know better each other and the world has a better way of knowing us. </blockquote> It is the last point that Tony Burke makes, about the world “knowing us”, that is less considered in the ongoing local screen content debate. Indeed, Australian content is being <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/spending-subscription-video-demand-providers-2020-21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shown to a global audience</a>. But what happens when Australian content is edited with these international audiences in mind? Edits like those Disney made to Bluey not only impact the humour and the narrative, but also impact the cultural representation within the program. Increased investment by streaming services will provide opportunities for Australian local content to be successful locally and globally. But for Australian television and films to be true cultural exports, the world should be seeing the version of ourselves we are seeing, too. The success of this relies on not only focusing on content production and local distribution, but including strategies that allow Australian content to remain free from localised edits, so it can truly reflect an Australian cultural export. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/bluey-was-edited-for-american-viewers-but-global-audiences-deserve-to-see-all-of-us-188982" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Cute-as-a-button mushroom house captivates buyers

A quirky “Mushroom House” has popped on the market in Michigan, USA. A home owner in the United States has taken their love for the humble vegetable to a whole new level, with the seven-bedroom property expected to sell for a cool $US4.5 million ($6.4 million). The unique abode covers 6,000 square-feet and is referred to as “The Thatch House” due to its signature roof. American architect Earl Young designed the original seven-bathroom home back in 1918. He was known to source stone for his multiple properties throughout Northern Michigan. However, the new owner dreamed up a new aesthetic, drawing a thatched roof onto a napkin. The design concept took nearly two years to come to fruition and saw thatch being imported in from Europe. The interiors reflect Young’s original aesthetic with stone fireplaces and staircases, along with the timber joinery and benchtops in the living areas, kitchen and bathrooms. The timber floorboards are a rich chocolate tone, along with the new owner’s choice of plush textiles in bold hues, provides a warm and inviting feel to the estate. Images: Domain

Real Estate

“Benjamin Button” mice could pave way for reverse ageing

If the three blind mice from the iconic nursery rhyme were living in molecular biologist Dr David Sinclair’s lab at Harvard Medical School, they might not be blind for very long. Dr Sinclair and his team at Harvard Medical School have been using proteins that can turn adult cells into stem cells - a kind of cell that can be turned into any of the specialised cells our bodies need. These stem cells have been helping restore the sight of old mice with damaged retinas, essentially making them younger versions of themselves. “It’s a permanent reset, as far as we can tell, and we think it may be a universal process that could be applied across the body to reset our age,” Dr Sinclair said about his research, which was published in late 2020. The Australian scientist has spent the past 20 years studying ways to reverse the effects of ageing - including the diseases that can afflict us as we get older. “If we reverse ageing, these diseases should not happen,” he said. During a health and wellness talk at Life Itself, Dr Sinclair said the technology is available and it’s only a matter of when we decide to use it. “We have the technology today to be able to go into your hundreds without worrying about getting cancer in your 70s, heart disease in your 80s and Alzheimer’s in your 90s,” he said. “This is the world that is coming. It’s literally a question of when and for most of us, it’s going to happen in our lifetime.” Whitney Casey, an investor who has partnered with Dr Sinclair to create a DIY biological age test, said the researcher wants to “make ageing a disease”. “His research shows you can change ageing to make lives younger for longer,” she said. Dr Sinclair said that when it comes to how modern medicine addresses sickness, it doesn’t tackle the underlying cause, which is usually “ageing itself”. “We know that when we reverse the age of an organ like the brain in a mouse, the diseases of ageing then go away. Memory comes back, there is no more dementia,” he continued. “I believe that in the future, delaying and reversing ageing will be the best way to treat the diseases that plague most of us.” Dr Sinclair’s research comes amid a global effort by scientists working to reprogram adult cells into stem cells, started by Japanese researcher Shinya Yamanaka, who won a Nobel Prize for reprogramming adult skin cells into behaving like embryonic (or pluripotent) stem cells. These “induced pluripotent stem cells” became known as “Yamanaka factors”, with later research finding that exposing cells to four of the main Yamanaka factors could remove signs of ageing. Since their original study, where they discovered that damaged cells were able to be rejuvenated by injecting three of these factors into the eyes of mice, Dr Sinclair and his lab have reversed ageing in mouse brains and muscles, and are now working on a mouse’s whole body. Dr Sinclair said their discovery indicated that there is a “back-up copy” of youthful information stored in the body, which he calls the “information theory of ageing”. “It’s a loss of information that drives ageing cells to forget how to function, to forget what type of cell they are,” he revealed. “And now we can tap into a reset switch that restores the cell’s ability to read the genome correctly again, as if it was young.” Image: Getty Images

Body

5 must-have items for the cooler months

As we head into the cooler months, the time of hearty soups and snuggly sleep-ins, let’s opt for fashions that make us feel cozy, warm and comfortable – all while still looking good. <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suzanne Grae</a> will make the transition effortless with fabulous clothes that are both easy to wear and easy to care for. You’ll be confidently tackling your day and ticking off your to-do list with clothes that are subtly elegant and sophisticated. Here are the five must-have items from Grae’s collection that celebrates all women, from petite to plus-size. The Wear-With-Everything Knits You can’t beat a cozy textured knitted jumper as the temperature drops. Grae’s collection of <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/knitwear" target="_blank" rel="noopener">knitwear</a> effortlessly teams up with any outfit. You’ll be wearing your favourite knits on repeat as they’re available in all the trendy season colours like creams, pinks, blues, lilacs, and white. And you’ll be able to get one in each colour, with Grae’s knitwear starting from the budget-friendly price of $39.95. With a knit and denim combo, you can never go wrong. Or layer a knit cardigan over the top of a basic tee or blouse for a smart casual look that doesn’t skimp on warmth, comfort or style. Grae’s breathes fresh life into the knitted jumper with ombre prints and modern stripes that you’ll love season after season. Love-Your-Body Pants Yes, pants season is here. And Grae’s newest styles fit so perfectly that you’ll be loving your body all day, everyday. You’ll be living in Grae’s elasticated cropped pants while out and about. And keep yourself looking fresh and chic with their <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/pants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wide-leg pant</a>, which gives you plenty of room to move while you’re on the go. Autumn dressing isn’t complete without the perfect pair of corduroys, and Grae’s are top-class. Their cord jeans come in pink, green and camel and hug the body in all the right places. Pair them with your favourite knit and a loafer, and you’re all ready for a day of fun. You’ll find trousers that look good on you, whatever your shape, with all Grae's styles available from sizes 6-24. They’ll fit just right. You’ll be wearing them time and time again. Everyday Shirts Grae’s everyday <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/shirts-tops-clothing-szg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cotton button-down shirts</a> are fresh, light, and the finishing touch your outfit needs. No styling is required. Simply throw on, and you’re dressed and ready to tackle your day with confidence and ease. Or wear them unbuttoned over a basic fitted tee, that starts from $19.95 and delivers a two-for-one outfit. With the fluctuations in temperature the autumn months bring, you can roll the long sleeves up or down however you need. The breathable, flowing fabric creates a flattering silhouette on the body and looks good on every woman. It’s also for all women to embrace with shirts available in petite to plus-size. Classic Shirt-Jacket A classic shirt-jacket is always in style. And just enough to ward off a nippy breeze but not too bulky that it will weigh you down while you’re on the go. Grae’s <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/jackets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lightweight shirt-jacket</a> styles are ultra comfortable and will carry you through all the seasons with a bit of layering. Sitting at the waist, jackets have the perfect balance of structure and a loose fit to show any figure in the best light. Grae’s has options for every women’s body in every style and for every budget, starting from $59.95. A shirt-jacket will be the go-to item in your wardrobe and always be on rotation. Throw it on over a fitted singlet and be office-ready. Or take a more swanky approach with a skirt and jacket combo and enjoy a day out at the winery. Relaxed-Fit Jean A fabulously fitting denim never goes old. Grae’s <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/denim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">relaxed-fit jean</a> styles are designed to flatter every body and make you feel fabulous while you’re out and about. Dress up a jean easily with a pretty blouse and a wedge heel or boot, and you’re ready for dinner with friends in your smart-casual look. Be stylish every day with a relaxed-fit denim crafted from a soft cotton blend that makes moving around on the go super comfortable. It’s available in a range of modern washes and on-trend colours that you’ll be wearing from season to season. A pair of Grae’s denim that you’ll be wearing on repeat can be yours, starting from $39.95 and will make you feel good about every dollar spent. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suzanne Grae</a>.

Beauty & Style

Why an edit button for Twitter is not as simple as it seems

Most people who use Twitter have had the experience: you fire off a quick tweet, realise it contains a typo, then get annoyed you can’t click “edit” to fix it. Twitter users have been <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90376786/a-brief-history-of-not-being-able-to-edit-your-tweets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clamouring for an edit button for years</a>. Elon Musk, who has recently been buying up shares in the microblogging platform and has made a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-15/elon-musk-offer-to-buy-twitter-worlds-richest-man/100994580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US$48 billion offer</a> for the whole company, asked his 82 million followers if they wanted an edit button. His (deeply unscientific) poll attracted 4.4 million responses, with 73% in favour. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Do you want an edit button? — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1511143607385874434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2022</a></blockquote> Other social media platforms let you edit posts after you’ve sent them. It seems like it would be a simple feature to add – so why doesn’t Twitter do it? Well, the time may at last have arrived. Independent of Musk’s poll, Twitter has confirmed that <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/5/23011327/twitter-edit-button-blue-test" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an edit button may be in the works</a>. Enterprising users have even dug out some hints of what it <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/18/twitters-in-development-edit-button-offers-hints-as-to-how-the-feature-could-work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">might look like</a>. So what’s the fuss about? Why has Twitter been so opposed to an edit button? The answer might be that it isn’t as simple as it appears. The first thing to know about tweets is that, unlike posts on many other platforms, there is fundamentally no way for Twitter to pull them back after they are sent. The reason is that Twitter has what’s called an Application Programming Interface (or API) which allows third parties such as other apps or researchers to download tweets in real time. That’s what powers Twitter clients such as TweetDeck, TweetBot, Twitteriffic and Echofon, which together account for some <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/17/6-million-users-had-installed-third-party-twitter-clients/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6 million users</a>. Once third parties have downloaded tweets, there’s no way for Twitter to get them back or edit them. It’s a bit like an email – once I’ve sent it and you’ve downloaded it, there’s no way for me to delete it from your machine. If a user were to edit a tweet, the most Twitter could do is send out a message saying “please edit this tweet” – but the third party could choose whether or not to actually do it. (This is currently what happens when tweets are “deleted”.) Cats and dogs More importantly, an edit button might have unintended consequences, and could be weaponised. Consider this. I, a cat lover, decide to tweet “I love cats!” Then you, being also a cat lover (because why wouldn’t you be), decide to quote my tweet, agreeing “I do too!” (Remember when Twitter used to be this innocent?) Now, what happens if I edit my original tweet to declare “I love dogs”? You are now misrepresented as a dog-lover, and when your cat-loving friends see this (which they will when I reply to your tweet, mentioning them all), they disown you. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459030/original/file-20220421-70799-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459030/original/file-20220421-70799-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459030/original/file-20220421-70799-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=192&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459030/original/file-20220421-70799-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=192&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459030/original/file-20220421-70799-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=192&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459030/original/file-20220421-70799-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=241&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459030/original/file-20220421-70799-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=241&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459030/original/file-20220421-70799-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=241&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A screenshot showing a tweet reading " /></a><figcaption>A Twitter edit button could be used to change statements after others have retweeted or endorsed them. The Conversation</figcaption></figure> Yes, this is contrived, but it doesn’t take much imagination to see how the edit button might be used in this fashion, particularly by things such as bot armies. Will Twitter users be happy to trade this possibility for the convenience of fixing typos in their tweets? ‘Warts and all’: a bug or a feature? Twitter has built its reputation on being the most “real-time” of the social media platforms – the place where <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ngeo832" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earthquakes are reported quicker than by scientific instruments</a>. However, for many people the “warts and all” nature of Twitter postings is starting to look like a bug, rather than a feature. Will an edit button change Twitter’s unique brand? There may be ways to ameliorate this, such as only allowing edits within a short time of posting, but it is surely a consideration for the company. More generally, the design of media platforms shapes the type of discussion that occurs on them. The presence of the “like” and “retweet” buttons on Twitter encourage users to create content that will entice others to click these buttons, and make their content spread further. This, in turn, shapes the nature of conversation that occurs on the platform. Similarly, websites use algorithms and design to “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2018.1476570" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nudge</a>” users in particular directions – such as to buy a product. There is a rich body of research into the ways discourse is shaped by the design of social media platforms, which establishes that every “affordance” a user is given affects the conversation that ends up taking place. This means that beyond the fundamental technological challenges, Twitter must think about the possible unintended consequences of seemingly simple changes – even to the level of a humble edit button. The medium shapes the message, and Twitter must think carefully about what sorts of messages they want their platform to shape.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181623/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lewis-mitchell-266859" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lewis Mitchell</a>, Professor of Data Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Adelaide</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-an-edit-button-for-twitter-is-not-as-simple-as-it-seems-181623" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

“We can fix it”: Dad sparks debate over Disney book edits

A dad has sparked some controversy online after <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/dad-edits-daughter-disney-princess-210152973.html" target="_blank">sharing edits</a> to his daughter’s Disney Princess books to combat gender stereotypes. The parent took to his TikTok account (<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@dcaspers?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank">@dcaspers</a>) to share pages from his daughter’s “Step Into Reading” books starring Disney princesses and the edits he makes to inspire his daughters. In one video of his now-viral series, he takes issue with a book featuring Ariel from The Little Mermaid. In it, Ariel struggles to bake a cake for Prince Eric, and @dcaspers is quick to change it. “Ariel changes her body, leaves her friends and family … and now she’s baking, all for him,” he writes over the clip. The dad then shows the changes he made to the book, swapping Ariel’s piping bag full of icing for a slice of pizza. “Instead of baking, Ariel orders a pizza,” he writes. “While the prince eats his pizza… with a fork,” he continues, “She finds her new love… in TikTok.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845262/dad-hack1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e3fc4d5a65c1435f8839a77e47a1c308" /> Image: @dcaspers / TikTok In another clip, the dad focuses on Rapunzel from Tangled and writes, “Teaching my daughters not to settle for the stereotypes”. In the original reader, Rapunzel enters a pie-baking contest and wins a blue ribbon, “which her bf (boyfriend) approves” of. But, after the changes, Rapunzel considers “her future” in front of a sign for Harvard University, and her boyfriend Eugene bakes her a pie “because she’s top in her class”. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845263/dad-hack2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c189a0575b1345dd8ef6d6902e26f769" /> Image: @dcaspers / TikTok Many users have shared their approval of the dad’s efforts, while others believe they could do more harm than Disney’s original works. “You are such a great dad. This is what we should teach our daughters, not that women do the cooking, cleaning and chores,” one commenter said. “I honestly love this! I can’t stand stereotypes, and for Disney to use them when most little kids look up to/love them is awful. You’re amazing,” another wrote. “What’s wrong with baking? And how is spending all your time on social media better than a fun activity that anyone could do?” one person argued, referring to the Ariel video. “The baking is a metaphor here. She pursued a goal, and achieved it successfully, while being cheered on by a loved one.. How can you see the bad in this?” another said, challenging his Rapunzel edits. “Bruh, just don’t buy the book if it offends you,” a third user suggested. In response to the critics, one person wrote, “Why is everyone upset about a dad wanting to teach his daughters to be strong and independent?” Despite the controversy, this dad has shown how he wants to challenge the messages and stories his daughters see and gone the extra mile to do it. Image: @dcaspers / TikTok

Caring

Try this one pot lamb shanks with button mushrooms

Need some weeknight dinner inspiration? Why not try this tender-to-the-bone lamb shank recipe? Serves: 3 | Cooks in: 3 hours and 10 minutes Ingredients <ul> <li>50g (1/3 cup) plain flour, to dust</li> <li>4 lamb shanks, Frenched</li> <li>1½ tbsp olive oil</li> <li>½ bottle red wine</li> <li>12 eschalots, peeled</li> <li>1 bunch thyme, half trussed, half leaves picked</li> <li>400g Button Mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed</li> <li>Salt and pepper, to season</li> <li>Creamy polenta, to serve (¾ cup with 750ml mix of chicken stock and milk, butter and finely grated parmesan)</li> </ul> Method 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Place the flour into a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Dust the lamb shanks in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. 2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based, ovenproof saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the shanks for 5 minutes, turning, until browned. Remove and set aside. 3. Pour in the wine and boil for 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Return the shanks to the pan with the eschalots and trussed thyme. Pour in enough water to submerge the shanks and bring up to a simmer. Cover the surface with a piece of baking paper, then cover with a lid and place in the oven for 1.5 hours. 4. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and turn the shanks over, topping up with water if necessary. Add the mushrooms and cover with the baking paper and lid, then return to the oven for a further 1.5 hours or until the shank meat is falling from the bone. 5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Toast the remaining thyme until bright green, then remove and set aside. 6. Remove the shanks from the pan and place in a bowl, loosely covered with foil and set aside to rest. 7. Place the pan over high heat. Reduce the sauce for 10-12 minutes or until thickened and glossy. 8. Divide polenta among bowls and top with a shank, mushrooms and eschalots. Spoon over the sauce and scatter with toasted thyme to serve. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/recipes/one-pot-lamb-shanks-with-button-mushrooms" target="_blank">Wyza.com.au.</a>

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