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"No fan of mine": Kyle Sandilands shocked on air by brutal John Blackman audio

<p>Kyle Sandilands was paying tribute to his “childhood hero” <em>Hey Hey it's Saturday </em>star John Blackman on-air Thursday morning, when he was interrupted by an audio of the late star trashing him in a recent interview. </p> <p>Speaking on the Kyle and Jackie O Show, the shock jock said he was upset when he learned of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/australia-is-a-sadder-place-shock-as-john-blackman-s-death-confirmed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blackman's passing</a>, but before he was able to elaborate on how the radio star was his childhood hero, his manager Bruno Bouchet interjected and told him about Blackman's brutal review. </p> <p>In a May interview on the <em>You Cannot Be Serious</em> podcast, Blackman said: “Why are we giving these two publicity hungry, oxygen thieves, waste of oxygen. The man [Sandilands] is a no talent. He doesn’t have a voice for radio, by the way.”</p> <p>Footage of Sandilands listening to the audio for the first time was shared by <em>KIIS FM</em> on their Instagram stories, and both he and Henderson were shocked. </p> <p>“I’m very confused,” Sandilands said, before coming to the conclusion that  Blackman wasn’t a fan of him because he’s not as polished as “old school” media veterans.</p> <p>“What’s happened here is old school media, TV, radio, newspapers. They’re all fake,” he said.</p> <p>“They pretend everything’s wonderful. You never really know the real person." </p> <p>He then elaborated and said that he and Henderson try to keep it real with their listeners. </p> <p>“We don’t pretend it’s a wonderful day. Even though it’s p*ssing with rain and snowing or whatever. We don’t pretend. We say, ‘Oh, what a s**t day.’ We’re just a different breed.</p> <p>“Oh well, that’s one hero of mine that’s dead. No fan of mine.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Music

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"I can't hear you!": New feature set to do away with subtitles

<p>Nothing is more annoying than sitting in front of your TV, eager to watch your favourite show only for the dialogue to be completely wiped because of cars passing by or a plane taking off.</p> <p>Not being able to hear the dialogue in a TV show or movie, especially in an action or crime-driven blockbuster where anything exploding masks all dialogue has been an everlasting problem for viewers.</p> <p><em>Netflix</em> has revealed that 40 per cent of subscribers have subtitles on at all times while surveys in the US and UK saw anywhere between 60 and 70 per cent of young viewers as frequent users of subtitles.</p> <p>If you’re using subtitles for the purpose of hearing the dialogue rather an accessibility reasons, streaming giant <em>Amazon</em> is introducing a new feature that could eradicate the need to turn them on because of the sound mix.</p> <p>The feature is called ”dialogue boost" and it raises the volume of the dialogue track relative to the score, ambient sound or effects.</p> <p>Although <em>Amazon</em> has so generously offered this solution to subscribers, the dialogue boost feature will only be available on a handful of <em>Amazon</em> <em>Prime Video’s</em> originals, like Beautiful Boy, Being The Ricardos, Jack Ryan and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.</p> <p>A similar feature already appears on some expensive sound systems and TV sets, but <em>Amazon</em> boasts it’s the first streaming platform to roll it out worldwide.</p> <p>To work the feature, select it from the audio and subtitles drop-down menu on an individual title, there will be two options to select from, “English Dialogue Boost: High” or “English Dialogue Boost: Medium”.</p> <p>The title page for a TV series or movie will show whether the dialogue boost is available.</p> <p>According to Variety, the helpful feature was originally designed for hearing-impaired viewers.</p> <p>Rest assured, if you struggle to hear the dialogue due to the sound mix, there's help on the way, granted it's exclusive to <em>Amazon</em>.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

TV

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Spinetingling audio of a black hole goes viral, here’s why

<p dir="ltr">Audio that allows us to “hear a black hole” has gone viral online since it was shared by NASA, with listeners describing it as “creepy” and “ethereally beautiful”.</p> <p dir="ltr">NASA first shared the audio taken from the black hole in the Perseus galaxy cluster in May, which it described as a remixed sonification of sound waves discovered in 2003, but a recent re-posting on Twitter has seen it gone viral.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f388abe3-7fff-2cd0-68cf-89aaead1f146"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Here’s how it sounds:</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The misconception that there is no sound in space originates because most space is a ~vacuum, providing no way for sound waves to travel. A galaxy cluster has so much gas that we've picked up actual sound. Here it's amplified, and mixed with other data, to hear a black hole! <a href="https://t.co/RobcZs7F9e">pic.twitter.com/RobcZs7F9e</a></p> <p>— NASA Exoplanets (@NASAExoplanets) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAExoplanets/status/1561442514078314496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Nearly twenty years ago, researchers at the Chandra X-Ray Observatory “discovered that pressure waves sent out by the black hole caused ripples in the cluster’s hot gas that could be translated into a note”.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, said note was too low for humans to hear, being the equivalent of a B-flat 57 octaves below the middle C note on a piano, according to NASA.</p> <p dir="ltr">To create something we could actually hear, scientists used a process called sonification, which is where astronomical data is translated into sound.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to NASA, the  creepy sound was created using sound waves extracted outwards from the centre of the Perseus cluster, with astronomers increasing the frequency by 57 and 58 octaves.</p> <p dir="ltr">A radar-like scan around the image was also used to help us hear sound waves emitted in different directions.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b422c896-7fff-4c03-4c1f-0b305a6f28e2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Another way to put this is that they are being heard 144 quadrillion and 288 quadrillion times higher than their original frequency,” NASA said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I was today years old when I found out that sound could travel into space.<br />In fact, NASA released sound waves received from a black hole!<br />Creepy 😲<br />Next, music please? 🎶<a href="https://t.co/myk0laXDV4">pic.twitter.com/myk0laXDV4</a></p> <p>— Elie Habib (@elie_h) <a href="https://twitter.com/elie_h/status/1561773483092320256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">James Miller-Jones, a Professor of Astrophysics at Curtin University, told the <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-24/nasa-audio-black-hole-sounds-viral-hear-space/101360094" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a></em> that the frequencies of these sound waves are impacted by gases in the Perseus cluster.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Those sound waves are bumping into regions of dense gas, hotter gas, cooler gas, so they'll move in slightly different speeds in different directions," he explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">"That means they don't have a perfect circular shape. So as they scan around the cluster … it's capturing slightly different pitches."</p> <p dir="ltr">While this isn’t the first time the space agency has <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/technology/hear-recordings-of-space-from-nasa-s-spacecraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared sounds from space</a>, these sounds of the Perseus cluster differ in that they also use sound waves.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is the only one that I've seen that is really translating real sound waves into the sonification, and to me that's just a beautiful demonstration of what is going on. It's quite powerful," Professor Miller-Jones said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It tells us a lot about the cluster, and how energy is transported through it."</p> <p dir="ltr">Kimberly Arcand, the principal investigator of the sonification project, described the sound as “a beautiful Hans Zimmer score with the moody level set at really high” when she first heard it in late 2021.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was such a wonderful representation of what existed in my mind,” she told <em><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/08/23/nasa-black-hole-sound/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post</a></em>, adding that it was a “tipping point” for the project in that it “really sparked people’s imagination”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The idea that there are these supermassive black holes sprinkled throughout the universe that are … belching out incredible songs is a very tantalising thing,” Arcand added.</p> <p dir="ltr">The decision to release the “re-sonification” of the sound waves nearly two decades later came as part of NASA’s efforts to share complex scientific discoveries in plain English with its millions of social media followers.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-afb09788-7fff-6723-82cd-3c0338da2593"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Though some experts have cautioned that NASA’s clip isn’t exactly what you’d hear in space, others argue that it would be realistic to believe that it would be what we’d hear if we had ears that were sensitive enough.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm not religious, but I'm starting to think that those souls sent to Hell actually end up in a black hole.</p> <p>Sound ON to be horrified <a href="https://t.co/75v74pkkhu">https://t.co/75v74pkkhu</a></p> <p>— Paul Byrne (@ThePlanetaryGuy) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThePlanetaryGuy/status/1562065393581277185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Even so, plenty of social media users have shared their thoughts on the sound, making comparisons to the Lord of the Rings and Silent Hill series or sharing it was an image of an intergalactic puppy overlaid.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I can confirm that the black hole noise Nasa released is the sound of hell,” one user <a href="https://twitter.com/SlimeRegis/status/1562005777488945152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“New genre just dropped: Cosmic Horror,” another <a href="https://twitter.com/cybxrart/status/1561690611983343616" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4a0fce13-7fff-7e3a-478a-a1cb41c49d94"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @NASAExoplanets (Twitter)</em></p>

Technology

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Duchess of Sussex launches podcast

<p dir="ltr">Meghan Markle is launching her podcast <em>Archetypes</em> on Spotify.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess of Sussex will be hosting the “groundbreaking new podcast,” set to be released this summer (Australia’s winter) on the popular streaming app. </p> <p dir="ltr">Meghan will speak with historians about the “subvert” labels women are given and discover how the degrading words shape their narratives.</p> <p dir="ltr">A <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ntRMn5LTlSVBBpZ1hsPK3?si=ed3fe09c293843f3&amp;_branch_match_id=790125097908719124&amp;utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_campaign=Archetypes&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXLy7IL8lMq9TLyczL1jdKqSgKCnYLc81PAgADOfmoIAAAAA%3D%3D&amp;nd=1#login" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sneak peek</a> into the podcast includes multiple male voices using the subvert labels such as: “she’s a sl*t!”, “and a little emotionally unstable”, “I was waiting for you to smile at some of the compliments and you didn’t”, and “they are weaker, smaller, they are less intelligent.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls, and how the media reflects women back to us,” Meghan begins.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But where do these stereotypes come from? And how do they keep showing up and defining our lives?</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m Meghan, and this is Archetypes: the podcast where we dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ll have conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape our narratives. And, I’ll talk to historians to understand how we even got here in the first place. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Archetypes. Coming soon. Listen only on Spotify.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The podcast is the first production from <em>Archewell Audio</em>, the production company that was started by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Archewell Audio will produce programming that uplifts and entertains audiences around the world,” their <a href="https://archewell.com/audio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> reads.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Duke and Duchess will produce podcasts and shows that build community through shared experiences, powerful narratives, and universal values.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It's unclear yet whether all future projects will have the name of their son Archie in them somehow.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Would you wear a t-shirt that could listen to you?

<p>Since we ditched our ancestral fur and became ‘naked’ apes some two million years ago, fabrics have been central to human life. For most of their history, developments in <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/news/wearable-tech-style/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fabric technology</a> have centred around novel fibres and increasing production capabilities.</p> <p>But a new era of fabric technology has begun.</p> <p>Motivated by the ubiquity of fabrics, and their intimate proximity to the human body, a team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US, has taken fabric research in a mind-boggling new direction, developing fabrics that can ‘hear’ sounds.</p> <p>Publishing in <em>Nature</em>, the researchers <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04476-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">describe their development</a> of a fabric yarn interwoven with an electrical, or ‘<a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/three-minute-thesis-piezoelectric-energy-harvesting-human-movements-will-power-smartphones/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">piezoelectric</a>’ fibre. The resulting fabric has ‘hearing’ capabilities, using a mechanism similar to that of the human ear: the fabric medium plays the part of the tympanic membrane, converting pressure waves at audible frequencies into mechanical vibrations, which can then be processed into electrical signals.</p> <p>Only a small quantity of the specialised piezoelectric fibre is needed to make fabric acoustically sensitive. A single fibre can be used to generate tens of square metres of fabric microphone, which is then capable of detecting even very weak sound signals, such as human speech.</p> <p>Outside of fabric research circles, the drive to develop t-shirts that can listen to you may seem baffling. But the researchers say this transformation of fabrics could have exciting and far-reaching consequences, with uses ranging from law enforcement to monitoring heart health.</p> <p>For example, the researchers trialled a shirt design that incorporated multiple fibres woven into different positions on the body, using the time delay between signal detection to allow the direction of incoming sounds to be pinpointed. They say that such a garment could be useful for police officers to narrow down the direction of a gunshot, or for individuals with hearing aids to listen in specific directions while removing background noise.</p> <p>And there are more potential uses for those with hearing difficulties. With simple modifications, the fabric can be made to broadcast audible sounds as well as detecting them, facilitating communication between deaf individuals when both are wearing the fabric. Two-way communication garments could even let us talk to each other underwater.</p> <p>Draped across the skin of your chest, the fabrics could also capture cardiac signals – turning your shirt into a stethoscope that could potentially monitor your heart and respiratory condition in a comfortable, continuous and long-term manner.</p> <p>And importantly, the fabric is still easy-care, able to withstand being chucked in the washing machine at the end of a long day of listening.</p> <p><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --></p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=185469&amp;title=Would+you+wear+a+t-shirt+that+could+listen+to+you%3F" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></p> <p><!-- End of tracking content syndication --></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/materials/fabric-technology-fabric-that-can-hear-sound/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/jamie-priest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamie Priest</a>. Jamie Priest is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of Adelaide.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Technology

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Caught out! Leaked audio as Channel 7 stars slam Novak

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Comments from Channel 7 newsreaders Mike Amor and Rebecca Maddern slamming Novak Djokovic have emerged, after footage of an off-air exchange in the studio <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/lying-ahole-leaked-video-shows-seven-stars-trashing-novak-djokovic/news-story/190c9cb29e21723f12ab233883000af6" target="_blank">was leaked online</a>.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The clip shows the Melbourne-based presenters talking about Djokovic’s bid to stay in the country and compete in the Australian Open, calling him an “a***hole” and accusing him of faking his border entry forms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Whatever way you look at it, Novak Djokovic is a lying, sneaky a**hole,” Maddern told her co-host. “It’s unfortunate that everybody else stuffed up around him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“To go out when you know you’re Covid-positive - well, I don’t think he was even Covid-positive…”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">“Novak Djokovic is a lying, sneaky arsehole, whatever way you look at it…” Off-air footage of Australian news anchors Mike Amor and Rebecca Maddern giving their thoughts on the Djokovic saga leaked <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/GR2GYdJ4C8">pic.twitter.com/GR2GYdJ4C8</a></p> — Auskar Surbakti (@AuskarSurbakti) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuskarSurbakti/status/1481006565666824197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Amor also called the world No.1 an “a**hole”, adding: “You’ve got a bulls**t f***ing excuse and then he fell over his own f***ing lies, which is what happens right? That’s what happened.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Maddern questioned the truth behind Djokovic’s recent travel movements which he included in his Australian Travel Declaration form, while Amor said: “I think he’s going to get away with it”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846747/novak3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/68194194a1f8403fbfb840334b7b7237" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Off-air footage has emerged of newsreaders Mike Amor and Rebecca Maddern hitting out at Novak Djokovic and his visa troubles. Image: Twitter</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think most fair-minded people would say, ‘This bloke’s an a**hole’. Did they do the right thing by him? I don’t know. They f***ed up. That’s the problem, isn’t it,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The fact is life is never fair. Some people fly first class… it’s never fair,” Maddern added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The presenters’ comments come as the tennis champion continues to be investigated by Border Force officials to determine whether he </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/new-visa-twist-as-more-novak-accusations-emerge" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">lied on his entry form</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some have suggested Djokovic incorrectly answered a question asking whether he had travelled in the 14 days prior to flying to Australia, with social media posts emerging accusing him of being in Serbia for Christmas before flying to Spain to prepare for the year’s first grand slam.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although the decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/round-1-goes-to-novak-as-ugly-scenes-unfold-on-melbourne-streets" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">was overturned</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the Federal Circuit Court on Monday, there is still the possibility Djokovic could be forced to leave Australia.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Immigration Minister Alex Hawke - who has personal power to cancel Djokovic’s visa - has confirmed he is considering whether to do so or not.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In line with due process, Minister Hawke will thoroughly consider the matter,” Mr Hawke’s office said on Tuesday.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Twitter</span></em></p>

News

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Amazing audio of Cleo's rescue, plus Premier owes her a new pair of shoes

<p dir="ltr">WA Police have released audio of the moment 4-year-old Cleo Smith was rescued. One officer can be heard reassuring Cleo as they pick her up, saying “I’ve got you bubby”, while another asks Cleo, “What’s your name, sweetheart?” To this, she responds, “My name is Cleo”, to which the officer responds, “Your name is Cleo”, while another says “Hello Cleo”.</p> <p dir="ltr">It’s a heartwarming moment, as is the moment Cleo is carried outside the house she was found in, which police released video footage of on Wednesday soon after announcing she had been safely located and returned to her family.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">"My name is Cleo." <a href="https://t.co/xiy59x4kjP">pic.twitter.com/xiy59x4kjP</a></p> — WA Police Force (@WA_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/WA_Police/status/1456102974502047744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The moment Cleo was rescued 👏 <a href="https://t.co/arusYi9kCa">pic.twitter.com/arusYi9kCa</a></p> — WA Police Force (@WA_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/WA_Police/status/1455784205548359682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In a press conference earlier today, Detective Senior Sergeant Blaine said that Cleo was found awake in a room with the lights on, playing with toys. The home was in Carnarvon, the Western Australian town where the Smith family lives. She had been missing for 18 days when she was finally found around midnight on Wednesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Blaine said that Cleo appeared to be in good spirits, "From our point of view, I'm amazed she seems to be so well-adjusted and happy, it was really, heart-warming to see.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She is playing in the backyard, exactly how you would expect, like how my daughter did when she was four-years-old."</p> <p dir="ltr">Premier Mark McGowan had the opportunity to meet her on Thursday, bringing with him two teddies – one for Cleo, and one for her younger sister Isla. They named the teddies Cameron and Rod, after the detective who rescued her and the lead investigator on the case, but he wasn’t sure if those names would stick, joking to reporters that “Cleo didn’t seem too enamoured with those names.”</p> <p dir="ltr">McGowan also revealed an embarrassing moment that transpired during the meeting. “I unfortunately trod on her new Barbie shoes and broke one of them, so I owe her a pair of shoes,” he said. Despite that unfortunate incident, the Premier said she was a “very bright, upbeat, sweet little girl” and described the Smith family as “very humble” and “very well adjusted” considering their ordeal.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a lovely experience to meet her. She was, I thought, very well adjusted considering and the family were very appreciative of everything that has been done for them. They’re ... fundamentally decent, honest human beings ... they’re really lovely people and it’s great to meet them and acknowledge what they’ve been through.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Obviously, there’ll be a way to go from here but they’re certainly on the right pathway.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: WA Police</em></p>

News

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Shocking audio of Porsche driver Richard Pusey heard in court

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>A judge has slammed Richard Pusey as "probably the most hated man in Australia" after details of him filming four dying police officers were revealed in court.</p> <p>Pusey filmed Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Glen Humphris and Constable Josh Prestney as they lay with fatal injuries and said "that's amazing".</p> <p>The court heard details of the three-minute recording.</p> <p>"I guess I'll be getting a f---ing Uber home," he said in the audio.</p> <p>"Lucky I went and had a piss.</p> <p>"That is f---ing justice."</p> <p>Pusey's lawyers are arguing for a lenient sentence, saying that Pusey is a man deserving of sympathy and mercy as well as arguing that he should be released at his next court appearance.</p> <p>The court heard that Pusey had a severe mental illness as well as the fact he was bullied as a child over his name.</p> <p>His lawyers asked for Pusey to be immediately released on a community corrections order as they claim he's already been punished enough by his portrayal in Australian media.</p> <p>Judge Trevor Wraight agreed he is "probably the most hated man in Australia".</p> <p>Pusey made two recordings that lasted three minutes while zooming in on two officers injuries despite nearby witnesses pleading with him to stop.</p> <p>The deaths of the police officers represent the single largest loss of life in the history of Victoria Police.</p> <p>Pusey will be sentenced on April 21.</p> <p><em>Photo credits:<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/richard-pusey-eastern-freeway-video-shows-dying-police-officers-being-taunted/b0ce366d-145d-46dc-88e8-0eaca1b57dd9" target="_blank">Nine</a></em></p> </div> </div> </div>

Legal

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Bathurst champ hits back at controversy as team radio audio is revealed

<p>Bathurst winner Scott McLaughlin isn’t worried about being stripped of his title despite an investigation into his team’s alleged go-slow tactics during an intense race.</p> <p>Officials are further investigating Supercars driver Fabian Coulthard’s “disgraceful” Bathurst 1000 safety car tactics after charging his ford outfit with breaching team order regulations.</p> <p>Coulthard was initially hit with a drive-through penalty after he slowed down and held up the field behind his teammate McLaughlin, who went on to win the Bathurst 1000.</p> <p>However, Coulthard now faces a fine or loss of championship points as officials are investigating whether his actions influenced the outcome of the race after following team orders to slow down.</p> <p>“I didn’t know anything about it until the press conference after the race,” McLaughlin said to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/motorsport/champ-hits-back-at-bathurst-controversy-as-team-radio-audio-revealed/news-story/322d50327a4570f2fe0c613e5a3be01d" target="_blank">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p>“We did our bit. We had a fast car, we won the race, so we’ll just get on with it, it’ll sort itself out.</p> <p>“It certainly wasn’t intentional from our point of view, Fabian was just doing something he needed to do, but I just pushed on.</p> <p>“We had a great car all day and unfortunately for him (Coulthard) there is a bit of conjecture there, but he drove a great race and I feel bad for him, that’s for sure.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">It was the controversial talking point of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bathurst1000?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bathurst1000</a> 🗣 Hear what was said on the Team Radio in Car #12 and Car #97 <a href="https://t.co/QQACup5rcR">pic.twitter.com/QQACup5rcR</a></p> — FOX MOTORSPORT (@Fox_Motorsport) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fox_Motorsport/status/1183578366076538880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">14 October 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Critics weren’t happy when a then third placed Coulthard backed up the field as top two Jamie Whincup and McLaughlin fuelled up during the safety car period with 26 of the race’s 161 laps left.</p> <p>Coulthard’s slow pace under the yellow flag, where drivers are not allowed to overtake, extended the gap between Shane Van Gisbergen and the leading duo from one to 47 seconds.</p> <p>McLaughlhin went onto beat Van Gisbergen by 0.68 seconds.</p> <p>Holden legend Mark Skaife told<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/motor-sport/v8-supercars/bathurst-1000-2019-all-the-raceday-updates-and-news/live-coverage/763455ab65ce094b8a24ee497a06b98e" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph</a></em><span> </span>the Ford man had nothing to worry about. “I have no doubt that Scott is the winner,” Skaife said.</p> <p>“Scott was the fastest all week. He qualified fastest in the wet, broke a record in the shootout and won a last-lap duel with Shane.”</p> <p>However, Coulthard has vowed to clear his name as he feels like a “scapegoat”. He said to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://au.motorsport.com/v8supercars/news/coulthard-bathurst-controversy-safety-car/4557381/" target="_blank">Motorsport.com</a>:<br /></em></p> <p>“I’m getting absolutely smashed for something I was told to do.</p> <p>“I need to clear my name. It’s not my style. I don’t race like that, I’m a clean racer.</p> <p>“To see what I’m reading, I’m getting pretty shafted for it. I’m the scapegoat.”</p> <p>Runner-up Van Gisbergen wasn’t happy about being held up by the safety car either.</p> <p>“We got held up in the safety car by someone, it made it tough (to win),” said the Holden star.</p> <p>“(But) that car (Coulthard) has been the sacrificial lamb all year (for DJR Team Penske).”</p>

Domestic Travel

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The audio story that will put you to sleep in minutes

<p>From <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2015/03/how-to-fall-asleep-quick/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">breathing tricks</span></strong></a> to <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/2017/03/tips-to-improve-sleep/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">pre-bed rituals</span></strong></a>, it seems we’re always on the lookout for new ways to fall asleep faster. While these may work to a certain degree, the latest method seems to be the most effective we’ve seen in years.</p> <p>Created by meditation app “Calm”, the audio story Blue Gold, narrated by Stephen Fry, is being praised for its ability to quickly send anyone off to the land of nod.</p> <p>Described as a “sleep inducing masterpiece,” Fry’s soothing voice takes you on a journey through the famous lavender fields of Provence in the south of France. Combined with a few drops of lavender oil nearby your bed, it’ll lull you to sleep in no time.</p> <p>The creators of the story are so sure of its power that they “challenge anyone to stay awake for all 24 minutes.” And, if the word of those who’ve given it a go is to be believed, it seems they’re telling the truth.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Listened for the first time last night; so scrummy and soothing. You'll be going to bed with me a lot! 😉</p> — Claire Sanderson (@piskydust) <a href="https://twitter.com/piskydust/status/896607060615467008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2017</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I've never tried a meditation app before. This was pure bliss. Thank you so much for 20 minutes of calm Mr. Fry. It had been a hectic day.</p> — B McGuire-Flemimg (@mcguire_fleming) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcguire_fleming/status/897766886661861376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2017</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I have yet to figure out what any of these sleep stories are about because I always fall asleep! Mission accomplished I suppose 🤣</p> — Rich S. (@NYRick) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYRick/status/888126195056824320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>Keen to give it a go tonight? You can listen to a preview below or hear the full story through the Calm app <a href="https://www.calm.com/player/nNpBWr7A9" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></strong></a>.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/334775276&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true&amp;visual=true"></iframe></p>

Mind

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7 places you can download audiobooks for free

<p>Audiobooks are a great way to consume literature. You can drift off to sleep at night while still in Wonderland with Alice, or go on a roadtrip across the country while also journeying through Middle Earth. Only thing is, audio versions of books can be much more expensive than their paper and ink brethren, meaning many are loathe to dive in. But fear not, we have found seven places that offer free audiobooks to download and enjoy.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Public domain</span></strong></p> <p>These websites allow you to download audio versions of books that sit in the public domain – meaning their copyright has expired. If you’re interested in classics like <em>Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick</em>, or <em>Great Expectations</em>, these sites are perfect for you.</p> <p><a href="https://librivox.org/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Librivox</strong></span></a> </p> <p>This site is run by volunteers, and offers audiobooks read by people from all over the world. What’s special about Librivox is that their books are often read in different languages – making their site more accessible.</p> <p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/%20" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Project Gutenberg</strong></span></a> </p> <p>You may have heard of this site before. Just like Librivox, it offers public domain titles for free download. You can choose from over 53,000 books.</p> <p><a href="https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Lit2Go</strong></span></a> </p> <p>This is a great resource for your grandchildren to know about. If they’re studying any of the classics of literature in school, Lit2Go breaks these books up into smaller downloadble chunks, which are great for study sessions.</p> <p><a href="https://scribl.com/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Scrib</strong></span></a>l </p> <p>Scribl is an interesting service – it offers titles (both audiobooks and ebooks) on sliding scales of price dependant upon the title’s popularity. Many of their titles are free to download, while more popular items will cost you money. For you ebook readers, Scribl will give you an ebook copy of any audiobook title you download.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Free trials</span></strong></p> <p>These websites offer a free trial that allows you to browse their collection and often download a book of your choice to get you started. Then, if you don’t want to pay the subscription fee, you just need to cancel before the trial ends.</p> <p><a href="http://www.audible.com.au/%20" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Audible</strong></span></a> </p> <p>If you’ve ever listened to a podcast, chances are you’ve head of Audible.com. They’ve been around since 1995, and were acquired by Amazon in 2008 for something in the region of 300 million USD. Along with all that experience and wealth go an easy-to-use site and over 200,000 titles in their collection. Sign up for their free 30-day trial to download an audiobook for free.</p> <p><a href="http://www.allyoucanbooks.com/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>All You Can Books</strong></span></a> </p> <p>Get more bang for your free trial with this site – sign up and download as many audiobooks as you can handle in the first 30 days. Their library is somewhat smaller than other services (only 30,000 titles), but if you want to stock up on free audiobooks, this free trial is perfect.</p> <p><a href="https://www.estories.com/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>eStories</strong></span></a> </p> <p>This site is a spin-off of a subscription music service, eMusic. What’s great about eStories is that you can choose a plan to suit your listening habits – download 1, 2, or 5 audiobooks each month. Their collection includes over 100,000 titles. The free trial is for 30-days, and lets you choose a free book.</p> <p>What’s your favourite audiobook?</p>

Books

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Modern vs vintage audio equipment

<p>Why do so many audio fans seem to prefer a vintage receiver over new receivers with modern technology?</p> <p>Are there actual reasons that older equipment can sound different or better?</p> <p>When it comes to receivers and amplifiers, older can be better. The amplifier sections in new receivers often don't have the power and electrical current capability of vintage models, especially going from a stereo receiver to a surround sound receiver as you did.</p> <p>The manufacturers saved money by cutting quality in surround receivers' amplifier sections, then used the savings to add new features such as extra channels for more speakers, Bluetooth, etc.</p> <p>The power ratings in new gear are often inflated, as well.</p> <p>In real-world use, an older amp may actually deliver more power to the speakers, despite newer models having higher advertised power rating.</p> <p>In addition, many receivers digitally process everything, including the volume control. Some feel that this digital processing degrades the sound.</p> <p>There is also the possibility that older amps' power is not as "clean" as the newer models and has more distortion, but the mild distortion lends a pleasant quality to the music.</p> <p>That is the reason lots of people prefer tube amplifiers or vintage speakers. Though the old equipment may not reproduce the music as accurately as modern gear, the listener may simply prefer the sound from the vintage equipment.</p> <p>In general, though, if you choose carefully you can get better sound with modern equipment than with vintage.</p> <p>You just have to be careful about what you buy and how you match components together. There is good stuff and bad stuff littering every price point.</p> <p>You can get much more speaker for your dollar than you could years ago.</p> <p>Most modern turntables will sound better too, but much of that is by virtue of their newness. Old turntables can have worn platter and tonearm bearings, which seriously degrade the sound.</p> <p>However, it is in the realm of amplifiers and receivers that quality has taken the biggest hit.</p> <p>For stereo, if your budget is under $750 a vintage amplifier or receiver could very well be the best choice if you have access to a clean example that works perfectly. The problem for the average consumer is knowing what brands are best and what to look for so you get a reliable unit.</p> <p>The "golden age" for vintage audio was probably the 1980s and some great, affordable audiophile brands are Adcom, B&amp;K, Harman/Kardon, NAD and Rotel.</p> <p><em>First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p>

Technology

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Questions everyone should ask an audiologist

<p>If you are concerned that you may be experiencing some hearing loss symptoms, it may be time to book a visit with an audiologist. Before you go you probably have lots of questions racing around in your mind.</p> <p>Now is a good time to write these questions down so that you can be sure not to miss anything when you get there. Being faced with the prospect of needing a hearing aid can be overwhelming so it can be helpful to have all the information to hand.</p> <p><strong>What could the problem be?</strong></p> <p>If you are worried about a specific symptom, do some research online or at the library to work out what you think it could potentially be. This may bring up some questions for you that you should write down to ask at your appointment.</p> <p>Also make a note of any allergies and medication that you currently take as this could be relevant to your diagnosis.</p> <p><strong>How will it affect my daily life?</strong></p> <p>Think about how you spend your time each day. Having a hearing aid will change the way you watch movies, work, drive or listen to music. Let the audiologist know about what’s important to you as they may be able to tailor the device to your lifestyle.</p> <p><strong>What will I need to buy?</strong></p> <p>When you get a hearing aid there are other accessories that you will need to purchase too, so remember to ask about these. For instance there will most likely be a device to keep the hearing aid clean. Ask the audiologist to go through each item and show you exactly how to use it so that you don’t have to come back again later.</p> <p><strong>What are the options?</strong></p> <p>Hearing aids have come a long way and there are lots of special features and settings that you will be able to take advantage of – providing you remember to ask how to use them. For instance you can reduce the sound of wind noise when you are outdoors, or even use Bluetooth with it.</p> <p><strong>Can I take someone with me?</strong></p> <p>When going to your appointment it can be helpful to take a friend or relative with you. There is going to be a lot of new information to take in and you may be a little nervous too. Having a friendly face there with you may help you feel more at ease, and they may pick up some information that you missed.</p>

Hearing

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