14 October 2023 - Birkenstocks and Beyoncé

Strap yourself in for a weekend of democracy snags and vibes as lively as Will Ferrell’s DJ set… This Saturday, if you have a favourite ugly shoe, a surprise high-powered bestie, or anything else you want to share with us, hit reply.

⏱️ Reading time: 7 minutes

🤷‍♀️ IDK: Whether Birkenstock have representatives pretending to be fortune tellers…

Prefer us in your ears?

Today's listening time: 24 minutes

This week's top stories

No prizes for guessing the top story this week… Some notable mentions that didn’t make the list include 2 devastating earthquakes in Afghanistan, the death of comedian Cal Wilson, and the homecoming of Cheng Lei (more on that below…). This week’s data comes from media intelligence platform Streem.

1. Israel at war - More than 2,800 people have died after Hamas - the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip - launched an unprecedented attack on Israel. Talks are underway to evacuate foreign nationals, and a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Gaza as Israel prepares a ground assault.

2. It’s referendum day - Huzzah… Millions of Aussies go to the polls to vote on enshrining an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in our Constitution, with polls pointing towards a ‘No’ result.

3. Cricket returns to the Olympic stage - We didn’t cover this one, but T20 cricket will be featured in the 2028 LA Olympic Games thanks to an expected windfall from Indian broadcasting rights. It was a cause for celebration for Oz before our men got crushed by South Africa in their World Cup game…

4. A historic win at Mount Panorama - We didn’t cover this one either (it was a busy news week, alright?) but Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen became the first driver in 15 years to secure consecutive Bathurst 1000 wins after clinching his third title. He’s quitting Supercars, so what a way to go…

5. And the Wallabies are out - Our national rugby team officially crashed out of the World Cup this week, marking the first time our side hasn't progressed to the quarterfinals. Eddie Jones is said to be eyeing a gig in Japan - but he said he’s “committed to Australia”.

Picture of the week

Aussie journalist Cheng Lei has returned home after spending more than 3 years detained in China - woohoo... She met Foreign Minister Penny Wong and had a chat with PM Anthony Albanese. As for why Cheng was released, Albanese says “her matter was concluded through the legal processes in China”, which is a clear as mud…

Question of the week

The question: Are you a fan of Birkenstocks?

The story: The German comfy shoe giant’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange didn’t exactly go to plan after its share price plummeted on debut.

Rod Evenden, a shoe for most occasions - “Birkies are flip-flops for grown-ups. They are my ‘going out’ flip-flops - providing the venue is not too fancy…”

Donna Stewart, public service announcer - “Love my Birkies. Little known fact: they will customise the footbed if you send them your orthotics and will repair worn footbeds as well.”

Penny Webb, an unusual sales tactic - “I once had a clairvoyant tell me that she was getting a message for me to wear Birkenstocks, which was odd! I didn't follow the advice, so I guess I'm not a fan if even the spirit world couldn't convince me.”

Squiz Recommends

Reading - Further to what we just talked about this article goes through Birkenstock’s fascinating and long history and their gradual rise to the top.

Listening - The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has many of us wanting to know more. The Daily podcast from the New York Times has produced some great episodes this week on what went down, as well as Israel’s response and what it means for Palestinians and Israelis.

Watching - We’re huge fans of Lessons in Chemistry* by Bonnie Garmus, so we’re stoked the bestselling novel has been turned into a mini-series. Starring Brie Larson, it’s about a woman who becomes a beloved cooking show host in the 1960s after being forced to resign as a chemist. You can watch it on Apple TV+.

*Buy using this link and The Squiz may earn a little commission.

In the Kitchen

We’ve only ever made falafel once before many years ago, and, look, it didn’t turn out so great… We gave them another shot using this recipe - and not to toot our own horn, but they were on par with the ones from our favourite Lebanese restaurant. We paired them with this easy tahini sauce and our all-time favourite fattoush salad.

What we Squized this week

Your Squiz Shortcut on Israel at war - This is a great entry point to get you across a bit of the background. Start here and move on the The Daily episodes we mentioned a moment ago. Have a listen or read here.

And our last episode of Ask the Squiz… Our sixth and final episode responds to some of the big questions about the Voice, how much the 'Yes' and 'No' campaigns are spending, and how the votes are counted. Have a listen here, and you’ll be set for whatever today throws at you.

What’s that, a new survey you say? - Last year, over 2,000 Squizers told us their thoughts about on media and news. We’re back with our 2023 survey, and we'd be over the moon if you could spare some time to do it this weekend. Get into it here.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - It’s not just Aussies who are voting - Kiwis are heading to the polls for their general election

Sunday - The South by Southwest (SXSW) creative arts festival kicks off in Sydney today - it’s the first time the event has been held outside its hometown of Austin, Texas

Monday - Both houses of federal parliament kick into action. And World Food Day coincides with World Bread Day because you can never have too much of a good thing…

Tuesday - Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen and journo Peter Greste address the National Press Club from 12.30pm

Wednesday - It’s an early start for Aussie football fans as the Socceroos take to the pitch for a friendly match against the Kiwis at 5.45am

Thursday - The Bureau of Stats releases its latest jobs data. And Martin Scorsese’s latest epic Killers Of The Flower Moon is released in Aussie cinemas

Friday - Today marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Opera House. And the Rolling Stones release their first album in 18 years - it’s called Hackney Diamonds

Let’s get Squizzical

Reckon you know why there’s a shortage of Santa Clauses across Australia this year? Have a crack at the Squiz Quiz.

Double-Tapping

In a full-circle moment, Taylor Swift was joined on the red carpet for the premiere of her Eras Tour concert film by none other than Beyoncé. Though the two megastars are on good terms, their fans are known for feuding, and this article said it all: “Forget about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, she and Beyoncé are the true power pair of the year.”

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