20 April 2024 - Saturday Squiz

We don’t need a trumpet to tell you that the Saturday Squiz is about wrapping up the news of the week and highlighting some things to help you have a good weekend. So this weekend if you have a vegetable you’ve turned into transportation, a spin on an Aussie icon, or anything else you’d like to share with us, hit reply.

⏱️ Reading time: 7 minutes

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🤷‍♀️ IDK: But that is one humongous pumpkin…

This week's top stories

So much news this week…

1. Horror at the shops - We were tempted to put the Bondi Junction Westfield incident and the Wakeley stabbings together, but we thought it was interesting to see the numbers split out. With 2 million searches on Google, it’s clear a lot of people turned to the search engine for information.

2. Terror at the church - The 16yo teen accused of this attack has now been charged. Yesterday his family said that the boy was “in need of help” and has “a long history of behaviour” consistent with suffering from a mental illness.

3. Iran fires on Israel - It marked the first time that Tehran has launched a direct military assault on Israel. And it was the single largest drone attack ever carried out by any country. In any other week, it would be in the #1 spot… Yesterday, Israel responded with a strike on military targets in Iran, so the question of an escalating war is top of mind…

4. Yeah nah, Bruce Lehrmann… - The former Liberal staffer lost his defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson with Justice Michael Lee finding on the balance of probabilities that he did rape his then-colleague Brittany Higgins. The cost of the case is enormous…

5. Not built for rain… - The pictures demonstrate that… At 120mm in 24 hours, it’s the region’s worst rainfall for 75 years. Bahrain, Oman, and the UAE were all affected - the death toll is reported to be 20 people and Dubai Airport - one of the busiest in the world - was underwater.

It’s the Squiz Quiz…

Reckon you know how the Devil’s Comet got its name? Have a crack at the Squiz Quiz.

Picture of the week

Last weekend, Adam Farquharson turned an award-winning 407kg pumpkin - the biggest grown in Australia this year - that was destined for agricultural feed into a canoe and paddled it down the Tumut River in NSW’s Riverina region. "Barry Humphries said that he's a big fan of the unnecessary, and I am too. I'm a big one for shenanigans," he said. Nice one, Captain Adam…

Question of the week

What are Squizers doing with their leisure time?

We don’t like being put in a box either, there is plenty we do for leisure -like writing and reading Saturday Squiz…

As the good Lord intended - “Three days a week I run 10kms to a club or a pub, then drink a few Schooners and catch the bus back. I also run and kayak almost every day. Oh, and I run in thongs and would never wear shoes again (God never said we'd need arch support).” 

Same, and we wrote the question… - “Disappointed there wasn’t the option of liking Piña coladas and getting caught in the rain.”

Furry friends got a big mention - “Add tea, a blanket, a fireplace and a Border Collie for maximum impact on the nervous system.”

In the Kitchen

It’s unAustralian to not like Vegemite and butter on toast (fight us…). So we were intrigued by this concoction that popped up on our social media stream - Vegemite and butter whipped together. Controversial or genius? For our part, it’s a bloody brilliant no worries mate double thumbs up.

What we Squized this week

Squiz Shortcuts on Iran and Israel - We look back at the relationship between Iran and Israel, what led to this unprecedented attack, and what the experts are saying about where this could go. You can read more/listen to this episode here.

News Club on a reporter's perspective on the Israel-Gaza war - Kate Watson interviewed Adam Harvey - currently he’s reporting for ABC TV’s 7.30 but he’s also been their Middle East correspondent. That means he’s well-placed to talk about how this war is being covered and the logistics involved. Get our Club Picks and listen to the episode here.

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Squiz the Week

Saturday - There’s a memorial service for Luke Davies in Brissie at 4pm. Davies and his partner Jessie Baird were allegedly killed by then serving police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon.

Sunday - At 5.30pm a candlelight vigil will be held at Bondi Beach for the victims of the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing attack

Monday - It’s the start of Passover - the 8-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt

Tuesday - At 12.30pm, Wally Lewis AM (aka The King of Rugby League) is speaking at the Press Club on his experiences of living with probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from repeated concussions

Wednesday - Happy birthday to Aussie sporting legend Ash Barty. And if there was ever a Wednesday to wear jeans to work, do it on Denim Day

Thursday - Lest we forget on ANZAC Day. PM Anthony Albanese will be marking the day by visiting the Kokoda Track in PNG

Friday - For our data lovers, the ABS are releasing International Trade Price and Producer Price Indexes for March - the more you know about the economy, eh?

*Times in AEST

Double-Tapping

Follow this funny little animated spice’s journey through what happens to the body when we eat spice. We reckon it checks out because ‘fire alarms starting’ when we take a bite of something spicy feels pretty familiar.