230930 Saturday Squiz

Happy long weekend if you’re on that bandwagon - soz if you’re not… This Saturday, if you have a phone habit you can’t stand, a mash-up of 2 foods that’s actually good, or anything else you want to share with us, hit reply.

⏱️ Reading time: 7 minutes

🤷‍♀️ IDK: If gendered maths is real, but it kinda rings true…

Prefer us in your ears?

Today's listening time: 28 minutes

This week's top stories

We added up all the footy news across the codes this week, and there was a lot as we head into grand finals weekend…

1. Footy news everywhere - After the glitz and glamour of the awards ceremonies, the AFL and NRL/NRLW will decide their 2023 season premiers this weekend. It comes as the Wallabies look all but set to be kicked out of the World Cup at the group stage…

2. Andrews out, Allan in - Jacinta Allan is Victoria’s new leader after Daniel Andrews announced his shock resignation after 9 years in the top job. As for Allan, things could be a little bumpy…

3. Vale Sir Michael Gambon - We didn’t get to this one yesterday, but the award-winning actor best known for playing Professor Albus Dumbledore in 6 Harry Potter films has died at 82yo. His Potter co-stars led the many tributes.

4. It’s a love story, baby just say yes… - Swifties were beside themselves as rumour swirled that pop megastar Taylor Swift is dating NFL star Travis Kelce. It’s seen sales of Kelce’s merch soar by 400% and fans debate whether the new couple should be dubbed ‘Traylor’, ‘Tayvis’, or ‘Swelce’...

5. And sport that isn’t the footy… - The Aussie men lost to India in their one-day international series this week. Next up: the World Cup…

Picture of the week

Yesterday, we spoke about the Aussies who made the Australian Financial Review’s 2023 Power List, and PM Anthony Albanese came out on top for the second year running. Go figure… But it was the publication’s AI-generated images of the famous faces that made the list (including this one of Albanese) that blew us away.

Question of the week

The question: What's your pet phone peeve?

The story: The Washington Post consulted people of all ages on their pet phone peeves, and voicemails got a mention, as did people who talk on speakerphone in public…

Jen Reeve, peeved (soz Jen, we couldn’t help ourselves…) - “Younger generations who message you one thought at a time, so you end up with 10 messages instead of one and you have to wait until they’re finished to respond!”

Lorraine Sorensen, don’t put her on hold - “Hold music. I’d like an opt-out function - or at least be able to turn the volume down!”

Heidi Davis, can’t stand multi-taskers - “When someone calls to have a chat, puts me on speaker and starts chopping vegetables or whizzing up a meal with a kitchen appliance. They can hear me, but I have trouble hearing them because their background activities are very loud!”

Squiz Recommends

Reading - We haven’t heard much from superstar Angelina Jolie in a while, and that’s because she’s been working on a sustainable fashion brand with 2 of her 6 kids… In a new interview with Vogue, she talks about her style philosophy, why she stepped away from film and how motherhood “saved” her from a difficult period in her personal life.

Listening - We’re hooked on a newish podcast called Long Shadow. Hosted by former Politico editor Garrett Graff, it’s about the rise of the far-right movement in the US, starting with the 1993 Waco siege and ending with the 6 January Capitol riots. It’s beautifully produced and you can listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Watching - The Super Models is a 4-part documentary series that dives into the careers of the original supermodels of the 90s: Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. We’ve all seen their images, not we get to hear what they thought about that period of their lives… You can watch it on Apple TV.

Get money back when you shop

Sounds great, right? Here’s how it works: retailers pay Cashrewards for getting you through the door, they take a cut, and pass the rest back to you. It’s real money to save/spend how you like, and they’ve got a nifty browser extension or app that’ll connect you to great online deals. Plus, if you sign up using code Squiz and spend $20 within a week, you’ll receive a $20 welcome bonus.

In the kitchen

Viral recipes can be overhyped, but these Big Mac tacos hit the spot. The best part? The sauce is a great use of those staples that live in your fridge/cupboard. Plastic cheese is a must, and throw on some tomato and fresh onions for some freshness. These aren’t going to get your doctor’s tick of approval, but your family/guests probably approve.

What we Squized this week

Your Squiz Shortcut on Rupert Murdoch - The 92yo is stepping down from his media empire as his eldest son Lachlan Murdoch takes the reins. So we take a look at the power and influence Murdoch accumulated, the controversies, and the challenges ahead. Have a listen or read here.

And our latest episode of Ask the Squiz… Our fourth edition covers questions about the wording of the referendum proposal, how other nations do this kind of thing, and the difference between what we’re doing on 14 October and the same-sex marriage plebiscite. Have a read/listen here, and if you have burning questions for us, shoot ‘em through by hitting reply.

And calling all parents in Canberra - The team at Squiz Kids - our kid-friendly news podcast for 8-12yos - is holding their very first live show… It’s on at ANU in Canberra on 14 October - host Bryce Corbett will be there, as will a scientist from Questacon, a space expert from ANU and a zoo keeper… Tickets are $29 each, and you can get a discount if you buy more than 4. Check it out here.

Squiz the week

Saturday - Show your fave podcasts (ahem…) some love on International Podcast Day. And the AFL Grand Final between the Collingwood Magpies and the Brisbane Lions kicks off at 2.30pm (AEST)

Sunday - The clocks roll forward an hour at 2am (AEST) this morning for all Aussie states/territories that observe daylight saving time. And the NRLW grand final starts at 3.55pm with the Newcastle Knights taking on the Gold Coast Titans. That’s followed by the NRL’s showdown between the Penrith Panthers and the Brissie Broncos at 7.30pm

Monday - Get up early and cross your fingers for the Wallabies as they play Portugal in the Rugby World Cup. And NSW, the ACT and South Oz get a day off for Labour Day, while Queenslanders kick back for the King’s birthday. That also means no Squiz today - we’ll be enjoying the sleep-in…

Tuesday - The Reserve Bank’s new Governor Michele Bullock announces the board’s latest interest rate decision at 2.30pm. And crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial kicks off in New York

Wednesday - It’s the start of our favourite event of the year: Fat Bear Week…

Thursday - The Bureau of Stats reports on Aussies’ mental health and wellbeing between 2020-2022. And take an apple to school it’s World Teachers' Day

Friday - Former Chief Justice of Australia Robert French addresses the National Press Club on the Voice to Parliament proposal from 12.30pm. And the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize is announced at 8pm

Double-Tapping

‘Girl math’ is the latest gendered trend going viral on social media, and as this article explains, it’s about the “mental gymnastics [women] undergo when justifying their purchases”. And the internet’s take on ‘boy math’ is just as funny/true…