4 November 2023 - Saturday Squiz

Getting our fruit cake sorted with Sunbeam Foods

We’re fast-walking past the ‘OMG it’s 7 weeks to Christmas’ vibes and focusing on the return of mango season - we’re as rapt as this guy… This Saturday, if you have a favourite Chandler Bing moment, some strong opinions on chocolate, or anything else you want to share with us, hit reply.

⏱️ Reading time: 7 minutes

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🤷‍♀️ IDK: Why it never occurred to us before what Mariah Carey does for the other 10 months of the year…

This week's top stories

Some other big stories that didn’t make the cut: Erin Patterson was charged with murder, former crypto king Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty of fraud, and Christmas queen Mariah Carey has started defrosting…

1. Aussies flee Gaza - Twenty-five Aussies have now crossed into Egypt from Gaza as calls for a pause in fighting to allow aid into the region continue. Meanwhile, Israel confirmed that its troops have now surrounded Gaza City.

2. Dangerous conditions in Australia’s east - Dozens of homes were lost this week as bushfires were fanned by hot and windy conditions. Coming up next - a week of rain... 

3. What went wrong? - South Africa claimed a record 4th Rugby World Cup crown after beating the All Blacks on Sunday. Wallabies coach Eddie Jones will step down later this month, and Rugby Australia has launched an external review into what went wrong.

4. Vale Matthew Perry - There were so many tributes for the Friends actor, who died at 54yo last weekend. Perry was best known for playing the sarcastic Chandler Bing, but he said he wanted his legacy to focus on his efforts to help others fight drug and alcohol addiction.

5. And go the Tillies… - The Aussie women’s soccer team is through to the third/final qualifying stage for next year’s Paris Olympics. But for some, the bigger headline was that a rumoured romance has been confirmed…

Picture of the week

King Charles and Queen Camilla have been on a royal state visit to Kenya this week, and as far as cute goes, this encounter with an orphaned baby elephant takes the bottle. It was the King’s first visit to a Commonwealth country since the start of his reign, and it included a significant speech about the legacy of colonialism. there was no formal apology, but he spoke of his "greatest sorrow and regret".

Question of the week

The question: What’s your favourite choccy and why?

The story: A hazelnut chocolate block by Kiwi brand Whittakers has finally hit Aussie supermarket shelves after being dubbed the “world’s best” by fans. 

Jill Scanlon, a British favourite - “I can’t resist a Fry’s Mint or Orange Cream - it must be dark chocolate to enhance the gooey inside. As a child of English migrant parents, these treats are rare in Australia but can sometimes be found at quaint country town sweet shops. Heaven.” 

Kylie Ritchie, ingenious - “Gotta be the retro favourite Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut. It comes with the added bonus of no one else in the house eating it.”

Jo Mann, touché - “Who has a favourite chocolate bar? I'd eat them all, except white chocolate - that's the work of the devil…”

Squiz Recommends

Reading - We just mentioned Matthew Perry - he died nearly a year to the day after the release of his bestselling memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing*. Unusually for a celebrity memoir, he wrote it all himself. You can read an excerpt here.

Listening - History was made this week after The Beatles released their last-ever track together, Now and Then. It was created from a demo recorded by John Lennon, with George, Paul and Ringo adding their bits with a bit of AI mixed in. You can listen to it here. The short film on how it was made is also worth a watch.  

Watching - ABC mainstay Myf Warhurst is hosting a new social experiment show called Meet the Neighbours. It follows the experiences of 8 multicultural families who spend 3 months living in one of the least diverse towns in Australia: Maryborough, Victoria. We enjoyed the first episode, which is available to watch on SBS on Demand.   

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

In the kitchen

Fruit cake = warm weather, cups of tea, and the run into the end of the year. It’s time for you to bring joy with this beauty, thanks to Sunbeam Foods. We’re talking walnuts, macadamias, dates, and all the fruity/nutty goodness you can handle. The recipe is here, and you’ll find these ingredients in the baking aisle of your supermarket.

What we Squized this week

Your Squiz Shortcut to Lebanon and Hezbollah - As the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza continues to unfold, one major question is whether it will become a bigger conflict, with analysts pointing to Hezbollah, the Islamic militant group based in Lebanon. So we take a quick look at the history of Lebanon and its political system, the origins of Hezbollah, and why there are concerns about how things could develop. Read it/listen to it here. 

And we’re looking for a content whiz… - If your dream job is Squizing all day long, we’re looking for a podcaster/news writer. Must haves - extreme news smarts and a passion for all things Squiz podcasts and newsletters. If you are/think you know the perfect person for the job, give us a hoi at [email protected].

Squiz the Week

Saturday - PM Anthony Albanese heads to China for a historic 4-day visit

Sunday - It’s Guy Fawkes Day, marking the anniversary of the Catholic conspirator  being executed for attempting to to blow up King James I and the British Parliament (1605)

Monday - The Pacific Islands Forum (or PIF, for short) begins in the Cook Islands. PM Albanese will attend following his trip to China 

Tuesday - The Reserve Bank board makes its latest call on interest rates today. And they’re racing in the Melbourne Cup at 3pm

Wednesday - Former PM Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy address the National Press Club on building better cities in Oz from 12.30pm

Thursday - Three notable Aussie companies hold their annual general shareholders meetings today: Myer Holdings, Nine Entertainment, and Star Entertainment Group

Friday - A state memorial service for AFL Hall of Fame legend Ron Barassi is held in Melbourne from 11am. And the Reserve Bank releases a quarterly statement on its monetary policy at 11.30pm

Let’s get Squizzical

Reckon you know who became the fourth athlete to ever become a billionaire this week? Have a crack at the Squiz Quiz.

Double-Tapping

The internet had a meltdown after Mean Girls stars, including Lindsay Lohan, Lacey Chabert and Amanda Seyfried reunited for a Black Friday ad for Walmart… There was some disappointment that Rachel McAdams aka Regina George turned down an invite, but it has reignited calls for a sequel titled Mean Moms…

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