Search

Placeholder Content Image

Aussies reminded to look out for this lifesaving roadside marker

<p>Aussie drivers are being reminded about a little-known roadside marker that could save your life. </p> <p>As the holiday season approaches, drivers have been reminded of the purpose of the small green circles that appear on roadside reflector poles. </p> <p>"With the holiday period fast approaching, I wanted to remind residents about green reflectors," federal MP Colin Boyce wrote over the weekend. </p> <p>"You may have noticed some green reflectors on guide posts beside the road on some highways. These indicate that there is a safe place to pull off the road coming up soon so you can indicate your intentions early and be prepared," he said.</p> <p>The number of dots indicate the distance between you and the place you can pull over. Three dots mean that drivers are approximately 500 metres from a safe place to pull over, two means you're 250 metres away and one green circle appears just before the area. </p> <p>"The idea is from road safety advocate and B double truck driver Rod Hannifey, alerting drivers that there is a safe place to pull off the road coming up," the Queensland MP added.</p> <p>"While the idea was originally intended for long haul truck drivers all road users can use them."</p> <p>Many Aussies have shared their enthusiasm for the highway initiative, and how important it was for caravan and motorhome drivers especially. </p> <p>"A lot more people need to know about this. Especially people with caravans," one woman commented.</p> <p>"Would love this all over Australia! There's nothing worse than driving at night with a screaming baby in the back who wants a feed and not knowing if it's a safe place to pull over," another said.</p> <p>Others have shared that they hadn't noticed the markings or realise what it meant. </p> <p>"Have asked a few people recently if they knew what these reflectors stood for, and not one knew. Explanation followed. Should be a compulsory question asked of caravaners," one local wrote.</p> <p>"One of the world's best kept secrets! Thanks," another said.</p> <p><em>Images: Truck Friendly/ Yahoo</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Tips

Placeholder Content Image

Man's DIY speed camera sign sparks debate

<p>Over the years Aussies have come up with various ways to warn fellow drivers of nearby speed cameras, and one man took matters into his own hands by alerting motorists with a handwritten sign. </p> <p>Dressed in a neon orange singlet, a man was spotted at a busy intersection on the Princes Highway in Melbourne over the weekend waving to passing cars while holding up a "Beware Camera" sign. </p> <p>The photo was shared to local news service Wyndham TV's Instagram, and many were quick to praise the "local hero", who one identified as Daryl. </p> <p>“Absolute bloody Aussie legend right there,” one person commented. </p> <p>"A good citizen," another wrote. </p> <p>A few others commented that he was doing "God's work" and deserved to be bought "a beer or 10". </p> <p>However, not everyone was pleased with this act, with many questioning why he was interfering with road safety measures. </p> <p>“Motorists need to take responsibility for not speeding,” one person argued, before others defended the move, saying it would reduce speeding and crashes. </p> <p>Others asked why he didn't have more important things to do with his time. </p> <p>There is no specific law that prohibits warning other drivers about the presence of a speed camera, so the man's actions were legal. </p> <p>This is not the first time Aussies have done this, with many sharing videos exposing the "sneaky" way mobile speed cameras catch drivers in NSW on social media . </p> <p>One person shared a video to TikTok showing a mobile speed camera car parked next to another road sign.</p> <p>“This is their tactics, parking next to other signs so they blend in,” he said in the viral video. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram/@wyndhamtv</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Vandals wreck roadside CCTV leaving locals with $300k replacement bill

<p>Two mobile roadside cameras have been targeted and damaged by a group of young men, leaving a local Aussie council with a large replacement bill. </p> <p>Video of the incident was shared on social media over the weekend and shows about a dozen men, most of them covering their faces , pushing over a camera trailer before swinging on the boom and hitting the camera. </p> <p>The "night time shenanigans" drew a mixed reaction, with some praising their antics saying: "Not all heroes wear capes."</p> <p>Others described them as "legends" and said  "good job fellas."</p> <p>However many slammed their acts of vandalism, with one person saying: "Total of 49 braincells combined."</p> <p>According to <em>Yahoo News</em>, the cameras were not monitoring drivers and are not managed by Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads. The cameras belonged to local government area intended to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAfgtmOPqxk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAfgtmOPqxk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Its Called Straya 🇦🇺 (@its_called_straya)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Over the last week two of Council’s mobile CCTV camera trailers have been destroyed by vandals," a spokesperson for the council told the Townsville Bulletin.</p> <p>"The total replacement cost of both trailers is estimated to be more than $300,000 to ratepayers."</p> <p>According to council officials, the cameras were damaged in the suburbs of Woodstock and Bohle. </p> <p>"Townsville City Council has an extensive CCTV camera network of more than 600 fixed cameras and six mobile trailer cameras that can be deployed across the city to reinforce Council’s commitment to community safety," the spokesperson said.</p> <p>Police are investigating the incidents, urging anyone with information to come forward. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Millions warned over huge change to speed cameras

<p>For years, drivers in New South Wales have relied on the point-to-point speed camera rule, which only captures the speed of heavy vehicles, but that rule is set to change as part of a new trial as the state attempts to lower their death toll. </p> <p>The point-to-point, also known as average speed cameras are set to be turned on for all vehicles in two regional locations during the trial. </p> <p>The first location will be 15-kilometre stretch on the Pacific highway between Kew and Lake Innes in Port Macquarie, and the second location will be on the Hume Highway between Coolac and Gundagai, with 16km between the two cameras. </p> <p>“NSW is the only jurisdiction in the world to use average speed cameras but restrict their use to heavy vehicles only,” Roads Minister John Graham said.</p> <p>“In the context of a rising road toll, now is the time to trial these cameras for light vehicles and understand if we can keep more people safe on the road more of the time.”</p> <p>He added that all other states in Australia, as well as the UK and Norway have found the average speed cameras to be effective. </p> <p>“All other mainland Australian states and countries like the UK, Norway, Italy and the Netherlands have found average speed cameras to be effective and we aim to be as rigorous as possible to be sure they will also reduce road trauma in NSW.”</p> <p>“Rather than test your speed at a particular point in time, like a mobile speed camera, these test the speed you’re driving over 15 or 16 kilometres,” he said.</p> <p>“That means it’s a truer reflection of how quickly people are driving.”</p> <p>He added that the trial is focused on regional NSW as it has suffered a disproportionate amount of road fatalities, with six road deaths and 33 serious injuries between 2018 and 2022. </p> <p>“Although only a third of people live in regional New South Wales, that’s where two thirds of the deaths from road crashes happen," he said. </p> <p>Speeding contributed to 44 per cent of NSW road fatalities last year,  three-quarters of which were in the regional parts of the state.</p> <p>The trial will run for six months, and for those caught speeding, they will be given a 60-day warning letter period, before financial and licence penalties kick in.</p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Roadside cameras set to target more infringements

<p>Millions of Aussie drivers are being warned as authorities expand the number of infringements being targeted by roadside cameras. </p> <p>The technology, initially used to detect mobile phone use, will now target new road rules. </p> <p>"The laws were brought in and this technology was brought in as a preventative measure ... to stop people getting behind the wheel and taking risks that jeopardise the safety of others," NRMA head of media told <em>Yahoo News. </em></p> <p>"The road toll is terrible nationally in Australia ... So we need to do everything we can to reduce risks on our roads."</p> <p>In NSW authorities are expanding the capabilities of their roadside mobile-detection cameras. </p> <p>From July 1 the cameras will be able to catch drivers wearing their seatbelt incorrectly. </p> <p>This comes after Queensland reportedly became the first jurisdiction in the world to roll out seatbelt-spotting detection along with mobile-detection. </p> <p>Last year, Victoria also rolled out dual mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras last year after a two year trial.</p> <p>No grace period will be granted when they issue the seatbelt fines. </p> <p>"The expansion of mobile phone detection cameras to also apply to seatbelt offences reinforces the NSW Government’s commitment to enforcing the 50-year-old seatbelt law, actively contributing to improving road safety and reducing fatalities on NSW roads," a statement read on their official website. </p> <p>The department told Yahoo that all images captured by roadside cameras are automatically reviewed by software. </p> <p>Those that do not contain evidence of an offence will have their images deleted within an hour. </p> <p>Drivers in the ACT will need to make sure they have proper insurance and registration.</p> <p>From August, the roadside cameras alongside speed cameras and red light cameras will be used to send hefty fines to those driving without proper registration or insurance. </p> <p>Those caught by the cameras will have their paperwork manually checked by transport staff. </p> <p>An infringement for driving an unregistered vehicle in the ACT is $700 while the fine for driving an uninsured car is $973. </p> <p>The mobile detection cameras could also soon be programmed to detect speeding in the ACT. </p> <p>In South Australia, authorities began testing overhead mobile detection cameras at four busy locations in April, fines are currently not being issued, but the grace period is due to finish on June 19. </p> <p>Drivers caught using their phones in Adelaide will be fined $540 and three demerit points. </p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>Stepan Skorobogadko / Shutterstock.com</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

"Stuff youse": Pensioner who's never owned a phone fights mobile detection camera fine

<p>A pensioner from New South Wales has disputed a fine he was issued for using his phone while driving, despite never owning a phone. </p> <p>Frank Singh, 77, was captured on a mobile phone detection camera while driving on the Pacific Motorway last September, and was issued a fine for $362. </p> <p>Mr Singh has refused to pay the fine, claiming that he was holding his wallet when the image was captured. </p> <p>He also claims to have never owned a mobile phone or a computer in his life, wondering how the camera made such a mistake. </p> <p>The senior man decided to appeal and take Revenue NSW to court, despite the risk of paying thousands in legal fees if he lost the case.</p> <p>"Looks like I'm guilty on it, but I'm not," he told <em>A Current Affair</em>. </p> <p>"I thought, what the bloody hell is this all about, I don't own a mobile phone. I've never used a mobile phone. What a load of s***."</p> <p>When questioned what the item could be, he said, "I think it could be my wallet."</p> <p>While Mr Singh admitted he can't specifically remember what he was doing at the time, he believes he was possibly placing his wallet on the passenger seat after paying for fuel. </p> <p>Unfortunately, the review of the fine was rejected and Frank was ordered to pay the $362, but he has not given up. </p> <p>"Then I thought stuff youse, I'm not guilty, I don't own a bloody phone," he said.</p> <p>While preparing to appeal the fine once more, Revenue NSW revoked the fine after issuing a letter to Mr Singh saying he would not be required in court following an investigation by the government body. </p> <p>"We have decided to cancel the fine," the letter read. </p> <p>"You little bloody beauty, how good's that," Mr Singh said on hearing the news, before planning to celebrate the win with a beer at his local pub. </p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair </em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

American influencer shocked to discover speed cameras are real

<p dir="ltr">An American influencer currently living in Sydney has learned an expensive lesson in obeying the rules of the road, particularly while in full view of speed cameras.</p> <p dir="ltr">TikToker Sophia Kim was caught racing through Sydney’s Cross City Tunnel at 21 km/h over the speed limit - 101 km/h in an 80 km/h zone - and took to social media to share her surprise at receiving a ticket for her actions.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a video posted to her TikTok account, Sophia broke the news to her followers, running through what had transpired - her ‘reasons’ for speeding, and sharing images of her car between lanes in the tunnel, along with the caption “this is BS and I was only going 60 mph”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I got a speeding fine because I was going 100km in the Cross City Tunnel when it was 80km,” she explained in the now-viral post, “and apparently there are cameras in the tunnel.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As an American, I got a licence here without taking any test, without learning about the Australian [driving] laws here, and I didn’t realise that you guys have cameras for speeding in the tunnels.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And apparently there are signs everywhere.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Sophia went on to describe how she’d been “so focussed on driving” and “stressed out” trying to navigate while “driving for the first time in a different country on the other side of the road”.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the TikToker, at home in America there might be cameras involved when it came to running red lights, but that speeding offences fell to police officers and their scanners. At this stage, Sophia was talking over an image of her car with an 80 km/h sign clear on the ceiling of the tunnel.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The fine is $295,” she announced, before revealing that she’d been having a great day, on her way to Fashion Week events, and “was rushing to get there.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought I was saving money by driving and not Ubering but no, it’s actually more when you get a fine.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It turns out that Sophia had borrowed the car from a friend, who informed her that he couldn’t afford “to lose 3 points over this”, and had to transfer the fine into her name.</p> <p dir="ltr">And despite claiming that she would pay the fine and have the points deducted from her licence, she then asked her followers if she “should fight this”.</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7237487133483814187&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40sophiainsydney%2Fvideo%2F7237487133483814187&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2Ff969d5dac251496aa62d08dfdb8a417f_1685108800%3Fx-expires%3D1685433600%26x-signature%3D%252FwZf1iguRsEhBEcz37LOvMtuELI%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p dir="ltr">Her post attracted more than 9,000 comments, and while some took Sophia’s side, most were of the opinion that fighting the fine would be a waste of time, and had many thoughts to share about the whole situation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s no fighting this one,” one told her, “if there’s a speed sign that says 80 right in front of you they’re not gonna be forgivable”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That's a fair bit over the limit. Maybe just don't speed hey!” one suggested.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If only there were large LED displays hung above the road every 1 km to tell you the maximum speed you can do,” another mused.</p> <p dir="ltr">And as a like-minded soul put it, “[it’s] almost like speed signs exist for a reason and not decoration”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Because the signs with the speed limit and the fact they tell you every 100m there’s a speed camera don’t help,” someone else added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, one was of the opinion that it could have been worse, sharing that “in QLD that would be a $646 fine for 21km over the limit. NSW is cheap”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Lesson learned I guess,” one more supposed, before noting that at least “now you know."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Bindi Irwin breaks down on camera about health condition

<p>Bindi Irwin has shown her vulnerable side in an emotional new video shared with fans about a personal ordeal.</p> <p>The 24-year-old spoke candidly to the camera for 15 minutes with guest appearances from husband Chandler Powell and their daughter Grace Warrior.</p> <p>In the video, Irwin recalled the “insurmountable” pain she experienced due to endometriosis before finally <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/how-did-you-live-with-this-much-pain-bindi-irwin-hospitalised" target="_blank" rel="noopener">undergoing surgery</a>.</p> <p>The wildlife warrior announced her diagnosis in March 2023, but the new video explains her symptoms - which started when she was just 14 - that left her with “extreme fatigue, nausea and pain”.</p> <p>“I had pain every single day of my life. No matter where we went, where we were going, I would be falling asleep. I felt like I constantly had the flu,” she said.</p> <p>The conservationist confessed she tried everything to solve the issue, undergoing CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds.</p> <p>“I was always in pain. We tried for a year, and finally a doctor told me it was just part of being a woman.”</p> <p>Irwin said it was that comment from a doctor that led her to suffer in silence.</p> <p>However, after giving birth to her daughter in 2021, the pain “magnified” to a point where it was “out of this world”.</p> <p>“I remember countless times of Grace needing me, and me crawling to her cot at night,” she revealed, becoming emotional.</p> <p>“I can remember being with Grace and lying on the floor in agony. I had a stabbing pain in my side, I couldn’t get up or I would throw up, and I was scared I would pass out.</p> <p>“I was so scared because I was worried if I was alone with Grace, something would happen to me, and she would be on her own.”</p> <p>Irwin dubbed the pain “insurmountable” and something that “would knock me over”.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr31hQDANTp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr31hQDANTp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She said that after returning to new doctors, she was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue.</p> <p>It was not until she spoke to a friend, Leslie Mosier, who recently had endometriosis surgery that she realised they shared similar symptoms.</p> <p>“Leslie said the only way to diagnose for sure is through exploratory surgery.”</p> <p>Irwin said she decided to undergo surgery in the US as her daughter would have Powell’s parents, who live in Florida, nearby for support while she recovered.</p> <p>At this point in her video, Grace woke up and joined her mum on camera.</p> <p>“Mama went for surgery and they found 37 lesions and a chocolate cyst on my ovary,” she said in a child-like tone for the sake of her daughter.</p> <p>“Ovary!” Grace chirped.</p> <p>“After surgery mama feels a lot better hey? I had to recover for quite a while, and mama feels so much better, and she can run around with you!”</p> <p>Irwin went on to share what she has learned being a part of the endometriosis community.</p> <p>She revealed that excision surgery is considered the “gold standard” for the disease, where lesions and cysts are removed.</p> <p>“Everyone says we need to educate the public, but there also needs to be a shift in health care. Doctors need more information because endometriosis has myriad symptoms. Doctors need the right tools to diagnose.”</p> <p>She explained that her own endometriosis has been classified as severe, which means she may have to undergo more surgeries in the future to keep symptoms at bay.</p> <p>“I feel like. I got a second chance at life... I feel like a new woman.”</p> <p>In a final message of encouragement, Irwin said, “If you’re in pain, it’s so hard to get up every day and forge ahead.</p> <p>“Keep searching for those answers and never give up on you.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Do you know this Grinch? Christmas thief caught on camera

<p dir="ltr">A Perth family has been left disappointed and upset after a Grinch stole their Christmas presents.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sophie Lush-Newman got a notification that the security camera at her Aveley home, in Perth’s northern suburbs, had been triggered.</p> <p dir="ltr">Upon taking a look, she saw a thief covering parts of his face with a jumper as he rode off with $300 worth of Christmas gifts on his bike.</p> <p dir="ltr">The mother was triggered by the unfortunate events which has left her family terrified.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My daughter couldn’t sleep that night or the night after it. We had to have all the doors open so she could hear us,” the mum told 7News.</p> <p dir="ltr">Families have been warned to keep an eye on their deliveries as the festive season approaches.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another warning for families is to be wary of texts informing them that their packages have been delivered as links could be a scam.</p> <p dir="ltr">To see the entire footage of the brazen incident, head <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/crime/perth-grinch-caught-on-camera-stealing-christmas-presents-from-aveley-family-c-9138278" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Aussie octopuses caught on camera slinging mud

<p>Australia’s <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/social-sciences/when-octopuses-dont-want-any-trouble/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Gloomy Octopuses’</a> have been caught throwing things. Sometimes at each other. </p> <p>Underwater footage, from Jervis Bay in New South Wales, shows Gloomy Octopuses (<em>Octopus tetricus</em>) throwing debris. Occasionally the material – mainly silt, shells and algae – was aimed at other octopuses, and even the camera recording them. </p> <p>Throwing is an uncommon behaviour in animals, an activity only observed in a handful, including elephants and chimpanzees.</p> <p><iframe src="https://players.brightcove.net/5483960636001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6315259579112" width="960" height="540" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p class="caption">A throw by a female octopus that hits a male attempting to mate with her / Credit: Godfrey-Smith et al, 2022, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0</p> <p>Twenty-four hours of footage gathered during 2015 and 2016 captures around 100 octopus throws among a group of roughly ten of the animals. Ninety throws were by females, and eleven by males. </p> <p>On 17 occasions, octopuses threw material which actually hit another octopus, often with ‘high vigour.’ In two cases, the throw hit a fish. Twelve meanwhile were directed at the camera.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p222798-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form init mailchimp-ext-0.5.62" action="/nature/octopuses-caught-slinging-mud/#wpcf7-f6-p222798-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <p style="display: none !important;"><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap referer-page"><input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" aria-invalid="false" /></span></p> <p><!-- Chimpmail extension by Renzo Johnson --></form> </div> </div> <p>One female octopus was recorded throwing 17 times in the space of an hour, with nine throws hits on other octopuses (who sometimes ducked or raised their arms in the direction of the thrower). </p> <p>The gloomy octopus is common in Australian and New Zealand waters.</p> <p>Having gathered their ammunition, octopuses hurled their material by using a jet of water from their siphon (a tube-shaped structure that can eject water at speed) to propel it between their arms. Throwing under water requires greater force than throwing through air, and the octopuses often managed to throw their material several body lengths away.</p> <p>Given the octopuses had to move their siphon into an unusual position to perform the throws, the researchers believe the behavior was deliberate. </p> <p>The study by Australian and US researchers is the first-time throwing behaviour has been reported in octopuses. The research is <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0276482" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in PLOS One.</p> <p><iframe src="https://players.brightcove.net/5483960636001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6315258284112" width="960" height="540" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p class="caption">A throw by a female octopus, hitting a male. The male ducks just before the material is released / Credit: Godfrey-Smith et al, 2022, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0</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=222798&amp;title=Aussie+octopuses+caught+on+camera+slinging+mud" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><!-- End of tracking content syndication --></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/octopuses-caught-slinging-mud/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Petra Stock. </em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

“A mockery of my tipuna”: Traditional tattoo camera filter sparks outcry

<p dir="ltr">The emergence of social media filters that allow users to project traditional Māori tattoos onto their faces has caused controversy, with concerns raised about the protection of Māori identity and intellectual property.</p> <p dir="ltr">The filters, given names like “Māori Mask” and “Māori Face Tattoo” and projecting mataora, moko kauae, tatua and other traditional tattoos, have appeared on social media platforms such as Snapchat, using open-source Lookery software to enable real-time modification of people’s faces in photos.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8e092ecf-7fff-b23f-fcd0-44a1d24b92e6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Anyone can create filters, which are shared openly across the platform, with Instagram offering a similar feature.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/maori-tattoos1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Filters available on Snapchat that allow users to project traditional Māori tattoos onto their faces have sparked controversy. While two filters (left, centre) have been removed, one (right) is still available  Images: RNZ, Author</em></p> <p dir="ltr">While some see these filters as helping make Māori culture more accessible and revitalise mātauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge), others say it is damaging - particularly if they’re created from a non-Māori perspective.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When people wear a fake Prada or Gucci bag, people are quick to call it out. However, when tauiwi (non-Māori people) create Māori art for profit, everyone thinks it's great,” Māori activist Karu Martin said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"There are people who need to take responsibility when they are using Māori culture in an international space or platform to understand that they have consequences and ramifications."</p> <p dir="ltr">In Māori cultures, moko and tatua are unique expressions of a person’s whakapapa (genealogy) and identity, with traditional Māori tattoo artist Julie Paama Pengally adding that the tattoos represent more than what the creators of these filters could fathom.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Those elements are strongly connected to our whakapapa, our atua (ancestors), and our being,” Paama Pengally told the <em><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018857427/growing-anger-over-use-of-moko-mataora-in-image-filters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RNZ</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"As soon as you take something from a culture without permission and you misrepresent it, and you displace that culture from doing what they want to do with those things themselves, then you're appropriating.</p> <p dir="ltr">"That's a mockery of my tīpuna that you're wearing on your face, just so you can have your two seconds of fun.</p> <p dir="ltr">"For me, it's a long-lasting reminder that if I were to have that on my face, people would look at me sideways."</p> <p dir="ltr">But social media platforms are the only culprits when it comes to the commercialisation and appropriation of moko, with the sequel to Avatar and video games Borderlands 2077 and Grand Theft Auto drawing criticism for depictions of moko.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds, a Māori musician for the metal band Alien Weaponry who got his mataora last year, said he is weary of the commercialisation of moko.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's being made by some stranger on the other side of the world to be provided to the masses that don't belong to our culture,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"These ones in the games are blatant rip-offs - they follow the same patterns and all of that.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Places that take inspiration have taken the concepts, and then designed something completely different."</p> <p dir="ltr">Since <em>RNZ</em> approached Snapchat for a comment, the platform has removed the filters.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meta, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook, didn’t respond to questions.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a2b76514-7fff-ebc0-700e-4df9ebfe0d9a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: RNZ</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

How to tell if your AirBnb has a hidden camera

<p dir="ltr">While there are a lot of things that come to mind when planning a holiday, worrying about safety in your accommodation is probably at the end of your list. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, with a rise of home-rental services and the easy accessibility to surveillance technology, it's an important thing to consider. </p> <p dir="ltr">More and more travellers have come forward in recent years about their horror stories of discovering a hidden camera in a short term rental, putting out the warning to others.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a now-viral video posted to TikTok by Marcus Hutchins, he outlines how to spot hidden cameras in hotels and Airbnbs.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“Take this fire alarm for instance, it is placed right above the bed,” the British backpacker says in the video.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now one way to see if the device is a camera is to shine a bright light at it. If you hit a camera lens it’s going to get a blue-ish reflection.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Marcus also details how alarm clocks can double as cameras, as he demonstrates in his video by shining his smart phone's flash on a mirrored clock face revealing a tiny camera lens behind the screen on one side of the digital counter.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If we shine a bright light at it, we can shine through the glass, and see there’s a camera there. Now, this technique can also work on two-way mirrors.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The video has racked up over 5 million views, and has served as another reminder to always be cautious when travelling. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Tips

Placeholder Content Image

Teenage "speed camera warrior" confronted by grouchy "Karen"

<p>Teenage "speed camera warrior" Beau Jackson has been confronted by a disgruntled middle-aged woman as he warned motorists of an upcoming speed camera. </p> <p>The Central Coast local has dedicated his free time to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/i-ve-been-saving-them-heaps-teen-speed-camera-crusader-hailed-a-hero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alerting drivers</a> to hidden speed cameras that can often result in <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/speed-camera-crusader-cops-highly-dubious-fine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hefty fines</a>. </p> <p>While parked on the side of the road with a sign bringing attention to the sneaky cameras, thankful motorists often show their appreciation to Beau by honking their horn. </p> <p>Despite his noble cause, the 17-year-old had his first unpleasant experience with a local, and shared the confrontation on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scamerasloveme/video/7088872965651172610?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a>. </p> <p>Beau filmed the woman, who he dubbed 'Karen' walking away and said from behind the camera, "This lady tried getting me by complaining about the honks - tried getting a photo of my number plate."</p> <p>"It's the first Karen interaction," he laughed, as another passer-by honked their horn.</p> <p>"She tried to take a photo of my number plate - I'm legally parked, there's nothing she can do about it."</p> <p>When speaking to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10753241/Beau-Jackson-teenage-speed-camera-warrior-confronted-grouchy-Karen.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a>, Beau explained the woman lived close to where he was parked, and got sick and tired of the honking noise. </p> <p>"She asked me to move because she was sick of the honking," he said.</p> <p>"I told her I was only parked there because the speed camera van was parked a few metres in front of me."</p> <p>The woman was unfazed about his mission to save locals from spending hundreds of dollars in speeding tickets and continued demanding that he move.</p> <p>When he continually refused, she started taking photos of Mr Jackson and his bike.</p> <p>"So I started taking photos of her," he recalled.</p> <p>"She backed right off when I did that, and then she starting making phone calls."</p> <p>Beau was unsure of who the woman was calling, but explained that as soon as the mobile speed camera took off from the area, so did he. </p> <p>"When they left, I had no reason to be there anymore so I left," he added.</p> <p>As Beau's video of the encounter racked up thousands of views, many people left comments telling the teenager to ignore the haters and keep protecting the community. </p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

“Turn the cameras off!”: Trump storms out on Piers Morgan

<p>Former US President Donald Trump has erupted at Piers Morgan before storming off the set of an interview that touched on the “stolen” US presidential election.</p> <p>After Morgan lay the blame for last year’s deadly riots at the Capitol squarely at Trump’s feet – largely for his refusal to concede that he had lost the 2020 presidential election – Trump had had enough, and began screaming that Morgan was “dishonest” and “a fool”, before demanding that the shocked TV crew “turn the cameras off!”</p> <p>Trump appears to have been deeply angered by a slew of barbs that Morgan has directed towards him during his time at the White House, despite being friends for at least 15 years. But in this instance, the pair appeared to clash heavily even before the interview had gotten underway – but while the cameras were rolling. </p> <p>Morgan detailed the behind-the-scenes incident to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/donald-trump-piers-morgan-interview-former-president-explodes-at-disloyal-fool/news-story/35a81812a4d93cb3751a60957fcaa424" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, saying that Trump stared at him with “undisguised fury” and was “almost foaming at the mouth”.</p> <p>At one point, the Trump hissed at Morgan: “What the f**k is this?”</p> <p>You’re not real. You’re a fake.” To which Piers replied: “No, I’m just brutally honest.”</p> <p>Morgan revealed further details from the encounter:</p> <p>“Normally, he’d greet me with a cheery smile and the words ‘How’s my champ?’ because I was his first Celebrity Apprentice on the series that made him a TV superstar. But this time, there were no such welcoming niceties.</p> <p>“He was staring at me across his desk with undisguised fury, clutching the document entitled ‘Piers Morgan Comments About President Trump’. “What the f**k IS this?” he snarled. Then he began slowly reading out some of the quotes. “Trump’s a supreme narcissist….” Pause. “His pathetic antics in the past few weeks since losing the election in November have been utterly contemptible.” Pause. “Trump’s now too dangerous, he’s morphed into a monster that I no longer recognise as someone I considered to be a friend and thought I knew.”</p> <p>“Each time he paused, he peered over the document at me, with mounting rage in his eyes.</p> <p>“I’d never seen him so livid or felt so uncomfortable in his presence as I did right now in his office.</p> <p>“He was almost foaming at the mouth and kept shaking his head slowly and menacingly at me, like Don Corleone when he felt he’d been disrespected.”</p> <p>Morgan then went on to detail the moment Trump truly took issue with his questions: </p> <p>“Things took a dramatic downward turn when I finally brought up his refusal to accept defeat in 2020 and the appalling scenes on January 6.</p> <p>“I told him I believe he lost the supposedly “rigged, stolen” election, I repeatedly pointed out his failure to produce any evidence of the widespread voter fraud he insists occurred to rob him of his presidency, and I blamed his refusal to admit defeat for the deadly riots at the Capitol.</p> <p>“Then you’re a fool!” he sneered. “And you haven’t studied!...”</p> <p>“Now abandoning any pretence at cordiality, Trump ranted that he was far more honest than me, and again sneered that I wasn’t ‘real’ before haranguing me for exceeding our 20 minutes which was particularly disingenuous given that during all our previous interviews, he’d invariably decided exactly how long he wanted to keep talking.</p> <p>“Incensed Trump tried to end things by declaring “That’s it!” before I reminded him that we hadn’t discussed his hole-in-one, which he then sat down again and did – briefly – before abruptly jumping to his feet, looking hateful, and barking at the shocked crew: “Turn the cameras off!”</p> <p>“Then he turned on his heels, and sloped angrily off through a side door, loudly muttering “So dishonest…”</p> <p>The world exclusive interview is due to air as the launch piece for Morgan’s new show Piers Uncensored on Sky News on Tuesday night at 9pm AEST.</p> <p><em>Image: Piers Uncensored</em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

"Speed camera crusader" cops highly dubious fine

<p>Beau Jackson has been dubbed the "<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/i-ve-been-saving-them-heaps-teen-speed-camera-crusader-hailed-a-hero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speed camera crusader</a>" of the NSW Central Coast by helping motorists to avoid an "unfair" fine at the hands of sneaky speed cameras. </p> <p>Beau spends his spare time on the side of main roads with a sign warning drivers of upcoming cameras, and is often thanked with a honk or wave of appreciation. </p> <p>The 17-year-old had never had a fine himself, because "I just do it for the community in these tough times".</p> <p>However, after <em>A Current Affair</em> spoke about Beau's selfless acts, he received his first fine the very next day. </p> <p>But the fine isn't for what you think. </p> <p>"They fined me $250 for littering. I couldn't believe it. I don't litter, all my friends and family know that," he said.</p> <p>"I rang them and they said my sign and some drink cans were on the side of the road."</p> <p>"But I pack up my sign and rubbish and take it home. I still have my sign, so I certainly didn't leave it on the side of the road."</p> <p>Upon investigation, Beau still has his old sign and decided to contest the fine. </p> <p>"I rang and asked for proof of the rubbish and they said there was no photo," he said.</p> <p>"Clearly someone is upset with what I am doing, because I'm costing them revenue."</p> <p>Police have previously told Beau they don't have a problem with what he is doing, as at the end of the day, he is not breaking any laws and is helping keep roads safer. </p> <p>"The only person other than me there would be the speed camera operators," Beau said.</p> <p>A Current Affair contacted Revenue NSW to explain the situation, as they responded that Beau is welcome to take the fine to court, which is exactly what he plans to do. </p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

"I've been saving them heaps": Teen speed camera crusader hailed a hero

<p>A 17-year-old from the Central Coast has found a unique way to help out his community, by warning motorists about upcoming speed cameras. </p> <p>Beau Jackson has been hailed a national hero for spending his spare time on the road helping drivers to avoid unnecessary speed camera fines by alerting them to mobile speed cameras hidden out of sight. </p> <p>No matter the weather, Beau can be seen before and after work on most days across the Central Coast on the lookout for "unfair" cameras that are collecting revenue from unsuspecting drivers. </p> <p>He stands out on the side of the road next to his motorbike with a handwritten sign warning passing drivers. </p> <p>Motorists express their gratitude by beeping their horns and yelling out messages of support. </p> <p>"I want to look out for people as it's a pretty hard time right now," Beau told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/aussie-teens-speed-camera-crusade-helping-locals-avoid-fines/1ab8ed54-1a3c-4396-a2da-ff2c3aa5b422" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">A Current Affair</a>.</p> <p>"I don't want people getting a fine. I've been saving them heaps in the month I've been doing it."</p> <p>"People can cop a $170 fine for just going four kilometres over the limit and right now people are struggling so I just want to help them."</p> <p>Beau claims he has checked with local police to check that what he's doing isn't illegal. </p> <p>"They think I'm doing the community a service as I'm actually making people slow down," he added. </p> <p>Local motorists have declared Beau a national hero for the work he haas done. </p> <p>"He's great at it, saving all our licenses," one man said.</p> <p>Others have pulled over to offer Beau drinks and chocolate while a local tyre business showed their appreciation by giving him new tyres for his motorbike.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Dog poo dumper caught on camera

<p dir="ltr">A Canadian woman has made a shocking discovery after dog poo started mysteriously appearing on her driveway.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sasha Poldmaa, who lives in New Zealand and owns three dogs of her own, had been coming home from work to find the poo scattered across her driveway for three days straight in mid-February.</p> <p dir="ltr">She told <em>news.com.au</em> and confirmed in a now-viral <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@sashapoldmaa/video/7063336925414853889?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok video</a> that she has never had issues with her pets or received complaints about them from her neighbours - making the discovery all the more baffling.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought it was strange for it to happen two days in a row - someone was definitely putting it there. Then when it happened a third time, I was like, ‘I am going to set up a camera and catch who’s doing it’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After setting her iPad up directly in front of her dogs’ kennel, along with a second at the top of her driveway, Sasha reviewed the footage after work and uncovered the culprit: her neighbour.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The way she did it - she was just throwing them right where I get out of the car,” Sasha told <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/nz-neighbour-caught-throwing-dog-poo-on-womans-driveway/news-story/e9a9b43d6c67a1eaea0d1619ceed4a25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d937197f-7fff-9ba5-5c9f-26d3e3b2ae0f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t even walk [the dogs] past her house - I go the other way and there are other dogs in the neighbourhood.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRGbaDmr1zl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRGbaDmr1zl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sasha Poldmaa (@sashapoldmaa)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">After making the discovery, she wrote a stern letter to her neighbour.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2e3babb1-7fff-ba3a-f698-eccc00249250"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Dear Neighbour, I was shocked to find out after reviewing the video surveillance of my house, it was because of your arrogant and frightening assumptions on my negligent animal ownership that led to three consecutive days of driveway dog poo dumping,” her letter read.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/tiktok3.png" alt="" width="530" height="936" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Sasha penned a letter to her neighbour after discovering they were behind the mysterious appearance of dog poo on her driveway. Image: @sashapoldmaa (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“Now firstly I took the opportunity to return the faeces to your property using my own doggie poo bags which you’d see me walking with IF I ever did actually walk down your direction in the street.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Because this is something that I refuse to ignore as a result of your repeated and deliberate acts of bitterness towards my family … you should expect a friendly visit from the local police in the coming days as you are not only chargeable under the nuisance laws but I am genuinely concerned for the safety of my pets because of your hatred towards them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“P.S. An apology would be welcomed in exchange for not demanding costs for damages,” she ended the letter.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e329196b-7fff-d916-0f4a-f82ca08e4e0d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Several days after placing the letter in her neighbour’s letterbox, Sasha revealed in a follow-up video that the neighbour had knocked on her door to apologise.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/tiktok.png" alt="" width="530" height="933" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Sasha’s neighbour came to apologise after she placed a letter in her letterbox. Image: @sashapoldmaa (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">It seemed the neighbour had found the faeces on her lawn and assumed it came from Sasha’s dogs, to which Sasha said there are many other dogs in the area it could belong to.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sasha captured parts of the conversation she had with the neighbour, including their apology.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am so sorry, I’d rather you had have come to me in the first place,” the neighbour said in the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I must admit I’m very sorry but I’ve thrown the dog poo bags over the back corner. It was an assumption I guess.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I felt quite sick and horrible afterwards. I really do apologise. Ah well the laugh’s on me so let’s face it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Sasha said the encounter ended well and praised her neighbour’s courage for coming over to apologise.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I told her next time you have an issue just come and talk to me about it,” Sasha said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-302601a2-7fff-fc5a-fc76-6add8750b064"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @sashapoldmaa (TikTok)</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Cameras capture mother dropping daughter into bear enclosure

<p>A woman has dropped her toddler into a bear enclosure at a zoo in Uzbekistan. This incident follows her husband leaving to work in Russia to escape poverty.</p><p>The woman, who had become very depressed, was caught on camera approaching the bear enclosure at the zoo in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent and deliberately dropping the child over the railings.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Woman throws daughter into enclosure with live bear.<br /><br />In a blood-curdling incident captured on camera at a zoo in Uzbekistan’s capital city Tashkent on Friday, a young woman threw her three-year-old daughter into the enclosure of a massive brown bear. <a href="https://t.co/H51trJvN6z">pic.twitter.com/H51trJvN6z</a></p>— News 12PM (@News12PM) <a href="https://twitter.com/News12PM/status/1488106702994030601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2022</a></blockquote><p>Zookeepers ran into the enclosure and rescued the girl.</p><p>Officials later said the unnamed woman now faces charges of attempted murder, with a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail.</p><p>"The woman has been depressed as her husband left for Russia and no longer lives with her," the Uzbek health ministry said.</p><p>The woman has been identified as a 30-year-old university lecturer who has two children and lives with her elderly father.</p><p>Footage released by Uzbek authorities showed that the grizzly bear was initially scared off by something dropping from the sky into the moat just below the railings, before he rushed to come closer to the girl, and then went away again.</p><p>"It's scary to even think what could have happened if the bear had reacted to the child as a predator to a prey," the zoo said.</p><p>The three-year-old was taken to hospital with a concussion sustained from the fall, but her life is not in danger.</p><p><em>Image: Getty </em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

"Smile for the camera!": Man caught trashing Bunnings van

<p dir="ltr">A vandal has been caught red-handed interfering with the windscreen wiper of a parked Bunnings vehicle over the weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">The act was caught on the car’s dashboard camera on Sunday, and shared to the Facebook page Dash Cam Owners Australia on Tuesday. The video shows a man approach the car from the passenger side before starting to tamper with the wiper, bending it back onto itself and then twisting it around. The man was dressed in a brown New York Yankees cap, grey shirt, blue board shorts and thongs. He then left the scene, walking in the opposite direction.</p> <p dir="ltr">The incident took place while the car was parked on Victoria Avenue in the Sydney suburb of Concord West. The video garnered over 70,000 views in less than four hours, as well as hundreds of comments.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many commenters were happy the culprit was caught, with one person writing, “Smile for the camera you angry little man! I hope he’s been identified,” while another wondered what prompted the attack, asking, “Makes you wonder why people actually do this. Crazy. I wonder if he is known to the dashcam owner? Seems like it’s revenge for something possibly?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Others wondered whether it was part of a vendetta against the hardware store, with someone suggesting, “Vandalism to a Bunnings van? Probably worked for Mitre10,” while another wondered if the man wasn’t just hungry, writing, “Hangry for a Bunnings snag! Maybe they should do a snag van like Mr Whippy.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another commenter pointed out that the attack wasn’t particularly effective, writing, “If you’re gonna be a vandal, at least be an intelligent one and do that to the driver’s side wiper. All he achieved there is made it ever so slightly more difficult to see out the extreme left of the windscreen, and some minor inconvenience by needing to replace it.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Dash Cam Owners Australia</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Hidden camera footage reveals Block cheater

<p>The contestants of <em>The Block</em> have been rocked by a dramatic cheating saga, with the main players of the scandal being exposed on Tuesday night. </p> <p>In shocking hidden camera footage, one couple is seen conspiring to get their story straight before confessing everything to the show's producers. </p> <p>The incident began on Sunday night's episode, when it was discovered that twins Josh and Luke had seen a top secret photo of the show's production schedule, giving them insight on what rooms would be coming up and getting a head start. </p> <p>As other contestants asked where the photo originally came from, Tanya and Vito finally came forward to address their involvement. </p> <p>Tanya said the top secret production schedule had been texted to her by one of the tradies on the job site, and she then forwarded the message to Luke. </p> <p>When producers asked Tanya if she had received the text to her Block number, she responded "Yes," before quickly correcting herself and saying "<span>No, it was my personal phone number.”</span></p> <p>Tanya said that keeping the secret had been "eating her up inside" and she wanted to move on with the competition. </p> <p><span>“So that is the truth, Luke got it from me, but I got it from an ex-tradie from </span>The Block<span>,” she said, adding that within 48 hours she deleted the photo and text message entirely.</span></p> <p>“I could have kept the number and I could have kept the photo but I just couldn’t do that, honestly I really couldn't,” she said.</p> <p>“I deleted the photo initially because I was like ‘I don’t want to be a part of this and I don’t want the person who sent this to me to be implicated by this’. It’s just been a ripple effect.”</p> <p>Despite Tanya's confession, the episode concluded with secret camera footage from <em>The Block</em> tea room where Tanya was having a conversation with her husband. </p> <p>“I’m going to tell the camera what happened about the tradie sending me the photo. It was a number I didn’t know, and I deleted it straight away,” Tanya was heard whispering.</p> <p>“The thing is … it was my Block number, yeah,” she said, contradicting what she told producers.</p> <p>Then, she lowered her voice to drop the biggest bombshell of the episode, advising her husband, “You’ve got to always have the same consistent story...”</p> <p>The saga will continue on the next episode of <em>The Block</em>, where a body corporate meeting will decide the fate of those involved in the cheating scandal. </p> <p><em>Image credit: Channel Nine</em></p>

TV

Our Partners

Over 60

© Copyright 2024 OverSixty.All Rights Reserved.