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"It's timeless": Apple Music reveals best albums of all time

<p>Apple Music has compiled their list of the top 100 albums of all time, with the number one spot dividing music lovers. </p> <p>Said to be “a modern 21st-century ranking of the greatest records ever made,” the list was compiled by Apple Music’s team of experts “alongside a select group of artists, songwriters, producers, and industry professionals.”</p> <p>“The list is an editorial statement,” the streaming giant said in a press release, “fully independent of any streaming numbers on Apple Music - a love letter to the records that have shaped the world music lovers live and listen in.”</p> <p>Taking out the number one spot, which has divided music lovers, is Lauryn Hill’s 1998 magnum opus <em>The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.</em></p> <p>The album beat out other iconic works such as <em>Abbey Road</em> by The Beatles and <em>Thriller</em> by Michael Jackson for the top spot, as well as newer records such as <em>Back to Black</em> by Amy Winehouse and <em>Blonde</em> by Frank Ocean. </p> <p>Following the big reveal, Apple Music’s global creative director, Zane Lowe, described Hill’s album as one that “has not dated, not even a fraction”.</p> <p>“In fact, it feels more fresh and more relevant the more you listen to it … There are a lot of young artists hearing it, and it’s becoming part of their artistic DNA,” he said.</p> <p>“It’s inspiring and influencing them … It’s timeless.”</p> <p>While <em>The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill</em> is certainly popular after selling over 20 million copies and making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, not everyone was so sure it deserved top spot on the list.</p> <p>“Album is fire but no way this gets #1 of all albums,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter, while another account declared simply: “BLASPHEMY.”</p> <p>“The most overrated album in history. I’m not saying it’s not good but come on,” a user wrote.</p> <p>Many people also insisted Jackson’s “Thriller” deserved to be number one.</p> <p>“That album had no miss, but Michael Jackson thriller is no 1,” an X user said.</p> <p>“I feel like Michael got snubbed,” another agreed.</p> <p>Check out the top 20 of the coveted list below. You can see the top 100 list in its entirety <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/best-albums-of-all-time-revealed/news-story/620abfb3fc0279559eff1cbbbb552b80" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p>20. Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys</p> <p>19. The Chronic – Dr. Dre</p> <p>18. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift</p> <p>17. What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye</p> <p>16. Blue – Joni Mitchell</p> <p>15. 21 – Adele</p> <p>14. Highway 61 Revisited – Bob Dylan</p> <p>13. The Blueprint – Jay-Z</p> <p>12. OK Computer – Radiohead</p> <p>11. Rumours – Fleetwood Mac</p> <p>10. Lemonade – Beyoncé</p> <p>9. Nevermind – Nirvana</p> <p>8. Back to Black – Amy Winehouse</p> <p>7. good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe Version) – Kendrick Lamar</p> <p>6. Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder</p> <p>5. Blonde – Frank Ocean</p> <p>4. Purple Rain – Prince & The Revolution </p> <p>3. Abbey Road - The Beatles</p> <p>2. Thriller - Michael Jackson</p> <p>1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill</p> <p><em>Image credits: Ruffhouse Records / Apple Records / Epic Records</em></p> <div class="media image" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.202209px; max-width: 100%;"> </div>

Music

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Vinegar and baking soda: a cleaning hack or just a bunch of fizz?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-kilah-599082">Nathan Kilah</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em></p> <p>Vinegar and baking soda are staples in the kitchen. Many of us have combined them in childhood scientific experiments: think fizzy volcanoes and geysers.</p> <p>But people also frequently mix vinegar and baking soda to produce a reportedly effective household cleaner. Unfortunately, the chemistry behind the bubbly reaction doesn’t support the cleaning hype. The fizzy action is essentially <a href="https://theconversation.com/six-surprising-things-about-placebos-everyone-should-know-220829">a visual “placebo</a>”, formed by the combination of an acid and a base.</p> <p>So, how does it work, and is it worth using these chemicals for cleaning? To understand all this, it helps to know a little more about chemistry.</p> <h2>What’s an acid?</h2> <p>Foods with a sour taste typically contain acids. These include citric acid in lemon juice, malic acid in apples, lactic acid in yoghurt and <a href="https://theconversation.com/kitchen-science-everything-you-eat-is-made-of-chemicals-56583">phosphoric acids in soft drinks</a>. Most vinegars contain around 4–10% acetic acid, the rest is water and small amounts of flavour chemicals.</p> <p>There are other naturally occurring acids, such as formic acid in ant bites and hydrochloric acid in our stomachs. Industrially, sulfuric acid is used in mineral processing, nitric acid for <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-ammonium-nitrate-the-chemical-that-exploded-in-beirut-143979">fertiliser manufacturing</a> and the highly potent hydrofluoric acid is used to etch glass.</p> <p>All of these acids share similar properties. They can all release hydrogen ions (positively charged atoms) into water. Depending on their potency, acids can also dissolve minerals and metals through various chemical reactions.</p> <p>This is why vinegar is an excellent cleaner for showers or kettles – it can react with and dissolve mineral deposits like limescale.</p> <p>Other common acidic cleaning ingredients are oxalic acid, used for revitalising timber decks, hydrochloric acid in concrete and masonry cleaners, and sulfamic acid in potent toilet cleaners.</p> <h2>What’s a base?</h2> <p>In chemistry, bases – the opposite of acids in many ways – can bind, rather than release hydrogen ions. This can help lift and dissolve insoluble grime into water. Bases can also break apart fat molecules.</p> <p>Baking soda (also known as sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or bicarb) is a relatively weak base. Stronger common bases include sodium carbonate (washing soda), sodium hydroxide (lye) and ammonia.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/spill-at-a-nuclear-facility-shows-potential-burn-risks-from-a-household-chemical-112763">Sodium hydroxide</a> is a potent drain cleaner – its strong base properties can dissolve fats and hair. This allows blockages to be broken down and easily flushed away.</p> <h2>Mixing a base and an acid</h2> <p>Mixing vinegar and baking soda causes an immediate chemical reaction. This reaction forms water, sodium acetate (a salt) and carbon dioxide – the fizzy part.</p> <p>The amount of carbon dioxide gas that is produced from baking soda is remarkable – one tablespoon (around 18 grams) can release over <a href="https://www.chemedx.org/JCESoft/jcesoftSubscriber/CCA/CCA8/MAIN/8/06/2/4/movie.html">five litres of gas</a>! But only if you add enough acid.</p> <p>Reactions in chemistry often use equal quantities of chemical reagents. A perfect balance of acetic acid and baking soda would give you just water, carbon dioxide and sodium acetate.</p> <p>But the majority of vinegar and bicarb cleaner recipes use a large excess of one or the other components. An example from TikTok for a DIY oven cleaner calls for one and a half cups of baking soda and one quarter cup of vinegar.</p> <p>Crunching the numbers behind the chemical reaction shows that after the fizz subsides, over 99% of the added baking soda remains. So the active cleaning agent here is actually the baking soda (and the “elbow grease” of scrubbing).</p> <p>Ovens can be cleaned much more rigorously with stronger, sodium hydroxide based cleaners (although these are also more caustic). Many modern ovens also have a self-cleaning feature, so read your product manual before reaching for a chemical cleaner of any sort.</p> <h2>What about the sodium acetate?</h2> <p>Devotees of vinegar and baking soda mixtures might be wondering if the product of the fizzy reaction, sodium acetate, is the undercover cleaning agent.</p> <p>Unfortunately, sodium acetate is an even weaker base than baking soda, so it doesn’t do much to clean the surface you’re trying to scrub.</p> <p>Sodium acetate is used in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vABpel-11Nc">crystallisation-based heating packs</a> and as a concrete sealant, but not typically as a cleaner.</p> <p>Fun fact: sodium acetate can be combined with acetic acid to make a crystalline <a href="https://theconversation.com/busting-the-myth-that-all-food-additives-are-bad-a-quick-guide-for-label-readers-82883">food additive</a> called sodium diacetate. These crystals give the vinegar flavour to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0hEutu_goY">salt and vinegar chips</a> without making them soggy.</p> <h2>Sorry to burst your bubbles</h2> <p>There are a few rare cases where mixing vinegar and baking soda may be useful for cleaning. This is where the bubbling has a mechanical effect, such as in a blocked drain.</p> <p>But in most cases you’ll want to use either vinegar or baking soda by itself, depending on what you’re trying to clean. It will be less <a href="https://theconversation.com/visually-striking-science-experiments-at-school-can-be-fun-inspiring-and-safe-banning-is-not-the-answer-195362">visually exciting</a>, but it should get the job done.</p> <p>Lastly, remember that mixing cleaning chemicals at home can be risky. Always carefully read the product label and directions before engaging in DIY concoctions. And, to be extra sure, you can find out more safety information by reading the product’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-tiktok-trend-has-people-drinking-toxic-borax-an-expert-explains-the-risks-and-how-to-read-product-labels-210278">safety data sheet</a>.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/225177/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-kilah-599082"><em>Nathan Kilah</em></a><em>, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/vinegar-and-baking-soda-a-cleaning-hack-or-just-a-bunch-of-fizz-225177">original article</a>.</em></p>

Home & Garden

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Stuffed baked potatoes

<p>A steaming-hot baked potato makes perfect comfort food and doesn't need lashings of butter and cheese to be delicious. This tasty vegetarian filling combines marinated mushrooms and zucchini for a healthy filling. Other fillings are limited only by your imagination.</p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> 4</p> <p><strong>Ingredients: </strong></p> <ul> <li>4 baking potatoes, about 300g each</li> <li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>200g small open-cup mushrooms, about 5cm in diameter</li> <li>1 large zucchini, about 170g, sliced</li> <li>1 teaspoon red wine vinegar</li> <li>1 teaspoon dijon mustard</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> <li>⅓ cup (10g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley</li> </ul> <p><strong>Preparation:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 200°C.</li> <li>Push a metal skewer through each potato or push the potatoes onto a potato roasting rack. (Pushing a metal skewer into the potatoes helps to conduct heat through to their centres so that they cook more quickly.</li> <li>Place the potatoes directly on the shelf in the oven and bake for 1½ hours or until tender.</li> <li>Make the zucchini and mushroom filling when you first put the potatoes in the oven so that it has time to marinate.</li> <li>Alternatively, it can be made just before the potatoes are cooked and served hot.</li> <li>Heat a large ridged chargrill or frying pan.</li> <li>Drizzle half the oil over the pan and cook the mushrooms and zucchini slices for 10-15 minutes or until they are well-browned in places and softened and have released their juices.</li> <li>Transfer the vegetables to a bowl with all their juices and add the remaining oil, the vinegar and mustard.</li> <li>Season to taste, mix well and leave to marinate until the potatoes are cooked.</li> <li>Split open the baked potatoes, then press gently to part the halves, keeping them joined at the base.</li> <li>Stir the parsley into the marinated vegetables, then pile them into the potatoes.</li> <li>Serve immediately.</li> </ol> <p><em>This article first appeared in <strong><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/stuffed-baked-potatoes">Reader’s Digest</a></strong>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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“Grandma meant Elmo”: Cake-maker reveals hilarious baking blunder

<p>An American baker has left the internet in stitches after misreading her customer’s custom cake request, instead delivering a baking blunder for the Sesame Street history books.</p> <p>In a video posted to her TikTok account, Brianna Romero - who is known professionally as Brinni Cakes - confessed her mistake to the world, recounting the story of how a recent order from a grandmother had led her to the creation of her new friend ‘Emo Elmo’.</p> <p>“So my worst nightmare happened,” she said, with audio playing over a timelapse of Brianne constructing another cake. “Last week a lady DMed me and asked me if I could make her an emo cake, and I was thinking ‘yes, of course, I love emo and I love goth, and I know I’ve been perfecting my black frosting so I’m ready for this’.” </p> <p>Brianna went on to explain that she’d gotten all of her customer’s information, and set to work. However, an hour before she was set to deliver the cake, she decided to offer the woman a number candle - an offer that was soon accepted. </p> <p>“She said ‘yes, the cake is for my granddaughter and she’s turning four’”, Brianna explained in the clip. “And I thought that that was a little bit weird, ‘cause I don’t know an emo four year old.”</p> <p>After trying to understand the weird request, Brianna figured that the little girl must just be a fan of something like Netflix’s Wednesday series. Unfortunately, this was not the case. </p> <p>“Something felt wrong,” she noted, before describing how she’d reach out again to ask what the theme of the party was, only to find out it was Sesame Street. </p> <p>“So my heart sinks a little bit because this is now making sense to me,” she said. It was then that Brianna returned to the original exchange between herself and her customer, and had her worst fears confirmed. </p> <p>“I misread emo,” Brianna admitted, “and it said an Elmo cake.”</p> <p>Luckily, Brianna was a quick thinker in her time of stress and rushed out to find an Elmo topper for her cake, before offering the cake for free.</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610.266px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7212109376436391210&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40brinnicakes%2Fvideo%2F7212109376436391210&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2Fe19d4562cc04495c8778154678f1d382_1679200086%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-useast5-i-0068-tx%2F1ad8d307d5f74948880bf2e0f91228f3.image%3Fx-expires%3D1683669600%26x-signature%3DCxdjPe36YRrx4SrRRwvAPwRsevY%253D&amp;key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p>Brianna’s audience were obsessed with her tale, and the video shot to viral heights, with over 11.7 million views to its name. </p> <p>“As soon as you revealed it was for a 4yr old I was like ‘oh no, grandma meant Elmo’,” one follower wrote. </p> <p>“Praying it’s Elmo with a side bang,” said another. </p> <p>Her misfortune drew in over a thousand comments, but there was a recurring thought that stood out among the chorus, and that was a request to see the baked blunder. </p> <p>And while Brianna admitted in an update that she hadn’t had the time to snap pictures on the day of delivery, she did her best with her follow-up video, sharing photos of cakes that looked “almost exactly” like her own, to the delight of her worldwide audience. </p> <p>“This is so funny,” someone said. “Elmo with a side bang has me in tears.”</p> <p>Meanwhile, another commenter wanted to know what the recipients had thought about their unique goods. </p> <p>“She tried to pay still but I told her everything that happened and we just laughed it off,” Brianna said. “It was just for a small family party anyway.”</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Apple and pear strudel

<p>This moist, delicious apple and pear strudel makes a warming winter dessert, and is a fantastic recipe to try in the kitchen with your grandchildren.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ingredients</strong>:</span></p> <ul> <li>Granny smith apple</li> <li>Pear</li> <li>65g seedless raisins</li> <li>55g walnut halves</li> <li>1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon</li> <li>70g caster sugar</li> <li>5 sheets of filo pastry</li> <li>2 tablespoons vegetable oil</li> <li>Icing sugar, to dust</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Method</strong>:</span></p> <ol> <li>To begin, preheat oven to 220°C then prepare the fruit by peeling and coring the apple and pears, then coarsely chop them along with the seedless raisins and walnut halves.</li> <li>Combine the fruit and walnuts in a medium bowl with the cinnamon and caster sugar.</li> <li>Place the filo sheets on a clean work surface.</li> <li>Cover the filo sheets with a dry tea towel than a damp tea towel to prevent from drying out.</li> <li>Brush one of the filo sheets with a little oil, then top with another sheet and brush with oil.</li> <li>Continue this layering process with the remaining filo sheets.</li> <li>Spoon the fruit mixture on the short edge of the filo, leaving a 4cm border.</li> <li>Fold in the ends and roll up to enclose, then brush with oil and place on baking tray.</li> <li>Bake on top shelf of oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.</li> <li>Dust with icing sugar, cut into equal slices and serve.</li> </ol> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Screwed over: how Apple and others are making it impossible to get a cheap and easy phone repair

<p>If Apple and other tech companies have their way, it will only become harder to have our phones and other devices repaired by third-party businesses.</p> <p>Smartphones and many other tech devices are increasingly being designed in ways that make it challenging to repair or replace individual components.</p> <p>This might involve soldering the processor and flash memory to the motherboard, gluing components together unnecessarily, or using non-standard <a href="https://www.ifixit.com/News/14279/apples-diabolical-plan-to-screw-your-iphone">pentalobe screws</a> which make replacements problematic.</p> <p>Many submissions to an Australian “right to repair” <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/repair/submissions#initial">inquiry</a> have called on tech manufacturers to provide a fair and competitive market for repairs, and produce products that are easily repairable. </p> <p>The <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/repair/issues/repair-issues.pdf">right to repair</a> refers to consumers’ ability to have their products repaired at a competitive price. This includes being able to choose a repairer, rather than being forced by default to use the device manufacturer’s services. </p> <p>But it seems Apple doesn’t want its customers to fix their <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/evmeya/apple-iphone-right-to-repair-california">iPhones</a>or <a href="https://www.inputmag.com/culture/apples-repair-policies-are-utterly-shameful-and-shouldnt-be-allowed-e-waste-recycling-macbooks-t2">Macbooks</a> themselves. The company has <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/nz85y7/apple-is-lobbying-against-your-right-to-repair-iphones-new-york-state-records-confirm">lobbied against</a> the right to repair in the United States and has <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/11/18/936268845/apple-agrees-to-pay-113-million-to-settle-batterygate-case-over-iphone-slowdowns">been accused of deliberately slowing down</a> iPhones with older batteries.</p> <p><a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2019/10/16/tech-giants-fight-digital-right-to-repair-bills">Opposition</a> against the right to repair from tech companies is to be expected. Cornering consumers into using their service centres increases their revenue and extends their market domination.</p> <p>In its defence, Apple has said <a href="https://time.com/4828099/farmers-and-apple-fight-over-the-toolbox/">third-party repairers</a> could use lower quality parts and also make devices vulnerable to hackers. </p> <p>It also defended its <a href="https://venturebeat.com/2019/08/14/apple-defends-iphone-unauthorized-battery-warning-as-a-safety-feature/">battery warning indication</a> as a “safety” feature, wherein it started to alert users if their phone’s replacement battery hadn’t come from a certified Apple repairer. </p> <p>In the US, Apple’s <a href="https://support.apple.com/irp-program">independent repair provider program</a> grants certain providers access to the parts and resources needed to fix its devices. Independent repair shops in <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/07/apple-expands-iphone-repair-services-to-hundreds-of-new-locations-across-the-us/">32 countries</a> can now apply, but the scheme has yet to extend outside the US.</p> <h2>Impact on users</h2> <p>With the iPhone 12 — the latest iPhone offering — Apple has <a href="https://www.ifixit.com/News/45921/is-this-the-end-of-the-repairable-iphone">made it even harder</a> for third-party repairers to fix the device, thereby increasing users’ reliance on its own services. </p> <p>Apple has hiked its <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-au/iphone/repair/service/screen-replacement">repair charges</a> for iPhone 12 by more than 40%, compared with the iPhone 11. It is <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-au/iphone/repair/service/screen-replacement">charging</a> more than A$359 to fix an iPhone 12 screen outside of warranty and A$109 to replace the battery. </p> <p>Historically, third-party repairers have been a cheaper option. But using a third-party repairer for an iPhone 12 could render some phone features, such as the camera, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/30/21542242/apple-iphone-12-third-party-repairs-ifixit-camera-module-replacement">almost inoperable</a>.</p> <p>According to reports, fixing the iPhone 12’s camera requires <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2020/10/30/iphone-12-camera-repair/">Apple’s proprietary</a> system configuration app, available only to the company’s own authorised technicians. </p> <p>It’s not just Apple, either. <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/news/samsungs-galaxy-s20-ultra-is-unsurprisingly-difficult-to-repair">Samsung’s</a> flagship phones are also quite tricky for third-party repairers to fix.</p> <h2>Impact on environment</h2> <p>When certain parts for repairs aren’t available, manufacturers will produce new phones instead, consuming <a href="https://www.envirotech-online.com/news/environmental-laboratory/7/breaking-news/how-do-smartphones-affect-the-environment/48339">more energy and resources</a>. In fact, manufacturing one smartphone <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.cqu.edu.au/science/article/pii/S095965261733233X">consumes</a> as much energy as using it for ten years.</p> <p>As smartphones become harder to repair, electronic waste will grow. Apple and Samsung both cited environmental benefits when they announced they would no longer ship <a href="https://theconversation.com/apples-iphone-12-comes-without-a-charger-a-smart-waste-reduction-move-or-clever-cash-grab-148189">chargers</a> with their phones. </p> <p>Yet, they’ve turned a blind eye to the environmental damage that would arise from completely cornering the repair market.</p> <p>The average Australian home has <a href="https://thinktv.com.au/facts-and-stats/australian-homes-are-experiencing-a-screen-explosion/">6.7 devices</a>, including televisions, personal computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones. With diminishing opportunities for repair, the environmental burden from disposing of these devices will increase.</p> <h2>What is being done?</h2> <p>Phone giants make it tough for third-party repairers to do their job in a variety of ways. This includes constantly changing designs, adding hurdles to the repair process, and restricting access to parts, diagnostic software and repair documentation. </p> <p>Meanwhile, consumers are left with broken phones and huge repair bills — and repairers are left with less business.</p> <p>The fight to remove barriers to repair is gaining momentum outside Australia, too, in countries including <a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/monitor/when-will-canadians-have-right-repair">Canada</a>, the <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/right-to-repair-means-spare-parts-for-household-appliances-mr5gmkjxr">United Kingdom</a> and the <a href="https://www.repair.org/legislation">United States</a>. Legislative reforms have been introduced in the <a href="https://repair.eu/news/european-parliament-calls-for-ambitious-right-to-repair/">European Union</a> and <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/93wy8v/newly-passed-right-to-repair-law-will-fundamentally-change-tesla-repair">Massachusetts</a>.</p> <p>France has introduced a <a href="https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/indice-reparabilite">Repairability Index</a> requiring electrical and electronic equipment companies to inform consumers about their products’ repairability on a scale of one to ten. </p> <p>This takes into account the ease of repairability, availability and price of spare parts and availability of technical repair documents.</p> <h2>The path moving forward</h2> <p>Until the push for right to repair legislative reform gathers pace globally, consumers will have little choice but to pay up to big companies to access their authorised repair services. </p> <p>If they don’t, they may risk losing their warranty, ending up with a non-functional device and even <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e449c8c3ef68d752f3e70dc/t/5ea8a6d93b485d0feb9b5d6b/1588111098207/Report_RightToRepair_HanleyKellowayVaheesan-1.pdf">infringing</a> upon the manufacturers’ software copyrights.</p> <p>Ideally, phone companies (and others) would assist users with the repair process by providing replacement parts, repair documentation and diagnostic tools to third-party repairers. </p> <p>This would also help <a href="https://www.apple.com/au/newsroom/2020/07/apple-commits-to-be-100-percent-carbon-neutral-for-its-supply-chain-and-products-by-2030/">Apple</a> and <a href="https://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/sustainability/environment/">Samsung</a> reduce their carbon footprint and achieve their environmental goals.</p> <p>Although the way things are going, it’s unlikely tech companies will be able to escape their self-inflicted repair obligations. In the past, Apple CEO Jeff Williams has <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/08/apple-offers-customers-even-more-options-for-safe-reliable-repairs/">said, "</a>we believe the safest and most reliable repair is one handled by a trained technician using genuine parts that have been properly engineered and rigorously tested."</p> <p>But with only so much workforce available even to Apple, sharing the load with smaller repairers will help. </p> <p>And for consumers’ benefit, the right to repair legislation must be taken seriously, with consistent repairability scores developed across the globe.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/screwed-over-how-apple-and-others-are-making-it-impossible-to-get-a-cheap-and-easy-phone-repair-156871" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Technology

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Rhubarb and apple tarts

<p>These individual tarts are heavenly, and go perfectly with cream, or are just as good by themselves. Try them and see.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Makes:</span></strong> 6 tarts</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>500g shortcrust pastry (store-bought or your favourite recipe)</li> <li>1 tablespoon plain flour</li> <li>¼ cup caster sugar</li> <li>2 apples, peeled and sliced</li> <li>300g rhubarb cut into 2cm pieces</li> <li>2 teaspoons ground cinnamon</li> <li>¼ teaspoon ground cardamom</li> <li>1 egg, beaten</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat your oven to 200°C and put a large baking tray on the middle rack to warm up.</li> <li>Roll out your pastry and cut out six circles approximately 15cm and put them in the fridge to stay chilled.</li> <li>Toss the apples and rhubarb slices with the flour, caster sugar, cinnamon and cardamom.</li> <li>Lay a large piece of baking paper on the counter and place the chilled pastry on top. Fill the centre of each pastry with the apple and rhubarb mixture.</li> <li>Fold the edges of the pastry up and over the sides of the filling, pressing it together.</li> <li>Brush the pastry with a little of the beaten egg and sprinkle a little extra caster sugar on top.</li> <li>Slide the tarts onto the hot tray and cook for 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp.</li> </ol> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

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“The stuff of nightmares”: Baked to imperfection

<p>Some people are destined for the kitchen, while others may be better suited to a career in comedy, if these cake decorating disasters are anything to go by.</p> <p>Even armed with a visual guide and the world’s best intentions, some bakers are just in for a wild time - and thanks to some good-natured social media posts, we can all enjoy the colourful consequences right along with them. </p> <p>Lucy was one such baker to face a betrayal from her cake. Posting to the Facebook page Woolies/Coles Mudcake Hacks, she shared her experience trying to follow professional baker Tegan ‘Tigga’ Maccormack’s Bluey birthday cake tutorial. </p> <p>Needless to say, their end results weren’t exactly mirror images.</p> <p>"Enjoy this absolute abomination - it looked easy on TikTok," Lucy wrote, attaching a picture of her hilarious creation. </p> <p>Fellow Facebook users loved her attempt, with some even trying to make Lucy feel better.</p> <p>One informed her that although it was nothing like the inspiration picture, it was “very cute”.</p> <p>“OMG I genuinely love it!” another declared. “It made me smile, thank you for sharing.”</p> <p>Meanwhile, one mum wrote that her seven-year-old encouraged Lucy to “keep trying!”, before stating that “it looks so bad she should probably eat the whole thing.” </p> <p>On Reddit, someone had another unfortunate cake story to share - though this time they weren’t the baker responsible, simply the customer who got something they certainly hadn’t paid for. </p> <p>“The ice cream cake we ordered vs what we received,” they wrote, sharing the image of two monkey cakes. One, the ‘expectation’ image, was a smoothly iced monkey head. The second, the ‘received’ product, was at least discernible as a monkey, even if the ‘smooth’ icing job left a lot to be desired. </p> <p>“This was an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins," it was explained. “They usually come out exactly as pictured online, but this time was truly spectacular."</p> <p>And while many thought this particular approach to replicating the vision was hilarious, most were of the opinion that this had not actually been a failure, but instead an improvement. According to the majority in the comments, “frosting tastes much better than fondant” anyway.</p> <p>Another Reddit user referenced a tweet they’d seen of another cake disaster, this time of a Minnie Mouse cake that someone had purchased for their niece, and the nightmare they’d gotten in return. </p> <p>“I saw that it was posted in Arabic on Twitter, and it was pretty funny,” the Reddit user said, “so I just wanted to share it with a wider audience!"</p> <p>“The cake's shininess is the stuff of nightmares,” was all one had to say about it. </p> <p>“I would not have paid for that abomination,” another said. </p> <p>Thankfully for the individual who had dealt with the cake firsthand, they were able to return it for a full refund. </p> <p>"The cake was for my sister for her birthday," they told TODAY. "In the beginning, it was a horrible shock for us, but after I posted the picture on Twitter, I was laughing because of people's reactions."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Best baked goods in Australia crowned

<p>The Victorian Baking Show, held by the Baking Association of Australia, has enjoyed another year of treats and celebration in 2023. </p> <p>The annual show took place in Bendigo for the second time, with judges enjoying their share of 590 different baked goods from 143 passionate bakers across Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales. </p> <p>And despite the very difficult task ahead of them, the panel were able to crown winners in numerous bread, pastry, and sweet categories. </p> <p>The show’s most sought after titles? Australia’s Best Hot Cross Bun and Australia’s Best Vanilla Slice. </p> <p>North End Bakehouse in Shepparton, Victoria, seized victory with their vanilla slice. The Australian classic typically features a thick layer of vanilla custard between layers of puff pastry, most often with icing sugar sprinkled on top. But North End Bakehouse opt to shake things up, with their slice showcasing a sleek coating of white fondant instead. </p> <p>“This was an absolute stand out,” executive officer of the Baking Association, and host of the Victorian Baking Show, Tony Smith declared, “the judges couldn’t believe how creamy the custard was, and the fondant was tempered perfectly on top. The pastry was crisp and thin, not soggy.” </p> <p>“John Humphrey, one of the main judges - along with Stewart Latter, Chief Judge for the BAA - judged the vanilla slices and stated that sometimes it’s very hard to temper the fondant and allow it to sit perfectly on top,” he continued “along with this, some people have custard filling that leaves a gritty or grainy feeling in your mouth.</p> <p>“But this was perfect!”</p> <p>North End Bakehouse’s success didn’t stop there, either, with the bakery also taking home a win for its 680g sourdough loaf. And although they didn’t snag the coveted first place prize for their hot cross buns, they did secure the title of “Best Innovative Hot Cross Bun” for their Vegemite-flavoured treat. </p> <p>Meanwhile, the accolade of Australia’s Best Hot Cross Bun went to South Australia’s Banana Boogie. And not only did they seize first place, but also the second-place trophy. </p> <p>“The Hot Cross Bun Competition is judged over several sections by two judges,” Tony explained, “the main thing is the judges cut one in half across from left to right, and then another on a diagonal. This allows the judges to see the fruit distribution in the bun and make sure it is evenly spread.</p> <p>“Of course, there is spice aroma and then mouth feel, making sure it is fresh and doesn’t stick to the roof of your mouth.”</p> <p>The baked goods just kept coming from there, with winners across all of the show’s categories announced. </p> <p>For the category of 2 Small Individual Fruit Tartlets, Mildura’s Sunraysia Bread and Butter Bakery claimed the top spot. They also now boast the title of having Australia’s best pasties.</p> <p>Melbourne’s Country Cob Bakery had the best meat pies, as well as the judges’ favourite gourmet pies. </p> <p>Victoria’s McKinnon Village Bakery found their claim to fame with everyone’s favourite: Australia’s Best Sausage Rolls.</p> <p>And last but not least, Mooroopna Bakery - also in Victoria - set tastebuds tingling with their iced doughnuts.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Recipe: Cheesy potato bake

<p>The perfect accompaniment to any meal, everyone needs a great potato bake recipe in his or her repertoire and this one is delicious (and simple). </p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> Six</p> <p><strong>Preparation time:</strong> 20 minutes</p> <p><strong>Cooking time:</strong> One hour 30 minutes</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span> </strong></p> <ul> <li>60g of butter, plus extra for greasing</li> <li>2 ⅓ cups milk</li> <li>400ml cream</li> <li>2 cups of cheese (tasty or parmesan work well), grated</li> <li>1½ kg potatoes (Sebago, Desiree, or similar), peeled and thinly sliced1 onion, finely chopped</li> <li>3 garlic cloves</li> <li>1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves</li> <li>Salt and pepper to season</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 180 °C or 160 °C for fan forced. Lightly grease a seven-cup ovenproof dish. </li> <li>Melt butter in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Slowly add milk and cream, stirring constantly until well combined. </li> <li>Add one and half cups of cheese. Stir to combine. </li> <li>Layer one third of potatoes over base overlapping slightly. Top with half the onion, garlic, thyme and one third of cheese sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat two more times. </li> <li>Brush a sheet of foil with oil and place oil-side down over the potato. Seal tightly. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and brush top with melted butter. Cook a further 45 minutes until tender and golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining cheese for last 15 minutes of cooking.</li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Baked eggplant with yogurt

<p>In this delicious dish, grilled slices of eggplant and zucchini are layered with a rich tomato sauce and cumin–flavoured yogurt, then baked. Thick slices of bread and a crisp green salad are the perfect accompaniments to make a satisfying meal.</p> <p><strong><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></strong></p> <div> <div> <ul> <li>3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>1 red onion, finely chopped</li> <li>2 cloves garlic, finely chopped</li> <li>1 can chopped tomatoes, about 400 g</li> <li>2 teaspoons tomato paste</li> <li>100 ml dry red wine</li> <li>1 bay leaf</li> <li>2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley</li> <li>salt and pepper</li> <li>3 eggplant, about 700 g in total, cut into 1 cm slices</li> <li>3 zucchini, about 500 g in total, thinly sliced</li> <li>½ teaspoon ground cumin</li> <li>1⅔ cups (410 g) low–fat natural yogurt</li> <li>2 eggs, beaten</li> <li>⅓ cup (35 g) freshly grated parmesan</li> </ul> </div> <div> <h4>Preparation</h4> <div data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/baked-eggplant-with-yogurt"> </div> <ol> <li>Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and cook for about 8 minutes, or until softened.</li> <li>Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, stirring.</li> <li>Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, wine and bay leaf.</li> <li>Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.</li> <li>Uncover the pan and let the sauce bubble for a further 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally.</li> <li>Remove the bay leaf.</li> <li>Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.</li> <li>While the sauce is simmering, preheat the grill to moderate.</li> <li>Lightly brush the eggplant and zucchini slices with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.</li> <li>Cook under the grill, in batches, for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until browned and very tender.</li> <li>Preheat the oven to 180°C.</li> <li>Stir the cumin into half of the yogurt.</li> <li>Arrange one–third of the eggplant slices, in one layer, in a large ovenproof dish that is about 2.</li> <li>5 litres capacity.</li> <li>Spoon over half of the tomato sauce.</li> <li>Arrange half of the zucchini slices on top, in one layer, then drizzle with half of the cumin–flavoured yogurt.</li> <li>Repeat the layers, then finish with a layer of the remaining eggplant slices.</li> <li>Mix the remaining 200 g yogurt with the beaten eggs and half of the parmesan.</li> <li>Spoon the yogurt mixture over the eggplant, spreading with the back of the spoon to cover evenly.</li> <li>Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.</li> <li>Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and set, and the sauce is bubbling.</li> <li>Serve hot, in the baking dish.</li> </ol> <div>Serves: 4</div> <div>Preparation: 20 minutes</div> <div>Cooking: about 1¼ hours</div> <div> </div> <div>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/baked-eggplant-with-yogurt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</div> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

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How to bake your pup a birthday cake

<p dir="ltr">This recipe makes one dog cake and can be served as a full meal (based on a medium size dog 10-25 kg), however, we encourage sharing amongst other furry friends or cutting a slice as a treat only. </p> <h4 dir="ltr">Dog cake recipe</h4> <h4 dir="ltr">What you'll need</h4> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Chopping board</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Knife</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Cake stand</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Bowls</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Spoon</p> </li> </ul> <h4 dir="ltr">Ingredients</h4> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">300 g Glow Raw Adult Australian Kangaroo dog food (or any preferred flavour)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">4 salmon skin dog treats</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">9-12 mixed berries (mixture of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">10 strawberry yoghurt drops</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tsp melted coconut oil</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tsp pumpkin seeds</p> </li> </ul> <h4 dir="ltr">Method</h4> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d3b8966e-7fff-2340-4098-edebe3d7b817"></span></p> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Create three 1cm thick patty slices out of the Glow Raw Adult dog food.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Melt the strawberry yoghurt drops.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Place one patty slice on a cake stand.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Top with two crumbled salmon skin dog treats.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Place second patty slice on top.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Top with another two crumbled salmon skin dog treats.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Place third patty slice on top.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Drizzle the melted yoghurt drops over the top and sides of the cake.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Top with mixed berries.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Drizzle over melted coconut oil.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Sprinkle over pumpkin seeds.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Serve. Enjoy!</p> </li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Better Homes &amp; Gardens AU</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Strawberry and Apple Crumble

<p dir="ltr">All it takes is just one bite of this fruity delight and it'll instantly become a cereal favourite.</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Ingredients</h2> <p dir="ltr">600g apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced</p> <p dir="ltr">2 Tbsp water</p> <p dir="ltr">2 tsp CSR LoGiCane Sugar</p> <p dir="ltr">300g pkt frozen strawberries</p> <h3 dir="ltr">Oat and pistachio crumble</h3> <p dir="ltr">50g (½ cup) rolled oats</p> <p dir="ltr">40g (1 cup) Special K cereal, roughly crushed</p> <p dir="ltr">2 Tbsp unsalted pistachio kernels, finely chopped</p> <p dir="ltr">¼ tsp ground cardamom</p> <p dir="ltr">1 Tbsp honey</p> <p dir="ltr">1 eggwhite (from 50g egg), lightly whisked</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Method</h2> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Put apple, water and sugar in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 7 minutes or until apple is almost tender. Remove pan from heat and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes or until apple is tender.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Meanwhile, to make oat and pistachio crumble, put rolled oats, cereal, pistachios and cardamom in a small bowl. Add honey and eggwhite, and stir until well combined.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Preheat oven to 170°C (fan-forced). Put a 2L (8-cup) ovenproof dish on an oven tray. Add apple mixture to the dish. Sprinkle strawberries over apple mixture. Sprinkle crumble over strawberries. Bake for 15 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Serve immediately.</p> </li> </ol> <h3 dir="ltr">Nutrition Info PER SERVE</h3> <p dir="ltr">750kJ, protein 4.5g, total fat 3.5g (sat. fat 0.5g), carbs 30g, fibre 4.8g, sodium 47mg. Carb exchanges 2. GI estimate low.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-bed95ef2-7fff-3430-796d-c1311ae67159"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p>

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