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"Hats off to whoever did this": Hilarious act of revenge on parking spot thief

<p>In the cutthroat world of Sydney parking, one fed-up property owner has taken matters into their own hands – or rather, their own clingfilm.</p> <p>A red Fiat, blissfully parked in what turned out to be somebody's private parking spot in the Upper North Shore suburb of Wahroonga, became the canvas for a sticky masterpiece of vehicular revenge.</p> <p>A vigilant passerby, no doubt amused by the spectacle, snapped a photo of the clingfilm-covered car and generously shared it on a community Facebook page. The caption, dripping with sarcasm, read, "And you thought people parking boats on Mosman streets was bad. Look what happens in Wahroonga if you park in the wrong place!"</p> <p>The clingfilm artist didn't stop at just wrapping the car; they took it a step further by scribbling a stern message on the plastic: "Not a public park. Read, you moron. Private property."</p> <p>Talk about a clingy reminder that parking etiquette is serious business in Australian capital cities.</p> <p>While some Sydneysiders chuckled at this clingfilm caper, others questioned the creativity behind the furious act. "Why the hell would you do that to someone's car? Would a note not have achieved the same result? Seems an overreaction," pondered one rational soul, evidently unfamiliar with the concept of "sticky situations".</p> <p>Another concerned citizen chimed in, "Well deserved. Though it's a dreadful waste of plastic." Clearly torn between environmental consciousness and a deep-seated desire for vehicular justice, this commentator encapsulated the internal struggle faced by many Sydney residents.</p> <p>On the flip side, some applauded the clingfilm connoisseur for taking a bold stance against parking transgressors. "Fair enough. We have it happen to us all the time, and I'm at the point of doing this considering I can't park on the street, so I need my parking spot at my own place. Lucky they put gladwrap on the car first and not write straight on the car... hats off to whoever did this," confessed a sympathetic comrade in the battle for parking supremacy.</p> <p>Clearly, as this red Fiat sits wrapped up like a vehicular burrito, Sydney residents have found themselves divided over the ethics of clingfilm activism. Is it a genius way to teach parking manners, or just a sticky situation waiting to be unwrapped? Only time will tell if clingfilm justice becomes the hottest trend in Sydney's ongoing parking wars.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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Napoleon Bonaparte’s iconic hat showcased for auction

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A newly discovered hat that once belonged to European statesman and general Napoleon Bonaparte has been showcased at an auction house in Hong Kong. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The hat contains DNA of the esteemed general, proving it was once in his possession. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Described by Bonhams auction house as the “first hat to bear the emperor’s DNA”, the item is currently on display in Hong Kong, before it will be relocated to Paris for a showing and then passed on to London, where it will be auctioned off. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The hat is one of the most iconic images of Napoleon’s reign during the French Revolution, and a highly sought after item for history buffs and collectors of unique items.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Napoleon’s hat was bought by its current owner at a small auction house in Germany, with the owner not realising that it once belonged to the emperor. </span></p> <p><br /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843847/napoleon-hat.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c67f28fc696e47899a509c07949bbc0a" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Bonhams Auctions</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It was purely a chance encounter," said Simon Cottle, managing director for Bonhams Europe.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The buyer became interested in the hat when he realised it had unique inscriptions and other unusual characteristics that suggested it could have belonged to Napoleon.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The hat was then extensively tested using various methods, which recovered five hairs that carried the General’s DNA. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most other Napoleon collectors' items were handed down by noble families or from soldiers who picked them up off the battlefield, whereas this hat holds a very different story. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The estimated price for the hat is currently between $185,000 and $270,000 with interested buyers remaining skeptical of that hat’s authenticity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other Napoleon items that have gone through global auction circuits have been sold for as much as $3.3million. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Getty Images/Bonhams Auctions</span></em></p>

Money & Banking

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Shane Warne puts Baggy Green up for auction to raise bushfire funds

<p>Shane Warne has put his famous Baggy Green cap up for grabs in a tremendous gesture to help raise funds for the Bushfire Appeal.</p> <p>The Aussie cricket legend announced the generous decision during day four of the third Test between Australia and New Zealand.</p> <p>“The bushfires have been absolutely horrific, they’ve touched all of us in a way,” Warne told<span> </span><em>Fox Cricket</em>.</p> <p>“To see the total devastation, lives have been lost, families have been lost, over 500 million wildlife has died. The stories are horrific.</p> <p>“We always wore this the first session of a bowling day every time and I’ve had that baggy green cap my whole career and I’ve decided to put it up for auction.”</p> <p>As soon as it went online, former England skipper Michael Vaughan placed an offer of $25,000 but that sum was surpassed in an instant.</p> <p>The bids kept increasing for the piece of Australian cricket memorabilia as within the first 90 minutes the amount had reached the six-figure mark. As of Tuesday morning, the highest bid was a whopping $315,000.</p> <p>The auction is set to run for a week with the figure expected to climb even further and potentially reach Sir Donald Bradman’s baggy green which fetched $425,000 in 2003.</p> <p><strong>Shane Warne Baggy Green updates</strong></p> <p>9 pm (AEDT): $311,000</p> <p>6:30pm: $302,500</p> <p>5pm: $275,500</p> <p>4:30pm: $100,000</p> <p>4pm: $20,000</p> <p>3:30pm: $6,100</p> <p>3:06pm: Bidding opens</p> <p>If you want to bid on Warney’s famous baggy green, you can do so<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.pickles.com.au/general/item/-/details/Shane-Warne-s-Baggy-Green---Autographed-Certificate-of-Authenticity-Included-/1090013024" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <p><em>OverSixty, its parent company and its owners are donating a total of $200,000 to the Vinnie’s Bushfire Appeal. We have also pledged an additional $100,000 of product to help all those affected by the bushfire crisis. We would love you to support too! Head to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw" target="_blank">Vinnie's website</a> to donate!</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Unruly tourist’s Bunnings hat for sale in hilarious ad

<p>It’s only been a few days since the young foul-mouthed tourists who wreaked havoc in New Zealand made headlines for telling locals he was “going to punch your brains out” and now, in true internet fashion, the iconic Bunnings hat he was donning is being “auctioned” in an ad.</p> <p>A Kiwi woman took to the world wide web on Wednesday evening to list a size 12 Bunnings hat for sale, with the price starting at $NZ1, or 95 Aussie cents.</p> <p>The woman’s hilarious product description included how she came across the hat, which she claims was found near Takapuna Beach – the location where the rowdy tourists were filmed igniting a feud with locals, according to the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&amp;objectid=12191671" target="_blank"><em>New Zealand Herald</em></a>.</p> <p><span>The seller also takes no responsibility for what comes out of the wearer's mouth, as she claims the hat may incite foul language.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BsnAdp3F-PD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BsnAdp3F-PD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Bunnings Hat (@bloodybunningshat)</a> on Jan 14, 2019 at 1:12am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Bunnings hat. Used condition. Found near Takapuna Beach discarded. Although this is a very attractive and stylish hat, I cannot be responsible for any obscenities that may flow from your mouth or rude hand gestures while wearing the hat,” the seller wrote.</p> <p>It has been reported that the tourists caused chaos throughout Auckland and Hamilton restaurants as they claimed to have found ants and hair in their food, before demanding a refund.</p> <p>The hat seller chose to take it another step further after 26-year-old Tina Marie Cash admitted to shoplifting at a Caltex station in Albany.</p> <p>“User beware. Not recommended for children even under adult supervision. This hat has no ants or hair in it. Could be useful if you decide to go travelling to see our beautiful country, perhaps see the Hobbits?</p> <p>“One size fits all. There are no sunglasses or rope with this purchase. Similar to one shown.”</p> <p>Currently the bid is at NZ$101 ($96.40) with 23 bids in total.</p> <p>Those who came across the witty ad decided to get involved by asking a few safety questions about the hat.</p> <p>“If I wear this hat will it give me anger issues?” asked one person, to which the seller replied: “I cannot guarantee that you will not have outbursts while wearing this hat. May be the hat that has issues or the wearer of the hat.”</p> <p>The seller says all proceeds made from the item will be donated to Auckland’s Mercy Hospice. </p>

Money & Banking

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The heartwarming meaning behind Prince William’s beanies

<p>The Duchess of Cambridge is no stranger to having all eyes and camera lenses on her whenever she steps out into the public, and we always love seeing what stylish outfits she’s put together.</p> <p>But during the recent royal tour of Sweden and Norway, it wasn’t just Kate’s fashion choices that <a href="/entertainment/technology/2018/02/kate-fashion-choice-sparks-controversy/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">got people talking</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>Eagle-eyed social media users quickly figured out the designer of the beanie hats worn by Prince William while playing Bandy (a sport similar to ice hockey) in Stockholm and during a ski session in Oslo, and the story behind them will warm your heart.</p> <p>Not only were his hats, from Gandys London, super affordable (just $38), but the Duke of Cambridge was supporting a brilliant cause.</p> <p>You see, Gandys London is a label set up by brothers Rob and Paul Forkan, who tragically lost their parents in the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami in Sri Lanka.</p> <p>To honour their parents’ generous and adventurous spirit, Rob and Paul founded Gandys in 2012, a fashion label with a difference. They committed donating 10 per cent of all profits to their Orphans for Orphans foundation, which helps underprivileged children affected by the devastating tsunami.</p> <p>The brothers opened their first Orphans for Orphans children’s home in Sri Lanka in 2014, the 10th anniversary of the natural disaster that changed their lives.</p> <p>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge first became acquainted with the Forkans and their work after they were invited to Buckingham Palace for the launch of the Queen’s Young Leaders program, and clearly they made an impression!</p> <p><em>Image credit: Kensington Palace/Twitter.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Why the Duchess of Cambridge's outfit has sparked controversy

<p>When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge kicked off their four-day tour of Sweden and Norway in Stockholm last week with a fun game of “bandy” (a sport similar to ice hockey), all eyes were – as usual – on Kate’s outfit.</p> <p>The expecting royal mum kept warm in black pants, snow boots and a thick jacket, accessorising her look with white gloves, a burgundy scarf and a charcoal-coloured wool beanie with a cute grey pom-pom.</p> <blockquote 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: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 31.241655540720963% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></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/BelcsifAvNL/" target="_blank">A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal)</a> on Jan 30, 2018 at 11:20am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Cosy, practical and chic. What could possibly be the problem?</p> <p>Well, as keen-eyed social media users were quick to figure out, according to the website of the hat’s designer Eugenia Kim, the pom-pom is made of arctic fox fur. The hat’s description even reads, “Worn by Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton on the 2018 Royal Tour to Sweden.”</p> <p>Twitter users were up-in-arms at the thought of the Duchess wearing real fur.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Kate Middleton was pictured in Stockholm in what appeared to be a Harvey Nichols hat with a bobble with 100% arctic fox fur. KP now SAYS the bobble was faux fur, BUT here is the real fox fur hat side-side with Kate’s, it appears KensingtonPalace lied.🦊 <a href="https://t.co/lNxIOw3JQk">https://t.co/lNxIOw3JQk</a> <a href="https://t.co/5dhpjTvK5y">pic.twitter.com/5dhpjTvK5y</a></p> — Royally_Petite (@RoyallyPetite) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyallyPetite/status/958344682618216453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2018</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I officially hate Cambridge woman now for wearing fur. <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KensingtonRoyal</a> Disgusting and inexcusable! Kate Middleton Duchess of Cambridge <a href="https://t.co/W4s3yRYhD3">https://t.co/W4s3yRYhD3</a></p> — Amy Wyatt 🇷🇺 ❄️ (@Lewisno1fan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lewisno1fan/status/958409163469737988?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>However, royal reporter Richard Palmer spoke to Kensington Palace officials who “double checked and [are] adamant the hat is faux fur”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Kensington Palace has double checked and is adamant the hat is faux fur. It won’t confirm the make. Is this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fakefurnews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fakefurnews</a>?</p> — Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalReporter/status/958325373183451136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>But it appears it all may have been a storm in a teacup. Eugenia Kim has updated her website to add the following: “Please note: this style is also available to be made to order with a faux-fur pom.”</p> <p>However, many are still sceptical. Tell us in the comments below, do you think it’s wrong to wear real fur?</p> <p><em>Image credit: Kensington Palace/Twitter.</em></p>

Technology

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The hidden power behind the Queen’s hats

<p><em><strong>Oliver Watts is an Honorary Associate and Lecturer in the College of Arts at the University of Sydney.</strong></em></p> <p>I have been a lover of the Queen’s hats for some time. An absolutely exhaustive source of information is the amazing blog <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://royalhats.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Royal Hats</a></strong></span>. The Instagram account of the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/royal_collection_trust/?hl=en" target="_blank">Royal Collection Trust</a></strong></span> is another exciting archive, which frequently documents <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHAXKwdpvVF/" target="_blank">royal hats in video form</a></strong></span>, spinning in an undefined space so that you can see all their sides and in immense detail. Not since Leigh Bowery has an “Australian” performance artist owed so much to their costumiers, milliners, vendeuses and dressers.</p> <p>From Australia’s own <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/frederick-fox-topnotch-creations-made-boy-from-jerilderie-a-star-in-london-20131222-2zsra.html" target="_blank">Frederick Fox</a></strong></span> (who created over 350 hats for the Queen), to the wonderful <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/14/fashion.britishidentity" target="_blank">Simone Mirman</a></strong></span> and the more recent genius <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.philiptreacy.co.uk/" target="_blank">Philip Treacy</a></strong></span>, the Queen has at her disposal some of the best creative milliners in the world. This suggests an interest in the potential of hats and clothes to tell stories in a way that is beyond fashion or costume, almost like an artist or the way a rock star invents a persona for the stage.</p> <p><strong>Merely costume?</strong></p> <p>As anyone who has ever watched reality TV show Project Runway can attest, when a judge exclaims, “This is merely costume!” it is one of the worst responses a contestant can receive. The Queen has walked that perilous line for decades to great effect.</p> <p>To view the terracotta warriors in China she wore an eighties version of a Han dynasty hat, to meet a group of Girl Guides she wore an oversized beret, in Slovakia she wore a cross between a pill box hat and a bedazzled ushanka. Although “right” for the occasion, this also has to be a kind of joke, a piece of humour to set people at ease with wit and generosity.</p> <p>My favourite in this vein is the hat the Queen wore for Prince Charles’ investiture in 1969. Designed by Simone Mirman, and based on a bonnet worn by Tudor princesses, the hat suited the medieval castle that was backdrop to the event. At the same time, it did not draw focus from Charles’ crown, which he was receiving for the first time.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v01LWt40SnA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>It is important to see the Queen’s clothes as doing more than just signifying a place or occasion. In a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/04/helen-mirren-queen-elizabeth-costume" target="_blank">Vanity Fair article</a></strong></span> Helen Mirren admitted that when she first saw her costumes for the 2006 film <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436697/" target="_blank">The Queen</a></strong></em></span>, she almost started crying. The clothes were so dowdy and plain. The first conclusion she came to was,</p> <p><em>The Queen is completely uninterested in clothes … She’s not at all vain … It’s like a policeman wearing a uniform. She’s wearing her uniform. She doesn’t care what she looks like in it as long as it’s the right thing for the right moment.</em></p> <p>The Queen herself seems to concur. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2013961/Princess-Beatrices-Royal-Wedding-hat-Philip-Treacy-defends-it.html" target="_blank">When Philip Treacy asked her</a></strong></span>, in a lapse of courtly etiquette (one is not supposed to address the Queen directly), “Do you like hats?” the Queen replied drolly, “It is part of the uniform.”</p> <p><strong>Hidden excess</strong></p> <p>But of course I don’t believe her. Or this is at least not what you would normally call a uniform. There is always something more in it than mere instrumental reason. The Queen understands all too well that she must not only represent and embody the authority of her position, but she must also seduce the crowd, make them desire her or be awestruck by her. That’s where the artfulness comes in.</p> <p>When Mirren finally put on her costumes she had an epiphany. The film producers had engaged the Queen’s makers and costumiers to create the clothes, and they were not like any clothes Mirren had worn before. Weighted with lead in the hem, made from the softest mohair, shoes perfectly fitted in fine kid leather: the apparent banality the Queen goes for is actually a lesson in excess.</p> <p>And it is a particularly British form of aristocratic excess, in which you work hard, as a princely virtue, not to stand out except to those that know. A similar approach has been used for <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.vulture.com/2017/02/jude-law-young-pope-looks" target="_blank">Jude Law’s costumes in The Young Pope</a></strong></span>. They are a little lighter silk, a little closer fitting, to allow him to exude his brand of restrained sexiness.</p> <p>The hat is the example par excellence of aristocratic excess, and a particularly British courtly game. It is the style of that class to wear something quite banal but “top it off” with an extravagant hat. This was exactly the move Princess Beatrice made at the most recent Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. Her Valentino dress and day coat, which by my estimate would have cost around $350,000, tricked the crowd with its lack of obvious luxury. That the internet went wild about Philip Treacy’s hat as always amazed me; of course the hat was outlandish. That is the game.</p> <p><strong>The two sides of the Queen</strong></p> <p>Michael Carter, an Australian theorist of fashion and style, has always ighlighted the “untimeliness” of the hat, which does not neatly fit into fashion trends. It is always somehow out of style, always more ornamental, even when fashion dictates the minimal. For Carter, the hat proves that clothes are more than a sign of a particular subculture or being right for an occasion. Like a peacock with its feathers or a lyrebird with its song, apparel is a way to draw people in, to fascinate them.</p> <p>Through her collaboration with many great makers, the Queen uses the whole gamut of the hat’s aesthetic possibility. Sometimes the hat is outlandish and sculptural, sometimes it is elegant and refined. The hat often repeats something else within the ensemble: the shape and colour of a sapphire brooch; the floral pattern of a dress made three dimensional on a band; a detail picked up from a cuff repeated in beading. The aesthetic appeal of a hat is of course endless.</p> <p>But the thing that characterises the Queen’s approach is that it is equivocal. Since the 1950s many of the Queen’s hats have played on the border between military or academic uniform and fashion: the beret, the kepi and other military styles. In 2015 the Queen laid a wreath at Bergen-Belsen, the site of a concentration camp, in an outfit that was a brilliant evocation of the contemporary mood. It was decorously grey, befitting the sombre tone of a commemoration of something so horrid. Yet her hat oscillates between fashion and high seriousness: the sting of the provocatively military style was undercut by the fast white line reminiscent of 1930s hats in the same way the polka dots on her coat undercut the seriousness of the grey felt.</p> <p>But the Queen’s greatest invention, which seems to date from around 2001, is a large top hat, which may also be drawn in part from the mind of Angela Kelly (her main dresser). This hat sits halfway between a sun hat and the hat the Mad Hatter wears. Angela Kelly designed the version of this hat that the Queen wore to the 2011 Royal Wedding: crepe with handmade silk roses and matching apricot-coloured leaves. This type of hat allows for a huge surface of colour while the small brim allows her face to be seen for photographs.</p> <p>I have no doubt today, on her wholly symbolic Australian birthday, she will wear a similar hat. It is the perfect balance between meeting expectations of feminine formality and a quiet insistence on her sovereign authority, beyond gender norms.</p> <p>The television show <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4786824/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">The Crown</a></strong></em></span> did a very good job, through a quite convincing melodrama, to bring to popular culture the medieval idea that the Queen has two bodies, one symbolic, one natural. Indeed on the opening of Parliament, the Queen still comes in two carriages, one for her body the other for the crown. The two sides of the Queen meet on her head.</p> <p>We are brought to the power of the law and the state as much by constitutions and elections as by royal hats and royal weddings. Queen Elizabeth II’s seduction of her subjects has been as mannered as any Renaissance Prince. Machiavelli needed to add a chapter on Princesses’ hats.</p> <p><em>Written by Oliver Watts. First appeared on <a href="http://theconversation.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Conversation</span></strong></a>. <img width="1" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/79119/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation"/></em></p>

Beauty & Style

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We could all be wearing Google Hats soon

<p>Google's infamous "Glass" smart eyeglasses flopped, but the tech giant isn't giving up on outfitting the public with wearable camera gear.</p> <p>The company received a patent for a baseball cap with a stills-and-video camera mounted on the brim.</p> <p>Photos and video could be beamed via social media to a users' friends and even allow for live interaction with another user, the patent indicated.</p> <p>The hat's brim would have a receptacle to hold the removable camera. The potential for users to share photos and videos straight from the device would one-up makers of wearable cameras that store imagery for later uploads, the patent suggested.</p> <p>"Some cameras are designed to be attached to a helmet or another place on a person's body for capturing video clips of events," according to the patent.</p> <p>"These cameras typically record and store video clips of an event, and a person can later move the video clips onto a computer.</p> <p>"The (Google Hat) camera system is configured to connect, via the wireless communications module and a mobile computing device, to a social networking server."</p> <p>But the technology is not just about real-time virtual socialising - the hat-mounted camera could save a user from attack, the patent indicated.</p> <p>​It would do so by connecting a Google Hat wearer's video feed to emergency services during a threatening situation, essentially allowing the user to show or tell a possible assailant that they're on camera.</p> <p>"The user can activate an emergency situation indicator and cause the wearable camera system to transmit a video feed to an appropriate emergency handling system, potentially deterring a dangerous person near the user," the patent said.</p> <p>Although Google Glass floundered to its death in the mass market over privacy concerns (the firm is still pursuing specialised applications for the technology), the Google Hat and another device patented on February 28 suggest the company retains faith in a broad market for wearable cameras.</p> <p>The just-granted patent for a "camera bracelet" provides little more than drawings, but shows a sleek device with a digital display and what appear to be two camera lenses.</p> <p>Much patented technology never sees the light of day, so there's no guarantee the Google Hat or camera bracelet will ever be available for sale.</p> <p>However, the volume of personal data these devices could collect would certainly be a boon for Google, whose use of such information for selling targeted ads is the crux of the business model.</p> <p>Do you think you’d ever consider wearing a Google Hat?</p> <p><em>Written by Ethan Barron. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p>

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91-year-old hospice patient knits hats for the homeless

<p>For most of us, a cold can be enough to strike us down and stop us doing what we love, if only for a few days. For 91-year-old Morrie Boogart, however, even skin cancer and a kidney mass aren’t enough to stop his charitable pursuits – the hospice patient in Michigan spends his days knitting hats for the homeless.</p> <p>Boogart has been helping the homeless for over 15 years, knitting an incredible 8,000 hats. And even though his illness limits him to producing only one hat every two days, he’s not stopping any time soon. “The only time I'm not doing it is if I fall asleep,” He told <a href="http://fox17online.com/2016/08/07/91-year-old-man-in-hospice-care-knits-hats-for-the-homeless/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">WXMI</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>His hats feature a special “rim” to help keep his homeless friends’ ears warm. He uses donated yarn to knit the hats, which are then delivered around the Grand Rapids area.</p> <p>Boogart doesn’t know how much longer he has left, but he’s using his remaining time wisely. “Why do I do it? It just makes me feel good.”</p> <p>Such a selfless man. Tell us in the comments below, what’s the most beautiful act of kindness you’ve ever seen?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/08/grandson-surprises-grandparents-with-brand-new-car/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Grandson surprises grandparents with brand new car</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/08/police-make-dinner-for-lonely-elderly-couple-found-in-tears/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Police make dinner for lonely elderly couple found in tears</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/08/bride-walked-down-the-aisle-by-man-who-received-her-fathers-heart/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Bride walked down the aisle by man who received her father’s heart</strong></em></span></a></p>

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11-year-old knits 50 hats for kids with cancer

<p>An 11-year-old boy has knitted 50 hats for kids with cancer who are being treated at the Children's Hospital Colorado.</p> <p>Garrett Lowry donated the hats last month, making headlines around the world for his charitable act.</p> <p>His mother, Sheryl Lowry, told The Huffington Post her son wanted to show the kids with cancer he cares.</p> <p>"It's really about giving back to them and giving them something to make them feel better," Sheryl said. "He just felt like it was something he could give kids who are going through chemotherapy to let them know someone cares about them."</p> <p>Garrett’s generous act started as a class project. The kids had to choose a way to give back and Garrett, who learned to knit from his grandmother, said he wanted to do something for children with cancer. His initial goal was to make 15 hats, but as you can see he quickly surpassed his goal with the help of his mother and grandmother.  </p> <p>Kathleen McBride, director of the Association of Volunteers at Children's Hospital Colorado, said that the gift meant a lot to those at the hospital.</p> <p>"This donation in particular was very meaningful as it originated from a donor of a very young age," she said. "It is so powerful for young people to give so generously of themselves for the benefit of their peers."</p> <p>Proud mum Sheryl says that Garrett has always had a big heart and had use his seventh birthday as a way to collect donations for sick kids.</p> <p>"He's got a very compassionate heart," Sheryl said. "He wants to do for others."</p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/05/how-to-say-no-to-babysitting-grandkids/"><em>How to say no when you’re unable to babysit grandkids</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/04/important-things-to-let-little-children-do/"><em>7 important things little children should be allowed to do</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/04/what-i-hate-about-being-a-grandparent-today/"><em>Grandparenting in the 21st century</em></a></strong></span></p>

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Remembering the time I met the Queen

<p><em><strong>Christine Osborne, 75, is a freelance travel writer and photojournalist. In 2013, she self-published </strong></em><strong>Travels with My Hat: a lifetime on the road</strong><em><strong>, an account of working as a single woman in some of the world’s most off-beat destinations including Yemen, Iraq and Pakistan.</strong></em></p> <p><img width="205" height="219" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/22141/cbosborne-at-home-blue-mountains_205x219.jpg" alt="CBOsborne At Home , Blue Mountains" style="float: left;"/>A visitor to the Arab States of the Gulf since the early seventies, in 1977 Christine had published in UK a book on the changing lifestyles of the Bedouin resulting from their new oil wealth. When Buckingham Palace announced that Her Majesty and Prince Phillip were to visit the region in 1979, Christine was commissioned to cover the 19 day tour by then <em>Australian Women’s Weekly</em> editor Ita Buttrose.</p> <p>Below is an excerpt from the chapter <em>Member of the Royal Press Corps.</em> Scroll through the gallery above to see a few photos Christine took of Her Majesty while covering the royal tour.  </p> <p align="center">***</p> <p>The Queen of England’s whirlwind tour of the Arab States was seen in the context of a colossal public relations exercise to promote British technical expertise in a region hungry for everything under the sun. British companies had laid a sound infrastructure in the desert sheikhdoms, building ports, airports, and dry docks; Sir William Halcrow, Sir Alfred McAlpine and George Wimpey were household names. Kuwait was to be Her Majesty’s first impression of the Arab world. Indeed, never before had a reigning British monarch set foot in Arabia Deserta.</p> <p>Having left London in a blizzard, the gleaming white Concorde glided down in Kuwait like a migrating snowbird. Waiting to receive Her Majesty was the Emir, Sheikh Jabar al-Ahmad as-Sabah, a slightly built man with a sharp black beard. He wore the white ankle-length dishdasha (gown) covered by a bisht (black cloak) and Arab headdress worn to great effect by Peter O’Toole in the film Lawrence of Arabia.</p> <p>Until this moment the <em>Daily Telegraph</em> reporter Ann Morrow had not acknowledged my presence, but as the queen descended the aircraft steps dressed in an elegant apricot silk ensemble, Ann nudged me.</p> <p>“What’s that gear the Arabs are wearing?” she said.</p> <p>I explained about the d-i-s-h-d-a-s-h-a, carefully spelling out the word. Then, with no knowledge of millinery, I asked how to describe Her Majesty’s hat.</p> <p>“Who are you and who do you work for?” she retorted before stalking off in pursuit of the other journalists.</p> <p>At the palace briefing, Shea had informed us there was no requirement for formal dress, but since Her Majesty would receive us following the state banquet, I felt it necessary to show some sartorial respect. Scouring London boutiques, I’d settled on a long, blue Grecian-style gown which was glamorous, but sufficiently covered up so as not to offend our conservative Kuwaiti hosts. None of the seasoned women journalists had bothered to dress. Having met the queen on numerous royal tours, most were blasé about the occasion, and waiting in line on the deck of Britannia, I stood out like a sore thumb.</p> <p>Wearing a silver gown, a diamond-and-emerald tiara with matching earrings the size of quail’s eggs, Her Majesty looked every inch Queen of Great Britain and the Commonwealth. When she extended her hand, her twinkling blue eyes indicated I had done the right thing by my wardrobe— a small acknowledgement of her status, perhaps.</p> <p>“You’re Australian? And you’ve written a book about the Gulf, so you must know all about it,” she addressed me.</p> <p>“Yes Ma’am. How did you enjoy the Arab food?” I inquired politely of the state dinner.</p> <p>“Oh, it was lovely, but I had barely started to eat when everyone got up to leave,” she smiled.</p> <p>“You’re bound to get sick of all the coffee Ma’am,” I wittered on. “Qahwa is not like Turkish coffee. It’s made with tea leaves and cardamom husks and is rather bitter to taste. One is expected to drink at least two or three cups at every meeting.”</p> <p>“Oh, we had some this evening. It was rather strange,” said Her Majesty, and reputed for an excellent memory, she would recall this brief conversation later in Saudi Arabia.</p> <p align="center">***</p> <p><em>Week two found us in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (or Trucial States, as they were once known).</em></p> <p class="Standard">Seated bolt upright on a faux-Louis XV sofa, Her Majesty stared straight ahead. On either side of her, the duchess and Lady Susan looked concerned by the delay and across the room, the embassy wives were clearly terrified. Scattered around the palace majlis (audience room) even the women journalists seemed uncomfortable, but to me it was typical that the harem could not keep an appointment and sensing I should take the initiative, I slipped outside to inquire of the problem.</p> <p>“Someone has given a wrong message. Her Highness Sheikha Fatima [the ruler’s wife] is late. Yes, the queen must wait,” said her secretary Hayat flashing past. “Perhaps she go to the bathroom.”</p> <p>“The Queen of England is not going anywhere,” I told her crossly. “What’s more, no one keeps Her Majesty waiting.” And glancing into the majlis, I observed the queen was drumming white-gloved fingers on the back of the sofa. </p> <p>Fifteen minutes late, Sheikha Fatima and her entourage drew up in a fleet of Cadillacs and when they were seated, servants carried in censers of smoking frankincense which we waved under our armpits. All except for Her Majesty who swatted at it like a wasp as seated on her right, Hayat began interpreting the conversation.</p> <p>“Yes, Anne no longer lives at home, she is grown up and married now,” I heard the queen say. Then casually and with a deadpan expression, she enquired of the sheikha: “Do you go to London often?”</p> <p>“Yes”, replied Hayat on her behalf. “We have a house in Bolton Gardensand a Scottish estate”.</p> <p>It was now time to exchange gifts, a sensitive matter since the munificence of the Arabs was overwhelming. “I’m afraid this is rather small,” muttered Her Majesty handing over a signed photograph of herself.                          </p> <p>Suddenly a large unveiled woman wearing a shocking pink gown appeared brandishing a Polaroid camera.</p> <p>“You don’t mind?” enquired Hayat of the queen, who looking mildly surprised, said she understood the sheikha did not allow her picture taken.</p> <p>“It’s for the family album,” she was told.</p> <p>Angry at this favouritism, I motioned to Lady Susan that I too should be allowed to take a photograph and Her Majesty, clearly aware of the situation, gave me an almost imperceptible nod of royal assent.</p> <p>I felt like Virginia Wade winning Wimbledon. What a scoop. But as I had raised my camera to take a picture, two female security guards pounced.</p> <p>“La sura!” said one grabbing the camera and the other my wrists.</p> <p>Disappointed, but hardly surprised, I returned to my seat just as the woman pulled the picture out of the Polaroid. It was completely black. Something was wrong with her camera.</p> <p>“How very strange,” said the queen, looking at the picture and standing to leave…</p> <p><em>For more information about Christine Osborne please visit her <a href="http://www.travelswithmyhat.com" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">website here.</span></strong></a> To purchase Travels with My Hat: A lifetime on the road, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Travels-My-Hat-Christine-Osborne/dp/0992324025" target="_blank">click here.</a></strong></span>  </em></p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="/news/news/2016/06/queen-elizabeth-and-her-corgis-help-ptsd-sufferer/">Queen Elizabeth and her corgis help PTSD sufferer</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="/news/news/2016/06/queens-10-favourite-songs-right-now/">The Queen’s 10 favourite songs right now</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="/news/news/2016/06/rare-photos-63rd-anniversary-queen-coronation/">Rare photos of Queen’s coronation released on 63rd anniversary</a></em></strong></span></p>

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Meet the woman who knits woolly hats for homeless greyhounds

<p>Meet Jan Brown or as she is popularly known, “Knitty Jan”. She runs an online store called Knitted With Love, which sells a range of hand-knitted doggy hats and coats.</p> <p>Five years ago, the 52-year old from Sunderland in the UK began knitting coats to raise money and awareness for greyhound rescues. She has now hand-knitted over 300 jumpers for abandoned dogs. Each one can take up to 20 hours to complete, but one things is for sure: they are all made with love.</p> <p>She quit her job in 2012 to start knitting full-time and set up her shop, where a percentage of her profits go toward greyhound rescue charities, the site's Facebook page states.</p> <p>“I can’t think of anything I would rather do than knit woolly clothing for dogs,” Jan says. “I have spent over 4,000 hours knitting but it’s all worthwhile when I see them sporting their new jumpers and hats.”</p> <p>“It’s really sweet seeing them in their festive Christmas jumpers and it’s giving much needed help to the rescue centres,” she adds, explaining, “Greyhounds have very thin fur so they really feel the cold during the winter so my gifts help keep them warm during walks.”</p> <p><img width="451" height="338" src="https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/ad_189524534.jpg?w=748&amp;h=561&amp;crop=1" alt="This woman knits cosy hats and jumpers for homeless greyhounds at Christmas" class="img-align-none wp-image-5538551 size-full" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2015/12/baby-goat-learns-to-hop-video/">Baby goat learns to hop by copying human friend</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2015/12/the-oldest-cat-in-the-world/">Meet 121-year-old Corduroy, the world’s oldest cat</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/11/interspecies-animal-friendships/">15 unlikely friendships that will melt your heart</a></strong></em></span></p>

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Military hats on display for Remembrance Day

<p>A collector of Australian military memorabilia has teamed up with Melbourne’s iconic City Hatters store to put together a touching Remembrance Day display.</p> <p>Simon Clegg began collecting Australian military hats in 1988, just two weeks after he arrived from Scotland. Since then he has immersed himself in Australian military history, collecting 125 hats that date back as far as 1930, spanning WWII and conflicts in Korea Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam.</p> <p>The pick of the bunch is Mr Clegg’s collection of Australian military slouch hats. Named after the sloping brim design, slouch hats have become a national symbol of patriotism and bravery.</p> <p><img width="497" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10838/military-hats-two_497x280.jpg" alt="Military Hats Two" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Mr Clegg had the idea for the a Remembrance Day window display on Anzac Day this year, when he visited City Hatters to have an item repaired and chatted with City Hatters store manager.</p> <p>City Hatters has a unique role to play in Australia’s military history, and was often one of the first points visited by a solider returning from a tour of duty. Store manager Craig Cochrane says: “The returned soldiers would come in on platform one, they would come down the steps and as their slouch hats had seen a bit of action, they would come down and buy another slouch hat from us.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter / Suzanne Carbone</em></p>

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