Squiz Today / 07 September 2018
Squiz Today – Friday, 7 September
SQUIZ SAYINGS
"@tomford called…”
And we’ll leave the rest of Aussie comedian Celeste Barber’s insta post there… The latest instalment of her #celestechallengeaccepted series is a coup. How on earth she convinced fashion-god Tom Ford to participate is beyond imagining…
“I AM PART OF THE RESISTANCE”
THE SQUIZ
No, there’s not a new instalment of the Hunger Games… An anonymous New York Times opinion piece authored by “a senior official in the Trump administration” alleging extreme dysfunction in the White House has Washington in a tizz. It comes on top of the release of a new book by famed journalist Bob Woodward (think Watergate) that delivered a damning account of a “crazytown” Trump administration. The Washington Post says; “Taken together, they landed like a thunder clap, portraying Trump as a danger to the country that elected him and feeding the president’s paranoia about whom around him he can trust.”
WHAT’S THE ISSUE?
Woodward’s book Fear is the result of hundreds of hours of interviews with those working closely with Trump. Its central theme is the people closest to him are working hard to “control his impulses and prevent disasters" for the benefit of Trump personally and the safety/stability of the country. Which is why the New York Times’ opinion piece outlining the efforts of an inner sanctum to “preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr Trump’s more misguided impulses” has alarmed many. Because that’s not how their system of government is meant to work…
WHAT DOES TEAM TRUMP SAY?
“TREASON?” was the question Trump put in a tweet. And he went on to blast the “Failing New York Times” and questioned if the “GUTLESS anonymous person” even exists. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said; “This coward should do the right thing and resign.” Linguistic experts said it is a relatively easy process to identify the author by their writing and that it was “virtually inevitable” that they would be outed. The hunt is on…
SQUIZ THE REST
MORRISON HITS THE RESET BUTTON
In his first big speech as PM, Scott Morrison took the team to Albury, NSW – where Liberal Party icon Robert Menzies put the party together in 1944 - and locked in the phrase we’re going to hear a lot more of - “A fair go for those who have a go”. Long story short - Team ScoJo (see what he did there? Hint – his deputy’s name is Josh…) love Australia. There were a handful of distractions though:
• Former deputy leader Julie Bishop’s comments about the “appalling behaviour” of our pollies took headlines. As will claims in The Australian (paywall) this morning that Julia Banks, the Liberal MP who announced she would leave politics citing bullying and harassment, is herself the subject of allegations of poor behaviour by campaign workers.
• And a statement made by former Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg that Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton’s chief of staff called him about one of the au pair’s visas. “Fabricated evidence,” said Dutton noting the staffer named was not working for him at the time.
QUICK SAD NEWS WRAP
CONSTRUCTION SITE ACCIDENT IN MELBOURNE - A tub of concrete fell from a crane at a construction site in Box Hill yesterday killing one man and injuring two more. Two of the men were submerged in wet concrete, including the man who died. Reports say the rescue was difficult and the crane driver was left traumatised.
JAPAN HIT AGAIN – A powerful earthquake on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido triggered landslides that have engulfed houses killing at least nine people. Reports say 40 people are missing. Authorities are warning of more damage on the way from aftershocks. Japan has been hit with all manner of natural disasters in recent months, including this week’s Typhoon Jebi.
BURT REYNOLDS DEAD - The American actor died after a heart attack at 82yo. Variety says; "Reynolds’ appeal lay in his post-modern macho posture undercut by a wry self-awareness." We just thought the guy had swagger...
ALL JACKED UP
Westpac’s interest rate hike last week fired the starters' gun, and ANZ (up 0.16%) and Commonwealth Bank (up 0.15%) followed yesterday with increases to their variable home loan rates. Both said it was a difficult decision that was considered carefully. The increase adds about $450-500 a year to a $400,000 loan. Which is no doubt all you’d need to borrow to nab this dump…
FOOTY FINALS – IT’S ON…
Last year's tipper Gibbo is back, and Aido retired, so we've replaced him with Aido 2.0. Both are Squizers and footy tragics, and they’re here to help. If you'd like a full rundown of this weekend's final games so you can contribute to the water cooler conversation today, here's a complete guide.
And while we have you… World #6 player Novak Djokovic beat Brisbane's John Millman in the quarter-final of the US Open yesterday. Millman pushed Djokovic but couldn’t convert it to win. The Aussie done good.
FRIDAY LITES – THREE THINGS WE LIKED THIS WEEK
Hands up if you loved the first season of podcast Serial but didn’t get into the second? This week the team released the trailer for the third season. We'll give it a go. It starts on 20 September.
The most luxurious properties on Airbnb. We’re heading to Tuscany (in our dreams…).
From the ‘You Learn Something New Every Day’ files, Freddie Mercury was a baggage handler at Heathrow airport before he made it big with Queen. So to mark the anniversary of his 72nd birthday this week, and with a new movie coming out about his life, some British Airlines baggage handlers paid tribute to the music icon. It’s fun, and a clever example of a new style of brand promotion.
SQUIZ THE DAY
Friday
ABS Data Release - Housing Finance, July
Legacy Badge Day
Brazil’s Independence Day
White Balloon Day supporting the prevention of child abuse
Saturday
8.05pm (AEST) – Rugby Championship – Wallabies v Springboks – Brisbane
NSW By-Election in Wagga Wagga
Launch of a giant floating trash collector to attempt to scoop up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Macedonia’s Independence Day
Sunday
Rosh Hashanah/Jewish New Year - from sunset today to sunset on Tuesday
North Korea’s National Day marking the 70th anniversary of its founding
Sweden’s General Election
Miss America competition final – minus the swimsuits
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