Squiz Today – Thursday, 15 March

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“We know one sausage in bread contains almost half the daily salt intake, but who really has only one sausage in bread most of the time?”

We hear you, Sian Armstrong from the Heart Foundation. A report released yesterday on the high salt content of the humble/delicious snag says the target to look for is 1.38g of salt per 100g. Good luck with that.

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STEPHEN HAWKING DIES AT 76

THE SQUIZ
Stephen Hawking, one of the most respected and best-known scientists of his age died yesterday. Educated at Oxford and Cambridge universities, the theoretical physicist was an expert on time and space. He was also a mathematician, cosmologist, author, pop culture icon and flirt. Hawking’s contribution to science has been compared to that of Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton.

GIVE ME THE HAWKING CHEAT SHEET…
• Hawking first shot to prominence when he discovered the phenomenon known as ‘Hawking radiation’. It’s about black holes leaking energy and fading to nothing.

• He believed that there was a ‘theory of everything’. "My goal is simple. It is complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all," he said.

• His book A Brief History of Time was released in 1988 and sold more than 10 million copies. It was dubbed "the most popular book never read".

• Hawking defied the odds after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease at 21yo. He lived with the disease for 55 years and communicated with a voice synthesiser he controlled with a cheek muscle.

• He married Jane Wilde in his early 20s, and they had three children. They were together for 30 years when he famously left her for his nurse, Elaine Mason, whom he married and divorced after 11 years.

• Hawking had a wicked sense of humour. He featured in TV shows like The Simpsons and Big Bang Theory. The award-winning movie, The Theory of Everything, based on Jane Hawking's account of their relationship, was released in 2014.

WHAT HAVE PEOPLE HAD TO SAY?
Hawking's children, Lucy, Robert and Tim - “He once said, 'It would not be much of a universe if it wasn't home to the people you love.' We will miss him forever."

Jane Hawking - "The peace that he has found is well earned after such an extraordinary and courageous life, but we shall feel his loss keenly for a long time."

Lord Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal - "He was diagnosed with a deadly disease, and his expectations dropped to zero. He himself said that everything that happened since then was a bonus. And what a triumph his life has been.”

Prof Brian Cox - "His contributions to science will be used as long as there are scientists, and there are many more scientists because of him."

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SUPPORTING PARENTS AND CAREERS

PRESENTED BY COMMONWEALTH BANK

Starting or extending a family and how that will affect your career is a key issue for many parents, particularly women.

Nikki Graham, Commonwealth Bank's general manager, deposits (cool title), was promoted while on parental leave. And she has some words of wisdom for those thinking about taking the leap.

Check out Nikki's advice and how the Commonwealth Bank is supporting working parents here.

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SQUIZ THE REST

UK TO EXPEL RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS
The move follows Russia's refusal to explain how a Russian-made nerve agent was used in the attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter. So 23 of Russia’s diplomats in the UK have a week to leave. UK PM Theresa May has also announced other measures, including government ministers and royalty boycotting the Russia-hosted soccer World Cup in June. The Russian Embassy in London said the move was "unacceptable, unjustified and short-sighted".

STUDENTS PROTEST GUN SAFETY
School students across America have walked out of their classrooms in a call for stronger gun control measures. The National School Walkout occurred at 10am in each time zone and last 17 minutes – a tribute that marked one minute for each life taken in the Florida school massacre a month ago.

HOMELESSNESS ON THE RISE
And not by a little bit, by 13.7% between 2011 and 2016 with 116,000 homeless people counted in the 2016 Census. Men 20-30yo accounted for 25% of homeless people in Australia. And women +65yo were also another large group due to "things like domestic violence, social relationship breakdowns and economic status, where they just don't have enough money to support themselves, or sufficient superannuation," said the ABS.

PEOPLE TAKING A TUMBLE…
There are three notable cases today:

• Senator Derryn Hinch hit the deck getting out of an Uber on Monday night. He says he suffered a "slight brain trauma" as a result of the fall and that he’d had a couple of glasses of wine. His drinking draws attention because he’s had a liver transplant and had previously sworn off the booze. “I hadn’t overindulged. But it’s the obvious question with my background. I don’t blame people for thinking that,” he said.

• News Corp reports that suspended Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg will be sacked today. He has been off work since an inquiry was launched 10 months ago into his alleged misuse of his position to get his girlfriend a job in his organisation.

• An update in the private school saga that’s gripped Melbourne - the chair and deputy chair of Trinity Grammar are gone. It’s a win for those backing former deputy principal and occasional hairdresser Rohan Brown. Earlier this week the alumni organisation said it would commence legal action if the entire council did not resign by tomorrow afternoon, reinstate ‘Brownie’ and demote headmaster Michael Davies.

REFRESHING YOUR WEATHER TALKING POINTS
Thursday is a good day to have some emergency talking points up your sleeve. It’s too early to talk about any weekend plans. And talking about the weather sure beats making conversation about Bill Shorten’s planned changes to dividend imputation credits. So if you’re stuck for chatter today, consider Cyclone Linda. South-east Queensland is in for some hairy conditions with gale-force winds, extra high tides and huge surf conditions. You’re welcome.

PRINCE TRUMPS QUEEN
The producers of the outrageously successful Netflix series The Crown fessed up this week that actress Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth) was paid less than Matt Smith (Prince Philip). They say that was because Smith came to the series with his Doctor Who fame, and going forward, no one will be paid more than the Queen. Series three is coming together – Olivia Colman (think Broadchurch) will play Her Maj and Helena Bonham-Carter (think any film Tim Burton has ever done) is Princess Margaret. No word yet on who will play Prince Philip - although Hugh Laurie has been mentioned. Can’t wait.

SQUIZ THE DAY

ABS Data Releases - Overseas Arrivals and Departures, January; Corrective Services, December quarter; Industrial Disputes, December

National Close the Gap Day

World Consumer Rights Day

Anniversary of the beginning of the Syrian civil war (2011)

Anniversary of the premier of The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola's epic gangster movie based on the Mario Puzo novel and starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino (1972)