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12 red flags you’re about to get a bad haircut

<p><strong>Hair beware</strong></p> <p>There’s nothing quite like walking out of the salon with a haircut you love. A new ‘do can boost your confidence and put a little pep in your step. But a bad haircut? Ugh. That can leave you shaking your head and wondering what the heck just went wrong.</p> <p>Going to a new salon can leave you particularly vulnerable to getting a bad haircut. After all, you’ve never seen the stylist and don’t know if they’ll be a good fit for you. What if they make a ton of hairstyle mistakes? Or promise a hairstyle that’ll make you look younger but deliver a ‘do better suited to your granny? “A bad haircut or colour can ruin six months or more of your confidence,” affirms stylist, Natalie Palomino.</p> <p>Because of this, one of the very best hairstylist secrets you can learn is how to spot the red flags that you are about to get a bad haircut. Here, experts share the tell-tale signs you may be in for a bad cut (or colour!).</p> <p><strong>The salon is dirty</strong></p> <p>If you walked into a doctor’s office and it was filthy, you probably wouldn’t feel super comfortable getting care there, right? The same thinking should apply to a hair salon. “If a salon looks dirty or unkept, it is concerning,” says celebrity hairstylist Shantise Michelle. “This could indicate that they don’t prioritise cleanliness and sanitation, which can be a health risk.”</p> <p>So what constitutes ‘dirty’ at a hair salon? Michelle points out that seeing a few hair clippings on the ground, especially if a client is mid-cut, is totally normal. What’s not? Tools that look dirty, lots of dust or piles of hair that haven’t been cleaned up even after clients leave.</p> <p><strong>The stylist won't share examples of past work</strong></p> <p>Maybe you’re hoping to learn how to grow out grey hair gracefully. Or maybe you’re looking for hairstyles for women over 40. No matter your goal, it’s super helpful if new stylists are able to show you examples of their work. </p> <p>If they don’t post client cuts on social media, ask them to share pictures of previous cuts they’ve done. “Not being able to show you examples of their work is a red flag,” says Michelle. Even if they are relatively green, stylists should have examples from their training.</p> <p><strong>The stylist doesn't ask for a hair history</strong></p> <p>Before a stylist gives you a cut for the first time, it’s important that they get some key info from you. Without this assessment, you may end up with a cut or colour you can’t stand. “Before a bowl of colour is mixed, a stylist should know if you’ve used boxed dye recently or any other treatments you’ve recently had,” says Palomino. “If you are getting a cut, they should know what your normal hairstyling routine looks like.”</p> <p>This is crucial because it helps them tailor your cut to your needs. For example, a cut that will require lots of blow-dry time to look good is a no-go if you never have time to blow-dry your hair.</p> <p>Basic questions surrounding your hair history include how you normally style your hair and if you’ve had any recent treatments (think: relaxing your strands or a perm). If you’re going in for a colour, the stylist should ask when you last coloured your hair and how, as well as any other hair treatments you’ve recently had.</p> <p><strong>The stylist refuses to give an opinion</strong></p> <p>It’s your hair, sure, but your stylist is the professional. So if you ask for their opinion, they should give it. If you ask what they think and they don’t say much, be wary. “While this doesn’t necessarily mean you are seeing a bad stylist, it may be the sign of someone who is green and doesn’t know how to interact,” says Palomino. A stylist should have a general idea of what cuts work for different hair textures, face shapes and lifestyles, she says. If they don’t seem to know these things, you should be concerned.</p> <p>In an ideal world, you should feel like your stylist is a collaborator on your journey to great hair. You know your hair and what will work for you, and they have professional expertise and know things like the best blow-dryer for straight versus curly hair, or what looks good on round versus long faces. They should offer up this info to help guide you when you’re deciding the fate of your strands.</p> <p><strong>The stylist is pushy</strong></p> <p>You want someone to weigh in, not boss you around. After all, you have to live with the end results. “You should never feel bullied into getting a certain type of cut,” says Michelle. “A good hairstylist will listen to your needs and preferences and make recommendations based on that ­ – but not force you into something you don’t want.”</p> <p>Getting to the perfect cut for you should be a bit of a give-and-take. For example, if you want to go short, start by telling the stylist that. Then they can suggest a short cut that would flatter your face shape. From there, you can give feedback on their suggestion.</p> <p>Oh, and hairdressers shouldn’t be pushy about buying products either. If you like something they use and want to purchase it from the salon after your appointment, great. If you don’t have that in your budget, they shouldn’t make you feel like you have to.</p> <p><strong>The salon is always empty</strong></p> <p>If the salon is regularly a ghost town or constantly offers deep discounts, should it worry you? You bet. “If the salon is brand new, they may still be getting their name out there, and it’s not a reason to run away,” says Palomino. The same applies to a salon that has recently reopened after being closed for the pandemic or for another reason.</p> <p>“However, if the salon has been around for a while and is always empty, then you may want to look elsewhere,” she says. One way to suss this out? Rather than making an online appointment or calling a new salon, try stopping by on a Saturday – which tends to be the busiest day. This way, as you make your appointment, you’ll be able to get a feel for the salon and see how lively it is.</p> <p><strong>The salon has lots of bad reviews</strong></p> <p>Imagine looking up a restaurant before having dinner there and seeing a bunch of reviews that mention finding hair in the food or seeing lots of roaches. You’d find a new place to eat, wouldn’t you? Use the same logic when considering a new stylist. Look up the salon on Yelp or Google and give the reviews a good read.</p> <p>“If a hairstylist has a ton of bad online reviews, it could be a red flag and should be a concern,” says Michelle. “However, it’s important to read the reviews carefully and consider the context before making a decision.” If all the reviews give the same bad feedback (like the cut was a disappointment or the employees were rude), you can probably trust them. If there are a handful of poor reviews that seem more situational (perhaps someone is mad that they showed up late and weren’t accommodated), take those with a grain of salt.</p> <p><strong>An assistant takes you straight to a shampoo station</strong></p> <p>If you arrive at a new salon and an assistant immediately whisks you to the shampoo station, it should give you pause. “A stylist should always look at your dry hair when you come in, because this gives them a better idea of how your hair naturally behaves,” says Michelle. “This information allows them to make more informed recommendations.”</p> <p>For most stylists, a visit flows like this: they have you come right in and sit in their chair. They look at your hair and have a short consultation about what you’re looking for. Some stylists may even cut a bit of your hair while it’s dry – this is most common if you’re cutting a large amount of hair. In this case, they may take off some length before you have your strands washed. </p> <p>From there, it’s off to the shampoo station. (Oh, and a really good stylist will customise the shampoo for your hair needs. So if your hair is thin, they’ll use a thickening shampoo; if it’s dyed, they’ll use a shampoo for colour-treated hair – you get the idea.) Once you’ve been sudsed up, you’ll head back to the stylist’s station for shaping and the actual cut.</p> <p><strong>The stylist's hair looks worse for wear</strong></p> <p>A stylist’s hair is a bit of an advertisement. “If your hairstylist has really damaged hair, it could be a red flag, because it could indicate that they don’t know how to take care of their own hair properly,” says Michelle. “This could reflect how they’d mistreat your hair.” One thing to keep in mind: You should be looking at the condition of their hair – not the actual style. </p> <p>Dry, brittle, damaged tresses should worry you. They have access to great hair masks for damaged hair and other tricks that should help them avoid an unkempt appearance. So if their hair is looking not-so-great, it’s dicey. But not liking their cut or colour isn’t the same thing. You may just have different style preferences, and that’s totally OK.</p> <p><strong>The stylist's nervousness makes you nervous</strong></p> <p>Accidentally dropping a brush? No big deal. Anxiously looking at a pair of scissors and biting their lip every time they make a snip? Yikes. “If your stylist seems nervous or unsure of how to use tools, they may not be properly trained,” says Michelle.</p> <p>As they move about their station, look for signs that they are at ease. If they’re using a tool like a hair-straightener brush, they should look like they do it all the time. The same goes for getting you set up in your chair. Clipping on the cape should be second nature for them, as should raising and lowering the chair.</p> <p><strong>The stylist doesn't solicit feedback</strong></p> <p>Once your stylist has finished up, they should initiate another consultation, turning you toward the mirror, and then giving you a handheld mirror so you can look at the back of your head. “By asking what you think of the result, it helps ensure that you both are on the same page and that you are happy with the results,” says Michelle.</p> <p>But what if you aren’t thrilled with the outcome or think it’s a flat-out bad haircut? That’s what makes this step even more important. You should feel free to speak up about what’s not working for you. In turn, they should offer suggestions on how they could alter the cut so you like it more. Michelle says no good stylist should bristle at this kind of feedback.</p> <p><strong>The stylist doesn't discuss aftercare</strong></p> <p>At the end of your appointment, a good stylist should discuss aftercare with you. This information will be customised to your hair’s needs and your cut. For example, they may suggest the best shampoo and conditioner for your tresses or give you a few tips on how to use a curling iron to recreate the waves they added to your style.</p> <p>“How you treat your hair at home has a dramatic impact on the health of your hair,” Palomino points out. So when a stylist shares this kind of info, it’s a sign that they’re really looking out for you and your strands.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/beauty/hair-and-nails/12-red-flags-youre-about-to-get-a-bad-haircut?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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New flag furore erupts as Djokovic crushes Aus Open final

<p>Novak Djokovic has won the Australian Open in convincing fashion to equal Rafael Nadal's Grand Slam record, a year after he was deported over his COVID vaccination status.</p> <p>The Serbian star defeated Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas in three sets in the final in Melbourne on Sunday, making it Djokovic's 10th Australian Open title – equal to Nadal's Grand Slam record of 22 men's singles titles.</p> <p>However, during the broadcast an eagle-eyed viewer couldn’t help but single out the disturbing appearance of a flag bearing a controversial far-right symbol, waved by a Djokovic supporter.</p> <p>“Why am I seeing a Chetnik flag amongst the Serbian crowd at the Tsitsipas vs Djokovic match?” wrote Twitter user Sophie Mak. “Are ultra fascist symbols allowed in the Australian Open now?”</p> <p>The Chetniks were paramilitary ultranationalists who committed war crimes during WWII. Respected tennis journo Ben Rothenberg then responded by calling for future Australian Opens to be completely flag free if security cannot control such incidents.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I really think they need to make the 2024 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> a flag-free zone if their security repeatedly can't figure this stuff out.</p> <p>Tournament security has been pretty abysmal (though we haven't had the ~annual court invader during the men's final yet). <a href="https://t.co/Mztq6NstPg">https://t.co/Mztq6NstPg</a></p> <p>— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1619649716932988929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>“Tournament security has been pretty abysmal (though we haven’t had the ~annual court invader during the men’s final yet),” added Rothenberg.</p> <p>Tennis Australia were moved to introduce a complete ban on Russian and Belarusian flags earlier in the Australian Open after a Belarusian flag was spotted being waved during a Ukrainian’s match. </p> <p>Djokovic’s father Srbjan was then caught up in a controversy when he inadvertently posed alongside pro-Vladimir Putin protesters outside the stadium who were holding up a flag with the Russian leader’s face on it. Srbjan then elected not to attend the semi-final nor the final of the tournament in which his son was victorious for a record tenth time.</p> <p><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

News

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Queen Elizabeth II mural painted over

<p dir="ltr">A mural of Queen Elizabeth II has been painted over with the Aboriginal Flag a few days after the monarch was laid to rest.</p> <p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth died on September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and was buried on September 19 at King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel.</p> <p dir="ltr">The day of her death saw local Sydney artist Stuart Sale paint the mural in the inner-west suburb of Marrickville.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bobby, another local member of the community, told OverSixty that Mr Sale had painted the mural at night, and had then come back the next morning to touch it up.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There was quite a crowd around him as he finalised the mural,” he said.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiZohGyPHkA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiZohGyPHkA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Stuart Sale (@stuartsale)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The mural was left untouched for almost two weeks until Australia’s National Day of Mourning when it was painted over with the Aboriginal Flag.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s a very sensitive issue,” Bobby told OverSixty.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Sale shared an update to his Instagram of the altered mural with the caption, “Art can be so powerful”, along with three hearts in the Aboriginal Flag colours.</p> <p dir="ltr">He explained that the mural belonged to the people and that he did not have any plans on fixing it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It belongs to the people in a way and that’s why I’m torn. I’ve painted this and given it to the street. I might let it stay for now.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Sahar Mourad</em></p>

Art

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"Put it up properly!" PM criticised for public flag blunder

<p dir="ltr">Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has come under fire after the Aboriginal flag was hung upside down on the first day of the Jobs and Skills Summit at Parliament House - made worse by the fact that no one in attendance seemed to notice the error either.</p> <p dir="ltr">The incorrectly-hung Indigenous flag was in the background displayed alongside the Australia and Torres Strait Islander flags as Mr Albanese addressed the 140 government and business leaders and was spotted in various selfies and photos taken on the day.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-6a78ef78-7fff-2c33-67d8-b5d595a52513">When correctly flown, the black half of the flag, <a href="https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/aboriginal-flag" target="_blank" rel="noopener">representing</a> First Nations Australians, is meant to be at the top, with the red half, signifying the earth, at the bottom.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Loved joining this powerhouse of women speakers on the opening panel at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/jobssummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#jobssummit</a>. Equity for women can’t wait ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/SenKatyG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenKatyG</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/sammostyn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sammostyn</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/emmafulu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@emmafulu</a> ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/June_Oscar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@June_Oscar</a>⁩⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/leonora_risse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@leonora_risse</a>⁩<br />⁩ <a href="https://t.co/eVd6kDATfJ">pic.twitter.com/eVd6kDATfJ</a></p> <p>— Michele O'Neil (@MicheleONeilAU) <a href="https://twitter.com/MicheleONeilAU/status/1565152042347180034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">It hung upside down until delegates left for the lunch break and was correctly displayed when they returned.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prominent Indigenous leaders called out the faux pas, including Coalition Senator Jacinta Price and Warren Mundine, a business leader and former Labor Party president.</p> <p dir="ltr">Senator Price, who has previously criticised Mr Albanese’s flying of the flag as empty symbolism, said it was ironic that the government went out of its way to show symbolic respect for Indigenous Australians, yet still made such an error.</p> <p dir="ltr">“With all the virtuous expression of respect for Aboriginal Australians... and all the carry on with strategically placing the flag prominently to express this deep virtue you’d think that this Albanese Government could actually hang it the right way up?” she said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ac92a209-7fff-5a3a-fd3d-4d50441b5373"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Especially at such a significant and groundbreaking event such as the job summit.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/albo-flag1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Various speakers were photographed in front of the incorrectly-hung Indigenous flag, which was corrected during the event’s lunch break. Images: @AlboMP (Twitter)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Mundine said he was shocked when the saw the flag on TV, describing the mistake as “ignorant” and “pathetic”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“How ignorant and pathetic is it that our national flag is treated this way… put it up properly!” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Parliamentary Services Department, which was responsible for the error, later said the flag being upside down was the result of “an unfortunate human error”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The incorrect mounting of the Aboriginal flag was due to an unfortunate human error. Once the error was identified, it was immediately corrected,” it said.</p> <p dir="ltr">While a flag flying upside down can signal that someone is in distress in the US and is sometimes used by protestors at rallies, the act is banned under all circumstances by the Australian flag protocols.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Albanese has been displaying the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags in parliament and at government events since becoming PM following the May election, with Indigenous MPs and leaders praising it as a long-overdue acknowledgement of First Nations culture and Australia’s history before British colonisation. </p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-34d56c2f-7fff-7b7e-e9a5-06a678a4de7f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @AlboMP (Twitter)</em></p>

News

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Curious detail about flag in Top Gun: Maverick

<p dir="ltr">Moviegoers in Taiwan applauded an advanced screening of <em>Top Gun: Maverick</em> when Tom Cruise’s character came on screen wearing a jacket showing their flag.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Hollywood actor hits the screen in his bomber jacket which features patches of the flags from Taiwan, Japan and the United States, along with a United Nations symbol.</p> <p dir="ltr">When the trailer was released back in 2019, Cruise’s character Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was wearing a jacket but this time the Taiwan flag appeared to be missing.</p> <p dir="ltr">The glaring omission of the Taiwanese flag sparked criticism that Hollywood was appeasing China. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Taiwanese flag has long been a political eyesore for Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the island and considers it to be Chinese territory under the “one China principle”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Taiwan however has continued to fight against being considered Chinese territory and to be recognised as independent. </p> <p dir="ltr">There are now rumours swirling that <em>Top Gun: Maverick</em> won’t be shown in China due to the representation of the Taiwan flag.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hollywood is now pushing back,” Chris Fenton, a former movie executive who wrote a book about Hollywood and Chinese censors, told Bloomberg. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The market is simply not worth the aggravation anymore in attempting to please Chinese censors.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Movies

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Red flags for property buyers considering buying off the plan

<p dir="ltr">Property buyers have been warned of the hidden dangers that come with buying an apartment off the plan. </p> <p dir="ltr">Potential home seekers have been alerted to avoid buying cheap, cookie cutter units that are typically sold off the plan. </p> <p dir="ltr">Michelle May, the Principal of Michelle May Buyers Agents, said some cheaper units sold off the plan were risky purchases because too many corners may have been cut to keep costs down.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prospective buyers must remember that when buying off the plan, you are investing the future of the whole building, not just your chosen apartment. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Developers are in it to make money, pure and simple. Unfortunately, this can lead to cutting costs (and often corners) wherever possible to increase their return,” Ms May said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You only have to look at two recent stories, Opal Tower in Olympic Park and the more recent Mascot Towers, to see how bad things can go for residents when the building hasn’t been built, inspected or appropriately certified.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Ms May said buyers had less confidence as a result of rising interest rates and the ongoing election campaign taking away their attention from the property market.</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to say that buyers of units off the plan would struggle to earn back their money if they had to sell in the future. </p> <p dir="ltr">“People buying apartments off the plan usually think it’s cheaper and go for the lowest price. The reality is that the quality build of these newer off-the-plan apartments just isn’t good.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Visually it might look okay, but a lot of these new apartments aren’t built to stand the test of time. A lot of people who I’ve spoken with often complain about the noise they hear between the walls or the high turnover of other tenants.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“If you’re considering buying new or off the plan, make sure you work with a specialist property lawyer, not just your run-of-the-mill conveyancer. The lawyer will help you understand the many ins and outs of the contract, so you know exactly where you stand.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Real Estate

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Furore erupts after RSL member refuses to allow Indigenous flag at ANZAC service

<p dir="ltr">A NSW woman had the police called on her after she attempted to drape an Indigenous flag honouring First Nations diggers at her local war memorial service in Lismore.</p> <p dir="ltr">Cindy Roberts tried to display her flag beneath the Australian flag before the service began, but a local RSL member allegedly stopped her twice and called the police, according to the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10753649/Anzac-Day-2022-fury-memorial-service-hit-row-Indigenous-flag.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The incident has sparked outrage among those in attendance and online, with former Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell describing it as a “huge overreaction”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It wasn’t a huge protest in any way and was absolutely done respectfully,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was embarrassing and awkward and it should have just been allowed to pass without the fuss from the RSL member.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Roberts, whose daughter, grandparents and uncles have served in Australia’s armed forces, had taken part in the dawn service and the march to Lismore Memorial Baths for the ceremony.</p> <p dir="ltr">When she arrived, the only flag flying was the Australian flag, despite other venues displaying the Aboriginal, Australian, and Torres Strait Islander flags side by side.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I just wanted to remember my ancestors that had fought in every single war, including the frontier war,” she told <em>Daily Mail Australia</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So I stood and I felt a spirit in my heart tell me to just lay the flag out. I didn’t put it on the flagpole, I just placed it on the ground underneath the Australian flag.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Then I was approached by a member from the RSL and asked to remove the flag.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I said, ‘But my grandfathers and my uncles and my ancestors fought in the wars of this country’. He said, ‘This is not the time or the place’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought, ‘Well, when is the time to bring unity?’”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Roberts said she then picked the flag up and went to the spot where the wreaths were laid, where she was confronted again.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Then (the RSL member) approached me again and told me to remove the flag again and with the police this time,” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When this happened, I cried. I broke down and everyone saw me but I still stood there in the crowd behind the children with the Aboriginal flag.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Robert’s daughter Skye, who served as a ship technician in the Australian Navy for five years, was with her mother when the incident occurred.</p> <p dir="ltr">Celebrated Indigenous soldier Clarrie Combo, who fought for Australia in Egypt, Libya, Crete, Syria, Greece, Sri Lanka and New Guinea during WWII, was one of Ms Roberts’ great uncles.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our people have been through so much and I’m tired of them not being acknowledged,” Ms Roberts said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“First Nations people who fought in these wars deserve more respect because they put their lives on the line.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Dowell said she tried to reason with the RSL member and that she couldn’t understand why they were treating Ms Roberts.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I saw the reaction from a member of the RSL who was saying repeatedly, it’s not appropriate, it’s not appropriate,” she told the publication.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I didn’t quite know what was not appropriate. I thought it was very disappointing - and not one speaker in the whole ceremony even acknowledged country.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought that was poor. The situation could have easily have escalated if Cindy had chosen to do so but she didn’t and many there may not have even noticed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought she was very respectful and hopefully we can all learn from this incident - and that it doesn’t happen again.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The incident caused intense debate in the town’s Facebook group, with many supporting Ms Roberts.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To the beautiful Indigenous woman advocating to raise the Indigenous flag today at the service following the march, I am beyond apologetic for the utter disrespect you were shown,” one local wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others insisted that the Australian flag should cover everyone since soldiers all fought under it in wartime.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They fought under the Australian flag. We are all Australians,” one person said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-596180ea-7fff-cebf-ca7d-1e543ffdf614"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Daily Mail</em></p>

Caring

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“Lucky escape”: Man’s “red flag” called out

<p dir="ltr">A man has been slammed for his unnecessary response to a potential date which he claimed was a “red flag”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony Gilét took to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@giletslays/video/7080582251351674118?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> to share his story of how he was blocked after calling out a potential date for suggesting a place near his. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Here is the one thing I would not accept from a potential date and you shouldn’t either,” he began his video. </p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony had agreed to go out on a date with a man called Luke but was unsure of where they should go.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I said ‘sure, where should we go?” Anthony asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">Luke then suggested a pub in the area that he lives in which did not impress Anthony at all.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“Now I’m not expecting him to take me up to the top of the Shard, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be original,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“However the line for me was suggesting somewhere on your doorstep and expecting the other person to do 95 per cent of the travelling.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony said he rejected Luke’s offer by texting him: “I think I’m gonna pass, but thanks Luke. Feels like you’ve just picked an area that is convenient for you…and when a guy expects the other to do all of the travelling (to go to a pub, of which there are hundreds of) it reads as either inconsiderate or low effort/not that into.</p> <p dir="ltr">“No hard feelings and I hope you find what you are looking for”</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony confessed that he thought he had been “quite polite” in his response to Luke but was shocked with his response.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You are mental. I hope you find some help,” Luke responded.</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony did not let it go and replied once again: “It’s really not hard to select a pub that’s in between both of us, that should come naturally if you’re a considerate person. </p> <p dir="ltr">“But yeah, call me ‘mental’ because other little boys tolerate your bare minimum. It’s just not sometime I vibe with! And the fact that you’ve resorted to being rude quickly … another red flag.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The video has already been viewed more than 180,000 times and received 20,000 likes with many calling Anthony out for his behaviour.</p> <p dir="ltr">“By all means stick to your boundaries. But you could have just suggested somewhere else?” someone asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m with him on this one. You asked him to pick the place - don’t get mad about the decision. Reads really dramatic on your part,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Maybe he wanted a venue where he felt safe in case the date turned out abusive, psychotic or over dramatic? *cough*” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Can’t help but think it was a lucky escape…for the other chap,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Relationships

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10 red flags you’re about to stay at a bad hotel

<p>Even though you don’t spend a lot of time in your room on vacation, having one that is sub-par can really put a dampener on your trip. Before booking your trip (or to avoid booking the same bad place again) make sure you know about these red flags that you’re about to stay at a bad hotel. </p> <p>Make sure to look for these things when you book your hotel in one of these places you need to visit.</p> <p><strong>The photos are doctored</strong></p> <p>Sometimes, you may not realise a hotel is iffy until you arrive – but you certainly want to avoid that happening if you can. There are some bad hotel signs you can catch before you finalise your booking, and you should always be on the lookout for those. Spotting many is as simple as just doing your research on the hotel’s website.</p> <p>Firstly, give the photos on the hotel’s site a good look. “Hotels with a good reputation and nothing to hide will ensure that the quality of their photos is professional, accurate and not overly edited,” says Janet Semenova, co-founder of Boutique Travel Advisors. “Hotels whose photos are misleading or heavily photoshopped generally have something to hide.” For instance, look for gradient lines that indicate that colours were touched up. Another technique you might see is the use of a fish-eye lens. “If their pictures are all taken with a fish-eye lens, they may be trying to make small rooms appear larger,” cautions Grainne Kelly, travel expert, former travel agent and founder of BubbleBum car travel innovations. A quick Google image search for the hotel should quickly make it clear if the photos on the site aren’t giving the whole picture.</p> <p>And it’s not just what you do see – it’s the photos that are not there, too. If the website only shows photos of the exterior of the hotel, there’s almost definitely a reason that there are none of the inside. Even leaving out photos of a significant aspect of the rooms – think the bathrooms or the beds – can be a red flag.</p> <p><strong>The website and Google disagree</strong></p> <p>Once you’ve confirmed that the photos of the hotel are to your liking, head over to Google Earth for one last check. If the ‘street view’ of the hotel’s address looks nothing like the pictures on the site, there’s a problem. “Google Earth… will give you a very good idea of where the hotel is located and what is around it,” says Patricia Hajifotiou, owner of the touring company The Olive Odysseys and author of <em>Travel Like You Mean It</em>. </p> <p>“For example, if you are going to Santorini, you are going there for the caldera views. If your hotel is located on the back side of the island, you might have sea views in the distance but you will not be sitting on the cliff looking at the volcano (which might be fine for you). Make sure your hotel is really in the location it says it is!”</p> <p><strong>The price just doesn't seem to fit</strong></p> <p>Of course, there are plenty of ways to score great deals on hotels. But there’s a difference between using a legitimate technique to get a markdown and an up-front price just seeming… off. “If a price looks too good to be true, it probably is,” warns Leona Bowman, luxury travel blogger at Wandermust Family. “If you are getting a five-star hotel at a two-star hotel price, it is worth doing some more investigating. Double-check that there aren’t any renovations or local building works that are affecting the property and are causing the price to drop.”</p> <p>Cassandra Brooklyn, founder of the travel planning and group tour company EscapingNY, also recommends taking a quick look at the price of other, similar hotels to see if the charge seems reasonable. “If the hotel is much cheaper than surrounding hotels with similar amenities, there’s probably a reason that the hotel can’t charge higher, [such as] construction, paper-thin walls, bed bugs, or terrible service,” she tells Reader’s Digest.</p> <p><strong>There has been bed bugs sightings</strong></p> <p>If you weren’t aware that there was a ‘Bed Bug Report’ available online, now you are – and you should never travel without consulting it again. </p> <p>On bedbugreports.com, you can type in the name of your hotel and find its specific location to see if any guests reported bed bugs while staying there. If there have been sightings, especially in the past couple of years, you’ll definitely want to look elsewhere.</p> <p><strong>The site fires back at negative reviews</strong></p> <p>Don’t let a couple of negative reviews completely turn you off of a hotel. “There will always be complaints or misunderstandings so that in itself isn’t a reason to think that the hotel is necessarily bad,” advises Jurga Rubinovaite, travel blogger and author of Full Suitcase. What is a bigger cause for concern, though, is an immature reaction to a negative review. “Negative reviews can and will happen even at the most…professional and reputable hotels around the world,” Semenova says. “It is the way in which management handles these reviews, both online and off-line, that speaks to their integrity.”</p> <p>For instance, Rubinovaite says you’ll want to take note “if they don’t show concern about what happened or if their responses are rude.” Instead, they will ideally respond by offering a sincere apology and a solution to the problem – this is a strong reflection on how they will treat customers in person, according to Semenova. “Management that responds negatively to their negative reviews generally provides poor customer service to all their clients,” she told RD.com.</p> <p><strong>All of the good reviews are old</strong></p> <p>Pay attention to the positive reviews in addition to the negative ones – even the most glowing reviews can’t be taken at face value. “The date of a review is just as important as the review itself,” Brooklyn advises. “A hotel may have stellar reviews, but if they’re all over six months old, something dramatic may have changed since then.” And the opposite goes for bad reviews – watch for a sudden surge of recent ones. </p> <p>“If there was an issue five years ago and recent reviews are OK, then there is nothing to worry about,” says Rubinovaite. “However, if you find several people complaining about the same problem over…the last few months, then it’s definitely a red flag that indicates that the hotel doesn’t care to improve their customer experience.”</p> <p><strong>Safety measures are lax</strong></p> <p>Even if your hotel meets all of your preliminary standards, it’s still unfortunately not a guarantee that it’ll be the perfect home away from home. Some other warning signs are only apparent once you’ve walked through the door. While most hotels do take safety seriously, the sad truth is that there are always bad eggs. For instance, keep an eye on the reception desk. </p> <p>“Unattended after-hours reception areas with main doors unlocked” – even if it’s located in a safer-seeming area – are a big red flag, says Sheryl Hill, executive director of the travel safety organisation Depart Smart. Another red flag? Look for the keyless security latch or chain on the inside of the door. If there’s none there, or if it’s broken, that’s a good sign that safety may not be as much of a priority as you’d like it to be.</p> <p><strong>The carpets aren't clean</strong></p> <p>Of course, anything that’s conspicuously unclean is cause for concern once you’ve stepped into your chosen lodging. But, while you’ll probably make sure to check the beds and the bathrooms for any ickiness, you might not pay too much attention to what’s beneath your feet. But you should: Hill cautions that “nasty carpets usually mean nasty sheets and towels and coffee cups.” </p> <p>She reminds RD, though, that the age of the carpets doesn’t have anything to do with this. An older carpet can still be clean if it’s well-maintained. You should also be on the lookout for small patches of carpet that don’t quite match the whole thing. That’s a sign that staff hastily removed and switched out a stained or damaged patch, rather than replacing the whole carpet or doing a more thorough cleaning.</p> <p><strong>The signs aren't in good condition</strong></p> <p>Travel blogger Julie McCool, suggests that travellers pay attention to the literal signs. Are they in good condition, or are they in disrepair? “If the hotel won’t maintain the first branding you see, they may be ignoring maintenance issues throughout the property,” she told RD.com. </p> <p>McCool also warns to keep an eye out for hastily made or less-than-presentable signs hung around the property, especially if they’re there to police guests’ behaviour. “Lots of handmade signs scolding visitors from various infractions is a red flag,” she says. “The property may be poorly managed, or the clientele may be problematic.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/travel/travel-hints-tips/10-red-flags-youre-about-to-stay-at-a-bad-hotel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</em></p>

Travel Tips

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Aboriginal flag freely available for public use

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a historic decision, the Aboriginal flag has been made freely available for public use by all. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following long negotiations, the artist behind the flag agreed to transfer copyright of the design to the Commonwealth. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Created by Luritja artist Harold Thomas in 1970, the flag represents Aboriginal people and their connection to the land, and has been an official national flag since the end of the late 1990s. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The copyright had remained with Mr Thomas since the flag’s genesis, meaning anyone who wanted to use the flag legally had to ask permission or pay a fee. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt was pleased to announce that the flag now belongs to all Australians following the negotiations. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Over the last 50 years we made Harold Thomas’ artwork our own — we marched under the Aboriginal Flag, stood behind it, and flew it high as a point of pride," Mr Wyatt said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Now that the Commonwealth holds the copyright, it belongs to everyone, and no-one can take it away."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Harold Thomas said he hopes all Australians will use the flag with the utmost pride and respect to the Indigenous Australian population. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I hope that this arrangement provides comfort to all Aboriginal people and Australians to use the Flag, unaltered, proudly and without restriction," he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I am grateful that my art is appreciated by so many, and that it has come to represent something so powerful to so many."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In return for the copyright, the government has agreed to establish an annual scholarship in Mr Thomas’s honour worth $100,000, which will see Indigenous students be given the chance to develop skills in leadership, and to create an online history and education portal for the flag.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Art

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The Aboriginal flag is now ‘freely available for public use’. What does this mean from a legal standpoint?

<p>This week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/free-use-aboriginal-flag-secured-all-australians">announced</a> the federal government had “freed the Aboriginal flag for Australians”.</p> <p>After an extensive social media campaign to <a href="https://twitter.com/clothingthegaps/status/1485762546359762944">#Freetheflag</a>, the federal government has purchased the copyright from Harold Thomas, the Luritja artist who created it more than 50 years ago. The deal reportedly cost $20 million.</p> <p>The Aboriginal flag has long been a symbol of resistance and unity for Indigenous people in Australia. Although the copyright settlement is a practical solution to a controversial problem, not everybody is pleased the federal government now owns the exclusive rights to reproduce the Aboriginal flag.</p> <p>Has it really been freed?</p> <h2>A fight to #FreetheFlag</h2> <p>Controversy over the flag <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-our-copyright-laws-and-the-australian-aboriginal-flag-118687">erupted in June 2019</a>. Clothing the Gaps, an Aboriginal-owned-and-led business, received cease and desist letters from a non-Indigenous company, WAM Clothing, demanding it stop using the Aboriginal flag on its clothing.</p> <p>As the then-copyright owner, Thomas had granted WAM Clothing exclusive rights for use of the flag on its clothing. This meant anyone else wanting to put the flag on clothing – even non-commercially – had to get permission from the company.</p> <p>Clothing the Gaps started a petition to <a href="https://www.change.org/p/let-s-celebrate-a-freed-aboriginal-flag-in-its-50th-commemorative-year-flagrightsnow">#Freetheflag</a>, which gathered more than 165,000 signatures and high-profile supporters from across Australia.</p> <p>Community anger grew when the AFL, NRL and Indigenous community groups were also asked to pay for using the flag, and in some cases, threatened with legal action.</p> <p>In September 2020, a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Aboriginal_Flag">Senate inquiry</a> began examining the flag’s copyright and licensing arrangements. In the meantime, Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt was quietly negotiating with Thomas to purchase the flag’s copyright.</p> <p>Then in the lead-up to Australia Day this week, Morrison announced the flag was now “freely available for public use”.</p> <h2>What’s in the agreement?</h2> <p>The exact details of the agreement are confidential but, according to the <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/free-use-aboriginal-flag-secured-all-australians">government</a>, the agreement transfers the Aboriginal flag’s copyright to the Commonwealth. The agreement also includes:</p> <ul> <li> <p>all future royalties the Commonwealth receives from sale of the flag will be put towards the ongoing work of NAIDOC (the details of this have yet to be seen)</p> </li> <li> <p>an annual $100,000 scholarship in Thomas’ honour for Indigenous students to develop Indigenous governance and leadership</p> </li> <li> <p>an online history and education portal for the flag.</p> </li> </ul> <p>To ensure Aboriginal flags continue to be manufactured in Australia, the current manufacturers, Carroll and Richardson Flagworld, will remain the exclusive licensed manufacturers and providers of Aboriginal flags and bunting.</p> <p>But this only covers commercial productions – individuals are free to make their own flags for personal use.</p> <h2>Thomas still has rights</h2> <p>Under the terms of the copyright assignment, Thomas retains moral rights over the flag.</p> <p>This means he still has the right to be identified and named as the creator of the work, can stop someone else being wrongly identified as the creator of the work, and can stop the work from being subjected to derogatory treatment, which means any act which is harmful to the creator’s reputation.</p> <p>Thomas will also use $2 million to establish a not-for-profit body to support the flag’s legacy.</p> <h2>Just like the national flag</h2> <p>The flag will now be managed in the same way as the <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/australian-national-flag">Australian national flag</a>.</p> <p>This means it will be free for anyone to use it in any medium and for any purpose (except for making and selling flags commercially). You can place copies on clothing, sportsgrounds and articles, and you can use the flag in any medium, such as on websites or in artworks, including having it tattooed on your body.</p> <p>However, it is recommended to follow the <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/australian-national-flag/australian-national-flag-protocols">usual protocols</a> for respectful use of the flag.</p> <h2>How free is the flag?</h2> <p>Despite the new provisions, some Indigenous people are <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-say-the-aboriginal-flag-was-freed-it-belongs-to-us-not-the-commonwealth-175623">unhappy</a> control of the flag is now in the hands of the federal government rather than an Indigenous-led body.</p> <p>Others have pointed out that if the flag is “free” for anyone to use, this is likely to benefit large corporations and off-shore manufacturers using cheap labour to make clothing and products featuring the flag, rather than Indigenous-owned enterprises.</p> <p> </p> <p>It is possible the flag is now even more free than the government suggests. As academic <a href="https://medium.com/@David.J.Brennan/some-questions-about-the-australian-aboriginal-flag-copyright-deal-f2f5f33a753c">David Brennan points out</a>, under the <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca1968133/s180.html">Copyright Act 1968</a>, if the Commonwealth owns copyright in an artistic work, then it expires 50 years after the calendar year in which the work was made. This contrasts with the usual term of protection for artistic works, which is the life of the author and 70 years thereafter.</p> <p>If this is correct, it would mean that copyright in the flag (which Thomas created in 1971) actually expired on January 1, 2022, and the flag is now in the public domain. This would throw into question the validity of the exclusive licence to Flagworld and the government’s ability to dispose of royalties.</p> <p>It would also mean Thomas’ moral rights are extinguished, as they last only as long as the copyright does.</p> <p>Without seeing the terms of the agreement, which are commercial-in-confidence, we cannot be certain. Clarification from the government would be welcome.</p> <h2>A final twist</h2> <p>Before he transferred copyright, Thomas says he <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/i-created-the-aboriginal-flag-as-a-symbol-of-unity-and-pride-20220124-p59qus.html">created</a> a digital representation of the flag, and minted it as a non-fungible token (NFT).</p> <p>NFTs are <a href="https://theconversation.com/nfts-explained-what-they-are-why-rock-stars-are-using-them-and-why-theyre-selling-for-millions-of-dollars-156389">digital certificates</a> secured with blockchain technology, which authenticate a claim of ownership to a digital asset. They have taken off in the art world, and are bought and sold for millions of dollars.</p> <p>But all they can do is provide evidence of authenticity for a specific digital file. They do not afford any other rights, such as copyright, and many find the high prices they command to be baffling. Others are <a href="https://theconversation.com/nfts-why-digital-art-has-such-a-massive-carbon-footprint-158077">concerned</a> by their enormous carbon footprints. Thomas states he will hold the NFT “on an ongoing basis, on behalf of Indigenous communities”.</p> <p>Thomas professes himself happy with the outcome, stating “the flag will remain, not as a symbol of struggle, but as a symbol of pride and unity”.</p> <p>However, the thing about flags is their meaning is made by those who wave them, rather than simply by those who create them.<!-- 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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175626/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><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/isabella-alexander-294160">Isabella Alexander</a>, Professor of Law, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></span></p> <p>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/the-aboriginal-flag-is-now-freely-available-for-public-use-what-does-this-mean-from-a-legal-standpoint-175626">original article</a>.</p>

Legal

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Podcast hosts slammed for disgusting remarks about women's postpartum bodies

<p><em>Image: Getty </em></p> <p>The male hosts of a concerning new podcast have received major backlash over comments made claiming they’d leave their future wife if she didn’t lose weight after giving birth.</p> <p>Brothers Anthony Casasanta and Nick Casasanta launched “The No Filter Pod” earlier this month with friend Jason Girratano – describing it as “the most blunt podcast in the world”.</p> <p>While their show is deliberately “controversial”, many are condemning the show over comments made by Anthony about a potential future wife’s body after she gives birth to his child.</p> <p>The comments have been quickly gone viral, with women branding them “disgusting”, “horrendous” and “God awful”.</p> <p>In a statement issued to news.com.au, “The No Filter Pod” said the comments had been taken “out of context” but doubled down on the controversial remarks.</p> <p>“We just don’t want our wives to be obese. We feel as if society promotes obesity which is a very unhealthy and uncomfortable way of living.</p> <p>“We promote healthy lifestyles here at NoFilterPod. It’s also not only about weight gain after childbirth, it’s also about mental health as well as the physical health. We feel like it’s very important to hold spouses both men and women to a high standard.”</p> <p>The backlash was sparked by the men themselves, who all play NFL in the US, after they shared the clip on TikTok, asking: “Is this too much?”</p> <p>“If my wife lets herself go after I have kids with her, I’m going to tell her once,” Anthony tells Nick and Jason.</p> <p>“‘If you don’t get your sh*t together, because I still want to be sexually attracted to my wife, my spouse, but if you can’t do that, I’m out’.”</p> <p>The guys said they were prepared a negative reaction but received an avalanche of a response, predominantly condemning the view and labelling it “misogynistic”.</p> <p>“We really feel as the video was taken out of context,” the trio said in a statement.</p> <p>“We will not be apologising.”</p> <p>Women have fought back in droves, with many creating videos in response to the clip, while others flooded the guys social media feeds with their thoughts forcing the podcast hosts to turn off comments.</p> <p>“Where is the respect, the love, the admiration for his partner. I actually feel sorry for him. Clearly he has no idea what love is,” one woman said.</p> <p>As one simply stated: “I can’t even comment on this cus the outrage is just UNREAL.”</p> <p>Comments on the guys’ personal Instagram accounts, which haven’t yet been disabled, displayed a similar response.</p> <p>“You’ve made a fool of yourself and you’ve made an already foolish world more worrisome,” one raged.</p> <p>“Why are you turning off your comments? yallll are a joke and can’t take the heat,” another lamented.</p> <p>Anthony, Nick and Jason have claimed they are receiving death threats over the outcry but have continued to post clips on TikTok on topics surrounding cheating, “fitness chicks” and female vs male value.</p> <p>According to the boys, girls who workout are “superior to all women”, calling them “top of the line”.</p> <p>They also reckon “girls cheat more than guys” and women seek “financial security from their husbands” citing that all they ask for in return is that “you don’t sleep around with like 50 other dudes”.</p> <p>These statements have obviously not gone down well, with words such as “repulsive”, “vile” and “red flag” being used to describe them in the comments.</p>

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Outrage over Nazi flag used at funeral

<p>Italian Catholic and Jewish officials have condemned an outrageous act of right wing extremism, as a flag with a swastika was placed on a coffin outside a church after a funeral, as mourners in attendance gave Nazi salutes. </p> <p>Rome's Catholic archdiocese shared a statement that said priests at the parish of St. Lucy in a neighbourhood in central Rome, including the one who presided at the funeral, had no idea the stunt would happen.</p> <p>Pictures have surfaced on the internet of the coffin bearing the body of Alessia Augello, a former member of the right-wing extremist group Forza Nuova, covered by the Nazi flag.</p> <p><span>The diocese statement called the flag "a horrendous symbol that cannot be reconciled with Christianity" and said the stunt was an offensive example of "ideological exploitation" of a religious service.</span> </p> <p>Italian police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. </p> <p>The Jewish community of Rome have expressed their outrage and devastation that such events could still happen more than 70 years after the Holocaust and the fall of Italy's fascist dictatorship. </p> <div class="block-content"> <div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is unacceptable that a flag with a swastika can still be shown in public in this day and age, especially in a city that saw the deportation of its Jews by the Nazis and their fascist collaborators," the statement said.</span></div> </div> <p><span>The Jewish community statement said the funeral incident was "even more outrageous because it took place in front of a church."</span></p> <p><span>In October 1943, a raid on Rome's Jewish neighbourhood saw more than 1,000 of the capital's Jewish people deported to the </span><span>Auschwitz death camp</span><span> in Nazi-occupied </span><span>Poland.</span></p> <p><span>Only 16 people returned.</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / CNN</em></p>

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WHO flags fake COVID-19 vaccines

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The World Health Organisation (WHO) has seized counterfeit versions of Covishield, India’s primary COVID-19 vaccine, in both India and Africa over the last month.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A statement from the organisation said the manufacturer, Serum Institute of India, confirmed the doses were fake.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The WHO warned that the falsified vaccines “pose a serious risk to global health and place an additional burden on vulnerable populations and health systems”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is important to detect and remove these falsified products from circulation to prevent harm to patients,” the organisation said in the statement on its website.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/83f5866f9c9e44c7bf039409a8424636" /><img style="width: 500px; height:177.60180995475113px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843308/table1_n52021_en.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/83f5866f9c9e44c7bf039409a8424636" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The vaccines which are subject to a WHO Medical Alert in India and Uganda. Image: WHO</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the BBC reported, no official statement has been made by the Indian government, but local media has said the country’s health ministry is investigating the issue.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Although we have a strong system to prevent such cases, with this development, the only thing we want to ensure is that no Indian received a fake vaccine,” an unidentified health official told the </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.livemint.com/science/health/who-issues-medical-alert-on-fake-covishield-vaccines-11629224524851.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mint news website</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Covishield is the primary COVID-19 vaccine administered in India, with more than 486 million doses distributed and about 13 percent of the population vaccinated so far.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Serum has also distributed Covishield to countries in Asia, Africa, and South America.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

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8 red flags you’re in a co-dependent relationship

<p>What it means to be in a co-dependent relationship<br />If you find yourself constantly giving up what you want and need to please your partner or cover up for their bad behaviours, that could be a warning sign that you are in a co-dependent relationship, according to the counselling blog Harley Therapy. Co-dependency is an extreme form of sacrificing one’s well-being for someone else.</p> <p>You cover up your partner’s alcoholism or drug use<br />If someone has an addiction to alcohol, drugs, or anything else that is harmful to their health, you may feel like you are doing them a favour by helping them out of a jam – but that’s co-dependency, warn the experts at Mental Health America. For example, if someone misses work because they went on a bender the night before, you might feel you’re helping by lying to their boss when they call. However, if you help an addict avoid facing consequences of that behaviour, you’re just enabling the addiction.</p> <p>You do more than your fair share in the relationship<br />In a co-dependent relationship, one partner tends to do a lot more of the work than the other partner, writes Gordon. That may be because one partner does not feel capable of doing more, or it can be because the partner is manipulative or selfish, preferring not to put in the same amount of work. Whatever the situation may be, it’s not sustainable for one partner to do the vast majority of the work.</p> <p>You feel like you need to break away – but you can’t leave<br />If you start to feel trapped in the relationship, take a good look at what value it really has in your life. Psychology Today reports that relationships require autonomy. Although devoting all your time to your partner can feel like a special level of closeness, blurred boundaries are ultimately suffocating, and they can cause great harm to the relationship.</p> <p>You have a hard time setting boundaries<br />Boundaries are healthy and necessary for a healthy relationship. If you have a hard time setting boundaries, examine why that is, advises Gordon. For some people, the idea of preserving some distance between themselves and their partner may seem wrong; according to Psych Central, setting boundaries will help create an environment of mutual respect and enhance closeness.</p> <p>You have an overwhelming fear of being abandoned by your partner<br />People in a co-dependent relationship often experience a great deal of fear when their partner pulls away just a little. If you are facing a great fear of being abandoned by your partner, you may go to extremes to keep them. This can lead to a variety of unhealthy behaviour and patterns that can ultimately be detrimental to your relationship, writes Gordon.</p> <p>You have a difficult time saying no to your partner<br />If you feel that you need to say yes to your partner even when you strongly want to say no, you’re facing some serious issues, warns Medical News Today. If your partner expects you to always agree with them, they are not fairly considering your wants and needs.</p> <p class="p1"><em>Written by Robin Raven. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/true-stories-lifestyle/relationships/8-red-flags-youre-in-a-co-dependent-relationship"><span class="s1">Reader’s Digest</span></a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.co.nz/subscribe"><span class="s1">here’s our best subscription offer</span></a>.</em></p>

Relationships

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How to recognise a red flag in a new relationship

<p>It’s so easy when you’re caught up in the first giddy flush of a new romantic relationship to turn a blind eye to some potentially alarming behaviours, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve felt this strongly about someone.</p> <p>As many of us have been burnt or hurt by past relationships, including broken down marriages or betrayals of one kind or another, it can be a “long time between drinks” before we allow our hearts to open up to someone new. As with all things in life, falling in love, lust or just plain like has its emotional risks. If we’ve been badly hurt before, few of us will want to revisit that sadness, pain, grief or anguish.</p> <p>While we can all accept the little things that might not float our boat – your new love may not know how to cook, they may be a little set in their ways or their musical tastes don’t match your own – there are far more serious relationship red flags.</p> <p>The fact is they’re generally always there at the start of a new relationship, but many of us choose to ignore them in the hope that they will go away, we think we can perhaps change the other person, or we will tolerate anything in the name of love (denial, maybe?).</p> <p>So what are some red flags you really ought to pay close attention to and address from day one? Elizabeth Shaw, a clinical and counselling psychologist and clinical director at Relationships Australia (NSW), says there are some signs you shouldn’t ignore.</p> <p>The first one, she says, is coming on too strongly, too early. “If you’re hearing big declarations early on or you’re being given grand gifts and gestures when it doesn’t fit the stage of the relationship, this may set you up for a fall later on.”</p> <p>Another involves a level of ambivalence at the start of the relationship. Are both of you clear on what you want and has this been a conversation you’ve both had? One person may be reluctant to voice these wants or needs for fear of rejection or even ridicule.</p> <p>Elizabeth Shaw says if there is a long time between phone, email or text contact, as well as receiving mixed messages about your relationship status, this can be a signal that “you are probably not looking at a relationship you can count on [in the long-term],” she says.</p> <p>You ought to be alarmed if you detect any signs of controlling behaviour. This could manifest itself if your new partner starts to act as if “they own you” or show signs of jealousy. If you’re also told that you need to act in a certain way, with statements such as “if you really loved me, you would…” then Shaw says, “this behaviour should be firmly addressed”.</p> <p>An extension of this is if you’re tested emotionally in how you act to show “how far you will go to demonstrate your commitment”. Shaw says this is a no-no.</p> <p>Start running fast – in the opposite direction – if you notice a pattern where your new partner consistently overreacts to events or comments. Any outbursts of anger or aggression, says Shaw, threats or intimidation of any kind “are large red flags”.</p> <p>“If you are given suggestions that you should see your friends or family less now that you’re with a new partner, that should also sound off alarm bells,” she says.</p> <p>Another area to watch out for is if you’re given “terms and conditions” as a part of the relationship. If you have to change your behaviour, drop friends or hobbies you didn’t want to, or agree to unwanted sex because you believe “you might lose the relationship if you don’t”, Shaw says this is serious. “You have already compromised yourself too much.”</p> <p>Finally, and this one can be hard to admit, it may signify how emotionally vulnerable you really are.</p> <p>“If you know you’re in a relationship out of fear of being alone,” she says, “or where you’re trying to right a wrong from a past relationship, such as needing a boost to your self-esteem after an earlier break-up, or if you’re still hankering for someone else, then this will not be a relationship that is fair to either one of you.”</p> <p>Shaw says it’s critical you “work yourself out” before starting a new relationship as past hurts have a way of rearing their ugly heads later on – and everyone could get hurt. And who wants that?</p> <p><em>Written by Robin Hill. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/lifestyle/relationships/how-to-recognise-a-red-flag-in-a-new-relationship.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

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"Is that a blue stripe?" Donald Trump ridiculed for colouring US flag wrong

<p>The US President Donald Trump has gotten himself into trouble again after a seemingly innocent task of colouring in.</p> <p>After the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, shared a photo on Twitter of the President spending time with children in Ohio, users were quick to notice a problem.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The opioid crisis is one of our top priorities at HHS, with a drumbeat of action on the full range of efforts where we can assist local communities. Today, I joined <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> in Ohio to learn how states and communities are responding to the challenge of opioid addiction. <a href="https://t.co/NwxSoeNznA">pic.twitter.com/NwxSoeNznA</a></p> — Alex Azar (@SecAzar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecAzar/status/1033142676424679425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 August 2018</a></blockquote> <p>The President, who is seen colouring in the US flag, was using a blue marker to fill in the stripes instead of red. The photo, which has now gone viral, has sparked a discussion all over Twitter.</p> <p>“The President has colored his flag wrong. That is all,” one Twitter user, Talia wrote.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The President has colored his flag wrong. <br /><br />That is all. <a href="https://t.co/wWXBgR9I6V">pic.twitter.com/wWXBgR9I6V</a></p> — Talia (@2020fight) <a href="https://twitter.com/2020fight/status/1033162713378127873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 August 2018</a></blockquote> <p>As tweeted by Azar, Trump and first lady Melania Trump were in Ohio to discuss opioid addiction with affected communities.</p> <p>According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/politics" target="_blank"><em>CNN</em></a>, Trump, who visited the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, was hoping to start a conversation on the addiction but instead, had people questioning his artistic capabilities.</p> <p>Once the photo started gaining more traction, Twitter users were quick to make jokes on the reasons behind Trump’s blue American flag.</p> <p>One theory was that Trump was trying to replicate the Russian flag, which features a blue stripe.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">He’s just getting it confused with his flag. <a href="https://t.co/j1J1qTTmkO">pic.twitter.com/j1J1qTTmkO</a></p> — Christina (@christinavotes) <a href="https://twitter.com/christinavotes/status/1033459864683593729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 August 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Others suggested that the President was honouring the police with his colouring choice.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Good job media. Hurr-durr Trump doesn't know what color the flag is. Well, what it's meant to represent is the "thin blue line" between chaos and order, also known as the police. They're far from perfect but so is society. God forbid we have a pro-police president. <a href="https://t.co/Bq5tpq46zk">pic.twitter.com/Bq5tpq46zk</a></p> — Jack Hammer (@Cleggermeister) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cleggermeister/status/1033467696472645632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 August 2018</a></blockquote> <p>But many were quick to shut down that theory, as they pointed out the one red stripe that Trump coloured in, which isn’t seen on the police flag. He had also coloured in the blue stripe on the wrong line.</p> <p>Unsurprisingly, many called Trump a hypocrite for his mistake as in the past, he was known to have criticised football players who kneeled during the national anthem in a display of protesting police brutality.</p> <p>But while Trump is known to be active on Twitter, more than any other President in the past, he has yet to address the controversy. Instead, choosing to mention former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s emails, and his popularity, claiming “Fake News Media” is trying to make him look “as evil as possible.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Over 90% approval rating for your all time favorite (I hope) President within the Republican Party and 52% overall. This despite all of the made up stories by the Fake News Media trying endlessly to make me look as bad and evil as possible. Look at the real villains please!</p> — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1033876658439245825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">27 August 2018</a></blockquote>

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