Thursday Edition

Good morning

Good morning, members, and happy Thursday! How is everyone doing this morning? Us? We are in a good mood because we are finally getting some sun here in Sydney, a welcome change from the grey skies and cold days we have been having. How about you? What is the weather like where you are today? Regardless of the weather, we hope your day goes well. Anyway, we have something big up our sleeve so let's get right to it, shall we?

First things first, it’s time to give you all the answer to yesterday’s tricky riddle. For those of you who don't remember, the riddle goes:

First, think of a person who lives in disguise, deals in secrets, and tells nothing but lies. Next, tell me what’s the last thing to mend, the middle of the middle and the end of the end. Finally, give me the sound often heard during the search for a hard word to find. Now, string them together and answer me this, which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?

The answer is a spider! So the first line describes a spy (the person in disguise), the second line describes the letter 'd' (the last thing to mend, the middle of the middle and the end of the end), and the third line describes the sound 'err' (often heard when searching for a hard word). So when you put it all together, you get 'spider'! If you got this one correct, stick around, and you'll find a shoutout waiting for you at the end of the newsletter.

Next on the agenda, it’s time to share today’s Fascinating Fact with you!

Did you know that parts of the Great Wall of China were made with sticky rice? That’s right, sticky rice! The Great Wall was built over 2,000 years ago and is about 21,196 kilometres long. The best-known and best-preserved portions date to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), comprising 8,850 kilometres of the overall structure. Workers of the Ming dynasty developed sticky rice mortar by mixing slaked lime—a standard ingredient in mortar—and sweet rice flour. The sticky rice mortar bound the bricks together so tightly that weeds could not grow. Isn’t that fascinating?

Now, members, what’s happening in Australia and around the world today?

• Aussies are losing it over this genius coffee hack that will save you a fortune on to-go coffee from 7-Eleven and Coles.
• This is not a drill! IGA has opened a new chain that offers bulk-buy discounts to shoppers. 
• Kmart fans are going wild over a brand new home decor item that promises to give you a high-end wooden floor effect for only $15.
• WATCH: Woolworths customers have sparked a heated debate over a controversial act involving the 'free fruit for kids' displays.
• A thrifty mum has wowed thousands of people online after sharing how she makes delicious family meals with less than $20 worth of groceries.
• Urgent Product Recall: A range of popular food items sold at IGA and Foodland stores have been recalled from supermarket shelves due to the presence of dangerous bacteria.
• Scammers are targeting Australians more than ever, with nearly $300 million lost to scams in the first half of 2022. Watch out for these common scams and how to avoid them.
• Amidst food supply shortages, one popular food is experiencing a supply glut, which means households can enjoy it at dirt-cheap prices. But there is a catch.
• A bargain-obsessed mum has received praises online after sharing her impressive stockpiling room full of food and cleaning products.
• The Somerton Man mystery, which has baffled detectives for over 70 years, has finally been solved. Warning: Graphic content.
• Looking for a delicious and healthy way to spruce up your weeknight dinner routine? Member @Suzanne Rose has got you covered with her Easy Greek Chicken Gyros recipe!
• And finally, Aussie soap opera Neighbours is saying goodbye with a Star-Studded finale, with Oscar-nominated actress Margot Robbie and a slew of international names confirmed to return for the final episode.

And that’s a wrap on the news for today, folks! Don’t rush off too quickly, though, as we have plenty more in store. We’ve got a hilarious joke from member @Skipton and an adorable ‘Picture of the Day’ from member @Algieboy.

Also, be sure to check out today's OzWord, our Sudoku puzzles, and our Let’s write a limerick game for some fun and to flex those brain muscles!

And last but not least, don’t forget to enter our ‘Nostalgia Competition’! All you have to do is simply tell us your most cherished memory from the Australia you grew up in for your chance to win a $100 gift voucher to Coles, Woolworths, Aldi or IGA.

As always, members, stay safe and happy reading!

- Jonathan, Vella, Sean, James, Sethia, April & Maddie.