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22/11/2024

‘Showering and fornicating’: Major flaw with luxury apartments

Neighbours living next to a new luxury block of apartments on the Gold Coast are not getting the views they wanted, with some complaining they can see residents “showering and fornicating” in their homes.

Some residents of Raptis Group’s Pearl Tower, on Main Beach Parade, are unintentionally having their privacy breached thanks to clear bathroom windows, the Gold Coast Bulletin reports.

Images seen by the publication show residents, the first of whom moved into the 30-storey-tower in October, clearly showering in the bathroom, unaware they can be seen others.

One resident of the Spinnaker Apartments, which is next door, labelled the windows a “fundamental design flaw” by Raptis – headed by veteran Gold Coast developer Jim Raptis – and a “lack of oversight by Council”.

“Spinnaker Apartment residents are looking out of their kitchens into new Pearl resident’s bathrooms watching them urinate, shower and fornicate,” they told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

“It was a shock to see people so close and intimate from the kitchen window when people first moved in.”

However, the resident said they were most concerned for their new neighbours.

“Do they know we can see them showering? How embarrassing for them.”

Pearl Tower was completed earlier this year, and boasts 360-degree views from the ocean to skyline and hinterland.

The apartments were built mid-year before residents began moving in last month.

A spokesman for Raptis Group told theGold Coast Bulletin the building “been certified by all relevant building and design authorities”, noting “all apartment features comply with the Construction Code”.

“Raptis has been building apartments on the Gold Coast for more than 40 years and have always complied with the relevant building codes,” he said.

“It is alarming that a resident had their privacy breached by a neighbouring resident in the Spinnaker tower.

A Gold Coast City Council spokesperson reassured news.com.au that privacy was considered in the development application for the building.

“City officers were satisfied the development met the planning scheme provisions in relation to privacy and amenity protection with setbacks and a separation distance over 17m to the nearest tower,” the spokesperson said.

“Under the planning scheme there are no specific glazing requirements for non-habitable rooms.”

22/11/2024

Man finds tornado scar on Nullarbor Plain

A large mysterious scar etched into the barren landscape of the Nullarbor Plain has been discovered.

A caver came across satellite images, that piqued the interest of Dr Matej Lipar, Adjunct Research Fellow in Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

After researching the pictures, the doctor realised the scar was created by a massive tornado that no one knew about.

The scar is 11 kilometres long and 250 metres wide, Dr Lipar told The Conversation.

It has a pattern called ‘cycloidal marks’, created by tornado suction vortexes.

This suggests the tornado was in the strong F2 or F3 category, with winds of up to 200 kilometres per hour. It lasted up to 13 minutes.

“Features of the scar suggest the whirling wind within the tornado was moving in a clockwise direction,” he said.

“We also think the tornado moved from west to east – which is consistent with the direction of a strong cold front in the region at the time.”

The markings stretch from Western Australia over the border to South Australia, 20 kilometres north of the Trans-Australian Railway and 90 kilometres east-northeast of Forrest, an old railway settlement.

Comparing satellite imagery, the research concluded the tornado occurred between November 16 and 18, 2022.

“Remarkably, the scar was still clearly visible 18 months after the event, both in satellite images and on the ground,” Lipar said.

“This is probably because vegetation grows slowly in this dry landscape, so hadn’t yet covered the erosion.”

The man who found the scar had been using Google Earth satellite imagery to search the Nullarbor for caves or karst features – a type of landscape where the dissolving of the bedrock has created sinkholes, sinking streams, caves or springs.

“The discovery of the scar came to the attention of my colleagues and I through the collaborative network of researchers and explorers who study the Nullarbor karst,” Dr Lipar said.

Only three tornadoes have ever been documented on the Nullarbor Plain, but this is likely because the area is extremely remote, with few people to witness.

“Our research provides valuable insights into the tornadoes in this remote and little-studied region. It helps us understand when, and in what conditions, these types of tornadoes occur,” Dr Lipar said.

“And finally, the results are a stark reminder that extreme weather can strike anywhere, anytime.”

The results of the research were published on Friday.

22/11/2024

Leonardo DiCaprio appears to snub traditional Fiji reception in awkward footage

Leonardo DiCaprio’s painfully awkward reaction to a traditional Fiji reception has been caught on camera.

The Oscar-winning actor, 50, was spotted leaving a hotel in Nadi on Fiji’s main island this week, and was sent off with a cheerful farewell serenade performed by the staff.

In a video posted to TikTok, the Wolf of Wall Street actor, clad in black clothes and pair of sunglasses, seemingly took a phone call upon realising there was a large crowd in the hotel foyer, before dipping his cap and putting his head down.

DiCaprio didn’t appear to acknowledge any of the people singing to him, prompting commenters online to label the apparent snub “disrespectful”.

Aside from the staff, who generally serenade all guests with a cultural tribute, there were also dozens of tourists in the foyer standing around filming DiCaprio as he made his exit into the back seat of a black car.

“SHOULD’VE ACKNOWLEDGED THE FIJI WELCOMING PARTY,” one person wrote in the comments section.

“He totally ignored the welcoming effort,” another said.

“Not even a thank you or a wave,” a third added.

A fourth said, “Don’t waste your energy my fiji whānau (family), he’s so disrespectful.”

Another accused DiCaprio of taking a “fake call to ignore them.”

Others, however, defended DiCaprio, pointing out how several guests were filming him as he attempted to make a low-key departure.

“The staff need to use their common sense and realize A list celebrities hate attention like this in public,” one said.

“Well at least they know not to do it again and respect his privacy,” another added.

“He came for a private vacation,” a third pointed out.

It’s not known why DiCaprio is in Fiji, though he has partnered with the South Pacific country in the past via his conservation organisation, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF).

In 2017, LDF provided a grant to provide renewable energy to rural communities.

DiCaprio has long been a climate change activist, sensationally urging for action during his acceptance speech after taking home a long-awaited Best Actor Oscar for The Revenant in 2016.

“Making The Revenant was about man’s relationship to the natural world. A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history,” DiCaprio said.

“Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow. Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.

“We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters or the big corporations, but who speak for all of humanity for the indigenous people of the world. For the billions and billions of underprivileged people who will be most affected by this. For our children’s’ children. And for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed.

“Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted,” he concluded.

22/11/2024

The desert whispers stories of ancient time, where the earth meets the sky in an endless embrace. With each grain of sand, there lies a memory waiting to be uncovered. Let's wander through this sea of gold and let our souls dance with the winds.

22/11/2024

In the heart of the desert, I learned that even the most desolate places can harbor life. From the resilient cacti to the fleeting desert blooms, there's a lesson in every glimpse of beauty—a reminder that hope can flourish even in the harshest conditions.

22/11/2024

Walking through the dunes, I realized life's like a desert—sometimes scorching, sometimes calm. Each step reveals more of its secrets, urging us to adapt and thrive. It’s not just about reaching the oasis; it’s about the journey through the sands.

22/11/2024

The desert teaches resilience; every grain of sand holds a story of survival. It's a reminder that beauty often lies in harshness, where every sunset paints the sky with colors that words can’t describe. Embrace the heat, and let it forge your spirit.

22/11/2024

Amidst the endless sands of the desert, I found a tranquility that the world never knew. The sun blazes overhead, yet it's a symphony of solitude that plays in the heart. In the vast emptiness, I discovered the beauty of simplicity and the strength of survival.

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