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How to complain about aged care and get the result you want

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacqueline-wesson-1331752">Jacqueline Wesson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lee-fay-low-98311">Lee-Fay Low</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> It can be hard to know what to say, or who to talk to, if you notice something isn’t right for you or a loved one in residential aged care. You might have concerns about personal or medical care, being adequately consulted about changes to care, or be concerned about charges on the latest bill. You could also be concerned about theft, neglect or abuse. Here’s how you can raise issues with the relevant person or authority to improve care and support for you or your loved one. <h2>Keep records</h2> You can complain about any aspect of care or service. For instance, if medical care, day-to-day support or financial matters do not meet your needs or expectations, you can complain. It is best to act as soon as you notice something isn’t right. This may prevent things from escalating. Good communication helps get better results. Make written notes about what happened, including times and dates, and take photos. Try to focus on facts and events. You can also keep a record of who was involved and their role. Keep track of how the provider responded or steps taken to resolve the issue. Write notes of conversations and keep copies of emails. <h2>Who do I complain to?</h2> Potential criminal matters If you have concerns about immediate, serious harm of a criminal nature then you should contact the police, and your provider immediately. These types of serious incidents include unreasonable use of force or other serious abuse or neglect, unlawful sexual contact, stealing or unexpected death. The provider may have already contacted you about this. They are required to report such <a href="https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/consumers/serious-incident-response-scheme">serious incidents</a> to both the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission within 24 hours, and to the police. Other matters For other matters, talk to the care staff involved. Try to find out more detail about what happened and why things went wrong. Think about what you expect in the situation. Then talk to the most senior person in charge, to see if they can make changes so things don’t go wrong in the future. This person may be called the nursing unit manager, care manager or care director. Providers must acknowledge and investigate your complaint, tell you their findings and actions taken, and follow up to see if you are satisfied. If you would like support to talk to the provider, the <a href="https://opan.org.au">Older Persons Advocacy Network</a> can help. This free service provides independent and confidential support to help find solutions with the aged-care provider. The network can also help you lodge a formal complaint. <h2>How to I lodge a formal complaint?</h2> If you are not satisfied with the way your provider responded, you can lodge a complaint with the <a href="https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au">Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission</a>. Be prepared to submit the facts and events, plus emails and correspondence, you have already collected. Think about what you want to happen to resolve the complaint. Each complaint is handled individually and prioritised depending on the risks to you or your loved one. The commission will start its processes within one business day when complaints are urgent. The resolution process took <a href="https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/acqsc-annual-report-2020-21.pdf">an average 40 days</a> in 2020-21. You can complain confidentially, or anonymously if you feel safer. But the commission may not be able to investigate fully if it’s anonymous. Also, there are limits to what the commission can do. It cannot ask providers to terminate someone’s employment, or provide direct clinical advice about treatment. Sometimes the commission has issued a “non-compliance” notice to the provider (for a failure to meet quality standards), and action may again <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-02/aged-care-complaint-about-southern-cross-care-young/101009716">be limited</a>. So it is a good idea to check the <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/non-compliance-checker">non-compliance register</a> beforehand to see if your provider is listed. <h2>What do others complain about?</h2> From October to December 2021, <a href="https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/acqs-sector-performance-data-oct-dec-2021.pdf">about a third</a> of Australian nursing homes had a complaint made to the commission against them. Some had more than one complaint. More than half of these complaints were lodged by family, friends or other consumers. The top reasons for complaints were about: <ul> <li> adequacy of staffing </li> <li> medication administration or management </li> <li> infectious diseases or infection control </li> <li> personal and oral hygiene </li> <li> how falls are prevented and managed </li> <li> consultation or communication with representatives and/or family members. </li> </ul> <h2>What if I’m still not happy?</h2> If you’re not happy when you receive the commission’s outcome, you can request a review with 42 days. You can also request the <a href="https://www.ombudsman.gov.au">Commonwealth Ombudsman</a> to review the complaint if you’re not satisfied with the commission’s decision or the way the commission handled your complaint. <h2>Remember, you have a right to complain</h2> The <a href="https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au">Aged Care Royal Commission</a> spotlighted the neglect and substandard care that can occur in nursing homes. Despite attempts to <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/concepts-for-a-new-framework-for-regulating-aged-care">lift the standard of aged care</a>, we know residents and carers still have concerns. Residents, and their representatives or families, have a legal <a href="https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/consumers/standards/resources">right to speak up and complain</a>, free from reprisal or negative consequences. This right is also reflected in the <a href="https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights">Charter of Aged Care Rights</a>, which providers are legally required to discuss with you and help you understand. <h2>Moving to another facility</h2> If you have exhausted all avenues of complaint or feel conditions have not improved, you may decide to move to another provider or facility, if available. This option may not be possible in rural areas. This is a difficult decision. It takes time, as well as financial and emotional resources. Starting again with a new provider can also be disruptive for everyone, but sometimes it may be the right choice. <hr /> Contact the <a href="https://opan.org.au">Older Persons Advocacy Network</a> on 1800 700 600, the <a href="https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au">Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission</a> on 1800 951 822 or the <a href="https://www.ombudsman.gov.au">Commonwealth Ombudsman</a> on 1300 362 072.<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;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180036/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacqueline-wesson-1331752">Jacqueline Wesson</a>, Senior Lecturer (Teaching and Research), Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lee-fay-low-98311">Lee-Fay Low</a>, Professor in Ageing and Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/how-to-complain-about-aged-care-and-get-the-result-you-want-180036">original article</a>.

Retirement Life

"I am a woman": Boxer launches legal action after gold medal win

Imane Khelif has filed an official complaint over online bullying and harassment she has been subject to throughout the course of the Paris Olympics. The Algerian boxer, who took home the gold medal in the women's competition, has been at the centre of a wave of abuse over her gender, with misinformation circulating over her gender. According to Khelif's lawyer Nabil Boudi, the gold medallist has filed a legal complaint in France for online harassment. “The boxer Imane Khelif has decided to begin a new fight, a fight for justice, dignity and honour,” Boudi said in a statement, saying Khelif had filed the complaint for “aggravated online harassment … to Paris prosecutors”. He added, “The investigation will determine who was behind this misogynist, racist and sexist campaign, but will also have to concern itself with those who fed the online lynching.” The “iniquitous harassment” the boxing champion had been subjected to would remain “the biggest stain on these Olympic Games”, said Boudi. On Saturday, Khelif emerged victorious in the women’s 66kg final against China’s Yang Liu in a unanimous points decision, having been the focus of intense scrutiny in the French capital for the duration of the Games. After her victory, Khelif said the gold medal she had won was the best response to her critics. Asked by reporters about the row over her eligibility, she said, “I am fully qualified to take part, I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, lived a woman and competed as a woman.” Image credits: Ulrik Pedersen/CSM/Shutterstock Editorial

Legal

Eye infections might seem like a minor complaint – but in some cases they can cause blindness and even death

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-taylor-283950">Adam Taylor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lancaster-university-1176">Lancaster University</a> When you think of eye infections, what comes to mind? Puffy, swollen bruised feeling eyelids that get glued together with gunk overnight? That feeling of having grit in your eye that can’t be cleaned away? Eye infections may seem like a relatively minor – if unsightly and inconvenient – complaint, but they can also be far more serious. Take the deadly outbreak of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5022785/">antibiotic resistant</a> bacteria <a href="https://www.cff.org/managing-cf/burkholderia-cepacia-complex-b-cepacia">Burkholderia cepacia</a> in 2023-24, for example. Between January 2023 and February 2024, contaminated brands of lubricating eye gel were linked to the infection of at least 52 patients. <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/contaminated-eye-gel-outbreak-death-b2523446.html">One person died</a> and at least 25 others suffered serious infections. The outbreak has now subsided and products are <a href="https://www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts/specific-brands-of-carbomer-eye-gel-recall-of-aacarb-eye-gel-aacomer-eye-gel-and-puroptics-eye-gel-potential-risk-of-infection-dsi-slash-2023-slash-11#update-2-april-2024">back on the shelves</a> but it isn’t the first time that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8335909/">medicinal products</a> have led to outbreaks of B cepacia. The bacterium is an opportunistic pathogen known to pose a significant risk to people with cystic fibrosis, chronic lung conditions and weakened immune systems. The infection likely progresses from the mucous membranes of the eyelids to the lungs where it leads to pneumonia and septicaemia causing <a href="https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/17/2/295">death in days</a>. But it’s not just B cepacia that can threaten our health. Something as simple as rubbing our eyes can introduce pathogens leading to infection, blindness and, in the worst case, death. Bacteria account for up to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16148850/">70% of eye infections</a> and globally <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9032492/">over 6 million people</a> have blindness or moderate visual impairment from ocular infection. Contact lens wearers are at <a href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/contact-lens-related-eye-infections">increased risk</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pWsx8i1kaxs?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The eye is a unique structure. It converts light energy to chemical and then electrical energy, which is transmitted to the brain and converted to a picture. The eye uses about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11556/">6 million cones and 120 million rods</a> which detect colour and light. Eye cells have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8775779/">no ability to regenerate</a> so, once damaged or injured, cannot be repaired or replaced. The body tries its best to preserve the eyes by encasing them in a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531490/">bony protective frame</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482428/">limiting exposure</a> having eyelids to defend against the environmental damage and ensure the eyes are kept lubricated. Despite our bodies’ best efforts to shield the eyes from harm, there are a number of common eye infections that can result from introducing potential pathogens into the eyes. <h2>Conjunctivitis</h2> The outer-most layer of the eye, the sclera, bears the brunt of exposure and to help protect it, it is lined by a thin moist membrane called the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24329-conjunctiva">conjunctiva</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RZ4danuJwd0?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The conjunctiva is <a href="https://innovations.bmj.com/content/9/4/253">highly vascularised</a>, which means it has lots of blood vessels. When microbes enter the eye, it is this layer that mounts an immune response causing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8328962/">blood vessels to dilate</a> in the conjunctiva. This results in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/conjunctivitis/about/symptoms.html">“pink eye”</a>, a common form of conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis can be caused by bacteria, allergens or viruses and typically heals by itself. <h2>Blepharitis</h2> Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelid and usually affects both sides. It can cause itchy eyes and dandruff-like flakes. It’s most commonly caused by <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/09273948.2013.870214">Staphylococcus bacteria</a>, or the <a href="https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blepharitis/background-information/causes/">dysfunction of the glands</a> of the eyelids. It can be treated by <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/blepharitis/">cleaning the eyes</a> regularly. <h2>Stye</h2> A stye (also called <a href="https://www.college-optometrists.org/clinical-guidance/clinical-management-guidelines/hordeolum">hordeolum</a>) is a painful infection of the upper or lower eyelid. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5370090/">Internal styes</a> are caused by infection of an oil-producing gland inside the eyelid, whereas <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28723014/">external styes</a> develop at the base of the eyelash because of an infection of the hair follicle. Both are caused by bacteria, typically <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/1874715">the S aureus form of the Staphylococcus species</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/INKrGOdy824?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Styes can be treated by holding a clean flannel soaked in warm water against the affected eye for five to ten minutes, three or four times a day. Do not try to burst styes – this could spread the infection. <h2>Keratitis</h2> Keratitis is the inflammation of the cornea, the transparent part of the eye that light passes through. The cornea is part of the eye’s main barrier against dirt, germs, and disease. Severe keratitis can cause ulcers, damage to the eye and even blindness. The most common type is bacterial keratitis; however, it can also be caused by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7998329/">amoeba</a>, which can migrate to other parts of the body – including the brain – and cause infection and <a href="https://theconversation.com/nasal-rinsing-why-flushing-the-nasal-passages-with-tap-water-to-tackle-hay-fever-could-be-fatal-225811">even death</a>. Noninfectious keratitis is most commonly caused by wearing contact lenses for too long, especially while sleeping. This can cause scratches, dryness and soreness of the cornea, which leads to inflammation. <h2>Uveitis</h2> <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/uveitis/">Uveitis</a> is inflammation of the middle layer of the eye. Although relatively rare, it is a serious condition and usually results from viral infections such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8501150/">herpes simplex</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29023181/">herpes zoster</a> or <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-09126-6_40">trauma</a>. Depending on where the inflammation is in the eye, the symptoms can be anything from redness, pain and floaters to blurred vision and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1772296/">partial blindness</a>. <h2>Exogenous endophthalmitis</h2> This is a rare but serious infection caused by eye surgery complications, penetrating ocular trauma (being stabbed in the eye with a sharp object) or foreign bodies in the eye. Foreign bodies can be anything from dirt and dust to small projectiles such as shards of metal from drilling, explosives or soil from farm machinery and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7286045/">many other sources</a>. <h2>Dacryocystitis</h2> Dacryocystitis is the inflammation of the nasolacrimal sac, which drains tears away from the eye into the nose. This condition can be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8443113/">acute</a>, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/6700662">chronic</a> or <a href="https://www.jebmh.com/articles/a-study-of-congenital-dacryocystitis.pdf.pdf">acquired at birth</a>. Most cases are caused by <a href="https://bmcophthalmol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12886-020-01792-4">Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus</a> bacteria. The condition mainly affects newborns and those over 40. Seventy-five per cent of cases are women and it’s most commonly found in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6039673/">white adults</a>. It can lead to the stagnation of tears, creating a breeding ground for microbes. <h2>Careful with contacts</h2> Proper eye hygiene reduces the risk of all these conditions – and this is even more important for contact lens wearers. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uENHAntJOIA?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Appropriate hygienic cleaning of lenses is paramount. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30789440/">Non-sterile water</a>, <a href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/contact-lens-care">spit</a> and other fluids can transfer <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/bacteria-living-your-contact-lens-solution">potentially dangerous</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3482476/">microbes</a> into the eye – a warm, moist environment that makes an ideal breeding ground for bacteria – leading to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9542356/">localised infection</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3972779/">blindness</a> or progress to a more serious <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9835757/">systemic infection or death</a>. Any persistent and painful redness or swelling of eyes should be checked by a registered health professional.<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;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/227252/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-taylor-283950">Adam Taylor</a>, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lancaster-university-1176">Lancaster University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/eye-infections-might-seem-like-a-minor-complaint-but-in-some-cases-they-can-cause-blindness-and-even-death-227252">original article</a>. </div>

Body

World Cup star files official complaint over "unsolicited kiss" with Spanish football boss

Jenni Hermoso has filed an official complaint against Luis Rubiales over an "unsolicited kiss" at the Women's World Cup final. Following Spain's victory of England in the final, Rubiales, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) chief, kissed Hermoso on the lips while congratulating the team. The Spanish footballer is accusing Rubiales of sexual assault, as she said the kiss was not consensual. Despite this, Rubiales has defended his actions and is refusing to step down. The official complaint, which was filed on Tuesday, is key for a preliminary investigation into the incident, which prosecutors at Spain’s top criminal court have opened for the alleged crime of “sexual assault”, to move forward. In the days after the incident, Hermoso said the unwanted kiss had left her feeling “vulnerable and like the victim of an assault”, with a statement on social media describing it as “an impulsive, macho act, out of place and with no type of consent on my part”. Rubiales has apologised for his conduct but insists the kiss was consensual, as he has refused to quit his role despite both the RFEF and FIFA calling on him to do so. In a display of solidarity, <span style="caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">56 national team members have <span style="caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px;">condemned the government for what they deemed to be "<a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/impunity-for-macho-actions-is-over-why-the-entire-spanish-world-cup-team-has-quit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">macho actions</a>". <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">A collective statement, issued through their union, was signed by all 23 members of the winning squad, including Hermoso, as well as 32 other team members. In the statement, they declared their refusal to participate in international matches as long as Rubiales remains at the helm of the RFEF. After the official complaint was lodged, the RFEF sacked the head coach of the Spanish women’s team, Jorge Vilda, after he was the only member of the women’s national team coaching staff not to resign in protest at Rubiales’s behaviour. Vilda’s dismissal was confirmed amid accusations he had repeatedly backed Rubiales and saw no issue with his behaviour. In addition to the complaint from Hermoso, Spain’s Sport Administrative Tribunal (TAD) opened a case against Rubiales for “serious misconduct”. Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

Britain’s Got Talent burned by 334 complaints after "insensitive" stunt

Warning: This article contains content that some readers may find disturbing. Britain’s Got Talent is in hot water with its 16th season after the second episode drew in a staggering 334 complaints - a total of 400 across both episodes, Ofcom reported. The stunt that caused the ire, dubbed “insensitive” and “unacceptable” by the public, saw a professional stuntman named Thomas Vu cover himself in a fire-retardant gel, before he was set alight and left to solve a Rubik’s Cube. In the wake of the stunt, hosts Ant and Dec were quick to issue a warning to viewers, telling them “do not try this at home, ever.” And when the clip was uploaded to the official BGT Twitter account, the text ‘do not try this at home’ is splashed across the video. However, distressed viewers still took to the comments section to share their distaste, with one writing that it was “absolutely ridiculous and irresponsible [and] should never have been allowed to be televised especially on a family programme!!” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Stuntman Thomas Vu solved the Rubik's cube in the most UNEXPECTED way: <a href="https://t.co/nSEWOokCSb">https://t.co/nSEWOokCSb</a> Do not try this at home!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BGT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BGT</a> <a href="https://t.co/awPLBTmaEf">pic.twitter.com/awPLBTmaEf</a> — BGT (@BGT) <a href="https://twitter.com/BGT/status/1649110690987376642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote> “BGT totally ill-considered showing a guy setting himself on fire whilst solving a Rubik’s Cube,” tweeted another. “No thought to the fact that impressionable children watch the show.” “Don’t get me wrong,” one began, “people do crazy stuff and it’s their choice and that’s fine by me but maybe that last act should have been well after the 9pm watershed?? Not sure that kind of playing with fire thing is suitable for young kids who probably stay up to watch BGT.” “Like what has BGT come to when we set people on fire for entertainment,” someone else said on the matter. And as yet another user put it, “sorry but showing a man setting himself on fire on a ‘family’ show is not acceptable. Even with the mention ‘do not try this at home’.” Concern for children continued from there, with one tweeting “The Rubik’s Cube fire stunt on BGT was totally inappropriate. Did you not think about burn victims and how seeing this would affect them?” Meanwhile, others simply found the stunt to be insensitive, with one even referencing the 1965 Bradford City disaster when they wrote “I just find this insensitive to anyone that has been through any trauma caused by fire.” Criticism for the episode was so intense, coupled with the volume of complaints flowing in, that the show was forced to issue a statement, telling viewers “Britain’s Got Talent showcases a mix of variety acts to engage audiences. “In this case, it was made very clear on screen that this act should not be tried at home and the programme was subject to strict compliance rules." Images: Britain’s Got Talent / ITV

Body

Kiwi journalist hits back at viewer’s complaints about her Māori tattoo

A popular New Zealand newsreader has hit back at an irate viewer who has repeatedly complained about her traditional Māori face tattoo, asking him to keep his comments for “another lifetime”. Oriini Kaipara made headlines in 2021 when she became the first person to bear a moko kauae - a traditional Māori tattoo that covers a woman’s lips and chin - while anchoring a prime-time news broadcast in New Zealand. While many viewers have applauded Ms Kaipara, others were less kind, with one repeat objector prompting her to take to Instagram to respond on Thursday, saying she had “had enough” of his complaints. “Today I had enough. I responded. I never do that. I broke my own code and hit the send button,” the Newshub presenter shared with followers in a since-deleted post. The viewer, identified only as David, had written to the entire newsroom to complain about Ms Kaipara’s tattoo, which he mislabelled as a “moku” and said was “offensive” and “a bad look”. “We continue to object strongly to you using Māori TV presenter with a moku, which is offensive and aggressive looking. A bad look,” he wrote. David also objected to the use of te reo Māori during broadcasts, despite the fact that the Māori language features in most Kiwi TV broadcasts. “She also bursts into Māori language which we do not understand. Stop it now,” he said. On Instagram, Ms Kaipara shared her full response to him. “Thank you for all your complaints against me and my ‘moku’. I do find them very difficult to take seriously, given there is no breach of broadcast standards,” she wrote. “If I may, I’d like to correct you on one thing – it is moko not ‘moku’. A simple, helpful pronunciation guide of ‘Maw-Caw’ will help you articulate the word correctly. “I gather your complaints stem from a place of preference on how one must look on-screen, according to you. Moko and people with them are not threatening, nor do they deserve such discrimination, harassment or prejudice. “Moko are ancient cultural markings unique to the indigenous people of Aotearoa, myself included. We mean no harm or ill intent, nor do we deserve to be treated with such disregard. Please refrain from complaining further, and restrain your cultural ignorance and bias for another lifetime, preferably in the 1800s.” She ended her message with, “Nga mihi matakuikui o te wa,” a polite te reo Māori farewell, and signed off as “the lady with the moko kauwae who speaks Māori but MOSTLY English on TV”. Speaking to the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/newshubs-oriini-kaiparas-response-to-viewers-complaint-about-her-offensive-moko-kauae/LWLE2VNRPXM2GJTQ73Z3FNME74/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a> after, Ms Kaipara said the viewer had been “relentless” in his complaints. “These types of complaints are being sent by a minority,” she told the publication, adding that she receives plenty of “lovely and thoughtful” messages from viewers. “The fact that my existence triggers some people is testament to why we need more Māori advocates in key roles across every sector.” Ms Kaipara, who is of Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangitihi and Ngāi Tūhoe descent, has previously said she got her moko in 2019 to remind herself of her identity as a Māori woman. “When I doubt myself, and I see my reflection in the mirror, I’m not just looking at myself,” she explained. “I’m looking at my grandmother and my mother, and my daughters, and those to come after me, as well as all the other women and Maori girls out there. It empowers me.” Image: @oriinz (Instagram)

PETA complaint leads to controversial art installation being dismantled

A controversial art installation has been dismantled in Germany after animal rights organisation PETA filed a complaint. The installation titled A Hundred Years, first exhibited in 1990 by artist Damien Hirst, was designed to see hundreds of flies die, prompting outrage from PETA. The Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg museum was issued an oral warning from the German city’s veterinary office, to which Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg director Andreas Beitin told local media, “We thought flies were not covered by the Animal Welfare Act.” A Hundred Years consists of a glass display case partitioned in half, with flies being hatched on one side of the glass. When they venture through a hole in the partition, the flies are drawn to an artificial light which burns the flies on contact. The cycle continues until the end of its exhibition. Hirst has previously described the artwork as “a life cycle in a box.” In the original iteration, the flies flocked around a bloody cow’s head, to which curator Hans Ulrich Obrist described the work in its original form as “dangerous and frightening.” “Killing animals has nothing to do with art, it only shows the arrogance of people who literally go over corpses for their own interests,” Peter Höffken of PETA said in a statement. According to Germany’s Animal Welfare Act, there “must be good reason for one to cause an animal harm.” The managing director of the art museum, Otmar Böhmer, told the German Press Agency that they agree with PETA’s sentiment. “We share the basic idea of the animal welfare organisation that animals are not there to entertain us or exploit them,” he said. The museum said it will contact Hirst’s studio to establish whether A Hundred Years can be presented with artificial flies. If not, it has recommended that the work not be presented again. Image credits: Getty Images

Art

Mum hits back at neighbour over chalk complaint

A New York mum and author who received complaints from a neighbour over her son’s chalk drawings in their apartment block’s courtyard has responded with a public letter - and it’s written in chalk. Ashley Woodfolk then shared her letter on Twitter, receiving a flood of positive responses. “GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE EXCEPT the woman at my co-op who complained to the board about me and my toddler using sidewalk chalk in the courtyard,” Ashley Woodfold captioned the photo of her handiwork. The letter, written in blue and yellow chalk, reads: “This will be the last time using sidewalk chalk in the courtyard since it seems to be such a problem for you (and only you). <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE EXCEPT the woman at my co-op who complained to the board about me and my toddler using sidewalk chalk in the courtyard. So I wrote her a little letter. In sidewalk chalk. In the courtyard. <a href="https://t.co/Tbw52ZtVV1">pic.twitter.com/Tbw52ZtVV1</a> — Ashley Woodfolk (@AshWrites) <a href="https://twitter.com/AshWrites/status/1452812801651757056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2021</a></blockquote> “I’m sorry harmless fun that brought my toddler joy (and has actually helped him learn all of his letters and most of his numbers - his favourites are E and 8) causes you so much distress that you had to complain to the board and waste everyone’s time when our building has so much bigger real problems.” Ms Woodfolk also detailed how the COVID-19 pandemic had seen her have to entertain her son in new, safe ways. “I think you’re aware that we’re in a pandemic and while I’d love to take my kid to museums and the movies I don’t feel safe doing that, and sometimes even local parks are more crowded than I’m comfortable with,” she continued. “The courtyard was a safe space but now there are limits on that too. “There are only a few weeks of nice weather left, and I sincerely hope that you enjoy the use of the sidewalk-chalk free courtyard for the remainder of the fall. “And I hope that every time it rains, rain that would have washed away any colourful ABCs I wrote on the ground, you think of me. All my love, Ashley.” Her post has received more than 200,000 likes, as well as a flood of positive comments. One fan even sent her a package of sidewalk chalk from their Etsy shop for her son. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I own a small business making sidewalk chalk in all sorts of fun shapes and colors. I would love to donate chalk to you and your son ❤️ please check your DM’s! <a href="https://t.co/2MoQzpxIHX">pic.twitter.com/2MoQzpxIHX</a> — Amy ✨ (@alj_jayhawk) <a href="https://twitter.com/alj_jayhawk/status/1453114023868833794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2021</a></blockquote> Others shared their opinions and the enjoyment they received from seeing kids’ chalk drawings. “An elderly lady in our neighbourhood bought chalk for all the kids during the pandemic because she said she felt less lonely taking walks and seeing their art,” one person <a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/parenting/author-ashley-woodfolk-writes-epic-courtyard-letter-to-neighbour-who-complained-about-her-childs-drawings/342b88f6-5acd-4eae-8019-5a87c6821ccf" target="_blank">shared</a>. “As a childless guy, even I think chalk doodles are cute and bring a spark of life and creativity to the environment,” a second person said. “I can’t fathom how someone could be upset about it.” Image: @AshWrites / Twitter

Relationships

Daring mum seeks revenge on her noisy neighbours

A mum in Wales has come up with a genius way to seek revenge against her noisy neighbours while on holiday. Heather Minshull and her family were trying to enjoy a peaceful holiday at a Welsh holiday park, when their neighbours had other plans. In a caravan next door, Heather and her family could hear their rowdy neighbours having a loud get-together after arriving at midnight and blasting The Beatles at full volume. When Heather asked politely if they could turn their music down, they simply refused. After a sleepless night, Heather played out her ingenious revenge plan: by waking them up at 7am with the sound of screeching seagulls. The clever mum got a leftover loaf of bread and threw it on top of their caravan roof, attracting a flock of the noisy birds. Heather, originally from Manchester, shared her devious plan on TikTok, with the caption reading, “Was I wrong? I think not” and “Payback’s a b**ch.” She said in her video that her plan was a success, saying “The group woke up straight away.” There were three young men in the caravan, as they came outside to investigate the noise. Heather said, “They were all looking angry and rough, and clueless over what was going on!” Image credits: TikTok @heatherminsh

Travel Trouble

Kmart accused of enforcing gender stereotypes on kids

A customer has complained about Kmart’s range of children’s clothing, accusing the retail giant of “gender stereotyping”. In a Facebook post, shopper Swagata said she was frustrated by the differences in Kmart’s range of kids t-shirts for boys versus girls. She claimed that the designs of girls tops included words such as “love”, “more love”, and “smile” while boys tops featured phrases like “adventure”, “wild woodlands”, and “alpine trails”. “Could you possibly be more gender stereotyping with your kids clothes?” the shopper wrote. She went on to suggest kids clothes should be gender neutral to give shoppers and kids a wider choice. “Thumbs down from this parent,” she said. The complaint comes after a recent petition called on Kmart to stop separating children’s clothing into “boys” and “girls” sections and instead offer one range for all children, claiming the retailer was sending the “wrong” message to kids. “Many parents of young boys will tell you their son loves pink, rainbows and flowers but simply cannot wear clothes in these styles like girls do without taking them from the girls section, which sends a strong message that the things they like are ‘wrong’,” the petition read. “Similarly, many parents of girls lament the lack of dinosaurs, trucks and non-frilly styles in the girls’ section.” But, the petition has received some backlash from parents. “I don’t mind if they want to remove the ‘Boys’ and ‘Girls’ signage and just make a ‘Children’s’ section,” one commentor wrote. “But please don’t mix the actual clothing items up so that we have to trawl through racks of ‘boys’ clothes to get to the ‘girls’ clothes we actually want, or vice versa.” A Kmart spokesperson previously told 7NEWS.com.au that the store embraces inclusion and diversity. “At Kmart, we are proud to offer customers a wide range of children’s clothing in lots of different styles and it’s certainly not our intention to stereotype children based on gender,” the spokesperson said. “The store layout reflects a majority of the way our Kmart customers shop and the difference between our boys and girls apparel range (in terms of fit) is marginal, so all customers have the opportunity to shop both areas for children.”

Beauty & Style

The one complaint Prince Philip had about the Queen

Prince Philip had "only one complaint" about Queen Elizabeth during their 73-year marriage. The Duke of Edinburgh would complain about the reigning monarch for "always being on the phone," according to his biographer Gyles Brandreth. On Wednesday, the royal author appeared on the British TV show Lorraine where he shared some insight about Philip based on 40 years of friendship. “He said to me, ‘God, she’s never off the phone. Never off the phone. Who is she talking to?’” Brandreth recalled, as quoted by UK’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9494835/Prince-Philips-complaint-Queen-73-year-marriage.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a>. “It was the only time he ever complained about the Queen,” Brandreth shared. “He knew his whole life was supporting the Queen. He never put a foot wrong, he always turned up right day, right uniform, on time, one step behind her.” The biographer shared that the monarch often spoke to her racing manager over the phone to talk about horses, one of her passions, during the evenings. Philip, who spent more than seven decades supporting his wife, passed away on April 9 at age 99. He is known as Britain’s longest-serving consort. The Queen, a very private person who isn’t known for giving extravagant displays of affection, once called him “her rock” in public. Behind palace doors, Philip called his wife Lilibet; but he referred to her in conversation with others as “The Queen”. Philip is survived by the Queen and their four children – Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward – as well as eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Relationships

Why BBC was hit with 100,000 complaints over Prince Philip coverage

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> According to <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/14625897/bbc-receives-100000-complaints-prince-philip-coverage/">The Sun</a>, the BBC has received 100,000 complaints from members of the public over the coverage of Prince Philip's death. BBC cleared its programming schedule to cover the death when Prince Philip died at the age of 99 to run more than 24 hours of programmes about the Duke of Edinburgh. The BBC said: "We are proud of our coverage and the role we play during moments of national significance." Programs that people were eager to watch, including EastEnders and the MasterChef final were replaced by news programmes. The decision to shut down regular programming received so many complaints that there was a dedicated form on the BBC website to process them. BBC is currently not saying how many complaints it received, but a fortnightly bulletin of all complaints is due to be published on Wednesday. Viewers turned off in droves after the blanket coverage was too much, with BBC Two losing two-thirds of its audience between the prime times of 7 pm to 11 pm. The coverage has quickly become the most complained about television event in British history. One insider told The Sun: “I feel sorry for the Beeb. “They would be criticised and accused of not being respectful enough if they didn’t lay the programmes on. “But they seem to have left many people very cross.” </div> </div> </div>

Legal

Buckingham Palace investigating bombshell Meghan bullying complaints

Buckingham Palace has vowed to launch a thorough investigation into bombshell claims that the Duchess of Sussex bullied young staff before her and Prince Harry split from the royal family. The complaint was made known after <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/royal-aides-reveal-meghan-bullying-claim-before-oprah-interview-7sxfvd2c3" target="_blank">The Times</a> reported that the couple's communication chief filed a bullying complaint against Markle in 2018. According to the complaint, some young staff were reduced to tears by Markle's bullying. “Senior people in the household, Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, knew that they had a situation where members of staff, particularly young women, were being bullied to the point of tears,” a source told The Times. Communications secretary Jason Knauf submitted the complaint in order to protect staff at Kensington Palace, with a former aide agreeing that it “more like emotional cruelty and manipulation, which I guess could also be called bullying.” Allegedly, Prince Harry asked Knauf not to continue with the complaint. The statement from Buckingham Palace was unusual and reads: “We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. “Accordingly, our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved in the time - including those who have left the household - will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned. “The royal household has a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace.” Markle has outright denied the claims and said she was "saddened" by them through her spokesperson. “Let’s just call this what it is — a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet,” said the spokesperson for Markle and Harry, in part, to The Times. “It’s no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and the duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years,” read a separate statement from the spokesperson. “The duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma,” it continued. “She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good.”

News

Prince Harry deals with huge blow as his media complaint is dismissed

Prince Harry has lost an Ipso complaint over a Mail on Sunday story that revealed he had photos taken with a “drugged and tethered” elephant. The Duke of Sussex lodged a complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation, saying the paper had breached Clause 1 of its Editors’ Code of Practice, “Accuracy”, regarding the article published on April 28 last year. For Earth Day, Harry took to the Sussex Royal Instagram account to post wildlife photos – the same pictures were used by The Mail on Sunday for a story with the headline: “Drugged and tethered … what Harry didn’t tell you about those awe-inspiring wildlife photos”. The article stated that the photographs “don’t quite tell the full story” as the image on Instagram cropped out the rope that was wrapped around the back legs of one of the elephants, adding that the complainant “notably avoided explaining the circumstances in which the images were taken.” The same article reported that a spokesperson for the complainant had refused to discuss the photos, though “sources denied the rope was deliberately edited out of the elephant picture, claiming instead that ‘it was due to Instagram’s format’.” All three animals pictured – a rhino, elephant and lion – had been tranquilised and the elephant had been tethered as they were being relocated as part of a conservation project, according to reports. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B79sjhPp7pT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B79sjhPp7pT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by La Crónica de Hoy (@lacronicadehoy)</a> on Jan 30, 2020 at 4:31pm PST </div> </blockquote> Harry believed the article was inaccurate as it had implied that he purposely conned the public through cropping. But Ipso said no code had been breached, saying there had been “no failure to take care not to publish inaccurate information”. He said that the image was cropped due to Instagram’s sizing requirements and because his feed had a specific style guide that they needed to stick to. The press regulator posted their findings online, saying: “The Committee considered that it was not clear from the images themselves that the animals had been tranquilised and tethered. “The photograph of the elephant had been cropped to edit out the animal’s tethered leg; the publication had demonstrated that the photograph could have been edited differently and the complainant accepted that the album could have been uploading in a different format which would have made editing the photograph unnecessary. “The accompanying caption did not make the position clear or that the images had previously been published, unedited, in 2016. “The position was not made clear simply as a result of the inclusion of the link to the website. “In these circumstances, the Committee did not consider that it was significantly misleading to report that the photographs posted on the complainant’s Instagram account did not quite tell the full story and that the complainant had not explained the circumstances in which the photographs had been taken. “There was no breach of Clause 1.” The ruling then says: “Where the article focused on the complainant’s publicly available Instagram posts and the information they displayed, the Committee did not consider that it was necessary for the newspaper to contact the complainant for comment on the published claims.”

Legal

Passenger divides internet over seat complaint on flight: "Ridiculous"

A man has been slammed as “entitled” and “ridiculous” after posting a complaint about airplane seat-swapping on his social media account. On Sunday, Australian journalist Daniel Brettig shared on Twitter that he asked a fellow passenger to exchange seats with him so that he could sit next to his girlfriend. Brettig explained that it was the last day the couple would see each other for two and a half months. However, the “boomer” passenger refused to move “because they wanted to look out the window”, Brettig wrote. “Strong generational metaphor areas, Shane.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> A boomer refused to swap seats on a flight this morning to let my gf and I sit together on the last day before we're apart for 2.5 months - because they wanted to look out the window. Strong generational metaphor areas, Shane — Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) <a href="https://twitter.com/danbrettig/status/1145476449551310850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2019</a></blockquote> Brettig’s post was met with a wave of criticism, with many social media users slamming his reaction to the rejection as “spoiled”, “selfish” and “entitled”. “Good. Buy your seat, choose your seat. Don’t ask for someone else’s that they have either earned, chosen or paid for,” one commented. “Window seat is sacred. You should have pre-selected your seats if this time together was so important,” another wrote. “What a ridiculous & self-entitled Tweet. If sitting together is so important yet you can’t be bothered to pre-select seats in advance, whether by paying a fee or otherwise, why should someone else give up their seat for you?” one added. Some pointed out that while the request was reasonable, it was also fair for the fellow passenger to say no. “It’s a reasonable request, but also more than reasonable to have that request rejected. I possibly would have done the same given how I was feeling on the day,” one wrote. “Your lack of organisations is not someone else’s issue.” Another commented, “Nothing wrong in my opinion with asking someone to swap seats, but also nothing wrong in the other person’s right to turn down the request.”

Travel Trouble

Mother mortified by daycare worker's complaint about her son

A mother has been shocked after a daycare worker complained about her son’s language. The woman took to online parenting forum <a href="https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3606548-Nursery-stopping-DS-from-saying-penis">Mumsnet</a> to share her frustration after the manager of her daycare pulled her aside to have a serious chat about her two-year-old son. “She closed the door and said in a very serious voice that my DS [dear son] had told one of the workers that he liked his penis when she was changing his nappy. Then directly afterwards he said to some of the children that he likes his penis,” the mother wrote. “So I said, ‘OK. I’m not sure what you want me to do. I think most little boys like touching their penises.’ “She said that she understands that, but it’s inappropriate for him to use that sort of language in the nursery setting.” The manager said “other parents may not want their children, particularly the little girls, to hear that word”, and she told the son to stop saying the word because “it wasn’t a nice thing to say”. “I got quite angry and said that I really don’t appreciate her doing that because it’s not a bad word and her telling him that it is will make him think it’s a dirty or bad thing, when it’s actually the correct word for it.” The manager maintained that the mother should teach her son “what is appropriate and what is not” in a group setting. “I said, ‘Absolutely not. I’m not giving my child a complex or making him think his body is something to be ashamed of. He’s 2 for god’s sake! He doesn’t understand anything about what is socially appropriate and telling him that penis is a bad word seems bizarre. And furthermore, I do not want you or anyone else to tell him not to say it either.’” The mother went on to tell her husband about the incident, but he ended up questioning her insistence on the issue. “He said everyone here says willy and it’s more socially acceptable. He said it was all my fault and the nursery was correct. I am genuinely blown away. Was I wrong?” The majority of the forum users sided with the mother. “God forbid we call body parts by their actual name,” one commented. “Of course there’s nothing bad about the word. Good on you for being so firm and calm and logical,” another added. Some suggested that context should be considered. “I don’t think the problem is with the word penis so much as the context of him running about saying, ‘l like my penis’,” one wrote.

Family & Pets

Man’s hilarious response to “nosy” neighbour who complained about his fence

<div> <div class="replay"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply_body"> <div class="body_text "> A man has decided to hold a silent protest after receiving a zoning violation from the city of Santa Rosa, California, due to a neighbour complaining that his fence was too high. Jason Windus was the recipient of the violation after a neighbour reported his six-foot-fence for blocking a suburban corner and obstructing visibility for drivers at an intersection, as reported by <a rel="noopener" href="https://abc7.com/" target="_blank">ABC 6</a>. Speaking to the station, Mr Windus said that he was confronted with a warning informing him of a daily fine that will be put in place until the fence was taken down. “It is very serious,” he said. “They made me freak out.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> Jason Windus. It's been four day since he put up the garden party. "I'm waiting. If they didn't like the fence, how do they like this?" Neighbors love it. All except the one who initially complained. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Abc7now?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Abc7now</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/santaRosa?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#santaRosa</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SonomaCounty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SonomaCounty</a> <a href="https://t.co/eVYytalYvU">pic.twitter.com/eVYytalYvU</a> — Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) <a href="https://twitter.com/WayneFreedman/status/1108107188147355648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">19 March 2019</a></blockquote> Mr Windus immediately took down the fence with some help from a friend, but due to height restrictions, the newly modified fence is unable to contain his two dogs. With the height of his fence being out of his control, the professional mover decided to take some control back in hilarious fashion – by rearranging an assortment of naked mannequins so it appears that they’re having a clothing-optional garden party. “I guess the average person would get angry and cop resentment?” said Mr Windus. “I throw a naked party in my yard.” And despite the height of his fence crossing the boundaries of legalities, his life-sized dummies are well within the law. To keep the display PG, Mr Windus even took the liberty to cover the mannequins' private parts. And the party was open for all, especially the “nosy” neighbour who reported the fence in the first place, with a sign reading: “Reserved seat for the nosy neighbour that complained about my fence to the city.” The anonymous neighbour is yet to respond and remains unidentified. But while the whistleblower may not be a huge fan of the installation, others cannot get enough. “I love it. I think it’s hilarious. More power to him,” a neighbour told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nbc.com/" target="_blank">NBC</a>. The only regret Mr Windus has is that his two dogs have nowhere to run around. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> "I was going to use them for target practice," said Jason Windus of the mannequins in his front yard. There's a 3-way stop at the corner, but an unidentified neighbor complained about visibility. "The average person would get angry. I throw a naked party in my yard...” <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc7now?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc7now</a> <a href="https://t.co/iFjiXMtK0u">pic.twitter.com/iFjiXMtK0u</a> — Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) <a href="https://twitter.com/WayneFreedman/status/1108145579345874944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">19 March 2019</a></blockquote> But despite that, he’s having a grand ol’ time, saying he hasn’t decided on when the mannequins will be packed away. Joking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nbc.com/" target="_blank"> NBC</a>, he said: “I was thinking of putting a barbecue out here next.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> Jason told me this morning that he still does not know which neighbor reported the zoning violation with his fence. Feels pretty good about the reaction, he said. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc7now?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc7now</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mannequin?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mannequin</a> <a href="https://t.co/djNfUcISmG">pic.twitter.com/djNfUcISmG</a> — Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) <a href="https://twitter.com/WayneFreedman/status/1108453104435920897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">20 March 2019</a></blockquote> Do you think Mr Windus has the right to be frustrated? Or was the neighbour right for reporting his fence? Let us know in the comments below. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Home & Garden

Airline’s unthinkable response to passenger’s complaint

A Delta passenger has complained that she was left in bruises after being repeatedly kicked by the child sitting next to her. The mum-of-three complained to cabin crew about the behaviour, but they responded by telling her that she was the nuisance, not the misbehaving child. Sally Canario was travelling to Minneapolis from Los Angeles when the incident occurred, reported <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/5992035/delta-passenger-left-bruised-after-repeated-kicks-from-child-on-plane-is-told-she-was-behaving-badly/" target="_blank">The Sun.</a> “I was up against the window, trying to get some sleep on a red eye flight,” she told Sun Online Travel. “A stranger’s daughter was trying to sleep on the plane with her head in her mother’s lap and her feet in my face, in my side, and on my lap. “The girl threw a bad tantrum — screaming, crying, and bicycle kicking while she was trying to sleep, (but) the airline would not accommodate me for a safer, comparable seat.” <img width="500" height="769" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7817209/1_500x769.jpg" alt="1 (111)"/> Sally said that when she asked for help from a flight attendant, she copped the blame for the incident. “I flagged down a flight attendant to file an injury report,” she said. “His response was, ‘I am not a babysitter, you two parties need to work things out. ‘This is a full flight. I do not take injury reports... you aren’t injured. ‘I heard you were causing trouble and harassing the family next to you.’” Sally claimed that this was an untrue allegation and said the mother of the naughty child made the false complaint. However, ultimately Sally believes the fault lies with the airline, not the unruly passengers. “Towards the end of the flight, the mother explained to me that her husband bought discount tickets for spring break where Delta does not allow seat selection 24 hours prior to boarding. “Why don’t they let families sit together? “Had I known her husband was on the flight, I would have gladly traded with him and spared myself this painful injury and hellish nightmare.” Sally said she now has cartilage damage as a result of the repeated kicking. “I am hurting on my chest from my sternum to my right rib cage. “It is visible asymmetry of my rib cage. My doctor assured me cartilage will heal but be painful for the next week.” Sally is now urging the airline to change the policy regarding seat selection for families booking last-minute discounted seats. A Delta employee has contacted Sally to apologise for the incident and said her claim will be sent to their insurer for investigation. The airline also mentioned that they had forwarded her thoughts on seating options for families to their leadership team for internal review. A spokesperson told Sun Online Travel, “We regret to learn of the experience and discomfort described by this customer on a recent flight. “We are in direct contact with this customer while we gather more information about the situation.” Have you ever experienced a nightmare plane passenger?

Travel Trouble

Airline's stunning reply to passenger's complaint

We’ve seen our fair share of unusual customer complaints<a href="/finance/money-banking/2018/01/rsl-patron-returns-sandwich-because-its-not-cut-in-half-as-requested/" target="_blank"></a>, but this one (and the company’s response) takes the cake as the most unique and clever of them all. Disgruntled passenger Gus Dolding took to budget airline Norwegian Air’s Facebook page to air his grievances with the company, complaining about being charged $188 to change the name on his plane ticket after an error. But being a musician, Dolding had a rather unorthodox way of filing his complaint, opting to write it in the form of a poem: Why can't you be fair Norwegian Air No headphones do you include Nine hours with no free food The stress of a sixty-quid bag Would make the plumpest of mammories sag Aviational scandals from Scandinavian vandals You're a disgrace to the Norwegian flag And Kiwi.com you're just as bad Helping these rogues as there's money to be had Is it hard to operate with decency? To cooperate and offer leniency? I admit it was wrong to put his first name as Bill William Edward Gabriel, the seat whose bum will fill One hundred and twenty euros for what? For two minutes of typing that's rather a lot Why can't you be fair Norwegian Air Just skip that amendment fee And just let us change it for free To their credit, Norwegian decided to forgo the usual cut-and-paste corporate response in favour of an equally clever and unique reply. Dear Gus, We understand all the fuss We try our best to reduce all the buzz But fear not because we do not throw anyone under the bus especially not a person like you since diamonds in this world are so few We are sorry for any inconvenience that may have occurred It can seem like our vision is sometimes blurred But I can promise you that we try to fly like a bird We thank you for your rhyme We had a really great time You thank us for being fair We thank you for joining us up in the air We wish you a great trip With us the world is on your finger tip Just be sure to follow the landing strip The airline agreed to waive the fee, and a thrilled Dolding thanked them with one final poem. I'm sorry for my anger was quite misplaced And I responded with unnecessary haste The booking agent is who lacked any manners They do not deserve to be professional planners Cheers for being so easy to reach The robots on phones can be hard to breach I commend you again, would recommend to a friend You've saved me and my friends 40 euros each! Facebook users loved the hilarious exchange, labelling it as “brilliant” and calling for the company to give a raise to their social media managers. Norwegian Air issued a statement praising their customer service personnel, writing, “Our customer care team are on hand to support more than 30 million passengers flying with Norwegian each year, and this poem shows they are also a flexible, clever and creative group of people. “We’re delighted to resolve the customer’s issue in a playful way that shows that a little light-heartedness can go a long way.”

Travel Trouble

10 strangest traveller complaints made to TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor has become the go-to website for travellers searching for recommendations on the best restaurants, accommodation and attractions around the world, but while this online travel community can be a useful resource when you’re at the trip-planning stage, it can also unfortunately become a forum for people who are a little too picky. When users are uploading their own reviews there’s always going to be a few questionable decisions, but these comments are ridiculous. To discover 10 more strange complaints from tourists, scroll through the gallery above. Have you ever seen a funny complaint?

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Man’s hilarious response to “nosy” neighbour who complained about his fence

Airline’s unthinkable response to passenger’s complaint

Airline's stunning reply to passenger's complaint

10 strangest traveller complaints made to TripAdvisor