The creative side of Coldplaygate
'Byron by name, Byron by nature?' proffers Phil Haberland of Claremont (WA). 'I'm sure the romantic poet is raising a glass of Chianti somewhere in the universe, in honour of CEO Andy Byron. The sound of the famous club-foot beating its exit along a wooden corridor, from yet another cuckolded British Lord or Italian Count's mansion, echoes down the ages.'
Janice Creenaune of Austinmer likes My First Affair, the Lego re-enactment, and notes that 'one comment rang out true. 'Their spouses were shocked when they finally put it together'.'
'Last Thursday night at racetracks in NSW and Victoria, four Race 8s saw winning No. 8s,' reports Gregory Abbott of Macleay Island (Qld). 'Odd eight balls or had C8 gone to the dogs? Yes, I know – I ate it all up.'
Mike Parton of Tamworth explains that the 'antimacassar [C8], used to avoid staining of seating by 'hair oil of choice', is quite specifically anti-Macassar oil. Hence, the name. I grew up with and am still making use of antimacassars.' David Rose of Nollamara (WA) says, 'My 20-year-old step-daughter received a pack of them in an office 'secret Santa'. Not impressed at all.'
Failure to indicate (C8) 'has nothing to do with the brand or country of origin of vehicle but everything to do with the nuts holding the steering wheel', declares Don Nealon of Taree, but if it bothers drivers that much, he points to his 'much beloved father-in-law, who changed cars often, his last being a fully imported Ford Escort. Alas, the indicators were arse-about. Nothing loth, he removed the steering wheel and reversed the positions of the indicator and light-switch stalks. Back went the wheel and Bob's your uncle. It worked. He was chuffed. However, the battery kept going flat every few weeks. Wonder why?'
'I've owned several Volvos,' says Duncan McRobert of Hawks Nest. 'As a safety feature, the earlier ones had 'day running lights'. This, of course, added fuel to perceived prejudice against Volvo drivers and resulted in the constant flashing of lights by other drivers. I often wondered if this was just a reminder that I left the lights on, or that I was merely another Volvo-driving wanker. Incidentally, I never wore a hat.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
6 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Statement issued after Formula One star Max Verstappen throws towel from car at Hungarian Grand Prix
Lando Norris completed an impressive practice double over his McLaren teammate and championship rival Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Friday. Norris trails Piastri by 16 points heading into Sunday's round at the Hungaroring - the final race before the summer break. But the British driver laid down an early marker in the first running of the weekend when he beat Piastri to top spot by just 0.019 seconds. He then extended his advantage to 0.291 seconds in the day's concluding session. Norris' world championship bid suffered a setback at last weekend's rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix when Piastri overtook him on the first racing lap and went on to claim a comfortable win. Piastri is happy to be back in Hungary where he enjoyed his breakthrough F1 victory last year. The 24-year-old Melburnian has developed into a genuine title contender over the last year and said on Thursday: 'I have a lot of confidence in myself that I can do it. 'The pace in the last few weekends, especially (Belgium), I've been very confident in and very proud of. I'm more than capable of continuing that for the rest of the year.' However, it was Norris - never previously out-qualified by a teammate in six visits to the Hungaroring - who stole an early advantage with an impressive performance on Friday at a circuit he has declared among his favourites on the calendar. There was one moment of concern for Norris when he ran wide at the final turn. But he managed to retake control of his McLaren, and survived without ending up in the wall. Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, four-tenths off the pace, but three places clear of team-mate Lewis Hamilton. In the first session, Hamilton complained his car didn't 'feel good', and ran off the road at the first corner following a major lock-up. He was then beaten by both Aston Martin drivers in the second running. Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso were fourth and fifth respectively - the latter returning to his cockpit after he missed the opening session with a back injury - while George Russell ended the running in seventh. Max Verstappen, who ended speculation on Thursday that he could leave Red Bull at the end of the year, finished a distant 14th in practice, more than 1.1 seconds slower than Norris. Red Bull were then reprimanded for a bizarre incident involving a face towel which Verstappen threw out of his car and on to the track. The four-times world champion was summoned after the second session at the Hungaroring as stewards reviewed the video evidence. 'Shortly after Car 1 was released from its garage, the driver of Car 1 (Verstappen) was observed to have thrown a towel out of the cockpit,' they said in a statement. 'The driver explained that while in the garage, the face towel had slipped from his lap to the side of the seat and the team was unaware that it remained in the cockpit. 'When the driver realised it was there, he moved to the far right of the track and attempted to throw it as far away from the car and the track as possible.' The towel landed on the asphalt, however, and remained there to the end of the session. The stewards accepted that the towel was more dangerous inside the car than out, with the potential to become lodged in the footwell and interfere with Verstappen's ability to control the car fully. They also ruled that Red Bull had therefore released the car in an unsafe condition, although less serious than leaving a hard object in the cockpit.
The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Jaguar Land Rover CEO Mardell to retire at end of 2025
Adrian Mardell, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has decided to retire and leave the automaker after 35 years at the firm. A spokesperson confirmed the news to Autocar Professional India, and added, "His successor will be announced in due course". It's unclear right now whether the automaker's new CEO will come from inside the company, another automaker or supplier, or from outside the industry altogether. Mr Mardell became Jaguar Land Rover's interim CEO at the end of 2022 after his predecessor Thierry Bollore quit suddenly "for personal reasons" after just two years in the job. Mr Mardell signed a three year contract in the middle of 2023. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Prior to becoming CEO, he worked largely on the financial side, was deputy chief financial officer (CFO) from 2008 before later adding chief transformation officer to his responsibilities, and then becoming CFO in 2019. During his relatively short time in charge, Mr Mardell trimmed the company's net debt to around zero, and brought the British automaker back into the black, with the company making a £1.8 billion ($3.7 billion) profit in the year to March 2025. The turnaround has come courtesy of strong sales from the Defender and Range Rover ranges, which have helped the firm achieve a strong profit margin of 8.5 per cent during the previous financial year. After taking control of JLR, Mr Mardell continued his predecessor's Reimagine plan to turn Jaguar into an Bentley-chasing EV-only brand, and introduce mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric drivetrains to Land Rover models. In April 2023 he renamed the firm JLR, and split Land Rover into three new brands — Defender, Discovery and Range Rover — to sit alongside Jaguar. Despite the automaker's rosy-looking financials, there are storm clouds on the horizon. Tariffs, which have seemingly been rising and falling on a daily basis in the US, caused the manufacturer to pause shipments to one of its more important export markets. While many countries are now slapped with a 25 per cent or higher tariff, there's now an agreement with the UK, which sees the first 100,000 cars per year from Britain taxed at just 10 per cent. A deal with the EU for a 10 per cent tariff is nearly complete, which will come as a relief to JLR as the Defender is produced in Slovakia. On top of this, Jaguar's new brand identity and design direction, as previewed by the Type 00 concept, has garnered plenty of attention and caused much gnashing of teeth on the internet. With three production cars set to launch from 2026, it remains to be seen whether the marque's relaunch will be successful, both critically and financially. Mr Mardell's upcoming departure is the latest in a series of leadership upheavals in the automotive industry this year. In March, Volvo hired its former CEO Håkan Samuelsson to lead it once again, and in May, Stellantis ended its long search for a leader by promoting quality boss Antonio Filosa to the top job. More dramatically, in June, Renault CEO Luca de Meo quit to head up the luxury conglomerate behind Gucci. His replacement, procurement chief François Provost, was only confirmed a few days ago. MORE: Everything Land Rover Content originally sourced from: Adrian Mardell, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has decided to retire and leave the automaker after 35 years at the firm. A spokesperson confirmed the news to Autocar Professional India, and added, "His successor will be announced in due course". It's unclear right now whether the automaker's new CEO will come from inside the company, another automaker or supplier, or from outside the industry altogether. Mr Mardell became Jaguar Land Rover's interim CEO at the end of 2022 after his predecessor Thierry Bollore quit suddenly "for personal reasons" after just two years in the job. Mr Mardell signed a three year contract in the middle of 2023. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Prior to becoming CEO, he worked largely on the financial side, was deputy chief financial officer (CFO) from 2008 before later adding chief transformation officer to his responsibilities, and then becoming CFO in 2019. During his relatively short time in charge, Mr Mardell trimmed the company's net debt to around zero, and brought the British automaker back into the black, with the company making a £1.8 billion ($3.7 billion) profit in the year to March 2025. The turnaround has come courtesy of strong sales from the Defender and Range Rover ranges, which have helped the firm achieve a strong profit margin of 8.5 per cent during the previous financial year. After taking control of JLR, Mr Mardell continued his predecessor's Reimagine plan to turn Jaguar into an Bentley-chasing EV-only brand, and introduce mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric drivetrains to Land Rover models. In April 2023 he renamed the firm JLR, and split Land Rover into three new brands — Defender, Discovery and Range Rover — to sit alongside Jaguar. Despite the automaker's rosy-looking financials, there are storm clouds on the horizon. Tariffs, which have seemingly been rising and falling on a daily basis in the US, caused the manufacturer to pause shipments to one of its more important export markets. While many countries are now slapped with a 25 per cent or higher tariff, there's now an agreement with the UK, which sees the first 100,000 cars per year from Britain taxed at just 10 per cent. A deal with the EU for a 10 per cent tariff is nearly complete, which will come as a relief to JLR as the Defender is produced in Slovakia. On top of this, Jaguar's new brand identity and design direction, as previewed by the Type 00 concept, has garnered plenty of attention and caused much gnashing of teeth on the internet. With three production cars set to launch from 2026, it remains to be seen whether the marque's relaunch will be successful, both critically and financially. Mr Mardell's upcoming departure is the latest in a series of leadership upheavals in the automotive industry this year. In March, Volvo hired its former CEO Håkan Samuelsson to lead it once again, and in May, Stellantis ended its long search for a leader by promoting quality boss Antonio Filosa to the top job. More dramatically, in June, Renault CEO Luca de Meo quit to head up the luxury conglomerate behind Gucci. His replacement, procurement chief François Provost, was only confirmed a few days ago. MORE: Everything Land Rover Content originally sourced from: Adrian Mardell, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has decided to retire and leave the automaker after 35 years at the firm. A spokesperson confirmed the news to Autocar Professional India, and added, "His successor will be announced in due course". It's unclear right now whether the automaker's new CEO will come from inside the company, another automaker or supplier, or from outside the industry altogether. Mr Mardell became Jaguar Land Rover's interim CEO at the end of 2022 after his predecessor Thierry Bollore quit suddenly "for personal reasons" after just two years in the job. Mr Mardell signed a three year contract in the middle of 2023. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Prior to becoming CEO, he worked largely on the financial side, was deputy chief financial officer (CFO) from 2008 before later adding chief transformation officer to his responsibilities, and then becoming CFO in 2019. During his relatively short time in charge, Mr Mardell trimmed the company's net debt to around zero, and brought the British automaker back into the black, with the company making a £1.8 billion ($3.7 billion) profit in the year to March 2025. The turnaround has come courtesy of strong sales from the Defender and Range Rover ranges, which have helped the firm achieve a strong profit margin of 8.5 per cent during the previous financial year. After taking control of JLR, Mr Mardell continued his predecessor's Reimagine plan to turn Jaguar into an Bentley-chasing EV-only brand, and introduce mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric drivetrains to Land Rover models. In April 2023 he renamed the firm JLR, and split Land Rover into three new brands — Defender, Discovery and Range Rover — to sit alongside Jaguar. Despite the automaker's rosy-looking financials, there are storm clouds on the horizon. Tariffs, which have seemingly been rising and falling on a daily basis in the US, caused the manufacturer to pause shipments to one of its more important export markets. While many countries are now slapped with a 25 per cent or higher tariff, there's now an agreement with the UK, which sees the first 100,000 cars per year from Britain taxed at just 10 per cent. A deal with the EU for a 10 per cent tariff is nearly complete, which will come as a relief to JLR as the Defender is produced in Slovakia. On top of this, Jaguar's new brand identity and design direction, as previewed by the Type 00 concept, has garnered plenty of attention and caused much gnashing of teeth on the internet. With three production cars set to launch from 2026, it remains to be seen whether the marque's relaunch will be successful, both critically and financially. Mr Mardell's upcoming departure is the latest in a series of leadership upheavals in the automotive industry this year. In March, Volvo hired its former CEO Håkan Samuelsson to lead it once again, and in May, Stellantis ended its long search for a leader by promoting quality boss Antonio Filosa to the top job. More dramatically, in June, Renault CEO Luca de Meo quit to head up the luxury conglomerate behind Gucci. His replacement, procurement chief François Provost, was only confirmed a few days ago. MORE: Everything Land Rover Content originally sourced from: Adrian Mardell, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has decided to retire and leave the automaker after 35 years at the firm. A spokesperson confirmed the news to Autocar Professional India, and added, "His successor will be announced in due course". It's unclear right now whether the automaker's new CEO will come from inside the company, another automaker or supplier, or from outside the industry altogether. Mr Mardell became Jaguar Land Rover's interim CEO at the end of 2022 after his predecessor Thierry Bollore quit suddenly "for personal reasons" after just two years in the job. Mr Mardell signed a three year contract in the middle of 2023. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Prior to becoming CEO, he worked largely on the financial side, was deputy chief financial officer (CFO) from 2008 before later adding chief transformation officer to his responsibilities, and then becoming CFO in 2019. During his relatively short time in charge, Mr Mardell trimmed the company's net debt to around zero, and brought the British automaker back into the black, with the company making a £1.8 billion ($3.7 billion) profit in the year to March 2025. The turnaround has come courtesy of strong sales from the Defender and Range Rover ranges, which have helped the firm achieve a strong profit margin of 8.5 per cent during the previous financial year. After taking control of JLR, Mr Mardell continued his predecessor's Reimagine plan to turn Jaguar into an Bentley-chasing EV-only brand, and introduce mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric drivetrains to Land Rover models. In April 2023 he renamed the firm JLR, and split Land Rover into three new brands — Defender, Discovery and Range Rover — to sit alongside Jaguar. Despite the automaker's rosy-looking financials, there are storm clouds on the horizon. Tariffs, which have seemingly been rising and falling on a daily basis in the US, caused the manufacturer to pause shipments to one of its more important export markets. While many countries are now slapped with a 25 per cent or higher tariff, there's now an agreement with the UK, which sees the first 100,000 cars per year from Britain taxed at just 10 per cent. A deal with the EU for a 10 per cent tariff is nearly complete, which will come as a relief to JLR as the Defender is produced in Slovakia. On top of this, Jaguar's new brand identity and design direction, as previewed by the Type 00 concept, has garnered plenty of attention and caused much gnashing of teeth on the internet. With three production cars set to launch from 2026, it remains to be seen whether the marque's relaunch will be successful, both critically and financially. Mr Mardell's upcoming departure is the latest in a series of leadership upheavals in the automotive industry this year. In March, Volvo hired its former CEO Håkan Samuelsson to lead it once again, and in May, Stellantis ended its long search for a leader by promoting quality boss Antonio Filosa to the top job. More dramatically, in June, Renault CEO Luca de Meo quit to head up the luxury conglomerate behind Gucci. His replacement, procurement chief François Provost, was only confirmed a few days ago. MORE: Everything Land Rover Content originally sourced from:
The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Princess Anne's son next in line for royal wedding
Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne, is engaged to an NHS nurse. The 47-year-old member of the British royal family - whose parents are Captain Mark Phillips and The Princess Royal, the younger sister of King Charles - has announced he is to marry Harriet Sperling after a year of dating with both families overjoyed with the news. "Mr Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips and Ms Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr Rupert Sanders and Mrs Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement," a statement issued on their behalf read. "Both families were informed jointly of the announcement and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement. "Their Majesties The King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales have been informed of the announcement." At the moment there is no official date for the wedding. Peter - who is the nephew of King Charles and was the eldest grandchild of the late queen - was fifth in line to the throne at birth and remained so until the birth of his cousin William, Prince of Wales, in 1982. Peter has two daughters, Savannah and Isla, from his relationship with his ex-wife Autumn Kelly. The pair, who wed in 2008, announced their separation in February 2020 and their divorce was finalised in June 2021. A statement released at the time read: "Whilst this is a sad day for Peter and Autumn, they continue to put the well-being and upbringing of their wonderful daughters Savannah and Isla first and foremost. "Both Peter and Autumn are pleased to have resolved matters amicably with the children firmly at the forefront of those thoughts and decisions. "Peter and Autumn have requested privacy and consideration for their children as the family adapts to a new chapter in their lives." After his separation from Autumn, Peter was in a relationship with Lindsay Wallace for three years. While dating, they attended several royal family events together, including King Charles' Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. Peter and Harriet - who has a daughter, Georgia - first went public as a couple in May 2024 when they were seen at the Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, England. Later that same summer they were seen enjoying Wimbledon sat in the royal box. Harriet has accompanied Peter to numerous events with other members of the royal family such as the Royal Ascot race meet. Peter and Harriet's engagement announcement comes just one day after Princess Diana's niece Lady Eliza Spencer took to Instagram to reveal she had got engaged to her long-time boyfriend Channing Millerd in Santorini, Greece. Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne, is engaged to an NHS nurse. The 47-year-old member of the British royal family - whose parents are Captain Mark Phillips and The Princess Royal, the younger sister of King Charles - has announced he is to marry Harriet Sperling after a year of dating with both families overjoyed with the news. "Mr Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips and Ms Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr Rupert Sanders and Mrs Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement," a statement issued on their behalf read. "Both families were informed jointly of the announcement and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement. "Their Majesties The King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales have been informed of the announcement." At the moment there is no official date for the wedding. Peter - who is the nephew of King Charles and was the eldest grandchild of the late queen - was fifth in line to the throne at birth and remained so until the birth of his cousin William, Prince of Wales, in 1982. Peter has two daughters, Savannah and Isla, from his relationship with his ex-wife Autumn Kelly. The pair, who wed in 2008, announced their separation in February 2020 and their divorce was finalised in June 2021. A statement released at the time read: "Whilst this is a sad day for Peter and Autumn, they continue to put the well-being and upbringing of their wonderful daughters Savannah and Isla first and foremost. "Both Peter and Autumn are pleased to have resolved matters amicably with the children firmly at the forefront of those thoughts and decisions. "Peter and Autumn have requested privacy and consideration for their children as the family adapts to a new chapter in their lives." After his separation from Autumn, Peter was in a relationship with Lindsay Wallace for three years. While dating, they attended several royal family events together, including King Charles' Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. Peter and Harriet - who has a daughter, Georgia - first went public as a couple in May 2024 when they were seen at the Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, England. Later that same summer they were seen enjoying Wimbledon sat in the royal box. Harriet has accompanied Peter to numerous events with other members of the royal family such as the Royal Ascot race meet. Peter and Harriet's engagement announcement comes just one day after Princess Diana's niece Lady Eliza Spencer took to Instagram to reveal she had got engaged to her long-time boyfriend Channing Millerd in Santorini, Greece. Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne, is engaged to an NHS nurse. The 47-year-old member of the British royal family - whose parents are Captain Mark Phillips and The Princess Royal, the younger sister of King Charles - has announced he is to marry Harriet Sperling after a year of dating with both families overjoyed with the news. "Mr Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips and Ms Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr Rupert Sanders and Mrs Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement," a statement issued on their behalf read. "Both families were informed jointly of the announcement and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement. "Their Majesties The King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales have been informed of the announcement." At the moment there is no official date for the wedding. Peter - who is the nephew of King Charles and was the eldest grandchild of the late queen - was fifth in line to the throne at birth and remained so until the birth of his cousin William, Prince of Wales, in 1982. Peter has two daughters, Savannah and Isla, from his relationship with his ex-wife Autumn Kelly. The pair, who wed in 2008, announced their separation in February 2020 and their divorce was finalised in June 2021. A statement released at the time read: "Whilst this is a sad day for Peter and Autumn, they continue to put the well-being and upbringing of their wonderful daughters Savannah and Isla first and foremost. "Both Peter and Autumn are pleased to have resolved matters amicably with the children firmly at the forefront of those thoughts and decisions. "Peter and Autumn have requested privacy and consideration for their children as the family adapts to a new chapter in their lives." After his separation from Autumn, Peter was in a relationship with Lindsay Wallace for three years. While dating, they attended several royal family events together, including King Charles' Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. Peter and Harriet - who has a daughter, Georgia - first went public as a couple in May 2024 when they were seen at the Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, England. Later that same summer they were seen enjoying Wimbledon sat in the royal box. Harriet has accompanied Peter to numerous events with other members of the royal family such as the Royal Ascot race meet. Peter and Harriet's engagement announcement comes just one day after Princess Diana's niece Lady Eliza Spencer took to Instagram to reveal she had got engaged to her long-time boyfriend Channing Millerd in Santorini, Greece. Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne, is engaged to an NHS nurse. The 47-year-old member of the British royal family - whose parents are Captain Mark Phillips and The Princess Royal, the younger sister of King Charles - has announced he is to marry Harriet Sperling after a year of dating with both families overjoyed with the news. "Mr Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips and Ms Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr Rupert Sanders and Mrs Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement," a statement issued on their behalf read. "Both families were informed jointly of the announcement and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement. "Their Majesties The King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales have been informed of the announcement." At the moment there is no official date for the wedding. Peter - who is the nephew of King Charles and was the eldest grandchild of the late queen - was fifth in line to the throne at birth and remained so until the birth of his cousin William, Prince of Wales, in 1982. Peter has two daughters, Savannah and Isla, from his relationship with his ex-wife Autumn Kelly. The pair, who wed in 2008, announced their separation in February 2020 and their divorce was finalised in June 2021. A statement released at the time read: "Whilst this is a sad day for Peter and Autumn, they continue to put the well-being and upbringing of their wonderful daughters Savannah and Isla first and foremost. "Both Peter and Autumn are pleased to have resolved matters amicably with the children firmly at the forefront of those thoughts and decisions. "Peter and Autumn have requested privacy and consideration for their children as the family adapts to a new chapter in their lives." After his separation from Autumn, Peter was in a relationship with Lindsay Wallace for three years. While dating, they attended several royal family events together, including King Charles' Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. Peter and Harriet - who has a daughter, Georgia - first went public as a couple in May 2024 when they were seen at the Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, England. Later that same summer they were seen enjoying Wimbledon sat in the royal box. Harriet has accompanied Peter to numerous events with other members of the royal family such as the Royal Ascot race meet. Peter and Harriet's engagement announcement comes just one day after Princess Diana's niece Lady Eliza Spencer took to Instagram to reveal she had got engaged to her long-time boyfriend Channing Millerd in Santorini, Greece.
