Latest news with #Elisha
NZ Herald
12-05-2025
- NZ Herald
North Stradbroke Island: Minjerribah is the most eye-opening island adventure you've never heard of
Stradbroke Flyer and Sealink both operate 50-odd minute water taxi, passenger, and vehicle ferry services to the island. All depart from Toondah Harbour, Cleveland (on the Brisbane mainland), and go directly to the small port town of Dunwich, North Stradbroke Island. I took the Sealink car ferry because a vehicle is a handy commodity due to the 275.2 sq km island and, once onboard, enjoyed the incredible coastal vistas from the deck. A warm welcome The charming town of Dunwich may be small, but it's packed with personality. It's got everything you'd need, like a health centre and a food mart, as well as cool little cafes and craft shops selling authentic Aboriginal art. One of them is the studio of Quandamooka (the Aboriginal people of Minjerribah) artist Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, who utilises the natural surroundings of her home to create beautiful works based on the traditional art form of her people. Cockatoo-Collins has an impressive resume and an even bigger heart, apparent when we discussed her mission to champion Aboriginal artists and art on the world stage. When walking the streets, don't forget to say hi to the other friendly locals, who are always willing to tell you about the island and what makes it so special. Shack up by the beach Wanting a place just across from the ocean? Look no further than the Allure Stradbroke Resort. A 20-minute drive from Dunwich, the resort's self-contained beach shacks are perfect for those who want to soak up the island vibes. Perfectly situated by the picturesque Cylinder Beach and just shy of the small settlement of Point Lookout, the shacks are walking distance to many dining and shopping options with distinct island flair. My loft-style unit contained everything I needed and more, including a small fully stocked kitchen and outdoor patio with a BBQ. The resort also has an in-house restaurant where you can get a hearty brunch, plus a pool for when the beach is too rough. If you're looking for other great places for a bite (and a brew), don't miss the Stradbroke Hotel up the road for a fantastic night watching the footy, slamming back a delicious prawn pizza, or even dancing the night away because this place knows how to party after dark. The tour of a lifetime In all my years of travelling, I've never had a more authentic and enjoyable tour experience than my one with Elisha, the proud Quandamooka woman behind Yura Tours. Forget the pretentious storytelling and awkward periods of standing around, this was an authentic local adventure of epic proportions from someone who lives and breathes the culture. During the three-hour trek, you'll traverse the island in one of Elisha's hulking utes as she shows you the hidden highlights of the island. We started at the Point Lookout (Berarngutta) walking track, where Elisha explained how her people have lived off the land for generations and picked some plants and herbs for us to try. Any questions, no matter how silly, Elisha answered, and the conversational nature of the tour was a highlight in an unfamiliar territory. After spotting some wild kangaroos and even some beautiful sea turtles, it was time to lunch at the Six Beaches Fish Grill and Bar, a locally owned joint with stellar views of the rugged coast and unbelievably tender grilled snapper. An off-road drive on the seamlessly never-ending Main Beach also saw Elisha run into her brother-in-law, and legendary Aussie bloke collecting black coral for handmade jewellery. Advertise with NZME. We also spotted a sea eagle perched high on a branch as we made our way to the famous Brown Lake (Bummiera). Described as a 'natural day spa,' the melaleuca and tea-tree bushland surrounding the lake has both given it a distinct brown look and blessed it with natural healing properties (think the mud pools in Rotorua-type vibe). Don't skip rubbing the quartz sand on your hands to feel some of the lake's revitalising properties. An ancient midden was our last stop, but a surprise interruption became one of the most incredible things I've ever witnessed. A koala sat stationary in the middle of the road, blocking our path, initially not looking like it was in a good state. In the pouring rain, Elisha and I wrapped it in a jacket and shepherded it off the road until the island's animal team came to take it away for assessment. Sopping wet, but with a full heart and belly, I returned to my shack and reflected on the incredible day. You truly won't get an experience like you do on Straddie anywhere else in the world, so even if just for a day, make sure you break from the big city and give it a go.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fake negative online reviews damages small Austin business
The Brief A small Austin business owner said fake online reviews are hurting his business and reputation An expert spoke out about how to address the fake reviews online 7 On Your Side reached out to Google on the matter AUSTIN, Texas - An Austin small business owner says he has taken a major financial hit thanks to fake online reviews that he says have damaged his reputation. It's a problem that experts say is on the rise. Fake reviews damage Austin small business Local perspective Kobi Elisha has been in the locksmith business for more than 10 years. "I do all the business correctly. I give very good customer service to people," said Elisha. That good service, he says, would translate to positive online reviews, until about a year and a half ago. "Five stars on Google and I started to go down, and down, and down," said Elisha. Elisha, who is from Israel, says he noticed an uptick in negative reviews after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. "One day I woke up in the morning and I got one after one, one after one," said Elisha. One-star reviews came in by the dozens on his Google Guaranteed page, a platform which features only verified businesses. And they haven't stopped. Some in just the past few weeks include: "First and last time for me at this professional. Run away quick quick quick." "Company not very serious and which cares little about the result. "Incompetent. Avoid at all cost." "I would not recommend this company to my worst enemy." Expert weighs in Local perspective "I'm scrolling down and scrolling down and it's all within two weeks and that's just not realistic that a business had this many bad reviews in two weeks," said Devin Benavides of the Better Business Bureau Serving the Heart of Texas. Benavides says these reviews are clearly fake. "Definitely this is a scammer or even worse, maybe the competition is just trying to make them look bad," said Benavides. She recommends business owners being targeted by fake reviews address them online, but do it calmly. "Maybe don't go through every single one and say 'this is fake, this is a fake'. Maybe just make a blanket statement on there and say, 'we're aware of these fake reviews'," said Benavides. It's also a good idea to frequently check reviews, use the platform's official reporting tools to report fake ones, and document evidence of them. What's next Elisha says he's reached out to Google several times to try to get the fake reviews taken down, but he's gotten the runaround. "Anytime I call Google, they tell me to send an email. I send them an email, and [they say] you need to wait like two weeks. I wait two weeks," said Elisha. In the meantime, she says the phony bad reviews, now in the hundreds, have hurt his business, and his reputation. "My real customers see all the negative reviews," said Elisha. The BBB says that's why customers should learn how to spot fake reviews, by looking for red flags, like vague language, many reviews within a short amount of time, and profiles with no picture or generic-sounding names. "I would just say, yes, look at the reviews, but don't make that your gospel," said Benavides. "You know, do some additional research." You can find reviews of accredited businesses on the Better Business Bureau's website. For more on how to spot a fake review, click here. 7 On Your Side reached out to Google about Kobi Elisha's situation, but has not heard back. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's John Krinjak
Free Malaysia Today
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Call for harsher cyberbullying laws renewed after TikTok harassment
Public Health And Welfare Association of Malaysia founder Elisha Kor Krishnan slammed TikTok for failing to identify that the transgender TikTok user was being cyberbullied. PETALING JAYA : An NGO has renewed calls for the government to introduce harsher laws against cyberbullying after a transgender was purportedly harassed by viewers during a TikTok livestream. Public Health And Welfare Association of Malaysia founder Elisha Kor Krishnan said existing laws such as the Penal Code, Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Defamation Act 1957 were insufficient to deal with the cruelty of online hate. She warned that failing to protect victims of cyberbullying and come down hard on perpetrators could lead to psychological effects on the victims. In a statement, Elisha also slammed TikTok for failing to identify that the transgender TikTok user was being cyberbullied, as the purportedly abusive comments were made in Tamil. 'Hate speech, death wishes, and verbal harassment go undetected simply because the language is not captioned, flagged or understood by the system. 'The time has come for a dedicated law that recognises cyberbullying for what it truly is: violence. We call on the government to enact and enforce stronger laws against cyberbullying – particularly those that cause psychological harm and target vulnerable groups,' she said. Elisha added that the case involving the TikTok user was not isolated but a part of a growing trend of cyberbullying aimed at marginalised communities in Malaysia, such as transgenders. Last year, lawyers and activists called for tougher laws to be enacted to clamp down on cyberbullying after the death of a social media influencer. Criminal lawyer R Sivahnanthan said the lack of a specific law for cyberbullying created a perception that it was not a serious crime, while Alliance For A Safe Community chairman Lee Lam Thye said the imposition of a small fine was unlikely to be a deterrent. This came after P Shalini, 35, was handed a RM100 fine after pleading guilty to one charge of insulting TikTok influencer A Rajeswary. She was charged under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955, which provides for a maximum fine of RM100. Rajeswary, 29, was found dead at her home in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, on July 5. Also known as Esha, she had filed a police report against two individuals, claiming they had harassed her on TikTok.
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Story of Goa told by Goans
For Elisha D'Souza, a photographer and student of arts, this was an opportunity to tell a story, one of the many that was narrated to her by xapai (grandfather). It goes like this. A famous trading voyager named Inacio de Vales, set sail from Portuguese-occupied Goa to the Philippines, where his crew noticed craftsmen fixing large oyster shells to window frames. Inacio remembered that the king had announced a reward for the best idea to replace glass, as it was very expensive. He returned to Portuguese Goa, met the king, and presented the idea of using these shells. The king was impressed and instructed the fisherfolk to start collecting these shells in large quantities. Over the years, in Bardez, Ilhas, and Salcette, the houses of the wealthy upper class featured traditional windowpanes and crafts made from these shells. Elisha's story, The Oyster Shell Window Panes, done along with collaborator Bhawana Jain, a photographer-researcher, is one of 18 stories that are part of an online exhibition titled Goa Water Stories that went live last month. The exhibition is an initiative of the Living Waters Museum to bring to the fore stories told by locals of their own experiences with water and how it has changed over time. The Living Waters Museum is a hybrid museum that engages youth in visualising water heritage and re-imagining sustainable, inclusive, and equitable water futures through the power of storytelling and technology by co-building a digital repository as a source of learning for the future. The Goa Water Stories came about when the Living Waters Museum offered a fellowship, Flowing Rivers, in 2022. World Wildlife Fund-India came on board as a partner on urban waterscapes and thus, digital exhibitions were created on Mumbai, Pune, Jodhpur, Kolkata, and now Goa. In March 2023, an open call for stories from Goa sought research on water, ecology, climate change, and its impact on local communities. Each selected fellow had about eight months which included a mentoring and skill-sharing process, to create media-rich multimedia content, encompassing text, images, audio, and video. The resulting digital archive, metadata-tagged, geo-tagged, and translated into English, with further auto-translation enabled for additional languages, is now community-curated. Through this online archive, users can engage with multi-narrative storytelling, explore and learn from these experiences, and connect with the environment and communities on the ground. For centuries, windowpane oyster shells adorned upper caste Goan homes giving their windows the unique look. The practise was banned because the species is now threatened. For Elisha, this was an opportunity to not just conserve a childhood memory but to also 'conserve the memory and pass down the knowledge of these cultural markers to the coming generations, who will not know of the importance." 'The species of oysters that are found in the Zuari bay is itself threatened by industrialisation, the marina and other threats. There is nothing to replace it and even though some are using imitation plastic shells, they do not offer the same ventilation and breezy atmosphere that the oyster shells brought alongside privacy,' she said. 'We wanted to bring out the stories of Goa told by Goans, with a focus on otherwise unheard voices through visual storytelling towards building an online interactive and immersive archive,' Wenceslaus 'Wency' Mendes, the programme's curator said. They include stories revolving around the otters of Goa's rivers, the state's salt pans, the mangrove ecosystems, the Mhadei River, the state's biodiversity rich plateaus, traditional wells as well as tourism's impact on villages like Morjim and Anjuna and several others. 'When I went to Anjuna, which I did after a gap of many years, I was shocked at the state of the beach,' Saachi D'Souza, whose story, Where is Anjuna, examines the ecological impact of development along the shoreline of Anjuna, said. 'The beach is completely eroded, what's left is littered with construction debris, there's barely any space left for fishing -- all this in the place considered the birthplace of Goa's tourism dating back to the hippie era -- a tourism that's disinterested in local culture,' D'Souza said. According to Mendes these interdisciplinary multimedia projects present hyperlocal narratives striving to amplify voices from the ground, that are traditionally repositories of oral traditions and community knowledge. 'These ethno-technologies and intangible cultural heritage have played a crucial role in preserving ecologies and enabling sustainable community living,' Mendes said. 'The media objects produced by the cohort include illustrations, photographs, texts, videos, audio recordings, and maps. This initiative aims to raise awareness of Goa's diverse water heritage and promote sustainable and equitable solutions for managing shared water resources for future generations,' Mendes said. As part of the project, the chosen researchers were asked to understand concerns related to water and climate change, their effects on livelihoods and the environment and conservation efforts. The stories that emerged were linked to the Western Ghats, the monsoon water cycle and watershed, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, tanks, wells, the khazan lands, and the coastal ecosystem.
