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Hamlet: Experience the epic tragedy reimagined

<p>Brett Dean and Matthew Jocelyn’s <em>Hamlet</em> has been one of the most universally applauded operas in recent memory, with successful performances at the Glyndebourne Festival, the Adelaide Festival, New York's Metropolitan Opera and the Bavarian State Opera. </p> <p>Now Opera Australia’s production of the incredible adaptation at the Sydney Opera House continues to bring new life to Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy. With its rich storytelling, the opera masterfully combines the profound themes of betrayal, revenge and madness with stunning musical compositions – but with a huge difference. </p> <p>For those familiar with Shakespeare’s work, this version of <em>Hamlet</em> provides a fresh perspective, blending the traditional elements of the play with operatic expression skilfully applied by Australian composer Brett Dean and Canadian librettist Matthew Jocelyn. </p> <p>Over60 was fortunate enough to secure an interview with librettist Matthew Jocelyn about his experience in adapting one of the world’s most famous plays into an opera.</p> <p><em><strong>O60: Firstly, by way of an introduction, you’re a director and librettist – can you summarise your career and your current roles?  </strong></em></p> <p><strong>Matthew:</strong> “I have led a particularly speckled career, navigating happily between directing theatre and opera, writing, teaching, running arts institutions in France and Canada, and walking. I always look forward to more of the latter. Right now I direct Koffler Arts, a gallery and multi-disciplinary arts project in Toronto, Canada, the first time I have had the opportunity to work directly with visual arts projects.”  </p> <p><em><strong>O60: How did you get involved with working on this production of Hamlet? Was this a project you’d be looking for or did an offer come as a surprise? Had you done a lot of work with Shakespeare works before this project?</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Matthew:</strong> “Brett Dean contacted me in 2013, through the recommendation of a couple of mutual friends in Berlin, a composer and a singer – both of whom I had worked with on a new opera in 2010. Brett was looking for someone crazy enough to embark on a project of adapting Hamlet for the opera. It was a cold call, but after a few conversations it was clear we shared similar ideas about what the opera could look like, and how to go about it.”   </p> <p><em><strong>O60: How did you approach turning Shakespeare’s famous lines into an opera? Did you write the libretto first or did Brett write the music first? Did you feel pressure making changes to the great Bard’s iconic piece? </strong></em></p> <p><strong>Matthew:</strong> “One of the most important decisions we made very early on was to use only Shakespeare’s own words to compose the libretto. But as three different versions of Hamlet were published during Shakespeare’s lifetime, or shortly after he died, there is no one definitive version – giving us both a multitude of choices for various lines, but also a deep sense that Shakespeare himself was continually rewriting his own text, giving us licence to continue doing the same. </p> <p>“The other major decision was to give ourselves freedom in who would say/sing each line. In our version, Hamlet may sing lines from Laertes or Ophelia, Ophelia sings lines from Polonius, Hamlet and Gertrude, lines get moved from one scene to another, and certain scenes appear in unexpected places for those who know the play. But at the end of the day – and this was the goal – the story is clear, and the emotions strong.”  </p> <p><em><strong>O60: You’ve collaborated with Brett Dean on other projects. What do you like about working with this Australian composer? Do you have future plans for work in Australia?</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Matthew:</strong> "Brett and I worked on numerous projects over a nearly ten-year period. This included chamber works, works for large orchestra with solo voices, and this opera. It was a rich and productive collaboration – with deeply thoughtful exchanges and a shared sense of play. Now we are both working on separate projects.” </p> <p><em><strong>O60: What are your current projects / what’s coming up in the future?</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Matthew:</strong> “I am writing the libretto for a couple of new operas right now – one in Canada, one in France. And my most recent project, Cassandra by Belgian composer Bernard Foccoulle, will be performed at the Berlin Stadtsoper in June, 2025, after opening at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels last autumn. Reconceiving Koffler Arts is also a bit of a passion project – I’m very lucky that way.”</p> <p>Attending Opera Australia’s Hamlet is not just a night out but an opportunity to witness a masterful adaptation of a classic story. Whether you’re a seasoned opera lover or new to the genre, this production promises to be an enthralling experience. Don’t miss the chance to see this exceptional interpretation of Hamlet and immerse yourself in the beauty and drama of opera at its finest. Visit <a href="https://opera.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://opera.org.au/</a> for more info.</p> <p><em>Images: Opera Australia \ Tony Hauser</em></p>

Music

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Dean Heasman's grandmother breaks silence after deadly house fire

<p>The estranged and terminally-ill grandmother of the man allegedly responsible for lighting a house fire that killed three of his children has spoken out in the wake of the tragedy. </p> <p>In the early hours of Sunday morning, neighbours raised the alarm after spotting the fire in a family home in the suburb of Lalor Park, with firefighters arriving on the scene in six minutes to battle what neighbours called an "intense" <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/three-children-dead-after-allegedly-being-forced-into-house-fire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blaze</a>. </p> <p>Two boys aged three and six years old were given CPR on the street but could not be revived, and a 10-month-old baby girl was also found dead inside the home.</p> <p>The children's father, Dean Heasman, has since been arrested over the deaths of the children, with police treating the tragedy as a domestic violence attack.</p> <p>Now, Heasman's grandmother, 82-year-old Neryle Heasman, told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13610539/Lalor-Park-house-fire-dean-heasman.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Daily Mail Australia</em></a> she knew her grandson Dean as "a nice child" but said she had been estranged from him in recent years.</p> <p>"I didn't have a lot to do with him since his father, my son also named Dean, passed away," she said.</p> <p>"On the odd occasion I saw him, I remember him being a nice child."</p> <p>Mrs Heasman, who is receiving home palliative care for terminal lung cancer and has six months to live, said she had not met her great-grandchildren.</p> <p>"I have kept up with his family through photos on Facebook," she said.</p> <p>But she was stunned to discover he was at the centre of the police investigation into the deadly fire, asking <em>Daily Mail Australia</em>, "Are you sure we're talking about the same Dean?"</p> <p>A 29-year-old woman, a nine-year-old girl, and three boys aged four, seven and 11 were also in the house during the blaze, but escaped and were rushed to Westmead hospital. </p> <p>Investigators are now trying to determine what caused the blaze, with reports claiming that Heasman threw a pillow on fire at his partner, which was partially responsible for starting the fire. </p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News / Daily Mail Australia </em></p>

Legal

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Dean Jones’ daughter’s touching wedding tribute to her late father

<p>The daughter of late cricket legend Dean Jones has paid a special tribute to him on her wedding day. </p> <p>Phoebe Jones, one of the cricketer’s three children, tied the knot with partner Dario Gomez on the island paradise of Boracay in the Philippines last Wednesday.</p> <p>As a tribute to her late father, Phoebe had the number 324 embroidered at the end of her veil. </p> <p>Dean was a batter and the 324th person selected to play Test cricket for Australia. He was inducted to the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2019. </p> <p>“Feeling all the love after the week of our dreams,”  she captioned the photos posted to Instagram on Saturday.</p> <p>The wedding had a white theme and featured a stunning sand sculpture with the words “Dario &amp; Phoebe wedding, 24 April 2024."</p> <p>“The most beautiful week celebrating Mr &amp; Mrs Gomez, so many smiles, tears and everlasting memories,” h<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">er sister and bridesmaid Augusta wrote in the comments. </span></p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Pe7peS8DD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Pe7peS8DD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Phoebe Jones (@phoebejones.xo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Dean tragically passed away on September 24, 2020 aged just 59, after he suffered a stroke while travelling in India as part of his IPL commentary duties. </p> <p>The cricket legend was farewelled at a private family service at the MCG on October 7, 2020. </p> <p>“We have been deeply moved by the outpouring of love for Dean over the last week and can’t thank everyone enough for their support and for sharing their memories with us,” his wife Jane said at the time. </p> <p>“It has been an awful time to navigate as a family, but I could not have thought of a more fitting place to say goodbye to my husband.”</p> <p>He was also honoured  on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test against India in 2020. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Home and Away star jailed for violent assault

<p>Former <em>Home and Away</em> star Felix Dean has been jailed for a violent assault, in which he attacked three people, tried to steal a car and used a wine bottle as a weapon. </p> <p>The 26-year-old appeared in Sydney Downing Centre Local Court via video link on Monday where he pleaded guilty to assault with intention to rob, three counts of common assault, and breaching a previous court order.</p> <p>The court heard he was using drugs and “heavily intoxicated” when he approached a stranger for “unclear reasons” outside a restaurant in Newtown, in Sydney’s inner west, earlier this year. </p> <p>Dean, who shot to fame portraying the young character VJ Patterson on the hit show <em>Home and Away</em>, then became engaged in a violent altercation with two people on the street. </p> <p>Just a few weeks later, Dean then tried to steal a man’s luxury car while wielding a wine bottle as a weapon in the suburb of Botany. </p> <p>His lawyer Phoebe MacDougall told the court on Monday Dean didn’t dispute the facts of the offences, given he was under the influence when they occurred. </p> <p>“He largely doesn’t remember the events, given the drugs he was on at the time, being meth and alcohol,” she said.</p> <p>Ms MacDougall explained the former child actor had become addicted to illicit drugs following a traumatic event at school which “significantly altered his personality during his formative years”. </p> <p>In a statement provided to NCA NewsWire, Dean explained he “resorted to drugs to cope with strong emotions” following the disturbing occurrence at school. </p> <p>“Not only dealing with that, but I was also living on the streets, with the shame of knowing I was recognised because of my time as an actor on TV,” he said.</p> <p>Ms MacDougall said Dean was very encouraged by the prospect of engaging in rehabilitation and had tried to enrol himself in a custodial program.</p> <p>However, given the seriousness of Dean's criminal record, he was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of one year. </p> <p>“I want to apologise to the many people I have hurt and to my mother who has stood by me,” Dean continued in his statement.</p> <p>The former child actor maintained his time on hit soap opera<em> Home and Away</em> had been a “positive experience” but admitted he continues to struggle with the fallout of fame.</p> <p>“Ten years on, when even the character has been replaced by multiple actors, I am trying my best to overcome the challenges I have outside of the show,” he said.</p> <p>“I wish nothing more than to be afforded the opportunity to do so without the scrutiny of the public and the media.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven / Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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The Bachelor star's stunning regional wedding

<p><em>The Bachelor's </em>Cass Wood has officially tied the knot with her longtime fiancé Tyson Davis in a beautiful outdoor wedding at Sea Cliffe house in Gerringong. </p> <p>The reality star, who featured in season six of <em>The Bachelor </em>alongside Nick Cummins, took to Instagram to share the stunning photos of the ceremony. </p> <p>"Mr & Mrs Davis - 02.09.23," she captioned the series of photos. </p> <p>In one photo, Cass was glowing with happiness as she looked lovingly at the groom, moments before they shared their vows. </p> <p>The beautiful bride donned an off-the-shoulder gown embellished with crystal jewels and floral detailing that looked straight out of a fairytale. </p> <p>She complimented the look with a simple veil and a natural glam make-up look with her long blonde hair in loose waves. </p> <p>The dashing groom rocked a black velvet tuxedo jacket and bow-tie. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwuSSb2P_nj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwuSSb2P_nj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Cassandra Wood 🌹 (@casswood)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The bride could not hide her tears of joy when she first spotted her equally smitten groom as she walked down the aisle. </p> <p>They also shared a few pictures of them sharing a kiss and pouring the drinks on the champagne tower. </p> <p>The pair also treated their guests to an oyster bar at the reception. </p> <p>The newlyweds were flooded with an outpouring of love from friends fans in their comments. </p> <p>"Congratulations beautiful," <em>Bachelor</em> star, Alex Nation, wrote.</p> <p>"Oh my goodness a real life fairytale!! Congratulations gorgeous girl ❤️" commented one fan. </p> <p>"Congratulations ❤️ you look like a princess," wrote another. </p> <p>"Absolutely stunning. The love for each other is evident," commented a third. </p> <p><em>Bachelor</em> stars' Brittany Hockley and Natalie Roser, also shared their well wishes to the couple. </p> <p>"Congratulations you two, absolute angel," Brittany wrote. </p> <p>"Congratulations beauty. Looks so so perfect," added Natalie. </p> <p>The couple officially got engaged on Christmas Eve last December, after rekindling their romance in 2019 after Cass returned from filming in Fiji. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Widow of late cricket legend Dean Jones’ lists their family home

<p dir="ltr">The family home of the late cricketing legend Dean Jones has been listed for sale by his wife Jane. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Macedon Ranges property where late Australian cricketer, coach and commentator lived with his family has been listed by his wife, Jane Jones with price hopes of $2.4 million. </p> <p dir="ltr">The batsman resided at the<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-romsey-142041376"> 9-13 William St, Romsey</a>, estate for over 30 years with his wife and their two daughters, Phoebe and Isabella, before his tragic death in 2020.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Jones said her husband always enjoyed coming back to the tranquil property after the “hustle and bustle of cricket life”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“With the amount of travelling he did, he had a big career overseas in India and Pakistan so he wasn’t home very much,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But when he did come home he just loved the country lifestyle and kicking back and relaxing after being on the road for eight months of the year.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The sprawling 3501sq m property has a history dating back to 1900 when it was built by the local White family, who were one of three owners of the estate over its lifetime.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jellis Craig Woodend agent Leanne Pearman said the property also had “beautiful oak trees” in the backyard which were planted in the 1890s and were now heritage listed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Over the Jones’ 33 years in the four-bedroom house, Jane completed and oversaw many renovations including upgrades to the kitchen and bathrooms.</p> <p dir="ltr">There are also seven original fireplaces throughout, plus glass doors leading to an indoor heated swimming pool with a sauna and a gym, all opening to the outdoor kitchen and terrace.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: realestate.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

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Woman marries ex-boyfriend’s dad

<p dir="ltr">A woman who married her ex-boyfriend’s father in which there is a 24-year age gap has spoken out about how the exciting relationship came to be. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sydney Dean, 27, from Ohio was only in year 6 when she met her childhood boyfriend’s dad, Paul.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately, the relationship came to an end but Sydney and Paul’s son remained friends until he got another girlfriend in high school. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sydney felt like a third wheel and ended up speaking to Paul who she never “expected to fall in love with”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair began dating when Sydney turned 16, the legal age of consent in the state of Ohio before Paul proposed in 2016. </p> <p dir="ltr">It was difficult for the loved up couple to explain to family and friends that their relationship was real.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My mum already knew who Paul was and, from the few times they have talked, they got along just fine,” Sydney told Jam Press.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But when I first told my mum that we were together, she was not happy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The age gap really got to her and it stayed that way for about a year [until] eventually she came around.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Sydney’s parents eventually grew to love Paul, with her mother visiting “all the time”. </p> <p dir="ltr">But it was rough on Paul’s youngest son who already “knew” Sydney who took the news the hardest.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He didn’t agree with the relationship for a couple of years,” Sydney said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But now that we are married, he supports us being together.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He comes over with his girlfriend and their three children every other weekend just to hang out.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Sydney is hoping that her love story removes the stigma toward relationships with big age gaps. </p> <p dir="ltr">She said that Paul “is the best husband” and he treats her well. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7News/Jam Press</em></p>

Relationships

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Olympic legend delivers his own eulogy

<p>Mourners were brought to tears during the emotional funeral for Australian Olympic legend Dean Woods, who delivered his own eulogy. </p> <p>The track cyclist died in early March after a long battle with lung cancer at 55 years old. </p> <p>Knowing his fate, the sportsman and father decided to address his wife and children, along with the congregation at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre, in a pre-recorded message while wearing the same suit he was to be buried in. </p> <p>His wife and three kids has not previously seen the video before it was shown at the funeral, resulting in emotional scenes for the family. </p> <p>"I'm well prepared, even though I'm in the box in front of you," he said.</p> <p>"This will be the suit I'll be put in the box in. (I've) even got the torch ... in there just in case it gets dark."</p> <p>"Now for me, to say to Meagan and the kids that I'm going out for a two hour ride, and not coming back - now that's a tragedy."</p> <p>Speaking to the <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a&amp;dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fleader%2Falbury-wodonga%2Fdean-woods-olympic-legend-brings-audience-to-tears-with-selfread-eulogy%2Fnews-story%2F4bae63017940783605fe46082b383f9e&amp;memtype=anonymous&amp;mode=premium&amp;v21=dynamic-warm-control-score&amp;V21spcbehaviour=append" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald Sun</a>, Dean's widow Meagan said her and her kids were "devastated".</p> <p>She said, "We're going home tomorrow and I think that's when the reality will hit. Especially for myself and the girls, because we have had such a wonderful distraction."</p> <p>"I think once we get back home and into the swing of things, the silence will be deafening."</p> <p>Dean's service began with footage of Woods and his teammates clinching gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and ended with a tribute from Meagan, his wife of 28 years. </p> <p><strong>Extract of Dean Woods' eulogy</strong></p> <p>"Hello ladies and gentlemen … it's a bit of a sad occasion.</p> <p>I've had a pretty extraordinary life, it's pretty hard for anyone to document that in a simple form, so the best person to do it is me.</p> <p>First of all, today is a sad day, but for me this is just my process with the whole cancer deal.</p> <p>It's not a tragedy, and I saw that for the reason I've spent so much time riding my bike throughout the world, had a lot of near misses, but never had any serious accidents.</p> <p>Now for me, to say to Meagan and the kids that I'm going out for a two hour ride, and not coming back – now that's a tragedy, because everything was fine.</p> <p>I've been fortunate enough, and I do say fortunate enough, to be able to have the time to put a few things in place, to get a few things sorted.</p> <p>Even though, two years ago when I was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer … So the main issue was in the lungs.</p> <p>Which, when you consider someone who's spent 40 years with their lungs in their profession keeping you fit and healthy, it's just one of those things.</p> <p>But I've never once and never will say: 'Why me? Why me?'</p> <p>It's not who I am, and it's not the way to deal with it.</p> <p>It's like if I won 50 billion in the Lotto, would I be saying: 'Why me? Why me?'</p> <p>Absolutely not. So you take the goods with the bads. And that's what I've been able to do.</p> <p>I owe a massive amount of what I know to high performance sport.</p> <p>I've been fortunate enough to be able to put myself through many arduous situations.</p> <p>And you still have that commitment to keep going.</p> <p>There's never that moment you want to stop, even though it does creep in, but you know there's an end goal.</p> <p>And the end goal is to keep going and push through.</p> <p>So even from a young age I've been very fortunate to have those experiences which have served me really well in my two terms of cancer."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Dean Woods</em></p>

Caring

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Voicemail and a car crash: How Tiger Woods’ cheating scandal emerged

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite becoming the first athlete to make $USD 1 billion in 2009, it was also the year that saw Tiger Woods’ life crumble around him as </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/tiger-woods-cheating-scandal-details-elin-nordegren-what-happened-explainer/b93a94da-8d22-4398-a9d3-2c4d58a26c11" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">it was revealed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> he had been cheating on his wife Elin Nordegren with multiple women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In November of that year, tabloids reported on Woods’ affair with nightclub manager Rachel Uchitel. Several days later, he crashed his car outside his Florida mansion at 2am, with rumours emerging that he had tried to flee after being confronted by Nordegren.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the news of his crash, reports of his infidelity continued to surface from a number of women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some outlets also reported that Nordegren made the discovery while looking at Woods’ phone.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A voicemail allegedly left by Woods for one of the women he was seeing was later published by </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">US Weekly</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hey, it’s Tiger,” a man said in the message. “I need you to do me a huge favour. Can you please take your name off your phone? My wife went through my phone and may be calling you.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Woods initially denied the claims, he later admitted they were true and apologised.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the next few months, women continued to come forward with claims of sleeping with Woods during his eight-year relationship with Nordegren.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He would go on to speak about the situation and share new details at a press conference several months later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was unfaithful, I had affairs and I cheated. What I did was unacceptable,” he said at the time.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A year later, Woods and Nordegren announced they would be getting a divorce.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Daily Beast</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the couple had a prenuptial agreement that would see Nordegren receive $20 million after 10 years of marriage.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Woods allegedly tried to negotiate their existing prenup to get Nordegren to stay – allegedly including an immediate $5 million payment and an added $55 million to the original value - the divorce was finalised. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to TMZ, she received $USD 100 million ($AUD 129 million or $NZD 106 million).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite their marriage ending, Woods and Nordegren have maintained a good relationship.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The former couple share two children: Sam Alexis, 14, and Charlie Axel, 12.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We communicate so much better now, it’s incredible,” Woods told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">US Weekly</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in 2019. “I wish we would have done that earlier on, but it’s been incredible to have a best friend like that.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Relationships

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Tiger Woods' secret Kiwi home hits the market

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An estate on the Kāpiti Coast, to the north of Wellington, which has been home to diplomats, Danish heavy metal icons, and famed golfer Tiger Woods has entered the market in a rare sale.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 40s-styled manor is surrounded by manicured gardens and native bushland and features an extensively remodeled interior that is just as luxurious.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, it’s guest-list has been kept tightly under wraps by its current owners Ralph Green, his wife Letizia Columbano, and their son Lorenzo Green.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We don’t kiss and tell about our guests,” Green </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/houses/127024230/inside-tiger-woods-secret-kiwi-hideaway-beloved-of-nottobenamed-rock-stars-and-foreign-dignitaries" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Tiger Woods was rather hard to hide. He was meant to be a secret, but it got out because he’s like that. Other guests… I’m struggling to remember on purpose.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Woods stayed at the 1.89-hectare Greenmantle estate in 2002 while competing in the New Zealand Open.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before Green took over the property in 2012, the then-owner was the former head of New Zealand’s Criminal Investigation Bureau.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This was just after September 11, and there was a lot of scuttlebutt around that they were going to target an American ison, and that New Zealand was seen as a soft target area,” Green explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So there was something like 13 police patrolling around this place, the security was unusually high.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More recently, Green said the Greenmantle estate had been approved to host heads of state by the diplomatic protection squad.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have quite high clearance,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without revealing too many details, he said the most “surprising” celebrities he’s hosted had included “well-known” rock stars, with the lead singer of a Danish metal band with a quite profane name topping the list.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But the chance to host A-list guests wasn’t the reason why Green and his family took over the property.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After seeing the “beautiful pink house sitting proudly up a lovely drive” while growing up in the area, Green and Columbano jumped at the chance to tour the property when it hit the market years later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We went in there and fell in love,” Green said, referring to the tour he and his wife took of the gardens and the nikau forest behind the house.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“To have a virgin nikau forest in your backyard, it was just too much. We surprised the real estate agent by saying, ‘yes, we’ll take it’. He was a little shocked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the previous owner had run the home as a boutique hotel, Green and Columbano converted it into “a luxury lodge”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Having a home and income combined quite usefully. THat’s how we ended up here, because of the gardens, the birdlife, looking at Kāpiti [Island], and having something that’s quite distinctive,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The house boasts six bedrooms - each with balconies and stunning views - as well as seven bathrooms, two separate guest cottages, a heated outdoor pool, and a permanent marquee house nearby.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Within the nikau forest, walking trails lead to a secluded spa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s like going to Indonesia but without the heat or the insects,” Green said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There is an area we call the nikau amphitheatre that people seem to want to get married in. It’s so nice to sit under all these nikau and listen to the sound of the owls at night.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having just become grandparents, Green and Columbano are saying a reluctant farewell to the property and moving to be with their daughter in Venice.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s a question of priorities, we’ve become grandparents for the first time, and we want to be grandparents,” Green said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having last sold for $2.05 million in 2012, propertyvalue.co.nz values the property between $3.25 and $3.5 million now.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The property, which is expected to sell for an even higher price, is on sale for tender by </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzsothebysrealty.com/purchasing/property/wtn10334/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sotheby’s International Realty</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and closes on Thursday, December 9.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Getty Images, Sotheby's International Realty</span></em></p>

Real Estate

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Dean Stockwell, star of Quantum Leap and Blue Velvet, dies at 85

<p dir="ltr">Actor Dean Stockwell has passed away at the age of 85. According to a family spokesperson, Stockwell died of natural causes at home over the weekend, leaving behind a legacy that includes an early career as a child actor before quitting the industry at the age of 16, only to be drawn back into it in his 20s, where he would go on to star in films such as<span> </span><em>Quantum Leap, Blue Velvet, Dune,<span> </span></em>and<span> </span><em>Married to the Mob.</em></p> <p dir="ltr">His family said in a statement, "Dean spent a lifetime yo-yoing back and forth between fame and anonymity," his family said in a statement. Because of that, when he had a job, he was grateful. He never took the business for granted. He was a rebel, wildly talented and always a breath of fresh air."</p> <p dir="ltr">Stockwell, born to actor parents, grew up in North Hollywood, and started his career as a child actor during Hollywood’s Golden Age, making his Broadway debut in 1943 before being signed to a contract with MGM that saw him starring alongside Gregory Peck in<span> </span><em>The Valley of Decision<span> </span></em>and Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra in<span> </span><em>Anchors Aweigh,<span> </span></em>both when he was just nine years old. In 1947, at the age of 11, he starred alongside Peck once more in Elia Kazan’s<span> </span><em>Gentlemen’s Agreement,<span> </span></em>playing Peck’s son.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 1950s saw him move back and forth between film and the emerging medium of television, before taking a break in 1951 and not acting again until 1956. The late 50s, 60s, and 70s saw Stockwell primarily appearing in countless television shows such as<span> </span><em>Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dr Kildare, Bonanza,<span> </span></em>and<span> </span><em>Wagon Train</em>, although there were a few memorable forays into film, including a role in<span> </span><em>Psych Out<span> </span></em>alongside Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">🎶 In Dreams 🎶 The late Dean Stockwell in David Lynch’s BLUE VELVET (1986) 💙🎙 <a href="https://t.co/H3wZmmyvMC">pic.twitter.com/H3wZmmyvMC</a></p> — Criterion Collection (@Criterion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Criterion/status/1458130558584774656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The 80s saw him star in some of his most memorable roles, such as Walt Henderson in<span> </span><em>Paris, Texas</em>, and Ben in David Lynch’s 1986 film<span> </span><em>Blue Velvet,<span> </span></em>after previously working with Lynch in his 1984 adaptation of<span> </span><em>Dune.<span> </span></em>For his role as Tony “the Tiger” Russo in the 1988 film<span> </span><em>Married to the Mob,<span> </span></em>Stockwell was nominated for an Oscar.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another memorable role of Stockwell’s was that of Admiral ‘Al’ Calavicci in the sci-fi series<span> </span><em>Quantum Leap,<span> </span></em>which ran for five seasons between 1989 and 1993 and for which he was nominated for four Emmy Awards. Co-star Scott Bakula, who played Dr. Sam Beckett, said of Stockwell, “He became a dear friend and a mentor and we grew very close over the next five, very intense years… In spite of having a career that came and went several times during his seventy plus years in the business, he was always grateful and delighted to have the chance to keep working.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Jim Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images</em></p>

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He's real! Dolly Parton shares rare snap of reclusive husband

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The famed country songstress has shared a rare photo with her fans of her husband of 55 years, Carl Thomas Dean.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 75-year-old shared the snap on Instagram, in which Dean seems to be wearing a shirt that’s been digitally edited to include several pictures of her.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Find you a partner who will support you like my Carl Dean does!” Parton captioned the sweet photo.</span></p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVygjSrFInE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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/CVygjSrFInE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dolly Parton (@dollyparton)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans quickly shared their adoration for the image, with one writing, “Carl Dean is super handsome!”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hahaha the queen of photoshop! Y’all are adorable,” another commented, noting that is “may be the first time” they’ve seen a picture of Parton’s husband.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What a love story,” another added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Parton and Dean first met at a Nashville laundromat the day after she arrived in the city.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They married in 1966 and renewed their vows in 2016 in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Parton’s romantic photo also serves as a promotion of the Dolly Vintage Collage Tee, which is on sale for approximately $47 on her website.</span></p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVlJ6wqFHTu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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/CVlJ6wqFHTu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dolly Parton (@dollyparton)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The country star opened up about her rarely-seen husband last year while laughing off rumours that he was fictional.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A lot of people have thought that through the years, because he does not want to be in the spotlight at all,” Parton </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/dolly-parton-throwback-photo-husband-carl-dean/496e01f5-156c-4aad-81bd-ef562479523b" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">told</span></a> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Entertainment Tonight</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s just who he is. He’s like, a quiet, reserved person and he’s figured if he ever got out there in that, he’d never get a minute’s peace and he’s right about that.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When asked about how her marriage has lasted for so long, she said it was, “Because I stay gone”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“And there’s a lot of truth in that — the fact that we’re not in each other’s faces all the time,” she explained. “But we do have a great respect and admiration for each other. We both have a great sense of humour. So, we have a lot of fun.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @dollyparton / Instagram</span></em></p>

Relationships

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Dolly Parton recreates Playboy cover for husband’s birthday

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dolly Parton is celebrating her husband’s birthday with a recreation of one of her most iconic images.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 75-year-old shared a clip to her social media pages showing the country singer once again donning the black Playboy Bunny suit and ears as a birthday treat for her husband, Carl Dean.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Today is July 20th, it’s my husband Carl’s birthday and you’re probably wondering why I’m dressed like this … well it’s for my husband’s birthday,” she said in the video.</span></p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CRkGwC3pd84/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/tv/CRkGwC3pd84/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dolly Parton (@dollyparton)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Remember some time back I said I was gonna pose on Playboy magazine when I’m 75? Well, I’m 75 and they don’t have a magazine anymore … but my husband always loved the original cover of Playboy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was trying to think of something to do to make him happy,” she added. “He still thinks I’m a hot chick after 57 years and I’m not gonna try to talk him out of that.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The star explained that she did “a little photoshoot in this little outfit” and recreated her infamous 1978 cover, before comparing her appearance then and now.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In the first one, I was kind of a little butterball in that one. Well, I’m a string cheese now,” she joked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But he’ll probably be thinking I’m cream cheese, I hope.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The video ends with Parton singing Happy Birthday to her husband while still in the bunny suit.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Parton first said she wanted to do a second Playboy cover in 2020 when asked about her retirement plans by </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">60 Minutes</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Well, I don’t plan to retire. I just turned 74,” she answered. “I plan to be on the cover of Playboy magazine again.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“See, I did Playboy magazine years ago. I thought it’d be such a hoot if they’ll go for it, I don’t know if they will,” she added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The songstress is still making music too, with her new single “Sent From Above” dropping on July 27.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Dolly Parton / Instagram</span></em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Germans turn to the woods for mindfulness

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of all the German words without a direct English equivalent, one has seen a resurgence during the coronavirus epidemic. </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Waldeinsamkeit</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> - which translates to “solitude of the forest” according to Google Translate - can be best described as the sublime feeling that can come from being completely alone and at peace in the forest.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With more free time, flexibility, and pressure at home - without many other options to occupy free time - Germans are visiting forests to find that kind of solitude in greater numbers than before.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recent research by the European Forest Institute has confirmed it, finding that visits to a monitored tract of woods in North-Rhine-Westphalia experienced an unprecedented jump in visitors during the first and second lockdowns. The authors concluded that forests were a critical infrastructure for national public health and society at large, with the German people once again seeking forest solitude during the pandemic.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In our recent study, visitors said finding tranquility was by far the number one motivation to go to the forest,” European Forest Institute researcher Jeanne-Lazya Roux said. “Another new study we are working on shows there is a renaissance in valuing forests for their spiritual attributes, or re-spiritualisation of the forest, as we call it.”</span></p> <p><strong>A resurgence</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Nikolaus Wegmann, a Germanist and literary historian at Princeton University, told the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">BBC</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> waldeinsamkeit is seeing revalidation as people absorb the philosophy of the word in their post-pandemic lives.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“On one level, waldeinsamkeit is a simple compound of the word ‘forest’ (</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">wald</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">) and ‘loneliness’ (</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">einsamkeit</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">), but on another it represents the soul and deeper psyche of Germany,” said Wegmann. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Nowadays, the term is taking on a new meaning because of coronavirus: the isolation and loneliness of the forest, in contrast to the world of the city, is increasingly attractive.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With 90 billion trees, 76 tree species and about 1,215 species of plants within Germany’s forest, which cover 33 percent of the country’s land area, it’s not hard to see where the attraction comes from.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The concept of going into the woods is part of everyday life for us Germans,” Wegmann said. “Even though we’re one of the most industrialised nations in the world, you don’t need to go looking for a forest here. We are forest people, even as far back as the Roman empire when the Romans described us as such.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over time, the term has come to represent Germany’s culture too, with many throughout history citing the practice as a cure for stress.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Waldeinsamkeit is a visible strain throughout German culture and history and the term might have fallen out of favour, but it continues to convey a very romantic notion of the country,” said Austen Hinkley, a doctoral candidate at Princeton’s Department of Comparative Literature.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The claim the term is untranslatable and indescribable to non-Germans is also important. It can only really be explained by first-hand experience - total immersion in the German landscape.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: dinner / Instagram</span></em></p>

International Travel

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Police reveal cause of horrific Tiger Woods car crash

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Authorities have revealed that golf star Tiger Woods was driving at an "unsafe" speed nearly double the 70km/h speed limit when he crashed in California in February.</p> <p>The SUV was travelling up to 140km/h before it veered off the road and rolled several times, leaving Woods with a shattered right leg.</p> <p>“The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway,” said Alex Villanueva.</p> <p>“Estimated speeds at the first area of impact were 84 to 87 miles per hour (135-140km/h).”</p> <p>There were “no signs of impairment” or evidence of any “distracted driving”, and Woods voluntarily allowed the results of the investigation to be made public, officials said.</p> <p>Fans have complained that Woods hasn't been charged for speeding, but police said as there were no witnesses or police present, he won't be charged.</p> <p>The crash would have been investigated further “if there was a significant injury or fatality” and had involved another person, said Captain James Powers.</p> <p>Woods himself doesn't recall the incident, but investigators did not check his phone or test his bloodwork as there was "no evidence of any impairment or intoxication", according to Powers.</p> <p>Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed this in a Facebook Q&amp;A with reporters.</p> <p>“He was lucid, no odour of alcohol, no evidence of any medication, narcotics or anything like that,” Villanueva said. “That was not a concern so no field sobriety test and no drug expert needed to respond. This is what it is — an accident.</p> <p>“We don’t contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash.</p> <p>“This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime, they do happen unfortunately.</p> <p>“The Deputy on the scene assessed the condition of Tiger Woods and there was no evidence of any impairment whatsoever.</p> <p>“He was not drunk … we can throw that one out.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Tiger Woods hospitalised after serious car crash

<p>Tiger Woods was taken to hospital with "multiple leg injuries" after being involved in a serious car crash in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning (AEDT).</p> <p>The 45-year-old was driving alone when his vehicle rolled over around 7 am local time and had to be extricated from his car with the jaws of life.</p> <p>There are now fears for the golf superstars' wellbeing and career, with an outpouring of support from the sports world.</p> <p>The LA Sherriff's Department confirmed it had responded to a single vehicle rollover on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Ranchos Palos Verdes.</p> <p>Woods’ vehicle was travelling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed.</p> <p>“The vehicle sustained major damage,” the LASD said in a statement.</p> <p>“Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck with the ‘jaws of life’ by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries.”</p> <p>Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg released a short statement confirming Woods had “suffered multiple leg injuries.</p> <p>“He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support,” Steinberg said.</p> <p>ESPN’s Michael Eaves reported Woods injuries were not considered life-threatening.</p> <p>“Local police source said the initial report from the scene of the accident indicated the possibility of multiple leg fractures,” he tweeted.</p> <p>Woods, who has two children, Charlie and Sam, was in LA for the US PGA Genesis Invitational, where he serves as tournament host.</p> <p>Former US president Donald Trump led a host of wellwishers, saying: “Get well soon, Tiger. You are a true champion.”</p>

News

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Dan Andrews' subtle dig during Dean Jones tribute

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has taken a dig at Australian selectors in the wake of cricket legend Dean Jones' death.</p> <p>The Australian battling great died in Mumbai after suffering a heart attack.</p> <p>Tributes flooded in worldwide and the Victorian Premier added his thoughts and condolences to the family.</p> <p>“Dean Jones was the epitome of grit, determination and sheer fight,” Andrews wrote on Twitter.</p> <p>“He rewrote the rule book for the one-day game — and should have been picked for many more than his 52 Tests.</p> <p>“A legend of sport. A legend of this state. And we love him ‘cause he’s Victorian.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Dean Jones was the epitome of grit, determination and sheer fight.<br /><br />He rewrote the rulebook for the one-day game – and should have been picked for many more than his 52 Tests.<br /><br />A legend of sport. A legend of this state.<br /><br />And we love him 'cause he's Victorian. <a href="https://t.co/dZsxnqHrAo">pic.twitter.com/dZsxnqHrAo</a></p> — Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1309100936132952067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Jones' Test cricket career came to an abrupt halt after he was dropped in 1992 despite scoring 3631 runs in 52 tests.</p> <p>He retired from international cricket in protest.</p> <p>“I said, ‘Are you trying to tell me that you’re a better player than me, in one-day cricket? Really? Well, that’s it, I’m done’,” Jones said on the <em>Lessons Learnt with the Greats </em>podcast recently.</p> <p>“And I retired straight away. That was it. They (the selectors) said, ‘No, you’ve got to go to Sharjah to play all these one-day series’.</p> <p>“I’m going no, I went on, (and) that was it. No thank you, no nothing. That was it.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Dean Jones dead at 59 as Brett Lee tried to save his life

<p><span>Cricket legend Dean Jones died on Thursday night of a heart attack, aged 59, in a Mumbai hotel.</span><br /><br /><span>Australian cricket legend Brett Lee returned to TV just hours after he desperately tried to save his broadcast colleague’s life.</span><br /><br /><span>He and Lee were set to feature together in Star India’s English commentary for the 2020 Indian Premier League.</span><br /><br /><span>However Jones suffered a sudden heart attack in the lobby of their hotel, and Lee reportedly sprung into action and attempted CPR.</span></p> <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/CFiXhLChhBH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CFiXhLChhBH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsun_sport)</a> on Sep 24, 2020 at 4:02pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The sports veteran was taken by ambulance to hospital but was unable to be saved.</span><br /><br /><span>The tragic event took place only hours before the pair were due to go to air.</span><br /><br /><span>Lee eventually went on to front the cameras without his mate after the traumatic event.</span><br /><br /><span>“I think the thing we want to say about Deano is he would have wanted us to be here tonight,” Lee said.</span><br /><br /><span>“It’s pretty much the ‘Select Deano’ we call it. It’s Deano’s dugout tonight.</span><br /><br /><span>“He is an absolute legend.</span><br /><br /><span>“Firstly to his family and friends we send our condolences. It’s a real tough day for everyone, not only for his close mates and the whole cricketing world in general.</span><br /><br /><span>“What Deano would’ve wanted is for us to come out here in the dugout, get it done, have some fun for the game we all love.”</span><br /><br /><span>Just a few days earlier, Shane Warne had tweeted about how much he enjoyed the commentary team, to which Lee replied: “Yep it’s a lot of fun.”</span></p> <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/CFiMUcog_n7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CFiMUcog_n7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by wade smith (@foreverfamous__)</a> on Sep 24, 2020 at 2:24pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The cricket world is mourning the loss of Jones.</span><br /><br /><span>Australian Men’s Head Coach Justin Langer said he was “shocked and very sad to hear of his passing”.</span><br /><br /><span>“Deano was a true legend of Australian sport and world cricket, one of the great players and personalities in a golden time for the game,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span>“His role in the team’s World Cup win in 1987 and the 1989 Ashes under AB were a huge turning point for Australian cricket.”</span><br /><br /><span>The operator of the broadcast, Star India, said Jones was one of the “great ambassadors of the game”.</span><br /><br /><span>“He was passionate about discovering new talent and nurturing young cricketers.</span><br /><br /><span>“He was a champion commentator whose presence and presentation of the game always brought joy to millions of fans.”</span></p>

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Golf fans go wild over shot of Tiger caddying for his son

<p>Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, is dominating the junior field at just 11 years of age.</p> <p>Charlie played at a US Kids Gold-sanctioned event at Hammock Creek Golf Club recently, resulting in a mind-blowing final score.</p> <p>Woods has commended his son in the past for his natural knack on the golf course, and his scorecard has proven exactly that.</p> <p>Charlie won the nine-hole event in the boys 11-year-old division with a three-under 33.</p> <p>He finished with no bogeys and three birdies.</p> <p>But fans went wild after seeing photos of the golfing legend helping his son carry his golf clubs.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">It’s happening. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheSecondComing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheSecondComing</a> <a href="https://t.co/YmtPEP4lOx">pic.twitter.com/YmtPEP4lOx</a></p> — Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) <a href="https://twitter.com/RiggsBarstool/status/1295165776098361345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Looks like we found the next Tiger Woods. I would of never guessed his son. 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/Z0bxE52Jvr">https://t.co/Z0bxE52Jvr</a></p> — Titus Conrad (@KCSportsfan18) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCSportsfan18/status/1295232348620029959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Imagine playing in a junior tournament and the caddie for your opponent is Tiger Woods <a href="https://t.co/1lUSZP8SUb">https://t.co/1lUSZP8SUb</a></p> — Jordan (@JordanStarley1) <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanStarley1/status/1295169730530234371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Last month, Tiger said playing with his son took him back to his childhood.</p> <p>“He’s starting to get into it,” Woods said to Golf Digest.</p> <p>“He’s starting to understand how to play. He’s asking me the right questions. I’ve kept it competitive with his par, so it’s been just an absolute blast to go out there and just, you know, be with him. It reminds me so much of me and my dad growing up.”</p> <p>Woods even said he hoped he could replicate his son’s swing, but is unable to due to injuries sustained from his career.</p> <p>“I wish I had his move,” Woods added. "I analyse his swing all the time. I wish I could rotate like that and turn my head like that and do some of those positions, but those days are long gone, and I have to relive them through him.”</p>

International Travel

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