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Australian Word of the Year announced

<p>Cost-of-living pressures and anger at the nation-wide supermarket duopoly have influenced the Australian Word of the Year for 2024.</p> <p>The Australian National Dictionary Centre, based at the Australian National University, has chosen "Colesworth": a blended word referencing the country's largest supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths.</p> <p>Senior Researcher Mark Gwynn said the word is almost exclusively used in negative contexts, with many calling out the power held by both supermarket giants. </p> <p>Although the word itself has been circulated for several years, its use has skyrocketed over the past 12 months, according to Gwynn.</p> <p>"Aussies walk out of the supermarket with less after paying more, but then hear news of massive profits in the supermarket sector. And with official investigations into some of the pricing practices at Australia's two largest supermarkets, it's no wonder that ordinary shoppers have become cynical," he said.</p> <p>"The blend of the supermarket names Coles and Woolworths into Colesworth provides a succinct way of referring to both supermarkets while at the same time hinting at the negative aspects of what is perceived as an unfair duopoly."</p> <p>Other shortlisted words include a mix of terms referencing politics, tax, and climate change.</p> <p>"Breaking" also made the shortlist, following the iconic performance by Australian artist RayGun at the Paris Olympic Games, with words included "climate trigger," "ute tax," and "YIMBY" (Yes In My Backyard).</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Books

How should Australian media cover the next federal election? Lessons from the US presidential race

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865">Denis Muller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Media coverage in Australia of the US presidential election and of the Voice referendum in October 2023 offer some pointers to what we might expect during next year’s federal election campaign.</p> <p>They also suggest some ways in which the professional mass media might better respond to the challenges thrown up by the combination of disinformation, harmful speech and hyper-partisanship that disfigured those two campaigns.</p> <p>The ideological contours of the Australian professional media, in particular its newspapers, have become delineated with increasing clarity over the past 15 years. In part this is a response to the polarising effects of social media, and in part it is a reflection of the increased stridency of political debate.</p> <p>The right is dominated by News Corporation, with commercial radio shock jocks playing a supporting role. The left is more diffuse and less given to propagandising. It includes the old Fairfax papers, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, now owned by the Nine Entertainment Company, and Guardian Australia.</p> <p>These contours are unlikely to change much, if at all, between now and the 2025 election.</p> <h2>Impartiality versus ‘bothsidesism’</h2> <p>Under these conditions, how might Australian journalism practice be adapted to better serve democracy under the pressures of an election campaign? The objective would be to contribute to the creation of a political culture in which people can argue constructively, disagree respectfully and work towards consensus.</p> <p>In pursuing that objective, a central issue is whether and how the media are committed to the principle of impartiality in news reports. This principle is under sustained pressure, as was seen in both the presidential election and the Voice referendum.</p> <p>We know from the words of its own editorial code of conduct that News Corp Australia does not accept the principle of impartiality in news reports. Paragraph 1.3 of that code states:</p> <blockquote> <p>Publications should ensure factual material in news reports is distinguishable from other material such as commentary and opinion. Comment, conjecture and opinion are acceptable as part of coverage to provide perspective on an issue, or explain the significance of an issue, or to allow readers to recognise what the publication’s or author’s standpoint is on a matter.</p> </blockquote> <p>This policy authorises journalists to write their news reports in ways that promote the newspaper’s or the journalist’s own views. This runs directly counter to the conventional separation of news from opinion accepted by most major media companies. This is exemplified by <a href="https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2023/07/27/GNM_editorial_code_of_practice_and_guidance_2023.pdf">the policy</a> of The Guardian, including Guardian Australia:</p> <blockquote> <p>While free to editorialise and campaign, a publication must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.</p> </blockquote> <p>Appended to The Guardian’s code is the essay written in 1921 by C. P. Scott, first the editor and then the owner-editor of the Manchester Guardian, to mark the newspaper’s centenary. It includes these words: “Comment is free, but facts are sacred”. Referring to a newspaper’s public duty, he added: “Propaganda […] is hateful.”</p> <p>In the present overheated atmosphere of public debate, impartiality has come to be confused with a discredited type of journalism known as “bothsidesism”.</p> <p>“Bothsidesism” presents “both sides” of an issue without any regard for their relative evidentiary merits. It allows for the ventilation of lies, hate speech and conspiracy theories on the spurious ground that these represent another, equally valid, side of the story.</p> <p>Impartiality is emphatically not “bothsidesism”. What particularly distinguishes impartiality is that it follows the weight of evidence. However, a recurring problem in the current environment is that the fair and sober presentation of evidence can be obliterated by the force of political rhetoric. As a result, impartiality can fall victim to its own detached passivity.</p> <p>Yet impartiality does not have to be passive: it can be proactive.</p> <p>During the presidential campaign, in the face of Trump’s egregious lying, some media organisations took this proactive approach.</p> <p>When Trump claimed during his televised debate with Kamala Harris that Haitian immigrants were eating people’s pets in the town of Springfield, Ohio, the host broadcaster, the American Broadcasting Company, fact-checked him in real time. It found, during the broadcast, that there was no evidence to support his claim.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nlCe8iOCJlQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>And for four years before that, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/24/trumps-false-or-misleading-claims-total-30573-over-four-years/">chronicled</a> Trump’s lies while in office, arriving at a total of 30,573.</p> <h2>Challenging misinformation</h2> <p>During the Voice referendum, many lies were told about what the Voice to Parliament would be empowered to do: advise on the date of Anzac Day, change the flag, set interest rates, and introduce a race-based element into the Constitution, advantaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over others.</p> <p>These were rebutted by the relevant authorities but by then the lies had been swept up in the daily tide of mis- or disinformation that was a feature of the campaign. At that point, rebuttals merely oxygenate the original falsehoods.</p> <p>More damaging still to the democratic process was the baseless allegation by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton that the Australian Electoral Commission had “rigged” the vote by accepting a tick as indicating “yes” but not accepting a cross as indicating “no”.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y_4H1IQID_M?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Opposition Senate leader, Simon Birmingham, also said allowing ticks but not crosses undermined the integrity of the process.</p> <p>The electoral commissioner, Tom Rogers, was reported as repudiating these claims, but by then these lies had acquired currency and momentum.</p> <p>A proactive approach to impartiality requires establishing the truthful position before or at the time of initial publication, then calling out falsehoods for what they are and providing supporting evidence. Neither the principle of impartiality nor any other ethical principle in journalism requires journalists to publish lies as if they might be true.</p> <p>It would not have been a failure of impartiality to say in a news report that Dutton’s claims about a rigged referendum were baseless, with the supporting evidence.</p> <p>That evidence, set out in an <a href="https://antonygreen.com.au/how-many-voters-mark-referendum-ballot-papers-with-a-cross-not-many-based-on-evidence/">excellent example</a> of proactive impartiality by the ABC’s election analyst Antony Green at the time, was that the ticks and crosses rule had been in place since 1988.</p> <h2>‘Proactive impartiality’ is the key to reporting the 2025 election</h2> <p>The question is, do Australia’s main media organisations as a whole have the resources and the will to invest in real-time fact-checking? The record is not encouraging.</p> <p>In March 2024, the ABC dissolved its fact-checking arrangement with RMIT University, replacing it with an in-house fact-checking unit called ABC News Verify.</p> <p>In 2023, a team led by Andrea Carson of La Trobe University published a <a href="https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/21078">study</a> tracking the fate of fact-checking operations in Australia. Its findings were summarised by her in The Conversation.</p> <p>In the absence of a fact-checking capability, it is hard to see how journalists can perform the kind of proactive impartiality that current circumstances demand.</p> <p>On top of that, the shift from advertising-based mass media to subscription-based niche media is creating its own logic, which is antithetical to impartiality.</p> <p>Mass-directed advertising was generally aimed at as broad an audience as possible. It encouraged impartiality in the accompanying editorial content as part of an appeal to the broad middle of society.</p> <p>Since a lot of this advertising has gone online, the media have begun to rely increasingly on subscriptions. In a hyper-partisan world, ideological branding, or alternatively freedom from ideological branding, has become part of the sales pitch.</p> <p>Where subscribers do expect to find ideological comfort, readership and ratings are at put risk when their expectations are disappointed.</p> <p>Rupert Murdoch <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-trump-2020-0ac71f75acfacc52ea80b3e747fb0afe">learned this</a> when his Fox News channel in the US called the 2020 election for Joe Biden, driving down ratings and causing him to reverse that position in order to claw back the losses.</p> <p>These are unpalatable developments for those who believe that fair, accurate news reporting untainted by the ideological preferences of proprietors or journalists is a vital ingredient in making a healthy democracy work. But that is the world we live in as we approach the federal election of 2025.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/243267/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865">Denis Muller</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: DEAN LEWINS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial - LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-should-australian-media-cover-the-next-federal-election-lessons-from-the-us-presidential-race-243267">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Legal

110-year-old woman reveals the secret to a long life

<p>Perth woman Bridget Grocke, who has just celebrated her 110th birthday, has revealed the very Aussie secret to her longevity. </p> <p>Ms Grocke, who has lived through two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Space Race, and the Information Age, is officially one of Australia's oldest residents. </p> <p>For sixty years, she has credited her old age to one glass of Emu Export beer everyday, as she chose a glass of the Aussie tipple over a slice of cake at her birthday party on Wednesday.</p> <p>“If there was a whole heap of beer and I was asked which one is your favourite I’d have to say this,” she told 9News as she held a glass of bush chook in her hand.</p> <p>“I’ve always known it. It tastes good. Cheers to Emu Export.”</p> <p>Born in Western Australia on November 18th 1914, Bridget spent her early years in Kalgoorlie and moved all across WA as the family followed her father’s work as an engine driver.</p> <p>Then at the age of 18, she took the leap and moved to Perth on her own. </p> <p>Ms Grocke spent her years working in fashion and customer service, also building her own family of four children with her husband, Jim, who she married at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Subiaco in 1942.</p> <p>Despite losing her husband in 1985 and two of her children, Ms Grocke is surrounded by the love of her remaining son and daughter, 10 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.</p> <p>Other than one of her beloved beers a day, Ms Grocke attributed her long life to her loving family, and her word of advice to younger generations was “if you’re nice to people they will be nice to you”.</p> <p>Ms Grocke’s daughter Jan Robertson said her mother’s adventurous spirit and loving family had kept her young at heart.</p> <p>“Mum was very easy going and she was strict, of course, but she always gave you the right path,” she said.</p> <p>“She has always been well. The only thing she got done was her cataracts at 100, before that she hadn’t been in hospital since childbirth.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine News</em></p> <div class="more-coverage-v2" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #e0e1e2; float: right; margin-left: 16px; max-width: 40%; padding: 16px 0px;"> </div>

Caring

105-year-old shares the secret to longevity

<p dir="ltr">A 105-year-old woman has celebrated her birthday by sharing her two secrets for a long, prosperous and stress-free life. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kathleen Hennings, who lives in a care home in Cheltenham, England, celebrated her 105th birthday with her family, friends and other residents, as she shared some valuable life advice. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kathleen was born in 1919 and had a successful career as an accountant, spending her free time watching operas and ballets at London’s Royal Opera House. </p> <p dir="ltr">Reflecting on her many happy years, Kathleen revealed the secret to living a long life as, “Drink Guinness and don’t marry!”</p> <p dir="ltr">The centenarian was first introduced to Guinness by her parents and her brother, and quickly fell in love with the dark Irish stout, drinking it religiously throughout her life. </p> <p dir="ltr">This is not the first time Kathleen has offered up this advice, and as a result, was treated to some gifts from Guinness as a birthday present. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kathleen was given a hamper by Guinness with pint glasses, a kitchen apron, slippers, chocolates, and, of course, plenty of the famous Irish drink. </p> <p dir="ltr">Commenting on her special birthday, Kathleen said: “It was so nice to see my lovely friends and neighbours. I’ve been spoiled. Thank you so much.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Retirement Life

Husband of Aussie TV presenter dies two years after his wife's passing

<p>Alan Plummer, husband of TV presenter Erin Jayne Plummer who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tv-presenter-s-cause-of-death-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a> in 2022, has passed away. </p> <p>The 49-year-old passed away in a suspected self-harm incident in Sydney's northern beaches on Saturday, with his death leaving the couple's three daughters orphaned. </p> <p>The tragedy comes two years after his wife, who was a host on <em>Studio 10</em>, died at just 42 years old in May 2022.</p> <p>Erin represented Australia as a synchronised swimmer at three world championships and won 11 national titles, before going on to have a successful career hosting advertorials, appearing on <em>Studio 10</em>, <em>TVSN</em>, <em>Mornings with Keri-Anne</em> and <em>The Morning Show</em>.</p> <p>At the time of Erin's death, <em>Studio 10</em> host Sarah Harris shared the devastating news with the audience. </p> <p>“For two decades, Erin has been a friendly and familiar face on Australian telly, and for a lot of that she's been brightening up our mornings with her bubbly personality and megawatt smile."</p> <p>“Erin was just a gorgeous human inside and out... We'll miss your sunshine around the studio, Erin Jayne, and all of us here are sending lots of love and strength to her family. You'll be very missed.”</p> <p>A NSW Police Force spokesperson confirmed the Alan's death in a statement to <em>Daily Mail Australia</em>, saying, “Officers from Northern Beaches Police Area Command will prepare a report for the information of the Coroner regarding the death of a 49-year-old man at Freshwater on Saturday.”</p> <p>Mr Plummer had recently sold the family’s four-bedroom Freshwater home, which they had owned for more than two decades.</p> <p>He was the former director of Shine VIP Tours Australia PTY LTD — a now-defunct company that was shut down in 2020. </p> <p><em><strong>Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. </strong></em></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong>Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au</strong></em></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong>Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636</strong></em></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong>SANE: 1800 187 263; saneforums.org</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

No credit score? A grocery list could be the next best thing

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joonhyuk-yang-1548700">Joonhyuk Yang</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-990">University of Notre Dame</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jung-youn-lee-1548702">Jung Youn Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/jones-graduate-school-of-business-at-rice-university-5411">Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University</a></em></p> <p>How you shop and what you buy at the grocery store can predict whether you pay your credit card bills on time, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02364">our new research shows</a>.</p> <p>As <a href="https://mendoza.nd.edu/mendoza-directory/profile/joonhyuk-yang/">marketing</a> <a href="https://business.rice.edu/person/jung-youn-lee">professors</a>, we wanted to learn about alternatives to traditional credit scores. So we teamed up with a multinational conglomerate that, among other things, runs a large supermarket chain and a credit card issuer.</p> <p>By analyzing consumer-level data from those two business units, we were able to see how 30,089 individuals shop and manage their finances.</p> <p>We found that people with more consistent grocery shopping habits are more likely to pay their credit card bills on time. These are people who tend to shop on the same day of the week, spend about the same amount each month, buy similar items across trips and take advantage of deals regularly.</p> <p>We also found that what people buy predicts how they manage their finances. For example, shoppers who frequently purchase cigarettes or energy drinks are more likely to miss credit card payments. Those who often buy fresh milk or salad dressing tend to be more diligent about paying their bills.</p> <p>In general, buying healthier but less convenient food predicted responsible payment behaviors. This was true even when we held consumer characteristics such as income, occupation, credit score and family size constant.</p> <p>Building on those findings, we developed a credit scoring algorithm that scores people based on their grocery shopping habits along with traditional credit risk indicators. When we simulated approval decisions with this algorithm, we found that using grocery data could help lenders predict defaults more accurately while boosting their per-customer profits.</p> <h2>Why it matters</h2> <p>According to the World Bank, <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/globalfindex">more than 1 billion people</a> worldwide lack access to formal financial systems and, as a result, have no credit scores. In the U.S. alone, <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/who-are-credit-invisibles/">about 45 million adults</a> have no credit history or not enough of one to generate a score.</p> <p>This makes it hard for them to access credit, even if they are responsible borrowers. And without credit, it’s harder to get a car, a job or even a place to live. It’s a problem that disproportionately affects <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/globalfindex">underprivileged groups</a>, including people of color and women.</p> <p>In response, policymakers and researchers are increasingly interested in using alternative data sources to assess creditworthiness. For instance, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/17/how-on-time-rent-payments-help-credit-invisible-consumers.html">Fannie Mae now considers</a> mortgage applicants’ rent payment histories, allowing those without traditional credit histories to demonstrate their creditworthiness.</p> <p>Grocery data is especially promising because there’s so much of it. Pretty much everybody buys groceries, and not just once. Information about consumer preferences is continuously being generated in every aisle of grocery stores around the globe.</p> <p>Our study shows that this data has value far beyond the grocery industry.</p> <h2>What’s next</h2> <p>We believe that our study serves as a proof of concept, offering insights for the design and implementation of future research. However, several key questions remain. For example, what if this approach affects different groups unequally? And what about privacy concerns?</p> <p>Our follow-up research aims to address these issues. We’re collaborating with a conglomerate in Peru, a cash-reliant country with a significant unbanked population. Building upon our current findings, we’re working closely with that company to test the impact of our approach on low-income populations. We’ll be helping to evaluate credit applicants using retail transaction data, aiming not just to improve profitability but also to boost social inclusion in the region.</p> <p><em>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take on interesting academic work.</em><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/234887/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joonhyuk-yang-1548700">Joonhyuk Yang</a>, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Mendoza College of Business, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-990">University of Notre Dame</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jung-youn-lee-1548702">Jung Youn Lee</a>, Assistant Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/jones-graduate-school-of-business-at-rice-university-5411">Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-credit-score-a-grocery-list-could-be-the-next-best-thing-234887">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Money & Banking

Aussie Vietnam vet reunited with lost war medals just in time

<p>A Vietnam veteran has been reunited with his lost war medals that were missing for a year, just in time for Remembrance Day. </p> <p>When attending a Remembrance Day event in New Zealand last year, Townsville veteran Malcolm Edmiston lost his medals somewhere along the journey to Christchurch from Brisbane. </p> <p>The medals were left sitting unclaimed in Brisbane Airport's lost and found after being found in an airport terminal, before airport staff launched a social media campaign to find their owner. </p> <p>After seeing a post on Facebook, Edmiston was finally reunited with his precious medals just in time for this year's Remembrance Day events. </p> <p>"It's very good to have them back, great to have them back, I thought they were gone and gone for good," Malcolm told <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/lost-war-medals-returned-to-vietnam-veteran-in-time-for-remembrance-day/b03bf4df-0d3c-440b-9783-1e6c7ac73a11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Today</a></em>.</p> <p>"The zip was opened on my case and somehow they fell out, so it's a good reminder for us to take extra care when we pack."</p> <p>Malcolm was not the only one in his family to serve the country, sharing how his father served in the Royal Navy, he had uncles in the Royal Australian Air Force and and the Royal Air Force and a brother who served in Naval Reserve.</p> <p>His son also served in the Navy and with so many of his fellow Vietnam veteran soldiers no longer alive, having his medals back today is something special.</p> <p>"Remembrance Day is a very important day for me," he said.</p> <p>Brisbane Airport's media manager Peter Doherty added that he was thrilled to see the medals return to their rightful owner. </p> <p>He said, "For Malcolm's lifetime of service, the least we could do was the door-to-door service to get the medals back to him."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Today </em></p>

Retirement Life

“One year on without you": Tahnee Sims' tribute to Johnny Ruffo

<p>It's been one year since Johnny Ruffo lost his gruelling battle with cancer at just 35-years-old, and now, long-term girlfriend Tahnee Sims has shared a heartfelt tribute on the anniversary of his death. </p> <p>“One year on without you... It feels like just yesterday & a lifetime ago all at once,” Sims wrote on Instagram over the weekend. </p> <p>“There are so many things I wish I could say to you, so many moments I have wanted to share with you, so many times I’ve reached for my phone to call you, but the main thing I would want you to know, Is that I am okay 🙏🏽</p> <p>“Grief is incredibly heavy but it’s the price we pay for love & I’m so grateful for all of the years we got to share together & the lifetime of love & adventure we packed in.</p> <p>“Forever wouldn’t have been long enough with you… Miss you J.”</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/DCK5QRhz22l/?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/p/DCK5QRhz22l/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tahnee Sims (@tahneesims)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Hundreds of people flooded her comment section with messages of support. </p> <p>“Oh gosh 😢😢😢 I’m sure this has made the nation cry. Such a beautiful young man, and what a blessing that he had you by his side. Sending you Love and Healing💜💜💜,” one wrote. </p> <p>“Sending truckloads of love dear Tahnee as we remember darling Johnny and smile knowing he is still in our hearts. 💙💙💙💙💙,” another added. </p> <p>“Your love story was one of my all time favourites. Whoever said time heals lied. You’re so strong and admirable and one day you will be together again I’m a huge believer in that. All my thoughts and love being sent your way ❤️,” a third commented. </p> <p>Sims and Ruffo first met at a dance studio in 2015 and had an unbreakable bond. </p> <p>Ruffi was first diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017. He was in remission two years later, but unfortunately in 2020 his cancer returned, and Sims stayed by his side through it all. </p> <p>Two months after his death Sims’ confessed it was hard to live life without her “person”.</p> <p>“It’s hard to fathom your life & look forward without your person that has been beside you for so many years - even though we knew we were on borrowed time, we still always held out hope.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

"Hardest year of my life": Prince William's candid admission

<p>Prince WIlliam has made a candid admission about his life this past year, following the double cancer diagnoses of his father King Charles and wife Kate Middleton. </p> <p>When asked how this year has been in an interview with UK print media in Cape Town during his trip to South Africa, the royal replied: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful.</p> <p>“It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”</p> <p>The Prince of Wales, who took time off while Princess Kate was being treated added: “So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.</p> <p>“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”</p> <p>While the King and Princess Kate have both issued statements about their health struggles, this is the first time William has spoken candidly on the subject. </p> <p>The Prince of Wales is in South Africa as part of Earthshot Week, and presented the Earthshot Prize Awards on November 6. </p> <p>When asked if his family had watched the live broadcast of the awards ceremony, he replied: “I don’t know yet. I haven’t clocked in with them yet but I hope they did.</p> <p>“But it’s interesting you say that, ’cause I couldn’t be less relaxed this year, so it’s very interesting you’re all seeing that. But it’s more a case of just crack on and you’ve got to keep going.</p> <p>“I enjoy my work and I enjoy pacing myself and keeping sure I have got time for my family too.”</p> <p>He also shared an update on his wife's condition saying that "she's doing well. Doing well". </p> <p><em>Image: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

"The time has come": Ray Hadley announces retirement

<p>After 43 years on air, Ray Hadley has announced he will be stepping back from his hosting role at 2GB. </p> <p>Hadley shocked his loyal listeners on Thursday morning, saying his extensive career has been "one hell of a ride". </p> <p>“It’s been a hell of a ride from a young bloke who wanted to call the races," he said. "But the time has come for someone else to do the job. So December 13 will be my last day broadcasting."</p> <p>“Apparently the story has broken somewhere. There’s always a leak somewhere, so I may as well do it now, earlier than I anticipated,” he said.</p> <p>“Sometimes you can’t keep things secret, and I suppose in the media, that’s what happens."</p> <p>“I’ve achieved far more than I ever thought I would. My children, Dan, Laura, Emma and Sarah, have made sacrifices over the years for me to realise my ambitions."</p> <p>"Back in September I turned 70, I started to think, how long I've got left on this Earth, and do I want to keep getting up at half past three in the morning, meaning I go to bed early. At social events I'm always the first out the door. I don't want to be the first out the door anymore."</p> <p>Hadley assured listeners he would not be disappearing completely, clarifying, "I'm not retiring from work. I'm just retiring from full-time radio. I'll bob up somewhere in 2025 but not in a full-time capacity, and certainly not on radio." </p> <p>Shortly after making the on-air announcement, NSW premier Chris Minns called into the show to share a tribute. </p> <p>“Ray, you shocked us all. What a massive day in New South Wales radio, and a huge loss for Sydney in particular," Mr Minns said.</p> <p>“We’re genuinely going to miss you. I’m in shock at the moment. It’s a distinguished career. It’s an incredible legacy. But if I was someone up in one word, I would just say fearless, a broadcasting career that’s been completely fearless, and you’ve never, ever pulled your punches in something that you believe in."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Retirement Life

Patti Newton's moving tribute three years on from Bert's death

<p>It's been three years since entertainment legend Bert Newton passed away, and now his wife has delivered a touching tribute on the anniversary of his death. </p> <p>Patti Newton took to Instagram to share a montage of special moments she shared with her late husband during their time together. </p> <p>“I love you. I miss your smile and your kindness but most of all I miss you,” she wrote.</p> <p>“Three years gone but a wonderful life that will never be forgotten.”</p> <p>She shared a few photos of Bert celebrating birthdays, christmas and other milestones with his grandchildren, and fans took to the comments to share their own memories of Bert. </p> <p>“A beautiful life, a beautiful family. We all still remember and love Bert alongside you xxx,” one wrote.</p> <p>“Bert was, and always will be an icon in Australian entertainment Patti. He will live in the hearts of us who had the pleasure to be entertained by him for many years. Much love to you and the family today," another commented. </p> <p>“What an extraordinary life you both lived and loved.. now Bert is your guardian Angel still loving you from above xxx,” commented a third.</p> <p>“Patti we all miss him he was sunshine to me but nobody will ever miss him like you do…true love never dies, he is always with you,” wrote a fourth. </p> <p>“Thinking of you today Patti and I’m sending you big hugs 🤗 and love," another commented. </p> <p>Bert passed away on October 30, 2021 at the age of 83 after a long health battle. He was known for a variety of TV shows including <em>The Bert Newton Show, Tonight with Bert Newton, The Don Lane Show</em> and a few others. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

"So ashamed": John Farnham opens up about years of abuse

<p>John Farnham has shared explosive claims that he suffered years of abuse at the hands of his former manager at the beginning of his career. </p> <p>Revealing all in his new memoir <em>The Voice Inside</em>, which is set to be released on October 30th, the Aussie music legend opened up about the mistreatment he endured from former manager Darryl Sambell when he was a teen pop idol in the 1960s with hits like <em>Sadie the Cleaning Lady</em>.</p> <p>In an excerpt of the book published by <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_NEW&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Farts%2Freview%2Fhe-drugged-me-for-years-john-farnham-reveals-predatory-industry-life-after-cancer-in-memoir-finding-the-voice%2Fnews-story%2Fc1dfc413b3bee553a0bda380bc3bec01&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=HIGH-Segment-2-SCORE&V21spcbehaviour=appendend" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Australian</em></a>, Farnham wrote that Sambell “drugged me for years and I had no f**king idea,” until he found a half-dissolved pill at the bottom of a cup of coffee. </p> <p>Asked what it was, Sambell told Farnham: “That’s just something to keep you awake.”</p> <p>Farnham also writes that his manager, who was openly gay, was “aggressively sexual” towards him and he was constantly fending off his advances.</p> <p>He wrote, “I said it often enough that I can see now that this rejection turned his attraction into jealousy, hatred and a desire for control.”</p> <p>The toxic relationship went on for years, with Sambell controlling “where and when I worked, what I sang, what I wore, what I ate,” as Farnham ended up “isolated from friends and family,” even from wife Jill, who he married in 1973.</p> <p>Farnham finally sacked Sambell in 1976, later forming one of Australian music’s most successful partnerships with music manager Glenn Wheatley, who helped Farnham become a household name with his major hits of the 1980s and 90s. </p> <p>After Sambell died in 2001, Farnham wrote that he was forced to reflect on the early years of his career, and was overcome with a mixture of sorrow and shame: “I feel so ashamed of myself for not realising what Darryl was up to or speaking up more often to put him back in his place.”</p> <p>He admitted he had found it hard to “unpick” what had happened to him, until forced to confront it while writing his memoir.</p> <p>“But now that I’ve confronted it, I look back on that time with sorrow. I’m annoyed at myself for being so gullible and trusting,” he writes.</p> <p><em>Image credits: news.com.au / Facebook</em></p>

Caring

1 in 5 Australians admit they don’t wash their hands every time they use the toilet

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-carson-109004">Christine Carson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a></em></p> <p>Do you wash your hands every time you use the toilet? How about before you handle food? Be honest.</p> <p>Australia’s Food Safety Information Council has released its <a href="https://www.foodsafety.asn.au/topic/latest-report-card-on-aussie-handwashing-blokes-still-need-to-do-better-global-handwashing-day-15-october-2024/">latest report card</a> on the country’s hand washing habits. It found 19% of Australians don’t wash their hands every time they use the toilet. Close to half (42%) admit they don’t always wash hands before handling food.</p> <p>So who’s doing well when it comes to hand hygiene, who’s not – and why does it matter?</p> <h2>What did the report find?</h2> <p>The new report surveyed hand washing practices of 1,229 people. Results were consistent with what we’ve learned from <a href="https://www.foodsafety.asn.au/topic/latest-research-shows-improvement-in-aussie-handwashing-but-blokes-still-need-to-do-better-global-handwashing-day-15-october-2023/">similar surveys</a>.</p> <p>Once again, women do better than men at washing their hands after using the toilet, although only slightly (80% of men say they do every time, versus 83% of women). Just 55% of men wash their hands before touching food, compared to 62% of women.</p> <p>Age also seemed to make a difference. Under 34 years old, 69% of people washed their hands every time they used the toilet. Over age 65, that jumped to 86%.</p> <p>Although some of these differences aren’t completely unexpected – such as <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/02/women-hand-washing-more-than-men-why-coronavirus.html">the gap</a> between men’s and women’s hand washing habits – the reasons remain unclear.</p> <h2>Why don’t people wash their hands?</h2> <p>Public health messaging often focuses on how to wash hands well. But there’s less research that follows up on how widely people actually adopt these practices. And to understand why – if they are skipping the soap and water – those messages might not be getting through effectively.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33998334/">One study</a> that looked at this question in India asked school children about barriers to hand washing. The vast majority (91%) had low “illness threat perception”. In other words, they simply didn’t perceive a risk of getting sick form not washing their hands after going to the toilet.</p> <p>Interestingly, the inability to see germs with their own eyes was one of the biggest barriers, cited by 46% of the children. But 72% said they would wash their hands if their friends did.</p> <p>It’s tempting to speculate these reasons may also apply to other age groups, but we simply haven’t done enough research to know. People’s reasons for hand washing, or not, likely vary across their lifetime and with their circumstances.</p> <h2>What are the risks?</h2> <p>Urine and faeces contain millions of germs, especially faeces, which has more than <a href="https://theconversation.com/your-poo-is-mostly-alive-heres-whats-in-it-102848">100 billion</a> germs per gram.</p> <p>When you use the toilet and touch surfaces in the bathroom, you will pick up germs. People who skip the hand washing step on the way out take those germs with them when they leave, depositing them on each surface they touch afterwards.</p> <p>You may not get sick yourself, but you’re increasing the spread of bacteria. This can increase the risk of infection and illness for other people, including those with compromised immune systems such as older people and those undergoing common forms of treatment for cancer.</p> <p>Hand washing before cooking and eating is also important. The risk here goes both ways. If you have disease-causing germs on your hands (maybe because you didn’t wash them after the toilet) you may transfer them to the food where they can multiply and even produce toxins. People who eat the food may then get sick, often involving vomiting and diarrhoea.</p> <p>In the other direction, some foods naturally carry germs before cooking – such as <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7697675/">salmonella and campylobacter bacteria in raw poultry</a>. If you don’t wash your hands after handling these foods you may transfer them to other surfaces and risk spreading infection.</p> <h2>How should I wash my hands?</h2> <p>Follow these three simple tips for hand washing correctly:</p> <ol> <li> <p><strong>wet</strong> your hands and rub them together well to build up a good lather with soap for at least 20 seconds and don’t forget to wash between your fingers and under your nails. You might have to use a nail brush</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>rinse</strong> well under running water to remove the bugs from your hands</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>dry</strong> your hands thoroughly on a clean towel for at least 20 seconds. Touching surfaces with moist hands encourages bugs to spread from the surface to your hands.</p> </li> </ol> <h2>What about hand sanitiser?</h2> <p>If no running water is available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. These rapidly inactivate a wide range of germs, rendering them non-infectious. Hand sanitisers are effective against a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513254/#_article-17334_s3_">wide range of bacteria and viruses</a> that can cause many common gastrointesintal and respiratory infections.</p> <p>However if your hands are soiled with organic matter – such as blood, faeces, meat, sand or soil – they won’t be effective. In that case you should clean your hands with soap and water.</p> <h2>The bottom line</h2> <p>Hand washing is a bit like wearing a seat belt — you do that every time you get in a car, not just on the days you “plan” to be involved in an accident. The bottom line is hand washing is a simple, quick intervention that benefits you and those around you — but only if you do it.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/241481/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-carson-109004">Christine Carson</a>, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-in-5-australians-admit-they-dont-wash-their-hands-every-time-they-use-the-toilet-241481">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

Olympic legend given just two years to live

<p>British Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy has announced that his cancer is terminal.</p> <p>In an interview with <em>The Sunday Times</em>, the six-time Olympic cycling champion revealed that doctors have told him he has between two and four years to live. </p> <p>He told the publication that he had initially been diagnosed with cancer in his prostate, which had spread to his bones. </p> <p>Despite the terminal cancer diagnosis, the athlete remained positive and expressed his gratitude for the messages of support he has been receiving since the article's publication on Sunday. </p> <p>"You may see in the news this weekend some articles about my health, so I just wanted to reassure you all that I'm feeling fit, strong and positive," he wrote on Instagram.</p> <p>"Overwhelmed by all the love and support shown to my family and me. Onwards."</p> <p>Fellow Olympic cyclist Sir Mark Cavendish was among the many British sporting stars to send their support. </p> <p>"Hero of a human being," Cavendish wrote on Instagram. </p> <p>Three-time Olympic track medallist, Dame Kelly Holmes, added: "Sending love to you Chris." </p> <p>"Legend," commented Team GB Paralympic cycling medallist Archie Atkinson.</p> <p>Scottish Cycling added: "Sending our love and best wishes to Sir Chris and his family from everyone in the Scottish Cycling community.</p> <p>"As ever, he continues to be an inspiration on and off the track."</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/DBJEVKhO00z/?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/p/DBJEVKhO00z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Skarper (@skarperofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting expressed his support and admiration for Hoy's openness during such a difficult moment.</p> <p>"I'm in awe that Chris Hoy is meeting his cancer with the same positivity and resilience that has defined his life and career," Streeting wrote on X.</p> <p>"The whole country will be cheering him on as we have done so many times before and sending him and his family so much love."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sir Chris Hoy has been an inspiration to us all as a world class sportsman, decorated Olympian & a proud Scot. He’s provided so much joy to millions. He is also incredibly brave. I send my very best wishes to Chris and his family at this difficult time.<a href="https://t.co/aoP5OTKmDb">https://t.co/aoP5OTKmDb</a></p> <p>— Ian Murray MP (@IanMurrayMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/IanMurrayMP/status/1847910282254758044?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>Streeting, a cancer survivor himself, also told the <em>BBC</em> that he was "in awe" of Sir Chris's courage and positivity. </p> <p>"I'm in awe of his courage and positivity in face of a death sentence, which is what his cancer diagnosis is. The whole nation will be cheering him on now as we have done in the past," he said. </p> <p>"He is not the only person in this country today dealing with a terminal diagnosis... what a wonderful message of hope he has sent."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year revealed

<p>The finalists of the 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition have been revealed, with the talented photographers capturing the magic of the animal kingdom. </p> <p>The competition, run by the Natural History Museum, saw its largest number of entries yet, with 59,228 entries from 117 countries and territories.</p> <p>Shane Gross, a Canadian photojournalist, was the overall winner of Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his captivating image capturing the "magical underwater world of western toad tadpoles."</p> <p>Kathy Moran, Chair of the Jury and Editor said: "The jury was captivated by the mix of light, energy and connectivity between the environment and tadpoles. We were equally excited by the addition of a new species to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year archive."</p> <p>A few other winners included a photo of a "curious" leopard seal looking into the camera, a sleeping baby monkey, and a "wrestle" between an anaconda and caiman. </p> <p>Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum said: "Wildlife Photographer of the Year's longevity is a testament to the vital importance and growing appreciation of our natural world."</p> <p>"We are delighted to feature such inspiring images in this year's portfolio - these are photographs that not only encourage further wildlife conservation efforts, but that spark the creation of real advocates for our planet on a global scale."</p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Take a look at some of this year's best entries below.</p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><em>Images: Wildlife Photographer of the Year</em></p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"> </p>

International Travel

Parents demand action after five-year-old son brutally attacked with golf club

<p>William Brooks-Chiplin was playing in the front yard of his friend’s house in Tamworth, NSW on Thursday, when he was allegedly attacked with a golf club by another child. </p> <p>The five-year-old's face was extremely swollen and he was left dizzy and unable to move his jaw. </p> <p>“The people who came out and saw it thought he was gone. He didn’t make a sound, and he wasn’t moving,” his father, Kayleb Brooks, said.</p> <p>“My thought was he was going to die. No kid should ever experience that,” his mother, Marrisa Tisdell, added.</p> <p>His parents also said the young boy “is having nightmares, waking up and screaming in his sleep”.</p> <p>William is required to return to hospital for further scans to determine whether he has any hairline fractures or issues with his eyesight. </p> <p>NSW Police said they identified the 10-year-old accused of hitting William, and he had been given a warning under the Young Offenders Act, designed to provide an alternative process to court proceedings for children accused of crimes. </p> <p>For children aged between 10 and 14 years, the act is design in such way because, “a child cannot be held criminally responsible for their conduct because they don’t understand right or wrong”, according to Hugo Law Group’s Linday Stankovic.</p> <p>However, William's parents are calling for the government to change the age of criminal responsibility following the incident. </p> <p>“The kid pretty much just got a caution,” William's mum said. </p> <p>“(It’s) is unfair, because in the meantime he is suffering and nothing is being done about it,” his dad added. </p> <p>However, things aren't that simple as there are other concerns about the implication. </p> <p>Earlier this month, the Australian Human Rights Commissioner wrote to the NT government urging it to not lower the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10-years-old.</p> <p>“The younger a child comes into contact with the criminal justice system, the more likely they will go on to commit more serious and violent crimes," National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds said.</p> <p>“Lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 10 years will not make communities safer, it will only see rates of child offending increase.</p> <p>“These are primary school age children, and harsh, punitive responses are not the answer. “</p> <p>A recent report also found that more than three-quarters of children had mental health needs or cognitive disability, and 47 per cent had multiple diagnosed cognitive disabilities.</p> <p><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

Legal

Lessons for the next pandemic: where did Australia go right and wrong in responding to COVID?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrian-esterman-1022994">Adrian Esterman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/guzyal-hill-575966">Guzyal Hill</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hassan-vally-202904">Hassan Vally</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-m-caudwell-1258935">Kim M Caudwell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-toole-18259">Michael Toole</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/burnet-institute-992">Burnet Institute</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steven-mcgloughlin-1246135">Steven McGloughlin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tari-turner-7922">Tari Turner</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>With COVID still classified as <a href="https://www.who.int/europe/emergencies/situations/covid-19">an ongoing pandemic</a>, it’s difficult to contemplate the next one. But we <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-pathogen-might-spark-the-next-pandemic-how-scientists-are-preparing-for-disease-x-223193">need to be prepared</a>. We’ve seen <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-we-seeing-more-pandemics-our-impact-on-the-planet-has-a-lot-to-do-with-it-226827">several pandemics</a> in recent decades and it’s fair to expect we’ll see more.</p> <p>For the final part in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/the-next-pandemic-160343">series of articles</a> on the next pandemic, we’ve asked a range of experts what Australia got right and wrong it its response to COVID. Here they share their thoughts on the country’s COVID response – and what we can learn for the next pandemic.</p> <hr /> <h2>Quarantine</h2> <p>The federal government mandated 14 days of quarantine for all international arrivals between March 2020 and November 2021. During that period, <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/resource/download/national-review-of-quarantine.pdf">452,550 people</a> passed through the system.</p> <p>The states and Northern Territory were given <a href="https://quarantineinquiry.archive.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/covid-19-hotel-quarantine-inquiry-final-report-0">just 48 hours</a> to set up their quarantine systems. The states chose hotel quarantine, while the Northern Territory repurposed an old miner’s camp, <a href="https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/darwins-howard-springs-facility-a-model-for-building-national-resilience/">Howard Springs</a>, which had individual cabins with outdoor verandas. The ACT had very few international arrivals, while Tasmania only had hotel quarantine for domestic travellers.</p> <p>During the first 15 months of the program, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.51240">at least 22 breaches</a> occurred in five states (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia). An inquiry into Victoria’s hotel quarantine <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/covid-victorias-devastating-hotel-quarantine-killed-almost-800-people-110450178.html">found</a> the lack of warning and planning to set up the complex system resulted in breaches that caused Victoria’s second COVID wave of 2020, leading to almost 800 deaths. A <a href="https://www.cnet.com/science/features/how-the-delta-variant-breached-australias-covid-fortress/">breach at Sydney airport</a> led to the introduction of the Delta variant into Australia.</p> <p>In the next pandemic, mistakes from COVID need to be avoided. They included failure to protect hotel residents and staff from airborne transmission through ventilation and mask usage. Protocols need to be consistent across the country, such as the type of security staff used, N95 masks for staff and testing frequency.</p> <p>These protocols need to be included in a national pandemic preparedness plan, which is frequently reviewed and tested through simulations. This did not occur with the pre-COVID preparedness plan.</p> <p>Dedicated quarantine centres like Howard Springs already exist in Victoria and Queensland. Ideally, they should be constructed in every jurisdiction.</p> <p><strong>Michael Toole</strong></p> <hr /> <h2>Treatments</h2> <p>Scientists had to move quickly after COVID was discovered to find effective treatments.</p> <p>Many COVID treatments involved repurposing existing drugs designed for other viruses. For example, the HIV drug ritonavir is a key element of <a href="https://theconversation.com/pfizers-pill-is-the-latest-covid-treatment-to-show-promise-here-are-some-more-171589">the antiviral Paxlovid</a>, while remdesivir was originally developed <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-who-has-advised-against-the-use-of-two-antibody-therapies-against-covid-heres-what-that-means-190787">to treat hepatitis C</a>.</p> <p>At the outset of the pandemic, there was a lot of uncertainty about COVID treatment among Australian health professionals. To keep up with the rapidly developing science, the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/medicine/partnerships/our-partnerships/projects/national-clinical-evidence-taskforce">National Clinical Evidence Taskforce</a> was established in March 2020. We were involved in its COVID response with more than 250 clinicians, consumers and researchers.</p> <p>Unusually for evidence-based guidelines, which are often updated only every five years or so, the taskforce’s guidelines were designed to be “living” – updated as new research became available. In April 2020 we released the first guidelines for care of people with COVID, and over the next three years <a href="https://app.magicapp.org/#/guideline/7252">these were updated</a> more than 100 times.</p> <p>While health-care professionals always had access to up-to-date guidance on COVID treatments, this same information was not as accessible for the public. This may partly explain why many people turned to <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-trying-ivermectin-for-covid-heres-what-can-happen-with-this-controversial-drug-167178">unproven treatments</a>. The taskforce’s benefits could have been increased with funding to help the community understand COVID treatments.</p> <p>COVID drugs faced other obstacles too. For example, changes to the virus itself meant some treatments <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-centaurus-to-xbb-your-handy-guide-to-the-latest-covid-subvariants-and-why-some-are-more-worrying-than-others-192945">became less effective</a> as new variants emerged. Meanwhile, provision of antiviral treatments <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/How-we-analysed-COVID-antiviral-uptake-Grattan-Institute.pdf">has not been equitable</a> across the country.</p> <p>COVID drugs have had important, though not game-changing, impacts. Ultimately, effective vaccines played a much greater role in shifting the course of the pandemic. But we might not be so fortunate next time.</p> <p>In any future pandemic it will be crucial to have a clear pathway for rapid, reliable methods to develop and evaluate new treatments, disseminate that research to clinicians, policymakers and the public, and ensure all Australians can access the treatments they need.</p> <p><strong>Steven McGloughlin and Tari Turner, Monash University</strong></p> <hr /> <h2>Vaccine rollout</h2> <p>COVID vaccines were developed <a href="https://theconversation.com/one-of-sciences-greatest-achievements-how-the-rapid-development-of-covid-vaccines-prepares-us-for-future-pandemics-228787">in record time</a>, but rolling them out quickly and seamlessly proved to be a challenge. In Australia, there were several missteps along the way.</p> <p>First, there was poor preparation and execution. Detailed <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/auditor-general-highlights-vaccine-rollout-failures">planning was not finalised</a> until after the rollout had begun.</p> <p>Then the federal government had <a href="https://theconversation.com/4-ways-australias-covid-vaccine-rollout-has-been-bungled-158225">overly ambitious targets</a>. For example, the goal of vaccinating four million people by the end of March 2021 fell drastically short, with less than one-fifth of that number actually vaccinated by that time.</p> <p>There were also <a href="https://theconversation.com/4-ways-australias-covid-vaccine-rollout-has-been-bungled-158225">supply issues</a>, with the European Union blocking some deliveries to Australia.</p> <p>Unfortunately, the government was heavily reliant on <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/auditor-general-highlights-vaccine-rollout-failures">the AstraZeneca vaccine</a>, which was found, in rare cases, to lead to <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/advice-for-providers/clinical-guidance/tts">blood clots</a> in younger people.</p> <p>Despite all this, Australia ultimately achieved high vaccination rates. By the end of December 2021, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2021/12/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-update-31-december-2021.pdf">more than 94%</a> of the population aged 16 and over had received at least one dose.</p> <p>This was a significant public health achievement and saved <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0299844">thousands of lives</a>.</p> <p>But over the past couple of years, Australia’s initially strong vaccine uptake has been waning.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-03/atagi-statement-on-the-administration-of-covid-19-vaccines-in-2024.pdf">Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation</a> recommends booster doses for vulnerable groups annually or twice annually. However, only 30% of people aged <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-update-13-september-2024.pdf">75 and over</a> (for whom a booster is recommended every six months) have had a booster dose in the past six months.</p> <p>There are several lessons to be learned from the COVID vaccine rollout for any future pandemic, though it’s not entirely clear whether they are being heeded.</p> <p>For example, several manufacturers have developed <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-covid-vaccines-may-be-coming-to-australia-heres-what-to-know-about-the-jn-1-shots-237652">updated COVID vaccines</a> based on the JN.1 subvariant. But <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/why-australia-could-miss-out-on-modernas-new-covid-19-vaccine/n5n0iruv1">reports indicate</a> the government will only be purchasing the Pfizer JN.1 booster. This doesn’t seem like the best approach to shore up vaccine supply.</p> <p><strong>Adrian Esterman, University of South Australia</strong></p> <hr /> <h2>Mode of transmission</h2> <p>Nearly five years since SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) first emerged, we now know <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-how-is-it-transmitted">airborne transmission</a> plays a far greater role than we originally thought.</p> <p>In contrast, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 being transmitted via surfaces is <a href="https://theconversation.com/catching-covid-from-surfaces-is-very-unlikely-so-perhaps-we-can-ease-up-on-the-disinfecting-155359">likely to be low</a>, and perhaps effectively non-existent in many situations.</p> <p>Early in the pandemic, the role contaminated surfaces and inanimate objects played in COVID transmission was overestimated. The main reason we got this wrong, at least initially, was that in the absence of any direct experience with SARS-CoV-2, we extrapolated what we believed to be true for other respiratory viruses. This was understandable, but it proved to be inadequate for predicting how SARS-CoV-2 would behave.</p> <p>One of the main consequences of overestimating the role of surface transmission was that it resulted in a lot of unnecessary anxiety and the adoption of what can only be viewed in retrospect as <a href="https://theconversation.com/catching-covid-from-surfaces-is-very-unlikely-so-perhaps-we-can-ease-up-on-the-disinfecting-155359">over-the-top cleaning practices</a>. Remember the teams of people who walked the streets wiping down traffic light poles? How about the concern over reusable coffee cups?</p> <p>Considerable resources that could have been better invested elsewhere were directed towards disinfecting surfaces. This also potentially distracted our focus from other preventive measures that were likely to have been more effective, such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-masks-reduce-the-risk-of-spreading-covid-despite-a-review-saying-they-dont-198992">wearing masks</a>.</p> <p>The focus on surface transmission was amplified by a number of studies published early in the pandemic that documented the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7121658/">survival of SARS-CoV-2</a> for long periods on surfaces. However, these were conducted in the lab with little similarity to real-world conditions. In particular, the amounts of virus placed on surfaces were greater than what people would likely encounter outside the lab. This inflated viral survival times and therefore the perception of risk.</p> <p>The emphasis on surface transmission early in the pandemic ultimately proved to be a miscalculation. It highlights the challenges in understanding how a new virus spreads.</p> <p><strong>Hassan Vally, Deakin University</strong></p> <hr /> <h2>National unity</h2> <p>Initially, Commonwealth, state and territory leaders were relatively united in their response to the COVID pandemic. The establishment of the National Cabinet in <a href="https://federation.gov.au/national-cabinet">March 2020</a> indicated a commitment to consensus-based public health policy. Meanwhile, different jurisdictions came together to deliver a <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/financial-difficulties-and-disasters/covid-19/jobkeeper-payment">range of measures</a> aimed at supporting businesses and workers affected by COVID restrictions.</p> <p>But as the pandemic continued, tensions gave way to deeper ideological fractures between jurisdictions <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-024-05834-9">and individuals</a>. The issues of <a href="https://www.unswlawjournal.unsw.edu.au/article/covid-19-vaccine-mandates-a-coercive-but-justified-public-health-necessity">vaccine mandates</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-30/wa-premier-mark-mcgowan-reopening-date-decision/100788876">border closures</a> and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/00048674211031489">lockdowns</a> all created fragmentation between governments, and among experts.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/oct/19/daniel-andrews-lashes-josh-frydenberg-over-attack-on-victorias-covid-strategy">blame game began</a> between and within jurisdictions. For example, the politicisation of <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/govt-playing-cruise-ship-blame-game-labor/49ad3491-2187-4991-a3a0-1c61145bc2cb">quarantine regulations on cruise ships</a> revealed disunity. School closures, on which the Commonwealth and state and territory governments <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/we-made-the-wrong-decisions-covid-era-mass-school-closures-condemned-20240214-p5f521.html">took different positions</a>, also generated controversy.</p> <p>These and other instances of polarisation undermined the intent of the newly established <a href="https://theconversation.com/with-the-covid-crisis-easing-is-the-national-cabinet-still-fit-for-purpose-202145">National Cabinet</a>.</p> <p>The COVID pandemic showed us that <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4859497">disunity across the country</a> threatens the collective work needed for an effective response in <a href="https://ir.law.fsu.edu/jtlp/vol30/iss1/3/">the face of emergencies</a>.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/domestic-policy/commonwealth-government-covid-19-response-inquiry">COVID response inquiry</a>, due to release its results soon, will hopefully help us work toward <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-19-3292-2">national uniform legislation</a> that may benefit Australia in the event of <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-19-3292-2_10">any future pandemics</a>.</p> <p>This doesn’t necessarily mean identical legislation across the country – this won’t always be appropriate. But a cohesive, long-term approach is crucial to ensure the best outcomes for the Australian federation in its entirety.</p> <p><strong>Guzyal Hill and Kim M Caudwell, Charles Darwin University</strong></p> <hr /> <p><em>This article is part of a <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/the-next-pandemic-160343">series on the next pandemic</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239819/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></em></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrian-esterman-1022994">Adrian Esterman</a>, Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/guzyal-hill-575966">Guzyal Hill</a>, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts and Society, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hassan-vally-202904">Hassan Vally</a>, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-m-caudwell-1258935">Kim M Caudwell</a>, Senior Lecturer - Psychology | Chair, Researchers in Behavioural Addictions, Alcohol and Drugs (BAAD), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-toole-18259">Michael Toole</a>, Associate Principal Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/burnet-institute-992">Burnet Institute</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steven-mcgloughlin-1246135">Steven McGloughlin</a>, Director, Intensive Care Unit, Alfred Health; Professor, Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tari-turner-7922">Tari Turner</a>, Director, Evidence and Methods, National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce; Associate Professor (Research), Cochrane Australia, School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/lessons-for-the-next-pandemic-where-did-australia-go-right-and-wrong-in-responding-to-covid-239819">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Legal

30 years ago, Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction shook Hollywood and redefined ‘cool’ cinema

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-mccann-398197">Ben McCann</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a></em></p> <p>What might be the most seismic moment in American cinema? Film “speaking” for the first time in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SzltpkGz0M">The Jazz Singer</a>? Dorothy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4eQmTizTSo">entering</a> the Land of Oz? That <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw_D3a2pZtk">menacing shark</a> that in 1975 invented the <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-history-of-the-blockbuster-movie/">summer blockbuster</a>?</p> <p>Or how about that moment when two hitmen on their way to a job began talking about the intricacies of European fast food while listening to Kool & The Gang?</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2j_A6e-VESk?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Directed by Quentin Tarantino, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/">Pulp Fiction</a> (1994) celebrates its 30th birthday this month. Watching it now, this story of a motley crew of mobsters, drug dealers and lowlifes in sunny Los Angeles still feels startlingly new.</p> <p>Widely regarded as Tarantino’s masterpiece, the director’s dazzling second film was considered era-defining for its memorable dialogue, innovative narrative structure and unique blend of humour and violence. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, made stars of Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman, and revitalised John Travolta’s career.</p> <p>Pulp Fiction is dark, often poignant, and very funny. It is, as one critic <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/apr/13/my-favourite-cannes-winner-pulp-fiction">describes it</a>, an “intravenous jab of callous madness, black comedy and strange unwholesome euphoria”.</p> <h2>A Möbius strip plot</h2> <p>Famous for its non-linear narrative, Pulp Fiction weaves together <a href="https://thescriptlab.com/features/main/1457-structure-of-pulp-fiction-method-in-the-madness/">a trio of connected crime stories</a>. The three chapters – Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace’s Wife, The Gold Watch and The Bonnie Situation – loop, twist and intersect but, crucially, never confuse the viewer.</p> <p>Tarantino has often paid tribute to French filmmakers <a href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/jean-luc-godard-quentin-tarantino-ultimate-hero/">Jean-Luc Godard</a> and <a href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/director-deeply-inspired-quentin-tarantino/">Jean-Pierre Melville</a>, whose earlier films also presented their narratives out of chronological order and modified the rules of the crime genre.</p> <p>By inviting audiences to piece Pulp Fiction together like a puzzle, Tarantino laid the way for subsequent achronological films such as Memento (2000), Go (1999) and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998).</p> <h2>Pop culture meets postmodernism</h2> <p>In his influential essay Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, first published in 1984, political theorist Frederic Jameson coined the term “<a href="https://literariness.org/2016/04/04/fredric-jamesons-concept-of-depthlessness/">new depthlessness</a>” to describe postmodern culture.</p> <p>Jameson perceived a shift away from the depth, meaning and authenticity that characterised earlier forms of culture, towards a focus on surface and style.</p> <p>Pulp Fiction <a href="http://moviemezzanine.com/the-eyes-behind-the-mask-pulp-fiction-and-postmodernity-20-years-later/">fits</a> Jameson’s definition of depthlessness. It is stuffed with homages to popular culture and a vivid array of character types drawn from other B-movies – hitmen, molls, mob bosses, double-crossing boxers, traumatised war veterans and tuxedo-wearing “fixers”. It is a film of surfaces and <a href="https://wiki.tarantino.info/index.php/Pulp_Fiction_Movie_References_Guide">allusions</a>.</p> <p>Jackson, Travolta and Thurman feature alongside established 1990s box-office stars including Bruce Willis and industry stalwarts Harvey Keitel and Christopher Walken, both of whom have brief but memorable cameos.</p> <p>The film’s most iconic scene takes place at the retro 1950s-themed Jack Rabbit Slim’s diner. Thurman’s twist contest with Travolta fondly echoes Travolta’s earlier dancing in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and pays homage to other dance scenes in films such as 8 ½ (1963) and Band of Outsiders (1964).</p> <h2>Words and music</h2> <p>Film critic Roger Ebert <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-pulp-fiction-1994">once noted</a> how Tarantino’s characters “often speak at right angles to the action”, giving long speeches before getting on with the job at hand.</p> <p>Pulp Fiction is full of witty and quotable monologues and dialogue, ranging from the philosophical to the mundane. Conversations about foot massages and blueberry pie bump up against Bible verses and reflections on fate and redemption.</p> <p>The film’s 1995 Oscar for Best Original Screenplay was a fitting achievement for Tarantino, who many regard as <a href="https://medium.com/word-garden/tarantinos-conversations-are-the-best-in-movie-history-this-is-why-52e06de4f773">the snappiest writer</a> in film history. Countless other filmmakers have looked to replicate Pulp Fiction’s mashup of cool and coarse.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S6Vuj8tF-kk?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Needle drops are <a href="https://medium.com/cuepoint/the-music-of-pulp-fiction-8a13a7cdb5a8">just as important</a> in establishing Pulp Fiction’s mood and tone. The film’s eclectic soundtrack pings between surf rock, soul and classic rock ‘n’ roll.</p> <p>The soundtrack peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 in 1994 and stayed in the charts for <a href="https://www.grammy.com/news/how-pulp-fiction-reinvented-the-film-soundtrack-anniversary">more than a year</a>.</p> <h2>Dividing the critics</h2> <p>Though it was officially released in October 1994, Pulp Fiction had already made a stir earlier that by winning the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.</p> <p>Many expected Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colours: Red to take <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/nov/09/three-colours-red-cannes">the top prize</a>. Tarantino himself seemed stunned, telling the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnS5pXQQmR4&t=188s">Cannes audience</a>: “I don’t make the kind of movies that bring people together. I make movies that split people apart.”</p> <p>The film has divided critics ever since.</p> <p>Many adored Pulp Fiction for its intoxicating allure and sheer adrenaline-fuelled pleasure. To this day it maintains a 92% critic score on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pulp_fiction">Rotten Tomatoes</a>. Film critic Todd McCarthy <a href="https://variety.com/1994/film/reviews/pulp-fiction-1200437049/">called it</a> a film “bulging with boldness, humour and diabolical invention”.</p> <p>But the backlash was equally robust. <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2014/10/pulp-fiction-bad-film">Some</a> criticised the film for its excessive gore and irresponsible use of racial slurs. Screenwriting guru Syd Field <a href="https://sydfield.com/syd_resources/pulp-fiction/">felt</a> it was too shallow and too talky. Jean-Luc Godard, once one of Tarantino’s idol, apparently <a href="https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2022/12/0eav5zg509ajlqjg9xc8em2m3xrorw">hated it</a>.</p> <p>Nonetheless, its financial success (a <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0110912/">box office return</a> of US$213 million from an $8 million budget) signalled the growing importance and cultural prestige of independent US films. Miramax, the studio that backed it, went on to <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Down_and_Dirty_Pictures/aXn_CwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=down+and+dirty+pictures,+biskind&printsec=frontcover">become</a> a major force in the industry.</p> <h2>A lasting legacy</h2> <p>Shortly after Pulp Fiction’s release, the word “Tarantinoesque” <a href="https://www.oed.com/dictionary/tarantinoesque_adj">appeared</a> in the Oxofrd English Dictionary. The entry reads:</p> <blockquote> <p>Resembling or imitative of the films of Quentin Tarantino; characteristic or reminiscent of these films Tarantino’s films are typically characterised by graphic and stylized violence, non-linear storylines, cineliterate references, satirical themes, and sharp dialogue.</p> </blockquote> <p>Pulp Fiction has since been parodied and knocked off countless times. Hollywood suddenly began <a href="http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2016/the-10-worst-copycat-films-of-pulp-fiction/">mass-producing low-budget crime thrillers</a> with witty, self-reflexive dialogue. Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995), 2 Days In The Valley (1996) and Very Bad Things (1998) are just some example.</p> <p>Graffiti artist Bansky even <a href="https://banksyexplained.com/pulp-fiction-2004/">stencilled</a> the likeness of Jules and Vincent all over London, with bananas in place of guns. The Simpsons <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u6wR_2S4xQ">got in on the act</a> too.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4u6wR_2S4xQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Tarantino <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/profile-hollywood-s-hitman-quentin-tarantino-a-sadist-or-just-a-stylist-david-thomson-on-the-boywonder-director-of-pulp-fiction-1444551.html">once summed up</a> his working method as follows:</p> <blockquote> <p>Ultimately all I’m trying to do is merge sophisticated storytelling with lurid subject matter. I reckon that makes for an entertaining night at the movies.</p> </blockquote> <p>I’d say there’s no better way to describe Pulp Fiction.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236877/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-mccann-398197">Ben McCann</a>, Associate Professor of French Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Miramax</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/30-years-ago-tarantinos-pulp-fiction-shook-hollywood-and-redefined-cool-cinema-236877">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Movies

Cal Wilson's husband shares heartfelt tribute one year after her passing

<p>It's been one year since Cal Wilson tragically passed away, and now her husband has shared a moving tribute in her memory. </p> <p>Chris Woods took to Instagram to reflect on life since his wife's passing, and looked back on all "the little things" that made her special. </p> <p>“It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since you left us. Some days feel endless without you, while others rush by in a blur, reminding me just how quickly time passes. Not a moment goes by that I don’t miss you and feel a pang of sadness for all that you’ve missed,” he began.</p> <p>“You’d be so proud of Mr. Bear; he’s blossomed into an amazing person, full of resilience and kindness. Your love and warmth are woven into him, things I worried might fade but have only grown stronger.</p> <p>“Today, we’re focusing on all the good memories—the joy, laughter, and love you brought into our lives. We want to embrace the balance of a little sadness with a lot of joy, just as you would have wanted.</p> <p>“As we slowly move forward towards the next chapter, your people have been our rock, showing us all the love and kindness that you embodied. We are so fortunate to have them by our side. The cats are as mischievous as ever, and their affectionate antics constantly remind us of all the joy you brought into our lives.</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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DA9SzFozgaH/?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/p/DA9SzFozgaH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Cal Wilson (@calbowilson)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Even in what turned out to be your darkest moments, you shone so brightly on the telly and we’re incredibly proud of all that you achieved on Bake Off this season. We’ll cherish your final appearance.</p> <p>“Love surrounds us, and every day we throw the curtains wide, thinking of you. We’ll always remember the little things that made you, you.”</p> <p>The New Zealand comedian and TV personality tragically passed away on October 11 2023 at the age of 53 following a short <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/cal-wilson-s-cause-of-death-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">battle with cancer</a>. Her management confirmed at the time that she died with her family by her side. </p> <p>Fans were quick to share their words of encouragement to Woods and the couple's son Digby, with one saying: “Lots of love to you all for today." </p> <p>“This made me cry. I only ever knew Cal from tv, but what an amazing human she was just from my perspective. But, I can see in your words just how much she meant to you both. While the pain of loss will never fully subside, I’m sending my best to you both," another commented. </p> <p>"Sending you all my love today, Chris and Digby,” commented another.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Relationships

No time for a holiday? A ‘workation’ could be the answer

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mariachiara-barzotto-1449459">Mariachiara Barzotto</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bath-1325">University of Bath</a></em></p> <p>Imagine this: you’re lounging on the beach, waves crashing in the background. A laptop sits on the table next to your iced coffee. In between meetings, you dip into the ocean or explore a hiking trail. This is the ideal vision of “workations” – a blend of work and vacation that is <a href="https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1882649/rise-workation-hr-encourage-blurring-lines-home-away#:%7E:text=Since%20many%20people%20shifted%20to,having%20to%20take%20annual%20leave.">gaining popularity</a> worldwide.</p> <p>A workation allows employees to work remotely from a holiday spot, and is part of a larger shift towards more flexible working arrangements, accelerated by the COVID pandemic and the rise of digital technology. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16078055.2022.2134199#d1e474">Workations</a> can last from a few days to several weeks.</p> <p>The concept can be appealing to both employees and companies, but there are challenges too. So, understanding its benefits and limitations is important for workers and employers alike.</p> <p>The most obvious benefit for employees is enjoying a new environment while staying productive. The typical work environment can become monotonous, potentially leading to burnout, decreased creativity and dissatisfaction.</p> <p>A workation offers an escape from this day-to-day grind, providing a refreshing change of scenery. It combines the mental break of a vacation with the flexibility of working remotely, allowing workers to balance their professional and personal lives and <a href="https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/abas/20/1/20_0210112a/_pdf">enhance their creativity</a>. This flexibility may be particularly beneficial for those with high workloads or tight schedules, as they no longer need to sacrifice time away from work to relax.</p> <p>And companies can also reap rewards from approving workations among their staff. One of the most significant advantages is employee retention. Flexible work arrangements are among <a href="https://buffer.com/state-of-remote-work/2023">the top priorities</a> for employees in today’s job market, helping to reduce staff turnover.</p> <p>Offering the option of a workation could also make a company more attractive to prospective employees. And workers who are free to work from inspiring locations may return to their tasks less stressed, and more motivated and engaged. Studies show that remote workers often demonstrate <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1529100615593273">increased organisational commitment</a>.</p> <p>Another advantage is the potential for cost savings. With more employees working remotely, companies may reduce their need for large office spaces or the expensive perks offered in corporate environments such as gyms, canteens and the staffing that goes with them.</p> <p>But there can be challenges too. The boundary between work and leisure can become blurred, and some employees may find it <a href="https://tuprints.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/7578/1/Dissertation_Reinke_Always%20Online%20-%20Boundary%20Management%20and%20Well-being.pdf%20">hard to disconnect from work</a> – defeating the object of travelling to a different workplace. The allure of finishing “just one more task” can prevent employees from truly enjoying their surroundings, potentially leading to exhaustion instead of rejuvenation.</p> <p>Time zone differences can also be a challenge. Juggling meetings and collaborating with colleagues in different time zones can lead to irregular work hours that make it hard to maintain a healthy work-life balance.</p> <p>Distractions are another concern. Beaches, tourist attractions or even the simple novelty of being in a new place can make it difficult to focus on work tasks. Employees need to have a strong sense of discipline to remain productive.</p> <p>For companies, one of the primary challenges is ensuring that employees remain productive. Monitoring performance without feeling intrusive can be a tricky balance for managers to strike.</p> <p>Security is another major concern. Remote work often involves accessing company networks and handling sensitive information. When employees work from unfamiliar locations – particularly in public spaces such as cafes – there may be increased risks related to cybersecurity. Ensuring that employees follow security protocols, use secure wifi and protect sensitive data is crucial.</p> <p>Lastly, workations might not be feasible for all roles. This can lead to disparities in who can take advantage of the opportunity, potentially leading to bad feeling among other staff.</p> <p>For the concept of workations to succeed, both employees and employers should set clear expectations, establish boundaries, and focus on maintaining productivity while allowing time for relaxation. But, if managed properly, they could become a staple of modern work culture. In a world where flexibility and wellbeing are increasingly valued, workations offer a unique opportunity to blend productivity with personal fulfilment, reshaping how we think about work and leisure.</p> <h2>Nine tips for having a successful workation</h2> <p><strong>1. Choose the right destination</strong></p> <p>Opt for a location with reliable internet access and where the time difference between colleagues and clients is manageable.</p> <p><strong>2. Set clear boundaries</strong></p> <p>Establish dividing lines between your work and vacation time, and communicate these boundaries with your employer and colleagues.</p> <p><strong>3. Ensure you have the right tech set-up</strong></p> <p>Bring all the necessary equipment, including noise-cancelling headphones. Double-check that you have remote access to all necessary material before leaving.</p> <p><strong>4. Plan for cybersecurity</strong></p> <p>Use a secure virtual private network (VPN) to protect company data, and follow your company’s cybersecurity policies to the letter.</p> <p><strong>5. Understand your company’s remote work policy</strong></p> <p>Read up on things like flexibility in terms of location, time zones, working hours and refunds for co-working spaces or tech tools.</p> <p><strong>6. Set realistic expectations</strong></p> <p>Don’t expect your workation to feel like a full vacation. Plan your leisure activities around your work schedule. Be prepared to work longer or odd hours if your company operates in a different time zone.</p> <p><strong>7. Consider the local infrastructure</strong></p> <p>Research amenities such as medical services, food delivery and transport. These might be important if you stay in a more remote or unfamiliar area. Have a contingency plan for health emergencies and check visa requirements.</p> <p><strong>8. Prepare for flexibility</strong></p> <p>Be ready for unexpected issues like slow internet or disruptions due to local events. Back-up plans, such as access to a co-working space or alternative accommodation, can save you from unnecessary stress.</p> <p><strong>9. Stay organised</strong></p> <p>Keep a work schedule and a checklist of tasks to ensure that you remain as productive as you are in your regular work environment.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/240485/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mariachiara-barzotto-1449459">Mariachiara Barzotto</a>, Senior Lecturer in Management Strategy and Organisation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bath-1325">University of Bath</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-time-for-a-holiday-a-workation-could-be-the-answer-240485">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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