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Tourists reveal the world’s best “non-mainstream” cities

While many eager travellers head to a nation’s capital city when travelling abroad, others prefer to steer off the beaten track for a more authentic experience. A group of keen tourists discussed their favourite “non-mainstream” cities in a popular travel thread on Reddit, with eight destinations around the world coming out on top. Turin, Italy Most travellers that head to Italy tend to stick to the main tourist-driven cities of Rome, Florence, Milan and Venice. However, according to one traveller, the city of Turin (also known as Torino) is “one of the best cities in the country and it gets ignored by most tourists.” One person wrote, “Great architecture, very walkable, fantastic museums, delicious regional dishes and stunning Alpine backdrop.” Another agreed, adding, “Torino is really great. [It] feels different to any other Italian city. [It's] also totally uncrowded even during peak season.” Oulu, Finland Aside from the Finnish capital of Helsinki in the far south of the country, some travellers prefer to venture up north into colder climates away from the bustling city. One hotspot is the city of Oulu, which offers a more relaxed pace of life despite its harsh weather. One traveller wrote, “I really enjoyed Oulu in Finland. So much space between buildings, green trees everywhere, a nice beach to relax on and watch the sunset, [and] beautiful parks.” “To me, it looked like the ideal city to live in. I was there in July. I think winters can be harsh.” Ouray, Colorado, USA Situated in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado, Ouray is often referred to as the 'Switzerland of America', with many travellers in awe of its beauty. One person simply wrote, “Ouray is stunningly beautiful!” sharing their love for the quaint city. Nuremberg, Germany Germany’s most visited cities are usually Berlin and Munich, but Nuremberg also offers a unique glimpse into Germany’s history and culture. One traveller described the city as “amazing” while another said they “absolutely loved the place”. Another claimed that Nuremberg was “so beautiful, magical and fun” during wintertime that it “ruined Christmas for the rest of my life”. Townsville, Australia When you think of coastal Aussie getaways, many think of Noosa or the Gold Coast as the best places to visit. However, others encouraged travellers to head to the “super-underrated” Townsville in northeastern Queensland instead. One traveller remarked that it has “great bars and restaurants”, adding, “It was a good base to get around the place. I found the locals friendly, [it] wasn't overrun with tourists like Cairns. My wife and I both thought it was a super-underrated place and we'll be back.” Khiva, Uzbekistan The city of Khiva, locally pronounced 'Heevah', is more than 2,500 years old and is a keen holiday destination for history buffs. One traveller wrote of the charming city, “The old city inside the walls is so well preserved that it's like entering another time. Early morning and after dark, when the tourist market has closed, and the buses have left, makes for a magical experience. I've been to a lot of places in the world but will never forget the magic of that place.” Salta, Argentina Located in the north of the country, Salta is “definitely not on the mainstream path”, but worth the journey. One tourist wrote, “The city itself isn't the most exciting but it's safe, the food is incredible, and it's the gateway to some of the most beautiful natural areas I've seen in my life.” Kastoria, Greece Located in northern Greece in the region of Western Macedonia, Kastoria sits on the shore of Lake Orestiada and is surrounded by limestone mountains. One traveller fell in love with the Greek destination, writing, “This is the definition of a hidden gem. It's deep in northern Greece and on a peninsula jutting into the middle of a lake, so it's just this incredibly serene and picturesque setting. There's history on every street corner, too.” Image credits: Shutterstock

International Travel

How to write creative non-fiction history

Discovering an old photo album from the 1920s, celebrated author and adjunct professor Paul Ashton embarked on a journey to turn historical research into engaging creative non-fiction, blending meticulous evidence with captivating storytelling. Here he shares he insights on the fascinating process. One afternoon my elderly father and niece came to my home for lunch. On their way they had seen something on a council clean up. ‘We thought you might be interested in this,’ said my father handing me a small, brown photo album. I was. The album contained around 100 undated black and white photographs. It became apparent quickly that this was the record of a road trip done in the 1920s or 1930s. A boy, two women and a man had gone on a trip from Sydney up through New England, to Tamworth then to Brisbane and back to Sydney. Shadows in some of the images indicate that they were taken by the man and at least one of the women. The album provided the basis for my first children’s book, Palmer’s Mystery Hikes. One photograph stood out for me. Hundreds of people were gathered somewhere in the bush. In the far left-hand corner in the background was an elevated table covered with a large white tablecloth. With a magnifying glass I could just make out ‘Palmers [something] Hike’. In 1932 Palmer’s men and boys’ department store, in Park Street in Sydney, had established a hiking club to promote the sale of hiking apparel. You bought a ‘mystery’ ticket from New South Wales Railways with which Palmer had an arrangement; turned up at Central Station on Sunday morning; and were taken to a mystery destination. From there you did a ten-mile hike to another station and were then trained back to Sydney. There were five hikes. The third one to the Hawkesbury River attracted over 8,000 people. Turning historical research into believable fiction or creative non-fiction has certain demands. How do you strike a balance between historical research and evidence and the narrative form? This is a big question and will ultimately depend on many things, including the availability of primary and secondary sources and the nature of the particular narrative. But perhaps the most important question is: how do writers use the past to give their work historical dimensions and insights? For me, the most critical element is context. And it’s the thing most missing in much historically based fictional literature. Evoking people, places and periods involves understandings of things such as continuity and change over time, historical process – like colonisation and suburbanisation – ideologies and superstitions. Where appropriate, these should form subtle backgrounds to the narrative. Fiction and creative non-fiction as historical modes of presenting history should also show – not tell. My edited collection, If It’s not True It Should Be (Halstead Press), explores writing history using fictional techniques. As Peter Stanley has written in that book, ‘those who seek to illuminate the past through the imaginative recreation of historical fiction … [are] motivated by the fundamental conviction that what links the fidelity of the historian and the imagination of the historical novelist is that the work of both should be offered and read as if it were true.’ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Paul Ashton is adjunct professor and co-founder of the Australian Centre for Public History at the University of Technology Sydney and adjunct professor at the University of Canberra and Macquarie University. He has authored, co-authored, edited and co-edited over 40 books and is editor of the journal Public History Review. His series of creative non-fiction children’s histories – Accidental Histories – is being published by Halstead Press. Images: Supplied

Books

‘Why didn’t we know?’ is no excuse. Non-Indigenous Australians must listen to the difficult historical truths told by First Nations people

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-norman-859">Heidi Norman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-maree-payne-440459">Anne Maree Payne</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> Big things are being asked of history in 2023. Later this year, we will vote in the referendum to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative body – the <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-questions-about-the-voice-to-parliament-answered-by-the-experts-207014">Voice to Parliament</a> – in the Australian constitution. The Voice was introduced through the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which outlines reforms to advance treaty and truth, in that order. And it calls for “truth telling about our history”. Truth-telling has been key to restoring trust and repairing relationships in post-conflict settings around the world. Historical truth-telling is increasingly seen as an important part of restorative justice in settler-colonial contexts. The UN recognises the “<a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/right-to-truth-day">right to truth</a>”. It’s important to restore dignity to victims of human rights violations – and to ensure such violations never happen again. But there’s also a collective right to understand historical oppression. The Uluru Statement, too, <a href="https://theconversation.com/first-nations-people-have-made-a-plea-for-truth-telling-by-reckoning-with-its-past-australia-can-finally-help-improve-our-future-202137">sees truth-telling</a> as essential for achieving justice for Australia’s First Nations people. A successful “Yes” referendum outcome has the potential to make history. The Voice will structure a more effective relationship between Aboriginal nations or peoples and government. It will better represent Indigenous interests and rights in Australia’s policy development and service delivery. However modest this reform, the Voice is outstanding business for the nation. But the Uluru statement’s call for “truth-telling about our history” will prove more difficult. <h2>Barriers to ‘truth hearing’</h2> “Why didn’t we know?” non-Indigenous Australians still lament when confronted with accounts of past violence and injustice against Indigenous Australians, despite decades of curriculum reform. Our current research reflects on the barriers to “truth hearing”. The barriers are not just structural. Negative attitudes need to be overcome, too. Researchers have noted <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340480495_NEW_Preface">the levels of</a> “disaffection, disinterest and denial of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history”. They’ve also lamented the piecemeal nature of current educational approaches. <a href="https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/historys-children_history-wars-in-the-classroom/">Anna Clark’s research</a> on attitudes in schools towards learning Australia history – particularly Indigenous history – shows that students experience Australian history as both repetitive and incomplete, “taught to death but not in-depth”. Bain Attwood has <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/48554763">convincingly argued</a> that early settler denial of the violence of Indigenous dispossession was followed by a century of historical denial. History as a discipline, he argues, needs to reckon with the truth about its own role in supporting <a href="https://theconversation.com/truth-telling-and-giving-back-how-settler-colonials-are-coming-to-terms-with-painful-family-histories-145165">settler colonialism</a>. <h2>50+ years of Aboriginal history</h2> For more than 50 years, historians have produced an enormous body of work that’s brought Aboriginal perspectives and experiences into most areas of Australian history – including gender, class, race, <a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-when-did-australias-human-history-begin-87251">deep history</a> and global histories. Until the late 1970s, academic interest in Aboriginal worlds was led by mostly white anthropologists and their gaze was set to the traditional north. But historians were then challenged to address the “silence” of their profession when it came to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They needed to write them into history. This meant “restoring” the Aboriginal worlds omitted in the Australian history texts of the 20th century. This called for new ways of doing research: oral history, re-evaluating the archive, drawing on a wider range of sources than the official and written text. Today, some historians work with scientists and traditional knowledge holders to tell stories over much longer time periods. For example, Australian National University’s <a href="https://re.anu.edu.au/">Centre for Deep History</a> is exploring Australia’s deep past, with the aim of expanding history’s time, scale and scope. And the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/arts/monash-indigenous-studies/global-encounters-and-first-nations-peoples">Global Encounters and First Nations Peoples</a> Monash project, led by Lynette Russell, applies interdisciplinary approaches to consider a range of encounters by First Nations peoples over the past millennium, challenging the view that the Australian history “began” with British colonisation. On the other side of the sandstone gates, an incredible flourishing of historically informed Aboriginal creative works has taken centre stage in Australian cultural life. This includes biographies, memoirs, literature, painting, documentary and performance: often with large audiences and readerships. They are all forms of truth-telling. In <a href="https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/black-words-white-page">Black Words, White Page</a> (2004), Adam Shoemaker details the extent of Aboriginal writing focused on Australian history from 1929 to 1988: writers like <a href="https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/noonuccal-oodgeroo-18057">Oodgeroo Noonuccal</a>, <a href="https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/davis-jack-17788">Jack Davis</a>, <a href="https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/gilbert-kevin-john-18569">Kevin Gilbert</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/charles-perkins-forced-australia-to-confront-its-racist-past-his-fight-for-justice-continues-today-139303">Charles Perkins</a>. This body of work – and much more since – conveys an Aboriginal interpretation of past events, through oral history and veneration of leaders and heroes, drawing together the past and future. Some early examples include Wiradjuri man Robert (Bobby) Merritt’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-great-australian-plays-the-cake-man-and-the-indigenous-mission-experience-88854">The Cake Man</a> (1975), set on a rural mission, which explores causes of despair, particularly for Aboriginal men. It was performed by the then newly formed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Black_Theatre_(Australia)">Black Theatre</a> in Redfern in the same year it was published. Indigenous autobiographies, like Ruby Langford Ginibi’s <a href="https://www.uqp.com.au/books/dont-take-your-love-to-town-2">Don’t Take Your Love to Town</a> (1988), just reissued in UQP’s First Nations Classics series, and Rita Huggins’ biography <a href="https://shop.aiatsis.gov.au/products/auntie-rita-revised-edition">Auntie Rita</a> (1994) are realist accounts of Aboriginal lives, devoid of moralism or victimology. Many more have followed, including Tara June Winch’s novel <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-yield-wins-the-miles-franklin-a-powerful-story-of-violence-and-forms-of-resistance-142284">The Yield</a> (2019), winner of the 2020 Stella prize for literature. Through Wiradjuri language, she gathers the history of invasion and loss – and survival in the present. Indigenous artists are exploring ways to represent the past in the present: overlaid, but still present and continuous. Jonathon Jones’ 2020 <a href="https://mhnsw.au/whats-on/exhibitions/untitled-maraong-manaouwi/">artwork</a> to commemorate the reopening of the Sydney Hyde Park Barracks, built originally in 1817 to house convicts, is one example. Jones <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=374269496789482">explained</a> the installation’s interchangeable use of the broad arrow and maraong manaóuwi (emu footprint) as a matter of perspective: one observer will see the emu print, another the broad arrow. Each marker, within its own sphere of significance, served similar purposes. The emu print is known to be engraved into the sandstone ledges of the Sydney basin and marked a people and their place. The broad arrow inscribed institutional place and direction. Jones wants to show how the landscape can be written over – but never lost – to those who hold its memory. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WPGcFDw5c_s?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Jonathan Jones’ artwork is part of an incredible flourishing of historically informed Aboriginal creative works.</figcaption></figure> <a href="https://www.uapcompany.com/projects/the-eyes-of-the-land-and-the-sea">The Eyes of the Land and the Sea</a>, by artists Alison Page and Nik Lachajczak, commemorates the 250th anniversary of the 1770 encounter between Aboriginal Australians and Lt James Cook’s crew of the HMB Endeavour at Kamay Botany Bay National Park. This work, too, represents the duality of interpretation and meaning. The monumental bronze sculpture takes the form of the rib bones of a whale – and simultaneously, the hull of the HMB Endeavour. This body of work by dedicated educators, researchers, artists and families has been highly contested. <h2>Truth-telling, healing and restorative justice</h2> Many non-Indigenous Australians are interested in – but anxious about – truth-telling, our early research findings suggest. They don’t know how to get involved and are unsure about their role. Indigenous respondents are deeply committed to truth-telling. But they have anxieties about the process, too. Only 6% of non-Indigenous respondents to Reconciliation Australia’s most recent <a href="https://www.reconciliation.org.au/publication/2022-australian-reconciliation-barometer/">Reconciliation Barometer report</a> had participated in a truth-telling activity (processes that seek to engage with a fuller account of Australian history and its ongoing legacy for First Nations peoples) in the previous 12 months. However, 43% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents had participated in truth-telling. Truth-telling is seen as an important part of healing, but there is uncertainty about its potential to deliver a more just future for First Nations peoples. And it’s acknowledged that <a href="https://theconversation.com/albanese-is-promising-truth-telling-in-our-australian-education-system-heres-what-needs-to-happen-191420">truth-telling</a> might emphasise divisions and differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. There are also concerns about <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-half-of-australians-will-experience-trauma-most-before-they-turn-17-we-need-to-talk-about-it-159801">trauma</a> and issues of cultural safety. But during the regional dialogues that led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the demand for truth-telling was unanimous from the Indigenous community representatives. Constitutional reform should only proceed if it “tells the truth of history”, they agreed. This was a key guiding principle that emerged from the process. Why does truth-telling remain a central demand? The final report of the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/constitutionalrecognition">Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples</a> described its multiple dimensions. Truth-telling is a foundational requirement for healing and reconciliation. It’s also a form of restorative justice – and a process for Indigenous people to share their culture and history with the broader community. It builds wider understanding of the intergenerational trauma experienced by Indigenous Australians. And it creates awareness of the relationship between past injustices and contemporary issues. “Truth-telling cannot be just a massacre narrative in which First Nations peoples are yet again dispossessed of agency and identity,” <a href="https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q6316/teaching-as-truth-telling-a-demythologising-pedagogy-for-the-australian-frontier-wars">argue</a> Indigenous educators Alison Bedford and Vince Wall. Indigenous agency and the long struggle for Indigenous rights need to be recognised. And there is an ongoing need to deconstruct Australia’s national foundational myths. A focus on military engagements overseas has obscured the violent dispossession of First Nations Australians at home. As Ann Curthoys argued more than two decades ago, white Australians positioned themselves as heroic strugglers to cement their moral claim to the land. This myth overlooked their role in dispossessing First Nations people. <h2>Makarrata Commission</h2> The Uluru Statement called for <a href="https://theconversation.com/response-to-referendum-council-report-suggests-a-narrow-path-forward-on-indigenous-constitutional-reform-80315">a Makarrata Commission</a> to be established to oversee “agreement-making” and “truth-telling” processes between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As part of its commitment to the full implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the current federal government committed $5.8 million in funding in 2022 to start the work of establishing the Commission. Yet few details have been provided so far about the form truth-telling mechanisms might adopt. And there’s been little acknowledgement that the desire to “tell the truth” about the past runs counter to the contemporary study of history, which sees history as a complex and ongoing process – rather than a set of fixed “facts” or “truths”. Worimi historian <a href="https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/john-maynard">John Maynard</a> describes Aboriginal history research as generative: the work reinforces and sustains Aboriginal worlds – and it reflects a yearning for truth by Aboriginal people that was denied. The impact of colonisation not only targeted the fracturing of Aboriginal people but, as Maynard says, “a state of forgetting and detachment from our past”. Wiradjuri historian <a href="https://researchers.anu.edu.au/researchers/bamblett-l">Lawrence Bamblett</a> develops a similar theme. “Our stories are our survival,” <a href="https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/discovery/fulldisplay?vid=61SLQ_INST:SLQ&search_scope=Everything&tab=All&docid=alma9915551944702061&lang=en&context=L&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&query=sub,exact,Australia%20--%20Race%20relations%20--%20History,AND&mode=advanced&offset=10">he says</a>, in his account of Aboriginal approaches to history. Consider the dedicated labour to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/religion/heidi-norman-bob-weatherall-weve-got-to-bring-them-home/13962068">return Ancestral Remains to their country</a>. Consider the the work of Aboriginal people to restore the graves of their family and community on the old missions. And the work to document sites, such as <a href="https://youtu.be/gTh2rV_VuwQ">Tulladunna cotton chipping Aboriginal camp</a>, on the plains country of north west New South Wales. Some of this dedicated labour to care for the past is made possible by the recognition of Aboriginal land rights. Aboriginal communities are documenting their history in order to communicate across generations – and to create belonging, sustain community futures and know themselves. These processes of documenting and remembering Aboriginal stories of the past are less concerned with the state, and settler hostility. They are <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-dark-emu-debate-limits-representation-of-aboriginal-people-in-australia-163006">unburdened by categorising time</a>. The “old people” or “1788” appear irrelevant in the enthusiasm for living social and cultural history. That history is not confined to the “fixed in time” histories called upon in Native Title litigation, or the debates among historians and their detractors over method and evidence. Nor is it confined to the moral weight of such accounts in the national story. <h2>History and political questions</h2> When discussing Aboriginal history, there is an unbreakable link between the history being studied and the present. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presentism_(literary_and_historical_analysis)">Presentism</a> – the concern that the past is interpreted through the lens of the present – and the concept of the “activist historian” can both impact on the way Aboriginal history is perceived or judged. Disdain for “presentism” has leaked into contemporary discussions recently. A <a href="https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/september-2022/is-history-history-identity-politics-and-teleologies-of-the-present">widely criticised column</a> by the president of the American Historical Association – James Sweet, a historian of Africa and the African diaspora – is a recent example. He argued that the increasing tendency to interpret the past through the lens of the present, plummeting enrolments in undergraduate history courses and a greater focus on the 20th and 21st centuries all put history at risk of being mobilised “to justify rather than inform contemporary political positions”. These are not new debates. They have taken place within and outside the academy across the world, including in Australia. But the realities of the histories of <a href="https://theconversation.com/eliza-batman-the-irish-convict-reinvented-as-melbournes-founding-mother-was-both-colonised-and-coloniser-on-two-violent-frontiers-206189">colonisation</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/unpapering-the-cracks-sugar-slavery-and-the-sydney-morning-herald-202828">slavery</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/empire-of-delusion-the-sun-sets-on-british-imperial-credibility-89309">imperialism</a> mean they continue to have an impact in the present. Reparations and apologies happen because of the work of historians and others. They are real-world, present impacts of the work being undertaken. It’s the role of historians to understand the past on its own terms – and to produce work relevant to contemporary political questions. Applied (or public) history produces this work. In this work, particularly historical work that sits outside the academy, we do often find “truth telling”. For example, in the important work done for the <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/bringing-them-home-report-1997">Bringing them Home</a> Commission, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/indigenous-deaths-in-custody-inquests-can-be-sites-of-justice-or-administrative-violence-158126">Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Royal Commission</a> and Native Title claims in courts. But somehow, these efforts at truth-telling – and other historical research conducted since colonisation – seem not to have impacted on the overall “history” of Australia. <h2>Forgetting and resistance</h2> As the referendum vote edges closer, Australians are being asked to make provisions for the First Peoples to have a role in the political process – and the decisions that impact them. The challenge to address the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-the-great-australian-silence-50-years-on-100737">Great Australian Silence</a>” – to include First Peoples in the stories of the nation, where they were otherwise omitted – has been largely addressed by the significant body of historical work added over the last 50 or more years. That work, and the correction it has delivered, has generated discomfort and hostility. Yet Australians’ appreciation – and even awareness – of the history of its First Nations people remains deeply unsatisfactory. There is now little justification for the laments Why weren’t we told? or How come we didn’t know?. Our undergraduate students continue to ask these questions, though. Australia has a difficult relationship – a kind of historical amnesia; a forgetting and resistance – to hearing those First Nations stories. That resistance is much deeper than simply being told. The current focus on truth-telling will once again draw our attention to dealing with difficult history. This time, different questions need to be asked. Not why didn’t I know? But how can I find out? <hr /> Heidi Norman and Anne Maree Payne will be presenting their research at the upcoming 50th Milestones Anniversary of the Australian Historical Association. Heidi will deliver the keynote address, <a href="https://web-eur.cvent.com/event/f99aac02-b195-46e5-b1d9-bf5183aea6fc/websitePage:150e8a3c-395b-4de3-bf2b-98ac8be5929e">The End of Aboriginal History?</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/208780/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-norman-859">Heidi Norman</a>, Professor, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-maree-payne-440459">Anne Maree Payne</a>, Senior Lecturer, Centre for the Advancement of Indigenous Knowledges, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-didnt-we-know-is-no-excuse-non-indigenous-australians-must-listen-to-the-difficult-historical-truths-told-by-first-nations-people-208780">original article</a>.

Caring

Woman praised for confronting pickpockets

An Italian woman has generated a lot of praise after her “brilliant” way of calling out pickpockets disguised as tourists has gone viral. Monica, 57, is part of a volunteer group called Cittadini Non Distratti, meaning "Citizens not distracted," which aims to to disturb and prevent active pickpockets in the popular tourist destination. She works alongside 40 other volunteers and has dedicated 30 years of her life saving tourists from the sneaky snatchers, and they’re doing it out of sheer goodwill. "People are pickpocketed for their American or English passport, then to return to their country they have to go to the embassy in [...] Rome," Monica told Newsweek. "This incurs additional expenses for them, so it is better to prevent this by warning tourists of the problem." The videos, which were originally posted on Facebook, have gained the attention of a younger audience after they started posting on TikTok. "We decided to make our videos go viral to inform tourists to be careful," she said. "There is a lack of prevention and information about what is happening in the city and we are all happy that these videos are letting people see the problem in Venice and throughout Italian cities." Many of the volunteers have their own way of weeding out the pickpockets, with some using a deafening whistle to capture the attention of everyone around them. Others just call out “attention pickpocket” in both English and Italian then proceed to shoo away the pickpockets, telling them to “go away” and for tourists to “watch out for their wallets”. <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7248214400102944027&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40minutesofentertainment%2Fvideo%2F7248214400102944027&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-va.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast2a-p-0037-euttp%2F22dfb064ae9640a7b60ede7892167b41_1687606456%3Fx-expires%3D1687755600%26x-signature%3DkrwLySytAL%252FmznIUf7jxQKln%252Bl4%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> In the video that has gone viral, the pickpockets can be seen scurrying away from the crowd as soon as these volunteers call them out. Although the original video and account “citadininondistratti” got banned on TikTok, many other accounts have reposted and reshared the content. Many have commented their praise for the group, despite local police officers reportedly not supporting this form of <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/woman-cheered-confronting-suspected-pickpockets-targeting-tourist-1807553" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vigilante justice</a>. “Thank you for your service ma’am,” wrote one person. “Brilliant 👏” wrote a second person. “I was in Rome, both times I was on the train the locals warned and pushed the pickpockets away from me. Love the locals,” wrote a third. “She called them purse thieves in Italian,” commented one amused person. Images: TikTok

Travel Trouble

Ethical non-monogamy: what to know about these often misunderstood relationships

Imagine Sarah and John have been in a <a href="https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/rewriting-the-rules?_pos=1&_sid=0287cd7c7&_ss=r">monogamous relationship</a> for five years. Although they love each other, Sarah, who is bisexual, has recently started feeling an attraction to her coworker, Andrea. This has led to several sexual encounters, leaving Sarah feeling guilty. However, she has not talked to John about her feelings or experiences with Andrea. No matter how much you love your partner, it’s common to feel attracted to someone outside of a relationship. Some couples may even want sexual encounters with other people. It can be difficult to navigate these feelings, especially when they conflict with the commitment and promises made in the relationship. While the sex between Sarah and Andrea was consensual, Sarah engaged in non-consensual sex by stepping outside of her monogamous relationship without John’s consent. There is growing curiosity about ethical or consensual <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101468">non-monogamous relationships</a>, particularly among young people. YouGov data found that 43% of millennial Americans say their <a href="https://today.yougov.com/topics/society/articles-reports/2020/01/31/millennials-monogamy-poly-poll-survey-data">ideal relationship</a> is non-monogamous, even if few are in such a relationship. And a survey commissioned by sex toy brand <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/throuples-restaurants-valentines-day-b2010151.html">Lelo</a>, found that 28% of aged 18 to 24 would consider an open relationship. What makes non-monogamy “ethical” is an emphasis on <a href="https://bettymartin.org/videos/">agreed, ongoing consent</a> and mutual respect. All parties involved are fully aware of the situation and voluntarily agree to participate. Partners are free to change their minds at any time and (re)negotiate boundaries that work for everyone involved. Ethical non-monogamy can take many forms, including <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8321986/">polyamory</a>, open relationships and <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1348/014466606X143153">swinging</a>. These relationships are often <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/01461672221139086">stigmatised</a> and misunderstood. They challenge the traditional notion of monogamy, which is commonly viewed in most western and religious societies as the only acceptable way of engaging in romantic relationships. Yet <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1948550619897157">research has shown</a> that consensual non-monogamy can have positive effects on relationships and the people in them. People in consensual non-monogamous relationships have <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1088868312467087?casa_token=We5Fp9hOPjQAAAAA:LI0m000j1SwvqGMbCVWekUcZ5z9DfqzuMmUtdIi59-OJiEZJ0_EjxlYq3pU6xcUZr5jIG9vlvXxztA">reported</a> higher levels of sexual and relationship satisfaction and greater <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19419899.2011.631571">relational intimacy</a> than people in monogamous relationships. <h2>Misconceptions and stigma</h2> One <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13178-021-00667-7">stigmatising view</a> is that people in non-monogamous relationships pose a greater risk to their partners’ sexual health. This is based on the assumption that having multiple sexual partners increases the likelihood of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282130422_A_Comparison_of_Sexual_Health_History_and_Practices_among_Monogamous_and_Consensually_Nonmonogamous_Sexual_Partners">sexually transmitted infections</a> (STIs). However, research shows that people in open and non-monogamous relationships have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S174360951534008X?via%3Dihub">safer sex practices</a> than monogamous, but unfaithful partners. Ethical non-monogamy can be a safer outlet for sexual expression compared with monogamous relationships that have led to <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article-abstract/12/10/2022/6966715">cheating</a> where someone ends up passing an STI to their partner. In healthy relationships, partners recognise that each person has their own unique sexual preferences and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13178-021-00667-7">diverse needs</a>. For consensually non-monogamous partners, this means understanding that their primary relationship may not always fulfil all their sexual desires. Although jealousy can still exist within non-monogamous relationships, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1041794X.2018.1531916">research</a> has found that it can be more <a href="https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3297&context=tqr">manageable</a> than in monogamous ones. This is because, in secure non-monogamous partnerships, there are open discussions about sexual attraction and setting boundaries, where partners can address jealousy anxiety. <h2>Exploring non-monogamy</h2> Ethical non-monogamy is not for everyone. You should only explore this type of relationship if it feels comfortable, you seek appropriate consent and the existing relationship is solid. Outsiders often hold the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33990929/">stereotypical</a> view that people only engage in ENM if their current relationship is unstable. If you decide that it’s right for you, keep the following in mind. 1. Communicate openly Communication is important in any relationship, but especially critical in ENM relationships. Partners must be transparent and honest about their intentions, feelings, expectations and boundaries. People in non-monogamous relationships need to be aware of their emotional boundaries and be prepared to navigate feelings of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-018-1286-4">jealousy</a>. 2. Practice safe sex Sexual health is key regardless of your relationship status or style. Get tested regularly for STIs and to use protection during sexual encounters to minimise the risk of transmission. 3. Stop shame Managing stigma is one of the most difficult parts of an ENM relationship. When people are socialised to believe that having multiple partners is wrong or immoral, this can lead to feelings of shame and self-doubt. It is important to recognise that consensually non-monogamous and multipartnered relationships are a valid lifestyle choice. You can seek support from like-minded people or talk to a sex and relationship therapist if necessary. While non-monogamy is not everyone’s cup of tea, these tips can be helpful for any relationship. Ultimately, it is essential to keep communication, consent and respect at the heart of your partnership. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/ethical-non-monogamy-what-to-know-about-these-often-misunderstood-relationships-200785" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Relationships

“It’s not binary”: ABC host weighs in on The Voice

‘Australia’s boyfriend’ and ABC host Tony Armstrong has weighed in on Australia’s The Voice referendum, as people all across the nation prepare to head for the polls in late 2023. The referendum, in which Australians will be given the opportunity “to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution through an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice”, has been explained by the National Indigenous Australians Agency as an “independent, representative advisory body for First Nations peoples. “It will provide a permanent means to advise the Australian Parliament and Government on the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on matters that affect them.” Additionally, it is intended to act as part of the government’s commitment to implementing the full scope of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. However, as the time to vote draws closer, opinion has divided in the parliamentary and public eye, with many voicing their take from both sides of the discussion. And now, Tony Armstrong has become the latest to discuss the vote, all while stressing that the situation was more complex than people had assumed, and that he didn’t know which way it was going to go. “I truly don’t know if it will be passed or not,” he confessed to Stellar’s Sarrah Le Marquand. “What I think people need to remember with the Voice is that a vote for ‘yes’ and a vote for ‘no’ can both be good things. “It’s not binary. We aren’t in a world where ‘no’ is ‘bad’ and ‘yes’ is ‘good’. Aboriginal people should be the ones talking the most about this; this is about what’s best for Aboriginal people. I don’t know diddly squat. I’m leaving it to the people who actually know their cr*p to give advice on it. But what I do think is lost in the conversation is the fact it’s not binary.” Armstrong went on to note his understanding that a ‘yes’ vote could potentially hold the nation back, and that a ‘no’ vote could push it forward - “and vice versa. We don’t know.” He then explained that the public discourse had framed it as a binary issue, but that the entire situation is “far more nuanced and complex than that. “I’m going to follow in the path of my leaders; it’s just so complex and becomes another red-hot year for blackfellas, even more so where our very identity will be ripped apart and pulled apart and examined. “The irony, regardless of whichever way it goes, will be: it’s not necessarily going to be the blackfellas whose vote makes a difference. I’ve never been able to define irony, but I reckon that’s in the ballpark.” Images: Getty

Legal

“So many non-technical people will fall for this”: New myGov scam that looks real

Australians are being urged to be especially cautious of a new online myGov scam that purports to offer hundreds of dollars in tax refunds – and once you click through, the interfaces are so expertly copied that even highly vigilant scam experts are worried people will be taken in, and could potentially lose all their savings. The email, once it drops in your inbox, will inform you of an outstanding myGov refund, and will appear to genuinely be from the government agency. Email security software company MailGuard raised the alarm this week when it intercepted one of the suspect messages. Once you click through, you’ll be asked to enter login details and billing info. “These details will again be stolen by the criminal and will likely be used for their personal financial gain or sold on the dark web,” MailGuard warns. Space, software and politics expert @oferzelig deliberately went through all the steps to find out what happens, and then published the very disturbing results on Twitter. “A new ‘You have a message from myGov’ scam. I entered the link using a safe sandbox as I was curious,” he wrote. “They mimicked all the major Aussie banks' login pages, the bastards. So many non-technical people will fall for this, unfortunately 😢” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A new "You have a message from myGov" scam. I entered the link using a safe sandbox as I was curious. They mimicked all the major Aussie banks' login pages, the bastards. So many non-technical people will fall for this, unfortunately 😢<a href="https://twitter.com/troyhunt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@troyhunt</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZJ25x9XuoZ">pic.twitter.com/ZJ25x9XuoZ</a> — 𝓞𝓯𝓮𝓻 𝓩𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓰 🚀💻 🇦🇺 🇮🇱 (@oferzelig) <a href="https://twitter.com/oferzelig/status/1610200580076769281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote> Services Australia, which delivers myGov, is aware of the scam and urged Australians to be on the alert. “We will never send you an email or SMS with a hyperlink directing you to sign in to your myGov account,” it says. “If you get an email like this, don’t open any links, download attachments or respond. “We’ll never ask you to open a link or a file attached to an email.” “When you are signed in to myGov, the messages in your myGov Inbox are secure. It’s safe to open links included in myGov Inbox messages,” it says. Check out all of the images below to see just how convincing the fake pages are – and please be extra cautious! Images: Twitter

Money & Banking

Iran: protesters call for move to a non-religious state. What changes would that bring?

My friend was in Tehran during protests after <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/events-iran-since-mahsa-aminis-arrest-death-custody-2022-10-05/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the death</a> of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police (Gasht-e Ershad). My friend went into a grocery shop intending to buy milk. The seller refused to sell anything to her. “Why are you refusing?” she asked. “I can see that you have milk.” “Because you are wearing a hijab,” the seller responded. This is part of a backlash by those who see themselves as oppressed by the Islamic Republic’s discriminatory hijab law, which prosecutes women for not “covering up”. The term hijab is an Arabic word meaning cover. It’s used to refer to different types of covering, from a long-sleeved coat, pants and scarf to the Islamic government’s preferred form of dress, chador, which is a loose-fitting black cloth worn over the entire body. After Mahsa Amini’s killing in September, mass protests broke out over this law and its enforcement. Wearing hijab became obligatory for all Iranian women from April 1983, after the 1979 revolution. Since then, all women have been forced by law to wear hijab (a covering of hair and or body) in public, even non-Muslims and foreigners visiting Iran. If they don’t they face prosecution. The government of Iran, the Islamic Republic, argues that God commands women to wear hijab. This is a government which has leaders who are members of the clergy and merged religious beliefs into state law. But even some Islamic scholars argue that the Qur'an does not suggest that hijab should be <a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300257311/women-and-gender-in-islam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compulsory</a>. Mahsa Amini’s case is polarising Iran: those who rigorously advocate the hijab and religious law are set against those who prefer a <a href="https://time.com/6216024/iran-protests-islamic-republic-response/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secular state</a>, not run by religious values. This has led the nation to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/26/iran-at-least-15-killed-after-gunmen-attack-shrine-in-shiraz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the current upheaval</a>, with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/08/are-hijab-protests-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-irans-regime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vast</a> protests across the country, and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-63410577" target="_blank" rel="noopener">people being killed</a>. At many protests the Iranian resistance chant is <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/iran-protests-women-life-freedom-mahsa-amini-killing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zan, Zendegi, Azadi</a> (#WomenLifeFreedom) is heard. The protesters call for life and liberty to be applicable to everyone (religious and non-religious). A big part of <a href="https://theconversation.com/iran-protests-majority-of-people-reject-compulsory-hijab-and-an-islamic-regime-surveys-find-191448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the motivation</a> behind these protests is to challenge how the current religious law takes away the right of women to choose what to wear. <h2>What is secularism?</h2> Secularism is the idea that states should be <a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/1881/chapter-abstract/141631825?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">neutral about religion</a>. The state should not <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/16/what-mean-secular-state-neutral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">back</a> a specific religion over others. A secular state <a href="https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1548-1360.2011.01117.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provides</a> equal opportunity for religious and non-religious citizens to pursue their lives. The state must respect everyone’s values (including minorities), not just some people’s values. Secularism seems reasonable <a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/28394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to many</a> because it is unusual for an entire nation to believe in a religion as one source of law. Some <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00263206.2019.1643330" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scholars of Islam</a> disagree with the established interpretation of the Islamic Republic about whether God has commanded a mandatory hijab. As a result, they claim that hijab is not about covering hair but about “modesty”. Some others challenge <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/12/iran-hijab-law-protest-ali-larijani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the way</a> the morality police treat women in the street. While some people might be railing against women being forced to wear the hijab, others continue to feel strongly about its continued use. <a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-qom-women-hijab/31929986.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reports</a> say that Iranian authorities have closed some coffee shops because of the “improper” hijab of some female customers. And more <a href="https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/iran-detains-woman-eating-breakfast-without-hijab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently</a>, a woman was arrested for eating breakfast in a café with no hijab. <h2>Iranian history of secularism</h2> Modern debates about secularism in Iran can be traced back to the <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/irans-constitutional-revolution-9780755649235/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Constitutional Revolution</a> in 1906. It advocated <a href="https://iranicaonline.org/articles/constitutional-revolution-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener">liberalism and secularism</a> and began conversations about a society without religious rules for all. Iranians experienced enforced secularisation shortly after Reza Shah Pahlavi was <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Reza-Shah-Pahlavi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crowned</a> in 1925. In 1936 he issued a decree <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/iran-and-the-headscarf-protests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kashf-e hijab</a> that any public expression of religious faith, including wearing hijab, was illegal. Again, this was a leader was telling women what to wear. However, his attempt to militantly secularise and westernise Iran faced <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/mono/10.4324/9780203060636-22/banning-veil-consequences-dr-stephanie-cronin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resistance</a> from society. The overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979 led to the establishment of a militant Islamic government based on <a href="https://www.icit-digital.org/books/islam-and-revolution-writings-and-declarations-of-imam-khomeini-1941-1980" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shia Muslim teachings</a>. After the hijab became <a href="https://www.mei.edu/publications/irans-headscarf-politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mandatory</a>, it became a symbol of compulsory faith. It has also played a significant role in pushing some parts of the Iranian population towards a more secular state. In 2022 Iran is experiencing some dramatic shifts, including what appears to be a shift towards secularism. Some argue that secularism is an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/25/archives/khomeini-terms-secular-critics-enemies-of-islam-dictatorship-of-the.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enemy</a> of religion or a product of <a href="https://nyupress.org/9780814795644/democracy-in-modern-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">western colonisation</a>. Despite the majority of Iranians considering themselves <a href="https://gamaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/GAMAAN-Iran-Religion-Survey-2020-English.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">religious</a>, some evidence shows that Iranians are <a href="https://theconversation.com/iran-protests-majority-of-people-reject-compulsory-hijab-and-an-islamic-regime-surveys-find-191448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less religious</a> than before. Since the Islamic revolution there’s been a lot of research about how Iran could work as a <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Secularization-of-Islam-in-Post-Revolutionary-Iran/Pargoo/p/book/9780367654672" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secular</a> society and about religious <a href="https://brill.com/view/book/9789047400714/B9789047400714_s006.xml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tolerance</a>. The current protest movement, led mainly by <a href="https://www.mei.edu/publications/irans-rising-generation-z-forefront-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gen Z in Iran</a>, is growing partly because of its use of the internet and social media to communicate and share information. People can also learn from other nations’ experiences of secularism through social media. This is why the regime is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2022/oct/06/why-is-the-government-in-iran-shutting-down-the-internet-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shutting down</a> the internet and censoring YouTube, Instagram and Twitter. <a href="https://gamaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GAMAAN-Political-Systems-Survey-2022-English-Final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One poll</a> suggests that more than 60% of Iranians now want a non-religious state, the question is whether those in power are willing to give it to them. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/iran-protesters-call-for-move-to-a-non-religious-state-what-changes-would-that-bring-193198" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Sky News

Legal

Bride called out for list of “non-negotiables” at wedding

A Queensland woman has been dubbed a bridezilla for her “non-negotiable” list at her wedding. Kara Hansen took to TikTok announcing that she has been engaged for a year and is organising her wedding. A part of her and her fiancé’s special day includes a list of things that are non-negotiable which Ms Hansen says “may p*** people off”. First on her list was no children under the age of 16 because it is simply “not the right place for them”. “There is loud music, they don’t eat the food, they don’t drink the alcohol, they don’t party, their parents have to leave too, it just feels like it’s not the right place for them,” she says in the video. The second non-negotiable on Ms Hansen’s list is not having dessert when there is cake. “I am not paying for a third course when I have already paid $400 for a wedding cake, I don’t care about keeping the top tier of my wedding cake, you guys can just eat it all,” she says. Other things included in her list are keeping speeches short and sweet and that she will wear a short dress for the reception because she “hates to wear long dresses”. Ms Hansen also said her husband can see her dress before the big day as long as she’s not wearing it, and finally wanting to have coffee with her husband on the morning of the wedding. Several people called out Ms Hansen for her harsh rules saying that everyone will be able to enjoy the day no matter their age. “Sorry, but I am having kids at my wedding, I don’t care if they don’t like the food or they drink just as long as everyone has a good time,” one wrote. “We are having kids at our wedding. We have two flower girls and two ring boys so we feel we can’t have them and not others. It feels wrong to us,” another person commented. Others however agreed with Ms Hansen, calling her list “freaking genius” and that they will be adopting some of her non-negotiables for their weddings. Watch the video <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@karaaaashley/video/7147551332994403586?embed_source=null_null_null&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&refer=embed&referer_url=www.news.com.au%2Flifestyle%2Frelationships%2Fmarriage%2Fbridezilla-reveals-wedding-nonnegotiables%2Fnews-story%2F1724eae5a63c8627526ae78c2916f7b6&referer_video_id=7147551332994403586" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Images: TikTok

Relationships

Classic NON catch as kid takes a tumble at the cricket

As cricket fans descend on Australia’s stadiums to see the T20 World Cup play out, an incident off the field has gone viral online. Day two of the competition saw Scotland face off against the West Indies, but midway through the innings a moment of amusement and terror was captured in official footage. As the camera panned over Hobart’s Blundstone Arena, a young child was spotted climbing over the railing between the stands and a hill where spectators can sit, when he flipped over and toppled head-first to the ground. A man, assumed to be the child’s father, was seen frantically running after the toddler and hopping over the railing. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> Had to GIF this 🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/SZe0CBa6aD">pic.twitter.com/SZe0CBa6aD</a> — SuperCoach Insider (@SCInsider100) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCInsider100/status/1581938384477786114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2022</a></blockquote> Footage of the incident was shared on Twitter with the caption, “Just a dad and his son at the cricket….”, when it quickly went viral. “This has made me laugh a lot more than it should of so far today,” one viewer joked. “Narrator: It was precisely this moment Steve knew his afternoon at the cricket had took a turn for the worse,” another quipped. Others referenced WWE wrestler Jeff Hardy, who is known for his ‘swanton bomb’ dives from great heights, with one user writing: “Jeff Hardy, famed from the top of the ladder!” The video racked up over 300,000 views, but the clip has since been disabled due to a “report by the copyright owner”. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/banned-t20-vid.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The clip went viral online but has since been disabled. Image: Twitter The camera cut away before the child was picked up, and with no reports of injuries it seems the boy came out okay. Back on the pitch, Scotland claimed victory a day after Namibia defeated Sri Lanka. Australia will be going head-to-head with New Zealand at the SCG on Saturday. Image: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Why is newborn baby skin-to-skin contact with dads and non-birthing parents important? Here’s what the science says

Soon after a baby is born, it’s getting more common these days for the father or non-birthing parent to be encouraged to put the newborn directly on their chest. This skin-to-skin contact is often termed “kangaroo care”, as it mimics the way kangaroos provide warmth and security to babies. Mothers have been encouraged to give kangaroo care for decades now and many do so instinctively after giving birth; it has been <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27552521/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shown</a> to help mum and baby <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882596316000531?casa_token=QBk4MOx7VIMAAAAA:3DIH_RF_PdsZDqHkKSYgbM37Tgsau5GpTBPqUowy4kDN3tOwtnnPvpXCGkpBI8lJEQIqSorp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">connect</a> and with <a href="https://connect.springerpub.com/content/sgrnn/27/3/151.abstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breastfeeding</a>. So what does the evidence say about kangaroo care for other parents? A growing body of research A growing body of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361591701_Fathers_providing_kangaroo_care_in_neonatal_intensive_care_units_a_scoping_review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a> shows kangaroo care brings benefits for both baby and parent. One <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apa.14184" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> that measured cortisol (a stress hormone) levels and blood pressure in new fathers found: <blockquote> Fathers who held their baby in skin-to-skin contact for the first time showed a significant reduction in physiological stress responses. </blockquote> Another <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/nrp/2017/8612024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> in Taiwan involving fathers and neonates (newborn babies) found benefits to bonding and attachment: <blockquote> These study results confirm the positive effects of skin-to-skin contact interventions on the infant care behaviour of fathers in terms of exploring, talking, touching, and caring and on the enhancing of the father-neonate attachment. </blockquote> A <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361591701_Fathers_providing_kangaroo_care_in_neonatal_intensive_care_units_a_scoping_review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paper</a> I co-authored with the University of South Australia’s Qiuxia Dong found: <blockquote> Studies reported several positive kangaroo care benefits for fathers such as reduced stress, promotion of paternal role and enhanced father–infant bond. </blockquote> Qiuxia Dong also led a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jocn.16405" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> (on which I was a co-author) exploring the experiences of fathers who had a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide. This study found kangaroo care helps fathers connect and bond with their baby in an intensive care environment. This had a positive impact on fathers’ confidence and self-esteem. As one father told us: <blockquote> I think after all the stress, when I have skin-to-skin I can actually calm down a little bit. I sit down and relax, I can cuddle my child and it’s just a little bit of a happy place for me as well as him to calm down, not to do any work all the time, not to be stressed out. There’s other things on my mind all the time but it’s time to relax and turn off a little bit. </blockquote> Another told us: <blockquote> She nuzzled around a bit, kind of got my smell I guess and then literally fell asleep. It was great. It was very comforting for both I guess for her and myself. </blockquote> As one father put it: <blockquote> Of course, they can hear your heartbeat and all that kind of stuff, of course warmth […] it’s being close with your baby, I think that would be the best way of building a relationship early. </blockquote> However, this study also reported that some dads found giving kangaroo care challenging as it can be time-consuming. It is not always easy to juggle with commitments such as caring for other children and work. Involving both parents One study noted <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21820778/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dads</a> can sometimes feel like a bystander on the periphery when a newborn arrives. Encouraging and educating all non-birthing parents, including fathers, to give kangaroo care is a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21820778/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">valuable way</a> to get them involved. And if a caesarean birth makes it difficult for the mother to give kangaroo care while still in theatre, the father or non-birthing parent is the next best person to do it while the mother or birthing parent is not able. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>A caesarean birth sometimes makes it difficult for the mother to give kangaroo care while still in the theatre. Isaac Hermar/Pexels, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY</a></figcaption></figure> More research needed There is a need for broader research on these issues, especially around the experiences of fathers from culturally diverse backgrounds and other non-birthing parents. But the research literature on kangaroo care shows there is good reason for dads and non-birthing parents to do some kangaroo care when a baby is born. As we concluded in our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jocn.16405">study</a>, in the challenging neonatal intensive care unit environment, kangaroo care can serve: <blockquote> as a silent language of love.<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/188927/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </blockquote> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mary-steen-970055" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mary Steen</a>, Adjunct professor of Maternal and Family Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of South Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-newborn-baby-skin-to-skin-contact-with-dads-and-non-birthing-parents-important-heres-what-the-science-says-188927" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Couple book non-stop cruises for two-and-a-half years

A couple who missed out on the joys of cruising during lockdown are now bunkering down and cruising non-stop for two-and-a-half years. Jessica and Marty Ansen left Brisbane on Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess on June 16 for the beginning of their exciting adventure. They have previously sailed on 31 cruises with Princess with a whopping 1,173 days at sea and when the resumption of cruises they were ready to get started again. From now until August 2024, the loved up couple will be holidaying on the high seas and on a staggering 53 different cruise ships! “Cruising offers the ultimate holiday experience. You go onboard, you only unpack once, and you have all this amazing entertainment, exceptional food, great company and you can see the world. And, the crew deliver incredible service - that’s why we cruise,” they said. The Ansens booked their two years of back-to-back cruises (795 sea days) - including two round-the-world cruises in 2023 and 2024 – with Brisbane-based family-owned travel agency Clean Cruising. Martine Hero, the Senior Consultant at Clean Cruising, said the Ansens had always been passionate about cruising and were keen to be back on the water again. “For the last two years Marty frequently mentioned all he and Jessica wanted to do was to go cruising again,” he said. “Since the announcement of the resumption of cruising we have had an influx of interest and bookings, including those of the Ansens. “This extended trip has been in the works for a long time, as have those of many other cruisers. “We want to thank our cruise fans for their patience as we get them back doing what they love most.” Image: The Today Show

Cruising

Stuff-up or conspiracy? Whistleblowers claim Facebook deliberately let important non-news pages go down in news blackout

On Friday, the Wall Street Journal published information from Facebook whistleblowers, alleging Facebook (which is owned by Meta) deliberately caused havoc in Australia last year <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-deliberately-caused-havoc-in-australia-to-influence-new-law-whistleblowers-say-11651768302">to influence the News Media Bargaining Code</a> before it was passed as law. During Facebook’s news blackout in February 2021, thousands of non-news pages were also blocked – including important emergency, health, charity and government pages. Meta has continued to argue the takedown of not-for-profit and government pages was a technical error. It remains to be seen whether the whistleblower revelations will lead to Facebook being taken to court. The effects of Facebook’s “error” The <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-a-world-first-australia-plans-to-force-facebook-and-google-to-pay-for-news-but-abc-and-sbs-miss-out-143740">News Media Bargaining Code</a> was first published in July 2020, with a goal to have Facebook and Google pay Australian news publishers for the content they provide to the platforms. It was passed by the House of Representatives (Australia’s lower house) on February 17 2021. That same day, Facebook retaliated by issuing a <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2021/02/changes-to-sharing-and-viewing-news-on-facebook-in-australia/">statement</a> saying it would remove access to news media business pages on its platform – a threat it had first made in August 2020. It was arguably a reasonable threat of capital strike by a foreign direct investor, in respect to new regulation it regarded as “harmful” – and which it believed fundamentally “misunderstands the relationship between [its] platform and publishers who use it to share news content”. However, the range of pages blocked was extensive. Facebook has a label called the “News Page Index” which can be applied to its pages. News media pages, such as those of the ABC and SBS, are included in the index. All Australian pages on this index were taken down during Facebook’s news blackout. But Facebook also blocked access to other pages, such as the page of the satirical website <a href="https://www.betootaadvocate.com">The Betoota Advocate</a>. The broadness of Facebook’s approach was also evidenced by the blocking of its own corporate page. The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/feb/18/time-to-reactivate-myspace-the-day-australia-woke-up-to-a-facebook-news-blackout">most major harm</a>, however, came from blocks to not-for-profit pages, including cancer charities, the Bureau of Meteorology and a variety of state health department pages – at a time when they were delivering crucial information about COVID-19 and vaccines. Whistleblowers emerge The whistleblower material published by the Wall Street Journal, which was also filed to the US Department of Justice and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), includes several email chains that show Facebook decided to implement its blocking threat through a broad strategy. The argument for its broad approach was based on an anti-avoidance clause in the News Media Bargaining Code. The effect of the clause was to ensure Facebook didn’t attempt to avoid the rules of the code by simply substituting Australian news with international news for Australian users. In other words, it would have to be all or nothing. As a consequence, Facebook did not use its News Page Index. It instead classified a domain as “news” if “60% [or] more of a domain’s content shared on Facebook is classified as news”. One product manager wrote: <blockquote> Hey everyone – the [proposed Australian law] we are responding to is extremely broad, so guidance from the policy and legal team has been to be over-inclusive and refine as we get more information. </blockquote> The blocking approach was algorithmic and based on these rules. There were some exceptions, that included not blocking “.gov” – but no such exclusion for “.gov.au”. The effect of this was the taking down of many charity and government pages. The whistleblower material makes it clear a number of Facebook employees offered solutions to the perceived overreach. This included one employee proposal that Facebook should “proactively find all the affected pages and restore them”. However, the documents show these calls were ignored. According to the Wall Street Journal: <blockquote> The whistleblower documents show Facebook did attempt to exclude government and education pages. But people familiar with Facebook’s response said some of these lists malfunctioned at rollout, while other whitelists didn’t cover enough pages to avoid widespread improper blocking. </blockquote> Amendments following the blackout Following Facebook’s news blackout, there were last-minute amendments to the draft legislation before it was passed through the Senate. The main change was that the News Media Bargaining Code would only apply to Facebook if deals were not struck with a range of key news businesses (which so far has not included SBS or <a href="https://twitter.com/ConversationEDU/status/1440562209206128653?s=20&t=FsviAWBLX7mKumr80Qiwzg">The Conversation</a>). It’s not clear whether the amendment was as a result of Facebook’s actions, or if it would have been introduced in the Senate anyway. In either case, Facebook said it was “<a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2021/02/changes-to-sharing-and-viewing-news-on-facebook-in-australia/">satisfied</a>” with the outcome, and ended its news blackout. Facebook denies the accusations The definitions of “core news content” and “news source” in the News Media Bargaining Code were reasonably narrow. So Facebook’s decision to block pages so broadly seems problematic – especially from the perspective of reputational risk. But as soon as that risk crystallised, Facebook denied intent to cause any harm. A Meta spokesperson said the removal of non-news pages was a “mistake” and “any suggestion to the contrary is categorically and obviously false”. Referring to the whistleblower documents, the spokesperson said: <blockquote> The documents in question clearly show that we intended to exempt Australian government pages from restrictions in an effort to minimise the impact of this misguided and harmful legislation. When we were unable to do so as intended due to a technical error, we apologised and worked to correct it. </blockquote> Possible legal action In the immediate aftermath of Facebook’s broad news takedown, former ACCC chair Allan Fels <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/facebook-could-face-lawsuits-for-unconscionable-conduct-over-nonnews-wipe-out/news-story/b312cef33b8e2261e8b5743f9bf87ca6">suggested</a> there could be a series of class actions against Facebook. His basis was that Facebook’s action was unconscionable under the <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/caca2010265/toc-sch2.html">Australian Consumer Law</a>. We have not seen these actions taken. It’s not clear whether the whistleblower material changes the likelihood of legal action against Facebook. If legal action is taken, it’s more likely to be a civil case taken by an organisation that has been harmed, rather than a criminal case. On the other hand, one reading of the material is Facebook did indeed overreach out of caution, and then reduced the scope of its blocking over a short period. Facebook suffered reputational harm as a result of its actions and apologised. However, if it engaged in similar actions in other countries, the balance between its actions being a stuff up, versus conspiracy, changes. The Wall Street Journal described Facebook’s approach as an “overly broad and sloppy process”. Such a process isn’t good practice, but done once, it’s unlikely to be criminal. On the other hand, repeating it would create a completely different set of potential liabilities and causes of action. <hr /> Disclosure: Facebook has refused to negotiate a deal with The Conversation under the News Media Bargaining Code. In response, The Conversation has called for Facebook to be “designated” by the Treasurer under the Code. This means Facebook would be forced to pay for content published by The Conversation on its platform.<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/182673/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rob-nicholls-91073" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rob Nicholls</a>, Associate professor in regulation and governance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNSW Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/stuff-up-or-conspiracy-whistleblowers-claim-facebook-deliberately-let-important-non-news-pages-go-down-in-news-blackout-182673" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

World first painless and non-invasive skin cancer treatment trialled in Australia

Skin cancer patients in Australia are the first to be enrolled in a global trial of a new painless non-invasive treatment. The therapy called Rhenium-SCT uses a resin paste containing radioactive particles to kill non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma. South Coast Radiology on the Gold Coast is the first to offer the new treatment as part of a study recruiting 200 patients, also involving patients in Sydney and Perth. Small published studies overseas have shown the therapy to be effective and well-tolerated but more evidence is needed. "The Rhenium-SCT has advantages in that it's a single treatment that is painless with a really good cosmetic outcome," said Dr Sam Vohra, OncoBeta Australia Medical Director. GenesisCare's Radiation Oncologist Associate Professor Sid Baxi treated the first patients in the study. "This is particularly useful for thin skin cancers, around three millimetres in-depth," he said. "We're looking at an approximate 90 percent clearance rate." He said about 500 patients around the world have already received the therapy with a follow-up of about two years. The latest trial will shed more light on its effectiveness, the side-effect profile and the patient's quality of life. Jan McGrath travelled from Sydney to the Gold Coast after she jumped at the chance to take part in the trials. "It just sounded amazing to be able to cure it without having to be cut, chopped and sewn," she said. "It was really easy, it didn't hurt at all." Jan wanted to avoid having a surgical graft after a basal cell carcinoma developed inside her ear. She has had about ten skin cancers removed in the past, including major surgery on her nose which took weeks to heal. "It's invasive, painful and takes a long time to recover," she said. The German-based innovators have partnered with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation to manufacture and deliver the radioactive particles at Lucas Heights. Image: 9News

Body

Children whose parents smoke have lower test scores and more behavioural issues than kids of non-smokers

Children whose parents smoke have lower academic test scores and more behavioural issues than children of non-smokers. These are the findings of our research published in the journal of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1570677X21000022?via%3Dihub">Economics and Human Biology</a>. Smoking is prevalent in lower socio-economic groups whose characteristics (such as lower IQ and poorer motivation on average) <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29058397/">are correlated with</a> lower academic scores and more behavioural issues in children. This can bias the results as the sample of children whose scores are lower is no longer random. After addressing such concerns, our broad finding remained the same. Because of the model we used, this means there is a causal – rather than merely correlational – relationship between parental smoking and children’s academic scores and behavioural outcomes. <h2>How we did our study</h2> We used data from the <a href="https://growingupinaustralia.gov.au/">Longitudinal Study of Australian Children</a> (LSAC), which tracks children from birth to monitor their development and well-being. It also surveys them and their parents on a range of cognitive (such as academic) and non-cognitive (such as behavioural) performance measures, and records other data such as their NAPLAN test results. We wanted to find the effects of parental smoking on children’s cognitive and non-cognitive skills in early life – from 4-14 years old. We measured children’s cognitive skills using the given NAPLAN literacy and numeracy test scores in grades 3, 5, 7 and 9. We also used the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), which is designed to measure a child’s knowledge of the meaning of spoken words and his or her receptive vocabulary. The test is carried out as part of the LSAC survey when the children are 4-9 years old. Non-cognitive skills include social behaviour, hyperactivity or inattention, and peer problems. We took the measures of these as reported by parents. <h2>What we found</h2> We found, across all measures of cognitive skills, children living with non-smoker parents had a higher average score than children living with at least one smoker parent. We found smoking can reduce academic scores by up to 3%. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442417/original/file-20220125-13-t7tqwa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442417/original/file-20220125-13-t7tqwa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Girl writing test at desk." /></a> Kids’ test scores were lower if their parents were smokers than those of non-smoking parents. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/school-students-taking-exam-writing-answer-536624842" class="source">Shutterstock</a> Likewise, we found children with at least one parent who smokes are likely to experience more behavioural issues. We found smoking can reduce behavioural scores by up to 9%. Our findings are consistent even when we look at mums’ and dads’ smoking behaviour separately. But the effect is stronger for mothers, as expected. Maternal smoking in pregnancy has <a href="https://jhu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/low-birthweight-preterm-births-and-intrauterine-growth-retardatio-3">direct effects</a> on the child’s brain development and birth weight. Pre-natal ill-health and sickness in early childhood may affect cognitive, social and emotional outcomes through poorer mental well-being. Second-hand smoke exposure at home can <a href="https://actbr.org.br/uploads/arquivo/659_Pesquisa_fumo_passivo_OMS_2010.pdf">also cause numerous health problems</a> in infants and children, such as asthma and ear infections. This could lead <a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/128/4/650/30703/School-Absenteeism-Among-Children-Living-With?redirectedFrom=fulltext">them to take more time out of school</a>. We used information on the number of school days missed because of health reasons and children’s physical health assessments in the LSAC survey to test whether parental smoking and absenteeism due to health were related. We found children from households with at least one smoker were more likely to have lower school attendance and poorer physical health, both of which have adverse consequences on their cognitive and non-cognitive development. Our findings did not change across various measures, such as the frequency or number of cigarettes parents smoked per day. But we did find parental smoking had a stronger influence on boys than girls. This is consistent with <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-015-0509-6?email.event.1.SEM.ArticleAuthorContributingOnlineFirst&error=cookies_not_supported&error=cookies_not_supported&code=8484cb89-b3f1-41ff-b1ce-6d9916f9aa2a&code=70985a21-e7c8-490e-b579-58a8a7e6f6d7">growing evidence</a> that girls are more resilient to environmental pressures than boys. <h2>How parental smoking affects kids’ skills: the three pathways</h2> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442419/original/file-20220125-27-1iaivrz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442419/original/file-20220125-27-1iaivrz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="Top of shopping trolley with woman's hand on it." /></a> Spending on tobacco can leave less money for food. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-female-shopper-trolley-supermarket-92894512" class="source">Shutterstock</a> There are three pathways through which parental smoking has an effect on children’s academic, social and emotional skills. The first is that the child’s health may already have been affected before birth if the mother was a smoker. And some other negative effects of ill health come from exposure to second-hand smoke, as described above. The second pathway for parental smoking affecting a child’s acquisition of cognitive and non-cognitive skills is through a reduction in household income. Tobacco spending can <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00148365-200403040-00009">displace spending on food, education and health care</a>. The third pathway is that children’s ability to develop skills <a href="https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/63853/1/321132386.pdf">depends on their parents’</a> cognitive and non-cognitive skills, which are determined by their own health and education. Parental smoking can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53017/">affect their own well-being</a>, such as through impacting their respiratory health. This, in turn, <a href="https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/63853/1/321132386.pdf">can influence the way they parent</a>. Our findings highlight the role of the family environment in early childhood development, which sets the foundation for long-term health, as well as social and economic success. Campaigns, programs and policies aimed at reducing tobacco use should emphasise the inadvertent harm smoking habits can have on children’s present and future.<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172601/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/preety-pratima-srivastava-1138197">Preety Pratima Srivastava</a>, Senior Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> 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/children-whose-parents-smoke-have-lower-test-scores-and-more-behavioural-issues-than-kids-of-non-smokers-172601">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

10 ways you’re shortening the life of your non-stick cookware

The benefits of non-stick pans Non-stick pans are a must-have for every home chef. Not only are they easy to use, but they also promote a healthier lifestyle because you don’t need to use as much oil with them. This type of cookware also shortens your clean up time because there should be less stuck-on food. As wonderful as they are, there’s just one problem: non-stick pans often need to be replaced because they lose their efficacy. Regardless of the quality of the pan itself or what you paid for it, all types of non-stick pans – whether they have ceramic, enamel, Teflon, or another type of coating – are sensitive to high heats. They also need to be cleaned in a very specific way. To help your non-stick cookware last as long as possible, avoid making the following mistakes. Not seasoning your pan before first use It’s common knowledge that you should season your cast iron skillets with cooking oil before using them for the first time. However, some people assume that this rule doesn’t apply to non-stick pans, which isn’t the case. “As with most fine cookware, always season it before first use with oil or butter to avoid food from sticking,” says Daniel Winer, CEO of HexClad Cookware. “Once you’ve seasoned it during the first use, you don’t need to season your pans every time. This will help your pans to stay in good shape.” Cleaning your pans in the dishwasher When you’re done cooking a large meal, you may want to take shortcuts and clean your non-stick cookware in the dishwasher, but that’s a mistake. Culinary consultant Clare Langan says that generally speaking, you want to get in the habit of handwashing cookware. “Some cookware, particularly those with wooden handles, can deteriorate in a dishwasher.” You’ll always want to check the manufacturer’s cleaning recommendations. A gentle yet effective detergent thoroughly cleans pots and pans. Cleaning with an abrasive sponge or tools Not only is it important to handwash your non-stick cookware, but you’ll also want to do it the right way. Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t immediately stick your pan in the sink and douse it with water the second you take it off the stove. “To clean non-stick cookware, let it cool first, then use soap and a non-abrasive sponge,” says Langan. You use cooking spray Using cooking spray might feel like a good idea or even a healthy choice, but according to lifestyle director Lisa Freedman, it can damage non-stick cookware. “A lot of people use cooking spray with non-stick cookware thinking that less is more. But over time, you’ll start to see a build-up of the spray that doesn’t burn off during cooking. It gets sticky and gross,” she says. She recommends using whole fats like oil and butter instead. You put non-stick cookware in the oven To be clear, it is safe in some instances to use non-stick cookware in the oven, however, that doesn’t mean you should do so without checking the manufacturer’s instructions. Jeff Malkasian of Viking Culinary explains that most non-stick cookware has a maximum temperature it can safely withstand for oven use, but most of us aren’t checking what it is before we do. “If you are finishing off your dish in the oven, make sure you know what temperature it can handle first,” he says. To prevent any accidental mistakes, it’s best to buy a set of non-stick cookware that can withstand high heat. You use metal cooking tools Using a metal spatula with non-stick cookware is a major no-no, says culinary expert Ligia Lugo. “The non-stick coating on your pan, known as Teflon, is not as hard as metal and can get damaged very easily if you use metal tongs, forks, spoons, spatulas, etc. in the cooking process,” she says. “To avoid ruining your expensive cookware, avoid using metal utensils at all costs and swap them out for wooden or high-heat silicone ones.” You're storing your pans incorrectly When organising your cupboards and drawers avoid placing the pans in one another so that the bottom of one pan is in contact with the non-stick coating of another pan. The metal exterior of a pan can damage the polymer coating and ruin it. A better idea is to hang your pans from a pot rack or hooks, or place a face washer or other small cloth between each pan. You cook very acidic foods When organising your cupboards and drawers avoid placing the pans in one another so that the bottom of one pan is in contact with the non-stick coating of another pan. The metal exterior of a pan can damage the polymer coating and ruin it. A better idea is to hang your pans from a pot rack or hooks, or place a face washer or other small cloth between each pan. You try to brown food in a non-stick pan While you can cook lots of dishes in a non-stick pan, it isn’t ideal for everything. Jake Kalick cautions against searing vegetables or proteins in a non-stick pan. “If you’re looking to sear chicken, steak or get a char on vegetables you’re much better off using a pan with a stainless cooking surface,” he says. “A non-stick coating creates somewhat of a steaming effect which prevents your food from browning.” Purchase a stainless-steel frying pan for searing. You will need to add oil, but you’ll save your non-stick pans. You cook your food at the wrong temperature for your non-stick pan Most non-stick pans aren’t meant for high heat cooking. “Extremely high temperatures can lead to warping, blistering of the finish, and shorter life in general,” says Lam. But if you like cooking certain foods at a high temperature, that doesn’t mean you have to forgo non-stick cookware altogether. You just have to choose the right type. Avoid Teflon coated pans, which can be very dangerous to use at high heat or if scratched. Instead, opt for enamel, porcelain or ceramic-coated stainless steel pans, which can be used at temperatures up to 180 degrees Celsius. You're using your non-stick pan under the grill An oven grill is great for certain dishes like steak, chicken and pork chops. But make sure you aren’t using your non-stick cookware under the grill because it can reach up to 260 degrees Celsius, which is way too hot for even the most oven-friendly non-stick pans. Written by Amanda Lauren. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/kitchen-tips/10-ways-youre-shortening-the-life-of-your-non-stick-cookware" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Getty Images <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Home Hints & Tips

Harry Styles’ foray into the beauty world sparks huge demand

The world of men’s beauty products has remained relatively untouched in the past, with many believing these self-care products are exclusive to women. However, as Grammy award-winning musician and style icon Harry Styles has launched his own non-binary line of products, the demand for men’s products has seen a global rise. His new brand, called Pleasing, was launched in November and features skin care items and nail polishes, which have become Styles’ signature in recent years. Global fashion marketplace, <a href="https://www.lovethesales.com/press/articles/fashion-data-daily">LoveTheSales</a>, has been tracking demands and a range of sales data from over 10 million international shoppers. Since Pleasing was announced on Styles’ Instagram account, shopping searches for “men’s makeup” sky-rocketed a whopping 393 per cent compared to the week before. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWeVKMVvrpI/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWeVKMVvrpI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Harry Styles Updates. (@harry_update1)</a> </div> </blockquote> There was also a 72 per cent increase in fashion searches for “men’s nail varnish” and a truly giant 641 per cent increase in demand for “men’s lip serums”. Harry started his line with specifically non-gendered items, as the conversation around gender and fashion continues to be evolving and changing amongst younger generations. “It’s starting with nail polish because that was kind of the birth of what it was for,” he told <a href="https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/54765/1/harry-styles-pleasing-brand-cover-2021-interview">Dazed</a> in an interview. “Me seeing a colour on a flower or a wallpaper or something and thinking, ‘Oh, I wanna put that on my nails.’” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CWTYc_4lWHf/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CWTYc_4lWHf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Pleasing (@pleasing)</a> </div> </blockquote> Harry Styles has long been known for embracing gender-neutral style, as he has pushed the envelope with his fashion in photoshoots, and donning a more progressive way of presenting himself. With the help of his army of fans, Styles is helping to break down gender stereotypes in the world of beauty and fashion, as his new Pleasing brand is only the beginning. Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram

Beauty & Style

Wave of non-alcoholic wine to sweep the nation this Christmas

Image: Getty Research by Wolf Blass found nearly 48 per cent of Australian consumers are now actively moderating their alcohol intake, with more than 70 per cent of 25-34-year-old plan to reduce their alcohol intake this Christmas. Commendable as this may be, why don’t they just drink cordial, diet cola, or even soda water with fresh lime and mint? While Zero alcohol wines can taste somewhat hollow and anaemic. Some might say, without the hit of alcohol, they have an odd mouthfeel. Wolf Blass Zero Sparkling Cuvée, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc ($12) have just hit the shelves and Wolf Blass are of course attempting to capture a slice of this market. They are an outstanding producer of wine. In New Zealand Last year the kiwi firm Giesen made the world’s first zero alcohol sauvignon blanc - and it sold out. Now Giesen has introduced a 0% Rosé and 0% Pinot Gris and want to try and make zero alcohol red wine, another great option for those who may be the designated driver or are simply just alcohol conscious looking to cut out drinking altogether. Like Wolf Blass, Giesen has installed spinning-cone technology to pull the wines apart and put them back together without alcohol, similar to how perfume is made. With 70-80 per cent fewer calories than standard alcohol wines, the attraction of zero alcohol wines seems pretty good and for Australian's who are minimising their alcohol intake this wine seems like a great alternative. However, it does taste slightly different compared to the real thing. It’s vibrant and textural thanks to barrel fermentation with wild yeast and extended maturation on lees.

Food & Wine

No more boys versus girls at the ARIA awards

The ARIA Awards has decided to majorly reform how the event takes place at a time of upheaval in the industry over gender and racial equality. Australia’s major music awards has decided to get rid of gendered categories such as Best Male Artist and Best Female Artist for its upcoming November awards, organisers said. Instead, the awards will be replaced with one all-inclusive award of Best Artist with 10 nominees in the running instead of five in each of the previous categories. "The time for separating artists based on gendered categories that exclude non-binary artists altogether has passed," Annabelle Herd, chief executive of ARIA, said in a statement. "The music industry is demanding a more equal, inclusive, safe and supportive space for everyone and ARIA is working hard to achieve that across the ARIA Awards and everything we do." The change to the awards will be put into effect for the November 2021 ceremony, which will be a digital-only event due to the ongoing pandemic. The inclusive move embraces celebrated Aussie artist such as Tash Sultana and G Flip, who both identify as non-binary. ARIA is the latest organisation to demand more gender equality within the Australian entertainment industry. In May, artist Jaguar Jonze spoke out about the sexual harassment she endured at the hands of two producers she was working with. Anonymous allegations on social media about a variety of workplaces gathered pace, bringing further attention to the issue. Sony Music’s Australian boss Denis Handlin, one of the most powerful figures in the local industry and the chair of ARIA's board, abruptly left the business in June amid a slew of allegations of toxicity in the workplace culture. ARIA has worked to establish a safe group to try to devise a way to make the industry — long associated with romantic notions of sex, drugs and rock and roll — a fairer and safer place to work. "The important thing is to get everybody involved because real change doesn't happen unless you get change across the board," Annabelle Herd said. Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Lung cancer diagnosis on the rise in non-smokers

With lung cancer coming in as the fifth most common type of cancer diagnosed in Australia, but ranking as the leading cause of cancer death, experts are calling for more research to help identify it in its early stages and determine risk factors in non-smokers. An example of a person with lung cancer, despite having never smoked, is US comedian Kathy Griffin who recently revealed she has been diagnosed with the cancer. Because the cancer was caught early and is confined to her left lung, the 60-year-old comedian will undergo surgery to remove half of her left lung. Following her surgery, Griffin is on the mend and keeping fans up-to-date with her recovery. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSSWpL7hcRz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSSWpL7hcRz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin)</a> </div> </blockquote> Griffin isn’t alone either, with a growing number of people receiving a lung cancer diagnosis without ever smoking. Not just a “smoker’s disease” Though smoking is one of the largest risk factors for lung cancer, the proportion of those diagnosed with the disease who are “never-smokers” is increasing. According to the Cancer Council NSW, about 35 percent of Australian women and 15 percent of men who have been diagnosed with the condition were life-long non-smokers. This increase in the condition has been seen in other countries with a <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28132018/" target="_blank">2017 study</a> of lung cancer patients in US hospitals finding the percentage of never-smokers increased from eight percent in 1990 to 1995, to 14.9 percent from 2011 to 2013. Surgeon Andrew Kaufman, whose program for never-smokers at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York has treated 3,800 patients in 10 years, said: “Since the early 2000s, we have seen what I think is truly an epidemiological shift in lung cancer.” “It is well-documented that approximately 20 percent of lung cancer cases that occur in women in the US and nine percent of cases in men, are diagnosed in never-smokers,” he confirmed. However, the reasons why more people are being diagnosed without smoking is not well known. More research is needed Dr Marianne Weber, a senior research fellow at the Daffodil Centre, is overseeing a new study to identify potential risk factors for those who don’t smoke. By poring over two large population studies in Australia and China, the researchers are looking to link lung cancer to factors such as diet, lifestyle, and household air pollution. “If we can highlight a risk profile for someone who might go on to develop lung cancer when they’re a non-smoker, that would be ideal,” Dr Weber said. So far, cancer doctors have found one group of people who are more at risk: women. Worldwide, half of female lung cancer patients have never smoked, while only 15 percent of male lung cancer patients are never-smokers. Josephine Feliciano, an oncologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said that, beyond sex, “nothing stands out as a single large risk factor” for lung cancer in non-smokers. “But air pollution, radon, family history of lung cancer, [and] genetic predispositions [all play a role],” Feliciano said. Additionally, chronic lung infections and lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) seems to increase the risk of diagnosis. “Of all the patients that present with the disease, the current survival rate is only about 17 percent,” said Dr Stirling, a senior respiratory specialist at The Alfred Hospital and leader of the Victorian Lung Cancer Registry. “For patients with stage four disease the median survival, so that’s the time at which 50 percent of patients will succumb to the disease, is somewhere between seven and 12 months.”

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