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Nat Barr's real opinion on Matt Shirvington

Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr has shared her real thoughts on her new co-host Matt Shirvington. After almost a month since former co-host <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/kochie-s-emotional-farewell-on-sunrise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Koch’s departure</a>, all eyes have been on Barr and Shirvington, who have apparently known each other for years prior to hosting Sunrise together. “We live in the same area, so we’d see each other in the street and say hi because we both vaguely knew who the other was,” Barr told The Sydney Morning Herald. She revealed that years ago they would walk past each other on the street as they picked their children up from school, and had since been “in and out of each other’s lives and would see each other at events and always got along”. “He’s the type of guy who just fits in – a really nice, normal guy with a daggy-dad sense of humour,” she told the publication. Barr then went on to share how she deals with public scrutiny and revealed that she doesn’t feel any extra pressure from being the more experienced presenter. “I don’t mind a bit of scrutiny. I mean, I’m on TV. Some people will like the way I do things, some won’t,” she said. “If you can’t cope with that then I guess you shouldn’t be on TV.” Barr revealed that ever since she took the hosting job she made a pact with herself to not get into the comments, and so she has turned off all notifications on Twitter. “I turned the notifications off on Twitter years ago. People can DM me on Instagram but as soon as I get hate and abusive stuff, I block and delete,” she said. “You can’t stop people being nasty, that’s just what society is like,” she added. Barr said that she understands that as a public figure she can’t just take in the good comments about her. “You get personal scrutiny, horrible messages and critical articles written about you,” she said. “I think when you do a public job, it’s part and parcel. You can’t expect everyone to be writing glowing appraisals.” Despite the challenges, Barr remains optimistic about her career and the future of Sunrise. “I think we have developed a show with the same heart and soul that we started with 21 years ago and that can never change,” she said. “There will be tweaks, people will come and go, but it’s bigger than any one of us. And that makes me happy.” Image: Instagram

“It’s the court of public opinion”: Sarah Ferguson condemns Phillip Schofield backlash

Sarah Ferguson has spoken out against the wave of judgement directed at former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield and the relationship scandal that swept the world. The 63-year-old Duchess of York was chatting to businesswoman Sarah Jane Thomson on her podcast, Tea Talks, when conversation turned to Schofield, and his controversial affair with a man - and co-worker - 30 years younger than him. When news of the affair broke, Schofield stepped down from his 20 year position as the face of This Morning. He later confessed to the Daily Mail that he had lied about the relationship, and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/i-will-die-sorry-phillip-schofield-breaks-his-silence-on-his-career-ending-affair">informed The Sun that he was “not a groomer”</a>, despite public opinion. Criticism for the disgraced host flooded social media in the wake of the whole ordeal, with the story and its related rumours splashed across publications worldwide, and it was the backlash that Ferguson wanted to address, namely the idea of ‘cancel culture’ at the centre of it all. Thomson prompted the discussion by comparing social media’s take to a “huge game of Chinese whispers”, to which Ferguson responded that “it’s like the court of public opinion.” “And then [that can lead to] massive bullying to the point of extermination of a soul,” she added. “I don’t believe that anybody has that right to judge and exterminate a person’s own beliefs.” From there, Ferguson encouraged listeners not to leap to assumptions, as “we all have failings”. She asked that everyone instead take a moment “or make a cup of tea before you judge another human being without knowing all the facts”. “We don’t know the facts,” she pointed out. “We certainly don’t know what people get up to.” Thomson had her own thoughts to share on the matter, noting that “the problem is, when you’re in the public eye, any failing you make is there to be talked about, and the rest of us don’t have that. “We don't have that deep examining of where we've gone wrong, and then it's reflected over and over and over.” And while the two had made their point, Ferguson took a moment to discuss a - in her opinion “spot on” - article by Jeremy Clarkson for the Sunday Times, in which he wrote about the public’s race to condemn Schofield. “I’ve never seen a witch-hunt like it,” he said, “and what baffles me most of all is that, as things stand, no crime has been committed. I don’t know him at all well and have no skin in the game, but it seems to me he is only guilty of being what he said he was: gay.” In the article, Clarkson went on to note that the age gap between Schofield and his partner in the affair was receiving a different degree of attention to heterosexual stars in similar relationship situations - from the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, who frequently dates women significantly younger than himself, and Al Pacino’s 54-year age gap with his pregnant partner. “Phil is no longer the genial host of some morning-time televisual cappuccino froth,” Clarkson surmised. “According to the people's court of social media, he's like his brother, a nonce.” Images: Getty

Relationships

Woman finds piece of art history on sale for $8

It’s every thrifter’s dream to find something in an op shop that is being sold for far less than it’s worth. Many frequent their local thrift shops to find hidden treasures from designer brands with a much more reasonable price tag, finally giving them the chance to own a piece of luxury. One experienced thrift shopper has taken this dream to the next level, after she found a series of ceramic dishes in her local Salvation Army store that are a piece of art history. Nancy Cavaliere, a native New Yorker, has shared the story of her ultimate thrifting experience, which began on her way home from work in the summer of 2017. Nancy recalled stopping by the store and browsing for a while before resigning herself to defeat after not snagging a bargain. “I see nothing. I almost leave,” she said in her now-viral TikTok. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqTY-WXJ4DM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqTY-WXJ4DM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Nancy Cavaliere (@casacavaliere)</a> </div> </blockquote> However, one more peruse past the china aisle was all Nancy needed for something to catch her eye, as she spied four unusual black plates with geometric faces hand-painted on them, with each plate marked with a $1.99 sticker. “I was going to buy them to make a tablescape,” Cavaliere said in the video. She bought the plates and left the store happy, and began to research her purchase once she got home. The plates, it turned out, belonged to Picasso’s “Visage Noir” series of hand-painted ceramics, produced in a pottery studio in the southern French town of Madoura in the 1940s. “When I tell you I googled this set… and saw how much they were worth and almost cried, passed out—I’m not lying,” Cavaliere said. Nancy then contacted several auction houses in New York, such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s, to have the plates appraised and authenticated. She was told they were each worth $3,000 to $5,000, and the following year, she sold three of her four plates at Sotheby’s for roughly $12,000, $13,000, and $16,000, respectively. “I was in my office at my lunch break watching this live auction go down, crying my eyes out,” she said. The fourth piece, which bears Picasso’s signature, Nancy decided to keep and store in a safe deposit box. Cavaliere plans to sell it in 20 years and give the money to her daughter, perhaps for a trip around Europe. “It’s crazy,” she said, “that I actually own something that Picasso signed for himself.” Image credits: Instagram

Art

What Julie Bishop really thinks of King Charles

Julie Bishop has shared what she really thinks of King Charles, just days after rubbing shoulders with members of the royal family at the coronation. The former Foreign Minister was invited to the historic event for her role as chair of the Princes Trust, as she joined Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other politicians in Westminster Abbey. Now, in a social media Q&A for Marie Claire Australia, Bishop has described King Charles as an inspiration. The 66-year-old shared her admiration for the King, while commending his work in the royal family. "I admire King Charles," Bishop said in the video, adding, "I think he's been an extraordinarily focused King in waiting." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsDK7LUIo9t/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsDK7LUIo9t/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Marie Claire Australia (@marieclaireau)</a> </div> </blockquote> Bishop made headlines from the coronation when her selfie with Lionel Ritchie went viral, as Julie <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/julie-bishop-tells-all-from-inside-king-charles-coronation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> what it was really like inside Westminster Abbey for the royal event. Bishop told 7News that she and Ritchie were making comments to each other throughout the service, as they pointed out who else was invited to the coronation. "During the procession, we'd be whispering to each other... I'd say that's the Papua New Guineans and he'd tell me who somebody else was." "But then as he was singing a hymn, I was very quiet. I didn't want to have my voice heard. That's quite an experience in itself having Lionel Ritchie singing hymns next to you." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">Julie said she felt honoured to be invited to the historic ceremony, admitting. "I have never been to anything like this." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"I felt deeply privileged to be invited and to witness the pageantry and the beauty and the religious and historical significance of this service was deeply moving." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"When you're actually there, there was a sense of excitement and anticipation." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">Image credits: Instagram

Beauty & Style

Readers respond: What film do you think is a cinematic masterpiece and why?

With hundreds of new movies coming out each and every year, it takes a real standout to capture hearts and captivate minds, rising above the rest to claim the title of masterpiece. We all have those movies we pick up time and time again, placing them on a pedestal high above all others, eagerly telling anyone who’ll listen “no, this is the best one!” So, we asked our readers which ones they consider to be a cinematic masterpiece, and the variety of enthusiastic responses certainly make for quite the weekend watchlist! Here’s what they came up with: Nika Muir - Children of a lesser God (1986), a credit to bring awareness to the world of deaf people. A drama/romance. Paul Clissold - 2001: A Space Odyssey. In my view, still the best space movie ever - minimalist approach, fitting music and superb visual effects considering the technology at the time. Gary Sturdy - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Margie Buckingham - The Piano - beautiful, strong imagery reflecting the sentiment of the deep messaging. Bo Whitten - Empress Ki (Korean). Brilliant in every way! Epic historic masterpiece. Brilliant setting, costume, story line, acting, sound track. Gail Brewer - Gone with the Wind, back then they didn't have computer technology etc. Evie-and Keith Brown - Out of Africa, amazing scenery, true story, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, SO WONDERFUL, acting is superb. Sandy Rogers - Star Wars - best ever, [the] whole cinema stamping their feet at the end does it for me. Paul Davis - Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Janette Blake - Titanic. Great movie. Hentie Jacobs - Avatar … the overall using of colour and storyline is excellent … imagination at its best … there are so many more … Bambi also comes to mind. Rosanna Every - Ben Hur! As a child, the first time I saw God! Beverley Murphy - Dances with Wolves. The scenery & music is magical. Leslie Clinch - Easy Rider … rebellious ... but nonaggressive … striking a chord with views of the sixties … and great music from Dennis Hopper’s personal vinyl collection … plus I love The Sound of Music with Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews … there are so many great movies. Peter Saunders - The Shawshank Redemption / The Green Mile. Chris Martin - Dr Shivago … music, scenery, and a great love story. Valerie Discombe - Pretty Woman. Because I wanted to put myself in Julia Roberts place. Richard Gere is my idol. Sue Young - Yankee Doodle Dandy. The tap dancing was just great & James Carney was awesome!!!! Images: Getty

Movies

"You don't age": Salma Hayek stuns in tiny two-piece at 56

Salma Hayek has stunned Instagram followers after posting pictures of her in a sexy neon yellow bikini as she enjoys a day out boating by the sunset. The Magic Mike star shared multiple snaps in the two-piece, according to the New York Post. “Every time I need to feel renewed I jump into the ocean” the actress captioned the series of steamy snaps. In one image, the 56-year-old has her arms behind her head, puffing out her chest with the sunset just above the horizon, with three others showing her on the stairs of the boat. The actress also shared a video of herself emerging from the water after a dunk in the ocean. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrbDc_xN59n/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrbDc_xN59n/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Salma Hayek Pinault (@salmahayek)</a> </div> </blockquote> “You don't age, right?” one fan wrote. “Looking this young in your 50s should be illegal, like what,” another said. “Thought this was a throwback!” a third wrote. This isn’t the first time Hayek has shown off her fit frame in swimwear on social media. In September 2022, she marked her 56th birthday by sporting a red bikini as she danced on a yacht. In January 2022 the actress posed poolside in a Saint Laurent leopard-print one-piece bathing suit priced at $1330. Hayek is renowned for flaunting her curves, especially on the red carpet. In January 2023, the actress posed in a black fishnet gown layered over a black bra and underwear on the red carpet at the Magic Mike’s Last Dance premiere in Miami. She stunned in a sequin keyhole halter gown to the 2023 Oscars while being accompanied by her 15-year-old daughter Valentina. She shares Valentina with husband Francois-Henri Pinault, 60, whom she married in 2009. Image credit: Instagram

Body

"Proud mum": Opinions divided after mum praises teen daughter for punching bully in the face

Bianca Austin, wife of former soccer star Charlie Austin has divided the internet after posting a tweet praising her daughter, Mallayla, for punching a bully in the face. Last week, she tweeted: “After weeks of being bullied by the same girl, numerous phone calls to the school and nothing changing, today when being called names my daughter finally punched the bully in the face. "Proud mum,” she wrote. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> After weeks of being bullied by the same girl, numerous phone calls to the school and nothing changing,today when being called names my daughter finally punched the bully in the face👏🏻👏🏻 proud mum👏🏻 — Bianca Austin (@BiancaAustin90) <a href="https://twitter.com/BiancaAustin90/status/1635307000992260097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2023</a></blockquote> The tweet, which now has over 2 million views and 17,000 likes, generated varying responses from those who sympathise to those who believe that hitting back is unacceptable. “Probably deserved!” commented one user. Bianca replied: “I told the school how proud of her I was for standing up for herself when they rang up to tell me Mallayla would be sanctioned for retaliating violently. No child should be able to make school hell for another child day in day out”. “We all have our breaking points and can only be pushed so far. Does she feel better now she’s stood up for herself?” commented another user. “No, but she's hoping the girl will leave her alone now. X,” Bianca tweeted in response. Bianca then posted a follow up tweet expressing her dissatisfaction with the school’s response. “2 days in-school exclusion for my daughter, whilst the other child has gone to class because she was 'only' verbally abusive🙃 No wonder bullying is never stopped in schools,” she wrote. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 2 days in-school exclusion for my daughter, whilst the other child has gone to class because she was 'only' verbally abusive🙃 No wonder bullying is never stopped in schools... head high Mallayla🙏🏻 — Bianca Austin (@BiancaAustin90) <a href="https://twitter.com/BiancaAustin90/status/1635608089754841088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2023</a></blockquote> “I get that bullying is awful and harmful but when I said that your daughter’s actions would make things worse, you can now see where I was going,” one user wrote in response. “Bullying someone “back” by hitting is also bullying,” the user added. Bianca went straight to the point with her response and asked them what their resolution would be. “School couldn't stop it, it was wrecking her mental health and affecting her GCSE studies. What is the right course of action here?! “Also she didn't "bully" back. Bullying is repeated behaviour,” she wrote, defending her daughter’s actions. Bianca also tweeted that her daughter had no malicious intent and only did it because she wanted to “be left alone to quietly enjoy school”. Image: Twitter

Family & Pets

"Fiddle is good anywhere": Impromptu inflight concert divides opinion

A debate has erupted over what’s considered appropriate when flying - but this time, it has nothing to do with reclining seats or overhead bins. On a flight from Dublin to New York’s JFK airport - a trip typically just shy of eight hours long - a live and impromptu fiddle music session has taken place, a handful of days before St Patrick’s Day. In a clip that has taken Twitter by storm, a woman can be seen - and heard - playing a lively jig on the fiddle, with accompaniment from both a man on an accordion and one with a whistle. They are surrounded by their fellow passengers, many who appear to be lined up trying to leave the plane. “Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to JFK yesterday,” Adam Singer captioned the video. “I mean, I understand it's done from a good place, but also feel like you don't play music (or much worse, sing) in an enclosed space there's no escape from.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to JFK yesterday. I mean, I understand it's done from a good place, but also feel like you don't play music (or much worse, sing) in an enclosed space there's no escape from <a href="https://t.co/UlqmHAqj03">pic.twitter.com/UlqmHAqj03</a> — Adam Singer (@AdamSinger) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSinger/status/1634930242371592192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2023</a></blockquote> While many commented to say that it had been a bit of fun, and good music no less, the original poster - and swarms of others - didn’t have the patience to humour them. “Nah, that music was totally cool. And it looks like people were deplaning. Not like it was during the flight,” reasoned one. “My nightmare,” vented another. “Not because they're bad but, as you say, there's no escape. I'm not sure what it is about musicians that make them feel like they can just crank a tune out when no-one asked.” “This would be a nightmare for me,” came another agreement that was echoed from there in at least a dozen like-minded comments. “'Fiddle is good anywhere,” someone else argued. “But it may be my roots. This kind of music makes ya happy.” “So beautiful. That's what humanity is all about if you ask me,” one commenter said. Adam, who wasn’t about to budge on his hard fiddle stance, fired back “sure, just not on a plane!” When another suggested that it sounded like a good time to them, Adam responded with a gif reading “is it though?” and left it at that. “Depends on how long it lasts and how good they are,” mused one viewer. “If they're good, they get 5-7 minutes. If they're not, 90 seconds tops.” Meanwhile, one fan of the fun wrote that “this fulfils every fantasy I have about travelling to Ireland. I love it.” “I've been on thousands of flights and never had anything this awesome happen,” said another, “obviously I've never flown Aer Lingus.” “I love traditional Irish music, but I can understand how it might bother others,” someone allowed. The one thing most of them could agree on? They’d be okay with it, as long as “there’s free Guinness flowing.” Images: Twitter

Travel Trouble

British lawmakers demand Jeremy Clarkson apologise to Meghan Markle

British lawmakers have come out swinging against Jeremy Clarkson following his “violent misogynist” opinion piece about Meghan Markle. The Top Gear host wrote a scathing piece in The Sun saying how much he "hates" the Duchess of Sussex, in the wake of the release of the Prince Harry and Meghan's Netflix documentary series. The piece, which received 17,500 complaints, was retracted with 65 British lawmakers from various political parties condemning the article and demanding an apology to Ms Markle. "We welcome The Sun's retraction of the article, we now demand action is taken against Mr Clarkson and an unreserved apology is issued to Ms Markle immediately," the letter read, which was led by Caroline Nokes, a Member of Parliament from the ruling Conservative party, and chair of Parliament's Women and Equalities Committee. "We further demand definitive action is taken to ensure no article like this is ever published again. "This sort of language has no place in our country, and it is unacceptable that it was allowed to be published in a mainstream newspaper. "Ms Markle has faced multiple credible threats to her life, requiring the intervention of the Metropolitan Police. “Hateful articles like the one written by Mr Clarkson do not exist in a vacuum and directly contribute to this unacceptable climate of hatred and violence." It follows 17,500 complaints sent to the UK's press regulator the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) for the article published in Rupert Murdoch’s rag. Clarkson was met with significant backlash and tweeted his “regret” over the column, which also saw his <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/jeremy-clarkson-s-daughter-takes-a-stand-against-her-famous-dad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">daughter Emily call him out</a>. "Oh dear. I've rather put my foot in it. In a column I wrote about Meghan, I made a clumsy reference to a scene in Game of Thrones and this has gone down badly with a great many people," he wrote. "I'm horrified to have caused so much hurt and I shall be more careful in future." The Sun also just mentioned they have removed the article but refused to make any further comment. "In light of Jeremy Clarkson's tweet he has asked us to take last week's column down,” their statement read. Images: Getty

Legal

5 pieces of relationship advice you really should ignore

They say that excellent advice from an experienced professional is one of the keys to a long and happy relationship. Unfortunately, there’s a big difference between an “experienced professional” and something that you may have read between the pages of a magazine. When it comes to your relationship, trusting someone who knows your individual situation intimately is key. Disregarding other information can actually end up being for the best. Here are 5 pieces of relationship advice it’s best to ignore. 1. Never go to bed angry We all get angry and sometimes we fight at night. Often, our fights can be agitated by other factors that make the original argument seem even worse. Tiredness is one of the most common aggravating factors. It makes no sense then to stay up and duel it out when you’re both ready to sleep. It’s much better to hit pause on the argument and resume in the morning when you’re both well rested. You may even find that much of the fight has gone out of the both after a good nights sleep. 2. Marriage counseling will save your marriage While marriage counseling can be a relationship saver, both couples need to be completely committed to the process for it to work effectively. If one partner has no interest and has been forced to counseling by the other, the process is unlikely to be successful. 3. Be completely transparent about your feelings Sharing your feelings isn’t so much the issue as the way you phrase how you share your feelings. Sometimes “Sharing your feelings” is code for laying blame and this will only create conflict and hurt. Using sentences like “I’m angry with you”, or “You’ve hurt my feelings” just create defensiveness and hurt. Instead try something like “I’m hurt by what you said and I’d like to understand why you said it and work towards fixing the issue”. You’re much more likely to resolve conflict this way. 4. Once you get married, you can forget about sex This is a blanket statement that is useful for absolutely no one. All couples and relationships are different and a statement like this does nothing to honour that fact. 5. Your partner should be your soul mate The problem with the concept of a “soul mate” is that it often implies that relationships don’t take any work and that with the right person everything is simply effortless. A great relationship isn’t effortless and can take work. It’s normal to experience disconnected moments in our relationship. By buying into the soul mate idea, these moments of discontentment can lead us to worry that perhaps we aren’t with our soul mate or that we’ve married the wrong person. Accepting that your mate has become your soul mate over time is the healthiest way to approach this issue. What’s the best piece of relationship advice you’ve been given? Share it in the comments below. Image: Getty

Relationships

"Truly unique" piece of Australian history acquired by National Museum

Intricate carvings depicting Australia’s early history including colonial bush life, the gold rush and representations of conflict occurring between settlers and First Nations peoples, feature on a unique ‘Australian Colonial Billiard Table’, have been acquired by the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. The table substantially adds to the Museum’s National Historical Collection and supports its mission to tell remarkable stories from Australian history. It was acquired by the National Museum of Australia for $1.1 million, with the support of the Australian Government through the National Cultural Heritage Account, which contributed $550,000. The National Cultural Heritage Account is a grant program that assists Australian cultural organisations to acquire significant cultural heritage objects. The acquisition was also supported by the Pratt Foundation and donors to the National Museum’s 2022 Annual Appeal. The ‘Australian Colonial Billiard Table’ and matching scoreboard is an unrivalled piece of craftsmanship that through the depictions of colonial life and native flora and fauna contributes to an understanding of our national identity and design history. It was built in 1885 by Sydney-based billiard table manufacturer Ben Hulbert and features ornate carvings by skilled cabinet maker George Billyeald. The table has a rich history and was displayed at the 1886 Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London, at Adelaide’s Jubilee Exhibition in 1887 and at Melbourne’s Centennial Exhibition in 1888. It was also reportedly displayed at Buckingham Palace, where it is suggested that it was admired by Queen Victoria and played upon by billiards enthusiast Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, who was later crowned King Edward VII. National Museum director Dr Mathew Trinca thanked the Australian Government for its financial assistance with the purchase of the billiard table, which he said is a one-of-a-kind example of Australian colonial furniture-making. “The craftmanship and design of this piece is extraordinary. This truly unique acquisition, carefully carved from Tasmanian blackwood, perfectly showcases our colonial history, and we are delighted to be able to share it with the nation,” said Dr Trinca. Museum Curator Dr Ian Coates, who coordinated the acquisition said the decorative panels show how European settlers understood their world, and the vision of Australia they wanted to promote internationally. “Perhaps most significant are the scenes of conflict between First Nations peoples and colonists included as part of life on the frontier. Such representations of conflict are rare. They are an important part of our national history – subject matter that was ignored for much of the twentieth century, and which now forms part of the truth-telling about what happened in the history of our nation.” “The table and scoreboard are magnificent examples of nineteenth century decorative arts. They are also highly significant for the prominent role they played in the global dissemination of Australian iconography and themes during the late-nineteenth century,” said Dr Coates. It will be on display at the National Museum of Australia from 17 November. Image credits: Supplied by National Museum of Australia

Art

“Absolute lie": Furious Charlie Teo hits back at 60 Minutes piece

Neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo has slammed 60 Minutes for claims that he charged hefty prices for futile operations that left patients severely injured and families with false hope. In a one-on-one interview with A Current Affair’s Tracy Grimshaw, Dr Teo responded to a “comprehensive” story aired by the program last weekend, in which multiple families shared their upset about the large financial burdens placed on them and feeling that they had been given false hope by the acclaimed surgeon. Dr Teo dubbed the report as “abhorrent and disgusting”, and while he admitted he had made mistakes in his career, he said the idea that he was simply in it for the money was false. “For some outsiders not sitting in the room with you having a discussion with the patient, it‘s so wrong for them to judge you on what’s going on in the room,” he said. “If someone is trying to portray me as some money-hungry bastard that was operating and hurting children based on money, that’s what I want to correct. It’s not that case.” The surgeon, who is currently under investigation by the Health Care Complaints Commission, told 2GB host Ben Fordham on Wednesday that he does have regrets about mistakes he’s made. “But I deny the accusation that it means nothing to me,” Dr Teo said. “I treat all my patients like a member of my own family.” When asked if he was sorry about the mistakes he’s made, Dr Teo said he was and that “you would have to be a sociopath” not to be sorry. “You’d have to be a sociopath not to be sorry because every mistake means some sort of bad outcome for the patient which means quality of life issues, sometimes even death, or paralysis, inability to speak,” he added. “I mean, if that didn’t affect you, you’d be like Dr Death, you’d be some sort of a psychopath.” During his 60 Minutes interview, Dr Teo responded to the case of one patient who lost their vision, explaining that he never gave 100 percent certainty that the procedure wouldn’t result in blindness. “If I had guaranteed that there was no chance of blindness, that is me saying the wrong thing, that’s misinformation,” he said. “I don’t do that, you can’t do that and not get sued, someone will sue you one day and after 11,000 cases, you don’t think if I have set out to a handful of patients I’d be sued by those patients? “In that case, I thought the chance of blindness was almost zero, but I never give a guarantee. They are claiming I said that I guarantee you won’t be blind, that is absolute lie, I did not say that I would never say that you be foolish to say that.” Dr Teo revealed that he has photos of his patients on his phone to remind him of the importance of his job, saying that he carried the devastation of failed operations with him every day. “There is a French vascular surgeon who wrote a book on the philosophy of surgery, and I don’t think you can put in any better words when he said ‘every surgeon carries with himself a small cemetery’,” he said. “My cemetery is not small, it’s a significant sized cemetery. (I have) pictures of my patients on my phone to remind me every day I’ve got to do it better.” While some of his former patients have been critical of the neurosurgeon, others have leapt to his defence, including 24-year-old Monica Lopresti. After she began to lose her memory in early 2021 but her blood tests returned normal results, it wasn’t until she received the results of an MRI in 2022 that it was discovered that she had a benign cystic tumour in the middle of her brain. Seven neurosurgeons turned her away, but Dr Teo agreed to perform surgery on her. Ms Lopresti said Dr Teo explained the risks, which included death, paralysis and being left in a vegetative state, and that she agreed to proceed with the knowledge of the risks. She added that “it just isn’t true” that the surgeon gave people false hope. “I wasn’t living a life. I was always calling in sick and I wasn’t having the quality of life that I wanted,” she told news.com.au. Since August 2021, Dr Teo has been banned from performing operations in Australia but still receives daily requests for help, telling the podcast The Soda Room that he estimates that nine patients a week are left without lifesaving care as a result. “So the sadness of the situation is that my entire practice was mostly taking out tumours that other people called inoperable, so that was 90 per cent of my practice,” he said. “That’s 10 tumours a week. So that means, quite conceivably, that there are nine patients a week, who are missing out on either extension of life or cure from a condition that I know that I can help. Now that’s sad.” Images: A Current Affair

Caring

Opinions divided over fresh Dr Charlie Teo claims

Neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo has once again been on the receiving end of harsh claims from past patients in a brutal expose by 60 Minutes. The renowned brain surgeon has made headlines multiple times in the past for his achievements – such as when he flew from Perth to Sydney to perform a lifesaving operation on then 14-year-old Amelia “Milli” Lucas after she raised $170,000. However, Dr Teo has continued to face backlash, with some families who’ve dealt with the surgeon criticising him for the high price of his services. Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes program interviewed several of Dr Teo’s past patients, one of whom spoke about the "false hope" given to his family when dealing with the surgeon. Michelle Smith was only 19 when Dr Teo operated on her to remove a brain tumour that was causing her severe epileptic episodes. Ms Smith and her mother told the program that Dr Teo claimed that the removal of the tumour would be “easy” and after the operation “everything is great”. The program went on to state that Dr Teo soon told Ms Smith that she was able to stop taking her epilepsy medication but as the years went on she experienced worse seizures. “The seizures got worse…I lost my employment, I’d had a few jobs here and there,” Ms Smith said. “I had a seizure behind the wheel and hit two parked cars, writing off three cars.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/michelle24.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Later in 2014, Ms Smith had another scan for her brain, after which other doctors claimed that Dr Teo had operated on the wrong side. “The previous operation was done on the wrong side of the brain and that’s why the normal brain tissue was removed, it was nowhere near the tumour,” Ms Smith continued on the program. “To find out that he didn’t even touch it, I just felt violated in a way. I trusted him.” Dr Teo defended himself saying that he “never, ever” operated on the wrong side of the brain and that the approach he used was well documented to reduce the risk. “Ms Smith awoke in excellent neurological condition and was seizure free at her post-op visit,” he said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A decade after going under the knife of Dr Charlie Teo to remove a brain tumour, Michelle Smith made a horrific discovery; the neurosurgeon had actually operated on the wrong side of her brain. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/60Mins?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#60Mins</a> <a href="https://t.co/YnBCqhCDfz">pic.twitter.com/YnBCqhCDfz</a> — 60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) <a href="https://twitter.com/60Mins/status/1584118918276608000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2022</a></blockquote> A colleague of Dr Teo's, Dr Michael Donnellan, backed up Teo's claim, telling the <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/neurosurgeon-charlie-teo-says-claims-have-been-a-slur-on-his-character/news-story/bcd505006874929187ca31d406421a00" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a> that "there is a big difference between a wrong side surgery, versus a contralateral approach — or approach from the opposite side — to a tumour that is close to the midline of the brain.... This is a well recognised and reasonable approach,” he said, adding he had seen Dr Teo choose that method multiple times with good results. This, however, did not stop Ms Smith from suing Dr Teo in 2019 for professional negligence. The case was settled out of court. Another of Dr Teo’s patients examined by the 60 Minutes program was Prasanta Barman’s young son Mikolaj who was diagnosed with a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) - a difficult brain tumour to treat. The family sought the help of Dr Teo who they say informed them that there was a “very high likelihood of (a) cure”. “If all goes as planned, the surgery should be curative, as we should be able to remove the entire thing. This means that prognosis would be excellent,” Dr Teo’s office said in an email in 2018. However, two other neurosurgeons informed Mr Barman that his son’s tumour was inoperable. This led Mr Barman to once again ask Dr Teo about his stance and his response remained unchanged and that he would operate. Mr Barman paid Dr Teo the $80,000 required for the operation and 30 minutes before the operation he said that he might not be able to remove the entire tumour. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/mikolaj.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> After surgery, young Mikolaj was bedridden and unable to walk, talk or eat on his own. He died less than a year later. “There was no hope. For a DIPG, there is no hope. So why give the false hope in the first place?” Mr Barman asked. Dr Teo has defended himself against these claims, explaining that there are some good and bad outcomes no matter the situation. “Once you start exploring and looking for advancements, you are going to get some bad outcomes, some terrible outcomes, which I have had,” he told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/desperate-parents-heap-praise-on-lifesaving-neurosurgeon-charlie-teo/news-story/db2c86a0aae339a9f2a23b5dfa7cf530" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>. “You are also going to have patients that do very well, that get more months or years on their lives and get to enjoy life.” Images: Facebook/60 Minutes

Caring

More than a piece of furniture: it is sometimes as if these old pianos have souls

While restructuring a collection of historical keyboard instruments at the ANU School of Music, I’ve been led to ponder the mysterious significance that pianos can have in the human psyche. Due to limitations of space and funds for maintenance, a decision was made to limit the university’s collection to the most valuable instruments. “Value” was considered on the basis of an instrument’s historical uniqueness, its practical utility for research and overall condition. Yet “value”, as we know, can be understood in different ways. <h2>Vehicles for musical expression</h2> Pianos still proliferate in music schools, despite predictions about the decline of acoustic music. Instruments that are used day-to-day need to be relatively new and in excellent working order. Given the rate at which they are played in busy schools, they are typically replaced every 10 to 15 years. Many pianists view pianos like tools, as vehicles for musical expression. Like a driver searching for a faster car, less responsive models can be dispensed with little thought. Unlike an immaculately handcrafted violin from the 17th century, the sound of a piano typically does not improve with age. Yet there is much that a piano student can learn from older instruments. Our collection includes a French piano built around 1770, and it can still sing if gently coaxed. As my fingers negotiate the uneven and primitive collection of levers, shafts and felts that comprise its inner action, I wonder how many musicians long-departed have listened to its voice. It is a sad fact, though, that homes can be hard to find for old pianos, especially uprights. While grand pianos still signify status, and square pianos have a curiosity value (also doubling as small tables), upright pianos of the Victorian era are now unloved. According to a local piano removal company, two to three upright pianos from this period can be delivered to landfill in any week. Partly, this is due to their ubiquity in earlier generations. It used to be the case that every home had an old piano, often passed down through family lines. Frequently of German origin and built on massive solid frames, these instruments are not timeless. Their mechanisms wear out, their felts become infested and their tuning blocks lose structural integrity. They can no longer hold their tune. If you paid to restore one, the sum would be greater than the cheap new instrument which would always outperform it. The worst thing to do would be to buy a dilapidated piano for a budding student, who might presume the clunking responses to be a sign of talent-less activity. Yet it is sometimes as if these old pianos have souls. It tugs at the heartstrings to see an instrument that has weathered over a century of faithful service get carted to the tip, or “piano heaven” as insiders say. Often there are rich memories, such as when grandma played and the family gathered around in song. <h2>Members of the family</h2> The inner connections people make with musical instruments are widely known. Indeed, pianos can seem like members of a family to some. How do we account for this unusual anthropomorphism? I was recently touched by a story of an elderly lady, an exceptionally fine pianist and teacher in her day. She had purchased a large grand piano of Viennese design, a concert instrument of the highest order, but was now at the point of moving to residential care. Of all the considerations that beset her family at this difficult time, finding a “home” for the instrument was of the highest concern. It was more than just a piano: it was a living part of her life. In another instance, I was asked to help rehouse an upright piano. Shiny, relatively new and still receptive to many hours of rigorous playing, the piano’s owner was happy to give it away. But not to just anyone – it needed to be the right person. “I will always be grateful for the beautiful black piano that became a vehicle not only for my lifetime wish to learn to play, but also to make music with my son”, she wrote. “My longing to make music with him was fulfilled before he finished school and left home.” It’s easy to see why pianos are often more than a piece of furniture. They can embody the dreams and memories that propel us through life, sanctifying the moments in which we are united through beauty and art. In a world which seems increasingly weighted toward the quantifiable, the measured, and the physically real, music still can catch us in its sway. Through the process of reordering our collection, one instrument has remained. In all respects, it is neither unique nor outwardly special. Yet it carried a plaque, in loving memory of someone’s mother. Perhaps it’s because her song still resonates within, I’ve made no plan to remove it. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-a-piece-of-furniture-it-is-sometimes-as-if-these-old-pianos-have-souls-185777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

"An essential piece in every wardrobe": Young people are shopping for luxury like never before

I recently purchased a pair of sandals. Not just any sandals, but an $850 pair of sandals. They are neatly stitched from calfskin leather, an “<a href="https://www.hermes.com/ca/en/product/izmir-sandal-H041141ZH01400/">essential piece in every wardrobe</a>,” or so I’ve been told. The absurdity of this is not lost on me. But I, like so many young people my age, want to keep up and stay in-step with the city’s sartorial styles and the fashionable people who wear them. In our visual and virtual culture, visions and dreams of fashionable people and the luxurious things they purchase are constantly up for show. Young people know this well. They are repeatedly invited to follow, and “like,” lives and lifestyles once kept hidden by the well-to-do. A look to Instagram’s Discover page or TikTok’s For You page, provides a window into “rich kids” and “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ccc/tcab033">luxury fashion hauls</a>” as well as critical commentary on the season’s latest staples and the “new” versus “old” money looks they <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@eileen_darling/video/6977003418619497734">might lend themselves to</a>. Together, content of this kind plays an important part in fostering a sense of aspiration and desire, in stoking anxiety about who we are and, what we should buy. It may come as little surprise that, following <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/coronavirus-leading-through-the-crisis/charting-the-path-to-the-next-normal/fashion-industrys-profits-hemmed-in-by-the-covid-19-pandemic">a downturn in sales driven by the COVID-19 pandemic</a> and media fanfare surrounding “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/06/magazine/fashion-sweatpants.html">the end of fashion</a>,” luxury products like the sandals I stepped out to buy are <a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/01/26/luxury-spending-surge-during-pandemic/">being sold with great speed</a>. And much or most of these sales are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gucci-millennials-teens-love-designer-comeback-2018-11">driven by consumers under the age of 35</a>, with reporters and scholars documenting a new cohort of young people <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01671-5">eager to acquire luxury goods of their own</a>. Some will no doubt make their purchase online where, as sociologist and philosopher Zygmunt Bauman observed, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/146954050100100102">our shopping can be “broken up” into dozens of “joyful moments.”</a> Still others will take their business to brick-and-mortar stores where class-based aspirations (and anxieties) take meaningful form. My research looks at how cultural workers like stylists and visual merchandisers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494221099578">influence our purchases</a>. <h2>A place for aspiration</h2> Retail giants in the luxury sector like Chanel, Tom Ford and Dior, invest heavily in their brick-and-mortar stores — a physical pronouncement of their brands’ prestige and authority in the fashion landscape. In the past five years, these retailers have taken significant steps to court Millennials and members of Generation Z, with routine invitations to come in and purchase everything from small leather goods and high-end trainers, to micro-bags and belts. These luxury retail environments feel “expensive” and “exclusive,” and this is the result of co-ordinated efforts on behalf of a team of cultural workers who often go without notice. Visual merchandisers, for example, position products and arrange decorative fixtures to produce a vision of beauty and glamour. Sales associates and stylists connect with clients and drive sales in store. I interviewed several cultural workers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494221099578">to identify and explain how they do this</a>, how they leverage a series of techniques to foster aspiration, class-based desires and anxieties to command three- and four- figure purchases. They cite current designers and fashion trends, lending knowledge to clients with cash and credit to spend. Stylists also make use of carefully crafted stories related to where clients’ purchases might be worn and what these purchases say about them. Put differently, they romance their clients with visions and dreams of who they could be. All the while, the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.12942/lrlr-2009-3">material dimensions of place</a> give stylists and merchandisers authority and what sociologists call “capital.” Pony-hair upholstered furniture, tufted cushions and bronzed mirrors are some of the things that help them produce a sense of awe among clients who in turn, defer to their stylists and their well-furnished fashion knowledge. But they do something more too. These physical and symbolic markers of place remind purchasers that some, but not all are welcome inside. Historian Sarah Miller-Davenport has <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/44363357">discussed what it means to feel unwelcome</a> in these settings; to be, as she puts it, a “trespasser, a class-tourist in a rich person’s department store.” For young people, the physical and symbolic markers of these luxury retail environments bear significant weight. They communicate “a sense of one’s place” and suggest the purchaser might be made more fashionable and therefore worthwhile, if and when they purchase luxury products the likes of which we see on celebrities and social media. Of course, there are few of us who can truly afford to make these purchases and fewer still who can make them regularly, leaving many stretched thin and others, in debt to their aspirations and desire. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-essential-piece-in-every-wardrobe-young-people-are-shopping-for-luxury-like-never-before-184536" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Beauty & Style

Readers respond: What is the most beautiful piece of music you've ever heard?

We all know the unbridled power of an extraordinary piece of music, and how it can change our moods in an instant and make us feel invincible. We asked our readers what their favourite pieces of music are, and the responses were filled with some of the best tracks in the world. Nola Schmidt - Moonlight Sonata is one of my favourites. There are so many. Debbie Florance - Would you believe the theme from Bonanza???? As a kid we all loved that show and our school had a visit from a full orchestra. They played lots of wonderful pieces but the one that stuck in my memory was that theme. How different and amazing it sounded. Gail Willson - The theme music from Out of Africa. Jean McLaren Taylor - So many to choose from. KD Lang singing Hallelujah to Pavarotti singing Nessan Dorma. Two of my very favourites. Thea Matto - The Mission by Ennio Morricone. Kathy Johnson - Time in a Bottle by Jim Croche. Jennifer Lee - Nessun Dorma and Hallelujah are my absolute two fave pieces of music. Both bring me to tears. Yvonne Osborn - There is simply too much beautiful music to choose! Jan Wood - All of the above plus Highland Cathedral March cos I love the bagpipes. Margaret Mcdonald - That's a hard one, as all music is beautiful, but I think Barcarolle by Offenbach has to be a favourite for me, it brings back so many memories. Dulcie Tolcher - Rachmaninoff's 18th variation on a Theme of Paganini. I saw a young pianist playing it with tears in his eyes. Nora Takayama - Very hard to choose just one, but first to my mind is Beethoven’s Fifth. Barbara Dakers - Oh so many, old and new. I love most music, depends on the mood. Image credits: Getty Images

Music

A photo of a woman’s rude plane etiquette divides opinions

A passenger has been slammed by a fellow traveller for blocking their plane seats' TV screen during a flight. However, not everyone was on their side. The man explained that the woman in front had covered their screen with their coat while sitting in extra leg room seats. Sharing a picture on Reddit, he wrote: “I guess no entertainment for my wife on this flight.” A large black coat was put over the back of the seat, covering nearly all of his wife’s screen. Lots of people shared they were just as annoyed as him. Someone said, “Blows my mind how someone can do that, while realising they have a TV/touchscreen in front of them and not think about the TV that’s on the back of their own seat.” But not everyone agreed here and said the man should have just asked to move it. Someone commented: “I’m sure she put her jacket on the seat without really realising it would block the TV. All you have to do is kindly ask her to move it and she will.” One person explained how they had a similar situation except the passenger refused to move it - but then they received a free upgrade. Win win! Image: Reddit

Travel Tips

Man spends $7,000 on royal piece of cake

A man has spent almost $8,000 on a piece of cake from Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ wedding. Avid royal fan Gerry Layton from Yorkshire in the UK purchased the 41-year-old large slice of cake which came from one of the 23 wedding cakes used at the couple’s wedding in 1981. The 62-year-old first bought the piece of cake for £2170 ($3840) at an auction last year in August before deciding to donate it to a local charity ball auction. It was only last week that the slice of memorabilia which has the royal coat of arms in gold, red, blue and silver went up for auction again and Gerry realised he hadn’t even tasted it. "After some free champagne, I suddenly got the urge and thought 'I haven't even had a bite of it yet'," he told The Yorkshire Post. This time round, Gerry paid £2100 ($3700) for the cake and said “I don't care if it kills me” but he will taste it. "It's 41 years old but I definitely am going to have a bite." Gerry has not ruled out donating the piece of cake again but only after he has tasted it. Dave Avery who was the head baker of the Royal Navy said he had met up with Princess Diana before her big day. "She said to me, 'I want a wedding cake and not a monument', so she was quite happy. "There was nothing much [known] about Diana, so it ended up being more of a naval type of cake – all I could do was the Spencer crest.” Images: Twitter

Money & Banking

OPINION: Why we need to change how we’re talking about the Oscars slap

On Monday, Hollywood actor Will Smith made international headlines when he stormed the Oscars stage and <a href="https://o60.me/2qZnuq">slapped comedian and presenter Chris Rock</a>. What prompted the outrage? Chris Rock making a joke about Will’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her buzzed haircut. As Chris took to the stage to present the Best Documentary award, he bantered with the crowd saying, "Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2 — can't wait to see it, alright." It was then that Will stormed the stage and slapped Chris Rock, before returning to his seat and bellowing, “Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth." In true Hollywood fashion, the moment was swiftly moved on from, with no immediate ramifications for the actor. Not an hour later, Will Smith went on to win the award for Best Lead Actor, where in his tearful speech, he attempted to condone his own actions as being driven by protection. "In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world," he said. "I'm being called on in my life to love people and to protect people ... and to be a river to my people." As he went on to apologise to the Academy and his fellow nominees for his outburst, he noticeably failed to apologise to Chris Rock (a matter which he has since <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/an-embarrassment-ben-fordham-weighs-in-on-will-smith-drama">recifited in an Instagram statement</a>). His emotional speech earned him a standing ovation from Hollywood’s biggest stars in LA’s Dolby Theatre, as he went on to say, “Love will make you do crazy things.” Following the incident, online spaces were justifiably dominated by discussions about who was in the right, and if you were team Chris or team Will. This kind of discourse has since led to conversations about violence and ableism, which rightfully turns the incident into something far more serious. The question of whether or not you disagree with Chris Rock’s joke is completely irrelevant when looking at the bigger picture. What we saw at that event was a now Oscar-winning actor being given a standing ovation after he took to a global stage that was being broadcast to millions of people – after he assaulted someone. Will Smith walked on that stage and assaulted Chris Rock, while no one did anything. In a room full of the Hollywood elite, no one had the guts to stand up and condemn his actions, regardless of whether he was destined to win a later award or not. The event was brushed over while everyone in the room fell quiet and decided to ignore what they had just witnessed, much like other instances of violence in Hollywood. People often wonder how sexual abuse at the hands of people like Harvey Weinstein went unnoticed, or ignored, for so many years before the spark of the #MeToo movement in 2006. The abuse that we witnessed at the Oscars is the foundation of that very movement. And while, yes, systemic sexual abuse is different to Will Smith’s actions, covering up any kind of abuse is all the same. Being complacent and choosing not to stand up for what is right is how abusers are permitted to continue their dangerous patterns. In Will’s speech, he said, “Love will make you do crazy things.” This kind of speech and justification is the exact same kind of rhetoric that victims hear at the hands of domestic abusers. He flouted his actions as those of a “protector of his family”, which is another rationalisation of abuse that should not be accepted. There were a thousand other ways this situation could’ve been handled without it escalating to violence. Will could’ve found Chris at the after party and explained to him why his joke wasn’t cool, or he could’ve clapped back at him on stage with an even more brutal roast, or he could’ve done literally anything other than what he did. Whether he was annoyed at the joke or not, assaulting someone who was just up there to do his job is not how you handle a situation, regardless of if you felt you were “defending” someone’s honour. The joke in question has left a lot of people divided, with many jumping to Will and Jada’s defence. As the joke in question targeted her shaved head (a result of her alopecia diagnosis), it’s worth taking a look at the history of bald jokes and the blatant double standard in the scenario. For decades, slapstick comedy has relied on making a bald joke to get a quick laugh. Nine times out of ten, these jokes are at the expense of men. The most notable example comes from Will Smith’s own show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, which constantly relied on the character of Uncle Phil, a heavy set balding black man, to be the butt of all jokes (and there were a LOT of them). So for Will Smith to have his most famous character constantly be telling bald jokes with no ramifications is just plain hypocrisy. And if bald jokes are okay to make for men, then they are not off limits for women either, because you have to be consistent in your prejudices. Regardless of the joke, or the aftermath, or the apologies, or the sappy speeches, we cannot deny that what we all witnessed on the Oscars stage was completely unacceptable. And the fact that the room full of influential people chose to do nothing only further perpetuates the fact that rules are different for the rich and famous. The fact that Will Smith just sat back in his chair after assaulting a man on live international television only cements the fact that if you have enough money, fame and power, you can seemingly get away with just about anything. Image credits: Getty Images

Mind

Missing piece of the Cleo Smith puzzle

Image: Getty Detectives continue the search for the sleeping bag Cleo Smith was curled up in when she was allegedly snatched from her tent at the Blowholes campsite. A police spokesperson said it was believed the red and grey sleeping bag was still unaccounted for. Forensic teams continue to examine other items from the site and the Carnarvon home where the four-year-old was found after being missing for 18 days. The sleeping bag was deemed a critical item during the search, with police releasing a image that was on missing person posters all over the country. Motorists travelling on the North West Coastal Highway have even been urged to keep an eye out for the item as police conducted search through roadside bins. Officers went through 50 cubic metres of rubbish recovered from bins from Minilya to Geraldton, but the sleeping bag was not found. The item was also not found at the home of Terence Kelly, who is currently behind bars for the alleged abduction of Cleo Smith from her tent. Further charges could be laid but over the abduction of Cleo, but WA deputy Police commissioner ruled out claims that a “mystery woman” was being investigated. Cleo Smith vanished from her family's tent while on a camping trip at the Quobba Blowholes on October 16th, and was rescued 18 days later. Terence Darrell Kelly has been charged with two offences, including one count of forcibly taking a child aged under 16.

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