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Australia Post wants to charge more for stamps next year. Here’s why it has to keep letters alive

<div class="theconversation-article-body">By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-alexander-1126222">Paul Alexander</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p>Remember back at the turn of the millennium, when sending a small letter only cost 45 cents? If you haven’t used the postal service recently, you might be in for a rude shock.</p> <p>Late last week, it was announced Australia Post had notified the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) of a proposal to increase the price of stamps.</p> <p>If ultimately approved by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, the current basic postage rate for a small letter, $1.50, would <a href="https://auspost.com.au/disruptions-and-updates/pricing-updates/bpr-letter-pricing-update">rise</a> to $1.70 by mid-2025. Stamps for regular large and priority small letters would go from $2.20 up to $2.70.</p> <p>There would still be a discounted option for seasonal greetings cards, which would remain at 65 cents.</p> <p>If you’re feeling a sense of déjà vu, that’s because the last basic postage rate <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/decision-basic-postage-rate">increase</a> to $1.50 only just came into effect earlier this year.</p> <p>Like physical cash, letters have arguably been in terminal decline. According to Australia Post, <a href="https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/proposed-stamp-price-increase-as-letters-losses-mount">fewer than 3%</a> of letters are now sent by individuals. The rest are overwhelmingly business and government communications.</p> <p>But for some key groups, the “snail mail” remains a vital service. So why do we need to keep letters alive, and will increasing the price of stamps be enough to do so?</p> <h2>A duty to serve all Australians</h2> <p>As a publicly owned organisation, Australia Post has a range of formal community service obligations (CSOs). These are <a href="https://www.transparency.gov.au/publications/communications-and-the-arts/australian-postal-corporation/australia-post-annual-report-2022-23/other-important-information/community-service-obligations">enshrined in legislation</a> – the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989.</p> <p>These CSOs were set up to ensure essential postal services are accessible and affordable to all Australians, including those in regional, rural and remote areas.</p> <p>They include providing a universal access to a standard letter service at a uniform price across the country, as well as specific obligations on the frequency, range and speed of mail delivery.</p> <p>Since 2015, Australia Post has been lobbying to reform its community service obligations to <a href="https://www.afr.com/markets/equity-markets/australia-post-posts-222m-loss-letter-posting-in-terminal-decline-20150925-gjup78">better align</a> with changed consumer behaviour and needs.</p> <p>That has led to some changes in what’s expected, including a range of <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/postal-services-modernisation-discussion-paper.pdf">reforms</a> implemented by the Australian government over the past year.</p> <p>These have included <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-12/auspost-to-halve-letter-delivery-frequency-from-monday/103699458">reducing delivery frequency</a> for letters and reallocating resources to parcel delivery, while still maintaining essential services in regional and remote areas and for special interest groups.</p> <p>We are clearly in a broader transition to new CSOs – and a new role for Australia Post. Much of that comes down to the difficulty of delivering letters.</p> <h2>The long decline of letters</h2> <p>In the last financial year, Australia Post’s letter volumes <a href="https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/proposed-stamp-price-increase-as-letters-losses-mount">fell</a> by almost 13%, which the company said led to a loss of $361.8 million.</p> <p>But this is nothing new. From a peak in 2008, letter delivery volumes have been <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/ensuring-australia-post-can-deliver-more-australians">plummeting</a> for more than a decade.</p> <figure class="align-right "><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>Australia Post <a href="https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/proposed-stamp-price-increase-as-letters-losses-mount">says</a> they’re now at levels not seen since the 1950s. Remember, in 1955, the Australian population was only 9.2 million people.</p> <p>Parallels with declining cash usage highlight our aversion to doing things with paper.</p> <p>Cash use in Australia has also fallen to historic lows, forcing the government to step in with a plan to <a href="https://theconversation.com/businesses-will-have-to-accept-cash-for-essentials-under-government-plan-243899">keep it alive for essentials</a>.</p> <h2>All or nothing</h2> <p>A key conundrum is that we can’t keep letters half-alive. For all Australians to be able post letters on a scheduled basis with fast delivery requires Australia Post to maintain a complete letter network across the entire nation.</p> <p>The overall costs of operating this – while not specifically itemised publicly – include maintaining delivery routes and retail outlets, paying employee wages and investing in infrastructure.</p> <p>Naturally, increasing the cost of sending letters will discourage businesses from doing so, shrinking the market ever more.</p> <p>But because the size of the mail delivery network does not shrink proportionately, this can cause outsize problems for Australia Post.</p> <p>Australia is not unique. Postal services around the world have felt <a href="https://www.upu.int/en/publications/physical-postal-services/strategies-and-ways-for-developing-the-traditional-letterpost-documents-market">similar pressures</a>, many of which have diversified into parcel logistics and offering other digital services.</p> <h2>Could we just lose letters?</h2> <p>There are three core demographics in Australian society that still need to send and receive physical mail. These are:</p> <ul> <li> <p>older Australians, particularly those who are less familiar with or have limited access to digital platforms</p> </li> <li> <p>residents of regional and remote areas with limited internet connectivity</p> </li> <li> <p>concessional users for whom discounted mail is the most affordable form of important communications.</p> </li> </ul> <p>At the very least, these groups all need to have a guaranteed ability to send and receive official information. That includes bank statements, legal notices, utility bills and government correspondence, such as electoral information.</p> <p>Less critical, but still socially important and likely not to be terminated, is delivery of cards and letters for personal milestones, holidays or other events.</p> <p>That puts Australia Post in a tricky position. It likely cannot maintain such large mail delivery infrastructure unless it does so at increasing losses.</p> <p>That also reduces its ability to provide other, more relevant services and can blunt its competitiveness in the parcel delivery market.</p> <h2>Letters as small parcels</h2> <p>For Australia Post, one solution may lie in leveraging its <a href="https://auspost.com.au/content/dam/auspost_corp/media/documents/2024-australia-post-annual-report.pdf">thriving</a> parcels delivery network.</p> <p>Given the essential user base for mail delivery is now so small, it makes sense for letters to be “special” delivery services, much as courier document services are now. Parcel home delivery resources could take this mail the last mile.</p> <p>This would be much more expensive per item for Australia Post. But if the market continued to decrease in volume, it would minimise total costs.</p> <p>It would also allow the government to provide a targeted subsidy if required.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/244503/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-alexander-1126222">Paul Alexander</a>, Adjunct Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-post-wants-to-charge-more-for-stamps-next-year-heres-why-it-has-to-keep-letters-alive-244503">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Money & Banking

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The government wants to keep cash alive for buying essentials. Here’s why it’s such a challenge for businesses

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-worthington-138">Steve Worthington</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a></em></p> <p>Cash usage has <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2023/jun/cash-use-and-attitudes-in-australia.html">fallen off a cliff</a> in Australia, but the federal government says it must have a future. So, it’s going to mandate one.</p> <p>The Australian government will require businesses to accept cash for essentials such as groceries and fuel. Some (yet to be determined) small businesses will be exempt.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/stephen-jones-2022/media-releases/ensuring-future-cash-and-next-steps-phasing-out-cheques">Treasury</a>, losing cash as a means of payment would leave too many people behind:</p> <blockquote> <p>Around 1.5 million Australians use cash to make more than 80% of their in‑person payments. Cash also provides an easily accessible back‑up to digital payments in times of natural disaster or digital outage.</p> </blockquote> <p>In its announcement on Monday, Treasury pointed to what had already been achieved with similar schemes in other countries such as Spain and Norway, and a range of US states.</p> <p>It’s an honourable cause. There are, however, some aspects of life in Australia that will present unique challenges for achieving it.</p> <h2>Why does using cash cost so much?</h2> <p>Some merchants in Australia already refuse to accept cash as a means of payment. That means relying entirely on digital payment methods such as bank cards and mobile wallets.</p> <p>It mightn’t be immediately obvious why some businesses don’t like cash. But for many, it’s the most costly payment method to accept. While cash transactions don’t come with a surcharge fee like bank cards, they do carry a wide range of other hidden costs.</p> <p>Businesses typically need to keep a “float” of cash in their tills overnight, so that next day’s early customers can be given change if needed. This float needs to be regularly updated and rebalanced with appropriate currency so the correct change can always be given.</p> <p>Businesses also have to make sure no cash goes missing during their opening hours, count their cash take at the end of each day, make sure it is secure on their premises, and make periodic physical deposits into their bank account.</p> <p>Both maintaining a float and making deposits can involve unpredictable trips to a bank branch or post office throughout the week.</p> <h2>Things are getting harder</h2> <p>For individuals and businesses, getting cash into and out of a bank account is becoming more of a challenge. And if you’re in regional or remote Australia, the nearest location where you can do so may be an hours-long drive away.</p> <p>The most recent <a href="https://www.apra.gov.au/authorised-deposit-taking-institutions-points-of-presence-statistics">figures</a> from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) show that across Australia since 2017, the number of ATMs has fallen by about 60% and the number of bank branches by 41%.</p> <p>Many remaining bank branches have reduced their hours, and some have even stopped dealing in cash entirely, especially in rural and regional areas.</p> <p>Moving cash around the country isn’t getting any easier or cheaper.</p> <p>The dominant provider of cash-in-transit services, Armaguard, has been under <a href="https://theconversation.com/future-of-cash-secured-for-now-as-banks-and-retailers-bail-out-armaguard-233087">sustained financial pressure</a> in recent years.</p> <p>Earlier this year, it secured a deal with Australia’s big four banks and some of its other major customers to receive a $50 million bailout.</p> <p>Some countries facing similar situations – <a href="https://www.link.co.uk/helping-you-access-cash/banking-hubs">including the UK</a> – have persuaded their banks to fund the idea of “banking hubs”.</p> <p>Typically under this model, a location is identified in a regional community and banks collectively share the space, with each bank having one day a week in residence so that nobody is excluded from these services.</p> <h2>Could a regional branch levy help?</h2> <p>Also this month, Treasury proposed a <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/banks-face-new-levy-to-keep-rural-branches-open-20241115-p5kqwu">new regional services levy</a>, to support what should be the minimum level of banking services in regional areas.</p> <p>Banks with a relatively large regional presence would be cross subsidised by a proportional levy on banks with relatively fewer services in these areas or none at all.</p> <p>This funding would help banks sustain the number of branches, their opening hours and their ATMs. Under the proposal, banks that fell short of baseline requirements could purchase credits from others that did.</p> <p>The reasoning behind these measures is that like <a href="https://www.transparency.gov.au/publications/communications-and-the-arts/australian-postal-corporation/australia-post-annual-report-2022-23/other-important-information/community-service-obligations">Australia Post</a>, banks should have a formal community service obligation. That is, a baseline of minimum services that must be provided.</p> <h2>Questions still to answer</h2> <p>In its <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/ensuring-future-cash-and-next-steps-phasing-out-cheques">media release</a>, Treasury only gave a big picture view of what they wanted to achieve. There are still many questions that need to be resolved before any of its plans can become legislation.</p> <p>Some concern where and how to target support. If regionally focused, how should regional be defined? Which areas and towns prioritised?</p> <p>How should the banks and other financial services providers be required to help support cash use?</p> <p>Exactly which businesses will be affected – and which exempt – must also be clearly defined, along with any enforcement measures.</p> <p>And there is likely to be robust debate over what exactly constitutes the “essentials” for which merchants will be mandated to accept cash payment.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/243919/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-worthington-138"><em>Steve Worthington</em></a><em>, Adjunct Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-wants-to-keep-cash-alive-for-buying-essentials-heres-why-its-such-a-challenge-for-businesses-243919">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Money & Banking

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"Alive and well": Fans confused over Dr Harry Cooper death announcement

<p>Dr Harry Cooper and Channel Seven have been forced to clarify that the famous TV vet is alive and kicking after his Wikipedia page stated he had died. </p> <p>According to Cooper's Wiki page, the TV personality died at the age of 80 on November 16th 2024.</p> <p>However, Ben Fordham and his 2GB team have confirmed that this is not the case. </p> <p>"[Dr. Harry] has had a bit of a shock this week, courtesy of something that appeared online," explained Fordham on his popular radio show.</p> <p>"This week we were contacted by a listener, they alerted us to the fact that according to Google and Wikipedia, Dr. Harry Cooper was no longer with us!"</p> <p>Fordham explained that he had done his own investigations of the claims and observed the Wikipedia page in question, which read that "Dr. Harry Cooper OAM, more commonly known as Dr. Harry, an Australian vet and TV personality best known for his media appearances, born February 20, 1943, died November 16, 2024."</p> <p>The unofficial death notice prompted several listeners to reach out to the team at 2GB, asking if they'd heard any news about Dr. Harry's alleged death.</p> <p>"A fan of Dr. Harry Cooper got in touch w us a couple of days ago and said, 'Did you know that Dr. Harry had died?," shared Fordham.</p> <p>"And we all looked at each other and said, 'No?'</p> <p>"And then we got another message, 'Can you confirm that Dr. Harry has passed away?' Again, we were looking online, and he was in New Idea at the start of the year celebrating his 80th birthday."</p> <p>"And the most recent story about Dr. Harry was from September, when he visited a camel farm."</p> <p>In order to confirm once and for all, Fordham reached out to the Seven Network, who provided a statement revealing the good news that, "Harry is alive and well."</p> <p>"After tipping off Seven, the reference to his death has been removed from Wikipedia," Fordham added. "So, its another reminder – you can't believe everything you read."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Allison Voight/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

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"Happiest man alive": Sunrise star ties the knot

<p><em>Sunrise</em> star James Tobin has tied the knot with his long-time partner Farrah in an intimate ceremony at the Junee Licorice and Chocolate factory in the NSW Riverina region.</p> <p>After getting engaged last year, the couple were joined by their close friends and family with James looking dashing in a cream suit paired with a crisp blue shirt and tie, finishing off his modern look with a boutonniere and tan loafers.</p> <p>Farah opted for an equally elegant look wearing a glamorous white, beaded gown, that stopped above the knee and was sleeveless.</p> <p>Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a long lunch, before dancing the night away at the venue.</p> <p>The couple opted to ditch the traditional wedding cake, instead choosing a smash cake, which they broke into as their wedding guests watched on.</p> <p>Some wedding guests shared photos of the loved up couple on their special day, with one person saying it was a "beautiful day", while another said the wedding had the "best dance floor since the early 2000s".</p> <p>Tobin revealed he and Farah got engaged last October in a post on Instagram, saying, “A bit of news… we’re getting married ❤️ I’m thrilled to tell you I asked Farrah to marry me and she said ‘yes’."</p> <p>"We’re looking forward to starting the next chapter of our lives together. I’m the happiest man alive ,” he ended his post.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Relationships

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"Lucky to be alive": Concerning Andrew O'Keefe update

<p>Andrew O'Keefe will remain in jail after his bail was revoked, just days after being arrested on drug charges. </p> <p>The former TV host was arrested on Monday and charged with drug possession after police searched a nearby car and allegedly found methamphetamine.</p> <p>His arrest came just hours after the 52-year-old was discharged from the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/andrew-o-keefe-rushed-to-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospital</a>, after he was revived by paramedics in the early hours on Sunday morning after an alleged drug overdose. </p> <p>In Waverley Local Court on Tuesday, Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge said O’Keefe was “lucky to be alive” as she read a police statement of facts on an application to detain the former TV host rather than let him out on bail again. </p> <p>O'Keefe was out on bail at the time of the alleged overdose, after allegedly breaching a court order, trespassing and intimidating a man in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in July.</p> <p>O’Keefe’s lawyer did not argue against the application and the magistrate revoked his bail, meaning he will remain custody before his return to court in October.</p> <p>“If he wants to stay alive that’s the best thing to do,” Milledge said.</p> <p>O’Keefe’s lawyer suggested a possible application for release on the next occasion for O’Keefe to receive treatment but Milledge said “a “highly persuasive” argument would be required.</p> <p>O’Keefe’s frequent appearances in court are “absolutely tragic” and “very, very sad,” the magistrate said.</p> <p>“He’s a frequent flyer, he’s just so used to it,” she said.</p> <p>“The mental health applications, the rehab, all been tried, and tested, and failed.</p> <p>“I just don’t see the same thing over and over again is going to be working for him and, god help him, it’s a shame that he doesn’t have an epiphany.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven News </em></p>

Caring

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"The issue is, he's alive": AFL mistakenly commemorates Hawthorn great

<p>The AFL has found itself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after prematurely mourning a former player’s death at this week’s Hall of Fame ceremony.</p> <p>The ceremony, held on Tuesday night, saw Collingwood great Dane Swan inducted into the Hall of Fame and Hawthorn’s Jason Dunstall elevated to Legend status. But amidst the celebrations and the teary-eyed tributes, the AFL managed to pull off a major faux pas during the "In Memoriam" segment, which is of course supposed to honour those in the game who have passed away within the last year.</p> <p>Hawthorn's John Kennedy Jr was the first to express his shock on Channel 7’s <em>The Front Bar</em> program on Thursday night. "That 71 team, obviously a famous team and important team in Hawthorn’s history," host Sam Pang began, setting the stage for Kennedy’s bombshell. “But I believe, John, you have a cheerio you’d like to give to one of the players.”</p> <p>Kennedy, not one to miss an opportunity, replied: “I’d like to send one out to Michael Porter who played in the ’71 Grand Final. ‘Portholes’ they called him. He was noted as deceased last night on the AFL Hall of Fame, as one of the deceased people. The issue is he’s alive. So Portholes, if you’re listening mate or you’re up there in NSW, let us know when the wake is because we’ll be all there mate!”</p> <p>Indeed, the prematurely deceased Porter, who played 78 games for Hawthorn and was part of their 1971 VFL premiership team, took the news of his untimely death with remarkably good humour. Instead of sending a ghostly telegram from the great beyond, he simply called up former Hawks captain David Parkin, who was in the room for the Hall of Fame ceremony in Melbourne, to confirm he was alive and well.</p> <p>A league spokesman, likely blushing a shade of crimson, said: “Once this innocent mistake was realised we moved quickly to ring and apologise to everyone affected, including Michael, and thank him for his understanding.”</p> <p>Michael Porter, now thrust back into the limelight in the most unexpected fashion, might just hold the unique distinction of being the only player to attend his own wake and live to tell the tale. We can only hope he’s planning a grandiose party with a guest list featuring all his mates who would’ve otherwise been mourning his "passing".</p> <p>So, here’s to Michael Porter – alive, well and hopefully laughing his head off at the AFL’s latest gaffe. And for the AFL, perhaps a lesson: next time, double-check the list before sending anyone to the great footy oval in the sky.</p> <p><em>Images: Network 7</em></p>

Caring

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Keeping intimacy alive after menopause

<p>When sex is no longer enjoyable due to the changes brought on by menopause, many women sadly give up, wrongly believing there is no solution. This can result in loneliness within a relationship even leading to separation or divorce.</p> <p>But there is help available and it comes down to addressing genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), a syndrome no one talks about despite the fact it affects all post-menopausal women and unlike hot flushes, doesn’t go away.</p> <p>GSM covers a range of menopausal symptoms including incontinence, burning, stinging or itching of the vagina, delayed or impaired orgasm and reduced libido. The good news is, there is help available, even for women who are unable to use hormone therapy and it’s never too late to seek help and take action.</p> <p><strong>Treat the pain</strong></p> <p>Pain and discomfort during intimacy is often the result of vaginal dryness. This can be addressed in many ways including the use of lubricants or vaginal moisturisers but it’s worth talking to your GP about a longer term solution. For many women, menopause hormone therapy (MHT) will help.</p> <p>An alternative to MHT is radiofrequency treatment with <a title="https://www.inmode.com.au/pages/empower-rf" href="https://www.inmode.com.au/pages/empower-rf" data-outlook-id="5a8b7279-e5dc-4ab9-9f3d-b788bb0310ee">EmpowerRF</a> to rejuvenate the tissue and increase collagen and elastin.</p> <p><strong>Take it slowly</strong></p> <p>Often women want to rekindle intimacy with their partner but are not sure how to go about it and fear often inhibits them initiating any intimacy at all.</p> <p>A staged return to intimacy can help.</p> <p>This is achieved by an agreement to limit the intimacy to non-sexual cuddles, no matter the level of desire, for an agreed period of time such as two weeks.</p> <p>It’s a great way to reignite that spark in a comfortable way, before taking things to the next level when both partners are ready.</p> <p><strong>Try new positions</strong></p> <p>Laying side by side can give the woman greater control over the rate of entry and the depth of penetration. </p> <p>If there is pain, stop at that point and breath and only increase penetration once the tissues have relaxed.</p> <p>If pain is still preventing penetration, it is important to seek professional help to find a solution. </p> <p>An examination will determine whether there is any other reason for the pain. A doctor can discuss options including estrogen cream, radiofrequency treatment and even Botox to help relax the muscles.</p> <p><strong> Address incontinence </strong></p> <p>One in two post-menopausal women experience incontinence, which can be a large barrier to sexual intimacy. </p> <p>I have helped many women overcome their struggles with incontinence, using electrical muscle stimulation treatment (V Tone) and radiofrequency technology (Forma V and Morpheus8V) to rejuvenate the tissues and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. It can be life changing.</p> <p><strong><em>Dr Judy Craig is a Perth-based GP and cosmetic physician. She has practiced medicine for over 40 years.</em></strong></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Relationships

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"I believe he is alive": Father of young man who jumped off cruise ship speaks out

<p>The father of the young man who jumped off a cruise ship on its way to Florida has spoken out, saying he believes his son is still alive. </p> <p>While the Liberty of the Seas was travelling back from the Dominican Republic on its way to Florida, 20-year-old Levion Parker <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/young-man-who-jumped-off-cruise-ship-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jumped overboard</a>. </p> <p>The ship was reportedly about 90km off the southern most island of the Bahamas when the young man, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, jumped overboard in the early hours of the morning. </p> <p>Witnesses recounted the harrowing scene, describing how a young man took a spontaneous plunge from one of the ship's decks, despite the desperate pleas and helplessness of his father and brother who stood witness to the impulsive act.</p> <p>After days of searching, the US coast guard called off their search for the young man. </p> <p>Now, Legion's father Francel said he believes his son is still alive. </p> <p>“As soon as he went off the side, I prayed over him. I was confident the prayers I said over my son were heard. I stand on the word of God. I believe he is alive,” Mr Parker told local Florida paper, the <a href="https://www.yoursun.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Daily Sun</em>, </a>on Wednesday.</p> <p>Francel went open to say that he threw six life rings off the ship in hopes of saving his son before the vessel was able to come to a stop about 20 minutes later.</p> <p>When news broke onboard of the tragedy, travellers reported that many people came out of their cabins to stare at the sea, hoping to be able to spot the young man in the water.</p> <p>Levion was reportedly “drunk” on the night of the incident, although details around this are unclear as the minimum age to consume alcohol on Royal Caribbean ships on voyages from North America or the Caribbean is 21.</p> <p>“We don’t drink,” Levion’s father Francel said. “I’d like to know how my son was served so much alcohol.”</p> <p>Francel, who owns an air-conditioning business, was invited, together with his family, aboard the ship as guests of Florida-based air-conditioning wholesalers Tropic Supply to mark the company’s 50th anniversary.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Missing boy found alive after six long years

<p>A 17-year-old British boy named Alex Batty, who went missing in Spain in 2017 at the age of 11, has been found after six long years.</p> <p>On a Wednesday morning, a concerned motorist discovered Alex walking along a road in the foothills of the Pyrenees. This Good Samaritan, Fabien Accidini, picked up the young lad, offering water and kindness. Little did Fabien know, he was playing a crucial role in reuniting a family torn apart.</p> <p>Alex, who had been living in the remote Pyrenean valleys, was shy at first but eventually opened up to Fabien about his incredible journey. He revealed that he had been in France for two years, leading a nomadic life in an itinerant commune. His dream was to find a big city with an embassy to seek assistance.</p> <p>The touching part of the story was how Alex, carrying a backpack and skateboard, asked Fabien if he could borrow his phone. He then used the phone to send a message via Facebook to his grandmother back in England, Susan Caruana, telling her that he was fine and longing to see her.</p> <p>Susan Caruana, Alex's legal guardian, received the unexpected message, bringing tears of joy to her eyes. "I am so happy," she told The Sun newspaper. "I have spoken to him, and he is well. It is such a shock."</p> <p>The news of Alex's discovery spread like wildfire. A<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">s authorities worked diligently to unravel the mystery, it became apparent that Alex's mother, Melanie Batty, and grandfather, David Batty, who did not have parental guardianship, were still missing – and </span>are still wanted by police in connection with his disappearance.</p> <p>The reunion also brought together international cooperation, with British police and consular staff rushing to France to bring Alex back home. Greater Manchester Police confirmed their collaboration with French authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of Batty. "This is a complex and long-running investigation," they said in a statement, "and we need to make further enquiries as well as putting appropriate safeguarding measures in place."</p> <p>The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a statement, affirming their support for the British national in France and their ongoing communication with local authorities.</p> <p><em>Images: Greater Manchester Police</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Tragic update on man buried alive on Bribie Island

<p>Vibrant and energetic 25-year-old Josh Taylor, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/family-of-man-who-was-buried-alive-breaks-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who found himself buried</a> in the sandy depths of Bribie Island, Queensland, has succumbed to the severe injuries sustained during the tragic incident.</p> <p>After five days of battling for his life, Josh's family made the agonising decision to switch off his life support.</p> <p>Josh's untimely demise stemmed from a seemingly innocent gathering on Bribie Island, where he and his friends were digging a sand pit to cook a pig in the traditional Maori style of hangi.</p> <p>Witnesses recalled the horrifying moment when Josh, while standing on a chair, lost his footing, and the sand beneath him gave way. He stumbled backwards into the deep hole, disappearing from view. It took a team of 15 people to pull him out.</p> <p>An off-duty paramedic and loyal friends resorted to using ropes tied to Josh's feet, pulling him free from the suffocating grip of the sand, but despite their valiant efforts, Josh had already endured significant injuries during the ordeal.</p> <p>As they pulled him from the hole, the force of the rescue exacerbated his injuries, leaving him without a pulse for a gut-wrenching 45 minutes. The nightmare unfolded before the eyes of Josh's family, who were also on the scene.</p> <p>Josh's father, Peter, was among those frantically digging to free his son.</p> <p>In their grief, following the decision to switch off Josh's life support, the Taylor family expressed gratitude for the compassionate efforts of those who helped to pull him from the sand, attempted to revive him at the scene, and provided care at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. </p> <p>“Without these people, Josh would not have had the opportunity to recover or give our family and friends these last precious days with him to say goodbye,” the Taylor family said in a statement.</p> <p>“He fought as hard as he could and is the most courageous person we will ever know. </p> <p>"Unfortunately, the injuries he received were too severe for him to overcome. We will somehow find a way to move on from this terrible tragedy.</p> <p>“He was the best son, brother, boyfriend and mate we could all have wished for. We love you Josh and will miss you every minute of every day. Goodbye mate until we see each other again.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook / 7News</em></p>

Caring

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Family of man who was buried alive breaks silence

<p>The family of Josh Taylor, 25, who was buried alive at a beach on Bribie Island on Saturday, have broken their silence as the young man continues to fight for his life. </p> <p>It took 15 people to pull Josh out of the sand pit, after he accidentally fell in head first and knocked over some sand, causing him to briefly be buried alive. </p> <p>A witness who helped rescue Josh said that the group told him they had dug the sand pit to cook a pig, similar to the traditional Maori cooking style of hangi. </p> <p>“He stood up off the chair, the sand had given away a little bit underneath him,” the witness said. </p> <p>“He stumbled back. He’d put his arms out to obviously break the fall. He’s continued going down and knocked sand as he’s put his arms out," he added. </p> <p>When the witness was called over to help, he “realised someone was head first in a hole and I was just digging, digging, digging." </p> <p>“All of his family were screaming at us, telling us to help, telling us to get rope so we could pull him out. It was pretty gruesome,” Nathan said.</p> <p>“There were like 15 men on the rope pulling and he did not budge.”</p> <p>“When I first went up to the hole, I couldn’t even see his foot. That’s how deep it was.”</p> <p>When they managed to pull him out, Josh had sustained further injuries from the force of the pull, and he was without a pulse for 45 minutes after the horrific incident.</p> <p>His friends and family took turns giving him CPR until he was flown to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, where he currently remains in a critical but stable condition. </p> <p>On Wednesday Josh's uncle, Barry Taylor, spoke to 7NEWS about his nephew who was “fighting hard” to stay alive.</p> <p>“He’s still critical, he’s in ICU, and we’re awaiting the results of more tests,” he said. </p> <p>“He’s fighting hard mate, he’s really fighting hard, his heart’s still beating.</p> <p>“We’re devastated — it’s really been hard for us to comprehend what’s happened to Josh.”</p> <p>Barry described his nephew as a “vibrant” and “energetic” person who “loves the outdoors, fishing and camping”.</p> <p>“We’re still able to see him now and we’re very grateful for their help,” he added.</p> <p>A family-friend has started a GoFundMe to help relieve Josh's family of some of the costs of his medical care, with almost $58,000 raised of its $70,000 goal. </p> <p><em>Images: Nine News/ Yahoo News</em></p>

Caring

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"Finally!": 2023’s Sexiest Man Alive crowned

<p>Patrick Dempsey has been named <em>People’s Sexiest Man Alive</em> for 2023! </p> <p>The 57-year-old actor known for his role as Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd on <em>Grey's Anatomy </em>snagged the title from last year's winner, Marvel heart-throb Chris Evans. </p> <p>In his interview with the publication, the actor said that he will use his new-found status to promote “something positive”. </p> <p>“I’m glad it’s happening at this point in my life,”  he said. </p> <p>“It’s nice to have the recognition, and certainly my ego takes a little bump, but it gives me the platform to use it for something positive.”</p> <p>When asked about his reaction to finding out he was <em>2023's Sexiest Man Alive </em>the actor joked that it was a long-time coming. </p> <p>“I was completely shocked, and then I started laughing, like, this is a joke, right? I’ve always been the bridesmaid!”  he joked. </p> <p>“I’d completely forgotten about it and never even contemplated being in this position. So my ego is good.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Introducing PEOPLE’s 2023 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SexiestManAlive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SexiestManAlive</a>, Patrick Dempsey. 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/4eYnCAG1Zr">https://t.co/4eYnCAG1Zr</a> <a href="https://t.co/5V0xVblnaE">pic.twitter.com/5V0xVblnaE</a></p> <p>— People (@people) <a href="https://twitter.com/people/status/1722114648638394482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>The father-of-three also joked about how his children, Talula, 21, and 16-year-old twins Sullivan and Darby, will react to this news. </p> <p>“They’re just going to make fun of me and pick on me and figure out every reason why I shouldn’t be,” he said.</p> <p>“Which is good, they keep me young.”</p> <p>Funnily enough, his newfound status was also met with confusion, mostly from the younger generation who have no idea who he is. </p> <p>“Who the hell is Patrick Dempsey?” one confused Gen Zer wrote. </p> <p>“You all are making up new people every day; who is Patrick Dempsey?” another commented.</p> <p>This left many Millennials feeling old. </p> <p>“People ... not knowing who Patrick Dempsey is making me feel like a grandma. What do you mean you didn’t grow up watching Grey’s Anatomy, and you weren’t obsessed with Derek Sheppard since you were 10,” one commented. </p> <p>“There is an is actual difference in being 26 vs. being 23! Because I am seeing 23 yr olds not know who Patrick Dempsey is,” another added. </p> <p>And not everyone who is a Millennial agreed with <em>People's</em> choice. </p> <p>"I mean… yes back in the day. But seriously? How is it not someone who is hot right now? I haven’t even seen/heard him mentioned in years," commented one person. </p> <p>Is it 2005?” another wrote.</p> <p>“Um, he is so 2007,” a third commented. </p> <p>Regardless, Dempsey has aged like fine wine and many have said it's about time. </p> <p>“Finally! Ain’t nobody under this post showed me a white man finer!" </p> <p><em>Image: People Magazine/ X</em></p> <p> </p>

Beauty & Style

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"Hi Dad, I'm alive": Missing Aussies found in Indonesian waters

<p dir="ltr">Four Australians have been found off the coast of the Aceh region of Indonesia, days after they went missing on a boating expedition.</p> <p dir="ltr">Elliot Foote, Steph Weisse, Will Teagle and Jordan Short were on a surfing trip in Indonesia for Mr Foote's 30th birthday, when they jetted off on Sunday for a boating day. </p> <p dir="ltr">The four Aussies were on a wooden boat with three Indonesian crew members when they lost contact in the evening after running into bad weather. </p> <p dir="ltr">9News confirmed that the four Australian tourists were found floating on surfboards, as the boat has yet to be located, while it remains unclear if the local crew members had been found.</p> <p dir="ltr">The owner of Banyak Surf Resort, Julian Lauencoan, confirmed on Tuesday that the Australians had been rescued by a catamaran.</p> <p dir="ltr">Peter Foote, the father of the fourth member Elliot, told the <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-15/four-australians-found-after-going-missing-on-aceh-surf-trip/102730976" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a></em> that he received a text message from his son, confirming he is alive.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said the text said "hi dad, I'm alive", but is still waiting to speak to his son for official confirmation.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It looks hopeful, he has paddled off and left the group and gone to get help, trying to make it to an island for help," Peter Foote said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They know which island — they are tracking him down to find him and I am sure it will all turn out well. Fingers crossed but not confirmed. I can't start to celebrate just yet."</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Foote said that he had spoken with Ms Weisse's father, and that the rescued trio were understood to be "probably thinner and waterlogged" but relatively healthy.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They were all bobbing around on their surfboards. I don't know what happened to the vessel," Mr Foote said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"You call it luck or faith, I don't know what it is. Somehow they have survived, most of them until now. I am sure they have survived it. It is freak luck."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Today</em></p>

News

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"My brother and I are safe and alive": Lil Tay speaks out

<p>Rising to online stardom at the tender age of nine, rapper Lil Tay, the child prodigy, has defied widespread reports of her demise, as confirmed by her recent statement following a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/death-announced-of-child-star-and-her-brother-at-just-14" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death announcement that appeared on her official Instagram page</a>.</p> <p>Speaking to TMZ, the 14-year-old social media sensation expressed her relief, saying: "I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I'm completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say. </p> <p>"It's been a very traumatising 24 hours. All day yesterday I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones – all while trying to sort out this mess."</p> <p>Those past 24 hours have certainly been harrowing for Lil Tay, having to deal with a barrage of anguished and tearful phone calls from concerned relatives. </p> <p>Lil Tay has come forward to explain that her Instagram account, which initially held 3.3 million followers and now exceeds 3.5 million, was subjected to a hack before the now-deleted misleading announcement was posted.</p> <p>"My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumours regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not 'Claire Hope'." </p> <p>Early on the morning of Thursday August 10, a message surfaced on the official Instagram account, proclaiming the "sudden and tragic" passing of the artist – the first post to surface since 2018.</p> <p>In the heartfelt message, it was conveyed, "Words fail to capture the insurmountable void and inexpressible anguish. This outcome took us by complete surprise, leaving us all in a state of disbelief."</p> <p>"We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribably pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock."</p> <p>It was also claimed in the statement that Jason Tian, Lil Tay's 21-year-old brother, had also died.</p> <p>"Her bother's passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief," the statement continued. "During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding [Lil Tay] and her brother's passing are still under investigation."</p> <p>"[Lil Tay] will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her."</p> <p>Following the announcement, Variety initially reported Lil Tay's management as confirming her demise. Nonetheless, Insider revealed that Lil Tay's father, Christopher Hope, refrained from commenting on the Instagram post and declined to address queries regarding her current state.</p> <p>During her brief yet impactful three-month presence in the social media landscape, Lil Tay found herself entangled in various controversies, most notably offering an apology after employing a racial slur in one of her videos.</p> <p>Yet, as swiftly as her rise to virtual stardom unfolded, Lil Tay faded from view. Lil Tay's ultimate Instagram post before the now-deleted death notice emerged on June 19, 2018. This post was a tribute to the late rapper XXXTentacion, who tragically lost his life at 20 years old the preceding day.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

News

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“I'm alive!”: Former TV star emerges to refute claims

<p>A former Bride and Prejudice star has spoken out against claims that she died, revealing her social media accounts were hacked spreading misinformation.</p> <p>It was reported on social media that Dannii Erskine had passed away in a horrific car crash in Melbourne on April 29.</p> <p>“Yes I have been in hospital but (I’m) very much alive”, she reportedly said.</p> <p>Erskine added that her family had “disowned her” following the death drama.</p> <p>The 28-year-old appeared on the Channel 7 show Bride and Prejudice in 2019 with her then-finance, Denton Ansley.</p> <p>A person claiming to be her sister told the So Dramatic! Podcast, hosted by entertainment journalist Megan Pustetto, that Erskine’s car was T-boned while returning home from the shops in North Melbourne.</p> <p>“Dee" said Errskine had sustained fatal injuries when her skull was crushed upon impact with her airbag and later died in hospital.</p> <p>There also appeared to be a post written by her family on her Instagram page, saying “REST IN PEACE Dannii Erskine. 1995-2023”.</p> <p>The page was taken down shortly after.</p> <p>However, there were rumours that Erskine might <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/she-s-alive-claims-over-tv-star-s-death-thrown-into-question" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still be alive</a>.</p> <p>In the wake of the claims, Erskine has released a statement to So Dramatic!</p> <p>“On the 29th of April, 2023, my Instagram account was hacked,” she said.</p> <p>“I spoke to the police over the phone and they’re going to look into it … I also reported it to Google.”</p> <p>Erskine claimed a notification on her phone said it has been logged into from a location in Geelong the day prior to her apparent death. She lives in the Mornington Peninsula.</p> <p>She insisted her sister Dee “never emailed” the podcast, rather it was “sent from someone who hacked my account”.</p> <p>“I have no idea who emailed So Dramatic! and to be honest I don’t really care.”</p> <p>Erskine revealed she had been in a car accident but that was in September 2022.</p> <p>She said she had been in hospital “all week” for an ankle reconstruction and doctors said she should focus on her recovery.</p> <p>“I haven’t had time to deal with this”.</p> <p>The former reality TV star claimed she was “advised not to comment” on the rumours, however, didn’t reveal who had advised her not to immediately state she was still alive.</p> <p>Pustetto said she has seen several messages from family members regarding the supposed death.</p> <p>Erskine said in her statement that her family was unimpressed by the ordeal.</p> <p>“I spoke to my family who (have) now completely disowned me. They advised to try (and) focus on my upcoming surgery.</p> <p>“It has put a lot of stress on my family and has caused severe issues for my sister.”</p> <p>Following the announcement, tributes flowed in for Erskine with her family writing emotional comments on her Instagram page.</p> <p>“28/04 took Dannii’s life to a speeding driver – An awful accident [sic],” one family member wrote.</p> <p>“We appreciate and respect wishes we have received as a family.”</p> <p>“Rest well Dans,” another post read.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

News

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"She's alive!": Claims over TV star's death thrown into question

<p>In a new turn of events, <em>Bride and Prejudice</em> Australian actress Dannii Erskine, who was reported dead, may still be alive.</p> <p>A person claiming to be Erskine’s sister Dee announced her death following a tragic car crash in North Melbourne that was reported to have occurred on April 28.</p> <p>Erskine was allegedly T-boned by another driver on her way home from a shopping trip.</p> <p>Speaking to the So Dramatic podcast, Dee revealed at the time that Dannii’s skull had been crushed upon impact with her vehicle airbag, ultimately resulting in her death.</p> <p>However, recent claims suggest the star could still be alive, and a statement by Victoria Police raises further questions about the alleged car accident.</p> <p>An anonymous source told 7NEWS.com.au that Dannii is still alive.</p> <p>Victoria Police said they could not comment on individuals due to privacy laws, but confirmed there were no fatal or life-threatening collisions recorded in the North Melbourne area within the past month.</p> <p>In addition to the bombshell twist, the Coroner’s Court of Victoria revealed they had no record of Dannii Erskine’s death.</p> <p>Dannii’s ex-partner Denton Ansley appeared in an interview with So Dramatic and recalled a similar incident from 2022, where people received a mass message from Erskine’s account claiming she had passed away.</p> <p>However, she later revealed her account was hacked and that she was alive.</p> <p>Ansley also alleged that friends had received a message with details of a funeral service to be held on May 16 in the Mornington Peninsula, VIC.</p> <p>They contacted the funeral company and were told there was no funeral scheduled for that date under Dannii’s name.</p> <p>Erskine’s Instagram, which was taken down shortly after her alleged death, has since been reactivated.</p> <p>All posts related to her death have been removed, however, the “rest in peace” memorial piece remains as the account’s profile picture.</p> <p>Dannii participated in Seven’s <em>Bride and Prejudice</em> in 2019 with her then-finance, Denton.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Artist keeps craft alive with beautifully bound books

<p>In a world taken over by digitised forms of just about everything, book artist Liz Constable says her beautifully bound bohemian journals, handmade envelopes and painstakingly stitched self-help books still inspire the biggest shrieks of delight from total strangers.</p> <p>Journaling in cafés, Constable often feels eyes shrouding over her diary. "They say, oh that looks like a very old book," Constable says. "Oh yes, it's two weeks old," she laughs. </p> <p>Type 'book art' into online creative depository, Pinterest, and it will come up with 636 ways of turning old, clunky books into works of art. Likewise, Google images paints a pretty picture of the ways you can up-cycle unwanted novels.</p> <p>But unlike the art we relegate to a shelf or a picture hook, Constable's creations are usable. They're designed to be drawn on, hauled around in a tote and pulled out to illustrate ideas, and are made with any material she can get her hands on.  </p> <p>"It's that old worldy style," she says. "Everyone wants things to look old. You see people with laptops in bags that look like they're carrying old typewriters."</p> <p>What started off as a hobby 16 years ago turned into a full time business called Book Art Studios in 2007, when Constable, then a careers counsellor, says she counselled herself out of her former job and into where her heart truly lay- making books.</p> <p>It began with dying her journal papers with tea and coffee, then a friend introduced her to coloured dye. Now the "scavenger by nature" says her books are made with paper taken from the likes of old shipping maps, cloth and other recycled materials, before being stitched and bound in her own West Auckland studio.</p> <p>The UK migrant makes books for the likes of happy couples who need something special to keep track of wedding guests, to soda giant Coca Cola who commissioned Constable to make books for staff training, and Fonterra, whose Constable-made creations went all the way to a conference in China. </p> <p>Constable believes it's the nostalgia that inspires such gushing responses from people who frequently request to hug her when they see her creations. Not so long ago she hand delivered a job application written in a handmade book, nestled in a mail art envelope.</p> <p>She despairs walking into bookstores and seeing the rows and rows of identical book spines, prompting ever more thoughts about how she can make her work stand out.</p> <p>It's a thought at the forefront of her mind as Constable prepares to undertake something she's never done- producing her first book series en masse by enlisting the help of potential publishers at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October.  After years of ensuring each of her works is unique, Constable said the decision to take hand made to mass made came after reading a theory that it takes 10,000 hours to perfect a skill.</p> <p>Constable realised she'd clocked up more than enough over time, and enjoyed 'the simple life' long enough to begin relishing the fruits of her labour.</p> <p>She wants to produce a series of semi-autobiographical self-help books, whose roots can be traced back to the death of Constable's aunt many years ago. "Oh, I see a door," were her finals words on her death bed, prompting Constable to wonder just what exactly was behind that door. </p> <p>"I was so curious," Constable says. The words kept coming and before she knew it, nine books were conceived. The Martha series, she calls it. Stories for adults grappling with bigger issues.</p> <p>In March she published and began selling another self-help book, One Small Drop, in order to help fundraise for Frankfurt. Unlike the text heavy self help books of yester-year, you can hold One Small Drop in one hand. The pages are laser cut with small drops that turn into hearts with every page turn, the colours gradually turning from dark to light.</p> <p>More than 7,000 authors and book makers at the book fair will be vying for the attention of publishers who scout the exhibits for "innovate business models".</p> <p>After attending the fair some years ago Constable walked around searching for fellow book artists, disheartened to find they were "miles away from anywhere." Her exhibit, she promises, will be like walking into one of her storybooks. </p> <p>"I came back and I said I'm not going to stand in a queue trying to get someone to read it. I said I don't care how it happens, I'm going to get someone to pick up the Martha series."</p> <p><em>Written by Kelly Dennett. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Books

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Readers respond: If Princess Diana was still alive, what do you think she'd be doing today?

<p>Almost 25 years on from the passing of Princess Diana, many have often wondered what the late Princess of Wales would be doing today if she were still alive. </p> <p>We asked our readers what they believed Princess Diana would be spending her days doing, and the response was overwhelming. </p> <p>Here's what our readers had to say.</p> <p><strong>Karen McCarthy</strong> - Bring her sons back together. This would break her heart.</p> <p><strong>Janice Brigg</strong> - She would have made an incredible queen who all would have accepted.</p> <p><strong>Debbie Florance</strong> - Hopefully enjoying life and avoiding all the drama.</p> <p><strong>Carolyn Fisher</strong> - Charity work, and being a wonderful grandmother. Hopefully guiding Harry.</p> <p><strong>Helen Bartsch</strong> - Baby sitting her grandchildren, nothing would make her happier.</p> <p><strong>Carolyn Parsons</strong> - At least she would understand why Harry and Meghan did what they have done for love, and not allowed the royalty to tear them apart.</p> <p><strong>Shena Wood</strong> - Enjoying her beautiful grandchildren and ensuring her two sons were well and happy. She’d be so proud.</p> <p><strong>Catherine Brown</strong> - Still doing charity work and being a loving grandmother.</p> <p><strong>Lorraine Cross</strong> - Playing with grandchildren and giving Meghan the back door!!</p> <p><strong>Richard Taylor</strong> - Creating chaos and loving it.</p> <p><strong>Judi Dargan</strong> - Loving all her family members, spoiling her grandchildren, and enjoying her life of dedication to humanity.</p> <p><strong>Neven Boric</strong> - She would work in Harrods as a cashier.</p> <p><strong>Moyra Rocchio</strong> - Giving her son a talking to and putting the the fairy princess in line. She would quietly pull her into line, no fuss but firm hand.</p> <p><strong>Bob Kairk</strong> - Probably giving Harry a clip under the ear.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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Being declared dead when you’re still alive – why these very rare events occur

<p>An 82-year-old woman who was recently pronounced dead at a New York nursing home was later <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/07/us/new-york-woman-found-alive-funeral-home/index.html">discovered to be alive</a> by funeral home staff. This follows a similar incident in Iowa where a 66-year-old woman with early-onset dementia was declared dead by a nurse, only to be found <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/05/us/iowa-presumed-dead-body-bag-alzheimers.html">gasping for air</a> when funeral home staff unzipped the body bag.</p> <p>Fortunately, these events are very rare. But fear of them is visceral, which might explain an <a href="https://www.usni.org/press/books/naval-ceremonies-customs-and-traditions-6th-edition">old naval custom</a>. When sewing the canvas shroud for a dead sailor, the sailmaker would take the last stitch through the nose of the deceased. Having a sailcloth needle through the nose was presumed to be a potent enough stimulus to wake any sailor who was actually still alive.</p> <p>Confirmation of death these days is thankfully a lot less brutal. </p> <p>An absence of heart and breath sounds over a period of time, the presence of fixed, dilated pupils, and a failure to respond to any stimulus should mean that the person is deceased. All doctors are taught how to do this and all are aware of their duties.</p> <p>Unfortunately, there have been instances where death has been confirmed by this process, yet the patient has shown signs of life afterwards. </p> <p>Over the years, I have seen this happen. One day in a hospital, a colleague pronounced an elderly woman dead, but a short while later, she started breathing again and her pulse was briefly restored. </p> <p>In another unforgettable incident, the medical emergency team was summoned with the words: “Cardiac arrest. Mortuary. This is not a joke!” A woman had taken an overdose of barbiturates prescribed for her epilepsy. She had been seen by a general practitioner who certified that she was dead. </p> <p>But on arrival at the mortuary, one of her legs was seen to be twitching. Excruciating embarrassment all round. And if I recall correctly, she recovered.</p> <p>Failure to perform the confirmation-of-death procedure properly explains some instances of people being incorrectly declared dead. A cursory examination while distracted could easily lead to a failure to hear heart sounds and spot shallow, infrequent breaths. It pays to be thorough. However, some drugs we give patients can make the task harder. </p> <h2>Drugs, toxins and cold water</h2> <p>Sedating drugs are thought in some way to protect the brain from damage and this is made use of in anaesthesia for major surgical procedures, particularly if it is necessary to stop the circulation for a time. </p> <p>Less usefully, and with the potential to cause alarm, an overdose of sedatives reduces responsiveness and depresses the breathing and circulation, leading to the impression of death while protecting the brain from hypoxia (oxygen starvation). Later on, as the drug is cleared from the body, the person may wake up. </p> <p><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/man-wakes-up-funeral-open-casket-mourners-family-members-watson-franklin-mandujano-doroteo-peru-tingo-maria-a8021851.html">Diazepam</a> (brand name Valium), <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-mistakenly-pronounced-dead-breathing-body-bag-funeral/story?id=96871056">alprazolam</a> (brand name Xanax) have both caused people to mistakenly be declared dead.</p> <p>Certain toxins may have a similar effect. Voodoo practitioners called Bokors apparently <a href="https://sites.duke.edu/ginalisgh323/zombification-process/">administered powders to victims</a> to make them seem dead. These powders reportedly contained small doses of tetrodotoxin from puffer fish to paralyse the victim, who was then presumably abducted before burial and enslaved. Could neurological damage from the “zombification” process account for the popular image of the zombie?</p> <p>Immersion in cold water can also lead to the illusion of death because of its effect on slowing the heart rate. Survival after <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073646791930424X?casa_token=fWpL51aDu6wAAAAA:Mr0x81LUUog0hT-HSRneimKcRlYW6DHK4nUBODKqOao_L82J8bLIMHszMNwR9qVd69GkuCh8zqsb">considerable periods of time</a> in the water is well documented.</p> <p>In emergency medicine, it has long been taught that a drowned patient is not proven dead until they have been warmed up. Good neurological recovery has been reported after periods of cold water immersion of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aor.13818?casa_token=ukJcJCgH-n4AAAAA%3Annr3Tgd4LuJ8Ky-l_1UGB_IxLHuU-odWkM1DKgJEhXw3IYXP8_DrpfNxr2eIL8KJJ3PSRX_JUltjpfsLTg">up to 70 minutes</a></p> <p>Fainting might also deceive the certifying doctor. Activation of the vagus nerve (the longest cranial nerve in the body) occurs during fainting, slowing the heart and reducing blood pressure. </p> <p>This might account for <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/dead-teen-wakes-screaming-inside-6315389">a very sad case</a> reported from Honduras. A pregnant teenager was thought to have died from shock after hearing gunfire in her neighbourhood. She was heard screaming within her tomb a day after her funeral. It is quite possible that she had woken up after a prolonged faint.</p> <p>Many cases seem to originate outside of Europe. Geographical variation in medical confirmation of death procedure may explain this. Perhaps errors arise when people are less likely to be able to afford the costs of a doctor. </p> <p>Whatever the cause, these cases appear in the media because they are sensational and attract lurid attention, but ultimately they are very rare.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/being-declared-dead-when-youre-still-alive-why-these-very-rare-events-occur-199524" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Caring

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‘We are only passing through’: stories about memory, mortality and the effort of being alive

<p>Chris Flynn’s <a href="https://www.uqp.com.au/books/here-be-leviathans">Here Be Leviathans</a> is a collection of short stories that seems quirky and light-hearted, propelled by its creative use of perspective. Each story is established from a surprising vantage point and so the world as Flynn imagines it becomes topsy-turvy – anything at all might be alive and sentient. Animals, chairs, boats, you name it.</p> <hr /> <p><em>Review: Here Be Leviathans – Chris Flynn (UQP) and The Tower – Carol Lefevre (Spinifex)</em></p> <hr /> <p>A bear eats a teenager, and thus inherits the boy’s memories. An airplane seat describes its last day at work. A hotel room observes its favourite couple, who return over the years. A monkey details a trip into outer space. But these stories are driven by more than quirky inspiration.</p> <p>The point-of-view might offer an interesting hook, and Flynn’s tone may be jaunty at times, but the stories are propelled by deeper themes of mortality, death and existential pointlessness. Flynn uses perspective to reflect and question the way we think about things.</p> <h2>Memory and mortality</h2> <p>Many of the characters in this collection die, have died or are about to die – but there’s also a counter-theme of connection. The bear may eat the teenager, and so the ranger is hunting him down; we enter a hide-and-seek game for survival. But it’s the connection the bear and ranger have, the mutual respect they share, that becomes the message of the first story, Inheritance.</p> <figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497560/original/file-20221128-26-5t8y8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497560/original/file-20221128-26-5t8y8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497560/original/file-20221128-26-5t8y8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=896&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497560/original/file-20221128-26-5t8y8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=896&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497560/original/file-20221128-26-5t8y8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=896&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497560/original/file-20221128-26-5t8y8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1126&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497560/original/file-20221128-26-5t8y8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1126&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497560/original/file-20221128-26-5t8y8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1126&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>Flynn also explores ideas of memory transference, and this imbues the story with lingering, thoughtful hope: something that pervades the whole collection. In Flynn’s world, death can be a means to existence – as long as our memories keep living, our experiences and perspectives continue to exist.</p> <p>Flynn’s use of unexpected points of view allows him to avoid the sentimental. In 22F, he tells the story of an airplane seat abandoned in the jungle and we’re left with the superb image of moss growing up and over the upholstery, claiming the seat for the natural domain. We learn about the seat’s history, the work-politics of neighbouring seats, and observations of the passengers who have sat in them. We see glimpses of these human cargoes that simultaneously show the banality and profundity of life.</p> <p>The collection took Flynn ten years to write, and he includes notes at the end about his process and the stories’ origins. For instance, he describes how 22F was inspired by the Werner Herzog documentary <a href="https://letterboxd.com/film/wings-of-hope/">Wings of Hope</a>, which interviewed Juliane Koepcke, the sole survivor of a 1971 airplane crash. Together, Herzog and Koepcke journey to the site of the crash and find parts of the airplane in the jungle. Flynn says the story is about:</p> <blockquote> <p>Memory and place. A reminder that we are only passing through and that everything is part of something larger.</p> </blockquote> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497575/original/file-20221128-21-v71muf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497575/original/file-20221128-21-v71muf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497575/original/file-20221128-21-v71muf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497575/original/file-20221128-21-v71muf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497575/original/file-20221128-21-v71muf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497575/original/file-20221128-21-v71muf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497575/original/file-20221128-21-v71muf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497575/original/file-20221128-21-v71muf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">One of Chris Flynn’s stories is told from the perspective of an airplane seat abandoned in the jungle.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leslie Cross/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>The importance of memory and place is further explored in the story A Beautiful and Unexpected Turn, where we follow the perspective of a hotel room that takes a special interest in its guests, Diane and Hector. We see the waxing and waning and waxing of their relationship. At the end, the room says:</p> <blockquote> <p>We are places of passage, of transience […] Eventually, I would be demolished, perhaps to make way for another hotel or an apartment block, or nothing […] I would become rubble, and then dust.</p> </blockquote> <p>This could be the larger message of the book – our lives are transient and then we become dust. The connections we experience and inspire are what give us meaning in the moment.</p> <h2>Complications of care</h2> <p>Carol Lefevre’s <a href="https://www.spinifexpress.com.au/shop/p/9781925950625">The Tower</a> also emphasises place. This thoughtful collection of short stories is very different from Flynn’s in tone and focus, but it too grounds storytelling in the themes of place and mortality.</p> <figure class="align-left zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497573/original/file-20221128-14-p18sux.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497573/original/file-20221128-14-p18sux.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497573/original/file-20221128-14-p18sux.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=928&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497573/original/file-20221128-14-p18sux.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=928&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497573/original/file-20221128-14-p18sux.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=928&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497573/original/file-20221128-14-p18sux.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1166&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497573/original/file-20221128-14-p18sux.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1166&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497573/original/file-20221128-14-p18sux.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1166&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>The Tower is structured around a series of interlocking narratives about Dorelia MacCraith – in the very first story, after losing her husband Geordie, she sells her house and buys a new one, with a tower. Her children, who she does not consult, are suspicious of this defiant act.</p> <p>Straight away, the reader is thrust into the negotiations and complications of care. People who Dorelia once cared for are now asserting (or trying to assert) forms of reverse care. And many stories in the collection reverberate with related themes – women caring for children and partners and parents, or making decisions about their positions as carers, especially in the context of trying (or deciding not) to have children.</p> <p>The interconnected stories about Dorelia and her tower are the centrepiece of the collection. Yet Dorelia finds this house of her own by accident, when driving her dear friend and fellow artist Elizabeth Bunting to an appointment:</p> <blockquote> <p>they took a wrong turn, and then another, until at the end of the a quiet cul-de-sac, set among sheltering trees, stood the most adorable house […] and above the porch rose a small tower.</p> </blockquote> <p>I appreciate that it is the women’s friendship – their spark of connection and humour are immediate and inviting – that enables Dorelia to find her tower oasis. I also appreciate that this critical act occurs during a moment of generosity and care: Dorelia is driving Elizabeth to an appointment.</p> <p>While Dorelia may find her tower by accident, we never feel Lefevre is accidental in rendering the lives of these women on the page. The prose is carefully controlled, as is the detail and world-building – and the deeper reflections of the stories kaleidoscope through one another, building in nuanced ways.</p> <h2>Reimagining the crone</h2> <p>Of course, symbolic permutations resonate throughout this text – a tower of one’s own harks to <a href="https://theconversation.com/skin-and-sinew-and-breath-and-longing-reimagining-the-lives-of-queer-artists-and-activists-from-sappho-to-virginia-woolf-184459">Virginia Woolf</a> and Rapunzel. Dorelia reimagines the crone from the Rapunzel <a href="https://theconversation.com/reader-beware-the-nasty-new-edition-of-the-brothers-grimm-34537">fairy tale</a> as central and heroic.</p> <p>This rewriting and revision of the crone – and her motives and backstory – seems key to recognising women’s narratives more generally, and prioritising a multiplicity of stories and experiences within the Australian literary canon. In this sense, it feels like Lefevre is in conversation with authors such as Drusilla Modjeska, <a href="https://theconversation.com/intellectual-fearlessness-politics-and-the-spiritual-impulse-the-remarkable-career-of-amanda-lohrey-187354">Amanda Lohrey</a> and Charlotte Wood.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496662/original/file-20221122-23-obj24f.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496662/original/file-20221122-23-obj24f.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496662/original/file-20221122-23-obj24f.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=319&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496662/original/file-20221122-23-obj24f.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=319&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496662/original/file-20221122-23-obj24f.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=319&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496662/original/file-20221122-23-obj24f.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=401&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496662/original/file-20221122-23-obj24f.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=401&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496662/original/file-20221122-23-obj24f.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=401&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The main, recurring narrator of The Tower reimagines the crone from the Rapunzel fairytale as central and heroic.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>In <a href="https://theconversation.com/tarot-resurgence-is-less-about-occult-than-fun-and-self-help-just-like-throughout-history-139448">tarot</a> mythology, the card of The Tower considers the collapse of old structures. We get a sense of this in the reflexivity of the text, as well as in its story-world – as Dorelia faces life without her husband Geordie. Indeed, old age itself collapses life as she’s known it. The interplay between the textual and the intertextual resonates in this collection, making this book as enjoyable to later ponder as it was to actually read.</p> <p>Here Be Leviathans and The Tower are two very different short-story collections to consider in tandem. They vary in voice, tone and style. Yet both engage with the precariousness and effort that is at the foundation of being alive, and making meaning from our short time on the planet.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/193628/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/shady-cosgrove-153726">Shady Cosgrove</a>, Associate Professor, Creative Writing, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p>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/we-are-only-passing-through-stories-about-memory-mortality-and-the-effort-of-being-alive-193628">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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