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Joe Biden has COVID. Here’s what someone over 80 can expect

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hassan-vally-202904">Hassan Vally</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p>If US politics leading up to the 2024 presidential election was a Hollywood thriller, it would be a movie full of plot twists and surprises. The latest twist is President Joe Biden has <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/17/politics/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-19/index.html">COVID</a> and is isolating at home.</p> <p><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/17/statement-from-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-3/">Biden’s doctor says</a> his symptoms are mild and include a runny nose, cough and generally feeling unwell. His temperature, oxygen levels and respiratory rate are said to be normal.</p> <p>Biden, who has <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv2gj8314nqo">been diagnosed</a> with COVID twice before, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/17/statement-from-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-3/">has received</a> his COVID vaccine and booster shots, and has taken the first dose of the antiviral drug Paxlovid.</p> <p>No doubt, Biden will be receiving the best of medical care. Yet, as much <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-joe-biden-experiencing-cognitive-decline-heres-why-we-shouldnt-speculate-234487">recent media coverage</a> reminds us, he is 81 years old.</p> <p>So let’s look at what it means for an 81-year-old man to have COVID in 2024. Of course, Biden is not just any man, but we’ll come to that later.</p> <h2>Luckily, it’s not 2020</h2> <p>If we were back in 2020, a COVID diagnosis at this age would have been a big deal.</p> <p>This was a time before COVID vaccines, before specific COVID treatments and before we knew as much about COVID as we do today. Back then, being over 80 and being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID) represented a significant threat to your health.</p> <p>It was very clear early in the pandemic that your chances of getting severe disease and dying <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-older-people-more-at-risk-of-coronavirus-133770">increased with age</a>. The early data suggested that if you were over 80 and infected, you had about a 15% likelihood of dying from the illness.</p> <p>Also, if you did develop severe disease, we didn’t have a lot in the toolkit to deal with your infection.</p> <p>Remember, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson <a href="https://theconversation.com/scott-morrison-has-covid-its-a-big-deal-but-not-how-you-think-178298">ended up in the ICU</a> with his COVID infection in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/17/boris-johnson-and-coronavirus-inside-story-illness">April 2020</a>, despite being 55 at the time. That’s a much younger age than Biden is now.</p> <p>Former US President Donald Trump also had what was understood to be a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/11/trump-coronavirus-ventilator-covid-illness">very severe case</a> of COVID in October 2020. He was 74 at the time.</p> <h2>How things have changed</h2> <p>So let’s wind the clock forward to 2024. A lot has happened in four years.</p> <p>COVID is still a disease that needs to be <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/changing-threat-covid-19.html">taken seriously</a>. And for some people with other health conditions (for instance, people with heart disease or diabetes) it poses more of a threat. And of course we know more about the well-publicised <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-have-covid-how-likely-am-i-to-get-long-covid-218808">longer term effects</a> of COVID.</p> <p>But the threat COVID poses to an individual is far less now than it has ever been.</p> <h2>More of us have some immunity</h2> <p>First, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/03/who-estimates-90-of-world-have-some-resistance-to-covid">most people</a> have some immunity to COVID now, whether this has come from vaccination or prior infection, and for many both.</p> <p>The fact that your immune system has had some exposure to the virus is transformative in how you respond to infection. Yes, there’s the ongoing problem of waning immunity over time and the virus mutating meaning you need to have regular booster vaccines. But as your immune system has “seen” the virus before it allows it to respond more effectively. This means the threat posed by infection has fallen drastically.</p> <p>We know Biden has received his booster shots. Boosters have been shown to offer <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-new-covid-booster-vaccines-can-i-get-one-do-they-work-are-they-safe-217804">substantial protection</a> against severe illness and death and are particularly important for older age groups.</p> <h2>Now we have antivirals</h2> <p>Second, we also have antiviral medicines, such as Paxlovid, which is effective in reducing the likelihood of severe illness from COVID if taken soon after developing symptoms.</p> <p>In <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2118542">one study</a>, if taken soon after infection, Paxlovid reduced the likelihood of severe illness or death by 89%. So it is <a href="https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/therapies/antivirals-including-antibody-products/ritonavir-boosted-nirmatrelvir--paxlovid-/">highly recommended</a> for those at higher risk of severe illness. As we know, Biden is taking Paxlovid.</p> <p>Paxlovid has also been associated with rebound symptoms. This is when a person looks to have recovered from infection only to have symptoms reappear. Biden experienced this <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-some-people-who-take-paxlovid-for-covid-get-rebound-symptoms-or-test-positive-again-like-president-biden-188002">in 2022</a>.</p> <p>The good news is that even if this occurs in most instances the symptoms associated with the recurrence tend to be mild.</p> <h2>Biden would have the best care</h2> <p>The other factor of course is that Biden would have access to some of the world’s best medical care.</p> <p>If his symptoms were to become more severe or any complications were to develop, you can be assured he would get the best treatment.</p> <p>So is Biden’s diagnosis news? Well of course, given all the speculation about his health. But in terms of COVID being a major threat to Biden’s health, there are no indications it should be.<!-- 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/234999/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/hassan-vally-202904"><em>Hassan Vally</em></a><em>, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Bonnie Cash/Pool via CNP/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/joe-biden-has-covid-heres-what-someone-over-80-can-expect-234999">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Top 80s songs to get you moving

<p class="Default">While the fashion from the 1980s might only come out of the closet for dress up parties these days, the music is still considered some of the best of our time. Especially for music to get you moving.</p> <p class="Default">From dance and pop hits to a little rap and rock, it’s got to be one of the most diverse, eclectic and extravagant decades in recent cultural history.</p> <p class="Default">Here, we have been busy rifling through the tracks to whittle down a decade of music into 40 of the best tracks to move to. From dancing to exercise, if you want to get up off that couch, these are the songs to hit play on.</p> <p>1. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cindy Lauper (1983)<br />2. “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar (1980)<br />3. “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor (1982)<br />4. “Love Shack” by The B-52's (1989)<br />5. “Beat It” by Michael Jackson (1982)<br />6. “Manic Monday” by The Bangles (1986)<br />7. “Let's Dance” by David Bowie (1983)<br />8. “Livin' on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi (1986)<br />9. “I Love Rock N' Roll” by Joan Jett &amp; The Blackhearts (1982)<br />10. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson (1982)<br />11. “Faith” by George Michael (1987)<br />12. “Jump” by Van Halen (1984)<br />13. “Don't Stop Believin’" by Journey (1982)<br />14. “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina &amp; The Waves (1983)<br />15. “Kiss” by Prince (1986)<br />16. “Holiday” by Madonna (1983)<br />17. “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang (1980)<br />18. “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson (1982)<br />19. “Love is a Battlefield” by Pat Benatar (1983)<br />20. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by Eurythmics (1983)<br />21. “White Wedding” by Billy Idol (1982)<br />22. “Take on Me” by a-ha (1985)<br />23. “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles (1981)<br />24. “Karma Chameleon” by Culture Club (1983)<br />25. “The Tide is High” by Blondie (1980)<br />26. “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham (1984)<br />27. “Let's Hear It for the Boy” by Deniece Williams (1984)<br />28. “A Little Respect” by Erasure (1988)<br />29. “Sweet Child O' Mine” by Guns N' Roses (1987)<br />30. “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins (1984)<br />31. “Wild Thing” by Tone-Loc (1989)<br />32. “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell (1981)<br />33. “Borderline” by Madonna (1983)<br />34. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston (1987)<br />35. “Just Can't Get Enough” by Depeche Mode (1981)<br />36. “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley (1987)<br />37. “Always Something There to Remind Me” by Naked Eyes (1983)<br />38. “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” by New Kids on the Block (1988)<br />39. “It Takes Two” by Rob Base (1988)<br />40. “Down Under” by Men at Work (1981)</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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5 memorable locations from ‘80s films to check out

<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Everyone loves a good movie, and everyone loves a holiday, so what do you get when you combine the two? The time of your life! </span></p> <p>It’s widely known that the ‘80s spawned a whole host of films that went on to become cult classics - from the likes of <em>Heathers </em>to <em>Footloose</em>, <em>Dirty Dancing</em>, and <em>The Terminator</em> - and forged the way for cultural changes that ring true decades later. </p> <p>But did you also know that for many of these iconic films, real-life locations served as the inspiration for many memorable scenes? </p> <p>And while some may have changed slightly in the years since cast and crew flocked to them, some are like stepping into a time capsule - or a stage for you to re-enact the films as you see fit. </p> <p><strong>Lake Lure, North Carolina - <em>Dirty Dancing</em> (1987)</strong></p> <p>Anyone who’s seen<em> Dirty Dancing</em> can tell you that ‘the lift scene’ is one of the film’s most iconic moments. And it - along with a few others from the film - were filmed in North Carolina’s very own Lake Lure. And with the spot boasting its very own Lake Lure Inn &amp; Spa - where, coincidentally, the movie’s stars stayed while working on the project - it could be the perfect getaway location for your next holiday. </p> <p><strong>Guesthouse International Hotel, California - <em>National Lampoon Vacation</em> (1983) </strong></p> <p>For those embarking on their very own<em> National Lampoon Vacation</em>, you’re in luck - the hexagonal pool is near exactly the same as it was when Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold enjoyed a nighttime swim with Christie Brinkley’s The Girl in the Ferrari. </p> <p><strong>New York Public Library, New York - <em>Ghostbusters </em>(1984)</strong></p> <p>The 1984 film sparked an entire host of sequels, games, parodies, and conventions for avid fans across the globe - as well as one incredibly catchy song. However, for those that would like to go above and beyond just calling their friendly neighbourhood ghostbusters, the  New York Public Library’s flagship Stephen A Schwarzman building is the spot where the team had their very first encounter with the film’s ghosts. </p> <p><strong>Griffith Observatory, California - <em>The Terminator</em> (1984)</strong></p> <p>Fans of<em> The Terminator </em>should immediately recognise this site as the one where Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator arrived in the nude, and basked in the glory of LA at night. It’s a popular location, and while a must-see for fans of the film, it also makes for a good afternoon out - the observatory itself boasts free entry, stunning views, and a range of fascinating exhibits inside to entertain the keen mind. </p> <p><strong>The Grand Hotel, Michigan - <em>Somewhere in Time </em>(1980)</strong></p> <p>The Grand Hotel was the primary location for romantic drama <em>Somewhere in Time</em>, and they’re proud of it. In fact, a poster for the film is reportedly even still on display there, and hosts weekends of celebration for the 1980 hit, too. </p> <p>The island the hotel is set on doesn’t allow cars, so anyone hoping to throw themselves back in time and fully immerse themselves in a ‘different world’, this National Historic Landmark may be just the place to do it. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty, Booking.net</em></p>

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Harrison Ford is back as an 80-year-old Indiana Jones – and a 40-something Indy. The highs (and lows) of returning to iconic roles

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-mccann-398197">Ben McCann</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a></em></p> <p>Saddle up, don the fedora and crack that whip: Harrison Ford is back as the intrepid archaeologist in <em>Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny</em>. The film premiered at Cannes, where Ford was <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/harrison-ford-honorary-palme-dor-cannes-1235495463/">awarded</a> an Honorary Palme d’Or in recognition of his life’s work.</p> <p>Reviews for the fifth film in the franchise <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/indiana-jones-5-review-roundup-1235495961/">have been mixed</a>, and it is the first Indy film not to be directed by Steven Spielberg (this time, it’s James Mangold, best known for his motor-racing drama Ford v Ferrari).</p> <p>But this is “event” cinema that combines nostalgia, old-school special effects and John Williams’ <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-jaws-to-star-wars-to-harry-potter-john-williams-90-today-is-our-greatest-living-composer-176245">iconic score</a>.</p> <p>So, Ford is back, aged 80. What draws actors back after all this time?</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eQfMbSe7F2g?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>Role returns</h2> <p>Ford first played Indy in 1981 and last played him in 2008. That is a full 15 years since the most recent film in the series, and 42 years since his first outing in <em>Raiders of the Lost Ark</em>.</p> <p>Ford has form in returning to celebrated characters. One of the great pleasures of watching <em>The Force Awakens</em> back in 2015 was seeing Ford play Han Solo again for the <a href="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3j2j09">first time in over 30 years</a>.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0xQSIdSRlAk?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Actors return to roles for numerous reasons:</p> <ul> <li>financial (Ford was reportedly paid <a href="https://okmagazine.com/exclusives/harrison-ford-paid-indiana-jones-5-plagued-with-problems/">US$25 million</a> for <em>Dial of Destiny</em>)</li> <li>protection of their brand, image and star persona (Michael Keaton <a href="https://www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/the-flash-movies-biggest-hero-how-michael-keaton-saved-the-film/">returning to play Batman</a> after three decades and three other actors who have embodied the role)</li> <li>professional (Tom Cruise admitted over the 36 years between <em>Top Gun</em> films he wanted to make sure the sequel <a href="https://screenrant.com/top-gun-maverick-tom-cruise-return-how-explained/">could live up to the original</a>)</li> <li>personal (once-huge stars are working less and less, and only feel the need to return to a built-in fan base every few years – Bill Murray in the 2021 <em>Ghostbusters</em> sequel springs to mind).</li> </ul> <p>It’s not always a successful endeavour.</p> <p>Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone – two of the biggest action stars of the 1980s off the back of iconic roles as <em>The Terminator</em>, Rocky Balboa and John Rambo – have repeatedly returned to those roles, and critics have been <a href="https://screenrant.com/terminator-dark-fate-undermined-john-connor-storyline-franchise-bad/">particularly harsh</a>.</p> <p>It did not work for Sigourney Weaver in <em><a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/alien-resurrection-1997">Alien: Resurrection</a></em> in 1997, 18 years after her first time as Ripley; nor for Keanu Reeves in <em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/21/the-matrix-resurrections-review-keanu-reeves">The Matrix Resurrections</a></em> in 2021, 23 years after the original.</p> <p>And still, I’m intrigued to see what Michael Mann could do with his long-rumoured sequel to <em>Heat</em>, his definitive 1995 crime film. Ever since Mann published his novel Heat 2 last year – a kind of origin story for <em>Heat’s</em> key protagonists – fans have been hoping a de-aged Al Pacino (now aged 83) <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/04/michael-mann-heat-2-warner-bros-adam-driver-young-neil-mccauley-1235316777/">might return</a> as LA cop Vincent Hanna.</p> <h2>Undoing time</h2> <p>“Digital de-ageing” first entered the Hollywood mainstream in 2019 with <em>The Irishman</em> and <em>Captain Marvel</em>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/de-aging-actors-history-benjamin-button-dial-of-destiny-harrison-ford-1234863938/">Via this process</a>, older actors (Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Samuel L. Jackson have all been subject to the technology) move back and forwards in time without younger actors having to play them.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OF-lElIlZM0?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Films still tend to cast two actors to play older and younger versions of the same character, a choice that dates back at least to 1974’s <em>The Godfather Part II</em>, in which a young Robert de Niro plays Vito Corleone, portrayed by the much older Marlon Brando in the first film.</p> <p>In 1989, <em>Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade</em> features a delightful opening scene where River Phoenix plays the young version of Indiana Jones, before Ford takes over for the rest of the film.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AwH6-Yh7_SM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Actors used to just play characters of their own age when reprising earlier roles. Paul Newman finally won a Best Actor Oscar for his role as “Fast Eddie” Felson in <em>The Color of Money</em> (1986), a quarter of a century after first playing him in The Hustler.</p> <p>The sequel plays on Newman’s age, and his role as a mentor to an upcoming Tom Cruise, and bathes viewers in nostalgia and memories of <a href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/paul-newman-schooled-tom-cruise-the-color-of-money/">a younger Newman</a>.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k7gmrKAFshE?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>But actors no longer have to exclusively play their age.</p> <p>The first part of <em>Dial of Destiny</em> is an extended flashback, set in 1944, in which Ford has been digitally de-aged to appear in his 40s. This process used an AI system that scanned used and unused reels of footage of Ford from <a href="https://www.cbr.com/harrison-ford-de-aging-indiana-jones-dial-of-destiny/">the first three Indy films</a> to match his present-day performance.</p> <p>Here, it is as if we are getting two Fords for the price of one: the “younger”, fitter Indy and the older, more world-weary version. It makes for a powerfully emotional connection on screen.</p> <p>Yet there are some <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/awards/indiana-jones-5-harrison-ford-de-aging-not-working-1235618698/">pitfalls to de-ageing</a>. Some viewers complain that the whole process is distracting and that the hyper-real visual look of de-aged scenes resembles a video game.</p> <p>Even so, de-ageing in Hollywood cinema is here to stay. Tom Hanks’s <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/tom-hanks-robin-wright-digitally-deaged-robert-zemeckis-movie-1235507766/">next film</a> is using AI-based generative technology to digitally de-age him.</p> <p>Given its reduced cost, speed and reduced human input, AI-driven innovation might have <a href="https://filmstories.co.uk/news/new-ai-driven-de-ageing-tools-to-be-used-in-tom-hanks-project/">industry-changing ramifications</a>.</p> <h2>The star of Ford</h2> <p>Harrison Ford remains a bona fide “movie star” in an industry profoundly buffeted by COVID, the rise of streaming platforms, the demise of the monoculture, and the changing nature of who constitutes a star.</p> <p>In the midst of all this industry uncertainty, it seems there is no longer a statute of limitations on actors returning to much-loved characters.</p> <p>The next big ethical issue for the film industry as it further embraces AI is whether to <a href="https://collider.com/james-dean-digital-cgi-performance-in-new-movie/">resurrect deceased actors</a> and cast them in new movies.</p> <p>Still, I’m looking forward to seeing more actors de-aged as the technology improves and audiences acclimatise to watching older actors “playing” younger versions of themselves. We are only at the start of Hollywood’s next big adventure.<!-- 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/202357/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/ben-mccann-398197">Ben McCann</a>, Associate Professor of French Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</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/harrison-ford-is-back-as-an-80-year-old-indiana-jones-and-a-40-something-indy-the-highs-and-lows-of-returning-to-iconic-roles-202357">original article</a>.</em></p>

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“I’m not gonna be 80": Michael J. Fox's tragic admission

<p>Beloved actor Michael J. Fox is acknowledging how difficult his more than 30-year battle with Parkinson’s disease has become.</p> <p>“I’m not gonna be 80,” the Back to the Future star said in a preview for an upcoming episode of the American current affairs program <em>CBS Sunday Mornin</em>g, according to <em>Page Six</em>.</p> <p>In the clip, Journalist Jane Pauley tells Fox that he has “not squandered” but that his condition will eventually “make the call” as to when it’s his time to go.</p> <p>“Yeah, it’s, it’s banging on the door,” the actor said.</p> <p>“I’m not gonna lie. It’s gettin’ hard, it’s gettin’ harder. It’s gettin’ tougher. Every day it’s tougher.”</p> <p>Fox revealed that he had surgery to remove a benign tumour on his spine, but the procedure “messed up” his walking and so he started to “break” other parts of his body, including his arm, elbow, face and hand.</p> <p>He added that the “big killer” of Parkinson’s disease is “falling” and can also be “aspirating food and getting pneumonia”, pointing out that it is “all these subtle ways that gets you.”</p> <p>You don’t die from Parkinson’s. You die with Parkinson’s,” he said. “So – so I’ve been – I’ve been thinking about the mortality of it.”</p> <p>The actor was diagnosed with the brain disorder at just 29. He has since become a leading advocate for research on the condition, with the launch of the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 to help educate the public and fund studies.</p> <p>He has previously revealed that he does not fear death.</p> <p>“I’m really blunt with people about cures. When they ask me if I will be relieved of Parkinson’s in my lifetime, I say, ‘I’m 60 years old, and science is hard. So, no,’” he admitted in an AARP magazine profile in December 2021.</p> <p>“I am genuinely a happy guy. I don’t have a morbid thought in my head — I don’t fear death. At all.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Molly Meldrum at 80: how the ‘artfully incoherent’ presenter changed Australian music – and Australian music journalism

<p>Ian Alexander “Molly” Meldrum is 80 on January 29 2023.</p> <p>The Australian music industry would not be where it is today without his work as a talent scout, DJ, record producer, journalist, broadcaster and professional fan.</p> <p>His legacy has been acknowledged by the ARIAs, APRA, the Logies, an Order of Australia and even a <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-will-molly-help-us-remember-australian-culture-54117">mini-series</a>.</p> <p>Just a couple of weeks ago, Meldrum made headlines again for an appearance at Elton John’s farewell concert in Melbourne when he <a href="https://themusic.com.au/news/molly-meldrum-bares-his-bum-at-elton-john-concert/oL24srW0t7Y/14-01-23">“mooned” the crowd</a> in a playful display of rock and roll rebellion. He later <a href="https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/molly-meldrum-apologises-for-mooning-audiences-at-elton-johns-melbourne-concert-3381156">apologised</a> to the audience and old friend Elton, keen to make sure no one else was blamed.</p> <p>It was an irreverence typical of Meldrum’s long career. But his legacy is not just in the musical acts he supported. It is also in the taste makers who followed in his footsteps.</p> <h2>‘Artfully incoherent’</h2> <p>A journalist at pioneering music magazine Go-Set, a presenter and record producer, Meldrum became a household name with the ABC TV music show Countdown (1974-87). Countdown was a weekly touchstone for the industry and fans, promoting local acts alongside the best in the world.</p> <p>Meldrum’s approach to interviewing and commentary is legendary. ABC historian Ken Inglis called his interviewing style “artfully incoherent”.</p> <p>Importantly, his charm put artists and fans at ease.</p> <p>Meldrum is not a slick player, but a fan. This fandom is felt so deeply that, at times, he became overwhelmed.</p> <p>One of Meldrum’s most famous interviews was in 1977 when the then Prince Of Wales appeared on Countdown to launch a charity record and event. The presenter became increasingly flustered.</p> <p>Even now, watching back, it’s hard not to side with Meldrum rather than his famous guest. Pomp, ceremony and hierarchy really didn’t make sense in this rock and pop oasis.</p> <p>In another interview, Meldrum spoke to David Bowie on a tennis court. Both men casually talked and smoked (it was the ‘70s!), talking seriously about the work but not much else.</p> <p>As Meldrum handed Bowie a tennis racket to demonstrate how the iconic track, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkLE1Gno724">Fame</a> (with John Lennon) was born, the Starman was given space to be hilariously human.</p> <p>When meeting a sedate Stevie Nicks, Meldrum met her on her level.</p> <p>Nicks told Meldrum she was only happy “sometimes”, and rather than probing, he just listened. When Meldrum asked about the dog Nicks had in her lap, she opened up, "I got her way before I had any money, I didn’t have near enough money to buy her […] She’s one of the things I’ve had to give up for Fleetwood Mac, because you’re not home."</p> <p>Meldrum approached this, and all his guests, with humanity. This is how his insights into the reality of rock royalty are effortlessly uncovered.</p> <h2>New taste makers</h2> <p>A country boy who came to the city, Meldrum studied music and the growing local industry much more attentively than his law degree. He passionately supported (and continues to support) Australian popular music – and Australian music fans.</p> <p>He speaks a love language for music that musicians and fans share, and a language which has continued in other presenters.</p> <p>Following in Meldrum’s footsteps we have seen distinct critical voices like Myf Warhurst, Julia Zemiro and Zan Rowe.</p> <p>Each of these women have approached the music industry with charm like Meldrum, but also their own perspectives: Zemiro with a love of international influence; Warhurst with pop as a language to connect us to the everyday; Rowe with a way to connect audiences and musicians through conversations about their own processes and passions.</p> <p>Our best music critics, and musicians, have embraced an unapologetic energy Meldrum made acceptable.</p> <p>Meldrum is also a pioneer in the LGBTQ+ community, weathering the storms of prejudice during his early career. Today, members of the media and musical community have greater protection from the prejudice common when his career began.</p> <h2>The music, of course, the music</h2> <p>The Australian music industry would not be what it is had Molly Meldrum gone on to be a lawyer.</p> <p>Through the pages of Go-Set and on Countdown he worked to promote new talent, believing in and developing acts like AC/DC, Split Enz, Paul Kelly, Do Re Mi, Australian Crawl and Kylie Minogue before the rest of the industry knew what to do with them.</p> <p>He did the same for international artists. ABBA, Elton John, KISS, Madonna and many other now mega-names were first presented to Australian audiences via Meldrum’s wonderful ear.</p> <p>Today, Australian music encompasses pop, dance, electro and hip hop, and artists from all walks of life. Meldrum’s willingness to listen has contributed to this, and he encouraged others to do the same.</p> <p>Meldrum remains revered not just for nostalgia but as an example of what putting energy into the local scene can achieve.</p> <p>Most importantly, Meldrum continues to be a music fan. He loves the mainstream, the place where the majority of the audience also resides. He has never bought into the idea of a “guilty” pleasure – if it works, it works, no music snobbery here.</p> <p>His catch-cry – “do yourself a favour” – really does sum up the importance of music. It is not a luxury, but something to really keep us going.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/molly-meldrum-at-80-how-the-artfully-incoherent-presenter-changed-australian-music-and-australian-music-journalism-196793" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Music

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Acclaimed actor David Warner dies at 80

<p dir="ltr">David Warner, a famous British actor who acted in a range of different classics has died at 80 years old.</p> <p dir="ltr">Warner's family said he died from a cancer-related illness on Sunday at Denville Hall, a retirement home for entertainers in London.</p> <p dir="ltr">Often cast as a villain, Warner had roles in the 1971 psychological thriller Straw Dogs, the 1976 horror classic The Omen, the 1979 time-travel adventure Time After Time — he was Jack the Ripper — and the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, where he played the malicious valet Spicer Lovejoy.</p> <p dir="ltr">Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Warner became a young star of the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing roles including King Henry VI and King Richard II. His 1965 performance in the title role of Hamlet for the company, directed by Peter Hall, was considered one of the finest of his generation.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite his success as a stage actor, chronic stage fright led Warner to prefer film and TV work for many years, seeing him nominated for a British Academy Film Award for the title role in Karel Reisz's Swinging London tragicomedy Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment, released in 1966. .</p> <p dir="ltr">He had a prolific career on film and TV in both Britain and the United States, and became beloved of sci-fi fans for roles in Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits, computer movie Tron, Tim Burton's remake of Planet of the Apes, and the Star Trek franchise, where he made several appearances in different roles.</p> <p dir="ltr">Warner returned to theatre in 2001 after almost three decades to play Andrew Undershaft in a Broadway revival of George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara.</p> <p dir="ltr">Warner's family said he would be remembered "as a kind-hearted, generous and compassionate man, partner and father whose legacy of extraordinary work has touched the lives of so many over the years."</p> <p dir="ltr">"We are heartbroken," the family said.</p> <p dir="ltr">They said Warner is survived by his partner Lisa Bowerman, his son Luke, daughter-in-law Sarah, "his good friend Jane Spencer Prior, his first wife Harriet Evans and his many gold dust friends".</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

News

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Readers Respond: What was life like for you in the ‘80s?

<p dir="ltr">We always sit and reminisce about the good ol’ days. </p> <p dir="ltr">And according to some of your responses, the ‘80s was a great time to be alive. </p> <p dir="ltr">None of us in the office would know, but this helps us get a glimpse of what life was like back then no matter if it was sad or happy.</p> <p dir="ltr">Check out some of your responses below. </p> <p dir="ltr">Jenny Jones - I had my kids. My health. A husband. A car. Huge house. Everything was great.</p> <p dir="ltr">Michael Woodhouse - A damn better sight than it is now.</p> <p dir="ltr">Vicki Johnson - A great time for me. All my children were born in the 80s. I had a lovely life as a stay at home mum. So very different to today's world.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kathryn Potter - Much, much better than now. Was in my 30s, had a great job, more money, a beautiful little car and enjoyed life to the fullest. Did not have a care in the world. Life was good. I just wish we could go back to those days, but sadly all gone!</p> <p dir="ltr">Gillian Boyd - Busy was my first thought. The ‘80s passed me by in a whirl of pregnancy, babies, toddlers and endless washing of nappies.</p> <p dir="ltr">Yvonne Doney - Was too busy being a wife/parent to notice.</p> <p dir="ltr">Harriott Smedley - Yes, the best time of my life. I had met John, we married in 1983 and had a wonderful life together - 40 years all up. I miss him everyday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Michele Garfield - Working hard and a bad break up with the man I lived with.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sharron Millsteed Barker - Married the best man in the world in the ‘80s and had the most gorgeous son.</p> <p dir="ltr">Diane Beatty - Working part time and coping with teenagers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Share some of your memories <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtys/posts/pfbid02cHg9tugrVxTSzM3RFjmsVtYAHe2ovhdufEdfzSXZuc21yGDPzRMXugjn8Zy94Txyl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Why women make up more than 80 per cent of true crime podcast listeners

<p dir="ltr">It’s been a running joke for a while that most true crime podcast listeners are female.</p> <p dir="ltr">But it has now been revealed that young women make up a whopping 80 per cent of true crime podcast listeners. </p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Julia Shaw, a criminal psychologist and co-host of the true crime and science podcast Bad People, said the simple reason was due to women’s experiences.</p> <p dir="ltr">She explained that growing up, women are told to keep an eye out for any danger such as a man staring at you for too long or following you home. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Women seem particularly interested in the intricacies of the criminal mind,” she told The Daily Mail. </p> <p dir="ltr">“There is a real drive to understand the 'why', not just the 'how' of the crime.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Claire Bord, a publisher at Bookouture concurred with Dr Shaw’s statement explaining how easy it was for women to “resonate” with the situation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“These kind of storylines tap into dark themes that resonate with readers because we can see ourselves in these everyday scenarios and then imagine what could happen,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I also think there are aspects of the dark themes explored in psychological thrillers, and indeed true crime, that can speak deeply to readers who have experienced difficult times in their own lives.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Mind

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Princess Cruises brings back 80 per cent of fleet

<p dir="ltr">With cruise ships gearing up to set sail for the first time in almost two years, Princess Cruises has announced an additional three ships returning to service.</p> <p dir="ltr">The company is welcoming guests back onboard the Crown Princess, Island Princess and Royal Princess.</p> <p dir="ltr">The return of the three additional cruises marks a milestone where 80 per cent of the fleet has resumed cruising since July 2021. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We’re so excited to have three more Princess MedallionClass ships return to service and our shipboard teams are ready to help our guests create a lifetime of holiday memories,” Princess Cruises President John Padgett said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s so gratifying to see tens of thousands of guests each week enjoying their cruise holidays with us and the friendly and attentive service that is a Princess Cruises hallmark.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Island Princess departed Fort Lauderdale on April 27 to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the cruise line.</p> <p dir="ltr">Travellers will enjoy a stunning 14-day Ocean-to-Ocean Panama Canal Voage. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Royal Princess sailed from Vancouver on May 2 for back-to-back northbound and southbound cruises from Vancouver and Whittier.</p> <p dir="ltr">Every sailing includes two days of glacier viewing featuring Glacier Bay National Park, plus Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord.</p> <p dir="ltr">Crown Princess left Seattle on May 7 for a whopping 19, seven-day Inside Passage voyages to Alaska until September 10, 2022. </p> <p dir="ltr">She will then move to Los Angeles for a season of California Coast and Hawaii sailings.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Cruising

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80-year-old speedster loses licence

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An elderly man has lost his licence and received a fine after South Australian Police allegedly detected his car travelling more than 80 kilometres over the speed limit.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Highway patrol spotted the driver in his Subaru WRX sedan at Alma, in South Australia’s lower Mid North region, at about 2.45pm on Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 80-year-old man was pulled over after being allegedly clocked at 182 kilometres per hour on a road with a speed limit of 100 kph.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also lost his licence for six months.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The driver, an Adelaide Plains man, was pulled over by police and handed a $1,814 fine.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Given the high number of serious and fatal crashes recently in the Barossa and Mid North area, this type of driving is of significant concern,” police said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Highway patrols will continue to have a presence along main arterial roads and highways between rural townships with speed detection, vehicle road-worthiness and drink and drug driving receiving particular attention.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The latest incident comes after a series of fatal crashes, with police pleading with drivers to take care on the roads and slow down.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last month, a grandmother and father died while on a road trip to buy a birthday present, when the car they were travelling in hit a tree.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I implore people to be cautious, drive safely and consider the consequences and implications of your actions when you’re using our roads because there are significant and quite lifelong consequences,” Superintendent Bob Gray said at the time.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: SA Police</span></em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Islands that will disappear in the next 80 years

<p>Sadly, rising sea levels present a serious danger to all sorts of natural features – including islands. And though it may seem like a slow process, it could very well cause several islands throughout the world to be completely gone before the 21st century is over. And rising water is just one of many scary things that could happen if the glaciers continue to melt.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Solomon Islands</strong></p> <p>The Solomon Islands, a group of nearly 1,000 islands and atolls in the South Pacific, are slowly being taken over by the sea. In fact, the sea level has risen by around 8 millimetres per year since 1993. It is rising so fast that the provincial capital of Choiseul is just over two metres about sea level, and a new town is being built for residents to relocate. According to a 2016 paper published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, five reef islands have already disappeared, and several villages that had stood since 1935 were destroyed on other islands with receding shorelines.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Maldives</strong></p> <p>The popular and beautiful Maldives, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean that’s home to many lush resorts and even a variety of underwater hotels, are also slowly being covered by the ocean. According to the CIA, the low elevation of the islands makes them sensitive to the sea level rising. The World Bank says that at the current projections of sea level rise, the entire country could be underwater by the year 2100. In 2009, the country’s president held a meeting under water in an attempt to bring attention to the impending disaster.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Palau</strong></p> <p>A paper published in collaboration between the Palau National Weather Service Office and the Pacific Climate Change Science Program says that the sea level has risen in Palau, located in the South Pacific, by about 9mm per year since 1993, about three times the global average. It is expected to continue to rise by up to 61cm by the year 2090. Public Radio International reports that residents say their yards are flooding during some full moon high tides and are considering moving to a new country. The island’s famous non-stinging jellyfish are even disappearing, which may also be due to climate change.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Micronesia</strong></p> <p>Micronesia is a country made up of 607 islands located 4025 kilometres southwest of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Its mere 435 square kilometres of land are filled with mountains, mangroves, lagoons and beaches. Due to increasing sea levels, the nation has seen several islands disappear within recent memory, while others have been severely reduced in size, according to the Journal of Coastal Conservation.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Fiji</strong></p> <p>The Pacific Islands of Fiji are also low-lying and vulnerable to changes in ocean levels. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change says that the village of Vunidogoloa was the first to begin relocating because of the rapid sea level rise, which is continuing to worsen. A World Bank report says over the last few decades, some villages have reported a loss of 15-20 metres of shoreline due to loss of mangroves. Sea levels are expected to rise up to 43 centimetres by 2050, according to the report. Rises in ocean temperatures also affect the coral reefs, resulting in coral bleaching that turns the coral white and vulnerable to disease.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Tuvalu</strong></p> <p>The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, a remote South Pacific nation, has stated that “sea level rise and more severe weather events loom as a growing threat to our entire population.” The Tuvalu government says it’s one of the most vulnerable places on Earth to the impact of rising sea levels, which could bring complete disaster to its 10,000 residents.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Seychelles</strong></p> <p>Off the east coast of Africa, the Seychelles are experiencing an unprecedented rise in sea levels compared to the last 6,000 years, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. With around 85 percent of the country’s development sitting on coastlines, rising sea levels can be catastrophic. The Seychelles News Agency reports that just a one-metre rise could cover many of its low-lying islands and inhabited coastal areas, which would be a 70 percent loss of its land mass. Mangrove forests and coral reefs are also at severe risk.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Kiribati</strong></p> <p>There’s a plan to move everyone who lives on this island in the central Pacific completely off due to increasing water levels. The president of Kiribati, an independent republic, looked to buy land in Fiji in 2012 as “climate change insurance” for the island’s population. The president was quoted as saying, “moving won’t be a matter of choice. It’s basically going to be a matter of survival.” He has said his country will become uninhabitable by 2050.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Cook Islands</strong></p> <p>Described by its tourism board as “like Hawaii was 50 years ago,” the Cook Islands off of New Zealand are another set of islands affected by rising sea levels. With a predicted increase in ocean levels of up to 55 centimetres by the year 2090, the rising waters are expected to damage roads, bridges, ports and runways, which will affect residents and tourism.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>French Polynesia</strong></p> <p>Made up of popular tropical retreats like Bora Bora, Tahiti and the Society Islands, French Polynesia is on many a traveller’s bucket list. But in the next hundred years, it may no longer be an option. A paper published in Nature Conservation predicted that 30 percent of its islands will be overtaken by water by the end of the century. As an alternative to moving to a new country, the government is considering building “floating islands” for residents near Tahiti with the hopes of attracting tech companies to the concept.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Tangier Island, Virginia</strong></p> <p>Tangier Island, about 20 kilometres off the US east coast in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay, is only accessible by boat or plane. Bikes and golf carts are main modes of transportation in this “soft crab capital of the nation,” and the island is made up of narrow streets, natural beaches, charming gift shops and ice cream stores. However, more than 60 percent of the island has been lost to the sea since 1850, according to Nature.com, with the remaining expected to be submerged within the next 25 to 50 years.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Marshall Islands</strong></p> <p>Water levels are rising on the Marshall Islands, a group of islands halfway between Hawaii and Australia known for their friendly locals and coral reefs, as well. Increasing at a rate of 7 millimetres per year, according to a brochure produced by the Marshall Islands National Weather Service Office and the Pacific-Australia Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning Program, the rise is about double the global average. The project estimates that water levels will continue to rise by almost 20 centimetres by 2030, increasing storm surge and coastal flooding.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Shishmaref, Alaska</strong></p> <p>This small island with a population of just 650 has slowly been disappearing into the sea over the last 50 years, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), losing 30 metres since 1997. The DOI says the entire island will be gone within the next 20 years. One resident, Esau Sinnok, says he’s had to move in and out of 13 houses due to the loss of land. Though residents voted to relocate from this island accessible only by plane, a lack of funding makes these efforts difficult.</p> <p> </p> <p>It all may seem scary and overwhelming, but luckily there are plenty of little things you can do every day to help the environment.</p> <p> </p> <p><em>Written by Lyn Mettler. This article first appeared on </em><a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/13-islands-that-will-disappear-in-the-next-80-years?pages=1"><em>Reader’s Digest</em></a><em>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><a href="http://readersdigest.com.au/subscribe"><em>here’s our best subscription offer</em></a><em>.</em></p>

International Travel

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“My angels”: 80-year-old woman rescued at home after falling and breaking her hip

<p>An 80-year-old woman who broke her hip and was unable to move in her home for four days has been rescued by police with the help of a Care Army volunteer.</p> <p>Erika Freingruber fell at her Beaudesert house, south of Brisbane, at the end of April.</p> <p>Paul Mahoney, a member of the newly formed Care Army Community Recovery team, called Beaudesert police on April 23 to request a welfare check after not being able to contact Freingruber.</p> <p>“I had some concerns because when I spoke to Erika a few days beforehand, she had really been on the ball,” Mahoney said.</p> <p>“I rang her and couldn’t contact her and then I also contacted her friend who had not been able to contact her either, so that’s when I rang the police.”</p> <p>Police bodycam footage showed constables Glenn Engels and Max Gillett breaking into Freingruber’s home after hearing her calling for help.</p> <p>Freingruber is now recovering in hospital. “You’re my lifesavers, my angels, not policemen, my angels,” she told the two officers, who visited her at Brisbane’s QEII Hospital.</p> <p>“Can you imagine a week, nearly a week lying there, without help day and night?</p> <p>“Every doctor who came here said, ‘You don’t know how lucky you are that you are alive’.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FQueenslandPolice%2Fposts%2F10158563336438254&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=552&amp;height=705&amp;appId" width="552" height="705" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>Freingruber had previously been keeping regular contact with the Care Army Community Recovery team, a new organisation formed by the Queensland State Government to help monitor the elderly and vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic.</p> <p>Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk praised the work of the police department and the Care Army.</p> <p>“I am extremely grateful to the member of the Care Army who raised the alarm when Erika couldn’t be contacted,” she said.</p> <p>“And as for the police, I can’t say enough about the urgency, professionalism and compassion they brought to bear in going to Erika’s aid.”</p> <p>Police Minister Mark Ryan said the incident highlighted the importance of checking up on vulnerable people in the community.</p> <p>“Without the state government initiative of the Care Army, police probably would not have known Erika needed help,” Ryan said.</p> <p>“In the darkness don’t forget, we can still show a little bit of kindness, compassion and care.”</p>

Caring

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Did you know: More than 80% of strip searches turn up nothing

<p>It is difficult not to be cynical about the New South Wales Government’s recent <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/nsw-government-shuts-down-police-watchdogs-strip-search-inquiry/">decision to shut down the Law Enforcement Corruption Commission’s (LECC) inquiry into strip searches</a>, particularly in light of new statistics published this week that show that in an overwhelming majority of cases, strip searches turn up nothing.</p> <p>Figures from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) show that of the 211,000 personal searches conducted by New South Wales police in 2018, 88 per cent resulted in police finding nothing – not illegal drugs, not knives or other concealed weapons. In fact, nothing at all.</p> <p>The numbers paint a damning picture.</p> <p><strong>Police targeting children and indigenous Australians</strong></p> <p>More than 26,000 searches were conducted on children under the age of 18. When looked at geographically, in some areas around the state up to as many as 37 percent of strip searches involved children, with nothing found in more than 90 per cent of these.</p> <p>About 78 per cent were conducted on Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people.</p> <p>Until the moment it was canned in December last year (at the same time as the New South Wales government dismissed former head of the LECC Michael Adams QC) <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/watchdog-to-investigate-strip-search-of-teen/">the inquiry into strip searches</a> was tackling an issue that has become one of great social concern – that police are increasingly using the highly invasive procedure of strip searches, and are not always following the law when doing so.</p> <p><strong>Strip searches conducted illegally</strong></p> <p>Mr Adams’ tenure as head of the LECC and also head of the strip search inquiry was not renewed shortly after he told an LECC hearing that he would examine whether some of the unlawful strip searches the LECC had been investigating classified as indecent assaults. If any of this had actually been proven, <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/suing-police-over-unlawful-strip-search-an-interview-with-luke-moore/">the NSW police force would be potentially liable to compensate victims</a>.</p> <p>Because such a significant number of searches result in nothing being found, then it stands to reason that police are either inadequately trained to appropriate conduct strip searches, <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/what-are-the-rules-for-strip-searching/">they misunderstand the governing guidelines</a>, or are potentially ignoring the regulations which stipulate that they must have need to have ‘reasonable suspicion’ in order to conduct a strip search.</p> <p>It is also possible that police could be simply using strip searches to threaten, intimidate and humiliate members of the general public. This accusation has been made previously, on a number of occasions.</p> <p><strong>Police performance targets</strong></p> <p>Also of serious concern also is the fact that police commands are given targets for the number of personal searches officers must conduct. Personal searches can involve a frisk or requiring someone to remove outer layers of clothing, but they can also include strip searches, in which all the person’s clothing may be removed.</p> <p>Across NSW in 2018-19 police were expected to perform 242,000 personal searches.</p> <p>Of the 238,923 actual searches conducted, two per cent, or 5353, were strip searches. Nothing was found in 66 per cent of these. In the same period, a total of 17,535 searches were conducted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with nothing found in 88 per cent of these.</p> <p>Police have defended the targets, saying that the force is responsible for enforcing drugs and weapons laws and searches are a “vital detection tool and often necessary to find and seize these illegal items” despite the fact that looking at these figures, it is logical to conclude, because they turn up nothing in the vast majority of cases, that strip searches are largely ineffective, and a waste of police time and resources.</p> <p><strong>What does the law say?</strong></p> <p>The law governing the conduct of strip searches, which also outlines the rights of anyone subjected to the procedure, are outlined in the <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/what-are-the-rules-for-strip-searching/">Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW).</a></p> <p>The Act contains safeguards for children and vulnerable people, with which police must comply, including the fact that minors must be accompanied by an adult ‘support person’ during the search.</p> <p>It also stipulates that strip searches must be conducted by an officer of the same sex as the person being searched irrespective of their age, and must <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/aboriginal-elder-strip-searched-on-busy-sydney-road/">be carried out in private</a>.</p> <p>But as<a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/nsw-police-are-illegally-strip-searching-children/"> last year’s public inquiry into strip searches found</a>, these safeguards are often ignored. For example, when investigating the strip searches of three boys aged 15, 16 and 17 at a music festival, none of which found any <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/driver-carrying-200-million-in-illegal-drugs-crashes-into-parked-police-cars/">illegal drugs</a>, the LECC found that police arranged for two SES volunteers to act as independent support people, instead of enabling them to have a parent, guardian or trusted adult friend present.</p> <p>The inquiry heard at least 25 children at one under-18s event were potentially subjected to the practice unlawfully, with volunteers from the Red Frogs charity also being used to oversee the strip-searching.</p> <p>There have long been concerns about the psychological impact of strip searches, particularly on young people, with some calling it <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/strip-searches-are-effectively-a-form-of-state-sanctioned-sexual-assault/">a form of state-sanctioned sexual assault.</a> And with little evidence to prove they are actually an effective policing practice, it’s time that the NSW Police force re-considered the use of these searches. It’s also time for the New South Wales government to review the laws which govern them.</p> <p><em>Written by Sonia Hickey. Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/more-than-80-of-strip-searches-turn-up-nothing/"><em>Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</em></a></p> <p><em> </em></p> <p><em> </em></p>

Retirement Life

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Australian writer Clive James dies aged 80

<p><span>Poet, critic and star of <em>The Clive James Show</em> has passed away, aged 80, after a lengthy battle with cancer on Sunday in his Cambridge home.</span></p> <p><span>The Australian export was diagnosed with leukemia, kidney failure and lung disease nearly 10 years ago and endured his “ever-multiplying illnesses with patience and good humour,” a statement from his agent read.</span></p> <p><span>“A private funeral attended by family and close friends took place in the chapel at Pembroke College, Cambridge on Wednesday 27th November.”</span></p> <p><span>“He endured his ever-multiplying illnesses with patience and good humour, knowing until the last moment that he had experienced more than his fair share of this ‘great, good world’.”</span></p> <p><span>The beloved star first revealed to viewers his illness in May 2011, 11 months after he had first been diagnosed with the deadly disease. </span></p> <p><span>His career reached new heights for the better part of 50 years, not only making way as a successful TV star but as a writer who went on to publish poetry, essays, memoirs, literature and song lyrics.</span></p> <p><span>His dead-course, illuminating writing style peaked in popularity during the 1980’s and he became an influential powerhouse in media circles.</span></p> <p><span>On his show, he lampooned clips of absurd international television shows, including a Japanese contest called <em>Endurance</em>. </span></p> <p><span>As a prolific master with words, James firmly retained his fond memory of his British heritage, and often reflected on his time as the “Kid From Kogarah,” despite five decades of residency in Britain. </span></p> <p><span>His daughter Claerwen noted his father as "a showman and a recluse at the same time."</span></p> <p><span>In his latest years, James did not stray away from writing about his illness and in 2010 penned a newspaper column called <em>Reports on My Death</em> in The Guardian.</span></p> <p><span>He later said in 2016, his longevity after announcing his diagnosis was “embarrassing.</span></p> <p><span>His last poetry collection, <em>Sentenced to Life</em>, published in April 2015 was described by<em> The Independent</em> as "essentially, a love letter to Australia”.</span></p> <p><span>James made his last stage appearance at London's inaugural Australia &amp; New Zealand Festival of Literature &amp; Arts in June 2014.</span></p> <p><span>It was there he shared his charming wit and humour and the true poet within to his audience. </span></p> <p><span>''The poetry I write now, I think, is quite a lot more penetrating and sensitive than my earlier work — because it needs to be,'' he explained.</span></p> <p><span>''Inevitably you start saying goodbye. I like to think that I hit a sort of plangent tone of threnody, a sort of Last Post, a recessional tone."</span></p> <p><span>Vivian Leopold James was born in Sydney in 1939, changing his name to Clive as a child.</span></p> <p><span>James moved to England in 1962 and, after graduating from Cambridge University, remained there for the rest of his life.</span></p> <p><span>He is survived by his wife Prue Shaw and two daughters, Claerwen and Lucinda.</span></p> <p><span>Scroll through the gallery to see Clive James throughout his career.</span></p>

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New study shows 80 per cent of Aussie household water goes to waste

<p>As regional Australian towns face the prospect of <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/plan-c-is-a-problem-a-town-without-ground-water-nears-day-zero-20191022-p53334.html">running out of water</a>, it’s time to ask why Australia does not make better use of recycled wastewater.</p> <p>The technology to reliably and safely make clean, drinkable water from all sources, including sewage, has existed for <a href="https://www.applied.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/drinking-water-through-recycling-full-report.pdf">at least a decade</a>. Further, <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/water-reform/national-water-initiative-agreement-2004.pdf">government policy</a> has for a long time allowed for recycled water to ensure supply.</p> <p>The greatest barrier to the widespread use of recycled wastewater is community acceptance. Research from around the world found the best way to overcome reluctance is to embrace education and rigorously ensure the highest quality water treatment.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298470/original/file-20191024-31434-187ua6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298470/original/file-20191024-31434-187ua6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In 2006 Toowoomba voted against introducing recycled water, despite extensive drought gripping the area.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/allanhenderson/2351100815/in/photolist-nQkp38-4zL1mX-aDPpEZ-aDPpLV-fEdSCh-hvcdT7-nQiamA-o7ESdb-fEdQK7-NyMorG-o7Mtex-hvcFhN-nMBXnf-29iZvnt-uobZDu-uEkpLu" class="source">Allan Henderson/Flickr</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" class="license">CC BY</a></span></em></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Why not use stormwater?</strong></p> <p>Many people are happy to use recycled stormwater, while being reluctant to cook, drink or wash with recycled household wastewater. But there are technical, cost and supply issues with relying on stormwater to meet our country’s water needs. Stormwater has to be cleaned before it is used, the supply can be irregular as it is reliant upon rain, and it has to be stored somewhere for use.</p> <p>On the other hand, household wastewater (which is what goes into the sewerage system from sinks, toilets, washing machines and so on) is a more consistent supply, with <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/04/04/from-wastewater-to-drinking-water/">80% or more</a> of household water leaving as wastewater.</p> <p>Furthermore, wastewater goes to treatment plants already, so there is a system of pipes to transport it and places which already treat it, including advanced treatment plants that can treat the water to be clean enough for a range of purposes. There are strong economic, environmental and practical arguments for investing more effort in reusing wastewater to meet our water supply needs.</p> <p>This water can be used for households, industry, business and agriculture, greening public spaces, fighting fires, and topping up rivers or groundwater.</p> <p><strong>The water cycle</strong></p> <p>Technically, all water is recyled; indeed we are drinking the <a href="https://www.xplorationstation.com/">same water as the dinosaurs</a>. Put very simply, water evaporates, forms clouds and falls as rain, and is either absorbed into the earth and captured underground or filtered through rock and goes back again into oceans and rivers.</p> <p>When we capture and reuse water, we are not making more water, but speeding up the water cycle so we can reuse it more quickly.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298473/original/file-20191024-31471-1tnktt1.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/298473/original/file-20191024-31471-1tnktt1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Not pictured: the many, many animals and people every drop of water has passed through over millennia.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wikimedia Commons</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-SA</a></span></p> <p>We do already <a href="http://www.awa.asn.au/AWA_MBRR/Publications/Fact_Sheets/Water_Recycling_Fact_Sheet/AWA_MBRR/Publications/Fact_Sheets/Water_Recycling_Fact_Sheet.aspx?hkey=54c6e74b-0985-4d34-8422-fc3f7523aa1d">reuse wastewater</a> in Australia, with many parts of regional Australia cleaning wastewater and releasing it into rivers. That water is then extracted for use by places downstream.</p> <p>Despite this, there have been significant community objections to building new infrastructure to reuse wastewater for household use. In 2006, at the height of the Millennium drought, Toowoomba <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160105-why-we-will-all-one-day-drink-recycled-wastewater">rejected the idea</a> entirely.</p> <p>However, since then a scheme has been <a href="https://www.watercorporation.com.au/water-supply/our-water-sources/recycled-water">successfully established</a> in Perth. We must examine these issues again in light of the current drought, which sees a number of Australian regional centres facing the prospect of <a href="https://meltwaternews.com/ext/mediac/213698325.pdf">running out of water</a>.</p> <p><strong>Lessons from overseas</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298467/original/file-20191024-31453-10p3sbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298467/original/file-20191024-31453-10p3sbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Singapore has had enormous success in reusing wastewater for all kinds of purposes.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG</span></span></em></p> <p>Despite initial reluctance, many places around the world have successfully introduced extensive wastewater recycling. Places such as Singapore, Essex, California, New Mexico, and Virginia widely use it.</p> <p>Recent research from the <a href="https://www.wsaa.asn.au/publications">Water Services Association of Australia</a>, working with other research bodies, found several key lessons.</p> <p>Firstly, the language we use is important. Phrases like “<a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/toilettotap-back-on-the-agenda-as-nsw-looks-again-at-recycled-water-20180919-h15kqh">toilet to tap</a>” are unhelpful as they don’t emphasise the extensive treatment processes involved.</p> <p>The social media and news outlets can play an significant role here. In Orange County, California, wastewater was introduced through a slow process of building acceptance. Influential individuals were enlisted to explain and advocate for its uses.</p> <p>Secondly, communities need time and knowledge, particularly about safety and risks. Regulators play an important role in reassuring communities. In San Diego, a demonstration plant gave many people the opportunity to see the treatment process, drink the water and participate in education.</p> <p>We need to go beyond information to deep consultation and education, understanding where people are starting from and acknowledging that people from different cultures and backgrounds may have different attitudes.</p> <p>El Paso successfully introduced wastewater through strong engagement with the media and significant investment in community education, including explaining the water cycle.</p> <p>Finally, quality of the water needs to be great and it needs to come from a trustworthy source. The more it happens, and people know that, the more likely they are to feel reassured.</p> <p>It’s clear the public expect governments to plan and act to secure our future water supply. But we can’t just impose possibly distasteful solutions – instead, the whole community needs to be part of the conversation.<!-- 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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125798/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: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/roberta-ryan-172068">Roberta Ryan</a>, Professor, UTS Institute for Public Policy and Governance and UTS Centre for Local Government, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/80-of-household-water-goes-to-waste-we-need-to-get-it-back-125798">original article</a>.</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Chaos in stores as BIG W launches 80 per cent off sale

<p>BIG W has launched a massive clearance sale with thousands of items heavily discounted, some up to 80 per cent off.</p> <p>The budget department store has had a tough run this year, with the announcement in July that 30 of its stores would be closing.</p> <p> Some items available in the clearance sale start from just $1.</p> <p>Discounted brands include the much-loved Dyson, with the brand’s vacuums reduced to $449. The Dyson V7 Origin cordless vacuum has had $200 slashed off the price, making it available at $399.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7830426/big-w-body.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2b576de8d5e94b9a8162bf2e769eb9fa" /></p> <p>A huge range of toys are available in the clearance sale, including Lego, Marvel and Disney brands available at a large discount.</p> <p>Bedding, beauty products, exercise and fitness gear, camping equipment and luggage are also included in the sale.</p> <p>There’s 40 per cent off on Covergirl, Maybelline, Max Factor X and L’Oreal cosmetics as well as 30 per cent off Logitech computer equipment.</p> <p>If you finally want to get into meal prepping or just have a better way to store your food, the department store is offering ½ price on Décor food storage.</p> <p>The clearance sale is online and in store and is available while stocks last. Some deals are only available until the 19th<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><br />of September, so get in quick!</p>

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